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April 21, 2007 — From the front section
All of the articles that appear below are special to the Armenian Reporter
For photographs, visit
1. Hope for the City donates $10 mln in medical aid to Armenia
* Founders deliver aid and meet stakeholders
2. Friends and family mourn the passing of James Aljian (by Paul Chaderjian)
* Former MGM Studios executive served as Executive Director of Lincy Foundation
3. From Washington, in brief (by Emil Sanamyan)
* Bush, Fried stress importance of elections in Armenia
* U.S. renews warning to Azerbaijan over Karabakh…
* …and argues for Kosovo independence
* Turkish-Kurdish tensions heat up
* Lobbying against the Genocide resolution continues
* Prominent Democratic senators endorse Genocide resolution
4. European observers say May 12 will be "a touchstone for Armenian
democracy" (by Armen Hakobyan)
* Should Armenian voters keep their fingers clean?
5. Foreign ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan meet again
* Minsk Group co-chairs to return to the region
6. Inscriptions at Tzitzernakaberd (by Armen Hakobyan)
7. AGBU centenary celebrations concluded in Yerevan (by Betty
Panossian-Ter Sargssian)
* Sarkis Demirjian, Karnig Yacoubian, and Nazar Nazarian awarded the
Mkhitar Heratsi medal
8. Armenians are weightlifting champions in Europe
9. U.S. European Command’s Combined Endeavor 07 to be held in Yerevan next week
10. The lost motherland, part 2: The ruins of Ani (by Tatul Hakobyan)
11. Living in Armenia: A grandfather, a granddaughter, and destiny (by
Maria Titizian)
12. Commentary: Wanted: A new Armenian strategy/perspective on Middle
East (by Talar Kazanjian)
13. Letters
* Neither better nor worse, just different (Maida Garabedian Domenie)
* Is the UN continuing the trauma of genocide? (Dr. Ani Kalayjian)
* Why cancel a memorial concert to Hrant Dink? (Shahkeh Yaylaian Setian)
14. Editorial: Let the people prevail
15. Editorial: Refusing complicity
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1. Hope for the City donates $10 mln in medical aid to Armenia
* Founders deliver aid and meet stakeholders
YEREVAN – On April 12, the Minnesota-based charity Hope for the City
donated medicine to Armenia worth $9,595,000 wholesale. On hand to
deliver the donation were the charity’s founders, Dennis and Megan
Doyle.
Hope for the City acquires surplus goods and gets it to those in
great need in the United States and abroad. Its international
operations are focused on delivering medical supplies, medicine, and
medical equipment to developing countries.
The medicines donated and the institutions that will receive them
were chosen in consultation with Armenia’s Ministry of Health and the
United Armenian Fund. "We worked specifically so that we would not
undermine the existing pharmaceutical companies in Armenia," Megan
Doyle said. "These are drugs that are not necessarily manufactured
here, so they are difficult to get and typically very expensive."
* A second visit
This was the Doyles’ second visit to Armenia. During their first visit
in 2005, they established relationships with several entities. Hope
for the City has provided medical equipment and supplies to the
Arabkir Children’s Hospital in Yerevan; the Armenian Relief and
Development Association (ARDA), which is active in the Gyumri area;
and the Armenian-Austrian Medical Association. The combined value of
these donations was over to $1 million.
On this visit, the Doyles, who were accompanied by Hope for the City
executive director Clare Brumback, were able to see the donated
equipment in use and have further in-person discussions with their
partners in Armenia. Also with them was Patrick Donahue, a biomedical
technician sent by Universal Hospital Services, the largest medical
equipment outsourcing supply company in the United States. Mr. Donahue
worked on repairing equipment donated by Hope for the City and
assessed the need for additional equipment repair.
His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, received the
Doyles in Etchmiatzin. They also met with Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian and Deputy Minister of Health Tatul Hakobyan.
Dennis Doyle is the CEO of Welsh Companies, a leader in full service
commercial real estate, based in Minneapolis, Minn. He and his wife
Megan started Hope for the City in 2000. Since its inception, Hope for
the City has donated approximately $230 million worth of goods.
* Making the rounds
Visiting the Arabkir Children’s Hospital, Dennis and Megan Doyle
delivered medical equipment and met with Dr. Ara Babloyan, the
director of the hospital, who provided them with a new needs
assessment list.
In Gyumri, they met with Toros Philabosian, director of ARDA, and
visited the city’s birthing hospital and its orphanage. At the
hospital, they handed out layettes for all 70 children born in April.
At the orphanage, they gave clothing, bottles, and diapers to the
children.
Back in Yerevan, the Doyles met Dr. Taron Tonoyan, director of the
Austrian-Armenian Medical Association, who provided them with a new
needs assessment. They visited the Austrian-Armenian Hospital, where
they met patients and saw equipment donated by Hope for the City.
The Doyles also visited the Armenian-American Wellness Center and
became familiar with its programs and facilities. They met one of its
principals, Hranush Hakobyan, who is also a member of Armenia’s
National Assembly and chair of its Standing Committee on Science,
Education, Culture and Youth Affairs.
* CFF connection
Dennis and Megan Doyle are members of the board of the Cafesjian
Family Foundation (which owns this newspaper). In that capacity, they
also visited programs supported or operated by the foundation,
including the fuel-cell design and manufacturing firm H2ECOnomy,
Armenia TV and other media organizations, Cascade Capital Holdings,
and the Cafesjian Museum Foundation.
Hope for the City and the Cafesjian Family Foundation also sponsor a
microlending program. The Doyles visited a bakery and a small
parquet-flooring business that had received loans through the program.
Before leaving Armenia on April 15, Dennis and Megan Doyle said they
were happy with how the aid provided by Hope for the City had been
distributed to date. They said they were eager to do more for Armenia.
**************************************** ***********************************
2. Friends and family mourn the passing of James Aljian
* Former MGM Studios executive served as Executive Director of Lincy Foundation
by Paul Chaderjian
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – Friendly, loyal, personable, tough, a man who
valued honesty and truth, a hero. These are a few of the words being
used to describe the late James Aljian. The 75-year-old Oakland native
will be buried in Beverly Hills today. He passed away ten days ago
from cancer, but the impact he made on the homeland through the Lincy
Foundation will be felt for many generations in Armenia and beyond.
Up until a few months ago, when cancer began to slow him down, Mr.
Aljian, known as Jim, focused much of his time on his responsibilities
as the executive director of Kirk Kerkorian’s Lincy Foundation. Mr.
Aljian was also an executive and one of the original board members of
Kerkorian’s Tracinda Corporation and MGM Mirage Incorporated.
"I first met Jim in 1961 when he was an auditor with Ernst & Ernst,"
said Mr. Kerkorian. "He was tough, and I knew right away that I needed
him on my team."
In addition to his most recent responsibilities in Mr. Kerkorian
business ventures, Mr. Aljian also a former senior vice president of
finance at MGM Studios in the 1970s and MGM/UA Entertainment in the
1980s. He served on the boards of Western Airlines, South West
Leasing, MGM Grand Hotel, Chrysler Corporation, and Daimler Chrysler.
"Jim’s loyal confidence and business acumen proved invaluable to me
over the years," said Mr. Kerkorian, "but no more valuable than his
friendship, which meant so much. I will miss him more than I care to
think about."
The organization that Mr. Aljian, a certified public accountant,
helped manage is credited with building the first of many megaresorts.
Mr. Kerkorian, Mr. Aljian, and company developed several major Las
Vegas resorts in the 1960s and 1970s, including Caesars Palace, the
Flamingo, the International (now the Las Vegas Hilton), and the
original MGM Grand (now Bally’s Las Vegas).
"Jim played an invaluable role on our board and he will be very
sadly missed," said MGM Mirage chair Terry Lanni.
* Lincy Foundation
"He was a very down to earth, very friendly and devoted to the
charitable work of the Lincy Foundation," said Harut Sassounian,
vice-chair of the Lincy Foundation, president of the United Armenian
Fund and publisher of the California Courier newspaper. Mr. Sassounian
worked with Mr. Aljian since the creation of the United Armenian Fund
(UAF) more than 15 years ago.
"He provided good counsel and direction to accomplish the intended
objectives of his projects," said Mr. Sassounian, "and to make sure
that the funds provided fully served the purpose for which they were
committed."
Mr. Sassounian says Jim will be sorely missed. "I’ve learned a lot
from him over the years," he said. "I hope that all of us together on
the Lincy staff will be able to continue the work that he spearheaded,
both in the US and Armenia."
Since its establishment in 1989, the Lincy Foundation has provided
tens of millions of dollars to a various Armenian and non-Armenian
charities in the US and Armenia. In recent years, the Foundation
allocated $170 million for infrastructure redevelopment in Armenia and
is currently allocating another $60 million.
"Mr. Aljian oversaw all of Lincy’s operations, including the
requests that came in," said Mr. Sassounian. "He reviewed and
investigated all aspects of the requests, the propriety of the
requested funds, what they would be allocated for, who the requesting
organizations were, what their background was, how much they have
raised and what their project were all about."
The consummate accountant, Mr. Aljian valued each penny, according
to Mr. Sassounian. "He counted every penny," he said, "because those
pennies were destined for a specific purpose of charitable use. It
didn’t matter if it was a dollar or a million dollars, every penny had
to serve a good purpose, and he made sure of that."
Sassounian says the late CPA was friendly but very tough about
finances. "He knew a lot about accounting, and he knew a lot about
finances," he said. ""For good reasons, he put a high premium on
honesty, on the truth. He would not put up with any kind of corruption
or waste of time or money."
* Private, family man
After living in Las Vegas for many years, Mr. Aljian relocated his
family to Southern California when Tracinda Corporation and Lincy
Foundation headquarters moved to Beverly Hills.
"Mr. Aljian was a very private man," said Mr. Sassounian, so private
that it was only when Mr. Aljian’s illness prevented him from working
did his Lincy Foundation colleagues know of his illness. "He never
complained. He always said he was fine. Even when he didn’t feel good,
he put on a brave face and kept it to himself."
Mr. Sassounian began working with Mr. Aljian right after the 1988
earthquake in Armenia. The Lincy Foundation had been formed months
earlier, and Mr. Sassounian approached the charity and proposed the
idea of forming the United Armenian Fund in order to deliver
assistance to Armenia through a coordinated effort.
"He was fun to be with," said Mr. Sassounian. "We discussed a lot of
issues unrelated to business including recollections of his college
days, when he played football in San Francisco. He liked the outdoors.
He was a handyman. He fixed things, and he would tell a lot of
Hollywood stories."
For more than 30 years, Mr. Aljian was a voting member of the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the organization that
hands out the annual Oscar awards.
* Early years and Armenian heritage
Mr. Aljian was the son of Genocide survivors from Dikranagerd. He was
born in Oakland and graduated from Oakland High School before heading
to the University of California at Berkeley for his undergraduate
degree. Mr. Aljian also had a graduate degree in business
administration from Golden Gate University in San Francisco.
After serving as an Eagle Scout, Mr. Aljian also served in the U.S.
military and was a decorated sharpshooter in the Army’s Third Infantry
Division and stationed in Germany for a short period. A great source
of pride, however, came from the work the Lincy Foundation had done in
the homeland.
"Even though he didn’t know the language," said Mr. Sassounian, "he
had a great interest in Armenian issues, especially in recent years as
the genocide issue became very prominent. When it became an issue in
Washington and with Congress, he asked a lot of questions."
Mr. Sassounian says Mr. Aljian was always approachable and returned
every phone message, even if he did not know the caller. Mr.
Sassounian says Mr. Aljian never turned his back to anyone, even
strangers who approached him during his rare appearance at Armenian
social event.
"Anybody who called and said ‘I want to come and see you’ was told
to come on down," said Mr. Sassounian. "He would not say I’m busy, or
who are you. A lot of people went and talked to him. They may not have
always gotten what they wanted out of him, and because he was very
tough. Even though he was very sociable and friendly, but he was at
the same time a very good businessman, and he knew when to say yes and
when to say no."
Mr. Aljian’s first and only visit to Armenia was in 1998. He
accompanied Senator Bob Dole on a fact-finding mission for the Lincy
Foundation. "It was a good trip at the beginning of the Lincy
projects," said Mr. Sassounian. "He enjoyed it immensely, and he
always talked about going back. But unfortunately, he got busy, and
later on, his health did not allow him to travel."
* Final respects
"I miss him, and I will miss him a lot," said Mr. Sassounian. "It’s
been 18 years that I’ve known him and worked with him, sometimes
closely, and traveled with him. There was no question that he wanted a
homeland that’s prosperous, especially economically, that it would
have high employment, that there would be very little emigration. He
cared strongly about that. He definitely wanted the projects that
Lincy did to be enjoyed by the public at large and have the money
definitely go strictly to the purposes intended."
Friends and family will pay their final respects this morning at
9:30 a.m. at Good Shepherd Catholic Church, 505 N. Bedford Drive, in
Beverly Hills. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations
be made to The UCLA Foundation for the James Aljian Memorial Fund at
the David Geffen School of Medicine, 10945 Le Conte Ave., Suite 3132,
Los Angeles, Calif. 90095.
Glendale businessperson and philanthropist Kosti Shirvanian was
friends with Mr. Aljian and his wife for nearly three decades. Mr.
Shirvanian says that he is proud of Mr. Aljian for all the
contributions the Lincy Foundation made to the homeland. "Even though
he was an American-Armenian," said Mr. Shirvanian on the phone from
Shanghai China, "he was able to accomplish a lot in Armenia through
his influence at Lincy. He should be given credit for all his
contributions to the homeland. He was one of the kindest men. He was
hard to get close to, but he was my hero."
************************************* **************************************
3. From Washington, in brief
by Emil Sanamyan
* Bush, Fried stress importance of elections in Armenia
President Bush sent a message of congratulations to Armenia’s newly
appointed prime minister, Serge Sargsian. The message also noted that
the U.S. "expects" Mr. Sargsian to "make a great contribution to
holding a free and fair election in accordance to international
standards, which will serve as a serious stimulus for developing
relations between the two countries," PanArmenian.net reported on
April 17.
At a roundtable discussion with journalists from former Soviet
republics held on April 11, Assistant Secretary of State Dan Fried
said in reference to the May 12 parliamentary election that the U.S.
does not "expect perfection. We don’t expect to go from deeply flawed
to perfect, but we do expect to see substantial forward progress."
In a comment sure to spark Armenia’s competitive streak, Mr. Fried
told an Armenian journalist, "Given the strength of the Armenian
diaspora and given Armenia’s links to the West, frankly, you ought to
be way ahead of Georgia. But I ask you, are you in terms of democratic
reforms?" Answering a later question, Mr. Fried did acknowledge
"shortcomings" in Georgia as well.
Mr. Fried added, "Armenia should be doing better. It should be a
leader. It should be a prospering country. It has all the ingredients.
And lack of oil and gas is not necessarily a curse."
* U.S. renews warning to Azerbaijan over Karabakh…
Addressing the on-again, off-again Azerbaijani threats to go to war
against Armenians, Mr. Fried noted, "it is important to try to find a
peaceful settlement. War will destroy everything Azerbaijan is trying
to do." He said, "Azerbaijan has every opportunity, like Armenia,
although the economies are very different, to have a very good 21st
century."
Almost a year ago, during a similar roundtable discussion on April
4, 2006, Mr. Fried told an Azerbaijani journalist in attendance: "Your
country’s going to have a lot of money coming in from oil and gas, but
only if there is peace. If there is war, there is no more money. All
right? Just look at the map. You know what I’m talking about. You’re
well set up for peace. Of course, the oil and gas money won’t do you
any good unless it’s well spent, but that’s a different issue."
* …and argues for Kosovo independence
While U.S. officials continue to stress what they call the "unique"
nature of each conflict, likely independence of the former Serbian
province of Kosovo would still set an important precedent. The United
States and its allies are determined to recognize the independence of
a breakaway region (Kosovo) despite opposition from its former ruler
(Serbia) and an important international player (Russia).
In prepared testimony for an April 17 hearing in the House Foreign
Affairs Committee, Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Nick
Burns stressed, "supervised independence for Kosovo is now the only
way forward." He added: "We need to act now. We cannot afford to wait
any longer. Until there is clarity, Kosovo’s undefined status will be
a source of increasing tension and instability."
After a "period of international tutelage for a limited number of
years," Kosovo will formally declare independence. The United States
and other Western allies will then move to recognize this independence
even if Serbia and Russia continue to oppose it.
The House committee, including its chair Tom Lantos (D.-Calif.),
spoke overwhelmingly in support of Kosovo’s independence. Just two
committee members, Reps. Dan Burton (R.-Ind.) and Diane Watson
(D-Calif.) expressed opposition.
"Kosovo has been a part of Serbia for a long, long time," said Rep.
Burton, who has also been a big booster for Turkey, Azerbaijan, and
the former Zaire dictator Mobutu Sese Seko. "Externally imposed
solution won’t work." He warned that independence would lead to
"bloodshed."
Rep. Watson also worried that recognition of Kosovo’s independence
would set a precedent for more conflicts, and asked why the United
States would not support independence for Somaliland, Taiwan, or
Kurdistan "from either Iraq or Turkey."
* Turkish-Kurdish tensions heat up
The chair of the Turkish General Staff, Gen. Yasar Buyukanit, told
reporters in no uncertain terms that he wants his army to go into Iraq
"for a military operation" against Turkish Kurdish (PKK) rebels there,
and the reason it has not yet done so is because "a governmental
decision is required for that," Turkey’s "semi-official" Anadolu news
agency reported on April 12.
The reason this decision has not been made is because of U.S.
opposition, which says that the rebel threat should be dealt with "in
a cooperative way, in a joint way, rather than [through] unilateral
actions," argued State Department spokesperson Sean McCormack the same
day.
Turkey claims that the recently increased tempo of operations
against its forces in Turkish Kurdistan and occasional terrorist
attacks against civilian targets inside Turkey are coordinated from
northern Iraq. This view has been questioned, however, by British
journalist James Brandon, among others. Mr. Brandon is one of the few
Westerners to visit the PKK camps in northern Iraq.
Speaking at the Jamestown Foundation on March 29, Mr. Brandon
described the primitive condition and remote location of the camps,
which make any real coordination difficult if not impossible. He also
argued that it would be in Turkey’s interest to make peace with the
secular PKK, whose leaders have stepped back from demands for
independence.
Turkey’s real concern appears to be not with any activity generating
imminent terrorist threats, but the rise of a de facto Kurdish state
on its border with Iraq. In fact, the most recent Turkish
saber-rattling came following the statement by the Iraqi Kurdish
leader Mas’ud Barzani, who told Al Arabiya TV that if Turkey continues
its cross-border interference, Iraqi Kurds would respond by
interfering inside Turkey. Mr. Fried of the State Department called
Mr. Barzani’s words "extremely unhelpful and unwise."
* Lobbying against the Genocide resolution continues
Turkey’s Kurdish concerns dominated an April 17 event with senior
Turkish Parliament members hosted by the Hudson Institute and
moderated by its Zeyno Baran. At the same time, the members of
parliament from both the governing and opposition parties stressed
their displeasure with the House resolution on the Armenian Genocide
(H. Res. 106), currently backed by 188 members of Congress.
In a quick interview with the Reporter, Erol Aslan Cebeci, a member
of the Turkish parliament from the ruling Justice and Development
Party (AKP), likened the impact of the potential passage of the
non-binding measure to Pearl Harbor, the JFK assassination, and the
9/11 attacks. "Even people herding sheep in the mountains in Turkey,
they will remember when this resolution will pass," he claimed.
During the presentation, Mr. Cebeci warned, "Turks are an emotional
group of people when it comes to these issues" and with resolutions
continuing to pass through Congress and other parliaments, "believe me
in my lifetime we will not see [Armenian-Turkish] normalization."
Mr. Cebeci also argued that "Turks and the Turkish republic have
come a long way on [the Genocide] issue in the last 10 to 15 years."
Back then, Mr. Cebeci said, the Turkish government would just say that
"nobody died." He went on: "Now you can hear that, yes, there were
atrocities committed, yes there were massacres, but it was not one-way
… that we regret this…. But I don’t think there will ever be a point
when the Turkish public will say that, yes, there was a genocide."
Members of parliament from the opposition Republican People’s Party,
former ambassadors to NATO and the United States respectively, Onur
Oymen and Sukru Elekdag, suggested that Congress had no "jurisdiction"
over the Genocide issue. Moreover, Mr. Oymen waved a copy of a book by
denier Justin McCarthy and claimed that "580,000 Turks were killed by
Armenians." (This is down from past claims of "two million" Turks
killed).
The delegation also included the parliament’s Foreign Affairs
Committee chair Mehmet Dulger, the former foreign minister Yasar
Yakis, and member of Parliament Zekeriya Akcam, all from AKP.
* Prominent Democratic senators endorse Genocide resolution
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D.-Nev.) and a top contender for
the Democratic presidential nomination Sen. Hillary Clinton (D.-N.Y.)
have agreed to co-sponsor the Senate Genocide resolution (S. Res.
106), the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) reported on
April 18.
During a Washington "breakfast briefing" held by Senators Dick
Durbin (D.-Ill.) and Barack Obama (D.-Ill.) with Illinois residents on
April 12, Sen. Obama – also a leading contender for the Democratic
presidential nomination – was asked whether he planned to co-sponsor
S. Res. 106 introduced last month by none other than Sen. Durbin.
In response to a question from the ANCA’s Karine Birazian, Sen.
Obama said: "For those who aren’t aware, there was a genocide that did
take place against the Armenian people. It is one of these situations
where we have seen a constant denial on the part of the Turkish
government and others that this occurred. It has become a sore spot
diplomatically. I have to check with my staff to find out what has
gone on in our office that has resulted in us not signing on to [S.
Res. 106]."
The Senate measure currently has 29 supporters.
In a statement last September, Sen. Obama said: "the Bush
Administration’s policy concerning the Armenian Genocide is wrong and
is untenable." He nevertheless voted to approve the nomination of
Ambassador Richard Hoagland, arguing that "it is in the best interest
of the U.S.-Armenia relationship to have an effective U.S. ambassador
in place."
************************************ ***************************************
4. European observers say May 12 will be "a touchstone for Armenian democracy"
* Should Armenian voters keep their fingers clean?
by Armen Hakobyan
YEREVAN – "The upcoming Parliamentary elections in Armenia on 12 May
will be a crucial touchstone for the degree of maturity of democracy
in Armenia." A four-member "pre-election delegation" of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) reached this
conclusion during a visit to Armenia that lasted from April 10 to 13.
The delegation had been invited by the speaker of Armenia’s National
Assembly.
The delegation’s conclusions were based on back-to-back meetings
over the course of four days. They were announced by Leo Platvoet (The
Netherlands, Group of the Unified European Left), head of the
delegation, who spoke at the National Assembly on April 13.
The other members of the cross-party team were Georges Colombier
(France, European People’s Party Group), Ewald Lindinger (Austria,
Socialist Group), and Bernard Marquet (Monaco, Alliance of Liberals
and Democrats for Europe).
The delegation met with the president, the speaker, the ministers of
justice and foreign affairs, the chair of the Central Electoral
Commission, representatives of various political parties participating
in the elections, members of the Constitutional Court and of the
Office of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia, and representatives of
the mass media and nongovernmental organizations.
"The delegation was heartened by the assurances of the Armenian
authorities, and all political stakeholders it met, that it is their
intention to hold elections that fully meet Council of Europe
standards for democratic elections. In this respect the delegation
stresses that it is the responsibility of all parties and stakeholders
to adhere to the rules that a genuinely democratic process demands.
"The delegation took note of the improved election code, which has
generally passed the expert analysis of the Council of Europe’s Venice
Commission. The election code forms a sound basis for the conduct of
democratic elections if it is fully implemented in good faith.
"The delegation welcomes the efforts by the authorities to create a
centralized voters’ list, in line with longstanding recommendations by
the Parliamentary Assembly. However, the delegation also notes the
concerns of several interlocutors that the accuracy of the voters’
lists still leaves a lot to be desired. It therefore calls upon the
authorities to continue, and if necessary step up, all efforts to
ensure the highest possible accuracy of the voters’ list on Election
Day."
The day before the delegation’s arrival, however, the head of the
Passport and Visa Department of Armenia’s police had announced that
voter lists are posted at every precinct and also online (at
). She had urged voters to check the lists and report
errors through a hotline established for the purpose or via letter or
email. Her request was broadcast by all media throughout the country.
(See also last week’s edition of the Armenian Reporter.) In addition,
the U.S. government and the International Foundation for Election
Systems are modernizing the Passport and Visa Department’s computer
systems for this same purpose.
[On April 19, the Passport and Visa Department announced that in the
ten days since the announcement, 10,254 names had been removed from
the rolls. Of these, 3,680 were the names of deceased voters.]
* Inky fingers?
The PACE delegation said it "regrets the reluctance by the majority of
the political players in Armenia to introduce the inking of voters
fingers, as advised by the Venice Commission, as a proven mechanism to
prevent multiple voting."
Since the countries represented by the four members of the
delegation do not require voters to have their fingers inked upon
voting, this correspondent asked how many member countries of the
Council of Europe follow the practice. "I don’t know how many
countries," Mr. Platvoet said, "But I have been an observer in
Azerbaijan, Albania, and Serbia, and Mr. Marquet in Montenegro, and
those countries do. Also, Mexico, which has observer status in the
Council of Europe, has this practice."
During the press conference, Mr. Platvoet said the delegation tried
to avoid double standards. "The fact remains, however – and by the
way, the government and all political parties agree – that a lot has
to improve in order for Armenia to have good elections. The principle
is this: if you want to have free and fair elections, the condition is
public trust in the system. And we hope that this trust will grow
during this election cycle."
The delegation said it "was concerned over its overall impression of
a lack of popular interest in the election process by the electorate.
Such attitudes of apathy, or even cynicism, are not conducive to the
development of democracy in Armenia. The delegation was not able, with
few notable exceptions, to discern marked differences between the
political platforms of the contenders. It was left with the impression
that the upcoming elections are regarded by many as a struggle between
political elites and not between concepts and ideas. In relation to
this, the delegation is concerned that in a number of constituencies
only one candidate is running for the majoritarian mandate, thereby
not allowing the electorate in those constituencies a fully democratic
choice."
Would voter apathy or similarities among the platforms of various
parties lead the delegation to assess the election as not free and
fair, this correspondent wanted to know. "We have to be honest and in
our statement we simply repeated those general thoughts that were
shared with us during our visit. Of course we hope this will
contribute to fair and free elections."
* Campaign ads
The statement continued: "The delegation would like to stress that a
level playing field in the campaign, and full respect for the
principles of freedom of expression and assembly, are key conditions
for democratic elections. It is therefore concerned by the uneven
conditions for the political players, as highlighted by the media
monitoring sponsored by the Council of Europe. In this respect the
exorbitant costs for paid political advertising demanded by
broadcasters are deeply regretted."
The statement failed to note, however, that as required by law,
state-run public television is providing one hour of free television
time to each political party that is running in the elections. The
free time is from 5:15 to 6:15 every afternoon. Paid advertising rates
are set by each commercial station and are the same for all parties.
Mr. Platvoet did note, however, that he had been elected twice with
"zero minutes of television time."
Citizens abroad cannot vote
The statement also noted: "The fact that out-of-country voting has
been abolished in the amended election code is of concern to the
delegation, as, in practice, it will disenfranchise a sizable part of
the Armenian population that is living abroad."
On the night of April 12, during the delegation’s visit, two
Prosperous Armenia party campaign offices in different parts of
Yerevan were rocked by explosions two hours apart. (No one was hurt.)
The delegation took note of the incident: "The delegation strongly
condemns the recent attacks on the headquarters of a political party
in Armenia. It would like to reiterate its position that violence and
intimidation have no place in a democratic society. Electoral
violations during past elections have never been satisfactorily
investigated and prosecuted. A climate of impunity for electoral
violations and election related violence cannot be allowed to exist in
Armenia. The delegation therefore calls upon the competent authorities
to fully investigate any election related complaints that are brought
to its attention and, where violations are found, to provide redress
and prosecute the violators to the fullest extent of the law."
What would be the repercussions for Armenia, as a member of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, if the elections are
not free and fair? "As you know, the previous elections did not meet
Council of Europe standards and principles," Mr. Platvoet said. "There
have been positive changes since then, as for example in the election
law. The state authorities and political parties are becoming
increasingly aware that if they want to be part of European
institutions, then they have to move toward free and fair elections.
We do not know what will happen on Election Day, of course. But if
that step forward is not taken, that will be an obstacle to
integration with Europe. But this is a hypothetical, a what-if. We
must wait for Election Day and see what will happen."
*********************************** ****************************************
5. Foreign ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan meet again
* Minsk Group co-chairs to return to the region
YEREVAN – On April 18 in Belgrade the foreign ministers of Armenia and
Azerbaijan met on the sidelines of a ministerial meeting of the Black
Sea Economic Cooperation organization. Armenia’s Foreign Ministry
reports that Vartan Oskanian and Elmar Mammadyarov were joined by the
cochairs of the OSCE Minsk Group and the personal representative of
the OSCE chairman-in-office.
The co-chairs made suggestions regarding the remaining areas of
disagreement on the negotiating document for a final resolution of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, both foreign ministries said. But neither
would disclose the substance of the suggestions. It was agreed that
the cochairs would visit the region again and discuss with the
presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan the possibility of another
meeting of the two presidents.
Speaking in Vienna the previous day, Mr. Oskanian had said, "I have
seen all the proposals that have ever been produced by the mediators,
and if I were to base my judgment purely on the content of the
document on basic principles at hand, I can assure you that we’ve
never been this close. What we have today is the most sensible, the
most balanced. This is a trade-off among principles, this gives
something to everyone, and denies every maximalist demand the sides
might have. It is a balanced approach and we hope we will be able to
continue to make progress on the basis of this document."
But two factors affect the negotiations and need to be addressed,
the Armenian foreign minister added: "One is the militaristic ambition
of Azerbaijan. Let me repeat: this conflict has no military solution.
This must be ruled out so we can focus on compromise. Second, the
public statements made by the sides should match the spirit and letter
of the document. When the document is eventually opened up, the public
will ask why the statements don’t match the content. In the case of
Baku’s statements, there is a discrepancy between their statements and
the content of the document. My guideline is to go by what we’ve been
hearing, what the co-Chairs have been hearing during the talks."
For the full text of the Armenian foreign minister’s statement see
A.H.
******************************************** *******************************
6. Inscriptions at Tzitzernakaberd
by Armen Hakobyan
YEREVAN – "The genocide of the Armenian people in 1915-22 is a global
disgrace," inscribed Boris Yeltsin in the memorial book for notable
visitors to the Armenian Genocide Museum at Tzitzernakaberd.
The apricot tree attached to the poplar is in bloom. All around it
are wormwood trees with plaques next to each of them showing which
head of state, religious leader, or other dignitary planted the tree
and when. Behind the unmatched flowers of the apricot tree is the
arresting monument in memory of the 1.5 million victims of the
Armenian Genocide. It stands there as a memorial and a protest, a
demand for restitution, as a symbol of survival, and a warning never
again to allow such a tragedy.
On the road to the monument workers are preparing for the arrival on
April 24 of much of the population of Armenia. Nearby is the Armenian
Genocide museum-institute, which has been in operation for a mere 11
years but has already become a repository of documentation and
artifacts of the tragic era. Construction began in 1995, on the 80th
anniversary of the Genocide. It operates as part of Armenia’s National
Academy of Sciences.
Countless Armenians have visited the museum, as have thousands of
tourists, and delegations visiting the country. They have seen the
Ottoman state’s planned and deliberate destruction of Armenian
civilization in Western Armenia in 1915 and the years that followed.
The director of the museum-institute, Hayk Demoyan, accedes to my
request, and in deputy director Suren Manukyan’s office I start
perusing the volumes of the memorial book for notable visitors. This
too is history, the pages of which are still being written, as the
blank pages of human memory are filled. There are scores of
inscriptions, enough for a book-length study, but there’s nothing
stopping us from pausing on just a few of them.
The first inscription in the book for foreign dignitaries was made
on May 2, 1996, by Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and all Russia. "The
delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church visited the Armenian
Genocide museum, paid its debt of deep respect, and prayed for the
repose of the souls of the 1915-22 genocide of the Armenian people. In
eternal memory of the victims of genocide."
I turn the pages and the still-timely September 11, 1998,
inscription of Dr. Ioannis Kasoulides, the foreign minister of Cyprus,
catches my eye: "The Nazis were condemned in Nuremburg. The Hague is
sentencing the crimes against humanity in Bosnia and Rwanda. None of
those atrocities would have taken place if the genocide against the
Armenian people were prevented and condemned. In my country, Cyprus,
in 1974 Turkey once again engaged in ethnic cleansing. The
international community must stop such horrors."
Neighboring Georgia’s past and present leaders too have written
their impressions. Let’s quote Eduard Shevardnadze’s note from
September 29, 1999: "In their heroic history of many centuries, the
Armenian people have faced many adversities. The subject of this
museum too is evidence for all generations in all countries for how
carefully peace must be maintained, how we must not fail to maintain
and develop good-neighborly relations among peoples. I believe in the
wisdom of the Armenian people, their worthy past, and their great
future."
The president of Bulgaria, Petar Stoyanov, mentions the assistance
provided to Armenians by the Bulgarian people. On December 1, 1999, he
wrote: "I deeply bow before the suffering and heroism that lies at the
foundation of the history of the Armenian people. I am proud that my
people gave refuge and assistance to Armenians persecuted in their
country and that the great Bulgarian poet wrote of Armenians and
Armenia, ‘a people always brave and martyred.’"
Then I come across the September 15, 2001, inscription of the
current president of Russia, Vladimir Putin: "Russia has felt the
tragedy and pain of the Armenian people as its own. We bow our heads
before the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide."
Among these broad sentiments, I suddenly come across the October 12,
2002, inscription of the first president of Russia, Boris Yeltsin:
"The genocide of the Armenian people in 1915-22 is a global
disgrace. There cannot be and is no forgiveness for it. Russia has
recognized it, as have many countries in the world. It is time for
Turkey too to repent.
"I have been looking for many years and see that Armenia is being
reborn! Thank you for preserving memory and truth."
On July 12, 1999, the president of the Senate of France, Christian
Poncelet, wrote: "This century, which has been witness to so much
suffering, the genocide of 1915, but also as Anatole France had hoped,
the recognition of a free and independent Armenian state, is coming to
an end. My fellow senators and I sincerely hope that the new
millennium bring peace, stability, reconciliation, and brotherhood in
a stable Europe."
And whereas France has recognized and condemned the 1915-17 genocide
of the Armenian people by Turkey, the Jewish state has not –
notwithstanding the genocide that befell the Jewish people in the
hands of Nazi Germany in 1939-45. So it is interesting to see what
Israel’s deputy foreign minister, Nawaf Massalha, wrote on December 6,
2000: "What we have just seen here is horrible and shaking. No one can
stay indifferent in the face of this atrocity. I identify myself with
the suffer[ing] of the Armenian people as well as with the desire to
continue to live as a proud, independent, and free people, who
perseveres and continues its glorious culture. Our sincere
condolences, and we call upon the world, even today, to take the
appropriate lesson from the past, and make sure that such things will
never happen again."
In the same context, it is interesting to see what dignitaries from
the United States have written in the memorial book. Let’s look at two
inscriptions.
"Our visit was extremely moving," wrote Rep. Adam Schiff of
California. "To witness in such graphic form the undeniable facts of
the genocide, through the faces of the men, women, & children . . .
and especially through the children is a searing experience. We must
rededicate ourselves to the justice & peace of final unequivocal
recognition."
And Rep. Frank Pallone of New Jersey wrote: "The museum continues
its great effort to document & explain the Armenian genocide in the
most effective way. One day I will come back, and the U.S. Congress
will have recognized the Armenian genocide." Alas, that day has not
yet come.
Let us close with the memorable inscription of Jacques Chirac, the
president of France, whose signature enacted the French law
recognizing the Armenian Genocide. "Souviens-toi!" or "Remember!"
*************************** ************************************************
7. AGBU centenary celebrations concluded in Yerevan
* Sarkis Demirjian, Karnig Yacoubian, and Nazar Nazarian awarded the
Mkhitar Heratsi medal
by Betty Panossian-Ter Sargssian
YEREVAN – A year’s worth of celebratory events honoring the Armenian
General Benevolent Union first 100 years concluded this week with a
final string of events in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.
A delegation of 130 AGBU members representing 24 chapters from 15
countries, headed by the AGBU’s president, Berge Setrakian, and eight
members of the Central Board came to Armenia for the occasion. The
celebrations spanned the week of April 2-8.
On April 3 the AGBU delegation visited Nagorno-Karabakh to take a
close look at reconstruction projects in the villages of Norashen,
Bareshen, and Jrakn in Hadrout, which are being implemented thanks to
the financial support of the AGBU.
The week included a conference dedicated to the 100th anniversary of
the organization and another conference discussing educational issues.
During the second conference a project to create an Armenian virtual
university and an online teaching program was presented.
The delegates also held working meetings to discuss the
organization’s current and future projects. They were joined by a few
dozen AGBU young professionals from Armenia and the diaspora. The
meetings afforded participants the opportunity to forge new ties.
The members of the Central Board were received by President Robert
Kocharian of Armenia on April 6. The president decorated three members
of the AGBU Board of Trustees – Sarkis Demirjian, Karnig Yacoubian,
and Nazar Nazarian – with the Mkhitar Heratsi medal.
Armenia’s National Academy of Sciences awarded Mr. Setrakian with an
honorary doctorate.
On the last day of the jubilee week, the AGBU turned a symbolic page
by burying a time capsule.
"All the chapters of the AGBU contributed to the contents of the
time capsule," Ashot Ghazarian of the AGBU office in Yerevan told the
Armenian Reporter. "Each put in a token representing the work of the
AGBU in various sectors. There were DVDs, pictures, and video films in
the iron-and-steel double box; they will be preserved for coming
generations. The box will be opened a century later. The time capsule
was buried symbolically in Etchmiatzin because it represents the
eternal existence of our nation, our religion, and it is a place where
people have walked during the past centuries and will walk in the
future. Besides, over the past millennia the Armenian Apostolic Church
has been the protector of all our national supreme values and we are
sure that for the coming hundred years it will also preserve that
symbolic legacy of the AGBU", Mr. Ghazaryan said.
The AGBU says it plans to meet new challenges using modern means.
"The preservation and development of the Armenian language in Armenia
and the diaspora should be carried out with modern means and
technologies. Apart from continuing our projects in requalification
programs of Armenian language teachers and the modernization of
Armenian-language textbooks, we aim to establish a virtual university
so that our national language, literature, history, and cultural
values will easily be within the reach of the young and upcoming
generations," Mr. Ghazarian added.
****************************************** *********************************
8. Armenians are weightlifting champions in Europe
Meline Daluzian of Gyumri, Armenia, won the gold medal in the 63
kilogram women’s category in the European weightlifting championship,
which is underway in Strasbourg, France. She established three new
records, Noyan Tapan reports.
Sergey Petrosian, 19, who represented Russia and is of Armenian
origin, won the gold medal in the men’s 62 kilogram category.
*************************************** ************************************
9. U.S. European Command’s Combined Endeavor 07 to be held in Yerevan next week
YEREVAN – Military communicators from 42 countries and two
multinational organizations are preparing for Combined Endeavor 2007,
a set of military communication exercises to be held April 27 through
May 10 in Baumholder, Germany, and Yerevan.
This U.S. European Command-sponsored exercise brings NATO members,
countries that are part of NATO’s Partnership for Peace, and other
countries together to plan and execute interoperability testing of
command, control, communications, and computer systems. The stated
purpose is to be prepared for future combined humanitarian,
peacekeeping, and disaster-relief operations.
************************************* **************************************
10. The lost motherland
by Tatul Hakobyan
Part 2: The ruins of Ani
Let us move from Kars to another capital of the Kingdom of Bagratunis,
the ruins of Ani. Ani was first mentioned in the manuscripts by
historiographers Eghishe and Ghazar Parpetsi, as an unassailable
fortress. It is assumed that Ani got its name from the fortress city
Ani, which was a religious center for pagan Armenians.
In foreign lands, even if it is Western Armenia, a good and
well-informed taxi driver can turn out to be more useful than an
Armenian-Turkish phrasebook, a map of the region, or your knowledge of
the architectural monuments. For example in the province of Kars, my
best companion is a Turkish citizen by the name Jelal, who not only
has a good knowledge of English, but is also versed in history (the
Turkish version, of course). On his mother’s side he is Armenian, but
what is the most important he is a kind and a trustworthy taxi driver.
On March 23, I was the only visitor to the ruins of Ani. The weather
was rainy, so after I had visited several churches, Jelal told me that
he’ll wait for me in the taxi by the gates, while I once again took
pictures of the dilapidated masterpieces of Armenian medieval
architecture.
During 989-1001, by order of Smbat II of the House of Bagratuni,
architect Trdat built the main cathedral of Ani in the territory
between the enclosures Ashotashen and Smbatashen. King Smbat was not
lucky enough to see the wonder, and only under the patronage of
Catranide, the wife of Gagik the First, who inherited the throne from
King Smbat, was the construction of the main cathedral of Ani
finished.
The inscription on the southern front of the cathedral states,
"During the reign of Gagik, the King of kings of Armenians and
Georgians, I, the daughter of Vasak, the king of Syunik, the queen of
Armenians, by inspiration of our gracious Lord and by the order of
King Gagik, have built this holy cathedral, founded by Smbat the
Great."
Ani, the capital-fortress city of the Bagratunis, which is now
introduced to tourists as part of the Turkish heritage, is located at
the right bank of river Akhurian, 45 kilometers from Kars, capital of
Vanand’s Armenian kingdom, by the village of Ojakhli.
In the beginning of the eighth century, the Armenian ruler Ashot
Bagratuni the Meateater bought the provinces of Arsharunik and Shirak
and joined them together with Ani to his lands. By the great wall of
Ani, next to the entrance, there are English and Turkish signs telling
about the history of the city. Obviously, these signs, as well as the
ones within the walls never mention that Ani was an Armenian capital.
You will never find the words "Armenian" or "Armenia" anywhere, except
in the thousand-year inscriptions on the Armenian churches. These tell
the truth about Ani. Everything else that they’ll tell you in Ani are
lies, in the word and spirit of Turkish historiography.
Last time I visited the ruins of Ani, which was possibly in the
August of 2003, Turkish frontier guards Mammed and Murad were showing
tourists a quarry across the border. They were offering binoculars and
telling in their poor English, that the digging had been going on for
three years.
"What country is on the other side of the river?" I asked.
"Ermanistan, Ermanistan" the Turkish guards agreed. In "Ermenistan"
the binoculars were showing trucks by the quarry carrying stones, and
3 people sitting on a hill, possibly artists, who were painting the
cathedrals of the Armenian kingdom of Bagratuni.
The Turkish frontier guards said that the Armenians were making
underground explosions in the quarry, and that was the reason that the
ruins of Ani were collapsing.
This time there were no frontier guards, and one did not need to get
permission to visit Ani from Kars anymore. I’m all alone in the ruins
of Ani. From the other side of the river the noise of the tractors
working in the quarry on the Armenian side was still disturbing the
silence of the ruins. However, that didn’t prevent me from imagining
and shouting at the top of my voice that I am the king of the ruins of
Ani.
In the year 961, Ashot Bagratuni II moved the capital from Kars to
Ani. In 992, the catholicosate also moved to Ani. Historians state
that at that times Ani had a population of about 100 thousand, 12
bishops, 40 monastery superiors, and 500 priests.
With the decline of the Bagratuni kingdom, in 1045, Ani was besieged
by the Byzantine army. The last king, Gagik II got the city of Cesaria
and a palace in Constantinople as compensation.
A few years later, in 1064, the Seljuk Turks captured Ani and sold
it to a Kurdish dynasty Shadadan. In 1200, Tamar, the Georgian queen,
captured Ani; in 1237, it was passed into the hands of the Mongols. In
the middle of the 14th century, the Turkmen tribe Karakoyunlu made Ani
their capital. In 1579, Ani became a part of the rising Ottoman
Empire.
From the beginning of the 19th century until now, Ani has been
desolated. In the city, within and outside its walls, the monuments of
Armenian medieval architectural are dilapidated.
Tigran Honents’ Saint Gregory Church was built in a comparatively
late period, in 1215, when Ani was under the control of the Georgian
queen Tamar. Maybe this is the reason this church is in reasonably
good shape; the inner walls of the church are all in colored
miniatures.
Saint Amenaprkich church was built during the first half of the 11th
century. Today half of it is ruined. The bridge of Ani, which was
built in the tenth century and is almost ruined, connects the right
and the left banks of Akhuryan and is open for tourists, because it is
situated in a neutral zone of the Turkish-Armenian border. You have to
look at the Saint Hripsime monastery using binoculars. It is on the
bank of the river, almost ruined.
In Ani, beside Armenian culture, you can also see architectural
monuments from the Seljuk period, such as a bathhouse or the Menuchehr
mosque.
Jelal, the taxi driver, was patiently waiting by the gates.
"Jelal, can we say today, that these ruins of Ani are ours?" I asked.
Jelal didn’t answer, but there was kindness on his face. He drove
faster and half an hour later, under the downpour turning into snow,
we reached Kars, ready to leave for Avetis Aharonyan’s birthplace the
next morning.
To be continued.
************************************** *************************************
11. Living in Armenia: A grandfather, a granddaughter, and destiny
by Maria Titizian
Can genetic material serve as the medium through which thoughts and
memories are transmitted? Some would argue that it is scientifically
difficult, if not impossible to prove. I on the other hand, have
nothing to prove. All I know is that I ended up where he began. Not
quite, but close enough. We came from different countries but we were
both born by the sea. He fought for physical survival while I fight to
keep memories alive. His journey took him to the Sorbonne, mine guided
me back to the lost-again found-again homeland. Ours is a strange
story. A grandfather and granddaughter that never met yet who had a
relationship that defied comprehension. He lived through atrocity,
I’ve only read about it. His gentle spirit allowed me to feel outrage
and horror the first time I read about the Genocide. He never got the
chance to tell me about it.
When my family moved to Canada in the sixties, my grandparents
stayed behind in Lebanon. I was only a child and have no memories of
either of them. Living on different continents, worlds apart, my
grandfather and I were bound together by the words we wrote in our
letters to one another. By the time they decided to join us in Canada,
civil war had erupted in Lebanon and they were trapped. My family’s
story is the story of our nation. Torn asunder, trying to piece
together fragments of an existence with no place to call home.
Many memoirs have been written by Armenians about their
grandparents’ experience during the Genocide. There is a common thread
in all these stories – the survivor invariably picks a grandchild to
whom to tell their story. My grandfather never got the chance to tell
me his story; he died in 1980 before we were able to be reunited. I
understand now that he never had to pick me because I was destined to
be the vessel through which his story would one day be told. I was the
one who returned to the place we call the homeland, a place he yearned
for his whole life. Although it’s not Cilicia, where he began, it is
the lost-again found-again homeland, that elusive piece of geography
that binds us to her will and where I find myself now.
My grandfather was born in Haji Hababli, Musa Dagh, in 1900. His
family was large and its offspring predominantly males, a condition
that continues three generations on. When his village received news
that they too would be forced to abandon their homes and join the
caravans like the rest of the Armenians living in Anatolia, the
village coordinated a resistance. They were mountain people, tough and
stubborn, unaccustomed to change and unwilling to succumb to the
enemy. They preferred to perish on their lands rather than be forced
to flee. Although some of the residents of Musa Dagh obeyed the
deportation orders, the majority ascended the mountain and fortified
their positions. Musa Dagh was one of the few sites that organized its
self defense and thus became the stuff of legends. For forty days and
forty nights, the population of Musa Dagh valiantly held back the
Turkish army until the last bullet was placed in the barrel of their
guns. Finally, lack of food, supplies, and ammunition forced them to
make a critical decision which did not include surrender. Off the
coast, they could see warships anchored in the bay. The villagers made
a banner which read, "Christians in Distress: Rescue." Several young
boys were ordered to swim out and warn the officers of the ships of
their desperate situation.
After the French and British saved the Armenian population of Musa
Dagh, they were transported temporarily to Port Said in Egypt until
the French authorities could figure out what to do with them. When
they arrived their ship docked at the port and they remained on board
for two days. When they were finally allowed to disembark they
surveyed their new surroundings. A barren terrain, where there were no
plants or vegetation, only eternal stretches of sand. Quickly a tent
city was erected with each family assigned to one tent. This temporary
accommodation would be where they would live for the next four years.
After a time the tents were organized and divided into sections, each
one carrying the name from their lost villages in Musa Dagh: Haji
Hababli, Vakif, Kabusia, Khdr Bek, Bitias and Yoghun Oluk. Some of the
women set up a canteen to provide food and not long after they were
supplied with drinking water. To protect the tent city a unit of ten
men, comprised of British and Armenian soldiers was organized. The
American Red Cross and the Armenian Church helped to establish small
workshops to provide employment. Sewing, carpet weaving, and
comb-making began to flourish. A hospital was set up with the aid of
Egypt’s Armenian Red Cross. However within the first two years over
300 souls perished to illness. Just when they were settling into their
new lives, they were informed that they were to be sent back to Musa
Dagh, which was now under French mandate. After four years in Egypt,
whoever hadn’t perished from illness or a broken heart began the
journey back home.
After the population of Musa Dagh slowly began to return to their
ancestral homelands, the tent city was dismantled and the refugees
gone. When they returned to Musa Dagh, they found their homes and
villages destroyed, their crops ruined. They rebuilt their homes, but
twenty years later were deported once again as a result of the
annexation of Musa Dagh to Turkey. Thus in 1939, the French
authorities brought 1,068 families to Ainjar, Lebanon, where they
continue to live today. All that remains of Musa Dagh is the village
of Vakif, which continues to exist and according to most accounts is
the last remaining Armenian village in Turkey.
Once back in Musa Dagh, my grandfather was sent to Paris by the
Gulbenkian Foundation to continue his education, with the promise that
upon returning he would dedicate his life to his people. It was a
promise he kept till his death. His children never understood the
fervor with which he served his community. His grandchildren, most of
them born and raised in faraway lands didn’t bother much with family
history. So why was it that I, among his many grandchildren, felt a
tug at my heart the first time I read the word atrocity? Why was it
that I left behind my parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins to
tread the uncharted waters of a newly independent homeland with two
young children? I have no logical answers. All I know is that
something beckoned me here, to be on this land, to breathe its air, to
bear witness to its development and empowerment, and to share the
blame for its mistakes. Was it in the encrypted words in the letters
of an old man to a granddaughter thousands of miles away attempting to
tell his story or was it mapped out in my genetic code?
This year marks the 92nd anniversary of the Genocide. It is an
intrinsic component of Armenian national identity and it will be sixth
year that I will be marching with my fellow Armenians toward the
Genocide Memorial. Tzitzernakaberd, perched upon a hill in Yerevan
will open its arms to its dispersed children and wait. Whether it is
sunny or raining, whether Mt Ararat will emerge from the clouds,
whether Turkey acknowledges the atrocities of the past, we will
continue to pay homage to our forefathers who perished over 90 years
ago because as a friend once assured me, we have no choice for it is
mapped out in our genetic code.
******************************************* ********************************
12. Commentary: Wanted: A new Armenian strategy/perspective on Middle East
by Talar Kazanjian
Mention the Middle East and you’re likely to think of chaos, conflict,
and insecurity. In recent decades, the waves of turmoil caused by
regional wars – whether these are periodic or ongoing – have brought
upheaval and social unrest to many Middle Eastern countries.
For the Armenians of the Middle East, such crises have generally
been cause for deep concern. But the developments of the last several
years suggest that even more troubling times may lie ahead. If in the
past conflicts were largely contained within national boundaries,
today the danger of spillover into a regional conflagration is
greater. Adding to the complexity is that fact that the Republic of
Armenia lies right on the border of what has become known as the
Greater Middle East.
These are new realities, and Armenians – both in the republic and in
the diaspora – need to revisit their strategic thinking on the Middle
East. Such a strategy would take into consideration the security of
both Armenia and the Armenians living in the Middle East.
The new U.S.-centric international perception of the Middle East
began taking shape after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The
re-evaluation of American policy after that date led to the perception
of the Middle East as a unified entity: a large land mass stretching
from Pakistan and Afghanistan through Iran to the Arab world –
integrated to a significant degree within a single framework.
Given the divided nature of the region in the 20th century, it would
have been logical to find that each country’s Armenian community dealt
with the problems of insecurity largely on its own. However, with the
change in the way the whole region is being perceived and with the
advent of globalization, it has become necessary for Armenians to
change their understanding, and to devise a new, more comprehensive
strategy that would include the totality of Armenians living in the
region.
The first step in such a strategy would entail dropping the
perceptions that are becoming outdated. Armenians elsewhere still tend
to think of the Middle East as a region where the preservation of the
Armenian language and culture are relatively easy to achieve. This
region is viewed as a source of Armenian-speaking immigrants to North
America, Europe, Australia, and elsewhere. However, since the creation
of an independent Armenia, this view is less certain.
On several occasions during the last several years, the need for a
comprehensive Armenian vision has made itself felt. One example is the
decision taken by the Armenian government to send a small military
contingent to Iraq, which resulted in objections from the region’s
local Armenian communities. Wherever one stands on the question of the
deployment, the fact to emphasize here is that the entire debate
occurred largely due to the lack of a common vision, where the role of
the regional Armenian presence would be clear.
Both Armenia and the Armenians of the Middle East could derive
benefits from a unified position. In the Middle East, Armenians could
promote the position of Armenia in the countries in which they live.
The connections and networks of each Armenian there could be used to
advance Armenia’s interests and position in those countries.
On the other hand, Armenia could provide a safe haven for Middle
Eastern Armenians when their livelihoods are disrupted or seriously
threatened. This very situation presented itself after the Iraq war in
2003. Since that time, at least by some accounts, the Iraqi Armenian
community has been victimized by the daily insecurity in the country.
Unfortunately, the variety of help or protection on offer by
Armenians (whether it’s the Republic of Armenia or diaspora
organizations) continues to be limited in scope. Even if Armenians all
over the world had expressed a desire to help the Iraqi Armenians,
there was no unified plan to deal with the issue.
With further crises looming over the region, Armenians might use
their failure to act in Iraq as an impetus to devise plans where the
respective abilities of both Armenia and the Armenian organizations in
the Middle East could be incorporated in a complementary, unified plan
to protect the Armenians of the region.
Armenia and the Armenians of the Middle East have congruent
interests in many spheres of security. Focusing on the multitude of
"Armenian interests" in the diverse countries of the region no longer
serves the interests of the Armenian presence as a whole. A new
strategic perspective on the Middle East would help Armenians as a
group face the challenges and probable changes that the region’s
future holds in store. And it would help them endure.
* * *
Talar Kazanjian is a graduate student at Johns Hopkins University
School of Advanced International Studies in Washington. She is
originally from Syria. This is her first contribution to the Reporter.
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13. Letters
* Neither better nor worse, just different
Sir:
Garbis Moushigian’s letter to the editor ("An Armenia to be proud of,"
Mar. 24) was so well written, and I believe it expressed the feelings
of many of us in the diaspora. I too have had moments of frustration
over developments in Armenia – followed by enthusiasm when I keep in
perspective that this is a newborn country, which has come a long way
in a short 16 years.
Compare Armenia to the other ex-Soviet countries: Even Russia has
not gotten its act together, and it is a far more resource-rich
country, and does not have its borders closed. It is very true that
once we saw the real Armenia, it was very different from the Armenia
we had imagined. Not worse or better, just different. Mr. Moushigian
is right: the majority of us in the diaspora are descendants of
Western Armenia, and the present Armenia is not only different in
language and mentality (due to long years of Russian influence), but
is also not the Armenia we would know from our literature, dreams, and
upbringing. Even the cuisine is different. But again, that does not
mean that it is better or worse; it’s just different, and sometimes in
a more positive way.
The language difference I believe has made it difficult for both
sides to assimilate well. After all, Western Armenians – in spite of
the lack of a country, schools, and any feedback from the motherland
for many years – must be credited with keeping the spirit of
Armenianism alive into the second, third, and fourth generations.
Today we find many diaspora Armenians who, while not speaking a word
of Armenian, still know that they are Armenian. Western Armenians have
inherited a wonderful literary heritage. And just as we have always
admired the works of Eastern Armenian poets, musicians, and
dramatists, the current Republic of Armenia should also respect those
works dating back centuries emanating Western Armenian authors.
Thank you for Mr. Moushigian’s wonderful letter.
Very truly yours,
Maida Garabedian Domenie
Florida
* Is the UN continuing the trauma of genocide?
Sir:
I was invited to attend a UN exhibit on the 13th anniversary of the
Rwandan genocide titled "Lessons Learned"; it was scheduled to take
place on April 9, and organized in part by the British-based Aegis
Trust. Shortly before the event, I received an urgent call from a
colleague who was outraged, and urged me to read my e-mail
immediately.
What I found was a letter indicating that the event had been
"postponed" for political reasons. The postponement followed on the
objection by the Turkish UN Mission to a single sentence in the
exhibit: "Following World War I, during which one million Armenians
were murdered in Turkey, Polish lawyer Raphael Lemkin urged the League
of Nations to recognize crimes of barbarity as international crimes."
Certainly, in an exhibit about "lessons learned" about the Rwandan
genocide, it is helpful to know how Raphael Lemkin coined the term
"genocide" in response to the mass atrocities committed against
Armenians by the Ottoman Turks. The Aegis Trust, too, felt that the
reference to the Armenians was extremely relevant, and took its stand
against the UN.
More generally, as a psychologist and a traumatologist working with
survivors of mass trauma for over 20 years, I like to caution that
denialist and revisionist policies impact us all negatively.
Psychologically, these cause a regression in healing, and
re-traumatize every one of us: survivors, witnesses, bystanders – as
well as the perpetrators. In the healing process it is not just the
trauma that counts; what’s more important is what happens after the
trauma. Ninety-two years of revisionism and denial is leading to
another form of continued genocide, called "psychological genocide."
Very truly yours,
Dr. Ani Kalayjian
Cliffside Park, New Jersey
* Why cancel a memorial concert to Hrant Dink?
Sir:
On Friday, April 6, I drove from my home in Cape Cod to Providence,
R.I., with joy in my heart to attend a concert "dedicated to dialogue
in memory of Hrant Dink," featuring "Armenian composers of the Ottoman
period." The reason for my joy was that Armenian and Turkish students
at Brown University had put their differences aside and organized this
event. But when I arrived, I was told that the concert had been
canceled because of protests and threats from Armenian and Turkish
citizens.
I drove back home with sorrow because the efforts of the students
had been struck down by those who could not come to terms with
separating their feelings against the Turkish government from the
students’ expression of goodwill. The students had tried to do
something that should have been undertaken by Armenian and Turkish
citizens of goodwill. What a lesson could have been learned: That
Armenians and Turks would benefit from civil discourse, could debate
differences of opinion, and even enjoy shared similarities.
In trying to understand the reasons for the protest and threats, I
learned some things. First, some people were offended because the
event was to take place on Good Friday and entertainment events are
generally not held on Good Friday. But because the concert was a
memorial to Hrant Dink – who believed in, and lived and died because
of his beliefs in justice and peace – the concert would have been
appropriate. In discussing this issue with a much-respected Armenian
priest, he said he would not have objected to the concert.
Second, some people felt that the concert would have harmed the
passage of the resolution to recognize the Genocide, when and if it
comes up for a vote. I don’t understand the rationale for that
thinking. Perhaps someone who protested the concert on the basis of
that reasoning would offer an explanation.
Third, some people felt greater distrust of the Turks because of the
concurrent issue involving the re-opening of the Aghtamar church. Now,
the manipulation of the Aghtamar opening and the erasing of any
mention of Armenian history certainly confirmed my long-held distrust
of the Turkish government. But that does not mean that I have any
animosity towards Turkish persons. Rather than reacting to fears that
the concert would be used as propaganda by the Turkish government, I
suggest that a more proactive position would have been to tell the
truth. And the truth is that the concert is an example of freedom of
speech, which Americans hold dear, as opposed to Article 301 in Turkey
that makes it a crime to mention the Genocide. The concert, I thought
at first, would be an opportunity to draw a contrast with Turkey’s
denial of freedom of speech; but on second thought, was its
cancellation an example of the denial of free expression by Armenians
and Turks in America?
I have been in correspondence with Turkish and Armenian students and
I am very proud of their intentions. But I am still trying to
understand why prominent Armenians in Rhode Island and the East Coast
felt compelled to use pressure and threats to have the concert
canceled. They could have simply not attended the concert. I would
appreciate the protesters explaining why they thought they had a right
to deprive me and others from attending an event that honored Hrant
Dink. I cannot answer for the Turkish protesters; I can only question
their motives. But as an Armenian of Turkish citizenry, I have to ask,
what would Hrant Dink say?
Very truly yours,
Shahkeh Yaylaian Setian
Cape Cod, Massachusetts
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14. Editorial: Let the people prevail
On May 12, the citizens of the Republic of Armenia will go to the
polls and elect a new National Assembly.
The election campaign is in full swing. The parties and individual
candidates are reaching out to voters with their platforms, their
assessments of the current situation, and their plans for the future.
There are well-attended rallies throughout the country. People can see
all their choices.
The parties and candidates running represent a range of options:
from advocates of unfettered free-market capitalism to socialists to
communists. That said, most advocate a balanced foreign policy of
continuing good relations with Russia, the United States, and Europe,
maintaining peace, and reaching a settlement in Nagorno-Karabakh that
provides for continued Armenian control of the region and the security
of its people. Likewise, most acknowledge the economic policies that
have allowed Armenia to make significant economic progress over the
last few years, though they have divergent views on the nature and
pace of further reforms.
The U.S. chargé d’affaires in Armenia has rightly pointed out, "it
doesn’t appear that there were any . . . political decisions taken to
disallow parties or candidates. We were worried about it, but it
appears that it went well." (See interview in the print edition of
this newspaper.)
This is an exciting moment for Armenia, whose people, 15 years ago,
declared their intention to build a democratic state. It is also a
critical moment: for people to maintain their faith in their
burgeoning state, the elections must be free and fair.
The Central Electoral Commission is legally responsible to ensure
that the elections meet this standard. The president, the government,
the Central Electoral Commission, and various political parties have
declared their commitment to free and fair elections. Officials,
activists, and citizens must understand that their leaders mean what
they say. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of every citizen to be
active and vigilant.
Several entities, including domestic groups, are monitoring the
election process. This process includes or has included legal reforms,
the establishment of electoral commissions, the verification of voter
rolls, nominations, the training of poll workers, and much else.
It also includes the campaign. Careful monitoring is underway to
confirm that incumbents do not get disproportionate coverage in the
mass media. Indications so far are that opposition candidates have
more access to television than has been the case in the past. A good
gauge is state-run public television, which has been providing
significant news coverage to opposition candidates in addition to
legally mandated free time. As for print media, a wide range of views
are published and readily distributed. The government newspaper,
Hayastani Hanrapetutiun, has been allocating room to all parties.
It is gratifying to see that, so far, Armenia is living up to its
promise. On Election Day, we look forward to seeing citizens
throughout the country exercise their right to vote – and carefully
guard that right.
Armenians living in the United States have a role too. Through our
connections to Armenia, we can and should encourage citizens to
participate in the democratic process, be vigilant, and help Armenia
fulfill the promise it made to itself – and to the world – to be a
free nation led by its people.
***************************************** **********************************
15. Editorial: Refusing complicity
The New York Times has written a powerful editorial excoriating "the
U.N.’s craven new leadership" for "bowing to Turkey’s demands" to
"censor discussion of the Armenian genocide." The editorial, which
appeared on April 13, argues that in making such demands, Turkey makes
itself an accessory to the crime of 1915: "It’s odd that Turkey’s
leaders have not figured out by now that every time they try to censor
discussion of the Armenian genocide, they only bring wider attention
to the subject and link today’s democratic Turkey with the now distant
crime."
See for the full text of the editorial, which also
appeared in the International Herald Tribune.
The New York Times has shown moral leadership at a time when several
major newspapers have opted for an unprincipled stance. With the Bush
administration, the well-paid Turkish lobby, and Turkey’s allies on an
all-out campaign to defeat the Armenian Genocide resolutions in
Congress, these newspapers have given space to specious and poorly
argued commentaries on the matter. These essays portray Turkey as a
reliable U.S. ally and raise false alarms about disastrous
consequences that would follow the adoption of the resolutions.
Even the New York Times published such a commentary in the guise of
news last week. To their credit, the editors promptly published a
correction that addressed the article’s worst offense.
The New York Times is right to point out that every time Turkey
tries to censor discussion of the Armenian Genocide, it makes itself
an accessory to the crime. In demanding that others join it in denial,
Turkey asks them to become complicit as well. It is unfortunate that
the U.S. administration and so many newspapers have chosen complicity.
Kudos to the New York Times for refusing to play along.
Let us once again urge President Bush to choose the right path.
Instead of complicity in the crime, let the United States regain its
proud place as one of the nations that tried to do something about the
Armenian Genocide as it was happening, and helped the survivors
afterward. In his annual message on April 24, President Bush should
use the expression he has been at pains to avoid: the Armenian
Genocide.
connect:
President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Comments: 202-456-1111
FAX: 202-456-2461
[email protected]
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