Month: February 2012

KIWANIS DIRECTOR HONORED FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE

Mount Shasta Herald

Feb 15 2012
CA

Mt. Shasta area – Karen Baltayan Pautz, immediate past president of
the Mount Shasta Five Star Kiwanis, was presented last week with the
organization’s Distinguished Service Award.

Pautz, who is the executive director of First 5 Siskiyou and the
charter president of the Five Star Kiwanis in 2010, accepted the award
from Division 39 Lieutenant Governor Larry Mower during the CalNevHa
Governor’s dinner hosted by the Shasta Lake Kiwanis Club on Feb. 3.

Mower called attention to Pautz’s career-long dedication to youth
development and wellbeing on local, regional and national levels.

Pautz was born in Armenia and came to the United States with her
family at an early age. She is also the co-owner and founder of
Shasta Training & Consulting, was recently elected Northeast Regional
Director for First 5 California, is a member of Delta Kappa Gamma,
sits on the Board of Head Start and was recognized as a national
leader in early childhood advocacy by the Children’s Defense Fund.

“Fiercely loyal to her mission, she works tirelessly to address
important issues affecting children’s welfare, such as literacy,
health and nutrition, early childhood education, research-based
parenting skills and preventing the negative effect of trauma and
media violence on children,” said Elizabeth Mitchell-Collord, the
current president of the Five Star Kiwanis.

Mitchell-Collord added that Pautz “is always appreciative and sees
the best in everyone, and is boundless in her perception of what
is possible. She is a dedicated and loving wife and mother, and is
reliably late because she is always helping one more someone. She is
a caring and faithful friend, and is worth of this award.”

ARMENIAN CITY BESIEGED BY WOLVES

Voice of Russia
Feb 16 2012

Residents of the city of Sisian, in the south of Armenia, try not to
go out at night for fear of wolves, according to local media reports.

Due to heavy snowfall wolves can not find food in the mountains and
at night enter the town in search of food.

The wolves have started to prey on stray dogs as a source of food.

So far there have not been any reported cases of attacks on humans.

TURKEY BEARS BRUNT OF ISRAEL
By Jamal kanj

Gulf Daily News

Feb 16 2012
Bahrain

FRENCH politicians voting on the Armenian Genocide Recognition Law must
be familiar with the biblical quote: “Don’t judge lest you be judged.”

Last month, the French Senate passed a bill making it illegal to deny
that the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Armenians in 1915 Turkey
was genocide.

But instead of looking outwards at Turkey’s history, French politicians
should first take an inward look at their colonial past.

The veracity of the Armenian genocide is not at issue, for history
speaks volumes of those poignant events. However, things are not as
they appear with the French vote.

In the historical context, France’s incandescent genocidal crimes
in Africa were much worse and more recent than Turkey’s slaying of
Armenians almost 100 years ago.

In Algeria, during eight years of France’s 130-year colonial rule,
from 1954 to 1962, French troops murdered more than 1.5 million
natives. So what is the impetus behind the French vote? Have French
politicians suddenly transformed into benevolent citizens? Why now?

Turkey’s new political detachment from its old military stance is
perturbing Israel. That is why Tel Aviv has mobilised its worldwide
Zionist network to blackmail the Turkish government.

Simply put, the Zionist campaign to smear Turkey’s history has little
to do with the Armenian genocide. It is more about de-legitimising the
political leadership of the current Turkish government for standing
against Israeli genocide in Palestine.

In the US, a little over 10 years ago, the “unofficial” body
representing Israeli interests – the American Israel Public Affairs
Committee (AIPAC) – lobbied the House of Representatives to halt a
vote on an Armenian genocide resolution.

In June 2010, The Washington Post reported that AIPAC, with help
from the State Department, had pressured President Bill Clinton in
2000 to warn the house speaker that a vote on the Armenian genocide
would damage US interests – for which the speaker pulled the plug,
killing the proposed resolution.

That was then. The Zionists who blocked the vote in 2000 were prodded
by AIPAC to reintroduce the Armenian genocide resolution before the
House of Representatives.

Answering that call, Jewish Congressman Adam Schiff of California,
with his pro-Israel voting record, sponsored US House Resolution
252 – exploiting the Armenian genocide to punish the current
Turkish government. Pro-Zionist members of the US Congress exist in
the Republican and Democrat parties, often embracing diametrically
opposing viewpoints on local, international and social issues, yet
adopting the same record when it comes to supporting Israel.

Israel “firsters” in the Congress use their positions and influence
on the most important congressional committees and subcommittees,
such as the foreign affairs, appropriations and armed services panels.

Apparently indifferent to US interests, they routinely cross party
lines to manipulate, at the embryonic stage, any Middle East-tinged
resolution to Israel’s benefit.

It is part of an international crusade, led and financed by Zionists,
buoyed by a globally co-ordinated media, with the intention of creating
a rift between the West and Arab/Muslim countries, to undermine any
political leader opposing Israel’s occupation of Palestine.

For 50 years, Turkey’s subservient alliance with Israel offered Turkey
absolute international immunity. However, today, the more democratic
Turkey is censured not for its past crimes, but for daring to stand
up to Israel’s present crimes.

l Mr Kanj writes frequently on Arab world issues and is the author
of Children of Catastrophe, Journey from a Palestinian Refugee Camp
to America.

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT CONCERNED ABOUT FREQUENT EARTHQUAKES

Vestnik Kavkaza
Feb 16 2012
Russia

The Armenian government has approved a complex training program for
nurseries, colleges, higher education centers, hospitals and other
structures about rules during earthquakes, PanARMENIAN.Net reports.

Armenian Minister for Emergencies Armen Yeritsyan said that training
will be held in 2013-2015 and will cost about $100,000.

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said that media are studying the recent
earthquakes and seismological risks. Seismological studies are made in
Armenia and other states. There were about 15 earthquakes in 2011 with
a magnitude of over 3 points, there have been 3 cases so far this year.

ST. VARTAN AND THE BATTLE OF AVARAYR

Haytoug Magazine

Feb 16 2012

Many of us are beginning to think that February is an empty month
in the Armenian calendar. Or that Saint Valentine’s Day is the only
significant holiday. However, the idea that this is traditionally
an Armenian festival is incorrect. In fact, for those unaware,
the Armenian equivalent for celebrating love and affection between
companions takes place on February 4th, under the Saint Sarkis
(Õ~MÕ¸O~BO~@Õ¢ Õ~MÕ¡O~@Õ£Õ”Õ½) name. More to the focus of this
article though, is the commemoration of the Battle of Avarayr
(Ô±Õ¾Õ¡O~@Õ¡ÕµO~@Õ” Õ³Õ¡Õ¯Õ¡Õ¿Õ¡Õ´Õ¡O~@Õ¿Õ¨) on February 16th.

This battle came to be out of necessity for continuity as a People:
the Persian Empire wanted Armenians to abandon their faith. Their
king, King Yazdigerd II, loathed Christianity and wished to destroy
their individuality on the whole.

Those who grew up going to an Armenian school have undoubtedly heard
of Vartan Mamigonian (Õ~NÕ¡O~@Õ¤Õ¡Õ¶ Õ~DÕ¡Õ´Õ”Õ¯Õ¸Õ¶Õ¥Õ¡Õ¶), and the
epic battle during which he led the Armenian forces against a vastly
outnumbering Persian army. Vartan, who was later canonised, was of
noble lineage whose family tree includes Saint Gregory the Illuminator
(Õ~MÕ¸O~BO~@Õ¢ Ô³O~@Õ”Õ£Õ¸O~@ Ô¼Õ¸O~BÕ½Õ¡Õ¾Õ¸O~@Õ”Õ¹). His father,
however, was General Hamazasp (Õ~MÕºÕ¡O~@Õ¡ÕºÕ¥Õ¿ Õ~@Õ¡Õ´Õ¡Õ¦Õ¡Õ½Õº)
and, like him, Vartan became a soldier. He was a highly respected
soldier at that, with integrity and wisdom: in addition, he had a
strong Christian belief. The fact that he had Holy Communion with his
soldiers; prayed, recited the 23rd Psalm and shared food with them,
all prior to the commencement of battle, can attest to these.

It was in this period immediately before the battle when Vartan
was quoted as saying “We have served until now mortal kings… now
it is time to serve the immortal king”. Vartan’s speech instilled
inspiration and stimulated his troops towards defending not only their
religion but also, in the wider scheme, their culture and entire way
of life. Finally, the battle commenced on May 26th, 451 AD, on the
Avarayr Plain (Ô±Õ¾Õ¡O~@Õ¡ÕµO~@Õ” Ô´Õ¡Õ·Õ¿). Vartan Mamigonian led
66,000 Armenians against an army outnumbering them almost 4-to-1 and
consisting of war elephants too.

Many Armenian martyrs were made that day – Vartan Mamigonian
included – but, while the battle was lost, their sacrifice was not
in vain. The Persian king, astounded by the valour of his opponents
and acknowledging that this could only stem from their passion for
their beliefs, developed a great respect for Armenians and put an
end to his attempts at converting them. In this way the Armenians
of the time lived on in relative peace, their traditions safeguarded
for another period.

We’ve suffered countless episodes such as this where, for one reason or
another; our rights, customs, traditions, faith, freedom and uniqueness
have been challenged. We’ve endlessly endured stiff oppression, but,
as a brilliantly proud and zealous People, we’ve largely staved off
assimilating.

1600 years have since passed, our identity all the while maturing, and
we’ve spread across the globe achieving many things. As a persevering
people we must continue to uphold our identity in whichever corner
of the world we find ourselves. Wherever we may be and whatever we
pursue we all share a common history: a story of constant struggles
for peace which unites us and enriches our lives. As Hrant Dink, Serj
Tankian and Monte Melkonian (to name a few) have done, by digging
deep towards our roots we can find and adopt the same spirit with
which Vartan’s soldiers fought in defending our heritage.

Heros Jojaghaian

AYF London “Khanasor” Chapter

DINK FAMILY PETITIONS PROSECUTION OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS

BIAnet.org

Feb 16 2012
Turkey

After the final hearing of the trial related to the Hrant Dink murder
in January, the family of the slain Turkish-Armenian journalist applied
to the chief prosecutor’s office for the litigation of public officials
in the context of the murder.

Istanbul – BÄ°A News Center16 February 2012, Thursday The joint
attorneys of the Dink family applied to the Istanbul Public Chief
Prosecutor’s Office for the litigation of public officials who were
allegedly involved in the murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist
Hrant Dink.

Dink, founder and then chief-editor of the Armenian Agos newspaper,
was shot dead in front of his office in Å~^iÅ~_li/Istanbul on 19
January 2007. The final hearing of the murder trial was held on 17
January 2012.

The petition was filed by Dink’s widow Rakel Dink, his brother Hosrof
Dink and his adult children Delal, Arat and Sera Dink.

As reported by the Agos newspaper, it was claimed in an additional
petition that several people and institutions carried responsibility
for the Dink murder, namely the Provincial Gendarmerie Commander of
Trabzon, the Provincial Police Directorate of Trabzon, the Provincial
Police Directorate of Istanbul and the Police General Directorate
Intelligence Branch Presidency.

It was stated that the public officials committed certain crimes
including “intentional homicide by negligent behaviour” according
to Article 83 of the Turkish Criminal Law (TCK). The complainants
requested open a criminal case to launch a probe about these persons.

The Dink family demanded the prosecution of Muammer Guler, Celalettin
Cerrah, Ramazan Akyurek, Engin Dinc, Muhittin Zenit, Ali Oz, Ergun
Gungör, Ahmet İlhan Guler, Bulent Köksal, İbrahim Pala, İbrahim
Å~^evki Eldivan, Volkan Altunbulak, Bahadır Ozkan, Ozcan Ozkan,
ReÅ~_at Altay, Faruk Sarı, Ercan Demir, Ozkan Mumcu, Mehmet Ayhan,
Metin Yıldız, Huseyin Yılmaz, Gazi Gunay, Hacı Omer Unalır and
Onder Araz.

Additionally, the complainants demanded the litigation of officials of
the Trabzon Provincial Gendarmerie Command, the Trabzon and Istanbul
Provincial Police Directorates and the Police General Directorate
Intelligence Branch Presidency who had apparently been informed about
the Dink murder in advance.

“Trabzon police concealed organization” The submitted petition points
to prosecutor Hikmet Usta’s concession that the investigation failed
to be comprehensive. It was demanded to determine the responsibilities
and roles in the murder played by the public officials who would have
been obliged to prevent the murder after they had been informed about
it. According to the results, trials should be opened against them,
the petition requested.

Furthermore, the petition drew attention to officials of the Trabzon
Provincial Police Directorate who destroyed related telephone records
and hence concealed both the organizational structure behind the
murder and the responsibility. It was claimed that Erhan Tuncel, who
was acquitted in the context of the Dink murder, should have received
a life sentence and that action should be taken to lodge a trial about
officials of the Provincial Police Directorate of Trabzon. (EKN/VK)

REVIVING THE ARMENIAN LANGUAGE

BIAnet.org
Feb 16 2012
Turkey

The Armenian Culture and Solidarity Association organizes a workshop
about the Western Armenian language. The project on the language that
is endangered to disappear completely will start on 18 February and
stretches over a period of one year.

Istanbul – BÄ°A News Center16 February 2012, Thursday The language
workshop about the Western Armenian language organized by the
Armenian Culture and Solidarity Association will start this Saturday
(18 February). In 2009, the UNESCO added Western Armenian, one of the
two forms of modern Armenian, to the “Atlas of the World’s Languages
in Danger” as a “definitely endangered language”.

The workshop will stretch over a period of one year and is designed
for 20 students who are continuing from the first, second and third
level. The different parts of the workshop will be held at the Talar
Sileyan training institution. One course takes three months.

In the first course considered as an “Introduction to Armenian”, the
students will be familiarized with the different alphabet consisting
of 38 letters, reading, writing exercises, deciphering Turkish texts
written in the Armenian alphabet and basic vocabulary on topics like
numbers, names of months and days, colours, greeting phrases, food,
professions, age, verbs in present tense and future tense. The number
of new students to enrol is limited to ten.

Western and Eastern Armenian Armenian is an Indo-European language. The
alphabet was invented by clergyman Aziz Mesrob MaÅ~_dots in 405
AD. Later on, another two letters were added to the alphabet. Western
and Eastern Armenian are the two standardized forms of modern
Armenian. Western Armenian is being spoken in Turkey and the Western
Armenian Diaspora while Eastern Armenian is mainly being used in
Armenia and the area of the former Soviet Republic. (CT/VK)

From: A. Papazian

DINK LAWYERS FILE CHARGES AGAINST 24

Hurriyet Daily News
Feb 16 2012
Turkey

Turkish- Armenian Journalist Hrant Dink was shot in front of
his office in 2007. DAILY NEWS photo, Hasan ALTINIÞIK Lawyers for
murdered Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink have requested that
the Istanbul Deputy Chief Prosecutor’s Office file a criminal case
against 24 public servants for their alleged role in the 2007 killing.

“If [police informant] Erhan Tuncel was found not guilty and could
be acquitted, and if he did not take part in the crime, then there
are other guilty [parties] out there,” Cem Halavurt, one of the Dink
family’s lawyers, told the Hurriyet Daily News.

The public servants in question include Muammer Guler, former Istanbul
governor and a deputy for the ruling Justice and Development Party
(AKP), Celalettin Cerrah, who was Istanbul police chief at the time but
has since been promoted to the post of Osmaniye governor in southern
Turkey, as well as Ramazan Akyurek, who was serving as the head of
police intelligence at the time.

“The aforementioned civil servant suspects … have committed the crime
of ‘intentional murder through negligent conduct’ by not fulfilling
their obligation to prevent Hrant Dink’s assassination by the armed
organization that committed the murder, and by not taking him under
their protection,” read the Dink family’s lawyers’ petition.

Both Cerrah and Guler refused to comment to the Daily News on the
matter.

“We are aware of the presence of the managers and members of
the organization that committed the Dink murder among the Trabzon
Provincial Gendarmerie Command, the Istanbul and Trabzon Provincial
police departments [and] the Police Department Intelligence Branch
Presidency staff. We know that all these relations will come to light
if an effective investigation is conducted,” the petition said.

Authorities did not give permission for an investigation to be
launched against the public servants in question, the lawyers said in
the petition. An appeal was consequently brought before the European
Court of Human Rights following the exhaustion of domestic judicial
alternatives.

SPIELBERG’S GENOCIDE FILM CLAIM REFUSED

Hurriyet Daily News
Feb 16 2012
Turkey

Spielberg’s involvement in efforts to produce a genocide film was
refuted. REUTERS photo The Armenian National Film Academy has refuted
claims acclaimed director Steven Spielberg is involved in efforts to
produce a movie on Armenian “genocide.”

Armenia’s Yergir Media website yesterday reported Spielberg and
“Schindler’s List” writer Steven Zaillan were “in talks” on a film
about the 1915 events and they will be supported by the Armenian
National Film Academy.

The film was “set to premiere in 2015” on the 100th anniversary of
the 1915 events, according to the website.

Speaking to the Hurriyet Daily News, Vartan Abovian, deputy director of
the Armenian National Film Academy, said he was baffled by the story.

“We indeed have plans on a movie on the Armenian genocide,” Abovian
said. “However, this is still in the ‘idea’ phase and nothing has been
decided yet. We are trying to find the budget. And we are definitely
not in talks with any director.”

From: Baghdasarian

U.S. MAKES CHOICE BETWEEN TURKEY & ARMENIA

Day.Az
Feb 16 2012
Azerbaijan

The Armenian experts absorbed into the discussion of U.S. President
Barack Obama’s budget message, in which he called for a substantial –
19% – reduction in an economic aid to Armenia.

Clearly, the matter is not the final amounts of economic aid from
the U.S., but the tendency. It should be noted that the Obama
administration proposes to allocate additional $3.6 million in
International Military Education and Training for Turkey, given
that that Turkey continues to play an increasing role as a growing
global partner.

Thus, the U.S. leadership clearly demonstrates that Armenia loses
its importance for it on the backdrop of a substantial increase in
the importance of Turkey.

Armenia has been and is doomed to continue to be an outpost for some
world or regional powers. Armenia has no resources for more. While
Turkey is a very significant regional power with its own views and
attitude towards processes in any corner of the world, with the
opinion and weight, with which even its enemies reckon.

In addition, the White House is well aware of the essence of Armenia’s
current leadership. This is a criminal-oligarchic clan, robbing own
people and destroying anyone who attempts to encroach on authority,
which has resulted in the killing of 10 civilians protesting against
the massive fraud in the presidential election in 2008. The White
House is also well aware of the fact that the authorities in Armenia
are people with the criminal ‘nicknames’, that this country has no
freedom of speech, the law is inactive and replaced by ‘criminal’
orders, in which the Armenian leadership forces its people to live.

So, Obama’s this proposal is a clear sign to personally President
Serzh Sargsyan and his followers that the time has come for them to
change, so that to avoid replacement.

The U.S. is also informed about the active development of the
Armenian-Iranian economic and political relationships. Of course,
Yerevan’s these actions cause dissatisfaction of the White House. And
the White House openly makes it clear to Yerevan, starting with a
proposal for a substantial reduction in the U.S. economic assistance
to Armenia.

It should be noted that the United States, which initiated a project
on the Turkish-Armenian rapprochement, clearly demonstrates whom it
blames for the project failure. Sending this message to Yerevan,
the White House will now be closely watching how the Armenian
leadership understands its essence. Maybe in the near future it
will show its docility and it will be seen in the resuscitation of
the Turkish-Armenian rapprochement, which will be implemented in
parallel with the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict
over Nagorno-Karabakh.

Ankara and Baku have repeatedly stated about the impossibility
of separating these processes from each other. How much Turkey is
important for the United States was always clear, and Obama’s statement
that Turkey continues to play an increasing role as a growing global
partner of the United States, is another evident to this.

Cooperation with Azerbaijan also is of great importance to Washington.

Because the U.S. stands for ensuring the energy security of the United
States allies in Europe and worldwide, which means the integration
of the Caspian energy basin in the world economy. Today, the U.S. is
interested in establishing a trans-Caspian transport route, in which
Azerbaijan’s has a significant role. Realization of the these projects
requires a lasting stability in our region, and the United States
and Azerbaijan share common views here.

Washington, as well as Baku, believes that the unresolved
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh directly affects
the stability and development of the South Caucasus, increasing the
degree of dissociation and preventing the development of comprehensive
cooperation among the regional countries, as well as a full integration
of these countries into the international political and economic space.

Armenia’s position is only obstacle on the way of a stability and
development of our region. So, Obama’s budget message says that the
U.S. leadership has decided to pursue the policy of pressuring on
Yerevan. Therefore, mostlikely we will soon see concrete steps of
Yerevan, demonstrating ability to understand the message of the U.S..

It is possible that all this can result in Armenia’s complete
geopolitical reorientation from the Russian direction on American, in
a gradual and inexorable decline in the Armenian-Iranian cooperation,
as well as in Armenia’s sudden understanding of hopelessness of life
in a state of unresolved conflict with Azerbaijan, and with closed
borders with Turkey. In other words, very soon we will see the real
fruits of pressuring on Armenia to peaceful ties with its neighbors.