Month: February 2015

NEW US ENVOY PLEDGES COOPERATION WITH ALL POLITICAL FORCES

17:12 * 13.02.15

The United States’ new ambassador to Armenia on Friday promised to
work with all the political forces in the country to maintain dialogue
with both the ruling authorities and the opposition.

At his first news conference in Yerevan, Richard Mill’s reiterated the
United States’ policy to collaborate with all political leaders, as
well as the civil society sector. The diplomat praised the democracy
level in Armenia, which he said gives the opposition enough freedom
to work and communicate with foreign ambassadors without any hindrans.

Asked how he treats Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s Thursday
speech lashing out at the Prosperous Armenia party’s leader, Mr Mills
said he himself is from the state of Louisiana where it is common
for politicians to label one another with different names.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

WOMAN CLAIMS POLICE BEAT UP AND OPENED A CRIMINAL CASE AGAINST HUSBAND

02.13.2015 15:22 epress.am

On December 31, 2014, after a car accident in the Nork-Marash
district, Kristine Mangasaryan and three others in the car were
detained by police and a criminal case was initiated against two of
them. Mangasaryan told Epress.am about the incident. According to her,
the police beat them up where the accident took place, as well as in
the police car and at the station.

According to Mangasaryan, the conflict with the police officers began
when her husband Kamo Hayrapetyan, after hitting another car, began to
curse with rage. Police approached, demanded that he stopped cursing.

Mangasaryan attempted to intervene in the argument between her husband
and the police officer, trying to calm them down. One of the officers
pushed her, which subsequently led to a scuffle and then to a fight.

“There were 4 police officers, they later made a call and multiplied
in number. They beat up my husband and his friend, hit my husband with
a baton, they pulled my hair, handcuffed me, and put me in the car.

>From the car, I saw how they threw my husband to the ground. I told
them to release my handcuffs, and they hit me really hard. They also
kicked my husband’s friend in the head. They took us to the police
station. My friend, who was also in the car, had fainted. They brought
her to the station half an hour later,” said Mangasaryan.

According to her, the violence continued at the police station. All 4
in custody were put in one room. “The police officers were spitting
on the men behind the bars. They hit me in the face and my feet and
my husband on his head and arms. Only 4 days later did they take us
for a medical forensic examination, probably in order to give the
bruises some time to disappear,” said Mangasaryan.

One day after, on January 1st, Mangasaryan and her friend were
released, while her husband and his friend were arrested. The medical
examination concluded that the women had received medium to heavy
physical injuries. The medical results of the arrested are still not
available. Mangasaryan also said that a civil lawyer was not provided
to her husband and his friend.

The Investigative Committee’s Press Spokesperson Sona Truzyan told
Epress.am that the arrested individuals were charged with article
316 of the criminal code (using violence against representatives of
the authorities).

According to Truzyan, one of the arrested men demanded a civil
defender in late January, the other in the beginning of February. “A
civil defender is provided only after filling out an application to
the Chamber of Advocates. We received the response yesterday,” said
Truzyan. Note, that, according to the law, a civil defender must be
provided immediately after the suspect demands one.

Sona Truzyan said she did not find the delay of the medical examination
results suspicious. According to her, it depends on how occupied the
experts are at the moment.

From: Baghdasarian

ITALY SENATE MOVES TO OUTLAW DENIAL OF HOLOCAUST AND GENOCIDES

14:49, 12 Feb 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

Italian senators on Wednesday voted in favour of a bill criminalizing
Holocaust denial, following changes to the proposed law to protect
freedom of speech.

A total of 234 senators voted for the bill, while eight abstained
and three voted against the new law, Il Sole 24 Ore reported.

Under the law people will face a three-year sentence for promoting,
inciting or committing acts of racial discrimination based in part
or entirely on the denial of the Holocaust. Crimes against humanity
and war crimes are also covered in the bill, which now needs to pass
through Italy’s lower house before it can become law.

The Senate vote follows revisions which lawmakers say ensure freedom
of speech and the freedom to study are upheld.

Senator Giuseppe Lumia, part of the justice committee, said the vote
marked a “turning point” in Italy.

“Denying the Holocaust and genocides will be punished as in so many
other countries,” he was quoted in Il Sole as saying.

France and Germany are among the European states which have
criminalized Holocaust denial. A British bishop was in 2013 convicted
of the crime, after giving an interview to Swedish television in which
he questioned the number of Jews killed in Nazi concentration camps.

STATE COMMITTEE ON WATER INDUSTRY FORECASTING LACK OF WATER, WHILE METEOROLOGICAL CENTER HEAVY PRECIPITATION

15:54 February 11, 2015

EcoLur

Gagik Khachatryan, acting Chairman of the State Committee on Water
Industry, beat an alarm in his interviews given on TV in February
that the country may experience lack of water. In his opinion, the
reason is the lack of precipitation. He stated that Akhuryan-Araks
reservoirs contain 18.5 million cum water less than that of the last
year. He said, if needed, again Sevan will be resorted to, in case
of water of lack.

On 11 February Deputy Director of MES Meteorological Center Gagik
Surenyan made a statement, where he mentioned about huge amount of
precipitation in Lori, Tavush, Shirak, Aragatsotn and Kotayq Regions
because of recent Mediterranean cyclones. The monthly precipitation
amount in individual places of Shirak region makes up 110-120% of the
standard. “At the end of the month we will have snow cover higher than
the standard. We are anticipating heavy precipitation in March. Large
amounts of snow are expected to be collected in the mountainous areas
of the country.”

YEREVAN PROTEST DEMANDS TO HAND OVER GYUMRI MASSACRE CULPRIT TO ARMENIAN LAW ENFORCERS

19:14 12/02/2015 >> SOCIETY

A protest was staged outside the Armenian Prosecutor General’s Office
in Yerevan on Thursday.

The protesters demanded guarantees that Russian soldier Valery
Permyakov charged with murdering the Avetisyan family in Armenia’s
Gyumri will be handed over to Armenian law enforcers. They demanded
that the Prosecutor’s Office act transparently and make public the
response to the letter sent to the Russian side.

They handed over a letter to Prosecutor General’s Office stating
their demands.

Six members of one family, including a two-year-old child, were shot
dead in their house in Gyumri on January 12. A six-month-old baby
was hospitalized with stab wounds. He died in hospital on January 12.

Valery Permyakov, a serviceman of the 102nd Russian military base
stationed in Gyumri, the main suspect in the murder, was detained by
Russian border guards while attempting to cross the Armenian-Turkish
border near Yerazgavors village in Armenia’s Shirak province.

Permyakov is held in custody at the Russian military base. He was
questioned and confessed to the crime. Permyakov is charged under
Article 105.2 and 338.2 of the Russian Criminal Code (murder and
desertion). Also, Armenian Investigative Committee brought a charge
against Permyakov under Article 104 part 2 point 1 (murder of two or
more persons) of the Armenian Criminal Code.

SENIOR LIEUTENANT ARRESTED AS SUSPECT IN DEATH OF ARMENIAN SOLDIER

19:03, February 12, 2015

Taron Gedoyan, a senior lieutenant serving in the Artsakh Defense Army,
was arrested today as a suspect in the February 10 death of conscript
soldier Tigran Simonyan.

Simonyan died from gunshot wounds sustained while serving at a military
base, where Gedoyan was also posted, in the north of the country.

An official investigation has concluded that Gedoyan violated the
sentry duty rules which, in turn, led to the death of Simonyan.

The report failed to specify what the violation was and how the
soldier was shot.

10 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Ten Facts You Must Know About the Armenian Genocide The Armenian
Genocide occurred during World War I, from 1915 to 1922 in the Ottoman
Empire. Although the present Turkish government denies that the
massacres constituted a “genocide”, scholars and historians maintain
that the systematic slaughtering of 1.5 million Armenians by the
Young Turks and their […] Written by: Tracy Dye 2015/01/26 4:39 AM

Ten Facts You Must Know About the Armenian Genocide

The Armenian Genocide occurred during World War I, from 1915 to 1922
in the Ottoman Empire. Although the present Turkish government denies
that the massacres constituted a “genocide”, scholars and historians
maintain that the systematic slaughtering of 1.5 million Armenians
by the Young Turks and their militant organization can irrevocably
be considered one of the world’s first holocausts.Much like the
Holocaust in Nazi Germany during World War II, the origins of this
genocide stemmed from religious bias and the desire to “cleanse”
and “exterminate” a specific population.As these subjects are of a
very sensitive nature, it is prudent to note that the intentions of
the following list is in no way meant to insult religious views or
affiliation. That being said, the anecdote of bringing awareness to
past events in order to avoid “history repeating itself” could not
be more prominent in the dissemination of information regarding the
late Ottoman’s Empire atrocities inflicted on an entire people. The
utilization of religious bias as a vehicle for hate and violence
was evident in the Armenian Genocide and the massacres preceding
the genocide.

Today, Armenians and family members of Armenians who were subject
to the atrocities continue to suffer due to the history of their
ancestors and lack of acknowledgement from the Turkish government.

Armenian citizens, advocates and those whose ancestors were subject
to the genocide note that denial of genocide (the eighth stage of
genocide) perpetuates the pain and injustice felt by the Armenian
culture as a whole.

10. The Turkish Government Denies the Genocide

<img class=” wp-image-12841″
src=””
alt=”Turkey’s Government Denies the truth of the Armenian Genocide.

ListLand.com” width=”504″ height=”437″ />

Turkey’s Government Denies the truth of the Armenian Genocide.

Today, the Turkish government still denies that the massacre of
approximately 1.5 million Armenians constituted it as a “genocide”.

This is in spite of the fact that a litany of scholarly articles
and proclamations from revered historians have posed evidence that
the events leading up to the mass killings–along with the manner in
which Armenians were assassinated–irrevocably makes this point in
history one of the first holocausts.

According to History, the Turkish deny the genocide by saying, “The
Armenians were an enemy force…and their slaughter was a necessary
war measure.”

The “war” being referenced is World War I, and the events preceding
the Armenian genocide–which were paramount in the holocaust’s
fruition–predate WWI by over 20 years.

One notable Turkish politician, Dogu Perincek, came under fire for
his denials of Armenian Genocide while visiting Switzerland in 2008.

According to The Telegraph, a Swiss court fined Perjncek after he
called the genocide “an international lie.” He appealed this charge
in 2013 and it was determined by the European Court of Human Rights
that the Swiss court’s charges had “violated [Perjncek’s] right to
freedom of expression.”

Currently, Amal Clooney (yes, the new Mrs. George Clooney) has joined
a legal team that will be representing Armenia in a challenge of
that appeal. According to The Telegraph, Clooney will be joined by
her head of chambers, Geoffrey Robertson, QC, who is also the author
of the Oct. 2014 book, “An Inconvenient Genocide: Who Now Remembers
the Armenians?”

Publishers from Random House have stated that the book, “…proves
beyond reasonable doubt that the horrific events of 1915 constituted
the crime against humanity that is now known as genocide.”

The irony in Perjnek’s outrage over the charges made against him
are evident; Perjnek is an advocate of Turkey’s current laws which
condemn citizens from speaking about the Armenian Genocide.

9. In Turkey, Discussion of the Armenian Genocide is Illegal

<img class=” wp-image-12840″
src=””
alt=”It is illegal in Turkey to discuss the Armenian Genocide.

ListLand.com” width=”504″ height=”336″ />

It is illegal in Turkey to discuss the Armenian Genocide.

In Turkey, discussion of the Armenian genocide is considered an
offense punishable by imprisonment. In 2010, Turkish prime minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan actually threatened 100,000 Armenians with
deportation in response to an Armenian Genocide Remembrance Bill
presented to the House of Commons.

Foreign Affairs Correspondent, Damien McElroy, detailed the events
in an article. Erdogan made this statement–later referred to as
“blackmail” by Armenian MP, Hrayr Karapetyan–following the issuance
of the bill:

“There are currently 170,000 Armenians living in our country. Only
70,000 of them are Turkish citizens, but we are tolerating the
remaining 100,000…If necessary, I may have to tell these 100,000
to go back to their country because they are not my citizens. I don’t
have to keep them in my country.”

“The statement once again proves that there is an Armenian genocide
threat in present Turkey, thus world community should pressurize
Ankara to recognise [the] genocide,” was Karapetyan’s response to
Erdogan’s subtle threats.

8. America Has Been Hesitant to Label the Events as a Genocide

<img class=” wp-image-12839″
src=””
alt=”Uncle Sam says I don’t want to touch this thing with a ten foot
pole.” width=”505″ height=”775″ />

Uncle Sam says I don’t want to touch this thing with a ten foot pole.

Although American government and media have labeled the slaughtering
of 1.5 million Armenians as “atrocities” or “massacres,” the word
“genocide” has seldom made its way into U.S. vernacular when describing
the events that occurred from 1915 to 1923. It was not until 2004 that
the words “Armenian Genocide” appeared in the New York Times. Peter
Balakian, a professor of humanities at Colgate University, and Samantha
Power, a lecturer at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, composed
a letter to the Times’ editor which was subsequently published.

In the letter, Balakian and Power chastise the Times’ and other media
outlets for their failure to label the atrocities that occurred during
1915 as a genocide.

“The extermination of the Armenians is recognized as genocide by
the consensus of scholars of genocide and Holocaust worldwide. The
failure to acknowledge this trivializes a human rights crime of
enormous magnitude,” reads one passage of the letter. “It is ironic
as well, because in 1915 The New York Times published 145 articles
about the Armenian genocide and regularly used the words ‘systematic,’
‘government planned’ and ‘race extermination.'”

Currently, recognition of the 1915 events as a genocide by America is
being considered by the U.S. House of Representatives. The resolution
proposed is coined “Armenian Genocide resolution” for short but its
official title is “H. Res 106 or the Affirmation of the United States
Record on the Armenian Genocide Resolution.”

7. Religion’s Role in the Armenian Genocide

<img class=” wp-image-12838″
src=””
alt=”Islam played a terrible role in the Armenian Genocide” width=”505″
height=”332″ />

Islam played a terrible role in the Armenian Genocide

The religious origins of the Armenian Genocide date back to the 15th
century when Armenia’s rule was absorbed by the Ottoman Empire.

Leaders of the Ottoman Empire were primarily Muslim. Christian
Armenians were considered minorities by the Ottoman Empire and though
they were “allowed to maintain some autonomy,” they were largely
treated as second-class citizens; i.e., Armenians were denied the right
to vote, paid higher taxes than Muslims, and were denied a plethora
of other legal and economic rights. Resentment and bias was prevalent
in the leaders of The Ottoman Empire, as unfair treatment toward the
Armenians elevated into violence toward the Christian minorities.

In the early 1900’s, The Ottoman Empire was dismantled and taken
over by the Young Turks. The Young Turks initially framed themselves
as leaders who would guide the country and its citizens to a place
that was more democratic and constitutionally sound. Armenians were
initially overjoyed at this prospect, but later learned that the Young
Turks’ revamping would include extermination as a means to “Turkify”
the new state.

The rule of the Young Turks would be the catalyst in what is now
known to be one of the world’s first genocides.

Religion’s role in this genocide was prominent, as Christianity was
perpetually viewed as a justification for the holocaust carried out by
militant followers of the Young Turks. Similarly, the extermination
of Jewish citizens was considered a justification to Nazi Germany
during World War II.

6. Lead-up to the Armenian Genocide: “Box on an Ear” Comment

<img class=” wp-image-12842″
src=””
alt=”The Young Turk’s Box on an Ear. Understatement of all time.”

width=”506″ height=”557″ />

The Young Turk’s Box on an Ear. Understatement of all time.

The “box on an ear” comment was one that could be considered a grim
foreshadowing of the Armenian Genocide. According toHistory, Turkish
dictator Sultan Abdul Hamid II made this sinister threat to a reporter
in 1890:

“I will soon settle those Armenians,” he said. “I will give them a
box on an ear which will make them…relinquish their revolutionary
ambitions.”

Before the Armenian Genocide in 1915, these threats were realized
during a massacre of thousands of Armenians between 1894 and 1896.

According to the United Human Rights Council, the pleas from Christian
Armenians for reform led to “…over 100,000 inhabitants of Armenian
villages [being] slaughtered during widespread pogroms conducted by
Sultan’s special regiments.”

The Ottoman Empire’s ruler was overthrown by a group called the Young
Turks. Armenians hoped this new regime would lead to a fair and just
society for their people. Unfortunately, the group became expeditors
of the Armenian genocide during World War I.

5. The Young Turks

<img class=”wp-image-12837″
src=””
alt=”Turkish Soldier Terrorizing young Armenians” width=”504″
height=”374″ />

Turkish Soldier Terrorizing young Armenians

In 1908, a group of “reformers”calling themselves “The Young Turks”
overthrew Sultan Hamid and gained leadership in Turkey. The aim of the
Young Turks initially seemed to be one which would lead the country
to a place of equality and justice, and the Armenians hoped for peace
amongst their people in light of the changes.

However, it quickly became evident that the Young Turks’ goal was to
“Turkify” the country and eliminate the Armenians. The Young Turks
were the catalyzers of the Armenian Genocide which occurred during WWI
and was responsible for the slaughter of nearly two million Armenians.

Many wonder why the crimes of the Young Turks are not viewed as
prominently as the crimes of the Nazi party during the Holocaust.

Scholars and historians note that part of the reason for this could
be the lack of accountability that was taken on by the Young Turks
for their crimes. After the Ottoman Empire surrendered in 1918, the
leaders of the Young Turks fled to Germany, where they were promised
to be exempt from any type of persecution for their atrocities.

>From this point forward, the Turkish government–alongside several
allies of Turkey–has denied that a genocide ever took place. In 1922,
the Armenian Genocide came to an end, leaving only 388,000 Armenians
remaining in the Ottoman Empire.

4. Why Were the Events Considered a Genocide?

<img class=” wp-image-12835″
src=””
alt=”The Armenian Genocide. When was the term Genocide coined?”

width=”504″ height=”479″ />

The Armenian Genocide. When was the term Genocide coined?

The term “genocide” refers to the systematic mass killing of a specific
group of people. The name “genocide” was not coined until 1944 when
Polish-Jewish lawyer, Raphael Lemkin, used the term during trials to
describe the crimes committed by the top Nazi leaders. Lemon created
the word by combining the Greek word for “group” or “tribe” (geno-)
and the Latin word for “killing” (cide).

In a 1949 CBS interview, Lemkin stated that his inspiration for the the
term came from the fact that systematic killings of specific groups of
people had “happened so many times in the past,” as with the Armenians.

3. Similarities between the Armenian Genocide and the Holocaust

<img class=” wp-image-12834″
src=””
alt=”Many Similarities between the Holocaust and Armenian Genocide”
width=”506″ height=”339″ />

Many Similarities between the Holocaust and Armenian Genocide

There are several pieces of evidence which are indicative of the fact
the the Armenian Genocide was an inspiration to Adolf Hitler before he
led the Nazi party in the attempted extermination of an entire people.

This point has been the subject of many heated debates, particularly
in reference to an alleged quote Hitler made regarding the Armenians.

It was declared by many genocide scholars that a week before the
invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, Hitler asked, “Who speaks
today of the extermination of Armenians?”

According to a 2013 Midwestern Quarterly article by Hannibal Travis,
it is indeed possible that–as many have argued–the quote from Hitler
did not actually happen or was embellished in some way by historians.

Irregardless, Travis notes that the several parallels between the
Armenian Genocide and the Holocaust are transparent.

Both utilized the concept of ethnic “cleaning” or “cleansing”.

According to Travis, “While the Young Turks implemented a ‘clean
sweep of internal enemies–the indigenous Christians,’ according to
the then-German ambassador in Constantinople…Hitler himself used
‘cleaning’ or ‘cleansing’ as a euphemism for extermination”.

Travis goes on to note that even if Hitler’s infamous quote about
the Armenians never actually transpired, the inspiration he and the
Nazi party gained from the various facets of the Armenian Genocide
are undeniable.

2. What Happened During the Armenian Genocide?

<img
src=”//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/Armenians_marched_by_Turkish_soldiers%2C_1915.png”
alt=”Armenians marched by Turkish soldiers, 1915″ width=”512″ />

The Armenian Genocide officially began April 24, 1915. During
this time, the Young Turks had recruited a deadly organization of
individuals that were sent to persecute the Armenians. The makeup of
this group included murderers and ex-convicts, among others. According
to History, one of the officers instructed called the atrocities
about to occur, “…the liquidation of the Christian elements.”

The genocide played out in the following ways:

Armenians were forcibly removed from their homes and sent on “death
marches” which involved treks through the Mesopotamian desert without
food or water. Marchers were often stripped naked and forced to walk
until dropping dead. Those that stopped for reprieve or respite were
shot Drowning of Armenians in rivers Forcing Armenians off of cliffs
Crucification and burning

The only Armenians spared were those subject to conversion and/or
abuse. Some children of genocide casualties were kidnapped and forced
to convert to Islam; these children were to be raised in the home of
a Turkish family. Some Armenian women were raped and forced to serve
as slaves in Turkish “harems.”

1. Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide

<img class=” wp-image-12832″
src=””
alt=”The 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide will take place
April 23-24 in 2015. This is the Armenia Genocide Memorial in Yerevan,
Armenia” width=”505″ height=”681″ />

The 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide will take place April
23-24 in 2015. This is the Armenia Genocide Memorial in Yerevan,
Armenia

Asaf Eliason / Shutterstock.com

The 100th anniversary of the brutal holocaust that took place in
1915 is approaching, and international efforts to commemorate the
victims and their families are being made. According to ARMENPRESS,
the first official event commemorating the 100th anniversary will
be held at Florida Atlantic University in southern Florida. The
event will include Boston’s Sayat Nova Dance Company as a VIP guest
in Boca Raton. ARMENPRESS states that the company’s mission is to
“…preserve Armenian culture and foster its dissemination.”

On the west coast, Los Angeles councilman Paul Kerkorian will be
accepting art submissions for an art contest commemorating the 100th
anniversary of the Armenian genocide. according to West Side Today,
Kerkorian stated that the contest “…is a way to honor the history of
the genocide and to highlight the promise of our future.” He continued,
“I hope artists and students who care about human rights will
participate and help commemorate the Armenian people’s resilience.”

Abroad, the Armenian National Committee (ANC) of Australia has
officially launched its #OnThisDay campaign, which will focus on
honoring those affected by the Armenian Genocide. According to Asbarez,
“ANC Australia has compiled an extensive catalogue of these newspaper
clippings from Australian archives, including from the Australian,
the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Argus and other notable
publications of the day, and will be releasing them on a daily basis
via ANC Australia’sFacebook page.”

ANC Australia’s Executive Director, Vache Kahramanian, noted that
the information being released will include a litany of articles
detailing the “horrors” of the Armenian Genocide along with reports
on Australia’s humanitarian efforts during that time.

According to Today’s Zaman, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“…sent invitations to the leaders of 102 states whose soldiers
fought in World War I, inviting them to attend an event commemorating
the anniversary that is scheduled to take place on April 23-24,”
the same time that the Armenians will gather to commemorate the 100th
anniversary of the genocide experienced from the Ottoman Empire. The
invitation was met with offense by Armenian citizens who viewed it as
“ill-natured,” “a joke,” and a “political maneuver” on Erdogan’s part.

From: Baghdasarian

ALEPPO BECKONS: ISTANBUL JUST A TEMPORARY REFUGE FOR SYRIAN-ARMENIAN FAMILY LONGING TO RETURN HOME

Anna Muradyan

11:28, February 6, 2015

The war raging in Syria has made refugees of Dzovig Vahramian’s family.

She and her two sons – Harout and Hagop – moved to Istanbul two
years ago. Her husband Hrach joined them two months ago. He jokes
that Dzovig really likes the letter “H” and that’s why she has three
of them – Hrach, Harout and Hagop.

Hrach remained in Aleppo, hoping that things would change for the
better. They didn’t.

The parents chose Istanbul because Dzovig has an aunt living there
and because they both speak Turkish.

“But I won’t live here,” says Mrs. Vahramian. “There’s no future here
and the education is lacking. My Harout was quite successful playing
piano and chess back in Aleppo. Here, he’s left it all behind because
there’s nowhere to go here.”

Estimates place the number of Armenians who fled Syria and are now
living in Armenia at some 11,000. Many have left for other countries;
even Turkey. They are just a tiny fraction of the 1.6 million Syrian
refuges now in Turkey. Since Ankara doesn’t keep refuges figures
broken down according to ethnicity, the number of Syrian-Armenians
now residing in Turkey is unclear.

Mrs. Vahramian says her biggest worry in Turkey revolves around the
issue of their Armenian identity.

She does not allow her sons to ride the buses in Istanbul by themselves
out of the fear that they might be overheard speaking something other
than Turkish and that, as a result of further questioning, they will
be identified as Armenian.

“I tell them not to speak Armenian,” Dzovig says.

15 year-old Harout says he studied the Armenian literature curriculum
he’s now taking at an Istanbul Armenian school in the fifth or sixth
grades back in Aleppo. Dzovig adds that many Istanbul Armenians do
not speak the language well because it’s no longer the language of
daily conversation.

“The daily environment isn’t Armenian,” says Dzovig. “At parent-teacher
meetings only the Armenian language teacher speaks Armenian. The
parents and other teachers can’t speak the language.

When I speak Armenian, they want it translated in Turkish.”

Istanbul-Armenian businessman Dikran Altoun says the children know
their grammar rules very well but are unable to put two words together
and make a sentence because they do not speak the language. He says
they tried to send local teachers to Armenia and to invite teachers
from Yerevan, but that the differences between western and eastern
Armenian prevents the project from really taking off.

Altoun says that the community now sends ten teachers to the Mkhitarist
Armenian congregation in Venice for training in western Armenian.

“But this isn’t adequate because when they leave the classes they
revert to Turkish since everyone else is speaking Italian,” he says,
adding that the community is now thinking of sending some teachers
to Beirut.

Mrs. Vahramian, an architect by profession, says that Aleppo is her
home and that she has no life elsewhere. She drew up the plans for
one of the buildings for the AGBU School in Aleppo. Her roots, like
many Aleppo Armenians, can be traced back to Cilicia. Her father’s
side of the family hails from Aintab.

“I say this because Armenians enjoyed many freedoms in Aleppo, and
we never felt any conflict between Muslims and Christians. On New
Year’s we would shoot off fireworks and the Muslims would come to
join in the festivities. Here, even educated Armenians wonder why
they should decorate a Christmas tree,” she says.

Hrach says that during his 52 years he’s witnessed the opening of two
new Armenian churches and that five of Aleppo’s seven major theaters
were Armenian. He proudly points out that there were no poor Armenians
in Aleppo and that they all belonged to the middle and upper classes.

“Even the water and electricity for Armenian churches, just like for
mosques, were provided free of charge. It was the same for the other
minorities,” Hrach says. “But Aleppo has changed and I am worried that
the old times won’t come back. You have the regime and the opposition
at loggerheads, each accusing the other of murdering their brothers.”

Hrach received his college education in Armenia in the 1980s at the
State Polytechnic Institute.

“I spent the best days of my life in Armenia,” he says with a smile.

Hrach says his 25 years as a builder have all gone up in smoke.

While normal daily life in Syria has been disrupted due to the ongoing
civil war, the Vahramian family decided to leave Aleppo relatively
late. They lived in the center of town, an area under the control of
the Assad regime. This is in contrast to the predominately Armenian
populated Nor Kyugh neighborhood, located on the outskirts of the
town. Over the past four years or so, half the neighborhood has been
reduced to rubble.

The family decided to leave on January 15, 2013 after three consecutive
bomb blasts shook Aleppo.

“At the time, I was leaving the university with four other teachers.

The first blast hit and the force threw us back. The air became fog
like with dust. The students started to scream for help. The windows
shattered and pieces hit my face. Then the second blast hit,” Dzovig
relates, her body shaking with emotion. “We ran for the bathhouse. My
students yelled that I was covered in red. I looked in the mirror
and saw my whole face was bloodied. Ten students died that day and
we were miraculously saved. Had we left earlier, we would have been
where the rockets hit.”

Since she speaks French and Arabic, Dzovig had no trouble finding work
in Istanbul. But she doesn’t like her work as a foreign sales manager.

“I have to travel a lot for work. I traveled to three countries in
three nights. I saw Greece and Dubai but all of it isn’t worth just
one day of living in Aleppo.”

While the family says it will not stay in Istanbul, they haven’t yet
decided where to go next. They are toying with the idea of Canada
or Australia.

“But those places are so far away. How will we ever return?” Dzovig
says, hopeful that they’ll go back to Aleppo. Her husband strikes a
less optimistic note on the chances of returning.

“I believe that things will get better and that I will return. I’ll
open a studio and construct buildings in Aleppo,” says a determined
Dzovig.

From: A. Papazian

GAGIK TSARUKIAN TO BE WITHDRAWN FROM NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL OF ARMENIA

YEREVAN, February 12. / ARKA /. Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan told
a meeting of the executive board of his ruling Republican Party of
Armenia that Gagik Tsarukyan, the leader of Prosperous Armenia party,
will be withdrawn from the National Security Council.

“I have signed a decree today to deprive Gagik Tsarukyan of the
status of a member of the Armenian National Security Council. The
supreme security body of the country is not a movie theater, which
one may come to and leave when he wants,” he said in a statement,
posted on the official website of the Republican Party of Armenia.

The president reminded that Tsarukyan was present at only 4 sessions
out of 145 of the National Assembly in 2013-2014.

“If he neglects his electors and the National Assembly, we do not
have this right: we are responsible for the right of every citizen of
Armenia. Our deputies will initiate tomorrow steps which are necessary
to exit from this absurd situation,” he said.

The president said “for many years the situation with anecdotal
reports of unpaid taxes in billions of drams has not been clarified.

These are the billions stolen from pensioners, from young people’s
right to education in return for small, so-called” charity “.

“I urge the prime minister to instruct relevant bodies to completely
and thoroughly check the veracity of these rumors and present the
results to all,” said Sargsyan.

The president said that there are unchecked reports also about creating
a scheme for concealing numerous criminal offenses.

“Tomorrow I will convene a meeting of the Security Council to discuss
with our law enforcement bodies what to do with such rumors, >>
he said. “In conclusion, I would like to say that my entire speech
was about a political or rather a pseudo-political phenomenon called
Gagik Tsarukyan.

I do not see any problem related to him as a citizen of Armenia and
businessman, if, of course, rumors about the problems with the law
are not refuted, said the president.

Speaking last Thursday at a conference of non-ruling parties initiated
by his party Tsarukyan said that “with the help of a nationwide
movement gaining strength with every passing day we will force the
authorities to feel responsibility for the current situation and
replace the current regime in the next elections “.

Prosperous Armenia is the second largest force in the parliament
controlling 36 seats. It was part of coalition governments from 2007
to 2012. Now it positions itself as an alternative political force.

—-0—–

DADYAN EMERGES FROM BENEATH BALYAN

Baruyr Kuyumciyan 02.04.2015 19:51SOCIETY

The gravestone rendered illegible because it was left beneath Garabet
Balyan’s gravestone has been identified as Simon Amira Dadyan’s. Both
gravestones have been taken into preservation at the Archaeological
Museum to be returned to the Armenian community.

In the past weeks, the gravestone of Garabet Balyan, had been
discovered at an Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality construction
site in Soganlık, Kartal; and now the gravestone of Simon Amira
Dadyan, a member of another important family of the period, has
been discovered beneath it. The gravestones, which were discovered
when they came to the attention of a watchful and sensitive father
and son who live in Kartal, are being kept at the Archaeological
Museum pending return to the Armenian community. The discovery of
Garabet Balyan’s gravestone had caused great interest and debate,
and the Metropolitan Municipality had assigned a special 24-hour
municipal police unit to protect the stones. Following the report
published in Agos, the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and the
Istanbul Provincial Cultural Directorate took action, and Istanbul
Archaeological Museum officials took the gravestones from Kartal
to the Museum upon the order of the Directorate. An investigation
regarding the gravestones has also been launched.

Board will investigate

Speaking to Agos, Istanbul Archaeological Museum officials stated
that the gravestones were ‘immovable cultural heritage assets’ and
that the Cultural Heritage Preservation Board would carry out an
official examination. The report on the stones will be discussed as
part of the agenda of the first meeting of the Istanbul 5th Cultural
Heritage Preservation Board. The decision of the board will determine
the fate of the gravestones.

Patriarchate involved

On the other hand, the fate of other gravestones at the site, which
do not have immovable cultural heritage status, remains unclear. The
Patriarchate has also become involved regarding the gravestones of the
two figures that occupy a highly significant place in the history
of Istanbul Armenians. Following the meeting of the architects
of the Armenian Architects and Engineers Association (HAYCAR),
which is closely following developments, the decision was taken to
prepare and submit a petition for the return of the gravestones from
the Council of Monuments. The most appropriate institution for the
return of the gravestones is considered to be the BeÃ…~_iktaÃ…~_ Surp
Asdvadzadin Armenian Church, to which the expropriated cemetery was
affiliated with.

The gravestone of Garabet Balyan, the architect of many important
architectural monuments in Istanbul including the Dolmabahce Palace,
has been transferred to the Istanbul Archaeological Museum for
preservation. The gravestones were found placed above each other at
the Kartal construction site, and the inscription on Garabet Balyan’s
gravestone could easily be read because it was at the top of the pile.

In addition to Balyan’s gravestone, another gravestone and column
pieces were also discovered. When the gravestone was transported to
the Archaeological Museum, the inscription of the other gravestone
could also be partially deciphered, revealing that it belonged
to Simon Amira Dadyan, the Head of the Gunpowder Factory of the
Ottoman Empire. Although the part featuring his name was damaged,
the inscription on the gravestone of Dadyan, who passed away on 12
March 1832, and was buried at the BeÃ…~_iktaÃ…~_ Armenian Cemetery,
could be read to the extent that it was proved to belong to him.

Historian Elmon Hancer managed to determine both from the word
‘varotabed’, meaning ‘gunpowder factory head’ and the date of death
that the gravestone belonged to Simon Amira Dadyan, and stated that
the Dadyan Family was a very important family that had initiated
industrial development in the Ottoman Empire. Hancer added that both
gravestones featured a very special type of calligraphy, and that
they were valuable pieces reflecting the aesthetic of the period.

Lost since the 1950s

The cemetery had become derelict over the years after Sultan Abdul
Hamid II had ordered the demolition of its walls and its transformation
into a garden, and that meant no new burials took place. The cemetery
area had been completely sequestrated in the 1950s, and various
buildings and the Yıldız intersection that connects to the Bosphorus
Bridge are located on the plot today.

Although there aren’t many photographs of the expropriated cemetery, it
is known that Garabed Balyan and Simon Amira Dadyan, whose gravestones
have been retrieved, were buried here. The gravestones in question
have once again shed light on these two Armenian families who had
took on important roles in the Ottoman Empire.

Who is Simon Amira Dadyan?

Simon Amira Dadyan, the brother of Hovannes Bey Dadyan, who received
the title ‘Bey’ because of his role in the Crimean War, is also known
as the founder of the YeÅ~_ilköy Armenian Church. Simon Amira was
appointed as the head of the Ottoman Gunpowder Factory following the
death in 1812 of his father Dad Arakel who had founded the institution,
and remained in this position until his death. The inscription on his
gravestone also mentions his close friendship with Sultan Mahmud II,
and Simon Amira also developed, with his brother Hovannes Dadyan,
important inventions used at the factory, the expansion of which he
oversaw. The two brothers are also known as the founder of the carpet
factories in Hereke. Simon Amira Dadyan was also awarded the ‘Murassa’
[‘bejewelled’] medal by Sultan Mahmud II, and had earned the privilege
of dressing like Muslims. Simon Amira served during the period when
Kazaz Artin Amira Bezciyan was in charge of the Ottoman Royal Mint, and
he is known to have developed a number of inventions used at the Mint.