Month: February 2021

WASHINGTON—Senior House Foreign Affairs Committee member Brad Sherman (D-CA) demanded answers from U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Lee Litzenberger following reports that the U.S. envoy congratulated the Aliyev regime for “restoring its territorial integrity” and pledging U.S. funds to rebuild on occupied Artsakh lands, reported the Armenian National Committee of America.

Rep. Sherman’s concerns followed news accounts in Azerbaijani press describing Ambassador Litzenberger’s January 27th meeting with Azerbaijan’s Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov.

In a strongly worded letter to Ambassador Litzenberger, Rep. Sherman asked the U.S. envoy to explain:

— Is it the policy of the United States to commend Baku on its successes as a result of the
recent war, which was initiated by Azeri aggression?

— Is it the policy of the United States to encourage investments in Azerbaijan meant to marginalize Artsakh?

Rep. Sherman noted that Amb. Litzenberger’s reported remarks, which have not been refuted by the U.S. Embassy in Baku, run counter to statements by Secretary of State Antony Blinken made during his confirmation process.  In response to inquiries by Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Ed Markey (D-MA), Secretary Blinken noted: “In light of the recent outbreak of hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh, the Biden-Harris administration will review our security assistance to Azerbaijan. If the circumstances warrant, the Biden-Harris administration will be prepared to suspend waivers of requirements under section 907 of the Freedom Support Act. If confirmed, I look forward to working with Congress and the Secretary of Defense to determine the appropriate level of assistance to meet the security needs of Armenia and the region.”

Commenting to Asbarez News last week regarding Amb. Litzenberger’s reported remarks, ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian stated, “We are troubled by unconfirmed reports that our Ambassador in Baku is celebrating Azerbaijani aggression and – even worse – enlisting Americans in the commercial exploitation of indigenous Armenian lands.  In light of published accounts characterizing his comments in this regard, Amb. Litzenberger should set the record straight – explaining whether he is in fact pushing U.S. investments in areas of Artsakh seized by Azerbaijan,” added Hamparian.

The full text of Rep. Sherman’s letter to Amb. Litzenberger is provided below.

February 3, 2021

H.E. Ambassador Lee Litzenberger
U.S. Embassy Baku
111 Azadlig Ave
AZ1007 Baku, Azerbaijan

RE: Remarks, Meeting with Azerbaijan’s Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov

Dear Ambassador Litzenberger,

As you are aware, Azerbaijani and Turkish forces initiated an unprovoked attack against Armenia on September 27, 2020, leading to six weeks of devastating fighting that killed an estimated 5,000 people and forced more than 100,000 ethnic Armenians to flee from the Karabakh region. As a result of the intense fighting, a Russia-backed ceasefire was agreed to, which has resulted in an untenable situation for Artsakh’s long-term security and stability.

According to a press statement issued by Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Economy on January 27th, in a meeting with Azerbaijan’s Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov, you congratulated Azerbaijan for “restoring its territorial integrity” and expressed the United States’ readiness to take part in rebuilding lands that recently came under Baku’s control as a result of the war.

The United States is an active member of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group process. U.S. engagement in the OSCE process is necessary to find a permanent settlement to the Artsakh conflict that protects the security of Artsakh and helps to ensure another war does not break out. I appreciate the statement Secretary Blinken gave during his confirmation hearing to this end.

Ambassador Litzenberger, your remarks to Azerbaijan’s Economy Minister are extremely concerning, and are all together out of step with Secretary Blinken’s statements to date. Thus, I would appreciate responses to the following questions:

— Is it the policy of the United States to commend Baku on its successes as a result of the
recent war, which was initiated by Azeri aggression?

— Is it the policy of the United States to encourage investments in Azerbaijan meant to marginalize Artsakh?

I look forward to your prompt response.

Sincerely,

Brad Sherman
Member of Congress

The California Armenian Legislative Caucus is holding two scholarship contests for the 2021 commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. California high school students in 9th through 12th grade are invited to participate in an essay contest and/or a visual arts contest to increase greater awareness of the Armenian Genocide on its anniversary.

All winners will be contacted directly and announced to mainstream and Armenian media by the California Armenian Legislative Caucus on Friday, April 16, 2021. All winners will be awarded scholarships and a trip to the State Capitol in Sacramento to be acknowledged at the California Armenian Legislative Caucus’ annual Armenian Advocacy Day during a press conference on Monday, April 26, 2021 and receive special recognition from the members of the Armenian Caucus. Original artwork will be requested from visual arts applicants if they are selected as a finalist, for possible display in the California State Capitol.

**Due to COVID-19 restrictions, this may not be an in-person event. Final details will be given closer to the event date.

Criteria for each contest are detailed below. Students may enter both contests, but submissions must be entered separately.

Essay Scholarship Awards:

First Place: $1,000

Second Place: $750

Third Place: $500

Visual Art Scholarship Awards:

First Place: $1,000

Second Place: $750

Third Place: $500

Submission Deadline for both contests is Friday, April 9, 2021. Any submissions sent after the deadline will not be accepted.

Essay Criteria:

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter have grown exponentially, especially during the 2020 pandemic. Many individuals, businesses and organizations use Facebook and other platforms to share various information, including the news. It is important that this information is factual, unbiased and true. The spread of falsified, distorted and inaccurate information on social media can be dangerous, especially when this information is circulated amongst millions of users.

In 2018, Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, stated that he did not think that Facebook should censor or remove what “Holocaust deniers”—as he called them—posted on their accounts because he said that there are things that various people get wrong. However, in October 2020, he changed his decision and stated that Facebook would now ban content that distorts or denies the Holocaust, due to an increase in anti-Semitic violence.

This year’s essay prompt asks contestants to write a letter to Mark Zuckerberg, urging that Facebook take the same course of action against denial and distorted posts regarding the 1915 Armenian Genocide as they have with the Holocaust. Reflect on Facebook’s updated Community Standards regarding the Holocaust:

Community Standards, Section III. Objectionable Content, Sub Section 12. Hate Speech, Tier 1:
Content targeting a person or group of people (including all subsets except those described as having carried out violent crimes or sexual offenses) on the basis of their aforementioned protected characteristic(s) or immigration status with:

• Designated dehumanizing comparisons, generalizations, or behavioral statements (in written or visual form)- that include:
  • Denying or distorting information about the Holocaust

**Please note that Section III. Objectionable Content, Sub Section 12. Hate Speech, Tier 1 includes much more content that is not allowed on Facebook. The information above is limited to just the specific content regarding the Holocaust for your reference on where the policy language can be found. There is more information listed under this sub section.

All submissions must be received by the California Armenian Legislative Caucus electronically on or before the submission deadline of Friday, April 9, 2021 at [email protected].

Please include your name, age, address, high school and grade along with the teacher’s name, email address and subject area at the top of the essay.

Please save submissions using your name as the document title and email as an attachment to [email protected]. Any submissions sent after the deadline will not be accepted.

Visual Art Criteria:

This year’s theme is “Human to Human Interaction.” All applicants must develop their submission in keeping with this theme.

1. Personal statement (300-500 words) explaining the artwork and how it connects to the theme of human-to-human interaction. In the top left corner, applicant must include: name, age, primary address, high school, grade, teacher’s name and subject (if applicable), phone number, and email address (this information will not count as part of the total word count).
2. Only two-dimensional, visual art submissions will be accepted. Submission types are limited to drawings, paintings, photographs, digital illustrations, and graphic design.
3. Submissions may not exceed an 11×17 frame and must weigh less than 25 pounds.
4. Submissions may not include any nudity, excessive and/or graphic violence, racial slurs, derogatory and/or offensive language, profanity, and may not make use of or replicate existing artwork. All submissions must be original work created by the applicant.

Submission Contents

1. Email subject, as well as titles of the attached document, must be formatted as follows: “CALC – Student Name – Title of Piece” (e.g. CALC – William Saroyan – The Time of Your Life).
2. Submissions must include the personal statement and meet the criteria listed.
3. Submissions must include a high-definition photograph of the artwork, be sure to take a close up picture with enough lighting for the reviewers to see the detail of the work. It is acceptable to submit up to five photos. Be aware of the lighting of the piece and provide different angles to showcase the depth of the artwork.
4. Submissions must include one recent high-definition photograph of the applicant, suitable for publication (e.g. cap and gown photos, professional headshots, or quality photographs/close-ups of the applicant).

All submissions must be received by the California Armenian Legislative Caucus electronically on or before the submission deadline of Friday, April 9, 2021 at [email protected].

Please include your name, age, address, high school, and grade along with the teacher’s name, email address and subject area at the top of the essay.

Please save submissions using your name as the document title and email as an attachment to [email protected]. Any submissions sent after the deadline will not be accepted.

For Historical Context for Both Contests:

http://www.Armenian-Genocide.org

Home

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/10/12/zuckerberg-holocaust-denial-facebook/

https://time.com/5899201/facebook-holocaust-denial/

https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/17/world/europe/turkeys-century-of-denial-about-an-armenian-genocide.html

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ewelinaochab/2019/12/17/denial-is-the-final-stage-of-genocide-the-armenians-know-it-best/?sh=65d37ca570b1

https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-twitter-hate-speech-holocaust-denial-armenian-genocide-2020-12

https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-holocaust-denial-ban-will-not-apply-to-other-genocides-2020-10

Mark Zuckerberg’s original statement regarding “Holocaust deniers” from 2018:

https://www.vox.com/explainers/2018/7/20/17590694/mark-zuckerberg-facebook-holocaust-denial-recode

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/jul/19/mark-zuckerberg-holocaust-denial-facebook-remarks-offensive

GLENDALE—The Armenian American Museum and Cultural Center of California has formally submitted the project’s construction documents to the City of Glendale for plan check following the official announcement of the historic groundbreaking, scheduled for this Summer.

The formal submission represents the culmination of a multi-year design process for the cultural and educational center led by Alajajian Marcoosi Architects and the museum’s design team. The submission of construction documents initiates the plan check process with the City of Glendale and begins the countdown for the start of construction of the landmark center.

In January 2021, the Glendale City Council approved the museum’s refined building design, authorized priority plan check for the project, and waived city permit and plan check fees.

The museum anticipates the issuance of construction permits by the City of Glendale in Spring 2021.

“The Armenian American Museum has reached an exciting milestone with the submission of the project’s construction documents to the City of Glendale,” stated Executive Chairman Berdj Karapetian.

“The museum’s design team has created an iconic and inspiring design to fulfill the vision of the landmark center that is now one step closer to its historic groundbreaking,” added Executive Vice-Chairman Zaven Kazazian.

The Armenian American Museum has assembled a team of experienced museum and industry professionals to provide guidance and expertise in construction, design, programming, and development for the landmark center.

The museum’s design team is led by Alajajian Marcoosi Architects and includes Robert Goodwin serving as the Construction Manager, IMEG Corp. serving as the Structural Engineer, Rhyton Engineering serving as the Civil Engineer, Glumac serving as the Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing Engineer (MEP), Courtland Studio LLC serving as the Landscape Architect, and A. Zahner Company serving as the Architectural Metal Cladding Consultant of the project.

The Armenian American Museum will rise to a two-level 50,820 square foot museum complex built on a one-level semi-subterranean parking garage. The first level will feature the grand lobby, auditorium, learning center, demonstration kitchen, gift shop, and administrative offices. The second level will be dedicated to the permanent and temporary exhibition galleries as well as the collections archives.

The cultural and educational center’s programming plans include producing and hosting powerful, immersive, and thought-provoking permanent and temporary exhibitions, leading meaningful dialogues and discussions through engaging public programs, providing educational programs for adults, youth, kids, and families, preserving Armenian heritage through the museum’s collections and archives, and serving as an iconic venue for memorable experiences, gatherings, and celebrations.

The museum will be announcing its plans for the Groundbreaking Ceremony in Spring 2021.

The mission of the Armenian American Museum and Cultural Center of California is to promote understanding and appreciation of America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by sharing the Armenian American experience. The vision is a cultural campus that enriches the community, educates the public on the Armenian American story, and empowers individuals to embrace cultural diversity and speak out against prejudice.

The Western Armenia Committee of the Crescenta Valley Meher & Satig Der Ohanessian Youth Center will host a Zoom & Facebook presentation entitled the “Artsakh Survival Scenario,” which will be presented by Armenian Revolutionary Federation Bureau member Giro Manoyan. The presentation will take place on Thursday, February 11 at 7:30 p.m. Pacific Time.

Manoyan will touch the 44-day war, which has substantially changed the situation in and around Artsakh, reversing major political, territorial, diplomatic, and other gains of the last 30 years. The republics of Artsakh and Armenia are facing new external and internal challenges and, in some instances, existential threats.

How can the Armenian nation overcome these challenges and threats? What urgent changes are needed? What are the options for Artsakh survival: Artsakh’s international recognition as independent country, joining Armenia, joining Russia or stay as it is?

Manoyan, a son of Kharpert and Dikranagerd, was born in Beirut, Lebanon. In 1976, he moved to Montreal, Canada and studied political Science at Concordia University. In the 1980s he was the Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of Canada. From 1989 to 1991, he was the assistant editor, and from 1991 to 1999 the editor of the Horizon Weekly Canadian-Armenian newspaper. Manoyan moved to Armenia in 1999.

Since 2001, Manoyan has been the ARF Bureau Political Director in Yerevan. He was elected to the A.R.F. Bureau in 2015 and re-elected in 2019.

Below is the Zoom meeting information.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89032010858?pwd=WXdvVWZTRW5FT2JOaXpnVW54YXVydz09
Meeting ID: 890 3201 0858
Passcode: 070919

The Crescenta Valley Youth Center hosted a similar discussion in November, entitled “Current conditions in Armenia & Artsakh,” which was presented by Dr. Antranig Kasbarian. Watch the video of that talk below.

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Youth Organization of Armenia on Thursday staged a protest in front of the government building demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who by signing the November 9 agreement not only has surrendered territories to Azerbaijan, but has drastically set back Armenia’s development.

“Everything is very clear: we have no opportunities with Nikol Pashinyan. Everything is going to be bad and Armenia is on the brink of ruin,” ARF Youth Organization of Armenia Central Executive member Kristine Vardanyan told reporters. “It is without Nikol Pashinyan that Armenia will have the ability stand on its own two feet and to develop.”

Vardanyan said that people should be reminded of the current dangers so they don’t tire of fighting.

“If the situations remains unchanged, the treacherous and incompetent government, which contradicts country’s interests will continue to govern Armenia,” explained Vardanyan. “Armenia is condemned and our physical existence is in danger.”

The ARF Youth leader said that Armenia is currently being governed by a mentally unstable individual, because of whom “we lost the war and who, after losing the war, was calling on soldiers to come to the streets of Yerevan and settle scores—a person who is not able to negotiate and push forward Armenia’s interests.”

“We’ll be here every day. Your are not going to be able to rest. Our protests will continue and you are going to leave the government,” said ARF member Gor Sargsyan. “It will be recorded in history that people like Nikol Pashinyan will have no place in our country.”

The internationally guaranteed right to water for the residents of Meghri in Armenia’s Syunik province is being seriously violated by the deliberate actions of the Azerbaijani armed forces, Armenia’s Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan reported.

He said he has received alarming and disturbing information from the residents of Meghri that about five years ago the Azerbaijani Armed Forces changed the riverbed fed by the Zvaraget tributary of the Meghri River to Nakhichevan.

As a result, serious problems have emerged due to lack of drinking and irrigation water in the cities of Meghri and Agarak, as well as the villages of Nrnadzor, Shvanidzor, Alvank, where the majority of Meghri’s population lives.

“The Meghri River has always been the source of drinking and irrigation water for Meghri. The Zvaraget (or Ayrijur) tributary starts about 3,500 meters above sea level. It rises from the southeastern slopes of the Zangezur Mountains and then joins the Meghri River. Due to snowmelt, Zvaraget overflows every August, which secures the full supply of drinking and irrigation water for Meghri. Without this, the Meghri River provides water only from the beginning of each year to June or July, and then the water supply becomes very scarce, and in Meghri, the river generally dries up. Serious damage has already been caused to the environment of the Meghri community,” explained Tatoyan.

Residents and the head of the Meghri community have informed the Human Rights Defender that every month the Azerbaijani military creates brakes with special engineering equipment and thus changes the course of the tributary to Nakhichevan.

“The right to water is guaranteed internationally. This right includes the human right to have sufficient water for both continuous drinking and domestic use (irrigation, hygiene, etc.). At the same time, there must be not only a safe access to water, but also a full access to it. This right has a unique value and is at the heart of other human rights to life, health, dignity and privacy,” Tatoyan added.

The Human Rights Defender’s Office of Armenia is currently summarizing the absolute and unequivocal internationally guaranteed rights of the people of Armenia to drinking and irrigation water and the infringement upon these rights by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces.

YEREVAN (Azatutyun.am)—In a bill criticized by press freedom groups, several pro-government members of Armenia’s parliament have proposed restrictions on the use of anonymous sources in news stories reported by the Armenian media.

The bill publicized this week would specifically ban broadcasters, newspapers and online publications from citing websites and social media accounts belonging to unknown individuals.

In an explanatory note attached to the proposed amendments to an Armenian law on mass media, the lawmakers affiliated with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s My Step bloc say that disseminating information from “sources of unknown origin” could endanger the country’s national security.

“The proposed amendments cannot be regarded as a restriction of the freedom of _expression_ or an obstacle to the work of mass media,” they say.

Representatives of Armenian media associations disagree. Boris Navasardyan, the chairman of the Yerevan Press Club, criticized the authors of the bill putting the emphasis on sources of news reports, rather than their veracity.

Navasardyan said media outlets could thus be banned from reporting accurate information. “If there are no problems with the content [of news reports] then there must be no legal consequences whatsoever,” he told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service.

Shushan Doydoyan of the Center for Freedom of Information said the draft amendments seem to be at odds with an existing article of the media law which essentially allows journalists not to disclose their anonymous sources to state authorities. “First of all, they must abandon the term ‘anonymous’ and come up with a different definition,” she said.

Doydoyan suggested that the authorities are primarily concerned about Telegram channels attacking Pashinian and his political team. Scandalous claims made by such social media sources are regularly cited by the Armenian press.

My Step’s Artur Hovannisyan, the main author of the bill, mentioned the Telegram channels when he defended the proposed restrictions.

“What we are saying is: ‘Let’s not advertise those sources whose origin is not known to anyone,’” said Hovannisian. The former journalist insisted that media outlets would not be banned from quoting their own confidential sources.

Naira Zohrabyan, a senior lawmaker representing the opposition Prosperous Armenia Party, condemned the bill as an unconstitutional attempt to curb press freedom and attributed it to “Nikol Pashinyan’s fears” of losing power.

“Today I appealed to the president of the [Council of Europe’s] Venice Commission, Gianni Buquicchio, and am ready to use all possible instruments to fight against Nikol’s fears together with my media partners,” Zohrabyan wrote on Facebook on Thursday.

ICRC representatives visit 4 Armenian detainees kept in Azerbaijan

Artsakh search and rescue teams have been unable to resume their operations to find casualties of the 2020 war because Azerbaijani authorities continue to impose bans on those operations for unknown reasons.

According to Artsakh Rescue service, Azerbaijani authorities indefinitely banned Artsakh rescuers from resuming their operations on Wednesday without giving any explanation. The missions are conducted every day, with the last one taking place on Tuesday.

On Thursday, the Artsakh rescue service reported that Azerbaijani authorities were not allowing the search and rescue missions to operated citing “various kinds of projects that the Azerbaijanis are implementing in the areas that have fallen under their control.”

Since November 13, the day search operations for bodies and those missing in action began, Artsakh authorities have recovered the remains of 1355 people. According to data, 15 of the 1355 victims were civilians, while the remaining 1340 were military servicemen.

Meanwhile, representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross on visited on Monday and Tuesday four Armenian detainees, including civilians and servicemen, being held in Azerbaijan, the ICRC Armenia Office Communications Program Manager Zara Amatuni told Armenpress on Thursday.

Amatuni said the captives were given an opportunity to communicate with their family members, Amatuni adding that during the visit, the ICRC representatives monitored the detention conditions and the health of the captives.

The Armenian military said on Thursday that there have been no border incidents along the Armenian’s border with Azerbaijan, reporting that line of contact was in “stable operational situation.”

Citing the National Security Service, Armenia’s Defense Ministry said said in a news release that no incidents took place in the Vorotan-Davit Bek portion of the Goris-Kapan interstate road, which is under the protection of NSS border troops.

“The units of the Armenian Armed Forces and the National Security Service border troops continue controlling the border at the entirety of its length and are fulfilling their objectives,” the defense ministry said.