ASBAREZ Online [04-13-2006]

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04/13/2006
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://WWW.ASBAREZ. COM 1) Call to Action by ARF Eastern Region 2) Azeri Officer Sentenced to Life in Prison for Brutal Killing of Armenian 3) Aliyev Denies Azerbaijan's Destruction of Armenian Cemetery in Nakhichevan 4) HRW's Turkey Representative to Be Deported 5) Primate Hovnan Derderian's Easter Message 1) Call to Action A group calling itself "Young Turks" is organizing an anti-Armenian demonstration April 22 on Times Square in New York under the slogan "Halt Armenian Lies." This demonstration is one more channel through which the anti-Armenian policies of Turkish authorities are being expressed. In their quest for European Union membership, Turkish authorities are softening their positions and are allowing conferences in Turkey to discuss the history of Armenians, are stopping legal proceedings against Turkish intellectuals who acknowledge the Armenian genocide, and are expressing willingness to start bilateral talks. On the other hand, however, under the leadership of extremist organizations, the Turkish diaspora is embarking on an anti-Armenian crusade. The work of the Grey Wolves extremist organization is apparent in the anti-Armenian rally in Lyon, followed by the gathering in Berlin and now the demonstration in New York. This Turkish initiative is a new challenge facing the Armenian nation. The Turkish authorities are embarking on this effort in order to influence public opinion and political authorities of various countries by using extremist elements of the Turkish communities living in these countries. This Turkish initiative cannot be allowed to continue and to grow. It is imperative that we act against it. You are all invited to a demonstration on April 22 to protest Turkish denial in all its forms, and to protest against local authorities which officially permit public expression of such denial. Let us all stand together, confront, and put an end to any and all anti-Armenian and denialist Turkish policies. --ARF Central Committee Eastern Region USA 2) Azeri Officer Sentenced to Life in Prison for Brutal Killing of Armenian BUDAPEST (AFP)--An Azeri military officer who hacked to death an Armenian lieutenant while attending a NATO-sponsored training course in Budapest was convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment on Thursday. Judge Andras Vaskuti of the Budapest district court ruled that Ramil Safarov, now 29 and an Azeri army lieutenant, killed Armenian Lieutenant Gurgen Markarian, 26, in a "premeditated, malicious, and an unusually cruel" way by nearly decapitating him with ax in February 2004 while the victim slept in a dormitory used by participants in a NATO Partnership for Peace English language course. Safarov was also found guilty of planning the murder of another Armenian, which he did not carry out. He will be eligible for parole in 30 years, according to the ruling. "Compassion and remorse were completely missing from (Safarov's) testimony," Judge Vaskuti said upon announcing the verdict. "During the whole case we waited for him to be at least a bit sorry for the Armenian soldier he killed brutally and for (Markarian's) family." Safarov's lawyer, Gyorgy Magyar, said they would immediately appeal the verdict, adding that it was yet unclear whether his client would serve his sentence in Hungary or be extradited to Azerbaijan. A lawyer representing Markarian's family said she was satisfied with the court's decision. "We're happy that the court honestly evaluated all the materials of this case and the brutal intentions... of the murderer," said Nazeli Vartanian. "This is a good decision for the Hungarian court and for (Armenian) society." Making his final statement to the court earlier Thursday, Safarov said the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia was at the root of his act, and that the Armenian officer had repeatedly provoked and ridiculed him. He said he was unable to suppress his feelings and his wartime memories due to Markarian's behavior. "My conscience was clouded as a result of the insults and humiliating and provoking behavior, and I lost all control," Safarov told the court. "It would not be correct to consider it as merely a premeditated act caused by the awakening of revenge and hate upon seeing the Armenians." Safarov denied trying to kill a second Armenian officer. 3) Aliyev Denies Azerbaijan's Destruction of Armenian Cemetery in Nakhichevan BAKU (Armenpress)--Azeri President Ilham Aliyev denied accusations connected with the destruction of the Armenian cemetery in Old Julfa, Nakhichevan. The cemetery, which included cross stones from as far back as the 7th century, was completely destroyed by Azeri Armed Forces in late 2005. "It is an absolute lie, libel, instigation. All the historic monuments in Azerbaijan are protected by the state," Associated Press cited Ilham Aliyev as saying. For his part the Azeri president accused the Armenian side of destroying mosques and Muslim cemeteries in Karabagh. 4) HRW's Turkey Representative to Be Deported ANKARA (Zaman)--Jonathan Sugden, Turkey's representative for the Human Rights Watch (HRW) organization, was apprehended by the Karliova Gendarmerie in the eastern Turkish region of Bingol while conducting observations and research. The Human Rights Joint Platform informed the press that Sugden has been traveling to Turkey for 20 years on his tourist visa because of his monitoring responsibilities, and asked for his release. Sugden lived in the country, and follows the agenda closely as he is fluent in Turkish. He arrived in Karliova to monitor and report the Turkish gendarmeries and local forces combat of terrorist activities in Bingol, Diyarbakir, and Tunceli. Sugden was sent to the Bingol Police Office and awaited deportation after the Turkish Interior Ministry was informed about the case. HRW's Europe and Central Asia director Holly Cartner said, "The desire to cover up human rights abuses is evidently still very strong, despite recent moves towards more accountability in Turkey's bid for membership in the European Union." 5) Primate Hovnan Derderian's Easter Message "Christ is Risen from the Dead" "He is not Here, But is Risen!" (Luke 24:4) "And you are the Witnesses of these Things" (Luke 24:48) The good news of the Miraculous Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ once again reaches us all as a beacon of light, as a call to the entire world towards faith and a new spiritual life; "And you are the witnesses of these things." Truly the Feast of the Resurrection of Christ not only reawakens within our spirituality the consciousness to relive the mystery of the Divine Resurrection, but even more so, to become the witnesses of the life of Christ and especially His Resurrection. The Resurrection of Christ is the ultimate reality that adorns our human spirit, because as Paul the Apostle says, "If Christ has not risen, your faith is futile" (I Corinthians 15:15). "He is not here, but is risen!" (Luke 24:4) "And you are the witnesses of these things" (Luke 24:48). For the Armenian Christian, the Feast of the Resurrection is the feast of a "greater life." Through our sacred religious rites the fundamental truth that the Resurrection of Christ is the new dawn of our spiritual life is further rooted within us, since "through his Resurrection he transcended sin, and all that having to do with this death." Thus, the Feast of the Resurrection of Christ becomes true on the day, when not only our creed is re-rooted, but above all when we become the witnesses of His Resurrection. This is precisely where emphasis is placed upon the church. The church, as the congregation of the Believers of Christ, as part of its presence and identity, has an obligation to speak of and peach the Resurrection of Christ; to unceasingly deliver the message of Christ's gospels, and to make certain that the life of the Christian individual and the community is a testimony of the Resurrection of Christ. We will become the witnesses of Christ's Resurrection only when we partake in his sacrifices. In other words, when we know how to fill our lives with sacrifice, turning our path of life towards Christ. The miraculous Resurrection of Christ is the feast of the renewed church. The Resurrection of Christ is the dawn of a new life within every Christian. We are the ones who will construct the new church, with our own hands, so that we may give the testimony of Christ's Resurrection. Our individual life has the thirst for renewal, as is our communal life within the church, our life of service, both national and to the church. But, above all, our lives within the family, to raise our children entrusted to us by God, is nothing but the example of the life of Christ. The miraculous Resurrection of Christ conveys to all of us the message to transfigure our spiritual lives through the strength of prayer and to embark upon the God-pleasing mission to cultivate our spirit. The God-pleasing mission to cultivate our spirit begins in our individual life followed by a unity of the faithful through love. The more the individual is strengthened in his life by prayer, the more passionately he testifies about the Resurrection of Christ. The more the Christian community loves, the more that community becomes not only a strong testimony of the Resurrection of Christ, but above all a strong presence for all those who have strayed from the path of light and suffer in darkness. Our salvation and strength is in our spiritual life. The church is obliged to constantly renew herself, thus becoming a presence that maintains pace with contemporary times. It is our message that the children of the church remain firm in their Christian faith because our nation has been reborn in that faith by turning Christianity into the splendor of her spirit. For that same faith our nation has accepted the greatest divine gift, the Armenian alphabet, and through it has eternalized the Holy Bible with Armenian words. The children of our church, with this communion, have continued to live their God-given lives. We have reached the point in history when even greater challenges have risen before us and now we have the obligation to overcome. We will continue to uphold, even at the cost of our lives, the legacy of our forefathers, who have been sanctified through their martyrdom. The legacy of our Christian faith and doctrine, the Motherland and Holy Etchmiadzin, our language, our national heritage, culture, history, and most importantly our right for the recognition of the Genocide. The Armenian Church will be demolished when we are not able to pass these messages on to our youth. The Christian faith cannot be anchored on the testimony of the Resurrection of Christ if it is not rooted in our Motherland, Holy Etchmiadzin, as well as the sacred Armenian legacies, culture and history. These facets present themselves as a cornerstone of the Christian faith. In other words, they are God-given graces which strengthen our faith. They are graces in the sense of challenges, as to what extent we are able to live our Christian faith through our actions in order that we may become partakers in the crucifixion of Christ and to gain the right to testify about the Resurrection of Christ. The mystery of the Resurrection of Christ truly becomes a testimony when the Resurrection of Christ is expressed through our lives. Dear faithful, live the Feast of the Resurrection because its mystery is the mystery of the true life. This leads us to live life striving for perfection, as Christ himself says, "Be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect." The Feast of Resurrection is a day of pilgrimage. It is the doorway to eternal life. It is the feast of our renewed life. It is the breath of peace and the spring which plant harmonious brotherhood among nations. It is the Feast of Holy Etchmiadzin and, finally, the day of the victory of the Christian faith. "Christ is risen from the dead." "He is not here, but is risen!" (Luke 24:4) "And you are the witnesses of these things." (Luke 24:48) Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate Easter 2006 All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2006 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets.