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Post-tsunami stress, grief visible on online message boards

IndiaExpress.com
09th Jan 2005

By IndiaExpress Bureau

The impact of tsunami is being felt far and wide. A cyber storm is
brewing with messages of grief and sorrow which people all over the
world are feeling, distances notwithstanding.

“I am shocked and horrified about the thousands of deaths from the
tsunamis!… It is like unreal… The photos are wrenching my heart…
Little kids and all, oh God, it’s horrible… The pics are all too
vivid,” read some of the messages on online message boards.

The death count from tsunami is staggering, but health experts caution
on the mental problems the disaster cause all over the world.

“Intense studies of recent disasters – including 9/11, Hurricane Andrew
in Florida and the 1988 Armenian earthquake provide startling numbers. A
large proportion of survivors will suffer from major depression. Many
more will get stuck in the worst part of the grieving process, a
phenomenon known as complicated grief,” says Dr Randall D Marshall,
director, trauma studies, New York State Psychiatric Institute.

The scale of this mental health tsunami is difficult to imagine, says
Marshall in an online report. He says studies suggest that the mental
health consequences of a disaster are even more severe in developing
nations.

“Stress or trauma arises when you are exposed to death, accident,
disaster. It results in horror, helplessness and fear. And it is not
necessary that you have to be at the site of the accident to feel sorrow
or grief. Television has reduced distances and visuals tend to lot of
emotional arousal,” says Dr Sameer Parekh, a psychiatrist.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azeri education official fends off Karabakh diary questions from TV

ANS TV, Baku
10 Jan 05

[Presenter] The former Nagornyy Karabakh Autonomous Region has been
described as the former Nagornyy Karabakh area in over 1m diaries
published for the 2004-05 academic years. Even though the
[Azerbaijani] Education Ministry admits this was a mistake, it does
not hurry to withdraw the diaries from circulation.

[Correspondent over video of a sample of the diary] This is a diary
used in secondary schools. There is a note on the second page of the
diary which attracts attention. Xankandi [Stepanakert], Susa, Xocali,
Xocavand, Askaran and Agdara Districts were described there as
formerly Nagornyy Karabakh areas. This means that Nagornyy Karabakh is
already an area that belongs to the past. To recap, the diary endorsed
by the Education Ministry is being distributed among all schools in a
centralized manner. Let us also say that over 1m of such diaries have
been published for the 2004-05 academic years. The chief of the
Education Ministry department for education and pre-school education
in rural districts, Aydin Ahmadov, – [correspondent stops in
mid-sentence].

[Aydin Ahmadov in his office, captioned] When compiling the diary the
authors meant the abolition of the formal title, the Nagornyy Karabakh
Autonomous Region, in 1988 [as heard, in fact in 1990]. A question may
arise, for instance, about the elimination of the notion of autonomy
by the Supreme Council. The description – former Nagornyy Karabakh –
was used here in that sense. Let us admit that this was somehow a
result of inaccuracy as well. When they wrote this phrase they simply
did not refer to Karabakh as an area that belongs to the past. They
did not mean that it [Nagornyy Karabakh] was no longer part of
Azerbaijan.

[Correspondent over video] Ahmadov said that they do not intend to
take the diaries out of circulation since a large amount of money was
spent on their publication. But the mistake will be corrected in the
next publication of the diaries.

[Ahmadov] In the future publications, we will keep the notion of
Nagornyy Karabakh as it is.

[Indistinct question from correspondent]

[Ahmadov] We will render it just as Nagornyy Karabakh territory.

[Passage omitted: nobody to be punished for the mistake, no-one turned
to the ministry over the problem]

Rasad Isgandarov, Emil Babaxanov, ANS.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Ethnic minorities in Tajikistan set up alliance

Asia-Plus news agency, Dushanbe
10 Jan 05

Dushanbe, 10 January: An alliance of ethnic minorities living in
Tajikistan has been set up in the country. The leaders of
[Tajikistan’s] Korean, German, Ossetian and Arab communities and
Tatar-Bashkir centre took the decision in Dushanbe on 8 January.

The head of the Korean diaspora in Tajikistan, Viktor Kim, who
attended the meeting, told Asia-Plus today that the interests of
representatives of 100 ethnic groups living in Tajikistan, 1 per cent
of the country’s population, were not protected. He added that state
bodies and political parties did not take into account their
interests.

“In this connection it was decided to set up an alliance. However, the
leaders of only five communities, with the exception of the Turkmen
and Uighur ones, supported the decision,” he said. “Now we intend to
get the consent of the leaders of the Armenian, Azeri and Georgian
communities to join the alliance,” Kim added.

He said that the main task of the alliance was to attract the
attention of the state agencies to resolving the issues of ethnic
minorities, specifically, the issues of preserving and developing
their traditions and language.

“The alliance will not register at the Justice Ministry since it was
set up temporarily, for the coming two years. We hope that we will
fulfil the main task of the alliance during this period of time,” Kim
said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Glendale News Press
LATimes.com
Jan 11 2005

Event draws heated debate

Armenian Council of America alleges Manoukian biased in giving seats
on Week of Remembrance board.

By Josh Kleinbaum, News-Press and Leader

GLENDALE CITY HALL – Councilman Rafi Manoukian and members of the
Armenian Council of America accused each other of politicizing an
event that was designed to bring the community together in memory of
a tragedy.

As community leaders planned the city’s annual Armenian Genocide
Remembrance activities, including an April 24 ceremony, arguments
broke out over who will serve on the Week of Remembrance Committee
that plans the events.

Vasken Khodanian, chairman of the Armenian Council of America, claims
Manoukian excluded all but one representative of his group from the
committee and filled it with members who have ties to the Armenian
National Committee.

“When the city came out with the Week of Remembrance events, it was a
way to unite the Glendale community,” Khodanian said. “It’s a little
bit disturbing for us when we see they’re trying to isolate certain
organizations or individuals.”

Manoukian, chairman of the committee, dismissed the allegation,
saying he simply put people he trusted on the committee.

“What I did, I invited one individual from each organization, and I
invited people that I’ve worked with in the past,” Manoukian said.
“If they happened to be [Armenian National Committee]-affiliated,
that’s fine. Some of my friends are affiliated with the [Armenian
National Committee], but that’s the way it is. They’re some of the
people I rely on when I’m on committees.”

The Armenian National Committee and the Armenian Council of America
are organizations with ties to competing political parties in
Armenia.

Khodanian and other members of the Armenian Council of America said
the organizations should have equal representation on the committee.

“Once again, Rafi has used the power instilled in him by the people
to pursue the [Armenian National Committee] agenda,” said Garry
Sinanian, a member of the Armenian Council of America and a City
Council candidate. “It’s really disgusting how he’s become a puppet.”

Khodanian called on Manoukian to appoint four Armenian Council of
America members who served on the Week of Remembrance committee in
the past – Sinanian, Peter Darakjian, Mike Khatchadourian and Razmig
Dertavitian. Manoukian refused.

“It’s unfortunate they feel they have to go this route,” Manoukian
said. “I don’t know what they’re trying to do by making it
political.”

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

BBC News, UK
Jan 11 2005

Kasparov aims for Putin checkmate
By Finlo Rohrer
BBC News

Chess legend Garry Kasparov talks to the BBC News website about
Putin, politics and the game of kings.

After 20 years of dominating the chess world, establishing
recognition as perhaps the greatest in the centuries-long history of
the game, Kasparov has a very different opponent in his sights.

Kasparov is widely regarded as history’s greatest chess player
To Kasparov, Russian President Vladimir Putin is a “fascist”,
dismantling Russian democracy with the support of a supine West,
which is interested only in stability in the East.

In London for work on a new book and promotional events, the world
number one said allowing Moscow to host the G8 summit in 2006 would
be the equivalent of Nazi Germany being allowed to host the Olympics
in 1936.

“[It is vital] to make sure there is no G7 meeting in Moscow in 2006.
It will be like the Berlin Olympics in 1936, it will be the
equivalent of Munich 1938, integrating Putin’s Russia.

“The democracies are conceding to a brutal dictator. He has abolished
the nature of democratic institutions. He will go further.”

The West must stop its overt and tacit support for Mr Putin, Kasparov
said.

“What is required from the West is a simple message: ‘Leave us
alone.’

“Don’t support Putin. It is not about giving support to us, but
Putin’s main support comes from Western leaders.

Putin is rapidly destroying democracy, according to Kasparov
“President Bush is not shy about calling this KGB colonel his
friend.”

Kasparov was born in the Azerbaijan capital Baku in 1963 to a Jewish
father and an Armenian mother.

Ever since his victory over Anatoly Karpov in 1985 to become world
champion Kasparov has been portrayed as an outsider who took on the
Soviet establishment.

Kasparov helped set up Committee 2008, a group dedicated to bringing
down Mr Putin and stopping the constitution being changed so that he
can run for a third term, in January last year.

He takes heart from what has happened in Ukraine, and believes Mr
Putin will have to leave office, perhaps even before his second term
comes to an end in 2008.

“There could be popular unrest. The stability [of Russia] exists only
in the mind of Bush and Blair.

“It lives through high oil prices and censorship.”

Liberal opponents in Russia say Mr Putin’s control of the media and
incidents like the recent forced sale of oil firm Yukos’ assets make
democracy impossible.

Putin popularity

Kasparov said the Yukos sale was “the greatest robbery of the 21st
Century”.

But supporters of Mr Putin point to the 71% share of the vote he took
in last year’s presidential election, and his high approval ratings.

The president himself has said he is upholding democracy and fighting
corruption, and that Russia has standards that compare with anywhere
in the West.

But monitors from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in
Europe criticised the presidential election and earlier elections to
the Duma.

Away from the political arena, Kasparov is facing a frustrating time
in chess.

Instead of being in London, getting mobbed at a book signing at the
Chess and Bridge shop on Euston Road, and working on a new book, Mr
Kasparov should have been preparing for a World Championship match
with Uzbek star Rustam Kasimdzhanov.

Kasparov is in London writing and promoting his series My Great
Predecessors
But their match in Dubai, a prelude to a match with world champion
Vladimir Kramnik, was cancelled by the governing body of chess, Fide,
after financial guarantees by the promoters failed to be offered.
Kasparov is not pleased.

“Frustrating is a very soft word. It hurts me not only
psychologically and chess-wise, but it is causing substantial
material damage.

“It shows Fide has no respect for players and the professional
elements of the game.

“It is too hypothetical to discuss anything unless I see the colour
of the money.”

While admitting his match performance must be good, Kasparov seems a
little sceptical about his opponent’s credentials.

“He is 25 in the world by rating and I think he belongs there.”

And he is scathing about former protege Vladimir Kramnik’s reign as
world champion.

“I’m the number one player in the world, Kramnik is number four.

“He has failed to play the number one or the number two. He
contributes to the mess as much as Fide does.”

He admits: “I don’t care. I no longer have the same passion for
playing the world championship.”

Enigmatic genius

For the moment, he prefers to concentrate on his writing, including
his popular history of the world champions.

It is testament to his status in the game that he has been able to
entitle the books My Great Predecessors without risking sounding
arrogant.

The fourth in the series, on the enigmatic American genius Bobby
Fischer, currently facing extradition to the US from Japan on
sanctions-busting charges, is already selling well.

But Kasparov will not offer an opinion on who is the greatest.

“Writing the books I had to walk in the shoes of these great
personalities and look at the events through their eyes.

“I am setting out the information for readers to decide.”

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azeri daily critical of leader for taking holiday amid gas supply crisis

Azadliq, Baku
5 Jan 05

Excerpt from Orxan report by Azerbaijani newspaper Azadliq on 5
January headlined “Ilham Aliyev has run” and subheaded “The inept
successor escaped under the guise of vacation as soon as the gas
crisis started. Normal heads of states interrupt their holidays and
get back to work as soon as such a situation arises”

[Azerbaijani President] Ilham Aliyev has taken a holiday. It may be
regarded unethical to comment on this – one may be told that any
citizen, including Aliyev, has a right to go on holiday. However,
serious social problems have emerged in Azerbaijan, of which Aliyev
regards himself as head.

[Passage omitted: Weather forecasters promise cold January]

Russia has suspended for an indefinite period the supply to Azerbaijan
of gas it buys from Turkmenistan. In 40 districts of Azerbaijan, that
is in the majority of its districts, the households have not been
receiving gas for days. Under the circumstances, the head of state
should have mobilized internal resources and taken necessary measures
to protect the population from the cold winter. Instead, the president
runs away, that is escapes. In the military slang, this is called
desertion. If the head of state is unable to resolve social problems,
then what will he do as commander-in-chief, should the military
conflict with Armenia resume? Undoubtedly, Aliyev cannot handle social
tension and in no way will be able to tackle military tension.

Forty districts of Azerbaijan receive no gas. This means that the
people are facing power shortages. The population has no choice but to
cut down trees. No one in their right mind would risk freezing his
children by vesting his hopes on such an inept leader as Aliyev, on a
leader who escapes when he is needed most.

After the supplies were halted, Aliyev should have engaged in talks
with Turkmenistan to restore the import of gas at any cost and to
ensure that people receive plenty of gas from domestic reserves by the
time the supplies are restored. Just like it was in Ukraine where,
despite a power vacuum, Kiev negotiated with Asgabat and managed to
restore the import of gas even at the cost of higher prices (1,000
cu.m. of Turkmen gas will cost 18 dollars more). Aliyev, however,
preferred to take a holiday as soon as the crisis started, although he
had vowed on the holy Koran that he would protect the rights and
freedoms of the citizens. The majority of the Azerbaijani citizens
have been deprived of their right to heating during the cold
winter. Instead of keeping his promise, Aliyev took a vacation.

A normal head of state would have interrupted his holiday and got back
to work as soon as such a situation arises. Instead, he convened a
session of the Security Council, talked about progress in the Nagornyy
Karabakh negotiations albeit nothing has been achieved there yet, and
went on holiday the next day. He could have at least gathered the
leaders of the energy sector and ordered them to tackle the
issue. Yet, he did not take a single step to resolve the gas crisis,
left Azerbaijan and now it is said in China.

Of all the state officials, only the head of a department in Azariqaz
[Azeri gas] has said that the restoration of gas supplies does not
depend on them, but on talks between Russia and
Turkmenistan. Naturally, a question arises – then why do we need the
Azerbaijani government if it is unable to do anything?

In fact, the energy sector mafia profits from the halting of gas
supplies. It is known that although using gas to generate electricity
is more economic, it leaves less space for fraud. On the contrary,
using fuel oil increases the fraud opportunities fivefold. Since the
import of gas was cut off, fuel oil is now being used to generate
power. Therefore, the energy bosses want this situation to
continue. In turn, Ilham Aliyev has gone abroad after leaving the gas
supply to the population at the mercy of the energy bosses. So, what
is that if not desertion?

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
01/05/2005
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://

Due to the holidays, our next issue will be published on Tuesday, January 11.
Our staff wishes everyone a jolly Christmas and a new year abundant with
happiness and tranquility.

1) Armenian American Campaign Contributions Hit All-time High
2) ARS Campaigns for Tsunami Victims
3) Western Prelacy Steps up Fundraising Drive for Tsunami Victims
4) Glendale, Pasadena, and Montebello ARS Continue Circle of Giving
5) For a Life-Centered Spirituality: A dialogue with the youth
6) TABDC?

1) Armenian American Campaign Contributions Hit All-time High

–ANCA study reveals well over $5 million in donations to federal candidates
and committees during 2004 elections

WASHINGTON, DC–Armenian American campaign contributions hit a record high
this election cycle, with more than $3.9 million in documented donations
and an
estimated $5 million in total campaign contributions to federal level
candidates and committees, according to a study released today by the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA).
“These findings confirm what we see across the country every day: the steady
growth of Armenian American involvement in the American political process–as
campaign contributors, policy advocates, party activists, and informed
voters,”
said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “Even more than in years past,
the
depth and scope of Armenian American campaign contributions this election
cycle
reflect our community’s broad reach across the political spectrum.”
Among the findings in the ANCA study of higher-level (over $200) campaign
donations by Armenian Americans with common Armenian surnames:

Federal candidates/committees: $3,942,106 (4754 donations)
Republican candidates/committees: $1,506,706 (1548 donations)

George W. Bush: $347,105 (350)
Republican National Committee: $429,746 (209)
Nat’l Republican Congressional Committee: $139,699 (277)
Nat’l Republican Senatorial Committee: $23,740 (26)
Democratic candidates/committees: $1,396,833 (1585 donations)

John Kerry: $336,578 (395)
John Edwards: $55,350 (59)
Howard Dean: $31,495 (71)
Wesley Clark: $17,500 (22)
Dick Gephardt: $15,500 (18)
Democratic Nat’l Committee: $121,718 (84)
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee: $61,402 (14)
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee: $40,857 (25)

Among the Members of Congress who received the highest levels of campaign
contributions from Armenian Americans were Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Rep.
Frank
Pallone (D-NJ) and Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), Senate Majority Whip Mitch
McConnell (R-KY), “Schiff Amendment” author Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), and
Genocide Resolution lead sponsor Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA).

Terms of the ANCA study:

The ANCA examined public records of contributions by donors with common
Armenian surnames in Federal Election Commission filings for the first seven
quarterly reporting periods of the 2004 election cycle.
Left out of the study, for technical reasons, were two important categories:
1) Armenian American donors who do not have common Armenian last names and 2)
Armenian American donors whose contributions to a particular federal candidate
or committee did not aggregate to $200 during the 2004 election cycle. This
latter category covers a large number of smaller-dollar donors, including many
who contributed via the internet. While it is not possible to compile totals
for these two categories, they can safely be estimated, based on past Armenian
American giving patterns and overall US political campaign demographics, at
over two million dollars. Contributions to state and local candidates or
committees were not covered by this survey.

2) ARS Campaigns for Tsunami Victims

GLENDALE–In response to the devastating Tsunami in Southeast Asia, the
Armenian Relief Society of Western USA (ARS-WR) has called on its communities
to donate generously to a special ARS Tsunami Fund.
“How can we as Armenians not remember the generosity of the world community
when the entire world opened their hearts and gave tremendous support
following
the 1988 Spitak earthquake that took the lives of thousands?” asked Angela
Savoian, Chair, ARS-WR Regional Executive. “In turn, we must do our part in
helping the victims of this overwhelming disaster that has left millions in
parts of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Maldives in
such dire straits.”
The Boston-based ARS Central Executive has already made a contribution to the
American Red Cross and has appealed to its entities in 24 countries to
mobilize
their membership and communities to also provide assistance.
ARS-WR chair Angela Savoian launched the start of the fundraising campaign
for
the tsunami victims, at the ARS-WR regional membership Christmas party on
January 4; following her announcement, members, who had gathered from chapters
across the Southland from San Diego to the San Fernando Valley, observed a
moment of silence for the 160,000 victims of the tragedy.
During a day-long fundraising campaign on January 15, volunteers will be
stationed at ARS-WR headquarters, located at 517 W. Glenoaks, Glendale, CA
91202-2812, to accept monetary donations for the ARS Tsunami Fund; local
dignitaries and the press are invited to visit the center at 3:00 p.m.
Donations may also be mailed directly to the ARS-WR, to the above address. All
donations are tax-deductible.

3) Western Prelacy Steps up Fundraising Drive for Tsunami Victims

Faithful urged to give generously during upcoming holiday services

LA CRESCENTA–The Armenian Prelacy’s fundraising efforts for the victims
devastated by last week’s Tsunami in Southeast Asia will continue throughout
all Prelacy parish churches in the Western United States. Prelate Archbishop
Moushegh Mardirossian launched the fundraising drive last week with a special
prayer during services, and collection drive, both last Sunday and on
Christmas
Eve.
The drive at churches will continue during Christmas Day services on January
6, through Sunday, January 9.

4) Glendale, Pasadena, and Montebello ARS Continue Circle of Giving

GLENDALE–Armenian Relief Society (ARS) members say the ARS takes with one
hand, but gives out with both. The ARS of Western US accomplished that this
holiday season as it received and generously donated gifts to the needy, once
again, bringing joy to children during the Christmas season.

“The Social Services offices and our entire membership and staff work
so hard to benefit and serve our people locally and abroad,” said Angela
Savoian, Chair of the ARS Regional Executive Board. She added, “We are humbled
by the generosity of our donors who allow us to fulfill our
commitments.”

During the week of December 20,
the
ARS Social Services Center in Montebello handed out baskets to needy clients
from surrounding communities. Then, on January 4, the ARS Social Services
Center in Glendale gave gifts to needy children from surrounding cities of
Glendale, Burbank, and Pasadena. In a festive atmosphere at the ARS Glendale
headquarters, nearly a hundred children sang and recited poetry for Santa, as
he handed gifts to them one by
one.

Among the donators were Vahan and Anoush
Chamlian Armenian School in Glendale; HyeRiders, a motorcycle club; Alpha
Epsilon Omega, an Armenian fraternity; the Arcadia Police Department; and the
Armenian Social Work Caucus of Cal State Los Angeles School of Social Work.
The
Commerce Casino, a giving and regular donor to ARS projects, donated one
thousand dollars to provide Christmas gifts to the needy. The gifts also
included sweaters donated through the efforts of Congressman Adam Schiff’s
(D-CA 29th District) district office.

Cong.
Schiff arranged for the donation of sweaters from Pasadena resident Sam C. Y.
Ip, President and CEO of TOP-In Fashion, to the ARS and eight other non-profit
organizations. On December 14, ARS Regional Executive member and Pasadena
resident, Maral Nashalian-Arsenian met Cong. Schiff and his staff at the
warehouse, where the donated clothing was being distributed to the agencies.
Nashalian remarked, “We wholeheartedly thank Congressman Schiff for his
continued support and for facilitating the donation of the very much needed
630
sweaters for distribution to needy families here and
abroad.”

Pasadena was once again the place
to be
for a toy ride and coin drive for the ARS organized by the HyeRiders. The
donors were motorcycle riders, Armenian and non-Armenian, who came to the
Pasadena Armenian Center on December 18, with toys and donations in hand. ARS
Executive Accountant-Controller, Jassik Jarahian, provided support to AREV, a
young women’s group who organized the coin drive, while ARS Regional
Executives
were on hand to provide information about on-going ARS programs within the
Western Region and in
Armenia.

The Alpha Epsilon Omega, a fraternity
whose top priority is academic achievement, delivered gifts to the ARS
headquarters in Glendale during the last week of December for distribution
here
and
abroad.

The ARS helps the needy year round.
When
ARS members arrive in a remote village in Armenia or Artsakh bearing gifts, an
ordinary summer day turns into a holiday for the villagers, especially for the
children. The ARS Regional Executive expresses sincere gratitude to all who
have provided financial and moral support throughout the year for any one of
the ARS projects or funds. The circle of giving continues “from your heart, to
our heart, to the hearts of those we serve.”

5) For a Life-Centered Spirituality: A dialogue with the youth

We lived the last days of 2004 confronting an unprecedented disaster caused by
nature. This tragedy comes to add to the burden human beings and,
particularly,
youth are facing as a result of man-made tragedies, like wars, violence,
poverty, unemployment, and a sense of meaninglessness and uncertainty. These
are times when people question, pray, and yearn for spirituality.
Indeed, spirituality is a frequently and widely used word today, a word
employed in different contexts and with different connotations. In Christian
life, spirituality means being with God.
Being with God? Is this not the very meaning and purpose of Christian
life? Is
this not the way a Christian should live his or her life? God became man in
Jesus of Nazareth in order to be with us. The evangelist describes Jesus
Christ
as Emmanuel, which means God with us. In fact, in Christ, God became a man
with
us, like us, and for us in order to restore His fallen image in human beings.
Through the incarnation, by becoming man, God recovered the authentic humanity
in the human beings. In Christ, God became the true life of the world.
Christian spirituality invites us to acknowledge Christ in word and deed as
the
center of our life. Christian spirituality challenges us to follow Jesus
Christ
as the only way of our life.
Christian spirituality is life-centered. It is rooted in Christ. The
Christ-event is the recreation of life. Hence, whoever is in Christ, he or she
is endowed with a new quality of life, with the “abundant life,” the “eternal
life” (John 1: 16).
What are the significant features of a life-centered spirituality?
1. It values life as God’s gift. The existence of life on this planet is
not a
sheer accident. For centuries, the human mind has failed to understand the
origin of life. The Bible clearly affirms that God is the creator of life in
all its forms and expressions.
2. It perceives life as God centered. Being the gift of God, life must be
lived as a God-centered reality. A human-centered life is the rejection of
God;
and a life without God is a source of evil.
3. It considers the values and principles revealed through Christ as the
purpose of human life. The human being is called to live his life for the
promotion of love, justice, peace, unity, reconciliation, and other values of
the Kingdom of God.
4. It upholds life as a sacred reality. The sacredness of life pertains to
its
very nature since life comes from God and is owned by God. Therefore, any
attempt aimed at corrupting the sacredness of life and undermining its
integrity and dignity is a sin against God. As Christians, life-centered
spirituality must guide our life in a world full of life-destroying forces. In
this context I want to draw your attention to the following:
a) Globalization, in all its aspects, manifestations, and implications has
become integral to our daily life. Our individual and community life are
strongly impacted by the values and forces of globalization. This means
that we
must discern those values that enhance life, and challenge those forces of
globalization that destroy identity, morality, and community.
b) Violence, in different forms and ways, has become omnipresent in our
societies. It touches all aspects and areas of our life. Violence is the
negation of God’s gift of life. The Christian way is active nonviolence.
Life-centered spirituality rejects any way of life or form of action that
generates violence.
c) Pluralism has become an important feature of modern societies. People of
different religions, races, and cultures are living together. I consider this
living together both as a gift of God and a task. In this small globe we are
bound to live together, and therefore, must learn to respect our differences
and accept and trust each other. We must live as one community, preserving at
the same time our own religious, cultural, and human values and traditions.
Life-centered spirituality challenges the Christian to turn to God whoever,
whatever, or wherever he or she is. The world in which we live is full of life
destroying forces. Some of these forces are due to ecological disorder, and
others to moral and spiritual disorder, namely to human sin.
Millions of people lose their life each year because of AIDS pandemic;
millions of children die because of poverty; millions of people are killed
each
year due to natural disasters. We are all shocked watching on our TV screens
the horrible images of people, men and women, children and elderly, dying in
Africa because of genocide, AIDS and mal-nutrition; or in Sri Lanka, India,
Indonesia and Bangkok because of the Tsunami disaster.
The human beings, who are endowed by God’s gift of life, are destroying
everyday and everywhere, the life itself in its human and ecological
manifestations. Life, as a supreme gift of God, must be respected, preserved,
and enhanced. This is basic in our Christian faith.
It is my expectation that our youth will sustain and enrich their lives by
the
spirituality that is rooted in the Bible, and experienced and witnessed for
centuries by the church. The world of today offers many kinds of
“spiritualities” with attractive names. Our youth are called to neglect the
kind of false “spiritualities” that cause moral decay, endanger identity, and
destroy community. Our youth must reject the kinds of “spiritualities” that
abuse religious principles and promote violence and death.
The Armenian Church, with its rich spiritual heritage and moral teachings,
can
offer a life-centered spirituality to our youth as they prepare themselves to
become the future leaders of our church and people.
On the eve of the New Year and Christmas, I wanted to share these few
reflections with our youth. This is not a formal message but the beginning
of a
frank dialogue with our youth because it is of crucial importance for the
future of our church and nation. Therefore, I would like to continue this
dialogue by addressing, from time to time, issues, challenges and concerns
pertaining to the present day societies in general, and the Armenian Church
and
community, in particular.
Prayerfully,

Aram I
Catholicos of Cilicia

6) TABDC?

By Garen Yegparian

You’re wondering, “What’s tabdik?” Well, I refuse to get vulgar, but it would
have been appropriate, ’cause it’s an outfit that could be described as
TARC-lite.
The Turkish-Armenian Business Development Council’s says it was organized in
1997 and posts protocols signed by both parties. It has addresses/contact
information in the EU and the US, (recently incorporated as Turkish-Armenian
Business Council) in addition to Armenia and Turkey.
Reading the documents posted on their website, it becomes clear that those
involved are of the type who can’t see beyond their commercial noses.
Everything is about trade. They are our own microcosm of the pell-mell
globalizers wreaking havoc with people’s lives world-wide. The whole thing
reeks of the “world is our commercial toy” mentality emanating from DC. One of
their big concerns is opening the Armenia-Turkey border, one of those
seems-like-a-great-idea-until-you-think proposals. This would decimate what
little productive capacity Armenia has been able to develop under a flood of
inexpensive Turkish goods. But hey, it’s commerce, therefore it must be good!
They even claim to advocate passage of the Baku-Jeyhan pipeline through
Armenia.
TABDC’s activity report reads like a stereotypical money-grubbing,
to-hell-with-the-consequences merchant’s wet dream. So? Why is this such a big
deal? How this any different from our Armenian importers and grocers
supporting
the Turkish economy?
Cultural exchanges seem to dominate the visual portions of this outfit’s
website. Sure, you might think, if we appreciate one another on that level,
other aspects of Armeno-Turkish relations will be easier. Their photo gallery
posts shots, in the following order, of founders themselves, a Richard
Hagopian
and Lalezar concert (reported in Armenian papers at the time), the Ankara
String Quartet in Yerevan, the Komitas Quartet in Ankara, the Regional
Economic
Working Group, and TABDC-EU. Note this last one.
The Diaspora is also mentioned as a participant. But TABDC’s presence in the
EU and US under that guise is very telling. Couple that with the remark
“politics is stifling…possibilities.” Then add the fact of the website’s being
marked all over with “Copyright 2003.” Finally, the New Year’s congratulatory
e-mail sent to “TABDC Mail Group Members,” a list that somehow included the
Burbank ANC, is what triggered this article.
Why, after being in existence for six-seven years, does this website get
created? Why the e-mail? Why the sudden burst of activity? Could something be
going on? If I were a suspicious type, I might think it was because of
Turkey’s
activity on the European stage and the progress it’s making there. Clearly
they
want to subdue, subsume, any discussion of the Genocide. What better way than
to claim to promote trade and amity between two “historic enemies?” Show
pictures of a bunch of smiling Turks and Turmens (you know, those folk who
carry an “ian” on their surname but are frequently indistinguishable from the
highest functionaries of the Turkish government).
Still don’t buy it? TABDC supports “the efforts of TARC.” How about Edward
Boghosian’s presence on this website? This unsavory editor’s (The Armenian
Reporter) interview with Abdullah Gul (Turkey’s Foreign Minister) is one of
the
items listed in TABDC’s list of relevant news items. In that interview, he
describes how he got the interviewthrough the good offices of his “friend,” NY
dwelling Kaan Soyak, who, now hold your breath, is the Turkish half of the
TABDC’s founding duo. The other is one Arsen Ghazarian.
Intriguing? Suspicious? I think so. Let’s add this to the slime list of US
Department of State instigated outfits.

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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT FORMS INTER-DEPARTMENT TASK FORCE TO MAKE
PREPARATIONS CONSTRUCTION OF ARMEnIAN-IRANIAN WATEr POWER PLANT

YEREVAN, JANUARY 10. ARMINFO. The Armenian Government is forming an
interdepartment task force to coordinate the efforts to design and
construct jointly with Iran a water power plant on the
Armenian-Iranian section of River Arax.

The governmental press service reports that the Government gives high
importance to the project and approves of the results of the Armenian
and Iranian energy ministries’ joint work to draft it. The task force
is to quarterly report on its work.

The project is estimated at $140 mln to be provided by Iran while
Armenia is to repay in electricity supplies. The plant’s estimated
capacity is 140 MW with yield of 841 mln KW/h a year.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

UNESCO TO TAKE ACTIVE PART IN CELEBRATIONS OF 1,600TH ANNIVERSARY OF
ARMENIAN ALPHABET

YEREVAN, JANUARY 10. ARMINFO. UNESCO will take an active part in the
celebrations of the 1,600th anniversary of the Armenian alphabet, says
the secretary general of UNESCO national commission of Armenia’s
foreign ministry Karina Daniyelyan.

She says that UNESCO will finance an international scientific
conference on Armenian studies to be held jointly with the National
Academy of Sciences of Armenia.

Over 20 large-scale events are planned in the framework of the
celebrations. The whole country will celebrate the date throughout
the year. A dramatized show “Alphabet Procession” will be started in
the ancient city of Yervandashat to end in the Hole See of
Echmiadzin. The Day of Translator will be marked especially solemnly
in the village of Oshakan, the homeland of the author of the Armenian
alphabet Mesrop Mashtots.

An e-conference “Information Technologies sand Armenian Letters” will
be held during the year.

The festivities will be held not only in Armenia but in Nagorny
Karabakh, the Javakheti region of Georgia and in the Diaspora. The
celebrations will be crowned in Oct by a show in the National Opera
House.

Armenia’s Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan has instructed his
subordinate relevant commission to draft and present a program of
festivities by Jan 15 2005.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FORUM 18 NEWS SERVICE, Oslo, Norway

The right to believe, to worship and witness
The right to change one’s belief or religion
The right to join together and express one’s belief

===============================================Monday 10 January 2005
AZERBAIJAN: WILL CHRISTIAN CHILDREN NOW GET BIRTH CERTIFICATES?

Having repeatedly refused to register 18-month old Luka Eyvazov’s birth,
because his parents gave him a Christian name, the authorities have at last
given him a birth certificate, after Forum 18 News Service reported his
case. Unusually, the authorities also apologised to Luka’s parents
“for making us wait and suffer for so long,” Luka’s mother
Gurayat Eyvazov told Forum 18. Without a birth certificate, Luka was not
able to go to kindergarten or to school, get treatment in a hospital, or
travel abroad. Luka’s case was the last known case of a series of Baptist
parents in the mainly-Muslim town who were refused birth certificates for
their children because they had chosen Christian, not Muslim first names.
However, Mrs Eyvazov said it was unclear if the next time Baptist parents
try to register a child’s birth with a Christian name they will face
similar refusals. “Officials said nothing on this.”

AZERBAIJAN: WILL CHRISTIAN CHILDREN NOW GET BIRTH CERTIFICATES?

By Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service

At the age of nearly 18 months, Luka Eyvazov has finally received his birth
certificate just weeks after Forum 18 News Service reported the
authorities’ repeated refusals to issue a birth certificate because they
did not wish to register him with a Christian name. Luka’s parents, who are
ethnic-Georgian Baptists, live in the small town of Aliabad in the
north-western region of Zakatala [Zaqatala] close to the border with
Georgia. “The town administration phoned my husband on 17 December to
say the birth certificate would be there and he collected it on 20
December,” Luka’s mother Gurayat Eyvazov told Forum 18 from Aliabad on
10 January. “They said they had no permission earlier to issue the
birth certificate and even apologised to us for making us wait and suffer
for so long.”

Luka Eyvazov is the fourth child of Novruz Eyvazov, the leader of one of
three Baptist congregations in Aliabad. His is the last known case of a
series of Baptist parents in the mainly-Muslim town who were refused birth
certificates for their children because they had chosen Christian, not
Muslim first names. However, Gurayat Eyvazov said it was unclear if the
next time Baptist parents try to register a child’s birth with a Christian
name they will face similar refusals. “Officials said nothing on
this,” she told Forum 18.

Children’s births in Azerbaijan are generally registered at the place where
their parents are registered to live. As Azerbaijani citizens and
registered residents of Aliabad, the Eyvazov couple originally tried to
register Luka’s birth at the local town administration, which is where they
first encountered a refusal. Without a birth certificate, Luka was not able
to go to kindergarten or to school, get treatment in a hospital, or travel
abroad.

Luka’s parents failed too at the regional level in Zakatala, where civil
registration official Aybeniz Kalashova wrote to the Eyvazovs last May
complaining of foreign Baptist missionaries who had come to Azerbaijan in
the early 1990s “spreading the Christian faith of the Baptist sect
among the population”, and who “tried to change surnames and
first names, changing them into Georgian and Christian names”. The
Eyvazovs even took their case to Mehman Soltanov of the Justice Ministry’s
civil registration department in the capital Baku, but this too failed to
break the logjam (see F18News 1 December 2004
).

Other members of Azerbaijan’s ethnic Georgian minority have told Forum 18
that the difficulty of registering children with Georgian Christian names
is particularly acute in the Zakatala region, though it occurs from time to
time in neighbouring regions with an ethnic Georgian minority.

One ethnic Georgian told Forum 18 on 10 January from Kakh [Qax] region
south of Zakatala region that Ingilos – ethnic Georgians who were
converted to Islam several centuries ago and are considered to be
Georgian-speaking Azeris by the Azerbaijani authorities, such as the
Baptists in Aliabad – face great difficulties trying to change their
surnames back to the Georgian form and registering children’s births with
Georgian names. However, the Georgian told Forum 18 that in most of these
cases the motivation for the parents’ desire for Georgian first names is
national, not religious.

Georgian Orthodox priest Fr Ioan Abesashvili confirmed to Forum 18 in Kakh
last November that his parishioners had no problems registering the births
of their children with Georgian Christian names.

Meanwhile, Zaur Balayev, pastor of another Baptist congregation in Aliabad,
told Forum 18 on 4 January that the town authorities have finally agreed to
allow him to open a grocery shop. He said the earlier refusals were part of
systematic local official opposition to Baptists in the town and an attempt
to drive them out by economic means by depriving them of the means to earn
a living (see F18News 9 December 2004
).

Two of the three Baptist congregations in Aliabad have repeatedly tried to
register with the authorities to gain legal status but, despite meeting all
the criteria, have got nowhere with their applications (see F18 News 8
December 2004 ). The third
congregation does not wish to register. Church members have been detained,
fined, threatened and their homes have even been shot at over the past
decade.

Najiba Mamedova, the notary of Zakatala region, angrily refused to discuss
with Forum 18 on 10 January why she is still refusing to notarise the
signatures on the Baptist congregations’ registration applications
necessary for the applications to go further. “You are asking about
such trivial matters when 25 percent of Azerbaijan’s territory is occupied
by Armenian bandits and the country is flooded with refugees,” she
declared, refusing to say why this was relevant to why she would not
notarise the Baptists’ signatures. She then put the phone down. Mamedova
has a record of behaving angrily towards enquirers, having shouted “We
don’t need Baptists here” at Forum 18 (see F18News 8 December 2004
).

For more background information see Forum 18’s Azerbaijan religious freedom
survey at ‘

A printer-friendly map of Azerbaijan is available at
;amp;Rootmap=azerba
(END)

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