Author: Andres-Papazian

ANCA ENDORSES ADAM SCHIFF FOR RE-ELECTION TO CONGRESS

Asbarez
Wednesday, October 20th, 2010
WASHINGTON

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) announced on
Wednesday that it has endorsed Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) for re-election.

Schiff is the lead sponsor of the Armenian Genocide Resolution, H.

Res. 252, and has led Congressional efforts to recognize the genocide
and to press successive administrations to do the same.

“I deeply appreciate the endorsement by the ANCA,” Rep. Schiff said.

“I consider it a moral obligation to pursue recognition for the 1.5
million victims of the Armenian Genocide, and in our national interest
to ensure that Armenia receives the economic and security assistance
necessary to ensure a better life for the Armenian people.”

“We are honored to endorse Rep. Adam Schiff in the 2010 Congressional
elections and to offer our full support as he campaigns for re-election
to the U.S. House of Representatives,” said ANCA Chairman Kenneth
V. Hachikian.

“We are especially appreciative of Rep. Schiff’s leadership role as the
author and legislative champion of the Armenian Genocide Resolution. He
has, in each of his terms in office, worked to build bipartisan support
for this legislation and to move this measure through the committee
process and toward a vote of the full House of Representatives.”

From: A. Papazian

PECULIARITIES OF BILINGUAL EDUCATION FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE NATIONAL IDENTITY
Tamara Vardanyan

20.10.2010

T. Vardanyan – the expert of the Center of the Armenian Studies of
“Noravank” Foundation

Introduction The phenomenon of the multi-culturalism in pedagogic
became a subject of investigation in the 60s of the 20th century,
and in 1980s the theories and methods of multi-cultural education
began to develop. The significance of the issue is connected with
the fact that the constantly growing flow of emigrants from Asia and
Africa causes the problems with integration in the host countries.

Specialists offer different educational methods, which passed the
test in different multi-ethnic countries, for the solution of those
problems. Let us mention that the problems with the civil integration
and softening of the inter-ethnic tension are characteristic of almost
all the countries with multi-ethnic population.

And as the RA is mono-ethnic state, the implementation of such
educational models here (including NKR) is devoid of any logic,
and discussing such issues is simply absurd.

We discuss this issue exclusively taking into consideration the fact
of dispersion of the Armenians all over the world. As a result of
this dispersion, Armeniancy plays a role of the ethnic and language
minority abroad. Thus, we will discuss a number of modern educational
models in the aspect of their suitability in any Armenian community
from the point of view of preserving nation.

This article considers the models and types of those educational
methods, their efficiency and implementation mechanism and, of course,
the issues of preserving of the national identity in case of their
adoption.

Multi-ethnic education One of the first approaches is the concept
of multi-ethnic education (U. Boos-Nunning1, U. Sandfuchs2 and
others). The main idea of this approach consists in educating inside
the society tolerance and orientation to the culture of immigrants,
principle of a free choice and abstract perception of a human being by
a human being. The aim of the conception of multi-cultural education
is to establish harmonious relations between different ethnic groups,
to impart mutual interest in each other, “open” approach, to study
traditions and to provide processing of those traditions within the
framework of new culture.

Bicultural education This conception is based on the idea of forming
double culture and double language identity (W. Fthenakis, A. Sonner
and others3). This process is provided through constant comparing
of two cultures. The aim of this method is to form all-planet
consciousness and integration into world culture and educational
system.

Multi-culturalism The usage of such educational methods in multi-ethnic
societies is considered as an efficient mechanism of solution of
ethnic conflicts.

As a Doctor of Pedagogy, Professor M.A.Khayruddinov mentions: “all
the conceptions which pursue such aims (here he means education of
tolerance to other cultures, dissemination of universal ideas and etc.

– T.V.) can be conventionally grouped under the name of
multi-culturalism, which is first of all implemented in regard to
the traditional social and pedagogic problem of race and ethnic
conflicts solution”4.

Historically multi-cultural education originates from the US. Here,
just like in Canada, the for the formation of such educational
concepts was based on the movements directed to the protection of
the civil rights of the exploited groups. Later on these movements
were joined by the movements for the rights of women, invalids,
sexual and other minorities.

Due to the fact that the US and Canada are the countries which consist
of emigrants, thus, they face a task to create new nations from
different ethnic groups. In the opinion of the specialists, the most
important instrument for the formation of new nations is the education.

The formation and development of multi-cultural pedagogy in the US took
place within the framework of changes in the philosophy of the main
approaches to the education. In this aspect education is considered
as the main tool for the transformation of the society.

Thus, till the 18th century Anglo-Conformist approach5 dominated;
according to this approach ethnic groups had to undergo
re-ethnification, learn English as their mother tongue, accept
political institutions of the English type, elements of English culture
and etc. But this approach did not solve the problem of integration
and soon it turned into a source of inter-ethnic conflicts. In fact
this approach was the imitation of the English nation on the territory
of the US.

In the second half of the 18th century the US had to decline that
approach. In order to provide coexistence and integration of different
ethnic groups, new methodology and new philosophy were put forward.

Thus, till the mid 1980s American pedagogy had oriented to the concept
of American nation formation which was called “melting pot”. In the
US they renounced the imitation of English model, and decided that
they can get a new kind of nation from merging of different ethnic
groups, i.e. the American nation. This strategy of education assumed
consolidation of different ethnic groups around the Anglo-Saxon
protestant language and culture (adding different elements of other
ethnic formations) through school and getting new nation. The US
had to turn into a “melting pot” where national, cultural, ethnic
differences had to disappear and the American type of national
self-consciousness had to be formed. This conception was based on
the idea that, as a result of merging of ethnicities and races,
“new race which includes old values, differences and traditions”
is formed. In this aspect American education resembles the Soviet
internationalist ideas which final aim was the formation of a new
historical community and new identity – “Soviet nation”.

But since the mid 1980s the conception of the “melting pot” has also
been criticized by the specialists. The critics believed that this
conception is not only erroneous but it is also vicious, because
it does not take into consideration the complexity and dynamics
of various forms of cultures, impossibility of their merging and
“grinding”. The acknowledgement of the importance of ethnic diversity
was intensified in the American pedagogy, because only with the help
of that diversity one can provide the stability of the society and
preserve all its cultural treasures. Thus, instead of “melting pot”
a new conception has been formed – “America – salad bowl”.

In accordance with this new principle (multi-culturalism), the school
curriculum on social studies should include key material about ethnic
minorities, present key event from their history, a number of facts
about their contribution to the prosperity and building of that
country, general information about their culture, traditions and etc.

At the same time all the material which may provoke inter-cultural
discord should be avoided.

This principle has been also implemented in other countries and it is
perceived as one of the contemporary variants of the solution of ethnic
conflicts. The main component of the principle of multi-culturalism
in the sphere of education is language policy.

Implementation of multi-lingual and bilingual systems is considered as
a key for the solution of inter-ethnic issues in multi-cultural sphere.

In the developing countries of Africa and Asia bilingual educational
system is used – in the local language and in the languages of former
colonizer countries (English, French, Portuguese). The peoples of
those countries do not have the alphabet of their own, they do not
have literature, theological or scientific texts, or, in other words,
they do not have literary heritage in their language. As a result of
absence of such important preconditions for forming and development of
the national self-consciousness and many other factors, the population
of different African countries can be called nation with the proviso,
regardless of the fact that those countries are the UN members (UN
abbreviation means “Organization of United Nations”).

The problem of multi-culturalism is urgent for Western Europe because
in recent decades a huge flow of emigrants from Africa and Asia has
turned there. But despite this, for example, authorities and all
the political parties of Germany offered rigorous opposition to the
statement of the prime-minister of Turkey R. Erdogan that Turkish
minority in Germany (about three million people) needs schools where
subjects are taught in Turkish6. Answer “No” by German authorities
was as firm as the demand of R. Erdogand.

Types and models of bilingual education Let us mention that discussions
concerning bilingual education arise as a rule in the countries
with mass immigration, e.g., countries of Western Europe, or in
the countries which were formed due to the immigration (Canada,
US). Therefore, one can speak about the usage of the method of
bilingual education only in terms of solving definite problems in
multi-ethnic societies. In other cases there is no necessity or
precedents of using that method.

Specialists conventionally divide bilingual education into two types –
content-based and subject-based7:

Content-based bilingual education proposes teaching of all the
content of education in two languages equally, in order to form
a bilingual and bicultural person. This method can be used in the
societies with multi-ethnic population. This means that children
from national or language minorities are granted an opportunity to
study the same subjects in two languages – in mother tongue and in
the language of the titular ethnic group. This approach is acceptable
in some cases because it brings, on the one hand, to the integration
of the national minorities into the society and, on the other hand,
it contributes to preserving of the national identity.

Subject-based bilingual education proposes teaching some subjects in
mother tongue and some – in other language. According to independent
experts this method cannot form a bilingual. If some cultural values
are perceived in mother tongue and the other part in a non-native
language it is impossible to educate bilingual person, because in
this case neither his thinking nor his creative language thought
are developed in any of the languages. This method brings to the
assimilation of the national minorities living abroad8.

So, of this two types only the first one is acceptable for the
Armenian children who live abroad (outside the RA, NKR and Javakhq),
and want to integrate in other countries and preserve their national
identity at the same time. The specialists are right when they say
that content-based and subject-based approaches differ from each
other essentially from the point of view of psychological pedagogy,
because, in essence, they pursue different goals.

Besides the two aforementioned types, which imply the usage of
languages in teaching, the foreign experience of education in two
languages also has 4 models which concern the age of teaching foreign
languages9:

Radical/extreme model; it supposes organization of teaching pupils
in non-native language from the first grade.

Transitional language model; it supposes gradual preparing of pupils
to teaching in a foreign language through increase of the number of
subjects in that language.

Model of profound teaching language: it supposes simultaneous teaching
of all or some of the subjects in two languages – mother tongue and
non-native language.

Model of language survival: it is directed to preserving of the mother
tongue. According to this model all the subjects are taught in mother
tongue and foreign languages are subsidiary means.

The first two models (radical and transitional) bring to the
estrangement from the national roots, transformation of the identity
and assimilation with other societies. Those models are absolutely
unacceptable (in Diaspora as well)10.

Thus, the independent expert opinion on the issues of education of
Russian speaking minority in Latvia says that the parents who want to
see their children assimilated with the Latvian nation, send their
children to the educational institutions where the transitional
language model is used and where 50-80% of subjects are taught in
Latvian from 5-6 grades11.

Bilingual education and Armenian communities In general, all the
aforementioned methods, unlike the national school which provides
national education, are called to serve global processes directed
to the evening-out and forming persons who are deprived of the
national character, the so-called “citizens of the world”. Among the
aforementioned four models of bilingual education we can single out
the last two which can be implemented in some communities in Diaspora
tentatively. In particular, in the communities where national education
is on the verge of collapse (e.g., there are no Armenian schools
or the education is organized mainly in Sunday schools), not the
subject-based but a content-based type of bilingual education can be
used, i.e. teaching activity is arranged in two languages equally. As
for the age of teaching foreign languages, among the aforementioned
four models only third and forth are acceptable.

Conclusions Thus, the rich international experience of modern
multi-cultural models of education can be implemented exclusively
outside the RA and NKR (as well as Javakhq), weighing all pros and
cons previously and using from the aforementioned models and types
only those methods which have the biggest potential in terms of
preserving nation.

Nevertheless, the basis for the national self-consciousness in the
20th century, despite the process of globalization, still remains
the national school with the mother tongue as a language of teaching.

1Boos-Nunning, U., Hohmann, M., Reich, H., Aufnahmeunterricht,
Muttersprachlicher Unterricht, Interkultureller Unterricht. Ergebnisse
einer vergleichenden Untersuchung zum Unterricht fur ausländische
Kinder in Belgien, England, Frankreich und den Niederlanden. Munchen
1983.

2Sandfuchs, U., Lehren und Lernen mit Ausländerkindern. Bad
Heilbrunn. 1986.

3Fthenakis, W., Sonner, A., Thrul, R., Walbiner, W.,
Bilingual-bikulturelle Entwicklung des Kinders: Ein Handbuch fur
Psychologen, Pädagogen und Linguisten. Munchen: Hueber 1985.

4ХайÑ~@Ñ~Cддинов Ð~.Ð~P., Ð~_оДикÑ~CДÑ~LÑ~BÑ~CÑ~@ное
обÑ~@азование: иÑ~AÑ~BоÑ~@иÑ~O, пÑ~@обДемÑ~K и
пеÑ~@Ñ~AпекÑ~BивÑ~K, 02.04.2007.

5See for details Ð~]аДÑ~GаджÑ~Oн Ð~P., ЭÑ~Bногенез и
аÑ~AÑ~AимиДÑ~OÑ~FиÑ~O (пÑ~AихоДогиÑ~GеÑ~Aкие
аÑ~AпекÑ~BÑ~K), Ð~UÑ~@еван – Ð~оÑ~Aква, 2003,
Ñ~A. 184-185.

6УÑ~GиÑ~Bе Ñ~BÑ~CÑ~@еÑ~Fкий: ТÑ~CÑ~@Ñ~FиÑ~O Ñ~BÑ~@ебÑ~CеÑ~B
оÑ~BкÑ~@Ñ~KÑ~BÑ~L в ДеÑ~@мании Ñ~HкоДÑ~K Ñ~A
обÑ~CÑ~Gением на Ñ~BÑ~CÑ~@еÑ~Fком Ñ~OзÑ~Kке,

7ЭкÑ~AпеÑ~@Ñ~BнаÑ~O оÑ~Fенка
оÑ~AновнÑ~KÑ… докÑ~CменÑ~Bов,
Ñ~@егДаменÑ~BиÑ~@Ñ~CÑ~NÑ~Iих введение
биДингваДÑ~Lного обÑ~@азованиÑ~O
в Ñ~HкоДах Ñ~A Ñ~@Ñ~CÑ~AÑ~Aким Ñ~OзÑ~Kком
обÑ~CÑ~GениÑ~O в Ð~[аÑ~BвийÑ~Aкой РеÑ~AпÑ~CбДике,

8Let us mention that the initiative of the RA government “On
making changes in the RA “Language Law” (documentation code:
Ð~Z-876-20.04.2010-ДÐ~Z-010/0) propose implementation of the second
model in the RA, which is, undoubtedly, unacceptable.

9ЭкÑ~AпеÑ~@Ñ~BнаÑ~O оÑ~Fенка
оÑ~AновнÑ~KÑ… докÑ~CменÑ~Bов,
Ñ~@егДаменÑ~BиÑ~@Ñ~CÑ~NÑ~Iих введение
биДингваДÑ~Lного обÑ~@азованиÑ~O
в Ñ~HкоДах Ñ~A Ñ~@Ñ~CÑ~AÑ~Aким Ñ~OзÑ~Kком
обÑ~CÑ~GениÑ~O в Ð~[аÑ~BвийÑ~Aкой РеÑ~AпÑ~CбДике,

10Let us once more remind you about the initiative of the RA government
“On making changes in the RA “Language Law” (documentation code:
Ð~Z-876-20.04.2010-ДÐ~Z-010/0) the first variant of which corresponded
to the radical and the second, improved variant, corresponds to
the transitional model. Both variants bring to the distortion and
transformation of the national identity.

11ЭкÑ~AпеÑ~@Ñ~BнаÑ~O оÑ~Fенка
оÑ~AновнÑ~KÑ… докÑ~CменÑ~Bов,
Ñ~@егДаменÑ~BиÑ~@Ñ~CÑ~NÑ~Iих введение
биДингваДÑ~Lного обÑ~@азованиÑ~O
в Ñ~HкоДах Ñ~A Ñ~@Ñ~CÑ~AÑ~Aким Ñ~OзÑ~Kком
обÑ~CÑ~GениÑ~O в Ð~[аÑ~BвийÑ~Aкой РеÑ~AпÑ~CбДике,

”Globus National Security”, issue 5

Another materials of author

The Armenian community in Tbilisi: conclusion[11.12.2006]

From: A. Papazian

SUREN HASMIKYAN: THERE IS NO “HUMAN BEING” IN MODERN ARMENIAN FILMS

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 20, 2010 – 20:17 AMT 15:17 GMT

On October 20, Yerevan hosted a roundtable discussion, entitled:
“Hero of Our Time: Problem of Time,” held as part of Kinoashun
(Cinema Autumn) festival.

“Around 100 different films are produced in Armenia annually, and
they receive so many awards that it is difficult to maintain their
statistics,” said film critic Suren Hasmikyan.

According to him, it is an evidence of high level of Armenian cinema.

Referring to the discussion subject, Hasmikyan noted that even in
case of good filmmakers and actors, there is no a “human being”
in Armenian films.

Editor of Ruskino magazine Robert Matosyan noted that the Armenian
cinema had two directions in the past: national and avant-garde
cinema. According to him, now we have only the last one that creates
a misbalance in the Armenian cinema. Thus, he hailed organization
of Kinoashun festival, saying it is a way for familiarization with
traditions of the Armenian cinema.

Filmmaker Ara Baghdasaryan believes that modern Armenian films are
much more appropriate for the reality than the Soviet films. However,
according to him, this mostly refers to documentaries. “We lack
both professional filmmakers and actors, thus, I prefer to create
documentaries,” said Baghdasaryan.

All participants of the discussion expressed resentment over the
fact that low interest is displayed towards Armenian films as part
of the festival.

From: A. Papazian

TWO PAINTINGS FOR BEIJING MUSEUM BY KELEKIAN & SULAHIAN

An-Nahar Daily
Oct 20 2010
Lebanon

The National Beijing Museum of Arts chose two paintings by Lebanese
(Armenian) artists Lena Kelekian and her husband Hagop Sulahian from
among tens of paintings submitted by artists around the world. The
two pieces will be included in the permanent collection of the museum
representing Lebanon at the Fourth International “Biennale Beijing”
2010 in China, the theme of which is “Environment Concern and Human
Existence”

After her return from China, Kelekian stated that her painting entitled
“Planet Earth, Our Only Home” had already won the Gold Medal and
the Olympic Torch for Arts in 2008 (prior to the Beijing Olympics);
her husband Hagop Sulahian’s painting is entitled “Time is Up”. Both
paintings were highly regarded and appreciated by the jury at the
Biennale Beijing 2010.

Kelekian and Sulahian are also exhibiting their paintings at the
“Ninth International Goyang Exhibition” in Korea in November.

Original in Arabic at

From: A. Papazian

LETTER: MEDZORIAN: SARIBEKYAN STORY DISTORTED BY KIDNAPPERS
By: Contributo

Wed, Oct 20 2010

Dear Editor,

On Sept. 30, I returned from a month long trip to Armenia, and on Oct.

5 was heart sickened to see a clip on YouTube falsely portraying
Manvel Saribekyan as a saboteur who had crossed the border to blow
up a school in the Azerbaijani village of Zamanli.

On Sept. 17, with my husband Jack, we visited the Chambarak town
hospital located in the Gegharkunik district in Armenia, on the
Azerbaijan border. The purpose of that visit was to assess the need
for medical aid. Being interested in women’s issues, I videotaped an
interview with three hospital nurses who gave me alarming eyewitness
accounts of their experiences starting from 1992 until Sept. 11,
2010-when Manvel was kidnapped.

In May 2010, Manvel had served his two years in the army and was now
a civilian. He was the elder son of an impoverished family, leaving
two brothers, a sister, mother, and father. My plans were to take
the case to Amnesty International upon my return.

The catastrophe started on Sept. 11 when Manvel joined his neighbor
Sasoon Hairabetyan to prepare for the winter. While Sasoon was using
his chainsaw in a wooded area to cut logs for winter fuel, Manvel
volunteered to bring Sasoon’s cows home because night was fast falling
and a heavy fog was enveloping the area. Sasoon related that Manvel
said to him, “Your father is elderly, I will help bring the cows back,”
whereupon Sasoon told him that if he should get disoriented in the
fog, to listen for the sound of his electric saw to guide him. The
Azeris spotted Manvel in the fog, pounced on their prey, kidnapped,
drugged and beat him, before taking him to Baku. After he served their
ulterior purposes, they killed him, and then said he had hung himself.

His body has not been released to his family.

The carefully crafted story about Manvel by Azerbaijan for YouTube
was full of distortion, deception, and intrigue, created to justify
to the world their case, to show Armenia as an aggressive country. For
the past 20 years there has been a blitz of outrageous misinformation
spread throughout the world by Azerbaijan. This is another perfect
example.

I am in the process of producing a short video documentary of the
nurses’ interviews, which will soon be available to the public.

Eva Medzorian Winchester, Mass.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA RANKS 101ST IN 2010 PRESS FREEDOM INDEX

armradio.am
20.10.2010 18:49

Armenia ranks 101st out of 178 states in the 2010 Press Freedom Index
list issued by Reporters Without Borders organization. Armenia was
111th last year. Georgia comes 99th, while Azerbaijan is 138th.

Several countries share first place in the index again. This year it
is Finland, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. They
have all previously held this honour since the index was created in
2002. Norway and Iceland have always been among the countries sharing
first position except in 2006 (Norway) and 2009 (Iceland). These six
countries set an example in the way they respect journalists and news
media and protect them from judicial abuse.

The Reporters Without Borders index measures the violations of
press freedom in the world. It reflects the degree of freedom that
journalists and news organisations enjoy in each country, and the
efforts made by the authorities to respect and ensure respect for
this freedom.

A score and a position is assigned to each country in the final
ranking. They are complementary indicators that together assess the
state of press freedom. A country can change position from year to
year even if its score stays the same, and viceversa.

This ranking reflects the situation during a specific period. It is
based solely on events between 1 September 2009 and 1 September 2010.

It does not look at human rights violations in general, just press
freedom violations.

To compile this index, Reporters Without Borders prepared a
questionnaire with 43 criteria that assess the state of press freedom
in each country. It includes every kind of violation directly affecting
journalists (such as murders, imprisonment, physical attacks and
threats) and news media (censorship, confiscation of newspaper issues,
searches and harassment). And it includes the degree of impunity
enjoyed by those responsible for these press freedom violations.

It also measures the level of self-censorship in each country and the
ability of the media to investigate and criticise. Financial pressure,
which is increasingly common, is also assessed and incorporated into
the final score.

The questionnaire takes account of the legal framework for the media
(including penalties for press offences, the existence of a state
monopoly for certain kinds of media and how the media are regulated)
and the level of independence of the public media. It also reflects
violations of the free flow of information on the Internet.

From: A. Papazian

WILL ARMENIAN AND AZERBAIJANI FMS MEET IN STRASBURG?

ArmInfo
20.10.2010 18:36

The Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will provide information about
the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan and the
visit of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs in due time, Spokesman of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Tigran Balayan told “Radiolur.”

Accoridng to Azeri media, early in November, the Co-Chairs of the OSCE
Minsk Group, Bernard Fassier (France), Robert Bradtke (US), Igor Popov
(Russia) and Personal representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office
Anjey Kaspshik will pay their next visit to the region.

The mediators will present the internal report made by assessment
mission carried out between October 7 and 13 in the regions surrounding
Nagorno Karabakh.

According to the reports, the mediators will meet with Azerbaijani and
Armenian leadership, discuss the issues connected with negotiation
process on the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. The
co-chairs will offer to organize a meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian
FMs within the framework of session of the Committee of Ministers of
the Council of Europe to be held on November 10 in Strasbourg.

The Strasbourg meeting of ministers will purpose the preparation for
next meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents. This meeting is
expected to take place on December 1-2, within the framework of OSCE
summit in Astana.

From: A. Papazian

WHO WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FORMATION OF ELECTORAL COMMISSIONS?
Lusine Vasilyan

“Radiolur”
20.10.2010 17:49

The Armenian National Assembly has worked out the new edition of the
“Electoral Code” and has presented it to the Venice Commission. This
time the amendments have been initiated based on the recommendations
of PACE resolutions and the observation missions of international
organizations.

A working group headed by the National Assembly’s Standing Committee
on State-Legal Issues had been established to work out amendments.

The main changes are related to the procedure of formation of
electoral commissions. The amended Electoral Code envisages seven
members of the Central Electoral Commission instead of eight. They
will be appointed by the President of the republic for the term of five
years. The candidates will be nominated by the Human Rights Defender,
the Presidents of the Chamber of Advocates and the Court of Cassation.

According to the new demands, members of the CEC should not belong
to any party. Furthermore, they should not be known for their active
social-political activity. The same requirements apply to district
electoral commissions.

According to Republican MP Hovhannes Sahakyan, the amendments will help
make the activity of the Central Electoral Commission more effective.

“In the past the central and district electoral commission were being
formed by political forces. Now they will comprise professionals and
specialists. This will help ensure better elections,” he said.

Representative of the Heritage party at the CEC Zoya Tadevosyan
argues that it’s unclear who will bear the main responsibility for
the formation of the commissions – the state or the political forces?

Zoya Tadevosyan considers that members of all commissions should
appointed by the President, or the authorities and the opposition
should be equally represented in all commissions.

From: A. Papazian

STEADY STREAM OF ARMENIAN ASYLUM SEEKERS IN FRANCE
By Seda Grigoryan

2010/10/18 | 16:30

Feature Stories society

France reclassifies Armenia as “unsafe”

During the first ten months of 2010, 1,361 citizens of the RoA have
applied for asylum in France. (Among them 297 are adolescents and
254 undergoing a second case review)

According to 2009 data, in terms of those requesting asylum in France,
Armenia ranks third by the number of applicants. The number of asylum
seekers from Armenia didn’t decrease even despite France’s decision
to include Armenia in the list of “safe” countries. Furthermore,
the great number of applications was again a cause for review.

The change was not long in coming. On July 23, 2010, France issued
another decision reassigning Armenia to the list of “unsafe”
countries. Turkey was also relegated to the list of “unsafe”
countries. The decision cited the continuing political victimization
of Armenia’s opposition and acts of physical violence against Turks
of Kurdish origin and restrictions placed on freedom of expression
in Turkey.

March 1st events remain main argument

Today, asylum seekers from Armenia use the same arguments – they
highlight the March 1 events. The truth about these events and the
truth about the real victims are difficult to expose. Every week
France’s “Cour National de Droit D’asile” (National Asylum Court)
reviews dozens of cases of Armenian asylum seekers.

The hearings are mostly open to public. I did my best to partake in
the hearings to better get familiar with the reasons and motives of
the Armenian asylum seekers

“Are you an Armenian,” a young couple asked me in Armenian in the
court corridor. “Armenians recognize each other at once,” we started
joking. They told me that they had arrived in France a year ago and
had a one year old son. They asked about my reasons for coming to
France. I was honest about my being a journalist and promised not
to publish their names. I then questioned them about the real reason
they came to France.

“Like everyone does; by twisting the March 1 events in our favor. But
we took part in the rallies,” they said. Though they trusted and spoke
openly with me, they notified their French barrier of my presence. The
barrister asked the judge for a closed session. “Someone was sent
from Armenia to register the names, and my defendants ask for a closed
session,” he said.

The judge complied with that request. Thus, I didn’t hear the couple’s
story. If the court decides in favor of the couple, then Armenia will
obviously lose another young family.

“Armenian police beat my husband”

“Our policemen were beasts – they hit and persecuted my husband. We
spent really hard days without my husband,” declared an RA citizen
during another case hearing. Her husband was a member of HHZh
(Armenian National Movement) who participated in the Marc 1st events
and subsequently persecuted by the police.

“I was being accused of various crimes like theft and use of weapons.”

The family (with three underage kids) had abandoned the village
where they used to live in Armenia, and had come to France to apply
for asylum due to one reason – they could not stand that situation
any more.

In court, the husband and the young son said they overcame the
stress they had undergone during the March 1st events with the help
of French psychologists. Presently the children go to school and show
good progress. The husband doesn’t complain about his health.

After the asylum hearing, the couple said that they have an
apartment. Being inspired by the children’s advancement the teachers
took care that the kids worked – they pick apples from the garden
next to the school.

I asked them if they regretted leaving Armenia. “I left my sick mom
there. Most importantly, we are here with the whole family.

Nevertheless, I would prefer to be in Armenia,” she said with tears
in her eyes.

The family has political reasons to ask for asylum in France. I do
my best to believe what was said in the court, and to refrain from
any type of interpretation. Nevertheless, the statements made there
were truthful. Whether or not their reasons convinced the court will
be known in two weeks, once a decision is reached.

Sometimes when the story seems untrue, or there is lack of proper
documentation, the court doubts the authenticity of the request In this
case, March 1 turns into nothing but a pretext. The stories sometimes
turn out to be beyond the scope of all probability. I think to myself
why it is that Armenians leave their motherland and apply for asylum
in a country where they don’t even know the language.

Who says that 40% wish to leave Armenia?

“They say that 40% of the people of Armenian want to leave. I
don’t know where this statistic comes from,” Patrick Arabian, a
French-Armenian lawyer says. He usually defends the rights of asylum
seekers, including those from Armenia.

The lawyer often visits Armenia and is aware of the country’s internal
life. “I fully agree with the decision to remove Armenia from the
list of safe countries,” he said.

“It’s the only correct decision. It has been correct ever since the
consolidation of authority and lack of democracy in Armenia. First,
there is no equality in the justice system – there is too much
corruption. There is also the violence that occurs in the army, the
inequality in gender relations and the imperfect elections,” he argues

The opposition is deprived of the right to use the TV airwaves. I
don’t understand why Armenia shouldn’t be included in the list of
unsafe nations when the same set of issues plague other countries
included in that list – Georgia, Azerbaijan and Russia,” he said.

He also referred to the issue of the Yezidis in Armenia. According
to 2009 data, among the Armenians who applied for asylum in France
there were also Yezidis, who said they were being persecuted by the
local Armenian clans.

Arabian noted that the allocation of lands in Yezidi-populated areas,
mostly the rich pasturelands, was unfairly carried out. In addition,
most Yezidis cannot register the lands they have worked for years as
their private property.

“But all in all, I have no right to say that Armenians treat the
Yezidis badly,” Arabian says.

Asylum rejections on the rise

As the lawyer states, the court decisions differ – the applications are
either approved or rejected. The number of rejections has increased
since 2005-2007. The last French asylum court decision, to reclassify
Armenia as an “unsafe” country, has not considerably changed the
course of the asylum hearings. Naturally, many Armenians seeking
asylum will take advantage of the decision and use it to justify
their reasons for leaving.

Those most benefitting from this decision will be the “case fixers”
who make a tidy living off the plight of the asylum seekers. They are
the people who are masters in preparing all the necessary documents –
exit permits, false documents and advice on asylum applications. All
the Armenians whom I met in the court admitted to having reached
France via Moscow through the services of such Armenian “fixers”.

P.S. A French friend asked me who did all those people fight and die
for in Artsakh if Armenians are leaving their country in droves. I
didn’t know what to say in reply.

From: A. Papazian

BUDGET FUNDING OF HEALTHCARE IN 2011 WILL INCREASE BY 13% MAKING 62.5 BILLION DRAMS IN ARMENIA

ARKA
October 20, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, October 20. /ARKA/. Budget funding of healthcare in 2011
will increase by 13% making 62.543 billion drams in Armenia compared
with 2010, said Armenian Minister of Healthcare Harutyun Kushkyan in
the parliament meeting.

The money will be fully targeted at funding of hospital and
ambulatory services in the amount of 6.2 billion and 2.8 billion
drams accordingly.

â~@~It will allow to start the process of bringing out the system from
the situation which is the result of world economic crisis, increase
quality and availability of rendered servicesâ~@~], said Kushkyan.

The main part of budget means – 38% or 13.8 billion drams will be
targeted at the funding of ambulatory programs.

â~@~From the total increase envisaged for ambulatory services,
it is planned to increase also average salary of employees of
ambulatory-polyclinic services by 10% In its result the salary of
doctors will be about 85 thousand drams (77 thousand drams in 2010),
middle-level medical staff â~@~S 54 thousand drams (49 thousand drams
in 2010)â~@~], said Kushkyan.

For hospital treatment 27.4 billion drams will be allocated which is
by 30% more than the indicator of 2010. In state order treatment more
than 240 thousand cases of hospital treatment will be included.

First Deputy Minister of Finance of Armenia Pavel Safaryan said that
the envisaged expenses for funding of healthcare are 1.66% of GDP
instead of planned 2% according to stable development program which
is related to the crisis.

On September 30 the Government of Armenia approved the draft state
budget of the country for 2011. In 2011 expenses of state budget of
Armenia ã~@~@will be 998.6 billion drams and income – about 849.9
billion drams with the deficit of 148.6 billion drams. GDP growth is
planned in the amount of 4.6%. In 2010, income part of state budget
of Armenia is 742 billion drams, expenses â~@~S 935.5 ã~@~@ billion
drams and deficit â~@~S 193.4 billion drams. State budget of Armenia
for 2010 planned economic growth by 1.2%. ($1 â~@~S 360.56 drams).

From: A. Papazian