Author: Andres-Papazian

FILM DIRECTOR ORGANIZES FUND-RAISING FOR “ARMENIAN HERITAGE OF TRANSYLVANIA” FILM

19:20, 15 January, 2014

YEREVAN, JANUARY 15, ARMENPRESS. The film director Mariam Ohanyan
needs financial aid for completing “Armenian heritage of Transylvania”
film. The film director has begun fund-raising through indiegogo.com
website to solve the problem and complete the film.

Already 13 dollars were transferred to the site.

“Armenpress” reports that for the first time three hundred Armenian
families from Ani (medieval capital of Armenia) arrived in Transylvania
in 1672. They established four towns Gyergyoszentmiklos, Erzsebetvaros,
Szamosújvar, Csíkszepvíz (their Romanian names: Gheorghieni,
Dumbraveni, Gherla, Frumoasa). By that time the Armenians had already
adopted Catholicism unlike Apostolic Christianity, which had been
characteristic of them initially. In all the cities founded by them,
they constructed churches, schools, houses, promoted the active
development of trade and production.

The assimilation to the Hungarian culture happened naturally as a
result of co-existence of these communities. In spite of assimilation
the memory about Armenian roots is very strong. The Hungarians have
preserved the Armenian language in some psalms, and carefully preserved
the recipes of traditional Armenian food and also legends which have
survived to this day.

The film “Armenian Heritage of Transylvania” is a travel about Romania
together with Hungarian-Armenians Szabolcs and Laszlo This film is
very important, because it gives possibility to see the role and
influence of Armenians on the culture of that region.

Mariam Ohanyan was born in Yerevan. Graduated from Yerevan State
University. She shot more than 10 films, which participated in
different Film Festivals, received prizes. Since 2004 she is founder
and director of International Women’s Film Festival KIN.

From: A. Papazian

COUNCIL OF EUROPE COMMISSIONER SAYS SEX-SELECTIVE ABORTIONS MUST BE CRIMINALIZED

January 15, 2014 | 17:11

Council of Europe Commissioner on Human Rights called to ban
sex-selective abortions, saying that this deeply discriminatory
practice springs from the disadvantaged status of women in society.

“In Council of Europe member states, skewed sex ratios at birth have
been documented in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, but also in some
countries in the Balkans, most commonly in Albania and to a lesser
extent Montenegro, Kosovo, and parts of ‘the former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia’,” reads the article published by Nils Muižnieks.

He quoted the report by UNFPA for 2013 which indicated that male/female
ratio is 114-115/100 in Armenia and 116/100 in Azerbaijan.

In the vast majority of Council of Europe member states, where abortion
is legal, this includes an adequate framework that reconciles the
possibility to have an abortion with the fight against discrimination.

“We need strong deterrents to eliminate this practice, which also
reinforces and perpetuates a climate of violence against women.

Sex-selective abortions must be criminalized,” he said.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA’S GOVERNMENT’S ACTIVITY IS UNSATISFACTORY – ARF-D MP

17:20 / 15.01.2014

If to assess the activity of the Armenian government, I would give
it unsatisfactory, ARF-D faction MP Artsvik Minasyan told Nyut.am.

According to him, if to take into account the circumstance that the
government has not implemented any of its programs fully, except some
sectors, the government has failed. The republic has reached negative
economic results during the activity of this government.

Speaking about the march-rally against compulsory pension system
scheduled for January 18, the ARF-D MP said that certain details
have been discussed with the “Against compulsory pension system”
initiative. Four opposition factions will participate in the rally to
reaffirm their consent with the civic rebellion. This unity will give
an opportunity to focus the attention of the Constitutional Court to
the controversial provisions of the law and annul it.

“Besides, there are other initiatives as well which are in the phase
of discussion,” Minasyan said, stressing that they are going to make
analyses and forward their approaches.

ARF-D MP said he hopes many people will gather on January 18 and the
demands of the people will be more clear and targeted.

Nyut.am

From: A. Papazian

ARMEN ASHOTYAN: THERE ARE NO PREREQUISITES FOR ROBERT KOCHARYAN’S POLITICAL COMEBACK

by Nana Martirosyan

ARMINFO
Wednesday, January 15, 15:42

There are no prerequisites for Robert Kocharyan’s political comeback,
Armenia’s Education and Science Minister Armen Ashotyan said on
Wednesday.

“Kocharyan said that he will come back if the country faces a crisis,
if the people asks him to and if he decides to do it. The first two
ifs are not present, as regards the last one, I’m not sure. None
of the parties he supports has managed to weaken the current Prime
Minister and the President. So, if Kocharyan decides to come back,
they will hardly be able to help him,” Ashotyan said.

In his interview to 2rd.am, former President of Armenia Robert
Kocharyan slated current Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan and
urged him to work instead of blaming his predecessors.

From: A. Papazian

EVERY 16TH WOMAN IN ARMENIA SUFFERS FROM BREAST CANCER

January 15, 14:45

Every 16th woman in Armenia suffers from breast cancer. These are
the findings of Armenian-American Wellness Center (AAWC), stated by
the head of the center Khachanush Hakobyan at a press conference on
January 15.

According to her, the center acceptsdaily 150 patients, annually –
35000-36000. During the 17 years of its existence the center had 325
164 patients, 182831 of them for breast testing, and 8000 of those
women had breast cancer. Doctor Hakobyan noted that the incidence of
cancer has increased, but has also increased the number of appeals
to the center, which is a result of their ongoing work on awareness
of the citizens.

The head of the center also told, that their employees permanently
carry out site visits in rural areas. The highest percentage of breast
cancer, according to the Center, was recorded in Gegharkunik region.

Doctor Hakobyan noted, that Armenians and Jews are most often affected
by breast cancer before the age of 25. The explanation for this, like
in case of Yerevan disease, is the genetic factor. The youngest patient
of the center, who was diagnosed breast center is a 16-years old girl.

And yet, according to the head of department of radiology AAWC
Ani Hakobyan, the target group is women 35 – 60 years old. They
should undergo mammogram once a year. Women below 35 can undergo
sonographicstudy.

From: A. Papazian

VICTORY FOR CIVIL SOCIETY?: FAMILY, ACTIVISTS ASCRIBE REMOVAL OF BAN ON VISITING JAILED PROTEST LEADER TO THEIR STRUGGLE

HUMAN RIGHTS | 15.01.14 | 16:13

Photolure

By GAYANE MKRTCHYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter

The investigative body has lifted the ban to visit nationalist
“Tseghakron” party’s jailed leader Shant Harutyunyan and his 13
friends, and as a result Harutyunyan’s wife and son were able to see
him at the prison hospital.

Harutyunyan’s wife Ruzan Badalyan says she has no clue why the ban has
been lifted and was caught by surprise, since law enforcement bodies
have not offered any explanation on the sudden “change of heart”.

“I guess it is the result of our fight. At least, I believe so,”
she says.

Harutyunyna, along with 13 supporters, were taken under arrest after
the November 5 clash between the police and a group of demonstrators
on Mashtots avenue, downtown Yerevan. Late last year their custody
was extended for two more months. Harutyunyan and the others are
accused of using dangerous and non-dangerous violence against an
authority representative. Before the march of November 5, seen as
a civil rebellion attempt, Harutyunyan had gone on a sitting strike
for several days in Liberty Square with a slogan “I want a revolution”.

Human rights advocate Artur Sakunts, Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly
Vandazor office leader, told ArmeniaNow that the ban to visit has
been waved due to civil society demands.

“We were rightfully believing that the ban on visits had no legal
ground and that idea was in the basis of active civil involvement,
hence we were demanding annulling that illegal decision, which has
been achieved,” says Sakunts.

Harutyunyan was transferred to the prison hospital after a two-week
hunger strike which led to his poor health condition; he stopped the
strike at hospital.

On January 1 his supporters held an action of protest and a march
demanding the release of the jailed activists. Earlier, on December
30, at “Barekamutyun” subway station an unidentified person used
violence against Harutyunyan’s teenage son Shahen Harutyunyan, 14,
and his friends when they were distributing flyers informing of the
protest scheduled for January 1.

Human rights activists and oppositionists claim that Harutyunyan and
his friends are classical political prisoners. They view the extended
custody and ban on visits for family members as violations of human
rights, a punishment for dissidence.

Helsinki Committee of Armenia chairman Avetik Ishkhanyan, who has
visited Harutyunyan for a few times, told ArmeniaNow that “his calls
claiming they possessed petrol bottles proved to be merely rhetorical,
as no weapon was found, they were unarmed, even the wooden sticks they
had was no weapon, just symbolic, it was a peaceful march and if the
police did not interfere and refrained from violence, it would have
been a peaceful march only.”

Prosecutor General Gevorg Kostanyan has stated that like any other
citizen Harutyunyan will be held liable for his actions if the court
finds him guilty.

Sakunts says imprisonment as a means of constraint applied to
Harutyunyan and his supporters has to be changes as there are no
grounds to believe either he or his friends might influence the
preliminary investigation.

“Neither should it be applied to witnesses or victims, that’s absurd,
they are both witnesses and victims. Let a pledge to not leave the
city be used as a measure of restraint,” he says.

From: A. Papazian

CONGRESSMAN TO FOSTER US TIES WITH ARMENIA AND KARABAKH

13:28, 15 January, 2014

YEREVAN, JANUARY 15, ARMENPRES: The US Congressman Gus Bilirakis
assured the Armenian community that he will continue to strengthen the
relations between the US and Armenia and US and the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic, as well as act in favor of the development of the economic
and strategic partnership between the three countries.

“You may be certain that I will continue working with my partners
at the Congress to help forming the US policy in Armenia and
Karabakh. Moreover, I will pass your enthusiasm in the strengthening of
the Armenian-US relations to my colleagues”, – the Greek Congressman
addressed the Armenian community members, Armenpress reports, citing
the Armenian National Committee of America.

Bilirakis has always supported the issues related to Armenia and
Artsakh. “I am proud to have supported the bill 227 devoted to the
memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide. I signed several
letters at the Congress directed to the former and current US
presidents, calling to recognize the Armenian Genocide and respect
the memory of the victims”, – stated Gus Bilirakis.

From: A. Papazian

REVUE DE PRESSE N1 – 15/01/14 – COLLECTIF VAN

Publie le : 15-01-2014

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN [Vigilance
Armenienne contre le Negationnisme] vous propose une revue de presse
des informations parues dans la presse francophone, sur les thèmes
concernant la Turquie, le genocide armenien, la Shoah, le genocide
des Tutsi, le Darfour, le negationnisme, l’Union europeenne, Chypre,
etc… Nous vous suggerons egalement de prendre le temps de lire ou
de relire les informations et traductions mises en ligne dans notre
rubrique Par
ailleurs, certains articles en anglais, allemand, turc, etc, ne sont
disponibles que dans la newsletter Word que nous generons chaque jour.

Pour la recevoir, abonnez-vous a la Veille-Media : c’est gratuit !

Vous recevrez le document du lundi au vendredi dans votre boîte email.

Bonne lecture.

Ce que survivre veut dire : après le genocide armenien, la Shoah et
Hiroshima Info Collectif VAN – – “Un symposium
sur le sens lie au statut de survivant, qui reunissait d’eminents
chercheurs dans ce domaine – Peter Balakian, Robert Jay Lifton et
Marianne Hirsch, s’est tenu a l’universite Columbia, mercredi 4
decembre dernier, dans le cadre d’une manifestation organisee par
le Centre Armenien de cette meme universite”. Le Collectif VAN vous
invite a lire la traduction de Georges Festa d’un article en anglais de
Taleen Babayan publie sur le site The Armenian Mirror-Spectator, mise
en ligne sur le site Armenian Trends – Mes Armenies le 14 janvier 2014.

Un “islam turc” contre l’islamisme ?

Info Collectif VAN – – “Dans un contexte
aussi lourd que celui de l’ete et de l’automne 2012, avec ces procès
politiques a repetition, est-il possible parler sereinement d’un debat
sur la langue dans la pratique religieuse ? La repression bat son plein
contre les Kurdes, les intellectuels de gauche, les journalistes, les
etudiants. Les nouvelles de la Syrie voisine sont deprimantes. Nous
essayons d’informer et d’agir pour nos amis turcs tandis que chaque
jour nous nous demandons ce que deviennent ceux que nous avons connus
a Alep et Damas”. Le Collectif VAN vous propose cet article d’Etienne
Copeaux publie sur son blog susam-sokak.fr.

Presse armenienne : Revue du 14 janvier 2014 Info Collectif VAN
– – “Selon Haykakan Jamanak, le directeur du
Service de securite nationale a sollicite 65 000 euros du Gouvernement
armenien pour que celui-ci couvre les depenses de transport de la base
militaire russe stationnee a Gumri et des gardes-frontières russes
stationnes le long de la frontière armeno-turque”. Le Collectif VAN
vous presente cette Revue de Presse parue sur le site de l’Ambassade
de France en Armenie le 14 janvier 2014.

Article du journal franco-turc Zaman – 15/01/2014 – 2 Le Collectif
VAN relaye ici les articles du journal franco-turc Zaman (equivalent
du Today’s Zaman en langue anglaise, diffuse en Turquie).

Attention : ces articles ne sont pas commentes de notre part. Il s’agit
pour l’essentiel de traductions des versions turque et anglaise du
Zaman, journal proche du parti au pouvoir (AKP). “Après avoir limoge
et reaffecte près de 2000 chefs et officiers de police au sein des
departements de lutte contre la contrebande, le delit financier,
le crime organise, l’espionnage et le terrorisme dans 50 provinces
turques, le ministère de l’Interieur a approuve de nouvelles listes
de policiers cibles par ces “restructurations”.”

Erdogan esquisse un pas en arrière Le Premier ministre turc, Recep
Tayyip Erdogan, a annonce, hier, etre pret a revenir sur sa reforme
judiciaire controversee “si l’opposition accepte des changements
constitutionnels sur cette question”. Le projet, destine a renforcer
le contrôle de l’executif sur le judiciaire, a provoque l’ire de
l’opposition et des magistrats, qui accusent Erdogan de vouloir
etouffer l’enquete menacant le regime.

La Terre de Feu adhère a la Reconnaissance du Genocide Armenien
“La province la plus meridionale de l’Argentine et du monde adhère
a la reconnaissance du Genocide Armenien”, a souligne le Conseil
National Armenien d”Amerique du Sud. Le Genocide Armenien, aussi
appele holocauste armenien, s’est traduit par la deportation forcee
et l’extermination d’un nombre indetermine de civils armeniens,
representant entre un million et demi et deux millions de personnes,
sur ordre du gouvernement des Jeunes Turcs dans l’Empire ottoman,
de 1915 a 1923.

Le president turc appelle le gouvernement a reajuster sa politique
syrienne Le president turc Abdullah Gul a indique mardi que son pays
devrait reajuster sa politique syrienne face a la situation actuelle,
a rapporte le site web local Hurriyet Daily News. “Un esprit collectif,
le dialogue et l’empathie sont la cle pour resoudre a la fois les
questions nationales et internationales. De ce fait, je crois que nous
devrions re-calibrer notre diplomatie et nos politiques de securite
vis-a-vis de la Syrie etant donne les faits dans le sud de notre pays
…” a declare Gul.

Article du journal franco-turc Zaman – 15/01/2014 – 1 Le Collectif
VAN relaye ici les articles du journal franco-turc Zaman (equivalent
du Today’s Zaman en langue anglaise, diffuse en Turquie).

Attention : ces articles ne sont pas commentes de notre part. Il s’agit
pour l’essentiel de traductions des versions turque et anglaise du
Zaman, journal proche du parti au pouvoir (AKP). “A Bruxelles, les
critiques se multiplient a l’encontre de la Turquie depuis le debut
de l’affaire de corruption”.

Turquie: une ONG visee par une operation de police contre al-Qaïda Au
moins 25 arrestations ont ete operees ce mardi dans une demi-douzaine
de provinces de Turquie lors d’une vaste operation de police visant a
demanteler une filière locale d’al-Qaïda, et des reseaux de soutien aux
groupes lies a al-Qaïda en Syrie. Parmi les suspects, des responsables
d’une organisation humanitaire turque qui a ete recemment associee
a une nebuleuse affaire de trafic d’armes vers la Syrie.

Raid antiterroriste en Turquie: cinq arrestations La police
antiterroriste turque a mene des raids dans six villes du pays mardi,
arretant au moins cinq personnes qui seraient liees a Al-Qaïda,
dont un employe d’une organisation de charite islamique qui fournit
de l’aide en Syrie, ont rapporte des medias et des responsables.

Retour a la rubrique

From: A. Papazian

LA TURQUIE REFUTE LES DECLARATIONS DE L’UE QUANT A SON ENQUETE SUR LA CORRUPTION

TURQUIE

Le ministre turc des Affaires europeennes Mevlut Cavusoglu a refute les
remarques recentes de l’Union europeenne (UE) concernant l’enquete
sur la corruption en Turquie, les qualifiant de “precipitees et
d’unilaterales,” a rapporte le media local Today’s Zaman.

Il etait injuste que l’UE fasse des remaques unilaterales sur l’enquete
en cours concernant la corruption en Turquie, a declare le ministre
turc, ajoutant qu’il n’y avait nul besoin d’etre preoccupe par le
respect du règne du droit en Turquie.

Les remarques de M. Cavusoglu viennent quelques jours après la mise
en garde de l’UE, demandant au gouvernement turc de ne pas ebranler
le système judiciaire pendant qu’il procède a son enquete.

L’UE a lance des avertissements au gouvernement turc a quatre reprises
en trois semaines depuis que le scandale de corruption a eclate le
17 decembre.

Le 17 decembre, plus de 80 personnes, dont des hommes d’affaires
celèbres proches du Premier ministre Recep Tayyip Erdogan ainsi
que les fils de trois ministres, ont ete detenus dans le cadre de
l’enquete sur les allegations de fraudes et de corruption.

Peu de temps après, le ministre de l’Environnement Erdogan Bayaktar,
le ministre de l’Interieur Muammer Guler et le ministre de l’Economie
Zafer Caglayan ont annonce leur demission et le Premier ministre
Erdogan a initie un important remaniement ministeriel.

mercredi 15 janvier 2014, Stephane ©armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

VIVES CRITIQUES DE BAGDAD CONCERNANT DES VENTES DE PETROLE PAR LE KURDISTAN

KURDISTAN

(AFP) – Le ministère irakien du petrole a vivement critique vendredi
la decision de la region autonome du Kurdistan de vendre son petrole,
estimant qu’il s’agissait d’une violation de la Constitution et
l’assimilant a de la contrebande.

Le communique a ete publie après l’annonce par les autorites kurdes
de leurs premières exportations de petrole vers la Turquie, d’autres
devant suivre.

Un bras de fer oppose depuis des mois le gouvernement central a la
region autonome du Kurdistan sur la gestion des ressources naturelles.

La decision du Kurdistan de vendre le brut exporte vers la Turquie est
“consideree (…) comme une violation flagrante de la Constitution
irakienne”, a annonce le ministère du Petrole dans un communique.

L’Organisation nationale du marche petrolier “est le seul et unique
organisme officiel autorise a conclure des contrats pour l’exportation
de ressources en hydrocarbures, dont le petrole et le gaz”, a rappele
le ministère.

Toutes autres exportations sont “considerees comme de la ‘contrebande
de petrole’, en violation de la legislation en vigueur”, a ajoute le
ministère, tout en critiquant Ankara pour avoir facilite l’initiative
kurde.

La region autonome du Kurdistan avait annonce en debut de semaine le
“debut de la vente de son premier chargement de petrole exporte via
le nouveau oleoduc de la region du Kurdistan a travers la Turquie
vers le port (turc) de Ceyhan”.

La vente des deux premiers millions de barils de brut doit intervenir
d’ici fin janvier, et d’autres vont suivre.

Le gouvernement regional kurde considère que le petrole et le gaz
produits dans cette region sont la propriete du Kurdistan irakien et
cherche a exporter ce petrole sans passer par les autorites federales
de Bagdad.

De son côte, le gouvernement central estime que l’energie produite
dans toutes les regions d’Irak appartient au pays tout entier.

Le Kurdistan irakien, qui jouit d’une importante autonomie et dispose
de ses propres forces de securite, gouvernement et drapeau, s’est
egalement attire les foudres de Bagdad pour avoir signe des contrats
avec des firmes energetiques etrangères.

Outre le different sur le petrole, un conflit territorial oppose
la region du nord de l’Irak au gouvernement central. Ces differends
constituent, selon les diplomates, la principale menace a long terme
pour la stabilite du pays.

mercredi 15 janvier 2014, Stephane ©armenews.com

From: A. Papazian