Author: Andres-Papazian

PRESIDENT OF NGO. PROTESTS AND HYSTERIA HAS BEEN STARTED IN ARMENIA BY RUSSIAN PROJECT

October 17 2013

President of “Public Information and Need of Knowledge” (PINK Armenia)
NGO Mamikon Hovsepyan assures that the law on “Equal rights and
equal opportunities for women and men” has nothing to do with sexual
minorities. “Every man understands that the law is about equality
between men and women, and as for the remaining scandals and hysteria,
protests are Russian projects. All of these texts, which are now in
circulation, can be found in stopgender.ru website. All countries that
are in the phase of initialing or signing the Association Agreement
are saying the same thing”, – said Mamikon Hovsepyan to Aravot.am. He
believes that those complaining about this law are pro-Russian and
guided by Russia. “The speculators of this law are actually against
equality of men and women, they want women to have the status of
a slave to men. Therefore, they are looking for dirt and words to
manipulate and speculate. The hatred against sexual minorities is
coming from the Soviet times, erroneous stereotypes and notions.”

According to the president of the NGO, those groups that are trying
to add aggression and fear, to arouse hostility within the scandalous
law, are just criminals. “They will not get consoled on removing the
word gender because they are against equality, they want a man to rule
over. “Gender is the role that we learn. A small child that is born,
he is still not a man, he does not behave as a man, in the process he
is learning from adults, father, brother as to how to behave himself,
in other words he acquires the masculine gender. Now, these brain
launderers try to distract people on the idea that a woman can become
a man, and vice versa. They take everything and turn on transgenders.

Transgender is a minority group who understand not in the lifetime,
but by birth that their gender does not match the role that they
consider theirs. But gender is a wide term and has nothing to do
with sexual orientation that they are trying to distort. Transgenders
understand since childhood that they do not accept their gender and
body.” As per Mamikon, there will be serious complications if the
word gender is removed from the law. “There are gender stereotypes,
gender discrimination, if the word gender is removed, how these
phrases will be explained: a man woman stereotypes? The word gender
has always been in the public documents and in the laws. It is not
a novelty, simply the time came, it was an order that this hysteria
has to start in Armenia, people’s heads need to be washed. They are
fascinated with sex a lot, they related everything with sex. They
are giving false information as if blowing condoms are taught in
the European schools and thus teaching them how to use condoms. I am
sorry, which full-aged man notices that blowing a condom shows how to
use condoms. Now, they imagine homosexuals in the law on equality of
rights between men and women.” The president of the NGO is sure that
the complaints against obstreperous law will end in Putin’s order.

Arpine SIMONYAN

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From: A. Papazian

AT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN GEORGIA, THE VOTES OF THE ARMENIAN COMMUNITY WILL SPLIT

October 17 2013

The head of the Assembly of Tbilisi Armenians Arnold Stepanian thinks
that it is the first time that there will be no big difference between
the votes of presidential candidates. Presidential elections in Georgia
will be held on October 27. The Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili is
confident that Giorgi Margvelashvili representing the ruling party
“Georgian Dream” does not have a real opponent. Still a month ago,
according to the social surveys, Margvelashvilii’s rating was over
50 percent. A persistent struggle was going on for the second place
between President Mikheil Saakashvili’s fellow, former speaker of
parliament David Bakradze and Nino Burjanadze, who was also a speaker
of parliament in 2001-2008, before Bakradze. Aravot asked the head
of the Assembly of Tbilisi Armenians, Chairman of “Multinational
Georgia” civil movement Arnold Stepanian civic movement to describe
the pre-election situation in Georgia, and the campaign held by main
candidate regarding the issues of ethnic minorities. Our interlocutor
said that three parties are paying attention to this issue and are
working with ethnic minorities: Bidzina Ivanishvili’s “Georgian Dream”,
Mikheil Saakashvili’s “United National Movement” and Nino Burjanadze’s
“Democratic Movement”. He noted that it is the first time that all
three main parties visited the places where ethnic minorities are
inhabited, and not the pocket opposition, in other words, the main
competitors value the issue of ethnic minorities, and a free atmosphere
is established in the campaign for their participation. In response to
our question whether Georgia’s Armenian community has already decided
in favor of which presidential candidate to vote, Arnold Stepanian
said that it is hard to give a definite answer. “The parties are not
so actively disseminating their platform in the regions in Armenian
language, especially in Javakheti. And in Tbilisi, in my opinion,
the votes of the Armenian community will split, because about 60
percent of Tbilisi Armenians are led by social problems, they are
less interested in the platforms of the candidates regarding the
ethnic minorities. The other part will vote in favor of the “Georgian
Dream”, another part in favor of Burjanadze. In other words, each of
the three political parties have their supporters among the Armenian
electorates. It is too early to speak about percentage ratio, but I
think that there will not be huge differences between the numbers of
votes. There is more interesting situation in Javakheti. In order to
enjoy the trust of the population, here, in addition to social issues,
the candidates should pay attention to the national-cultural issues.

To this respect, both, the authorities and the opposition conduct
actions.” Arnold Stepanian predicts that it is the first time that
there will be no big difference between the votes of presidential
candidates. At the press conference, on October 15, N. Burjanadze
stated that she knows how to regulate the relations with Russia, and
she has that much will to do it. We asked Arnold Stepanian whether
the dynamics of positive changes in Russian-Georgian relations will
be continued as a result of the upcoming elections, our interlocutor
first of all reminded that the complications in Russian-Georgian
relations are so deep that it was not possible to regulate them in
a few months, if there are no serious compromises. “No one of the
parties is ready for seriously compromises, currently the processes of
approaching each other, and examining the attitudes as to which side
and how much is ready to concede are underway. On the other hand,
the RF is putting forward a variety of topics, which will enable to
enter into a “trade” in the future: the opening of a Russian market
for Georgian goods, which is a constant subject of blackmail. Thus,
the parties are getting ready for the “trade”, and review of attitudes,
and I think that the position of the Russian side in that “trade” is
stronger than of the Georgian side.” Our interlocutor did not agree
that essentially nothing has been done in the process of regulation of
Russian-Georgian relations. In his opinion, the fact that the RF is
opening a market for Georgian goods, is quite remarkable fact first
and foremost for the farmers, the presence of Russian tourists is
important for the economy of Georgia, and the fact that they spend
enough money in Georgia. “But, anyway, the price is very expensive,
our territories are still occupied, and displacement of columns
takes place in those territories on daily base, along the whole
borderline, in the villages. This is understandable, because now,
it’s not about the war. Here, Burjanadze’s statement was remarkable
that she is ready to regulate the Russian-Georgian relations. But
if she was able to solve it, I think, she could have done some moves
before the elections. And if she can solve, there would be stimulus
from the Russian side, if she is the candidate who can do it, while
there was no response from the Russian side. So, I am inclined to
believe that it was a political speculation,” said Arnold Stepanian.

Emma GABRIELYAN

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From: A. Papazian

NURNBERG FOR KRIVOPUSKOV

Victor Krivopuskov, a Russian embassy official, is going to organize
an Armenian-Russian scientific forum. Science is commendable, of
course, but if science in Armenia is being dealt with by a person
who used to deal with chasing Armenians of Artsakh 23 years ago,
something is wrong.

This is the same Krivopuskov, who was one of the commanders of the
Soviet OMON involved in the “passport regime” against the Armenian
population in Artsakh two decades ago.

Everyone who had to deal with it or learned from daily news will tell
what the” passport regime” in Artsakh was and what mission the Soviet
OMON carried out there. The passport regime was a psychological attack
with physical interventions against the Armenian population of Artsakh.

The Soviet OMON disarmed Artsakh for Azerbaijan, intimidated Armenians,
tried to eliminate all the hotbeds of possible resistance.

It failed. Or succeeded partly when the people of Artsakh learned from
tangible losses that reliance on the Russian brotherhood intensifies
the consequences of the Azerbaijani cruelty, leads to territorial
and human losses, so they should rely on themselves.

And now the person who used to be one of the commanders of
Soviet-Russian offenders is pretending to be Armenia’s friend. In
addition, he does not seem to have apologized for his actions in
Artsakh or for the activities of the agency he used to head.

On the other hand, who cares for his apology and the apology of
all those people who used to act against the Armenian population
of Artsakh? There was a time when these people were destroyed. Now
time has changed, and it has been over a decade that people to whom
national interest and dignity are convertible values make decisions.

Therefore, Krivopuskov stays in Armenia for years, whereas he should
have no right to appear in Armenia at all or once he appears, he
should be held responsible for everything that took place during the
“passport regime” under his supervision. And not only him but also
everyone who acted against the Armenian interests.

In fact, independent Armenia needs a “Nurnberg” with at least distance
verdicts, not necessarily a capital punishment but for most of those
people it would be hard to think of a milder one, given what they
did against the Armenians of Artsakh.

However, the Armenian Nurnberg did not take place because, perhaps,
such proceedings would reveal also interesting layers on the Armenian
side, unmask the Armenian partners of the Soviet Russian OMON. It
could be lustration for independent Armenia.

Meanwhile, lustration has never been an attractive idea over the
past 22 years of independence of Armenia, and one of the key reasons
for that was over the past 22 years of independence Armenia has not
become vitally attractive for its citizens.

Hakob Badalyan 16:52 17/10/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA MAY BECOME A KEY COUNTRY FOR ARGENTINA TO WIN NEW MARKETS IN THE REGION

YEREVAN, October 17. / ARKA /. Armenia may become a key country for
Argentina to win new markets in the region, Beatrice Paglieri, the
head of the foreign trade secretariat of the Ministry of Economy of
Argentina, told ARKA.

She said by saying ‘region’ she means the countries of Europe and
Russia. She said also Argentina is known as a manufacturer of food
products, biotechnology, nuclear energy and mining sector products.

‘Argentina has a big enough export potential, and we are developing
a joint action plan with Armenia, which will be beneficial to both
sides enabling cooperation in various fields,” said Paglieri.

The first three-day Armenian- Argentinean business forum has kicked off
today in Yerevan and will run through October 19. Argentinean business
people representing pharmaceuticals, textile and meat businesses have
arrived in Armenia to take part in it. The event was initiated by the
Armenian Development Agency (ADA) in cooperation with the embassy of
Argentina in Armenia.

According to the National Statistical Service of Armenia, Argentina
was the largest foreign investor in the Armenian real economy sector
in the first half of this year ($76 million), more than a ten times
increase from the year before. Moreover, FDI from Argentina increased
by 67.2 % to $8.2 million.

The bulk of investments ($ 72.3 million) went to air transport,
$565,000 to construction and $3.3 million to crop production and
cattle breeding. -0-

– See more at:

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA AND ARGENTINA MAY SET UP JOINT TEXTILE COMPANY- ADA

YEREVAN, October 17. / ARKA /. The head of the Armenian Development
Agency (ADA) Robert Harutyunyan told reporters today that Armenia
and Argentina may establish a joint textile company in the near future.

He said the parties had conducted some talks and are expected to sum
up their results in a couple of months.

Armenian textile products are already exported to Argentina, but in
very small quantities.

According to Harutyunyan, the statistics show that exports from
Armenia to Argentina are very small, and therefore the main objective
of the ADA is to find new ways to take Armenian goods to the Argentine
market .

According to the National Statistical Service of Armenia, Argentina
was the largest foreign investor in the Armenian real economy sector
in the first half of this year ($76 million), more than a ten times
increase from the year before. Moreover, FDI from Argentina increased
by 67.2 % to $8.2 million.

The bulk of investments ($ 72.3 million) went to air transport,
$565,000 to construction and $3.3 million to crop production and
cattle breeding. -0-

– See more at:

From: A. Papazian

A BRUXELLES, LA FONDATION BOGHOSSIAN SE PENCHE SUR LA RECONSTRUCTION DU DIALOGUE TURCO-ARMENIEN

REVUE DE PRESSE

Colloque

Une quinzaine d’experts venus de plusieurs pays se sont recemment
reunis le temps d’une journee riche en temoignages et en informations.

” Reconstruire le dialogue memoriel : l’exemple turco-armenien ” est
le thème developpe lors des rencontres internationales organisees a
la Villa Empain, siège bruxellois de la Fondation Boghossian. Dans le
hall tout en marbre de ce somptueux cadre, fleuron du patrimoine Art
deco belge, la journee a ete riche en informations, en interventions
et en temoignages. La thematique du dialogue turco-armenien a ete
abordee par une quinzaine d’intervenants, professeurs, chercheurs,
journalistes, ecrivains, artistes, venant de Belgique, mais aussi
de France, de Suisse, de Turquie, du Canada, et s’est declinee sur
3 grands axes : la dualite Turquie-Armenie ; la constructions des
identites ; l’art et la memoire.

En ouverture de cette journee de rencontres, Albert Boghossian,
tresorier et membre fondateur de la fondation, a rendu hommage a
Edouard Jakhian, ” Armenien de Bruxelles “, grand humaniste belge
d’origine armenienne decede en mai dernier. M. Boghossian a rappele
que le genocide armenien de 1915 demeurait ” une plaie ouverte car
non reconnu “, et a lance les debats en se demandant pourquoi ce
genocide demeurait conteste par la Turquie.

Evelyne de Mevius, jeune doctorante, dont le memoire de philosophie
” L’Ethique reconstructive a l’epreuve du genocide des Armeniens
” a ete publie aux editions Boghossian, a aborde la question de la
reconnaissance du genocide armenien par le biais du prisme de l’ethique
reconstructive qui implique une relecture en profondeur du recit
permettant de ” lever le destin ” tragique de la relation entre Turcs
et Armeniens. Elle a rappele, en exergue, ce que soutenait Edouard
Jakhian : ” La fille ou le fils de la victime demeurera la victime ;
la fille ou le fils du bourreau n’est pas le bourreau ” ; Jakhian,
qui se battait pour la reconnaissance du genocide armenien, mais
qui n’en cherchait pas moins a retrouver les ” justes ” de Turquie,
ces femmes et ces hommes qui ont aide a sauver des vies armeniennes
pendant ces sombres heures de l’histoire, et a leur rendre hommage. ”
100 annees n’auront pas permis de soulager la memoire meurtrie du
peuple armenien et d’ebranler l’armure negationniste qui empeche le
peuple turc de reconnaître cette page noire de son histoire, a-t-elle
rappele. Seule la reconnaissance de ce drame pourrait apaiser,
d’un côte comme de l’autre, le rapport conflictuel que ces peuples
entretiennent avec leur passe et entre eux. ”

Dualite Turquie-Armenie

La dualite Turquie-Armenie, debats modere par le journaliste radio
belge Eddy Caekelberghs, a aborde la question par le biais historique.

C’est Olivier Mongin, directeur de la revue Esprit, qui a rappele les
differentes etapes de la reconnaissance du genocide des Armeniens,
a travers cinq sequences, dont la première se situe au milieu des
annees soixante, avec une première evocation visible et commemorative
du cinquantenaire du genocide ; et la dernière, la periode 2009/2010,
avec l’initiative turque d’une petition qui reclame l’ouverture d’un
dialogue sur la question du genocide des Armeniens.

Michel Marian, maître de conferences a l’Institut d’etudes politiques
de Paris, et Ahmet Insel, professeur a l’Universite de Galatasaray
et maitre de conferences a Paris I, ont detaille ” Le tabou armenien “.

Pour le premier, la Turquie est victime d’une veritable amnesie de
fait sur la question armenienne, amnesie provoquee aussi bien par le
faible nombre d’Armeniens vivant encore en Turquie, et particulièrement
en Anatolie (region d’où ont ete expulses et massacres 1,5 million
d’Armeniens), que par la coupure que revendiquent les Turcs entre
la Turquie d’aujourd’hui et l’Empire ottoman a la fin duquel a ete
perpetre le genocide. Pour Ahmet Insel, depuis 20 ans, les choses
ont evolue et il y a de ” relatifs facteurs d’optimisme “, notamment
depuis la petition de 2008, signee par 30 000 a 40 000 personnes et
qui marque le premier acte de demande de pardon de citoyens turcs a
leurs concitoyens armeniens ” non pas sur le genocide lui-meme, mais
sur l’oubli, le deni de ce genocide et les actions discriminatoires
qui en ont decoule “. La question du retour des Armeniens en Turquie
commence a etre abordee, affirme le chercheur, et les Armeniens sont
autorises a venir ” visiter ” la terre de leurs ancetres, notamment
dans la region d’Anatolie.

Cependant, la question de la propriete, notamment des nombreuses
terres appartenant aux Armeniens et spoliees, reste taboue. ” Une
circulaire interdit d’acceder aux registres du cadastre d’avant 1924
afin de proteger la securite de l’Etat. Et aucun travail de recherche
historique ne peut se faire sur cette tradition de saisine des biens
immobiliers “, precise Ahmet Insel. ” Aujourd’hui, la societe turque a
peur d’etre chassee d’Anatolie, ces terres mal acquises. Nous sommes
dans l’idee illusoire d’une societe turque homogène. Sans memoire
equitable, pas de memoire apaisee. La question armenienne doit faire
partie du processus de democratisation de la societe turque. ” Et
d’insister : ” La question armenienne reviendra comme un boomerang a la
figure de la Turquie tant que celle-ci n’aura pas fait son travail de
memoire. L’identite turque s’est construite sur la negation de l’autre,
sa disparition. Reconnaître ce genocide equivaudrait a se deconstruire,
se nier soi-meme “, d’où la difficulte de cette reconnaissance.

Guillaume Perrier, correspondant du quotidien Le Monde a Istanbul,
est le coauteur d’une enquete sur ” La Turquie et le fantôme armenien
“, menee depuis 2004 et les debats sur l’adhesion de la Turquie a
l’Union europeenne. ” La tentative d’effacer la memoire armenienne est
un echec. L’armenite existe, la memoire s’est transmise par l’oralite.

Quand on s’arrete dans les villages d’Anatolie, la memoire emerge
a travers la memoire cachee, les mensonges, meme le negationnisme
d’Etat. ” Et de raconter l’histoire du palais presidentiel a Ankara,
cense avoir ete achete a une famille armenienne, mais qui en realite –
des documents en attestent – a ete spolie et offert a Ataturk en 1921.

Dans d’autres villes, un veritable travail de rafraîchissement de la
memoire est en cours, a souligne le journaliste. ” La question des
“justes”, qui est une realite de tout genocide, commence a emerger.

Des responsables politiques locaux rendent hommage a des hommes turcs
qui ont sauve des vies armeniennes. C’est une cle qui peut etre donnee
aux Turcs afin qu’ils aillent vers cette memoire. ”

Hamit Bozarslan, directeur d’etude a l’Ehess (Ecole des hautes etudes
en sciences sociales) et specialiste du Moyen-Orient, s’est demande
pourquoi le negationnisme se maintient alors que les informations
tendent de plus a plus a prouver sa realite. ” Car nous sommes dans
le cas d’un crime fondateur, a-t-il affirme, un crime sur lequel
s’est construit le pays. Les cadres qui ont mene le genocide ont ete
tous dans les instances dirigeantes du pays jusque dans les annees
soixante. La bureaucratie du genocide a ete entièrement nommee par
le parti kemaliste, d’où la continuite organique de l’Etat. Et les
contestations actuelles place Taksim ont montre la vivacite des
courants qui secouent aujourd’hui la Turquie. “.

Raymond Kevorkian, historien et directeur de la Revue d’histoire
armenienne contemporaine, a releve une singularite sur cette question
du genocide des Armeniens : les elites Jeunes Turcs et les elites
armeniennes etaient unies par des liens d’amitie. ” Ce sont deux
identites nationales qui etaient au depart parties pour construire
un Etat commun. ” Cette donnee historique et la trahison qui en a
decoule pourraient expliquer en partie l’impossibilite des autorites
turques a reconnaitre le genocide.

L’art et la memoire…

Après la pause dejeuner, les debats se sont orientes sur un axe
plus philosophique a travers la thematique de la construction et
la reconstruction des identites. Jean-Marc Ferry, titulaire de la
chaire de philosophie de l’Europe a l’Universite de Nantes, a cherche
a repondre a deux questions qui resument bien la difficulte du debat :
pourquoi est-il si difficile d’amorcer le processus de reconstruction
? Que signifie pratiquement reconstruire une relation brisee ? Valerie
Rosoux, licenciee en philosophie et docteure en sciences politiques,
a detaille les conditions qu’il faudrait reunir pour la reconciliation
: retablir la confiance, retablir la verite.

La journee s’est clôturee par des interventions autour de ” L’art et
la memoire “. Moderee par Diane Hennebert, chargee de la direction
de la Fondation Boghossian, cette dernière partie a regroupe des
temoignages d’artistes ou de journalistes d’origine armenienne, tels
Caroline Safarian, comedienne et ecrivaine belge, ou Antoine Agoudjian,
photographe francais. Memoire, transmission, des thèmes abordes
avec des sensibilites et des approches differentes, mais tout aussi
enrichissantes. Mehmet Koksal, journaliste belge d’origine turque,
a apporte sa pierre a cet edifice en racontant les enquetes qui l’ont
mene a ecrire de nombreux articles sur les pressions exercees par le
lobby negationniste turc en Belgique.

La place et le travail des associations n’ont pas ete en reste,
puisque Sibel Asna et Arsinee Khanjian ont chacune detaille les actions
portees par la Fondation Hrant Dink a Istanbul et l’Institut Zoryan
a Toronto. Pour memoire, la Fondation Hrant Dink a ete creee en 2007
et porte le nom du journaliste turco-armenien assassine en janvier de
cette meme annee. Cette structure milite a travers ses actions pour la
liberte d’expression, le dialogue multiculturel et la paix. L’Institut
Zoryan a pour objectif l’etude des genocides et des droits de l’homme.

Avec ces journees, la Fondation Boghossian, centre de dialogue entre
les cultures d’Orient et d’Occident, n’en est pas a son coup d’essai.

L’annee dernière a la meme epoque, c’est Platon et l’Orient qui etaient
aux programme avec banquet platonicien. Les prochains RDV devraient
avoir pour thematique les periples (decembre 2013) et le sacrifice
(printemps 2014).

Tous les intervenants ont souligne l’importance de l’annee 2015, annee
de la commemoration du centenaire du genocide, notant que toutes les
options restaient ouvertes. Annee d’ouverture ou de rigidification,
l’avenir seul le dira.

jeudi 17 octobre 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA’S PREMIER: ARMENIA IS INTERESTED IN USING OF FINLAND’S EXPERIENCE IN THE SPHERE OF HIGHER EDUCATION

by Ashot Safaryan

ARMINFO
Thursday, October 17, 13:30

The government of Armenia draws serious attention at the reforms in
the sphere of education, Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said at a
regional meeting of Ministers of Education on the implementation of
the European Higher Education Area that kicked off in Yerevan today.

The meeting is co-organised by the Ministry of Education and Science of
Armenia, the Council of Europe and the European Students’ Union (ESU).

He also added that cardinal changes have been taking place in the
modern world, and in such conditions any government wants to coordinate
itself when making reforms in the education system. “To upgrade the
education system and adapt it to modern conditions we should build
a single chain of reforms beginning from school up to universities”,
– he said.

The premier said that every state has its unique way when making
reforms in the education system. “In this context, Finland’s experience
seems to be very much interesting to us”, – Sargsyan said.

To note, Traian Hristea, Head of the European Union Delegation to
Armenia, Rok Primozic, Chairperson of the Executive Committee,
European Students’ Union, Sjur Bergan, Head of the Education
Department, Council of Europe as well as delegations from Romania,
Russia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine are taking
part in the forum which will last till 18 October.

From: A. Papazian

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REPORT AND ABUSES IN THE ARMENIAN ARMY

10.17.2013 02:11 epress.am

Activists, journalists, and organizations that expose abuses within
the Armenian army are intimidated and there is an attempt to restrict
their freedom of speech. A report published by Amnesty International
in late August titled “Armenia: No Space for Difference,” discussed
in London last week, was today presented by South Caucasus Researcher
in the Europe and Central Asia (ECA) Programme Tural Ahmedzade via
live video call from London at the Media Center in Yerevan.

According to Ahmedzade, at Amnesty International’s London discussion,
several cases were examined: Journalists for Human Rights NGO President
Janna Aleksanyan being called in for questioning for her article about
an incident in the army, the pressure on activist Lala Aslikyan who
exposes issues within the army, and young writer Hovhannes Ishkhanyan
being called in for questioning by the military police for his book
The Day of Discharge.

These cases, according to Ahmedzade, are considered attempts to
restrict freedom of speech, which might also prevent people speaking
about incidents in the army in the future.

A discussion between Ahmedzade and the Media Center’s invited guests
followed the presentation of the report.

Deputy Chief of the Investigative Service of the RA Ministry of Defense
Hayk Grigoryan said that the interrogation of Janna Aleksanyan cannot
be seen as an example of exerting pressure since Aleksanyan was called
in as a witness and her testimony could assist in disclosing Zhora
Lazarian’s case.

“Aleksanyan, based solely on a conversation with Zhora Lazarian’s
father, wrote that Lazarian was raped in the army. We have to find
out if such a thing happened,” said Grigoryan.

Aleksanyan countered this, saying that news of the soldier being
raped initially appeared on the Henaran.am website, after which she
picked up the story and went with staff of the Ombudsman’s office to
visit Lazarian, and saw the signs of torture on his body. According
to the journalist, to later interrogate her and tell her that the
military police have a record of her private phone conversation with
Lazarian’s father is to exert pressure.

The other case Amnesty International mentioned, that of Ishkhanyan’s
book, was challenged by Military Police Lieutenant Colonel Armen
Mnatsakanyan: “Such a book shouldn’t have been written. Imagine if
a 14-year-old reads this book. How is he going to later serve in the
army? Described in this book are incidents that can’t happen in the
army. A man cannot rape another man.”

Rights and Freedom Center NGO Chair Vardan Harutyunyan, who was present
at the discussion, countered this, saying this is the wrong approach,
since what is being discussed is a creative work, and compelling not
to publish the book is nothing other than censorship.

From: A. Papazian

PERIODE DE TURBULENCES POUR L’EGLISE EN ARMENIE

ARMENIE

L’Eglise apostolique armenienne a tenu son premier synode general
depuis près de six siècles, mais l’evenement a ete secouee par un
scandale.

Le conseil, qui s’est tenu du 24 au 27 septembre fut le premier
depuis 1441. Il a reuni des hauts dignitaires religieux du Saint
Siège d’Etchmiadzine en Armenie, du siège de Cilicie au Liban, et
les patriarcats de Jerusalem et de Constantinople, qui, ensemble,
ont dix millions de fidèles.

Le synode a adopte une mesure ouvrant la voie a la canonisation
collective de toutes les personnes tuees dans la Turquie ottomane
en 1915 dans ce qu’on appelle le genocide armenien, et a egalement
discute de questions telles que la liturgie, l’education et la mission
sociale de l’Eglise.

Les observateurs ont soupconne que derrière des portes closes, les
eveques et archeveques reunis ont passe plus de temps sur le scandale
et la controverse qui ont seme les divisions en Armenie et dans la
diaspora. L’Eglise apostolique armenienne est la plus ancienne dans
le monde, et a survecu a la persecution et aux massacres au cours
de ses nombreux siècles d’existence, reste un element essentiel
de l’identite nationale. Les bouleversements actuels, cependant,
sont considerees comme sans precedent. A la fin du mois de mai, le
journal Hetq d’Erevan a publie un article accusant un haut dignitaire
religieux, l’archeveque Navasard Kchoyan, de s’etre associe avec
le Premier ministre Tigran Sarkissian et un homme d’affaires Ashot
Sukiasyan pour creer une societe offshore qui a recu plusieurs millions
de dollars americains de fonds detournes.

Après que l’article soit sorti, Sukiasyan a ecrit au journal affirmant
etre responsable de l’entière responsabilite de cette situation. Mgr
Ksoyan et le Premier ministre Sarkissian ont tous deux nie toute
malversation. Les procureurs ont ouvert une affaire penale, ce qui
signifie qu’une poursuite est une possibilite. Sukiasyan a quitte
l’Armenie.

Mgr Ksoyan est une figure eminente de l’eglise armenienne, et certains
l’ont considere comme un successeur possible du Catholicos de tous
les Armeniens, Karekin II Armen Badalyan, analyste au Centre d’etudes
politiques a Erevan, a declare que le cas a montre comment l’eglise
etait devenue etroitement liee avec les groupements politiques et
le milieu des affaires qui gèrent l’Armenie. ” Dans ses tentatives
de trouver une justification a son existence, ce… gouvernement a
adopte l’eglise comme un allie. En retour, les clercs de haut rang se
sont vus accordes des privilèges “a declare Badalyan. ” Le resultat
est qu’au lieu de se concentrer sur la societe et de l’aider avec
ses problèmes, l’eglise se concentre sur le gouvernement “.

Stepan Danielyan, chef de la cooperation pour le centre de la
democratie et redacteur en chef du site , a declare
que la mise en place de l’eglise a ete embourbe par une controverse,
certains membres du clerge s’engagent dans des activites et le soutien
des autorites politiques.

” L’Eglise continue a perdre de l’influence. Lorsque l’Armenie est
devenue independante lors de l’effondrement de l’Union sovietique,
on a beaucoup attendu de l’eglise, mais ces attentes n’ont pas ete
remplies ” a-t-il declare a l’IWPR. ” L’Eglise continue d’ignorer
les choses face quxquelles la plupart des gens sont inquiets – les
problèmes sociaux, economiques et politiques d’une importance vitale
et les scandales de corruption sans fin “.

Un autre sujet de discorde au synode est la demission de l’archeveque
Norvan Zakaryan, le chef de l’eglise pour la grande communaute
armenienne de France.

En Juillet, l’archeveque Zakaryan a ecrit au Catholicos Karekin
l’accusant de le maltraiter.

” Vous gagnez plaisir a m’humilier et noircir mon nom. Vous etes
probablement meme pas au courant que vous heurtez les sentiments des
gens ” ecrit-il. L’archeveque a continue en offrant sa demission,
que le Catholicos a dûment accepte.

Au debut du mois d’août, Nurhan Manoukian, Patriarche de Jerusalem,
est entre dans la melee, critiquant le Catholicos Karekin d’avoir
permis a l’archeveque Zakaryan de demissionner.

” Une generation en bonne sante ne peut pas grandir dans une atmosphère
de peur et de menaces. Cela nuira a notre peuple et notre eglise,
qui a – plus que jamais – besoin de pretres instruits, honnetes et
purs, et non de lèche-bottes ” a ecrit le patriarche.

Le Catholicos n’a pas encore reagi publiquement a la lettre, mais
son porte-parole Vahram Melikian a nie qu’il etait autoritaire dans
son style.

” Le rassemblement des eveques a la fin de Septembre est une preuve
solide de la facon dont l’eglise tente de resoudre ses problèmes en
prenant toutes les opinions en compte ” a declare Melikyan lors d’une
conference de presse. ” Il est inevitable qu’il y ait des divergences
d’opinion au sein de l’eglise, mais cela ne veut pas dire qu’il y
a des factions distinctes dans l’eglise ou quelque chose comme ca,
ou qu’il y a une bataille entre eux “.

Armen Karapetian est un journaliste pigiste en Armenie.

Institute for War & Peace Reporting

jeudi 17 octobre 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

LA PRESSE ITALIENNE APRES LE MATCH ITALIE-ARMENIE (2-2)

FOOTBALL-ARPES LE MATCH ITALIE-ARMENIE

Mercredi 16 octobre, au lendemain du match Italie-Armenie (2-2) la
presse italienne etait dans l’ensemble insatisfaite de la performance
de l’equipe d’Italie.

La Gazzetta dello Sport- ecrit sur sa première page que ce match nul
face a l’Armenie ecartait l’Italie du groupe des pays situes dans
les ” tetes de chapeau ” pour les tirages au sort de la Coupe du
Monde 2014. Le journal italien soulignait toutefois la performance de
Mario Balotelli ” qui nous a sauve du desespoir ” ecrit-il. Le journal
Tuttosport donnait aux joueurs de l’equipe d’Armenie des points. Ainsi
Roman Bezovski, Henrikh Mkhitaryan et Youra Movsissian etaient
credites de la très bonne note de 6,5 points. Levon Haïrabedian,
Arthur Edigarian, Karlen Mkrdtchian, Araz Ozbiliz et Kevork Ghazarian
obtenaient la note de 6. Robert Arzoumanian est note a 5,5 points.

Hraïr Mkhoyan et Varaztad Haroyan n’obtenaient que 5 points. Quant
au selectionneur armenien Vartan Minassian, Tuttosport lui gratifiait
de 6 points.

De son côte, Corriere dello Sport donnait la note de 7 points a
Henrikh Mkhitaryan et Youra Movsissian. Le journal souligne la bonne
performance des Armeniens et surtout le but magnifique d’Henrikh
Mkhitaryan.

Krikor Amirzayan

jeudi 17 octobre 2013, Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

From: A. Papazian