Author: Andres-Papazian

ARMENIAN ACTIVISTS URGE BUS DRIVERS TO PROTEST HIGHER FARES (VIDEO)

[ Part 2.2: “Attached Text” ]

12:45 ~U 23.07.13

The activists of the civil movement “Pay 100 Drams” have organized
a rally in front the Yerevan City Hall, calling upon the drivers of
the public transport to protest the municipal authorities’ decision
to impose higher fares.

Employees of the City Hall have turned on the fountains outside to
prevent the protesters from nearing the building.

Before the start of the protest, policemen took several activists
to a police station for a conduct they considered a violation of the
public order.

The protest began with a clash between the police and the activists.

The crowd was later reported to have blocked the Grigor Lusavorich
street, urging drivers to go on a strike.

While the police were trying to open the road, some of the activists
attempted to push their way to through the crowd. But the police kept
holding them back.

The police officers have caught several protesters. Other activists
have now reached the City Hall, chanting slogans.

From: A. Papazian

CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE INSTEAD OF RALLIES

The first mass act of civil disobedience is taking place in Armenia.

Even Mashtots Park which the civil activists were able to save from
destroying and the building of a trade center was not a mass act of
civil disobedience.

Disobedience is the constitutional right of every citizen but the
governments of even the most democratic countries do everything to
prevent disobedience.

In these countries it is supposed to have an opposition which covers
“the other half of the population”, demonstrations of millions,
one-day strikes of trade unions, other actions of protest which do
not hit the pockets of those in power. These acts support the image
of the authorities but it is difficult to remember at least one such
demonstration of millions of people which would achieve significant
success. The example is Greece, the home of democracy.

As an alternative to peaceful protests the government usually puts
forth violence compared to which demonstrations and strikes seem more
acceptable. Although protests in Brazil helped return the old fares,
the victims of the movement were people and property of innocent
citizens.

The government is doing everything to make sure that the actions of
protest do not lead to mass acts of civil disobedience because that
would harm the interests of the government.

Despite populous demonstrations, Occupy Wall Street did not achieve
its main goal – collapse of the banks – and was eventually mocked. The
movement was against the dominance of banks and power of the global
financial government but there was not a single call not to pay
installments for at least a month.

In Armenia there were a number of protests and demonstrations. Raffi
Hovannisian even led people to Baghramyan Street but suddenly
stopped halfway and walked to Tsitsernakaberd to pray. There were
other demonstrations but they did not lead anywhere because among
suggested actions there was none that would hit the pockets of the
guilty government.

It is hard to tell why such actions were not initiated. Either
the opposition leaders did not want to change anything, and they
needed demonstrations as a background or they did not want to hit
the interests of their former and future supporters, or yet their
consultants were not so creative.

After the gas price went up, it seemed that there would be a call for
disobedience in Armenia and refusal to pay the gas bills. It is enough
not to pay gas bills for a month, and this branch will collapse. It
will not be a collapse for the country as it is stated but for the
government which will have to make more reasonable decisions. There
is no need to take to the streets. It is necessary not to take to
the streets and not to pay.

Perhaps at some point the worldwide protests will lead to this, and
Armenia could be the pioneer of the new protest action. The actions
against expensive fare may be a good beginning.

Naira Hayrumyan 11:23 23/07/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

From: A. Papazian

LA COMMISSION ANTI-MONOPOLE INFLIGE DES AMENDES A TROIS SOCIETES

ARMENIE

La Commission d’Etat d’Armenie pour la protection de la concurrence
economique a inflige des amendes a trois societes pour concurrence
deloyale. Ces entreprises, Nout.am, IT Master (deux d’entre elles
vendent des ordinateurs) et Domino Production (enregistrement video
et audio) seront soumises a payer une amende de 1% de leur benefice
annuel.

Selon Artak Shaboyan, chef de la Commission, Nout.am et IT Master
font de la publicite pour annoncer les services qu’ells n’offrent pas.

” La Commission evalue de telles man~uvres comme de la concurrence
deloyale ” a declare Artak Shaboyan qui a ajoute que les entreprises
sont tenues de reglementer leurs activites et d’eliminer toutes
les violations.

mardi 23 juillet 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

LE MINISTRE ARMENIEN DE LA DEFENSE EN VISITE EN GEORGIE

GEORGIE

Seyran Ohanian le ministre de la Defense d’Armenie s’est rendu en
visite en Georgie quatre mois après avoir accueilli son homologue
georgien Irakli Alasania a Erevan pour des entretiens sur la
cooperation militaire croissante entre les deux Etats voisins.

Ohanian a commence la visite officielle de deux jours, mercredi,
avec des entretiens avec Alasania et le Premier ministre georgien
Bidzina Ivanishvili. La presse indique qu’il a discute avec eux des
relations armeno-georgienne et de la securite regionale.

S’exprimant lors d’une conference de presse a Tbilissi avec Ohanian,
Alasania a dit qu’ils ont examine les activites conjointes en cours
par les deux armees et la cooperation entre eux. “Je tiens a souligner
que les relations armeno-georgiennes sont une priorite pour notre
gouvernement. Elles jouent egalement un rôle important dans la
stabilite regionale “, a-t-il dit, selon le ministère armenien de
la Defense.

“Nous attachons une grande importance a ses relations avec la Georgie
parce que nos pays sont lies par une amitie historique et seculaire
” indique un communique du ministère citant Ohanian.

Ohanian a ajoute que les liens militaires armeno-georgiens ont ete
“dynamiques” en terme de developpement depuis 2011. Il a dit qu’ils se
concentrent sur un “echange d’experiences”, des programmes de formation
militaire et la planification de la defense et de la participation
dans les operations de maintien de la paix multinationales.

Les deux ministres ont deja discute de ces questions a Erevan en Mars.

“Nous avons deja decide des orientations de notre cooperation pour
2013”, avait declare Ohanian a l’epoque.

Visitant la capitale armenienne, Alasania a marque un changement
majeur dans l’attitude de Tbilissi envers troupes russes stationnees
en Armenie. Il a dit que le gouvernement Ivanishvili, qui a pris ses
fonctions en Octobre 2012, ne les considère pas comme une menace pour
la securite nationale de la Georgie.

Le precedent gouvernement georgien dirige par le president Mikheil
Saakashvili n’a pas cache son inquietude sur la presence militaire
russe en Armenie.

Il n’est pas clair si une reunion avec M. Saakachvili, qui a perdu
beaucoup de sa puissance depuis Octobre, etait a l’ordre du jour de
la visite d’Ohanian a Tbilissi.

mardi 23 juillet 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

UN BATIMENT HISTORIQUE ARMENIEN’ISTANBUL LOE MALGRE UN PROCES EN COURS

TURQUIE

La Direction générale des fondations de Turquie a loué l’historique
Sanasaryan Han dans le quartier Eminönu d’Istanbul a travers un
appel d’offres, malgré une lutte juridique mené par le Patriarcat
arménien de Turquie pour le récupérer.

L’appel d’offres pour la location du bâtiment historique, organisé
par la Direction générale des fondations, le 18 Juillet, a été
remporté par Ozgeylani Construction Company, malgré le procès en
cours sur la propriété de l’immeuble.

Le Patriarcat arménien de Turquie affirme que le bâtiment qui a
été offert au patriarcat en 1881 par un Russe d’origine arménienne
Migirdic Sansaryan, lui appartient car ils ont les documents pour
prouver le don. La Direction générale des fondations, d’autre part,
affirme que le bâtiment ne relevait pas de la compétence d’une loi
sur la restitution des biens des fondations communautaires qui a pris
effet en 2011 car il avait été détenu par une personne.

Å~^ahin Gezer de la Commission arménienne des propriétés du
patriarcat de Turquie a déclaré au quotidien Hurriyet qu’ils
avaient espéré jusqu’a la dernière minute que l’offre serait
interrompu. Gezer a dit qu’ils allaient poursuivre leur action
en justice.

Le Sanasaryan Han avait un statut d’autonomie par rapport aux autres
fondations arméniennes a dit Sahin Gezer ajoutant que cela était
dÔ au fait que les autres fondations avaient des églises et des
écoles, alors que le han avait été donné au patriarcat par une
personne physique.

Sahin Gezer a déclaré que le loyer du han doit être également
répartie entre les écoles arméniennes et les écoles publiques,
sans aucune discrimination, tout en ajoutant qu’il s’agissait d’une
offre de la Direction générale des fondations car “nous sommes des
citoyens égaux.”

Commentant la résolution sur les fondations, qui est entré en
vigueur il y a deux ans, Sahin Gezer a déclaré que plus de 400
propriétés ont été retournés, mais des problèmes majeurs ont
été rencontrés. ” Par exemple, l’espace retourné est acceptée
comme un espace vert ou est fermé pour être loué en tant que
logement, de sorte que même s’il est retourné, vous ne pouvez pas
l’utiliser”, a déclaré Sahin Gezer.

Le han, après avoir donné au Patriarcat arménien de Turquie en
1881, a été confisqué par le gouvernement de l’époque en 1935. Le
bâtiment historique est devenu célèbre pour la torture pendant le
temps où le bâtiment a été utilisé par la police. Han a également
servi de palais de justice pendant un certain temps.

20 juillet 2013

Vercihan Ziflioglu

Hurriyet

mardi 23 juillet 2013, Stéphane ©armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

ANATOLY TORKUNOV: ARMENIA IS HOSTAGE AND KEY TO THE INSTABILITY IN THE SOUTH CAUCASUS AT THE SAME TIME

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
July 22 2013

22 July 2013 – 4:15pm
Rector of MGIMO Anatoly Torkunov took part this weekend in an online
conference “Armenia’s geopolitical role in the system of international
relations”, organized by the Union of Political Scientists of Armenia.

In his speech Torkunov stressed that Armenia now is both hostage
and the key to the resolution toyy the “frozen” instability in the
South Caucasus.

Most of his speech was devoted to the relations of Armenia with
the European Union and the future Eurasian Union. In particular, he
stressed that it is impossible to sign an association agreement with
the EU in the framework of the “Eastern Partnership” without taking
into account the complex relations with Armenia’s northern neighbors,
primarily Russia. The country’s commitment to the diversification of
the economic and political contacts with the European institutions
and the Euro-Atlantic alliance is welcome, but Torkunov noted that
they should be part of a general discussion of foreign policy in
which the participation of Russia, at least, is appropriate.

In order to strengthen its cooperation with Russia, Armenia could
take part in Russia’s integration structures. “This will require a
new economic thinking, new mutual links with neighbors, including
multilateral economic negotiations with the countries of the Customs
Union,” the rector said. It is important not to forget that the
political elites in the country and the population may differ in
their preferences.

It is important to note, Torkunov said, that Moscow has not changed
its strategic course towards Yerevan, as it might have seemed in
light of recent information about large-scale deliveries of Russian
weapons to Azerbaijan. “There is a Russian military base in Armenia,
which in itself is proof of the strategic cooperation between the two
countries. As for Azerbaijan, if this country had not bought weapons
from Russia, then certainly it could get them from another country,”
the Rector of MGIMO underlined.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA: DEMOGRAPHIC IMBALANCE PROMPTS MOVE TO BAN FETUS SEX DETECTION

EurasiaNet.org, NY
July 22 2013

July 22, 2013 – 12:02pm, by Marianna Grigoryan

Officials in Armenia want to impose a ban on prenatal sex determination
in a bid to discourage sex-selective abortions that favor males. The
measure would aim to correct a growing disparity in the country’s
male-to-female birth ratio.

Compared with a worldwide ratio of 102 males for every 106 females,
114.5 boys are born in Armenia for every 100 girls, according to 2012
data from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The figure
ranks Armenia just after China (117.8) and Azerbaijan (116.5) for
births of males compared with females.

Research done by the UNFPA in 2011 found that the imbalance, a trend
since the 1990s, “stems from prenatal sex selection,” with the
fetuses of “1,400 girls annually” terminated via a sex-selective
abortion. The imbalance poses “a major blow to the deteriorating
demographic situation in the country,” the study found. Affected by
large-scale emigration, Armenia’s population currently stands at a
mere 3.27 million people, according to official data.

Gayane Avagian, head of the Ministry of Health’s Maternity and
Reproductive Health Protection department, said that the situation
prompted the government to start work on a bill to ban gender detection
before the 22nd week of pregnancy.

“This restriction has to work,” said Avagian. “We also need to
follow up with possible risks [for non-compliance]. The management
of maternity hospitals has to control the process so as to prevent
doctors from informing parents about the gender of the baby.”

Discussions are planned with local non-governmental organizations,
international organizations and even with media before the bill’s
language is finalized and it is submitted to parliament.

Avagian’s optimism that such a ban can work is not widely shared. “I
believe that by simply imposing a ban they will only increase the risks
for corruption,” commented Garik Hayrapetian, assistant representative
of the United Nations Population Fund in Armenia.

In the eyes of many social conservatives in Armenia, a family
is not complete without a son, according to Lusik Hambardzumian,
a 52-year-old resident of Echmiadzin, a small town about half an
hour outside the capital, Yerevan. “In a traditional Armenian family,
the son is considered to be the heir, the bearer of the family name,”
Hambardzumian said. “What does a law have to do here?”

“Any such problem can be solved in Armenia,” she added, referring
to the widespread use of bribery to dodge government rules and
regulations.

But Venera Barseghian, an obstetrician-gynecologist at a medical center
in Artashat, a regional seat southeast of Yerevan, believes legislation
against sex-selective abortions could make a big difference. Artashat
doctors do their best to talk future parents out of sex-selective
abortions, particularly for a first or second pregnancy, she claimed,
but with only partial success.

“If they do adopt the law, it will be of great help, since they
won’t risk getting rid of the baby after 22 weeks of pregnancy,”
Barseghian said. Abortions currently are permitted without medical
reasons until the 12th week of pregnancy. “The law will put the
situation under control.”

The Ministry of Health’s Avagian reports that government statistics
show that abortions dropped threefold between 2000 and 2010 – from
2.6 to 0.8 abortions per woman. But some experts believe that these
figures do not shed light on the full picture.

It would be reasonable to expect an uptick in Armenia’s birth rate,
given the significant decline in officially reported abortions. Yet,
Armenia’s birth rate is also trending downward: during the first
quarter of 2013, the birth rate fell to 12.8 per 1,000, a decline of
1.6 percent over the same period the previous year.

Some specialists suspect that the official data undercounts the
actual number of abortions occurring in the country. They point to the
widespread use of misoprostol, a medication for treatment of gastric
ulcers that can induce abortions. Armenia’s imports of misoprostol
increased 10 times between 2010 and 2011, according to the Ministry
of Health.

Against that background, legislative measures can do little to curb
selective abortions, believes Ruzanna Vardanian, head of the obstetric
and gynecological care department at a local medical center in the
southwestern town of Vayk. First of all, she asserted, work needs to
be done to change societal attitudes.

“The new legislation is even likely to provoke an increase in sales
of misoprostol, meaning that women will seek termination during the
second or third pregnancy without even finding out the sex of the
baby,” Vardanian argued. “This is risky. I don’t think the law will
prove effective here. Besides, parents have the right to find out
the gender of the baby.”

In response, the Ministry of Health’s Avagian underlined that all
possible measures would be taken to prevent selective abortions. “The
doctors suspected of prenatal sex determination of fetuses will have
to deal with large fines and these restrictive measures will prevent
them from giving the information [to prospective parents],” she said.

Proposed punishments remain under consideration, but could include
the loss of the right to practice medicine.

The UNFPA’s Hayrapetian doubts that hospitals will be able to prevent
the determination of fetuses’ genders. Before taking a decision on
banning gender detection, it would be better to “examine international
experience in this field first,” he said. Allocating state funds to
cover education expenses for girls, or the state paying larger bonuses
for the birth of a female child could encourage parents expecting
girls, he added.

By considering such options, Hayrapetian argued, “I think we will
reach common ground” to “stimulate [female] birth rates and fight
against gender discrimination.”

Editor’s note: Marianna Grigoryan is a freelance reporter based in
Yerevan and editor of MediaLab.am.

From: A. Papazian

YOUNG PEOPLE BLOCK ONE OF CENTRAL STREETS OF YEREVAN AND DEMAND RELEASING DETAINED ACTIVIST OF “WE WON’T PAY 150 AMD” ACTION BY NANA MARTIROSYAN

Monday, July 22, 20:38

Today, at 7 pm, young people blocked Baghramyan Avenue in Yerevan
and demanded releasing Grigor Janikyan, the detained activist of
“We Won’t Pay 150 AMD” action.

ArmInfo’s correspondent reports from the scene that nearly 500 young
people are taking part in the action of protest against the public
transport fare rise from 100 AMD to 150 AMD. They are chanting
“Slaves!” and “No to the new fare!” The police are still behaving
tactfully and reservedly. The youth are handing out leaflets to the
passengers and urge them to pay 100 AMD instead of 150 AMD.

At the moment, the protesters are chanting Grigor Janikyan’s name
and making their way to Mashtots Park to decide their further steps.

To note, since July 20 the residents of Yerevan have been paying
150 AMD to the bus and microbus drivers instead of 100 AMD. The
trolleybus fare is 100 AMD instead of 50 AMD. The metro fare has
remained unchanged – 100 AMD.

From: A. Papazian

HOUSE PANEL APPROVES DEEP CUTS ON AID TO ARMENIA, NKR

Monday, July 22nd, 2013

ANCA Government Affairs Director Kate Nahapetian with the dedicated
staff of HALO Trust discussing demining efforts in Nagorno Karabakh,
and how U.S. aid cuts will affect their work.

Senate Subcommittee Set to Consider its Version of Bill on Tuesday,
July 23rd

WASHINGTON-The U.S. House State-Foreign Operations Subcommittee has
proposed a significant reduction in foreign aid spending for Fiscal
Year 2014, approving a measure, on Monday, that would cut nearly 20%
from both last year’s figures and the Obama Administration’s budget
request, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

While specific country levels – including allocations for Armenia
and Nagorno Karabakh – have not yet been made public, sources report
that across-the-board cuts are foreseen on most accounts, with some
multilateral programs expected to be cut by up to 60%.

“With Congress considering unprecedented cuts in foreign aid spending,
legislators in the House and Senate need to hear from their Armenian
American constituents about the vital role that our aid programs to
Armenia and Karabakh play in advancing U.S. interests in a strategic
region,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “If you haven’t
called your legislators, call them now. If you’ve already called,
call them again. Make sure they know where you stand.”

Following up on today’s subcommittee action, the full House
Appropriations Committee will review the foreign aid bill as early as
next Wednesday, July 24th. A parallel process on the Senate side will
begin on Tuesday, July 23rd, with the Senate State-Foreign Operations
Subcommittee taking up its version of the measure.

Armenian Americans across the U.S. continue to contact Senate and
House appropriators to advocate for a broad range of Armenian American
concerns including:

– At least $5 million in U.S. assistance to Nagorno Karabakh – At
least $50 million in U.S. assistance to Armenia – At least 10% of
U.S. assistance to Georgia to be earmarked for job creation programs
in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region of that country.

– Funds for humanitarian and resettlement assistance specifically
targeted to Armenian and other Christian populations, as well
as other minority communities affected by the recent unrest in the
Middle East.

– Language strengthening Section 907 restrictions on U.S. aid to
Azerbaijan.

– Removal of barriers to contact and communication with representatives
of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic.

– Language calling for the participation of Nagorno Karabakh leaders
in the OSCE Minsk Group negotiations

Halo Trust shared a heart-wrenching photo of 12-year-old Karen
Mirzoyan, who is among the latest victims maimed by a landmine which
exploded in his backyard in Karabakh in April of 2013.

ANCA Government Affairs Director Kate Nahapetian travelled to Armenia
and Karabakh last week as part of a mission that included first-hand
surveys of the benefits of U.S. assistance programs for both Armenia
and Nagorno Karabakh. In addition to meetings with Nagorno Karabakh
Deputy Prime Minister Artur Aghabekyan, Foreign Minister Karen
Mirzoyan and Parliament Speaker Ashot Ghulian, Nahapetian visited
with representatives of the HALO Trust, which receives close to half
of the $2 million annual U.S. assistance package to Karabakh for
demining purposes.

HALO Trust offered shocking statistics about the ongoing maiming of
civilians, including children, due to the landmines and explosive
remnants in Karabakh, noting that the injury rate is ahead of even
Afghanistan on a per capita basis. The ANCA has been advocating for
the expansion of U.S. assistance to Karabakh to the $5 million level
to address these concerns.

Armenian Americans and friends of Armenia and Karabakh can send a
free ANCA WebMail to their legislators by visiting here.

You can read the full ANCA Congressional testimony offered in support
of Armenian American foreign aid priorities by visiting here.

From: A. Papazian

National News Agency, Lebanon (NNA)
July 21, 2013 Sunday

Tashnag party constants reiterated

NNA – Lebanese-Armenian Tashnag party politico-ideological constants
have been reiterated by resolutions passed by party regular conference
convening in Bourj-Hammoud between July 12-18 of 2013.

Featuring high on Tashnag agenda were an array of political,
organizational and socioeconomic matters of public concern;
Politically speaking, the Tashnag party reiterated the significance of
preserving civil peace based on religious-sectarian coexistence which
distinctly marks Lebanon amid need for promoting national dialogue by
rallying about state institutions, new party Central Committee said.
Social justice must be secured as a means for averting outward
immigration of Lebanese youth against the backdrop of precarious
regional developments, party CC added.

The newly-emerging Tashnag Central Committee allotted the task of
translating party line into action chose Hagop Khatsharian as its new
Secretary-General.

======G.G./R.K.

From: A. Papazian