Author: Andres-Papazian

ASP LECTURE. “MODERNITY AND GENOCIDE: THE ARMENIAN, RWANDAN, AND THE DARFURAN CASES.”

University of Michigan
Nov 5 2012

Wednesday, Nov 7, 2012

Event Type:
Lecture / Discussion (exclude)
Sponsor:
Armenian Studies Program

Time:
4:00 pm – 5:30 pm
Location:
School of Social Work Building
Room:
1636

The discourse on Genocide and Modernity is still a hot topic within
the historiography of Genocide and Holocaust Studies. Scholars are
debating whether the mass murders of the 20th century are solely the
byproduct of modernity or the outcome of the breakdown of civilization,
progress, and reason within their respective societies.

More so, a good number of these works concentrate on Europe by having
in mind the Holocaust as the ultimate manifestation of Modernity.

After discussing the different approaches to the discourse in the
historiography, the following talk will concentrate more on analyzing
some of the understudied cases within the historiography. By taking
the Armenian, the Rwandan and the Darfuran genocides, the talk will
examine the ways in which these three cases contribute to the discourse
on the Modernity of Genocides in the 20th century. How can these three
non-European cases enhance our understanding about the sweeping mass
murders of the 20th century in general and the coloration between
Modernity and Genocide in particular?

Bedross Der Matossian is an Assistant Professor of Modern Middle
East History in the Department of History at the University of
Nebraska/Lincoln. Born and raised in Jerusalem, he is a graduate of
the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where he began his graduate studies
in the Department of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies. He completed
his Ph.D. in Middle East History in the Department of Middle Eastern,
South Asian, and African Studies at Columbia University in 2008. From
2008 to 2010, he was a Lecturer of Middle East History in the Faculty
of History at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he
taught a variety of courses pertaining to World History, Islam and
the West, Political History of the Modern Middle East as well as the
Arab-Israeli Conflict. His areas of interest include Ethnic Politics
in the Middle East, inter-ethnic violence in the Ottoman Empire,
Social and Economic History of the Middle East 19th and 20th century,
the History of the Armenian Genocide and Modern Armenian History.

Co-sponsors: Center for Middle Eastern and North African Studies,Center
for African Studies.

For further information please visit: In case
of any query regarding this article or other content needs please
contact: [email protected]

From: A. Papazian

U.S. RESPONDS TO REQUEST TO ISSUE VISA WAIVERS FOR SYRIAN ARMENIANS

PanARMENIAN.Net – The U.S. Government has responded to the request
of Four Prominent Armenian-American Lawyers to issue visa waivers
for Syrian-Armenians.

Currently, there is no American Diplomatic presence in Syria. The U.S.

Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) of the Department of
Homeland Security has assigned a case number to the request stating:
~SDue to the violent upheaval and deteriorating situation in (Syria)
USCIS announced that eligible Syrian nationals . . . in the United
States may apply for Temporary Protected Status (TPS).~T

Citing the recent burning of St. Kevork Armenian Church in Aleppo and
the kidnapping of Armenians on a Beirut Aleppo bus, Vartkes Yeghiayan
Esq., Former assistant director of ACTION/Peace Corps, and William
Paparian Esq., Former Mayor of Pasadena, replied to the letter from
USCIS : ~SThrough our letter of October 12, 2012, which was directed
to State Secretary Hillary Clinton and Homeland Security Secretary
Janet Napolitano, we wished to express our deep concern for the fate
of the beleaguered Christian citizens of (Syria). The fighting there
has engulfed large portions of the country and has made the already
precarious position of Christians even more untenable. It is precisely
because we feel the current legislation, including the extension of
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Syrian nationals, is insufficient
in addressing the deteriorating humanitarian situation that we turned
to the United States government.~T

~SIt is with deep regret that we conveyed our extreme displeasure
with the response of the U.S. Government to our request,~T said
Varkes Yeghiayan.

After the initial announcement of the request for Visa Waivers for
Syrian Armenians, countless friends and family of Syrian Armenians in
the United States and elsewhere have expressed their support for the
U.S. Government taking favorable action to allow Syrian Armenians to
come to the United States.

~SWe will continue to press the U.S. Government to take immediate
action to alleviate the suffering of Christians in Syria and will
immediately advise the Syrian Armenian community and their family
and friends of further developments.~T said William Paparian.

From: A. Papazian

SOS GIMISHYAN: IT’S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD IF HAK DOES NOT NOMINATE ITS OWN CANDIDATE

Panorama.am
06/11/2012

“Opposition should not be liberal, socialist or democratic. Its main
task should be to be opposed to the authorities in the aspect of
morality. Opposition should always be cleaner, have higher morals and
principles,” Armenian National Congress (HAK) member Sos Gimishyan
told reporters while commenting on the domestic political situation
in the country.

If it is not this way, I can say that there is no opposition. This
is the shortcoming of our opposition, he noted.

There are bad tendencies in our country. There is a “fighting
immorality,” with those speaking of cleanness and morality being
mocked.

As to HAK’s position, Gimishyan noted, it will be certain as Levon
Ter-Petrosyan makes a decision.

“However, I think that Levon Ter-Petrosyan is obliged to run in the
presidential elections, and HAK can have only one candidate – Levon
Ter-Petrosyan,” he noted, adding that nevertheless, it’s not the end
of the world if HAK does not nominate its own candidate.

From: A. Papazian

THE U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT AWARE THAT MORNINGSTAR WAS BANNED TO ENTER THE ARMENIAN CEMETERY IN JUGHA

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 6, ARMENPRESS: The U.S. State Department was
not aware that Azerbaijani authorities had banned USA Ambassador to
Azerbaijan Richard Morningstar to visit Armenian cemetery in Jugha. As
reports Armenpress, this was declared by the official representative
of the U.S. State Department Victoria Nuland.

To the journalist’s observation, that the reason of the ban is that
Armenian monuments have been destroyed in the Armenian cemetery in
Jugha, the representative of the Department of State has replied that
there is no information on that.

Earlier Armenpress reported, that USA Ambassador to Azerbaijan Richard
Morningstar was not allowed to enter Armenian cemetery in Jugha.

The Armenian Cemetery in Jugha was a medieval-era cemetery near
the town of Jugha, Nakhchivan. The tombstones consisted mainly of
khachkars, uniquely decorated cross-stones characteristic in medieval
Christian Armenian art. The cemetery was still standing in the late
1990s, when the government of Azerbaijan began a systematic campaign
to raze the monuments.

From: A. Papazian

FAMILIES OF THE ARMENIAN PEACE-KEEPERS WILL SPEAK WITH THEIR SONS BY TV-BRIDGE

A TV-bridge is launched for the Armenian peace-keepers in Afghanistan
and their relatives in Armenia.

The program is taking place in frame of the “NATO week” in Armenia,
which is held in Armenia on November 1-8. Press service of Armenian
MFA informs about this.

The TV-bridge will take place on November 7, at 17:00, at the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs of Armenia.

06.11.12, 18:30

From: A. Papazian

EXPERT: THERE SHOULD NOT BE ANY NEGOTIATIONS AFTER “SAFAROV’S CASE”

YEREVAN, November 6. /ARKA/. There should not be any negotiations
after “Safarov’s case”, Check expert, member of the East-West Center
Participants Association Erica Lerner said.

“It was an excellent occasion to refuse the conflict solution which
was of no advantage to Armenia. Hasn’t Armenia got any other way
out except agreeing to an extremely “original” exchange of real
territories for a mythical status,” the expert said in her interview
to Novosti-Armenia agency.

According to Lerner, “Safarov’s case” proved that Azerbaijan does not
care about what the international society thinks. Azerbaijan is just
protecting its interests, she said.

On February 19, 2004, lieutenant of Armenian Army Gurgen Margaryan,
who was in Budapest for an English language course under NATO
“Partnership for Peace” program, was brutally murdered with axe in
his sleep by an Azerbaijani officer and a participant of the same
course Ramil Safarov. On April 13, 2006, the first instance court
of Budapest sentenced Safarov to life imprisonment with no right of
pardon during 30 years. In February 2007, the Court of Appeal left
the sentence unchanged. But On August 31, 2012, Ramil Safarov was
extradited to Azerbaijan and pardoned by President Ilham Aluiev.

Extradition of the murderer to Azerbaijan and further presidential
pardon aroused indignation in Yerevan. Armenia suspended diplomatic
relations and all official links with Hungary. Many countries and
international organizations, including the EU and the European
Parliament, expressed their concern over the pardon of Safarov.

Many experts believe that Safarov’s matter has seriously affected
the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process.

The Karabakh conflict started in 1988 when prevailingly Armenian
population of Nagorno-Karabakh declared withdrawal from Azerbaijan. On
December 10, 1991, a referendum was held in Nagorno-Karabakh where
99.89% voted for independence from Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan responded by large-scale military operations that led
to loss of control not only over Nagorno-Karabakh itself, but also
over seven adjoining areas. About 25-30 thousands people were killed
and about a million had to leave their homes during the military
operations.

A trilateral cease-fire agreement was signed on May 12, 2004, and
has been followed since then.

The ongoing Karabakh peace process started in 1992 under auspices of
OSCE Minsk Group. -0-

From: A. Papazian

‘AZERBAIJAN TO TAKE MORE DRASTIC MEASURES TOWARDS ARMENIA’

TODAY.AZ
06 November 2012

Azerbaijan will take more drastic measures toward Armenia, if
necessary, head of Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Social
and Political Department Ali Hasanov told the media today.

Hasanov was answering the question about Baku’s planned actions in
response to Armenia’s threats to shoot down the aircrafts, flying to
Azerbaijan, from the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.

“Today the Azerbaijani government is taking all necessary measures
in this regard and conducts the necessary work,” he said.

Hasanov underscored that the separatist regime is being supported
today by Armenia and its leadership.

“Restoring the former Khojaly airport, organizing the flights by the
separatist regime, receiving and sending aircrafts in Azerbaijan’s
sovereign territory are illegal without the settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh issue and Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict,” he said.

“This is contrary to the international laws and all aspects of
inter-state relations,” he said. “Therefore, Azerbaijan will take
the necessary measures. We think that we will be able to stop this.”

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France and the U.S. –
are currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

URL:

From: A. Papazian

MINSK HOSTS MEETING OF BELARUSIAN-ARMENIAN COMMISSION FOR ECONOMIC COOPERATION

armradio.am
15:42 06.11.2012

Armenia, BelarusBelarus and Armenia need to apply a systemic approach
to the trade and economic relations, Armenia Economy Minister
Tigran Davtyan, said during the 9th meeting of the intergovernmental
Belarusian-Armenian commission for trade and economic cooperation,
which was held in the Forestry Ministry, BelTA informs.

The meeting was chaired by Forestry Minister of Belarus Mikhail
Amelyanovich and Economy Minister of Armenia Tigran Davtyan. The
meeting was attended by representatives of a number of ministries,
agencies and other interested organizations of the two countries.

Mikhail Amelyanovich noted that in recent years, the
Belarusian-Armenian cooperation has been quite vibrant. An active
political dialogue contributes significantly to the economic
cooperation.

“Since the eighth meeting of the commission, considerable work has
been done to boost bilateral economic cooperation. Thus, from 2000
to 2011 the trade between the countries went up 14 times from $2.3
million to $32.4 million,” the minister said. However, the mutual
trade could be bigger. The economic potential, according to Mikhail
Amelyanovich, is not used to the full. Therefore, mutual efforts
are needed to intensify cooperation. The ministry believes that the
Belarusian-Armenian commission for trade and economic cooperation will
play a key role in promoting mutually beneficial relations between
the two countries.

The Armenian Minister, for his part, stressed that the economies
of Belarus and Armenia are growing rapidly, increasing industrial,
financial and investment capacities. There is full mutual understanding
at the highest political level. Trade between the countries increases
every year, joint ventures are set up, and investment projects are
implemented. Therefore, he said, there are opportunities for expanding
mutually beneficial cooperation.

Tigran Davtyan stated that the two countries should put the trade and
economic relations on a systemic track so that joint projects would
not be isolated cases but become long-term covering broad areas of
economic activity. This is the main task of the Belarusian-Armenian
Commission, he considers.

Belarus is an important trading partner of Armenia ranking third
among the CIS countries (after Russia and Ukraine).

In January-August 2012 the trade between the two countries totaled
$28.4 million, up 60.6% from the same period a year earlier. Export
made up $24.1 million (up 57.2%), import came to $4.3 million
(up 82.5%).

Belarus’ main exports to Armenia are tyres, trucks, milk and dairy
products, pharmaceutical products, component parts for trucks and
tractors. In Armenia there is a well-developed commodity distribution
network of Belarusian companies (over 25 companies). Three companies
have been opened in Armenia with the Belarusian capital. The
Armenian-Belarusian Trading House Ar-Be features over 10,000
descriptions of Belarusian products.

Armenian main imports to Belarus are strong drinks, siliceous earth,
pharmaceutical products and tobacco.

In 2011 Armenian FDI in Belarus totaled $8.4 million. In July 2012
a joint production of Armenian cognac opened in Minsk. The parties
are currently working on opening an Armenian trading house in the
Belarusian capital.

The sides stressed that the potential of the trade and economic
relations is still huge. The parties have agreed to intensify bilateral
cooperation in industry, strengthen cooperation ties, set up joint
companies, establish direct contacts between economic operators of the
two countries. In this respect, a number of ministries, departments
and other stakeholders have been instructed to develop cooperation in
the industrial production, agriculture, jewellery, IT, international
motor transportation and other areas.

The parties also discussed cooperation in the humanitarian area,
interregional cooperation. The commission stressed that a strong
legal framework has been developed between the regions of Belarus
and Armenia.

Mikhail Amelyanovich and Tigran Davtyan expressed confidence that
the bilateral cooperation of Belarus and Armenia would continue
developing. According to them, there are big reserves for it, in
particular, for trade growth, implementation of investment projects
and diplomatic agreements.

Chairmen of the commission Mikhail Amelyanovich and Tigran Davtyan
signed the relevant protocol after the meeting.

The next meeting of the commission is due to take place in Yerevan
in October 2013.

From: A. Papazian

YOUNG MAN FELL FROM ARP OFFICE AND DIED: POLICE CONFIRMS WHILE THE ARP DEPUTY IS UNAWARE

2012-11-06 13:56:13

According to media reports of David Gevorgyan, one of the construction
workers, born in 1985 died during construction works of the Republican
Party building.

ARP secretary Hovhannes Sahakyan in a meeting with “Hraparak” Daily
Newspaper rejected the news saying there wasn’t that kind of accident
it is just the “flight of mind” of media.

Today Lurer.com interviewed Armen Malkhasyan, Police Public Relations
responsible who confirmed the information and added that the young
man died a few days after the accident.

“Yes, similar accident has been registered. The young man died a
few days after the accident. An examination was appointed although
the answer of the conclusion is not known yet. An examination is
continuing”.

P.S. It is out of understanding how the ARP secretary could be unaware
about the accident and if he was aware but was lying, anyway it is
not clear why he is trying to conceal the accident.

From: A. Papazian

ACTIVISTS’ GROUP PROPOSES CREATING PRE-PARLIAMENT

tert.am
06.11.12

The national-political group Sardarapat has proposed a plan for
creating a pre-parliament as part of its efforts to achieve an
alternative change of government.

Speaking to Tert.am, a member of the initiative, Garegin Chugaszyan,
said they think of outlining a route map for carrying the plan into
practice.

Sardarapat founder Zhirayr Safaryan had earlier unveiled the plan in
a Facebook post, describing the route map as a tool for changing the
regime through alternative elections.

The route map is aimed at ensuring a legitimate and shockless regime
change. The authors propose two basic components for the plan.

“The first phase includes the formation and activities of a
pre-parliament not seeking legitimacy. Its mission should be the
elaboration and approval of the future Armenia’s vision through
professional and open public debates. The second phase should involve
the formation of a higher level representation parliament which
will approve the new republic’s strategy and elaborate its draft
constitution,” said Sefilyan.

The new constitution is expected to enable the founding parliament to
sign public contracts with the citizens to authorize them to change
the authorities and embark on a process of creating a new government.

The public contracts, according to Sardarapat, will mark the success,
legitimacy and steadiness of the process.

From: A. Papazian