Author: Andres-Papazian

PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA: THE SO CALLED “DIPLOMATIC CORRECTNESS” IN THIS CASE IS SIMPLY DETRIMENTAL FOR THE SECURITY OF THIS REGION

arminfo
Friday, September 7, 19:53

I am glad to welcome you to the Presidential Palace, welcome you
to Armenia. OSCE is a very important organization for Armenia
not only because this Organization has in its framework several
institutions – the Minsk Group, the High-level Planning Group,
the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Personal Representative – all of them
dealing with the Nagorno Karabakh problem, but also because the
OSCE principles and the comprehensive concept of security is fully
shared by our country. It is very important that in the framework
of this Organization, we agreed that security of one country cannot
be ensured at the expense of security of another country. We fully
implement our commitments.

However, recently an event has taken place, which makes us to seriously
reconsider some of our approaches. As you know, in Azerbaijan pardon
was immediately granted to a creature which committed a horrendous
crime; unfortunately, in our view this event was not the last
one. Everything started when in 2007 the OSCE Minsk Group presented
its proposal for the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Many
would remember how Azerbaijan rejected the document; then it made a
declarative statement that the document in general was acceptable,
but afterwards it was trying to give its own interpretations to the
principles enshrined in the document. You remember how they were
trying to interpret the right of self-determination. You remember
how they were trying to interpret the term “referendum.” And then
a spectacle started which was meant to gain time, to accumulate huge
amount of weaponry so that at the opportune moment the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict could be solved through the military means.

In our view, pardoning a murderer was not a step to raise Aliev’s
authority at home – it was an attempt to test the response of the
international community to Azerbaijan’s outrageous moves. Cannot be any
other way because in Azerbaijan and among its leadership, there are,
I believe, many people who could soberly see the consequences of such
a move. And that testing of the international community’s patience,
as I said, has started long ago: when Azeris started to violate the
CFT treaty obligations, nobody responded to those blatant violations;
when Azeri president publicly instructed his Academia to write a
history for Azerbaijan where Armenians must not be mentioned at all,
nobody paid attention; when Aliev stated publicly that Yerevan and
the entire territory of Armenia is the Azeri soil, nobody reacted to
that; when Aliev declared publicly that their number one enemy is the
Armenian nation world-wide and that the enemy must be destroyed, again
there was no retort. In response to all our warnings, all requests
we have made to the Co-chairs, to the rest of the world that it was
a beginning of a very dangerous process we were receiving improper
responses that Aliev’s statements were for domestic consumption. Such
a differentiation between the domestic and external audiences simply
cannot be – a person cannot think one way in the morning, and another
in the evening; one way on Monday, and another way on Thursday. Seeing
such a lenience toward these statements, Aliev took up actions. The
first one took place during the regional visit of the US Secretary
of State: subversive actions were instigated not only on the line of
contact but also at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

And again the response was a weak one. And unfortunately, this is
not the end of it.

You know, I went through the war, that’s why I don’t want a new
war. I personally felt on my own skin what the effects of the war, its
impact. And I am confident that anyone concerned with security in our
region, doesn’t want a war. However, desiring is not enough – actions
are needed and that actions must start when you call spade a spade.

The so called “diplomatic correctness” in this case is simply
detrimental for the security of this region.

Recently, in Armenia a sarcastic joke appeared. It sounds like this:
after these events, the international X organization calls upon Armenia
and Azerbaijan not to axe each other in sleep. And this is not a
joke to cheer you up, this is our people’s attitude towards those
international organizations which are trying to introduce parity
between the victim and the perpetrator; between the guilty and the
innocent. It is extremely bad. I ask you, I urge your governments
and our Organization to deal with this issue.

From: A. Papazian

TRIPLETS BORN IN YEREVAN HOSPITAL

news.am
September 07, 2012 | 12:35

YEREVAN. – Triplets were born Friday at Armenian capital city
Yerevan’s Erebuni Medical center. The latter’s Head of Public Relations
Department, Shushan Hunanyan, likewise confirmed this information to
Armenian News-NEWS.am.

She informed that the newly-born triplets are all girls weighing 1.5
kg, 1.290 kg, and 1.260 kg separately.

The mother, Anna Kartashyan, is a 27-year-old resident of Yerevan,
and the triplets are Anna’s firstborn.

The babies were delivered by Caesarean section.

Shushan Hunanyan also informed that doctors say the mother is in
satisfactory condition.

From: A. Papazian

PANORAMA.AM HIT BY MASSIVE DDOS-ATTACK

Panorama.am
22:54 06/09/2012 ” Politics

Since Monday morning, September 3, till now massive DDOS-attack is
being carried out on the site Panorama.am by Azerbaijani, Turkish,
Pakistani, Indonesian segments of the Internet.

Today, from 14:10pm by Yerevan time, the attack power increased
manifold, its nature and geography is also changed.

Currently, the technical team of the site is doing its best to make
the site return to its normal functioning. However, we do not exclude
that we will have to limit the accessibility of the site for users from
a number of countries involved in the above-mentioned illegal actions.

From: A. Papazian

MARRIED TO TRADITION: ARMENIA’S YEZIDI AT ODDS OVER GOVERNMENT AMENDMENT ON MATRIMONY
By Gayane Lazarian

ArmeniaNow
Features | 07.09.12 | 14:59

Childhood for girls in Yezidi village of Rya Taza finishes when they
turn 12.

A young woman with black velvety hair and with equally black shiny eyes
is pouring hot, aromatic coffee into flower-patterned cups. The grayish
steam going up and disappearing in the air veils the melancholy in
her eyes; the coarse, cracked skin on her hands speaks of a hard life.

[yezidi-village-armenia-Sona-family.jpg] Enlarge Photo
[enlarg_image.gif] Sona and her daughters are preparing for the
upcoming engagement.

[yezidi-village-armenia-the-head-of-village.jpg] Enlarge Photo
[enlarg_image.gif] The village head says early marriages for Yezidis
mean having lasting marriages.

[yezidi-village-armenia-Mhoyan-Seda.jpg] Enlarge Photo
[enlarg_image.gif] Seda has been keeping first her sister and now
her teenage daughter in Tbilisi away from the Rya Taza customs.

[yezidi-village-armenia-Leyla.jpg] Enlarge Photo [enlarg_image.gif]
Leyla is the only young girl attending school and planning to go
to university.

[yezidi-village-armenia-Mhoyan-Asya.jpg] Enlarge Photo
[enlarg_image.gif] Asya wants to make sure her daughter turns at
least 20 before she gets married.

“My mother-in-law and I have decided to abide by our tradition,
she is too young but we gave her [to marriage] anyway,” says the
girl’s mother, Sona Aslo, 33-year old mother of four, who lives in
Aragatsotn province’s Rya Taza Yezidi village, 80 km from Yerevan.

“I got married when I was 15, too, so what? We saw it’s a good family,
and what could my daughter have said?”

Sona moved here from Tbilisi to live with her mother-in-law after her
husband’s death. Relatives gathered in their courtyard are discussing
Sona’s 14-year-old teenage daughter Ilona’s engagement details.

Ilona’s uncle Kyaram Davreshyan, 56, who has arrived from Tbilisi
for the occasion, says with bemusement: “What were they thinking when
they agreed to this marriage? She is too young and will have a hard
time. They should have waited at least for a couple of more years to
let her mature a little bit.”

Yezidi women explain their early marriages by ethnic customs and
traditions. Rya Taza village head Ahmad Broyan says that there isn’t a
single 20-year old girl left in the village now, they are all married.

“There is a queue for girls, we want to wait until they grow up,
but there aren’t any, not even spinsters. The youngest bride in the
village is 16, the youngest bride-to-be is 14,” says Broyan adding
that they have nothing against the government-approved amendment
to the RA Family Code, by which the minimum marriage age would be
18 versus the former 17. The amendment, approved in July, is to be
debated in the autumn session of the National Assembly.

Chairman of the World’s Yezidi Union Aziz Tamoyan has spoken against
the amendment, saying that the 60,000 Yezidi community objects to the
bill since they view an 18-year-old girl as an old woman and Yezidi
girls get married at 15-16.

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan responded to their objections by
promising to reconsider the draft law if it, indeed, would violate
the natural life arrangement of the Yezidi community. (The Yezidi,
whose origin is Kurdish, form the largest ethno-religious minority in
Armenia, where many are active as shepherds, living in the highlands.

There religious belief is a mix of paganism and Islam.)

While the union leader objects, young Yezidi women support the bill
because they got married at an early age and have experienced first
hand what that means.

Seda Mhoyan, 41, says her health issues are the consequence of early
marriage.

“Many women become unhappy but endure it, they don’t get divorced.

For the sake of their father’s reputation they won’t go for it.

Plus there is a certain attitude toward divorced women,” says Seda,
who lives in Tbilisi and is now visiting her parents in Rya Taza.

For five years she kept her younger sister with her in Tbilisi not
letting her come to Armenia, to prevent an early marriage.

“I kept her until she turned 21 but they wouldn’t let me keep her any
further. My daughter is 14 and I won’t let her get married until she
gains higher education,” says Seda.

Yezidi men, on the other hand, believe that it is due to early
marriages that they don’t have divorces. The village head of Rya
Taza, with 443 residents, says the family notion is deeply rooted in
Yezidi society.

“I don’t recall ever hearing that a couple got divorced in our
village. It’s just that the sense of shame is stronger with us. How
would we say ‘this man’s daughter got divorced’? What about her
father’s honor, name, reputation, how can there be such a thing?”

says Broyan.

Fifty-nine-year-old Tarlan Hasoyan’s cheeks are rushed and sparkling
from the burning village sun. The bandana tightly around her head,
little golden globes decorating her ears and a long black dress
complete the image of a Yezidi woman. She speaks with confidence and
respect for their customs and traditions.

“A Yezidi woman is predestined to get married, become a good wife,
a good mother, take care of her family, milk cows… and respect men.

When you see a man approaching you have to stand up to greet him,
you should not eat at the same table with him, that’s respect,” she
says, complaining only that girls aren’t allowed to acquire education.

Her granddaughter, 17 year-old Leyla says that she will break that
dogmatic mentality and will continue her studies after finishing
school.

“My family has agreed. I put education above ethnic traditions.

Would harm would it be if a Yezidi woman could become an official
and represent her community’s rights as well?” she says.

Leyla is the only girl in Rya Taza attending school. Her girlfriends
have left school unfinished and are home waiting for their future
husbands.

“When girls turn 12, they are told that they are now old enough so
shouldn’t go outside, should wear long skirts, not go anywhere, do
this, do that. So their mentality is forced to change. Girls aren’t
allowed to think about anything else other than marriage,” says Leyla.

There are no women with higher education in the village. Young women
are conflicted about standing up for their rights and freedoms.

With her raven-black hair pulled tightly back, Asya Mhoyan shakes
snow-white bed sheets and puts them on a line to dry. She has a
light smile playing on her lips, but her face is overwhelmed with
inner protest. She says she got married at 16, but will fight for
her daughter to let her turn at least 20.

“For 15 years I have not eaten at the same table with my father-in-law,
he has never seen me eat. I have never spoken to him in a loud voice,
only whisper,” says Asya, who is now 36.

Rya Taza is preparing for Ilona’s engagement.

Ilona’s sister Ela Aslo, who is now 12, can already sense the looming
threat, so she says out loud: “I don’t feel sad for Ilona, so that
she doesn’t feel sad either. But I won’t let them wed me so early. I
am dreaming of becoming a dancer, I keep telling them that I won’t get
married,” she says. And in her “no” are signs of rebellion that might,
one day, spark revolution in this society wed to archaic customs.

For more images of life in Rya Taza click here.

From: A. Papazian

FIRST CREATIVITY LAB IN ARMENIA OPENS IN LERNAGOG SCHOOL

hetq
17:34, September 7, 2012

A classroom meeting all the requirements of a modern educational
environment opened today in Lernagog, Armavir marz. The Children of
Armenia Fund (COAF) supported this imitative that has already received
the name Creativity Lab. The facility represents a spacious sunlit
room that accommodates 40-50 children. Its mobile furniture can be
rearranged in a way that allows for individual, au pair and group work.

The Creativity Lab also boasts 16 computers and bookshelves with
modern design. These features create a multifunctional environment
that makes possible different work formats including discussion and
lecture, reading and playing, performances and rest.

Present at the opening ceremony was the Armavir marzpet Ashot
Ghahramanyan. The representative of of the National Center of
Educational Technologies handed an award to Lernagog school student
Hasmik Stepanyan, the winner of the republican photo contest.

Speaking of the concept of the Creativity Lab, Serob Khachatryan,
COAF director, noted, “Today’s students do not favor monotonous and
boring classes. In this respect the appealing school environment can
be a significant incentive for diversifying learning activities.”

The principal of Lernagog school emphasized that the idea of the
creative learning environment was suggested by the school teachers
and thanked Children of Armenia Fund for making it happen.

Around 20,000 USD was invested into the establishment of the Creativity
Lab through contributions from a number of COAF benefactors including
Daniel and Mila Sahakyans and Gregory and Marian Saraydaryans. Mr. and
Ms. Saraydaryans were present at the opening of the classroom that
bears their name. The computers and educational posters placed in
the Creativity Labe are donated by HSBC Armenia bank.

* * *

Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) is a charitable organization working
to reduce poverty through child centered development projects. The
implementation of COAF’s comprehensive community development program
started in 2004 and since then several educational, health, social
and economic initiatives have been undertaken. Most importantly,
the organization has supported beneficiary communities through
rehabilitating vital community infrastructure such as schools, health
units and community centers. 11 rural communities from Baghramyan
region of Armavir marz and Talin region of Aragatsotn marz are the
beneficiaries of COAF’s programs.

From: A. Papazian

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL: “AZERBAIJANI GOVERNMENT SHOULD RESCIND ANY PRIVILEGES AWARDED TO SAFAROV”

13:54 . 07/09

Amnesty International is concerned by the actions of the Azerbaijani
government following the extradition of Armed Forces Lieutenant
Ramil Safarov as they will be perceived as an endorsement of
ethnically-motivated violence.

“These actions will ignite existing tensions between Azerbaijanis
and Armenians and encourage further ethnically-motivated violence,”
the statement runs.

The organization thinks the Azerbaijani government should rescind
any privileges awarded to Safarov and publicly condemn ethnic violence.

The Armenian government must also make clear that retaliation against
ethnic Azerbaijanis is not acceptable.

From: A. Papazian

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian National Committee
San Francisco-Bay Area
51 Commonwealth Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94118
415-387-3433 [email protected]

Contact: Matt Senekeremian (415) 387-3433

Serj Tankian and Viza SF Concert Ticket Giveaway

SAN FRANCISCO,CA – The San Francisco Bay Area Armenian National
Committee (ANC-SF ) has teamed up with Serj
Tankian
and Viza to give away tickets to the
September 24th Serj Tankian / Viza concert in San Francisco. The tickets
will be given away September 14-16th, during the 55th annual St. Gregory
Armenian Church Bazaar and Food
Festival.
Those who register with ANC-SF will be entered into a drawing to win a pair
of tickets to the concert. Other giveaways from the musicians will be
available at ANC-SF’s bazaar booth.

“We are very thankful to Serj Tankian and VIZA for their generosity in
providing concert tickets and other items to engage a new generation in
helping advance the Armenian Cause,” said Armen Carapetian, chairman of
ANC-SF.

Serj Tankian, formerly the lead singer of the Grammy Award winning rock
band System of a Down, released his third solo album, Harakiri, on July
10th. It is the follow up to 2010’s critically acclaimed Imperfect
Harmonies. As with 2007’s Elect the Dead and Imperfect Harmonies, Tankian
produced Harakiri at his home studio in Los Angeles.

`I used the Apple iPad as a songwriting instrument to sketch out three of
the songs on the record’ said Tankian. `We must trick ourselves into
writing in different ways to get unexpected results.’

Tankian will be joined by Los Angeles-based band VIZA on his Harakiri Tour
2012. VIZA has released four albums and an award-winning music
video. In VIZA’s “De Facto” and “Eros” albums, the music is a blend of
Armenian, Russian and Greek traditions, along with rock and dance. In the
album, “Made in Chernobyl,” Russian and Eastern European styles and themes
take center stage. VIZA describes itself as “a passport into a musical
endeavor that touches its conspirators, cultural, spiritual, and literal
influences, while translating them into a perfect balance of old world
nostalgia, modern experimentation and social revival.” In August 2010, Viza
was the opening act for Serj Tankian’s `Imperfect Harmonies’ tour in
Yerevan and several Eruropean cities.

For more information on how you can participate in the Concert Ticket
Giveaway, visit Facebook.com/ANCSF or send an email to [email protected].

The San Francisco Bay Area Armenian National Committee is a grassroots
public affairs organization serving to inform, educate, and act on issues
concerning Armenian Americans throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Our
work includes promoting and advocating for a just resolution for the
Armenian Genocide, the development, viability and prosperity of the
Republics of Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh, and the promotion of the rights
and civic responsibilities of Armenians and our national interests.

From: A. Papazian

THE FORMULA NEEDED TO GET THE WORLD TO RESPECT ARMENIA
Armen Arakelyan

September 6, 2012

The extradition of Ramil Safarov, who brutally killed a sleeping
Gurgen Magaryan, and, in particular, his pardon by President Aliyev,
has created an unprecedented situation, rife with unknown expectations,
in Armenian-Azerbaijani relations and the Artsakh conflict settlement
process.

We can’t say for certain who will emerge victorious from
Hungarian-Azerbaijani transaction.

Both Hungary and Azerbaijan had specifically calculated the
consequences of the scandalous transaction. This is why Hungary
avoided informing Armenia about it before the extraction was
taken, understanding that under international community pressure
the operation wouldn’t have been able to be implemented. Baku also
had this concern. This is why it maintained a cover of secrecy until
Safarov touched down on Azerbaijani soil and even declared his pardon
before the plane even had landed. By doing so, Baku attempted to
place all before the fact, being confident that the international
community, like it or not, would accommodate itself to the situation
created. Baku had carried out a type of blitzkrieg action, attempting
to pull several chestnuts out of the fire for domestic consumption.

1. The return of Safarov was presented as a diplomatic victory over
Armenia, which was resigned to uselessly punch the air after what had
happened. Against the backdrop of the frozen Karabakh negotiations,
this step had to convince large sectors of the Azerbaijani public
that Baku was in a strong position and that the government wouldn’t
budge an inch from its declared principles.

2. Aliyev showed that he was not only behind the “national heroes”, but
that he was ready to do everything to safeguard their security. This
was the first step to raise his status as a national and state leader.

3. By reacting to the evaluations of practically all international
bodies with contempt, the Azerbaijani authorities, at the same time,
attempted to portray Aliyev as a decisive and independent diplomat
ready to go head to head with the international community in the name
of national and state interests. In a word, this was done as a public
relations step for the Aliyev administration in light of the upcoming
presidential election.

This was all calculated on two pivotal factors. First, by depending
on the traditionally passive and compliant politics of the Armenian
diplomatic corps, Azerbaijan was convinced that Armenia, on the one
hand, wouldn’t be able to raise the issue on an international level
to the extent of creating widespread pressure on Baku and a change
in attitude towards Azerbaijan and, on the other, that international
institutions wouldn’t pay much serious attention to the protestations
of Yerevan, thus maintaining the principle of parity between the
two opposing nations of the southern Caucasus. This was particularly
evident in the official stance of the European Union.

The second important factor, was the expectation that Armenia
would take extreme, perhaps even hysterical and unbalanced measures,
especially related to the Karabakh negotiations process; in particular,
that Armenia would pull out of the talks, immediately recognize
Artsakh, or even go so far as to physically remove Safarov.

These steps would have changed the existing balance and Armenia, rather
than Azerbaijan, would have been started to be regarded as the one
torpedoing the peace talks; thus leading to a barrage of international
pressure directed against Yerevan. The emotional reaction shown by the
Armenian public and especially in the directives laid out by President
Sargsyan during the special session of the National Security Council,
leads one to believe that the expectations of Baku and perhaps some
international power centers were justified, even though the risk
later weakened a bit.

What to do?

However, taking a cold hard look at the issue, it is evident that
Safarov can be turned into a real nightmare for Aliyev if Armenia wants
to do it and if it can. By pardoning a common murderer and making him
into a hero, the Azerbaijani authorities showed that the main issue
was merely returning Safarov in order to boost their rating. Now,
when that has been done, the Aliyev administration doesn’t know what
to do with Safarov against the backdrop of the negative portrayal
now created around Azerbaijan.

On the external front, it seems that Baku has nothing more to lose,
given that it is clear that Yerevan doesn’t fully comprehend how to
exploit the negativity surrounding Azerbaijan and to cull diplomatic
and political gains according to the rules of real-politik. At
most, what Yerevan can strive to obtain is a severe condemnation of
Azerbaijan and Hungary from international bodies. This will deepen the
negative aura surrounding Baku but will not result in any practical
results.

However, Armenia should take the following specific steps:

a) Adopt a completely different tone with the OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairs. Yerevan must forcefully press for the strengthening of
the principle that Artsakh, in the name of guaranteeing the safety
of its people from the real threat of Azerbaijani fascism, cannot
be included within the framework of Azerbaijan in any format. At
a minimum, Yerevan must demand that Artsakh be included as a full
member in the negotiations process.

b) Armenia must take advantage of the lobbying resources of the
diaspora and launch a strong campaign in PACE and the United Nations
General Assembly to get its initiatives accepted.

c) Yerevan must officially and publicly demand specific explanations
from NATO regarding Safarov’s extradition and the position of NATO
member Hungary.

d) The issue of applying to the European Court of Human Rights must
be studied regarding Safarov’s extradition ad pardon.

e) At the same time, the matter of Azerbaijan again imprisoning Safarov
must be raised with international organizations in order that demand
the same.

All this is necessary, so that the discredited state honor of Armenia,
both in the eyes of the world and at home, can be restored and with
the aim of improving our position in the Karabakh matter.

How this dramatic historic moment plays out and to what extent we will
force the world to respect us and come to terms with us, depends on
the subsequent stance taken by Armenia.

From: A. Papazian

ARTSAKH MFA: AZERBAIJAN’S GOAL IS ANNIHILATION OF NKR POPULATION

PanARMENIAN.Net
September 6, 2012 – 12:21 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – In connection with the extradition and presidential
pardon for azeri murderer Ramil Safarov, acting Foreign Minister of
the Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) Republic Vassily Atajanyan addressed a
letter to the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Ireland’s Minister for Foreign
Affairs Eamon Gilmore.

The letter says: “I state with regret that the official Baku again
undertakes actions to undermine the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement peace process. The extradition to Azerbaijan and the
subsequent presidential pardon for Ramil Safarov, who was convicted
and sentenced to life in prison in Hungary for the murder of a man
asleep, is another proof of the fact that Azerbaijan implements and
encourages the policy of hatred and fascism towards Armenians at
a state level, which is a continuation of the Armenian pogroms and
slaughter in Sumgait, Baku, Kirovabad, Maragha and many other towns
and villages populated by Armenians.”

“Azerbaijan has once more demonstrated that it is not going to meet
any commitments, including international ones, and its primary goal is
perpetration of another genocide against the Nagorno Karabakh Republic
and annihilation of its population. Thereupon, the correctness of
the path chosen by the people of Nagorno Karabakh on building an
independent, democratic and powerful state is reconfirmed,” it says.

The acting FM expressed hope that “the OSCE and its separate members
will condemn Azerbaijan and will undertake corresponding measures aimed
at putting a constraint on that country to abandon the destructive
policy and the ideology of Nazism.”

“For our part, we reconfirm our commitment to the peace settlement of
the Azerbaijani- Karabakh conflict and at the same time affirm that
we are able to defend our country and in case of encroachment on its
freedom and independence we will be able to rebuff the aggressor,”
the letter notes,” the letter concludes.

From: A. Papazian

500 IN ISTANBUL PROTEST RELEASE OF TURKISH-ARMENIAN SOLDIER’S KILLER

hetq
10:29, September 6, 2012

According to Turkish press reports, some 500 people gathered in
Istanbul’s Taksim Square yesterday to protest the release of a Turkish
soldier who is on trial in the suspicious killing of Sevag Balikci,
a Turkish-Armenian soldier, on April 24, 2011.

The protestors say that the killing of Balikci was premeditated as
it came on the 96th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

Kivanc Agaoglu, the defendant, claims that his gun accidentally went
off killing the Armenian.

Around 500 demonstrators began marching toward Galatasaray Square at
7pm behind a banner that read “Militarism kills.”

Sevag Balikci’s family also attended the demonstration along with
anti-war and human rights activists.

The protesters chanted slogans in Turkish, Armenian and Kurdish
throughout the entire march.

“We are all Sevag, we are all Armenians,” “The murderous state will
be called to account,” “Do not enlist in the military, do no spill a
brother’s blood,” “Sevag, we will not forget you,” “Never to kill or
die, never to become anyone’s soldier,” “Long live the brotherhood
of peoples,” the demonstrators shouted.

The demonstration was organized by the Nor Zartonk initiative.

From: A. Papazian