Author: Arbi Tashjian

The Wellington City Council, slammed as being “complicit in genocide denial” after granting police arrest powers over Anzac Day protesters, is taking a second look at its decision.

The issue came to light on Anzac Day 2022, when Richard Noble arrived at a service at Pukeahu War Memorial Park holding a “recognise Armenian Genocide” banner. The war memorial is owned by the central government and no action was taken against him.

But when he turned up at the Ataturk Turkish memorial on council land above the south coast, a police officer warned him he would be arrested if he displayed the flag.

The killing of between 664,000 and 1.2 million Armenian people by the Ottoman – now Turkish – government between 1915 and 1916 is recognised as genocide by 32 countries including the United States, Canada, France, Germany and Russia. New Zealand does not officially recognise it as a genocide.

Police had the authority to threaten Noble with arrest. Council chief executive Barbara McKerrow wrote to police days before Anzac Day 2021, giving them permission to trespass people from council land at the cenotaph and Ataturk Memorial Park, but only on Anzac days and with no end date set.

She stressed police must not breach the Human Rights Act and only act reasonably.

However, Noble on Thursday told the council’s Social, Cultural and Economic Committee that the permission made the council “complicit in genocide denial”.

“It is your authorisation, it is on your watch,” he said.

Just hours later, an emailed statement from the council said it was liaising with police about whether “any trespass delegation is appropriate and required”.

The council supported people’s rights to public protest as defined under the Bill of Rights.

All councillors were asked if the council should alter the police authorisation.

“I strongly oppose this delegation given by council to police,” said Iona Pannett. Before the council announced its rethink, she registered her displeasure to McKerrow.

“The right to peaceful protest against gross human rights is sacrosanct in our society and so should be rescinded.”

Richard Noble at the Pukeahu Anzac service in 2021 where he was allowed to hold his flag.

The council supported people’s rights to public protest as defined under the Bill of Rights.

All councillors were asked if the council should alter the police authorisation.

“I strongly oppose this delegation given by council to police,” said Iona Pannett. Before the council announced its rethink, she registered her displeasure to McKerrow.

“The right to peaceful protest against gross human rights is sacrosanct in our society and so should be rescinded.”

Ray Chung agreed: “I’m a very strong believer in the freedom of speech and as long as no damage is done and they’re not inciting violence by groups opposing what he’s saying, I’m fine with him being allowed continue his protest without impediment.”

Tim Brown, a paid member of the Free Speech Union, cited the famous line: ‘”I [may] disapprove of what you say but will defend to the death your right to say it.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, in an emailed statement, said it was important “historical injustices” such as the Ottoman treatment of Armenian people were “acknowledged appropriately”. It supported “reconciliation” between Turkey and Armenia.

“For determining whether a particular situation constitutes a genocide, Aotearoa New Zealand places great emphasis on the findings of international courts and tribunals.”

Police have been asked if they planned to trespass peaceful protesters at this year’s Anzac Day.

Genocide is defined by the United Nations as defined acts, including killing, “with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group”.

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Armenia’s Consul General Arshak Manoukian told Kurdistan 24 that Armenia attaches great importance in the development of multifaceted cooperation with Iraqi Kurdistan “and we are ready to continue to take practical steps and actions in this direction.”

Read More: Armenia opens consulate in the Kurdistan Region

The Armenian Consulate General was opened in Erbil two years on Feb. 24. “We are happy to acknowledge the rich agenda and solid activities that have been shaped during this short time,” Armenia’s Consul General Arshak Manoukian said.

Political

“Today we can note with satisfaction that during the last two years we had high-level bilateral reciprocal visits, which will contribute to further deepening our bilateral relations,” he added.

On Feb. 17, President Nechirvan Barzani met with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Munich, on the sidelines of the Munich Security conference.

During the meeting, they discussed the importance of Armenia’s trade relations with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region and also highlighted the situation of the Kurdish Diaspora in Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora in the Kurdistan Region.

“We also attach importance to promoting the collaboration between the Armenian and Kurdish Diasporas in the world,” Armenia’s Consul General Arshak Manoukian noted.

Armenia also has good relations with the Kurdistan parliament. In December last year,a delegation from Kurdistan Parliament’s Martyrs, Genocide and Political Prisoners Committee participated in the 4th Global Forum on Genocide in Armenia.

“We consider the parliamentarian cooperation as an effective format to expand bilateral relations,” Armenian Consul General Manoukian stated. “I would like to note with satisfaction that there are good prospects for promoting decentralized cooperation.”

Trade

In May 2022, the Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani met the Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan in Davos, Switzerland and discussed strengthening relations between the Kurdistan Region and Armenia, especially in the trade and investment sector. 

Read More: PM Barzani discusses trade and investment with Armenian President Khachaturyan

“We can note with satisfaction that the trade-economic relations between Armenia and the Kurdistan Region are flourishing,” the Armenian Consul added. “The trade turnover between Armenia and Iraq in 2022 reached 250 million dollars, a big part of which belongs to the Kurdistan Region.”

“Armenia considers Kurdistan Region an important partner to export its products to the Middle Eastern market,” he added. However, he said he does believe “there is still untapped potential in our trade-economic relations. “The Armenian-Kurdish business forums held in Armenia in May 2022 are productive steps to explore new ways for further deepening our trade-economic relations.”

Education

He also added they have “great untapped potential in the scientific education field. According to the statistical information, we have about 400 Kurdish students studying in private universities. We would like to encourage the youth of Iraqi Kurdistan to consider studying in Armenian public universities.”

“I am glad to note as well that the Diplomatic School of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia conducted two training programs during the last two years for the junior diplomats of various governmental agencies of the Kurdistan Region,” told Manoukian

He also announced that Armenia is ready to discuss the allocation of some scholarships for the students of the Kurdistan Region. “Since the opening of the Consulate General of Armenia in Erbil, we have expanded our academic activities,” he said.

“We also have good prospects of cooperation between universities and academic centers of Armenia and Kurdistan Region. We are ready to share with our friends the academic experience of Armenia, including genocide studies.”

Humanitarian cooperation

He also said Armenia is aware of the dire humanitarian situation of nearly one million IDPs (internally displaced persons) and refugees in the Kurdistan Region.

“In 2022, the Government of Armenia provided humanitarian assistance to the Yezidi IDPs and refugees in the Kurdistan Region,” he said.

“One of the potential fields of humanitarian cooperation is de-mining. I am glad to note that the governmental agencies of Armenia and Kurdistan Region paid reciprocal visits and signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in 2022.”

He also stressed that Armenia provided assistance to the Syrian people and cleared “affected regions from the mines and explosive materials.”

“I hope that the agreements will be fulfilled in the near future, which will help to make Kurdistan Region a more prosperous and secure place,” he said.

Nagorno Karabakh

Last Wednesday, the International Court of Justice issued a legally binding verdict against Azerbaijan, ordering it to take all necessary measures to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions. Azerbaijan has continued to put a blockade on the corridor that is the only land access that connects Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia.

“As you may know, since December 2022, Azerbaijan in violation of trilateral declaration signed on November 9, unilaterally blocked the only lifeline that connects the people of Nagorno Karabakh to the entire world, threatening another ethnic cleansing of the Nagorno Karabakh people,” Manoukian said.

“Thirt-five years ago, in 1988, the peaceful liberation movement started in Nagorno Karabakh. The resolution, adopted by XX Session of the Nagorno Karabakh Council of People’s Deputies on February 20, 1988, was in essence a constitutional claim to replace Armenian-populated Nagorno-Karabakh from Soviet Azerbaijan into Soviet Armenia,” Manoukian stated.

“Azerbaijani official reaction to this was rather prompt. A week later, in the Azerbaijani town of Sumgait – 20 km from the capital Baku– horrific pogroms of Armenians began.”

Arshak Manoukian added: “As The Nobel Peace Prize laureate Andrei Sakharov says: “If anyone could doubt it before Sumgait, then after this tragedy,  no one has a moral justification to insist on preserving the territorial ownership of Nagorno Karabakh to Azerbaijan”.

The Nagorno-Karabakh area declared independence in 1991, following the break-up of the Soviet Union.

Following the declaration, 30,000 people died in a conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over this territory, but both agreed on a ceasefire in 1994. But clashes have periodically broken out in areas near Nagorno-Karabakh and the Azerbaijani-Armenian border, including in 2020, which killed nearly 7,000 soldiers and the death of 170 civilians. Also in September, clashes erupted again.

“Despite the declarations of the international community (US, Russia, France, and other European countries and organizations) to end this inhuman act, Azerbaijan continues its policy of Armenophobia,” Manoukian stated.

“The continuing state-sponsored policy of anti-Armenianism in Azerbaijan and ethnocide against Armenian cultural heritage is yet another proof of the impossibility for a second forceful inclusion of an Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh into Azerbaijan,” he added.

According to HPG information, “comrades Leheng and Alişer” have been extradited from Armenia to Turkey. The HPG thus contradicts reports in the Turkish media, which reported a successful foreign operation by MIT.

According to the press centre of the People’s Defence Forces (HPG), “Leheng and Alişer” have been extradited from Armenia to Turkey. The HPG thus contradicts reports in the Turkish media, which reported on a successful foreign operation of the intelligence service MIT.

HPG stated that, “Comrades Leheng and Alişer encountered forces of the Armenian state in the border area with Armenia in August 2021 and acted prudently to prevent a negative situation. However, they were arrested, detained and charged. Our friends fought legally and were brought before the Armenian Court of Appeal on 23 February 2022, which decided to release them. According to international and Armenian law, they should have been released. Instead, they were abducted and detained by the Armenian secret service. Although they were promised release after initiatives were taken, they were extradited from Armenia to Turkey about a month ago,” the HPG said.

“A disgrace for Armenia”

In doing so, Armenia has violated international legal norms and its own laws, HPG stated: “To hand over Kurdish revolutionaries, who fight for the existence and freedom of their people and empathise with the pain of all oppressed peoples, in this way to the state of Turkey, which is aiming at genocide, is a disgrace for Armenia. Our two comrades have fallen into the hands of the Turkish state in this way. However, in the special war media of the Turkish state, the operation is presented as a very successful MIT operation.”

The HPG also reported that two more persons have been extradited from Iraq to Turkey. In a statement on 14 September, the HPG press centre denied Turkish reporting on an alleged MIT operation in Maxmur Camp in which two PKK members were captured. According to the statement, this report by the Turkish special war media lacked any basis and was designed to portray Turkish intelligence as successful and to distract attention from the heavy losses suffered by the army in the war in Kurdistan. The two people allegedly captured, Hatip and Aria, had already separated from the Kurdish liberation movement in July. This was also confirmed by the People’s Council of Maxmur. As the HPG said, these persons ended up in the hands of the Iraqi state and were extradited by it to Turkey “due to profit interests”. “It is obvious that the success stories about MIT designed with false scenarios at the table do not correspond to reality. The peoples of Kurdistan and Turkey must not believe the lies of the MIT,” HPG said.

Japan’s human rights angle under Prime Minister Fumio Kishida concerns the Meiji Period legacy of going to war with regional nations in Northeast Asia. Hence, it is nationalist to the core and mainly consists of anti-China and anti-Russia rhetoric that also suits America and the United Kingdom.

Nobody in the Japanese Foreign Ministry pointed out that rebuking the Russian Federation but meeting the leader of Turkey smacks of gross naivety at best – or outright Russophobia at worst. After all, Turkey occupies North Cyprus and parts of Northern Syria. Not only this, Turkey openly supports Azerbaijan (an army that openly puts videos of its crimes – or fellow proxies sent by Turkey – of mutilating female dead Armenian soldiers to beheading Armenian Christians).

Turkey also bombs Kurds and the Yazidis in Northern Iraq and violates the national sovereignty of this nation – similar to North Cyprus and Northern Syria. Also, under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan – vast numbers of Kurds, secularists, and anyone deemed a threat to Erdoğan will face prison.

NHK reports, “The prime minister started by saying that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shaken the foundation of world order, which the UN has worked to build since its establishment. He called the invasion an act that tramples on the philosophy and principles of the UN Charter.”

Yet Kishida is then seen openly smiling with Erdoğan – similar to Kishida embracing the leader of Indonesia that crushes the Papuans of West Papua. Hence, from countless wars and internal intrigues by America, France, and the United Kingdom that killed untold millions since the forming of the United Nations – not once did this bother Japan. Therefore, Kishida freely mixes with the leaders of nations – and praises them – despite Indonesia and Turkey occupying vast lands and persecuting the various indigenous groups.

Turkish occupation and settlements immediately erased Orthodox Christianity in North Cyprus. Many decades later and forces that are anti-Christian, anti-Kurdish, and anti-secular – are once more being backed by Turkey. Therefore, Islamist proxies are utilized by Turkey to kill Alawites and Kurds – and to kill Armenian Christians in Nagorno-Karabakh on the behest of Azerbaijan.

France 24 reported (2020), “… intelligence reports had established that 300 Syrian fighters drawn from “jihadist groups” from the Syrian city of Aleppo had passed through the Turkish city of Gaziantep en route for Azerbaijan.”

President Emmanuel Macron of France said, “A red line has been crossed, which is unacceptable… I urge all NATO partners to face up to the behavior of a NATO member.”

Modern Tokyo Times recently said, “Soldiers from Azerbaijan, a close ally of NATO Turkey, took a video of a mutilated Armenian female soldier. This follows beheadings by Azerbaijan forces of Armenians in the last conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh (mainly Armenian populated region).”

Japan’s human rights concerns are cynical under Kishida. Therefore, Indonesia can kill West Papuans, Turkey can kill Kurds along with occupying North Cyprus and North Syria, Bangladesh can crush the mainly Buddhists of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, and America and the United Kingdom can involve themselves in countless wars without a jot of open condemnation or economic sanctions by Japan.

Modern Tokyo Times recently said, “… while children are being killed by extrajudicial killings in West Papua by the Indonesian government, it is boom time for the military sectors of America and France. Likewise, companies in Japan will continue to make vast profits from Indonesia. Therefore, the human rights angle of Kishida means little to the people of West Papua.”

UN News reports, “Between April and November 2021, we have received allegations indicating several instances of extrajudicial killings, including of young children, enforced disappearance, torture and inhuman treatment and the forced displacement of at least 5,000 indigenous Papuans by security forces.”

Benny Wenda, the Interim President of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), said, “Indonesia tells the world they are developing West Papua, but this is a lie. It is not development but destruction. Destruction of our mountain, our forest, our tribal culture. Military operations continue in Intan Jaya because Indonesia is building a gold mine there, Wabu Block. They are building the trans-Papua highway through our rainforest because they want to take our natural resources. Instead of this environmental destruction, the world must support our Green State Vision, which offers a future for all of humanity.” 

Turning back to Turkey: Yazidis are caught up in the intrigues of this NATO power and have also been killed in recent military attacks in Northern Iraq. Associated Foreign Press reports, “The heartland of Iraq’s Yazidi minority, Sinjar is frequently targeted by Turkish airstrikes against bases of Turkey’s separatist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).”

A Yazidi activist continued, “The international community also has a moral responsibility towards Yazidis and the people of Sinjar. It is both painful and illogical that these attacks go [unaddressed] as if they are legitimate. It seems Turkey can get away with anything.”

Even women in Turkey who denounce the murder of women have been attacked by security forces in this nation. The Investigative Project on Terrorism reports, “…when Turkish women sought to celebrate International Women’s Day earlier this month to honor all the victims of femicide – most often perpetrated by relatives, partners or ex-partners – riot police in Istanbul blocked their way, firing pepper spray and setting off flares among the crowds.”

Hence, the logic of Kishida – a nationalist who is anti-Russia to the core – highlights the usually limited dynamics of human rights in Japan. It is aimed at China and the Russian Federation concerning internal Japanese nationalism – and negates other parts of the world.

Similarly, Kishida cares zilch about West Papua. Thus the endless persecution of West Papuans by Indonesia goes on with the rubber stamp of Japan and other G7 nations. Hence, Japan’s international law never applied to America dropping Agent Orange and starting endless wars (even lying about weapons of mass destruction to invade Iraq).

International law to Kishida is a cynical anti-Russia and anti-China card to be manipulated. Therefore, the real Kishida openly meets the leaders of Indonesia and Turkey – and others – and says nothing about the own going occupations of West Papua, North Cyprus, and Northern Syria.