Author: Babajanian Karo

TURQUIE : PHOTOGRAPHIER LE PATRIMOINE CULTUREL

Publié le : 25-02-2014

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN vous
invite a lire la traduction de Georges Festa d’un article en anglais
de Liana Aghajanian publié sur le site Ianyan Mag, mise en ligne
sur le site Armenian Trends РMes Arm̩nies le 21 f̩vrier 2014.

Armenian Trends РMes Arm̩nies

samedi 22 février 2014

Aydın Cetinbostanoglu – Interview

©

Photographier le patrimoine culturel de la Turquie : Aydın
Cetinbostanoglu

par Liana Aghajanian

Ianyan Mag, 01.02.2012

Né en 1954 a Izmir, en Turquie, le photographe Aydın Cetinbostanoglu
documente les communautés gitanes, alévies, juives, chrétiennes
arabes et arméniennes de Turquie depuis plusieurs années, nouant
des liens fondés sur la confiance, obtenant ainsi un accès exclusif
a une complexité culturelle demeurée, en majeure partie, peu connue
des étrangers.

Désireux de rompre les barrières culturelles, Cetinbostanoglu
s’efforce de faire connaître ces diverses cultures depuis près de
quarante ans, utilisant la photographie comme outil, afin d’éduquer
et de révéler a la Turquie ses trésors culturels.

“Je partage leur bonheur comme leur tristesse,” écrit-il sur son
site internet. “Ils m’observent en riant, en souriant, inquiets et
en pleurs… Je me suis fait beaucoup d’amis. J’ai de la chance, non ?”

Auteur d’expositions a travers la Turquie et l’Italie, en Allemagne
et en ex-Yougoslavie, et lauréat de nombreux prix, Cetinbostanoglu
évoque pour nous l’art de la photographie, sa manière de nouer des
relations avec ses sujets, son souhait de voyager en Arménie et ses
impressions, lorsqu’il a photographié le dernier village chrétien
arménien en Turquie.

– Ianyan Mag : Qu’est-ce qui t’a incité a devenir photographe ?

– Aydın Cetinbostanoglu : Quand j’étais jeune, pour des raisons
économiques, j’ai dÔ apprendre un métier et gagner de l’argent. Dans
les années 1960, la seule facon d’apprendre un métier était
de travailler avec un patron. J’ai dÔ choisir cette voie. Devenir
photographe était pour moi une nécessité. En 1966-1967, j’ai passé
mes vacances d’été a travailler dans un atelier de photographie. En
1970, j’ai pris ma première photographie avec un appareil emprunté
a un ami.

J’arrivais a gagner de l’argent en vendant des photos que j’avais
prises. A part ca, j’ai commencé a réaliser des photos personnelles
et je les ai montrées a mon professeur d’art. Il m’a demandé pourquoi
je n’organiserais pas ma propre exposition de photographie et m’a
adressé a un ami qui gérait une bibliothèque. Et j’ai inauguré
ma première exposition, alors que j’étais lycéen en 1973.

– Ianyan Mag : Tu as pris un grand nombre de photos en te concentrant
sur des cultures et des groupes ethniques minoritaires en Turquie,
comme les Alévis et les Gitans, qui ne sont en général pas
photographiés ou peu abordés dans la presse. Qu’est-ce qui
t’intéresse dans le fait de documenter ces sous-groupes et pourquoi
est-ce important de le faire, selon toi ?

– Aydın Cetinbostanoglu : Après mes études secondaires en 1973, j’ai
voyagé en Anatolie avec l’argent que j’avais économisé. Ce fut ma
première rencontre avec la population d’Anatolie et sa culture. J’ai
ouvert une exposition avec mes premières photographies de voyage, a
mon retour. Entre 1974 et 1978, j’ai étudié les sciences politiques
a l’université d’Ankara. Ma formation antérieure et cette époque
troublée par des événements économiques et sociaux ont influencé
notre manière de voir les photos d’actualité.

J’ai été témoin de plusieurs événements historiques durant cette
période, que j’ai photographiés. Le 1er mai 1977, alors que je
prenais des photos, 37 personnes ont été tuées. J’ai vu et vécu
leurs souffrances.

J’ai continué a voyager et a photographier l’Anatolie. J’ai partagé
la vie des gens a de multiples reprises. J’acceptais les couleurs des
différentes traditions culturelles qui font la richesse de l’Anatolie.

Ces couleurs doivent être photographiées et documentées.

РIanyan Mag : Une grande part de ton activit̩ photographique consiste
aussi a documenter les Arméniens qui vivent en Turquie. Pourquoi
as-tu choisi de le faire et qu’en as-tu appris ?

– Aydın Cetinbostanoglu : Les Alévis, les Gitans et les Arabes sont
présents dans mes photographies, ainsi que les Arméniens. En fait,
je photographie les Gitans depuis 1999, et ce projet continue. La
différence, quand je travaille avec des Arméniens, c’est qu’ils
possèdent une expérience culturelle plus riche. Nous suivons ces
“Maîtres du Grand Bazar,” tout en assistant aux cérémonies et
aux rites religieux. J’ai commencé a travailler avec les Maîtres
du Grand Bazar en 2006, en nouant des amitiés au fil du temps,
qui existent toujours.

En 2010, j’ai photographié un mariage religieux. J’avais oublié mon
flash après la cérémonie. En rentrant chez moi, je m’en suis apercu
et, le lendemain, je suis revenu dans l’église, où des religieux me
l’ont remis. J’ai été très touché par cette marque d’honnêteté.

Durant une cérémonie d’ordination d’un prêtre, que j’ai
photographiée, l’officiant demanda a l’assemblée si quelque obstacle
s’opposait au candidat. Si quelqu’un émet un avis négatif, la
cérémonie peut être annulée. Même si cette attitude relève,
elle aussi, d’un rituel de l’Eglise, elle m’intéresse car elle en
montre le fonctionnement.

Mes projets sur les Arméniens s’accompagnent d’observations
similaires.

РIanyan Mag : Que penses-tu de la communaut̩ arm̩nienne de Turquie ?

– Aydın Cetinbostanoglu : J’ai beaucoup appris de cette culture au
cours de mon travail. L’amitié compte beaucoup pour les Arméniens. En
2011, j’ai participé aux cérémonies arméniennes de Pâques. Nous
avons apporté une bouteille d’alcool et des Å”ufs de Pâques
avec des motifs peints, accompagnés de pelures d’oignons. Après
la cérémonie, nous avons déposé nos Å”ufs et l’alcool sur la
table. Des membres de la communauté nous ont dit de ne pas casser
nos Ŕufs. Au lieu de cela, ils les emportent chez eux pour les
conserver. Cette attitude se fonde indubitablement sur un respect
du travail.

РIanyan Mag : De nombreuses minorit̩s que tu documentes luttent pour
l’égalité des droits en Turquie. Grâce a tes échanges avec eux,
qu’as-tu appris de leurs combats et quelle solution te paraît la
meilleure pour régler ce problème ?

– Aydın Cetinbostanoglu : La lutte pour la démocratie est
une nécessité pour tout le monde et devrait être accordée
a chacun. Auquel cas, il est alors possible de s’exprimer et de
protéger sa culture.

РIanyan Mag : Au cours de tes voyages, tu as visit̩ le dernier
village chrétien arménien de Turquie, Vakıflı. Tes impressions ?

– Aydın Cetinbostanoglu : Avédis est le doyen du village de
Vakıflı.

C’est aussi un ami. Il est le père d’Artin. Lors des fêtes de
l’Ascension [Asdvadzadzin] en 2009, j’ai été l’hôte de cette
famille.

Avédis est une histoire vivante. Il m’a appris l’histoire du
village et m’a ramené au passé. Il compte des proches qui vivent
a l’étranger.

Nous formions une vaste communauté et nous avons participé aux
festivités.

Vakıflı est le seul village arménien, près de la ville d’Antakya,
située au sud de la Turquie. Chaque année, a la mi-aoÔt, des
milliers d’Arméniens s’y rassemblent et célèbrent leur fête
religieuse de l’Ascension. Le premier jour, le prêtre de l’église
bénit le sel, première étape des célébrations. Les femmes et les
hommes du village commencent alors a préparer le mets traditionnel,
le “harissa” (appelé “keskek” en Anatolie). Les aliments cuisent dans
sept grands chaudrons du soir au matin. Ces sept chaudrons symbolisent
les sept villages qui composaient autrefois le Mont Musa.

Durant la nuit, les gens dansent et se divertissent avec de la
musique et des chants arméniens traditionnels. Le deuxième jour,
le prêtre bénit les raisins et organise une cérémonie religieuse
dans le jardin de l’église. Après quoi, il bénit le “harissa,”
avant de le distribuer a la population. Puis les gens du village
partagent la nourriture.

L’oncle d’Avédis m’apprit qu’une grande partie des Arméniens qui
vivaient la, quittèrent leurs villages et gagnèrent le Liban, suite
au retrait des Francais. Une bien triste histoire. Si la population
de ces sept villages était en vie, la région serait plus prospère.

Aujourd’hui, ils s’occupent d’agriculture bio et alimentent le marché
avec des produits agricoles a forte plus-value. Lors des festivités,
la population atteint entre 2 500 et 3 000 personnes, invités compris,
pour redescendre ensuite a une centaine.

РIanyan Mag : Comment cr̩es-tu un lien avec les gens que tu
photographies ? Est-ce difficile ? Acceptent-ils que tu les
photographies ou bien dois-tu les convaincre ? Comment les
approches-tu ?

– Aydın Cetinbostanoglu : Un des fondateurs de l’agence Magnum, Robert
Capa, avait une belle expression : “Ta photo n’est pas assez proche
de son sujet, si elle n’est pas belle,” disait-il. Ce qui signifie :
“Fais partie du sujet.” Une philosophie que je fais mienne. Je prends
des photographies de gens et de cultures de l’Anatolie depuis pas mal
de temps. C’est pourquoi je peux travailler avec eux plus facilement
et entretenir de bons rapports aujourd’hui. Je partage leur vie et,
avec le temps, les thèmes photographiques viennent a moi.

– Ianyan Mag : Quels sujets ou quelles personnes n’as-tu pas encore
photographiés, bien que tu aimerais, et pourquoi ?

– Aydın Cetinbostanoglu : Tout d’abord, j’aimerais visiter l’Arménie
et prendre des photographies. Pour une raison essentielle : les
combiner avec mes Ŕuvres et créer tout un corpus arménien. Autre
option, l’Inde, un grand pays, où de nombreuses cultures coexistent.

J’aimerais me balader sur des périodes plus longues et réaliser une
étude en couleurs. J’ai en projet les cultures anciennes du Mexique,
de l’Egypte et d’Extrême-Orient.

– Ianyan Mag : Qu’espères-tu que les gens retirent de ta photographie
?

– Aydın Cetinbostanoglu : J’aimerais que les gens qui suivent mon
travail pensent un peu plus a ces cultures et les apprécient.

____________

Source :

Traduction : © Georges Festa – 02.2014

site d’Aydin Cetinbostanoglu :

Retour a la rubrique

Source/Lien : Armenian Trends РMes Arm̩nies

TURKEY RIGHTS GROUP DISAPPOINTED IN ECHR DECISION, URGES APPEAL

Monday, February 24th, 2014

Turkey’s Human Rights Association (Insan Haklari Dernegi)

Human Rights Association of Turkey Urges Switzerland to Appeal European
Court Decision on Genocide Denial

ISTANBUL–The Human Rights Association (HRA) in Turkey issued a
letter addressed to the Swiss Minister of Justice, expressing the
organization’s disappointment with the decision of the European Court
of Human Rights (ECHR) on Armenian Genocide denial.

“As human rights defenders in Turkey, we are the most immediate, most
direct witnesses of how the denial of the genocide against Amenians
and other Christian ethnic groups of Asia Minor has right from the
start generated an anti-democratic system, allowing racist hatred,
hate crimes and violation of the freedom of expression and the human
rights in general,” argued HRA in a copy of the letter received by
the Armenian Weekly.

HRA concluded: “In the name of human rights, of the struggle against
racist hatred and of justice in Turkey and elsewhere, we would like
to express our belief that the Swiss Court’s decision to penalize Dogu
Perincek’s denialism was a step to protect us all, the entire humanity
against racism, and our heartfelt support to Swiss Court’s exercising
its right to appeal against the ECHR decision dated 17 December 2013.”

Below is the full text of the letter.

***

To:

Mrs. Simonetta Sommaruga

Minister of Justice and Police of the Swiss Confederation

Prof. Dr. Frank Schurmann

Chief of the Division European Law and International Protection of
Human Rights, the Federal Office for Justice

We, as the Human Rights Association in Turkey (HRA), are writing this
letter to you to express our disappointment at the European Court of
Human Rights’ (ECHR) decision dated 17 December 2013 rejecting the
Swiss court decisions of 2007 to penalize Dogu Perincek’s denial of
the Armenian genocide and our unconditional and firm support of Swiss
jurisdiction’s using its right to appeal against ECHR’s decision.

As human rights defenders in Turkey, we are the most immediate, most
direct witnesses of how the denial of the genocide against Armenians
and other Christian ethnic groups of Asia Minor has right from the
start generated an anti-democratic system, allowing racist hatred,
hate crimes and violation of the freedom of expression and the human
rights in general.

In the case of the successive governments of the Republic of Turkey,
the ultra-nationalists and the Turkish public loyal to the official
thesis, denial is not just to say “We didn’t do it” or “What we did
was no genocide.” Here in Turkey denial means criminalizing the
victims and encouraging hatred towards Armenians. In other words
denial becomes the continuation of the genocide and the genocidal
intent in Turkey. In order to deny the genocide, the system argues
and urges the society to believe that:

(i) It is the Armenians to blame, i.e., they deserved what they got.

(ii) Armenians are the enemies of Turkish people.

(iii) Armenians stabbed the Ottomans and the Turks in the back, they
are treacherous and what was done to them was a war-time necessity
for the survival of Turkey.

(iv) Armenians, both at home and abroad, are still a threat to the
Republic of Turkey and Turks.

Not a passive, peaceful denial but aggressive onslaught

Consequently in Turkey denial is not just a passive position, but it
is an active aggression, creating a racist environment fully exposed
to sheer violence. This has paved the way for Armenians in Turkey to
be treated as a “fifth column” throughout the Republican history,
to be discriminated against, to be destined to lead their lives in
constant fear as their lives were threatened during various nationalist
upheavals and pogroms that took place during the Republican period. The
word “Armenian” has become a word of curse so widespread to include
an interior minister of the Republic who openly used it in public
(in 1997 by Meral AkÅ~_ener). This racist hateful environment led to
not only verbal but physical assaults on Armenians.

Hrant Dink, the chief editor of Agos, the first and only Armenian
weekly newspaper published in Turkish in Republican history, and
a prominent supporter of human rights, democracy and freedom of
expression was assassinated in cold blood in 2007, although he had
always been against hatred and animosity on the part of Armenians
towards Turks, advocating instead a reconciliatory stance of mutual
understanding. The Armenian private Sevag Å~^ahin Balıkcı, was
shot dead on 24 April 2011 (i.e. on the day when Armenians worldwide
commemorate the beginning of the genocide of 1915) while doing his
military service in the Turkish army in southeast province Batman by
another Turkish private. The investigation leading to trial was totally
untrustworthy, as the witnesses’ superiors putting pressure on them to
confirm the suspect’s statement that it was an “accident” was reported
in the newspapers. The court decided that the intentional murder was a
result of “gross carelessness,” disregarding all evidence that it was
a hate crime, and sentenced the suspect to only 5 years’ imprisonment.

Another incident took place on 26 February 2012 when, orchestrated by
Turkish and Azerbaijani governments, a big demonstration took place
on Taksim square, the largest and most central square in Istanbul,
for condemning the “Khojaly Genocide,” the massacre of civilians in
Karabagh that Armenian and former Soviet troops allegedly committed
ten years before. During the rally, which was announced days before
by means of posters bearing the slogan: “Don’t believe Armenian lies”
posted all throughout Istanbul, anti-Armenian slogans containing hate
speech were chanted and professionally printed signs that read “You
are all Armenians, you are all bastards” were carried, in reaction
to the slogan “We are all Armenians,” which had been chanted at the
funeral of Hrant Dink. In 2013, within one and a half month, four
elderly Armenian women were attacked in Samatya, a neighborhood with
a high agglomeration of Armenians, cruelly beaten, until one of them
died from heavy beating with numerous deep fatal cuts on her body
inflicted by a sharp object. In short, persistent denial of genocide
is the main reason for the Armenians’ threatened existence in Turkey,
a reason provided by the official narrative itself.

On the other hand, the ECHR decision establishes that the Armenian
genocide is somehow disputable, arguing that the denial of events
which are not qualified as a genocide cannot provoke racist hatred.

However this is not what Dogu Perincek and the “Talaat Pasha
Committee” (named after Talaat, the main author of the Armenian
genocide), of which he is one of the leaders have been doing since
the Committee’s inception. They deny all the sufferings and horrible
massacres–genocide or not–and thus openly insult the victims and
their descendants. They deny all the sufferings of the Armenian people
under Turkish rule and declare that what had happened to them is an
“imperialist lie.” They deny the extermination of the Armenian people
and their civilization, playing a vital role in the Ottoman Empire not
only demographically, but economically, culturally. In other words,
it is not a question of naming what happened to Armenians, it is a
question of denying their very existence, their historical heritage
and the enormous contribution they made to the country they were an
integral part of.

Talaat Pasha Committee already condemned by the European Parliament

Perhaps most important of all, is the European Parliament’s resolution
dated 27 September 2006 on the EC Progress Report on Turkey, where
Turkey was called to put an end to the racist and xenophobic Talaat
Pasha Committee’s activities. The according paragraph reads: “[The
European Parliament] strongly condemns the xenophobic and racist Talaat
Pacha Committee, run by extreme right-wing organisations, for gravely
infringing European principles, and the denialist demonstrations
in Lyon and Berlin organised by those same organisations; calls on
Turkey to abolish this committee and to end its activities.”

It is clear that the Talaat Pasha Committee where Dogu Perincek was
one of the founders and leaders was condemned with the above words by
the European Parliament itself. We, as the human rights defenders of
Turkey would expect the ECHR to take into consideration the European
Parliament’s official views as referred to above.

Coming back to the ECHR decision, we would like to draw your attention
to the opposing opinion of two ECHR judges. The main arguments in
their dissenting opinion were (paraphrased by ourselves in English
based on the original document in French) as follows:

â~@¢ To accuse the victims of distorting history is an invitation to
most violent racist defamation and hate. The sufferings of an Armenian
due to the Ottoman Empire’s genocide policy is not less serious than
those of a Jew under the Nazi’s genocidal policies. Denial of the
Meds Yeghern (“Great enormity,” i.e. “infamous crime” in Armenian)
is not less dangerous than the denial of Shoah.

â~@¢ The defendant has openly denied the Armenian genocide as an
“international lie,” accused the Armenian people of aggression towards
the Turkish state and stated that he supported Talaat Pasha’s ideas.

His statements provoke a grave intolerance and hatred against a
defenseless minority. The Defendant declared that he would never
recognize the Armenian genocide even if an expert or academic committee
decides on the existence of such a genocide.

â~@¢ Expressions such as “international lie,” “historic lie,”
“imperialist lie” obviously go beyond the acceptable boundaries of
freedom [of] expression, because these expressions declare the victims
to be “liars” and suggest an international conspiracy against Turkey
or Turks. Besides, D. Perincek’s identification with a major genocide
perpetrator, who in 1919 was sentenced to death for crimes against
humanity by an Ottoman court makes the situation even more repugnant.

The dissenting judges refer in their statement to our Association’s
press release of 24 April 2006 (the commemoration of the Armenian
Genocide) as follows (again a paraphrase of the original document
in French):

“Tolerance to denialism is to ‘kill the victims for the second time,’
as Elie Wiesel puts it, or ‘denialism is part of the genocide and
enables the perpetuation of the genocide. Denial of genocide is in
itself a violation of human rights,” as Human Rights Association,
Turkey, had declared in their press release dated 24 April 2006 for
the commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.”

Talaat Pasha Committee: an organisation of violent action

Genocide denial, as indicated above, directly contributes to
the racist hatred environment in Turkey. Furthermore, the Talaat
Pasha Committee is anything else than an organisation of peaceful
“thought,” or a think tank. It operates on active, sometimes violent
militant denialism. Members of the Labour Party led also by Dogu
Perincek have raided and sabotaged meetings related to the Armenian
“question.” In 2005 for the first time in Turkey a conference had
been organised with the title “Ottoman Armenians during the decline
of the Ottoman Empire.” Although the term genocide didn’t appear
neither in the conference title, nor in any of the papers presented
there, the Labour Party militants, who would soon become part of the
Talaat Pasha Committee demonstrated outside the conference building,
shouting denialist slogans and hatred towards the organizers, throwing
eggs and tomatoes against those who left the conference. The Committee
organised demonstrations in 2007 in France, Germany and Switzerland to
protest against “Armenian genocide lies,” insulting genocide victims’
memories, hurting the feelings of their children and grandchildren.

Dogu Perincek’s Labour Party members had in 2009 also staged a
demonstration against our press conference in Ankara. The meeting was
hosted by our association HRA and the Ankara Initiative for Freedom
of Expression on Friday June 26, 2009. Our guests were Lord Avebury,
the then vice-chairman of the Human Rights Group in the British
Parliament, and historian Ara Sarafian from the Gomidas Institute,
London, the publisher of the uncensored edition (2000; 2005) of the
1916 parliamentary “Blue Book,” titled The Treatment of Armenians in
the Ottoman Empire 1915-16, a collection of first-hand testimonies
of the Armenian genocide compiled by Viscount Bryce and Arnold Toynbee.

In the press conference it was declared that the copies of the Turkish
translation of the book were sent to the members of the Turkish
Parliament (who in 2005 had signed a letter to the British Parliament
arguing that the Blue Book was a wartime propaganda material and a
mere fabrication, and for that reason the current British parliament
should formally withdraw it) “in an effort to enable them to be better
informed about their subject matter.” While the press conference
was going on, the Labour Party members gathered in front of our
Human Rights Association offices in Ankara, chanted slogans against
“false Armenian genocide allegations,” harassing and alarming both the
audience and our guests from abroad, Sarafian and Lord Avebury. In the
meantime, the copies of the “Blue Book” sent were not delivered to the
Turkish parliamentarians, thus it became clear that the Turkish Grand
National Assembly refused to discuss the witness reports in the book.

ECHR decision encouraged racist denialism

What is very alarming and unacceptable is that the ECHR’s decision to
acquit Dogu Perincek has fueled hostility against Armenians in Turkey.

The Talaat Pasha Committee held a meeting for the first time after
many years, on 19 January 2014, on the 7th anniversary of Hrant
Dink’s assassination. The headline of the press report read: “This
is only a beginning. New victories are on the way!” It is reported
that Dogu Perincek, sentenced to 117 years’ imprisonment in Turkey,
had reportedly sent a message to the meeting saying: “We will now
get out of the circle [that limits our mobility] and encircle/besiege
Turkey’s enemies and win victories on every front.” In the statement
issued during this meeting the Committee misled the Turkish public
by claiming that the ECHR decision had confirmed that the Armenian
genocide was a lie, whereas in fact the Court only ruled that the
Armenian genocide is open to debate and its denial was within the
boundaries of freedom of speech.

Members of Dogu Perincek’s Labour Party reappeared right after the
ECHR decision and ambushed a meeting on 1 February 2014 organised
by “Say Stop to Racism and Nationalism” initiative with the topic
“Why should states apologize?” chanting denialist slogans such as
“Armenian Genocide: an American Lie.”

We call on the the Swiss authorities to appeal against ECHR decision

The reason for us to take your time and give an account of the
denialist history of Dogu Perincek and the Talaat Pasha Committee,
is to underline that denial of genocide cannot be considered as a
simple disagreement of views. This land that is now Turkey, was a land
where at the turn of the 19th century one of every 5 residents was
a Christian, corresponding to the 20% of the overall population. Now
the proportion is below 0.01%! Under these circumstances denialism,
which is woven in the very texture of the society, provokes racism and
hatred against Armenians, threatens those who challenge the official
theses and constitutes one of the biggest obstacles to democratization
which is a precondition of Turkey’s membership to EU. In this context
we would also like to quote the European Parliament’s resolution of
1987 in which the acknowledgment of the Armenian genocide was named
as a pre-condition for Turkey’s admission to the EU.

In view of the above we, as the Human Rights Association in Turkey,
in the name of human rights, of the struggle against racist hatred
and of justice in Turkey and elsewhere, we would like to express our
belief that the Swiss Court’s decision to penalize Dogu Perincek’s
denialism was a step to protect us all, the entire humanity against
racism and our heartfelt support to Swiss Court’s exercising its
right to appeal against the ECHR decision dated 17 December 2013.

Sincerely yours,

Ozturk Turkdogan

Chairman,

Human Rights Association

TURKEY

HAD UKRAINE ENTERED CU, ARMENIA WOULD HAVE LOST REAL SOVEREIGNTY – ANALYST

February 24, 2014 | 15:16

YEREVAN. – If Ukraine had entered the Russian-led Customs Union (CU),
Armenia would have lost its real sovereignty in the coming years.

Boris Navasardyan, President of Yerevan Press Club in Armenia’s
capital city Yerevan and also Eastern Partnership Civil Society
Assembly Coordinator for Armenia, stated the above-said at a press
conference on Monday.

As per Navasardyan, had Armenia lost its real sovereignty, the
country’s interests would have been presented by another country;
he stressed that this is normal for Russia.

“And if Ukraine chooses the path of European integration, this means
we [i.e., Armenia] still will have hopes of returning to the natural
and influential path of development,” he noted.

In Navasardyan’s view, by losing Ukraine, Russia may firmly hold on
to the countries that are still under its influence.

“But if [this] didn’t happen in the case of Ukraine, the entire
Eurasian integration plan loses its force, since Armenia has no
economic importance whatsoever for Russia.

“And there is not doubt that the security and the political cooperation
[between Armenia and Russia] will continue even if Armenia initials
the Association Agreement [with the European Union],” Boris Navasardyan
concluded.

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

EXPERT: A MIRACLE OF SELF-ORGANIZATION IN MAIDAN

18:34 24.02.2014

Anna Nazaryan
Public Radio of Armenia

“What happened in Ukraine was a successful attempt of political
resistance, it was a civil revolt against the criminal regime,”
expert of the Armenian Center for National and International Studies
Ruben Mehrabyan said, analyzing the developments in Kiev. He recalled
that everything started from the deviation from the European path,
the refusal to sign an Association Agreement with the EU.

“Ukrainian people opened a door to Europe, and opened a door of hope
for other countries. Putin’s policy was a complete failure,” he said.

Putin’s project failed in Ukraine and this can lead to a chain
reaction, political analyst Edgar Vardanyan said.

Which was the secret of success of the Ukrainian opposition? “The
decisions were being made by people in Maidan, not the leaders,”
Mehrabyan said.

“We saw a miracle of self-organization in Maidan. This was the result
of courage of Ukrainians,” he added.

IF RUSSIA LAUNCHES WAR IN UKRAINE

Hakob Badalyan, Political Commentator
Comments – Monday, 24 February 2014, 17:27

Will Armenia Grant Asylum to Yanukovych?

U.S. Prevented Possible Russian Intervention In Ukraine

Member of Timoshenko’s Party Elected Speaker of Rada

40 Members Defected From Ukraine’s Ruling Party

Constitution Will Be Changed, Timoshenko Will Be Set Free

The United States of America has practically declared its readiness
to provide military support to Western Ukraine in case of a Russian
attempt to split Ukraine. Susan Rice, U.S. president’s adviser on
national security, commenting on possible military intervention by
Russia, said it would be a grave mistake and Ukraine’s split is not
in the interests of anyone, including Russia.

There is no doubt that if the eastern regions of Ukraine and Crimea
start a movement for separation, they will do it with the support or
instruction of Russia only. It would lead to armed clashes.

The United States is actually hinting that if Russia triggers
separatism in Crime or Eastern Ukraine, it will thus trigger a war,
and NATO will support Kiev then. In addition, earlier there was a
hint about that when Yanukovych decided to clamp down on Maidan. At
that time, NATO secretary general announced that intervention of the
Ukrainian army would affect the relations between NATO and Ukraine.

NATO thereby expressed its direct interest in the developments in
Ukraine, as well as its support to the Ukrainian army in case of
having no destructive role in them.

Russia avoids responsibility for the destiny of Yanukovych, which
is evidence to Moscow’s awareness of the danger to provoke a war
in Ukraine.

It is not going to be Georgia where the Russian army could reach
Tbilisi in five days. Moreover, in this situation, Moscow did not
dare reach Tbilisi and oust Sahakashvili. In Ukraine Russia would
face a long and wearing war in every aspect: economic, political,
human resources. After all, it is hard to tell which part of the
population of Eastern Ukraine or Crimea would pick up guns and risk
their lives for an incomprehensible prospect. Russia will have to
feed those regions not only with guns and money but also cannon fodder.

Kremlin must be aware of this, especially provided the sincere
messages coming from the West. It is more probable that Moscow will
try to trade with the West.

There is one more important circumstance – the people of Ukraine. The
ongoing developments demonstrated that the Ukrainians have a clear
understanding of their goal, and Maidan was not a chaotic movement of
people who were dissatisfied with the government. It was not a movement
against the government. Maidan was a popular movement for power – for
the power of the people. Evidence to this is the political palette
of Maidan which had been set for one single goal to establish their
power, at least at the center of Kiev, with a specific and effective
methodology of maintaining and extending it.

Now a new stage has started. Time will show how effective this
methodology will be for the new stage or what new methodology will be
adopted for keeping Maidan from political trade. One way or another,
continuation is going to be dynamic.

In any case, the result achieved earlier is enough to take into account
the fact or argument of power of the people in international policies
on Ukraine.

– See more at:

UKRAINE EVENTS INSPIRING FOR ARMENIAN OPPOSITION, SAYS HERITAGE MEMBER

NEWS | 24.02.14 | 15:24

Photolure

By SIRANUYSH GEVORGYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter

The Ukrainian opposition’s victory could be inspiring for the Armenian
opposition and add to the fears of the government, says opposition
Heritage party member Stepan Safaryan.

Talking to ArmeniaNow, Safaryan said that while people can be excited
about it, “the adequacy of the political forces’ agenda to public
expectations may still remain a problem”.

Unlike in Ukraine, where the government’s refusal to proceed with
the policy of European integration led to massive protests and
eventually a regime change, in Armenia only a few political parties
(including Heritage and Free Democrats) condemned the decision to
join the Russian-led Customs Union of Armenia. Protests staged in
that connection in Armenia did not attract many people. The other
non-governing forces represented in parliament, including the Armenian
National Congress, Prosperous Armenia and Dashnaktsutyun, did not
speak against the decision to join the Customs Union at all.

Meanwhile, the street protests that began in Ukraine in November led
to a change of power that came at a price of dozens of victims killed
during clashes between demonstrators and security forces. Hundreds
were injured in street battles. Eventually, Ukrainian President
Viktor Yunkovych was ousted from his position by the Supreme Rada,
the country’s legislature, and he fled capital Kiev on Saturday.

Yanukovych’s whereabouts remain unknown. Meanwhile, former prime
minister Yulia Tymoshenko was released from prison. She has announced
her intention to run for president in elections scheduled for May.

Official Yerevan has not yet reacted to the events in Ukraine in any
way. Only lawmakers, at the suggestion of opposition leader Levon
Zurabyan, observed a moment of silence for the victims in Ukraine in
the National Assembly on Monday.

Heritage’s Safaryan says that the Ukrainians have managed to convince
Russia that its bullying behavior will lead to even worse consequences.

“What has happened in Ukraine shows that these people are sick and
tired of the Russian yoke, this is the result of [Russia’s] policy
towards Ukraine. Deterioration of relations takes place because
of this policy no matter towards whom it is being conducted,” says
Safaryan, adding that in Armenia, nevertheless, in the event of a
popular uprising the government will first of all fear not the people,
but foreign interference.

“Armenia’s authorities know that they have been dishonest with
Europeans, they know that there is mistrust towards them also in
Russia, therefore at this moment they wait and see who will benefit
from the situation, who will stir the situation… and they will try
to understand how they can save themselves,” he says.

Armenian government officials routinely deny that by taking the
decision on joining the Customs Union in September Armenia acted
dishonestly towards the EU or incurred Moscow’s distrust because of
its policies in recent years.

Meanwhile, Yerevan-based Caucasus Institute Deputy Director, political
analyst Sergey Minasyan believes that after the developments in Ukraine
Armenia will be able to negotiate around joining the Customs Union on
more favorable conditions. Minasyan also thinks that the European
integration process could get a new impetus in the post-Soviet
territory in the wake of the events in Ukraine.

“In these conditions Armenia will have an opportunity to broaden its
multi-faceted relations with the EU,” says the analyst.

RUSSIAN AIRCRAFT DEPLOYMENT IN EREBUNI MILITARY AIRDROME EXPECTED IN THE 3RD-4TH QUARTERS OF 2014

Monday 24 February 2014 15:11
Photo:

Russian aircraft deployment in Erebuni military airdrome expected in
the 3rd-4th quarters of 2014

Yerevan /Mediamax/. The construction works of military and special
objects for the army aviators were launched at the Russian airbase
in Erebuni military airdrome.

“The distinguishing aspect of the airdrome is its alpine location
at the height of 1000meters above sea level, within the city limits
and surrounded by a mountain range. The works will be carried out
in two phases. In the first phase, collective areas for helicopter
parking, an engine testing platform as well as a platform for launch
and landing trainings and service department will be constructed”,
the statement of the press-service of the Air Force and Air Defense
Command of the Russian Southern Military District reads.

A cultural-leisure center and an entire complex of airdrome
infrastructure objects will be constructed in the second phase.

The deployment of the army aviation aircraft in Erebuni airdrome is
scheduled in the 3d-4th quarters of 2014.

The army aviation squadron will be comprised of Mi-24P, Mi-8MT and
Mi-8 MPS helicopters.

WE HAVE WHAT WE HAVE – ARMENIA’S SECOND PRESIDENT ON CUSTOMS UNION INTEGRATION PERSPECTIVES

16:10 * 24.02.14

In an interview with 2rd.am website, Armenia’s ex-president Robert
Kocharyan addressed the possible impact of the Customs Union accession
on Armenia.

According to him, any haste in this process of conciliating interests
may have unfavorable consequences. Armenia should not have agreed to
initialing an Association Agreement with the European Union in company
with the GUAM member-states. It made the process take on additional
geopolitical overtones.

Mr Kocharyan, what’s your opinion of Armenia’s decision to join the
Russian-Belarusian-Kazakh Customs Union?

This is a subject of paramount important. But to understand it we
have to make a comparative analysis of approaches to the customs
policy in Russia and Armenia after the USSR’s collapse.

About Russia first:

Russia inherited the USSR’s enormous industrial potential –
practically all the economic sectors, with a strong emphasis on the
military-industrial complex. But that potential was not integrated
with the world economy, with greater part of it focused on the
domestic market and the former socialist camp. Oil and gas exports
constituted 65% of the USSR’s exports. To protect its industry from
more competitive imports, Russia applied high customs duties, and
its domestic market enabled the industry to continue operating. The
application of export duties and quotas to energy carriers enabled
the government to keep the domestic prices, which would keep Russia’s
economy fairly competitive. By the way, that allowed Russia to avoid
an economic collapse similar to that in Armenia in the early 1990s.

Now that Russia has joined the World Trade Organization (WTO), it
is gradually revising its foreign trade rules for full integration
with the world economy. It implies some short-term problems, but
long-term benefits.

About Armenia:

We inherited serious industrial potential oriented to the USSR market,
which had ceased to exist by that time. The domestic market for the
industry was insignificant. The absence of a common border and railway
communication with Russia thwarted all efforts to resume cooperation.

The sad situation in a number of economic sectors in Russia in
the mid-1990s was not at all a reason for optimism. After the
USSR’s collapse, a significant part of Armenia’s industry turned
export-oriented and lost the traditional markets and partners. So
applying customs duties to many industries, except for agriculture
and processing, did not make any sense. Other instruments for
protection could be applied. On top of all, Armenia’s blockade and
higher transportation costs for practically all the products. So,
in the mid-1990s, Armenia’s government liberalized foreign trade and
Armenia joined the WTO in 2003 to speed up its integration with the
world economy.

Thus, Armenia and Russia had developed different approaches to the
customs policies for quite a long time. And those approaches laid the
basis of our country’s customs legislation. And because the Customs
Union’s approaches lies upon the Russian Federation’s Customs Code, a
question arises as to what problem Armenia is solving for its economy
by raising the customs duties to the Russian level, and whether it
will manage to revise its approaches without shocks.

I don’t share the officials’ optimism in this respect, because the
economy bears an inert character, and its re-adaptation will take a
long time. Certain forms of business will, in all likelihood, improve
their positions, while other will die. We need an in-depth analysis,
open to business to forecast all the possible impacts on all types
of goods on the CU countries’ markets. Businessmen and farmers must
know what branches [of economy] a likely to create difficulties for
them and vice versa – where they can increase their chances. It will
also hel[ banks and credit organizations to manage their financial
resources in a more effective manner and with less risks.

Besides, the European Union will, in all likelihood, revise the GSP+
system with Armenia, as the EU countries’ ambassadors also hint the
issue. Questions will arise also with regard to the change of customs
duties with the WTO, which we are unlikely to avoid. That will lead
to the implementation of reciprocal measure. As to how it will impact
Armenia’s econo,y and the attractiveness of our countries long-term
investments, it’s hard to predict that now.

Another question which has been raised is the increase in the prices
of products imported from countries beyond the CU borders. Considering
the dominance of such products on the consumer market and the trade
deficit level in Armenia, zedeql zith essentiql volumes here. The
formula is very simple; once you raise the customs duty, the prices
of goods increase in shops. Or the goods are exchanged with equivalent
products from the Customs Union, if they are at all produced there at
all. The Belarusian meat and dairy products, for instance, may sell
for a cheaper price in Armenia, and so will our wine and brandy in
Belarus. As to how the competition will affect our cattle-breeding,
that’s a matter of time. The prices for the household equipment,
electronics and machines imported from those countries will go up in
part if no corresponding exceptions are made. Everything is possible to
calculate and predicts, and those calculations have to be accessible
to public. The essential increase in prices can be restrained only
through the introduction of an extensive exception list and through a
harmonization of the gradual decrease with the customs duties. And that
depends on the outcomes of the talks with all the CU member states,
which will mutually propose their requirements.

That’s a process of coordinating interests, so haste may result to
undesired consequences.

Armenian News – Tert.am

LA PLACE IANOUKOVITCH A SPITAK VANDALISEE

Armenie-Ukraine

Le maire de Spitak a rejete vendredi les appels de l’opposition pour
renommer la place Viktor Ianoukovitch en raison de la repression
sanglante des manifestants anti-gouvernementaux a Kiev.

Gagik Sahakian, affilie a la Parti republicain, a condamne un groupe
de militants de l’opposition qui a vandalise jeudi les plaques sur la
place Ianoukovitch. Il a dit qu’ils ont commis un acte de >. Les militants avait renomme cette place Sergey Nigoyan, du nom
du manifestant d’origine armenienne abattu a Kiev le mois dernier.

” Je considère que c’est inacceptable “, a declare Sahakian. Il
a precise que la place de Spitak continuera a porter le nom
d’Ianoukovitch en reconnaissance de sa participation passee a la
reconstruction de la petite ville rasee par un tremblement de terre
de 1988.

Les affiches anti-Ianoukovitch ont ete arrachees des panneaux carres
vendredi matin. Les militants qui les ont envoyes representent pour
la plupart Contrat civil, un groupe recemment forme et mene par Nikol
Pashinian, un depute de l’opposition franche.

Pashinian a passe près de deux ans en prison pour son rôle dans les
manifestations de mars 2008, qui ont laisse dix morts. L’opposant de 38
ans et ses loyalistes ont etabli des parallèles entre cette agitation
et la mort de plus de 80 Ukrainiens dans les violents affrontements
de Kiev.

” Je ne pense pas qu’un pays qui est passe par [ les evenements de ]
mars 2008 devrait avoir une place du nom d’une personne qui a tire
sur son propre peuple >>, a declare Alen Simonian, l’un des militants
de Contrat civile impliques dans la protestation a Spitak.

” Je sais que Ianoukovitch avait participe a la reconstruction de
Spitak, mais nous devrions donner ce credit au peuple ukrainien dans
son ensemble, pas a une personne en particulier >>, a declare Simonian.

Le maire Sahakian s’est herisse a l’ecoute de ces declarations . ” Que
ces militants pensent a nous avant de juger Ianoukovitch. Ianoukovitch
a ete elu par le peuple “, a t-il dit. ” Un groupe d’enfants est trop
immature pour appeler un homme de 63 ans, aime et respecte par les
gens, un meurtrier “, a ajoute le fonctionnaire.

Certains residents ordinaires de Spitak etaient egalement contre le
changement de nom de la place. ” Ianoukovitch a aide notre communaute
après le tremblement de terre “, a declare un homme d’âge moyen. ”
Il merite d’avoir cette place a son nom. ”

Ianoukovitch avait personnellement inaugure la place Spitak quand il a
visite la ville a environ 100 kilomètres au nord d’Erevan fin de 2008,
un peu plus d’un an avant d’etre elu president. Le conseil municipal
l’a egalement declare citoyen d’honneur.

La place a ete nomme ainsi apparemment a l’initiative de Gagik
Tsarukian, le chef du Parti Armenie prospère. Le BHK, qui possède
le deuxième plus grand groupe parlementaire, est actuellement dans
l’opposition de facto au gouvernement.

Le parti de Tsarukian a refuse vendredi de preciser si elle pense que
la place devrait maintenant avoir un nom different. Son porte-parole,
Tigran Urikhanian, a egalement refuse un commentaire sur la crise
ukrainienne.

PRESS RELEASE
UCLA Armenian Graduate Students Association
c/o Armenian Graduate Students Association
Kerckhoff Hall, Room 316
308 Westwood Plaza
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Tel: 310-206-8512
Email: [email protected]
Web:

2014 Graduate Student Colloquium in Armenian Studies
Friday, February 28, 2014 . UCLA Royce Hall 314

The event is free and open to public

9:30 – 10:00 AM Breakfast

10:00 – 10:15 AM Opening Remarks

Narine Jallatyan . Co-Project Director, 2014
Graduate Student Colloquium in Armenian Studies

Dr. S. Peter Cowe . Professor and Narekatsi Chair in
Armenian Studies at UCLA

Session 1 . MYTH AND RELIGION AS INSTRUMENTS OF INTEGRATION,

DIFFERENTIATION, AND CONTESTATION

Chair: Ani Honarchian . Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, UCLA

10:15 – 10:35 Aline Housepian . Center of Semiotic Research, University of
Limoges (France)

“Comparative Armeno-Anatolian Myth: Toward the
Origins of Common Folk Beliefs”

10:35 – 10:55 Nikoloz Alexidze . School of Governance and Social Sciences,
Free University of Tbilisi (Georgia)

“Imagining Caucasian History: The Narrative of the
Church Schism in Armeno-Georgian Relations”

10:55 – 11:15 Ashkhen Davtyan . Department of Medieval Studies, Central
European University, Budapest (Hungary)

“Sacred Space in Duin”

11:15 – 11:30 Discussion

11:30 – 11:45 Coffee Break

Session 2 . THE VARIED IMPACT OF NATIONALISM ON THE ARMENIAN

POLITY AND PATRIMONY

Chair: Anoush Suny . Anthropology, UCLA

11:45 – 12:05 Anahit Kartashyan . Faculty of Asian and African Studies,
St. Petersburg State University (Russia)

“The Draft Armenian National Constitution of 1857 and its Evolution
to the Final Version of 1863”

12:05 – 12:25 Murad Yildiz . Department of History, UCLA

“Building Robust Armenian Bodies and a Strong
Armenian Nation in Late Ottoman Istanbul”

12:25 – 12:45 Shushan Kerovpyan . Department of History, Ecole des Hautes
Etudes en Sciences Sociales, Paris (France)

“Destruction and Reconstruction of the Armenian
Heritage in Turkey”

12:45 – 1:00 Discussion

1:00 – 2:15 Lunch

Session 3 . LINGUISTICS AND DIALECTOLOGY

Chair: Daniel Fittante . Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, UCLA

2:15 – 2:35 Hasmik Sargsyan . Faculty of Empirical Linguistics,
Goethe-University, Frankfurt (Germany)

“The Dialect of Karabakh in Language Contact: Remarks
on Phonetic Features and Lexicon”

2:35- 2:45 Discussion

Session 4 . THE ROLE OF CULTURE IN GENERATING SYMBOLIC IDENTITY

IN THE ARMENIAN DIASPORA

Chair: Marine Aykazyan . French and Francophone Studies, UCLA

2:45 – 3:05 Vana S. Nazarian . Department of Art History, Concordia
University, Montreal (Canada)

“Familiar Faces and Nostalgic Places: Family
Photographs as Instruments of Memory and Identity in the Montreal Armenian
Community”

3:05 – 3:25 Rik Adriaans . Sociology and Social Anthropology, Central
European University, Budapest (Hungary)

“Ararat Beyond Representation: Heritage Souvenirs and
the Materiality of Diaspora Return”

3:25 – 3:40 Discussion

3:40 – 3:55 Tea Break

Session 5 . EDUCATION AS TRANSFORMATION: AN ASSESSMENT OF SOME

CONTEMPORARY INITIATIVES

Chair: Shushan Karapetyan . Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, UCLA

3:55 – 4:15 Korioun Khatchadourian. Issy-Les-Moulineaux (France)

“A New Pedagogical Approach to Armenian Language
Transmission in the Diaspora: A Case Study of the Mgnig Educational
Workshop”

4:15 – 4:35 Satenik Lazarian . Department of Anthropology,
Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Tbilisi (Georgia)

“Constructing National Identity through Elementary
Education”

4:35 – 4:55 Garine Palandjian . Student Affairs, Armenian University
of Armenia, Erevan (Armenia)

“(Re)Piecing Peace through of Education: A Case
Study of Peace Education Curricula in Four Regions of Armenia”

4:55- 5:15 Discussion

5:15 – 5:25 Guest Speaker . Levon Marashlian, Professor of History, Glendale
City College

5:25 – 6:30 Reception