Author: Babajanian Karo

SERVICEMAN HAS BEEN FIRED IN TURKEY BECAUSE OF HIS ARMENIAN ORIGIN

18:19, 10 September, 2013

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS: After serving in Turkish army in
Edine Seifetin Bozan began working as a specialist sergeant in the
army but was fired in 1994 because of Armenian origin.

“Armenpress” reports that about this tells reporter of “Radikal”
newspaper Naif Karabatak in the article titled “You are Armenian, you
are insubordinate”. The sergeant began to work in military unit in Van.

“The former serviceman which was fired after working for eight months
as a specialist sergeant did not know that the fact that Armenian
origin of his ancestors can bereason of firing.

Seifetin Bozan was grown in a Muslim family and kept himself a Muslim.

He was like Armenian in his lifestyle. He tells that in 1915 his
grandfather and grandmother Hovhannes and Sinofer yet children
were taken into custody by Muslims and was grown up as Muslim. In
future they married and moved to Adiaman where in 1972 was born
Seifetin. After working 10 months in the army the leadership in his
personal work makes note “insubordinate”. Later he realized that the
reason of firing was his Armenian origin. After keeping silence for
20 years Seifetin now tries to restore his right.

But state bodies answered that they can not help by anything,” writes
the reporter of “Radikal

CERTAIN PROGRESS IS FIXED IN THE LIGHT INDUSTRY

Friday, 06 September 2013 09:32

On September 3, after a joint working meeting at the NKR Government,
the RA delegation led by Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, accompanied by
NKR Prime Minister Ara Harutyunian and Vice-Premier Arthur Aghabekian,
visitedMetaxcombinat (Silk Factory) Ltd. comprising a few different
companies.

Though the construction works are still underway, some workshops are
already operating, involving about 120 people.

On launching the entire factory, about 700 people will be provided
with job.

The RA Prime Minister stressed the importance of such enterprises
in Artsakh, noting that in case of the factory’s full operation
sufficient prerequisites would be created for the development of
light industry in the republic. The company comprises textile,
garment, carpet, and wool processing workshops. It was noted that
the operation of similar enterprises created opportunities for the
local raw material’s realization.

Currently, workshops supplied with modern equipment for carpet
designing, thread producing, dyeing, and further processes are
operating at the silk factory. A wool processing workshop is already
under operation. Adoption of local raw material has also started.

According to the officials, though the workshops have operated for
a few months, they have already impacted the republic’s economic
indexes. The majority of the workers get averagely 75.000 AMD. Along
with the increase of the production volumes, the number of carpet
weaving masters will also increase.

After visiting the factory, the RA Prime Minister answered journalists’
questions, summarizing the visit to the NKR. Evaluating the visit
as very fruitful, Tigran Sargsyan noted that the RA Government
delegation had a chance to familiarize with the works conducted in
different economic spheres of Artsakh. “We have got acquainted with new
programs, which are implemented in different spheres of the economy
of Artsakh. Today, we have familiarized with a program in the light
industry sphere, which suggests formation of a full industrial cycle,
resolving also the issue of local raw material’s realization closely
related to animal husbandry. Armenia’s companies are participating
in the implementation of this program.

Works on putting new machine-tools into operation and creating new jobs
are underway. This is very important, as light industry provides,
first of all, employment of women”, he noted. Tigran Sargsyan
also touched upon the projects implemented in the agricultural
and construction spheres, separating sunflower oil production,
which demands a great volume of raw material, which, in turn, will
contribute to making new investments in this field for increasing the
production capacity. The RA Prime Minister expressed his confidence
that the future strengthening of the enterprise would allow to meet
the demands of both Artsakh and Armenia in high-quality sunflower
oil and would reduce the volume of its import.

The delegation familiarized also with the army-building programs
endorsed by the Government. The RA Prime Minister appreciated the NKR
defense sphere. He also stressed the progress in the urban development
and tourism spheres. “These days, we have also discussed different
social programs. Our offices have established fruitful bilateral
cooperation and relationship. Discussions took place around all
the programs; corresponding cooperation agreements were signed;
the issue of technical support was also raised in order that the
NKR corresponding institutions are ready for introducing a pension
accumulation system from the next year January”, noted Tigran Sargsyan.

Nune HAIRAPETIAN

2 PER 100 THOUSAND RESORT TO SUICIDE IN ARMENIA – PSYCHOLOGIST

September 10, 2013 | 11:28

YEREVAN. – Following the global economic crisis, suicides have
increased in the whole world.

Psychologist Samvel Torosyan stated the aforesaid Tuesday, during a
press conference devoted to the World Suicide Prevention Day.

“Aside from the social problems, however, there are other reasons
that cause suicides. They include the domestic-family conflicts-as
well as psychological problems,” noted the psychologist.

In his words, the last time when the World Health Organization had
issued respective statistics was in 2008, according to which two
persons per 100,000 residents turn to suicide in Armenia.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

CHRIS BOHJALIAN TO RECEIVE FREEDOM AWARD AT 7TH ANNUAL ANCA EASTERN REGION BANQUET

12:55 10.09.2013

The Armenian National Committee of America Eastern Region will be
honoring best-selling author Chris Bohjalian with its highest honor,
the prestigious ANCA Freedom Award, at the 7th Annual ANCA Eastern
Region Banquet on Saturday, October 12, 2013 at the DoubleTree by
Hilton Hotel in Philadelphia.

“Really, I am deeply and profoundly honored,” stated Bohjalian upon
learning he will be presented with the award.

Since 2007, the ANCA Freedom Award has been presented to former U.S.

Ambassador to Armenia John M. Evans, Pulitzer Prize winning author Dr.

Samantha Power, U.S. Senator Robert Menendez, the late U.S. Senator
Edward M. Kennedy, former U.S. Senator Robert Dole, former U.S.

Senator Elizabeth Dole, and Baroness Caroline Cox.

Bohjalian is the critically acclaimed author of 16 books, including
nine New York Times bestsellers. His work has been translated into
more than 25 languages and three times became movies.

“We’re honored to present Chris Bohjalian the Freedom Award for
his continuous efforts to raise the public’s consciousness on
the atrocities of the Armenian Genocide,” said ANCA Eastern Region
Board chairperson Nora Kzirian. The Freedom Award is presented to an
individual who has made tremendous contributions toward recognition
of the Genocide and who has pursued other issues of importance to
the Armenian American community.

His new novel, “The Light in the Ruins,” debuted as a New York Times,
Publishers Weekly, and national Indiebound bestseller. The book is a
re-imagining of Romeo and Juliet set in Tuscany at the end of World
War II.

His epic novel of the Armenian Genocide – “The Sandcastle Girls”
– was published in paperback in April. His books have been chosen
as Best Books of the Year by the Washington Post, the St. Louis
Post-Dispatch, the Hartford Courant, Publishers Weekly, Library
Journal, Kirkus Reviews, Bookpage, and Salon.

His awards include the ANCA Arts and Letters Award for “The Sandcastle
Girls,” presented at the 2012 ANCA Western Region Banquet, as well
as the Saint Mesrob Mashdots Medal; the New England Book Award for
“The Night Strangers”; the New England Book Award; a Boston Public
Library Literary Light; a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award;
and the Anahid Literary Award. His novel “Midwives” was a number
one New York Times bestseller, a selection of Oprah’s Book Club,
and a New England Booksellers Association Discovery pick.

Bohjalian has written for a wide variety of magazines and newspapers,
including the Washington Post, Cosmopolitan, Reader’s Digest, and
the Boston Globe Sunday Magazine. He has been a weekly columnist in
Vermont for the Burlington Free Press since February 1992.

Bohjalian graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude from Amherst
College, and lives in Vermont with his wife, the photographer Victoria
Blewer, and their daughter Grace. They are passionate supporters
of Homeward Bound (the Addison County Humane Society), Burlington’s
Committee on Temporary Shelter, Concord Academy, the United Church
of Lincoln, and a small elementary school in rural Armenia, where
this year they are funding a new fresh water and plumbing system.

REVERS POUR LE LAC SEVAN EN ARMENIE

ARMENIE

Le parlement d’Armenie a ignore les objections des ecologistes et est
alle de l’avant avec les changements a la loi qui qui permettront de
doubler la quantite d’eau prelevee dans le lac Sevan, la plus grande
ressource d’eau douce dans la region du Caucase.

Le changement est un revers pour un projet a long terme visant a
elever les eaux du lac a des niveaux jamais vus depuis les annees 1950,
lorsque le developpement industriel a commence a epuiser le lac.

Les fonctionnaires disent qu’il est essentiel d’accroître le volume
annuel d’eau preleve au lac Sevan de 170 a 320 millions de mètres
cubes par an pour lutter contre la secheresse dans la grande region
agricole importante de la vallee de l’Ararat.

” La vallee de l’Ararat est menacee ” a declare le Premier ministre
Tigran Sarkissian lors d’une reunion du gouvernement le 14 juin. ” Si
nous voulons assurer un approvisionnement correct en eau d’irrigation,
alors nous sommes obliges de prendre ces mesures, afin de s’assurer
que cette superficie de 40000 hectares ne reste pas non irriguee “.

Andranik Andreasyan, chef du Comite d’Etat pour la gestion de l’eau, a
declare que la secheresse avait ete sevère, et les reserves a travers
le pays sont faibles. Le volume d’eau dans le reservoir Aparan,
par exemple, n’etait plus qu’un tiers du niveau de l’an dernier.

Yuri Javadyan, directeur adjoint d’une commission presidentielle
speciale pour le lac Sevan, a declare que les chutes de neige avaient
ete limitees en hiver ce qui signifie qu’il n’y avait pas assez d’eau
de fonte alimentant les rivières.

Le Parlement a adopte le projet par 93 voix contre 12, outrepassant
les objections des membres de l’opposition qui s’inquiètaient pour
l’avenir du lac Sevan.

Les ecologistes contestent l’argument selon lequel l’Armenie souffre
de la secheresse.

” Ce projet de loi a ete adopte sans debat public ” a declare Inga
Zarafyan du groupe Ecolur. ” Les conditions climatiques de cette
annee ne sont pas très differentes des annees precedentes “. Selon
Knarik Hovhannisyan de l’Alliance environnementale et publique, ”
Il ya beaucoup d’herbes et de champignons cette annee. Cela n’arrive
pas dans des conditions de secheresse, ce qui signifie que cette
explication est sans fondement “. Le Lac Sevan a baisse d’un mètre
par an a partir de 1949, lorsque les shemas visant a canaliser l’eau
ont commence a fonctionner, et le rythme s’est accelere après que
l’Armenie soit devenue independante en 1991. Après 2002, cependant,
la tendance s’est inversee grâce a un programme soutenu par la Banque
mondiale, et le niveaux de l’eau a augmente de plus de quatre mètres
depuis. Le plan est de parvenir a une hausse annuelle de 20 centimètres
jusqu’a ce que le niveau ideal soit atteint en 30 ans.

Cependant, les estimations officielles indiquent que la montee des
eaux vont inonder les routes longeant le lac, et des dizaines de
maisons au bord du lac – beaucoup d’entre eux appartiennent a des
membres eminents de l’elite politique et economique de l’Armenie.

C’est, disent certains ecologistes, la vraie raison pour drainer
l’eau – la secheresse n’est qu’un pretexte pour empecher la montee
des eaux inondant les maisons de vacances de hauts responsables “.

” Comme la plupart de ces proprietes appartiennent a des oligarques
et des fonctionnaires, le gouvernement fait tout son possible pour
arreter d’etre inonde ” a declare Hagop Sanasaryan, president de
l’Union des Verts d’Armenie. Les groupes ecologistes disent que si
le volume d’eau est puisee dans le lac Sevan cette annee, le niveau
d’eau va baisser de 11 centimètres, mettant en danger les espèces de
poissons en interrompant leur cycle de reproduction.

Mher Mkrtumyan, chef de la direction financière a l’organisme de
gestion de l’eau du gouvernement, a nie que la baisse serait aussi
importante que suggere.

” Nous ne parlons que de deux ou trois centimètres ” a-t-il dit.

Arpi Harutyunyan est journaliste pour Armnews TV.

Institute for War & Peace Reporting

mardi 10 septembre 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Sept 8 2013

Armenian church on Akdamar Island hosts first baptism in 98 years

VAN ` Anadolu Agency

Armenians from Turkey and around the world have descended on Akdamar
(Akhtamar in Armenian) Island on Lake Van for an annual Divine Liturgy
on the island’s 10th-century church, which was reopened to occasional
prayer in 2010 after a hiatus of close to 100 years.

Turkish authorities restored the church between 2005 and 2007 before
opening it as a museum. The Divine Liturgy was celebrated there for
the first time in 95 years in 2010. This year, a baptism took place
during the service in the historical church.

The Divine Liturgy began at 11 a.m. at the historic Surp Haç (Holy
Cross) Church. The ceremony was conducted by the acting head of the
Armenian Patriarchate in Turkey, Aram AteÅ?yan.

`During our religious service, we will pray for our country’s peace,
unity and solidarity. There was no empty seats at the service four
years ago, but as time passed, the number of attendees decreased.
Nearly a thousand people have participated this year, unlike previous
years’ thousands. For the first time in 100 years, we will have a
baptism inside the church. I would like to take this occasion to thank
our governor, the security forces and the mayor,’ AteÅ?yan said.

Worshippers prayed for peace in the Middle East and in the world
during the service.

Some 800 security forces stood on guard during the ceremony. Police
took tight security measures on and around the island, while
conducting a bomb search with sniffer dogs and police divers.

Today the Armenian community in Turkey, which numbers around 70,000,
is concentrated in Istanbul.

Neighbors Turkey and Armenia do not have diplomatic relations and a
move toward reconciliation launched in 2009 has not borne fruit.

September/08/2013

Syrian rebels attempt to force Obama info ousting Assad

September 7, 2013 – 19:06 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Syrian rebels seem to have become wearied of waiting
for Assad forces to be bombed and decided to use a well-proved
`weapon’ – accusation of using chemical agents.

According to some sources of the so-called Syrian opposition, the
Assad forces used poisonous shells while attacking rebel positions in
Damascus suburb of Al Kabune. To prove their claim, the rebels cite a
video featuring a person being examined by doctors after having been
poisoned by some agent. No official response followed the statement.
Earlier, Al Arabiya TV channel reported the deaths of 56 over the past
day, which, however, were unconnected to the use of chemical weapon.

Looks like Syrian rebels will stop at noting in forcing Obama to oust
Assad, although the U.S. is planning no such step. As Obama repeatedly
stated, the strike aims at punishing, rather that ousting Assad.
However, the militants, unsatisfied with such an outcome, continue
spreading deliberately false reports, in full knowledge that the media
will be thriving on another report of `murdering of peaceful
population.’ No one seems to care about the fact that the militants
have more than enough blood on their hands – Assad is the only `source
of evil’ in the world and he needs to be punished.

Unfortunately, logic does not seem to be either the rebels, or the
U.S. president’s forte. Why poison one’s people with gas when
government forces are gaining ground against rebels? And it’s utterly
unclear why Obama chose this method to make Iran and South Korea
(which the U.S. believes to be guilty of developing their own nuke
programs) `see reason.’

Somehow, Pakistan and Israel are allowed to have nuclear weapons, yet
the countries of `evil’ are not. And what further defies understanding
is that the Christians, whose fellow believers are being killed and
tortured, are the ones to write about Assad’s `atrocities.’ However,
the misfortunes of the Near East Christians remain unheeded these
days, with rare articles being published. In September, only one
serious article was released in The American Conservative.

`So here is the nightmare. If the U.S., France, and some miscellaneous
allies strike at the regime, they could conceivably so weaken it that
it would collapse. Out of the ruins would emerge a radically
anti-Western regime, which would kill or expel several million
Christians and Alawites. This would be a political, religious, and
humanitarian catastrophe unparalleled since the Armenian genocide
almost exactly a century ago,’ Philip Jenkins said in his article
Syria’s Christians Risk Eradication.

`Around the world, scholars and intellectual leaders are debating how
to commemorate the approaching centennial of that cataclysm in 2015.
Through its utter lack of historical awareness, the United States
government may be pushing towards not a commemoration of the genocide
but a faithful re-enactment,’ the author said.

In his weekly address to the nation, Obama reiterated that the Syria
strike aims to protect the U.S. interests in preventing Syria crisis
from turning into another Iraq or Afghanistan. Yet every one of the
U.S. President’s steps is proving the opposite.

Karine Ter-Sahakyan

Iran to set up exclusive trade fair in Armenia
Economic Desk

On Line: 08 September 2013 15:33
In Print: Monday 09 September 2013

TEHRAN – Iran will hold an exclusive trade fair in Armenia from
October 19-22, IRIB reported.

The exhibition will be held in Armenia’s capital Yerevan.

Iranian manufacturers, traders, exporters, and merchants will put
their latest products and services in different fields on display.

In July, Iran and Armenia signed an agreement to expand bilateral trade ties.

Armenian-Iranian trade turnover valued at $317.7 million in 2012,
according to the National Statistical Service of Armenia. Armenian
export hit $97.8 million.

Armenia mainly exports to Iran ore fuel, oil products, bitumen, wax,
plastics and plastic products, and aluminum products.

Iran mainly exports to Armenia ore fuel, oil and oil products,
bitumen, wax, plastics and plastic products, fertilizers, salt,
limestone and cement.

Tasnim News Agency, Iran
Sept 7 2013

Iranian Envoy, Armenian Top Priest Confer on Latest Regional Developments

September 07, 2013 – 17:52

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Ambassador to Lebanon Ghazanfar Roknabadi and
Jathliq Aram Keshishian, spiritual leader of the 4 million Armenian
Orthodox Christians, in a Saturday meeting in Beirut, exchanged views
on the latest developments in the region, particularly in Syria and
Lebanon.
Print

The Iranian envoy said the main objective of the US in its
determination to wage war on Syria is to ensure the security of
Israel, but added that so far it has not been able to muster much
international support for a possible strike on Syria.

He also called on religious leaders to raise public awareness in
support of just causes in the world and against any use of force.

Archbishop Keshishian who is the head of the Catholicosate of the
Great House of Cilicia and resides in Antelias, Lebanon, said that the
region’s Armenian citizens are faced with serious and profound
security threats, stressing the need for adopting measures to prevent
the outbreak of another devastating war in the region.

Lebanon, Syria’s smallest neighbor, is host to the largest number of
Syrian refugees, who have placed a huge burden on the country and
stretched its resources.

The Library of Congress, DC
Sept 6 2013

ARMENIAN LANGUAGE IS SUBJECT OF 17TH ANNUAL VARDANANTS DAY LECTURE

Renowned linguist Charles de Lamberterie will deliver the 17th Annual
Vardanants Day Armenian Lecture at noon on Thursday, Sept. 19 in the
Northeast Pavilion of the Library’s Thomas Jefferson Building, located
at 10 First Street S.E., Washington D.C. Titled “The Armenian Language
and its Place in the Indo-European Linguistic Family,” the lecture
will be delivered in English.

In recent decades there has been renewed interest in Indo-European
linguistics as new theories about the original homeland of the
Indo-Europeans have been advanced. Some have recently placed the
origins of this linguistic group, which includes the European Romance
languages as well as Persian and Armenian, in Anatolia, a region today
contained within Turkey.

A professor at the Universite Paris-Sorbonne, de Lamberterie has
written and lectured extensively on both Armenian and Greek
Indo-European linguistics. He was inducted into France’s prestigious
Academie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres in 2010.

The lecture series is sponsored by the Near East Section of the
Library’s African and Middle Eastern Division. It is named after the
Armenian holiday that commemorates the battle of Avarayr (451 A.D.).
The battle was led by the Armenian General Vardan Mamikonian and his
compatriots against invading Persian troops who were attempting to
reimpose Zoroastrianism on the Christian state. As a religious
holiday, it celebrates the Armenians’ triumph over forces of
assimilation.

Founded in 1800, the Library of Congress is the nation’s oldest
federal cultural institution. The Library seeks to spark imagination
and creativity and to further human understanding and wisdom by
providing access to knowledge through its magnificent collections,
publications, programs and exhibitions. Many of the Library’s rich
resources can be accessed through its website at