Author: Babajanian Karo

ARMENIAN CEC TO RECEIVE DOCUMENTS OF 160 CIS OBSERVERS

Vetsnik Kavkaza
April 25 2012
Russia

The Central Electoral Commission of Armenia will study documents of
160 CIS observers, News Armenia reports.

Observers will arrive from Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Moldavia, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine,
CIS Interparliamentary Assembly, Parliamentary Assembly of the Union
of Belarus and Russia and the CIS Executive Committee.

The monitoring mission will observe campaigning of candidates for
Armenian parliament. The monitoring mission and the ODIHR/OSCE head
met to discuss the pre-electoral process. The mission visited polling
stations of the Syuniksky, Vayotsdzorsky, Armavirsky and Aragatsotnsky
Regions.

Marches And Commemorations In Southland Mark Armenian Genocide

Los Angeles Times
April 25 2012

Posted By: Marc Martin
Posted On: 9:35 a.m. | April 25, 2012
By Stephen Ceasar

Thousands marched through Hollywood on Tuesday in observance of the
97th anniversary of the beginning of the Armenian genocide and to
call on the Turkish government to recognize the deaths of about 1.5
million people.

Commemorations were also staged elsewhere in the Southland,
including along Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles and at a memorial
in Montebello.

The march was organized by the Armenian Youth Federation. Los Angeles
police Sgt. Lamont Garrett said about 4,500 demonstrators participated,
with many carrying Armenian flags and banners as they marched down
Sunset and Hollywood boulevards.

At the end of the route, near Hobart and Sunset boulevards, speakers
made remarks to the crowd before they moved on toward the Turkish
consulate for another demonstration.

The genocide occurred under the Ottoman Empire, which became the
modern-day republic of Turkey. Turkey denies that any such genocide
occurred.

Among the marchers was Los Angeles City Councilman and mayoral
candidate Eric Garcetti, who said the demonstrations were more than
just a remembrance of those who were killed.

“This is about the fight to recognize this tragic event for what it
was, a genocide,” he said.

ARMENIA ASKS GEORGIA TO RECOGNIZE GENOCIDE

The Messenger
April 25 2012
Georgia

The Armenian parish of its Orthodox Church in Georgia, along with
other Armenian organizations, has asked the President of Georgia,
Speaker of Parliament and Mayor of Tbilisi to recognize the 1915
Turkish actions against Armenia as genocide.

This event is recognized as genocide in 20 countries worldwide. While
the US government has not officially recognized it as a genocide,
the administrations of 43 American states commemorate the day.

Analysts suggest that, as Turkey is a strategic partner of Georgia,
it is unlikely that the Georgian government will recognize the event
as genocide.

PEOPLE WITH NO MONEY NOT TO BE LEFT TO DIE – ORINATS YERKIR

news.am
April 25, 2012 | 20:44

YEREVAN. – People who have no money for a surgery, should not be
left to die, ruling coalition member Orinats Yerkir Party head Arthur
Baghdasaryan said in a rally on Wednesday.

Armenia wastes billions on state medical order but the system works
ineffectively. If a person has no money for an operation, the state
should not let its citizen die.

“We want to change our reality, the system. We do not say if a person
does not have money for dental works the state should give that money.

We mean, if an illness threatens to citizen’s life, the state should
not let the person die,” Baghdasaryan stated.

Orinats Yerkir (Rule of Law) is a party founded in 1997. The leader
of the party Arthur Baghdasaryan is a Secretary of Armenia’s National
Security Council. The party is included in the ruling coalition along
with the Republican Party of Armenia and Prosperous Armenia.

The proportional list includes 178 names. The party has also nominated
MP candidates with the majority election system.

Orinats Yerkir’s election campaign slogan is: “Let us believe to
build rule of law!”

ARCHBISHOP MARDIROSSIAN RE-ELECTED AS PRELATE

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 24, 2012 – 11:29 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian was on April 20
unanimously re-elected to a fifth four-year term as Prelate of the
Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church during the second
session of the 40th National Representatives Assembly, Asbarez reports.

During the day’s two sessions, delegates discussed and analyzed the
annual activities of the Prelate and Religious and Executive Councils,
which they found “highly commendable”.

Following the election of the Prelate, a prayer service was held at the
“St. Dertad and St. Ashkhen Chapel.” The Prelate first and foremost
thanked God, then expressed his gratitude to H.H. Catholicos Aram I
for his assurance, and finally thanked the delegates for their vote
of confidence. In conclusion, the Prelate prayed for the collaborative
endeavors of the coming years to be carried out with unity and harmony
and in accordance with the will of God.

SARKOZY TO SPEAK AT COMMEMORATION CEREMONY FOR ARMENIA MASSACRES
By Helene Fouquet

Bloomberg

April 23 2012

French President Nicolas Sarkozy will speak at a ceremony tomorrow
to commemorate the “Armenian genocide” last century, the presidential
office said today in an e-mailed statement.

In January, France’s Senate voted to approve legislation making it a
crime to deny that the mass killing of Armenians early last century
was genocide, infuriating Turkey and damaging relations between the
two countries. France’s constitutional court subsequently ruled the
legislation was invalid.

NADIM GEMAYEL: LEBANON SHOULD OFFICIALLY ACKNOWLEDGE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Panorama.am
24/04/2012

Kataeb bloc MP Nadim Gemayel voiced his solidarity with the Armenians
in Lebanon on the 97th anniversary of Armenian Genocide, NOW Lebanon
reported.

“It is our responsibility to stand by [the Armenian people] and to
officially acknowledge this genocide and remove any shadow of doubt
concerning its occurrence,” Gemayel said.

He added that the international community should issue “an official
apology” to the Armenian people.

Gemayel also called on the government to dedicate “one hour” in the
school curriculum for teaching about “what actually occurred during
this massacre.”

Turkey insists on denying the fact of Armenian Genocide perpetrated
by the Ottoman government in the early 20th century.

PICKET DEMANDING RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE TAKES PLACE IN FRONT TURKISH EMBASSY IN MOSCOW

news.am
April 24, 2012 | 19:38

MOSCOW. – The Armenian youth of Moscow organized a rally in front of
the Turkish Embassy in Moscow. The participants of the action demand
the Turkish Government to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide
of 1915-1922.

As the Information Center of the Armenian paper in Russia Yerkramas
informs, the posters of the activists read: “Genocide is crime against
humanity!” “Without recognizing the Armenian Genocide Turkey cannot
enter Europe!” “Do not expect us to forget, we remember everything!”

The action lasted for around an hour. After completing the action they
moved to Krasnopresnenskaya where a mass rally was held to commemorate
the victims of the Armenian Genocide.

The world commemorates on April 24 the 97th anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide, the first genocide of the 20th century.

Commemoration actions are held in all states, people remember this
monstrous crime against humanity as over one and a half million
innocent Armenians were massacred in the Ottoman Empire, while hundreds
of thousands were tortured and deported.

The fact of the Armenian Genocide is recognized by many states. It
was first recognized in 1965 by Uruguay. In general, the Armenian
Genocide in Ottoman Turkey has already been recognized by Russia,
France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, Lithuania,
Slovakia, Switzerland, Sweden, Greece, Cyprus, Lebanon, Canada,
Venezuela, Argentina, and 43 U.S. states.

TURKISH EMBASSY IN BEIRUT SETS WIRE FENCE DURING GENOCIDE RALLY

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 24, 2012 – 16:46 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Tens of thousands of Lebanese Armenians gathered
outside the Turkish embassy in Rabieh, Metn, burning Turkish flags
and calling on Ankara to recognize the Genocide of 1915, The Daily
Star reports.

Officials at the Interior Ministry said between 20,000 and 25,000
people took part in the rally that started from the Armenian Orthodox
Catholicosate in Antelias, Metn, and ended at the Turkish embassy.

The huge protest prompted the Turkish embassy to request a change of
security arrangements in the vicinity of the mission. The crowds
outside the embassy were separated by two rows of barbed wire
fences and hundreds of riot police. No incidents occurred during the
two-and-half rally which ended at 2:30pm.

The protesters chanted anti-Turkish slogans and set at least six
Turkish flags on fire.

Organizers managed to keep the situation under control and called
for restraint.

Traffic from Antelias to Rabieh was at a standstill as a result
of the protest, which saw participation by the country’s main
Armenian-Lebanese political parties: the Dashnak, Hunchakian and
Ramgavar.

Head of the Central Maronite Council, former Minister Wadih Khazen,
commemorated the Armenian victims of the genocide at the hands of
the Ottoman Empire, comparing their suffering to that which Lebanon
has endured in its quest for freedom.

“SCREAMERS” DOCUMENTARY SCREENED IN LONG BEACH

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 24, 2012 – 19:15 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The Armenian Student Association (ASA) at Cal
State Long Beach, CA, showed the documentary “Screamers” last week,
about the Armenian Genocide, when 1.5 million people were killed at
the hands of the Ottoman Turks.

April 24 marks its 97th anniversary.

The documentary also featured the Armenian-American band System of
a Down and their attempt at joining Armenians in fighting for its
recognition. Lead singer Serj Tankian’s grandfather was a genocide
survivor.

ASA showed the documentary so that younger people could connect with
the band, and it would be effective in bringing awareness of the
genocide to the CSULB community.

“Not only did it involve an internationally known music group but
it also addressed the various issues going around the world which
somehow can stem from the non-recognition of the Armenian Genocide,”
said Vahan Mezian, president of the ASA at CSULB.

Mezian said recognition of the Armenian genocide is important so that
those affected by the issue can finally move forward. “It will allow
for the further development of Armenia as a nation and culture,”
he said.

The documentary argued that, if the world learned what happened to
the Armenians, the Holocaust or Rwandan Genocide could have possibly
been prevented. The film featured several of the band’s songs, which
they specifically wrote in order to educate people on the genocide.

“We will be asking various students on campus to help post topics
concerning the genocide on Twitter or Facebook that day by submitting
‘#1915NEVERAGAIN’ on their social media pages,” Mezian said.

Next year, ASA leaders said they hope to be organized enough to spread
recognition of the Armenian Genocide on campus at a bigger scale.