Author: Badalian Vardan

SIBIL TO PERFORM IN NJ ON MARCH 31

Armenian Weekly
February 15, 2012

In 2010, the angelic voice of Armenian choir singer Sibil captured
the attention and hearts of Turkey’s population. The headlines read,
“For the first time an Armenian singer is being heard in the streets
of Istanbul.”

Sibil and her sister Garin were born in Istanbul, where their family
name was changed from Torosyan to Pektorosoglu. Her father, Garbis,
a goldsmith, was born in Istanbul, while her mother, Mari, has a
Sepastatsi/Tokatsi background. Sibil was named after the well-known
Armenian writer Zabelle Asadour, whose penname was Sibil.

The first music notes she heard were the prayers and hymns of the
Armenian Church, as her father would take her to church every Sunday
morning as a child. Her talent and love for music were discovered
by her parents, when Sibil would come home and sing and recite the
prayers she had just heard during the church services. However,
the opportunities were not there for young Sibil to develop a strong
foundation in music.

Sibil attended the Mihitaryan elementary school in Istanbul and
then studied finance. She currently holds an important position in a
financial institution. But her passion for music never faded. Since
1991, she has been a member and the lead soloist of St. Vartanantz
Choir inIstanbul. Her break came in 1999 when she appeared on stage
in the production of Dikran Chookhajian’s musical comedy ‘Leblebiji,”
which was sponsored at the time by the Istanbul Esayan Alumni. It
was in that production that she met one of Istanbul’s most respected
modern-day composers and musicians, Majak Tosikyan. Sibil sang his
beautiful songs in such an inspiring way that she became his best
Armenian music interpreter.

In 2010, Sibil realized her life-long dream: Her own CD was released
with 11 songs, produced with the help of Armenian, Greek, and Turkish
artists. The songs “Namag,” “Desnem Ani’n oo Nor Mernem,” “Giligya,”
“Im Anoush Davigh,” “Oror,” “Hisus,” “Der Voghormia,” “Tzarav Seri,”
“Gyanki mi Hamar,” “Siro Tzayni,” and “Nayem” were echoed through
the streets of Istanbul. People liked what they heard-the Armenian
singer was accepted.

Sibil’s voice continued to echo on the Armenian stage in Istanbul, in
the Armenian churches as well as in the Holy Cross Armenian Church on
the Island of Akhtamar. Some of Sibil’s songs were released as videos
and attracted thousands of Turkish and Armenian fans. Turkey’s leading
private TV channels, as well as the country’s state-run broadcasters,
broke new ground by airing Armenian music videos for the first time in
Turkey’s history. Sibil’s also videos appeared on YouTube, showcasing
her unique voice and style to a larger audience all over the world.

In the summer of 2011, Sibil was invited to Armenia to sing at
the opening and closing ceremonies of the Pan-Armenian Games. That
performance was broadcast live on Armenian TV and was watched with
admiration throughout the Armenian Diaspora.

On March 31, Sibil will make her debut appearance in the New York
Metropolitan Area when she performs at the Bergen County Academies
in Hackensack, N.J. The evening is being sponsored by Constantinople
Armenian Relief Society (CARS). Co-chairs of the event are Tamar
Kayserian and Hilda Nisanyan. “It is a major undertaking that requires
a lot of organization and planning. That evening, Sibil will be
accompanied on stage by musicians both fromTurkeyand theUnited States.

There will be pianist, violinists, cellists, base-guitar, drummer, and
a kanun player. Shushi Dance Ensemble will also appear on the stage to
interpret the songs through dance and to enrich the evening’s program,”
said Kayserian, the president of CARS. “The Bergen County Academies’
Auditorium has 1,192 seats and we are confident that we will have a
sold-out evening.”

Tickets are priced at $50, $35, and $25, and can be secured by calling
Adi Abdo at (973) 761-1544, Arpi Misserlian at (973) 907-2898,
Linda Araz Berenson at (201) 561-0172, Margrit Hamparsoumian at
(914) 686-0840, Lusin Garabedian at (718) 776-9513, or Hilda Biosyan
Sheshedian at (516) 864-6966.

SARDARAPAT MOVEMENT: ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES WILL FALL INTO RAT RACE IN HOUR OF NEED

arminfo
Friday, February 17, 16:58

The Armenian authorities are not able to protect the country and
will fall into rat race in hour of need, says Zhirayr Sefilyan,
a member of the Sardarapat Movement Initiative Group, Karabakh War
Hero, Commander of Shushi Special Battalion. “At the given stage,
the regime cares only for its reproduction. To achieve their goal,
the authorities are ready for any intrigues and even legalization of
aggression against peace population. The authorities do not think of
the external enemy and fight against the public and political rivals,”
he told media, Friday.

He said the new generation’s coming to power within the current regime
will become a disaster for Armenia. The new generation of politicians
is more intelligent, skillful and cunning, not in good sense. “They
are bringing ‘reforms’ that will lead the country to the abyss,
gradually legalizing them and justifying their steps bringing them
‘in line with Armenian Constitution’,” Sefilyan said. He said that the
Law On Legal Regime of the State of Emergency is one of the novelties
suggested by the young but already dishonest pioneers of the regime.

“In the meantime, such law is senseless and may aggravate the
situation in the country. Despite all this, I am sure that the law
will be passed and will come into effect,” Sefilyan said.

To recall, on Feb 9 the Armenian Parliament adopted the bill on Legal
Regime of the State of Emergency in the first reading. According to
the bill, the state of emergency in the republic may be introduced
only in case of circumstances which are directly dangerous for the
Constitutional regime of Armenia. To ensure the legal regime of the
state of emergency, the forces of police, national security and state
security structures may be used. The armed forces should be used
only in case the forces of the police and national security cannot
implement their task.

PARUYR HAYRIKYAN EXPECTS TO GET 20% OF VOTES

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 17, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 17, ARMENPRESS: “National Self-Determination Union”
party will run for parliamentary elections alone, leader of the party
Paruyr Hayrikyan told news conference today. He said the upcoming
parliamentary elections are the main political event which will bring
a number of surprises. “These surprises will be pleasant for some
and very unpleasant for the others,” Hayrikyan said.

In response to the question how much votes he expects to get, the
leader of the party said everything depends on the support of the
citizens, but he intends getting 10-20% of votes. He said some forces
that are convinced that they will enter the parliament will fail to
do it.

ARMENIAN CHURCH SERVES AS A UNIVERSITY BUILDING IN TURKEY

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 17, 2012
YEREVAN

ISTANBUL, FEBRUARY 17, ARMENPRESS. Armenian church in Canakkale,
Turkey, serves as a university building. The university rector said
he is proud that an Armenian church serves as one of the building of
the university.

Citing Turkish “Dogan”, Armenpress reports, the rector believes the
best way to preserve historical monuments is using them. “The unused
historical monuments are disappearing. We are proud of having a church
serving as a university building. There are no churches in Canakkale.

Besides, we do not have financial means to have a church,” the
rector said.

Canakkale Armenian church serves as a laboratory for the “March 18”
University’s faculty of Fine Arts.

50 ARMENIAN COMMUNITIES TO GET $11MLN FROM WORLD BANK

PanARMENIAN.Net
February 17, 2012 – 14:22 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors
approved a US$11 million credit, the Third Additional Financing for
the Social Investment Fund III (ASIF III) Project for Armenia.

The Additional Financing will further assist the Government of
Armenia in its efforts to improve the living standards of the poor
and vulnerable groups by expanding labor-intensive infrastructure
projects in response to critical needs of the local communities.

The Project focuses on “infrastructure gaps” through renovation
and rehabilitation of secondary and special schools, kindergartens,
gymnasiums and playgrounds, primary health clinics, potable water
pipelines and sanitation systems, community-cultural and social
service centers, minor irrigation schemes throughout Armenia. In this
regard, the situation in Armenia’s rural areas, especially in remote
and isolated communities, and the earthquake zone, is particularly
severe. The Project targets those populations most affected by the
economic crisis, and the Additional Financing will help to meet these
and other needs over the medium-term.

The Additional Financing will support implementation of about 50
micro-projects aimed at infrastructure rehabilitation and improvement,
and will create short-term employment of up to 140,000 days of labor.

About 20 schools and kindergartens and 5 community centers will
benefit from improved furniture under the proposed project.

Total financing of the Additional Financing is US$ 14.6 million,
of which the Government of Armenia will finance US$2.9 million and
US$0.7 million will be provided by beneficiary communities. The IDA
credit in the amount of US11 million carries a maturity of 25 years
including a grace period of 5 years.

Since joining the World Bank in 1992 and IDA in 1993, the total IDA
and IBRD commitments to Armenia amount to US$1, 517 million.

TURQUIE : LES SANCTIONS CONTRE LA FRANCE ENTRENT PEU A PEU EN VIGUEUR
Stephane

armenews.com
jeudi 16 fevrier 2012

Les sanctions promises par Ankara contre la France après l’adoption
d’une loi qui punira la negation du genocide de 1915, que la Turquie
ne reconnait pas, commencent a se concretiser. Ainsi par exemple
l’administration du Premier ministre a commence a remplacer ses
voitures de fonction, jusque-la des Renault, par des Ford. Et puis ce
sont les transits de vehicules militaires qui sont desormais bloques
par les Turcs.

Avec notre correspondant a Istanbul, Jerôme Bastion

La France ne demandera plus l’autorisation de survol ou d’escale
en Turquie pour ses avions et navires militaires jusqu’a ce que le
sort de la loi penalisant les genocides soit scelle dans le sens
de l’apaisement des relations franco-turques, c’est-a-dire quand
ce texte sera censure par le Conseil constitutionnel. Car a deja
trois reprises ces autorisations ont ete refusees a deux navires
et un avion, qui ont dû changer leur route et leur programme. C’est
ce qu’indique l’ambassadeur de France en Turquie, qui explique donc
tirer les consequences de ce triple refus.

La chancellerie s’abstient de preciser les dates de ces refus et la
nature des navires et avions impliques, mais ajoute que le survol du
territoire turc par l’avion d’un ministre francais a en revanche ete
autorise. Il est fort possible donc que le vol detourne soit celui
qui ramenait les corps des soldats francais tues en Afghanistan le
20 janvier, alors que la visite a Kaboul du ministre de la Defense,
Gerard Longuet, le 21 janvier a pu se faire en survolant la Turquie.

La fin des autorisations automatiques pour les escales et survols
francais avait ete decidee après le vote de la loi Boyer a l’Assemblee
nationale, alors que l’interdiction de transit visant les responsables
politiques de l’hexagone n’a ete promise, après le vote du Senat,
que si ce texte entre en vigueur.

LE PREMIER MINISTRE S’EXPLIQUE
Stephane

armenews.com
jeudi 16 fevrier 2012

La presse du jour rend abondamment compte du point de presse du PM,
Tigran Sarkissian, a l’AN. Principaux thèmes evoques :

il n’y a pas de tension entre le parti Republicain et ” Armenie
prospère “. Le parti Republicain respecte la position de tous ses
partenaires.

la loi sur ” la restriction des transactions en liquide ” qui a
ete a l’origine d’une confrontation entre les deux partis a l’AN
(cf. la revue du 7.02), ne frappe aucunement les couches defavorisees,
contrairement a ce qu’affirment les opposants a la loi. [Rappelons
que la loi preconise que les transactions financières allant au-dela
de 3 millions de drams (6 000 euros) soient effectuees via le système
bancaire]. D’après le PM, 95% de la population armenienne ne fait pas
de transactions aussi importantes au cours de l’annee. Les accusations
selon lesquelles cette loi contribuerait a enrichir les banques sont
egalement infondees, puisque celles-ci effectueront ces transactions
sans aucun interet.

les resultats provisoires du recensement de la population armenienne
mis en place en octobre 2011 font etat de la diminution de celle-ci
de 170 000 au cours des dix dernières annees. Le Gouvernement a
conscience de devoir creer un environnement favorable au maintien
en Armenie de ses habitants, notamment en favorisant la creation de
nouveaux emplois, le chômage etant la principale cause des departs.

la liste du parti Republicain n’inclura pas d’hommes d’affaires connus,
ainsi que l’a affirme le President de la Republique. Hraparak relève
que le President aurait exhorte les membres de son parti a eviter
d’inclure non seulement des oligarques, mais aussi des membres de
leurs familles sur la liste du parti Republicain, tout en soulignant
qu’il se montrerait exemplaire, puisque aucun de ses frères ne se
presenterait aux elections sous l’etiquette du parti Republicain.

en ce qui concerne la construction d’un nouveau reacteur de la centrale
nucleaire et de son financement, le PM envisage le debut des travaux en
2014. D’ici la sera connu le nom de l’operateur. A l’heure actuelle,
il n’est pas exclu, selon le PM, qu’outre les Russes, il y ait une
cooperation avec les Francais et les Americains.

les problèmes de la communaute armenienne de Syrie sont au centre de
l’attention du Gouvernement qui suit de près les evenements dans ce
pays et demeure en contact avec sa representation diplomatique.

le PM a ouvertement soutenu son homologue russe Vladimir Poutine,
affirmant que sa victoire serait une bonne chose pour l’Armenie.

Celle-ci a interet a la stabilite et au developpement durable de la
Russie. Ce n’est pas un secret que tout evenement en Russie a des
repercussions sur la vie economique et sociale de l’Armenie. De ce
point de vue, la force politique qui peut assurer le developpement
durable de la Russie est V. Poutine et son parti.

LES MINORITES DEMANDENT DES REPRESENTANTS CIVILS LORS DES POURPARLERS SUR LA NOUVELLE CONSTITUTION EN TURQUIE
Stephane

armenews.com
jeudi 16 fevrier 2012

Les representants des minorites non-musulmanes de Turquie se sont
rencontres le 15 decembre au Patriarcat armenien d’Istanbul pour
discuter du projet d’une nouvelle constitution et de ceux qui doivent
les representer.

Les participants a la reunion ont debattu de la reconnaissance
des minorites comme des entites legales, de la citoyennete, de
l’organisation culturelle et du Traite Lausanne de 1923, qui a prescrit
le statut actuel des minorites non-musulmanes dans le pays, a declare
Laki Vingas, porte-parole des fondations Anatoliennes grecques et
membre du Conseil General des fondations au journal Hurriyet.

Commission commune

Le Patriarche grec Orthodoxe Bartholomeos, Yusuf Cetin Metropolitain
de la Communaute Syriaque et le Grand rabbin Ishak Haleva etaient
presents lors de la reunion. Une decision a ete prise pour etablir
une commission commune d’universitaires et d’experts legaux, a dit
Vingas, le porte-parole pour des fondations Anatoliennes grecques
et membre du conseil responsable des Fondations des minorites a la
Direction Gegerale des Fondations.

Les revendications de la communaute Syriaque, une des minorites
oubliees de la Turquie a aussi ete aborde pendant la reunion a dit
M.Vingas.

” Ce sujet me depasse. Allons-nous chercher des solutions des
problèmes de toutes les communautes minoritaires, ou [les problèmes
des minorites reconnues par le ] Traite de Lausanne plus les Syriaques
? Isolement, le Traite de Lausanne est inadequat pour une comprehension
contemporaine ” a dit M.Vingas.

Les representants des Fondations et les chefs religieux des communautes
minoritaires seront aussi invites a Ankara pour des consultations
avec la sous-commission sur des associations et les fondations dans
le cadre de la Commission de Reconciliation Constitutionnelle dans
les limites des efforts Parlementaires en cours pour le projet d’une
nouvelle constitution.

Une autre reunion s’est aussi tenue le 15 decembre dans l’Eglise
armenienne de Ferikoy a Istanbul par des representants de la
communaute armenienne, des administrateurs de fondations et des
universitaires. Les participants ont discute du rôle devant etre joue
par des membres non-clericaux des minorites dans l’elaboration de la
nouvelle constitution.

” Nous allons etablir un groupe de travail. Les decisions prises
[par les chefs des minorites] seront apportees a l’attention des
membres des communautes. Quelques personnes ne peuvent pas prendre des
decisions en notre nom. Il a ete dit dans le passe que les communautes
minoritaires ne parlent pas. Maintenant nous avons des demandes ”
a declare Tatyos Bebek un armenien de turquie au journal Hurriyet. ”
Si nous parlons d’une constitution civile, alors les civils seront
bien sûr impliques dans le processus ” a aussi dit M.Vingas.

EXHIBITION REMOVES VEIL OF HISTORY OBSCURING ANATOLIAN MINORITIES

yerkir.am
18:55 – 15.02.2012

Some 200 photographs are on display at an exhibit ‘Cultural
Diversity in Old Diyarbakır,’ which relates the lives and commercial
contributions of Diyarbakır’s long-forgotten peoples.

The Birzamanlar (Once Upon a Time) Publishing House has launched a
photography exhibition in Istanbul’s Tophane neighborhood, providing
a rare glimpse into the history of non-Muslim minorities living in
the southeastern province of Diyarbakır.

“Official history teaches us that all these cities were created by
the Turks, and that all the fair deeds of the past were done by them.

Those who are not Turks or Muslims are depicted as unfavorable
figures,” Osman Köker, the owner of the Birzamanlar Publishing
House, recently told the Hurriyet Daily News. “The cultures, faiths,
traditions and genetics of the peoples of old are also part of the
reality we call the Turkish nation.”

Around 200 photographs compiled from 40 different sources are on
display at the “Cultural Diversity in Old Diyarbakır” exhibition,
which is being jointly organized by the Birzamanlar Publishing House
and the Anatolian Culture and Global Dialogue, an Istanbul based
nongovernmental organization. The exhibition at Tophane’s Tutun Deposu
began Feb. 10 and will continue until March 10.

“Eastern Anatolia was much richer at the turn of the 20th century than
it has been in the Republican period, both culturally and materially,”
Köker said, adding that the memories of old were still very much
alive in Anatolia.

The exhibition, which relates the lives and commercial contributions of
Diyarbakır’s long forgotten peoples, such as the Armenians, Syriacs,
Chaldeans, Anatolian Greeks and the Yezidis, also features explanatory
notes in Turkish, English and Kurdish.

“Armenian newspapers were published and theaters [staged plays]
not merely in Diyarbakır, but also in many other [nearby] places
like Elazıg, Erzurum, Van and Erzincan. There were many factories
[making various kinds of produce] ranging from the silk industry
to metal wares. These [factories] did not [produce] solely for the
domestic market but also for exports,” Köker said.

Turkish people are now striving to learn about the truth instead
of the bragging of official history, he said. “All of us have grown
weary of such vein boasting.”

Old shopkeepers and artisans in the region readily confide they had
learned their skills from Armenians and Syriacs, he said.

Köker said they had already taken the exhibition to many different
corners of the world, including Armenia and that Anatolian peoples
had always shown great interest in the exhibition at every stop.

“Diaspora Armenians know precious little of the things they see in
the exhibitions. They see the concrete [images] of things that seem
to them like the stuff of legends. Moreover, they are nonplussed
that this project has been undertaken by a person of Turkish-Muslim
identity from Turkey,” he said.

Köker also said they had conducted research in the Orlando Carlo
Calumeo Collection, the

Boston-based Project SAVE Armenian Photograph Archive, as well as
the Annuaire Oriental, an annual commercial almanac that has been
published since the mid-19th century, while they were preparing for
the exhibition.

MARIE IZMIRLIAN CHILDREN’S HOME TO BECOME SPECIALIZED

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 16, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 16, ARMENPRESS: Seven children’s homes are operating
in Armenia rooming about 780 children, according to the 2011 data.

Karine Khachatryan, head of the Family, Women and Children Affairs
Department at the Labor and Social Affairs Ministry, told Armenpress
that two of the children’s homes are specialized. 415 children with
mental and physical disabilities are living there.

“About 90% of children living in “Marie Izmirlian” children’s home
have different problems. After the cabinet approves a bill it will
become the third specialized children’s home,” Khachatryan said.

She said for each child living in specialized children’s homes, the
state provides 1380 AMD daily for food and 4918 AMD for child’s care,
totally 6298 AMD. The sum allocated for non-specialized children’s
homes is less, for instance the state allocates for a child at “Yerevan
Child’s Home” 1115 AMD for food, 5061 AMD for other expenditures.

The specialist said there are few ways of discharging from children’s
homes. “It happens when the child is being handed to foster family
or when he/she is being returned to biological family. The cases when
a child is being adopted are more spread,” Khachatryan said.