Author: Badalian Vardan

ICRC VISITS ARMENIAN POW IN AZERBAIJAN

11:45 * 31.03.15

Representatives of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC)
mission on Monday visited the Armenian contract serviceman who is
being held as a captive Azerbaijan after crossing into the country,
says a spokesperson.

“[Andranik Grigoryan] has given information about himself and his
family,” Zara Amatuni, Communication Manager at the ICRC Office in
Yerevan, told our correspondent.

Commenting on Grigoryan’s act, Armenia’s Minister of Defense Seyran
Ohanyan earlier recommended searching for motives unrelated to
service. He cited family problems as a possible reason that might have
pushed the serviceman to cross into the adversary’s territory. The
minister ruled out the possibility of kidnapping by Azerbaijani
saboteurs.

Asked whether Grigoryan has made any statement to explain his reasons,
the ICRC spokesperson replied. “We do not normally disclose details
of either conversations with a hostage or any information conveyed
to him or her.”

She also refrained from giving details as to whether Grigoryan looked
beaten or tortured. Amatuni said that information of the kind is
kept confidential.

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MONUMENT IN LYON DESECRETED

16:03, 31 Mar 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

The Armenian Genocide monument located in the Antonen Ponse Square
adjacent to Lyon’s most famous Belcour Square has been desecrated
once again. There are curse words and offensive remarks inscribed on
the monument, Nouvelles d’Armenie reports.

The opening of the monument in April 2006 was protested by denialist
groups, apparently sponsored by Turks. The protesters then clashed
with representatives of the movement in Lyon, who were filled with
indignation over the slogans that were heard during the protest. Along
with the protest, offensive remarks were inscribed on the monument.

Further desecration ahead of the Armenian Genocide Centennial
commemoration ceremonies goes to show that the criminals intend
to continue due to lack of a law criminalizing denial, Nouvelles
d’Armenie writes.

SARCELLES : CENTENAIRE DU GENOCIDE ARMENIEN ET ASSYRO-CHALDEEN

Publie le : 31-03-2015

Info Collectif VAN – – Cent ans ont passe et
la ville de Sarcelles s’apprete a commemorer a partir du 10 avril
2015 le premier genocide du 20e siècle. Celui des Armeniens, des
Assyro-chaldeens, des deux millions de victimes exterminees en 1915 en
Turquie, par les autorites ottomanes. Nota CVAN : Un programme riche
et varie se tiendra dans la ville du depute-maire PS Francois Pupponi
pour mieux comprendre ces evenements trop meconnus de la Première
Guerre mondiale. Ce Centenaire revet une resonance douloureuse alors
que l’organisation Etat islamique, soutenue par la Turquie, sème
actuellement la terreur en Syrie et en Irak, la meme où avaient ete
deportees les victimes du genocide de 1915… Le Collectif VAN vous
propose cette information publiee sur le site de la ville de Sarcelles.

Sarcelles.fr

Madame, Monsieur,

Cent ans ont passe et Sarcelles s’apprete a commemorer le premier
genocide du 20e siècle. Celui des Armeniens, des Assyro-chaldeens,
des deux millions de victimes exterminees en 1915.

Commemorer, c’est se souvenir du destin tragique de ces innocents
assassines, de leur parcours, de leur courage.

Une serie d’evenements, dont vous trouverez le detail dans ces pages,
vise a faire vivre leur memoire, en images, en paroles ou en musique.

Sarcelles a pu, grâce a la mobilisation du tissu associatif et des
diasporas respectives que je veux remercier, proposer une programmation
riche et mettant en avant, l’art et la creativite de ces populations
millenaires d’Asie mineure. C’est donc avec fierte que je vous invite
a vous joindre a l’ensemble de ces manifestations.

Commemorer, c’est aussi honorer la resistance des disparus, c’est
offrir un deuil digne aux familles de descendants. Dans ce sens —
car je suis convaincu que la memoire est plus forte lorsqu’elle ne
se divise pas — une ceremonie unique aura lieu le 25 avril pour les
Armeniens et les Assyro-chaldeens, une première a Sarcelles.

Commemorer, c’est enfin refuser la fatalite. Fatalite d’une
reconnaissance du terme > qui tarde a etre pleinement
et totalement assumee. Fatalite d’une Histoire qui recommence ; sur
la meme terre, celle des premiers hommes de Mesopotamie ; contre les
memes cibles, les Chretiens d’Orient, armeniens ou assyro-chaldeens ;
avec la meme volonte d’exterminer et dans la meme indifference.

Francois Pupponi Depute du Val-d’Oise Maire de Sarcelles

——————————————–

1915-2015 : cultiver notre devoir de memoire

Cette annee 2015 commemore le centenaire du genocide armenien et
assyro-chaldeen perpetre en 1915 sur le territoire ottoman par les
autorites ottomanes.

Si les massacres de ces minorites avaient commence bien avant 1915,
ils n’avaient pas alors le côte systematique, organise et orchestre
qu’ils prennent a partir d’avril 1915.

Dès le 24 avril 1915 et l’elimination de six cents notables armeniens
a Constantinople sur ordre du gouvernement des jeunes Turcs, la
volonte d’exterminer les Chretiens ne fait plus de doute. C’est le
debut du genocide.

Une tragedie qui durera plus d’un an ; annee où rien ne sera
epargne aux populations chretiennes. Exil, deportation, executions,
au total ce sont presque deux millions de personnes (armeniennes,
assyro-chaldeennes, grecques pontiques) qui periront dans cette
purification ethnique aux seuls motifs de leurs origines et de leur
religion.

Un bilan effroyable qui aneantit deux tiers des Chretiens d’une terre
où ils vivaient depuis deux millenaires.

Le monde a alors les yeux rives sur la Grande Guerre et rares sont
les voix qui s’elèvent pour condamner ce premier genocide du 20e
siècle : c’est dans l’indifference generale que l’entreprise visant
a l’homogeneisation des peuples d’Asie mineure se met en place dans
les deserts de Mesopotamie.

Ce n’est que plus tard, grâce a l’effort toujours plus important des
descendants, que la verite s’imposera partiellement. L’histoire et de
nombreux pays (dont la France) reconnaissent aujourd’hui la realite
du genocide armenien mais l’extermination des Assyro-chaldeens reste
encore meconnue et la Turquie, heritière de l’Empire Ottoman, refuse
toujours d’assumer sa responsabilite.

Les commemorations du centenaire de cette > doivent
servir a obtenir une reconnaissance pleine et entière des evenements
de la part de tous les protagonistes. Elles doivent aussi mettre en
lumière une page de l’histoire souvent, injustement, occultee.

Sarcelles, terre d’asile des Armeniens exiles en 1915 puis des
Assyro-chaldeens dans les annees 80, continue aujourd’hui d’accueillir
des Chretiens d’Orient, chasses d’Irak ou de Syrie. Pour que l’histoire
ne se repète pas, les associations et la municipalite ont mis en place
un parcours fait de representations theâtrales et cinematographiques,
de conferences, d’expositions pour commemorer les cent ans du genocide.

Ces evenements ont pu voir le jour grâce a la documentation riche,
abondante et precise mise a disposition par les familles des victimes.

C’est grâce a elles que tout au long de l’annee 2015, Sarcelles va
cultiver son devoir de memoire.

Programme entier a decouvrir ICI.

Source/Lien : Sarcelles.fr

NEW PHOTO BOOK CHRONICLING HOME OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE SURVIVORS

14:51, 31 Mar 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

On the occasion of the Armenian Genocide Centennial and the 40th
anniversary of the start of the Lebanese Civil War, filmmaker
and documentarian Ara Madzounian is releasing a book of original
photographs that chronicles Bourj Hammoud, the Beirut suburb which
became home for Armenian Genocide survivors.

Madzounian, who was born in Bourj Hammoud to parents who survived
the Armenian Genocide, has been at the helm of scores of Armenian
and non-Armenian multimedia projects around the world. His resume
includes directing films, documentaries, producing popular music and
telethons and performing theatrical productions.

After wrapping up his feature cinematography work on the feature film
Meltdown, to be released in August, he is turning his focus on BIRD’S
NEST, a published book of talking pictures and essays by a selected
group of academicians, writers and artists.

“I wanted to create a lasting legacy about this place,” says
Madzounian. “For more than 50 years, Bourj Hammoud served as the
cultural, intellectual and political beacon for the Armenian Diaspora.”

BIRD’S NEST is the culmination of Madzounian’s laborious and
emotion-provoking work to capture the soul and preserve the memories
of his birthplace, one of the first post-Genocide communities to
be established.

For generations, Bourj Hammoud was the safe harbor that allowed broken
families to get on their feet again after one of the most tragic
chapters in their history. In the safety of Lebanon, the community
flourished before it abruptly found itself in the middle of their
host nation’s civil war.

The survivors of the Armenian Genocide and their progeny were once
again victimized when Lebanese brothers took up arms against one
another. Many residents of the Armenian enclave of Bourj Hammoud were
killed and injured; others were forced to leave their homes as they
had during the Genocide.

“Ara’s photographs of the faces, the streets, the old buildings and the
narrow alleyways of Bourj Hammoud recall to me all of the richness of
the place, the personal histories and the grand narratives of the past
hundred years,” says cultural anthropologist at the Kevorkian Center
for Near Eastern Studies at New York University, Joanne Randa Nucho.

A Kickstarter campaign will launch on April 13, 2015, the 40th
anniversary of the start of the Lebanese civil war that began in
1975 and continued until 1990. Crowdsourcing will fund the costs
of publishing BIRD’S NEST, a book of photographs Nucho says capture
“the ephemeral moments of life in this place.”

BIRD’S NEST is the product of Madzounian’s years of meticulous and
insightful photography with the goal to capture the essence and
historic importance of his own birthplace.

After leaving his nest, Madzounian earned a master’s degree in film
at the University of California, Los Angeles. The filmmaker then
spent years working on commercial and independent productions and
directing and producing his own projects.

“These photographs are an amazing legacy to a vanishing pocket of
Armenian culture,” says Oscar nominated director Atom Egoyan. “For
those who have never visited Bourj Hammoud, the fabled Armenian
neighborhood in Beirut, this collection will be overwhelming.”

L’ANTISEMITISME EST A CONDAMNER, D’OÙ QU’IL VIENNE !

Publie le : 31-03-2015

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN vous
invite a lire le Communique de presse de la Ligue des droits de
l’Homme publie le 30 mars 2015.

LDH

Communique LDH

La Ligue des droits de l’Homme a ete informee d’une image et d’un
texte antisemite diffuses sur le reseau social Facebook, le 3 août
2014, affirmant, parmi d’autres propos insupportables, que la Shoah
ferait partie d’un plan global concu par > visant a
coloniser la Palestine.

Ayant prealablement tente de les faire retirer et après avoir constate
qu’aucune condamnation publique d’une telle publication n’avait eu
lieu, notamment auprès de ceux ou de celles qui avaient approuve
ce texte par leurs commentaires, face au refus de tout dialogue,
la LDH a ete contrainte de deposer plainte auprès du procureur de la
Republique du tribunal de grande instance de Montpellier notamment
pour provocation a la haine, a la discrimination et a la violence a
raison de la religion. Une enquete est en cours.

La LDH decouvre avec stupefaction que loin de condamner de tels propos
et de tels actes, certaines organisations prennent fait et cause pour
celles et ceux qui ont rendu publics de tels messages.

Cette attitude est d’autant plus scandaleuse que ces organisations
ciblent nominalement des membres de la section LDH de Montpellier,
tandis que la plainte a ete deposee par l’association au plan national.

La LDH ne faiblira pas face a ces methodes d’intimidation. Elle
rappelle que d’où qu’il vienne, l’antisemitisme doit etre condamne et
qu’il n’y a pas lieu, jamais, de le justifier au motif d’une cause
quelconque. L’antisemitisme, au meme titre que toutes les formes
de racisme, est une abomination qu’il convient de systematiquement
combattre.

La LDH espère que toute la lumière sera faite sur ces publications
scandaleuses et apporte tout son soutien a ses membres qui font
l’objet d’injures ou de menaces.

Paris, le 30 mars 2015

Source/Lien : LDH

SERGEY SMBATYAN HEADED THE WARSAW PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

13:39 | March 31,2015 | Culture

Sergey Smbatyan, the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of
the State Youth Orchestra of Armenia headed the Warsaw Philharmonic
Orchestra on March 29 within the framework of the 19th Ludwig van
Beethoven Easter Festival. The soloist was Leticia Moreno (violin).

The concert program included the Passacaglia for Orchestra by Lazar
Saryan, the Violin Concerto No.1by Dmitri Shostakovich and the Symphony
No. 7 by Ludwig van Beethoven.

The Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival dates back to 1997. It is
Poland’s largest festival of classical music which hosts renowned
soloists, conductors and orchestras from all over the world. This
year the project is going to be held from March 22 to April 3.

19 is a symbolic number for the festival: 19 concerts will be held
during the 19th festival.

Press Service of the State Youth Orchestra of Armenia

TURKISH-ARMENIAN CONFLICT REARS ITS HEAD IN LEBANON

11:32, 31 Mar 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

Al-Monitor- Lebanon counts a large Armenian community that may be the
most prominent among the Armenian diaspora. There are nearly 150,000
Lebanese Armenians, who have an active economic presence in Lebanon,
in addition to their participation in the Lebanese political and
constitutional system. They have a permanent ministerial share of one
or two ministers, depending on the size of the Cabinet, as well as
six parliament seats, four of which are in Beirut, where the majority
of the Lebanese Armenians live.

The Lebanese Armenian community — Orthodox and Catholic Christian
— is firmly preserving its Armenian roots. The Armenian language
is taught in the community’s own schools, and the majority of
the Armenians are affiliated with the Lebanese Armenian political
parties. Large Armenian groups live in Armenian-majority areas, such
as in some neighborhoods of Beirut and on the northern Metn coast in
Mount Lebanon, adjacent to Beirut.

The Lebanese Armenian community constitutes a special case in
terms of its involvement in Lebanese society on the one hand, and
the preservation of its historic memory on the other. The Armenian
community came to Lebanon after being persecuted by the Turks 100
years ago — a persecution that resulted in massacres, tragedies and
attempts to exterminate its people.

A large number of Lebanon’s Christians share the Armenians’ memory of
suffering from the Turkish Ottoman persecution. History books used
in Lebanese schools write about the Ottoman occupation of Lebanon,
which coincided with the Armenian massacre in the early 20th century,
intended to starve Mount Lebanon’s Christians. This resulted in
one-third of Mount Lebanon’s population starved to death or killed by
the Ottomans during World War I. The large statue in Martyrs’ Square
in downtown Beirut commemorates dozens of journalists, militants and
politicians from all sects who were hanged by the Ottoman authorities
in 1915-16 for calling for the independence of Lebanon and opposing
the Turkish occupation.

Turkey has refused to recognize the Armenian tragedy. In today’s
political reality in the Middle East, Turkey is considered a Sunni
Muslim country that interacts with the region’s countries against
the backdrop of the current sectarian separation in the Middle East.

Lebanon is part of this region, and of this separation to a large
extent. The post of Lebanese premier, according to the sectarian
power-sharing in Lebanon, should always be held by a Sunni Muslim.

According to a government source, who spoke to Al-Monitor on condition
of anonymity, stances differ within the Lebanese state institutions.

Christians in parliament support the Armenian point of view on those
historical events and the international repercussions, whereas Muslims
— especially Sunnis in the parliament — are friendly with Ankara,
for political and economic reasons.

Armenia is preparing for a major international event in Yerevan
on the occasion of the centennial of the 1915 events, the annual
commemoration of which takes place April 24. A large number of heads
of state have been invited to attend the event, which Armenia wants
to be an occasion to renew the demand that the Armenian genocide by
the Ottoman Empire is internationally recognized.

Turkey has scrambled to organize the commemoration for the 100th
anniversary of the Battle of Gallipoli, on the same day, April 24.

During this battle, which occurred between April 25, 1915, and
Jan. 9, 1926, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s army triumphed over the Allies
in World War I. It was clear that by picking the same date to hold
the ceremony, Turkey intended to respond to Armenia and to corner
government representatives invited to choose between the event in
Ankara or the one in Yerevan.

In this context, Lebanon has received two invitations: an invitation
from Armenia to attend the official Yerevan ceremony, and another one
from Turkey to participate in the ceremony commemorating the Battle of
Gallipoli. This has ignited the Armenian-Turkish conflict within the
Lebanese state. Christians are more inclined to refuse to participate
in Ankara’s ceremony, in solidarity with the Lebanese Armenians who
are represented in Beirut’s government and parliament, and to condemn
Turkey’s role in Lebanon under the Ottoman occupation. Meanwhile,
Sunnis are likely to take part in the Turkish ceremony, to maintain
friendly ties and nurture political and economic co-operation.

Two different points of view are now expressed by two communities
within the Cabinet and by two individuals who have received an Armenian
and Turkish invitation — namely the prime minister, a Sunni, and
the minister of foreign affairs, a Christian. The latter is expected
to boycott the Ankara event, and the former or his representative is
expected to boycott the Yerevan ceremony.

According to the government source, Lebanon will thus be officially
participating in both events. Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam Salam or
his representative will attend Ankara’s ceremony, while Minister of
Foreign Affairs Gebran Bassil will take part in the Yerevan ceremony.

Officials from Christian and Armenian parties told Al-Monitor that
the Lebanese Armenian political parties, as well as other Christian
political forces, are preparing for a series of activities in Beirut,
in support of the Armenian cause, between April 24 and May 6, to
condemn the Turkish stance and embarrass the premier for his position
in what seems to be an ongoing Ankara-Yerevan war in Beirut.

JOINT CYPRUS-ARMENIA STAMP COMMEMORATING GENOCIDE CENTENNIAL TO BE LAUNCHED NEXT WEEK

17:56, 31 Mar 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

A joint Cyprus-Armenia stamp commemorating 100 years since the Armenian
genocide is to be launched next week as part of a series of events
to mark the anniversary, the postal services said on Tuesday,Cyprus
Mail reports.

The representative of the Armenian Community in the House of
Representatives, Vartkes Mahdessian has organised an event for next
week presenting the stamp in both countries simultaneously.

It will depict the well-known but closed, Armenian educational
institute, the Melkonian in Nicosia. The school originally functioned
as an orphanage for children who survived the genocide and managed
to make it to Cyprus.

The event in Cyprus will also be attended by Armenian Assembly Speaker
Galust Sahakyan who is due to visit Cyprus.

The Armenian genocide is marked every year on April 24. The stamp is
one of a series of actions being taken in Cyprus for the centenary.

Mahdessian told the Cyprus News Agency on Tuesday the goal was
remembrance for the 1.5 million Armenians who died at the hands of
Turkey during the 1915 genocide, and to push for recognition of the
genocide by Turkey.

“At the same time it is an appeal to humanity to prevent similar
tragedies in the future,” he said. Armenians everywhere, he added,
were united and would struggle “until the final vindication”.

The flower ‘forget me not has been chosen as the symbol for the
centenary with the five dark purple petals symbolising the five
continents, where Armenians settled after the genocide, forming the
Armenian diaspora.

The violet color symbolises the Armenian Church and the future. The
five smaller petals symbolise hope and the present. The yellow core
with twelve small parts are a linear representation of the twelve
characteristics pillars of the monument to the Armenian genocide in
Yerevan, Armenia, symbolising the victims, but also the sunlight and
the continuity of life. The black core of the flower symbolises the
horrors of genocide.

Events will include an art exhibitions, theatre, lectures,
documentaries and cultural performances.

A book will also be printed in Greek and English that will include
articles on the genocide that appeared in local newspapers between
1914 and 1923.

In addition, we issued book in Greek and English that includes articles
on the Armenian Genocide, which appeared in the Greek Cypriot press
between 1914 and 1923.

LI KEQIANG MEETS WITH PRESIDENT SERZH SARGSYAN OF ARMENIA

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

March 26 2015

2015/03/26

In the afternoon of March 26, 2015, Premier Li Keqiang met at the
Great Hall of the People with President Serzh Sargsyan of Armenia,
who came to China to pay a state visit and attend the Boao Forum for
Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2015.

Li Keqiang said that President Xi Jinping and Your Excellency
President together signed the Joint Statement on Further Developing
and Deepening Friendly Cooperative Relations yesterday, which injected
new impetus into the development of the bilateral relations. China
is willing to work with Armenia to deepen friendly cooperation and
promote common development through mutual respect, equal treatment,
and mutual support.

Li Keqiang pointed that China boasts advanced and surplus capacity in
various fields, and has accumulated rich experience in infrastructure
construction, with equipment being highly cost-effective. China is
willing to conform to the new development plan of your country and
carry out cooperation in such fields as railways, highways, nuclear
power and electric power. In the meanwhile, China is willing to help
Armenia to build production lines of steel and iron, cement, plate
glass and others, and carry out infrastructure construction with
local materials to promote the industrialization process of Armenia,
so as to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results. The Economic and
Trade Cooperation Committee between two countries should play a bigger
role in promoting bilateral economic and trade, people-to-people and
cultural, as well as local exchanges and cooperation.

Serzh Sargsyan said that the two peoples of Armenia and China
have enjoyed long-lasting friendship for generations. Since the
establishment of the diplomatic relationship, the two countries have
witnessed increasingly deepened political mutual trust and constantly
promoted friendly cooperative relations, and have become important
political, economic and trade partners of each other. Armenia is
willing to work with China to deeply explore the potentials for
bilateral economic and trade cooperation, enhance cooperation in
tourism and aviation industry, and expand people-to-people and
cultural exchanges so as to promote common development. Armenia
welcomes Chinese enterprises to invest in Armenia and participate in
construction of infrastructure including highways, nuclear power and
electric power as well as cooperation in mining industry, and looks
forward to conducting capacity cooperation with China, promoting
Armenia’s economic and social development.

VETERAN ARMENIAN-TURKISH EDITOR DIES AT 80

Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
March 30 2015

ISTANBUL

Sarkis Seropyan, the veteran editor of Istanbul-based weekly Agos’
Armenian language pages, has passed away at the age of 80.

Seropyan died on March 28 after succumbing to pancreatic cancer,
news portal T24 reported.

The journalist, who was among the people to establish Agos, will be
laid to rest on March 31 in Istanbul’s Ã…~^iÃ…~_li Armenian Cemetery
following a ceremony at the Surp Vartanants Church in Ã…~^iÃ…~_li’s
Feriköy neighborhood.

Agos announced Seropyan’s death via its website, stressing that he
was the “newspaper’s history, the chief pillar, and our everything.”

Parliament Speaker Cemil Cicek sent weekly Agos’ editor-in-chief
Yetvart Danzikyan a message of condolence, expressing his grief over
the loss.

“I am deeply grieved by the death of Serkis Seropyan, one of the
veteran founders and the Armenian language pages editor of the Agos
newspaper, which is the unique sound of diversity in Turkey,” read
Cicek’s statement.

Seropyan, who was born in 1935, started working after graduating from
middle school, during which he wrote articles to various journals
and newspapers in the Armenian language. He was among the group of
people who founded the Agos newspaper in 1996 following a call by
the late Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant Dink. Since the paper’s
establishment, Seropyan had been the Armenian language pages editor.

Dink was murdered on Jan. 19, 2007, in broad daylight on a busy street
outside of Agos’ office in Ã…~^iÃ…~_li.

Ogun Samast, Dink’s killer, who was 17 years old when he committed
the crime, is serving a sentence of 22 years and 10 months in a
high-security prison for the shooting.

March/30/2015