Author: Badalian Vardan

CONCERT COMMEMORATES ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Dearborn Press & Guide, MI
Feb 6 2015

Published: Friday, February 06, 2015

The Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee presents Grammy
Award-nominated Armenian Canadian soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian in
concert with her husband, pianist Serouj Kradjian, and the Henrik
Karapetyan String Quartet in My Songs, My Heritage at 7 p.m. March
7 at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, 15801 Michigan Ave.

Tickets are $50, $35 and $25, and are available through the theater
box office at 313-943-2354, online at dearborntheater.com, or from
them, by contacting Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee members
Leslie Balian at 248-303-4690 or Shakeh Basmajian at 248-981-6825.

Concert selections include Armenian sacred hymns, folk songs, chamber
music and 20th century songs, with English surtitles.

Bayrakdarian, a Canadian of Armenian heritage, immigrated to Canada as
a teen. She graduated from the University of Toronto cum laude with
a degree in biomedical engineering science in 1997, the same year
she was a winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions.

Her opera career, now in its second decade, makes her an eagerly
anticipated artist at opera houses and concert halls worldwide.

Celebrated for her multi-hued voice as well as her beauty, presence
and style, Bayrakdarian’s career expands beyond opera.

She is a featured vocalist on the Grammy-award winning soundtrack of
Lord of the Rings: the Two Towers, and topped Billboard charts as a
guest soloist with the Canadian band Delerium on their 2007 Grammy
nominated dance remix Angelicus.

Bayrakdarian won four consecutive Juno Awards, presented to
Canadian musical artists for outstanding achievement in the recording
industry, from 2004 to 2007, for classical album of the year, vocal or
instrumental, for Azulao, Cleopatra, Viardot-Garcia: Lieder Chansons
Canzone Mazurkas, and Mozart: Arie e Duetti.

Bayrakdarian received a Grammy nomination for the BBC-produced short
film HOLOCAUST – A Music Memorial Film from Auschwitz. She was also
the focus of a Canadian television Gemini-nominated film, A Long
Journey Home, documenting her first trip to Armenia.

A century ago, the Armenian Genocide, planned by the leaders of the
Ottoman Empire, systematically exterminated 1.5 million Armenians
in what is now Turkey. The genocide had two phases: the wholesale
killing of able-bodied men through massacre and forced army labor,
followed by the deportation of women, children, the elderly, and
the infirm on death marches to the Syrian Desert. Military escorts,
driving the deportees forward, deprived them of food and water,
and subjected them to periodic robbery, rape and massacre.

In Michigan, the Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee of Metro
Detroit, comprised of 15 of the area’s leading Armenian-American
organizations, has organized commemorative events throughout 2015
to honor the genocide victims, demand recognition and reparations,
and increase public awareness of all genocides. For more information,
go to armeniangenocidecentennialmi.com.

ALEPPO BISHOPS SAYS SYRIAN CHRISTIANS BETRAYED BY THE WEST

ANSAmed, Italy
Feb 6 2015

Monsignor Marayati laments lack of help, ‘city is dying’

(by Fausto Gasparroni) (ANSAmed) – ROME, FEBRUARY 6 – The Armenian
Catholic bishop of Aleppo told ANSA on Friday that the Christian
community in Syria felt “forgotten, neglected and betrayed by the
West”. Monsignor Boutros Marayati added, in response to a question
about the international community’s reaction to the conflict that has
been ongoing for almost four years, that “no one thinks about us. For
example, you hear about Kobane (also known as Ayn Al-Arab, Ed.), and
Kobane is a small, unimportant town, while Christians – most of whom
live in Aleppo – are forgotten.” “The situation in Aleppo,” he said on
the fringes of a bishops prayer for peace he presided over on Friday
in the Santa Maria in Trastevere church, promoted by the Comunita di
Sant’Egidio, “is tragic. There is a lack of water, electricity, light,
heating, and fuel. The doctors have left and there is no medicine. But
we are living there, surviving. We feel a bit abandoned, forgotten,
by the West and the entire world.” Monsignor Marayati went on to say
that churchgoers “often come and ask us whether they should stay or
go. And you can’t say anything given the tragedy before us, since
there is above all a lack of security.

Rockets and bombs come from the jihadists’ area, and two weeks ago
our cathedral was also hit a rocket that destroyed the cupola and
the entire roof.” “The people are now thinking about leaving,” he said.

“Already two thirds of the Christian population, the Armenians, have
left. Only a small one-third of them have stayed – those that still
believe in peace want to stay. Especially when the appeal to save
Aleppo was launched, or at least to freeze the situation and bring
in a ceasefire, some believed and still do.

They are however becoming more pessimistic, because the situation has
not changed. It has instead become worse.” Marayati underscored that
“there is hope. There have been many appeals, and even the Comunita
di Sant’Egidio made an appeal to save Aleppo. However, nothing has
changed on the ground, in reality. To the contrary: it has become
worse.” “At this point,” he continued, “we only open our churches to
help people. Aid comes and everyone has become poor and in need of
help. Those who used to help the church now need help themselves.

People are fed up. Is there such thing as human dignity? How can you
always line up for a drop of water, to wait for petrol, wait for food.

The wealthy have left and the middle class has become poor.” The
bishop said that, nevertheless, “despite everything, we have opened
the schools and churchgoers come to church. Many of the churches have
been destroyed, but those that are still functioning are filled with
believers praying that this type of evil – as the Gospels say – will
go away simply by praying and fasting. We call for peace through
appeals for prayer and fasting. As one bishop said, ‘these are
things we ask the Lord with tears’. This is what we do now in our
communities.” On the subject of relations with other communities,
including non-Christian ones, the Armenian Catholic bishop stressed
that “what was beautiful about Aleppo was that everything is done in
an ecumenical fashion” he said.

“Either we’re together or we aren’t. And so, everything that is done
is done between the Orthodox, Catholics and Protestants, and with
moderate Muslims. Everything that happens now – at least as concerns
the part that is still there – is cooperation, a collaboration,
ecumenical and interfaith solidarity.” (ANSAmed).

CLARK U.’S AKCAM RECOGNIZED WITH HRANT DINK SPIRIT OF FREEDOM AND JUSTICE MEDAL

Targeted News Service
February 5, 2015 Thursday 10:11 PM EST

WORCESTER, Mass.

Clark University issued the following news release:

Clark University History Professor Taner Akcam was recently presented
with the Hrant Dink Spirit of Freedom and Justice Medal by the
Organization of Istanbul Armenians on the 8th commemoration of Dink’s
assassination. The late Hrant Dink was a prominent Turkish-Armenian
journalist known for his efforts of reconciliation between Turks and
Armenians and his advocacy of human and minority rights in Turkey.

Professor Akcam holds the Robert Aram and Marianne Kaloosdian and
Stephen and Marian Mugar Endowed Chair of Armenian Genocide Studies
at Clark. It is the only chair in the world dedicated to research
and teaching on the subject of the Armenian Genocide. He was the
first Turkish scholar to publicly express his conviction that the
1915 Armenian genocide occurred under the Ottoman Empire.

“It is a great honor for me to receive this award,” said Professor
Akcam. “Hrant Dink was the Martin Luther King Jr. of Turkey; he
symbolized freedom of speech and justice. It is critically important
to remember him and to work to keep his spirit alive as we continue
to fight for the recognition of Armenian genocide.”

Akcam will add this to his growing list of honors and accolades. In
2006, he was recognized by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for his
outstanding work in human rights and for fighting genocide denial. He
also received the Hrant Dink Freedom Award from the Armenian Bar
Association for being “a champion of historical truth about the
Armenian Genocide” and for his “courageous defense of liberty and
free speech.”

This is the second year the Hrant Dink medal has been awarded; last
year’s recipient was Khatchig Mouradian, editor of the Armenian Weekly
and professor at Rutgers University and Worcester State University.

Mouradian is a PhD. candidate at Clark, where he is working on his
dissertation on the second phase of the Armenian Genocide. He has
also taught courses at Clark.

Interfax, Russia
Feb 6 2015

Armenia reports civilian death in Azeri military attack

YEREVAN. Feb 6

A resident of the village of Nerkin Karmirakhbyur, Tavush region of
Armenia, was killed in an attack coming from Azerbaijan, the region’s
hospital told reporters on Friday.

The doctors said Vanik Gukasyan, 60, died from a gunshot wound.

Manvel Kamenatdyan, the elder of the village, told reporters Gukasyan
was wounded near his house on Thursday and died on his way to
hospital.

In the meantime, Artsrun Ovannisyan, press officer for the Armenian
defense minister, told reporters the Azeri military had breached the
ceasefire regime on all tracks along the border on the Tavush region.

“Fire was opened on populated areas. Armenia opened fire on the Azeri
positions from which the shots had been fired,” he said.

Ovannisyan earlier said Levon Andreasyan, 85, an Armenian resident,
was wounded in an attack by the Azeri military on the village of
Movse, Tavush region of Armenia on February 4.

The OSCE on January 27 called on Azerbaijan and Armenia to exercise
restraint in resolving the Karabakh conflict.

The OSCE reiterated the importance of measures that could rule out the
possibility of incidents between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

FRANCE
Libérons Internet du négationnisme

Aujourd’hui, qui recherche des informations sur la Shoah via les
grandes plateformes d’échange et de diffusion en ligne tombe
immanquablement sur des discours qui cherchent à prouver que la Shoah
n’aurait pas existé.De nombreuses vidéos figurant parmi les premiers
résultats de la recherche mobilisent des arguments
pseudo-scientifiques afin de démontrer que l’extermination des Juifs
et des Roms en Europe ne fut pas ce que l’on prétend dans les livres
d’histoire. Avant les négationnistes d’aujourd’hui, les nazis
eux-mêmes ont cherché à effacer toute trace du génocide afin
d’oblitérer leur crime. Aujourd’hui, le négationnisme est un délit
dans un grand nombre de pays, et aux yeux de des Nations unies depuis
2007.

Alors qu’Internet est devenue la source d’information essentielle pour
les nouvelles générations, la diffusion du négationnisme contribue à
la banalisation du racisme et de l’antisémitisme dans notre société,
augmente l’indifférence et provoque des passages à l’acte violents.
Les réseaux sociaux se sont donné les moyens de bannir le fléau des
contenus pédo-pornographiques, et d’interdire les incitations à la
haine. Aujourd’hui, nous demandons aux grands réseaux sociaux de
prendre leurs responsabilités et d’interdire les contenus
négationnistes dans leurs conditions d’utilisation. Nous, survivants
de la Shoah, refusons qu’au 70e anniversaire [lire pages 32-35] de
notre libération du camp d’Auschwitz- Birkenau, les outils de la
modernité soient laissés à ceux qui veulent détruire notre monde de
valeurs.

Nous, étudiants, dernière génération à connaître des rescapés,
refusons que les réseaux sociaux que nous utilisons au quotidien
abondent de contenus et vidéos négationnistes.

Nous,dirigeants d’associations engagées dans la lutte contre le
racisme et l’antisémitisme, refusons d’abandonner la liberté pour
laquelle nous combattons à ceux qui en font un alibi de la haine.
Nous, citoyens, refusons qu’Internet légitime la violence et la
manipulation. La vérité de l’histoire a besoin que chaque citoyen
responsable s’engage pour veiller sur elle. Il est déjà plus que temps
que tous les hommes de bonne volonté, de toutes les nations, simple
utilisateur, architecte ou investisseur d’Internet, s’impliquent pour
la défense de la vérité. Car si Internet est notre bien commun, il
dépend de chacun de nous que la vérité y triomphe du mensonge.

Par D’ANCIENS DÉPORTÉS et PLUSIEURS ASSOCIATIONS ANTIRACISTES

Signez l’appel sur :

SIGNATAIRES

Raphaël Estraïl président de l’Union des déportés d’Auschwitz, Sacha
Reingewirtz président de l’Union des étudiants juifs de France,
Benjamin Orenstein président de l’Amicale des déportés d’Auschwitz
Birkenau du Rhône, Elie Buzyn ancien déporté d’Auschwitz Birkenau,
Alberto Israel ancien déporté d’Auschwitz Birkenau, David Schulhof
ancien déporté d’Auschwitz Birkenau, Zesia Laskier ancien déporté
d’Auschwitz Birkenau, Alfred Szalawecz ancien déporté d’Auschwitz
Birkenau, Claude Bloch ancien déporté d’Auschwitz Birkenau, Sam
Rupkowski ancien déporté d’Auschwitz Birkenau, Jeannette Deplace
ancienne déportée d’Auschwitz Birkenau, Julien Godet ancien déporté
d’Auschwitz Birkenau

Ainsi que :William Martinet président de l’Unef, Alexandre Leroy
président de la Fage,Olivier Vial président de l’UNI, Gilles Clavreul
délégué interministériel à la lutte contre le racisme et
l’antisémitisme, Dominique Sopo président de SOS Racisme, Alain
Jakubowicz président de la Licra, David Harris directeur de l’American
Jewish Committee, Seta Papazian présidente du Collectif Vigilance
arménienne contre le négationnisme, Marcel Kabanda président d’Ibuka
France (pour la mémoire du génocide des Tutsis au Rwanda), Alain
Daumas président de l’Union française des associations tsiganes,
Benjamin Abtan président de l’European Grassroots Antiracist Movement

samedi 7 février 2015,
Stéphane (c)armenews.com

Minsk Group Co-Chairs called for the resumption of presidential dialogue

23:02, 06 Feb 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Ambassadors Igor Popov of the
Russian Federation, James Warlick of the United States of America, and
Pierre Andrieu of France) met with Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward
Nalbandian 5 February in Munich. The Personal Representative of the
OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, also
participated in the meeting.

We noted with alarm the rising number of incidents along the Line of
Contact and Armenia-Azerbaijan border, including in civilian areas. We
also discussed with the Minister proposed measures to reduce the
likelihood of such incidents. In particular, it is imperative for the
sides to take steps to prevent a repeat of the November 12 helicopter
downing.

The violence and tensions between the sides underscore the necessity
of starting comprehensive negotiations as soon as possible to reach a
lasting settlement. We urged the Minister to show more flexibility so
such negotiations can begin.

We raised the importance of implementing the Presidents’ agreement now
to exchange data on missing persons under the aegis of the ICRC. This
data exchange can build trust between the sides and facilitate the
reconciliation process.

In addition, we called for the resumption of presidential dialogue at
the earliest opportunity.

The Co-Chairs will travel to the region later this month.

PRESS RELEASE
Ararat-Eskijian Museum
15105 Mission Hills Rd
Mission Hills CA, 91345
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 818-838-4862

February 05, 2015

Mission Hills Calif. Ararat-Eskijian Museum and National Association for
Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) presents an illustrated talk by
Attny. Mathew Karanian *`Historic Armenia after 100 years: Ani, Kars, and
the six provinces of Western Armenia’. February 15th*, 4 PM Ararat-Eskijian
Museum/Sheen Chapel, 15105 Mission Hills Road, Mission Hills CA 91345

One hundred years after the Armenian Holocaust, the homeland of the
Armenians remains unknown to much of the world. During the century since
the Genocide of 1915, most of the cultural monuments of the Armenian nation
in the lands of historic Armenia have been eliminated or repurposed.

But there is much that still remains. Author Matthew Karanian
celebrates the Armenia that has avoided destruction, as well as the hidden
Armenians who have struggled to carry on in the face of persecution. He
shines a light on the remnants of Western Armenia that are at greatest risk
of being lost forever, and he leads readers on a journey of rediscovery in
this groundbreaking guide, *Historic Armenia After 100 Years*. For the
first time since the Genocide, the cultural wealth of the Armenian nation
in Western Armenia is presented in one readable and beautifully illustrated
volume. This book serves as a guide through the history and culture of the
ancient Armenian homeland-whether one intends to travel there in person or
only through the pages of this book.

*Historic Armenia After 100 Years* is the product of several years of
research and photography by Matthew Karanian. The book is illustrated with
125 color maps and photographs and includes antique photos from 100 years
ago that are juxtaposed with images of the same locales as they appear
today. Karanian is a second generation Armenian American who lives in
Pasadena. His four grandparents are from Western Armenia and both of his
grandmothers survived their deportation during the summer of 1915. Karanian
has served as Associate Dean of the law program at the American University
of Armenia, and as the Director of the university’s Legal Research
Department. He is the author of *Armenia and Karabakh: The Stone Garden
Travel Guide*. He practices law in Pasadena.

– =8F Admission free (Donations appreciated)

– =8F Reception and book signing following the program.

For more information call the Ararat-Eskijian Museum at (747)500-7585
e-mail [email protected]

CREDIT PORTFOLIO OF ARMENIAN BANKS’ BRANCHES IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH FALLS BY 1.5 PERCENT TO 9.6 BILLION DRAMS

YEREVAN, February 6. / ARKA /. The credit portfolio of Armenian banks’
branches in Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) stood at 9.6 billion
drams as of February 1, 2015, a 1.5% decrease from the year before,
NKR National Statistical Service said. It said compared with the 2015
January, the portfolio was down by 2.7%.

Some 64.8% of the portfolio was loans in foreign currency, while the
share of overdue loans was 2.1%.

As of February 1, 2015 the amount of bank deposits stood at 56 billion
drams. The figure represented a 20.6% decline from 2014 February. When
compared to January this year, the total amount of deposits in the
branches was down 4.5%.

According to NKR National Statistical Service, 71.8% of deposits were
term deposits, 19.2% were demand deposits and 9% were target deposits.

($ 1 – 477.46 drams). -0-

AZERBAIJAN SPREADS DISINFORMATION IN CONNECTION WITH PHOTO EXHIBITION DEDICATED TO NAGORNO KARABAKH HELD IN CZECH REPUBLIC

15:21 06/02/2015 >> REGION

In the Capitol bookstore at the Czech town Frýdek-Místek photo
exhibition of famous Czech photographer-blogger Ladislav Vetvichk
dedicated to the Nagorno Karabakh was opened for nearly a month.

Although the opening of the exhibition took place on 7 January and
the house was full, the Azerbaijani side spreads disinformation,
saying allegedly there were no visitors at the exhibition at all and
it failed, the European edition of “Orer” reports.

As noted in the article on February 3, the closing ceremony of the
exhibition was attended also by the Armenian Ambassador to the Czech
Republic Tigran Seyranyan, representatives of the Armenian community
and many other visitors. Director of the bookstores Jan Becher was
pleasantly surprised that the citizens are so interested in the
exhibition. “We have not had such vibrant and exciting activities
for a long time,” he said.

However, as the newspaper writes, the Azerbaijani Ambassador to the
Czech Republic Farid Shafiyev told with irony Azerbaijani news agency
“Trend” that from the photos it is clear whether the exhibition was
held in domestic atmosphere or in a public place where “there were no
visitors.” The ambassador also assured that he was trying to clarify
the situation with the local authorities.

The publication stresses that the ambassador of Azerbaijan actually
is trying to hide his own incompetency. “It is not surprising that
at any event devoted to the Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan spreads
disinformation. Regarding this fact we publish the photos from the
exhibition,” the paper concludes.

It should be mentioned also that on the published photographs the
attendees of the photo exhibition are clearly visible – there are
citizens of all ages among them. In addition, it must be noted that
some of the visitors stand or sit on the shelves as well, apparently
the chairs weren’t enough.

TURKISH NGOS URGE WORLD LEADER TO GO TO YEREVAN, NOT GALLIPOLI ON APR 24

February 6, 2015 – 17:30 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – 5 Turkish NGOs urged world leaders “not to accept
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s invitation to Gallipoli on April 24
but to visit Yerevan instead for commemoration of the 100th anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide,” Bianet.org reports.

Previously, President Erdogan announced that in 2015 Turkey will
commemorate the defense of Gallipoli – a ceremony usually observed
on March 18 – on April 24. He also invited the world leaders to the
northwestern province of Canakkale to join the ceremony

The associations (Human Rights Association (IHD)’s Commission Against
Racism and Discrimination, Izmir Assyrian Friendship, Culture and
Solidarity Association, Nor Zartonk, Culture
Platform and Zan Social, Political, Economic Research Foundation)
issued a statement protesting Erdogan’s invitation at IHD Headquarters
in Istanbul, Bianet reports.

“April 24 is marked worldwide as the Armenian Genocide Remembrance
Day,” IHD Vice Chairperson Meral Cıldır said in a statement.

“As the 100th anniversary of Armenian Genocide draws near, we, groups
and peoples that struggle against the denial of the Genocide, protest
the president’s invitation and urge the world leaders to visit the
Genocide memorial in Yerevan instead of Gallipoli in Canakkale.

Following the press statement, IHD Vice Chairperson Eren Keskin said
the following: “The mentality that founded the Republic of Turkey is
the very mentality that committed the Armenian – Assyrian Genocide
in 1915. For us, 24 April 2015 is of huge importance. We want to face
our history. We don’t want our children to be told lies. We know that
the Genocide is still not openly mentioned by many countries, but we
are asking a show a bit of conscience. The Turkish invitation mocks
the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims. Go to Yerevan where the
real pain is.”