Author: Badalian Vardan

New Reaction of United States to Latest Sabotage Against Artsakh

Haikazn Ghahriyan, Editor-in-Chief
Comments – 06 January 2015, 00:33

The American co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group James Warlick twitted:
“2015 should be a year for NK peace and a lasting settlement. Renewed
violence is not the answer.”

Note that on January 3 Azerbaijan attacked in two directions, killing
two Armenian soldiers and injuring one. According to the Armenian
side, Azerbaijan also had losses.

Since his appointment James Warlick has been quite active and makes
interesting tweets, responding to developments in the conflict area.
He thus differs from Russian and French co-chairs who do not have such
practice. In addition, he differs positively because sometimes he
makes “preventive” statements. Warlick often makes transparent hints
in his tweets which are not typical of the non-transparent activities
of the Minsk Group.

For example, after the downing of the Armenian helicopter in November
he announced that there is not a neutral area in the Karabakh conflict
but a territory which does not belong to anyone and which divides the
armed forces. Note that the Armenian side announced that the
helicopter fell in the neutral territory while in international law
“neutral territory” means legal and political recognition of sides.

At the same time, however, the United States announced that they were
following the actions of the Armenian side for recovering the crew and
remnants of the helicopter and admitted these actions.

Earlier in September 2014 Warlick announced that it is time for the
negotiations for the Karabakh settlement reach another level. This was
followed by the war in August and the victory of the Armenian side
when it was clear that Azerbaijan and Russia were acting according to
a certain agreement aimed at deployment of Russian troops in Karabakh.

In fact, the Armenian army thwarted this plan, and the U.S. co-chair
hinted at the necessity to change the level of negotiations and
involve Artsakh.

Earlier Warlick announced that the issue of Artsakh is a black stain
on the track of sustainable and peaceful Europe and the United States
wants to see a free, intact and peaceful Europe by a peace settlement
of the Issue of Artsakh. In other words, Artsakh was actually meant as
part of Europe in this statement.

Earlier Warlick “provoked” an interesting incident in Berdzor,
Artsakh. Before leaving for Artsakh he made some statements and by the
time the co-chairs arrived there, there was an action of protest
against his statements. In this regard, Warlick said that people have
the right to know about the problem and express their agreement or
disagreement. Warlick said they could expect similar actions in any
territory of Artsakh, adding that he was looking forward to the other
visits.

In fact, Warlick thus got people of Artsakh up to their feet, urging
them to care for their own destiny and be aware of the settlement
diplomacy which is, in fact, against the interests of Artsakh.

In this respect, Warlick’s response to the attacks sounds trivial.
However, considering that the Russian-Azerbaijani alliance is already
in place, sudden aggravation of the U.S.-Azerbaijani relations and the
end of the Russian-Armenian “strategic partnership” which was marked
by the EEU summit of December 23 in Moscow, this statement becomes
interesting. Who and what is Warlick hinting when he announces that
“renewed violence is not the answer”? Who wants renewal of violence,
who is provoking renewal and who is he addressing?

Warlick’s fast responses and activity demonstrates that the Karabakh
“settlement” is always at the focus of the United States, and
single-handed decisions are ruled out. Of course, if the Armenian side
is able to be adequate to this setting.

Daily Sabah, Turkey
Jan 4 2015

Syriac Christians to build Turkey’s first new church

DAILY SABAH

The government will permit one of Turkey’s Christian communities to
build a church, the first such house of worship to be built completely
from scratch in the Republican Era. According to Vatan newspaper’s
Emre Eser, the church will be built in the YeÅ?ilköy district of
Istanbul with funds provided by the Mardin Syriac community.

The Virgin Mary Syriac Church will cost $1.5 million, and according to
sources from the Prime Ministry who spoke with Anadolu Agency (AA),
the decision to approve the building of the church was made during the
luncheon Prime Minister Ahmet DavutoÄ?lu held with minority leaders on
Friday at Dolmabahçe Palace in Istanbul. There are 25,000 Syriac
Christians in Turkey, 18,000 of whom live in Istanbul, and the church
will be built within the confines of the Catholic Cemetery in
YeÅ?ilköy.

One of the oldest Christian denominations, Syriac Christians use a
language related to the ancient Aramaic of Jesus Christ in their
liturgy.

The project for the church has been ongoing since 2013 and building
plans were completed by architecture company Ergün Mimarlık, which
sent a delegation to Mardin to assess the special Syriac architecture.

According to AA, DavutoÄ?lu listened to the grievances aired by the
representatives of minorities during the luncheon. When the turn came
for the Syriac Metropolitan in Ankara and Istanbul, Yusuf Çetin,
DavutoÄ?lu said, “I know what you want. Let me tell you before you say
it. We will take the necessary steps to resolve the church problem.”

The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality allocated the Catholic
Cemetery, located on YeÃ…?il Zeytin Street, to the Syriac community. The
land allocated to the church includes ancient tombs, and the church
building necessitates approval by the Monuments Board.

The project includes three subterranean floors, two of which will be
allocated to parking. Additionally, the church will have three floors
above ground.

MINORITIES THANK PM

According to sources from the Prime Ministry, the representatives of
the minority communities shared the problems faced by their people in
the past during the luncheon and thanked the prime minister for the
progress that has been made in the past decade.

Among the grievances aired was the ban on religious officials teaching
at minority schools and the passport problems such officials
encounter. According to one complaint, religious officials were given
passports that expired after just six months.

The representative from the Armenian community thanked the government
for the restoration of the church in Ä°skenderun previously used as a
cinema theater and its handing over to the community. The
representatives also thanked the government for issuing its call for
those who had left the country to return.

DavutoÄ?lu said that when some state officials mentioned minority
communities, they talk about them as if these citizens were linked to
foreign countries. “Everyone who is sitting around this table is an
equal citizen of the Republic of Turkey,” he said.

Huffington Post
Jan 4 2015

Ten Days in the Life of Ilham Aliyev, President of Absurdistan

by Till Bruckner , policy entrepreneur

While politicians elsewhere were singing carols and carving turkeys,
President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan stayed on the job throughout the
season of love.

Concerned calls from America, foreign aid windfalls, inspection visits
to mega-projects, crackdowns on his critics….

Ten turbulent days in the life of the de facto President-for-Life of
Absurdistan.

…one day at a time…

Sunday, December 21, 2014

President Aliyev got a call from U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry,
who was ringing to share his “concerns” about oil-rich Azerbaijan’s
ever-increasing crackdown on civil society. When the conversation
became public knowledge eight days later, it set off a lively Q&A at
the State Department’s daily press briefing.

Journalist:

“Are the calls you’re having with Azerbaijani officials, are they of
concern or are you actually making efforts to tell them to stop doing
this and coercing people?”

State spokesperson:

“I think you can be assured that when the Secretary of State takes
this under consideration and raises it with one of his foreign
colleagues, including the president of a country, that he makes his
view known.”

What were Kerry’s “concerns”?

President Aliyev had spent much of the year harassing, persecuting and
locking up journalists, pro-democracy activists, and human rights
advocates.

Over the past 12 months, many of the people featured in the video
above, including its star Khadija Ismayilova, have been put behind
bars.

The State Department spokesperson’s refusal to comment on her case
raised some eyebrows in the room. One anonymous source whispered that:

“The embassy didn’t like her critiques of U.S. policy.”

Were diplomats still upset about the infamous interview in which she
had mercilessly grilled then ambassador Richard Morningstar about
America’s stance on human rights violations in the country?

Monday, December 22, 2014

Azerbaijan is a proud and independent nation with a long history.

Since its independence, thanks to the firm guidance and thought-out
reforms of the late president Heydar Aliyev and his son, the current
president Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan has achieved many great things,
like erecting the world’s tallest flagpole.

Shortly after, the proud and independent nation of Tajikistan erected
an even taller flagpole.

Never mind.

Azerbaijan also excels at sports, AzerNews reports.

Chairman of the National Olympic Committee Ilham Aliyev has awarded
sportsmen and specialists in accordance with results of 2014… “In
international competitions, world and European championships we have
won 805 medals, including 275 gold. Compared to last year, the number
of medals has increased again.” The number of medals is the main
indicator of the development of sport, he added.

Olympic Chairman Aliyev then looked ahead to 2015.

“It is no coincidence that the first European Games will be held in
Baku.. These Games are a historic event because, as you know, such
games are to be held in Europe for the first time and this
responsibility falls on us… These games also demonstrate the
strength of our country…We have a strong economy and the political
processes are going in a positive direction.”

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced that it had allocated 752
million dollars to Azerbaijan for “economic diversification and
private sector development”. According to its man in Baku, Olli
Naojono:

“The new strategy attaches great importance to regional cooperation,
governance, environmental sustainability, climate change and effective
implementation of projects.”

ADB did not explain how good governance could work without an
independent media, or how an economy built on hydrocarbon exports
could possibly be environmentally sustainable, let alone why public
money was being lavished on financing projects in a petro-dictatorship
that claims to hold over 50 billion dollars in foreign currency
reserves.

But ADB did upload a video onto YouTube to let locals know how much it
loves being part of the success story that is Azerbaijan.

(Note: This video was not paid for by Aliyev. It was paid for by
taxpayers abroad.)

The development bank’s 2015 annual meeting will be held in Baku.
According to ADB’s president, Takehiko Nakao:

“[It] will showcase Azerbaijan’s appeal to investors and other
governments… After seeing firsthand the extensive preparations, I am
confident it will be a highly successful event.”

Given Aliyev’s penchant for blowing billions on prestige projects and
high profile events, he is probably right.

Wednesday, December 24 2014

Christmas Eve! Now that ADB had pledged to take care of economic
diversification and basic rural infrastructure on his behalf, and fish
farms across the country were booming thanks to American economic aid,
President Aliyev was free to redouble his focus on spending
petrodollars on representational urban infrastructure.

He called for First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, Chairwoman of the
Organizing Committee of the European Games.

The First Couple went to admire a model of the White City.

Bigger than the principality of Monaco, with enough space to house the
entire population of Monaco, and with a “Fountain Square [that] will
be twice the size of the current Fountain Square”, this mega-project
is guaranteed to buy the banana-importing republic the global respect
it craves.

And if it doesn’t?

Then the multi-billion-dollar 2015 European Games certainly will.

President Aliyev hopes that during the 2015 European Games, thousands
of foreigners will come from all around the world and see all his
favorite mega-projects in Baku with their own eyes.

Then, finally, the world will stop laughing
about Azerbaijan and its ruling family!

But the regime’s critics could spoil the pomegranate-and-gazelle
themed party by talking to the foreign guests about police beatings,
show trials and torture in prisons. That’s why Aliyev decided to lock
them all away well in advance.

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Christmas Day! The Head of the Political and Public Affairs Department
at Aliyev’s presidential administration, Ali Hasanov, gave a festive
speech at the award ceremony for the winners of a journalism
competition sponsored by the Fund of State Support for the Development
of Mass Media under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

He told the assembled journalists that:

“No one can say any journalist has ever been prosecuted by the state
or its structures. But unfortunately, today we have some NGOs and
different international organizations trying to vilify Azerbaijan’s
free media atmosphere whose foundations were laid by national leader
Heydar Aliyev… The Azerbaijani government doesn’t imagine its
domestic life without free media.”

Hasanov added that Azerbaijan was the only country in the world where
the state provided housing to journalists. His words are only
preserved in written form, so it is unclear whether he was trying to
sound threatening or not.

Friday, December 26, 2014

Aliyev sent his prosecutors and armed police to shut down the offices
of Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), Khadija’s former
employers and one of the last platforms for critical opinions left
inside the country.

Shortly after the bust, President Ilham Aliyev attended the opening of
Baku’s brand new Heydar Mosque, named after his late father.

It’s the biggest mosque in the South Caucasus, AzerNews reports.
It covers 12,000 square meters and has four 95-meter-high minarets.

The president gave a rousing speech:

“All the freedoms — freedom of the press, freedom of speech, freedom
of assembly, freedom of conscience – are guaranteed in Azerbaijan. All
religious freedoms are fully provided in Azerbaijan.”

It was a truly historic speech. No world leader before Iham Aliyev has
ever opened a place of worship without once mentioning God. He did
mention his late father nine times, though.

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Aliyev’s prosecutor ordered dozens of journalists to turn themselves
in for questioning in an apparent effort to bringing some DIY spirit
into the national-level extraordinary renditioning process.

Half a world away, the State Department said that it was “concerned”,
and called on Azerbaijan to conduct a “transparent” investigation in
line with Baku’s “international commitment to protecting media
freedom.”

Human rights activists were not impressed.

Around the same time, Daniel Baer, the U.S. Ambassador to the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), decided to
break ranks by sending out remarkably undiplomatic tweets.

Meanwhile, the man who had denounced journalist Khadija Ismayilova for
supposedly “inciting him to commit suicide” (the ostensible reason for
her arrest) publicly withdrew his claim, noting at the same time that
he expected to be imminently arrested. The accuser’s recantation meant
that the original justification for detaining Khadija had evaporated.

She remained locked up anyway.

Across town, the First Couple inspected the gigantic Baku Olympic Stadium.

Baku’s bid to host the 2016 Olympics failed.
Baku’s bid to host the 2020 Olympics failed.
Baku’s bid to host the 2024 Olympics will be launched later this year.

Anyway: The stadium is already as good as finished.

It’s very modern. It will definitely place Baku dead centre on the
global sporting map.

Sunday, December 28, 2014

What did President Aliyev do on Sunday?

He didn’t give any rousing speeches.
He didn’t inspect any mega-projects.
He didn’t open any new buildings.
He didn’t order any additional arrests.

What on earth could he have been doing all day?

Monday, December 29, 2014

Western politicians returned to their desks, and many were not amused
when they heard about Aliyev’s Christmas media bust. Even the
Americans were starting to make some disapproving noises.

Armenia hates him, Iran hates him, and a world in which your only
friend is called Vladimir Putin…

…is not a world worth living in. If you survive.

Ilham Aliyev blinked. The thought of being left all alone with his
angry neighbours was just too scary.

The president decided to end the year on a positive note and ordered
the release of a few political prisoners. After all, he could always
lock them up again before the start of the European Games.

And then the president went off to inspect his newest acquisition — a
sparkling new jet liner freshly arrived from America.

Shortly after, half a world away, for the first time since Khadija’s
arrest, the State Department made a public statement about the ongoing
crackdown in Azerbaijan without needing to be prodded first.

A spokesperson opened the daily press briefing with the following words.

“We are alarmed by the Government of Azerbaijan’s crackdown on civil
society. The Secretary raised our concerns in his December 21st phone
call with President Aliyev. Since then, we have seen the closure of
RFE/RL’s offices, the seizure of its property, and RFE/RL employees
forcibly taken from their homes for questioning by local law
enforcement on unspecified charges. Contractors and others
tangentially connected to RFE/RL are also being interrogated by
authorities. These actions, along with the denial of access to legal
counsel during these interrogations, is further cause for concern. We
call again on Azerbaijani authorities to adhere to their OSCE and
other international commitments to uphold human rights and basic
freedoms, including freedom of the press.

In this regard, President Aliyev’s decision today to pardon 87
individuals, including 10 considered to have been imprisoned for civic
activism, is a step in the right direction. We urge Azerbaijan’s
authorities to build on these pardons by releasing others incarcerated
in connection with exercising their fundamental freedoms.”

President Aliyev had already moved on. He’d finished unwrapping the
new jet liner and was busy opening yet another new building.

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

The prisoners walked out of jail. The group included a couple of youth
group activists, a few journalists, and eight people who had been
locked up since 2012 for protesting against the ban on wearing head
scarves imposed by their modern and secular president.

(Note on State Department figures above: people who protest against
head scarf bans apparently do not count as “civic activists”.)

Over 90 political prisoners remain in jail, including all of those who
were arrested over the course of 2014.

Aliyev might let some of them out during 2015, perhaps before the ADB
meeting, or after the European Games. If America has another one of
its moments of “concern”.

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Happy New Year!

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s congratulations to the
Azerbaijani people on the occasion of the Day of Solidarity of World
Azerbaijanis and the New Year:

“Ladies and gentlemen! Dear compatriots!

2014 is being left in the past. 2014 was a successful year for our country…

As you know, in 2012-2013 Azerbaijan was represented in the world’s
most influential organization, the UN Security Council. We won this
right with the support of 155 countries. And this year Azerbaijan
chaired the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, making a
valuable contribution to the development of democracy and protection
of human rights in Europe…

Azerbaijan is a country that successfully goes down the path of
democracy, freedom, independence, progress and development. I am sure
that all Azerbaijanis of the world are proud that there is a country
such as Azerbaijan on the world map…

I heartily congratulate all Azerbaijanis on the Day of Solidarity of
Azerbaijanis of the World and the New Year holidays. I wish every
Azerbaijani family happiness, prosperity and continued successes.”

That night, there was a spectacular fireworks show in Baku.

20 Coptic Christians abducted in Libya

January 4, 2015 – 11:06 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Masked gunmen in central Libyakidnapped 13 Coptic
Christians on Saturday, Jan 3 after seven were abducted days earlier,
said a witness and a priest, in a new wave of assaults against Egypt’s
Christians working in the war-torn North African nation plagued with
Islamic extremists, the Associated Press reported.

Witness Hanna Aziz told the AP that the gunmen in the Libyan city of
Sirte went room to room in their residence at 2:30 a.m. Saturday and
asked for identification papers to separate Muslim workers from
Christians. Aziz says the gunmen handcuffed the Christians and drove
away with them.

“They were 15 armed and masked men who came in four vehicles. They had
a list of full names of Christians in the building. While checking
IDs, Muslims were left aside while Christians were grabbed,” Aziz
said, adding that he survived simply because he didn’t open his door.

“I heard my friends screaming but they were quickly shushed at
gunpoint. After that, we heard nothing,” said Aziz who said he has
three relatives among the hostages. “I am still in my room waiting for
them to take me. I want to die with them,” he added.

Abu Makar, a Coptic priest in the workers’ hometown of Samalout in
southern Egypt, confirmed the abduction took place. He said seven
other Coptic Christians from Samalout were taken while trying to
escape Sirte a few days earlier.

Sirte has become a safe haven for extremist Islamist groups like Ansar
al-Shariah, blamed for the September 2013 attack on the U.S. Consulate
in Benghazi that killed U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens.

The abduction came on the heels of the killing of a Coptic couple ?
who used to work as doctors in Sirte? and their daughter.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it is following
up on the case, urging Egyptians in the city to stay indoors until the
government can facilitate a safe return home. Ministry Spokesman Badr
Abdel-Atti said that Egypt can’t send a diplomatic mission to Libya
because “many of the regions are out of state control.” Egypt closed
its mission in Tripoli last year and withdrew its ambassador after his
own abduction at the hands of militiamen, disgruntled at the arrest of
a top Islamic militia commander in Egypt.

In March, the bodies of seven Christian Egyptians were found in the
eastern city of Benghazi, killed by gunshots to the head while
handcuffed.

In March 2013, dozens of Coptic Christians were tortured inside a
detention center run by a powerful militia in Benghazi. The men, who
were suspected of proselytizing, were rounded up in a market by gunmen
who checked their right wrists for tattoos of crosses, a common mark
worn by many Egyptian Christians.

Islamic extremist militias have been targeting Christians, women,
journalists, refugees and those considered former loyalists of Moammar
Gadhafi, who was toppled and killed in Libya’s 2011 civil war.

Egyptians became a top target for the militias after the Egyptian
government began supporting the Libyan army battling Islamic
militants.

“We are witnessing a pattern of persecution against Christians in
Egypt; I fear for the lives of the hostages,” said Magdi Malak, a
Cairo-based activist involved in the case.

Glendale News Press, CA
Jan 3 2015

Hospitals to mark traditional Armenian Christmas

Archbishops will join in facilities’ celebration of the baptism of
Jesus Christ.

By Arin Mikailian, [email protected]
January 2, 2015 | 6:53 p.m.

Two Glendale hospitals will be celebrating the traditions of Armenian
Christmas on Monday, the eve of the holiday that’s also known as the
Epiphany, or the baptism of Jesus.

Glendale Adventist Medical Center and Dignity Health Glendale Memorial
Hospital will each hold midday events for their staff, patients and
their families.

At Glendale Adventist, where the event is entering its seventh year,
Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, who leads the Western Diocese Armenian
Church, will be joined by holiday revelers at noon in the hospital’s
West Tower Lobby.

Derderian will be blessing water along with hundreds of helpings of
the Armenian pastry called gata.

The blessing of the water symbolizes Jesus’ baptism by John the
Baptist in the Jordan River.

The gata bread symbolizes the gifts from God, Derderian said.

Ramella Markarian, the medical center’s vice president of business
development, said about 100 people usually attend the event and those
who do are typically hospital employees and patients who won’t be able
to observe Armenian Christmas at home.

“We have a lot of Armenian patients who can’t be at home celebrating
with their friends and family,” she said.

After the blessing, the water and gata will be distributed to staff,
and nurses will deliver to patient rooms and family members keeping
them company, Markarian said.

“It’s a very heartwarming tradition,” she said.

At Glendale Memorial, as part of an ongoing annual tradition,
Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian of the Armenian Apostolic Church will
be blessing water that will be distributed as well.

The holiday event at Glendale Memorial will be held at 11:30 a.m. in
the hospital’s main lobby, 1420 S. Central Ave.

Also, next week, the Orthodox Christmas will be held on Wednesday.

,0,4213615.story

Press TV, Iran
Jan 3 2015

Armenia army says two soldiers killed in Karabakh clashes

At least two Armenian soldiers have been killed and another injured in
the latest round of clashes between Azerbaijani and Armenian forces in
the disputed mountainous region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The Armenian army announced on Saturday that Karen Grigorian and
Vartan Mkrtchian were shot dead. The wounded was identified as Volodya
Harutiunian.

The soldiers were repelling Azerbaijani commando raids in two sections
of the Line of Contact between Karabakh and Azerbaijan.

Following the incident, Armenia’s Defense Ministry issued a statement
warning that any “provocation by Azerbaijan…will be strictly
punished….”

Multiple confrontations between Baku and Yerevan over Nagorno-Karabakh
left tens of troops dead from both sides last year.

The two ex-Soviet Caucasus nations claim the territory of
Nagorno-Karabakh, which is largely populated by Armenians but located
in Azerbaijan.

Ethnic Armenian forces took control over the enclave, which accounts
for 16 percent of Azerbaijan territory, in the early 1990s during a
six-year war that took place from February 1988 to May 1994.

The conflict left an estimated 30,000 people dead and one million
displaced before the two sides agreed to a ceasefire in 1994. A
permanent peace accord has never been inked and the dispute still
remains unsettled.

Azerbaijan has threatened to take back the region by force if
negotiations between the two sides fail to yield results.

MP/HSN/SS

REVUE DE PRESSE
Le retour de la cruauté par Alfred Grosser

L’horreur qu’inspirent Daech, Alain Rémond (La Croix du 23 octobre) vient de rappeler que
l’Église honore saint Jean de Capistran qui it pourtant brûler nombre
de Juifs. Le 5 novembre, on a célébré l’ouverture du grand concile de
Constance en 1414. L’une de ses premières tches fut de mettre en
accusation Jan Hus – qui fut livré au feu l’année suivante. À travers
les siècles, que de supplices inligés, que de tortures rainées
imposées par des autorités diverses (1) ! En 1757, la tentative de
régicide efectuée par Damiens fut punie d’une mise à mort afreuse. Les
dessins de Goya ont représenté l’extrême cruauté de l’armée
napoléonienne en Espagne. En notre siècle, la façon turque de faire
périr des centaines de milliers d’Arméniens dans le désert a été aussi
cruelle et plus massive. Vint Hitler. Il n’y eut pas seulement, si on
peut dire, l’extermination délibérée de Juifs, de prisonniers
soviétiques, de tsiganes. La cruauté individuelle a joué, depuis les
SA contraignant tel vieillard juif à lécher la terre salie
d’immondices jusqu’à Ilse Koch, la > prenant
plaisir à faire soufrir. (Ici, une parenthèse : je ne comprendrai
jamais la gloire du marquis de Sade. Comment peut-on condamner les
tortures inligées par un SS et considérer que La Philosophie dans le
boudoir est un éloge de la liberté ?) En nombre de victimes, Staline
égale Hitler, surtout si on inclut les millions d’Ukrainiens morts de
faim en 1932, et Mao les dépasse tous deux. Aujourd’hui encore, ce
qu’on apprend sur la cruauté qui règne dans les camps russes et
chinois devrait être mieux connu et plus amplement réprouvé.

Il est une période particulièrement affreuse dont un grand livre
britannique vient de dévoiler toutes les dimensions. L’Europe barbare
(2) des années 1945 à 1950 a vu des atrocités multiples, entre autres
les massacres de villages ukrainiens par des Polonais et de villages
polonais par des Ukrainiens. Ou encore les centaines de milliers de
viols de femmes allemandes par les soldats soviétiques. Ou encore la
chasse aux Juifs même après Hitler. Plus tard, la spécificité du
génocide au Rwanda, c’est sans doute la multiplicité des meurtres du
voisin par le voisin, la cruaut̩ exerc̩e contre celui Рhomme, femme,
enfant – dont on était l’ami la veille encore.

Mais alors, quelle est la spéciicité de l’horreur actuelle ? Non pas
qu’elle s’exerce à partir d’une religion d’une façon réprouvée par
l’immense majorité de ses adeptes dans le monde. Mais qu’on fait périr
de façon ignominieuse tous ceux qui ne se soumettent pas. Cela en un
temps où l’idée de tolérance semblait avoir enin triomphé. La
vengeance a souvent servi d’excuse dans le passé, avec le mécanisme du
vengeur entraînant une nouvelle vengeance qui, à son tour… Ici, la
vengeance invoquée n’est que prétexte. Il s’agit d’éradiquer une
civilisation. L’égalité des femmes n’est certes pas encore réalisée
partout, mais quelle régression que cette façon d’enlever des jeunes
illes pour les > à des mles oppresseurs, ou
encore d’interdire aux femmes d’accéder au moindre savoir ! Quel
savoir d’ailleurs ? Dans Mossoul conquise par l’>,
les facultés de droit, d’art, d’archéologie, de philosophie ont été
fermées. Le ministère de l’enseignement supérieur a été remplacé par
un Oice de l’éducation chargé de transformer l’université en une sorte
de caserne soumise à la surveillance active d’une quarantaine de
guerriers armés. L’ignominie de cette contre-culture accompagnant
tortures et massacres ne doit pas amener à croire que la civilisation
triomphe partout ailleurs. Bruno Frappat a justement relevé (La Croix
du 8 novembre) le massacre des enfants par le travail en Chine ou au
Congo. Mais nous sommes en droit d’être stupéfiés par le passage de
tant de jeunes Français ou Allemands normalement éduqués chez les
barbares d’aujourd’hui.

Alfred Grosser

(1) Roland Villeneuve, Le musée des supplices, Éd. Henri Veyrier, 1968, 365 p.

(2) Keith Lowe, L’Europe barbare 1945-1950, trad. Johan Frédérik Hel
Guedj. Perrin, 2013, 488 p.

samedi 3 janvier 2015,
Stéphane (c)armenews.com

2015
Wishes for Armenian Renaissance
The Paris section of the Armenian Renaissance Movement expresses its
most sincere wishes to the Armenian nation for a Merry Christmas and
a Happy New Year 2015, wishing the people of Armenia to
peacefully free from a guilty regime that has been falsifying for 20 years
all elections and contributes to the expatriation of its population. The movement also presents its wishes to Armenians in the diaspora
wishing that they stop being complicit in this regime. Paris, with 31
December 14
ÕÕ¡ÕµÕ¯Õ¡Õ¯Õ¡Õ¶ Õ?Õ¥ÖÕ¡Õ®Õ¶Õ¸Ö?Õ¶Õ¤ Õ°Õ¡Õ´Õ¡Õ£Õ¡Õ²Õ¸Ö?Õ©Õ¡ÕµÕ«Õ¶ Õ·Õ¡ÖÕªÕ´Õ¡Õ¶ Õ`Õ¡ÖÕ«Õ¦Õ« Õ´Õ¡Õ½Õ¶Õ¡Õ³Õ«Ö?Õ²Õ¨ Õ¯Õ¨
Õ·Õ¶Õ¸ÖÕ°Õ¡Ö?Õ¸ÖÕ§ Õ°Õ¡Õ´Õ¡ÕµÕ¶ Õ°Õ¡ÕµÕ¸Ö?Õ©Õ¥Õ¡Õ¶ Õ?Õ¸Ö Õ?Õ¡ÖÕ«Õ¶ Ö? Õ?. Ô¾Õ¶Õ¸Ö?Õ¶Õ¤Õ¨ Õ´Õ¡Õ²Õ©Õ¥Õ¬Õ¸Õ¾
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Õ¤Õ¡Õ¿Õ¡ÖÕ¯Õ¡Õ® ÕµÕ¡Õ¶Ö?Õ¡Ö?Õ¸Ö Õ¾Õ¡ÖÕ¹Õ¡Õ¯Õ¡ÖÕ£Õ§Õ¶ Ö? Õ?Ö?Õ«Ö?Õ¼Ö?Õ¡Õ°Õ¡ÕµÕ¸Ö?Õ©Õ¥Õ¡Õ¶Õ’ Õ¡ÕµÕ¬Ö?Õ½ Õ´Õ¥Õ²Ö?Õ¡Õ¯Õ«Ö? Õ¹Õ¨Õ¬Õ¬Õ¡Õ¬ Õ¡ÕµÕ¤ Õ¾Õ¡ÖÕ¹Õ¡Õ¯Õ¡ÖÕ£Õ«Õ¶ :
Õ`Õ¡ÖÕ«Õ¦ 31 Õ¤Õ¥Õ¯Õ¿Õ¥Õ´Õ¢Õ¥Ö 2014
Saturday 3 January 2015,
Ara ©armenews.com

MARSEILLE
Profanation de la stèle Manouchian : deux hommes au tribunal

Deux Marseillais de 42 et 30 ans sont convoqués le 9 janvier devant le
tribunal correctionnel de Marseille pour répondre de la profanation
d’une stèle à la mémoire des résistants du groupe Manouchian,
perpétrée début septembre 2014. Ils sont définis comme

January 2, 2015
Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate
6252 Honolulu Avenue
La Crescenta, CA 91214
Tel: (818) 248-7737
Fax: (818) 248-7745
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

PRELATE TO PRESIDE OVER DIVINE LITURGY
AT ST. MARY’S CHURCH IN GLENDALE

– REQUIEM FOR ARF LEADER VAHAN HOVANNESIAN

On the morning of Sunday, January 4, the Prelate will preside over
Divine Liturgy at St. Mary’s Church in Glendale. During the requiem service,
a special prayer will be said for ARF Bureau member and Armenia’s Ambassador
to Germany Vahan Hovannesian, who passed away on December 28, 2014. The
Prelate will deliver his tribute, commending Vahan Hovannesian’s lifelong
service to the Armenian nation and cause.
A memorial gathering will follow at the Church “Armenak Der
Bedrosian” Hall, organized by the ARF Central Committee.

***

EPISCOPAL DIVINE LITURGY AND MADAGH BLESSING
AT THE NORTH HOLLYWOOD PARISH

On Sunday, January 4, 2015, H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian,
Prelate, will celebrate the first Divine Liturgy of the New Year at the
North Hollywood parish, deliver the sermon, and conduct the blessing of
madagh on the occasion of the 6th anniversary of the establishment of the
parish.
The service begins at 2:00 p.m. The church is located at 13050
Vanowen St. in North Hollywood (St. Paul Assyrian Chaldean Catholic Church).
A New Year and Christmas reception will follow in the Church hall,
presided over by the Prelate. Sunday School students will participate with a
cultural program.

***

EPISCOPAL DIVINE LITURGY CELEBRATED
AT THE CRESCENTA VALLEY PARISH

– READING OF PONTIFICAL ENCYCLICAL ON THE GENOCIDE CENTENNIAL

On Sunday, December 28, 2014, the Pontifical Encyclical of His
Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia, on the occasion of
the Genocide Centennial was read at St. Gregory the Illuminator Mother
Cathedral in Antelias and throughout all Churches of Holy See Prelacies
worldwide. Within Western Prelacy Churches, the Feast of St. Stephen the
Protomartyr was also commemorated on this day.
H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, celebrated Divine
Liturgy, delivered the sermon, and read the Pontifical Encyclical at the
Crescenta Valley parish. Parish Pastor Rev. Fr. Ghevont Kirazian and deacons
assisted at the altar. H.E. Archbishop Yeprem Tabakian was in attendance, as
well as Executive Council member Mr. Meher Der Ohanessian, first Foreign
Minister of Armenia and current MP Raffi Hovanissian, parish board members
and representatives of sister organizations.
The Feast of St. Stephen, a celebration of deacons, was commemorated
prior to the Lord’s Prayer. Candles in hand, deacons knelt before the
Prelate to receive his blessings. His Eminence encouraged them to follow the
example of St. Stephen, the first deacon and first martyr, by serving
faithfully and humbly and setting an example to others with their service.
Afterward, as the choir sang the hymn “Hrashapar”, the Holy
Encyclical of His Holiness Aram I was brought forth to the altar to be read
by the Prelate. His Eminence then briefly touched on the day’s Gospel
reading from Luke 19:11-28 on The Parable of the Minas, and on the eve of a
New Year urged the faithful to be good stewards of God’s blessings and
utilize them for His glory, because “to everyone who has will be given; and
from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”
Prior to “Der Voghormya”, on behalf of the parish community Fr.
Ghevont thanked the Prelate for accepting their invitation and for inspiring
the faithful with his message and blessings. Thus, he asked the faithful to
pray for the health and well-being of the Prelate and continued successes in
his leadership. Finally, Fr. Ghevont greeted Archbishop Yeprem Tabakian and
honored guests. The service came to a close with requiem prayers offered for
loved ones.
A luncheon hosted by the parish Ladies Guild followed. The Prelate
was escorted in a procession to the lobby where he blessed the table. The
collective singing of Cilicia followed and the ceremony concluded with the
benediction by the Prelate.

***

PRELATE’S CHRISTMAS SCHEDULE

On Tuesday, January 6, the Birth and Theophany of our Lord Jesus
Christ will be celebrated in all Prelacy Churches with Divine Liturgy and
the blessing of water. The Prelate will celebrate Divine Liturgy, deliver
the sermon, and conduct the blessing of water at St. Mary’s Church in
Glendale.
In the evening, the Prelate’s New Year and Christmas Dinner will be
held at “Bagramian Hall” in Montebello with the participation of clergy,
councils, parishes, sister organizations, sponsors, and friends.
On Monday, January 5, Christmas Eve will be celebrated in Prelacy
Churches with Divine Liturgy followed by the Jrakalooyts – Lighting of the
Candles service. The Prelate will celebrate Divine Liturgy and deliver the
sermon at Holy Martyrs Church in Encino.
On Wednesday, January 7, at 10:00 a.m., Christmas memorial day
requiem service will be held at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills “Hall of
Liberty” and Forest Lawn Glendale “Church of the Recessional”, presided over
by the Prelate and with the participation of clergy.

***

CHRISTMAS SERVICES TO BE HELD AT
GLENDALE MEMORIAL AND ARARAT HOME

At the start of each New Year, it has become a tradition for the
Prelate and clergy to visit and conduct prayer services at Glendale Memorial
Hospital and Ararat Home in Mission Hills to spread Christmas cheer to the
patients and residents.
Christmas will be celebrated at Glendale Memorial Hospital on
Monday, January 5, with the Blessing of Water conducted by the Prelate, who
will be assisted by Rev. Fr. Boghos Tinkjian and St. Mary’s Church pastors.
The service begins at 11:30 a.m. in the Main Lobby.
Services at Ararat Home will be held on Thursday, January 8,
beginning at 10:00 a.m. with morning service and the blessing of water in
the Nursing Facility Dining Room. Divine Liturgy will be celebrated at 10:30
a.m. at the Sheen Chapel by Rev. Fr. Vazken Atmajian, who will also deliver
the sermon.
Following the service, the Prelate and clergy will be hosted to a
luncheon by the administration.

***

PRELATE WELCOMES DIRECTOR JIVAN AVETISYAN

On Friday, January 2, 2015, H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian,
Prelate, welcomed to the Prelacy Director Jivan Avetisyan, who is currently
in the U.S. for the screening of his latest film Tevanik. The director was
accompanied by community activist Arick Gevorkian. Executive Council
Vice-Chair Dr. Dikran Babikian participated in the meeting.
The visit began with a mutual exchange of New Year well wishes. Mr.
Avetisyan gave an overview of his movie Tevanik, which is about the Artsakh
liberation and the efforts of villagers to protect their lands, and invited
the Prelate to the Los Angeles area screening which will be held on January
9 at Beyond the Stars Palace in Glendale.
The Prelate commended and congratulated the Director on his
achievements and wished him continued successes in his future projects.