Author: Badalian Vardan

EUROPE-TURQUIE
Le Mouvement Antiraciste Européen mène une délégation en Turquie pour
y commémorer le génocide contre les Arméniens

Le Mouvement Antiraciste Européen EGAM (European Grassroots Antiracist
Movement) et l’organisation arménienne UGAB Europe se rendent en
Turquie pour répondre à l’appel des militants turcs et commémorer avec
eux le génocide arménien à Istanbul du 21 au 25 avril prochain.

Dès le lendemain, des représentants des trois organisations, UGAB
Europe, EGAM et DurDe (Turquie), se rendront à Erevan (Arménie) pour y
commémorer ensemble le génocide arménien.

Pour la deuxième fois depuis la perpétration du génocide de 1915, il y
a 99 ans, une délégation européenne, constituée d’une vingtaine de
dirigeants antiracistes et arméniens venus de quinze pays, sera
présente en Turquie pour les commémorations du génocide des Arméniens,
qui s’y tiendront pour la 5e année consécutive le 24 avril prochain.

Cette initiative est une réponse à l’invitation des partenaires turcs
de l’EGAM, DürDe ! (« Dis stop au racisme ! ») et l’Association pour
les Droits de l’Homme – IHD, qui ont demandé le soutien de la société
civile turque engagée pour la reconnaissance du génocide des Arméniens
en venant participer aux commémorations en Turquie cette année. L’EGAM
a invité l’UGAB Europe à constituer une délégation commune.

Pendant quatre jours, la délégation rencontrera des représentants de
la société civile – intellectuels, militants turcs, kurdes, arméniens,
artistes,… – le monde de la jeunesse avec une conférence Ã
l’université de Sehir, des représentants des minorités, et participera
aux commémorations. Le 25, des représentants de cette délégation
seront à Erevan pour y commémorer ensemble le génocide arménien.

La constitution de cette délégation est une initiative de solidarité
avec les militants turcs engagés pour la vérité historique, qui ont
appelé Ã sa constitution. C’est une initiative de justice contre le
négationnisme, qui est la continuation de la perpétuation du génocide.
C’est enfin un engagement pour la démocratie, renforcée par la
vitalité de la société civile.

Cette initiative est soutenue par de nombreuses personnalités (dont
Charles Aznavour, Serge Klarsfeld, Bernard Kouchner, Dario Fo, Adam
Michnik, Bernard-Henri Lévy, Tahar Ben Jelloun, Ahmet Insel, Olivero
Toscani, Jovan Divjak, etc.) et de nombreux représentants de la
société civile européenne, turque et arménienne, qui ont signé un
appel en ce sens. L’appel sera publié dans les prochains jours dans la
presse européenne, notamment dans Le Monde (France), La Repubblica
(Italie), Gazeta Wyborcza (Pologne), Le Soir (Belgique), Kristeligt
Dagblad (Danemark), Eesti Paevaleht (Estonie), To Vima (Grèce),
Dnevnik (Macedoine), (Montenegro), Publico
(Portugal), Adevarul (Roumanie), SME (Slovaquie), La Tribune de Genève
(Suisse)… Les commémorations se dérouleront sur la place Taksim,
19h15 le 24 avril. Une conférence de presse aura lieu la veille, le 23
avril, Ã 11h au restaurant Cezayir, FiruzaÄ?a Mh., Hayriye Cd No:16,
BeyoÄ?lu.

Contact Presse :
EGAM
Elie Petit
Communication Officer
0033 6 68 08 61 0
[email protected]

Créée en 2010, l’EGAM – European Grassroots Antiracist Movement / Le
Mouvement Antiraciste Européen est un réseau qui regroupe les
principales organizations antiracists de 30 pays. Notre but est de
renforcer la société civile européenne sur les sujets de la lutte
contre le racisme, l’antisémitisme, la discrimination raciale et le
négationnisme.

L’appel :

Turcs, Arméniens et Européens, commémorons, ensemble et en Turquie, le
génocide arménien !

En 1915, suivant un plan établi à l’avance et une mise en acte
méthodique, un million et demi d’Arméniens étaient assassinés dans
l’Empire Ottoman, avec pour but ultime la destruction de leur
civilisation. Les Arméniens étaient alors victimes d’un génocide qui
allait devenir une funeste référence pour ceux qui suivraient. Depuis
lors, les gouvernements turcs successifs ont lutté avec force afin de
faire oublier cette sombre part du passé de leur pays. Encore
aujourd’hui, notamment en Turquie, la simple énonciation de cette
vérité historique suscite, contre ceux qui en sont les auteurs, des
oppositions farouches, des menaces physiques et parfois même des
meurtres. Le négationnisme alimente le racisme et la haine contre les
Arméniens et d’autres minorités non-musulmanes.

Certains veulent faire croire que la reconnaissance de la réalité du
génocide arménien est une attaque contre tous les Turcs et contre la «
Turcité », alors que c’est une attaque contre le négationnisme et une
démarche pour la justice et la démocratie.

Depuis quelques années maintenant, une partie de la société civile
turque organise avec courage la commémoration du génocide arménien. Un
cercle vertueux de vérité et de justice s’est graduellement amplifié
pour rassembler toujours plus d’individus, unis dans une émouvante
démonstration d’humanité pour faire face au discours officiel
négationniste. L’année dernière, pour la première fois en presque un
siècle, une délégation étrangère, composée de dirigeants de la
diaspora arménienne et de dirigeants antiracistes européens, a pris
part aux commémorations en Turquie, en réponse à l’appel à la
solidarité lancé par la société civile turque.

Tous ensemble le 24 avril 2013, nous avons montré que ceux, en
Turquie, qui reconnaissent et commémorent le génocide arménien sont
chaque jour plus nombreux. Nous avons montré qu’une partie de la
société turque, attachée aux valeurs de démocratie et des droits de
l’homme, est prête à faire face à son passé avec lucidité. Cette
année, tous ensemble, militants antiracistes, dirigeants de la société
civile, citoyens engagés, intellectuels et artistes, de Turquie et
d’ailleurs en Europe, d’origines diverses mais tous unis par le désir
de voir la vérité historique enfin reconnue, nous commémorerons, en
Turquie, le 24 avril 2014, le génocide arménien, qui fait partie du
présent bien que nous soyons à l’aube du centenaire de sa
perpétration.

Notre démarche partagée est une démarche de reconnaissance, de
solidarité, de justice et de démocratie.

C’est une démarche de reconnaissance en ce qu’elle permet
simultanément aux membres de la diaspora arménienne et aux Arméniens
de Turquie, qui ont résisté Ã l’exil, de porter ouvertement le deuil
de leurs ancêtres, comme elle permet aux organisations et individus
turcs de demander pardon aux descendants des victimes de certains de
leurs ancêtres.

C’est une démarche de solidarité entre tous ceux qui se battent pour
la vérité historique. La ligne de clivage n’est pas entre les Turcs et
les Arméniens, mais entre ceux qui se battent pour la reconnaissance
du génocide arménien et ceux qui promeuvent le négationnisme. En un
mot, ce n’est pas une question d’origines mais d’idée, de projet
commun.

C’est une démarche de justice. Comme le dit Elie Wiesel, « le génocide
tue deux fois, la seconde par le silence », c’est-Ã-dire que le
négationnisme est la continuation du génocide, qui est l’évènement le
plus violent auquel le racisme puisse aboutir. Combattre le
négationnisme, c’est tenter d’apaiser la vivacité du traumatisme
transmis dans les communautés arméniennes d’une génération à l’autre.
C’est se battre contre le racisme, pour une société plus égale et plus
juste. C’est offrir aux nouvelles générations la possibilité de se
projeter ensemble vers l’avenir.

C’est enfin une démarche pour la démocratie. Non seulement parce que
soulever le tabou du génocide est une indispensable condition pour
faire progresser la liberté d’expression en Turquie, mais également
parce que, comme le rappelait souvent Jorge Semprun, la démocratie
suppose une certaine vitalité de la société civile. Renforcer les
liens parmi les sociétés civiles, c’est renforcer ceux qui luttent
pour promouvoir la démocratie en Turquie comme dans le reste de
l’Europe.

Ainsi, le 24 avril prochain, nous commémorerons, ensemble et en
Turquie, le génocide des Arméniens, ou soutiendrons ceux qui le
feront, et nous appelons tous les individus attachés à la
reconnaissance, la solidarité, la justice et la démocratie à nous
rejoindre pour tourner enfin la page d’un siècle de négationnisme.

*** Paul Morin, Executive Director of the European Grassroots
Antiracist Movement – EGAM (Europe), Cengiz Algan & Levent Sensever,
Spokespeople for Durde ! (Turkey), Alexis Govciyan, President &
Nicolas Tavitian, Director of the Armenian General Benevolent Union –
AGBU (Europe), Ayse Ã-ktem, Platform for `Confronting a Century of
Denial’ (Turkey), Charles Aznavour, Singer (France), Bernard Henri
Lévy, Philosopher (France), Abdullah Demirbas, Mayor of Sur district
of Diyarbakir (Turkey), Ara Toranian, Co-President of `Coordination
Council of Armenian Organizations in France’ (CCAF), Serge Klarsfeld,
President of `Sons and Daughters of Deported Jews from France’
(France), Murat Timur, President of the Van Bar Association (Turkey),
Ã-ztürk TürkdoÄ?an, Head of the Human Rights Association (IHD) (Turkey),
Gilbert Dalgalian, linguist, Bernard Kouchner, former French Minister
of Foreign Affairs, Founder of Doctors Without Borders and Doctors of
the World, Adam Michnik, Historian, journalist, essayist and former
leader of Solidarnosk (Poland), Ragip Zarakolu, Writer (Turkey), Roni
Margulies, Journalist and poet (Turkey), Jovan Divjak, Former
Commanding General of Yugoslav Army, Defender of besieged Sarajevo
(Bosnia), Ã-mer Laçiner, Writer (Turkey), Tahar Ben Jelloun, Writer and
poet (Morocco), Dario Fo, Writer, Nobel Prize for literature (Italy),
Ferhat Kentel, Sociologist (Turkey), Murat Celikkan, Journalist
(Turkey), André Glucksmann, Philosopher (France), Korhan Gümüs,
Architect (Turkey), Richard Prasquier, Vice-President of Shoah
Foundation (France), Prof. Dr. Sinan Ã-zbek, Profesor (Turkey), Prof.
Dr. Gençay Gürsoy, Profesor (Turkey), Edward Mier-Jedrzejowicz,
Chairman, Foundation M.K. z Tyskiewiczow Krolikiewicz (Poland),
Oliviero Toscani, Photographer (Italy), Yann Moix, Writer (France),
Prof. Dr. Ahmet Insel, Universitaire (Turquie),

Alma Masic, President of Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR)
(Bosnia), Armen Artwich, Vice President of Foundation of Culture and
Heritage of Polish Armenians (Poland), Deyan Kolev, Chairman of
`Amalipe’ (Bulgaria), Faik Akçay, Writer (Turkey), Séta Papazian,
President of the `Collectif VAN’ (France), Sonia Avakian-Bedrosian,
President of AGBU-Sofia (Bulgaria), Marian Mandache, Executive
Director of `Romani Criss’ (Romania), Raffi Kantian, Chairman of the
board, `German-Armenian Society’ (Germany), Çagla Oflas, Platform for
`Confronting a Century of Denial’ (Turkey), Prof. Dr. Ayse Gözen,
Profesor (Turkey), Elina Chilinguirian, Journalist (Belgium), Raba
Gjoshi, Executive Director of the Youth Initiative for Human Rights
(YIHR) (Kosovo), Prof. Dr Ayse Gözen, Professor (Turkey), Patrick
Donabedian, Historian and lecturer, Aix-Marseille University (France),
Mario Mazic, Director of Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR)
(Croatia), Ã`mit Kurt, Writer (Turkey), Elena Gabriielian, Journalist
(France), Jovana Vukovic, `Regional Centre for Minorities’ (Serbia),
Akif Kurtulus, Writer (Turkey), Haik Garabedian, Co-president AGBU
Young Professionals of Plovdiv (Bulgaria), Erika Muhi, Director of the
Anti-Discrimination Bureau `NEKI’ (Hungary), Yves Ternon, Historian
(France), Zeynep Tanbay, Choreographer (Turkey), Gazi Giray Günaydin,
Activist (Turkey), Sezai Temelli, Lecturer (Turkey), Simon le Grand,
international civil servant, Céline Gulekdjian, Film director
(Belgium), Katalin Barsony, President of the `Romedia Foundation’
(Hungary), Nurcan Kaya, Lawyer (Turkey), Inge Drost, President of the
`Federation of Armenian Organizations in the Netherlands’ (The
Netherlands), Alain Daumas, President of `UFAT’ (French Union of Roma
Associations) (France), Gueguel Khatchatouryan, President of the
Armenian community in Milano (Italy), Adriatik Hasantari, President of
`Roma Active’ (Albania), Maja Micic, Director of Youth Initiative for
Human Rights (YIHR) (Serbia), Elio Montanari, Photographer (Turkey),
Hrant Kostanian, Associate Research Fellow, Centre for European Policy
studies (Belgium), Marcel Kabanda, President of `Ibuka’ (France),
Filiz Montanari, Film Director (Turkey), Harout Palanjian, President
of AGBU Holland (The Netherlands), Prof. Dr Sinan Ã-zbek, Professor
(Turkey), Héléne Piralian, Psychoanalyst (France), Miroslav Broz,
President of `Konexe’ (Czech Republic), Yildiz Ã-nen, Spokeswoman of
`Global Peace and Justice Coalition’ (Turkey), Valentina Poghosyan,
Member of the board of AGBU Europe (United Kingdon), Maria De Franca,
Director of `La Règle du Jeu’ (France), Areg Barseghyan, International
civil servant, ADB (Armenia), Metin Algan, Activist of DurDe (Turkey),
Balasz Denes, Director of `Open Society Initiative for Europe’
(Hungary), Cem Rifat Sey, Writer (Turkey), Witold Klaus, President of
SIP (Association for Legal Intervention) (Poland), Jörn Sudhoff,
Professor of Social Sciences (Turkey), Dogan Ã-zguden, Chief Editor,
Info-Türk (Belgium), Katarzyna Kubin, Director of the Board of the
`Foundation for Social Diversity’ (Poland), Zeynep Tozduman,
Investigative Writer (Turkey), Tatyos Bebek, Dentist (Turkey), Güven
Gürkan Ã-ztan, Lecturer (Turkey),Ergun Günrah, PR (Turkey), Kalle
Larson, Director of `Centrum Mot Rasism’ (Sweden), Inci Tugsavul,
Responsible editor Info-Türk (Belgium), Renée Le Mignot, Co-President
of the `MRAP’ (Movement against Racism and for Friendship between
Peoples) (France), Haluk Ã`nal, Film Director (Turkey), Nick Lowes,
Founder of `Hope Not Hate’ (United Kingdom), Cindy Léoni, President of
`SOS Racisme’ (France), Sonia Aïchi, President of `FIDL’ (High
school’s Independent and Democratic Federation) (France), Aldo
Merkoci, President of `Mjaft Movement’ (Albania), Ahmed Moawia,
President of the `Greek Forum for Migrants’ (Greece), Jette Moller,
President of `SOS Mod Racisme’ (Danemark), Angela Scalzo, General
Secretary of `SOS Razzismo’ (Italy), Nicolai Radita, President of
`Roma National Centre’ (Moldavia), Boris Raonic , President de `Civil
Alliance’ (Montenegro), Paula Sawicka, President of `Open Republic’
(Poland), Jacques Bérès, President of `France-Syria Democracy’,
President of `Enfants Du Canal’ (France), Bruce Clarke, Artist (South
Africa), Ina van Looy, Centre Communautaire Laïc Juif David Susskind,
Belgium, Eduardo Lorenzo Ochoa, Director, European Friends of Armenia,
Stéphane Mirdkian, President, Armenian Community of Belgium, Mato
Hakhverdian, Chairman of the Federation of Armenian Organisations in
The Netherlands (FAON) (the Netherlands), Roni Alasor, Journalist and
writer (Norway), Sebu Aslangil, Jurist (Turkey), Atilla Dirim,
Interpretor (Turkey), Irena Borisova, Director of `People Against
Racism’ (Slovakia), Ofer Bronchtein, President of `Forum pour la paix’
(France), Prof. Chan E.S. Choenni, Hindustani Migration and Indian
Diaspora, Free University (VU) Amsterdam (The Netherlands), Andrei
Dragomir, Director of the Moldovan Centre for Human Rights (Moldovia),
Loris Toufanian, President of Armenian Youth Movement `Nor Seround’
(France), Lina Gidlung, Director of Antidiscrimination bureau Upsala
(Sweden), Janette Gronsfort, President of `Rasmus Network’ (Finland),
Merle Haruoja, Director of `Estonian Institute for Human Rights’
(Estonia), Jean Yériché Gorizian, Spokeperson of Armenian Youth
Movement `Nor Seround’ (France), Pierre Henry, General Director of
`France Terre d’Asile’ and Executive Board Member of the `European
Council for Refugees and Exiles’, Hristo Ivanovick, President of
`Alliance for Human Rights’ (Macedonia), Krassimir Kanev, President of
the `Bulgarian Helsinki Committee’ (Bulgaria), Anhelita Kamenska,
Director of `Latvian Centre for Human Rights’ (Latvia), Oncho
Cherchian, AGBU Sofia (Bulgaria), Joël Kotek, historian (Belgium),
Hakob Kazandjian, President, FRA in Cyprus (Cyprus), Jacky Mamou,
President of `Urgence Darfour’, former President of `Doctors of the
World’, Irina Ghaplanyan, University of Cambridge (United Kingdom),
Anna Åabatová, Head of `Czech Helsinki Committee’ (Czech Republic),
Ahmed Samih, Head of the `Andalus Institute for Tolerance and
Anti-Violence Studies’ (Egypt), Dominique Sopo, Former President of
`SOS Racisme’ (France), Rune Steen, Director of the `Norwegian Centre
Against Racism’ (Norway), Sacha Reingewirtz, President of the `French
Union of Jewish Students’ (France), Muhammadi Yonous, Head of the
`Greek Forum of Refugees’ (Greece), Ligue des Droits de l’Homme
(League of Human Rights) (France), Europeana Roma and Travellers Forum
(ERTF), International Human Rights League, Nikolai Romashuk
Hairabedian, President of the `Armenian Social and cultural Foundation
in The Netherlands’ (The Netherlands), Kate Markaryan (Russia), Oncho
Cherchian AGBU Sofia, Bulgaria, Lisa Abadjian, psychologist (Belgium),
Mikaail Domanian, Engineer, AGBU Holland,Souren Seraydarian, analyst
(France), Silva Chemedikian, AGBU Sofia, (Bulgaria), Harout
Mamikonian, AGBU Holland (the Netherlands), Apet Georges Iskenderian,
Ophelia Khachatryan, Kate Markaryan (Russia), Anelga Aslanian
(Belgium), Harout Mamikonian (Netherlands)

Political leaders

Frank Engel, Member of the European Parliament, (Luxembourg), Michèle
Rivasi, Member of the European Parliament (France), Sevil Turan,
Spokeswoman Greens and Left Party of the Future (Turkey), Ewald
Stadler, Member of European Parliament (Austria), Meltem Oral,
Spokeswoman of The Revolutionist Socialist Labour Party (DSIP)
(Turkey), Ufuk Uras, 23rd term MP (Turkey), Klemen Zumer, Advisor,
European Parliament (Belgium), Senol Karakas, Spokesman of DSIP
(Turkey), Andrej Hunko, Member of the Bundestag (Parliament)
(Germany), Naci Sönmez, Spokesman Greens and Left Party of the Future
(Turkey), Laura Chatel & Lucas Nédelec Co-General Secretary `Jeunes
Ecologistes’ (France), Laura Slimani, President of Movement of Young
Socialists (France), Kees van der Staaij, Member of Parliament, Member
of Reformed Political Party Faction (SGP) (the Netherlands), Harry van
Bommel, Member of Parliament, Member of Socialist Party (SP) (the
Netherlands), Joel Voordewind, Member of Parliament, Member of the
Christian Union Faction (the Netherlands), Paolo Bergamaschi, Advisor
on Foreign Affairs, Green/EFA group in the European Parliament.

samedi 19 avril 2014,
Ara ©armenews.com

ARMENIAN STUDENT ASSOCIATION SEEKS TO EDUCATE CAMPUS ON HISTORY AND CULTURE

The Suffolk Journal: Suffolk University
April 16, 2014 Wednesday

by: Matt Bacon

Armenia is a small country that lays just above the northern fringes
of the Middle East in the Caucasus Mountains. Its unique position
in the world, at the crossroads of Iran, Turkey, the Arab world,
and Russia, has resulted in a diverse and vibrant culture.

At Suffolk University, a newly revitalized Armenian Students
Association (ASA; not to be confused with the African Student
Association) aims to bring a piece of that culture to campus. “Our
goal is to connect people with a connection or interest in Armenian
culture in the Suffolk community,” said sophomore and founding member
of the club Lori Yogurtian.

In the past, Suffolk has had sizeable Armenian student populations.

They had often gathered in de facto groups, but by the time Yogurtian
was a freshman the network had “fizzled out.” Yogurtian and a friend,
along with Suffolk photography professor Ken Martin decided to dedicate
themselves to starting an official Armenian club to bring awareness
of the culture to campus. “No one knows about what Armenia is … we
just want to bring the Armenian culture to Suffolk,” said Yogurtian,
a double major in management and marketing.

(Photos by Ken Martin)

Still in the process of getting off the ground, the ASA has not had
any major events on campus. However, they have participated in events
with other local ASA chapters at which Suffolk students are always
welcome. “Next year we’re going to have a lot more organization,”
Yogurtian said, elaborating that the group is planning for an Armenian
culture night on campus next year.

So far, the highlight event for the club has been its year-end
celebrations. “Every semester all of the [local branches] have an
event at a restaurant … it’s like dinner, dancing and music. We turn
the restaurant into a club … we even got kicked out of one place,”
Yogurtian said.

All around, the ASA is “A very chill club … it’s a way to get
involved without too much commitment … a great way to network,
meet new people, make connections, and learn something about Armenian
culture.”

The ASA knows how to have fun, but also takes seriously its status
as representatives of the Armenian culture in America. Armenia has a
long and complex history. With the exception of two years following
WWI and the 23 years since the break-up of the Soviet Union, Armenia
has spent its entire history since the 1230s under the influence of
various foreign occupiers, who usually tended to enact oppressive
policies toward Armenians. During WWI, the occupying Ottoman Turks
carried out a genocide of the Armenian people, which some estimate
killed over a million. This led to a diaspora of the Armenian people,
many of whom are now scattered across the Middle East, Europe, and
the rest of the world.

The ASA not only wishes to be active in spreading Armenian culture,
but awareness of Armenia’s long and oftentimes painful history. “There
is an Armenian genocide memorial near the North End, so every year,
starting last year, we do a candlelit vigil,” Yogurtian said. “Every
year for the Armenian genocide, there are a bunch of different things
that people try to do to raise awareness. A lot of times, the events
only attract Armenians. We want to reach out to non-Armenians, and
people who don’t know about it.” The group is planning a bigger event
for next year, which marks the 100th anniversary of the genocide.

A testament to how controversial the Armenian genocide is lies right
here at Suffolk. One of this year’s commencement speakers for the
Suffolk University Law School is Soviet-born but naturalized American
citizen Abraham Foxman. Foxman is a holocaust survivor and national
director of the Anti-Defamation League, an international Jewish NGO,
whose goal is to “fight anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry,
defend democratic ideals and protect civil rights for all.”

In 2007, Foxman came under fire for comments he made regarding
a resolution passed by U.S. Congress that recognized the Armenian
genocide. “I don’t think congressional action will help reconcile the
issue. The resolution takes a position; it comes to a judgment,” said
Foxman in a statement issued to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Foxman
met a firestorm of public opinion and was labeled a denier of the
genocide.

Foxman defended his statement to The Boston Globe, claiming
“that the consequences of [the Ottoman government’s] actions
were indeed tantamount to genocide,” but that the resolution “is
a counterproductive diversion and will not foster reconciliation
between Turks and Armenians.”

Regardless, Foxman’s inclusion in Suffolk Law’s commencement ceremony
has sparked controversy. “He has outspokenly opposed recognition of the
genocide in the U.S. He’s also opposing [Project51, the controversial
Muslim community center near Ground Zero], and is for racial profiling
of all Muslims and Muslim-Americans,” Yogurtian said.

The ASA picked up on a Change.org petition addressed to President
McCarthy, demanding Foxman’s removal as a commencement speaker and
the abandonment of plans to award him an honorary Juris Doctorate.

Yogurtian and the other ASA members signed and circulated the petition,
helping it reach its goal of 500 signatures. As of Tuesday night,
the petition had 513 signatures.

The ASA welcomes all students, Armenian or not, to join the club.

Balancing fun with education, awareness, and activism about Armenia’s
unique culture and displaced people, the group is hoping to expand
its presence on campus and is looking towards a bright future.

ANOTHER BOOK BY PARSIPPANY’S VIRGINIA APELIAN

Parsippany Life (Morris, North Jersey)
April 16, 2014

Virginia Apelian, of Parsippany, has self published her third book,
“Truly Beautiful Inside and Out,” a motivational, inspirational and
challenging book.

“This book is geared to both the young and old, male and female
readers,” said Apelian.

To be beautiful is a most desired wish on everyone’s part, she said
in the book.

In the 12 chapters, Apelian tries to explain one life’s journey
very clearly, “describing what we can become and can contribute to
society in a positive or negative way. We can all pursue our life’s
journey with strong faith in the Lord to overcome obstacles. We have
the freewill to pursue happiness or take the wrong direction. Coping
techniques are emphasized for counteracting boredom.”

Apelian said she is a firm believer in human rights and respect for
all human beings and her book is about asking questions of one’s self.

“Do we know our self-worth and have we self-respect? Can we learn the
difference between being assertive or aggressive? How can we be he
best that we can be? How can we make a difference in this world? How
do we handle failures?” she said.

In the book “good communication skills are explained, an important
component to success in life.”

Apelian has been a psychologist, educator, lecturer and an experienced
assertiveness trainer for 26 years. She has received many local,
state, national and international accolades and is listed in many
professional encyclopedias for her works.

Apelian was also chosen as International Woman of the Year, 1992-93
is highlighted in the Rutgers University Directory of February 2011.

“Truly Beautiful inside and Out” is out now, available through Xulon
Christian Publishing Co., tinyurl.com/lqse2q7.

Apelian’s first book, “Musa Dagh Girl: Daughter of Armenian Genocide
Survivors and her second, children’s book “Aliens Celebrating
Christmas” are also available online.

THREE MORE CONVICTED IN ARMENIAN POWER FRAUD, EXTORTION SCHEMES

Los Angeles Times
April 18 2014

By Christine Mai-Duc This post has been corrected. See the note below
for details.

April 18, 2014, 9:00 a.m.

Three men with ties to the Armenian Power gang were convicted in
federal court this week for their roles in a vast racketeering
conspiracy and a sophisticated debit card skimming scheme that
targeted thousands of customers at 99 Cents Only stores across Southern
California, authorities said.

Two leaders of the gang — Mher Darbinyan, 38, known to some as
“Capone,” and Arman “Horse” Sharopetrosian, 35 — were convicted
Thursday of racketeering conspiracy and extortion, as well as a slew
of other related charges, according to an announcement from the U.S
attorney for Central California.

The two men worked together to shake down a member of the Armenian
community, using threats of violence and at one point arranging for
the victim’s kidnapping at gunpoint, prosecutors said.

>From his prison cell at Avenal State Prison, Sharopetrosian helped
direct the extortion scheme with the help of smuggled cellphones.

The victim paid the pair more than $20,000 over six months, according
to prosecutors.

Darbinyan, of Valencia, also operated a check fraud ring, targeting
bank accounts of businesses and elderly people, and organized the
elaborate card-skimming enterprise, in which devices were installed
at 99 Cents Only discount stores to steal customers’ debit card
information and PIN codes.

Rafael Parsadanyan, a 29-year-old Los Angeles resident and an
associate of the gang, was also found guilty Thursday of 14 counts
of bank fraud for helping Darbinyan run the card-skimming operation,
collecting and storing the money and delivering a payment of $34,000
to a fellow scammer.

The convictions represent some of the last few cases remaining from
a sweeping investigation that involved nearly a dozen federal and
local law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, the Glendale Police
Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the IRS.

Federal prosecutors indicted 90 people in 2011 for crimes ranging from
kidnapping and extortion to identity theft and passing counterfeit
checks. Of the group, 85 have now been convicted.

Darbinyan was found guilty of 57 criminal counts, including bank fraud,
aggravated identity theft and possession of a firearm by a convicted
felon. He faces a maximum of roughly 973 years in federal prison. He
is due in court for sentencing on July 21.

Sharopetrosian, who was convicted of three counts — racketeering
conspiracy, extortion conspiracy and extortion — could be sentenced
to 60 years in federal prison when he returns to court for sentencing,
scheduled for Sept. 15.

Darbinyan faces a maximum of 30 years in federal prison for each of
his 14 counts of bank fraud and is scheduled to be sentenced July 14.

The Armenian Power street gang — known for murders, fraud schemes,
robberies and intimidating witnesses — rose to prominence out of
East Hollywood in the 1980s, its members consisting primarily of
individuals of Armenian descent and those from other countries in
the former Soviet bloc, prosecutors said.

[For the Record 10:20 a.m. PDT April 18: An earlier version of this
post reported that the victim paid his extorters more than $100,000.

The victim paid more than $20,000.]

,0,1948844.story#ixzz2zGMp2jZC

PENSION REFORM: SMALL VICTORY FOR OPPONENTS, BUT UNCLEAR PATH AHEAD

PENSIONS | 18.04.14 | 16:28

By SARA KHOJOYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter

The public’s fight against the mandatory deduction component of the new
law on pensions appears to have seen a small victory. The Government
is preparing a project to release sanctions against employers who
have failed to make salary deductions according to the law which the
Constitutional Court has said does not meet constitutional standards.

The executive body announced Thursday evening that measures must be
taken to drop sanctions against employers before thinking of making
changes following the Constitutional Court’s decision on April 2 about
“Accumulative Pension system”. The project that would free employers
from making mandatory deductions is anticipated for discussion in
the National Assembly April 28.

Meanwhile, the Armenian pressure group campaigning against pension
reforms is preparing another strike in front of the president’s
residence. At its rally on April 12 the group demanded that President
Serzh Sargsyan follow the Constitution. This happened after the
Constitutional Court had found some provisions of the pension reform
law anti-constitutional.

“What’s being done now should have been done long ago. The ex-PM was
supposed to have done it,” David Manukyan, Dem.am team member told
ArmeniaNow, adding that this happened as a result of public pressure.

“Just dropping sanctions is not enough,” Manukyan added. “Not only
the sanctions must be dropped, but the style of electronic report
made for the Revenue Committee must be amended. The pension fund
payment field must not be automated.”

For the government not to contradict its own position, according
to which pension reforms will continue and that pension funds must
be paid till September 30, as Manukyan put it, they must officially
announce clearly that “the employers can transfer pension fund payments
only for the citizens who will agree in written form to take part in
that system.”

“This is the very demand in the Court decision – a person must be
able to express his/her will,” says Manukyan.

And before Manukyan and his friends expect practical results from the
government, there are opinions that after September 30 the executive
may turn the pension fund payments into a taxation system.

“If the government doesn’t refuse the mandatory component, a further
possible development of this act is mandatory social payments, which
might be implied upon employers and employees, the state will have
its participation as well. This is, in fact, a tax of a kind,” said
Armenak Chatinyan, Civilnet economic analyst and added that in this
case the conditions worsen for the public and they cannot legally
complain against this.

AGMI PRESENTS PLANS AHEAD OF GENOCIDE CENTENARY

18:03 18.04.2014

Aida Avetisyan
Public Radio of Armenia

The temporary exhibition of the Armenian Genocide Museum Institute
(AGMI) will open on April 21, AGMI Director Hayk Demoyan told reporters
today. He added that the permanent exhibition will open in a year.

Demoyan said the exhibition will be unprecedented with the scope and
the scientific value. The area of the exhibition will be enlarged
through innovative technologies and designing solutions.

“One visit will not be enough to see the whole exhibition,” he said,
adding that every visitor will find new information during the second,
third visits.

Hayk Demoyan said the exhibition is a result of “collective work.”

Last year famous genocide scholar Israel Charney donated whole his
library to the Genocide Museum.

“The Armenian Genocide Museum Institute will grow into a research
center of international significance,” Hayk Demoyan said. He noted
that AGMI seeks to expand the geography of cooperating countries. He
reminded that the Museum has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with
the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and the Russian “Holocaust” Center
and has established cooperation with the Paris-based Shoah center.

The Genocide Museum Institute is preparing to present 20 temporary
exhibitions in different countries.

Hayk Demoyan said rapid changes are taking place in Turkey and stressed
the importance of raising the awareness about the Armenian Genocide
among the Turkish youth.

TURKEY, FRANCE SEEK TO ‘MEND’ TIES AFTER

Turkish Press
April 17 2014

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

ANKARA – In a bid to repair relations between the two countries French
MPs on Wednesday visited the Turkish parliament.

Turkish-French relations have been strained since the French Parliament
adopted a resolution in 2011 that criminalizes rejection of Armenian
allegations pertaining to the incidents of 1915.

During the First World War, the Ottoman Empire approved a deportation
law for Armenians amid their uprising with the help of invading
Russian army. As a result, an unknown number of people died in the
civil strife. The Armenian diaspora and the state of Armenia term
the incidents as “genocide” and ask for compensation, whereas Turkey
says that while Armenians died during the deportation, many Turks
also died due to the attacks by Armenian gangs all across Anatolia.

Christophe Bouillon, chair of the French-Turkish Parliamentary
Friendship Group, said, after a meeting with deputy speaker of Turkish
parliament, “some people might try to bring the Armenian allegations to
France’s agenda, yet again. We will try to prevent it as the hundredth
anniversary of the incident nears.”

Bouillon added that they are agreeing on Turkey’s proposition that
the 1915 incidents should be dealt by historians, not politicians.

Deputy Speaker of the Turkish parliament Ayse Nur Bahcekapili said
visits between the two countries increased after the election of
French President Francois Hollande.

“I believe the relations will develop on political and economic ties,
as it was before,” Bahcekapili said.

NEW POWER LINE TO CONNECT GEORGIA AND ARMENIA

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
April 17 2014

17 April 2014 – 2:22pm

Georgia and Armenia have signed a deal in Tbilisi today to build a new
40-km power line that would connect the two countries, Trend reports.

The power line will improve energy independence and stability, said
Sulkhan Zumburidze, head of the Council of the board of the State
Energy System of Georgia.

The new power line will replace the 400-KW line.

KUWAIT ALLOCATES $1 MILLION FOR CONSTRUCTION IN NURSING HOME

Thursday,
April
17

At its session today, the Armenian government approved the order of
job seekers’ needs assessment, the standards characterizing favorable
working conditions, the list of necessary documents for registration of
a job seeker, the order and deadline of their submission, and other
criteria, lists and orders concerning registration of job seekers
and their removal from the register and related issues.

The government also approved the draft agreement on a donation by the
Kuwaiti government for construction work in Yerevan nursing home #
1 under the jurisdiction of Armenian Ministry of Labor and Social
Affairs. The ministry submitted a request to the Kuwaiti embassy in
2012. In response the Kuwaiti government took a decision to allocate
$1 million for construction work in the nursing home.

TODAY, 19:15

Aysor.am

CHILD OF POOR FAMILY DOESN’T GO TO SCHOOL, NEWBORN DOESN’T HAVE BIRTH CERTIFICATE: SHIRAK CENTRE NGO

04.17.2014 13:21 epress.am

The 8-year-old daughter of a family living in extreme poverty has
never gone to school, and the newborn child doesn’t have a birth
certificate. The family, living in one of the temporary housing
settlements in Armenia’s second-largest city, Gyumri, is comprised of
three daughters, two of whom are single moms. The women in the video
say they don’t receive social benefits, and they didn’t get a birth
certificate for the two-month-old baby because they couldn’t afford it.

The video was prepared by Shirak Centre [AM], a NGO that solicits
donations and then buys food, clothing, and other supplies for needy
families in Gyumri.

Video in Armenian only.