Author: Badalian Vardan

Presse Océan
samedi 9 mars 2013
jdonantes Edition

Knarik veut juste vivre ici

société. Son père a repris l’avion en novembre. Sa mère craint aussi l’expulsion

NANTES; Nantes Métropole

C’est l’appel poignant d’une collégienne de 14 ans dont les deux
parents vont être expulsés en Arménie.

À 14 ans, les collégiennes envoient des cartes postales. Knarik non.

Dans la pénombre d’une petite chambre qu’elle occupe avec sa mère, la
jeune Arménienne, élève de 4e à La Noé-Lambert, a pris la plume pour
écrire ce qui ressemble fort à un appel au secours. Knarki a adressé
sa lettre au préfet pour lui dire son rêve de poursuivre ses études
dans ce pays qui l’a accueillie au bout d’un insupportable chemin. «
Je ne demande pas grand-chose, écrit-elle. Juste que mon père soit
soigné, que ma mère et mon père soient à mes côtés.»

Elle a dormi un mois dans les couloirs des urgences

Certes, des zones d’ombre masquent parfois le passé de Seiran, le
père. Et la maman n’a pas toujours dit la vérité. Mais on a du mal à
entendre sans écouter le récit de cette jeune fille née en Russie et
brinquebalée pendant des mois. « On a vécu dans sept hôtels différents
depuis notre arrivée ici. On a été obligé de coucher dehors. On a fini
par trouver refuge dans les couloirs des urgences au CHU de 10 heures
du soir à 6 heures du matin. J’allais quand même tous les jours au
collège ». Cette galère s’était adoucie lorsque la petite famille a
trouvé une chambre. Mais la douleur est revenue quand le père, malgré
une hépatite C, a été reconduit en Arménie au petit matin du 28
novembre. Aujourd’hui, elle s’amplifie d’un cran puisque la maman
s’est vu notifier une obligation de quitter le territoire avant le 15
mars. Pourtant, Knarik rêve encore de son avenir nantais, des études
qu’elle veut poursuivre pour devenir sage-femme. « Si je vais en
Arménie, je serais assise à ne rien faire. Je ne pourrais pas utiliser
les cinq langues que j’ai apprises. Et je gcherais ma vie à cause
d’un petit truc ».La préfecture sait la situation. Elle rappelle qu’en
février2011, la famille a bénéficié d’un arrêté de réadmission vers la
Suisse où elle a vécu quelques années. Que le père de famille a été
reconduit à la frontière « à la suite de son interpellation dans le
département de la Vienne pour une affaire de droit commun ». Et
qu’après avoir été entendue avec son avocat en décembre, la maman «
s’est vu proposer une aide au retour volontaire de 3 000 ¤ et une aide
à la réinsertion, ce qu’elle a refusé ». Knarik restera-t-elle seule?

J.-D.Fresneau

Russian woman to Raffi Hovannisian: “We are one!” (video)

2013-03-10 20:35:49

Former presidential candidate of Armenia, leader of the “Heritage”
party Raffi Hovhannisyan’s rally kicked off at Liberty Square in
Yerevan. Russian woman, wife of an Armenian delivered a speech during
the rally. Speaking in Russian, she promised to learn Armenian.

“I love it when our apricot trees are blooming, when duduk plays, the
other love I do not know. Although I am not an Armenian by
nationality, but I think a woman has two homelands: one is the home
where she was born, and the other, where her baby was born,” Tanya
said.

Birmingham Mail, UK
March 10 2013

Tony Iommi: “A song for Eurovision? I’ve plenty more where that came from”

10 Mar 2013 19:00
Black Sabbath legend says he has a shelf full or unused songs which he
has no plans to use

Black Sabbath guitar legend Tony Iommi – whose song was bizarrely
selected as Armenia’s Eurovision Song Contest entry – last night
admitted: `I’ve plenty more where that one came from.’

The 65-year-old godfather of heavy metal has a treasure trove of
tracks he has written over the years, but which he has no intention of
recording himself, either with Sabbath or on a solo album.

He said he was gobsmacked when the Armenians chose Lonely Planet – a
song he wrote more than five years ago – as their Eurovision contender
but now has high hopes for the track.

`I was as shocked as anybody when they came knocking,’ he said. `They
got in touch with me because of the charity work we’ve been doing out
there, building a new music school to replace one wrecked by an
earthquake.

`They asked if I’d got any spare songs.

`Well, I write loads of songs and they just get put away. They lie on
a shelf because either they’re not suitable for Sabbath or for another
project, and never see the light of day.

`I searched out Lonely Planet – it’s a bit of a power ballad – and sent it off.

`I was surprised when it made the shortlist and gobsmacked when the
people of Armenia voted for it. With a little luck, who knows, it
might win.’

The track will be sung by self-confessed Sabbath fan Gor Sujyan at
Eurovision’s second semi-final in Sweden on May 16, aiming to land a
place in the big final in Malmo on May 18.

Tony, back in Britain after recording the new Sabbath album in LA,
faces long-term treatment in his battle against cancer but said
recording sessions went well and he was excited by the results.

`The tracks sound good and I’m looking forward to getting the album
out there,’ he said. `At the moment I’m doing promotional work in
London. Then we have gigs in Australia and Japan.’

The album, titled 13, is set for release in June and is guaranteed to
top the charts, such is interest in the reunion.

Azeri police fire rubber bullets at protesters rallying against army abuse

March 10, 2013 – 17:19 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Police in Azerbaijan fired rubber bullets and water
cannon at hundreds of opposition protesters demonstrating on Sunday,
March 10 against violence in the military in the oil-rich country,
Reuters said.

The protest is one of a series triggered by the sudden death of a
soldier, Jeyhun Gubadov, on January 7 at a military barracks.

The Defence Ministry said initially the soldier had died of a heart
attack, but his family believed he was murdered and four soldiers were
arrested after an investigation was opened.

Some 500 people gathered the capital Baku shouting “No to deaths in
the army” at the rally mostly organized via Facebook by young
opposition activists. The demonstration was not sanctioned by the
authorities.

Western governments and human rights groups accuse Azerbaijan’s
President Ilham Aliyev, who succeeded his father in 2003, of rigging
elections and of clamping down on dissent. Protests are often swiftly
broken up by security forces.

Gagik Tsarukyan: “PAP will win.” (video)

2013-03-10 13:16:40

Yesterday, “Prosperous Armenia” party’s political council held a
special meeting, which was chaired by party president Gagik Tsarukyan.
The party decided to participate in the upcoming municipal elections.
Tsarukyan said that by all means they will win.

To note, Naira Zohrabyan in a talk with Lurer.com said that the board
had decided, that these elections the list will head Vardan Oskanyan.

Details of the party’s council meeting in the video.

`Over My Dead Body’: Hovannisian Announces Hunger Strike

March 10, 2013

YEREVAN (A.W.) – Opposition leader Raffi Hovannisian just said at a
barevolution rally on Freedom Square in Yerevan that Serge Sarkisian
will be sworn in as president `over my dead body,’ adding that he will
start a hunger strike on the square.

Raffi Hovannisian address thousands gathered on Freedom Square last
month. (Photo by Khatchig Mouradian)
`I am starting a hunger strike. I will not eat, and I will not accept
deception and threats from anyone,’ Hovannisian said.

`If on April 9, Sarkisian takes his fake oath on the Holy Bible, and
if the Catholicos desecrates the Bible and blesses the candidate
[Sarkisian] who mocks the people, then that will happen over my dead
body,’ he said.

Until April 9, Mr. Sarkisian should accept the demand of the
overwhelming majority of the population, recognize the victory of the
people, and resign, noted Hovannisian.

Hovannisian also demanded the resignation of all governors. Having
appealed to the Constitutional Court to present its verdict on the
presidential election, he added, `If the Constitutional Court does not
correct its path, we will say goodbye to them too, and we will create
our own court on the square.’

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Library & Museum of America
65 Main St., Watertown, MA. 02472
Tel: 617-926-2562
Web:
Email: [email protected]

On March 17, ALMA will play host to children and their families for a
fun-filled afternoon! A broad range of activities including Armenian
dance lessons, taught by curators Susan and Gary Lind-Sinanian, arts
and crafts, costume dress-up and a special puppet show will engage
with children and teach them about the life, history and culture of
the Armenian people.

Dora Kalajian Tevanian, founder of the Ethnic Arts Center, will
present “The Talking Fish”, a Puppet Show told in English with some
Armenian phrases. “The Talking Fish” folktale was gathered by
Hovhannes Toumanian in Historic Armenia and depicts the loving
kindness of an old man whose generosity is repaid. The Puppet Show is
supported in part by a grant from the Watertown Cultural Council, a
local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

A delicious snack station will be provided with drinks and
kid-friendly finger foods. The event attracted more than 100 people
last year, transforming the museum into an exciting playground.

Date: Sunday March 17, 2013
Time: 2:00-4:00 pm
Place: ALMA’s Contemporary Art Gallery (3rd floor)
Admission: FREE!

PAP to be consolidation core in case of joint participation in mayoral
elections in Yerevan – rep says

TERT.AM
12:51 – 10.03.13

Prosperous Armenia party has presented its principle of unification
with Heritage party and ARF-D for participation in the Yerevan Council
of Elders elections scheduled for May 5.

Speaking to Tert.am, PAP’s faction secretary Naira Zohrabyan said the
core of the consolidation must be the PAP.

`We were very frank at the discussions with our partners and our
position is that the possible consolidation may be around the PAP,’
she said.

For already few days political consultations are under way in the
office of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnkatsutyun (ARF-D)
over coming up with a joint list at mayoral and Council of Elders
elections in Yerevan.
Asked about the principle of formation of the list, Zohrabyan said it
will depend on the proportionality of representation of the forces in
the parliament.

Aghvan Vardanyan, from ARF-D, participating in the consultations, said
the issue of proportionality has not been discussed yet and the
consultations will continue if necessary.

Heritage party representative Hovsep Khurshudyan did not comment,
while Ruben Hakobyan said he did not attend the last sitting due to
being in provinces.

On March 9 the PAP stated that its list will be headed by ex foreign
minister, PAP member Vartan Oskanian. The second in the list,
according to some sources, will be head of United Labor Party Gurgen
Arsenyan.

The talks over joint participation in the elections are under way
between Heritage party and Armenian National Congress as well.

ARMENIE
Les protestations de l’avocat de Vartan Sedrakian

Un avocat de Vartan Sedrakian a demandé à la Cour d’appel d’Arménie de
renverser ce qu’il a qualifié d’acte illégal d’arrestation préventive
du candidat à la présidentielle accusé d’avoir tenté de tuer un autre
concurrent.

L’avocat, Aleksandr Sirunian, a indiqué que le Service national de
Sécurité (NSS) n’était pas autorisé à arrêter Sedrakian sans le
consentement de la Commission électorale centrale (CEC).

Vartan Sedrakian, qui a obtenu moins de 1 pour cent des voix lors de
l’élection du 18 février, a été interrogé et arrêté par le NSS sur
l’accusation d’avoir organisé l’attaque du 31 janvier contre le
candidat Paruyr Hayrikian. Un tribunal du district d’Erevan a
rapidement permis au NSS de le garder sous arrestation préventive.

Aleksandr Sirunian a affirmé que l’arrestation était illégale parce le
code électoral d’Arménie stipule que les candidats ne peuvent pas être
arrêtés ou poursuivis sans l’autorisation de la CCE. Il a déclaré que
le Code précise également qu’ils conservent cette immunité même après
l’élection présidentielle, jusqu’à ce que la Cour constitutionnelle
statue sur les recours possibles contre les résultats officiels du
vote. Vartan Sedrakian reste donc techniquement un candidat, a déclaré
l’avocat.

La Cour constitutionnelle examine actuellement les appels déposés par
deux autres candidats, Raffi Hovannisian et Andreas Ghukasian.

M.Sirunian a également déclaré au service arménien de RFE / RL
(Azatutyun.am) que son client continue à contester fermement les
accusations et refuse de témoigner.

Vartan Sedrakian ne témoignera pas jusqu’à ce que les enquêteurs du
NSS lui montrent ce qu’ils considèrent comme des preuves de son
implication dans la tentative d’assassinat a-t-il dit. « Je ne
comprends pas ce que mon client a à voir avec cela » a-t-il ajouté.

dimanche 10 mars 2013,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

Music News
March 7 2013

Black Sabbath guitarist writes Eurovision song for Armenia

7 Mar 2013 // by: VVN Music

In 2012, it was Engelbert Humperdinck singing for England that put a
veteran artist into the Eurovision Song Contest.

This year, it’s Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi, who wrote the song
Lonely Planet which will be the official entry from Armenia and
performed by the band Dorians.

The Eurovision Song Contest was first held in 1956 and is run by the
European Broadcast Union. All countries who are members of the union
submit a song that is performed on live television followed by a
public vote which determines the most popular.

Iommi was hesitant at first to work with Armenia on their entry, even
though he has a history with the country in disaster and fund raising
efforts, including the Who Cares record with Ian Gillan. He told
Rolling Stone, ‘I first said, ‘Oh God, I don’t know’ ‘ it seemed
really strange, me doing a Eurovision song. I don’t usually do that
but I said, ‘I’ve got a rock ballad; I’ll send it over’. . . The thing
is, I’ve always thought, ‘Oh no, not the Eurovision,’ and here I am in
it now.’

The Eurovision Song Contest is one of the most watched television
events each year. Songs that have won and gone on to be hits in the
U.S. and U.K. include Puppet on a String (Sandie Shaw), Save Your
Kisses For Me (Brotherhood of Man) and possibly its biggest winner,
Waterloo by ABBA.

The contest also shot ABBA into international stardom, one of a number
of both winning and non-winning performers who received exposure from
the show, including France Gall, Dana, Bucks Fizz and Celine Dion.

The 58th annual contest will be held in Malmo, Sweden with semi-finals
taking place May 14 and 16 and the finals on May 18.