Author: Badalian Vardan

Artsakh may become oasis of democracy in region

news.am
January 04, 2013 | 12:26

YEREVAN. – Regarding strengthening the Artsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh]
statehood during the past year, several important steps have been
implemented. One of them was holding presidential elections, with the
presence of observers from 18 countries, Armenia’s Parliament Deputy
Speaker and ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) secretary Edward
Sharmazanov told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

According to him, presence of international observers proves the
existence of de-facto Artsakh state. In addition, the presidential
elections were run in full accordance with democratic standards. On
this regard, Artsakh may indeed become an oasis of democracy in the
region and give Azerbaijan lessons of democracy. Sharmazanov also
stated that the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs’ statement claiming that
Artsakh peace process has no alternative corresponds to both Armenia’s
and Karabakh’s positions.

We should not forget about our eastern neighbors – Ambassador of
Poland to Armenia

news.am
January 04, 2013 | 16:27

The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Poland to Armenia
Zdzislaw Raczynski in an interview to Armenian News-NEWS.am said that
it will be optimal if the members of the Eastern Partnership aim for
full integration into the EU sometime in the future.

`Our idea is permanent – not to forget about our eastern neighbors. In
contrast to our southern neighbors, who are neighbors of Europe,
Eastern countries are European neighbors of EU. There is a small but
significant difference. This is a different quality, a different
perspective, as well as other opportunities,’ the Ambassador noted.

Nobody knows how much the initiative will bring.

`If in the early 1990’s someone would have tried to convince us that
Poland will be a member of EU an ambulance would be called for him.
But the dream has come true. Politics is the ability to dream
marvelously, to think far ahead. Is this program perfect? Perfect
solutions do not exist. But this is the most of what Europe today can
offer. Sometimes they talk about the financial component. But it is
not only a transfer of money – it is a transfer of ideas and
solutions. If we convert to per capita the amount, which Armenia
currently receives from the EU, it is about the same as Poland
received prior to the entry into the EU. The money was spent on making
changes. We must have the will, determination, and vision to seek what
we want,’ Zdzislaw Raczynski said.

TURQUIE
Conférence négationniste en Turquie

L’organisation de Recherche sur la Stratégique Internationale (USAK)
qui est un think tank soutenu par l’État turc a organisé une
conférence intitulée « des méthodes légales pour la Turquie dans la
réfutation des revendications arméniennes » le 27 décembre 2012 avec
l’Ambassadeur à la retraite et député M. Sukrü Elekdag comme principal
orateur. Des ambassadeurs et autres diplomates du Ministère des
Affaires étrangères Turc, des représentants de groupe de réflexion,
des universitaires et plusieurs membres des médias ont participé à la
conférence.

Sukrü Elekdag a commencé son discours en affirmant que les allégations
quant « au prétendu génocide » sont à l’ordre du jour politique de
l’Arménie, mais aussi à l’ordre du jour de la politique étrangère de
beaucoup d’autres pays. Il a dit que la question est utilisée comme un
levier face à la Turquie dans les relations de ce pays avec les
Etats-Unis et la France. Il a aussi soutenu que l’augmentation du
nombre des états qui reconnaissent le génocide laisse la voie à
d’autres tiers de penser que les « allégations » sont « des faits
historiquement vérifiés ».

M. Elekdag a ajouté que les obstacles principaux d’une attaque de la
Turquie devant des instances internationales proviennent de réserves
politiques intérieures. M. Elekdag a indiqué que l’obstacle principal
a été posé par la décision d’intégrer l’UE et a souligné que ce
processus a été transformé en une initiative visant la Turquie dés
2007.

Pour lui « il est temps de lancer des procès pour résoudre la question
arménienne qui a affligé la Turquie dans l’arène internationale » Il a
rappelé que la décision du Conseil Constitutionnel en France a indiqué
que la loi reconnaissant le génocide arménien était « inopportune »
que la Turquie dispose maintenant d’une arme pour faire annuler la loi
qui date de 2001.

De plus, M. Elekdag a indiqué que le facteur clef dans la
classification d’un acte de violence massive comme d’un génocide est «
l’intention politique ». Il a alors scruté les affaires Radislav
Krstic et Goran Jelistic’, quant à l’ex-Yougoslavie, pour un examen
minutieux du sujet. Dans certaines situations quand l’intention
particulière ne semble pas être un génocide, le terme `crime contre
l’humanité ‘ est employé a-t-il ajouté.

M.Elekdag a suggéré que la Turquie se prépare à une stratégie devant
les tribunaux, fixe les témoignages historiques appropriés en appui de
ses demandes et organise une table ronde en Turquie avec la
participation d’une équipe d’avocats étrangers internationaux, de
politologues et d’historiens avec des diplomates Turcs, des
universitaires et des experts.

À la fin de la présentation par l’Ambassadeur à la retraite, une
session de discussion a eu lieu pendant une heure.

vendredi 4 janvier 2013,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

USA
Des inquiétudes pour la Turquie à la Chambre des Représentants américaine

Mark Meirowitz, avocat et analyste politique américain proche des
milieux négationnistes turcs à New-York à déclaré qu’il risque d’y
avoir « un impact pour la Turquie suite à l’annonce que le
Congressiste Ed Royce remplacera le Congressiste Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
comme président de la commission des Affaires étrangères à la chambre
des Représentants ».

Selon Mark Meirowitz la représentante Ros-Lehtinen n’a pris aucune
action contre les intérêts de la Turquie pendant le dernier terme du
Congrès (2011-2012). Aucune audition ou action sur la résolution du
génocide arménien n’a eu lieu dans la Commission des Affaires
étrangères au cours des années 2011 et 2012.

Mais ce dernier est inquiet de la possible nomination d’Ed Royce comme
président de la dite-commission car « c’est un développement
complètement nouveau et fortement significatif ». Mme Ros-Lehtinen a
atteint la durée limite de son mandat. « Ed Royce a été co-président
du Caucus Arménien dans la Chambre des Représentant et membre du
Caucus Hellénique. Dans le passé, il a soutenu des projets de
résolution sur le génocide arménien aussi bien que la législation qui
presse la réunification de Chypre (en ignorant les droits des
Chypriotes Turcs vivant dans la République Turque de Chypre du Nord) »
écrit-il ajoutant « Ed Royce a aussi été lourdement impliqué dans la
pression contre la Turquie afin qu’elle rend les propriétés
religieuses ».

Voulant se rassurer Mark Meirowitz conclut « Je veux le réitérer même
si la Commission des Affaires étrangères de la Chambre passe la
résolution sur le génocide arménien lors de la prochaine session,
cette résolution sera non contraignante et j’ai bon espoir qu’avec les
Républicains, ne passera pas en séance plénière pour un vote ».

vendredi 4 janvier 2013,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

Gunaysu: My Views on Post-Genocidal Turkey

by Ayse Gunaysu

January 2, 2013

Below is the full text of a speech delivered by Armenian Weekly
columnist Ayse Gunaysu during a panel discussion at the Grotowski
Institute in Wroclaw, Poland on Nov. 10. For more about the event,

A scene from the panel discussion
I thank the Grotowski Institute for inviting me, and for their
generous hospitality. And I thank you, dear audience, for taking the
time and coming to listen to us. I feel privileged to be here with
you.

I’m a Muslim Turk by birth. In other words a descendant of the
perpetrators of the Genocide of Ottoman Armenians, Assyrians and
Greeks. I’m not a historian, not a scholar, or a writer. Just a human
rights activist. So I can only share with you my feelings and my views
about post-Genocidal Turkey.

Now… I ask you to imagine that I am a German woman, coming from Germany.

But imagine that Germany was not defeated in the WWII, on the contrary
it was the victorious side and therefore was not caught red-handed in
the crimes it committed. The world didn’t have the chance to see the
films of gas chambers and the heap of dead bodies. And imagine that
Germany used all the technology and industrial power it had to cover
up and deny the Holocaust. Imagine the Holocaust/Shoah is denied in
Germany officially, publicly, socially, culturally, in every sense.

Of course denial is not only to say `no, that did not happen.’ Imagine
that the whole state apparatus and the social life is organized around
this denial. The text books, the mainstream media, the academia, the
civil society, internet all say the same thing, trying to justify the
extermination of Jews and others. They say it was not without reason.
It was inevitable. We had to do that for the survival of our nation.
Moreover it was not us who butchered them. They butchered us.

Imagine museums, encyclopedias, exhibitions in Germany all tell these
lies and what’s much more terrible, almost all German people believe
the government wholeheartedly, with no doubt at all.

Imagine that the remaining Jews are targeted by German racists, and
hate speech against Jews is a normal thing in Germany. Imagine Jews
live under such conditions in Germany.

A question: With such a Germany and such a denial of the Holocaust,
would Europe be the same? Would Poland be the same? Would there be a
Grotowski Institute?

I asked you to imagine this to once again think on how a denial of
Genocide would change life itself.

In such a life objective reality means NOTHING. Just nothing.
Objective reality doesn’t count at all. What determines life is the
subjective reality – i.e. what people sincerely believe.

This is exactly the case with Turkey in the context of Armenians and
the Armenian Genocide. This is the Turkey where I come from.

Recognition, repentance humility, feeling shame make one a human. In
the absence of this, a people, a country is liable to commit new
crimes, to normalize violence, in fact makes violence a way of life –
just is the case with Turkey. In the absence of these there is no room
for a sort of catharsis, repentance and cleaning oneself off the
guilt. This is the case with Turkey since the Genocide. The successive
governments went on and still go on committing new crimes.

Now a few words about me. I hope my story will offer some kind of
insight into the reality of Turkey. I was a Marxist-Leninist, a
Communist, a secret member of the outlawed Communist Party of Turkey
between 1970-1985.

We were devoted anti-imperialists, particularly anti-American. For us
Turkey was under imperialist oppression and exploitation. So national
independence of our country was one of our top priorities. In other
words the `evil’ was outside of us. We didn’t see the evil within our
country. The enemy was far away, so cursing and shouting slogans
against the far-away enemy was much more easy and convenient than
fighting the evil right beside us.Despite our outspoken
internationalism, we were surely nationalists without being aware of
it.

We were anti-imperialist and anti-capitalist believing in class
struggle but we became anti-fascist, only after the para-military,
government-backed ultra-nationalist mobs started to kill us in the
street, in our homes, in factories, at schools in the late 1970’s.

But fascism was for us an anti-communist movement. We never woke up to
see that fascists were racist Turks as well reflecting the racist
essence of the Turkish state, the extension of the Genocidal Ottoman
Empire.

Oh yes, we, the Turkish left, were – undoubtedly, surely and
vehemently anti-racist.

But which racism? The racism in the United States and in the South
Africa – again far away from us. Racism had nothing to do with our
country! We were totally blind to the very racist environment we were
living in. Denial of Genocide, hate speech against Armenians and
non-Muslims in general, discrimination, portraying non-Muslims as
potential traitors were all around us and we didn’t see it! We were
like fish living in a sea of racism without being aware of it.

Our blindness was so much so that we didn’t even think of campaigning
against the Nazi-like `oath’ children were made to chant every morning
at school. Generations of children started and are starting today
classes every morning with that `Oath,’ chanted together as loud as
they can: that we were proud of being Turks and we were ready to
sacrifice our own existence for the sake of the existence of
Turkishness! Every morning! Together with a handful of our non-Turkish
and non-Muslim class-mates: Jews, Armenians, Greeks, Kurds!

This went on and on for decades. Non of our `international’,
Marxist-Leninist selfless comrades – including myself – initiated a
campaign against this Nazi-like practice at schools.

OK, we were `internationalists’ But what kind of an internationalism was it?

We would give our lives for the national liberation wars in Africa and
Asia. We sang Latin American revolutionaries’ songs, memorized their
slogans, we shed tears for Angola. But we were unaware of what was
happening under our nose. We knew nothing and said nothing about the
Armenians, Greeks and Assyrians – tiny communities, the children of
the genocide victims doomed to live in a racist environment. And Kurds
in Kurdish provinces who were subject to practically different
legislation – under a permanent state of emergency law.

We were masters of the history of the Soviet Communist Party in every
detail, Trotsky’s fight against Stalin, the history of the Vietnamese
fight against America, but we didn’t know the true history of our own
country. But why?

Because of a very successful disinformation and manipulation of
Turkish republic’s founding ideology and the founding myths. The
history re-written by the Kemalist leadership, in a totally misleading
way. Let’s not go into details – it will take a lot of time.

What happened to Turkey after 1915? Turkey found no peace ever after,
no real democracy, no real development. Once the developed urban West
Armenia with colleges, theaters, rich cultural life became a barren
land, a land of blood and tears. Kurdish uprisings followed one
another repressed with huge bloodshed and forced displacements.

Military interventions followed one another. The one in 1980 was a
disaster. Tens of thousands of people were jailed, unimaginable
methods of torture was used, many died in prison and 36 people were
executed. Despite formal restoration of democratic institutions the
Constitution in force today is essentially the Constitution adopted by
the military rule.

Now a war is going on in the southeast Turkey, the historical Western
Armenia and Kurdistan. It is estimated that 50 thousand people died,
most of them Kurds. Now 10 thousand Kurdish human rights activists,
municipal workers, politicians, people engaged in a total peaceful
struggle are in jail. And a massive hunger strike is under way.

Genocide denial is the destruction of all collective values, all
ethics, all sense of justice, in one word the hearts and minds of the
entire nation.

You may hear that things are cha

nging in Turkey as regards the Armenian `issue’ as they say. Yes, but
very slowly, very irregularly and very disappointingly.

Thank you for listening to me.

NKR Prime Minister’s Congratulatory Address in View of New Year

Monday, 31 December 2012 03:13

Dear Artsakh people

I address my heartiest congratulations to you on New Year and
Christmas. First of all, I wish you to be healthy and well-provided
for and the new year of your life to be marked with good events. I
want to believe that during the past 12 months the overwhelming
majority of our nation progressed to their destination creating their
future and happiness in their native land.

It is a matter of principle and a point of honour for me and the
government to provide normal, moreover, modern conditions for each
Artsakh citizen to live and work, and make their personal concerns be
always associated with national interests. The principal programmes of
the NKR executive authority are all aimed at the development of
economy, particularly minor and middle businesses, agriculture and
industrial infrastructure, the improvement of healthcare system and
the education sphere and at the attempts of providing the desired
standard of living for the needy sectors of our society. Having to
work in regionally and globally hard conditions without any support by
the international agencies our government, however, manages to
maintain relatively high rates of development of the Republic. We
attach a great importance to the demands of social justice, a person’s
self-development and the expansion of democracy. There is much to do
in 2013. I want to make our citizens believe that the mutual trust of
the government and the society, various structures and individuals
will lead us to the settlement of our vital problems.

Dear compatriots, I wish you peace and prosperity, may solidarity and
happiness reign in your families, and children’s laughter fill your
house each day. I address my cordial congratulations to our brothers
and sisters from Armenia and the Diaspora in view of New Year and
Christmas and wish them best of luck and joint spirit in all our
national enterprises.

God save our dear Artsakh and the Armenian nation.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Looking Back At 2012, Ahead To 2013

January 1, 2013 – 9:19pm,
by Joshua Kucera

A year ago, The Bug Pit predicted that the two most likely conflicts
in the Caucasus and Central Asia would be between Azerbaijan and
Armenia, or in Tajikistan. The region did escape full-blown conflict
in 2012, but those two situations did get significantly tenser:
Azerbaijan/Armenia over Baku’s pardoning of Ramil Safarov, and
Tajikistan during heavy fighting in Khorog over the summer. If we look
ahead at 2013, those would still seem to be the most likely conflicts,
in the still unlikely event that one were to break out in the region.
(The third most likely conflict scenario from a year ago, an
interstate conflict between Uzbekistan and either Kyrgyzstan or
Tajikistan, didn’t come to pass, and 2012 did seem to see a decrease
in the number of border skirmishes, troop movements, etc. that raised
tension in 2011.)

A year ago, there seemed to be some possibility of civil unrest, or
worse, in Georgia over the hotly contested elections there in the fall
of 2012. That didn’t come to pass and there, too, conflict seems less
likely than it was a year ago, given that the country proved it could
carry out a peaceful transition of political power, and that the
potentially erratic President MIkheil Saakashvili will be kept in
check by an opposition government.

So what will be the issues to watch in 2013 on The Bug Pit’s beat?
Armenia and Azerbaijan, as always; Azerbaijani analyst Razi Nurullayev
tweeted that because both countries are holding presidential elections
in 2013, “Armenia & Azerbaijan will prefer war rhetoric this year & no
bilateral negotiations expected on high level.” As always, though, the
state of high tension on the line of contact in Nagorno Karabakh,
Azerbaijan’s rapid military buildup and war rhetoric create conditions
where a miscalculation or accident could spiral out of control.

And while the risk of conflict in Georgia is diminished, the country
could be going through some geopolitical tumult, as Prime Minister
Bidzina Ivanishvili’s hope of maintaining good relations with the U.S.
and NATO while improving ties with Russia is likely to be tested this
year (most likely by the Kremlin). That could provide some fireworks.

The International Crisis Group, as it did last year, lists “Central
Asia” among its “10 Conflicts To Watch in 2013.” Under that rubric it
includes Tajikistan, a succession crisis in Uzbekistan, socioeconomic
tension in Kazakhstan and the ethnic divide in Kyrgyzstan. I wouldn’t
go as far as ICG in predicting that these could lead to a conflict,
but they are all obviously troubling dynamics.

In Central Asia, the major theme of 2013 will be bracing for 2014,
when U.S. and coalition forces start to withdraw from Afghanistan. No
one quite knows what that is going to look like, but states in the
region are worrying about instability from the south. Most of them
don’t have the wherewithal to deal with external threats, however, a
vacuum that Russia is trying to fill with the Collective Security
Treaty Organization. With 2014 looming, this is the year for the CSTO
to prove that it is a legitimate tool to deal with insecurity rather
than, as it’s seemed thus far, mainly a talk shop.

In 2012, the region dodged some bullets (literal as well as
figurative), most notably in Tajikistan and between Armenia and
Azerbaijan. Does that prove that these situations, while tense, can
bend without breaking? Or were the events of 2012 instead an addition
to the instability, setting the stage eventually for some catalyst to
start a full-on conflict? Let’s hope 2013 isn’t the year we find out.

No movement in Karabakh peace process expected prior to elections in
Armenia and Azerbaijan

news.am
January 03, 2013 | 18:40

YEREVAN.- No crucial movement was registered in the Karabakh peace
process in 2012, Voce Chairman of Heritage Party Armen Martirosyan
told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

It is conditioned by the level of readiness of the parties and
international community to recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh’s
independence, he said.

`At the moment, neither Armenia, nor Azerbaijan or international
community is expressing willingness,’ he emphasized.

Martirosyan is confident no changes in the peace process should be
expected prior to the 2013 presidential elections in Armenia and
Azerbaijan. After the election, parties to the conflict will try to
budge the talks but one should not expect significant results.

Kelly Stuart Wins ADAA Saroyan Prize

January 3, 2013

David Kherdian Receives Armenian Star Award

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – New York playwright Kelly Stuart won the Armenian
Dramatic Arts Alliance (ADAA)’s 3rd Biennial William Saroyan Prize for
Playwriting for her play, `Belonging to the Sky.’ The $10,000 grand
prize was announced and presented at ADAA’s memorable awards event on
Sat., Dec. 8 at the Pasadena Playhouse.

`Belonging to the Sky’ is a lyrical duet of monologues by Sabiha
Gokcen (Ataturk’s adopted daughter) and assassinated journalist Hrant
Dink, and their tragic historical connection. Stuart teaches
playwriting at Columbia University and has traveled nine times to
Turkey and speaks Turkish.

`I was haunted by the intersection of these two lives,’ says Stuart,
`so the play is the interwoven monologues of Hrant and Sabiha, both
confronting their identity and the approach of death in two different
ways.’

The other finalists were two-time Saroyan Prize finalist Sevan
Kaloustian Greene’s `Doon,’ a dramatic look at four generations of a
New Jersey Armenian family; and Adriana Sevahn Nichols’ `Night Over
Erzinga,’ inspired by her Armenian grandparents’ survival of the
genocide in 1915. All three finalists were present at the event and
read excerpts from their powerful plays. Many attendees considered
these readings to be the highlight of the evening.

`I had never read the text of my play, in public, and there was
something very potent about speaking my grandmother’s words to a room
full of Armenians. I think, somewhere, in the voices of our
characters, all of our hearts were joined together,’ said Sevahn
Nichols.

The prize was awarded by Hank Saroyan, the nephew of William Saroyan
and the Emmy-winning director of Saroyan’s `The Parsley Garden.’
Before awarding the prize he shared delightful and touching stories
about his `Uncle Bill,’ who was passionate about `the spirit of the
writer above all else.’

Television host and entertainment journalist Jill Simonian served as
the enthusiastic mistress of ceremonies, engaging the audience
throughout the evening and recalling how ADAA has helped her connect
with other Armenians in the industry.

Author David Kherdian received ADAA’s 2012 Armenian Star Award for his
outstanding writing career as a poet, novelist, and memoirist. As he
was unable to attend, Kherdian’s friend and colleague, novelist Aris
Janigian (This Angelic Land), accepted the award on Kherdian’s behalf
and presented a moving tribute to the author, who began as a poet and
was mentored by William Saroyan in his early career, and has since
seen his numerous works of fiction and nonfiction translated into 14
languages, including his bestselling memoir of his mother, The Road
>From Home. Gomidas Press will publish Kherdian’s retelling of David of
Sassoun in February 2013.

Some of the industry’s finest Armenian-American actors were also in
attendance, including Ken Davitian (`The Artist’) and Hrach Titizian
(Showtime’s `Homeland’). ADAA Founder Bianca Bagatourian talked about
ADAA’s array of recent activities. Other key ADAA artists in the
audience were Ovation Award-winning director Michael Arabian, actress
Karen Kondazian, director Michael Peretzian, Fountain Theater artistic
director Simon Levy, and Pasadena Playhouse artistic director Sheldon
Epps.

The winner was selected by this year’s Honorary Jury of renowned
theater artists: playwright Catherine Filloux (`Dog and Wolf’),
playwright/screenwriter Eduardo Machado (`Floating Islands:), and
artistic director/actress Gates McFadden (`Star Trek’).

Stuart’s journey to write the play is compelling. `While traveling in
Turkey I visited the archive of a historian who told me a story I
couldn’t get out of my head…about an Armenian girl named Hatun, who
was left in an orphanage with her sister in the aftermath of the
genocide. Ataturk came to the orphanage and saw this very pretty
little girl, and took her away to adopt her. This girl became `Sabiha
Gokcen,’ the icon of Turkish womanhood, her Armenian identity
`cleaned’ and erased.’ Some consider Hrant Dink’s treatment of this
topic in the Agosnewspaper as the event that possibly led to his own
tragedy, hence Stuart’s exploration of them both.

ADAA’s William Saroyan Prize for Playwriting, for plays on Armenian
themes, is made possible by a grant from the William Saroyan
Foundation, with additional funding from Gagosian Galleries.

The next biennial Saroyan Prize deadline will be April 1, 2014. Next
year, ADAA will sponsor the Paul Screenwriting Awards for screenplays
on Armenian themes, with a deadline of April 1, 2013.

ADAA’s mission is to project the Armenian voice on the world stage
through the arts of theater and film. It accomplishes this through two
writing contests, playreadings, the Boston Armenian Film Festival,
various networking events, and the pre-eminent Armenian performing
arts website in the world,

KARABAGH
Le ministre de l’agriculture de l’Artsakh appelle à la création d’une
agence de Sécurité Alimentaire

Le ministre de l’agriculture de l’Artsakh Sergo Karapetyan appelle à
la création d’une agence de Sécurité Alimentaire à Stepanakert afin
que l’industrie agro-alimentaire du pays puissent répondre aux
standards européens les plus élevés.

La déclaration de Karapetyan est intervenue après une réunion qu’il a
eu avec le vice-Premier ministre de l’Artsakh Spartak Tevosyan, qui
est aussi comme le Ministre des Finances.

jeudi 3 janvier 2013,
Stéphane ©armenews.com