Author: Badalian Vardan

A SOLDIER FROM THE CAUCASUS WILL BE PUT TO TRIAL FOR THE WORD “CHECHNYA” ON BACKS OF THE FELLOW-SOLDIERS

DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
October 8, 2012 Monday

Source: Komsomolskaya Pravda, October 05, 2012, p. 7 by Ekaterina
Malinina

A SERVICEMAN WILL BE PUT TO TRIAL FOR KINDLING OF INTER-ETHNIC
HOSTILITY IN A MILITARY UNIT; Investigators from Volgograd prefer
keeping silent about the case of Shamil Belonos born in Chechnya. In
their practice this is nearly the only case when a serviceman will
be put to trial for kindling of inter-ethnic hostility.

Investigators from Volgograd prefer keeping silent about the case
of Shamil Belonos born in Chechnya. In their practice this is nearly
the only case when a serviceman will be put to trial for kindling of
inter-ethnic hostility. Military officials prefer not to wash such
dirty linen in public.

Shamil was drafted to the army in spring of 2011 from Chechnya. The
young man was sent to Volgograd but he was not upset. Military
officials say that the military unit has a rich multi-ethnic
composition but in reality the influence of conscripts from the
Caucasus is strong there.

There are four proven incidents in the case. The first happened in
December. For refusal to cut the firewood during a frost he beat a
private. He made a video of his next “feat” by a mobile telephone:
he drove four Russian guys to the parade ground and threatened them
with an automatic rifle. At another video he forced several soldiers
to stand up from the beds at night and drew “Chechnya-95” on the back
of one of them by shaving foam. At another video two soldiers were used
for this purpose and there were inscriptions “Chechnya” and “Armenia.”

Russian guys tolerated this for a long time fearing bigger torturing
but finally complained to officers.

Many of the victims refused to sign a complaint about the offender
at first. The guys kept serving and Shamil had many friends left in
the military unit. However, they finally got tired of humiliation
and all of them would testify in the court.

Representatives of the military investigations department for Volgograd
Region explained:

– Belonos is charged according to two articles: “kindling of hatred
according to the signs of sex, race, ethnicity or language” and
“breaching of authorized relations among servicemen.”

Investigators also ordered the commander of the military unit to find
out the circumstances that “contributed to committing of the crime.”

So, it is possible that officers will be punished too.

OSKANIAN’S CASE: ARMENIA’S RETURN TO REPRESSION?

Vestnik Kavkaza
Oct 9 2012
Russia

The investigation department of the National Security Service
of Armenia accused the former foreign minister of Armenia Vardan
Oskanian of grounds of the 179th article (Conversion and Squandering)
and the 190th article of the Criminal Code (Legalization of incomes
gained illegally).

On October 2 the Armenian parliament satisfied a motion of the general
prosecutor on rescinding the parliamentary immunity of the member
of Prosperous Armenia, the former foreign minister, the founder of
the fund Civilitas, Vardan Oskanian. The decision was made according
to the law On Regulations of the National Assembly of Armenia which
requires giving an agreement on rescinding the parliamentary immunity
of a PM, his arrest, and so on.

71 PMs participated in secret voting. 64 PMs voted “for”, six voted
“against”, one ballot was recognized invalid. Only representatives of
the fraction of the ruling coalition – Republican Party of Armenia
and the party Country of Law – and 1-2 independent PMs took part in
the voting.

60 PMs didn’t participate in the voting. The secretary of Prosperous
Armenia, Naira Zograbian, said that PA intended to boycott the voting.

She called her colleagues who also stand against the motion of the
general prosecutor for supporting the boycott in favor of prevention
legitimization of political repression against Oskanian. PA’s boycott
(36 people) was supported by opposition fractions – Armenian National
Congress (7 PMs), Dashnaktsutyun and Heritage (each has 5 PMs).

Earlier, the National Security Service of Armenia initiated a
criminal case into legalization of incomes gained illegally by the
Civilitaas Fund, which was founded by Oskanian in 2008. For example,
the investigation provides an instance of obtaining money from the
sale of a 100% share ($2 million) of Huntsman Building Products
Ltd., which belonged to the American corporations Polymer Materials
and Huntsman International. The general prosecutor stated that the
inappropriate registration of documents and non-fulfillment of tax
duties led to the fact that $1.135 thousand from the sum were not
spent on charity purposes, even though it was required. According to
the investigation, this sum was transferred to private accounts of
Oskanian and the member of the fund’s council Tigran Karapetian.

The general prosecutor states that absence of the parliamentary
immunity doesn’t mean for Oskanian absence of freedom for traveling
and doesn’t restrict his participation in the parliament’s work. The
investigation on Civilitas’s case continues, and the motion aims at
completeness of the investigation. The law-enforcement agencies defense
interests of the well-known charity provider Huntsman and interests
of the fund itself. “Innocence of Vardan Oskanian will be proved,”
the general prosecutor is sured.

The fraction of Prosperous Armenia presented to the colleagues a
packet of documents, according to which Huntsman and others have no
claims to the fund, its work is transparent and is provided legally.

The party Prosperous Armenia stated that the motion of the general
prosecutor on involvement of Oskanian as a defendant is a political
repression aimed at Oskanian and PA in general. Oskanian said: “If
the target of the process is prevention me from political activities,
stopping my criticism of the authorities’ failing policy in all
spheres, then I can say they miscalculated the situation.”

Representatives of the ANC and Dashnaktsutyun are sure that the
initiation of the criminal case is a political order. “Everything in
the country, including the political field, is controlled by the power
system. It is an attempt to make Oskanian shut up. If we knew that
the power is ready to struggle against all corruption phenomena by
these means, it would probably be a fair verdict. But it is not so,”
the representative of ANC, Lyudmila Sarkisian, stated.

“Prosperous Armenia demonstrates after the parliamentary elections
that it has no intention to play the president and RPA’s game. All
representatives of PA left top positions in the government, ministers,
deputy ministers, governors resigned. Prosperous Armenia began the
process of separation from the power. The presidential elections are
coming, according to the official data, PA got 450 thousand votes
in the parliamentary elections. PA is a basic political force which
has a serious financial and certain information resources which
might compete with the Republican Party of Armenia and its leader,
President Serge Sargsyan,” the political observer of the information
and analysis center Noian Tapan, David Petrosian.

The other question is whether the political order will achieve its
target or not. Considering the recent statement of the former aide
of the president Robert Kocharian, Garnik Isagulian, on a secret
organization which has the detailed information on the Armenian elite,
further interesting internal political developments are possible.

These actions of the authorities leads to the fact that PA, which
has been thought to be the moderate opposition, is gaining elements
of the radical opposition.

ARMENIAN COMMUNITY OF HUNGARY TO FILE LAWSUIT AGAINST HUNGARIAN GOVERNMENT

news.am
October 09, 2012 | 00:14

YEREVAN. – Representatives of the Armenian community of Hungary will
meet the Hungarian Ombudsman to clarify the Hungarian legislature for
demanding instigation of a criminal case in regard with the extradition
of Ramil Safarov, Vice Chairman of the “Armenian National Autonomy
of Hungary” Organization Nikoghos Hakobyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Hakobyan also informed that the community will submit all the necessary
documents to the Ombudsman.

“The Armenian community is also going to demand the resignation of
the Justice Minister, despite the fact that the extradition decision
was made by the Government but it was the Minister to put the final
signature,” Hakobyan said.

Armenian News-NEWS.am reported earlier that Azeri killer Ramil
Safarov, a lieutenant in the Azerbaijani military, was extradited
on August 31 from Hungary, where he was serving a life sentence –
with no expression of either regret or remorse – for the premeditated
axe murder of Armenian lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan, in his sleep,
during a NATO Partnership for Peace program in Budapest back in 2004.

As expected, Azeri killer Ramil Safarov’s return to Baku was welcomed,
as was his act of murder, by the officials of President Ilham Aliyev’s
government and much of Azerbaijani society, and the Azerbaijani
president immediately granted him a pardon.

Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan announced on August 31 that Armenia
is suspending its diplomatic ties with Hungary.

Azeri killer Ramil Safarov’s pardoning is condemned by virtually all
international organizations.

US AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA AND HIS SPOUSE DANCE AT NORTHERN AVENUE

October 08, 2012 | 13:57

U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern and his spouse Libby took part
in a flash mob organized in Yerevan by alumni of exchange programs.

Ambassador and his wife danced together with Armenian alumni at the
Northern Avenue on Sunday. Later John Heffern posted the photo on
his Twitter. The action was dedicated to the 20th anniversary of
Armenia-US diplomatic relations and exchange programs.

HUNGARIAN NATION IS NOT OUR ENEMY DESPITE THE WRONG DECISION OF ITS GOVERNMENT. SERZH SARGSYAN’S INTERVIEW WITH HUNGARIAN ATV

ARMENPRESS
8 October, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 8, ARMENPRESS: Hungarian nation is not our enemy,
despite the decision made by official Budapest. Armenpress reports
that Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan in the exclusive interview with
Hungarian ATV referred to such issues as Armenian-Hungarian relations,
NKR settlement issue and the extradition of Safarov.

“We consider it as a wrong decision” noted Serzh Sargsyan when
referring to Safarov’s extradition by Hungary. Armenian President
hasn’t noticed the objective of the peaceful settlement of NKR issue
in Azerbaijani policy, nevertheless “Armenia would spare no effort to
achieve it”. President also mentioned that in case of military attack
against Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia would defend the citizens of NKR.

Armenian President noted that Hungarian government has acknowledged the
consequences of the decision and what about country’s top officials,
they has ensured Armenia for months that Safarov would be never
extradited.

“I don’t want Armenian nation to turn it’s back on Hungarian nation,
as Hungarian government did on Armenia” concluded Armenian President.

Serzh Sargsyan highlighted that Armenian and Hungarian people used
to have very warm and friendly relations, and there were Armenian
heroes who died for Hungary’s Independence. He noted that if it is
needed there will still be. Safarov’s extradition by Hungary inflamed
the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict at the same time undermining the
European Union’s eastern policy.

Azeri perpetrator Ramil Safarov hacked Armenian officer Gurgen
Margaryan with an axe during the English training courses organized
by NATO in Budapest. Safarov was sentenced to a life imprisonment
without the right of granting clemency in first 30 years. Safarov
was transferred to Azerbaijani on August 31, 2012 and granted amnesty
immediately by his country. Armenia suspended its diplomatic relations
with Hungary.

ARMENIANS AND PROGRESSIVE POLITICS CONFERENCE CONCLUDES

asbarez
Sunday, October 7th, 2012

Armenians and Progressive Politics Conference

LOS ANGELES-The Armenians and Progressive Politics Conference on
“Armenia at 21” proudly sponsored by the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation, came to a close with its last leg held in Los Angeles,
California at the Hollywood Armenian Center on October 5th and 6th.

The L.A. segment of the Conference was the third and last portion of
a tour which took panelists to New York City, Berkeley and finally
Hollywood. The Conference was deemed as an overall success by
the organizers and attendees alike, as it achieved its objective
of introducing progressive thought to a diverse community of
participants. It comprised of four sessions with each of the
informative panels engaging attendees with issues dealing with the
social, civil and human rights challenges in the Republic of Armenia
after 21 years.

The first panel presented through a plenary session and entitled
“Human Rights in Armenia,” offered a general overview of certain
challenges facing Armenia and how the latter ought to institutionalize
and develop itself as a state and be viewed in the context of human
rights issues facing the geographical region in which it is situated.

Consecutively, Saturday session panels covered the topics of “Rule
of Law/Corruption/Elections” and “21 Year Trajectory of Armenia’s
Statehood, Economy & Society.”

One of the highlights of the Conference was its keynote speaker,
Blase Bonpane, a renowned author, activist and KPFK radio host and
Director of the Office of the Americas. Bonpane’s discussion centered
on “Consciousness and Moral Revolution.”

The panelists included a diverse group of academics and activists from
Armenia and Diaspora, and offered the opportunity of a pluralistic
and progressive coverage of issues of interest to all those who were
interested in the progress of human rights in Armenia. The group
also included many activists who have been consistently critical of
the ARF and the organizers’ policies, a fact which not only did not
deter the latter from extending the invitations, but was welcomed
based on the principles of free speech and appreciation of pluralism.

Due to an unfortunate security issue which could have threatened
the well-being of one of the panelists as well as the safety of
attending audience, led the organizing committee to cancel one of
the presentations, while offering the contents of the presentation
paper to be read by any one of the other panelists. This decision
and ensuing offer caused some of the other panelists to overreact
unequivocally and to refrain from making their own presentations,
denying the attendees from hearing much anticipated discussion.

Consistent with the ideology of the sponsoring party and the
commitment toward the cause of progressive politics, the organizers
remain committed not to be swayed by intrusions and intolerance on
either side of the political spectrum, and will continue to educate
the Armenian People and its youth in ways of promoting a free and
healthy exchange of ideas and progressive thought.

ERDOGAN CALLED ON HIS PEOPLE TO BE READY FOR THE WAR

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on his nation
to be prepared for a possible war with the neighboring Syria if need
be. Iranian Press TV informs about this.

“You have to be ready at every moment to go to war if it is necessary.

If you are not ready for this, you are not a state, if you are not
ready for this, you are not a nation,” Erdogan said on Sunday.

Turkish PM reiterated that Turkey does not want war, but warned Syria
not to test its resolve.

Tensions have been running high between Syria and Turkey, with Damascus
accusing Ankara along with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, France, and the United
States of backing a deadly insurgency that has claimed the lives of
many Syrians, including security and army personnel.

“Nobody should ask… but what will happen if a war were to begin
and bring us to that point. You should be ready for it and have the
memorandum in hand. What is necessary will be done if it becomes
necessary,” he stated.

Erdogan’s remarks came amid days of military strikes between the
two countries.

On October 5, Erdogan said that Turkey was not far from war with
Syria due to the cross-border attacks.

“We are not interested in war, but we’re not far from it either,”
Erdogan told a crowd in Istanbul.

On October 4, the Turkish parliament authorized cross-border military
action against Syria “when deemed right.”

KASBARIAN, NAJARIAN TAKE ISSUE WITH THE NY TIMES’ TRAVEL ARTICLE ON KARABAKH

Published: Monday October 08, 2012

Editor’s note: The following letter was submitted to the New York
Times and shared with the Armenian Reporter

To the Editors:

It was disappointing to see an article about the rarely written-about
Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR, or Artsakh, its ancient Armenian
name), miss its mark (“Off the Map in the Black Garden,” Sept. 21;

a-region-in-the-southern-caucasus.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0).

Writer Russ Juskalian’s curiosity about his ancestry prompted his
visit to this historically Armenian territory, and yet his reporting
demonstrates a failure to grasp certain fundamental facts.

Armenian Karabakh was given to Azerbaijan in 1923 by Josef Stalin
to placate Turkey — kin to Turkic Azerbaijan. A natural desire
by Karabagh Armenians to be reunited with Armenia, driven by the
1988 Azeri pogroms of Armenians in Sumgait, propelled the Armenian
self-defense movement that culminated in the Karabakh War (1988-1994).

Juskalian’s article improperly states that the War originated because
of pogroms on both sides and falsely claims that genocided Armenians
genocided civilians beyond the battleground. He thus perpetuates
falsehoods and trivializes a victorious struggle against oppression,
especially when his article appears on the Armenian independence
anniversary and following a deplorable Azeri act.

In a move that shocked the world conscience, on August 31, Azerbaijan
pardoned, promoted and celebrated a convicted and extradited Azeri
lieutenant who savagely hacked to death a sleeping Armenian lieutenant
attending a NATO “Partnership for Peace” program in Hungary.

One must wonder why NATO and the “great policeman of the world”
have done nothing about it. On September 25, Azeri snipers killed a
19-year old Armenian soldier, the latest in countless Azeri killings
across the line of contact. Why mislead readers about politics on
the ground by publishing an NKR travel article when even NATO will
not enter the region to control naked Azeri aggression, which is a
routine occurrence?

Sincerely, Lucine Kasbarian Teaneck, NJ Editor’s note: The following
letter previously appeared in the Armenian Mirror Spectator Juskalian’s
‘Mixed Emotions’ in Times’ Piece on Karabagh Are Baffling By
Dr. Carolann Najarian Russ Juskalian, in his article, “Off the Map in
the Black Garden” (New York Times Travel Section, September 21, 2012)
describes having “mixed emotions” during his visit to Nagorno-Karabagh,
(the Black Garden or Artsakh) he recently visited. He writes about dual
feelings of sadness for the Azeris forced to leave Nagorno-Karabagh
and who cannot return because of ethnic conflict, and those he feels
for his grandparents, survivors of the Armenian Genocide of 1915 who
could not return to their homes in Turkey.

Perhaps I, too, the child of Armenian Genocide survivors, would have
had the same conflicting emotions had I, as a physician, not spent
years (rather than the two days he did) bringing medical relief to the
people of Nagorno-Karabagh, during and after their war of liberation.

Referring to Armenians and Azeris, Juskalian writes, “… both ethnic
groups were subjected to pogroms” – a statement which grossly misleads
the reader. Even a superficial review of that history will clarify
important facts about how the conflict started. The pogroms were
against the Armenians living in Azerbaijan and started long before
there was any armed conflict.

Briefly, in February 1988, in the port city of Sumgait, Azeri gangs,
with government issued lists of Armenian residences, went on a
murdering rampage, house by house. The killing continued for three
days before the Azeri government took action to stop it.

Next, the Armenians of Baku were targeted (January 1990), brutally
beaten and many murdered either in their homes or as they fled. All
this was in response to peaceful demonstrations and lawfully-submitted
petitions for self-determination by the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabagh
to Moscow for either return of Nagorno-Karabagh to Armenia, or for
the right to self-determination. In other words, the Armenians of
Nagorno-Karabagh wanted to take advantage of Glastnost, promised
by Mikhail Gorbachev, and to be free of the Azeri domination which
Stalin had placed on them. (The history of that period – the human
rights violations, the pogroms against the Armenians, the brutal
crack down in Nagorno-Karabagh, the blockade of the area, and the
war that followed are well documented and easily accessed online.)
Fast forward to 2004, to a NATO-sponsored English language course in
Budapest where an Armenian military officer attending the course was
murdered by an Azeri military officer – a fellow attendee. The Azeri
admitted to the brutal murder, butchering the sleeping Armenian with
an ax with more than 16 blows nearly severing his head. The court
found no other reason for the horrendous act other than the soldier
was Armenian. Sentenced to life in prison, the murderer was recently
extradited back to Azerbaijan by the Hungarian government, assured by
Azerbaijan that he would serve his full sentence. Instead, President
Ilham Aliyev not only immediately pardoned the murderer, but he was
hailed as a national hero and promoted to a higher military rank.

(See Amnesty International’s statement
)
Mixed emotions? Yes, I too, have mixed emotions based on the fears I
have. I fear that the fragile 1994 cease-fire between Azerbaijan and
Nagorno-Karabagh will not hold and that the foreign powers charged
with monitoring and negotiating full peace will fail. The consequences
will be sad indeed for the Armenians of the regions, albeit Azeris too,
will pay a high price in blood and treasure.

Articles such as Juskalian’s about Nagorno-Karabagh written in
ignorance and with self-serving flagellation do a great disservice
to these brave Armenians without advancing the cause of peace. It
would have been better if Juskalian had stayed home.

Carolann S. Najarian, M.D.

President, Armenian Health Alliance, Inc.

MP RULES OUT AZERI AGGRESSION AGAINST NKR AIRPORT FLIGHTS

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 8, 2012 – 13:33 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Azerbaijan and Turkey are unlikely to take radical
steps in case Artsakh airport launches operations, Chairman of Armenian
National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Relations said.

According to Artak Zakaryan, Azerbaijan will further damage its
positions at the international arena, once it resorts to such measures.

“Aggression against civilian airplanes runs counter to the
international law,” Mr. Zakaryan said, conditioning the delay of the
launch of the airport by technical reasons only.

Stepanakert airport was officially put into operation on October 1. It
received a certificate on Sept 28, stating it meets the international
standards.

IF TSARUKYAN KNEW
Levon Margaryan

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 12:11:39 – 08/10/2012

Sargsyan-Kocharyan: Antagonism or Difference

The most frequently discussed question following the case of
Vartan Oskanian is whether there is an antagonism between Robert
Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan. Surprisingly, Oskanian’s case did not
trigger a civic protest despite his supporters’ expectations or a
strong anti-governmental behavior of the PAP but totally different
developments including the question which I mentioned above. All the
more so, Oskanian’s supporters Robert Kocharyan and Gagik Tsarukyan
are still limited to soft assessments. None of them has attributed
Oskanian’s case to 26 Baghramyan Street.

The most important political line for the PAP, particularly its leader
Tsarukyan is to be opposition but to the extent that is needed. In
addition, Tsarukyan’s recent evasive behavior provides the missing
link in this logical chain and leads to the question whether there
is antagonism between Kocharyan and Sargsyan. If Tsarukyan knew
the answer to this question, he would have launched an offensive on
the government in the current perfect situation. Although Tsarukyan
personally has always played closer to Kocharyan and was considered
as one of his people, he does not know the answer to this question.

Immediately after March 1, at least during the next year, a person
with a good sense would never doubt that the two politicians, the
second and the third presidents, copied the rules of the tandem of
their Russian counterparts. However, one year later it was clear that
Kocharyan would not be in government, neither as a prime minister,
nor as another government official. Moreover, the Kocharyan-Sargsyan
antagonism escalated in the press.

This dichotomy favors Sargsyan, especially in the context of March 1,
because it is more favorable to blacken Kocharyan as he knows how to
act as black. It was followed by concerns of Kocharyan’s entourage
for several years that the second president is offended because
the third president made him retire so early. The RPA-PAP scramble
and Oskanian’s membership to PAP came as arguments to Kocharyan’s
presence in the PAP. In addition, every time the PAP tried to end the
perception that they are related to Kocharyan, it did very cautiously
because it understood that would cause complications both in case of
a small and a big dosage.

Now the allegations against Kocharyan by Ruben Hairapetyan, Galust
Sahakyan and others question Sargsyan-Kocharyan antagonism. The
traditional opposition of the society and the political landscape does
not answer this question or agrees with the existence of the antagonism
or issues apolitical, folkloric evaluations of the state of affairs.

If we try to discuss the issue in a specific political context, we
will have the following picture. There is an obvious difference of
interests of Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan. The reasons are
several. They have different styles of foreign and domestic policies.

They have different skills in making adjustments in accordance
with the foreign line, the possibilities of cooperation with other
political forces are different. For example, Serzh Sargsyan, being
the leader of the parliamentary majority, has a chance to implement
his own decisions without adding centralism to the government more or
less in compliance with international standards and under the simple
political rules. Despite his influence on the RPA and other political
parties, Kocharyan needed to be closed, precise and tough because he
needed to implement personally his own policy.

In fact, Serzh Sargsyan controls the army with its military
establishment, both formal and the yerkrapah, which enables him to
control another institution of his country. In order to ensure the
army’s legitimacy Kocharyan had to ask for Serzh Sargsyan’s help or
again increase the distance because he had problems at least with
the Yerkrapah Union.

However, difference is one thing, opposition is another thing. This is
the main issue. Now at least we can define that there are differences
between Kocharyan and Sargsyan at almost all the levels while there
is no opposition or it is not visible. And the game is based on the
second. In this situation, this is the main concern of the society
and the political field. The camps divided, the fight for the honor
of leaders has set out. But do the leaders want to fight?

It is a fact that there is a difference between them, and their
political cooperation is passive. However, two more options
should be taken into account. The group referred to as the clan of
Karabakh, though to be more precise, it should be referred to as the
representatives of the human resource policy of Karabakh, has different
local rules of logic of political culture, and despite controversies
inside the teams or groups, at the last moment when the problem is
election, it may keep to the internal confidence code (the field
fears this). On the other hand, ahead of the elections, especially
with the pending issue of March 1, the game of good policeman-bad
policeman is a successful step to make the field possibly controllable.