Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

AUSTRALIE
Profanation du mémorial Assyro-chaldéen

La communauté Assyro-chaldéenne de Fairfield, en Australie, s’est
réveillée sous le choc. Pour la seconde fois le mémorial en hommage
aux victimes du génocide de 1915 qui avait été érigé le 7 août 2010, à
de nouveau été profané le 5 avril.

Le délit n’est pas signé, mais si on se reporte au 20 août 2010, la
dégradation du monument avait bel et bien été signé par la communauté
turque de Fairfield qui avait vivement protesté contre son érection.

Rappelons qu’au même titre que les arméniens, les assyro-chadéens et
les grecs pontiques ont subi l’innommable outrage des autorités
ottomanes concrétisé par la mort de plus de 3 millions d’être humains
innocents sauvagement assassinés entre 1894 et 1923.

dimanche 8 avril 2012,
Jean Eckian ©armenews.com

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIE-ENVIRONNEMENT
Le feu détruit 60 hectares de forêt dans la région de Dashir

Vendredi 6 avril vers 13h15, le feu s’était propagé dans la forêt près
du village de Kokavan dans la région de Dashir à la frontière
arméno-géorgienne. 10 camions de pompiers de Dashir (région de Lori)
intervenaient aussitôt. L’incendie avait traversé la frontière pour se
propager jusqu’en Géorgie où les secouristes géorgiens intervenaient
également pour l’éteindre. Le feu qui s’était propagé rapidement avait
atteint également les localités arméniennes de Pambak, Yegheknoud et
Sartovska. En fin de soirée, le feu qui avait ravagé 60 hectares de
forêt n’avait toujours pas été maîtrisé Ces trois derniers jours les
pompiers de la région du Lori sont intervenus à 45 reprises pour des
incendies.

Krikor Amirzayan

dimanche 8 avril 2012,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

From: Baghdasarian

UNDERWORLD LEADER KLOS RETURNS TO ARMENIA

Panorama.am
07/04/2012

Underworld leader Vardan Avagyan dubbed Klos, who has leaved in U.S.
for about 20 years, has returned to Armenia, Zhoghovurd reports. He has
come to Armenia in order to help PAP member Ashot Tonoyan dubbed Tonus
Ashot get elected. Tonus Ashot’s spokesperson confirmed the report.

“Tonoyan and Avagyan are childhood friends and stay on warm and
friendly terms. Their friendship has no political implications. You
should ask Avagyan whether he will help Tonoyan get elected,” said
the spokesperson.

Klos, a former friend of Ruben Hayrapetyan, used to work for RPA,
the paper reminds. Regarding Tonus, many close people, including
head of his election office in 2007, have abandoned him: Tonoyan had
deceived his former friends, the paper says.

From: Baghdasarian

RETURN TO GOD: ARMENIAN CHURCH CELEBRATES EASTER FEAST

Panorama.am
07/04/2012

The Feast of the Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ is
called Easter Feast or Zatik, which means separation, removal of
sins and return to God. It is one of the five major feasts of the
Armenian Church.

The website of Araratian Patriarchal Diocese of Armenian Apostolic
Church says the Mystery of Easter is the mystery of Jesus Christ, His
Salutary Holy Blood shed for mankind and His Rising from the dead for
mankind. The Son of God should incarnate, be subjected to tortures,
be crucified, buried and the third day raise from death.

Following the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ His body was taken
off the cross and placed into the tomb and the entrance to the tomb
was closed by a large stone and the soldiers were ordered to control
the entrance to the tomb. After three days the three women, who had
followed Jesus from Galilee, Mary Magdalene, Mary, the Mother of James
and Joseph, and the wife of Zebedee brought spices and perfumes to
anoint the body of Jesus. They found the stone rolled away from the
entrance to the tomb, so they went in but they didn’t the body of
the Lord.

They stood there puzzled about this, when suddenly two angels dressed
in white appeared and said to them, “Why are you looking among the
dead for one who is alive? He is not here, ha has been raised”. The
women returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven
disciples and the rest.

Resurrection of Christ became the basis of the Christian doctrine and
faith. Christ died for the salvation of mankind and by His Blood took
away the sin in the world, so that we should inherit eternal life.

On the day of the Easter feast people dye eggs red as a symbol of
fruitful life, salvation and joy. St. Gregory of Datev considers the
egg to be the symbol of the world, the shell of which is the sky, the
membrane is the air, the white is the water and the yolk is the earth.

Dyeing eggs red symbolizes the salvation of the world by means of
Blood of Christ.

The Armenian Church celebrates the Easter Feast on the first
Sunday following the full moon of the vernal equinox, with 35 days
moveability, during the period from March 21 -April 26.

On Sunday, the day of the feast, a morning service is conducted
the Andastan Service is performed wherein the four corners of the
world are blessed, afterwards the Divine Liturgy is celebrated. That
day the faithful welcome each other on the occasion of the Glorious
Resurrection of Christ conveying the great tiding: “Christ is Risen
from the dead” and receive the answer: “Blessed is the Resurrection
of Christ.”

From: Baghdasarian

NOW IT’S BEING FULFILLED
Siranuysh Papyan

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 21:43:27 – 06/04/2012

Yesterday another 10 citizens joined the personalities implementing
the activities of dismantling the boutiques constructed in Mashtots
Park. Ms. Nvard Manasyan, political scientist, expert on education,
is one of them.

Nvard, you joined the brigade which will dismantle the boutiques
illegally constructed in Mashtots Park. What are your thoughts on
the activities of the Dismantlers?

I followed the developments outside Yerevan but now I think it is
going to be a long battle which had a very good start. I admire
the high civil consciousness of the citizens and the dismantlers,
as well as their methods in practice. These people are not there
to crush and destroy, their goal is a broad civil understanding
and transformation. Compare with similar confrontations in other
countries. As a rule, they result in clashes. Our citizens have
entered a lasting ideological and content battle, and I think it is
a sign of high consciousness.

Two days ago they were able to narrow the circle, the dismantlers
were able to enter the boutiques. What will the liberation of the
park bring to the society?

In terms of its content it is a new constitutional space. We certainly
have a constitution but I am not sure to what extent we carry it
with the understanding. Now it is being fulfilled in Mashtots Park,
we will become a society of people with a legislative function, this
is the civil society, and it will be a great achievement, our state
will acquire a meaning that will be more powerful than any government.

Was our state meaningless and empty of content?

First of all, its content was filled without conscious participation
of the society, which gradually resulted in the loss of the meaning
of word stock of those who do politics. If we listen attentively,
those political figures who are skilled in speaking but saying nothing
successfully advance in our country. For instance, one of the coalition
figures urged to tell the truth but it is difficult to disagree that
it is a standard and eternal phrase but if we asked this sayer to say
what this truth is, what its content is, he would keep silent for
different reasons, including membership to the coalition. However,
this is not the most dangerous thing. Without value approval it is not
clear what truth is though it is an eternal approval. In this meaning,
our state was meaningless. It had all the attributes – laws, courts –
however, without participation of citizens it is impossible to maintain
the content of the concept of the state seeking eternal truth or we
must forget about the Republic of Armenia and rename it a monarchy,
which would dot the i’s and cross the t’s.

Nvard, why do you think they do not meet the demand of the society,
dismantle them and construct them somewhere else? After all, it’s
just a few boutiques, while they cancelled the construction of the
water power station on Trchkan waterfall.

I don’t know, for a full answer I need full information about the
owners, the money paid for the ownership, the conditions for the
approval. Nevertheless, considering some typical social peculiarities,
I know that the decision maker is in a difficult situation. Being
deprived of effective mechanisms of civil approval, the society must
rely on balance of force and compensation for the services of the
government, which are usually provided at the expense of the public
interests because the addresses of the two abovementioned principles
have always been known and had claims, whereas the society could not
separate public interest through effective mechanisms, it usually tends
to be violated. Therefore, a functioning state must be built which
will be delegated by way of people elected by the citizens to protect
public territories from encroachments. I have studied misappropriation
of public land by separate people in third countries which was later
returned by the government but this is the first case when public
land is misappropriated in a “legal” way, as it was the case of
North Avenue, Teghut forest, Mashtots Park. Everything is “legal”
but everything is wrong in terms of principles and content. We must
correct this mistake.

Through obstinate and consistent struggle? But everyone is in a hurry.

Sometimes the shortest way is the longest. I don’t remember who said
this but this is the case. Public participation must be existent,
an indefeasible part of our civil existence, freedom is impossible
without it, but there can be moments of freedom which will smell blood.

From: Baghdasarian

CATHOLICOS CONGRATULATES ARMENIAN WOMEN ON MOTHERHOOD AND BEAUTY DAY

news.am
April 07, 2012 | 11:02

ETCHMIADZIN. – The Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II issued a
congratulatory message in connection with the Good News and Motherhood
and Beauty Day.

“It is the festivity of the Good News, which in our people’s lives
is declared Motherhood and Beauty Day, and it brings Virgin Mary’s
shining example to women and mothers. On this day the Good News of
our Lord’s Resurrection also sounds in our spirits.

We pray to God so that women who have received the grace of motherhood
may embrace their newborns with a joyful and peaceful heart, and,
by the example of the Holy Virgin, may all women and ladies lead a
pious and virtuous life, in welfare and happiness,” the Catholicos’
message specifically reads.

From: Baghdasarian

TURKISH-ARMENIAN SOLDIER’S DEATH CAUSED BY CLOSE-RANGE GUNSHOT

Tert.am
07.04.12

Sevak Shahin Balikci, an ethnic Armenian soldier who was killed by a
Turkish nationalist during service last year, has turned out to have
died of a close-range gunshot.

According to the Turkish newspaper Radikal, a report by a medical
expert reveals that the bullet which caused Balikci’s death could
not have been released accidentally as the gun was directly pointed
at the target.

The expert called attention to the fact that the police report
contained conflicting provisions. It said the fire had been opened
from a distance.

Balikci was gunned down on April 24, 2011, just 23 days before his
demobilization. According to his fiancee, Sevak had been beaten
severely by a commander over lost money (50 Turkish liras).After the
incident, Balikci filed a complaint against but was later forced to
withdraw oy.

Kivanc Agaglu, the servicemen who killed Sevak, is now in freedom.

From: Baghdasarian

OBAMAS SECRET MESSAGE TO ERDOGAN ON IRAN’S NUKE PROGRAM

Tert.am
07.04.12

In a secret message sent through a foreign leader to Iran’s supreme
leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, US President Barack Obama hinted that
Tehran can have a civilian nuclear programme if it never pursues a
nuclear weapon, The Economic Times said, citing a media report.

“President Obama has signalled Iran that the United States would accept
an Iranian civilian nuclear programme if Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei
can back up his recent public claim that his nation ‘will never pursue
nuclear weapons’,” the usually authoritative Washington Post reported.

Khamenei had recently said: “The Iranian nation has never pursued
and will never pursue nuclear weapons. Iran is not after nuclear
weapons because the Islamic Republic, logically, religiously and
theoretically, considers the possession of nuclear weapons a grave
sin and believes the proliferation of such weapons is senseless,
destructive and dangerous.”

The daily said the verbal message was sent to Khamenei via Turkish
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan who recently met Obama and later
visited Tehran.

“A few days before travelling to Iran, Erdogan had held a two-hour
meeting with Obama in Seoul, in which they discussed what Erdogan would
tell the ayatollah about the nuclear issue and Syria,” the report said.

During the meeting, Obama told Erdogan that the Iranians should realise
that time was running out for a peaceful resolution that Tehran should
take advantage of the current window for negotiations, the report said.

But Obama did not specify whether Iran would be allowed to enrich
uranium domestically, and this delicate issue evidently would be
left for the upcoming talks between Iran and the six world powers,
the report said.

The report said Erdogan is believed to have conveyed Obama’s message
to Khamenei when they met in Iran.

According to Xinhua, the six world powers — Russia, China, US,
Britain, France and Germany — and Iran are scheduled to meet
in Istanbul April 13-14 for talks over Tehran’s disputed nuclear
programme.

Iran recently proposed that Baghdad should also be considered as the
venue for the talks. The issue has not been finalised yet.

From: Baghdasarian

ANCA HOLDS TELETHON FOR RETURN OF CHRISTIAN CHURCHES IN TURKEY

armradio.am
07.04.2012 12:35

The Armenian National Committee of America organizes a telethon to
support drive for the return of Christian Churches.

“As Armenians, we join together this Easter in celebrating the
resurrection of Christ and also, as Armenians – heirs of an ancient
people that arose nearly a century ago from the ashes of genocide –
in marking our own rebirth as a nation,” ANCA Executive Director Aram
Hamparian said.

“We recall with pride our rebirth as a people from the fires of hatred
that nearly consumed us in 1915. And, once again, we are painfully
reminded that the blind and irrational hatred by Turkish state-and
sadly much of its society-toward Armenians still burns, and – if
not quenched by the waters of justice – may light again to burn the
surviving sons and daughters of our ancient but endangered homeland.”

Mr. Hamparian went on to say: “As a people who believe in the power
of faith and promise of forgiveness, we seek a true and enduring
redemption for the Republic of Turkey through repentance. For, just
as scripture tells us that the truth will set us free, so too will
justice lead us to peace.

For Turkey’s leaders, government, and people, the difficult path
to true forgiveness must pass through a sincere confession of past
sins and an apology for all harm, the full return of all that must
rightfully be rendered to the victims of its crimes, and an abiding
renunciation of hatred and violence toward the modern-day sons and
daughters of those who lived on the biblical lands in and around
Ararat for thousands of years. Sadly, it’s not a matter of Turkey
simply moving too slowly in the right direction. The facts show that
Turkey’s leaders are headed in the wrong direction, as illustrated,
earlier this year, at state-supported anti-Armenian rallies in Ankara
and Istanbul-attended by top government officials-that openly and
proudly incited hatred against Armenians.

Turkey must repent in word and deed; Redeem itself in spirit and
action; Renounce evil, and all the fruits of its crimes, and render
to the Armenians all that once was and remains Armenian. These are
the wages of Turkey’s sins, and the price of its salvation.

There can be no better place to start than the immediate return of
all churches, monasteries, relics, and other religious properties,
not only to the Armenians, but to all the Christians of these ancient
biblical lands. Thankfully, with the support of Armenian Americans
from across our country, we have been able to make progress on this
vital new front for the Armenian Cause. With your renewed support
for ANCA Telethon 2012, we can do much more.”

From: Baghdasarian

215 MILLIONS DE DRAMS POUR LA RECONSTRUCTION DE MONUMENTS
Stephane

armenews.com
samedi 7 avril 2012

Le Ministre du Developpement Urbain Vardan Vardanyan a informe
qu’il est prevu en 2012 de depenser 13,4 milliards de drams pour le
Developpement Urbain.

” Les etablissements educatifs seront reconstruits et ameliores pour
un montant de 7,7 milliards de drams et il est prevu pour la renovation
des monuments 215 millions de drams ” a-t-il dit.

” La principale partie des depenses, 4 milliards de drams sera dirigee
vers l’aide aux familles qui ont subi le tremblement de terre en leur
fournissant des appartements ” a-t-il ajoute.

From: Baghdasarian