Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

The Hindu, India
April 20 2014

Desolate tale of Hare Bhare Sahib

R V Smith

Delhi is full of shrines. Besides the ones of the 22 Khwajas there are
numerous other mazaars, some maintained, others just left to
deteriorate. The shrine of Khwaja Syed Abul Hasan, Hare Bhare is
unique among them as it is right in the heart of Old Delhi, just below
the steps of the Jama Masjid, A neem tree grows above it, which
divides the mazaar from the grave of the saint’s disciple, Sarmad
Shaheed that is painted red as a sign of his martyrdom, while his
mentor’s tomb is green in colour to donate immortality. Towards the
direction in which the feet of the saint point lies buried Shah
Mohammad Hinga Madani dating to AD 1674. Maulana Azad was a great
admirer of the shrine, so was M.F. Husain, while Raghu Rai spent a
whole afternoon in the 1960s photographing it and Sadia Dehlvi
detailed its history.

Hare Bhare Sahib lived during the reigns of Jahangir, Shah Jahan and
Aurangzeb and is believed to have come from Central Asia. Sarmad was
an Armenian Jew who converted to Islam and became a Sufi. Not much is
known of Madani, except that he forsook the life of a nobleman to
become a recluse. Such an important place is now in a state of
disarray. The green and red plaster of the shrine has been peeled off.
Part of the two structures has been damaged and the neem tree has been
brutally hacked. It is said that the caretakers of the shrine want to
erect a commercial building above the tombs. Thousands of devotees of
the three saints buried in the complex are helpless spectators.
Something similar happened when the shrine of Hazrat Kalimullah
Jehanabadi, also dating to mid-Mughal times, just opposite the Red
Fort, was built around with a pigeon-hole-type building, that brings
revenue for the caretakers alright but at the expense of despoliation.
The mazaar of Bhure Mian, where troops taking part in the R-Day parade
relax after the show, has been given a facelift but its original
character has not been altered probably because of its close proximity
to the Red Fort.

Another instance of despoliation is the disappearance of a baradari
(not far from Hare Bhare’s shrine) said to have been constructed by
Dara Shikoh, just next to the Jama Masjid on the way to Esplanade
Road. Nobody remembers the old building which was very much there in
the last decades of the 20th Century and housed a girls’ school. Now a
multi-storied building has come up to accommodate the school, with no
trace of the historical monument, which was believed to have been a
library of Dara.

Many old structures in Chandni Chowk also have been so built upon that
one can hardly recognize them. The Kaccheri of Bhawani Shankar, the
nobleman who later got the disparaging nickname of Namak Haram after
he deserted the Marathas and joined the British about the 18th
Century, is yet another example. The haveli of Namak Haram too has
changed shape because of commercial exploitation. Northbrook Fountain,
the best known landmark of Chandni Chowk, has been almost covered up
by a plaque commemorating Bhai Mati Das, opposite the old Kotwali,
which has become part of Gurdwara Sis Ganj. The fountain (known as
Phuwara) was built by the British Governor-General Lord Northbrook
from his own funds as a beautification of the spot where the bodies of
Mughal princes killed by Hodson lay rotting. There have been more such
monstrosities especially in Mehrauli, which have been overlooked by
authority, probably for devious reasons. However the changes planned
at the Hare Bhare mazar can still be prevented to save a famous
landmark, which was left untouched even when the tramway was
introduced in 1908.

Sarmad Shaheed is said to have danced on the steps of the Jama Masjid
after his head had been cut off on the orders of Aurangzeb (who
branded him as a heretic) until restrained by Hare Bhare, who warned
him that such action against the law of nature would destroy Delhi.
Would Sarmad’s spirit revolt again? May be not, but the ASI should.

The author is a veteran chronicler of Delhi

From: Baghdasarian

Syrie
Le Parlement Européen Condamne l’Attaque de Kessab

Excepté quelques sites communautaires, l’action djihadiste contre les
Arméniens de Kessab, avec la complicité de l’État turc, s’est soldée
par un silence assourdissant de la part de la presse française, qui,
par ailleurs ne s’est pas même intéressée à la condamnation par le
Parlement européen des attaques contre les chrétiens de la région.

Le Parlement Européen Condamne l’Attaque de Kessab Contre des
Communautés Vulnérables, et s’Inquiète des Enlèvements de Chrétiens
par les Rebelles, dans les Villes de la Frontière Kurde

17 avril 2014

ANC-News

Strasbourg 17 avril 2014 – Aujourd’hui, le Parlement Européen, dans sa
dernière session plénière avant les élections de mai 2014, a adopté
une résolution sur la Syrie, exprimant ses inquiétudes sur les
derniers développements dans le pays, spécialement à l’égard des
événements de Kessab et à la situation des communautés vulnérables qui
se trouvent prises en plein milieu de la guerre.

La résolution condamne spécifiquement l’attaque contre la ville
arménienne de Kessab, et relève que ` les combats entre les forces du
régime et les combattants rebelles, aux rangs desquels se trouvent des
éléments liés à Al-Qaïda, à la fin du mois de mars 2014, ont conduit Ã
l’évacuation de la vaste majorité de la population de Kessab, une
ville arménienne à la frontière entre la Syrie et la Turquie `.

La résolution prend également note de la riche diversité des
communautés ethniques et religieuses, soulignant que ces communautés
ont toujours fait partie de la société syrienne, qu’elles ont un rôle
important à jouer dans la démocratisation de la Syrie, qu’il est
nécessaire qu’elles soient représentées dans toutes les négociations
sur le futur du pays et dans un éventuel processus de réconciliation ;
et que ces communautés se sont retenues de prendre parti dans le
conflit, et même si beaucoup peuvent reconnaître le besoin d’un
changement de régime en Syrie, elles redoutent aussi, si le régime est
chassé, d’être prises pour cible par les djihadistes sunnites luttant
pour qu’un état islamique soit instauré. Le Parlement Européen est en
outre préoccupé par la prise, par le Front islamique lié Ã al-Qaïda,
d’un certain nombre de villages chrétiens et kurdes à la frontière
turque.

Basriaan Belder (Europe de Liberté et Démocratie, Pays-Bas) a souligné
que la résolution ne serait pas complète, si elle ne disait pas Ã
propos de Kessab, toute la vérité, avec l’engagement turc une fois de
plus, après le Génocide arménien, afin de dépeupler la région des
Arméniens qui y vivent ; le parlementaire Belder a également proposé
qu’une enquête soit ouverte sur le rôle de la Turquie dans l’attaque
contre Kessab, qui prolonge la politique désastreuse d’Ankara au
Moyen-Orient. Véronique de Keyser( Alliance Progressiste des
Socialistes et des Démocrates, vice-présidente, Belgique) a condamné
le dépeuplement des Arméniens de Kessab par des groupes terroristes).
Joaqin Almunia, vice-président de la Commission de l’UE, est ébranlé
par l’attaque djihadiste sur Kessab, et par la guerre civile
extrêmement violente qui se déroule en Syrie, soulignant que l’UE
aidera les groupes vulnérables et ceux déplacés dans les trois années
du conflit.

Kaspar Karampetian, président de la Fédération Arménienne d’Europe
pour la Justice et la Démocratie (FAEJD) a souligné que la résolution
avait ménagé la Turquie, qui a ouvert ses frontières avec Kessab,
aidant les djihadistes à attaquer la région, mais blme tout de même
la Turquie pour les attaques de villes chrétiennes et kurdes et pour
les obstacles qu’elle met à l’aide humanitaire. ` La Turquie est
coupable de prendre part au déplacement de populations pacifiques
entrepris par les extrémistes à la frontière syrienne `, a dit Kaspar
Karampetian.` Nous, Arméniens, sommes reconnaissants envers le peuple
de Syrie pour nous avoir accueillis après le Génocide commis par les
Turcs il y a 99 ans, et nous souffrons avec eux des terribles
violences qui frappent le pays aujourd’hui. Nous espérons en voir la
fin bientôt, afin que toutes les communautés qui font partie de la
Syrie se mettent à sa reconstruction en l’absence de toute ingérence
étrangère `, a dit Karampetian, indiquant que la FAEJD est engagée
dans l’aide d’Europe à la communauté arménienne de Syrie.

Traduction Gilbert Béguian pour Armenews.com

dimanche 20 avril 2014,
Jean Eckian ©armenews.com

From: Baghdasarian

Al-Jazeera, Qatar
April 19 2014

The failure of post-Soviet bloc democratisation

How to put post-Soviet republics on track for healthy and sustainable
development.

by Vartan Oskanian

Vartan Oskanian is a member of Armenia’s National Assembly, a former
foreign minister and the founder of Yerevan’s Civilitas Foundation.

The Ukrainian crisis has focused the world on Russia, bringing back
memories of the Cold War. By extension, attention is centred on the
Baltic States, the former Soviet republics and the countries of
Eastern Europe. In the process, the magnifying glass is on the paths
these countries have chosen since their independence, their political
evolution and ultimately to the state of their economies today.

The day the Soviet Union collapsed, the economies of Ukraine and
Poland were on similar footing. Both countries’ GDP per capita was the
same few thousand dollars. Today, Poland’s is nearly $14,000 per head,
more than three times that of Ukraine’s approximately $4,000.

The ratios of the three Baltic republics today, compared to the three
Caucasus republics, is the same, if one compares Estonia, Lithuania
and Latvia with Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, minus the latter’s
oil revenues.

Books and studies providing insight into discrepancies between rich
and poor nations, successful and failed, offer reasons which abound
from geography to natural resources, and ethnic conflicts. But
increasingly, the new research narrows the reasons to two: good
governance and institutions.

Paul Collier in his ground-breaking The Bottom Billion and more
recently Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson in Why Nations Fail point
out that nations thrive when they develop “inclusive” political and
economic institutions, and they fail when those institutions become
“extractive” and concentrate power and opportunity in the hands of
only a few.

Healthy and sustainable development

Let me add my own picks to these reasons for the current state of
nations in the former Soviet republics. In my experience in and out of
government, we must rethink four fundamental notions if we are to put
our countries on the track to healthy and sustainable development.

First, we who have embarked on new, liberal, free-market development
have misunderstood “development” and its ensuing challenges and have
seen them as merely economic in nature. Development is a political
process, not an economic one. It requires political changes in society
and an organised process of engaging both elites and public, without
threatening one or discouraging the other. Development doesn’t mean
spending money on infrastructure alone; it means infrastructures that
are designed and maintained by a responsive state apparatus with
functioning governance systems.

Developing into a modern economy requires the provision of fair and
transparent public services. Access to the sea and endless barrels of
oil do not add up to a functioning economy. Only political will and a
change in political thinking can bring that about. Our countries must
develop politically in order to develop economically.

Second, pretence at democratisation is dangerous and
counterproductive. It distorts the relationship between government and
the governed, raising expectations that can’t be met, and obstructing
progress that could be taking place elsewhere in society. There are
many prosperous countries in the world which are not democratic, and
don’t pretend to be. Singapore is one example of a thriving country
where democratic rights are largely suspended; the United Arab
Emirates is another.

If the elites in our countries really only want economic development,
then there should not be a show about democratisation. Governments,
who repeat the predictable democratic formulations but don’t have
sufficient trust in their people to respect the electoral process, or
to govern openly, force citizens onto the streets.

Third, the Soviet-era definition of power continues to distort the
modern concept of legitimate authority. World leaders like Mahatma
Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King had no power but
operated from a position of authority. They accomplished things that
changed the world.

Except for a brief period immediately after independence, our
societies have not experienced governments who enjoy the consent of
the governed. Hard power, exclusive and brute power, hereditary power,
can continue to be exercised, but that will not assure our leaders the
authority they require to bring about significant, lasting political
or economic change. Economic growth, and change, depend foremost on
confidence and trust.

Wild, textbook capitalism

Finally, our adherence to the wild, textbook capitalism that we
adopted as we tore away from communism is not working. We can, and
must consider a more modern, compassionate form of public-private
partnership that will allow the state to intervene where necessary to
support strategically important sectors and enable economic growth.

Unfortunately, in the absence of rule of law, public-private has
sometimes come to mean using public resources to help private friends.
If certain entities in the private sector sink rather than swim, it
must not be because the government has not done its part to create an
enabling economic environment.

The fundamental bottleneck that impedes change in all these spheres is
the absence of institutions and an across-the-board acceptance of rule
of law. Although the developed world has been able to transfer support
and assistance, it has not succeeded in transferring strong
institutions. Even economist Milton Friedman, just a decade after the
fall of the Soviet Union, explained that if in the early days of
independence, his appeal to all the new states was before and above
all else, to privatise, a decade later, he had come to the realisation
that possibly it is rule of law that is more basic.

Indeed, we have to rethink these fundamental ideas. After all, we were
the subjects of an unprecedented experiment, and more than two decades
later, we have to graduate from the laboratory and shape our own
destiny.

In this high-stakes geopolitical tug of war that has begun to play out
in Ukraine, our understanding of the importance of
institution-building and good governance will very much determine
whether we will be able to make the right choices and go after those
who have demonstrated the efficacy of good governance and institution
building.

Vartan Oskanian is a member of Armenia’s National Assembly, a former
foreign minister and the founder of Yerevan’s Civilitas Foundation.

1086

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not
necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial policy.

From: Baghdasarian

Dem em! initiative does not believe in promises, demands concrete steps

14:15 / 19.04.2014

Dem em! initiative gathered yesterday at Baghramyan 26 [presidential
residence] to demand from the president not allow violation of
Armenia’s Constitution as the president is the guarantor of
preservation of the Constitution, member of the initiative Davit
Manukyan told the reporters on Saturday.

The members of the initiative stressed that the issue is not in
trusting or not trusting the president, there is institute of
president and the people demand it work normally. Speaking about the
premier who approached them at the rally, Manukyan hailed the wish of
the PM to talk to them. `The statement of the new PM differs with 180°
degrees from the position of the previous government. We have clearly
presented the points that must get solution and the PM accepted it,’
Manukyan stressed, adding that after these demands are met they will
be ready to work with the government on the new bill. `But until our
demands are not satisfied we will not participate in joint
discussions. I think the implementation of CC’s ruling is honorable,’
he stressed. Another member of the initiative Mane Tandilyan stressed
that they have clearly presented their demands and the CC has
considered the provisions unconstitutional and the demand of the CC
must be implemented. `The president must interfere for the CC’s
decision be implemented a day before and the illegal money seizure be
stopped,’ she said, stressing that such a situation has been created
in the country that they do not believe in promises any more. `We need
to see concrete steps,’ she said.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIE
Appel à la transparence : les Arméniens de Syrie demandent une «
répartition équitable » de l’aide

Certains représentants de la communauté arménienne de Syrie qui ont
décidé de rester en Arménie après avoir fui la guerre dans leur pays
d’origine exigent une répartition équitable de l’aide qui est fournie.
En particulier, ils veulent une plus grande transparence dans le
processus

Les plaintes concernant la distribution de l’aide ont été faites Ã
travers les pages Facebook, les Arméniens d’Alep et l’Alep des
Arméniens, qui couvrent un large éventail de questions concernant les
Arméniens de Syrie et des nouvelles connexes.

Le Médecin arménien né Ã Alepé Robert Syulahyan, qui est actuellement
basé Ã Erevan et est le fondateur du groupe Facebook les Arméniens
d’Alep qui a 8000 membres, dit qu’en ce moment la transparence de
l’aide, ainsi que le problème de trouver un emploi, est le problème le
plus urgent pour les Arméniens qui ont fui la Syrie et résident en
Arménie.

Les militants du groupe Facebook ont soulevé cette question lors de la
discussion du 13 Janvier au niveau du ministère de la diaspora, au
cours de laquelle le chef du Département des communautés arméniennes
du Proche et du Moyen-Orient du ministère Lusine Stepanyan a présenté
un rapport détaillé sur les aides financières et autre assistance
fournie aux Arméniens de Syrie qui se sont installés en Arménie. Bien
que Lusine Stepanyan n’ait pas présenté de données complètes sur la
façon dont l’aide a été fournie aux Arméniens de Syrie, la liste était
assez étendue car elle comprenait des dizaines d’organisations
caritatives qui ont payé pour le loyer, les frais de services publics,
fourni de la nourriture, des vêtements, des chaussures, des articles
de papeterie ou affecté directement de l’aide en espèces pour les
Arméniens de Syrie.

La Ministre de la diaspora Hranush Hakobyan, qui a participé Ã la
discussion, a souligné que l’Etat n’est pas impliqué dans la
distribution de l’aide, mais il exhorte et persuade diverses
organisations caritatives internationales à fournir une assistance aux
Arméniens de Syrie qui ont besoin d’aide.

« Ce sont ces organisations qui décident à qui fournir une assistance,
combien et comment » a déclaré la ministre. Dans le même temps, elle a
souligné que, durant les deux dernières années, le gouvernement a tout
fait pour aider les Arméniens de Syrie dans les questions concernant
les documents, la santé, l’éducation, le logement et d’autres
questions.

Selon les données du ministère, environ 45000 Arméniens continuent de
vivre aujourd’hui en Syrie dont 25000 Ã 30000 Ã Alep. Au cours des
dernières années 15 000 Arméniens de Syrie sont venus en Arménie, mais
seulement environ 11 000 d’entre eux continuent à y vivre aujourd’hui.

Lors de la discussion au sein du ministère de la diaspora un arménien
d’Alep a dit que l’aide fournie aux Arméniens de Syrie n’était pas
répartie équitablement en Arménie. « Ce sont toujours les mêmes 200 ou
500 personnes qui l’obtiennent », se plaignit-il.

En réponse à cela, le ministre a dit qu’elle aimerait beaucoup voir
tous les philanthropes fournir une assistance à tous les Arméniens de
Syrie, mais que dans certains cas ils ont un nombre limité d’éléments,
par exemple 200 paires de chaussures. « Je ne suis pas Jésus-Christ
pour faire de ces 200 paires de chaussures 5000 afin que cela soit
suffisant pour tous » a déclaré Hakobyan.

Une arménienne d’Alep Houri Matyossian Jebenian, qui vit actuellement
à Erevan, a dit qu’elle a reçu une aide de plusieurs organismes de
bienfaisance, y compris de la nourriture, des couvertures, certains de
ses proches ont également reçu une aide financière (60 000 drams,
environ 150 $, versée pour une période de trois mois, ou une aide
financière forfaitaire de 79 000 drams, soit environ (200 $), pour
compenser les coûts de consommation de gaz naturel. Mais elle dit
aussi que dans de nombreux cas, elle a pris connaissance de la
possibilité d’obtenir de l’aide d’un organisme de bienfaisance trop
tard pour en devenir bénéficiaire.

Matyossian Jebenian estime que la transparence dans la distribution de
l’aide est liée à des problèmes d’organisation.

« Leur système de travail est mauvais, ils disent qu’ils l’annoncent Ã
travers l’Internet, mais je peux vivre pendant des jours sans vérifier
mon compte Facebook, et il y a des personnes gées qui n’utilisent pas
l’Internet. Peut-être qu’ils sont inexpérimentés et nous ne sommes
habitués à recevoir de l’aide. Nous avions tout à Alep, et maintenant
nous nous sommes trouvés dans cette situation. Mais nous sommes très
reconnaissants pour toute l’aide qui nous a été donnée », dit-elle.

Le mari de la femme de 44 ans est actuellement au Canada. Dans un
proche avenir, elle, sa fille et les parents de son mari ont également
l’intention de se déplacer dans ce pays. Matyossian Jebenian dit que
si son mari, qui est impliqué dans la vente des pièces de rechange
dans le secteur de l’automobile, pouvait travailler ici et avoir un
revenu décent, comme à Alep, ils ne songeraient même pas à quitter
l’Arménie. Mais elle dit qu’il a participé Ã différentes discussions
et vu que les taxes ici sont si élevés il ne sera pas en mesure de
faire ce travail en Arménie.

« S’il y avait des conditions de travail, personne n’aurait le départ
à l’esprit, c’est très sûr ici et très calme en Arménie », a dit la
femme syro-arménienne.

Un Journaliste syrien d’origine arménienne Harout Ekmanyan a noté que
les Arméniens de Syrie qui sont venus en Arménie, Ã la différence de
ces Syriens qui sont ans les camps de réfugiés, sont incomparablement
dans de meilleures conditions mais que même dans ce cas, on pourrait
faire plus et tout organiser d’une meilleure manière.

« Il y a une diaspora forte, il ya de grandes possibilités qui n’ont
pas été utilisées correctement pour les Arméniens de Syrie à la fois
en Arménie et en Syrie » indique le chroniqueur du site CivilNet
soulignant que très souvent divers organismes utilisent les occasions
pour aider les Arméniens de Syrie à leur propre fins.

Par Siranuysh Gevorgyan

ArmeniaNow

samedi 19 avril 2014,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

From: Baghdasarian

HAUT KARABAGH-EDUCATION
L’arméno-russe Nikolaï Sarkissov finance une école en construction Ã
Stepanakert (Haut Karabagh)

Jeudi 18 avril, Bako Sahakian, le président de la République du Haut
Karabagh, accompagné de l’homme d’affaire et bienfaiteur Arménien de
Russie, Nikolaï Sarkissov a visité la nouvelle école numéro 1 de
Stepanakert afin de voir l’avancement des travaux en cours. Bako
Sahakian a profité de l’occasion pour remercier une nouvelle fois
Nikolaï Sarkissov pour sa générosité pour le financement total de cet
établissement scolaire. Le président de la République du Haut Karabagh
a également confié que l’éducation restait l’une des grandes priorités
de son gouvernement. L’objectif étant de placer l’éducation et le
cadre scolaire de la République du Haut Karabagh aux normes
internationales en matière d’enseignement. Slava Asrian, le ministre
de l’Education et des Sciences accompagnait la délégation.

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 19 avril 2014,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

From: Baghdasarian

AZERBAÏDJAN-ECONOMIE
Baisse importante de l’exportation du gaz et du pétrole
d’Azerbaïdjan au 1er trimestre

Au premier trimestre 2014 les exportations de gaz azéri ont connu une
baisse spectaculaire de 33%. De plus selon les sources statistiques en
Azerbaïdjan les revenus de l’exportation ont baissé de 48,97%, le gaz
et le pétrole étant la première source de revenus de l’export. Le
millier de mètre cubes de gaz azéri exporté était en moyenne de 177,65
dollars au cours du premier trimestre contre 229 dollars l’an dernier.
La baisse du pétrole azéri fut de 5% au cours des trois premiers mois
de l’année, due essentiellement à un fléchissement des extractions des
sites de la British Petroleum. Les réserves pétrolières de
l’Azerbaïdjan étant en baisse selon les experts.

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 19 avril 2014,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

From: Baghdasarian

Armenian Studies Program – CSU Fresno
Barlow Der Mugrdechian, Coordinator
5245 N. Backer Ave. PB4
Fresno CA 93740-8001
ASP Office: 559-278-2669
Office: 559-278-2669
FAX: 559-278-2129

Visit the ASP Website:

Armenian Genocide Commemoration Week
99th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide

Armenian Students Organization and Armenian Studies Program
keep alive the memory of the Armenian Genocide

Contact : Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian, at the Armenian Studies Program at
office: (559) 278-2669 or cell (559) 917-1382.
Armenian Students Organization President Vartush Mesropyan: (559) 916-0074

Fresno, CA April, 2014 – April 24th marks the 99th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide . To commemorate this tragic event and honor the
1.5million victims, their families, and the survivors of the
atrocities committed by the Turkish government, the Armenian Students
Organization of Fresno State will hold several events.

Monday, April 21, 11:00am-1:00pm
`Genocides Around the World’
Campus awareness activity about the Armenian Genocide.
Memorial Garden, in front of the Kennel Bookstore, Fresno State

Tuesday, April 22, 6:30pm
Screening of the documentary movies: `My Mother’s Voice’ and `Voices’
The movies highlight the voices of the survivors of the Armenian Genocide.
Director Kay Mouradian will discuss her movie, `My Mother’s Voice.’
McLane Hall, Room 161, Fresno State
7:30PM-Walk to the Free Speech Area and a Candle-Light Vigil .

Thursday, April 24, 12:00pm-1:00PM-`Silent Protest: The Armenian Genocide’
A silent protest in the Free Speech Area to raise awareness of the
Genocide and of the campaign of Turkish denial.

1:00PM-2:00PM-99th Anniversary Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide
A commemorative event will be held, featuring presentations of poems,
songs, dances, and reading of Genocide memoirs by ASO members,
students of the Charlie Keyan Armenian School, and guest speakers
Congressman Jim Costa and Judge Houry Sanderson.
Free Speech Area, Fresno State

Friday, April 25, 7:30pm
`The Armenians of Gesaria’ by Dr. Richard G. Hovannisian, UCLA
A talk on one of the historic regions of Armenia.
Industrial Technology Building, Room 101, Fresno State
Free parking in Lots P23 or P24. Free admission.

All students, faculty, and staff are urged to join in the activities
being held on campus and in the community. All events are open to the
community and the public is welcome.

From: Baghdasarian

CAMBRIDGE BUSINESSMAN GUILTY OF TAX FRAUD, MUST PAY BACK NEARLY $1 MILLION

Waterloo Record, Ontario, Canada
April 18 2014

Waterloo Region Record
By Liz Monteiro

KITCHENER – A Cambridge businessman who pleaded guilty Thursday to
tax fraud of nearly $1 million was ordered to pay an equivalent amount
back in fines, taxes and interest.

Simon Poladian, 57, will not serve any jail time as part of his
sentence, Justice John Lynch told Ontario Court.

The prosecution was looking for a jail sentence of nine to 12 months
in addition to fines.

“I feel bad. I screwed up. I paid my dues,” said Poladian after
the sentencing.

Court heard how for five years, from 2003 to 2008, Poladian and his
brother Victor, who own and operate S&V Service Centres Ltd. did not
pay taxes in the amount of about $261,000.

False expenses and income not declared amounted to nearly $1 million.

“There was up to $1 million in fraudulent expenses that resulted
in the evasion of $261,000 in federal taxes,” said Crown prosecutor
Steven Dollar.

In an agreed statement of facts, court was told that Poladian committed
tax evasion when he wrote cheques representing inflated invoices to
another employee of S&V who had a contract with the Hostess Frito-Lay
Company. The money was paid back to Poladian and should have been
reported back as income but was not.

Similar charges against Poladian’s brother Victor were dropped.

Polodian will pay about $481,000 in fines and another half million
in taxes and interest.

Lynch said Poladian must pay the money back by April 30.

“Out of greed, he tried to save himself some money. Now he will pay
taxes and then some,” he said.

Lynch added that “despite this transgression, he (Poladian) remains
a trusted member of this community.”

In her submissions, co-prosecutor Xenia Proestos said Poladian was
motivated to commit fraud by “pure greed.”

“They were trying to get richer by cheating the public,” she said.

Proestos said Poladian, who was a law-abiding citizen all of his life
“chose to commit a criminal offence to make money he didn’t need.”

“It was a choice. They (both brothers) did not have to turn to criminal
activity to make money,” she said.

She suggested that a fine wasn’t enough for someone like Poladian
who has the means to pay back the full amount.

“Jail really does have a chilly effect,” she said.

Poladian’s lawyer Frank Addario said his client will pay nearly half
a million in fines and another half million in taxes, interest and
penalties.

“His full repayment and restitution will add up to more than $1
million. It’s four times what he evaded,” he said.

Addario told the court that Poladian’s story was that of a typical
immigrant who came to Canada. He moved to Canada from Syria in 1973
and worked three jobs which included pumping gas, delivering pizza
at night and getting his license mechanic papers.

In 1979, he sponsored his brother to come to Canada and the pair
bought a gas station, Four years later, they increased the business
to include tow-trucking and hydraulic work.

By 2000, S&V was the biggest towing company in Waterloo Region,
said Addario.

Addario said Poladian is an active member of the local Armenian
community and gives generously of his time and money.

“Mr. Poladian knew he had messed up and wants to accept responsibility
and punishment,” said Addario, who added that the total amount in
fines and taxes is in an account ready to be given to the government.

From: Baghdasarian

“I AM AGAINST” ACTIVISTS MARCH TO ARMENIAN PRESIDENT’S RESIDENCE

April 18, 2014 | 19:17

YEREVAN. – “I am against” (Dem em) initiative has launched a march
to the presidential residence.

A group of activists gathered in Baghramyan Avenue, and are now
heading to the residence of the Armenian president.

Their demand is that the government must accept the judgment of
Constitutional Court recognizing unconstitutional several provisions
of the pension law.

The rally near president’s residence is to start at 7:30.

From: Baghdasarian