Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

DOUBLE CONTRADICTION

October 2, 2012 13:35

Artashes Geghamyan, a member of the Republican Party of Armenia
(RPA) parliamentary group, made a speech yesterday “in support
of” withdrawing Vartan Oskanian’s immunity. He also talked about
geopolitical issues. As far as I understood, the MP’s point was the
following – Mr. Oskanian was financially supported by outstanding
member of the US Republican Party Jon Huntsman (one shouldn’t
pretend that it is not the case; it is another matter that it is not
money laundering). Mr. Huntsman’s party rather strongly criticizes
Putin’s regime. However, Mr. Oskanian’s party and its factual founder
Robert Kocharyan have quite a warm attitude toward both Putin’s and
Lukashenka’s regimes probably feeling certain spiritual connection
with them. So MP Geghamyan who is also a propagator of this “Eurasian”
(crude-authoritarian) mentality legitimately sees a contradiction here.

It is significant that yesterday members of the parliament didn’t
talk much about money, transfers and accounts; rather, they talked
about politics, because the issue itself is political and related to
the upcoming presidential election. Some people claim that Oskanian,
along with his controversies, can be the opposition candidate and
that is the very reason why he is put under pressure. Others say that
the government deliberately puts the halo of “martyrdom” on the former
Foreign Minister’s head, in order that he is considered the alternative
and easily loses the election. Naturally, no one believes that one
should start establishing law and order among MPs from Vartan Oskanian
and not say Vardan Ayvazyan or a few dozens of MPs representing the
Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) and the Prosperous Armenia Party
(PAP).

However, the contradiction noticed by Mr. Geghamyan is not the only
one. Another contradiction is related to the position of the Armenian
National Congress (ANC). On the one hand, that party – by the way, it
is high time that members of the ANC admit that they are members of a
party and not a party alliance – cannot but defend an MP from political
persecution. On the other hand, it cannot but remind the former Foreign
Minister and a pivotal figure in Kocharyan’s team about his sins. I for
one would have reminded him also about how in 2008, members of the PAP
accepted the state of emergency that brutally suppressed democracy and
how easily they “handed over” their opposition partners. Didn’t they
care about political revenge at the time? Or perhaps they couldn’t
imagine that they would appear in the same position in 4 years.

In a nutshell, Vartan Oskanian is not an appropriate candidate for
the ANC. Although who knows how far pragmatism and realpolitik can go?

ARAM ABRAHAMYAN

From: Baghdasarian

NORIK KARAPETYAN: CANDIDATES OF GEORGIAN DREAM LOST DUE TO FRAUDS

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 16:23:20 – 02/10/2012

The candidates of the Georgian Dream oppositional party lost in
Javakhk because of frauds, says the head of the Javakhk people~Rs
movement Norik Karapetyan who was the candidate of the Georgian Dream
in Javakhk.

Norik Karapetyan says that governmental candidates committed frauds
in almost all constituencies of a number of Javakh towns; even police
officers intervened in the election process trying to scare activists
and opposition.

The candidates who lost are going to appeal the results of the
election. Norik Karapetyan says that he was attacked and many frauds
were committed.

He says that voters were distributed special sheets on which was
written 300 lari. People had to receive their money after the
elections. Besides there was much ballot stuffing, says Karapetyan.

From: Baghdasarian

AT UN GENERAL DEBATE, ARMENIA PLEDGES TO CONTRIBUTE TO UN REFORM

UN News Center
Oct 1 2012

1 October 2012 – On the last day of the General Assembly’s high-level
debate, Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, today pledged
today to make a “feasible contribution” to United Nations reform,
stressing the urgency of the settlement of disputes by peaceful means.

“A few days ago, in the framework of the UN, the first-ever High-Level
Forum on the Culture of Peace took place, urging tolerance and building
mutual understanding and mutual respect,” the Foreign Minister told the
67th Assembly at its General Debate, at UN Headquarters in New York.

“Unfortunately,” he added, “nowadays hate and intolerance are
continuing to spread in some parts of the world and we have yet to dig
into the roots and causes of such a situation, to have the courage
to openly ask difficult questions on the reasons and face sometimes
painful responses.”

In his statement, the Foreign Minister referred to what he termed
the Government of Azerbaijan’s “release and glorification” of Ramil
Safarov, who was convicted of killing an Azeri officer, saying,
“the scandalous affair has serious undermined the Nagorno-Karabakh
negotiation process and endangered the fragile regional security
and stability.”

Mr. Nalbandian also voiced concern at the worsening humanitarian
situation in Syria, which he said directly affected the large Armenian
community. “The denial of genocide and impunity pave the way for the
repetition of new crimes against humanity,” he noted.

The Armenian Foreign Minister is one of scores of world leaders and
other high-level officials presenting their views and comments on
issues of individual, national and international relevance at the
Assembly’s General Debate, which ends later on Monday.

From: Baghdasarian

INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY COULD NOT TOLERATE THE ATTEMPTS OF AZERBAIJAN TO REPLACE THE RULE OF LAW WITH THE RULE OF OIL. EDWARD NALBANDIAN

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 1, ARMENPRESS: Safarov’s scandalous affair has
seriously undermined the Nagorno-Karabakh negotiation process and
endangered the fragile regional security and stability. Armenpress
reports that Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs presented a speech
with such declaration at the General Debate of the 67th Session of
the UN General Assembly.

“Year after year Armenia has been raising its concerns from this podium
over the militaristic rhetoric, blatant violation of international
commitments and anti-Armenian hysteria being instilled into the
Azerbaijani society from the highest levels of its leadership. Many
international organizations on human rights alerted about flagrant
cases of xenophobia, racism, intolerance and violations of human rights
in Azerbaijan, alerted on the policy of hatred against Armenians”
said Armenian Minister.

What is the Azerbaijani response? Minister Nalbandian believes that it
is not only ignoring the expectations of the international community,
but is constantly making new and new steps going against the values
of civilized world. The latest such case is the Azeri government’s
release and glorification of the murderer Safarov, who had slaughtered
with an axe an Armenian officer in his sleep, during a NATO program
in Budapest simply because he was an Armenian.

“The Azerbaijani leadership made him a symbol of national pride and
an example to follow by youth. The world reaction was unanimous and
very clear in condemning what was done by Baku. Azerbaijan expresses
bewilderment on the stance of the international community. And what
did they expect? That the international community would applaud
the glorification of a heinous murderer? Azerbaijani leadership
is continuing to pretend that this act corresponds not only to the
Azerbaijani constitution and legislation, but also to the norms and
principles of international law, the respective European Convention.

The leadership of this country is claiming that what was done is just
very good. It is very sad that the constitution and legislation of
any country could allow the heroization of a murderer and salary
payment for the years passed in prison by brutal criminal” noted
Edward Nalbandian.

Armenian Minister assures, one thing is clear that international
community should not tolerate the attempts of the Azerbaijani
leadership to adjust the international law to their own racist
ideology. Having a rich internal experience in corruption Baku is
attempting to transfer it to interstate relations exploiting it as a
tool to impose its own misperceptions on others. The international
community could not tolerate the attempts of Azerbaijan to replace
the rule of law with the rule of oil.

From: Baghdasarian

GENOCIDE DENIAL PAVES WAVE FOR NEW CRIMES – ARMENIAN FM

news.am
October 01, 2012 | 20:30

The denial of genocide and impunity pave way for the repetition of
new crimes against humanity, Armenian FM said.

Speaking during the 67th session of the UN General Assembly, Edward
Nalbandian recalled that next year UN will mark the 65th anniversary
of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime
of Genocide.

“As descendants of the nation that survived the horrors of the first
genocide of the 20th century we are convinced that independent of
any kind of considerations, the international community should stand
together in the recognition and strong condemnation of genocides to
be able to prevent them,” he emphasized.

Nalbandian is confident that it is due to the absence of this unanimity
that humanity witnesses new attempts of crimes against humanity.

“Our strong conviction is that we should keep this issue high on
our common agenda. We should recommit ourselves to a world where the
crime of genocide would never occur again,” he added.

From: Baghdasarian

10 MONTH-OLD GIRL BRUTALLY KILLED IN GEORGIA IS BARBARA RAFALYANTS

2012-10-01 15:33:58

Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs released a statement on murder
of 10 month-old Barbara Rafalyants, which occurred the day before in
Kolagi village. Dead body of the baby was found in a clay container
filled with water meant for wine.

The Police released a statement yesterday on disappearance of 10
month-old Barbara Rafalyants. The Police together with the baby’s
parents took operative steps directed to find the child. An hour later
her dead body was found in clay container filled with water. “Georgian
dream” party majoritarian candidate Manana Berikashvili has already
made a political statement accusing supporters of “Georgian national
movement” party in the incident.

Note, according to one of the versions, the incident has a political
character. One of the relatives of the killed baby is coordinator of
“Georgian dream” party. The woman announced, that threats have been
announced by the activists of the leading party.

From: Baghdasarian

AZERBAIJANI CIVIL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION: OPERATION OF AIRPORT IN KHANKENDI VIOLATES INTERNATIONAL LAW

Trend
Oct 1 2012
Azerbaijan

Armenian efforts on operation of the airport in Khankendi are
attempting to violate rules of international law, the State Civil
Aviation Administration reported to Trend on Monday, commenting on
information on commission of airport, spread on by Armenian mass media.

According to administration, they have many times expressed their
position regarding activity of Armenian party on commissioning
of Khankendi airport, located on Azerbaijani territories occupied
by Armenia.

“Our position has not changed. All actions have to be implemented in
accordance with international law”, the administration noted.

Administration stated that if information on commissioning of Khankendi
airport and flight of aircraft there is true, the reaction should
follow from the relevant government agencies and ministries.

The administration said any decision on activity regarding airspace
violators will be made at government level, as this issue is beyond
the limits of administration’s jurisdiction.

Previously official Baku has stated that the commission of Khankendi
airport is a direct violation of Convention on international civil
aviation, signed on December 7 1944 in Chicago. In this regard,
Azerbaijan will strengthen the legal level on the application of
Chicago convention.

The head of Civil Aviation Administration Arif Mammadov said
Azerbaijan has banned the use of airspace on occupied territory of
Nagorno Karabakh, as noone can guarantee the security of flights on
this territory,

In his words, Armenian efforts directed to the commission of Khankendi
airport are attempts to violate rules of international law. This
airspace belongs to Azerbaijan, this is why its use is not possible.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and European Civil
Aviation Conference also support Azerbaijan’s position in this issue.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France and the U.S. –
are currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

From: Baghdasarian

THE ARF AND THE 2013 ARMENIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
by Michael Mensoian

October 1, 2012

The outcome of the May 2012 parliamentary elections in Armenia was
justifiable cause for concern (see “Lessons from the May 2012 Armenian
Parliamentary Elections,” The Armenian Weekly, July 21, 2012). The
situation in Syria, as well as the recent agreement by Turkey and
the United States to form a task force to share information to “help”
once the various rebel groups succeed in overthrowing Bashar al-Assad,
only ramps up the concern. This is another example of Turkey using the
United States to support its aggressive foreign policy in the region,
which could well contain an anti-Armenian component with respect to
the Syrian-Armenian community.

An ARF campaign billboard from the 2012 parliamentary elections in
Armenia (Photo by Nanore Barsoumian) The Syrian crisis has placed
the Armenian community in a precarious position. Recent reports
stress the dire position of our brothers and sisters under what can
best be described as full-scale wartime conditions. Although there
has been no outward showing of panic or frenetic decision-making,
our people have no viable options other than to weather the ongoing
political storm. It is important that the community’s response places
it in the most advantageous position possible to accommodate future
political realities.

It is unfortunate that some of our oldest and vibrant diasporan
communities are in countries where so-called “popular uprisings”
can quickly create destabilizing conditions. It is apparent that the
Syrian-Armenian leaders must assess the long-term viability of their
community. Similar evaluations must be taken by other potentially
vulnerable Armenian communities in countries where internal upheaval
is becoming a fact of life.

Living as we are in such highly uncertain times places a heavy burden
on the ARF leadership to anticipate these destabilizing events, as
well be prepared to respond to an ever-changing set of situations and
issues that may affect the viability of our diasporan communities
and the political agenda of the Dashnaktsutiun. If anything can
be certain, it is the fact that the issues and problems will only
increase in number and intensity. Given this reality, it is assumed
that the ARF has in place a grand design-an over-arching vision-that
clarifies and unifies its various efforts; incorporates a continuing
analysis of the human and financial inputs against the actual and
expected results its policies and initiatives produce; provides for
an effective human resources management program stressing meritocracy
that is responsible for attracting, training, and utilizing people;
and creating a mechanism for real-time evaluation of its short-
and long-term priorities within an ever-changing political environment.

Having said that, it is apparent that the ARF must move on from the
results of the recent parliamentary election and the crisis in Syria,
which has unfortunately become a “watchful waiting” situation. We
may well ask, What does the ARF move on to? The obvious answer is
the 2013 Armenian presidential election.

The importance of the presidential election is impossible to
overemphasize. It represents a critical and final opportunity for
some time to come for the Dashnaktsutiun to expand its voter base
and increase its influence if it expects to move out of the political
doldrums and assert itself as a vibrant political party.

In the 2008 presidential election, the ARF received slightly over 6
percent of the votes cast, placing it fourth behind the Rule of Law
Party, which had slightly over 17 percent of the vote. This represented
a difference of approximately 175,000 votes. Assuming the size of
the electorate, along with the number that turn out to cast ballots
in 2013, has not changed significantly, a realistic goal for the ARF
would be to double its percentage share of the vote cast to around
13 percent or more, with a third place finish a possibility.

Why should this be important? A continuing single digit voter
attraction only reinforces the status of the ARF as a marginal
political party. While the culture of electioneering corruption can
be cited as a factor, we must also acknowledge that our message is
not being accepted by the voter. If the Dashnaktsutiun cannot break
out of this politically confining mold, how does it expect to have
any meaningful role charting the course of development in Armenia;
or aiding Artsakh as it seeks de jure recognition; or supporting the
Javakhayer; or influencing the terms of a future rapprochement with
Turkey. The United States ambassador to Armenia, John Heffern, is
officially committed to having the protocols ratified and implemented
supposedly without any preconditions. There is no upside for Armenia
if the protocols are ratified.

The ARF has indicated that it will have a candidate in the 2013
presidential election. However, the candidate is not the most important
component of the campaign; it is the party’s determination to wage a
vigorous campaign that will prove to the worker and his family that the
Dashnaktsutiun can be depended on to fight for an improved quality of
life. If we cannot defend and be proud of the presidential campaign
that was ultimately waged, then the party has not only failed the
electorate, but the loyal ungers and ungerouhis who labor for the
ARF throughout the diaspora.

The Dashnaktsutiun’s message must be simple and direct. The message
must be believable, easily understood, and one that the voters can
accept. The message must reflect public positions that the party has
consistently taken in support of legitimate expressions of concern by
various segments of the electorate. It would be too late to use the
campaign to recast the image of the party or to stake out positions
that were only tenuously related to the party’s known agenda. The ARF
should always be in campaign mode, defining itself as committed to
the worker and his family through its day-to-day activities. We must
be viewed as the political fedayees of the new century, hell-bent
on displacing the entrenched powers that are sapping Armenia of its
vitality and its potential for greatness. If that is too dramatic a
prescription, let’s at least agree that it is our duty to liberate
the worker and his family from an oppressive economic and political
system. If we cannot generate that degree of passion, then we are
disavowing our heritage.

Unfortunately, it is the Dashnaktsutiun that has to prove itself to
the voter. Its message cannot be political rhetoric, long on promises
that the voter realizes cannot be kept. The ARF did itself no favors
when early on it aligned itself with the Sarkisian Administration. The
party will be appealing to people who have become cynical and skeptical
for a reason. The hard-pressed voters already know the system because
their lives have been adversely impacted by it.

The voters must be led to understand that their quality of life can
only improve if the present system is replaced by one based on the
social democratic principles of freedom, equality, opportunity, and
justice. These words sound great, but the voters have to know how these
high-sounding principles will actually improve their lives. If we can’t
explain how, then we have lost the opportunity as well as their vote.

An integral part of the understanding that must be hammered home is
the realization that their liberation from economic and political
servitude can only come about by supporting the ARF at the ballot box.

It is an imperative that the party is able to show how this liberation
will be achieved. This message, to be repeated again and again, is
that their vote is not only a vote of confidence in the ARF, it is a
vote for themselves, a vote for the future of their children, and a
vote for those who must depend on government for assistance. They have
to be convinced that a vote for the ARF is a vote for a better Armenia.

The message must provide specific examples that clearly show the
relationship between the failed policies of the administration and
the role of the oligarchs, and the problems that the worker and
his family face with respect to the cost of basic necessities, job
creation, inadequate wages, pension payments, affordable housing,
and environmental quality. There must be a corresponding emphasis on
workable programs that will replace or modify existing policies and
programs that the ARF claims have failed. We cannot define problems
and cast blame without offering solutions. If we cannot help voters
make these important connections, why should we expect them to cast
their ballot for the Dashnaktsutiun?

The presidential candidate must be supported by a carefully selected
cadre of surrogates who will take this simple and direct message from
the small rural villages to the districts in the urban areas. The
party’s message must be conveyed using various media, access to which
might be a problem, as well as using indoor and outdoor venues.

Although the theme of the message remains constant, the particulars
must be tailored to the needs and expectations of specific segments of
the electorate. Not only the candidate but his surrogates must exhibit
the passion and have the intimate knowledge that will allow them to
be perceived by the voter as genuinely concerned with their situation.

This is nothing more than Electioneering 101.

There is no question that the ARF faces an up-hill battle. It is
not a level playing field. Voter payments, the intimidation and
coercion of voters, promises of one kind or another for votes, the
availability of television time, etc., are well-known examples of
corrupt practices employed by the opposition. However, the ARF must be
prepared to confront, by all means available, any and all obstacles and
fraudulent practices used by the opposition. If the latter persists,
which it surely will, then the ARF should make it an election issue
if it is deemed to be politically profitable, while also appealing to
international organizations for independent observers. This may not
correct the situation, but it will publicize the corrupt practices
employed by the opposition to limit the legitimate right of the ARF
to conduct its presidential campaign. The workers and their families
must be made to understand that as long as they aid and abet these
fraudulent practices used by the oligarchs and their allies, they
will forever be kept in an economically subservient position.

The leadership must accept this presidential election as a critical
challenge: The Dashnaktsutiun must create the legitimate perception
in the mind of the voter that it is the only political party that
is devoted to their interests. Only by supporting the Dashnaktsutiun
can the worker succeed in throwing off the shackles of economic and
political servitude that denies him the quality of life he should have.

This type of campaign is not an easy one to mount in Armenia. It pits
the ARF leadership and the party faithful against powerful, entrenched
interests that will do whatever is necessary to protect their wealth
and influence. However, we cannot be as cynical as the voters we are
trying to influence. It is accepted that the role of a revolutionary
in society is not an easy one to fulfill. Hopefully, we still remain
revolutionaries in mind and spirit. If the Dashnaktsutiun is not
prepared to wage this type of campaign, difficult as it may be, then
it would be better to sit out the 2013 Armenian presidential election
and simply accept the party’s marginal role in Armenian political life.

From: Baghdasarian

GENOCIDE RECOGNITION IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ASSYRIANS
By Linda Abraham

Assyrian International News Agency AINA
Oct 1 2012

Assyrian Genocide Research Center interviews Mr. Hermiz Shahen,
Deputy Secretary General Assyrian Universal Alliance.

Mr. Hermiz Shahen was born in 1953 in Kirkuk-Iraq. His parents moved
to the city of Mosul (Nineveh Province) when he was one year old. He
completed his bachelor degree in Science, majoring in Physics in 1974,
and left Iraq in 1981 against his will after facing interrogation
and harassment from Ba’ath Intelligence agents.

Mr Shahen joined the Assyrian Universal Alliance in 1983, and in 1994;
he was elected to the position of Chairman of the Australia Branch. He
was appointed Chapter Secretary in 1997. Mr. Shahen has taken part
in a number o f projects, such as the successful effort to have the
Assyrian genocide recognized by the New South Wales Local Government
Association at their conference in 2002; Lodgment of a successful
petition during 2005 that was tabled in Federal Parliament by the Hon.

Chris Bowen MP, asking for a ‘protected administrative area” for the
Assyrians in Iraq, and the establishment of Assyria Parliamentary
Friendship Group in the State Parliament of New South Wales in 2009.

Mr. Shahen has attended many AUA worldwide congresses and conferences
in different countries, in July 2000, he was a member of an AUA
delegation that participate d in the Human Rights Commission conference
on Indigenous Populations in the United Nations/Geneva; He attended
the General Assembly meeting of the Unrepresented Nation & Peoples
Organization (UNPO) in Taipei –Taiwan from 26-29 October 2006; He
attended the Syriac Universal Alliance Conference in Beirut, Lebanon
in May 2000, and the Conference of Assyrian Political Organizations
in Holland during May 2003 and March 2004.

What inspired you to get involved with the Assyrian Universal Alliance
(AUA)?

Since my childhood, I have been dreaming that one day our Assyrian
nation will be liberated from oppression and live freely in our
ancestral Homeland. Since then, I have written stories about the
future of our people and poems calling for the liberation of Assyria.

When I left my homeland – Iraq against my will in 1981, I was under a
lot of stress trying to do something to help my people back home and
to tell the story of injustice they are facing by the fascist regime
of Iraq .I started looking for any platform that can serve my purpose.

After interacti on with different Assyrian political parties, which
lasted almost two years, I chose to work with the Assyrian Universal
Alliance (AUA) for the following reasons:

I found that most of our political parties are formed to represent a
specific segment of our people. They have their own internal political
structure where not all the people can participate in the selection
of these parties leadership, their party members are established to
serve our national interest within the frame of their own group or
countries such as; Iraq, Syria and Turkey, committed to the political
ideology of their own party and will only promote their own aims,
their only accountability is to their political Leadership and not
the nation at large, and many other factors. However, being living
in the west, I found that AUA can be a powerful and effective voice
for the Assyrians globally and that working within the Alliance is
strictly voluntary and through existing and established organizations
and institutions, which represent majority of our people in a given
country. Considering this framework and structure of AUA, I found that
I could work more freely without being subject to pressures. That is
why I joined the AUA for the last 30 years and with pride.

Why is the Genocide issue important for you and your organization?

I have grown up in a family who have suffered deeply in the genocide
during WW1, and the cruelty of the governments that ruled over our
homeland in the regions; South East Turkey, North West of Iran and
northern Iraq. I used to hear the sad stories from my late father who
was only five years old when both his parents were killed during the
Assyrian genocide in WW1, by the Ottomans in Turkey. He also lost his
younger brother, who went missing during this genocide. As a result,
he was sent to Mosul, along with a group of orphans. The same stories I
used to hear from my grandmother who fled from Uremia in Iran to Russia
and then to exile in Siberia. These stories have left deep marks in
my mind and heart. I personally was looking for any opportunity to
bring the genocide issue to surface. This became possible when AUA-
Australian Chapter received an invitation to attend an International
conference “portraits of Christian Asia minor conference on the
indigenous Christian peoples of Asia minor” (Hellenes, Armenians and
Assyrians), at Macquarie University, in Sydney –Australia, between
18 to 19 September 1999. AUA worked hard with the Assyrian Australian
Academic Society to make that conference a great success. The Turkish
Government tried hard to close this conference but the University
did not agree, they insisted that they will send a Turkish National
residing in London to speak in denials of the genocide on behalf of
t he Turkish Government, the Turkish councilor and representative
of other Turkish organizations attended that conference. Since then,
AUA in Australia advocated the Assyrian genocide issue and seeks the
governmental recognition.

Could you please tell us about your activities regarding this important
issue in Australia?

In June 200 2 the Assyrian Universal Alliance had written to Fairfield
City, requesting their support for AUA submission for the recognition
of the Assyrian Genocide by the New South Wales Council Association
(which represented 176 councils at that time in the State of NSW). The
recognition was intended to help us to apply for erecting a genocide
monument on Council public land. We were very pleased that the matter
was discussed at the Local Government Association Executive meeting
on 16 August 2002, which later resolved unanimously to support the
recognition of the genocide perpetrated against the Assyrian people
in the period 1914-1918. It was also resolved that information about
the matter be placed on the Lgov NSW web site, that the matter be
raised at the National General Assembly of Local Government, and
that the Premier of NSW and the Prime Minister be asked to support
the recognition of the Assyrian Genocide. Since then we started
regularly working on the genocide issue by inviting scholars to Sydney
to present to our Assyrian people and to our parliamentarians facts
about the genocide. Aiming to be able to get the genocide recognised
on governmental level. Never the less, continued work on the genocide
issue led us to erect with pride and dignity, the Assyrian genocide
monument in the centre of Fairfield district despite all the obstacles.

Is there a relationship if any between the Armenian National Committee
of Australia and AUA?

We have a very active and strong relationship with the ANC in Australia
for the past 5-6 years, which is reflected through meetings between
both committees, and collaboration in conducting meetings with
members of Parliament both State and Federal. AUA — Young Assyrians
also joined advocacy programs organised by the ANC in the Federal
Parliament of Australia. We also attend regularly many functions and
commemorations organised by them.

Where does AUA Chapter of Australia stand in pursuing the recognition
of the Assyrian Genocide by the Australian parliament?

Going through what I have said before, you will see that AUA-Australian
chapter have managed to build a foundation to obtain future recognition
of the Assyrian genocide, which started by involving AUA in taking
part and organising genocide conferences in the State Parliament of
NSW. Every 7th August, we used to hold a big commemoration of the
Assyrian Martyrs day, in collaboration with the Assyrian Church of
the East, at the Church reception after the mass, which u sed to
be packed by more than one thousand parishioners. The aim besides
remembering and paying our respect to the souls and memory of the
Assyrian Martyrs, was also intended to educate our people about this
genocide and the necessity of obtaining recognition. We had invited
scholars such as; Dr. Abdul Massih Saadi, Dr. Panayiotis Diamadis,
Malfono Sabri Atman, the late Lena Yackobova, Dr. Anahit Khosroyeva,
Dr. Racho Donef, Mr.Stavros T. Stavridis and many ot hers to speak
in genocide conferences and to our Youth so that we can have more
facts on our hands when we seek this genocide recognition.

After a historical day of unveiling the beautiful memorial monument
in Australia, and all that your organization has done for Seyfo, What
is the next goal in regards to recognition of the Assyrian Genocide?

Erecting the Assyrian genocide monument in a public place at
Bonnyrigg in south-west Sydney was an eye opener to the worldwide
Assyrians, to the Turkish government and the Australian public in
general. Its erection has angered Turkey and could jeopardise th e
relation between Turkey Australia and New Zealand. The Australian
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been seeking discussions
with the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs to resolve delays in
visas for Australian archaeologists travelling to Turkey. Turkish
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Selcuk Unal said; that Turkey condemned
opening of a so-called “Assyrian Genocide” Monument in Fairfield
region of Sydney on August 7, which “distorted history and accused
Turkey”.”We express regret over participation of federal executives
to this intentional activity which will not have any contribution to
relations of the two countries,” Unal told a written statement.

The monument was erected for noble intention, to educate mankind the
importance of remembering and learning fr om such dark chapters in
human history, to ensure that such crimes against humanity is not
allowed to be repeated. This monument will stand against any attempt
to use the passage of time and political influence to deny or distort
the historical truth of the genocide of the Assyrians, Armenians and
pontic Greeks. I am very pleased to say that two major achievements
were made just this year. In April 2012, we traveled to Armenia to
take part in the official unveiling of the Assyrian genocide monument
in Yerevan organized by the Assyrian Universal Alliance –Armenian
Chapter and in May 2012, we traveled to South Australia to attend the
official unveiling of the a genocide monument dedicated for the first
time, to the victims of the three nations- the Assyrians , Armenians
and Greeks and was organised by the Assyrian Universal Alliance —
Australian Chapter, the Pontian Brotherhood of South Australia, and
the Armenian Cultural Association of South Australia.We wil l continue
our efforts with our friends the Armenians and Greeks, in order for
the Australian Federal Government, as well as other countries, to
condemn these heinous acts committed against the three nations. We
will urge all international humanitarian institutions to pressure
Turkey to acknowledge and apologise for the atrocities its Ottoman
leaders committed against their Assyrian, Armenian and Pontic Greek
citizens during World War I.

Often we hear about AUA activities around the Genocide issue in
Australia. Where and when can we expect to see similar activities in
other Assyrian international communities?

The genocide recognition is very important to our nation, Assyrians
should be encouraged worldwide to follow Australia’s efforts. During
the genocide, Assyrians lost all their territories within the borders
of modern Turkey. At least 750,000 Assyrians were exterminated in
unbelievable horror scenes of massacres and deportations, and thousands
of children and women were abducted and forced into Turkification,
Kurdification and Islamisation. Therefore, we call upon our people
everywhere to support Seyfo. As we can see in recent years, history
is repeating itsel f for the Assyrian nation. Our people are being
systematically driven out from our ancestral lands in Iraq and
Syria. Assyrians have been subject to gross violations of their
rights. Murder, rape, assault, and forced conversions to Islam have
become commonplace as armed death squads attempt to force Assyrians
out of their habitats. After almost a century of lost lives, tragedy
and grief, Assyrians deserve recognition and an apology, not for the
sake of an almost-annihilated nation, but for the justice owed to
the fallen innocents whose cries for rectitude ring ever louder.

From: Baghdasarian

BHK BOYCOTTS NA FOUR-DAY SITTING

05:24 pm | Today | Politics

Secretary of the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) Naira Zohrabyan today
announced in the National Assembly that her party-mates would leave the
NA hall after the legislature finished discussing Prosecutor General’s
petition to rescind [BHK MP] Vartan Oskanian’s parliamentary immunity.

The party is going to boycott the four-day sitting of the Armenian
parliament. The party will also discuss and inform additionally about
the appropriateness of its participation in the NA sessions.

Naira Zohrabyan also called on her fellow colleagues to abstain from
the voting.

BHK MP Vahe Hovhannisyan said in his speech that by accusing the
former foreign minister [Vartan Oskanian] of money laundering Armenian
authorities are making a beautiful gift to Azerbaijan.

From: Baghdasarian