Author: Boshkezenian Garik

THE COLOROSO CONTROVERSY, CONTINUED

Quillblog
blog/?p=2027&akst_action=share-this
May 22 2008
Canada

There’s more reaction to the Toronto District School Board’s decision
to pull Barbara Coloroso’s Extraordinary Evil from a Grade 11 course
(see Quillblog past). The Board was bowing to pressure from the
local Turkish community over references to the Armenian genocide
in Coloroso’s book, a characterization Turkey has always vehemently
denied.

Now The Writers’ Union of Canada chair Susan Swan has posted a
statement about the case on its website. It reads, in part:

It is completely unacceptable for those responsible for educating the
citizens of tomorrow to remove valuable titles every time an interest
group brings forth a complaint. If so, your library shelves would be
bare indeed.

Swan adds that she’ll also be lobbying TDSB executive Gerry Connelly
directly. At the time of this post, still no official statement from
Coloroso’s publisher, Penguin Canada.

LOSS OF NORASHEN TO RESULT IN LOSS OF ARMENIAN COMMUNITY OF TBILISI

PanARMENIAN.Net
20.05.2008 19:01 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Georgian leadership’s encroachment on another
Armenian church, Norashen, once gain proved Tbilisi’s hostility not
only toward the Armenian state but also toward the Armenian nation and
its ethno-cultural and religious monuments, an Armenian expert said.

"These moves record a long history, amid Armenian Apostolic Church’s
absolute inactivity and Armenian Catholicosate’s neglect of the
problems of Armenians in Tbilisi and Samtskhe Javakheti," Hrant
Melik-Shahnazaryan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

"During the 10-year confrontation, the AAC is ceding its positions
within the Armenian society of Georgia, while the GOC is putting
down roots among the Armenians in Tbilisi and Samtskhe Javakheti and,
furthermore, launched expansion over Lori," he said.

Loss of Norashen will inevitably result in loss of the Armenian
community of Tbilisi, what will be followed by final degradation and
de-ethnization of Samtskhe Javakheti. We are hopeful that His Holiness
Garegin II will manifest as true Catholicos and will not leave the
Tbilisian Armenians in this severe struggle. The more so because,
it’s the Catholicos who will be responsible for the loss of Norashen,"
Melik-Shahnazaryan said.

EXTENDED SESSION OF A COUNCIL SUPPORTING BUSINESSMEN CONDUCTED TODAY

ARMENPRESS
May 15, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 15, ARMENPRESS: An extended session of a council of
support to businessmen affiliated to the Armenian prime minister
took place today chaired by the head of the council, Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsian.

Governmental press service told Armenpress that besides the members
of the council leadership of customs and tax committees, chairman
of the Protection of Armenian Competitiveness Commission, heads of
non-governmental and other organizations participated in the session
which discussed issues on strategy of the council stemming from the
Armenia’s government’s program and its further activity.

Opening the session Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsian said that
the newly formed government underscores the activity of the council
the main issue of which is to create such a business environment in
the country which will not only be considered the best one in the
region but will compete on an international level.

Referring to the main aim of the meeting, the prime minister said
that they are three – first to discuss the approaches the newly
formed government has adopted and which are put in the basis of the
program of the government, second, to discuss with the businessmen
the existing issues and what organizational approaches are necessary
for the council to work more effectively, and the third to discuss
the program of the council for 2008-2009.

Tigran Sargsian presented in details his viewpoints connected with the
implementation of the goals of the council, implementation of reforms,
establishment of state-private sector cooperation.

The representatives of business environment underscored in their
speeches the necessity of constructive dialogue, ensuring participation
of the private sector in the implementation of the government’s
program, consolidation of trust towards each other for reaching real
reforms in the country.

They positively assessed the open discussions conducted over important
issues with unprecedented bravery, publicity and suggestions. The
businessmen said that the reforms inspire hope that the fight against
corruption, shadow economy, sponsorship and other bad phenomena will
be more effective.

After the exchange of opinions, prime minister assigned to present
all remarks and suggestions over the strategy of the council to its
secretariat in two weeks. He said after their discussion in smaller
membership the document will be presented at an extended session.

Panorama.am

18:53 17/05/2008

MUSEUMS AS AGENTS

Today -Museum Night 2008- started in the frames of the
event all the participant museums are open from 18:00
till 01:00 to the art lovers audience said Gagik
Gyurjyan deputy minister of culture.

-Museums Night 2008 is organized under -Museums as
social reforms and development agent- project. During
the project the museums will present not only the main
and usual works of art but those kept in the restore
and which do not correspond to the direction of the
certain museum,- said the deputy minister.

According to Anahit Galstyan the head of the museums
and library department of the culture ministry
approximately all Armenian museums take part in the
project. Note that Armenia is a part of the current
initiative since 2005.

Source: Panorama.am

MEMORY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS COMMEMORATED IN KUWAIT

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 15, 2008

EL KUWEIT, MAY 15, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. The memory of the
victims of the Armenian Genocide was commemorated in Kuwait on April
24. For the purpose of attending the commemoration events Kiro Manoyan,
Hay Dat and Political Affairs Office Director, was in Kuwait.

He visited the national college of the colony, where he took part in
other April 24 events. College director Manuk Manukian introduced a
report to the students of the college on the proceedings of Hay Dat.

A great number of young people commemorated the memory of the victims
of the Armenian Genocide in the St. Vardanants church on April 23. The
control evening held under the sponsorship of Archbishop Koryun
Papian was organized by the ARF Kuwait "Christapor" youth union and
"Hrayr Hell" youthful union.

PEOPLE ARE COMPELLED TO HUNGER-STRIKE

A1+
[07:55 pm] 15 May, 2008

Today at 17.30 member of the "New Times" Party Hrachya Sargssian
went on a hunger-strike at the Prosecutor’s Office. He demands that
Chairman of the "New Times" Party Aram Karapetian be released and
his case be annulled.

Hrachya Sargssian decided to take extreme measures when he learnt
that the Chairman was in a dreadful health state. "The authorities
compel me to a hunger-strike. They are trying to prolong the detention
term putting Karapetian’s life at stake. As it turns out it has been
useless to convince the authorities that an innocent, decent person,
a political leader and a Doctor of Science mustn’t be kept under
arrest for his political views", complains Hrachya Sargssian.

While Sargssian arranged to inform the Prosecutor about his
hunger-strike in writing, a group of women staged a protest action
in defense of Aram Karapetian.

Today Hrant Khachatrian, Chairman of the "Constitutional Rights Union"
was also at the Prosecutor’s Office with the same demand.

"Aram Karapetian was detained even before March 1. As far as I know
they have not even started the investigation process. The authorities
do their best to keep intelligent people in isolation. It is quite
obvious that Aram Karapetian is a political prisoner."

AZERI SOLDIERS CHARGED WITH HIGH TREASON GET LONG PRISON TERMS

Azeri Press Agency
May 15 2008
Azerbaijan

Baku, 15 May: The Military Court for Serious Crimes has issued its
verdict on five soldiers from a Fuzuli [district partly-occupied by
Armenia]-based military unit of the Defence Ministry who have been
charged with cooperating with the Armenian secret services.

Mubariz Sixaliyev and Seyran Ismiyev were sentenced to 14 years, Nofal
Babayev, Samaddin Quliyev and Famil Agayev were sentenced to 13 years
in prison respectively under the ruling issued by judge Islam Nematov
who presided over the trial. The defendants were charged under Articles
274 (high treason) and 338.1 (violation of military service rules)
[of the Criminal Code].

Z. POSTANJYAN INFORMED BY PRIME MINISTER

Panorama.am
19:17 13/05/2008

Zaruhi Postanjyan, NA deputy and the member of the permanent committee
on the state-legal affairs has sent a written request to the Government
and the Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan for getting in formation
about Teghut mining exploitation, said Postanjyan who took part in
"SOS Teghut" bicycle campaign in 9-11 May.

"There we have presented information about the loss of natural
resources in the case of the mining exploitation, as well as about
the destruction and pollution of ecological system," said the deputy.

According to her they have sent ten questions to the Government on what
steps the RA Government takes to examine the resources of molybdenum
and other unique metals, how much the revenues to the state budget
will form, who the 81% owner of Teghut mining is regarding that
Russian citizen Valeri Mejlumyan owns only 19%.

Postanjyan considers it quite possible that 81% belongs to an Armenian
official.

According to Zaruhi Postanjyan the state budget will not have much
profit from that business as only foreign investors will get use of
it. "If we not stop Teghut exploitation, in the future we just can’t
live in Armenia," she said and added that if the exploitation starts
we’ll become an old mannered country where the workers get 40.000
drams for working in According to Postanjyan the Prime Minister also
said that "we should work through legal aspect to act against the
implementation of it."

5 ARMENIAN BOXERS TO TAKE PART IN INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT IN SPAIN

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 13, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 13, NOYAN TAPAN. Five members of the Armenian boxing
national team have left for Spain on May 12 to take part in the
International Boxing Tournament. Hovhannes Danielian (48 kg), Hrachya
Javakhian (60 kg), Edward Hambartsumian (64 kg), and Andranik Hakobian
(75 kg) among them have a permit to take part in the Bejing 2008
Olympic Games.

THE AUTHORITIES AND THE OPPOSITION SHOULD WORK TOGETHER TO RESTORE THE COUNTRY’S IMAGE

armradio.am
14.05.2008 15:38

"Requirements of the PACE resolution will be implemented by the
Armenian authorities. I’m sure, however, that these refer to both
the authorities and the opposition, because the steps directed
at normalizing the political situation in the country should be
taken on both sides," Secretary of the Prosperous Armenia faction
of the National assembly Aram Safaryan told a press conference
today. According to him, the opposition and the authorities should
work together to keep high the country’s rating and restore the
harmed rimage.

"The problems existing in the country will be solved when the
atmosphere gets healthier, while certain time will be needed towards
that end," Aram Safaryan said. In his opinion, it is necessary for
the authorities and the opposition to be tolerant towards each other
and take steps in the direction of fulfilling the requirements of the
PACE resolution. According to his assessment, the attitude towards
members of government is not negative, the society is optimistic
about the steps the Government has promised to make.

According to Aram Safaryan, the authorities deal with two political
layers.

The first is the part of society, which is discontent because of
social problems, inconsistency of beliefs. "This part of society is
rather large, and we saw the expression of it on March 1-2. Solution
of the existing problems is the immediate task of the Government,"
the MP noted. The second layer is the political force that has
assembled around the first President. Mr. Safaryan is assured
that these politicians will later unite into a front or party,
which is positive because in this case the political struggle will
proceed legally and openly. The opposition’s activity should also
be transparent for the public. Only in this case we can speak about
civil ways of serious political struggle.