Author: Chalian Meline

The Armenian Genocide is not just part of the Armenian history, it’s not the pain of a particular country or people, it’s part of world history, George Clooney said at the Second Global Forum against the crime of Genocide under way in Yerevan.

It’s been a long struggle to have things called by their names, Clooney said. He said it’s hard because we live in a complex world, but added that “one cannot deny what has happened.”

“When someone is trying to annihilate a whole human race, culture, people, that’s genocide, there can be no other version of it.”

Time and time again we repeat “Never again” after Germany, but after that we have had Cambodia, Bosnia, Rwanda, Darfur. The truth is that it happens over and over again.

“What we are doing today has two objectives. First, we have to look back into the past and remember that  it’s not the pain of a particular country or people, it’s part of world history. Second, we need to move forward,” Clooney added.

The essence of the Aurora Prize is that the founders are trying to value the heroism of people, who risk their lives to ensure a better life for others, he stressed.

The Armenian Genocide Commemorative Committee has released the schedule of events to commemorate the 101st Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in Sydney and Melbourne, the Armenian National Committee of Australia reports.

This year, the National Armenian Genocide Commemoration Evening will be held on Sunday 24^th April from 7pm at the Willoughby Concourse Concert Hall, Victoria Avenue, Chatswood. The keynote speaker will be Professor Peter Stanley, Professor at the University of NSW (Canberra).

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan had a phone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Hasan Rouhani at the initiative of the Iranian side.

The Presidents discussed the situation at the line of contact between the armed forces of Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabakh.

President Sargsyan briefed his Iranian counterpart on the military attack of Azerbaijan and the adequate response of the NKR Defense Army.

The Armenian President made a special reference to the violence against civilians, comparing it to the actions of the well-known terrorist organizations.

President Rouhani stressed that against the background of attacks of terrorist organizations and current challenges, the outbreak of new tension in the region is in no one’s interest. He said it’s necessary to make every effort to resume the process of peaceful negotiations.

President Rouhani said there is no military solution to the Karabakh issue.

The Presidents of Armenia and Iran also discussed issues on bilateral agenda and agreed on the necessity of deepening the friendly relations and the mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.

Thirty- two Armenian soldiers have been killed, 121 wounded during the four days of military calshes along the Nagorno Karabakh line of contact, Colonel Victor Arustamyan, Head of the operative department of the NKR Defense Army, told a press conference today. He said that another 25 servicemen are missing.

He informed that the ceasefire violations continued all along the line of contact even after the parties agreed to cease all hostilities at midnight Tuesday. Col. Arustamyan said the rival used mortars in the northern direction of the frontline. He added that an Azerbaijani tank hit an ambulance in the northern direction.

This morning separate groups tried to attack and conquer military positions in the north, but failed to succeed.

Colonel Arustamyan gave clarifications about an Armenian military position left under Azerbaijani control. According to him, it’s of no strategic significance, as the area of its peak is 5 meters, and the height is 20 meters as compared to the overall landscape.

As for the reports that Azerbaijan is bringing its reserve troops to the frontline and preparing for a new attack, Victor Arustamyan said “the reserves are stationed not far from the frontline and it’s hard to assess the plans of a new attack.”

Dutch icon Johan Cruyff has died at the age of 68, the Daily Mail reports.

Cruyff, who represented Holland 48 times as well as playing for Ajax and Barcelona, passed away in Barcelona on Thursday after a battel with cancer.

A statement on Cruyff’s website read: ‘On March 24 2016 Johan Cruyff (68) died peacefully in Barcelona, surrounded by his family after a hard fought battle with cancer.

‘It’s with great sadness that we ask you to respect the family’s privacy during their time of grief.’

The Old Continent faces new security challenges because of the inflow of migrants, which, in turn, is a cause of concern for Armenians living in different European countries.

Representatives of some European Armenian communities say that the danger is always there even if all security measures seem to have been taken to prevent any act of terror.

Co-Chair of the Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations of France, ARF Bureau member Murad Papazian says “the actions of radical Islamists are targeted against the European nations, not government.” “Although the Armenian community is not targeted, accidental casualties are not excluded as it happened in Paris on November 13,” he said.

The Armenian community shares the common concerns of all Europeans, President of the Union of Armenian Academicians of Germany Azat Ordukhanyan told Public Radio of Armenia. He added, however, that there is no fear that the Armenian community could be targeted.

“The Armenian community in Germany does not have the weight to pose a threat to Islamists and radicals. I don’t think we have reason to worry in this respect,” he said.

Azat Ordukhanyan noted that there is a different problem in Germany connected with the existence of a large Turkish community, which has been trying on many occasions to prevent the activity of Armenian organizations. “This has always been a cause of concern for the Armenian community,” he said.

Hilda Tchoboian, Member of the French Rhône-Alpe Regional Parliament, noted that “all challenges threatening European citizens are a threat to the Armenian community, as well, but only because of being European citizens. Turkey’s presence is a bigger threat to the Armenian community, especially in case of Belgium,” she said.

Murad Papazian pointed out  the problems connected with Turkey, especially in France, where the process of criminalization of the Armenian Genocide denial is under way.

“The Armenian community becomes a target on April 24, or when the Parliament is considering some laws,” Papazian said.

Representatives of the Armenian community say the current situation cannot be an obstacle to the activity of the community organizations. They will continue implementing their programs, but will be more cautious.

A woman who invited US President Barack Obama to her home in Cuba has received a response from the president, as direct mail links between the two countries were restored, thе BBC reports.

Ileana Yarza, 76, wrote to Mr Obama in February, inviting him to have “a cup of Cuban coffee” at her home in Havana.

The president’s letter, thanking Ms Yarza, was dispatched to Cuba on Wednesday.

It was among the first batch of letters to reach Cuba from the US in 50 years.

Direct postal service between the two countries was suspended at the height of the Cold War, meaning mail was re-routed through other countries – usually Mexico or Canada.

Ms Yarza wrote to Mr Obama on 18 February after finding out he would be visiting Cuba in March, telling him: “There are not many Cubans so eager as I to meet you in person.”

The president thanked Ms Yarza for her support, adding that the letter “serves as a reminder of a bright new chapter in the relationship between [their] two nations.”

An American president has not traveled to Cuba in almost 90 years. But on March 20, President Obama will set foot on the island country that’s only 90 miles off the coast of Florida. The visit is a historic milestone after more than a year of progress from the day in December of 2014 when the President first announced he was abandoning a failed, Cold War-era approach to Cuba in favor of a new course to normalize relations.

The names of the Aurora Prize finalists are already known. The four candidates are Marguerite Barankitse, from Maison Shalom and REMA Hospital in Burundi; Dr. Tom Catena, from Mother of Mercy Hospital in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan; Syeda Ghulam Fatima, the General Secretary of the Bonded Labor Liberation Front in Pakistan; and Father Bernard Kinvi, a Catholic priest in Bossemptele in the Central African Republic.

The Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity is a new global award that will be given annually to individuals who put themselves at risk to enable others to survive. Recipients will be recognized for the exceptional impact their actions have made on preserving human life and advancing humanitarian causes, having overcome significant challenges along the way. One of the four finalists, the ultimate Aurora Prize Laureate, will receive a grant of US$100,000 and the chance to continue the cycle of giving by nominating organizations that inspired his or her work for a US$1 million award.

“This project is extremely important for Armenia and the Armenian people, as it builds on the deep philosophy that we, Armenians, are a winning nation,” Director of Communications at 100 LIVES and The Aurora Prize Armine Afeyan told reporters in Yerevan today.

According to 100LIVES and Aurora Prize project CEO Arman Jilavyan, the prize pursues concrete goals. “We are a winning nation, a grateful nation. We can express gratitude to the world in the name of the whole nation. Having passed through a hellish road, today we have a concrete goal and mission. First of all, it’s humanity, and Armenia can and must become one of the centers of it,” he added.

One of the four finalists will be announced as the inaugural Aurora Prize Laureate during a ceremony in Yerevan, Armenia on April 24, 2016. Selection Committee Co-Chair George Clooney will present the award.

Photo: Getty Images

Borussia Dortmund have been charged by Uefa after 17 Tottenham fans were injured in a crush before last week’s Europa League first leg, The Guardian reports.

Fans were hurt as they struggled to enter the Westfalenstadion before the last-16 game and Uefa has opened disciplinary proceedings against the German club.

Uefa’s control, ethics and disciplinary body has charged Dortmund with blocking stairways at the ground, which would breach Article 38 of the safety and security regulations. The case will be heard on 19 May.

Spurs fans were treated for injuries caused by police pepper spray while another reportedly had to be carried away on a stretcher.

The congestion developed as supporters were redirected towards a different entrance into the stadium shortly before kick-off.

Dortmund police said the late arrival of Spurs fans had created unexpected pressure on the entrances, which had to be temporarily closed.

A statement read: “In order to prevent an uncontrolled entrance of the followers of Tottenham, pepper spray and baton was used by the police, in which 17 English supporters were slightly injured due to eye irritation. Furthermore, a police officer and five employees of the security service were wounded in the course of these measures.”

Tottenham lost the last 16 match 3-0, with the second leg to be played at White Hart Lane on Thursday.

“It’s important for CSTO states and their parliamentary delegations to demonstrate a balanced stance on international platforms and refrain from statements not meeting the interests of separate CSTO member states and the CSTO as a whole,” Vice-President of the Armenian National Assembly Edward Sharmazanov said, addressing the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly sitting in Yerevan.

“Unfortunately, in some cases certain CSTO member states not only fail to defend their allies on international platforms, but also express positions contradicting the official stance of the CSTO. This is impermissible and we have to do the utmost to exclude these negative phenomena in the future,” Sharmazanov said.

Speaking about expressions of terrorism, racism and xenophobia, the Vice-Speaker said “it’s a challenge not only to the CSTO, but also the humanity at large” and urged to say a decisive “no” to all vicious phenomena.

Sharmazanov noted that “the situation at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border remains tense.” “We have always stood for exceptionally peaceful resolution of all problems, particularly the Nagorno Karabakh conflict within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group based on the three well-known principles. The use of force or the threat of force should not be only unacceptable to, but also condemnable by all of us,” he said, adding that it’s the only way to prevent future threats.