Author: Chatinian Lara

Times Colonist (Victoria, British Columbia)
December 4, 2004 Saturday
Final Edition
Religion’s role in violence
by Douglas Todd, CanWest News Service
VANCOUVER
University of B.C. psychology professor Ara Norenzayan grew up in
Beirut, Lebanon, during a savage religion-fuelled war between
Christians and Muslims.
As an altar boy in the Armenian Orthodox Church, he sensed the power
of religion for good and evil.
He also became familiar with death.
Now, 15 years after emigrating to North America at the peak of
Lebanon’s bloody conflict, Norenzayan is returning to his roots to
research the relationship between faith, thoughts of death and
violence.
The soft-spoken social psychologist has received a $105,000
three-year grant from Canada’s National Research Council to deepen
his exploration into why people become religious — and why some of
those who turn to religion also turn to hatred.
Devising unique psychological experiments, Norenzayan has already
discovered that the more people are exposed to the reality of death,
the more likely they are to believe in “supernatural agents,” like
God, angels or ancestral spirits.
He’s also concluded that prominent scientists, such as Richard
Dawkins, are off track when they argue belief in God is, along with
the atomic bomb, the greatest danger to world peace.
Norenzayan’s studies suggest antagonism toward outsiders is not a
result of belief in God. It’s the byproduct of people finding a sense
of identity in a religious group.
To find out if there is a link between thoughts of death and belief
in the supernatural, Norenzayan devised two series of tests, one
involving hundreds of students at UBC and another involving subjects
in Malaysia.
He asked one group to write essays about death, reflect on pain in
the context of mortality and read a short story about a boy who dies.
He asked the control group to think about pain in relation to
visiting a dentist and read a story about a boy who
doesn’t die.
Norenzayan and his team found subjects asked to contemplate death
were much more likely than those who weren’t to report they strongly
believe in supernatural agents.
Norenzayan says his experiments are the first to provide “solid
empirical evidence” to back up theories by Soren Kierkegaard and
Ernest Becker that humans become religious because they’re capable of
recognizing they will die.
“One of the definitions of religion is it’s a way of dealing with
anxiety-provoking thoughts,” Norenzayan says in his tidy third-floor
office overlooking the forest and ocean surrounding UBC.
“All religions say death is not literally death, that mortality is
not the end of our being.”
Norenzayan — who maintains he’s not a “strict” religious believer,
despite maintaining ties to the Armenian Orthodox Church — says it’s
shocking how little research psychologists have done into the origins
and effects of spirituality.
“Most academics are blind to the power of religion.”
A typical psychology textbook, he says, contains virtually no mention
of religion, despite the 19th-century American founder of psychology,
William James, devoting a great deal of energy to the subject.
“Most psychologists have no idea why two people who are probably
equally religious — the Dalai Lama and Osama bin Laden — could end
up being so different, with one teaching peace and one preaching
violence,” he says.
With his grant, Norenzayan plans to make his first trip to Lebanon
since he left at age 18. He’ll explore more deeply the impression he
developed as a young man in the war-torn country that spiritual
beliefs can be exploited by leaders to foment aggression against
outsiders.
And he’ll continue his experiments into why religion can breed both
peace-loving tolerance and intolerant fury, both in the Middle East
and North America.
Norenzayan recognizes religion isn’t the only cause of violence, but
he also believes it “is at the top of the list of ideologies that can
kill.”
Norenzayan and his graduate student, Ian Hansen, have discovered it’s
not spiritual devotion that causes violence.
Norenzayan’s work builds on studies of Palestinian Muslims by his
alma mater, the University of Michigan, where researchers found the
more often Palestinian Muslims attended mosque, the more they
supported suicide terrorism.
There was no link, however, between Palestinians’ support for
violence and how often they prayed at home.
The goal of one of Norenzayan’s experiments was to test North
Americans on their tolerance of religious pluralism. In effect, he
wanted to explore how subjects would respond to someone like the main
character in Yann Martel’s book, The Life of Pi, who claims he’s a
Hindu, a Muslim and a Christian.
Norenzayan’s team discovered Buddhists were most tolerant of
followers of other religions. Christians were less tolerant and
Muslims were the least tolerant.
Norenzayan believes that may be because Christianity and Islam
provide more group cohesion, leading to a belief there’s only one
true religion.
They also found that thinking about death can foster religious
tolerance.
Norenzayan found study participants who were reminded frequently
about death were more likely to believe in supernatural agents from
not only their own religion, but from other religions.
“There’s an old saying: ‘In a storm, voyagers will believe in any god
to rescue them.’ To some extent, it’s hopeful that people facing
death will consider addressing other supernatural agents,” says
Norenzayan.
But his research also led him to a more negative side-effect tied to
when people think often about death: They become less accepting of
people who don’t belong to their culture.
Many Christians, for instance, became less tolerant of Jews.
More intense thoughts about death “seemed to make people draw
stronger cultural boundaries.”
Norenzayan is also wondering what the ramifications of his research
are for North America since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001,
which made a lot more North Americans anxious about their mortality.
He believes the terrorist attacks created a unique experimental
condition for a study of how increasing consciousness of death
affects religious tolerance.
“Sept. 11,” he says, “was one humongous manipulation of North
Americans’ thoughts about death.”
GRAPHIC: Photo: Glenn Baglo, CanWest News Service; Professor Ara
Norenzayan is a psychology instructor who has just received a grant
to study the relationship between faith, thoughts of death and
violence.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NAIRA MELKUMIAN: ARTSAKH IS STILL THE MOST SENSITIVE SPOT FOR ARMENIAN NATION
Azg/arm
4 Dec 04
Naira Melkumian, president of “Armenia” Pan-Armenian Fund is sure that
Artsakh remains the most sensitive spot for the Armenian
nation. According to Mrs. Melkumian the results of the telethon held
to assemble money for Nagorno Karabakh’s strategic North-South highway
“unprecedented”. The sum gathered reaches $11 million.
The Fund’s office hosted journalists yesterday where
Mrs. Melkumianthanked the major benefactors Luiz-Simon Manukian ($2
millions), Eduardo Ernekian ($1.5 million), Hrayr and Gevorg
Hovnanian, Sargis Hakobian, Caroline Mugar, Gerard Gefestchian and Ara
Abrahamian.
“Ara Abrahamian called us and told jokingly how could we held telethon
without his participation”, Mrs. Melkumian said. President of the
World Armenian Congress and head of the Armenians’ Union of Russia
presented $250 thousand.
“I want to express my gratitude to AGBU and its head Pertch Sedrakian,
the FAR (Fund for Armenian Relief) and OAR (Organization for Armenian
Relief), our organizations on western and eastern shores of the US,
local administrationof France and Petros Terzian, Armenian Assembly of
America, our 3 traditional parties, our churches, Catholicos Karekin
II, Catholicos of Cilicia Aram I,head of Katoghike Church Nerses
Petros X, the heads of Armenian Evangelical churches”, Mrs. Melkumian
said.
Armenian embassies all over the world were actively endorsing the
telethon. Mrs. Melkumian singled out the names of Ara Ayvazyan and
Areg Hovhannisian ambassadors to Argentina and Lebanon respectively.
Mrs. Melkumian is sure that the Fund carries out its mission, which is
to bring relief to those Armenians who need help the most. “Artsakh is
still the most sensitive spot for Armenian nation”, she said. Naira
Melkumian considers the telethon not simply a means for rising money
but a nationwide act of patriotism.
What makes this years’ telethon a special one is the fact that Armenia
and Artsakh together assembled $1.1 million, $500 of which have been
already transferred to the Fund. The sum assembled in France (800
thousand euros) and the number of families participating in the
telethon (11.500) were also surprising. Perhaps the results of a
phonethon held in Armenia and rising 15 million AMD was also
surprising.
Mrs. Melkumian was reluctant to speak of an article by former employee
of the Fund, Tigran Paskevichian, published in Aravot daily but only
noted that Mr. Paskevichian should not have signed under it. In his
article titled “Pan-Armenian Fund or a Rich Club?” Mr. Paskevichian
criticized the telethon. If the article were written 2 years ago when
Mr. Paskevichian was still working atthe Fund it would be only
welcomed.
It must be noted that the rich were not the only participants of the
telethon. Roughly counting, only 8 million was assigned by rich
Armenians, 3 million was gathered due to common people, and that is
more than 2.5 million gathered last year. Besides, number of
participants of Telethon-2004 was much more than those of previous
years. Mrs. Melkumian refuted the rumors that huge sums were allocated
for organizational needs. “We spent less money this year than all
previous years”, she said.
Besides the $11 million assembled for the North-South highway, there
were money transferred for other projects as well.
By Tatoul Hakobian

Armenian MP upbeat on future cooperation with NATO
Hayots Ashkharh, Yerevan
3 Dec 04
Armenian MP Mger Shakhgeldyan has said that the Armenian MPs’ failure
to attend a NATO-sponsored seminar in Baku will not affect the
country’s relations with the North Atlantic alliance. In his interview
with the Hayots Ashkharh newspaper, Shakhgeldyan said that Armenia
wants to develop even more the potential of its participation in this
organization. Touching on Azerbaijan’s statements that NATO should be
involved in the Karabakh conflict settlement, the Armenian MP said
such a development of events is impossible since the NATO
secretary-general recently said that the organization is not going to
engage in the settlement of the problem. The following is the text of
Vaan Vardanyan’s report by Armenian newspaper Hayots Ashkharh on 3
December headlined “NATO will not intervene”. Subheadings have been
inserted editorially:
Armenia wants to develop cooperation with NATO
It is known that the Armenian parliamentary delegation did not have
the opportunity to take part in the event initiated by the NATO
Parliamentary Assembly that took place in Baku. The chairman of the
defence, national security and interior affairs commission of the
National Assembly, Mger Shakhgeldyan, comments on the further
prospects of our delegation’s activity in NATO.
[Hayots Ashkharh correspondent] Will the fact that the Armenian
delegation did not take part in the Baku NATO seminar not create
problems in the sense of our future work in the NATO Parliamentary
Assembly?
[Mger Shakhgeldyan] I do not think there will be a problem, as we did
not take part because of the known situation. It was too late when we
received a reply on behalf of the secretary-general of the
Parliamentary Assembly connected with our worry. Technically, our
departure was already impossible and the seminar was coming to an
end. That was also the position of political forces.
Incidentally, it should be emphasized that we received no reply from
the Azerbaijani party. Moreover, during a meeting with the mass media,
the chairman of the Azerbaijani parliament said making no secret that
they were not interested in the Armenian delegation’s participation
and it is very good that the Armenian party did not come. In such a
situation, our departure was simply senseless.
Certainly, in the future we shall continue acting in the NATO
Parliamentary Assembly and we want to use more effectively and develop
even more the potential of our participation in that structure.
Azerbaijan has no privileged right of membership
[Correspondent] But the Azerbaijani party is spreading rumours that
their positions in the Assembly have become so strong that they want
to become a permanent member from an associated one. Is that possible?
[Shakhgeldyan] Anyway, there was no such problem connected with the
autumn session. I do not think that Azerbaijan will be given a
privilege in this matter in comparison with other countries of the
region. The abovementioned problem is connected with how much
Azerbaijan will develop on its way of integration into NATO. They
declare this from time to time, in this sense, there is a difference
between our and their positions in the Parliamentary Assembly. But
today we can preserve the balance.
[Correspondent] Does it mean that Azerbaijan may gain the status of a
permanent member only after becoming a competent member of the NATO
military and political structures?
[Shakhgeldyan] It is possible in an unofficial sense. Because from the
official point of view, the Parliamentary Assembly and NATO are
independent from each other. Stemming from a number of approaches, if
Azerbaijan declares that it is joining other structures of NATO, I do
not rule out that such an issue may arise in the Assembly.
[Correspondent] May Turkey’s support play a decisive role in this
matter?
[Shakhgeldyan] Certainly, Turkey greatly supports Azerbaijan. It is
also clear that Turkey is an old and one of the most important members
of NATO. But I would not say that its support can have a decisive
role. Discussions in the Assembly are free and on the whole, a
viewpoint is being formed regarding any country not only taking
account of its desires, but also many other problems. We are acting
towards the establishment of friendly relations, but Turkey’s support
for Azerbaijan is very big.
NATO’s involvement in Karabakh settlement impossible
[Correspondent] The Azerbaijani party has announced once again that
they think that the involvement of a NATO force in the process of the
regional and especially the Karabakh issue settlement is
expedient. May such initiatives be important in the sense of
strengthening Azerbaijan’s positions?
[Shakhgeldyan] NATO itself should make a decision to take part in this
process. I think at present, irrespective of Azerbaijan’s desires and
readiness, such a development of events is impossible. The NATO
secretary-general recently announced in Armenia that NATO is not going
to be involved in the settlement of the Karabakh issue.
Certainly, NATO is extending its presence in the South Caucasus, but
as they say, they are watching the Karabakh issue only within the
framework of the OSCE Minsk Group. Let us not forget that the role of
the USA in NATO is significant, and if the American co-chairman of the
Minsk Group says that they consider the continuation of the Minsk
Group’s activity to be important, so… [ellipsis as given]

Armenia supplying prostitutes for international trafficking – research shows
Arminfo
1 Dec 04
YEREVAN
Armenia is a country that supplies prostitutes for international
trafficking in countries like Turkey, the United Arab Emirates,
Germany, Greece, the USA and other western European countries. This is
the result of research conducted by the Armenian-European centre for
economic policy and legal consultations (AEPLAC).
According to the research, most of these women are being trafficked to
Turkey and the USA (61.4 per cent and 29.5 per cent respectively). A
considerably small number of them are trafficked to Bulgaria and
Poland (2.3 per cent each).
The trafficked women are mainly from Yerevan, Gyumri and Vanadzor – 33
per cent of them are from Yerevan, 30 from Gyumri and 18 from
Vanadzor. The research showed that in most cases, women leaving the
country are planning to work in their new place of residence (76.2 per
cent), including prostitution (18.6 per cent). As usual, the victims
of trafficking are women who have economic difficulties and represent
the poorest strata of urban society.

Azerbaijan protests at Russian National Bank activity in Karabakh
ANS Radio, Baku
29 Nov 04

Azerbaijan’s National Bank has sent a protest letter to the president
of the Russian National Bank [Vladimir Stepanov].
Azerbaijan officially protested that Russian banks are setting up
branches in the Armenian occupied territories of Azerbaijan and they
are transferring money to those branches.
[Passage omitted: background information]
If we are to trust the president of the Russian National Bank, he
himself [Stepanov] and the appropriate bodies have to make sure that
Russian banks do not cooperate with Nagornyy Karabakh’s separatist
government.

CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS AWARDED BRILLIANT ARARAT ORDER OF TEKEYAN
CULTURAL UNION
YEREVAN, Novmber 29 (Noyan Tapan). On November 26, Catholicos of All
Armenians Karekin II received in the Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin
members of the Armenian Tekeyan Cultural Union’s Central Department
headed by Ruben Mirzakhanian, the union chairman.
Having congratulated His Holiness on the 5th anniversary of his
accession, R. Mirzakhanian noted his activities dedicated to the
church building and beneficial to the nation and highlighted the the
Armenian Patriarch’s efforts aimed at church building, Christian
education of the young generation, preparation of a new generation of
the clergy able to keep up with the times.
According to the Information System of the Mother See of Holy
Echmiadzin, in appreciation of the national and cultural activities
and the 5-year fruitful activities of Catholicos of All Armenians
Karekin II R. Mirzakhanian awarded him the highest order of the
Tekeyan cultural union – the brillian “Ararat” order.

Separatist minister says Baku-proposed UN debates confuse Karabakh talks
Arminfo, Yerevan
25 Nov 04
Stepanakert, 25 November: The foreign minister of the Nagornyy
Karabakh Republic [NKR], Ashot Gulyan, has described the initiation by
Azerbaijan of UN discussions on the issue of the so-called “occupied
territories” as an attempt to disorientate the Nagornyy Karabakh
settlement process. He said this at a plenary session of the NKR
National Assembly while commenting on the state of the Karabakh
settlement at the request of deputies.
Arminfo’s own correspondent reports from Stepanakert that the NKR
foreign minister pointed out that neither the OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairmen, nor the countries interested in settling the conflict
approve of Baku’s actions. The minister expressed the opinion that
the discussions which started on 23 November had been postponed at
the initiative of Azerbaijan itself since the Baku government had
doubts about whether it would be possible to gain a sufficient number
of votes to adopt a resolution.
Asked about the participation of the Karabakh side in the negotiations,
Ashot Gulyan pointed out that the negotiating process has no
point without Nagornyy Karabakh. “The co-chairmen have made that
clear. However, the matter is that the negotiating process does not
exist today as such, there are only consultations on the Karabakh
problem,” Ashot Gulyan said.

UPI Hears…
UPI
November 24, 2004 Wednesday 3:00 PM EST
WASHINGTON, Nov. 24
Insider notes from United Press International for Nov. 24
[parts omitted]
Is there a thaw in the decades-old cold war between Armenia and
Turkey? Armenian President Robert Kocharyan is urging Turkey to abandon
its 11-year blockade of the country. After a shooting war broke out
between Azerbaijan and Armenia in 1991, Turkey shut its border with
Armenia to show solidarity with Azerbaijan, still involved in long
and bitter territorial dispute with Armenia. Kocharyan said, “Turkey
is blockading Armenia, one can only call that harassment.” Relations
between Armenia and Turkey have been strained since World War I over
the killing of 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Turks between 1915
and 1923. This is a charge Turkey denies. Making a peace offering,
Kocharyan said that Armenia would not insist Turkey admit to genocide
for talks on normalizing relations to proceed, commenting, “For us, the
recognition of the genocide of Armenians in 1915 by Turks is certainly
very important, but it will never be a condition for the development
of bilateral relations. If Ankara recognized this fact, it would be
a significant step forward in the direction of normalizing relations.”

L’Express
22 novembre 2004
Spécial Lyon; Les grandes familles; Pg.12 N. 2786
Byzance-sur-Rhône: Bahadourian
par Chabriac François
C’est une histoire de négociants arméniens opiniâtres. Une épopée
familiale. Après avoir tout perdu plusieurs fois, les Bahadourian ont
surmonté leur déracinement pour devenir d’importants commerçants
lyonnais. Leur plus vieux magasin, dans le quartier de la
Guillotière, fait partie du patrimoine culturel de la ville. Un souk
regorgeant de produits exotiques, ouvert par le fondateur, Gabriel.
Un homme qui a vécu deux fois l’exode, avant de s’établir à Lyon.
Au départ, les Bahadourian étaient de riches éleveurs du centre de
l’Anatolie. Plus de 3 000 moutons et un commerce florissant de peaux,
de blé et d’huile de lin. En 1915, le génocide arménien perpétré par
les Turcs les chasse vers le désert de Jordanie, où Nichan, père de
Gabriel, meurt. Le garçon se retrouve au Liban, à vendre du pain dans
le port de Beyrouth pour aider sa famille à vivre. Lorsqu’en 1918 ils
reviennent en Turquie, tout a été saisi. “Avec les seules réserves
d’huile de lin, ils auraient été riches, soupire Armand, l’un des
fils de Gabriel. Mais il n’y avait plus rien. Il a fallu repartir de
zéro.” Gabriel travaille alors pour un riche marchand, qui lui
accorde sa confiance, puis la main de sa fille. Le jeune se révèle
très doué en affaires et prospère sur une devise simple: “Ne jamais
dire “je n’en ai pas”.” Il sillonne les routes, de l’Orient à
l’Oural, pour dénicher ce que les autres n’ont justement pas. Il
vendra même des automobiles Berliet (produites à Lyon) avant de
découvrir la ville.
Tous les produits exotiques en stock
En 1928, bien renfloué, il rend visite à l’un de ses frères, Sahag,
qui a immigré en France comme une partie de la diaspora. Gabriel
décide de rester, perdant au passage une partie de ce qu’il possède,
qu’un nouvel associé gardera. Il vit d’abord en clandestin, puis
décide d’ouvrir une échoppe. Comme il y a déjà trois épiciers
arméniens dans le quartier où son frère est boucher, près des
actuelles Halles de Lyon, on lui conseille d’aller ailleurs. C’est
ainsi que les Bahadourian s’installent durablement, en 1929, dans le
quartier de la Guillotière.
Longtemps village où dormaient les voyageurs, lorsque les portes de
Lyon étaient fermées, la Guillotière abrite d’importantes communautés
arabes et asiatiques. Gabriel s’y spécialise dans l’épicerie
orientale, puis fait venir, pour les Ashkénazes fuyant la Pologne,
des harengs blancs de la Baltique et des cornichons au sel de Russie.
Son négoce propose bientôt tous les produits exotiques dont manquent
les déracinés.
Il importe en grosses quantités, que l’on conditionne en famille. Il
faut griller le café, le moudre et le mettre en sachets. Remplir des
bouteilles de rhum de la Martinique, arrivé par fûts de 300 litres.
Gabriel ouvre ensuite un entrepôt pour vendre en gros et confie à son
fils Armand, qui vient d’achever ses études, le magasin de détail.
“Tu te mets à la caisse, et tu n’en bouges pas”, dit-il. Quarante ans
plus tard, Armand, 62 ans, s’y trouve toujours.
Le magasin est passé de 40 à 600 m2
Petit à petit, le fils rachète les boutiques voisines. “Dès que je
gagnais un sou, raconte-t-il, je réinvestissais. Papa disait
toujours, en arménien, que les dettes sont le fouet du travail.” En
quatre décennies, le magasin passe de 40 à 600 mètres carrés. Il
occupe désormais tout le pâté de maisons. Au-dessous, une vraie
caverne d’Ali Baba. Armand Bahadourian a fait forer les murs des
caves, à mesure qu’il les rachetait, afin de pouvoir circuler de
l’une à l’autre. Un vrai dédale voûté, qui déborde d’épices, de
semoules, de condiments, de céramiques. Lorsqu’un client ne trouve
pas son bonheur, il arrive qu’il le fasse descendre dans ses
réserves, pour choisir. Emotion garantie. Le sous-sol faisant lui
aussi tout le pâté de maisons, les plaques des rues, rivées aux murs
comme dans les égouts, évitent que l’on se perde. Les odeurs se
succèdent: safran, badiane, cumin, anis. Le cuisinier Paul Bocuse
aime venir y flâner.
“Un jour, il y a une quinzaine d’années, se souvient Armand
Bahadourian, je mangeais dans son restaurant avec ma femme. Quand il
est passé à notre table, je me suis permis de lui dire que tout était
parfait, sauf les pruneaux d’un plat. Le lendemain, je lui ai fait
porter un carton d’une variété que je vendais. Il est devenu mon
principal client, et mon ami.”
A la retraite du père, Arthur, l’aîné, a repris l’activité de gros,
que ses propres fils, Léo et Patrick, gèrent désormais, en même temps
qu’ils développent une chaîne de supermarchés (Grand Frais). Armand a
gardé le détail, avec ses deux filles, Sandrine et Patricia. Ils
occupent un rayon traiteur aux Galeries Lafayette ainsi qu’une belle
boutique aux Halles. Lors de leur installation, en 1995, les
commerçants ont fait passer une pétition. Ils craignaient que
l’arrivée de Bahadourian ne dévalorise leurs Halles. “Ils disaient
qu’on allait attirer les tchadors”, rappelle, amusé, Armand, qui a
tenu bon.
Malin, charmeur, il continue de veiller au grain. Il garde au mur,
dans son magasin de la Guillotière, une carte d’Arménie, où il est
retourné deux fois, pour participer aux élections de deux popes au
nom de la communauté arménienne de Rhône-Alpes. “La première fois,
dit-il, j’en ai profité pour rapporter un conteneur de vin. La
seconde, de la bière et du brandy arméniens.”
Gabriel les a laissés, il y a quelques années. Avant de mourir,
fortune refaite, il est retourné dans le désert de Jordanie, sur la
tombe de son père. Il a pris un peu de terre. Il est rentré et l’a
jetée sur la tombe de sa mère, chez eux, en France. Au cimetière de
la Guillotière.
–Boundary_(ID_BwrDlLUnqtcwJZES3NVoDg)–

ANM AND ORITATS YERKIR REPRESENTATIVES TO PARTICIPATE FRENCH RULING PARTY CONGRESS
PanArmenian News
Nov 22 2004
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Representatives of the former Armenian ruling
party – Armenian National Movement (ANM) and of Orinats Yerkir party,
member of the present leading coalition were invited to the congress
of French President Jacques Chirac’s party, the Union for Popular
Movement. Former Minister of National Security David Shahnazarian
will represent the Armenian National Movement at the congress.
Azerbaijan will be represented at the congress by Etibar Mamedov,
the leader of National Independence Party.