Author: David Nargizian

Asbarez – A historical epic seven years in the making about the Armenian Genocide will make its Central Valley debut at the 2015 Fresno Film Festival.

“The Cut” will screen at 3:00pm on Saturday, November 14 at the historic Tower Theatre, as part of the November 13-15 Festival, which celebrates independent voices in cinema.

Beginning in Armenia in 1915, “The Cut” follows one man’s journey through the Ottoman Empire after surviving the Genocide. Nazaret (Tahar Rahim), a young blacksmith from Mardin, Turkey, is ripped from his family and is forced to work as a slave laborer. Years later, he begins a continent-crossing quest to reunite with his twin daughters.

Turkish-German filmmaker Fatih Akin directed and co-wrote the film with Armenian-American screenwriter Mardik Martin. Martin—best known for writing the Martin Scorsese films “Raging Bull,” “New York, New York” and “Mean Streets”—will make a special appearance to discuss the film, presented by Fresno Filmworks and co-sponsored by the Armenian Studies Program at Fresno State.

With few films touching on the genocide, let alone depicting it, Martin said in a news release: “A story about survivors of the Armenian Genocide is a sensitive subject to tackle. I never imagined anyone would have the courage to do it. Fatih has that courage. …I can only hope that the audience is able to delve into the feel of the era and its turbulence and upheaval. For me as an Armenian, this is an incredible adventure movie.”

With a large Armenian community in the Central Valley, Fresno Filmworks president Jefferson Beavers reiterated the importance of the screening.

“In this 100th anniversary year of the Genocide, I cannot think of a more culturally relevant or historically important film we could possibly show,” Beavers said. “It’s an honor and our duty, not just to our Armenian brothers and sisters, but to our entire community, to show this movie in Fresno.”

“It is wonderful that such an important film is being screened in Fresno. The Armenian Studies Program is pleased to be a co-sponsor. The film is especially timely and I think it will be well received in the community,” said Armenian Studies Program Coordinator Barlow Der Mugrdechian.

Dr. Sergio La Porta, Berberian Professor of Armenian Studies at Fresno State, said it can also be seen as a reflection of positive change within the Turkish community of artists and intellectuals.

“The idea that you have Armenian and Turkish people working together on this film—I think is a wonderful way in which art can bring two communities that have this historic injustice standing between them to bring them closer together to a point of mutual understanding,” La Porta said. “It’s especially great to have a Turkish director to be involved in this.”

“There was a genocide of Armenians in 1915. There’s no argument about it,” George Clooney said in an interview with The Frame.

“Now, history has changed and the Turks don’t want to talk about it anymore. And because we have military bases in [Turkey], suddenly those same politicians who before could say, “Yes, there was a genocide,” can’t talk about it now. You can’t call it that,” the actor said.

Clooney added: I’ve had conversations with senators where I’ll say, “Can we talk about the Armenian Genocide?” and they’ll say, “Absolutely not, because Turkey is our partner in the war on terror.”

He added, however, he can give plenty of examples of politicians who would talk about the genocide of Armenians. “They would talk about it as a reality, which of course it is.”

On March 10 George Clooney joined humanitarian leaders to launch a new global prize, the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity, as part of the 100 LIVES initiative.

George Clooney’s wife – Amal – recently at the European Court of Human Rights in an Armenian Genocide denial case.

A Saudi prince and four others were detained on Monday in the largest drug bust in the history of the Beirut airport, a security source said.

Saudi prince Abdel Mohsen Bin Walid Bin Abdulaziz and four others were detained by security at Rafik Hariri International Airport while allegedly “attempting to smuggle about two tons of Captagon pills and some cocaine,” a security source told AFP.

“The smuggling operation is the largest one that has been foiled through the Beirut International Airport,” the source said on condition of anonymity.

Captagon is the brand name for the amphetamine phenethylline, a synthetic stimulant. The banned drug is consumed mainly in the Middle East and has reportedly been widely used by fighters in Syria.

The security source said the drugs had been packed into cases that were waiting to be loaded onto a private plane that was headed to Saudi Arabia.

President Serzh Sargsyan participated today in the opening session of the 31st Ministerial Conference of the International Organization of La Francophonie at Karen Demirchyan Sports and Concerts Complex. About 500 representatives from organization’s member countries and of the General Secretariat of the International Organization of La Francophonie have arrived in Armenia to take part in the 31st session of the conference. Armenia’s president delivered an address at the conference.
Address by President Serzh Sargsyan at the 31st Ministerial Conference of the Francophonie
Honorable Chairperson of the conference,
Mrs. Secretary-General,
Dear heads of delegation,
Ladies and gentlemen,

I am greatly honored to herald the beginning of this representative meeting, the 31st Ministerial Conference of the International Organization of La Francophonie. This is an exceptional event for our country, and Armenia is hosting the members of the great Francophone family with the same exceptional sincerity and devotion. This conference is a wonderful chance for all of us to once again honor the Francophone culture and sum up the solemn Francophone atmosphere prevailing in Armenia during the whole year. I cordially welcome all of you to Yerevan.

Let me also congratulate Michaëlle Jean, the newly-elected secretary-general of the International Organization of La Francophonie, who is participating in the works of the organization’s ministerial conference for the first time since taking office. Throughout this brief period of tenure, Mrs. Jean has tried her best to present the organization and its constituent institutions in the international arena. I am confident that under her able leadership, the organization will continue the best traditions of more than decade-long activities carried out by previous Secretary-General Abdou Diouf, the former president of Senegal, and will achieve further success in the organization’s works. Congratulations, Mrs. Michaelle!

Armenia has ages-old ties with many of the Francophone family countries. About one millennium ago, French was the language of official business correspondence and arts in the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia which was situated along the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea. Today Armenia consistently fulfills the commitment undertaken under its membership in the Francophonie to popularizing and advancing the French language.

Currently, being a part of an organization representing 80 states and governments from five continents, including also separate entities, affords us new opportunities to reinforce our historical ties and establish and deepen new ones.

Mr. Chairperson,

Presently, we live under conditions of new crises and threats that have emerged in the international arena, and can witness further widening of dividing lines. Hence, special importance have begun to acquire international and regional organizations which try to unite and not to divide. We must reinforce our institutions, raise their effectiveness and importance. In this respect, the International Organization of La Francophonie holds vital significance: our unity is grounded first of all on values – isn’t it? – which is a precious and eternal unifying factor in the present world.

Unfortunately, there are also conflicts and crises that continue to pose a threat to the security of some regions of the Francophone space and endanger their sustainable development. It was no accident that the main subject of the conference proposed by Armenia is “The Peace, Tolerance, Dialogue and Mutual Understanding in the Francophone Space.” We believe that through tolerance we can avoid a lot of problems and on the contrary, intolerance can result in crises, conflicts and even in the commitment of genocide, the gravest crime against humanity. We know about it from our own experience.

Availing myself of this opportunity, I would like to stress the Francophone family’s solidarity and support for the Armenia people in the context of the commemoration of the Armenian Genocide Centennial, which was expressed in the statement made by the organization’s secretary-general. We strongly believe that such crimes are possible to prevent only through concerted efforts and taking lessons from the past, preserve and respect universal values, including those of the Francophonie. Our goal is to build a society grounded on the principles of tolerance, peaceful existence and democracy.

There are other fields where we can work together – protection of human rights, migration, environmental protection, issues pertaining to economic development and youth: those all have long been classified as priorities by the Francophonie.

I would like to lay special emphasis on the problem of climate change monitoring. It is the overall responsibility of each and every one of us to secure a healthy and safe future for our generations. In this respect, I am confident that the Francophone community will made its contribution to the success of the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference to be held in Paris at the end of this year.

Mr. Chairperson,

Dear colleagues,

By hosting this conference in Yerevan three years after Armenia’s full-fledged membership, we want to reaffirm our country’s devotion to the International Organization of La Francophonie, a space of cooperation and dialogue, under the auspices of which flourishes the Francophonie’s treasure – its diversity. For us, the Francophonie is a culture, mentality and a set of moral values.

I wish the conference productive work, and I also wish you an active and pleasant cognitive stay in Armenia.

I welcome you!

The new Moscow Cathedral Mosque opened on Wednesday in the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.

The new building of the Moscow Mosque was erected on the place of a historical building constructed in the early 20th century and torn down in 2011.

Ideological concepts of the Islamic State are distorting and compromising Islam, President Vladimir Putin said at the opening ceremony, Interfax Religion reports.

“We can see what is going on in the Middle East where terrorists of the so-called Islamic State are compromising the great world religion, seeding hatred, murdering people, including clerics, and barbarically destroying world cultural monuments,” Putin said at the Moscow Cathedral Mosque opening ceremony.

The ISIS ideology “is built on lies, on blatant distortion of Islam,” he said.

Singapore’s oldest church, the 180-year-old Armenian Apostolic Church of St Gregory The Illuminator in Hill Street, will soon have an Armenian heritage museum, reports.

Venture capitalist Pierre Hennes, 43, one of its four trustees, says the tiny, close-knit Armenian community  and about 15 Armenians overseas have been discussing setting it up since 2005.

Before that, the community was focused on sprucing up the church, which was declared a national monument in 1973.

Hardly any Armenians here worship in the church and Armenians say there is no pressure on them to attend church regularly, as religion is a very personal and private matter to them. But building churches everywhere they landed was their way of preserving their roots.

The premises are often rented out to other Orthodox Christians, such as the Coptics, for their services. What they earn goes towards maintaining the church.

If all goes well, the museum will open next year in the 110-year-old house across the church.

The two-storey building was originally a parsonage but there has not been a resident priest since 1933.

The trustees hope the museum will have maps, religious relics and Armenian literary works.

Last November, the world leader of the church, the Catholicos of All Armenians, was there to bless the Armenian congregation and the church.

An operative working for Islamic State has revealed the terror group has successfully smuggled thousands of covert jihadists into Europe, reports.

The Syrian operative claimed more than 4,000 covert ISIS gunmen had been smuggled into western nations – hidden amongst innocent refugees.

The ISIS smuggler, who is in his thirties and is described as having a trimmed jet-black beard, revealed the ongoing clandestine operation is a complete success.

The Islamic State operative spoke exclusively to BuzzFeed on the condition of anonymity and is believed to be the first to confirm plans to infiltrate western countries.

Islamic State, also referred to as IS and ISIS, is believed to be actively smuggling deadly gunmen across the sparsely-guarded 565-mile Turkish border and on to richer European nations, he revealed.

They are following the well-trodden route taken by refugees and migrants fleeing, travelling across the border of Turkey then on boats across to Greece and through Europe.

There are now more than 4,000 covert ISIS gunmen “ready” across the European Union, he claimed.

On 21 of July, 2015 HayPost, the national postal operator of the Republic of Armenia, opened its first international office in Glendale, California, USA. Among the guests who attended the official launch ceremony were the Minister of Transport & Communication of the Republic of Armenia Gagik Beglaryan, the Mayor of Glendale Ara Najarian, the directors & officers of HayPost and Corporacion America (the company which manages HayPost) and community representatives.

The residents of California are now able to send parcels to their friends and relatives easier and faster, using the direct delivery service from HayPost USA to HayPost in Armenia. “ShopInAmerica”, a brand new concept introduced by HayPost, will grant residents of Armenia an open access to shop and acquire goods from the USA via the office in Glendale and receive their purchases directly in their cities or villages, even in the most remote rural areas.

According to the CEO of HayPost USA Juan Pablo Gechidjian, the Company will also provide money transfer services, which will facilitate and formalize the process of money remittances from USA to Armenia and vice versa making it faster, more reliable and affordable.

HayPost International aims to create a stronger bond between Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora in USA, expanding the reach of HayPost services beyond the borders of Armenia and establishing new relationship and new service opportunities between Armenia and its Diaspora.

HayPost USA office covers an area of 3,600 square feet (340 square meters) and strategically located on North Brand Boulevard, in the heart of Glendale, a city well known for its large and prominent Armenian population. The new HayPost office is fully in line with the branding standards of all renovated Armenian HayPost offices. Equipped with the state-of-art facilities and software HayPost USA employs six fully trained staff members and offers a most welcoming environment for its customers

A number of foreign-backed Takfiri terrorists, who have been arrested by the Syrian army, have confessed that they were trained in Turkey by the United States, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, reports. 

The Takfiri militants, who were caught recently in the northwestern Syrian city of Aleppo, confessed in interviews broadcast by the Syrian state TV on Sunday that military personnel from the US, Saudi Arabia and Qatar had trained them on Turkey’s soil.

One of the terrorists, identified as Ahmad Mustafa Mastari, said that he, along with other members of a terrorist group, had been sent to Aleppo after received military training in Turkey for 30 days.

He added that the foreign personnel had trained them for 45 days in the city of Salqin in the Syrian province of Idleb before the training in Turkey.

“I was among the force that attacked Jam’yat al-Zahraa in Aleppo, we were about 250 persons, but the operation failed and we were arrested by the army” Mastari said.

Another terrorist, called Mohammad Aqel Akk, said a group of terrorists, including himself, had been trained for 45 days in Salqin, adding that they were later sent to Turkey to complete their training.

He went on to say that besides receiving training, every trainee was given USD 200 in Turkey.

“We then returned to Aleppo and commenced a huge attack on army posts in Aleppo, but our operation was a failure and we got caught,” he added.

Qasem Abdullah, a terrorist who was caught by the Syrian army in Aleppo, said that he received five months of training in Turkey where he was receiving about USD 80 per month.

He added that he was among a group of 50 gunmen who took part in a failed attack in Aleppo.

“A number of us, including me, were injured in the attack and we decided to surrender to the army” he said.