Author: Ekmekjian Janet

Australian political leaders to join streamed commemoration of the Armenian Genocide

Ekmekjian Janet
Public Radio of Armenia

The Australian National Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, which will be premiered live on Facebook and YouTube this Friday 24th April 2020, will feature Federal and State political leaders, including New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Federal parliamentarians Tim Wilson, Joel Fitzgibbon, Trent Zimmerman and Kristina Keneally, as well as Shadow Treasurer of New South Wales, Walt Secord.

The politicians will offer their video messages of solidarity on the occasion marking the 105th anniversary of the genocide that saw the Ottoman Empire systematically massacre over 1.5 million of its Armenian citizens, and a further 1 million Assyrians and Greeks.

Gladys Berejiklian, who currently leads Australia’s largest state of New South Wales as its Premier, is a grandchild of Armenian Genocide survivors.

Tim Wilson, the Federal Member for the Victorian electorate of Goldstein, is also of Armenian heritage and visited Armenia in 2019 as part of the first Federal Australian Delegation to the Caucasus nation.

Federal Member for North Sydney Trent Zimmerman, who was also on that trip where he and fellow Members of Parliament paid their respects at the Tsitsernakapert Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan, will also address the Commemoration as Chair of the Federal Australia-Armenia Inter-Parliamentary Union (Friendship Group).

The group’s Vice-Chair is the Member for Hunter Joel Fitzgibbon, who is also Australia’s former Defence Minister and current Shadow Minister for Agriculture, will also express his support on the occasion, as will the Shadow Minister for Home Affairs, Senator Kristina Keneally.

Vice-Chair of the NSW Armenia-Australia Parliamentary Friendship Group Secord, who is a prominent Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council and a visitor to Armenia, Artsakh and Western Armenia, will also form part of official proceedings.

The Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU), who forms part of the organising Armenian Genocide Commemorative Committee, welcomed the participation of some members of the country’s political elite.

“It is important our community hears from the representatives we elect to parliament, and witness directly how our grassroots advocacy efforts have built up a critical mass of supporters calling for Australia’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide, and more broadly, justice for the Armenian Genocide,” said ANC-AU Executive Director Haig Kayserian, who will deliver the Commemoration’s Advocacy Report.

The Commemoration, which will be premiered live at 7:30pm (Australian Eastern Standard Time) via Facebook and YouTube links that will be provided in coming days, will also include a Keynote Feature on Australia’s involvement in the Armenian Genocide, which was through eyewitness testimony documented by ANZAC soldiers and the country’s first major international humanitarian relief effort. This keynote will feature genocide scholar, Dr. Panayiotis Diamadis and author Vicken Babkenian.

Covid-19 restrictions on public gatherings means this format will replace the commemoration events typically held in Sydney, Melbourne and other capital cities across Australia, which together attract over 1,500 attendees.

The member organisations of the organizing Armenian Genocide Commemorative Committee are the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party, the Armenian General Benevolent Union, Hamazkaine, Nor Serount, Homenetmen, Tekeyan, Armenian Relief Society, Dkhrouni, AGBU Youth and the Armenian Youth Federation, in addition to Sahagian Sporting Club in Victoria and the Armenian National Committee of Australia Head Office and Branches in Melbourne, Perth and Canberra.

This event is held under the auspices of His Eminence Archbishop Haigazoun Najarian, the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Armenian Catholic Church, and the Armenian Evangelical Church.

Armenia Ombudsman: I consider unethical, absolutely unacceptable to mock head of state

Ekmekjian Janet
News.am, Armenia

17:15, 19.04.2020
                  

I consider it unethical, absolutely unacceptable in human terms to mock the head of state, or such attempts, by using the non-aerial footage of the message of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia . The Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) of Armenia, Arman Tatoyan, wrote this on his Facebook page, and with respect to the incident regarding PM Nikol Pashinyan’s TV message to the people.

“I am particularly concerned about the way this is being presented to the public, and the response to such footage.

Such an attitude or reaction toward a public figure, an opponent, or even a political opponent or a friend and relative is unacceptable.

We must be guided by high respect for the symbols of our state and people (…),” he added, in particular.

To note, the footage that was left off the air from Pashinyan’s aforesaid message had appeared on the Internet.

Armenian-Canadian community to commemorate Armenian Genocide anniversary via live broadcast

Ekmekjian Janet
Public Radio of Armenia
April 8 2020

Due to the ongoing spread of the novel coronavirus, the Armenian-Canadian community will mark the 105th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide via a live broadcast, organized by the Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC) and the Armenian Youth Federation of Canada (AYF). The broadcast will be streamed on ANCC’s and AYF’s social media channels.

“By doing so, we will ensure that our community remains safe and compliant to the advice provided by Public Health Canada, but at the same time have an opportunity to remember the 1.5 million innocent victims who perished at the hands of the Ottoman Turkish Empire” said Hrag Tarakdjian and Shahen Mirakian, co-presidents ANCC.

The broadcast which will include messages from community leaders and clergy, a short documentary highlighting Canada’s humanitarian response to the genocide and segments featuring our youth will be aired on Friday, April 24th, at 12:00 PM EST.

Throughout the week of April 24th, ANCC will publish other featured content commemorating the genocide, including messages from political leaders.

“Even during some of these very difficult times we cannot remain indifferent towards our collective history and the great sacrifices made by our ancestors that have ensured our survival as a nation” said Tarakdjian and Mirakian.


All staffers of Yerevan City Hall donate part of salaries for bonuses to public health workers

Ekmekjian Janet

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 15:42, 8 April, 2020

YEREVAN, APRIL 8, ARMENPRESS. Yerevan Mayor Hayk Marutyan has signed an order to award 1800 city health workers who are on the frontlines in the battle against the coronavirus outbreak. Moreover, City Hall staffers and employees of all administrative districts of Yerevan have donated a total of more than 130,000,000 drams from their monthly salaries for this purpose.

So far, 10 health workers in Yerevan have contracted the novel coronavirus on the line of duty. Another 41 are quarantined. But the call of duty is above and beyond the danger of contracting the potentially fatal virus, and dozens of volunteers have joined the city’s health workers in combating the outbreak.

All public hospitals and clinics of Yerevan are working in an emergency mode amid the coronavirus crisis.

“Ambulance crews, all geared-up and ready, are on the frontlines,” the Director of the city’s ambulance service Taguhi Stepanyan said. “The ambulance service is always on an emergency mode, but moreover during these days,” she said.

The city’s outpatient clinics – the polyclinics – are also carrying out monitoring of self-quarantined citizens.

Yerevan City Hall has provided all healthcare clinics with protective gears.

Yerevan City Hall’s Healthcare Department Director Kamsar Babinyan said they have deployed dedicated buses for transporting health workers only.

“Each of us can join the battle by staying home and preventing the spread of the virus”, the City Hall said.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan




Armenpress: WWII-era Soviet-made grenade found in Yerevan street

Ekmekjian Janet

WWII-era Soviet-made grenade found in Yerevan street

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 10:20,

YEREVAN, APRIL 10, ARMENPRESS. A Soviet-made RG-42 fragmentation grenade was found near the Karen Demirchyan Sports and Concert Complex in Yerevan on April 9, emergency services said.

The Ministry of Emergency Situations reported that they received a 911 call around 14:34 on Thursday. First-responders from the Engineering Detachment of the Civil Protection Division of the Rescue Service transported the corroded grenade to a special area where it was disposed of.

Authorities did not mention if the grenade was live.

The RG-42 was introduced in the Soviet Union in 1942 during WWII and was produced until sometime in the mid-1950s.

  

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan




Armenian Genocide commemoration events in LA suspended due to COVID-19 pandemic

Ekmekjian Janet

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 15:13, 9 April, 2020

YEREVAN, APRIL 9, ARMENPRESS. After careful consideration of the Coronavirus pandemic, the United Armenian Council of Los Angeles, the Unified Young Armenians, and the Armenian Genocide Committee have decided to suspend all of their April 24 commemoration related activities, reports Asbarez.

The coalition of these three community organizations are in charge of a) the Requiem service at the Armenian Genocide Martyrs Monument in Montebello, b) the March in Little Armenia, Hollywood and c) the Protest demonstration in front of the Los Angeles Turkish Consulate.

The Coalition made this decision not only as a moral responsibility to stand with the people of Los Angeles and the world, but to also comply with the health directives imposed by the local authorities, which are meant to mitigate the spread of the Coronavirus and to save lives.

In late December 2019, Chinese authorities notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about an outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, central China. WHO declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus a global pandemic and named the virus COVID-19. 

According to the data of the World Health Organization, coronavirus cases have been confirmed in 204 countries and territories.

As of the latest reports, the US has the largest number of confirmed coronavirus cases (over 435,000).




PM on a new weapon being produced in Armenia

Ekmekjian Janet
News.am, Armenia
April 7 2020

23:49, 06.04.2020
                 

I would like to hint a novelty that is actually a secret. This is what Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan said while answering citizens’ questions today.

“A few days ago, I was shown a sample of a product of Armenia’s military industrial complex, the existence of which serves as evidence of the fact that the military industrial complex in Armenia is at a new level. The major feature of that product is not only the fact that it is state-of-the-art, but also the fact that it was compiled in Armenia. The existence of this product goes to show that Armenia has professionals who can create a military product from scratch. We agreed to make efforts to make sure the product is presented in the international market. Just three days ago, I saw something that was even a little hard to believe,” Pashinyan said, congratulated everyone on this occasion and added that it is a sample that has already been tested.

Sarkissian proposes Germany to establish joint production of lung ventilation devices in Armenia

Ekmekjian Janet

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 16:19, 31 March, 2020

YEREVAN, MARCH 31, ARMENPRESS. President Armen Sarkissian today had a video talk with Ambassador of Germany to Armenia Michael Johannes Banzhaf, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.

The Armenian President and the German Ambassador exchanged information about the current situation in the two countries caused by the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), as well as the actions being taken to prevent, overcome and treat the disease.

The Armenian President conveyed his greetings and wishes to German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, expressing hope that his official visit to Armenia this year in September will take place. In this regard the Ambassador said the German President’s visit is on the agenda. President Sarkissian also conveyed his best wishes to his good friend, Chancellor Angela Merkel, whom he knows for many years, since 1990s.

The sides also discussed the possible joint actions in fighting the COVID-19. President Sarkissian proposed to consider the possibility of Germany’s providing assistance to Armenia, in particular, delivering protective means, medical uniform, as well as other respective items.

Highly appreciating the German engineering experience and knowledge, the President said in case of possibility he is expecting the consulting of the Germany companies, as well as the possibility to establish a joint production of lung ventilation devices in Armenia.

President Sarkissian also introduced the presidential initiative ATOM (Advanced Tomorrow).

The Armenian President said that he had discussions on this topic with a number of German research centers, as well as major companies, in particular with Siemens. The program aims at developing artificial intelligence in Armenia in cooperation with the international partners.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan




Armenia’s Deputy PM comments on the bill on phone data

Ekmekjian Janet
MediaMax, Armenia
March 31 2020
 
 
 
 
 
Yerevan/Mediamax/. Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia, Commandant Tigran Avinyan has commented on the government’s draft law regarding the access to the personal data about phone calls and SMS texts of citizens.
 
“Let’s say, I am an infected person. The automated system will show an employee of the Ministry of Emergency Situations my movement and the places I have visited, and if we combine that with the data about my phone calls, we can see with whom I’ve had contacts. The mentioned employee will call these people and ask them: “Have you come into contact with Tigran Avinyan recently?”
 
Our only goal is to inform these people, locate them and ask them to self-isolate. Being uninformed and unregistered in the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention is a potential source of spread of coronavirus. When people know they have come into contact with an infected person, they become very careful,” said Avinyan.
 
He has underlined that the bill does not indicate the government can decode the content of the citizens’ phone calls and SMS texts.