Author: Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS

Eurovision: Armenia: “Future Lover” will be released on the 15th of March!

Emil Lazarian
/0 Comments/in Armenia, Eurovision, Eurovision 2023/by Fotios Ntinos

Brunette, Armenia’s representative for Eurovision 2023, shared moments ago through an Instagram post the title and the release date of her entry. Brunette that was internally selected by AMPTV will sing “Future Lover” and her song will be released on the 15th of March.

On her Instagram post she also mentions that:

I’ve spent all these months creating something that truly reflects who I am as an artist and as a human. I hope this song touches your hearts just as it did mine

The 22 year-old Brunette started to become popular in her home country around 4 months ago, when she released “Bac kapuyt achkerd” (Open your blue eyes), with her song having already 5 million views on YouTube, while rumors are circulating her entry that it will be R&B influenced.

Stay tuned on EurovisionFun for more news regarding Armenia’s entry in Eurovision 2023!


https://eurovisionfun.com/en/2023/03/armenia-future-lover-will-be-released-on-the-15th-of-march/


READ ALSO

https://eurovoix.com/2023/03/10/armenia-brunette-march-15/



How a Milford man came to compose ‘An Armenian Trilogy’ on Bacharach’s piano

Emil Lazarian
Hometown Life
Susan Bromley
Hometownlife.com

What do a Milford man, Armenian genocide and Burt Bacharach’s piano have in common?

They are all crucial elements in the making of “An Armenian Trilogy,” a PBS documentary premiering at 7:30 p.m., March 12 on Channel 56, Detroit Public TV.

Here’s a preview of what you will see — and hear — when tuning in on Sunday or streaming at your leisure following the special’s debut.

Yessian, 78, is a Milford resident who took an unconventional path to becoming a success, composing award-winning music for television, movies, theme parks, Fortune 500 companies and memorials including the One World Observatory in New York City.

Yessian Music has an office in New York City, as well as Los Angeles and Hamburg, Germany, but the company is based in Farmington Hills. It got its start in 1971 when Yessian risked disappointing his parents and gave up a teaching career after only four years to compose music that to this day he is unable to read or write.

“I don’t read or write music, I play music,” said Yessian, who had lessons in clarinet and saxophone as a child, but played by ear. He later did the same with the piano. “What I had to do producing music — I would tell them (instrumentalists) what I want to hear—chords I wanted… For many years, I didn’t know where middle C was on the piano. Somehow or other, I banged out a career doing it this way.”

The 22-minute symphony Yessian composed at the request of his church priest in 2014 was a three-year project commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. In this horrific event, 1.5 million Armenian citizens were massacred by the Ottoman Empire, in an act Yessian said was not unlike the Holocaust.

“There were no ovens to destroy them,” he said, “but the Armenians were forced to march through the desert until they dropped dead.”

Yessian completed a symphony with three movements, “The Freedom,” “The Fear” and “The Faith.”

With little patience for historical data, he sought to convey in his music the emotions the Armenian people felt.

“We are supposed to learn from history, but that doesn’t seem to happen,” Yessian, who is of Armenian descent, said. “The thought was, ‘Let me lay this out, so people might understand what they are going through.’”

Bacharach, who died last month after a lifetime of fame composing such popular hits as “Rain Drops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,” “I Say a Little Prayer” and “What the World Needs Now is Love” was a musical hero for Yessian.

So much so, that Yessian purchased one of Bacharach’s pianos during a 2005 charity auction. Bacharach signed the instrument and added a message: “I wrote a lot of good music on this piano.”

He also wrote a letter of authenticity to Yessian, in which he mentions that he had bought the piano in 1959 and it had stayed at the home of his former wife, actress Angie Dickinson, for many years.

Yessian recalled that when he asked Dickinson if he could buy the piano’s bench, she declined, telling him, “No, that is where Burt’s butt was.”

No matter. Yessian found a bench and has composed much of his own music on the Bacharach piano, including “An Armenian Trilogy.”

“The documentary takes you from the beginnings of a budding clarinetist and saxophonist through a progression of time that leads up to what I would suggest would be my legacy now, which is the ‘Armenian Trilogy,’” Yessian said. “It’s important to know where we’ve been and where we’re going. … There is something about music that creates emotion and that was my aim through all of this.”

Learn more at armeniantrilogy.com.

Contact reporter Susan Bromley at [email protected] or 517-281-2412. Follow her on Twitter @SusanBromley10.



Asbarez: ‘Lifelines’: An Arts Action for International Women’s Day

Emil Lazarian
by Contributor

 

 March 8, 2023

 

in Art, Arts & Culture, Community, Latest, News, Top Stories

“Lifelines,” a collaborative arts action. Photo by Jake Hagopian. Courtesy of Lifelines: Elana Mann, AF3IRM, Ni Santas, She Loves Collective, Tomorrow Girls Troop


“Writing is dangerous because we are afraid of what the writing reveals: the fears, the angers, the strengths of a woman under a triple or quadruple oppression. Yet in that very act lies our survival because a woman who writes has power. And a woman with power is feared.” – Gloria E. Anzaldua, “Speaking In Tongues A Leiier To 3rd World Women Writers”

“Lifelines” is a collaborative arts action organized by artist Elana Mann, She Loves Collective, Tomorrow Girls Troop, Ni Santas and AF3IRM – all community-driven creatives focused on the intersection of art and activism. “Lifelines” is an arts action which centers concerns regarding violence against women throughout the world.

The action was developed collaboratively with representatives from disparate communities in Southern California – including East/SE Asian, Chicana, Latinx, Armenian, Filipina, Persian and Jewish – with aligned concerns and goals to draw attention to the further marginalization of femme people around the globe both physically and in legislative actions taken by government bodies. The action presents a blend of human bodies, color, form and language to create a visual representation of powerful collective action.

“Lifelines” gives visual representation to the urgent need for a more caring future for femme people across the globe. At a time when the rights and autonomy of womxn, femmes and transgender bodies are being increasingly threatened, these issues must be at the forefront. Only through collective actions which bring awareness to these issues can real change manifest. This piece seeks to amplify the voices of those who may not be heard in the media today.

“Lifelines” is in honor of the protestors fighting for women’s rights in Iran.

Participants include: Ana “L.A. Shawty”, Clover “Signs of the Movement”, Serena Adams, Meg Aghamyan, Adrineh Baghdassarian, Nairi Bandari, Valeria Baquedano, Rouzanna Berberian, Cindy Crittenden, Baha Danesh, Elysha Deocampo, Valeria Espinosa, Tsukuru Fors, Katharine Guerrero, Jenny Hager, Clare Hebert, Allison Honeycutt, Cameron Jordan, Belinda Kazanci, Aleen Khachatourian, Anush Khojoyan, Ibuki Kuramochi, Jonnah Llamas, Jasmin Lopez, Elana Mann, Mari Mansourian, Nare Mkrtchyan, Marina Murad, Cherisse Yanit Nadal, Ani Nina Oganyan, Taline Olmessekian, Midori Ozaki, Maryam Pirband, Samantha Sambile, Devika Shankar, Katherine Shanks, Stephanie Sherwood, Gye-Wol Song, Joan “Zeta” Zamora, and Alma.

Elana Mann is an artist who explores the power of the collective voice and the act of listening through sculpture, sound, and community engagement. Mann has presented her work in museums, galleries, and public spaces in the U.S. and globally. Recent solo exhibitions have taken place at 18th Street Art Center (Santa Monica, CA), Lawndale Art Center (Houston, TX), Artpace (San Antonio, TX), and Pitzer College Art Galleries (Claremont, CA). Mann has participated in group exhibitions and screenings at the Museum of Contemporary Art, La Jolla, the Orange County Museum of Art, and the Hirshhorn Museum. She has been commissioned to create public projects by the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, Montalvo Art Center and the Getty Villa. To learn more about Mann, visit her Instagram page.

She Loves Collective logo

She Loves Collective is an alliance of female artists who share a strong belief in the power of creating social change through art. Through exhibitions, workshops, and events Collective works strive to push the boundaries of _expression_ and creativity while emphasizing the transformative power of art. Acknowledging that love inspires and elicits feelings across the gamut of human emotion, She Loves Collective explores its diverse manifestations while working with creatives across diverse artistic mediums. To learn more about She Loves Collective, visit their Instagram page.

Ni Santas logo

While the majority of Ni Santas’ work is rooted in aerosol art, serigraphs, and community altars, every member contributes to incorporate a myriad of art mediums through different skills and style. The goal of the collective is be open to any mujer and manifest the power of mujeres with all artistic backgrounds to learn from each other. Ni Santas is an all women of color collective whose mission is to write their history through art, with responsibility to create socially conscious visual narratives. Ni Santas envision creating a safe space by cultivating a community of women, free of judgment to nourish their emerging artists. “When you’re brown a women from the hood, whether you’re queer or gender non-conforming, your oppression isn’t only experienced as a women, it is any and all those things at the same time so you have to create spaces to be able to articulate those experiences. Historically we’ve been erased from art, and we have a responsibility to re write herstory through art creating socially conscious narratives. It empowers us to support each other because we have that trust and healing space among each other. We only get stronger by coming together.” Ni Santas x Ni Putas x Solo Mujeres. To learn more about Ni Santas, visit their Instagram page.

Tomorrow Girls Troop logo

Tomorrow Girls Troop is a worldwide fourth-wave feminist social art collective focusing on gender inequality issues in East Asia. Established in 2015, TGT has some 50 members dispersed around the globe, operating in a decentralized and non-hierarchical way to collaborate on art and social projects engaging with intersectional experiences of sexism and racism. Via the internet, TGT creates socially engaged art in the form of video, research-based campaigns, and community building. TGT’s activities also find physical manifestation in social art practices, protest, and performance actions spanning Asia, the US, and Europe. Actions have included performances in collaboration with artist Yoshiko Shimada commemorating so-called “comfort women”; a successful campaign to change the definition of “feminism” in the Kojien dictionary in Japan; an educational project on sexual harassment with the #metoo and #NotSurprised social movements; a social outreach campaign and performance series about sexual violence, which raised awareness and resulted in changes to century-old laws regarding sexual assault in Japan; and a performance and educational series on trans rights in collaboration with a non-binary trans human rights activist Tsukuru Fors. TGT’s goal is to educate in order to achieve gender equality for all men, women and members of the LGBTQ+ community. To learn more about Tomorrow Girls Troop, visit their Instagram page.

AF3IRM logo

AF3IRM stands for Association of Feminists Fighting Fascism Imperialism Refeudalization and Marginalization. Founded in 1989, AF3IRM is a transnational feminist, anti-imperialist organization of women dedicated to the struggle for women’s liberation and the fight against oppression in all its forms. AF3IRM is an all-volunteer, grassroots organization of women of color who share histories of migration under imperialist globalization and bearers of a multiplicity of histories, languages, cultures and world views. AF3IRM actively practices immigrant- and Native-led, trans-inclusive feminism. With the slogan “a woman’s place is at the head of the struggle,” AF3IRM’s diverse, multi-ethnic membership is committed to militant movement-building, and makes change through grassroots organizing, trans-ethnic alliance building, education, advocacy, and direct action. Join AF3IRM to continue the fight for this new world and onward towards liberation. To learn more, visit the AF3IRM Instagram page, or the AF3IRM Los Angeles Instagram page.

Tavlian Preschool & Kindergarten Celebrates 30 Years of Academic Excellence and Progress

Emil Lazarian
by Contributor

 

 March 9, 2023

 

in Community, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories

Tavlian Preschool & Kindergarten School Board & Director Garine Joukadarian with Tavlian Family cut the anniversary cake


PASADENA – Hundreds of supporters, parents, and community members gathered on March 4 at Noor Banquet Hall in Pasadena to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Levon & Hasmig Tavlian Preschool and Kindergarten.

“The 30th anniversary of Levon & Hasmig Tavlian Preschool and Kindergarten is a testament to the unwavering commitment and dedication of our teachers, staff, parents, and community,” stated Garine Joukadarian, Director of Levon and Hasmig Tavlian Preschool & Kindergarten.

Senator Portantino with School Director Garine Joukadarian Senator Portantino, Mr. & Mrs. Vahe and Nora Tavlian, School Director Garine Joukadarian

“For three decades, our school has been a cornerstone of Armenian culture and identity, instilling a sense of pride, purpose, and belonging in our children. Together, we have created a vibrant and inclusive learning community that celebrates our Armenian heritage and fosters the whole child’s development,” added Joukadarian.

School Director Garine Joukadarian, Red Group Teacher Aida Mardirossian, Kindergarten Teacher Mary Donoyan, Armenian Teacher Sandukth Boyamian, Pre-Kindergarten Teacher Marine Soghomonyan, Senator Portantino, and Purple Group Teacher Lilit Alajajian

Very Rev. Zareh Sarkissian attended the 30th Anniversary Gala on behalf of Western Prelate Bishop Torkom Donoyan and read the Prelate’s message. Rev. Boghos Baltayan, the parish pastor of St. Sarkis Church, also attended and delivered the invocation. The program featured remarks on behalf of the Tavlian School Board and Director Mrs. Garine Joukadarian and included special honorees and a video presentation showcasing the progress and accomplishments of the school.

Rev. Fr. Boghos Baltayan of St. Sarkis Church and his wife, Very Rev. Fr. Zareh Sarkissian, School Director Garine Joukadarian

Rita Hovsepian, Levon & Hasmig Tavlian Preschool and Kindergarten School Board Chairperson, said, “an educational institution is fundamental to our families and communities, especially during a child’s most formative years. Over the past 30 years, Tavlian has created a unique culture that serves its mission and goals to ensure each student receives a high-quality early childhood education. This has been accomplished with the resolve and commitment of our faculty and staff. Our base is strong due to the contributions of so many, including our founders, parents, donors, community organizations, faculty, and staff.”

Tavlian Preschool & Kindergarten Teachers with School Director Garine Joukadarian

The Tavlian family proudly attended the 30th Anniversary celebration and received praise for their vision, unwavering support, and encouragement of the school.  Other guests included Arlene Mouradian-Zenian from the Western Prelacy Board of Regents and a representative from Assemblymember Chris Holden’s office. Supervisor Barger provided certificates of recognition to the honorees and sponsored the teacher’s tables at the Gala. 

Senator Anthony Portantino was honored for his steadfast support of Tavlian Preschool and Kindergarten. Portantino has been an ardent supporter and a longtime friend of the Armenian American community since being elected to public office. Last year, the Senator secured $250,000 from the state budget for Tavlian Preschool and Kindergarten to help with renovation projects, STEAM enrichment curriculum, and technology upgrades. 

Tavlian Preschool & Kindergarten Teachers & Parent Support Committee 30th Anniversary Gala Planning Committee 

Teachers who have dedicated more than 25 years of service to the school also received special recognition and gifts of appreciation for their decades of contribution to the school’s success and nurturing generations of students. 

Aida Mardirossian, who has been teaching three-year-old students at Tavlian Preschool for 26 years, was recognized for her passion for early childhood education and her ability to create a warm and welcoming environment for her young students. Mrs. Aida is patient, creative, and attentive, and she tailors her teaching approach to meet the unique needs of each child in her class. Through her years of teaching, she has developed a strong bond with her students and their families, and her influence is evident in her students’ growth and development. 

Master of Ceremonies Tro Krikorian welcoming the guests 

Mary Donoyan, a highly experienced and dedicated Kindergarten teacher for 26 years, was recognized for her expertise in preparing her students for the transition to first grade and for her ability to instill a love of the Armenian language. Donoyan’s teaching approach centers on creating a stimulating, engaging learning environment that promotes academic and social development. Her commitment to advancing the Armenian language and culture is reflected in her teaching methods, which incorporate poetry, literature, and songs. Her impact on the Armenian preschool education system is profound, as she has influenced generations of students and teachers.

Sandoukht Boyamian, a passionate teacher for 28 years, is known for her deep love and appreciation for Armenian culture. Her passion for Armenian culture and dedication to education has made her a beloved figure at Tavlian. Boyamian’s passion for teaching and her love for her students shines through in everything she does, and she is truly an inspiration to those around her.

Marine Sogomonyan, an experienced and passionate Pre-Kindergarten teacher for 28 years, is known for her commitment to hands-on learning and her ability to make learning fun and engaging for her students. Mrs. Marine uses various innovative teaching methods to help her students explore and discover the world around them. She has a natural ability to connect with her students and create a nurturing and supportive learning environment. Mrs. Marine’s love of teaching and her enthusiasm for learning is infectious, and she inspires her students to develop a lifelong love of learning. 

Lilit Alajajian is a remarkable individual who has dedicated 30 years of her life to teaching two-year-old students at Tavlian Preschool. Despite the challenges of working with such young children, she is enthusiastic and always strives to provide her students with the best possible learning experience. Over the years, she has developed a wealth of knowledge and experience, and her teaching capabilities are inspiring. She knows how to engage and motivate her young students and can create a warm and nurturing environment that makes them feel safe and comfortable. Her creativity is truly inspiring and makes her an invaluable asset to the school. Alajajian is highly regarded within the Armenian preschool community and is considered a treasure at Tavlian.

Levon and Hasmig Tavlian Preschool and Kindergarten, launched in 1992, was the brainchild of Hasmig Tavlian and was established after her passing by her proud sons Vazken, Vatche, and Vahe. The school held its first semester and class instructions with four students. Since its establishment 30 years ago, nearly 510 students have graduated.  The school is licensed by the State of California and accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and offers an all-day developmentally appropriate program for children ages two through five. Currently, it serves 70 students with 16 dedicated faculty and staff.

Since its inception, Tavlian Preschool and Kindergarten has flourished throughout the decades and served generations of Armenian Americans with the highest quality education. The school plays an integral and critical role in safeguarding the Armenian language, culture, history, and traditions – and provides a safe, nurturing environment and stellar early childhood education program.

Azerbaijan threatens military action days after deadly ambush

Emil Lazarian
March 8, 2023 Lillian Avedian News 5

Azerbaijani armed forces have killed 21 Armenian residents of Artsakh since the end of the 2020 Artsakh War, according to Artsakh officials.

In a report released on March 8, the office of the Human Rights Defender of Artsakh said that six civilians and 15 military officials have been killed since the signature of the ceasefire agreement on November 9, 2020. The report details the most recent deadly shooting of three Artsakh police officers by Azerbaijani soldiers on March 5. 

“The ongoing blockade of Azerbaijan, as well as the regular and consistent armed attacks, aim at subjecting Artsakh to ethnic cleansing through physical and psychological intimidation, creating unbearable conditions and destroying the indigenous Armenian population of Artsakh,” the report reads. 

Vehicle shot by Azerbaijani soldiers (Artsakh Ombudsman, March 5)

Officials say Lieutenant Colonel Armen Babayan, Major Davit Danielyan and Lieutenant Ararat Gasparyan were traveling in a vehicle belonging to the Passport and Visa Department of the Police of the Republic of Artsakh on Sunday morning when they were attacked and killed by a dozen Azerbaijani armed forces. Lieutenant Davit Hovsepyan was wounded and is in intensive care after surgery. 

In its daily bulletin on March 6, the Russian peacekeeping mission in Artsakh confirmed that the Azerbaijani soldiers had instigated the shooting. The Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan said that the Russian peacekeepers had “spread untruthful information.” Azerbaijani authorities say that their soldiers had opened fire in response to shooting from the Artsakh police officers. 

Vehicle damaged by gunfire (Artsakh Ombudsman, March 5)

Two days after the shooting, Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry threatened to “take resolute, necessary measures to suppress the actions” of Armenia and Artsakh. It accused Armenian military officials of traveling along an unpaved route between Stepanakert and the Lisagor village accompanied by Russian peacekeepers. Armenia’s Foreign Ministry responded that Azerbaijan was spreading “disinformation and escalation” to “create a false information basis to launch a new aggression” against Artsakh and Armenia. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan had accused the Artsakh police officers targeted in this week’s shooting of using the route to transport weapons, ammunition, military personnel and landmines from Armenia to Artsakh. Azerbaijani armed forces had been sent to the route to inspect the vehicle.   

The Armenian Foreign Ministry said that the vehicle was traveling from Stepanakert to the Hin Shen and Mets Shen villages of Artsakh. Armenian officials say there were no weapons or ammunition in the vehicle except for a service pistol. The Foreign Ministry called for an international fact-finding mission to the Lachin Corridor. 

Azerbaijani authorities have repeatedly accused Armenia of illegally transporting mines along the Lachin Corridor, the road connecting Armenia and Artsakh. On February 22, the International Court of Justice rejected a request from Azerbaijan for provisional measures ordering Armenia to stop using the Lachin Corridor for this purpose, citing insufficient evidence. 

After this week’s shooting, Azerbaijani authorities said that using a road besides the Lachin Corridor to travel between Armenia and Artsakh violates the terms of the ceasefire. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry called for the “establishment of a border checkpoint regime” along the Lachin Corridor and the “immediate withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces” from Artsakh. 

There are currently no units of the Armenian military stationed in Artsakh. Armenian authorities consider this a demand from Azerbaijan to disband the Artsakh Defense Army. 

The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry later warned that if these demands are not fulfilled, “the Azerbaijani side will have to take decisive and necessary measures to disarm and neutralize illegal gunmen.” 

Political scientist Tigran Grigoryan says that the unpaved road where the shooting took place has been used since the start of Azerbaijan’s blockade of Artsakh for “some irregular transits of individuals.” Grigoryan says the road cannot be used as an alternative to the Lachin Corridor because of its difficult terrain. Government sponsored Azerbaijani activists have closed the Lachin Corridor since December 12, placing Artsakh under blockade and creating a humanitarian crisis. 

“The aim of this attack was to deter individuals from using this passage and force Nagorno-Karabakh into accepting such Azerbaijani demands as the installation of checkpoints on the Lachin corridor,” Grigoryan tweeted. 

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has proposed the establishment of checkpoints along the Lachin Corridor. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov ruled out such checkpoints while speaking with the press on February 28. He said that the corridor must operate in compliance with the ceasefire agreement, “which means the need to ensure free movement for exclusively civilian and humanitarian cargo and civilians.” 

However, Lavrov added that it may be “possible to use technical means to remove the existing suspicions that the corridor is really used for its intended purpose,” in reference to Azerbaijan’s accusations that the corridor is used to transport mines and weapons. 

European External Action Service (EEAS) said that the EU “deplores the outbreak of violence yesterday on the Karabakh Line of Contact. “We urge all stakeholders to show restraint in order to prevent any further actions which could further undermine regional stability and threaten the peace process,” the EEAS said in a statement. 

The Artsakh Foreign Ministry noted that the attack took place days after a March 1 meeting between representatives from Artsakh and Azerbaijan since the start of the blockade. 

“Through its actions, Baku openly demonstrates its rejection of negotiations as a means of finding solutions to any issues,” the Artsakh Foreign Ministry said. 

Lusine Avanesyan, spokesperson for the Artsakh president, said that the representatives discussed “humanitarian and infrastructural issues,” specifically the restoration of movement along the Lachin Corridor, during meetings on February 25 and March 1. The Azerbaijani side said that the representatives discussed the “reintegration of Armenian residents living in the Karabakh region into the Republic of Azerbaijan,” which Artsakh authorities denied.  

Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan said during a Security Council meeting on March 6 that the meetings “did not give results.” Harutyunyan said that, after the meetings, Azerbaijani officials conveyed through private channels that Artsakh must “accept the integration policy” or face “tougher and more drastic steps.”

“We did not accept and do not accept, and today I want to state again that it is not only a decision of the Security Council, but the overwhelming majority of our people accept that we will not deviate from our right to independence and self-determination,” Harutyunyan said.

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Lillian Avedian is a staff writer for the Armenian Weekly. Her writing has also been published in the Los Angeles Review of Books, Hetq and the Daily Californian. She is pursuing master’s degrees in journalism and Near Eastern Studies at New York University. A human rights journalist and feminist poet, Lillian’s first poetry collection Journey to Tatev was released with Girls on Key Press in spring of 2021.


UPDATED: Serviceman found dead, investigation underway

Emil Lazarian

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 12:01, 9 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS. A serviceman of the Armenian Armed Forces was found dead on March 8, the Ministry of Defense announced Thursday.

The ministry released the identity of the deceased servicemember as Andranik K. Ohanyan. Neither the duty station nor the rank of the deceased soldier were made available.

An investigation is underway to reveal the cause of death, the Ministry of Defense said in a statement, extending condolences to the family and friends of the serviceman.

Investigators revealed that conscript Andranik Ohanyan’s body was found hanged from a tree in a forest near a base. Authorities are treating the death of the serviceman as suicide. A criminal case under paragraph 1 Article 522 of the Criminal Code is instituted. The article deals with reckless abetment of suicide, the Investigative Committee reported.

Update shows comments from the Investigative Committee




The EU calls on Azerbaijan to guarantee the freedom and safety of movement through the Lachin Corridor

Emil Lazarian

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 11:27, 8 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 8, ARMENPRESS. The EU remains concerned that the continuing disruption to freedom of movement through the Lachin corridor is affecting human rights in Nagorno Karabakh, including rights to health, education and food, ARMENPRESS reports, the official website of the EU said in a statement.

“The EU calls on the Azerbaijani authorities and all responsible to guarantee freedom and security of movement along the corridor, in line with the trilateral statement of 9 November 2020, and to abide by the order of the International Court of Justice of 22 February 2023. The EU urges Azerbaijan and Armenia to continue to engage in dialogue, including at the leaders’ level. We look forward to continuation of President of the European Council Michel facilitated peace process”, reads the statement.

The saboteurs fired hundreds of shots at the Artsakh police car. Human Rights Defender’s emergency report

Emil Lazarian

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 15:32, 8 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 8, ARMENPRESS. The human rights defender of the Republic of Artsakh published a report on the terrorist operation carried out by the sabotage group of the Azerbaijani armed forces on March 5, 2023. ARMENPRESS reports, the report summarizes the facts collected by the office of the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Artsakh regarding the terrorist act, which were obtained as a result of the fact-finding activities, from competent authorities and open sources.

“According to the collected facts, the pre-planned terrorist act took place on March 5 at around 10:00 AM.

The police car left Stepanakert at around 09:30, before that it was parked in front of the administrative building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Armenia. There were 4 police officers in the car: Lt. Colonel Armen Babayan, Major Davit Danielyan, Lieutenant Ararat Gasparyan and Lieutenant Davit Hovsepyan.

The collected facts clearly show that the car was moving from Stepanakert, so the claims of the Azerbaijani side that the Armenian side was transporting weapons and ammunition from the Republic of Armenia to Artsakh are groundless and false. In the car of Artsakh policemen leaving Stepanakert, there were only official documents and their personal weapons.

After approximately 30-40 minutes of driving, the policemen noted that stones were lined up on the road, which obstructed the traffic. The car stopped.

5 members of the Azerbaijani sabotage group came out from behind the stones, dressed in military clothes, masked, armed with assault rifles and aiming the barrels of the assault rifles at the car.

The driver of the car tried to turn the car back, but at that moment the 5 members of the Azerbaijani sabotage group, from the front, as well as 10 other members of the sabotage group, who were lying in wait on the right and left side of the road, started shooting at the car. The firing continued for about 10 minutes.

The external examination of the car clearly shows that hundreds of bullets were fired at the car by the Azerbaijani sabotage group.

After the fire stopped, 3 members of the Azerbaijani sabotage group approached the car, allegedly inspected the car, fired control shots at the driver of the car and the passenger sitting next to the driver. However, according to the testimony of the policeman who survived, the Azerbaijanis did not open the door of the rear compartment of the car, presumably not noticing that there were also passengers in the rear compartment.

Then, the members of the Azerbaijani sabotage group started to leave the scene of the crime to their armed bases located on the hill opposite the road.

As a result of the retaliatory fire opened by the Armenian side during the retreat of the Azerbaijanis, there were casualties and injuries among the members of the Azerbaijani sabotage group.

About 30-40 minutes after the terrorist attack, representatives of the Russian peacekeeping troops arrived. After their intervention, the fire was stopped.

After the intervention of the Russian side, the Azerbaijani side continued to retreat, taking with it the dead and wounded members of the Azerbaijani sabotage group.

Russian peacekeepers delivered first aid on the spot to A. Gasparyan and D. Hovsepyan and took to the hospital,” the report states.

As a result of the Azerbaijani attack, lieutenant colonel Armen Babayan, major Davit Danielyan were killed on the spot, and lieutenant Ararat Gasparyan died while being taken to the hospital. Lieutenant Davit Hovsepyan received a gunshot wound in the chest and is in the Republican Medical Center. He underwent a surgery, is in the intensive care unit under the supervision of doctors, his life is not in danger.

Asbarez: U.S. Fails to Condemn Azerbaijan for Ambush on Artsakh Police

Emil Lazarian
by Asbarez Staff

 

 March 7, 2023

 

in Armenia, Artsakh, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories

An Artsakh police vehicle was ambushed by Azerbaijani forces on Mar. 5


Schiff Calls on State Department to Condemn Attack

Following an ambush by Azerbaijani forces on an Artsakh police vehicle on Sunday that killed three Artsakh officers, the State Department not only did not condemn Baku for its brazen actions, but continued to insist on Armenia-Azerbaijan dialogue.

Meanwhile, Congressman Adam Schiff said the “deliberate murder” of the Artsakh police officers warrants U.S. sanctions against Baku and urged the State Department and the Biden Administration to condemn the deadly violence.

“The attack by Azerbaijani forces that killed 3 Artsakh police officers is another act of deliberate murder and furthers the need for sanctions against Azerbaijan for their violations of human rights and the right to self-determination for the people of Artsakh,” Schiff said in a statement issued Monday.

“This latest violence comes during the ongoing humanitarian crisis caused by the blockade of the Lachin corridor, leaving 120,000 individuals in dire conditions. The U.S. must condemn Azerbaijan’s assaults on Artsakh and hold the Aliyev regime accountable. I urge the U.S. State Department and the Biden Administration to use all diplomatic channels available to address the increased instability in the region and ensure that the security and sovereignty of Artsakh is respected,” Schiff added.

The State Department reacted to Sunday’s deadly attack by saying that there can be no military solution to the conflict and that the use of force to resolve disputes is never acceptable.

“We’re following reports of a shooting incident on March 5th inside Nagorno-Karabakh which killed five individuals, we understand.  We offer our condolences to the families of those injured and killed.  There can be no military solution to conflict, and the use of force to resolve disputes is never acceptable,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price told a press briefing on Monday. 

“The only way to sustain peace is at the negotiating table and the use of force undermines negotiations.  Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations Lou Bono is in the region to stress the only way forward is through direct dialogue and diplomacy.  And as the Secretary has emphasized, the United States is committed to Armenia-Azerbaijan peace negotiations,” Price added.

Asked whether the ambush will have implications on the negotiation process, Price added: “The implication – the clearest implication for us is the imperative of continued direct dialogue and discussion between the parties’ themselves.  This is imperative on the part of the parties.”

“We have played the role of partner to both countries, facilitating on a trilateral basis engagement between the foreign ministers and at the leader level as well.  We are prepared – whether bilaterally, trilaterally, multilaterally – to continue to be a partner in furtherance of efforts to secure a lasting peace,” added Price.

The State Department spokesperson also added that the U.S. is not competing with Russia for a mediation role in the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement process. In fact, Price said, the U.S. is not a mediator, which calls into question its role as an OSCE Minsk Group Co-chair. Price did not elaborate on this during the press briefing on Monday.

“We are not going to put ourselves against any other offer of mediation, and in fact we’re not a mediator.  We are a partner to the two countries.  I think we have demonstrated both in word and in deed the nature of our relationship with the two countries, our ability to bring the two countries together, our willingness and readiness to help bring about additional progress in relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” Price said when asked whether Western mediation is a better option given that Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently called on the parties to stick to Moscow’s efforts.

“We are not doing this as a means by which to compete with Moscow.  We are doing this in an effort to bring about the settlement and resolution of a longstanding dispute between these two countries, and unfortunately a dispute that has consistently taken lives, just as it did on March 5th,” Price said, referring to the Azerbaijani ambush of Artsakh police officers.

“Our interest here is in peace and security.  It’s in the interests of the people of Armenia and Azerbaijan as well,” Price added.

AW: Will the earthquake threaten Erdogan’s rule?

Emil Lazarian
March 7, 2023 Yeghia Tashjian Tashjian’s Take, Columns 0

On February 6, 2023, two earthquakes with magnitudes 7.8 and 7.5—the deadliest in Turkey’s history—hit the Syrian-Turkish border. At least 45,000 people died in Turkey. Another 6,000 lives were lost in Syria. The fallout of the catastrophic earthquake came as President Erdogan faces his toughest re-election campaign yet. Despite speculation that Erdogan may postpone the elections, he declared that presidential and parliamentary elections will be held on the agreed-upon date, May 14th of this year.

Turkey is a central power in the Middle East. After the 2020 war in Nagorno-Karabakh, its influence increased in the South Caucasus. Thus, any political shift will have an impact on the political landscape of the region. The Turkish President is known for exploiting crises; how he will be able to manage this current crisis and use it to his advantage is still questionable. This article will analyze the impact of the earthquake on Turkey’s domestic politics amid the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections as Turkey prepares to celebrate the centennial of its foundation as a republic in October 2023. 

From Natural to Political Earthquake

An earthquake in 1999 killed nearly 19,000 people in Turkey and exposed the limitations of the social contract between Turkey’s citizens and their paternalistic state. Soner Cagaptay, a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and the author of A Sultan in Autumn: Erdogan Faces Turkey’s Uncontainable Forces, writes, “The natural disaster, coupled with an ensuing economic crisis, stoked deep dissatisfaction and spurred the toppling of the secular and often illiberal regimes that had prevailed since the country emerged from the wreck of the Ottoman Empire, in 1922.” Out of the rubble of the earthquake, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Islamist AKP took advantage of the failed crisis response of the government and scored victories in the municipal and parliamentary elections. Will the current earthquake have the same effect as that of 1999 and this time oust President Erdogan and his party?

The recent earthquake impacted a poor and conservative population with mixed Sunni, Alevi and Kurdish backgrounds, which may further reduce support for AKP. Thousands of buildings collapsed. The head of the local chamber of architects was even surprised and observed that the buildings were not reinforced with steel.

In 2022, the Turkish President, while commemorating the anniversary of the 1999 earthquake that destroyed parts of the country, hailed his government’s “urban transformation projects” that would shield his people from future earthquakes. “As humans, it is not in our hands to prevent disasters; yet, it is in our hands to take measures against their destructive impacts,” said Erdogan. The Turkish President is now contradicting his own words. Many Turks are complaining that the government was late in sending humanitarian aid to the damaged zones. The Financial Times reports that the AKP loosened tender rules by awarding lucrative public tenders to businessmen close to the party or relatives to senior AKP officials in exchange for media services or funds in social foundations linked to the President’s family. These activities encouraged illegal construction projects and careless building constructions. The public was also angry at the army for failing to mobilize and assist in the search and rescue operations. In response to these criticisms, the Turkish Defense Minister argued that most of the troops are deployed in Syria and Iraq, hence they cannot leave their posts.

Economically speaking, some experts argue that the total cost of the destruction caused by the earthquakes would even reach $84 billion (around 10 percent of the GDP). So far, the Turkish government has allocated a small portion for disaster relief. The government bets that more financial support may arrive from Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The question is whether the opposition is able to organize its ranks and take advantage of Erdogan’s vulnerabilities.

The Road to Elections

In 2018, an opposition alliance formed with the goal to oust AKP. The “Nation Alliance” later expanded to include the participation of two AKP breakaway parties. However, its inability to find common ground with the Kurds boosted the “Peoples’ Alliance” formed between AKP and the far-right MHP in the previous elections. On February 28, 2022, Kemal Kilicdaroglu of the Kemalist Peoples’ Republican Party (CHP) and his long-standing ally Meral Aksener of the center-right Good (Iyi) Party were joined by former AKP and foreign minister Ali Babacan of the DEVA (Democracy and Progress) Party, Ahmet Davutoglu (former AKP Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Future Party) Gultekin Uysal of the Democrat Party and Temel Karamollaoglu of the Saadet Party to sign an interparty agreement. Despite clear ideological divides and differences on issues such as secularism, LGBT rights and the Kurdish issue, the “Table of Six” (as called later) coordinated steps against AKP’s rule and called for the restoration of parliamentary democracy. The country’s third-largest political party, the left-wing and pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democracy Party (HDP), due to Iyi’s opposition, was noticeably absent from the joint declaration.

There are key factors that will determine peoples’ voting behavior in Turkey. Citizens of Turkey have a notably different political culture than that of other Middle Eastern countries. For example, some who voted for an X candidate in the presidential elections may not necessarily vote for the same candidate’s party in the parliamentary or municipality elections. Based on the results of the municipality or parliamentary elections, one cannot predict if party candidates have received the same percentage of the votes.

One factor is the frustration of the middle class with Erdogan’s economic mismanagement. A growing number of disgruntled middle-class AKP voters, who were the backbone of the party for the last two decades, may cast their vote for other parties. This middle class originated from the cities Malatya, Ainteb and Marash, known as Anatolian Tigers. Impacted by the earthquakes, these cities have displayed impressive growth records since the 1980s. Their middle-class own a number of key small and medium-sized enterprises in the country.
While foreign policy may not be a crucial factor, the Syrian crisis and the Kurdish issue may determine the votes of the Alevis and the Kurds in the country. The CHP usually enjoys the support of the secular Alevis; its party leader happens to be an Alevi. The CHP started its electoral campaign by vowing to send young Syrian refugees in Turkey back to their homeland. The party also calls for the restoration of diplomatic relations with the government of Bashar al-Assad. While some Turks have concerns about Turkey’s foreign policy orientation and its alienation from the West, others do support the country’s central role in balancing between the West and Russia.

Finally, there’s the issue of nationalism and religion. According to some observers, Turkey is witnessing a significant rise in nationalism, and religion continues to play a crucial role in shaping the public sphere. Even though the younger generation is becoming more secular, the bulk of the country in central Anatolia still is conservative, which is why nationalist parties also adhere to cultural nationalism, thus giving space for religious conservatives to support their political agenda.

From a Fractured to a Unified Opposition

On March 3, cracks emerged in the Turkish opposition when the six opposition parties met to discuss their joint presidential candidate. All except Iyi endorsed Kemal Kilincdaroglu, the leader of the largest opposition party (CHP). However, Aksener the leader of the Iyi Party rejected the endorsement and said that she proposed the names of the mayors of Istanbul and Ankara, but none received enough support from the remaining five parties. In a meeting with her party delegates, she argued, “The Table of Six has lost its ability to reflect the will of the nation and its decision.” She said that her party “will not bow to this… and not be a bystander of a scavenger of an outdated policy produced for personal profit.” She accused the head of the CHP of putting his personal ambitions over Turkey and later broke ranks with the opposition.

Kilincdaroglu condemned Aksener’s remarks and said that “there is no room on their table for such language similar to Erdogan’s.” He mentioned that the opposition is seeking to “enlarge” and include other parties, hinting at the possibility of extending a hand to HDP and other leftist parties. Kilincdaroglu and the other opposition parties are well aware that without the Kurdish and the votes of the liberals, they will not have a chance to withstand Erdogan in the presidential elections. A common language should be found with the Kurds and the Kemalists to provide certain concessions and bring HDP to the table without alienating the other opposition parties.

This would be a golden opportunity for President Erdogan. However, on the evening of March 6, the mayors of Istanbul and Ankara made a sudden visit to the Iyi Party’s leader and convinced her to come back. A few hours later, she attended the official ceremony of announcing the candidacy of the CHP leader. This was a positive development for those eager to put an end to Erdogan’s rule. 

Possible Scenarios as Outcome of Elections

Predicting the outcome of the elections is difficult, given the volatile political situation in Turkey, the political behavior of the people and the regional challenges that may shape or impact the opinion of a segment of the society.

AKP’s alliance with MHP will not guarantee Erdogan a win, given MHP’s weakness; hence, Erdogan may engage in flexibility to attract new votes. In this case, AKP has two choices: ally with Iyi or the HDP. Iyi has announced that it will support the opposition candidate. If AKP approaches the HDP, it will be risky as it will alienate the votes of the nationalists. In return, however, it will win over the votes of the Kurds. Of course, this can be a temporary electoral arrangement as any government in Turkey is not ready to provide concessions to the Kurdish demands. It is also unlikely to form a future coalition government with HDP, given the ideological and foreign policy orientation differences of both parties. However, politics can make the “impossible” possible. Last year, when two HDP MPs visited Beirut, one of the MPs confirmed that HDP is ready for dialogue with the government for purposes beyond elections, arguing that the opposition is also “nationalistic and authoritarian.”

Meanwhile, Kilicdaroglu, who has vowed to end corruption and authoritarianism, is eager to win over the swing votes of the Iyi Party, which is now crucial for both the parliamentary and presidential elections. If Kilicdaroglu and CHP create an electoral alliance with HDP, Kurds would become the king-makers. But how would other parties in the opposition react? How would hardline Kemalists in the CHP and Iyi nationalists react? Will Kilicdaroglu provide any political concessions to the Kurds? Or will this be just a tactical move for electoral purposes? There are also risks that President Erdogan will extend the state of emergency in earthquake-hit states. Under such conditions, elections would be neither fair nor free in these states, handing Erdogan a competitive advantage at the polls. Though some would argue that the HDP will cast its votes for the CHP leader over Erdogan, Kilicdarogu must engage in a balancing act so as not to marginalize the Kemalists and nationalists in his alliance.

 


Although Turkey’s parliamentary system is not a shining star for democracy, it nevertheless has established a system of checks and balances for years, which Erdogan’s presidential system dismantled. Today, the opposition has a chance to restore the parliamentary system. To do that, it must unify its ranks and show tolerance toward the minorities, mainly the Kurds. Leaders of AKP and CHP will make their moves, but the kingmakers will be the Iyi and HDP. Their swing votes may not only have an impact on the outcome of the elections, but may also shape the future government’s foreign policy orientation toward the West, Russia, South Caucasus and the Middle East.

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Yeghia Tashjian is a regional analyst and researcher. He has graduated from the American University of Beirut in Public Policy and International Affairs. He pursued his BA at Haigazian University in political science in 2013. In 2010, he founded the New Eastern Politics forum/blog. He was a research assistant at the Armenian Diaspora Research Center at Haigazian University. Currently, he is the regional officer of Women in War, a gender-based think tank. He has participated in international conferences in Frankfurt, Vienna, Uppsala, New Delhi and Yerevan. He has presented various topics from minority rights to regional security issues. His thesis topic was on China’s geopolitical and energy security interests in Iran and the Persian Gulf. He is a contributor to various local and regional newspapers and a presenter of the “Turkey Today” program for Radio Voice of Van. Recently he has been appointed as associate fellow at the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs at the American University of Beirut and Middle East-South Caucasus expert in the European Geopolitical Forum.