Author: Emil Lazarian

KENYAN PRESIDENT SUSPENDS CHIEF POLICE INVESTIGATOR

Agence France Presse — English
June 12, 2006 Monday 9:10 PM GMT

Nairobi

Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki on Monday suspended the country’s top
police investigator and 11 other government officials involved in
the deportation of two Armenians allegedly linked to his family.

The Presidential Press Service also said Kibaki was setting up a
panel to investigate circumstances surrounding the deportation of
Artur Margariyan and Arthur Sargsian, for allegedly roughing up
customs officials.

Among those suspended were Joseph Kamau, the director of criminal
investigations department, Naomi Cidi, the deputy director of Kenya
Ports Authority (KPA), Winnie Wangui, an assistant secretary in the
water ministry, and five police officers attached at the airport.

On Sunday the president fiercely denied newspaper reports of family
links with Margariyan and Sargsian, suspected government mercenaries
whose extravagant lifestyle had turned them into celebrities in Kenya.

Kibaki threatened to sue the Sunday Nation newspaper for linking a
woman the local media claims is his second wife to the Armenians,
whom the government once defended as legitimate investors, while
opposition politicians said they were “mercenaries”.

The Nation claimed the suspended Wangui, daughter of the woman
identified in local press as Kibaki’s second wife, was seen with
the two Armenians, whose luxury cars and expensive jewelry made
local headlines.

“I have only one family which consists of the First Lady, Mrs. Lucy
Kibaki, daughter Judy Kibaki, sons Jimmy, David, Tony and their wives
and children,” Kibaki said in a televised statement on Sunday.

“I am personally distressed that the Sunday Nation chose to link my
family with the two foreigners who went to church accompanied by a
woman and other people whose names are not mentioned,” Kibaki said.

Kibaki demanded that the Nation “apologize to me and my family for
the blatant lies which attempt to associate my family with the woman
and the two foreigners”.

He added: “I am instructing my family lawyers to take the necessary
legal action to protect the integrity of my family.”

In March, influential lawmaker Raila Odinga started the saga when he
claimed the two were among hooded policemen who raided Standard Group
— the country’s second-largest media house — after it published a
report that Kibaki had held secret talks with his political opponent,
former ally Kalonzo Musyoka.

Before their deportation on Friday, police recovered AK47 rifles,
pistols, bulletproof vests and government vehicle licence plates in
their home in Nairobi.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

A1+
[08:58 pm] 12 June, 2006

Today Robert Kocharyan sent a congratulating message to RA Prime
Minister Andranik Margaryan on his 55th birthday.

The message says, “Dear Mr. Prime Minister, I congratulate you on your
55th birthday. I wish you good health and success in your political
activity for the welfare of the Armenian nation”.

NA President Tigran Torosyan also congratulated the Prime Minister.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

IN 2007 YEREVAN WILL HAVE TWO-TIER ROAD

Lragir.am
12 June 06

The general architect of Yerevan Samvel Danielyan stated June 12 that
in a year, in June 2007 a two-tier road junction connecting Koryun,
Heratsu, Khandjyan and Charents streets will be built, reports the
news agency ARKA. According to Samvel Danielyan, it is going to be a
highway without traffic lights and bus stops, with separate sections
for cars and pedestrians. The cost of the project was not told, but
the general architect of the city said the project was put out to
tender. 12 bids were made. According to Samvel Danielyan, the tender
will last till October 2006, and the road works will be carried out
by stages, because traffic in this part of the city is highly dense.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

KIBAKI URGED TO SPEAK OUT ON ARMENIANS
Story By Nation Team
Reported by Jeff Otieno, David Mugonyi, Tony Kago, Kennedy Masibo,
Ngumbao Kithi, Tim Kamuzu Banda and Patrick Mayoyo.

Daily Nation, Kenya
June 12 2006

Pressure mounted yesterday on the Government to explain why the
controversial Armenian brothers at the heart of security breaches
and underhand deals were deported without facing criminal charges.

Internal Security minister John Michuki (centre) chats with church
elders after he attended Mass at the Consolata Shrine in Nairobi
yesterday. The minister stated that the Government did the right thing
in deporting the two Armenian brothers. Photo by Stephen Mudiari
Politicians, religious leaders and lawyers said it was wrong for
the Government to spirit out Mr Artur Margaryan and his brother,
Mr Artur Sargsyan, instead of fully investigating their activities
and taking them to court to answer criminal charges.

But President Kibaki distanced himself from reports that his family
was linked to the Armenians.

He said Ms Winnie Wangui, who is linked to the two foreigners, is
not a member of his family.

In a personal statement last night, the President said he was
“distressed” by media reports introducing other people to be members
of his family.

“I am personally distressed that Sunday Nation chose to link my
family with the two foreigners who went to church accompanied by a
woman and other people whose names are not mentioned,” he said in
the brief statement.

The report had indicated that Ms Wangui, a daughter of influential
Narc activist Mary Wambui, and the two brothers went to the Holy
Family recently.

The President demanded an apology from the Sunday Nation and threatened
to take legal action.

He said the Government was investigating activities of the foreigners.

Meanwhile, the Presidential Press Service has issued a statement
denying that the two foreigners had weapons used by Presidential
Escort. The PSS also said no weapons were missing from the Presidential
security unit. There were reports that weapons bearing serial numbers
like those from the Presidential Escort service were found in the
compound of the brothers’ rented house in Runda.

Yesterday, Anglican Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi, Lang’ata MP Raila
Odinga and Assistant minister Koigi Wamwere demanded that the
Government should come clean on the matter.

But Cabinet ministers John Michuki and Martha Karua defended the
Government, saying the decision to declare the two persona non-grata
on Kenyan soil was the right one.

“Action speaks louder than words. We have taken action. What other
language do you want?” Mr Michuki asked after attending morning Mass
at the Consolata church in Westlands, Nairobi.

Asked whether the Government took the action to protect some
influential people in Government in dealings with the two brothers,
Mr Michuki said in Kiswahili: “Mnataka watu wa kuongea ama watu wa
kufanya? (Do you want people who only talk or people who take action?”)

Ms Karua, who spoke in Nakuru, said the Government hurried the
deportation process “and will also carry out thorough investigations
into the matter”. She added: “A foreigner enters the country with
express authority from the Government after being given a visa and
the same can be revoked and the owner deported.”

Questionable character

Archbishop Nzimbi described the presence and eventual deportation of
Mr Margaryan and Mr Sargsyan as undesirable and accused the Government
of giving sanctuary to people of questionable character.

He said it was ironical and disturbing that foreigners could commit
a crime in the country and get away with it, without the Government
explaining the matter to the public.

His Church, he said, was concerned with the way the Government had
handled the two foreigners. “We are unhappy that the security of
Kenyans has been compromised but the responsible ministry has not
sought to explain to the citizens what happened at the airport. We
have only been told by the media that the two brothers were deported,
but without reasons,” Archbishop Nzimbi said in Nakuru.

And, Mr Odinga took the blame to State House, saying President Kibaki
was aware of the activities of the Artur brothers but had failed
to act.

The MP challenged President Kibaki to speak out on the Artur brothers’
saga.

He said it was a security breach for foreigners to threaten Government
officials with guns and create commotion at an international airport.

Mr Odinga, who was the first to blow the whistle on the Artur brothers,
reiterated that the two were up to no good and that they had been
hosted at State House several times.

Speaking on the telephone from Seoul, Korea, Mr Odinga said: “The
President cannot plead ignorance and keep quiet believing people
will excuse him. This is an issue the President should come out
and explain.”

He said a prominent Narc activist, a powerful Cabinet minister and
a senior police officer knew what the Artur brothers were doing in
the country.

The decision to retain Mr Michuki as Internal Security minister,
Mr Odinga added, reflected President Kibaki’s poor way of running
the country.

Mr Michuki, however, did not explain by who and why the Armenians
were given airport security badges to access the highly-guarded Jomo
Kenyatta International Airport.

He also did not explain who licensed the two to carry firearms.

The chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Administration of
Justice and Legal Affairs, Mr Paul Muite, singled out Mr Michuki as
a stumbling block to exposing the truth about the Armenian brothers.

The Kabete MP said during their initial investigations on the The
Standard newspaper raid, Mr Michuki wrote a letter with an intent to
prevent police commissioner Hussein Ali and CID director Joseph Kamau
from appearing before the committee, arguing that he had answered
all the questions needed.

“Michuki put hurdles in the committee’s work when it demanded to
question the police commissioner and CID director,” the MP said.

Former director of public prosecutions, Mr Philip Murgor, asked the
President to set up a commission of inquiry to get to the bottom of
the Artur brothers’ saga.

In Mombasa, Immigration assistant minister Annaniah Mwaboza demanded
immediate verification of a container’s contents.

Verify container’s content

Mr Mwaboza said Kenyans want to know what merchandise the two brothers
were bringing into the country, especially after they refused to have
the cargo verified.

Last week, Mr Margaryan went to the port accompanied by several
bodyguards and tried to have the container released to him. But
Customs officials insisted that it must be scanned. He then left in
a huff. But Mr Mwaboza defended the deportation arguing the move was
carried out in the interest of the country.

Other reports indicate that the cargo was under a 24-hour police
watch after attempts by the deported brothers to have the container
cleared from the port without going through the normal processes.

Mvita MP Najib Balala said the decision by the Government to deport
the two Armenian brothers was a cover-up, to save them from arrest
and prosecution.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MAN WHO LOOKS FORWARD TO RETURN OF ARTURS
By Richard Chesos

Standard, Kenya
June 12 2006

With a faraway look, eyes blink sharply before Musau Musyoki raises
his palms to cover his mouth, perhaps an expression of disbelief.

Mr Musau Musyoki, who worked as gardener for the Artur brothers,
in a pensive mood outside the Armenians’ Runda Estate residence.

Then the 25-year-old man, who wishes the deportation of the two
alleged Armenian brothers turned out to be fictitious, tells his
story. He is not eager to discuss the saga.

Dressed in blue jeans, light green shirt and blue sandals, he does
not hide the fact that his life drastically changed for the better
since early February, when Artur Margaryan hired him as gardener at
his luxurious residence in Nairobi’s Runda estate.

“He doubled my (earlier) salary; life has been good,” he says.

“My salary is my secret. But I can tell you he paid twice what my
previous employer was giving me.”

But little can remain a secret for a man who worked for foreigners
who have dominated the Press and police investigations. The amount
quoted by police is higher than that earned by a graduate teacher.

Musyoki, who lives in the servant’s quarter, said the “owner of the
house”, who lives in Spring Valley, had employed him last August as
a caretaker.

He says he had agreed with the “owner” that any new tenant would
employ him to work in the home. The Form Four leaver, a bachelor,
says Margaryan promptly paid him in Kenya shillings every end of
month. He fears no other tenant will pay him such an amount in future.

“But that is life…the owner (of the house) will pay (me).”

And how did he learn of the deportation?

“How do you know about it yet you don’t even have a radio in the
house?” he retorted.

He is the only one left in the house after two guards from Tanzania
were deported on Saturday.

Musyoki, whose name means ‘one who returns’, wishes his employer
would eventually do that – return.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

VICTOR DALLAKYAN’S RUSE FAILED

Lragir.am
12 June 06

The meeting of the parliament kicked off June 12 lasted shorter than
the adjournments the parliamentary factions took before the voting.

The cause was Victor Dallakyan, the secretary of the Ardarutiun
Alliance, who had proposed setting up ad-hoc committees to study the
fraud reported during the elections in 2003 and the referendum in
2005. Dallakyan explains this by the necessity to punish falsifiers
to go on to conduct a fair election. The secretary of the alliance
suggests putting the issue to vote to include it in the agenda of
the four-day meeting.

The parliamentary majority naturally disagreed with Victor Dallakyan’s
initiative. Speaker Tigran Torosyan said it is impossible to
discuss the questions in the spring session because it ends on June
14. Besides, the speaker of the National Assembly thinks the ad-hoc
committee of the proposal will not have time to work.

“Yes, we must conduct the parliamentary election in 2007 and all the
future elections in compliance with the international standards,
first of all, for the sake of our country, second, to fulfill
the obligations taken up before the international organizations,”
announce Speaker Torosyan, confessing that the elections in 2003 and
the referendum in 2005 were marred by irregularities and fraud.

Tigran Torosyan proposed to make joint efforts to improve the Electoral
Code to reach fair and free elections instead of politicizing the
question of the ad-hoc committee.

In reply Victor reminded that it is three years since the opposition
proposed studying the question of fraud, and this proposal regularly
crashes into the wall of the majority. Victor Dallakyan naturally
insisted that the issue be included in the agenda. However,
realizing that his initiative will be rejected, Victor Dallakyan
resorted to a ruse immediately before the voting. First he asked for
a 20-minute adjournment, provided for by the bylaws, afterwards he
proposed postponing the voting for 30 days. For a moment the “callow”
parliamentary majority could not realize what happened, and rejected
Victor Dallakyan’s proposal by voting. Afterwards the member of
parliament announced that if the majority rejected his proposal to
set up an ad-hoc committee, the initiative is automatically included
in the agenda. Victor Dallakyan says he proceeds from the bylaws
and a precedent reported during the work of the parliament. Deputy
Speaker Vahan Hovanisyan and Speaker Tigran Torosyan said there is
not such a point in the bylaws and such a precedent, which was to
be refused, of course. Dallakyan announced that it is already on the
agenda because the proposal to postpone was rejected. At that moment
Gurgen Arsenyan interfered, saying that the problem was disputable
and it is necessary to adjourn the session before the voting and
discuss the situation to avoid trouble.

During this adjournment all the leaders of the parliamentary factions
except Artashes Geghamyan discussed the question and decided that
it was a misunderstanding. Vahan Hovanisyan misunderstood Victor
Dallakyan. Hovanisyan announced that he thought Dallakyan proposed
postponing the voting to the bill and set forward this proposal,
which was rejected. Hovanisyan apologized, saying that he was guided by
logic, whereas the bylaws are not always logical. After reporting this
break-up of the bylaws of the parliament and logic Victor Dallakyan’s
rejected Victor Dallakyan’s initiative and went on to discuss the
agenda, when only an hour remained before the end of the working day.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TODAY AGENDA OF ARMENIA-CE RELATIONS INCLUDES FIRST OF ALL ISSUES OF REFORMING OF LEGISLATION, VARTAN OSKANIAN SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Jun 09 2006

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, NOYAN TAPAN. “At the meetings with the Armenian
leadership we came to the conclusion about the necessity to prepare a
text of amendments to the current Electoral Code, ” Ambassador Roland
Wegener, Head of the Ago Group of the Council of Europe Committee of
Ministers, declared on June 10 at the joint press conference with RA
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian. He mentioned that the Council of
Europe is ready to assist Armenia in this issue.

According to the Ambassador, the amendments to the Electoral Code will
become a basis for holding free and fair elections. At the same time,
as R.Wegener estimated, providing pluralism in the country and first of
all in mass media, active participation of different parties, including
opposition ones, in the issue of the forthcoming legislative amendments
play a considerable role in holding democratic elections. “Holding
of free and fair elections supposes not only the responsibility of
the authorities, but also the responsibility of the National Assembly
and the political parties,” Roland Wegener declared. The Head of the
Ago Group emphasized that after the adoption of the amendments to the
Armenian Constitution it is necessary that the Armenian legislation
be brought in correspondence with the amendments. In this issue
Armenia has assumed a commitment towards CE to adopt a number of
new laws during the coming two years and to make amendments to such
laws as the law “On Alternative Service,” “On Radio and Television,”
“Civil Code,” preparation of bills “On Yerevan,” “On RA Ombudsperson,”
etc. Preparation for the forthcoming parliamentary elections to be held
in 2007 is also included in this process. Vartan Oskanian emphasized
that the agenda of relations between Armenia and the Council of
Europe is very large and includes first of all issues of reforming
the legislation. According to him, Armenia has already fulfilled the
most part of its commitments assumed towards CE, but there is still
much to do.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ROLAND WEGENER ATTACHES IMPORTANCE TO NOTIFICATION OF PUBLIC ABOUT REFORMED LAWS AND TO THEIR USE IN PRACTICE

Noyan Tapan
Jun 12 2006

YEREVAN, JUNE 12, NOYAN TAPAN. The Constitutional reforms had
a positive impact in the issue of fulfilment of all Armenia’s
commitments towards the Council of Europe. This was mentioned
at the June 10 meeting of RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian
with Ago Group on Monitoring of Council of Europe Committee of
Ministers. They exchanged thoughts over issues of strengthening of
democratic institutions and full freedom of press. Ambassador Roland
Wegener, head of the delegation, Resident Representative of Germany
to CE, attached importance to bringing the Electoral Code and the
legislative field in correspondence with the amended Constitution. In
this respect he attached importance to providing public’s awareness
about the reformed laws and to their use in practice. Minister Oskanian
in general outline presented the ambassadors the current process of
Nagorno Karabakh settlement, its developments and prospects. As Noyan
Tapan was informed from RA Foreign Ministry Press and Information
Department, Ambassadors of France, Switzerland, Sweden and Romania
to CE were also included in the delegation.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

HOLLAND MOVES TO BAN HOLOCAUST DENIAL
By Hilary Leila Krieger

Jerusalem Post
June 11 2006

When a Dutch family comes back to Holland after eight years of living
in Israel, people tend to assume its members are Jewish.

So says Leon Meijer, and he should know. Meijer, who completed his
doctorate at the Technion, learned that lesson the hard way when his
11-year-old daughter was told by a classmate soon after her return:
“It’s a pity Hitler didn’t finish the job.”

Meijer was shocked not only by the comment, but by the discovery that
the Netherlands has no laws clearly outlawing Holocaust denial.

Now, six years later, he has drafted legislation which would do just
that. Under his proposal, individuals who deny or glorify genocide
with the intent to hurt others could be fined or sentenced to up
to a year in jail. The law would be added to current legislation
prohibiting discrimination on the grounds of race and religion.

Meijer, who serves as an adviser to the Christian Union party,
which is sponsoring the legislation, described the measure as more
urgent now that “echoes” of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadenijad’s
denials of the Holocaust could be heard in Holland. “People copy these
kinds of remarks,” he said, also noting that the number of Holocaust
survivors who can personally testify to what happened during World
War II is dwindling.

Though the Christian Union holds only three seats in the 150-member
parliament, Meijer said that his bill enjoys a good deal of support.

Even so, it would take at least six to nine months to approve.

He noted that possible pitfalls include fears that the law would limit
free speech, which is one reason he offered to explain why Holland –
unlike its neighbors – hasn’t banned Holocaust denial outright.

France, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Romania, Slovakia,
Czech Republic, Lithuania and Poland all have made Holocaust denial
illegal, according to the Anti-Defamation League.

Dutch Jewish community leader Ronny Naftaniel said the proposed
law could also encounter political obstacles. Since the law isn’t
limited to the Holocaust but includes all genocide as defined by the
International Criminal Court, objections could arise based on other
conflicts, such as the current crisis in Darfur or the past experience
of Armenians in Turkey.

“I can imagine that there will be political difficulties, but maybe
it will get through,” said Naftaniel, director of the Center for
Information and Documentation on Israel.

Even so, he praised the initiative as “a step forward.” He noted that
there has been prosecution of Holocaust denial under the existing
Dutch anti-discrimination laws on the basis that negation of the
Holocausts insults survivors and their children. But he said that
any move to codify the offense was welcome.

“There are fewer and fewer survivors and even their children are not
numerous anymore, and we think it’s important to keep the symbol of
the Holocaust complete and without debate. It should not be dependent
on the survivors and their children,” he said.

The general climate toward Jews worsened starting in 2000, with an
increase in instances of spitting, name-calling and other forms of
abuse, according to Naftaniel. But he said that the attacks – none
of which were violent – had levelled off in the last few years.

Still, ADL associate national director Kenneth Jacobson said “any
kind of effort for a Holocaust denial law is a way of dealing with
the trend that’s developing and to stop it in its tracks.”

He noted, however, that “all the polls indicate the vast majority of
Europeans” are aware that the Holocaust happened.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

WHEN WILL “CALVES” GET UP?

Panorama.am
15:22 10/06/06

Gurgen Yeghiazaryan, former head of national security state department
is ready to cooperate with all forces that are against Robert Kocharian
and his administration.

Yeghiazaryan said he may cooperate even with the Republicans if they
act against Kocharyan. The only person that Yeghiazaryan will never
cooperate with is defense minister Serze Sargsyan “because the two
are the same person,” he said.

G. Yeghiazaryan said that Armenia is an amazing country. It is only
here that gold is not profitable.

It is only here that the whole energy system is given to another
country and it is only here that the authorities steal the work of
our nationals working abroad by artificially devaluating dollar. “We
listen and stand all this like calves,” he said hoping that “the calf
will get up one day.”