Author: Emil Lazarian

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF “MARMARA” PAYS VISIT TO ARMENIA TO BE PRESENT AT
“ONE NATION, ONE CULTURE” FESTIVAL
YEREVAN, August 13 (Noyan Tapan). Rober Hattechian, editor-in-chief of
the Armenian “Marmara” daily newspaper of Istanbul, paid a visit to
Armenia on August 13 morning with his wife reciter Makruhi
P. Hakobian, editor of the newspaper. The purpose of their visit to
Yerevan is to be present at “One Nation, One Culture” first
Pan-Armenian cultural festival. They were invited by the RA Ministry
of Culture. This information is provided by the “Marmara” daily
newspaper.

CHILDREN’S-JUNIOR THEATRICAL FESTIVAL “NRAN HATIK” TO BE HELD IN
ARMENIA FOR FOURTH TIME
YEREVAN, August 12 (Noyan Tapan). The children’s-junior theatrical
festival “Nran Hatik” will be held in Yerevan on August 14-22 within
the framework of the first Pan-Armenian festival “One Nation, One
Culture”. Levon Ivanian, Chairman of the steering committee of the
festival, said about it during the August 12 press
conference. According to him, 19 children’s theatrical staffs from
Armenia, Artsakh and Javakhk will participate in the
festival. According to him, the festival organized upon the initiative
of the heads of the children’s-junior theaters in 2001 became
traditional and is held for the fourth time in succession. “The
children’s-junior festival gives our children an opportunity to show
their talent and love and value dramatic art,” mentioned Levon
Ivanian.
Garnik Seiranian, Chairman of the “Nakhabem” (“Proscenium”)
Educational-Cultural Union, the main organizer of the festival, said
that the Armenian authorities also paid attention to the festival that
united children of the Homeland and the Diaspora. By the decision of
RA Prime Minister Andranik Margarian the state will render support to
the holding of the children’s-junior festival “Nran Hatik” till
2015. Garnik Seiranian also said that the festival has no competition
program. All the theatrical troupes participating in festival will
receive the bronze statuettes “Flight” and diplomas of gratitude. On
August 14, participants of the festival will visit Khor Virap, then
the theatrical troupe of school N5 of Masis will perform the play
entitled “Armenians, 1915” in Artashat. On August 15, children will
participate in the ceremony of the consecration of grapes in
Etchmiadzin. On August 16, they will visit Matenadaran and
Tsiternakaberd. The theatrical troupe “Pearllets” will perform the
“Loud-Voiced Silence” play at the State Theater of Gavar the same
evening. The day of the establishment of “Nor Hatik” will be marked on
August 19, and the hymn of this children’s-junior theatrical festival
will be sounded for the first time. On August 22, young actors will
visit the Pantheon after Komitas, and the solemn closing of the
festival will be held in the evening.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
August 13, 2004 Friday 9:49 AM Eastern Time
Russia, Azerbaijan to discuss fight against terrorism
By Elvara Bakhshiyeva
MOSCOW
The fight against terrorism will be a key item on the agenda of talks
between the Russian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers, Sergei Lavrov
and Elmar Mamedyarov.
The Azerbaijani foreign ministers will make an official visit to
Moscow on August 17-19.
“Azerbaijan is Russia’s strategic partner in southern Caucasus,” a
Russian foreign policy expert told Itar-Tass, “our countries have the
same positions regarding the necessity to step up the fight against
international terrorism.”
The parties will pay special attention to the implementation of the
accords reached at the top level in the economic sphere, such as the
doubling of trade turnover and the development of the fuel and energy
sector, he added.
Lavrov and Mamedyarov are expected to discuss problems of working out
the legal status of the Caspian Sea and prospects of holding the
second Caspian summit.
Moscow welcomes the efforts to continue the Azerbaijani-Armenian
dialogue over the Nagorny Karabakh problem, and is ready to provide
an active contribution in the search for a mutually acceptable
settlement of the conflict, the expert said.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
“EDUCATION IS A TOP PRIORITY FOR THE ARMENIAN CHURCH”
Stated His Holiness Aram I
Antelias, Lebanon – In an interview with the press, His Holiness Aram I
reaffirmed his conviction that “The Armenian Christian education must
acquire a priority place and a major focus on the agenda of the Church,
particularly in the Diaspora”. Referring to the Pan-Diaspora Conference,
initiated by His Holiness himself, Catholicos Aram I considered it “a
significant and a concrete step forward in terms of developing a
pan-Armenian policy on education”. According to His Holiness, such a policy
must, “first, critically review the present educational methodologies,
strategies and programs; second, it must take into consideration the impact
of globalization and the actual realities and emerging concerns related to
specific environments; and third, it must aim to make education more
relevant and credible”. For His Holiness the globalized world constantly and
seriously challenges us to take seriously “our educational norms and values
by remaining faithful to the Gospel message”.
Ms. Armenoush Arakelian, the chairperson of Educational Committee in Iran,
stressed the unique importance of the Conference which will undoubtedly
bring education to the fore of our attention.
Mr. Levon Ananian, the president of the Writers’ Association in Armenia,
pointed out the vital importance of the Conference which provided the
possibility to look at the question of education in a broader perspective.
Mr. Berdj Terzian, the chairperson of the Armenian community’s Executive
Council in Egypt, stressed the need of implementing the findings of the
Conference to specialized committees.
Mr. Hagop Balian, an educator and journalist from France, challenged the
mono-culture of globalization, considering education an important instrument
to strengthen our identity.
Ms. Silva Kouyoumdjian, a young woman and a college director from Istanbul,
Turkey, considered the Conference as an important forum for sharing the
experiences and also for looking together ahead.
Mr. Samuel Sarkissian, an educator from Argentina, underscored the
centrality of education for the Armenian communities in Diaspora, reminding
the need for interaction with our environment.
Mr. Vazken Madenian, a young college director from USA, stressed the need to
give a particular attention to the local context in our educational work.
Mr. Arto Ayvazian, a community school director from Cyprus, made an appeal
to the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia to take the lead in reorganizing
education in the worldwide Diaspora.
Ms. Aznive Arabian, an educator from Aleppo, Syria, reminded to the
Conference the need of adapting our educational methodologies to the new
development, strengthening at the same time our Armenian-Christian values as
the basis of our educational policy.
Mr. Mihran Kurdoghlian, a college dean from Greece, welcomed the initiative
of His Holiness and urged to make it a continuous process.
Mr. Manoug Demirdjian, a young educator from Australia, called for a balance
between the Armenian-Christian dimension and global dimension in our
educational programs.
##
View printable picture here:
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The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
08/12/2004
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Azeris Seek US Involvement in Karabagh, Pledge Further Security Cooperation 2) Legendary Olympic Champion Azarian to Lead Armenia in Opening Ceremonies 3) Armenian Writers' Union Fund Established 4) Armenian-Russian War Games To Take Place in Yerevan 5) Georgia, South Ossetia Row Erupts Into Violence 1) Azeris Seek US Involvement in Karabagh, Pledge Further Security Cooperation BAKU (Reuters)--Azerbaijan asked the United States on Thursday to support its bid to regain control over Karabagh, an Armenian-populated enclave which broke away after the collapse of the Soviet Union. But visiting Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who pledged to build ties with the Caucasus ally, did not offer any help beyond supporting international mediation which has yet to reconcile Azerbaijan with its ex-Soviet neighbor Armenia. Thousands of people were killed in fighting in Karabagh before a truce was struck in 1994. Karabagh Armenians now control the enclave and a swathe of Azeri territory around it. Azerbaijan, upset by a lack of progress in mediation efforts by the Minsk Group of 11 states, led by France, the United States, and Russia, has urged the European Union and other Western powers to get involved directly. "What we want from the United States as our ally and partner is for it to support Azerbaijan in this conflict and demand that Armenia immediately withdraws its occupation forces," Defense Minister Safar Abiyev told a joint news conference with Rumsfeld. At the start of his visit, Rumsfeld said Washington was committed to developing ties with Azerbaijan--an oil-rich country which should start pumping oil to the West through a pipeline across Georgia and Turkey next year. "I agree completely that the security relationship between our two countries continues to grow and strengthen," Rumsfeld said during a meeting with President Ilham Aliyev. AVOIDS RESPONSE But he avoided responding to Abiyev's call. "As you know the United States supports the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan," he told the news conference, adding that Washington was involved in the Minsk group. Ties between the United States and Azerbaijan, which is seeking to develop ties with NATO in contrast with its pro-Russian arch-foe Armenia, strengthened after Baku backed the US intervention in Afghanistan by sending 30 troops. "Our relations are growing, and I am sure that in the future we will continue to be mutual friends and allies," Azeri President Ilham Aliyev told reporters. Azerbaijan became the only predominantly Muslim state to send troops to support the US-led military engagement in Iraq. Around 150 Azeri troops are deployed in Iraq. Russian media reported last month that Azerbaijan was considering sending an extra 250 troops to Iraq. Azeri officials denied such plans and Rumsfeld said the issue was not raised during his visit. "We did not discuss the possibility of expansion of Azeri troops in Afghanistan or Iraq," he said. Rumsfeld told Aliyev his country was an important partner in the fight against terrorism. "We value that relationship and the cooperation that your country has demonstrated at the very outset of the global war on terrorism." US Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld thanked Aliyev on Thursday for his country's support in the war on terrorism. 2) Legendary Olympic Champion Azarian to Lead Armenia in Opening Ceremonies ATHENS--Olympic champion Albert Azarian, will carry the banner of the Armenian delegation at the August 13 opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. Azarian, known as the "king of the rings," was the 1954 and 1958 World Champion, 1955 European Champion, and 1956 and 1960 Olympic Champion. According to the Chairman of the Armenian Olympic Committee Ishkhan Zakarian, Armenia will be represented by 18 athletes in 9 sports in the Olympic Games, including competitions in weight-lifting, wrestling, and boxing. President Robert Kocharian will also be with the delegation leaving for Athens to provide moral support to the Armenian team. The US boxing team includes Vanes Martirosyan from Glendale, CA. Born in Armenia, Martirosyan moved to the US when he was four and started boxing at age 7. Ranked 14th in his weight class in January 2004, Martirosyan persevered and succeeded in making the team. 3) Armenian Writers' Union Fund Established ANTELIAS--Initiated by His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, and through the efforts of the chairman of the Armenian Writers' Union Levon Ananian, a fund has been established in Antelias for the Writers' Union under the auspices of the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia. His Holiness had made an appeal for such a fund during a conference of Armenian writers in the Middle East, held on March 26-28. The meeting, attended by 40 writers from Lebanon and Syria, provided the opportunity to raise the issue, as well as begin the initial fundraising. His Holiness also issued a circular requesting all the prelacies and executive councils of the Holy See of Cilicia to take part in the effort. The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia appeals to all Armenians to participate in the fund, and help Armenia's writers and intellectuals preserve our history and culture. Donations can be made to: FRANSBANK SAL, Antelias Branch, Lebanon ARMENIAN CATHOLICOSATE OF CILICIA 003 035 22 21 532027.87 FSABLBBX 4) Armenian-Russian War Games To Take Place in Yerevan YEREVAN (Armenpress)--The annual war games between Russia and Armenia are set to take place in Yerevan, August 24-27, announced Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman Seyran Shahsuvarian. Russia's 102nd base will take part in the exercise. 5) Georgia, South Ossetia Row Erupts Into Violence TBILISI (Reuters/AFP)--An artillery bombardment has left three Georgian soldiers dead and other people hurt as villages in South Ossetia came under fire on Thursday in a violent escalation of Georgia's dispute with its breakaway province. "It's obvious that the South Ossetian leadership and some other forces are trying to involve us in a military conflict," Georgia's parliamentary speaker Nino Burdzhanadze said.  "Our soldiers were defending their positions and peaceful residents. We are going to do our best to keep the peace and to escape war," Burdzhanadze told journalists. Georgia says South Ossetia must submit to rule from Tbilisi, but after a separatist war in 1992, local leaders reject any overtures from the central government, preferring to look to Moscow for support for their de facto independence. Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili has already overthrown one local strongman since winning a landslide election victory in January, but he faces far stiffer resistance in South Ossetia and in Abkhazia, another separatist region. Russia, Georgia, and the self-proclaimed South Ossetian administration run a joint peacekeeping force in South Ossetia, but mounting rhetoric and easy access to guns had fuelled fears that violence might shatter the fragile peace. "All night Georgian villages and Georgian peacekeepers' positions have been under massive artillery fire, coming from various types of guns," Aleko Kiknadze, the Georgian peacekeepers' commander, told Reuters early on Thursday. "Three are dead from our side," Georgia's Deputy Security Minister Gigi Ugulava said. HOSPITAL BOMBARDED But a spokeswoman for the unrecognized South Ossetian government said the Georgians had opened fire first, bombarding a hospital in the capital Tskhinvali. "They've been shooting at us all night...It's the start of the war," Irina Gagloyeva told Reuters. A member of a local non-governmental organization told Reuters by telephone that some people at the hospital had been wounded, but there was no word on any deaths. Russian television showed the blackened tail-fin of a mortar bomb lying under a smashed apartment window and doctors comforting children in the dilapidated hospital. "We have new-born babies here. We all went down into the basement. I've never seen and heard anything so terrible in my life," Dr. Tinatin Zakharova told the state TV station Rossiya. South Ossetian President Eduard Kokoity, dressed in camouflage fatigues, also appeared on Rossiya, calling for emergency talks--a suggestion immediately backed by Russia's Foreign Ministry. Col. Nikolai Baranov, spokesman for Russian peacekeepers in the disputed region, said the force had done all it could to stop the fighting. "Our headquarters held talks with the South Ossetian and Georgian leadership and managed to stop the shooting for a time during the night, but it soon restarted with even greater intensity," he told Russian state television. Russian peacekeepers said they had plotted the firing position of the guns which had bombarded South Ossetian villages, Interfax news agency reported. South Ossetia's defense chief Ibragim Gassiyev told Interfax that Georgian forces had destroyed the South Ossetian village of Andisi, wounding two people. He also said Georgian armor was moving to the border with South Ossetia. President Saakashvili is warning against "ethnic cleansing"  in the region. "We must not allow for ethnic cleansing of the Georgian population or a humanitarian catastrophe," he said. Saakashvili says his government faces three major challenges at present: to ensure the safety of the civilian population in South Ossetia, to halt smuggling and other economic crime, and to prevent the conflict in Ossetia from expanding. "We must not permit outside forces to create a scenario that would drag Georgia into a large-scale military conflict," he said. He did not specify which outside forces he meant. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Valery Loshinin has also sounded an alarm over the latest developments in the region. "The situation is worsening by the hour and could spin out of control at any moment," he said. Russia has proposed an emergency meeting of a tripartite Georgian-Ossetian-Russian commission charged with resolving the dispute. Prime minister Zurab Zhvania said Europe and the US must help resolve the escalating military conflict between his former Soviet republic and pro-Russian forces in separatist South Ossetia. "We are asking the international community to use its influence to help launch high-level negotiations," Zhvania told reporters. He said Georgia still wants to engage in direct negotiations with the separatists in the presence of Russian representatives, as all sides work to figure out a way to end a flare of fighting in the volatile Caucasus. All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2004 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets. From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Schweizerische Depeschenagentur AG (SDA)
SDA – Service de base francais
11 août 2004
Conducteur aux bagages suspects remis à la police genevoise Il voyage
avec 60 paires de chaussures, 51 pantalons et 45 parfums
Genève f
Genève (ats) Les gardes-frontière ont découvert pour plusieurs
milliers de francs de marchandises de provenance douteuse lors du
contrôle d’un véhicule immatriculé à Zurich mardi matin à la douane
de Bardonnex (GE). Le conducteur transportait une quantité étonnante
d’habits neufs.
Pas moins d’une soixantaine de paires de chaussures, 54 chemises et
T-shirts, 31 pullovers, 51 pantalons, 24 vestes et une septantaine de
sous-vêtements homme et femme ont été décomptés dans les bagages du
conducteur, un Arménien déjà connu sous deux autres identités, ont
indiqué mercredi les gardes-frontière.
Du matériel électronique, dont un ordinateur portable déclaré volé
dans le canton d’Argovie, et des produits cosmétiques, dont 45
parfums, figurent aussi dans l’inventaire des gardes-frontière. Les
marchandises et le conducteur, qui s’était présenté à l’entrée en
Suisse mardi vers 07h00, ont été remis à la police.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ArmenPress
Aug 12 2004
PAN ARMENIAN WEB PAGE DESIGNED
YEREVAN, AUGUST 11, ARMENPRESS: Starting September, this year, a
pan Armenian internet page will start to function
containing information on political, cultural, scientific-educational
and business life of Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh and Diaspora.
Information will be posted on state structures, biography of state
officials, mass media outlets, business companies, show business,
tourism and cultural establishments.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 11, ARMENPRESS: According to the chairman of
Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora public organization Vahe Harutunian, the
page will raise the awareness of Diaspora Armenians about pan
Armenian issues and promote closer links between Armenia and Armenian
communities worldwide. It will be bilingual – in Armenian and English
languages.

AAP NEWSFEED
August 12, 2004, Thursday 9:52 AM Eastern Time
Chakhoyan hard to find; weightlifting hard to understand
By Glenn Cullen
ATHENS
Sergo Chakhoyan can be a difficult man to find.
The great hope of Australian weightlifting at the Olympics has been
locked away training in Armenia for much of the year in the hope he
can win his adopted country its first gold medal at a Games since
Dean Lukin in 1984.
In the 85kg division he will be challenged by hometown favourite and
triple Olympic gold medallist Pyrros Dimas and a handful of other
competitors for the top prize but must be considered a show given his
No.1 ranking and third place at last year’s world championships.
Chakhoyan’s mobile phone in Armenia is typically answered by his
brother, or Australian coach Luke Borreggine.
The 34-year-old, who arrives in Athens on Saturday for competition on
August 21, is invariably training, eating or sleeping.
Such is the life of a weightlifter.
The Australian Olympic Committee had some trouble getting hold of him
too.
Chakhoyan, who received a two-year suspension for the use of
stanozolol after winning the Goodwill Games with a world
record-breaking lift in 2001, has been in Armenia all year.
AOC president John Coates said there “were some issues concerning the
provision of his whereabouts information” during his three and a half
month absence.
His place on the Australian Olympic team was withheld until results
of a drugs test on July 8 was made known.
He returned a negative result and was nominated as Australia’s sole
men’s weightlifting representative.
But events before his testing also raised questions about
weightlifting in Australia.
Apparently available for May’s Oceania Championships Chakhoyan was
not selected and remained in Armenia.
Without the world No.1 and another top lifter in Alex Karapetyn,
Australia lost the overall title to Nauru – population about 12,000 –
and in the process sacrificed its second men’s spot at the Olympics.
The bungle exasperated many in weightlifting circles but
accountability or definitive reasons for the mistake have yet to be
made public.
Sam Coffa, president of the Australian Weightlifting Federation since
1983 said the issue was “sorted out” internally but said no-one was
sanctioned from the AWF.
“What happened in Fiji wasn’t entirely the fault of the coaches,
managers, whatever,” said Coffa.
“It’s not an individual’s fault, rather our own stupidity with our
selection criteria.”
For former national executive director and Los Angeles Olympics
silver medallist Robert Kabbas it’s a lot more than that.
“It’s the biggest blunder I can recall here and people want to see
someone pay for that blunder,” Kabbas said.
“There’s a lot of frustration and anger within the Australian
weightlifting community for that very reason.”
Despite simmering discontent with his former employer, Kabbas – who
said he left the AWF a year ago because of his “limited influence on
the sport” – said drug taking is not institutionalised in the sport.
“I guess it’s human nature to think that way,” said Kabbas who was
surprised by Chakhoyan’s 2001 positive.
“But I don’t think (drug taking) is institutionalised or a regime or
program that exists within the sport here, if it did you would
probably have less people testing positive.
“I genuinely believe (his non-selection for the Oceania
Championships) was just a stupid mistake.”
For his part, Chakhoyan is no Robinson Crusoe when it comes to
weightlifters and drugs in Australia.
Between 1990 and June 2004 there were 19 positive tests in Australia
and a further four lifters who refused to submit to testing and were
subsequently banned.
The figure ranks it only behind cycling in terms of positive tests
from a sport in Australia during that period.
There have been three positive tests of Australians and two failures
to comply in the last 12 months, including the bizarre incident of
Caroline Pileggi, who was originally nominated as Australia’s sole
women’s representative for Athens.
Pileggi received a two-year ban after running away from testers while
training for the Olympics in Fiji in May.
It was at a gym run by Coffa’s brother Paul.
If the tests from Australians this year were accrued in international
competition and not domestically, the International Weightlifting
Federation – of which Coffa is vice president – would have had the
power to suspend Australia from all competition for a period of up to
two years.
Coffa says, he’s just pleased that people are getting picked up if
they are taking drugs.
“It’s a concern but one positive means one less cheat,” he said.
Ultimately Kabbas just sees a sport he is passionate about, in
decline.
“I think the weightlifting scene over the last few years has been
less than ideal,” Kabbas said.
“The late 70s and 80s were seen as the golden period of Australian
weightlifting and while that may be flattering for those of us who
lifted during that period it’s not a comforting thought to know that
the golden age of your sport was some 20 years ago.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

San Antonio Express-News (Texas)
August 11, 2004, Wednesday , METRO
Cry for help over atrocities in Sudan must not be ignored
by Cary Clack
Forty years ago, the name of Kitty Genovese became synonymous with
looking the other way while someone suffered.
In the early morning hours of March 13, 1964, in a middle-class
neighborhood of the New York City borough of Queens, Catherine
“Kitty” Genovese was attacked three times in 32 minutes. The
assailant stalked, raped and stabbed her to death.
During the attacks, Genovese screamed, “Please help me! Please help
me!”
A subsequent police investigation revealed that at least 38 people,
in the comfort of their homes, saw or heard the attacks, but no one
came to Genovese’s aid. The one call to the police came after the
murderer had completed his crimes.
Many times, people don’t act in a time of crisis or don’t do anything
to save lives because they’re unaware of the problem. When they are
aware and still do nothing, it can be attributed to physical or moral
cowardice, sheer callousness or the bystander effect, where people
see someone in need but assume someone else will intervene to help.
Doing nothing and assuming someone else will assume responsibility is
a reason why so many crimes flourish in communities throughout this
nation.
Doing nothing and assuming someone else will assume responsibility is
a reason why millions of people in countries around the world suffer
with little hope that they will be emancipated from their pain.
In the 20th century and these infant years of the 21st, there have
been many regions of the world that were the Kitty Genoveses of the
international community; places where cries of “Please help me!
Please help me!” went unheeded or were answered inexcusably late by
nations in a position to help.
Whether the Armenian genocide in 1915-1916, the Holocaust of World
War II, Bosnia during the 1990s or the slaughter in Rwanda in 1994,
reaction to the worst of brutalities was slow.
This column space is rarely filled with topics of foreign affairs but
replace the word “foreign” with “human” and it’s appropriate.
What is happening in Darfur, in the western region of the Sudan, has
been called by the United Nations and human rights organizations the
greatest humanitarian crisis of our time and merits at least a few
words of attention.
The word “genocide” has been aptly used to describe the plight of
black Africans at the hands of Arab militias, the “Janjaweed,” who
are supported by the Sudan’s monstrous blood-soaked government.
More than a million people have been driven off their lands, women
and girls are routinely raped, more than 30,000 have died and the
U.S. Agency for International Development says that hunger and
disease will kill an additional 300,000 before the year is done.
A U.N. resolution gives the government until Aug. 30 to disarm the
militias. A Human Rights Watch report out today says the Sudanese
government’s pledge to stop the atrocities isn’t credible.
People in this and other nations can do what besieged Sudanese
farmers cannot, and that’s to appeal to their elected representatives
to do something and to contribute to agencies providing food and
medicine.
A people’s pain, no matter how close or far away, can’t be ignored.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Burbank Leader , CA
LATimes.com
Aug 11 2004
Giving it all for their art

Contestants go for the gold at the World Championships of Performing
Arts this week at Hilton Burbank.
By Jackie Conley, The Leader
MEDIA DISTRICT NORTH – Scattered around the Hilton Burbank Airport
and Convention Center on Tuesday morning, vocal competitors and
aspiring actors patiently sat waiting for their turn to represent
their country and impress the judges in the second day of the
competition at the World Championships of Performing Arts.
“The primary thing to do is to develop competitive material,” said
CSM Words and Music producer Shele Sondheim, a judge for the
competition. “The highest high is to come prepared and be really on
top of your game.”
Sondheim said he hopes this competition will spark international
interest in the arts and encourage people to embrace performers like
they do the athletes in the Olympics.
“Music and art is an international language,” Sondheim said.
Ilhama Gulkiyeva has participated in more than 200 competitions
internationally and is a popular singer in her native Azerbaijan,
located between Iran and Russia. But for her, the World Championships
of Performing Arts could bring a significant change in the way the
arts are perceived in her country.
“My president said if we do well here, he will have big prizes
waiting for us when we return,” she said.
Gulkiyeva said the president of her country encourages the performing
arts, and she hopes this will reflect a positive change in the way
artists are viewed around the world.
“It seems like everything is done for athletes and not enough for
performers,” said Griff O’Neil, founder and director of the World
Championships of Performing Arts.
Gospel rap artist Emmanuel Edili, of Nigeria, said out of all the
competitions he’s been in, this one is important because it’s global.
“It helps you to appreciate different artistic styles,” he said.
Edili, 29, said the hardest thing for him in competition is the few
moments before going on stage.
“Because it’s in that moment there that you make a decision whether
or not you’re going to go out there and get through it,” he said.
“But you realize this is the opportunity to show them what you’re
made of.”
Singer Andrey Hovnanyan knows all about these types of opportunities.
At 25, he said he has already performed in several international
competitions in Germany, Japan and Belgium, and has performed in
front of crowds of 8,000 people.
This is the first time the Armenian singer will compete in the World
Championships, and he said he hopes to break into the American
market.
“There’s something special about America,” Hovnanyan said. “It has a
strong influence around the world.”