Author: Emil Lazarian

Armenia opposition preparing large-scale protests
ITAR-TASS News Agency
April 12, 2004 Monday 5:33 AM Eastern Time
By Tigrain Liloyan
Water cannons and trailers with barbed wire were moved to the
presidential palace in the Armenian capital Yerevan on Monday.
The opposition, which urges for the resignation of President Robert
Kocharyan, is going to begin a meeting in the afternoon and march to
the parliament’s building and offices of the presidential
administration.
The opposition accuses Kocharyan of “seizure of power as a result of
rigged elections” in 2003.
The Armenian Constitutional Court has review a plea from the
opposition about legitimacy of the presidential elections last year
and ruled that the final count of votes was correct, simultaneously
recommending the conduction of a referendum on confidence in
authorities within a year.
Now that this timeline is gone, the opposition demands the referendum,
but the parliament has rejected the idea.
Having failed to rally large numbers of people for protests on Friday
and Saturday, which were not permitted by authorities, the opposition
pins much hopes of Monday’ actions.
“This is a decisive day,” a secretary of the oppositionist
parliamentary faction Justice, Viktor Dallakyam, told Itar-Tass.
He said columns of members of the opposition would march to provinces
in order to “break through police cordons” and to lead provincial
oppositionists to the capital.
Meanwhile, the president said authorities “have enough resources in
order to curb political extremism in the country with political
means”.
The parliamentary majority declared on Monday that it would not attend
plenary sittings of the National Assembly on April12-14.
Parliament leader Artur Bagdasaryan said the decision was made “in
order to avoid an artificial exacerbation of the political situation”.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

The Daily Californian
April 8, 2004
Refugee Tale Makes a Home in Your Heart: Nightmarish
Subject Matter Makes for a Reader’s `Dream’
By MEREDITH SIRES
Micheline Aharonian Marcom
THE DAYDREAMING BOY
[Riverhead Books]

We live in a day and age where Janet Jackson’s `wardrobe malfunction’
inspires an outraged public to insist on immediate drastic measures.
The masses, deeply offended, have gone so far as to call for a federal
investigation aimed at righting this wrong.
That said, I am recommending Micheline Aharonian Marcom’s `The
Daydreaming Boy’ not only for its literary value but also as an
apparently much-needed prescription of perspective.
Honestly, with the amount of sympathy generated by Vahé Tcheubjian
as he narrates his tormented existence and recalls his troubled youth
as a refugee from the Armenian Genocide, a reader risks emotional
exhaustion. But before I scare anyone into picking up the newest
Danielle Steel instead, I want to make it clear that I mean this in
the best way possible. Like a fictional Anne Frank, Vahé doesn’t
ask, so much as force you to share his burden, understand his plight
and eventually reevaluate a world that would allow such atrocities as
genocide to happen. His insightful retrospective of hopeless days
spent in a Lebanese orphanage, ironically deemed The Bird’s Nest as it
is as far from comforting as possible, is genuinely heartbreaking.
`I understand now, in this my middle years, that they gave us God in
the orphanage like the rich will give a coin to the corner beggar –
it’s enough to keep us quiet and continually searching the horizon,’
Vahé narrates.
Along with introspective analysis, the path from a grim past to a
subtler but equally dreary present is exposed through a series of
intermittent flashbacks. In this way, Marcom beautifully illustrates
the transformation of a defenseless `Turk-dog’ child mercilessly
tortured by his peers into the violently lustful, though married
Armenian man of present-day (or rather the novel’s present-day, the
1960s). Accordingly, the reader must endure an array of necessarily
disturbing, though perhaps exceedingly graphic scenes where the victim
becomes the aggressor. It is notable, however, that even when this is
the case, Vahé’s constant self-awareness allows him to draw
parallels between himself and those he victimizes. From his next door
neighbor’s frightened 10-year-old Palestinian servant girl to the
psychotic monkey at the local zoo, the novel is littered with physical
manifestations of Vahé’s inner turmoil. And through this vulnerable
stream-of-consciousness, Malcom effectively humanizes our protagonist
by reminding us of the motives lying behind his deviant actions.
With such a powerful, unique style, the story, although somewhat
gruesome, is enthralling. Short chapters are packed with poignant
questions and such haunting memories you are almost surprised to find
that it is not a grown-up Vahé looking up at you from the book
jacket’s back cover. As I said before, though you are hopelessly
heartsick by the last page you still find yourself satisfied. Which is
probably more than you can say when you put down the latest issue of
`People.’
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Apostles met grisly ends
Bucks County Courier Times
April 11, 2004
by J. D. Mullane
After the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, what happened to the 12
apostles?
We know they hid in an upper room, fearing they would be crucified, too.
Scripture states Jesus appeared to them, that Thomas doubted, and that they
went out into the world to preach.
Then what?
It’s hard to say for sure. History is sketchy when it comes to the 12, and
it’s tough to separate fact from the thick cloud of Bible lore, tradition
and faithful belief.
John, for example, is believed to have written the Book of Revelation, with
its frightening images of the apocalypse. Also, his preachings were so
effective he supposedly was tossed into a vat of boiling oil by Roman
authorities, but miraculously emerged unharmed.
Andrew is said to have parted an ocean with a cup of water.
Philip allegedly killed a black fiery dragon, and was accompanied on his
journeys by his sister, Miriam, who was martyred.
Whatever really happened, this much is clear: Most apostles were put to
death because they refused to deny Jesus.
Here’s a list of what happened to the 12 men Jesus picked to spread his
message, according to books and scholarly articles:
Peter married Perpetua and they had two children, a boy and girl. After
Jesus’ death and resurrection, Peter was perhaps the most aggressive
disciple and most visible face of the early Christian church. King Herod
tossed him in prison. Christian lore states an angel freed him. He preached
throughout Asia Minor, where Mark joined him and gathered material for his
gospel. He became the first bishop of the Church of Rome, where he was
crucified by the Roman Emperor Nero in 64 A.D.
Andrew, a fisherman and the first apostle, preached throughout Scythia,
today in the area of Ukraine. He was crucified on an x-shaped cross on
orders of the Roman governor Aegeas. He was tied to the cross rather than
nailed to prolong suffering.
James the Elder was a fiery speaker and personality who probably traveled
throughout Spain after the resurrection. He is considered the patron saint
of Spain. He was beheaded with a sword about 44 A.D. by Herod Agrippa.
Matthew spent 15 years evangelizing Egypt and Ethiopia, but there are
conflicting stories regarding the place and manner of his death, and if he
was martyred at all. Some accounts have King Hircanus ordering his death by
sword; others that Matthew was stoned, burned or beheaded.
Philip was a coach maker by trade who became a disciple after Jesus told
him, “Follow me.” He preached for 20 years in Asia, joined by his three
daughters. He was stoned and crucified head downward on a cross.
Bartholomew preached throughout Armenia. Details of his death in Albanopolis
conflict. He was either skinned alive and then crucified with head downward,
or beheaded by Astyages for having converted his brother, Polymius, the King
of Armenia.
Thaddeus preached throughout Judea and Samaria, but was clubbed and his head
severed with an ax by nonbelievers.
Simon was crucified after preaching the gospel in Samaria.
James the Lesser had sworn off food and drink until he saw the resurrected
Jesus. He was murdered about 62 A.D. in Jerusalem, tossed from the top of a
temple, stoned and clubbed. Some accounts have him praying for his attackers
as he died.
Thomas, the doubter, took his ministry to India, where he converted the wife
and son of King Misdai. For this he was sentenced to death, led from the
city to a hill and executed by four soldiers with swords.
Matthias, who replaced Judas Iscariot, was a wealthy tax collector who gave
away his money and embarked on a ministry to spread the message of Jesus,
perhaps in Ethiopia. Some accounts place his death in Ethiopia, others have
him being stoned to death and beheaded in Jerusalem.
John, the apostle “best loved” by Jesus, was among the first four apostles
and shared the nickname “Son of Thunder” with his brother, James the Elder.
Jesus gave the brothers the name because of their fiery preaching. John was
the only apostle not to abandon Jesus at his trial and crucifixion. He
traveled extensively and died at an old age, the only apostle believed to
have died of natural causes.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Different figures given for Armenia opposition Saturday rally
Interfax news agency, Moscow
10 Apr 04

YEREVAN
Two opposition parties held a rally in central Yerevan on Saturday [10
April] which was one in a recent series of meetings to demand the
removal of Armenia’s leadership.
“The current Armenian regime is doomed as it is impossible to keep
power by force,” the leader of the Justice party, Stepan Demirchyan,
told the meeting, whose number of participants was put at about 20,000
by the organizers but at a maximum of 2,500 by the law-enforcement
agencies.
It was announced at the rally, organized by the Justice and National
Unity parties, that there would be an opposition procession on Monday
along the street in Yerevan where the presidential residence and
parliament stand.
Opposition leaders told the rally that several dozen opposition
activists had been detained since Friday and that the arrests were
illegal.
A police spokesman told Interfax that “there have been arrests of
citizens for breach of peace but not for participation in an illegal
rally.” He said he could not name the exact number of those arrested.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenia opposition leader says dozens detained after Friday rally
Interfax news agency, Moscow
10 Apr 04
Yerevan, 10 April: The Armenian law-enforcement agencies detained
several dozen opposition activists following an opposition rally in
Yerevan on Friday evening [9 April], the leader of the opposition
Justice bloc and member of parliament, Albert Bazeyan, told Interfax.
The detainees have been indicted for the violation of public order, he
said.
Interfax has so far been unable to receive confirmation of this
information from the Armenian police.
At the present time, opposition members are continuing a
round-the-clock sit-in demonstration on Freedom Square in downtown
Yerevan. The organizers of the demonstration said they would not stop
their action until the authorities resign.
The number of the people taking part in the demonstration varied from
several dozens to several hundreds depending on the time of day.
In addition, two opposition parties Justice and National Unity, which
have temporarily joined for political purposes, plan to hold another
major rally on Freedom Square on Saturday evening.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenia expects no change in Karabakh talks with new US mediator
Arminfo
9 Apr 04

YEREVAN
Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan has said that the
replacement of the US co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group on the
settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict will have no impact on
the talks. This was announced by Vardanyan in an interview with an
Arminfo correspondent.
According to him, the individual’s degree of activity and persistency
of his actions is important. “But, on the whole, I think that there
will be no specific changes from the political viewpoint,” Vardanyan
said. He added that the new OSCE Minsk Group co-chairman would
continue the policy which to some extent reflects the foreign policies
of the co-chairs of the Minsk Group.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

seattletimes.com
Nation & World
Saturday, April 10, 2004, 12:33 A.M.
World Digest
Armenia protesters seek confidence vote on leader
YEREVAN, Armenia – About 20,000 demonstrators massed in the capital of
ex-Soviet Armenia yesterday to demand the resignation of President Robert
Kocharyan.
Demonstrators answering the call of two opposition parties poured into
Freedom Square.
Participants said they wanted to hold a nationwide confidence vote on
Kocharyan’s administration, which remains beset by a failure to resolve a
protracted dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory populated by ethnic
Armenians but assigned to mainly Muslim Azerbaijan in Soviet times.
Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

CSTO Chief: Armenia – active CSTO member
Pravda
16:29 2004-04-10
Nikolai Bordyuzha, Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty
Organization (CSTO, includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Russia and Tajikistan), does not dramatize the internal political
situation in Armenia.
(The Armenian opposition is demanding that the official results of
last year’s presidential elections won by Robert Kocharyan be
invalidated).
The CSTO chief bluntly denied some media reports that his arrival in
Yerevan had been prompted by the internal political situation in the
country.
According to Mr. Bordyuzha, the CSTO can interfere with the Yerevan
developments under no circumstances. “We have calmly discussed the
internal political situation in Armenia with the country’s
leadership. There is no need for dramatizing the situation,” said
Mr. Bordyuzha.
In his opinion, all the issues related to the Armenian developments
will be addressed by political means.
Mr. Bordyuzha noted that Armenia was one of the most active members of
the CSTO and the CIS.
“We can sense it in the attitude of Armenian representatives during
the discussion of different issues at CSTO sessions,” said
Mr. Bordyuzha.
In his opinion, Armenia is actively trying to foster the effectiveness
of the CSTO structure.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

COOPERATION OF ARMENIA AND RUSSIA UNDER CSTO AT HIGHEST LEVEL
YEREVAN, APRIL 10. ARMINFO. Armenian President Robert Kocharyan and Secretary
General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Nikolay
Bordyuzha, who is on a working visit to Yerevan, discussed the
organizational issues related to the summer summit of CSTO Collective
Security Council in Astana. Speaking at a press-conference at the
Armenian National Assembly today, Nikolay Bordyuzha said that the main
direction of cooperation of the CSTO signatory-states must be the
struggle against terrorism, drugs trafficking and organized crime, as
no military treats exist today. He said that the CSTO currently works
to improve the Russian-Armenian and Russian-Byelorussian groupings
operating under CSTO.
Speaking of the statements by several Russian politologists that the
attitude of the Kremlin to Armenia has become cold, Bordyuzha said
that such statements by analysts are groundless. He said that the
relations of Armenia and Russia are based on mutually advantageous
cooperation. Bordyuzha said that Armenia is an active player both in
the CIS and CSTO structures. “Of course, transport problems of Armenia
hinder its economic development and deepening of the Russian-Armenian
economic ties.” However, bilateral political relations, including the
cooperation of the two countries under CSTO, are at a very high
level,” CSTO Secretary General said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CSTO chief describes terror, drugs, organised crime as key threats
By Tigran Liloyan
ITAR-TASS YEREVAN
April 10, 2004
Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation
(CSTO) Nikolai Bordyuzha believes that “the CSTO should be adapted to
the security problems which the CSTO countries are facing.” “Nowadays
our key problems are terrorism, organized crime and drug trafficking,
but not a military threat,” Bordyuzha told a news conference here on
Saturday.
“We propose the CSTO leaders to define the CSTO’s military component
for the next few years and decide whether we are going to move towards
collective forces or rapid reaction units. We are currently working on
this issue,” the secretary general said.
At the same time Bordyuzha regards the activation of the CSTO military
component as an important direction. He said the upgrading process of
the CSTO military component namely the Russian-Armenian military
grouping in the Caucasus, the Russian-Belarus grouping and the
collective rapid deployment forces in Central Asia was in progress.
“We are acting according to a special plan,” Bordyuzha specified.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress