Author: Felekian Ara

The Age of the Warrior, by Robert Fisk

>From our correspondent in the crossfire

Reviewed by Frank McLynn
Friday, 23 May 2008
Independent.co.uk Web

Robert Fisk is probably the most celebrated foreign correspondent in
Britain, and rightly so. This selection of his journalism finds him at
full throttle as he inveighs against a host of familiar, but wholly
deserving targets: Bush, Blair, the Iraq war, the insane Western policy
towards the Middle East. His loathing of Blair, "this vain, deceitful
man, this proven liar… who has the blood of thousands of Arab men,
women and children on his hands", will strike a chord with millions.
Fisk has an equal detestation of "Dubya" Bush, but by now there is
nothing more to be said about a man whom history will surely judge as
the worst US president ever.

Fisk, who knows the Middle East backwards and is an Arabist, can find
almost no consolation when he surveys the area: 150,000 people died in
a civil war in Lebanon in 1975-90, caused by the West’s meddling, but,
since they were not Brits or Americans, no one cares. Another 200,000
died in Algeria when "our sonofabitch" government decided to ignore the
results of an election, but there is no pro-democratic regime change
there engineered by Washington. Turkey denies that its genocide of the
Armenians in 1915 took place, yet its aspirations to join the EU are
still taken seriously, again because of US pressure.

As Fisk scathingly remarks, Bush ("the David Irving of the White
House") can warn us that Iran is a possible cause of a Third World War
yet cannot tell the truth about Turkey in the First. Some of his
choicest invective is reserved for Israel: "When Israelis are involved,
our moral compass, our ability to report the truth dries up." It has
got to the point of doublethink that Webster’s Dictionary actually
defines "antisemitism" as "opposition to the state of Israel".

Fisk is brilliant at dissecting the clichés, bromides, stock phrases
and euphemisms the Western media use when cosying up to Israel. My
favourite is the nonsense whereby, whenever an Israeli soldier shoots
someone dead, the victim is always described as caught in "crossfire".
Fisk has been accused of exaggeration, but the Israel Defence Force
recently sought to justify the killing of the British film-maker James
Miller by an Israeli soldier, saying he should have realised the
dangers of "crossfire".

Fisk’s pessimism is not even tempered when he regards his own
colleagues. He has some good stories about the cliché-ridden "training"
of journalists in the 1960s, where drunken, cynical old hacks would
preach the virtues of "hard news" to callow trainees. Fisk makes the
valuable point that the ideology of the concrete so beloved by this
school of journalists always has the net effect of giving the status
quo and its supporters an easy ride. So far from achieving "balance",
the "just the facts" approach actually buttresses existing elites.

Fisk is accused of going over the top in his savage indignation, but my
main complaint is that he is not savage enough. He rightly sees the
humbug and hypocrisy of the Clintons, but does not really go for the
jugular. A strong case can be made that Bill’s sexual shenanigans cost
the Democrats the 2000 presidential election and lumbered us with
"Dubya". Yet in general, 500 pages of his truthful scorn left me
wanting more. O brave old world, that has such journos in it.

Frank McLynn’s latest book is ‘Heroes and Villains’ (BBC Books)

SUPPORT FLOWS FOR BULLARD HIGH STUDENT
By Vanessa Colon

Fresno Bee
June 3 2008
CA

Lawmaker, Armenian group, peers respond to plight of valedictorian.

Arthur Mkoyan, the Bullard High School valedictorian who may be
deported before he can fulfill his college dreams, got a boost Monday
in his efforts to remain in this country.

Mkoyan, whose story was featured in Monday’s Bee, drew immediate
support from a local Armenian advocacy group and fellow Bullard High
students — and a promise from Rep. George Radanovich to take a second
look at his request for help.

On Monday, Arthur said, he was showered with questions and offers of
help from students and teachers at school, who hadn’t known of his
plight. His home phone has been ringing off the hook as friends and
supporters called. Television news reporters were trying to get an
interview most of the day, Arthur said.

The shy 17-year-old with a 4.0 grade-point average said he is
overwhelmed by the sudden attention.

"It makes me feel good people care," he said.

Arthur will graduate from Bullard High June 10 as a valedictorian. He’d
like to stay in the United States and attend the University of
California at Davis, where he has been accepted for the fall.

But the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ordered Arthur and
his mother to leave the U.S. by late June and return to Armenia,
a country Arthur hasn’t seen since he was 2.

Arthur’s family fled from the old Soviet Union and has been seeking
asylum since 1992. Ruben Mkoian, Arthur’s father, applied for asylum
but was rejected. Mkoian, who spells his name differently from his son,
appealed to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. He
lost his appeal. Mkoian is currently at a detention center in Arizona.

On Monday, as news of the family’s plight spread, Arthur’s family
was contacted by the Armenian National Committee of Central
California. Hilda Santikian, the committee’s chair, said her group
is exploring how it can help the family.

Meanwhile, Arthur’s mother, who has declined to give her name for fear
of losing her job, was invited on Ray Appleton’s afternoon radio show
on KMJ 580 and discussed the family’s situation. She said the family
had sought help from Radanovich, R-Mariposa, but his office wasn’t
able to do anything for them.

Radanovich’s office acknowledged Monday that the family first sent
a letter to the congressman on April 18. A few days later, a staff
member told the family that its only option was a private bill to grant
legal status to individuals, but that Radanovich doesn’t introduce
private bills.

"He doesn’t feel he should be able to pick winners or losers and who
should on an individual basis stay or leave," said Spencer Pederson,
Radanovich’s press secretary.

Arthur’s mother then turned to Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who
has introduced private bills in the past. Feinstein is now looking
at Arthur’s case. Private bills are rarely introduced and often don’t
pass, but if a bill is introduced, deportation is halted.

Radanovich called Arthur’s mother soon after her KMJ radio
appearance. His staff now plans to meet with Arthur and his mom
Thursday.

"We are taking a more extensive view" of the case, Radanovich said
in a phone interview.

"This is a second look. … We would be reviewing the case to see if
there’s anything we can do."

Arthur is surprised by all the attention. But he is trying not to
let it distract him — he has one more final exam and an essay still
to write.

MEN’S RIYADI, WOMEN’S HOMENETMEN INCREASE THEIR TABLE TENNIS MEDALS

Naharnet
June 3 2008
Lebanon

Beirut Riyadi club has won for the 12th time the Lebanon table tennis
championship for men while Homenetmen’s women team grabbed the title
for the 16th time, An Nahar daily reported Tuesday.

The newspaper said that Riyadi defeated Homenetmen 3-0 in the final
of the championship held at Mont la Salle Ain Saadeh while in the
women’s category the Armenian club from Beirut took the gold medal
by scoring 3-1 against Shabab al-Fawwar Zgharta.

Beirut’s Antranik club came in third place in the men’s category
while the women’s bronze medal went to Kafarshima’s Adab and Riyada.

PRESS RELEASE
Date: June 2, 2008
Armenian National Committee of America
Eastern Region
122 W. 27th St. Floor 12, New York, NY 10001
Contact: Karine Birazian
Tel: 917-428-1918

ARMENIAN YOUTH GIVE A HAND IN STOPPING GENOCIDE IN DARFUR

Prospect, PA– Hundreds of Armenian youth from the Armenian Youth
Federation (AYF), Eastern, US gathered at the annual Junior Seminar
this past Memorial Day weekend to take part in educational,
athletic, and social activities that are geared towards creating a
fraternal Armenian atmosphere for all members, reported the
Armenian National Committee of America, Eastern Region (ANCA-ER)

Among the organized schedule of speakers was ANCA-ER Executive
Director Karine Birazian who spoke to groups on becoming active on
Armenian issues and the importance of grassroots mobilization.

During her lecture entitled "Got Hai Tahd," Birazian focused on the
genocide in Darfur and why it is critical that Armenian youth
become involved in attempting to stop it.. "We must be the voice
for those Darfurians today. In 1915, when Armenians did not have a
voice, others, who never had even heard of an Armenian, helped,"
commented Birazian during her lecture.

Following her lectures, Birazian had the youth place their hands in
red paint and then on a large cloth provided for them. The
activity, encourage by Africa Action, is sending a message to
President Bush that we are all witnesses to the ongoing genocide
today in Darfur.

Those present in Birazian’s lecture also received information on
key issues that the ANCA is working on, including economic and
military aid to Armenia, the nomination of a new U.S. ambassador to
Armenia, and the current status of the Armenian Genocide
Resolution. Activists also learned how to call their
representatives, as well as learning where their Members stand on
issues of importance to Armenian Americans.

Following Birazian’s lecture, Becca Biesel, an AYF Junior member
from the New Jersey "Arsen" chapter contacted Birazian over
Facebook (c) asking for more information on how to contact her
Congressman. "I decided to call my Congressman because I had
learned from Karine that not only do we come to Seminar to see our
friends, but to learn about our Armenian culture. After watching
her presentation, it made it me feel like I can make a little
difference. It is very important to have your Congressman’s
support because it makes you feel safe, as well as being a step
closer in recognizing the Armenian Genocide."

Among the lecturers were several ANCA activists in leadership
roles, including: George Aghjayan; ANCA ER Board member: Serouj
Aprahamian; ANCA Capital Gateway Program Director; Ara Chalian, ANC
of Pennsylvania Chairman; and Zohrab Khaligian, ANC of Wisconsin
Chairman, as well as community volunteers.
####

Photo Caption #1: Activists taking part in the handprints for
Darfur

Photo Caption #2: Handprints for Darfur

Ha’aretz, Israel
June 1 2008

The upgrade state

By Gideon Levy

Tags: Israel, Ehud Olmert

Ehud Olmert isn’t alone. He did what everybody does. The prime
minister tried to "upgrade" his life; we all try to do this. There is
no dream like the Israeli dream of trading up. It has become our very
raison d’etre. The problem starts when we lose all proportion. Olmert
upgrades his flights, his luxury suites, his watches and his cigars,
but the Israeli desire to upgrade is far more wide-ranging, and
all-inclusive.

Its begins, of course, with how we view ourselves. We’re a normal
nation? Just like all the other nations of the world? Get real. "We
are a unique people, no less." In truth, we are a society that is far
from normal, with our fragile democracy that in many ways veers toward
the theocratic. We are levantine in many ways, and no less
militaristic. We are an uneasy combination of Western liberalism and
totalitarianism, between socialism and cruel capitalism, nationalism
and, at times, even racism. Yet, we are a people that declares itself
"a light unto the nations."

This effort to upgrade our image and to obtain the admiration of the
entire world – woe be he who tries to undermine that ambition – drives
us out of our minds. "The only democracy in the Middle East" – another
semi-ridiculous upgrade – in whose backyard one can find a cruel
military occupation that’s been operating for 41 years, and which also
shows some dangerous, disturbing signs on its domestic front. "The
only democracy in the Middle East," which expels guest intellectuals
because of their opinions, and students because of their religious
beliefs; which burns holy books and tries to prevent the selling of
leavened bread on Passover; which has no public transportation on the
Sabbath, just like the worst theocracies. This is the country we seek
to upgrade to the level of a liberal, Western democracy. This is very
reminiscent of how the state upgraded the scope of the territory under
its control, an upgrade that has turned into the mother of all
disasters.

We strive to upgrade Tel Aviv, a riveting yet local city, to New York;
we pompously boast that Israeli wine is "the next global phenomenon,"
after an anonymous boutique winery wins a medal or receives an adoring
review in the press; winning a basketball tournament "puts us on the
map"; winning the Eurovision song contest or an Olympic medal is
immediately called "a national achievement," and the president calls
our agriculture, science and military "the best in the world." These
are all empty upgrades, just like those souped-up jeeps that roll down
our streets.

We even have a tendency to play up our national disasters while
minimizing those of other nations. It is forbidden to say one word
about our sacrosanct Holocaust. Since no other event can compare to
it, one may not, heaven forbid, mention the Holocaust in the same
breath as other disasters – not the Armenian genocide, nor the
butchery in Congo, nor Rwanda and Darfur, and certainly not the
Nakba. The suffering of the residents of Sderot is also inflated and
upgraded to disproportionate dimensions. Just a few kilometers away
lives a nation in the most cruel, incalculable conditions, but that
disaster we minimize.

All Ehud Olmert asked for was to fly first class when his ticket was
for business class, to sleep in the presidential suite when he paid
for a regular room. Relative to our daily upgrades, this is marginal,
but we still love to talk about it, to combat it with unequaled
determination and righteous indignation. To hell with the other
upgrades, which are far more ridiculous, and far more dangerous.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Ukraine offers new transport corridor from Black Sea to South Korea
29.05.2008 16:10 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azerbaijan has a chance to join the new railway
transport corridor to stretch from the Black Sea to South Korea, Boris
Klimchuk, the Ukrainian Ambassador in Azerbaijan told a news
conference in Baku.

Lithuania, Ukraine and Belarus have signed a trilateral deal on cargo
transportation in the Black Sea and Baltic direction on 12 May. The
main goal of the deal is to increase the cargo turnover between the
Black and Baltic Seas. The sides reached an agreement on the transport
policy.

-This agreement will allow to cut the term for cargo transit and to
avoid discrimination that used to occur in transport via these
territories. The sides have also agreed to extend the geography of
transit route Lithuania-Belarus-Ukraine and to consider the
possibility to attract Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia to this
project,- Klimchuk said.

This route may join the Great Silk Road in the future and reach South
Korea. -Azerbaijan is interested in this project,- the Ambassador
said, Trend Azeri news agency reports.

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
May 29 2008

AI: Fair trial concerns persist in Turkey

Amnesty International (AI) has voiced concerns in its latest report
regarding fair trial processes in Turkey as it documented a number of
freedom of expression, human rights and ill-treatment cases throughout
the country.

"This concerns elements of the judiciary’s interpretation of laws in
an arbitrary and restrictive fashion, leading to fair trial concerns
in Turkey," said Andrew Gardner, Amnesty International’s researcher on
Turkey, speaking to Today’s Zaman from London.

"In the wake of increased political uncertainty and army
interventions, nationalist sentiment and violence increased. Freedom
of expression continued to be restricted. Allegations of torture and
other ill-treatment and the use of excessive force by law enforcement
officials persisted. Prosecutions for violations of human rights were
ineffective and insufficient, and fair trial concerns persisted,"
stated AI’s Report 2008, released yesterday.

Following the developments in 2007 in regard to human rights
practices, the report said an atmosphere of intolerance prevailed
following the shooting of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink last
year.

"The peaceful expression of opinion continued to be restricted in law
and practice. Lawyers, journalists, human rights defenders and others
were harassed, threatened, unjustly prosecuted and physically
attacked. An increased number of cases were brought under Article 301
of the Turkish Penal Code [TCK], which criminalizes ‘denigration of
Turkishness’ despite national and international opposition to the
article," the report stated, adding that previous to his murder Dink
was prosecuted under the article.

"While a police investigation into the murder resulted in a number of
suspects being brought to trial, the full culpability of the security
services was not examined," it stated.

Gardner said Article 301 was revised in 2008 and not in 2007, the year
which the report covers, but that Amnesty International supports its
abolishment.

"Amnesty International has long campaigned for the abolishment of
Article 301. It puts an unacceptable limitation on freedom of
expression. And we are still campaigning for its abolishment," he
said.

Another freedom of expression restriction Amnesty International
mentioned concerns Article 216 of the TCK, which criminalizes
"inciting enmity or hatred among the population." The report said it
was applied in an arbitrary and overly restrictive manner.

The report drew attention to insufficient impunity
measures. "Investigations into human rights violations perpetrated by
law enforcement officials remained flawed and there were insufficient
prosecutions."

Political uncertainty increases

"The inability of Parliament to elect a new president resulted in
early parliamentary elections in July. The government was re-elected
and in August Parliament elected Abdullah Gül as president. In
September the government appointed a commission to draft major
constitutional amendments. In November the Constitutional Court began
proceedings to ban the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP),"
the report also stated.

Gardner noted that Amnesty International monitors party closure cases
in Turkey closely, including the case against the ruling Justice and
Development Party (AK Party) filed on March 31 of this year.

When asked about religious freedoms and the headscarf ban, Gardner
said Amnesty International welcomed the lifting of the ban at
institutions of higher learning this year.

"If you look at our 2007 report [on Turkey], it clearly states the
right to wear a headscarf or not to should be granted, whether these
rights belong to a minority or the majority," he added.

The report also marked escalation in armed clashes between the Turkish
Armed Forces (TSK) and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK),and
said it led to human rights abuses. "The military declared temporary
security zones in three districts bordering Iraq in June and a further
three districts in December," it said.

When it comes to defending human rights, Amnesty International noted
that rights defenders were prosecuted for their peaceful activities,
including Amnesty International’s own members. "In January the bank
accounts of Amnesty International Turkey were frozen on the demand of
the Ä°stanbul Governor’s Office on the grounds of alleged
‘illegal fundraising’ and in May an administrative fine was imposed on
the organization’s chairperson for the same offence. Amnesty
International Turkey appealed, but both issues remained unresolved at
the end of the year."

The report also highlighted Nigerian asylum-seeker Festus Okey’s case
under the subtitle of "killings in disputed circumstances." Okey had
died after being shot in police custody in Ä°stanbul. A crucial
piece of evidence, the shirt he wore on the day of the shooting, was
apparently lost by the police. A police officer was charged with
intentional killing.

"Fatal shootings by the security forces continued to be reported, with
failure to obey a warning to stop usually given as
justification. However, incidents often involved a disproportionate
use of force by security forces and some killings may have been
extrajudicial executions. In a number of instances, investigations
were compromised when evidence was lost by law enforcement officials,"
the Amnesty International report stated.

Regarding torture and other ill-treatment, Amnesty International said
these cases continued, "especially outside official places of
detention."

It also noted that "harsh and arbitrary punishments continued to be
reported in F-type prisons," and added: "Some prisoners were held in
solitary confinement and small-group isolation. Widespread protests
called for an end to the solitary confinement of outlawed PKK’s leader
Abdullah Ã-calan, and for an investigation into his treatment."

The report also noted that the European Committee for the Prevention
of Torture (CPT) visited the prison island of İmralı
where Ã-calan remains imprisoned to examine the conditions of his
detention and his state of health but their findings had not been made
public yet.

Other concerns of Amnesty International regarded conscientious
objection to military service and its non-recognition. "No civilian
alternative was available," it said.

On refugees and asylum-seekers, the report said they continued to be
denied access to a fair and effective national asylum system: "The
Turkish authorities forcibly returned recognized refugees and
asylum-seekers to countries where they were at risk of serious human
rights violations, in violation of international law."

The report also highlighted violence against women. "Laws and
regulations to protect women victims of domestic violence were
inadequately implemented. The number of shelters remained far below
the amount stipulated under the 2004 Law on Municipalities, which
required a shelter in all settlements with a population of more than
50,000."

29 May 2008, Thursday
YONCA POYRAZ DOÄ?AN Ä°STANBUL

CE Secretary General: I concern when I hear that peaceful means for
solution of Nagorno Karabakh conflict have ended

2008-05-30 14:45:00

ArmInfo. Secretary General of the Council of Europe Terry Davis
concerns when he hears that peaceful means for solution of Nagorno
Karabakh conflict have ended. As APA reports, he answered the questions
of participants of the plenary meeting of the CE Congress of Local
Regional Authorities on May 28. Mr. Davis said that he had visited
Azerbaijan and Armenia for the several times and learned the conflicts
in the South Caucasus. "I was shocked when I saw living conditions in
the refugee camps in Azerbaijan. I expressed my ideas at the official
meetings with the leaders of both countries and I think it gave its
results. Certain work has been done for improvement of living
conditions of refugees since than. The root of this problem is between
Azerbaijan and Armenia and relates to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
There was war between these countries and both sides suffered from it.
In that time Europe had no information about the details of this
conflict. It was not discussed there because Europe was at work upon
former Yugoslavia and crimes committed there though same events were
happening in the South Caucasus too. Now the situation is so that we
try to protect human rights in both Azerbaijan and Armenia and intends
for soonest solution of the conflict. While entering the Council of
Europe, both countries took obligations for peaceful solution of the
conflict and I very concern when I hear that peaceful means have ended
and one of the sides is going to take military measures. In such cases
I would put forward the initiative for the CE Committee of Ministers to
take necessary measure, because it would be violation of obligations
taken before the Council of Europe". Terry Davis advised to the
conflict parties, as a friend of both Azerbaijan and Armenia, to look
forward for future not forgetting the past. "I don’t say that you must
forget the past, but you need to look forward for finding solution to
the
conflict".

Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
Email [email protected]
Internet

PRESS RELEASE
May 28, 2008
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

ANCA WELCOMES JOINT PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE STATEMENT URGING END TO
GENOCIDE IN DARFUR

— Urges Candidates to Speak Unequivocally on All Genocides

WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)
today applauded the unprecedented, bi-partisan joint statement
issued by Presidential Candidates, Senators Hillary Clinton (D-NY),
John McCain (R-AZ) and Barack Obama (D-IL) expressing their
collective commitment to ending the ongoing genocide in Darfur.

"After more than five years of genocide, the Sudanese government
and its proxies continue to commit atrocities against civilians in
Darfur. This is unacceptable to the American people and to the
world community," noted Senators Clinton, McCain and Obama.
"Today, we wish to make clear to the Sudanese government that on
this moral issue of tremendous importance, there is no divide
between us. We stand united and demand that the genocide and
violence in Darfur be brought to an end and that the CPA
[Comprehensive Peace Agreement] be fully implemented." The complete
text of the joint statement can be viewed on the Save Darfur
website at:
tes_Statement/

"A united stand on stopping the ongoing genocide in Darfur sends a
powerful message to the al-Bashir government that ongoing
atrocities against defenseless civilians is simply unacceptable,"
stated ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "Only by speaking
clearly and unequivocally on all genocides – from the Armenian
Genocide, to the Holocaust, Cambodia, Rwanda and now Sudan – can we
finally put an end to the cycle of genocide plaguing our world over
the past century."

Presidential candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton had
condemned the Sudan genocide earlier this year in statements citing
their support for passage of Armenian Genocide legislation
(H.Res.106 / S.Res.106) pending in Congress.

On January 19th, Sen. Obama noted "Genocide, sadly, persists to
this day, and threatens our common security and common humanity.
Tragically, we are witnessing in Sudan many of the same brutal
tactics – displacement, starvation, and mass slaughter – that were
used by the Ottoman authorities against defenseless Armenians back
in 1915. I have visited Darfurian refugee camps, pushed for the
deployment of a robust multinational force for Darfur, and urged
divestment from companies doing business in Sudan. America deserves
a leader who speaks truthfully about the Armenian Genocide and
responds forcefully to all genocides. I intend to be that
President." The full text of Sen. Obama’s statement may be read
at:
releases.php?prid=1365

Similarly, Senator Clinton, noting that the "horrible events
perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire against Armenians constitute a
clear case of genocide," went on to state, "If the mass atrocities
of the 20th Century have taught us anything it is that we must
honestly look the facts of history in the face in order to learn
their lessons, and ensure they will not happen again. It is not
just about the past, but about our future. . . I support a no-fly-
zone over Darfur. I have championed strong international action to
ensure that the government of Sudan can no longer act with
impunity, or interfere with the international peacekeeping force,
which is essential for the protection of the people of Darfur."
Sen. Clinton’s complete statement may be read at:
ses.php?prid=1367

In a February 2nd letter to the ANCA, Senator McCain commented that
"It is fair to say that this tragedy, the brutal murder of as many
as one and a half million Armenians under the rule of the Ottoman
Empire, has also been one of the most neglected. The suffering
endured by the Armenian people during that period represented the
prologue to what has come to be known as humanity’s bloodiest
century." The complete letter may be viewed at:
ses.php?prid=1375

The Armenian Genocide Resolution, H.Res.106, introduced by Rep.
Adam Schiff (D-CA) with lead supporters George Radanovich (R-CA),
Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and
Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), Brad Sherman (D-CA) and Anna Eshoo (D-CA),
currently has over 200 cosponsors.

On October 10th, the House Foreign Affairs Committee adopted the
resolution, which calls on U.S. foreign policy to properly reflect
the genocide of over 1.5 million Armenian men, women and children
from 1915-1923 in Ottoman Turkey. A similar measure in the Senate,
led by Assistant Majority Leader Richard Durbin (D-IL) and John
Ensign (R-NV), has 34 cosponsors.

Situation in Sudan Deteriorating

Ongoing and escalating violence in Sudan – including the recent
destruction of the contested town of Abyei – reinforces the
importance of this united statement from the candidates. Following
the Justice and Equality Movement attack on the capital May 10,
reports from the ground indicate that the Sudanese government’s
response has been heavy-handed and rife with human rights abuses.
The reports indicate widespread detentions and disappearances,
summary executions, crackdowns on Darfuri journalists and lawyers,
and the looting of Darfuri homes and businesses in and around
Khartoum. Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir virtually promised a
new round of brutal attacks in Darfur on May 20, leaving millions
of civilians in the villages, cities and IDP camps in fear for
their lives.

ANCA activists have teamed up with Save Darfur,
Genocide Intervention Network, STAND, Africa Action and a host of
other organizations in a united effort to end the genocide in
Darfur and strengthen the burgeoning anti-genocide constituency in
the United States. Last week, the ANCA joined Africa Action and a
host of other groups in organizing a rally in front of the U.S.
Mission at the United Nations in New York City to deliver thousands
of handprints and messages from all over the country demanding
decisive U.S. action to end genocide in Darfur and promote peace
for Sudan. To read about that rally, visit:
leases.php?prid=1503

#####

CASE MOVES SLOWLY AGAINST MAN ARRESTED OUTSIDE OBAMA EVENT

Chicago Tribune, IL
amasecurity-hea,0,7928935.story
Associated Press
May 26 2008

DES MOINES, Iowa – The case’s moving ahead slowly for a Cincinnati
man arrested last summer after attracting the attention of Secret
Service agents protecting presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Police arrested Davit Zakaryan in July after Secret Service agents
became suspicious of the Armenian native. He was charged with
possessing a concealed knife with a blade longer than 8 inches. The
knife was found in his car.

Zakaryan was released days later, but there’ve been more than a half
dozen delays in his case. A pretrial conference is now scheduled for
June 12th.

Wapello County Attorney Allen Cook says one reason for the delay has
been the difficulty of finding an Armenian interpreter.

Zakaryan says he was trailing presidential candidates to sell campaign
memorabilia outside events in the lead-up to the state’s precinct
caucuses.