Author: Frangulian Shushan

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian received today survivors of genocides and crimes against humanity from Cambodia, Rwanda and Iraq, who have arrived in Armenia to participate in the Second Global Forum Against the Crime of Genocide.

Minister Nalbandian emphasized the participation of outstanding scholars, political and public figures, artists and especially survivors in the global forum.

Minister Nalbandian attached importance to the joint efforts of the international community targeted at the prevention of genocides and elimination of their consequences. He noted that the Global Forum held in Armenia for the second year in a row has become an important platform for struggle against genocides and crimes against humanity.

Nadia Murad of Iraq presented the violence against Yazidis and the story of the barbaric killing of her family. She asked for Armenia’s support in raising awareness about the issue.

Minister Nalbandian assured of Armenia’s committment to maintain efforts towards raising the issue of the genocide of Yazidis on different international platforms.

The participants of the meeting hailed Armenia’s role in preventing genocides. Edward Nalbandian briefed the guests on Armenia’s initiatives and efforts in that direction.

A large explosion in the Turkish capital, Ankara, has left at least five people killed and 10 injured, the city’s governor says, the BBC reports.

The blast happened next to a passing military vehicle, in an area close to parliament and Turkey’s military headquarters.

Large plumes of smoke were seen rising from the area and witnesses said the blast was heard all over the city.

Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag called it an “act of terrorism”.

The Ankara’s governor office said the explosion was caused by a vehicle full of explosives that was detonated as military buses were passing by.

Ambulances and fire engines were sent to the scene.

Horizon Weekly – Armenian Genocide survivor Knar Bohjelian turned 107 this past weekend.

Knar Bohjelian-Yeminidjian was born in 1909 in Kayseri. When the armenian massacres and the assault on Kayseri began, she and her family sought refuge in a barn for a few months. Her family was then deported, but not too far from their home, the reason being that her father was a soldier in the Turkish military. Growing up, Bohjelian recalls how her mother tied a scarf to her brother’s head so that he would pass for a girl, given that all the men were being rounded up and killed.

Following a governmental decree and with their grandmother’s backing, Bohjelian’s family was forced to Turkify themselves in order to survive. Subsequently, Bohjelian and her entire family bore Turkish names. Once a cease-fire was announced, her parents decided to flee the region. In 1928, they travelled to Ankara, then Constantinople. After staying for 11 months, they made their way to Greece by boat and two days later, arrived in Alexandria, Egypt. She was 19 years old by then.

Bohjelian claims that the only reason they survived the Armenian genocide is because they took up Turkish identities. She remains grateful towards her grandmother who (surely reluctantly) encouraged the Bohjelian family to take on Turkish identities. Bohjelian got married and lived in Egypt for over 40 years before moving to Montreal in 1971 with her family.

She survived the genocide against all odds. Bohjelian has two children, three grandchildren, and three great grandchildren.

President Serzh Sargsyan had a meeting with high-ranking representatives of the legislative, executive and judiciary authorities, regional and local self-government bodies. President Sargsyan offered a speech on the implementation of the Constitutional changes.

President Sargsyan voiced confidence that as a result of the Constutional changes Armenia’s political system will become more open, flexible and internally complex.  “It will correspond to the dynamically and comprehensively developing social structure of our society. As in many democratic states, parties will lead the political struggle.  Parties and their coalitions will form executive bodies, will nominate candidates to head the state and local self-government bodies,” he said.

“The political system will be reformed and will improve thanks to the competition between political units,” the President said.

“We have two main values – the Armenian nation and Armenia. They should stand above all other values. Our steps, decisions and behavior should stem from these two values,” the President added.

Serzh Sargsyan added that taking into consideration the situation in the region, we are simply obliged to have a strong state, where everyone will be ready to become a soldier if necessary.

“It is the duty of any of us to do the utmost to have a full-fledged state and a society, where the authorities are transparent and reliable, where all members are equally accountable before the law,” the President added.

President Sargsyan said “the new Constitution is a new breath for a new beginning.” “We have created a unique opportunity to give new impetus to development and correct the shortcomings. This applies to all of us – both the President of the county and the common citizens.”

Members of Russia’s State Duma (lower house of parliament) Valery Rashkin and Sergei Obukhov (Communist Party faction) have sent a letter to the country’s leadership and the Foreign Ministry proposing to denounce the Moscow Treaty of Friendship and Brotherhood signed On March 16, 1921, by the government of Soviet Russia (RSFSR) and the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, writes Russia’s Izvestia daily which has obtained the text of the letter, reports.

“We should consider a possibility of legal review of all Russian-Turkish agreements that are unfavorable for our country and its allies. Ankara must understand what the escalation of the conflict could be fraught with for it. Only this can bring it to earth and prevent it from carrying out new provocations,” Obukhov told Izvestia.

The initiative has been supported by the Just Russia faction. According to State Duma member Oleg Pakholkov, the Moscow treaty was signed to the detriment of Russia’s interests.

Obukhov noted that “two of the three South Caucasian  republics – Georgia and Armenia – did not recognize the terms of the treaty considering it unfair.” “One should realize that in 1921 the Bolshevik (Soviet) government was literally hanging by a single thread: the foreign intervention and civil war continued. Under those circumstances Soviet Russia could not speak from a position of strength and impose more favorable terms of the treaty on Turkey,” the parliamentarian said.

The newspaper notes that under the treaty “the former Kars region and the southern part of the former Batumi region that were part of the Russian Empire since 1878 as well as former Surmalin district of Erivan Governorate that was part of the Russian Empire since 1828 with Mount Ararat were ceded to Turkey.”

 

The collection of reports on the Armenian Genocide presented in 2015 in Paris has been released by Turkish Iletisim Publishing, reports.

According to the source, the collection includes the reports of the best genocide scholars, who not only interpret the Armenian Genocide, but also refer to the dictatorial policy against other national minorities of the Ottoman Empire, Turkey’s policy of denial, legal issues and other topics.

Alphabet- Google’s parent company- has surpassed Apple as the world’s most valuable company after its latest earnings report, according to the BBC.

The company made a profit of $4.9bn for the fourth quarter, an increase from $4.7bn a year ago.

The announcement sent its share price up as much as 9% in after-hours trading.

That means that Alphabet is now worth around $568bn, compared with Apple, which has a value of $535bn.

It is the first time that Alphabet has separated out the results of its Google business – which includes the search engine and YouTube – from its “Other Bets” business, which includes more experimental ventures such as self-driving cars and internet balloon programs.

On an annual basis, Alphabet made $16.3bn but the figures show that the “Other Bets” business lost $3.6bn during the period, while Google’s operating income rose to $23.4bn, as online advertising increased.

Photo: AFP

 

At least 45 people have been killed in blasts near the Shia shrine of Sayyida Zeinab, south of the Syrian capital Damascus, state media say, the BBC reports.

The Islamic State group said on social media it had carried out the attack.

The shrine, which is highly revered by Shia Muslims, has been targeted before, most recently in February last year.

The attacks came as delegates from the Syrian government and opposition groups gathered in Geneva for tentative UN-sponsored peace talks.

The head of the Syrian government delegation at the Geneva talks, Bashar al-Jaafari, said the attack confirmed the link between the opposition and terrorism.

The main opposition group has backed down from its threat to boycott the talks, but says the Syrian government must meet key demands if negotiations are to start.

Photo: AP

 

A series of bomb blasts have rocked the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, with continuing gunfire and reports of further explosions.

At least six people have been killed by the blasts, say police, which hit locations including a shopping centre close to UN offices, the BBC reports.

Police say at least four suspected attackers are dead. It remains unclear who was behind the assault.

President Joko Widodo has called for calm but condemned the “act of terror”.

“We all are grieving for the fallen victims of this incident, but we also condemn the act that has disturbed the security and peace and spread terror among our people,” he said.

NEW YEAR’S MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS KAREKIN II
SUPREME PATRIARCH AND CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
December 31, 2015

Dear Faithful in the Homeland and the Diaspora,

It is the festive day of New Year. We extend Our Pontifical love and blessings from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin to you dear faithful people of Armenia.

We leave the year 2015 with a grateful wish, new hopes, and expectations. The past year was a sacred year for us because of the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Through the efforts of our Church and people, commemorative events were organized in all corners of the world. The “Pan-Armenian Declaration” to promote our virtuous case and path to justice was announced at Tsitsernakaberd. In the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, we held the Canonization of the Holy Martyrs and the Blessing of the Holy Muron. The commemorative events brought new spiritual strength and vigor to our life, becoming an occasion for national unity, strengthening of faith and love in our hearts, and reinforcing the conviction of our people to achieve justice.

Though we recorded successes and achievements, we also had difficulties and troubles in the passing year, and also fears and painful losses. With dignity, a brave heart and unified efforts, our people withstood all the challenges; defending this country’s borders and peace in our lives was acquired at a high price. Dear ones, let’s celebrate the year 2016 with intensified spirit and optimism. In 2016, we will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the restoration of our independent statehood in Armenia and Artsakh. Supporting each other in Armenia and the Diaspora, let us invest in every possibility to make our country more prosperous, make our life beneficial, and make our future bright.

On this New Year’s Day, on the eve of the feast of the Holy Nativity and Theophany of Jesus Christ, let us join in prayer for the world, our country, and the peaceful and safe life of our people. Let us remember the needy, the sick, and those in sorrow; our brothers and sisters bearing the trials of war in the Middle East; and our nation’s children living in the border areas; offering to them our hand of support and assistance.

We raise a prayer for our children who died heroically in battles, our brave soldiers defending the borders of our countries and the commanders.

We extend our prayers to the Almighty for new achievements for our national authorities, the clergy, and all the nations’ sons and daughters. We pray for safety for the families; glorious and good service to the soldiers of our Army; heavenly grace and love to our infants and young children, and blessings to the lives of all Armenians. Happy New Year!