Author: Garnik Zakarian

Film: The Other Side of Home

Garnik Zakarian
Film Threat
May 6 2020

By Alan Ng | April 29, 2020

For filmmaker Naré Mkrtchyan, April 24, 2015, was an important day. It was the 100th Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day. In 1915, Turkey and the Ottoman Empire invaded Western Armenia and murdered 1.5 million Armenians. In a stroke of divine luck, Naré’s great-grandparent’s survived and fled in what is now known as the Armenian Diaspora.

As a child, Naré was taken aside and told that her family name was not hers and that she was Armenian. Naré’s film The Other Side of Home follows her as she travels to Turkey for 100th commemoration of this day. Her documentary not only gives the details of this tragic event, but she goes on to show what Turkish citizens believe about the Armenian people.

Today, in Turkey, it is illegal to speak ill of the country or, as the law says, “insult Turkishness.” A Turkish writer was murdered in the streets for using the word “genocide.” As Naré interviews random citizens, they either don’t believe the genocide ever took place, or can’t say publicly out of justified paranoia and certain death or imprisonment.

“Naré’s great-grandparent’s survived and fled in what is now known as the Armenian Diaspora.”

Naré then interviews her great-grandmother, who met her husband (Naré’s great-grandfather) while fleeing the violence. Tears begin to fall the moment she recounts witnessing the murders. She ends by saying, “I envy those people who haven’t seen it.”

Naré Mkrtchyan’s The Other Side of Home is another heartfelt account of a horrendous event that happened over a century ago. Without the aid of video, social media…and even photography, the fear is this moment in history will be forgotten, and one of the most severe crimes of humanity will be lost forever.

As a documentary, Naré Mkrtchyan, with writer/editor Amy Rosner, beautifully piece together history, both past and present, to tell the story. Using professionally shot footage of Naré’s travel, piecing it together with on-the-street interviews, and then adding news footage of the world recognizing the genocide, The Other Side of Home is a poignant account of this event—worthy of showing in classrooms around the world.

If it weren’t for films like The Other Side of Home and Map of Salvation, I would have gone through life not knowing about the Armenian Genocide of 1915. It simply can’t be ignored.

THE OTHER SIDE OF HOME (2020)

Directed: Naré Mkrtchyan

Written: Amy Rosner, Naré Mkrtchyan

Starring: Naré Mkrtchyan, etc.

MOVIE SCORE: 8.5/10

“…a Turkish writer was murdered in the streets for using the word ‘genocide.'”

https://filmthreat.com/reviews/the-other-side-of-home/?fbclid=IwAR2LJJ5V5EtsFm-BnTRmHgkxDGblc1X7TZnoS73QwlR-_AXGiJrmPA1iiME


Chicago Armenians Protest Turkish Genocide Denial Despite Pandemic

Garnik Zakarian
https://armenianweekly.com/2020/04/24/chicago-armenians-protest-turkish-genocide-denial-despite-pandemic/


CHICAGO, Ill. —A small group of protesters commemorated the 105th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in Chicago’s iconic Daley Plaza on April 24, 2020, demanding that Turkey return the portions of Armenia that it occupies and make just reparations to the Armenian people for its losses during the Genocide. Due to the current shelter-in-place orders and the global pandemic, Daley Plaza, like much of Chicago’s city center, was desolate. 

Donning face masks and gloves and complying with social distancing guidelines, protesters held aloft flags, signs and banners conveying their demands, including an end to Turkey’s aggressive campaign of genocide denial. The protest drew interest from the few passersby, both on foot and in vehicles. 

“2020 not only marks the 105th anniversary of the Genocide, it is also the 100th anniversary of the Treaty of Sevres, which delineated the boundary between Turkey and Armenia,” said Greg Bedian on behalf of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF). “The time has come for Turkey to live up to its treaty obligations and respect Armenia’s territorial integrity by immediately withdrawing its armed forces and its illegal settlers from Armenia’s western territories,” he continued. 

Protesters led by the Chicago ARF standing in front of the famed Picasso sculpture in Daley Plaza in downtown Chicago, Illinois, April 24, 2020

Armenian Americans and other people of conscience in the Chicago area have held protests annually for nearly 50 years to raise awareness of Turkey’s 1915-1923 genocide of its indigenous Armenian, Greek and Assyrian populations. Although recent protests have had hundreds of demonstrators, this year’s protest was severely limited in scope due to COVID- 19 restrictions on public gatherings imposed by Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker. 

“Even though we were limited in numbers, we felt it was essential that our message be conveyed in person this year as well,” stated Bedian. The ARF Chicago “Christapor” Gomideh led the protest this year. 

Other events organized by Chicago Armenians to honor the 1.5 million Armenian victims of the Genocide are taking place online through the end of April including special church services, memorial programs with the participation of Illinois congressional representatives and a global vigil organized through the #TogetherWeRemember Coalition. 

A protester with an Armenian tricolor face mask, Chicago, Illinois, April 24, 2020

Health minister: Asymptomatic coronavirus patients may soon not be hospitalized in Armenia

Garnik Zakarian
Panorama, Armenia
April 30 2020

Armenia saw its greatest single-day spike in coronavirus infections, with 134 new cases confirmed on Wednesday, Minister of Health Arsen Torosyan told a cabinet meeting on Thursday.

According to the minister, some of the new cases had close contact with each other. In one case, people were infected with COVID-19 during a funeral ceremony, he said, again urging people to hold small funeral ceremonies.

Presenting the fresh figures, Torosyan said a total of 2,066 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Armenia so far, with 29 new recoveries and 2 more fatalities.

In total, the coronavirus death toll stands at 32 people, he said.

Six coronavirus patients are hooked up to ventilators, 59 are in grave condition, while 17 others are in critical condition, he told the cabinet members.

“Under such a scenario, we will probably shift to a strategy of not hospitalizing asymptomatic patients soon,” Torosyan said, adding they will try to delay the launch of the new strategy for 5-6 days.

Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan said further decisions on easing coronavirus restrictions will be made based on the dynamics of the spread of infection.

“At this stage we are following the logic that a number of essential businesses will reopen from 4 May with strict observance of security rules,” he said.   

Armenia reports 82 new coronavirus cases, bringing total to 2,148

Garnik Zakarian
Public Radio of Armenia
May 1 2020


Armenia has reported 82 more cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number to 2,148.

The results of 970 tests have been negative.

According to the data of the National Center for Disease Control, 48 patients have recovered; a total of 977 people have now been discharged from hospital.

Thirty-three deaths have been reported.

The number of active cases is 1,136.

Armenpress: Armenia reports 29 coronavirus cases in 24 hours

Garnik Zakarian

Armenia reports 29 coronavirus cases in 24 hours

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 11:17,

YEREVAN, APRIL 11, ARMENPRESS. 29 coronavirus cases were recorded in Armenia in the past 24 hours, bringing the total cumulative number of infections to 966. One patient has died and 24 recovered.

The total number of fatalities has reached 13, and the number of overall recoveries reached 173.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan




14-year-old Armenian child wounded by Azerbaijani shooting in Tavush province transported to Yerevan

Garnik Zakarian

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 10:08, 31 March, 2020

YEREVAN, MARCH 30, ARMENPRESS. 14-year-old child wounded by the Azerbaijani shooting fired at the direction of Armenia’s Tavush province has been transported to Yerevan’s St. Mary hospital, assistant to the PR manager at the medical center Gevorg Derdzyan said on Facebook.

“The child is in stable, but serious condition and is in intensive care unit. The latter received a gunshot wound to the chest. The necessary first aid has been provided. The child underwent a surgery in Noyemberyan’s medical center. Additional information will be provided later”, Derdzyan said.

On March 30, at around 19:00-19:30, the Azerbaijani forces fired shots from various caliber weapons at Armenia’s military positions located in Noyemberyan town of Tavush province, as well as at the direction of Baghanis and Voskevan villages.

2 soldiers and 14-year-old child from Voskevan village have been injured from the Azerbaijani shooting.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan







Yerevan deploys bus fleet exclusively for transporting health workers

Garnik Zakarian

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 12:37, 3 April, 2020

YEREVAN, APRIL 3, ARMENPRESS. The buses of the Yerevan public transport fleet, currently suspended amid the coronavirus outbreak, have been designated to be used as transportation vehicles for over 650 health workers of 30 different medical facilities of the city, City Hall spokesperson Hakob Karapetyan said on social media.

The vehicles will operate 40-routes , 3 times a day exclusively transporting health workers from their homes to the hospitals.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Parliament gives green light to legislation allowing to track the phone activity of citizens

Garnik Zakarian
Panorama, Armenia

The National Assembly of Armenia voted to pass in the first reading the draft legislative proposing amendments and supplements to the RA Law on the state of emergency regime and the RA Law on electronic communication. The draft bill was approved by 57 in favor, 24 against and 1 abstained votes.

According to the legislative initiative, during the emergency situation due to the coronavirus pandemic, the government is enabled to intervene with the rights of the citizens to data protection, privacy, the inviolability of personal and family life as well as freedom of communication.

According to it, the government will be using citizens’ cell phone location data to legally track and monitor their mobile phone information, including the time, duration of incoming and receiving calls. The measures are to be taken in order to find people that the person with the virus has come in contact with so they can enforce quarantine controls and monitor their movement.

The Head of the ruling fraction at parliament Lilit Makunts clarified that interference into the freedom of communication and privacy does not envisage access to the content of the phone conversation and messages. Makunts added that for the second reading the fraction will propose suggestions to the process of elimination of the collected information and development of control tools over the procedure.

UAE- Mohamed bin Zayed, Armenian President review joint coronavirus containment efforts

Garnik Zakarian
MENA FN

Date

3/25/2020 11:04:29 PM 

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    (MENAFN – Emirates News Agency (WAM)) ABU DHABI, 25th March, 2020 (WAM) — His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and Armenian President Armen Sarkissian, exchanged views on the latest regional and global developments and issues of mutual concern as well as measures taken by the two countries to combat coronavirus, COVID-19, and mitigate its impact on countries of the world.

    During a phone conversation, Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and President Sarkissian explored the possibility of joint cooperation to face the COVID-19 challenge.

    They also discussed prospects for cooperation between the two countries across developmental, economic and investment fields to serve development and progress and mutual interests.

    His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed affirmed the UAE’s readiness to provide all forms of support to Armenia and its friendly people in their efforts to contain the virus and limit its repercussions.

    Armenian President thanked Sheikh Mohamed for his sustained support for the growing bilateral ties.

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