Author: Hovhannisian John

NTV MSNBC, Turkey
Aug 24 2007

ADL softens anti-Turkish stance

Turkey has always denied that any act of genocide took place in the
Ottoman Empire, though acknowledges that many thousands of Turkish
and Armenian civilians lost their lives in the turmoil of war.

Güncelleme: 10:55 TSÝ 24 Aðustos 2007 Cuma

WASHINGTON – The US lobby group the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has
called on Armenia to respond to Turkish invitations to set up a
released a joint commission to investigate claims that the Ottoman
Empire committed an act of genocide against Armenians during the
First World War.
Haberin devamý

The statement comes just two days after the ADL had declared it now
supported the view that genocide had been committed by the Ottoman
Empire against its Armenian citizens in 1915.

In its new statement, signed by both Glen S. Lewy, the national
chairman of the ADL, and the group’s national director Abraham H.
Foxman, the ADL said steps should be taken to encourage the creation
of an atmosphere in which Armenia will respond favourably to the
several recent overtures of Turkey to convene a joint commission to
assist the parties in achieving a resolution of their profound
differences.

`We believe there are many renowned historians, human rights
activists and distinguished world leaders who are willing to lend
their knowledge, experience and judgment to this cause,’ the
statement said. `We know that earlier this year, Professor Dr Elie
Wiesel and more than 50 of his fellow Nobel Laureates called for
concrete steps to be taken by Turkey and Armenia to find a way
forward to reach the goal of reconciliation, and that, last week,
Professor Wiesel reaffirmed his support for efforts to create a body
in which both Turkish and Armenian experts can come together to work
cooperatively in re-examining the shared past of both peoples.’

Though the statement did not retract the ADL’s claims over the
so-called genocide, saying that `independent scholars may have
reached a consensus about the genocide,’ it also said that in order
to facilitate reconciliation there was room for further dispassionate
scholarly examination of the details of those dark and terrible days.

`The ADL and the American Jewish community should focus their
attention on supporting efforts to urge Turkey and Armenia to make
this happen,’ the statement said.

ARMENIANS VS. THE ADL

MidEastYouth.com
vs-the-adl/
Aug 22 2007

My hometown of Watertown, MA, home of the dubiously named Watertown
Raiders, is in the midst of an unexpected showdown with the
Anti-Defamation League. Last week, our Town Council voted last night to
oust the "No Place For Hate" campaign because it’s sponsoring body, the
Anti-Defamation League, refuses to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide.

Now here is where it gets interesting: the first strong voice of
dissent regarding No Place For Hate came from a Watertown native
named Mark Charalambous who wrote vitriolic letters to the Watertown
Tab asking that he be granted the right to hate homosexuals. No Place
For Hate, he argued, interfered with the First Amendment which gives
us the inalienable right to hate whoever we choose. His opinions are
supported in a blog called Mass Resistance which notes that it is
"ironic" that the ADL is behind a program that is pro-gay since it
should be a bastion of "Judeo-Christian values," and then notes,
"But then, the liberal Jews threw out their Bible-based beliefs
and values a long time ago. They’re wandering in the desert again,
ignoring the word of God."

One would hope that even in a state previously governed by presidential
Candidate Mitt Romney, Charalambous’ arcane value system would have
little currency in gay-rights-supporting Massachusetts.

But then the ADL’s admirable support of gay rights clashed with its
denial of any genocide other than, well ours. Here’s what the Jewcy
editorial staff has to say about it:

The ADL has made a monster of itself by denying a genocide. It has made
the entire Jewish community look morally incompetent for allowing
ourselves to be represented by someone who engages in Holocaust
denial. And it has earned the justified fury of the Armenian-American
community, which bears witness to the mass-murder of its forebears,
and refuses to see that memory trampled upon.

I could have told the ADL this: Don’t mess with Watertown, and also
don’t expect that the Jews of Watertown will come running to the
ADL’s defense. We live where we do because we appreciate the town’s
diversity and would never jeaopardize it. At the same time, rallying
to support our Armenian community in no way means that we agree with
Charalambous’ hate-speech towards gay people. And there is no doubt
that in terms of being a safe-zone for homosexual students and adults,
Watertown does still have a long way to go.

But there is no sense exchanging one kind of hate for another. Even
in a town where, at least circa 1998, cheerleaders imitate Native
American tribal chants and swing imaginary tomahawks at football games.

The Armenian Weekly On-Line
80 Bigelow Avenue
Watertown MA 02472 USA
(617) 926-3974
[email protected]
menianweekly.com

The Armenian Weekly; Volume 73, No. 33; August 18, 2007

Commentary and Analysis:

1. Threats, Lies and Videotape
By Raffi Wartanian

2. Film Promotion, Black Panthers and Armenians
By Hrag Yedalian

3. SpitRain Award
By Garen Yegparian

4. Turkey Joining the European Union is a Positive Development, If …
By Khajag Mgrditchian

5. Virtual Armenia: A Look at the Armenian Cyber Space
By Simon Beugekian

6. Letters to the Editor

***

1. Threats, Lies and Videotape
By Raffi Wartanian

YEREVAN (A.W.)-At some points controversial, at some points insightful, and
at some points comical, the lecture "Threats, Lie, and Videotape, the
Armenian Genocide and Western Betrayal in the Middle East" by Robert Fisk
hosted by the American University of Armenia won’t soon be forgotten. The
room, packed with diasporan volunteers, entrepreneurs and intellectuals,
brimmed with anticipation. After all, Fisk’s journalistic career has
garnered acclaim for its no-holds-barred honesty and incisiveness, and the
lecture did not disappoint.

Fisk began by discussing his latest book, The Great War for Civilization:
The Conquest of the Middle East, which chronicles recent Middle East history
through the eyes of a journalist in the region since 1976. The text includes
a chapter titled "The First Holocaust" about the Armenian genocide.
Translations in scores of languages have made his book available in scores
of countries. In fact, many translators throughout the world flocked to work
on the well-researched text, except for one country. Fisk described the
difficulties he faced publishing the book in Turkey. If he stepped foot in
Turkey, he was told, he would have to go court to face charges violating
Article 301, the same article which sought to jail Hrant Dink, Taner Akcam
and Orhan Pamuk for "insulting Turkishness."

Publishers in Turkey considered releasing the book under one stipulation: It
had to be "quiet." No press releases, advertisements or book reviews-tools
essential to book marketing. While Fisk boasted of a near flawless
translation into Turkish, the book published in 2005 has yet to reach
markets in Turkey.

This discussion allowed Fisk to make clear his disagreement with the Turkish
denialist thesis. He shared stories told to him by a survivor in Beirut,
where he works. Fisk cited more survival testimonies, raising the emotion of
his presentation, which may have neglected a more pragmatic discussion of
legal issues surrounding genocide recognition and direct Ittihad ve Terakki
sources documenting the termination of a people.

Fisk also shared clips from two of his films. The first documented the day
that Syrian soldiers left Lebanon after years of military presence in the
country. The ceremony took place on the Syrian-Lebanese border, where Fisk
approached reluctant Syrian soldiers, easing their tension with soft ya’habibi’s.

The second film examined the Bosnian genocide. Bosnians forced out of their
homes and transported to strange lands lamented before the camera. Fisk went
with Serbian soldiers to the recently shelled home of a local imam. Just a
year ago, the imam had served Fisk coffee, and Fisk used the remains of the
home as the setting to reflect on Serbian aggression towards innocent
Bosnians. At the end of the clip, Fisk paralleled the subjects of his film
with Armenians driven from their homeland.

The question and answer session led to many interesting moments. One
audience member asked Fisk for his take on the Artsakh conflict. Fisk firmly
stated that in terms of international journalism, it was no longer a top 10
issue, something he might otherwise show more interest and knowledge in. He
shared that a recent visit to Dzidzernagapert (Yerevan’s Genocide Memorial)
revealed a trend he found disturbing. He questioned why plaques
memorializing the fallen soldiers of Artsakh were included in the Genocide
Museum. He urged the audience not to associate the genocide with the
Nagorno-Karabakh war, and that doing so would lead to an unhealthy cycle of
hatred towards Azeris in a conflict where peace ought be the solution, not
more hatred.

Another audience member asked Fisk if he thought there was a link between
Bush and September 11. "Every country I hold a lecture in, someone asks me
that same exact question." After listing an overwhelming amount of policy
blunders by the Bush administration, Fisk concluded his response saying, "If
they can’t get any of those things right, then how in the world could they
possibly conceal one of the most carefully planned and executed terrorist
plots in history?" The room erupted in laughter, and the audience member sat
humbled.
—————————————- ————————–

2. Film Promotion, Black Panthers and Armenians
By Hrag Yedalian

Not too long ago, I read an interesting article that discussed the
burgeoning "art" of independent film promotion. In it, the author (who
happens to have directed one of my favorite documentaries) spoke about the
shocking realization he came to after completing his film: yes, he had
completed a film-but the journey was far from over. He had to put in as much
effort, if not more, to create a buzz around the product and get it out to
audiences. The effort is grueling and tedious and provides few, if any,
guarantees.

But, most filmmakers know what the process entails, and muster up the
courage to walk down the long road. They talk to as many people as possible
and hope that a few will be interested in watching their product.
Documentarians seek "built-in" audiences, and naturally approach them first.
Therefore, a filmmaker who analyzes the psyche of hip-hop emcees will try to
market his or her film to the fans of the musical genre. The process is
pretty simple and rather predictable. But, the logic is sound and clear.

So, when I completed my documentary about famed civil rights attorney
Charles R. Garry, I had plenty to work off of. Garry gained national
prominence during the 1960s for his groundbreaking work in defending
anti-war activists and leaders of the Black Panther Party. I figured that
the people who had lived through the era, or were interested in the times,
would probably serve as ideal audiences. But, I knew of one additional group
that would be just as interested: Armenian-Americans.

"Garry and the Armenians?" you ask

Well, yes. Garry was originally named "Garabedian," and was the son of
Armenian immigrants who had fled the Ottoman Empire during the massacres of
the 1890s. Born in Massachusetts in 1909, he was raised on the rough streets
of Fresno, Calif., at a time when store front signs read "No Dogs, No
Niggers, No Armenians." Several times a week, he would find himself in the
middle of a fist fight with some kid who had insulted "his people." Luckily,
he was a good fighter and would almost always knock his opponent out.

I was immediately drawn to Garry’s story. I was fascinated by the 1960s and
couldn’t believe that a lawyer of Armenian descent was at the center of the
decade’s most important political cases. But, many proud Armenians at the
time questioned Garry’s "Armenian-ness." He had, after all, anglicized his
name, and for many that was enough to prove that he succumbed to the
pressures exerted by "white America."

Of course, Garry was well aware of such criticisms. It might have even
bothered him a bit. A statement he made in his later years is quite
revealing: "I knew what it was to be Armenian, and I knew what it was to be
black as I became a lawyer. Fortunately, I was able to leave all that,
because I wasn’t black. All I had to do was change my name. I’ve never
denied my nationality. I’m proud of my nationality. And, I’m proud of the
Armenian people to be able to stand all those years."

Indeed, times were tough during the first half of the 20th century. Garry,
like numerous other immigrants, realized that his name was too exotic for
his own good. When jobs were scarce during the Depression era, employers
would almost always pass up on applicants with unpronounceable last names
like "Garabedian" in favor for those with more "acceptable" surnames. Garry
changed his name to avoid the second-class treatment meted towards people in
his position. But, he didn’t ignore the lessons that the experience offered.

It was his handling of precisely these lessons that motivated me to work on
"The People’s Advocate: The Life & Times of Charles R. Garry." Here was a
man who had experienced discrimination first hand, and had subsequently
decided to use the tool at his disposal-the law-to combat such hatred
wherever it reared its ugly head. For him, a person’s skin color or ethnic
origin did not matter. He simply saw injustice, and felt compelled to fight
it. I couldn’t help but admire this man and his work.

The key to Garry’s approach was his understanding about the
interconnectivity of things. It was not uncommon for him to talk to jurors
about his own past in an effort to draw common parallels with the case at
hand. While delivering the closing statement during the internationally
watched trial of Black Panther co-founder Huey P. Newton, Garry stated: "We
know through history that there is and there have been massacres of people.
The Armenians have gone through several massacres. Other nations have gone
through genocide in more ways than one, but history tells me that the black
people of the world have had genocide in excess of 50 million.The black
community today, the black ghetto, is fighting for the right of
survival-ship. The white community is sitting smug and saying, ‘Let’s have
more police, let’s have more guns, let’s arm ourselves against the blacks.’
They are saying that time and time again."

Garry’s clients adored him for his approach, and many of them walked away
with a newly found education about the Armenian people. They all knew that
Garry "comes from a poor, oppressed people." Black Panther chairman Bobby
Seale described Garry’s personal history in the 1972 autobiography Seize the
Time. In it, he mistakenly attributes the Armenian genocide as the doing of
Adolph Hitler: "He’s of Armenian descent, from people who were destroyed by
being scattered throughout Europe and around the world, when Hitler went
forth to massacre and slaughter them during his regime."

But, Garry’s relationship with his ethnic roots wasn’t all about politics.
While going through the legendary attorney’s personal papers, which are
currently housed at UC Berkeley’s Bancroft Library, I came across a folder
titled "BULLSHIT FILE CRG." In it, I found a letter from Garry dated Sept.
13, 1977. The note was addressed to a pair of authors working on a book that
chronicled how celebrities would spend their "last night on earth before
embarking onto a space colony." Garry describes in great detail the meal he
would have during the fictional evening: ".steak tender enough to melt in
your mouth, broiled to perfection, full of flavor. Fresh asparagus with
melted butter, sweet corn-fresh of course-again with melted butter, pizza
bread, Armenian cracker bread, a salad." He then moves on to note that he
would also like to have some of the tasty delicacy commonly referred to as
chicofteh-the Armenian equivalent of steak tartare.

He even included the recipe: "1 lb. top sirloin steak, fat removed, ground 3
times."

And, so, in terms of finding an ideal "built-in audience" for my
documentary, I am now looking for progressive Armenian-Americans who love
steak tartare.

While a student studying history at the University of California, Berkeley,
Hrag Yedalian ventured into the world of documentary filmmaking.
Subsequently, he left UCLA Law School to pursue filmmaking at the American
Film Institute Conservatory. "The People’s Advocate: The Life & Times of
Charles R. Garry" (www.peoplesadvocate themovie.com) is his first feature
length documentary.

Yedalian can be reached at [email protected].
——————————- —————————————

3. SpitRain Award
By Garen Yegparian

You’ve all heard the Armenian saying, "S/he’s so shameless, if you spit on
his/her face, s/he will think it’s rain." The spirit of this saying is
whence the award’s name emanates.

So I’m not rude, let me graciously offer my profound gratitude to those who
inspired this first-time award. I suspect there will be many future winners,
and some may receive it multiple times.

Last week genocide denier Richard E. Hoagland’s ambassadorial nomination was
finally withdrawn, a year overdue. Naturally, the Armenian Assembly of
America (AAA) dutifully put out one of its myriad press releases. Of course
it was very short. How could it be otherwise?

The AAA had basically supported appointing the denier, resorting to verbal
contortions justifying its position and actions. I’d written about this six
months ago. Is it coincidence that despite my being on their e-mail list
previously, I haven’t received anything from the Assembly lately? I suspect
it might be petty retribution emanating from the "truth hurts" quadrant.
Fortunately, there are decent folks out there who convey this kind of
information to me. Thank you.

Now that others’ efforts to nix such an abominable appointment had borne
fruit, it was time to take credit. But the shamelessness doesn’t end there.
Here’s the entire text of the release:

"Earlier today, sources within both the Administration and Congress
confirmed the withdrawal of Richard Hoagland’s nomination as America’s next
Ambassador to Armenia.

"Should this withdrawal indicate that the next nominee to serve as U.S.
Ambassador to Armenia shall properly acknowledge and characterize the
Armenian Genocide, then this is a positive development.

"Hoagland was nominated by the Administration to replace Ambassador John M.
Evans, who was rebuked by State Department officials, but commended by the
Assembly for having publicly affirmed the Armenian Genocide.

"The Armenian Assembly will continue to work towards the full and universal
affirmation of the Armenian Genocide.

"The Armenian Assembly is the largest Washington-based nationwide
organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian
issues. It is a 501©(3) tax-exempt membership organization."

Anyone reading this would think the Assembly had worked to achieve this
success. Why else would they be announcing it, right? Nope. They were more
concerned about Armenia not having a U.S. ambassador. And, since Hoagland
was just mouthing his boss’ denial, it was OK because he really didn’t have
a choice, you see. What’s so untenable about saying, "I recognize it was a
genocide, but am constrained to implement the policies of the President of
the United States"? But the AAA glossed over all this. They argued that
since the Government of Armenia wasn’t objecting (as if the RoA had a
choice!), Hoagland’s acceptable.

This is exactly the shamelessness that has earned the Armenian Assembly of
America the first ever SpitRain Award.

Please call or e-mail the Assembly to congratulate them on this singular
honor!
—————————————— ——————————

4. Turkey Joining the European Union is a Positive Development, If …
By Khajag Mgrditchian

Our attention recently turned to a piece of news from Armenian Radio
Broadcasts, which quoted Armenian-American analyst Richard Giragosian as
saying that "for Armenia, it will be a positive development if Turkey joins
the EU. If Turkey becomes a member, the borders of the EU will stretch all
the way to Armenia. On the other hand, Turkey joining the organization could
be a threat to the other states in the Union, since Turkey could potentially
export Islamic terrorism."

Hrant Dink, who fell victim to Turkish nationalist (not Islamic) terrorism,
also shared this view. It even drove Dink to passionately oppose the French
law that criminalized the denial of the Armenian genocide.

The view that Turkey joining the EU would be a positive development was also
echoed in an interview we recently conducted with Robert Haddejian, editor
of the Istanbul Marmara newspaper. He said, "We have a different view than
our compatriots in the diaspora. We passionately support Turkey’s bid to
join the EU because we will benefit from it." When asked whether he thinks
Turkey should be accepted into the EU without making any significant
changes, or whether it should first be forced to execute reforms, he
answered, "Of course there are some undeniable facts. When the EU asks the
Turkish government to do something before joining, it means something is
missing in Turkey. There is something lacking, something needs to be
corrected. And of course, if the Turkish government corrects its mistakes
and addresses these issues it will also be advantageous for us. The problem
is that Turkey really does have some huge problems that need to be solved,
or at least it seems like that from the outside."

In this article, we address those problems and corrections. Reforms in
Turkey are necessary, and here we refute Marmara’s editor’s assertion that
there is a difference of opinion between Armenians living inside and outside
of Turkey. Diasporan Armenians don’t oppose Turkey’s bid to join the EU just
for the sake of opposing it, but because they see reforms as a precondition
for membership. There are differences of opinion regarding the changes that
need to be made and how they should be implemented; for example, according
to Diasporan Armenians, it is not enough for the Turkish government to give
back the estates it robbed from the Armenians. Rather, one necessary
precondition is Turkey’s acceptance of its history and its recognition of
the genocide.

In the same context, we also reject Giragosian’s assertion that Turkey’s
membership in the EU would have a positive effect because its borders would
reach Armenia. It’s not important for Armenia to border the EU. What’s
important for Armenia is to have a neighbor who doesn’t threaten its
national security and right to exist.

Turkey joining the EU can only have a positive effect on Armenia if Turkey
makes peace with its own history, and, by doing so, takes steps to correct
its mistakes. If Turkey does that, then Giragosian’s other argument-that the
EU will be threatened by Turkey’s Islamic terrorist elements-will also be
addressed, since reforms would uproot both Islamic and nationalist
terrorism. A Turkey that poses a terrorist threat is simply not compatible
with the EU.

Self-correction is Turkey’s greatest challenge today. Otherwise a
superficially reformed Turkey is a threat to both Armenia and the European
Union.

Translated by Simon Beugekian.
————————————— ————————–

5. Virtual Armenia: A Look at the Armenian Cyber Space
By Simon Beugekian

Over the last few years, web videos have become increasingly popular. Only a
few years ago, watching a video online using a web browser was difficult,
time-consuming and frustrating. Nowadays, almost every single site and blog
features a video, and web video sites such as youtube.com are some of the
most popular destinations on cyber space. A single clip can be watched by
millions of people in a matter of a few hours, and this opens up whole new
possibilities for media.

Armenian media organizations have now begun to switch from the traditional
media formulae to a more inclusive strategy-one that, without eliminating
the actual newspaper, also promotes the use of the internet. This not only
exposes Armenian culture and issues to a wider audience, it also reaches a
huge cross-section of Armenian society-the youth-that is not necessarily
reading the newspapers every day or every week.

The Hairenik Association has been on the forefront of this modernization of
the Armenian media. The Hairenik and Armenian Weekly newspapers are online
and are updated every week, and the Hairenik now has a fully-functional
system for internet radio and Web TV.

However, the Internet is a free medium, meaning it’s not just the Hairenik
Association or other reputable media organizations that are posting videos
online. Sites such as YouTube give every viewer the opportunity to post
clips. This was recently labeled "citizen journalism," a phenomenon that is
reflected in the millions of blogs and user-submitted clips on the site. The
advent of citizen journalism may engender the biggest changes in journalism
since Hunter S. Thompson and Gonzo journalism.

So out of these millions of users on YouTube, what clips are Armenian users
posting? What videos are foreign visitors to Armenia posting? My question,
in other words, is if an alien were to browse the internet, what kind of
impression of Armenia would he have?

As soon as I began my informal study I noticed something quite striking: I
was expecting to see thousands upon thousands of clips about the Armenian
genocide-after all, an informal web search of the word "Armenian" usually
yields results that are either related to the genocide or to "fact boxes"
about Armenia. Youtube, however, was different. When I searched "Armenian,"
the most relevant and the highest rated clips were Armenian music videos.
This makes sense. Most of the people looking for Armenian-related videos on
YouTube are diasporans and don’t reside in Armenia, meaning, perhaps, that
they need their fix of traditional Armenian art forms. All over YouTube,
music videos featuring Tata Simonian, the Armenian Navy Band and other
Armenian performers abound. There are also a large number of videos
dedicated to System of a Down, probably the most well-known Armenian band.
It was also interesting to find some Armenian cartoons posted online, often
accompanied by Armenian music.

Of course, music videos are not the only kind of clips posted. Those of
political significance rarely make the first 20 or so search results, but
are prominent in the first 100 or "most relevant" videos on YouTube when
searching "Armenian." There are many informational clips about the Armenian
genocide, which can be very useful in educating the non-Armenian public.
There are also videos of protests and events organized to commemorate the
genocide. Among those, the most prominent are the clips that feature
well-known Armenians, such as Serj Tankian of System of a Down.

Interestingly, there are also a good number of videos posted by
non-Armenians that deny the genocide and decry "Armenian terrorism." One
particular user, who I’m assuming to be Turkish based on the user name s/he
uses, seems to have made it a habit to post clips that, far from offering
any insight into the events of 1915, paint history with the thick brush of
fervent, ignorant nationalistic propaganda. This includes a video that
claims Armenians massacred more than 500,000 Turks during the World War I.
Another one of this user’s videos is titled "Turkish Hero Talat Pasha, We
Love Talat Pasha." The number of denialist clips that are offered on YouTube
is striking, especially because they come up when the search keyword is only
"Armenian." Some people have posted full-length documentaries with Turkish
"historians" attempting to deny the genocide.

There are also many videos featuring important political figures in the U.S,
including clips of Sen. Barrack Obama discussing the genocide and the now
famous Schiff-Rice exchange in Congress. These clips are basically an
archive of political statements on the genocide, and must be used to remind
politicians of their promises and mistakes.

Another category of Armenian-related clips that seems to be blooming on
YouTube are clips straight from Yerevan: clips of concerts, celebrations and
other social events. This can offer diasporan youth a direct view into
Armenia, linking the two communities together. There are also clips
featuring Armenian stand-up comedians, a genre that seems to be growing
exponentially.

Other Armenian-related clips include interviews with writers and journalists
(such as Orhan Pamuk and Taner Akcam), and some clips featuring the Armenian
Armed Forces. There were also a few Armenian TV programs that somehow found
their way to the internet-an encouraging sign, though posting those clips on
the net is illegal due to copyright infringement laws.

Now, in order to actually evaluate the quality of Armenian-related content
on YouTube, I made a relative comparison by searching videos having to do
with "Turkey." The results show that as Armenians, we still have a long way
to go before we become an important presence on the internet. I simply
compared the numbers of clips that are offered to the viewer when "Armenia"
and "Turkey" are searched. This is by no means a scientific method. It’s
actually an extremely flawed method. Still, the difference was huge.
"Armenia" yielded about 17,400 video results while "Turkey" yielded 155,000.
Now, granted, the word "Turkey" might apply to more than just the country:
the bird, for instance. Still, it’s safe to say that there are a lot more
Turkey-related clips on YouTube compared to Armenia-related clips.

Armenian music videos and educational videos that discuss the genocide seem
to be counterbalanced by the overwhelming number of Turkish music videos and
denialist clips. Yet, while the Turkish government and Turks in general are
using YouTube and the internet to promote their country-with videos of
attractive women in bathing suits on the beaches of Istanbul and in the
nightclubs of Bodroum, and clips of beautiful Adana as a way to attract
tourists (the irony…)-there are only a handful of clips that actually
"advertise" for Armenia.

The internet is a whole new challenge, a whole new meeting ground. Within a
single generation, the way we receive information has changed completely and
irreversibly. As Armenians, we should be aware of this and take the
necessary steps to keep up. After all, the printed word and other classical
forms of media may become obsolete in a matter of a few decades.
—————————————– ————————–

letters to the editor

The following letter to the editor was sent to the Independent newspaper in
England. It was not published.

Dear Editor,

I read Fisk’s latest on Saturday, August 4 in the Independent titled
"Bravery, Tears and Broken Dreams." I found it silly, arrogant and
obnoxious. Most surprising is the lip service it pays to certain vehement
anti-Marxist Armenian intellectuals and to the latter-day apologist for
Globalization. It is sad to find Fisk luxuriating in his misled and
misleading ruminations. And I felt sorry for him, despite my anger at the
facile and inaccurate juxtapositions of this most recent piece, because I
respect his decades of valiant journalism and have long admired his
courageous stance on the tragedies of the contemporary world.

Fisk’s chronological errors and outlandish sketches are simply unbecoming of
any decent journalist let alone one as distinguished as he. Alexander
Tamanian, the visionary architect who designed modern Yerevan died at the
age of 58, on February 20, 1936. A year later his design of Armenia’s first
Opera & Ballet Theatre was awarded the Gold Medal at the Paris International
Exhibition of 1937. Fisk wonders whether Tamanian’s death was a murder or
suicide, having decided that it was Tamanian who "denounced" Yeghishe
Charents, "one of the nation’s favorite poets" and hence, he writes,
Charents "was disappeared by the NKD in 1937." But the poet was arrested on
July 26, 1937, more than a year after Tamanian’s death. The poet was then
tortured and murdered in his prison cell on November 27, 1937, the year Fisk
asserts that Tamanian was "hard at work building Yerevan’s new Stalinist
opera house." We have then Armenia’s celebrated architect toiling beyond the
grave and presumably happily receiving the laurels of his posthumous glory
in Paris in the same year that Armenia’s beloved poet is murdered by the
NKD. A perfect phantasmagoria.

Fisk presents Charents as praising Uncle Joe in his "schoolboy prank." In
fact Charents wrote a Message in praise of the "new light/sun" in 1933, when
he was 36 years old. Moreover Charents had written hundreds of poems, before
and after Stalin’s rise, in praise of the Sun, Fire, Agni, Soma and so
forth, each time as a poetic metaphor for a certain political or aesthetic
idea of freedom. The poet genuinely believed that the struggle for a decent
life and human warmth that genuine socialism might bring was worthwhile,
despite the numerous obstacles it might encounter along the way. He
envisaged just such a cataclysmic struggle when only 21, in his epic poem of
1918 that begins "Out of their minds, the mobs in rage / Are advancing
towards the rising sun…" and embellished these themes in his 1919
collection Holocausted Flame. Charents indeed visualised the flame itself
being "holocausted": He himself was born in Kars, in Western/Turkish Armenia
in 1897, and after witnessing the genocide of the Armenians in 1915 he
volunteered to fight the Ottoman armies during the First World War to
liberate his people and his homeland.

Fisk goes on to praise "the individualism of the descendants of Tigran the
Great whose empire stretched from the Caspian to Beirut" because they
"resisted even Stalin’s oppression." Tigran the Great ruled in 95-55 BC. To
link the "individualism" of the people of present-day Armenia to its bygone
Emperor is itself little more than a colonialist "schoolboy prank." Charents
would now be turning, yet again, in his anonymous grave.

In essence, Charents was a Turner of a poet. The Sun was God for Turner and
Charents. As for the Armenian poet being ‘a famous philanderer’: well,
Charents loved women and one must assume that many of his beautiful love
poems were inspired by some of those he knew. Imagine presenting
Shakespeare, Marlowe, Shelley, James Joyce, Dylan Thomas or Oscar Wilde as
mere philanderers, homosexuals, drunkards and the like just to make a silly
misguided observation. Funny what a cognac on the balcony of a luxury hotel
can do to such a rightly esteemed speaker of truths. What a shame…

Khatchatur I. Pilikian
London, England

***

In the August 4 issue of the Weekly ("Health Care in Armenia Yesterday and
Today"), Ms. Inna Mkhitaryan has done a commendable job in praising several
American organizations that have sponsored and helped improve the health
care delivery in Armenia (i.e. USAID, FAR, the Armenian American Wellness
Center, ARS, the Armenian Bone Marrow Fund, and the Howard Karageuzian
Center).

Unfortunately, she somehow overlooked the Armenian EyeCare Project (AECP), a
U.S. non-profit organization founded by Roger Ohanessian, M.D., that for the
past 15 years has prevented, saved and brought back the sight of thousands
of patients. It also has a Mobile Eye Hospital (MEH) that travels throughout
the country to provide free eye screening and eye care to thousands of
patients.

Mkhitaryan also left out the Hay Shakar project spearheaded by Mark
Nazarian, M.D., and sponsored by the Armenian American Medical Society of
California. For over a decade this project has educated Armenian diabetic
children and their parents, and provided free insulin to all the juvenile
diabetics of Armenia and Artsakh. As a result, the blood sugar of these
children is now significantly more controlled, and their chances of becoming
blind, losing their limbs and their kidney function, and being on dialysis
at a young age or dying young are significantly reduced.

There are numerous other projects by individuals, dentists or groups that
weren’t mentioned, but these two stand out. It would be nice to read about
these projects in a future article.

Bedros H. Kojian, M.D

PRESS RELEASE
Date: August 24, 2007

Armenian National Committee of America
Eastern Region, US
P.O. Box 419, New York, NY 10108
Contact: Karine Birazian
Tel: 917-428-1918

WILMINGTON CITY COUNCIL CALLS ON DELAWARE CONGRESSIONAL
REPRESENTATIVE TO SUPPORT ARMENIAN GENOCIDE LEGISLATION

— Unanimous City Council Vote Led by City Councilman Samuel Prado
— ANCA Recognized for Armenian Genocide Recognition Efforts

Wilmington, DE- On August 23, 2007, the City Council of Wilmington,
Delaware voted unanimously to call on Delaware Congressional
Representative Michael Castle (D-DE) to support the Armenian
Genocide Resolution, H.Res.106, reported the Armenian National
Committee of America, Eastern Region (ANCA-ER).

Introduced by Councilman Samuel Prado, representing the City of
Wilmington’s fifth district, the powerfully worded resolution was
presented and voted upon with no debate. The resolution, which
cites the history of the Armenian Genocide and urges cosponsorship
of H. Res. 106, also urges the "Turkish Government to accept
responsibility for this tragic event in world history."

"We commend Councilman Prado for working within the State of
Delaware to urge Representative Castle to sign on to H. Res. 106,"
stated ANCA Eastern Region Executive Director Karine Birazian.
"The Armenian Community of Delaware, and Armenians throughout the
nation welcomes this initiative and hope that the action taken in
Wilmington will build on the already majority support for the
initiative."

Prado also issued a proclamation honoring the ANCA for fostering
public awareness for Armenian Genocide recognition and its work in
support of self-determination for the people of Nagorno Karabagh.
Birazian accepted in the proclamation on behalf of the ANCA, along
with ANC of PA Chairman, Dr. Ara Chalian, and ANC Delaware activist
Mike Kalajian. Each spoke before the overflow crowd of over 250
community citizens in attendance about the history of the Armenian
Genocide, and urged Delaware Congressman Mike Castle to sign on the
resolution.

In a strong and moving statement read at the City Council meeting,
Kalajian stated, "here we are now, 92 years and 10,000 miles away,
living in the relative safety of the state of Delaware in this
great country America. Why should we care what happened nearly a
century ago and so far away? Because apathy bears acceptance, and
we cannot condone a horror such as this… We can not, and will
not, accept that any government has the right to exterminate any
segment of its innocent citizenry for any reason, not for the color
of their skin, not for their religious or political beliefs, and
not for their race." Kalajian was instrumental earlier this year
in working with State Representative John A. Kowalko (D-25) who
introduced a resolution in the Delaware General Assembly in
remembrance of the Armenian Genocide. The resolution was adopted
by voice vote with no opposition on April 5th, 2007.

Prado, son of Jesus Prado, and a lifelong resident of the City of
Wilmington was elected to represent the Wilmington’s 5th District
in 1984. Samuel was previously employed by the AIG Life Insurance
company in the area of customer service. He attended Salesianum
Catholic High School. He is a 1999 graduate of the University of
Delaware and received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political
Science. Following passage of the Armenian Genocide resolution,
Prado explained his reasons for introducing the legislation,
stating:

"As someone who has studied history, I came across the subject of
the Armenian Genocide in reading about World War I. I found this
event to be not only tragic but also very telling about the evil
that fellow man can inflict on others. What I found particularly
appalling however is the present-day government of Turkey continued
denial of genocide and the political motivations behind it. I am
saddened that the United States will not admit that Turkey did this
for fear of upsetting its political alliance with the Turkish
State. The reality is that Turkey needs to own up to what it did
the Armenians. And just as Germany had to pay reparations to the
Jews, Turkey in the end, will have to do the same for the
Armenians."

"Whether that is through financial compensation or returning land
that was violently taken from Armenia, Turkey will have to do
either in order to rectify this historical injustice. I find it
equally appalling the Turkey maintains a blockade on Armenia and
continues to mistreat the small surviving Armenian community in
Anatolia. This also applies to its treatment of the Greeks and
Assyrians. People in the United States need to realize that this
so-called ally of the US has committed atrocities against its
Christian inhabitants and ironically, anti-US sentiment in Turkey
is higher than in Iran and many other Muslim countries. Even though
I’m just a City Councilman, I will do my part to getting the word
out about this evil event with the hope that it will never happen
again. I sincerely hope that Rep. Mike Castle does the right thing
and votes for House Resolution 106 to recognize the Armenian
Genocide."

Later that evening, ANC of PA Chairman, Dr. Chalian was interviewed
live on Horizon Armenian Television and shared with the viewers
what had happened that evening: "Working with city councils is an
innovative way to urge members of Congress to take action on the
Armenian Genocide Resolution," commented Chalian. "We are so
grateful for Councilman Prado’s initiative on this matter."

The texts of both the Armenian Genocide resolution and the ANCA
proclamation follow.

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest
and most influential Armenian American grassroots political
organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices,
chapters and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated
organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the
concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of
issues.

####

City of Wilmington
August 23, 2007

WHEREAS, 1,500,000 men, women, and children of Armenian descent
were victims of the genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire
(present-day Turkey) in 1915 and thereafter; and

WHEREAS, the killing of the Armenian people was accomplished by the
Turkish authorities’ systematic destruction of churches, schools,
libraries, treasures of art, and cultural monuments in an attempt
to eliminate all traces of a noble civilization with a history of
more than 3,000 years; and

WHEREAS, the United States Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, Henry
Morgenthau, Sr., stated, "Whatever crimes the most perverted
instincts of the human mind can devise, and whatever refinement of
persecutions and injustice the most debased imagination can
conceive, became the daily misfortunes of these ‘devoted people.";
and

WHEREAS, Turkey continues to deny the Armenian genocide and has
made it a crime to discuss the issue in that country and continues
to lobby against any recognition of the atrocities committed
against its indigenous Armenian population; and

WHEREAS, the Armenian genocide has been acknowledged by other
countries and international bodies; and

WHEREAS, it is essential to raise awareness about this undeniable
chapter of world history, as this will further our understanding of
the need to eliminate hatred from our own communities; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
WILMINGTON, that the City Council requests the Delaware
Congressional delegation to support House Resolution 106 which
recognizes the Armenian Genocide happened in the country of Turkey
and urges the Turkish Government to accept responsibility for this
tragic event in world history.

=====================================

C ity of Wilmington
Delaware
City Council
April 23, 2007

Sponsor: Council Member Samuel Prado

Whereas, the City Council of Wilmington, Delaware is appreciative
of organizations and individuals who foster public awareness in
support of freedom and unity; and

Whereas, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), A
dynamic and influential Armenian America grassroots political
organization, further educates Americans about important Armenian
issues such as the struggle to protect the Armenian population of
Nagorno Karabagh, the protection of the surviving Armenians still
residing in Turkey, Turkey’s economic blockade of Armenia, and the
continued denial of the Armenian genocide; and

Whereas, millions of Christian Armenians were systematically
massacred, while their relatives were forced to witness the
slaughter and the loss of their ancestral homeland and property,
and the forced deportations of countless others, representing the
first case of genocide of the 20th century; and

Whereas, the Citizen of Wilmington join with Armenian Americans in
collective remembrance and desire to ensure that similar crimes
against humanity and prevented in the future.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
WILMINGTON, the Council recognizes the great work of the Armenian
National Committee of America in promoting a prosperous and a free
Armenia, their work on behalf of Armenian American issues, and most
importantly, for their continued struggle to have the Armenian
Genocide recognized by the Turkish Republic.

Photo Caption:
Photo 1: ANC of Delaware activist Mike Kalajian speaking at the City
Council meeting

Photo 2: Left to Right: ANC of Delaware activist Mike Kalajian, ANC of
PA activist Sevag Shirozian, Councilman Samuel Prado, ANCA ER
Director Karine Birazian, ANC of PA Chairman Dr. Ara Chalian, and
Delaware constituent Harry Tashjian IV

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE DEDICATED TO THE MEDIEVAL CAUCASIAN ALBANIA

AZG Armenian Daily #151
23/08/2007

Science and Culture

On September 2-5, an international conference dedicated to the
historical-cultural heritage of the medieval Caucasian Albania (also
known as Alvank in Armenian) will be held in Yerevan.

The research of the medieval Caucasian Albania is not only scientific,
but also a political issue, according to the initiator, Director of
RA Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Oriental Studies Ruben Safrastian.

"It’s not a secret that our neighbor Azerbaijan does everything to
ascribe the cultural heritage of Caucasian Albania to it, which, is,
in its turn, an encroachment upon the history of the Armenian people",
mentioned R. Safrastian.

French famous Armenologists Jan Pier Mahen, Bernard Rudien,
Constantine Zimmermann, Georgian famous medievalist Zaza Aleksidze,
also specialists from Dagestan and Russia will participate in the
conference.

ARMENIA TO TAKE PART IN YOUTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN EGYPT BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 1 TO 3

Noyan Tapan
Aug 21, 2007

YEREVAN, AUGUST 21, NOYAN TAPAN. The delagation composed of Armenian
young people will take part in the youth international conference
titled "The young speak, we keep silent. Voices for peace" to be
held in the city of Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt between September 1
to 3. The Armenian delegation will be headed by Arthur Poghosian,
the RA Deputy Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs.

According to the press message provided to Noyan Tapan by the Centre
for Organization of Youth Measures, about 700 young people from
different countries of the world will take part in the conference
sponsored by Susan Mubarak, the first Lady of Egypt.

The young people will try to make their voices audible throughout the
world by attracting attention to their problems during this conference,
which is planned and organized by young people and is unique in its
kind. The young people will also introduce their national culture
during this conference.

Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:

PRESS RELEASE
August 20, 2007
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
E-mail: [email protected]

ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY OF AMERICA STATEMENT REGARDING THE ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE

The Armenian Assembly commends Andrew H. Tarsy, the Anti-Defamation
League’s (ADL) former New England regional director, and its regional
executive committee for publicly acknowledging the historical truth of
the Armenian Genocide. We also salute Stewart Cohen, former Chairman of
Polaroid Corp. and Mike Ross, a member of the Boston City Council, for
resigning from ADL’s regional board in a show of solidarity. In the face
of Turkey’s ongoing worldwide campaign to deny the facts of this crime
against humanity, Tarsy’s principled stand lives up to the promise and
purpose of the ADL’s "No Place for Hate" program.

ADL’s "No Place for Hate" program asks that participants sign a
"resolution of respect," which sets forth the following guiding
principles:

I pledge from this day forward to do my best to combat prejudice and to
stop those who, because of hate or ignorance, would hurt anyone or
violate their civil rights. I will try at all times to be aware of my
own biases and seek to gain understanding of those who I perceive as
being different from myself. I will speak out against all forms of
prejudice and discrimination. I will reach out to support those who are
targets of hate. I will think about specific ways my community members
can promote respect for people and create a prejudice-free zone. I
firmly believe that one person can make a difference and that no person
can be an "innocent" bystander when it comes to opposing hate. I
recognize that respecting individual dignity, achieving equality and
promoting intergroup harmony are the responsibilities of all people.

We deeply regret that Tarsy was fired for speaking the truth, and for
challenging what he calls ADL’s "morally indefensible" decision to
oppose Congressional legislation reaffirming the Armenian Genocide.
U.S. Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, Henry Morgenthau, described those
events as a "campaign of race extermination" against the Armenian
people.

As a people who have been subjected to the most egregious and extreme
form of hate – namely the attempted annihilation of their entire people
– Armenians around the world stand with those who have faced similar
atrocities. It is especially incumbent upon victimized communities to
stand together against hatred, bigotry and denial.

American Jewish community organizations have been divided for too long
and have an opportunity to demonstrate their moral leadership by
standing with the Armenian people and answering Hitler’s chilling
question: "Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the
Armenians?" A first step would be to fully support Congressional
legislation, which affirms the Armenian Genocide: H. Res.106 and S.
Res.106, pending in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate
respectively.

Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly is the largest
Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding
and awareness of Armenian issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt
membership organization.

###
NR#2007-096

ADL recognizes Armenian genocide

Jewish organization makes dramatic U-turn four days after sacking
regional director
Yaakov Lappin
Published:
08.21.07, 20:21 / Israel Jewish Scene

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has formally recognized the genocide
of Armenians at the hand of Turkey in a statement released on Tuesday,
markinga dramatic U-turn over the organization’s position on the
issue.

Between 1915 and 1918, some 1.5 million Armenians died in Ottoman
Turkey. Many of them perished during – or were shot after – forced
marches across hundreds of miles, commonly known as death marches.

Just four days ago, the ADL sacked its New England Regional Director,
Andrew H. Tarsy, who blasted the organization for failing to recognize
the genocide. During a phone conversation with the ADL’s national
director, Abraham Foxman, Tarsy said he found the ADL’s position on
the issue "morally indefensible".

Tarsy’s sacking resulted in widespread condemnation across the
American-Jewish community.

In a press statement released Tuesday, the ADL said: "In light of the
heated controversy that has surrounded the Turkish-Armenian issue in
recent weeks, and because of our concern for the unity of the Jewish
community at a time of increased threats against the Jewish people,
(the) ADL has decided to revisit the tragedy that befell the
Armenians."

"We have never negated but have always described the painful events of
1915-1918 perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire against the Armenians as
massacres and atrocities. On reflection, we have come to share the
view of Henry Morgenthau, S r. that the consequences of those actions
were indeed tantamount to genocide. If the word genocide had existed
then, they would have called it genocide," the ADL said.

‘How will this affect Turkish Jews?’

In the statement, Foxman said, "I consulted with my friend and mentor
Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel and other respected historians who
acknowledge this consensus. I hope that Turkey will understand that it
is Turkey’s friends who urge that nation to confront its past and work
to reconcile with Armenians over this dark chapter in history."

The statement added, however, that the ADL would continue to be
opposed to attempts by Armenian-Americans to pass a resolution in the
US Congress aimed at garnering recognition of the genocide.

"We continue to firmly believe that a congressional resolution on such
matters is a counterproductive diversion and will not foster
reconciliationbetween Turks and Armenians and may put at risk the
Turkish Jewish community and the important multilateral relationship
between Turkey, Israel and the United States," the statement said.

Speaking to Ynetnews, an ADL source said the organization had
traditionally taken its lead over the issue from the Turkish Jewish
community. The source also expressed concern for the welfare of the
Jewish community in Turkey following the statement.

"How will this affect Turkish Jews? Who knows what repercussions will
be," the source said. "We changed our position and we hope Turkish
government doesn’t take it out on the Jews," the source added.

"The ADL has always sought guidance from the Turkish Jewish community,
which has told us to back the Turkish government on this. So we have
always backed Turkey’s stance," the source said.

The source added that the episode was sparked by an event held
recently by the Armenian community in Boston, called ‘No Place for
Hate’ – an event theADL was supposed to take part in.

"We pulled out because they said we’re hypocrites," the source said,
adding: "The head of ADL in Boston came out in favor of changing our
position… he was fired. This caused a lot of tension, and it caused
a reexamination of our position. As a result, our position has
changed."

BBC Monitoring
Source: Turan news agency, Baku, in Russian 1020 gmt 17 Aug 07
Azeri leader guarantees Armenian sportsmen’s security – wrestling spokesman

The head of the Azerbaijani Wrestling Federation has said that
President Ilham Aliyev will personally guarantee the security of
Armenian sportsmen during the World Greco-Roman Wrestling Championship
in Baku in September2007, the Azerbaijani news agency Turan has
reported.

Cavid Qurbanov said that more than 30 Armenian sportsmen will be
visiting Baku to participate in the championship, Turan said.

At the same time, the Karabakh Liberation Organization, a pressure
group that opposes any ties with Armenia, has spoken out against the
Armenian sportsmen’s visit to Baku. The organization thinks it is
unacceptable to allow Armenians to visit Azerbaijan, Turan said.

Source: Turan news agency, Baku, in Russian 1020 gmt 17 Aug 07

KIRAKOSIAN: THE GREATEST THREAT TO ARMENIA’S NATIONAL SECURITY COMES NOT FROM ABROAD
By Tugba Altinkum

Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
Aug 15 2007

Richard Kirakosian said that the threat to Armenia’s national security
comes from inside. Mr. Kirakosian argued that corrpuption is more
mortal threat to armenia than the abroad actors.

"The greatest threat to Armenia’s national security comes not from
abroad, but from inside. Armenian statehood is most threatened by
global regress, caused by corruption and so-called "good management"
he added.

Kirakosian further considers that the membership of Turkey the European
Union will be beneficial to Armenia, as the borders of the EU will
draw nearer to Armenia and Turkey become constrained by the European
"strait-jacket". Mr. Kirkosian claimed that Turkey’s EU membership
will make contribution to Turkey-Armenia security relations.