Author: Hunanian Jack

IRAQ’S CHRISTIANS IMPERILED
By Charles Tannock
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA
Oct 18 2006
The world is consumed by fears that Iraq is degenerating into a civil
war among Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds. But in this looming war of all
against all, it is Iraq’s small community of Assyrian Christians that
is at risk of annihilation.
Iraq’s Christian communities are among the world’s most ancient,
having practiced their faith in Mesopotamia almost since the time
of Christ. The Assyrian Apostolic Church has existed since 34 A.D.,
and the Assyrian Church of the East dates to 33 A.D. The Aramaic that
many of Iraq’s Christians still speak is the language of Christ.
When tolerated by their Muslim rulers, Assyrian Christians contributed
much to their societies. Their scholars helped to usher in the “Golden
Age” of the Arab world by translating important works into Arabic
from Greek and Syriac. But in recent times, toleration has scarcely
existed. In the Armenian Genocide of 1914-1918, 750,000 Assyrians –
roughly two-thirds of their number – were massacred by the Ottoman
Turks with the help of the Kurds.
Under the Iraqi Hashemite monarchy, Assyrians faced persecution
for cooperating with the British during World War I. Many fled to
the West. During Saddam Hussein’s wars with the Kurds, hundreds
of Assyrian villages were destroyed, their inhabitants rendered
homeless, and dozens of ancient churches were bombed. The teaching
of the Syriac language was prohibited, and Assyrians were forced to
give their children Arabic names.
In 1987, the Iraqi census listed 1.4 million Christians. Today, only
about 600,000 to 800,000 remain. As many as 60,000, and perhaps even
more, have fled since the beginning of the insurgency that followed the
U.S.-led invasion in 2003. Their exodus accelerated in August 2004,
after the start of the terrorist bombing campaign against Christian
churches by Islamists.
A recent United Nations report states that religious minorities in Iraq
“have become the regular victims of discrimination, harassment and,
at times, persecution, with incidents ranging from intimidation to
murder,” and that “members of the Christian minority appear to be
particularly targeted.”
Indeed, there are widespread reports of Christians fleeing the country
as a result of threats being made to their women for not adhering
to strict Islamic dress codes. Christian women are said to have had
acid thrown in their faces. Some have been killed for wearing jeans
or not wearing the veil.
Over the last two years, 27 Assyrian churches have reportedly been
attacked for the sole reason that they were Christian places of
worship. These attacks go beyond targeting physical manifestations
of the faith. Christian-owned small businesses, particularly those
selling alcohol, have been attacked, and many shopkeepers murdered.
Sadly, the plight of Iraq’s Christians is not an isolated one in the
Middle East. Iran’s population has nearly doubled since the 1979
revolution, but, under a hostile regime, the number of Christians
in the country has fallen from roughly 300,000 to 100,000. In 1948,
Christians accounted for roughly 20 percent of the population of what
was then Palestine; now, they are about 1.6 percent of the Palestinian
population in the West Bank, Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip.
In Egypt, emigration among Coptic Christians is disproportionately
high; many convert to Islam under pressure, and over the last few
years, violence against the Christian community has taken many lives.
Saudi Arabia’s Wahabbi regime prohibits any form of Christian worship.
The persecution of these ancient and unique Christian communities,
in Iraq and in the Middle East as a whole, is deeply disturbing. Last
April, the European Parliament voted virtually unanimously for the
Assyrians to be allowed to establish (on the basis of Section 5 of
the Iraqi constitution) a federal region where they can be free from
outside interference to practice their own way of life. It is high
time now that the West paid more attention, and took forceful action
to secure the future of Iraq’s embattled Christians.
Charles Tannock ([email protected]) is vice president
of the human rights subcommittee of the European Parliament.

BARROSO: EUROPE SHOULD TAKE A TOUGHER STANCE TOWARDS RUSSIA
AZG Armenian Daily
18/10/2006
Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, has urged
European leaders to take a tougher stance towards president Vladimir
Putin of Russia in regard to issues of energetic safety, Georgia’s
blockade and investigation into the assassination of famous journalist
Anna Politkovskaya.
President Putin is slated to meet European leaders in Finland on
October 20. “I do not want to be suspected in clashing with Russia
but I am sure we will achieve no results if he step back from our
principles when it comes to Russians,” Barroso said.

“WE WILL ALWAYS LOVE OUR DEAR ARNO”
A1+
[02:19 pm] 18 October, 2006
On October 28-25 a music festival will take place in Yerevan
dedicated to the 85th anniversary of renowned composer Arno
Babajanyan. Scientific conferences and concerts will be organized
during those five days.
“We must always love and respect our dear Arno as long as we live”,
said composer Edward Mirzoyan. Arno’s friends remember him with
love and admiration. Pianist Arthur Papazyan recalls him not only
as a great composer, but also as a good friend and wonderful person,
“It’s a pity I have not yet played any of his works. Maybe after the
conference I will take up one of them”, he said.
Today’s conference was the first event of the celebration. 12 reports
were represented. The reporters referred to the activity of the
composer from different angles. “This year we aim at pouring light on
Arno Babajanyan’s works which are not very famous. It is important
especially for the new generation. They must be well aware of the
musical heritage of Arno”, said doctor-professor Svetlana Sargsyan.
The organizers of the festival are charity fund “Arno Babajanyan”,
RA Ministry of Culture and State Conservatoire after Komitas.

CENTRAL BANK OF ARMENIA PUTS INTO CIRCULATION TWO SILVER COINS AS PART OF INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM CAUCASUS FAUNA
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 17 2006
YEREVAN, October 17. /ARKA/. Central Bank of Armenia has put into
circulation two silver coins issued as part of international program
Caucasus Fauna, CBA press office reports.
Two species – South Caucasus brown bear and big-eared hedgehog are
depicted on the coins.
The press release says the coins nominal value is AMD 100.
The coins are made of 925(±50) silver of 38.61 mm (±0.15 mm) diameter
and 28.28 (±0.25g) weight.
The coins have been designed by specialists from Poland and made in
Poland. The press release syas 3000 coins of each type are released.
–Boundary_(ID_GKpPTrb1hWkXEmYiG5AE6A)- –

SITTING OF PACE MONITORING COMMISSION HELD IN YEREVAN
Public Radio, Armenia
Oct 16 2006
Sitting of PACE Monitoring Commission was held in RA National Assembly
today. Greeting the participants, NA Speaker, Head of the Armenian
delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
Tigran Torosyan thanked members of PACE Bureau and Commission for
accepting the invitation to hold the sitting in Yerevan. Noting that
parliamentary elections are expected in seven months, Mr. Torosyan
expressed the hope that the fact of holding the Commission’s sitting in
Armenia will endorse the efforts directed at conducting the elections
in compliance with CoE standards and requirements.
Turning to the changes that took place in Armenia after Constitutional
amendments, Mr. Torosyan particularly emphasized the abolition of
administrative detainment, granting to the National Assembly the
right to elect the Ombudsman and expansion of the circle of those
who are eligible to apply the Constitutional Court.
NA Chairman expressed the regret that representatives of two member
countries – Georgia and Azerbaijan – did not participate in the
sitting. He is confident that the only chance for resolving the
problems member countries face is the joint discussion of issues,
including within the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

“GENOCIDE ARMENIEN”: UN UNIVERSITAIRE TURC RENVOIE SA LEGION D’HONNEUR
Agence France Presse
16 octobre 2006 lundi
Le president de la plus haute institution universitaire turque a
renvoye lundi a la France sa medaille de Commandeur de la Legion
d’Honneur en protestation contre une proposition de loi francaise
reprimant la negation du “genocide armenien”, a affirme son bureau
lundi.
Le professeur Erdogan Tezic, president du Conseil superieur de
l’education (YOK), est le seul Turc a avoir ete decore, en septembre
2004, de la plus prestigieuse des distinctions francaises, precise
un communique de la presidence du YOK.
Dans une lettre adressee au president francais Jacques Chirac, M. Tezic
explique que meme si le gouvernement francais s’est distancie de la
proposition de loi controversee, M. Chirac appele le mois dernier la
Turquie a reconnaître le caractère genocidaire de massacres d’Armeniens
en 1915-1917.
“Cette proposition de loi n’eut-elle pas meme ete votee, le fait
qu’ainsi ce sujet ait ete erige comme un principe de la politique
d’Etat ne me permet plus de porter dorenavant la plus haute des
distinctions francaises”, affirme la lettre, dont l’AFP a obtenu
une copie.
La Turquie s’est indignee du vote la semaine dernière par l’Assemblee
nationale francaise d’une proposition de loi sanctionnant la negation
du “genocide armenien” de peines allant jusqu’a un an de prison et
45.000 euros (57.000 dollars) d’amende.
Le texte controverse doit encore etre soumis aux senateurs, puis aux
deputes en seconde lecture, avant d’etre definitivement adopte.
Les massacres et deportations d’Armeniens entre 1915 et 1917 dans
l’Empire ottoman ont fait plus de 1,5 millions de morts selon les
Armeniens, 250.000 a 500.000 selon la Turquie, qui recuse la notion de
genocide reconnue notamment par la France, le Canada et le Parlement
europeen.
–Boundary_(ID_EuqFnX04zPb9ab +H50jcrQ)–

LE PROJET DE LOI FRANCAIS SUR LE GENOCIDE ARMENIEN EMBARRASSE
Europolitique
16 octobre 2006
” Le vote des deputes francais rendant passible de prison la negation
du genocide armenien est sans effet sur le processus d’accession de la
Turquie a l’Union europeenne “, a estime le 13 octobre la commissaire
europeenne aux Relations exterieures, Benita Ferrero-Waldner. ” Ce
qui se passe en France et ce que nous faisons nous, en tant qu’Union
europeenne, avec un pays candidat sont deux choses distinctes “,
a declare la commissiaire a la television finlandaise Yle.
Vote le 12 octobre par l’Assemblee nationale, le projet de loi
rend passibles d’une peine de prison d’un an et d’une amende de 45
000 euros les auteurs de declarations niant le ” genocide armenien
“. Le resultat du vote a ete communique a Ali Babacan, negociateur
turc, alors qu’il participait a la table ronde annuelle des Amis
de l’Europe, qui se deroulait a Bruxelles sur le thème ” l’Etat de
l’Europe “. M. Babacan a exprime sa desaprobation a propos de la
decision parlementaire et a dit esperer que la loi serait rejetee
par le senat ou que le President y opposerait son veto.
Le commissaire a l’Elargissement, Olli Rehn, avait denonce cette
proposition de loi le 9 octobre, la jugeant ” contre-productive ” et
estimant qu’elle pourrait entraîner de ” graves ” consequences pour
les relations entre l’UE et la Turquie. ” Il s’agit evidemment d’une
loi francaise et c’est bien sûr le problème des deputes francais
mais cela a des consequences potentiellement graves pour l’UE et
ses relations avec la Turquie “, avait declare M. Rehn a quelques
journalistes. Son adoption ” aurait deux consequences : cela bloquerait
le debat sur la question armenienne en Turquie et cela ralentirait
et entraverait le debat sur la liberte d’expression en Turquie “,
a estime le commissaire.
Un porte parole de la Commission a rappele le 13 octobre que la
reconnaissance du genocide des Armeniens n’etait pas une condition
a l’adhesion de la Turquie.
” Les relations entre la Turquie et la France, qui se sont
developpees au fil des siècles, ont subi un choc aujourd’hui en raison
d’initiatives irresponsables prises par certains politiciens francais
peu perspicaces, sur la base d’allegations non fondees “, a declare le
ministre turc des Affaires etrangères La reaction du gouvernement turc,
soutenu par les partis d’opposition et des mouvements de protestation
dans tout le pays, n’a pas faibli face aux declarations rassurantes
du gouvernement francais qui a dit ne pas soutenir la loi. Mais,
quelques jours plus tôt, a l’occasion de sa visite dans la capitale
armenienne, le President Chirac avait invite la Turquie, si elle
voulait rejoindre l’UE, a reconnaître la qualite de genocide aux
massacres qui ont coûte la vie a au moins 1.500.000 Armeniens entre
1915 et 1917. Par ailleurs, nul n’ignore que certains membres du
gouvernement francais sont opposes a l’adhesion de la Turquie.
–Boundary_(ID_AQFQ39RoZOFN6WoTi6hlsQ)–

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Oct 14 2006
Envoy admits to Armenian lobby’s influence on Paris
AssA-Irada 14/10/2006 02:00
The French ambassador to Azerbaijan Bernard du Chaffaut has said that
if the latest decision by the National Assembly of France goes into
effect, this could harm the country’s relations with Turkey and
Azerbaijan.
The bill, tabled in the legislature by opposition Socialist Party and
passed Thursday, criminalizes denying the `genocide of Armenians’.
Although the law was passed the assembly, it will not go into effect
unless it is approved by the French parliament’s upper chamber, the
Senate.
Armenians say Ottoman Turks killed 1.5 million people in 1915, a
claim strongly denied by Turkey.
The envoy told a news conference Friday that he is disappointed with
the adoption of the bill in the lower chamber of parliament,
expressing hope that the measure will not be approved by the Senate.
The measure has sparked off outcry in France as well, he said.
Du Chaffaut emphasized that the fact it passed the lower chamber does
not mean it will be approved, as making any bill law in France
requires a very lengthy procedure. `I hope this procedure will not be
completed.’
He said France’s Constitutional Council may intervene as well. The
body may deem it contradictory to freedom of expression.
`Finally, although the president has no right of veto, he may send it
back for repeated deliberations at the National Assembly.’
Du Chaffaut admitted that the Armenian lobby influences the French
government. `I suspect that the law was supported by some Armenian
voters in some election constituencies.’
The diplomat said France has come under pressure of the European
Union to reject the law.
Du Chaffaut said the latest developments will not lead to a
postponement of French President Jacques Chirac’s visit to Azerbaijan
next year. Such decisions, he said, are up to the presidents, but
said he is confident the visit will take place.
The ambassador said he does not expect tension to escalate in
French-Turkish relations and called on the Turkish Diaspora to
actively struggle against the adoption of the genocide law.
Azerbaijani MPs on Tuesday protested at the bill and forwarded a
relevant appeal to the French legislature.
The Turkish ambassador to Azerbaijan Turan Morali has termed the move
as `major injustice against his country that is primitive and
embarrassing’.
A group of the Whole Azerbaijan Popular Front Party members attempted
to hold a rally outside the French embassy in Baku on Friday in
protest at the adoption of the `genocide’ bill. The protest was
prevented by the police.

LAVROV AND LENMARKER DISCUSS SETTLEMENT OF “FROZEN CONFLICTS” ON OSCE TERRITORY
Public Radio, Armenia
Oct 12 2006
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Chairman of the OSCE
Parliamentary Assembly Goran Lenmarker discussed the questions of
settlement of the “frozen conflicts” on OSCE territory, web page of
RF Ministry of Foreign Affairs informs.
The meeting was held in the framework of Lenmarker’s visit to Moscow.
During the meeting reference was made also to issues of reforming
the OSCE in the framework of the decision of “Rising effectiveness
of the OSCE” adopted December 2005 in Lyublyana. The interlocutors
exchanged views on the effective organization of election monitoring
on OSCE territory and coordination of efforts in this direction.

FRENCH HISTORIAN INTENDS TO ACCEPT TURKISH CITIZENSHIP AS A SIGN OF PROTEST
Author: A.Alasgarov
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Oct 11 2006
Jean-Michel Tibauks, a French historian, has made an official appeal
to be accepted as a Turkish Citizen as a sign of protest on the review
of the draft law on criminal responsibility of those who reject the
so-called ‘Armenian genocide’.
Trend Special Correspondent in Ankara reports that the written
appeal by the French historian is currently under consideration
with the Foreign Policy Commission of the Great Assembly of Turkey
[parliament], headed by MP Mehmed Dulger.
Having been informed of the French historian’s situation, the Turkish
Prime Minister Erdogan instructed the relevant authorities to consider
his appeal.
In his appeal to the Turkish scientists, Tibauks explained his decision
was as a rebellion against the policy of blackmailing by France
against Turkey. The historian felt that this is a cheap domestic policy
targeted to attract the votes of electors of Armenian nationality.