Author: Jidarian Alex

Boston Globe, MA
Feb 4 2006

Documentarian bands with rockers to target genocide
Armenian ties drew Garapedian to System of a Down

By Sarah Rodman, Globe Staff | February 4, 2007

Carla Garapedian recognizes the irony of her initial reaction to the
music of System of a Down.

"To me it just sounded like they were screaming," she says of the
multiplatinum band’s heavy-duty rock.

But the former BBC anchor and documentary filmmaker is a fan of
raised voices. Her new film "Screamers," which opens Friday, is about
just that, people speaking up.

Having tackled tough issues in award-winning films such as "Beneath
the Veil," which profiled women in Afghanistan, and "Iran
Undercover," about that country’s student movement, Garapedian found
common ground with the politically outspoken members of System of a
Down. In fact, the quartet and the filmmaker, all Armenian-Americans
from Los Angeles, had been screaming about the same issue for several
years: getting the United States and world governments to officially
recognize the Armenian genocide of 1915. Beyond that first listen,
Garapedian realized that the band would be the perfect vehicle to
drive this long-gestating project.

For "Screamers," Garapedian followed System of a Down on its 2005
European and US concert tours as the band played music and spread its
message. The musicians also visited with survivors, including lead
singer Serj Tankian’s grandfather, and lobbied then-House Speaker
Dennis Hastert to allow a vote on a resolution that calls for the US
government to recognize the atrocities committed in 1915. (The
Turkish government attributes the deaths to famine, disease, and
internecine fighting during World War I.)

Beyond that, the band members’ and Garapedian’s common goal with the
film is to shine a light on the more recent and current genocides
occurring around the globe in places such as Rwanda and Darfur.
Garapedian interviewed authors, politicians , and historians,
including Henry Morgenthau III, whose grandfather was US ambassador
to Turkey at the time and bore witness to the massacres, and Pulitzer
Prize-winning Harvard professor Samantha Power , who authored the
2002 book "A Problem From Hell: America and the Age of Genocide."

Garapedian stopped by the Globe offices recently to discuss the film.
Power will also host a screening at Harvard’s Kennedy School of
Government tomorrow night at 6:30. The director, Power , and others
will participate in a panel discussion afterward.

Q So you discovered that you grew up in the same area of Los Angeles
as the band members but didn’t know them?

A Yes, in fact my mother taught in the public school a block away
from where [three of the band members] went to school. In a way ,
that’s why it was easy to work with them even though the rock world
is so alien to me with the groupies, the entourage, and the politics
of how things are. But because they were Armenians they treated me
like a relative : "Carla’s a nice Armenian girl and we’re nice
Armenian boys. We want to look after her." That made it a pleasant
experience.

Q How did you become familiar enough with the band to know you wanted
to use them for the film? And are you a fan of the music now?

A Yes. [System of a Down has ] held three concerts on Armenian
Commemoration Day in Los Angeles. The first one was in 2003, I went
to one in 2004 , and then I filmed the one in 2005. They encourage
human-rights organizations to set up tables outside the concert area.
I was sitting at a table called the Armenian Film Foundation with my
little pamphlets not really knowing the music at all , and what
impressed me was the fans coming up to the table, kids who were like
15, 16, 17 years old and a lot of them already knew about the
Armenian genocide and other genocides because the band’s message is
to recognize all genocide and that they are all linked.

These fans had been politicized and I didn’t know if they were fans
who were naturally political who were attracted to the band or
whether it was the other way around, but I was really shocked. And
they represented every social group, ethnic group in Los Angeles. I
thought, "My God, they’re reaching out to a generation of young
people. Maybe that’s something I can work with." Because how do you
tell the story of genocide in the last century that will reach out to
people and not turn them off?

And meeting the band and Serj Tankian made me realize that he was
very much about educating people. And he said, "If you make a film
about the denial of all genocides, then count me in. If you make it
just about the history of the Armenian genocide , that’s not enough
for me because it’s about the denial of all genocide." So we were
very much on the same page and that’s what began it.

Q There are some very disturbing images in the film of everything
from the corpses of children in the Holocaust to video of attacks in
Rwanda.

A It’s upsetting when you’re seeing it but I was looking for that.
It’s to access our outrage. We say "never again" but we have allowed
genocides to happen consistently since the Holocaust. And the
Armenian genocide happened before the Holocaust. I thought it was
very important to show children in each of the genocides because
that’s really what genocide’s about, it’s about killing everybody or
going after everybody.

Q What do you hope people do when they see the film?

A What I would like to have happen is that people who see the film,
at the very least, access their emotions and their outrage. And at
the other side of it feel that they can actually do something to stop
genocide.

On Jan. 19, two weeks after our initial interview, Armenian
journalist Hrant Dink, who is featured in "Screamers," was shot to
death outside the offices of the Agos newspaper in Istanbul. Dink was
editor of the bilingual newspaper and after writing about the
genocide of the Ottoman Armenians had been charged under Turkish
penal code 301 for "insulting Turkish identity." We called to follow
up with Garapedian, who last saw Dink at the "Screamers" premiere in
LA this past November.

Q How disturbing is this, not just on a personal level, but on a
symbolic level?

A I think because the film is called "Screamers," the obvious
parallel is to say Hrant Dink was a screamer and look what happened
to him. Unfortunately we have to do what we have to do. We make
choices in our lives. He said to me, "If I go to prison I’ll struggle
in prison. If I’m out of prison, I’ll continue the struggle. This is
who I am and this is what I’m going to do." And I think that goes for
all of us.

The band is going to do its music and I’m going to continue the
national release of this film. People of good conscience just have to
keep doing what they’re doing and keep screaming, because we do have
a genocide going on now [in Darfur]. It’s not just this little crisis
going on in a little place somewhere in Africa that nobody cares
about. It is actually a genocide going on now, so we have to scream,
it’s our responsibility to scream.

Itar-Tass, Russia
Feb 1 2007

ARMENIA DENIES NATO MEMBERSHIP PLANS

Yerevan, 1 February: The Armenian Defence Ministry has confirmed that
the republic does not intend to join NATO. A statement by the
ministry press service says this. "NATO membership is not on the
agenda of Armenia’s foreign policy," the statement said.

The George C. Marshall European Centre for Security Studies will hold
a seminar in Armenia on 5-7 February. Some media outlets reported,
quoting the centre, that the details of Armenia’s accession to NATO
would be discussed at the meeting.

"That is wide of the mark and does not proceed from the sprit of
Armenia’s Individual Partnership Action Plan with NATO and from the
interests of the republic’s cooperation with the George C. Marshall
centre," the Defence Ministry said.

ENGINEERING UNIVERSITY’S EXPERIENCE SHOWS THAT TRANSITION TO CREDIT
SYSTEM CANNOT BE DONE MECHANICALLY

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 2, NOYAN TAPAN. The State Armenian Engineering
University was the first one to experimentally introduce credit system
of education in Armenia since 2002. University Prorector Ruben
Aghgashian said this in his interview to Noyan Tapan correspondent.

In Prorector’s words, the credit system was first tested at the
University on two specialities of study for master’s degree. At first
they tried to introduce the most important principles of credit system
taking as a basis the American experience, but later, when Armenia
joined the Bologna process they took as a basis European standards.

The following year credit system was also tested at Engineering
University’s post-graduate study and later in the study for bachelor’s
degree (only at the department of foreign students) and lastly it
extended to almost all specialities of study for master’s degree. It
is planned that in 2007-2008 this system will be also used in the
whole sector of study for bachelor’s degree. Ruben Aghgashian said
that the University has already had one course of students graduated
from study for master’s degree by the credit system.

R.Aghgashian emphasized that during the whole process they have had
two kinds of problems: those connected with curriculum changes and
training-organization changes. "It would not be right to say that
there are no problems in these spheres. The more experience you get
the more problems emerge and they should be solved step by step so as
not to spoil everything," he said.

The Prorector is convinced that transition to the credit system should
not be mechanical. The main change should be done in the
training-methodical sphere, which will require more than one or two
years’ work.

R.Aghgashian said that introduction of credit system into the
Engineering University can be estimated as successful. Students are
also content with it, as they get an opportunity to take part in
formation of their curricula.

WORK ENVISAGED BY LINCY FOUNDATION’S PROGRAMS RESUMES

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 2, NOYAN TAPAN. The process of implementing the
programs with funds of the Lincy Foundation was discussed at the
February 2 sitting of the foundation programs management board. The
siiting was conducted by the Board Chairman, Head of the RA
President’s Staff Armen Gevorgian. NT was informed about it from the
RA President’s press service.

Directors of the program implementation offices said that the
envisaged work has resumed, with financing from the foundation being
provided duly and in time. Particularly, repairs of Yerevan streets
started, construction work at 9 of the 10 schools envisaged is
proceeding, while repairs of intercity roads will begin in the spring.

Journal Chrétien, France
Jan 31 2007

Turkish Police Clamp Strict Security on Christians’ Trial

Measures follow murder of Armenian journalist ; defense lawyer smells
conspiracy plot.

by Barbara G. Baker

ISTANBUL, January 31 – Strict security controls surrounded the second
court hearing for two Turkish Christians facing criminal charges for
insulting Turkish identity under the nation’s controversial Article
301.

Police had thrown cordons around the Silivri courthouse and main
streets into the town hours before Hakan Tastan and Turan Topal
arrived from Istanbul with their lawyer for the 2 p.m. trial on
Monday (January 29).

Heightened police protection for the two Christians and their lawyer
was attributed to the shocking assassination 10 days earlier of
another Turkish Christian, prominent Armenian journalist Hrant Dink,
murdered in Istanbul by a teenage nationalist.

Editor of the weekly Agos newspaper, Dink had drawn the wrath of
Turkish nationalists after his trial and conviction last year under
Article 301, the same restrictive law against freedom of speech under
which Tastan and Topal are charged.

Uniformed police officers met the defendants’ car as it approached
the center of Silivri, a town 45 miles west of Istanbul . Authorities
were already questioning and thoroughly searching everyone entering
the courthouse, refusing admittance to onlookers or members of the
press.

Meanwhile, small groups of young men could be seen idling around the
streets adjoining the court building, eyeing the entrance and all
passersby.

But police spirited the defendants in and out of the back door of the
courthouse, preventing tensions like those aroused by nationalist
demonstrators at the first hearing in November. In doing so, they
also frustrated a mob of journalists and photographers lying in wait
for the court participants at the front steps of the courthouse.

As soon as the hearing concluded, the Christians and their lawyer
were immediately escorted out of town. When onlookers spotted them
leaving the courthouse grounds, one police officer climbed in their
car until they left the city limits under police car escort and
approached the main highway.

`Of course, they provided us with very serious protection,’ defense
lawyer Haydar Polat told Compass afterwards. `But at the same time
this created a lot of apprehension for my clients, with police
climbing into our car, taking photographs of our license plate, etc.’

The two Christians, who are both converts from Islam, are also
accused under less-known penal statutes of reviling Islam (Article
216) and secretly compiling private data on Turkish citizens for a
Bible correspondence course (Article 135).

At their January 29 hearing, the presiding judge again closed his
court to all observers, with only the defendants and their lawyer
present for the defense. They faced seven prosecuting lawyers led by
ultranationalist attorney Kemal Kerincsiz, notorious in Turkey for
having hounded the outspoken Dink with multiple charges under Article
301.

Contradictory Testimony

Fatih Kose, 23, the only adult among the three accusers, took the
witness stand for the first time in the case. In his testimony, Kose
reportedly admitted that he had visited Tastan’s church in Istanbul
several times of his own free will.

While reiterating his written accusations, Kose contradicted himself
several times as to where and when he had heard specific `illegal’
statements, and from which of the two defendants. `His testimony was
very contradictory,’ Polat said, `and this kept angering the judge,
who really chewed him out over many of his statements.’

When Polat asked the court whether Kose was a member of any known
political group in Silivri, Kerincsiz reportedly shook his fists at
Polat, objecting so vehemently to the question that the judge ordered
him to stop `making a show.’

Kerincsiz further embarrassed himself when the judge demanded to know
why he had not produced the two teenager accusers in court. The
lawyer’s explanation that the two boys had not gotten permission to
be absent from school that day fell flat with the judge, who dryly
reminded Kerincsiz that all the nation’s schools had closed three
days earlier for their annual winter recess.

A 16-minute video submitted by the prosecution at the first hearing
as evidence against the defendants proved to have been filmed at a
distance, with no sound track of anyone’s voices to corroborate the
accusers’ claims. Tastan and Topal had been filmed secretly while
conversing in a tea garden in Silivri with several youths.

The prosecution then submitted another video, said to have been
filmed secretly in Tastan’s church during a communion service, to be
examined before the next hearing for alleged insults against
Turkishness or Islam uttered by the defendants.

`This was exactly a plot, a conspiracy,’ lawyer Polat said, after
hearing Kose’s testimony in court. `The youths asked for Bibles, for
brochures, they go of their own accord to church – and then they come
and complain !’

Setting the next hearing for April 18, the judge ordered police
escorts to ensure that all three complainants were brought, `by force
if necessary,’ to testify. The underage plaintiffs have been
identified by their first names as Alper, 16, and Oguz, 17.

Gendarme Ordered to Testify

The judge also issued a summons for an official witness to testify
from the regional gendarme headquarters, which initiated a raid last
October on Tastan’s home and the defendants’ Istanbul office,
allegedly searching for weapons.

In addition, the court requested a copy of news footage aired on
Turkey ‘s ATV channel on November 20 and 21. Kose was interviewed in
the broadcast, denouncing Tastan and Topal for `working to
Christianize Turkish Muslims en masse.’

In his statements at Monday’s hearing, Kerincsiz reportedly accused
Tastan’s church of breaking the law by collecting offerings and
tithes from the congregation. The attorney insisted that Turkish law
required all domestic institutions to obtain permission from their
local civil authorities to collect funds.

`Every mosque in Turkey has an offering box for the donations of the
faithful,’ Topal commented to Compass. `So don’t we Christian
citizens have that same right ?’

When Kerincsiz exited the courthouse front entrance after the
55-minute hearing, he refused to speak with either Compass or the
Turkish media, simply repeating the date of the next hearing, April
18.

In the wake of considerable international media on the case, the
European Commission and various officials within the European
Parliament have sent inquiries to the Turkish Ministry of Justice and
other government bodies, requesting judicial developments on the
charges against the two Christians.

Ever since the case was filed against them, Tastan told Compass
yesterday, he has been made aware that his e-mails, telephone calls,
home and even movements in the area have been under constant
surveillance.

`The day after I visit anyone, whether it’s a relative or some
acquaintance in another town, the secret police come around and
question them about my visit,’ Tastan said. `Am I considered a
terrorist, that I warrant such attention ?’

`We don’t know what the results of this trial will be,’ Tastan said.
`But God knows. And I think that the judge understood on Monday that
the people accusing us are not telling the truth.’

cle6165

400 USERS OF "ARMENTEL" TELEPHONE COMPANY RECEIVED FABULOUS ACCOUNTS FOR
INTERNATIONAL TALKS

Yerevan, February 1. ArmInfo. About 400 users of "ArmenTel" Telephone
Company services have received fabulous accounts for international
talks as a result of using the Internet-telephony. Some of them have
their telephones disconnected.

As the "Radio Svoboda" reports, the citizens who received the
accounts, have appealed to the Association of Armenia’s consumers
which, in its turn, addressed the Commission for the settlement of
public services with a proposal to discuss the problem and resolve it
in favor of the suffered citizens. "It turned out that at all the 400
citizens, who addressed us, not only one country, Austria,
coincides. Some numbers are repeated except for the last numbers", the
Head of the Association, Armen Poghossyan, says. However, the
management of "ArmenTel" does not agree with such development of
events and notes that, despite multiple warnings, the users do not
code their telephone numbers.

Anatolia News Agency, Turkey
Jan 31 2007

US ENVOY IN TURKEY SAYS ADMINISTRATION POSITION ON ARMENIAN
RESOLUTION UNCHANGED

Ankara, 31 January: "Bush administration’s position on the issue has
not changed. As I have said before, the administration will be
actively involved with the Congress to oppose this resolution," said
the US ambassador in Ankara, Ross Wilson, commenting on the
introduction of a resolution on so-called Armenian genocide into the
US Congress yesterday.

In a written statement Wilson recalled, "A resolution dealing with
the tragic events that took place at the end of Ottoman Empire was
introduced into the US Congress yesterday".

Underscoring that there were no changes in Bush administration’s
position on the issue, Wilson said the administration would actively
oppose such resolution.

The resolution on so-called Armenian genocide, which was officially
submitted to the US House of Representatives yesterday, is expected
to be discussed and afterwards voted in the house foreign affairs
committee during the forthcoming weeks.

ISSUE OF JOINING NATO NOT ON ARMENIA’S FOREIGN POLICY AGENDA

YEREVAN, JANUARY 31, NOYAN TAPAN. The information spread by Armenian
mass media on January 31 on behalf of the George Marshall European
Center for Security Studies that allegedly details related to the
issues of Armenia’s joining NATO will be discussed at the seminar to
be held in Yerevan on February 5-7 neither corresponds to reality nor
proceeds from the spirit of the Armenia-NATO Individual Partnership
Plan (IPAP) and the interests of Armenia-Marshall Center
cooperation. NT was informed about it from the RA Defence Ministry
Press Service.

"Official Yerevan has repeatedly stated and states once again that the
issue of Armenia’s joining NATO is not on the agenda of the Armenian
foreign policy," the ministry’s press release reads.

KAREKIN II CATHOLICOS: "ARMENIAN ARMY PASSES AS PRECEPT TO GENERATIONS
EXAMPLES OF VALOUR OF DEVOUT SOUL"

ETCHMIADZIN, JANUARY 29, NOYAN TAPAN. Karekin II Supreme Patriarch and
Catholicos of All Armenians addressed blessing speech to army generals,
soldiers and all the Armenians on the occasion of the Army Day and the
15th anniversary of the Armenian Army. It is mentioned in the address
that the Armenian Army was born and formed in the heroic struggle for
the Fatherland, getting victories with its brave and inflexible soul,
by which Artsakh was liberated and peace was established within the
borders of Armenia. "More completed and powerful, our army continues
its constant service to the Fatherland, passing as a precept to the
generations those examples of patrotism and devotion, valour of devout
soul by which new heroic pages were written in our history 15 years
ago, His Holiness mentions in his message. Besides, the Armenian Army
become famous for its high efficiency and best readiness today has its
valuable participation in international unit’s peace-keeping missions
as well. "We pray on this festive and memorable occasion for souls of
Armenian daring fellows who laid down their life for the sake of our
Fatherland, for the sake of freedom and peace. We ask the God to keep
our Army commanders and soldiers under His patronage and blessing,
granting them happy and long days of life and successes in the service
to our Fatherland. Let the God grant peace to the whole world, keep our
native country Armenia and Artsakh and our world-spread people in peace
and safety," is said in the Patriarchal address.

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
27. Januar 2007 Samstag

Bewegung zwischen Türkei und Armenien;
Eriwan bekräftigt Bereitschaft zur Aufnahme diplomatischer
Beziehungen – Ankara denkt nach;

Von Rainer Hermann

ISTANBUL, 26. Januar. Eine Nebenwirkung des Mordes an dem
türkischarmenischen Intellektuellen Hrant Dink vor einer Woche ist,
dass Bewegung in das Verhältnis zwischen der Türkei und Armenien
gekommen ist. Die Grenze zwischen den beiden Staaten ist geschlossen,
und sie unterhalten keine diplomatischen Beziehungen. Zwischen ihnen
steht die gegensätzliche Einschätzung der Massaker an Armeniern im
Osmanischen Reich 1915, in der Türkei vermutete Gebietsansprüche auf
die in Armenien als "Westarmenien" bezeichneten Gebiete in der
Osttürkei, die bis 1915 von Armeniern besiedelt waren, und der
Konflikt zwischen Armenien und Aserbaidschan über die armenische
Exklave Nagornyj Karabach. In diesem Streit steht Ankara auf Seiten
der sprachlich und kulturell verwandten Aserbaidschaner.

Zur Beisetzung Dinks ist nun zum ersten Mal seit vielen Jahren wieder
eine offizielle Delegation der Republik Armenien in die Türkei
gekommen. Der armenische Staatspräsident Kotscharjan entsandte den
stellvertretenden Außenminister Arman Giragosjan nach Istanbul. Der
Delegation gehörte auch der persönliche Berater des Staatspräsidenten
an, der aus der Türkei stammende Samson Özararat. Abgeholt hat sie am
Istanbuler Flughafen der außenpolitische Berater des türkischen
Ministerpräsidenten, Davutoglu. Giragosjan war ein Treffen mit
Außenminister Gül versprochen worden. Lediglich mit Davutoglu traf er
aber zusammen, dem er ein Schreiben seiner Regierung mit Vorschlägen
zur Normalisierung der Beziehungen zwischen den beiden Ländern
überreichte.

Ganz unterbrochen sind die Kontakte zwischen beiden Staaten nicht.
Diplomaten beider Länder treffen sich regelmäßig, etwa bei Sitzungen
des Schwarzmeer-Kooperationsrats (BSEC), zuletzt Ende 2006 in Moskau.
Der Generalsekretär der Organisation ist der Armenier Karen Mirzojan,
der auch zu der armenischen Delegation bei der Beisetzung Dinks
gehörte. Auch fliegen Diplomaten beider Außenministerien immer wieder
in die georgische Hauptstadt Tiflis, wo sie sich auf neutralem Boden
austauschen. Im vergangenen Jahr lud der türkische Generalstab sogar
einen Brigadegeneral aus Armenien zu einer Antiterrorkonferenz ein.
Über die meisten dieser Treffen wird jedoch nichts bekannt.

Giragosjan bekräftigte in Istanbul die armenische Bereitschaft, ohne
Vorbedingungen diplomatische Beziehungen aufzunehmen. Der türkische
Ministerpräsident Erdogan lehnte es aber ab, sich vor einer
eingehenden Lektüre zu dem Brief zu äußern. Außenminister Gül sagte,
die Türkei sei "auf der Grundlage des gegenseitigen Vertrauens und
Respekts" zu freundschaftlichen Beziehungen mit Armenien bereit.
Beide Seiten müssten dazu Schritte unternehmen, und Armenien habe
seine Einstellung zur Türkei zu überprüfen. Gül lehnte abermals die
Anerkennung des Genozids an den Armeniern als Voraussetzung für die
Normalisierung der Beziehungen ab und erneuerte den türkischen
Vorschlag einer internationalen Historikerkommission zur Untersuchung
der Ereignisse von 1915. Armenien hat sich gegen eine solche
Kommission ausgesprochen und plädiert für eine bilaterale Beilegung
der Meinungsverschiedenheiten.

Die Türkei fordert Armenien auf, seine Unabhängigkeitserklärung von
1991 zu ändern, in der nach türkischer Auslegung mit dem Begriff
"Westarmenien" ein indirekter Anspruch auf türkisches Territorium
erhoben wird. Ferner kritisiert die Türkei, dass die armenische
Verfassung den Berg Ararat, der auf türkischem Territorium liegt, zum
Nationalsymbol erklärt. Ankara fordert Armenien zur Anerkennung des
Abkommens von Kars von 1921 auf, das die Grenze zwischen der Türkei
und der Sowjetunion festgelegt hatte. Die türkische Regierung war
2004 schon einmal zur Öffnung der Grenze mit Armenien bereit, rückte
davon aber nach einem Einspruch der Armee und aufgrund des Drucks aus
Aserbaidschan wieder ab.

Davutoglu beriet nach seinem Treffen mit Giragosjan mit Erdogan und
Gül über die Auswirkungen des Mords an Dink auf die Beziehungen zu
Armenien. Eine Rolle spielte dabei, dass der Staatssekretär im
amerikanischen Außenministerium, Burns, in Ankara die Türkei
aufgefordert hatte, mit konstruktiven Schritten dazu beizutragen, die
vom amerikanischen Kongress vorbereitete Resolution zum
Armeniergenozid noch zu verhindern. Falls von der Türkei keine neuen
Initiativen kommen, rechnen amerikanische Diplomaten in Ankara, dass
der Kongress vor dem Jahrestag des Genozids am 24. April eine
Resolution verabschieden wird. Die neue Sprecherin des
Abgeordnetenhauses, Pelosi, in deren Wahlkreis San Francisco eine
starke armenische Minderheit lebt, macht sich dafür stark.