Author: Jidarian Alex

LET’S DO AWAY WITH FALSEHOODS OF BOTH TURKS AND ARMENIANS
Recep Guvelioglu

New Anatolian, Turkey
April 24 2006

Today is the day some Armenians claim as “the commemoration day of
the genocide of 1.5 million Armenians during 1915-23.” The date
has been chosen deliberately. On the night of April 24, 1915 the
Ottoman government arrested 200 leaders of the Armenian community in
Istanbul. They and some others were sent to Anatolian prisons.

According to the Armenian scholars’ claim, after that imprisonment
the Ottoman government started to implement its plans to liquidate
Armenians all over Turkey.

I don’t want to go into details of the atrocities committed by
Turks and Armenians in history. It was a bloody and disgusting part
of history. I personally spent quite a long time (some 20 years)
studying this issue. It would take almost a whole book to explain or
discuss the events and claims one by one.

What bothers me is some lies both sides use to present their thesis.

For example: The Armenian side always claims that “1.5 million
Armenians died in 1915-23.” There are two falsehoods in that sentence.

The first is the number. Some could argue that the number isn’t
important. Of course killing 10 or 10,000 doesn’t make any difference,
if the act is aimed at extinguishing a nation. But why say this
lie? Why do they exaggerate the number?

….Optional……….

I can give some records about the Armenian population and losses in
the 1900s:

“The Armenians in the Ottoman Empire before World War I amounted to
between 1,500,000 and 2,000,000. The Armenian Patriarchate gave the
figure as 1,845,450. Of these about 250,000 managed to escape to
Russia … Of the remaining 1,600,000 about 1,000,000 were killed
… Of the surviving 600,000 about 200,000 were forcibly Islamised …”

(Christopher J. Walker, Armenia: The Survival of a Nation,
New York, second ed. 1990, p. 230; available online at
). The statistic given by Tournebize in
1900 of the Armenian population in Turkey is 1,300,000 (Tournebize F.,
Histoire Politique et Religieuse de L’Armenie, Paris 1916).

According to 1917 English Yearbook, the total Armenian population in
Turkey was 1,056,000.

The French yellow book 1893-1897 (Paris 1897, p. 2-8) says that
the Armenian population in Turkey is 1,475,011 According to Ottoman
statistics, the Armenian population in 1914 was 1,294,851.

I can supply more such figures.

Now, how they came up with this figure of 1.5 million I don’t
understand.

…End Opt ………….

The second thing that bothers me is the historical period in the
sentence “1.5 million Armenians died in 1915-23.” Why do they include
the period of the Turkish War of Independence in the so called-genocide
claim?

The famous pro-Armenian writer Christopher J. Walker explains that a
“figure between 50,000 and 100,000 were killed off during the Turkish
invasion of the Caucasus in May-September 1918” (Walker, Armenia:
The Survival of a Nation, p. 230). He mentions the Turco-Armenian
war of 1918-1920.

Have you ever heard such a claim anywhere? This historian adds the
number of people who died in war to the number of what they call
“the number of genocide victims.” Besides, the new Armenian republic
started the war for revenge. It was not the Turks’ fault.

On the Turkish side there are also many falsehoods.

First of all, we are trying to deny the massacres perpetrated in
1915, as if the Armenians died due to disease. Another lie is that
the Turkish government has opened the Ottoman archives up the public.

We have not done so. No catalog has been properly published yet for
the Emniyet-i umumiye (General Security Administration) or Birinci Sube
(bureau of political crimes) archives of the Ottoman Empire.

Personally, I’m not afraid of the Ottoman archive records.

I don’t understand why the Archives Administration doesn’t release
them. There are a lot of falsehoods, as I said in the beginning, in
both sides’ claims. Like the Andonian documents on the Armenian side,
or some Turks’ claim that in history there was never an Armenian state.

If we erase the lies from our thesis, the picture will at least be more
realistic. Armenian Patriarch Mesrob II last week urged both sides to
get rid of narrow understandings based on racism. I cordially support
him. That should be the way.

Whatever the U.S. public network PBS says in their documentary on the
Armenian case isn’t important. Instead of ill-fated attempts to deal
with the Armenian diaspora, the Turkish government should deal with
the Armenian Republic even if its Constitution claims “genocide.” Our
government should try to solve the problems faced by Armenian
foundations in Turkey. In truth, there are good signs in both cases.

This is the warm atmosphere we need.

As for what happened in 1915, I would like to conclude today’s column
with the words of Ahmet Refik Altinay. Whoever let those inhuman,
brutal crimes occur in 1915 “upon them is God’s curse, and the curse
of angels and of mankind” (Ahmet Refik, Iki Komite Iki Kital. Kebikec
yayinlari, Ankara 1994).

Daily Sundial, CA
California State Univ. Northridge
April 22 2006

Armenian community gathers to commemorate genocide
Sandy Archila
Issue date: 4/24/06 Section: News

The 1915 Armenian genocide was commemorated by more than 200
Armenian-American students, parents, CSUN faculty and community
members as they gathered for a candlelight vigil April 20 on the
Matador Bookstore Lawn.

The Armenian Student Association held its annual candlelight vigil to
commemorate the estimated 1.5 million Armenians who were killed as
result of the genocide.

“(The vigil is about) remembering and commemorating all those 1.5
million souls that were massacred, and also as a way of saying that
the youth generation hasn’t forgotten about our ancestors,” said
Christina Malyan, CSUN alumni and current president of Alpha Omega
Alpha Sorority.

The event included several speeches, student performances, and a
video highlighting the history and struggles of the Armenian
community since the genocide.

Many people who attended the event wore black clothing – a
traditional sign of mourning.

“We’re fighting to preserve our culture,” said Marina Terteryan, vice
president of the ASA.

Terteryan said Armenians are constantly fighting to validate their
history.

“All we have is our culture, the minute we let go of that ? we have
nothing,” she said.

Ani Asatryan, president of the ASA, said the event was held to build
a greater social, cultural and political awareness of the Armenian
genocide at CSUN.

“Our goal is to educate the diverse community of students on campus,”
Asatryan said. “A majority of students interviewed by the ASA on
campus didn’t know about the Armenian genocide.”

She said the information about the Armenian genocide should be taught
at CSUN, adding that there is a lack of recognition and classes
available about Armenian history.

“This is an educational institution and it’s not right to omit parts
of history that factually happened for social and political reasons,”
Asatryan said.

She said the Armenian genocide is just as important for all students
to know as any other subject in history.

During her speech, Asatryan said people need to know what happened to
Armenians 91 years ago, because they should not be ignored or
forgotten.

Students who attended the vigil expressed why the commemoration of
the genocide was important to them and to the community.

“We like to educate the non-Armenians about the Armenian genocide and
what happened because it happened to the Armenians, it happened in
Africa, it happened to the Bosnians, to the Jewish people, and one
day it might happen to other races, and we’d like everybody to be
aware of it, and to fight for recognition of the genocide because
once there is worldwide acceptance of all these genocides, then other
governments would be fearful of committing another genocide because
they would be held accountable for it,” said Armen Oganesian,
president of the Alpha Epsilon Omega fraternity.

Allen Minas, junior political science major, said the vigil was about
honoring those Armenians who suffered and died during the genocide,
adding that the vigil was also aimed at uniting the Armenian
community.

“It’s about Armenians uniting and recognizing our heritage for what
it is,” Minas said.

Organizers and speakers at the event said the “Young Turk” government
of the Ottoman Empire carried out the genocide, adding that Turkey
has not recognized or admitted to any responsibility for the
genocide.

United States Congressmember Adam Schiff, a Democrat whose district
runs from Burbank to Pasadena and Monterey Park, and other members of
the House of Representatives proposed the Armenian Genocide
Legislation (Resolution 195) that urges Turkey to acknowledge the
role of the Ottoman Empire in the 1915 Armenian genocide.

The House International Relations Committee passed the resolution;
however, the resolution has not been enacted by the House.

“There is no hiding the fact that one and a half million Armenians
where deliberately murdered at the beginning of the 20th century, and
it is high time that we as a nation recognized these heinous crimes
for what they were: a genocide. We need to acknowledge these horrible
atrocities of the past in order to progress towards a brighter
future,” Schiff said through his spokesperson Sean Oblack.

Malyan said the resolution allows for more recognition of the
Armenian genocide.

“It’s a very crucial moment in our time, in our history because
finally a non-Armenian in Congress and our larger government body is
actually accepting it, and it’s one step closer to voicing our
opinion at Washington D.C.,” Malyan said.

Oganesian expressed similar sentiments.

“The importance of getting this issue recognized is that it would
force Turkey to recognize what they did. America is a major political
player around the world. If America accepts this ? we’re one step
closer to having Turkey accept it ? which is our ultimate goal,”
Oganesian said.

The Alpha Epsilon Omega fraternity is also trying to increase
recognition of the Armenian genocide and crimes against humanity
through the “Never Again” campaign that launched last year.

“We know that the United States has such tremendous power that it can
actually influence the world, so if the U.S. does end up accepting
the genocide then we might actually see a change from other
countries, and that will be (a) step forward for everybody,” Malyan
said.

Armenian daily details scenario of possible war with Azerbaijan

Aykakan Zhamanak, Yerevan
20 Apr 06

Text of Arman Karapetyan’s report by Armenian newspaper Aykakan
Zhamanak on 20 April headlined “Kocharyan may save the situation”

An attentive perusal of [Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan] Oskanyan’s
interview with our newspaper shows that the foreign minister has
confirmed the option we put forward a month ago that Azerbaijan,
Armenia and the USA have made an arrangement before the Rambouillet
meeting [Karabakh talks in Paris in February] to settle the Karabakh
conflict by means of an “arranged war”.

The first fact pointing to this is Oskanyan’s idea that “today it is
not just up to Azerbaijan to decide to go to war”. Thus, the foreign
minister admits that without the consent of the West Azerbaijan will
not dare to start a war. Oskanyan’s next idea is that if Armenia
recognizes the NKR’s [Nagornyy Karabakh republic] independence in
case of the resumption of hostilities, this will become the beginning
of the international recognition of Karabakh’s independence. Oskanyan
would not have said that if Western missionaries had not said so.

Thus, we can draw the following conclusion: Azerbaijan, Armenia and
the USA agreed on starting a war before the Rambouillet talks. This
arrangement seems advantageous for all of the negotiating parties
from the point of view of their own interests. [Azerbaijani
President] Ilham Aliyev believes that by means of war he will get
back the liberated-occupied territories [as given] and become a
national hero. [Armenian President] Robert Kocharyan believes that he
cannot give back the liberated-occupied territories to Azerbaijan
peacefully because in that case he will be accused of betraying the
nation. But if Azerbaijanis take back these territories by means of
war, he will have an opportunity to accuse others of betrayal.

Returning these territories to Azerbaijan is important because in
that case the USA promises to recognize Karabakh’s independence,
which will justify the war and mellow the impression from losing the
liberated territories. For its part, the USA would gain from the war
because it will get an opportunity to deploy peacekeeping forces in
the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict zone, which it needs in the context
of the Iranian problem settlement.

Today the existence of a scenario like this may be considered to be a
proven fact. But how advantageous is this option for Armenia? Let us
start with the idea that the war will kill people. If we are going to
return the Azerbaijani territories by killing several thousands of
young men, why cannot we do that without victims by means of a
stage-by-stage solution as an expression of good will? If war is a
reason for us to invite US peacekeeping forces to the region, why
cannot we invite them as the guarantor of an Armenian-Azerbaijani
peace treaty?

But Robert Kocharyan and [Armenian Defence Minister] Serzh Sarkisyan
cannot take this kind of step as they are very much likely to have
been warned by Iran and Russia about possible unpredictable
consequences. Certainly, this is a very serious threat, but it may be
neutralized if the Azerbaijani army starts suddenly the occupation of
the liberated territories, and Russia and Iran will be unable to stop
the process. In that case an SOS of the Americans sent out to
Kocharyan will be logical, and the loss of the liberated territories
will be explained by the unpredictability of the war. On the
contrary, in that case Kocharyan may blame Russia and Iran of
inability to stop the Azerbaijani army. But if Russia and Iran join
the war, Turkey will also do so.

The unpredictability of the war prompts us that this
Azerbaijani-Armenian-US plan contradicts Armenia’s interests because
nobody can guarantee that the Azerbaijani army will stop where it has
arranged with Robert Kocharyan. If the war starts, that will be the
last war permitted to Azerbaijan and its final opportunity to resolve
the Megri [area in Armenia separating Azerbaijan from its exclave
Naxcivan] problem. In that case, Turkey will not lose its chance.
Coming close to Zangilan [southwest Azerbaijan], they will persuade
Americans in this matter. We are sure, having [US ambassador to
Armenia] John Evans’s example, it is not difficult to persuade
American diplomats to take any unprincipled step. Turks may do so in
order to demonstrate to the USA that the separation of Megri from
Armenia means the separation of Russia from Iran, which at present
the USA needs much.

Thus, the Armenian authorities must be thinking that they have been
fooling the USA till today. However, the USA might have done so
expecting to get something more important in exchange. Kocharyan has
been forgiven for electoral fraud in 1998, 2003 and 2005 and after it
all given 235m dollars [allocated to Armenia by the US Millennium
Challenge Corporation] not because of his beautiful eyes. This is the
price of something specific. The above-mentioned scenario is that
specific thing.

But Armenian people do not want Karabakh’s independence at the cost
of Megri. Of course, Kocharyan did not agree to the Megri option and
will hardly agree. But at a crucial moment nobody will ask him. Thus,
we have no chance in this game, and the incumbent authorities of
Armenia should quit the game as soon as possible even at the cost of
losing power.

Armenian genocide victims and survivors to be honored Saturday
By JAMES PAULL, Sun Correspondent

Lowell Sun (Massachusetts)
April 20, 2006 Thursday

LOWELL– In 1915, the Ottoman Empire began a forced migration of
Armenians out of Turkey and Armenia in order to squash the growing
Christian minority. For the next several years, as many as 2.5
million Armenians were either murdered or displaced from their homes.

Victims and survivors of the Armenian Genocide will be honored
Saturday in downtown Lowell as Armenian Martyrs Day marks the 91st
anniversary of the tragedy.

An honor guard from the Lowell Armenian-American Veterans will lead a
march down Merrimack Street to City Hall, where Dr. Levon Chorbajian,
a sociology professor at UMass Lowell, will speak in honor of the
genocide.

“We are not just mourning the loss of these martyrs but celebrating
the successes of the Armenian people who settled not only here in the
Merrimack Valley, but around the world, said Tom Vartabedian, the
event’s master of ceremonies.

Also expected to participate are U.S. Rep. Marty Meehan, state Sen.
Steve Panagiotakos and Mayor Bill Martin.

The event is being sponsored by the Merrimack Valley Armenian
National Committee along with several area churches and service
organizations.

All are invited to join the ceremony at 9:30 a.m., at the corner of
Merrimack and John streets. Following the processional and
flag-raising, there will be a reception at City Hall courtesy of the
Lowell Armenian Relief Society.

In case of rain, the program will be held inside City Hall.

Armenian National Committee of Canada
Ottawa, ON
130 Albert St., Suite 1007
Ottawa, ON
KIP 5G4
Tel. (613) 235-2622
Fax. (613) 238-2622

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 21, 2006
Contact: Aris Babikian
(613) 235-2622

The Government of Canada Recognizes the Armenian Genocide

Ottawa – On the eve of 91st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide,
The Prime Minister of Canada, the Right Honourable Stephen Harper,
on behalf of the Government of Canada, issued a statement recognizing
the Armenian Genocide.

The statement brought the policy of our executive branch of government
on the Armenian Genocide in line with the House of Commons and the
Senate of Canada resolutions.

This is the first time that the head of the Federal Government in
Canada has issued such a policy statement on the Armenian Genocide. By
issuing the statement the Prime Minister and the government steadfastly
upheld their previous stand during the House of Commons debate and
vote on Motion M-380.

Furthermore, the Government statement honoured not only the memories
of the victims of the Armenian Genocide but also the wishes of
the overwhelming majority of Canadians. In addition to the Canadian
Senate and the House of Commons, the three largest provinces (Ontario,
Quebec, and British Columbia) also recognize the Armenian Genocide.

In his statement, issued to the Armenian National Committee of Canada,
the Prime Minister stated:

“I would like to extend my sincere greetings to all of those marking
this sombre anniversary of the Medz Yeghern.

Ninety-one years ago the Armenian people experienced terrible
suffering and loss of life. In recent years the Senate of Canada
adopted a motion acknowledging this period as “the first genocide of
the twentieth century,” while the House of Commons adopted a motion
that “acknowledges the Armenian genocide of 1915 and condemns this
act as a crime against humanity.” My party and I supported those
resolutions, and continue to recognize them today.

We must never forget the lessons of history, nor should we allow the
enmities of history to divide us. The freedom, democracy, and human
rights enjoyed by all Canadians are rooted in our mutual respect for
one another.

I join with you today in remembering the past I encourage you to
continue honouring your forefathers by building a bright future for
all in Canadians.”

Dr. Vagharch Ehramdjian, chairman of the Armenian National Committee
of Canada (ANCC), said: “The Prime Minister’s and his government
colleague’s moral fortitude demonstrates once again that truth and
justice will prevail over short term economic gains or political
expediency. The Prime Minister’s statement is a clear massage to the
despots of the world that Canada and the free world will not tolerate
genocide and ethnic cleansing.”

For over 30 years the ANCC and its regional chapters have worked
diligently to keep the Armenian Genocide issue on the agenda of the
Canadian government and make it an important part of the public and
political discourse in our country.

-30-

The ANCC is the largest and the most influential Canadian-Armenian
grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a
network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout Canada and
affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCC actively advances
the concerns of the Canadian-Armenian community on a broad range
of issues.

Regional Chapters

Montreal- Toronto – Laval – Vancouver – Ottawa – Hamilton – Cambridge
St. Catharines – Windsor

Prime minister of Canada recognizes Armenian Genocide

20.04.2006 17:27

YEREVAN (YERKIR) – Ottawa – The Prime Minister of Canada, the Right
Honourable Stephen Harper, made a clear statement recognizing the
historical fact of the Armenian Genocide.

In response to a reporter’s question regarding the Armenian Genocide,
the Prime Minister said: “That was a vote held in the last Parliament
[Motion M-380 – April 21, 2004]. As you recall, Parliament passed that
resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide. Our party supported that
resolution and we continue to recognize that parliamentary resolution”.

Dr. Vagharch Ehramdjian, Chairman of the Armenian National Committee
of Canada (ANCC), thanked the Prime Minister Harper, on behalf of
the Canadian Armenian Community, for his historic statement.

KARABAKH MINISTER COMMENTS ON MILITARY EXERCISE – ARMENIAN PAPER

Ayots Ashkar, Yerevan
19 Apr 06

Text of Vaan Vardanyan’s report in Armenian newspaper Ayots Ashkar
on 19 April headlined “The situation is calm”.

The NKR [Nagornyy Karabakh republic] defence minister, Seyran Oganyan,
gave a news conference in Stepanakert yesterday 18 April].

“A command-and-staff exercise has been held involving troops
[on 14 April]. As was the case last year, this year as well we
drew serious attention to the readiness of the senior staff of the
army. Exercises are being conducted for this reason,” Seyran Oganyan
said. He emphasized that measures were being taken to improve the
moral and psychological atmosphere and increase discipline in military
units. “I am happy and proud that the army could resolve its battle
efficiency problems and that we can ensure 100-per-cent call-up with
the participation of relevant structures and departments and all
the unions of liberating soldiers. Soldiers who fought yesterday are
ready to defend borders today as well. It takes us just over seven
hours to mobilize the reserve,” Oganyan added.

Commenting on a sharp increase in Azerbaijan’s military budget,
Oganyan said: “We always take relevant preventive measures. Increasing
the budget is one thing, using the funds correctly is quite another
thing. Our people have always been able to resolve this kind of
problem thanks to them being organized and to economic success.”

Oganyan said the situation on the border was calm. Skirmishes
often happen on the contact line but the Armenian side does not
always respond to them, he added. “The Azerbaijani side did not
attempt to advance positions this year. This process was observed
in 2003-2004. They have improved their positions on their territory,
and in some sectors they have moved close to our positions, but this
has not affected our structure.”

At the same time, Oganyan said that the Azerbaijani party had advances
their positions mainly in lowland sectors of the contact line with
the Karabakh forces. The Armenian party prevented attempts to do so
in the mountain sectors of the border.

“Today the NKR borders lie where a soldier sits in a trench. From
that place we add engineering facilities with relevant deepness and
thickness in order to provide our soldiers with trenches for tomorrow’s
battle,” Oganyan said. Since 2000 the Armenian party has been carrying
out this process in a more intensive and planned manner, he added.

The defence minister preferred not to touch on political problems
saying that he was a serviceman and did not deal with politics. He
only said that he assessed as satisfactory the Karabakh conflict
settlement within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group as the
mediators did their best. But Oganyan said Karabakh’s participation
in the settlement process was important and logical. At the moment
there is no need to deploy peacekeeping forces in the region, he said.

ARMENIAN ORGANIZATIONS IN POLAND TO MARK THE 91ST ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

ArmRadio.am
20.04.2006 10:24

Armenian Youth Association in Poland in cooperation with other Armenian
organizations will mark the 91st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide
on April 23 in Warsaw. Apart from the members of the Armenian community
in Poland, famous artsits, historians, politicians and diplomats will
take part in the event.

The program includes a silent march, which will end at the Turkish
Embassy in Poland.An anniversary meeting will be held in the
Ethnographic Museum in Warsaw. Speeces will be delivered by Mr. Maciej
Bohosyan, the Representant of The Armenian Minority at the Goverment
of Poland, Mr. Ashot Galoyan, the Ambasador of the Republic of Armenia
in Poland. Mr. Rafael Amirian, the President of the Poland-Armenia
Association. A discussion with participation of invited guests will
be organized as well.

CIS MEMBER STATES TO HOLD AIR DEFENSE EXERCISE APRIL 25

RIA Novosti
Apr 18 2006

MOSCOW, April 18 (RIA Novosti) – A group of former Soviet republics
is planning air-defense exercises April 25 as part of an integrated
air-defense system, the Russian air force’s press service said Tuesday.

The exercises are part of the joint event program of the Integrated
Air Defense System of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS),
approved by the CIS Defense Ministers Council, the press service said.

The exercise will involve up to 70 aircraft and other high-tech
equipment.

The CIS Integrated Air Defense System comprises Armenia, Belarus,
Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan,
Uzbekistan, and Ukraine. Georgia recently pulled out of the CIS
Defense Ministers Council, but is still formally part of the
air-defense system.

The integrated system was set up by 10 CIS states on February 10, 1995.

THE TRANSPORT FARE INCREASED BY 50% IN AZATAN

A1+
[02:40 pm] 18 April, 2006

There is a bustle in the village Azatan of Shirak marz. The “Trans
Instant” LTD providing the route Gyumri – Azatan has established new
fare – 150AMD instead of the former 100AMD. According to the Village
Council Personnel Chief Vardan Ikilikyan there was such an increase
last year; the bus fare went up to the same extent. But in his words
the organization resumed the former fare in two days’ time under the
direct pressure of the passengers and the community authorities.

The fare of 100AMD is a complete charity according to the Shirak’s
Regional vice-governor Mikajel Vardanyan.

He claims that “Trans Instant” LTD has been a benefactor for a
year. The fare increase is determined by the increase of diesel and
spares. He says that the new price is affirmed by the Ministry of
Transportation and Communication.

The Village Council Personnel Chief Vardan Ikilikyan mentions that
they have already released a joint letter – appeal to the Shirak
Regional Governor and wait for his response. In cases they don’t have
a satisfactory answer they will apply to the Government and even to
the mediation of judicial bodies if necessary.

“Tsayg” TV channel of Gyumri