News.am, Armenia
Feb 10 2020
14:29, 10.02.2020
Author: Jirair Kafian
Turkish press: Remembering Cem Karaca: The father of Anatolian rock
- February 08 2020 14:13:00
Turkey commemorated Cem Karaca, one of the prominent figures of “Anatolian rock,” on Feb. 8, 16 years after his passing.
Suffering a heart failure, Karaca, a beloved and respected figure in Turkey, died on Feb.8, 2004 in metropolis Istanbul, at the age of 58.
During his lifetime, he recorded 24 albums and gave hundreds of concerts, winning the hearts of millions of people.
Karaca became an influential phenomenon in Turkey with his signature felt hat, big brown glasses and long wavy hair along with the messages he conveyed through his music.
Early life
Karaca was born on Apr. 5, 1945, to Armenian and Azerbaijani parents. Both of his parents were professional actors.
He started his music education at the age of 6, with the guidance of Toto Karaca, his mother.
His father Mehmet İbrahim initially wanted him to be a diplomat or a doctor yet later urged him to sing the “music of the region.”
Karaca married Semra Özgür in 1965 and shortly after joined the army. That is where he became familiar with Turkey’s folk songs.
Career
Karaca started his career with a cover band, called “The Dynamites,” followed by another group called “The Jaguars,” a tribute to legend Elvis Presley.
After his military duty was completed, Karaca started to compose music with Western instruments. In an unusual synthesis, Karaca fused traditional Anatolian folk rhythms with rock beats.
“I used to see it as old and primitive, but [later] I realized that the style of music revives and expresses my feelings,” Karaca had said in an interview.
He later joined “Apaşlar,” where his popularity peaked. Karaca and the Apaşlar won second place at the Golden Microphone music competition with a cover version of “Emrah.”
Following their award, Apaşlar went to Germany and recorded songs with the Ferdy Klein orchestra.
Recordings from that period include one of their best-known songs, “Resimdeki Gözyaşları,” released in 1968.
Two years later, Karaca and bassist Serhan Karabay left Apaşlar and formed another band called “Kardaşlar.”
When they were recording songs in Germany in March 1971, a coup d’état took place in Turkey.
Back to Turkey
In 1972, Karaca returned to Turkey and joined the Moğollar. He recorded his hit masterpiece “Namus Belası.”
After clashes with the band’s co-leader Cahit Berkay, Karaca and Ünol Büyükgönenç formed Dervişan.
Karaca’s leftist stand was much more felt during his music career with Dervişan as many of their songs criticized social injustice, such as “Tamirci Çırağı” (“The Repairman’s Apprentice” in English) or “Yoksulluk Kader Olamaz” (“Poverty Cannot Be Destiny” in English).
He also composed a theater play for the “Worker’s March,” for May 1 Labor Day, for which charges were pressed against him.
In 1978, Karaca formed a new band called “Edirdahan” and recorded “Safinaz,” Turkey’s first rock opera song.
Karaca also supported Palestine’s resistance with a stand at the international fair in the Aegean province of İzmir.
Karaca covered “Mutlaka Yavrum” to raise awareness of the Palestinian issue.
Political unrest and homesickness
The singer went to Germany in 1979 when Turkey’s political unrest reached its peak. He faced political pressure over his records and statements. He was in an eight-year exile in Germany.
In April 1980 Karaca was unable even to attend his father’s funeral.
A few months later, on Sept. 12, 1980, military forces under the leadership of Gen. Kenan Evren toppled the government and took power. Karaca and Selda Bağcan were ordered to return home to face charges of treason.
They refused and on Jan. 6, 1983, their citizenships were revoked.
While in Germany, Karaca voiced his longing for home in an interview.
“There’s no cure for homesickness,” he said. There, he recorded songs on working-class issues in Turkish and German.
Eventually, in 1987, he was given amnesty by then-Prime Minister Turgut Özal and returned home.
During this period, he produced solo records like 1989’s.
Karaca also worked with musicians Berkay and Uğur Dikmen, producing such standouts as “Islak Islak.”
He gave his last concert in Ankara on Jan. 17, 2004, and died a few weeks later, on Feb. 8, at age 58.
Realities of the Azerbaijani-Pakistani Mercenary Tandem
12:05,
On January 21, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan in Davos.
According to official reports distributed by the press services of both countries, Pakistan supports Azerbaijan’s “fair position” on the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh, and in return, Baku supports Pakistan on the issue of Kashmir. However, this support is more formal: open support for Pakistan may spoil relations with India. This is the reason Azerbaijan by all means avoids participating in the resolution on the Kashmir problem, opting for a neutral position aptly voiced by the official representative of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “Azerbaijan supports the settlement of the issue of Jammu and Kashmir in accordance with the norms and principles of international law and the requirements of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.”
Pakistan’s support for Azerbaijan’s interests in turn appears to be full of pure journalistic hype – Pakistan has its own concerns: the conflict with India, decreased regional significance for the United States in the wake of the rapprochement with China, low living standards of the majority of the population, unemployment, lack of serious reserves of natural resources, and the huge external debt, which reached 90 billion dollars last year. Therefore, getting a rich client epitomized in Baku is a matter of principle for Islamabad.
The Azerbaijani ruling circles hope that by deepening relations with Pakistan Azerbaijan will be able to maintain its military superiority over Armenia. However, it is pointless to talk about the Pakistani military presence in the Caucasus, as it will be extremely negatively perceived by Russia, Turkey and Iran. In its turn, Pakistan is ready to do anything, as long as Azerbaijan does not change its mind about buying JF-17 “Thunder” fighters. Yet no final agreement regarding the purchase of the JF-17s was reached. This is quite understandable, because “Thunder” has many shortcomings acknowledged by experts. They are trying to eliminate them in the third generation of the aircraft (Block III), hence the issue of purchasing of Pakistani fighters is more of an advertising nature.
It becomes clear that official Baku does not trust Islamabad and, under the guise of feigned assurances of interest in Pakistani military equipment, Baku will most likely try to purchase Russian weapons.
Encroachment on the right and law in Armenia – Vanetsyan
Panorama, Armenia
Feb 7 2020
Former Director of Armenia’s National Security Service Artur Vanetsyan commented on parliament’s decision of holding nationwide referendum on constitutional changes.
“Encroachment on right and law took place in Armenia yesterday. The consequences will be severe and will disrupt the judicial security of the country as well as damage its international reputation,” Vanetsyan tweeted.
To remind, the proposed referendum on constitutional and related changes relate among other at dismissing seven of the nine members of the Constitutional Court. It will also remove the requirement for the Constitutional Court to check the compliance of draft legislation with the Constitution of Armenia, and subsequently change the procedure of revision of the Constitution itself.
According to the substantiation of the draft law, the Constitutional Court has a problem of being perceived as a credible and unbiased court in the society.
In event of war, commercial organizations will be instructed to maintain part of Armenia’s material reserve
News.am, Armenia
Feb 5 2020
In event of war, commercial organizations will be instructed to maintain part of Armenia’s material reserve In event of war, commercial organizations will be instructed to maintain part of Armenia’s material reserve
13:55, 05.02.2020
Armenpress: Armenian FM, OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs meet in Geneva
Armenian FM, OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs meet in Geneva
09:30, 29 January, 2020
YEREVAN, JANUARY 29, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan held a meeting in Geneva with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs Igor Popov (Russia), Stéphane Visconti (France), Andrew Schofer (US) and Andrzej Kasprzyk, the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, foreign ministry spokesperson Anna Naghdalyan said on Facebook.
Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
United Arab Emirates confirms first coronavirus case
13:07, 29 January, 2020
YEREVAN, JANUARY 29, ARMENPRESS. The United Arab Emirates has confirmed its first coronavirus cases, the Arab News newspaper reported.
The Emirati healthcare ministry has said the infected patients are a family from Hubei, the Chinese province which is the epicenter of the outbreak. The local authorities did not specify the exact number of the infected patients but said all are in stable condition.
Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
Russian MFA Spokesperson on Armenian and Azerbaijani FMs meeting and biolaboratories in Armenia
News.am, Armenia
Jan 30 2020
19:56, 30.01.2020
Deputy Minister Arevik Anapiosyan’s Yerevan apartment burglarized
13:35,
YEREVAN, JANUARY 24, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Arevik Anapiosyan’s Yerevan apartment has been burglarized.
Anapiosyan herself confirmed to ARMENPRESS that the incident has taken place. She refused to give further details.
Yerevan police, in turn, said the burglary took place sometime between January 19 – 23. The perpetrator or perpetrators broke into the apartment through the balcony and stole gold jewelry, gold watches and cash, police said.
Authorities are investigating the incident.
Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
Erebuni Plaza gunman refuses to give testimony
18:14,
YEREVAN, JANUARY 24, ARMENPRESS. The gunman who opened fire at Erebuni Plaza business center on January 23 denies giving testimony, ARMENPRESS reports head of the press service of the Investigative Committee of Armenia Naira Zohrabyan told ARMENPRESS.
“Yesterday he denied giving testimony and requested a lawyer. He said he will talk only in the presence of the lawyer. There are no more details so far”, Harutyunyan said.
At 14:45, January 23, Yerevan police received a shots fired call in the Erebuni Plaza Business Center. No one has been injured. The gunman surrendered to the Police after talks with the acting Police Chief of Armenia Arman Sargsyan.
Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan