Author: Kafian Jirair

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The Armenian Weekly; Volume 74, No. 30; August 2, 2008

AYF Section:

1. The Music of the Movement
An Interview with ‘Heghapokhagan’ Singer Kristapor Arabian

2. This isn’t a Trip to the Marriott!
By Taleen Mekhdjavakian

***

1. The Music of the Movement
An Interview with ‘Heghapokhagan’ Singer Kristapor Arabian

Kristapor Arabian is an active member of the Washington "Ani" AYF. Since the
age of eight, he has had a passion for singing heghapokhagan (Armenian
patriotic) songs and, today, is pursuing his ambition to perform and sing on
a professional level. We took a moment to sit down with Arabian and ask him
about his music and involvement in the community.

A.W.-What motivated you to seriously pursue singing heghapokhagan songs?

K.A.-What motivated me was all the stories I had heard while growing up
about the Lebanese Civil War and the involvement of my grandfather, Simon
Marsoubian, and my uncle, Hagop Marsoubian (Pasha), in the defense of the
Armenian community in Beirut. I was inspired by the examples of heroism they
set and, as a result, became drawn to songs about the Armenian revolutionary
movement.

I also saw how heghapokhagan songs and the stories that they tell us were
not capturing a lot of the younger generation like they used to. If
anything, I would love to get the message of these songs out to the youth
more prominently.

A.W. -What do you think it is about patriotic or revolutionary music
specifically that has captivated your attention and interest?

K.A.-Well, of course, in the beginning I didn’t know much about the true
meaning of these songs, but as time went on I got more and more interested
in them. I began to actually study the music. I would sit down and read the
song as if it was a book and figure out the story. If I needed an Armenian
dictionary, it was always beside me just in case there were any words I
didn’t understand.

But those stories and the way they are told throughout the song-detail by
detail-is what captivated my attention and interest. The fact is that these
songs have profound meaning and, if you listen closely, there is always a
certain message being sent out in every song.

A.W.-Which singers have influenced you the most?

K.A.-Karnig Sarkissian has had the biggest impact on my singing and is
definitely the one who has influenced me the most. When you listen to Unger
Karnig, I just think there is something beautiful there. The way the words
come out, the way they are sung, the way he makes you feel the pain and the
sadness that he is expressing while singing patriotic-revolutionary songs.
Actually, I would love to personally meet with him one day soon and just
take in some of his ideas and advice.

A.W.-When was the first time you performed in public? Can you tell us about
that experience and how it felt?

K.A.-I was at a pretty big family get-together and I was initially very shy.
It was my first time so the only thing that was going through my mind was,
"Are they going to like my voice? "What if they don’t like it?" I drank
lemon juice and water all day thinking it would do something.

When I actually started singing, the feeling I got was a whole new
experience for me. I began feeling the music; I was feeling the pain and
sadness that our ancestors had felt during all that they had gone through.
Since then, that’s the only thing I feel when I sing. When you’re in that
state, there is nothing more you can do but sing from your heart.

A.W.-What is your favorite heghapokhagan song?

K.A.-My favorite song is "Trcheyi Mdkov Doun," also known as "Zinvori Mor
Yerke." The reason is because when a human being is born, the first thing
that they notice is their mother. I always think about the mothers of those
who gave their lives, such as the Lisbon 5, for example. If our martyrs were
to come down from heaven, what would be the first thing they would want to
do? I would think it would be to see their mother because to me there is
nothing in this world that has as much value as one’s relationship with a
mother. Yes, a father has his own place in a child’s heart too, but the bond
one has with a mother is something special and it’s reflected in songs like
"Zinvori Mor Yerke."

A.W.-Obviously, for the AYF and ARF, heghapokhagan songs are an important
part of our organizational culture and history. How do you see the
relationship between your involvement in the AYF and your singing?

K.A.-Everything I do is for the Armenian people and the AYF/ARF. By singing
heghapokhagan, I feel I am informing more people about our history and
struggle. By showing my drive for our culture and people, I am hopefully
encouraging other youth to join these organizations.

A.W.-Do you have any upcoming performances? Where can people go if they want
to find out more about your singing?

K.A.-Yes, I am going to be singing on Oct. 11 at the AYF 75th Anniversary
Gala Weekend in Boston, along with Sevag Khatchadourian and the AYF All-Star
Band. I am also working on having a CD out soon and hopefully the Armenian
public will be hearing more of my singing in the near future.

A.W.-Are there any final words you want to give to our readers?

K.A.-I just want to tell the youth that it is important to stay connected to
Armenian culture and learn our history because without that we are nothing.
The richness of Armenian history is what inspired me to pursue my dreams and
I’m sure it can do the same for others. Always remember the youth is the
future!

To find out more about Kristapor’s singing or to contact him for a future
event, email him at [email protected].
—————————– ——————————

2. This isn’t a Trip to the Marriott!
By Taleen Mekhdjavakian

What would you do if everyday, at around 8 p.m., the water in your house got
turned off, or if you lived in an extremely hot city with no air
conditioning? These things may seem surreal to many Americans but to
Armenians it’s a part of their everyday life. If you come to Armenia as a
tourist you wont experience this, so the best way is to either move here or
stay for more than a month. You will truly get to know Armenia this way.

Deciding to go on the AYF Internship this year was probably the best
decision I’ve ever made. Being in Armenia is an experience in itself, let
alone living in a different country with five strangers. The bond we all now
share can’t be described in words.

This being our fourth week here, we’ve already formed routines. During the
week we got to our internship and, later on in the day, we usually go to
Armenian language classes or different lectures at the Birthright Armenia
office. After that, we tend to go out for dinner and, on the weekends, we go
on excursions. Our daily routines have truly become part of my life and I
can’t imagine going back home. Armenia feels like the place I need to be.

Part of the reason I love it here so much is also because of my internship.
I work at Counterpart International, where I edit many of their documents
that have been translated to English. To make sure everything makes sense, I
also translate documents from Arabic to English. The people at the office
are great, they each have a story to tell, and it’s just so different to
hear about each person’s different background.

Weekends here are always the best because of our excursions. This last
weekend we went to see the temple at Garni, the only remaining pagan temple
in Armenia. It wasn’t the first time I had been there, but this time I
actually learned the history behind why it was the only remaining temple and
I saw something I never thought I would see in Armenia.

There was a huge group of people standing around a goat, and the man
sacrificing the goat was dressed in a coat and had a necklace with the
infinity symbol on it. It turns out that there are still pagans in Armenia
and that day they were having a ceremony similar to a Christian baptism. I
couldn’t believe what I was seeing. The man dressed in the cloak cut the ear
of a lamb off and then let a couple of drops of the bloody knife drip on the
baby’s forehead. It was such an odd thing to see. I had no idea that there
were pagans in Armenia, let alone did I expect to see such a ceremony.

Well, we have just hit our half way mark of four weeks here in Armenia and
it is going to be hard for me to leave all this. It’s not as easy to live
here but there is nowhere else I’d rather be.

Taleen Mekhdjavakian is a member of the Ocala "Keri" AYF and a participant
in the 2008 AYF-YOARF Summer Internship Program in Yerevan.

US EVACUATES MORE THAN 170 AMERICANS FROM GEORGIA

AP
11 Aug 08

WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department says it has evacuated more
than 170 U.S. citizens from Georgia as the conflict over separatist
areas there intensifies between Georgia and Russia.

A spokesman said Monday that two convoys carrying about 170 private
U.S. citizens along with an undetermined number of family members of
American diplomats based in Georgia have left Tbilisi on their way
by road to neighboring Armenia. The spokesman says more convoys are
being prepared in case other Americans choose to leave Georgia.

On Saturday, the State Department said it would pay for the dependents
of U.S. diplomats to leave Georgia if they wanted.

PRESS RELEASE
GSCiAS Organizing Committee
Armenian Graduate Students Association at UCLA
E-mail: [email protected]

CALL FOR PAPERS
To be presented at the Seventh Annual GRADUATE STUDENT COLLOQUIUM IN
ARMENIAN STUDIES Friday, February 20, 2009 at the University of
California, Los Angeles. We enthusiastically invite graduate students
and recent post-docs (Ph.D.,within the last two years) in fields
associated with Armenian Studies(broadly defined) to present their
recent research. Work in progress is encouraged. We accept papers from
a variety of disciplines and welcome comparative themes and
interdisciplinary approaches. Panel submissions are also welcome.

Applicants must e-mail presentation abstracts of no more than 250
words and their curriculum vitae by September 25, 2008. Please attach
the required documents in the form of a Word document. Please note
that a 20-minute time limit for presentations will be strictly
enforced (roughly 8-10 pages double-spaced). Invited participants will
be required to submit a final version of their full presentation by
January 10, 2009. A reception will be held on the Wednesday evening
prior to the event to welcome the colloquium speakers. Students will
have an opportunity to meet with faculty and students on campus, tour
Armenian Studies resources, and visit Armenian Studies classes. The
colloquium will conclude with a reception. Priority of acceptance will
be given to those who have not presented at the colloquium before.
Limited travel grants will be available to assist those who would
otherwise be unable to attend. Travel grant applications will be sent
to all invited participants.
To submit abstracts or for more information contact Armenian Graduate
Students Association at UCLA Colloquium Committee at
[email protected].

ARMENIA TENDS TO FRIENDLY RELATIONS WITH ARAB STATES

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.08.2008 15:28 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan met today with
an UAE delegation led by Saud bin Sakr Al-Kasimi, crown prince and
deputy ruler of Ras Al-Khaima, to discuss development of bilateral
relations, the RA leader’s press office told PanARMENIAN.Net.

"Armenia tends to friendly relations with Arab states. The commodity
turnover between our republic and the UAE doubled during the past
six months, what proves the huge potential of bilateral relations,"
the President said.

For his part, Saud bin Sakr Al-Kasimi thanked Armenia for support to
UAE companies and expressed hope for further cooperation. "We work
to achieve stability and favorable atmosphere for economic growth,"
he said.

The top officials also discussed programs implemented in tourism and
mining industry.

The Armenian President confirmed that the government will promote
all investment programs launched in the republic.

SOLZHENITSYN LEAVES TROUBLED LEGACY ACROSS FORMER SOVIET UNION
By Claire Bigg

UNIAN News Agency
tml
Aug 6 2008
Ukraine

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, the Russian dissident writer who exposed the
horrors of Soviet prison camps, was laid to rest today at a lavish
ceremony in Moscow`s Donskoi monastery.

Hundreds of mourners, including Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
and other top officials, gathered under a gray sky to pay their
tribute to Solzhenitsyn`s literary talent and unwavering crusade
against totalitarianism.

But Solzhenitsyn leaves a complex legacy throughout the former
communist bloc.

While the world widely admired his courage in exposing the
atrocities of the Soviet prison camps, many, too, frowned on the
ardent nationalism he espoused in his later years. His warm ties with
former Russian President Putin, a retired KGB officer, drove a wedge
with many of his fellow Soviet-era dissidents.

Russia`s ethnic and religious minorities, too, took a dim view of
Solzhenitsyn`s calls for a Slavic revival based on Russian Orthodoxy.

"It isn`t customary in such moments to express anything but praise
about the deceased, but some of his articles did have an element of
xenophobia," says Armenian writer Vahram Martirosian. "Against the
backdrop of a strongly negative attitude towards migrants, including
Armenians, this only poured oil on the flames of Russian chauvinism
in today`s Russia."

`Rebuilding Russia`

Aydar Khalim, a prominent Tatar author, describes Solzhenitsyn`s
death as a "heavy loss for humanity." But he agrees that the dissident
failed the millions of non-Slavic Russians.

"On the one hand, he was considered one of the main defeaters of
Stalinist tyranny in Russia. On the other hand, for us he was a
guardian of the Russian Empire. His power to criticize and denounce
put Solzhenitsyn on par with Lev Tolstoi, but in his famous work
`Rebuilding Russia,` for example, he strove to preserve Russia as an
empire. With the fame he enjoyed, he could have tried to defend not
only Russians but other ethnic groups as well," Khalim said.

In "Rebuilding Russia," an essay first published in 1990 in
"Komsomolskaya pravda" — then one of the Soviet Union`s most popular
dailies — Solzhenitsyn urged Russia to cast off all non-Slav
republics, which he claimed were sapping the Russian nation. The
Nobel Peace laureate called for the creation of a new Slavic state
bringing together Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and parts of Kazakhstan
that he considered to be Russified.

This united Slavic state built on Russian Orthodox faith, he wrote,
would provide an alternative to the West`s decadent liberalism. The
essay drew the ire of both those who hoped to salvage the Soviet Union
and those who wished for its break-up into sovereign republics. It
offended many in Central Asia, which Solzhenitsyn described as Russia`s
"underbelly, the thoughtless conquest of Alexander II."

Kazat Akmatov, a prominent Kyrgyz writer who co-chaired the Kyrgyzstan
Democratic Movement party in the 1990s, says his literature was
heavily politicized.

"He wrote a long article saying that Russia has to be a separate
state, that it has to kick out the other 14 republics. He wrote that
the republics were Russia`s `underbelly,` meaning that Russia was
feeding them and would prosper if they were discarded," Akmatovs says.

Even long after the Soviet Union`s collapse, Solzhenitsyn remained
adamant about forming a united Slavic state.

In May 1996, a group of respected Kazakh writers attacked
"Komsomolskaya pravda" for publishing an interview with Solzhenitsyn in
which he called for northern Kazakhstan to be incorporated into Russia.

They demanded that the newspaper be banned in Kazakhstan, accusing
it of violating their country`s territorial integrity — a charge
backed by the Kazakh prosecutor-general, who described Solzhenitsyn`s
statement as a "gross intervention in the internal affairs of an
independent state."

"Komsomolskaya pravda" was eventually forced to publish an apology.

Nationalist Rhetoric

Solzhenitsyn`s nationalist leanings also earned him much criticism
in Belarus and Ukraine, both eager to steer away from their former
imperial master after gaining independence in 1991.

Ales Antsipenka, a Belarusian philosopher, says that after the
essay "Rebuilding Russia," "I realized that Mr. Solzhenitsyn was a
common Russian imperialist, despite the fact that he had lashed out
at the totalitarian system with such force. I saw it as a terrible
contradiction because any imperialistic system is, to a certain extent,
totalitarian. I saw that Solzhenitsyn was hugely contradictory in
denying Belarusians and Ukrainians the right to determine their fate."

Such sentiments are widely echoed in Ukraine, despite enduring
admiration for the man who shook the foundations of Soviet rule with
his stinging indictment of Josef Stalin`s gulag camps.

Yevhen Sverstiuk, a Ukrainian writer and poet who was jailed as a
political prisoner in the 1970s, says Solzhenitsyn played a key role
in bolstering the opposition throughout the former Soviet Union,
including Ukraine. But Sverstiuk says the author`s political views
took a turn for the worse in the mid-1970s.

"After receiving the Nobel Prize, Solzhenitsyn deteriorated —
he switched from the great challenge of combating the evil empire
to Russian imperial issues. He fell not only in our esteem, his
international image also deteriorated. Each of his words was closely
monitored and sparked disenchantment after disenchantment,"

Disappointment at Solzhenitsyn`s mounting nationalist rhetoric,
says Sverstiuk, was all the deeper in Ukraine due to Solzhenitsyn`s
Ukrainian origin.

"Ukraine is a separate topic since Solzhenitsyn, whose mother was
Ukrainian, had a particular attitude toward Ukraine. He sought
to reject his Ukrainian half and uphold his Russian nationalist
half. In this sense, he lost his stature. He joined the very narrow,
reactionary, and primitive world of Russian imperial ideology. His
speeches on Ukraine were horrid. They were wrong, they were full of
false information, the kind of information that Russian society is
being fed," Sverstiuk says.

Solzhenitsyn also angered Ukrainians by denying the country had been
the victim of genocide during the 1932-33 famine. In April this year,
the 89-year-old wrote that the famine had killed millions across the
entire Soviet Union, adding that many of the communist officials who
had helped orchestrate it were Ukrainian.

His article, in which he scolded the West for backing what he called a
"loony fable," came as U.S. President George W. Bush laid a wreath in
Kyiv to honor the memory of the famine`s victims. It also coincided
with a State Duma resolution rejecting Ukraine`s claims of genocide.

U.S. NEW AMBASSADOR MARIE YOVANOVITCH TO ARRIVE IN ARMENIA IN SEPTEMBER

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.08.2008 12:47 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On August 1, 2008, Marie L. Yovanovitch was confirmed
by the U.S. Senate as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
to the Republic of Armenia. She is expected to arrive in Armenia
in September, U.S. Embassy spokesperson Taguhi Jahukian told
PanARMENIAN.Net.

Senate confirmation came after a delay by lawmakers who were displeased
with Ms. Yavonovitch’s refusal to use the term ‘genocide’ to describe
the mass slaughter of Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire.

Prior to her appointment to Armenia, Ms. Yovanovitch was Ambassador of
the United States of America to the Kyrgyz Republic from 2005 to 2008.

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION FORMS ARMENIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS

arminfo
2008-08-01 22:04:00

ArmInfo. During a rally today the Armenian opposition formed an
Armenian National Congress. For the moment, the Congress comprises
15 political parties and the Alternative public-political organization.

ArmInfo’s correspondent reports that the goals of the congress are
restoration of constitutional order in Armenia and triumph of basic
human rights and freedoms. The key tasks for the near future are
liberation of all political prisoners, restoration of the freedom
of speech, conduct of truly independent investigation into the Mar 1
events and involvement of independent international experts in this
process. The key demand of the congress is early conduct of mid-term
presidential and parliamentary elections.

All the parties that have joined the congress are independent and
can run in elections on their own. The plan of action of the congress
will be adopted shortly.

Among the signatory parties are the People’s Party of Armenia led
by Stepan Demirchyan, the Hanrapetutyun (Republic) Party led by Aram
Sargsyan, the Armenian National Movement led by Ararat Zurabyan.

The first president of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrossyan has also signed
the declaration.

The congress is open to other opposition political forces.

ARMENIA CALLS FOR PEACEFUL RESOLUTION AFTER SEVERAL ARRESTS IN GEORGIA’S JAVAKHETI AREA

Interfax News Service
July 30 2008
Russia

Yerevan hopes for friendly relations with Tbilisi and a peaceful
resolution of the problems in the Georgian area of Samtse-Javakheti,
populated by Armenians, said Armenian Foreign Minister Edvard
Nalbandian.

"Our relations must be based on mutual understanding and friendship. I
am certain that there should not be any unsolvable problems between
our countries," Nalbandian told a press conference on Wednesday,
concerning the aggravated situation in Samtskhe-Javakheti.

"Armenia is closely following the events in Javakheti. Hopefully,
all issues will be settled peacefully," the minister said.

It was reported that in the late hours of July 20 – early hours
of July 21 Georgian special forces and police broke into the house
of the chief of the United Javahk organization, Vaagn Chakhalian,
and arrested him and his family members. Shortly after their arrest
Chakhalian and his relatives were moved to the administrative center
of Samtskhe- Javakheti, Akhaltsikha, and then to Tbilisi. Another
United Javahk member, Aram Batoyan, has also been arrested.

"We attach great importance to our relations with Georgia, and
we will do everything in our power to make them even stronger,"
Nalbandian said.

The minister also said he will visit Georgia on September 13-14.

OSCE ENVOY SPEAKS ABOUT KARABAKH, ELECTION IN AZERI CAPITAL

Turan news agency
July 30 2008

Baku, 30 July: "My current visit to Azerbaijan pursues two ends –
to familiarize myself with the state of affairs around the Nagornyy
Karabakh settlement and preparations for the [15 October] presidential
election," the special envoy of the OSCE chairman-in-office, Heikki
Talvitie, has told a news conference.

Touching on the first issue, the diplomat expressed his satisfaction
with the ongoing talks between the leaderships of the two countries.

"The foreign ministers of the two countries will meet in Moscow on 31
July and I will be attending the meeting," Talvitie said. He expressed
confidence that after the presidential election, those talks would
become more intense. As far as the resolution of the conflict is
concerned, then it should be settled in view of two principles –
territorial integrity and peoples’ right to self-determination.

"When we speak about people’s right to self-determination, then we
take into account granting Karabakh the highest status," Talvitie
said. Touching on the forthcoming presidential election in Azerbaijan,
the special envoy said that the OSCE monitoring mission would be in
Azerbaijan ahead and after the election.

"We do not hold an election, we just assess it. It is very important
to ensure that the election is democratic. The issue of ensuring
freedom of assembly was discussed at the meetings with the Baku mayor
and the head of the Baku City Main Police Department. Talks between
the authorities and the opposition about choosing a venue for staging
actions will be held through the mediation of the OSCE representative
in Baku, Jose Luis Ferrero," Talvitie said.

Asked about his assessment of the situation in the run-up to the
election, Talvitie declined to answer directly and repeated that he
had discussed a number of issues with the mayor and the head of the
city police. Meanwhile, he outlined the importance of maintaining
regulations of the election law. As for the opposition boycott of
the presidential election, Talvitie said that he regarded the case
"negatively". Asked about the plight of convicted journalists,
Talvitie declined to speak about this in detail as he did not know
the details of the convicted journalists’ cases.

Talvitie also declined to answer specifically while asked about
prospects of the Karabakh settlement. At the same time, he said that
Aland Islands were a good example of resolving territorial conflicts.

MOBILE THIRD OPERATOR TO BE ANNOUNCED IN DECEMBER

Panorama.am
21:00 29/07/2008

17 companies have applied for participating in the tender to get
license of third mobile operator and use radio frequency, said
Susanna Tonoyan, the press secretary of the Ministry of Transport
and Communication to Panorama.am.

The companies are Erance Telecom (France), CEO Blackrock Communications
(Ireland), V-Tel (Hordanan), GEO (England), M$A Tele2 AB (Swiss),
Knightsbridge International Telecommunications Holding (Austria),
Aetos Consulting Limited (England), Kalba International (Egypt),
AAA Capital GmbH (Germany), Auroratel (RF), PJ Engineering (Finland),
Eventis Telecom (RF), EEC group (Egypt), mmC Group (Spain), Samsson
group (Germany). Note that SALEM AGENCIES AND SERVICES CO. (SAS) O~G
JGAG companies applied but did not mention the country they present.

After 40 days the Committee will announce the list of those companies
which will be short listed. The winner will be announced in December.