Author: Kafian Jirair

REVIEW – THE WORLDWIDE PRACTICE OF TORTURE
Mark Welch

Metapsychology
Feb 5 2008
NY

This book does not make for happy reading. Although we might like to
think of torture as something rather barbaric that happened ever such a
long time ago in places far, far away, Edgerton reminds us that torture
is commonly practiced in at least 132 countries (as well as numerous
smaller tribal societies) as we speak. Torture is with us today and
is carried out with increasing sophistication, and with an astonishing
array of justifications. This is important but unhappy reading

Torture is usually held, at least according to the 1985 UN Convention,
to be any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or
mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as
obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession,
inflicting punishment, inducing coercion and so on. The form it
takes is only limited by the human imagination, which it seems is
not limited enough. It is often justified by greater needs: the
security of the state, to counter a terrorist threat or suppress
sedition or heresy. It seems to have been common on every continent,
under every form of political system, and in most religions. It
has been practiced by the godly and ungodly, by men, women and
children, by soldiers and civilians, by sophisticates and sadists,
by democrats and demagogues. Sometimes it has been seen as a way to
a more reliable truth — Torquemada’s instigation of the Inquisition
felt that torturing someone until a confession of heresy was obtained
had a certain undeniable logic; the Romans routinely ignored any
testimony by slaves unless it was extracted under torture because
nothing a slave said voluntarily could be believed.

In this rather short book (only a little over 100 pages including
notes) Edgerton does not sketch a historical picture, but rather a
geographical one. He deals in turn with the British in Kenya at the
time of the Mau Mau rebellion, Turkey especially around the time of
the Armenian massacres, the Korean war, the Algerian war, torture in
the Americas and, finally, torture in small-scale societies. He is
even handed in his political judgments, not passing comment on the
motivation apart from describing the perpetrators’ avowed intentions.
He attempts to be current, commenting for example on the Maher Arar
affair in which a Syrian-born Canadian citizen was first seized by
officials of the USA and then transported in secret to Syria where
he was interrogated (you can insert your own quotation marks if you
like) by the state police, and also the prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib
in Iraq. It is a shame for the book’s sake that he was not able to
deal with the emerging details of who knew what and when about the
excesses at Guantanamo Bay.

However, although Edgerton graphically describes some of the practices
from different countries around the world, he does not offer anything
either very illuminating about the root causes. He cites some of
the well-known literature from experimental psychology such as the
Zimbardo prison experiment or Milgram’s obedience studies, but can
only find descriptions, not explanations. He says in his conclusion
that the reason why torture has been so widespread remains a mystery;
that the propensity to torture (and enjoy it) seems to be part of the
human condition. It may have been interesting to examine the place
of Otherness in the justification of horrendous acts, or consider
the difference between torture in secrecy and the public infliction
of extreme pain and suffering and a simple summary execution. Why,
once the information or confession has been extracted, does torture
linger so long? Is there something in the very deliberateness of the
act that is significant? What does it tell us about the exercise of
power, about the control of life and death, about the fear it instills
in the observer — it can, it has been noted both concentrate the
mind and encourage the others very effectively.

Although some care agencies such as the Canadian Centre for the
Victims of Torture (CCVT) are mentioned, what they actually do is
not deeply explored (and reading the book you would not know that
the first such centre was the International Rehabilitation Council
for Torture Victims (IRCT) in Denmark in 1974, nor that that they
exist all over the world). The psychological effects of torture may
in some ways be more pervasive than the physical ones. After such a
litany of despair, some hope, some possibility of recovery or even a
sense of meaning out of the chaos might be welcome. Is it possible
to come out of such an experience with any meaning at all? Is the
very irrationality of torture part of its effect?

In fact, although the book is subtitled "A preliminary report" and
there may be more to come, at the end it seems both deflating and
more than a little pessimistic. There is more than enough detail of
atrocity, and perhaps that is enough. These facts need to be stated,
but the reader may be left with a rather despairing view of both
humanity and the future. Hobbes, with whom the book ends, was no
cheerleader for the human spirit, and this book has very little cheer
in it as well.

LA LAWYER BATTLES GIANTS FOR ARMENIAN ‘GENOCIDE’ HEIRS

Agence France Presse
Feb 05 2008

LOS ANGELES (AFP) – Lawyer Vartkes Yeghiayan has been waging a long
and hard battle against US and French giants for million-dollar claims
from Armenians dating back to the waning days of the Ottoman Empire.

Thousands of unpaid insurance policy claims have flowed in from the
Armenian diaspora across the globe to Yeghiayan’s small legal firm
in Glendale, a Los Angeles suburb with the largest concentration of
Armenians in the US.

In his two-decade crusade, Yeghiayan and a small team of lawyers have
won 37.5 million dollars for clients after settling two cases with
New York Life in 2004 and later in 2005 with French insurers AXA in
California courts.

But the silver-haired, 71-year-old lawyer is pragmatic about his
quest to seek a financial settlement for the heirs of Armenian
account-holders, who lost their lives or assets in the mayhem of
World War I and before the birth of modern Turkey in 1923.

Armenians say at least 1.5 million were killed from 1915 to 1917 in
what they call a campaign of deportation and murder by the Ottoman
Empire. The claims are denied by Turkey, which says hundreds of
thousands died on both sides after Armenians took up arms for
independence.

Several of Yeghiayan’s own family members perished, including a
grandfather whose name, however, does not appear on his lists of life
insurance policies which were never honored.

"These are not genocide lawsuits. What we are talking about is
companies making an immoral profit," said the former Peace Corps
assistant director.

"It’s not for the money. It’s the concept that your grandfather felt
there was a danger and wanted future protection for his family. As one
of the beneficiaries said, ‘That’s a sentiment I will always cherish.’"

The heirs of 9,500 Ottoman Armenians who had bought policies are
eligible to benefit from the New York Life and AXA deals, which also
have to cover more than seven million dollars in legal expenses and
fees. Any unclaimed funds have been earmarked for Armenian charities
and the church.

Yeghiayan’s odyssey started back in 1986 when he was reading the
memoirs of the US ambassador to Ottoman Turkey, Henry Morgenthau.

In a meeting with then interior minister Mehmed Talaat Pasha,
Morgenthau was asked for a list of Armenians who had taken out
insurance policies with American companies. The Turkish minister
argued the Ottoman government was the rightful beneficiary since
there were no heirs.

Morgenthau, who had reported back to Washington on the horrors which
his consuls were witnessing, stormed out of the meeting.

For Yeghiayan, that passage was a moment of revelation.

"That’s when I jumped out of bed," says Yeghiayan.

With the enthusiasm of a detective, he launched a massive paper-trail
hunt which took him from the State Department to the National Archives
and finally into the insurers’ annual reports and aging archives.

Taking gambles, such as turning down an initial settlement offer, he
courted the help of influential Armenians in California’s political
hierarchy to help clear legal hurdles.

In the November 2005 AXA settlement, the largest number of some
9,000 claims came from Armenia, where a poster campaign gave details
about the case and sought claimants, followed by the United States,
and France.

As in the earlier New York Life case, for which the funds have already
been disbursed, claimants from far apart as Brazil, Bulgaria and
Lebanon were also represented.

Under the terms of the settlement, New York Life denied any wrongdoing,
but "concluded that it is in its best interests to settle this action
… in order to avoid the expense, inconvenience and interference
with its ongoing business operations that would result from further
litigation."

But treasure-hunters will be disappointed — the average award per
policy amounts to a modest 6,000-7,000 dollars in the so-called Class
Action cases.

Undeterred by recent setbacks in court, Yeghiayan now has his sights
set on Deutsche Bank and Dresdner Bank of Germany.

Deutsche Bank told AFP they "do not comment on pending legal
procedures," but both banks, through their lawyers, have denied any
liability, arguing the suit amounted to "unconstitutional" meddling
in Germany’s foreign affairs.

Despite emergency heart surgery in 1999, Yeghiayan has no plans to step
down. "I realize the other side may have 3,000 lawyers and that Vartkes
will not be around forever, but what am I going to do if I retire?"

ARMENIA: OPPOSITION CANDIDATES CHARGE THAT POLITICAL FACTORS ARE BEHIND RISING FOOD PRICES
Gayane Abrahamyan

EurasiaNet
Feb 1 2008
NY

Rising food prices and a falling dollar have become crucial points
of contention among Armenia’s opposition presidential candidates
and the government. Opposition contenders argue that pro-government
entrepreneurs are gouging consumers on food costs, and are kicking
back some of their profits to help fund the governing party’s election
campaign. Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian, who also happens to be the
governing party’s presidential candidate, dismisses the opposition
complaints.

A sharp price increase in food and other consumer goods began after
the May 2007 parliamentary elections, with some prices — particularly
for butter, vegetable oil and flour — rising by as much as 40 to 60
percent, according to the Consumers Union of Armenia.

The State Commission for the Protection of Economic Competition
points to price increases in the European market to explain the jump
in Armenia. The increases, though, outstrip the rate of inflation,
which stood at 6.6 percent in December 2007. Overall, the economy
posted a 13.8 percent growth rate for the year, according to the
National Statistical Service. Over the same period, though, the cost
of many food items, including vegetables, bread, sugar, butter and
oil rose between 15 percent and 28 percent.

Meanwhile, the Armenian dram’s growing strength against the dollar
is placing additional pressure on many consumers. The dollar has
depreciated 48 percent since 2003 against the dram, decreasing
the purchasing power of the up to $1.5 billion received in annual
remittances from abroad.

The problem has gone from being a purely economic question to
becoming a source of political tension — candidates charge that
government-friendly food importers are charging artificially high
prices to accrue additional cash, which is then being funneled
to Sarkisian’s campaign. The prime minister has characterized the
opposition allegation as running contrary to political logic.

"Governments anywhere would benefit from a drop in prices, not
inflation," he said at a televised October 2007 government meeting.

"It’s much easier to gain votes that way than by increasing prices,
earn an assumed sum and give it to get votes."

The Central Bank of Armenia attributes the dram’s appreciation mainly
to the excessive growth (up 20 percent in 2007) in the amount of
remittances from abroad and the recent multi-million-dollar foreign
investments made in the economy’s construction sector.

"Inflation is a natural process. Stable economic growth is accompanied
by a certain minor inflation," the Central Bank’s November 2007 report
states. "Unsubstantiated discussion about the connection between the
latest inflation figures and the election process has no economic
basis and is mere speculation."

Economist Zoya Tadevosian at the Armenian Center for Strategic and
International Studies, however, counters that no economic theory can
explain the dram’s appreciation, which, she claims, is artificial.

"How can the national currency appreciate, when there is no production,
when we import three times more than we export?"

Tadevosian asked. "It is obvious this is artificial, because if there
were a real depreciation in the dollar, the prices for imported goods
would drop instead of increase."

"The price increases were a kind of privilege," commented political
analyst Stepan Safarian, secretary of the opposition Heritage Party’s
parliamentary faction. "[I]mporters receive a magnified profit because
of both the dollar depreciation and the increase in prices.

It turns out that their profit doubles or triples."

Meanwhile, some of Armenia’s 530,000 pensioners, always viewed as a
political weathervane, say that, despite a January 1 pension increase,
they’re struggling to keep pace with the price hikes.

"I used to get 9,000 drams ($29) [per month]. I will get 16,000 ($52)
now, but I could buy more with my low pension half a year ago than with
my high pension now," commented retired teacher Nina Hovsepian, who
termed the decreased purchasing power "simple pre-election cheating."

What such opinions will mean for the February 19 election remains
unclear. Opposition members contend that the price hikes will somehow
provide the governing Republican Party of Armenia with more cash,
which it can use to influence the election’s outcome. Party leader
Sarkisian has not responded to such assertions.

All nine presidential candidates regularly address the issue, though
their proposed solutions vary. Sarkisian emphasizes improved tax
legislation to encourage free competition and, conceivably, further
economic growth and higher salaries.

Deputy Parliamentary Chairman Vahan Hovhannisian, representing the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutiun, part of Armenia’s
governing coalition, argues that monopolists should be punished and
that a genuinely free market would lead to lower food prices. At the
same time, Hovhannisian argues for tighter regulation of the currency
market to minimize damage done to ordinary citizens by the fluctuating
dollar rate.

Similar promises can be found in speeches by former Parliamentary
Chairman and leader of the Rule of Law (Orinats Yerkir) Party Artur
Baghdasarian.

Varuzhan Hoktanian, deputy chairman of Transparency International
Armenia, an observer organization for the elections, though, urges
caution. Amid Armenia’s election frenzy, he notes, detecting the true
connection between the campaign and inflation "requires a serious
economic survey."

February 1, 2008
Press Release
Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate
6252 Honolulu Avenue
La Crescenta, CA 91214
Tel: (818) 248-7737
Fax: (818) 248-7745
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

DIVINE LITURGY AND READING OF THE
PONTIFICAL MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS ON
THE YEAR OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

On Sunday, February 3rd, H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian,
Prelate, will preside over Divine Liturgy at St. Garabed Church in
Hollywood.
By the ordinance of the Prelate, the Pontifical message of H.H. Aram
I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, on 2008 as the Year of
Christian Education, will be read during Divine Liturgy in all Prelacy
Churches on this day.

PRELATE TO PRESIDE OVER FIRST SUNRISE
AND VIGIL SERVICES OF GREAT LENT

Monday, February 4th, is the first day of Great Lent. During the
40-day Lenten period, Sunrise services will be offered at Prelacy Churches
on Wednesday mornings and Vigil services on Friday evenings.
On the morning of Wednesday, February 6th, the Prelate will preside
over Sunrise services at Holy Martyrs Church in Encino, which Ferrahian High
School students will also attend. Lunch will follow in "Dikranian" Hall
hosted by the Armenian Relief Society "Anahid" Chapter. The Prelate will
attend the luncheon and convey his blessings.
On the evening of Friday, February 8th, the Prelate will preside
over the Vigil service at St. Mary’s Church in Glendale and deliver his
message.

WESTERN PRELACY CELEBRATION OF STS. VARTANANK

The Feast of Sts. Vartanank, a day of renewal of faith for Armenians
around the world, was celebrated on Thursday, January 31st, in Prelacy
Churches with Divine Liturgy. By the ordinance of the Prelate, morning
services took place in all Prelacy Churches with the participation of
students from Prelacy Schools.
In the evening, Divine Liturgy was celebrated at Holy Martyrs Church
in Encino with the participation of clergy members from various Prelacy
Churches. Christian Education Department Co-Director Very Rev. Fr. Muron
Aznikian celebrated the Liturgy and delivered the sermon.
Very Rev. Fr. Muron in his sermon reflected on the events leading up
to the battle of Avarayr as well as the rights that were secured with the
Treaty of Navarsag. He concluded by pointing out that today we are fighting
essentially similar battles whether in Armenia or the Diaspora.
At the conclusion of the Liturgy, clergy members collectively sang
traditional songs dedicated to Sts. Vartanank, in which parishioners
participated, followed by "Giligia" and "Mer Hayrenik". A reception
organized by the parish Ladies Auxiliary took place following the service.

FEAST OF STS. GHEVONTYANTS CELEBRATED WITH
DIVINE LITURGY AND CLERGY CONFERENCE

Each year on the Feast of Sts. Ghevontyants, under the
auspices of H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, clergy members
of the Western Prelacy gather for a one-day conference and to collectively
celebrate Divine Liturgy. This year the conference took place at St. Sarkis
Church in Pasadena on Tuesday, January 29th.
The day began with morning services and spiritual meditations from
Hebrews Chapter 5. The conference focused on the mission of clergy members
with regards to their pastoral and executive responsibilities and
obligations.
The members also decided on a number of religious and educational
activities to involve the public in celebrating the Year of Christian
Education which H.H. Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia
declared as the theme for the year 2008.
In the evening clergy member participated in Divine Liturgy which
was celebrated by Very Rev. Fr. Barthev Gulumian. The Prelate delivered the
sermon. A reception hosted by the parish Board of Trustees and Ladies
Auxiliary took place in the adjacent hall following church services.

PRELATE CELEBRATES DIVINE LITURGY AND
ORDAINS ACOLYTES ON THE 107TH ANNIVERSARY
OF HOLY TRINITY CHURCH IN FRESNO

On Sunday, January 27th, 2008, Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic
Church in Fresno celebrated its 107th anniversary with Divine Liturgy and a
banquet held under the auspices of H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian,
Prelate, and hosted by the parish Board of Trustees.
The day began with Divine Liturgy celebrated by the Prelate during
which he ordained six acolytes and one stole bearer. The Prelate began his
sermon by congratulating the parish on its 107th anniversary. He then
congratulated Rev. Fr. Vahan Gosdanian on his 10th anniversary of faithful
service to Holy Trinity Church and 15th anniversary of priesthood.
His Eminence then provided an articulate explanation of the upcoming
commemoration of St. Vartan to the parishioners and continued his message by
presenting the Gospel for this particular Sunday, wherein our Lord Jesus
Christ expresses that He is "the life giving water" from chapter seven of
the Gospel of St. John, explaining that it is only through Christ that we
find reason and truth in our lives. His Eminence concluded his message by
congratulating the church on its 107th anniversary and by commemorating the
William Saroyan Centennial with a tribute to K.Proff Kalfayan on his 135th
birthday.
Following church services, the 107th annual banquet took place in
the church banquet hall with more than 400 guests taking part in the
festivities. The banquet began with Board of Trustees Chairman Mr.
Tanielian inviting Rev. Fr. Vahan Gosdanian to offer the invocation,
followed by the national anthems of America and Armenia. Following lunch,
Executive Council member Mr. Varoujan Der Simonian paid tribute to William
Saroyan on the 100th anniversary of his birth, and to K.Proff Kalfyan, on
the 135th anniversary of his birth. There was also a musical tribute to K.
Proff Kalfayan which incorporated five selections arranged by the composer.
Rev. Fr. Vahan Gosdanian was then presented with a myriad of letters
of recognition by government officials proclaiming his 10 years of devoted
service to Holy Trinity Church and 15 years of priesthood. Following the
presentation of awards to Rev. Fr. Vahan Gosdanian, three parishioners, were
given the prestigious Annual Service Award for their dedication and vast
contributions to parish.
Closing remarks were delivered by the Prelate who again
congratulated the parish on its 107th anniversary and Rev. Fr. Vahan
Gosdanian on his 10th anniversary as pastor of the church, presenting him
with a pectoral cross on this occasion. The Prelate also congratulated the
parish for celebrating the achievements of William Saroyan and K. Proff
Kalfayan as well as acknowledged the six acolytes and stole bearer on their
ordination.
The Prelate also honored Mr. Jack Gahvejian for his nearly 70 years
of service to the church and his diligent and devoted commitment to the
church.
The banquet concluded with the Prelate’s benediction and the
collective singing of "Giligia".

PRELATE EXPRESSES CONDOLENCES ON THE PASSING OF H.E. ARCHBISHOP
CHRISTODOULOS

On Monday, January 28th, we received the sad news of the passing of
H.E. Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and all Greece.
The Prelate sent a letter of condolence to H.E. Archbishop
Demetrios, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in America as well as to
H.E. Metropolitan Gerasimos of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San
Francisco in which he remembered his personal acquaintanceship with
Archbishop Christodoulos and his great contributions to the advancement of
the Greek Orthodox Church.

PRELATE TO BE REPRESENTED AT FRIENDS OF NEW JULFA TRADITIONAL COSTUME
FESTIVAL

On the evening of Friday, February 1st, the annual traditional
costume festival organized by the Friends of New Julfa committee will be
taking place at Ambrosia Restaurant in Glendale. The event will begin at
7:30 p.m.
Very Rev. Fr. Barthev Gulumian will attend on behalf of the Prelate.

ANNEX DIRECTOR STEPS INTO LEAD ROLE: A CROOKED MAN TACKLES ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
By Carrie Brunet

insideTORONTO.com
http://www.insidetoronto .com/lifestyle/Lifestyle/Arts/article/40271
Jan 31 2008
Canada

With success on television and the silver screen, Hrant Alianak rarely
gets the chance to do the thing he truly loves – theatre acting.

"I have produced so many times," he said. "But it’s so much
administrative stuff. It’s the least enjoyable part of it."

This month, the Annex actor/director is premiering A Crooked Man,
a play by Richard Kalinoski who also wrote the acclaimed Beast on
the Moon, which Alianak produced in 1997.

Both plays discuss the Armenian genocide, and although Alianak knows
that he will have a built-in audience in Armenian-Canadians, he hopes
that the play will resonate with the broader general public.

"What’s important is that the central theme comes across to
non-Armenians," he said. "There was a genocide, and it hasn’t been
acknowledged."

It’s heavy material for the man who has had recurring roles on Canadian
comedies like Jeff Ltd. and Little Mosque on the Prairie.

But Alianak promises there are some laughs to be had in the play
where he stars as the 88-year-old Hagop, an Armenian who witnessed
his own mother’s murder during the genocide.

The old man is tormented by his own demons, as his hands are not clean;
he assassinated the Turkish governor responsible for the massacres
perpetrated in his village. It’s his reporter grandson who uncovers
his past during an interview for a magazine article.

"There are themes in the play that are of interest to all humanity,"
said Alianak.

Based on a true story, the play is rooted in the relationship of the
grandson and grandfather, he explained.

Alianak never lived in Armenia, since his family fled to Sudan before
he was born. However, he still feels a strong tie to his homeland.

"I’ve been here two thirds of my life," he said of Canada, explaining
that he has never even visited the home his parents fled. "But I’ve
directed five shows about Armenian issues."

Opting to do a more "abstract" production, Alianak is pleased with
how the play is coming together. He opted to play the lead character
himself when he found that older actors were intimidated by the number
of lines in the role.

"I decided to slap on some makeup and do it myself," he said, admitting
he had overlooked the obvious choice. "I need to keep myself honest
and do some stage work."

Previews takes place Feb. 20 and the show opens Feb. 22 a the Theatre
Centre, 1087 Queen St. W. (entrance on Dovercourt), Tuesdays to
Saturdays at 8 p.m. and, Sundays at 2:30 p.m. For tickets, visit
online at or call the box office at 416-504-7529.

FILMING ON THE BORDERS OF FICTION, DOCUMENTARY AND IDENTITY
By Jim Quilty

The Daily Star
Feb 1 2008
Lebanon

Turkish filmmaker Huseyin Karabey’s discusses his first feature
‘My Marlon and Brando’

ROTTERDAM: A handheld camera jolts and jerks its way across a film
location – somewhere in the mountain vastness of Kurdistan, the
audience later learns. It approaches a young woman in a wedding dress
and a slightly pompous-sounding voice begins a mock, Oscar-awards
interview in English.

"Do you love the Kurdish people?" the cameraman asks, then presents
the bride with a plastic sword as a trophy. "We are like gypsies,"
he says. "As long as we’re with our loved ones we can live anywhere."

The prologue for Turkish writer and director Huseyin Karabey’s first
feature "My Marlon and Brando" is appropriately self-referential. The
Turkish-Dutch co-production had its world premiere at the International
Film Festival of Rotterdam earlier this week. Audiences – apparently
curious about this often discussed, if selectively filmed, region –
have received it with enthusiasm.

The film follows the efforts of Ayca (Ayca Damgaci), the young actress
of the prologue, to see her lover Hama Ali (Hama Ali Kahn).

He’s also an actor and the couple met on location in Kurdistan. The
prologue is a video record of one of their early encounters.

Afterward, Ayca returned to Istanbul to resume her life and work, while
Hama Ali went to Suleimaniyya in northern Iraq, where he works as a
butcher. Their long-distance relationship is comprised of letters and
phone calls from Istanbul and video epistles that double as informal
documentaries of his life in Suleimaniyya. All their communications
are, eccentrically it seems, in English.

Hama Ali’s letters profess his love in baroque terms and he sometimes
splices mock-heroic film clips into them, underlining the letters’
comic aspect. He promises he will join Ayca in Istanbul as soon as
conditions are right. Conditions are destined to worsen, however.

It’s 2003, and America is preparing to invade Saddam Hussein’s Iraq.

When the bombs start falling, Ayca can’t stand it and sets out for
Suleimaniyya to be with him.

The balance of the film recounts her journey. Upon arrival at the
Turkish-Iraqi border, she learns that the Turkish Army is prohibiting
any movement into Iraq. She has no choice but to travel to a town
near Suleimaniyya, just on the other side of the Iranian border. True
to road movie tradition, the incidents coloring the journey are as
important as the destination itself, both in terms of what Ayca and
her audience encounter along the way.

The great strength of "My Marlon and Brando" lies in its
verisimilitude. Both Ayca Damgaci and Hama Ali Kahn look more like
human beings than fashion models. Indeed, the story at the center of
the film is that of Damgaci herself.

This shouldn’t be a surprise, given that Karabey, 38, has been making
documentaries for the last 12 years. He says verity is central to his
aims, although he also professes skepticism toward the truth of film.

"In the old days," Karabey says. "[We Kurds] used to record our
letters on tape recorders [because] we don’t like to write. Now
Kurdish people shoot videos. I knew the film would take Ayca to the
Turkish-Iraqi border because … we want to remind people what has
happened in Kurdistan in the past and what’s happening there now.

"I believe that documentary is more fictional than fiction film. Some
people believe that if you can move 24 frames per second, then what
you’re seeing must be real. With the video letters in this film,
we are trying to show a new kind of reality.

"We didn’t want to define the reality of things but to raise questions
about this reality. This is the main question in Turkey right now. The
state’s policy has always been to ignore our identity, to call us
‘Mountain Turks.’ It’s more important to raise questions about these
statements than to make our own didactic statements."

Karabey has made a film with both Turkish and foreign viewers in mind,
but a skeptical audience may misread the codes he uses. The extensive
use of English in the film seems an effort to appeal to anglophone
audiences, renowned for their distaste for subtitles. He says the
Turkish-Kurdish couple communicates in English because this is the
only language they share.

"There are different [narrative] circles in the film," he continues.

"The outermost circle is the simple love story that anyone can
understand. There is also a second circle that people who have a small
knowledge of Turkey and Kurdistan can follow. Then there’s the inside
circle for those who know the region very well.

"The early shots show street scenes of Istanbul, for instance, but
the soundtrack music is Kurdish. Filming the ancient capital of the
Turks with Kurdish music has never been done before.

"Later, when Ayca drives to the Iraqi border, she talks with her
Kurdish taxi driver about identity. They stop at a ruined village so
he can clean an old grave there. This may mean nothing to foreigners
but all Turks will know the village as one the Turkish army destroyed
17 years ago because it occupies strategic high ground. There’s no
need to name it.

"I didn’t plan to shoot that scene originally," Karabey laughs,
"but when we came to the site, we found the security detail that
usually guards it was between shifts. So we stopped and filmed the
scene in an hour."

Several recurring motifs seem to mark the film as something other than
fictionalized documentary. Ayca’s neighbors in her Istanbul flat are
a pair of fretful, elderly ladies who gawk out their window all day
and greet her every time she comes home, taking the opportunity to
remind her to lock the door as she enters the building.

Throughout her journey, Ayca’s various taxi drivers all want to play
the music of pop singer Ibrahim Tatlises. She doesn’t mind at first,
but ultimately asks the driver to play something else, only to find
Tatlises is all he has.

The foreign audience may appreciate these motifs for the comic
relief they provide. Those closer to the story will find another
layer of meaning.

"Turkish audiences will recognize Ayca’s downstairs neighbors are
Armenians," Karabey says. They are funny but their fear sends a signal
about the place of Turkey’s Armenian community in the country.

"Ibrahim Tatlises," he laughs, "is a huge pop star all over Turkey
and Kurdistan. The point is that people are listening to the same
silly music, despite the borders between them. Ayca’s finds people
in Iran are watching illegal Turkish television but she can’t cross
the border to be with her lover."

Borders are a not uncommon motif in the recent work of Kurdish
filmmakers. An otherwise very different film, "Half Moon" – the
award-winning 2006 feature by Iran’s Bahman Ghobadi – also follows
Kurdish characters unsuccessfully trying to cross into Iraqi
Kurdistan. Borders reflect the political reality of Kurds being
dispersed among four different countries – Syria and Iran as well as
Iraq and Turkey – and impose identity politics upon Kurdish filmmakers,
whether they want it or not.

Karabey is ambivalent about the matter. "On one hand we don’t care
about borders," he says. "We’re not all saying there must be a unified
Kurdish state. But the borders are a reality. I’ve seen villages cut
in two by the Iranian and Turkish border. Many people are trying to
stir up hatred among people. We say you must look at these matters
with humor and compassion and humanity.

"I don’t want to ignore my identity or to use it be a successful
filmmaker. I’m trying not to forget where I come from, just to fight
this policy of ignoring who we are. My father speaks four languages –
Kurdish, Turkish, Farsi and Arabic. Today people turn their backs on
this [cosmopolitanism]. But it was a good thing, no?"

The International Film Festival of Rotterdam continues through February
3. For more information on Huseyin Karabey’s "My Marlon and Brando,"
please check out

YOU HAVE TO WEAR WELLINGTON BOOTS AT HOME
Anahit Danielyan

KarabakhOpen
31-01-2008 19:11:15

The family of Shmavon Hovanisyan lives in the village of Moshkhmahat,
Askeran region. Standing outside their house, it would never occur to
you that people live there. Inside the building one can count each
stone in the wall which the house was built many decades ago. The
floor is the ground.

"You can grow herbs here," Shmavon’s son jokes.

"We have lived here since the war in Karabakh. We earn our living. We
keep cattle, work the land and we are not going to leave this place. We
have everything except a house. We have turned to different agencies
but we cannot solve our problem. I am not complaining, I am only asking
the government to help us build a house," Shmavon Hovanisyan says.

Shmavon Hovanisyan says many years ago when the ex-president
Arkady Ghukasyan arrived in their village, they told him about their
problem. Soon specialists arrived who studied the house. The architect
did not even enter the place. He had a look at the house and advised
to move from this dangerous place. "Where shall we move to? We have an
apartment in Stepanakert but we cannot afford to live there. Here in
the village we earn our living. We cannot move also because my mother
has been confined to bed for many years," Shmavon Hovanisyan says.

In answer to their requests they hear the same thing: "We cannot build
a house for you because you already have an apartment in Stepanakert."

Shmavon’s two grandchildren study at the agricultural college in
Stepanakert but they spend most of the time in the village. The little
grandson goes to school. He does homework in the dark and humid room.

"We have to wear Wellington boots in the house. Stones fall off the
ceiling almost every day. One day the roof will come down, and nobody
will be saved," says Shmavon’s wife. Shmavon, his mother, his wife,
his son, his son’s wife and three children live in a single room of
the two-storey house. The son Varujan lives in the village three days
a week.

For the rest of the time he lives in Stepanakert where his work is.

"We cook, wash, sleep and live here," says Shmavon’s wife.

"We are not holidaymakers, we live here and we are not going to move.

Maybe our new president will do something for us," Margo says. Evelina
Hovanisyan, her daughter-in-law, has written a letter to the president
and is full of hope.

ARMENIA AND MAURITANIA ESTABLISH DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS

armradio.am
31.01.2008 13:38

On January 30 the official ceremony of establishing diplomatic
relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Islamic Republic
of Mauritania was held at RA Permanent Representation in the UN in
New York, Press and Information Department of RA Ministry of Foreign
Affairs informs.

The memorandum on establishment of relations was signed by Armenia’s
Permanent Representative at the UN, Ambassador A. Martirosyan and
the Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania
Auld Hadrami.

EXCHANE OF INFORMATION ABOUT PROCESS OF ELECTION CAMPAIGN IN ARMENIA TO TAKE PLACE BETWEEN OBSERVATION MISSIONS OF CIS AND OSCE

Noyan Tapan
Jan 29, 2008

YEREVAN, JANUARY 29, NOYAN TAPAN. As of January 28, the CIS observation
mission of the presidential elections had accredited 32 representatives
of states – Commonwealth members, Interparliamentary Assembly of
states – CIS members, and Executive Committee of CIS. Noyan Tapan
was informed about it by the mission’s headquarters.

During the monitoring of the election campaign, V. Garkun, the
First Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee – CIS Executive
Secretary, met with the leadership of the RA government and the
Foreign Ministry. The Armenian party informed him about the process
of the election campaign, the practical measures undertaken by the
power bodies in correspondence with the electoral legislation for
holding transparent and free elections.

In the period from January 22 to January 27 the mission’s headquarters
held meetings with Artur Baghdasarian, a candidate for presidency,
heads and members of preelection headquarters of candidates for
presidency Artashes Geghamian, Vazgen Manukian, Vahan Hovhannisian,
Serge Sargsian, and Levon Ter-Petrosian, during which an exchange of
opinions about the course of the election campaign took place.

During the meeting with H. Ahrens, the head of the OSCE observation
mission, they reached an agreement to continue regular contacts and
to exchange information about the course of the election campaign
in Armenia.

The headquarters of the CIS observation mission, on January 23,
launched monitoring of coverage of candidates’ agitation campaigns by
media, study of work of election commissions of all levels. Letters
with the request to inform the mission’s headquarters about the
results of examination of the applications they receive were sent to
republican bodies, who are empowered to work with applications and
statements connected with violations of the electoral legislation.

During the election campaign the members of the mission were present
at meetings of A. Baghdasarian, V. Manukian, and L. Ter-Petrosian
with voters.

TIME Magazine
Jan 28 2008

Turkey Busts Alleged Murder Network
Monday, Jan. 28, 2008 By PELIN TURGUT/ISTANBUL

Turkey’s Nobel Prize-winning novelist Orhan Pamuk might sleep a
little easier tonight – or not. A series of dramatic arrests over the
weekend has laid bare what is alleged to be a shadowy network of
ultra-nationalist killers with connections in high places. Their hit
list allegedly included the famous writer, targeted for speaking out
about Turkey’s patchy treatment of its minorities.

The allegations, widely reported by Turkish newspapers, are certainly
as dark as anything Pamuk ever wrote. Istanbul prosecutors have
arrested 13 people, including a former general and a high-profile
lawyer, on charges of "provoking armed rebellion against the
government". They are suspected of involvement in last year’s string
of nationalist-motivated murders, which cost the lives of prominent
ethnic Armenian journalist Hrant Dink and three Christian
missionaries, according to newspapers.

Police picked up the trail that led to the weekend arrests last
summer when they raided a house in a rundown Istanbul district that
revealed a stockpile of weapons and explosives. A number of
low-ranking military officials were subsequently detained. The
military, a powerful behind-the-scenes force in Turkey, weighed in
and a gag order was placed on investigators. Little more was reported
until a dramatic 3 a.m. raid last week on houses across Istanbul, in
which 40 people were detained.

Of those, Veli Kucuk, a retired major general, was allegedly plotting
to kill Pamuk, Turkish newspapers reported. Kucuk is suspected of
running a secret unit within police forces that carried out bombings
and killings for which other groups were widely blamed. Also arrested
was Kemal Kerincsiz, a nationalist lawyer responsible for numerous
cases against Pamuk, Dink and other intellectuals. None of the
suspects have spoken about the charges.

"If they are true, it suggests there are two parallel universes in
Turkey," says Hakan Altinay, director of the Open Society Institute,
a think tank. "There are people who wake up every morning and plan
murders of political opponents, plot coups and how to destabilize the
country," he said.

Most Turks have long suspected the existence of a covert web of
elements within the security forces and bureaucracy who act outside
the law to uphold their own political ends. There is even a household
name for it: the "deep state", referring to a state within the state.

Newspapers have suggested that this network is the Turkish remnant of
Gladio, a Cold War-era program, orchestrated by the U.S. in several
NATO countries, to create a covert paramilitary force to counter
Communist activities.

The arrests are a milestone for Turkey: Kucuk is the first general
officer in recent Turkish history to be brought in by police for
questioning, newspapers said.

But the audacity and sheer scope of the allegations raises the
unsettling question of whether the individuals arrested might just be
the tip of the iceberg. "Who gave the orders? Who protected them for
this long?" says Altinay. "We are faced with the possibility that
this network existed. And, even worse, that it might still exist."