Author: Kajoyan Gevork

OUVERTURE DU PROCES D’UN LEADER DE L’OPPOSITION

AZERBAIDJAN

BAKOU, 04 nov 2013 (AFP) – Le procès d’un leader de l’opposition
en Azerbaïdjan, accuse d’organisation de troubles de masse, s’est
ouvert lundi dans cette ex-republique sovietique du Caucase du Sud,
a annonce son avocat.

Ilgar Mammadov, qui dirige le mouvement d’opposition “Alternative
Republicaine” (REAL), comparaît devant la justice aux côtes de 17
autres opposants parmi lesquels le vice-president du parti d’opposition
Musavat, Tofig Yagublu, a declare a l’AFP l’avocat Elman Fattah.

“Ils sont accuses d’avoir provoque des troubles de masse et d’avoir
oppose de la resistance” a des responsables de la police, a-t-il
precise, en qualifiant ces accusations de politiquement motivees.

L’ONG Amnesty International, qui qualifie MM. Mammadov et Yagublu de
“prisonniers de conscience”, a pour sa part appele les autorites
azerbaïdjanaises “soit a fournir des preuves credibles temoignant
que les accusations contre ces deux hommes sont justifiees, soit a
lever ces accusations”.

M. Mammadov et les 17 autres militants de l’opposition avaient
ete arretes en fevrier, accuses d’avoir participe a l’organisation
d’actions de protestation dans la ville d’Ismaïlli, dans le centre de
l’Azerbaïdjan, et d’avoir resiste aux forces de l’ordre. En janvier,
quelques milliers d’habitants d’Ismaïlli s’etaient rassembles devant
les bureaux du gouverneur, reclamant sa demission.

La police les avait alors brutalement disperses, recourant a du gaz
lacrymogène, a des balles en caoutchouc et a des canons a eau.

L’opposition avait nie toute implication dans ces actions de
protestation.

Toute contestation publique du regime du president Ilham Aliev
provoque aussitôt une reaction sevère des autorites dans cette ancienne
republique sovietique riche en hydrocarbures.

M. Aliev, au pouvoir dans ce pays depuis qu’il a succede a son père
en 2003, a remporte une victoire ecrasante a la presidentielle du 9
octobre, s’assurant un troisième mandat consecutif. Avant lui, son
père Heydar Aliev, ancien du KGB, avait dirige l’Azerbaïdjan presque
sans interruption de 1969 a 2003.

mardi 5 novembre 2013, Ara ©armenews.com

LORD DARZI BECOMES FOREIGN ASSOCIATE OF THE INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE

[ Part 2.2: “Attached Text” ]

by Sam Wong 21 October 2013

Professor Lord Ara Darzi has been elected to the Institute of Medicine
(IOM), the health arm of the US National Academy of Sciences.Membership
of the IOM is one of the highest honours in the field of health and
medicine.Professor Darzi, the Director of the Institute of Global
Health Innovation at Imperial, is one of 70 new members and 10 foreign
associates elected for their “outstanding professional achievement and
commitment to service,” the IOM announced today.”It is a great honour
to be elected as a foreign associate of the Institute of Medicine,”
Professor Darzi said. “It is a rare privilege and reflects the hard
work of the team that I work with.”Established in 1970, the Institute
of Medicine is one of the National Academies – along with the National
Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering and the
National Research Council – and serves as a resource for independent,
scientifically informed analysis and recommendations on health issues.

“It is an honour to welcome our highly distinguished colleagues to
the Institute of Medicine,” said IOM President Harvey V. Fineberg.

“These individuals have inspired us through their achievements in
research, teaching, clinical work, and other contributions to the
medical field. Their knowledge and skills will deeply enrich the IOM.”

Professor Darzi holds the Paul Hamlyn Chair of Surgery at Imperial
College London, the Royal Marsden Hospital and the Institute of Cancer
Research. He is an Honorary Consultant Surgeon at Imperial College
Hospital NHS Trust.

Professor Darzi’s research is directed towards achieving best surgical
practice through innovation in surgery, enhancing patient safety and
the quality of healthcare. He has publishing over 800 peer-reviewed
research papers in these fields.

In recognition of his achievements in the research and development
of surgical technologies, Professor Darzi has been elected as an
Honorary Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, a Fellow of the
Academy of Medical Sciences and a Fellow of the Royal Society. He
was knighted for his services in medicine and surgery in 2002.

In 2007, he became a member of the House of Lords and was appointed
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Health.

After leaving his role in central government in 2009, Professor Darzi
sat as the UK’s Global Ambassador for Health and Life Sciences until
March 2013.

Professor Darzi was appointed a member of Her Majesty’s Most Honourable
Privy Council since June 2009. In September 2013 he was appointed
to lead a new clinically-led London Health Commission, which will
conduct an evidence-based investigation into healthcare provision
and resources for Londoners.

ws_21-10-2013-14-42-24

By Sam Wong/

SUMMIT ON ARMENIAN-AZERBAIJANI CONFLICT SETTLEMENT MAY BE HELD BEFORE END OF 2013

Azerbaijan Business Center
Nov 4 2013

Baku, Fineko/abc.az. Today, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has
received in Baku the OSCE Minsk Group on the peaceful settlement of
Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

Following the meeting MG co-chair on behalf of Russia Igor Popov has
said that today the sides discussed the issue of a meeting of the
conflicting parties’ presidents.

“The Azerbaijan leader has given his agreement in principle. Now we’ll
go to Armenia and after we conduct talks with President Sargsyan,
we’ll publish co-chairs’ statement to contain the position of both
presidents. Nevertheless, we hope for summit holding before the end
of this year,” Popov said.

STEPAN SAFARYAN: THE STATEMENT OF SEPTEMBER 3 CHANGED THE BALANCE OF POWER

17:58 04.11.2013

Karen Ghazaryan
Public Radio of Armenia

Secretary of the Heritage Party Stepan Safaryan says the Armenia-EU
relations are uncertain. What will Armenia do within the framework of
the Eastern Partnership Program? What future awaits the Armenia-EU
relations, considering that the other members of the Partnership
Initiative have gone one step forward and their relations with the
EU have risen to a new level?

According to Safaryan, after the CIS summit there is uncertainty in
the Armenia-Russian relations, as well. He says the recent events
have not been favorable to Armenia.

“In particular, the EU reminded that Armenia has not implemented the
four UN resolutions, which refer to the so-called “restoration of
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity,” and Azerbaijan tried to make
use of this,” Safaryan added.

“The second problem emerged in Minsk, where Armenia’s membership in
the Customs Union was actually questioned.” According to Safaryan,
the statement of September 3 changed the balance of forces, which
will affect Armenia’s security.

MORE THAN HALF OF ABOUT 4-5 MILLION ISLAMIZED ARMENIANS CONFESS THAT THEIR ANCESTORS ARE ARMENIANS: SARGIS SEROBYAN

19:20, 4 November, 2013

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 4, ARMENPRESS. The issue of the Islamized Armenians
got a public reaction for the first time within the framework of the
international conference held in Istanbul. The conference entitled
“Islamized Armenians” launched at Bogazici University in Istanbul
on November 2, continues its activities convened by “Hrant Dink”
fund. Representatives from scientific regions of the United States of
America, Europe, Armenia and Turkey participate in the conference. The
editor of the Armenian section of “Agos” newspaper Sargis Serobyan
told in a conversation with Armenpress that a conference having such
a theme and scale is organized in Turkey for the first time. “A wide
conference devoted to the issue of the Islamized Armenians has not been
held till now, which would enable both scientists and ordinary people
from different parts of the world to participate,” Serobyan stated.

According to him, the conference having around 300 participants is
first of all a step to understand and introduce the difficulties
faced by the Islamized Armenians, their consequences, as well as
to investigate and discuss the layers of silence existing upon this
issue and the process of violating that silence. By the assessment
of Serobyan, the holding of the conference shows that there is slow
but certain process towards democracy in Turkey.

EASTERN ARMENIAN AND RUSSIAN LANGUAGES COURSES FOR SYRIAN ARMENIANS

17:40 04.11.2013

Sona Hakobyan
Public Radio of Armenia

The program of “Free Eastern Armenian and Russian Language Courses for
Syrian Armenians” was officially launched in Yerevan today. Attending
the ceremony were representative of the Representative of the United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Armenia, Christoph
Bierwirth, head of the “Rossotrudnichestvo” representation Mark
Kalinin, teachers of Eastern Armenian and Russian, members of the
“Center Coordinating the Issues of Syrian Armenians” NGO, and others.

Minister Hakobyan noted in her speech that a number of programs have
been organized to make the integration of Syrian Armenians easier, but
language skills are also important. According to her, the knowledge
of Russian is also important for cooperating with Armenians over the
CIS area.

The Armenian Ministry of Diaspora in cooperation with the UNHCR
Office has already enrolled 53 and 60 Syrian Armenians for Eastern
Armenian and Russian language courses respectively. In the future
English language courses for 200 Syrian Armenian will be offered.

SISTEMA ARMENIAN YOUTH ORCHESTRA USES CROWD FUNDING TO BUY INSTRUMENTS

11:34, November 4, 2013

An Armenian NGO is using crowd-funding to buy instrument for 50 young
musicians waiting to join the Sistema Armenia Youth Orchestra (SAYO).

With the new instruments, the 40 member SAYO can nearly double in size.

The fundraising drive launched by the NGO One Armenia seeks to collect
$13.349 with which to buy 2 cellos, 4 basses and 4 violas

Music schools are very common in Armenia. However, the vast majority
of them use teaching methods that are individualistic, lacking the
ability to work together for a common goal.

Sistema Armenia builds a community atmosphere where children learn
to work together to create art. It also breaks away from old methods
of teaching one on one in the classroom into the streets where art
becomes public and for the people.

“Armenia is so focused on soloists and doesn’t give our kids much
of an opportunity to work together,” said Anna MikaelianMeschian,
Founder & Executive Director of SAYO.

“Playing together in an orchestra is a very special and joyful
experience, which requires us to listen to each other, to care about
details, to communicate, and to overcome all kinds of difficulties
together. Experiencing the power of a moment created in unity with
others is really all the kids need. The hunger for this sort of way
of thinking, working and living is palpable in Armenia.”

Anna was inspired by El Sistema, which was founded 38 years ago in
a parking garage in Venezuela with 11 children. It now teaches music
to 400,000 of Venezuela’s poorest children, demonstrating the power
of ensemble music to dramatically change the lives of thousands of
youth while transforming the communities around them.

Sistema Armenia has only just begun and has the potential to grow
indefinitely – creating jobs and building communities with youth
orchestras popping up all over Armenia. Who wouldn’t want to be a
part of that?

Learn more, contribute, and spread the word by visiting the Indiegogo
page HERE.

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION MP SAYS GOVERNMENT FAILS TO ASSIST IN IT DEVELOPMENT

13:26 ~U 04.11.13

Despite having declared the IT industries a priority trend, the
Armenian Government fails to propose any measure to assist in the
development of the sector, an opposition MP has said.

Speaking at the National Assembly’s Monday session, Khachatur
Kokobelyan asked Minister of Economy Vahram Avanesyan to point out
to any privileges that they have for developing the IT industries.

The minister explained that he is aware only of the measures proposed
by the State budget, adding that they do not have any privileges for
the development of the IT industries.

“If we take the section that deals with programming, and the proposals,
we do obviously have many things to do. But the government does not
submit this proposal at the National Assembly,” he answered.

Armenian News – Tert.am

SAVING THE PAST FOR THE FUTURE

Keghart.com interviews Vahe Tachjian, chief editor of Berlin-based
Houshamadyan Project
October 2013

KEGHART: What is the aim of Houshamadyan?

VAHE TACHJIAN:We don’t know much about Ottoman Armenian social
life, local micro-histories, the daily rounds and socio-economic
environments that were immediately connected with the general Ottoman
social context. These are important keys to the understanding of
all the other events. In other words, there hasn’t been a special
effort in the Armenian studies field-exceptions are without doubt
to be respected-to utilize existing rich sources, to reconstruct
the memory of Armenian life in the Ottoman Empire. The Houshamadyan
project has been working to fill this void through research, as well
as through visual materials, such as old photos, gravures, sketches,
animation films, etc.

KEGHART: When and where was it founded?

VT: Houshamadyan is the name of the non-profit association. It was
founded in 2010 in Berlin. The Houshamadyan website plays a pivotal
role in the association’s activities.

KEGHART: How is it funded?

VT: Houshamadyan has no sources of revenue of its own. At present,
our sources of finance are individual gifts. We have our main donors,
whose names are mentioned in our website.

KEGHART: How can someone take part in providing data to you and to
donate money?

VT: The essential thing is the reconstruction of the memory of an
Armenian life that once existed in the Ottoman Empire. Therefore,
every item (old photographs, recorded testimony, songs, films, maps,
diplomas, books, etc.) that in some way expresses the legacy of that
period is of interest to us. We’d be glad if people share these items
with us. Most of these things could be sent to us in their digital
form, making the process easier for people who want to contribute to
this research.

As for donating, it’s possible to do it through Paypal or directly
on our bank account. You can find all the information on donating on
our website. Simply Google “Houshamadyan”.

KEGHART: How long do you think it will take you to cover all of
Western Armenia?

VT: Since this is a vast project, it’s challenging to define a clear
timeline or deadline. Of course, we hope to increase productivity.

However, that’s dependant on our funding.

KEGHART: What have you accomplished since Houshamadyan was established?

VT: We’ve made a lot of progress by and through establishing the
website, which covers many of the once-inhabited Armenian cities,
villages and regions of the Ottoman Empire. It has proven to
be, at once, popular with the general community and respected in
academic circles. In May of 2013 we successfully organized our first
exhibition in Berlin. At the end of this year we’ll be publishing
our first book/album with more than 300 pages. But I think the most
important achievement is that we managed to build a network that
has its worldwide ramifications. Besides our visitors and their
daily input in our project, we have a valued network of friends and
volunteers. Houshamadyan has become a structure that’s been built
collectively. It’s very motivating to see the websites’ visitors
gradually give more importance to our work by sending us digital
copies of memorabilia and old photos.

KEGHART: Once Houshamadyan has accumulated the data it can reasonably
gather, what’s next?

VT: I think right now what’s most important is to find safe and
sustainable ways to preserve our digital data. Once we’ve secured this,
we can plan ahead!

KEGHART: Does Houshamadyan have eventual aims to use the data for
political purposes? If not, what’s the purpose of the effort?

VT: We are an academic project. Our main objective is to understand a
history, to reconstruct a scattered memory, to give a new value and
scope to Armenian primary sources, and to raise awareness of that
history among Armenians and non-Armenians.

KEGHART: Houshamadyan wants also to gather information from
non-Armenian sources (Kurds, Turks, Assyrians, Greeks, etc.). Have
you had any response from them?

VT: Since the establishment of our website, we’ve received many letters
from Turkey, where people express their gratitude for our efforts. It
would be desirable to have a Turkish version of our website. We think
it could be ideal if the civil society in Turkey would take part in
funding this new section of our project.

KEGHART: What are Houshamadyan’s goals for 2014?

VT: It will be ‘business as usual’:
website/exhibition/workshop/publication. A particular attention will
be given in 2014 to the Dersim region, and on personal and unpublished
memoirs that some visitors of our website sent to us.

UNBEARABLE BEAR HUG

Editorial, 1 November 2013

The ink on President Serge Sarkissian’s signature to join Russia-led
Customs Union (CU), had hardly dried before President Vladimir Putin’s
political-cultural apostles came galloping from the Russian steppes
to Armenia. Hardly a month had passed since Armenia’s inevitable
acceptance of Putin’s “invitation” to join the CU that Armenia suddenly
seemed top-of-mind among Russian cultural apparatchiks. In quick
succession, there were the following developments in Russian/Armenian
cultural relations.

It was announced that the National Philharmonic of Russia would
give two concerts (Yerevan and Gyumri) on Nov. 10 on the occasion
of composer Aram Khachaturian’s 110th birthday. Earlier (Oct. 10)
on “prominent members of Armenian music” came together at the State
Kremlin Palace to participate in a “great concert” dedicated to the
300th anniversary of “outstanding Armenian bard and poet” Sayat Nova.

Tourism industry executives from Russia and Armenia held a roundtable
to boost tourism in St. Petersburg and Yerevan.

It was announced that a Russian lyceum-a branch of Moscow State
University-would open in Yerevan, in line with Putin’s campaign to
launch Russian cultural initiatives in the Commonwealth of Independent
States (CIS).

Victor Krivopuskov, head of the Russian Federal Agency,
Rossotrudnichestvo, stated that Russia would take steps to strengthen
the Russian language in Armenia.

Any number of Russian and Customs Union operatives stated that since
Russian is the lingua franca of the Customs Union, the population of
member states should be fluent in Russian.

The CIS intensified the opening of “cultural centers” in Armenia
where Russian is taught free of charge. There are now about 100 such
centers. A few weeks ago they boasted that they had sold 100,000
Russian books in the past two years.

Andranik Nikogosyan of the Youth Union of the CIS opined that the
Russian language is integral part of Armenian culture. He added:
“We have a common history, a common past, and I’m sure we have a great
future.” Common history? Perhaps Nikogosyan was referring to the fact
that during the Second World War, of all the Soviet republics Armenia
had the highest per capita combat casualties. Perhaps Nikogosyan
was referring to Russian Foreign Minister Lebanon-Rostovsky who,
in 1895, said Russia wanted Armenia without Armenians. Perhaps the
jumped-up politico is referring to Generalissimo Alexandre Suvorov,
the greatest “Russian” military leader, whose Armenian descent is
covered up by the Russians.

Poet Marine Petrossian and Armen Hovhanissian, members of a civil
group opposing the use of foreign language as a threat to Armenia’s
identity, say the popularization of Russian would be at the expense
of not only Armenian, but also English, French, and Persian. Last year
their group campaigned against the opening of foreign language schools.

Hovhanissian said that the Russian cultural invasion means that to
be successful an Armenian citizen will have to be educated in Russian.

“The most dangerous thing that can happen is the formation of an elite
that will not speak [good] Armenian and will not think in categories
favoring Armenia’s statehood,” he said.

President Putin has said that Eurasian integration is a chance
for the post-Soviet space to become an independent center of global
development. He also said that the CU is “aimed at keeping the identity
of peoples populating the historical Eurasian space in the new century
and the new world.” Does by “peoples” Putin mean solely Russian?

Should and can Armenia resist the Russian bear hug?

It should because if it doesn’t the fears of Petrossian and
Hovhanissian could be realised. More and more Armenians will begin
to communicate in Russian, read Russian books, sing Russian songs,
and watch Russian TV. Parents will believe their children should
attend Russian schools so as to have a bright future. Armenians would
become strangers in their country. There will be an “Armenian Diaspora”
in Armenia.

Already Russian is becoming the preferred language of Armenia’s elite.

During conferences at Yerevan’s Marriott Hotel the language most heard
is Russian. And when attendees continue their talk in the corridors,
outside the conference rooms, again Russian dominates.

How to halt the Russian invasion? The government should set laws
to defend our “Mayr Lezoo” against the Russian onslaught. Parents
should instill among their children a sense of linguistic pride. As
the civil groups, who fought the establishment of foreign schools,
shouted in their posters: “Keep your gene; keep your language”
and “No to colonization”. Western Armenian is already endangered,
according to the United Nations. If the Russians are not pushed back,
Eastern Armenian could also get on the UN list.

In the bad old days of Soviet rule, Russians preached internationalism
but practiced Russo-centrism.

Being an ally shouldn’t mean that independent Armenia must become a
Russian satellite. Somebody should tell Moscow that the Beatles are
long gone; nobody wants to sing “Back in the USSR…”