Author: Kajoyan Gevork

ARMENIAN YEZIDIS SEEK GOVERNMENT AID FOR IRAQI BROTHERS

12:52 14.08.13

Members of the Yezidi community of Armenia call for the government
efforts to assist their compatriots in Syria.

At a news conference on Wednesday, Ashot Sultanyan, the vice president
of the Yezidis’ National Committee, said the community faces an
increasing threat of extermination in the country, with four villages
having been destroyed back in 2007.

“Our expectation from the Armenian Government is to raise the Yezidis’
issue in international tribunals. The Yezidis residing in Iraq enjoy
no rights today,” he said, promising to send a letter to Diaspora
Minister Hranush Hakobyan to express the community’s concerns.

Sultanyan said they pin hopes on the Armenian government and the
Armenian Diaspora, expecting a positive solution.

“NGOs and individuals try to offer assistance, but the only salvation
for the Yezidis can be a change of attitude in the Iraqi policies,”
he added.

LA TURQUIE RETIRE DES TROUPES DE LA MISSION DE L’ONU AU LIBAN

TURQUIE

La Turquie va retirer une partie de ses troupes de la mission de
maintien de la paix des Nations unies au Liban, ont annonce samedi
des sources en Turquie et a l’ONU, qui excluent un lien entre cette
decision et l’enlèvement de deux pilotes turcs. ” Environ 250 personnes
de la force du genie militaire ne seront prochainement plus actifs
dans la Finul (force interimaire des Nations Unies deployee dans le
sud du Liban) “, a declare a l’AFP une source diplomatique turque
qui a requis l’anonymat.

Cette annonce intervient au lendemain de l’enlèvement a Beyrouth
de deux pilotes de la Turkish Airlines pour faire pression sur les
autorites turques afin qu’elles poussent les rebelles syriens a
relâcher neuf chiites libanais detenus depuis mai 2012.

Peu après, la Turquie, qui soutient la rebellion syrienne face au
regime de Bachar al-Assad, a appele ses citoyens a quitter le Liban
et a ceux comptant s’y rendre a annuler leur voyage a moins d’un ”
imperatif vital “.

Les sources turques et aux Nations unies ont soutenu que la decision
du retrait avait ete prise bien avant l’enlèvement des deux pilotes.

” Le 6 août, le departement des operations de maintien de la paix
nous a informes que le gouvernement turc avait decide de desengager
l’unite turque de genie militaire de la Finul “, a precise a l’AFP
le porte-parole de la Finul, Andrea Tenenti.

Il a decrit ce changement comme un processus habituel.

” C’est aux pays de decider de leur participation, et, on le voit
dans toutes les missions de maintien de la paix, des pays diminuent
leur contingent, d’autres l’augmentent “, a ajoute M. Tenenti.

” L’important, c’est que les capacites operationnelles de la mission
sont intactes, qu’elles sont maintenues sur le terrain, et donc que
l’efficacite de la mission n’est pas entamee “, a-t-il ajoute.

Selon la source diplomatique turque, ce retrait tient compte des
besoins de la Finul.

” Le mandat de notre force a ete elargi en juillet. À cette epoque,
il avait egalement ete decide qu’il y aurait des changements dans la
configuration de notre contingent mais cette decision a ete prise
conformement aux besoins de la Finul et cela n’a rien a voir avec
les derniers evenements “, a-t-elle ajoute.

La Turquie maintient en revanche sa presence dans la Finul avec des
unites de marine.

” Nos unites de la force maritime, dont le nombre varie entre 100
et 300 personnes, restent mobilisees “, selon la source diplomatique
turque.

La Finul a ete mise en place au Sud-Liban en 1978 après l’invasion
du pays par Israël la meme annee.

Sa mission a ete elargie après la guerre d’Israël au Liban en 2006. La
mission deploie actuellement 13 000 personnes de differents pays.

” Efforts exceptionnels ” pour liberer les pilotes turcs

Les autorites libanaises fournissent des ” efforts exceptionnels
” pour obtenir la liberation de deux pilotes turcs enleves près de
l’aeroport de Beyrouth, a assure samedi le ministre de l’Interieur
Marwan Charbel au lendemain de ce rapt.

” L’Etat libanais fournit des efforts exceptionnels pour liberer
(les pilotes). Les services de securite ne menagent aucun effort “,
a-t-il assure a l’ambassadeur de Turquie a Beyrouth, Inan Ozyildiz,
selon l’agence nationale d’information ANI.

” Nous poursuivons l’enquete pour retrouver les deux Turcs (…) Le
Liban est contre tout enlèvement et l’Etat fait tout ce qui est son
pouvoir pour les liberer “, a-t-il dit.

Des hommes armes ont enleve vendredi a Beyrouth deux pilotes de la
Turkish Airlines afin qu’Ankara, qui soutient les rebelles syriens,
contraigne ces derniers a relâcher neuf chiites libanais qu’ils
detiennent depuis mai 2012.

Le rapt des pilotes a eu lieu dans une zone majoritairement chiite,
contrôlee notamment par le puissant parti Hezbollah, un allie du
regime syrien.

Un groupe inconnu, le ” groupe des visiteurs de l’imam Ali al-Rida ”
– du nom d’un imam venere par les chiites – a revendique l’enlèvement.

C’est au retour d’une visite de la tombe de cet imam en Iran que neuf
pèlerins libanais avaient ete enleves dans le nord de la Syrie.

Les familles des pèlerins avaient maintes fois manifeste devant les
locaux de Turkish Airlines a Beyrouth, appelant Ankara a user de son
influence auprès des rebelles pour qu’ils soient relâchees.

Un porte-parole du ministère turc des Affaires etrangères a affirme
que son pays n’avait ” rien a avoir ” avec l’enlèvement des Libanais
en Syrie mais qu’Ankara faisait son possible ” pour obtenir leur
liberation “.

La Turquie a par ailleurs appele ses citoyens a quitter le Liban
et a ceux comptant s’y rendre a annuler leur voyage a moins d’un ”
imperatif vital “.

” Nous assurerons la protection des Turcs et de tout le monde au Liban
“, a affirme samedi le ministre Charbel.

L’enlèvement des Libanais avait ete revendique a l’epoque par un
certain ” Abou Ibrahim ” se disant membre de l’Armee syrienne libre
(ASL, rebellion), mais l’ASL a nie toute implication. Partager

mercredi 14 août 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

ARMENIAN SOLDIER’S “INTERVIEW”: AZERBAIJAN’S BADLY DIRECTED SHOW (VIDEO)

August 13, 2013 – 20:35 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Directing the “interview” with the captured Armenian
serviceman Hakob Injighulyan, the Azerbaijani “specialists” could
not avoid failures. In a 30-second video, Injighulyan’s voice is
deliberately drowned by the presenter’s. Nevertheless, several words
that could be heard were enough to reveal inaccuracies proving that
the soldier was under pressure or, possibly, stuffed with psychotropic
agents.

In the video spread by Russian-language Azeri media outlets,
Injighulyan tells that he was “having dinner with the other soldiers,
when the officer ordered him to fetch some water.” “I said that I am
tired and will go and bring the water later but he hit me in the eye in
response. I could not tolerate humiliation and offence any longer and
voluntarily crossed into the Azerbaijani territory,” he allegedly said.

However, the words “I voluntarily crossed into the Azerbaijani
territory” did not exist. Injighulyan’s words were interrupted after
the phrase “I went to bring some water”.

Apparently, the Russian translation was meant for the Armenian
audience. However, the Azeris seem to have forgotten that there are
Armenians who know the Azerbaijani language.

There is one more thing. Injighulyan wears glasses. However, during the
“interview” he wasn’t wearing them. Was it done to show the bruise
caused by the commander’s alleged blow? Here it’s worth noting that
manhandling is a punishable crime in the Armenian army. And no officer
would risk hitting a soldier, being aware of the consequences.

Besides, who will believe that the Azeris could “resist the temptation”
to hit a captured Armenian soldier?

And the last but not least, during the “interview” Injighulyan behaves
in a strange way. He moves restlessly and looks very nervous. In short,
he doesn’t look like a man who voluntarily crossed the frontline.

Stories with “interviews” are not new in Azerbaijan. On September 11,
2010, Armenian shepherd, resident of Ttujur village of Gegharkunik
province Manvel Saribekyan was captured by the Azeri armed forces.

Several days later, the same ANS channel aired an interview, which,
according to experts, contained elements of psychological and physical
pressure. On the night of October 5, Saribekyan allegedly committed
suicide. The Azeri investigators said he used his shirt and sheet to
hang himself. However, when the body was transferred to the Armenian
side, the examination revealed numerous traces of torture.

Marina Ananikyan / PanARMENIAN News

YEREVAN CITY HALL PROTESTERS BANNED FROM PUTTING UP UMBRELLA (UPDATED – VIDEOS)

Armenian News – Tert.am
15:58 13.08.13

The police maintaining public order outside the Yerevan City Hall have
banned the protesting civic activists from putting up an umbrella on
the territory.

The group, which has been holding a sit-in since late July, calling
for measures to sack the Transportation Department head and the
Yerevantrans company’s director, said in a statement earlier on
Tuesday that they needed an umbrella to protect themselves from the
sun’s harmful effect. They called for the authorities’ proper measures
to ensure their right to a peaceful assembly.

One of the activists, Vahagn Minasyan, said later on behalf of the
group that they would pitch a tent in case the city authorities do
not change their decision in 15 minutes’ time.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

15:44 While the protesters were waiting for a response, a
representative of the City Hall met them downstairs to say that
the demand for sanctioning the move was not justified, with the
municipality not having received any written notice with such
a request.

Minasyan claimed, however, that the group had sent an e-mail early
in the morning.

“It’s a matter of my health, and not only my,” he said, trying to
open the umbrella on a car roof.

The police later allowed putting up the umbrella on condition that
it remain where it was.

YOUNG MEN ARE KILLED TO PROVE SOMETHING TO PUTIN

Putin is already in Azerbaijan, and his arrival, as always
in similar cases, coincides with unrest at the border between
Armenia and Azerbaijan. Four Armenian soldiers were injured by the
Azerbaijani side, and in response, according to the Armenian media,
five Azerbaijani soldiers were killed by the Armenian mass media.

Currently, Baku holds an Armenian hostage the “interview” with whom
was broadcast in Azerbaijan on the day of Putin’s arrival. Of course,
such an “interview” will not surprise Putin. He must have made a
number of such “interviews” when he was working for special services.

In the meantime, the rule is that tension occurs at the border as
soon as “high-ranking” guests visit the region.

While the Russian political scientists were guessing what Putin was
going to discuss with Aliyev, information appeared on the upcoming
visit of the Russian president to Yerevan in September. It is hard
to check the information, and it is possible that the information
was leaked to appease Armenia.

Meanwhile, Armenia does not need to be calmed. Hardly anyone is waiting
for Putin’s visit as a panacea. In addition, strangely the stance
of the government is in line with the stance of the civil society
on this issue. The government of Armenia has gone on holiday in case
Putin decides to visit Armenia. Putin loves eccentric moves, and he
might decide to cross the mined border between Azerbaijan and Karabakh.

Hardly anyone doubts that the issue of Karabakh will be one of the
main points on the agenda of talks in Baku. When last year the United
States affirmed Richard Morningstar’s nomination as ambassador to
Azerbaijan, it did not hide willingness to separate energy issues
from the Karabakh conflict. In fact, part of the big energy project
has been confirmed. The Azerbaijani oil will be transported to Europe
but the route has not been finalized. The cheapest way is to overcome
political conflict with Armenia and open communications without a
political settlement in Karabakh.

Russia links energy projects with politics, trying to promote
its economic interests with the help of the conflicts. Opening
communications between Armenia and Azerbaijan will deprive Russia of
economic and political preferences, and Putin will be trying to sway
Aliyev away from the peaceful settlement. He may even offer something
in return for that.

In order to “prove” the impossibility of opening communications without
political settlement escalation is caused in Karabakh. Young men are
killed or become hostages to make sure that the pipe does not run
across Karabakh and Azerbaijan.

Naira Hayrumyan 13:24 13/08/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

ARMENIA TO PARTICIPATE IN CIS JOINT ANTI-AIRCRAFT DEFENSE MANEUVERS AS WATCHER

10:05, 13 August, 2013

YEREVAN, AUGUST 13, ARMENPRESS. This year Armenia will participate
in the Joint Anti-Aircraft Defense maneuvers of the Commonwealth of
Independent States as a watcher.

The Press Spokesman of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of
Armenia Artzrun Hovhannisyan stated this in a conversation with
“Armenpress”. Among other things the Press Spokesman of the Ministry
of Defense of the Republic of Armenia Artzrun Hovhannisyan underscored:
“Armenia will participate in the Joint Anti-Aircraft Defense maneuvers
of the Commonwealth of Independent States as a watcher. We shall have
1-2 officers, who will follow the course of the maneuvers.”

The Joint Anti-Aircraft Defence maneuvers of the Commonwealth of
Independent States will launch in Ashuluk polygon of the Astrakhan
region in the Russian Federation on August 13. The Russian Federation,
Ukraine, Belarus, and Tajikistan will participate in the upcoming
Joint Anti-Aircraft Defence maneuvers. Unlike the previous years,
this time the Russian Federation, Ukraine, and Belarus will use their
own equipment. The total number of the militariesparticipating in
the maneuvers reaches 500.

CITY WOKE UP AND REBELS

Interview with Zaruhee Hovhannisyan, publicist

Zaruhee, do you think it is possible to achieve the dismissal of two
City Hall officials and declare the second victory of this movement?

The movement has not won, it has been suspended. An attempt is made
to appease, calm the community, put a soft pillow under their head,
send them home rather than have them fight in the street. And none
of the points that the movement has set down has been achieved. The
rise of fare has been suspended, frozen for the time being but not
withdrawn from the agenda. The victory of this movement is at the
cultural level, it is another step towards the cultural revolution.

Can the communities make sure that the struggle is continuous and
does not run out of energy? We can see that a lot of activists do
not support the demand of the sit-in explaining that the issue should
not be politicized.

The issue was initially political. As to the sit-in, the demands
contradict the existing stereotyped thinking. The demand is to dismiss
two marionette officials. People watch and think what this junior
official who depends on the senior one can do in this pyramid-shaped
system. What is the point in demanding their resignation? This is
also a component of the cultural change. Put responsibility on the
one whose job duty is to regulate the given sector. We have lived a
long period of total irresponsibility of both those who usurped power
and the opposition. Everyone waited for instructed and coordinated
actions, became operators, did not make decisions, did not assume
responsibility to undertake actions.

What will happen next if the demand is met and the two officials
are dismissed?

Imagine Serzh Sargsyan resigns. What will change? Nothing, I say.

Someone similar will come to power unless we learn to ask questions
and answer what we want and how we are going to achieve it. The sit-in
is effective because it is a target source where a creative atmosphere
is born, creativity in the street, in any person, in any individual’s
mind and actions. The action “I am one of those three” was initiated
by new young people who joined to support another group that went on
sit-in. the street speaks clear Armenian and with legal word stock.

Unlike the official who tries to cover up his ignorant boss with
ignorant wording.

For over a few years we have been saying that we need a revolution
of mind, change of consciousness, human as the paramount value,
but we do not achieve it.

I wouldn’t say that we have been able to define what we want, we have
mostly dwelled on what we have now that we reject, don’t want.

Whatever has been defined was the basis of liberation of mind and
possible developments. However, the main issue of transformation of
residents to citizens is still open, in other words we need a person
who thinks, acts and is responsible for change of the situation in
the country, not people who obey and do silently.

Zaruhee, how would you justify what happened in Mashtots Park where
the reporters and cameramen of TV companies were not allowed to cover
the event?

The deputy chief of police Valery Osipyan appeared in a similar
situation when he expressed a wish to make a speech during one of
the open discussions summing up the day and outlining the actions of
the next day. According to this logic, we should not pass the floor
to him because the police carried out illegal actions against the
participants of the boycott or we should achieve a breakthrough and
involve the player of another game in our game. We chose breakthrough.

He asked for a speech, registered and waited for 20 minutes to use the
equal right to one-minute speech. I think the movement was successful
thanks to such breakthroughs. The most important question is what to do
to make sure that the illegitimate, non-elected and stooge government
does not subject you to itself but appears in the game modeled by
you due to your non-obeying and is unable to impose his own rules.

In this case, however, a selective approach is displayed. Could it
mark a dangerous precedent?

It was a symbolic situation. Lack of professional dignity of
journalists. This act of refusal which was also a form of struggle
against inaction of the mass media will make think again whether
the media representatives perform their duties and whether they
are stooges. Their bosses tell them to go and cover the event, the
activists drive them away, and they do not oppose. In fact, they
do not protest in their offices when they are not allowed to cover
important public events, neither they protest in the park when they
are asked to go away.

Zaruhee, the transport fare resulted in mobilization. Will there be
mobilization for the demand of resignation?

No, because the transport fare affected everyone, every person felt
it measurably and tangibly. The message was clear: we want the fare
to be 100 drams. In this case, one sentence is not enough to explain
everyone who this or that official is. Not everyone has heard them
speak and cares what they are in charge of at the City Hall. And
those who defined the demand of the sit-in do not cherish hopes for
mobilization. It is not realistic. The sit-in deals with one problem:
defining responsibility and fighting away impunity. If this question
does not follow the big wave, it is easy to put it to sleep.

The experience of the past two civil movements shows that the city
has woken up and is showing signs of livelihood. So far the city has
obeyed all the mutations and now it already rebels.

Siranuysh Papyan 11:24 13/08/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

LE LUTTEUR TURC SUSPENDU

Publié le : 13-08-2013

Info Collectif VAN – – ” Le lutteur turc
médaillé olympique Rıza Kayaalp a été suspendu pour une durée
de six mois, avec effet immédiat, par le juge de la Fédération
internationale des Luttes associées (FILA) en raison de ces
déclarations racistes, tenues il y a trois semaines, a l’encontre
des Arméniens et des Grecs, selon le journal turc Hurriyet Daily
News. Kayaalp a visé les Grecs et les Arméniens dans ses tweets
postés pendant les manifestations du parc Gezi, qui ont secoué le
pays pendant presque deux mois. ” Le Collectif VAN vous propose la
traduction d’un article en anglais paru sur le site PanArmenian le
12 aoÔt 2013.

Un lutteur turc suspendu pour insultes aux Arméniens et aux Grecs

PanARMENIAN.Net – Le lutteur turc médaillé olympique, Rıza Kayaalp
a été suspendu pour une durée de six mois, avec effet immédiat,
par le juge de la Fédération internationale des Luttes associées
(FILA) en raison de ces déclarations racistes tenues, il y a trois
semaines, a l’encontre des Arméniens et des Grecs, selon le journal
turc Hurriyet Daily News.

Kayaalp a visé les Grecs et les Arméniens dans ses tweets postés
pendant les manifestations du parc Gezi, qui ont secoué le pays
pendant presque deux mois.

Le champion du monde et d’Europe, Kayaalp, qui a également gagné
une médaille d’argent aux Jeux Olympique de Londres l’an dernier, a
prôné que ” Les Arméniens ” étaient derrière les manifestations
de Gezi, dans une série de tweets qu’il a ensuite effacés.

Ses tweets comprenaient ces phrases : ” Vous laissez les rues aux
Arméniens, ” en****és de pilleurs ” et ” p***in de traîtres. ”

Le président de la FILA, Nenad Lalovic a déclaré dans une interview
au journal grec Ekathimerini, que Kayaalp avait été suspendu des
matchs internationaux en raison de ses tweets racistes.

” Le juge de la FILA l’a suspendu pour six mois et il a le droit
de faire appel. Je ne connais pas les détails exacts, car je
n’interfère pas dans ces activités. Nous avons un procureur et un
juge. Le procureur informe le juge de ce qu’il se passe dans ce genre
d’incidents. Je connais cette personne, c’est un homme jeune et un
très bon lutteur. Ce qu’il a fait m’a choqué, mais il s’agissait
peut-être d’un moment émotionnel pour lui, je ne suis pas sÔr qu’il
pense vraiment ce qu’il a écrit. Mais je ne suis pas la pour juger,
simplement pour garantir les procédures démocratiques, la sanction
éventuelle etc. L’enquête se poursuit, il y aura probablement une
audience et peut-être un appel ”, aurait déclaré Lalovic.

Les tweets de Kayaalp concernaient les protestations
anti-gouvernementales qui se sont répandues dans tout le pays en
juin, après une répression brutale de la police visant un groupe qui
faisait un sit-in, s’opposant a un projet controversé de rénovation
dans le centre de la ville…

Il a effacé ses tweets concernant les manifestants arméniens et
grecs, suite aux réactions qu’ils ont suscitées dans les médias
sociaux.

Kayaalp avait été choisi pour porter le drapeau turc lors de la
cérémonie d’ouverture des Jeux méditerranéens le mois dernier a
Mersin et il apparaît également dans une annonce publique préparée
par le ministère de la Jeunesse et du Sport. Kayaalp est l’un des
plus célèbres sportifs de Turquie.

©Traduction de l’anglais C.Gardon pour le Collectif VAN – 12 aoÔt
2013 – 07:20 –

Retour a la rubrique

Source/Lien : PanARMENIAN.Net

TNT Magazine
Aug 11 2013

Lonely Planet travel expert’s tips on visiting Sanahin and Haghpat
monasteries when travelling from Tbilisi to Yerevan

11th Aug 2013 3:21pm | By Laura Lindsay

How can I get easily to Sanahin and Haghpat monasteries, on the way
from Tbilisi to Yerevan? Barbora, via email

These World Heritage-listed and centuries-old monasteries are located
in the Debed Canyon in Northern Armenia, close to the Georgian border.
This historically rich area conveniently lies on the main route from
Tbilisi to Yerevan. Public minivans or marshrutky are a useful form of
transport in the area. If you’re travelling by marshrutky, Alaverdi is
the nearest large town to both monasteries and the best place to pick
up onward local transport to the sites.

To get to Sanahin, there’s the fun option of a cable car to take you
from Alaverdi to Sarahart, a town just 1km from the monastery. For
Haghpat, pick up one of the hourly marshrutky from Alavedi, or if
you’re feeling energetic after visiting Sanahin, it’s a 7km walk to
Haghpat, which takes around three hours. If you’re short on time, you
could hire a taxi for the day from Alaverdi for less than £15 to take
you to each of the monasteries and other gems such as Kobayr’s ruined
13th-century convent.

You have a couple of transport options for the 180-mile journey from
Tbilisi to Yerevan. Marshrutky operate along the route and a train
runs from Tbilisi to Yerevan daily in summer and every other day in
the off season (late September to mid June) and stops at Vanadzor.

>From Vanadzor, you can hop in a taxi to the monasteries or use onward
public transport. You will arrive late at night in Vanadzor, so have
accommodation booked in advance and visit the monasteries the
following day.

Spring hail will not increase fruit juice prices – Armenian producer

August 10, 2013 | 03:19

YEREVAN. – The fruit juice prices in Armenia will not rise as a result
of the hail that fell in spring.

Director Ashot Baghdasaryan of Yerevan Beer Company, which produces
beer and fruit juices, told the aforesaid to Armenian News-NEWS.am.

`The hail caused considerable damage to agriculture in Armavir Region
alone. We are glad that the harvest was normal in other areas. So,
there was no overall crop insufficiency in reprocessing, and the
prices have not risen in the market,’ Baghdasaryan added.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am