Author: Kajoyan Gevork

WHY WAS TARAF IMPORTANT?

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Dec 17 2012

LALE KEMAL
[email protected]

I used the past tense in the headline deliberately because it has now
become uncertain whether this liberal daily will be able to continue
its editorial independence after the resignation of Ahmet Altan,
editor-in-chief, and Yasemin Congar, his deputy.

Taraf’s independent and courageous stance that resisted unprecedented
pressure from both the military and the government was unique in the
Turkish media, and greatly relied on the mentorship of Altan, who is
also a well-known novelist.

The owner of Taraf, BaÅ~_ar Arslan, who is also a publisher and the
owner of a famous bookstore called Alkım, had a modest budget when he
first suggested running a daily in Turkey to some journalists five
years ago. Those senior journalists warned him at the time about the
difficulties of running a purely independent daily due to the pressure
that would come from both the military and political authorities. This
would be the case, in particular in a country like Turkey, where media
ownership was long ago seized by businessmen using this position of
ownership as a tool to get state contracts. To grab a slice of the pie
from state tenders, they might easily refuse to publicize or deem
newsworthy information that would be harmful to their other interests.

In this sense, Taraf differed from the media ownership structure
mentioned above because the owner stayed away from state contracts and
preserved editorial independence in the real sense.

Taraf ran courageous stories, breaking taboos while opening Pandora’s
box, as no other daily could have. Its contribution to the
democratization drive is undeniable.

It was Taraf that disclosed coup plans intended to unseat the ruling
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and culminated in the trials
of the suspects. It was through stories that Taraf ran that the
Turkish public learned about grave mistakes being made by the military
in Turkey’s 28-year fight against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’
Party (PKK).

Taraf has become the voice of all Turkish citizens’ conscience,
whether they are Kurds or the Armenian minority.

But the moment the AK Party government put the brakes on its
democratic reforms and pretended to both rule and govern, as if
curbing the military’s power in politics was enough in the absence of
going ahead with structural reforms to end the military tutelage
system, Taraf also turned its arrows of criticism on the government.

The daily has accused Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his
government of becoming more and more authoritarian and allying
themselves with the status quo. In addition, Taraf pioneered in
criticizing the government over the deteriorating state of freedom of
expression.

The resignations of Altan and Congar have, in the meantime, received
mixed reactions from the media.

Hasan Cemal, a veteran columnist writing for the Milliyet daily, wrote
last Saturday: “Be sure that none of the papers except Taraf could
have published the reports that this daily ran. Believe me that many
problematic issues that have prevented democracy and law from
flourishing were doomed to be left in the dark if there had been no
Taraf. Taraf ended this darkness. I cannot stomach now that some
windows are being closed.”

Did Taraf face pressure that resulted in Altan’s resignation due to
the fact that the government did not hide its displeasure with his
sometimes harsh criticism?

Arslan denied any link between government pressure and Altan’s resignation.

Yet a recent statement made by a senior minister from the ruling party
gives strong hints that Altan parting ways with Taraf was indeed a
government operation. Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arınc, appearing on
Kanalturk TV last Saturday, criticized Altan’s wording in his columns,
and in particular his criticism of Erdogan, which he described as
mockery and insulting.

Arınc claimed that in criticizing the government Taraf pursued a line
that intended to end the AK Party’s existence.

“I will regret it if Taraf is closed down. Taraf should continue its
publication by readjusting its line,” Arınc added. He sent a veiled
warning to Taraf concerning its future stance on the dose of criticism
directed toward the government with these remarks. Arınc was also
indicating the influence of this relatively low circulation daily when
he stated that its criticisms were intended to end the AK Party’s term
in power.

Arslan has long been facing serious economic pressure because there
have been no businessmen buying shares of Taraf for fear that they
will come under pressure from both the military and the government.

Perhaps Arslan was no longer able to withstand the pressure coming
from the government, and that resulted in Altan’s departure.

According to the Wikipedia definition, true mentoring is about an
ongoing relationship of learning, dialogue and challenge. Mentoring is
a process for the informal transmission of knowledge, social capital
and psychosocial support perceived by the recipient as relevant to
work, career or professional development.

Without Altan’s mentorship, it is a big question if Taraf can continue
its editorial independence and survive.

SPECIAL REPORT. NEW SCHOOL FOR SYRIAN ARMENIAN CHILDREN, OLD TEXTBOOKS AND UNCERTAIN FUTURE

Mediamax
Dec 18 2012
Armenia

Texts and photos by Yekaterina Poghosyan.

Kilikean” school based on Syrian educational program opened in N14
comprehensive school after Nar-Dos in Yerevan on October 9, 2012. The
establishment of the school was initiated by “Kilikia” organization.

The idea of creating an educational institution was conditioned by
the desire of Syrian Armenian families settled in Armenia to return
to Syria after the situation there is stabilized.

In August-September, the Ministry of Diaspora and Ministry of Education
and Science of Armenia with the support of the General Education
Department of Yerevan Mayor’s Office, made efforts on registering
Syrian Armenian children and teachers, establishing classrooms and
disseminating textbooks.

Mediamax’s correspondent visited “Kilikean” school, talked to the
director of the school and pupils.

About 270 pupils currently study at school. All the lessons are
taught in Arabic according to the Syrian program except for “Armenian
language” and “Religion” lessons. Every day at 8:30, the school buses
bring pupils to the school where they try to find the atmosphere of
the school they left in Syria and their friends.

Nora Piliposyan is the Director of “Kilikean” school. She has worked
in “Kilikean” Armenian collage in Aleppo. Coming to Armenia on her
summer vacation, she couldn’t even fancy that she could stay here
and head the Syrian Armenian school.

“The opening of the school pursued one goal – not to let the children’s
academic year be interrupted. We brought 1copy per each textbook
from Syria and made copies here. Of course, we are in Armenia, in our
motherland, but everything is new to children here”, the Director said.

The school has 1-9 classes which are called “karger” in Syrian
Armenian schools. 25-43 pupils study in each class. Their number
sometimes grows and sometimes decreases under some circumstances.

“Nobody attends the school by force. Vice versa, parents gladly bring
their children so as they don’t miss their classes, do something and
don’t have any problems in case of returning to Syria. In some cases,
Syrian Armenians have to go back to Syria because they don’t manage
to find jobs in Armenia and are in social need”, noted Nora Piliposyan.

Teachers in the schools, 17 in number, are also Syrian Armenians who
had to leave their houses and come to Armenia.

According to the Director, children manage to concentrate on the
learning process despite tough psychological state and uncertain
future.

“But when you talk to them, you feel how much they miss their homes,
friends and neighbors. Most of their relatives are still in Syria”,
she said.

Zhanil Serardaryan, 12-year-old pupil of the school, came to Armenia
in August to take part in “Come Home” program. When the situation in
Syria aggravated, Zhanil’s family joined her in Yerevan. “It’s easier
for me to study here – the homework is less than in Aleppo school. I
already made many friends here but I miss Aleppo, our house”, she said.

Even though each pupil of the school spends his free time with their
new friends their future is still vague.

The Director of the school can’t answer exactly how much time
“Kilikean” school will operate.

“Everything is so uncertain. We don’t know how much we’ll stay in
Armenia, when we will return to Aleppo if we ever do. Nobody has the
answer to the question”, said the Director of the school.

PATRICK DEVEDJIAN AGAIN WINS FRENCH PARLIAMENT ELECTIONS

NEWS.AM
December 19, 2012 | 00:01

The Nouvelles d’Armenie magazine informs that Patrick Devedjian
succeeded for the second time this year during the elections to
French parliament.

Last Sunday, the chairman of the General Council of the O-de-Seine
won in the second round of parliamentary elections in the 13th
arrondissement of his department. With 60.03% of the vote, he was
ahead of his rival Julien Landfrid (39.97%), who did not jump at the
chance to snatch it from the hands of the rights.

In June, young candidate Landfrid, supported by the Socialist Party
and various forces of the left wing, almost made the feat, losing to
Landfrid with just 191 votes. After the cancellation of the election of
Patrick Devedjian by Constitutional Council, Julien Landfrid believed
that he could win. But these elections made the final point – Patrick
Devedjian, an MP from the district continuously since 1988, retained
his place.

HISTORICAL “ARMENIAN SOURCE” IN ISTANBUL RETURNED TO THE FUND OF ARMENIAN CHURCH

20:16, 18 December, 2012

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 18, ARMENPRESS: Historical “Armenian source” situated
in Boyacikyok village of Sarıyer district in Istanbul Province has
been returned to the fund of Armenian Church. As Armenpress reports,
Head of Council of Armenian-Turkish Funds Nazaret Ozsahakian informed
that the results was reached after 12 years of hard work. He noted
that for proving Armenian origin of the source a number of documents
had been found and presented. The source was illegally being given to
the municipality of Sarıyer in 1949 and was deprived of the daily care
and started to crumble. “Armenian source” was built in 1843 by Misak
Miskayan and dedicated to the memory of his father Petros Miskayan.

ARAM MANUKYAN ANSWERS QUESTION ON NOMINATING ANC COORDINATOR LEVON ZURABYAN AS PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

17:34 18/12/2012 » Interviews

Armenian National Congress (ANC) parliamentary faction secretary,
Armenian National Movement (ANM) Board Chairman Aram Manukyan answered
the questions of Panorama.am.

– ANM~Rs convention will be held on December 22~E

– Yes, it was decided one month ago.

– Why doesn~Rt ANC hold a convention with participation of all
political forces that make part of it?

– It will be our regular convention, with its agenda, time limit,
board elections~E

– Do you mean that it has nothing to do with the February 2013
presidential elections?

– Yes, I mean that. If it hadn’t been election time, all the same the
convention would take place.

– It appears that you are going to combine everything.

– Yes, they coincided and we would like to make some political clarifications.

– Will ANM make a political statement?

– We always make such statements, sum up the activities of ANM,
outline programs and present our ideas through a resolution.

– Media reports said today that ANC coordinator Levon Zurabyan would
be nominated as a presidential candidate during the ANM~Rs convention
on December 22.

– That’s enough of it! Do speak about serious things.

– So when will ANC at last clarify its position?

– I cannot answer this question.

– Did ANC~Rs political council meet following the publication of the
scandalous recording of the private talk between Levon Zurabyan and
Prosperous Armenia parliamentary faction member Vartan Oskanian at a
café? Did any discussion take place on this subject?

– No.

PRISONER WITH SEWED MOUTH AND NAILED FEET INVOLVED IN METHADONE PROJECT IN ARMENIA

news.am
December 18, 2012 | 20:29

YEREVAN. – The committee prescribing a methadone treatment approved
the appeal of the Nubarashen penitentiary prisoner Arthur Smbatyan,
who had earlier sewed own mouth and nailed own feet and involved the
prisoner in the state financed project, Armenian Ministry of Justice
informs Armenian News-NEWS.am.

To note, recently media outlets have published the appeal of the
prisoner, whose mother Roza Sardaryan in her letter on Tuesday was
claiming that the penitentiary authorities reject to involve her son
in that project citing different reasons.

Persons involved in the Methadone Substitution Treatment (MST) are
obliged not to take drugs without doctors’ prescription during the
whole period of the treatment, ministerial website informs.

ALAIN DELON IN YEREVAN RECALLS ASHOD MALAKIAN, INVITES ARMENIAN JOURNALIST ACT IN FILM

20:11 ~U 18.12.12

The world-famous actor Alain Delon is on a one-day visit to Armenia.

The premiere of the film “Happy New Year, mothers!” is an occasion
for the actor’s visit. Alain Delon plays in one of the five parts
of the film directed by Sarik Andreasyan, who has recently produced
Russian box-office hits.

As an exception, the film will be premiered in Yerevan and then
in Moscow.

People’s Artist of Russia Irina Rozanova, actor Konstantin Kryukov and
producer Gevond Andreasyan were present at a meeting with journalists.

Ms Rozanova told a lot of funny stories about how the film was
produced. In the film, Alen Delon’s character invites Irina Rozanova’s
character (a Russian teacher of French) to dance with him.

Alain Delon was telling about his mother with admiration.

He says he inherited his talent and looks from his mother.

Alain Delon also invited one of the women-journalists to play a role
in a film. His friend Charles Aznavour has never told him Armenians
love him so much, Alain Delon said.

He asked Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan the same question.

Armenia’s leader made a joke in reply, saying: “Aznavour did not
probably want you to feel proud.”

Asked to tell about his work with Henri Verneuil, Alain Delon noted
that Verneuil was born Ashod Malakian. He pointed out that role’s
great influence on his career.

One of the great achievements is the work with his 22-year-old
daughter Anouschka.

The New Year wish of the “Happy New Year, mothers” creative team is to
“love and to be loved.”

Alain Delon says there has not been a single day in his life when he
did not recall his mother. If she were alive now, he would not give
her any New Year gifts. He would just be beside her.

DELON SURPRISED BY HIS POPULARITY IN ARMENIA

December 18, 2012 – 18:02 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – French cinema legend Alain Delon expressed surprise
over a warm welcome and his popularity in Armenia.

“During my meeting with the Armenian President I shared my surprise
at the amount of love and appreciation I discovered to be enjoying in
Armenia. Even my friend, Charles Aznavour has never told me about it,”
the actor told a December 18 news conference in Yerevan.

The actor arrived in Yerevan December 17 to attend the premiere of
“Happy New Year, Moms!” film, produced by Ghevond Andreasyan, Georgy
Malkov and Valeriy Saaryan.

The French star shared thoughts of his mother. “Everything I have and
everything I achieved, be it talent or looks, I owe to my mother,”
he said.

In conclusion, the actor wished Armenian people love and happiness
in the coming year.

ASHOT MANUCHARIAN: EAVESDROPPING WAS MORE AIMED AGAINST HAK

Tuesday,
December 18

“Since the end of the world is approaching, one should understand
which agenda is being formed now – the agenda of the dying world
or of the incipient one? The agenda which is currently being formed
is the dying world’s agenda,” member of “Karabakh” Committee Ashot
Manucharian said at a press conference today.

Speaking about the Zurabian-Oskanian conversation’s eavesdropping
that has made a stir in recent days, Ashot Manucharian remarked that
its meaning is not quite clear now. ” Ahead of the election, they are
engaged in a culture of discrediting people,” he said adding that the
eavesdropping was more aimed against the Armenian National Congress
(HAK) as it has made more stir among HAK.

As regards the Prosperous Armenia party (BHK) decision not to field
a presidential candidate; Manucharian said that the majority of BHK
electorate is prepared to struggle so that something will change. In
his words, it is not ruled out that BHK electorate will vote for
Serzh Sargsyan or Raffi Hovannisian.

As for the candidate of HAK, the speaker noted that all the figures
of HAK can nominate themselves as a presidential candidate.

TODAY, 17:33

Aysor.am

NEW OPERATOR: ROSTELECOM AFFILIATE ENTERS ARMENIA IT MARKET
By GOHAR ABRAHAMYAN

ArmeniaNow
18.12.12 | 16:13

Armenian GNC-Alfa phone operator, affiliate of Rostelecom, a major
Russian telecommunications company, is now offering its services in
the provinces of Armenia – the project launched Monday in Abovyan
with the opening of its first service center.

During his Tuesday meeting with press in Yerevan, GNC-Alfa General
Manager Hayk Faramazyan announced that one of the leading phone
operators under its Rostelecom brand is offering landline telephone
and internet availability, and will soon include interactive TV in
the package.

In early February of 2012, Rostelecom purchased 75 percent of GNC-Alfa
company stock from private investors/shareholders for 22.5 million.

“Although there are other major operators in Armenia, the country
has a demand for our services, too, especially in the provinces,
because balanced development of the provinces is one of the priority
government programs,” says Farazamyan, adding that 3 Mb internet
costs 6,000 drams ($14) per month.

First customer service centers will open in Ashtarak and Gyumri,
then all across Armenia in Vanadzor, Charencavan, Hrazdan, Armavir,
Metsamor, Kajaran and Kapan, as well as Yerevan’s Erebuni, Nubarashen
and Ajapnyan communities.

In 2012, more than $10 million investment was made, and another $12
million will be invested in 2013. The company’s five-year plan of
capital expenses is $30 million.

Rostelecom vice-chairman Naum Marder said today their company is
undoubtedly among the leading Russian internet providers.

“GNC-Alfa’s network is entirely based on optical-microfiber cables
covering 80 percent of Armenia and spreads over 2,500 km, which will
enable capacity for a great number of users. It is connected to the
region’s main internet backbone and the major traffic exchange hubs
through the international communications with Iran and Georgia,”
says Marder.