Author: Kajoyan Gevork

Replacement of France with EU in Minsk Group will fail the entire
process: French Senator

17:43, 26 May, 2012

YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS: Replacement of France with EU in the
Minsk Group will fail the entire process and can even throw it down,
French senator Philip Marini said in an interview with Armenpress.

“France has been a co-chair country from the very beginning of the
OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship process and will continue its
commitment in that status. This is the mission of very France and not
EU,” said Marini.

He stressed that French authorities have always maintained their
position in the Nagorno Karabakh issue.

“Those who want to replace France with EU in the Minsk Group have an
apparent anti-Armenian position, and justify their wish by very close
relations of Armenia and France. But actually it is not an argument
and will greatly harm the Minsk process,” said the senator.

`King John’ by Gabriel Sundukyan theatre at London’s Globe- Guardian’s review

tert.am
17:22 – 26.05.12

The British Guardian referred to the `King John’ performance presented
by the Armenian Gabriel Sundukyan theatre in London. The review runs
as follows:

`The Latin for apricot, says the very informative Armenian gentleman
sitting beside me, is prunus armenicus (Armenian plum). He’s telling
me this because the Globe has been filled with the sound of the duduk,
an instrument traditionally made from the wood of an apricot tree, as
the Sundukyan Theatre’s production of King John gets off to an
exuberant start.

It may have been written by Shakespeare as a tragedy, but tonight’s
performance, directed by Tigran Gasparyan, tends to focus more on
comedy. The play opens as characters laugh and joke noisily, while
musicians play Armenian folk. Actors enter carrying large
old-fashioned trunks (and one or two wheely suitcases) – an apt
recognition, perhaps, of the large proportion of tonight’s audience,
who have at some point made the journey from Armenia to settle in the
UK. At different points in the play these trunks are thrown around the
stage, used as thrones, battlefield barricades, a hiding place for the
King, and even as the characters’ emotional baggage.

King John himself is portrayed as a boisterous, larger-than-life and
at times clown-like figure by Armen Marutyan, who often pulls a
leather crown from his pocket, tossing it into the air before placing
it firmly on to his head to assert his right to the throne. Tigran
Nersisyan’s Bastard cuts a dashing, charismatic figure, and is by far
the most earnest of the cast (though even he can’t resist joking with
the audience from time to time), while Arthur, the young French prince
who has to plead for his life, is introduced as a lackadaisical drunk.
The snide cardinal Pandolph is yet another figure of fun, whose stiff
movements and camp manner have the audience chuckling from his first
appearance.

It is the female characters, though, who provide show-stealing
performances. Nelly Kheranyan is superb as the wizened, bald,
stick-wielding hag Queen Eleanor, whose spider-like movements around
the stage seem to genuinely terrify her fellow cast members. She and
Constance, played by Alla Vardanyan, have to be physically restrained
by the men, as they face off in defence of their sons in a scene which
veers towards slapstick, with the King bending over to slap his own
bottom at Constance, and Louis catapulted into a forward somersault as
he tries to hold his mother back. Even the clarinet player gets in on
the act, providing humorous sound effects.

Lady Blanche (Liana Arestakyan), designated a floozie from the off
with her bright red tights, delivers what you could say was the climax
of the show when, devastated at the thought of her new husband Louis
going off to war, she attempts to shag him into submission. This
performance, once it comes to a head, even earns her a standing
ovation from the cast (whether those audience members with very young
children felt quite the same way is another question).

The second half sees some enjoyable comic interaction between Hubert,
the simple fool, and King John. Skipping a few bits of the story from
acts four and five, John’s sudden death is witnessed only by Hubert,
who immediately takes the king’s leather coat and crown for himself –
a fitting ending to a performance which saw the comedy in tragedy at
every turn.’

Explosion at gas pumping station in Armenia’s Vanadzor

news.am
May 26, 2012 | 15:08

VANADZOR. – A blast occurred at dawn on Saturday at a natural gas
pumping station in Armenia’s Vanadzor City.

The gas tank of a VAZ 21103, which belonged to Armen Simonyan,
exploded at the pumping station, Armenian News-NEWS.am’s reporter
informs from Vanadzor.

Fortunately, there were no fatalities and injured as a result of the
blast, but the aforesaid vehicle was blown apart and, subsequently,
impounded by the police.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Director
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Watch our latest videos on YouTube here:

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I CONDEMNS ARMENIAN CHURCH ATTACK IN SYRIAN CITY OF HOMS

Upon receiving the news of the attack against the Armenian church in the
Syrian city of Homs, His Holiness Aram I who is actually on an pontifical
visit to the Armenian community in Iran, strongly condemned the attack,
stating that any form of violence against religious sites must be condemned.
His Holiness called to deepen Christian-Muslim coexistence and cooperation
at this crucial juncture of the history of the Middle East.

ARMENIA TREE PROJECT
65 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472 USA
Tel: (617) 926-TREE
Email: [email protected]
Web:

PRESS RELEASE
May 25, 2012

ATP Plants More Than 230,000 Trees in 11 Regions of Armenia This Spring

YEREVAN–Armenia Tree Project (ATP) has recently completed its spring
programs after planting a total of 233,466 trees throughout the country. The
total includes 140,366 seedlings planted in the town of Saratovka in
northern Armenia, 51,100 seedlings that were provided to communities to
establish new forested areas, and 42,000 fruit and decorative trees planted
at 118 sites in 11 regions.

ATP continues to cooperate with new programs established in Armenia. In
April, ATP provided seedlings and professional expertise in planting trees
and shrubs in the yard of the new Ayb High School in Yerevan’s
Kanaker-Zeytun district. Teachers, students, friends, and parents joined ATP
to plant 905 trees and shrubs on the school grounds.

“The Ayb High School combines the best of Armenian schooling traditions and
contemporary learning technologies. The school has built a new culture of
learning to raise the competitiveness of Armenian education. This ambitious
initiative is deeply valued by ATP, as it shares our mission of educating
younger generations,” explains Community Tree Planting program manager
Arthur Harutyunyan, who led the tree planting at the school.

One of ATP’s other exciting projects was joining the Barekamavan Development
Project on the Tavush border. “Barekamavan Village is on the Azeri border
and is extremely poor. From 200 families, only half still live in the
village, so it was a priority for us to start working in this village,”
notes Harutyunyan.

With the help of the Armenian communities in Ireland and Dubai and the
support of organizations such as AGBU and Macademias, three greenhouses were
built for families in Barekamavan. “With the income they get from the crops,
they will be more encouraged to stay in the village, raise their children
here, and ensure a strong presence in this strategic border community,” adds
Harutyunyan.

ATP provided 206 pear, apple, almond, and cherry trees to families in
Barekamavan, and 30 evergreens were planted around the local church yard.
“ATP has made it a priority to provide the majority of its fruit trees to
people in the poorest and most disadvantaged communities,” Harutyunyan
emphasizes. ATP also provided fruit and nut trees to needy communities in
Ghursali, Nerkin Khndzoresk, Lernamerdz, and Teghenik.

ATP’s SEEDS team established new forest areas in the northern community of
Saratovka, located several miles from Stepanavan. ATP launched an exciting
program in 2011 known as SEEDS, or “Social, Economic, and Environmental
Development for Sustainability.”

“There were no trees or forested areas near Saratovka. Therefore, we hope
the people here will make use of the fruit trees and enjoy the greenery in
their community,” notes SEEDS program manager Vardan Melikyan. The new
forest was established with oak, pine, ash, apple, and pear trees. It is
located near a lake which will create beautiful scenery and serve as a
shelter for various water birds.

The planting in Saratovka was implemented by seasonal workers hired by ATP
from Vanadzor and neighboring villages, many of whom were Armenian refugees
from Azerbaijan. Within the framework of ATP’s community forests program,
41,100 tree seedlings were provided for planting in Teghenik, Karenis, and
Tsakhkunq, and another 10,000 seedlings were provided to the city of
Chambarak in the Gegharkunik region.

ATP’s mission is to assist the Armenian people in using trees to improve
their standard of living and protect the environment, guided by the desire
to promote self-sufficiency, aid those with the fewest resources first, and
conserve the indigenous ecosystem. ATP’s three major programs are tree
planting, environmental education, and sustainable development initiatives.
For more information, please visit the web site

EUROVISION A BAKOU : DES CANDIDATS DE 17 A 76 ANS
Stephane

armenews.com
vendredi 25 mai 2012

L’Eurovision-2012, qui se tient du 22 au 26 mai sur fond de feerie
glamour a Bakou, la capitale de l’Azerbaïdjan, ex-republique sovietique
du Caucase, va voir s’affronter des candidats de 17 a 76 ans, de
jeunes chanteurs et des concurrents en âge d’etre leurs grands-parents.

Un groupe de grands-mères russes d’un petit village de la Volga,
les “Bouranovskie Babouchki”, et un crooner britannique de 76 ans,
Engelbert Humperdinck, figurent parmi les favoris de cette 57e edition
de l’Eurovision organisee au Crystal Hall, un palais flambant neuf
erige specialement pour ce concours sur les bords de la Caspienne.

Humperdinck, dont le dernier tube remonte aux annees 70, est l’un
des participants les plus âges de cette competition marquee par le
retour ou la montee sur scène de plusieurs septuagenaires, la palme
revenant a une babouchka russe de quelques mois son aînee.

Quarante-deux pays vont se disputer le titre. L’Eurovision est
organisee pour la première fois en Azerbaïdjan, vainqueur de l’annee
precedente, qui a depense des millions de dollars pour embellir
sa capitale et promet un show spectaculaire agremente de scènes de
folklore traditionnel azerbaïdjanais.

Dix pays vont essayer de se qualifier lors de la première demi-finale
mardi, et dix autres tenteront d’obtenir le sesame a l’issue de la
seconde demi-finale le jeudi 24 mai.

Six nations sont qualifiees d’office : l’Azerbaïdjan, la France,
l’Allemagne, l’Italie, l’Espagne et la Grande-Bretagne.

Cette annee, la Russie, l’Italie, la Serbie, la Roumanie et la
Grande-Bretagne, de meme que la chanteuse suedoise Loreen, qui
interprètera Euphoria, une chanson techno-pop, figurent parmi les
favoris de ce concours qui devrait etre regarde par environ 125
millions de telespectateurs.

La plupart des compositions seront traditionnellement chantees
en anglais mais le spectacle promet aussi quelques singularites
linguistiques.

Le groupe russe “Bouranovskie Babouchki” (les grands-mères de
Bouranovo) va melanger dans sa chanson des paroles en anglais, en
russe et en oudmourte, une langue locale qui se rattache au groupe
finno-ougrien, alors que le groupe autrichien Trackshittaz a promis
du rap dans un dialecte regional peu connu.

Les telespectateurs pourront voter par texto ou par telephone et leurs
voix seront ponderees a 50/50 avec celles d’un jury professionnel.

L’Azerbaïdjan, un pays de quelque 9,2 millions d’habitants a majorite
musulmane, riche en hydrocarbures, espère grâce a ce concours se
presenter au monde, où il n’etait connu jusqu’ici que comme un
exportateur de petrole.

“L’Eurovision rendra l’Azerbaïdjan celèbre dans le monde entier. Nous
sommes fiers que le concours se deroule ici, a Bakou”, se felicite
Lala Mirzoyeva, une etudiante de 22 ans.

Plusieurs ONG espèrent pour leur part attirer l’attention de la
communaute internationale sur le problème des droits de l’homme dans
ce pays dirige d’une main de fer par le president Ilham Aliev, accuse
de reprimer la liberte de la presse et l’opposition.

“L’Azerbaïdjan fait de son mieux pour organiser un show, mais les gens
doivent savoir quels problèmes se cachent derrière ce côte brillant
et glamour”, estime Giorgi Gogia, de l’ONG Human Rights Watch.

L’Eurovision-2012 est egalement assombrie par le refus de l’Armenie
de participer – pour des raisons de securite – a ce concours, en
raison d’une declaration du president Aliev selon laquelle tous les
Armeniens sont hostiles a l’Azerbaïdjan.

L’Armenie et l’Azerbaïdjan se disputent depuis des annees le contrôle
du Nagorny-Karabakh, une region separatiste azerbaïdjanaise peuplee
majoritairement d’Armeniens.

Rattachee a l’Azerbaïdjan pendant la periode sovietique, cette
region a proclame son independance, non reconnue par la communaute
internationale, après une guerre qui a fait 30.000 morts et des
centaines de milliers de refugies entre 1988 et 1994.

SPANISH LAWMAKERS DISMISS ‘ARMENIAN GENOCIDE’ RESOLUTION

Today’s Zaman

May 24 2012
Turkey

Spanish lawmakers have voted against a resolution describing the
killings of Armenians under the Ottoman Empire at the beginning of
the last century as “genocide,” a news report said on Thursday.

Lawmakers at the Foreign Affairs Committee rejected the proposed
resolution by a resounding 3-36 vote, the Anatolia news agency
reported. The measure was proposed by two deputies from Amaiur,
a left-wing Basque nationalist coalition, and was only supported by
members from the United Left (IU) coalition and the Basque Nationalist
Party (PNV). Members representing all the other parties at the
committee, including the ruling People’s Party (PP) and the main
opposition Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE), opposed the resolution.

A spokesman for the PP said the ruling party was opposed to the
measure because it was against “a revision of history” by parliament.

Jose Maria Beneyto said his party encourages reconciliation efforts
instead.

Meritxell Batet, a PSOE lawmaker, agreed, saying such resolutions harm
Turkish-Armenian ties. “The best way is to encourage reconciliation,”
she was quoted as saying by Anatolia.

Other lawmakers criticized the Amaiur deputies who proposed the
resolution, saying they should be mourning those who have been killed
in terror attacks in the Basque region instead of shedding “crocodile
tears” for the Armenians.

Spanish views on history appear to be split along the political
divisions in the country. The governments of Spain’s autonomous
regions in the Basque Country, the Balearic Islands and Catalonia
have adopted resolutions describing the 1915 events as genocide,
while the Spanish parliament is reluctant to approve such steps. A
similar measure, tabled by the Republican Left of Catalonia was voted
down in the Spanish parliament in 2010.

Turkey rejects Armenian claims of genocide, saying there were deaths
on both sides as the Ottoman Empire was trying to quell a revolt by
Armenian gangs who took up arms against the central government for
independence in collaboration with the Russian army that was then
invading eastern Anatolia.

But parliaments in a number of countries have already passed
resolutions supporting the Armenian claims of genocide. Earlier
this year, France, whose parliament had already adopted the Armenian
version of history, attempted to take it a step further and criminalize
denial of the alleged genocide. A bill to that effect was passed in
both houses of the French parliament but was annulled in February by
the country’s Constitutional Council, which said it ran counter to
the constitutional principle of freedom of expression.

MAKING ROOM FOR EUROVISION
By Sohail Rahman

Al Jazeera

May 25 2012
Qatar

It’s that time of the year again when Europeans descend into
insults and accusations as well as threats of boycotts and copycat
performances.

Well, this year that’s not so far from wrong.

The Eurovision contest won by Azerbaijan last year in Dusseldorf gave
this former Soviet republic the automatic right to host the event in
2012, and Armenia the excuse to withdraw. It is still officially at
war with Azerbaijan over the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh.

What a great start to winning the event in 2011! President Ilham
Aliyev must have been rubbing his hands with glee.

On the other hand, some European capitals perhaps are wondering whether
such an opportunity would be used wisely. It’s an opportunity for a
country mired in accusations of corruption and human-rights abuses
to prove its detractors wrong.

Since independence from the former Soviet union in 1991, there was
great optimism in the country that a new generation would sweep aside
the communist legacy and bring in new blood with fresh thinking and
free thought.

Influence and power

It may have started off brightly but seven presidents later, enter
Aliyev in 2003. Sworn in soon after the death of the incumbent, his
father Heydar Aliyev, Ilham Aliyev is now a man of great influence
and personal power.

Walking around the capital, Baku, posters of his father Heydar Aliyev
adorn every street corner.

I expected a Eurovision host city to be buzzing with excitement,
the streets, shops, buildings and buses are merchandised to the hilt.

You’d have to be completely stupid to miss the fact that Baku is this
year’s host city.

Yet having worked on several Eurovision Finals in my career, there
is no buzz and certainly little excitement on the streets from the
local people themselves.

Though the fans have descended on Azerbaijan like bees round a honey
pot, locals are uncomfortable speaking about the event at all. They
don’t want to be in front of the camera and they don’t want to say
anything off-camera about the event.

They look suspicious and, in some cases, just scared to even be seen
talking to a TV crew.

Positions of influence

Local journalists and human-rights activists I meet during my weeklong
stay in Baku explained that since 2008, Aliyev has been consolidating
his grip on power, placing his most trusted lieutenants in positions
of influence.

So who’s in charge of Eurovision? Someone with vast event management
experience, or a senior TV executive with decades of entertainment
experience behind them?

Influence, yes but experience? That’s questionable.

It’s the First Lady, Mehriban Aliyeva.

Stunning and educationally smart, she is chairperson of this year’s
organising committee and the personality to whom all must defer
and obey.

The venue – Baku’s Crystal Hall, where the Eurovision will be held –
is a controversial site.

Built alongside an area called Flag Square, the whole place was a
residential site until 10 months ago.

Then the residents were kicked out of their homes to make way for Le
Grand Prix de la Chanson!

With 300 families forcibly evicted, human-rights groups have been up
in arms both domestically and internationally.

And the arguments continue.

I saw at first hand what happens if you speak up: you are arrested
and thrown into a van.

No one will get in the way of the image of this country or the
Eurovision from being tarnished.

Fund by oil wealth

For the Eurovision event in Baku, $800m is the total price tag,
most of it funded by the vast oil wealth of Azerbaijan.

There is a downside to all this, however. Funding for projects such as
water distribution and development has been redirected to the contest.

Pension and government salary increases have either been put on hold
or reduced.

Perhaps now you can see why the locals are disgruntled.

However, it’s not all bad.

On the surface, money has been spent on improving the city. It is
evident in the roads, utilities and tourist attractions developed to
attract foreign visitors and future cash.

It may not be mass tourist destination for the moment as the deputy
tourism and culture minister told me, but they are working on it.

Like it or loathe it, Eurovision is here to stay, although a country’s
problems will always be a matter of media interest. News is news,
with bad news always being a top story for any editorial meeting be
it print, online or TV.

So, the question you want me to answer after seeing some of the
performances is who’s going to win.

Well, Russia and Sweden are well thought of. The Russians, always
well prepared, have six grannies on stage and two spare, just in case.

I am not joking but the UK has Engelbert Humperdinck, one of the
oldest contestants ever in the competition. The BBC has not thought
of a back-up plan should he keel over. Dressed in my tux for the big
night, I am willing to fill the breach in that case, though I fear
my employers will not be amused.

So I will play it safe and just offer my humble opinion. Not that
I’ve picked a winner since Sandra Kim represented Belgium in 1986.

Vote for Cyprus. I like their song and I always could do with a beach
holiday when I report on the contest next year from Limassol.

THE OFFICIAL UNVEILING OF THE GENOCIDE MONUMENT IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Assyria Times

May 24 2012

On Sunday, May 20, 2012 in the city of Adelaide in South Australia,
a special ceremony was organised to commemorate the unveiling of
a monument dedicated to the victims of the Armenian, Assyrian and
Pontian Greeks genocide committed by Turkey’s Ottoman government during
World War I, 1914-1923. The genocide perpetrated against the Christian
population of Anatolia, a shameful act by the Ottoman Empire in its
final years, claimed the lives of one and a half million Armenians,
half a million Pontian Greeks and 750,000 Assyrians.

Erecting the South Australian genocide monument was the result of
great efforts made by three brotherly organizations: the Pontian
Brotherhood of South Australia, the Armenian Cultural Association of
South Australia, and the Assyrian Universal Alliance-Australia Chapter.

The commemoration began with a mass held at St. Dimitrios Greek
Orthodox Church of Salisbury in memory of the victims of the said
genocide. It was conducted by His Grace Bishop Nikandros of Doryleon
and Rev. Fathers Christos Tsoraklidis and Silouan Fotineas, and
was attended by more than 20 representatives from local, state and
federal government.

After the mass, all the guests gathered at the mausoleum of the
Holy Family reception in a friendly atmosphere, where the Master
of Ceremonies, Ms. Anna Volis, started the program by welcoming the
guests and calling upon them to deliver their speeches. Among those
present were:

Dr. Joseph Masika, member of the South Australian Multicultural and
Ethnic Affairs Commission, representing Mr. Hieu Van Le, Lieutenant
Governor of SA, H.G. Bishop Nikandros of Doryleon and Rev. Fathers
Christos Tsoraklidis and Silouan Fotineas, Her Worship Ms Gillian
Aldridge, the Mayor of the City of Salisbury, the Honourable Jack
Snelling MP, Treasurer of South Australia, the Honourable Jennifer
Rankine MP, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, the Honourable Tom
Koutsantonis MP, Minister for Manufacturing, Innovation and Trade, Ms.

Isobel Redmond MP, Leader of the Opposition, the Honourable Michael
Atkinson MP, Member for Croydon, Ms. Leesa Vlahos MP, Member for
Taylor, Ms. Vickie Chapman MP, Member for Bragg, the Honourable
Jing Lee MLC, Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Minister
for Multicultural Affairs, Mr. Tony Zappia MP, Federal Member for
Makin, Mr. Nick Champion MP, Federal Member Wakefield, Mr. Christos
Maniakis-Grivas, Consul-General of Greece in South Australia, Cr.

Donna Proleta who is representing Cr. Chad Buchanan, Cr. Shiralee
Reardon JP, Aunty Josie Agius, Mr. John Kiosoglous, Chairman,
Ethnic Schools Board, Mr. Nick Chryssostomidis, President of Pontian
Federation of Australia, Ms. Anna Volis, President of the Pontian
Brotherhood of South Australia, Ms. Elena Harrison, President of the
Armenian Cultural Association of South Australia, Mr. David David,
President of Assyrian Australian National Federation, Mr. Paul Azzo,
Adviser to the Assyrian Universal Alliance of Australia, Mr. Ben
Jabro, Executive Board member of the Assyrian Universal Alliance
of Australia, Mr. Hermiz Shahen, Deputy Secretary General of the
Assyrian Universal Alliance, Mr. Hovig Melkonian, Representative of
Armenian National Committee of Australia, Peter Louca, Chairman of
the Justice of the Cyprus Coordinating Committee, Mr. Chris Ioannou,
President of Cyprian Association, Mr. Andrew Steiner, sculptor and
holocaust survivor, Mr. Louis Kalogiannidis, architect of the monument.

Upon completion of the speeches all guests moved to the vicinity
of the genocide monument to start the unveiling ceremony. After
a blessing prayer by the Bishop of the Greek Orthodox Church the
formal proceedings began with the singing of the Australian, Greek,
Armenian and Assyrian National Anthems. Then, the monument was
unveiled with pride by representatives of the three organizations
that had participated in the creation of this memorial.

This great event has left a deep imprint in the memory and hearts of
all those present who blessed this high convergence between the three
nations in order to unify their call for justice and their efforts
to obtain international recognition of the genocide committed against
their people by the Ottoman Turks during World War I.

During his speech, Mr. Hermiz Shahen thanked members of the Monument
Project Committee, who worked diligently to bring this project
to reality, particularly Ms. Anna Volis, President of the Pontian
Brotherhood of South Australia and Ms. Elena Harrison, President
of the Armenian Cultural Association of South Australia for their
leadership and commitment to bring this project to fruition.

Mr. Shahen Said, “Today’s unveiling of this extraordinary monument,
which honours the victims of the Greeks, Assyrian and Armenian
genocide, is a significant event in the life of the three nations
and our communities in Australia and abroad; communities that have
been established as a direct result of the continuous assaults on
their nations.”

For the Assyrians this memorial monument brings memories of one
of the worst policies of systematic annihilation of human beings
conducted against the Assyrian nation; a heartless campaign that
almost eliminated our presence in Southeast Turkey. By 1918, nearly
three quarters of a million Assyrians of different denominations had
fallen victim to this mass murder conducted by the Ottoman Turks.

Mr. Shahen urged the Australian Federal Government, as well as
other countries, to condemn these heinous acts committed against the
Christian citizens of Anatolia and to pressure Turkey to acknowledge
and apologise for the atrocities that its Ottoman leaders committed
against their Assyrian, Armenian and Pontic Greek citizens during
World War I. “Let us recognize and condemn these acts for what they
are: genocide” Mr. Shahen said.

Ms. Anna Volis, thanked all government departments, institutions and
volunteers who contributed to the success of this project. She blessed
the convergence that delivered this remarkable achievement, which
was the result of the ongoing work between the three communities of
the Armenians, Pontian Greeks and Assyrians. She strongly encouraged
our institutions worldwide follow the lead in unifying our voices
in demanding the recognition of the genocide that was perpetrated
against all Christian peoples in Anatolia by the Ottoman Turkey.

In her address, Ms. Elena Harrison made reference to the dramatic
story behind the construction of the Genocide Memorial in Yerevan,
Armenia, when Kremlin finally agreed to allow a genocide memorial to
be built. The former Soviet Union allowed only half the finance and
a short time to build such a large memorial. Armenians feared that
Moscow would cancel the project any minute. But a miracle happened.

Without invitation or demand, people came in busloads from different
regions and cities of Armenia in order to lend a hand. Most of them
were descendants of Armenians who had lived in different regions of
Turkish Western Armenia. Whatever work they did, they did it with
pleasure and when they had nothing to do they sang patriotic songs.

They used the same indomitable spirit that helped us survive through
the dark pages of our history. And, I can proudly say that this spirit
is still alive today not just in the Armenian community here in South
Australia, but with my Pontian Greek and Assyrian brothers and sisters.

Ms. Elena ended her words by saying, “my hope is that this monument
in Salisbury, South Australia, will become a shrine for our three
nations to remember our fallen ancestors.”

PO Box 34, Fairfield NSW 1860 Australia E-mail:
[email protected]

KEVORKIAN’S FRIGHTENING FASCINATION WITH BLOOD

World News Daily WND.com

May 24 2012

Exclusive: Marisa Martin probes morbid world of euthanasia advocate’s
artwork

“All that blood and not a paintbrush in sight” – Some such thought
must have drifted through the dark chambers of Dr. Jack Kevorkian’s
mind at one point, perhaps shortly before he began incorporating
human blood into his oil paintings.

There couldn’t be a more suitable medium for the creations of the man
dubbed “Dr. Death” and “Jack the Dripper” by the press. In the 1990s
Kevorkian became the biggest euthanasia celebrity since Himmler and
Margaret Sanger (see “Croaking with the Stars”). The official oracle
of death was proud of his titles and loved all publicity, although
his medical license was actually yanked decades ago via a murder
charge in Michigan.

Most people familiar with the notorious Kevorkian aren’t aware that
he spent 12 years unsuccessfully painting, writing, composing music
and creating a film based on Handel’s “Messiah.” It wasn’t until he
began “helping” people die that his art and music attracted a great
deal of attention.

Now a year after his own demise, a war quietly brews between the
Armenian Library and Museum of America, or ALMA, in Watertown, Mass.,
and Kevorkian’s estate. Several paintings were left to the museum as
either loans or gifts, depending on the source. The doctor’s sole heir
and niece Ava Janus of Troy, Mich., wants them all returned and even
included the disputed artworks symbolically in a New York auction of
his effects last fall.

The honors bestowed on Kevorkian’s paintings stem from a variety of
causes, and none of them are the quality, at least that’s my take.

Kevorkian acknowledged as much himself when he critiqued his own work
at the show’s opening in 2008: “I think they’d be more affective if
they were done by a real artist.”

But the cult of personality swells America’s obsession for all things
celebrity, like an actor’s motorbike – particularly if he died on it.

Executive Director Mariam Stepanyan said the museum won’t be taking
a position on Kevorkian’s murder conviction or apparently the whole
death and euthanasia cult thing either. I admit the background of the
man and his gruesome life’s work does prejudice me a bit on his art.

Bad art can be so much easier to take if you can make your own
interpretations, but here you already know the whole story and its
unhappy endings.

Kevorkian shows at ALMA because his parents were Armenian survivors.

This could possibly explain the dreariness, violence, fear and the
almost palpable stench of death permeating most paintings, but not
really. His mother’s great will to live prevailed over armies of men
trying to murder her in Armenia. Kevorkian’s scenario would have her
leaping off the nearest cliff rather than face possible torture or
rape, the pain he would help us all avoid with his poisons and potions.

“1915 Genocide 1945” by Jack Kevorkian When he deals with this theme
in his painting “1915 – Genocide – 1945,” Kevorkian hits a sympathetic
nerve for once. This is one of the paintings where he claimed to use a
pint of his own blood mixed into the paints. You’ll have to put aside
issues of health, religion and the longevity of blood as a painting
medium for a moment. It depicts a decapitated woman’s head clutched
by Nazis and Ottoman soldiers.

Because of Kevorkian’s family history, his bizarre choice of
ingredients seems more authentic and almost tender. It feels
historically right even as it is still horrific to view.

The doctor actually sounded quite sane in his remarks over the
“inhuman gall and depravity” inherent in planning campaigns of racial
extermination. Kevorkian also called for the need for a “hereditary
memory” to avoid the recurrence of genocide.

Not all his paintings deal with suicide, death and destruction. The
ALMA exhibition is divided into three categories: medical themes,
political themes and musical themes.

Kevorkian’s interest wandered at least slightly into a little
portraiture. A stolid Johan Sebastian Bach, one of his favorite
musicians, fills a canvas. He produced a few other portraits with a
primitive but meticulously detailed and finished look, somewhat like
old colonial portraits.

The outsider feeling expresses his entire life, not just his
paintings. Kevorkian was abrasive and contentious in his beliefs and
with authorities. It was an expression of his contempt for any type
of constraints to personal freedom, including a God with rules.

“Nearer My God to Thee” by Jack Kevorkian

“For He Is Raised” by Jack Kevorkian Christianity and Christ are
openly ridiculed in a few especially vicious pieces such as “For He
is Raised.” Here Easter bunnies manipulate a wounded and impotent,
puppet Jesus with strings.

Blatantly offensive, Kevorkian didn’t have the nerve to defend his
obvious contempt, but gave a more politically correct rationale:
“‘For He Is Raised’ depicts how religion has become distorted by pagan
symbols of fertility to further manipulate the meaning of Easter.”

Why would he possibly care about the distortion of a religion with
(as he claimed) a made-up God?

Kevorkian’s “god” was J.S. Bach, his favorite composer/genius whom
he admired above all beings. Ironically Bach was a devout Christian,
dedicating all his works to the glory of God. For that matter, so was
Handel and his “Messiah,” another of Kevorkian’s muses. I wonder how
Kevorkian rationalized this disconnect.

Medical subjects, injury and disease make up other series in his work
such as “Paralysis,” trying to depict a chained spinal cord and brain.

The image of this fractured man holding his arm and turning to
“stone” lies somewhere between cubism and a bad acid trip. As in
all of Kevorkian’s work there is only raw agony, with no comfort or
answers implied.

“Paralysis” by Jack Kevorkian His graphic interpretations of mutilation
and pain aren’t for the squeamish or weak-stomached. In fact I can’t
think of a reason anyone would want art that almost hurts their eyes,
but there is a market.

Ariana Gallery (Detroit) sells signed and numbered lithographs of
his work at $500 apiece and feels the demand will go up.

A spokesman is estimating the collection of Kevorkian paintings at
$2.5-$3.5 million if they can get their hands on them. That will
be up to the courts, as it is still being disputed and neither side
appears to be willing to budge.

Kevorkian’s famed “Thanatron” (Greek for “death-machine”) was also
offered up at auction – unfortunately, used. Before his trial for a
publicly filmed suicide that Kevorkian administered, it was redubbed
the “Mercitron” by his clever lawyer. That’s what they pay them for.

To help buyers feel more inclined, part of the auction proceeds goes
to “Kicking Cancer for Kids,” where they are presumably treated and
not euthanized.

The witty slogan resulting from Kevorkian’s campaign “right to die”
makes perfect sense if your address is Mount Olympus, otherwise it’s
a bit of a redundancy. Unfortunately Kevorkian’s intent to affect
public policy on euthanasia has been wildly successful with Oregon
and other states now legalizing physician-assisted suicide.

The eventual effects of Kevorkian’s ghastly art and philosophy may
yet be seen. What he deemed the “realm of pure human reason” seems
to be reflected in parts of the Obama health bill. Hopefully talk of
“death panels” and restricted care is just speculation and will remain
as unacceptable now as it was 20 years ago.

But if the Obama bill is to health care what Kevorkian is to art,
it wouldn’t surprise me to find “Paralysis” hanging in the White House.