Author: Kalantarian Kevo

Zee News
April 25 2014

Barack Obama urges acknowledgement of massacre of Armenians

Last Updated: Friday, April 25, 2014, 04:58

Washington: US President Barack Obama Thursday called for “a full,
frank and just acknowledgement of the facts” relating to the massacre
of 1.5 million Armenians at the hands of Ottoman Turks starting in
1915.

Despite his past promise, the president shunned again the word
“genocide” in his latest observance of what he called “one of the
worst atrocities of the 20th century,” reportedly.

“We recall the horror of what happened 99 years ago, when 1.5 million
Armenians were massacred or marched to their deaths in the final days
of the Ottoman Empire, and we grieve for the lives lost and the
suffering endured by those men, women and children,” the president
said in a statement.

“I have consistently stated my own view of what occurred in 1915, and
my view has not changed,” he added. “A full, frank and just
acknowledgement of the facts is in all of our interests.”

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan Wednesday issued a
nine-language statement offering his condolences over the killings,
the first ever by a Turkish leader.

The Armenians said over 1.5 million of their forebears were killed in
1915 and 1916 by the army of Ottoman Empire in a “genocide.” Turkey,
which does not deny that many Armenians died in clashes, disputes the
number of deaths and objects to the use of “genocide” in describing
the chapter.

“Peoples and nations grow stronger, and build a foundation for a more
just and tolerant future, by acknowledging and reckoning with painful
elements of the past,” Obama said.

“We continue to learn this lesson in the United States, as we strive
to reconcile some of the darkest moments in our own history, ” he
added, urging more Armenians and Turks to take the path. More than 20
countries and 43 US states have officially recognised the Armenian
genocide.

Interfax, Russia
April 25 2014

Armenians expect genocide recognition from Turkey – Catholicos Aram I

Yerevan, April 25, Interfax – The Armenian people expect not only
condolences but the recognition of the Armenian Genocide from Turkey,
Catholicos Aram I of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia.

“We have read the Turkish prime minister’s statement on the eve of the
Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day. Falsification of historical facts
cannot overpower indisputable truth. What happened in Turkey in 1915
was not a result of war, Mr. prime minister. This is genocide of
Armenians – in both the political and legal sense of this word,”
Catholicos Aram I said in commenting on Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan’s statement in the run-up to the Genocide Remembrance
Day.

The Turkish prime minister for the first time expressed condolences to
the descendants of Armenians massacred in the Ottoman Empire in 1915
in a Wednesday statement.

“It is with this hope and belief that we wish that the Armenians who
lost their lives in the context of the early 20th century rest in
peace, and we convey our condolences to their grandchildren,” Erdogan
said in his statement.

“The incidents of the First World War are our shared pain,” he said.

In commenting on the Turkish prime minister’s words, Catholicos Aram I
said on the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia’s official
Facebook account, “This is genocide organized and committed by your
ancestors – Talaat Pasha and Enver Pasha. Therefore, the Armenian
people expect not condolences and lectures from Turkey but the
recognition of the Armenian Genocide and compensation.”

Daily Trojan Online, USC, CA
April 24 2014

USC holds Armenian genocide awareness event

By Macaul Hodge · Daily Trojan
Posted April 24, 2014 (2 days ago) at 10:47 pm in News

In commemoration of the 99th anniversary of the Armenian genocide,
USC’s Armenian Students’ Association and the Shoah Foundation hosted
the Armenian Genocide Awareness Talk at Tommy Trojan on Thursday.

Remembrance · Stephen Smith, the executive director of the Shoah
Foundation, served as one of the guest speakers at the Armenian
Genocide Awareness Talk, which was held Thursday at Tommy Trojan. –
Austin Vogel | Daily Trojan

According to the Armenian National Institute, the genocide officially
began on April 24, 1915, when over 200 Armenian community leaders were
apprehended and later executed in Turkey during the reign of the
Ottoman Empire. Over the next eight years, approximately one and a
half million Armenians were killed. The political party in power in
Turkey during this time, commonly referred to as the Young Turks,
carried out the killings.

The event included two guest speakers — Executive Director of the
Shoah Foundation Stephen Smith and criminal defense attorney RJ
Manuelian — and music including the bands VIZA, Armenian Public Radio
and R-Mean, as well as art installations and food displays. The
gathering served as a moment to remember those who were killed in the
genocide and reflect on the genocide as a whole.

Smith spoke about the world’s reluctance to acknowledge the Armenian genocide.

“The world has been in denial,” Smith said. “We owe those who have
fallen recognition, not only by the U.S. but by the world.”

He continued to speak directly to the students in the audience about
how they must carry on the torch.

“The obligation is now passed on to the diaspora of Armenians to
remember the genocide,” he said. “The obligation is now passed on to
all of you.”

Haig Aintablian, president of the Armenian Students’ Association,
spoke about his personal experience with the genocide, in which some
of his family were victims.

“My [great-grandmother] was personally in the Armenian Genocide,”
Aintablian said. “I heard stories of it from my grandma, very very
horrific stories. I didn’t realize it was something that would affect
me until I joined the board of the USC ASA.”

Aintablian continued to speak about how awareness of the genocide is
highly limited.

“Historically it’s so sad not to see it widespread and people don’t
know about it,” Aintablian said. “The main thing is for USC students
to know about what happened. We’re all going to be the next generation
of politicians, the next generation to impact the United States. It’s
important that we ourselves are knowledgeable on these important
events, especially things like genocide.”

Those in attendance found the event to be an important medium for
increasing awareness.

“This is the largest turnout I’ve ever seen,” said Silva Sevlian, a
USC alumna and now full-time employee of the Shoah Foundation. “There
is actually a substantial Armenian population here at USC. It’s really
an important event for them and the community as a whole.”

Mariam Mosinyan, a junior majoring in communication, stressed the need
to be privy to the past and present.

“It’s part of my heritage and my history — it’s important to be aware
of what’s going on in the community and contribute in any way,”
Mosinyan said. “If me being here and bringing a couple of my friends
who aren’t Armenian to learn about the issue helps in any way, then
that’s what I am going to do.”

Manuelian, the final speaker, discussed USC’s involvement in the
remembrance of the genocide as an important responsibility.

“This is a place of learning, where denial cannot take place,”
Manuelian said. “Today we are here to remember … Remembrance is the
first act of knowledge and knowledge is the first act of ensuring that
the denial does not continue.”

NEWS.GNOM.ES
April 25 2014

Following the Global Armenian Diaspora

By DAVID GONZALEZ

Scout Tufankjian recalls childhood afternoons at her grandmother’s
house, paging through Armenian magazines and wondering about the
people she saw in photos from all over the globe.

“I used to wonder, what did I have in common with these people?” Ms.
Tufankjian said. “What did a kid in Boston have in common with them?
What does it mean to be Armenian if you grow up in Calcutta or Buenos
Aires?”

While Armenians had long settled in other parts of the world, the
violence of the Armenian genocide in Turkey — begun 99 years ago — set
in motion a global exodus that has established communities in many
corners of the world. Through her own travels and curiosity, Ms.
Tufankjian has come to appreciate that diaspora’s diversity, which she
saw as a much-needed addition to the traditional historical view of
her people.

Since 2008, she has traveled to these outposts to document Armenian
life for a book that she hopes will come out next year and for which
she just began a Kickstarter campaign.

“The real driving force of this project has been my frustration that
Armenians were largely only known as victims, and that most available
literature about our community has us dying out or disappearing in
1915, which is absurd,” she said. “Armenians are a strong, vibrant
diaspora with over eight million Armenians living in over 85 countries
across the globe. I wanted to tell the story of that survival.”

Ms. Tufankjian grew up in Boston, the daughter of an Armenian father
and an Irish mother. Her maternal grandparents died when she was an
infant, and she spent a lot of time with her Armenian grandparents,
whose families had fled central Anatolia before the genocide.

“My great-grandparents had come over after a series of pogroms in the
late 1800s,” she said. “After one of them, my family got the hint and
left.”

The Boston area is home to one of the largest Armenian communities in
the United States and dates back several generations. The country’s
largest Armenian community is in Los Angeles, where hundreds of
thousands — from the descendants of genocide survivors to more recent
refugees from Egypt and Syria — have settled.

Being half-Armenian, Ms. Tufankjian said, spurred her to think about
her identity — perhaps more so than for someone who is 100 percent
Armenian and might take her heritage for granted. As a bookish child,
she was always trying to learn more about Armenian culture.

“But when you go to a library or bookstore, most of the stories you
find are the genocide narrative,” she said. “I’m not saying that is
not important, but the Armenian diaspora today is complex, with
diverse and thriving communities, and there was nowhere to go and find
out about the diaspora. I set out to create the kind of portrait of
the diaspora that reflects where Armenians are today.”

Her work covering Barack Obama’s first presidential campaign led to a
book, which gave her the financial cushion to begin her project. Her
first trip took her to Brazil, where some 20,000 Armenians lived
spread out in São Paulo. Aided by local groups, she was led to
potential subjects and learned about other communities. She has since
gone to photograph larger communities in Lebanon and even the
dwindling community in Ethiopia, where she photographed a young boy at
a church service.

“Being half-Armenian, I liked the Ethiopian community,” she said. “The
altar boy is half-Armenian and half-Ethiopian. They consider
themselves Armenian and Ethiopian.”

In Lebanon, Ms. Tufankjian said, she found communities where people
resettled entire villages dating to when they fled Turkey, and have
kept traditions dating back centuries. Some of her pictures show
wedding rituals, like when the groom’s family has a party and revelers
accompany musicians to the bride’s home (or when the best man is
“kidnapped” and has to be ransomed).

Some of those traditions survive only symbolically in other locales.
In New York, she noted, there was concern that young people at
Armenian events speak English.

Her project has allowed Ms. Tufankjian to explore the depth of ethnic identity.

“As with any group, there are bits you fit into and bits you don’t,”
she said. “But realizing there are communities diverse enough to
embrace all those different aspects has been great. It’s a complex,
diverse community.”

Just look at her first name, Scout.

“My parents were obsessed with ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ ” she said.
“If I had been a boy, I would be Atticus. People never misspell my
last name. But I get called Scott a lot.”

I will be appointed Energy Minister — Armenian ruling party MP

April 26, 2014 | 11:35

YEREVAN. ` I will be appointed Minister of Energy and Natural Resources.

Ruling Republican Party of Armenia MP Vardan Ayvazyan, who is also
Chairman of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Economic
Affairs, told the aforementioned to Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Ayvazyan made this statement in response to the query on whether he
may be included in the new Cabinet.

`There is information that newly appointed Prime Minister Hovik
Abrahamyan wants to see Vardan Ayvazyan, who was former Nature
Protection Minister and to whose family some mines belong, in the
position of Minister of Energy and Natural Resources,’ Zhamanak daily
had reported on Saturday.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

Serzh Sargsyan: It is long overdue to affirm de jure the factual
exercise of the Artsakh people’s right to self- determination.

by Nana Martirosyan

ARMINFO
Saturday, April 26, 02:08

“Armenia is interested in the further development of the Eastern
Partnership format. It should continue to serve its major objective –
united Europe that is free of dividing lines, stable and prosperous.
It is important for the Eastern Partnership to be responsive to the
vital interests of all the participating states. For Armenia it is
first of all the unblocking of the closed border with Turkey”,
President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan said in his
statement at the High-level Meeting in Prague on the 5th Anniversary
of the Eastern Partnership.

“It is an unfortunate reality that there is still no full-fledged
collaboration between the partner states. Sometimes, we not only
evade cooperation to achieve shared objectives but even display enmity
and hatred towards each other. Yesterday’s statement by the President
of Azerbaijan is the striking illustration of my words. Of course, his
absence from today’s session deprives me of an opportunity to touch
upon his speech in details. Instead of speaking about present day’s
numerous issues he tried to assume the role of Turkey’s advocate.
Instead of making a constructive proposal on the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict he touched upon the four twenty one-year-old UN Security
Council resolutions whose implementation had been brought about an
abortion by Azerbaijan at that time.

The peaceful settlement of the conflicts in the European continent is
of primary importance for the peace and prosperity. The settlement of
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict remains to be of vital importance for
Armenia.

It is a matter of plain fact that Nagorno Karabakh has got a system of
government based on the European values and corresponding to the
democratic principles. It is long overdue to affirm de jure the
factual exercise of the Artsakh people’s right to self-determination”,
said Sargsyan.

FRANCE
Millau : le sort de la famille Nadoyan suscite l’indignation

Ce couple d’origine kurde et son enfant, installés à Millau depuis
2011, devaient être expulsés vendredi 18 avril vers la Géorgie. Le
comité de soutien a manifesté son indignation devant le commissariat.

Environ soixante personnes, pour la plupart membres du comité de
soutien aux migrants ou bénévoles à l’association à tous cÅ`urs, ont
manifesté hier soir `leur indignation` dans les locaux du commissariat
quant au sort réservé Ã Vitali et Manana Nadoyan.

Avis d’expulsion reçu jeudi

Arrivé en France en 2009 après avoir fui la Géorgie et installé depuis
2011 Ã Millau avec leur petit garçon, ce couple d’origine kurde a reçu
jeudi son avis d’expulsion des mains d’un officier de policier
judiciaire. Cette décision était assortie d’un ordre d’embarquer
vendredi matin dans un avion en partance de Toulouse-Blagnac pour la
Géorgie.

En se rassemblant hier soir au commissariat, Ã l’heure même où le
couple devait `pointer’ trois fois par semaine, les membres du comité
de soutien et quelques élus (la conseillère régionale Martine Pérez,
le conseiller général Jean-Dominique Gonzales) espéraient recueillir
des informations concernant le sort de cette famille dont ils disent
`être sans nouvelles` depuis jeudi soir.

Condamnés à la clandestinité

Après 45 minutes d’attente, une délégation de trois personnes très
impliquées dans le dossier a été reçue par le commandant Éric
Delchambre qui leur a indiqué que le couple et leur enfant n’avaient
pas embarqué dans l’avion. Ils n’auraient été ni interpellés ni placés
en centre de rétention depuis, ce qui laisse entendre qu’ils se
cachent quelque part et sont donc condamnés à la clandestinité.

Une famille intégrée à la vie millavoise

De quoi susciter l’émoi, voire la colère des manifestants qui parlent
`d’un effroyable gchis`. `Cette famille s’est donnée à fond pour
s’intégrer à la vie millavoise. Ils y étaient arrivés, leur enfant
était scolarisé ici. Cette décision, elle est dégueulasse, scande Jean
qui connaissait bien cette famille. Et le pire, c’est que cette
décision a été prise par un gouvernement socialiste et une préfète qui
fait du zèle. Il s’agissait d’un cas humanitaire. C’est honteux.`

D’après le comité de soutien aux migrants, une dizaine de familles
vivant en Sud-Aveyron seraient actuellement en situation irrégulière
et menacées par une mesure de reconduite à la frontière.

,850596.php

samedi 26 avril 2014,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

Cambridge: Minister of state Dr. Garry Goodyear’s message on The
Armenian Genocide – VIDEO

April 25, 2014

On the occasion of the 99th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, I
join with those around the world in paying homage to the memory of the
victims.

-Gary Goodyear, MP for Cambridge – North Dumfries

Watch the video

ARMENIE
Rêve contre réalité

Surmontant les nombreux défis et guidé par l’idéologie nourri en lui
depuis l’enfance que c’est votre patrie, c’est votre terre, Byuzand
Getenjian, arménien de Syrie reste en Arménie en dépit des
circonstances difficiles.

« A Alep dans les clubs de culture qu’ils ont utilisé pour enseigner
la patrie, la vie des fidayeens [combattants de la liberté qui ont
formé des organisations de guérilla et les bandes armées en réaction Ã
l’oppression et l’assassinat en masse des Arméniens dans l’Empire
ottoman], le mont Ararat … Alors vous venez ici avec la lumière en
vous vous rendant en quelque sorte qu’entre le souhait de faire partie
du club culturel le virage est de 180 degrés » a déclaré Byuzand, 35
ans. « Mais, quoi qu’il arrive, l’Arménien dans votre cÅ`ur est
toujours lÃ, c’est votre pays, vous devez encourager les autres Ã
venir vivre ici, dans le même temps on ressent qu’on trompe les gens.
Vous dites de venir, la personne vient, les 15 premiers jours sont
très bien, mais quand il / elle veut rester, il / elle doit commencer
à travailler. Ils diront « ok lançons une entreprise, combien d’argent
avez-vous besoin ? Vous gardez le silence ne savez pas comment réagir,
car la gestion d’une entreprise rentable ici n’est pas une option ».

En 2007, quand il est arrivé en Arménie, il a pris le travail d’un
bijoutier, ayant appris le métier à Alep. Ensuite, il a loué une
boutique à Erevan et a commencé à importer des vêtements pour femmes
d’Alep et a fait du commerce.

« J’avais l’habitude d’aller et venir, mais la guerre a mit fin au
commerce. Ici, j’ai rencontré ma future épouse, nous nous sommes
mariés, ma fille a trois ans et j’ai acheté une voiture et je conduis
un taxi. Mais si je conduis ma voiture comme taxi, mes revenus ne
suffiront pas à nourrir ma famille, donc j’ai aussi pris un commerce
de vente-achat de téléphones cellulaires. Ici, il faut faire dix
emplois en même temps pour être en mesure de gagner décemment sa vie,
c’est juste la façon d’ici » a-t-il dit. Il a dit aussi qu’être en
Arménie l’a obligé Ã apprendre le russe.

Depuis trois ans Byuzand n’a pas vu ses parents. Pour son mariage sa
mère est venue seule et est retourné Ã Alep de nouveau. Il a dit que
son père est forgeron et avait une boutique, qui a été totalement
détruite. Ses ancêtres ont émigré Ã Alep de Marash (Arménie
occidentale, Turquie moderne). Ses parents ont déménagé au Liban avec
son frère. Il admet honnêtement qu’il ne voudrait pas qu’ils viennent
en Arménie, car tous trois sont employés à Alep.

« Tous les membres de ma famille ont quitté la Syrie pour le Liban. Il
y a plus de possibilités d’emploi lÃ-bas, qu’ici avec jusqu’Ã 1000 $
de salaires, même si le coût de la vie est beaucoup plus élevé qu’en
Arménie » dit-il.

Byuzand fait de 150 Ã 200 kilomètres par jour, trouve son chemin
facilement dans les rues et les quartiers d’Erevan. Il a ses clients
réguliers, dont la majorité sont également des syro-arméniens, qui le
contacte directement.

« Je suis mon propre maître. La police nous traite, les pilotes
syro-arméniens, avec plus de tolérance lorsque nous brisons une règle
du trafic, mais maintenant j’ai 200 000 drams (500 $) Ã payer pour des
amendes et n’a aucune idée de comment faire » dit-il avec un sourire.

Il dit qu’il ne retournera pas en Syrie, même qu’après la guerre ait
fini ni dans aucun pays arabe.

« Quand on quitte un pays arabe et vit dans un pays chrétien on
comprend vraiment la différence. Je suis libre ici, parmi les
Arméniens, avec ma femme et ma fille, personne ne me regarde
différemment ».

« Si je pars, ce sera seulement pour l’Europe et seulement à cause du travail ».

Il est l’un des syro-arméniens qui sont en Arménie depuis un certain
temps avec ses parents se tournant vers lui demandant comment s’est en
Arménie.

« Et dois-je dire ? C’est un bon pays, je l’aime … je me sens en
paix ici, pas un nez dans vos affaires. Je dis que je vais aller en
Europe, mais il est difficile de se couper de la terre, je le dis
simplement parce que il n’y a pas de travail ici », dit-il.

Il raconte comment au début il y avait beaucoup de chauffeurs de taxi
syro-arméniens rien que le service de taxi orange avait 15 employés,
mais les choses sont différentes maintenant.

« Ils ne peuvent pas payer les amendes, alors en quelque sorte ils
survivent. Le frère ou la sÅ`ur ou la tante de quelqu’un envoient de
l’argent de l’étranger. Pouvez-vous me dire quel est le meilleur
traitement dans cette ville ? Vous me direz qu’il est de 200000 drams
(500 $), mais où ? Je n’ai pas rencontré quelqu’un ici qui gagne
autant si il / elle n’est pas une sorte de gestionnaire ou de
fonctionnaire responsable de quelque chose. Les gens travaillent la
plupart du temps en tant que serveurs, barmans, ou dans les
boulangeries et les magasins, où les salaires sont entre 80 000 (200$)
et 120 000 drams ( 300$). Ils devront payer 200 $ de loyer plus les
frais de services publics … en trois mois maintenant j’ai payé
l’équivalent de 100 000 drams (250 $) de factures de services publics
» dit-il.

Il croit que l’ Arménie n’est pas favorable à l’esprit d’entreprise.

« Si quelqu’un me donnait 100000 $ et disait :« nous allons commencer
une entreprise », j’aurais dit non, il n’y a pas d’affaires pour faire
des profits, cela est voué Ã l’échec. Maintenant il n’y a que les
petites entreprises dans la ville et les petites entreprises survivent
juste comme elles disent de façon assez moyenne.

Malgré son mécontentement à l’égard de certaines choses, Byuzand aime
l’Arménie et s’est bien intégré dans la réalité arménienne. Il est
bien informé des développements politiques, des heures d’écoute de la
radio dans sa voiture.

« Je ne m’inquiète pas avec qui l’Arménie va se retrouver – la Russie
ou l’Europe – tant que ce peuple commence à vivre décemment. C’est
comme aujourd’hui, vous avez une maison, tout est ok et que vous ne
pense pas à changer, mais dès que les choses empirent vous commencer Ã
penser à changer. Je veux que ce pays prospére, c’est le pays de
chacun de nous, donc je veux juste que les gens vivent bien, pas
gagnent des millions, mais tout simplement aient des emplois et soient
en mesure de gagner leur vie pour leurs familles et je veux que le
pays se développe », explique Byuzand.

Par Gayane Lazarian

ArmeniaNow

samedi 26 avril 2014,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

Trend, azerbaijan
April 25 2014

Turkey’s condolences addressed to Armenians but not Armenia

Baku, Azerbaijan, April 25
By Rufiz Hafizoglu – Trend:

Turkey’s condolences are addressed to Armenians, but not Armenia,
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said, the country’s TRT Haber
TV channel reported on April 25.

Turkey has taken this historical step towards Armenians, according to
the foreign minister.

Davutoglu also expressed hope that this historical step will
contribute to the further development of Armenian-Turkish relations.

Turkey’s Cabinet of Ministers spread a message in connection with the
events of 1915 on April 23.

The message says it is important not to be a captive of historical
events and there is need to create a foundation for building a common
future.

The events of 1915 were a difficult time not only for the Armenians,
but also for Arabs, Kurds and representatives of other nations living
in the country, according to the message.

“Nevertheless, it is impossible to use the events of 1915 as a tool of
political pressure on Turkey,” the message of Turkish government said.

The message says Turkey supports the creation of a joint historical
commission to investigate the events of 1915 and expresses condolences
to the families of those killed in the events of 1915, including the
Armenians.

The message highlights that the events of 1915 are common grief.

Armenia and the Armenian lobby claim that Turkey’s predecessor the
Ottoman Empire allegedly carried out “genocide” against the Armenians
living in Anatolia in 1915. While strengthening the efforts to promote
the so-called genocide in the world, Armenians have achieved its
recognition by the parliaments of some countries.