Serj Tankian Reads The Testimony Of Sanam Hovhannisian

SERJ TANKIAN READS THE TESTIMONY OF SANAM HOVHANNISIAN

April 20, 2015 09:23
EXCLUSIVE

Serj Tankian

Photo: Fabio Nascimento

Mediamax presents 100 Seconds project devoted to Armenian Genocide
Centennial. The project is based on testimonies of Genocide survivors
published by the National Archive of Armenia.

Serj Tankian is a musician and composer, frontman of System of a Down
(SOAD) rock-band.

For “100 seconds” project he reads an extract from Armenian Genocide
survivor Sanam Hovhannisian’s testimony.

National Archives of Armenia Collection of Documents

Testimony of survivor Sanam Hovhannisian on the massacre of the
village of Yershter in Mush district of Mush province

[1916] Mavrak

In the autumn Musa bek with his troops again gathered the Armenians
who had found shelter in the houses of the Kurds and the Turks. This
time we were turned over to the executioners by our guardians.

They shot my son Avetis and other escapees in front of my eyes. Then
they beat me with the butt of a rifle and drove me forward. On the
road, one of our neighbouring women had birth pangs and could not go
on walking with us.

One of the soldiers named Mamad slashed her head with a dagger, then
cut her womb open, stuck the baby on his dagger and threatening us
with it drove us out.

Our neighbour Harut’s wife Yeva was pregnant too and she was carrying
on her back her 3-year-old daughter. The child was crying of hunger,
after eight days of hunger the mother had no milk in her breasts to
feed her and was barely able to drag herself after us. The policeman
ordered her to sit and breastfeed her daughter.

The woman sat down, the policeman himself took out the woman’s breast
and put it into the girl’s mouth, and then he walked away a little
distance, took aim at them and with one sudden bullet put an end to
the lives of unfortunate mother and daughter…

Producer: Ara Tadevosyan
Filming: George Tonikian Post Production: Tumo LLC

The source of Sanam Hovhannisian’s testimony: National Archives of
Armenia, Armenian Genocide by Ottoman Turkey, 1915, Testimony of
survivors, Collection of documents, Yerevan-2013.

VivaCell-MTS is the general partner of 100 seconds project.

– See more at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzwpeQptY-Q
http://www.mediamax.am/en/news/100seconds/13897/#sthash.DCAaD28g.dpuf

Genocide 100: Dashnak Leader Says "Tsunami" Has Begun

GENOCIDE 100: DASHNAK LEADER SAYS “TSUNAMI” HAS BEGUN

GENOCIDE | 20.04.15 | 15:51

GOHAR ABRAHAMYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter

Giro Manoyan, director of the International Secretariat of the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) Bureau in Yerevan, says the
predicted “tsunami” of publicity has occurred ahead of commemoration
of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

Manoyan told reporters Monday that especially last week when the Pope
recognized the Ottoman Turks’ slaughter of up to 1.5 million Armenians
in 1915 as the first genocide of the 20th century, the Pontiff’s
statement started the tsunami that Turkey is so much afraid of.

“This means that during the following days the tsunami will continue,
especially through different events organized in Yerevan on April
22-24. All this is the result of both decades of work and the work
of the recent years, realized both by individuals and organizations,
institutions and state and the Church,” Manoyan said.

According to Manoyan, Turkey also failed with its initiative of the
centennial of the Gallipoli battle, which was supposed to cast a
shadow on April 24 events devoted to the Armenian Genocide.

“It did not happen and never will, on the contrary, with that
initiative Turkey created excessive interest in our events and in
general, big international organizations will definitely have their
opinion, which Turkey is trying to stop,” Manoyan said adding that
Turkey will not burn bridges with any country which recognized the
Genocide, they will simply make rough announcements during these
months, and then everything will normalize.

Referring to U.S. President Barrack Obama’s broken pledge to use the
word “genocide” in six annual commemoration day speeches, Manoyan
said that president himself made a promise, and if he does not want
to keep his promise, it is his problem.

“If until May 9 when main American events will be taking place in
Washington (Obama) does not fulfill his promise, we should not only
stop inquiring, but also say that we do not want it anymore. It is
a fact now that if the Turkish President says it, the US President
also will,” Manoyan says.

http://armenianow.com/genocide/62522/garo_manoyan_dashnaks_barrack_obama_genocide_recognition

International Forum ‘Against The Crime Of Genocide’ To Bring Togethe

INTERNATIONAL FORUM ‘AGAINST THE CRIME OF GENOCIDE’ TO BRING TOGETHER ABOUT 600 PARTICIPANTS

16:30 20/04/2015 >> SOCIETY

An international forum titled “Against the Crime of Genocide” will
take place in Yerevan on April 22-23. It will bring together about 600
participants including politicians and statesmen, spiritual figures,
and media representatives, Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Garen
Nazarian told reporters on Monday.

Vigen Sargsyan, Chief of Armenian President’s Staff, Coordinator of
the Events Dedicated to the Armenian Genocide Centennial, said that
simultaneously with the forum, there will be exhibitions featuring
books and photos taken by photo correspondents of the leading news
agencies in the hot spots of the world.

A canonization ceremony for the Armenian Genocide victims will be
conducted in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin on April 23. An
all-national minute of silence will be announced at 19:15 local time.

A concert of System of a Down will be held at Yerevan’s Republic
Square on the same day, concluding the Wake up the Souls Tour 2015.

The Armenian Genocide has been recognized and condemned by Uruguay
(1965), the Republic of Cyprus (1982), Argentina (1993), Russia
(1995), Canada (1996), Greece (1996), Lebanon (1997), Belgium (1998),
Italy (2000), Vatican (2000), France (2001), Switzerland (2003),
Slovakia (2004), The Netherlands (2004), Poland (2005), Germany
(2005), Venezuela (2005), Lithuania (2005), Chile (2007), Sweden
(2010), Bolivia (2014). The Armenian Genocide has been recognized
by the Vatican, the European Parliament and the World Council of
Churches. 43 of 50 U.S. states have recognized and condemned the
Armenian Genocide. Parliaments of several European countries have
adopted laws criminalizing the denial of the Armenian Genocide.

Turkey, however, denies the fact of the Armenian Genocide.

http://www.panorama.am/en/society/2015/04/20/april-23/

2015 Is Good Opportunity For Turkey

2015 IS GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR TURKEY

Siranuysh Papyan, Interviewer
Interview – 16 April 2015, 11:20

Interview with Murad Papazyan, co-chair of the Coordinating Council
of Armenian Organizations of France, member of the ARF Bureau

Mr. Papazyan, the European Parliament almost unanimously adopted the
resolution on the Armenian Genocide. What is your opinion on this
resolution, what change can it bring in terms of the international
recognition of the Armenian Genocide?

This is a big success for us. This fact proves that Turkey cannot
persist on its denialist stance when the countries of the world
and international organizations recognize and condemn the Armenian
Genocide one by one. This is a serious sign and a message to Turkey
that it must reconcile with itself, with its history, recognize the
Genocide, revise its attitude radically.

The European Parliament thus reiterates that the Genocide did happen,
and it is time Turkey took new steps to face up to its history. The
European Parliament is a serious institution, its resolution is a
serious resolution. All such resolutions, declarations, recognitions
all through this year are serious pressure on Turkey and play a role
in the solution of the Armenian issue.

Recent events were important in terms of the recognition of the
Armenian Genocide, namely the Pope conducted a mass in memory of the
victims of the Armenian Genocide, the European Parliament adopted a
resolution. In your opinion, what influence can these have in terms
of progress of the Armenian Cause?

2015 is a pro-Armenian year because the opinions … the governments
and international institutions cannot understand that 100 years later
Turkey’s denialist stance persists. It is obvious to everyone that
it is not a positive stance, and Turkey is overacting, and Erdogan’s
government is not making any effort to promote the issue. On the
contrary, Erdogan’s extremely stiff stance is setting Turkey back
rather than leading to peace and progress. The international community
which supports the solution of problems slams such a stance, and if
in 2015 Turkey does not give a positive signal on recognition and
retribution, it will be even more difficult for Turkey in the coming
years because the pro-Armenian atmosphere will intensify in the world.

There is an opinion that after this resolution of the European
Parliament it is the U.S. and Russia’s turn. Do you see such
possibility?

At least, it is obvious that all the states acknowledge that the
Genocide did happen. Now there are countries which do not take the
step towards the recognition of the genocide because they don’t
want to encounter Turkish blackmail. The United States will sooner
or later recognize the Armenian Genocide because after that Turkey
will become a totally isolated state. Therefore, I think, the Turkish
authorities must take this into account and realize that 2015 is a
good opportunity and it should not be missed.

In your opinion, will the U.S. President Barak Obama change his stance
of non-recognition and fulfill his electoral vows?

It’s hard to predict whether Obama will utter the word “genocide”
in his April 24 message. In fact, it is hard to tell whether the U.S.

government will go one step forward to the recognition of the
Armenian Cause, probably this step will be taken this year. We
also know that a lot of big delegations will arrive in Yerevan on
April 24 and among these delegations there is a serious and a rather
high-level delegation of the United States. This is a sign that they
cannot ignore the genocide.

What are your thoughts on the visit of the Russian parliamentary
delegation headed by Speaker Narishkin to Turkey to attend the
celebration of Gallipoli on April 24? Why does Russia accept this
invitation and play a double game?

It is important that Putin arrived in Yerevan and sent one of his
officials to the Gallipoli event. In other words, it is not important
if a lower-ranking official of Russia or France or another super
power visited Turkey on those days, it is more important that they
sent a higher-level delegation to Armenia on April 24.

In the recent days Kim Kardashian kept the issue of the genocide in
focus. What impact can her visit have?

It is a fully political and commendable stance when such celebrities
want to assist in publicizing the Armenian Cause. We must look at
this through positive lenses that people known all over the world,
Kim Kardashian, Cher or other renowned personalities want to contribute
their fame to the Armenian Cause.

http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/interview/view/33942

Lebanese National Forces Welcomed Pope’s Position On Armenian Genoci

LEBANESE NATIONAL FORCES WELCOMED POPE’S POSITION ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RECOGNITION ISSUE

11:39, 20 April, 2015

YEREVAN, 20 APRIL, ARMENPRESS. Lebanese national forces and parties
have discussed the local, Arab and regional latest events in the
“Shaghzoyan” center.

“Armenpress” was informed about this from Lebanese “Aztag” periodical.

During the meetings it is also discussed about the 100th anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide. The participants condemned the massacres
perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire, expressing their support to the
Armenian people deprived of their rights.

The participants of the meeting welcomed the Pope’s position, who
recognized the Armenian Genocide, noting that today the Ottoman
massacres are repeated in Syria by the terrorist groups, which have
the support of Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The dictatorship, which wants
to be reestablished on the blood and corpses of elderly, women and
children, orchestrated by IS “Jabha he Nusra” terrorist group and
funded by the Turkish secret service networks.

Karabakh President Meets With Woodrow Wilson Family Descendant

KARABAKH PRESIDENT MEETS WITH WOODROW WILSON FAMILY DESCENDANT

Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan on Monday received Woodrow
Wilson family descendant Donald Wilson Bush, president of the Woodrow
Wilson Legacy Foundation.

Issues related to Artsakh history, its domestic and foreign policy,
regional processes and relations with the U.S. were discussed during
the meeting.

According to President Sahakyan, the Armenian people show a particular
respect towards Woodrow Wilson, highly appreciating his political
and humanitarian heritage.

Co-founder of the “AYB” educational foundation Ashot Aslanyan
and chairman of the organization’s board Artashes Shirikyan also
participated in the meeting, the President’s press office reports.

20.04.15, 13:51

http://www.aysor.am/en/news/2015/04/20/Karabakh-President-meets-with-Woodrow-Wilson-family-descendant/938320

Davutoglu’s Fake Apology Grants No Recognition, Expresses No Regret:

DAVUTOGLU’S FAKE APOLOGY GRANTS NO RECOGNITION, EXPRESSES NO REGRET: ANCA

22:54, 20 Apr 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Executive Director
Aram Hamparian issued the following comment regarding Turkish Prime
Minister Davutoglu’s public remarks on the “deportation in 1915.”

“Facing a global wave of Armenian Genocide recognition – from the Pope
to the European Parliament – Turkey’s leaders are defiantly doubling
down on denial. Prime Minister Davutoglu’s fake apology today grants
no recognition, accepts no responsibility, expresses no regret,
and offers no reparations.”

“On April 24th, President Obama has a historic opportunity to reject
Turkey’s gag-rule, ending a shameful chapter of U.S. complicity in
Ankara’s denial, and moving Turkey, Armenia, and the region toward a
better future based upon a truthful and just resolution of this crime.”

http://www.armradio.am/en/2015/04/20/davutoglus-fake-apology-grants-no-recognition-expresses-no-regret-anca/

Armenia To Experience West’s Boycott And Blackmail

ARMENIA TO EXPERIENCE WEST’S BOYCOTT AND BLACKMAIL

Igor Muradyan, Political Analyst
Comments – 20 April 2015, 13:16

To begin with, Russia intends to supply S 300 missiles to Iran. Hence,
Russia let Israel down and upset their relations despite the latter’s
pro-Russian stance on Ukraine and Crimea.

Israel needs Russia and it is seen as an important vital space,
market, trade partner. However, Israel could do without Russia and
has proved this for several decades.

In Russia they realize what attitude Israel will have to this because
S 300 is invincible for modern military technology though Israel and
the United States can create something new to overcome these systems,
thereby reducing their value and importance.

At any rate, the relations with Israel are not the same, and soon
Israel may become involved in anti-Russian sanctions, including with
the help of the world Jewish financial community.

Although Iran intends to buy S 300 systems, it has become convinced
that modern Russia cannot be a partner by nature. Iran is playing a
game with the West, and very few understand the goals and objectives
of the game. This game is an elite game, of course, and Russia is
left out for being an unreliable partner.

Iran has not managed to improve its relations with the United States,
and this already borders on the interests of Russia, primarily in the
southern direction and in the Near East where only memories are left
from Russia’s positions.

Presently, the Europeans are trying to scare the Americans that
Russia’s positions in the Near East have become stronger, which is
just a bluff. At the same time, one can claim referring to Iran’s
example that Russia’s weakening will not affect Iran’s positions and
may even benefit its interests.

Iran will never forget the A. Gore – Chernomyrdin act of “letting
down”, as well as the recent ban on weapon supply.

The members of CSTO and the Eurasian Union proved to be Russia’s more
predictable and unreliable partners who are waiting for an opportunity
to get out of that marginality.

It seems that Russia keeps the situation in the post-Soviet space under
control and is able to stake a lot. However, first it turned out that
Russia cannot control even Armenia where the government is asking
itself questions about the outcome of membership to the Eurasian Union.

How to support the vassals when there is no money, no wish, no
people-to-people relations? Before rushing to new regions it is
necessary to have reliable partners which are increasingly behaving
as victims or consumers…

No military and political bloc can emerge in this space, otherwise why
would the USSR collapse so consistently? The parts of the USSR cannot
bear one another at best. Perhaps, in the modern world only alignment
with NATO can coordinate their cooperation in the security sphere.

With a view to this, there is no doubt that the post-Soviet space is
facing serious threats, first of all, from Russia’s side. Although,
only Armenia has appeared in a situation when it will soon experience
the boycott and blackmail by the West which was “indulgent” for a while
but has arrived at the conclusion that it is useless and meaningless
because Armenia has not found the groups which would understand the
signals appropriately and would respond accordingly.

The policy of the United States and NATO are aimed at preventing
Russia from even localized enlargement in the neighboring regions,
and for a long time it was done without clear plans and purposes. Now
in the territories which Russia considers its “area of interest” the
West will initiate unmotivated reactions to keep Russia away from
the capacity of responding to farther regions. Presently, focus is
on Ukraine but as soon as its formatting as a military and political
partner is complete, the time of new objectives will come, first of
all in Central Asia.

Armenia has lost hope for the West’s support and assistance in the
spheres of defense and security. Armenia is left up to Russia and
Russia is not happy with this new role but it is trying to resolve
all the problems through eliminating them at the cost of the interests
of Armenia.

The West takes interest in the process of Turkey’s marginalization.

The West has realized that the old games with Turkey are meaningless
and has resorted to a well-planned step – the unification of efforts
of Russia and Turkey for them to act together in certain directions.

In other words, the union of two big marginal states with similar
social and economic models and classification among “developing”
countries will lead to strong grouping, mobilization, counteraction
to regional expansion. This may be a strange formulation but the West
needs a strong rival to explain strengthening of its own defense. The
fundamental Islamic movements cannot catch up. Marginal states with
strong armies and nuclear potential are needed.

For the time being, despite multiple issues, it turns out that Russia
cannot understand its external issues, ending up in confusion and
uncertainty. In reality, the problems are many but we referred to
only several game situations, and Russia has not figured out solutions
and ways out.

http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/comments/view/33956

Building 100 Homes for 100 Families in Need

Fuller Center for Housing Armenia

[email protected]

Contact: Rouzanne Sakanyan

14 April, 2015

Fuller Center for Housing Armenia Honors the 100th Anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide by

Building 100 Homes for 100 Needy Families

YEREVAN, ARMENIA: The Fuller Center for Housing Armenia (FCHA) honors the
memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide, all those who lost their
lives 100 years ago and calls upon all their generations, descendants of
the survivors, who were deprived from their home and scattered around the
world, as well as upon all people who condemn genocide to help build 100
homes for 100 hundred families in need. By so doing FCHA hopes to
contribute to more Armenian families’ staying in their homeland and making
it more prosperous.

”2015 marks the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and we are
calling upon all Armenians from all over the world to help us commemorate
the 100 years of remembrance by providing shelter for the vulnerable
Armenian families living in metal containers, basements, half built houses
or other temporary shelters and by so changing their lives” said Ashot
Yeghiazaryan, FCHA President.

So far, already 68 families were assisted, 3 more family houses are
sponsored and will be built this year. Still there are 29 families to be
assisted by the end of 2015.

The Avagyans are one of those families who moved to Berdzor in 1997 to
populate and strengthen it after Nagorno-Kharabagh conflict. Janik and
Khachanush believed that they could have their contribution in the
development of the newly born and liberated country; their three sons were
also inspired by the same feelings and ideas. Two of their sons have now
their own houses and families in Berdzor. Today they live together with the
second son’s, Romanos’ family of seven, altogether 9 member in a house.

In 2011 the local administration of Berdzor provided Romanos Avagyan’s
family with a house, but they couldn’t afford to rehabilitate that house
with the dilapidated roof and without basic conditions vital for each human
being.

“This is a kind of miracle – the best miracle for the New Year. I can’t
find words of gratitude… your support was vital for my family. Thank you,
may God bless you and your family!” hardly could express her happiness the
young mother of five.

A donation of $10,500 will sponsor a single, completed home. The
beneficiary family will receive a personalized, commemorative plaque
inscribed with the donor’s choice of message or dedication. When
construction is completed, all house-donors will receive a certificate from
FCHA and photos of the new house.

When a donation is less than a single home sponsorship, FCHA will combine
the contributions it receives with other gifts and assign a beneficiary
family when $10,500 has been collected. Any amount donated will make
difference in the life of one more family.

To Honor 100 Years by Saving 100 Families, please send a donation to
the Fuller Center for Housing Armenia, Inc., PO Box 523, Americus, Georgia
31709, USA. Please write `’Armenia-100” in the memo line of your check. To
donate online, please visit:

If a donor or group of donors wishes to sponsor a single, completed
home at $10,500, please email FCHA at [email protected] to
provide your message or dedication for the plaque for the beneficiary
family. For more information, please visit:

The Fuller Center for Housing Armenia is a non-governmental, charitable
organization that supports community development in the Republic of Armenia
and Artsakh by assisting in building and renovating simple, decent and
affordable homes, as well as advocating the right to decent shelter as a
matter of conscience and action. FCHA provides long-term, interest and
inflation free loans to low-income families. The monthly repayments flow
into a Revolving Fund, which is used to help more families make the
transition out of poverty housing. This system provides a financial
structure for sustainable community development. Since 2008 FCHA has
assisted 362 families to build and renovate their homes

http://weblink.donorperfect.com/FCH_Armenia100
www.fcharmenia.org
www.fcharmenia.org

Musurlian’s documentaries to air on PBS

The Burbank Leader, CA
April 17 2015

Musurlian’s documentaries to air on PBS

By Chad Garland, [email protected]
April 17, 2015 | 6:46 p.m.

Two of the latest documentaries by longtime city of Burbank employee
and Glendale resident Peter Musurlian will air back-to-back on PBS in
Los Angeles this week.

Musurlian, an Emmy- and Golden Mike award-winning journalist and
documentary filmmaker, is the station manager and senior producer at
the city of Burbank’s television channel where he produces new reports
for “Burbank On Demand” and contributes to “What’s New in Burbank.”

He recently produced, shot, wrote, narrated and edited two
Armenian-themed films — “Historic Armenia” and “The 100-Year-Old
Survivor” — which will air on KCTV-LA.

“Historic Armenia” documents Musurlian’s travels in 2013 alongside 25
other Armenian Americans to what is now eastern Turkey, showing what
remains of the historic, ancient Armenian homeland.

“The 100-Year-Old Survivor” tells the story of the late Glendale
resident and Armenian Genocide survivor Ghazaros Kademian, who turned
100 in May 2007, as he worked to get the United States government to
officially recognize the atrocities, which began in 1915 under the
Ottoman Empire in what is now the Republic of Turkey and are regarded
as the first genocide of the 20th century.

The films will air from 5 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, with an encore from 8
to 10 p.m. on April 21.

,0,502251.story

http://www.burbankleader.com/news/tn-blr-musurlians-documentaries-to-air-on-pbs-20150417