Author: Kalantarian Kevo

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE CENTENNIAL IMPACTS LOCAL RESIDENT: THE PLAINVILLE CITIZEN

14:13, 3 April, 2015

YEREVAN, APRIL 3, ARMENPRESS: The American electronic weekly The
Plainville Citizen published an article on the Armenian Genocide,
presenting how this crime against the humanity of the 20th century
impacted the plain citizens. The 100th year anniversary of the Armenian
genocide, which took the lives of 1.5 million Armenians in the Ottoman
Empire between 1915 and 1923, is being celebrated this month with a
ceremony at the state capitol on April 25. One of the attendees will
be Harry Terdjanian, a New Britain resident whose family survived
the genocide and immigrated to the area in 1975.

Terdjanian, who owns AutoMaster in Southington, spoke with the Citizen
about the genocide and his family’s experience. Armenpress presents
the interview as follows: Citizen: Give us a history lesson on the
Armenian genocide.

Terdjanian: It’s a tragic story that most people are unfamiliar with,
although there are large Armenian communities that teach it in their
school systems and four Armenian churches in Connecticut and two in
New Britain, including the Armenian Apostolic Church where I worship.

In 1915-1923 the Turkish government decided to eliminate Armenians.

Half of Armenia was controlled by communist Russia and half by the
Turkish Ottoman Empire. The Turks were losing their grip and through
genocide tried to eliminate the Armenians. It was the first genocide
of the 20th century and the Holocaust was a blueprint of the Armenian
genocide. 1.5 million Armenians were killed over an eight year period.

The genocide was sponsored by the Turkish government. The Turkish
Army slaughtered women, children, the elderly and innocent unarmed
citizens. Victims were drowned and marched into the Syrian desert
without food and water. Their property was confiscated and they were
stripped of their rights. The government renamed towns and villages
with Turkish names.

Citizen: Turkey doesn’t admit it was responsible for genocide.

Terdjanian: Not many criminals are willing to admit to their doings,
you have to bring them to justice. There was overwhelming evidence
that genocide had taken place as it was unfolding. Henry Morgenthau,
the U.S. ambassador to the Ottoman Empire was an eye witness who wrote
books about the genocide and with his help money was sent for relief
efforts. It was the first large scale relief effort by the U.S.

Citizen: Tell us about your family’s experience during the genocide
period.

Terdjanian: I was born in Turkish occupied Armenia. We lived with the
consequences of the genocide. We were the minority with little rights
and were not allowed to have our own Christian name. Every Armenian
name ends with “ian” and we weren’t allowed to have that. I was born
in 1968 but things hadn’t changed since the genocide with unfair
conditions. We survived the genocide but we were treated as infidels
like they wanted to finish the job. We were clearly a minority and
they made us feel humiliated, the government and the people at the
local and state level. We looked in 20 countries to find a home and
found one in the U.S. with fortune and luck. We settled in Connecticut
in 1975 and became citizens. We’re thankful for the country we can
call home. I came with my parents, brother, sister and grandmother.

All still live in the area except my grandmother. I wanted to secure
justice for her but she didn’t see it. The perpetrators were never
brought to justice although the three leaders of the genocide were
convicted by a world court.

The event at the state capitol begins at 11 a.m. on April 25. The
Armenian flag will be flown outside the capitol on April 24, which is
the 100th anniversary of the genocide which began on April 24, 1915
when the Turkish government placed 200 Armenian community leaders
under arrest in Constantinople. A reception will follow the program
with Chris Bohjalian, the acclaimed author who wrote “The Sandcastle
Girls,” a novel about the Armenian genocide, as the keynote speaker.

CYPRUS: ARMENIAN GENOCIDE DENIAL PENALISED, DESPITE OBJECTIONS

03 April, 2015

The House of Representatives amended a 2011 bill on genocide denial
and crimes against humanity on Thursday, by penalising such acts
without prior conviction by an international court, making Cyprus
the fourth European country after Switzerland, Slovakia and Greece
to criminalise denial of the Armenian Genocide by the Turks in 1915.

________________________________

The European Parliament also passed a relevant resolution on March 12.

During an early-day session, House President Yiannakis Omirou, who
was hosting the Armenian National Assembly Speaker Galoust Sahakyan,
called it a historic day, noting that this legislation “allows the
parliament to restore, with unanimous decisions and resolutions,
historical truths.”

While on an official trip to Armenia last November, Omirou promised
his Armenian counterpart that Cyprus would criminalise the denial of
the Armenian Genocide.

He also took the extraordinary decision to chair the House Legal
Affairs committee meeting on Monday, where the amendment was approved
and forward to the plenary session for a vote, after what seemed to
be lobbying against the bill by some diplomatic circles.

Daily Simerini had reported a week ago that the Presidency wanted
to block the amendment, citing conflict with the Republic’s foreign
policy affairs. But reports suggested that the pressure had actually
come from some western diplomatic missions in Nicosia, in an effort
not to upset Turkey.

Omirou’s intervention helped allay fears from the two leading political
parties, ruling DISY and communist AKEL, that criminalising genocide
denial could hamper peace talks with the Turkish Cypriots, that may
resume after a six-month break. Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades
pulled out of the UN-sponsored talks when Turkey sent its exploration
vessel, the Barbaros, into the Republic’s Exclusive Economic Zone. Now
that the vessel has left Cyprus waters, the government in Nicosia
expects UN mediators to help in the resumption of talks, but after
a new Turkish Cypriot leadership has been elected in elections on
April 27.

The Representative of the Armenian Community in the House of
Representatives, Vartkes Mahdessian, welcomed the resolution and
said that on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the massacres
by Ottoman Turks, the Cyprus parliament made a historic decision
unanimously passing a Law making the denial of the Armenian Genocide
a criminal offence.

He remarked that in 1975 the Cyprus House of Representatives became the
first parliament in Europe and the second in the world, to recognise
the Armenian Genocide.

Cyprus recognised the Armenian Genocide in 1975 with a resolution
adopted by the Parliament, which was repeated in 1982, whereas in 1990
the Parliament unanimously adopted another resolution which set the
24th of April as the national day to commemorate the Armenian Genocide.

On January 26, 1965, then Foreign Minister and later Speaker of the
House and Republic President Spyros Kyprianou, raised the issue of
recognition of the Genocide at the UN General Assembly Meanwhile,
DISY sources dismissed the notion, as reported by Simerini, that
Omirou and the presidency were at odds over amending the law.

The only reservations the President had was that the government was
not consulted on the matter, which pertains to foreign policy.

The Cyprus Mail quoted DISY sources as refuting media reports that
MPs had argued in the committee against criminalising denial because
it might anger the Turkish Cypriots and Turkey, particularly at this
juncture when peace talks may resume.

Under the law, the denial or “flagrant downgrading” of recognised
war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, provided the crime
has been recognised by an international court, is punishable by up
to five years imprisonment and/or a fine of EURO 10,000.

International organisations officially recognising the Armenian
Genocide include the European Parliament, the Council of Europe,
and the World Council of Churches.

LE CHOEUR DE JEUNES FILLES NOTRE-DAME D’ARMENIE CHANTERA POUR LE CENTENAIRE DU GENOCIDE

Concerts Exceptionnels du Choeur Notre-Dame d’Armenie a Paris les 8
et 9 Avril Deux concerts d’exception les 8 et 9 avril 2015 a Paris

Venant de Gumri, le choeur Notre-Dame d’Armenie, cree par Soeur
Arousiag il y a dix ans, chantera au Vatican le 12 avril a l’occasion
de la messe commemorative du genocide armenien presidee par le Pape
Francois.

En avant-première, le choeur donnera deux concerts a Paris :

Le mercredi 8 avril 2015 a 19h30 a l’eglise Saint Philippe du Roule –
9 rue de Courcelles 75008 Paris

Le jeudi 9 avril 2015 a 19h30 a l’eglise Saint Thomas d’Aquin –
3 place St Thomas d’Aquin 75007 Paris

La chorale, renommee dans tout le pays, se compose de 34 jeunes
filles âgees de 11 a 24 ans de l’orphelinat Notre-Dame d’Armenie du
Centre Educatif Boghossian et des elèves les plus douees des ecoles
de musique d’Armenie.

Sous la direction du Maestro Robert Mlkeyan, chef du Choeur National
d’Armenie, le choeur fait aujourd’hui l’admiration de ses auditeurs. Il
interpretera les grands classiques de la musique armenienne (Komitas,
Sayat Nova, Amirkhanyan…) ainsi que des oeuvres europeennes
(Schubert, Brahms, Gounod…).

Participation libre au profit de l’Orphelinat Notre-Dame d’Armenie

vendredi 3 avril 2015, Stephane (c)armenews.com

ARF-D NOT TO BACK CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS UNLESS PARLIAMENTARY MODEL APPROVED – LAWMAKER

17:30 * 03.04.15

In an interview with Tert.am, Artsvik Minasyan, a lawmaker of
opposition the Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutyun
(ARF-D), commented on the possibility of a second draft of
constitutional amendments.

The ARF-D is concerned over the reasons for a second draft.

“If the concept of a semi-presidential system or of reforms has
to be discussed once again, we are not for such an approach,” Mr
Minasyan said.

The second draft has not been distributed among the MPs because
Armenia’s president has approved one concept – parliamentary
government.

Commenting on the security concerns expressed by President Serzh
Sargsyan in a recent speech, Minasyan said he doesn’t think that the
parliamentary model in any way undermines national security.

“We insist on parliamentary government and share all the concerns
addressed by the president. We have international experience; in many
countries, there are systems ensuring government security, reducing
instability as well as guaranteeing internal and external security.

The parliamentary government does not in any way diminish [the
importance] of those problems. On the contrary, we see that developed
countries prefer the parliamentary model.”

Asked whether the president’s refusal to accept the system would mean
that he will lose the ARF-D as a partner in the implementation of the
reforms, Minasyan said the party will not back the amendments in case
the proposed model isn’t included in the package.

“Definitely, if the parliamentary form [of government isn’t approved],
we will not back such a reform. Our proposals are not restricted to the
government model; we have more large-scale proposals in terms of both
human rights protection and independence of the judiciary, as well as
direct participatory democracy, local government and corporate systems;
there are so many proposals. Yes, that’s the central question, but the
rest are important for us too; even if they are accepted, that doesn’t
mean we will be fully content with the proposed scenario, because it
is important to address the other questions as well,” he noted

Minasyan said he doesn’t expect the rest of the problems fully resolved
without the adoption of the parliamentary model. “If that one is
adopted without the other, we may formally have a parliamentary
[government], but the system will be super-personified in essence,”
he added.

FLASH MOBS IN MEMORY OF ARMENIAN HERO SOGHOMON TEHLIRIAN IN GERMANY

by Marianna Lazarian

Friday, April 3, 13:39

A flash mob timed to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in
Ottoman Turkey was organized in Hamburg on April 2, on the birthday of
Soghomon Tehlirian – an Armenian Genocide survivor who assassinated
the former Ottoman Interior Minister Talaat Pasha in the presence of
many witnesses on March 15, 1921 in Berlin as revenge for his role
in orchestrating the Armenian Genocide during World War I.

The flash mob participants opened a 100-meter-long Armenian tricolor
flag in Hamburg, Tigran Mets Charity Fund told ArmInfo. A similar
action is scheduled also for today in Berlin on the very place where
Tehlirian assassinated Talaat Pasha.

Tehlirian’s family was killed during the Genocide of Armenians. He
survived and escaped to Constantinople and then migrated to the United
States in 1920.

Talaat Pasha had been convicted and sentenced to death in absentia in
the Turkish Courts-Martial of 1919-1920 for his crimes against the
Armenians of the Empire (among other things). After a two-day trial
Tehlirian was found not guilty by the German court and freed.

Tehlirian is considered a national hero by Armenians.

THE ARMENIAN DIASPORA’S DILEMMA: GO TO TURKEY OR ARMENIA?

Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
April 2 2015

by BARCIN YÄ°NANC

“The Stanford Global Studies Division, in conjunction with the Handa
Center for Human Rights, the Center for Russian, East European,
and Eurasian Studies (CREEES), and the Abbasi Program in Islamic
Studies, has agreed to sponsor three Stanford University students
to participate in the Armenian Genocide centennial commemoration in
Istanbul, Project 2015 said today,” read the statement dated March 3.

The statement was published on the website of
When you go to the website it has a
logo for Project 2015 Istanbul and the title is Armenian Genocide
Centennial Commemoration.

Let’s continue to read:

“We are delighted that Stanford University will support the efforts of
Project 2015 to support a global commemoration of the Armenian Genocide
in Istanbul this April,” said Seepan Parseghian, Project 2015 board
member. “We look forward to having Stanford students take advantage of
this great opportunity to join the historic commemoration activities.”

“Being able to discuss issues such as the Armenian Genocide with
scholars from Armenia and Turkey is of profound importance for our
students’ intellectual growth,” said Norman Naimark, Fisher Family
Director of Stanford Global Studies. “This fits into the mission of
Stanford Global Studies of providing unique opportunities for students
to explore complex issues from multiple perspectives.”

Project 2015, a U.S.-based organization, is working to ensure that
a large contingent of Armenians come to Turkey for the historic
centennial commemoration. Working with “DurDe,” its partner
organization in Turkey, Project 2015 ensures a meaningful opportunity
to honor the victims of the genocide and recognize the resilience
of the survivors. Project 2015 also makes a limited number of study
grants, of a minimum $750, available to students wishing to travel
to Turkey for the commemoration events.

A decade ago, an initiative to ensure that a large contingent of
Armenians come to Turkey to commemorate what they believe amounted
to genocide would have made the headlines all over the media. The
headline would have been about the efforts of the Turkish government
to stop such an initiative.

After a small inquiry, I found out that the government today had no
problem with the Armenian diaspora coming for the historic centennial
commemoration. Obviously, those who will be coming just to make the
point of shouting to the world “this was genocide” on Turkish soil
will not be highly thought of by many. But it seems to me that any
initiative encouraging Armenian diaspora members to visit their
homeland is welcomed by the government.

It must be quiet a difficult choice for the Armenian diaspora: To go
to Turkey or to go to Armenia?

In fact, I am hearing that a special plane may take off from Armenia
to Turkey on the day of the commemorations, for those trying to make
it to the ceremonies in both countries.

My understanding is that Ankara is highly concerned and uneasy about
the rhetoric used in Armenia and efforts by some in the Armenian
diaspora to turn the commemorations into “Turkey-bashing.”

Despite this unease, the government seems to have decided to keep a
low profile and to maintain moderate rhetoric in its counter campaign
against what it perceives to be initiatives pushing the limits of
Turkey-bashing. It is therefore trying to facilitate initiatives such
as visits by members of the Armenian diaspora.

In fact, I would not be surprised if the government surpasses its
move last year on April 23, when the Prime Ministry issued an official
statement remembering Armenian sufferings and offering condolences.

April/02/2015

RUSSIAN PILOTS START MILITARY DRILLS IN ARMENIA

Russian Peacekeeper
April 2 2015

02.04.2015 13:36

Russian Defense Ministry’s Southern Military District’s press service
said Thursday Russian MiG-29 (Fulcrum) jet fighter pilots have started
military exercises from a Russian base in Armenia.

“More than 100 Air Force pilots and service personnel are participating
(in the military exercises) with more than 30 pieces of specialized
military and aviation hardware,” the press service said.

During the exercises, which are to last for three days, the fighter
pilots will cover ground forces from the air and destroy “enemy”
bombers, cruise and ballistic missiles.

The Russian Defense Ministry said at least 4,000 military exercises
are planned to be conducted throughout the country in 2015.

CRIMINALIZATION OF THE DENIAL OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IS IMPORTANT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF GENOCIDE PREVENTION: SHAVARSH KOCHARYAN

15:32, 2 April, 2015

YEREVAN, 2 APRIL, ARMENPRESS. Criminalization of the denial of
the Armenian Genocide is important not only for Armenians from the
perspective of the restoration of justice, but also for all mankind
in order to prevent future genocides. This is what Deputy Minister
of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Shavarsh Kocharyan
told “Armenpress” as he touched upon the unanimous adoption by the
Parliament of Cyprus of the draft law criminalizing the denial of
the Armenian Genocide.

“Those who don’t wish to confront the past and recognize the Armenian
Genocide are trying to lead a policy of denial. From that perspective,
the criminalization of denial is very important because when we
fight for recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide,
it will be important not only for Armenians, but all mankind so that
genocides are not repeated in the future. If there had been such a
response to the Armenian Genocide in the past, the perpetration of
other genocides would be less likely,” Kocharyan said.

TV CONCERNS: GOVERNMENT CONSIDERING DELAYING TRANSITION TO DIGITAL BROADCASTING

NEWS | 02.04.15 | 15:55

Photo: OSCE/Gayane Ter-Stepanyan

GOHAR ABRAHAMYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter

The conversion of the Armenian analogue broadcasting system into
digital, which has originally been scheduled to start from July 1,
2015, the government is likely to postpone it.

National Assembly member Edmon Marukyan suggested the government
delaying the deadline of converting the analogue TV broadcasting
system into digital till 2017; he believes that this conversion
might result in a close-down of around a dozen TV channels, which
will cause unemployment of several hundred people. The changes in the
law about “TV and Radio” that Marukyan suggests will extend analogue
functioning licenses for another two years and meanwhile will enable
to find better solutions.

At the Thursday government meeting Armenian Minister of Transport and
Communication Gagik Beglaryan said that the suggestion is acceptable,
only the clear deadlines must be discussed.

“By digitizing certain amount of frequency domains will be liberated,
and the state budget will have significant financial inflow by
providing this domain, expenses for providing analog networks for
the mentioned period will almost be doubled, considering also the
financial means necessary for maintenance of analog networks,” the
minister said, adding that in the future the Armenian Ministry of
Transport and Communication will present the bill of changes to the
law about “TV and Radio” to the government’s discussion.

Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression (CPFE) Chairman Ashot
Melikyan said that digital broadcasting is installed in 80 percent
of Armenia, but according to him, there are still reasons justifying
the delay of the conversion project.

“We must solve social problems, specifically providing decoding
equipment to poor families. Of course, the fault of the state is that
during 2010-2014 nothing was being done, processes ran very slow, and
now, when the deadline is close there are numerous unsolved questions,”
Melikyan said, adding that conversion to the new system is important
not only in terms of quality, but also this is one of our country’s
international responsibilities and if Armenia does not convert to
digital system it will hinder the region’s countries.

REEDLEY MUSEUM MARKS CENTENNIAL OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

10:46, 02 Apr 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

This year is the 100th anniversary of the start of the Armenian
Genocide, and the Reedley Museum has a display to commemorate the
tragedy.

The exhibit is at the museum through May 9. It’s a small display but
provides information about the Armenian people. It was put together
by volunteers Adrienne Chakerian and Virginia Amador.

The exhibit includes a delicate robe that typically would be worn in
an Armenian bathhouse and an intricately designed doily created with
needle and thread.

Also on display are photographs of Armenian churches and a program
from 1954 for the St. Sahan-St. Mesrob Reedley Armenian Church,
at 13th and F streets.

There also is some information about the Armenian Genocide that
happened between 1915 and 1923 during the Ottoman Empire in the region
that became Turkey, leaving “1.5 million Armenians dead and millions
more displaced,” as included in a joint statement from Central Valley
congressmen, such as Rep. Devin Nunes.