Author: Kanayan Tamar

DASHNAKTSUTYUN PRESENTS LISTS FOR PARLIAMENTARY POLLS

Vestnik Kavkaza
March 21 2012
Russia

Dashnaktsutyun, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, has presented
proportional and majority lists for the parliamentary polls on May 6.

The proportional list consists of Vaan Ovannisyan, Armen Rustamyan,
Artyusha Shakhbazyan, Agvan Vardnyan, Artsvik Minasyan, Karine
Arutyunyan, Armen Babayan, Aramais Grigoryan, Michael Manukyan,
Karen Shakhmyradyan.

The majority list consists of Artur Yegiazaryan (district 8), Karlen
Gevorkyan (12), Gurgen Shaginyan (15), Manvel Ayrapetyan (17),
Araik Grigoryan (18), Artashes Nikoyan (22), Zograb Torosyan (30)
and Gagik Gevorkyan (37).

Armen Rustamyan said that their goal is to switch power in the country.

RUSSIA TRIES TO UNDERMINE JAVAKHETI

The Messenger
March 21 2012
Georgia

Soon, the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway will be complete. The line passes
through the Javakheti region of Georgia before entering Turkey. This
is the same area where Moscow is trying to undermine the sovereignty
and people of Georgia, hoping to inspire the ethnic Armenia population
to declare yet another “independent state” on Georgian territory.

According to a Russian newspaper, the ethnic Armenian population in the
region wants to separate from Georgia and declare its independence. The
paper names Georgia’s efforts to join NATO as the major reason
for their complaint, as when Georgia is granted membership it will
“automatically” become a major Turkish ally, which is supposedly
unacceptable to the Armenian population in Javakheti.

This is the opinion of Agas Aramyan, the leader of an organization
called Javakhk Diaspora in Russia, but not necessarily that of the
people living in the region itself.

So far, such provocative statements had been ignored by the Georgian
leadership. But on Monday, Deputy Foreign Minister Nino Kalandadze
deigned to comment, saying that ethnic conflicts in Georgia are in
the interests of the Russian Federation. She also mentioned that
Armenia successfully cooperates with NATO. But the idea of separatism
is still promoted by certain forces supported by the Kremlin, which
is actively trying to implement this project.

Officially, Yerevan is taking a wise policy. The government there has
not made any anti-Georgian statements; on the contrary, it is trying
to develop good neighbourly relations between the two states. This
position is shared by the Georgian side as well, as these countries
are fated to be neighbours forever – thus it is in our mutual interest
to preserve good relations.

ISTANBUL AT THE CROSSROAD

People’s Daily

March 21 2012
China

(People’s Daily Online)13:44, March 21, 2012

It is late afternoon in historic Taksim neighborhood of Istanbul and
Kafe Ara is full of local intellectuals. The walls are decorated with
enormous black and white photographs depicting old days of the city:
ancient fishing boats, exhausted laborers arriving to the jetty,
historic trams crawling through Galata Bridge. All these photos were
taken by one of the greatest Turkish photographers of Armenian origin –
Mr. Ara Guler – now more than 90 years old.

As I write this article, Mr. Guler is sitting at the large wooden
table right next to me. He is still loved and popular, never short
of company of both young and old people who ask him to autograph his
books and to share his thoughts on this city.

Once in a while we look at each other and smile. At one point he
begins eyeing my Leica camera, then he winks at me: “I have 50 of
them at home. I even knew personally the family… You know… After
they went digital, it is not the same…” I still love Leicas, but
I politely agree with the old master.

While his work is considered phenomenal, as one of the great symbols
of Istanbul, for many inhabitants and visitors alike it is synonymous
with nostalgia and melancholy. Taksim neighborhood is constantly
changing. While still full of history and architectural beauty,
it became one of the most expensive places on earth, and according
to the great Turkish Marxist filmmaker Serkan Koc – one of the
‘most capitalist’.

“Istanbul from my childhood has changed, it already disappeared”,
laments Ara Guler. “The new construction is everywhere. Even when
you think about Istanbul some 50 years ago, it was already gone. We
have been living in the city called Istanbul, but it is just imaginary
city. The real city went mad; its culture is finished. New generations
– they are all empty. I see emptiness all around me.”

But standing near us, young student and translator, Erkin Oncan,
is smiling warmly as he is listening to the words of the master. And
his smile confirms what is so obvious even as the barrage of bitter
words flies from the mouth of that great old photographer: Ara Guler
actually loves his eternal city – Istanbul. He is quarreling with it,
nagging it, criticizing it as old lovers would. But his affection is
clearly evident in both his words and his remarkable images.

US CONGRESS TO CONSIDER ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

Voice of Russia
March 21 2012

US Congress will consider a draft resolution which was introduced by
Senators Mark Kirk and Robert Menendez in recognition of the Armenian
genocide in the Ottoman Empire in 1915.

All previous attempts to race resolutions to this effect through
Congress have failed.

While recognizing “the mass extermination of Armenians in the Ottoman
Empire”, the US government has so far abstained from referring to it
as “genocide” for fear of spoiling relations with Turkey, one of its
major NATO allies.

GERMAN CHANCELLOR TO PARTICIPATE IN AN EXHIBITION, WHERE PHOTOS ABOUT ARMENIAN GENOCIDE WILL BE PRESENTED

ARMENPRESS
MARCH 21, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MARCH 21, ARMENPRESS: An exhibition entitled “Longing for
the Homeland” and presenting 20th century genocides and mass exile
is expected to open March 21 in Berlin, Germany.

Armenpress reports citing “Bild” German newspaper, that the exhibition
is dedicated to millions of deportees of Europe, who were forcedly
exiled during 1900-2000.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is expected to participate in the
exhibition.

Photos testifying the Armenian Genocide are exhibited as well.

COMMENTARY: ‘TERMITES’ ON A DANGEROUS MISSION
By Edmond Y. Azadian

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Editor
-mission/

Termites and carpenter ants are insects that feed on wood. They eat
24 hours a day. Drywood termites can build nests and dig tunnels in
buildings. These tunnels bring major damage and cause buildings to
fall. The damage in the US is estimated at $2 billion annually.

This column will not be dedicated to the study of insects nor the
damage they can cause. We will try only to use the analogy of the
termites with the alien sects, which have been dispatched to Armenia
on a similarly destructive mission.

As if the war, the blockade, the economic hardships and the continuing
ravages of the earthquake were not enough, Armenia has to be armed to
fight the invasion of alien sects, which have “freedom of worship”
as their cover to disrupt the social fabric of the country and to
inject demoralization within the armed forces.

After 70 years of atheistic rule, which has undermined the foundations
of the Armenian Church, Armenia is ill-equipped to counter
the onslaught. There is certainly religious fervor developing –
churches are being built or renovated and the ranks of clergy have
been swelling – but all those developments can hardly remedy the
damage of yesteryear, while new ones are invading the country with
specific missions.

No one believes that the Cold War is over and our homeland is caught
in between the warring camps. The new Cold-War weapons are more
sophisticated; they are effectively used for regime changes, colorful
revolutions, (rude) awakenings and causing havoc in target countries.

George Soros’ peaceful “angels” were trained and launched against the
Ukraine and Georgia, causing Orange and Rose revolutions, respectively.

Another targeted mission is conducted through the invasion of religious
sects, to teach Christianity to the first Christian nation of the
world. Those sects are not only armed with lethal literature but also
with cash and strategic skills.

The depressed population of the country is an easy target for the
leaders of these missionaries.

Armenia is caught between a rock and a hard place; it is party to
many European conventions, which dictate freedom of speech and freedom
of religion. That is why it has officially registered many religious
sects in order to satisfy the European observers. That also provides a
cover to those religious sects to commit their destructive activities
and cry wolf when caught red-handed.

The issue, of course, is not with established denominations which
have demonstrated their allegiance to our Armenian identity. The
Armenian Congregational and Catholic churches, other than practicing
an alternative rite, have contributed meaningfully to the culture and
education of the nation and the diaspora. Even today, Armenia benefits
tremendously from their educational and charitable missions, and yet,
some people are tempted to rank these denominations with sects like
Jehovah’s Witnesses or other fanatical groups.

The alien sects are there to undermine, in the first place, the
Armenian Apostolic Church, which already faces many challenges: a
shortage of clergy, public apathy to faith and manipulations within
the hierarchy of the church itself. These sects are armed with powerful
weapons, namely cash and promises of overseas education.

They use mind-control tactics, destroying families and the very fabric
of society.

But Armenia has committed itself to European standards and is under
an obligation to sit back and only observe these groups. God forbid
any Jehovah’s Witness is insulted or any congregation is disrupted;
the alarms begin ringing and Freedom House or the State Department,
armed with a report, rates Armenia among the “least free” countries.

In Georgia, however, no religious organization save for the Georgian
Church enjoys legal status. Even the Armenian Church has been
struggling for a long time to attain that status there, despite its
existence on Georgian soil for centuries.

Azerbaijan is no different; any group, outside the Muslim religion,
is subject to persecution and even outright massacre, without any
alarm bells going off in the West.

The most dangerous aspect in Armenia is the influence of these sects
within the ranks of the armed forces. A country which is still in
a state of undeclared war needs every able-bodied man within its
borders to defend the homeland. Jehovah’s Witnesses, however, take
cover under the pretext of being conscientious objectors. They refuse
to bear arms, never mind that some of their leaders have performed
religious services with concealed weapons on their bodies.

To overcome this situation and to satisfy European watchdogs,
the Armenian Parliament adopted a law in 2004 to offer alternative
services to conscientious objectors. They can enroll in services at
old age homes, hospitals and orphanages under the Ministry of Social
Services. However, that in itself presents a risk, since these groups
can prey on a vulnerable audience to convert them to their faith.

Even though the law has been adopted to offer the Jehovah’s Witnesses
this form of alternate national service, the Ministry of Defense
reports that no members of the sect have applied for it. They have
all opted instead to be taken to court where desertion is punishable
with a four-year prison term. The courts have been lenient, giving
instead a two-year sentence, with tolerable detention conditions.

Many people who wish to avoid the draft have joined the ranks of
Jehovah’s Witnesses because after serving two years, they qualify for
scholarships to travel overseas and present themselves as candidates
for asylum, as members of a persecuted minority.

The lawless state of some army barracks, sadly, contributes to the
decision by some young potential soldiers to take any way out rather
than be in the army, the very same army that has prevented an Azeri
invasion and earned a win in Karabagh.

Unfortunately, the analogy of termites is very apt and it requires
constant vigilance to spare Armenia from another assault.

DADRIAN PRESENTS LECTURE ON SIGNIFICANCE OF OTTOMAN TRIALS
By Florence Avakian

Mirror-Spectator

TENAFLY, N.J. – Prof. Vahakn Dadrian, renowned historian and scholar of
the Armenian Genocide, gave a much-awaited lecture on the significance
of the Ottoman trials of the Genocide perpetrators, at the St. Thomas
Armenian Church, on Friday, March 9. It also marked the publication
of his new book, the first book jointly written by an Armenian and
a Turkish scholar, (Prof. Taner Akcam is his collaborator), titled
Judgment at Istanbul: The Armenian Genocide Trials.

An 11-year effort, the book is the first complete documentation of the
trial proceedings in English, and is based on authentic documentation,
including personal, eyewitness testimony of high- ranking Ottoman
officials, given under oath, which the Ottoman government was forced
to release during the trials which revealed the magnitude of the
crimes perpetrated against the Armenians.

Tekeyan Cultural Association New York/New Jersey Chairman Hagop
Vartivarian welcomed the more than 100 in attendance and discussed
the background of Dadrian, which includes numerous books, his fluency
in several languages, his many university degrees and the honors he
has received, including the coveted gold medal from the president of
the Republic of Armenia.

Speaking in Armenian for an hour-and-a-half, virtually without notes,
Dadrian, a walking encyclopedia on the Genocide, began his talk by
pointing out that the 1894 to 1896 massacres of 200,000 Armenians –
mostly men, in Anatolia and Istanbul – took place on Fridays after
Muslim prayers and lasted for three days, emphasizing that the
Turkish people killed for Allah. “The Turkish people participated
with pleasure in the Genocide, whereas during the Nazi extermination,
the German people did not take part. “By killing Armenians, Turks
would be eligible to go to heaven. Armenians and Turks who had been
friends for centuries became enemies in 24 hours.”

He explained that Sultan Abdul Hamid killed the Armenians at that time
because the Ottoman areas of Greece, Serbia and Bulgaria had already
been emancipated from the empire, and therefore only the Armenians
remained as an entity. “Greece, Serbia and Bulgaria were the hands
and feet of the Ottoman Empire, but the Armenians were the stomach and
the intestines,” he related. “So the Armenian areas of Van, Erzerum,
Bitlis, Kharpert and Diyarbekir became an existential threat.”

When the Armenians asked for reforms, Turkey was afraid they would
become part of Armenia. However, the scholar said he blamed the
Armenian revolutionary groups for “inadvertently inciting” the Turks.

No Punishment for 1894-96 Massacres Led to 1915 Genocide “The 1894-1896
massacres of Abdul Hamid, done with impunity, remained unpunished. The
West and the rest of the world did not raise a finger because they
had vested interests and were not interested in getting involved
militarily. Therefore, the Ottomans were encouraged to do even more
killing, since the Armenians remained virtually unprotected, helpless
and vulnerable,” he stated, adding that Armenians were not allowed
to have weapons, not even a knife. Armenians were used to submitting
to the Turks. The fact that the Armenians had been unprotected for
six centuries was their doom, and they were easily sacrificed like
sheep. Ethnic cleansing was the major role of the Ottomans.”

The 1915 Genocide, which also was perpetrated for economic reasons
with the Turks taking the wealth of the Armenians, (resulting in
the emergence of a new Turkish middle class), “went far beyond the
cruelty of World War I,” with most of the savagery planned by two
Turkish doctors Nazim and Shakir, and carried out by the Kurds.

“The Ottomans were not sure that the Turkish soldiers would do the
savagery, so they released the most monstrous prisoners to do the
killing. “These savage acts were unique, and had never happened
before,” he stated with some emotion. “The Nazis did not do the same.

There is a big difference between the Armenian and Jewish genocides.”

The Genocide “was not a state crime as the West has said, but a
political party crime perpetrated by the Young Turk Party with its
Central Committee heads Enver Pasha, Talaat Pasha and Jemal Pasha.”

Dadrian revealed that Talaat, “who was softer and milder,” ordered
the crime, but it was the two doctors who fulfilled the monstrous acts.

“Talaat had to submit to the doctors,” he noted.

“It was mostly done by the Young Turk party structure, not so much
by the government. The highest government officials had no real
authority. And there were secret means of communication between
Talaat and the political party organizers. He revealed that the party
secretaries made the province governors give orders for the killings
and if they didn’t obey, the party officials would install their own
officials as governors. “When only one party controls the government,
it is very dangerous,” he stated.

“The most important part of the Armenian Genocide is the savagery
that was used against the victims and the fact that the Genocide
remains unpunished,” Dadrian said, stressing each word.

After World War I, the Allies were divided as to what each would grab.

Dadrian revealed that the French secretly gave Mustafa Kemal Ataturk,
the Young Turk leader and the first president of the new Republic
of Turkey weapons, which prevented Armenia from extending to Van,
Bitlis and Erzerum. Ataturk, he said, was not strong enough to take
the east because the Russians were there. “Today in Turkey, young
intellectuals are becoming aware of their monstrous background. Turkey
is most afraid of the reparations question. Many Turks say they will
admit to the Armenian Genocide if there are no reparations. However,
for Turkey to join the European Union, it is central and primary that
they come to terms with the Genocide.”

With pride, Dadrian stated that “today, Armenia with Russian help, is
very strong militarily. A major part of Armenia’s budget is devoted
to its army and advanced weapons.” However, he questioned that if
there ever was an emergency, would Russia be faithful to Armenia. “We
should not rely on anyone, especially with the kind of geographical
neighbors that Armenia has,” he said with emphasis.

Dadrian received a standing ovation lasting several minutes at the
conclusion of his fascinating talk.

The event was sponsored by the Zoryan Institute, with the participation
of the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), Constantinople
Armenian Relief Society (CARS), Armenian-American Support and
Educational Center, Esayan-Getronagan Alumni, Hamazkayin Cultural
Association, Knights & Daughters of Vartan, St. Thomas Armenian Church,
Tibrevank Alumni and the Tekeyan Cultural Association.

170 WOLVES KILLED IN 3 MONTHS: OFFICIALS CLAIM THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE
Mаry Mamyan

hetq
13:04, March 22, 2012

170 wolves have been shot and killed by hunters in Armenia so far
this year under a government plan that places a 100,000 AMD bounty
on each hide.

The government, citing dangers to livestock and rural residents,
has given the green light for 200 wolves to be killed in 2012.

Ashot Avalyan, Deputy Chief of Staff at the RA Ministry of Nature
Protection, serves as the committee president tasked with collecting
the hides.

He said that most of the 170 wolves have been killed in the regions
of Vayots Dzor, Aragatzotn and the Ararat plain.

Avalyan confessed that some of the hides were not from wolves and
were rejected.

Committee member Aram Aghavasyan, Chief of the Ministry’s Division of
Specially Protected Areas, argued that often times hunters confuse
wolves with other animals, especially dogs, and that such mistakes
aren’t intentional.

Hunters will receive payment at their local post office once their
wolf hides are accepted and the paperwork processed.

Aghavasyan noted that such a wolf extermination program was carried
out during the Soviet period with success.

The official stated that those villagers whose livelihood has suffered
due to wolf attacks are adequately compensated.

He claimed that only wolves that approach villages and livestock
are killed. The official didn’t explain how this claim could be
substantiated.

Committee members were adamant – there is no other method to combat
the wolf problem other than killing them. They also considered that
it might be possible to export the animals to those countries with
a demand.

Silva Adamyan, who works at the Zoological Institute and serves as
coordinator for the EcoAlliance NGO, said that such a program was
barbaric and that there are other measures to keep wolves from rural
settlements.

She argued that it is the loss of habitat that forces wolves and
other predators to approach villages and farms.

Adamyan said livestock herds can be better protected through the
installation of fences and even low voltage wires.

She urged the government to look to the methods effectively employed
in other countries rather than blindly killing wolves.

Adamyan argued that the government should be sending its specialists
overseas for training and education, rather than funding the hunting
of wolves.

Artur Gevorgyan, Deputy Chief of the Nature Protection Inspectorate,
said they were taking all precautions to see that other animals are
harmed during the hunt, and that traps and poison are prohibited.

Those found to have employed such measures are fined 150,000 AMD,
he said.

Silva Adamyan said that while there is no overall estimate of the
wolf population in Armenia, it is considered to be around 700.

She urged the government to allocate some of its funds to the
Zoological Institute in order to conduct a wolf research program.

Killing wolves won’t solve the problem, Adamyan concluded, a better
understanding of the problem will.

PROTON ACCELERATOR WILL BE BROUGHT TO ARMENIA IN 2013 – ECONOMY MINISTER

news.am
March 22, 2012 | 14:23

The proton accelerator will be in the capital Yerevan in 2013,
Armenia’s Economy Minister Tigran Davtyan informed during the
Government’s session on Thursday.

According to the Minister, the Government approved the Radioisotope
Production Center to carry out a more accelerated purchase.

Specifically, the Center was authorized to place an order to the
renowned IBA Molecular organization to design the preliminary
estimation documents for the construction of the Center’s building
in Yerevan.

“All infrastructures, corresponding equipment, and the management
model must be ready before the device is brought to Armenia, because
the process is already underway with the assistance of the Belgian
government,” Tigran Davtyan stated.

The proton accelerator is worth 7 million euros, but the Belgian
government has provided a 2-million-euro grant as subsidy for its
purchase.

The accelerator is intended for Armenia’s National Center for Oncology.

BRAZILIAN MODEL DIES AFTER FALLING OFF A CLIFF IN TURKEY

PanARMENIAN.Net
March 21, 2012 – 22:48 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Brazilian model and pilates instructor Rosalva
Pontes, 35, died after she fell off a cliff in the Aegean resort town
of Bodrum today.

Pontes was riding a four-wheeled all-terrain vehicle (ATV) to a local
gym for her daily exercise when she lost control of the vehicle and
fell off a 30-meter cliff, Hurriyet Daily News reported.

Pontes crashed onto the concrete floor of a parking lot below, which
belonged to a local mall. Witnesses of the crash called paramedics,
who arrived promptly to see Pontes’ neck was broken and her skull
was fractured. She was taken to Bodrum State Hospital but could not
be saved.

The model was in Turkey for a two-week vacation with her Turkish
boyfriend Kadir Onel, reports said.

The police were trying to contact Pontes’ relatives to inform them
about the incident.