Author: Kanayan Tamar

VALERIE BOYER : “LE GENOCIDE DE 1915 NE S’EST PAS LIMITE AUX ARMENIENS”

Le Figaro, France
2 avril 2015

Par Edouard de Mareschal

INTERVIEW – Epinglee pour sa proposition de loi inspiree de Wikipedia,
la deputee UMP des Bouches-du-Rhône revient sur son texte qui vise a
faire reconnaître le genocide assyro-chaldeen, aujourd’hui largement
ignore.

La proposition de loi sur la reconnaissance du genocide assyrien a ete
très largement mediatisee ces deux derniers jours. Mais son auteur,
Valerie Boyer, regrette qu’elle n’ait pas ete commentee “pour les
bonnes raisons”. Denigre pour ses passages largement inspires de
Wikipedia, le texte aborde un sujet largement meconnu qui meriterait
plus d’attention publique, estime la deputee des Bouches-du-Rhône.

LE FIGARO – Que pensez-vous de la polemique declenchee par
votre proposition de loi, dont des pans entiers sont inspires de
l’encyclopedie en ligne Wikipedia?

VALERIE BOYER – Cette polemique est ridicule. Elle a ete lancee
par un assistant parlementaire du groupe ecologiste, ce qui n’est
pas etonnant ; En 2012, ils s’etaient deja violemment opposes a ma
proposition de loi penalisant la negation des genocides, dont le
genocide armenien. Pour revenir au genocide assyrien, il existe très
peu de documents sur le sujet. Je me suis donc appuyee sur l’article
de Wikipedia qui etait le plus complet. Je ne suis pas agregee en
histoire des minorites d’Orient… Je ne vois donc pas où est le
problème, d’autant plus que nous avons fait valider notre texte par
plusieurs specialistes du sujet.

Qu’est-ce que le genocide assyrien?

C’est le massacre de la population assyrienne par l’Empire ottoman
a partir de 1915. Au meme titre que les Armeniens, les Turcs ont
extermine toutes les autres communautes chretiennes presentes dans
cette region de l’ancienne Mesopotamie, aujourd’hui a cheval sur la
Turquie et l’Iran. Il y avait des Assyriens, mais aussi des Chaldeens,
des protestants et des orthodoxes. Les Assyro-chaldeens ont invente
un mot pour designer ce massacre: “Sayfo”, qui signifie “epee” en
arameen. Ce genocide a provoque l’exode massif de ces populations dans
le Caucase, en Syrie, en Irak et dans le reste du monde. Leur fuite
s’est poursuivie jusque dans les annees 1970, car ils etaient reduits
par les Turcs a un etat de dhimmitude qui en faisait des sous-citoyens.

Pourquoi le genocide perpetre par l’Empire ottoman est-il seulement
associe aux Armeniens?

Les survivants armeniens forment une communaute mieux organisee que
les autres, ils ont la capacite d’entreprendre un vrai travail de
memoire. Ce n’est pas le cas des Assyro-chaldeens, pourtant massacres
au meme moment et pour les memes motifs. C’est pourquoi il faudrait
une loi qui reconnaisse officiellement leur martyr et qui en punisse
la negation. C’est sur ce massacre que la Turquie moderne s’est
constituee. On est dans un negationnisme d’Etat insupportable qui
constitue un nouveau genocide contre la memoire de ce peuple.

Cent ans plus tard, n’avez-vous pas l’impression que l’histoire se
repète en Syrie et en Irak?

Bien sûr. Les Assyro-chaldeens qui ont fui les persecutions en 1915
sont les memes qui sont aujourd’hui chasses par Daech en Irak et en
Syrie. Comme en 1915, les victimes sont chretiennes et les bourreaux
musulmans. Les motifs etaient laïcistes a l’epoque, alors qu’ils sont
islamistes aujourd’hui, mais la methode reste exactement la meme. Le
plus alarmant, c’est que la negation de ce genocide en cours se fait
sur notre propre sol. Il est extremement grave qu’une entreprise comme
la RATP se serve de la laïcite comme pretexte pour censurer un appel
aux dons pour les chretiens d’Orient.

Pensez-vous que votre proposition de loi a une chance d’aboutir?

Elle peut très bien etre examinee dans une niche parlementaire pour
l’UMP, nous en avons plusieurs par an. C’est aussi une question de
volonte politique. En avril 2012, le candidat Hollande avait promis
au pied de la statue de Komitas [pretre orthodoxe armenien venere
dans son pays, NDLR] qu’il penaliserait le negationnisme du genocide
de 1915. Il ne tient qu’a lui de tenir son engagement.

FILATOV – IT POTENTIAL HIGH IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, April 2. /ARKA/. The IT potential is high in Armenia, sales
manager of IBM Russia Andrey Filatov told ARKA.

Representatives of Russian IT companies are currently in Armenia for
the “IT Summit-2015: IT Industry Leaders’ Meeting”. The summit is held
by the Russian association of computer and information technologies
in the Armenian capital on April 1-3. On Wednesday April 1 the
participants discussed how to form a new generation of specialists
and to prevent the “brain drain” at the Ayb High School in Yerevan.

General educational level is high in Armenia, and IT is a promising
sector, if the required support is provided by the government,
Filatov said.

The IBM is well aware of the Armenian IT, has partners in the country
and cooperates both with private and government sectors, he said.

Presentation of new technologies in the Armenian market and development
of the business here is a priority to IBM, the sales manager said.

According to Filatov, the IT Summit-2015 will lead to expansion of
ties and new projects. -0–

AZERBAIJAN GROSSLY VIOLATES THE NORMS OF INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW: KARABAKH MFA

16:35, 02 Apr 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

Arsakh Foreign Ministry says the dissemination of the video message
of NKR Defense Army serviceman Andranik Grigoryan, who is in the
Azerbaijani captivity, is a violation of international humanitarian
law.

“By disseminating the video messages of Andranik Grigoryan, the first
of which was made public the next day after he was taken prisoner,
Azerbaijan grossly violates the norms of the international humanitarian
law, in particular, Article 13 of the Geneva Convention relative
to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, adopted on 12 August 1949,
protecting the prisoners of war from public curiosity,” the Ministry
said in comments toNews.am.

“Participating States of the Geneva conventions undertake to
respect and to ensure respect for the provisions of the Convention
in all circumstances. In the case of Azerbaijan, this provision is
particularly relevant, given the fact that violation of international
humanitarian law by the Azerbaijani side has already become
systematic,” the Ministry said.

“Outright disregard of the norms of international humanitarian law
by the Azerbaijani side is a challenge for the entire international
community, as abiding to them is the responsibility of the
international community as a whole,” it stated.

LOCAL POULTRY FACTORIES TO CATER FOR DOMESTIC MARKET DEMAND FOR EGGS AHEAD OF EASTER – ARMENIAN AGRICULTURE MINISTRY

YEREVAN, April 2. /ARKA/. Armenia’s agriculture ministry released a
statement today saying that local poultry factories are able to cater
for domestic market demand for eggs ahead of Easter.

This year Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates the holiday on April 5.

“Some 960,000 eggs, on average, are produced in the country every
day, and this is enough to satisfy consumer demand ahead of Easter,”
the ministry says in its statement.

According to the agriculture ministry, 730,000 eggs are consumed
every day in Armenia.

The ministry also says that no eggs were imported in the country in
recent days and no significant changes in prices are expected. –0—-

ARMENIA’S BRANDY PRODUCTION SLASHES BY 31.3% IN TWO MONTHS TO ABOUT 1.6 MILLION LITERS – NSS

YEREVAN, April 2. / ARKA /. Armenia’s brandy production slashed by
31.3% in the first two months of 2015 from the year before to about 1.6
million liters, according to the National Statistical Service (NSS).

According to official numbers, wine production increased by 31.2%
to 890,700 liters; vodka production increased by 12% to 1.6 million
liters, while production of champagne fell to 27,300 liters form
50,600 liters in January-February 2014.

Production of beer in the first two months of this year was said to
have fallen by 15 percent to about 1.5 million liters. Production of
non-alcoholic beverages grew by 25.4% to 8.4 million liters. -0-

NAIRA HOVAKIMYAN TO HEAD INTELLIGENT ROBOTICS LAB

Society | April 2, 2015 11:09
EXCLUSIVE

Naira Hovakimyan

Photo: From Naira Hovakimyan’s personal archive

Yerevan /Mediamax/. A hero of Mediamax’s “50 Global Armenians”
project, professor at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Naira
Hovakimyan was appointed Director of newly established Intelligent
Robotics Lab at the University.

The lab will focus on creating a new generation of smart UAVs operating
out of GPS system and robots that can seamlessly interact with humans.

The lab will bring together more than 10 specialists of various
departments who will be engaged in addressing different issues led
by Naira Hovakimyan.

You can read about Naira Hovakimyan’s life and activities in more
detail here.

BAKU ACCUSES YEREVAN OF BRINGING SYRIAN ARMENIANS TO “OCCUPIED LANDS”

Interfax, Russia
April 1 2015

BAKU. Apr 1

Azerbaijan is distressed by the resettlement of Syrian Armenians to
the “occupied lands.”

“The resettlement of Armenian refugees from Syria to the occupied
territories of Azerbaijan conducted by the Armenian government in
violation of international legal norms and principles is one of our
concerns,” Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the State Committee
on Refugees and Displaced Persons and the Republican Commission on
International Humanitarian Aid Ali Hasanov said.

According to the official media, Hasanov made the statement at
the Third International Humanitarian Pledging Conference for Syria
in Kuwait.

“We think that donations raised at the conference should be used
exclusively to meet important humanitarian needs of Syrian refugees
and to restore normal living conditions rather than serve the purpose
of their illegal accommodation,” he said.

In the words of the vice-premier, Azerbaijan caries on humanitarian
projects in over 30 states of Latin America, Africa and Asia and
in a number of European and other countries despite global economic
problems.

“In continuation of its noble mission, Azerbaijan, which is a peace
loving country which supports the territorial integrity, sovereignty
and independence of Syria, is updating the total of material aid
it will render to Syrian refugees for the improvement of their
humanitarian position. Hopefully, the Syrian conflict will soon be
peacefully resolved, and the refugees and displaced persons will
return to their homes,” he said.

The Syrian conflict has lead to a major humanitarian catastrophe,
the official continued. Millions of people, among them refugees
and displaced persons whose rights are still violated, have found
themselves in a difficult situation, he said.

The conflict also has implications for the countries which have taken
in Syrian refugees, Hasanov said.

Azerbaijan has experienced a similar problem and it understands well
the hardships of the Syrian people, he said.

Te

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE AND ITS RESPONSES IN RUSSIA: EXPO IN ST. PETERSBURG

11:23, 2 April, 2015

SAINT PETERSBURG, APRIL 2, ARMENPRESS: The exhibition “Armenian
Genocide and Russia’s cooperation” was held at the National Library of
the Russian Federation in Saint Petersburg, devoted to the centenary
of the Armenian Genocide. Armenpress correspondent in Saint Petersburg
informs that the exhibited materials tell about the wide response,
emerged by the crime of the century, committed by Turkey against
the Armenians.

During the years of the Genocide, the progressive intelligentsia of
Russia, expressing their anger, called to the Government, demanding
to condemn the crime, committed by Turkey, and provide material
assistance to thousands of victims and refugees. Around the country
relief unions, committees and councils are organized, the activists of
which start collecting and sending material assistance to the needy
Armenians. The activities of the Red Cross of Russia was especially
efficient for the Armenian refugees.

SPARKS FLY WHEN TURKISH PROTESTORS INTERRUPT PROGRAM ON GENOCIDE

NEWS | APRIL 2, 2015 1:01 PM
________________________________

>From left, Prof. Simon Payaslian, Marc A. Mamigonian and Prof. James
R. Russell with protestors

Prof. James R. Russell

Sparks Fly When Turkish Protestors Interrupt Program on Armenian
Genocide By Alin K. Gregorian Mirror-Spectator Staff

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — A program at Harvard University’s Kennedy School
of Government on March 25 on the links between the Armenian Genocide
and the Holocaust became uncharacteristically boisterous after about
a dozen protestors held up anti-Armenian signs.

The program, titled “Armenia 1915-Auschwitz 1945: Small Nations and
Great Powers,” featured Dr. Simon Payaslian, Charles K. and Elisabeth
M. Kenosian Professor of Modern Armenian History and Literature,
Department of History, Boston University; Marc A. Mamigonian, director
of Academic Affairs at National Association for Armenian Studies and
Research; and Dr. James R. Russell, Mashtots Professor of Armenian
Studies, Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations,
Harvard University.

Russell, though not a historian, approached the issue of the Armenian
Genocide as a Jewish American who had lost many family members in the
Holocaust in Salonika and Ukraine, as well as the foremost scholar
of modern and classical Armenian in the US.

He spoke poetically and with deep and touching emotion about
his current project, a translation of poems by Misak Medzarents,
a Western-Armenian poet who had died at age 22 in 1908 before the
Genocide was launched. He compared the young poet’s works to Edgar
Allen Poe, among others. He died from tuberculosis, brought on by
a serious injury he had suffered earlier in his life. This talented
young poet was also a translator of the works of Emerson and Oscar
Wilde in his native village of Pingian.

With passion and delicacy, he described the horrors visited upon
Armenians on April 24, 1915 and lamented the passing of an entire
generation of musicians, playwrights, poets and novelists.

“Misak was lucky,” he noted.

He said it is unbelievable that he is grateful that this talented young
artist died before suffering from the indignities and cruelties that
befell other Armenian artists and leaders in 1915, such as Komitas
Vartabed, the composer and ethnomusicologist who survived the Genocide
but went mad after seeing the results and never played another note.

He recited a Hebrew poem on sorrow and loss. He also recited a quote
from Avedis Aharonian, suggesting that the future generations cannot
be permitted to forget the evil which befell the Armenians.

Again, speaking of his personal experiences, he said he had been
visiting Poland as a young student when a local man spit on him and
called him a hateful name. He ended up visiting the Soviet Union
and the Soviet Republic of Armenia and fell in love with its history
and language.

He led the audience in “Hayr Mer,” or The Lord’s Prayer, in immaculate
Armenian, “in the language of Toumanian, Abovian and Misak Medzarents,
in memory of the Holy Martyrs.”

Upon the conclusion of his speech, the floor was opened to questions
and that is when a question on the veracity of the Genocide was posed
and all of a sudden about a dozen anti-Armenian signs went up. The
protestors, scattered throughout the room, would not put down the
signs, despite repeated requests from panelists and audience members.

While the Armenians and their supporters were shocked at the protest,
they kept the dialogue civil.

Again, Russell came out swinging, to the delight of the audience.

“Turkey today is like Nazi-Germany Light, if Nazi Germany had
survived,” he said. “It is beneath human contempt that you do this
at my university.”

He said that Germany admitted to the Holocaust “while it was dragged
kicking and screaming” to the Nuremberg Trials by the Allies after
World War II and now they are free to truly come to terms with
their past.

He suggested that those Turks protesting the event should “research
your heroes that helped the Armenians. Free yourselves and learn about
your history. Go to the Turkish interior and ask pious Muslims what
happened to the Armenians.”

Payaslian started off the program, speaking about the history of
Germany in the Ottoman Empire and rattling off information comparing
and contrasting the case of the Armenians and the Jews. He noted that
while several future Nazi leaders had served as military leaders in
the Ottoman Empire, and that they knew about the coordinated assault
on the population, it did not follow necessarily that the event served
as an example to future Nazi leaders.

He asked rhetorically, “Did Hitler really need a model to launch the
Final Solution?”

The answer seemed to be “no,” he concluded.

For Germany, he explained, Turkey was important as a gateway to the
Middle East.

While he noted the popular quote about Hitler, in which he said
that “Who today remembers the Armenians,” it is possible, he said,
that Hitler was along the line of leaders such as Pol Pot, Mao and
Stalin, who hit upon the idea for a “final solution” based on their
“previous military bureaucratic capabilities.” For such leaders,
he added, consequences were not taken into consideration and they
needed no examples for such measures.

Mamigonian took a more personal approach to the Armenian Genocide,
speaking about his own family history, including many members who were
slaughtered in Kharpert. “Denial says [they] never existed,” he said.

“The goal [of deniers] is to get the debate as if there are two sides.

They are building a Potemkin village of denial,” he added.

He compared the denial of the Armenian Genocide by the government
of Turkey and its allies and hired guns to the deniers hired by
tobacco firms in the 1950s to combat the findings of scientists who
had established links between smoking and cancer.

He said that deniers in both cases benefited from their liberal-minded
proponents of truth who were open to debating the situation, thus
sowing doubts in the minds of those unfamiliar with the issues. He
specifically referred to a new brand of historians for hire who are
paid to publish neutral-sounding literature on the subject. One
particular example he cited was Guenter Lewy, whose book by the
University of Utah Press, The Armenian Massacres in Ottoman Turkey:
A Disputed Genocide, makes it seem as if he is a fair arbiter, rather
than a denier, thus creating a “scholarly pseudo-debate.”

Mamigonian added, “The University of Utah is ground zero of Turkish
denial.” Their preferred line of argument is that the Armenians
suffered “a great disaster yet they were not wholly innocent victims.”

He stressed, “Academic integrity ought to be stressed and cherished.”

One audience member, a history professor at Salem State College, said,
“I did not think I would be a witness to genocide. Denial is the final
stage of genocide. It should weight very heavily on your conscience.

History is in the making at a very local level.”

Hovhannes Ghazaryan, a graduate student in the Mid-Career Master
in Public Administration at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government,
served as moderator.

The event was co-sponsored by the Harvard Kennedy School European Club,
the Harvard College Armenian Students Association, the Mashtots Chair
in Armenian Studies at Harvard and NAASR.

CYPRUS AND ARMENIA ISSUE COMMEMORATIVE STAMP

April 2nd, 2015 George Psyllides

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Cyprus and Armenia Post on Thursday jointly issued a stamp to
commemorate the victims of the Armenian Genocide.

The stamp depicts the building of the Melkonian Educational Institute,
in Nicosia, that hosted orphans from Ottoman Turkey who survived the
massacres and evolved into a landmark of Cyprus’ Armenian community.

The initiative for the stamp issue belongs to Vartkes Mahdessian, the
representative of the Armenian community in the Cypriot parliament,
and the island’s post office.

This year marks the centenary of the Armenian Genocide.

The Melkonian Institute, founded in 1924, housed and educated refugee
orphans who survived the massacres in Ottoman Turkey during the First
World War.

The picture of the building, depicted in the stamp, was taken in 1940
by photographer Haigaz Mangoian, while the trees planted by the orphans
in memory of their parents can also be seen in front of the building.