Author: Kanayan Tamar

BUILDING A CREMATORIUM IN ARMENIA HAS BECOME IMPERATIVE, EXPERT SAYS

epress.am
11.15.2011

On Feb. 27, 2006, Armenia’s National Assembly adopted a law on the
“Operation of Cemeteries and Crematoria and the Organization of
Burials,” according to which a crematorium was to have been built
in Yerevan with special furnaces for cremation, a special visitation
room for final farewells, and refrigerated area for temporary storage
of the deceased.

The crematorium has yet to be built. According to state agency
“Special Service of Population” engineer Razmik Harutyunyan, building
crematoriums has become imperative, as the number of cemetery plots
is very limited.

“I can’t verifiably say anything about the building of crematoria,
since all the agencies in the project have been assigned to study and
provide information about their construction’s location selection and
allocated funds. Under Armenia’s conditions, it’s very important to
have such a structure. First, 80-90% of the land will be saved, the
sanitary-ecological situation will improve drastically, the safety of
the surrounding environment will be ensured, the aesthetics of burials
will be brought to the proper level, stress levels of relatives of
the deceased will be lowered, and additional costs associated with
burial ceremonies will be saved,” Harutyunyan told Epress.am.

The engineer added that there are crematoria in all developed
countries; for example, there are 14,330 crematoriums in the US. In
the case of Armenia, cremation will be not be mandatory and only
offered to those who request it.

“The dead body is burned through the use of electricity (from above)
and gas (from below) at high temperatures. An urn [is provided to the
family], made of non-decaying material (metal or plastic), a container
with an airtight lid where the ashes of the deceased are placed.

“There will also be a memorial wall defined by law, for placing
specially built urns,” said Harutyunyan.

The Armenian Apostolic Church, however, is against cremating the
deceased.

“The Church says you are the earth, you will return to the earth, not
considering the scarcity of land. In 2020, there has to be 146 hectares
of land for burial plots, while by 2030, there will be a demand for 300
hectares. Currently, cemeteries take up 540 hectares of land. Cremation
will lead to the economical use of land, and land that’s been saved
can be used for better purposes – say, to build parks and cultivated
grounds. Furthermore, 1.5 billion cubic construction material will
be saved – nails, wood and different materials,” Harutyunyan stressed.

The city employee, however, noted that family plots are mandatory
according to custom. According to him, if cremation is adopted,
ancestral cemeteries (and enclosed mausoleums) could be built to bury
all family members in the same area.

“If today 12 square meters of land is allotted for 4 people to be
buried, well after cremation, it will be possible to place 23 urns
in the same 12 square meters [not necessarily buried but this is
also an option]. Crematoriums also have a biological significance:
after burial, a corpse begin to decompose, … which doesn’t happen
when it’s burned,” he said, adding this process releases relatives of
the deceased from the very expensive burden of purchasing headstones
and maintaining and cleaning plots.

SEYRAN OHANYAN: ONLY MILITARY PROFESSIONALS HAVE RIGHT TO CRITICIZE ARMY

PanARMENIAN.Net
November 15, 2011 – 13:03 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – With fall conscription already started in Armenia,
cases of corruption continue to occur despite the massive preliminary
work, RA Defense Minister said.

Seyran Ohanyan noted that the operating monitoring commission serves
not only the purpose of securing transparency and legitimacy of the
conscription, but also addressing public complaints and problems by
telephone: 52-34-86.

When asked about the tragic cases in the army due to careless handling
of weapons, Defense Minister said that violations of safety rules
are recorded in any army.

Dwelling on flagrant criticism by non-governmental organizations, Mr.

Ohanyan noted that although Defense Ministry stands ready for a public
dialogue, “only military have the right to criticize the army.”

BAKO SAHAKYAN SENDS CONDOLENCES ON THE DEATH OF NVARD ASATRYAN

ARMENPRESS
November 15, 2011
YEREVAN

In connection with the death of honored Armenian and NKR popular
actress Nvard Asatryan Bako Sahakyan sent a condolence letter to her
family. Central Information Department of the Office of the Artsakh
Republic President told Armenpress the letter runs as follows:

“I have learnt with deep sorrow about the death of honored Armenian
and NKR popular actress Nvard Asatryan.

Characters created by her on the Artsakh stage have had their special
place in the development of our culture. Through her incomparable
acting Nvard Asatryan has been worthily enjoying the spectators’
love and respect.

In connection with the irretrievable loss on behalf of the NKR
authorities and myself I express my deep condolences and support to
the relatives and friends of the deceased, to the theatergoer society
of Artsakh.

The memory of the prominent actress will always remain bright in the
hearts of her art admirers and in the history of Armenian theater”.

ATTENTION! TREES ARE BEING FELLED

A group calling itself “Let’s Preserve Our Environment” claims that
the Landshaft store on Charents Street, opposite the Yerevan State
University’s Department of Botany, has been cutting down trees which
it believes are blocking the storefront.

“The store that promotes landscaping services, is now felling trees,
damaging Nature and spoiling the aesthetic appearance of the street,”
the group said in a statement.

The group calls on the Ministry of Nature Protection to investigate
and punish those guilty.

THE EU ADVISORY GROUP SUGGESTS THE CREATION OF TRADE PROMOTION ORGANISATIONS IN ARMENIA

armradio.am
16.11.2011 16:16

The EU Advisory Group has issued a policy paper that studies the
impact of the financial support to international trade and export
activities in Armenia and its neighbouring countries. The paper
recommends the creation of a Trade Promotion Organisation as a
“one stop shop” service that would centralise and facilitate export
activities of Armenian companies.

Success in the export market is vital to the long-term growth of
domestic businesses and the economy as a whole. The development of
financial tools is recognised as a pre-condition for a successful
export market. The objective of a Trade Promotion Organization is
thus to enable business export success by providing a comprehensive
range of solutions along the Export Process Value Chain.

The establishment of Trade Promotion Organizations is aimed at
assisting in overcoming barriers when entering international markets
through:

– improving domestic firms’ capabilities to compete at international
levels; – creating overall awareness on exporting as a growth and
market expansion opportunity; – overcoming the barriers arising at
various stages of the Export Process; – co-ordinating export promotion
activities of various government and non-government agencies.

The policy paper gives background on international best practices
and provides information on the current state of play in Armenia
and the wider region. It gives a number of recommendations on the
institutional, policy and technical aspects which will contribute to
the creation of a “one stop shop” Export Promotion Center.

TURKEY’S ARMENIANS RECONSECRATE 16TH CENTURY CHURCH BUILDING

Christian Post

Nov 14 2011

Ethnic Armenians who grew up as Muslims baptized in Diyarbakir.

By Compass Direct News

ISTANBUL – Just hours before a deadly 7.2 earthquake struck Turkey’s
southeast on Oct. 23, well over 3,000 visitors crowded into an ancient
Armenian cathedral in nearby Diyarbakir for Sunday mass.

The mass was the first worship service in decades in the ancient St.

Giragos Armenian Apostolic Church, which had fallen into serious
disrepair in the early 1980s. Built 350 years ago and still the
largest Armenian church building in the Middle East, it once served
as the metropolitan cathedral of Diyarbakir.

In a private ceremony the following day, 10 ethnic Armenians who
had been raised as Sunni Muslims were baptized as Christians in
the restored sanctuary. All from one extended family, the Armenians
returning to their faith said that their ancestors had converted to
Islam during the Ottoman era (1299-1923).

“We have been ostracized by both Sunni Muslims and Armenians,” one
of them told Hurriyet Daily News. “It is a very emotional moment for
me, and I’m a bit upset, because unfortunately we do not belong to
either side.”

For security reasons, the baptisms were closed to the press and
outside visitors.

According to one source at Istanbul’s Armenian Patriarchate, it
is estimated that at least 300,000 Armenian and Syriac Christians
converted to either Sunni or Alawite Islam after 1915 to avoid forced
deportation.

“This means there could be as many as a half million ethnic-background
Christians in Turkey today who carry ID cards stating they are
Muslims,” the cleric observed.

Over the past decade, both Armenian and Syrian Orthodox church centers
in Turkey have quietly baptized individuals and families from the
eastern regions of the country who had Muslim IDs but wished to return
to their Christian roots.

“I wish this church had always been open,” one of the newly baptized
Armenians told the online Massis Post website. “It is unbelievable
to be together here with people from all around the world with whom
I share the same origins.”

Although political dignitaries representing a number of foreign
embassies attended the Oct. 23 mass, along with Armenian spiritual
leaders from around the world, most of the congregation consisted
of Armenian pilgrims from Armenia, the Netherlands, Germany, Syria,
Lebanon and the United States.

“It was like they were returning from exile!” one Diyarbakir resident
who attended the Sunday mass told Compass. “Here were these elderly
Armenians who used to live here, walking through the streets of
Diyarbakir, weeping and looking for their old homes and places they
remembered. They all still spoke Turkish and Kurdish, as well as
Armenian.”

Anatolia’s ‘Jerusalem’

Located in the city’s Gavur (Turkish for “infidel”) district, the
newly restored St. Giragos cathedral is just a few minutes’ walk from
St. Peter’s Chaldean Catholic church (also undergoing restoration),
a mosque, the Diyarbakir Protestant Church and a synagogue, with
construction plans for places of worship along the same street for
Alawite and Yezidi (blending local Kurdish and Sufi Muslim beliefs)
adherents.

“This is an historic enterprise,” declared Abdullah Demirtas,
Diyarbakir Sur’s district mayor. “Diyarbakir will become Anatolia’s
Jerusalem!”

Complete with seven altars and multiple arched columns in the
sanctuary, St. Giragos was virtually abandoned after the massacre and
deportation of its congregants in 1915. The building was confiscated
during World War I as a headquarters for German army officers, used
for a time as a stable, and later turned into a cotton warehouse in
the 1960s.

According to Taraf newspaper columnist Markar Esayan, the church
building was still intact until 1980, after which “because of hate …

in modern times” it was attacked, looted and fell into disrepair,
with just the walls and arched columns remaining.

“When I saw the condition of the church at that time, I thought it
would never return to its former state,” Esayan wrote on Oct. 24.

Costing US$3.5 million, the church’s two-year restoration project was
funded largely by Armenian donations from Istanbul and abroad, although
a third of the costs were donated by the Diyarbakir municipality.

At the conclusion of the Sunday mass, Diyarbakir Mayor Osman Baydemir
addressed the congregation, declaring first in Armenian, and then
Kurdish, Turkish, English and Arabic: “Welcome to your home. You are
not guests here; this is your home.”

“We all know about past events,” he said, pointedly referring to 1915,
“and our wish is that our children will celebrate together the coming
achievements.”

By raising private funding, the Armenian church has regained this
ancient building for its own use as a consecrated sanctuary, rather
than a Turkish government-controlled museum like the 10th century
Akdamar Church in Van, where only one religious ceremony is permitted
annually.

Although no Armenian community still exists in Diyarbakir, a priest
has been named by the Armenian Patriarchate to conduct occasional
worship services for visiting clergy and Christian groups within
Turkey and from abroad.

According to Vartkes Ergun Ayik, a businessman of Armenian origin who
spearheaded the project funding, the restored church property will
also be used for classical music concerts and exhibitions in the city.

“Our expectations are good,” the new priest told Compass. “Even though
Armenians are not living in the city today, we are praying that God
will use our church to bless Diyarbakir in a very positive way.”

AMAYA WINS LONG-TERM CONTRACT WITH REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA

Canada Newswire

Nov 14 2011

MONTREAL, Nov. 14, 2011 /CNW/ – Amaya Gaming Group Inc. (TSX.V:
AYA), an entertainment solutions provider for the regulated gaming
industry, today announced that it has been awarded an exclusive,
10-year contract with the the Government of the Republic of Armenia
to implement a national lottery and to provide central reporting and
integrity services. Lottery programs will be deployed through both
traditional sales channels and Short Message Service (SMS Lottery).

Amaya will install and deploy the Amaya Central Reporting Module
(Amaya CRM) on all electronic gaming devices operating in the
Republic of Armenia for the next 10 years. The Amaya CRM provides the
government with real-time reporting tools to capture and monitor gaming
transactions, improve tax efficiency and promote gaming integrity. The
agreement represents a significant milestone as Amaya’s first mandate
to install the Amaya CRM and further strengthens the Company’s position
as a provider of comprehensive government gaming solutions.

“We are very pleased to begin a mutually beneficial long-term
relationship with the Government of Armenia,” said David Baazov,
President and Chief Executive Officer of Amaya Gaming Group. “Our
lottery and integrity solutions are providing us with a platform
to expand our technology footprint and grow our relationships with
customers in new jurisdictions.”

On October 27, 2011, Armenian finance minister Vache Gabrielian
first announced the collaboration in principle between the Armenian
Government and Amaya to create Amaya Armenia, a joint company on a
parity basis with the income from the lottery being distributed equally
between the principals. The Minister expects that the partnership
will secure several billion drams annually in additional revenue,
with 2 billion drams expected in 2012, and 7 billion in 2013.

The Minister also announced that the Government is planning to
collaborate with Amaya on the establishment of a centralized system
of control and accounting to prevent fraud, money laundering and
other forms of economic crime.

About Amaya Gaming Group

Amaya is engaged in the design, development, manufacturing,
distribution and sale of technology based gaming solutions for the
regulated gaming industry worldwide. For more information please
visit

Disclaimer in regards to Forward-looking Statements

Certain statements included herein, including those that express
management’s expectations or estimates of our future performance
constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of
applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are necessarily
based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered
reasonable by management at this time, are inherently subject to
significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and
contingencies. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on
forward looking statements. Except as required by law, Amaya does not
intend, and undertakes no obligation, to update any forward-looking
statements to reflect, in particular, new information or future events.

“Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider
(as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange)
accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.”

For further information: Mr. David Baazov Jeff Codispodi
President and Chief Executive Officer The Equicom Group Amaya
Gaming Group Inc. 416-815-0700 ext. 261 North America:
1-866-744-3122 [email protected] Worldwide:1-514-744-3122

SPEAKER OF ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT RESIGNS

news.am
Nov 14 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN.- Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly Hovik Abrahamyan
handed in his resignation minutes ago. Abrahamyan addressed the MPs
with the following speech:

“Fully acknowledging the responsibility before the people, the [ruling
coalition’s Republican] Party [of Armenia], and the President,
I present my letter of resignation. Being elected NA Speaker, I
announced the Parliament must work transparently, and let it not
sound immodest [on my part], but it seems to me we have achieved that.

This was a serious phase for me. I am confident NA would continue to
be the defender of the interests of the state and people.

Our country is entering the phase of regular elections, whose
high-level conduct will be to the honor us all and, first and foremost,
of the authorities.

On numerous occasions, the authorities stated the holding of free
and fair elections. Its political will exists.”

He is supposed to take up the post of head of the campaign headquarters
of the ruling Republican Party.

GIVING THANKS THE ARMENIAN WAY
by Tom Vartabedian

Published: Monday November 14, 2011

Rainbow over Tatev gorge in Armenia. Hayk Badalian / Photolur

“We thank thee for health and food,

For all things that fit our mood,

For love and friends,

For everything that goodness sends.”

On this Thanksgiving Day, let us give thanks for all those pleasures
we’re apt to take for granted.

First and foremost is our proud heritage. Can you imagine a life born
into another ethnic society? A different language? Music? Food?

Church?

Let us give thanks for a culture that has withstood the test of
time and all that we have contributed to world civilization, from
our Christian persuasion to the resilience that followed in the
post-genocide era.

Much too often, the focus has been on turmoil and Turkish defamation,
not the aftermath. Count your blessings that we’ve quadrupled
the population over the past century, seen a country regain her
independence 20 years ago, and now churches being restored in Historic
Armenia.

Our gratitude, please, for the many countries which have recognized
the genocide, sent aid, and generated a positive tone with regard to
human rights. Hopefully, our great country of America will join the
ranks and give us a government that will keep Armenia in its thoughts.

On this Thanksgiving, it is our hope the United States has an
interest in protecting and preserving the rights of national,
religious and ethnic groups worldwide while urging the Republic of
Turkey to safeguard its Christian heritage and return confiscated
church properties.

Let us show thanks for all the vital Armenian communities throughout
the world. To those who remain isolated from the rest of us, perhaps
a new society can be formed, whether you live in Sweden or Siberia.

Please show some appreciation to the dedicated activists we have
working with the Armenian National Committee of America in connecting
with our legislators. Let their voices continue to be heard and let
others join their cause. An active Armenian is always better than a
passive one.

Let us thank our lucky stars that we have an extra dollar or two to
help a charity. We’re a lot better off than that farmer in Dilijan
who lives off the sweat of the land. He survives in a country he can
call his own. That’s his compensation.

If you’re an immigrant, count your blessings at the family you raised,
the children you sent to college, the sacrifices made along the way,
and the fact you kept your heritage intact. The language you may have
taught them will continue to survive another generation so long as
it’s utilized.

On this Thanksgiving, find it in your hearts to seek out a lonely or
deprived Armenian. Go ahead and invite them to your home. A hearty
meal is one inducement. A heartier relationship is better food for
thought. No doubt, every community needs work. It begins with one
individual at a time.

On this Thanksgiving, let us not lose sight of some small gestures of
gratitude. You may find a baby’s outcry in church somewhat disturbing.

Be grateful there is a child to represent a future generation that
will keep your congregation energized.

Show some appreciation for that volunteer at your church or community
center — the guy who washes the dishes following a dinner; the person
who shows up diligently to sing in your choir or teach your students.

Find it in your heart to thank the cooks in your kitchen for killing
your diet with an Armenian delicacy. Go ahead, have another baklava
with your coffee. After all, it’s Thanksgiving. If you have trouble
making ends meet, get yourself a new belt.

For all those who have some disability, show the ability to lend them
a hand of comfort. Invite them into your home or pay them a visit. As
for the indigent, don’t look upon them as being poor but simply down
on their luck. Let them know they are being remembered.

I saw my share of families living in lean-tos during a trip to
Armenia. They had a shelter over their heads and braced for the
winter’s cold. We have a thermostat that keeps us warm. Somehow, life’s
equation falls in our favor. Let us not lose sight of these pleasures.

Our thanks to all the genocide survivors of the world who have
kept the torch of humanity burning. In your prayers, remember the
immigrants who set forth on this great nation and eked out a vibrant
Armenian community.

Lastly, to the many Armenian humanitarians who have given us a
transfusion, either morally or physically. The names aren’t important.

They’d rather be called anonymous.

On this Thanksgiving, let’s find it in our hearts to toast everyone’s
health— collectively, not one at a time. Too many toasts would only
ruin our own.

SEROP DER-BOGHOSSIAN’S WIFE DEMANDS 1 LIMA FROM ENTREPRENEUR FOR DEFAMATION

epress.am
11.15.2011

Madeline Tashjian, the wife of Serop Der-Boghossian, on Monday
appealed to the Court of General Jurisdiction of Kentron and
Nork-Marash Administrative Districts, demanding that entrepreneur
Silva Hambardzumyan publish a retraction in the press and then
pay her 1 luma (1/100th of an Armenian dram, less than a penny)
as compensation for damages.

Asked by local daily Joghovurd, why she appealed to the court with a
demand of only 1 luma, “unlike, for example, attorneys or oligarchs
who ask for 6 or 18 million drams [$15,609 or $46,826 USD] for insult
and defamation, Madeline said, ‘The money doesn’t interest me’,”
the newspaper writes.

As reported by local media, last week Silva Hambardzumyan had said that
Madeline Tashjian “could tell you a lot about 1999.” Tashjian refuted
the statement, adding that she doesn’t even know Silva Hambardzumyan.

Recall, Hambardzumyan’s Sipon 1 gold company had its license revoked by
the energy minister who then called an auction. The gold mine was sold
to Sagamar CJSC, one of the shares of which belonged to then adviser
to the prime minister Serop Der-Boghossian, the Armenian-American
businessman since accused of sexual abuse of minors.