Author: Kanayan Tamar

IMAGES OF ARMENIA
By Cliff Newell

West Linn Tidings

Nov 3 2011

Lake Oswego’s Emily Haas wins Peace Corps award with her photos
depicting a country still in the grips of tragedy

Emily Haas is such a fine photographer that she captured Armenia at
its very best.

One of her photos shows a picturesque town set in front of rolling
mountains, a place where you would want to live, not just visit. A
visual fairytale. More like a painting than a photograph.

However, many other photographs by the young Lake Oswego woman search
beneath the postcard surface and show an ancient nation ravaged by
centuries of war, haunted by its Communist past and plagued by the
vast corruption of today.

Yet Haas’ close-up shots of the faces of elderly people of the village
are perhaps the truest portrait of Armenia, showing not just suffering
but warmth and hospitality. They bring you right up to the table of
an old Armenian lady, close enough to sit down and have a cup of tea
with her, as Haas did in an award-winning shot.

“It was such a unique experience,” said Haas, 25, who spent two years
in Armenia as a volunteer with the Peace Corps, returning this August.

“You live with the Armenian people. It was a great opportunity that
you don’t get very often.

“Armenians are very hospitable. They bring out absolutely everything
they have.”

Sometimes Armenians were too hospitable in Yeghegnadzor, the town
where Haas lived. One mother was constantly coming over to Haas’
little apartment and asking Haas to marry her son.

Fortunately, Haas could speak Armenian and could politely but firmly
reject the mother’s request every time.

Haas’ main purpose with the Peace Corps was to help create a media
center, which was a very difficult job. Once dominated for decades
by the Soviet Union, Armenia had no history of freedom of the press.

“It was extremely frustrating,” Haas said. “But now, thanks to the
media center, not only are the people of the Vayots Dzor region
consuming real, local news, they are also learning of events via a
very new – to them – technology: the Internet.”

When not on the job, Haas took her camera and sought to capture her
host nation, something she was quite qualified to do since she had
just earned her degree in photo journalism from the University of
Montana. She discovered much in Armenia that is good.

“The creativity of the people is amazing,” Haas said. “They are so
hard working, and their land is very fertile. They grow apricots,
pomegranates and grapes. Churchill used to drink Armenian cognac.”

On the other hand, Armenia is a country with lots of troubles.

“Ever since the fall of the Soviet Union their borders have been
closed, except for Georgia and Iran,” Haas said. “The corruption is
terrible. Most of the money goes into the oligarchs’ pockets. There
is much censorship.”

Most of all, Armenia is a nation that cannot escape from its tragic
history.

“It’s a fascinating place, but the people have a sadness over wars and
hardships,” Haas said. “There are churches and fortresses everywhere,
some of them from the ninth century.”

The worst tragedy that happened to Armenians was the genocide that has
never been admitted by the nation that did it. One million Armenians
were killed by Turkey during World War I. Some of Haas’ most moving
photos show the Armenian Genocide Memorial, with flower petals being
spread to reperesent the countless victims.

These many woes made Haas have even more compassion for the Armenian
people. They also made her appreciate her native country much more.

“I’m a lot more positive about the USA than before I went there,”
Haas said. “We have it pretty good here. There is so much corruption
in Armenia, but we have a system that can prevent too much of that
from happening here.”

There was one more thing Haas gained from her two years in Armenia
– winning the Peace Corps’ 50th anniversary photo contest with her
photo of her fellow Peace Corps volunteer Danny Lovell sitting down
to have tea with his grandmother.

It is truly a lovely, evocative shot, capturing an everyday occurrence
in its full warmth and depth, just like a photo that would appear in
National Geographic.

But to truly appreciate Emily Haas’ accomplishment in Armenia you
must view many, many more of her photos. Her lens captured the
soul of a nation. To see more of her work, check out her blog at
.

ARMENIA’ AGRICULTURE NEEDS SYSTEM STRATEGY

Tert.am
03.11.11

The opinion that the government should not interfere in economy is
totally wrong, and the recent crisis proved that, the management
expert Harutyun Mesrobyan told journalists Nov. 3.

“It is disastrous for the economy the government must play a serious
role in the economy, particularly in managing agriculture,” he said.

Agriculture has been a risky sector, and government donations to it
are highly important.

“We cannot resolve any problem without having a clear idea of the
economy we want to have. Since Armenian gained independence, we have
allotted land to farmers and left them face to face to their problems.

We do not have a system strategy in agriculture,” Mesrobyan said.

He pointed out that an oligarchic economic system has recently formed
in Armenia. People purchase large areas of land and “either use them
or don’t.”

“A government with self-respect must resolve food supply and safety
problems~E The Russian-Georgian war caused a petrol shortage in
Armenia,” the expert said.

Armenian ambassadors to foreign countries should have economic
attaches, who are to promote export of agricultural produce. The
government should, first of all, resolve the problem of
self-sufficiency, Mesrobyan said.

“When things go well in agriculture, the government thinks highly of
itself. Otherwise, the government accuses the weather,” Mesrobyan said.

CANADIAN SUN PROVIDES COVERAGE OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Tert.am
03.11.11

The Canadian TV channel SUN has devoted one of its programs to the
Armenian Genocide.

Armenian activist and Genocide recognition advocate Jerry Tutunjyan
was the guest of the popular TV show “Arena with Michael Coren”.

At the beginning, the host briefly introduced the history of the
Armenian massacres, saying that more than 1 million Armenians
were slaughtered by the Turks between 1915-22. He emphasized that
the attempted Genocide is still officially denied by the Turkish
government.

Tutunjyan provided further details on the Armenian Genocide,
elaborating on its international recognition and Turkey’s denial
policy. He said the Turkish authorities misrepresent the facts relating
to the Genocide, jailing public figures and journalist who attempt
to voice the issue. He stressed that such policies infringe freedom
of speech in the country.

DREAM ETHNIC SPHERE OF THE PRIME MINISTER
Siranush Papyan

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 18:07:28 – 03/11/2011

Interview with the ethnographer Hranush Kharatyan on the bills on
amendments to the law on tax on property, the law on tax on land and
the land code

The parliament voted 74 to 5 for the bill on amendments to the law
on tax on property, the law on tax on land and the land code was
passed on first reading. Under this bill, 286 premises, hospitals,
detached houses, villas are exempt from tax. In your opinion, why is
this law needed when the church is already rather free of taxes.

I think this law will foster the ambitions of the church because there
were concerns that the property of the church would be expropriated
soon. In addition, the international organizations are pressing out
country for the insufficient level of tax collections. This law will
exempt from taxes a major proprietor which will cause a backlash.
Obviously, however, the law simply legitimized the practice in place.

Interestingly, when Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan presented the
bills, he said the government is trying to return what had been stolen
from the church. There is logic there but only in case of general
restructuring of property, and what has been stolen in Soviet times not
only from the church but also separate persons is returned. Otherwise,
it looks like that those who are on good terms with the government
can solve this issue. Although it became known that pretensions are
more than what is being discussed today.

In fact, I don~Rt mind encouragement of spiritual activities in
the country but I am against the violation of the principle of the
separation of the church and the state. So, out of good will, the
law is violated.

I think this bill should not be passed at least because it was
drafted with violations. The government is actually handling community
property which it is not eligible to do. We need to define clearly
that at what stage of church development, conflict development we are.
It is possible that the government thinks that the Armenian Apostolic
Church is concerned but we must announce about it and in that case we
will be able to state that the AAC has launched an offensive against
other churches.

Besides, we cannot assess realistically how intolerant our church is
towards the Armenian Muslims, for instance, and whether it considers
as Armenians only the followers of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
Isn~Rt it a dividing line among ethnic communities? What are we headed
for, to an ethnic or confessional society?

Judging by the steps of the prime minister, the desired ethno
sphere formed by him is transforming into the AAC sphere, and the
identification of the Armenian ethnicity with the apostolic church
is underway. This issue has always been urgent in the history of the
Armenian people. We have always lost in ethnic terms, finding out
whether the Armenians are Chalcedonic, Evangelist or Muslims.

At some time, we came to the conclusion that ethnicism is more
important but now this conclusion is intensively torpedoed by the
government, unfortunately.

Will the church pursue modernization?

The church must have a clear social doctrine which is not in place yet,
and the activities of the church are highly personified. The church
owns a hospital which is not a charity hospital. Ok, let the church
get the profit. But in that case what is the reason for exempting
the church from taxes? What kind of activities of the church are we
trying to foster ~V religious or spiritual? Are the social activities
of the church adequate to the social policy of our government?

It is necessary to answer one question. What for is the government
rewarding the Armenian Apostolic Church? In order for it to continue
to divide Armenians into followers of the Armenian Apostolic Church
and others? Does the Armenian society share this approach? What does
the phrase ~Snational church~T mean in the Constitution? Is national
ethnic? But the National Assembly is an assembly of citizens, it is
a government body, it is not an ethnic one.

The church interprets the phrase ~Snational church~T in the
constitution as ~Sstate church~T. But if it is a state church, does
it belong to the citizens of the Republic of Armenia.

There is no answer to this question in the political space, in the
moral sense they are not intelligible, in the public life it has
specific expressions but it is not a concept.

SADOYAN ASKS ANC: WHAT WILL YOU DO AFTER COMING TO POWER?

ARMENPRESS
NOVEMBER 3, 2011
YEREVAN

Leader of the Armenian National Congress Levon Ter-Petrosyan does
not have a program of the RA for the coming five years, leader of the
National Democrats Alliance Arshak Sadoyan told news conference today.

He said it is very painful and even offensive that instead of
presenting a program on the future of the republic Levon Ter-Petrosyan
highlights whether the “political forces back Serzh Sargsyan or not
and in this way decides whether they are their enemies or not”.

As to the demand of the Congress on conduction of snap elections,
Sadoyan considered it funny. “There is a controversy even inside the
ANC members: Aram Sargsyan says snap elections, Levon Ter-Petrosyan
says it is possible without snap elections. What is the difference –
regular or snap? If you can – go and win or what will you do after
coming to power?”

METRO EXPECTED TO CONNECT ZVARTNOTS TO YEREVAN AND REGIONS

epress.am
11.03.2011

The Government of Armenia today approved a plan to build transport
infrastructure and an international logistics center near Zvartnots
International Airport. The plan is one of the components of creating
a free economic zone, which involves building a new motor highway
and railway linking the airport with the capital and other areas of
the country.

The planned railway will connect the airport’s passenger terminal
with the Charbakh metro station in Yerevan, while freight cars will
transport cargo to Karmir Blur station via an express train.

Construction of the logistics center is expected to take 3 years and
cost 25 million euros (which will be financed by the state and the
private sector).

REFUSING RUSSIA’S SECURITY GUARANTEES WOULD BE DISASTROUS FOR ARMENIA
David Stepanyan

arminfo
Thursday, November 3, 16:50

ArmInfo’s interview with Alexander Krylov, senior research fellow at
the World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy
of Sciences, Doctor of Sciences, History

Possible change of Russia’s foreign political course with regard to
our region is actively discussed in Armenia in connection with the
expected Medvedev-Putin rotation. They say that Putin favors Baku.

Probability of Vladimir Putin’s election to the post of the president
is rather big. Our opposition is much weaker than the Armenian
one. It is still split and has no popular leaders able to consolidate
a significant number of voters. The “protest” voting will hardly be
significant either in spite of social-economic and domestic problems
in the county. In such situation, the ruling party has real chances to
win without active use of the administrative resource. Russia will keep
playing an active part in the Karabakh peace process and its policy
in the given issue will remain stable and predictable also if Putin
is elected president. The basic principles of that policy were laid in
the middle of 1990s and there is no ground to say that there can be any

fundamental changes. At the same time, the Russian leadership
will continue developing relations with Azerbaijan in the economy
sector mainly. Normalizations of relations with Azerbaijan in the
post-Elchibey period have become an achievement of the Russian
diplomacy. It would be quite undesirable for Russia to border with
another problematic country as Georgia. Vitality of and mutual
advantage from our allied relations is the result of common state
interests in the sphere of security, first of all. But Armenia and
Russia are independent states and their foreign policy cannot be
identical even in case of very close relations. Many in Moscow would
like to see more support from Armenia in many issues. The same can
be said about Yerevan. The two countries have different views of many
problems, but their positions on the fundamental issues of peace and
security in the region coincide. In such state of affairs continues
also in future, Russia will, undoubtedly, remain a reliable guarantor
of peaceful and safe development of Armenia.

The latest resignations in Armenia have become a reason for certain
opinions in the analytical society in Armenia saying that President
Serzh Sargsyan’s team is gradually getting rid of the pro-Russian
politicians in the person of ex-mayor Karen Karapetyan and his
namesake heading the President’s Administration. Some analysts see
in this certain pro-western orientation of Sargsyan…

It is very popular regarding politicians as pro-Russian or not
pro-Russian. I think it is wrong. Pro-Russian must be the politicians
of Russia, while the politicians of Armenia, Georgia and other
post-Soviet states must advocate the interests of their states and
build relations with other states on the basis of those interests.

Historical and geographic factors show that it is within interests of
Russia’s neighbors to keep friendly or at least normal relations with
it. Some of its neighbors have made different choice, however. Once
Cuba chose the USA and the world imperialism. Now, Georgia plays the
role of “Caucasian” Cuba. One can display various attitude towards
that choice, but it is necessary to understand also the historical
responsibility that the political leadership of various countries
will have to their peoples in that case. Studying the possibility of
radical re-orientation of Armenia’s policy, such scenario is very far
from real life so far. The point is the national interests of Armenia
and not its leaders that will inevitably change sooner or later. So
far, only Russia can be the real security guarantor of Armenia. It is
doubtful that super powers outside the region, military and political
alliances or international organizations may play that role in the
nearest future. Therefore, Armenian politicians will make various
maneuvers in the domestic or external arena. But refusing Russia’s
security guarantees would be evidently disastrous for Armenia .

Neither the incumbent authorities nor the opposition seriously studies
such possibility, I think.

Do you think that the mutual anti-propaganda is harmful for the
current peace process?

Information and propaganda war is one of the key obstacles to peaceful
resolution of the Karabakh conflict. I am sure that both the publics
should refuse confrontation and go on concessions. So far, there is
only readiness for capitalization of the confronting party. In fact,
we can see a deadlock in the negotiations and constant tension in
the delimitation zone. If nothing changes, the conflict will remain
frozen for many decades or may be unfrozen.

With an art worthy of a better cause Baku demands the mediators,
influential states and international organization to exert pressure
on Armenia to make it adopt the version of the Madrid Principles
favorable for Azerbaijan. Is it possible?

So far, all the mediators of the Minsk Group, influential states and
international organizations have advocated peaceful resolution of the
conflict on the basis of a mutually acceptable compromise. There is a
classical example when pressure on the conflicting parties made them
adopt terms inadmissible for them. I mean the agreement between the
Israelis and Palestinians that was forced by U.S. Administration and
led to nothing good. Such scenario in the Karabakh process will just
make the situation tenser. Destabilization in the region conflicts
with the interests of the mediator-states, therefore one should not
expect them to make any pressure on Armenia or Azerbaijan.

Will Azerbaijan gain any dividends from its non-permanent membership of
the UN Security Council given that all the three mediator-states are
represented there? On October 26 Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar
Mammadyarov said Azerbaijan is going to discuss the issue of submitting
the Karabakh problem to consideration of the UN with the five permanent
members of the UN Security Council. Will that initiative be a success?

Azerbaijan’s leadership has really got an opportunity to use the UN
tribune and the status of the UN Security Council’s non-permanent
member to strengthen its positions on the international arena in
2012-2013. Baku is very likely to use these new opportunities in its
diplomatic and information war against Armenia. This war has been
waged for years and is now bringing its fruits. In Europe there is no
deficit of the Azerbaijani literature translated into many languages.

This allows Azerbaijan introducing its own interpretation of the
Karabakh conflict and discrediting Armenia and presenting it as an
“aggressor” and “occupant”. However, this has not yet led to one-sided
concessions or capitulation of Armenia in the Karabakh process. The
status of the UN SC’s non-permanent member will hardly allow Azerbaijan
to settle this issue.

UNESCO has recently admitted Palestine. Will that step or other similar
steps of international organizations increase Nagorno-Karabakh’s
chances for international recognition?

Palestine’s membership in UNESCO will not affect Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict settlement in any way. Unfortunately, the analogy principle
does not function at the world arena. So, the recent recognition of
independence of South Sudan by the world community has not changed the
positions regarding other conflicts. Not the historical precedents on
recognition of independent states will play a significant part, but
other factors: correlation of the forces of the conflicting parties,
their rating on the world arena, the attitude of other states, their
interests in the region and other factors.

DAVUTOGLU’S STATEMENTS TESTIFY THE UNCONSTRUCTIVE POLICY OF TURKEY: NALBANDIAN

ARMENPRESS
NOVEMBER 3, 2011
YEREVAN

It is known that after the earthquake Armenia stretched its hand
and stated about willingness to provide aid, Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian said today at the NA, adding that finally Armenia provided
humanitarian aid to Turkey.

Referring to the statement of the Foreign Minister of Turkey Ahmet
Davutoglu that despite the provided aid Turkey does not change its
position toward Armenia, Nalbandian said such statements cannot have
positive impact on the process of normalization of the Armenian-Turkish
relations. “It shows that Turkey continues displaying unconstructive
policy, which it has begun displaying after Zurich,” the minister said.

ARMENIANS TO FACE TIGHTER LIFE IN 2012, SAYS ECONOMIST

Tert.am
04.11.11

Bagrat Asatryan, the former president of the Central Bank, says the
Armenian citizens are going to live worse in 2012.

“Especially the socially disadvantaged and the civil servants will
be worse-off. with the prices hiking, the oligarchs will attempt to
gain extra profit by realizing their products on the people.”” he
told reporters on Friday

Asatryan said further that he predicts a significant surge in the
prices on food products.

REPRESSIVE TURKEY: A BLATANT VIOLATOR OF HUMAN RIGHTS
By Appo Jabarian

USA Armenian Life Magazine
November 3, 2011

The Turkish police used Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s so-called
“KCK (Kurdistan Communities Union) affair” as cover to arrest Ragip
Zarakolu, a well-known Turkish human rights activist and director of
Belge Publishing House, in Turkey.

An award-winning writer and publisher, Zarakolu is also chairman of
the Publishers’ Association Freedom to Publish Committee of Turkey.

His detention was preceded by the October 4 arrest of his son Deniz
Zarakolu, editor of Belge Publishing House.

Belge has published Turkish editions of books that are ground-breaking
in that country, including books documenting the 1915 Armenian Genocide
and “The KCK File/The Global State and Kurds Without a State” by
Mehmet Guler.

“It is essential not to confuse the efforts of those who, like Ragip
Zarakolu, have worked to bring down barriers of censorship in Turkey
with those who press political agendas through violence. … Zarakolu
is an honored PEN colleague and internationally-recognized defender
of the right to write and publish freely. We emphatically protest
his arrest,” PEN American Center “Freedom to Write” program director
Larry Siems said in a statement.

Zarakolu is outspoken on various human rights issues including the
oppression of national minorities in Turkey as well as the Armenian
Genocide.

Despite several imprisonments by succeeding military juntas in Turkey,
Zarakolu relentlessly championed for freedom of thought and expression
emphasizing an “attitude of respect for different thoughts and cultures
to become widespread in Turkey”.

The Ankara Initiative for Freedom of Thought
() has launched a signature
gathering campaign that I encourage readers to sign. The Initiative
protests recent massive unwarranted imprisonments. The campaign is
named “That’s enough!” (“YETTÄ° ARTIK !”– in Turkish) Click the
signature form (“Destek icin imza formu”) at the above web-address
and submit it with the mention of name (“adi soyadi”), profession
(“meslegi”) and city/country (“sehir ve/veya ulke”).

Eilian Williams of United Kingdom’s “Solidarity with the Victims
of All Genocides and the Forum for Stateless Nations” reported that
Members of British Parliament introduced an Early Day Motion (EDM no.

2267) condemning Turkey’s blatant violations of human rights.

Williams issued an appeal to other MP’s to sign the Motion. The appeal,
titled “Genocide, War Crimes and the Role of the AKP Government in
obstructing the peace process in Turkey,” stated: “We ask MP’s and
concerned members of the public to please take note of the findings
of two recent reports – one by noted academic Tove Skutnabb-Kangas
(presented on 10 October 2011 at the Frankfurt Book Fair) and the other
by a Human Rights Delegation from Hamburg and Stuttgart (based upon a
21-day Human Rights Delegation visit in September 2011). In light of
all of these troubling developments, we ask MP’s to please consider
signing Early Day Motion (EDM) 2267 and we also ask concerned members
of the public to please alert their MP’s to this important EDM.”

“Last week, our lobby of MP’s and protest outside the Turkish Embassy
in London sought to bring attention to the recent wave of arrests
of academics and politicians in Turkey. These arrests came as no
surprise,” said Williams.

“Reporters Without Borders” also expressed concerns about the
security agreement which France and Turkey signed on October 7 and
which, according to French Interior Minister Claude Guéant, “goes
much further than the agreements that France usually signs in the
security domain.”

“We hope that the French authorities will be much more discriminating
than their Turkish counterparts as regards combating terrorism,”
Reporters Without Borders said. “We urge them not to be sucked in by
Ankara’s indiscriminate and repressive approach, which causes many
collateral victims, including journalists.”

The arrests of Zarakolu and his son Deniz are only the tip of the
iceberg regarding Turkey’s repressive measures executed against its
own citizens. I attempted to prepare a short list of these acts. But
as I continued reading the two reports, I realized how explosive the
numbers were. The sheer number of instances of violence by Erdogan’s
government sadly mirrors a new Turkish panorama of darkness descending
upon humanity. The acts of repression by Turkey against its own
citizens are too many to list in this article.

Many observers are wondering: is Erdogan a crypto-Kemalist who
vacillates between his desire for neo-Ottoman imperialism and a
dire need to avoid becoming “The Sick Man of Europe and the Middle
East? Is he masquerading as a “devout Muslim” with the hidden motive to
“deliver” the Muslim world to Ankara for unholy purposes?

How much longer will the international Muslim community continue to
trust a group of political opportunists who pretend to be Muslims
but they persecute fellow Muslims?

During the Armenian Genocide the Turkish criminal triumvirate —
Talaat, Enver, and Jemal — effectively misled the Turkish Muslims
into religious fervor through the help of their secret agents that
worked as “Mullahs.” The Young Turk government agents operating as
“Mullahs” pitted large segments of misguided Ottoman Turkish Muslims
into acts of genocide against Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians, and Syriac
Christians. They also misguided the Kurds — fellow Muslims against
the Armenians. But at the end, the descendants of the Turkish criminal
leaders turned against Turkey’s own Muslims and Kurds. Today’s Turkish
triumvirate — Pres. Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
and “zero-problem-with-neighbors” Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu
seem to have conspired to defraud yet again the international Muslim
community as “co-religionists;” and the West as “fellow democratic
leaders.”

Despite being touted as a “model Muslim democracy,” Turkey is far
from being a devoted practitioner of democratic values.

In Early 2000, the arrival to power by Erdogan’s Justice and
Development Party (AKP) had given hopes for the rise of a tolerant
Turkish state. But Turkey has fared poorly. In fact, Turkey has
resorted to pre-1990â~@²s repressive policies against its dissidents,
national and religious minorities, blatantly and massively violating
their human rights.