Author: Kanayan Tamar

THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEUROMARKETING IN ARMENIA

Lragir.am
Business – 11 March 2015, 11:30

According to the economic models of decision making decision makers
choose between alternative courses of action by assessing the
desirability and likelihood of their consequences, and integrating
this information through some type of expectation-based calculus. Any
influence of incidental or intentionally encoded visual or sensitive
emotions would suggest that decisions are affected by factors unrelated
to the utility of their consequences, which can be beneficial or
destructive in the business world.

It is no longer a secret that far too much of what happens in the
process of communications occurs on the emotional level. No doubt in
today’s globalized and digitalized world people very often have the
ultimate need to control the outward expression of their uniquely felt
emotions in public because of professional reasons which may affect
both the corporate working environment and customer service – consumer
relations. Indeed, according to Arlie Hochschild (1983) there exist
certain professions, economics included, in which the main actors
at hand have to manage their emotions to sound proficient. Here,
the concept of Neuromarketing comes to the fore which indicates
that two important processes, marketing and emotions on the “neuro”
level are closely intertwined and that the needs and desires of the
customers are completely matched.

Dr. Anna Rostomyan, Osnabruck University, Fribourg University and
Yerevan State University graduate, holding a degree of Doctor of
Philosophy in Philology, whose dissertation is mainly devoted to
the linguo-cognitive analysis of verbal and non-verbal displays of
emotions and their management techniques, suggests in her studies on
Neuroeconomics and Neuromarketing that Emotional Marketing has started
to be greatly applicable in Armenia as well, by some of the leading
corporations and banks, especially “ARMECONOMBANK” OJSC. E.g. by
means of using the colour “blue” in their logo and other marketing
activities, the shade of ocean and cloudless sky, the marketing
specialists denote tranquility and peace of mind, and the colour
“green”, the symbol of grass, to ensure prosperity, the colour “white”
supposedly suggests purity and transparency which corresponds to the
needs of the customers. This strategy of a neurocolour logo edifice
and the overall neuromarketing strategy of the aforementioned bank
truly correspond to the high European standards.

Anna Rostomyan in her scientific article which will be published
in July 2015 in the United States of America in the internationally
peer-reviewed “Business and Economics” Journal factually asserts that
emotional branding or emotional marketing is not a negative concept,
but rather a positive one, which entails diverse meanings and suggests
to the decoding societal public how certain pieces of information
should be properly decoded; it mainly suggests what a specific brand
or product is like in reality.

In summary, we can state that business environment increasingly
grows rapidly developing where human capital and customers become the
mostly important factor for each and every organization. Hence, the
role of human emotions and their corresponding management techniques
gain paramount significance both in business and everyday personal
communication.

CONFERENCE ON GENOCIDES AND MUSLIM FUNDAMENTALISM TO BE HELD IN PRAGUE

16:34, 11 March, 2015

YEREVAN, MARCH 11, ARMENPRESS. Another conference in Prague’s Goethe
Institute on Wednesday will also discuss the genocide and the current
Islamic fundamentalism. It will be held under the aegis of the Armenian
embassy and the Italian Culture Institute in Prague. As reports
“Armenpress” citing Prague Daily Monitor, the major guests will be
Armenian ambassador to the Czech Republic Tigran Seyrajnyan and the
former Czech foreign ministers, Cyril Svoboda and Karel Schwarzenberg.

Previously it was reported that on March 9 the delegation led by the
Vice President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia
Eduard Sharmazanovtook part in the official opening of the exhibition
entitled “Armenian Genocide: Front Page Coverage in the World Press ”
held under the auspice of the Committee on Petitions of the Chamber
of Deputies of the Czech Republic in the Czech Museum of Music. The
Information and Public Relations Department of the National Assembly
of the Republic of Armenia informed “Armenpress” about this.

The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of
Armenia to the Czech Republic Tigran Seyranyan, the Spiritual Leader
of the Armenian Communities of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary
Barsegh Archimandrite Pilavchyan, the Spiritual Leader, the Archbishop
of Prague Cardinal Dominik Duka, the Vice President of the Chamber
of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic Jan Bartosek,
the Chair of the Committee of Petitions of the Chamber of Deputies
Zuzka Bebarova-Rujbrova and the Head of the Czech Republic-Armenia
Parliamentary Friendship Group Robin Bohnisch attended the opening
of the exhibition.

The NA Vice President Eduard Sharmazanov, t he RA Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Czech Republic Tigran
Seyranyan, as well as the representatives of the Czech side delivered
speeches.

The NA Vice President Eduard Sharmazanov awarded the Medal of
Honour of the RA National Assembly the spiritual leader of the
Czech Republic, Archbishop of Prague Cardinal Dominik Duka for
the strengthening of the friendly relations between the Armenian
and Czech peoples, the Chair of the Committee of Petitions of the
Czech Chamber of Deputies Zuzka Bebarova-Rujbrova for the significant
contribution to the reinforcement, development of the Armenian-Czech
inter-parliamentary ties and protection of human rights and the Head
of the Czech Republic-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship Group Robin
Bohnisch for the significant contribution to the strengthening and
development of the Armenian-Czech inter-parliamentary ties.

Let us note that t he deputy of the ARF Faction Artsvik Minasyan
and the Chief of Staff, General Secretary Hrayr Tovmasyan are in the
NA delegation.

ZHAMANAK: TSARUKYAN DEMANDS TO RETURN PROPERTY BOUGHT WITH HIS PERSONAL FUNDS

11:56 10/03/2015 >> DAILY PRESS

Gagik Tsarukyan demands that Prosperous Armenia headquarters return the
property that was purchased with his personal funds, Zhamanak writes.

“This demand disappointed headquarters’ workers because, as Prosperous
Armenia territorial organizations’ representatives said, for the most
part, MPs elected from these districts had acquired this property.

Representatives of the Nor Nork office said that such demand was
made to them. Asked whether it is possible to maintain the office
or it will be closed down, they replied that they know nothing,”
the newspaper notes.

Source: Panorama.am

EMIGRATION FROM ARMENIA SURGES BY 12 PERCENT TO 47,000 PEOPLE- FORMER CENTRAL BANK HEAD

YEREVAN, March 10. / ARKA /. Emigration from Armenia in 2014 increased
by 10-12% from the previous year to more than 47,000 people, a former
head of the Central Bank Bagrat Asatryan told a news conference today,
adding that emigration rates serve usually as a clear indication of
the deteriorating economic situation of a country.

“The difference between Armenians who left the country last year and
those who came back amounted to more than 47,000, up from 42,000 in
2013,’ he said.

According to official data, 5, 510,900 people arrived and left the
country in 2014, up from 4,983,900 in 2013.

In 2014 some 2,734,596 people arrived in Armenia (an increase of 10.4%
from the previous year), and 2,776,268 left it (an increase of 10.7%).

According to official data of the National Statistical Service, on
January 1, 2015 Armenia’s permanent population stood at 3,010,600,
by 6,500 less than on January 1, 2014.-0-

GEORGIA, ARMENIA INK FIRST JOINT PROGRAM DOCUMENT IN 15 YEARS

March 9, 2015 – 18:43 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Ministries of Justice of Armenia and Georgia,
Hovhannes Manukyan and Thea Tsulukiani inked a memorandum of
understanding.

The document, signed during Armenian delegation’s visit to Georgia last
week, envisages cooperation in the notarial system, stage registration
of juridical persons, enforcement of legal acts and registration of
the acts of civil status, Justice Ministry press service reports.

Welcoming conclusion of the memorandum, the Ministers noted that
this was the first joint program document signed over the past
fifteen years.

At the briefing following the memorandum signing ceremony, the
officials stressed the importance of collaboration between the two
friendly countries. In addition, the ministers emphasized the exchange
of experience as a key priority in the justice system.

STUDENTS PROTEST TALK BY SPEAKERS WHO DENY ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

The Varsity, The University of Toronto’s Student Newspaper, Canada
March 9 2015

Silent protest targets talk at Best Institute

By Tamim Mansour

Students from the Armenian Students’ Association together with the
Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) of Canada and the Armen Karo Student
Association, an organization that promotes Armenian studies in Canadian
universities, protested a panel discussion held by the Federation of
Canadian Turkish Associations on February 27.

Justin A. McCarthy, a professor from the University of Louisville, and
Bruce Fein, a prominent lawyer, were the two speakers invited to the
panel. Both have denied that the 1915 Armenian Genocide was a genocide,
in opposition to the stance taken by international organizations such
as the International Association of Genocide Scholars and Genocide
Watch, a non-profit organization dedicated to building a movement to
prevent and stop genocide.

The Armenian Genocide was conducted by the Ottoman Empire on the
Armenian population that lived in the area presently known as Turkey.

It is estimated that between one million and 1.5 million Armenians
died as a result of the genocide.

Amir Hassanpour, an associate professor in the Department of Near &
Middle Eastern civilizations, identified a clear distinction between
genocide and other forms of killing. “[It] is not based on the
number of killings. It is based on ‘the intent’ of perpetrators,”
Hassanpour says.

When asked why there are people who continue to deny the Armenian
Genocide, Hassanpour says that it is because of the seriousness of
the crime. “This is a serious international crime, and nationalists
everywhere try to sanitize their history,” he says.

He also explains that governments were concerned with the financial
consequences of recognition of genocide in the form of reparations
to victims.

The protestors sat in the audience during the talk. At the first
mention of genocide by Fein, the group stood up and turned their
backs to the speaker in silence. Many of the other audience members
were upset by the protest.

One commented that the protest was “strategically planned to disrupt
this” while another called it “disrespectful”.

Organizers discussed with campus police what actions could be taken,
and were told that the silent protest did not prevent the speaker
from carrying on.

Some protestors were asked to move out of the line of sight of other
audience members seated at the back.

After about 10 minutes, Fein resumed his speech.

When it was clear from Fein’s talk that he was denying the nature of
the genocide, the protestors walked out from the panel discussion to
cheers and applause from the other audience members.

Rosalie Minassian, a fourth-year political science student and
president of the Scarborough chapter of the Armenian Students’
Association, was one of the leaders of the protest. According to
Minassian, all Armenians at the protest were descendants of genocide
survivors.

“They are using the University of Toronto as a guise to bring
legitimacy to genocide denial,” she says.

Minassian also says that this went directly against the Canadian
government’s official recognition of the Armenian Genocide in 2004.

After the walk-out, the protestors made their way to the Anti-Racism &
Cultural Diversity Office to submit a petition and lodge a complaint
against the event. The petition called for the university to distance
itself from the organizers and speakers of the panel. It was put
online two days before the talk, garnering over 2,000 signatures.

According to Minassian, a letter demanding the cancellation of the
event was also sent to a number of university administrators.

Althea Blackburn-Evans, U of T director of media relations, says that
the event was held by an external organization that rented space from
the university.

“Events that such external organizations host are not University
activities; the University does not affirm or condemn any assertions
made at such events,” Blackburn-Evans says.

She adds that such events are governed by the university’s policies.

“There is a clear statement that all reservations for use of university
space are subject to the university’s policy concerning freedom of
speech,” she says. “The university upholds the principles of freedom
of speech and of the freedom of individuals and groups from physical
intimidation and harassment.”

Mid-Atlantic Knights and Daughters of Vartan
Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee of America (Eastern Region)
Media Contact: Taleen Babayan
Email: [email protected]

100th ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE TO BE HELD IN
TIMES SQUARE SUNDAY, APRIL 26, 1:45 PM -4 PM *

NY, NY-The 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide will be held in
Times Square (43rd St. & Broadway) on Sunday, April 26 from 1:45 – 4
pm. This historic event will pay tribute to the 1.5 million Armenians
who were massacred by the Young Turk Government of the Ottoman Empire
and to the millions of victims of subsequent genocides worldwide.

The Divine Liturgy and Times Square program will begin with church services
at 10 am at St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral, located at 630 Second Avenue at
34th Street. His Eminence Archbishop Khajag Barsamian will serve as
celebrant and His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan as homilist. The
procession to Times Square will start at 12:00 pm and the program, which
will feature speakers from the political, media and scholarly fields, will
begin at 1:45 pm. Guest artist is acclaimed musician Sebu Simonian from the
Los Angeles-based indie pop band Capital Cities. Dr. Stephen Smith,
Executive Director of the USC Shoah Foundation, will serve as keynote
speaker. The Areni Choir will be singing the Armenian and American national
anthems as well as God Bless America.

For parishes organizing transportation to New York, buses should drop off
passengers at Second Avenue and park on 35th Street (between First and
Second Avenues). Buses will depart for Times Square following services and
park on 42nd Street (between 6th Avenue and Broadway). Passengers will be
picked up from Times Square (at 43rd Street and Broadway, between 4:30 pm
and 5 pm). Sandwiches will be available after services. All events will
move forward, rain or shine.

For more information on the procession, buses, floats and volunteers,
please contact: Edward Barsamian (procession), 347-556-2666, Leo Manuelian
(buses), 917-418-3940, Sona Manuelian (buses), 551-427-8763, Edward
Boladian (floats) 917-885- 0221, Tigran Sahakyan (volunteers) 212-444-8003

The 2015 Genocide Commemoration in Times Square is organized by the
Mid-Atlantic Knights and Daughters of Vartan in affiliation with the
Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee of America (Eastern Region).

This event is free and open to the public. For more information please
visit , ,
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“LEGACY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE 100 YEARS LATER” FORUM HELD IN THE HAGUE

19:30, 9 March, 2015

THE HAGUE, 9 MARCH, ARMENPRESS. A forum entitled “Legacy of the
Armenian Genocide 100 Years Later” was held at the Institute for Global
Justice of The Hague on 6-7 March. The forum was organized by the
National Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies (NIOD) of
the Netherlands, the Institute for Armenian Studies at the University
of Southern California and the Centennial Project Foundation. As the
Department of Press, Information and Public Relations of the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia reports to “Armenpress”,
the forum kicked off on 5 March with a discussion and screening of
the film “Grandma’s Tattoos” at the Home of Humanity of The Hague.

During the March 6-7 forum, famous scholars and researchers gave
speeches in which they discussed the consequences of the Armenian
Genocide from different perspectives and the lessons that need to be
learned in order to prevent future genocides. Speaker, famous lawyer
Geoffrey Robertson reflected on issues in law and policy, Associate
Dean of George Washington University Susan Karamanian talked about
the issues of genocides in international courts, Nolwenn Guibert and
Sun Kim (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia)
presented a study on recognition and reparation, and Niva Nabti
observed impunity of sexual assaults against Armenian women during
the Armenian Genocide and the consequences.

Other speakers reflected on the cultural manifestations during the
Armenian Genocide, the discussions on the Armenian Genocide in Turkish
media and society in the past and present, as well as the real image
and tendencies among public and political circles.

HUNDREDS ATTEND AMERICA WE THANK YOU’S LAUNCH OF NEAR EAST FOUNDATION’S TRAVELING EXHIBIT

Monday, March 9th, 2015

Capacity crowd assembles for premiere of traveling Exhibit, “They
Shall Not Perish: The Story of Near East Relief” in LA Public
Library’s Rotunda.

Community is encouraged to visit Exhibit by April 30th LOS ANGELES–On
Friday March 6, the intrigue and excitement was palpable in the
Rotunda of the Los Angeles Public Library where over 300 community
members, elected officials and special guests congregated as the
Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region’s “America
We Thank You: An Armenian Tribute to Near East Relief” Committee,
in sponsorship with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, Los Angeles
Councilmember Paul Krekorian and the Los Angeles Public Library,
premiered Near East Foundation’s traveling Exhibit, “They Shall Not
Perish: The Story of Near East Relief.”

The evening’s opening reception honoring the legacy of NER–the
United States’ oldest Congressionally-sanctioned non-governmental
organization, which for the first time in American history, expressed
the collective generosity and humanitarianism of the American
people–included remarks from AWTY co-chairs Hermineh Pakhanians
and Vanna Kitsinian Esq., Los Angeles Councilmember Paul Krekorian,
Los Angeles City Librarian John F. Szabo, and Director and Curator
of Near East Relief Historical Society, Molly Sullivan Esq., who
traveled from New York to attend the evening’s celebratory premiere.

NCA-WR Leadership and Staff, and ‘America We Thank You’ committee
members, with LA Councilmember Paul Krekorian, City Librarian John
Szabo, Near East Relief Historical Society Curator and Director
Molly Sullivan, Esq., and Principal Librarian of Research & Special
Collections Ani Boyadjian Boghigian

“One hundred years ago, an unprecedented American-led relief effort
thwarted the Turkish scheme of completely annihilating the Armenian
race, as it brought to the world’s attention the harrowing facts of
the brutal slaughter of 1.5 million Armenian men, women and children,
the criminal act for which the very word ‘genocide’ was even coined,”
remarked AWTY co-chair, Vanna Kitsinian, Esq. “Our premiere of this
compelling Exhibit–which illustrates the historical moment when
American and Armenian histories so pivotally intersected–in the
nation’s second largest city, home to the largest concentration of
Armenian-Americans, is one of the ways we are continuing to spread
awareness of Near East Relief’s historical legacy from 1915-1930
as it rescued and rehabilitated the destitute Armenian refugees and
impoverished orphans whose livelihood has thus ensured our existence
as a thriving Armenian Nation today. After months of collaboration
with the Near East Foundation, the successor of Near East Relief,
we are proud that Near East Foundation chose us to premiere its
traveling Exhibit,” added Kitsinian.

“The Near East Relief ensured the survival and sustenance of the
Armenian people through its network of 400 orphanages, hospitals,
clinics, clothing distribution centers, and vocational schools that
provided shelter, nourishment, clothing, medical treatment, and a
means for our ancestors to build and re-build their lives that were
devastated by Genocide,” stated AWTY co-chair Hermineh Pakhanians.

“This heroic feat was funded by the $117 million the Near East Relief
raised from concerned citizens in America and throughout the world from
1915-1930, a staggering figure which is equivalent to almost $3 billion
today. This story is a testament of how the American people, not just
the government or politicians, but average American citizens, changed
the course of history, and our committee’s purpose is to acknowledge
this American benevolence and generosity,” added Pakhanians.

Attendees view the exhibit

Special guests Leslie Diane Coogan Mitchell and Keith Coogan, daughter
and grandson respectively, of the most famous American child actor
in the 1920’s, Jackie Coogan, were in attendance and received great
applause when acknowledged by AWTY co-chairs during the program.

In 1924, the Near East Relief launched the “Children’s Crusade,”
wherein every school child in the United States was encouraged to
participate in collecting donations, clothing and non-perishable food
for shipment to children overseas, and the child actor Jackie Coogan,
arguably Hollywood’s first humanitarian piloted his “Milk Train”
across the United States which made stops in every major U.S. city
to collect the cans and cases of milk, boxes and packages of food,
and money raised, which totaled over $1 million for shipment overseas.

Jackie Coogan’s tour received unprecedented media coverage in the U.S.

through newspapers, magazines, and newsreels.

One of the Exhibit’s panels is dedicated solely to Jackie Coogan and
alongside archival photographs, narrates his invaluable contribution
to Near East Relief’s fundraising efforts spearheaded by the children
of America for the orphaned Armenian children.

“This extraordinary exhibit will give thousands of Angelenos the
opportunity to learn about America’s generous humanitarian support
for the Armenian people in our time of great need,” said Los Angeles
City Councilmember Paul Krekorian. “I’m incredibly proud that the
City of Los Angeles provided funding for and co-sponsored the Exhibit,
and I look forward to bringing my family and friends to see it. There
is no better way to learn about the bond shared by the American and
Armenian people as we kick-off our local commemoration of the Armenian
Genocide Centennial,” said Krekorian.

“The Los Angeles Public Library believes in telling and celebrating
stories,” said City Librarian John F. Szabo. “We serve the largest
and most diverse population of any in the nation, and we are proud
to host this Exhibit and share this heroic story,” added Szabo.

“The Exhibit begins with a story of great sadness, but it grows to
encompass stories of unparalleled courage, generosity, and hope,”
remarked Director and Curator of Near East Relief Historical Society,
Molly Sullivan, Esq. “Each viewer becomes a part of the Exhibit as
they learn about this vital historical period, and go on to share
this knowledge with their friends and family,” continued Sullivan.

Ani Boyadjian Boghigian, Principal Librarian of Research & Special
Collections, was thanked in the remarks by the AWTY co-chairs and
Councilmember Krekorian for being instrumental in facilitating the
Exhibit’s premiere at LA Public Library, whose 5,500 daily patrons
will have the opportunity to view the Exhibit until April 30, 2015.

“On the eve of the Armenian Genocide Centennial, as we remember and
honor the martyred lives of our 1.5 million ancestors who suffered
the perils of forced deportation and tragic death, we also pay
special tribute to all those who heard the Armenian pleas for help,
and responded swiftly and generously on an unprecedented and almost
unimaginable scale. On behalf of every Armenian life Near East Relief
rescued, we collectively echo, “America, We Thank You,” remarked
ANCA-WR Executive Director Elen Asatryan. “We highly encourage our
Armenian-American community in Southern California to take their family
and friends and visit the Los Angeles Public Library’s Central branch
from now until April 30 to witness firsthand this exceptional Exhibit
in honor of such a magnanimous story,” added Asatryan.

After the program, guests continued to peruse the impressive
Exhibit, with its 28 color panels measuring an impressive six feet
by three feet, which is comprised of high-quality scans of official
correspondence, biographies of missionaries and relief workers who
lived, volunteered and served on the ground, and includes treasured
archival photographs, some of which have only recently been accessed,
offering new insight to NER’s impactful legacy in saving a people
under the threat of total annihilation.

Also on display were original Near East Relief orphan identification
cards belonging to the grandparents of several “America We Thank You”
committee members alongside an original Near East Relief service
medal. Orphan identification cards would include the orphan’s photo,
capture an orphan’s name, his/her birthplace, birth date, parents’
names if known, the orphanage to which they were assigned, their
orphan number, the trade they specialized in and were signed by the
orphanage’s director and the local Near East Relief representative.

Near East Relief medals recognized and honored the invaluable service
of relief workers and volunteers.

The Near East Relief commissioned leading artists of the day to design
impactful posters depicting the suffering and plight of the Armenian
victims, which were circulated throughout the United States and the
world to raise awareness and inspire the donation of funds for the
relief efforts.

Guests were invited to participate in a silent auction featuring
originals of two of these iconic posters printed in 1918.

Noted during the program was the support of guests in attendance
including State Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian, Los Angeles County
Superior Court Judge Zaven Sinanian, Montebello Mayor Jack Hadjinian,
Los Angeles Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell, Glendale City Clerk Ardashes
Kassakhian, Glendale City Councilmember Ara Najarian, Rolling Hills
Estates Councilmember Frank Zerounian, Glendale Community College Board
Trustee Dr. Vahe Peroomian, Pasadena Student Trustee of the Pasadena
City College Board Marshall Lewis, and the representatives of various
religious denominations who were also in attendance, including the
Armenian Prelacy, Diocese, Evangelical Church, Presbyterian United
Congregational Church, and Catholic Archdiocese and Tustin Presbyterian
Church, representative of Great House of Cilicia central executive
board and leaders of community organizations including the A.R.F.,
Armenian Relief Society, Armenian Bar Association, Armenian Missionary
Association of America, Organization of Istanbul Armenians, Armenian
Educational Foundation, Hamazkayin and Homenetmen.

Anoush Catering graciously catered hors d’oeuvres, and Remedy Liquor
donated wine and refreshments for the evening’s reception, which was
open to the public and free of charge.

The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the
largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy
organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination
with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the
Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country,
the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community
on a broad range of issues.

SENATE AND HOUSE MEMBERS CONDEMN SUMGAIT, BAKU MASSACRES

Monday, March 9th, 2015

Senator Gary Peters; Representatives Judy Chu, Katherine Clark, Jim
Costa, Robert Dold, Frank Pallone, Adam Schiff, and Brad Sherman
commemorated the 27th anniversary of the Sumgait pogroms against
Armenians.

Senator Gary Peters; Representatives Katherine Clark, Jim Costa,
Robert Dold, Frank Pallone, Adam Schiff, and Brad Sherman are the
Latest to Speak Out on Ongoing Azerbaijani Aggression Against Armenia
and Nagorno Karabakh

WASHINGTON–Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) was joined by Congressional
Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Robert Dold (R-IL)
and Representatives Katherine Clark (D-MA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Adam
Schiff (D-CA), and Brad Sherman (D-CA) in commemorating the brutal
massacres of Armenians in the Azerbaijani cities of Baku, Sumgait
and Kirovabad from 1988-1990 and condemning the ongoing violence and
intimidation fostered by the government of President Ilham Aliyev,
reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). They add
their voices to Rep. Judy Chu, who was the first to offer impassioned
remarks on the topic on the House floor last week.

“Armenian Americans from Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey,
and California and across America thank these bold legislators for
adding their voices to those of their Congressional colleagues in
commemorating the Azerbaijani government fomented pogroms against
the Armenian populations of Sumgait, Baku and Kirovabad,” stated
ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “Their powerful words help
commemorate the lives of those who were lost, while also helping to
protect those who survived – by both condemning Azerbaijan’s ongoing
aggression and supporting the freedom and security of the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic.”

“I wish to recognize the victims of the mass murder of Armenians 27
years ago during the state-sponsored pogroms in Sumgait, Azerbaijan,”
began Senator Peters. “True democracies must respect the rights of
the minority, allow citizens to peacefully speak freely, and protect
the human rights of all residents. The people of Nagorno Karabakh
and the victims of this senseless massacre played a critical role in
promoting a democracy movement which helped to end the Soviet Union.”

Congressman Pallone explained, “We have a shared responsibility to
speak out when groups of people are targeted with oppression and
violence just because of their ethnicity. Along with my colleagues
on the Congressional Armenian Issues Caucus, I continue my efforts
to try and shed light on these events so that those lives lost are
not forgotten. We will continue to promote mutual understanding and
security through the Caucasus region. It is my hope that we can all
join together in condemning acts of violence in the past, and renew
our commitment to vigilance in the future.”

In a statement shared with the ANCA, Rep. Dold noted, “The massacres
that took place 27 years ago in Sumgait serve as a reminder of the
struggle for freedom and liberty around the world. Today I stand
in solidarity with the Armenian community and the people of Nagorno
Karabakh who mourn the loss of friends and family. The United States
must continue to work with the people of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh
to ensure their future safety and peace.”

Congressman Schiff reminded his colleagues of Pres. Ilham Aliyev’s
pardon and praise for the killer of an innocent Armenian soldier in
his sleep. “Time has not healed the wounds of those killed and hurt
in the pogroms in Sumgait, Kirovabad, and Baku. To the contrary,
hatred of Armenians is celebrated in Azeri society, a situation most
vividly exemplified by the case of Ramil Safarov, an Azerbaijani army
captain who savagely murdered an Armenian army lieutenant, Gurgen
Margaryan with an axe while he slept. The two were participating in a
NATO Partnership for Peace exercise at the time in Hungary. In 2012,
Safarov was sent home to Azerbaijan, purportedly to serve out the
remainder of his sentence. Instead, he was pardoned, promoted, and
paraded through the streets of Baku in a sickening welcome home. And as
we speak, Azerbaijan continues its dangerous and provocative behavior
along its border with Armenia and in Karabakh.”

“I am proud to stand today with the Armenian-American community,
including many of my constituents in Massachusetts, in remembrance
and mourning of this unspeakable tragedy,” stated Rep. Clark. “Like
the persecution of too many others before it, the lessons of the
Sumgait Pogrom must not be forgotten. We have a moral obligation to
promote tolerance and justice, and we have a duty to recognize the
atrocities that have kept us from our common goal.”

Reminding colleagues of Azerbaijan’s ongoing attacks on Armenia and
Nagorno Karabakh, Rep. Costa stated, “In November 2014, Azerbaijani
armed forces shot down a Nagorno-Karabakh helicopter participating
in a training exercise near the cease-fire line, killing the three
crew members on board. This aggression is completely unacceptable and
further hurts efforts to achieve a peaceful resolution. Today, I ask
my colleagues to stand with the proud people of Nagorno Karabakh in
recognizing the anniversary of these tragic events. Let today serve
as a reminder for each and every one of us to continue advocating
for human rights and democratic freedoms around the world.”

Congressman Sherman noted his meeting last month with Marat
Khoudabakhshiev, “whose family barely survived pogroms perpetrated
27 years ago today against the Armenian residents of then-Soviet
Azerbaijan. He recounted how Azerbaijanis who had lived alongside
Armenians for generations suddenly turned violent against them,
causing Armenian families like his to flee their homes for safety.”

Rep. Sherman explained, “Recognizing the ethnic-cleansing of the
Armenians from Azerbaijan is an important step. However, we need to
do more-we need to demonstrate to Azerbaijan that the United States is
committed to peace and to the protection of Artsakh from coercion. As
the current government of Azerbaijan grows even more hostile towards
Armenians, we must call for an end to all threats and acts of violence
by Azerbaijan’s government against the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh.

Congress should strengthen Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act by
removing the President’s ability to waive U.S. law prohibiting aid
to Azerbaijan because of its continuing blockade against Armenia and
Nagorno Karabakh.”

Khoudabakhshiev was part of a delegation of survivors of anti-Armenian
attacks in Baku, who travelled to Washington, DC last month to share
their eye-witness accounts with legislators and speak out in support
Artsakh independence. In addition to Congressional meetings, the
delegation participated in the ANCA sponsored Capitol Hill program,
titled: “Nagorno Karabakh – A Generation After Anti-Armenian Pogroms:
The Challenge of Promoting Peace and Developing Democracy,” which
featured powerful remarks by Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte, a lawyer,
lecturer, and author of ‘Nowhere, A Story of Exile,’ and Dr. Alina
Dorian, an internationally respected public health expert and advocate
who has worked for decades to strengthen and expand public health
programs in Nagorno Karabakh.

The full text of statements submitted for the Congressional Record
commemorating the Sumgait, Baku and Kirovabad pogroms are provided
below.

Senator Gary Peters (D-MI): Madam President, I wish to recognize
the victims of the mass murder of Armenians 27 years ago during the
state-sponsored pogroms in Sumgait, Azerbaijan.

The citizens of Nagorno Karabakh peacefully petitioned to be
reunited with Soviet Armenia and spoke out against the arbitrary
borders established by Joseph Stalin and the Soviet Union. This
democratic exercise of free speech expressing a natural desire for
self-determination was met with 3 days of violence and brutality
against Armenian civilians, who were hunted down in their homes.

Security forces in Soviet Azerbaijan turned a blind eye, allowing the
mass murder of Armenians in a futile attempt to defeat this movement.

The massacres of Armenians did not stop in Sumgait but were followed
in other Azerbaijani towns such as Kirovabad in November 1988 and the
capital Baku in January 1990. The U.S. Congress strongly condemned
these massacres at that time. Hundreds of thousands of Armenians
fled Azerbaijan, many finding their home in my State of Michigan,
where there is a monument to the victims of the Sumgait massacres.

True democracies must respect the rights of the minority, allow
citizens to peacefully speak freely, and protect the human rights of
all residents. The people of Nagorno Karabakh and the victims of this
senseless massacre played a critical role in promoting a democracy
movement which helped to end the Soviet Union.

Today, I remember the victims and ask my colleagues and the
Americanpeople to join me in honoring their memories.

Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA): Mr. Speaker, Twenty-seven years ago,
as the lines of the Soviet Union were fading, the people of
Nagorno-Karabakh were united in a call for a say in their own futures
and greater independence from Azerbaijan. This peaceful movement
for self-determination and freedom was followed by premeditated and
government-sponsored attacks.

Over the next two years, the Armenian population in the territory of
Artsakh was repeatedly victim to brutal and racially motivated pogroms,
darkly reminiscent of the days of the Armenian Genocide.

Hundreds were murdered, thousands were displaced, and the Armenian
community – both in Artsakh and in exile – continues to bear the
scars from the brutal attacks in Sumgait, Kirovabad, and Baku.

When the people of Nagorno-Karabakh officially declared independence
on December 10, 1991, they were met with full-scale war lasting until
1994. Even today, the people of Nagorno-Karabakh are still forced to
live under constant ceasefire violations by Azerbaijan.

As we commemorate the somber anniversary marking the struggle of the
Nagorno-Karabakh people, we wish for the peaceful resolution of this
conflict and hope that its citizens will be free to determine their
own future.

Rep. Catherine Clark (D-MA): Mr. Speaker, February 27 marked the 27th
anniversary of harrowing violence against the Armenian community in
Sumgait, Azerbaijan.

I am proud to stand today with the Armenian-American community,
including many of my constituents in Massachusetts, in remembrance
and mourning of this unspeakable tragedy.

In February of 1988, anti-Armenian rallies through Azerbaijan gave way
to waves of ethnically-motivated violence, death and destruction. In
the aftermath of these terrible events, Azerbaijan’s Armenian community
all but disappeared, with thousands displaced, culminating in a war
against the people of Nagorno Karabakh.

That war resulted in almost 30,000 dead on both sides. Hundreds of
thousands of refugees were forced to flee their homes. And to this
day, those who lost their lives or were displaced by this violence
still seek resolution and justice.

Many displaced Armenian families have sought refuge in America,
and are now making vital contributions in the Fifth District of
Massachusetts. Proudly, our diverse District is home to one of the
largest Armenian communities in the nation. Together, our community
is a thriving example of strength and perseverance in the face of
extreme adversity.

Like the persecution of too many others before it, the lessons of
the Sumgait Pogrom must not be forgotten.

We have a moral obligation to promote tolerance and justice, and we
have a duty to recognize the atrocities that have kept us from our
common goal.

Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA): Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the
twenty-seventh anniversary of the pogroms against people of Armenian
descent in Sumgait, Azerbaijan. My district is home to thousands of
Armenian-Americans, many who are the sons and daughters of survivors.

As they know well, Azerbaijani rioters started a murderous rampage
in response to peaceful protests on February 27, 1988, that forever
changed Armenia. During those three days, scores of Armenians were
killed, hundreds were wounded, and thousands were forced to leave
their homes and livelihoods behind.

As we recognize this tragedy, we should also take this time to commend
the people of Nagorno Karabakh on being the first to demand their
right to freedom and self-governance from the Soviet Union. Although
a small nation, Nagorno Karabakh sparked the democracy movement that
ended decades of dictatorial rule in the USSR and eventually led to
the fall of the Soviet Union.

Sadly, the Azerbaijani government continues to act as an aggressor
today. In November 2014, Azerbaijani armed forces shot down a
Nagorno-Karabakh helicopter participating in a training exercise near
the cease-fire line, killing the three crew members on board. This
aggression is completely unacceptable and further hurts efforts to
achieve a peaceful resolution.

Today, I ask my colleagues to stand with the proud people of Nagorno
Karabakh in recognizing the anniversary of these tragic events. Let
today serve as a reminder for each and every one of us to continue
advocating for human rights and democratic freedoms around the world.

Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ): Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the
Sumgait pogroms-violent riots that resulted in the murder of hundreds
of Armenians. This was perhaps one of the most gruesome atrocities in a
series of hostile acts against the Armenian people. In 1988, Armenians
living in the town of Sumgait in Azerbaijan were burned alive, thrown
from windows and senselessly murdered by Azerbaijanis. Hundreds
of people were killed, raped, and maimed simply because they were
Armenians.

The police forces turned a blind eye towards the situation and allowed
the crimes to continue for three days without intervention. Since then,
Azerbaijan has sought to cover up these crimes and rewrite history.

As we prepare to observe 100 years since the Armenian Genocide,
these more recent acts of violence against Armenians remind us that
the work towards peace in the region continues.

Today, we recognize the anniversary of the Sumgait pogroms and to
call attention to the work we have ahead of us. We have a shared
responsibility to speak out when groups of people are targeted with
oppression and violence just because of their ethnicity.

Along with my colleagues on the Congressional Armenian Issues Caucus,
I continue my efforts to try and shed light on these events so that
those lives lost are not forgotten. We will continue to promote mutual
understanding and security through the Caucasus region.

It is my hope that we can all join together in condemning acts
of violence in the past, and renew our commitment to vigilance in
the future.

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA): Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the
27th anniversary of the pogrom against the Armenian residents of the
town of Sumgait, Azerbaijan. On this day in 1988, and for three days
following, Azerbaijani mobs assaulted and killed Armenians. When the
violence finally subsided, hundreds of Armenian civilians had been
brutally murdered and injured, women and young girls were raped, and
some victims were tortured and burned to death. Those that survived
the carnage fled their homes and businesses, leaving behind all but
the clothes on their backs. The Sumgait Pogroms came in the wake of
a pattern of anti-Armenian rallies throughout Azerbaijan, aided and
encouraged by high ranking officials in the Azeri government, and
touched off a wave of violence culminating in the 1990 Pogroms in Baku.

In a pattern all too familiar to the Armenian people, the Azerbaijani
authorities made little effort to punish those responsible, instead
attempting to cover up the atrocities in Sumgait to this day, as well
as denying the role of senior government officials in instigating
the violence.

The Sumgait massacres led to wider reprisals against Azerbaijan’s
Armenian ethnic minority, resulting in the virtual disappearance of a
once thriving population of 450,000 Armenians living in Azerbaijan,
and culminating in the war launched against the people of Nagorno
Karabakh. That war resulted in thousands dead on both sides and
created over one million refugees in both Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Time has not healed the wounds of those killed and hurt in the pogroms
in Sumgait, Kirovabad, and Baku. To the contrary, hatred of Armenians
is celebrated in Azeri society, a situation most vividly exemplified
by the case of Ramil Safarov, an Azerbaijani army captain who savagely
murdered an Armenian army lieutenant, Gurgen Margaryan with an axe
while he slept. The two were participating in a NATO Partnership for
Peace exercise at the time in Hungary. In 2012, Safarov was sent home
to Azerbaijan, purportedly to serve out the remainder of his sentence.

Instead, he was pardoned, promoted, and paraded through the streets
of Baku in a sickening welcome home. And as we speak, Azerbaijan
continues its dangerous and provocative behavior along its border
with Armenia and in Karabakh.

Mr. Speaker, this April we will mark the 100th Anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide, an event the Turkish government, Azerbaijan’s
closest ally, goes to great lengths to deny. We must not let such
crimes against humanity go unrecognized, whether they occurred
yesterday or 27 years ago or 100 years ago. Today, let us pause to
remember the victims of the atrocities of the Sumgait pogroms. Mr.

Speaker, it is our moral obligation to condemn crimes of hatred and
to remember the victims, in hope that history will not be repeated.

Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA): Mr. Speaker, earlier this month I met with
a constituent, Marat Khoudabakhshiev, whose family barely survived
pogroms perpetrated 27 years ago today against the Armenian residents
of then-Soviet Azerbaijan. He recounted how Azerbaijanis who had
lived alongside Armenians for generations suddenly turned violent
against them, causing Armenian families like his to flee their homes
for safety.

Over three days, February 26th to 28th, 1988, a pogrom was perpetrated
against the Armenian residents of Sumgait in then-Soviet Azerbaijan.

Armenians were attacked and killed in their apartments and on the
streets. Although official figures reported 30 deaths, it is believed
that hundreds were murdered and injured as a result of the pogrom.

The violence against the Armenians in Sumgait was prompted by a vote,
which took place one week prior by the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh,
to unify the region with Armenia-the beginning of the Karabakh
movement. In the days immediately after this vote Azeri civilians
and local officials in the city of Sumgait held rallies calling for
“death to Armenians”.

On the night of February 27, 1988, Armenian residents in Sumgait were
targeted and indiscriminately raped, mutilated and murdered. Calls for
help from Armenians were ignored by local police and city officials.

Journalists were shut out from the area. The violence raged on for
three days before Soviet troops were able to put an end to the pogrom.

Witnesses of the horrific massacres later testified that the attacks
were planned, as civilians had gathered weapons and the exits of the
cities were blocked in advance to prevent Armenians from escaping. The
homes of Armenians were marked so that the Azeri mobs could easily
target them.

Unfortunately, the perpetrators of the pogrom succeeded in their
ultimate goal-driving out Armenians. Fearing more violence, Armenian
families fled Sumgait. Later that year, another anti-Armenian pogrom
occurred in Kirovabad, Azerbaijan from November 21st to 27th, which
also forced hundreds of Armenians to flee the region. In January of
1990 violent mobs targeted the Armenian community of Azerbaijan’s
capital, Baku.

This year also marks the 100th anniversary of the commemoration of
the first genocide of the 20th century, the Armenian Genocide. It is
imperative that we honor the memory of Armenians killed in the pogroms
of Sumgait, Kirovabad, and Baku, as well as the Armenian Genocide. If
we hope to stop future massacres, we must acknowledge these horrific
events and ensure they do not happen again.

Recognizing the ethnic-cleansing of the Armenians from Azerbaijan is
an important step. However, we need to do more-we need to demonstrate
to Azerbaijan that the United States is committed to peace and to
the protection of Artsakh from coercion. As the current government
of Azerbaijan grows even more hostile towards Armenians, we must
call for an end to all threats and acts of violence by Azerbaijan’s
government against the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh.

Congress should strengthen Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act
by removing the President’s ability to waive U.S. law prohibiting
aid to Azerbaijan because of its continuing blockade against
Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. In 1992, Congress prohibited aid to
Azerbaijan because of its continuing blockade against Armenia and
Nagorno Karabakh. However, in 2001, Congress approved a waiver to
this provision, and administrations have used the waiver since then
to provide aid to Baku. Azerbaijan should not be provided aid from
the United States as long as they continue a policy of threats and
blockades against Artsakh.

I urge the Administration to remove all barriers to broad-based
U.S.-Nagorno Karabakh governmental and civil society communication,
travel and cooperation.