Author: Kanayan Tamar

TER-PETROSYAN VOWS TO RESTORE DIALOGUE, IF TIGRAN ARAKELYAN IS RELEASED

Tert.am
22:31 ~U 09.09.11

Leader of opposition Armenian National Congress (HAK) has said the
HAK is ready to resume the dialogue with representatives of the ruling
authorities, if HAK activist Tigran Arakelyan is released.

Speaking at a rally on Liberty Square late on Friday, Levon
Ter-Petrosyan said the HAK will otherwise have to make its rallies
more frequent to exert pressure on the ruling authorities.

“We are ready to return to negotiations’ table in the coming days in
case [Tigran] Arakelyan is released,” said he.

“Otherwise, by leaving the dialogue suspended, we will have to speak
to authorities in another language,” said Ter-Petrosyan, adding that
by saying other language he means more frequent rallies.

Further, he questioned the legitimacy of the executive, legislative
and judicial powers in Armenia, adding that the restoration of
constitutional order in Armenia becomes an unavoidable necessity.

“If someone had any doubts over that issue, then they disappear against
the backdrop of the documents issued by the WikiLeaks recently,” said
Ter-Petrosyan, highlighting that fact that according to the data of
the US embassy in Yerevan Ter-Petrosyan receive 30-35% of the votes,
rather than 21.5% at the 2008 presidential elections.

“And why the US government, well aware of this, supported the
non-elected president, and simultaneously gave us lessons on
democracy, is another issue which I don’t want to comment on,”
explained Ter-Petrosyan.

TIGRAN SARGSYAN IS ON A THREE-DAY VISIT TO SYUNIK PROVINCE

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS:
19:08, 9 September, 2011

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan arrived today in Syunik.

Governmental press service told Armenpress that the head of the
government first visited the agricultural and veterinary service center
of Sarnakunq community of Sisian region. It has been established
by Center for Agribusiness and Rural Development (CARD) within
the framework of “Animals Health” project of US rural department
implemented in Syunik province. The Prime Minister familiarized
himself with the center’s activity.

The center, which will start its activity from this October, will
offer veterinary services, medicine, equipments and accessories. The
goal of the center is to promote cooperation between local farmers
and world-famous companies producing agricultural products, medicine
and equipments.

Afterward Tigran Sargsyan visited Kapan, where near Garegin Nzhdeh
memorial complex he handed party cards to 120 students of Yerevan
State Pedagogical University named after Khachatur Abovyan, who
replenished the Armenian Republican Party.

The head of the executive body reminded that the global financial and
economic crisis has made a enormous impact on Armenia’s economy and
the government faces new challenges. “The best guarantee of overcoming
them is our joint work,” the Prime Minister noted, wishing success
to the new members of the Armenian Republican Party.

The head of the government put a wreath on Garegin Nzhdeh memorial
complex. Today in the evening the Prime Minister will attend the
concert organized by the youth wing of Armenian Republican Party in
Kapan stadium.

JHANGIRYAN: COME TO THE SQUARE

Lragir.am News

21:15:47 – 09/09/2011

Addressing the rally of the opposition on the Freedom Square,
Gagik Jhangiryan announced that the country is worn by corruption
and impunity. “Therefore, I urge you to come to the Freedom Square
in September-October and bring back February 2008,” Jhangiryan said,
noting that he was happy in February 2008 to leave the office of the
deputy prosecutor general for the Freedom Square.

He announced that Serzh Sargsyan’s instruction to reveal March 1
did not promote the process, and the murderers are still at large,
hinting at the authorities. Jagik Jhangiryan announced that on March
1 unknown armed people were deployed, evidence to which is numerous
episodes of the investigation.

Jhangiryan announced that the government did not examine a number of
facts which would prove the participation of unlawful armed groups
in the events of March 1. He said he has reason to suggest that the
police also participated in the events of March 1. The revelation of
the March events is a matter of political will which the ruling regime
lacks. If the government continues imitation, he cited the ex-charge
d’affaires of the United States who wrote in his cable revealed on
WikiLeaks that March 1 will never be revealed.

ANM BOARD CHAIRMAN: PARENTS OF DEAD ARMENIAN ARMY SOLDIERS JOIN ANC

PanARMENIAN.Net
September 9, 2011 – 20:25 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The parents of dead Armenian army soldiers joined
the ranks of Armenian National Congress (ANC) opposition bloc,
Armenian National Movement (ANM) board chairman said.

As Aram Manukyan stated at ANC rally in Yerevan, the dead soldiers’
families consider the change of power to be the only way of resolving
current problems.

Manukyan went on to announce formation of We are Coming new initiative
in Facebook social network.

On August 26, Armenian army soldier Aghasi Abrahamyan died after
being severely beaten.

“What happened to Abramanyan is not just a crime but an immoral act
against a human being,” a prosecutor said. “The soldier, who felt
bad was taken to an aid post 30 km far from his military unit. He
stayed there unconscious for 10 hours and then was beaten by the
medical officer.”

On September 5, Let’s Not Be Silent youth initiative received an alert
on a terrible incident with Hovhannes Vardanyan, 20, who went mad and
is now kept in a mental hospital. A video shot in the hospital shows
Vardanyan, who keeps repeating the military oath and makes random
movements. Asked what happened, he says, “officers… wanted to beat
and rape me.” Vardanyan doesn’t remember any names.

ANC COORDINATOR DIVULGES ARMENIAN FM’S SECRETS?

PanARMENIAN.Net
September 9, 2011 – 21:03 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – In 2008, Armenian Foreign Minister released a forged
address of the French President, claiming Nicolas Sarkozy congratulated
Serzh Sargsyan on election to presidency, Armenian National Congress
(ANC) opposition bloc coordinator said.

As Levon Zurabyan stated at ANC rally in Yerevan, Sarkozy was unwilling
to congratulate Sargsyan. “Current Foreign Minister, then an Armenian
Ambassador to France, used his connections to procure a congratulation
letter template. The letter was released without France’s agreement,
with current Minister hoping Paris won’t voice a protest to avoid a
scandal,” he said.

“WikiLeaks cables prove that Sargsyan wouldn’t have won in fair
election; however, according to the website, the court decision,
announcing 2008 presidential election to be legal, was taken under
severe pressure from presidential administration,” Zurabyan noted.

FIRST-EVER NATIONAL CINEMA COMPETITION TO BE HELD IN ARMENIA

Tert.am
18:24 09.09.11

On September 9, the Armenian National Movie Center, Orange Armenia
Company and the National Cinema Development Fund announced their
intention to institute the national cinema annual award. The initiative
is supposed to promote the development of national cinema production,
discover of new names, unite Armenia’s film industry workers, support
new projects and maintain the best traditions of Armenian cinema.

“Cinema is one of the priority fields sponsored by Orange. It is for
more than six months that the Orange cinema service has been operating
in Armenia, its aim being to stimulate interest in cinema. Orange is
also widely experienced in sponsoring cinema. Our company has been
an official partner of the Cannes international film festival for ten
years and of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA)
for six years. Armenian cinema has great traditions and a serious
school. We have been happy to be an official partner of this award
since the very first year because we believe in the bright future of
Armenian cinema,” Aram Lazarian, Orange Marketing Director, said.

A jury formed of renowned film and cultural workers will present the
national cinema award by vote. At the first stage, the jury will select
two or the films for each category. The winners will be announced at
the second stage.

The awards will be presented in 12 categories; the best feature film,
the best producer, the best cameraman, the best scriptwriter, the
best painter, the best music, the best female lead, the best male
role, the best short film, the best documentary, the best cartoon,
the best debut and the revelation of the year.

A special award for development of Armenian cinema will be presented
as well.

Every year, at the National cinema awards ceremony, the jury will
discuss the films shot the previous year. The first ceremony, however,
will be an exception: it will sum up the film production in Armenia
during its 20-year independence.

According to the rules, only films produced in Armenia 1991 through
2011 can take part in the competition.

Films produced outside Armenia by Armenian producers can participate
in the competitions during next years.

The applicants have to present their films to the National Movie
Center from Oct. 1 to Dec. 15 this year.

The competition will also have its official website, with all the
information and news.

BLACK ARMY: ARMENIAN PUBLIC STRONGLY CONCERNED ABOUT DEATHS IN THE RANKS AND IMPUNITY
By Naira Hayrumyan

ArmeniaNow
09.09.11 | 12:02

In Armenia a new wave of public protests has risen against the
situation in the army where a few non-combat deaths happened within
a space of several weeks. The media and online social networks have
disseminated video footage about killings, driving soldiers mad and
inadequate investigation of incidents in the army.

The first wave of discontent this year rose in winter-spring when some
bloody incidents took place in the army and were reported by media.

The public then demanded the resignation of Defense Minister Seyran
Ohanyan, but then personnel changes were made – Gevorg Kostanyan was
appointed military prosecutor and he promised to find and punish
those responsible. Quite some time has passed since, but only in
one high-profile case there has been a verdict. Manvel Hazroyan was
found guilty of killing four fellow servicemen and sentenced to life
imprisonment. Journalists argue that Manvel did not act alone and the
investigation covered up officers. The trial in the case of Artak
Nazaryan who died in the Mehrab military unit in the Tavush region
also began. The incitement is driving someone to commit suicide,
although traces of torture were found on the soldier’s body and his
relatives insist that he was murdered.

Representatives of the Ministry of Defence state that, compared with
last year, the number of deaths and murders of soldiers in the army
declined.

Despite this, a Soviet-era model of relations in the army aggravated
by the flaws of the current oligarchic system is still functioning
in the army. Recently, representatives of influential human-rights
organizations issued a statement, pointing out that in 2008-2011 alone
as many as 187 people died in the armed forces for different reasons.

Human rights activists say that investigations in connection with
the deaths of soldiers “are carried out mostly with gross violations,
the majority of crimes over years are not disclosed, while murders,
as a rule, are classified as suicides.”

Last week representatives of these organizations held a protest at the
Government House. Immediately after that, the military prosecutor for
the first time publicly, in front of cameras, reported about his work.

And on Thursday a protest was held by mothers of victims – “Women
in Black”.

According to Chairman of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on
Defense, Security and Internal Affairs Hrayr Karapetyan, “a number of
legislative initiatives to amend the laws on the army and army draft
are being prepared”. He said they would be presented in parliament
on September 9.

Meanwhile, member of the initiative group of the “Sardarapat” movement,
ex-combatant Alek Yenigomshyan thinks that the mania for enrichment
within ruling elites has also spread to armed forces command, which,
he says, led to corruption and permissiveness resulting in tragic
incidents in the army. Yenigomshyan is convinced that among officers
there are, indeed, a lot of really decent and patriotic people and
believes that they should do everything in order to enhance the
credibility of these people, which will, to some extent, alleviate
the present situation.

POLITICIAN: ANC NEEDS EXTERNAL SUPPORT TO ACHIEVE CHANGE OF POWER

PanARMENIAN.Net
September 9, 2011 – 13:34 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenian National Congress (ANC) opposition bloc
is unable to seriously exacerbate the situation or achieve change of
power in Armenia, a former presidential candidate said.

“Having lost the ability to ignite public enthusiasm like it did back
in 2008, ANC now needs a serious external support,” Arman Melikyan
told a news conference in Yerevan.

“Serzh Sargsyan’s strengthening his positions in the eyes of the
international community, as well as the similarity of Armenian
president and ANC leader’s views on Karabakh settlement don’t play
into ANC’s hands,” the politician said.

Melikyan noted the coalition-opposition dialogue as the most favorable
route for ANC to take. He characterized the opposition demand for
snap elections as the only irrelevant point on negotiations’ agenda,
which should be primarily aimed to solve internal problems in Armenia.

Representatives of the ruling coalition have held meetings since
July 18, the two main issues on the agenda being conduction of
extraordinary election (on ANC demand) and development of canons of
political competition (as suggested by the authorities).

Problems emerged when police detained 7 young ANC activists. According
to the ANC, on August 9 police officers used violence against ANC
activists Tigran Arakelyan and Artak Karapetyan. Upon arrival to the
site, activists Areg Gevorgyan, Sahak Muradyan, Vahagn Gevorgyan,
Sargis Gevorgyan and David Kirimajyan tried to settle the dispute but
were beaten as well, the ANC said. All above-mentioned were taken to
a police station.

Currently, Tigran Arakelyan is kept in custody. The others were
released.

On August 26, the Congress announced that it suspends the dialogue
and believes Arakelyan to be a political prisoner.

On September 9, ANC will hold another rally to discuss further steps.

FRENCH TRANSPORT MINISTER DUE IN ARMENIA

armradio.am
09.09.2011 13:54

The Minister of Transport of France, Thierry Mariani is arriving in
Armenia today for an official visit.

In Yerevan, Thierry Mariani is scheduled to meet with Armenian
Presidnet Serzh Sargsyan, Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, and
Minister of Transport and Communication Manuk Vardanyan.

The meetings will focus on bilateral cooperation issues, the French
Embassy in Yerevan reported.

SEVAN HAJINIAN : “FAIRE TAIRE LES TOURS DE PASSE-PASSE DE LA TURQUIE”

Source/Lien : Armenian Trends РMes Arm̩nies
Publié le : 09-09-2011

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN vous
invite a lire cette information traduite par Georges Festa et publiée
sur le site ‘Armenian Trends – Mes Arménies’ le 10 aoÔt 2011.

The Armenian Genocide Denied – a response to Turkey’s 13 propaganda
spins

Armenian National Committee of Canada, 2011, 300 p.

par Jirair Tutunjian

Depuis vingt ou trente ans, nous assistons a une avalanche d’ouvrages
dus a des historiens, des documentaristes sur le génocide,
des juristes, des journalistes et des militants des droits de
l’homme, outre les récits des témoins oculaires, les mémoires,
les poèmes, pièces de théâtre et films traitant des massacres
et des déportations perpétrés contre les Arméniens de l’empire
ottoman de 1915 a 1923.

Vient de paraître un nouveau livre canadien, The Armenian Genocide
Denied [La négation du génocide arménien], dont la spécificité
est soulignée par son sous-titre : ” a response to Turkey’s 13
propaganda spins ” [réponse a 13 tours de passe-passe de propagande
de la Turquie].

Quiconque suit la lutte de la nation arménienne pour obtenir une
reconnaissance internationale du génocide des Arméniens est familier
des dénis passe-partout de la machine de propagande d’Ankara. Outre le
fait de documenter le génocide, l’ouvrage de Madame Hajinian recense
treize des altérations les plus notoires, déployées par la partie
turque, que l’A. s’emploie ensuite a démonter, démontrant qu’il
s’agit de mensonges manifestes. La litanie des tours de passe-passe
de propagande de la Turquie, du genre ” Les historiens contestent
la véracité du génocide des Arméniens ”, ” C’est aux historiens
de trancher sur ce qui est arrivé ”, ” Les Nations Unies n’ont pas
reconnu le génocide arménien ”, ” Le génocide arménien ne fut pas
planifié par l’Etat ”, ” Les archives de la Turquie sont ouvertes ;
pas celles de l’Arménie ”, ” Les victimes arméniennes résultèrent
d’une violence collective ” et ” Les Arméniens ont collaboré avec
les ennemis de la Turquie ”, sont ainsi disséquées et réduites a
un tas d’inepties grâce a de solides recherches et une approche sÔre.

Cet ouvrage doit être le manuel des défenseurs de la cause
arménienne a travers le monde. Et rejoindre chaque bibliothèque
arm̩nienne Рfamiliale, scolaire, religieuse, communautaire et
municipale. La prochaine fois que vous entendrez ou lirez quelque
mensonge dont la Turquie est coutumière a ce sujet, ouvrez le livre
de Madame Hajinian et citez ses faits incontestables. Il réduira au
silence l’Etat turc et ses affidés, y compris la demi-douzaine de
soi-disant ” historiens ” et plumitifs nord-américains, lesquels
ressassent sans vergogne les affabulations de la Turquie.

Outre le fait d’en finir avec les déformations de la Turquie,
l’ouvrage – une compilation de recherches, reportages et éditoriaux –
donne la parole a des experts tels que le juriste international Alfred
de Zayas et le juge britannique Geoffrey Robinson, Conseiller près la
Couronne, cite des réflexions de journalistes et d’éditorialistes
majeurs de Turquie, tels que Orhan Kemal Cengiz, Ahmet Altan, Taner
Akcam et Umit KardaÅ~_. Parmi les autres auteurs éminents dont les
écrits sont présentés figurent l’actuel ambassadeur d’IsraÔl aux
Etats-Unis, Michael Oren (New York Review of Books), Julia Pascal
(The Guardian), Marilyn Henry (The Jerusalem Post) et Robert Fisk
(The Independent).

Le livre inclut aussi des éditoriaux affirmant le génocide, repris
du New York Times, du Los Angeles Times, du Toronto Sun, du London
Daily News, de The Australian et du Sydney Morning Herald.

En prime pour les Canadiens, un point de vue canadien de 25 pages,
qui comprend le récit incroyable des Georgetown Boys (1), des
déclarations d’officiels fédéraux, provinciaux et municipaux
reconnaissant le génocide, ainsi que la couverture du génocide
arménien par de grands médias canadiens.

Cet ouvrage de 300 pages, publié par le Comité National Arménien
du Canada, est illustré d’une centaine de photos, dont beaucoup sont
inédites pour le grand public.

Pour commander, écrire a : Armenian Community Centre, 45 Hallcrown
Crescent, Toronto, Ontario M2J 4Y4 Canada. Prix : 25 $, plus frais
de port (10 $ au Canada, 15 $ aux Etats-Unis).

NdT

1. Allusion aux 50 orphelins arméniens accueillis au
Canada le 30 juin 1923, grâce au soutien du gouvernement
fédéral et a des dons de citoyens canadiens –

___________

Source : Article
publié le 16.07.2011.

Traduction : © Georges Festa – 08.2011.

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