Author: Kanayan Tamar

Sixth Hrant Dink Award to be presented on September 15

11:00 11.09.2014

The International Hrant Dink Award will be presented for the sixth
time on Hrant Dink’s birthday, September 15, and will be broadcasted
live in English on and

At the ceremony, Ara Dinkjian and Ari Hergel will take to the stage,
and the awardees of 2014 will be announced. The ceremony will be
presented by Olgun Simsek.

The Jury of the International Hrant Dink Award 2014 consists of Baskın
Oran, Gerard Libaridian, Kenneth Roth, Kumi Naidoo, Mary Kaldor,
NataÅ¡a KandiÄ?, Saturday Mothers / People, Oya Baydar and Rakel Dink.

Every year, the award is presented to two people, groups or
institutions from inside and outside Turkey, who work for a world free
of discrimination, racism, and violence, take personal risks for their
ideals, use the language of peace, and by doing so, inspire and
encourage others.

With this award, the Foundation aims to remind to all those who
struggle for these ideals that their voices are heard, their work is
visible and that they are not alone, and also to encourage everyone to
fight for their ideals.

Alper GörmüÅ?, Amira Hass, the Conscientious Objection Movement of
Turkey, Baltasar Garzón, Ahmet Altan, Lydia Cacho, Ä°smail BeÅ?ikçi,
International MEMORIAL Society, NataÅ¡a KandiÄ? and Saturday Mothers /
People are the former laureates of the International Hrant Dink Award.

Karabakh FM meets with Basque Country Parliament Speaker

15:52, 13.09.2014

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Karen
Mirzoyan on Saturday visited the Basque Country Parliament, where he
met with Parliament Speaker Bakartxo Tejeria Otermin.

During the meeting, Karen Mirzoyan briefed on the processes of
state-building in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and the international
recognition of Artsakh, as well as the current stage of the peaceful
settlement of the conflict between Azerbaijan and Karabakh.

The sides exchanged views on the possibilities and prospects for
cooperation between the legislative bodies of Artsakh and the Basque
Country.

Karen Mirzoyan handed Bakartxo Tejeria Otermin the NKR National
Assembly Chairman Ashot Ghulian’s invitation to visit Artsakh.

In the frameworks of the visit, Karen Mirzoyan also met with
representatives of the political forces in the parliament. Touching
upon the Motion about right to self-determination of Nagorno-Karabakh
adopted on the same day by the Basque Country Parliament, Karen
Mirzoyan described it as a positive development and noted that it was
yet another important manifestation of the international community’s
support for the continuous efforts of the NKR to develop freely and
independently. He noted that the Motion will contribute to the
developing and fostering relations between the two friendly nations.

Later in the day, Karen Mirzoyan visited the city of Gernika, where he
was received by Mayor of the city Jose María Gorroño.

During the meeting Karen Mirzoyan noted that he represents a country,
where peaceful civilians also fell victims to a disastrous war and
paid tribute to the memory of the innocent victims of Guernica.

The NKR Foreign Minister also visited the sanctuary of the Basque
people Gernikako Arbola (tree of Gernika), where the oath ceremony of
the Lehendakari- Presidents of the Basque Country takes place.

The city of Gernika is one of the oldest places of the Basque country.
During the civil war, in 1937 the city was subjected to air
bombardment and was almost completely destroyed. The famous piece by
Pablo Picasso “Guernica” (1937) is devoted to this event.

REVUE DE PRESSE
L’Arménie intègre l’OIV : et de 46 Etats Membres pour

Washington Post
Au pied d’une école turque, dix mille Arméniens morts toujours ignorés

Les trois étages de l’école primaire Yenikov s’élèvent, dominant ce
haut-plateau du centre-sud de la Turquie. C’est le seul édifice dont
on peut voir, à des kilomètres, les murs de la couleur jaune du maïs
doux. Mais les balançoires et toboggans de l’aire de jeux attenante
ont les couleurs de l’arc-en-ciel : le bleu d’un ciel azur. Le rouge
vif d’un camion de pompier. L’orange d’un cône de circulation.
Entourant l’aire de détente, par contre, il y a cette grille noire de
sécurité en fer forgé. Pour quelle raison ? Parce que l’école et la
cour de récréation sont tout près d’un ravin qui fait facilement
trente mètres de profondeur. Au fond de ce ravin se trouve la crevasse
de Dudan, un à-pic vertigineux qui plonge à au moins 100 mètres de
plus. Je m’y suis rendu deux fois au cours des deux dernières années.
En mais 2013, la première fois que j’y suis allé, l’école n’existait
pas encore. En août dernier, elle était sortie de terre comme un
champignon.

Lorsqu’étant retourné au ravin j’ai vu l’école, la colère m’a envahi ;
une colère fondée, ni sur la décision critiquable que des adultes ont
pris de ménager une cour de récréation près d’un ravin dangereux, ni
sur le fait que cette construction défigure un paysage naturel avenant
Рm̻me si cela est vrai dans les deux cas.

J’étais furieux parce que ce ravin est le lieu du dernier repos pour
environ 10 000 de mes ancêtres, Arméniens de Chunkush, un village près
de Yenikoy. À l’été 1915, les gendarmes turcs et des groupes de tueurs
kurdes ont conduit pratiquement tous les Arméniens qui vivaient dans
les environs du ravin. Là, ils ont été abattus à l’arme à feu ou à la
baïonnette et leur corps poussé dans la crevasse. Finalement, les
trois quarts des Arméniens vivant dans l’Empire ottoman ont été
systématiquement anéantis par leur propre gouvernement au cours de la
Première Guerre Mondiale : 1,5 million de personnes.

La Turquie a une longue tradition de négation du Génocide arménien.
Mais les chiffres ne mentent pas. En dehors d’Istanbul, la nation a
fait l’objet du nettoyage ethnique de sa minorité chrétienne
arménienne. Selon les chiffres du recensement du Patriarcat arménien,
il y avait 124 000 Arméniens dans la province de Diyarbakir où se
trouvent Yenikoy et Chunkush ; vers 1922, il étaient 3 000. Il n’en
reste aujourd’hui qu’une poignée, tous descendants des survivants qui
vécurent en Musulmans et qu’on qualifie quelquefois de ” cachés “.

Il n’y a aucune indication ou monument quelconques en Turquie
commémorant les innombrables sites des massacres ( Il s’en trouve en
Syrie, alors aux marches de l’Empire, où beaucoup d’Arméniens furent
tués) ; imaginez Auschwitz sans même une pancarte ; imaginez
Buchenwald sans même une plaque. Il n’est pas facile aux Arméniens de
la diaspora, dont je fais partie, de retrouver ces lieux, qui furent
notre patrie à l’époque.

Mais nous y arrivons. Il y a de nombreux comptes-rendus de témoins directs.

Quelques uns d’entre nous font un pèlerinage en des lieux tels la
crevasse de Dudan pour rendre hommage aux morts. Nous avons visité les
décombres et ce qui reste des églises qui accueillaient encore, il n’y
a que 99 ans, des fidèles actifs, pleins de vie et ardents. Nous nous
inclinons. Nous disons une prière. Nous amassons les détritus qui
envahissent les autels comme de la mousse.

Lorsque mes amis et moi avons demandé aux villageois kurdes ce qui
selon eux avait pu se passer à proximité de la crevasse de Dudan, leur
réponse a été le reflet de près d’un siècle de négation et de
dissimulation. Ils disent parfois que des gens sont morts ici, mais
qu’ils ignorent quand et qui ils étaient. Ils prétendent quelquefois
ne rien savoir. Un jour, deux filles d’ge scolaire ont dit à un ami :
” quelques Arméniens y sont tombés “.

Le squelette en pierre d’une église arménienne massive et la structure
d’un monastère sont à la lisière. Si vous demandez aux personnes
vivant sur place où sont allés les 10 000 Arméniens de Chunkush,
quelques ont vous diront sans sourciller qu’ils se sont installés aux
États-Unis. Je ne sais pas ce qui a guidé le choix de cet emplacement
pour la construction d’une école primaire de Yenikoy. Mais j’ai
quelques soupçons. Je ne serais pas surpris que l’an prochain, lorsque
je reviendrai, la crevasse n’ait été comblée : la preuve d’un crime de
magnitude sismique pour toujours enterrée.

L’ironie, cependant, est la suivante : il ne sera plus nécessaire de
passer par un itinéraire compliqué ou de recourir au GPS pour trouver
les 10 000 morts de Dudan, Il suffira de dire à quelqu’un que vous
voulez visiter l’école primaire de Dudan. Rendez vous près de la cour
de récréation. C’est là que sont les morts.

Chris Bohjalian

Washington Post

5 septembre 2014

Traduction Gilbert Béguian

dimanche 14 septembre 2014,
Stéphane (c)armenews.com

________________________________

L’école primaire Yenikoy, au centre-sud de la Turquie, s’élève
au-dessus de la crevasse de Dudan, où furent tués, en 1915, environ 10
000 Arméniens (photo George Aghjayan)

Opposition MP promises ‘hot’ autumn

15:12 * 14.09.14

In an interview with Tert.am, Armenian National Congress (ANC)
parliamentary group member Lyudmila Sargsyan said that the activity
expected in autumn will depend on public response and wishes.

Ms Sargsyan does not rule out a series of rallies.

“We have no alternative to active autumn. And I think the people are
expecting this active autumn. Of course, we cannot organize it by
ourselves, and the people must be ready. I think they are
psychologically preparing, and we, for our part, as political forces –
the four cooperating forces – will certainly organize a rally and sum
up all the issues, including the 12 demands to the government. And
everything depends on the popular response to the opinions to be
voiced at our rallies. That is, activity depends on popular reaction
and wishes. We are aware that this situation cannot continue because
the country is being destroyed.

“There is a limit beyond which we are facing a national security
problem, and the migration and disappointment is a national security
problem. We are going to face problems in manning our army, and the
borderline villages will remain undefended. We seem to be on the brink
of war, and we, the entire people, must be ready to meet the
challenges. The only way is democratically elected authorities
enjoying popular confidence.”

As to why the four non-coalition forces have not so far reached a
consensus on a radical change of power, Ms Sargsyan said that “massive
rallies and numerous problems are leading us to this decision.”

“I think we are all moving toward this because I do not see any other
ways of saving our country.”

Armenian News – Tert.am

Greek Reporter
Sept 13 2014

Greek School Prevented from Opening in Imbros

by Nikoleta Kalmouki

Turkish Education Ministry prevented the opening of Imbros’ Greek
school on the grounds that the building was not “ready to operate” in
the upcoming school year, started on September 1.

After being closed for 50 years, the Private Imbros Greek Primary
School reopened on September 17 last year, with four students
enrolled. After the elementary school started giving lessons to the
four students at its facility in the island’s Zeytinliköy
neighborhood, the local Greek community launched an initiative to
establish a high school at the beginning of 2014.

Editor-in-chief of Greek newspaper “Apoyevmatini” Mihail Vasiliadis
told Turkish newspaper “Today’s Zaman” that the decision of the
Turkish government has driven the Greek community to despair.

“This is not just about a school. We should look at this case from a
broad perspective; everybody [that belongs to a minority group] — such
as Kurds, Greeks and Armenians — has problems in this country. And
those problems have arisen due to the lack of pluralism and tenuous
democracy in the country,” he said.

The school would receive eight students, whose families, rooted in
Imbros, were returning from Greece.

Laki Vingas, elected representative of the Non-Muslim Foundations in
Turkey and Council Member of the General Directorate of Foundations in
Ankara, said the Greek community needs the state’s support. He pointed
out that they offered the use of a primary school in Zeytinliköy until
the maintenance work at the school was completed, however the plan was
not approved.

ARMENIENS-SOLIDARITE
Une marche à Erévan en solidarité avec les Yézidis massacrés en Irak

Le 11 septembre à Erévan 40 jeunes portant de torches allumées et des
slogans > partis de la Place de la Liberté en
direction du mémorial du génocide arménien de Dzidzernagapert ont
manifesté leur solidarité au peuple Yézidi, victime d’exactions de la
part des islamistes en Irak. > dit Khtr Hadjoyan le
vice-président de l’Association des Yézidis d’Arménie. Près de 200
Yézidis participaient à la marche portant sur des panneaux des slogans
tels que >,

RUSSIAN COURT PROLONGS ARREST OF LEVON AYRAPETYAN

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Sept 12 2014

12 September 2014 – 7:50pm

Moscow’s Basmanny Court prolonged today the arrest of Armenian
businessman Levon Ayrapetyan. The entrepreneur is accused of illegal
privatization of the Bashneft oil company.

EEU: EXCESSIVE OPTIMISM IS INAPPROPRIATE

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Sept 12 2014

12 September 2014 – 2:22pm

By Vestnik Kavkaza

In 3.5 months the citizens of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan (and probably
Armenia) will live in the Eurasian Economic Union. Over the years of
preparation for establishment of the union a lot has been said about
the effect on the populations of the member countries.

Today experts warned about excessive optimism, but insist that there
is no alternative to the EaEU.

Yuri Krupnov, the chairman of the Supervisory Council of the Institute
of Demography, Migration and Regional Development, thinks that people
should treat the issue of the EaEU more constructively: “In Russia
economic growth is almost zero, while in neighboring countries serious
intended devaluation of national currencies is going on. There is a
complicated economic situation in Belarus.”

“We should create new economies of our common civilization space,
restore the technological university. Of course it is great that
Daewoo, Volkswagen, Nissan, Renault build automobile plants in our
country. I remember in 1997 I was told in Malaysia that they got
the first car based on Mitsubishi and the Malaysians were very happy
that they have their domestic cars. Of course we can be proud that
Volkswagen and Daewoo come to us, but sanctions and the situation
on banning technological transfer to our Russian civilization show
that the Eurasian Economic Union is unworkable without technological
independence,” Krupnov thinks.

At the same time, the expert says that we should understand that “the
decision of May 29th on signing the basic agreements of the Eurasian
Economic Union is a matter of life and death. We are establishing a
pre-economic union to build a new economy in post-Soviet space. It
will be a long and difficult process. But the events in Georgia in
2008 and the Ukrainian tragedy show that the alternative to it is
the collapse of the independence of our states.”

According to Krupnov, “Presidents Putin, Nazarbayev and Lukashenko say
that this is a concentration of forces before serious constructive work
in the next decade. The EaEU should be built. We need intermediate
technological industrial projects. In Kazakhstan the term “boosted
industrialization” is banal, while in Russia we have been discussing
industrialization for three years, the word “boosted” is perceived
as horrible, as we have a very liberalized mentality. Since the
collapse of the USSR we have a big achievement this year – the law
on industrial policies is being legally discussed, and “industrial
policies” is not an obscene phrase anymore.”

“We have great prospects. We should understand that without joint
construction, all our states and sovereignties will die. We need to
survive in this security framework,” Krupnov is sure.

Vladimir Lepekhin, the head of the EurAsEC Institute, agrees with
him: “Due to the political scientific center “North-South” in July
a conference was held in Kazakhstan, where a model of economic
development was presented. It gives us a picture of development of
the Eurasian Economic Union. In Kazakhstan they do their best within
the industrial plan which was adopted in 2010, but Russia has no
such plan, unfortunately. The conference discussed the topic: “Raw
material industry orientation of the country – bad or good?” There is
a view that it is bad to depend on resources. But it is bad when all
resources are exported instead of being processed in the country. Raw
materials turn into goods when it is connected with an industrial
plan of development. That’s what happens in Kazakhstan. And we can
see these advantages, if we look carefully.”

According to Lepekhin, “on the one hand, we reduce trade turnover due
to problems in Ukraine; on the other hand, there are the first steps
which confirm that in the long prospect integration will bring greater
economic effect. If we look attentively at the economic structure,
we will see that there is a turn to intensification of the industrial
development of Kazakhstan, Belarus and Russia. Kazakhstan is the
leader among the three countries in the sphere of development of an
optimal model.”

ANCA-WR ANNOUNCES MIKE SARIAN AS 2014 GALA SPONSOR

Friday, September 12th, 2014

ANCA-WR Gala sponsor Mike Sarian

BY PATTYL APOSHIAN KASPARIAN

Half past nine Thursday evening- after a full work day, a visit to
the ANCA WR Open House and a restaurant’s soft opening, Mike Sarian
looks slightly tired. As he pulls up a chair to join me and ANCA WR
Annual Gala Banquet Committee Chair Arsho Beylerian for a post meeting
“meeting”, he unbuttons his collar, loosens his tie and takes his
suit jacket off as he sinks into his seat.

But he is far from worn out. Mike Sarian, President of Prime Healthcare
Services has hospitals on his mind and even more charities to support.

“Thank you for joining me ladies. It’s been a long (deep breath)
but productive day,” is the first thing he says as he eyeballs the
wine list and rolls up his sleeves.

Michael Sarian has humbly offered to serve as the 2014 ANCA WR Gala
Banquet Sponsor. Offered is not a fitting word–perhaps generously
extended his support better describes his willingness to take on
such a noble responsibility. Inspired by last year’s banquet, Sarian
approached Advisory Board Member Harut Sassounian and asked how he
too can contribute to the success of the ANCA WR.

“With a limited budget, you (the ANCA WR) produce incredible results,”
said Sarian. “The banquet brings together activists, supporters,
elected officials and policy makers from all over the Western Region
to showcase the advancement of our Cause and the strength of our
community.”

Sarian has more than 25 years of executive management experience in
the healthcare arena which includes his current role as President of
a nationwide hospital company with more than 30,000 employees and
over 30 facilities spanning throughout eight states. Concurrently,
he dedicates countless volunteer hours as an Executive Board Member
of the California Hospital Association setting up healthcare policies
and advocating on behalf of all California hospitals. He is also a
Board Member of the Venice Family Clinic which helps poor and homeless
patients and an active volunteer and supporter of the American Cancer
Society and Armenian Bone Marrow Association. Just last year, he
helped donate medical equipment in excess of $2 million to hospitals
in Armenia.

“I believe in the Armenian Cause. We are right and we will succeed!”

said Sarian. “This is how I’ve grown up. I want to stay active
despite my heavy work schedule. We have to work smart now and keep
our expectations high or else the future generations won’t even talk
about it!”

When asked the simple question–“Why the ANCA WR?” Sarian replies. “You
have an organization comprised of capable and passionate volunteers
working for a just cause. I like the efficient way the organization
runs and the resourceful, competent and professional volunteers and
staff running it.”

Sarian is not only contributing financially, but using his contacts
and resources to advance the efforts of the ANCA WR. As he modestly
shares details about his career growth and contacts he’s made over the
years, his phone vibrates. “Pardon me, ladies. I have to take this
call. It’s ANCA related.” With 13% battery life, he exchanges short
greetings and gets down to business. I don’t know who the caller is
but from Sarian’s exchange and facial expressions, I deduce that the
caller is a who’s who in politics. He conveys his message politely but
forcefully–asking the caller to advance and support a pending federal
resolution near and dear to his heart–the return of Armenian churches.

Out of curiosity I ask, “Did you always see yourself on the business
side of medicine?” Mike smiles but remains silent. Half joking,
half serious, I test the waters again. “Don’t tell me you aspired
to be an astronaut in your early years!” Mike laughs a big, rooted,
genuine laugh. Not loud but ample. “Actually, I’m scared of flying,”
he confesses. “To answer your initial question, I vividly remember
Secretary of State Henry Kissinger going around the world helping
people and shaping international policy. So I guess I was leaning
more towards politics and diplomacy in those days.”

Now, Sarian does it all–from motivating and leading management to
securing investors to turning distressed hospitals into profitable
ones to shaping health care reform to helping the Armenian Cause.

As the wine service continues, the questions advance. Sarian and
Beylerian share stories dating back 20 years to school and church
volunteer committees, business contacts and old friends. Without
thinking, I pick up his iPhone when I spot a familiar icon. It’s not
the typical Merrill Lynch, Wall Street Journal or Barron’s apps. It’s
ABCs, Disney and Subway Surfer. “Who’s downloading these apps on your
iPhone?” I ask with intense curiosity. Sarian smiles the widest smile
I’ve seen all night as he pulls up a photograph of his 4-year-old
daughter–a beautiful girl with sun-streaked golden locks and honey
colored eyes. With a heavy heart, he reveals the tough years he’s
endured with the loss of his wife of ten years, Souzan, to cancer.

With the help of his mother and family, he is raising their daughter.

He smiles again when he talks about Souzan and her accomplishments
and achievements-from higher education to her career to her volunteer
efforts with orphanages in Armenia and Canada.

The waiter pours the last of the wine and Sarian raises his glass for a
toast–to family and friends, health and a successful ANCA WR Banquet!

The 2014 ANCA WR Annual Gala Banquet will be held on Sunday, November
2 at the world-famous Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA.

Individuals interested in attending the Annual Gala Banquet are
encouraged to purchase tickets online at or call
818.533.8587. To obtain individual or corporate sponsorship information
visit or call 818.500.1919. For up to
the minute updates on the event like the ANCA Western Region Facebook
page or visit ancawr.org.

The ANCA WR Gala Banquet represents the single largest annual gathering
of Armenian American public policy leaders throughout the western
United States, and is attended by more than 1,000 prominent Members
of Congress, state legislators and officials, community leaders, and
many of the organization’s strongest activists and generous donors from
California, Nevada, Arizona, and throughout the western United States.

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.