Author: Kanayan Tamar

“RAVISHED ARMENIA” AND THE STORY OF AURORA MARDIGANIAN – REVISED EDITION

August 7, 2014

A REMINDER OF THE PIVOTAL ROLE ONE WOMAN PLAYED IN OUR EARLY
APPREHENSION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

“Ravished Armenia” and the Story of Aurora Mardiganian is the real-life
tale of a teenage Armenian girl who was caught up in the 1915 Armenian
genocide, the first genocide in modern history.

Mardiganian (1901-1994) witnessed the murder of her family and the
suffering of her people at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. Forced to
march over fourteen hundred miles, she was sold into slavery. When
she escaped to the United States, Mardiganian was then exploited
by the very individuals whom she believed might help. Her story was
published in book form and then used as the basis for a 1918 feature
film, in which she herself starred.

The film Ravished Armenia, also known as Auction of Souls, is a graphic
retelling of Aurora Mardiganian’s story, with the teenager in the
central role, supported by Anna Q. Nilsson and Irving Cummings and
directed by Oscar Apfel. Only twenty minutes of the film–the first
to deal with the Armenian genocide–is known to survive, but it proves
to be a stunning production, presenting its story in newsreel style.

This revised edition of Anthony Slide’s “Ravished Armenia” and the
Story of Aurora Mardiganian also contains an annotated reprint of
Mardiganian’s original narrative and, for the first time, the full
screenplay. In his introduction, Slide recounts the making of the
film and Mardiganian’s life in the United States, involving a cast of
characters including Henry Morgenthau, Mrs. George W. Vanderbilt, Mrs.

Oliver Harriman, and film pioneer William Selig. The introduction
also includes original comments by Aurora Mardiganian, whom Slide
interviewed before her death. Acclaimed Armenian Canadian filmmaker
Atom Egoyan, who created a video art installation about Mardiganian
in 2007, provides a foreword.

Anthony Slide has published more than seventy books on popular
entertainment, including Inside the Hollywood Fan Magazine: A History
of Star Makers, Fabricators, and Gossip Mongers and Hollywood Unknowns:
A History of Extras, Bit Players, and Stand-Ins (both published by
University Press of Mississippi).

BRITAIN WARN OVER TRAVELS TO OCCUPIED NAGORNO-KARABAKH REGION

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Aug 7 2014

The United Kingdom advised to refrain from travel to Azerbaijan’s
Nagorno-Karabakh region and the military occupied area surrounding it.

“There have been ceasefire violations along the Armenia-Azerbaijan
border and line of contact which resulted in a number of deaths and
casualties,” the Foreign and Commonwealth Office stated. “Anyone who
has visited Nagorno-Karabakh without the permission of the Azerbaijani
authorities will be refused entry to Azerbaijan.”

The statement further notes that all British nationals traveling to
Azerbaijan must obtain a visa in advance.

During the recent days, Azerbaijani positions have been constantly
under attack, and 13 servicemen have been killed, several more were
wounded. Armenian side suffered more losses while trying to hide this
fact from the public.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in
1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a
result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied
20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and
seven surrounding districts.

The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs
of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the U.S. are currently
holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

A PROUD ARMENIAN…

Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Aug 8 2014

by Yusuf Kanli

It is just a joke. Has it ever happened? I have no idea. Most
probably it was the product of a cheeky story teller. Once upon a time
there was a sultan. He had a very mighty army and it was the era of
conquest. Booty from war filled the treasury up to the top limit. With
plenty of cash, no social problems at home and no external threat, the
mighty sultan started to become bored. What should he do to entertain
himself? Many people who failed to entertain the sultan perished;
heads rolled down the imperial palace. One day, the frustrated sultan
told his clown “Tell me such a joke that the apology of which will
be worse than the joke!”

The chief clown was a small guy with nice hair, as if he had an
implant. He was so successful at his job that according to the talk
of the town, he was hiding his immense treasure in shoeboxes.

The task was a very serious one. His head was at risk. The clown
thought about the issue extensively and eventually went back to the
sultan’s court with a bright idea. “My sultan,” he said, “shall we
walk a little bit in the rose garden?”

Viziers were in charge of state affairs. The war was over and he
could not yet concoct a reason to start a new war. The treasury was
full anyhow. He was bored. “Let’s go for a walk,” he said and slowly
climbed down the stairs to the palace’s luxurious rose garden. After
touring the garden for a while, the sultan and the clown were returning
and all of a sudden, the clown pinched the sultan’s back.

“How dare you?” the sultan roared. “Is your head uneasy on your
shoulders?” With a large smile on his face the clown replied back
“Sorry my sultan, I mistook you for the mother queen!” The sultan
was perplexed. He would yell at the clown, but he did exactly what
he ordered him to do: A joke the apology of which would be worse than
the joke… The clown received a loaded bahsish…

One of the presidential candidates was talking on television. The
interviewer acting the role of a journalist, was asking the questions
he was given by the “Public Diplomacy Department,” created as a prelude
to moving a while later to a grotesque white palace, the “AK Saray”
for the construction of which a forest was devastated.

The candidate was complaining that his opponents were constantly
accusing him of being arrogant. “They complain that I was arrogant
because I called one an Alevi and the other a Yazidi … So
what? They have been saying many things about me … They claimed I
was Georgian …

Some said something even far worse … Sorry to say, but some even came
forth with an ugly claim that I was an Armenian … From my grandfather
down, we have been Turks … That’s what I was raised with…”

Can it be “worse” for anyone to be a Greek, Armenian, Kurd or Turk?

What relevance is there for nationality or ethnicity? For a civilized
mentality aware of the fact that in this open air brothel, where
thousands of ethnicities, cultures, belief groups came, settled and
dissolved in the big melting pot, Anatolia, or left their residue
and vanished for good or exterminated after being subjected to some
unfortunate, shameful undertakings of the mentality that considered
being called an Armenian as something horrible.

Turkey’s Armenian community, the few remaining from one of the several
ancestral peoples of this land, was hurt with the sultan’s statement
in the making. I feel as if I am a proud Armenian today.

p.s. Vote on Sunday!

August/08/2014

KARABAKH ANDORRA

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Aug 7 2014

7 August 2014 – 11:00am

By Vasily Birkin exclusively for Vestnik Kavkaza

My trip was going from Spain’s Lleida to Andorra la Vella using the
C-14 highway. I was in silence, thinking about the upcoming meeting
with an old friend who had settled in the capital of the microstate
long ago. A typical North Pyrenees landscape was flashing by outside
the window: mountains, valleys, houses of stone. My thoughts were
interrupted by the voice of the car navigator: “Atencion! La frontera
nacional” (Attention! The state frontier) The navigator was a little
ahead of events. Road signs were saying that it was a kilometer left
before the border. In my mind, I was imagining a control post with
a strict officer in a black uniform who would probably check my car
and wish me safe travels. As is known, Andorra is not part of the
European Union, although its borders with the EU are certainly open,
a customs office, though formal, should be there.

The next road sign said that I was on the territory of Andorra. There
was no customs office in its classic manifestation. No one was going
to stop my rented car with Spanish plates and check documents. I do
not know why but I had a little feeling of disappointment, maybe even
displeasure. The mountains, the stone houses reminded me of Caucasus
landscapes. Somewhere on the crossing of Azerbaijan and Armenia. But
it feels more hearty there, more familiar, if you ask.

I have never been to Nagorno-Karabakh. One time, my Armenian friend
Arik offered me to visit it (I was at Lake Sevan at that time). “It
is not hard, but remember that they will put a stamp in your passport
and you will not be allowed to enter Azerbaijan,” he assured. This
option was unacceptable. Closing the path to my dear Baku, losing
the opportunity to see so many friends, never to walk along the
Baku coastline, Old Baku… We almost approached the border, as I
asked. A picturesque landscape opened out of the Kalbajar District
of Azerbaijan, one of the seven occupied provinces of Azerbaijan.

Nagorno-Karabakh was nearby. But the route there was taboo.

… I was driving on road C-14 and suddenly figured what Andorra and
Nagorno-Karabakh had in common. And maybe a recipe for the success
of the Karabakh land was hiding somewhere here, in the Principality
of Andorra.

The placename Andorra is of Basque origin. It means “barrens.”

Thinking about the occupied Azerbaijani lands, the hundreds of
thousands of refugees, the term seems suitable for Karabakh.

Andorra is a prosperous principality lost somewhere between France and
Spain. Its population has a high income. Nonetheless, life in Andorra
is relatively cheap. The territory is a huge duty free zone. Duty free
products are concentrated on three big streets. You can buy anything
you want. Prices, for example, for strong spirits or Swiss chocolate
here are almost half those at international airports. There is plenty
of recreation in Andorra, mainly skiing, skating and walking, thermal
baths, shopping. That is probably it. There is space for business,
it is a tax oasis, a banking haven. The country is mostly inhabited
by Andorrans, Spanish and French. Hundreds of thousands of tourists
stay here. I wish the same future for Nagorno-Karabakh.

The history of Andorra proves that a prosperous state does not need to
be proud and independent. It just needs to be proud alone. The police
of Andorra have the right to kick out of the principality anyone who
gravely violates locals laws or shows disrespect to the country.

The independence of Andorra is relative. The principality is
associated with Spain and France, a vassal of two countries. De jure,
the territory is controlled by vicars of the French president and
a Spanish bishop. Since 1278, France and Spain have been securing
Andorra. The currency is the euro. There is no army, only police.

Andorra is a parliamentary democracy. It lives according to own,
partly French, partly Spanish laws.

I think that Andorra could serve as a pattern for Nagorno-Karabakh. It
needs the will of countries that would guarantee peace and
development. Azerbaijan and Armenia are perfect for the role. Imagine
Armenia returning the seven occupied provinces to its neighbour.

Together with Azerbaijan, they could gradually give them “Andorran”
status, fixing it with international agreements. Baku has all the
needed funds to solve many problems: restoration of infrastructure and
production, construction of housing for those willing to return. Less
rich Armenia is rich with human potential, such as specialists
and workers. It is no secret that Armenia has high unemployment,
many people aged 30-35 have never had a stable salary. With growing
investments from both sides, Karabakh could start its path in the
Andorran direction.

Such an innovative decision could rid the planet of a hotbed of
tensions. Reaching an agreement with Azerbaijan, Armenia would free
itself from the long economic blockade that has brought nothing
but losses to the countries affected. Maybe Yerevan could resolve
the problem of population outflow. Azerbaijan and Armenia could
help hundreds of thousands of refugees that became captives of the
Karabakh conflict.

Skeptics would say that those are unrealizable dreams, that the land
of Karabakh is soaked with the blood of Azerbaijanis and Armenians
and that a lot of time should pass before anything is forgotten. I
will respond. Plenty of time has passed. I will refer to Europe
again. The French and Germans are different, in terms of religion,
language, world perception, they have been fighting throughout history,
including in world wars. They are good neighbours now. One of the
symbols of friendship and unity of the European peoples is Strasbourg,
which has been in the hands of France and Germany several times. That
is why many European institutions, for example, the European Human
Rights Court of Strasbourg, are located there.

Azerbaijanis and Armenians were coexisting in Nagorno-Karabakh in
the 19th century when it became part of the Russian Empire and since
the mid-1920s after the establishment of Soviet power. They were
consolidated by trade, Russians and the good-neighbourly relations
sacred to all the peoples of the Caucasus. I believe that it is
possible today. It will not happen without Russia’s help.

Russia makes all possible diplomatic efforts within the framework of
the OSCE Minsk Group to keep peace in the region. Presidents of Armenia
and Azerbaijan Serzh Sargsyan and Ilham Aliyev will meet in Sochi
soon. The recent events on the border require immediate decisions. I
note that the presidents will meet in Sochi, not Paris or Washington,
although the U.S. and France are part of the Minsk Group just like
Russia. Both sides of the conflict trust our country more.

Russia has the best understanding of the problem, warmer and more
trustful relations with Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The Americans would generally benefit from hotbeds of tensions on
the southern borders of Russia, in the context of the conflict in the
south-east of Ukraine. Russia cannot allow a full-scale war to break
out. This is why Russia should enforce a new peace between Armenia
and Azerbaijan.

Russia prevented international intervention in Syria, although the
U.S. and many other countries thought the issue was resolved. Russia
can build an Andorran Karabakh. A special status for the territory,
guaranteed by Russia, could become a pattern for settlement of
territorial disputes and resolution of fates of unrecognized state
formations.

No one has ever resolved the problems of unrecognized republics without
blood in modern history. I believe that Russia can and should do it.

TURKEY PM ERDOGAN SAYS BEING CALLED ARMENIAN IS “UGLY”

Chinatopix
Aug 7 2014

Ren Benavidez

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is under fire after saying
in an interview on Wednesday that being called Armenian was ugly.

The prime minister is facing racial accusations after responding to a
smear campaign led by an opposing party in the presidential campaign
claimed that he was not a real native Turk.

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During a live TV interview on NTV channel, Erdoðan said he was called
by many names. He said at one point he was called a Georgian and been
called Armenian, which according to him was an “uglier thing.”

“What I have learned from my grandfather, my father and all of them
is that I am Turkish. That’s it,” the prime minister said.

Erdogan’s comment that it is ugly to be called Armenian prompted a
social media frenzy and angered Armenian nationals.

“Excuse me, but please go and become the president of another country,”
said Hayko Bagdat, a famous writer of Turkish-Armenian descent,
upon hearing the prime minister’s statement.

The comment came days before the Turkish presidential election where
Erdogan is the leading candidate for the commander-in-chief position.

In a statement to the Daily Mail, Nationalist Movement Party senior
lawmaker Tugrul Turkes said the 21st century has a message for Erdogan
that in this day and age, his words are considered as hate crime.

“Being an Armenian is not a crime, a fault, an ugly, an embarrassing
or a sinful thing,” Turkes said in the statement.

Erdogan is known to be an eloquent speaker and his comment may be
just an honest mistake, according to the Washington Post.

However, Armenians have had a rough history with the Turks which
makes Erdogan’s statement seem tactless.

During the Ottoman Empire in the 1910’s, Armenians have been killed
in Turkey in what biographers consider as genocide.

PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN FIRES PROVOCATIVE TWEETS DURING CONFLICT

Aljazeera.com
Aug 7 2014

Ilham Aliyev’s aggressive tweets on Azeri-Armenian conflict provokes
online confrontation.

A series of combative tweets posted by the President of Azerbaijan
(link is external) are generating controversy during renewed (link is
external) fighting between the Armenian and Azeri armies. An uneasy
twenty year truce over the disputed Nagorno Karabakh region ended
when clashes led to the deaths of at least four Azeri troops and one
ethnic Armenian soldier. The territory has a large ethnic Armenian
population and has been controlled primarily (link is external)
by Armenian troops and local fighters.

Since hostilities broke out, President Aliyev took to Twitter to
threaten war, while calling Armenians “barbarians and vandals”.

In response to the statements, groups like The Armenian National
Committee of America started #StopAliyev and called on others to join
their campaign.

While others expressed support for President Aliyev and the Azeri army.

Read the Tweets at

L’ARMENIE EST 5EME AU CLASSEMENT DU BIATHLON DES CHARS D’ASSAUT

ARMEE

Le Ministère de la Defense de la Federation de Russie a annonce le
6 août les resultats des championnats du monde de biathlon des chars
militaires se deroulent en Russie en presence d’une dizaine de pays
et de 20 pays invites a titre d’observateurs. Le general Youri Petrov
a annonce les resultats. La Russie est première avec un temps de
parcours de 26 minutes et 27 secondes, suivie du Kazakhstan (30″14)
et de l’Inde (31″26). Le Belarus est 4ème et l’Armenie 5ème. La
Kirghizie est 6e et la Chine 7e. Les competitions se termineront le
16 août. Les autres pays tels que l’Angola ou le Venezuela peuvent
encore revenir dans le groupe de tete.

Krikor Amirzayan

jeudi 7 août 2014, Krikor Amirzayan (c)armenews.com

ILHAM ALIEV REND VISITE A SES TROUPES

Conflit du Haut-Karabagh

Le President Ilham Aliyev a visite ses troupes stationnees près de
la > est du Haut-Karabagh hier.

Dans un communique, le bureau de presse d’Aliev a dit qu’il a
remis des cadeaux a plusieurs soldats servant dans le quartier
principalement sous contrôle armenien d’Agdam et a tenu une reunion
extraordinaire avec le ministre de la Defense de l’Azerbaïdjan Zakir
Hasanov et d’autres hauts responsables militaires. Il a dit qu’ils
ont informe Aliev de “la situation generale sur le front.” Le leader
azerbaïdjanais leur a donne “des instructions correspondantes”,
a ajoute le communique, sans donner de details.

Aliev, qui menace regulièrement de mettre fin par la force au conflit,
n’a fait aucune declaration publique depuis le 31 juillet.

Les belligerants s’accusent mutuellement de l’escalade qui a conduit
a une grave preoccupation de la communaute internationale.

De nouveaux rapports de Bakou ont declare qu’un soldat azerbaïdjanais
a ete tue et qu’un autre avait ete blesse dans une section de première
ligne. Les troupes armeniennes du Karabagh ont affirme que le militaire
tue, Sahil Tarlanli, faisait partie d’un commando de l’Azerbaïdjan
qui a lance une attaque infructueuse sur l’un de ses avant-postes
sud-est mardi en fin de journee.

Dans une declaration separee, l’armee de defense du Karabagh a
egalement declare que les avions de guerre armeniens effectuent des
vols près de “la ligne de contact” en raison des tensions persistantes
a cet endroit. L’armee azerbaïdjanaise a signale des vols similaires
en fin de semaine dernière.

Le ministre de la Defense de l’Armenie, Seyran Ohanian, a en outre
souligne les tensions lors de sa visite a Stepanakert hier. Ohanian
a rencontre Bako Sahakian et le general Movses Hakobian, commandant
de l’armee de defense. Le bureau de Sahakian a dit qu’ils ont discute
“des questions liees au renforcement de l’armee”.

Les escarmouches ont egalement continue a avoir un impact grave sur les
civils des villages frontaliers dans le nord-ouest de l’Azerbaïdjan et
l’Armenie. Les maires de deux villages armeniens, Movses et Aygepar,
ont declare que leurs communautes ont ete sous le feu constant de
tirs pendant la nuit.

Les violations de la treve viennent quelques jours avant des
entretiens que le president russe Vladimir Poutine tiendra avec Aliev
et Sarkissian a Sotchi.

Le Premier ministre armenien Hovik Abrahamian a declare hier que les
pourparlers de Sotchi devraient contribuer a desamorcer la situation.

“Les Azerbaïdjanais semblent avoir compris au cours des derniers jours
qu’ils ne peuvent pas parvenir a une solution au conflit par la force”,
a t-il affirme lors d’une visite dans la ville du nord de Vanadzor.

Faisant echo a des declarations faites par d’autres dirigeants
armeniens, Abrahamian a egalement declare que les incidents armes
sont peu susceptibles de degenerer en une guerre a grande echelle.

jeudi 7 août 2014, Claire (c)armenews.com

ADAM SCHIFF: AZERBAIJANI AGGRESSION AGAINST KARABAKH AND ARMENIA MUST STOP

12:23, 07.08.2014

U.S. Congressman Adam Schiff has called to stop Azerbaijan’s
aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia.

“Azeri aggression against NK & Armenia must stop, the ceasefire
restored and peace efforts redoubled. Baku’s belligerence must be
condemned,” hetweeted.

Over the recent days Azerbaijani side made several attempts of
reconnaissance and diversion action at the line of contact, but the
opposing side was thrown away. Official Baku recognized the death over
20 serviceman. Six Armenian troops were killed while repelling
adversary’s acts of sabotage.

Armenia News – NEWS.am

ARMENIAN DM: ARMENIAN ARMY NEEDS JUST EXPERIENCE AND ADVICE OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH LIBERATORS

by David Stepanyan

ARMINFO
Wednesday, August 6, 14:16

For the moment the Armenian army needs just the experience and
advice of the Nagorno- Karabakh liberators. I see no need for their
involvement in the current skirmishes on the border, Armenian Defense
Minister Seyran Ohanyan told journalists on Wednesday.

“They can also encourage our soldiers but I think our soldiers
are courageous enough and are ready to counteract at any moment,”
Ohanyan said.

Concerning Azerbaijan’s arms, Ohanyan said that buying lots of modern
arms does not imply being able to use them effectively. “Quantity is
not a solution, especially as the Azeris have few people who can use
the modern arms they are buying. As far as I know, even the foreign
commandoes they have hired to fight against us are unable to use
those arms,” the Armenian DM said.