Author: Kanayan Tamar

EurasiaNet.org
Jan 2 2013

For 2014, What To Watch In Eurasia?

January 2, 2014 – 5:45am, by Joshua Kucera

In discussions of Eurasian security, “2014” has become a byword for a
turning point in the region. WIth the planned pullout of U.S. and NATO
combat troops from Afghanistan, Central Asia (and to a lesser extent
the Caucasus) is entering an uncertain future. Predicting the future
is obviously a futile endeavor, but for the sake of discussion, here’s
what The Bug Pit expects to be covering over the next 12 months:

SECURITY FLASHPOINTS

1. Nagorno Karabakh. This is a no-brainer. There were some positive
signs toward the end of 2013, with the presidents of Armenia and
Azerbaijan meeting for the first time in two years. Nevertheless, the
cross-border skirmishes continued, and the large forces that have made
things between the two countries so tense — like Azerbaijan’s rapid
military buildup and each country’s dehumanization of the people on
the other side of the border — have not abated. So the renewal of
conflict seems only a matter of time.

2. The Pamirs. After Tajikistan’s central government suffered a
humiliating defeat in its attempt to bring the region under its
control in the July 2012 military operation in Khorog, it has been the
conventional wisdom that the government will eventually try again. Now
the presidential elections have passed, and tensions have risen again.

3. The Ferghana Valley. This is probably the most underreported
security story in the region, but there has been a steady stream of
tense incidents in this remote area between Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan,
and Uzbekistan. David Trilling did a good roundup of the year’s
activity on the Kyrgzstan-Tajikistan border, and Kyrgyzstan brought in
the new year by accusing Tajikistan of massing armored vehicles on the
border (Dushanbe denied the report).

GEOPOLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS

1. The expansion of the CSTO. The Collective Security Treaty
Organization is the military component of Russia’s renewed efforts to
expand its influence into its former Soviet republics. It’s still not
clear what the CSTO actually DOES, but at least on paper it continues
to expand, getting closer to fielding rapid-reaction forces and a
joint air force. And it could have an impact on any of the above
conflict scenarios as Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Armenia are CSTO
members, and Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan are not.

2. Russian pressure on Georgia. Georgia enjoyed a bit of a respite
from Russian pressure after the election victories of Bidzina
Ivanishvili’s Georgian Dream coalition and the sidelining of Russian
bugaboo Mikheil Saakashvili. But as Georgia’s new leadership has made
clear that it intends to continue its process of accession to NATO,
the Kremlin has again ratcheted up its rhetoric and constructed
provocative “border” fences on the de-facto South Ossetia boundary.
Meanwhile, Georgia just announced plans to rearm with primarily
Western military equipment. This seems unlikely to result again in
conflict, but there will be a lot of interesting dynamics between
Russia, Georgia, and Western countries as Georgia continues to
determine its geopolitical place in the world.

3. Azerbaijan’s isolation. This seems to be the underreported
geopolitical development in the region. Its problems with Armenia are
well known, but over 2013 its relations deteriorated with a number of
other countries, as well. There have been a number of sources of
tension with Iran, from border skirmishes to “terror” plots to Caspian
Sea militarization. The U.S. has been increasingly critical of
Azerbaijani government repression. Russia engaged in a brief
flirtation with Baku but then it became clear that was only to make
Armenia jealous; then Russia explicitly said it would fight Azerbaijan
in a conflict over Karabakh. And even “big brother” Turkey has been
making apparently serious overtures toward Armenia, raising questions
about how long Ankara intends to continue effectively subcontracting
out its Armenia policy to Baku.

In addition to all of the above, there is obviously the pullout from
Afghanistan, and the resulting impact on security in Central Asia and
U.S. policy toward the region. Will there be “spillover” of insecurity
from Afghanistan to Central Asia? Will the U.S. give Central Asian
countries its leftover military equipment from Afghanistan? Will the
U.S. departure from the U.S. air base at Manas change its relationship
with Kyrgyzstan? My guess is that the security situation won’t change
much, and that while the question of the U.S. is an interesting one
(especially for Americans) it is relatively insignificant to how
things actually develop in the region.

It’s also worth noting that I sketched out this post on a long bus
trip without internet, and then when I looked at my year-end post from
a year ago, there were a lot of similarities. Karabakh and the Pamirs
were the top potential flashpoints a year ago, too, and Georgia’s
geopolitical balancing act, potential Central Asian succession crises
and the CSTO were all mentioned. While neither Karabakh nor the Pamirs
blew up, they do seem closer today to conflict than they were 12
months ago. And Georgia and the CSTO did prove to be interesting
stories in 2013; they will probably be even more so in 2014.

Disagree with any of those assessments, or think something is missing?
Reply on twitter. In any event, 2014 promises to be an eventful year.
Thanks for continuing to read!

ARMENIE
La production de tabac croît de 64,7% à 22,3 milliards de drams

La production de tabac a atteint une valeur de 22,3 milliards de drams
en Arménie entre janvier et août 2013 en croissance de 64,7% sur un an
a annoncé le Service national des statistiques.

Selon les données officielles, 4,7 milliards de cigarettes ont été
produites entre janvier et août 2013 soit une croissance de 72,2% sur
un an.

Le Service des douanes d’Arménie affirme que les cigarettes, cigares
et cigarillos d’une valeur de 32,8 millions de dollars ont été
exportés à partir de l’Arménie au cours des six premiers mois de cette
année soit 2,6 fois plus que sur la même période un an auparavant.

jeudi 2 janvier 2014,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

CEDH
La CEDH va étudier le cas d’un membre de l’opposition

La Cour européenne des droits de l’homme se penche sur un recours
introduit par un membre de l’opposition qui a figuré parmi les
dizaines de personnes emprisonnées à la suite de la controverse des
troubles post-élection de 2008 à Erevan.

Sassoun Mikaelian, un ancien parlementaire qui a fait campagne pour le
retour de l’ancien président Levon Ter-Petrossian au pouvoir, a fait
appel à la Cour de Strasbourg, peu après avoir été libéré de prison en
mai 2011 dans le cadre d’une amnistie générale.

Mikaelian a été condamné à huit ans de prison pour son rôle dans les
affrontements des 1er et 2 Mars 2008 lors d’affrontements entre forces
de sécurité et manifestants de l’opposition, qui ont fait dix morts.
Comme d’autres loyalistes de Levon Ter-Petrossian, il a été reconnu
coupable d’organisation de « troubles de masse » et de possession
illégale d’armes. Il a toujours dit que les accusations sont sans
fondement et politiquement motivées.

Mikaelian, qui est aussi important vétéran de la guerre du
Haut-Karabagh, s’est tourné vars la Cour européenne afin de voir sa
condamnation annulée en raison de ce qu’il appelle les graves
violations de la procédure régulière. En particulier, il affirme
qu’elle est basée sur des témoignages forcés de la part de ses
associés.

`Un de mes amis a été frappé si brutalement qu’il n’a pas pu
reconnaître ses petits-enfants pendant trois ou quatre jours` a
déclaré Mikaelian au service arménien de RFE / RL (Azatutyun.am). «
Mais son témoignage a été utilisé contre moi ».

La plupart de ces témoins ont rétracté leur témoignage au cours du
procès de Mikaelian et plusieurs autres dirigeants de l’opposition, en
disant qu’ils avaient été torturés et victimes d’intimidation afin
d’approuver les accusations portées contre lui. Toutefois les
tribunaux arméniens ont validé ces déclarations.

La Cour européenne a déjà présenté au gouvernement arménien une liste
de questions relatives à l’affaire. Le gouvernement a jusqu’à mars
prochain pour y répondre par écrit. Le tribunal décidera alors de
rejeter l’affaire ou de porter un jugement sur elle. Il a reçu des
appels similaires de la plupart des autres opposants emprisonnés en
2008.

Mikaelian, qui s’est brouillé avec Ter-Petrossian il y a un an, a
défendu les actions de l’opposition en mars 2008. « Les gens se
battaient pour la justice, pour leur avenir » a-t-il dit, dénonçant la
direction actuelle de l’Arménie comme un « gang » criminel. « Je
continuerai à me battre », a-t-il ajouté.

Les autorités arméniennes ont défendu le recours à la force meurtrière
contre l’opposition conduit par Levon Ter-Petrossian l’accusant
d’avoir tenté de renverser le gouvernement. Ter-Petrossian et ses
alliés actuels et anciens insistent, cependant, que les autorités ont
délibérément tué des gens pour faire appliquer le transfert du pouvoir
du président sortant Robert Kotcharian à Serge Sarkissian.

jeudi 2 janvier 2014,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

CAUCASE
Renforcement de l’armée de défense du Haut-Karabagh

Les forces armées du Haut -Karabakh soutenues par l’Arménie ont reçu
33 chars et plus de 110 camions ainsi que d’autres véhicules de combat
en 2013 dans le cadre d’un renforcement militaire en cours, selon leur
commandant, le général Movses Hakobian.

Movses Hakobian a annoncé ces acquisitions au cours d’une conférence
de presse de fin d’année à Stepanakert. Ces renforts ont donné un
nouvel élan à la préparation au combat de ses troupes déployées le
long de la « ligne de contact » arméno-azerbaïdjanaise au nord et à
l’est du Karabakh.

Hakobian avait déjà déclaré en juillet que l’ armée de défense du
Haut-Karabakh avait reçu de grandes quantités d’armes lourdes et de
munitions durant les deux dernières années. Les livraisons d’armes ont
été si importantes que l’armée a du mal à les stocker et projette de
construire un nouveau dépôt d’armes à cette fin , avait-il annoncé. Le
général avait refusé de préciser les types de nouvelles armes qui lui
sont remis.

Il est établi que les Arméniens du Karabakh ont créé une nouvelle
brigade de chars en 2012. Ces détachements blindés sont généralement
constitués d’environ 100 chars.

Visitant le Haut-Karabakh à la fin août , le Premier ministre arménien
Tigran Sarkissian avait également fait état d’une hausse spectaculaire
des acquisitions d’armes. « Au cours des trois dernières années, nous
avons acquis autant d’armes qu’au cours des 20 années précédentes , »
avait-il dit.

Sarkissian a donné quelques détails sur ces acquisitions. Il a
déclaré, dans une référence apparente à la Russie , que des «
partenaires stratégiques » aident l’Arménie à rester dans la course
aux armements dans le cadre de l’Organisation du Traité de sécurité
collective face à un Azerbaïdjan riche en pétrole.

Au cours de la dernière décennie , l’Azerbaïdjan a dépensé des
milliards de dollars de recettes d’hydrocarbure en une accumulation
militaire massive dont ses dirigeants affirment qu’elle permettra de
mettre fin au contrôle arménien sur le Haut-Karabakh et les terres
environnantes. Bakou aurait commencé à recevoir cet été près de 100
chars ainsi que de nombreuses autres armes offensives de fabrication
russe d’une valeur combinée d’un milliard de dollars selon les termes
d’un contrat de défense signé avec la Russie.

jeudi 2 janvier 2014,
Ara ©armenews.com

Voice of America
Dec 31 2013

Armenian Church Aims to Heal Past in Kurdish Region of Turkey

Dorian Jones
December 31, 2013

DIYARBAKIR, TURKEY – A recently restored church has become a focal
point for ethnic Armenians seeking to rediscover their cultural
identity and faith in Turkey’s predominantly Kurdish southeast. The
region was once home to a large Armenian population. Most perished
during mass expulsions and pogroms during World War I by Turkey’s
Ottoman rulers.

The St. Giragos Armenian Orthodox Church is located in the back
streets of Diyarbakır’s ancient Sur quarter. It was derelict and
abandoned for decades until restored to its full splendor two years
ago.

Hundreds attended the celebration of the church’s saint’s day in
September. Even though the church is awaiting an appointment of a
priest, Armin Demirciyan, who looks after the church, claims it has
already become an important symbol of ethnic Armenian identity.

“It means everything to me. It’s our history. It’s our culture and
it’s our legacy,’ he said. `It’s the gift of our ancestors to us. As
an Armenian I can see myself here. I was raised as a Kurd, I knew
nothing of my Armenian identity.’

Tragic history

Demirciyan’s family history is a familiar one. His father was only a
child when his parents were killed in mass pogroms against ethnic
Armenians during World War I, by then-Turkey’s Ottoman rulers.
Demirciyan’s father, like many other Armenian children, was taken in
by local families, and brought up as a Muslim.

Some ethnic Armenians are now converting to Christianity, like Melike
Gunal, who regularly visits the church. For years, she said she hid
her identity, but that the re-opening of the church helped her to
publicly embrace her identity and faith.

`I come here three or four times a week to light a candle. It’s a
Christmas miracle for me to find Christianity and this church,’ she
said. `Even before, when there was no roof, I would come here and sit
and cry. But now there is a roof and it’s restored; it’s so special
for me.’

Gunal’s father – a political activist – was killed in the 1990s during
the Turkish state’s war against the Kurdish rebel group the PKK. Gunal
said it was that fight by Kurds for greater minority rights, though,
that gave the chance for Armenians to assert their identity

“It all came out with the Kurdish struggle for there identify, that
opened the door to us,” she said. “How could they deny our identity
when fighting for theirs? Before we could only utter our grandparent’s
Armenian names at home, from a very early age we understood to hide
our identity.”

The local mayor, Abdullah Demirtas of the pro-Kurdish BDP, contributed
$600,000 of municipal funds to the church’s restoration. He said it
was part of a policy of encouraging diversity.

`In past years, the state wanted to turn this region, this area, into
a single Turkish Muslim identity, by not only suppressing Kurds, but
all these communities, all these religions and languages,’ he said.
`We want to show this diversity can live together.’

Symbol of ethnic heritage

But St. Giragos church, as a symbol of the region’s ethnic Armenian
heritage, raises difficult questions for Kurds. That’s because some
Kurds then played a prominent role in the killings of Armenians.

Armenia says 1.5 million Armenians were killed during World War I by
troops of Turkey’s Ottoman Empire. Turkey says Armenians were killed
as part of a civil war and maintains the death toll is exaggerated. It
says the deaths do not constitute genocide.

At St. Giragos there is a small photo exhibition recording the once
vibrant Armenian community. It includes family portraits and photos of
people drinking wine and smoking water pipes. A group of Kurdish and
ethnic Armenian teenagers is looking at the images, aware most of
those pictured probably perished in a mass killing.

For Baran Dogan, a Kurd, the church is a place to face up to the past.
`We are very much aware what happened to the Armenians by Kurds under
the order of the Ottoman state,’ he said. `I did not know my close
friend was Armenian, and he did not know either until recently. When I
come to this church I feel it as a small apology, although it never
can compensate for what they’ve been through.’

By 2015, a full time priest will be appointed to St. Giragos. That’s
another small step in helping to re-establish the city’s once diverse
society.

365 Days

Tuesday, December 31st, 2013

BY MARIA TITIZIAN

In the absence of faith and hope and belief living can often be
dwindled away, becoming mundane, a chore, destroying the core of what
we were meant to do or be to others as human beings.

These past few weeks we have been in a deep winter freeze in Yerevan.
Temperatures have plummeted causing icy roads, freezing homes and
treacherous sidewalks. Every morning as I walk down our street to get
to work, I think my bones are going to crack from the cold. Even the
trees seemed to have petrified and transformed into peculiar ice
sculptures. Complaining about the weather a few days ago, an
aquaintance reassured me it’s good for the farmers. A mild winter is
never promising for the summer bounty, or so I was told. Who am I to
argue?

So, with all things that cause discomfort, or cold bones, or falling
on you knees on slippery tiles just before you go to cover the visit
of Turkey’s Foreign Affairs Minister Ahmed Davutoglu, there’s always a
silver lining. At least that is what we tell ourselves.

At an annual wrap-up-the-past-year dinner, the topics around the table
varied from the weather to pension reforms to natural gas to the
country’s precarious steps towards loss of sovereignty and national
dignity. It was all matter-of-fact. We recalled that at last year’s
dinner, emotions were on edge and we were deeply grateful that 2012
was over, because it hadn’t been a good year.

2013 comparatively was a worse year but for some reason we were
uncharacteristically calm. There were no arms flailing or loss of
decorum or any other sort of anarchy around the dinner table. Trying
to fall asleep later that night I realized that faith and hope and
belief, the core elements of our humanity, the attributes that had
brought together our group of eternally optimistic friends had eroded
sometime over the course of the past year. The problems we once
thought unacceptable had become common place; the deceptions and
missed opportunities were to be expected; we were no longer surprised
at the disrespect and arrogance the ruling regime projected toward its
own people. Taking things in stride, understanding and accepting your
reality may sometimes be good for your health but rarely does it do
any good for your soul.

>From presidential to municipal elections, to deceptions and lies, to
an elevated collective social consciousness, to secret deals, from
progress to regression, from unreliability to treachery, our lives in
2013 were not only a mosaic of emotions but of chaos.

The images and impressions of the past year are more important than
the specific details of events.

Here is what 2013 felt like…

It was a presidential election campaign that appeared uninspired and
lackluster and then the results turned our lives upside down and we
began to hope that something would change, that we could believe that
democracy was working, finally. Hope turned to exhiliration, then
deflation and then outright disappointment.

In the meantime we had a presidential candidate who staged a hunger
strike instead of campaigning; we had another accused, charged and
convicted of trying to assassinate another presidential candidate; we
had an incumbent president seeking a second and thankfully final term
who told people many interesting things including that he could secure
any result that suited his fancy; and the rest, I don’t even remember.

Two simultaneous presidential inaugurations took place, an official
one where Serzh Sarkisian promised to lead the country and one in the
square that promised to uphold the constitution and then disintegrated
into nothing.

There was the murder of a most beloved friend and mayor of Proshyan,
Hrach Muradyan whose murderer is yet to be found.

The residents of Yerevan went to the polls to elect a new mayor and a
new city council. Republican Taron Margaryan became mayor and got
himself embroiled in a bus fare hike that saw thousands of protestors
in the streets, forcing him to retract his decision, at least for the
time being.

Suren Khachatryan, the infamous and controversial former governor of
Syunik marz was once again in the headlines for a murder that took
place outside his front door. His son and bodyguard were charged with
the murder but later released. Khachatryan claims he was sleeping and
didn’t hear anything at all. The chief military prosecutor at the time
Gevorg Kostanyan said that the two men accused in the murder had acted
in self-defense and effectively set them free. He was later appointed
Armenia’s Prosecutor General.

We were promised by our president that we could expect 7 percent
economic growth and an increase in wages that would surpass the rate
of inflation and if these things were not realized by the government,
they would be asked to resign.

We learned that the country’s prime minister held offshore accounts
where funds from bank loans were funneled in collusion with a
controversial archbishop.

After 3.5 years of intense negotiations with the European Union,
Armenia was set to initial the Association Agreement but then on
September 3, while on a visit to Russia, our country’s president
`affirmed the Armenian people’s wish’ and unexpectedly announced that
we would instead join the Customs Union with Russia, Kazakhstan and
Belarus, three exemplary nations of democracy, human rights and social
justice.

In December we learned that since April 2011, the price of natural gas
imports from Russia had steadily increased. However, this was quietly
subsidized and kept a secret from the Armenian people until the
Republican Party ensured victories at the parliamentary, presidential
and Yerevan municipality elections racking up a debt of $300 million
in the meantime.

On December 2, Russian President Vladimir Putin paid a visit to our
country and signed several bilateral agreements, which included
selling off the remaining 20 percent of the Republic of Armenia’s
shares in ArmRosGazprom to the Russian giant Gazprom to offset the
$300 million debt. According to the deal, for the next thirty years,
Armenia is not allowed to purchase natural gas from a third party, it
cannot serve as a transit zone and it is obliged to ensure gas prices
are set at a rate which will ensure that our new Russian gas partner
recoups its investments in the system.

On December 23, the National Assembly of Armenia had to vote to ratify
the natural gas deal between Armenia and Russia. Engaged citizens,
opposition parties and activists from different spheres tried to
mobilize against the vote, sometimes using unacceptable tactics,
including boycotting and walking out of the National Assembly, to
removing voting cards to obstruct the vote. But even those tactics
were of no use as the ruling coalition went ahead and voted, although
the manner in which they voted is now being brought into question. We
will have to wait for the verdict of the Constitutional Court. No one
in Armenia is holding their breath.

It is a theater of the absurd, it feels as though the clinically
insane have taken over the asylum…

In the melee, passions ran amuck, lines were blurred, reporters became
activists, activists became reporters, no one knows or understands
their role anymore.

And then there are those young people out there in the subzero
temperatures, braving the bitter dry cold and doggedly fighting a
system that refuses to acknowledge them. I believe that many more will
join them. I believe in their willpower and tenacity. They are often
criticized by different people and different forces, myself included.
But one thing is so painfully clear – if it wasn’t for them, many of
us would continue to live like the trees that have transformed into
peculiar ice statues, patiently waiting for a spring that will never
come.

This is how our life was in 2013. I hope yours was less interesting.

EDITORIAL: Resolving to Advance the Armenian Cause

Tuesday, December 31st, 2013

by Ara Khachatourian

The Year Ahead

2013 began and ends with conflict. Beginning with the election cycle
in Armenia – presidential and municipal – which was marred, once again,
with voter fraud and corruption to the Armenian government’s abrupt
decision to join the Russia-led Customs Union, the ruling party in
Armenia reinforced its grip on power by neglecting the population.

One of the key threats to Armenia’s national
security – emigration – continued at an alarming pace, as more and more
people left the homeland due to lack of a social-economic fabric that
can sustain a country’s infrastructure.

The bright spot was the wave of popular protests in Armenia that
solidify the people’s discontent with the current regime. The mass
protests after the presidential elections signaled that Armenians are
fed up and are willing to take action to assert their views. The
summer began with one such action, when the people’s outcry over
random bus fare hikes resulted in the municipality of Yerevan to
reverse course.

Despite the continued anti-Armenian rhetoric emanating from Baku, the
government and people of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (Artsakh)
unwaveringly worked to strengthen the Artsakh’s statehood. This past
year also saw a surge in foreign dignitaries visiting Artsakh and
pledging their commitment for Artsakh’s right to self-determination.

Meanwhile in the Middle East, the deepening conflict in Syria had a
greater impact on the Armenian population of the country, forcing
greater numbers to leave this community and seek refuge elsewhere.
Many have settled in the homeland. While attempts by the government
and organizations to welcome and provide the basic necessities to
their Syrian-Armenian brethren accelerated the challenges stemming
from this conflict and the displacement of the Armenian community will
be a priority in 2014.

On the eve of the Genocide centennial, the Turkish government amped up
its efforts to further its denialist policies. However, diasporan
organizations that pursue the just resolution of the Armenian Cause
were at the forefront of that struggle. In the US, the Armenian
National Committee of America, with its Western and Eastern regional
entities galvanized the community and strengthened its grass-roots to
advance Hai-Tahd.

As we close the year with the traditional celebrations and reflection,
we must be aware that the events of 2013 were a harbinger of things to
come and the challenges awaiting out entire nation. 2014 must become
the beginning of our collective commitment to advance the Armenian
Cause with each of us pledging to roll up our sleeves and get in the
trenches. What a great resolution for the New Year.

Happy New Year!

Editor’s Note
This year was another successful year for Asbarez as we celebrated our
105th anniversary and unveiled a new project of digitizing our more
than a century-old archives.

We continued to be the number one and most trusted news source for
Armenians, not only in the US, but throughout the world.

Through your engagement and participation, YOU, our readers, propelled
us to excel and encouraged us to do more.
We Thank You!

We also would like to thank our advertisers, sponsors and supporters,
who look at Asbarez as an effective arena and enable us to enhance our
product and services.
And, last, but not least, our staff, writers and the army of
contributors who tirelessly work all year and add fresh voices to our
publication

>From Qamishli to Kovsakan: Planting New Roots in Artsakh

Mаry Mamyan

Nor Or Weekly – Thursday January 2, 2014

Sipping coffee in their apartment in Kovsakan, a town in southern
Artsakh, Jirayr takes a friendly jibe at his mother-in-law, 71
year-old Mrs. Khatoun.

`She’s more Dashnak than even the most committed Dashhnak.’

Mrs. Khatoun came to Kovsakan from the Syrian town of Qamishli last
December. Now, she spends her time following the news, both local and
international. She also likes to read the New Testament, a copy of
which is placed at her bedside.

`She read it so much, she knows it by heart,’ jokes Jirayr.

Mrs. Khatoun attended Armenian school in Qamishli up to the sixth
grade. She knows how to read and write Armenian. When the school
closed, local Armenians refused to send their kids to the Arab school.
They felt it wasn’t the right thing to do.

Mrs. Khatoun has three daughters and a son. She was 24 when her
husband died in a car crash. According to local Armenian tradition,
she never remarried. `An Armenian woman must take care of her
children,’ she notes, adding that the community took care of widowed
families.

She now lives with her son Viken and his family in an apartment
building allocated to Syrian-Armenians who have relocated to Artsakh.

Viken Ohan and his wife Tamar have four children ` Samvel, Bardi,
Maral and Bekor.

Viken proudly points out that in Syria, Armenian parents give their
children only Armenian names. Samvel is the name of Viken’s father.
It’s important because local Arabs address others as the `father of so
and so’. For example, Viken must be addressed as, `the father of
Samvel’.

The father confesses that it was difficult when they first moved to
Kovsakan. The kids encountered various language problems in school,
especially since many words used in class were Russian.

Viken says that he misses Syria. He worked as a lathe turner and also
owned land which he cultivated. He visited Armenia in 2005 and in
2010. Deciding to relocate, he first wanted to sell of his belongings
so that he could start his own business here. But, when war broke out
in Syria, he was forced to flee. He only had time to sell his car.

In Artsakh, Viken has fifty acres on which he grows wheat and barley.

The family is now waiting to move into an apartment building in
Kovsakan now being erected especially for Syrian-Armenians.

Memories of Past Christmases in Iran

Tuesday, December 31st, 2013

BY CATHERINE YESAYAN

On a misty December day in Glendale this year, I was jolted back in
time 50 years to my childhood Christmases in Tehran. The experience
was evoked upon the sight of the beautiful holiday décor arranged by
Glendale School Board member Mary Boger in their living room. Mrs.
Boger’s home was one of the four enchanting homes chosen by Herbert
Hoover High School for the Tour of Homes, a holiday fundraising
tradition now in its 56th year.

I caught my breath when I entered their living room and saw not one,
but three Christmas trees. They were all decorated in white twinkling
lights and icicles. Patches of fluffy and sparkling snow made from
cotton roll gave the look of a very old fashioned Christmas décor. I
wished my mom was with me.

My mom – the Martha Stewart of 1960s Iran – was meticulous in every
aspect of home making. And during the Christmas season, she put
extensive effort into creating exceptional décors and a beautiful tree
for our celebrations.

First, there was the buying of the tree. The Russian embassy was in
walking distance from where we lived, and along the sides of its
walls, Christmas trees were sold. Buying the Christmas tree was a
family affair. We all went along – Mom, Dad and us three kids, but Mom
had the last word. She scrupulously chose the largest tree with the
most perfect and symmetrical shape. We all brought the tree back home.
The installing of the tree was a big hassle, because we didn’t have
all the tools and facilities available today.

Then came the painstaking decoration. Aluminum icicles were at the
height of fashion and she hung them all over the tree, making sure all
the strands dangled perfectly straight from branches. As a special
helper, I would place the lights evenly around the tree, squinting
from afar until perfection was achieved. I was so proud to have the
most beautifully decorated Christmas tree of all the families we knew.

My father’s side of the family belonged to the Evangelical Church,
which was founded in the mid 1800s by American missionaries. The
church was situated in the old part of Tehran on Ghavam-Saltaneh
Street. Its sprawling grounds included two schools and living quarters
for American missionaries. At this church, my father’s side of the
family celebrated Christmas on December 25. My mother’s side belonged
to the Armenian Apostolic Church and they observed Christmas on
January 6, as most Armenians do.

The Evangelical church to which my father belonged had a youth
program. Mother was not keen about us participating in the program,
because it was not conducted in Armenian, and our peers and
instructors were proselytized Muslims. However, I loved the activities
and have many fond memories of that church.

At the youth program, we learned Christmas carols in English and
sometimes translated into Farsi. Leading up to Christmas, the elders
of the church drove us around in crammed cars to visit different
Christian homes so we could sing the songs we had learned. Today,
hearing Christmas carols takes my mind back to that youth program.
Without question, singing carols is a memory that I will always
cherish. I’m glad that I insisted my mom to allow me to participate.

In Tehran, Christmas was not a big celebration, but New Year’s Eve was
the excuse for major festivities. All the hoopla, the gift giving, the
decorations, the `Holiday Tree’ were for celebrating the New Year, not
Christmas. Santa came on New Year’s Eve and we opened our gifts on New
Year’s Day.

I sometimes think that it would have been so much better, if, here in
the `West,’ Santa would come for the New Year instead of Christmas.
Then all children from every religion could enjoy the charm of Santa
Claus. In reality, what does Santa have to do with the birth of Jesus?

Back to my memories of Armenian Christmas in Tehran: On January 5, we
had our Christmas dinner around the table at my maternal grandmother’s
home. The traditional food included smoked fish, pilaf and koukou. We
had the same menu for Easter. I’m not sure how the dish became the
traditional menu for Iranian-Armenians. I think the koukou (a cake of
greens & eggs) and the pilaf were adopted from Persian cuisine, while
fish is a staple from the Armenian tradition.

Red wine was always present on the table, and the `holy cracker’ was
brought from church and was cracked and served in the wine. The
tradition also included burning incense (Frankincense), and I’ve
always loved that aroma.

Another custom I remember, now phased out, was visitations. After
Christmas and Easter for almost two weeks priests and deacons would
visit parishioners’ homes and bless them.

Christmas and Easter dinners have an important role in our culture,
and we were reminded of this regularly in Tehran. During dinner, our
elders told us stories about how they celebrated the holy days in
years past. My mom always told us that her father insisted that for
Christmas the dinner could be served after the sun set, but Easter
dinner had to be served while the sun was still up.

My grandfather was a village boy, his family moved to Tabriz when he
was young. So my mother’s memory of her own father’s family practices
reveal to me that Armenians living in villages in Iran also kept the
tradition of having Christmas and Easter dinner.

The best part of Christmas was when we had the home ready for visitors
on January 6. It was a tradition that the women stayed home while the
men went from home to home to visit and celebrate the advent of
Christmas and the New Year.

Our relatives and friends came for a short visit just to keep the
tradition and to say Merry Christmas. They had to visit about 20 homes
or more within a few hours. Usually they took taxi. We served them a
shot of brandy and a chocolate and then off they went to the next
home. Sometimes they brought their kids with them. That’s how we
stayed in touch with distant relatives.

My dad was a translator and worked with many Jewish and Muslim
merchants. On January 6th, all his clients came to visit us. The house
had such a festive spirit. We were dressed in our best clothes, the
house decorated `to the T’ and the food was overflowing. Dad’s clients
brought us nice expensive gifts: huge vases, bowls, platters and trays
of sterling silver or hand-painted miniatures in rich marquetry
(khatam-kari) frames. We kids received gold coins. Usually Dad was not
at home because according to the tradition he had to visit other
relatives, but Mom received the visitors graciously.

A few years ago when Mom was still alive, I had the opportunity to
walk to her home for our `Jour-orhnek’ dinner – Blessed-water – that’s
what we call the Armenian Christmas. To get to her home, I had to
cross small residential streets in Glendale, where most homes are
occupied with Armenians.

While walking, I looked through the windows and saw some dinner tables
ready inside homes. The mood was so festive. I noticed people arriving
by car or on foot, with their hands full. They carried gifts or dishes
of food that they had prepared. I could even smell incense burning
while passing by some homes.

Needless to say, the women were coiffed beautifully and the men were
in their best suits. I was overjoyed to see how in these foreign
shores, `Odar aperoom,’ we Armenians are thriving and the traditions
are alive and well.

As I sit here reflecting about past Christmases, I realize that
although I no longer fuss about decorating my house and to have the
largest and the most beautiful tree, I admire people who do that. I
feel blessed that I can pass my stories to our next generation and I
hope they will continue to tell the stories and practice the customs
we have brought with us from old countries.

I’d like to quote the prolific novelist Isabel Allende who says, `I
need to tell a story. It’s an obsession. Each story is a seed inside
of me that starts to grow and grow, and I have to deal with it sooner
or later.’ This is true with me. I appreciate Asbarez paper for
giving me the opportunity to share my stories. I wish all a happy and
healthy 2014.

CRITICS’ FORUM: A Year of Ventures and Growth

Tuesday, December 31st, 2013

“Sale,” a tragicomedy, was among the plays staged at the Armenian
Theater Festival.

BY ARAM KOUYOUMDJIAN

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, I had the pleasure of moderating a
panel at the ANCA Grassroots Conference, which examined the interplay
between Armenian arts and activism. A couple of weeks later, another
panel at the Glendale Public Library focused on the challenges facing
Armenian artists in the Diaspora, touching on such issues as time and
money constraints, audience development and community support, and the
choice of language in which to create.

At both events, painter/playwright/performer and panelist Vahe
Berberian articulated a heartfelt lament for the ongoing demise of the
Armenian language (particularly its Western dialect) in the diasporan
setting. Contrary opinions were expressed as to how doomed Armenian
really is, since the language has seen worse days throughout the long
course of its history, such as during the era of Ottoman oppression.
Still, the fact was inescapable that of nearly a dozen artists on the
two panels, Berberian was the only one consistently writing in
Armenian; for nearly everyone else, the language of creation was
predominantly English.

English has, indeed, been the language of most `Armenian’ plays I’ve
reviewed for almost a decade. This year, however, marked an
exception. Although output was not ample, virtually every Armenian
production of note was actually in Armenian.

There was Berberian’s own `Yete’ (If), the latest installment in his
series of humorous monologues; Anahid Aramouni Keshishian’s `Ka Yev
Chka II’ (There Is and There Isn’t II), the sequel to an earlier
autobiographical solo work; and Vahik Pirhamzei’s `Portsarou
Sdakhosner’ (Experienced Liars), the follow-up to `Azniv Sdakhosner’
(Honest Liars).

Khoren Aramouni’s `Patand’ (The Hostage) was memorable for Aram
Muradian’s taut performance as a traumatized soldier. In a vast
departure from that intense role, Muradian donned drag to play
`Charley’s Aunt’ in Krikor Satamian’s translation of that farce.
Having been impressed by Muradian’s virtuoso performances for some
years now, I will be collaborating with him this spring to stage a
solo rendition of Levon Shant’s iconic play `Hin Asdvadzner’ (Ancient
Gods).

By year’s end, Armenian theater had achieved several milestones, three
of which deserve extended mention.

Festival Launch
Perhaps the development of greatest import was the launch of an
Armenian Theater Festival by the Hamazkayin Educational and Cultural
Society of the Western U.S.

The inaugural event flouted the traditional structure of a theater
festival in that it did not feature multiple ensembles; rather,
Hamazkayin played host to a single troupe – the `Sos Sargsyan’ State
Theater Company from Armenia – which performed four different shows in
a five-day span. These included the drama `44 Astichani Vra’ (44
Degrees); the tragicomedy `Sale’; the children’s tale `Anpan Hourin’
(Idle Houri); and a variety show. In a remarkable feat, an estimated
1,400 students were bussed from Armenian schools to daytime
performances of the plays.

While the caliber of the shows fluctuated, the acting was stellar
throughout, and there’s already talk of having the troupe back next
year. A return visit would be a treat, and Hamazkayin should be
commended for its ambitious undertaking. Nevertheless, the
organization should be mindful of balancing its resources so that its
commitment to local talents in need of institutional support is not
compromised.

Shahe Mankerian and Vahe Berberian were part of the pioneer cast of
“Armenian Improv.”

Intro to Improv
If the `Sos Sargsyan’ ensemble introduced new plays and actors to Los
Angeles audiences, `Armenian Improv’ exposed them to a new art form.
Improv (short for `improvisation’) is quite possibly the hardest form
of comedy, since it requires actors to make up – on-the-spot and often
guided by audience suggestions – the very sketch or scene they are
performing.

Conceived by Vahe Berberian, the show was a rollicking ride,
delivering edgy comedy at a rapid clip. In their maiden outing,
Berberian and his six cohorts – Chris Bedian, Sako Berberian,
Levon-Shant Demirjian, Shahe Mankerian, Kevo Manoukian, and Paleny
Topjian – proved themselves adept at the genre. They spun complex
narratives, marked by sharp humor, to generate hearty laughs and earn
enthusiastic audience response.

Here’s hoping that `Armenian Improv’ was not a one-time-only
experience, but that future iterations of the show and improv itself
will become staples of Armenian entertainment.

The “Big Bad Armo Show” made a stop in the Central Valley while
touring California.

Theater in the Provinces
As Berberian ventured into new genres, Lory Tatoulian was venturing
into new territories. The creator of the `Big Bad Armo Show’ traveled
the length of California with the `best of’ her show, making her way
from San Francisco through the Central Valley to San Diego.

Tatoulian hails from Reedley and has family in San Diego, so those
smaller – and theatrically underserved – Armenian communities are
familiar to her. She and her cast can now boast of having performed
in Eden – that is, the town of Yettem in Tulare County.

Certainly such outreach affords mutual benefit, filling a void for
communities that lack any measure of Armenian theater, while widening
the audience base for Armenian theater artists who embrace them.

So the past year of Armenian theater can be remembered as one of
ventures and growth – through cultural exchange, through geographic
reach, and through the exploration of new genres. It’s a fine
trajectory for Armenian theater to be on, inspiring artists to sustain
the momentum in the new year.

Aram Kouyoumdjian is the winner of Elly Awards for both playwriting
(`The Farewells’) and directing (`Three Hotels’). His latest work is
an adaptation of Levon Shant’s `Ancient Gods.’ You can reach him or
any of the other contributors to Critics’ Forum at
[email protected]. This and all other articles published in
this series are available online at To sign up
for a weekly electronic version of new articles, go to
Critics’ Forum is a group created to
discuss issues relating to Armenian art and culture in the Diaspora.