Author: Kanayan Tamar

ARMENIE : SUICIDES CHEZ LES RETRAITES

ARMENIE

Deux tragedies sont survenues en fevrier dans le district de Chengavite
de la capitale armenienne Erevan : une femme de 67 ans s’est pendue,
et une femme de 62 ans s’est jetee du sixième etage d’un immeuble. Ces
cas mettent en evidence une tendance inquietante en Armenie, où le
nombre de suicides et de tentatives de suicide chez les personnes
âgees atteint des hauteurs alarmantes.

Certains observateurs attribuent la tendance – au moins en partie –
au marasme economique en Armenie. Dans l’ensemble, le service national
des statistiques fait etat d’une augmentation de près de 30 pour cent
du nombre de suicides et tentatives de suicide en 2011 (647 incidents)
par rapport aux chiffres de 2009 lorsque l’economie s’est contractee
de plus de 14 pour cent.

Les chômeurs armeniens,âges de 30 et 65 ans, representent la majeure
partie de ces incidents – quelque 56,7 pour cent, a declare Karine
Kuyumjian, chef du Departement du recensement et de la demographie.

Mais ce sont les personnes âgees de plus de 65 ans – 23,1 pour cent
du total des suicides et tentatives de suicide – qui ont attire le
plus d’attention.

” Le nombre de suicides a augmente de manière significative ”
a commente le psychologue Ruben Poghosian, specialiste en chef des
services psychologiques au Centre AYG d’Erevan. ” Les espoirs du peuple
pour l’avenir sont casses, la vie devient de plus en plus chère, et les
retraites estiment qu’ils sont ignores. Ils ne peuvent pas se repondre
a leurs besoins fondamentaux, [ainsi leur] panique se developpe,
une lutte interieure emerge, et parfois ils ne peuvent pas surmonter “.

Comme ailleurs dans le Caucase, les Armeniens considèrent le soin aux
parents âges comme une obligation ; violer cette obligation deshonore
la famille, et montre un manque de respect pour la famille. La
tendance de l’Ouest de personnes âgees vivant de facon autonome est
generalement consideree comme un concept etranger. Mais aujourd’hui,
de nombreuses familles ne peuvent tout simplement plus se permettre
de s’occuper des membres âges de la famille. Le chômage est a 6 pour
cent officiellement, mais des estimations non officielles indiquent
un nombre a deux chiffres. Les deux femmes qui se sont suicides le
7 fevrier ne vivaient pas avec leurs proches.

Pour certains personnes âgees, la capacite des jeunes generations
a fournir un soutien peut etre une question de vie ou de mort. Un
retraite de 68 ans qui vit avec la famille de son fils dans une
banlieue d’Erevan a explique la situation : ” les pensionnes vivant
seuls ne peuvent pas survivre sans parents, ils ne peuvent pas se
permettre d’acheter des aliments ou des medicaments ” a declare
le retraite, qui a demande a ne pas etre nomme. ” Cela devient une
impasse pour beaucoup de gens “.

Le sondeur Aharon Adibekian, directeur du centre de Sociometer,
a declare que les donnees provenant d’enquetes recentes suggèrent
que le sentiment de desespoir s’accroît chez les personnes âgees. ”
L’extreme pauvrete a augmente, et les personnes âgees, les retraites,
font desormais partie du groupe des plus vulnerable. Ils sont malades,
ils n’ont personne pour s’occuper d’eux, ils sont fatigues de tout ”
a declare Adibekian. ” Ils ne se sentent pas utiles dans la societe “.

Le taux eleve de migration du travail- qui serait de 41000 personnes en
2011, selon les donnees du gouvernement – peut contribuer au phenomène
du suicide, etant donne qu’il coupe les liens familiaux, a declare
Poghosian. Beaucoup de migrants de sexe masculin, en fait, jamais, ou
seulement de facon sporadique retourne dans leur maison, laissant les
parents face a eux memes en dehors de l’envoi de transferts d’argent .

Anahit Gevorgian, une specialiste travaillant au sein du ministère
des Affaires sociales et du travail sur la politique de protection
sociale pour les personnes âgees, concède que ” la vie pour les
personnes âgees n’est pas facile du tout ” mais soutient que le
gouvernement fait de son mieux pour aider les retraites. En janvier,
le gouvernement a legèrement augmente la pension mensuelle pour un
demi-million de retraites de 28 700 drams (environ 75 dollars) a 31300
drams, soit environ 82 $. La pension minimum a augmente d’environ un
quart -13000 drams, soit environ 34 $. Le gouvernement gère egalement
quatre maisons qui offrent diverses formes d’aide aux personnes âgees,
et quelques 30 cantines de charite pour les pauvres dans tout le pays.

Mais avec une inflation sans cesse croissante, l’augmentation des
pensions est passee inapercue pour beaucoup de retraites. Les prix des
aliments ont augmente de 6,1 pour cent en 2011, les coûts pour d’autres
articles ont bondi de 4,3 pour cent, selon les donnees officielles. ”
Je serais heureux de voir nos fonctionnaires vivre avec cette pension
pendant au moins un mois ” a commente un retraite a Erevan. ” Cela
ne couvre meme pas les factures des services publics en hiver “.

Les perspectives pour une assistance supplementaire semblent faibles.

En 2011, le magazine Forbes a classe l’Armenie en tant que deuxième
pire economie du monde, juste après Madagascar.

Le Parti Heritage de l’opposition a appele a la tenue d’audiences
sur la question, une proposition que le Parti republicain d’Armenie,
le faiseur de rois dans la coalition au pouvoir en Armenie, affirme
qu’elle soutient, avec d’une ” etude approfondie ” du problème. ”
La situation est vraiment preoccupante, et nous ne devrions pas
attendre pour rien ” a declare Stepan Safarian chef de la faction
parlementaire du Parti Heritage.

Note de la redaction :

Marianna Grigoryan est une journaliste independante basee a Erevan.

Eurasianet.org

vendredi 20 septembre 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

UK EMBASSY CLARIFIES REPORTS ABOUT UK PARLIAMENTARIANS’ MEETING WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM DE-FACTO “NAGORNO-KARABAKH AUTHORITIES”

Trend, Azerbaijan
Sept 19 2013

Azerbaijan, Baku, Sept.19 / Trend, S.Ahmedova /

UK Embassy has clarified the recent reports about a meeting of the UK
parliamentarians with representatives from de-facto “Nagorno-Karabakh
authorities”.

This was a private visit arranged by the Armenian authorities, UK
Embassy told Trend.

“We are aware of a party of UK parliamentarians visiting Armenia
where the delegation met with representatives from the de-facto
“Nagorno-Karabakh authorities.” The UK government has no control over
who individual MPs decide to meet” the Embassy said.

According to the Embassy, this does not represent a change in UK
policy on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.

“The UK does not recognise the de-facto “Nagorno-Karabakh authorities”
or their declaration of independence. The UK supports Azerbaijan’s
territorial integrity and the OSCE Minsk Group-led peace process.

Finally, we encourage Azerbaijan and Armenia to accelerate efforts to
achieve a negotiated settlement based on the principles of refraining
from the threat or use of force, territorial integrity and peoples’
right to self-determination,” the Embassy said.

It should be noted that members of the Armenia-United Kingdom
parliamentary friendship group Stephen Pound and John Whittingdale
recently met with representative of the separatist regime of
Nagorno-Karabakh, Karen Mirzoyan.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan.

Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since
1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding
districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the 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.

AZERBAIJAN ASSESSES DAMAGE INFLICTED TO NAHKCHIVAN BY ARMENIAN OCCUPATION

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Sept 19 2013

19 September 2013, 12:43 (GMT+05:00)

By Sara Rajabova

Azerbaijan is calculating the damage to the Nakhchivan Autonomous
Republic of the country inflicted by Armenia.

A working group engaged in the evaluation of the damage inflicted to
the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, led by Azerbaijani parliament
member, professor Khanhuseyn Kazimli, has started the process of
estimating the damage.

As a result of the Armenian aggression and separatism in the early
1990s, overland communications between the Nakhchivan Autonomous
Republic and the rest of Azerbaijan were completely broken off.

Explosions and destruction on the railroad and terror acts against the
civilian population completely disrupted the railway communication,
which ended with the blockade of Nakhchivan, a statement of the
working group issued on September 18 says.

Due to the blockade deliberately created by Armenia, the Nakhchivan
economy sustains damage amounting to hundreds of millions of manats
every year, the statement said.

“If the railroad had worked so far, then at the present, the freight
transportation could increase two to three-fold compared to the Soviet
times. This would lead to even greater development and prosperity of
Nakhchivan. All the damage inflicted to the economy and cultural life
of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic as a result of the termination
of the overland communications with (the rest of) Azerbaijan for more
than 20 years, as well as the funds allocated throughout these years
from the Azerbaijani budget for NAR’s protection, must be paid by
Armenia as compensation,” it said.

In addition to having occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory,
Armenia has groundless claims to Nakhchivan, an ancient Azerbaijani
land.

For over two decades, Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in
conflict which emerged over Armenia’s territorial claims against its
South Caucasus neighbor. Since a war in the early 1990s, Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s territory,
including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. A fragile
ceasefire has been in place since 1994, but long-standing efforts by
US, Russian and French mediators have been largely fruitless so far.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on its pullout from the neighboring country’s territories.

TURKISH POLICE DEPARTMENT OPENS PROBE INTO MISSED SURVEILLANCE DATA

Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Sept 19 2013

ANKARA

During this investigation, the Police Intelligence office discovered
a number of clues about the erasing of data, as well as the copying
of some archive information. DHA photo

The police department has kicked-off an investigation into the former
actions of its intelligence service, but has been unable to access
some of the wiretapping and surveillance records, according to a
report in daily Milliyet on Sept. 19.

The department has been undergoing a personnel reshuffle and
institutional restructuring since Engin Dinc, who was reportedly
involved in employing a suspect in the Armenian-Turkish journalist
Hrant Dink murder case as an intelligence provider, became head of
the Police Intelligence office in April.

Within the transition operations, the new department head has also
ordered a wide-scale probe into operations conducted under his
predecessor, Omer Altınparmak.

During this investigation, the Police Intelligence office discovered
a number of clues about the erasing of data, as well as the copying
of some archive information.

In particular, some processes conducted related to technical
wiretapping and surveillance activities could not be reached,
Milliyet reported.

Evidence of data manipulation has been sent to the Internal Affairs
Ministry and the General Police Director Mehmet Kılıclar.

The higher management has ordered a re-examination of the obtained
data by inspectors, who will look to see whether there are any
elements of crimes having been committed among former activities,
and decide on the punishment if necessary.

Two chief police inspectors began to examine the operation records 10
days ago at the Police Intelligence Department headquarters in Ankara.

At the first stage of investigations, inspectors demanded some of the
missing records from the Turkey’s Directorate of Telecommunication
(TÄ°B), which is the sole authority over all of the wiretapping
and surveillance activities of security units. However the TÄ°B is
reported to have given a negative response to the request.

Following Dinc’s taking over of the post in April, most of the branch
chiefs were replaced in May, without waiting for the appointment
season to come. As part of the summer appointments, lower ranking
officials, as well as a number of critically positioned personnel,
were also relocated.

These displaced personnel now appear to be resorting to judicial
measures, claiming that they were unseated “unlawfully.” Some of the
intelligence managers have already earned the right to be reappointed
within 30 days, after a ruling for the suspension of the execution
of replacement decision. Suspension decisions are still subject to
the finalization of a number of legal procedures.

September/19/2013

ARMENIA AIMS FOR BETTER TRADE, ECONOMIC TIES VIA CUSTOMS UNION

Belarusian Telegraph Agency, Belarus
Sept 19 2013

19.09.2013 17:23

MINSK, 19 September (BelTA) – By joining the Customs Union Armenia
intends to considerably expand trade and economic ties. The statement
was made by Ambassador of Armenia to Belarus Armen Khachatryan at
the press conference held in Minsk on 19 September to highlight the
Armenia Independence Day, BelTA has learned.

The diplomat remarked that Armenia’s declaration of intention to join
the Customs Union had been determined by national interests.

“Interests of Armenia have led to our decision to join the Customs
Union and after that we are ready to take part in forming the Eurasian
Economic Union”.

According to Armen Khachatryan, the accession of Armenia to the
integration association will open up many opportunities and will
enhance the effectiveness of trade and economic ties with the countries
of this organization. The Ambassador underlined that Armenia has
long-standing economic relations with Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia
and these relations will grow in the future.

Talking about the advantages Armenia can get by joining the Customs
Union, the Ambassador underlined that the free flow of commodities was
at the forefront. For instance, at present Armenia has to deal with
quotas to sell some of its products. Once part of the Customs Union
Armenia will not face the problem anymore. The Ambassador stated that
Armenia’s accession to the Customs Union does not mean the country
will scrap cooperation with the European Union. “We are not rejecting
cooperation with the European Union. The European Union has a lot to
teach us and we are ready to do it,” noted the diplomat.

BAREV YEREVAN BLOC DISTRUSTFUL OF CITY HALL’S TRANSPORT FARE POLICIES

16:57 19.09.13

The Yerevan city council’s opposition bloc has expressed unwillingness
to attend the debates devoted to the transport fares.

In a statement, the representatives of the Barev Yerevan (Hello,
Yerevan) bloc say they are not going to take part in the activities
of the commission expected to consider the transport fares in the
capital city.

The bloc says that the decision was made at a September 18 session.

The Barev Yerevan representatives argue that the municipality’s
earlier decisions to raise public transport were not proportional,
and were made in violation of the laws.

They further claim that a mayoral proposal for creating the commission
is neither justified nor well-worded in terms of specifying procedures.

They find that it would be more appropriate to discuss the issue on the
level of a temporary commission to be created by the Elders’ Council.

Barev Yerevan had earlier applied to the Administrative Court with
a demand for declaring the earlier decision on transport fare hike
null and void.

EXPANSION OF U.S. INVESTMENTS IN ARMENIA

The United States is going to increase financial assistance to Armenia
through different projects. It has been stated already that additional
one million dollars will be allocated for an agricultural program. The
mass media reported about possible resumption of Millennium Challenges
in Armenia.

Investments and direct assistance of the United States and European
states have resulted in transformation of thinking of the society in
Armenia. It has diversified essentially people’s thinking where the
pro-Russian sentiment was dominant a few years ago. Serzh Sargsyan’s
decision on joining the Customs Union was perceived in Armenia not
as a logical choice but as a result of violence.

Now, one needs to develop what has been achieved and not a lot of time
will be needed to perceive Putin’s policy as occupation. Moreover,
Russia is not even trying to hide it. The absence of high-ranking
Russian officials at the opening of the Armenian Cathedral was to
highlight that Russia is not ashamed of its violence against Armenia
and is not going to repent.

In the meantime, the opening of the office of Oracle in Armenia
indicates that the United States is likely to launch the second stage
of diversification of Armenia. It is possible that Washington has
understood that the best weapon is the investment expansion. Despite
the risks that investments fear they can lead to change in Armenia,
as in Georgia.

In terms of economy, Armenia survived thanks to the loans of the World
Bank and IMF, as well as assistance. Armenia received as much money
as is needed to perform its minimum social duties to the population.

Money is given for administration and economic reforms but the reforms
obviously do not help achieve a self-sufficient economy in Armenia.

Only big foreign investments and new technologies will help achieve
that, and the United States apparently knows about it. In this context,
it is not ruled out that the U.S. administration will call businessmen,
mostly of Armenian origin, to invest money in Armenia under American
“guarantees”.

Over the past few years the Armenian economy was thrown to the Russian
Diaspora which has altogether ousted the Armenian Americans. Unlike
the Russian government which uses Armenians living in their country as
hostages, a blunt tool for its policy and potential victims of failure,
the U.S. administration does not risk its citizens of Armenian origin
and their capital. However, this attitude may change.

Russia stepped in the battlefield and attacked the first. Now nothing
is holding the United States back from counterattacks.

The expansion of investments by the United States and Europe may
change the arrangement of forces and may even prevent the official
membership of Armenia to the Customs Union. In fact, the U.S.

ambassador and EU officials have already stated that they will not
give up on Armenia, even if it joins the Customs Union.

Naira Hayrumyan 19:20 19/09/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

HOLDING OUT: CIVIL ACTIVISTS PLEDGE CONTINUED STRUGGLE AGAINST PUBLIC TRANSPORT FARE RISE

SOCIETY | 19.09.13 | 20:52

Photolure

By Gohar Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow reporter

The raise of public transport fare rates is again a heated topic of
discussion, and although Yerevan city authorities do not offer comments
related to the various speculations in this connection and are waiting
for the creation of the respective commission, civil activists keep
holding sit-in strikes in front of the municipality and, if needed,
will form a commission of their own to deal with the issue, they say.

In July Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan suspended the application of his
decision to raise the transport fares after a weeklong civil protest
in the Armenian capital. He also stated that a commission of experts
and concerned citizens would be formed to develop all the mechanisms
that would allow completing the decision on “Reconsideration of the
passenger transportation fares in Yerevan city”.

The municipality reports that invitations have been sent to several
people to join the commission, but it is not clear yet how many
members it will have or when it may start working.

The ‘Hello, Yerevan’ faction in the Yerevan Council of Elders released
a statement on Thursday that their faction would not be part of
the commission.

“The decisions on “Reconsideration of passenger transportation fares
in Yerevan city” are illegal and have been made in violation of a
number of laws – both by application and interpretation, and the
documents serving as its basis have fraudulent elements,” says the
release in part.

Before the commission would even come to existence, speculations are
made in the press and online social networks about the raise of rates,
especially after director of the David Route bus company (operating
around ten bus and minibus routes) Harutyun Arakelyan told media
several days ago that more than 60 bus companies had turned to the
municipality with their calculations and reasons why the transport
fare should be raised to 150-200 drams (around 36-48 cents) from
current 100 (around 25 cents).

Civil activists fighting to prevent the raise say the commission is
going to be fake, and in response they might create a commission of
their own representing the actually concerned parties.

“In any event of an attempted raise of fare rates there will be
a counterstrike. Right at this moment we are trying to predict the
steps the municipality might take to plan our resistance,” activist
Sevak Mamyan told ArmeniaNow, adding that last night a “Zil” truck
hit the vehicles belonging to two of the activists taking part in
the sit-in next to the city hall building, which, he claims, was a
sabotage and a means to make the strikers leave the place.

DIALOGUE WITH THE EU: CHANCES AND PERSPECTIVES

18:25 19.09.2013

Armine Gevorgyan
Public Radio of Armenia

It’s impossible for Armenia to become a full member of the Customs
Union, David Shahnazaryan, President of the “Concord” Center for
Political and Legal Studies, said at a discussion on “Dialogue with
the EU: Chances and Perspectives.” According to him, in today’s hard
situation we should do our best to continue the cooperation with
the EU.

President of the Union of Political Scientists of Armenia Hmayak
Hovhannisyan considers that Armenia had a brilliant chance to build
individual partnership with the European Union.

Meanwhile, Republican MP Artak Zakaryan says Armenia had no
competitive goods to offer to Europe. “Why do you think there have
been pressures? We would be pressured by the people if we chose a
way that would lead to higher gas prices,” he said.

According to David Shahnazaryan, Armenia will not sign the Agreement on
Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area; instead it will sign a document
that will not contradict Armenia’s decision to join the Customs Union.

AL QAEDA-LINKED GUNMEN REPORTEDLY CAPTURE TOWN NEAR TURKISH BORDER

September 19, 2013 – 11:37 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – A Syrian activist group says al Qaeda-linked gunmen
have captured a town near the Turkish border after heavy fighting
with a rebel group.

According to the Associated Press, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory
for Human Rights says members of the Islamic State in Iraq and the
Levant stormed the town of Azaz, forcing members of the Northern
Storm Brigade to withdraw.

Rami Abdul-Rahman, who heads the Observatory, said Thursday, Sept
18, that the clashes broke out when ISIL fighters tried to detain a
European doctor they accused of taking pictures of their positions
in the area. The German doctor escaped and is in a safe location,
Abdul-Rahman said.

Abdul-Rahman said three rebels and two jihadis were killed in the
fighting that broke out Wednesday and continued until after midnight.

A surge of clashes in Syria’s oil-producing northeast has killed
dozens of rebels and Kurdish fighters last week.

Syrian Kurdish militants, particularly the armed wing of the Democratic
Union Party (PYD), have repeatedly clashed with opposition fighters led
by al Qaeda-linked units in the region as government forces retreated
over the past year.

The Kurdish PYD’s military wing blamed al Qaeda-linked groups for the
latest violence, saying fighters from the Nusra Front and Islamic
State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) attacked a string of Kurdish
villages in Hasaka province.

Heavy artillery and tanks were used, it said.

Estimates of the numbers killed varied. The Britain-based Syrian
Observatory for Human Rights said at least 35 rebels and 13 Kurdish
fighters had died over the last two days.

Rebels accuse their Kurdish opponents of collaborating with Assad’s
forces to secure autonomy – although activists said disputes over
resources and territory were a bigger factor in recent clashes.