Author: Kanayan Tamar

A Cathedral on the Verge of Collapse:The Campaign to Save Mren

by Lucine Kasbarian – author, syndicated
journalist/political cartoonist.

Posted: Wednesday, February 13, 2013 at 04:53 PM UT
——————————

Mren Cathedral was constructed circa 638 AD, a masterpiece of world art and
a product of the `Golden Age’ of Armenian architecture. Photographs
Courtesy of Gagik Arzumanyan.

*An Interview with Dr. Christina Maranci*

Medford, Massachusetts, USA – Dr. Christina Maranci, Arthur H. Dadian and
Ara T. Oztemel Associate Professor of Armenian Art and Architecture at Tufts
University in Medford, Mass., has issued a call to
save the 7th century Mren Cathedral of Western Armenia, located in the Kars
region of present-day Turkey. Prof. Maranci’s areas of expertise include
Byzantine art and architecture, and the art and architecture of the
Transcaucasus – principally Armenia. She is considered one of the world’s
authorities on the Mren Cathedral.

According to Dr. Maranci, `the cathedral of Mren is now in danger of
collapse. Constructed circa 638 AD, Mren is a masterpiece of world art and
a product of the `Golden Age’ of Armenian architecture. Bearing an
inscription naming the Roman emperor Heraclius, and a unique sculpted
relief image of Heraclius returning Christendom’s greatest relic- – the
True Cross – to Jerusalem, Mren preserves precious material evidence for
one of the most dramatic and yet poorly documented moments in history. It
is also the largest domed basilica surviving from the region, and a key
example of the architectural achievements of the seventh century.’

Dr. Maranci stresses that Mren may not be standing much longer.
`Photographs from the 1990s to the first decade of the 21st century show
the progressive collapse of the south façade. Now the entire south aisle
lies in rubble on the ground, severely compromising the domed
superstructure of the monument and opening the interior and its wall
paintings to the elements,’ she says. `The prospect of stabilizing what is
left is at present doubtful, however, because of Mren’s position within a
military zone in Eastern Turkey (Kars province) next to the closed
Armenian-Turkish border. Visiting the site is forbidden.’

Dr. Maranci is campaigning to raise awareness about Mren’s precarious
condition. `Mren has stood for over a millennium, bearing world history on
its walls,’ she says. Its collapse would represent a tragic loss to human
knowledge.’

Following is an interview with Dr. Maranci.
Mren Cathedral was constructed circa 638 AD, a masterpiece of world art and
a product of the `Golden Age’ of Armenian architecture. Photographs
Courtesy of Gagik Arzumanyan.

* **Lucine
Kasbarian:* For years, scholars and travelers have been unable to obtain
official permission to visit this site. When was the last time that
architectural experts had access to Mren?

* Christina
Maranci:* The last time anyone was able to do substantial scientific work
there was in the 1960s when Nicole and Jean-Michel Thierry visited multiple
times. I have never been there although I have tried to get permission.

*LK:* Observers say that Mren Cathedral seems to rival in size the Great
Cathedral of Ani, and contains bas-reliefs and remnants of frescos not
unlike those at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Aghtamar. Is forbidden
access the reason why Mren is not as well known as these other two
monuments?

*CM:* Mren and Ani are comparable in size, and Mren probably served as a
local model for Ani Cathedral in its domed basilica layout and form,
although Ani exhibits typical features of the 10-11th century Armenian
architectural tradition. Mren has sculpted bas-reliefs on its portals and
over some windows, and preserves fragments of wall painting in the eastern
end. However, it bears nothing like the program of figural reliefs at
Aght’amar-something that makes this church anomalous even in the Armenian
tradition. Aght’amar’s wall painting is also better preserved. But the
inaccessibility of Mren surely shaped its scholarly reception and public
awareness about it. Toros Toramanyan, known as the father of Armenian
architectural historiography, tells us that he himself was only able to
visit it for one day.

*LK:* The website VirtualAni.org describes Mren as being one of four
structures similar in design and which were likely built around the same
time, the other three being the St. Gayane Church-built between 630 and 641
AD at Etchmiadzin; the church of St. John at Bagavan-built between
632 –
639 AD and north of the Lake Van region but now destroyed; and the Odzun
Basilica-probably built in the first half of the 7th century AD in
the
Odzun region of Armenia. How does Mren compare in historical importance to
these other structures?

*CM:* Gayane is obviously important for its connections to the conversion
to Christianity tradition and because of its connections to the Patriarch
Ezr, who is thought to have built it. If the church of Bagavan were
standing today, it would have been, by far, the largest domed basilica in
the region. Odzun is difficult to discuss, because it has been renovated so
many times. While it dates to the early medieval period, it is generally
thought to have a 9thcentury phase and perhaps even later ones. Mren is the
only one of these monuments that is linked to the broader global world via
its epigraphy and sculpture. It speaks directly to the network of
relationships between empire, frontier, and local Armenian nobility. There
is much more to say but this is a start, one hopes.

*LK:* Even as Mren is on the brink of collapse, would you say that it is
one of the more intact monuments still standing in the Kars/Ani region?

*CM:* Well, it is hard to say. So many are in danger, so many have
collapsed, and so many have been lost to historical record. But it is
remarkable in many ways that a 7th century monument, so isolated and in
such a seismic area, has survived as well as it has-so far.

*LK:* How can readers of this interview help bring attention to Mren
Cathedral so that scholars and restorers might conduct important inspection
and preservation work and so that Mren may become a protected site?

*CM:* I am in the midst of contacting UNESCO and,
of course, nominating the monument to the World Monuments
Fund.
I will also be organizing a global petition in the very near future. In the
meantime, readers who would like to get involved in the campaign to
save Mren Cathedral may signal their interest by contacting me at:
Christina.Maranci [ a t ] tufts.edu
——————————

*About the author*

* Lucine
Kasbarian* (Ô¼Õ¸Ö=82Õ½Õ«Õ¶ Ô³Õ¡Õ½ÕºÕ¡Ö=80Õ¥Õ¡Õ¶) is a New Jersey and Massachusetts-based
children’s book author and syndicated journalist/political cartoonist whose
comics have appeared in a number of publications including *The Armenian
Weekly**,* *The California Courier**,* and *Blogian.net**.*

APA, Azerbaijan
Feb 13 2013

Ziya Mammadov: `Until Armenia liberates Azerbaijan’s occupied
territories, it will not be able to use BTK’

[ 13 February 2013 14:52 ]
Tbilisi. NIzami Mammadov – APA-Economics. Today, a press conference
was held in Tbilisi after meeting of Transport Ministers of
member-countries of Eastern Partnership Program.

According to APA’s Georgian bureau, the press conference was attended
by member-countries of Eastern Partnership program.

The conference was opened by Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Minister of Economy
and Sustainable Development of Georgia. Thereafter, the ministers of
transport answered the questions of journalists. Azerbaijani Minister
of Transport Ziya Mammadov told journalists: `This project will
connect Europe with Asia. This is a new project. After this important
project, we will implement larger project by crossing through
Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey. This is an automobile project that
will stretch to London. This project was included as one of the 10
projects of America. Middle-East countries are also interested in the
project’.

`Because of winter, our specialists conduct preparatory works for
continuation of the construction. The construction of railway will
continue when as soon as the weather is well. The problems on the
projects are resolved by the heads of three countries. This project is
supported by Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia. We’ll hold meeting of
Coordination Council wit Georgia. We’ll fix additional budget for
construction and submit to the state for financing’.

Answering the question `Can Armenia use BTK project after launch of
it?’, Armenian Deputy Minister of Transport Artash Avetisyan noted:
`We’ll use this railway as soon as possible’.

Azerbaijani Minister of Transport Ziya Mammadov commented: `This
project is constructed by initiative and budget of Azerbaijan. Until
Armenia liberates Azerbaijan’s occupied territories, it will not be
able to use BTK. This can be realized by agreement of the three
countries’.

Commenting on efforts of Armenians on launch of Khojaly Airport, EC
Vice-President, European Commissioner for Transport Issues Siim Kallas
noted that EU has not any relation to it.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I MEETS WITH THE GREEK-MELKITE PATRIARCH GREGOIRE III
LAHAM

On Friday 8 February 2013, the two spiritual leaders met in Rabué. They
discussed ways of reinforcing the unity of Christians in the region and
strengthening the Middle East Council of Churches. They also discussed the
possibility of celebrating Easter together and proposed organizing a meeting
of the Heads of the Churches in the Middle East.
##
Photo:

FAO BACKS ARMENIA IN EVALUATING PHYTOSANITARY CAPACITY STRATEGY

YEREVAN, February 13. /ARKA/. The Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations (FAO) supports Armenia in efforts to work
out a strategy for phytosanitary capacity advance, Head of Armenian
State Service for Food Safety Abraham Bakhchagulyan told reporters
on Wednesday.

A donor conference is being held these minutes in Yerevan. The main
agenda topic is phytosanitary capacity strategy in Armenia. FAO and
Armenian State Service for Food Safety are the conference organizers.

Bakhchagulyan said State Service for Food Safety applied to FAO last
year for the strategy evaluation purposes.

“It is almost one year FAO experts have been working on this issue,
they are researching the situation, assessing the potential of food
safety sphere in Armenia in terms of phytosanitary capacity,” he said.

Bakhchagulyan noted there are multiples issues in the sphere which
are to be solved.

“First of all, it refers to diagnostics of phytosanitary diseases
and their elimination. Armenia needs to train its lab specialists and
new lab equipment. It is also essential to enhance food diagnostics
quality at the borders,” he explained and added the imported goods
are only tested by a microscope at the border points.

He singled out technical re-equipment, professional skills of
inspectors, trainings for specialists and farmers as some other tasks
of the utmost importance.

Bakhchagulyan didn’t uncover the amount of funds spent on phytosanitary
capacity assessment in Armenia by international experts, as well as
strategy evaluation procedures. -0-

AZERBAIJANI SNIPERS’ GAMES ENDANGER HUMAN LIVES: GOVERNOR OF AYGEPAR

11:25, 13 February, 2013

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 13, ARMENPRESS. Life goes on in Chinar, Aygepar,
and Inner Karmiraghbyur villages of the Tavush Province, which appeared
under the fire of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces. In a conversation with
“Armenpress” the Head of the Aygepar Community Andranik Aydinyan stated
that although they have already been used to constantly hear shooting,
notwithstanding the situation was terrible on February 12.

Among other things he noted: “The burst of machine-gun fire continued
till the midnight. After one could hear shooting once an hour or two.

The situation is relatively calm now, but it is still dangerous.” Also
he mentioned that they have an impression that the rival is just
playing games endangering human lives.

The Governor of Inner Karmiraghbyur Manvel Kamendatyan stressed that
the rival has taken direct sight at the village. Manvel Kamendatyan
stated: “Life goes on as it used to, there is always the same
situation here.”

The Head of the Chinar Community Samvel Saghoyan also stated that
now people go to work and children go to school. Notwithstanding the
Head of the Chinar Community Samvel Saghoyan highlighted: “We are
accustomed to this situation and we can confront the difficulties.”

APPEL URGENT POUR DEFENDRE LES JUSTES AZERIS

Publie le : 12-02-2013

Info Collectif VAN – – Ragip Zarakolu, membre
fondateur de l’IHD [Association des Droits de l’Homme de Turquie]
et de la Fondation d’Histoire Sociale, membre du PEN Turquie et de
l’Union des ecrivains de Turquie, membre de l’Association des editeurs
de Turquie et du Comite International pour la Liberte de publier,
nomine au prix Nobel 2012 par les membres du Parlement suedois et par
la Section francaise du GIT, lance un appel solennel pour defendre
un Juste azeri.

L’ecrivain Akram Aylisli [Ekram Eylisli] fait en effet face en
Azerbaïdjan, a une violente campagne de lynchage et d’appels au
meurtre, pour avoir ecrit un roman en russe, veritable examen de
conscience sur les pogroms anti-armeniens commis en Azerbaïdjan,
ce qui lui vaut d’etre qualifie de “traître”.

Le Collectif VAN s’associe a l’appel urgent de Ragip Zarakolu et vous
invite a le diffuser. Nous rappelons a cette occasion que l’editeur
Ragip Zarakolu est lui-meme harcele par le pouvoir judiciaire en
Turquie. Premier editeur a avoir brise en Turquie le tabou du genocide
armenien, ardent defenseur des droits des Kurdes et des minorites
non-turques, partenaire des actions du Collectif VAN [Vigilance
Armenienne contre le Negationnisme] depuis de nombreuses annees,
Ragip Zarakolu a paye un lourd tribut pour son engagement humaniste.

Incarcere de multiples fois, dont la dernière pour “terrorisme”
fin octobre 2011, il a ete remis en liberation conditionnelle le 10
avril 2012 suite a une mobilisation internationale. Son fils Deniz,
egalement editeur des Editions Belge, emprisonne depuis debut octobre
2011, est toujours derrière les barreaux. Leur procès est en cours,
comme celui de centaines d’opposants turcs et kurdes qui attendent le
“printemps turc” en prison.

Ragip Zarakolu, ami du journaliste armenien de Turquie Hrant Dink,
a de bonnes raisons de s’inquieter du slogan qui appelle au meurtre
de l’ecrivain azerbaïdjanais Akram Aylisli : “Venez et apportez
votre hache! ” est une reference explicite a l’acte de l’officier
azeri Ramil Safarov qui en 2004 a Budapest, a decapite avec une hache
l’officier armenien Gurgen Markarian durant son sommeil. Responsable
d’une veritable incitation au crime, le president azeri Ilham
Aliyev a octroye une grâce presidentielle le 31 août 2012 a Ramil
Safarov, ainsi que 8 annees de salaire et un appartement de fonction,
après que Safarov eut beneficie d’une mesure de transfèrement vers
l’Azerbaïdjan. Ramil Safarov avait deja ete elu “Homme de l’annee”
en 2006 en Azerbaïdjan pour son acte “heroïque”. Il y a tout lieu de
penser, qu’a l’instar de Hrant Dink, jete par l’Etat turc en pâture
aux nationalistes anti-armeniens, et assassine le 19 janvier 2007 a
Istanbul, l’ecrivain Akram Aylisli soit desormais, sans une reelle
mobilisation internationale, en danger de mort, dans un pays reconnu
comme predateur des droits de l’homme.

Collectif VAN

Legende photo : A gauche, l’editeur turc et defenseur des Droits
de l’homme Ragip Zarakolu, a droite l’ecrivain azerbaïdjanais Akram
Aylisli.

*******************

A noter : L’Association Nationale des Anciens Combattants et Resistants
Armeniens & L’Institut Armenien de France rejoignent, aux côtes du
Collectif VAN, l’Appel de Ragip Zarakolu.

Ragip Zarakolu

11 fevrier 2013

Istanbul (Turquie)

La conscience est une qualite distinctive morale de l’humanite. La
conscience, l’honnetete, la droiture, ou quelle que soit la definition
que vous en donnerez, representent la vraie fierte et l’honneur
d’un pays, mais les criminels armes d’une hache ne pourront jamais
les representer.

Un ecrivain en Azerbaïdjan, qui aurait dû etre la fierte de son pays,
y est actuellement en danger de mort, et la menace emane du President
de la Republique lui-meme, qui est un autocrate post-sovietique. Le
titre d'” Ecrivain populaire” de la Republique d’Azerbaïdjan – et
l’octroi d’un prix d’Etat associe – lui ont ete retires, la retraite
touchee par l’auteur a ete annulee, sa femme et son fils ont ete
licencies de leur emploi.

Cet ecrivain est Akram Aylisli [Ekram Eylisli], un auteur, scenariste
et dramaturge qui a adopte la philosophie de la fraternite des peuples
du grand ecrivain sovietique Maxime Gorki a l’Institut de Litterature
Gorki de Moscou, dedie a ce grand homme.

Il est actuellement âge de 75 ans, c’est un ecrivain prolifique
qui a publie dans de nombreux magazines et journaux. Il a ete elu au
Parlement en 2005. Sa vie litteraire a commence en 1959 par la poesie,
et a continue avec des histoires, des pièces de theâtre, des scenarios
et des romans. Il a egalement traduit en azeri de nombreux ouvrages
d’ecrivains humanistes tels que Gabriel G. Marquez, Tourgueniev et
Tchinguiz Aïtmatov. Ses pièces ont ete jouees dans de nombreuses
anciennes villes sovietiques, y compris Erevan.

Des scènes de lynchage sont actuellement organisees devant sa maison,
du style de celles que nous avions vues autrefois a Maras et a Sivas
[Turquie].

Un slogan se distingue : “Venez et apportez votre hache! “, en
reference a l’officier azeri Ramil Sahiboglu Safarov qui, en 2004,
a decapite avec une hache l’officier armenien Gurgen Markarian dans
son sommeil, vingt jours avant qu’ils ne rentrent chez eux (*). Ils
etaient tous deux stagiaires du programme “Partenariat pour la paix”
parraine par l’OTAN a Budapest.

Melahet Ibrahimqizi – un parlementaire azeri qui avait fait partie de
la delegation venue a Ankara pour rencontrer en 2009, le president
du Parlement Koksal Toptan (**),le leader du CHP, Deniz Baykal, le
chef du MHP, Devlet Bahceli, ainsi que divers responsables de l’AKP,
afin de tenter de bloquer ensemble le protocole signe entre l’Armenie
et la Turquie et qui visait a normaliser les relations et ouvrir
la frontière – essaie maintenant d’etendre la campagne de lynchage
egalement en Turquie, en disant dans un discours agressif donne devant
le parlement azerbaïdjanais, que les propos d’Aylisli injurient non
seulement les Azerbaïdjanais, mais la nation turque dans son ensemble.

Des demandes ont meme faites au cours de cette session parlementaire
pour soumettre l’ecrivain a un test ADN et le priver de sa citoyennete.

La raison de tout cela est la publication du dernier roman d’Aylisli,
” Reves de pierre “, dans la revue litteraire russe Druzhba Narodov
(Fraternite des Peuples). Le roman n’a pas encore ete publie en azeri
pour le moment. Une foule en colère s’est rassemblee devant la maison
d’Aylisli dans la capitale Bakou, en criant: “Honte a toi, traître! “,
et a brûle ses livres et ses portraits où il etait represente avec
une croix imprimee sur son front.

Son roman raconte l’histoire de deux Azeris qui ont tente de proteger
leurs voisins armeniens de la violence ethnique. Dans l’optique d’un
examen de conscience, il mentionne egalement les pogroms contre les
Armeniens dans les villes de Sumgaït et de Bakou. Le roman a ete en
fait acheve en 2007, mais n’a pu etre publie que 5 ans plus tard,
en russe.

Il est interessant de noter qu’un ecrivain armenien a egalement traite
du conflit armeno-azeri sur le meme ton d’appel a la conscience,
a peu près au meme moment, et a recu un prix dans la Republique
d’Azerbaïdjan. L’Union des ecrivains, dont il etait membre, a
proteste contre l’attribution d’un prix d’Azerbaïdjan (mais pas
contre l’histoire qu’il avait ecrite), suite a quoi l’ecrivain a
demissionne de l’Union en signe de protestation. Toutefois, il n’est
jamais devenu la cible d’une campagne de haine comme c’est le cas
aujourd’hui a Bakou.

Le chercheur Sarkis Hatspanian dit que l’ecrivain armenien Levon
Cavakhyan a ecrit l’histoire “Kirve” (The Godfather – Le Parrain)
en 2008, en disant: “Les Azeris ne sont pas mes ennemis” (***).

L’ecrivain azeri Akram Aylisli [Ekram Eylisli] qui a dit ” Les
Armeniens ne sont pas mes ennemis ” a peu près au meme moment, est
maintenant confronte a une campagne de lynchage 5 ans plus tard pour
avoir prononce la meme phrase.

Bien qu’invite par les pays occidentaux et la Russie, Akram Aylisli
[Ekram Eylisli] adopte une attitude fière, en disant: “Ceci est ma
patrie et je ne vais pas l’abandonner “.

Je demande a l’opinion publique internationale ainsi qu’au public
democratique en Turquie et en Azerbaïdjan d’exprimer activement sa
solidarite avec Akram Aylisli [Ekram Eylisli] afin d’eviter un nouvel
assassinat similaire a celui commis contre Hrant Dink.

Ragip Zarakolu (****)

(*) Safarov a ete condamne a la prison a vie en Hongrie, mais le
president d’Azerbaïdjan Alyiev lui a immediatement octroye une grâce
presidentielle le 31 août 2012, après que Safarov eut beneficie d’une
mesure de transfèrement vers l’Azerbaïdjan.

(**) Koksal Toptan exercait ses pouvoirs en tant que president du
Parlement turc en 2009 quand – a la demande du depute CHP Sukru Elekdag
– les livres adresses aux membres du parlement par l’Institut Komitas
[Nota CVAN : institut de recherche sur le genocide armenien, base
a Londres], ont ete saisis et renvoyes, en violation de la liberte
d’information des parlementaires.

(***)

(****) Membre fondateur de l’IHD, Association des Droits de l’Homme de
Turquie, et de la Fondation d’Histoire Sociale, membre du PEN Turquie
et de l’Union des ecrivains de Turquie, membre de l’Association des
editeurs de Turquie et du Comite International pour la Liberte de
publier, nomine au prix Nobel par les membres du Parlement suedois
et par la Section francaise du GIT [Groupe international de travail
(GIT) “Liberte academique et liberte de recherche [en Turquie]”
( et ). “] – Nota CVAN : Ragip
Zarakolu et l’IHD nous font l’honneur d’etre partenaires des actions
du Collectif VAN [Vigilance Armenienne contre le Negationnisme]
depuis de nombreuses annees.

Traduction Collectif VAN – 12 fevrier 2013 – 10:00 –

Collectif VAN [Vigilance Armenienne contre le Negationnisme] BP 20083 –
92133 Issy-les-Moulineaux – France Boîte vocale : +33 (0)1 77 62 70
77 Email: [email protected]

*****************

Nota CVAN :

Protestez auprès de l’Ambassade de la Republique d’Azerbaïdjan a
Paris :

78, avenue d’Iena 75016 Paris [email protected]

Secretariat:

Telephone : +33 (0) 1 44 18 60 20 Fax : +33 (0) 1 44 18 60 25

Horaires d’ouverture au public

lundi – vendredi 9 h – 18 h

***************

English Version :

URGENT CALL TO DEFEND RIGHTEOUS AZERIS

Ragip Zarakolu

Conscience is a distinctive moral quality of mankind. The
conscientious, the honest, the righteous or whatever you may choose
to call them represent the true pride and honour of a country, but
criminals wielding an axe never can!

A writer in Azerbaijan who should have been the pride of his country is
presently in mortal danger, and the threat emanates from the President
of the country, who is a post-Soviet autocrat. The title of “People’s
Writer” of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the associated state award
have been rescinded, his author’s pension has been cancelled, and
his wife and son have been fired from their jobs.

This writer is Ekrem Eylisli, an author, scriptwriter and dramatist
who adopted the great Soviet writer Maxim Gorky’s philosophy of the
fraternity of peoples at Maxim Gorky Literature Institute in Moscow,
dedicated to that great man. He is presently 75 years old, a prolific
writer published in many magazines and newspapers. He was elected
to the parliament in 2005. His literary life had begun in 1959 with
poetry, and continued with stories, plays, scripts and novels. He
has also translated many works by humanist writers such as Gabriel G.

Marquez, Turgenev and Chinghiz Aitmatov into the Azeri language. His
plays have been performed in many former Soviet cities including
Yerevan.

Lynch mobs are now mobilized in front of his house, very much like
we had once witnessed in Maras and Sivas. An outstanding slogan is
” Come and bring your axe! “, calling on the Azeri officer Ramil
Sahiboglu Seferov who decapitated an Armenian officer called Gurgen
Margaryan with an axe in his sleep in 2004, twenty days before they
were to return home (*). They were co-trainees in the NATO-sponsored
” Partnership for Peace ” program in Budapest.

Melahet Ibrahimqizi -an Azeri parliamentarian who had been a part of
the delegation flown in to Ankara to talk with parliamentary chairman
Koksal Toptan (**), CHP leader Deniz Baykal, MHP leader Devlet Bahceli,
as well as various AKP functionaries, and eventually to block the
move altogether when a protocol was signed in 2009 between Armenia
and Turkey to normalize relations and open the border- now tries to
extend the lynch campaign to Turkey as well, saying in an aggressive
speech delivered in the Azeri parliament that Eylisli insults not
only Azerbaijanis, but the Turkish nation as a whole. Demands were
even made in that parliamentary session that the writer be subjected
to a DNA test and that he should be deprived of citizenship.

The reason for all this is the publication of Eylisli’s latest novella
“Stone Dreams” in the Russian literary magazine Druzhba Narodov
(Fraternity of Peoples). The novella has not even been published in
Azeri yet. An enraged mob gathered in front of Eynisli’s home in the
capital Baku, shouting “Shame on you, traitor!”, and burning his books,
and his portraits with a cross printed on his forehead.

The novella tells the story of two Azeri men who tried to protect
their Armenian neighbours from ethnic violence. It also mentions
pogroms against Armenians in Sumguit and Baku cities in a vein of
conscientous criticism. The novella was actually finished in 2007,
but could only be published 5 years later in Russian.

It is interesting to note that an Armenian writer also dealt with
the Armenian-Azeri conflict in a conscientious tone -at about the
same time- and was awarded a prize in the Republic of Azerbaijan. The
Writers Union where he was a member reacted to his acceptance of an
Azerbaijani award (though not to his writing of the story itself),
whereupon the writer resigned from the Union in protest. However, he
never became the target of a hate campaign as is the case in Baku now.

Researcher Sarkis Hatspanian says that the Armenian writer Levon
Cavakhyan wrote the story “Kirve” (Godfather) in 2008, saying “Azeris
are not my enemy” (***). Azeri writer Ekrem Eynisli – who had said
“Armenians are not my enemy” at about the same time – now faces a
lynch campaign 5 years later for uttering the same sentence.

Though invited by Western countries and Russia, Ekrem Eynisli takes
a proud stance, saying “This is my homeland and I will not leave it”.

I call upon international public opinion as well as the democratic
public in Turkey and Azerbaijan to to solidarize actively with Ekrem
Eynisli in order to avert a new murder similar to that committed
against Hrant Dink.

Ragip Zarakolu (****)

(*) Seferov was condemned to life imprisonment in Hungary, but
Azerbaijan’s president Aliev had him immediately released by
presidential pardon on August 31, 2012, when he was extradited to
Azerbaijan.

(**) Koksal Toptan was to exercise his powers as Chairman of the
Turkish Parliament in 2009 in impounding and returning -at the behest
of CHP’s MP Sukru Elekdag-books sent to members of parliament by the
Gomidas Institute, thereby violating the parliamentarians’ freedom
to communicate.

(***)

(****) Founding Member of Human Rights Association and of Social
History Foundation; member of PEN Turkey and of the Writers Union
of Turkey; member of Turkish Publishers Association and of the
International Committee for the Freedom to Publish; nobel Peace Prize
Nominee by Swedish Parliament members and by the French Section of GIT
[the International Work Group (GIT) ‘Academic Liberty and Freedom of
Research [in Turkey]’ ( and ).” ]

*************

Lire aussi:

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Retour a la rubrique

ACQUITTEMENT DE MINISTRES EN POSTE DURANT LE GENOCIDE DES TUTSI

Publie le : 13-02-2013

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Tribunal Penal
International de La Haye (Pays-Bas) a acquitte deux anciens ministres
rwandais, dans leur procès en appel. Justin Mugenzi etait ministre
du Commerce pendant le genocide. Son collègue Prosper Mugiraneza,
licencie en droit de l’Universite nationale du Rwanda (UNR) de Butare,
occupait le poste de ministre de la Fonction publique. Les deux hommes
n’etaient pas accuses d’avoir dirige sur le terrain des bandes de
tueurs, mais d’avoir participe au limogeage du prefet de Butare, dans
la ville universitaire de Sud du Rwanda, le 17 avril 1994. Ce prefet
etait le seul prefet tutsi du Rwanda. Le seul a resister obstinement
a l’entreprise de destruction des Tutsi engagee le 6 avril au soir,
et qui aboutira a l’extermination d’environ les trois quarts des Tutsi
du Rwanda. Les genocidaires enrageaient de ne pas parvenir a leurs
fins dans le sud du Rwanda. Le Collectif VAN vous invite a lire cet
article publie sur le site Afrikarabia le 11 fevrier 2013.

Photo © JF. Dupaquier DR

Afrikarabia

Rwanda : Manifestation contre l’acquittement des 2 ministres du
“gouvernement genocidaire”

Article de Jean-Francois DUPAQUIER (avec Agence Hirondelle)

lundi, 11 fevrier 2013

Lundi 11 fevrier, les averses n’ont pas decourage les manifestants
de Kigali, indignes par l’acquittement de deux anciens ministres
rwandais en appel par le Tribunal Penal International de La Haye.

Justin Mugenzi etait ministre du Commerce pendant le genocide. Son
collègue Prosper Mugiraneza, licencie en droit de l’Universite
nationale du Rwanda (UNR) de Butare, occupait le poste de ministre de
la Fonction publique. Les deux hommes n’etaient pas accuses d’avoir
dirige sur le terrain des bandes de tueurs, mais d’avoir participe
au limogeage du prefet de Butare, dans la ville universitaire de Sud
du Rwanda, le 17 avril 1994. Ce prefet, Jean-Baptiste Habyarimana
(aucun lien de parente avec le president Juvenal Habyarimana tue le
6 avril precedent) etait le seul prefet tutsi du Rwanda. Le seul a
resister obstinement a l’entreprise de destruction des Tutsi engagee
le 6 avril au soir, et qui aboutira a l’extermination d’environ les
trois quarts des Tutsi du Rwanda. Les genocidaires enrageaient de ne
pas parvenir a leurs fins dans le sud du Rwanda.

Justin Mugenzi et Prosper Mugiraneza ont participe le 17 avril
a Gitarama, dans le centre du Rwanda, au conseil des ministres
qui a decide de limoger le prefet ” rebelle “. Sa revocation fut
annoncee le surlendemain dans un stade de Butare, en presence des
membres du gouvernement (dont Justin Mugenzi et Prosper Mugiraneza )
et d’autres responsables tant civils que militaires. Peu après, le
prefet Habyarimana fut tue avec toute sa famille et les massacres
dans sa prefecture se generalisèrent.

Une revocation pour ” des raisons politiques et administratives ” ?

En première instance, le 30 septembre 2011, le Tribunal penal
international pour le Rwanda (TPIR) siegeant a Arusha, en Tanzanie,
avait estime que les preuves contre les deux ministres etaient
accablantes. Ils avaient ete declares coupables d’entente en vue de
commettre et d’incitation directe et publique a commettre le genocide.

Outre le conseil des ministres convoque pour limoger le prefet tutsi,
on leur reprochait leur presence lors du discours incendiaire prononce
le 19 avril 1994 a Butare par le president interimaire Theodore
Sindikubwabo, appelant explicitement a l’aneantissement des Tutsi.

Mais le lundi 4 fevrier 2013 a la surprise generale, la chambre d’appel
a La Haye, paye (Pays Bas)residee par le juge americain Theodor Meron,
a ” infirme leur condamnation ” au titre des deux chefs d’accusation et
” ordonne leur liberation immediate “. Selon le jugement d’appel, le
limogeage du prefet Habyarimana a certes contribue a la generalisation
des massacres mais la decision du gouvernement pourrait avoir ete
prise pour ” des raisons politiques et administratives ” et non pas
necessairement pour laisser le champ libre aux tueurs.

Le gouvernement s’etait en effet plaint de l’absence du prefet a
certaines reunions d’autres responsables de son rang. Les juges ont
egalement suivi le raisonnement des appelants selon lesquels ils ne
savaient que le president interimaire allait prononcer un discours
incendiaire.

Pourtant dans son plaidoyer de culpabilite, le Premier ministre
interimaire, Jean Kambanda, condamne a la reclusion a vie, avait
reconnu que son gouvernement avait pilote le genocide.

Quatre juges sur cinq

Sur les cinq membres de la chambre d’appel presidee par le juge
americain Theodor Meron, quatre ont vote l’acquittement. L’opinion
dissidente du Juge Liu a ete actee dans l’arret d’appel.

Le Procureur general du Rwanda Martin Ngoga a juge ” extremement
decevant ” l’arret de la chambre d’appel qui a remis en liberte
les deux anciens membres du gouvernement. ” C’est une decision
extremement decevante de la part de la chambre d’appel du TPIR “,
s’est indigne Martin Ngoga. Les effroyables divergences entre les
decisions de première instance et les decisions d’appels dans nombre
d’affaires, dont celle-ci, posent de serieuses questions (…). Les
plus recentes decisions de la chambre d’appel tendent a adopter un
traitement simpliste des faits et creent une tendance a exonerer les
dirigeants politiques “.

De son côte, Jean-Pierre Dusingizemungu, president d’Ibuka, la
principale organisation de survivants du genocide des Tutsis, s’est
dit ” très attriste ” par le jugement. Pour lui, cet arret ” apporte
de l’eau au moulin des negationnistes du genocide ” des Tutsis.

Lundi, malgre les averses de la petite saison des pluies, une foule
de manifestants a parcouru Kigali pour protester contre le jugement
d’appel.

Certains manifestants appelaient a la fermeture immediate du TPIR.

Mais le Conseil de securite a deja vote la fin du TPIR en 2014. A
Arusha, une ” structure residuelle ” est chargee des affaires
courantes. Il ne reste que la Chambre d’appel du TPIR qui fermera
ses portes a son tour le 31 decembre 2014.

La raison de telles incoherences

Reste a expliquer les incoherences frequentes entre les jugements
de première instance et d’appel. Selon un ancien collaborateur du
Tribunal Penal international de La Haye, ” les Juges font, a tous
niveaux, ce qu’ils veulent, la Chambre d’appel ayant toujours refuse
de jouer un rôle harmonisateur, tant sur le fond des jugements que
sur le montant des peines “.

Selon un membre du Parquet s’exprimant sous couvert d’anonymat,
” ce sont des professeurs de droit très âges et complètement
deconnectes des realites “. Les incoherentes concernent aussi
bien les affaires judiciaires de l’ex-Yougoslavie que celles du
Rwanda. S’exprimant aussi sous couvert d’anonymat, l’expert ajoute :
” Leur approche est exclusivement inspiree de la rhetorique juridique
et complètement detachee des realites factuelles, politiques, sociales
ou psychologiques : ils sont dans leur bulle, et personne ne peut leur
dire qu’il faudrait en sortir afin de ne pas etre a côte de la plaque.

”

” A côte de la plaque ” ?

Cet expert nous livre une anecdote significative : ” Je me souviens
avoir suggere, une fois, de facon informelle, que le quantum des
peines soit soumis prealablement a leur prononce a l’appreciation,
pour avis, a des connaisseurs du contexte ex-yougoslave, afin de les
aider a ajuster voire a prendre en consideration l’impact possible
qu’aurait leur decision. Le President du TPIY (Claude Jorda) a qui
je suggerais cette approche disons “psycho-sociale” m’a regarde comme
si je blasphemais leur sacro-sainte ‘independance’. ”

Le president de chambre d’appel qui a prononce la relaxe des deux
ministre du ” gouvernement genocidaire, l’Americain Theodor Meron, est
ne le 28 avril 1930. Ce rescape de la Shoah ” est en parfaite forme
physique et mentale ” nous indique un de ses proches. Il s’apprete
neanmoins a feter son 83e anniversaire, et on peut legitimement se
demander si l’ONU ne devrait pas fixer une limite d’âge raisonnable
au mandat des juge sinternationaux. Son collègue Patrick Robinson,
ne en 1944, approche les 70 ans. Theodor Meron et Patrick Robinson
ne sont pas des exceptions. A La Haye, le Juge du TPIY Arpad Prandler
(qui doit partir en juin prochain) a egalement 82 ans. Dans ce groupe
de vieillards, il faut aussi citer Mhemet Guney, de Turquie, qui n’a
” que ” 76 ans, mais en paraît au moins dix de plus. Il est aussi
membre d’une prestigieuse mais contestee chambre d’appel….

Des magistrats hors d’âge ?

Theodor Meron, – qui s’est rendu a la 10e commemoration du massacre
de Srebrenica -, ne connaît a peu près rien du Rwanda, ce qui n’est
pas forcement un avantage.

L’affaire des deux acquittement a provoque un vent de colère a Kigali
et aggrave le contentieux judiciaire relatif au genocide des Tutsi
en 1994. Kigali accuse le Tribunal penal international pour le Rwanda
de pratiquer ” la politique de deux poids, deux mesures “, et menace
de chasser les observateurs designes par cette institution pour faire
le monitoring d’une affaire renvoyee devant la justice rwandaise.

Le Rwanda exige aussi que la France, a laquelle le TPIR a confie deux
affaires fin 2007, fasse egalement l’objet d’une surveillance de la
part du tribunal international.

Fin 2007, le TPIR s’est dessaisi au profit de la France, des dossiers
de l’abbe Wenceslas Munyeshyaka, ancien vicaire d’une paroisse de
Kigali, et de Laurent Bucyibaruta, ancien prefet de Gikongoro (sud).

Mais l’instruction avance a pas comptes en France.

Jean-Francois DUPAQUIER (avec Agence Hirondelle)

Retour a la rubrique

Source/Lien : Afrikarabia

LE DICTATEUR AZERBAIDJANAIS ILHAM ALIEV S’EN PREND DESORMAIS A SES PROPRES ECRIVAINS

Le Conseil de coordination des organisations armeniennes de France
condamne fermement l’Azerbaïdjan pour les mesures liberticides prises
par son president, Ilham Aliev contre le citoyen azerbaïdjanais Ekrem
Eylisli, dramaturge et auteur d’un recent ouvrage dans lequel il
denonce les massacres des Armeniens commis en 1919 par le pouvoir
azerbaïdjanais de l’epoque. Le chef de l’Etat azerbaïdjanais en
personne lui a retire le titre ” d’ecrivain populaire ” et un parti
pro-gouvernemental, Muasir Musafat (Egalite Moderne) a promis a
quiconque de verser une prime de 12 700 dollars pour chaque oreille
decoupee de l’ecrivain. Les autorites azerbaïdjanaises ont par
ailleurs autorise leur population a brûler en place publique les
ouvrages de cet auteur desormais interdit de publication dans son
propre pays. De veritables autodafes de son ouvrage, dont les images
rappellent les exemples les plus insupportables de l’epoque nazie,
s’organisent contre l’~uvre de cet ecrivain, qui n’a rien dit d’autre
que la verite historique.

Ces procedes s’inscrivent dans la derive dictatoriale de la dynastie
Aliev qui après avoir institutionnalise la haine contre les Armeniens
dans toute la societe, tout en pretendant exercer son empire sur
ceux de la Republique du Haut Karabagh, s’en prend desormais aux
intellectuels azeris refractaires a ce racisme.

Jusqu’a quand l’Union europeenne et le Conseil de l’Europe vont-ils
menager l’Azerbaïdjan, pays dont les pratiques et le regime sont aux
antipodes des valeurs humanistes et democratiques europeennes ?

Le CCAF demande donc aux autorites de la Republique francaise de
prendre dans les meilleurs delais des mesures concrètes pour garantir
la liberte et la securite de l’ecrivain azerbaïdjanais Ekrem Eylisli.

Conseil National du CCAF

mercredi 13 fevrier 2013, Ara ©armenews.com

AZERBAIJAN’S FOREIGN MINISTRY: THE ADOPTION OF THE BILL CRIMINALIZING DENIAL OF SO-CALLED “ARMENIAN GENOCIDE” WILL UNDERMINE FRANCE’S POSITION IN THE REGION

APA
Feb 12 2013
Azerbaijan

Elman Abdullayev: “The adoption of this unfair bill will lay the
ground for a negative assessment of France’s co-chairing role by the
Azerbaijani people”

Baku. Etibar Mammadov – APA. “The adoption of the bill criminalizing
denial of so-called “Armenian genocide” in France will have negative
impact on the regional cooperation policy and regional relations
of this country,” spokesman for Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign
Affairs Elman Abdullayev told journalists, APA reports. Commenting on
resubmission of the bill criminalizing denial of so-called “Armenian
genocide” to the French Parliament, Abdullayev said that the position
of Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry on this issue is always clear and
concrete.

The spokesman said that the resubmission of this bill for discussion
and its adoption in France will reduce confidence in this country
as a co-chairing country of OSCE Minsk Group: “France is one of the
co-chairing countries. France is a country, which is cooperating with
whole region and separately with regional countries. I hope that such
a step will be prevented in France. The adoption of such an unfair bill
or its discussion will have negative impact on the regional cooperation
of France. Today, Azerbaijan suffers from Armenia’s aggressive policy
and our lands are under occupation. In this case, the adoption of any
unfair decision or bill, of course, will lay the ground for a negative
assessment of France’s co-chairing role by the Azerbaijani people.

OF ALL THE PLACES: FINDING ARMENIA IN SPAIN

ianyan magazine
Feb 12 2013

Posted by Aram Margarian on February 12, 2013

You know the feeling. You are on a holiday in a foreign land on the
other side of the world, doing whatever it is you do when you are on
a holiday in a foreign land on the other side of the world.

Then, you bump into an Armenian.

Oor deghen oor? Of all the places.

My latest experience of this ~V let~Rs call it the ~Soor deghen oor
feeling~T ~V was while traveling in Spain. An odar (non-Armenian)
friend and I were pottering around the outskirts of Valencia~Rs old
city looking for a late lunch. Since arriving in Spain, she~Rd had
had trouble finding suitable vegetarian meals. Pro tip: eggs with
mushrooms in Valencia comes with shrimp. Who knew?

We came across a restaurant with multiple vegetarian options and were
about to sit at an outdoor table when I noticed a nearby restaurant
advertising ~SBocadillos~T, followed by ~SArmenia~T on its chalkboard.

~SWait a second,~T I said. ~SCan we check this out first?~T

Not speaking Spanish I had no idea what a ~SBocadillo~T was. And
Armenia? Why? How? Why here?

We strolled over and a sprightly 60-something woman approached,
said something in Spanish and offered us a table with an open palm.

She had the look.

~SSorry we don~Rt speak Spanish but can you tell me what a boccadillo
is?~T I asked in English, before cutting to the chase: ~SAre you
Armenian?~T

The woman put her hands to her mouth. With her eyes wide open, she
nodded. The hint of a grin appeared behind her hands. We exchanged
pleasantries in Armenian and sat down after ensuring they served
vegetarian meals. Something about egg plant.

Her name was Loucig and she had come from Yerevan five years earlier
to work in the restaurant that her son had opened five years before
that. She worked 15 hours a day, every day.

She disappeared inside. Apart from a vegetarian dish I had no
idea what she would come back with. In the meantime we introduced
ourselves to her Yerevansti-looking son and ordered two Estrellas to
kick things off.

Thirty minutes and some mild hunger pains later, Loucig returned. She
brought with her an exotic-looking vegetarian platter for my friend
and a plate of succulent kofta-kebabs with a bed of mushrooms and
onions for me. A plate of salad and chips were thrown in for good
measure. We weren~Rt going to leave hungry.

I had been away from Australia for about three weeks; which meant
three weeks of hot dogs at American ball-parks and stilton burgers in
English pubs. Now just like that, I was back at my mum~Rs dinner table.

I was keen to chat to Loucig, but she again disappeared inside. She
returned minutes later with a glass of Estrella for herself and pulled
up a seat.

We started talking about a range of topics. She expressed that very
few Armenians lived in Valencia, nowhere near enough to justify an
Armenian church or an Armenian day school. She was clearly a very
patriotic Armenian and spoke glowingly of our culture, our history,
our character. And our stubborness.

We spoke at length about life in Valencia, life in Yerevan, life in
Sydney, what sort of work I do, how old I am and am I married. We
also spoke about prostitutes. As you do.

~SI am so proud to be Armenian,~T she said. ~SYou know why? In
Valencia there are prostitutes from all over the world but none of
the prostitutes come from Armenia.~T

I refrained from asking how she knew this.

I had to say something though: ~SYeah that~Rs great Loucig, but you
said before that there are very few Armenians in Valencia. Call it
a hunch, but I reckon that means there are very few Armenian hookers
in Valencia.~T

She stopped for a split-second before again covering her mouth. No
grin this time. Instead, she rocked back and burst into laughter.

~SAy Aram djan,~T she managed between laughs.

I laughed with her. We high-fived.

Throughout our conversation, I~Rm sure my friend was trying to make
sense of the conversation. I can only imagine what she was thinking
~V watching me joking and high-fiving with a woman I knew about as
well as the Queen of England.

Loucig went on to tell me about her ill sister, Hasmig, who was in her
70s and still lived in Yerevan. She insisted on giving me Hasmig~Rs
phone number to look her up next time I was in the Motherland.

It was a heartfelt gesture from a selfless and genuine Armenian woman.

I will probably never call Hasmig, but I will definitely never throw
away Loucig~Rs note.

As we prepared to leave, Loucig offered to make us dolma if we could
visit her restaurant again. We were leaving Valencia in a few days
so it was hard to commit to another visit.

She needed time to prepare the dolma and we were trying to work out
how to contact her if we could make it back. It all became too hard.

In the end Loucig shrugged and said: ~SHos naye, kez pum me esem? I
will make dolma. If you come, you can have dolma. If you can~Rt,
we will have dolma.~T

Great line! Fantastic afternoon!

Oor deghen oor? Of all the places.

Aram Margarian is an amateur writer who writes mainly about sport
but occasionally branches out into other areas. He is as proud to be
Armenian as he is to be Australian. He has discovered that shaving
before catching a flight in the US still makes him the randomly
searched guy 100% of the time. He drinks lattes and rants as @LordAram
on Twitter.