Author: Kanayan Tamar

TURQUIE-EGLISES
52 églises arméniennes en activité en Turquie selon le vice-Premier ministre

Le vice-Premier ministre Bekir Bozdag répondant à Hussein Aykouni
représentant du parti d’opposition du CHP (Cumhurriyet Halk Partisi –
Parti Républicain du Peuple) de Tunceli, a donné quelques précisions
sur les églises et synagogues en activité en Turquie. Selon Bekir
Bozdag, il y a actuellement en Turquie 38 synagogues, 140 églises
grecques orthodoxes, 52 églises arméniennes et 58 assyro-chaldéennes
en activité. Il a également affirmé qu’il y a officiellement 349
églises recensées. Le vice-Premier ministre a également informé que 10
églises étaient rendues au culte (en activité) depuis 2002 et 68
autres furent rénovées.

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 6 octobre 2012,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

AZERBAÏDJAN
Amnesty met en garde Rihanna et Shakira avant leurs concerts

BAKOU, (AFP) – Amnesty International a appelé vendredi les chanteuses
Rihanna et Shakira, qui doivent se produire sur scène en Azerbaïdjan,
à prendre en compte les violations présumées des droits de l’Homme
dans cette ancienne république soviétique. `Rihanna et Shakira doivent
se souvenir des violations des droits de l’Homme commises contre le
peuple d’Azerbaïdjan avant de se produire dans la capitale de ce
pays`, Bakou, a déclaré Amnesty International dans un communiqué.

Le concert de Rihanna est prévu le 6 octobre et celui de Shakira le 14 octobre.

L’ONG indique avoir envoyé une lettre aux deux chanteuses pour les
informer des `arrestations multiples et de la répression à l’encontre
des journalistes, blogueurs et militants politiques` en Azerbaïdjan.
`Amnesty International estime que le gouvernement azerbaïdjanais doit
donner aux artistes, journalistes, militants et citoyens ordinaires le
droit de s’exprimer librement sans avoir peur des répressions`, est-il
écrit dans cette lettre.

Fin septembre, la star internationale de la pop Jennifer Lopez était
déjà montée sur scène à Bakou aux côtés du chanteur Emin Agalarov,
gendre du président azerbaïdjanais Ilham Aliev, à l’occasion de la
cérémonie d’ouverture de la Coupe du monde féminin U-17 de la FIFA.
L’Azerbaïdjan, un pays riche en hydrocarbures sur les bords de la
Caspienne, a cherché à promouvoir son image cette année en accueillant
le concours Eurovision-2012 de la chanson. Mais l’attention des médias
s’est également focalisée sur les carences démocratiques dans cette
ancienne république soviétique du Caucase.

Les organisations de défense des droits de l’homme accusent
régulièrement le régime de l’autoritaire président Aliev de persécuter
des journalistes et d’emprisonner des opposants, tandis que les
autorités affirment que ce pays est une véritable démocratie.

samedi 6 octobre 2012,
Ara ©armenews.com

Lawsuit to be filed against former Armenian MP – newspaper

news.am
October 06, 2012 | 07:59

YEREVAN. – A civil complaint will be filed with the court on October 8
against Ruben Hayrapetyan, Haykakan Zhamanak daily reports.

`Ethnographer Hranush Kharatyan told this to our reporter. The
lawsuit – which will be filed by Hranush Kharatyan, `Vahe Avetyan’
Initiative member Garegin Chugaszyan, and activist Davit
Sanasaryan – will refer to Ruben Hayrapetyan’s slanders and insults
hurled against them during his interview with Nouvelles d’Arménie
monthly [of France].

Incidentally, slander and insult have a statute of limitations for one
month [in Armenia]. [And] That term will expire on this coming
Monday[, October 8],’ Haykakan Zhamanak writes.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, an incident had occurred at
capital city Yerevan’s Harsnaqar Restaurant Complex on June 17, where
several military doctors including Edgar Mikoyan, Arkadi Aghajanyan,
Garik Soghomonyan, Artak Bayadyan and Vahe Avetyan were brutally
beaten by security personnel. And Vahe Avetyan died in hospital on
June 29.

Subsequently, a criminal lawsuit was filed and, now, six people are
standing trial.

The Restaurant’s owner is ruling Republican Party former MP, Football
Federation of Armenia President, and businessman Ruben Hayrapetyan,
who formally gave up his parliamentary seat in connection with this
incident.

Mediamax, Armenia
Oct 5 2012

TV version of Mediamax’s `Yerevan: XX century’ project to premiere on
Armenia TV Sunday

Yerevan/Mediamax/. The TV version of Mediamax’s “Yerevan: XX century’
project will premiere at 21:30 on Armenia TV, October 7.

`With the support of “ArmenTel” we launched `Yerevan: XX century’
internet project this March, which became very popular at once.
Several months ago, Armenia TV suggested making the TV version of the
project. We decided to try and make the TV version in `infotainment’
format. This Sunday the viewers of Armenia TV will see how we have
done it,’ Director of Mediamax Ara Tadevosyan said.

12 programs will be made within the framework of `Yerevan: XX century’
TV version. They will be broadcasted every Sunday at 21:30 on Armenia
TV.

The program host is Ruzan Melyan, who started working on Armenian TV
in late 80s. `We are happy that Ruzan agreed to work with us and will
return to TV after a long break,’ said Ara Tadevosyan.

The first program of the cycle is dedicated to `Erebuni-Yerevan’ fountains.

Mediamax’s partner in making the TV version is `Tumo Design’ company.

Renowned Armenian composer Edvard Mirzoyan dies at 92

October 5, 2012 – 19:45 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Renowned Armenian composer Edvard Mirzoyan died
Friday, October 5 after a long illness. He was 92.

Mirzoyan was born on May 12, 1921 in Gori, Georgia. Initially schooled
in music in Yerevan and graduated from the Komitas State Conservatory,
Mirzoyan left for Moscow to further refine his art. In late 1956 he
was elected president of the Armenian Composers’ Union, a position he
held until 1991.

Mirzoyan’s compositional output was relatively small but quite
distinguished, combining graceful lyricism with intense drama. With
its formal structure and tonal design, his style has been described as
Neoclassical, with elements of Armenian folksong always present.
Mirzoyan’s String Quartet, Cello Sonata, Symphony for Strings and
Timpani, and Epitaph for String Orchestra have become notable
additions to the international music repertoire.

Former FM is Armenia’s Ivanishvili – ruling party MP

news.am
October 05, 2012 | 16:48

YEREVAN. – Armenia’s Bidzina Ivanishvili is The Civilitas Foundation
founder, former FM, and Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) MP Vartan
Oskanian, Ruling Republican Party’s National Assembly Faction leader
Galust Sahakyan stated, during a briefing at the Parliament on Friday,
responding to the question on whether PAP leader Gagik Tsarukyan is
Armenia’s Ivanishvili.

`First, Gagik Tsarukyan has not yet announced his intention to run in
the presidential elections [next February]. And if we approach [this]
matter with humor, [we can say that] Armenia’s Ivanishvili is Vartan
Oskanian,’ Sahakyan noted.

To the query as to whether this is why the Parliament stripped
Oskanian of his parliamentary immunity, Galust Sahakyan responded: `No
one stripped Oskanian of anything. Merely a parliamentary and public
oversight is commissioned with respect to that case.’

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, the National Assembly on
Tuesday voted – by 64 ballots for, six against, and with one invalid
vote – in favor of Prosecutor General’s petition to include Vartan
Oskanian as a defendant in a criminal lawsuit. A total of 71 MPs
participated in the voting.

To note, on May 25 the National Security Service (NSS) Department of
Investigation filed a criminal lawsuit on charges of money laundering
with respect to The Civilitas Foundation.

The NSS Press Center had informed that an investigation is underway in
connection with selling the 100-percent shares of the Huntsman
Building Products Company for around $2 million, but not informing
Armenia’s tax authorities about this business deal; not using for
charitable purposes $1,135,000 of that amount envisioned for charity;
transferring this amount to the bank accounts opened under the names
of the Civilitas Foundation’s founder Vartan Oskanian, and of the
Foundation’s Board of Trustees member Tigran Karapetyan; and using
some of this amount for private purposes.

Hating Armenians Must Be OK

Friday, October 5th, 2012

BY GAREN YEGPARIAN

That’s what I’m starting to conclude, that Armenian-hating, at least
in the political realm, has been sanctioned by some unknown powers.
The unfortunate medium, bearer, victim of this obnoxious phenomenon
seems to be one of the best public officials ever fielded by our
community, LA City Councilmember Paul Krekorian.

I’ll start with the most recent example, and proceed backwards chronologically.

Please take a look at the accompanying picture. It depicts Paul in a
Turkish fez. The `artist’ is unknown, but the sign has been seen in
his council district, and even outside, in Burbank, where this picture
was taken. How obnoxious! A symbol of those who committed mass murder
against our nation, a symbol so odious that even Kemal Atatutk, who
continued the Genocide, felt compelled to expunge from Turkish
society, is now being attached to an Armenian! Can you imagine the hue
and cry that would ensue if a swastika was attached to a picture of a
Jewish elected official? Yet no one seems to mind this.

Let’s move back in time some two years, to when Paul was first running
for LA City Council. A political mail piece appeared that depicted LA
City Hall surrounded by barbed wire sought to evoke Holocaust era
imagery, somehow hoping to attribute this inappropriate intentions to
Paul. Fortunately, decent folks in the Jewish community disavowed
this. Its basis was so flimsy as to be laughable. Some idiot had
posted anti-Semitic comments on the Asbarez blog. This was the
`evidence’ of reprehensible positions being connected to Paul and the
ANCA. Very few objected to this vile manifestation.

Going back another four years, you may recall the essentially
anonymous political mailer that attempted to tie Paul and the ANCA to
attacks on Turkish diplomats three decades ago. Once again, such a
debased tactic caught very little opprobrium. Although in a
post-election interview, the candidate that was supposed to benefit
from this hit piece contended it cost him the race. And, of course,
next to no one condemned this attack.

So you see why I’m starting to believe that somewhere, in some
political circle(s), it has become OK to hate Armenians and use that
hate to attack candidates and elected officials of Armenian heritage.

An anti-Armenian, anti-Paul Krekorian display

It’s time to start making noise about this. Those living in LA and
Burbank ought to go to their respective city council meetings and
demand that such hate speech not be allowed to appear on the streets
of their cities. While this may not be doable because of
constitutional free speech protections, it would sure stir up enough
attention and response by the community at large to convey to the
offenders the message that odious pictures such as this one are
unacceptable in this day and age.

Ivanishvili Needs to Know More About Armenians

HAKOB BADALYAN

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 16:31:16 – 05/10/2012

The New Times, a Russia-based periodical, held an interview with
Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of the Georgian Dream which won the
Georgian parliamentary election a few days ago.

Ivanishvili made an interesting comment on Armenians living in Georgia.

`You lived in France, your children grew up in that country, and all
of a sudden a party, elections… Why do you need all this?’ asked Ms.
Albats, the editor-in-chief.

`We the Georgians are queer. We are tied to our land. Such is our
character. Armenians live beside us. I am stunned at how they can live
in our country when their homeland is beside us. I lived in France,
for one year I lived in the United States but I dreamt of my village,
my land,’ Ivanishvili says.

It is also possible that having lived in France Bidzina Ivanishvili
wonders why the Armenians continue to live in Georgia.

Most probably, after living in Georgia for several years Bidzina
Ivanishvili will learn that the Armenians have been living here for a
long time, and have had a bigger role in the formation of the Georgian
space and establishment of Tbilisi as a city than the Georgians
themselves. Besides, after living in Georgia for some more time Mr.
Ivanishvili will learn that most Armenian citizens of Georgia live in
Javakhk, their homeland. The point is that part of the homeland of
Armenia is now part of Georgia, and Bidzina Ivanishvili is being
imprudent when he opens the topic of the homeland of Armenians.

If the Armenians do not open this topic, Ivanishvili had better not
open it either. It may cost a high price for the region and for
Georgia in particular. So, instead of being stunned by Armenians
living in Georgia Bidzina Ivanishvili should carry on the reforms
launched by Mikhail Saakashvili.

Besides, Ivanishvili obviously has, at least subconsciously, if not in
a politically conscious manner, a problem with the existence of the
Armenian community in Georgia. Consequently, the Armenians of Georgia
need to explain to the so-called new leader of Georgia what the
Armenians are doing in Georgia and convey to him calmly but thoroughly
that Ivanishvili is not encouraged to deal with Armenians with this
approach.

The Georgian Armenian community may have to face some serious
difficulties regarding this explanation because despite being a big
community as compared with the population of the host country, the
Armenian community of Georgia is the worst organized and the weakest
in the world.

In this regard, the situation is relative because a populous community
with such weak organization might be viewed by the government of the
country as a problem. From this point of view, Ivanishvili’s concern
could be understood because a community with weak organization can
become a source of different manipulations and trouble.

ARMENIAN, TURKISH BUSINESS COMMUNITIES GATHERING IN YEREVAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 4, 2012 – 13:04 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – A conference of the Armenian and Turkish business
communities will take place at the Ani Plaza Hotel in Yerevan on
October 5-6, 2012.

The event is organized by the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen
(Employers) of Armenia as part of the “Support to Armenia-Turkey
Rapprochement” project, supported by the United States Agency for
International Development (USAID), and implemented by the Eurasia
Partnership Foundation, the Yerevan Press Club, International Center
for Human Development, and the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen
(Employers) of Armenia.

The conference will start at 9:30 am on October 5, 2012 and is
co-sponsored by the Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation of the
German Marshal Fund.

The Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen of Armenia will invite more
than 50 entrepreneurs from the Eastern parts of Turkey, representing
different business fields, including light industry, construction,
the restaurant business, public health, oil production, jewelry, and
trade. Representatives of the Armenian business community will also
be invited to the conference to discuss opportunities for business
cooperation with their Turkish counterparts.

Guest speakers will present the current state of affairs, the prospects
for Armenia-Turkey business cooperation, and success stories about
bilateral business cooperation. The conference will also feature a
presentation of a fact book titled, “Armenian Trade and Commercial
Activity in the Territory of Present-day Turkey: 15th century – 1915,”
authored by historian and writer Khachatur Dadayan.

USAID and its partnering organizations support Armenia-Turkey
rapprochement by facilitating engagement between civil society groups,
establishment and development of business partnerships and regional
professional networks, and enhanced understanding between the people,
for peace and economic integration in the region.

MINISTERS TO PRESENT REPORTS ON TAX LIABILITIES IN THEIR FIELDS

ARMENPRESS
4 October, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 4, ARMENPRESS: Any mediation and intervention towards
the tax bodies, that still exists in Armenia, should be excluded. As
reported by Armenpress, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia
Tigran Sargsyan announced about it at the Government’s session on
October 4. “I will keep these issues under my personal control and
supervision. We should exclude any intervention. All of us should
realize quite well that tax collection is a responsible process and
it is the problem of not only the State Revenue Committee, but also
the entire Government”, – stated Tigran Sargsyan.

The President of the Republic of Armenia instructed that the issue
should be in the center of attention of the ministers and the latter
would be personally responsible in this matter.

“It intends that all the ministers should control the situation,
that is, what is the economic growth indicator concretely in his
field and how the enterprises functioning in the field fulfill their
tax liabilities. From now on we will listen to the reports of the
ministers on tax liabilities fulfillment at the Government’s sessions
and the potential of the economic growth in the field”, – stated the
Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia.

Tigran Sargsyan informed that at the next session of the Executive
body the Minister of Education and Sciences of the Republic of Armenia
Armen Ashotyan would perform the report, followed by the Minister
of Transport and Communication of Armenia Gagik Beglaryan and the
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Armen Movsisyan.