Author: Kanayan Tamar

BOMBS EXPLODED NEAR ARMENIAN POPULATED DISTRICT OF ALEPPO

ARMENPRESS
31 August, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, AUGUST 31, ARMENPRESS: August 31 morning was relatively calm
in Damascus in the words of Syrian Armenian community representative
Nazaret Elmajyan, shooting sounds were not heard.Yet Aleppo based
Armenians told the situation in Aleppo at night was rather tense,
Armenian districts’ nearby territories became an arena of 4 bomb
shelling, disseminating fear and horror among Armenians. Fortunately
there are no sufferers. In the words of Aleppo based Armenians one
of the bombs was orchestrated in front of Villat Saint Astvatsatsin
church.

In the course of last few days the clashes hosted in nearby suburbs
of Damascus between Syrain Troops and rebel forces became tenser. As
Armenpress reports citing Lebanese “Azdak” daily, during the funreal of
two young people a shelling was occurred in Damascus Jaramana district,
fortunately no Armenian suffered because of the incident.

Jaraman is a district populated by Arab Christians, over 400 Armenian
families are habiting there.

The rebel forces launched attacks towards Assad loyal residents in
eastern suburbs of capital on August 28, after midday, the actions were
mainly held in Jobar district which resulted in the death of dozens
of people. Three Armenians were killed under unknown circumstances
.The victims were identified as Bedros Mattosian, 49.

Kevork Matossian, 46, and 22-year-old Levon Bedros Matossian. The
bodies of our compatriots are already taken out.

Syrian mass media spread information on August 29 that military attacks
were hosted in Damascus Zamalak suburb: many citizens became victims
of the held attack, an Armenian family inclusive. The disinformation
was revelaed, no Armenian family was residing in Zamalka.

Over 18 months lasting clashes between Syrian Government forces
and opposition had an impact in Syrian Armenian community as well,
resulting in the death of dozens of Armenians. The Syrian riots
make the Syrians leave the country appearing in other countries as
refugees. Recently the Armenian community representatives also leave
the country. The refugee status or asylum applications from Syria
are considered in an accelerated procedure, at least ten days. Over
1900 Syrian Armenians have arrived Armenia up to now. 47 families
consisting of 91 members have applied to migration service of Armenia
in order to get shelter and already 46 member- 20 families have got
temporary habitations.

TURQUIE : LE PROCES DE 46 AVOCATS SE DEROULE A ISTANBUL

Publie le : 31-08-2012

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN vous
propose cette information publiee sur le site des Amities kurdes de
Bretagne le 24 août 2012.

Le procès de 46 avocats se deroule a Istanbul dans des conditions
indignes et choquantes

vendredi 24 août 2012 par Amities kurdes de Bretagne

C’est a Istanbul que s’est ouvert, le 16 juillet, le procès des avocats
poursuivis pour avoir assure la defense d’Abdullah Ocalan, chef du
Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK), detenu dans l’île-prison
d’Imrali depuis 1999 : 46 avocats, dont 36 detenus, un journaliste
et trois membres de leur personnel sont au banc des accuses.

En l’espèce, les autorites turques reprochent principalement aux
avocats d’avoir transmis des messages d’Abdullah Ocalan aux medias et
aux cadres du PKK, omettant sciemment le fait que tous les entretiens
avec le leader du PKK se sont deroules en presence d’un responsable
turc, avec enregistrement complet des rencontres, a notamment declare
au journal “Liberation” Me Rusen Aytac, avocat au barreau de Paris.

Mobilisation sans precedent des avocats

Ce procès a dure trois jours. Il se poursuivra a Silivri, a l’interieur
d’une prison de haute securite, a partir du 6 novembre prochain.

Ce procès, qui avait pour cadre le grandiose tribunal d’Istanbul,
s’est deroule dans une salle d’audience ridiculement trop exiguë : 350
a 400 personnes se sont entassees durant trois jours dans une salle
dont la climatisation avait manifestement ete coupee ; des personnes
ont ete victimes de malaises. Des familles de prevenus, venues parfois
de fort loin, n’ont meme pas ete autorisees a entrer. Les avocats des
prevenus dont certains n’ont pu acceder jusqu’a la salle d’audience,
n’avaient pas tous un siège pour s’asseoir.

Des avocats de Grenoble, Montpellier, Paris et Rennes, mais aussi
d’Allemagne, de Belgique, de Hollande, de Suède, de Suisse, du Royaume
Uni, ainsi que des representants d’associations internationales de
defense des droits humains etaient venus apporter leur soutien. Le
tribunal a fait droit, a l’issue de trois jours d’audience, a la
mise en liberte de 9 des 36 avocats detenus. Le fait est suffisamment
rare pour qu’il merite d’etre signale mais, aux dires des avocats de
Diyarbakir, jamais le tribunal ne serait alle jusqu’a la si l’audience
s’etait deroulee sans la presence impressionnante de tous ces gens
de robe.

Un procès truque

Toutes les interventions ont souligne le caractère arbitraire
et politique de ce procès où les charges paraissent complètement
fabriquees. La defense a conteste la competence de la juridiction,
une juridiction speciale qui, bien que supprimee par la loi, reste
neanmoins competente pour les procès en cours. Elle a conteste
egalement la qualite du President du tribunal au motif qu’il ne
pouvait statuer sur le fond, dans la mesure où il avait lui-meme
procede a des actes d’enquete et statue sur la detention provisoire
des prevenus. L’acte d’accusation de 861 pages n’a pas ete lu a
l’audience et tous les prevenus n’ont pu etre interroges. Ceux qui
l’ont ete n’ont pu s’exprimer en kurde.

Les prevenus ont refute les accusations dont ils sont l’objet. Les
uns ont revele que les entretiens avec leurs clients avaient
ete enregistres a leur insu et ce en totale violation du secret
professionnel, d’autres ont produit, en vain, des expertises prouvant
que les voix enregistrees n’etaient pas les leurs, d’autres ont
soutenu, toujours en vain, qu’ils etaient a un autre endroit au moment
des pretendus enregistrements. La defense a denonce les perquisitions
des domiciles et des bureaux en l’absence des avocats poursuivis. Des
armes et des grenades auraient ete trouvees, ce qui a provoque la
fureur et l’indignation des prevenus, exigeant l’examen les pièces
mises sous scelles.

Quels que soient les arguments juridiques avances, chacun sait que
tout est joue d’avance. Seule la pression internationale peut avoir
un effet. C’est pourquoi les avocats de la defense appellent a la
poursuite de la solidarite internationale.

Andre Metayer

Retour a la rubrique

Source/Lien : Amities kurdes de Bretagne

LES EXCAVATIONS CONTINUENT A ANI
Stephane

armenews.com
vendredi 31 aout 2012

Les fouilles et des travaux de conservation continuent dans les ruines
d’Ani selon le journal turc hurriyet.

Les travaux de fouilles ont d’abord commence dans les ruines d’Ani
en 1909 et ont ete repris quelques decennies plus tard en 1946, selon
le directeur provincial de la Culture et du Tourisme Hakan Doganay.

” Aucun excavation n’a ete effectuee dans la region en 2010 et 2011
” a-t-il precise ajoutant que cinq projets de restauration ont ete
acheves depuis 2009.

Les excavations sont effectuees par un groupe de 20 personnes sous
la direction du Professeur Fahriye Bayram de l’universite Denizli
Pamukkale.

” Nous considerons les Ruines d’Ani comme une ville vivante avec sept
couches. Les travaux de fouilles doivent etre conduits systematiquement
pour apporter les sept couches a la lumière. Nous avons amorce les
excavations systematiques cette annee et elles continueront en 2013
a reveler l’heritage historique ” a dit Hakan Doganay.

Les ruines d’Ani attirent les touristes, a precise Hakan Doganay qui
a dit que l’augmentation de l’interet quant aux ruines d’Ani ranime
la ville de Kars.

” Ce site historique dans la province de Kars obtiendra la valeur
qu’il merite. Jusqu’ici les tombeaux, des squelettes et des pots
casses ont ete enregistres dans un inventaire. Les articles trouves
pendant les excavations sont d’abord nettoyes et ensuite exposes
dans les musees. Mais nous manquons malheureusement d’une Maison
des fouilles. Si nous en avions une les travaux progresseraient plus
rapidement ” a dit Hakan Doganay.

FLAG DAY PARADE BOOSTER JOHN KACHARIAN DIES AT 88
By Paul Grondahl

Albany Times Union

Aug 29 2012
NY

Parade’s mainstay was driving force behind popular, patriotic event

COHOES – John Kacharian, a fiercely patriotic man who helped coordinate
Troy’s first Flag Day Parade, died Monday after a long illness. He
was 88.

“John helped make the parade what it is today and he never quit giving
to it,” said Ed Manny, president of the Flag Day Parade committee and
a Rensselaer County legislator. “As long as we continue the parade,
John’s name will be associated with it.”

The parade, which draws hundreds of marchers and thousands of viewers
along its two-mile Fourth Street route, is considered the largest
of its kind in the country. It is held annually on the Sunday before
Flag Day, June 14. It began in 1967 to counteract the counterculture
movement’s burning of flags at Vietnam War demonstrations.

Nobody knew the history or nuances of how properly to display the stars
and stripes the way Kacharian did, and few possessed his reverence
for its symbolism.

“John knew the flag code backward and forward, and if we ever had a
question we checked with him,” said Jerry Weaver, an emeritus Flag
Day Parade committee member. “He was meticulous as our flag adviser.”

“He was a mainstay of the parade and if he saw something wrong with
the way the flag was being displayed, he was quick to point it out,”
said Frank Merola, Rensselaer County clerk and a former parade
committee member.

Kacharian led the Flag Day Parade in 2004 and was named Uncle Sam
Citizen of the Year.

The Troy native’s parents had fled the Armenian genocide. He said
he was passionate about freedom after the religious persecution and
torture his parents and relatives faced at the hands of the Turks
in Armenia.

The family lived above a small mom-and-pop store they ran next to
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. After graduating from Troy High
School, Kacharian earned an engineering degree at RPI. He worked for
more than 30 years at the Watervliet Arsenal as facilities manager
and director of grounds.

The history buff became the Arsenal’s unofficial historian. When
surplus cannons, ammunition and other military equipment was being
disposed, Kacharian salvaged the historical items and stored them in
an empty building.

“He was thinking ahead and if it wasn’t for John, we wouldn’t have
a museum today,” said Bob Pfeil, curator of the Watervliet Arsenal
Museum, which Kacharian helped found in the early 1970s. It opened to
the public in the late 1980s and includes about 2,000 items. “John
collected roughly half of everything that we have,” Pfeil said. “He
got the ball rolling.”

Kacharian also published a pictorial history book on the Watervliet
Arsenal.

He and his wife, Halina, who died in 2005, lived in West Sand Lake
for many years. His health deteriorated and he moved to a nursing
facility, Eddy Village Green in Cohoes, where he died. The couple
had no children.

Kacharian was an active and longtime member of St. Peter Armenian
Apostolic Church in Watervliet. “He was our unofficial church
engineer. He taught me everything he knew about the heating and air
conditioning system and how the building works,” said Lori Payette,
the office manager.

“John was a steward of the church in the truest sense,” said the
pastor, the Rev. Peter Stepanos Doudoukjian. “He felt an obligation
and a sense of loyalty to our congregation. He was very dedicated.”

Along with his church, his connection to his alma mater ran deep. When
the pastor visited him in the nursing home recently, Kacharian wore
an RPI cap.

Calling hours will be Thursday at 9:30 a.m. followed by an 11 a.m.

funeral service at St. Peter Armenian Apostolic Church, 100
Troy-Schenectady Road, Watervliet.

ASSEMBLY OF THE ARMENIANS OF EUROPE APPEALS TO EU LEADERSHIP TO PUT AN END TO THE DANGEROUS TURKISH POLICY OF ARMING EXTREMIST ELEMENTS IN SYRIA

arminfo
Thursday, August 30, 14:50

Assembly of the Armenians of Europe has disseminated a statement
wherein it appeals to the President of the European Parliament, the
High Representative of the European Union For Foreign Affairs and
Security Policy and the International Public Opinion. The statement
reads:

“The arms and ammunition that Turkey provides abundantly to the
opposition forces in the Syrian crisis are passing very easily in the
hands of extremist fundamentalist elements that have entered Syria
from other countries. This fact is a cause of deep concern amongst
the Christian minorities of Syria.

The threatening declarations against Armenians and members of
other Christian minorities in Syria, that coincide with information
concerning violent acts, demonstrate the seriousness of the situation.

The Assembly of the Armenians of Europe expresses its concern for
the dangers threatening the life and the well being of the unarmed
and peaceful Christian population of Syria and declares:

The present Turkish government, heir of the Ottoman government that was
responsible for the genocide of the Armenians and their forced exile
from their ancestral lands, is continuing the traditional racist policy
of all Turkish governments and will be held immediately responsible
for any undesirable violation of the rights of the Armenian and other
Christian minorities of Syria. We warn the Turkish government as
to the results of their policies and we call them to stop fomenting
religious hatred and passions in Syria.

We appeal to the President of the European Parliament, Mr. Martin
Schulz, to the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign
Affairs and Security Policy, Ms Catherine Ashton and the European
Commission to adopt immediate measures in order to prevent the dangers
that threaten the Armenian and other Christian communities of Syria,
dangers that are sometimes caused by the direct or indirect policies
of a number of European governments.

We also appeal to the General Secretary of the United Nations, Mr. Ban
Ki Moun, to adopt the proper measures in order to put an end to the
dangerous Turkish policy of arming extremist elements in Syria.

The Assembly of the Armenians of Europe expresses its solidarity
to all the efforts of the UN officials to stop the further loss of
human lives, to care for the thousands of refugees and to promote a
peaceful solution of the crisis.”

To recall, Syrian Revolution General Council disseminated a
statement on August 24 threatening reprisal against the local Armenian
community. The oppositionists threaten to destroy the Armenian quarters
in Syria. The source reports that Turkey provokes the threats. Syrian
rebels blame Armenians for supporting Assad’s power in Aleppo, Latakia,
Kesab. Many experts think official Ankara backs the oppositionists
making such threats.

BONES, SKULL REVEALED AT ANKARA OPERA AND BALLET

tert.am
30.08.12

Renovation work at the Ankara State Opera and Ballet~Rs building has
unearthed a skull and human bones from the opera stage~Rs orchestra
pit, 25 to 30 meters underground. The finds have been sent to a museum.

Human bones and a skull have been discovered under the stage at the
historical Ankara Opera House, home of the Ankara State Opera and
Ballet (ADOB), during renovations, Hurriyet Daily news reports.

Restoration work at the building has been halted to permit
archaeologists a chance to examine the venue.

ADOB performs most of its pieces in the historical opera building,
which was built in 1933 as an exhibition house and turned into an
opera house in 1984. The State Theaters also use the building under
the name Büyük Tiyatro (Great Theater). Since it is an old structure,
the stage was insufficient for the needs of the opera and underwent
a restoration process at the end of the last opera season.

During the renovations, a skull, arm, leg bones and pottery were
discovered 25 to 30 meters under the stage. The directorate informed
the Culture and Tourism Ministry about the findings and archaeologists
from the Cultural Heritage and Museums General Directorate investigated
the area.

According to some resources, the area was an Armenian cemetery during
the Ottoman Empire, which might be the source of the remains.

ARF-D REP WITHDRAWS FROM ELECTION CAMPAIGN IN ARMENIA’S KAPAN

tert.am
30.08.12

Artur Atayan, Mayor of Kapan, Syunik region, Armenia, has withdrawn
his candidacy in the local elections scheduled for Sept. 9, Sergey
Sargsyan, Chairman of the local election commission, told Tert.am.

Commenting on Atayan’s decision, Aghvan Vardanyan, Secretary of the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D) parliamentary
group, told Tert.am that “the mayor has submitted his application
(he is reported to have been pressed), we have examined it. We can
say something only after our Kapan chapter has made a statement.”

The ARF-D Executive Body has for a long time avoided commenting on
Atoyan’s decision, pleading unawareness of the details.

According to the information at Tert.am’s disposal, the reason was
the ARF-D’s attempts to find out whether Atayan was forced into
withdrawing his candidacy or he established cooperation with any force.

At present, Ashot Hairapetyan, Director of the Kapan branch, Haypost
CJSC, is the only candidate for the post.

TURKEY’S MINORITIES CAN NO LONGER APPLY FOR PROPERTY RETURN

PanARMENIAN.Net
August 30, 2012 – 14:22 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The 12-month period for Turkey’s minority
foundations to apply for the return of properties expropriated by a
1936 proclamation ended, with 56 minority foundations applying for
430 immovable properties, Hurriyet Daily News reported.

The foundations, which won the right to apply for the return of
their properties via a temporary article in the Foundations Law, made
petitions for land in Istanbul, Diyarbakýr, Bursa, Hatay and Balýkesir.

Some minority representatives, however, said the one-year application
was not long enough.

“There are 49-50 Armenian foundations [in Turkey]. I think there
is not enough time available for all of these foundations, but I
hope they will do their best with good intentions in the future,”
Gedikpaþa Armenian Church Foundation Chairman Harut Þanlý said.

“Sometimes we come across lands where mosques or healthcare centers
have been built. In such cases, we cannot demand the territory. Can
you imagine demanding land that has been home to a mosque for 50
years?” he said.

In the course of reviewing the applications, the Foundations Assembly
chose to register 51 immovable properties, pay the cost of one
immovable property and rejected the appeal of 32 other properties.

The foundation’s general directorate will review the other applications
during scheduled meetings conducted every other week.

VICE PRIME MINISTER HOSTED THE USAID’S LEADER OF ARMENIAN OFFICE

ARMENPRESS
30 August, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, AUGUST 30, ARMENPRESS: Armenian Deputy Prime Minister
Armen Gevorgyan hosted the leader of Armenian office of USAID Chima
Gatinder on the occasion of completion of the mission. As Armenpress
was informed first of all Vice Prime Minister was thankful for the
joint efficient work highlighting the importance of USAID for our
country and the great support in the improvements in different spheres.

He especially expressed his content about the programs in regions
which are supported by USAID to solve both the issues concerning
the development of the local government and the role of communities
in solving these problems. According to the Vice Prime Minister the
comparison of these components is the guarantee of the effectiveness
of the programs.

Deputy Prime Minister highlighted the personal efforts of Gatinder
and handed him a memorable medal of Ministry of Territorial
Administration. Getinder mentioned that such programs will be
continuous and he also assured that the high level of our partnership
would be kept.

ANCA-ER BANQUET TO HONOR BARONESS COX WITH FREEDOM AWARD

Armenian Weekly
August 30, 2012

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Eastern Region
will be honoring Baroness Caroline Cox with its highest honor, the
prestigious Freedom Award, at the 6th Annual ANCA Eastern Region
Banquet on Sat., Dec. 1, at the Sheraton Crossroads in Mahwah, N.J.

Baroness Caroline Cox “We are proud to be honoring Baroness Caroline
Cox for her decades-long support of the people of Nagorno-Karabagh and
Armenia,” said ANCA Eastern Region Board chairperson George Aghjayan.

The Freedom Award is presented to an individual who has made
outstanding contributions toward the recognition of the Armenian
Genocide and who has pursued other issues of importance to the
Armenian-American community.

Baroness Cox has visited Armenia and Karabagh 75 times-many of
those times during the bitter war with Azerbaijan in the early
1990’s. Cox now works with the Stepanakert-based not-for-profit
organization HART (Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust) to support a
program that provides rehabilitation for people of all ages. HART is
internationally recognized as a “Center of Excellence,” disseminating
its wide-ranging therapeutic repertoire far beyond Karabagh to other
countries throughout the South Caucasus.

“The spirit of Armenia, which not only survives but creates beauty
from the ashes of destruction, is spreading hope and healing for
people with special needs not only in Karabagh and Armenia but far
beyond these lands,” stated Cox.

Baroness Cox of Queensbury was a deputy speaker of the House of
Lords from 1985 to 2005. She was founder chancellor of Bournemouth
University from 1991 to 2001, and is currently chancellor of Liverpool
Hope University and vice-president of the Royal College of Nursing.

She was also a founder trustee of MERLIN (Medical Emergency Relief
International).

She has been honored with the Commander Cross of the Order of Merit
of the Republic of Poland; the Wilberforce Award; the International
Mother Teresa Award from the All India Christian Council; the Mkhitar
Gosh Medal conferred by the president of the Republic of Armenia; and
the anniversary medal presented by Lech Walesa, the former president
of Poland. She has also been awarded an honorary fellowship of the
Royal College of Surgeons of England and honorary doctorates by
universities in the United Kingdom, the United States, the Russian
Federation, and Armenia.

Baroness Cox’s humanitarian aid work has taken her on many missions
to conflict zones, including Karabagh, Sudan, Nigeria, Uganda, Burma,
and Indonesia. She has also been instrumental in helping to change
the former Soviet Union’s policies regarding orphaned and abandoned
children, from institutional to foster family care.

Banquet co-chairs Karine Shnorhokian and Nicole Alashaian, both active
members of the New Jersey Armenian-American community and members of
the ANC of New Jersey, are working diligently to ensure the success of
this annual fundraising event. “This is a fantastic event that truly
showcases the activities and support throughout the Eastern Region. We
are looking forward to a spectacular turnout to honor Baroness Cox for
her many contributions to the people of Nagorno-Karabagh and Armenia,”
Shnorhokian said.

Since 2007, the ANCA Freedom Award has been presented to former U.S.

Ambassador to Armenia John M. Evans, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Dr.

Samantha Power, U.S. Senator Robert Menendez, the late U.S. Senator
Edward M. Kennedy, former U.S. Senator Robert Dole, and former U.S.

Senator Elizabeth Dole.

The ANCA Banquet will begin with an elegant cocktail reception and
silent auction at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner and an awards ceremony
at 8 p.m. For more information, visit or call
Karine Shnorhokian at (201) 788-5425.

The ANCA Eastern Region Endowment Fund is a 501(c)(3) charitable and
educational organization that supports the Armenian National Committee
of America Eastern Region in outreach to Armenian-American communities.

In the coming weeks, additional information will be posted at
For more information, please contact Karine
Shnorhokian at (201) 788-5425. Hotel accommodations are available by
calling (201) 529-1660 (mention ANCA for a rate of $99).