Author: Kanayan Tamar

“ONE CANNOT DEFEAT THE CASINO IN THE CASINO”
HRIPSIME JEBEJYAN

August 4, 2012 13:10

Members of the Sardarapat movement stated that they had to end this
regime of “cynics and midgets.

” Yesterday in response to a question of whether there
was a strong possibility to end the regime given the fact that the
presidential election was ahead of us and whether there was a leader
among the probable candidates, Garegin Chugaszyan, a member of the
Sardarapat movement, said, “We have expressed our opinion on the
election many times – one cannot defeat the casino in the casino. That
game is pointless. On the contrary, participating in that game, one
legitimizes it and becomes the 4th leg of the table, which stabilizes
the table. When one doesn’t participate, being an opposition minority,
one basically shows that this table is not stable, so nothing will
be solved by the election.” We asked to clarify whether the election
should be boycotted, Mr. Chugaszyan said, “One should not boycott,
but use that time to try to form an alternative government, to conduct
an open election, because the system of elections, that whole machine
doesn’t work. We had the events of March 1, after which no one has
been held accountable. How can one trust that election machine?” In
response to our question who could be an alternative candidate,
in that case, Mr. Chugaszyan said, “One can be the best candidate,
but in the end, the casino will win, so eventually the results will
be fudged, what is the point in pinning hopes on such an election? If
the election machine is completely rotten, how can one believe the
result, in the end, they will fudge, right, we have seen all that,
right, we have been seeing that for 15 years, will we eventually
realize that this is a casino and we will not win, if we play here?”

According to Garegin Chugaszyan, we need political changes, there
is a need for a fundamental political renewal of our republic, “As
it was in the 1980s, when the Soviet Union was already collapsing,
the people realized that they needed an alternative government, they
needed to form bodies, as a result, there was a change of power. We
are approaching that condition, when there is a need for an alternative
government or, using the British term, a shadow government in Armenia,
which should ensure a change of power.” In response to our question
what role could the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP), which presented
itself as an alternative to the government, play in that regard, Mr.

Chugaszyan said, “Parties cannot play any role. The whole political
stage should be reorganized. Parties don’t disappear, but they will
be reregistered and renewed. New parties may emerge too. The state of
our parties today is really critical, stagnant, they are in stagnation.

The classical political institutions, one of which is parties, have
reached a stalemate, i.e. they don’t work whether it is elections
or hearings. For instance, the hearings on Vahe Avetyan showed that
they don’t work even on an issue that has evoked a huge public,
all-Armenian response. Our politicians are on vacation, when there is
a row in 20 countries. Political bodies whether they are opposition
or governmental are on vacation.”

Garegin Chugaszyan is also a member of the Vahe Avetyan social
movement. In response to our question whether the back of people’s
camel was broken that they had risen to fight, since incidents like
Harsnakar had happened in our country before or whether this was a
different incident, he said that it had been a particular incident,
“That murder, the level of that crime’s seriousness was very high, it
is the same tragedy from the human perspective, but this is a special
case in terms of social danger, because even officers of the national
army who are the guarantors of the security are terrorized. If one
can murder the guarantor of our state’s security and then conceal the
murder, the whole country should realize that it is in an insecure
position; its national security is at issue here. The level of social
danger is very high, this is the end, the citizen should realize
that he is not protected from now on and he should take his security
into his hands.” We inquired whether he didn’t face obstacles in his
everyday life, at work, taking into account his criticism, Garegin
Chugaszyan said, “Certainly, there have been certain things. I will
not say anything about that now, but if it comes to that, I will make
a statement myself.” We inquired whether he was persecuted,

repressed, Mr. Chugaszyan said, “I cannot say now, but there are some
factors, about which I will say, when the time comes.”

ARMENIAN PARTICIPANTS TO “JUNIOR NEW WAVE 2012” ARE READY

ARMENPRESS
6 August, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, AUGUST 6, ARMENPRESS: Armenian participants to “New Wave
Junior 2012” Sona Gyulkhasyan and Alina Malkhasyan are ready for the
concert due to be hosted Crimea “Artek” Concert Complex August 15-17.

They had rehearsed 15 songs, whether 8-10 were selected by the jury.

” Usually one or two months before the launch of the concert two songs
are chosen, which are elaborated later on for the concert day, yet this
time jury told they could not make choice, all the presented songs were
good” participants’ producer Nadezhda Sargsyan told in the briefing
with Armenpress. The producer is sure ” Girls will perform the best”.

In the first day of the concert national song will be performed,
an international hit is set to be presented during the second day.

For the first time in the course of Armenian “Children’s New Wave”
history our country is going to come forth with two participants in
the contest . During the pre- election phase Armenian participants’
excellent performance “forced” jury to select two participants at once.

12 – year-old Lidushik presented Armenia in the course of “Junior New
Wave 2011” international song contest, where our participant received
Italian “Rauna” TV special award.

875 BUILDING ENTRANCES REPAIRED IN YEREVAN

NEWS.AM
August 06, 2012 | 15:34

YEREVAN.- The municipality of Yerevan has already repaired 875
building entrances.

During the Monday meeting in Yerevan municipality it was stated the
renovation of capital’s streets, yards and parks continues according
to the schedule. Over 60 arch-shaped passes are decorated in Armenia’s
capital within the framework of 2012 capitals renovation program.

Night-time illumination will be installed in the parks of Yerevan. The
municipality also continues cleaning of building and poles from
advertisements.

The activities are still in progress toward conducting a 24-hour
inspection of the service quality of the Armenian capital city’s
public transport system.

THE COTTON PRODUCTION TO BE RESTORED IN ARMENIA

ARMENPRESS
7 August, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, AUGUST 7, ARMENPRESS: Conditions are created for cotton
production and processing industry development in Armenia. The
investors show interest towards the cotton production started from
sowing process up to manufacturing phase.

Cotton processing plant called “Arakne” industrial enterprise was
established in Armenia. ” Because of the expensive raw material this
branch is not being developed in Armenia, and we decided to create
economic basis by organizing the production in the place” Parvana
Finance Group ” company president and “Arakne” enterprise director
Ashot Eranosyan told in the briefing with Armenpress.

The project is currently in pilot phase. Previous year 18 hectares of
cotton were sowed in Armavir province Mrgashat village jointly with
farmers. 2. 3 tons of cotton yield was recorded by an hectare . M
rgashat village head Gevorg Danielyan stated it was an average yield:
necessary equipment absence hindered getting good result.

A large quantity of cotton was produced in the Soviet years in Armenia,
which was being utilized in local textile production and was exported
to Central Asian countries. Cotton waste can be used in the production
of cellulose, the kernels can be used in vegetable oil, as well as
may be used as forage.

CHANGE WE DON’T BELIEVE IN (BUT SHOULD)
by Patrick Bairamian

Published: Monday August 06, 2012

Kids at Yerevan’s TUMO center for creative technologies that opened
last year.

Growing up with two older brothers has its advantages, regardless of
being three boys who like to disappear in the mountains for days at a
time and give our parents the mini-heart attacks associated with the
worry if something happened to us. But, those times of being around
them have taught me, the youngest of the bunch, values that build
the core of most of my personality. Take for instance, change.

As Armenian-Americans, we perpetually talk about change. Every day
an article comes out, or a discussion is sparked about the change we
need in our: communities, cities, government, people, politicians,
organizations, businesses, schools, the new generation and the
‘homeland.’ With all this talk of change, comes the fervent flavors
of opinion. After every opinion calling for “change, change, change,”
one would assume the reader, or participant to be fired up. But fired
up at what?

It was early on that I realized I was supporting, and even
participating in the opinion stream, and nothing else. We all wanted
change, but that’s all we could do to achieve it; recognize change
needed to happen. OK that step was necessary, but now what? I answered
that question with something that I was raised with, my brothers. Both
of them subscribe to the philosophy that if you want something in life,
you must take it, no one is going to hand it out to you.

Beyond the complaints and excuses Coming from Armenia recently,
I’ve noticed a trend that Diaspora Armenians love to expose: all the
shortcomings of the ‘homeland.’ We point out the negatives, yet are
absent to suggest any constructive solutions that could benefit the
same country we are shooting down.

After a while, it just seems like we are playing ‘whack-a-mole’
with anything that is trying to pop up from the ground.

Teghut, for example, has riddled the news this last year with
reports from every Armenian news media on the ground in the region,
and from Diaspora news outlets. Other than the efforts from various
organizations including the ARF-Shant chapter of Glendale, CA, whose
continuous help to bring 21st century protest and environmental
advocacy methods to the people has gained traction; there has been
little discussion about what lies beyond the protests.

There has been an article almost every week highlighting the horrid
aftermath of the mining, if it were to reach that level. The news
also mentions how, for instance, the mine will create temporary jobs,
but at too high of a cost, because there won’t be a mountain to go
home to after the mining is done. OK, that’s fair; but now what?

>From the people living in America, I expect more constructive plans.

We talk about destroying old-growth forests. What does that mean to
anyone outside of the United States who has taken a geography class?

We talk about preserving nature and the people. What about a way to get
both, but allow the latter to evolve. We protest about environmental
rights! What environment is worth living in if people aren’t present?

Why do I keep picking on the Armenian-Americans? Because we descend
from the nation that took the idea of national parks and made it part
of the national identity. Why can’t we imagine, ‘The Teghut National
Forest,’ full of campsites, excursions sites, guided hikes, fishing
hotspots, backpacking trails, and community lodges where school
children can visit throughout the year to learn about environmental
issues. Jobs in tourism, construction, cartography, hotel economies,
management, reforestation teams, conservation officers, a botany
institute, environmental awareness programs, and international research
could take the place of the miners. It won’t be the estimated $20
billion promised by the mining company, but it’s a start to build a
sustainable and permanent future for the country.

People don’t give themselves enough credit. Diaspora Armenians must
shake off the idea that to help Armenia grow and preserve the heritage
and advocate for the ’cause,’ we must be ‘rich, rich, rich!’ As much
as money helps, it isn’t what creates ripples. A fan of Chaos Theory,
I believe that everything is connected. From a geography teacher of an
elementary school in Boston, to a software engineer graduate living
in Gyumri, everyone matters to eachother. Both professionals stated
above might not donate large sums of money to Armenian organizations,
but imagine they meet and create an interactive software for
Armenian-school children to learn about geography, weather patterns,
and natural phenomenon, while at the same time the software is in
English and Armenian to help children learn and refine both languages.

I ask you, is that not change?

I’d like to take the time with the rest of this article to highlight
some aspects of change that many Diaspora Armenian-Americans don’t
believe can help the country succeed. In an effort to rid ourselves
of the idea that only money buys change, we can start with thinking
outside of the rectangle shape of paper currency that we confine
ourselves to, and start investing our time and criticisms into ideas
that must grow and will develop. Enough of the excuse that we are
twenty years old; I’m even sick of saying it. We’re twenty years old
as a country, that means this is the time to make new ideas germinate
and flourish into foundational beams to build on.

This isn’t only the land of opportunity, it is the nation that breeds
scholars, logisticians, business owners, teachers, intellectuals, and
advocates. Put showing the world what we can do on the back burner;
that time will come. Let’s show ourselves what we’re made of; from
what ancient kingdoms we descend from. Let’s give testament to the
kings and queens that live inside every one of us that we are what
create the ideas (and follow through with plans) necessary for change.

The main topics below are the first set of professions I chose to
highlight because most might ignore their profile descriptions based
on the fact that they are not the conventional steps taken to ‘help the
homeland.’ Because if it’s anything that you love doing, it’s going to
make a difference in your life and influence those in the same reality.

We, the ‘Armenians,’ are the celebrated rugs we cherish. Every Armenian
is of a different thread, texture and color. But in the process of
the weave, we all add to the unity and patterns created.

Every thread counts, no matter from the corner of the weave to the
center of a pattern, we all make a difference in our own ways.

Digital revolution E-commerce has become a stand alone economy within
itself. Such websites as Amazon, E-bay, and Overstock, which have
brought together vendors from all over the globe, and allowed them to
set up shop from where they are and sell their products to anyone,
anywhere in the world have dominated the Internet sphere. There is
room for growth, but not only small growth, but rapid expansion
and refinement; a digital revolution not unlike the industrial
revolution that put so many superpowers on the map during the turn
of the twentieth century.

There is a benefit to digital data, and that is its abundance,
and absolute ease of transport. Digital data is one aspect of
‘import/export’ that allows the user, or creator, to transfer as much
of it as they’d like, for cents on the dollar. Thereon lies the truth
of the export of data. Data such as: scientific research in medicine,
chemistry, physics, as well as the jobs in the service sector that
will be briefly previewed below.

Graphic design According to the United States Department of Labor
and Statistics, graphic design jobs averaged $48,140 in 2010. In
the United States alone, and according to the same data, there were
less than 200,000 people that indicated their occupation as being
graphic designers.

What does this translate to you as a graphic designer who wants to
live in Armenia, but be paid an American salary? Opportunity.

The website, , is by far the greatest example of the
potential for a graphic designer to make their fortune from their
computer, as long as they have the skill set necessary to meet client
demands and an Internet connection. As the websites states, “Elance
provides instant access to the world’s top pool of rated programming,
marketing, creative and administrative contractors…hiring on
Elance is easy, just post a job and receive competing proposals from
qualified contractors.” The contractor in this case is the graphic
designer, or the over 80 professions listed on the site. Designers
are encouraged to refine their online profile to be competitive and
attractive to clients, as well as showcase their experience, projects,
and recommendations.

The benefit of going down this career path, and living in Armenia is
the untaxed data being sold to clients. You’re paying Internet fees
and the costs of living (rent, groceries, electricity, etc). But,
since you’re still dealing with clients from the America’s, Europe,
Asia, the Middle-East and Russia, you’re getting paid the same as you
would in the United States. But in this case, there are no office
building owners to raise your lease, no worry about location, and
there is no risk of extortion or corruption.

There are countless examples of who would require these services.

Small businesses in need of logos, brochures, fliers, and information
pamphlets. The Department of Tourism needs more animated themes on
their websites to attract tourists. Schools, universities, existing
businesses need better graphics to refine their image in the eyes of
potential partnerships and business ventures. With an international
clientèle, your business can grow to include internships for locals,
where you can train locals to work for you, and multiply your success.

Software engineers/computer programming Software, like graphics and
the digital creative arts is likewise, digital data. You don’t need
a store on the street to sell it, it doesn’t need to come in a box,
nor does it need to be transported by ship or plane. Software and
computer programming do much more than create a product that can be
sold on the international market. In a country like Armenia where
such knowledge is abundant in the universities, it is one aspect of
data that can help solidify the foundations to our prosperity as a
country. The potential to hire able bodied employees is abundant,
even if your skills are more business management; you can be a puzzle
master and fit the pieces together; bringing together the talent and
marketing their skills to the global economy.

Software and computer systems are taken for granted in countries
where everyone always seems connected. It is this way in such
countries because such software is profitable. With clients looking
for conveniences in website functionality, enhanced audio programs,
design applications, navigation systems, and smart-phone applications,
the world of the Digital Revolution was born. Those interested in
such fields have the advantage to be connected to the world that
demands these things. In Armenia, where students are required to be
analytical, one could bring together groups, “digital think-tanks”
of sorts, and build wonderful software for Armenia, Russia, Europe,
Asia, and North and South America.

This is an example of internal growth, where the resources come from
the country, and your ability to bring together the will necessary to
create a successful business. As with graphic design, your costs are
minimal, as you must pay for some of the research you seek to refine
and make it profitable.

It may come as a surprise, but there is no ‘MapQuest’ or ‘Google maps’
in Armenia. Meager if not any resources exist that tell the world a
business exists in Goris, Ijevan, or Sevan. No ability to give the
opportunity of podcasts for the politically active or independently
creative. There is no such thing as ‘WebMD’ for Armenians. There
are no systems designed to record weather patterns or Geographical
Information Systems (GIS) used to substantially strengthen the
efficiency in agriculture and irrigation methods.

Even if there were, the people living in the country who could
benefit from the information have limited access to it. There is
existing software in America, Europe, even Russia, and one way or
another it can be acquired by Armenians, but then there could be
a technical miscommunication in the language that won’t allow such
existing products to function to their full potential. That’s where
the next category of professionals comes in.

Translation People might take for granted the fact that anywhere in
their travels, they have had the advantage of finding someone who
speaks English.

Either in a bakery in Marsailles, France, down to a manufacturing city
such as Guangzhou, China – English is spoken wherever people have
found that it leads to better business. Yet, such is not to claim
that English is the only business language necessary to allow ones
business to increase, but for the sake of this article, it will be.

As a native English speaker, who also understands Armenian, you
put yourself at a very valuable position in the country. You make
yourself the mouthpiece in which Universities, Government departments,
Corporations, and small-businesses can speak through. You are the
person who makes available University research to the Western world,
and build a bridge for government programs such as tourism. You can be
the liaison between a joint program between Caltrans, California’s
hi-tech transportation department, and Armenia’s transportation
department.

Your skills in translation can help bring to light 3000 year old
histories that a team of anthropologists in Armenia have compiled,
or to translate the latest middle-class finance solutions used in
advanced societies. Your skills can be used for the two professions
mentioned before, to promote the services of a graphic designer,
and help market the product of a software engineer. You can be the
arbiter of creativity as you weave the poetry of Baruyr Sevag and
Siamantos into products that the whole world can know about, and
can inspire a Diaspora Armenian to search their ancestry between the
lines of those poets’ translated texts.

Communications and marketing Digital connectivity is one concept that
the world is still new to.

Just observe the popularity of email, and the ability to communicate
faster with the globe at the push of a button. Websites like ‘Myspace’
and ‘Facebook’, which allow a deeper connection to be built between
people. Now ‘Facebook’ has turned into the fastest and most intimate
form of communication available. Websites like ‘HuffingtonPost’ have
local and global news stories within minutes of events happening,
while it constantly updates. There is one thing that is perpetual in
the world: information is always in demand.

A great advantage to being in Armenia and exploring the career section
of the communication branch is that you are in a country that is at the
center of Asia. You are closer to Europe, industrial East-Asia, Africa,
and the Middle East. With the latter of these locations, consider the
path of a journalist or photographer. Not as a conflict journalist,
but one who is keeping up with Syria, Egypt, Israel, and post- war
Iraq. This path is only if you’re ambitious to be a correspondent of
news to the Western world that is hungry for news from these regions
because of the key roles they play in foreign policy.

These things have secondary advantages. Perhaps you start to rise as
the main source of media in Armenia for Diaspora Armenians wanting
to know what goes on daily in Armenia (but written in English). Your
team grows and you ask the Graphic designer for a website and logo. You
recruit camera operators, and ask the software engineer to help refine
a high-definition video editing software.

Your reporters start to learn English as they help write stories,
and report the news so that it can be posted on ‘YouTube’, or besent
to Armenian new outlets, Al Jeezera, and the RT network. In effect,
your news story has helped three occupations keep their jobs, while
strengthening your own. Why not work with businesses that are already
established, with Western marketing practices that allow the business
and your own expertise to grow simultaneously.

Your ability to reach out to the world and communicate with the
international community, the Diaspora and Armenia also adds its own
marketing factor. Sometimes it’s not about having the right major, or a
specific skill set other than being interested in promoting a product
or service, and being able to bring what we learned in high-school
economics to Armenia. Coming with the idea that you can bring to light
the skills of the young, intellectual professional graduates is already
something that pays dividends for you as a developing professional,
and them for their own portfolio and experience.

You can work with the country to market businesses, tourist sites, and
special programs that Diaspora Armenians or European tourists might
otherwise not be aware of. The winter resort town in Tsakhkadzor,
the 359 bird species of Armenia, and Archaeological sites from the
surrounding epicenter of civilization. Rock-climbing the monoliths
in the Syunik province, wine tasting in Areni and Ararat, Sevan lake
summer cycling, and Tatev Monastery tours in the south.

Everything is connected, and I hope by now you realize that no matter
what you do in Armenia, it’s going to make a difference. Not only
because I say it should, or know it will; but because we are the
threads that make the weave in this reality possible.

As for myself, so that you know I’ve put my money where my mouth
is (and it tastes surprisingly good), I’m working with a software
designer to create a phone application to be released in December. The
vibrant graduate is from the engineering school of Yerevan Polytechnic
Institute; and boy is he diligent when it comes to work.

LA MINISTRE DE LA DIASPORA APPELLE A CHOISIR SOIGNEUSEMENT SES MOTS LORSQU’ON PARLE DE LA COMMUNAUTE ARMENIENNE DE SYRIE
Stephane

armenews.com
mardi 7 aout 20

Dans un entretien a Tert.am, Hranouche Hakobian affirme qu’il n’y
a pas un seul domaine où la RA n’ait pas subvenu aux besoins de
la communaute armenienne de Syrie. Depuis le mois de janvier, le
Ministère de la Diaspora a elabore un programme special de soutien
aux Armeniens de Syrie. Elle affirme qu’elle convoque des reunions
regulières (deux fois par mois), en presence des Vice-ministres des
AE, des Situations d’urgence, de l’Amenagement territorial et de son
Service etatique des migrations … pour discuter des problèmes de la
communaute armenienne de Syrie. Les problèmes, ainsi que les solutions
qu’evoque actuellement la presse armenienne, ont ete envisages par le
Ministère de la Diaspora il y a quelques mois. Mme Hakobian affirme
en outre qu’elle est en contact quotidien avec les responsables des
differentes structures de cette communaute et les chefs spirituels,
qui estiment inopportunes les visites d’officiels armeniens en Syrie.

Par ailleurs, selon la Ministre, un emissaire du President Sarkissian
se rend regulièrement sur place pour mettre a disposition des
autorites armeniennes des informations credibles quant a la situation
reelle en Syrie et les problèmes auxquels fait face la communaute
armenienne. Mme Hakobian relève en outre que l’Armenie a interet
a ce que cette communaute ne soit pas dissoute, mais que si leur
existence etait menacee, l’evacuation en masse des Armeniens de Syrie
serait organisee. Enfin, Mme Hakobian dit comprendre le souci de tout
Armenien quant au sort de la communaute armenienne de Syrie, mais
appelle tous a faire preuve d’extreme retenue dans les declarations
publiques et commentaires.

Jamanak affirme avoir pris contact avec des representants de la
communaute armenienne d’Alep, qui ont fait preuve de grande reserve
dans leurs propos. Sans vouloir critiquer la situation dans la ville,
ni meme confirmer le depart d’environ 200 000 personnes d’Alep, ils
se sont bornes a noter que les quartiers où habitent principalement
les Armeniens n’etaient pas touches par les affrontements…

Par ailleurs, le Consulat de Syrie en Armenie a dementi les
informations diffusees par Al-Jazeera, selon lesquelles le Consul
de Syrie en Armenie, Mohammed Hosam, aurait apporte son soutien a
l’opposition syrienne. Le Consulat a toutefois confirme que le 30 juin,
le Consul ne s’est pas presente au travail pour des raisons encore
meconnues. Le porte-parole du MAE armenien, interroge par les medias,
a indique que le MAE n’avais recu aucune note sur [l’annulation de
l’accreditation] de diplomate syrien. Il a par ailleurs note que
l’Ambassade armenienne a Damas ainsi que le Consulat armenien a Alep
etaient toujours ouverts en depit de l’escalade de la violence. /
Novoye Vremia, Hayots Achkhar

Ambassade de France en Armenie

Service de presse

PREVISIONS DE CROISSANCE A LA HAUSSE EN ARMENIE
Gari

armenews.com
mardi 7 aout 20

La croissance economique en Armenie marquerait une nette tendance a
la hausse par rapport a l’annee dernière, quand le pays etait encore
sous le coup de la crise economique et financière mondiale. Elle
serait de l’ordre de 6% au premier semestre de l’annee en cours, un
taux proche de celui qu’ambitionnait le president Serge Sarkissian,
si l’on en croit les estimations revelees par le ministre armenien
des finances, Vatche Gabrielian. “Selon nos estimations, notre taux
de croissance serait de l’ordre de 6 a 6,5%”, a indique M.Gabrielian
en s’exprimant devant le conseil des ministres preside par le chef
du gouvernement, Tigrane Sarkissian.

Il s’est toutefois empresse de nuancer son propos, en precisant que
“bien sûr, des corrections sont possibles car il s’agit d’estimations
du ministère des Finances, plus que de chiffres officiels emanant du
Service national des Statistiques (NSS)”. Le NSS pour sa part n’a pas
encore publie de chiffres relatifs a la croissance economique pour
la première moitie de l’annee 2012. Les chiffres les plus recents
qu’il a publies font etat d’une croissance de l’economie armenienne
de l’ordre de 4,7% pour le premier quart de l’annee 2012. Concernant
le premier semestre 2012, l’agence gouvernementale avait publie, a la
veille de la reunion du conseil des ministres, le 1er août, des donnees
chiffrant les resultats dans les differents secteurs de l’economie
armenienne. Elle avait ainsi souligne la forte croissance dans le
secteur industriel armenien, qui etait estimee a quelque 13 % dans la
periode allant de janvier a juin. Le NSS avait aussi fait etat d’une
croissance nette dans l’agriculture et les services. M. Gabrielian
a souligne l’importance de ces donnees lors du conseil des ministres.

A la fin de l’annee 2011, le gouvernement armenien avait annonce
que le pays avait conjure le spectre de la recession et tablait
sur des previsions de croissance de l’ordre de 4,2% en 2012. Les
estimations du Fonds monetaire international comme de la Banque
mondiale etaient en accord avec les chiffres advances par Erevan,
jusqu’a ce que les organisms financiers internationaux revisent un
peu a la baisse les previsions de croissance armenienne au printemps
dernier. Leur scepticisme n’a manifestement pas entame la confiance du
president Sarkissian qui annoncait en juin que le taux de croissance de
l’economie armenienne pour l’ensemble de l’annee 2012 serait de l’ordre
de 7% ; c’est du moins le resultat qu’il attend de son gouvernement
qui venait d’etre remanie. En echo, le ministre de l’economie Tigrane
Davtian avait souligne fin juillet que cet objectif etait “tout a
fait realiste”.

M. Gabrielian, debut août, a lui aussi fait part de sa confiance
quant a la capacite du gouvernement d’atteindre cet objectif ; il
avait notamment estime que l’inflation relative aux prix des biens
de consommation en Armenie serait maîtrisee de telle sorte qu’elle
n’excède pas le taux de 4% vise par le gouvernement pour 2012. “Nous
pouvons affirmer avec certitude que le taux d’inflation vise cette
annee est absolument realiste et que l’inflation sera très proche du
chiffre annonce” par les autorites, avait fait savoir le ministre
des finances. Selon les donnees du NSS citees par le ministre, le
taux d’inflation etait de l’ordre de 2,2% en janvier-juillet 2012.

PATRICK DEVEDJIAN, PRESIDENT DES HAUTS-DE-SEINE ET HEROS DU BRELOT DE MARIE-CELIE GUILLAUME

Marais.Evous.fr
,1177899.html
3 aout 2012
France

DERNIÈRE ACTU. C’est l’un des livres de l’ete. Une fable qui se
lit aisement sur la plage. Le Monarque, son fils, son fief (ed. du
Moment), c’est un roman mettant en scène des personnages aux noms en
forme de pseudos (“Rocky, L’Armenien, Baronne, Culbuto du Centre,
La Thenardier”…) et relatant sur un ton direct et subversif les
aventures de la classe politicienne des Hauts-de-Seine. L’homme
au centre du livre, c’est Nicolas Sarkozy, alias “Rocky” ou “le
Monarque”. Mais le premier second rôle, le “gentil” que la romancière
defend, le heros auquel le lecteur s’associe, c’est l’Armenien, soit
Patrick Devedjian. Logique, l’auteure de ce brulôt politique n’est
autre que Marie-Celie Guillaume (alias “la Baronne”), ex-directrice
de cabinet de Patrick Devedjian. Le livre montre ainsi a quel point
celui qui est toujours president du Conseil general des Hauts-de-Seine
(alias “la Principaute”), ancien proche du “Monarque” s’est retrouve
isole : prive d’un strapontin ministeriel, propulse a la tete d’un
parti qu’il ne souhaitait pas diriger, deborde par la presence des
intimes de Nicolas Sarkozy au Conseil general (Isabelle Balkany alias
“la Thenardier”, Jean Sarkozy alias “le Dauphin”…). On decouvre
aussi son goût pour la culture, les bons mots et l’erudition. S’il
est un homme politique qui voit sa reputation salie dans ce livre,
ce n’est pas Patrick Devedjian…

SON PARCOURS. Originaire de Fontainebleau, en Seine-et-Marne,
Patrick Devedjian a toujours vecu en Ile-de-France. Il est passe
par le Val-de-Marne et Paris avant de devenir l’homme politique le
plus en vue des Hauts-de-Seine. Avocat au barreau de Paris dès 1970,
ce gaulliste a très rapidement embrasse la carrière poitique. Il
est elu maire d’Antony, dans les Hauts-de-Seine, dès 1983. Candidat
a l’Assemblee nationale dès 1978, il est elu depute en 1986 dans
la circonscription d’Antony et Châtenay-Malabry. A 68 ans, s’il
conserve encore aujourd’hui son strapontin a l’Assemblee nationale,
il a laisse son poste de maire d’Antony a Jean-Yves Senant en 2003,
a l’epoque où il faisait partie du gouvernement (ministre delegue aux
Libertes locales en 2002, a l’Industrie de 2004 a 2005 puis ministre
charge du plan de relance de 2008 a 2010, secretaire general de l’UMP
en 2007 et 2008). Sa femme, Sophie Devedjian, avec qui il a eu 4
enfants, est en revanche restee 1ère adjointe d’Antony. Desormais,
il officie avant tout en tant que president du Conseil general des
Hauts-de-Seine, gardant ainsi un ~il sur la gestion du quartier
d’affaires de La Defense. Un poste qu’il a obtenu suite a l’election
de Nicolas Sarkozy, l’ancien “maître” inconteste du departement,
a la presidence de la Republique en 2007.

PATRICK DEVEDJIAN EN BREF. Depute des Hauts-de-Seine, elu dans
la circonscription d’Antony, president du Conseil general des
Hauts-de-Seine, president du Conseil d’administration de Defacto
(etablissement public de gestion du quartier d’affaires de la Defense).

THE TURKISH GENOCIDE OF ASSYRIANS: A CURSE ON THE KURDS
By Sadik Aslan

Assyrian International News Agency AINA

Aug 6 2012

(AINA) — In 1918, when the Turkish genocide of Assyrians that is
known as Seyfo (sword) culminated, the Turks rewarded the Kurdish
warlord Seyid Riza with the title “General and liberator of Dersim
(Erzincan).” Among the Christian prisoners Riza’s forces had gathered
for deportation and murder was also his Armenian friend Bogas Pasha,
who turned to Riza, saying “My dear friend, I want to tell you
something: you made a mistake. What you are doing to us today will
tomorrow be upon you Kurds. Remember these words! Your turn will
come also.”

So writes a Kurd from the village Shtrako in Turabdin, Turkey, at the
website politikART. His name is Sadik Aslan and he is in jail in the
city of Burdur in Turkey, probably for political reasons. The Kurds
played an active part in the genocide Seyfo for both religious and
economic reasons, Sadik Aslan writes. Under the heading Seyfo’nun
laneti (Seyfo’s curse), he describes the killing of the Assyrians in
Turabdin and to some extent the Armenians in eastern Anatolia. The
essence of his article is that when the Turks were finished with the
Christians, they turned their weapons against their Kurdish allies.

And the bloodshed did not end with the Seyfo, he writes and also
links to confiscation of St. Gabriel Monastery’s land. Journalist
Augin Kurt Haninke has translated Sadik Aslan’s article.

——————————————————————————–

The village Arnas is eight kilometers from my home village. In early
July 1915 Assyrians in the neighboring village of Saleh were murdered
in their own homes by Turkish soldiers and Kurdish villagers. The 70
Assyrian families in Arnas learned what happened to Saleh. They could
also hear the gunfire in Midyat. They took what little they could and
began to flee. Those who could not flee were killed by the village’s
Kurds. The Kurdish Agha Nedjo, had in his youth grown up among the
Assyrians and they had raised him as a son. When Seyfo broke out,
he attacked the Assyrian family who had taken care of him first. The
lady of the house asked, “Nedjo, my son, don’t you recognize us?” He
replied coldly, “That was yesterday, today is another day.” While the
husbands, fathers and brothers were killed in Fero Caves outside Arnas,
the women were forced into slave labor or were murdered.

The 20 Assyrian families who lived in my own home village Shtrako
were murdered at the same time by their Kurdish neighbors. Only 12
youngsters managed to flee and escape death. There was also a church
of St. Aday [Thaddeus] from the first century which is now a mosque.

It took time before I understood why this mosque is unlike other
mosques. Neither did I know what had happened in the neighboring
village of Zaz. To me it was the village where I got raisins and
almonds from friendly ladies who patted me on the head while clamped
down in my mother’s skirts, when as a child I went with her to Zaz.

There lived 200 Assyrian families there. When the Kurdish clans
from my home village and other neighboring villages surrounded Zaz,
the Assyrians took refuge in the church of St. Dimot, which had high
walls. They held out for 20 days before hunger and thirst gained the
upper hand. 366 people gave up when they believed the Kurds’ vow not
to harm them. But all were murdered outside the village. Only a few
pretty girls were spared. A Turkish officer who had come from Midyat
intervened when he heard about the barbarism and rescued the ones
remaining in the church. They left the village but most still died
of hunger, disease and attacks on the roads. When the genocide was
over, a few went back to their homes in Zaz. These women whom gave
me raisins and almonds were the remnants of the survivors.

Another Assyrian neighboring village was Hah, with the church St.
Mary. It was the village where I got the best tasting orange in my
life from the nun Sedoke, who had a shining face in her black dress.

She has also fled to Europe. I do not know if she’s still alive. The
villagers of Hah resisted for 45 days inside that church where the
nun handed me the orange. Only three or four villages could resist
like Hah. The other surrounding villages suffered from barbarism:
Arbaye, Bote, Chelik, Deiro du Slibo, Habses, Kafarbe, Kafro Elayto,
Kerboran, Sheherkan, Yerdo, Kfarze and others. In all these villages
Assyrians were murdered by the Kurds who lived in the same village.

For some years I studied in the town of Midyat. Among my classmates
were Assyrian youth Tuma [Thomas], Musa, Salari, Gabriel, Ishak and
others. In the winter, when we squeezed ourselves in the cold desks,
I did not know that there was a time when the Assyrians were burned at
Midyat’s streets and beheaded. None of my classmates told me. Even in
the days of joy there was a sadness in their eyes, like the Mona Lisa.

Much later I understood this deep sorrow. They had inherited it from
their parents and grandparents. But they hid it inside. They were
burdened with grief. It was one of “the effects of the sword” —
shyness, worry, chronic anxiety and docility.

The city of Midyat was besieged by Kurdish clans on July 19, 1915. The
Assyrians were invited by the authorities along with the Kurdish and
Mhallami (Assyrian converts to Islam) clans to surrender. But their
leaders Hanne Safar and Isa Zatte refused. After ten days, on July 29,
the Assyrian resistance collapsed. The Assyrians had taken shelter
in the church of St. Sharbel and in the residence of the Adokas family.

Now there was a slaughter. The Assyrian leader Hanne Safar was
captured and beheaded with his own sword, which he had received from
the Sultan. His head was spiked on a pole and was paraded around
Midyat’s streets. An entire district was set on fire. Those who tried
to escape were killed on the spot. Holes were opened in rooftops and
fire thrown in so that all indoor choked to death. Women and children
had gathered in two districts. All were murdered by death squads. Most
people who tried to escape through various tunnels were murdered.

Young men were thrown headlong from high rooftops and killed. Hundreds
of young boys were lined down to the ground and their heads were
trampled by horses’ hooves. What was left of Midyat was a smoke-filled
pile of debris.

Even after the genocide had ended, nearly 7000 Assyrians were killed
in various parts of Turabdin. In a few villages, Ahlah (Halakh),
Bokesyono, Deir Qubbe, Marbobo and Znaver, Assyrians had been protected
by some Kurds. How much of this action will reduce the size of our
sins is difficult to know.

As a child I used to hear different “hero stories” from the time
of the “Decree on the Christians annihilation (in Kurdish Fermana
Fellaha). But I found it difficult to place events in time and space.

My thinking could go a few years back. The rest was a dark and distant
time, when dark allegations flourished fresh round about my slender
young at heart. There were statements such as: He who kills seven
godless [non-Muslims] would go to paradise or the killer’s palm
would be converted to a rainbow and he will enter paradise. Then
an Assyrian bride was kidnapped by one of my relatives who already
had three wives. Hanne from Hah complained, crying in front of my
grandfather and said, “Why are you doing this to us? We are the
orphans under your protection.”

Then, when we as children ran around in the dusty streets and disturbed
environment, usually the adults admonished us with epithets like
Arnawit (Albanian), Yezidi, Ermeni or Serfillah (Christian skull). The
latter marked the most derogatory epithet.

When you become aware of the reality of the poor women in Zaz, the
angelic nun in Hah, my classmates in Midyat, then your happy memories
become clouded and disappear into thin air. This feeling keeps you
hooked like a lasso, pushes you hard and puts a big lump in your
throat. Then you will catch the eyes of a trapped Assyrian who cannot
even draw his last load to defend himself. You will understand the
vision’s message. A glance that the words of Jesus on the cross says,
“Forgive them, my Lord!”

We usually hear or say that genocide was committed by the government
and the terrorist groups that it had organized. The role of people,
i.e ordinary people, was reduced to a minimum. Unfortunately it is
not true with the historical facts that have emerged, particularly in
Turabdin. Of course, the same applies for the killings of Armenians
in some areas. Regarding the killing of Turabdin’s Assyrians the
central authorities did not always know what was happening. The
attacks were organized usually on a local level. The attacks became
reality through people’s participation. The reason was religious and
economic. The local Assyrians were farmers with large farming lands,
living in large villages.

A hate propaganda was launched, culminating in a rarely seen barbarism
from Kurdish neighbors, who were Muslims, but who for centuries had
lived with the Assyrians. The Kurds wre excited to seize Assyrian
lands, homes, valuables and women. Few questioned the genocide. Those
who went with the flow and gave tacit approval are not without guilt.

They also carry some of the blame for the killings.

In 1918, when Erzincan was “liberated”, the Kurdish warlord Seyid
Riza was awarded with the title “General of Dersim (Erzincan)” by
the Turkish General Kazim Karabekir. Among the Christian prisoners
Riza’s forces had gathered for deportation and murder was also his
Armenian friend Bogas Pasha, who turned to Riza, saying: “My dear
friend, I want to tell you something: you made a mistake. What you
are doing to us today will tomorrow be upon you Kurds. Remember these
words! Your turn will also come.”

In 1915 when the Armenians were driven from Erzincan in death marches,
an Armenian women was shouting to the marauding and murderous Muslims:
“These lands will not be yours, you will not enjoy them in freedom.”

At the same time, when the Assyrians in Hakkari were expelled and
murdered, a Nestorian-Assyrian woman turned about to see her home for
the last time. Crying, she said in Kurdish: ne bi xatire we birano —
“I hope you are not left in peace, brothers.”

Maybe it’s their prophecies that have been fulfilled and their prayers
heard, because the killings have not stopped in these parts after
their departure. But we have not yet done what we need to remove the
curse that hangs over us or to do penance for our sins. Therefore,
today a monastery [St. Gabriel] in Turabdin is bleeding.

Alyaexpress-News
1 aout 2012

Le film historique: la déportation et le massacre des Assyro-Chaldéens
et des Arméniens par les Turcs

L’abominable nettoyage ethnico-religieux dont l’Empire islamique turc
s’est rendu coupable envers les chrétiens Assyro-Chaldéens et les
chrétiens Arméniens entre 1915 et 1918, et qui a fait chez les
premiers entre 500 et 750 000 morts (70 % de la population) et chez
les seconds entre 600 000 et 1,5 million, est toujours nié par la
Turquie contemporaine que certains voudraient voir intégrer l’Union
Européenne…

Mais un film historique réalisé par un professeur de l’Université
Batman de Turquie, traite de ces génocides et dénonce le caractère
voulu et méthodique de ces massacres de masse de chrétiens au début du
XXe siècle. Un film qui va faire du bruit quand il va sortir…

D.H.Source : Assyrian International News Agency et