Author: Kanayan Tamar

Democracy & Freedom Watch
July 6 2012

Brussels is focusing on Georgia’s internal politics

by M. Gagua and L. Tughushi | Jul 6

TBILISI, DFWatch – Brussels is mainly concentrating on what happens
with Georgian reforms and internal politics. On Abakhazia and
South-Ossetia, everybody thinks that for as long as Russia will
recognize these two territories as independent states, there is not
much to be done on the diplomatic side, says Alain Deletroz, Vice
President of International Crisis Group.

The upcoming election is very important to us. Some people envisage
some escalation of the situation. What can you say about the electoral
process here in Georgia?
I can’t say much because we haven’t analyzed it yet. The only thing I
can say is that whenever you have an electoral process it brings up
the tension in the country. I think it is normal whenever you have
presidential elections. The main political parties have to take
positions on a variety of issues, and sometimes they take positions,
which go over or a bit further than the position they will actually
represent once they are in government. So I think in Georgia you are
already feeling this pressure boiling.

How do you asses from the European perspective this process of
Georgian relationship with the EU, the eastern partnership process,
neighborhood policy, how do you asses Georgia’s progress in this
field?
I think if you take the South Caucasus, Georgia is certainly the
country that has made the biggest progress. It is seen so in Brussels
and if the election process goes well it will bring forth also this
positive image of Georgia in Brussels. In the South Caucasus it is
certainly the most advanced country.

You’re Vice President of the International Crisis Group and maybe
familiar with Georgia’s internal situation with Georgian breakaway
republics and the policy of the central government towards the
occupied territories and the policy of Europe towards Abkhazia and
South Ossetia. What are you views on this?
I’ll be a bit tough in answering that question, but if you look at
what is happening in the world right now, especially for Europe, the
eurozone crisis, the elections in Egypt, with Libya, with Syria, with
Tunisia, the South Caucasus is certainly not on the top of European
prioirities. I think the Europeans want to engage with Georgia. But
the message Europe brought to the Georgian government after the war of
2008 was: a) we are pretty angry as nobody needed this war, and b)
they were advising the Georgian government to focus on internal
reforms and development. And I think now Brussels is mainly
concentrating its look on what happens with Georgian reforms and
internal politics. On Abakhazia and South-Ossetia, everybody thinks
that for as long as Russia will recognize these two territories as
independent states, there is not much to be done on the diplomatic
side. In Europe nobody agrees with this situation and all reaffirm
their commitment for Georgia’s territorial integrity, but no country
is ready now to put any political and diplomatic strength into moving
this issue onto the agenda as they see no possibility for a positive
outcome. With the Eurozone crisis, trying to keep a working
relationship with Russia remains a priority for all, even without
warmth or friendship. Sorry for this pragmatic views on what I feel as
being todays’ priorities in Brussels.

What about this escalation around Karabakh and Armenia – Azeri border.
Is there any threat?
This is probably the most serious danger for the region indeed. You
see the number of incidents growing not only on the ceasefire line,
but also, and this is a new phenomenon, on the state border between
Armenia and Azerbaijan. You had also this year civilians being killed
over the line, which is not the first time since 1993, but it has not
happened very often that civilians are killed over the line, right?
Azerbaijan is putting a lot of money into its defense, obliging
Armenia to a huge budgetary effort for its military whil on the
diplomatic side, through the Minsk Group, nothing is advancing. So the
conflict around Karabakh is probably the most dangerous escalation in
the South Cacuasus. The Minsk Group has a hard time reinjecting some
diplomatic and political content into its pattern of of negotiations.

Are you thinking over some open hostilities, is it visible in South
Caucasus I mean this Armenia Azeri conflict or engagement of some big
players, for example Russia, or Iran, Turkey into this conflict?
Well I hope not, but of course the messages are sent around the place
that great powers are looking very carefully at what is going on and
very clearly, in case of an armed conflict, there will be an
alignment. So I think this is something that nobody wants to see
happening. In the South of Armenia and Azerbaijan you have Iran, and
around Iran you have this big question of its nuclear program. A bit
further you have Syria, not to even mention Afghanistan. This probably
the region of the world where the highest amount of tension, and I
think the great powers would have no interest in allowing Baku and
Yerevan to add tension. At the International Crisis Group we have
urged all parties to take very seriously the level of tension that has
grown now between Azerbaijan and Armenia and to push in a much more
forceful way the diplomatic agenda to resolve this conflict.

Couple weeks ago there was a NATO summit in Chicago. Many people in
Georgia had expected some good news. I mean some open signals for
acceptance of Georgia in NATO; not acceptance, but some signals. After
the 2008 war there was a quite negative attitude in Europe towards
Georgia’s ascention to NATO. Has something changed since the war?
As I said before, what has changed is that NATO member states have
seen a lot of efforts put into the internal situation in Georgia, into
the reforms, into the fight against corruption and all this is seen as
very positive. Now with NATO, we have to be realistic. NATO is a
military alliance in which each country accepts to march in to defend
a member that would be attacked. So for as long as Georgia has two
unresolved conflicts, I can guarantee you that strong NATO members
like Germany and France will be happy to make declarations like they
did in Chicago, that the doors of NATO remain open for Georgia, but I
don’t think that they will allow for a full Georgian membership of the
alliance for as long as these two conflicts are not resolved. It would
mean that if a new war starts, and if the pattern of the war is the
same as in 2008, that NATO would have to fight Russia, and I don’t
believe there is any member state of NATO ready to sign off on that.

For the last question we want to turn to the internal situation in
Georgia. I mentioned that there is a strained situation between the
opposition and the government and some people expect even using open
force during the elections or before the elections. Will the European
countries or EU, European powers somehow force the government not to
use force, pressure the government for more democratic processes?
For the EU this is pretty clear. The European agenda with Georgia lies
strongly in the strengthening of its democratic process. Europe is not
taking easily all those games aiming at preventing some contenders to
run, or any attempt to change the constitution to favour one candidate
over otheres. The democratic situation in Georgia is one of its best
assets in Europe and the US. It would be stupid to destroy these
achievements during the upcoming presidential campaing. And I am
pretty sure that the messages from Brussels are crystal clear on that.

Investor’s Business Daily
July 5 2012

Ankara-Paris relations improve

Fri, Jul 06 2012

Turkish FM Ahmet Davutoglu’s visit to Paris underscores the healing of
a rift between the 2 countries. France had enacted a law that
criminalized the denial of Turkey’s attempted genocide against
Armenians in 1915. France’s Constitutional Council killed the law in
Feb. But Ankara did not get the sense that new French Pres. Francois
Hollande will be any warmer to Turkey joining the EU than his
predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy.

RTT News (United States)
July 3, 2012 Tuesday

US “disappointed” By Listing Of Church Of The Nativity As World Heritage Site

(RTTNews) – The United States has expressed “profound disappointment”
over the decision of the World Heritage Commission to take immediate,
emergency action to inscribe the Church of the Nativity as a World
Heritage Site.

Responding to a question at the Daily Press Briefing on Monday, US
State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland said the decision was
taken “against the official recommendation of the International
Council of Monuments and Sites, the expert body that evaluated the
site, and without any input from the folks who administer the site
now: the Roman Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, and Greek Orthodox
authorities.” Being the custodians of the site, they should have been
properly consulted, Nuland said, adding that Washington does “have
concerns about what is happening in UNESCO and this case in
particular.”

Church of the Nativity and the Pilgrimage Route in the Palestinian
region of Bethlehem, the Birthplace of Jesus Christ, was added to
UNESCO’s List of World Heritage in Danger during the 36th session of
the World Heritage Committee meeting being held in the Russian city of
St. Petersburg.

Nuland termed it as “a political move rather than a well thought-out
move.” She cited that this emergency procedure in the World Heritage
Committee has only been used four times in the past, in extreme cases
when the site in question was under threat of being torn down. “That
was not the case here,” she told reporters, questioning “doing it this
way, this fast, without consulting the appropriate authorities.”

“We wanted to see this handled properly, which would have included
taking the advice of the expert advisory body that evaluated the site
and talking to the folks who administer the site,” Nuland added.

Glendale News-Press (California)
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News
July 5, 2012 Thursday

Protesters in Glendale demand justice in beating death of doctor in Armenia

by: Megan O’Neil, Glendale News-Press, Calif.

July 05–Outrage over the fatal beating of a military doctor in
Armenia spread to Glendale Thursday, with nearly 100 people descending
on the Armenian consulate to demand the perpetrators be held
accountable.

According to news reports, 33-year-old army doctor Vahe Avetyan and
three colleagues were brutally beaten on June 17 at a restaurant in
Armenia’s capital, Yerevan. Avetyan, a father of two, died 12 days
later, and his funeral took place this week.

The alleged perpetrators are security guards for Ruben Hayrapteyan —
a member of Parliament who is counted among Armenia’s oligarchs. A
prominent businessman, Hayrapteyan also serves as president of the
Armenian soccer federation.

Even in a country where political corruption has been well-documented,
the incident has reverberated both in Armenia and its diaspora,
estimated at 7 million people worldwide.

Protesters in Glendale Thursday said there have been other beatings,
but this one was particularly shocking because Avetyan served in the
military and is believed to be an innocent victim. They described
Hayrapteyan as a thug infamous for his alleged ties to organized
crime.

“He is terrorizing people,” said Armen Barsegyan, who lives in Van
Nuys and works in Glendale. “We want to stop all terror in Armenian.”

Protesters hoped to deliver a letter to Armenia’s Consul General
Grigor Hovhannissian, whose consulate is on Central Avenue in
Glendale, demanding the prosecution of those involved, as well as the
resignation of President Serzh Sarkisyan.

With the office closed, they had to make do with taping a photo of the
murdered military doctor to the gates.

“We came here to say to our government to do the punishment [mandated]
by law,” said Gayana Manukyan. “If we don’t do this protest, it could
happen again and again. Each of us could be in this situation.”

Not Possible to Make Amends With Resignation’

July 5, 2012 13:23

Vardan Harutyunyan, the head of the Rights and Freedom Center NGO
says about Ruben Hayrapetyan’s resignation.

– Has Ruben Hayrapetyan made amends with his resignation alone?
Someone has called for selling the restaurant and giving the money to
Vahe Avetyan’s family. Will he do so?

– The important thing is not financial compensation, although it is
also very important and necessary. And certainly, one cannot make
amends with resignation. The resignation was just a compelled move,
which was made not by Ruben Hayrapetyan, but by Serzh Sargsyan. The
fault is very big and too grievous to be redeemed with an MP office. I
don’t know who wrote the text of Ruben Hayrapetyan’s resignation, but
one tried to stress the grievousness and seriousness of the fault. One
shouldn’t understand only the murder by saying `the fault.’ The
members of Vahe Avetyan’s family – his wife and underage children –
should be in the spotlight. The fault has been committed against these
very children; these children will grow up without their father, the
future of these children and their mother has been distorted and their
peace has been disturbed. And I cannot imagine what can console them.
Surely, neither an MP office nor weepy public statements. There are
faults that can be redeemed or make amends for this way or another and
to a certain extent, but there is a fault, the redemption of which is
beyond the human’s imagination. Perhaps this is the reason why, while
classifying sins characteristic of human nature, they call a part of
them mortal sins. I think murder, orphaning an innocent child, is a
mortal sin.

– Generally what the analyses of the incident at Harsnakar and the
tragic events that have taken place in regard to that testify to? What
influence the civil society in Armenia can have on the processes?

– This tragedy shows that there is a civil society in Armenia and that
what was possible to do a few years ago without being punished is not
possible today. This is a very important fact. The existence of a
civil society can change many things in the life of our country. As
for the incident itself, I think that it will not be novel, if I say
that this is a result of impunity. It is not a secret that there have
been people in Armenia who have been convinced for many years that
they are above the law and have been guided by the motto `no one can
stop us.’ They are convinced that they have earned that right. At a
certain point, the government involved them, these so-called
oligarchs, in politics, in order to strengthen its power. They started
to use them and the illegal armed groups formed by them in election
processes – while breaking up opposition rallies, using violence
against oppositionists. Their importance reached its climax and was
demonstrated most vividly during the 2008 presidential election and
after it. Today the government of the Republic of Armenia first of all
relies on these oligarchs. This is the reason why Serzh Sargsyan had
stated many times before the parliamentary election that the future
parliament would be a political one and businessmen would not be
included in it, but when it came to the election, he couldn’t cross
out oligarchs, because he understood that he would have no bearing
without them given the complete absence of popular support. The right
to act unpunished and to be above the law has been granted to them in
return for important

services. They didn’t take into account one thing, time. Times have
changed, there is a civil society, there is internet, social networks
and what is more important, the youth of the 21st century. These last
factors I have mentioned are the reason why Vahe Avetyan’s murder is
not like Poghos Poghosyan’s murder, which the government was able to
conceal without much effort.

– What impression the attitude of the political forces toward these
stories has made? Haven’t you noticed attempts to turn that tragedy
into a political show, I mean the activity of the Armenian National
Congress (ANC), in particular?

– I haven’t seen an attempt to turn the tragedy into a political show.
I have watched very closely and I have noticed only pain clearly
expressed by everyone. Everyone just expresses that pain specifically
– someone curses, someone else keeps silent, the other one makes
noise. The ANC and other political forces are also a part – and one of
the most active parts – of the civil society I have mentioned and it
is natural that the ANC should respond and it responded. One should be
happy that other political forces have also responded and condemned.
If there hadn’t been these responses, this result wouldn’t have been
there. By saying `this result,’ I don’t mean the resignation from the
parliament, but the arrests of direct participants in the incident and
the existing social supervision over the investigation, which,
regardless of the government’s will, exists and is real. If it goes on
like this, one will be able to make more tangible achievements.

Interviewed NELLY GRIGORYAN

Agricultural matters are discussed with Karabakh President

news.am
July 06, 2012 | 14:01

STEPANAKERT. – Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) President Bako Sahakyan
on Friday received Armenia’s Agriculture Minister Sergo Karapetyan.

Development of agriculture and cooperation between the two Armenian
states in this domain were discussed during the meeting, Office of the
NKR President informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

A special attention was placed on the implementation of intensive
agricultural technologies.

The Head of State expressed his satisfaction with the current level of
cooperation and highlighted the need to maintain the positive
present-day dynamics in the future, too.

NKR Minister of Agriculture Andranik Khachatryan also attended the talks.

July 06, 2012 | 14:01

STEPANAKERT. – Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) President Bako Sahakyan
on Friday received Armenia’s Agriculture Minister Sergo Karapetyan.

Development of agriculture and cooperation between the two Armenian
states in this domain were discussed during the meeting, Office of the
NKR President informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

A special attention was placed on the implementation of intensive
agricultural technologies.

The Head of State expressed his satisfaction with the current level of
cooperation and highlighted the need to maintain the positive
present-day dynamics in the future, too.

NKR Minister of Agriculture Andranik Khachatryan also attended the talks.

July 06, 2012 | 14:01

STEPANAKERT. – Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) President Bako Sahakyan
on Friday received Armenia’s Agriculture Minister Sergo Karapetyan.

Development of agriculture and cooperation between the two Armenian
states in this domain were discussed during the meeting, Office of the
NKR President informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

A special attention was placed on the implementation of intensive
agricultural technologies.

The Head of State expressed his satisfaction with the current level of
cooperation and highlighted the need to maintain the positive
present-day dynamics in the future, too.

NKR Minister of Agriculture Andranik Khachatryan also attended the talks.

TURCS-AZERIS
Un Azéri s’assoit nu sur la statue d’Atatürk place Taxim à Istanbul et
injurie les passants…

La Turquie est en émoi ! Un Azéri, Mamad Mamoud -qui s’est avéré être
citoyen iranien- est monté complètement nu sur la statue d’Atatürk
pour s’assoir sur sa la tête du fondateur de la « Turquie moderne »
place Taxim, en plein centre d’Istanbul. Quelque peu illuminé, Mamad
Mamoud s’est mis à crier sur tous les passants, très nombreux de cette
place. Un attroupement de Turcs indignés s’est aussitôt réalisé,
certains lui balançant des objets, d’autres désirant escalader la
statue pour le lyncher. La police, arrivée en très grand nombre sur
les lieux a réussi à évacuer l’individu poursuivi par des Turcs en
colère. L’Azéri a reçu néanmoins quelques gifles et coups de poings
avant d’être emmené vers un poste de police pour interrogatoire. Il
s’est avéré que l’Azéri qui a ainsi insulté Atatürk était sous
l’influence des drogues.

Krikor Amirzayan

vendredi 6 juillet 2012,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

ANTI-NÉGATIONNISME
Hollande – Fabius même combat ?

Bienvenue au royaume de la tromperie !
Ainsi le gouvernement Ayrault, par la voix de son ministre des
Affaires étrangères Laurent Fabius, joue le remake de Nicolas Sarkozy
en 2007 : Il n’y aura pas de nouvelle loi pénalisant la négation du
génocide des Arméniens. `il n’est pas possible de reprendre le même
chemin, sinon le résultat sera évidemment le même.` a indiqué hier
Laurent Fabius lors d’une conférence de presse après sa rencontre avec
son homologue turc Ahmet Davutoglu. Alors, quel chemin prendre,
pourrait-on légitimement s’interroger ?

Il est pourtant de notoriété publique que le 24 avril 2012, jour
commémoratif du génocide des arméniens en 1915, le nouveau Président
de la République française, François Hollande, devant toute la presse,
avait réaffirmé sa volonté d’étudier un nouveau texte. Forte de ce
soutien sans faille, la FRA Dachnaksoutioun avait elle-même appelé à
se ranger derrière le leader du PS en vue de le faire élire Président
des français. Bien lui en a pris… Malheureusement, les français
d’origine arménienne ont souvent été les dindons d’une farce dont
certains politiques ont cru bon devoir gaver leurs ouailles.

Ainsi donc, l’ancien ministre de la Culture, Jack Lang, avait dit la
vérité dans l’interview qu’il avait accordé à radio MIT, canal
communautaire des turcs de France, à la veille des élections
législatives.

Ne nous trompons pas. L’argument selon lequel `Nous souhaitons la
réconciliation entre l’Arménie et la Turquie et nous soutiendrons
évidemment tout effort qui est fait en ce sens`, dixit Laurent Fabius
; ne tient pas une seconde la route dans le cas qui nous occupe. Une
façon élégante de renvoyer aux calendes grecques un dossier qui n’a
d’intérêt qu’aux élections…

Il faut remercier Monsieur Fabius d’avoir fait cette déclaration le
jour même où plus d’une dizaine d’Arméniens ont été distingués Justes
parmi les Nations par Yad Vashem pour avoir, au péril de leurs vies,
sauvés des Juifs de l’extermination nazie pendant la seconde guerre
mondiale.

Dans leur grande naïveté les français d’origine arménienne sont
aujourd’hui fixés sur la parole politique.

Jean Eckian

vendredi 6 juillet 2012,
Jean Eckian ©armenews.com

EDITORIAL
Fabius-Davutoglu : La dernière trahison

Le gouvernement ne remettra pas sur le métier la loi sur le génocide
arménien. C’est en substance ce qu’a déclaré sans aucune espèce d’état
d’me apparent le ministre des Affaires étrangères français, lors
d’une conférence de presse avec son homologue turc Ahmet Davutoglu, en
visite à Paris le 5 juillet. En réponse, ce dernier a confirmé la
levée de sanctions turques contre la France, consécutive au vote de la
loi Boyer, pénalisant le négationnisme. Sauf démenti rapide du chef de
l’Etat, les choses semblent donc claires. Le gouvernement PS, à peine
arrivée au pouvoir, a cru urgent de céder à la pression d’Ankara, au
prix d’un reniement de ses engagements et de ceux de son leader. Et ce
sont bien entendu les Arméniens, éternels sacrifiés de la raison
d’Etat, qui font les frais de ce qui apparaît comme le premier grand
parjure du nouveau quinquennat.

Si les propos de Fabius se voyaient confirmés, rarement l’histoire des
relations franco-arméniennes n’aurait connu une félonie aussi ouverte.
Cette forfaiture viendrait évidemment d’amis proclamés. Faut-il
rappeler en ces lignes le nombre de déclarations de l’actuel président
de la République en faveur d’une loi réprimant le négationnisme ?
Voilà plus de 6 ans qu’il les multiplie sur toutes les tribunes. Sans
remonter très loin, n’est-ce pas François Hollande lui-même qui a
relancé le processus sur cette initiative lors de son meeting à
Alfortville du 30 septembre, en demandant qu’elle soit votée de
manière prioritaire par le Sénat qui venait de passer à l’opposition ?
N’est-ce pas lui qui, après la décision du Conseil constitutionnel
invalidant la loi Boyer, exigeait un nouveau texte ? Ne l’a-t-on pas
entendu réitérer ces mêmes promesses le 24 avril 2012, devant le
mémorial du génocide arménien à Paris, avec pour témoins des milliers
de personnes et l’ensemble des médias réunis ? Une telle palinodie
fait honte à la France, à la politique et à la démocratie.

Le courant Sarkosyste a toujours soupçonné le PS de faiblesse envers
Ankara, tandis que les forces à la gauche de ce parti voient
traditionnellement en lui le dernier recours du système pour procéder
aux réajustements nécessaires à sa pérennisation, quand la droite est
à bout de souffle. A ce double titre, la volte-face du gouvernement de
M.Ayrault sur la question arménienne est particulièrement symbolique
de cette duplicité. En cédant au chantage du nationalisme turc, il se
range du côté du plus fort contre le plus faible, de l’oppresseur
contre l’opprimé. Il renie ce faisant le combat des plus grandes
figures de la gauche, qui de Jaures à Sartre ont dénoncé le sort fait
au peuple arménien et l’opportunisme à l’égard de ses assassins. En
manquant à sa parole, il s’inscrit non seulement en faux par rapport
aux initiatives du PS qui a proposé par deux fois aux deux chambres du
Parlement le 12 octobre 2006 et le 4 mai 2011 des lois pénalisant le
négationnisme, mais il foule au pied toute l’ histoire du parti sur
cette question, ainsi que les fondamentaux de sa philosophie
politique. Et cela, à peine arrivée au pouvoir.

Il n’y a pas de mots pour fustiger une telle attitude. Et il est
particulièrement affligeant que Laurent Fabius ait accepté de tenir ce
rôle écrit pour complaire au régime Islamo-conservateur, au moment
même ou l’ensemble du monde universitaire et médiatique en dénonce les
turpitudes dans le registre des droits de l’homme. Pendant que l’on
sacrifiait une nouvelle fois les martyrs du premier génocide du XX
siècle sur l’autel de la Realpolitik, s’ouvrait en effet en Turquie le
procès de Ragip Zarakolu, premier éditeur à avoir osé braver le tabou
arménien, en publiant des livres en turc sur la question. Ainsi, alors
que des intellectuels turcs sauvent l’honneur de leur nation en
défendant au péril de leur vie la vérité sur ce crime « contre
l’humanité », le premier à avoir été qualifié comme tel par la France
le 24 mai 1915, notre ministre des Affaires étrangères se livre à des
comptes d’apothicaire, sous le regard dominateur d’un Davutoglu qui
dicte sa loi avec ses pseudos carnets de commandes. On est tombé bien
bas. Et dans ce scénario, les Français, d’origine arménienne sont
censés faire quoi ? « Circulez y a rien à voir », c’est ça ?

Comment la diplomatie française, qui s’était embourbée dans ce type de
bassesse au début du mandat de Sarkozy, avec la visite secrète de Jean
David Lévitte en mai 2007 à Ankara, n’a-t-elle pas tiré les leçons de
l’échec de cette première expérience qui s’est soldée par une faillite
morale doublée d’une déconfiture économique ? Les tyrans ne respectent
que la force, et Ankara a tenu à la France la dragée haute durant
toutes ces années, réclamant toujours plus de concessions. Quand ce
n’est pas sur les Arméniens, c’est sur Chypre. Quand ce n’est pas sur
Chypre, c’est sur l’Europe etc. Ce qui a amené le gouvernement
précédent à reconsidérer ses positions en 2011.

Ne tirant aucune leçon de cette période funeste, le pouvoir actuel se
prépare à en subir les mêmes effets. En prenant de surcroit la
responsabilité d’exacerber les tensions, d’entretenir l’abcès de
fixation là où il fallait conclure, en respectant tout simplement un
engagement français qui de Hollande à Sarkozy, avait fini par obtenir
un large consensus politique.

Ara Toranian

vendredi 6 juillet 2012,
Ara ©armenews.com

Wall Street Journal
July 5 2012

The Beauty in China, the Truth in Arkansas

By BARBARA CHAI

Director Atom Egoyan is known for his work on films such as “The Sweet
Hereafter” and “Chloe,” but the Armenian-Canadian filmmaker has also
directed a number of stage productions. On July 26 his latest project,
the Chinese opera “Feng Yi TIng,” will open at the Lincoln Center
Festival.

“Feng Yi Ting” tells the true story of Diao Chan (played by Shen
Tiemei), a Chinese courtesan caught in a rivalry between an aristocrat
and his godson during the Han Dynasty. To visualize a score by
composer Guo Wenjing, Mr. Egoyan employs shadow projections of
Terracotta Warriors and the actors’ faces. He also uses traditional
shadow puppetry and animates the English and Chinese subtitles in
dynamic ways.

.”As an opera director, I never lose sight of the fact that my primary
responsibility is to frame these supernatural voices,” said Mr.
Egoyan, who worked with a translator on the Mandarin-language piece.
“That’s the experience of opera, that’s what we get thrilled by.”

With the Lincoln Center opening of “Feng Yi Ting” three weeks away,
Mr. Egoyan is already in Atlanta filming “Devil’s Knot,” a feature
about the three Arkansas teenagers who were convicted of killing three
boys in 1994, maintained their innocence, and were set free last year
after agreeing to an Alford Plea.

The 51-year-old Egyptian-born director spoke with the Journal from
Atlanta recently.

You’ve directed a number of operas, but a Chinese opera is unexpected.

Guo Wenjing’s music is just so beautiful and complex. I was attracted
to these long periods of music without text, so I thought that would
really be something that could be visually treated, and was rare for
an opera to have these spaces. I was attracted to this collision of
old and new throughout the actual project. I thought it would be
interesting to continue that through the visual eye, this clash of old
and new through costume, through the use of old theater technology
like shadow work, puppetry and digital wizardry.

How well does “Feng Yi Ting” translate to Western audiences?

The main experience with opera is the sung voice – the phenomenon of
seeing a human being emit that sound. Unamplified, it’s unworldly.
This particular vocal technique with these two brilliant singers [Ms.
Shen, a soprano, and tenor Jiang Qihu] is unlike anything we’ve heard
in a Western context. The Western voice is grounded in a very
different place from where these people are singing from. The music is
wonderful and it’s a very rich chromatic score using traditional ideas
of Chinese music, using a pentatonic scale and certainly the vocal
lines are very traditional.

You’re now filming “Devil’s Knot,” a feature film about the West
Memphis Three. Reportedly, securing the rights and attaching the
real-life players to the project has been exceedingly difficult.

Yes, it has been very complicated. I think that ultimately what has
emerged that I’m very happy about is that two of the West Memphis
Three, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley, are executive producers on
this project. It gives them a chance to own some of their own story. I
think that Damien [Echols, the third member] feels he has his own
story to tell and I totally agree with him. I think there are many
stories to tell – this is a piece of mythology now. But the very real
fact is these three young men were in prison for 18 years and that to
me is so shocking in and of itself. Our story is set very much in
1993, in what happened in West Memphis around the case.