Author: Nahapetian Boris

ReliefWeb (press release), Switzerland

Source: The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR)

Date: 12 Aug 200

UMCOR Hotline 12 Aug 2008: Georgia, U.S., Liberia, Armenia

GEORGIA: EMERGENCY RESPONSE

UMCOR in Georgia is responding to the needs of those affected by the
outbreak of conflict in Georgia. UMCOR’s Georgia office is providing
health kits to displaced people, medicines and medical supplies to
local hospitals.

UMCOR has also been named as the lead coordinating agency for
medicines and medical supplies being provided through US
Government-sponsored emergency airlifts to the conflict zone.

UMCOR staff and New York headquarters is in close contact with its
office in Tbilisi to provide as-needed support as the situation
develops.

An estimated 100,000 people have been driven from their homes since
the conflict began on Aug. 7. Medical supplies, food and clean water
are most needed. You can help by giving to Georgia Emergency, UMCOR
Advance # 250305.

US: IOWA TRAINING HELPS FLOOD SURVIVORS

Recovering from any natural disaster is a long process and the Midwest
floods are no exception. Flood survivors can expect to experience a
range of emotions as they struggle to come to terms with an
overwhelming situation. UMCOR and the Iowa Annual Conference are
helping address the spiritual and emotional needs of those affected.

Calming After the Storm, a spiritual and emotional care training led
by UMCOR consultant Mary Gaudreau, was held in three Iowa locations in
August. About 70 clergy and lay leaders attended the training
sessions, which are the first of several events to be offered. They
equip participants with skills and resources to help survivors
overcome their trauma.

To learn more about training for Spiritual and Emotional Care, contact
Luz Knight at UMCOR’s Emergency Services Office, [email protected]
or 202-548-4002. You can also send gifts to help survivors through
UMCOR’s Domestic Disaster Response, Advance # 901670.

LIBERIA: ALL-AROUND SUCCESS

Yah Dolo, 48 has taken full advantage of UMCOR’s Sustainable
Agriculture and Development (SA&D) trainings offered in her community
in Liberia. She benefits from beekeeping, snail raising, Moringa
production and UMCOR’s Integrated Crop and Pest Management training to
help her grow healthy vegetables.

This year, Dolo expects to produce about five gallons of honey from
two of her nine beehives. She is raising snails for her family to eat,
and will soon market snails for income. In addition, she owns 50
Moringa trees that she shares with mothers in her community to help
them feed their children. With the proceeds she is earning from her
farm, Dolo plans to purchase another acre of land to plant 400 more
Moringa trees.

Farmers like Dolo are thriving examples in their communities thanks to
UMCOR’s SA&D training. Please help farmers like Dolo feed not only
themselves but their community by giving to UMCOR’s Sustainable
Agriculture & Development Program, UMCOR Advance # 982188.

ARMENIA: NUTRITIOUS CHEESE

In the Ararat, Armavir, Shirak marzes and Yerevan regions of Armenia,
more than 6,800 disadvantaged people have an improved diet due to the
provision of locally-made cheese.

Through UMCOR’s Cheese Distribution Program, vulnerable people
throughout 58 institutions that include orphanages, retirement
centers, mental hospitals, and boarding schools now have access to an
additional protein-rich food source. Since April, UMCOR has
distributed more than 2,916 kg of cheese that is providing the daily
protein requirement and nourishment for those in need. UMCOR also
monitors the distribution of cheese from dairy plants to these
institutions, assuring its quality, timely deliveries, proper storage
and refrigeration, and fair distribution.

You can help Armenians eat healthier by supporting programs like
these. Send your gifts to Armenia Emergency, UMCOR Advance #250225.

WRESTLING STAYS IN THE RUSSIAN FAMILY

InTheNews.co.uk
Tuesday, 12 Aug 2008 18:36
UK

Russia takes its first medals Printer friendly version Countries
from the former Soviet Union swept the medals board in today’s two
wrestling finals.

Russia’s Islam-Beka Albiev won the gold medal for the Greco-Roman
60kg wrestling class while compatriot Nazyr Makiev emerged on top in
the 55kg class.

Mankiev said: "I am very proud of my country although it is not an
easy time for the Russian wrestling delegation, but we are a very
strong team."

The silver medals went to Rovshan Bayramov of Azerbaijan for the 55kg
class and Roman Amoyan of Armenia in the 60kg competition respectively.

"This is the first gold medal for Russia. I feel very good about it,"
Mankiev said.

"I am very proud of my country although it is not an easy time for
the Russian wrestling delegation, but we are a very strong team."

Albiev said his win made him feel "nothing but peace".

"I should pay my thanks to my coach and the head coach of the Russian
wrestling delegation.

"I especially want to appreciate people who gave me support and
encouragement in front of the television back home. Of course, I want
to say thank you to my parents."

Daily Star, UK
Aug 11 2008

BRITS FLEE HELL ZONE

11th August 2008 By Steve HughesYour Shout ( 0 )

BRITS were fleeing Georgia last night as Russian troops took control
of the battle-scarred region of South Ossetia.

The Foreign Office urged all Brit workers in the former Soviet state
to leave as soon as possible as the conflict’s death toll rose to
2,000.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: `It is wise to leave while some air
services are still available and the border remains open.’

But charity worker Sian Davies, who is based in Georgia’s capital
Tblisi, said she was determined to stay unless the situation got
worse.

She said: `There have been skirmishes in the South Ossetian region in
the last couple of weeks but on Thursday night there had been an
agreed time for negotiations and we were understanding that things
were quietening down. We woke on Friday morning to the news that war
had been declared and Georgia had been invaded and since then it has
just snowballed.

`The situation here is extremely confusing. Tbilisi is fairly quiet
but we are hearing about horrible things happening in the rest of the
country.

`A lot of Britons are leaving ` basically the British Embassy is
advising us all to get out if we can.

`They are telling us to go on our own and get to the Armenian
border. A couple of my British friends have done that already but a
few of us are still here.’

Last night Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili called for a
ceasefire and said his troops were pulling out of the separatist South
Ossetia region.

His government was last night also trying to start talks with Russia.

Russia stormed into South Assetia’s capital Tskhinvali three days
after the start of the fierce fighting.

Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin, who met ref-ugees from
Tskhinvali, accused Georgia of `complete genocide’, saying: `They are
mad!’

But the move angered the Americans.

The US said Moscow’s response had been `disproportionate’ and any
further military action could have a `long-term impact’ on relations
between the countries.

6989/Brits-flee-hell-zone/

VIVACELL EMPLOYEES LED BY THE GENERAL MANAGER RALPH YIRIKIAN VOLUNTEERED TO JOIN THE ZALINYANS AT THE CONSTRUCTION OF THEIR FAMILY HOUSE

arminfo
2008-08-08 12:36:00

ArmInfo. VivaCell, a subsidiary of Mobile TeleSystems OJSC (NYSE:
MBT)) announces that on August 8th, 2008, VivaCell General Manager,
staff members and Lori region deputy governor Aghvan Varderesyan
will be engaged in a volunteering activity in Gargar, Lori region
by participating in the construction works of the Zalinyans’ house
which is one out of 15 houses sponsored by the company this year.

In 2008 15 new houses will be built for families in need in 8 regional
communities of Armenia thanks to VivaCell support

It is more than 14 years that the Zalinyans – Aghabek, Armenuhi and
their four sons, live in "domik", a metal shipping container. It
was extremely difficult to raise four children in such deprecate
conditions. There was no sanitation system, kitchen and
water-lines. The natural lighting was poor.

Rainwater often leaked in. The ceiling got covered by mold spoiling the
air in the room. The family suffered from heat in summer and unbearable
cold in winter. The children often get cold and missed their classes

The family earns a living through farming- they grow potatoes, grain
and fodder. Aghabek also works as a manual laborer. However, their
income has not been enough to finish the half-built house that they
started in 1989, 19 years ago.

Thanks to VivaCell, Fuller Center for Housing and Armenian Habitat,
the family at last got the opportunity to finish their home and raise
their children in safe and decent conditions.

Back in 2007 thanks to the good will of VivaCell, 10 needy families
moved to their simple, decent and affordable houses before the Armenian
freezing winter started and to meet the New Year with rebuilt hope
and new dreams.

This year also, in line with its CSR commitment, VivaCell will
help 15 more families in 8 communities of Armenia to complete their
half-built houses and escape from the claws of poverty housing in the
regions. Currently these families live in metal containers, unfinished
houses, in houses in emergency conditions or in rented houses.

"Because we believe in the future of Armenia, and now we do certain,
tangible steps to make the dream of our compatriots a reality –
this is our answer to the question about why the leading mobile
communications operator of Armenia made a commitment to sponsor the
houses of 15 needy families", noted Ralph Yirikian, after which the
volunteers from VivaCell started their work.

VivaCell constantly supports the needy families of Armenia.

Fuller Center for Housing and Armenian Habitat are working to eliminate
poverty housing by providing long term, interest free loans and by
assisting with the volunteer work helping low-income families to
build simple, sustainable, affordable houses and renovate their houses.

VivaCell (K-Telecom CJSC) is the leading Armenian mobile operator,
providing a wide range of Voice and Data services. Mobile TeleSystems
OJSC (‘MTS’) is the largest mobile phone operator in Russia and the
CIS. Since June 2000, MTS’ Level 3 ADRs have been listed on the New
York Stock Exchange (ticker symbol MBT).

KHACHIKYAN AND JANOYAN TO REPRESENT ARMENIA AT THE OLYMPICS

European Athletics
php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6596&a mp;Itemid=2
Aug 8 2008
Switzerland

Photo: Ani Khachikyan receiving her lucky Olympic Lion.

Armenia has named their women’s 100m Champion Ani Khachikyan and
men’s Javelin record holder Melik Janoyan to represent their country
at the Beijing Olympic Games.

Khachikyan was crowned Armenian 100m Champion this year with her
12.23 finish at the Armenian Championships at the end of May. The
17-year-old Armenian Junior record holder also finished first at this
year’s World Athletics Day and participated in the European Cup,
2nd League in Banska Bystrica, where she ran the 100m in 12.37,
and the 200m in 25.58.

Janoyan claimed third place at the 2007 European Cup Winter Throwing
in Yalta and was announced as Armenian Athlete of the Year, however
his best ever performance was his 78.03m in Adler this February.

Both young athletes are in top form going into their first ever
Olympic Games. They started the experience last week by meeting with
Gagik Tsarukyan President of the Armenian Olympic Committee last
week and being handed Olympic symbols and wished the very best of
luck for Beijing.

ARMENIAN INTERESTS WILL NOT BE DAMAGED IF GUL WATCHES FOOTBALL IN YEREVAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.08.2008 17:49 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Union of Armenians of Russia supports the
initiative of RA President Serzh Sargsyan to invite his Turkish
counterpart Abdullah Gul to Yerevan.

"The Armenian Diaspora numbers 8 million people and all have different
opinions. We rate President Sargsyan’s invitation as a good will
gesture. Armenian interests will not be damaged if Gul watches football
in Yerevan," said Gegham Khalatyan, UAR Vice President.

"Armenia will benefit anyway. As to the United States and
Russia… Over 100 of U.S. Congressmen and presidential candidate
Barack Obama stand for recognition of the Armenian Genocide. At the
same time, Turkey is an important ally for the U.S. and it’s natural
that each initiative for normalization of the Armenian-Turkish
relations is welcomed," he said. "To achieve serious results,
Turkey should first of all openly face the dark pages of its
history. Otherwise, all efforts will be useless."

"Russia pursues a pragmatic policy in the region, although it often
doesn’t meet long-term strategic interests. However, presence of
the border guards and a military base in Armenia is a restraint for
Turkey," Khalatyan said, ANF news agency reports.

OSCE MINSK GROUP SHOULD DO MORE FOR KARABAKH SETTLEMENT – BAKU

Interfax News Agency
July 31 2008
Russia

Baku has urged the OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation
in Europe) Minsk Group to step up it’s efforts on the Karabakh
settlement process.

"Unfortunately, the intermediaries either do not understand or do not
want to understand certain founded demands of Azerbaijan," head of
the Azeri presidential administration’s external relations department
Novruz Mamedov told the Azeri television channel Space.

Azerbaijan respected the intermediaries but "they should confirm
their status as diplomats and conflict managers," he said.

It does not become intermediaries to drag out time and visit the
region from time to time, Mamedov said.

"Everyone in Azerbaijan is highly sensitive to the [Karabakh] problem,
and everyone knows what role the [OSCE Minsk Group] co-chairmen may
play and what role they play actually. That is the problem," he said.

The OSCE Minsk Group ,chaired by representatives of the United States,
Russia and France, is working on the Karabakh settlement.

US DIPLOMAT CLEARS HURDLE FOR ARMENIAN POST

Associated Press Worldstream
July 29, 2008 Tuesday 8:59 PM GMT

A U.S. diplomat nominated to be ambassador to Armenia is closer to
congressional approval.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee recommended Tuesday that Marie
Yovanovitch be approved. The nod came despite intense questioning by
lawmakers during her confirmation hearing.

Yovanovitch stuck clearly in the hearing to U.S. policy not to label
as genocide the World War I-era killings of huge numbers of Armenians
in Turkey.

Last year, the White House withdrew its nomination of career diplomat
Richard Hoagland after one lawmaker blocked it in an objection to
that policy.

Yovanovitch must still be approved by the full Senate.

The U.S. government has avoided taking a position on whether the
killings were genocide to avoid damaging relations with Turkey,
a key NATO ally.

THE FORGOTTEN GENOCIDE
Robert Berridge

The Hamburg Express
July 28 2008
Germany

Germany was very late in officially recognising the Armenian
Genocide. At the beginning of 2001 the Central Committee of Armenians
in Germany formally appealed to the Bundestag to recognise the
Genocide. This appeal was rejected by a combination of Social
Democrats, Christian Democrats and other minority parties. Only the
Linke supported this appeal.

The Government admitted that they had been influenced by the
Turkish Governments request not to debate the subject of Genocide
in Parliament.

The German Government justified its decision by stressing that Turkey
and Armenia had established a Committee for Reconciliation to reach
an agreement to the Genocide question.

It was clear that Germany did not want to damage the satisfactory
relationship with Turkey.

2005, the oppositional CDU /CSU surprisingly raised a question in the
Bundestag in remembrance of the victims of the Armenian genocide. The
then SPD and Green governing parties ere thereby put in a difficult
position. They could not simply ignore the raising of this question
by such an important party as the political and moral damage for the
two governing parties would have been too severe.

The resolution formulated by the CDU led to a debate in the Bundestag
concerning the Armenian Genocide just a few days before the 24th of
April. Members of parliament from all factions condemned the crimes of
the then ruling Young Turk Government and demanded from the present
Turkish Government a confrontation with their historical past. After
the debate is was agreed that a resolution should be formulated and
agreed upon by all factions.

This resolution was titled. â~@~^ In Memory of the Expelled and
Massacred

Armenians of 1915 – Germany must contribute to the reconciliation of
Turkey and Armenia", and was presented to Parliament in June 2005

The crimes committed were not clearly defined as Genocide in the
resolution. The Bundestag condemned the "Young Turk government of the
Ottoman Empire, whose actions almost led to the complete annihilation
of the Armenians in Anatolia." and criticised openly the "infamous role
of the German Empire, which despite the array of information sources
pointing to an organised and systematic expulsion and annihilation
of Armenians, did not once attempt to prevent this cruelty."

.

In the resolution the German Theology Professor Dr Johannes Lepsius
was expressly mentioned as he had with "vigour and efficiently fought
for the survival of the Armenian people"

Lepsius had already taken interest in the fate of the Armenians during
the Armenian massacres between 1892 -1894 and had since this date
contributed richly in informing the German public of the persecution
of the Armenians and of Christians in the Ottoman Empire. In the
middle of the war he published a detailed work titled "A Report of
the Condition of Armenians in Turkey".

After the war, Lepsius published his book "Germany and Armenia
1914-1918: a Collection of Diplomatic Correspondence" Until a few
years ago this was the most important source of historical German
material regarding the Armenian genocide.

After the opening of the German Archives relating to this period
more and more details of the Genocide became known. These details
confirmed and made clear the extent to which Germany was partly to
blame for the tragic and criminal events.

As the debate took place in Berlin in April 2005, the Speaker for
the Greens admitted that "we not only knew, but also carry some of
the blame. I would like to on behalf of my faction, and I believe for
all in this Parliament, today 90 years after these terrible events,
offer my apologises to the Armenian people for our complicity."

The speaker for the SPD supported the demands of his Green colleague
and insisted that an apology to the Armenian people must be part of the
resolution. Two months later as the common resolution was accepted by
Parliament there was no mention of the German apology to the Armenian
people and no outcry to its absence.

Two years have passed since this Resolution went through the German
Parliament and in the meantime has been long forgotten. Nothing more
has been undertaken, since that emotional outburst of guilt in April
2005, to promote the discussion around the Armenian Genocide and
its recognition.

The Resolution of June 2005 was merely a German attempt to fulfil its
moral duty to the Armenian people, but nothing more. Only one of the
demands contained in the Resolution of June 2005 was implemented. In
honour of Johannes Lepsius, a new tourist was created in Potsdam
a small city outside Berlin, whereby his home was designated as a
Memorial to his Life and Works. It will be opened this December to
mark his 150th Birthday. As an ally of the Armenian people, Lepsius
contributed to the Armenian cause as much as any German was in the
position to and more than any other German of the time.

But only slowly is the truth behind Germanys historical role in the
Ottoman drama coming to light, as the most sensitive documents had
only been evaluated by a very select few.

Also Lepsius´s political aspirations, as a friend of Armenia, are
coming under scrutiny which should provoke thought within the German
political scene. Especially as the man who fought for the rights
of Armenians and for whom a memorial is being erected in Potsdam
held many undemocratic positions. He was a supporter of the German
expansionist policy and an admirer of the German Emperor. Although
he was certainly against the annihilation of the Armenians by the
Young Turk regime, he was not opposed to their expulsion. What the
German Government protested about was the manner and the murder
of the deportees. Nevertheless, the diplomats were aware that the
Turkish regime had no interest in allowing the Armenians to resettle
in Mesopotamia: the Young Turks wanted to annihilate them.

The Links Party raised a question in the Bundestag which warned
against making a memorial of Lepsius´s home in Potsdam. To honour
someone in Germany who held strong nationalistic, anti-Semitic and
was a dedicated supporter of Emperor Wilhelm II is a dangerous act.

The hopes raised by the Resolution of June 2005, that such a Memorial
would serve in the "sense of furthering the relationship between
Armenians and Turks" is now hardly realistic.

The attempt by the Christian Democrats and Church circles in Germany
to resurrect Johannes Lepsius as exemplary for German humanistic
thought will not succeed. Lepsius was certainly not an enemy of the
Armenians but he was also not the model of the "Good German" which
the authorities wish to portray him as.

A memorial to the victims of the Armenian Genocide is the proper thing
to do, but to have it in the home of a German who admired the German
Kaiser and his expansionist policies and moreover did not oppose the
expulsion of the Armenians is surely the wrong place.

–Boundary_(ID_K+AVq9h8VcU2amn1ZkUcDg)–

23rd July 08

System Of A Down’s Malakian + Dolmayan Release ‘Scars On Broadway’

Scars On Broadway, the highly anticipated new band of Daron Malakian
and John Dolmayan, the guitarist/singer and drummer of System Of A
Down, will release their self titled debut album on July 26 in limited
and standard versions. Daron Malakian, who also produced the album,
worked in the studio with band mate Dolomayan completing over 20
tracks of which 15 were finally selected for the album.

Actually, many of the songs that ‘Scars On Broadway’ used in their
debut album are a bit older, according to Malakian:

"I normally set my songs to the side for a while and let the ideas
ripen. It makes it easier for me to decide which pieces are the
best. "The guitarist/singer wrote most of the songs using a keyboard
and drum machine. Because of this, the sound of Scars On Broadway
doesn’t simply classify itself as Metal, but expresses itself through
various rock- elements and influences, a nod to Malakian’s heroes:
Iggy Pop, David Bowie and Neil Young.

The first Single "They Say" is already available as an e-release and
can be heard at _www.ScarsOnBroadway.com_
(http://www.scarsonbroad way.com/) .

The track is a club anthem, heavy and pressing, more like the style of
traditional punk during the 1970’s.

Scars On Broadway has played a handful of shows in the past weeks such
as the Coachella Festival where the L.A. Times described them as "one
of the hottest highlights at the Festival."

Furthermore, Malakian and Dolmayan played at a benefit concert with
Metallica in which SPIN magazine stated "the little break that System
of ADown took in no way stole any of the unbelievable energy that the
individual band members exhibit."

© 2008 SONY BMG Music Entertainment (Australia) Pty Limited