Author: Nahapetian Samvel

Gas alternative guarantees independence
By Mher Ohanian
Yerkir/arm
3 Dec 04
Start of construction of Iran-Armenia gas pipe is now a reality. The
negotiations that started back in 1992 are now in the history and
the 141 km long pipe will now raise the energetic independence of
our country.
The Iran-Armenia gas pipe will be an alternative source in situations,
when our country runs into blind alleys, which was the case in
1992-94. Note that gas provides energy to 35-40 per cent of Armenian
production. Naturally, explosions of the only gas pipe lines cause
emergencies, which will be avoided due to the new pipe.
In addition, the new pipe will spur competition with the Russian gas
pipe which will get a grip on the prices. Another way for cheap gas
can be the Turkmenistan gas coming through this new pipe. By 2007
Armenia will import from Iran a quantity of gas equal to what it now
imports from Russia. And the quantity is supposed to double it by 2019.
The expenditures will be 220 million dollars, out of which Armenia
will need to pay 30 million (via a credit from Iranian bank).
Later on, it will be necessary to construct a pipe through
Kajaran-Sisian-Jermuk-Ararat-Yerevan will cost 90 million
dollars. Possible sponsors are now being negotiated.
Another planned project is construction of a hydro power station on
Araks river, which will also be probably sponsored through Iranian
bank loans.
In addition, it is likely that not only factories will be consuming
the gas from Iran but also the regular population, 70 per cent of
which is now deprived of such facilities.

Moscow mayor pleased with Armenia’s cooperation
Noyan Tapan news agency
3 Dec 04
Yerevan, 3 December: Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan
received Moscow Mayor Yuriy Luzhkov and his delegation on 3
December. Noting the high level of relations between Armenia and
Russia, the parties also stressed the need for the further development
of cooperation between the Armenian government and other
administrative parts of the Russian Federation, particularly the
government of Moscow.
The governments of Armenia and Moscow have already approved the
composition of a working commission for cooperation in the commercial,
economic, scientific, technical, humanitarian and cultural areas,
Markaryan said. A draft programme on cooperation is being
prepared. The first meeting of the commission is scheduled for the
spring of 2005.
The Armenian premier suggested that major Moscow companies take more
active steps to enter and invest in the Armenian market. Markaryan
noted that Armenia is particularly interested in setting up joint
ventures processing fruit and vegetables.
Luzhkov promised to help resolve the mentioned issues. He expressed
satisfaction with the negotiations with the Armenian government, the
mayor’s office of Yerevan and the development and implementation of
joint programmes. The programme of cooperation for 2005-2007, which
was signed between Moscow and Yerevan on 3 December, is an important
step in this direction, he said.
The sides also touched upon cooperation in the banking system, health,
transport, communications, education and culture, the press service of
the [Armenian] government said.

Zaman, Turkey
Dec 3 2004
Turkey Condemns Slovak Armenian ‘Genocide’ Approval
Turkey harshly condemned the Slovakian parliament’s approval of
so-called Armenian Genocide allegations.
A Turkish Foreign Ministry press release said regret and condemnation
were expressed to the Slovak government on November 30th. “Passing
judgment on controversial periods in the history of other nations is
not the duty and responsibility of national parliaments.”
Ankara warned that the decision was made in the context of political
interests and contradicts with the realities of international
relations. He added that the move is not beneficial in any way.

ANSA Notiziario Generale in Italiano
Mercoledì, 1 Dicembre 2004
UE:TURCHIA, ANKARA DOVRA’ RISOLVERE ANCHE PROBLEMI MINORANZE ;
SI PRECISANO CONDIZIONI PER OTTENERE AVVIO NEGOZIATO
ANKARA
(ANSA) – ANKARA, 1 DIC – La Turchia, per ottenere la data di
avvio del negoziato di adesione con l’Ue, deve impegnarsi a
risolvere al piu’ presto possibile i problemi ancora aperti con
le sue minoranze etniche e religiose, come curdi, ortodossi ed
aleviti e a normalizzare le sue relazioni con l’Armenia. E’
quanto riportano oggi i quotidiani turchi Cumhuriyet e Milliyet
che fanno riferimento alla bozza di un documento, trapelato a
Bruxelles nei giorni scorsi, che contiene alcune linee guida per
i capi di stato e di governo che il 17 dicembre dovranno
decidere la data di avvio del negoziato con Ankara e le sue
condizioni.

In particolare, per quanto riguarda la questione curda, l’Ue
sembra orientata a chiedere ad Ankara -secondo i due giornali-
“passi piu’ attivi”, e “negoziati con le organizzazioni
curde” al fine di mettere fine al conflitto. Secondo Cumhuriyet
l’Ue si spingerebbe fino a chiedere “un accordo di cessate il
fuoco con il Pkk” (una cosa che -secondo gli analisti-
difficilmente la Turchia potra’ mai accettare).

Per quanto riguarda i cittadini turchi di religione ortodossa
(sono circa 2000), l’Ue chiede ad Ankara di riaprire la scuola
religiosa ortodossa di Hebeliada (un’isola vicino Istanbul)
chiusa da diversi anni e alla cui riapertura si oppongono gli
ambienti islamici ortodossi che hanno influenza sull’attuale
governo turco.

Per gli aleviti, che si considerano una religione separata
dall’islam e che lo stato ed il governo turco continuano ad
assimilare ai musulmani, l’Ue intende chiedere un riconoscimento
della loro identita’ separata, in quanto “minoranza non
musulmana”, con le conseguenze che cio’ comporta.

Quanto ai rapporti con l’Armenia, con cui la Turchia non ha
relazioni diplomatiche e contatti aerei solo 4 volte la
settimana, l’Ue chiede, come misura urgente, l’apertura di un
passaggio di confine ed un avvio di normalizzazione delle
relazioni avvelenate dal rifiuto di Ankara di riconoscere il
“genocidio” degli armeni del 1915 ad opera degli ottomani e
dalle conseguenze della guerra azero-armena del Nagorno
Karabakh, oggi sotto sovranita’ armena.

(ANSA).

Armenian leader receives CIS security chiefs
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
30 Nov 04
Text of report by Armenian Public TV on 30 November
[Presenter] Armenian President Robert Kocharyan today received the
secretaries of the security councils of the [CIS] Collective Security
Treaty Organization who had a meeting in Yerevan.
[Presenter over video of the meeting] Noting that the issues discussed
were within the framework of general interests, including those of all
the modern countries, the Armenian president described close
cooperation in this sphere as important.

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Nov 30 2004
MEETING OF PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN ILHAM ALIYEV AND EMIR OF QATAR,
SHEIKH HAMAD BIN KHALIFA AL THANI
[November 30, 2004, 19:50:30]
A meeting of President of Azerbaijan Republic Ilham Aliyev and Emir
of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani was held at the
`Emir-Divan’ Palace on 30 November.
Expressing pleasure of meeting President Ilham Aliyev in his country,
Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani said he was keen in
development of cooperation with Azerbaijan. The political relations
of our countries are high level, and current visit of the Azerbaijan
President will promote expansion of cooperation in other spheres as
well, he underlined.
Expressing gratitude for official invitation and sincere hospitality,
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said that there are good
opportunities to expand cooperation between the two countries.
Emir of Qatar stated that this, first, would promote opening of
embassy in Doha, reciprocal visits of foreign ministers, as well as
of the businessmen of two states.
It was also stressed that Qatar has opportunity to invest in some
fields in Azerbaijan. As a result, it was agreed on invitation of
specialists, including physicians, sportsmen to Qatar.
President Ilham Aliyev reminded on rich and colossal financial
opportunities of Qatar, and said that the discussed questions should
be realized on concrete projects. The embassy of Azerbaijan should be
opened in the State of Qatar. Certain steps will be made on creating
of joint economic commission.
Head of the Azerbaijan State also touched the Armenia-Azerbaijan,
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, disclosed position of Azerbaijan in this
question. President Ilham Aliyev expressed gratitude to the State of
Qatar for support of Azerbaijan’s position on the international
organizations, including in the UN and Organization of Islamic
Conference related to the settlement of the problem.
Mr. Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani said that Qatar stands ready to
cooperate with Azerbaijan in all fields.
Also was held exchange of views on a number of issues of mutual
interest.

Procès de Malabo: Erevan dénonce la condamnation “sans preuves” de 6 Arméniens
Agence France Presse
26 novembre 2004 vendredi 6:26 PM GMT
EREVAN 26 nov — L’Arménie a dénoncé vendredi la condamnation “sans
preuve” le même jour par la justice de Guinée Equatoriale de pilotes
et membres d’équipage arméniens à des peines allant de 14 à 24 ans
de détention, pour leur participation à une tentative de coup d’Etat
dans ce pays.
“Nous sommes absolument certains que les aviateurs arméniens n’ont
aucun rapport avec les actions tentées contre la direction de la
Guinée Equatoriale”, a déclaré le ministère arménien des Affaires
étrangères dans un communiqué.
“Le tribunal n’a fourni aucune preuve fondée” de la culpabilité des
citoyens arméniens, a ajouté le ministère, indiquant que leur avocat
allait faire appel de ce verdict.
Selon le ministère arménien, le commandant de bord de l’avion Antonov
AN-12 accusé d’avoir projeté de transporter des mercenaires en Guinée
Equatoriale depuis le Zimbabwé a été condamné vendredi à 24 ans de
détention, alors que les six membres d’équipage ont été condamnés à
14 ans de prison.
L’appareil, qui appartenait à une société arménienne, a été saisi
par l’Etat de Guinée Equatoriale, selon la même source.
–Boundary_(ID_X9BI5vL7TEVB3yk1MxNILA)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN COMMUNITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPESSES WILLINGNESS TO TAKE ACTIVE
PART IN 25 NOVEMBER TELETHON
LOS ANGELES, November 24 (Noyan Tapan). During the November 19 meeting
with NKR President Arkady Ghoukassian the Armenian Community of
California supported its compatriots from the Eastern states of the US
in their aspiration for strengthening aid to Nagorno Karabakh. It, as
well as the Armenians of Boston, New York, Detroit and other US cities
expressed its willingness to take an active part in the November 25
telethon on fundraising for the completion of the construction of the
“North-South” highway, which is of great importance to the NKR.
According to the Head Information Department attached to the NKR
President, during the meeting with a group of Armenian businessmen
and philanthropists of Armenian origin participants (couples Levon
and Zara Ghoukassians, Ralf and Savi Toufenkians, Hakob and Maria
Shirvanians were among them) reported about their intention to
contribute to the development of Artsakh. They, in particular,
emphasized that the current activities of the Armenian Community of
the US are connected with the growth of its confidence in the NKR
President and support to the democratic and economic reforms carried
out by him in Nagorno Karabakh.
This thought stood out in all the meetings of Arkady Ghoukassian in
America, in particular, during the reception given in honor of the NKR
President by the Knight’s Council of the Armenian General Benevolent
Union (AGBU) and its Californian Department. Vahe Imastunian, the
Head of this Department, coming up during the reception noticed the
importance of the NKR President’s visit to the US from the point
of view of the strengthening of the relations between the American
Community and Artsakh. Arkady Ghoukassian thanked the participants
for their genuine wish to help Artsakh and expressed the opinion
that there are all the necessary prerequisites for the completion of
the financing of the construction of the “North-South” highway this
year, as well as for the implementation of other important projects
concerning the all-round development of Artsakh. He emphasized that
the active participation of the Diaspora in the forthcoming telethon
will demonstrate clearly that the Armenians of the whole world aren’t
indifferent about the fate of Artsakh, which, in its turn, will have
political significance.
The Hovhannesians, whose guest was Arkady Ghoukassian, also wanted
to contribute to the completion of the “North-South” highway.
Issues concerning the socio-economic development of Artsakh, as well
as the process of the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict were touched upon in Arkady Ghoukassian’s interview to the
local Armenian TV reporters. “Artsakh won in the war imposed on it,
because there were Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora standing behind
its back. I am sure that we will achieve the same results in economic
confrontation if we join our efforts,” the President, in particular,
said.
Touching upon the prospects of the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict, Arkady Ghoukassian emphasized that the subordination
of Nagorno Karabakh to Azerbaijan is out of the question. “Our
purpose is to gain the juridical recognition of Nagorno Karabakh,”
the President announced. He estimated negatively the actions of the
authorities of Baku trying to gain the discussion of the issue of
so-called occupied territories in the UN and characterize them as
provocative. According to him, such steps of official Baku complicate
the too difficult process of the peaceful settlement still more. The
NKR President noticed that the issues of territories and refugees
arose as a result of the military aggression of Azerbaijan against
Nagorno Karabakh, that’s why they are rather the consequence of the
armed conflict than it’s reason. According to Arkady Ghoukassian,
“The main issue that should be resolved is the issue of the status
of Nagorno Karabakh.” He also noticed that the neglect of the issue
of the status of Nagorno Karabakh by Azerbaijan makes the discussion
of other problems concerning the overcoming of the consequences of
the armed conflict nonsensical.
Arkady Ghoukassian was present at the Sunday service at the St. Karapet
Church in Hollywood on November 22. The service was held by Archbishop
Pargev Martirosian, Head of the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian
Apostolic Church, who is in the US today.

ARMENIA THIS WEEK
Monday, November 22, 2004
In this issue:
Congress passes key aid, trade legislation
Thanksgiving fundraising to benefit Karabakh
Armenia modifies communications regulation
U.S. CONGRESS PASSES KEY ARMENIA ASSISTANCE, TRADE LEGISLATION
Both branches of the U.S. Congress voted last Saturday to uphold equal
amounts of U.S. military aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan. Last Friday, the
Senate also adopted legislation making normal trade relations with
Armenia permanent.
Voting on Saturday, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives
approved “not less than $75 million” in economic and $8.75 million in
military assistance to Armenia, as well as $3 million in humanitarian
aid to Nagorno Karabakh. The $8.75 million are due to be spent through
the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) and the International Military
Education and Training (IMET) programs, with equal assistance
appropriated to Azerbaijan. In addition to FMF and IMET aid, Azerbaijan
receives funds for Caspian Sea security programs.
The United States had maintained parity in security assistance to
Azerbaijan and Armenia, since the early 1990s, when the U.S. Congress
sanctioned Azerbaijan over its conduct of the war against Nagorno
Karabakh and Armenia (known as Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act).
The U.S. first began providing military aid to the two countries after a
2001 congressional vote, which satisfied the Administration request to
waive Section 907 to allow for a greater U.S. role in cracking down on
Islamic radicals within Azerbaijan and for counter-proliferation efforts
in the Caspian. The waiver mandates that none of the U.S. military aid
could be used against Armenia.
The Senate’s passage of the Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR)
resolution on Armenia would no longer require an annual review and
presidential waiver of the Cold War-era provision known as the
Jackson-Vanick amendment that conditioned U.S.-Soviet trade on human
rights issues. Armenia joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in
February 2003. And the U.S. State Department officials have backed the
removal of the amendment in relation to Armenia, as it fully complies
with religious freedom and emigration rules. The U.S. House of
Representatives had voted to drop the provision in November 2003 and
again last October. Adoption of PNTR now opens the way for additional
U.S.-Armenia trade agreements.
U.S.-Armenia trade turnover stood at about $140 million both in 2002 and
2003, a significant increase over earlier years. The U.S. Census Bureau
reported over $107 million in overall trade for three quarters of 2004.
Despite geographic distance, the U.S. is an increasingly attractive
market for Armenia’s producers. Armenian companies exported $33 million
worth of goods to the U.S. between January and September of this year,
an increase from $23 million over the first three quarters of 2004.
Armenia’s overall exports to the U.S. last year stood at $38 million.
(Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ; Armenia This Week
11-21-03, 2-6, 3-26, 7-19; U.S. State Department 11-19; Armenian
Assembly of America 11-19, 20)
NKR PRESIDENT IN U.S. TO RAISE ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR KARABAKH HIGHWAY
Nagorno Karabakh’s President Arkady Ghoukasian is visiting the United
States to participate in the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund’s drive to raise
financial support for the completion of the 105-mile highway that will
connect the northern and southern parts of NKR. The highway, half of
which has already been built, is of major economic significance for
Karabakh. Ghoukasian’s delegation visited with Armenian communities in
America’s North-East and Mid-West and is currently in California. In
addition to the U.S., the Hayastan’s drive includes Armenian communities
in Europe, South America and the Middle East, as well as Armenia proper,
and hopes to raise over $12 million this year.
The Hayastan Fund, which has raised over $90 million since the time it
was set up in the mid-1990s, focuses on road construction in eastern
Armenia and post-earthquake reconstruction in the northern Shirak and
Lori provinces. (Sources: Arminfo 11-19, 22; Noyan Tapan 11-19; Los
Angeles Daily News 11-22)
GOVERNMENT MODIFIES AGREEMENT WITH COMMUNICATIONS MONOPOLY
Following months of negotiations and pledges to scrap the monopoly on
communications, the Armenian government settled for an out-of-court
compromise deal modifying its original 1997 agreement with the Hellenic
Telecommunications Organization (OTE), the Greek owner of Armentel.
In accordance with the new agreement, details of which were announced by
Justice Minister David Harutiunian in recent weeks, Armentel will allow
one competitor in cellular communications, while maintaining monopoly
rights over the rest of the network, including internet telephone
communications, until 2008 instead of 2012, as was originally agreed.
The government has already granted a second mobile phone license to
Karabakh-Telecom, a Lebanese-owned company which has been working in
Nagorno Karabakh since 2000.
Information technology associations and opposition parties have
criticized the deal as contrary to Armenia’s economic interests. But
Harutiunian argued that the government preferred an out of court
settlement to an expensive court battle. (Sources: Armenia This Week
8-23; Arminfo 11-22)
Note to Readers: Armenia Fund’s 2004 Telethon will air in LA all-day
Thursday on KSCI (Channel 18). It will also be Webcast at
Armenia This Week will not be issued next week. It
will resume publication on December 6. Happy Thanksgiving!
Visit the Armenia This Week archive dating back to 1997 at
A WEEKLY NEWSLETTER PUBLISHED BY THE ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY OF AMERICA
122 C Street, N.W., Suite 350, Washington, D.C. 20001 (202) 393-3434 FAX
(202) 638-4904
E-Mail [email protected] WEB
<; <; Miscellaneous Trade and Technical Corrections Act of 2004 Title II, Section 2001 Subtitle A - Miscellaneous Provisions SEC. 2001. TERMINATION OF APPLICATION OF TITLE IV OF THE TRADE ACT OF 1974 TO ARMENIA. (a) FINDINGS. - Congress makes the following findings: (1) Armenia has been found to be in full compliance with the freedom of emigration requirements under title IV of the Trade Act of 1974. (2) Armenia acceded to the World Trade Organization on February 5, 2003. (3) Since declaring its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, Armenia has made considerable progress in enacting free-market reforms. (4) Armenia has demonstrated a strong desire to build a friendly and cooperative relationship with the United States and has concluded many bilateral treaties and agreements with the United States. (5) Total United States-Armenia bilateral trade for 2002 amounted to more than $134,200,000. (b) PRESIDENTIAL DETERMINATIONS AND EXTENSIONS OF NONDISCRIMINATORY TREATMENT. Notwithstanding any provision of title IV of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2431 et seq.), the President may: (1) determine that such title should no longer apply to Armenia; and (2) after making a determination under paragraph (1) with respect to Armenia, proclaim the extension of nondiscriminatory treatment (normal trade relations treatment) to the products of that country. (c) TERMINATION OF APPLICATION OF TITLE IV. On and after the effective date of the extension under subsection (b)(2) of nondiscriminatory treatment to the products of Armenia, title IV of the Trade Act of 1974 shall cease to apply to that country.

Power of wisdom in Ottoman Palestine
Bahrain Tribune, Bahrain
Nov 22 2004
The recently-concluded photographic exhibition on Ottoman Palestine
stood out as a scholarly study, providing a testament to the Ottoman
society’s dynamism and the capacity for change, and bringing to
the fore important and much-overlooked fascinating aspects of an
outstanding era, writes gopal kejriwal.
The Ottomans were able to think because they had wisdom, because they
had power. There never seemed to be the problem of how to exercise
power to achieve its responsible role – to do more good – rather than
its irresponsible and indulgent use, of how to get the authority to
live for rather than off the public.
A total of 104 photographs and photocopies of 18 written documents
vouchsafed the most revolutionary record of lasting peace and freedom
(you cannot separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace
unless he has his freedom) that marked the mighty Ottoman Empire and
its rule on Palestine for over 400 years – almost uninterrupted. The
empire’s power consisted in its capacity to link its will with the
purpose of others, to rule and lead by reason, cooperation and trust.
Small though, the displays at Beit Al Quran provided glimpses into
the complexities and the psyche of the ruler and the ruled in all
bitter-sweet aspects.
The gallery – of freedom, harmony, camaraderie and community spirit
that co-existed in Palestine between 1850 and 1919 – highlighted the
irrefutable fact that peace is not an absence of war but is a virtue,
a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence and justice.
This peace – which was achieved through enlightenment and educating
people to behave more in a noble manner – lived for centuries with
honours and glories of its own, unattended by the dangers of war.
It was a gallery of people of individual honour and personal character,
of independence, of the faces of humanity without mask. There were
no masters, no dictators, no champions. There was no servitude.
With the well-preserved black and white photographs of water-carriers,
Siloam women selling vegetables or melons, philanthropist Shaikh Noury
offering food to passers-by, gypsies, people in boats in Engaddi/Arnon,
fishermen clattering their plates like cymbals, pilgrims inching their
way through the Lion’s and the Damascus gates, the celebration of the
renewal of Jerusalem water pipeline – the gallery was an opportunity
for one-to-one conversations with the elite and the ordinary –
for an exchange of thought and not an eloquent exhibition of wit
or oratory. Every citizen dutifully gave validity to his or her
convictions, beliefs and philosophy.
The still moments all over the halls carried in them infinite space,
and this infinite space was infinitely exhibited – as the everlasting
joy.
Hats off to the Turkish embassy for mining the sources intelligently
and the judicious selection of the photographs from the collection
of Turkish Consulate General in Jerusalem – to capture the spirits
of Ottoman Palestine.
“Of an estimated 15,000 photographs in existence – until the end of
the Ottoman period in Palestine – the Consulate General has acquired
copies of 1,500 after years of painstaking search of the archives of
Orient House, the Arab Studies Society and other local institutions as
well as private family albums,” the Director of Museum at the centre,
Ashraf Al Ansari, tells me.
The photographs – faces, landscapes, town scenes, holy places – also
captured the fabric of the communities, their unity in diversity, the
social, economic and cultural life, the Ottoman Turkish architectural
imprint on monuments and structures. The documents, provided by the
Ottoman Archives Department of the Directorate General of the State
Archives of the Prime Ministry of the Republic of Turkey, depicted the
social and administrative aspects of Ottoman governance in Palestine
– a place which had remained one of the most important districts of
the empire from 1517 until the end of World War I. The most important
document was the ferman (ordinance) of Fatih Sultan Mehmet guaranteeing
religious freedom to all the clergymen from different religions in
Al Quds in 1457 – and affirming that the empire was one of the most
tolerant in the world.
“Unlike the preceding rulers, the Ottomans allowed the majority of
Muslims and Christian Arabs as well as minorities such as Jews,
Circassians, Druses, Serbs, Assyrians, Armenians and Turks to
peacefully coexist – as a natural right – regardless of their religious
or ethnic backgrounds,” Al Ansari says. The population also included
large groups of foreign missionaries, teachers and fringe groups of
Christians and Jewish refugees.
In support of his argument, Al Ansari points to another ordinance
(issued on August 31, 1565) on keeping of the holy places in Al
Quds such as Mariam’s Tomb and Qadem Isa clean and the prevention of
improper acts on such sites.
“Most of the inhabitants, Arabic speaking Christians and Muslims,
lived in a few hundred villages with self-sufficiency. The elite
lived in the towns and were different from the subjects in the
villages. The high priests were often Greek though the congregation
was Arabian. The landowners were often Turks,” Al Ansari says. The
Arabs formed an important part of the structure of the empire and
the Ottoman Constitution provided for one form of government of all
Ottoman territories and people.
The state never prevented any of the Christian communities from
exercising their historically acknowledged rights of free passage
into Jerusalem nor interfered in any way with their religious conduct,
he says.
Further evidence that the empire kept to its contract with the
People of the Book is provided in church documents which reveal the
systematic building, renovation and upkeep of churches and monasteries
in Jerusalem and beyond. One fine example is the permission to the
Armenian Catholic community in Jerusalem in 1887 to build a church
even though the community comprised just four households of 22 men
and women.
No visitor to the exhibition would miss the eclectic social milieu
and its various moods – a man selling ice-cream in Jerusalem (1917),
a local Arab pasha in full Ottoman Army insignia (1900) children
watching through the magic box (1919), an American cavasse (1905) the
cattle market in the Sultan’s pool (1900), a Samaritan with a scroll
(1901). More, a 1918 photograph of a women’s union making handicrafts
in Ramallah is perhaps the best evidence of women’s emancipation as
they were allowed to earn a living with a condition of not getting
involved with men. The sorts of employment were embroidery and weaving.
Education was another priority of the empire which encouraged the
teaching of both Arabic and English languages by opening Arab Primary
School, Friends School in Ramallah, and many others.
Other achievements include the opening of a railway line between
Jerusalem and Jaffa in 1892, the completion of the first major highway
joining the two cities in 1867, the inauguration of the town hospital
in 1891 in the west side of Jerusalem and the first windmill in 1839,
the renovation of the Citadel near Jaffa, adding a few adjoining
structures, and the Clock Tower, the magnificent square tower with
four huge towers at the top of each side that was built in 1909 on top
of Jaffa Gate as a memorial to the British conquest during World War I.
In 1863, the local authority ordered the removal of all market
platforms to create space for pedestrians and in 1885, old tiles
were replaced in all of the City’s alleys and main streets, with the
provision of side channels for drainage.
The empire has gone, but the holy territories have retained to date
some of its remarkable features in the daily socio-cultural life
in Palestine. The Ottoman concept remains in the memories of the
Palestinians.
The exhibition succeeded in its aim – if it was to depict the
remarkable cultural ebb and flow, which characterised the Ottoman
period, if it was to find out hints from the Ottoman rule in this
territory so that they could be feasible examples for the present day,
if it was to remember the longest stable period of the Palestinian
history with respect.
The exhibition stood out as a scholarly study, providing a testament
to the Ottoman society’s dynamism and the capacity for change,
and bringing to the fore important and much-overlooked fascinating
aspects of the period.
A walk through the gallery was like a visit to the Holy Land. At the
same time, it was a reminder of her spirit as a land of peace and
the possibility and hope for a better future.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress