Author: Nahapetian Samvel

SAHIN: AIM WAS TO BRING PKK LEADER TO TURKEY

Today’s Zaman
Jan 28 2009
Turkey

Former Special Operations Unit Deputy Chairman Ä°brahim Å~^ahin,
recently detained as part of an ongoing operation into the Ergenekon
terrorist organization, has said the reason behind his setting up
a 300-member special operations unit was to bring a senior outlawed
Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader to Turkey.

Å~^ahin was detained on Jan. 7 in the 10th wave of detentions in
the investigation into Ergenekon, a clandestine crime network with
alleged links within the state.

Servet Kaynak, a police chief from the Special Operations Unit
who was arrested as part of the Ergenekon investigation last week,
said Å~^ahin ordered him to find "five reliable and good men" for an
"outside job." Kaynak stated that, at the time, he had expected to
receive Å~^ahin’s official duty approval form and claimed not to know
the details of the job for which the five-man team was being created.

During his police interrogation, Å~^ahin said he was commissioned
to set up a team of 300 officers to capture senior PKK leader Murat
Karayılan and bring him to Turkey.

While Å~^ahin claimed that he was commissioned to take part in the
fight against terrorism, phone conversations and documents seized in
his house showed that his allegations do not reflect the facts. The
police investigation revealed that Å~^ahin had ordered the killing
of a senior Armenian community leader.

–Boundary_(ID_H5fLNO09hPi6kuJPJY/Z5A)–

AZERBAIJANI, ARMENIAN PRESIDENTS MAKE PROGRESS IN SOLIDIFYING MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING: OSCE MG COCHAIR

TREND
Jan 28 2009
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 28 /Trend News, E.Tariverdiyeva/ Presidents
Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and Serzh Sargsyan of Armenia made progress
in solidifying mutual understanding on several key elements of the
Basic Principles, OSCE Minsk Group U.S. Cochair Matthew Bryza told
Trend News on Jan. 28.

The two presidents met in Zurich on Jan. 28, AzerTaj state news
agency reported.

Yesterday, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and Armenia’s
Edward Nalbandyan discussed preparation for the Presidents’ meeting
and ways to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

"The meeting was positive and constructive. The presidents made
progress in solidifying mutual understanding on several key elements
of the Basic Principles, and in narrowing differences on some other
issues," said Bryza.

The Cochairs plan to visit the region within the next month to help
sustain this positive momentum, he said.

Armenian National Committee of Massachusetts
47 Nichols Avenue
Watertown MA 02472
617-926-1918
[email protected]

For Information contact: 617-926-1918 or [email protected]
January 27, 2009

Watertown Area residents participate in ANCA "Cans for the Cause" initiative
to help Food Pantry
— Grassroots Effort Organized in Honor of U.S. Humanitarian Relief for
Armenian Genocide Survivors
— US Representative Edward Markey Commends Effort

Watertown, MA – Approximately 1000 food items were delivered to the
Watertown Food Pantry today as part of the Armenian National Committee "Cans
for the Cause" campaign during National Day of Service activities
spearheaded by President Barack Obama, reported the Armenian National
Committee (ANC) of Massachusetts.

The local initiative, a joint effort led by the Watertown-based Armenian
National Committee and Armenian Relief Society, reached out to the Armenian
American community to help provide much needed food items for the Watertown
Food Pantry’s work to feed the hungry.

The local effort was one of over 20 campaigns in cites across the US in
honor of U.S. humanitarian assistance efforts for survivors of the Armenian
Genocide from 1915-1923. American assistance to Armenian populations
devastated in Turkey during the Armenian Genocide represented the first
American Red Cross foreign humanitarian assistance campaigns and was
instrumental in saving countless lives.

"The Armenian American community came out in the great spirit put forth by
President Obama – a spirit of service and of giving back, a spirit that
provided for survivors of the Armenian genocide a century ago," said ANC of
Massachusetts representative Ara Nazarian.

The Watertown Food Pantry has been particularly busy as economic times have
hit local residents hard. In receiving the donation, Deb Kaup of the
Watertown Food Pantry highlighted the important role that community groups
play in ending hunger in our neighborhoods. "Thank you very much," said
Kaup. Local community organizations have been very helpful and "it makes a
big difference."

The effort was also praised by US Representative Edward Markey (D-MA), who
represents Watertown. "I commend the tremendous response of the Armenian
National Committee and the Armenian Relief Society to President Obama’s call
to a National Day of Service with their participation in the "Cans for the
Cause" drive across Massachusetts and the United States. I am pleased that
the members of the Armenian National Committee and the Armenian Relief
Society chose to give back to their community in a way that honors the
legacy of U.S. humanitarian assistance to Armenians during the darkest
chapter of their history, the Armenian Genocide."

Armenian American organizations and individuals from throughout the area
participated in the week long effort. The members of the Greater Boston
Armenian Youth Federation chapter brought canned goods to their January
meeting last week.

Armenian-American businesses also contributed to the effort. Family-owned
Masis Bakery, Sevan Bakery, and Eastern Lehmejun, all made substantial
contributions.

For more information about the national effort visit the ANCA website,
, or the ANCA Facebook page.

The Armenian National Committee is the largest Armenian American grassroots
political organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices,
chapters, and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated
organizations around the world, the ANC actively advances the concerns of
the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues

####

Caption: Cans for the Cause food items packed up and ready for delivery to
the Watertown Food Pantry

BENJAMIN ZEPHANIAH: WE MUST STAND UP TO HATRED
Benjamin Zephaniah

Independent.co.uk
Monday, 26 January 2009

Genocide is an appalling crime against humanity that we hope will
never again be repeated. Today, as we approach Holocaust Memorial Day ,
we might stop and reflect on the fact that it still has the potential
to be repeated and perpetrated around the world, unless we are on our
guard and understand that our actions today have consequences tomorrow.

The use of the term genocide can be problematic and contentious
but it shouldn’t disguise historical fact. One of the first modern
day genocides took place in Armenia, a part of modern day Turkey in
1915. This massacre of 1.5 million people, indiscriminate of age or
gender, is still not acknowledged as genocide by Turkey – long after
it took place. The United States did not recognise or act on the
events at the time and consequently Hitler admitted looking at the
Armenians and deciding that if they can get away with it, he could
also. If people don’t recognise something, its entire existence is
erased. It begs the question – if the United Kingdom and United States
had not recognised the Holocaust when it happened, would anyone think
it had ever existed? Who decides what we remember and what we don’t –
and does it mean that things we don’t remember or recognise didn’t
exist and don’t count?

My earliest recollection of hatred was in the late 60s when I was eight
years old, and I still have the scar to prove it. I was walking home
from school in Handsworth, Birmingham, when another boy came cycling
past with a brick in his hand. He hit me across the back of my head
with the brick and shouted ‘You black bastard!’, as he rode off. When
I got home, blood pouring from the back of my head, my mother told me
that some people in the world are just like that and it’s something we
have to live with. It was not even a consideration to report the crime
– it would have been ignored anyway. This incident was the first time
I realised I was different and that people actually hated me for who
and what I was. The scar on the back of my head is a constant reminder
of this.

People have to understand the past to see the future, they have
to start recognising the dangers of the present to prevent them
escalating into the Holocaust of the future. A close late friend
of mine recently told me a story of how, when she was very young,
she went to a political meeting in Austria with her mother and
auntie. After the meeting, the two adults were debating the event,
concluding that the main political figure, who was a radical speaker,
would never amount to anything and should just be ignored.

That main figure was Adolf Hitler.

When people don’t recognise these dangers, the problems start. Call it
innocent igno rance, call it optimism, however you want to look at it,
unless we recognise and stand up to these figures, who knows where it
can lead? My friend’s mother and auntie certainly would never have
imagined what Hitler could go on to do in the years that followed
that meeting.

Bob Marley said in one of his songs ‘Well the biggest man you
ever did see, was once a baby’, and that is what interests me as a
writer. Hitler was once a baby and would have been looked on adoringly
by people. He then went on to become one of the most powerful men
in history, orchestrating the killings of hundreds of thousands of
innocent people. The boy who racially attacked me in Handsworth may
have gone on to abuse and physically hurt other people since. His
attack on me was left unchecked so what’s to stop him?

It is so important that we have Holocaust Memorial Day in January to
remind us to acknowledge how bad we can be to each other, whether
it’s direct and intentional or indirect and unintentional. All it
takes is one discriminatory group to gain power and it can all fall
apart. We must join together to recognise where these acts of hatred,
regardless of size, can lead if left unchecked.

I urge all Britons to "Stand up to Hatred" and recognise the impact
we can have on our future. By considering these things, next time we
see, hear, or experience any act of hatred anywhere and in any f orm,
we can make a better future.

CO-RAPPORTEURS SUGGEST ASSEMBLY NOT TO SUSPEND ARMENIA’S VOTING RIGHT
Karine Asatryan

A1+
[07:54 pm] 26 January, 2009

PACE Co-rapporteurs on Armenia John Prescott and Georges Colombier
have suggested PACE parliamentarians not to suspend the voting
right of the Armenian delegation for the time being, reports the
head of the Armenian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly David
Harutyunyan. He says the Monitoring Committee has thoroughly considered
their proposals today.

According to Mr. Harutyunyan the Co-rapporteurs have welcomed
"the path Armenia has taken as well as the Presidential decree on
granting pardon to 20 detainees." Anyway, the application of other
legal mechanisms is not ruled out, noted Mr. Harutyunyan.

The Co-rapporteurs’ report on the implementation by Armenia of Assembly
Resolutions 1609) and 1620 scheduled for tomorrow will be put into
consideration today evening.

Note that a number of Armenian journalists have left for Strasbourg
to follow the PACE session.

GEORGIAN AUTHORITIES CONSCIOUSLY PURSUE AN AIM OF AGGRAVATING SITUATION IN SAMTSKHE- JAVAKHETI

ArmInfo
2009-01-26 13:10:00

ArmInfo. The Georgian authorities consciously pursue and aim
of aggravating the situation in Samtskhe-Javakheti region, the
statement of "Yerkir" Union of public organizations on repatriation
and assimilation says.

According to the statement, the Georgian authorities strive to
distract attention of the world community from the legal proceedings
on the case of Javakhk political figure Vahagn Chakhalyan, during
which the leader of ‘Unique Javakhk’ and his defenders raise the
problems which excite the Javakhk Armenians and demand their solution,
that induces the authorities for the new procedural infractions and
lawlessness. "Yerkir’ Union applies to the world community urging
to immediately take measures to suppress deepening of the crisis
and solve the social-economic, language, educational and religious
problems of the Armenian minority of Georgia’, the statement says.

PHOTOJOURNALIST SCOUT TUFANKJIAN ON FOLLOWING OBAMA ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL

CBS News Transcripts
January 21, 2009 Wednesday

MAGGIE RODRIGUEZ, co-host (Washington, DC):

Everybody who came here to Washington, DC, had to be here, because
it was just such a long shot. When Barack Obama launched his campaign
for the presidency, nobody said it could happen.

HARRY SMITH, co-host (Washington, DC):

But one photojournalist was there from the very beginning. Take a look.

Scout Tufankjian’s photographs are part of history now. And so is
her last name.

Ms. SCOUT TUFANKJIAN (Photojournalist): It means "son of a gun."

SMITH: Really?

Ms. TUFANKJIAN: Mm-hmm.

SMITH: In?

Ms. TUFANKJIAN: Armenian.

SMITH: In Armenian.

Tufankjian started her career covering the Gaza Strip.

So is this the camera?

Ms. TUFANKJIAN: Yeah, this is my baby.

SMITH: Next came an assignment for a Barack Obama book signing in
December 2006 in New Hampshire.

Ms. TUFANKJIAN: I drove up there, and I just–I thought it was going
to be so boring.

SMITH: Senator Obama wasn’t even a candidate then.

Ms. TUFANKJIAN: I mean, I didn’t know anything about this stuff.

SMITH: Even though thousands of her photographs were eventually
published in newspapers and magazines, most of the time Tufankjian
had to pay her own way.

Ms. TUFANKJIAN: These are my maxed out credit cards. These are the
three that–I paid off two of them.

SMITH: Two years and one million photographs later, Tufankjian’s first
book, "Yes We Can," she was the only independent photojournalist to
cover the Obama campaign from start to finish.

Had you ever met anyone like him before?

Ms. TUFANKJIAN: No. You can be so sick of him, and you know, having
heard the same speech and you’re tired and you haven’t slept and I
haven’t seen my boyfriend in six weeks and I haven’t had a decent
meal in ages and I’m crabby and I’m angry, and he smiles at you and
it just kind of knocks you over. For people years from now, I want
them to see this is–this is what this moment in history was like,
this is how it felt, this is how I saw it.

SMITH: This is June 3, 2008. Nomination is his.

Ms. TUFANKJIAN: This is the day that he said `I am the Democratic
nominee for president of the United States.’ This woman would not
let go.

SMITH: Right.

Ms. TUFANKJIAN: They thought, `This guy’s going to president, he’s
going to change my life, he’s going to change my kid’s life. He is
going to change the country.’

SMITH: Do you have a favorite picture?

Ms. TUFANKJIAN: My favorite picture. My girls from South Carolina. They
saw him and went completely insane side. I love them.

SMITH: Tufankjian was most impressed by Obama’s discipline, but she
also saw another side.

Here’s one.

Ms. TUFANKJIAN: This is right after Pennsylvania, so this is after
they had him doing all of the…

SMITH: Oh, bowling and drinking beer.

Ms. TUFANKJIAN: The bowling, the drinking the PVR.

SMITH: Right. Did you see him drink martinis?

Ms. TUFANKJIAN: In Berlin.

SMITH: As somebody who was there so much of two years, what was his
response to you?

Ms. TUFANKJIAN: He treated me like an annoying younger relative. He
would grab my hands and shake my camera. Or during a rope line would
be like, `Scout, you’re distracting me!’

SMITH: Do you ever feel like you’ll be able to get that close again?

Ms. TUFANKJIAN: No, definitely not.

SMITH: Sometimes Tufankjian and Obama were alone at early campaign
events. Now they both have plenty of company.

And I saw Scout on the train from Philadelphia down to DC on Saturday,
and she is covering the prayer service this morning…

RODRIGUEZ: Today.

SMITH: …at the National Cathedral. It’s…

RODRIGUEZ: What a privilege.

SMITH: Yeah. And the thing is, if you’re a still photographer, you can
get a little closer to the candidate, because there’s no tape running,
there’s no camera on.

RODRIGUEZ: Right. Right.

SMITH: A video camera on. So there’s a little bit–you get a more
candid view, and those pictures that she took surely show that.

RODRIGUEZ: I never thought I would find someone who spent more time
on the trail with him than you, but we have.

SMITH: Or our intrepid daily correspondents who were on that bus a lot.

RODRIGUEZ: This is true.

SMITH: Mm.

THE UNDENIABLE ABILITY OF VIC DARCHINYAN
By Chris Robinson

8countnews.com, ma
009-01-23.html
Jan 23 2009

Maybe it’s just me, but Vic Darchinyan doesn’t come across as the most
likeable guy. Darchinyan, the current IBF, WBA, and WBC Super Flyweight
Champion, has had a history of pre-fight trash talking theatrics and
an overall dismissive approach towards his opponents. Leading into
his February 7th bout against Jorge Arce, Darchinyan is again in rare
form, calling the former champion ‘a disgrace to Mexican boxing’ and
stating that Arce is ‘stupid’ and that the fight will end up with him
‘bei ng carried out of the ring’.

Darchinyan’s verbal assaults before every fight is what we have all
become accustomed to, as the Armenian born, Australian resident is
full of bravado and confidence. Some are turned off by Darchinyan
and relished seeing his knockout loss at the hands of young Nonito
Donaire, while others simply love Darchinyan’s all out attack while
inside of the ropes. Whether fighting or trash talking, it’s obvious
that Darchinyan is a bit rough around the edges.

Before his ill-fated bout against Donaire, Darchinyan was undefeated
and riding a wave of confidence that had those around him left with the
impression that he considered himself nearly invincible. Darchinyan’s
ego was given a reality check that night, in the form of a flush
left hook that had the ‘Raging Bull’ tasting canvas in the 5th
round. Darchinyan attempted to rise but instead stumbled to the ropes,
prompting referee Eddie Claudio to call a halt to the bout. The
knockout was sweet vindication for his detractors and served as a
serious wake up call for Darchinyan.

After such a crushing loss it was debatable how well Darchinyan would
recover but in that time since he has gone on to show his true worth
as a fighter. A move up in weight signaled a new beginning for Vic,
and despite some question marks being raised with a February 2008
Draw with Z Gorres, Darchinyan soon began to get things rolling.

In August of last year Darchinyan met widely respected Dimitri Kirilov
in an attempt to wrestle the IBF Super Flyweight belt away from his
Russian foe. The bout started fast and furious and we soon began seeing
glimpses of the old Darchinyan, as the southpaw bludgeoned Kirilov with
stiff combinations from the outset. In a brutal and dominant affair,
Darchinyan controlled the tempo in every round and had Kirilov reeling
in the 5th. A knockout followed moments later an d Darchinyan had
restored much of the luster that was lost from his bout with Donaire.

The win rejuvenated Darchinyan’s career and just three months later
he jumped back into the fire against dangerous and highly skilled
WBA and WBC Champion Cristian Mijares. Mijares’ boxing ability and
overall skillset were expected to give Darchinyan many trying moments
but the bout soon played out as a showcase outing for the ‘Raging
Bull’. Darchinyan overcame Mijares’ style with raw aggression and
power punching. Leading 79-72 on all three cards heading into the 9th,
Darchinyan ended matters towards the end of the round with a volley
of left hand bombs. An intriguing bout on paper ended up being a
one-sided contest in Vic’s favor and served as notice to the boxing
wo rld that the ‘Bull’ was officially back.

Vic Darchinyan will never win ‘Man of the Year’ and his unruly
attitude goes hand in hand wit h a style inside of the ropes that
isn’t technically appealing to watch. Regardless, Darchinyan must be
given much credit for the way he bounced back from his devastating
loss to Donaire to again rise through the championship ranks in a new
weight class. While not always easy to take, there is an undeniable
ability that Vic Darchinyan has about himself and that’s why he will
always be dangerous.

YEREVAN HAILS PHILIPPINES BALANCED POLICY ON ARMENIA IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

PanARMENIAN.Net
23.01.2009 18:14 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Philippines’ newly appointed Ambassador to
Armenia Victor Garcia III handed his credentials to RA President
Serzh Sargsyan.

President Sargsyan hailed the Philippines’ balanced policy on Armenia
in international organizations and stressed the importance to develop
bilateral relations in various fields, the RA leader’s press office
reported.

PRESS-RELEASE
"YERKIR"
UNION OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS FOR REPATRIATION AND SETTLEMENT
Contact: Robert Tatoyan,
Tel. +(374 10) 46 50 21; +(374 94) 36 17 93
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

January 22, 2009
Yerevan, Armenia

"YERKIR" UNION’s STATEMENT REGARDING AN ARTICLE IN "AZERBAIJAN" OFFICIAL
PERIODICAL OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN

At the end of December an article entitled "The Javakheti Armenians Raise
New Claims to the Official Tbilisi" was published in the "Azerbaijan"
Official Periodical of the National Assembly of the Republic of Azerbaijan
(See: p;year08&Pid=31017).
A significant part of the article is dedicated to the activities of "Yerkir"
Union directed towards the protection of the Armenian Minority Rights in
Georgia.

However, the activities of "Yerkir" Union are presented in the article in a
grossly distorted way. Inter alia, according to the newspaper, the aim of
"Yerkir" Union is "achieving the independence of Javakheti by implementing
separatist politics".

"Yerkir" Union wouldn’t have been obliged to draw attention of the public to
a commonplace example of Azerbaijani disinformation propaganda machine, if
this article hadn’t been published in one of the official periodicals of
Azerbaijan, and, therefore, written by request of the Azerbaijani
authorities.

Thus, the main objective pursued by the mentioned publication is to cause Á
misunderstanding concerning the processes that are taking place in and
around Javakheti and the activity of "Yerkir" Union there. The author of the
publication by breaking all the norms of the journalist ethics simply
misrepresents the views expressed by Chairman of "Yerkir" Union Sevak
Artsrouni in his interview to the "Azg" daily on December 5, 2008 (See:
).

Nonethele ss, the objectives pursued by "Yerkir" Union in Georgia are clear
and precise:

1. To support the legislative-normative standards, providing for the use
of the Armenian language at the level of local government and administration
in the areas with the compact settlement of persons belonging to the
Armenian minority,

2. To seek a solution to the socio-economic, linguistic,
educational-cultural and religious problems of the Armenian Minority of
Georgia (non-registering of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia,
insufficient representation of the Armenians in local and central governance
bodies, the impossibility to get higher education on the basis of mother
language etc).

(See detailed at: ;level _id=10 )

The activity of "Yerkir" Union in addressing the problems of Javakheti and
Georgian Armenians is mainly based on the obligations undertaken by the
Georgian government with respect to protection of ethnic minorities of the
country. It should be mentioned that the necessity to give a proper
protection to the ethic minorities of the country has been emphasized in the
recommendations of various international structures and human rights
organizations, among others – the recommendations of the UN Human Rights
Committee.

Therefore, "Yerkir" Union carries out committed work directed to
representation and protection of Javakheti and Georgian Armenians and
promotion of the human rights protection standards set forth by the relevant
international structures (UN, OSCE, the European Union, the Council of
Europe etc).