Author: Nahapetian Zhanna

GOLDEN THREAD PRODUCTIONS

backstage.com
March 18, 2009

A more recent addition to the area’s ethnicity-specific theatre
scene is this Middle Eastern company founded by Armenian-Iranian
artistic director Torange Yeghiazarian. "Artistically we’re in an
exciting place," she says. Golden Thread Productions has created a
national new-play initiative in partnership with New York’s Lark Play
Development Center. The company also has its own new-play program
and recently commissioned local performer Denmo Ibrahim to create
Ecstasy in the River (opening July 23). "More theatres are producing
plays related to the Middle East," says Yeghiazarian. Berkeley’s Aurora
Theatre Company, for example, recently staged George Packer’s Betrayed,
about translators working for Americans in Iraq. "But their perspective
is different. We’re more interested in challenging the perceptions
people have about the Middle East, whether it’s about women’s roles
or the roots of conflicts." Currently playing is Joyce Van Dyke’s A
Girl’s War, directed by Yeghiazarian, in which a young Armenian woman
leaves New York to return to her mother’s house in a war-torn region
and starts an ill-advised romance with the ethnic enemy.

"Casting is challenging," Yeghiazarian admits. Part of the company’s
mission is to support Middle Eastern actors. "We’re always searching
for strong actors from the Middle East. I don’t think it’s necessary
to cast with a specific ethnicity, though." None of the five actors
in A Girl’s War is Armenian, and none were born in the United States:
Two are Iranian, one is Afghan, one is Mexican, one is British. In
mainstream theatre, Yeghiazarian says, "there is an assumption that if
the ethnicity in a play is not emphasized, the role must go to a white
actor. In our work we try to look for ways to include nonwhite actors."

Golden Thread has collaborated with the longtime experimental
troupe Thick Description (and produces at its cozy Thick House
in Potrero Hill, as does the Asian American Theater Company)
and has had discussions with the avant-garde Cutting Ball about
co-producing. "Sometimes there’s a perception that the plays we
produce do not relate to the broader community," says Yeghiazarian,
who estimates that half her audience is of Middle Eastern heritage —
primarily, she guesses, Iranian and Palestinian. "We’re perceived as
marginal. But I think the plays we produce are very relevant to the
community and society at large."

BHK SUBMITS ITS ELECTORAL LIST

A1+
01:27 pm | March 20, 2009

Politics

The Bargavach Hayastan Party (BHK), a senior representative of the
coalition government, has submitted to the Central Election Commission
(CEC) its candidate list for the May 31 municipal elections. The
party’s electoral list is comprised of 122 candidates topped by
Harutyun Kushkyan. The latter followed by Mkhitar Mnatsakanyan and
Margaritta Matevosyan, reports the CEC press service.

CONCERT REVIEWS: SYSTEM OF A DOWN IN VACOUVER
By mike usinger

Georgia Straight, Vancouver, Canada
Sept 22 2005

At the Pacific Coliseum on Saturday, September 17

For some of us-Apple-fixated laptop jockeys, stuck-in-the-’90s
shoegazers, and anyone who was ever convinced that DJs would one day
rule the world-the music is enough at a show. For the rest of us,
performers have to do something more exciting than plug in and play.

There were moments when System of a Down frontman Serj Tankian seemed
to realize that at the Pacific Coliseum last Saturday. Hell, he was
almost the most captivating person on-stage during “Needles”, when
he ripped into a modified ambee dageets that should have made every
Armenian ex-pat in attendance proud. And as if to prove that little
bit of animated action wasn’t a fluke, he later took an admirable
(if abbreviated) stab at the Mashed Potato at the beginning of “This
Cocaine Makes Me Feel Like I’m on This Song”. Mostly, though, Tankian
just stood in one place and sang, displaying all the enthusiasm of
a Wal-Mart stock boy doing an Aisle 5 tampon price check. Making his
lack of effort doubly disappointing was that his bandmates-guitarist
Daron Malakian, bassist Shavo Odadjian, and drummer John Dolmayan-were
a three-man wrecking crew, both visually and sonically.

In fairness, nearly every one of the 9,000 fans in attendance walked
away feeling like they’d seen modern metal’s new messiahs. The
crowd-a genre-spanning mixture of beer-marinated rivetheads,
Mohawked punkers, corpse-white goth queens, and overweight comic-book
collectors-arrived expecting a night of turbocharged mayhem. After
kicking off the show with the muted “Soldier Side-Intro”, System of
a Down proceeded to deliver just that, with even its most complex
sonic cannonballs-“Toxicity”, “Cigaro”, and “Prison Song”-delivered
with a deadly accurate precision.

The stage design was all about tasteful minimalism, with props
consisting of a screen flashing lyric snippets (“Fuck u pig”), and
giant Oriental carpets, one for each band member. Odadjian and Malakian
didn’t spend much time on their rugs. Wearing yellow leggings and an
old-country pair of floods, the chrome-domed bassist scored serious
freak points for sporting what initially looked like a tie made out
of a live snake but turned out to be his beard.

Whether doing his best to sound like Slayer covering Black Flag
in “Revenga” or rattling off armour-piercing fills in “B.Y.O.B.”,
Malakian was the unofficial star of the night. The guitarist clearly
has a sense of humour: right before the band dove into “Aerials”, he
took the spotlight for a breezy, one-man piss take of Dire Straits’
“Sultans of Swing”, and he actually attempted to engage the audience
with comments like “Vanc*****uuuuuveerrrrr-it’s hockey season again.”

Best of all, Malakian put on a show, and not just when he got half
the crowd hoisting their lighters in the air for a mesmerizing vocal
turn on “Lost in Hollywood”.

The defining moment of a hot, sweaty, and rabidly received night came
while System of a Down hammered its way through “Revenga”. Even though
he was playing the role of a one-man six-string army, Malakian was
flat-out captivating, staggering around like a man who’d just taken
two bullets on a battlefield. In stark contrast, a short distance away
Tankian stood at centre stage, absent-mindedly strumming an air guitar.

Given the mass insanity that was taking place in the mosh pit,
there was no disputing that the faithful were having a religious
experience. Three members of System of a Down were working hard to
give a great show. Their singer prevented them from delivering a
brilliant one.

The music was too much in the case of the Mars Volta, which
opened up. Stick-thin, Chia Pet-pelted singer Cedric Bixler-Zavala
and guitarist Omar Rodriguez-Lopez arrived backed by an army of
musicians, including a DJ, sax player, percussionists, and keyboard
players. The group’s daring fusion of prog punk, Latin jazz, DIY
punk, and experimental funk was, however, too musically rich for an
acoustically appalling venue like the Coliseum. As a result, the
Mars Volta sounded like a muddy mess, which strangely didn’t make
the band any less captivating. When these guys play the Commodore,
Vancouver is going to have its mind blown.

LEVON ARONIAN YIELDS LEADERSHIP AT AMBER 2009

PanARMENIAN.Net
18.03.2009 16:44 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In the 4th tour of Amber Chess Tournament 2009 the
Armenian grand master Levon Aronian drew his game against the world
champion Viswanathan Anand. Both rapid and blindfold games ended in
draws. Levon Aronian ceded his leadership to Russia’s Vladimir Kramnik,
who beat the Chinese Wang Yue and left behind Aronian and the Russian
grand master Morozevich. After 3 tours Aronian with 5 points to his
score is ranked 2rd to 3rd with Alexander Morozevich.

In the 5th tour of Amber 2009 Levon Aronian will rival Norwegian
grand master Magnus Carlsen.

Score after 4th tour

Blindfold

Magnus Carlsen (Norway)- Peter Leko (Hungary)- 0,5:0,5 Gata Kamsky
(United States)- Vasily Ivanchuk (Ukraine)- 0,5:0,5 Viswanathan
Anand (India)- Levon Aronian (Armenia)- 0,5:0,5 Alexander Morozevich
(Russia)- Veselin Topalov (Bulgaria) – 1:0 Vladimir Kramnik (Russia) –
Wang Yue (China)- 1:0 Teimour Radjabov (Azerbaijan) – Sergey Karjakin
(Ukraine) – 1:0

Rapid

Leko – Carlsen – 0,5:0,5 Ivanchuk – Kamsky – 0,5:0,5 Aronian – Anand –
0,5:0,5 Topalov – Morozevich – 1:0 Wang Yue – Kramnik – 0:1 Karjakin –
Radjabov – 0:1

Standings after 4th tour: Kramnik – 5,5 points; Aronian, Morozevich
– 5 points, Carlsen, Radjabov, Topalov – 4,5 points, Anand, Leko –
4 points, Kamsky – 3,5 points, Ivanchuk, Karjakin – 3 points, Wang
Yue -1,5 points.

CSTO RAPID-REACTION FORCE TO HOLD EXERCISES IN KAZAKHSTAN IN FALL

RIA Novosti
16:38 | 17/ 03/ 2009

MOSCOW, March 17 (RIA Novosti) – The joint rapid-reaction forces of
a post-Soviet regional security bloc will hold military exercises in
September in Kazakhstan, the Russian defense minister said on Tuesday.

The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), which comprises
Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Uzbekistan and
Tajikistan, agreed in early February to set up the rapid-reaction
force.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said later on Tuesday that the force
should be well-organized and equipped to counter a variety of threats.

"These are units that we should be able to rely on in dealing with the
most difficult problems, including terrorist and military threats,"
he said.

The Russian president also said the CSTO was open for cooperation
with the United States in the fight against terrorism in Central Asia.

The rapid-reaction force, which Medvedev has said "will be just as
good as comparable NATO forces," will be used to repulse military
aggression, conduct anti-terrorist operations, fight transnational
crime and drug trafficking, and neutralize the effects of natural
disasters.

Moscow has stressed that collective forces will not interfere in the
domestic conflicts of the bloc’s member countries.

OBAMA LIKELY TO REFRAIN FROM NAMING 1915 INCIDENTS AS "GENOCIDE"

Hurriyet
March 17 2009
Turkey

U.S. President Barack Obama is likely to backtrack from his earlier
pledge to recognize Armenian claims regarding the 1915 incidents as
Washington seeks Turkey’s support in its new Middle East approach,
the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.

Administration officials are considering postponing a presidential
statement, citing progress toward a thaw in relations between Turkey
and neighboring Armenia, the report said.

Further signs of warming between Turkey and Armenia — such as talk
of reopening border crossings — would strengthen arguments that a
U.S. statement could imperil the progress, the LA Times added.

"At this moment, our focus is on how, moving forward, the United States
can help Armenia and Turkey work together to come to terms with the
past," Michael Hammer, a spokesman for the National Security Council,
was quoted as saying by the LA Times.

He said the administration was "encouraged" by improvements in
relations and believed it was "important that the countries have an
open and honest dialogue about the past," according to the report.

OBAMA’S TURKEY VISIT

The report is the latest signal that the Obama administration will
not take any steps towards recognizing the Armenian claims despite
pledges made during the presidential campaign.

Obama, his Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton promised to recognize the Armenian claims, forming the most
pro-Armenian administration in the United States.

Armenia, with the backing of the diaspora, claims up to 1.5 million
of their kin were slaughtered in orchestrated killings in 1915.

Turkey rejects the claims saying that 300,000 Armenians, along with at
least as many Turks, died in civil strife that erupted when Armenians
took up arms, backed by Russia, for independence in eastern Anatolia.

Turkey has offered to form a joint commission to investigate what
happened in 1915 and has opened all official archives, but Armenia
has continued to drag its feet on accepting the offer.

Obama will pay a visit to Turkey early in April ahead of the
presidential statement on April 24 to commemorate the 1915 incidents.

The date of April 24 is commemorated by Armenians as a day of
remembrance for the 1915 incidents, for which U.S. presidents issue
a letter of respect, which have all so far refrained from including
the word "genocide".

ARMENIA AND TURKEY WILL SIGN A CONTRACT THIS YEAR’ ARF MEMBER

14:24 16/03/2009

Source: Panorama.am

Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnakcutyun party is going to
publish a study presenting ARF’s comments, concerns and
recommendations on opening the border of Armenia-Turkey, announced the
director of ARF Armenian Cause office in Yerevan Kiro Manoyan in a
press conference. Regarding the statements made by the Turkish party
that soon an agreement will be signed between Armenia and Turkey, Kiro
Manoyan says that it is difficult to make comments on it. He says, it
is difficult to say what an agreement that will be. One thing
Mr. Manoyan knows for sure – something will be signed this year

KIRO MANOYAN SAYS OBAMA TO FULFILL HIS PROMISE

Yerkir
16.03.2009 15:47

Yerevan (Yerkir) – It is likely that an agreement between Armenia
and Turkey on opening the border could be signed this year, and since
Armenia has said its word, it is now up to Turkey to show political
will, Kiro Manoyan, the director of the ARF Political and Hay Dat
Office, told a news conference today.

He sadi that Turkey is trying to play a significant role in the region
and realizes that "it is impossible without establishing relations with
Armenia." He added, however, that the signing of the agreement will
not happen during the forthcoming visit of Turkish Foreign Minister Ali
Babacan in April as Turkey is waiting for the US reaction, especially,
if US President Barack Obama is going to pronounce the word genocide.

Manoyan said that the opening of the border would lead to the Turkish
economic invasion into Armenia while Armenia and Turkey are in
unequal conditions.

The opening of the border would not necessarily become a positive
thing, Manoyan said. "ARFD is voicing its concern over the signing of
an agreement as well as the normalization of the relations; Armenia
should not take steps in the bilateral ties that could restrain its
actions in defending its rights in the future. Armenia should not
take steps that could question the fact of the Armenian genocide," he
said. He added that ARF is going to propose to the cabinet a number
of economic measures in case of the opening of the Armenian-Turkish
border.

Manoyan said that US President Obama is likely to stick to his promise
and use the word genocide in his April 24 address and is trying to
butter Turkey during his upcoming visit to that country.

AZERBAIJANI AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY: "PUBLICATION IN PRESS ABOUT SOONEST OPENING OF THE TURKISH-ARMENIAN BORDER IS AN ATTEMPT TO CAUSE SENSATION"

Today.Az
/politics/51081.html
March 16 2009
Azerbaijan

Publications in press about the soonest opening of the Turkish-Armenian
border is an attempt to cause sensation, said Azerbaijani ambassador
extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Turkey Zakir Hashimov.

He spoke of the issue of inadmissibility of any contacts between
Turkey and Armenia.

Baku and Ankara hold consultations on this issue, he said. "The
Turkish side has officially announced that it will not take any
step, contradicting to Azerbaijan’s interests. Turkey will establish
relations with Armenia after Armenians disavow their claims towards
the so-called "Armenian genocide", withdraw from the occupied lands
of our country and officially recognize the territorial integrity
of Turkey and Azerbaijan. At the same time, we should realize that
Turkey is an independent state".

According to the ambassador, Turkey has its own policy towards its
neighbors and today the Turkish government is holding a policy to
normalize relations with its neighbors.

"Talks with Armenia should also be considered in the framework of
the resolution of ties with neighbors. Moreover, the upcoming visit
of Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan to Armenia will be held
for participation in the session of the Organization for Black Sea
Economic Cooperation", said Hashimov.

"Personally, I do not expect any steps contradicting to Azerbaijan’s
interests from the upcoming meetings of the Turkish Foreign
Minister. Today some mass medias publish different speculations
on the Turkish-Armenian relations, opening of borders between the
two countries. Some mass medias even specify "the date" of opening
of borders between Turkey and Armenia, but these publications and
statements are mostly aimed to create sensation and nothing more",
concluded the ambassador

Launch of new MRG Report

Forgotten or assimilated? Minorities in the education system of Turkey *

The Turkish government must act to stop discrimination against minority
children in schools which ignore their distinct culture, language, history
and religion, says Minority Rights Group International (MRG) in a new
report.

In the report, which is the most up-to-date analysis of the subject
available, minority communities accuse the education system in Turkey of
working to assimilate them and promote Turkish identity and nationalism in a
manner that denies the rights of minorities.

Since the Turkish Republic was established in 1923, minorities have been
perceived as a threat to the ‘indivisible integrity of the state with its
territory and nation’ enshrined in the Turkish Constitution.

Turkey recognizes only Armenians, Jews and Rums as minorities, and denies
other minorities the right to open their own schools. No minority language
can be used at public schools as the language of instruction.

Nurcan Kaya, Minority Rights Group’s Turkey Coordinator and author of the
report, says, "Turkey has to change its minority policy and recognize the
existence of diverse groups such as Assyrians, Kurds, Roma, Laz and
Caucasians. It must guarantee their education rights and take affirmative
action where necessary."

Minority Rights Group International
Invites you to the launch of the new report
Date: 11.00 – 13.00, Monday 16 March 2009
Light refreshments available
Venue: EU Information Centre
Mete Cd. Park Apt. No: 24 A
Taksim 34437 Istanbul

Speakers: Nurcan Kaya, MRG Turkey Coordinator and author of the report

Mihalis Vasiliadis: Chief editor of Apoyevmatini

Garo Paylan: Board member of Yesilkoy Armenian Primary School

Sami Tan: President of the Istanbul Kurdish Institution

Ali Kenanoglu: Vice President of the Alevi Bektasi Federation

Muzaffer Iris: Member of Mesopotamia Culture and Solidarity Association

(MEZODER)

Serap Topcu – Member of the Law Commission, Cem Foundation

RSVP

Zuhat Efe
MRG Turkey Project Officer
Tel: +90 (0) 532 724 56 99
E: [email protected]
W:

_______________________

* This report was prepared and published as part of a Project entitled
‘Combating discrimination and promoting minority rights in Turkey’, with the
financial support of the EU. The contents of the document are entirely the
responsibility of MRG and in no way represent the views of the EU. For
further information about the EU, please visit the official website of the
Union: