Author: nina hovnanian

YAIR AURON’S “BANALITY OF INDIFFERENCE” MAKES INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE CLOSER

12:22, 15 July, 2013

YEREVAN, JULY 15, ARMENPRESS: The book “Banality of Indifference”
of the Israeli author Yair Auron was translated into Armenian. At the
press conference held on July 15 in Yerevan Yair Auron noted that for
him it is very important that the book, besides the English and Hebrew,
has the Armenian version as well. “I wish that in Israel too so many
journalists would be so interested in the books. Today I am very
excited and pleased by your presence and interest. Yesterday I met
with His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos
of All Armenians and we had quite an interesting conversation”, –
shared his impressions the Israeli writer, as reported by Armenpress.

Yair Auron noted that there are many facts in the book, which had
not been touched before. The President of the Writers’ Union of
Armenia Levon Ananyan stated that the Israeli delegation has arrived
in Yerevan by the invitation of the Writers’ Union of Armenia. “In
the decades-long history of the Israeli State the author has made
a brave step and told the truth about the Armenian Genocide”, –
said Ananyan. He noted that in the book Yair Auron expresses his
frustration stating that he cannot forget the similar tragedies of
other nations. “The book has been written for the Jewish and Armenian
societies. The “Banality of Indifference” makes the international
recognition of the Armenian Genocide one step closer”, – emphasized
the President of the Writers’ Union of Armenia Levon Ananyan.

“Considering the Armenian Genocide to be a “prelude” to the Holocaust,
the scientist accuses the modern Israeli authorities for the passive
behavior”, – said Levon Ananyan, adding that Yair Auron wrote that
“not suppressing and not discussing the genocides of other nations,
the historic fact of the Holocaust as well is being humiliated and
Israel is obliged to hold the discussion on the Armenian Genocide on
the parliamentary level”.

Yair Auron was born in 1945. He is an Israeli historian, scholar and
expert specializing on Holocaust and Genocide studies, racism and
contemporary Jewry. Since 2005 he is the head of the Department of
Sociology, Political Science and Communication, The Open University
of Israel, Associate Professor. Auron studied history and sociology
at Tel-Aviv University, received his MA from The Hebrew University,
and Ph.D. diploma from the Universite de la Sorbonne Nouvelle,
Paris III, France. From 1974 to 1976 Auron worked as the Director of
the Education Department, Yad Vashem, Jerusalem, in 1980’s he was a
researcher of the Center for Jewish Education, Hebrew University and
Academic director of European Section, The Israel Diaspora Institute,
Tel-Aviv University. In 1996-1999 he was a Senior Lecturer in College
of Yezreel, Head of the Division of Cultural Studies. Auron is a
member of the Academic Board of Directors, Zoryan Institute, Cambridge;
An Associate Director and Member of the Academic Board of Directors,
The Institute on the Holocaust and Genocide, Jerusalem; and an Advisory
Board member of The Genocide Education Project, San Francisco.

RPA MEMBER WINS MID-TERM ELECTIONS IN THE VILLAGE OF PROSHYAN

by Tatevik Shahunyan

ARMINFO
Monday, July 15, 12:20

According to preliminary reports, member of the ruling Republican
Party of Armenia Artur Muradyan has won the mid- term elections in
the village of Proshyan, Kotayk region.

The Central Election Commission of Armenia reports that Muradyan
has secured 1,317 votes, while his key rival Vova Sahakyan from the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutyun has received just
1,241 votes.

The former head of the Proshyan administration Hrach Muradyan was
killed on Apr 2013. The police are investigating the case, with
resident of the village Araik Petrosyan being the key suspect.

ARMENIA’S DECISION IN FAVOR OF ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT KIND OF CIVILIZED CHOICE – KONSTANTIN ZATULIN

13:04 15.07.13

Each country has the right to choose the way it considers necessary
for itself, Konstantin Zatulin, Director of the CIS Institute, said
in an exclusive interview with Tert.am, as he spoke of Armenia’s
choice – signing an association agreement with the European Union
(EU) or joining the Russia-proposed Eurasian Union.

“A decision in favor of an association agreement with the EU is kind of
civilized choice known to be accompanied by comments on other options
Armenia might consider as well. They are the Eurasian Union and the
Customs Union, which has been discussed for a year and a half or two
years,” Zatulin said.

“Each nation has the right to choose the way it considers necessary.

However, since the passions have been running high, with disregard
for the discussions on the part of Armenia’s mass media, individual
MPs and statesmen, Russia has had to respond and present its view of
what is on the stake,” he said.

He noted that Armenia is a member of the Commonwealth of Independent
States (CIS) and of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

“I do not think Armenia has shown strong interest in the nascent
Customs Union, with its later development into a Eurasian Union. On
the other hand, the country has shown interest in the EU-announced
Eastern Partnership project and in deeper integration with the EU,”
Zatulin said.

“Moreover, even if Russia did not take notice, our Armenian statesmen
did it long ago instead of us. Among them is Armenia’s Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsyan, who addressed the topic as far back as last year,
and, which is the most important, EU representatives.”

European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy
Å tefan Fule’s stated in Yerevan the other day that the choice was
“both… and” rather than “either…or”. Armenia, however, does not
quite trust the statement.

“I do not know the reason why Armenia does not believe. In contrast to
Ukraine, which is ready to sign an association agreement in Vilnius,
this November, Armenia is only ready to initial it. However, aware
of diplomatic practice, I can say that initialing implies that not a
single word or comma is added to the agreed document. This decision
lays certain responsibility on Armenia, which means conceding some
of its sovereignty over economic decisions to the EU, which is now
extending its standards to Armenia.”

This factor is causing a number of problems, ruling out the possibility
of “both…and” in economic relations with Russia, creating a certain
atmosphere in other areas, with economy to influence them.

Russia has until recently been number one investor in Armenia.

However, the expert finds it difficult to say whether the situation
will remain unchanged after Armenia signs the document.

Armenia and Russia have serious defense and security commitments
as well.

“I do not claim the agreement has anything to do with them. I am
not well informed of the agreement with the EU Armenia is going to
initial. However, the EU-Ukraine agreement I am well informed of
does contain points on combined efforts in defense and security,”
Zatulin said. Ukraine may not be so much concerned over it. As regards
Armenia, there are certain threats in the region in the context of
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and relations with Turkey.

“People must realize interrelations in the world,” Zatulin said. In
this context, he pointed out high-level and successful Armenian-Russian
relations in the political, military and security areas.

With respect to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Zatulin said:

“I know I am a persona non grata in Azerbaijan, and I am not going to
ask Baku for permission to visit Nagorno-Karabakh. However, Russia, as
Minsk Group mediator, has a more reserved and neutral position. Never
and nowhere has Russia said that ‘we recognize Nagorno-Karabakh or
will defend Nagorno-Karabakh should Azerbaijan attack it.’ However,
Russia’s ex-president Dmitry Medvedev stated recently that Russia
would have to honor its commitments in case Armenia came under threat.

Let us be honest – it is Armenia rather than Nagorno-Karabakh that
is in question,” Zatulin said.

He believes that “should anything happen in the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict zone, it will inevitably affect Armenia.”

“So Russia’s commitment is of high importance for the entire defense
and security system of Armenia,” Zatulin said.

With respect to the Russian-Azerbaijani arms deals, he said that all
the sides are seeking advantages.

“All the sides – including our military-industrial complex – are
seeking an advantage. If it were my decision, I would not supply the
weapons to the region, given the military threat in connection with
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. If Azerbaijan has money it is no problem
to find tanks on the market – if it is not Russia, it may be another
nation. In any case, however, it makes me shudder,” he said.

In conclusion, Konstantin Zatulin noted that the people committed
to Russian-Armenian relations have to argue with those holding more
liberal views, as well as with those offering other options.

LA COMPAGNIE DES CHEMINS DE FER DU SUD CAUCASE LANCE LA LIAISON HRAZDAN-ALMAST-SHORZHA

ARMENIE

La compagnie des chemins de fer du Sud Caucase lance sa liaison
saisonnière Hrazdan-Almast-Shorsha (Tsovagiugh) en faveur des
vacanciers en partance vers le lac Sevan depuis le 1er Juillet,
a rapporte le service de presse de l’entreprise.

Le train circule tous les jours en dehors du mercredi.

Le train part de Hrazdan, a 6h45 et arrive a la gare Almast a Erevan
a 08h10. Il part a 8h30 d’Almast. La destination finale est Tsovagiugh
les jours de la semaine et la station Shorzha le week-end.

lundi 15 juillet 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

Razm.info: Azerbaijan speaks about blitzkrieg with small losses, but
in reality plans to receive huge number of wounded

09:12 13/07/2013 » ANALYSIS

In Azerbaijan people love to regale with the talks of a “quick” war
for Karabakh. According to the Baku propaganda, the losses of
Azerbaijanis were to be minimized due to long-range weapons. However,
at the same time they open a new multi-storey housing for the military
hospital of 540 beds and acquire mobile hospitals in Baku. This
suggests that in case of war, military doctors of Azerbaijan plan to
receive a large number of wounded, reads the portal which specializes
in military subjects `Razm.info’.

As stated in the article, yet on June 25, President of Azerbaijan
Ilham Aliyev attended the opening ceremony of the second corpus of the
Main Military Clinical Hospital. Aliyev also was demonstrated the new
acquisition, a mobile field hospital made in Turkish `Turmaks’
company. This event, which at first glance seems to be a protocol, is
really interesting from several points of view, the author notes.

The fact that Azerbaijan at the highest level makes bellicose
statements and claims that they are ready “to return Karabakh by force
of arms” is not new, but there is another nuance here: one of the
pillars of the military rhetoric of Azerbaijan is the thesis of
“blitzkrieg” – the lightning offensive. A statement was issued both
for the external and internal audience, which stated that “the second
Karabakh war” will not be long as the first.

“The emphasis on Azerbaijani propaganda of remote warfare is actually
an indirect promise of a domestic audience that the Azerbaijani armed
forces will not cause major life losses,” writes Razm.info.

However, the author notes, in parallel with the “blitzkrieg ‘moods,
the second building of the Main Military Clinical Hospital is being
opened in the capital of Azerbaijan, with increasing of the number of
beds from 560 – to 1,000 seats. Housing is provided for 560 patients,
the dining room of the hospital, however, can feed up to 1,700 people
if needed. From this we can conclude that military hospital is planned
to operate in congested mode, if necessary.

It also notes that the Baku military hospital is not the only one in
Azerbaijan. Large military hospitals should be (and in fact are)
within each army corps of Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan. “The
reader is left to imagine the number of injured that are going to be
accepted by all of the military medical institutions of the country,”
the material stated.

Another acquisition of Azerbaijani military medicine is a mobile field
hospital of production of Turkish “Turmaks” company. According to the
manufacturer’s site, this field hospital has 50 operating rooms. The
Azerbaijani sources claim that it is designed to serve up to 150
casualties a day.

According to the authors, this increase in the number of places in the
military hospitals of Azerbaijan means that in case of renewed
hostilities the Azerbaijani leadership expects large losses of life.
“And neither rocket systems nor other means of long-range combat will
not help Azerbaijani Armed Forces to avoid this,” Razm.info sums up.

Armenian tombstones found during construction works in Tahrir square (PHOTOS)

July 13, 2013 | 16:26

Employees of Archeology Institute of Istanbul found 13 Armenian
tombstones during construction works in Tahrir Square of Istanbul.

The tombstones are dating back to 17th and 19th centuries, Akunq.net
reported quoting Agos newspaper.

These are the tombstones from the Armenian cemetery located near the
church of St. Hagop on the site where Hilton and other buildings were
constructed.

Currently, the tombstones are in the Institute of Archaeology in
Istanbul, where they were examined by specialists.

Russian tourists become more interested in Armenia

16:03 13/07/2013 » SOCIETY

There are two reasons that hinder tourism development in Armenia: lack
of tour guides and expensive services, director of Tourist Armenia
Russian-language magazine Lilit Hovhannisyan told today’s news
conference.

According to her, Tourist Armenia is the first Russian-language
tourist guide on Armenia in the territory of Russia, which aims to
properly present Armenia in Russia in order to raise tourist interest
in our country. The magazine gives detailed information about the
places of interest, culture, traditions, cuisine and everyday life in
Armenia.

Anahit Gevorgyan, who works for the magazine, noted that the
magazine’s first issue was sold out very quickly in Russia, which is
evidence of the fact that Russian tourists are interested in Armenia.

Russian tourists love visiting places of interest in Armenia, Lilit
Hovhannisyan said. `Armenia is not the country where one can come and
stay in a hotel all day long.’

Source: Panorama.am

Family Memories Published in Long-Running Church Newsletter Series

Friday, July 12th, 2013

BY ELISE KALFAYAN

What was daily life like in Western Armenian provinces and communities
before the Genocide, and how did families adapt as they emigrated to
the U.S.? Stories and memories passed down to parishioners of United
Armenian Congregational Church, printed in the church’s Herald
publication over the past four years, are a rich source of cultural
history.

Starting with Gesaria/Kayseri, series editor Joyce Abdulian selected
regions and asked church members to contribute family memories.
Launching the series, she wrote `The Herald hopes to continue
featuring family life in the old country as part of our Armenian
heritage and culture…’ The response was very enthusiastic, and
continues to the present as UACC looks forward to celebrating its 50th
anniversary.

The first three articles in January 2009:

`Some Personal Remembrances of My Childhood in Gesaria’ by Steve
Zurnacian (who emigrated to the U.S. to study at MIT and then UCLA)
`Memories of My Family’s Life in Kayseri’ by Dr. John Kassabian
(Kassabian wrote that his parents did not meet until their families
had emigrated to the U.S., but the stories they shared with him `gave
me a sense of life in Kayseri. Fortunately, my grandfather kept a
journal of significant events.’)
`Memories of Family Life in Gesaria’ by Helen Chakmakjian Rainey (who
wrote about both her family and her husband’s family and how they came
to the U.S.)

Stories about family life in Van, Hadjin, Tarsus, Kharpert, Kilis,
Marash, Aintab and more followed, with one or more submitted for each
region. While many touched on the tragic or difficult circumstances
that caused the families to emigrate, their main subjects were life in
the old country and planting new roots in the U.S.

Onnig Shahan (whose original family name, Shahbaghlian, came from the
farming area north of Van called Shaghbaghe) wrote about his father’s
journey out of Armenian in 1923 and eastward on the Trans-Siberian
railway. The family ended up in Shanghai, China; he was born there in
1925. From Shanghai the family went by boat to San Francisco in 1927.
His twin sisters were born in 1928. (The family later settled in
Glendale, and he and his sisters graduated from Herbert Hoover High
School!)

Joyce Abdulian with her brother Maynard

The focus on Aintab (where my father’s family lived) continued for
three issues, as several families submitted histories, including one
from series editor Abdulian, `Images of Aintab Life.’ Abdulian wrote
that her grandmother `somehow concealed all of her beautiful jewelry
on the fateful journey from Aintab to Aleppo…pieces of the jewelry
were sold by my uncle Levon [Levonian, principal and founder of the
Ouzoum Naseratz School in Aleppo]…to build the school and provide
scholarships for needy students.’

In an issue covering stories from Marash, she also wrote about her
mother’s school and included a photo of the 1913 diploma. Abdulian and
her brother Maynard Kuljian are pictured in front of Marash College,
in this photo taken in memory of their mother during a visit to her
alma mater. Most of the families who send in stories also provide
original photos, usually historical but occasionally taken by the
authors themselves while visiting their parents’ or grandparents’ home
towns.

Abdulian published a short history of Musa Dagh in conjunction with
church member Anges Andreassian Darakjian’s narrative, `My Father,
Rev. Dikran Andreassian.’ Andreassian was the pastor who led the Musa
Dagh Defense Council and that community’s successful resistance
against Turkish forces.

Family memories of life in Kessab were featured extensively in three
2012 Herald issues, as a number of church members were from that
Syrian town. Aleppo was of course frequently mentioned as a short- or
long-term stop for many families (including mine) who now attend UACC.
Our prayers go out to the Armenians, including relatives of church
members, still in Syria now.

Having run through most of the Armenian provinces, Abdulian is now
looking for stories from families who settled in South America or
Africa before arriving in the U.S. She is also researching how some
church members’ families were assisted by the American National
Committee for Homeless Armenians (ANCHA).

The series has run uninterrupted since 2009, and the Publications
Committee is very pleased with its effects. `People often tell me that
they really enjoyed the latest article,’ says Abdulian. `It touches
our hearts to learn more about each others’ family journeys, how
people came here and what their older relatives shared with them.’

`Encouraging families to set these stories down has been a real
blessing. Committing them to print perpetuates our culture and our
unique history,’ says Herald Editor Fred Mickaelian. `The series is
colloquial in tone but very effective.’ The UACC Herald has a mailing
list of about 700 addresses, and is also sent out to more than 60
people via email.

The Committee is in the process of deciding how these 25+ individual
histories could be published together as a stand-alone volume,
possibly in conjunction with UACC’s 50th anniversary celebration. No
decision has been reached. Regardless, the Herald collection is
impressive in itself, and congratulations and thanks are due to Joyce
Abdulian, the Publications Committee, UACC, and all the individuals
who have taken the time to set down their family stories for
posterity.

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
July 14 2013

The Turkish people today

CHARLOTTE MCPHERSON

Most Westerners do not realize how young a nation Turkey is in its
development stage of democracy.

Any Turk who identifies him or herself as being `Atatürkçü’ (followers
of Atatürk) would describe Mustafa Kemal’s legacy as nothing less than
the transformation of Turkey from an absolute feudal monarchy into a
modern, secular, sovereign state, free from foreign interference,
whose citizens enjoy greater freedom and security than their
forefathers had ever known.

In my last piece, `Coups and attacks’ (July 13, 2013), I examined the
military’s presence in national affairs and how it is often viewed
with suspicion by the West, but it is probably one of the main reasons
Turkey is a democratic Islamic nation. Similar to Egypt at present, it
has always been Turkey’s secular circles that pushed and encouraged
the military to stage coups.

In recent years, the Turkish army has been an important counterbalance
to elements that would prefer a more Islamic form of government and
law. Its involvement in politics, far from being resented or feared by
the people, has usually been welcomed by the majority of Turks.
However, trends have changed: On Feb. 28, 1997 (known as the
`postmodern’ coup) at the National Security Council (MGK) meeting, the
generals submitted their views on issues regarding secularism and
political Islam in Turkey to the government. The MGK made several
decisions during this meeting, and Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan
from the Welfare Party (RP) was forced to sign decisions intending to
protect the secularist ideology in Turkey.

In 2007 across Turkey, anti-government rallies referred to as
`Republican Rallies’ were held soon after the General Staff released a
memorandum against the Justice and Development Party’s (AK Party)
presidential nominee, who reportedly lacked secular credentials. It is
believed that the civilians who organized the rallies did so at the
order of a gendarme commander, with the goal of preparing the ground
for a military coup.

Turkish society is once again going through historic years. Depending
on with whom you talk, you will be told that the country’s very
identity is at stake — even topics about social norms on clothing,
beard styles and family planning can be sensitive.

I find it astonishing to realize that only 7 percent of the Turkish
population is over 60! The Turks, owing to a high birth rate and
traditionally poor national health care, are a very young nation by
Western standards. You see young people everywhere, and this gives the
country great dynamism and an enterprising spirit. Everybody wants a
better future, but they are polarized in their opinions on just what
that means!

Turkey faces delicate times as ethnic violence and civil war continue
in the Southeast, and protests have been held in numerous cities.

Roughly 80 percent or so of the population are ethnic Turks; 15
percent are Kurds; other ethnic groups include the Laz people in the
Black Sea region, Christian minorities (Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians,
Süryani) and Jews. Ever since the founding of the republic, the
government has downplayed ethnic, linguistic and religious
distinctions, fearful that a divided country could become the scene of
ethnic violence and civil war. Thus, the 1965 census was the last one
to list linguistic minorities.

The state has always sought to minimize the differences between Turks
and Kurds, often describing the latter as `mountain Turks,’ and its
policies have received both the approval (for citizenship, education
for all, etc.) and disapproval (for limitations on the use of the
Kurdish language, etc.) of the West. The greatest fear of the Turks is
that Kurdish nationalism will result in secession. Many Kurds have
assimilated into Turkish society and are successful businessmen, and
in recent years there have even been prominent politicians of Kurdish
origin.

As part of the process of adapting to the requirements of the European
Union, greater rights have been granted to minorities, such as
broadcasts in the Kurdish language, but change is gradual. Many Turks
still fear that foreign powers wish to encourage Kurdish nationalism,
and keep a wary eye on the development of Kurdish autonomy in
neighboring Iraq.

It is wise if you are a foreign visitor to avoid political debate
about nationalism or similar topics or to voice opinions about certain
events in Turkey’s past or present. Turks are sensitive, almost to the
point of paranoia, to the possibility that foreign powers might still
wish to destabilize the country through the promotion of nationalism,
etc. It could lead to losing a friend or result in a run-in with the
authorities.

`Wise men, when in doubt whether to speak or to keep quiet, give
themselves the benefit of the doubt and remain silent.’ — Napoleon
Hill

FEATURE COMPETITION
Golden Apricot: Circles
Silver Apricot: Parviz
Diploma: Araf – Somewhere in Between

DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
Golden Apricot: The Last Black Sea Pirates
Silver Apricot: A World Not Ours

ARMENIAN PANORAMA
Golden Apricot to Best Armenian Documentary: SaroyanLand
Golden Apricot to Best Armenian Fiction: I Am Going to Change My Name

BRITISH COUNCIL
Embers

SHORT COMPETITION
Golden Stone: Welcome and Our Condolences
Diploma: The Mother
Diploma: The Swing of the Coffin Maker
Diploma: Rhino Full Throttle

ECUMENICAL JURY
Ecumenical Prize: Keep Smiling
Diploma: Eastalgia

FIPRESCI JURY
The Last Winter

HRANT MATEVOSYAN FOUNDATION
Best Script: Broken Childhood