Author: nina hovnanian

REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS CONDEMNED AZERBAIJANI AUTHORITIES’ REPRESSIONS

NEWS.AM
January 30, 2013 | 12:39

Reporters Without Borders is outraged by the arrest of many leading
journalists and netizens during a demonstration in Baku on 26
January, and the mistreatment to which they were subjected before
being released.

“There seems to be no limit to the Aliyev regime’s contempt for
fundamental freedoms,” Reporters Without Borders Christophe Deloire
said.

“The brutal treatment of leading figures in the fight for human rights
and freedom of information was unacceptable and was clearly an act
of personal revenge designed to teach a lesson. The authorities are
trying to suppress and deter criticism by silencing those who often
condemn the woeful human rights situation.

“Coming just days after the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe rejected a resolution on Azerbaijan’s political prisoners,
this new blow to the country’s civil society shows that the authorities
think they can act with complete impunity.

“The international community must urgently come to its senses and
make the Azerbaijani government understand that such behaviour
is incompatible with its membership of the Council of Europe and
the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and its
association with the European Union.”

Around 100 protestors were detained when the police dispersed the 26
January demonstration in Baku.

IMPROVEMENT WORKS IN HAKOBAVANK

Tuesday, 29 January 2013 09:59

On the initiative of the religious organization Fraternity of
Worshippers of the Armenian Apostolic Church, improvement works were
conducted last week in the monastery complex Hakobavank (or monastery
of St. Hakob) located on the right bank of the Khachen River, 1.5
km from the village Kolatak, Martakert region. In the historical
literature, this monument of Armenian architecture is also noted
as Metsaran.

The environmental NGO Zepyur also joined the works.

The monastery was once a famous place of pilgrimage, an important
center of education and creation of manuscripts. The foundation
period is unknown, but the oldest inscription on the cross-stones
placed in the wall refers to the year of 853. According to the ancient
manuscripts, the monastery church was restored in the 12th century.

The most part of the complex’ constructions was built the same
period. According to the inscription, the residential and farm
buildings in the eastern part of the monastery are dated to the
17th -18th centuries. Currently, the complex is on the verge of
destruction. Fortunately, there are sponsors who pledged to help in
the restoration of the monastery, and still we should save, at least,
what is left from the complex. Therefore, on the initiative of the AAC
Fraternity of Worshippers, improvement works were conducted here. The
dome of the church was covered with plastic wrap to prevent it from
further destruction.

An active part in these works was taken by inhabitant of Prdzhamal
village Hovik Beglarian, who believes that such works are necessary in
order to save the churches that were built with the enormous efforts of
our ancestors. “It is painful for me to see how the shrines, built by
our ancestors, are destroyed in Artsakh. Construction of new churches
isn~Rt easy today, but we cannot even save the existing ones.

It’s time to come to our senses and maintain our spiritual values
“, said H. Beglarian. Note that our interlocutor participates in
improvement works not only in Hakobavank, but also in the territories
of other churches, for example, in the villages of Noragyugh,
Mokhratagh, and others. Remarkably, he is both the initiator and
executor of the works. He attends with great inspiration the Church
of Our Lady in his native village. Earlier, it was a rural chapel
and only in 1800 was rebuilt into a church.

According to O. Beglarian, the church should become a spiritual center
for the people to attend it and participate in the sacred ordinances
of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The main thing is the spiritual
revival of the church and its congregation. Representative of the
organization AAA Fraternity of Worshippers Armen Maghakelian also noted
that these works were not only aimed at the restoration of the church,
but also at the formation of the people~Rs proper way of thinking. “The
villagers see us to come from Stepanakert and to organize improvement
works in their churches. The church was initially built for the local
people so that they regularly visit it, join God~Rs Word, and remain
devoted to the true faith. Our goal is to create parishes in Artsakh,
as it was in the pre-Soviet period”, said A.

Maghakelian.

Note also that the revival of parish councils was planned on the state
level. To inform the society, with the assistance of the NKR Prime
Minister, the villages of Sos and Machkalashen and Stepanakert school
¹ 2 were jointly visited by chief department on national minorities
and religious issues of the NKR government Ashot Sargsian, director of
the preaching center of the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic
Church Karen Apresian, representative of the ministry of education
and science Janna Ayvazian, and Armen Maghakelian. Issues of religious
security were also discussed.

According to chairman of the environmental NGO Zepyur Aram Mayilian,
their organization could not but respond to this initiative, as their
aim is to preserve the historical and cultural monuments and spiritual
values of Artsakh, to improve and clean the adjoining territories,
as well as to research the area and historical events. In particular,
the organization Zepyur conducted improvement works in the vicinity
of Gandzasar Church. These programs aim to involve the younger
generation in the spiritual values of its native land and to preserve
the masterpieces created by our ancestors.

Zarine MAYILIAN

ARMENIA AND RUSSIA TO SET MILITARY COOPERATION PROGRAM FOR NEAR FUTURE IN FEBRUARY

YEREVAN, January 29. /ARKA/. In February Armenia and Russia are to
establish a practical cooperation program for the near future, for
five years at minimum, Russian minister of defence Sergey Shoygu said
in Yerevan Tuesday, as quoted by Novosti-Armenia Agency.

“We have discussed issues of military and defence technology
cooperation and further development of our strategic partnership”,
Shoygu told a press conference after his meeting with the Armenian
counterpart Ohanyan. Shoygu reminded that it is not the first meeting
of the two ministers: the first two ones were held in late 2012.

“We keep meeting each other, and we do not only exchange views,
but make decisions as well”, the Russian minister said. The issues
discussed in the first two meetings at the end of 2012 were solved
already in January this year, he said.

Shoygu informed that some international and regional security issues
were discussed and a number of additional decisions were made during
this meeting.

The Russian minister pointed out that the leaders of the Collective
Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) are now in Armenia to sign
documents related to some additional elements for ensuring stability
in the region and to CSTO’s activities in general.

Shoygu congratulated the Armenian people on the 21st anniversary of
the Armenian Army celebrated yesterday. -0-

CONFIDENCE TO BE FOLLOWED BY FRAGMENTATION OF GOVERNMENT
Levon Margaryan

Story from Lragir.am News:

12:39 30/01/2013

During his campaign Serzh Sargsyan has made two blunders. The first
was on Army Day, in Yerablur, the cemetery of soldiers killed in
Karabakh war. He told a woman who came up to her to complain of her
social problems not to spoil the celebration. The second was in Lori
where he told a farmer it was their fault why “their cucumbers are
crooked”. The farmer complained that his children had to emigrate
because they could not earn their living at home.

How come Serzh Sargsyan who makes organized and saturated texts at
conferences is unable to follow up the principles he declares himself?

Even though the upcoming elections are said to be fertile soil for the
introduction of political ideas, their circulation and implementation,
one thing is clear – the government with its economic and political
resource has no rival who would cause it the slightest disturbance
in this election. Theoretically, there is such inconvenience which
will continue as long as the government faces a crisis of legitimacy.

It is too early for the Republicans and Serzh Sargsyan to become
confident. They would not be so confident in two situations – if
Gagik Tsarukyan or Levon Ter-Petrosyan ran in the election. Then the
nicely-written conference texts would be followed up by nicely-written
campaign texts.

It is hard to blame anyone. However, small troubles indicate a bigger
problem in the government. There is no opposition or alternative to
the government. Hrant Bagratyan and Raffi Hovannisian may receive
some votes, win over a certain audience, introduce new discourse but
only theoretically. Practically, it is very difficult to defeat an
overcentralized government through guerilla wars, at least now.

The problem is that most political parties which are out of the
electoral process now have been incapable of sufficient party
activities which would ensure their systemic participation. The
political opposition consolidated ahead of the election, boosted
pressure after the election and left to rest. No intermediate and long,
sometimes annoying party activities, involvement of new resources
and capital and informal campaign took place.

The RPA’s campaign is permanent because it is government and always
needs to involve new resources independent from anything. The
government has immense financial and state resources for that. The
opposition can do it only by being more innovative than the
government. The government will not share state and financial resources
with the opposition, especially with the one we have. So the only
thing the opposition can do is to be more innovative and organized.

There is already a basis for new ideas and innovation in the
opposition. It is hard to tell to what extent this process will
progress, the process has just started.

On the other hand, the solitude of the government has both positive
and negative aspects.

The negative aspect is what we now see – almost one hundred percent
proud confidence in victory. The positive aspect is the fragmentation
of the government due to this state of play. The most visible process
after February will be the government’s fragmentation. Moreover,
fragmentation has been delayed since 2008. The government has grabbed
the entire economic and political capital, the next step will be
distinction and socialization of the capital. There is no other way of
sustainability of development or processes. Currently these processes
are delayed due to the election and participation of Serzh Sargsyan
in the election as the only factor which keeps the government together.

After Serzh Sargsyan’s election this delayed and predicted process
will start. So, the short period of confidence of Serzh Sargsyan will
end soon, and the team will be fragmented and torn, and it will be
necessary to identify, control and coordinate the complicated game.

HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK: CLOUDS OVER HEAD OF ARMENIA’S DELEGATION TO PACE

TERT.AM
08:56 ~U 30.01.13

The statement by the delegation of the PACE observation mission
that arrived in Armenia on January 17 indicated that the upcoming
presidential election in the country was marred by distrust.

According to the sources close to the Republican Party of Armenia
(RPA), the statement may affect Head of Armenia’s delegation to PACE
David Harutyunyan’s career.

Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan, who is keenly interested in a
favorable impression the February 18 election is supposed to make on
the West, got furiously angry at the statement. He intends to deal
with Armenia’s delegation to PACE after the presidential election.

Rumor has it that Mr Harutyunyan is likely to resign from his post. Mr
Harutyunyan himself was quick to claim that the PACE delegation’s
statement was far from being unbiased.

“It has become a subject of serious discussions here, not there. As
regards changes in Armenia’s delegation, no discussions have so far
been held. I do not rule out changes. They may take place at any time,”
Mr Harutyunyan told the newspaper.

ARMENIAN KIDNAPPED IN DAMASCUS SET FREE

10:42, 30 January, 2013

YEREVAN, JANAURY 30, ARMENPRESS. Our compatriot Nazareth Charkyan, who
had been kidnapped days ago in Damascus, was set free. Our compatriot
living in Damascus Nazareth Elmajyan informed “Armenpress” about this.

In addition he stated that he has been released after paying the
ransom. The amount of ransom has not been clarified yet, it has only
been declared that the ransom paid did not match the demanded amount
of USD 500 thousand.

Previously on January 23 it was stated that unknown armed men kidnapped
Armenian from Damascus Nazareth Charkyan right from his workplace and
demanded LS 50 million, which equals approximately to USD 500 thousand.

General situation in capital Damascus is calm; clashes flare up in the
villages nearby. Syrian SANA agency states that the governmental forces
destroyed vehicles belonging to the rebels, which were exploited to
transport arms. A number of armed rebels have been killed and wounded
in Duma village. Their weaponry has been confiscated.

In accordance with the UN data clashes lasting about 22 months in
Syria caused death of over 60 thousand people, including more than
four dozens Armenians.

LA GRAVE DE LA FAIM EST-ELLE CONTAGIEUSE ?
Stephane

armenews.com
mercredi 30 janvier 2013

Alors que l’un des candidats presidentiels, Andreas Ghoukassian,
poursuit la grève de la faim, un autre candidat, Parouyr Hayrikian,
n’a pas exclu de le rejoindre pendant quelques jours en signe de
solidarite, afin de le convaincre ensuite de renoncer a cette mesure.

M. Hayrikian a exprime sa satisfaction quant a la couverture mediatique
de la campagne, tout en indiquant que la candidature du President
sortant cree automatiquement des conditions inegales pour les autres.

Par ailleurs, Aram Haroutiounian, leader du parti Accord national,
a annonce hier qu’il retirera sa candidature le 8 fevrier, date limite
pour le faire, en signe de protestation contre le manque de liberte et
d’equite dans le pays. Avant de retirer sa candidature, il entamera,
pour la seule journee du 7 fevrier, une grève de la faim devant le
bâtiment de la Commission electorale centrale. Il demande aux autres
candidats de sortir de la course presidentielle, afin de laisser Serge
Sarkissian seul. L’ancien ” Ministre ” des AE du HK, Arman Melikian,
quant a lui, a annonce hier la suspension de sa campagne electorale en
signe de protestation contre les activites de la Commission electorale
centrale. Ce candidat a exige que la CEC fournisse des informations
detaillees sur le nombre d’electeurs, de meme que des informations
sur le nombre de personnes inscrites sur les listes electorales mais
absentes de la Republique. Il affirme que les listes electorales
comportent des centaines de milliers de noms de non-residents qui
permettront donc la reelection de Serge Sarkissian. La CEC a rejete
la demande de M. Melikian. Celui-ci n’a pas exclu non plus de se
retirer de la course presidentielle, estimant inutile tout combat.

Extrait de la revue de presse de l’Ambassade de France en Armenie en
date du 23 janvier 2013

mercredi 30 janvier 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

SERGE SARKISSIAN EST LE CANDIDAT LE PLUS RICHE
Stephane

armenews.com
mercredi 30 janvier 2013

RFE/RL consacre un article aux biens et moyens financiers
officiellement declares par les 8 candidats. Serge Sarkissian a
declare posseder un appartement de 96m3 a Stepanakert et une voiture
Mitsubishi de 1996. Il a par ailleurs declare posseder une collection
de 32 tableaux de peintres armeniens renommes, ainsi que des statuettes
de valeur de XVIII- XX siècles. Il a dit posseder sur ses comptes
bancaires, a la date du 16 janvier, 200 000 euros. L’ancien ” Ministre
” des AE du HK, Arman Melikian, apparaît comme le candidat le plus
pauvre, celui-ci n’ayant declare ni bien immobilier, ni voiture,
ni objets precieux, ni revenus. A la date du 19 janvier, il a dit
posseder 1000 dollars. La caution electorale de 16 000 euros aurait
ete payee par des camarades. Raffi Hovhannissian, leader d’Heritage, a
declare posseder deux maisons a Erevan et une voiture de marque GAZ. A
la date du 17 janvier, il a declare posseder 52 000 dollars. Hrant
Bagratian, ancien PM, a declare posseder une maison, deux appartements
a Erevan, une voiture de marque Nissan. M. Bagratian, qui est depute
et enseigne dans plusieurs universites dont l’Universite bancaire de
Kiev, a declare posseder, a la date du 14 janvier, 65 000 $. Parmi
les autres candidats, Vardan Sedrakian, le specialiste des chansons
epiques, apparaît comme relativement aise. Celui-ci a declare posseder
4 terrains, un appartement, une maison, une voiture Mitsubishi. Il
a declare posseder, a la date du 16 janvier, 19 000 euros.

Extrait de la revue de presse de l’Ambassade de France en Armenie en
date du 23 janvier 2013

mercredi 30 janvier 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

L’IRRESISTIBLE MONTEE DE LA VIOLENCE PANTURQUE, PAR ARA TORANIAN
Ara

armenews.com
mercredi 30 janvier 2013

Quel rapport entre une vieille armenienne egorgee en Turquie et une
militante kurde executee en France ? A priori aucun. Et pourtant,
comment ne pas s’interroger sur le fond commun qui lie la serie
d’agressions dont ont ete victimes a Istanbul le mois dernier des
Armeniennes âgees, dont l’une a ete tuee et l’autre laissee pour
morte, et l’assassinat de trois militantes kurdes a Paris le 9 janvier
? Ces crimes partagent en effet entre eux une unite de temps, leurs
cibles sont des femmes, mais surtout elles appartiennent aux minorites
honnies par Ankara. On ne peut certes en deduire qu’une meme main a
frappe dans l’un et l’autre cas, ou que ces atrocites obeissent a un
plan concerte. Mais on ne saurait non plus faire abstraction du fait
qu’elles s’inscrivent dans un contexte très particulier. Celui de
la montee en puissance de l’Etat turc sous l’impulsion d’un parti,
l’AKP, qui professe une ideologie où le nationalisme le dispute a
l’islamisme, avec un impact detonnant sur les mentalites locales. En
alimentant les fantasmes lies a un retour au Califat ottoman et en
stimulant les reves de reconquete, ce nouveau panturquisme constitue
en lui-meme un vecteur de violence. Son empreinte est visible dans les
orientations de la diplomatie d’Ankara au Moyen-Orient, caracterisee
par des tentatives diverses et variees d’accroître son influence sur
le monde arabe et musulman et ce, jusqu’a apporter son soutien aux
pires mouvements djihadistes, le cas echeant.

En Europe et en France, on en percoit la trace a travers un certain
nombre d’initiatives visant clairement a mobiliser l’emigration turque
(qui dans sa grande majorite resiste a cette instrumentalisation), en
particulier contre les ” allegations armeniennes “. Ces ambitions se
sont traduites par des demonstrations de forces, notamment au moment
des debats au Parlement sur la loi incriminant le negationnisme (
manifestation turque du 29 janvier 2011 a Paris). Un rapport de la
DCRI repris par Le Point en mars dernier sous le titre ” Les loups
sont entres dans Paris ” dressait un tableau accablant et precis
sur les differents aspects de cette resurgence du ” fascislamisme ”
turc que l’Europe ne veut pas voir et que les autorites francaises
sous-estiment. Pourtant, c’est bien dans ce climat alimente par le
negationnisme du genocide armenien et la promotion d’un racisme et
d’un antisemitisme de plus en plus debride, qu’a pousse ce regain
de violence, qu’on pu se mettre en place des contrats criminels et
s’operer des passages a l’acte, comme ceux qui ont touche ces femmes,
ici et la-bas. Voila le lien entre ces terrifiantes manifestations
de barbarie anti-armeniennes et antikurdes. Il tient tout entier dans
la percee panturque d’Ankara.

Ce constat s’impose aujourd’hui d’autant plus que la Turquie fait
preuve d’un savoir-faire diplomatique remarquable pour conforter ses
velleites de devenir leader au Moyen-Orient. L’appui militaire que
lui ont procure a cet effet les Etats-Unis, en la dotant recemment
de missiles ” Patriots “, concourt a la legitimer dans sa logique
de domination regionale. Et les initiatives comme l’invalidation de
la loi penalisant la negation du genocide armenien l’an dernier en
France, dont il ne fait nul doute qu’elle a ete interpretee comme une
manifestation de faiblesse ou de complaisance a son endroit, lèvent
les ultimes digues morales et politiques qui auraient pu contribuer
a canaliser son irresistible ascension, dont le corollaire violent
se fait deja sentir.

Le problème fondamental de cet etat est qu’il n’a jamais ete puni
pour ses crimes et qu’il ne voit donc aucune raison de changer
de comportement. Voila pourquoi, en cette periode de conquete
internationale de ce pays pas comme les autres, il est plus que jamais
necessaire de tirer la lecon des experiences passees. Ce qui devrait
se traduire par la mise en place de toute mesure susceptible de faire
barrage aux vieux demons de la Turquie, comme on a endigue ceux de
l’Allemagne, l’autre grand Etat genocidaire du XXe siècle. Faute de
dispositions en ce sens, dans le domaine la reconnaissance du genocide
armenien, du respect des minorites et de la lutte antiraciste, on
s’expose a voir les memes causes reproduire les memes effets, et le
sang couler a nouveau. Comme en Anatolie ou a Istanbul ces derniers
jours. Mais aussi, helas, en plein Paris.

Ara Toranian

mercredi 30 janvier 2013, Ara ©armenews.com

QUAKE HITS IRAN: TREMORS FELT IN MEGHRI

01:02 pm | January 29, 2013 | Social

A magnitude 4.3 earthquake hit 13 km south-west from Iran’s Ahar city
at around 11.38 pm. January 28. The quake strength was 5-6 points in
the epicenter. The hypocenter was at the depth of 10 km.

Tremors measuring 2-3 on the Richter scale were also felt in Armenia’s
southern city of Meghri.