Tsarukyan-Abrahamyan beach business fails – paper
September 19, 2012 – 11:21 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenian Parliament speaker Hovik Abrahamyan and
Prosperous Armenia leader Gagik Tsarukyan own splendid beaches in
Bulgaria, Zhoghovurd daily reports.
However during his last visit to the country, Tsarukyan was
disappointed to learn that their business there hardly survives.
Abrahamyan, in turn, tried to specify the reasons behind the business
failure, the paper says.
”Cooperation 2012” joint exercises launched
10:10, 19 September, 2012
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 19, ARMENPRESS: ”Cooperation 2012” joint
exercises involving all participating units declared their launch in
the military institute after Marshal Baghramyan , Ministry of
Defense with the participation of Collective Security Treaty
Organization Collective Rapid Reaction Forces on September 19.
As Armenpress reports over two thousand servicemen, 500 unit of armed
techniques are engaged in the launched military exercises. The
ammunition, including air force bombing, artillery, tanks and infantry
fighting vehicles’ fire, portable complexes of armed artillery
releases are being utilized.
Personally Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan , senior servicemen,
representatives of CSTO secretariat, CSTO united chamber, journalist
are following the militaryt exercises. In accordance with the
preliminary data the exercises are scheduled to last for two hours. In
the course of the chief simulation the units exercised harmonious and
scheduled scenariao. The results were satisfactory and the military
units were estimated ready to participate in ”Cooperation 2012 ”
final stage. The Collective Security Treaty Organization was signed in
1992, May 15. Armenia, Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are among CSTO member states.
AFFAIRE SAFAROV
32% des Hongrois accusent leur gouvernement et 59% l’Azerbaïdjan dans
l’Affaire Safarov
Selon l’agence de presse nationale hongroise MT1, 64% des Hongrois ont
connaissance de l’Affaire Ramil Safarov et 74% affirment que ce
dossier est très important pour la Hongrie. Un sondage téléphonique
commandé par le parti « Fides » a abouti à ces conclusions. Sondage
effectué entre le 7 et le 12 septembre. On y apprend également que 59%
des Hongrois estiment que la responsabilité des autorités de
l’Azerbaïdjan est engagée dans cette affaire et 32% pensent que la
Hongrie est fautive. 9% n’ont pas désiré répondre à ce sondage réalisé
par le parti au pouvoir à Budapest.
Krikor Amirzayan
mercredi 19 septembre 2012,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com
“Right to Know the Truth” as a Constitutional Right, and the
Constitutional Issue of “Crimes Against Humanity and Genocide”*
by Azad Alik
Levent Köker**
As work began on the text of the new constitution, political parties
began to announce their proposals on rights and freedoms and their
proposals began to be discussed in earnest in the public sphere. One
of the most noteworthy proposals on rights and freedoms–an area of
such central importance to any constitution–came from the Peace and
Democracy Party (BDP)[1] in the form of a “right to learn the truth.”
In their words: “Everyone has the right to learn the truth, to access
substantive information about the country’s history, and to request
that documents and information about this history be made public,
including from government archives. There is no statute of limitations
on genocide or crimes against humanity”.[2]
We should note one thing right away: The BDP’s proposal has a symbolic
value related closely to the kind of state that must be envisioned by
the new constitution. If Turkey’s new constitution is not to continue
down the path of every “nationalist” constitution before it (including
1961) in remaining loyal to the goal of “constructing a Turkish
nation-state”, then it will have to enable society to develop a
healthy relationship with its own history. This issue is of central
importance in the attempt to establish a modern democratic Turkish
society with a new constitution sensitive to differences between
social groups, be they based on ethnicity, religion, confession or
belief, gender or sexual orientation, class, or something else.
Aside from its symbolic importance, we must also reflect seriously on
the fact that the proposal creates a new category of constitutional
rights, i.e., the “right to learn the truth.” The first reason why
this is important is the legal value of the “right to learn the truth”
as a constitutional right. Assuming that any constitutional right or
freedom, to be meaningful in a concrete way in the administration of
positive law, must contain a principle that can ultimately be
considered by a court of law, we must ask whether the “right to learn
the truth” actually meets such a definition. As the BDP proposal
includes a recognition of every person’s right to access material in
the state archives, it also means that the free exercise of this right
may not be blocked or restricted under the guise of “state secrets” or
on other grounds by using measures like the temporary or indefinite
closure of archives.
How can this right become meaningful within the context of positive
law? First, the constitution would have to state clearly that the
proposed “right to learn the truth,” like all other basic rights and
freedoms, would be binding for all state institutions in the absence
of another law to the contrary. I believe that, in order for this
right to be able to be contested in a court of law, such a clause is
absolutely necessary, especially given a judicial culture in Turkey
that prioritizes state interests. Second, it must also be established
clearly in the constitution that, other than the general restrictions
on basic freedoms, the “right to learn the truth” is not to be
restricted for any reason, including on grounds of “state secrets” or
any similar-sounding justifications seeking to preserve the existence
and survival of the state.
The second clause of the BDP’s proposal states that “there is no
statute of limitations on genocide or crimes against humanity.” It is
interesting that this rule should be tied to the “right to know” in
the same article of the BDP’s proposal. This statement would act as a
constitutional guarantee that, even as information about an
ever-changing, ever-expanding “past” is revealed, acts which could be
considered “genocide or crimes against humanity” will always remain
open to investigation. While this is important because it would give a
constitutional status to articles 76 and 77 in the current Turkish
Penal Code[3], it is not proposing something that is, in essence,
entirely new.
Nevertheless, there are several things that could be done with respect
to the issue of genocide in the new constitution. The first that comes
to mind is the addition of a statement in a new preamble stressing
that the new constitution was created with a collective conscience
that condemns in the broadest terms all crimes against humanity
experienced in this society’s history on the basis of basic
differences like ethnicity, religion, confession, belief, gender, and
sexual orientation, and one in which remaining apathetic about such
crimes is no longer possible. In addition to this symbolic statement,
the inclusion of a constitution-level reform to strengthen hate-crime
laws by “forbidding the denial of genocide (and crimes against
humanity)” ought to be considered. It is imperative that Turkey
recognize the parallel between the criminalization of genocide-denial
and hate-crime reforms among the world’s most advanced democratic
societies, most notably in Europe, of which Turkey is historically a
part. In a society where discrimination on the basis of any and all
social categories (particularly ethnicity, religion, and belief) have
been the cause for enormous pain and suffering at the hands of the
state, the importance of a right to learn the truth is certainly
great. But what is at least as important as the right to learn the
truth is the elimination of the ever-spreading phenomenon of “denying
the past” that stands as a mental barrier to learning the truth.
Therefore, in my opinion, it is necessary to simultaneously reform the
laws governing hate crimes and introduce laws dealing with those who
deny the fact that genocide or crimes against humanity could have been
a part of this country’s social and political history. For this
reason, we ought to consider a corresponding addition to the BDP’s
proposal.
This is what an expanded version of the BDP’s proposal might look like:
“Everyone has the right to learn the truth, to access substantive
information about the country’s history, and to request that documents
and information about this history be made public, including from
government archives. In the absence of a law or other regulation to
the contrary, this right shall be respected and implemented by all
executive, judicial, and other state bodies and shall not be
restricted on any grounds or in any way. The denial of genocide and
crimes against humanity constitutes a hate crime whose typical
features and penalties shall be regulated by law. There is no statute
of limitations on genocide or crimes against humanity.”
—————————————————————-
* This piece ir reprinted with the permission of TESEV and is taken
from its Constitutional Reform Monitoring website
**TESEV Constitutional Reform Monitoring Project Consultant and
Professor of Law at Atýlým University, Ankara
[1] A left-leaning party known for representing Kurdish interests. -Trans.
[2]
[3] These articles of the Turkish Penal Code define “genocide” and
“crimes against humanity” as well as specify that no statute of
limitations shall apply to them. -Trans.
Serzh Sargsyan’s Next Step Will Be Tougher
Arman Galoyan
Story from Lragir.am News:
Published: 10:39:26 – 19/09/2012
Interview with Hovhannes Sahakyan, Secretary of the Republican
parliamentary group
During the meeting with the government, Serzh Sargsyan criticized
toughly the government saying that he has been warning the prime
minister about all the issues for four years. In this case, why did he
reappoint Tigran Sargsyan as prime minister if he was dissatisfied
with his work so far?
I think it’s wrong to interpret Serzh Sargsyan’s words in different
contexts. As the head of state, he made his evaluation and requested
to solve all the issues in a short period of time. Yes, some work has
been done over these four years and the president evaluated it
negatively. He has the right to make evaluations and demand more. This
should be an additional impetus to be sober and to be alert.
But Serzh Sargsyan says that he was dissatisfied with the prime
minister’s work for the past four years. Then why did he reappoint
him?
I understand the context of your question. There have been statements
by political figures on the political context and that this is a
pre-election issue. If this step was propaganda, then we would witness
more abrupt developments such as resignations in the government. But
Serzh Sargsyan’s words should be perceived as constructive and
working.
This is not the only time when the president had arguments or an
opinion and criticized explicitly. He has criticized the Council of
justice, the Police. There is no need for intrigues. If he sacked the
premier, everyone would say that it is part of the presidential
campaign. Meanwhile, Serzh Sargsyan evaluated the state of affairs and
gave relevant instructions. If no changes are reports follow, he will
act respectively.
Can we assume there will be the PM’s or the government’s resignation soon?
I can’t say that. The resignation of the PM and the government is a
function of the president. Today, there is not such an issue on the
RPA agenda.
Many people think the PM should resign after this.
If no specific steps are taken after that consultation, it is clear
that Serzh Sargsyan’s next step will be tougher and more tangible. It
is within Serzh Sargsyan’s competences to decide on the step.
You voted for this government and its program. Do you feel responsible
for the activities of the government you approved?
The government is a team part of which is in the executive and the
other part in the legislature, so it is a team responsibility. It has
nothing to do with whether I’m an MP or whether I voted for or against
the government program. We have never blamed others for our problems
and failures.
Actually Tigran Sargsyan has made no conclusion from Serzh Sargsyan’s
speeches for the past four years. Will he do it this time?
I’m sure conclusions have already been drawn.
How do you feel about the fact that Serzh Sargsyan talked so
informally with the ministers calling them by their names – Tigran,
Samvel, Seyran, Dero…
I don’t think it is a correct to comment on Serzh Sargsyan’s steps and
words. But I think it was a friendly talk, he trusts those people and
has appointed them ministers.
Turkey debates around changing Lake Van’s name
news.am
September 19, 2012 | 11:01
The deputy mayor of Van, Turkey, and other officials from the Province
of Van are seriously concerned by the Province of Bitlis officials’
proposal to change the name of Lake Van either to Tatvan Sea, or Ahlat
Sea, or Lake Bitlis Van.
Van’s Deputy Mayor Sabri Abi stated that it will be very wrong to
change the name of Lake Van because it is known as such since ancient
times and the tourists come to see `Lake Van.’ He therefore called
upon the Bitlis officials to engage in preserving the Lake instead of
changing its name, Sabah daily of Turkey informs.
Lake Van and Environment Protection Department Head Ali Cavdar
likewise responded to Bitlis officials and recalled that the Lake’s
most polluted shores are inside the Province of Bitlis and, instead of
preserving it, the Bitlis residents want to change the name of the
Lake.
To note, Bitlis officials wish to change Lake Van’s name because they
claim it was mentioned as `Tatvan Sea’ in an Ottoman archive.
France Info
18 sept 2012
L’affaire Safarov, un fait divers qui ravive une guerre
le Mardi 18 Septembre 2012
Un officier d’Azerbaïdjan, Ramil Safarov, a tué un militaire arménien
à coups de hache. Gracié, il est considéré dans son pays comme un
héros. Cette affaire réveille les tensions entre Bakou et Erevan.
Au début, c’est un fait divers, sanglant. En février 2004, à Budapest,
en Hongrie, des militaires de plusieurs pays participent à un stage
d’anglais organisé par l’OTAN. Ils sont là dans le cadre d’un
“partenariat pour la paix”. Mais une nuit, un officier venu
d’Azerbaïdjan, Ramil Safarov, pénètre dans la chambre d’un autre
militaire, un arménien, et il le tue dans son sommeil. Il lui assène
seize coups de hache. Il le laisse presque décapité.
Safarov est arrêté. Pour se justifier, il explique qu’il a vengé son
pays. Car dans les années 1990, l’Arménie et l’Azerbaïdjan se sont
combattus sans pitié. Erevan et Bakou se disputaient une petite
région, le Haut-Karabakh. Le conflit a fait 30.000 morts. En 1994, les
armes se sont tues mais la pression n’est jamais retombée.
Safarov est condamné. Il purge sa peine en Hongrie, dans le pays où il
a commis son crime. Mais il y a quelques semaines, Budapest accepte
finalement de l’extrader. La Hongrie renvoie le meurtrier chez lui, en
Azerbaïdjan. Imagine-t-elle ce qui attend Ramil Safarov ? En tout cas,
dès que l’officier pose le pied à Bakou, il est acclamé. Au lieu de
terminer sa peine dans une prison azérie, il est gracié et il est
couvert de récompenses. L’Azerbaidjan lui donne le grade de
commandant. Il lui verse huit ans de salaires, pour compenser ses huit
ans de prison. Il lui offre même un appartement. Le meurtrier parade à
la télévision. Il est devenu un héros national. D’ailleurs, le
ministre des affaires étrangères ne s’en cache pas. Pour lui, Safarov
est une victime : son crime est compréhensible ; il est une
conséquence de la guerre du Haut-Karabakh.
Les arméniens sont furieux. Des centaines de personnes manifestent
dans plusieurs villes et donc ce soir à Paris. Elles en veulent au
président Aliev, mais aussi à la Hongrie. Elles l’accusent d’avoir
libéré Safarov pour de mauvaises raisons, pour faire plaisir à
l’Azerbaïdjan, pour renforcer le lien économique et politique avec
Bakou. L’Azerbaïdjan possède du gaz. Le pays pourrait aussi aider la
Hongrie à éponger sa dette. Pour l’Arménie, c’est trop. Erevan a rompu
ses relations diplomatiques avec la Hongrie.
Un geste de folie et seize coups de haches provoquent maintenant une
crise internationale. L’OTAN et les Nations Unies expriment leur
inquiétude. La grce de Ramil Safarov pourrait réveiller les fantômes
de la guerre.
Yahoo! Eurosport UK
Sept 19 2012
Team of the week: Mkhitaryan catches Europe’s eye
By Eurosport
Henrik Mkhitaryan caught the eye after a brilliant performance in
Shakhtar Donetsk’s debut in this season’s Champions League and the
Armenia international midfielder headlines our Team of the Week, as
selected via our expert and user matchcast ratings.
Formation: 4-1-3-2
GK: Mario Felgueiras (CFR Cluj) – Expert 8, Users 8.6 – The Portuguese
shot-stopper made a couple of key close-range saves on his return to
his homeland in the Romanian side’s win at Braga.
RB: Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke) – Expert 7, Users 8.4 – The German
side’s captain led by example, heading the opener against Olympiacos
and standing firm at the back throughout.
CB: Dany Nounkeu (Galatasaray) – Expert 9, Users 5.1 – Relegated Robin
van Persie to ‘bit-part’ status at Old Trafford and made up for the
mistakes of others, even though his side failed to take a point in
Manchester.
CB: Martin Demichelis (Malaga) – Expert 8, Users 7.2 – The Argentine
was a rock at the heart of the Malaga defence and kept Hulk quiet as
the Champions League debutantes registered a shock win over Zenit.
LB: Marcelo (Real Madrid) – Expert 8, Users 7.1 – As usual, the
Brazilian was a threat coming forward against Manchester City and he
got on the scoresheet in Madrid’s thrilling victory at the Bernabeu.
CM: Aleksandr Volodko (BATE Borisov) – Expert 8, Users 8.5 – It was
his great strike that set the visitors to Lille on their way to a
first Champions League group stage win and he was industrious and
clever throughout.
AMR: Jefferson Farfan (Schalke) – Expert 8, Users 8.1 – In what at
times was a subdued match in Athens, particularly in the first half,
the Peruvian offered creativity and ran the opposition defence ragged.
ACM – Henrik Mkhitaryan (Shakhtar Donetsk) – Expert 9, Users 9.2 – A
two-goal, match-winning salvo from Shakhtar’s Armenian midfielder in
an outstanding performance against Nordsaelland.
AML – Oscar (Chelsea) – Expert 8, Users 7.6 – Just 21 years of age,
the Brazilian marked his first start for Chelsea with two goals.
Though his all-round game wasn’t spectacular, he won the game and the
memory of that spin and finish will linger for some time.
FW: Luiz Adriano (Shakhtar Donetsk) – Expert 9, Users 7.2 – The
Brazilian was a livewire and involved in every good move against
Nordsaelland – including crossing for Mkhitaryan’s first goal.
FW: Rafael Bastos (CFR Cluj) – Expert 9, Users 8.3 – The difference
between Cluj and Braga: full of running and took both chances that
came along with consummate ease.
The L Magazine
Sept 19 2012
My Uncle Rafael: An Armenian Take on the Magical Negro
by Elise Nakhnikian
My Uncle Rafael
Directed by Marc Fusco
L.A. is home to more Armenians than almost anyplace else in the
diaspora, so it was inevitable that we’d get a movie about Armenians
in Glendale. Too bad it had to be this aggressively bland bit of
pablum, which plays like a faux-funny sitcom. Slathered in clumsy
layers of makeup, cowriter/coproducer Vahik Pirhamzei plays the title
character, an Armenian variation on the Magical Negro. With his
perpetually downturned mouth, jutting jaw, and dense salt-and-pepper
eyebrows – not to mention his addiction to offering pithy advice and
drinking Turkish (sorry, Grandma; I should have said Armenian)
coffee – Rafael Sarkissian is a caricature in the Tyler Perry mode. Like
the movie itself, he’s an expression of clumsily exaggerated ethnic
pride drawn broadly enough to appeal to anyone who likes didactic,
`heartwarming’ comedy.
A desperate reality show producer, Michele (Rachel Blanchard,
unconvincing), falls in love with Uncle Rafael’s earthy wisdom – or wise
earthiness, or whatever – when she sees him helping out at a café owned
by his slick son Hamo (also played by Pirhamzei). After a little
pleading and prodding, Rafael agrees to move in with the dysfunctional
all-American family Michele is filming – though he swears he’ll stay
just long enough to solve all their problems. That takes about a week,
at the rate of approximately one sullen family member per day, after
which Rafael hugs everyone and lumbers off to watch a thank-you video
from the family in which one of them says: `You’re taught us how to
appreciate the important things: each other.’
The closest thing to style or wit are the wordless little scenes that
occasionally play out beneath the periodic voiceover, offering an
unexpected, if not quite funny, take on the story we are being told.
Otherwise, like a pet bunny that got out of its cage, the script
leaves little turds of ethnic stereotyping everywhere, like the tough
Latino dude who drives up to Hamo’s café and proves how much everybody
loves Uncle Rafael by greeting him with `Que paso, homes? What up,
ese?’ Lupe Ontiveros manages to maintain her dignity in a thankless
(and unlisted on IMDB – could she have had her name taken off the
credits?) role as Uncle Rafael’s ESL teacher, but the rest of the
performances are either instantly forgettable or so over-the-top you
wish you could forget them instantly.
Interfax, Russia
Sept 17 2012
Serdyukov to discuss military cooperation, attend CSTO drills in Armenia
MOSCOW. Sept 18
Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov will discuss prospects for
military and technical cooperation with his Armenian counterpart
Seiran Oganyan, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on Tuesday.
“Defense Minister Serdyukov will be on an official visit to Armenia on
September 18-19. In line with the visit’s agenda, he will have talks
with his Armenian counterpart Seiran Oganyan,” the ministry said.
The parties will discuss prospects for the development of the armed
forces of the two countries, as well as prospects for bilateral
military and technical cooperation, it said.
“Serdyukov will attend the final stage of the Interaction 2012 drills
of the CSTO Colelctive Rapid Reaction Forces on September 19,” the
ministry reported.
ar