Author: nina hovnanian

SWISS ARMENIANS SEEK LEGAL PROCEEDINGS AGAINST TURKISH MINISTER

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 17, 2012 – 11:34 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenian community demands that the Swiss authorities
do file a criminal case against Turkey’s EU Affairs Minister Egemen
Bagis who publicly denied the Armenian Genocide in the country.

Secretary General of the Switzerland-Armenia parliamentary friendship
group Sarkis Shahinian addressed Switzerland’s Court of Appeal filing
a complaint against the General Prosecutor’s office which refused
to launch a criminal case against Bagis because of his diplomatic
immunity, Nouvelles d’Armenie reports.

Earlier, investigation against Bagis was initiated by Article 261
of the Swiss Criminal Code referring to racist statements. The
proceedings were launched following the World Economic Forum in
Davos in January 2012 where the Turkish official claimed “there was
no Armenian Genocide”. Later, however, the case was suspended.

“After consulting with the Swiss foreign ministry, the prosecutor
has concluded that criminal charges against Egemen Bagis cannot be
pursued because, as a Turkish EU Minister, he enjoyed immunity during
his entire stay in Switzerland,” the Swiss prosecutor said in April
2 statement.

For his part, Andreas Dreisiebner, Co-Chairman of the Switzerland –
Armenia Association voiced indignation over reserved stance of the
Swiss authorities.

“The Turkish minister openly and deliberately violated Swiss
legislation by voicing racist statements. Meanwhile, we prefer
economic relations to the human rights, and this is disgraceful,”
he said doubting the relevance of diplomatic immunity, the economic
forum in Davos being a private event.

“EAGLE OF SHAHUMYAN” KILLED 19 YEARS AGO TODAY

hetq
11:55, April 17, 2012

Shahen Meghryan, a military commander of the Shahumyan defense forces
in the Artsakh War, was killed on April 17, 1993, when his helicopter
was shot down over the village of Gyulistan.

Seven “Yeghnik” Armenian partisans were also killed when the helicopter
crashed.

Shahen Meghryan was born in 1952 in the Shahumyan village of Gyulistan,
on the northern bank of the Inja River, the current line of contact
in the north.

In 1988, he formed the first defense brigade in the region. Meghryan’s
nom de guerre was Shahumyani Ardziv (Eagle of Shahumyan).

In 1996, Meghryan was awarded the title “National Hero of Armenia”,
the highest bestowed by the country.

Agence France Presse
April14, 2012 Saturday 4:21 PM GMT

‘Holy Fire’ lights up Jerusalem church for Easter

JERUSALEM, April 14 2012

Thousands of Orthodox Christians filled Jerusalem’s ancient Church of
the Holy Sepulchre and spilled out into the narrow streets on Saturday
for the “Holy Fire” ceremony on the eve of Orthodox Easter.

Believers hold that the fire is miraculously sent from heaven to
ignite candles held by the Greek Orthodox patriarch in an annual rite
dating back to the 4th century that symbolises the resurrection of
Jesus.

Israeli police spokeswoman Luba Samri said around 10,000 faithful
packed into the church, with thousands more outside in the streets of
the surrounding Old City. She said there were about 20,000 people last
year.

Some 3,000 police were deployed in the church and around it to keep
the jubilation from getting out of hand. No major incidents were
reported, but there was some pushing and shoving at barricades that
had been set up.

As is the case every year, Israel restricted the number of Christians
from the West Bank and Gaza Strip, overwhelmingly Orthodox, who could
attend.

Patriarch Theophilos III traditionally makes his grand entry at the
head of a procession of monks, chanters, dignitaries and red and gold
banners bearing icons.

After circling an ornate shrine in the heart of the church three times
amid chants of “Axios” (“He is worthy”), he enters what Orthodox,
Roman Catholics and many other Christians believe is Jesus’s burial
site, emerging minutes later with several lit candles.

The patriarch is always searched beforehand to ensure that he is
carrying nothing, such as matches or a lighter, that could be used to
light the candles.

As joyous people press in on him, the patriarch passes on the flames
to their outstretched candles. The fire makes its way through the
crowd, casting a flickering orange glow on the grey walls and towering
stone columns, and filling the air with smoke.

Pilgrims claim the Holy Fire does not burn their hair, faces, clothes
or anything else during the first 33 minutes of its appearance, and
one web site () offers videos claiming to show
worshippers in prolonged contact with the flames without being hurt.

The Holy Fire, which quickly makes its way outside to the crowds
waiting there, is also carried to nearby Bethlehem’s Church of the
Nativity, where Jesus is believed to have been born, and also much
farther afield.

It will be flown to Athens and to the capitals of other predominantly
Orthodox countries to be shared.

The church, which the Orthodox call the Church of Resurrection, also
encloses what is widely believed to be Calvary, the site on which
Jesus was crucified.

While it is therefore one of Christianity’s holiest sites, it is
shared uneasily by six denominations — the Greek Orthodox, Roman
Catholics,ArmenianOrthodox, Egyptian Copts, Syrian Orthodox and
Ethiopian Orthodox.

Past ceremonies have been marred by violence, with fist fights
breaking out among monks from the different denominations over
perceived changes to a status quo hammered out over several centuries.

The date of Orthodox Easter is calculated differently than by the
Roman Catholics and other churches, so the most important feast of the
Christian year is frequently celebrated on different Sundays.

Most Christians celebrated Easter last week.

Tendersinfo News
April 14, 2012 Saturday 6:30 AM EST

Armenia : Orange starts cooperation with State Architecture University
of Armenia

Today Orange Armenia signed a five-year partnership agreement with the
State Architecture University of Armenia. As part of the partnership
agreement, students of the University will be provided the chance to
pass their internship at Orange and participate in the training and
qualification courses organized for them by the best specialists
working at the company, who will also provide consultancy services to
the University.

Bruno Duthoit, the CEO of Orange Armenia, said: “As a company having
an important economic role in the country and as a leading employer,
it’s part of our corporate responsibility to build bridges between the
academic world and the world of working and building careers. We are
happy for this cooperation, which will allow the use of our business
experience in an academic establishment, as well as hosting at our
company students who will not only start their work experience in a
European workplace, but will later have more chances to get a job,
including in our company”.

A meeting of Orange Armenia CEO Bruno Duthoit with the students of the
university followed the official ceremony of siging of the memorandum,
who addressed their questions to the head of the company on Orange’s
activities, values, history, telecommunication market in Armenia etc.

In the future a free WiFi corner will be installed at the University,
thanks to which students and professors will have free access to the
internet.

As a reminder, one month ago Orange launched a project following which
Orange employees conduct trainings in 11 Universities of Armenia.
Trainings include various topics and will concern different
professional spheres of employees like sales, human resources, career,
marketing, radio technologies, etc. Total 23 training courses include
not only pure professional topics like “GSM networks”, “Methods of
direct and indirect sales”, etc., but also aim at sharing practical
skills for successful career, e.g. how to participate in a
recruitement interview. First stage of the project will be held in
March-May in Yerevan State University, Brusov State Linguistic
University, State Engineering University of Armenia, UFAR, Gavar State
University, etc. It is noteworthy that all 5 regional universities,
Kapan, Goris, Vanadzor, etc., with whom Orange Armenia signed
partnership agreement at the end of the last year will be involved in
the coming stages of the project.

Every student of partner universities can participate in the training
and qualification courses with the prior registration to the desirable
courses. Students who want to be registered to the courses should
follow the announcements placed in their universities or address to
contact person (dean’s office, the chair, career center, etc.).

Investigator in charge of Karen Yesayan murder case killed

12:11 – 13.04.12

On Friday, at 1:00 am, in front of the Gyumri Police Department in
Garegin Nzhdeh Str., Vahram Beibutyan, Chief Investigator in charge of
the murder case involving the Gyumri mayor’s would-be son-in-law, was
run over.

The driver fled the scene. Beibutyan died on the way to hospital.

Traffic police found the criminal and his VAZ 21011 car.

Photo Gagik Shamshyan

Soldier On Hunger Strike Since April 5

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 15:20:32 – 12/04/2012

Suren Kirakosyan was recruited in the army on 30.06.2009, but had to
join the army after passing relevant treatment in relation to problems
which render him unfit for the military service. But there were
breaches, so the young man decided to avoid military service for which
has been held responsible for the second time.

On 05.04.2012 Suren Kirakosyan went on hunger strike demanding medical
examination. He is currently in the Goris penitentiary.

Georgia launches anti-tank weapon production

news.am
April 12, 2012 | 08:13

LONDON. – Georgia has started producing its own anti-tank weapons, and
this is twice as cheaper than importing, Georgian President Mikheil
Saakashvili stated.

`Even though we asked everyone, no one gave us anti-tank weapons prior
to 2008. [But] We no longer need to purchase [them]. [Now,] We are
producing our own, which is almost twice as cheap,’ Saakashvili said
when visiting a scientific and technical center, the BBC Russian
Service informs.

Also, the President of Georgia expressed confidence that his country
will likewise design an anti-missile system.

Caesium-137 found in car searched in Turkey

news.am
April 11, 2012 | 18:58

Employees of Ankara-based department on combat against smuggling and
organized crime found 500 g Caesium-137 in a car with German number
plate which entered Turkey from Georgia.

The driver and the two passengers are arrested, Turkish Radikal
reports. They claimed they had bought the radioactive substance in
Russia and were going to sell it in Turkey for $1 million.

Radar station installation not decided in short terms – Armenian MOD

news.am
April 14, 2012 | 21:45

YEREVAN. – Issues such as installation of a radar station are not
decided in short terms, Armenian MOD told Armenian News-NEWS.am when
asked to comment the Israeli Debka.com statement that Yerevan and
Moscow have agreed on installing a radar station in the Armenian
mountains.

To note, Debka.com quoting own sources said that the radar in Armenia
would counteract the American one installed in the NATO base in
Turkey. In addition, Armenian PM was the first to speak on the
possibility of installing a station in an interview to Russian
Kommersant.

Reporter’s Campaign Diary: “They sold my future for some chicken kebabs”
Grisha Balasanyan

hetq
22:00, April 14, 2012

The political players participating in the May 6 parliamentary
elections, realize that they can more easily `buy’ the votes of people
living in the outlying regions of Armenia than, say, those in Yerevan.

No wonder then, that they have recently hauled out their heavy
artillery and are crisscrossing the territory of Armenia.

In the run-up to this election as well, the parties of the ruling
coalition are actively buying the votes of the country’s rural
populace. Their agents are busy distributing a host of enticements,
including jams and preserves, expired perfumes, cell phones, scarves,
fertilizer, diesel fuel, as well as good old cash.

People, especially in far-off villages are eagerly awaiting the
elections, not so much to make their voice heard through the ballot
box, but rather for personal gain. While it is difficult to condemn
such behaviour, given the dire socio-economic condition faced by many,
it is also difficult to comprehend such behaviour.

Yesterday, when Prosperous Armenian Party leader Gagik Tsarukyan was
on a campaign tour of Armavir and meeting with the villagers, I was
taken aback by the throngs literally begging for money and gifts.

So widespread is the phenomenon of looking for a handout within wide
swaths of the rural populace that we might as well place a large X
mark on attaining a brighter future for my generation and any dream of
having a democratic Armenia any time soon.

You hear people say – the youth is our future. But yesterday’s
lamentable show put on by our senior citizens, the grandfathers and
grandmothers, crushed all the hopes of this young person for a
brighter future.

In the Armavir village of Dalarik, the grandmas were yelling out
questions and pleas in unison to Tsarukyan, who leads a party that is
not part of the ruling coalition. Their questions had nothing to do
with the betterment of their village, increasing the amount of their
pensions or other overriding issues.

One granny pushed her way to Tsarukyan and cried that she had no money
to pay the gas bill and that the utility had shut it off. Another
wanted money to buy needed medications. A third simply couldn’t afford
to buy a loaf of bread.