Author: Tambiyan Samvel

EastsideBoxing.com
Feb 1 2009

Vic Darchinyan-Nonito Donaire II – Will It Ever Happen?

by James Slater –

When Filipino flyweight Nonito Donaire flattened the fearsome punching
Vic Darchinyan in five rounds back in July of 2007, "The Filipino
Flash" sent shockwaves through not only the Armenian-born Australian,
but through the sport of boxing itself. Until then, "The Raging Bull,"
as Darchinyan is known, had beaten everyone in his path, including
Nonito’s older brother, Glenn Donaire..

The younger brother not only took Darhinyans’s IBF flyweight title, he
also restored the family name. Since then, the 26-year-old who has
only ever lost once as a pro (way back in just his second fight), has
further enhanced his reputation by successfully defending his
112-pound crown on two occasions – beating Luis Maldonado and Moruti
Mthalane, both inside the distance. The Mthalane fight, Donaire’s most
recent, came in November of last year, after a near 12 month inactive
spell.

During this time, the flyweight boss saw the man he shocked make the
move up to super-flyweight and restore his own reputation with
splendid victories over Dimitri Kirilov and Cristian Mijares, both of
whom Darchinyan stopped. Now, the word is, after his highly
anticipated battle with Mexico’s tough and always colourful Jorge Arce
is over with, the 33-year-old Australian citizen will move up yet
again, this time to bantamweight. The question is, will we never get
the chance to see Darchinyan-Donaire II, and will Vic never really
care if he does not get the chance to avenge his sole career loss?

As great as he has looked up at 115-pounds, and as fine a fighter as
he has proven himself to be in general, does Darchinyan not need to
get back in there with the man who stopped him; so as to silence the
few critics of his that remain? Of course, if Darchinyan can no longer
make super-flyweight comfortably, no-one can blame him for moving up –
certainly no-one is accusing him of ducking Donaire. But if he were to
hang around at 115 for just a while longer, surely the two rivals
could meet in a rematch that would prove to be highly interesting.

Donaire has a March defence coming up against the unbeaten Raul
Martinez of San Antonio, Texas, and it would really have been
something if he and Darchinyan had agreed to meet at super-flyweight
immediately after their two respective fights. Donaire would almost
certainly have agreed to a second fight, at the slightly higher
weight, but with Darchinyan seemingly headed to bantamweight we can
forget it. And this is a shame.

The fans would love to see if "The Filipino Flash" could once again
slay "The Raging Bull," and the fight would have almost definitely
been a big seller. Who knows, maybe the rematch will still happen, but
it looks doubtful. This part two, as is often the case in boxing,
seems destined to go unmade.

Will Darchinyan, and to a lesser degree, Donaire, live to regret not
meeting again? And, in the case of the 33-year-old, will there always
be a sense of his wondering, "could I have ever beaten him?"

Boston Globe, MA
Feb 1 2009

Widow continues journalist’s fight for human rights

She hopes to shed new light on Turkey’s past

By Jenna Russell
Globe Staff / February 1, 2009

ARLINGTON – Days after her husband, the outspoken Turkish Armenian
journalist and activist Hrant Dink, was shot dead outside his Istanbul
office, Rakel Dink urged forgiveness.

The killing of her husband, a beloved human rights leader, sparked
outrage and protest, and it pushed his widow to become an even more
visible spokeswoman for his ideals and goals.

Today, Rakel Dink will speak at a panel discussion at MIT about her
husband’s legacy. The event is organized by a new Cambridge-based
nonprofit group, Friends of Hrant Dink, dedicated to the cause of
human rights. Yesterday, she told her story to an appreciative
audience at the Armenian Cultural Foundation in Arlington.

"His death, as painful as it is, brought a message to all the people
in Turkey," Rakel Dink said yesterday, in an interview conducted in
Turkish and translated by her longtime family friend Eric Ozcan. "It
motivated people, and gave them reasons to talk about the dark past,
the problems that have been pushed under the carpet for close to 100
years."

By speaking out – and leaving behind her once-quiet life as a wife and
mother – Dink, 50, said she hopes to continue the conversation her
husband started.

Panelists at today’s 3 p.m. event at MIT will include Oktay Ozel, a
professor of Ottoman history; Peter Balakian, author of a best-selling
book about the Armenian genocide; and Andrew Tarsy, who was ousted
from his job at the Anti-Defamation League last year after a public
skirmish with the organization over its position on the Armenian
genocide.

Hrant Dink – who was editor of Agos, the Turkish Armenian newspaper he
founded – was a leader of the minority Armenian community in
Turkey. Dink advocated fearlessly for Turkey to recognize as genocide
the deaths of some 1.5 million Armenians in the early 20th century,
during the final years of the Ottoman empire. He clashed with the
government frequently, and was tried and found guilty in 2005 of
violating a ban on "anti-Turkish" statements.

Frequently threatened for his views, he was shot to death in broad
daylight on a busy street by a teenager believed to have been
influenced by the country’s militant nationalist movement. The
investigation continues, said Rakel Dink.

The couple, both from humble backgrounds, first met as youngsters 40
years ago in an orphanage camp. Married 30 years, they had three
children, now in their 20s. For decades, Rakel Dink was a quiet source
of strength for her husband, living outside of the spotlight.

"Every morning, he would say, ‘Pray for me; you’re my angel,’ " Dink
told a gathering of about 50 Armenian-Americans yesterday at the
lakeside Greek Revival mansion home of the Armenian Cultural
Foundation.

The crowd, most of whom followed Dink’s remarks in Armenian without
help of a translator, murmured as she described her husband’s
dedication.

"One friend of his said that if he knew his death would improve
relations between Turks and Armenians, perhaps he would have said he
was willing to die before this," said Dink. "He was a very noble
person."

Since his death at age 52, an international foundation set up in his
name has advanced the democratic mission Dink embraced. Yesterday, his
widow described some of the efforts under way: An institute to be
founded in his name, devoted to the study of Armenian history and
culture; a conference to focus on themes of discrimination and
tolerance; an archive to collect his speeches and writings; a
biography she hopes will be published.

Among those listening yesterday was Joy Renjilian, a leader of the
cultural foundation.

"She’s a woman of great faith, courage, and vision," Renjilian said of
Dink, "because she could have continued her life in private, but she
chose to carry on and celebrate his life and legacy."

The new Cambridge-based nonprofit named for Dink will also work to
further his goals of free speech and equality. Its ultimate goal, said
Harry Parsekian, one of its members, is nothing less than
Turkish-Armenian reconciliation.

massachusetts/articles/2009/02/01/widow_continues_ journalists_fight_for_human_rights/

Kurdish Aspect, CO
Feb 1 2009

Neo-ottoman policy of AKP

EUTCC – By Michael Gunter

Professor of Political Science Michael Gunter and expert on Turkey and
Kurds explained the evolving role of Turkey in international relations
during the EUTCC’s Fifth international conference on EU, Turkey and
the Kurds.

According to Gunter the AKP government has played an important role to
establish peace and security on regional and international
levels. Turkey is one of the founding members of the United Nations
and recently became a non-permanent member of the UN security
council. Turkey contributed to international missions in Latin
America, Balkans, Caucasus, Middle East, and Asia.

Gunter’s examples of Turkey’s constructive role are the
Palestinian-Israeli forum to develop the West-Bank, the Israeli-Syria
negotiations, the hosting of a conference for neighbouring
countries. The organization for Islamic Conference (OIC). The Caucasus
platform with Russia, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. And additional
black sea cooperation and the recent football diplomacy with Armenia.

The Kurdish problem

The AKP’s Middle Eastern policies are focused on two factors says
Gunter: The Kurdish problem and Neo-ottomanism. "In the Kemalist
vision the Kurds are an existential threat to the Turkish
existence. This is in contrast with Neo-ottomanism, that doesn’t have
a problem with Kurdish identity and is focused on economic growth and
comfortable with islamic/multiple identities without seeking
imperialism. Since military means by Kemalism to repress Kurds, will
not solve the problem by itself."

Neo-Ottomanism

Turkey uses soft power. "This is increasingly important. Turkey also
contributes significantly to humanitarian and technical aids and
participates in numerous bilateral aid programs. Turkey is rapidly
emerging as a major state and assists in development. Turkey also
contributed to human rights and the status of woman."

Gunter thinks Turkey plays an important role both regionally and
internationally and is an important transit rout for energy resources
from both the Middle East and Central Asia to Europe. "Turkey is seen
by other UN members of working hard to establish peace in a difficult
region."

But Gunter also remarked that the problems with the PKK, the Kurdish
government in Iraq and the EU and the USA will challenge the Turkish
capacity in the UN security council. Especially if they continue with
the military operations.

Role Obama

But Obama as a new president could result in new opportunities and
problems. "Obama promised to re-establish relations with Turkey and
the Regional Kurdistan Government (KRG) and negotiate a comprehensive
agreement that will deal with the Turkish PKK threat, guarantee the
Turkish territorial integrity and investment in the KRG regions."

Many Turks are also wary of Obama’s possible recognition of the
‘Armenian genocide’ and Joe Biden’s decentralization plan for
Iraq. "Also the EU membership remains problematic. If Turkey manages a
constructive role in the UN council, this might soften resistance for
Turkish accession to the EU. But Turkey must solve the Kurdish
problem." Otherwise Turkey forgot nothing and learned nothing.

Courtesy of Mezopotamian Development Society

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Belfast Telegraph
January 31, 2009 Saturday
First Edition

The blessings of St Blaise

by EDDIE McILWAINE

Next Tuesday is St Blaise’s Day, I am advised by Sharon McComb of
Comber who informs me it is an anniversary the late Queen Mother must
have known well.

You see, this Blaise was an Armenian bishop to whom a few miraculous
deeds were attributed including saving from death a fellow who was
choking on a fishbone.

In her time the Queen Mum was known on at least two occasions to have
choked on similar bones.

Mind you, I think it was her doctor who saved this Royal and not this
saint, but in her day she enjoyed reading about the Blessing St Blaise
asked in his lifetime for God’s protection against afflictions of the
throat.

Sharon also reveals that St Blaise is the patron saint of wool combers
and one of his emblems is a comb.

FOOD PRICES STABLE, IN SOME CASES HAVE TENDENCY TO FALL IN ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan

Jan 30, 2009

YEREVAN, JANUARY 30, NOYAN TAPAN. This year the RA State Commission
on Protection of Economic Competition controls the competition-related
situation in the commodity markets of social importance and will take
measures, first of all for elimination of restrictions on competition
and various violations in these markets. As NT was informed by the
Press Service of the Commission, since early January the Commission’s
employees have observed the dynamics of the prices of 10 commodities
of social importance (about 20 brands) with the aim of responding
quickly in case of suspicions that their prices are unfounded.

By the monitoring results, the prices of butter, bread, vegetable
oil, cheese, rice, flour, coffee, meat and eggs in 16 trade points
of Yerevan were mainly stable, in some cases prices had a tendency
to fall.

WHY THE ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT CANNOT SAY ANYTHING TO THE GEORGIAN GOVERNMENT

Lragir.am
16:54:01 – 29/01/2009

On January 29 at the National Press Club Hovanes Igityan, member
of the Armenian National Congress, expressed his opinion on why the
government of Armenia cannot tell anything to the Georgian government
regarding the arrest of the Armenian young men in Javakheti. According
to Hovanes Igityan, after March 1 the Armenian government extended
a list of 100 people to the Georgian government, including his name
as well and asked informally, without legal grounds, to inform the
Armenian government in case these people show up in Georgia to arrest
them. According to Hovanes Igityan, because of this case, the Armenian
government cannot say anything regarding the arrest of the Armenians
of Javakheti because the Georgian government will answer, "you treat
your citizens unlawfully, and we treat our citizens the way we want,
and we decide whether they keep a dance hall or a group of militants."

ARONIAN CORUS CHESS 2009 SOLE LEADER

PanARMENIAN.Net
28.01.2009 21:51 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In the 10th tour of Corus Chess 2009, Armenian
grandmaster Levon Aronian defeated Michael Adams, fixing his third
victory and becoming sole leader of the tournament with 6.5 points.

Slovakia’s Sergei Mosvesian failed to inflict a defeat on China’s
Yue Wang.

In the 11th tour, Aronian will play vs. Leinier Dominguez. Movsesian
will meet with Loek van Wely.

After 10 tours, Levon Aronyan (Armenia) has 6.5 points; Sergei Karyakin
(Ukraine) has 6 points; Leinier Dominguez (Cuba), Sergei Movsesian
(Slovakia), Teymour Radjabov (Azerbaijan), Magnus Carlsen (Norway)
have 5.5 points each; Jan Smeets (Netherlands) and Loek van Wely
(Netherlands) have 5 points; Michael Adams (UK), Yue Wang (China) have
4.5 points; Daniel Stellwagen (Netherlands) has 4 points. Alexander
Morozevich (Russia) closes the chart with 3.5 points.

PRESS RELEASE
Nor Serount Cultural Association & Armenia Solidarity
c/o The Temple of Peace,
King Edward viii Ave.
Cathays Park, Cardiff, Wales
Tel: 07718982732
Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected]

Andrew Dismore MP presents an Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day Bill

We are pleased to announce that Andrew Dismore, the hard-working Labour
MP for Hendon, who sponsored our commemmoration of Hrant Dink in the
House of Commons last week, has tabled a Presentation Bill (a Private
Memnbers Bill) in the UK Parliament on the Genocide He is one of the
most helpful MPs in the House of Commons and is Chairman of the Joint
Human Rights Committee. This position shows that he is held in high
regard by the government

He has developed a reputation as a private members’ Bill expert.. His
first, Holocaust Memorial Day, was taken up by the Government, and is
now part of the national calendar. He introduced a Corporate
Manslaughter Bill, which helped push the Government into promoting their
own Bill, now law. His third, the Divorce (Religious Marriages) Bill
became law, helping resolve problems concerning Jewish divorce.
We are proud of our continuing co-operation with Mr Dismore.This is
the first such bill on the Genocide to be presented in the UK
parliamemt. We appeal to all UK Armenians for their support to persuade
the House of Commons to grant a second reading of the bill.

HANSARD 26 Jan 2009 :
Bills Presented

Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day Bill
Presentation and First Reading (Standing Order No. 57)

Mr. Andrew Dismore, supported by John Austin, Mr. Virendra Sharma, Clive
Efford, Ms Karen Buck and Rob Marris, presented a Bill to introduce a
national day to learn about and remember the Armenian genocide.

Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time on Friday 16 October,
and to be printed (Bill 43).

HRANT DINK WAS ONE OF US, SAYS ERGENEKON SUSPECT

Today’s Zaman
Jan 27 2009
Turkey

Workers’ Party (Ä°P) leader Dogu Perincek, a suspect in the ongoing
trial against Ergenekon , a clandestine terrorist organization
charged with plotting to overthrow the government, said yesterday that
Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, who was slain in January 2007,
was a close friend of his and that he couldn’t have possibly been
part of a plot to kill him.

Ergenekon is accused of being behind a number of unsolved murders of
journalists, academics, public-opinion leaders and writers, including
the assassination of secularist investigative journalist Ugur Mumcu,
who was killed in January 1993 by a car bomb.

Perincek, a key suspect in the Ergenekon trial, continued delivering
his defense testimony for the third day in yesterday’s hearing. He
denied all accusations against him, saying that his party had made
great efforts to shed light on the 1996 Susurluk affair, which had
revealed the existence of clandestine and murderous organizations
with links to the state that engaged in social manipulation. He said
his party had greatly contributed to the work of a parliamentary
committee investigating the Susurluk incident at the time. He also
requested that members of that particular committee be heard in the
Ergenekon trial on this point.

He also criticized the prosecution for treating his membership in
the Talat PaÅ~_a Committee — a group that organizes activities to
counter allegations that the mass killings of Anatolian Armenians
in Turkey in the early 20th century constituted genocide — as an
Ergenekon-related activity. "Justice and Development Party [AK Party]
deputies Nevzat YalcıntaÅ~_, Mehmet Dulger and Ä°brahim Ozdogan were
also members of that group. How can that possibly be considered an
Ergenekon activity?" he asked the court.

In his defense he also emphasized that he knew and deeply respected
some of victims of the unsolved assassinations attributed to
Ergenekon. He cited Professor Bahriye Ucok, journalist Ahmet Taner
KıÅ~_lalı and Ugur Mumcu, all assassinated secular and left-wing
or left-leaning intellectuals, as his good friends and people whose
opinions he largely agreed with. However, in a surprising addition
to the list, he told the court, "Hrant Dink was one of us," referring
to the journalist’s assassination by an ultra-nationalist youth. The
broader connections of the suspect in Dink’s killing, the prosecutors
have asserted, point to Ergenekon have been behind the attack. He
said Ulusal Kanal, a television channel known for its proximity
to the Ä°P, frequently broadcasted interviews with Dink about his
anti-imperialist views.

Dink was loathed by neo-nationalist movements, which Perincek’s Ä°P
has been gravitating toward for the past decade.

–Boundary_(ID_oKfp6ijOle2Zp9fhOXeRAw)–

Dallas Morning News, TX
Jan 24 2009

Opera Review: ‘Roberto Devereux’ has fabulous singing but falls short
of perfection

09:40 AM CST on Saturday, January 24, 2009
By SCOTT CANTRELL / The Dallas Morning News classical music critic

The Dallas Opera has been all over international opera news lately,
with George Steel’s departure after less than four months as general
director to run New York City Opera. Steel was nowhere to be seen
Friday night at Fair Park Music Hall, but Roberto Devereux opened just
fine without him.

Well, it did and it didn’t.

Donizetti’s 1837 musical depiction of Queen Elizabeth I and her
imagined infatuation with Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, was served
up with some fabulous singing. Music director Graeme Jenkins got taut
and lovingly detailed playing from the orchestra. The chorus, prepared
by Alexander Rom, sounded fabulous from pianissimo to fortissimo.

But, musically, opening night often seemed just under full
voltage. And Stephen Lawless’ staging kept accumulating annoyances. If
it doubt, the dramatis personae ‘ nobles, mind you, even the queen ‘
kept sitting down, or sliding or crawling, on the floor. And they
seemed in doubt a lot of the time.

The opera may be called Roberto Devereux, but the queen holds court,
and commands the drama. Armenian soprano Hasmik Papian plays her to
the hilt: a proud woman, but prey to fiery passions. And she sings
thrillingly, her big voice alternately blazing, smoldering and licking
around the edges. Only a dry chest voice and occasional loosening of
vibrato compromise the effect.

Given the wiry sound that too often passes for a bel canto tenor,
Stephen Costello’s depth of tone and expressive delivery make him an
especially welcome Devereux. And he looks the part of a young courtier
who could turn a queen’s head.

Elizabeth Batton sings powerfully, and richly, as Sara, Duchess of
Nottingham, and Devereux’ s true love. It’s too bad her otherwise
glorious vocalism goes papery on top. David Kempster has the heft of
tone and presence for Sara’s husband, but he just misses a certain
nobility. Rounding out the cast are Scott Quinn as Lord Cecil and
Andrew Oakden as Sir Walter Raleigh.

This production recycles designer Benoit Dugardyn’s Globe Theater set
used two years ago for another of Donizetti’s Tudor operas, Maria
Stuarda. At least those awful creaky drawbridges are gone, but now
rather much is made of stairs.

Setting the Nottinghams’ pivotal confrontation on a long stairway is
more distracting than enhancing. And surely chez Nottingham could be
accessorized with something a little more upmarket than a powder-blue
canopied bed and curtain.

Costumes, by Ingeborg Bernerth, are a bit plain-Jane, too, for one of
Europe’s greatest courts. Lighting is by Mark McCullough.

Repeats at 2 p.m. Sunday and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Jan. 31 at Fair
Park Music Hall. $15 to $199. 214-443-1000,