Author: Torgomian Varazdat

Ambassador Tumanyan, Iranian deputy health minister discuss delivery of medical items to Armenia

Torgomian Varazdat

Save

Share

 14:15,

YEREVAN, MAY 15, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Ambassador to Iran Artashes Tumanyan and Iranian deputy minister of health Asadi Lari met on May 14 in Tehran, the Armenian Embassy said.

During the meeting the officials discussed issues relating to the delivery of medical items from Iran to Armenia, as well as other issues of mutual interest.

The Armenian Ambassador proposed to organize video conferences between the healthcare sector representatives and specialists of the two sides, and the Iranian deputy minister expressed his support to the proposal.

Reporting by Lilit Demuryan; Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Memories of Armenia: Geyser of Jermuk

Torgomian Varazdat
Western Queens Gazette, NY

By qgazette | on

Catherine Tsounis

I had longed to climb a mountain to smell the pine trees. We took the ascending trail…The day shone like a diamond in the rough. As we climbed, the soul became purer. I was again feeling how good for the soul pure air is, the easy breathing, scanning the great expanse to the horizon. – Zorba the Greek, Nikos Kazantzakis.

“Come and see a natural sight,” said guide Garush,  leading us to the Jermuk geyser. I was part of a summer “Pilgrimage to Armenia” with Father Abraham Malkhasyan, President Aram Ciamician organizer  in coordination with the Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR ),  of the Holy Martyrs Church, Bayside, New York before the Covid-19 virus pandemic. Garush, a brilliant native born Armenian father of a young son, spoke perfect English. Armenia is a land trilingual in Armenian/Russian/ English.

The Geyser of Jermuk was impressive, clear of excessive commercialism. The cascading waterfall, pure air, surrounded by mountains, cliffs, and forests is what Kazantzakis described as “good for the soul”. Jermuk is one of the main spas and resort towns in Armenia. Chess tournaments are held, creating the city as a major chess center. It is in the mountains of Vayots Dzor. Jermuk’s forests, hot springs and mineral water are known in Armenia. Jermuk means geyser in Armenian. The underground geyser of Jermuk is used both for drinking and taking baths. It cures various diseases and neurological disorders.

The Jermuk geyser or waterfall is 72 meters high. It empties into the Arpa river.  The waterfall is known as “Mermaid’s hair”. The legend is that a princess loved a shepherd’s son. Her father, a rich nobleman, tried to break the romance. He cursed her if she continued her romance. What was the curse? She would become a mermaid and stay in the water. The curse was fulfilled. The princess became a mermaid. Her hair became the “waterfall of Jermuk”.2

I marvel at this ancient people, the first to adopt Christianity, who still survive 1700 years later. In my opinion, they remain in 2020 the only true early Christians who exist since the 300’s A. D. Climbing up the cliff of Jermuk’s geyser, he/she experiences “feeling how good for the soul pure air is, the easy breathing, scanning the great expanse to the horizon.”

 

References:

1.Thanasis Maskalesis. “Terrestrial Gospel of Nikos Kazantzakis”. Zorba Press, Ithaca, N.Y.        pp. 66-67.


Armenia Moves Out of Lockdown

Torgomian Varazdat
Institute for War & Peace Reporting
Country goes back to work, even though infections continue to rise.
By Mania Israyelyan

Armenia’s government is easing restrictions after nearly two months of lockdown with a series of measures that officials say balances protecting public health with preventing economic collapse.

Although the infection curve has not yet flattened, deputy minister of economy Varos Simonyan announced at a May 1 press conference that most measures would be lifted in an effort to reanimate the economy.

The ministry of health also implemented mandatory industry-specific health and safety guidelines. Bars, coffee shops and restaurants will be allowed to reopen but can only have outdoor seating, while hairdressers can receive customers if they come one at a time and by appointment.

Supermarkets have already marked spaces for customers to stand on with cashiers separated by glass dividers, and all employees must wear face masks and gloves and regularly disinfect surfaces. Those working in factories will have their temperature taken several times throughout the day.

In a live open air meeting with deputy prime minister Tigran Avinyan and minister of health Arsen Torosyan on May 3, prime minister Nikol Pashinyan said this heralded a new phase in the fight against the virus.

“Our task is to provide coexistence conditions for living with the coronavirus,” he said, adding that he expected to see cases of the illness until next spring when he predicted a vaccine would be ready.

“It is impossible to live in a lockdown for a year,” he stressed.

Avinyan, who heads the country’s Covid-19 task force, said that almost all branches of the economy would go back to work, although public transport, one of the riskiest areas for transmission of the virus, would remain suspended. Educational institutions would continue operating through online platforms.

Avinyan told IWPR that the new phase was “an attempt to adapt to the new rules of coexistence – and individual, social and corporate responsibility of each of us is crucial”.

He added that the task force was working on a new system together with the health ministry to monitor ongoing measures such as social distancing.

“There will be detection and other tools to make civilians strictly stick to [these] rules,” he said.

The moves are being implemented even though the number of cases of coronavirus is approaching 3,000, with a record number of 134 new cases in one day recorded on April 29. At the same time, detection capabilities have been expanded, with over 25,000 tests having been conducted so far at a rate of some 1,000 tests per day.

In Armenia, as elsewhere around the world, concerns are growing that the harsh economic effect of the virus may turn out to more devastating than its impact on health.  

“The economic risks and losses are irrevocable and the state has to balance people’s social welfare and their health on the scales,” said Anna Pakhlyan, associate professor at the State Economic University of Armenia, adding that even in lockdown the state had no guarantee that the virus would be contained.

As part of the country’s emergency response package, around 57 billion AMD (118 million US dollars) was allocated to around 23,000 businesses and 825,000 individuals. The next tranche of aid will see a million dollars distributed among 200,000 beneficiaries.

Pakhlyan said that food provision would be Armenia’s primary short-term problem as many countries have halted exports.

“For example Russia, unable to predict future developments, has stopped wheat exports as the degree of uncertainty is very high,” she continued. “This means at a certain point the domestic resources will come to an end.”

Looking further ahead, Pakhlyan said that there were reasons for optimism.

“In the spring the Armenian market will be flooded with cheaper Iranian and Turkish vegetables pushing Armenian products out of competition. This is a chance to enhance our competitive privileges. Our small economy is a privilege in this case. The more the foreign connections of a country, the bigger the losses,” Pakhlyan concluded.

Anahit Voskanyan, a doctor and the deputy director of the Sirmed medical centre, said that lifting some restrictions were justified, noting that the effects of isolation also had very real health implications.

“Whether in or out of lockdown, the factor of individual responsibility is huge,” she continued, noting that self-discipline, combined with well-calibrated public health interventions, were the most effective ways to protect citizens.

“This two-month period enabled the health care system to get ready for a larger threat,” Voskanyan said. “And even if a second wave breaks out, we will be able to fight it.”

Maralik Health Center director responds to Armenia health minister

Torgomian Varazdat
News.am, Armenia
April 27 2020

19:18, 27.04.2020
                  

During a conversation with Armenian News-NEWS.am, Director of Maralik Health Center Anush Hovsepyan, who is also infected with COVID-19, said she doesn’t agree with the claim of Minister of Health of Armenia Arsen Torosyan that Maralik Health Center hasn’t followed the instructions of the Ministry of Health and presented other justifications.

“The problem was that we were overseeing almost 250 people from abroad and taking their temperatures, but one of the locals was infected with COVID-19, and what’s more, the local had a chronic disease, and this was why the virus spread. The minister is not right when he says the health center hasn’t followed the rules, but our doctors are in the risk group and paid the price with their health,” she said, adding that all clinics and hospitals can face this problem.

The director of the medical center said the regional governor’s office had sent outfits and that she had provided the ambulance doctors with those outfits first.

During an interview with Azatutyun Radio yesterday, Minister of Health of Armenia Arsen Torosyan said there have been cases when the personnel of medical centers have followed the instructions of the Ministry of Health, there have been cases when medical centers haven’t followed them a lot, and there are two similar cases in Maralik and Vardenis.

Asbarez: Commemorating the Genocide Under Lockdown

Torgomian Varazdat

Catherine Yesayan

BY CATHERINE YESAYAN

Over the years it has been such a privilege for me to be able to travel and explore Armenian communities around the world. The experience has given me a deeper appreciation of how we Armenians have kept our language and the traditions alive.

During my travels, wherever I meet Armenians, the sage words of our beloved poet, William Saroyan rings true. He says, “…For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a new Armenia.”

Yes, since the Genocide happened, we’ve come together and have built thousands of small “Armenias.” Here in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, we have the largest population of Armenians outside of our motherland and we truly have created a new Armenia.

Today April 24, because of the Coronavirus lockdown, I alongside of thousands of Armenians are home and we are going to mark the 105th year of the genocide in a different kind of way than before. This year there won’t be any public gatherings, no public vigils and no marches. This year is more about inner reflections.

This takes my mind to five years ago on April of 24, on the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Genocide. On that day, I had the great opportunity to walk along side of 160,000 people in the streets of Los Angeles, to demand justice. That was a very unique demonstration. It created an intense feeling and I’m glad I could participate on that march and have had an immense satisfaction. The timing of that huge commemoration was so perfect—there was no Coronavirus, and the weather was so accommodating, with a comfortable overcast. Nothing like today with the temperature hovering in the 90s

A scene from the 2015 Los Angeles March for Justice for the Armenian Genocide’s centennial

This year at home, I watched the slew of programs streaming on numerous Armenian TV channels in LA area, dedicated to the Genocide. By all accounts, two TV programs stood up for me. One was the movie “Mayrig” made by French-American filmmaker Henry Verneuil in 1991. I never had the chance to watch that movie, which is a semi-autobiographical film written and directed by Verneuil himself. The film’s principal cast includes Omar Sharif and Claudia Cardinale. The movie is about the struggle of an Armenian family that emigrated to France from Turkey after the Armenian Genocide of 1915.

The other one was a documentary by Michael Hagopian, a survivor of the Armenian Genocide, who came to the United Sates from Turkey after World War I. He studied filmmaking and has made series of documentaries based on interviews of the genocide survivors.
I also listened to many concerts and heard the recorded messages of our representatives for the commemoration of the Genocide.

A scene from the film “Mayrig” by director Henri Verneuil

A meaningful program this year, as an alternative commemorative event, was to serve 1.5 million meals to needy people. However the committee which was undertaking the project could raise enough funds to feed 3 million meals.

A small bottle found in Portland Oregon (the size of a thumb) from a Near East Relief volunteer’s collection

The coronavirus lock down has created a unique opportunity for me to teach my grandchildren to speak Armenian. Each day, after they’ve done their school work, I have the chance to study with them on line, for about a half an hour. Today I had planned to tell them little stories about what had happened to our forefathers in Turkey. They already knew a little bit of our past history.

I told them the story of how the American government, during the days of the Genocide, starting in 1915, had created a charity organization, called Near East Relief, which was able to save many Armenians from their dooms. And how the organization made many orphanages in Turkey, Syria and Lebanon to save the lives of thousands of Armenian children. It seemed my grandkids were pretty interested to hear that story and it resonated with them.

Then I told them another personal story, that it had happened to an American friend of mine, Katherine Yamada, who is sort of a historian for our city of Glendale. One day when she was visiting Portland, Oregon, at an Antique shop, a tiny glass bottle, filled with rice, catches her attention. She picks up and reads the label which said, “…the daily ration of rice for a child is less than 7/8 per ounce…” She buys the bottle not knowing that it was a promotional item for the Near East Relief to raise funds for the Armenian orphans. Today that bottle has traveled from Oregon to Yerevan and has found its home on the shelves of the Genocide museum—the Dzidzernagapert.

With sharing these stories, I thought I was able to accomplish a tiny part of my obligations to pass a small slice of our history to my grandkids.

Nancy Pelosi Statement Commemorating the Armenian Genocide

Torgomian Varazdat
Office of Nancy Pelosi – Speaker of the House, USA
 
 
Pelosi Statement Commemorating the Armenian Genocide
 
APRIL 24, 2020 PRESS RELEASE
 
Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement marking 105 years since the beginning of the Armenian Genocide:
 
“On this solemn day, 105 years after the leaders of the Ottoman Empire began their systematic extermination of 1.5 million Armenian men, women and children, we take time to honor the victims and survivors of the Armenian Genocide.  The horrific acts of barbarism perpetrated against innocent Armenians remains a stain on human history and a chilling reminder of our responsibility to stay vigilant against atrocities in our own time.
 
“The facts are undeniable.  Yet, generations of Armenians have had to fight tirelessly against those who attempted to rewrite history and deny the truth of the Armenian Genocide.  That is why, last year, the U.S. Congress sought to right this grievous wrong by overwhelmingly voting to stand firmly on the side of honesty and etch the truth of the Armenian Genocide forever into the Congressional Record.  In doing so, we honored those who were silenced forever and reaffirmed our commitment to never stay silent or allow these crimes to ever happen again.
 
“Today, as the world faces an unprecedented crisis, we must heed the lessons of this dark hour in history and summon the strength to speak out against heinous acts of discrimination, racism and violence wherever and whenever they occur.  Together, we must insist on the truth of our past, oppose the forces of hatred in our present and advance the blessings of hope and peace for our future.”
 

Rep. Frank Pallone remembers Armenian Genocide, calls for recognition of Artsakh

Torgomian Varazdat
Public Radio of Armenia


Rep. Frank Pallone has honored the victims and survivor of the Armenian Genocide on the 105th anniversary.

“On its 105th Anniversary, we honor the victims and survivors of the Armenian Genocide and acknowledge the resolve of the Armenian people. Recognition of the Genocide is a powerful reminder that we must not turn away when we know crimes against humanity have been perpetrated,” he said.

“I proudly joined my colleagues in Congress to officially recognize the Genocide last fall. In doing this, we were paying tribute to the victims of that horrific chapter of history, honoring the perseverance of those who survived, and embracing the Americans of Armenian descent,” the Congressman said.

Rep. Pallone also hailed the democratic elections in Artsakh and called for US recognition of the Artsakh Republic.

The G-Word: Why The US Needs to Recognize Genocides

Torgomian Varazdat
Brown Political Review
April 8 2020
 
 
 
MEGHAN MURPHY | APRIL 8, 2020
 
For a century, the United States government refused to recognize the systematic murder and explusion of 1.5 million Armenians under the Ottoman Empire as genocide. This was despite the fact that the Armenian diaspora was the most active group of survivors campaigning for formal recognition around the globe and transformed the debate about the United States’ role in qualifying targeted mass murders as genocide. The case of Armenian non-recognition is not a unique one – past administrations refused to recognize the Cambodian or Rohingya mass murders as genocides despite international agreement on the use of the term.
 
The case of Armenia was impacted earlier this year when both the House and Senate voted to pass resolutions that officially recognized the genocide in October and December. However, this was not motivated by a desire to vote in accordance with UN Conventions on the definition of genocide, but rather to strike back at Turkey for its invasion of Northern Syria in October. This politicization of the act led Turkish President Erdogan to threaten to recognize the American genocide of Native Americans. President Trump concluded the debacle when he denied that the US position had changed at all.
 
The United States, as well as the global community, needs to recognize the ways in which current and historic genocide recognition can be used not only as a signal of moral respect for victims, but to give much needed aid to suffering people, and prevent future atrocities through education. Instead of political relationships as the deciding factor when recognizing a genocide, the US should declare genocide whenever a case fits the definitions set out by United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. A policy detached from political considerations but focused on the realities of conflicts will lead to more immediate and effective action to prevent more atrocities in the future.
 
The most obvious argument for a political and consistent genocide recognition is that the United States is morally bound to authentically recognize such horrific acts and in doing so, demonstrate respect for victims. In the case of Armenia, earlier recognition would have affirmed and eased the generational trauma one million Armenian-Americans and 10 million others, continue to suffer. Instead, they received a belated statement that was clearly only made to antagonize Turkey.
 
“However, what is important here is the comparative of not making any effort to pressure an end to mass murders.”
 
However, making the argument that countries should change their policies based on ethical obligations to make victims feel seen is largely inconsequential. Instead, policy makers can be persuaded to make a change based on the concrete benefits that genocide acknowledgement brings.
 
First, a concise statement from a government on the categorization of mass killings can lead to military intervention to stop a current crime. In past occasions, as a US Holocaust Memorial museum report states: the American government “placed great stock in the possibility that a US acknowledgment […] would force the US government to undertake or press for more forceful efforts to prevent and punish the crimes, and in some cases to put military force behind that effort.” For example, the question of evaluating the  Bosnian genocide was strongly tied to questions about whether the US should intervene militarily or lift the arms embargo put in place by the Security Council on Yugoslavia. The US ended up taking two years to reach a consensus on the Bosnian case, making the previous military debates irrelevant as the genocide had ended. However, if they had a more liberal policy at the time, it is likely that airstrikes would have been used to prevent further atrocities. In the case of Darfur, diplomats were so caught up in debating the use of the term genocide and its political implications that they stalled on the “more important questions about how to craft an effective response to mass violence,” leading to delayed action. However, once the State Department did declare that genocide was occuring in 2004, the US assisted the dispatching of 670 African Union troops to the region and 20,000 military personnel from the United Nations’ security force. In addition to financially supporting troops, the US provided bases and equipment to protect civilians in Darfur.
 
Secondly, when a current genocide is declared or a historical one is recognized, victims and their descendants are also more likely to receive aid. In the three years after the State Department issued a rare genocide declaration in Darfur, they sent over $4 billion in humanitarian, peacekeeping, and development assistance, as well as 40,000 tons of food a month to Sudan. For nearly two decades, sanctions were placed on the assets of Sudanese leaders implicated in the Darfur violence and on companies owned by the government of Sudan. Financial support can also come if a historical genocide is recognized because, as Thomas de Waal writes for Foreign Affairs, descendants of the perpetrators of the genocide “aspire to absolve their ancestors of guilt” after official recognition and seek to remove links between them and past. After the international community recognized the Holocaust, Germany was pressured to make financial reparations to Israel.
 
Finally, minority groups can gain a global recognition of their struggles and thus tangible political powers following recognition. An internationally recognized genocide is far more likely to end up being taught in school curriculums because the Responsibility to Protect doctrine recommends that “education curriculums should include instructions on past violations and on the causes, dynamics and consequences of atrocity crimes.” Across American states, curriculums generally include the most “well-known” genocides. For example, the Rhode Island Board of Education Act only stipulates that students study the German, Armenian, Cambodian, Iraqi, Rwandan, and Darfur genocides, which are coincidentally six of the ten genocides the US has ever acknowledged. Furthermore, the US has the financial and political capability to help develop genocide education in the countries where it has taken place. As de Waal argues, the US could help Turkey conserve Armenian heritage or “restore the place of Armenians” in Turkish history books. This same process has occurred with UN support in developing genocide studies in Rwandan and Cambodian secondary schools. This educational system transforms into worldwide knowledge and understanding of victim’s suffering, and this can give them a moral and political credit that transfers to the protection of rights in the present day. For example, global recognition of the Holocaust after World War I transfered support to the Jewish political movement of Zionism.
 
It is important to understand that just recognition is not a solution for ending genocides or a way to satisfy the US’ role in ending crimes against humanity. Recognizing an act with a specific word should certainly not be the most important aspect of American foreign policy, which is a view is backed up by experts like Samantha Powers, who have cautioned against focusing only whether or not to use the “G-Word.” Furthermore, even when the US has made a declaration on genocide and acted, the crime is not always fixed or undone – this is clearly shown in the failures the US made in dealing with the Darfur crisis. However, what is important here is the comparative of not making any effort to pressure an end to mass murders.
 
The benefits of a country taking the step to put international pressure on perpetrators of crimes using a genocide resolution, as well as pressure upon themselves and other world powers to act, cannot be denied. As a country with immense power to stop mass killing, the US government must be able to issue effective policy and gain insight on the potential of their language in foreign affairs.
 
Photo: Image via Flickr (John Brighenti)
 
 
 
 
 

Armenia coronavirus death toll reaches 17

Torgomian Varazdat

Save

Share

 11:24,

YEREVAN, APRIL 15, ARMENPRESS. A 66-year-old man has died from coronavirus in Armenia, bringing the total number of death cases to 17, Healthcare minister’s spokesperson Alina Nikoghosyan said today.

“A death case has been registered in the St. Gregory the Illuminator hospital. The 66-year-old patient had coronavirus, double pneumonia. The patient also had accompanying chronic diseases”, she said.

According to the latest data, the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Armenia has reached 1,111. The total number of recovered patients is 297. The active cases are 797.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan




Armenia PM states reasons for inflation

Torgomian Varazdat
News.am, Armenia
April 6 2020

22:35, 06.04.2020

It’s not like the prices of all products have gone up. For instance, the prices of petrol and diesel have dropped, and the prices of many foods have remained the same. This is what Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan said while answering citizens’ questions today.

When asked why the government isn’t controlling inflation, Pashinyan said the following: “Yes, the government can control inflation, but this may lead to the disappearance of products in stores. Yes, the government needs to follow and make sure people don’t gain major profits. I accept the fact that the government needs to take measures to make sure inflation is under control or is logical,” Pashinyan said and noted that the conduct of consumers also has an impact on the prices.

“I hold discussions on the price of ginger almost every day. I wanted to understand why the price of ginger is going up. Later, a citizen sent me a letter with a video showing that ginger saves a person from getting infected with COVID-19 100%, and this made it clear why everyone is rushing to buy ginger and why the prices started going up,” the Prime Minister said.