Author: Tvankchian Parkev

TURKEY: NO MORE TIME TO WASTE IN PROVIDING JUSTICE FOR HRANT DINK

Amnesty International UK
ID=18023
Jan 19 2009
UK

The Turkish authorities are nowhere near bringing to justice all
those who bear responsibility for the murder of Hrant Dink, said
Amnesty International on the second anniversary of the death of the
journalist and human rights defender.

Nicola Duckworth, Europe and Central Asia Programme Director at
Amnesty International, said:

‘Hrant Dink was murdered for the expression of his non-violent
opinions, apparently with the tacit agreement of elements within the
Turkish law enforcement agencies.’

Twenty suspects accused of planning and carrying out the murder have
been brought to trial. In a separate investigation, eight members
of the gendarmerie face charges of negligence. However, there has
been no progress in investigating and prosecuting police officers
for failing to act on warnings that Hrant Dink was being targeted
for assassination.

Reporting in July 2008, the Turkish Parliamentary Human Rights
Commission found that there was negligence and lack of coordination on
the part of the security services in failing to prevent the murder. In
addition, leaked details of the Inspectorate of the Prime Ministry’s
report into the role of the security forces in the murder of Hrant
Dink reportedly revealed that police officers at both the Trabzon
and Istanbul Security Directorates failed in their duty to protect
Hrant Dink although they had information about the planned murder.

Nicola Duckworth said:

‘The authorities should make public the report by the Inspectorate
of the Prime Ministry.

‘There is now a wealth of evidence upon which the judicial authorities
must act. An investigation should be re-opened so that all implicated
members of the police forces and gendarmerie are brought to justice.’

Background

Hrant Dink was shot dead on 19 January 2007 outside the offices of
the Agos newspaper of which he was the editor. He was best known for
his willingness to debate openly and critically issues of Armenian
identity and official versions of history in Turkey relating to the
massacres of Armenians in 1915. Prior to his death he was repeatedly
prosecuted for expressing his non-violent opinions.

On 2 July 2007 the criminal trial of 19 suspects accused of planning
and carrying out the murder began. Since this time another suspect
has been added to the trial. The next hearing will take place on
26 January.

At the current time eight members of the gendarmerie including
Trabzon District Gendarmerie Commander, Ali Oz are being prosecuted
for ‘dereliction of duty’. Ali Oz is accused of failing to pass on
information of the plot against Hrant Dink and of obstructing the
revelation of this evidence after the murder.

ARMENIA IN 31ST PLACE AMONG 179 COUNTRIES BY LEVEL OF ECONOMIC FREEDOMS

Noyan Tapan

Jan 14, 2008

YEREVAN, JANUARY 14, NOYAN TAPAN. By the results of an annual research
conducted by the Heritage Foundation and "The Wall Street Journal",
Armenia is in 31st place among 179 countries by the level of economic
freedoms. As Radio Liberty reported, there were no significant changes
in Armenia’s indices as compared with last year.

The research authors evaluate all the states on a scale from 0 to 100,
taking into account 10 indices, such as investment freedom, business
freedom, freedom from corruption.

This year Armenia received 69 points out of the 100 possible as
compared with 70 points in 2008. Thus our country is in the group of
states with a moderately free economy, occupying the highest place
among CIS countrties.

Georgia is 32nd, Azerbaijan is 99th, while Russia is 146th by the
level of economic freedoms.

As regards concrete indices, based on official statistical data
and the provisions in the legislative acts on national economy,
the U.S. analysts have assessed Armenia’s business environment
quite highly. Armenia has high indices on investment making and free
movement of labor force. At the same time, according to U.S. experts,
the weaknesses of the country are related to inviolability of the
right of private property and corruption, with the respective points
making 35 and 30.

Armenia, along with Georgia and Lithuania, was pointed out as one of
the countries with most impressive economic indices. The report says
that in the past 13 years these three countries have supassed more
than half of the world’s states by their economic indices. According
to the report’s authors, in 1996-2008, the average growth of GDP per
capita made 8% in Armenia, Georgia and Lithuania.

LYDIAN SAYS NEW SURFACE SAMPLING AT ARMENIA’S AMULSAR EXPANDS GOLD POTENTIAL

Proactive Investors USA & Canada
Jan 13 2009

Lydian International Ltd said results from scout reverse circulation
drill holes, continuous channel sampling and rock chip samples at the
Amulsar discovery in Armenia have identified some 5 square kilometres
of gold potential and identified new targets for follow-up drilling
in 2009.

Drill results at the Tigranes and Artavasdes prospects within the
licence have identified continuous gold mineralisation over more than
1 kilometre in strike length and open in all directions.

The Amulsar license is 95 percent owned by Lydian’s Armenian subsidiary
Geoteam CJSC. The project is currently being explored as part of a
50/50 joint venture with Newmont Overseas Exploration Ltd, a subsidiary
of Newmont Mining Corp.

"These latest results provide some indication of the overall size
potential at Amulsar," said Tim Coughlin, Lydian’s president and
CEO. "During 2008 we concentrated most of our drilling effort in
evaluating a relatively small area of the Amulsar license with the
aim being to identify the basic controls on gold mineralisation and
develop a preliminary resource. We now believe the project covers a
substantially larger area."

PROSECUTOR LOOKS INTO CHARGING TURKS WHO APOLOGIZED TO ARMENIA

Trend News Agency
Jan 9 2009
Azerbaijan

A prosecutor in Ankara on Friday opened an investigation into whether
an online campaign by a number of Turkish intellectuals in which they
personally apologize for the First World War killings of Armenian
constitutes "insulting the Turkish people," the Anadolu news agency
reported.

The investigation will look into the "We apologize" campaign and
whether it violates Turkey’s notorious Article 301, which stipulates
imprisonment for those found guilty of "insulting Turkishness".

In order for any trial to go ahead against the authors of the
petition, permission must first be sought from the justice minister,
dpa reported.

A group of academics, writers and journalists set up an online
petition last month in which they make a personal apology for the
"great catastrophe" of 90 years ago and which is still considered a
taboo subject in Turkey.

"I cannot accept the denial of the great catastrophe of 1915 that
Ottoman Armenians were subjected to. I condemn this injustice and
acting on my own behalf I share the feelings of pain of my Armenian
brothers," the webpage ozurdiliyoruz.com says, followed by the names
of the almost 300 people who started the campaign.

As of early January more than 25,000 people had signed the
petition. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and military chiefs,
as well as opposition figures condemned the campaign.

The campaign is in direct contrast to official state policy that
refuses to admit that the deaths of up to 1.5 million Armenians in
the last days of the Ottoman Empire actually constitute a genocide.

Turkey says that while there were massacres of ethnic Armenians the
events were the result of a civil uprising during the war. A group of
former Turkish ambassadors have issued a counter statement declaring
the petition as against Turkey’s national interests.

Neighbouring Turkey and Armenia do not have any diplomatic relations
and the land border between the two countries was closed by Turkey
in 1993 in protest at the Armenian occupation of Nagorno- Karabakh.

A thawing in relations has begun in recent months with Turkish
President Abdullah Gul in September becoming the first Turkish head
of state to visit the Armenian capital Yerevan.

MORE THAN A HUMAN TRAGEDY; A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY
Shahan Kandaharian

Aztag Daily
Jan 5 2009
Lebanon

The first part of the title is taken from "Hurriyet" and the
second part is from "Today’s Zaman" and the title is circulated by
the Associated Press. These are two separate announcements made by
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayip Erdogan. Turkey’s prime minister
wasn’t satisfied by "a human tragedy" so, the next day he increased
the contents of the announcement a notch. With a one-day difference
(the first announcement was made on Saturday and the second one
yesterday – Sunday, Jan 4), the prime minister of Turkey gave two
different descriptions to the events taking place in Gaza.

In the columns below a special spotlight has been placed on the
protest actions unleashed in Turkey. A quick observation would above
all else focus on the following fact: the ingredients of the wave of
protests in Turkey against different topics has almost always been
uniform. Purely Turkish agenda: for example, the headscarf issue
had clearly divided the populace into Muslims and secularists, the
dissent on the Armenian issue has emerged in the leftist spheres,
the same goes for the Kurdish issue.

As for the events taking place in Gaza the wave of protest has been
far from the uniformity theory. A quick look on the protestors’ mass
will show a diversification: it consists of Muslims, secularists,
nationalists and leftists. The wave of the resentment is Pan-Turkish
and it obviously has urged the Turkish prime minister to make the
announcement.

After all it’s not "Hamas" that’s been accused of a crime against
humanity or of being the side that has caused a human tragedy. The
address is clear. The accusation is directed against Israel,
Turkey’s strategic partner, which in this case has been committing
a crime against humanity or is being held responsible for a human
tragedy. Let’s go back to the specificities of the accusing side and
the side that’s being accused. It’s also important to mention that on
the first days of the Israeli attacks, the foreign minister of Turkey
considered the military operation an insult against his own country,
announcing the suspension of his mediatory role between Israel and
Syria. Turkey, a member in the UN Security Council at present, in
its membership campaign was promising to adopt a foundational role
in the resolution of the Middle East conflicts. It was made clear in
the media that Turkey, which had expressed a willingness to play a
role as a peacemaker and mediator, recorded continual failures when
its prime minister’s attempts to establish a ceasefire failed.

After the failure of the attempts to establish political solutions
and a ceasefire and considering the Pan-Turkish wave of protest,
the prime minister of Turkey has recorded a political retreat also
giving way to a rather harsh announcement.

Statistical data showed that the slope of the anti-American sentiments
of the Turkish public opinion had soared up to very high levels. Its
beyond any doubt that anti-israelism must have scored a new record in
Turkey as well. What’s happening is that the trenches found between
the state structures and official spheres on one hand and the public
wave on the other are running deeper and deeper. In its turn the
Armenian issue as well is taking its place in that overall crack.

The title used by "Today’s Zaman" is shocking. Crime against
humanity. The Turkish prime minister himself is familiar with the
judiciary consequences the recognition of such an accusation can
have. After all he is an heir of a state that has committed a crime
against humanity. In any case, causing a human tragedy is not less
significant. However, the first one is a term used in international
law and conventions, the consequences of which are also formulated
in those laws and conventions.

Statehood is a continual process. Although during different historical
eras and in different magnitudes, Turkey and Israel are also "partners"
in committing crimes against humanity in its judiciary-political
sense. Presently, one is accusing the other.

In any case, what is interesting is the phenomenon of being both the
accuser and the accused.

ANTI-SEMITES EXPLOIT ISRAEL’S ACTIONS

BIA
Jan 8 2009
Turkey

Rights activists Bilgen and Haligua condemn racist comments that
gain ground in protests against Israel’s offensive in Gaza. "The
government and the media incite such reactions. We should demand peace,
not revenge."

Criticizing anti-semite comments and reactions in protests against
Israel’s offensive in Gaza, former head of the conservative rights
organization MAZLUMDER Ayhan Bilgen and rights activist -and a Turkish
Jew- Avi Haligua underlined the error of identifying a state’s policies
with its people.

Bilgen, advised protestors to question the actions of governments
holding good relations with Israel, including the Justice and
Development Part (AKP) government. Haligua, a radio producer, draws
attention to the media’s role in the circulation of such racist
reactions.

"All Jews are trying to clear of others but we’ll fight" said a young
commentator during a mainstream TV program, aired last night.

On another account, members of the Osmangazi Cultural Foundation in
EskiÅ~_ehir held banners which read "Armenians and Jews not allowed
through this door" during a staged protest.

Several members of the Human Rights Association (Ä°HD) are applying
to court on the basis of "inciting hatred", regarding those comments.

"It’s a grose error to bill the faults of the Israeli state to Jews
living in other parts of the world" said Bilgen. "We must clearly
distinguish between demands of peace in the Middle East and demands
that would instigate further ethnic and religious fights. One should
not forget that the most powerful reaction to Israel’s policies comes
from within the country, from Israeli peace activists"

Noting he had covered most of the demonstrations in Istanbul, "I’m
not comfortable faced with demands to account for Israel’s actions"
said Haligua.

While this is the case, he also reacts to PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan
saying "we’ve welcomed Jews as our guest here 600 years ago".

"I’m not a Israeli citizen says Haligua. "Utilization of the notion
of ‘guest’ after 600 years shows how deep anti-semitism goes. AKP
exploits the situation for the upcoming elections just as the Israeli
government does."

He notes that the media lays ground to racist comments through
sentimental approaches. "We should demand peace instead of
revenge."

–Boundary_(ID_XMgbR4YbmYjMyWmO TSbNAw)–

THE COMPELLING CASE OF TURKEY’S CONSTITUTION
Liam Hardy

World Press Review

Dec 29 2008

Washington, DC – Turkish foreign minister and chief negotiator for
the EU Ali Babacan, speaking at a NATO foreign ministers meeting
recently, mentioned that the Turkish Constitution as it stands now
will not help Turkey move forward with its reform agenda.

This resonates with a statement in September by the EU Commissioner
for Enlargement, Olli Rehn, that constitutional reform would greatly
accelerate Turkey’s EU accession process and could "break the cycle"
of political crises in the country – such as last year’s presidential
election crisis and this year’s Constitutional Court case to disband
the ruling political party.

Although debate over changing the constitution has waned immensely
over the past year, Babacan has rightly called attention to an issue
that has important implications for Turkey. The current constitution,
which was implemented under Turkish military rule in 1982, has caused
some serious headaches. Many elements within Turkey argue that the
current constitution limits basic rights and freedoms, including the
freedom of speech, religious expression and association.

Both for internal steadiness as well as greater EU compatibility,
debate has focused in the past on creating a new constitution that
functions more democratically and better ensures the rights and
freedoms of all Turkish citizens. A renewed energy must emerge from
Turkey’s political parties and civil society for action to take place
anytime soon. However, recent history and the government’s current
workload also make this a challenging task.

Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), made an effort to
draft a new constitution after the 2007 elections, but the party made
some serious missteps. They attempted to create a draft in secrecy
without involving other political parties or institutions. The draft
was then leaked to the press.

Soon thereafter, the constitutional amendments to allow headscarves in
universities and the trial charging the AKP for violating secularism
created a major distraction.

Meanwhile, other events have taken centre stage: increased violence
from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), the Russia-Georgia conflict,
renewed ties with Armenia, mediation between Syria and Israel, the
global economic crisis and the scandal surrounding the clandestine
group Ergenekon, which some allege was plotting a coup and others
believe was an excuse used by the government to arrest its critics.

As a result, debate over a new constitution has been left sitting on
the shelf.

More conservative Turks have argued that the current constitution
has been amended so frequently (79 articles have been changed and 13
amendments added in 26 years), that only some additional amendments
would be necessary. Others, particularly in academia and civil society,
insist that a Constitutional Convention should be called and a complete
revision generated, claiming that the spirit of the document needs
to be renewed.

A new draft would most likely strengthen the parliamentary system,
reduce powers of the presidency, reform the judicial process and
clearly define individual freedoms.

An attempt to renew Turkey’s constitution could be as daunting, and
perhaps as dangerous, as open-heart surgery. However, many sectors
of society have been calling for change, claiming that Turkey
has progressed far beyond its days of military rule and that its
constitution must reflect this.

Yet, convincing political leaders that such reforms are necessary
sooner rather than later, and sustaining the political will to
carry them out, will be challenging. Still stinging from the
embarrassment of the recent attempts to change the constitution,
those in power are unlikely to risk taking up this issue again in the
near future. Additionally, there are many regional issues involving
Turkey that will keep the government occupied.

However, judging from the comments of Foreign Minister Babacan and
other leaders, addressing challenges and moving ahead with reforms
must be done within a solid constitutional framework, and a renewed
and vibrant debate over the constitution would be healthy for Turkey’s
future.

AZG Armenian Daily #242, 27/12/2008

Javakhk

MONITORING IN JAVAKHK

Armenian Ombudsman Armen Harutyunian sent a letter to his Georgian
counterpart Sozari Subari. As informed by the press service of the
Ombudsman, in the letter Armen Harutyunian informs that he has
received a letter from the administration of "Yerkir" Association for
NGOs, which expresses concern about the trials of heads of the "United
Javakhk" organization Vahagn Chakhalian, Gurgen Shirinian and their
family members, who are charged with murder of police officers.
According to the authors of the letter, there are many violations
being made during the trial.

Reminding his Georgian counterpart Sozar Subari of the mutual
agreements in the letter, Armen Harutyunian asked him to conduct
monitoring to find out whether the human rights implanted in
international documents and Georgian legislation are protected or not.

EBRD CONTRIBUTES TO MSE DEVELOPMENT IN ARMENIA

Panorama.am
15:10 26/12/2008

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is extending
a $10 million loan in three trenches to enable VTB Bank Armenia to
offer credit to micro and small sized enterprises (MSEs) across the
country, reports the "VTB Armenia" bank.

The project will enable the creditworthy MSEs in Armenia have access
to medium-term reliable sources of finance. The program is under
Armenia Multi-Bank Framework Facility II. The loan will be accompanied
by technical assistance under the Armenia Microlending Program,
an institution-building Technical Cooperation Program designed to
facilitate the MSE lending activities of partner banks. Technical
cooperation funds have been provided by the EBRD’s Early Transition
Countries Multi-donor Fund and Shareholders’ Special Fund.

VTB Bank Armenia, ranking fourth by total assets, is an important
player in the Armenian banking sector; it has the largest branch
network in the country. With its 78 branches across the country and
new products and services for the lower income groups, VTB Bank Armenia
is expected to contribute to the development of Armenia’s MSE sector,
including in the rural areas.

"Micro and small enterprises are the backbone for a developing
economy. There is a significant unmet demand for MSE finance in the
country", said Chikako Kuno, Director of the EBRD’s Group for Small
Business. "This facility gains particular prominence in the current
environment of global liquidity constraints and with VTB Bank’s wide
regional presence we hope to increase financial access for the rural,
micro and small entrepreneurs in the country", added Ms. Kuno.

The EBRD is committed to the development of the MSE sector in its
countries of operation. Its Group for Small Business manages long-term
MSE financing programs in 15 countries and has acquired substantial
experience in building MSE lending operations. Promoting micro and
small companies is one of the Bank’s top priorities in Armenia and,
indeed, across the entire region in which it operates EBRD is the
largest single investor in Armenia having invested some EUR 202 million
in 52 projects in all major sectors of the economy. The country is
part of the Early Transition Countries Initiative, launched in April
2004, which uses a streamlined approach to financing to mobilize more
investment and encourage economic reform.

According to the source, the EBRD, owned by 61 countries and two
intergovernmental institutions, aims to foster the transition from
centrally planned to market economies in central and Eastern Europe
and central Asia.

NA SPEAKER VISITS NORK OLD PEOPLE’S HOUSE

ARMENPRESS
Dec 26, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS: Armenian National Assembly Speaker
Hovik Abrahamian accompanied by the Armenian Labor and Social Affairs
Minister Arsen Hambartsumian visited Nork old people’s house.

Hovik Abrahamian got acquainted with the issues of the institution
and promised to provide 3 million AMD from his own means for their
solution. "I am very happy that the residents of the old people’s house
have high mood and I am happy to see them healthy. I assure you that
these people and the issues connected with them are under the limelight
of the state. Everything will be done so that they live in welfare,"
he said, adding that such visits will be of continuative nature.

The building conditions of Nork old people’s house are intended for 230
people. "This is a big family full of warmth. There is a rest house,
library, playing room, opportunities for spending interesting days,"
the director of the old people’s house Aramayis Aloyan said.

According to him, there is a system according to which residents of
each floor elect council of elders and a leader. Every day they are
planning their days. The director said that the old people’s house
needs reconstruction.

Minister Hambartsumian said that 4 state and 3 non-state old people’s
houses are functioning in the republic. In 2009 it is expected to
increase their budgets by 20 percent for increasing salaries of
employees and provision of services.