Massis Weekly Online
VOLUME 27, NO. 8 (1308)
SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2007
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– Israel Parliament Rejects Armenian Genocide Bill
– Memorial in Glendale Honors Dink, Captivates Audience
– Lower Learning: Students Say Bribery in Universities is ?Normal?
– Armenian Community Meets With Leader of Liberal Party Of Canada
– Elizabeth Manasserian Conveys Goals As Candidate For GUSD Board
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– Israel Parliament Rejects Armenian Genocide Bill
JERUSALEM — Israel?s parliament on Wednesday rejected a motion
recognizing the Turkish mass killings of Armenians dating back to 1915
as a genocide.
?Stop ignoring and rejecting the catastrophe of another people,? MP
Haim Oron, who submitted the motion, told the plenum before the vote.
?We refuse to accept the turning of a blind eye to the Armenian
genocide,? the opposition left-wing Meretz party MP said. ?We owe this
vote not only to the Armenian people, we owe it to ourselves,
especially in a period where we are struggling to prolong the memory?
of the Nazi Holocaust of six million Jews during World War II.
The motion was nevertheless rejected by parliament in a vote of 16
against 12, with a low turnout by MPs. It would have needed a second
ratification if it had passed.
The issue of the Armenian massacre has been raised several times in
the past in Israel?s Knesset, but there has never been an implicit
vote branding it as genocide. If approved, Israel would have joined a
growing list of countries which have recognized the killings as
genocide. It would have marked April 24, the day when the massacres
started in 1915, as Armenian genocide memorial day.
Israel has close diplomatic ties with Turkey ? one of the few Muslim
countries with which it has relations ? and has in the past steered
clear of the recognition issue.
Oron told AFP he had been under heavy pressure from Israeli Prime
Minister Ehud Olmert?s office and the foreign ministry to withdraw his
motion. ?I have been under a lot of pressure, but that is something
any MP must face,? Oron said. ?Turkey has been exerting its pressure
everywhere. This is their right. But they can not set the agenda of
the Israeli parliament.? Government spokeswoman Miri Eisin said that
Israel ?did not intend to place itself at the forefront of this issue,
which is being handled by the international community.?
– Memorial in Glendale Honors Dink, Captivates Audience
GLENDALE, CA – A memorial honoring the legacy of assassinated
journalist Hrant Dink along with the participation of a multitude of
Armenian organizations, drew hundreds to the Glendale Civic Auditorium
on March 11 featuring various speakers, video presentations and
cultural performances.
Master of Ceremonies, Armen Hovannisian, Vice Chairman of the Armenian
Bar Association, introduced Dink as a pioneer who was ahead of his
time and a martyr for free speech fighting for the rights of Armenians
and other minorities in Turkey despite criticism from his colleagues
and those who opposed his ideas. Video clips of Dink were shown to the
audience as his life, beliefs and his hope for the future of democracy
in Turkey were expressed in his own words.
A somber musical performance of ?Groonk,? which happened to be a
favorite of Dink, played by the Wings of Passion duduk ensemble set
the tone for the evening which included many tears and sighs from the
audience made up by members of clergy, public officials, community
leaders, professors, Armenian American activists and supporters of the
Armenian Cause. The Zvartnots group performed a dance adorning gowns
resembling Khatch Kars.
Edvin Minassian of the Organization of Istanbul Armenians presented
the more personal, human side of Dink and his brief encounter with the
free speech advocate during his last visit to the U.S. in late October
to early November of last year. He read a famous quote deeply
inspirational to Dink which states, ?I?d rather die standing on my
feet than live on my knees.? The profound statement laid an imprint on
Dink as he carried out his day to day actions bearing this quote in
mind which he first learned of during his recent U.S. visit.
Also during his brief visit, Dink was interviewed on the Pari Louys TV
program hosted by Stepan Partamian where he discussed issues dealing
with his personal life to his thoughts on how recognition of the
Genocide should be dealt with from the bottom up as opposed to the top
down methodology.
His grassroots approach in educating Turks versus State recognition
and the implementation of Genocide resolutions were what set Dink
apart from other advocates of the Armenian Cause. His controversial
approach to the sensitive issue often ostracized him from his
colleagues. Only after his untimely death were his ideas viewed in a
different light.
A photo featuring Dink holding a Freedom of Speech Award given to him
by the Armenian Bar Association was displayed as Frank Zerunyan,
Chairman of the ABA and Council Member of the Rolling Hills Estates
talked about how Dink was so incredibly proud to receive that award;
it was the first honor received from an American-Armenian organization.
He stated that the significance of the award was monumental to Dink
because it symbolized his perseverance and served as a reminder to him
that those who falsely accused him of being anti-Turk had a lot to
learn about democracy and the open dialogue and exchange of ideas no
matter how divergent the ideas or the people voicing them may be.
An emotional Simon Acilacoglu, Chairman of the Organization of
Istanbul Armenians shared his personal experience at Dink?s funeral as
video clips from CNN Turk were being shown to the audience. ?I saw his
lifeless body as his face was cleansed with holy water at the church
where his family watched in grief,? said Acilacoglu. ?There was a dove
sitting on his casket during the entire procession. It refused to fly
away and was consequently removed by someone so that mourners could
resume placing soil on the casket,? he added. It was mentioned that
Dink often compared himself to a dove during the last few turbulent
years of his life where he was under constant attack for his ideals.
The evening ended with a moving speech made by Consul General of
Armenia, Armen Liloyan, who reminded the audience that The Republic of
Armenia has and always will welcome dialogue with its neighbor Turkey
despite the hesitation displayed by the Turkish government. He
believes dialogue is key in settling the Armenian Question but
remained skeptical of Turkey?s willingness to cooperate with Armenia.
?How can Turkey punish the killer of Hrant Dink when they have yet to
recognize the Genocide of 1.5 million Armenians?? he stated.
A special note of gratitude is extended to the following organizations
for their active participation and involvement in making the event
possible: The Organization of Istanbul Armenians, Armenian Bar
Association, Armenian Assembly of America, Nor Serount Cultural
Association and the Armenian Council of America.
– Lower Learning: Students Say Bribery in Universities is ?Normal?
By Gayane Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
Is there corruption in Armenia?s institutes of higher learning? Ninety
percent of university students seem to think there is.
The Sargis Tkhruni youth union of the Social-Democratic Hunchakian
Party has made an attempt to define the drastic picture of corruption
in universities and has surveyed 2,000 students. 1,821 of those
surveyed said corruption in universities is wide spread, and that the
lower the dollar exchange, the higher the cost of bribing professors
and examination board panels.
The survey was conducted among 2,000 students at all state-run higher
schools of Yerevan, which makes five percent of all students at
state-run higher schools. A questionnaire including 11 questions was
used as the method for gathering information.
Only students at the Department of Law and Culture of the Yerevan
State University refused to fill in the questionnaire. The
Agricultural Academy scored 96 percent on the corruption index, with
83 percent of interviewees saying they have personally given bribes
for grades. Students there report that success on a ?pass-fail? exam
can cost up to $20 and a good mark on a graded exam costs from $20-50.
Ninety percent of Academy students surveyed said bribing is ?normal?.
According to the survey, medical school is the second most corrupt,
with 89 percent, where 74 percent say they?ve personally paid bribes.
At Mkhitar Heratsi Medical University, students say they have paid up
to $1,000 for good marks. ?They don?t take money from those who learn,
but take from those who don?t. That is, those who have entered the
university with a bribe, graduate it with a bribe. I know a student in
my group who paid $900 or $1,000 for the last re-take exam not to be
expelled,? says Naira, a fourth year student, who asked not to mention
her last name.
Next in the level of corruption is the State Engineering University,
where 85.5 percent of the interviewed acknowledge corruption. ?The
most awful thing is that the bribe giving and taking is a normal thing
for 80-90 percent of the surveyed. But the lack of understanding in
the villainy of the phenomenon makes the fight against it almost
impossible,? says the head of the research group Anahit Sargsyan.
She says the students seem to have adjusted to the situation and are
skeptical whether the university officials would do anything to
correct the problem. In fact, students are concerned that if they
raise the issue they, themselves, might be expelled.
According to the survey the lowest level of corruption is recorded at
the arts universities ? with 18, 14 and 13.5 percents at the Academy
of Fine Arts, the Conservatoire and the State Institute last 20 days,?
says the head of the Sargis Tkhruni youth union Narek Galstyan.
Upon initiation of the survey, the youth union invited student
councils of the institutions for cooperation, which the greater part
of them denied. The chairpersons of the economic and medical
universities strictly prohibited any kind of interviews in their
institutions.
?We were directly told we were prohibited [from interviewing] and that
was it. But of course we managed to interview 250 students of the
medical university just at the entrance and found out that the student
councils had many things to hide,? says Sargsyan. The last letter the
youth union has received was written by the rector of the Medical
University Gohar Kyalyan, where she strongly condemned and questioned
the impartiality of the sociological survey.
?The letter says there is no corruption at the medical university. But
everyone knows there is. The problem should be accepted and should be
fought against. There is a need to stop the policy of making the
institutions of higher education places of worship and many things
will change,? says Galstyan.
All ArmeniaNow attempts to talk to the rector of the Medical
University throughout the week failed.
?I have always welcomed the activity of youth organizations, this
survey is especially welcome, as at last students have risen to their
feet to raise their voice and defend their rights,? says Minister of
Education and Science Levon Lazarian.
At Yerevan State University, corruption ? as defined by the survey ?
is 42 percent. Rector Aram Simonyan says the figure is troubling. ?I
do not deny there is corruption in our higher education institutions
including our university. Moreover, at the moment we have students
complaining of corruption on the side of some lecturers.
We fight it, but it?s unrealistic to eradicate it in one day,? says
Simonyan. Asked for a solution to bribery in education, 93 percent of
interviewees say increasing teacher salaries is the answer, while 87
percent say inner discipline should be stricter.
– Armenian Community Meets With Leader of Liberal Party Of Canada
The Congress of Canadian Armenians held a reception in Montreal on
March 6, 2007 to honour Stephane Dion, the new Leader of the Liberal
Party of Canada. The event was a resounding success, with over 100
invited people present including many of the leaders and prominent
members of our community.
Mr. Dion, who has been a firm advocate for the recognition of the
Armenian Genocide and a friend and consistent supporter of the
Armenian community and of Armenian causes, was presented with a plaque
naming him an ?honourary Armenian?. At the end of his speech, he
expressed his appreciation for the warm welcome that he received, and
he read a brief statement of friendship in Armenian. He also had an
opportunity to circulate, talking to people about their concerns and
answering their questions.
In his comments, Mr. Dion said he is in favour of opening a Canadian
Embassy in Armenia, and he would like very much to see Armenian
candidates getting elected to the House of Commons. This event was
part of a series organized by the Congress of Canadian Armenians, to
meet with the leaders and key members of the major political parties
of Canada.
The Congress of Canadian Armenians is comprised of the following
participating organizations (in alphabetical order): AGBU Alex
Manoogian School, AGBU Montreal Chapter, Armenian Democratic Liberal
Party, Holy Cross Church of Laval, St. Gregory the Illuminator Church
of Montreal, S.D. Hunchakian Party, Society of Armenians from
Istanbul, Tekeyan Cultural Association
– Elizabeth Manasserian Conveys Goals As Candidate For GUSD Board
By Christine Aghakhanian
She has been a loud voice in the Glendale community for many years and
now Elizabeth Manasserian, after participating and taking leadership
roles in numerous civic, academic and professional organizations, is
running for the elected position of Glendale Unified School District
Board Member.
Her heavy involvement in the academic sphere of the City and her
innate ability to relate to parent?s concerns is what differentiates
Manasserian from her opponents running for the two-seat position. ?I
have an active relationship with students, teachers and parents of
GUSD,? said Manasserian. ?My sons are currently enrolled in the
Glendale schools. Having said that, I think it is vital for any school
board member to have children, or to have children in the schools that
the candidate is looking to serve as a School Board Member.?
Being the first Armenian PTA (Parents Teachers Association) President
at Wilson Middle School, Manasserian experienced first hand, the
opportunities that exist for Armenian students and the importance for
an Armenian candidate to voice their concerns. She took on the
leadership role of PTA President for selfless reasons. Her main
concern were the students and the parents and having their needs
addressed by the school and the district. Manasserian proved that, by
having a record breaking support from Armenian parents along with
parents of other ethnic groups creating a unity in the school community.
?As I attend varieties of different school functions on various school
campuses, I see the Armenian youth making great and phenomenal and
academic strides,? she stated. ?By supporting good, well rounded
Armenian candidates, Armenians? voices will be heard. Placing me as a
school board member is giving a representation and a voice. Better
yet, I have already been creating a better understanding of who we are
a s Armenians. It is not always about fighting back, rather showing
the good.?
The three main areas of focus in Manasserian?s campaign are safety in
schools, class size reduction and child obesity including the
promotion of proper nutrition and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. She
believes school safety is one of the most paramount challenges facing
the school board today. Her business background, she says, will enable
her to make important budgetary decisions in helping generate funds
that schools are currently lacking, which in turn, will lead to a
lower teacher to student ratio hence creating smaller classrooms. As a
member of the Glendale Healthy Kids, Manasserian is confident that
through teacher and parent education, the growing problem of obesity
among youth can become a thing of the past.
Among other organizations, Manasserian has been active in various
Glendale organizations such as the Rotary Club, Chamber of Commerce,
PTA, Educational Foundations and Board of Realtors to name a few. ?It
is important that the candidates be a part of the greater whole and
our great Glendale community,? she said. ?That is what I became, not
just one thing, But I am a part of the community at large. It made me
well rounded and exposed me to different areas of the city. This
knowledge will create more resources for me to bring to the Board as a
School Board Member.?
It has become her goal and top priority to have Glendale schools lead
the nation in academic excellence. She plans on working to implement
areas of funding, partnerships and mentoring programs to reach this
goal. Creating an enjoyable and enriching environment for teachers
through various educational programs is also on Manasserian?s agenda.
?We need to make our children?s schools competitive with the nation so
our children may compete equally or with an advantage,? she said. ?I
want Glendale to become the model school for this nation.?
Having strong relationships within the community is key to
Manasserian?s success as a community leader. She plans on bringing the
influence she has gained through her involvement with various groups
to the GUSD Board. She believes this is an essential quality for a
candidate to possess in order to be heard and to be an effective
leader capable of creating change. Additionally, she believes, her
background as an engineer will help the school board gain support for
the highest standards of technology in schools and her experience in
the commercial real estate industry will be utilized in areas of
budgeting, and finance. ?I am doing this for no other interest than
what I can offer to our children, with your vote on ballot three I
will do just that.?
For more information about Manasserian?s campaign, visit
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