The California Courier Online, March 7, 2019
1 – Azerbaijan Enlists Infamous Congressman
Hastings in its Anti-Armenian Propaganda
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com
2- Surp Hreshdagabet Church in Istanbul vandalized in possible
hate crime
3 – 106-year-old Genocide survivor dies in Argentina
4 – Pashinyan Remembers 2008 Police Brutality Victims
5- AECP Sponsors Eye Surgeon Performing from Armenia for
Florida Conference
6- Tekeyan Metro LA Remembers Rescuer of Armenian Orphans Roupen Herian
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1 – Azerbaijan Enlists Infamous Congressman
Hastings in its Anti-Armenian Propaganda
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com
Cong. Alcee L. Hastings (D-Fla.) is the latest transmitter of Azeri
propaganda. He issued a statement on February 25, 2019, which he
entered in the Congressional Record, accusing Armenians of killing 613
Azeri men, women, and children on Feb. 26, 1992, in the Khojaly
village of Azerbaijan during the height of the Artsakh (Karabagh) war.
Human Rights Watch placed the number of Azeri dead at 161.
Nevertheless, even the single loss of life is regrettable be it Azeri
or Armenian. Cong. Hastings, a member of Azerbaijan Congressional
Caucus, called the alleged killings “the Khojaly Massacre.”
These killings are controversial with Armenians and Azeris blaming
each other for the deaths. In recent years, the government of
Azerbaijan has made these killings a cause celebre, organizing
observances in various countries and accusing Armenians not only of
committing a massacre, but a genocide. These propaganda observances
are funded by what is known as “caviar diplomacy,” meaning that
Azerbaijan bribes government officials around the world to block
decisions critical of Azerbaijan or adopt resolutions in its favor.
It is ironic that while Azerbaijan describes the alleged killing of
613 Azeris a genocide, it shamelessly denies the actual genocide of
1.5 million Armenians from 1915 to 1923.
On March 3, 1997, the Armenian Foreign Ministry circulated a statement
to members of the United Nations General Assembly and Security
Council, rejecting the statement issued by Azerbaijan on February 22,
1997 on “the Khojalu event.” Armenia quoted the words of the then
President of Azerbaijan Ayaz Mutalibov who had stated that the
Azerbaijani National Front “actively obstructed and actually prevented
the exodus of the local [Azeri] population through the mountain
passages specifically left open by Karabakh Armenians to facilitate
the flight of the civilian population.” Mutalibov had made that
statement in the days following “the Khojalu event” in an interview
with Czech journalist Dana Mazalova published in the April 2, 1992
issue of the Russian newspaper Nizavisimaya Gazeta.
By organizing such propaganda observances, Azerbaijan’s officials have
found a convenient way of countering the mass murder of Armenians in
the Azeri towns of Sumgait (Feb. 28, 1988), Gyanja (November 1988),
and Baku (January 1990) as well as the Armenian genocide by Ottoman
Turkey.
Azerbaijan could not have found a more infamous member of U.S.
Congress to carry out its propaganda war against Armenia. Prior to
becoming a member of Congress, Hastings served as a United States
District or Federal Judge from 1979 to 1989, at which time he was
impeached and removed from office!
According to Wikipedia, “In 1981, [Judge] Hastings was charged with
accepting a $150,000 bribe in exchange for a lenient sentence and a
return of seized assets for 21 counts of racketeering by Frank and
Thomas Romano, and of perjury in his testimony about the case. In
1983, he was acquitted by a jury after his alleged co-conspirator,
William Borders, refused to testify in court, resulting in a jail
sentence for Borders.”
“In 1988, the Democratic-controlled United States House of
Representatives took up the case, and Hastings was impeached for
bribery and perjury by a vote of 413–3. He was then convicted on
October 20, 1989, by the United States Senate, becoming the sixth
federal judge in the history of the United States to be removed from
office by the Senate. The Senate, in two hours of roll calls, voted on
11 of the 17 articles of impeachment. It convicted Hastings of eight
of the 11 articles. The vote on the first article was 69 for and 26
opposed….”
Cong. Hastings was disgraced for the second time when a staff member
of the Helsinki Commission for which he was the Chairman, accused him
of inappropriate sexual behavior. The Roll Call newspaper reported on
December 8, 2017 that the U.S. Treasury Department secretly paid the
staffer $220,000 to settle an alleged sexual harassment case against
Cong. Hastings.
Winsome Packer, the staff member of the congressional commission,
stated in a written document that Cong. Hastings touched her, made
unwanted sexual advances, and threatened her job. In her lawsuit,
Packer stated “that Hastings repeatedly asked to stay at her apartment
or to visit her hotel room. Packer also said he frequently hugged her,
and once asked her what kind of underwear she was wearing,” according
to Roll Call. Cong. Hastings denied the accusation.
Finally, it appears that Cong. Hastings has maintained extensive
contacts with the BGR Group, a major U.S. firm that is paid $50,000 a
month to lobby for Azerbaijan in Washington.
Under the federal FARA (Foreign Agents Registration Act) laws, every
lobbying firm has to register with the U.S. Justice Department,
disclosing the contract signed with the foreign entity. More
importantly, the lobbying firm’s employees are required to report to
the Justice Department every contact they make with outsiders on
behalf of their clients, whether by email, phone call, or personal
meeting.
For example, during the six-month period of December 1, 2017 to May
30, 2018, BGR reported contacting congressional offices hundreds of
times. Each time the subject matter was listed as “U.S.-Azerbaijan
Relations.” Cleverly, BGR had hidden the name of the Congressman or
Senator, mentioning only his or her staff member’s name.
Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) conducted a lengthy
investigation to identify the names of the Congress members for whom
these staff members worked. The ANCA investigation disclosed that on
Nov. 17, 2017, Feb. 27, March 5, March 12, April 30, May 22, May 23,
and May 30, 2018 BGR lobbyists emailed Tom Carnes, a staff member of
Cong. Hastings. BGR also had a meeting with Tom Carnes on May 30,
2018. In addition, on May 22, 2018, lobbyists from BGR e-mailed
Susannah Jackson of Cong. Hastings office. In addition, on Nov. 2,
2017, Rob Mangas, Tim Hutchinson, K. Laurie McKay, Killoran Long, and
Albert Wynn on behalf of a lobbying firm for Turkey, Greenberg
Traurig, had discussions with Lale Morrison from the office of Cong.
Hastings regarding U.S.-Turkish relations. Finally, on Oct. 27, 2017,
Lydia Borland on behalf of another lobbying firm for Turkey, LB
International Solutions, LLC, met with Lale Morrison from the office
of Cong. Hastings regarding U.S.-Turkey relations.
No wonder that Cong. Hastings was given the low grade of D and D plus
in recent years by the ANCA for not supporting various Armenian issues
in Congress.
Azerbaijan has tried to cover up its crimes against Armenians and
human rights violations of its deprived citizens by bribing foreign
officials around the world and blaming others for its own wrongdoing.
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2- Surp Hreshdagabet Church in Istanbul vandalized in possible
hate crime
(AHVAL News)— Vandals have marked the Balat Surp Hreshdagabet Armenian
Church in Istanbul with graffiti saying “You are finish”, the Armenian
newspaper Agos reported on Monday, February 25.
The church foundation board in a statement said it had delivered all
surveillance recordings to the police and filed a criminal complaint.
Minority Foundations Representative Moris Levi condemned the attack,
according to Turkish news site Sendika.org.
“These acts are a clear hate crime and our communities are still being
subjected to such attacks,” Levi said.
Armenian opposition lawmaker Garo Paylan posted pictures of the
graffiti on Twitter and said authorities should shed light on the
people behind the attack.
“A hate crime has been committed against Balat Surp Hreshdagabet
Armenian Church. Hate crimes against churches and synagogues take
place several times every year. Not only the perpetrators but the
powers behind (the attacks) should be addressed. Above all,
hate-generating policies should be ended,” said Paylan.
Armenian writer Murad Mıhçı also commented on the attack on Twitter.
Sharing the images of the church, Mıhçı said:
“The walls and the door of the Balat Surp Armenian Church. Its
entrance was built with the rocks from the historical church in İznik
(Nicaea), where the council met. The church opens one day a year. It
is believed to heal people. As they say, “ARE YOU FINISH?”, there are
no local people left. “New Turkey.”
This is not the first incident, in which Armenian institutions have
been the target of graffiti and vandalism in Istanbul in recent years.
Recently, the walls of the Armenian Surb Astvatsatsin Church in
Istanbul’s Zeinlink district were vandalized with hate graffiti.
In April 2018 photos of graffiti reading “This homeland is ours”
spray-painted on the exterior wall of the Armenian Surp Takavor Church
and a pile of trash dumped in front of the church’s door began
circulating on social media and various Turkish news outlets.
In 2016, the exterior walls of the Bomonti Mkhitarian Armenian School
of Istanbul were vandalized with anti-Armenian graffiti reading “One
night, we suddenly will be in Karabakh.”
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3 – 106-year-old Genocide survivor dies in Argentina
(News.am)—Lucin Beredjiklian de Khatcherian one of the last survivors
of the Armenian Genocide, died on Thursday, February 21, at the age of
106, Prensa Armenia reported.
She lived in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina practically all
her life and was one of the active members of the local Armenian
community.
According to the documents, Lusine Beredzhikl was born in 1909 in the
city of Ayntap.
During the Genocide, their family fled to Syria. In exile, she lost
her mother, as well as father.
“It is better not to remember the Genocide. I cannot sleep because of
these memories,” said Lucin Beredjiklian in an interview with Clarín
in 2015.
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4 – Pashinyan Remembers 2008 Police Brutality Victims
YEREVAN—Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, in a televised address to the
nation, issued an apology to the victims of the March 1, 2008
post-election protests, during which eight civilians and two police
officers were killed by security officials who were ordered to quell
opposition revolt against the presidential election results.
The case has gained new impetus since Pashinyan came to power after
last spring’s popular protests that overthrew the previous regime.
Judicial inquiries and investigations have led to the arrest of former
president Robert Kocharian who is custody awaiting trial.
Investigators have also questions the two other presidents, Serzh
Sargsyan and Levon Ter-Petrosian in connection with the incidents but
have not filed charges against them.
“Today, on March 1, 2019, I would like to clearly state that there
cannot be a return to the morals and relationships of the past.
Armenia will not return to the times of corruption, political
persecutions, political violence, violations of rights, impunity and
obscenity,” Pashinyan said.
“Also to affirm our universal commitment to the values of the
non-violent, velvet, people’s revolution that took place in spring of
2018, as leader of the Republic of Armenia, on behalf of the state I
apologize to all victims of March 1, 2008, all victims of political
murders that took place in Armenia since independence, all citizens
and political powers that were subjected to political persecutions,”
said Pashinyan.
“The victims of March 1 aren’t only Gor Kliyan, Armen Farmanyan,
Tigran Khachatryan, Hovhannes Hovhannisyan, Davit Petrosyan, Zakar
Hovhannisyan, Grigor Gevorgyan, Samvel Harutyunyan, Hamlet Tadevosyan
and Tigran Abgaryan, but also every citizen of the Republic of
Armenia, every protester fighting for their rights,” Pashinyan said
ahead of issuing the apology.
In response to Pashinyan’s call to hold a commemorations rally for
March 1, 2008 victims, on Friday, thousands turned out in Liberty
Square to joined the Prime Minister in a silent march through the
streets of Yerevan to the site of the killings 11 years ago.
Pashinyan called for all citizens to join him in remembering the
victims of the attacks and pledged that the issue would receive its
due assessment.
“11 years after these events it is extremely important to provide a
political assessment to what happened. And now I find it important to
say for the record that in 2008 the actions of the then ruling elite
weren’t at all aimed against an individual power, group or person, but
the main and perhaps the only targets of this violence and unlawful
actions were the citizens of the Republic of Armenia, their rights,
dignity and freedom.”
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5- AECP Sponsors Eye Surgeon Performing from Armenia for
Florida Conference
Many in Armenia know Dr. Asatur Hovsepyan as the “man behind the
Mobile Eye Hospital”, the primary eye surgeon who has been treating
patients aboard the Armenian EyeCare Project’s mobile clinic since it
was delivered to Armenia in 2002.
Since being named Chief Surgeon and Medical Director of the AECP
Mobile Eye Hospital by AECP Founder and President Dr. Roger Ohanesian,
Hovsepyan has performed over 10,000 surgeries—most of them
cataracts—aboard the famous “eye clinic on wheels.”
As the physician who undeniably performs the most cataract surgeries
in Armenia, it was clear to the EyeCare Project that Hovsepyan—and by
association the patients in Armenia that he treats—could benefit
tremendously from learning of the industry’s latest updates and
advancements in cataract surgery and eye care.
With sponsorship provided by the Armenian EyeCare Project, Hovsepyan
had the opportunity to attend “Cataract Surgery: Telling It Like It
Is,” a medical conference on his specialty of cataracts held in Lake
Buena Vista, Florida from February 6 to 10, 2019.
“In our continued effort to keep Armenia’s eye specialists up to date
in modern treatments of ophthalmic care, the Armenian EyeCare Project
brought Asatur Hovsepyan to Florida to attend a well-known conference
that deals in realities associated with cataract surgery,” said Dr.
Ohanesian. “‘Dr Asatur,’ as he is known throughout Armenia, is one of
the most well-known ophthalmic surgeons for his work on the Mobile Eye
Hospital and has been vital to the program’s success.”
The conference, which has been running for nearly a decade, was put
together to provide top-quality, cutting-edge medical education to
ophthalmologists and medical residents alike through what it calls its
“greatest asset”—over 50 expert faculty and teachers who deliver
updates and perspective on cataracts to attendees while also offering
insight and useful pearls geared toward making conference-goers more
knowledgeable and confident surgeons.
Hovsepyan agrees that the wealth of knowledge available at the event
was its greatest strength. “The speakers and attendees are some of the
best in this industry so I felt very fortunate to be in the same room
as them and to be able to learn from them,” the Armenian
ophthalmologist says. “I was able to learn more about the latest
advancements in cataract surgery and how I can adopt those new
practices. I also learned more on what not to do, which is just as
important. And best of all, I am able to take all this new knowledge
back with me to Armenia.”
Here, Hovsepyan reflects on a phrase he recently learned. “What is
that American saying?” he asks. “‘The best is the enemy of the
better.’ We, as the doctors of Armenia, have to do what we can to get
to the best.”
The Mobile Eye Hospital has long been considered the hallmark of the
Armenian EyeCare Project. It’s the massive piece of machinery that
brings eye care to the most vulnerable populations in Armenia: those
on the poverty list who often live in the outlying regions of the
country and cannot travel to the capital for care. The “eye bus,” as
it is lovingly called among Armenia’s residents, travels throughout
Armenia—to its many towns and provinces—and provides eye screenings
and treatment to those who would otherwise be without. With its
state-of-the-art operating room and two fully equipped exam rooms, to
date, the mobile clinic has helped screen over 400,000 patients and
has allowed over 20,000 Armenians to receive sight-saving surgery at
no cost.
As its chief surgeon, Hovsepyan performs most of these surgeries and
travels where the Mobile Eye Hospital does, often having to leave his
wife and four children in Yerevan for months at a time so he can
provide care to thousands across the country. “There are moments when
I miss my family terribly… but the need for eye care and cataract
surgeries in particular is great in Armenia so we have to get it
done,” he says. He is humbled by the public support of the Mobile Eye
Hospital. “I’m extremely touched that people think so fondly of the
Mobile Eye Hospital. Most of all, I’m happy that what I do is
working.”
He remembers one case in particular, when a middle-aged man from the
town of Goris visited the mobile clinic. The man had already gone
blind in one eye and could barely see out of the other. “We knew the
results would not be ideal but we told him we’d do the best we could,”
Hovsepyan says. “We performed the surgery and were able to get some
vision back in one eye. When we removed the bandage, he was so
grateful to be able to see from that small area of his eye, it was as
if all his vision had returned. That pure gratitude he projected has
stayed with me until now.”
Hovsepyan is grateful himself—for the opportunity to serve his fellow
countrymen in Armenia through the Mobile Eye Hospital and also for the
advanced medical education available to him through the Armenian
EyeCare Project. “I’m extremely thankful I had the opportunity to
attend this event,” says Hovsepyan. “These conferences make a big
difference in the quality of care us Armenian ophthalmologists are
able to provide in Armenia.”
Medical education and training has always been the cornerstone of the
EyeCare Project and its many programs. The ultimate goal: to have
physicians in Armenia deliver the same quality care equal to that
which is available in the United States and other developed countries.
With opportunities like this, Armenia gets closer every day.
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6- Tekeyan Metro LA Remembers Rescuer of Armenian Orphans Roupen Herian
ALTADENA, Calif.—The Tekeyan Cultural Association Metro Los Angeles
Chapter hosted a bilingual program titled Roupen Herian: Rescuer of
Armenian Orphans on February 17 at the Tekeyan Center in Altadena.
Boston-based scholar Aram Arkun, Executive Director of the Tekeyan
Cultural Association of the United States and Canada and Assistant
Editor of the Armenian Mirror-Spectator, served as the keynote speaker
and presented the fascinating life of Herian, who dedicated himself to
the herculean task of locating kidnapped Armenian women and children
during and immediately after the Armenian Genocide.
The master of ceremonies, Carl Bardakian, chairman of the Tekeyan
Metro Los Angeles chapter, offered brief welcoming remarks. He
introduced Kana Hovhannisyan, Second Secretary of the Republic of
Armenia’s Consulate General in Los Angeles, who spoke poignantly about
Herian and the importance of his great sacrifices.Bardakian then
introduced Aram Arkun, who presented a detailed overview of the
incredible life Herian lived. In particular, he noted that Herian was
not driven by narrow political ideology. He started out as a member of
the Hnchag Party, became a Reformed Hnchag, and then a member of the
Armenian Democratic Party. Though a dedicated member of his party, he
worked with many other organizations for the betterment of the
Armenian people and nation. Arkun noted that Herian was born in Tokat
sometime between 1868 and 1872, and later worked in Constantinople,
before immigrating to Boston and afterwards moving to New York City.
He became a successful businessman in the tobacco industry, while
continuing to be deeply involved in Armenian political activities. In
1916 he carried out a secret war mission for the British government.
Herian helped arrange the transportation of many of the 1,200
Armenian-Americans who joined the Armenian Legion, which successfully
defeated the Turkish and German forces at the Battle of Arara in
Palestine in September 1918, and himself later enrolled as a
legionnaire though he was older than most of the other volunteers. In
fact, he was often called the “grey-haired youth” due to his
enthusiasm and energy. Herian served as the director of an infirmary
in Egypt for the legionnaires, and participated in an abortive
expedition to help the besieged city of Hadjin in Cilicia. He also
played a role in the defense of the Cilician city of Dört Yol
(Chork-Marzban). As representative of the Armenian General Benevolent
Union (AGBU), Egyptian Armenian Relief, and [Armenian] United Orphan
Care, with additional financial support from the Armenian Church, the
Armenian Democratic Party (predecessor of the Armenian Democratic
Liberal Party), various other Armenian relief organizations, and, most
strikingly, many individual Armenians who themselves barely had enough
money to live after the Genocide, Herian tried to rescue kidnapped
Armenian woman and children from Bedouins, Turks, Kurds and their
harems. Using his adept linguistic skills, Herian disguised himself as
needed as an American missionary, British official or Bedouin,
primarily in the Aleppo, Der Zor and Mosul regions, to carry out his
mission. Despite threats of death and robbery and facing great
resistance from those who did not want to easily relinquish Armenian
women and children from their hold, Herian remained valiant. Herian
used persuasion, money and sometimes threats to rescue Armenian women
and children from their captors. Arkun noted that Herian was a moving
and effective speaker who participated in fundraising activities in
the United States, France, the Ottoman Empire and Egypt with the
intent to rescue more women and orphans. His untimely death in Cairo,
Egypt on July 7, 1921, prevented him from fulfilling those plans. He
was to have gotten married only a few days earlier.
Recognized at the program was Hratch Manoukian, whose father Nazaret
Manoukian, was a member of the Armenian Legion and fought at the
Battle of Arara. He also was a military policeman in Adana. Two others
recognized were Hagop Mardirossian, whose father was saved by Roupen
Herian and taken to an orphanage in Jerusalem, and Irena Varjabedian,
whose grandmother was born in the town of Aksehir in the province of
Konya, and saved by Herian.
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