Category: 2019

BY VARANT ANMAHOUNI
ANCA Leo Sarkisian – Class of 2019
Georgetown University Law School – Class of 2022

I came to D.C. in search of a lesson on the organizational aspect of advocacy. Like any “engaged” Armenian, I was familiar with the effective work of the ANCA headquarters in D.C., and hoped for the opportunity to see what they did differently. In a sense, I was in search of some special insight into the magic being worked at 1711 N St NW, Washington, D.C. Eight weeks later, I have come to realize that there is no magic; that the meat and potatoes to the Hai Tahd equation in D.C. is no different from our community’s successes worldwide. Everything is—and always will be—contingent upon principled action, total accountability, and committed advocacy.

This point may appear self-evident: after all, many people talk freely about “devotion” or “commitment” to a cause. However, talking about dedication and actually dedicating oneself to every aspect of a given task remain entirely separate matters. In this sense, the Leo Sarkisian Internship has also doubled as a graduate course on organizational commitment—taught by staff members who have shown us what such work might look like, in lieu of simply telling us.

To illustrate this point, allow me to share some observations. Consider Harout Margossian: a life-long advocate who has given more to the Armenian community than most ever could. Today, even in his professional retirement and no-doubt deserving of a “break,” Mr. Margossian’s efforts remain steadfast. Indeed, he continues to serve the ANCA and goes about his work—including tasks that others might consider mundane—with the same seriousness and passion with which he has always served the community. Others have no hesitation working past midnight to focus on the latest Artsakh initiative, before returning to work a few hours later with the same enthusiasm. These examples, which hold true for everyone at the office, provide a salient lesson: when it comes to advocacy, there is no such thing as “small” or “big” tasks. The job is the job, and compromising on any one aspect threatens the structure upon which our larger aspirations rest.

This situation owes to Armenia’s geopolitical realities—particularly due to our relative lack of regional assets. For decades, such material disparities have proven limiting when it comes to our influence at the negotiating table. And while the “paper ladle” to which Armenians have been limited has gained strength since Khrimian Hayrig extended his famous analogy, we are still building the geopolitical teeth to truly dictate nation-building on our own terms. Consequently, the success of our national prospects often relies on an equalizer of sorts: an unmatched wealth we possess to favorably tip the balance. Or, to echo ANCA chairman emeritus Garo Armenian, “leverage.”

Our leverage is grassroots advocacy. As Armenians worldwide coalesce around pressing matters, our ability to dictate nation-building grows more fruitful. But the flip side is also true: our influence diminishes where we zig-zag around issues that ought to be non-negotiable. Even where we portray unity on such issues, weaknesses still arise when we seek substitutes for hard work and committed advocacy. This adds an urgency to the Armenian identity—an existential choice, if you will, compelling everyone who so-identifies to play their part in giving Armenian policymakers the tools they need to secure our interests. Fortunately, there is a silver lining: the strength of a diaspora spread throughout dozens of countries, coupled with the dedication of our co-ethnics in Armenia and Artsakh, provide a wealth of unique angles to better serve Hai Tahd.

Still, actualizing this potential requires honesty. It is contingent upon understanding our respective strengths and limitations—what we are, and what we are not. For instance, while we may feel a “call to action” upon hearing of 19-year-old Armenians who are killed weekly on the front lines of Artsakh, most of us are not soldiers. We may read and hear stories of the uncompromising advocates who propelled the issue of Hai Tahd to prominence during generations past, but we ourselves are not yet so polished. We are, however, uniquely situated as citizens of the United States—empowered by unique opportunities and growing up as a generation that worries not with the struggle of establishing an independent homeland.

To this end, we have prior generations to thank—generations which, through their resilience and principled advocacy throughout decades of Soviet Rule, proved that it was not simply nationalistic romanticism to believe that an independent Armenia would once again exist; that there is a difference between having ideals and being ideologues. We stand to gain something by keeping this perspective in mind. The fear of standing for something nonsensical, especially when your aspirations amount to little more than basic justice for some of the darkest stains on the moral fabric of humanity.

Amidst this backdrop, members of the Diaspora can choose from a multitude of avenues for advancing Hai Tahd. Leo Sarkisian interns do so by joining an organization and a community which has continually played a front-line role in pursuing these issues—by creating leverage. Indeed, as Artsakh’s Representative to the United States Robert Avetisyan aptly noted, “you have to create your own luck.” The ANCA certainly has.

LA CRESCENTA—After receiving the blessings and words of encouragement from Western Prelate Archbishop Moushegh Mardirosian, the Crescenta Valley Church pastor and the members of the parish council— based on the mission and goals of the church bylaws—coordinated and organized a worship service for children with special needs on Sunday, July 28.

The service was organized in partnership with Armenian Autism Outreach Program and help from Homenetmen Hrashq volunteers. The worship service allowed the opportunity for the children with special needs and their parents to enrich their spiritual demands and be integral part of the community in a welcoming atmosphere.

The first worship service took place on the Feast of Transfiguration of Jesus, also known as Vartavar. Hymns and religious songs were performed by the choir members. Reverend Ghevont Kirazian delivered the sermon, where he explained the meaning of Vartavar and prayed to God to bless and extend a ray of light from the brightness of His transformation unto the children and their family members. The Rev. gave an in-depth interpretation of the tradition of spreading water, which has roots in our pagan history, and has extended to our present day.

The children had the opportunity to play with water-filled balloons on the church grounds symbolizing the tradition of Vartavar.

Attendees left the church premises with great satisfaction and with hopes of reuniting again for future gatherings. The upcoming two worship services for the year are scheduled to take place on Sunday, August 18 and September 15, respectively.

Sunday August 18, is the Feast of Assumption of Saint Mary, Mother of Jesus. After the worship service, the faithful will join in the ritual of blessings of the grapes.

Sunday September 15, on the Feast of Exaltation of the Holy Cross, following the worship service the attending parishioners will participate in the traditional procession, during which basil leaves will be distributed.

These two upcoming one-hour worship services will start 9 a.m. at 6252 Honolulu Ave, La Crescenta, CA 91214.

LOS ANGELES – A lawsuit filed against the Republic of Turkey moves forward in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California following a federal court order on July 11, 2019.

The lawsuit, Ghazarian et al. v. Republic of Turkey, alleges violations of international law as well as statutory and common law claims against Turkey due to conduct committed by Turkey’s agents in the United States. The case stems from an attempt by an elderly California man to exercise cultural and religious rights at sacred pilgrimage sites in Turkey as an Armenian Christian.

The federal court previously expressed doubt that it had jurisdiction in the matter under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act and ordered plaintiffs to show cause as to why the case should not be dismissed.

Kerkonian Dajani LLC, which represents plaintiffs Barkev and Garo B. Ghazarian in the case, filed a response brief addressing the jurisdictional and sovereign immunity issues raised by the court. Specifically referencing plaintiffs’ response, the U.S. federal court did not dismiss the lawsuit and instead held, in its July 11 order, that it would “defer a determination about its jurisdiction until after Turkey has been served and had an opportunity to provide its views on the issue.”

The complaint specifically alleges that Turkey’s agents harassed, demeaned and degraded Barkev Ghazarian, an elderly man from Glendale, California, because he sought to exercise religious and cultural rights in Turkey as a native Armenian Christian in 2017.

It further alleges that Turkey’s agents interfered with the inheritance of Garo B. Ghazarian, Barkev’s son, by thwarting his father’s efforts to pass to him direct knowledge of such native traditions as practiced by generations of Ghazarians at certain sacred sites situated within the present borders of Turkey. Plaintiffs allege that, in doing so, Turkey ensured that Barkev’s direct knowledge of his family’s ancestral traditions and pilgrimage sites would not pass to future generations of Ghazarians.

According to the complaint, the acts committed by Turkey’s agents were undertaken pursuant to a specific policy of Turkey targeting native Armenian Christians.

MISSION HILLS—In honor of Professor Vahakn N.Dadrian, the Ararat-Eskijian Museum, in collaboration with the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research and the Organization of Istanbul Armenians, is organizing a “Celebration of Life” event. The celebration will be held on Saturday, August 17 at 4 p.m., at the Deukmejian Community Center at Ararat Home, located at 15105 Mission Hills Rd, Mission Hills, CA 91345.

Professor Vahakn Dadrian, who passed away on August 2, was the preeminent scholar of the Armenian Genocide and was instrumental in establishing the larger field of genocide studies. His extensive research and scholarly work, which included the publication of numerous books and articles in academic journals as well as lectures in various academic, social and political venues, were transformative and resulted in greater international recognition of the Armenian Genocide. As a world-renowned authority on the subject, his contribution to humanity through the understanding of genocide has been invaluable.

The event is open to the public and will be Live Streamed on the museum’s website and Facebook page. For more information, contact the Ararat-Eskijian Museum at (747) 500-7585.

YEREVAN (Azatutyun.am)—A general of Nagorno-Karabakh’s armed forces led the operation on the suppression of post-election demonstrations in Armenia in 2008 and his group, visited by former Armenian presidents Robert Kocharian and Serzh Sarkisian, had expressed readiness to “shoot at people,” the BBC Russian Service writes in its August 7 article, citing documents of the investigation that it says it got “exclusive access” to.

Based on the documents, the BBC suggests that Armenian investigators think that fire at demonstrators was opened by a Karabakh task force led by General Samvel Karapetyan (also known as Oganovsky), whose group was housed in the basement of the presidential administration.

Then outgoing President Robert Kocharian and his future successor Serzh Sarkisian, who served as prime minister at that time, several visited the group there, the BBC writes, adding that Armenian investigators are also checking the roles of two influential businessmen – Gagik Tsarukyan and Samvel Aleksanyan – who may have financed the Karabakh task force’s stay in Yerevan during the days of the demonstration.

Both Tsarukyan and Aleksanyan, the publication says, deny their roles in the 2008 events.

The BBC says when interrogated as a witness in August 2018, Major-General Karapetian confirmed that he commanded Karabakh detachments that were deployed in Yerevan in 2008. The BBC says it has a copy of the protocol of the interrogation that lasted for four hours. At the time of the interrogation Karapetian served as deputy defense minister of Nagorno-Karabakh, but stepped down in April 2019.

“According to investigators, Karapetyan formed a special group of 20 from his subordinates, which was housed in the basement of the presidential residence on Marshal Baghramyan Avenue [in Yerevan]. There, members of the group ‘were visited several times by President Robert Kocharian and [the president-elect] Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian,’ the investigator said during the interrogation of Karapetyan. All members of the group expressed their readiness to ‘shoot at people’ if there was an order, and it was this group that shot at the protesters on March 1, [2008] according to the investigation. During the interrogation, Karapetian denied all charges and stated that ‘no one gave the order to shoot at people.’ Similar charges against Karapetian were voiced during interrogations of several more witnesses. The witnesses could not confirm or deny information about his role in the March 1 events,” the BBC said in its report.

Responding to the BBC story, lawyers of Kocharian, who is currently in detention on charges of overthrowing the constitutional order by illegally involving the military in quelling the 2008 demonstrations, denied that materials of the case against their client contain “a single circumstance that would corroborate” the assumptions made in the BBC story.

“I insist that in the case presented to us there is not a single piece of testimony in which this circumstance is confirmed. I will tell you more – had there been at least one testimony corroborating this circumstance, it would have already been included in the indictment and published in various possible ways,” Kocharian’s lawyer Hovhannes Khudoyan said at a news conference in Yerevan on Wednesday.

Khudoyan and his colleague Aram Orbelyan also insisted that none of the witnesses confirmed the circumstances laid out in the BBC story and that the assumptions are based on the questions posed to witnesses by their interrogators.

“The problem is not that someone confirmed it and we are saying that he was wrong. In fact, it has been totally refuted, at least according to the materials provided to us and according to the information that is known to us,” said Orbelyan.

Ten people, including two security officers, were killed as Armenian authorities used force on March 1-2, 2008 to quell nonstop opposition demonstrations protesting against the outcome of a disputed presidential election.

According to the investigation, the victims died of different causes, including gunshot wounds, injuries from fragments of tear gas canisters and blunt objects.

Orbelian referred to this circumstance to refute the allegation that a task force had been employed to shoot at the crowd. He implied that if it had been the case, most, if not all, of the victims would have died because of gunshots.

Seda Safarian, who represents the interests of a victim in the ‘March 1’ case, however, told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service (Azatutyun.am) on Wednesday that there is testimony in the case that confirms the involvement of a Karabakh task force in the suppression of demonstrations in Yerevan. She also said that what was published by the BBC is not something new.

“In organizing all this both presidents [Nagorno-Karabakh natives Kocharian and Sarkisian] were not sure that Armenia-born Armenians will agree to shoot at Armenia-born Armenians… and both felt confident only when they deployed Karabakh forces in Armenia,” Safaryan claimed.

In an interview with the local online publication, Tert.am, Karapetyan today called the BBC story “a fairytale”.

The prosecutors in the case have refused to comment on the BBC article “lest it should damage the course of the investigation.”

Talking to RFE/RL’s Armenian Service (Azatutyun.am) later on Wednesday, the author of the BBC article, Grigor Atanesyan, stressed that they would not publish it if they had any doubts about the veracity or origin of the document. He, however, refused to disclose the source of the information.

Armenian Revolutionary Federation Bureau Chairman Hagop Der Khachadourian met with Artsakh President Bako Sahakian and Artsakh Foreign Minister Masis Mayilyan in Stepanakert on Wednesday.

Issues related to the Homeland – Diaspora relations, as well as the latest developments in the region were discussed at the meeting with Sahakian, which was attended by ARF Artsakh Central Committee chairman, Davit Ishkhanyan.

During the meeting with Mayilyan, the foreign minister, the sides exchanged number of issues related to cooperation between the Artsakh Foreign Ministry and ARF structures in an effort to advance Artsakh’s foreign policy priorities.

Mayilyan also briefed Der Khachadourian on his recent visit to Australia and hailed the contribution of ARF’s affiliate entities during that visit.

The impact of recent developments in Artsakh and the Karabakh conflict resolution process on Artsakh’s foreign policy agenda were also discussed.

Ishkhanyan, the ARF Artsakh Central Committee chairman, who is also a member of the Artsakh parliament, accompanied Der Khachadrouian to the meeting.

In an interview with the Stepanakert based Aparaj newspaper, Der Khachadourian said having the kick-off of the Pan-Armenian Games in Artsakh has important significance, recalling that the party held its World Congress in Artsakh back in January.

“Artsakh is everyone’s focal point. We all have a lot to do for Artsakh,” said Der Khachadourian.

“As we have said on several occasions, the development of our country should be based on the principle of ‘advancing without concessions.’ I am happy to say that consensus on this path is evident on a national level,” Der Khachadourian told Aparaj.

The ARF Bureau chairman, referring to a rally held ahead of the opening ceremony of the Pan-Armenian Games, said that sports, in general, bring people together. During the Pan-Armenian Games that should be an _expression_ of unity and excitement for all Armenians.

“We welcome the emphasis on national unity expressed by the Artsakh’s president and Armenia’s prime minister. However, the ARF believes, real unity should be advanced with conviction, without political dividends,” said Der Khachadourian, who lamented that rally ahead of the Pan-Armenian Games was politicized.