Category: News

The Human Rights Association (İHD) in Turkey has brought the case of a partly demolished Armenian orphanage in Istanbul to the agenda of the Council of Europe and the European Parliament, the Hurriyet Daily News reports.

Demolition of the Kamp Armen orphanage started in May but was subsequently halted, when the owner of the land said he would donate it to the Armenian community in Istanbul.

Speaking at a press conference on June 29, a member of the İHD’s central executive board, lawyer Eren Keskin, along with other members of the association, said they had sent separate letters to Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muižnieks and European Parliament rapporteur on Turkey Kati Piri to draw attention to the Kamp Armen issue.

“In the letter, we said it was a heavy human rights violation that Kamp Armen’s certificate of ownership had not been returned to the Armenian community and that Turkey was not fulfilling the European Union criteria it had vowed to reach,” said Keskin.

Efforts to demolish the orphanage – where thousands of Armenian orphans, including slain journalist Hrant Dink, had grown up – began on May 6, drawing widespread attention once news broke on social media. Later in the day, the demolition was stopped when groups including activists and leading figures from the Armenian community rushed to the area to protest the destruction.

The protesters, who had held a vigil for 19 days, vowed on May 27 that they would continue camping in the area until the license for the buildings is given to the foundation.

Keskin claimed that Turkey was breaching the European Convention on Human Rights, which as an international agreement holds higher validity than national laws. He added that Turkey was also violating the Treaty of Lausanne, in which the rights of Turkey’s minorities were outlined.

Pastor Krikor Ağabaloğlu of the Gedikpaşa Armenian Protestant Church said they planned to rebuild the demolished structures as soon as they receive the license.

“The orphanage cannot be used at the moment. But we plan to demolish it and rebuilt it in the same way. [When it reopens] it will not host only Armenian children, its doors will be open to children from all nations,” Ağabaloğlu told daily Hürriyet on May 27.

Fatih Ulusoy, the owner of the camp’s land, was reported as promising on May 24 to donate Kamp Armen to the Gedikpaşa Armenian Protestant Church and School.

Losses of Electric Networks of Armenia, controlled by Inter RAO, are caused by the existing management system in that country, Boris Kovalchuk, chairman of the managing board of Inter RAO says.

Difficult situation in electric power complex of Armenia, where the government’s decision to raise electricity tariffs triggered mass protests, has purely economic not political reasons, Boris Kovalchuk, chairman of the managing board of Inter RAO told TASS on Tuesday.

Russia’s Inter RAO controls the Electric Networks of Armenia, which has the monopoly for electricity distribution in the country.

The Electric Networks of Armenia, which is now in a dire financial condition asked the national regulator to raise electricity tariffs by 49%. The regulator partially upheld the request and raised tariffs by 16%.

The tariff hike sparked mass protests which are still ongoing. Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan said the government was ready to cover costs related to higher electricity tariffs until the audit of the Electric Networks of Armenia is completed. The audit of the Electric Networks of Armenia by international audit firms is expected to take 3-6 months.

Kovalchuk said that Inter RAO welcomes the idea of the audit. He added that such an inspection would reveal the need to make serious changes in the whole industry.

The head of Inter RAO said that the losses of Electric Networks of Armenia are caused by the existing management system in that country.

“Longstanding losses of the Electric Networks of Armenia are caused by the existing system of tariff regulation and the rules of electricity market in the Republic of Armenia,” Kovalchuk said.

According to him, the existing management system provides for financing of generating companies at the expense of the Electric Networks of Armenia and also forces the company to buy more expensive electricity than it is foreseen by the country’s energy balance.

He said that insufficient tariff raising in the last 11 years, overhaul of the Metsamor power plant, as well as the decline of production by hydro power plants of Armenia led to the situation when the electricity distribution system of the country lost 37 bln AMD ($77.5 mln).

“Since the beginning of 2014 the company has been incapable of making timely payments to generating companies for supplied electricity due to insufficient funds and has been functioning on the verge of financial stability,” Kovalchuk said.

Within 24 hours of making a nationally-broadcast hate speech publicly laying claim to all of Armenia and Artsakh as Azerbaijani land, President Ilham Aliyev’s armed forces launched a cross-border attack from Nakhichevan on Armenia that took the life of Armenian soldier Arman Mayisi Yepremian.

“The facts here are crystal clear, as is the pattern of destructive behavior that the Obama Administration is enabling by refusing to confront President Aliyev’s aggression,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.  “On June 25th, Aliyev openly telegraphed his cross-border attack into Nakhichevan with a nationally-broadcast speech claiming all of Armenia as Azerbaijani land.  A day later, having heard only silence from the international community, he acted out his threat, killing Arman Yepremian. Today, he stands emboldened – even encouraged – by the failure of the U.S. and our OSCE partners to forcefully push back against his escalating aggression.”

In a nationally televised June 25th speech marking the opening of a new naval command center, President Aliyev laid claim on all of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, stating: “Nagorno-Karabakh is native Azerbaijani land. The Azerbaijani people have lived on this land for centuries, and have created there. The historical monuments in the land once again show, it is our historical and ancestral land. Not only Nagorno-Karabakh is ours, even the present-day Armenia was established on historical Azerbaijani lands. We all know that very well. The world already knows it. Erivan Khanate, Sevan, Zangezur are our historical lands, and we go back to those lands and the return of Azerbaijanis.”

The U.S. government has yet to criticize either Aliyev’s remarks or condemn the killing of Yepremian.  Aliyev’s attack, consistent with his speech, targeted the territory of the Republic of Armenia, far from the borders of Nagorno Karabakh.  This brazen move came at the tail end of the Baku2015 games, a multi-billion dollar enterprise that sparked global criticism of Azerbaijan’s increasingly aggressive crackdown on dissenters, international NGOs, human rights groups, and the media.

 

 

 

The “No to robbery” initiative announces a new stage of struggle against the planned electricity price hike. They will continue the struggle in a wider format: the street protests will be combined with discussions involving lawyers and economists.

The “No to robbery” initiative is currently considering whether to accept President Serzh Sargsyan’s offer to meet or not.

Speaking about the results of the 7-day protests, members of the initiative said “there has been no split or disagreement.” “Simply some decided to stay on Baghramyan Avenue, others moved to the Liberty Square for discussions.”

“Our permanent presence on Baghramyan Avenue would prevent us from struggling on a different platform,” Sofya Hovsepyan noted. “We will achieve no results by simply closing an avenue. We need consultations with experienced specialists to understand whether the proposal by the President was a manipulation or something to stick to. We can do nothing without public support.”

“No to robbery” announced it does not coordinate the actions on Baghramyan Street any more, but will cooperate with people there.

Members of the initiative assert they are not satisfied with the President’s offer to subsidize the cost until audit is conducted, but say that keeping Baghramyan closed is not a solution. They promise to block the streets again, if the results of the audit turn unsatisfactory.

The Pharos Centre for Contemporary Art in Cyprus will showcase a drawing exhibition by Arshak Sarkissian entitled Tera-Genesis as of tomorrow, July 1st, the reports.

Sarkissian’s art revolves around contemporary man, the complexities and controversies that surround him as well as his metaphysical peculiarities as refracted through the artist’s imagination. Convinced that the world is a pluralistic place that is not just limited to physical reality and in which many worlds – directly inspired by arts and literature – are just as factual, his world is informed by the Magic Realism of South America as well as Asiatic Shamanistic traditions.

Therefore Sarkissian illustrates the supernatural aspects of everyday life in his art. For him as an artist, the comprehension of multidimensional realities is fundamental in recognizing man’s own reality, and he is fascinated by exploring the extremes of human behavior and nature.

Sarkissian’s study of the human personality’s multitude of dimensions comes out in his drawings, which are peopled with self-conscious entities that seem to be in psychological experiments with themselves in a process of self-discovery and evolution. It is through such experiments that the personality gives way to the genesis of either a monstrous abnormality or a hybrid of fauna or flora, until human and inhuman ultimately become indistinguishable before the next stage of metamorphosis.

The drawings express the artist’s never-ending yearning for change and the novel. They are figurative as well as contemporary, and are greatly influenced by Renaissance art. His characters have an eccentric temperament and an exotic disposition, and his animal hybrids always reveal extra dimensions and expressions along the way. They emerge from an ancient world that was populated by half human, half animal prototypes, whose mythologies revealed complex worlds. The drawings, however, place these creatures in a post-modern, contemporary world where they still struggle with their daemons.

Sarkissian, from Armenia, studied at the National Aesthetic Centre of Art in Armenia and went on to participate in a residency under Stass Paraskos at Lemba Art School in Cyprus supported by the Pharos Arts Foundation.

The artist has had solo shows at the Albemarle Gallery in London, Gavriel Gallery in Bremen, Mildberry Gallery in Moscow, in Paris and New York, and participated in group exhibitions in the Centre for Contemporary Experimental Art and the Gyumri International Biennale in Armenia, the Charlie Smith Gallery in London, the Harvest Gallery in California and the Marie Pavgas Art Gallery in North Carolina.

He has been commissioned to create work for the passenger terminals at Zvartnots International Airport in Armenia. He has participated in numerous art projects, among others, as part of his residency in the OMI International Arts Centre in New York, in the “Stand Up For Your Rights” Design and Illustration Programme in Buntingford, UK, and the Andorran National Commission for the UNESCO International Art Camp in 2014. Sarkissian works and lives in Yerevan, Armenia. His works can be found in several important private collections.

The exhibition will run at the Pharos Centre for Contemporary Art until July 29 and can be viewed by appointment after the initial opening tomorrow.

An Armenian school will be opened in Alfortville, France on July 4 in the presence of the Prime Ministers of Armenia and France Hovik Abrahamian and Manuel Valls, VMTV reports.

This project was conducted by The APCAF (Association for the Promotion of Armenian Culture in France), in partnership with the Association of School and St. Mesrop Alfortville Municipality.

Arabian school is a private school under contract. It covers 1,585 square meters and is built along the Seine. It will open its doors in September 2015 with 300 students from elementary school with a view of opening a college in the future.

The school’s inauguration will be attended by many public and political figures, including French Prime Minister, Mr Manuel Valls, the Prime Minister of Armenia, Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan, the Senator-Mayor, Mr Luc Carvounas, the main sponsor of this project, Mr. Gevorg Arabian, Monsignor Norvan Zakarian, President of APCAF, Bishop Vahan Hovhannessian, Primate of the Diocese of France of the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Deputy of Val-de-Marne, René Rouquet.

Over 1,000 people are expected for this event that will take place between 10:30 and 16:30 on the Komitas Street and around the Seine.

All donors whose donation exceeds € 2,000 will have their name or the name of their choice written on awall inside the establishment.

President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation has sent a congratulatory message to Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan on his birthday.

“During your time in office, you have gained the respect you deserve among your compatriots, as well as a high reputation in the international arena. I greatly appreciate your personal contribution to the strengthening of the friendly and allied relationship between our countries,” Putin said.

The message further reads:

“I warmly recall your recent visit to Moscow during which you joined us in partaking in the 70th Anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. I would be glad to continue our meetings, constructive dialogue and concerted efforts for the well-being of the brotherly peoples of Armenia and Russia.

I sincerely wish you good health, happiness, well-being, success and all the best,” reads the RF president’s congratulatory message.

President Vladimir Putin today also had a phone conversation with President Serzh Sargsyan, congratulated him and sent him birthday wishes.

During the phone conversation, the two heads of state also reflected upon issues pertaining to the deepening of relations between the allied states and the promotion of multifaceted cooperation.”

The criminal case on the murder of a family in Gyumri launched by Russian law-enforcement bodies will be handed over to the Armenian side, Press Service of the Prosecutor General’s Office of Armenia informs.

The decision is a result of long negotiations between the Prosecutor’s Offices of Armenia and Russia.

Within the framework of the talks Armenian Prosecutor General Gevorg Kostanyan held meetings with his Russian counterpart Yuri Chayka and President of the Russian Constitutional Court Valery Zorkin.

Taking into consideration that the case was unprecedented, the issue was discussed not only from the perspective of criminal legislature, but also from the viewpoint of constitutional and international law. As a result, it was decided to transfer the investigation of the case to the Armenian law-enforcement bodies.

The case will be investigated by Armenian law-enforcers and tried by the Armenian Court, the verdict will be announced on behalf of the Republic of Armenia.

A Canadian cabinet minister, two MPs, a Toronto councilor, a former judge, a newly-elected Kurdish MP from Bingöl, Turkey, an evangelist preacher, the European representative of the ‘Kurdish Rojave Cantons Regional Government’ in Syria, and Syrian-Kurdish spokesman took part in the Canadian Conference on the Kurdish Humanitarian Crisis on June 21 in Toronto.

While the gathering’s name focused on the Kurdish tragedy, the speakers also addressed the plight of the other Syrian and Iraqi minorities victimized by the so-called Islamic State and other terrorists. About 250 people attended the conference.

According to conference organizers the Syrian Civil War has resulted in one of the largest refugee crisis in the 21^st century with an estimated 12 to 14 million people who have been internally and externally displaced.

“In the Kurdish regions, about two-and-half million Kurdish people and Christian minorities such as Armenians, Assyrians, Yezidis are in urgent need of humanitarian aid,” according to conference organizers. “Sunni and Shia Arabs, and Turkmens too are arriving to the Kurdish regions for safety and well-being,” reported a flyer promoting the gathering.

Saleh Muslim, the co-chair of the Syrian Kurdish PYD (Democratic Union Party) addressed the crowd via   skype and said Kurdish fighters were standing fast in the positions they have taken from the Islamic State. He also underlined the humanitarian crisis in the Kurdish areas of Syria.

Prof. Hisyar Ozcoy, recently elected to the Turkish parliament (HDP-Bingöl), said that Erdogan’s folly led to the defeat of the party. “He became overly ambitious in his dreams to run Turkey the way he wanted,” said Ozcoy. Until recently a professor in Michigan, Ozcoy moved to Turkey to run in the elections.

Keynote speaker Senam Mohammadi, European representative of ‘Rojave Cantons Regional Government’, described in fluent English the calamity and the Kurdish resolve to defeat the extremists.

Former MP and now Toronto councilor Jim Karygiannis began his speech by saying: “You all know who the elephant in the room is. It’s Turkey.” The Toronto politician accused Turkey of being behind the Civil War in Syria and in Iraq. He also called on the Canadian government and its allies to expose Turkey for instigating and fueling the crisis.

“It is time we engaged all sides on the issue regarding ISIS. All sides need bear responsibility. Canadian federal politicians should stop pandering to the communities of the region for votes and stand with them shoulder-to-shoulder in order to defeat ISIS. Many words have been spoken about how they (the federal politicians) and their parties are assisting. However, they have and will continue to fail if they do not engage and hold Turkey also responsible,” said Karygiannis.

While Turkey speaks about engaging and helping with the fight against ISIS it still continues to persecute its minorities and deprive them of their rights, added the Toronto politician.

“There have been reports by community members in Canada that Turkey not only does not engage with the fight against ISIS but is assisting them by staying neutral. There is a genocide which is going on right now by ISIS against other religious and ethnic minorities. The first genocide of the 21st century was perpetrated against the Pontian Greeks and then against the Armenians by the Ottoman Empire–today’s Turkey,” said Karygiannis.

The Canadian politician stressed that Turkey continues its aggression by the invasion and occupation of the northern part of Cyprus and added: “Turkey is doing nothing to assist against the fights with ISIS except pay lip service. It is time to stop today’s genocide.”

Aris Babikian, Armenian community activist, said: “I am here in solidarity with you and with the other persecuted minorities in the Middle East. As a representative of a nation which was the target of the same ideology currently sweeping in the region, I know what it means to be victimized by a policy bent on eliminating anyone who does not share that racist and vile ideology.”

Babikian said that the racist ideology is bent on eradicating not only people and religions but also thousands of years of civilizations.

“After 100 years of what the Armenians endured at the hands of the Ottoman Turks, today the world is witnessing the same barbaric acts being implemented in the same Middle East,” said Babikian and added: “The neo-Ottomans in Turkey are once again the core enablers of the atrocities committed against the Kurds, the Alawites, Armenians, Assyrians, Chaldeans, the Druz, the Yezidis and other minorities.”

He also thanked Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Minister Jason Kenney for their “principled stand and moral fortitude.” In addition to taking part in the attacks on ISIS, per capita Canada is the largest provider of safe haven to Syrian refugees in Canada (over 10,000 in two years). Babikian said he wanted to see other countries act as compassionately and generously.

“We are grateful for Canada’s leadership. We urge the government to go a step farther and use its global stature to pressure the Turkish government to stop training and arming extremists and helping them infiltrate Syria and Iraq,” said Babikian and added Canada’s allies should stop Turkey from acting as a middle man which “facilitates the financing of the fanatics by purchasing the looted Syrian and Iraqi oil and historic treasure and to export them to world markets.”

Hon. John Duncan, minister of state and government whip; MP Bernard Trottier, parliamentary secretary to the minister of foreign affairs and for La Francophonie, and MP Mark Adler also addressed the conference. Rev. Majed el-Shafei, founder and president of One Free World International, gave a rousing speech. El-Shafei visited Iraq, Armenia and Turkey last year.

In the second part of the conference, a panel discussion was held titled “Kurdish Struggle: What’s in the future and global issues”. The panelists were Hadi Elis, sociologist and independent researcher; Andrew Marjoran, general manager of the MacKenzie Institute of Toronto; and Prof. Ofra Bengio of Tel-Aviv University.

A 1,600-year-old century Armenian cemetery in Mush has been ruined by treasure hunters and state policy, reports, quoting the Dicle News Agency.

According to the source, there were 299 Armenian churches, 94 monasteries, 53 pilgrimage sites and 135 schools with 5,669 students in Mush before 1915.

Hayrettin Aslan, head of an Armenian union in Mush, calls attention to the fact that the Turkish state policy deliberately pursues the aim of erasing the Armenian trace from the region, thus erasing the historic memory of the city, as well.

Noting that the cemetery has a history of 1,600 years, Aslan noted that the history of a whole nation faces the danger of obliteration.

He said the treasure hunters also cause great damage to the cemetery. He noted that “Armenians and Kurds peacefully lived in the city before the Armenian massacres.”

“If we want to live in an atmosphere of peace, love and respect, we have to take care of the Armenian history,” he added.

He noted that there are other Armenian monuments in the region, which also face the threat of demolition and added: “Armenians had even built infrastructures in the mountainous regions of Mush before 1915. Now the Armenian churches, monasteries and schools are on the verge of disappearance, and the government and the political-social organizations should be sensitive towards the issue. A history of millennia is jeopardized.”