ARMENIAN REPORTER
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December 16, 2006
1. Building on their independence, Karabakh voters adopt a constitution
2. Adoption of NKR constitution praised by monitors, Congressional
friends; Armenian official calls OSCE, Council of Europe statements
"demonstration of disrespect"
3. MCC approves first installment of Armenia grant: Clean elections
are key to the rest
4. Filmmaker Andrew Goldberg honored by Eastern Diocese in NYC
5. New analysis: Azerbaijan president’s wife emerges as a political
player? Seasoned country watchers downplay her chances as successor
6. "Screamers" bellows with heart and soul
7. In her own words: Opening Weekend
8. Armenian Internship Programs: An Insider’s Perspective
9. Editorial: Congress sends a message against the blockade of Armenia
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1. Building on their independence, Karabakh voters adopt a constitution
by Tatul Hakobyan
Special to the "Armenian Reporter"
SHUSHI, STEPANAKERT, YEREVAN, December 10–Sunday at noon, Aida
Alaverdian, a mother of four sons, rushed to Sushi’s Electoral
Precinct 2 to participate in the referendum on the constitution of
Mountainous Karabakh. Ms. Alaverdian, her husband, and their children
lived until 1988 in the cosmopolitan city of Baku, in the Gyanjlik
neighborhood. Exiled, Ms. Alaverdian settled in Yerevan, where she
lived until the liberation of Shushi.
"In June of 1992 we moved to Shushi. We were among the first residents
after the liberation. There hasn’t been an election in which we
haven’t participated. This is a referendum to reinforce our
independence," she said.
Exactly fifteen years after the referendum on independence of the
unrecognized Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, a new referendum was held
on December 10. More than 89 thousand eligible voters had the
opportunity to answer one question: Do you agree to the adoption of
the draft constitution agreed upon by the National Assembly? More than
77 thousand voters, according to the republic’s Central Electoral
Commission, voted in favor of the adoption of the basic law, whereas
only about 500 voted against it.
The manager of Shushi’s Museum of History and Geography is a native of
the city. He says that with the adoption of the constitution, Karabakh
is reinforcing its independence. "Saying ‘yes’ to the constitution we
are once again saying ‘no’ to the people who believe that it is
possible to return Karabakh to Azerbaijan. Besides, what kind of state
has no basic law? On this day in 1991 we said ‘yes’ to independence;
today we are saying once again that we have nothing to do with
Azerbaijan," the historian from Shushi asserted.
Seventy-year-old Hovhannes Baghramian was born in New Julfa, in Iran.
He repatriated in 1971. He too voted ‘yes,’ but is convinced that
Karabakh’s salvation is not in a constitution but in repopulation. "I
have taken a dilapidated house in Shushi, renovated it myself, and am
living here. My wife, my grandkids come and go, I am often alone, I
write, I am preparing a memoir-album," says Mr. Baghramian in a
distinct Iranian-Armenian accent.
INTERNATIONAL REACTION
The referendum on the constitution of Mountainous Karabakh has now
taken place. The 54 foreign and 131 local observers announced in press
conferences on Sunday evening and Monday morning that there were no
violations in the voting process and that in general it met
international standards. The foreign observers said they would convey
their impressions to the governments of their countries.
The reaction of the international community to the referendum has been
mixed. [See story below.] The press secretary of the president of
Armenia, Viktor Soghomonyan, told Mediamax that the statements of
European organizations and mediators, insofar as they criticize the
December 10 referendum, "do not help the peace process."
OSCE Chairman-in-Office Karel de Gucht had characterized the
referendum in Mountainous Karabakh as "counterproductive." The French,
Russian, and U.S. cochairs of the OSCE Minsk Group that mediates in
the peace process adopted a measured tone, saying a joint statement
that the timing of the vote was "unhelpful."
"Such comments by no means contribute to the peaceful settlement of
the conflict," Mr. Soghomonian stated. They are "an unconcealed
demonstration of disrespect toward a historical event for the NKR
people, the all-national referendum on the constitution. Such an
attitude can only shake the trust toward the OSCE and the mediators’
group. I am sure that the best thing those gentlemen, as well as the
‘commentators’ from the Council of Europe could do was to keep silent.
Anyway, the citizens of NKR made their choice for independence during
the latest referendum, just as they did 15 years ago. It is a decision
that does not need to be endorsed by any European official."
French observer Yves Baday, said during a press conference in
Stepanakert, that the referendum was very well organized. The Serbian
observer Mila Alechkovich added that every population has the right to
express its will, which is what the population of Karabakh did through
the referendum.
Levon Melik-Shahnazarian, who served as chair of the Foreign Relations
Committee of Karabakh’s first parliament, has closely followed the
response of official Baku. "In Azerbaijan they often do not understand
what is happening in Mountainous Karabakh. One official says that we
are making constitutional amendments. Another says we are declaring
independence," says Mr. Melik-Shahnazarian.
The international community did not recognize the constitution’s
legality just as it has refused to recognize earlier plebiscites.
Azerbaijan’s response was as nervous as usual, which did not surprise
Karabakh’s president Arkady Ghoukassian.
TOWARD GREATER DEMOCRACY
During a press conference on Monday, President Ghoukassian said that
the adoption of the constitution is an extremely important step in the
future strengthening and the democratization of Mountainous Karabakh.
"We did not rush to adopt a constitution because we wanted to have the
best constitution in the post-Soviet area," the president said. "Put
the constitutions of Mountainous Karabakh and Azerbaijan side by side,
and everything will be clear. If Azerbaijan were as democratic as
Mountainous Karabakh, it would be easier for Armenians and
Azerbaijanis to come to an agreement with each other. The constitution
of Azerbaijan has been adopted for one purpose: to destroy the concept
of ‘Mountainous Karabakh’ officially."
Mr. Melik-Shahnazarian considers the Sunday plebiscite a step toward
the establishment of a legal state. "They don’t write bad
constitutions. Everything depends on how the provisions of the
constitution are implemented," he said.
He is pleased that the constitution does not address the matter of the
borders of Mountainous Karabakh. "There is no provision regarding the
borders, and I think that is quite appropriate, since the war is not
yet over," Mr. Melik-Shahnazarian says.
For President Ghoukassian the adoption of the constitution during his
term was a matter of principle and honor. "A constitution is not a
panacea, but an opportunity. With its adoption, our chances of
becoming a more democratic country are greater. We cannot say we have
a great constitution and that’s the end of it. We have done all we can
to set the stage for a more democratic country, and that’s easier to
do with this constitution than without. Without democracy, Mountainous
Karabakh has no chance of international recognition," he adds.
Shavarsh Kocharian, a member of Armenia’s National Assembly, served as
a consultant in drafting the constitution. He noted that Mountainous
Karabakh, in contrast to some other unrecognized post-Soviet states,
particularly Chechnya, did not become a lawless domain of field
commanders.
"It would suit Azerbaijan if Karabakh did not regularly hold
elections. Imagine, Stepanakert’s mayor is elected, whereas Baku’s is
appointed. In all of Azerbaijan, there is no local self-government as
such; the president appoints and dismisses local officials. Moreover,
in the last local elections in Mountainous Karabakh, the opposition
won 30 percent of the spots. An opposition figure was elected mayor of
Stepanakert. It is impossible to imagine such a thing happening in
Azerbaijan," Mr. Kocharian said.
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2. Adoption of NKR constitution praised by monitors, Congressional
friends; Armenian official calls OSCE, Council of Europe statements
"demonstration of disrespect"
by Emil Sanamyan
Special to the "Armenian Reporter"
Washington–The constitutional draft prepared and vetted by the
Nagorno-Karabakh government and civil society received an overwhelming
endorsement from the people of Nagorno-Karabakh in a referendum held
on December 10. Vardan Barseghian, NKR representative to the United
States, told the "Armenian Reporter" that the vote would "pave the way
to further strengthening of Artsakh as a sovereign state and promote
its development."
In a December 11 letter to President Arkady Ghoukasian,
Representatives Joe Knollenberg (R-Mich.) and Frank Pallone, Jr.
(D-N.J.), cochairs of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues,
praised the conduct of the vote and the adopted basic law. "Artsakh’s
Constitution embodies your nation’s values to live in a free and fair
society, where human rights and economic opportunities are enjoyed by
all," the representatives’ letter said. "These universal values that
both our nations espouse create an unshakable bond between the United
States and Artsakh."
Over 100 mostly European observers who monitored the vote described it
as transparent and effective. In a statement issued on December 12,
the observers said the vote conformed to the standards of the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the
Council of Europe, and other international watchdogs. The observers
were particularly impressed by the strong public trust for electoral
process, and urged international organizations "to support democratic
processes in Nagorno Karabakh."
However, the leadership of the OSCE in the person of Belgium’s foreign
minister Karel de Gucht, the Council of Europe Secretary General Terry
Davis, as well as the European Union refused to recognize the outcome
of the referendum, arguing that the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is
internationally unrecognized and that its status should be resolved
through ongoing negotiations. Mr. De Gucht went as far as to call the
referendum "counterproductive." The French, Russian, and U.S. cochairs
of the OSCE Minsk Group that mediate in the peace process said in a
joint statement that the timing of the vote was "unhelpful," but added
that its results would have "no negative effect."
Reacting to these comments, Viktor Soghomonian, spokesperson for
Armenia’s president Robert Kocharian, hit back in a December 12
interview with Yerevan’s Mediamax news agency, saying that "such
comments by no means contribute to the peaceful settlement of the
conflict." Mr. Soghomonian described the statements as "an unconcealed
demonstration of disrespect towards a historical event for the NKR
people, [who] made their choice for independence during the latest
referendum, just as they did 15 years ago."
Regional experts interviewed by the "Armenian Reporter" agreed that
Karabakh’s referendum on constitution would have no negative impact on
the peace process. Dr. Cory Welt, deputy director for Eurasia at the
Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, argued
that the referendum’s impact is almost exclusively domestic:
"Certainly the Karabakhis have shown us that they have the capacity to
organize these kinds of votes before. So the fact that they are
declaring their support for the constitution is not really relevant
for the peace process, and for the current discussions about a
referendum on status, which is a different matter entirely."
While acknowledging that there may be "some anxiety" among the
mediators regarding the vote, Tom De Waal, the Caucasus Service editor
at the London-based Institute for War and Peace Reporting, said,
"There is also a healthy dose of pragmatism [and realization] that
Karabakh is a long-term issue and that it would be unreasonable not to
expect Karabakhis to go ahead with their own form of domestic
state-building while their status is not determined."
Liz Fuller, chief regional analysis editor at Radio Free Europe/Radio
Liberty in Prague, added that if the vote would have any impact on the
peace process, it would be positive. The people of Karabakh "have come
out very clearly to say that Nagorno-Karabakh is an independent
sovereign state," Ms. Fuller said. "While the outcome of the
referendum was a foregone conclusion, the turnout has been most
impressive. . . . What business does the Council of Europe have
telling the people of Karabakh not to adopt their constitution?"
3. MCC approves first installment of Armenia grant; clean elections
are key to the rest
Yerevan–The entity established to implement a rural infrastructure
program supported by a $236 million, five-year grant from the United
States government has successfully completed the requirements to
receive the initial disbursement of approximately $1.4 million. The
Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), on behalf of the United States
government, has transferred $882,000 to the Millennium Challenge
Account-Armenia (MCA-Armenia). The second transfer of $507,000 is
scheduled for later in December.
Armenia signed an agreement, the "Millennium Challenge Compact," with
the United States on March 27, 2006, which aims to reduce rural
poverty through a sustainable increase in the economic performance of
the agricultural sector.
The Armenian government established MCA-Armenia as a state
non-commercial organization to oversee the transparent implementation
of the compact.
The funds for the compact are not disbursed as a lump sum to Armenia.
They are approved quarterly by the MCC as the program demonstrates
progress and as long as Armenia remains eligible. The funds are
disbursed monthly into MCA-Armenia’s bank account at Cascade Bank.
At an event announcing the initial disbursement, Anthony Godfrey, U.S.
Chargé d’Affaires ad interim, said the compact "represents a terrific
opportunity for the people of Armenia." He pointed out, however, that
under the terms of the compact, "the Armenian government must maintain
a high level of performance in ruling justly, investing in people and
promoting economic freedom."
Mr. Godfrey warned, "Only by continuing to institute democratic
reforms, including ensuring a free and fair process in the run-up to
the 2007 and 2008 elections, can Armenia make sure that its people can
continue to benefit from this $236 million program."
The program is expected to affect some 750,000 people directly–an
estimated 75 percent of the rural population. It is expected to reduce
the rural poverty rate and boost incomes. The five-year plan
encompasses strategic investments in rural roads, irrigation
infrastructure, and technical and financial assistance to improve the
supply of water and to support farmers and agribusinesses.
The compact includes a $67 million project to rehabilitate up to 943
kilometers of rural roads, more than a third of Armenia’s proposed
"Lifeline Road Network." When complete, the road network will ensure
that every rural community has road access to markets, services, and
the main road network.
Under the compact, the government of Armenia will be required to
commit additional resources for maintenance of the road network. The
compact also includes a $146 million project to increase the
productivity of approximately 250,000 farm households (34 percent of
which are headed by women) through improved water supply, higher
yields, higher-value crops, and a more competitive agricultural
sector.
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4 . Filmmaker Andrew Goldberg honored by Eastern Diocese in NYC
by Chris Zakian
Special to the "Armenian Reporter"
New York–On the evening of December 12, documentary filmmaker Andrew
Goldberg was honored in a special program at the Manhattan
headquarters of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
(Eastern). The award-winning producer of such films as "The
Armenian-Americans" and "The Armenian Genocide" was called "a hero for
the 21st century" by Diocesan Primate Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, and
was lauded as a groundbreaking artist with a "passion for ethical
issues, obsessed by injustice" by author-activist Peter Balakian.
Mr. Goldberg, speaking before the crowd of about 100 people which
included Armenia’s UN Ambassador Armen Martirossian, responded by
saying, "Thank you for letting me tell your story."
To begin the evening, Master of Ceremonies Aram Arkun, of the
Diocese’s Zohrab Information Center and AGBU’s "Ararat" literary
magazine, called Goldberg’s four television documentaries on Armenian
subjects "an important contribution" to the Armenian cause. On behalf
of the community, he expressed pleasure at the opportunity to
celebrate and honor their author.
Keynote speaker Peter Balakian, author of "Black Dog of Fate" and "The
Burning Tigris" and a collaborator on several of Goldberg’s films,
offered personal reflections on Goldberg’s craft and vision: his
ability to tease out poignant personal stories, while depicting larger
political events with clarity and a satisfying completeness.
The effect of Goldberg’s passionate vision is "good story-telling,"
Balakian said, a virtue which allowed millions of people unfamiliar
with the Armenian story to feel sympathy with it in a brief span of
time.
"What Andrew accomplished in 55 minutes is really quite
extraordinary," Balakian remarked of Goldberg’s groundbreaking
documentary, "The Armenian Genocide."
"The four films of his ‘Armenian Series’–‘The Armenian-Americans,’
‘Images of the Armenian Spirit,’ ‘The Armenians: A Story of Survival,’
and ‘The Armenian Genocide’–were an odyssey for Andrew and for the
Armenian community," Balakian said; "through them Andrew went where no
one has gone before."
To punctuate his amusing recollections of their friendship, Balakian
struck a serious note when he said: "I’m not sure I’ve ever met anyone
outside of the Armenian ‘tribe’ who is as deeply affected by the story
of the Genocide as Andrew."
Archbishop Barsamian, who presided over the tribute, thanked Goldberg
for being a "dedicated and dear friend of Armenians," who has "become
an expert student of our history."
"Through his fresh eyes, Andrew portrayed our story through the medium
of film, making it accessible to millions around the world," he said.
As he presented Goldberg with the Diocese’s "St. Vartan Award,"
Archbishop Barsamian thanked him on behalf of the Armenian community
for "his passion, his commitment," and called Goldberg a hero for the
21st century, as the award’s namesake was a hero for the 5th century.
Visibly moved by the tribute, Andrew Goldberg thanked Archbishop
Barsamian, and added that, "One doesn’t do these things for thanks;
that’s not why you go to war against a system that seeks to oppress."
He said that he was inspired to make his films, especially "The
Armenian Genocide," after seeing the "collective heartbreak [among
Armenians] that the story of the Genocide had never been told in the
way it deserves."
"Once I got the Armenian thing in me, I couldn’t sit still," he said.
"I’ve heard similar stories from Armenians, Jews, Cambodians and
others: that it’s terrible to look back on history and see that the
world just stood by in their darkest hour."
Goldberg related that sentiment to the present-day crisis in Darfur,
saying that "it lands on the shoulders of everyone to do something
about the genocide going on in our world today."
"My way of thanking you for this tribute is to ask you to come to the
aid of others who need our help," he said.
Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau was also scheduled to
appear during the program, but a last-minute family emergency caused
him to send his regrets. Peter Balakian paid tribute to the descendant
of Ambassador Henry Morgenthau by saying that "No family has been more
engaged in the cause of the Armenian Genocide than the Morgenthaus.
Robert was very excited about being a part of this event" honoring
Andrew Goldberg.
The singer Hooshere added a lovely musical aspect to the evening, with
her blend of traditional Armenian songs, contemporary harmonies and
exquisite arrangements. Accompanied by guitar, dumbeg and bells, she
performed "Garode" from her recent recording, Provenance, along with a
soaring rendition of "Hingala."
PROGRAMMING WITH MEANING
In an exclusive interview with the "Armenian Reporter," Andrew
Goldberg said that he strives to produce "programming with meaning,"
and that a thread of respect for human rights runs through all his
documentaries, including the four Armenian projects and his upcoming
film, "Anti-Semitism: The Resurgence," which will be broadcast on
January 8, 2007, on PBS stations.
Asked whether he saw any further Armenian projects on his horizon,
Goldberg replied that four documentaries on a subject is a lot for a
filmmaker. "I’m pleased with the extent of my contribution to Armenian
concerns–for now," he said.
He added that there was still a great need for other filmmakers to
treat the Genocide and other Armenian topics. "Think of all the
Holocaust films made in the last 15 years–and they’re all important.
But in the same period, I can’t think of any other primetime,
high-profile film on the Genocide."
"We don’t need just one film on the Genocide; we need 50," Goldberg urged.
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5. New analysis: Azerbaijan president’s wife emerges as a political
player? Seasoned country watchers downplay her chances as successor
by Emil Sanamyan
Special to the "Armenian Reporter"
Washington–Last week our nation’s capital hosted an unusual guest.
According to Azerbaijan’s official news agency AzerTag, the cochair of
the U.S.-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Cooperation Group, honorary UNESCO
ambassador, chair of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, and wife of the
Azerbaijani president, Mehriban Aliyeva was in Washington during the
week of December 4-8 to meet with First Lady Laura Bush, White House
staff, senior State Department officials, Senators Richard Lugar
(R-Indiana) and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Tex.), about half a dozen
members of Congress, and a greater number of retired politicians and
consultants. In her political debut in Washington, Ms. Aliyeva was
accompanied by Azerbaijan’s former ambassador to the United States
(her uncle) Hafiz Pashayev. The U.S.-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce,
mostly funded by U.S. oil companies working in the Caspian, threw a
lavish party for Ms. Aliyeva.
Some Azerbaijani commentators, including the late Elmar Husseynov
(murdered in circumstances suggesting state involvement in March 2005)
long speculated that Ms. Aliyeva plays a key behind-the-scenes role in
her husband’s decision making. Azerbaijan’s largely farcical
parliamentary election in November 2005 marked Ms. Aliyeva’s formal
entry into politics. At that time she was elected to the Azerbaijani
parliament with 92 percent of the vote, more than any other candidate.
Her elevation to the many aforementioned titles follows a strikingly
similar pattern to her husband Ilham Aliyev’s positioning as a
successor to his father, Azerbaijan’s former president. So, is Mr.
Aliyev’s wife being positioned to succeed her husband?
Investigative reporter Ken Silverstein, who is Washington editor for
"Harper’s," proposed just such a theory. Writing in his on-line column
"Washington Babylon" (December 6 and 8
ml), Mr. Silverstein
recalled the ongoing federal case against an offshore businessperson,
Viktor Kozeny, that involves allegations of bribing of unnamed senior
Azerbaijani officials. Mr. Silverstein suggested that "if Ilham
[Aliyev] is eventually dragged into the case by U.S. prosecutors and
hence becomes damaged goods, rumor has it that the Aliyev family–a
cabal of thuggish hacks who have long dominated Azerbaijani
politics–would like the First Lady to take charge of the country."
But veteran watchers of Azerbaijani politics polled by this
correspondent unanimously downplayed the likelihood of Mehriban
Aliyeva succeeding her husband.
Liz Fuller, the chief regional analysis editor at Radio Liberty in
Prague, argued, "Azerbaijan is far too much a patriarchal society to
even consider a woman president."
Tom De Waal, caucasus service editor at the London-based Institute for
War and Peace Reporting concurred: "My guess is the first lady in the
traditional society like Azerbaijan will not cross the line between
being a glamorous ambassador and a full-time politician."
"It is far too early to tell [what the visit would mean] for Mehriban
Aliyeva’s political future," added Cory Welt, the deputy director of
the Russia Eurasia Program at the Washington-based Center for
Strategic and International Studies. But more immediately, Dr. Welt
said, the visit is another sign that the U.S. government supports
Azerbaijan’s ruling family.
Both Ms. Fuller and Mr. De Waal pointed to the ongoing discussion in
Baku about the potential extension of the presidential term from five
to seven years and suggested that the issue of Ilham Aliyev’s
successor is unlikely to arise in the immediate future. Mr. De Waal
instead framed the visit in the context of Azerbaijan’s intensifying
public-relations efforts against Armenian interests.
According to AzerTag, "the projects being implemented in Azerbaijan by
the Heydar Aliyev Foundation aroused Mrs. Bush’s particular interest."
In addition to humanitarian programs, the foundation sponsors
propaganda materials targeting Armenians.
************************************* **************************************
6. "Screamers" bellows with heart and soul
Film review by Maral Habeshian
Special to the "Armenian Reporter"
Los Angeles–Aptly named, the documentary "Screamers" couples the
effort of the rock band System of a Down to gain recognition of the
Armenian Genocide with director Carla Garapedian’ need to tell the
story of her lineage. Ms. Garpedian, a BBC anchor and documentary
director produces a captivating account that asks how to shed light on
the injustice of a forgotten genocide, to whom, and to what end?
If at first it seems the film is conveniently documenting the
appealing rock band, it soon becomes apparent that the band is a
tool–a very real medium with which the story is being told today. As
Aram Hamparian of the Armenian National Committee of America explains
in the film, System of a Down’s efforts to shed light on the Armenian
Genocide have surpassed all others to date.
The film opens with System of a Down’s April 24, 2005, benefit concert
to raise awareness of the Armenian Genocide and other global abuses of
human rights. The group literally storms the stage to scream of their
outrage at what is wrong with the world today.
Harvard professor and author Samantha Powers explains that a
"screamer" is a person who, as Chicken Little, must to tell the world
the sky is falling; the world is falling apart. Director Garabedian
and producer Peter McAlevey take painstaking efforts to do just that.
In its 91 minutes, the film documents Armenian Genocide survivor
accounts, presents comprehensive background, historic photographs, and
US and European politics on the issue; they leave no stone unturned.
Even more amazing, however, is that they surpass the task to merely
document the Armenian Genocide, and present the organic fallout of
choosing to ignore the atrocity: Holocaust, Bosnia, Rawanda,
Darfur–all this with poignant footage, sound bytes, accounts of
orphaned children–and even manage to venture into modern Turkish
society with its denial of the Genocide and anger at the Armenians for
persisting to press the issue.
Through the use of System of a Down concert footage and interviews
with band members, they also give a very pure and perhaps inadvertent
portrayal of the psychological fallout of justice denied. Whereas band
members insist they are not a political band, their music inevitably
tells another story. Their words are dissected in the film; their
anger magnified–as if to say, when there is a stage, there is room to
scream.
And when System of a Down band members take to Capitol Hill,
humble-yet-determined band members Serj Tankian and John Dolmayan meet
a smug and seemingly uninformed U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert to
press him on his rejection of all Armenian Genocide recognition
legislation.
"Screamers" depicts the irony of world politics; that the brushing
aside of Armenian Genocide issues is nothing personal, but a
continuance of political expediency. In fact, this theme is played out
throughout the documentary when political insiders–in the US and
Europe–outright damn their governments’ inactivity on issues of
genocide.
But whether in the hollow, soulless eyes of a young Stepan Haytayan,
Tankian’s grandfather who lost his only living brother in the hands of
the Turks–that of a freezing child in Darfur who mechanically marches
to an unkown end, or the child who is telling of life’s greatest
injustice of having witnessed the slaughter of parents–the film
prompts storms of internal shrieks.
Oddly, the same haunting gaze is seen in the very-calm Tankian–until
he hits the stage in a delayed reaction 91 years later, to bellow with
his heart and soul against all that is wrong with today’s world. And
the words of Samatha Powers resonate as she explains in the
documentary that Raphael Lemkin coined the phrase "genocide" out of
sheer desperation to somehow describe the slaughter of his immediate
family at the hands of Germans. What will it take to explain man’s
inhumanity to man and put an end to it?
"Screamers" is the product of this consciousness and is executed with
extreme honesty and taste. It is shot creatively with superb footage,
thorough historical facts, with excellent development and
transition–and mostly, soul.
The film is currently being screened at Mann’s Chinese 6, Hollywood,
CA; Mann Exchange 10, Glendale, Calif.; Mann Criterion, Santa Monica,
Calif.; AMC The Block 30, Orange, Calif.
***
Maral Habeshian is a former editor of "Asbarez."
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7 . In her own words: Opening Weekend
by Carla Garapedian, director of "Screamers"
Special to the "Armenian Reporter"
Last Friday, as I watched the lines of people waiting to get into the
theaters, and coming out, I felt very emotional. The goal of my film
is to raise the level of awareness about genocide – that it is not
something we have to accept, it is something we can stop. But would
the film touch people?
It seems it has.
> > From the reaction of people coming out, the film is reaching people of
all ages, young and old, Armenians and non-Armenians, System of a Down
fans and non-System fans, political and non-political movie-goers. By
the end of the weekend, some people had already seen it twice! I had
to pinch myself – was I dreaming? And then I remembered that I have
never been alone in this process, from the early days of planning the
movie to its entrance onto the public stage now.
There are many peoople who want to raise the bar of the debate for
genocide recognition. There are many people who know that our
politicians have not served us well on this subject. And there are
many that empathize with those who are victims now in Darfur. That
genocide, like the Armenian Genocide, could be stopped with
intervention – whether it be diplomatic, economic, or military.
So I shouldn’t be surprised by the reaction to my film. I am just
tapping into something that is already there – the great power of love
and empathy we have for our fellow man. My only wish is that my
grandparents and father could be with me now to see it. For without
their inspiration, I would not have chosen this work. I can only hope
that, somehow, they know.
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8. Armenian Internship Programs: An Insider’s Perspective
Special to the "Armenian Reporter"
My name is Justin Kalemkiarian. I’m 23, and a recent graduate of
Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota.
I spent the past two summers doing internships through the Armenian
Assembly of America both in Washington, DC, and Yerevan, Armenia. In
the summer of 2004 I participated in the Washington, DC, program,
working in the office of Congressman Jeff Fortenberry of Nebraska.
This past summer I interned in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the
Republic of Armenia while participating in the Assembly’s Armenia
internship program. Both internships were fabulous experiences, given
the recreational and historical opportunities each location offers;
but both internships were also instrumental in educating me about
Armenian issues and how they fit into a broader global context.
It was a unique experience to work in the offices of high-ranking
government officials, and to examine the differences between the most
powerful government in the world, and one facing unique challenges as
a young, developing nation.
During those two summers I was also surrounded by some of the
brightest young Armenians and Armenian-Americans from around the
world, and enjoyed discussing subjects ranging from the Armenian
Genocide and Armenia’s future development, to the matter of where to
find the best shawarma.
As a young man from the Armenian vacuum of Nebraska, the past two
summers were the best I’ve had yet, and I would encourage every
student, regardless of what you’re studying, to think about
participating in an Armenian-related internship.
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9. Editorial: Congress sends a message against the blockade of Armenia
Congress sends a message against the blockade of Armenia
The countries of the south Caucasus and their neighbors are developing
a new infrastructure of roads, railroads, and pipelines. These vital
links transport goods, facilitating commerce and economic development.
But they do more: they make each country less dependent on a single
trading partner and they bring neighbors closer together. As such,
they can help regional integration and regional peace.
The initiative to build a 160-mile railroad linking Kars to Tbilisi,
however, does the opposite because it bypasses Armenia. A rail line
linking the two cities–over the Armenian city of Gyumri–already
exists. The portion crossing the Turkish border does not operate
because of the Turkish blockade of Armenia.
The European Commission voiced opposition to this project in October
2005 noting that the project accomplishes nothing other than bypassing
Armenia.
The United States has taken a similar position: the proposed railway
would "not be beneficial to regional integration. We have no plans to
support such a railway financially. The Administration has not
allocated or expended any federal agency funds or otherwise provided
financial support for the intended project." These are the words of
Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried in a written response to a
question from Representative Grace Napolitano (D-Calif.) following a
March 8, 2006, hearing of the House International Relations Committee.
Now, at the urging of the Armenian Assembly of America and the
Armenian National Committee of America, Congress has enshrined the
United States position in law.
With leadership from Representative Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.), who wrote
about this topic in this newspaper, and Representatives Edward Royce
(D-Calif.) and Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), the House adopted a measure
that prohibits the Export- Import Bank from funding or guaranteeing
loans to fund the railroad project. The same measure was adopted in
the Senate through the leadership of Senators Bob Menendez ( D-N.J.)
and Rick Santorum (R-Penn.).
The bill is now on President Bush’s desk, and he is expected to sign
it into law.
It must be noted that the railroad will, almost certainly, be built
even without U.S. and European funding. That said, Congress has sent a
powerful message in favor of cooperation and integration–and against
the Turkish and Azerbaijani blockade of Armenia. We invite our readers
to contact their representatives and senators to thank them for taking
a principled position on this important matter.
How to reach them
Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121
Log onto or
Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-NY)
Rep. Edward Royce (D-CA)
Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA)
Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ)
Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-MI)
Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ)
Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA)
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