THE CYCLE CONTINUES
By Jessica Akunna, Daily Targum

Daily Targum , Rutgers Univ, New Jersey
November 10, 2006 Friday

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J.

Approximately 12 years ago, cries from a foreign land went ignored
for about 100 days. Women were raped and murdered. Families were
systematically butchered and erased. The underlying reason for these
atrocities in Rwanda was that they were born Tutsi. Films such as
Hotel Rwanda and Sometimes in April brought to light these unfortunate
events to many people who never knew such a past existed.

Sadly, this genocide in Rwanda removed 800,000 individuals from
the earth.

It is now 91 years after the Armenian genocide, 62 years after the
gruesome Holocaust in Europe and 12 years after the crisis in Rwanda.

In our world’s dark history, these three events have something
obviously in common — they ended the freedom to live because of one’s
cultural identity. It is now 2006 and currently a similar cry permeates
out of the Western region of Sudan. It is quite visible — we see it
bubbling through our television sets, in our newspapers and across
the Internet. The Janjaweed, an Arab militia in Sudan, is responsible
for killing 400,000 and counting ethnic black Africans in Darfur.

Images of bloodshed and bodies on sand paved roads reappear in my
head when I think about the events going on so far away. Vibrant
colored scarves cover women as they sit with their babies in their
hands. However, through all that color, there is no life in their eyes
because they sit with the realization they will never see their loved
ones again. And to add insult upon injury, many have been raped at the
campsites where they have come for refuge. Unfortunately, because of
understaffing and a lack of security, incidents of rape and acts of
sexual violence are severe occurrences at the refugee camps. Recently,
African Union troops have been ordered to leave firewood patrols
where they usually escort women to retrieve necessities such as
firewood, water and food. With a lack of security, women and girls
are increasingly being raped. The act of sexual violence is such a
traumatizing experience because it hurts one beyond the physical and
it can be detrimental and damaging to one’s psyche. With a lack of
counseling centers and support groups, who is actually hearing the
woes of these women? How are these women coping with all the madness?

As a member of the human race, a college student and black woman,
what can I, or rather we, as individuals, do to help resolve this
complex situation miles and miles away? U.S. Sen. Barack Obama,
D-Ill., has said on a recent episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show that
we should write to our congressmen to voice our concerns. Currently,
legislators are working on a law that will protect civilians in Darfur,
as well as protect foreign aid workers. Although it may seem like a
slow start, it is better to be active rather than inactive.

This means we have to raise some kind of consciousness because as
human beings, we all have the right to live and be free from sexual
degradation.

STATUS OF WOMEN IN ARMENIA STILL LOW

Yerevan, December 11. ArmInfo. Elimination of gender discrimination
and empowering women will have a profound and positive impact on the
survival and well-being of children, according to a new UNICEF report.

The State of the World’s Children report released today, on occasion
of UNICEF’s 60th anniversary, argues that gender equality produces
the double dividend of benefiting both women and children and argues
that gender equality is pivotal to the health and development of
communities, families and nations.

"When women are educated, empowered and involved in the decisions that
shape their lives, their children are better educated, their health
and nutrition improves, family income rises, civil society is more
likely to flourish, " UNICEF Representative, Sheldon Yett said in
his remarks at the launch of the State of the World’s Children 2007
organized as part of a campaign against gender violence that kicked
off in Armenia on 25 November.

Although Armenia has shown good progress in ensuring equal rights and
opportunities for women, there are still some areas where concerted
efforts are required to eliminate discrimination and disparity.

In particular, women continue to be under-represented in Armenia’s
political life and in senior positions in central and local
government. Out of 131 members of the Armenian Parliament, only seven
are women. At the cabinet level, only one minister out of seventeen
is a woman, and only three deputy ministers are women out of a total
of fifty six. Involving women in the early stages of policy formation
helps ensure the programmes are designed with the needs of women and
children in mind.

In most branches of Armenia’s economy, women are often paid lower wages
than their male colleagues, while the unemployment rate among women is
higher than among men. Income in the hands of women can reap benefits
for children, and gender gaps in earnings can decrease or limit the
resources available to meet children’s rights, such as health care,
adequate nutrition and education.

In some ethnic minority communities, up to 20% of girls do not complete
basic education. "Missing out on basic school education deprives a
girl of the opportunity to develop to her full potential," Sheldon
Yett stressed. "Children born to mothers who have no or insufficient
education are less likely to survive and develop to their full
potential than those born to educated mothers."

In recent years violence against women has also become a subject of
great concern in the country "Unfortunately many cases of violence
against women, particularly, domestic violence go unreported and there
is no reliable data on how many women have been victimized," UNICEF
Representative said, adding that "the present campaign against gender
violence is not only called to surface various forms of discrimination
that women in Armenia are facing, but also urges immediate actions
to improve the status of women in various spheres of life."

The achievement of the Millennium Development Goal 3 – promoting
gender equality and empowering women – will also contribute to
the achieving all other goals, from reducing poverty and hunger
to saving children’s lives, improving maternal health, ensuring
quality secondary education, combating HIV/AIDS and other diseases,
and ensuring environmental sustainability.

"Women’s equal rights and influence in the key decisions that shape
their lives must be enhanced in three distinct arenas: the household,
the workplace and the political sphere. A change for the better in
any one of these realms influences women’s equality in the others,
and has a profound and positive impact on children’s well-being and
development," UNICEF Representative said.

RA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE ON THE OCCASION OF ADOPTION OF NKR CONSTITUTION

ArmRadio.am
11.12.2006 16:58

Today RA President Robert Kocharyan issued a congratulating address
to NKR authorities and people on the occasion of the adoption of
Constitution through a nationwide referendum.

The message says:

"I congratulate the authorities of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic and
Artsakhi Armenians on the occasion of adoption of the Constitution in a
nationwide referendum. With its active participation in the referendum
Artsakhi people once again proved its decisiveness to live free.

This referendum held in compliance with highest democratic standards
laid another foundation stone in the formation of Nagorno Karabakh’s
statehood.

>>From the very first day of declaration of independence, the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic took the way of democratic development. It has been
repeatedly proven by fair elections.

The Constitutional referendum did not only continue the good tradition
of free expression of will, but also provided the opportunity to
include the rules of democracy in the basic law of the country.

Congratulating all Armenians on the occasion of the referendum in
Artsakh, I wish well-being, peace and stable development to the
Nagorno Karabakh Republic."

NKR PRESIDNET RECEIVED THE SOUTH OSSETIAN DELEGATION

ArmRadio.am
11.12.2006 18:00

December 11 NKR President Arkady Ghukasyan received members of the
delegation of the South Ossetian Republic headed by Deputy Foreign
Minister Alan Plievm, who had arrived in Nagorno Karabakh to observe
the Constitutional referendum.

Acting Press Secretary of NKR President told ArmInfo that the
guests conveyed to President Arkady Ghukasyan the congratulations
of the Ossetian President Eduard Kokoyti on the occasion of the
Constitutional referendum. During the conversation the interlocutors
attached importance to the existence of a precedent of peaceful and
civil settlement of conflicts for the resolution of issues in the
region, regional security, stability and cooperation between peoples.

VARTAN OSKANIAN: AZERBAIJAN PASSES BY IN SILENCE CALLS ON STOPPING DESTRUCTION OF ARMENIAN CULTURAL MONUMENTS

Noyan Tapan
Dec 11 2006

STRASBOURG, DECEMBER 11, NOYAN TAPAN. RA Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian made a speech on December 6 in Strasbourg, at the opening
of the exhibition entitled "State of Armenian Cultural Heritage
in Nakhijevan." The RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and Information
Department submitted to Noyan Tapan the text of V.Oskanian’s
speech, which is completely presented below. "Dear Deputy Mayor,
Dear President, ladies and gentlemen, I would like, first of all,
to express gratitude to the Strasbourg Mayor and the Strasbourg City
Community Chairman who favourable showed hospitality at the Strasbourg
Mayor’s Office to this exhibition which represents the dramatic state
of the Armenian architectural heritage in Nakhijevan. Of course, a
long-lasting tradition of solidarity and cooperation exists between
Alsace and Armenia. Today, when the year of Armenia is being held in
France, I express my great satisfaction with the cultural events to
be organized in Strasbourg in the first half of 2007 which will give
possibility to make Strasbourg, Alsace and Armenia closer. I would like
to congratulate the "Alsace-Armenia Friendship" organization and its
President Pierre Zouloumian who initiated to present the Strasbourg
society these expressive evidences of destroyed centuries-old
culture and killed memory. This exhibition does not only prove the
Armenian presence during that period of time, beauty of the Armenian
churches having been in a good state still since early the 20th
century, values of Romanic art, but also denies the policy of regular
destruction of the centuries-old Armenian monuments belonging to the
whole humanity. This state vandalism arose negative responses of the
international community, particularly, of the Council of Europe. But
the Azerbaijani authorities passed by in silence the calls on stopping
destructions and continue prohibiting entry of international experts
and parliamentarians expressed wish to visit those places. I once
more express gratitude to you for your participation and solidarity
displayed in these circumstances.

KARABAKH WAR PARTICIPANTS ARRESTED IN YEREVAN

Noyan Tapan
Dec 11 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 11, NOYAN TAPAN. Karabakh war participants
were arrested during the night of December 9-10. The Noyan Tapan
correspondent was informed about it by the "Hayrenik ev Pativ"
(Fatherland and Honour) party. Vardan Malkhasian, a member of the
"Hayrenik ev Pativ" party political council, the head of the Aragatsotn
marz department of the party, a participant of the Karabakh war,
was arrested in his own house by the RA National Security Service
employees. V.Malkhasian’s daughter Sona informed the Noyan Tapan
correspondent that 7-8 employess of the National Security Service
really broke into their house at night of December 10 and searched the
house. Responding the family members’ questions, for what purpose they
were searching their house and where they were taking V.Malkhasian,
the Special Security Service employees said that they "must speak to
Malkhasian." Sona Malkhasian mentioned that her father was specially
arrested on Sunday as it is known that neither jousnalists nor special
services themselves work on that day. The Noyan Tapan correspondent
managed to find out that besides Malkhasian, other participants of
the Karabakh war as well, including Zhirayr Sefilian, the "Shoushi"
special battalion commander, coordinator of the "Defence of Liberated
Territories" public organization, were arrested.

YERKRAPAH VOLUNTEERS’ UNION TO SUPPORT SERGE SARGSIAN’S CANDIDATURE AT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Dec 11 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 11, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Yerkrapah
(Defender of the Land) Volunteers’ Union will support Defence
Minister Serge Sargsian’s candidature at the presidential elections of
2008. Lieutenant-General Artur Aghabekian, Deputy Defence Minister,
member of the Union Board, declared this at the press conference
held after the Union’s 7th congress. Presenting his point of view
at journalists’ request, Lieutenant-General Manvel Grigorian, Deputy
Defence Minister, Yerkrapah Volunteers’ Union’s Board Chairman, said
that we have two years before the presidential elections and many
things can be changed. But Artur Aghabekian hurried to assure that his
and General Manvel Grigorian’s opinions "have always coincided." In
his words, the Yerkrapah Volunteers’ Union and the army are closely
connected with each other. "All Board members of the Union are first
class reserve: we will do our best for most of Board members to have
the title of senior officer of reserve, for them to take the post of
the commander in military units to be formed in the future," Deputy
Defence Minister Artur Aghabekian said. Manvel Grigorian categorically
denied the possibility that the army will act against the people in
case of strengthening of home political tension in connection with
the elections.

Answering journalists’ question, what will happen if the country’s
leadership makes an attempt to stir the army to act against the
people, he said that personally he will not obey this order. "The
army is for defending the people.

The army belongs to the people and is not someone’s property and those
stirring the army to act against the people are not from our nation,"
the Yerkrapah Volunteers’ Union Chairman declared.

CONSOLIDATION OF ARMENIAN VOLUNTEERS PLANNED TO INTERFERE INTO COURSE OF FORTHCOMING PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS BY MAKING EXTREMIST ACTIONS, NATIONAL SECURITY SERVICE DECLARES

Noyan Tapan
Dec 11 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 11, NOYAN TAPAN. The organization Consolidation of
Armenian Volunteers initiated by Lebanese citizen Zhirayr Sefilian and
a number of his supporters having no registration envisaged by RA law,
pursued the goal to undertake illegal, force intervention into the
coming political processes in the country, in particular, into the
elections to be held in 2007, by making extremist actions. This was
reported by RA National Security Service Press Service on December
11. According to the report spread by the Press Service, during
the closed conference held on December 2 at the hall of Yerevan
Choreographic School, some heads of the structure publicly called
for seizing RA state power by violence, forcible pressure and with
any means and for concrete actions: in particular, it was announced
that we should get rid of the current authorities only through armed
fight, revolt. Action plans in this direction were presented. The
leaders of the Consolidation of Armenian Volunteers had planned with
their systematized actions first of all to incite the opposition to
political disobedience and conflicts, at that, they had planned to
exert pressure on opposition political structures, too, for them to
undertake illegal actions against RA authorities," the report read. A
criminal case has been instituted by RA National Security Service
Investigation Department in connection with the fact, by the signs
of Article 301, RA Criminal Code (public appeals for changing RA
Constitutional order through violence). Organization leaders Vardan
Malkhasian and Zhirayr Sefilian were arrested on December 10.

Illegal fire-arms was found about the latter. To recap, Zhirayr
Sefilian was the Commander of Shoushi battalion, the Coordinator of
Defence of Liberated Territories public initiative and the Chairman of
Board of Trustees of Araks-Kur fund. According to the report received
from the Defence of Liberated Territories, they threaten Zh.Sefilian
to deport him from Armenia. Besides, the office of Araks-Kur fund, as
well as apartments of many members of the above mentioned organizations
were searched.

RA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DEPUTY YEREM KARAPETIAN PASSES AWAY

Noyan Tapan
Dec 11 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 11, NOYAN TAPAN. RA National Assembly Deputy Yerem
Karapetian passed away. The deputy’s brief biographic data, which were
submitted to Noyan Tapan by the RA NA Public Relations Department,
are presented below.

Yerem Haykazuni Karapetian was born on May 1, 1933, in the village
of Shahumian, the region of Ararat. He graduated from the Yerevan
Medical College in 1953, getting the specialty of dentist. He served
in the Soviet Army in 1954-1956.

He worked as a dentist in 1956-1996. He was the Shahumian village head
in 1996-1999. He was elected a NA deputy from No 32 electoral district
in 1999-2003. He was a member of the NA Standing Committee on Finance
and Credit, Budget and Economy Issues, a member of the "Kayunoutyun"
(Stability), then "Hayastan" (Armenia) deputy’s group. He was elected
a NA deputy from No23 electoral district on May 25, 2003. He was a
member of the NA Standing Committee on Finance and Credit, Budget and
Economy Issues, a member of the "People’s Deputy" deputies’ group,
RPA member. He was married, had three children.

ACCORDING TO PRELIMINARY DATA, 98.58% OF VOTERS VOTE FOR NKR CONSTITUTION

Noyan Tapan
Dec 11 2006

STEPANAKERT, DECEMBER 11, NOYAN TAPAN. According to the preliminary
data of the NKR Central Electoral Commission, 77 thousand 279 people
voted for adoption of the main law at the December 10 referendum
on the Constitution held in Nagorno Karabakh. It makes 98.58% of
the total number of voters. 549 people or 0.7% voted against the
Constitution. As the Regnum information agency states, on the whole,
78 thousand 389 voters took part in the votion what makes 87% of
the total number of citizens of Nagorno Karabakh having the right of
vote. The final results of the vote will be announced on December 13.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress