FREEDOM OF SPEECH PRIZE TO EDITOR OF TURKISH-ARMENIAN JOURNAL
Deutsche Presse-Agentur
October 4, 2006 Wednesday 2:57 PM EST
DPA CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT Norway Culture Freedom of speech prize to
editor of Turkish-Armenian journal Oslo
The editor of a Turkish-Armenian magazine was Wednesday awarded the
Norwegian Bjornson prize, worth 100,000 kroner (15,200 dollars),
for highlighting massacres of the Armenian minority by Ottoman Turks
in 1915.
Agos’ editor Hrant Dink has frequently written on the subject that
continues to generate controversy in Turkey today, and has had frequent
run-ins with Turkish authorities.
Ankara has refused to accept blame for the massacres that many
historians and several countries have said constituted a genocide.
The prize was to be handed out at a November 24 ceremony in the
Norwegian west coast city Molde, the Norwegian news agency NTB
reported.
The prize is awarded by the Bjornson Academy, established in 2003 to
protect freedom of expression. Members include researchers from Norway
and other countries as well as authors, journalists and politicians
including two former Norwegian prime ministers, Kare Willoch and
Kjell Magne Bondevik.
Academy president Knut Odegard said the November 24 seminar would
focus on Armenians.
The prize was named after Norwegian poet, author and dramatist
Bjornstjerne Bjornson (1832-1910).
Previous winners were Vivian Fouad and Samir Morcos from Egypt for
their efforts to promote ties between Muslims and Christians, and
Esma Redzepova from Macedonia who has championed the rights of the
Roma people.

MOST CONVERTS IN TURKEY SEEK SPIRITUAL PEACE, OTHERS TICKETS WEST
By Nicolas Cheviron
Agence France Presse — English
October 4, 2006 Wednesday 2:31 PM GMT
Turkey’s few Muslim converts to Christianity, of which the hijacker
Tuesday of a Turkish airliner claimed to be one, are a motley,
marginal group that includes people on personal spiritual quests,
as well as those in search of more material benefits.
Hakan Ekinci, 28, who hijacked a Turkish Airlines Tirana-Istanbul
flight to Italy on Tuesday, presented himself in an internet blog
adressed to Pope Benedict XVI as one such convert who did not want
to serve in “a Muslim army.”
Whether he actually belongs to any of Turkey’s Christian churches,
however, has come under doubt with the appearance of several articles
in the Turkish press Wednesday saying he has a criminal record for
fraud, in addition to two spells in the stockade for desertion.
Most of Turkey’s “new Christians” — who only number about 1,000 in
a population of 73 million that is more than 99 percent Muslim —
belong to a score of evangelical parishes scattered across Turkey.
“We have about a thousand followers in our churches, mostly Turks,
but also a few foreigners and, when there is only one church in town,
some Armenian Orthodox and Catholics as well,” explained Sait Cakir
of the Ankara Evangelical Community.
The evangelical churches, which are not recognised by the strictly
secular laws of Turkey, are mainly in the three biggest cities —
Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir — but have recently begun to soread east
to such localities as Sivas and Diyarbakir, he said.
“The fact that we are open to everyone means that we get some strange
followers,” said Ihsan Ozbek, the evangelical pastor for Ankara.
“Some come looking for women, others for money, yet others for visas
to the west.”
But not all of Turkey’s converts are con men looking for a ticket to
Europe rather than heaven.
Bulent, who works for an international organisation in the Turkish
capital and will not reveal his last name, said his conversion was
the result of an arduous quest for his roots.
“My father always said we were descendents of Turkmens from Central
Asia,” he said. “But one day, I learned that we were in fact a family
of Jews who had converted to Islam.”
After mulling this over for a while, he finally opted in 1993 to join
the Syriac church, in memory of the many tales his grandmother used
to tell him of the Christians of southeast Anatolia, where her family
originated from.
Ferda, who also did not want to give her family name, said she too
felt uncomfortable with her identity as a Muslim and a Turk.
She was raised in a community of Muslim Greeks who were deported to
Turkey during the population exchanges of 1923.
“But when I went to high school,” she said, “I suddenly realised what a
stranger I was to Turkish culture” — so she converted to Catholicism.
But conversions to the Roman church, as to the other mainstream
churches in Turkey — mostly Armenian and Greek orthodox — remain
the exception.
Still, the Armenian patriarchate in Istanbul reports about 20
conversions a year — mostly of Armenians who “lived as Muslims”
to escape the aftermath of the 1915-1917 massacres of their kinsmen
under the Ottoman Empire and want to return to their religious roots
before they die.

SAUDI DOCTORS BATTLE FOR HEARTS AND MINDS IN LEBANON
by Haro Chakmakjian
Agence France Presse — English
October 4, 2006 Wednesday
On the edge of Beirut racetrack, a horseshoe-shaped field hospital
is dispensing free medical care, as Saudi Arabia tries once again to
bankroll a Lebanese revival with hundreds of millions of dollars.
“I like horse-racing but we barely have time to call our families,”
said Saud al-Omani, a British-trained trauma surgeon from Riyadh
who heads a team of 115 doctors and nurses as well as 40 Lebanese
medical staff.
“We are all paid of course,” he said, from the petrodollars aplenty
of the Saudi government.
Groups of patients waited in shaded areas complete with seats in
front of 18 air-conditioned containers built as clinics on wheels,
painted in white and with the sign of the Saudi Red Crescent Society.
The medics have been operational since August 5, three weeks into
Israel’s 34-day war on the Shiite group Hezbollah that wrought
destruction mostly in south Lebanon and the Shiite southern suburbs
of Beirut, barely a few kilometres (miles) from the hospital.
The Saudi kingdom has been the single biggest aid donor to Lebanon,
comprising a one-billion-dollar deposit with the central bank to
shore up the currency and a grant of 500 million dollars.
It also sponsored the 1989 Taif accord which ended Lebanon’s
15-year civil war and gave massive financial support for post-war
reconstruction, especially during the five-time premiership of the
late Rafiq Hariri, a dual Saudi-Lebanese national.
On Tuesday in Saudi Arabia, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
urged Washington’s allies to help “young governments in places like
Lebanon … against the extremist forces”, partly in reference to
Hezbollah.
In a hearts and minds campaign open to all religions, the Saudi doctors
in their fluorescent orange and turquoise outfits have seen more than
50,000 patients, with a maximum treatment time of 24 hours each that
they aim to extend to three days.
“We don’t ask where they come from. We ask their name, age, and sex.
Most of the time, we know, by looking at them, the last part,” said
Omani, who was trained in Edinburgh and has also been involved in
relief operations in Kosovo, Iran and Iraq.
“We have no time-limit on humanitarian care,” he said, asked when
the operation would wind down.
“Our patients may be indirectly sick from the war, or it may be a
follow-up. Don’t forget the infrastructure has gone in this country
and medicine is expensive,” said Omani, 47, who wears a hearing aid
due to a 1991 Gulf War injury.
But the team does face some problems in terms of local habits. “The
trouble is convincing people to queue for registration and triage to
be able to classify patients,” explained Omani.
“We also have psychiatric cases, especially for children, and illnesses
due to the war,” said Omani.
The heaviest demand is for general practitioners but the clinic
also provides orthopaedic care, obstetrics, cardiology, psychiatric
treatment, paediatric, ultrasound and X-rays, as well as a laboratory.
It is equipped with an intensive care unit, recovery room, pharmacy,
an area for Muslim prayers, five ambulances, a sterilisation unit,
computers, in short all the latest in short-term medical care.
“We can handle 100 emergencies a day and more than 700 operations
have been carried out,” said Omani, although the number of patients
has eased from the normal 1,300-a-day, and hours have been curtailed
for the dawn-to-dusk fasting month of Ramadan.
Alongside aging Druze men in their white caps, black clothes and
traditional baggy pants, veiled Sunni and Shiite women milled around
with their children in tow.
Others, untroubled by the Ramadan fast, helped themselves from cooled
water dispensers.
“Thank God, they are looking after us, not like the government. Even
if you are dying, our government will not let you in hospital for
treatment if you don’t have the money,” said Majida Habash, 32,
a Shiite woman from the bombed-out suburbs.
“We have also had no help from Hezbollah, maybe because our house was
not damaged,” she said, referring to the 12,000-dollar cash handouts
being offered by the Shiite group backed by Tehran and Damascus.
Others were also impressed by the largesse of the oil-rich Saudi
government.
“I heard from the people that the Saudis have good doctors and are
giving free medicine. The people are saying good things,” said Nazih
Allwan, a Sunni from west Beirut, who had been waiting two hours to
be seen for a stomach infection.
Berdjouhi Nazarian, 52, from the Armenian Christian district of Bourj
Hammoud in east Beirut, said her husband needs heart surgery for a
blocked artery.
“Bravo to them (the Saudis) for helping the people. We can’t even
afford the medicine,” she said.
Saudi King Abdullah has also decided to pay all fees for state
school students in Lebanon for the delayed academic year, while
neighbouring United Arab Emirates is footing the bill to repair
schools and provide textbooks.

MONITORING HELD ON TERRITORIES NEIGHBORING NAGORNO KARABAKH
Public Radio, Armenia
Oct 4 2006
Monitoring of the international expert mission headed by Bernard Snoy,
Coordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, to assess
the impact of fires on the environment started in Nagorno Karabakh
and the neighboring territories. The monitoring will continue for 11
days. In Snoy’s words, the mandate of the mission is the evaluation
of short-term and long-term impact of fires on the environment and
elaboration of instructions for eradication of fire consequences. “We
shall develop instructions to prevent reoccurrence of fires,”
the coordinator said. He added that for full and exact evaluation,
the mission intends to investigate the fire zones, as well as the
contact line.

MAYOR OF PARIS 9TH ARRONDISSEMENT JACQUES BRAVO VISITED TSITSERNAKABERD
Public Radio, Armenia
Oct 4 2006
Accompanied by Head of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF)
Bureau’s Hay Dat and Political Affairs Office Kiro Manoyan, Mayor of
Paris 9th arrondissement, representative of the Socialist Party of
France Jacques Bravo visited the Armenian Genocide memorial to pay
a tribute to the memory of 1.5 million innocent victims.
In the Museum-Institute of Genocide Jacques Bravo familiarized himself
with the evidences of atrocities carried out in Ottoman Turkey. “This
morning I bear the excitement of Paris people. A people that does
not want die, will never die,” he wrote in the book.
Jacques Bravo expressed the hope that in the end the Armenian
Genocide will be recognized all over the world. “Twenty years ago I
was also participating in rallies condemning the Armenian Genocide,”
he said, adding that he will do his best to promote the international
recognition of the Genocide.

ARMENIAN MP TO FILE A PROTEST TO THE CENTRAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION OF GEORGIA
Public Radio, Armenia
Oct 4 2006
Member of the Georgian Parliament elected from Tsalka region
Hayk Meltonyan is going to file a protest to the Central Electoral
Commission of Georgia. The reason of the protest is the obvious fraud
of the voters’ lists.
The number of voters in the list compiled by the Regional Central
Electoral Commission of Tsalka was artificially increased. However,
parallel to this the number of Armenian voters was reduced.

NKR PARLIAMENT DISCUSSES THE DRAFT CONSTITUTION
Public Radio, Armenia
Oct 4 2006
Discussions of the draft Constitution started at NKR National
Assembly today.
Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Defense and Security Issues
Rudolf Martirosyan told MEDIAMAX agency that the draft Constitution
was first discussed by Parliamentary groups and factions, political
forces, and representatives of non-governmental organizations of NKR.
The results of the discussions were summed up at the joint sitting of
NA Standing Committees, featuring Head of the task group on elaboration
of the draft Constitution, NKR Attorney General Armen Zalinyan. Part
of the suggestions made during the preliminary discussion has been
included in the document presented for consideration of the National
Assembly.

BENITA FERRERO-WALDNER DETECTS DANGEROUS TRENDS THE SOUTH CAUCASUS
Public Radio, Armenia
Oct 4 2006
“Dangerous trends” have emerged in the South Caucasus in the recent
months, EU Commissioner on Enlargement Benita Ferrero-Waldner told
“Turan” agency. “We see no real progress in the settlement of the
frozen conflicts and listen to rhetoric, which is not that favourable
and impacts the public opinion. These are troublesome processes for all
those persons who anticipate peaceful resolution of the conflicts. I
find also that the great expenses on armament in the South Caucasus,
where the poverty level is high even without it, is a negative trend,”
she said.
What can Brussels suggest? In response to the question, the EU
Commissioner noted that the European Union wants settlement through
negotiations. According to her, the aggravation of tension can lead
to unpredictable consequences for the region.
“In case of the Karabakh conflict the European Union stands for
the current talks in the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group. The
Neighbourhood policy is not a mechanism for prevention or resolution
of conflicts. However, by defending democracy, contacts between
people, regional cooperation, socio-economic development programs,
it is possible to shape a correct atmosphere for settlement,”
Ferrero-Waldner declared.

ARMENIA’S 15TH INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY EXHIBITION OPENED IN CANADA
Public Radio, Armenia
Oct 4 2006
Under the Auspices of His Eminence, Archbishop Khajag Hagopian,
Prelate of the Armenian Prelacy of Canada, Divine Liturgy was served
at the Bon Pasteur Catholic Church in Laval in celebration of the
feast of Sourp Kevork on October 1, 2006.
The special service brought together clergy members of different
denominations, as well multi-level politicians and representatives
of several local organizations, which was followed by a minute of
silence and prayer for the victims of the overpass collapse in Laval.
A special banquet for the feast of Sourp Kevork in tribute to Laval’s
Sourp Kevork Armenian Apostolic Church was also held the previous
evening at the Armenian community centre in Laval.
After the special ceremony, His Eminence also joined other community
members at the opening of an exhibition “Voice of the Caravans,”
featuring the works of Canadian Armenian artist, Perouz Seferian.
The exhibit was held in honour of Armenia’s 15th Independence
anniversary and was organized by Armenia’s Embassy in Canada, in
collaboration with Canadian Armenian organizations, held at the
Armenian General Benevolent Union’s centre in Montreal.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EU ENLARGEMENT COMMISSIONER ISSUES WARNING TO TURKEY OVER RIGHTS
Deutsche Presse-Agentur
October 4, 2006 Wednesday 4:16 PM EST
DPA POLITICS Turkey Diplomacy EU EU enlargement commissioner issues
warning to Turkey over rights Ankara The European Union’s enlargement
commissioner Olli Rehn on Wednesday issued a stern warning to the
Turkish government to up the pace of human rights reform or risk
derailing Turkey’s bid to join the union.
Rehn called on the government to scrap or amend the notorious Article
301 of the penal code that has been used to prosecute journalists
and writers on vague charges of “insulting Turkishness.”
He also urged Ankara to implement proper civilian control over the
military and to open its ports to EU member Cyprus.
“We are facing a rough ride in the coming months,” Rehn told reporters
after meetings with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul. “Clearly this reform process needs to
be pursued and strengthened,” Rehn said.
Rein’s visit, on the first anniversary of the EU officially opening
membership talks with Turkey, comes as public support for the
bid to join the union has fallen to around 50 per cent, down from
over 80 per cent in just a few years.
Turks are upset at what it sees as double standards from EU countries
over both freedom of speech issues and the Cyprus problem.
Recent moves in France to make it a crime to deny that genocide
was committed on Armenians during World War I, a charge that Turkey
vehemently denies, have led to accusations that while the EU demands
human rights reforms from Turkey, certain countries are in fact
restricting freedom of speech.
The Turkish government is also refusing to lift its ban on extending
an existing customs union with the EU to Cyprus, saying that first
restrictions and sanctions on the self-declared Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus must be lifted.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress