Armenia 0 Holland 1
Sporting Life, UK
Sept 4 2005
Holland kept themselves on track for qualification to the 2006 World
Cup but were indebted to a single strike from Ruud van Nistelrooy
that gave them a slender victory over Armenia.
The victory was justified but Marco van Basten’s men were deeply
unconvincing as they struggled to penetrate the Armenian defence.
Holland had 74% of the possession in both halves of the match, but
no more than six shots were fired at Armenia keeper Roman Berezovsky.
The Dutch goal was scored in the second half by Manchester United
star van Nistelrooy, who played well but was unlucky in front of goal.
Van Nistelrooy’s strike came in the 63rd minute after Khalid Boulahrouz
sent a long ball to substitute Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, who had
only entered the field of play a minute earlier.
The rangy striker headed the ball towards Van Nistelrooy, who turned
away from his marker and rifled the ball into the back of the net.
The Oranje started well and had three chances in the first 15 minutes,
only for Van Nistelrooy, Philip Cocu and Robin van Persie to have no
luck with their shots.
However besides a header from Dirk Kuyt and a shot from Van Persie,
Holland offered little else in the first period.
In the second half Holland faced even more problems getting through
the wall of Armenian players.
After the goal their passing game fell apart and the match fizzled out.
Armenia only looked to the counter attack during the game and never
really upset the Dutch defence or goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar.
But they were undoubtedly hampered by the loss of the focal point
of their attack, Ajax striker Edgar Manucharian, to a 17th minute
hamstring injury.

Dutch squeeze past plucky Armenia
CNN International
Sept 3 2005
Saturday, September 3, 2005 Posted: 2049 GMT (0449 HKT)
Van Nistelrooy celebrates the goal that boosted hopes of automatic
qualificationLONDON, England — Ruud van Nistelrooy spared Dutch
blushes with a second half goal to see off minnows Armenia on Saturday
to stay top of the tough European Group One of World Cup qualfying.
Van Nistelrooy chested down Hedwiges Maduro’s pass from the right in
the 64th minute and hit the target into the right corner.
Romania’s 2-0 win over the Czech Republic also boosted Dutch hopes
of automatic qualification.
The Netherlands have 25 points from nine matches, three ahead of
Romania who have played two games more. The Czechs have 21 from
nine matches.
Juventus striker Adrian Mutu, who scored twice against Andorra last
month, netted Romania’s first in the 26th minute from Razvan Rat’s
cross.
The former Chelsea striker, sacked by the Premier League champions
after failing a drugs test, added a second 20 minutes into the
second half.
Jan Koller hit the post for the visitors after the break, but the
Czechs were well beaten.
Earlier, the Netherlands made heavy weather of winning in Yerevan
after dominating the first half.
Phillip Cocu almost opened the scoring in the 10th minute when he
stole the ball from a defender. His shot from just inside the box
shaved the right post.
Armenia goalkeeper Roman Berezovsky made several saves to keep his
goal untouched in the first half.
He fisted away a van Nistelrooy shot, reached Cocu’s header off
Nistelrooy’s cross from the left, and stopped Nistelrooy’s drive from
20 meters.
“I’m satisfied with the result, but not with the way we played,”
said Dutch coach Marco van Basten. “Armenia played well in defense
and we could not find free space ahead.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Saturday, 3 September 2005
by Khachik Chakhoyan
Ruud van Nistelrooij’s goal midway through the second half saved the
Netherlands’ blushes as they scraped a win in Armenia to strenghten
their place at the head of FIFA World Cup qualifying Group 1.
Stylish finish
Manchester United FC striker Van Nistelrooij was kept quiet for most
of the game by some solid Armenian defending, but it took him only
one shot to decide the game in favour of visitors. On 64 minutes
Khalid Boulahrouz crossed into the area, Philip Cocu won the aerial
challenge and when the ball dropped the ball to Van Nistelrooij,
he finished in style.
Berezovski heroics
Goalkeeper Roman Berezovski was undoubtedly the man of the match
for Armenia as he helped to keep the Dutch at bay for most of the
encounter. On eight minutes he denied Van Nistelrooij from a dangerous
shot, while on 31 minutes Dirk Kuyt’s powerful header from point-blank
range was brilliantly saved. Arsenal FC’s Robin van Persie was also
denied by the goalkeeper in the first half.
Armenia blow
Armenia were dealt a blow when they lost their young star Edgar
Manucharyan, after a bright start, to a 17th-minute injury. Ara
Hakobyan came on to form a duo with his brother Aram and had the home
side’s best chance just three minutes after coming on, just failing
to connect after Cocu misjudged a header back to his own goalkeeper.
Dutch top
On Wednesday the Dutch hope to reinforce their position further when
they play host to the group’s bottom side, Andorra. Armenia, meanwhile,
travel to the Czech Republic with their hopes of qualification
already over.
©uefa.com 1998-2005.
–Boundary_(ID_tTtimm6nHwJ0c6NsCSXACg)–

‘By reason, Russia can’t be got’!
Deccan Herald, India
Sept 4 2005
Old memorials of the Revolution are giving way to new capitalistic
ventures. Lenin is still respected but Russians are asking for more
and more, learns deepak k upreti.
‘Russia can’t be understood by the mind alone’, these words by the
19the-century poet Fyodor Tiutcheve, printed in a Russian tourism
ministry’s brochure, invites you to get a real feel of Russia by
visiting it rather than take a distant look.
As the Aeroflot is flying above Russia in the darkness of night I ask
the airhostess about the names of the cities down there. Svetlana,
the affable ‘Babushka’ (elderly lady) goes to the pilot’s cabin and
tells me ‘we have crossed the Volga river and it is Samara and now we
are approaching Penza’. Moscow city is still few hours away.
Svetlana has two sons, one would be joining army and another planning
to be a translator. Svetlana is the name of Stalin’s daughter? “Yes,
but I don’t like it. It is very cold. I like warm names like
Katarina, Leena, Aknisha…,” she ventures to tell me.
And as one lands in Moscow and drives down the city, one can not but
feel strong nostalgia of the bygone Communist era intermingling with
the post-Gorbachev liberalized Russia where life is about racing in
swanky cars on roads sporting billboards of multinational companies.
The large foreign presence in Mercedes Benz (German), McDonald, Citi
Bank (USA), Sharp (Japanese), Renault (French) and L G, Samsung
(South Korea) is very much noticeable. As one slowly moves along the
heavy traffic congestion around the ‘Mkad’ (Moscow ring) what meets
the eye is a MTV as atop a high pillar. Posters, ads and signs are in
Russian language.
The home manufactured Russian car ‘Lada’ marks an ubiquitous presence
even as many vehicles that have broken down on the road bear the Lada
tag – this, perhaps, could be a coincidence. The fast moving cars in
the Moscow roads – 1.5 million produced each year – symbolize, in a
way, private possession and an indicator of individual drive for
‘more and more’.
‘Debushkas’ (young girls ), clad in low-waist, hip hugging jeans can
be seen sipping beer and smoking like chimneys in cars, buses, boats
or on the road sides too. What about good old Vodka ? The question is
posed to Ruben O. Prazyan, the senior specialist in Novosti, the
Russian News & Information Agency, who is guiding us through the maze
of unfamiliar surroundings. “Well, youth do not drink Vodka and
prefer beer but next year drinking will be banned on streets”, Ruben
points to the spill-over impact of the street side beer guzzling
habit in the post-glasnost-perestroika (openness and reconstruction)
period of last two and half decades. In the hotel room Russian
television is exploding with stories from world over. Berezovski, a
Russian businessman started the first TV channel, ORT of the country
which is now a government channel. He used the channel for his
business purposes and is now on the run. N-TV channel belonged to
another business man Gusinskiy but is now independent with the
original owner apparently in Isreal avoiding police arrest. But, of
course, there is more to Russian media than these early aberrations.
Churches have proliferated in Moscow in the post-Communist period
with many restored in the heart of city. “This Cathedral, the Christ
Saviour, was destroyed by Bolsheviks but now restored by the
Establishment,” says Ms Ludmila Gagzhavaeva, our first guide.
Churches and beggars
An estimated 10,000 churches were said to be destroyed by Bolshevik
communists. Amidst imposing churches and palatial buildings meant for
housing people, one can still sight a few beggars. These beggars
mostly come from CIS (Common Wealth of Independent States), once part
of erstwhile Soviet Union. “This is a city where people migrate for
job and food,” explains Gagzhavaeva.
We are reaching the Centre of the City and the past comes to mind at
the sight of Lubyanka Square where a grim yellow building is
introduced to us as KGB headquarters now renamed as Phaseburg. Then
comes Hotel Russia built by Soviet Premier Khruschev in 1962 that was
used by Communist party members. In the “new Russia” it will make way
for a five star hotel!
To show America!
Along the way, one sights the well carved and imposing building of
the Russian Ministry of foreign Affairs, constructed by Joseph
Stalin, the Communist dictator, “to show America the Russian power.”
The nerve centre of Russian power – Kremlin – has a sprawling space
which is rich in its tumultuous history. The Red Square here is
normally used for military parade but now concerts are also organized
in this open space.
At a stone’s throw is a tomb of one of the most famous name in the
world and Russian history- Vladimir Illich Lenin, the founder of
erstwhile Soviet Union. Lenin’s balmed body is still resting here
even after over 80 years of his death. There is a serpentine cue of
foreigners waiting patiently to get a glimpse of the greatest of the
Soviet icons. Short flights of steps lead you down to the dark
interiors of the tomb which houses Lenin. There is compete silence.
Militia guard the tomb.
It is a strange feeling “seeing” Lenin. “A debate is going on whether
he should be buried now. Almost half the Russian populace want it but
the other half, the old timers refuse to shift him,” says Ruben, an
Armenian by origin. The Communist party in Russia still has around 20
per cent representation in Parliament.
There is no statue of Stalin except on his tomb.
Has the current establishment gone against the literature or writings
of Communist era Gorky etc? “Establishment did not go against them. I
like them as always. The younger generation here is not aware of them
like in India youth may not be much in tune with Rabindranath
Tagore,” comments Sergey Muzalevsky, a translator. But, yes, one
finds Museum of Revolution has been closed for about three years now
though there is no reason given for its shutting down.
Larrisa Shustova, a witty tourist guide, links the pre-revolutionary
Russia to the current period. “Here is Catherine the First who was a
very simple-poor-Polish girl. She climbed many steps to be in bed
with many and went several rungs up the ladder to finally sleep with
Peter the Great! This is new Russia, where every body goes to the
Church even the Mafia who kill people go to the Church and seek
forgiveness!”
Lenin is Ok!
We are on the Muskavi river in a steamer and I am tempted to ask
Leena and Yana, two young English speaking Russians what they think
of Lenin
“I respect Lenin but now I wear pink glasses under a blue sky and
want world peace,” Leena smiles and breaks into a peel of laughter.
We have dinner at a restaurant where the band is playing the Hindi
film song Duniyan hain dil walon ki.Amidst strong smell of Russian
beer and a thick smoke of kent cigarette I wonder what it would be
like during Russian winters amid snowfall. And Tutchev whispers in my
ear “by reason, Russia can’t be got”, come again….

FACTBOX-Governments line up to help after Katrina
Sept 3 (Reuters) – Hurricane Katrina has devastated New Orleans
and U.S. Gulf Coast states, killing hundreds of people and possibly
thousands, and drawing support pledges from rich and poor, traditional
friends and foes of the United States.
The State Department said offers of help had been received from:
Australia, Austria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Belgium, Canada,
China, Columbia, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El
Salvador, France, Germany, Guatemala, Greece, Guyana, Honduras,
Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan,
Jordan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand,
Norway, Paraguay, Philippines, Portugal, South Korea, Russia, Saudi
Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Sweden,
Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates,
and Venezuela.
International organisations also offered help ranging from medical
teams to tents to cash donations. They include NATO, the Organisation
of American States, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, and the
World Health Organization.
A State Department official said a needs assessment was being done
to determine which offers would be accepted.
The United Nations has offered to help coordinate international
relief. Following is a list of some of the aid offered by governments.
ASIA
AUSTRALIA: “We’re going to provide A$10 million and the bulk of
that money, if not all of it, will go to the American Red Cross,”
said Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer. The Australian
government said there may be up to 24 Australians trapped in Louisiana
in the aftermath of Katrina.
CHINA: China offered $5 million in aid for victims of Hurricane
Katrina which devastated the Gulf Coast ahead of President Hu Jintao’s
U.S. visit. If needed, the Chinese government is also prepared to
send rescue workers, including medical experts, officials said.
JAPAN: Will provide $200,000 to the American Red Cross to assist
victims of Hurricane Katrina, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said on
Friday. Japan will also identify needs in affected regions via the
U.S. government and will provide up to $300,000 in emergency supplies
such as tents, blankets and power generators if it receives requests
for such assistance, the ministry said.
SINGAPORE: The Singapore Armed Forces, responding to requests by
the United States Texas Army National Guard, has sent three Chinook
helicopters to Fort Polk, Louisiana, to help in relief efforts. The
government said the Chinooks will help to ferry supplies and undertake
airlift missions.
SOUTH KOREA: Has pledged aid and is waiting for a U.S. response,
a government official said. “We have sent our intention to offer
recovery aid,” a Foreign Ministry official said on Friday.
SRI LANKA: Will donate $25,000 to the American Red Cross.
AMERICAS
CANADA: Offered to help in any way it can and the navy is preparing
a ship full of emergency disaster relief supplies to be sent when a
request comes.
CUBA: Cuban President Fidel Castro offered to fly 1,100 doctors to
Houston with 26 tonnes of medicine to treat disaster victims.
MEXICO: Is sending 15 truckloads of water, food and medical supplies
via Texas and the Mexican navy has offered to send two ships, two
helicopters and 15 amphibious vehicles.
VENEZUELA: President Hugo Chavez, a vocal critic of the United States,
offered to send cheap fuel, humanitarian aid and relief workers to
the disaster area.
EUROPE:
EUROPEAN UNION: EU countries are ready to give the United States oil
if it requests help, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said on
Friday. But British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said this was not
what the EU had in mind when it discussed how to help.
FRANCE: Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin said France was ready to
offer support, telling TF1 television: “We have rescue teams based
in the Caribbean and we are naturally ready to provide aid to the
Americans, and that is what we have told them.”
GERMANY: Has offered mobile units to provide clean water, military
hospital facilities and medical aid.
ITALY: Has offered to “immediately” send aid and evacuation
specialists, Italy’s civil protection unit said. Authorities have
prepared two military transport planes to fly amphibious vessels,
pumps, generators, tents and personnel to New Orleans and other
areas. They were awaiting word from U.S. officials, the unit said.
NETHERLANDS: Will provide teams for inspecting dykes and for
identifying victims if there is a formal request from the United
States. It will also send a frigate from Curacao to New Orleans
shortly to provide emergency assistance, the government said.
RUSSIA: Has offered to help with rescue efforts, but is still awaiting
a reply from Washington. “Above all with heavy transport planes,
which can be loaded with helicopters and generators — as there is no
electricity in the area of the catastrophe,” Defence Minister Sergei
Ivanov said.
SPAIN: Expects to receive a formal request to release gasoline stocks
to the United States and is prepared to grant it, an Industry Ministry
spokesman said.
SWEDEN: The Rescue Authority said it was on stand-by to supply water
purifying equipment, healthcare supplies and emergency shelters
if needed.
MIDDLE EAST
SAUDI ARABIA – Saudi Refining, a Houston-based subsidiary of state
oil firm Saudi Aramco, will donate $5 million to the American Red
Cross to support relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Katrina.
QATAR: Pledged $100 million in aid to the disaster victims, the
official QNA news agency reported.
(For more news about emergency relief visit Reuters AlertNet
email: [email protected]; +44 207 542 2432)
(Compiled by Matthew Bigg in London)
09/03/05 11:44 ET
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ANSA Notiziario Generale in Italiano
31 Ago, 2005
TURCHIA: MASSACRI ARMENI, SCRITTORE PAMUK SOTTO PROCESSO ;
HA DICHIARATO CHE 1 MILIONE FURONO UCCISI NEL 1915-1916
ANKARA
(ANSA) – ANKARA, 31 AGO – Il piu’ noto scrittore turco, Orhan
Pamuk, sara’ processato dal 16 dicembre prossimo davanti ad un
tribunale di Istanbul con l’accusa di “offesa deliberata
all’identita’ turca” per avere dichiarato nel febbraio scorso
ad una rivista turca che nel 1915-16 “un milione di armeni
furono uccisi in Turchia”. Lo hanno reso noto i dirigenti della
casa editrice dello stesso Pamuk, che ha 53 anni, ed i cui libri
piu’ famosi, come “Neve” ed “Il castello bianco” sono stati
tradotti in 20 lingue e gli hanno meritato quest’anno il premio
della Pce delle librerie tedesche.
Subito dopo la pubblicazione dell’intervista un viceprefetto
turco aveva chiesto la confisca e la distruzione dei libri di
Pamuk, ma la sua iniziativa era poi rientrata anche per le aspre
reazioni che la sua richiesta aveva suscitato in Europa.
La questione dei massacri degli armeni nell’ultima fase
dell’impero ottomano e’ una questione molto sensibile in
Turchia, il cui governo sostiene che “non piu’ di 300-500
armeni” furono le vittime armene di scontri con i turchi che
avrebbero subito perdite equivalenti se non superiori. La
Turchia per questa ragione respinge con veemenza la qualifica di
“genocidio” attribuita dagli armeni (che sostengono che furono
1,5 milioni le vittime armene) a quei massacri, un’accusa fatta
propria da diversi parlamenti europei, incluso il Parlamento
europeo di Strasburgo.
L’accusa di offesa deliberata alla identita’ turca, con cui
Pamuk e’ stato rinviato a giudizio, prevede una pena fino a 3
anni di reclusione.(ANSA)

Van Nistelrooy on target in Dutch win in Armenia
Reuters, UK
Sept 3 2005
Sat Sep 3, 2005 8:36 PM BST
YEREVAN, Armenia, Sept 3 (Reuters) – Ruud van Nistelrooy notched his
23rd international goal to guide the Netherlands to a 1-0 win over
Armenia in their World Cup Group One qualifying match on Saturday.
The Dutch brought Arsenal’s Robin van Persie into the team in place
of injured Chelsea winger Arjen Robben (ankle).
Van Nistelrooy and Philip Cocu went close to putting the visitors in
front inside the first 10 minutes.
Armenia goalkeeper Roman Berezovski was forced to stretch to save a
free kick from Manchester United striker van Nistelrooy while Cocu
hit the side-netting after Berezovski dropped the ball.
Dirk Kuijt also came close to breaking the deadlock when his header
was stopped by Berezovski.
Dutch coach Marco van Basten realised that physical power was needed
up front to penetrate the Armenian wall of defence and brought on
Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink in the 61st minute.
Two minutes later Vennegoor of Hesselink set up van Nistelrooy,
who had his back to goal before he turned to score.
Netherlands, who stayed top of the group with 25 points from nine
matches, play hosts to Andorra on Wednesday.
Armenia are bottom with four points from 10 games.
“We played a very poor first half and hardly got any better after
the break” said van Basten, who remained unbeaten in his 13th match
as national coach.
“Everything went wrong…sloppy passing and poor control over the
ball…and we did not manage to improve that,” he told reporters.
“I hoped by bringing on Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink to change something
and it felt good when it worked just minutes after he came on.
“These sorts of matches will always be there, you really want play
your game but whatever you try nothing works out.”

Schweizerische Depeschenagentur AG (SDA)
SDA – Service de base français
1 septembre 2005
Développement Suisse-Turquie Dogu Perinçek entendu en septembre par
le parquet de Lausanne
nn ihst ll zj
Lausanne f
Istanbul (ats) Le nationaliste de gauche turc Dogu Perinçek est
attendu en Suisse dans le courant du mois de septembre. Il
comparaîtra le 20 septembre devant la justice vaudoise pour avoir nié
publiquement la réalité du génocide arménien.
“Je serai du 16 au 22 septembre en Suisse”, a indiqué M. Perinçek à
Ankara. “Je répéterai que le soi-disant génocide arménien est un
mensonge international”, a-t-il déjà annoncé.
Dogu Perinçek est la figure de proue du Parti des travailleurs (IP),
qui a obtenu 160 000 des 31,5 millions de voix aux dernières
élections parlementaires (0,51 %). Venu en Suisse fin juillet à
l’occasion de la célébration du 82e anniversaire du Traité de
Lausanne, il a critiqué à Lausanne et à Glattbrugg (ZH) “le mensonge
international” à propos des événements de 1915.
Enquête ouverte
La justice suisse a ouvert des enquêtes pour déterminer si ces propos
publics contrevenaient à la norme pénale contre le racisme. Le juge
d’instuction cantonal vaudois, Jacques Antenen, a été chargé
d’instruire toutes les procédures ouvertes.
Le juge aura la difficile tâche de déterminer si l’art 261 bis du
code pénal s’applique aux propos tenus en Suisse par Dogu Perinçek.
“La question fondamentale sera de définir si on est en présence d’un
génocide au sens de l’art 261 bis”, relève le juge.
Le Conseil national et le Grand Conseil vaudois ont reconnu le
génocide arménien. Plus prudents, le Conseil fédéral, comme le
Conseil d’Etat, ont choisi de laisser le débat aux historiens.
Le juge d’instruction examine aussi si d’autres personnalités ont
tenu des propos négationnistes lors de la célébration du Traité de
Lausanne. Pour l’instant, cela ne semble pas être le cas. Les
déclarations qui pourraient tomber sous le coup de la norme
antiraciste ont été tenues dans un cadre privé, au Beau-Rivage.
Tensions
La question arménienne provoque des tensions récurrentes entre Berne
et la Turquie. Si Ankara reconnaît la réalité des massacres perpétrés
par l’Empire ottoman contre la minorité arménienne, elle récuse le
terme de “génocide” et les chiffres de 1,2 à 1,3 million de morts
avancés par les Arméniens. La Turquie estime le nombre de victimes à
250 000 ou 300 000.
–Boundary_(ID_pWO7RWzwuKwOAgEoJMLabA)–

Pamuk poursuivi pour avoir évoqué le génocide arménien
Libération , France
1 septembre 2005
L’écrivain turc Orhan Pamuk passera en procès à partir du 16 décembre
à Istanbul et risque de six mois à trois ans de prison pour “insulte
délibérée à l’identité turque”, a annoncé hier son éditeur.
Son crime : avoir évoqué le génocide arménien (1915-1917). Dans
un magazine suisse, Pamuk, régulièrement la cible des cercles
nationalistes, avait affirmé qu'”un million d’Arméniens avaient
été tués en Turquie”. Ankara soutient officiellement que 300 000
Arméniens et au moins autant de Turcs ont été tués au cours de
troubles suscités par le soulèvement des Arméniens. Controversé en
raison de son engagement en faveur des causes arménienne et kurde,
Pamuk, 53 ans, apparaît rarement en public.
–Boundary_(ID_1aWhml1D2cO1GImyT1pBCg)–

Neue Zürcher Zeitung
31. August 2005
Leugnung des Armeniermords ist rassistisch
Entgegnung zum Charakter des türkischen Nationalismus
Von Rupen Boyadjian*
Georg Kreis, Präsident der Eidgenössischen Kommission gegen
Rassismus, hat die Ansicht vertreten, die Leugnung des Genozids an
den Armeniern sei nicht rassistisch wie die Verneinung des Holocaust
(NZZ 11. 8. 05). In der folgenden Entgegnung wird der diffamierende
Charakter der Leugnung des Armeniermords hervorgehoben. Die
ideologische und faktische Diskriminierung sei zudem immer noch von
politischer Relevanz.
In einem Diskussionsbeitrag hat Georg Kreis festgehalten, die
Leugnung des Völkermords an den Armeniern sei nicht diffamierend wie
die Leugnung des Holocaust mit ihrer “stereotypen antisemitischen
Zuschreibung von Macht- und Geldgier und Ausbeutung anderer”. Es gebe
keine Ideologie, welche über die Leugnung dieses Genozids genährt
würde, und ihre Beurteilung im Hinblick auf die Wiederholungsgefahr
sei nicht “derart wichtig”. Der Präsident der Eidgenössischen
Kommission gegen Rassismus verkennt damit die Natur des Negationismus
in diesem Fall.
Armenierhass und Verschwörungstheorien
Georg Kreis räumt zwar ein, dass es für die Armenier beleidigend ist,
der Lüge bezichtigt zu werden, sieht aber keine Diffamierung. Der
suggerierte Unterschied ist hier irreführend. Wer sich mit dem
Armenier-Diskurs in der Türkei vertraut macht, sieht zudem, dass die
angeführten Stereotype auch auf Armenier angewandt werden. Die
Genozid-Leugnung ist, wie es Dominique Exquis und Marcel Niggli
formuliert haben, “der Versuch, das für den Völkermord
verantwortliche Regime und seine Täter weisszuwaschen, auf dass deren
verbrecherische Ideologie akzeptabler oder gar akzeptabel erscheine.
Im gleichen Zug werden die Opfer als Lügner qualifiziert. (. . .) Die
Leugnung bestärkt mithin jene, die die Opfer ohnehin ablehnen, und
wirbt für ihre Diskriminierung bei den anderen.” Die Bemühungen um
die Anerkennung des Völkermords an den Armeniern schürten nur den
“Hass unter den Türken”, stand selbst in der Petition, mit der die
Koordinationsstelle der türkischen Verbände in der Schweiz die
Anerkennung dieses Verbrechens im Nationalrat verhindern wollte.
Dass die Armenier aufgrund der Leugnung des Völkermords in der Türkei
verhasst sind, zeigt sich schon darin, dass die umfassend staatlich
kontrollierten Medien immer wieder verbreitet haben, Armenier stünden
hinter der kurdischen PKK. In einer 1999 in Deutschland unter
türkischen Einwandererkindern durchgeführten Studie nannten 76
Prozent die Armenier ein unbeliebtes Volk. “Intrigieren wie ein
Armenier” oder “armenische Krankheit”, als Umschreibung für Geiz,
waren bereits im Osmanischen Reich Redensarten, welche die Stereotype
verdeutlichen. Selbst dort tätige Ausländer übernahmen zuweilen
antiarmenisches Gedankengut. Fritz Bronsart von Schellendorf, der
deutsche Generalstabschef der osmanischen Armee im Ersten Weltkrieg,
schrieb etwa: “Der Armenier ist, wie der Jude, ausserhalb seiner
Heimat ein Parasit, der die Gesundheit eines anderen Landes, in dem
er sich niedergelassen hat, aufsaugt.”
Durch staatliche Propaganda genährt, ist auch heute das Bild der
sinistre Pläne verfolgenden Armenier virulent, die mit dem von den
“Imperialisten” unterstützten “Völkermordvorwurf” einen geheimen Plan
zur Zerstörung der Türkei verfolgten. Das Erziehungsministerium
ordnete im April 2003 an, Wettbewerbe abzuhalten, in denen alle
türkischen Schüler, auch Angehörige der Minderheiten, schriftlich die
“Völkermordlüge” widerlegen müssen. Diese Massnahme sei rassistisch,
stellte die türkische Lehrergewerkschaft fest.
Ideologie und Wiederholungsgefahr
Der Teil der jüngtürkischen Partei, der sich 1913 gegen den
demokratisch-osmanistischen Flügel durchsetzte und eine diktatorische
Regierung bildete, war vom Türkismus ergriffen. Diese rassistische
Ideologie hat einen ethnisch homogenen türkischen Staat zum Ziel. Die
1923 gemäss Lausanner Friedensvertrag gegründete Republik Türkei
übernahm wesentliche Teile des jungtürkischen Programms wie auch des
Personals. “Die Türkei den Türken” prangt auf jeder Ausgabe der
Tageszeitung “Hürriyet”. Massnahmen zur “Türkifizierung” ziehen eine
ununterbrochene Spur durch die Geschichte der Republik bis heute.
Bereits in den 1920er und 1930er Jahren kamen die Kurden ins Visier.
Zahlreiche Deportationen von nun vorwiegend muslimischen
Minderheitsgruppen dienten der Ideologie des ethnisch homogenen
Staates ebenso wie Vertreibungen von restlichen Christen in den
frühen Jahren der Republik (auf deren Gebiet waren vor dem Ersten
Weltkrieg 25 Prozent der Bevölkerung Christen gewesen; heute sind es
wenige Promille). Pogrome gegen die thrakischen Juden 1934 trugen
dazu bei, die 100″000 Angehörigen, welche die jüdische Gemeinde 1920
noch umfasste, auf gegenwärtig 15″000 bis 20″000 zu reduzieren. 1942
wurde eine fast ausschliesslich bei armenischen, griechischen und
jüdischen Minderheiten erhobene “Reichtumssteuer” eingeführt, welche
Tausende in Ruin und Emigration trieb. Selbst der für die Steuer
zuständige leitende Beamte, Faik Ökte, nannte diese Politik später
rassistisch.
Die offiziell propagierte Leugnung des Völkermords an den Armeniern
ist darauf angelegt, alles Armenische schlechtzumachen. Das
gesellschaftliche Umfeld, das so geschaffen wird, begünstigt verbale
und tätliche Angriffe. Steinwürfe auf armenische Kirchen,
Grabschändungen oder Aufrufe zum Boykott armenischer Geschäfte kommen
regelmässig vor. Die Täter werden ebenso regelmässig nicht ermittelt,
wobei sich die Behörden nicht nur in Zurückhaltung üben. Sie
betreiben diverse diskriminatorische Praktiken, die auf eine
Verhinderung von Gemeindeleben zielen. Das Verwaltungsgericht
Braunschweig lehnte deshalb die Rückführung zweier abgewiesener
armenischer Asylbewerber in die Türkei 1995 ab, denn es sah “die
erhöhte Gefahr erneuter pogromartiger Ausschreitungen gegen die
armenische Minderheit in der Türkei”.
Im Osmanischen Reich waren die Armenier Bürger zweiter Klasse und
galten als minderwertig. Um ihnen in der absehbaren Demokratisierung
keine gleichen Rechte gewähren zu müssen, hat man sie umgebracht,
denn nur Türken sollten in einem auf “Türkentum” basierenden Staat
eine Rechtsgemeinschaft bilden. Die Leugnung des Völkermords
schliesst die Armenier heute weiterhin von rechtlich-ethischer
Verbundenheit aus. Der rassistische Kern dieser Minderberechtigung
hat sich nicht einfach aufgelöst, auch nach 90 Jahren nicht. Wäre der
Rassismus überwunden, dann gäbe es dieser Tage weder die
Genozid-Leugnung noch andere Diskriminierungen der Armenier.
*”Der Autor war Leiter der Arbeitsgruppe der Gesellschaft
Schweiz-Armenien im ersten Prozess wegen Leugnung des Völkermords an
den Armeniern und Mitherausgeber von “Enteignet – Vertrieben –
Ermordet. Beiträge zur Genozidforschung” (Chronos-Verlag 2004).
–Boundary_(ID_yOIfWprqiJZxZxlKH8lP1A)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress