PRESS RELEASE
March 7, 2005
Embassy of the Republic of Armenia
2225 R Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20008
Tel: 202-319-1976, x. 348; Fax: 202-319-2982
Email: [email protected]; Web:

Ambassador Arman Kirakossian’s Farewell Address to the Armenian American
Community

Dear compatriots,

At the end of March, I will complete my diplomatic mission as Armenian
Ambassador to the United States, and return to Yerevan to continue to work
at the Foreign Ministry.

During my tenure as Armenia’s Ambassador to the United States, I have always
communicated with the Armenian American community to keep them apprised of
the Embassy’s diplomatic activities, through press releases and annual New
Year addresses. I believe that the tradition of openness and transparency
has served the Embassy well. Before my departure, I want to share with you
my impressions and perspective on the course of U.S.-Armenian relations and
the highlights of my mission as Ambassador of Armenia in Washington, DC.

I believe that U.S.-Armenian relations have strengthened and expanded
greatly within the last 5 years, a process I am privileged and proud to have
been associated with. In part, the quality of our bilateral relations today
reflects an Armenia that is more stable, economically dynamic, and confident
domestically than it was 5 years ago.

The political dialog between the United States and the Republic of Armenia
continues on highest levels. Armenian President Robert Kocharian visited
with President Bill Clinton and President George W. Bush, and Armenian
Cabinet members, including the Foreign Minister visit the United States on
periodic basis. Institutionally, the U.S.-Armenian Economic Task Force was
established in 1999 and since then, it has held its sessions biannually,
bringing together government officials from Armenia and the United States to
discuss issues of mutual interest in the areas of economic development,
economic, social, and legal reforms, trade and commerce, and energy. Armenia
and the United States periodically hold security consultations to discuss
issues of bilateral, regional, and global importance.

The United States has continued its positive involvement as the Co-Chair of
the OSCE Minsk Group, upholding its commitment to a peaceful settlement of
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. The highlight of my term as Ambassador was
the Armenian-Azeri negotiations at Key West, Florida, hosted by the United
States government.

Economic and commercial relations between our countries have always been the
focus of my attention during my term as Ambassador, reflecting Armenia’s
continued need for foreign investment and increasing exports from Armenia.
The Business Forum in New York in May 2001, as well as Armenian Products
Expos held in Los Angeles in 2001 and 2002 boosted bilateral economic
cooperation. Armenian exports to the United States increased nearly
threefold, from 15.2 million dollars in 1999 to 46.1 million dollars in
2004. U.S. investments in Armenia also increased, especially in the
hospitality and software industries. It is heartening to know that every
year there is greater number of Armenian Americans traveling to Armenia for
business or pleasure. Both in Washington and during my visits to other parts
of the United States, I have promoted the Armenian industry and products,
encouraging the members of the local Armenian American community to visit
Armenia, and invest in the Armenian economy.

The United States government continues to provide significant assistance to
help Armenia’s economic transition. Armenia’s solid macroeconomic
performance was credited by the United States Government in its decision to
make Armenia eligible as potential recipient of a new form of U.S.
assistance, the Millennium Challenge Account, to promote further economic
growth and alleviate poverty in Armenia. The United States provided critical
support to ensure Armenia’s accession to the World Trade Organization, which
reinforced Armenia’s status as trade-oriented, liberal economy. Armenia’s
membership in the WTO validates the economic reforms in Armenia and helps
break the myth of Armenia’s isolation from the world. Since Armenia joined
the WTO, the United States granted our country the Permanent Normal Trade
Relations status. Most of Armenia’s exports to the U.S. qualify for a
duty-free treatment under the Generalized System of Preferences program. I
am confident that U.S.-Armenian trade relations will continue to increase
for many years to come.

Armenia’s military cooperation with the United States began in 2001, soon
after the terrible tragedy of 9/11 struck. The Armenian people expressed
their sympathy with the Americans, and the Government of Armenia has
provided tangible support to U.S.-led global war on terrorism. One of the
consequences of the post-September 11 geopolitical dynamics was the waiver
of Section 907, although U.S. government committed to ensuring that any
military assistance to Azerbaijan will not be used to destabilize the
fragile cease-fire regime. In the last five years, Armenia and the United
States exchanged visits by the Armenian Defense Minister and U.S. Defense
Secretary, as well as by high-ranking military officers of both countries.
The Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia and the State of Kansas National
Guard have established a State Partnership Program. The U.S. military
provided assistance to help Armenia to train a demining unit and to
establish peacekeeping capability. Armenian soldiers and officers serve with
their counterparts from the U.S. and other partner nations within NATO’s
Partnership for Peace program, and in the peacekeeping operations in Kosovo.
Armenia’s contingent is also serving in Iraq with many other nations, making
its contribution to stability and reconstruction in that nation.

During my tenure as Ambassador to the U.S., I have been privileged to visit
many universities and think tanks, attend conferences and seminars, and meet
with many distinguished scholars and academics. I have used these
opportunities to keep Armenian and non-Armenian audiences apprised of
Armenia’s domestic and foreign policies, social and economic development,
progress in democratization and economic transition.

As an historian, I have done my best to promote the Armenian Studies,
cooperation between Armenian Studies scholars in Armenia and the United
States, as well as collaboration between universities and scientists in both
countries. A recently published report on Science and Technology in Armenia,
prepared by the U.S. National Academies of Science, presents the current
state and prospects for development of the Armenian science and technology
sector, which has much to offer toward building a prosperous Armenia. I have
also made a modest contribution to the Armenian Political Studies via
publication of two books in English, “British Diplomacy and the Armenian
Question: from the 1830’s to 1914,” and “The Armenian Massacres, 1894-1896:
U.S. Media Testimony.”

Over the last five years, the Embassy has continued to promote the Armenian
culture, Armenia’s important business card. The tradition of holding
concerts, exhibitions, recitals, and community events truly makes the
Armenian Embassy in Washington, DC into the House of Armenia. We are truly
proud of the Embassy building, which is among the best Armenian chanceries
abroad, and its preservation and maintenance remained the focus of attention
of the Embassy, as well as the Building Committee comprised of distinguished
members of the Armenian American community. The building has received
necessary renovations and repair all these years.

In 2001, a khachkar stone sculpture, made in Armenia, was erected on the
Embassy grounds, in the garden, to celebrate the 1700th anniversary of
establishment of Christianity as the official religion in Armenia. His
Holiness Garegin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians,
graced the Embassy with his presence, and personally consecrated the
Khachkar, as a visible reminder of Armenia’s legacy in the heart of
Washington. For the last three years since the Khachkar was erected at the
Embassy, the members of the Washington-based Armenian community gather there
on April 24 to commemorate the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. This
solemn occasion brings together Armenians from all walks of life and
backgrounds, and the Embassy is proud to have contributed to the unity and
cohesion of the Armenian community in Washington.

Hardly a week goes by without an occasional visitor dropping by the Embassy
for a quick tour of the building. We keep our doors open, and I encourage
you to keep us in your minds during your next visit to Washington, DC. You
can also visit us virtually from the comfort of your office or home with the
help of the Embassy website,

It has been said many times that people are Armenia’s primary resource,
whether in the Homeland or in the Diaspora. It has been a great pleasure for
me to visit Armenian-American communities in the United States, go to the
Armenian Churches, meet with community organizations and activists, and host
them at the Embassy. I have appreciated the candor with which the
Armenian-Americans discussed the many challenges facing Armenia, and I
remain convinced that Armenians in the Homeland and in the Diaspora share
the same goals, aspirations, and vision of a stable, democratic, and
prosperous Armenia.

During my years in the United States, the Embassy of Armenia has received
tremendous assistance and moral support from the Armenian-American
community. I have worked closely with the Armenian Assembly of America and
the Armenian National Committee of America, other Armenian-American
political and cultural organizations, their local chapters and grassroots
activists. Armenia owes its successes and achievements to thousands of
Armenian-American activists, who successfully lobby in support of Armenian
issues and on behalf of Armenia. I also appreciate the steadfast support of
my colleagues and friends during my tenure as Ambassador of Armenia.

I am confident that my successor will continue and build upon the great
traditions of cooperation with the Armenian-American organizations to
promote Armenian interests in Washington, D.C.

I wish you well, and look forward to continuing our joint work toward a
better future for our Homeland Hayastan.

Dr. Arman Kirakossian
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

UNFAVORABLE DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS CLOUD ARMENIA’S ECONOMIC PROSPECTS — STUDY
Haroutiun Khachatrian 3/07/05

EurasiaNet Organization
March 7 2005

Unfavorable demographic trends are clouding Armenia~Rs economic
recovery prospects, according to a recent study. To improve the
population picture, the Armenian government should develop programs
aimed at raising the birth rate and discouraging economic migration,
one of the authors of the study says.

The recent economic news coming out of Armenia has tended to be
good: the country has recorded impressive economic growth rates in
recent years, and a report released in late 2004 showed a significant
decline in the poverty rate. [For background see the Eurasia Insight
archive]. However, the country~Rs high emigration rate, driven in
large measure by economic factors, could make it hard for Armenia to
sustain the current growth pattern. [For background see the Eurasia
Insight archive].

The recent report, titled Social Demographic Challenges of Post-Soviet
Armenia, takes a detailed look at how economic chaos, war and
natural disaster have affected Armenia~Rs demographic picture in the
post-Soviet era. The United Nations Population Fund funded the survey
prepared by Ruben Yeganian, a researcher at Yerevan State University,
and Karine Kujumijian of the National Statistical Service.

Large-scale emigration has been a major factor in Armenia~Rs overall
drop in population since the Soviet collapse in 1991. Though the
country~Rs emigration rates have declined ~V 2004 was the first time
since 1996 that immigrants outnumbered emigrants ~V the report finds
that the damage to the Armenian economy may prove long-lasting.

Declining birth rates, rising death rates and an ageing population have
transformed the country~Rs demographic make-up. During the 1970s and
80s, Armenia featured perhaps the healthiest demographic picture in the
Soviet Union. The country enjoyed an optimal population growth rate —
1.4 percent per year between 1979 and 1990 — and had the highest life
expectancy (about 74 years as of 1987) of any Soviet republic. A good
health care system, a relatively high number of children per family
(2.4 on average) contributed to Armenia~Rs solid growth rate.

Armenia~Rs demographic trends abruptly changed following the December
1988 earthquake at Spitak. Most of the quake~Rs victims were in their
reproductive years, putting a dent in population growth. The economic
chaos produced by the Soviet Union~Rs collapse added to the quake~Rs
legacy. Armenia~Rs death rate began to climb to about 8 deaths per
1,000 people by 2000, an increase of 27 percent. The number remains
largely unchanged today. Concurrently, life expectancy started to fall
and, more than a decade after independence, has still not climbed back
to its Soviet-era level. As of 2003, Armenians could expect to live
for 72.3 years, according to official statistics. But the authors of
the Social Demographic Challenges study suggested that the official
estimate might be inaccurate, adding that actual life expectancy is
probably lower.

At the same time, Armenia~Rs birth rate has declined by half, prompting
a sharp drop in the natural population growth rate. This statistic,
which reflects the number of births minus the number of deaths,
has undergone a six-fold decrease since 1990. That year, Armenia~Rs
growth rate stood at 16.3 births per 1,000 people, but by 2001,
it had fallen to a mere 2.7 births.

Another population study, presented at an Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe meeting in late 2004, made a startling
forecast: if Armenia~Rs demographic trends continue to follow the
existing pattern, the country~Rs population could fall to 2.66 million
by 2025. That would represent an over 15 percent decrease from the
official population figure of 3.2 million on January 1, 2005. By 2050,
the numbers could tumble still further to 2.33 million.

Many specialists, however, argue that the population growth pattern is
hard to accurately forecast, given the influence of fluctuating and
unpredictable migration trends. In 2000, for instance, even though
the population~Rs natural growth rate increased by 10,300 people,
the gain was neutralized by the 42,000 people who emigrated from
Armenia. If emigration slows down, demographers say, the country~Rs
population growth picture could improve markedly.

Yeganian, however, is cautious. Armenian families, which traditionally
had two or three children, now mostly have only one. A change
in migration numbers, he said, is unlikely to reverse the birth
trend. “This means that the ageing of the population may be a real
perspective in the near future,” Yeganian said. In 2004, according
to official statistics, 10.6 percent of the population was estimated
to be over the age of 65.

Recent surveys suggest that the number of Armenians planning to
emigrate is not decreasing, Yeganian went on to say. An active
government policy is needed to stimulate birth rates and reverse
emigration, he added. Hranush Kharatian, who heads the government~Rs
department of national minorities and religious affairs, shares
that opinion. “Even a very modestly funded program declaring the
government~Rs readiness to attract labor migrants back to the country
will have a very positive psychological effect,” she said. Kharatian
has shared her thoughts with other government officials, but reports
that, despite sympathy for the idea, no plans are in the works to
realize it.

The Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, the government~Rs principal
program document, makes no mention of demographic problems. The
document simply implies that with a reduction in poverty, migration
will decrease. For now, the closest program to Kharatian~Rs proposal
is a Migration and Refugees Agency public information campaign about
the dangers of human trafficking and the problems migrants may face
trying to obtain asylum in various countries. At the same time,
the agency also tries to assist people in finding jobs abroad.

Editor~Rs Note: Haroutiun Khachatrian is a Yerevan-based writer
specializing in economic and political affairs.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

California Courier Online, March 10, 2005

1 – Commentary
Jewish Defense League Demands
Recognition of Armenian Genocide

By Harut Sassounian
California Courier Publisher
2 – Glendale Community College Students
Travel to Armenia This Summer
3 – ‘William Saroyan and His World’
Panel Discussion at Fresno State
4 – West SF Valley ANC Supports
Martayan for L.A. City Council
5 – Deadline Nears for Armenian
Insurance Settlement Fund Claims
6 – CSUN Armenian Studies Program to
Celebrate 20th Anniversary Milestone
*************************************************************************
1 – Commentary
Jewish Defense League Demands
Recognition of Armenian Genocide

By Harut Sassounian,
Publisher, The California Courier

Last month, in a column criticizing the willingness of the American Jewish
Committee to serve the interests of Turkey, I emphasized that there were
countless other Jewish organizations and individuals who sided with the
Armenians.
In response to that column, I received a strong letter from the Jewish
Defense League (JDL) confirming my opinion that it is important for
Armenians to distinguish between Jewish groups serving Turkey’s interests
and those backing the Armenians.
The JDL is a well-known activist organization that champions various Jewish
causes and supports the interests of the State of Israel. The JDL also
defends the truth about the Armenian Genocide.
Here is the full text of the JDL letter, dated Feb. 22, 2005:
“I read with great interest your editorial ‘American Jewish Group to Lobby
for Turkey’s EU Membership.’ I believe you should have mentioned the Jewish
organizations that demand not only Turkey’s but also the world’s
recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Additionally, I respectfully ask that
you include the Jewish Defense League on that list.
“My late husband, Irv Rubin, who was the international chairman of the
Jewish Defense League, always observed April 24 in solidarity with the
Armenian people. During our marriage of 22 years that ended with his 2002
untimely death, I heard Irv say countless times, ‘If the world had taken
notice of what the Turks did to the Armenian people, the Holocaust would
not have happened.’
“If I can be so forward as to give advice, I would say to the American
Armenian community: People will not remember the Armenian Genocide unless
Armenians make them remember it. Just as the Jewish community raised great
amounts of money in order to erect buildings and monuments so the world
would never forget, the Armenian community has a responsibility to
commemorate their tragedy in the same way. As the philosopher George
Santayana so beautifully stated, ‘Those who cannot remember the past are
condemned to repeat it.’ ”
The above letter was signed by Shelley Rubin, the Administrative Director
of the Jewish Defense League ().
In a subsequent e-mail exchange, Mrs. Rubin asked that JDL’s name be added
to the long list of organizations co-sponsoring the congressional
resolution on the Armenian Genocide.
Mrs. Rubin was outraged, however, when she found out that John Evans, the
US Ambassador to Armenia, was forced by his Turkophile superiors to issue a
clarification, thus withdrawing his use of the term Armenian Genocide. She
suggested that tens of thousands of Armenian-Americans and others converge
on Washington, D.C., on April 24 to hold a mass demonstration, demanding
that the Bush administration stop playing childish word games with the
Armenian Genocide and call this monstrous Turkish crime by its proper name
– genocide!
Reacting to this offensive clarification, Cong. Frank Pallone, Jr., the
co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, defended Amb.
Evans in his speech on the floor of the House of Representatives. Cong.
Pallone reminded the Bush administration that President Reagan himself used
the term Armenian Genocide in 1981. While the genocide was still in
progress, another ambassador, the U.S. envoy to Turkey, Henry Morgenthau,
described the barbaric Turkish actions as “a campaign of race
extermination.”
Nine major Armenian-American organizations sent a joint letter to Pres.
Bush last week, calling on him to use the term Armenian Genocide as Pres.
Reagan and Amb. Evans had done. A similar letter, signed by a large number
of House members, is being sent to Pres. Bush.
Meanwhile, deepening the crisis between the Bush Administration and
Armenians worldwide, Amb. Evans was forced by his superiors “to correct”
his original statement for a second time. He amended his earlier
clarification: “although I told my audiences that the United States policy
on the Armenian Genocide has not changed…” to read “although I told my
audiences that the United States policy on the Armenian tragedy has not
changed….” The Turkish press quickly claimed a second victory by reporting
that the State Department had made the correction, complying with the
request of Faruk Logoglu, Turkey’s Ambassador to Washington.
It is appalling to see how callous Bush administration officials are in
undermining the credibility of one of their best diplomats, just to cater
to Turkish dictates.
Fortunately, the former U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, Harry Gilmore, rose to
the defense of his colleague, by telling Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
this week that he concurs with Amb. Evans. “The Armenian events were
genocide…. From my thorough study of the events of that period, I am
persuaded that they do indeed constitute a genocide,” Gilmore said.
Another positive development was a report in the Turkish press this week,
that Turkey’s then president Turgut Ozal, during his official visit to
Washington in 1991, entertained the thought of recognizing the Armenian
Genocide. Nuzhet Kandemir, the former Turkish Ambassador to the United
States, told the Hurriyet newspaper that President Ozal asked him: “This
Armenian Genocide issue is becoming a big headache for us. If, as Turkey,
we recognized this genocide, and ended this thing, wouldn’t that be
better?”
It is noteworthy that Pres. Ozal used the words “Armenian Genocide,”
without any qualifiers. Even though Amb. Kandemir reported that he was able
to convince Pres. Ozal not to make any rash decisions on this issue, it is
clear that Turkish officials are realizing the inevitability of their
recognition of the Armenian Genocide. The sooner they do it, the better for
Turkey’s prospects for joining the European Union and its acceptance into
the ranks of civilized nations!

**************************************************************************
2 – Glendale Community College Students
Travel to Armenia This Summer
By Darleene Barrientos
News-Press and Leader
GLENDALE — Glendale Community College students are preparing for a summer
trip to Armenia, the first study abroad program offered at the school.
College trustees are expected to approve the travel arrangements for the
Armenia trip and another study abroad trip to Italy during its meeting
Monday.
“The kind of trip we’re doing is a formal academic program combined with a
lot of excursions and on-site lectures,” trip coordinator Levon Marashlian
said. “A lot of the lectures are not in lecture halls but at museums,
monuments and churches all over the country.”
While several universities throughout the nation have traveled to Armenia
for different programs, Marashlian said this will be the first time it has
been done as part of a formal study abroad program. It will be the first
time a trip to Armenia will be offered to students at a two-year
institution, he said
The college has taken trips to Czech Republic, Spain, Italy and France and
selected Armenia and Italy because they are rich culturally, religiously
and architecturally, Trustee Ara Najarian said.
“[The trip to] Armenia may have a special attraction for students of
Armenian heritage,” Najarian said. “It may be their opportunity to go in an
environment that’s both fun and educational. Many first-generation
[Armenian] students have never had the opportunity to go. “We felt it was
time, and there was enough interest for students to go to Armenia,”
Najarian continued. “We wanted to pick a location where we will
have a good response and good enrollment. Without the proper enrollment, we
would have to drop or cancel or postpone.”
About 21 students are scheduled to go on the trip to Armenia, which will be
from June 21 to July 21. Marashlian hopes the maximum of 30 students will
sign up for the trip.
Student Ani Daniyelian, 20, of Glendale, is excited to visit the country
she left when she was 4, and she plans to visit at least a few relatives
while she is there.
“I want to see what it looks like,” Daniyelian said. “When you’re hearing
about it, you just want to see it for yourself. I want to see Karabakh – I
want to see where so many people lost their lives to liberate the Armenian
territory.”
She would have liked to visit Armenia with her parents, but she feels she
might learn more without them.
“It’s better with students,” she said. “If you go with your parents, its
going to be more of family get-together. As part of a student group, you
are with people your age and you experience it with students who haven’t
seen the country. It’s a better way of learning about it.”
***************************************************************************
3 – ‘William Saroyan and His World’
Panel Discussion at Fresno State
FRESNO – The Armenian Studies Program at Fresno State, in cooperation with
the William Saroyan Society of Fresno, is co-sponsoring a panel discussion,
“William Saroyan and His World” at 7 PM on March 11 in the Industrial
Technology Building, Room 101 (corner of Barstow and Campus Drive) on the
Fresno State campus.
The panel discussion is part of the Armenian Studies Program Spring 2005
Lecture Series and is being held in conjunction with a one-unit course on
William Saroyan being offered the same weekend by Dr. Dickran Kouymjian,
Director of the Armenian Studies Program.
Dr. Dickran Kouymjian will moderate the panel discussion and serve as a
discussant.
John Kallenberg, retired Fresno County Librarian and President of the
William Saroyan Society will give the introduction to the panel.
Fresno author and historian Berge Bulbulian will speak on “Fresno in the
Time of Saroyan.” Bulbulian is the author of The Fresno Armenians.
Barlow Der Mugrdechian of the Armenian Studies Program will speak on
“Saroyan the Writer.”
Long-time Saroyan friend and writer Ed Hagopian will speak on
“Reminiscences and Recollections.”
Fresno County California Collection Librarian and book collector William
Secrest, Jr. will present a paper on “Collecting Saroyan.”
The panel discussion is free and open to the public.
Relaxed parking will be available in Lots Q, K, and L after 7:00 PM the
night of the lecture. For more information on the presentation please
contact the Armenian Studies Program at 278-2669.
**************************************************************************
4 – West SF Valley ANC Supports
Martayan for L.A. City Council
ENCINO, CA – The West San Fernando Valley Armenian National Committee
officially announced its support for candidate Greg Martayan for the
position of Los Angeles City Council, 5th District. West San Fernando
Valley Chairman Ara Papazian made the announcement stating, “Not only is
Greg Martayan bright, energetic and a hard working individual who can best
represent the interests of our community and the 5th District, but he is
one of our own.”
Papazian stressed, “It is important to encourage and support this
generation of American-Armenians to become actively involved and
participate in the political process, as it is the leading avenue in which
the voice of the Armenian community could be heard.” He concluded by urging
all voters in the 5th District to vote for Martayan.
Greg Martayan is a native Angelino and for many years has been active in
Armenian organizations in the San Fernando Valley. In his public life, Greg
Martayan has served on numerous boards, commissions, and councils since the
age of fourteen.
He was the youngest Commissioner appointed in the City of Los Angeles under
Mayor James Hahn, has been an Ambassador for the National Crime Prevention
Council, as well as served on the Los Angeles Workforce Investment Board
Engagement Taskforce. Martayan was appointed for three terms of two years
to the National Youth Advisory Council, and continues to be an active
senior advisor. He has also engaged in meetings with members in the state
and local legislatures of California.
Garnering support from numerous members of President Bush’s Cabinet civil
rights leaders like Congressman John Lewis of Atlanta, Georgia, Martayan
was named a “Leader of Tomorrow” by the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Elie
Wiesel at a conference held at Boston University. He has been a six time
recipient of the President’s Service Award, as well as received
certificates of acknowledgment from Mayor Hahn, Los Angeles City Council
President Alex Padilla, LA Department of Neighborhood Empowerment, and
Former Speaker of the California Assembly Robert M. Hertzberg.
The Los Angeles City fifth council district includes the neighborhoods of
Encino, Sherman Oaks, Valley Village, Palms, Westwood, Century City,
Beverlywood, the Fairfax District, Cheviot Hills and Carthay Circle, as
well as the hillside communities between the 405 Freeway and Laurel Canyon.
**************************************************************************
5 – Deadline Nears for Armenian
Insurance Settlement Fund Claims
BURBANK, CA – Paul Krekorian, a member of the Armenian Insurance Settlement
Fund Board, announced that March 16 is the absolute deadline to submit a
claim for payment under the class action settlement in Marootian v. New
York Life Insurance Co.
Last year, New York Life agreed to settle the class action suit by paying a
total of $20 million, including up to $11 million for the heirs of the
policyholders and at least $3 million for specified Armenian charities.
“The beneficiaries of these policies have waited 90 years for justice,”
said Settlement Fund Board member Krekorian, an attorney who also serves
as Vice President of the Burbank Board of Education. “It would be a great
tragedy if their efforts were frustrated now because they missed a simple
deadline and waived their legitimate legal rights,” Krekorian said.
The heirs of policyholders may be considered for a share of benefits under
this settlement only if they submit a Notice of Claim form by March 16.
The form may be obtained by calling the toll free information line at
1-866-422-0124 or visiting the settlement fund website at

Claims may come from anywhere in the world, and it is not necessary that
complete documentation be
included with the Notice of Claim form. After the Settlement Fund Board
receives the Notice of Claim form, the claimant will be informed about
other steps that are required in the process.
The settlement fund website includes a partial list of New York Life
policyholders from the relevant era, and those who believe they may be
heirs can search for their ancestors on this list. However, it is not
necessary that their ancestor appear on the list in order to submit a
claim. A claim might still be approved if the heir has some other
evidence that their ancestor was a policyholder and payment was not made,
even if the ancestor does not appear on the list.
The Settlement Fund Board is an independent panel of three Armenian
community leaders appointed by California State Insurance Commissioner
John Garamendi. The Board is not affiliated in any way with the lawyers
who handled the class action suit, and the Board members were not involved
in negotiating the terms of the settlement. The Board is an entirely
independent panel that will evaluate all of the claims of individual heirs
and award the funds to those who meet the qualifications of the agreement.
The three members of the Board are Paul Krekorian; attorney and law
professor Berj Boyajian; and physician and health care activist Viken
Manjikian.
Under the terms of the settlement agreement, $3 million has already been
distributed in equal shares to the AGBU, the Armenian Relief Society, the
Armenian Education Foundation, the Armenian Missionary Association, the
Armenian Catholic Church, both the Eastern and Western Dioceses of the
Armenian Church of North America, and both the Eastern and Western
Prelacies of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
**************************************************************************
6 – CSUN Armenian Studies Program to
Celebrate 20th Anniversary Milestone
NORTHRIDGE, CA- The Armenian Studies Program at the California State
University, Northridge (CSUN) will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a
banquet on April 8 at the Brandview Collection in Glendale.
The Armenian Studies Program at the California State University,
Northridge (CSUN) started making modest strides in 1983. Today the Program
functions within the Department of Modern and Classical Languages and
Literatures in the College of Humanities, offering thirteen undergraduate
courses in Armenian language, literature, culture, contemporary issues, and
related subjects. Interested students may opt for Armenian as a minor or
as a field of concentration. Work is currently in progress to create a
certificate in Armenian Studies.
“This will be a wonderful occation to celebrate this milestone together and
to renew our commitment to the future growth of our program,” said Prof.
Hermine Mahseredjian, Director of the Program.
The Armenian Studies Program has a tremendous potential for further growth.
This optimistic projection is based on the fact that more than 3,000
Armenian students are enrolled at CSUN. This is approximately ten percent
of the University’s total student population. These students enroll in
Armenian classes and are very active in the Armenian Students Association
(ASA). Upon graduation, many of them remain connected through the Armenian
Alumni Association (AAA). The Armenian Studies Program serves as the
center of these activities.
The Program also encourages participation in the “Cultural Immersion”
program in Armenia. Undertaken twice to date, these excursions have left
indelible impressions on the participants. The “Memorandum of
Understanding” signed with Yerevan State University provides the momentum
for future faculty and student exchange programs, and the invitation of
distinguished guest lecturers.
The tremendous potential of Armenian Studies At CSUN cannot, however, be
realized without the support of community partners.
Tickets for the April 8 banquet at $75 per person.
For additional information about the Armenian Studies Program at CSUN and
the 20th Anniversary Banquet, contact Prof. Mahseredjian at (818) 677-7228,
e-mail: [email protected] or Prof. Vahram Shemmassian at (818)
677-3456, e-mail: [email protected], or the Department of Modern
and Classical Languages and Literatures at (818) 677-3467.
***************************************************************************
The California Courier On-Line is a service provided by the California
Courier. Subscriptions or changes of address should not be transmitted
through this service. Information in that regard should be telephoned
to (818) 409-0949; faxed to: (818) 409-9207, or e-mailed to:
[email protected]. Letters to the editor concerning issues
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the author. Phone and/or E-mail address is also required to verify
authorship.

–Boundary_(ID_H/bX8dDrm8Ky4uJENVvwNw)–

Catholic World News
March 7 2005

Cardinal Ratzinger to prepare Good Friday meditations

Vatican, Mar. 07 (CWNews.com) – Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (bio –
news), the prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith,
will prepare the meditations to be read during the Way of the Cross
in Rome’s Coliseum this year.

As the text for his meditations, Cardinal Ratzinger has chosen a
passage from the Gospel of St. John (12:24): “unless a grain of wheat
falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone~E”

Since 1985, Pope John Paul II (bio – news) has called upon various
leading religious figures to prepare meditations for the annual
event, or used text from famous Catholic thinkers. The Pope’s choices
have been widely varied. In 2001 he used meditations by Cardinal John
Henry Newman, the famous English convert. In 1999, he called upon the
Italian poet Mario Luzi. In 1986, it was the French journalist Andre
Frossard, and in 1989 the Polish writer Marek Skwarnicki. In 2002, in
a surprise gesture, he assigned the task to reporters accredited to
the Vatican press office.

Sometimes the Pope’s selections have conveyed an ecumenical message.
In 1994, the meditations were prepared by the Ecumenical Patriarch,
Bartholomew I of Constantinople. In 1994 he chose a Swiss Protestant
nun, Sister Minke de Vries. In 1997 it was the leader of the Armenian
Apostolic Church, Catholicos Karekin I. In 1998 he tapped the French
Orthodox theologian Olivier Clement. And in 2004 he chose the Belgian
Trappist Andre Louf.

Other selections have been Catholic leaders from regions torn by war:
Cardinal Miguel Obando y Bravo of Nicaragua in 1987; Jerusalem’s
Patriarch Michel Sabbah in 1990; Sarajevo’s Cardinal Vinko Puljic in
1996.

__________________________________
Celebrate Yahoo!’s 10th Birthday!
Yahoo! Netrospective: 100 Moments of the Web

OSCE monitors Karabakh front-line after truce violation reports –
Azeri TV

ANS TV, Baku
7 Mar 05

OSCE representatives monitored the front-line between the Azerbaijani
and the Armenian troops today following regular breaches of the
cease-fire by the Armenian Armed Forces in the course of the last
month.

The monitoring took place in the vicinity of the Agdam-Barda road
where the cease-fire had been frequently violated. No incidents
were encountered.

Armenians seeking asylum in Europe use Azeri documents – daily

Ekho, Baku
5 Mar 05

Text of political analyst R. Orucov’s report by Azerbaijani newspaper
Ekho on 5 March headlined “Armenians or Azeris?” and subheaded “This
is not a matter of principle when political asylum is granted in
Europe”

A letter recently sent to Azerbaijan from a Dutch refugee camp and
obtained by Ekho contains very interesting information on how a safe
status can be received in Europe if a person passes himself for an
Azerbaijani citizen.

The author says that of the families that live next to him in the
refugee camp, 27 are Armenians and only four are Azerbaijanis. But
the Armenians are registered by the authorities as Azerbaijani
citizens. “However, none of them has ever visited Azerbaijan,” the
author writes. He reports that at present, there are three to four
groups of natives of Azerbaijan that operate in Europe and help
Armenians “receive Azerbaijani citizenship”.

Human rights advocate Eldar Zeynalov has told Ekho that there are
indeed many Armenians who are trying to receive political asylum in
European countries and pass themselves as natives of Azerbaijan. “I
believe that there are criminal groups that help Armenians get
Azerbaijani documents,” said the director of the Centre for Human
Rights. “There were several alarming signals when Armenians visited,
almost illegally, our Justice Ministry and brought some authenticated
documents. And these cases were disclosed. But there are a few
unexposed groups for every exposed one. Many people from Armenia flee
to Europe precisely as Azerbaijani Armenians.”

Zeynalov said that he knew cases when people in Baku obtained
documents with Armenian names. “It is a fact that getting a birth
certificate with an Armenian name is very cheap in Baku. I have even
heard rumours that it is possible to get a sealed blank certificate
for as little as 300 US dollars.”

Zeynalov also said that at the time when Armenians occupied districts
around Karabakh, original official Azerbaijani blank forms were left
behind in many places. “So now Armenians have made ‘good’ use of
them.”

The head of the press service of the state committee for work with
the Azerbaijanis living abroad, Elsad Miralam, said for his part that
all the aforementioned cases are well known to the committee. “We
have received many reports that Armenians pass themselves as Azeris
in Europe, and some of them have even received refugee status. We are
raising awareness of this problem through Azerbaijani communities in
different European countries and resort to the services of the
embassies. There have been numerous cases of this kind. I want to say
that with the help of our committee, the struggle against attempts by
Armenians to use the name of our country abroad has become more
intense of late.”

Lebanon is not the land of colored revolutions!

Morning Morning
7 March 05

Great crises and great shocks lead people into perdition because
great crises and great shocks are difficult to assimilate. The
collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989 disquieted those who toppled it
as well as those who lost it. The republics that arose from the ruins
of the Soviet Union remain perplexed even now, and their perplexity
has kept them in a state of impotence as to their options although
they have been independent for more than 10 years. Despite that they
have not in the democratic line, despite the Westâ~@~Ys expectation.
Beginning with the Baltic republics and ending with Georgia, the
latter committed to a line independent of Moscow. For more than 70
years Russia was the focus of an empire with an area of 22,500 square
kilometers, from the Far East of Siberia to Moldavia and Byelorussia
(now Moldova and Belarus). To this day neither Kazakhstan nor
Azerbaijan, for example, has adopted the democratic system. Have
revolutionary elections changed the nomenklatura state in place? This
is the question posed, and it will continue to be because elections
alone are not democracy, which is a heritage before being a practice.
The democratic system was adopted in Greece in the fifth century BC,
and with it public debates. From the Greeks to the Persians, to India
and pharaonic Egypt… before France, England and Germany. Even
before Englandâ~@~Ys Magna Carta in 1215. * * *

Although elections change many things and many people, certainly what
happened in Lebanon on February 14 is related to them. This all the
more true since the next elections in Lebanon will define, as we
know, the Lebanese process in the framework of the delimitation of
the Middle Eastern process, probably in its evolution towards the
Greater Middle East!
Elections change many things and people. Even enmities, friendships
and lines of orientation can be turned upside-down. This is accepted
and sometimes desired.
People change and we still say nothing of those who follow a line and
continue to develop in accordance with it. People change, above all
in the sense that they prefer to adapt themselves to the winds of
change before they blow, whoever the one blowing may be. To the point
that loss of confidence in an authority risks affecting the future of
a nation.
There is in Lebanon something of all this. Those who vote in
elections to modify the prevailing image, have frozen the elections
and their law until light is shed on the crime of February 14.
Nothing is against that, because blood calls for justice in order to
prevent recourse to vengeance. I donâ~@~Yt know how a man of the
stature of General De Gaulle was able one day to say, â~@~Blood
dries rapidlyâ~@~], in reply to a person who was announcing to him
the decease of someone â~@~before his hands are stained with
bloodâ~@~]. But in fact the cry of blood is deafening. The eye of
Cain is an example. The blood of the Duke of Enghien and that of
Hamzé, uncle of the Arab Prophet pursuing Hind, wife of Abi Soufyan
and mother of Moawiya, as well as the blood of Al-Hussein — the
examples are many.
These events are probably forgotten and, with them, the blood that
leaves red stains in the memory, such as the incident of Greenpeace
in the Pacific, facing the islands possessed by France, which was
proceeding to carry out nuclear tests in order to confirm its
presence in the club of the great powers. However, these great powers
have given to small ones among them potentials enabling them to
possess nuclear arms. But now the matter of acquiring nuclear weapons
is closed, and those countries that try to acquire them are described
as â~@~rogue statesâ~@~]. The Greenpeace incident caused the removal
from office of Charles Hernu, French minister of defense during the
mandate of François Mitterrand, his close friend, because the
inquiry in New Zealand established the responsibility of the French
minister in the explosion of the ship Rainbow Warrior. When the man
responsible for intelligence revealed to the French president — who
had governed France for 14 years during which he concealed the fact
that he was suffering from cancer — that Hernu had dealt with the
Soviets and given them NATO secrets, Mitterrand told him, â~@~Take
this dossier and place it among the most inaccessible dossiers in
your office… For we cannot rewrite historyâ~@~].

* * *

Itâ~@~Ys an event that will be forgotten. As for blood, it cannot be
forgotten. But can blood that is shed be a rogue operation… and the
cause of the death of Rafik Hariri? Is it permitted that the
elections in Lebanon be sabotaged in the wait for the results of the
inquiry, with everyone knowing the traps and pitfalls that will
hamper the work of the investigators, making inevitable a delay in
the announcement of the results?
The elections must take place on the dates scheduled. Such is the
challenge which the crime of February 14 has thrown down on the
Lebanese scene, the Arab scene and even the international scene. The
elections will be the word of Lebanon in the Lebanese essence and the
Lebanese color. It being understood, as Stalin once said, that
elections are less a matter of who votes than of who counts the
ballots.
What color will be that of Lebanon?… The Lebanon of the Resistance
or the Lebanon of the Syrianization of the Shebaa Farms and what
followed? What therefore will be the color of Lebanon — the color of
the elections in Palestine and Iraq, where the situation remains
disturbed?

* * *

If the victim were to speak, he would say that the country is the
priority of priorities. And that revolutions of velvet… the
many-hued revolutions, pink in Georgia, orange in Ukraine,
wine-colored in Moldavia, apricot in Armenia and aubergine in
Azerbaijan. Colored revolutions can be exported, but not to Lebanon.
No such revolution can find acceptance here, for Lebanon is
sufficiently colored by wise words, exemplary justice, independence,
sovereignty, true democracy. Not in using democracy to foment coups
dâ~@~Yétat whose final outcome no one can know.

* * *

We say this knowing that great crises, like great shocks, produce a
perdition. De Gaulle, and there is no harm in returning to him, lost
his way after May 5, 1968, a date of great significance in the French
calendar. On that day he saw millions demonstrating in Paris. He lost
his way so far as to fear that the fate of Louis XVI might be his as
well and he went to see General Massu at Baden-Baden, who told him:
Your place is in Paris; return to Paris.
He returned and millions demonstrated while De Gaulle was holding
democratic elections that led to a Gaullist parliamentary majority.
But reason led him to prepare for â~@~lâ~@~Yaprès De Gaulleâ~@~].
Will they hear? We hope so!

–Boundary_(ID_hVVmsvztzsW1v/OJ/5YLIg)–

Former U.S. Envoy Backs Armenian Genocide Recognition
By Emil Danielyan

RFERL.ORG
7 March 05

A retired diplomat who served as Americaâ~@~Ys first ambassador to
Armenia has joined calls for international recognition of the
Armenian genocide, echoing surprise statements on the subject made by
the current head of the U.S. mission in Yerevan.

In a weekend interview with RFE/RL, Ambassador Harry Gilmore said the
extermination of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians in Ottoman Turkey
fits into the definition of genocide set by the UN Convention on the
Prevention and Punishment of Genocide. â~@~There is no doubt that
the Armenian events were genocide,â~@~] Gilmore said.

â~@~Of course, we have to bear in mind that the Genocide Convention
came well after the events in the Ottoman Empire,â~@~] he added.
â~@~I think legally there is no question of the convention applying
retroactively. But the key point is that the convention sets up a
standard and the massacres and deportations of the Ottoman Armenians
meet that standard fully.â~@~]

Gilmore argued that Raphael Lemkin, the Jewish author of the word
â~@~genocide,â~@~] referred not only to the Jewish Holocaust but
also the events of 1915-1918 when he came up with the concept
following the Second World War. â~@~In fact, when Mr. Lemkin coined
the term genocide the Armenian events were one of the two archetypes
he used in his work,â~@~] he said.

Gilmore, who served as ambassador to Armenia from 1993-1995, was the
first U.S. government official to visit and lay flowers at the
genocide memorial in Yerevan. But both he and his two successors
consistently avoided calling the Armenian massacres a
â~@~genocideâ~@~] in line with Washingtonâ~@~Ys policy on the highly
sensitive subject.

Successive White House administrations have been anxious not to upset
Turkey, a major U.S. ally which strongly denies that the government
of the crumbling Ottoman Empire pursued a premeditated policy of
exterminating its Armenian population. Ankara also claims that the
Armenian death toll is inflated.

John Evans, the current U.S. ambassador in Yerevan, therefore took
many observers by surprise when declared at a series of meetings with
members of the Armenian-American community last month that the Turks
did commit â~@~the first genocide of the 20th century.â~@~] The
remarks fueled speculation about a pro-Armenian shift in the U.S.
governmentâ~@~Ys position on the issue.

But Evans denied it, saying in a statement last week that he
expressed his personal opinion. A senior official from the
administration of President George W. Bush told RFE/RL that
Evansâ~@~Ys statements â~@~absolutely contradict the policy of the
U.S. government.â~@~]

Gilmore declined to comment on possible implications of Evansâ~@~Ys
extraordinary genocide recognition. â~@~Because I am outside the
U.S. government now, I have no insider knowledge of what his
communication with the U.S. government might be on the issue,â~@~] he
said.

â~@~From my thorough study of the events of that period I am
persuaded that they do indeed constitute a genocide,â~@~] he added.

Evans likewise told the U.S.-Armenian community that he studied the
subject in detail and consulted with a State Department lawyer before
going on record. Leading Armenian-American organizations were quick
to commend him.

One of those groups, the Armenian Assembly of America, has launched a
public campaign in support of the envoy, sending letters to members
of the U.S. Congress. “The Assembly commends Ambassador Evans for
accurately labeling the attempted annihilation of the Armenians as
Genocide and urges the President to follow his example and properly
characterize the atrocities in his remembrance statement next month,”
the chairman of its Board of Trustees, Hirair Hovnanian, said in a
statement.

Frank Pallone, the co-chairman of the Congressional Caucus on
Armenian Issues, read out a similar statement on the House of
Representatives floor last Tuesday. â~@~Ambassador Evans simply
assigned the word to the definition that was already provided by
President Bush as well as members of his administration,â~@~] Pallone
said.

–Boundary_(ID_7N6e4G2B3jYB6Tb5NyswfA)–

EU Criticizes Police, Says Turks Must Implement Laws

March 7 (Bloomberg) — The European Union condemned violence
yesterday by Turkish police against demonstrators in Istanbul and
urged the government to take steps to strengthen democracy and
respect for human rights as part of its bid to join the 25-member
bloc.

Police used pepper gas and batons against women and children and
arrested scores of people at a rally to mark International Women’s
Day. Turkey’s parliament last year passed laws strengthening rights
of peaceful assembly.

“We condemn all violence, and demonstrations have to be conducted in
a peaceful manner,” EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn told a
news conference in Ankara. “I want to underline the need to properly
implement reforms. It’s very important to keep the reform process
going.”

Turkey is relying on membership talks with the EU, due to start on
Oct. 3, to help attract foreign investment and reduce the cost of
servicing its $250 billion debt. Hansjoerg Kretschmer, the head of
the European Commission in Turkey, last week said the government had
been slow to implement EU-backed laws since it won a date to start
membership talks three months ago.

Investigation

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul expressed his “sorrow” over
the violence and pledged a full investigation. Turkey must continue
to strengthen minority and women’s rights and bolster freedom of
expression, Rehn told reporters after meetings with Luxembourg
Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn, U.K. Minister for Europe Denis
McShane and Turkish officials.

The U.S. and Britain say the EU must embrace a country that’s both
Muslim and democratic to help win the war on terror and encourage
democracy in the Middle East. Turkey, which became a candidate for EU
membership in 1999, borders countries including Iraq, Iran, Syria and
Armenia. It’s the only member of the North Atlantic treaty
Organization that’s 99 percent Muslim.

The EU will run a so-called “screening process” for Turkey’s
membership parallel with accession negotiations starting in October,
Rehn told reporters yesterday. Turkey should maintain zero tolerance
for torture and respect the rights of non-Muslims to help its case
for membership, he said.

Framework

The European Union will publish a framework for the negotiations with
Turkey by the end of June, Rehn said. The document outlines the
political and economic steps the nation must take before it can join
the 25-nation EU.

“The government perhaps has been too busy with other domestic and
political issues,” said Volkan Kurt, an economist at Finans Yatirim
Securities in Istanbul. “The problem of course has been on the
implementation side. The government needs more time for
implementation of the reforms.”

One area where the government needs to improve the enforcement of its
“zero-tolerance” of torture is in them mainly Kurdish southeast of
Turkey, Yusuf Alatas, head of the country’ Human Rights Association,
said in an interview on March 3.

The government must also tackle problems with freedom of expression
that have resulted in several court cases against the media in the
past year, the EU’s Kretschmer said last week.

French Opposition

Turkey shouldn’t be allowed to join the EU because its culture and
history aren’t sufficiently European, say some EU politicians,
including Nicolas Sarkozy, leader of French President Jacques
Chirac’s Union for a Popular Movement Party. Chirac last year said
the talks may take 15 years to complete.

By 2025, Turkey would swallow up EU farm and regional subsidies equal
to about 0.17 percent of annual European economic output, or about
$20 billion in today’s terms, the European Commission said in a
report published in October. France, the biggest beneficiary of the
EU’s $47 billion budget for agriculture, gets $9 billion in farm aid.

The EU’s political leaders agreed at a summit on Dec. 17 to start the
negotiations with Turkey after the government took steps to curb the
political influence of the military and improve the rights of the
nation’s 12 million Kurds.

Today’s meetings increased chances that Turkey would sign in the
coming weeks a protocol to extend its free trade agreement with the
EU to include Cyprus, Asselborn said. Such a step might pave the way
for EU aid to Turkish Cyprus and direct trade with the north of the
Island. Turkey must approve the accord before it can start the
accession process.

The Turkish government has said that widening the protocol won’t mean
recognition of the Greek Cypriot south, which joined the EU in May.
The Island has been divided since 1974, after Turkish forced invaded
in response to a brief coup by Greek Cypriots.

To contact the reporter on this story:
Mark Bentley in Ankara at [email protected].

To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Catherine Hickley in Berlin at [email protected].

Oregon Daily Emerald, OR
March 7 2005

Community gathers to remember Hatoon

The Saturday memorial commemorated a woman who “lived life her own
way” and lived happily
Ayisha Yahya
News Editor

March 07, 2005

She will be remembered for her entrancing stories. Her bursts of
humor. Her bright lipstick.
She will also be remembered for her caring nature. The insights she
brought to those whose paths she crossed. Her intellectual spark and
the many lives she touched over the years because she lived her life
just as she wanted.

Students, faculty and community gathered on a sunny winter afternoon
to pay tribute to Hatoon Victoria Adkins. Adkins, a long time
resident at the campus, was killed on Tuesday as she was crossing
Franklin Boulevard on her bicycle. Most recently, Adkins, 67, had
made her home on a bench just outside the University Bookstore, where
she covered her things with a blue tarp. In the days since her
demise, Adkins’ bench has evolved into a shrine with flowers, candles
and tubes of lipstick, which she loved.

Eugene Police Officer Randy Ellis, who knew Adkins for many years,
said she taught people everything from tolerance to vulnerability to
caring.

“We learned that we’re not invincible,” Ellis said, adding that the
impact Adkins had on those who knew her was evident from the
outpouring of love since her death.

“We wanted what was best for Hatoon, but only Hatoon knew what that
really was,” Ellis said. Ellis said Adkins, who was known for her
many diverse stories, taught people to listen. “Listening is
something that few of us really know how to do,” Ellis said.

Ellis said Adkins’ life was not a failure. “She lived life her own
way,” he said.

Adkins suffered from mental illness — those who knew her described
her as drifting in and out of lucidity. Ellis said Adkins made her
own choices and was able to surround herself with a family of
friends. She did not consider herself homeless or mentally ill, Ellis
said; she had a home right there outside the bookstore.

“We should not allow her life or her memory to be devalued by these
meaningless labels,” Ellis said.

Before Adkins’ death, Ellis had been talking with the University to
try and arrange a trailer for Adkins to live in. And over the years,
many different people had taken her into their homes for short
periods of time.

——–
Marcus Larson | Freelance photographer

Poppe, an acquaintance of Hatoon Victoria Adkins, bows his head in a
moment of silence during Adkins’ memorial service outside the Knight
Library on Saturday. Adkins, 67, died at Sacred Heart Medical Center
from injuries sustained after she was struck by a motorist March 1.
———–

University Bookstore General Manager Jim Williams also knew Adkins
for many years, saying she was a “good neighbor” — she often helped
the bookstore staff take out the trash each morning.
He described her as a magnificent, if somewhat complex woman. “Hatoon
was not really homeless … she just chose not to live cooped up
inside a building,” he said.

Adkins was not a regular face just at the bookstore. She was often
seen at the Knight Library, and she once lived outside it. Many also
crossed paths with her at the Student Recreation Center where she was
a regular patron. Those who worked out with her or saw her exercising
remember her strength — one man said she could easily “outpress 15
frat boys any day.”

“She was my role model for working out,” Tevina Benedict, who helped
organize the memorial, said. “We all need to keep our bodies strong.”

“That chick was buff,” said Professor Emeritus of English Ed Coleman,
who knew Adkins for 30 years.

Adkins was also a regular visitor at Blue Heron Bicycles on 13th
Avenue, where she became close friends with Kerri Vanden Berg. Vanden
Berg said Adkins was quite conscious of people’s belief or disbelief
in the things she said. After many long conversations with her
throughout the years, she said Adkins “began to make perfect sense.”

“So many times, you put my own life into perspective,” she said at
the memorial service. “I missed you today, I’ll miss you tomorrow. I
am blessed.”

Many others recalled Adkins’ concern for them. She would ask about
their health or about their children, tell them how nice they looked,
share her thoughts and opinions. Adkins was born April 30, 1937, to
parents of Armenian descent. She is survived by a sister, son,
daughter and granddaughter. In a letter, read by Williams, the family
members expressed how much they would miss her.

“Never one to hold back opinion, Hatoon encouraged open hearts and
open minds,” the letter said.

Referencing Robert Frost’s poem “A Road Not Taken,” Ellis said Adkins
had taken the path less traveled and all people should try to do the
same.

“Decide to be happy; make others happy,” he said. “Do not wait for a
better world; make a better world.”