PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

February 24, 2005
___________________

THIS SUMMER ST. VARTAN CAMP ADDS THIRD SESSION

Each year is better than the last at St. Vartan Camp. More kids want to
come each summer. More families want to take advantage of the camp’s
unique programs. And now, the program has settled into a new home, the
Diocese’s Ararat Center, just south of Albany, NY.

Also this year, to meet the exceptional demand, St. Vartan Camp is
expanding to three two-week sessions.

“We’ve been filled to capacity or near capacity for the past few years,
and there’s always been more young people who wanted to come,” said Yn.
Arpi Kouzouian, director of St. Vartan Camp. “This year, with an extra
two-week session, we will hopefully not have to turn anyone away.
Because the Diocese’s camp programs are truly unique and a vital part of
the Armenian community.”

This year’s St. Vartan Camp, run by the Diocese of the Armenian Church
of America (Eastern), has three two-week and three one-week sessions
which begin June 26, July 10, and July 24.

“We’re excited to be able to add this third session this year. It will
help us bring more young people into our Armenian community,” Yn.
Kouzouian said. “We’re not only making our programs and activities
available to more youth, we’re also strengthening the program for this
year’s camp.”

St. Vartan Camp — and its sister Midwest Hye Camp, a week-long program
running from July 31 to August 6 — is a unique, Armenian Christian
centered program for children between the ages of 8 and 12. Last year
nearly 400 youngsters benefited from the Diocesan camps.

The camp program also offers opportunities for young people to develop
leadership skills by becoming counselors-in-training or staff members.
This year’s St. Vartan Camp staffers will undergo an intensive one-week
training session.

For the second year, St. Vartan Camp will be held at the Diocesan Ararat
Center, just 30 miles south of Albany, NY, in the beautiful Catskill
Mountains. The breathtaking facility features a pool, tennis courts,
basketball court, and superior accommodations.

Early registration for campers is March 15, after which tuition will
rise. For more information and to register for St. Vartan Camp visit
For information on the camp or details on
becoming a counselor-in-training or camp staffer, contact Yn. Arpi
Kouzouian by e-mailing [email protected] or calling (617)
876-2700.

— 2/24/05

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone 212.319.6383 x.118
Fax 212.319.6507
Email [email protected]
Website

Thursday, February 24, 2005

“KARABAKH ALWAYS ARMENIAN,” SAYS HISTORIAN AT AGBU LECTURE
Bournoutian Talk Provides Hard Data, Facts

By J. K. Hovhannes

New York, NY – One crucial component in consolidating the Armenian
position in the Karabakh conflict between Armenians and Azeris is
providing evidence of the continuous and overwhelming majority
Armenian presence in Karabakh since ancient times. And this, the
historian and author George Bournoutian presented in a lively and
convincing lecture on February 3, 2005 at the AGBU Central Office in
Manhattan.

Bournoutian set himself two difficult criteria during his hour-long
lecture. On the one hand, he limited his sources, both primary and
otherwise, to non-Armenian authors to assure impartiality and to
debunk Azeri claims of partisanship. On the other hand, he steered
clear of the present day politics of the region and the various plans
and road maps put forward to solve the crisis.

“I will leave that to the political scientists, rather I’ll present
the historical data and let you judge for yourself the legitimacy of
Armenian and Azeri claims to Nagorno Karabakh,” Bournoutian said at
the start of his talk.

Dr. George Bournoutian, who was introduced by Betty Cherkezian of the
AGBU New York Special Events Committee (NYSEC), is currently professor
of East European and Middle Eastern History at Iona College and has
taught Armenian and Iranian history at several major universities
across the country. He is the author of fourteen books, including the
best-seller “A Concise History of the Armenian People”, and the recent
scholarly but readable “Two Chronicles of Karabakh.” Professor
Bournoutian is also a member of the New Jersey Commission on
Education.

Bournoutian was invited to deliver his lecture by AGBU NYSEC. The
group, a ten-member team, plans at least five events during the year
that deal with cultural, historical, artistic and educational
activities. Past events have included a private tour of the treasures
of Alexander the Great at the Onassis Foundation; guided tours of
Central Park and Caramoor; a tour of the Kips Bay Decorators
Showhouse; and a previous lecture by Professor Bournoutian, entitled
Armenian History 101.

To a rapt standing-room-only audience at a specially set up conference
room at the AGBU Central Office, Professor Bournoutian presented
historical and chronological data from a variety of non-Armenian
credible sources, all corroborated by quotations from his meticulous
research, validating the legitimacy of the Armenian presence in
Karabakh. Copies of two detailed maps of the South Caucasus region
were given to the attendees to follow up the intricate and sometimes
complicated flux of history that spanned many ages and involved a
dozen or so major ethnic and religious groups.

During the talk, which he peppered with anecdotes and livened up with
humor, Bournoutian highlighted five main eras covering the history of
the region: The classical Greek-Roman-Persian period until the 6th
century; the Arab-Moslem era extending between the 7th and 11th
centuries; the Mongol-Seljuk-Turkic period; the
Iranian-Russian-Ottoman period until the end of the 19th century; and
the Soviet era until the break-up in 1990 of the USSR and the
subsequent declaration of Karabakh of its independence.

Dr. Bournoutian stated emphatically that, based on the historical
record gleaned from official archives, linguistic studies, chronicles
and documents, all non-Armenian, at no time in the past fifteen
centuries have Nagorno Karabakh and Zangezur lost their Armenian
character and majority population, even though some regions of
Karabakh east of the river Kur and the riparian lowlands surrounding
it experienced population shifts.

The lecture was followed by a buffet-style Armenian luncheon with wine
and dessert. The hall was decorated tastefully by intricate
one-of-a-kind handcrafted articles, all of them on sale and created by
students from the three AGBU-sponsored Children Centers in Armenia. A
brief video projection during lunch illustrated upbeat scenes from the
three Centers in Arapkir, Nork and Malatya, which provide after school
instruction in the arts, culture, religion, literature and athletics
to over 3,500 youngsters.

The next event for AGBU NYSEC is a tour of the recently redesigned
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) on Thursday, April 7, 2005. For more
information, please call, 212.319.6383, or email, [email protected].

American Daily, OH
Feb 24 2005

The Hope Of Lebanon
By Bruce Walker (02/24/05)

Lebanon may be the greatest hope of all in the implementation of the
Bush Doctrine for world peace. Why? Lebanon is the only nation which
once was what we hope all the nations of the Middle East and Moslem
world will be: a democracy with tolerance and prosperity in which
Christians, Moslems and Jews lived together in peace.

The horrors which Lebanon has endured over the last three decades
obscure the wonder of a land which was once know as the Switzerland
of the Middle East. Lebanon was not just prosperous. It was more
prosperous than Israel. Lebanon was not just democratic. It was the
longest functioning democracy in the region. Lebanon was not just
tolerant, but it provided more religious toleration than any other
nation in the region, Israel included.

Although it is a relatively small nation – like Israel and like
Kuwait – it is potentially a pivotal nation in making free democracy
work. Alone among Arab nations with large Moslem populations in the
region, Lebanon stayed out of the 1967 War. Long before other nations
in the region, Lebanon had diplomatic relations with Israel.

Lebanon proved, until Syria invaded and savaged it, that Moslems and
Christians could live together peacefully in a working democracy.
Like most other democracies with parliamentary governments, Lebanon
had a head of state, a president, and a head of government, a prime
minister. One was always a Maronite Christian and the other was
always a Moslem.

Beirut was once a name synonymous with peace and beauty, like Geneva
or Stockholm or Venice. What connived to end this? Two factors, one
now dead (although it seems to be coming back like a vampire) and the
other on the run (although the last stand has not yet been made.)

The Soviet Union, whose policy was to export misery and to hurt
America whenever and wherever it could, had many tools to influence
Lebanon. It sold arms to Syria and other gaggles of terrorists. The
Russian Navy was a genuine power in the Eastern Mediterranean. KGB
and GRU operatives could and did work to prevent happiness in Lebanon
and gratitude toward the West.

Militant homicidal Moslem groups warred against the Christian
population, committing – as Danny Thomas, himself Lebanese, once
noted – genocide, but genocide against Christians and therefore
lacking the chicness of genocide against Tibetans, Cambodians or
Jews: genocide like the willfully ignored first holocaust of the last
century, the Armenian Holocaust, the systematic extermination of the
first Christian nation on Earth.

Everyone in Lebanon suffered horribly. Poor and wretched Moslems, who
had lived for centuries in relative peace and friendship with their
Christian countrymen, suddenly found themselves besieged by invading
Moslems, by Israeli military forces, and by Lebanese Christians
trying to defend themselves.

Hope and joy died in what was once among the most hopeful and joyful
cities in the world. `Beirut’ became a synonym for the horrors of
modern terrorism and undeclared war, rather than a promise of respect
and tolerance.

All of this can, and should, change. As several pundits have noted
and as was clear in the meeting between the presidents of France and
of America, Syria must withdraw from Lebanon now. France has historic
ties to Lebanon, ties that go back not decades or even centuries but
almost one thousand years. French pride has been a principal obstacle
to American war on terrorism. There is the chance for a wonderful
confluence of French pride and Bush humility.

Let France liberate and occupy Lebanon and let America have troops
who operate under the French colors in this noble cause. It should
not matter to Americans how Lebanon is liberated, but only that it is
liberated. France has more than just its pride at stake. The growth
of Moslem populations within France means that creating a model for
Christians and Moslems to live together in peace in a Mediterranean
nation is very much in the long term interest of France.

When Lebanon is free and safe, America should provide aid lavishly to
rebuild the nation and NATO should place stout peace keeping forces
at the borders with Syria and with Israel. As Israel has become the
homeland of Jews persecuted, Lebanon should become the homeland of
both Christians and Moslems who are persecuted. Then Earth will take
a giant step forward toward being a homeland of all the children of
God.

Bruce Walker has been a dyed in the wool conservative since, as a
sixth grader, he campaigned door to door for Barry Goldwater. Bruce
has had almost two hundred published articles have appeared several
professional and political periodicals.

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Feb 24 2005

PRESIDENTS ILHAM ALIYEV AND AZEGLIO CIAMPI MAKE STATEMENTS TO THE
PRESS
[February 24, 2005, 11:40:05]

Following the one-on-one meeting, Presidents Carlo Azeglio Ciampi of
Italy and Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan made statements to the press.

President of the Republic of Italy Carlo Azeglio Ciampi noted in
particular that presence of the Azerbaijani President in Rome
emphasizes the importance Italy attributes to relations between the
two countries, and that since Azerbaijan proclaimed its independence,
`Italy has demonstrated her friendship by supporting its progress and
economic advancement.’

`Today, the conditions are ripe to build on the substantial prospects
for economic and cultural cooperation that have been created over the
past few years. First and foremost, in the promising energy sector,
but also in trade, direct investment, the setting up joint ventures,
and infrastructure projects,’ the Italian President said.

Speaking of the process of Azerbaijan’s integration into the European
family, President Azeglio Ciampi noted that the country’s `membership
of the Council of Europe is consolidating the progress of system
based on democratic pluralism and the effective enjoyment of
fundamental freedoms.’

`The more substantial and determined its progress towards these
objectives, the greater Azerbaijan will benefit as it moves closer to
Europe,’ he said.

Touching upon the situation in the Caucasus, the President pointed
out that expanding the certainty of law and civil progress is an
increasing responsibility for the European Union. `It has achieved it
by consolidating dialogue and interethnic coexistence in the complex
situation in the Balkans. It does likewise in the Caucasus, to
contribute to the stability and progress of the countries in the
region,’ he said.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev noted in his
statement that relations of traditional friendship and cooperation
are successfully developing between Italy and Azerbaijan. He
especially emphasized that it was the official visit to Italy by
national leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev in 1997 that laid the
foundation of these relation, and foster their further development.

President Ilham Aliyev noted that today Azerbaijan is on the path of
rapid integration into the European family and Euroatlantic
structures. According to the President, the country is experiencing
economic growth, and is involved in large-scale energy projects. He
pointed out that the processes taking place in Azerbaijan at the
moment serve ensuring peace and stability not only in the country but
also in the whole region. He noted however that these processes are
hampered by the Armenia’s long-lasting aggression against Azerbaijan.
As a result of this aggression, he said, 20% of the Azerbaijani
territories were occupied by the Armenian armed forces, and over
million people became refugee and internally displaced. The President
expressed regret that the first plan of peaceful settlement of the
Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, developed by the OSCE
Minsk Group when presided by Italy has not been realized as yet.

He stressed that Azerbaijan’s stance is based on the basic principles
of the international law – territorial integrity and inviolability of
borders.

President Ilham Aliyev mentioned the Italy’s important contribution
to the process of Azerbaijan’s entering the European new neighborhood
policy, and highly appreciated the involvement of country in
realization of oil and gas projects in Azerbaijan, which are of
strategic importance for international energy security.

The Azerbaijani leader pointed out that the two countries have also
common stance with respect to the problems of international
terrorism, proliferation of nuclear weapon, illicit drug turnover,
illegal migration, as well as strengthening of democracy, protection
of human rights and ensuring supremacy of law.

AZERBAIJANI GOVERNMENT HAS PAID CONGRESSMAN DAN BARTON FOR HIS
ANTI-ARMENIAN STATEMENT

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 23. ARMINFO. Azerbaijani government has paid the
congressman an Barton for his anti-Armenian statement. A
representative of Armenia’s Embassy in the USA stated in the interview
to Radio Liberty.

To remind, representative of Indiana state to the U.S. Congress,
member of the Committee for international relations, Congressman Dan
Barton recently called on the Congress to recognize so-called “Khojali
genocide”. In the congressman’s opinion, “recognizing the Khojali
genocide, the U,S, Congress break the silence of the international
community concerning this issue”.

As the representative of Armenian embassy mentioned, Barton is only
one of the 435 members of the Congress and the fact he make such a
statement, also depends on the following circumstance: two weeks ago
the government of Azerbaijan hired a lobby organization of the former
congressman Livingston, famous for its pro-Turkish views. The
organization was hired just for conducting pro-Azerbaijani lobby in
the Congress. At the same time, he reminded the group of support to
Armenia comprised of 140 members. “They are conducting Armenian lobby
not for money, but because they are really friends of Armenia”, the
representative of the embassy mentioned.

SYNOPSIS AMERICAN COMPANY INVESTS $90 MLN TO ITS ARMENIAN BRANCH

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 23. ARMINFO. “Synopsis” company has provided its
Armenian branch with program tools for designing intellectual property
units for digital, analogue and compound signal chips worth $90 mln,
“Synopsis-Armenia” company’s director Hovik Musayelyan informed
ARMINFO.

He specified that the company received 60 computer-aided design
programs worth $1.5 mln each. Musayelyan also informed that presently
the company employs 150 engineers and plans to increase the number of
enrolled students from 110 to 220. According to him, Vice-President of
Synopsis Rich Goldman will visit Armenia on March 2 and will meet with
Armenia’s President and Prime-Minister to discuss company’s
perspective plans concerned with Armenia. Goldman will also tell about
the company’s intention to establish a Benevolent Fund in Armenia.

To note, “Synoposis-Armenia” was established by “Synopsis” Inc., the
world leader of electronic design of automatized technologies, in Oct
2004 on the basis of Armenian-American Leda Design and Monterey Arset
companies. Synopsis pins its strategic plans with the development of
its Armenian branch, including the tasks to enlarge its activity
spectrum. The annual turnover of Synopsis Inc. totals about $1.2 bln.

TO CEDE TERRITORY MEANS TO BETRAY

A1+
24-02-2005

Today `Defense of liberated territories’ public initiative spread a
statement regarding Armenian Defense Minister’s interview with Yerkir
Online.

`Recent interview given by Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan was
resembled a speech of the person who is going to assume the power in
the country. However it lacked demonstrative self-confidence and
contained anxiety and cautiousness. Probably it was caused by the
outside pressure directed first of all to the liberated territories of
Karabakh.

The Defense Minister reiterates that these lands appear as a security
zone and will be returned sooner or later and does not demand either
`a wider corridor ‘ or `common border’ as additional
concessions. Besides, he plans to guard the `vulnerable’ borders with
the help of peacekeepers, thus confirming his readiness for
concessions.

`Defense of liberated territories’ public initiative considers the
statements on possible territorial concessions as betrayal, especially
if they are made by the Defense Minister. The involvement of foreign
armed forces in the Armenian-Azeri relations and dislocation of bases
jeopardizing security of the neighbor states at the bank of River
Araks are also inadmissible.

”We reiterate that in the minds of the Armenian people the Karabakh
problem cannot receive international solution while only the power
enjoying the nation’s support can resist anti-Armenian proposals on
the conflict settlement”, the statement says.

YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

FEBRUARY 18-24, 2005

HIGHLIGHTS:

2004: YEAR OF ATTACKS ON JOURNALISTS

THIRTEENTH “PRESS CLUB” SHOW

“HAIKAKAN ZHAMANAK” CHALLENGED THE RULING ON DISCONTINUING THE INVESTIGATION
ON THE IGNITION OF EDITORIAL CAR

PRIZES FOR THE COVERAGE OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS

TEAM REPORTING PROJECT OF ARMENIAN AND GEORGIAN JOURNALISTS IN
SAMTSKHE-JAVAKHETIA

PRESS-SECRETARY OF THE PRESIDENT NOW AN AMBASSADOR

2004: YEAR OF ATTACKS ON JOURNALISTS

On the web site of Yerevan Press Club () in “Studies” section the
Annual Report of Yerevan Press Club and Committee to Protect Freedom of
Expression on freedom of speech in Armenia in 2004 is placed. The report
lists chronologically the cases of violating the rights of journalists and
media (various forms of pressure, impeding the professional activities),
litigations, the legislative initiatives and changes, affecting the media
sphere. The freedom of expression and media situation in 2004 is
characterized primarily by attacks on representatives of “the fourth estate”
to impede their professional activities.

THIRTEENTH “PRESS CLUB” SHOW

On February 21 on the evening air of the Second Armenian TV Channel the
thirteenth “Press Club” show was issued. The cycle is organized by Yerevan
Press Club under a homonymous project, supported by the OSI Network Media
Program.

The heads of leading media and journalistic associations of Armenia
discussed the relations between Armenia and Turkey. The program participants
expect the following themes to be central for the Armenian media next week:
the 17th anniversary of Armenian pogroms in Sumgait; the European tour of
the US President George Bush, in particular his Bratislava meeting with the
Russian President Vladimir Putin; events in the countries of Middle East.

“HAIKAKAN ZHAMANAK” CHALLENGED THE RULING ON DISCONTINUING THE INVESTIGATION
ON THE IGNITION OF EDITORIAL CAR

On February 24 “Haikakan Zhamanak” daily reported that on February 23 it
addressed the Prosecutor of Yerevan Hrachia Badalian with a petition to
abolish the ruling on stopping the investigation on the criminal case on the
ignition of the car, owned by “Haikakan Zhamanak” and used by its Chief
Editor. As it has been reported, the resolution on stopping the
investigation was made in early February by an employee of the Yerevan
Investigation Department of the RA Police Ashot Kostanian (see YPC Weekly
Newsletter, February 4-10, 2005). The ignition of the editorial car occurred
on November 22, 2004 and, according to the conclusion of the forensic fire
examination, it was caused by an open fire source.

In the same piece of February 24 “Haikakan Zhamanak” published quotes from
the ruling mentioned above. According to them, the ruling of stopping the
investigation is grounded by Ashot Kostanian on that no one was identified
to be charged with the case. At the same time, the investigator thought it
necessary to direct a copy of the ruling to Center Department of the Yerevan
Police “to continue the operative inquiry to determine the person who
committed the crime”.

PRIZES FOR THE COVERAGE OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS

On February 23 in Yerevan the Center of Public Dialogue and Development
rewarded the winners of the journalistic competition “Armenia-Turkey: Open
Conversation”, held by this public organization. The prize for the best TV
program was awarded to Vahram Martirosian, the author and the host of
“Revolution” cycle, aired on “Kentron” TV channel in 2004. The prize for the
best TV piece was granted to Haikaram Nahapetian, the correspondent of the
Public Television of Armenia. The prize for the best article in print media
was conferred on Narineh Stepanian, the correspondent of Armenian “Aragast”
newspaper, published in Los Angeles, USA. A special prize was awarded to
Marineh Mkrtchian, the correspondent of the regional “Noemi” TV company
(Shirak region). In the course of the award ceremony a collection of
articles “Armenia -Turkey: Open Conversation”, published by the Center of
Public Dialogue and Development.

TEAM REPORTING PROJECT OF ARMENIAN AND GEORGIAN JOURNALISTS IN
SAMTSKHE-JAVAKHETIA

On February 8-18 a group of eight representatives of Armenian and Georgian
media implemented a team reporting project on covering the lives of ethnic
and religious minorities, residing in the Samtskhe-Javakhetia region of
Georgia. The event was held by the London-based Media Diversity Institute
under its South Caucasus program “Minority Empowerment and Development of
Media”, supported by the European Commission and the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of the Netherlands.

The trainers of the team reporting project were Alistair Crighton (media
consultant, UK), Tatul Hakobian (observer of “Azg” daily, Armenia) and Tiko
Tsomaya (Caucasus School of Journalism and Media Management, Georgia). After
a trip to Samtskhe-Javakhetia Armenian and Georgian journalists will produce
a number of articles to be published as an eight-page supplement to
newspapers of the two countries. A special issue will be published in three
languages – Armenian, Georgian and English.

PRESS-SECRETARY OF THE PRESIDENT NOW AN AMBASSADOR

On February 18 by decrees of the RA President Robert Kocharian Ashot
Kocharian was discharged from the position of the press-secretary of the
head of the state and appointed the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia in India. Ashot Kocharian had been
appointed to the spokesman’s position on May 5, 2003 (see YPC Weekly
Newsletter, May 2-8, 2003).

When reprinting or using the information above, reference to the Yerevan
Press Club is required.

You are welcome to send any comment and feedback about the Newsletter to:
[email protected]

Subscription for the Newsletter is free. To subscribe or unsubscribe from
this mailing list, please send a message to: [email protected]

Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
____________________________________________
Yerevan Press Club
9B, Ghazar Parpetsi str.
375007, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+ 374 1) 53 00 67; 53 35 41; 53 76 62
Fax: (+374 1) 53 56 61
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site:

NATO not to deploy peacekeepers in Nagornyy Karabakh

Mediamax news agency
24 Feb 05

YEREVAN

The special representative of the NATO secretary-general in the South
Caucasus and Central Asia, Robert Simmons, said in Yerevan today that
“NATO is not taking part in the settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict and is not discussing the possible deployment of its
peacekeeping forces in the conflict zone”.

Simmons said this at a briefing in Yerevan today in reply to a
question from our Mediamax news agency correspondent.

He pointed out that NATO is “closely following the negotiations
between Armenia and Azerbaijan, however, this does not mean that we
are directly participating in this process”. The special
representative of the NATO secretary-general said that the OSCE Minsk
Group remains the most suitable format for the settlement of the
Nagornyy Karabakh conflict.

As for the possible deployment of NATO’s peacekeeping forces, “we are
not discussing this issue at all”, Simmons stressed. He explained that
in order to deploy peacekeeping forces, it is necessary to reach an
agreement on the settlement of the conflict first. And second, the
conflicting sides themselves should ask for the deployment of
peacekeeping forces, the special representative of the NATO
secretary-general said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS RELEASE
Association for Disaster and Mass Trauma Studies
139 Cedar Street
Cliffside Park, NJ 07010
Contact: Dr. Anie Kalayjian
Tel: 201-941-2266
Fax: 201-941-2266
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

New York, NY: The terrible earthquake and tsunami on December 2004
that struck 11 countries, from Indonesia to Somalia has had a
tremendous impact on the world. After seeing the devastation left by
the tsunami on the news, Dr. Kalayjian sent an application to mental
health practitioners to volunteer both time and money. Based on her 15
year experience in post disaster mental health outreach, Dr. Kalayjian
realized that psychological aide needed to start immediately after the
physical needs were met. This thought was supported by Ambassador
Bernard Goonatilleke, Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the
United Nations. The Association for Disaster and Mass Trauma Studies &
the Armenian American Society for Studies on Stress and Genocide
spearheaded by Dr. Anie Kalayjian organized a Mental Health Outreach
Program (MHOP) to Sri Lanka.

MHOP was implemented successfully post 1988 earthquake in Armenia and
the 1999 earthquake in Turkey. MHOP expands on the nursing process
from its five phases into eight phases. The eight phases of the MHOP
include: Preassessment, Assessment, Analysis, Community diagnosis,
Planning, Implementation, Evaluation, and Remodification (Kalayjian,
2003).

The program is designed to address the needs of all those whose lives
have been directly or indirectly impacted by the Tsunami, and places
emphasis on discussing traumatic memories and experiences, and finding
positive meaning in their lives. Special consideration will be given
to the impact of religion on coping, culture specific forms of
communication, willingness to share feelings with strangers, impact of
political upheaval as well as varied views on causality.

Teachers, counselors, paraprofessionals and parents will be trained in
the Six-Step Bio-Psychosocial and Spiritual Model. Dr. Kalayjian’s
Six-Step Bio-Psychosocial and Spiritual – Model is comprised of the
following six steps:

1.. Assess levels of distress
2.. Encourage discovery of memories & expression of feelings
3.. Provide empathy and validation
4.. Encourage discovery and expression of positive meaning
5.. Provide didactic information
6.. Provide instructions for diaphragmatic breathing and physical
relief (Safety Science, 2001, 39 pp. 71-81).

MHOP is collaborating with UNITED SIKHS, a worldwide humanitarian
organization. UNITED SIKHS is securing shelter for the volunteers.
Additionally, MHOP is collaborating with Columbia University’s School
of Public Health, Center for Disaster Preparedness. The MHOP team will
be going to Sri Lanka, Colombo first and then to the fields and the
refugee camps. Each team will have 3-5 people. The first team will be
leaving on February 9th and the second team will meet them around
February 20th to receive an orientation and a progress report.
Subsequent teams will follow this same structure. Each team will work
in the field for three weeks.

A research component will be integrated in this outreach. Levels of
PTSD, resiliency and physiological symptoms will be explored.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress