BURBANK--On April 14,
Garen Yegparian hopes to finish in the top 3 out of 6 candidates
vying for three seats on the Burbank City Council. On February 24,
with nearly 2,000 votes, Yegparian finished in the top half of a
crowded and competitive field, clearing the way for a spirited
campaign over the next 6 weeks.
“This is the best any Armenian-American council candidate has ever
done in Burbank,” Yegparian said to a celebratory crowd of 117
people at Armenian-owned Fantasia Bar & Billiards Hall in Beautiful
Downtown Burbank.
“My donors, supporters, volunteers and strategists made this
possible,” Yegparian said. “Now we must not miss a beat and forge
full-speed-ahead toward April 14.”
Yegparian has been an active force in Burbank over the past 15
years, serving on more appointed boards and commissions than any
other candidate. The Ivy-league educated Los Angeles City employee,
is currently the Chairman of the Burbank Park & Recreation
Committee.
Additionally, Yegparian received endorsements from Assemblyman Paul
Krekorian, Burbank School Board President Larry Applebaum, former
Burbank Mayor Todd Campbell, the Sierra Club, the National
Organization for Women and the Armenian National Committee Political
Action Committee (ANC-PAC).
If you would like to help on the campaign or contribute,
WASHINGTON--A letter seeking U.S. House cosponsors for a renewed drive
to secure the adoption of the Armenian Genocide Resolution was
circulated today on Capitol Hill by the legislation's lead authors,
Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) and George Radanovich (R-CA), and
Armenian Caucus Co-Chairmen Frank Pallone (D-NJ), and Mark Kirk (R-IL),
reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
"We join today with millions of Armenians throughout the United States,
in Armenia, and around the world in welcoming the launch of this new
drive toward U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide," said Aram
Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. "It's always the right time
to take a stand against genocide. Now -- with long-standing advocates of
this noble and necessary cause in the White House, leading the State
Department, serving in the Cabinet, heading up both Houses of Congress,
and chairing key Congressional committees -- we are set to overcome the
final barriers to full and formal U.S. recognition of the Armenian
Genocide."
In the letter, the four legislators invited their House colleagues to
join the resolution as original cosponsors, which will mean that they
will be listed as supporters starting from the day of its introduction.
During the recently concluded 110th Congress, an identical measure
secured the support of 212 cosponsors, was adopted by the Foreign
Affairs Committee, but was eventually blocked from a vote on the House
floor by sustained attacks by then-President George W. Bush and his
Administration.
In urging early support for this human rights measure, the four lead
sponsors noted that, "By properly acknowledging the Armenian Genocide,
we reaffirm the willingness of the U.S. to speak plainly about genocide,
and renew our commitment to prevent other occurrences of man's
inhumanity to man."
The Armenian Genocide Resolution reaffirms the U.S. record on the
Armenian Genocide by ensuring that the foreign policy of the United
States reflects appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning
issues related to human rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide
documented in the United States record relating to the Armenian Genocide.
CALL TEXAS
CONGRESSWOMAN WHO OPPOSES GENOCIDE BILL
Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, an eight-term
legislator from Dallas, Texas, is attacking U.S. recognition of the
Armenian Genocide as a “one-sided” view of a “historic dispute.”
In a letter circulated on February 25th to all 434 of her House
colleagues, she dismissed the Armenian Genocide as an “inter-communal
war.”
The Congresswoman's line of attack, long ago discredited by historians and
genocide scholars, is a particularly toxic form of denial that seeks,
without any basis in fact, to create parity between perpetrator and
victim. Her letter attempts to equate the full force of the Ottoman
Empire's vast military with the unarmed and impoverished Armenian
population destroyed by its brutal and systematic campaign of race
extermination.
Please call her office to politely share your concerns.
Call Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX)
(202) 225-8885
Calling is quick, easy, and hassle free 's usually taking
less than 2 minutes.
What
to expect: The receptionist will answer
your call and, in most instances, simply write down your message, and
say thank you. What to say:
Introduce yourself and mention that you are calling regarding the
Congresswoman's recent opposition to the Armenian Genocide Resolution.
(See phone script for suggestions.)
How to say it: The keys to
effectively communicating your concerns are to always be very polite, to
stay on-message, and to refrain from heated rhetoric that will be used
to undermine your credibility.
PHONE SCRIPT
Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson
(202) 225-8885
Hello, my name is [FULL NAME] and I calling to say I'm
troubled by the Congresswoman's recent letter in opposition to Armenian
Genocide recognition.
Her letter is factually wrong and morally flawed.
The Armenian Genocide is settled history. All serious genocide scholars
have called on Congress to pass this measure. In fact, the only deniers
left are the Turkish government and its Washington lobbyists.
The ability of genocidal regimes, like Sudan, to continue killing innocent
people is strengthened every time America fails to take a stand against
all genocides, past and present.
Please ask the Congresswoman to reconsider her stand.
Thank you.
February 29, 2009
Azeris
Demonstrate Against Karabakh at Armenian Embassy in DC
WASHINGTON--Some 30 Azerbaijanis gathered
outside the Armenian embassy in Washington DC Wednesday, protesting
against what they called “Armenia's aggression against Azerbaijan” and
demanding that Armenians "get out" of Nagorno-Karabakh.
The Armenian National Committee of America Thursday urged
Armenian-Americans to
take actionin support Nagorno
Karabagh's Democracy Movement by sending
ANCA action alerts to their Senate and House representatives.
The protest was organized as part of a growing disinformation campaign
launched in the United States and internationally, alleging that Armenians
are occupying Azeri lands.
The demonstrators stood at the steps of the embassy holding signs that
read "Armenia out of Azerbaijan," and "Armenia guilty of ethnic
cleansing."
The signs, which others at the event said were unusually well made and
professionally crafted, contained anti-Armenia messaging rather than the
typical anti-Armenian slogans used in previous demonstrations of the like.
The demonstrators delivered a letter of protest to Armenian embassy staff
to transfer to Ambassador Tatul Markaryan. According to the Azeri Press
Agency, the demonstrators also sent letters claiming Armenians committed
genocide in Khojaly to Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the
House and Senate foreign affairs committees, the State Department, New
York Times, Washington Post, and other major newspaper.
Thursday's protest comes amid heightened activism by Azerbaijan in the
United States, working with Azeri and Turkish Americans on college
campuses and in the halls of Congress and state legislatures, to distort
the facts of the Karabakh conflict in Azerbaijan's interests.
Azerbaijan's government earlier this month announced that February 20 -
March 1 would be considered Khojaly Awareness Days, kicking off what they
called an international memorial effort that would be observed at all the
Azeri embassies and consulates in the United States.
On Monday, the Azerbaijani Consulate General in Los Angeles staged a
public event on Khojaly. The event came two days after the
American Council of Turkish-speaking Students Association at Berkeley
University and Northern California Cultural Center sponsored a conference
at UC Berkeley titled “Tragedy of Khojaly.”
One of the fiercest battles of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict took place
from February 24 to 26, 1994, following which the Karabakh Army liberated
Khojaly--an Azeri stronghold from where the Azeri army would rain rockets
and fire on the civilian population in Karabakh.
Neutralizing the Azeri stronghold was a key turning point in the Karabakh
conflict, which culminated in the liberation of Shoushi in May of the same
year.
The conflict was a direct result of Azerbaijan's efforts to
ethnically cleanse its Armenian population, as well as the nearly 200,000
indigenous Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh, an historic Armenian
territory placed under Azeri control by Joseph Stalin in 1921.
In 1988 Azeri special forces units launched a series of pogroms against
Armenians in Sumgait, Kirovabad, Baku and later in the Shahumian district
of Karabakh. The move, a direct response to the hundreds of thousands of
Armenian demonstrators urging the Kremlin to allow Karabakh to be part of
Armenia, sparked the Karabakh conflict.
February 29, 2009
AYF Partners
with Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center for March 5 Blood Drive
LOS ANGELES--Hollywood Presbyterian
Medical Center (HPMC) has partnered with the American Red Cross and
Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) along with other community organizations
for a large-scale blood drive that will take place on Thursday, March 5,
2009 at the hospital's auditorium, 8am to 8pm.
"A single blood donation can help save the lives of up to three people,"
explained Jay Yoo, Director of Special Projects at Hollywood Presbyterian
Medical Center. "An adult of average weight has about 10 to 12 units of
blood, so one pint is easy to spare. Once donated, blood can be separated
into several components including red blood cells, platelets and plasma."
While donating blood is an easy way to save lives, people surprisingly do
not donate. For this reason, Mr. Yoo reached out to volunteers from the
AYF, Southern California Korean College Student Association, Asian
Journal, Korean American Women's Association, and various Filipino groups,
who have committed their participation.
"Our hospital is a community institution that serves the local Armenian,
Korean, Filipino, and Hispanic populations. We're a family that helps each
other," Mr. Yoo explained.
Approximately every two seconds, someone needs blood, and one out of three
people will need a life-saving blood transfusion in their lifetime.
“Since accidents and emergencies can happen anytime, to any one, it is
important to maintain an ample blood supply,” said Vache Thomassian, the
Chairman of the AYF. “The AYF is a community organization committed to the
well-being of our local population.”
“Giving blood is the greatest gift--the gift of life.” He added.
According to the American Red Cross, the process of donating takes about
an hour, starting with registration, a health history and a mini-physical.
The actual donation usually takes less than 10-12 minutes. Donors are then
are asked to rest for a few minutes before returning to normal activities.
Some of the basic requirements are that donors be at least 17 years old,
weigh at least 110 pounds, and be in good health.
Donors may sign-up online for the March 5 blood drive at Hollywood
Presbyterian Medical Center by visiting
www.givelife.org.
and entering "hpmedcenter" in search field. Instead of the usual snacks,
the hospital will provide a complementary Korean Barbeque lunch to donors
on site, or $10 gift card to Starbucks or Subway Sandwiches.
Prospective donors may call toll free
888-590-3883, or visit
www.givelife.org
for additional information and online sign-up.
February 24, 2009
AYF Protests Azeri Event on Khojaly
LOS ANGELES--More than 100 members of the
Armenian Youth Federation were joined by other youth from the community
Monday to protest an event at the Azerbaijan Consulate General in Los
Angeles claiming that the events in Khojaly 17 years ago were massacres
perpetrated by Armenians.
One of the fiercest battles of the Nagorno-Karabakh war took place from
February 24 to 26, 1994, following which the Karabakh Army liberated
Khojaly--an Azeri stronghold from where the Azeri army would rain rockets
and fire on the civilian population in Karabakh.
Neutralizing the Azeri stronghold was a key turning point in the Karabakh
conflict, which culminated in the liberation of Shoushi in May of the same
year.
As a direct response to the hundreds of thousands of Armenian protesters
urging the Kremlin to allow Karabakh to be part of Armenia in 1988, Azeri
OMON (special forces) units began a systematic pogrom of Armenians in
Sumgait in the same year. That was followed by a series of pogroms in
Kirovabad, Baku and later in the Shahumian district of Karabakh.
“We stand with the people of Artsakh to protect their right to
independence and we will not allow the Azeri government to put on events
trying to distort history for political gain. We will remember the murder
of Armenians in Sumgait and Baku and we will always remember that Artsakhk
is Armenia,” said Vache Thomassian AYF Western Region Central Executive
Chairperson
The protesters called on the Azeri government to bare responsibility for
the pogroms of Sumgait, Baku and other regions, highlighting the continued
bellicose rhetoric emanating from Azeri leaders toward Armenians and
Karabakh.
A couple of AYF members were denied access to the event by organizers, at
which time, AYF leaders, through a State Department official present at
event, indicated their interest to meet with the Azeri Consul General and
“hear what we had to say.”
"The demonstration was a sign that we can come together in a matter of
three hours and fight against injustice. It should also serve as a message
to the Azeri government, who were probably watching from their office
windows, that they can't expect to twist the facts, yet remain unnoticed,"
said Mariam Tsaturyan, an executive member of the UCLA Armenian Students
Association Executive.
February 23, 2009
Azeris Launch
New Effort to Change History
BERKELEY--The American
Council of Turkish-speaking Students Association at Berkeley University
and Northern California Cultural Center sponsored a conference at the
University of California at Berkeley Friday titled “Tragedy of Khojaly” in
an effort to distort history and place the blame of the events of 17 years
ago on Armenians.
One of the fiercest battles of the Nagorno-Karabakh war took place from
February 24 to 26, 1994, following which the Karabakh Army liberated
Khojaly--an Azeri stronghold from where the Azeri army would rain rockets
and fire on the civilian population in Karabakh.
Neutralizing the Azeri stronghold was a key turning point in the Karabakh
conflict, which culminated in the liberation of Shoushi in May of the same
year.
Azerbaijani parliamentarians Havva Mammadova and Asim Mollazadeh,
Professor Thomas Goltz of the University of Montana, representative of
Strategic Research Center under Azerbaijani President and master of
Monterey Institute Rashad Karimov and journalist Shafag Mehraliyeva
addressed the event.
One of the speakers called the Khojaly events “genocide” and said that the
so-called perpetrators must be tried in the International Court of
Justice. Others disagreed, calling it a massacre. When asked about the
pogroms in Sumgait, Baku, Kirovabad and the Shahumian region of Karabakh,
all speakers said that those incidents were ordered by the Soviet KGB and
were not carried out by the Azeri Army.
In reality, as a direct response to the hundreds of thousands of Armenian
protesters urging the Kremlin to allow Karabakh to be part of Armenia in
1988, Azeri OMON (special forces) units began a systematic pogrom of
Armenians in Sumgait in the same year. That was followed by a series of
pogroms in Kirovabad, Baku and later in the Shahumian district of Karabakh.
Frequent Asbarez contributor Andre Arzoo was at the event. Below, we
present excerpts from his
blog detailing the conference.
Azerbaijani Parliamentarians Visit UC
Berkeley & Discuss the 'Tragedy of Khojaly'
BY ANDRE ARZOO
On February 20, 2009 the Turkic Student Association at the University of
California, Berkeley invited Azerbaijani Parliamentarians, the 'AzeriTAj'
News Agency, and representatives from both the Azerbaijani-American
Council and the 'Center for Strategic Studies under the President of
Azerbaijan' to present a one-sided panel discussion portraying the
Azerbaijani-perspective of the events that took place on the night of
February 25-26, 1992 in the then Azerbaijani city of Khojaly.
The panel discussion was titled 'Justice for Khojaly' and the main two
themes in which all the presenters discussed revolved around, in their
perspective, the crime of massacre which they accuse was committed by
Armenian Armed Forces against the civilian population of Khojaly and steps
in which they believe must be taken to bring those responsible to trial
and justice within the context of an international tribunal.
Throughout the panel's discussion, the presenters stated that 613
civilians from the city of Khojaly were massacred by Armenian Armed
Forces; 106 women, 63 children, 70 elderly, and 10 families were
“completely destroyed,” while around a “100 or more civilians still remain
missing” which may possibly be “hostages in Armenia or Karabakh, or may
have been burned that night.” The panel claims that Armenian forces
mercilessly stabbed and bayoneted the civilian population as they advanced
on the city simply because of the “population's Azeri ethnicity” and as
retaliation against Azeri attacks.
SHAFAG
MEHRALIYEVA: U.S. Desk of “AzerTAj” News Agency
Shafag Mehraliyeva began her presentation by attempting to reach
out to the sympathy of Americans by connecting the issue of Khojaly with
that of the terror attacks of September 11th, 2001, stating that, “Khojaly
is considered the 9-11 of Azerbaijanis.” She mainly discussed the 'media
and information' aspect of this issue, arguing that when the event
originally took place the media either censored the event or coverage was
poor if not minimal. Mehraliyeva went on to state that after numerous
pieces of footage were taken and after advocates demanded that the footage
be aired, the event was finally publicized and presented by American-media
papers such as those of the Washington Post, Washington Times, New York
Times, and several others.
Mehraliyeva also went on to discuss Markar Melkonian's book My Brother's
Road, where she referred to Monte Melkonian's (Armenian Commander during
the Karabakh-conflict), comments about the events that had taken place in
Khojaly (referenced on pg.213 of the said book). She also mentioned the
current President of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, and pointed out that the
international community should be concerned that such a key person, whom
she claims was involved in the massacre or at least in the orders to carry
it out, holds a prominent position in the Armenian government. She failed
to provide any evidence or references that may have connected President
Sargsyan to Khojaly or his presence there.
Also noteworthy, Mehraliyeva touched on the issue of the strains on the
labor and state budget of the Republic of Azerbaijan as a result of the
Azeri population that was dispersed from Karabakh. What's interesting here
is that the state of Azerbaijan receives billion of dollars each year in
revenue from the country's natural oil exports yet refuses to use this
national income to support those members of the population who Mehraliyeva
considers as a “strain” upon the state budget. This highlights a point
that the state may be intentionally supporting the displacement of these
persons so as to maintain the Azerbaijani public's discontent with the
Armenians of Karabakh. In contrast, the Armenian government itself was
faced with the displaced Armenian populations of Baku and Sumgait who were
forced to flee as a result of the war and the massacre pogroms against
them, all of which were relocated to Armenia's capital Yerevan and its
surrounding urban areas. Mehraliyeva also discussed the underdevelopment
and unproductiveness of the region, which she says makes up a 1/6th of
Azerbaijan's territory.
RESHAD KARIMOV: Center for Strategic Studies under the President of
Azerbaijan
Reshad Karimov's presentation began by comparing the scale of the 'Khojaly
Tragedy' to those of the Normandy Invasion (part of a greater violence),
where he argued that the reason the Khojaly issue has failed to garner
international exposure is due to the significantly low numbers of victims
in comparison.
The Germans suffered some
250,000 dead and as many captured. The Allies lost some 40,000 dead;
185,000 wounded or missing. In sum about 3,700 men died everyday for 79
days, and the 1994 Massacres of Tutsis and moderate Hutus in Rwanda.
Estimates between 500,000 and 1,000,000.”
Karimov also discussed the reasons why states and their armed forces turn
to violence against civilian populations in an attempt to connect the 'Khojaly
Tragedy' with an abstract explanation:
“Civilians become the victims-of-choice for one of two reasons:
1. Desperation to achieve victory and lower costs in extended wars of slow
destruction 's in which case, civilian victimization is a coercive
strategy meant to sap the morale of an adversary's population or undermine
the enemy's ability to fight.
2. An appetite for terrorized conquest that causes states to use force to
subdue or eliminate an adversary.”
Karimov went into further detail about the tragedy and those who he claims
were responsible, singling out the Armenian Armed Forces “backed by more
than 50 officers and military personnel of the 2nd Battalion of 366 Motor
Rifle Regiment under the command of Major Oganyan Seyran Mushegovich,” who
is currently serving as the Republic of Armenia's Minister of Defense.
Also referring to pg.172 of the book Black Garden, written by Thomas de
Waal, Karimov quotes alleged comments by current Armenian President Serzh
Sarkisian:
“Before Khojaly, the Azerbaijanis thought they were joking with us, they
thought that the Armenians were people who could not raise their hand
against the civilian population. We were able to break that [stereotype].
And that's what happened. And we should also take into account that
amongst those boys were people who had fled from Baku and Sumgait.”
Referring to President Sarkisan's comments as an admission to the tragic
event, although Sarkisan also mentions the massacres that took place by
Azeri's against the Armenian civilian populations living in the
Azerbaijani cities of Sumgait and Baku years prior to the Khojaly event,
the panel failed to mention these other massacres perpetrated by Azeris
against Armenians throughout its presentation. President Sarkisian's
comments, on the other hand, are taken out of context and could simply be
referring to the defensive actions of Armenian Forces to hold their
positions in the region against advancing Azeri attacks, forces in which
significantly outnumbered the loosely organized and poorly equipped
Armenian factions in comparison.
THOMAS GOLTZ:
Azerbaijani-American Council from the University of Montana
Thomas Goltz focused his presentation on the consequences of the 'Khojaly
Tragedy' and the necessary steps that the Azerbaijani community must take
in regards to the issue.
Goltz believes that a development has taken place in Azerbaijan where an
“occult of suffering” has emerged, a development which he believes is
counter-productive. He also refers to “Black January,” January 20, 1990,
where Azerbaijanis have turned a horrible tragedy into a “glorious day in
the first step toward Azerbaijani Independence.”
He went on to argue that those who committed the massacre in Khojaly must
be pursued and brought to trial under international law standards,
although he believes that this will be fairly difficult, but foundations
must be put forward.
Goltz goes on to discuss President Serzh Sargsyan's comments and how Ned
Walker, UC Berkeley post-Soviet academic and lawyer, believes that
Sargsyan's statement is “no evidence in the court of law, [and that it is]
just a reference to something he may have been involved in or know about.
It's just an admission of the crime [itself].” In other words, President
Sargsyan's comments on Khojaly would not be held up in court as actual
evidence to him committing any crime, either taking part in or ordering a
crime to take place, and that his comments simply confirm his knowledge
about the issue at hand.
Describing the 'Khojaly Tragedy' in the context of the failure of the
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Goltz specifically stated that the
event took place “not because one day the evil Armenians came to an
innocent village and began killing people.” Arguing instead that Khojaly
was a surrounded town that was poorly defended by Azeri Forces, which the
Azeri government had abandoned, and that Khojaly was not the result of a
power vacuum but consequences of an armed conflict between two peoples.
Also worth mentioning, Goltz went on to discuss how the Azerbaijani-side
cannot garner proper international coverage on the issue because of the
lack of sufficient supportive content towards the claim of massacre, and
that he later changed his mind in this regard based on the release of a
Turkish-produced DVD. The DVD presents a study of what happen in Eastern
Anatolia (Turkish perspective) 's and the attempts to prove, with
scholarly accounts, that a tragedy did occur in Eastern Anatolia but that
the Armenians were emptied out of the region not because of a systematic
genocide, but because of the fact that while the defense of Greater
Armenia had collapsed during the Soviet Revolution, the defenders moved to
the current Republic of Armenia (1918-1920) 's and so that there was no
genocide if they were still there after 1915. Goltz, taking into
consideration this DVD and its attempt to support the Turkish-perspective
of the Anatolian accounts, now believes that similar steps can be taken in
reference to the 'Khojaly Tragedy'.
ASIM MOLLAZADE:
Member of Parliament, Azerbaijan
Asim Mollazade's presentation reflected more upon the consequences of the
'Khojaly Tragedy' for the current Armenian population in the Republic of
Armenia, than about the event itself. The Azeri parliamentarian attempted
to tie the events at Khojaly and the 'criminals involved' with the current
political crisis in Armenia. He believes it is important for the Armenian
people to understand and prevent atrocities of this type because, in his
opinion, it is these very same people who committed the crimes in Khojaly
that could have possibly taken part in carrying out the crimes against the
Armenian population in Yerevan on March 1st, 2008. What one should
consider in regards to this argument is the continued suppression of the
Azerbaijani population by the government in Baku since independence, in
which the government under President Ilham Aliyev has continued its
counter-democratic practices of censorship, civil brutality, and
centralization of state power.
Mollazade here is referring to the Armenian government's suppression of
demonstrations in Yerevan on March 1st of last year where thousands of
demonstrators were protesting against the government and the 2008
Presidential elections, in which at least 10 people were left dead after
clashes between opposition supporters and Armenian National Security
forces that had taken place that night.
The parliamentarian also reflected on how 17 years have past since the 'Khojaly
Tragedy' and how the international community should create a “system of
justice” to prevent such atrocities in the future. Stating that “this
tragedy in not only of Azeris, but of the world and mankind as well.”
Heydar Aliyev
Foundation & Book Presentation
The individual presentations were followed by a short video produced by
the Heydar Aliyev Foundation that reflected upon the events in Khojaly,
mentioning in the video that Armenians on the night of the event were
repeatedly shouting, “No Azerbaijani in Khojaly must be left alive.”
Although actual evidence and accounts of this taking place are
questionable.
The book presentation, on the other hand, focused upon the details of the
tragedy, the consequences for the survivors, and specifically went out of
its way to label the tragedy as 'genocide'. However, all the other
presenters of the panel disagreed with using the term 'genocide' to
describe the events that took place in Khojaly, rather choosing the term
'massacre' instead. In Conclusion
Overall, the panel discussion seemed more of a propaganda ploy on behalf
of the government in Baku than anything else, although I should point out
that the panel was more concerned about spreading awareness about the
issue than actually presenting evidence on the matter. The speakers
vaguely described what they believed took place in Khojaly and outlined
the importance of pursuing those responsible so as to place them under
trial for war crimes. Respectfully, each individual presentation was for
the most part unorganized and contradicting to the other members'
presentations, some describing the event as a genocide while others
disagreeing and calling it a tragedy or massacre, even though all members
of the panel were in support of the Azerbaijani-interpretation of the
issue.
Those in
attendance
More interesting, however, were the issues discussed during the Question &
Answer session. When a member of the audience mentioned the massacres
against Armenians that had taken place in the late 1980s and early -90s in
the Azeri cities of Baku and Sumgait, Parliamentarian Mollazade responded
with a chuckle and a 'thank you'.
Mollazade claimed that the said massacres against Armenians were actually
instigated by the KGB (Soviet Secret Police) and that although Azeris had
taken part, specific Armenians were the ones who instigated the murders
against other Armenians. Mollazade also argued that those who had
committed the crimes were arrested, tried, and executed, while those who
committed the crimes in Khojaly remain free without any attempt of a trial
since. In other words, Armenians instigated violence against their own
population and in response, the Azerbaijani government simply committed
additional violence against the other accused elements of the Armenian
population. The old “eye for an eye,” although the government's accounts
of the incidents are historically inaccurate and fictitious. Actual
accounts of the Baku and Sumgait massacres are reported in Samvel
Shahmuratian's Sumgait Tragedy and de Waal's Black Garden, where they
state that large-scale Azeri mobs attacked, killed, raped, and abused
Armenians in the streets, in their apartments, and in hospital buildings,
among other locations. Many allege that at least some 200 fell victim to
the pogroms, although the official report by the Prosecutor General lists
about 32 fatal victims (26 Armenians and 6 Azeris).
Another follow-up question asked was about the legitimacy of the
“concerns” that the Azeri officials and panel members expressed about
solving the current conflict in Karabakh, bringing about peace in the
region, and developing relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. When
asked about the importance of including representatives of Karabakh to the
ongoing negotiations between Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, France, and the
United States, so that the Armenians in Karabakh, who currently consist of
their own national government and leaders, will take part in the
settlement of their own fate, Mollazade discredited the suggestion stating
that the government in Armenia is made up of former Karabakh officials.
He, who claims to have been present at all negotiations since the early
1990s and who claims to know all the other members involved in those
negotiations since, believes that the officials in Yerevan are in one form
or another the leaders of Karabakh as well. This is counter to the fact
that Karabakh today has its own active Government Body, Parliament, and
leading President, Bako Sahakyan, who have publicly stated concerns toward
being isolated from the currently ongoing negotiations.
Distributed literature at the event
My point was that regardless of what the governments in Baku and Yerevan
decide on the issue of Karabakh, it is the people of Karabakh and their
leaders who in the end will be left to either reject or accept the
outcome. If peace is the ultimate solution, how is this not a concern for
either side?
In terms of the panel discussion itself, it will be interesting to see
what future steps may be taken, either by the state of Azerbaijan or Azeri
NGOs, to pursue those whom the concerned bodies believe are guilty of war
crimes, and what developments are made by both the Armenian and
Azerbaijani sides to come to a conclusion on what really happen the night
of February 25-26, 1992.
LOS ANGELES--A
delegation headed by Armenian Revolutionary Federation Western US Central
Committee chairman Avedik Izmirlian on Friday visited the Consulate
General of Armenia in Los Angeles to officially welcome and greet new
Consul General Grigor Hovannesyan.
Joining the delegation were John Kossakian, Mardig Gaboudian, Steve
Dedeian and Armenian National Committee Western Region Board of Directors
chairman Vicken Sonentz-Papazian.
The delegation welcomed the new consul general and pledged the
organization's willingness to cooperate with the Consulate and its
activities.
It also briefed the Consul General on the activities of the ARF in the
Western US, as well as the activities of the Los Angeles-Yerevan,
Glendale-Ghapan and Montebello-Stepanakert sister-city programs currently
underway in the area.
Consul General Hovannesyan welcomed the delegation and pledged his
willingness to work with the community and strengthen its ties with
community organizations. He was accompanied by Vice Consul Mesrob Shapoyan.
The Central Committee invited the new consul general to its center on
Thursday, February 19.
WASHINGTON--Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) Friday sharply criticized
Turkey's hypocrisy in leveling human rights charges against Israel even as
it continues to deny the Armenian Genocide and strengthen its ties to the
genocidal Sudanese regime, reported the Armenian National Committee of
America (ANCA).
"If Turkey wants to move closer to the West it should practice some
self-reflection on its own history regarding the Armenian Genocide and
help to end the Genocide in Darfur," the Armenian Caucus Co-Chairman
said Friday in a speech on the House floor.
Pallone called the attention of his colleagues to increasingly strident
Turkish attacks on Israel, including menacing, even threatening, remarks
by Prime Minister Erdogan, as well as a recent Washington Post report that
a Turkey-based non-governmental organization has initiated a probe to
investigate if war crimes and genocide were committed by Israel during the
recent Gaza Conflict.
Commenting on these developments, he noted that, "For a nation that for 94
years has practiced wide-spread genocide denial of the killing of one and
half million Armenians, hypocrisy runs deep today in Ankara."
The New Jersey legislator stressed that, "the Turkish people need to step
back and question their skewed understanding of genocide. Look in the
mirror, look at your own history, come to terms with the fact that 1.5
million Armenians died and when contemporary genocides, like Darfur, take
place it must be denounced."
He added that Turkey, rather than denouncing the Darfur Genocide, has
actually strengthened its ties to Khartoum.
"Last year, Turkish President Abdullah Gul warmly welcomed Sudanese
President Omar al- Bashir to Ankara," he said. " Yet, Al-Bashir continues
to preside over a genocidal regime responsible for the deaths of 300,000
Sudanese people in the Darfur region of the country."
The full text of Congressman
Pallone's statement is provided below.
On Saturday, February
7th, the Washington Post reported that a Turkish
Islamist-oriented human rights group, the Association of
Human Rights and Solidarity for Oppressed Peoples, known
as Mazlum-Der, initiated a probe to investigate if war
crimes and genocide were committed by Israel during the
recent Gaza Conflict.
I was startled to read that Mazlum-Der plans to
investigate 19 Israelis including Prime Minster Ehud
Olmert, President Shimon Peres, Foreign Minister Tzipi
Livini, and Defense Minister Ehud Barak for orchestrating
genocide.
For a nation that for 94 years has practiced wide-spread
genocide denial of the killing of one and half million
Armenians, hypocrisy runs deep today in Ankara. Last week
I expressed my concerns regarding Turkey's recent rash of
anti-Semitism, but this probe is going too far. Israel
did not commit Genocide, but this has not stopped Ankara's
Chief Prosecutor from launching this war crimes probe.
The probe out of Turkey will investigate Israel's actions
in the Gaza conflict to see if they amount to "genocide,
torture, and crimes against humanity." If the prosecutor
finds evidence against the Israeli leaders, under Turkish
law, they can be detained if they enter Turkey.
The absurdity of this probe and the fact that Turkey is
issuing it must be exposed. Israel did not commit
Genocide. Israel was not attempting to eliminate the
Palestinian people. Israel was protecting itself from the
hundreds of bombs Hamas has been shooting into its cities.
Mazlum-Der has no ground to stand on. Turkey has no
ground to stand on. Neither this NGO nor the Turkish
government has ever attempted to discuss the truth of the
Armenian Genocide. Nor has Turkey or Mazlum-Der taken
action against the present genocide that continues to rage
in Darfur.
While Israelis are defending themselves against constant
attacks from Hamas, Mazlum-Der insists this is genocide.
How can this organization accuse Israel of committing
genocide when it has yet to categorize the thousands of
killings in Darfur as a genocide? The Turkish people need
to step back and question their skewed understanding of
genocide. Look in the mirror, look at your own history,
come to terms with the fact that 1.5 million Armenians
died and when contemporary genocides, like Darfur, take
place it must be denounced.
But instead of denouncing it, Turkey's relationship with
Sudan is strong. Last year, Turkish President Abdullah
Gul warmly welcomed Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to
Ankara. Yet, Al-Bashir continues to preside over a
genocidal regime responsible for the deaths of 300,000
Sudanese people in the Darfur region of the country.
Today, 2.7 million Darfuris have lost their homes since
the conflict and now live in internally displaced persons
camps. While all of this happens, President Gul of Turkey
has said that the situation in Darfur adds up to a
"humanitarian tragedy" caused by economic difficulties.
This watering down of state sponsored government killing
is an affront to the thousands who have perished in Darfur.
And yet a Turkish organization is investigating genocide
in Israel?
President Gul greeted the Sudanese leader with a military
guard of honor only bestowed on Turkey's closest allies.
While the international community fiercely works to
contain al-Bashir's government, Turkey embraces it. Both
governments have a long history of genocide denial.
The Republic of Turkey has had 94 years to recognize the
Armenian Genocide perpetrated on their soil in 1915. Like
the Sudanese government, the Turkish government's
state-sponsored ethnic cleansing of the Armenians in the
early twentieth century left one and half million
Armenians tortured, murdered, and displaced. Yet to this
day the Republic of Turkey continues to deny the slaughter
of the Armenians 's instead launching an absurd
investigation into Israel.
If Turkey and its NGOs want to take a stand against
Genocide they should not be pointing at Israel, nor should
Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan be threatening Israel with
comments like, "Allah will sooner or later punish those
who transgress the rights of innocents." If Turkey wants
to move closer to the West it should practice some
self-reflection on its own history regarding the Armenian
Genocide and help to end the Genocide in Darfur.
Monday February 9, 2009
Panel Discusses Media's Impact on Community
BY ALLEN YEKIKAN
BURBANK,
CALIF.--Armenian media are a force for change in the Armenian-American
community. That was the consensus reached at a panel discussion on the
topic organized by the Armenian National Committee's Professional Network
at Burbank's Woodbury University on January 31.
Hosted by the Woodbury University Armenian Students Association, the
panel, titled "Mass Media in the Armenian Community," provided a forum for
professionals in the field to interact and network with Armenian students
interested in the industry.
On the panel were: Asbarez English Editor Ara Khachatourian, Horizon TV
General Manager Harry Vorperian, Maria Armoudian of KPFK Radio (90.7 FM),
the Armenian Reporter's Western Bureau Editor Paul Chaderjian.
Over 50 people attended the event, from students and professionals in the
field to volunteers and community activists. The panel, which included a
dynamic question and answer session, ran the gamut of topics from the
coverage of Armenian-American issues in community and mainstream media to
avenues available for college students interested in exploring career
options in media.
Media's impact on the Armenian-American community was the first of a
series of issue tackled by the panelists, with each sharing their unique
perspectives about how media shapes, engages and activates communities.
Panelists talked about their personal experiences in the field and the
opportunities that exist today for prospective journalists.
"From being the starving Armenins to going to the inauguration" of
President Barack Obama, Armenians have come a long way since the early
days of the Armenian-American press, Khachatourian explained, talking
about his recent trip in time through the Asbarez archives. "You really
see the role our media and papers had in developing our community."
Khachatourian said it has been the Armenian media's responsibility to
bridge the different communities where Armenians live across the world. He
cited as an example, Asbarez's role in balancing the chaotic situation
created in the community from the influx of thousands of new immigrants
from the former Soviet Union, with their deep cultural differences and
"true social needs."
Just as Armenian Media has influenced the Armenian-American community so
too have mass media, according to Khachatourian, who described Armenians
as inherently politicized by the genocide to be not "just lay readers, but
an engaged community" conscious of media's influence on public policy and
opinion on the Armenian Cause. He spoke of the community's growing
political clout in the United States, attributing it largely to Armenian
Media's ability to mobilize the community to affect decision making in
government and media.
Community activism, he explained, forced the New York Times and Los
Angeles Times to reverse editorial policies that characterized the
Armenian Genocide as an allegation.
But this change would have been impossible if Armenian Media did not
perform its core function, which according to Chaderjian, is public
service. Armenian media, he said, provides the community with the news it
needs to come up with a collective social, political and cultural agenda.
For Armoudian, who volunteers at KPFK hosting a progressive talk show,
media doesn't only set the agenda but also "gives us a sense of who we are
as a society,” reinforcing a sense of our shared values concerns.
That self reflection, she stressed, is very important for Armenians. An
ancient people with a "profound history and culture," they are not only
conscious of how Armenian-media depicts their community, but also how the
broader mass media portrays them to the world.
“Are we included in their content?” she asked. “How are we covered,
presented, portrayed?” Frustrated by the vain and shallow image of
Armenians projected by Kim Kardashian's TV show, Armoudian stressed the
need for Armenian journalists to have a real presence within mass media.
Journalists must be agents for social and political change, she added.
This is why she volunteers at Pacifica Radio, KPFK's parent company. “The
dumbing down,” of American mass media for maximum profit through shallow
entertainment drove her to seek ways to engage people with thought
provoking journalism, she said.
With the serious challenges facing mainstream media today, the panelists
also discussed strategies for Armenian media as it seeks to overcome
today's hurdles to engage its readers and viewers in new ways. As mass
media copes with the economic downturn and seeks to find ways to adapt its
conventional model to the shifting demands and consumption patters, so too
does Armenian media, Khachatourian noted.
For Asbarez, the increasing interest in the internet has opened a new
chapter for the 100 year old publication. In 1997, Asbarez launched its
website on the internet, becoming the first Armenian publication to have a
presence on the World Wide Web. Today, it reaches its audience through new
information technologies, utilizing daily email newsletters and Really
Simple Syndication (RSS) to disseminate the daily news as it's published,
directly to the reader. “With more readers turning to the web for their
news, we are looking at new technologies to enhance our online presence
and media delivery capabilities,” Khacaturian said.
Armenian television too is facing serious hurdles, grappling with the
reality that its audience is also changing. With the generations changing,
Horizon TV is now looking to expand its programming to appeal to a younger
generation of English-speaking Armenians that have grown up disconnected
from Armenian TV, explained Vorperian. To bridge that gap, Horizon will
soon be introducing English-language programming targeted at 18-25 year
olds. “Local Armenian TV offers barely any English programming,” he said.
“Horizon's goal is to change that.”
“I was fortunate to find Horizon,” Chaderjian said, talking about his own
journey in media. After graduating college, he joined Horizon's team as a
journalist, reporting on developments unfolding in newly independent
Armenia, and war-torn Karabakh. “Twenty years ago, I didn't have access to
cameras or editing programs; it was a whole different landscape.”
“There are so many ways to tell your story and this is the age,”
Chaderjian exclaimed, noting how much easier it is today to get one's foot
in the door. Working for Horizon, he said, gave him two years of
experience making news reels and writing stories for broadcast new, which
he was able to present to people when trying to get into the mainstream
field.
“You can work in Armenian media and have a more immediate and direct
impact on your community or you can go to the networks, where you may or
may not get what you write published,” he said.
Expanding on that note, Vorperian extended an open invitation to the
students at the panel interested in gaining experience in TV media. “We
are welcoming you to come up with concepts to create shows for horizon
media,” he said. “Horizon can be your stepping stone to build a portfolio,
to promote your events, to have discussions with the community.”
Echoing his colleague's invitation, Khachatourian talked about the many
opportunities available at Asbarez for aspiring journalists. Asbarez has
been working in collaboration with the ANC-WR to offer internships to
young Armenians interested in media and communications. For information
about interning at Horizon or Asbarez, email:
info@asbarez.com.
“Today's situation in media provides you a unique opportunity to leave a
mark. It's about commitment and passion,” Khachatourian said. “It's very
exciting, constantly engaged, with your brain always functioning.
Nora Yacoubian, a representative of Hamazkayin and volunteer photographer
for Asbarez, was also on hand to talk about the various opportunities open
to students thinking about careers in journalism. At the question and
answer session, she talked about scholarships Hamazkayin offers graduate
students pursuing studies in literature, journalism, or theater/film. More
information about the scholarship, which totals $5,000, can be found at
the
Hamazkayin website.
“We are happy that we were able to start the panel series working in
collaboration with the Woodbury University ASA,” said Raffi Kassabian, a
member of the ANC-PN's organizing committee and the moderator of the day's
event. “Not only were we able to provide a forum for the community to take
a closer look at the media profession, but we enjoyed this opportunity to
help bridge students with the young professional community.”
Sevag Demirjian, the President of the ANC-PN Board concurred. “I was very
pleased that we were able to bring everyone together here for a healthy
discussion and I look forward to our upcoming panel series events, where I
hope to see as much enthusiasm and participation from our community as we
had here today.”
*****
Editor's Note: The ANC-PN is an
association composed of Armenian American professionals living in the
western United States; ANC-PN members are brought together by heritage,
social responsibility and a desire to expand the civic awareness and
involvement of Armenian American professionals working in both the public
and private sectors. For more info on the ANC-PN, please visit
www.ancpn.com.
WASHINGTON--On Sunday May 31, 2009, Armenian Americans across the
United States will be watching the ANCA telethon--a six hour television
program celebrating Armenian American civic participation and showcasing
the growing strength of the ANCA grassroots network nationwide. Themed
"One Nation - One Cause- One Future", the ANCA Telethon will be broadcast
nationally on a variety of cable and digital channels and showcased online
at anca.org/telethon from 6:00pm to 12 midnight EST (3:00pm to 9:00pm
Pacific).
ANCA Telethon 2009 follows the highly successful May, 2006 inaugural
broadcast, which raised over $3 million in support of the civic and
educational efforts of the ANCA Endowment Fund. The 2006 telethon touched
a common emotion and desire in people to support the Armenian Cause in
communities across the U.S., regardless of organizational affiliations or
politics. Countless organizations, volunteers, churches, community
leaders, ANC local chapters, performing artists, Members of Congress and
state legislators from across the nation participated in the Telethon
contributing to its enormous success. The Telethon featured several
documentaries that highlighted the various ANCA programs and numerous
results the ANCA has achieved over the years largely through its volunteer
and grassroots network.
"The 2006 Telethon was one of the ANCA's most ambitious endeavors to date,
pulling together every part of our grassroots network, and the results
demonstrated the overwhelming support for our mission to unite the
community behind the Armenian Cause 's Hai Tahd," said Ken Hachikian,
National President of the ANCA Endowment Fund. "This year, we look forward
to working with all organizations and activists, once again, to spotlight
the unprecedented level of Armenian American civic participation across
the U.S. and to build our capacity to expand "Hai Tahd" successes in the
future."
The 2009 Telethon will help the ANCA further strengthen itself as an
invaluable Armenian American civic institution - building on its proven
track record by developing a powerful financial foundation for the future.
The Telethon will benefit the ANCA Endowment which supports Armenian
American grassroots civic participation by ensuring that our community has
the tools to effectively educate the American public and governments on
the federal, state and local levels about the challenges and opportunities
facing Armenia, Nagorno Karabagh, and the Diaspora.
SYDNEY, Australia--It
was recently reported in Turkish mass media that Armenian-Australians had
apologized to Turkey for acts of violence committed in the name of the
Armenian people. These reports, based on an interview with Dr Armen
Gakavian of Sydney have since been deemed incorrect in a clarification
released by Gakavian himself.
As due diligence demands, ANC Australia has monitored both the original
Turkish media reports and the subsequent clarification by Dr Gakavian to
determine that the Turkish reports of an Armenian %u218counter-apology'
are false and that Turkish media has on this occasion deliberately
misinformed, misrepresented and misreported in order to deliberately
defuse, distort and deny the Armenian Genocide.
ANC Australia takes this opportunity to once again reaffirm that the
Armenian-Australian community and Armenians throughout the world remain
united in their struggle for universal recognition of the Armenian
Genocide.
****
Below is Gakavian's clarification
regarding his approach to the so-called “apology” campaign:
Clarification regarding interview with the Turkish
Radikal Daily
Dr Armen Gakavian, Sydney, Australia
February 3, 2009
I refer to media reports about an Armenian counter-apology allegedly
being prepared in response to an online petition launched by Turkish
intellectuals in December 2008 (see
http://www.ozurdiliyoruz.com).
I would like to take this opportunity to clarify the situation.
Together with some friends, I have drafted a response to the
abovementioned Turkish apology with the intention of circulating it by
email for input and advice. This statement is a humanistic response to
the humanistic gesture by the Turkish intellectuals and signatories. The
response is nothing more than a draft for circulation and discussion,
and for possible later presentation as a counter-petition if there is
enough interest. As such:
1. The response is currently a personal initiative of mine, with the
input of some friends, and there is as yet no "group of Armenian
intellectuals" behind the response, as incorrectly reported by
Today's Zaman.
2. There is as yet no decision about producing a counter-apology or
about the nature of any potential counter-apology, due to concerns about
"relative trivialisation" and the possibility of such a counter-apology
being manipulated or misunderstood in the current environment.
On Saturday 31st January, the Turkish Daily Radikal found out about the
draft response and I accepted their invitation for an interview.
See the interview.
While I am grateful that my responses to the journalist's questions were
mostly produced word-for-word, the Editor's Introduction gave its own
spin to the article, by:
1. Including a large photo of Armenian revolutionaries and related
caption;
2. Highlighting my personal apology for crimes committed by Armenians;
and
In addition, there seemed to be some confusion between my personal
apology and the draft response being prepared. However, the two were not
connected, and I would like to make some points of clarification need to
be made regarding the "apology" aspect of the interview:
1. I did offer a personal renunciation of, and apology for, crimes
committed by Armenians against innocent Turks. To me, this apology
reflects basic human morality. I stand by that apology, which stems from
my ethical beliefs and rejection of all forms of violence against
innocent civilians.
2. However, I CLEARLY stated in my interview that any crimes committed
by Armenians "cannot compare to the attempted annihilation of an entire
nation ; and one does not negate or trivialize the other."
3. For the record, let me state categorically that I distinguish
between, on the one hand, legitimate and heroic acts of resistance and
self-defense by Armenian revolutionaries from the 1890s through to the
end of the Genocide, and, on the other hand, wanton acts of violence
against civilians (recognized by international law as crimes against
humanity). It is the latter for which I apologized.
4. The purpose of my apology was to illustrate my following point: "If I
were the Turkish state, I would see an apology as an excellent way of
restoring the dignity lost through decades of denial."
5. My personal apology had no relation to the draft response to the
Turkish apology that is currently being circulated for discussion.
6. I did not apologize on behalf of anyone except myself, nor would I
ever consider doing so.
February 4, 2009
Sudan Turns to Turkey for Help Dodging Genocide Charges
ANKARA (Hurriyet)--Sudan
appealed to Turkey Tuesday for support in a bid to save Sudan's leader
from being arrested by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the
crime of genocide.
The ICC issued a warrant for the arrest of Sudan's president Monday on
charges of genocide and crimes against humanity in the country's Darfur
region. The warrant had been requested by the chief prosecutor of the ICC
in July, 2008.
Sudanese Vice-President Ali Osman Mohammed Taha paid an official visit to
Ankara Tuesday and met Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan for
talks on how to avoid the warrant.
During the meeting Taha asked Erdogan to block any possible attempts
against Al-Bashir that might come to the agenda of the United Nations
Security Council. Turkey was elected in October as a non-permanent member
of the Council for two years.
The ICC was established by the Rome Statute signed in 1998 by more than
130 countries, of which 106 have ratified the convention setting up the
court.
The U.N. Security Council in 2005 asked the ICC to investigate the
genocide in Darfur with the support of the United States, China and Russia
-- three of the five U.N. Security Council permanent members with veto
power -- despite their rejection of the court. The other two permanent
members -- France and Britain -- have ratified the convention.
The UN estimates the up to 300,000 people have been killed and 2.7 million
forced to flee their homes as a result of the genocide perpetrated by the
Sudanese Leader.
Sudan says 10,000 people have died and denies charges that its soldiers
and allied militiamen committed war crimes and genocide there.
February 4, 2009
Mel Gibson Not Filming Armenian Genocide Documentary
HOLLYWOOD (Hollyscoop)--There
are several reports and rumors circulating the internet that movie mogul
Mel Gibson is planning on shooting a documentary about the Armenian
Genocide.
The documentary, "The Forty Days of Musa Dagh," was going to address the
genocide that took approximately 1.2 million Armenians lives during WWI.
To this day, the Turkish government has done everything it can to sweep
the facts about the Armenian genocide under the rug. And apparently Mel
was ready to address them on the big screen.
According to the reports, actor Sylvester Stallone was also set to partake
in the movie, but declined the role after he received 3,000 e-mails from
the ASIMED organization.
Hollyscoop contacted Mel Gibson's rep Alan Nierob to get confirmation on
the project, but he assured us there is "No truth to it whatsoever."
So what's next for Mel? He's going to play a homicide detective who
investigates the death of his activist daughter in his next flick, 'The
Edge of Darkness'.
February 4, 2009
Jews Check Armenian Genocide Stance
WASHINGTON (Jerusalem
Post)--An official with a leading American Jewish organization told the
The Jerusalem Post on Monday that a deterioration in Israel-Turkey
relations might prompt his group and others to reconsider Armenian efforts
to win US recognition for the Armenian Genocide.
A bill that would ensure such recognition by the US, which was backed by
Rep. Adam Schiff failed to make it to a Congressional vote in 2007.
However, it sparked a row in the American Jewish community between those
who sided with Turkey in an effort to protect Israel's political
interests, and those who argued that Jews were particularly responsible
for helping other groups block the public denial of genocide.
"No Jew or Israeli in his right mind will insult Turkey," the official
told the Post. "But next time... they might not come to Turkey's aid or
equivocate quite so much on the issue."
The Bush administration opposed the bill out of concern for what it would
do to US-Turkey relations.
The current blowup between Israel and Turkey comes amid expectations that
the Obama administration will name academic and writer Samantha Power, an
expert on genocide, to a key National Security Council post dealing with
multilateral institutions. Power has been outspoken in labeling the
Turkish massacre of Armenians genocide, albeit from outside the
government.
One Washington-based Jewish community leader said Jewish organizations
were unlikely to reorient their views and begin backing legislation to
recognize the Armenian genocide, arguing that this would only make a
delicate situation far worse.
"If organizations aren't backing Armenian genocide resolutions because of
the Turkish-Israeli relationship and their concern about the Turkish
Jewish community, I don't think they would change now," he said. "Those
same concerns remain, and those same pressures remain."
Anti-Defamation League head Abraham Foxman -- whose opposition to the
Armenian genocide legislation in 2007 provoked widespread criticism --
told the Post that as long as Israel maintained its diplomatic ties with
Turkey, he saw no immediate reason to change his position on any future
genocide resolutions.
"This is not a punishment or a reward issue -- we don't change our
position on what's right or wrong based on what people say," Foxman said.
"The interests between Israel and Turkey continue."
Foxman also noted that he knew of Jewish friends who had cancelled trips
to Turkey over Erdogan's comments, but described the Erdogan flap as a
disagreement between "friends."
"There have been some very inappropriate harsh statements by the
leadership, especially by the prime minister, which we think are
inappropriate," he said, "but they have not changed the basic relationship
[with Israel]."
February 4, 2009
UCLA to Host 7th Annual Graduate Student Colloquium in Armenian Studies
LOS ANGELES--The
Armenian Graduate Students Association at UCLA will have its seventh
annual Graduate Student Colloquium in Armenian Studies at UCLA on Friday,
February 20. This day-long academic event is open to the public and will
begin at 9:30 AM and be held in UCLA's famous Royce Hall, room 314.
This year, the organizing committee has set out to continue the fine
tradition that began in 2003 with the launching of the first-ever
international colloquium in Armenian Studies developed specifically for
graduate students by graduate students. It provides an opportunity for
students to actively and significantly contribute to the academic
environment on campus.
UCLA, a premier institution for the growing field of Armenology and a
leader in interdisciplinary studies, is hosting this event to further
foster the development of Armenian Studies, facilitate interaction between
graduate students and faculty from various institutions, provide a medium
for the exchange of ideas, and contribute to the professional and academic
advancement of graduate students.
Studies from multiple fields will be presented, including history,
education, archeology, sociology, musicology, theology, anthropology and
art history. Presenters are graduate students coming from universities and
countries all around the world, including UCLA California State University
Fresno, University of Montana-Missoula, Florida International University,
The University of Chicago, Columbia University, University of Michigan,
New School for Social Research, and multiple institutes within the
Republic of Armenia.
The colloquium is made possible, in part, by the financial contributions
of a number of departments, programs, and centers at UCLA including the
Center for Near-Eastern Studies, the Center for Indo-European Studies, as
well as the Graduate Division of the UCLA administration. The committee
also received financial support from the Campus Programs Committee of the
Program Activities Board.
The event is free of charge and open to the public. The event will begin
at 9:30 with a breakfast. The organizers are also providing lunch and a
closing reception dinner.
Below is a schedule of topics to be
presented at the colloquium:
Session 1
10:15 - 10:35
Hasmik Hovhannisyan -- Archaeology and Ethnography, National Academy of
Sciences (Armenia) "The Currency and Diffusion of Byzantine Anonymous
Folles in Armenia According to Coin Finds"
10:35 - 10:55
Hazel Antaramian-Hofman -- Art and Design, California State University
of Fresno (USA) “The Visual Identification and the Tracing of the
Cultural Provenance of the Textile Motifs found in the Eleventh-Century
Miniature Portrait Painting of King Gagik-Abas and his Family”
10:55 - 11:15
Dianna Mirijanyan -- Archeology and Anthropology, National Academy of
Sciences (Armenian) Armenian Construction Ceramic in Western and Eastern
Building Cultural Context"
11:50 's 12:10
Arda J. Melkonian -- Education & Information Studies, UCLA (USA)
"Code-Switching Practices in an Armenian Private School"
12:10 - 12:30
Doris K. Melkonian -- Education & Information Studies, UCLA (USA) "How
Gender is Played Out in an Armenian Private School"
12:30 - 12:50
Sossi Essajanian -- Anthropology, New School for Social Research (USA)
"Educating the Future Citizens: Considering Nagorno-Karabagh's Education
System"
2:30 - 2:50
Jeremy Johnson -- Anthropology and History, The University of Michigan
“Reading New Woman Aloud: Literacy and Gender(ed) Performances in Early
Soviet Armenia”
2:50 's 3:10
Diana K. Ter-Ghazaryan -- International Relations, Florida International
University (USA) “'For the Benefit of Yerevan's Residents'”: Post-Soviet
Transformations and National Identity in Armenia's Capital"
3:10 - 3:30
Milena Oganesyan -- Anthropology, University of Montana-Missoula (USA)
"St. Norashen Church: A Perspective from Inside"
3:30 - 3:50
Hamlet Melkumyan -- Cultural Anthropology and Cultural Studies, Yerevan
State University (Armenia) "Presenting and Re-shaping Armenian
Traditional Cultures in the Yerevan Vernisage"
4: 20 - 4:40
Melissa Bilal -- The University of Chicago, Ethnomusicology (USA) "Teotig's
Amenun Daretsuyts%u015 and its Kegharvesdagan Pages"
4:40 - 5:00
Tsolin Nalbantian -- Middle East and Asian Languages and Cultures,
Columbia University (USA) "Competing Sites in the Development of a
Nation: The Armenian Press in Lebanon (1946-1956) in Armenia's Capital"
DUBAI (ARF
Press Service)--An unprecedented $5 million dollars was raised over the
weekend at a gala benefit for the Armenian Revolutionary Federation's
political activities throughout the world. The benefit gala, held Saturday
at the Festival City Intercontinental Hotel in Dubai was attended by
hundreds of benefactors and presided over by His Holiness Aram I,
Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia.
The event's contributions surpassed previous such gatherings held in
Geneva in 2001 and in Paris in 2005.
The global economic crisis did not deter benefactors from stepping forward
this year and recognizing the important work of the ARF's international
political offices in the last four years. The money raised will greatly
elevate the work of Hai Tahd in meeting the challenges facing Armenia's
foreign policy priorities.
Presided over by Catholicos Aram I, a large number of businesspeople and
ARF members and supporters from Europe, Russia, the Middle East and
Armenia came together to reaffirm their commitment to the political
activities of the ARF. More than 250 donors took part in the event.
Members from the ARF's ministerial rank in Armenia, Arsen Hamabrtsoumian,
Aramayis Grigorian and Spartak Seyranian were joined at the event by their
counterpart in Lebanon Andre Tabourian. Members from the ARF's Armenian
parliamentary bloc and the ARF's Lebanon member of parliament, Hagop
Pakradouni were also at the gala. Also present were Armenia's Ambassador
to the United Arab Emirates Vahagn Melikyan, Armenian Relief Society
Central Executive chairwoman Vicky Marashlian, as well as the majority of
the ARF Bureau and directors of Hai Tahd offices in Europe, the Middle
East and Moscow.
Shahe Barsoumian, a Master of Ceremonies and a member of the organizing
committee, welcomed the guest and those who were unable to attend for
their continued support and generosity. He discussed the various the
activities of the ARF's political offices around the world, underscoring
the positive impact of their work on Armenia's standing in the world.
Representing the UAE and Dubai region, Hrair Soghomonian welcomed those
gathered and throughout the evening recognized the donors who had
generously contributed to the event.
Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian's message was read by Armenia's
Education Minister Spartak Seyranian.
“New components are continually being added to the concept of %u218Hai
Tahd',” said Sarkisian in his message, adding that international
recognition of the Armenian Genocide and the just resolution of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are being supplemented by new challenges. “We
need to assist in the strengthening of our homeland.”
The second Master of Ceremonies, ARF Bureau member and chairman of the ARF
parliamentary bloc, Vahan Hovannesian, presented the gathered guests with
a list of donors.
With a message to “believe, work and triumph,” ARF Bureau chairman Hrant
Markarian addressed the gathering, expressing gratitude to the generous
benefactors gathered at the event on behalf of the organization.
Markarian said the network of Hai Tahd offices are “effectively second
embassies in Washington, Brussels, Moscow, Beirut and Tbilisi. They
coordinate and marshal the efforts of Armenians and our friends toward
elevating Armenia's political stature internationally, securing economic
assistance to Armenia, defending rights of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh,
the realization of the international recognition and condemnation of the
Armenian Genocide and to counter Turkish and Azeri anti-Armenian
propaganda.”
Markarian added that defense of the Armenian Cause was, for decades, an
undertaking and priority of the Diaspora. He welcomed that Armenia and its
population have now joined the fight for justice, making Hai Tahd a truly
pan-Armenian reality.
At the conclusion of the event, Catholicos Aram I addressed the gathering
highlighted the pan-Armenian nature of Hai Tahd, commending the current
Armenian leadership for elevating the Armenian Cause within the country's
foreign policy priorities. He called the event not merely a fundraiser but
rather an opportunity to renew the commitment toward the successful
fruition of national aspirations.
Renowned and popular singer Rouben Hakhverdian entertained the guests
during the banquet.
A DVD chronicling the ARF's political activities in Europe, Russia and the
CIS, the Middle, and within international bodies was distributed to the
guests and donors.
February 2, 2009
Major
American-Jewish Organizations May no Longer Back Turkey in Congress
BY HARUT
SASSOUNIAN
There are serious indications that Israel and
American-Jewish organizations are no longer willing to
support Turkey's lobbying efforts to block a congressional
resolution on the Armenian Genocide.
The dispute between the two strategic allies began with
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan harshly denouncing
Israel's incursion into Gaza and accusing the Jewish state
of committing crimes against humanity. He suggested that
Israel be barred from the United Nations as mass
demonstrations were held throughout Turkey with banners that
read: "Gaza will be a grave for Israel" and "Put Israel on
trial for war crimes." Israel's Consul General in Istanbul,
Mordehai Amihai, told Milliyet that the consulate received
hundreds of anti-Semitic e-mails every day during the
fighting in Gaza.
Initially, Israeli officials expressed their displeasure
through diplomatic channels. But as the anti-Israel rhetoric
intensified, Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister publicly
warned Turkey that Tel Aviv might retaliate by acknowledging
the Armenian Genocide. Last week, Israel's Prime Minister
Olmert invited the leaders of France, Britain, Germany,
Italy, Spain and the Czech Republic to dinner in Jerusalem
after their summit meeting in nearby Egypt. Significantly,
Turkey's President Abdullah Gul, who also had attended the
summit, was excluded from the dinner.
American-Jewish organizations, which had for years supported
Turkey's denialist agenda on the Armenian Genocide in the
U.S. Congress, were highly incensed by the Turkish
condemnations of Israel. The American Jewish Committee sent
a letter to Erdogan on January 8, to express its "grave
concern over recent official statements" by Turkey's Prime
Minister and Foreign Minister. On January 21, a second
letter was sent to Erdogan, this time signed by five leading
American-Jewish organizations, expressing their "profound
concern over the current wave of anti-Semitic manifestations
in Turkey."
In their joint letter, the American Jewish Committee,
Anti-Defamation League, B'nai B'rith International,
Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish
Organizations, and Jewish Institute for National Security
Affairs complained about "gravely distressing" recent
incidents: "Protestors besieging the Israeli Consulate in
Istanbul have expressed their hatred of Jews. Billboards
around Istanbul are full of anti-Jewish propaganda posters.
The door of a Jewish-owned shop near Istanbul University was
covered with a poster that said, 'Do not buy from here,
since this shop is owned by a Jew.' The defacing of an Izmir
synagogue has brought about the temporary closure of all but
one of that city's synagogues." The American-Jewish groups
also stated that the Jewish community in Turkey feels
"besieged and threatened. A connection is clearly perceived
between the inflammatory denunciation of Israel by Turkish
officials and the rise of anti-Semitism."
Ironically, Abraham Foxman, ADL's National Director, who is
now complaining to Prime Minister Erdogan about
anti-Semitism in Turkey, had presented a prestigious award
to him in 2005. Foxman conveniently overlooked the fact that
four days before he gave that award to Erdogan, the Middle
East Media Research Institute, based on a report from
Hurriyet, revealed that Erdogan in 1974 had written,
directed and played the lead role in a play called "Maskomya,"
an acronym for the triple "evils" of Masons, Komunists
(Communists), and Yahudis (Jews).
Having given Erdogan one of ADL's highest awards, Foxman
must have been shocked by the Turkish Prime Minister's
recent criticisms of Israel. Foxman told Milliyet last week:
"Turkey was our friend. We were friends. I still can't
believe it. I am very sad and confused. The Jews in Turkey
are threatened;. They feel encircled;. The Prime Minister
spoke very harshly. We were friends. How did we come to this
situation?" Jacob Isaacson, an official of the American
Jewish Committee, was also unhappy with the Turkish
reaction. "Once you start poisoning the well, you do not
know where it leads," he said. Moreover, an unnamed
American-Jewish leader was quoted as saying: "This time, we
are going to face great difficulty. In the past, we defended
the Turkish position, not only because Turkey was right, but
also because we were friends." Yet another American-Jewish
official, washing his hands from further involvement in
Turkey's lobbying efforts on the Armenian Genocide, told
Milliyet: "Count us completely out of this problem. We don't
believe Congress should deal with it. Let Armenia and Turkey
resolve it between them."
In another indication of diminishing support for Turkey
among Jewish circles, Prof. Benjamin Yafet advised this
writer that he had "very reliable information that all major
American Jewish organizations are now fed up with Turkey and
are ready to support the Armenian Genocide resolution."
It appears that this time around Israel and American-Jewish
organizations will not be as forgiving as they have been in
the past, in the face of persistent and vicious anti-Semitic
attacks emanating from Turkey. After the loss of lobbying
support from American-Jews, Pres. Obama's election, and
Democratic majorities in both houses of Congress, Turkey is
expected to have great difficulty in the coming months to
block a renewed attempt to pass a congressional resolution
on the Armenian Genocide. Faruk Logoglu, Turkey's former
Ambassador to Washington, should know! He told Milliyet:
"The Jewish lobby is the strongest in the United States and
the only one supporting Turkey. Therefore, the letter of
disappointment sent to Erdogan [by 5 Jewish groups] is of
great importance."
