The Armenian Affairs

Sorry For The Inconvenience

2006-10-30T13:55:00.000-08:00

Dear Readers,

I'm sorry that I did not update my blog for quite a while now... And unfortunately, I won't be able to update this blog for a while , I am moving and I'll hit the road in few days...

In the mean time, you can find some very interesting articles & news in the links and the websites in the menu (on the left). It will take some time until I finally settle down and start updating this blog again...

Thanks for Stoping by..

Keep Comming Back

Maral

Gul suggests that the Europeans should reduce their standards to that of Turkey

2006-07-13T10:17:00.000-07:00

A friend had send me this really interesting article, and although I am currently moving a lot, I got a little free time to post this article.

It is really interesting how Turkey thinks that it can boss people around... and the more interesting is that the EU don't make any response to such statements.

Here's the article.

Turkish FM Gul Blames EU Leaders for Plunge in Turkish Support for EU

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Saturday , 08 July 2006

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul blamed some European leaders for the plunge in Turkish public support for the European Union (EU).

Gul told a press conference on Friday after his US visit that the remarks of some EU leaders, who cater to their domestic politics without considering the impact of these remarks in Turkey, are responsible for the drop in support for the EU.

A Eurobarometer poll, carried in April over 1000 people in Turkey, found that only 43 percent of Turks have a positive image of the union. The recent figure shows a plunge in Turkish support for the EU over a six-month period, as the corresponding figure was 60 percent
six months earlier.

FM Gul stated that the European side should act responsibly to prepare the Turkish public. Gul noted; however, that the exaggeration of certain issues in Turkey was partly responsible for the fall in Turkish support for EU membership. Foreign Minister Gul pledged that the ruling AKP would take measures to tackle the fall in Turkish support for the union.

Most of the Turkish people are unhappy with the EU stance on Cyprus, PKK terrorism, the so-called Armenian issue and the Greek Orthodox Patriarchy. Remarkable numbers of Turks believe that the EU the cynical intention to divide Turkey.

Unceasing EU demands on the Turkish government and increasing pressure over Cyprus are seen as the main reasons why Turkish people have begun to turn their back to the European Union. The more EU leaders criticize Turkey, the more nationalist sentiment gains ground in Turkey.

Turkey commenced actual accession talks with the European Union in mid-June, following its eight-month screening process.

Turkey's EU accession process is expected to be long, arduous and susceptible to crises, especially on Cyprus. Optimistic analysts predict that Turkey, with its large population, may enter the wealthy bloc by 2014 at the earliest.

Link

Invitation to an Armenian Cultural Project From Stepanavan Youth Center

2006-06-25T15:27:00.000-07:00

Via Email

Dear Armenians,

Our organization, Stepanavan Youth Center (SYC) in Stepanavan, Armenia is looking for partners for our cultural project.

Only Armenian organizations and groups from European countries can join us, as we are going to apply to European Commission for financial support of the project.

The name of the project is "European Citizenship and Common Heritage" and will bring young Armenians from 6 European countries (3 EU countries and 3 Eastern European/Caucasus countries) to Armenia for 8 days next spring (2007).

Each partner organization will be represented by 6 young people (17-25 years old) and one leader.

70% of travel expenses will be reimbursed and 100% expenses related to stay and visa will be covered.

The languages of the exchange will be Armenian and English.

Type of the project- youth exchangeTopics- Armenian heritage, culture, history Youth participation

The project will incude workshops, discussions, study visits, excursions, cultural events, project design and implementation. Of course, we do not forget about national cuisine, dances and songs!
We are looking for 2 more EU countries and 1 Eastern European country to join. We will send necessary documents to fill in to organizations/groups interested.

Please feel free to forward this message to any person of group who you think will be interested to join us!

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Lilit Simonyan
Stepanavan Youth Center NGO/Armenia

For More info. Contact lilit_simonyan@yahoo.com

Early Day Motion In the UK Parliament To Recognize The Armenian Genocide

2006-06-16T15:12:00.000-07:00

Stephen Pound, MP, had suggested a bill to recognize the Assyrian & Armenian Genocide of 1915 in the Ottoman Empire. There's no date set for the debate of this motion so far, but signatures are being collected since this bill was presented in Jan. 24, 2006, and the last count reported 58 signatures ...

Below is the text of this bill as appeared in The Early Day Motions Database Web Site , United Kingdom Parliament Publication Website and More Info. From Campaign for Recognition of the Armenian Genocide (CRAG) Website

ASSYRIAN AND ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN 1915

Stephen Pound
Bob Russell
Mr Martin Caton
Mrs Ann Cryer
Mr Andrew Dismore
Jeremy Corbyn

Nia Griffith

That this House is appalled by the genocide committed against the Assyrians in 1915 in their ancestral homeland by the then ruling government of the Turkish Ottoman Empire, the Committee for Union and Progress, a genocide which led to the mass exodus of the Assyrians from their millennia-old native soil and resulted in the deaths of approximately two-thirds of the Assyrian population and one and a half million Armenians and the destruction of many Assyrian and Armenian villages and national and religious institutions; recognises the suffering of the Assyrian and Armenian people during the genocide of 1915, and accepts that the suffering of victims of genocide is augmented and perpetuated by indifference and denial, and that genocide prevention can only by achieved by learning from history and recognising and condemning previous acts of genocide; calls upon the UK and Turkish governments publicly and officially to recognise the Assyrian and Armenian genocide of 1915, and encourage other members of the international community to take similar steps, thereby fulfilling the obligation of international co-operation enshrined in the preamble to the 1948 Genocide Convention; and urges the UK Government to call on the European Union to make official Turkish recognition of the 1915 Assyrian and Armenian genocide one of the pre-conditions for Turkey's membership of the EU.

Christian Union Wants to Make the Denial of Genocide Punishable

2006-06-16T14:46:00.000-07:00

ANP (DUTCH PRESS AGENCY) 1 June 2006

Christian Union wants to make the denial of genocide punishable

THE HAGUE (ANP) - The denial of genocide, such as the Holocaust, must be punishable. To this end the Christian Union (Christen Unie) party has submitted a bill to the Parliament. Anyone who intentionally denies a genocide or a crime against humanity in order to insult others or incite hate shall be accountable as having committed a crime which can carry a maximum sentence of one year imprisonment, according to the draft law.

The presenter of the bill, Dutch MP Mrs. Tineke Huizinga, wants to have this provision included in the Dutch Penal Code as a clear signal that such denials would not be tolerated. The law should also make it easier to combat discrimination on Internet, said Huizinga Thursday during the introducing of her bill.

For the victims of genocides and their surviving relatives the intentional denials of the committed evil or distorting of the facts are ³indigestible². Huizinga named as an example, next to the persecution of the Jews during the Second World War, the extent and dimensions of the slavery in which The Netherlands has played a ³disgraceful² role.

In addition, the parliament member recalled the Genocide of the Armenians in 1915 during the Ottoman Empire, which is still being denied by the present day Turkey and the Turks elsewhere.

Huizinga and other members of the Parliament have recently been bombarded by E-mails forwarded especially by the Turks who oppose the Christian Union bill. Huizinga emphasised that the bill does not seek to restrict the freedom of speech. According to her, the historical facts should always be open to discussion. The denial, approval or justification of genocide should therefore be punishable when it concerns a deliberate _expression to insult and discriminate people.

The Federation of Armenian Organisations in The Netherlands called the bill a step forward and is happy that the Armenian Genocide has been explicitly mentioned in the Explanatory Memorandum of the bill. A representative of the organisation, Mrs. Inge Drost, thinks that the adoption of the bill should make it possible to close Internet sites which engage in the denial of Armenian Genocide, such as seemingly innocent site www.armenië.nl

In a reaction, the National Bureau for Combating Race Discrimination and the Israel Information and Documentation Centre, likewise announced their support of the bill. The draft law should go first to the Council of State for advice, following which the Parliament can start the proceedings on the bill

Link

Turkey Fails to Defeat French Bill Despite Threats and Blackmail

2006-05-28T13:39:00.000-07:00

Turkey Fails to Defeat French Bill
Despite Threats and Blackmail

By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
May 25, 2006

At the request of the French government, the Speaker of the French Parliament, Jean-Louis Debre, resorted to crass manipulation and shameful delay tactics last Thursday, to postpone the vote on a bill that would have banned the denial of the Armenian Genocide. The Speaker blocked the measure for now, realizing that the overwhelming majority of Parliament members were ready to vote for it.

The Turkish government had sought to defeat the bill outright by exerting extraordinary political and economic pressure on France including threats, blackmail and boycott of French products. The Turkish Foreign Ministry, therefore, expressed its disappointment at the postponement of this bill, as it could be reconsidered by the French Parliament next November.

The bill’s supporters now have 6 additional months to counter Turkish pressures on the French government and garner wider public support for the proposed law. Ankara, on the other hand, has to go to the trouble of re-enacting its elaborate lobbying campaign and marshalling all its resources for this purpose all over again. There is a good chance that the French public and government officials would get fed up by Turkey’s repeated bullying tactics. The continuous Turkish threats not only could backfire on Ankara for this particular bill, but also increase the French public’s opposition to Turkey’s admission to the European Union. In addition, the six-month delay would put the reconsideration of this bill that much closer to the upcoming French Presidential elections, making the parliamentarians more responsive to the wishes of their constituents.

Here is a list of seven major actions the supporters of this bill could undertake in the next 6 months in order to improve the chances of its adoption:

-- Explain to the public that the proposed law does not infringe on freedom of _expression, since Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights allows certain restrictions which are also approved by French courts.

-- Point out that the bill simply seeks to complete the law on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide that was adopted in 2001, by designating a punishment for those who break that law.

-- Explain that the threatened boycott of French companies and goods by Turkey is not only morally reprehensible, but also an empty bluff. In 2001, when France recognized the Armenian Genocide, Turkey initially cancelled some French business deals, only to have mutual trade resume as normal and even exceed the levels of the previous years.

-- Establish direct contact with the media, explaining the rationale for the proposed law and pointing out that there should not be a double standard on banning the denial of the Holocaust, but not the denial of the Armenian Genocide.

-- Contact a large number of French historians, professors and legal scholars asking them to sign a joint statement in support of the proposed law. Publicize widely such a statement, explaining that this law would not hinder the work of historians, but sanction the liars and denialists.

-- Explain to prominent French Jewish intellectuals that unless they throw their support behind the Armenian Genocide bill, certain historians and advocates of free speech would next campaign for the removal of the law against the denial of the Holocaust. The Union of Jewish Students of France (UJSF) has already issued a statement supporting the proposed law on the Armenian Genocide. The UJSF said that blocking this bill "for the sake of political and economic considerations is offensive to the memory of 1.5 million victims of the Armenian Genocide of 1915 and their descendants." The list of similarly supportive Jewish organizations should be expanded in the coming months.

-- Make maximum use of the French government sponsored " Year of Armenia in France," which begins in September, to present a comprehensive image of Armenian history and culture. This unique opportunity could sensitize the French public and government officials to the unique heritage of the Armenian nation.

It took several decades for the French government to recognize the Armenian Genocide. The supporters of this bill can surely wait a few more months or even longer until it is finally adopted. All the while, the proposed law would be hanging like a Damoclean sword over the head of the Turkish denialist state, forcing it to expend untold energy and resources to continuously fight against its passage!

A member of the Turkish Parliament proposed last week that the Turkish legislative body adopt a resolution that would condemn France for committing "genocide" in Algeria and make its denial a crime! This is one threat that Armenians hope the Turkish state would carry out because it would create such a backlash in France that it would virtually guarantee the adoption by the French Parliament of the proposed ban on the denial of the Armenian Genocide.

Furthermore, the adoption of such a resolution by the Turkish Parliament would help silence once and for all Turkish critics who have been claiming that parliaments have no business recognizing the Armenian Genocide and should not legislate history. A second member of the Turkish Parliament proposed making any reference to the Armenian Genocide a crime in Turkey. If adopted, such a law, on top of other existing draconian laws, would make it virtually impossible for Turkey to join the EU.

With parliamentarians like these, Turkey does not need any enemies on the outside!

Link

You're talking nonsense, Mr Ambassador

2006-05-22T06:25:00.000-07:00

The Independent 20 May 2006

By: Robert Fisk

All the while, new diplomatic archives are opening to reveal the smell of death - Armenian death Published: 20 May 2006

A letter from the Turkish Ambassador to the Court of Saint James arrived for me a few days ago, one of those missives that send a shudder through the human soul. "You allege that an 'Armenian genocide' took place in Eastern Anatolia in 1915," His Excellency Mr Akin Alptuna told me. "I believe you have some misconceptions about those events ..."

Oh indeedy doody, I have. I am under the totally mistaken conception that one and a half million Armenians were cruelly and deliberately done to death by their Turkish Ottoman masters in 1915, that the men were shot and knifed while their womenfolk were raped and eviscerated and cremated and starved on death marches and their children butchered. I have met a few of the survivors - liars to a man and woman, if the Turkish ambassador to Britain is to be believed - and I have seen the photographs taken of the victims by a brave German photographer called Armen Wegner whose pictures must now, I suppose, be consigned to the waste bins. So must the archives of all those diplomats who courageously catalogued the mass murders inflicted upon Turkey's Christian population on the orders of the gang of nationalists who ran the Ottoman government in 1915.

What would have been our reaction if the ambassador of Germany had written a note to the same effect? "You allege that a 'Jewish genocide' took place in Eastern Europe between 1939 and 1945 ... I believe you have some misconceptions about those events ...' Of course, the moment such a letter became public, the ambassador of Germany would be condemned by the Foreign Office, our man in Berlin would - even the pusillanimous Blair might rise to the occasion - be withdrawn for consultations and the European Union would debate whether sanctions should be placed upon Germany.

But Mr Alptuna need have no such worries. His country is not a member of the European Union - it merely wishes to be - and it was Mr Blair's craven administration that for many months tried to prevent Armenian participation in Britain's Holocaust Day.

Amid this chicanery, there are a few shining bright lights and I should say at once that Mr Alptuna's letter is a grotesque representation of the views of a growing number of Turkish citizens, a few of whom I have the honour to know, who are convinced that the story of the great evil visited upon the Armenians must be told in their country. So why, oh why, I ask myself, are Mr Alptuna and his colleagues in Paris and Beirut and other cities still peddling this nonsense?

In Lebanon, for example, the Turkish embassy has sent a "communiqué" to the local French-language L'Orient Le Jour newspaper, referring to the "soi-disant (so-called) Armenian genocide" and asking why the modern state of Armenia will not respond to the Turkish call for a joint historical study to "examine the events" of 1915.

In fact, the Armenian president, Robert Kotcharian, will not respond to such an invitation for the same reason that the world's Jewish community would not respond to the call for a similar examination of the Jewish Holocaust from the Iranian president - because an unprecedented international crime was committed, the mere questioning of which would be an insult to the millions of victims who perished.

But the Turkish appeals are artfully concocted. In Beirut, they recall the Allied catastrophe at Gallipoli in 1915 when British, French, Australian and New Zealand troops suffered massive casualties at the hands of the Turkish army. In all - including Turkish soldiers

- up to a quarter of a million men perished in the Dardanelles. The Turkish embassy in Beirut rightly states that the belligerent nations of Gallipoli have transformed these hostilities into gestures of reconciliation, friendship and mutual respect. A good try. But the bloodbath of Gallipoli did not involve the planned murder of hundreds of thousands of British, French, Australian, New Zealand - and Turkish - women and children.

But now for the bright lights. A group of "righteous Turks" are challenging their government's dishonest account of the 1915

genocide: Ahmet Insel, Baskin Oran, Halil Berktay, Hrant Dink, Ragip Zarakolu and others claim that the "democratic process" in Turkey will "chip away at the darkness" and they seek help from Armenians in doing so. Yet even they will refer only to the 1915 "disaster", the "tragedy", and the "agony" of the Armenians. Dr Fatma Gocek of the University of Michigan is among the bravest of those Turkish-born academics who are fighting to confront the Ottoman Empire's terror against the Armenians. Yet she, too, objects to the use of the word genocide - though she acknowledges its accuracy - on the grounds that it has become "politicised" and thus hinders research.

I have some sympathy with this argument. Why make the job of honest Turks more difficult when these good men and women are taking on the might of Turkish nationalism? The problem is that other, more disreputable folk are demanding the same deletion. Mr Alputuna writes to me - with awesome disingenuousness - that Armenians "have failed to submit any irrefutable evidence to support their allegations of genocide". And he goes on to say that "genocide, as you are well aware, has a quite specific legal definition" in the UN's 1948 Convention. But Mr Alputuna is himself well aware - though he does not say so, of course - that the definition of genocide was set out by Raphael Lemkin, a Jew, in specific reference to the wholesale mass slaughter of the Armenians.

And all the while, new diplomatic archives are opening in the West which reveal the smell of death - Armenian death - in their pages. I quote here, for example, from the newly discovered account of Denmark's minister in Turkey during the First World War. "The Turks are vigorously carrying through their cruel intention, to exterminate the Armenian people," Carl Wandel wrote on 3 July 1915. The Bishop of Karput was ordered to leave Aleppo within 48 hours "and it has later been learned that this Bishop and all the clergy that accompanied him have been ... killed between Diyarbekir and Urfa at a place where approximately 1,700 Armenian families have suffered the same fate ... In Angora ... approximately 6,000 men ... have been shot on the road ... even here in Constantinople (Istanbul), Armenians are being abducted and sent to Asia ..."

There is much, much more. Yet now here is Mr Alptuna in his letter to

me: "In fact, the Armenians living outside Eastern Armenia including Istanbul ... were excluded from deportation." Somebody here is not telling the truth. The late Mr Wandel of Copenhagen? Or the Turkish Ambassador to the Court of St James?

Robert Fisk, Middle East correspondent of The Independent, is the author of Pity the Nation: Lebanon at War (London: André Deutsch, 1990). He holds numerous awards for journalism, including two Amnesty International UK Press Awards and seven British International Journalist of the Year awards. His most recent book is The Great War for Civilisation: the Conquest of the Middle East, published by 4th Estate on 3 October, 2005

French National Parliament: Official Report of The Meeting of May 18, 2006

2006-05-19T11:15:00.000-07:00

Thursday May 18, 2006, by Stéphane/armenews

LINK TO THE OFFICIAL ANALYTICAL RECORD

Press Release: FRENCH GOVERNMENTS BLOCKS PARLIAMENTARY MAJORITY FROM VOTING TO OUTLAW GENOCIDE DENIAL

2006-05-19T10:39:00.000-07:00

EUROPEAN ARMENIAN FEDERATION
for Justice and Democracy
Avenue de la Renaissance 10
B-1000 Bruxelles
Tel: +322 732 70 26
Tel/Fax: +322 732 70 27
Email: contact@eafjd.org

PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release
May 19, 2006
Contact: Vartenie ECHO
Tel: +322 732 70 26

FRENCH GOVERNMENTS BLOCKS PARLIAMENTARY MAJORITY FROM VOTING TO OUTLAW GENOCIDE DENIAL

-- President of National Assembly uses Delaying Tactics to Defer Vote
-- French Government Cites Economic Interests in Turkey

PARIS, FRANCE - The draft law establishing legal penalties for thedenial of the Armenian Genocide, set for a vote today of the National Assembly,was blocked by Jean-Louis Debré, the National Assembly’s president, who,under pressure from the French Government, deferred a vote on themeasure for an undetermined period.

The anti-denial measure was introduced by the Socialist Group as part ofits “Parliamentary Window." Despite the fact that it was listed as onlythe second item on the Parliamentary agenda, President Debré effectivelyblocked its consideration by artificially extending the first agendaitem by adding speakers, extending time limits, and other dilatory tactics.

These delaying tactics were confronted by the Socialist, Communist and Centrist groups. These protests, notably that of the President of the Socialist group, Jean-Marc Ayrault, led to Mr. Debré finally consentingto examine the anti-denial measure during the remaining thirty minutes leftin the session. Mr. Debre again delayed holding a vote and, with timehaving expired, he postponed the vote to an undefined future session.

Sensing the strong consensus behind the measure – and fearful of being isolated within the French political establishment, the Minister ofForeign Affairs, Mr Douste-Blazy, spoke against the resolution on the basis of France’s economic interest in Turkey. Almost all the other speakersargued in favor of sanctioning Armenian Genocide denial. Sources within Parliament reported that a broad majority of members, including those inthe conservative majority, were prepared to vote for the resolution.

“We thank the deputies who, by their commitment to the struggle forjustice and dignity, preserved the honour and prestige of France as a nation committed to these high ideals. We are however scandalized by theshameful schemes employed by the French government to hamper the free _expressionof members of the National Assembly on this core issue of concern to the conscience of all people,” said Hilda Tchoboian, President of theEuropean Armenian Federation.

“Both the government and the media should keep in mind the lesson of thereferendum on the European Constitution – namely that in a leading democratic nation, such as France, the will of the people cannot be ignored, deterred, or obstructed by the government. Sooner or later,the imposition of penalties for Armenian Genocide denial will be adopted because, in their wisdom, the French people and their elected representatives understand that the true basis for peace and progressare justice and the dignity,” concluded Tchoboian.

####

Armenian Genocide and Denial: The Discussion, The Deferred Vote

2006-05-18T13:09:00.000-07:00

The Committee of Defense of the Armenian Cause (CDCA) expresses its stronger indignation after ending the meeting of the French National Assembly, without the examination of the private bill repressing being completed the negation of the Armenian genocide.

The obstructions that the president of the French National Assembly and the Government made are scandalous and unworthy of the national representation.

Indeed, Jean-Louis Debré of the French National Assembly declared the meeting closed Thursday shortly after 13h00 to the French National Assembly, as of the end of the discussion, without the examination of the private bill against the denial of the Armenian genocide and thus without a vote being able to determined.

The UMP majority and the Government made trail the debate on a first text of Paul Quliès (PS) devoted to the control of the Parliament and also registered in this meeting reserved for socialist proposals.

After sharp exchanges, recalls with the payment and adjournments, opposition PS/PCF protesting against “the obstruction of UMP and the government”, the deputies finally adopted the Quilès proposal and could start the debate on the Armenian question but only towards 12h30.

At the time of the debate, the Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy opposed the text qualifying it of “unfriendly gesture” for Turkey.

For The Committee of Defense of the Armenian Cause (CDCA) the remarks of the Foreign Minister are not worthy of a representative of France, where the respect of human dignity should be a base.

Paris, on Thursday May 18, 2006 - 14h45

Original article in French

Link to the English translation

Outsite French National Assembly : May 18, 2006

2006-05-18T12:19:00.000-07:00

While waiting for the French National Assembly to vote on the Bill that criminalize the denial of the Armenian Genocide, Armenians rally for the Assembly to vote "YES", after all it is only fair since "denial of the Armenian Genocide," is a "hate crime" as much as the denial of the Holocaust, which already was recognized by the French National Assembly as a crime !

Here are some pictures of the demonstrations taken by the Associated Press Agency.

Armenians, some of them carrying French flags, wait ouside the National Assembly, in Paris, Thursday, May 18, 2006, as French lawmakers debate a proposal that would make it a crime to deny that the killings of Armenians during World War I constituted genocide. Later, the National Assembly put off indefinitely the debate on a proposal by the opposition Socialists that would recognize the killings of up to 1.5 million Armenians from 1915 to 1919 as genocide.
(AP Photo/Michel Euler/May 18 5:56 AM)

An Armenian carries a poster reading: 'Criminal Turkey, Armenian Genocide 1894-1909-1915-1923 (numbers stands for the years of consequent massacres by Turkish state against the Armenians of Ottoman Empire)'
Ouside the National Assembly, in Paris, Thursday, May 18, 2006, as French lawmakers debate a proposal that would make it a crime to deny that the killings of Armenians during World War I constituted genocide. Later, the National Assembly put off indefinitely the debate on a proposal by the opposition Socialists that would recognize the killings of up to 1.5 million Armenians from 1915 to 1919 as genocide.

AP Photo/Michel Euler/May 18 5:56 AM)

Armenian demonstrators carrying stickers reading:

'stop revisionism, everyone united and mobilized for truth', wait ouside the National Assembly, in Paris, Thursday, May 18, 2006. French lawmakers debated a proposal that would make it a crime to deny that the killings of Armenians during World War I constituted genocide. Later, the National Assembly put off indefinitely the debate on a proposal by the opposition Socialists that would recognize the killings of up to 1.5 million Armenians from 1915 to 1919 as genocide.
(AP Photo/Michel Euler/May 18 5:55 AM)

Some Turks were rallying too outside the French National Assembly, of course opposing the Bill.

Protestors carry French flags and a sign reading: 'Armenians, Turks of France, together for reconciliation', Place des Invalides, in Paris, Thursday, May 18, 2006, as French lawmakers debate a proposal that would make it a crime to deny that the killings of Armenians during World War I constituted genocide. Later, the National Assembly put off indefinitely the debate on a proposal by the opposition Socialists that would recognize the killings of up to 1.5 million Armenians from 1915 to 1919 as genocide.
(AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Uproar As French Parliament Shelves Vote On Armenian Genocide

2006-05-18T09:49:00.000-07:00

By Emma Charlton, Agence France Presse

Angry scenes broke out in the French National Assembly on Thursday after lawmakers were forced to call off a vote on a bill that would make it a punishable offence to deny the Armenian genocide.

Debate on the opposition bill -- which has sparked a diplomatic row between France and Turkey -- started late, and the time allocated for its discussion ran out before a vote could take place. Discussion of the controversial text will now be pushed back to October at the earliest, under the parliamentary calendar.

Shouts filled the assembly as the bill's supporters accused members of the ruling Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) of stalling debate. Dozens of lawmakers – angrily yelling "Vote! Vote!" -- had to be evacuated from the building after the leader of the assembly declared the session closed.

Earlier Foreign Minister Douste-Blazy came out openly against the bill, which follows on from a 2001 French law officially recognizing the Turkish massacres of Armenians at the end of World War I as genocide. "If adopted, this text would be seen as an unfriendly gesture by the great majority of the Turkish people," he told lawmakers, warning its adoption would have "serious political consequences and weaken our position not only in Turkey but across the entire region."

"Turkey is a leading economic and trade partner... We cannot accept this bill," Douste-Blazy said.

The bill would make punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of 45,000 euros (57,000 dollars) the crime of denying that Turkish troops committed genocide against the Armenians. The same punishment is on the statute books for people who deny that the Jewish Holocaust took place.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan -- backed by Turkish business leaders and unions -- appealed this month to France to block the contentious new bill, warning of the threat to bilateral relations. Ankara briefly recalled its ambassador from Paris for consultations this month, amid rising tensions over the bill.

While the 2001 law was passed when the Socialist Party had a majority in the National Assembly, the new bill could only pass with support from ruling party deputies – who had been given a free vote on the text. The bill has provoked divisions within both the UMP and the Socialist Party. Former Socialist minister Jack Lang said it would "undermine the efforts of those in Turkey who are trying to bring Ankara to recognize its history", and warned against a trend towards "criminalizing public expression".

There has been much critical discussion recently in France about so-called "historical" laws which seek to authorize an official version of past events. In January President Jacques Chirac asked for a controversial law recognizing the "positive role" of colonialism to be struck off the statute books.

Link

Because of Turkish Bullying, Vote On The French Bill Was Postponed

2006-05-18T09:18:00.000-07:00

The French parliament has postponed debate on a bill that would make it a crime to deny that the mass killing of Armenians in 1915 was "genocide".

Turkish officials and businesses had lobbied French MPs to shelve the bill, which relates to a thorny issue still plaguing Turkish-Armenian relations.

Turkey rejects Armenia's claim that the Ottoman Turks killed 1.5m Armenians.

The French Socialist opposition wanted a new law to impose fines in line with those for Holocaust deniers.

Anyone denying that six million Jews were killed by the Nazis in World War II can be fined up to 39,064 euros (£26,500) and be jailed for five years in France.
Armenia says up to 1.5 million Armenians were deported and died at the hands of the Ottoman rulers in World War I. Turkey says a few hundred thousand died in a war which also left many Turks dead.

Diplomatic impact

Ahead of the debate, Turkish MPs had been lobbying their French counterparts, warning of irreparable damage if the bill passed into law.

It was set to be a free vote for French MPs, but President Jacques Chirac said that passing the bill would be a mistake.

Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy agreed, telling the National Assembly: "The Armenian cause is just and should be defended and respected. But the bill you have submitted today would, if passed, be considered as an unfriendly gesture by a large majority of Turks, whether you want this or not."

As the session ran out of time for a vote to take place, there were reportedly angry scenes as MPs and Armenian groups in the public gallery shouted: "Vote! Vote!"

There are some 400,000 people of Armenian descent in France, and the Socialists have been accused of trying to win their favour ahead of next year's presidential election.

Some European Union countries have passed bills recognising the killings as genocide and the European Parliament has backed a non-binding resolution saying Turkey must recognise it as such before it can join the EU.

The French bill will now be shelved until October at the earliest.

BBC article Link

Turkey Declares Diplomatic War On France on Armenian Genocide Law

2006-05-17T08:59:00.000-07:00

Turkey Declares Diplomatic War
On France on Armenian Genocide Law

By Harut Sassounian

Publisher, The California Courier

May 18, 2006

The Turkish government gets embroiled in diplomatic conflicts every time that a country acknowledges the Armenian Genocide. However, what happened this month is extraordinary even by Turkish standards. Ankara simultaneously recalled its ambassadors from France and Canada to express its displeasure at these countries’ stands on the Armenian issue.

The confrontation with Paris has much more serious repercussions as Turkey is caught between needing France’s support to join the European Union and going on an all-out offensive attempting to stop the French Parliament from adopting a law on May 18 that would make the denial of the Armenian Genocidea criminal offense.

After recalling its Ambassador to France, Ankara threatened to exclude French companies from multi-billion dollar tenders, called for a boycott of French products, rallied the Turkish community in France against this law, placed ads in various French newspapers, pressured French companies operating in Turkey to lobby against this bill, and dispatched teams of Turkish politicians, trade union officials and businessmen to Paris to dissuade the French Parliament from such action. Both the Turkish Prime Minister and Foreign Minister met with their French counterparts, urging them to prevent their Parliament from considering such a law.

The Turkish government is outraged that the Armenian Genocide issue is being raised once again in the heart of Europe, despite Ankara’s extensive efforts to relegate this "tragedy" to the dustbin of history. Consequently, Turkey has resorted to all sorts of political and economic pressures, even threats and blackmail, to thwart the passage of the new law. In their desperation, Turkish leaders have shamelessly tried to use the argument that the ban on genocide denial would constitute suppression of freedom of _expression!

Turkey is in no position to lecture anyone, especially a democracy like France, about the protection of civil rights. A pariah state like Turkey, that has long violated just about every human right of its citizens, makes itself the laughing stock of the entire world when it tries to give lessons to Europeans on civil liberties. The fact is that Turkey is using all possible means in its disposal and making up ridiculous arguments in order to silence discussion of the Armenian Genocide in France.

Regrettably, it appears that even some highly-educated and independent-minded Turkish individuals, along with a handful of Armenians, have been fooled by the shenanigans of the denialist leaders in Turkey.

Since these otherwise reputable individuals have come forward opposing the French bill on grounds that it limits freedom of _expression, I must say that in a perfect world no government should restrict any of the liberties of its citizens. As the publisher of a newspaper, I value highly freedom of the press and take full advantage of it in my weekly columns. However, I realize that even in the United States, where such freedoms are cherished and zealously guarded, legal limits have been placed on them, such as libel, defamation and fraud. Freedom of speech is therefore not an absolute right in the United States, and even less so in France, where verbally assaulting the dignity of an individual is itself a crime under French law!

Many European countries, where such freedoms are further restricted by outlawing racism, anti-Semitism, and advocacy of crimes against humanity, have laws that specifically criminalize the denial of the Jewish Holocaust. Such restrictions have not only been sanctioned by national laws, but by the European Court for Human Rights.

Isn’t it ironic that neither a single Turkish official nor any of those siding with Turkey’s position on this bill have uttered a single word against such restrictions on freedom of speech in a dozen or so European countries? But, all of a sudden, when the French Parliament considers making the denial of the Armenian Genocide a criminal offense, all sorts of complaints are voiced about the sanctity and inviolability of freedom of speech. There seems to be an unacceptable double standard in this matter. Logically, either these other laws are also considered to be restrictive of the freedom of speech, in which case Ankara should have complained about them years ago, or they are not, in which case Turkish officials should not utter a single word of complaint now!

Last week, nine prominent citizens of Turkey (Murat Belge, Halil Berktay, Hrant Dink, Muge Gocek, Ahmet Insel, Etyen Mahcubyan, Baskin Oran, Elif Shafak, and Ragip Zarakolu) who are well-known for their opposition to the Turkish state’s denial of the Armenian Genocide, surprised everyone by issuing a hasty statement which put them inadvertently and uncomfortably in bed with Genocide denialists! They condemned the proposed French law by claiming that the ban on the denial of the Armenian Genocide would not only curb free discussion of this issue in France, but even more so in Turkey.

These professors and journalists, who are frequently accused of being traitors to their nation by the Turkish "deep state," were probably trying to rehabilitate their reputations in Turkey by issuing a statement that criticized both Armenians and Turks. However, they seem to have overlooked five key points in making their joint declaration:

1- Their utopian view of freedom of _expression contradicts the Europeans’ long-standing acceptance of certain restrictions for the sake of higher values, such as the rights and dignity of the victims of racism, genocide and crimes against humanity.

2- These nine individuals singled out the proposed ban on the denial of the Armenian Genocide in France, while remaining silent on the criminalization of the denial of the Holocaust throughout Europe. Why is the former considered suppression of free speech, while the latter is not?

3- No moral equivalence should be drawn between laws in Europe banning the denial of the Armenian Genocide and Turkish laws banning its recognition. In Europe, it is against the law to lie, while in Turkey, it is against the law to tell the truth on genocide!

4- They unfairly accuse "Armenian nationalists" for supporting laws limiting freedom of _expression in France. This law is being debated and considered not by "Armenian nationalists" but by the French Parliament. It is simply untrue that the Armenian minority in France, that constitutes less than 1% of the country’s population, controls the French Parliament’s actions and decisions. Similar laws have been or are being passed also in Belgium, Germany and Switzerland. Do "Armenian nationalists" control the parliaments of these countries too?

5- The proposed law, if adopted, would not ban the discussion or even the debate on the facts of the Armenian Genocide. It would simply ban its denial.

The rationale behind the French Parliament’s intent to pass such a law is very simple and straightforward. When the French government adopted a law in January 2001, stating that France recognized the Armenian Genocide, no punitive damages were assigned for those violating that law. The French Parliament is now trying to correct that oversight by prescribing a punishment for those denying the Armenian Genocide. This is why the title page of the proposed law states that it is intended for the "completion" of the law of 2001.

Finally, all those who are unhappy that such a law is being considered by the French Parliament, should note that the survivors of the Armenian Genocide, 91 years after the fact, are still hounded by a country that brings to bear all of its powerful political and economic resources to boycott, bully and threaten everyone around the world, from journalists to politicians, in order to silence any and all mention of the Armenian Genocide. The descendants of the survivors of the Armenian Genocide, who are engaged in a David vs. Goliath struggle, use what little clout they can muster to counter the onslaught of the Turkish state, which makes no distinction between legal and illegal means, and shows no regard for any kind of rights, starting from the right to life and ending with the right to be free of abuse and insults. All the while, the fledgling Republic of Armenia, due to its many domestic problems, is unable to come to the defense of its compatriots scattered in the four corners of the globe, leaving them alone to fend for themselves in the face of the massive Turkish assault.

The proposed French law also corrects the existing imbalance in French law between punishing the denial of the Holocaust, but not the denial of the Armenian Genocide. It eliminates a glaring double standard! All those who are siding with the denialist Turkish state on this bill are consciously or unconsciously backing the victimizers against the victims! Since the final stage of any genocide is its denial, and since committing genocide is punishable by law, so should its denial!

Even if this law is not adopted this week by the French Parliament, the bullying behavior exhibited once again by the Turkish government on this occasion, would surely further erode its low standing in the eyes of the European public. A country that uses threats and boycotts against its future partners cannot then turn around and ask for their support to gain entry into the European Union.

Furthermore, thanks to the Turkish overreaction to this proposed law, Ankara has once again managed to do something Armenians could never have accomplished on their own: it has placed the Armenian Genocide issue on the front pages of newspapers around Europe and indeed around the world. The only thing that would top this in the future is if the Turkish government would repeat its erratic behavior in many more countries. Should that happen, Turkey would withdraw its ambassadors from several countries, cancel all trade, boycott foreign products, and become an isolated pariah state – a fitting punishment for a denialist regime!

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PREMIER OF "THE DA VINCI CODE" TO TAKE PLACE IN YEREVAN

2006-05-16T14:27:00.000-07:00

Yerevan, May 16. ArmInfo.

"The Da Vinci Code" blockbuster shot on the notorious novel by Dan Brown, will be shown at the movie theatres of Yerevan, after the world premier of the film in the Cannes Film Festival, on May 17.

Tamara Movsisian, manager of "Moscow" movie theatre, informed ArmInfo that the film will be shown at "Nariri" movie theatre from May 18 and from June 1 at "Moscow" cinema. She added that the Moscow based "Cascade" copyright company assisted the movie theatres in getting the right for show of the film. The film is shot by Ronn Hovard in 2006. The novel of Dan Brown was translated into 40 languages and has sold more than 40 million copies. It's worth mentioning that the book aroused the indignation of the Christian confessions who condemn the author for mockery of human values.

Besides, world known Armenian musician Jivan Gasparian plays doudouk in the soundtrack of the film.

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The United States premier will be Friday, May 19.

Thank You Andrew Goldberg !

2006-05-16T11:23:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to say, Thank You Andrew Goldberg , You really did a Great job and the documentary was outstanding ...

If anyone want to thank Goldberg for this great documentary and all the other work that he did to tell the untold Armenian Genocide story , you can contact him at this email address...
Below is the latest interview with Goldberg ..

Armenian Genocide film producer Andrew Goldberg speaks to KurdishMedia.com
New York (KurdishMedia.com) 14 May 2006: On April 17, PBS aired The Armenian Genocide, a one hour documentary written, directed and produced by Emmy Award-winning producer Andrew Goldberg of Two Cats Productions, in association with Oregon Public Broadcasting. Using a variety of sources, this film tells the story of the nearly complete elimination of the Armenian population of Anatolia at the beginning of the 20th century. While remembrance of these events, known as the Armenian Genocide, is a major component of modern Armenian identity, the Turkish government and many Turkish groups actively seek to convince the world that the Armenian Genocide never occurred and work tirelessly to prevent any discussion of the mass murder.
Following the airing of the documentary, certain PBS affiliates decided to air a panel discussion featuring two historians who dispute that the Armenian Genocide ever occurred, drawing protest from Armenian-Americans and others. Andrew Goldberg took the time to speak to KurdishMedia.com regarding his experiences in producing the documentary, which included having staff travel to Turkey and Kurdistan, and his response to the controversies generated by his work.

Q:Can you please explain what motivated you to make a documentary on the Armenian Genocide? What do you want viewers to take away from your documentary?

A: I am not an activist about this issue, I am journalist. As a journalist, my job is to report on issues that are important for people to know. I feel the Genocide is far too underreported and is far too important to be overlooked. I also felt like the Armenians were trying to get people to listen to their story, to their pain, but no one would. So I wanted to help that effort by simply telling the truth.

Q: Please describe the different types of research that went into making this documentary. How long did it take to gather sufficient information?

A: I had done other work on the Armenians before this project so we had a running start… but the whole project took about two years. Research was done on the internet and with both new and old books, and on the telephone. Photos and old video came mostly from archives around the world. We dealt with archives in Russia, Turkey, the US, England, France, Germany, Yugoslavia and others. We also relied heavily on our scholars – Peter Balakian, Ron Suny and Fatma Muge Gocek.

Q: Did you face any difficulties doing firsthand research in Turkey? What, if any precautions did you staff take?

A: We generally traveled undercover. Still, our “tourist” camera crews were stopped several times by the army and police. It was very frustrating. We also hired a Kurdish cameraman and producer to travel to eastern Turkey and Kurdistan. He went there *very* undercover and asked that we not disclose his name for fear of Turkish reprisal.

Q: We know that you conducted a few Kurdish-language interviews for this film. Was it easy traveling through Kurdistan and finding people able and willing to speak on the Armenian Genocide? Was there anything unique about the Kurdish perspective on these events?

A: See above question for the first half of this and yes, it is Kurdistan and must be called that! The Kurdish voice is tremendously important because they tell the truth about the events and are not wrapped up the nationalism of many Turkish people – a nationalism that prevents them from telling the truth. Kurds do not suffer from denial, which I believe is a psychological issue for many Turks, and not just an issue of what people “say in public.”

Q: How do you feel about the current state of scholarship and awareness on the Armenian Genocide?

A: Far too little is done. And far too much is done by Armenians only. Also, the work in my opinion has too much of an activist tone. Others need to help the issue. The community can be very closed and often are not inclusive of others. This needs to be overcome so other scholars enter the field. Also, the amount of photos and film around the world is immense. This is first hand witness material to the events in ways that paper documents can never equal – for example, we have Raphael Lemkin actually saying he invented the word genocide because of what happened to the Armenians. That is why this material is so important. Philanthropists need to give millions and millions more to this effort.

Q: Are you surprised by the controversy generated by your documentary? What kind of feedback have you received from viewers and cultural and political organizations with respect to this controversy?

A: The controversy with the Armenians themselves had to do not only with my show but with the after panel. I was not at all surprised that that happened over the after panel. It was kind of obvious (to me at least) that that would be the response from the Armenians. The Turkish reaction on the other hand was less public but they did aggressively go after PBS to stop the film from showing. This effort included getting several congressmen to ask PBS to drop my film from the schedule. This is typical Turkish government and nationalist behavior, though, so it did not surprise me either.

Q: Do you have any future plans to further explore the Armenian Genocide or other historical events in the region?

A: No. This was a very upsetting experience for me. Seeing PBS get so incredibly assaulted by the whole world – justified or not -- was very upsetting to watch. Seeing congressmen try to stop PBS from showing either the film or the panel, regardless of the value of either, reminded me of Turkey where government controls the media. Terrifying. For the record, I never want to live in a country where the government tells the press what to do. The people can always speak out instead. Our government cannot even build a sidewalk and yet we are take seriously their nonsensical efforts at censorship? Again, no matter how offensive something is – the government cannot be the ones to tell us what we can and cannot say. It must only be the people and the viewers.
Going on, being attacked, often with fabrications, by nationalists in the Armenian press in California was very upsetting and uncalled for. In my opinion, it is press like this that only harms efforts at recognition. It divides rather than unites and prevents any consistent voice to speak for the issues.
Furthermore, raising money was nearly impossible. I was told by one of our funders that a man named Walter Karabian actually suggested that supporting our efforts was a mistake! But we were able to finish the film and we are very, very proud of what we achieved for journalism and for human rights.
As for the Armenian organizations such as ANCA (Armenian National Committee) and the Armenian Assembly? We tried to work with them many times but we found them to be entirely non-responsive. The AGBU [Armenian General Benevolent Union] on the other hand was amazing, outstanding and incredible. They were truly wonderful to work with and I wish I had such talented and generous people to work with on all our projects.

We wish you the best of luck with this and other efforts. Thank you for your time.

Thank you!

To learn more about the documentary visit: THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

To order a copy of the documentary visit: The Armenian Genocide

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Pres. Kocharian Says Today’s Turkey Is Responsible for the Genocide

2006-05-10T16:22:00.000-07:00

By Harut Sassounian

Publisher, The California Courier

May 11, 2006

In the vain hope of splitting the Diaspora from Armenia, Turkish officials have been making self-delusional statements. They have repeatedly claimed that Diaspora Armenians are the ones pushing for demands from Turkey, while the people of Armenia supposedly just want to live in peace with their Turkish neighbors.

On April 24 of this year, high-ranking Armenian officials went out of their way to expose these Turkish distortions by taking a very tough stand vis-à-vis Turkey. In an official statement issued on the occasion of the 91st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, Pres. Kocharian went far beyond anything he had said before on Turkish responsibility for the Armenian Genocide. For the first time, he blamed not only the Ottoman Empire for the Genocide, but also today’s Turkish Republic.

Pres. Kocharian stated: "Today we commemorate the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide. Ottoman Turkey and its legal successor bear full responsibility for this crime. In the years succeeding the Armenian Genocide, the survivors have borne the grave consequences of the committed crime.

The pain is all the more intense, as we are forced to struggle for recognition as well as condemnation of that black page of history. The Republic of Armenia, as the articulator of the national interests of Armenians living in the homeland as well as those scattered throughout the world, will continue that struggle. We are grateful to all the countries, organizations and individuals who are supporting us."

The Prime Minister of Armenia, Antranik Margarian, in his April 24 statement, found it salutary that

"the number of countries recognizing and condemning the Armenian Genocide is increasing with each passing year.… The efforts of today’s Turkey aiming to deny the Genocide, distort the evidence, cover up the facts, and silence the handful of Turkish intellectuals who are exposing and condemning the shameful pages of its history, are not only unhelpful in promoting a stable peace and good neighborly relations in the region, but in an atmosphere of impunity, make the perpetration of new crimes possible."

The Deputy Speaker of the Armenian Parliament, Tigran Torosian, said:

"Recognition of the Genocide will dignify Turkey and the Turkish people.
They can also not recognize it, but that won’t change anything in the world."

The Deputy Minister of Defense of Armenia, Artur Aghabekian, stated:

"Turkey must understand that sooner or later the whole world, each and every state, will recognize the Armenian Genocide…. Turkey will have to recognize the Genocide. If it won’t do it today, it will do it tomorrow. How could it evade historical justice?"

In an interview conducted by Paul Chaderjian and aired on April 24 on Armenia TV, Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said:

"Today, the children of the survivors and the Government of Armenia, both, have been transformed from victims to activists working with the international community to right a historical wrong, to acknowledge a crime against humanity and to advocate prevention of such crimes in the future…. Today, in its search for European Union membership, Turkey is having to deal with history and memory and identity. And of course, the existence of an Armenian state means that we can raise these issues at an official government level."

When asked if it would not be wiser to let the Diaspora pursue the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, the Foreign Minister emphatically responded:

"The Genocide affected every single Armenian. The responsibility to right the memory of that wrong rests with all of us. The Armenian Government has the moral responsibility to speak about the Genocide of the Armenians, and to call for Genocide recognition. This responsibility is one we fully acknowledge. In fact, the active involvement of the Armenian Government and its representatives has also played a role in the progress of the recognition process. The podiums and forums that are available to the representatives of a state are many and we use them to make our case to the international community. At the same time, as a responsible member of that community, we know that we cannot make Genocide recognition a pre-condition to our relationship with the Republic of Turkey. The irony is that we, the survivors and victims of Genocide, don’t make normal relations conditional on its recognition, yet the Turkish side often suggests that Armenia should put Genocide recognition aside if it wants normal relations with Turkey. Clearly, we cannot."

Foreign Minister Oskanian then provided the possible reasons for Turkey’s refusal to face the Genocide issue: "There is perhaps a fear that entering this realm, embarking on a relationship with Armenians will place them in a morally uncomfortable and undesirable situation, and that they will be held responsible for those events. I cannot repeat this often enough: Armenians are able to distinguish between the perpetrators and today’s Turkey. But Turks themselves must be willing to do what is morally right and reject and denounce the crimes of the Ottoman Empire. Otherwise, today’s denial means implicit endorsement or acceptance of those past crimes."

Continuing to express his serious concerns over the denial of the Armenian Genocide by Turkey, Minister Oskanian said:

"Justifying, even revering the genocidal state policy of one regime has become the state policy of another regime. Denial is state policy, just as genocide is state policy. It is today's Turkish State that is wasting money and credibility on denying, distorting, dismissing serious crimes against humanity committed during the Ottoman years. Not only are they denying history, they are also legislating denial by making it difficult, if not impossible, to actually dig into this painful issue and come face to face with difficult historic and political realities. It is safe to say that Turkish society -- writers, historians, journalists -- are in fact seeking and trying to reach their own conclusions about what really happened. It is the state that insists on rejecting those questions even. The people of Turkey are searching for answers. The memoir of US Ambassador Henry Morgenthau, the British Blue Book, the works of Vahakn Dadrian and Peter Balakian can be found in Turkish, in Turkey. We welcome this, because before there can be dialogue with Armenians, there must be internal questioning and dialogue in Turkey."

The Armenian Foreign Minister concluded with an ominous warning: "The longer it takes for Turks to repudiate those acts, the more today's Turks and yesterday's Ottomans will become synonymous in people's minds."

After such strong statements by the President, Prime Minister, Deputy Parliament Speaker, Foreign Minister, and Deputy Defense Minister of Armenia, it would be preposterous for any Turkish official to claim that the Armenian state has no interest in pursuing the Genocide issue. All Armenians, be they in Armenia or the Diaspora, are united in their resolve to demand that the Turkish Republic acknowledge the Armenian Genocide and make appropriate amends.

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Canadian PM's Genocide Recognition Statement Sparks Row With Turkey

2006-05-10T10:05:00.000-07:00

OTTAWA -- Turkey has recalled its ambassador to Canada as the country plots an official response to Prime Minister Stephen Harper's recent acknowledgement of the 1915 Armenian genocide -- one of the most disputed and politically fraught events of the 20th century.

Harper's three-paragraph statement April 19 to mark the "sombre anniversary" -- the first time that Canada has made such a statement -- barely caught the attention of most Canadians, but it ignited a furor in Ankara that appears set to boil over.

An official at the Turkish Embassy in Ottawa told CanWest News Service that Aydemir Erman has not been formally withdrawn from Canada over the prime minister's comments, but he has been "called back" to Turkey to discuss with government officials what steps will be taken to express displeasure with the remarks.

Those options include the formal withdrawal of Turkey's top diplomat in Canada, a threat Turkey has made with Canada and other countries in the past.

"The ambassador is now travelling to Turkey because our authorities have asked him to join them for consultations and, indeed, it is related to what's been happening here in the last week or so here in Canada with the prime minister's declaration," said Yoney Tezel, a counsellor with the embassy.

Ottawa's official position that 1.5 million Armenians were killed in a "genocide" adds Canada to a group of about 25 other countries, including France, Russia, Poland and Argentina.

"For us, this is a serious matter," Tezel said. "The Armenian claims are a direct attack on our identity, on Turkey's history. We feel it's unfair. That's why when these claims find some recognition we always consider that something negative."

Harper's statement, delivered on the 91st anniversary of the bloodbath, noted that both the Senate and the House of Commons have adopted motions acknowledging that a genocide took place.

"My party and I supported those resolutions and continue to recognize them today," he said.
On April 25, Turkey's Foreign Ministry issued a statement accusing Harper of exhibiting a "gravely prejudiced attitude."

"Such statements ... are not only counter-productive to the atmosphere of dialogue we wish to build between Turkey and Armenia, but also adversely affect the relations between Turkey and Canada," the Turkish government said.

A Turkish newspaper, Hurriyet, reported after Harper's statement that Canadian companies would be barred from bidding on contracts related to the construction of a major nuclear power plan.

Aris Babikian, executive director of the Armenian National Committee of Canada, said Turkey has reacted similarly in the past.

"In 2002, when the Senate passed a resolution, they also threatened and blackmailed Canada that they are going to cut the relationship and boycott Canadian companies and nothing happened," he said. "They did the same thing in 2004 when the House of Commons passed a resolution. Now they are using the same tactics."

Turkish Consul Exposes True Colors By Insulting Armenians on April 24

2006-05-07T07:53:00.000-07:00

Turkish Consul Exposes True Colors
By Insulting Armenians on April 24

By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
May 4, 2006

As a growing number of parliaments, international organizations, members of the media, Turkish scholars and prominent world figures have come to acknowledge the facts of the Armenian Genocide, the Turkish government has been frantically looking for ways to counter the rapid progress of the Armenian Cause.

The Turkish government has alternately offered economic inducements and issued ultimatums to the fledgling Armenian Republic, in order to compel it to give up its pursuit of the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Neither tactic has borne any fruit. Of course, the real aim of the Turkish leaders is to drive a wedge between the Republic of Armenia and the Diaspora on this issue.

In recent years, the Turkish government has spent millions of dollars to hire the best lobbyists that money could buy and put on Ankara’s payroll scores of Turkish and foreign hired pens who are expressly tasked to disseminate anti-Armenian propaganda worldwide. The infamous Turkish Armenian Reconciliation Commission (TARC) was another diversionary tactic. Funded by Washington with the tacit support of Ankara and the participation of a handful of misguided Armenians, TARC was quickly abolished when it was met with almost unanimous resistance both in Armenia and the Diaspora. This ill-fated stratagem, under the guise of fostering dialogue, was in reality intended to stall the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

The New Anatolian newspaper published an article last month disclosing that Ankara is seriously concerned with "the rapid rise" of the number of countries recognizing the Armenian Genocide. It quoted a Turkish official as saying that Ankara has been looking for ways of stopping this "very negative [trend] from the Turkish point of view."

The New Anatolian reported that Turkey is alarmed by the fact that the Armenian Diaspora is moving beyond securing the recognition of the Genocide to having its denial punished by law. Such an initiative is being introduced in the French Parliament later this month. Turkish officials are also very concerned about the incorporation of the Armenian Genocide in the school curricula of various countries.

The New Anatolian also disclosed that a high-ranking official from the Turkish Foreign Ministry met with unnamed representatives of the Armenian-American Diaspora on the eve of April 24. However, a Turkish official was quoted as saying: "Turkey did not get any concrete results from its contacts with the Diaspora." The Zaman newspaper reported that the Turks met with "moderate" Armenians.

The reason for this failure could be that Turkish officials are simply seeking to exploit their Armenian interlocutors rather than trying to resolve outstanding Armenian-Turkish issues. Ankara is probably pursuing three objectives with such meetings:

1) to remove one of the roadblocks in the way of its application for membership in the European Union;

2) to abort further consideration of U.S. congressional genocide resolutions by creating the false impression that Turkey is already reconciling with Armenians; and

3) to drive a wedge not only between Armenia and the Diaspora, but more importantly, to split the Diaspora itself.

On a personal note, because of the above-mentioned concerns, this writer has turned down all invitations for meetings with top Turkish leaders. Such meetings could be meaningful only when the Turkish government is seeking honest dialogue with Armenians.

The Turkish Consul General in Los Angeles, Engin Ansay, has been tasked with the launching of these deceptive initiatives in Southern California. He has been wooing a few members of the local Armenian community by inviting them to private luncheons and briefings at the Turkish Consulate. Regrettably, this handful of misguided Armenians have fallen into his trap of false rapprochement. One would hope that these individuals would see through this Turkish ploy and extricate themselves from it forthright.

Last month, Consul General Ansay showed his true colors when he lashed back harshly and undiplomatically at the Armenian community on the eve of April 24. This is an unbecoming behavior for a Turkish official who has the rank of an Ambassador and has served in many important diplomatic posts around the world. The Turkish Consul General's offensive message was in response to a letter from Steven Dadaian, who had written to the consulates of various countries in Los Angeles, on behalf of the 91st Anniversary Commemorative Committee, inviting them to attend the annual commemoration of the Armenian Genocide in Montebello, California.

Dadaian received the following rude reply from Consul General Ansay, who sarcastically said that he would like to attend the Armenian Genocide commemoration in order to

"address the gathering with regard to the first genocide of the 20th Century initiated and committed against millions of Muslims and Turks by Armenian forces armed and trained by Czarist Russia during the First World War."

Hopefully, the Turkish Consul General’s insulting reply would open the eyes of the gullible Armenians who were mistakenly led to believe that they were helping “reconcile” Armenians and Turks by cultivating a personal relationship with the official representative of the Turkish denialist regime.

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CANADIAN PM ISSUED A STATEMENT ON THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

2006-05-07T06:33:00.000-07:00

FOX-TV Airs Armenian Genocide Program

2006-05-07T04:51:00.000-07:00

FOX-TV Airs Armenian Genocide Program

By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
April 27, 2006

In recent days, thousands of articles were published on the Armenian Genocide in newspapers around the world. In addition, in dozens of countries, TV and radio stations provided extensive coverage of the commemorative events for the 91st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

This writer brought his share by delivering public remarks and participating in several Armenian and non-Armenian TV programs. Last year, the Los Angeles affiliate of FOX-TV (KTTV, Channel 11) interviewed him on the eve of the 90th anniversary, while airing live satellite pictures of the procession of hundreds of thousands of Armenians at the Genocide Memorial Monument in Yerevan.

This year, FOX-TV invited this writer again to their studios on April 23rd, while airing live satellite footage of the procession at the Genocide Monument in Armenia. An hour later that night, he was interviewed by UPN (KCOP-TV, Channel 13). The transcript of that second interview will be provided at a later date. Here is the transcript of the FOX-TV interview:

FOX-TV anchor 1: It’s Monday morning in Armenia where an entire nation is marking the 91st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

FOX-TV anchor 2: The Los Angeles area is home to 350,000 people of Armenian descent. The Genocide, long denied by the Turkey, is a very emotional issue for Armenians here and around the world.

Anchor 1: And now you are looking at a live shot of Yerevan, Armenia’s capital, where ceremonies are underway commemorating the start of the Genocide on April 24th, 1915. It’s estimated over one million Armenians were killed between 1915 and 1923.

Anchor 2: Joining us now in studio is Harut Sassounian of the United Armenian Fund. It’s nice to have you back. Thanks for coming in. And yet, I feel that when we begin to ask you questions in 2006, the questions don’t differ a whole lot from in 2005. Does that make you feel sad, to an extent that the progress has not been as quick as you would like it to be?

Sassounian: It’s frustrating because the facts of history are clear, but for political reasons, people play games, and that is what’s frustrating to us -- because they know the truth, and yet, they want to cover up the truth for political considerations.

Anchor 1: Let’s go back a step and be more precise here. You would like the United States government to recognize that there was an Armenian Genocide, in the first place, and the Turkish government as well?

Sassounian: The United States government in the past has had no problem recognizing it, but in recent years, because of political considerations in the region, they have started playing word games. They don’t want to come out and flat out to say it. There is a resolution in both the House and the Senate which the administration is blocking from coming to a vote. If it would come to a vote, it would pass with an overwhelming majority.

Anchor 2: I would also like you to speak to the live pictures that we are seeing in Yerevan.

Sassounian: Every year on April 24, it’s already April 24 -- Armenia is 12 hours ahead of Los Angeles -- so already tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of Armenians are starting the solemn procession from early morning hours till late at night. They pay their respects and they place flowers. The government leaders are there as well as the ambassadors of various countries.

Anchor 2: Speaking of ambassadors, you have been writing a lot of editorial pieces, a lot of articles lately about the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, John Evans, talking about the U.S. government calling him back to the United States after he said what?

Sassounian: Amb. Evans was in Los Angeles last year, in February 2005. He met a large number of Armenian groups and in one of his meetings, he made a statement acknowledging the Armenian Genocide, calling it "the first genocide of the 20th Century." A few days later, when he got back, they [the State Dept.] slapped his hands and told him, "that’s a no-no! You’re not supposed to say that. Issue a clarification, saying that that was your personal opinion as opposed to the policy of the U.S. government." He issued that [clarification]. Then they made him retract a part of his clarification. They did not like the way he had clarified it. They made him make a second clarification. Then the American Foreign Service Association gave him a "Constructive Dissent" award. They gave him an award for dissenting from policy. Right before getting the award, the State Dept. forced the Association to rescind the award. So they took the award away, and now they are firing him!

Anchor 1: Does this say more about politics of the word genocide?

Sassounian: The facts are clear. There is no dispute about the facts. Even the founder of the modern Turkish Republic, Kemal Ataturk, recognized the Genocide in a 1926 interview. Turkish tribunals tried and sentenced to death the masterminds of the Genocide. The U.S. government... Pres. Reagan recognized it in a Presidential Proclamation in 1981. The U.S. Congress -- the House of Representatives, twice in 1975 and 1984, passed resolutions recognizing it. There are millions of documents in the U.S. national archives testifying to that fact. The U.S. Ambassador back then in 1915….

Anchor 1: What the Turkish government says is that there were casualties on both sides. That’s why they are reluctant….

Sassounian: Even though they know better…. The good news this year, as opposed to last year, more and more Turkish scholars are coming forward saying, "look, we started this, it is genocide, and it is time for Turkey to face the facts of history." So that’s the new development.

Anchor 2: Which is what the U.S. State Dept. has said it is encouraging. That’s its position. It says that we believe we want other countries, we encourage other countries to examine themselves, examine their own issues. Why is that not good enough for you?

Sassounian: It’s not good enough because the U.S. government, first of all, before the United States starts giving a lecture about democracy to foreign countries, it has to practice what it preaches itself, by recognizing a fact of history that happened 91 years ago, And then, only then, when you are on a solid ground, you can give a lecture about bringing democracy to Iraq, Russia or China. Then, that would make it more credible, if we practice what we preach ourselves.

Anchor 2: Is there concern, I am looking here at, from the United Nations, there are adopted resolutions on what genocide is and on what the ramifications are when signatory countries dispute genocide, as they are right now? Is it possible that this could end up in the International Court of Justice should the United States make a wrong step? Is that actually what you are concerned about?

Sassounian: We would not take the U.S. to court. But there is a lot of conversation in the Armenian community worldwide, consulting with international legal experts on possibly taking Turkey to the international court.

Link

Armenian Genocide 91 Commemoration In Little Armenia CA.

2006-05-03T15:32:00.002-07:00

Note : I'll just silence the background music for few days so you'll be able to watch the video without distraction

Armavia Airbus 320 Crash : Coverage From A1+ News

2006-05-03T12:08:00.000-07:00

Latest News From

Flight from Armenian capital Yerevan crashes near Sochi

2006-05-03T10:03:00.000-07:00

An Armavia Airbus 320 passenger plane flying from Armenia's capital, Yerevan, to the city of Sochi in southern Russia has crashed into the Black Sea. The jet was found 6 km from the coast and carried a total of 113 people. Among the passangers were 8 crew and 6 children. Controllers lost contact with the plane at 0215 local time (Tuesday 2215 UTC).

Rescuers have found the corpses of a woman and a girl and another 12 body parts at the site of Wednesday's crash of Armenia's Airbus A-320 plane off Russia's Black Sea coast, a spokesman for the Russian Prosecutor General's Office told Interfax. Other reports say that at least 25 bodies have been found.

There were 77 Armenian citizens, 26 Russian citizens, 1 Ukrainian and 1 Georgian citizen on board of the Armenian air liner, Armenian Civil Aviation Department head Artyom Movsisian told on a news conference.

"Most of the Russian citizens are of Armenian origin," Movsisian said.

"Rescue efforts are being hampered by deteriorating weather conditions, heavy rain and rough seas," a spokesman for the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry said.

"The fragments were found six km (3.7 miles) from the shore near the airport of Adler. The search operation continues," said Beltsov. The location of the crash site has been ascertained by a numerous fragments and life vests, and a large oil slick.

"The only thing [we] know is that when the crew asked for permission to land, the air controller in Sochi responded that bad weather meant this was not yet possible," Gayane Davtyan, head of Armenia's civilian aviation authority said. "Contact with the crew was lost at 600 meters, when the plane went to circle for a second time."

The cause of the tragedy remains unclear, but the investigators are pursuing two main versions: bad weather conditions and poor maintenance.

The Russian Prosecutor General's Office believes terrorism can be ruled out as a factor in the A-320 plane crash near the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi on Wednesday morning.

"We don't have any information that could indicate a possible terrorist attack on board the plane," Russian Deputy Prosecutor General Nikolai Shepel told Interfax on Wednesday.

An official from the regional department of the Emergency Situations Ministry in southern Russia said "apparently there were malfunctions on board, as the pilots were making another attempt to land at the Adler airport."

"The plane was in an ideal technical condition, the crew was well qualified," said the airline's deputy commercial director, Andrei Aghajanov. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
In the area where the plane crashed, more rain is expected in the next hours and the water temperature is currently between 8 to 10 degrees celsius.

The Russian and Armenian presidents have announced on Wednesday that Friday, May 5th, would be a day of mourning in remembrance of the 113 people that died in the crash. (Related: May 5 declared day of mourning in Russia)

The worst crash involving an two-engine A-320, which was first built in 1984 and remains the most popular Airbus on the market, occurred in August 2000, when a Gulf Air plane crashed off Bahrain on a flight from Cairo, killing all 143 people on board. The Airbus A320 is a short-to-medium range commercial passenger aircraft and a total of 328 people have been killed in earlier A320 accidents.

About 20 boats and a Be-200 amphibious aircraft are involved in the recovery operation, emergency services said, adding that two more Be-200s would fly to the scene if necessary. A group of rescuers from the Russian emergency ministry is expected to fly to the crash site in the next few hours.

Related stories
** May 5 declared day of mourning in Russia
** Armenian president offers condolences over Black Sea air crash

Sources

** "Armenian airliner crashes into Black Sea, bodies recovered (1st Update)". Monsters and Critics.com, May 3, 2006
** "Jet crashes off Russia, no survivors seen". Reuters, May 2, 2006
** Oliver Bullough "Jet crashes off Russia". Washington Post, May 2, 2006

** "Hunt for Armenia air crash bodies". BBC, May 3, 2006

"This story originally appeared at WikiNews"

** Some photos related to this news you can find posted by Simon Maghakyan of Blogian

** Almost all news reports missed the fact that ALL the 113 victims of the crash were "Ethnically Armenians", as reported Glendale Chick of Inch es asum?! who aparently had looked at the list of their names and foud out that they were all Armenian names.

** BBC News published a small video related to the crash which you'll find HERE.

91st Commemoration April 24, 2006 : Blogsphere Coverage [Part 3]

2006-04-28T04:13:00.000-07:00

I will continue collecting those notes all over the blogsphere about the 91 Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, because I found out that there are so many non-Armenian bloggers who wrote and spread awareness among their readers about the Armenian Genocide and the infamous Turkish denial to it.... I thought that it's important that I recognize this honest effort of those non-Armenian bloggers and have the chance to thank them here.

** Remembering the Armenians was an article posted by DavidNic of the Italian (American) Catholic and Altogether Strange blog, which he wrote in commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, touching words in demanding Justice for the 1.5 Million Armenians who lost their lives in the Armenian Genocide, here's part of the article:

When he was going to start killing the Jews, Hitler asked: Who now remembers the Armenians? Sadly, the answer to that question still goes in the favor of not many.
The article above, is from two days after the event.When I say Turkey denies it, I don't mean the casually deny it. They aggressivly deny and attempt to discredit any evidence. But the truth will not be silenced. The evidence is overwhelming.
[...]
Some of the horror is reflected in a quote from Talat Pasha the Grand Vizer of the Ottoman empire when asked about the Armenians in 1918. He said with a smile:
What on earth do you want? The question is settled. There are no more Armenians.
In the face of the evidence, does the United States recognize the genocide? The answer is no. 39 of 50 states do, but there is no national declaration of recognition. The states that do and have made public recognition are:
Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.
What countries have made similar declarations: Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lebanon, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Uruguay, Vatican City and Venezuela.
These are small lists. Too small. Armenia was the first Christian nation and their Christianity played a part in why they were killed by the Ottoman empire. All of the Apostolic Churches hold the founder of Armenia, St. Gregory the Enlightener (Illuminator) as a Saint. But the Christian world is still silent when it comes to the Armenian Genocide.
As long as this situation remains unchanged we must ask the same question as a man who was pure evil: Who now remembers the Armenians?
I do.Their Loving Father in Heaven does.. And I ask that you do.

** In April 26th, 2006, a blog titled The Classroom and the World published a post "Armenian Genocide" , in which it linked to an article by Khatchig Mouradian "Commemorating the Armenian Genocide" , the post reads:

Monday was for commemorating the Armenian Genocide. Although the Turkish government still denies what happened, there are many Turks that are beginning to admit what happened and discussed it. This willingness needs to be encouraged.

** Reliving The Armenian Genocide a post in Steve Goddard's History Wire blog, posted excerpts from the Los Angeles Times article titled "Genocide as History, Legal Flashpoint" published April 25, 2006

"She was only 3 when her family fled their Turkish homeland 91 years ago," reports the Los Angeles Times. "Alice Shnorhokian and her brother were too small to walk the long road to safety in the Syrian desert, so their parents strapped them in boxes on the sides of a donkey that carried the family possessions. On the eve of what came to be called the Armenian genocide, Shnorhokian saw fellow Armenians trying to escape from every village she passed. There was no food, water or shelter, she said. Babies and old people were dying along the way. Eventually, about 1.2 million Armenians would perish.

** Dave Montgomery wrote in a post Monday was a good day, including his letter to (one) editor, begins as follows :

Editor:
Monday, April 24th, marks the 91st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. These killings were prepetrated by the Turkish Ottoman Empire during World War I and claimed the lives of up to 1,500,000 Armenians. Up to this day, the government of Turkey denies these claims even though it is regarded as historical fact. This would be similar to Germany denying the Holocaust, something they have accepted responsibility for long ago. Until Turkey and the United States formally recognize this tragic event as a Genocide, as many other western countries have, the healing process for Armenian people and culture will be incomplete.

** Never again, article was posted April 25, 2006.. In commemoration of the Holocaust and condemning the perpetrators of all the Genocides and the silence of the bystanders :

Today is Yom Hashoah - Holocaust Rememberence Day, when we commemorate the victims of the holocaust.
[...]
I wish I could feel that something has been learned from the horrors of the holocaust... but looking at the news tells me that is a false hope. The list on Genocide Watch is too long to think that we have learned stop genocide.
We don't even act to force those who committed genocide to admit it - Turkey is on the verge on entering the EU while they not only deny the Armenian genocide but it is against Turkish law to speak of it. Even though Hitler, when planning the 'Final Solution' in 1939 stated "Who today remembers the Armenian genocide?"
The sad thing is what allows such things to occur. It is the silence of the bystander...

** I have always depended on the kindness of readers... a post by Russ Minick on April 25, in the The Fresno Bee Blog , it reads :

Sometimes you know you’re really going to strike a chord with something. I thought that about my commentary Monday on the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, and the shameful failure of both the Turkish and U.S. governments to acknowledge that horror.

Sure enough, the phone rang off the desk all day Monday, and I also got several e-mails, all praising the piece. Most were from Armenian Americans, but some were from odars like me who just get agitated by injustice on a grand and dreadful scale.
Usually when readers phone or e-mail, it’s to call me names.

That comes with the territory of the Opinion pages. I thank the people who took the time to offer all those kind words this time. They were a nice change of pace. And here’s hoping that recognition will someday come and justice will be done, for the memories of the victims, the peace of mind of their descendants and for the integrity of history.

**I also want to show my admiration of many great pieces that were worte by non other than our wonderful Armenian Bloggers ...

- Silencing the Armenian Genocide , great post by Tamar of ArmYouth Blog

- A March in California, wonderful piece written on an airplane from Long Beach to Phoenix, 24 April 2006; all photographs by Simon Maghakyan of Blogian.hayastan.com , including many pics he took for the March in Little Armenia, CA.

- April 24 – Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day a press release from the Canadian Armenian Network, by it's Executive Director & our fellow blogger Vahe Balabanian of Hye Log .

- Identifying my roots , an emotional post by Christian Garbis of Notes From Hairenik .

- President Bush turns his back on Armenia by JLD of Voch Me Ban.

- April 24, 1915 - April 24, 2006. We Pause to Remember the Armenian Genocide featuring different pictures related to the Armenian Genocide by Artyom of iArarat .

- Genocide Notes from the Armenian Blogosphere by the very talented Onnik Krikorian of One World Multimedia Blog .

- ?????????, ?????????? , on the April 24th activities in Montebello, CA. by the multitalented, & creative Hakob Gevorgyian .

- Photo of the March , was a post in The Basturma Chronicles sharing some datails and a photo of the march that started from the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia, Antelias and it's destination was Bourj Hammoud stadium, in Lebanon.

- Genocide Month was the contribution of Levon at the East Meets West: Two sides of the Armenian diaspora .

- April 24 in DC , a post linking to a photo collection of the Armenian demonistrations at Washington DC and it was posted by Arsineh of Life in the Armenian Diaspora blog.

It was a sad day for all Armenians, remembering our family members who lost their lives not for any wrong they did but just because they were Armenians... May they rest in peace, knowing that we will not let go of their rights, we will never let go and we will keep DEMANDING JUSTICE

JUSTICE IS WHAT WE WANT

91st Commemoration April 24, 2006 : Blogsphere Coverage [Part 2]

2006-04-25T11:35:00.000-07:00

** In a blog titled it's under my bed, it's never been read from my first little fib to my latest attempt , an Armenian blogger calls herself "K" posted many pictures about the Armenian Genocide, and some Excerpts from Black Dog of Fate: An American Son Uncovers His Armenian Past by Peter Balakian, and quotes by Adolf Hitler, Yossi Beilin, Talat Pasha, Henry Morgenthau Sr., Theodore Roosevelt, Jimmy Carter, and many others in a post titled "GENOCIDE ."

one of the pictures posted in K's blog, showing Cliff where Armenians were hurled to death

** Another blog "V for Vegetarian" the following was posted, along with few quotes and info. in a post titled "April 24, 1915...Never again":

Whether you are Armenian or not, it is important that you know and understand the importance of today.
April 24th is commemorated worldwide by Armenians as Genocide Memorial Day.

** Timothy Birdnow, wrote in his blog called Birdblog, published a post titled "Anniversary of a Forgotten Genocide"

Today marks the anniversary of the forgotten genocide ; on April 24, 1915 Turkish soldiers began a campaign of extermination against the Christian Armenian people who inhabited Ottoman controlled land in the Caucuses.
[...]
Let us not allow the Armenian deaths be in vain! We must remember them, pray for them, and keep them in our consciousness, lest this dreadful act of hatred be repeated!

** "Today is Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day" was the title of the article that appeared in Christian Johnson's blog Cinerati

This last weekend I noticed a lot of cars in my neighborhood displaying the Armenian flag. Living in Glendale, I didn't have to think long to determine why so many of my fellow citizens were proudly displaying their patriotic loyalty to Armenia. Today is the 90th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. There is a lot I could write, but I
will instead quote Teddy Roosevelt.

** And of course, the neat coverage of the event in some of the 91st commemoration places in USA that's provided by Inch es asum?! blog, she reported some details about the demonistrations in Washington DC , and the confronting Turkish protest with pictures, here are some of them

Armenian Genocide protest above.
Turkish and Azeri people protesting against Armenians, below.

We All Are So Proud Of You Simon.. Kudos!

2006-04-24T15:34:00.000-07:00

A good friend of mine, a fellow blogger of Blogian, & a bright Armenian young man Simon Maghakyan, was awarded today for being one of 20 students named to USA TODAY's 2006 All-USA Community College Academic First Team as representatives of all outstanding community college students.

Simon Maghakyan, 19 Arapahoe Community College, Littleton, Colo.

Studying: Political science

GPA: 3.8

Career goal: Professor

Accomplishments: Immigrating to the USA from Armenia in 2003 and studying in his third language, he organized a Genocide and Holocaust commemoration; won scholarship to attend a graduate course in genocide and human rights at the University of Toronto; founding member, student leadership council; honor society vice president; student newspaper reporter.

USA Today's link to profile

Today, he is one of 20 students named to USA TODAY's 2006 All-USA Community College Academic First Team as representatives of all outstanding community college students. All 20 receive trophies and $2,500 cash awards this morning at the American Association of Community Colleges convention in Long Beach, Calif. Forty more are named to Second and Third Teams.

"USA TODAY is pleased to honor students who travel so many different paths to gain success at America's community colleges," USA TODAY editor Ken Paulson says. "Their impressive achievements reflect their talent and commitment, as well as the environment of opportunity on community college campuses."

First Team members were chosen from approximately 1,500 students seeking associate degrees nationwide in a two-step judging process administered by Phi Theta Kappa, the honor society for two-year colleges. Judges consider academics, leadership and service, and how students apply their academic or intellectual skills to their schools, community or society. Simon Maghakyan was chosen to be a First Team member.

• An Armenian immigant, Simon Maghakyan didn't even know what a community college was when he moved to Littleton, Colo., in 2003 at age 16. A college adviser recommended Arapahoe Community College to help him better learn about America, and Maghakyan has not been disappointed. "Community college is a uniquely American entity, a tool of the American dream," he says.

Since he was awarded today April 24, 2006, but unfortunately won't be given time to make an acceptance speech Simon will be wearing a pin commemorating the Armenian Genocide to the ceremony.

Way to go Simon jan... BRAVO!!

April 24, 2006 : Blogsphere Coverage [Part 1]

2006-04-24T08:11:00.001-07:00

Photo from gallery of www.armeniangenocideposters.org

Tatiana an Armenian blogger, posted sevral pictures and quotes today, in commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.

In a blog called German Invasion, an article was posted titled "Armenian Genocide" it opens with :

Today is Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day.
According to this site, it is on April 24, ninety-one years ago, that "300 Armenian leaders, writers, thinkers and professionals in Constantinople (present day Istanbul) were rounded up, deported and killed." The same day, in Constantinople, "5,000 of the poorest Armenians were butchered in the streets and in their homes."

The murder of approximately 1.5 million Armenians between 1915 and 1917 is not officially recognized as genocide by countries like the United Kingdom, the United States, Israel, Georgia and the Ukraine. It is, however, generally accepted that systematic killing, based on ethnicity, was involved. Most official waverings seem to be prompted by politics, not by legitimate doubt as to the facts.

In this blog , and under the title of Mr. Olmsted's Neighborhood, the following was wrote:

Today is Armenian Genocide Day, and as I live in Little Armenia, the streets around my house are packed with cars covered in Armenian flags. Armenians dressed in black will hold a "parade" (for lack of a better word--it sounds a tad festive for the occasion) to commemorate the slaughter of a million souls by the Turks.

What it means to be Armenian... was the title of the article that Kibra, another Armenian blogger wrote in commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, in one part it reads :

Today is April
24th. The day we commemorate the martyrs of the Armenian massacre of 1915. These are not fictional people. These are my grandfathers family. My great grandparents, and their kids. MY FAMILY! This is the reason I dont have any immediate family, from my grandfathers side. We're Vanetzi's. He was one of the 200 survivors ...from a city of 100,000. So, to all those, who say...."...give it a rest man, it was almost 100 years ago" I say, this is MY FAMILY you're talking about!
I dont know who is going to read this, perhaps no one.

Well at least I did, and I hope that more people will do ... It's the only feeling of family that we have, by remembering our common experience, and the feelings that we all have towards this barbaric uprooting from our homeland and our families!

Another Armenian , Angelishis wrote an article about April 24 commemoration today, titled 1915 Armenian Genocide - learn about history , it reads :

On the night of April 23-24 1915, hundreds of Armenian intellectuals and community leaders were summarily arrested in the capital of the Ottoman Empire . The massive round-up resulted in the imprisonment of most Armenian politicians, priests, scientists, lawyers, doctors and writers of the Ottoman Empire . Shortly thereafter, the prisoners were deported to the inner provinces where nearly all of them were murdered by the authorities. Approximately 5000 community leaders were eliminates in this fashion. The Armenians were alarmed by the arrest of their community leaders. The Armenian deputies of the Ottoman Parliament expressed their anxiety to the government. These two deputies were themselves deported and assassinated.

April 24 each year since 1915 represents the symbolic date of the Armenian Genocide. That day is marked as a commemoration day for the victims of the Armenian Genocide. Many events and protests are organized throughout the world.

The blogger of "Inhale, Exhale, Repeat," in honoring her family and the victims of the Armenian Genocide, wrote the article titled Today: 91st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide

In honor of my Grandmother who became an orphan from this ordeal. She lost all of her family at the age of 5. In any web search for her last name she is the only person that comes up. In honor of my Grandfather who had to travel across Turkey dressed in disguise as a woman to Aisa in order to be hired by the American Red Cross and chartered on a ship to America. In honor of his 1st wife who died during the death march. In honor of his 2nd wife who died of Tuburculosis. In honor of my dead father and my ancestors and the legacy of my last name.
I light a candle on April 24th.

Meet The Last Victim Of The Armenian Genocide!

2006-04-22T10:35:00.000-07:00

Ambassador John Evans, participates in building a better Armenia...

He is John Marshall Evans, the American Ambassador to Armenia. As described Harut Sassounian in his last week's column , saying :

"As Armenians are commemorating the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide this week, they should keep in mind that 91 years after the fact, a distinguished U.S. diplomat has become its latest victim!
John Evans, the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, fortunately has not lost his life, but has sacrificed his diplomatic career for speaking out on the Armenian Genocide. He is being recalled by the State Department for publicly acknowledging the facts of the Genocide during his tour of the United States last year."

Ambassador Evans was officially recalled for publicly acknowledging the Armenian Genocide. First the U.S. State Department forced Evans to publicly retract his statements and apologize, then coerced the American Foreign Service Association into an unprecedented move of rescinding the prestigious “Constructive Dissent” award he was granted, and now subsequently, the Ambassador is being recalled from his post and forced into early “retirement”.

It's might be surprising to see such muzzling of free speech in one of the "Civilized" countries, but it's "Shocking" when such thing happens in the United States of America, "The Land Of Free," and by the government which made it's job to spread "Freedom & Democracy" all over the world!

To support Ambassador Evans & to protest against official denial of the Armenian Genocide, a group of American Armenians and friends organized the "Yellow Ribbon Campaign." In which hundreds of thousands of marchers on April 24, 2006 will participants by tying yellow ribbons on 100-meter long ropes stretched along the walking path leading to the Genocide Monument in Tsitsernakaberd Memorial . This campaign adopted Martin Luther King's quote when he said:

"At the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."

For more clarifications and explanations about the Yellow Ribbon Campaign, I asked Harut Sassounian few questions, and he kindly answered as follows:

Armenian Affairs: Who are the organizers of this campaign, we know that they call themselves "Armenian Americans", what are their names?

Harut Sassounian: In terms of the organizers, they are a small group of Armenian Americans who live in Yerevan and their friends in Armenia.

AA: Was Ambassador Evans "Officially Recalled"?

Sassounian: Ambassador Evans was officially notified by the State Dept. that he is being recalled.

AA: What is going to happen next to Ambassador Evans? Will he be retired, or degraded?

Sassounian: Ambassador Evans is losing his job.

AA: How would the messages of Yellow Ribbons be communicated to US State Department? Is there a plan to photograph or video tape the action?

Sassounian: The Armenian press and TV will cover the yellow ribbon campaign on Monday, April 24.

AA: Do you expect a positive reaction from the State Dept. or this campaign is mainly about Solidarity and support to the brave stance of Ambassador Evans?

Sassounian: I do not expect a change of position from the State Dept. However, I believe that we need to put pressure on them so that they would think twice in the future before taking an anti-Armenian decision.

AA: Is there an organization in Armenia that will help in spreading the Ribbons?

Sassounian: The organizers and volunteers of the yellow ribbon campaign in Armenia will distribute the yellow ribbons at the Genocide Monument.

AA: Is there any significance for the "Yellow" color? Is it a symbol or a sign for something?

Sassounian: Yellow ribbon is a well known symbol in the United States. Every American, especially American officials at the State Dept. would understand very well the meaning of this yellow ribbon campaign. It is a tribute for a fallen soldier or missing person. It is a tribute and a silent protest on behalf of Ambassador Evans.

So dear friend, if you are going to march on Monday April 24, 2006... make sure you won't forget tying the Yellow Ribbon in Support of this campaign. Below is the Press-Release of the Campaign.

Press Release

Yellow Ribbon Campaign to Protest
Recall of Ambassador Evans and Genocide Denial

In the end, we will remember not the words
of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

19 April 2006
Yerevan, Armenia – In response to the imminent recall of U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Marshall Evans for publicly acknowledging the Armenian Genocide, a “Yellow Ribbon Campaign” has been planned for April 24, 2006. The campaign is also in response to a number of recent instances in which high-ranking foreign diplomats in Armenia have denied the Armenian Genocide.

Organized by Armenian-Americans in Armenia and Friends, a newly created, ad-hoc group based in the Armenian Republic, the grassroots campaign will take place at the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial to the Armenian Genocide in Yerevan. The monument is dedicated to the 1.5 million victims of the Genocide of the Armenians perpetrated by the Ottoman Turkish Empire between 1915 and 1923.

On April 24, 2006, when hundreds of thousands of marchers will converge on the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial in commemoration of the victims of the Genocide, the Yellow Ribbon Campaign will commence by participants tying yellow ribbons on 100-meter long ropes stretched along the walking path leading to the Genocide Monument.

“During the last number of years, we have witnessed public denials of the Armenian Genocide by several diplomats,” said Paula Devejian, a member of the group. “Such politically motivated actions are offensive and insulting. By attempting to dismiss the indisputable fact of the Armenian Genocide, those engaged in denial insult the memory of the victims, their descendents and the Armenian nation as a whole. In our present-day reality of a free and independent Armenian Republic, Armenians throughout the world feel the pain of denial even more when it’s perpetrated by representatives or leaders of countries that are otherwise acknowledged as friends and allies of Armenia.”

According to Devejian, the Yellow Ribbon Campaign was put into motion following what is widely regarded as the Bush Administration’s retribution against Ambassador Evans for publicly labeling the events in Ottoman Turkey at the beginning of the 20th century as “genocide”. Soon after the Ambassador’s comments, (made in statements to Armenian-American leaders in February 2005), the U.S. State Department forced Evans to publicly retract his statements and apologize, then coerced the American Foreign Service Association into an unprecedented move of rescinding the prestigious “Constructive Dissent” award he was granted, and now subsequently, the Ambassador is being recalled from his post and forced into early “retirement”.

“It is difficult to see a great ally and friend of Armenia like the U.S. as an objective and unbiased mediator in the Nagorno-Karabagh peace process and Armenian-Turkish relations when our government is subject to Turkish pressure and blackmail, and resorts to censorship. We are amazed that the United States would allow a third country to affect the bilateral relations between itself and Armenia.” said Devejian.

“We believe that the American Government must be the standard bearer of free speech and human rights, and we are concerned that its actions against Ambassador Evans amount to less than an adequate commitment to these principles.”

The newly formed group also cited examples of foreign diplomats denying the Armenian Genocide while holding posts in Armenia, including Israeli Ambassador Rivka Cohen, who in 2002 dissociated the Armenian Genocide from the Jewish Holocaust, thereby questioning the fact of the Genocide; and U.K. Ambassador Thorda Abbott-Watt, who in 2004 denied the Genocide, causing outrage in Armenia and Armenian communities throughout the world.

“Such disrespectful acts against the Armenian people and nation will continue if we do not put an end to the complacent acceptance of such politically motivated diplomatic denial by these countries. States have an obligation to understand that the promotion of democratic values, principles and true freedom come through their own actions and examples,” Devejian explained. “The Yellow Ribbon Campaign is an _expression of protest against Genocide denial and punishment of free speech. It is an impassioned, peaceful call by Armenians from all walks of life for fairness and justice, in both political and humanitarian terms.”

# # #

Armenian Americans in Armenia and Friends
Yerevan, Armenia
Contact e-mail: genocide_ribbon@yahoo.com

‘We Will Remember not the Words of our Enemies, but the Silence of our Friends’

2006-04-21T12:35:00.000-07:00

By Harut Sassounian

Publisher, The California Courier

April 20, 2006

As Armenians are commemorating the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide this week, they should keep in mind that 91 years after the fact, a distinguished U.S. diplomat has become its latest victim!

John Evans, the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, fortunately has not lost his life, but has sacrificed his diplomatic career for speaking out on the Armenian Genocide. He is being recalled by the State Department for publicly acknowledging the facts of the Genocide during his tour of the United States last year.

As Martin Luther King said: "At the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." This famous statement aptly describes the regrettable situation Amb. Evans and Armenians find themselves in. The U.S. Ambassador is a true friend of Armenia and Armenians. But, more importantly, he is a defender of the truth. His friends should not remain silent about his predicament.

By speaking out, Armenians would be defending not so much the Ambassador -- who deserves their full support -- but their own cause. They cannot remain silent when the State Department is indirectly trying to bury the truth about the Armenian Genocide. A noble messenger is being eliminated in order to silence his message!

The upcoming commemorative events of the Armenian Genocide are the perfect opportunity for Armenians to raise their voices in defense of the acknowledgment of the Armenian Genocide, in solidarity with Amb. Evans. As Armenians gather in various cities throughout the world during the week of April 24, the keynote speakers at commemorative events in every city should condemn the shameful action of the State Department against one of its finest diplomats! They should urge their audiences to write to the State Department expressing their outrage about its inexcusable treatment of Amb. Evans.

A group of Armenian Americans and their friends in Yerevan are launching this week a "Yellow Ribbon" campaign in order to shatter the wall of silence surrounding this affair. As more than a million Armenians will be marching in a solemn procession to the Genocide Memorial Monument in Yerevan on April 24, volunteers will be asking each individual to tie a yellow ribbon on a rope along the path leading toward the Monument. The organizers have chosen the “Yellow Ribbon” campaign as a mode of silent and respectful protest that is so familiar to Americans. This activity will be publicized throughout Armenia as well as the Diaspora.

These actions and the ensuing publicity would add to the extensive media coverage in recent weeks of the State Department’s shocking recall of Amb. Evans. As the Los Angeles Times wrote in an editorial published on March 22: "Punishing an ambassador for speaking honestly about a 90-year-old crime befits a cynical, double-dealing monarchy, not the leader of the free world." In a similar harshly worded editorial published on March 24, the Fresno Bee wrote: "Shame on the State Department" for recalling Amb. Evans.

Prominent British journalist Robert Fisk wrote a scathing article in The Independent on April 8. He castigated the State Department for recalling Amb. Evans and took Pres. Bush to task for reneging on his campaign promise of acknowledging the Armenian Genocide. Fisk said that after getting elected, Pres. Bush "caved in, gutlessly calling it [the Armenian Genocide ] a ‘tragedy’ so that he wouldn’t get his fingers burned by that wonderful democratic NATO ally – and would-be EU member – called Turkey."

Despite extensive critical media attention and several letters of inquiry by members of Congress to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the State Department continues to stonewall and remain officially silent on the Evans affair.

If Armenians worldwide react strongly on this occasion, maybe in the future the State Department and the White House would carefully weigh the repercussions of their actions, before contemplating important decisions on Armenian issues. Silence and inaction are not valuable commodities in the pursuit of any cause, let alone a noble one!

Link to the article.

A Review of Ararat Screening in Turkey

2006-04-20T03:32:00.000-07:00

So Ararat was finally screened in Turkey, it was screened on KanalTurk TV station, which would give the opportunity to more viewers to watch it, certainly more viewers than if it would've been screened in a movie theater!

Although it was published few days ago, I still find the article in NorMarmara daily that was published April 14, the most interesting article that reviewed in details the screening of Egoyan's Ararat and the post screening discussion.

Before the screening of the movie started, Tuncay Ozkan appeared to on the screen to warn the viewers, now one would expect that to be a warning about an age limit to view the movie or something like that, but that was not what happened, although it was necessary to make a note that the movie is 18+ rated, but no that wasn't the kind of warning the viewers watched.

"Tuncay Ozkan, tried his best to influence and convince the Turkish TV viewers by classifying the movie as a propaganda preachings, and by telling the viewers that they should never never forget as they watch this movie that it was based on lies! Tunca also begged the viewers not to feel uncomfortable while watching some of the tough scenes in the movie, because those are all lies and things that never happened."

As reported the newspaper. And after that speech started the screening of the movie.

KanalTurk promised, and it's officials repeatedly stated that Ararat will be screened "uncensored and uncut," of course that did not happen, I am yet to see a Turk keep a promise he make about anything related to Armenians! I mean really, how anyone can trust KanalTurk (in this case) anymore if they can't keep their promises?

NorMarmara reported that:

"Unlike to what was announced, that the movie will be screened without censorship or cut, two important scenes, the one in which Turkish soldiers set on fire a group of Armenian girls and the scene that shows a Turkish soldier raping an Armenian woman, those scenes were removed. And the scenes that included swearing and insults, were simply silenced. No Turkish company was agreed to do the translation of the movie, therefore the Turkish translation [subtitle] was prepared by KanalTurk itself."

After the movie, and as planned a discussion panel started. The discussion announced to be featuring well known political columnist Orgeneral Kemal Yavuz, Agos editor Hrant Dink and Movie Critic Necati Sonmez, but at the begnning of the discussion program which was titled "Facts", by the way, came the announcement that "Hrant Dink is not going to partecipate in the discussion, and he had came all the way to the station's headquarters, then in the last minute he changed his mind and did not attend the show."

Anyway, the discussion program continued with Tuncay Ozkan adding that " in order to make this show more colorful we wished the Halil Brektay and Baskin Oran would also join this show, but they also refused to participate."

"Controling the discussion most of the time, columnist Orgeneral Kemal Yavuz, and as expected comprehensively critizing the movie, and classifiying it as preaching to serve the Armenian thesis. Yavuz continued his solo speech for a long time… he started by repeated all the well known [Turkish government's official] arguments, which were hardly approaching the subject in discussion . Offering various types of testimonials , he continuously argued that neither the International Court, nor even the American archives could find any evidence whatsoever to condemn with the charge of committing a Genocide, the Turkish officials who were presented to trial, and they were released as not guilty."

I don't know where did this General got his information from, but it must be from and ignorant source. The chief perpetrators of the Armenian Genocide were all "Sentenced to Death in absentia," because they were too coward to show up and face their crimes, and many others were sentenced with prison times varies from few years to life in prison. Yet, there were others, who were released after being condemned and found accomplice in the crimes against the Armenians, only to take part in building and ruling of the new Turkish republic.

And what Yavuz told his audience about United States' unability to find any evidence about the Armenian Genocide was simply "Misleading" and fabricated, because the United States Senate had already recognized those crimes against the Armenians in May 1920 [Harut Sassounian, THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE : The World Speaks Out 1915 - 2005. p.51]

From a different source, I learned that what did he present was "Turkish translation" of the "British Ambassador in Washington" letter, sent to the British Foreign Office in 1921... And I don't know how did the General found those Five Years LATE reports so conclusive to judge that there was no Genocide against the Armenians, by 1921 Armenians of Ottoman Empire WERE HISTORY!!

Coming to movie critic Necati Sonmez, he started by criticizing Tuncay Ozkan for his pre-movie speech, arguing that it was trying to influence the audience even before they start watching the movie, and that is a mistake and unfair against the movie. Sonmez said he also didn't like the movie which ,in his opinion, can be considered to be the most unsuccessful work of a very creative director like Atom Egoyan.

He also admired the movie's artistic techniques, and the creating of another movie within the movie, and the in keeping the balance and interaction between the two.

Reading more of Turks reactions to the screening of the movie, I read that many of them expressed that they movie was vague, too complicated, and contains mistakes … etc.

I had watched the movie some time ago, & in my opinion, Ararat is not a movie telling the story of the Armenian Genocide, and it's certainly not a WWI epic film. Ararat is a movie about "Feelings," each and every scene in the movie is an expression of feelings… It's about love, hate, anger, fear, unjust and all basic human feelings from an Armenian point of view. It's not a movie about the Genocide, it's a movie about the Survivors of the Genocide & their children, how they were adjusting and fitting in their new societies, how much the Genocide did changed their lives forever. Ararat is a symbolic movie, it's a message to "Remember" those people who were so needed to be remembered [as the comment about Gorky's photo]. It's a tribute to all the Armenian Genocide survivors, and to the great Armenian-American painter Arshel Gorky.

No one expected that after the screening of Ararat on Turkish TV, Erdogan or Gull will come out saying "Oh yes, we were wrong, Armenian Genocide did actually happen." But that screening was important, to put a picture to words, for example, when any Turk today hear the word "deportation" he might not imagine how was it like to Armenian women and children, how was the atmosphere of fear and terror among them …

But today, thanks to the screening of Ararat on Turkish TV, some Turks might have a picture in mind to connect to words like deportation, Armenian freedom fighters, terrified Armenian women and children, missionaries and the cruelty of Turkish soldiers.

Their Voices Didn't Leave His Ears...

2006-04-16T16:32:00.000-07:00

In an article titled Armenia, Revisited - Amid Protests, PBS Slates Film and Panel Show , Vahe Balabanian of Hyelog Blog reported the following:

On Monday, the public broadcasting network will air "The Armenian Genocide," a one-hour documentary that details both the horrors of that ethnic-cleansing campaign and the Turkish government's efforts to deny that what occurred qualifies as genocide. Narrated in somber tones by celebrities such as Juliana Margulies, Ed Harris and Natalie Portman, the film presents evidence that the slaughters were planned centrally, including letters from U.S. government officials and others who witnessed parts of the campaign. They describe forced deportations, during which many Armenians were killed or died, and government death squads that mopped up stragglers.

The film includes some of the first statements from Turkey-based academics agreeing that the genocide occurred, as well as oral histories from Turkish people who recall their own families' involvement. "There is something my grandfather did personally," one man, filmed on a Turkish street, says. "They caught Armenians and put them in a barn and burned them. My grandfather says their voices didn't leave his ears for years."

[...]

Andrew Goldberg documentary "The Armenian Genocide" airs in PBS on Monday, 10 p.m. EDT. (check local listings)

Only In Iraq !!!

2006-04-16T14:45:00.000-07:00

IT IS proving as hard to find a beauty queen as it is to find a prime minister in Iraq. Exhausted by the time their politicians are taking to agree on a leader, the country thought it had at least succeeded in choosing a Miss Iraq.

Miss Universe contest owner Donald Trump praised the bravery of the newly crowned Miss Iraq, who has been forced into hiding amid death threats.

"She is very proud to have won, and now she is in a very tough position," Trump said of Miss Iraq, Silva Shahakian. "She is extremely brave."

Shahakian, a Christian of Armenian ancestry, was crowned Sunday when the original winner stepped down after receiving threats from extremists.

"I'll take care," Shahakian, 23, told ABC's "Good Morning America." "I will change my living place. I will do my best."

Her whereabouts are currently unknown, although she is believed to still be in Iraq.
Trump said he and Miss Universe organizers were considering making a special salute to Shahakian at the July 23 pageant in Los Angeles.

"We've had countries in the contest before where it was not the most popular thing to do, but never like this," Trump said.

New York Post reported

Salt Lake City Screening: Forgotten Tragedy "The Armenian Genocide"

2006-04-16T13:29:00.000-07:00

Forgotten tragedy: "The Armenian Genocide," a documentary about the slaughter of a million people during World War I, will have a free screening Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Main Library auditorium, 210 E. 400 South, Salt Lake City. The screening is presented by Salt Lake City Film Center and KUED Channel 7.

The Salt Lake City Tribune reported today .

THE LORD IS RISEN!

2006-04-15T23:18:00.000-07:00

I want to say, "Kresdos Haryav E Merelots" to all of you dear readers of my blog. The Lord Is Risen!

Regular visitors might have already noticed the change in the background music of my blog, I replaced the Armenian folk song's (Groong's) music with a hymning of this blessed occasion. The current music is "Kresdos Haryav E Merelots", one of the Orthodox Armenian Church's hymning of the Mass of Easter, and it's music was composed by Gomidas Vartabed.

The most beautiful thing about those hymning is the fact that they are chanted with a harmonious four-scale voices, namely Soprano, Alto, Tenor & Base.. the first two are for female voices and the latter two scales are for males. Yet it was originally composed to be chanted by four-scale male voices only, which was much more difficult to perform. How do I know that, one might ask, well I used to be one of the female Altos in my church choir some time ago, but those good old days don't seem to be coming back..

I choose to make this "Sharagan" (hymning) a background music because I thought it would be the best way for me to bring the Greatest News that "The Lord Is Risen" (Kresdos Haryav). I personally consider this hymning one of my favorites...

If you liked this Sharagan, feel free to download it from the link below, and I added yet another Easter Sharagan. You just need to select "save target as" from the menu that will appear when you right-click on the links below.

Krestos Haryav.mp3
Haryav Krestos e Merelots.mp3

HAVE A VERY BLESSED EASTER

It's Over... "Life" For The Axe Murderer.

2006-04-15T01:24:00.000-07:00

April 13, /PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azeri officer Ramil Safarov is sentenced to life imprisonment for murder of Armenian lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan that he committed on February 19, 2004.

Budapest court judge AndrÃ¡s Vaskuti announced the verdict, according to which Ramil Safarov is sentenced to life imprisonment without the right of pardon for 30 years, the Public TV Company of Armenia reports.

Safarov had cowardly murdered Lieutenant Margaryan while the latter was asleep with an "axe," and for that hideouss crime, Safarov was honored (In his country Azerbaijan) as "The Man of The Year" !

Article In A Picture!

2006-04-13T23:50:00.000-07:00

On the front page of KanalTurk's website, the ad. for the post- movie discussion that took place last night 11:45 pm featuring Hrant Dink, Kemal Yavuz & Necati Sonmez.

It's interesting that the discussion program was titled "Facts" !!

Don't Miss The Very First Screening Of Ararat In Turkey !

2006-04-12T19:23:00.000-07:00

Atom Egoyan's film Ararat (Released in 2002 and the winner of five Genie Awards, including best picture) will air tomorrow night, Thursday April 13 at 9:30 PM, on Turkish TV "Kanal Turk".

The spokesperson for station Kanalturk told Agence France-Presse that it will broadcast Egoyan's award-winning film – "without cuts or censoring" .

The spokesperson said the decision was made after a recent poll found that 72 per cent of the survey participants supported broadcasting the film, which examines the impact of the Armenian genocide by the Turks of the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1923.

A local company purchased distribution rights for Ararat and planned to have the film premiere in Ankara and Istanbul in mid-January 2004.

However, a Turkish group threatened theatre owners planning to screen the film and the company postponed the release indefinitely, fearing violence from right-wing extremists.

The station also had conducted a round-table discussion between Turkish and Armenian intellectuals about the issue, those are: Turkish Official "Kemal Yavuz ," Agos editor Hrant Dink and Movie Critic Necati Sonmez, reported Kanal Turk.

New 'Miss Iraq' Crowned after First Winner Flees Country

2006-04-12T18:58:00.000-07:00

CBN News reported , that Tamar Goregian who made history for being the first Iraqi Armenian to be crowned Miss Iraq, had stepped down after holding the title for only four days!

Her decision was due to the fact that she received threats from a group of religious extremists who referred to her as "the queen of infidels."

Typically the runner-up gladly takes the crown. But this was not your typical pageant. The second and third runners-up -- both Muslim women -- said "No thank you," and withdrew from the competition with their own security concerns.

So who will wear the Iraqi crown?

Despite the threats, engineering student Silva Shahakian has accepted the title. The new Miss Iraq also happens to be a Christian ( most probably Armenian too).

Shahakian said, "This chance does not come to every girl here. So I'm lucky to have that....I'm not going to lose it.”

Pageant organizers plan to send their brave beauty queen to the Miss Universe Pageant.
“We just wanted to show that there are educated, literate, beautiful young women who can do something to revert the PR image of this country," The Pageant organizer said.

If she competes, she will be the first Iraqi delegate sent to the Miss Universe Pageant since 1972,and Shahakian is determined to make the trip.

“I will take care. I will change my living place,” Shahakian affirmed. “I would like to take that chance. I will do my best."

Well, what else did they expect !

Those Who Live in Glass Houses Should not Throw Stones…

2006-04-12T17:10:00.000-07:00

By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
April 13, 2006

The anticipated self-promotional puff-piece by Gunduz Aktan, a former Turkish Ambassador and member of the infamous Turkish Armenian Reconciliation Commission (TARC), was finally published in the the April 8 issue of Turkish Daily News.

Aktan and Omer Lutem, another former Turkish ambassador and a notorious denialist, toured the U.S. during the second half of March, to spread coast to coast their perverted version of history regarding the Armenian Genocide.

In his article, Aktan says that the objective of their visit was to give seminars to Turkish Americans "on the 1915-1916 incidents" and to "distribute CDs” on this issue. He discloses that the two denialists have made similar trips to several other European countries.

Aktan makes the following self-serving and questionable observation: "We were happy to see that a Turkish diaspora is now emerging in America, as is the case in Europe. Turks who, in the past, failed to come together despite all the efforts made by Turkish diplomatic missions abroad, are now burying their differences and joining hands. Due to the fact that they had lived as subjects of an ‘empire’ in the past, Turks failed to develop the kind of minority psychology that would have enabled them to wage a struggle to defend their rights when they found themselves living outside the borders of the Turkish Republic."

Aktan is implying that he and Lutem deserve some credit for their role in this miraculous transformation, thereby trying to raise the value of their services to their paymasters in Ankara. His explanation that Turkish Americans have not developed the self-defense mechanisms of a minority due to being "subjects of an ‘empire’ in the past," is utter nonsense, as very few Turks still living today were around when the Ottoman Empire was in existence, to be able to acquire such an imperial complex!

Aktan finally gets to the real purpose of his article by falsely claiming: "Armenians tried to prevent us from arranging meetings at U.S. universities. Despite their efforts we gave lectures at Columbia University and the University of Chicago as well as in Congress and held a closed meeting in Georgetown University. The Armenians who put pressure and issued threats, on the other hand, prevented the meeting we were to hold at the University of Southern California."
The former diplomat makes cheap accusations and sweeping generalizations against Armenians without providing a shred of evidence to back up his claims! There have been no reports of threats by a single Armenian at any of their talks. Aktan also falsely claims that Armenians had "prevented _expression of the Turkish side’s views at a program to be aired by [the] American PBS television." He must be referring to a panel discussion offered by PBS to its affiliate stations. Contrary to Aktan’s assertions, the panel discussion is not cancelled. Some PBS stations are planning to air that program, while others have announced that they would not carry it because it added nothing new to the genocide documentary. Finally, Armenian Americans, like all Americans, have the constitutionally protected right to freely express their opinion and disagree with PBS, unlike in Turkey where one can be accused of "denigrating Turkishness" and thrown in jail for simply speaking one’s mind!

Aktan finally brings up the same old refrain that he has repeated ad nauseam in many of his articles claiming that Armenians are "wary of taking their cause to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague," implying that they are afraid of losing. The truth is that Armenians would be at The Hague tomorrow if there were the slightest possibility that the ICJ would take up a case that is more than 90 years old! Nevertheless, should the Turkish government accept the Court’s jurisdiction over the genocide issue and consequent remedies, this would mean that Ankara would agree in advance to abide by the Court’s possible verdict to return back to Armenians the confiscated properties and occupied territories. If Aktan is so sure of his phony arguments, instead of simply bluffing, he should get his government to commit to abide by the court's verdict. Just last year, after bravely "threatening" to take the Armenian Genocide issue to the United Nations -- a move Armenians welcomed -- Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul sheepishly reversed himself by announcing that the UN would not be an acceptable venue for his government! Gul may have discovered, a little late, that back in 1985 a UN human rights panel had already classified the Armenian Genocide as an example of genocide!

What makes Aktan’s entire column so ridiculous is that, contrary to his assertions, the University of Southern California did not cancel his and Lutem’s talks because of any "threats" from Armenians. Joshua Fouts, the Director of USC Center on Public Diplomacy, the sponsor of the lecture, told the Turkish Consulate in Los Angeles that he cancelled it because "the topic was not what we had previously agreed-upon and thus not something we could host." When a former USC Turkish student accused the university of "curbing free speech," Fouts responded by quoting Mark Twain: "A lie can travel halfway around the world, while the truth is still putting its shoes on." He told this Turkish individual: "The reason the USC Center on Public Diplomacy was unable to host the Turkish event is simple: …The topic that was originally proposed was a different one…. The topic that I discussed with the Turkish Consulate on Feb. 27 was to be on ‘Turkish Public Diplomacy,’ specifically the role of Civil Societies in improving Turkish-Armenian relations…. I notified the Consulate that this was not the event we agreed on…."

The reason that the Aktan & Lutem show was cancelled had nothing to do with "threats" or pressure by Armenians. It was a pure and simple case of the Turkish Consulate in Los Angeles misrepresenting to the university the true topic of their talk. This is nothing new. Readers may recall that a year ago, the Ankara Chamber of Commerce placed a Turkish DVD as a paid ad in TIME Europe, ostensibly promoting tourism to Turkey, but actually including 70-minutes of vicious lies on the Armenian Genocide!

Finally, it is simply ridiculous for Turkish officials and their henchmen to accuse a major U.S. university of curbing freedom of speech. As the proverb says: "Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones!"

"Link To The Article"

Media Criticism Pushes State Dept. To Respond to Armenian Concerns

2006-04-10T03:04:00.000-07:00

By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
April 6, 2006

As April 24 is drawing near, what Turks apprehensively call "the approaching Armenian Tsunami" is haunting not only the Turkish government but also officials at the State Department.

Various newspapers have unleashed a barrage of attacks on the State Department in recent weeks questioning and even castigating it for not acknowledging the Armenian Genocide and recalling the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, John Evans who had dared to utter the words, Armenian Genocide. The news of his recall was first reported by this writer last month.

The following articles and editorials were published in the last two weeks:

-- The Los Angeles Daily News headlined its March 21st article: "Status of U.S. ambassador to Armenia questioned." The paper quoted Cong. Adam Schiff as saying:

"I made it clear [to the State Dept.] I thought any action taken against him [Amb. Evans] would merely compound the erroneous policy of the administration."

-- The Los Angeles Times published a lengthy and hard-hitting editorial on March 22, titled: "It was genocide." It said:

"the State Dept. has long avoided the word ‘genocide,’ not out of any dispute over history but out of deference to Turkey…. It is time to stop tiptoeing around this issue and to accept settled history…. Punishing an ambassador for speaking honestly about a 90-year-old crime befits a cynical, double-dealing monarchy, not the leader of the free world."

The editorial concluded:

"One day, the country that was founded as a direct repudiation of its Ottoman past will face its history squarely, as part of a long-overdue maturing process. Some day before then, we hope, the State Dept. will too."

The week before this editorial was published, this writer along with a colleague met with the editorial board of the L.A. Times.

-- The Independent (UK) published on March 23 an article titled: "Row over US ambassador’s Armenia genocide remark." The paper reported:

"protests are growing over the possible recall of the US ambassador in Armenia."

-- The Fresno Bee published an editorial on March 24, titled: "Speak the Truth: U.S. ambassador to Armenia in hot water over use of ‘genocide.’" The paper’s editors castigated the State Dept. for threatening the career of Amb. Evnas by saying:

"Shame on the State Department."

The Fresno Bee called on the State Dept., Congress, the administration, as well as the government of Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide:

"The facts are plain. The history is clear. Turkey offends the victims’ survivors with its intransigence, but hurts itself most of all when it continues to deny what the entire world knows."

-- The Glendale News Press published a front-page story on March 26, titled: "Officials question the fate of diplomat."

-- The chain of McClatchy newspapers published on March 28 a lengthy article titled: "Genocide comment could cost Ambassador to Armenia his job." It reported that Cong. George Radanovich (Rep. of Calif.) has called the State Dept. requesting a meeting to discuss the fate of Amb. Evans.

-- The Washington Times published an article on March 31, titled: "Recall from Armenia?"

Following this barrage of news reports and commentaries, Daniel Fried, the Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, addressed the Armenian Assembly’s National Conference in Washington, D.C., on March 27. Here are excerpts from his remarks and responses to questions from the audience:

"The U.S. position on events of 1915 has not changed. We believe that a productive dialogue is the best way to establish a shared understanding of history that honors the victims of these horrific events, murders on a mass scale, killings without justification, deportations. Over 1.5 million people lost their lives, innocent victims. But we want to foster reconciliation and peace based on an understanding of history, not a denial of it. We believe that the tragedy of 1915, the killings, is of enormous human significance and its historical assessment should be determined not on the basis of politics, but introspection among civic leaders and scholars. This process has begun in Turkey where it needs to take place," Fried said. He was interrupted by a member of the audience who shouted: "horse manure!"

Fried then continued: "Sitting here with us is my old friend John Evans, our Ambassador in Yerevan. He is the Ambassador, remains the Ambassador, has… [Applause and cheers]. Like all of us, we all serve at the pleasure of the President. Amb. Evans came from Yerevan for the signing of the Millennium Challenge Account Compact this afternoon, and will be in the meeting this afternoon between Secretary Rice and Foreign Minister Oskanian. There has been a great deal of speculation. I don’t discuss personnel issues, but since my friend is sitting here, I thought I would recognize Amb. John Evans [Applause]."

When asked why foreign countries such as Turkey are permitted to dictate America’s foreign policy vis-à-vis Armenia and Cyprus, Fried replied: "Third parties are not permitted to dictate our foreign policy, nor do they dictate our foreign policy. We have a policy which many of you disagree with. I understand. But we have a policy of seeking to encourage Turkey to reflect more seriously about subjects which have been taboo for generations in that country. I said earlier that process has begun in Turkey. You recall that the famous Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk spoke clearly about this. He is not the only Turk speaking out. As I said, this process has begun as Turkish society modernizes, and as it modernizes, as democracy in Turkey deepens, Turkey will have to go through what many other countries such as the United States have had to go through in our own history, which is looking back at the darker spots in our past. With respect to the United States, those darker spots include things like slavery and racial discrimination, treatment of American Indians, and in my opinion, internment of American citizens of Japanese origin in camps in World War II. Those are painful subjects. Just as dealing with the history of the mass killings of Armenians is painful for Turkey. And by the way, I say this to my Turkish friends using the same words. We keep one set of books. Now that process has begun in Turkey. It is certainly not going fast enough to satisfy you. It is not going fast enough to satisfy us. But this process has begun and it will, I hope, bring greater understanding to Turks of their own history. We will continue to have a dialogue about this as April 24th approaches. I will not attempt to anticipate what the President will say. I do believe he will issue a statement on April 24th, in fact I can’t believe there won’t be one. And I expect, as we have in the past, to consult with the Armenian Assembly about this and to have a frank set of discussions before and after."

In response to a question about “Turkey exporting its denialist tactics to the U.S.,” Fried said: "The United States government has never denied the events of 1915. We do not support, what was the phrase, “export of denialist literature or positions.” We do support efforts by Turkey to deal with its history more seriously. As I said, this process has begun. It has not ended. Efforts such as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission [the correct name is: “Turkish Armenian Reconciliation Commission” or TARC] were serious, and these were efforts in which Turkish as well as Armenian scholars were involved. It produced a serious look at those issues which we have recognized officially. This is not an easy issue. It is not an easy issue for the United States government, and we are not at the end of the road on this issue. We will continue to urge our Turkish friends to face difficult issues of their past seriously, and we will urge Armenia to help the Turks make this possible without ever sacrificing historical truth or your position."

When asked a direct question about the recall of Amb. Evans, Fried provided the usual evasive answer: "We all serve at the pleasure of the President. I won’t discuss personnel issues. Amb. Evans, as I said, is a friend of more than 20 years standing. He’s our Ambassador. He’s right here. He will be in the meetings today at the State Department, as I said. [Applause]."

The above exchange shows that while Dan Fried was trying to be as gracious as possible to his Armenian hosts, he was nevertheless sticking to the administration’s unacceptable policy of substituting euphemisms for the Armenian Genocide. He also continued to avoid making any forthright comments on Amb. Evans, despite persistent media criticisms.

Link To The Article

British Columbia Recognizes the Armenian Genocide

2006-04-06T05:08:00.000-07:00

"In this country, when a similar motion came to a vote in the Parliament of Canada... The motion read: "That this House acknowledges the Armenian genocide of 1915 and condemns this act as a crime against humanity." That was just over a year ago in the Parliament of Canada; 153 voted for it, and unbelievably, 68 members of Canada's parliament voted against that motion.

They voted against it, I suspect, because they didn't wish to offend the Turkish government. They voted, I suspect, because perhaps they had a Turkish population in their own constituencies or ridings.

Who knows what the reasons were? But what I can say with some conviction here this morning is that whatever the reasons were, they weren't good enough to vote against a motion that I would hope and suspect every member of this House here in British Columbia will support this morning."

Leonared Krog (Naniamo)

April 3, 2006

"Kerop Shabanian, another member of the Armenian Canadian community here in British Columbia, was born in 1912 in the village of Geuldagh. He had a very difficult life, having lost many family members.

Mr. Shabanian arrived in Canada with his son and daughter-in-law, first living in Montreal before moving to Richmond. Though hard of hearing and having poor vision later in life, he would attend every April 24 genocide commemoration, sitting near the back of the hall so as not to draw attention to himself. Invariably, emotions would get the better of him, and he would stand up in his frail body and offer a few touching words to the assembled crowd.

During this year's 91st commemoration, Kerop's seat will be empty. Kerop and Arpine both passed away last year, and they are the last known survivors of the Armenian genocide who lived in British Columbia.

Adrian Dix (Vancouver-Kingsway)

April 3, 2006

"I do not have in my family history anything like what happened to the Armenian people. It's very, very difficult for one who hasn't got that kind of ancestral history to really understand the feelings of the people who do live with this every day, who carry forward

these memories of events that took place, for some, so long ago — almost 90 years ago. It's very difficult to imagine how those people feel, how the Armenian people feel. "

Randy Hawes (Maple Ridge-Mission)

April 3, 2006

We live in a time of unparalleled instances of democide, genocide and ethnocide. As we decry the acts that took place in Armenia some 90 years ago, let me submit to this House and to the nation at large that it is our solemn duty to do everything in our power to prevent such tragedies from happening on our earth.

John Nuraney (Burnaby-Wellingdon)

April 3, 2006

##### ##### ##### ##### #####

The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia unanimously adopted a Private Member’s Motion 59, recognizing the Armenian Genocide and to designate April 24th of every year as a remembrance day for the 1.5 million Armenians who fell victim to the first genocide of the 20th Century.

The debate on the Motion, which was sponsored by Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) Adrian Dix (Vancouver-Kingsway), commenced at 11:00 p.m. and was voted upon at the end of the allotted one hour according to Private Member’s Motion rules.

MLAs Adrian Dix (Vancouver-Kingsway), Rob Fleming (Victoria-Hillside), Randy Hawes (Maple Ridge-Mission), Dave S. Hayer (Surrey-Tynehead), John Horgan (Malahat-Juan De Fuca), Murine Karagianis (Esquimalt-Metchosin), Leonared Krog (Naniamo), Kevin Krueger (Kamloops-North Thompson), John Nuraney (Burnaby-Wellingdon), Micheal Sather (Maple Ridge - Pitt Meadows), and John Yap (Richmond-Stevenston) spoke in support of the Motion.

To read the Full Text of "Motion 59" scroll down in the page of the Official Report of DEBATES OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY , until you find the Motion 59 of the Armenian Genocide Recognition and Remembrance.

A "House Video" is also availabe online, you can find it in this LINK. Find "Monday, April 3, 2006, Morning (Vol. 8, No. 10)" and click on "House Video" link.

After loading the video you can slide the seek button to 11:00 am, where motion 59 begins.

Another Armenian Beauty Queen Of 2006 !

2006-04-05T08:55:00.000-07:00

Tamar Goregian: Miss Iraq 2006

While Iraqi politicians compete ferociously over who will be the next prime minister, nearly a dozen young Iraqi women with different backgrounds and creeds managed to compete peacefully for a beauty title.

The 60th annual Miss Iraq Pageant was held in Baghdad today, an event that was much shunned during the past decades.

After a two-hour ceremony under tight security, 23-year-old Tamar Goregian, the first Armenian Iraqi to win the pageant, officially became the 'Iraqi Queen of Beauty,' AbC News reported .

Pageant organizers hope to send the winner to the New York-based Miss Universe Pageant, in an effort to present a positive image of Iraqi women. The last time Iraq sent a delegate to a beauty pageant was at the Miss Universe contest in 1972, when Wijdan Sulyman represented the country in Puerto Rico.

Organizers and local club owners banned photos and media coverage to protect the girls from hard-line Islamists . Pageant organizers, who asked not to be identified for security reasons, hope that the new Miss Iraq can get a sponsor to pay the Miss Universe entry fee and help her prepare for the event.

"Pageants give women an edge to represent Iraqi costumes and culture, and show that Iraqi women are beautiful and intelligent," a pageant official said.

A U.S. organizer believes this year's winner will be given more opportunities than previous titleholders. The new queen will probably travel the world to create awareness about Iraqi women's issues and rights.

"We will train the new winner and get her prepared for the Miss Universe Pageant, with etiquette lessons, media communication skills, and PR skills," the U.S. organizer said.

Goregian can't wait for the challenge.

"Miss Universe would be a great experience for me. It would broaden my horizon and if I get a chance to compete, I may encourage girls to share this experience and encourage them to enter the [next] beauty pageant."

She also hoped that events like these would help put an end to the violence Iraq has been witnessing in the last three years.

"Maybe beauty is the final step to end violence and preach world peace after all," she said. "The power of beauty surpasses the ugly face of politics and greed."

The young woman added that one day she wanted to own her own business and maybe even become a politician.

Link to ABC article Page 1 , Page 2 .

The Armenian Grandmaster

2006-04-05T06:42:00.000-07:00

He is a 23-year-old Armenian Grandmaster named Levon Aronian. In April, he became the world number three chess player after winning the Linares tournament in March.

Linares is not his sole achievement but it is certainly his greatest so far. Linares is to chess what Wimbledon is to tennis: a fabled tournament played by the world’s best, and Aronian outranked them all. Even current world champion Veselin Topalov!

Winning Linares is no flash in the pan, mind you. Aronian’s resume is packed with achievements: under-12 World Champion, FIDE junior rapid champion at age 14, and member of Armenia’s Olympic team by age 16. Aronian caught the world’s attention by winning the FIDE World Cup in 2005, and now Linares.

Aronian is said to be an ace at blitz play (chess games with very small time limits) and the insane one-minute chess. He is also among the best at Fischerandom Chess, a variant of chess which emphasises creativity and calculation over memorisation of chess theory. Invented by the great Bobby Fischer, Fischerandom is considered by many to be the future of chess play and Aronian will certainly be one of its first heroes.

Link

Dadrian At Czech Senate To Address Armenian Genocide

2006-04-05T06:24:00.000-07:00

A one-day international conference titled 'The Armenian Genocide' will be held on April 4 at the Czech Senate, Noyan Tapan reported, citing the Radio Liberty. The conference has been initiated by the Armenian Club of Prague and Senate member Jaromit Shtetina.

Professor Vahakn Dadrian of the Zorian Institute will make a report on the documents kept in the Turkish archives. Prominent German human rights advocate Tessa Hoffman will present the issue of the Armenian Genocide recognition in the light of human rights. European Armenian Federation Chairperson Hilda Choboian will speak of the European Union's role in the recognition process.

The Turkish views in the coference will be presented by Yelda Ozcan, a Turkish scholar residing in Germany. Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Kirakosian will attend the conference.

YERKIR Reported.

When he was asked about the conference, Senator Jaromir Stetina the man who organised this conference, he told Radio Praha that :

This is preparing for a special declaration law in our Senate. This law is very simple - recognising the events of 1915 in Armenia as genocide."

And when he was asked, why should the Czech Republic - a small country with little connection to Armenia - become involved in this way? He said :

"This is not a problem of the Czech Republic, it is a problem of all human beings. The problem of genocide is alive. Last century was a century of many genocides. And genocides are continuing now. There's a genocide of the Chechen people, for example. One month ago I visited Rwanda. In Kigali, I went to a museum of the 1994 genocide. There was one room about the genocide, a genocide which is almost 100 years old. And people in Kigali, in the museum, said we have to recognise all genocides, because we can stop future genocides by this."

"Voices From Germany"

2006-04-05T04:24:00.000-07:00

VOICES FROM GERMANY ON THE OCCASION OF THE 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Answers, Articles, Essays, Speeches, Eyewitness Accounts”
(Antelias 2005, 418 pages)

This book was recently published by the Catholicosate of Cilicia with the financial support of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. As its title reflects, the book has a diversified content.

The publication has been edited and prepared for publication by Ishkhan Chiftjian, a student of theology in the University of Leipzig in Germany. The foreword is written by His Holiness Aram I who is also the patron of the publication.

In the foreword entitled “Memory and Justice,” His Holiness stresses the undeniable effect of memory on the life of an individual or people and the importance of justice.

The Pontiff then draws connections between the Armenian Genocide and the concepts of memory and justice, emphasizing the urgent and imperative need of recognizing the Genocide and compensating for it.

The introduction by Ishkhan Chiftjian is entitled “Genocide: The Definite Plural.” The editor explains:

1) The multi-faceted character of Genocide;

2) the presence of many terms synonymous to the word “Genocide” in the Armenian Language;

3) the pluralism in the scientific fields that study Genocide (history, politics, etc.). He emphasized that Genocide is a comprehensive blow directed to a people’s unity.

“This publication aims at giving a wider scope to the memory of the approximately one and a half million victims of the Armenian Genocide as well as the numerous cultural riches (churches and schools, literature and press, manuscripts and dialect, etc.) that were destroyed, by collecting and presenting statements, positions, contemplations, questions from Germany on the most cruel incident of the most recent chapter of the Armenian History. What is presented here is only a picture and is not comprehensive,” writes Chiftjian.

52 German authors and one Swiss Genocide Scholars have contributed to the publication.

In the first part, entitled “Answers”, 37 contributors answer to the six questions prepared by the editor sometimes in a few short paragraphs, sometimes in five-six pages. The questions are related to the authors’ first encounter with the Armenian Genocide and the unfolding developments. The contributors to this section include catholic and protestant theologians, spiritual servants, historians, religion scholars, sociologists, linguists, authors, publishers, journalists and students.

Most are acquainted with Franz Werfel’s publication, which has triggered their interest in the issue. Others have gained interest in the matter because of Turkey’s EU bid. Some of these authors have been involved in scientific and publishing work related to the Armenian Genocide (Ralph Giordano, Prof. Dr. Hermann Goltz, Wolfgang Gust, Rev. Manfred Richter, Prof. Dr. Martin Tamcke, etc.).

The contribution of two internationally renowned theologians (Prof. Dr. Wolfhart Pannenberg and Prof. Dr. Jürgen Moltmann) alongside the son of a great and unforgettable friend of the Armenian nation, Johannes Lepsius (Rainer Lepsius - former professor of sociology in the University of Heidelberg) to this section should be distinctively noted.

More details about the book and it's contents, can be found in the website of The Catholicosate Of Cilicia

SYSTEM OF A DOWN To Launch 3-Day Washington, DC Campaign For Armenian Genocide Recognition

2006-04-05T01:29:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles, April 4. ArmInfo. Serj Tankian and John Dolmayan of the Grammy Award-winning band System of a Down will travel to Washington, DC on April 24th for a three-day campaign to urge Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert and other Congressional leaders to end their complicity in Turkey's ongoing denial of the Armenian Genocide, rpeorts ANCA.

On the evening of Monday, April 24th - starting at 5:00pm - the multi-Platinum-selling group members will join with the Armenian National Committee of America and Armenian Youth Federation in leading a grassroots demonstration outside the gates of the Turkish Embassy at 2525 Massachusetts Ave, in Northwest Washington, DC. The Turkish government, through its Embassy in Washington, spends millions of dollars each year to bully, threaten, and blackmail the U.S. government not to recognize the Armenian Genocide.

The band members will devote Tuesday, April 25th to providing interviews to the political media in Washington, and, in the evening, hosting a Congressional screening of "Screamers," a new documentary by filmmaker Carla Garapedian about the band's worldwide campaign for Armenian Genocide recognition.

On Wednesday April 26th, System will meet with key Members of Congress to urge them to allow a vote on legislation recognizing the Armenian Genocide, and - at 5:30pm - will participate in the annual Capitol Hill commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. This event, now in its 11th year, is regularly attended by over 30 Members of Congress, diplomats, ethnic community leaders, human rights activists, genocide prevention advocates, and Armenian Americans from across the country.

Many articles had been published about this SOAD Armenian Genocide Recognition Campaign, can be found in the following links:

System of a Down Members To Urge Congressional Leaders To Recognize Armenian Genocide April 4, 2006

System to launch 3 days Washington,DC campaign for Armenian genocide recognition April 4, 2006

System of a Down Rally in D.C. - Hard rockers rally for recognition of Armenian genocide April 4, 2006

SOAD WANT CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE April 4, 2006

SOAD Vs Genocide April 5, 2006

USC Cancels Forum For Genocide Deniers

2006-04-03T14:59:00.000-07:00

By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier

Every year just before April 24, a number of high-ranking Turkish officials rush to the United States to lobby against a pending presidential declaration or congressional resolution on the Armenian Genocide.

This year is no exception. Five Turkish ministers and other senior officials are coming to Washington, D.C., this week to attend the annual conference of the American Turkish Council. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, who had planned to attend, may not be there due to an ear infection. Gul had scheduled meetings with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, U.S. National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley, and leaders of what the Turks call "the Jewish lobby" in Washington.

More importantly for the Armenian-American community is the U.S. tour of two infamous genocide deniers, retired Ambassadors Gunduz Aktan and Omer Lutem. The former was a member of the infamous Turkish Armenian Reconciliation Commission (TARC) which collapsed after he demanded a study by an independent third party which, to his dismay, found the "events of 1915" to be genocide.

Aktan and Lutem took their "dog and pony show" on the road last week, starting from Columbia University in New York. Their announced topic was: "Minorities in the Ottoman Empire." This was a misrepresentation of their denialist agenda for the sake of gaining undeserved academic credibility. Here is how the "Turkish Press" reported Lutem’s explanation in his talk for the mass murder of 1.5 million Armenians: "Armenians were not deported. They were merely relocated in different parts of the empire. Some of them died during the transfer."

A couple of days later, their show reached the shores of the Potomac. Aktan and Lutem spoke at the Rayburn House Office Building on the topic of: "The Armenian Allegation of Genocide: Law, Psychology and Politics." The public announcement of their talks shamelessly alleged: "most experts believe that the Armenian case does not constitute genocide," not naming a single such expert. In reality, the overwhelming majority of genocide and holocaust scholars have repeatedly gone on record confirming the facts of the Armenian Genocide. The Turkish announcement also asked the following false and misleading question: "Why did the UN Subcommittee on Human Rights reject the 1985 Whitaker Report that defined the Armenian case as genocide?" The truth is the exact opposite. The UN Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities -- which is the correct name of the UN panel -- accepted a report in 1985 in which the Armenian Genocide was classified as genocide. This writer participated in the deliberations of that panel in Geneva, Switzerland.

The next day, the two showmen took their performance to their adoring fans at the Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA). Aktan was quoted by the Turkish Daily News as saying: "If the U.S. Congress approves [a resolution] on the genocide allegations or if U.S. President George W. Bush uses the term ‘genocide,’ this would certainly have a political impact on Turkish-U.S. relations." Amazingly, Aktan was reported as making the following accurate observation: "it was impossible to convince Armenians that the killings between 1915 and 1917 were not genocide."

On March 24, the Defense Minister of Turkey Vecdi Gonul spoke at the Beverly Hills Hotel, while several thousand Armenians joined by Cong. Brad Sherman protested his appearance. When asked to acknowledge Turkey’s dark past, Gonul told his audience: "these are Armenian claims, and there is nothing to acknowledge." Meanwhile, the touring two-ring circus composed of Aktan and Lutem arrived in Los Angeles, home to the largest Armenian community in the United States. The local Armenian population was prepared to “welcome” them during their planned lecture at the University of Southern California on March 26, the same way they greeted the Turkish Defense Minister two days earlier. However, there was no confrontation between local Armenians and the two Turkish deniers. Officials at USC Center on Public Diplomacy, the sponsor of the event, cancelled the program after being alerted by the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), USC students and community leaders of the offensive nature of the planned Turkish talks.

"Genocide denial is a form of hatred and bigotry and it is outside the purview of accepted standards of civil discourse within the academic community. It is deliberate misrepresentation of fact and a scientific fraud which must not be tolerated by the University," wrote Steve Dadaian, the Chairman of ANCA – Western Region, in a letter to USC officials. Dadaian questioned whether USC would sponsor a lecture during which neo-Nazis would deny the Holocaust. . He pointed out that providing a forum for making false statements violated USC’s Code of Ethics.

USC cancelled the event for a very simple reason. According to a USC official, the Turkish Consulate in Los Angeles had misrepresented to the USC Center on Public Diplomacy the nature of the proposed event which was supposed to be "on Turkish Civil Society and prospects for improving relations with the Armenian community," and not on “genocide allegations,” as it was subsequently publicized. Judging this latter topic to be "completely inappropriate," USC pulled the plug on the event.

It is not surprising that Turkish officials are now twisting the situation around and misrepresenting the cancellation as an infringement on freedom of __expression. Turkish diplomats should be the last ones to complain about the lack of freedom in the United States given the fact that their country violates the most basic rights of its citizens on a regular basis.

Now Engin Ansay, the Turkish Consul General in Los Angeles, has a serious personal problem. Instead of being able to impress his superiors in Ankara for having provided a platform at a prominent academic institution in the heart of "Little Armenia" for the denial of the Armenian Genocide, he had two senior diplomats in his office far away from home with no place to speak. Consul General Ansay can complain as much as he wants, accusing "the powerful Armenian lobby" for subverting his government’s denialist agenda, but in reality he has no one to blame but himself for this fiasco. It won’t be surprising if he were to be recalled for mishandling the visit of these retired diplomats.

Turkish officials should learn from this experience the following valuable lesson -- genocide deniers are not welcome anywhere, particularly at a distinguished academic institution like USC!

Article Link

Must Visit : Turquie-Memoire.com

2006-04-02T10:50:00.000-07:00

During this month, I will try to shed some light on several Internet resources that provide a lot of details and information about the Armenian Genocide...

Today I'm sharing with you a website titled " Turquie Memoire.com ." In the front page, the visitor will find this interesting message to the Turkish authorities.

The message comes as a picture featuring two places, on the left we see a picture of "Willy Brandt" in 1970 kneeling in the Ghetto of Warsaw, asking forgiveness on behalf of Germany, 25 years after the Jewish Genocide. On right, Didzernagapert in the Republic of Armenia built in 1965 in the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide of 1915 that's still waiting, for 91 years now, the repentance of the Turkish authorities.

In this website Frederic Solakian had compiled very interesting details about the founders of modern Turkey and their role in the Armenian Genocide, under the title of " The Recycling of the Criminal Young-Turks" which is also available in Spanish . Examining the perpetrators of the Armenian Genocide & how did they participated in the building of Modern Turkey in details & many more!

For those who don't know French, can use the google translation to English of this site.

It's a very informative site, do not miss it!

http://www.turquie-memoire.com/index.html

Turkish Scholarly Reason !

2006-03-25T05:24:00.000-08:00

Do you remember what Sedat Laciner, the JTW editor and the ISRO Director told me in his Letter 5 ? Talking about Cemal, Enver and Talaat he said :

They [Cemal, Enver and his friends] made great mistakes, yet I know that they did not make genocide, because they were Turkish.

Any reasonable person, will find that kind of response simply absurd!

Yet, it seems that the above is a well established concept in Turkey today .... "They Can't Possibley Commit Genocide because they are Turks."

In his blog, the Artyom Reader reported that, in the last Istanbul conference Mehmet Saray who presented in an emotional tone a paper entitled “Armenians and the Ottoman conception of the state” said the following at the end of his paper:

“The Turkish nation is the most noble nation of the world; friends, it is not possible for such a nation to commit genocide.”

Are those your so-called scholars Turkey ?!

Gunduz Aktan Threatens THE United States Of America !!

2006-03-25T04:54:00.000-08:00

Retired Turkish ambassador Gunduz Aktan, the notorious Armenian Genocide Denier, who quit the TARC after his failure in prove any of his lies, took the floor at a meeting organized by the Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA) Friday, saying :

'if U.S. Congress acknowledges allegations regarding the so-called Armenian genocide and if U.S. President George Bush uses the word 'genocide' (in his speeches) this will definitely have a political impact on our relations. This will constitutes a serious threat to the bilateral relations.''

Coming from an authoritarian Turkey, it was understandable that Aktan have NO idea about what does "A Parliament" mean, out of that ignorance Aktan stated:

''Acknowledgement of the allegations by the parliaments and heads of state does not have a legal liability. For example those allegations were acknowledged in France but later forgotten.''

Yet noted that ''the actual problem is political and psychological.'' [Indeed it's a psychological problem the one you have Mr. Aktan]

And to cover up his failure in TARC Aktan noted : "...it was impossible to convince the Armenians that a genocide hadn't been committed." [Well of course it is, and the reason is very obvious !!]

The full article as The Anatolian Times reported.

Armenian Miss Universe Alice Panikian

2006-03-25T02:54:00.000-08:00

Alice Panikian was crowned Tuesday March 21st, Miss Universe Canada 2006, in the he 55th annual Miss Universe® Canada Pageant held at Casino de Montreal. In addition to the main title, Alice won both "Miss Photogenic" special award & "Christina Swimwear's Swimsuit Contest."

Fifty two delegates from across Canada competed for the title of Miss Universe® Canada 2006 awarded on Tuesday March 21st, 2006. The contestants had arrived in Montreal on Saturday March 11th starting the Pageant activities and spent time getting to know each other, rehearsing for the show, and visiting Montreal and the surrounding area.

Miss Universe® Canada is the Canadian representative sent to compete at the annual Miss Universe® pageant. Canada is one of only four countries (along with France, Germany, and the USA) which have competed in each Miss Universe® pageant since its inception in 1952.

Pageant Finals Show (Tuesday, March 21st, 2006) The top 15 semi-finalists selected competed for the title of Miss Universe® Canada 2006 in front of ten-person judging panel as well as live audience in the traditional categories (Swimwear and Evening Gown), plus the addition of a live interview/question and answer segment.

You can find the complete final results here .

Usc Cancels Conference On “Turkish Perspective” On The Armenian Genocide

2006-03-25T01:37:00.000-08:00

The Armenian National Committee of America ANCA working with University of Southern California USC Armenian student groups managed to convince the USC to cancel the program featuring two speakers who are notorious deniers of the Armenian Genocide, Gündüz S. Aktan and Ömer Engin Lütem, that was to be held this week in USC.

Ironically, the deniers of the Armenian Genocide would've sopke in a program titled “Armenian ‘Genocide’, International Law and the Psychology of Destroying the Other” !!!

Full text of ANCA Press Release below.

Armenian National Committee of America
Western Region
104 N. Belmont, Suite 208, Glendale, CA 91206 * Tel. (818) 500-1918
Fax. (818) 246-7353 * Email.ancawr@anca.org

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release ~ 2006-03-23
Contact: Armen Carapetian ~ Tel: (818) 500-1918

LOS ANGELES, CA – The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region (ANCA-WR) learned on March 22nd that a planned conference at the University of Southern California (USC) featuring leading deniers of the Armenian Genocide was canceled.

The USC Center on Public Diplomacy originally sponsored the conference, entitled “Turkish-Armenian Relations: The Turkish Perspective”, which was scheduled to take place on Sunday, March 26th. Former Turkish Ambassadors Gündüz Aktan and Ömer Engin Lütem were invited to speak about the Armenian Genocide and Turkish-Armenian relations. Aktam and Lütem are notorious deniers of the Armenian Genocide, and the event announcement made no attempt to hide that their discussion would not only distort history but attempt to justify Ottoman Turkey’s extermination of its Armenian population.

“The USC event, which was to have featured Turkish members of the State Department’s discredited TARC initiative, is part of an orchestrated national campaign to breath new life into the failed effort,” said Zanku Armenian, a member of the ANCA-WR Board of Directors. “The ANCA-WR, working with USC Armenian student groups, Alumni and school supporters, was able to demonstrate to USC officials the misguided and sinister nature of this panel which led to its cancellation. The cancellation, along with the March 22nd Los Angeles Times editorial reaffirming the Armenian Genocide, sends a strong message to those who deny the Armenian Genocide: ‘You are not welcome in California.’ We applaud USC administrators for taking prompt action to rectify this situation and thus protecting USC’s fine reputation from being used in Turkey’s propaganda war.”

Outraged student groups called on USC administrators to ask why this conference was organized. In a letter to the director of the USC Center on Public Diplomacy, ANCA-WR Chairman Steven Dadaian called on the organizers to drop the conference. The quick action to draw attention to this issue by many groups and individuals resulted in the ultimate cancellation once USC officials were made aware of the real intent of the event.

The text of the ANCA-WR letter is provided below.

The ANCA is the largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.

#####

March 22, 2006

USC Center on Public Diplomacy
Joshua S. Fouts
3502 Watt Way, ASC Suite 103
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0281

Dear Mr. Fouts:

It has recently come to our attention that the USC Center on Public Diplomacy is hosting a program called “Armenian ‘Genocide’, International Law and the Psychology of Destroying the Other” featuring two speakers who are notorious deniers of the Armenian Genocide, Gündüz S. Aktan and Ömer Engin Lütem.

According to the description of the program issued by the Center, Messrs. Aktan and Lütem have the extraordinary task of turning the victims of the first genocide of the 20th century into the perpetrators. Based on the program, it appears that Messrs. Aktan and Lütem plan to argue the Turkish government’s official position that (i) there were no massacres of Armenians, (ii) even if there were massacres, the Armenians deserved them, (iii) the Armenians killed more Turks than vice versa and (iv) the deaths were as a result of ‘relocation’ and were not Genocide.

As today’s Los Angeles Times editorial clearly states, the facts surrounding the Armenian Genocide are not in dispute. The Armenian Genocide has been recognized by the United Nations, the United States government and even the Ottoman courts who convicted the perpetrators of the Armenian Genocide in absentia. The fact that USC is going to provide a forum for Turkish foreign agents to deny historical facts by making outright false statements is disturbing and a violation of your own Code of Ethics. Genocide Denial is a form of hatred and bigotry and it is outside the purview of accepted standards of civil discourse within the academic community. It is a deliberate misrepresentation of fact and a scientific fraud which must not be tolerated by the University. What's more, this panel is a threat to the University's academic environment because it frames the genocide as a historical controversy.

All this is heightened by the fact that USC has an Armenian-American student body of over a thousand students whose families are the direct descendants of the Armenian Genocide perpetrated by Turks and now officially denied by the Turkish government. This panel will undoubtedly be considered an extremely offensive event which disrespects the rights and dignity of not only your students but to all the hundreds of thousands who are the victims and surviving children of the Armenian Genocide.

We wonder what the reaction would be if USC were to host a “discussion” for neo-Nazis to argue that no Jews were killed, going so far as to assert that while some Jews may have been killed during the Holocaust, they deserved it. Would USC allow their name to be associated with such a hypothetical event much less be sponsoring it?

Our organization is prepared to work with USC to minimize the damage caused to the university’s image within the Armenian-American community as a result of this program being scheduled if immediate action is taken to cancel it. However, if USC chooses to proceed with this program, our organization will be forced to take further action to protest the University’s complicity in providing a forum for genocide deniers.

We are requesting a meeting this week to discuss this urgent matter. Please feel free to contact me at (818) 500-1918.

Sincerely,

[signed]

Steven J. Dadaian
Chairman, Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region

cc: Steven B. Sample
C.L. Max Nikias
Joseph Aoun
Vartan Gregorian

Newly Declassified Files Reveal Early Opposition to Armenian Genocide Recognition

2006-03-23T05:18:00.000-08:00

A series of formerly classified State Department cables, recently made available through the National Archives and Records Administration, provide first-hand insights into the cooperation during the early 1970s between the U.S. and Turkish governments seeking to block the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the United Nations, Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) reported.

"These files provide new insights into the depths to which our own government has sunk in its complicity with Turkey's denial of the Armenian Genocide," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.

Yerkir reported today.

Pat. Mesrob II Mutafyan Criticizes Hrant Dink

2006-03-23T04:53:00.000-08:00

I supported and I will support any step of the Armenian and Turkish governments, aimed at normalizing relations.

Constantinople Patriarch Mesrob Mutafyan stated in an interview with the Hurriyet. He called the conference at Istanbul University, where Turkey's official and unofficial stances over the Armenian Genocide can be voiced, very important. Resported today Pan Armenian News

Touching upon Agos newspaper editor Hrant Dink's article, in which the latter accuses the Patriarch in efforts to subordinate the Armenian community, Mutafyan said, «Hrant Dink compared me with a member of a sect, who blindly attaches community members to himself. He tries to compromise the community and me. Of course, I will work to unite the community based on the Bible. It is normal,» Istanbul-based Marmara newspaper reports.

Will America "Give In" To Turkish Pressure ?!

2006-03-23T04:22:00.000-08:00

An article in The Online Edition of "The Independent" published today, about the contraversial possible recall of Amb. John Evans, US ambassador to Armenia.

Do not forget to write to the Secretary of State through the website of the Department of State using the following link in the "contact us" page Write to Secretary Of State .

Full text of the article published March 23, in the website of "The Independent"

Row over US ambassador's Armenia genocide remark
By Rupert Cornwell in Washington
Published: 23 March 2006

Protests are growing over the possible recall of the US ambassador in Armenia after he described the 1915 massacres of Armenians by the Ottoman Turks as genocide. If he is recalled, it would be seen as giving in to Turkish pressure.

Officially, John Marshall Evans remains - for the time being at least - Washington's man in Erevan. "Ambassador Evans is our ambassador, and he continues ... to exercise that honour and privilege," a State Department official said last week.

But that assurance has satisfied neither the ethnic Armenian community in the US, nor members of Congress from southern California where the community is centred. Their suspicion is that a successor for Mr Evans has already been lined up, and he will be ordered home. Adam Schiff and Grace Napolitano, representing districts in the Los Angeles area, have taken up the matter with the State Department. "I expressed my opposition to any disciplinary action being taken against the ambassador for speaking the truth," Mr Schiff said.

Mr Evans caused a diplomatic sensation in February 2005 when he flatly called the massacres a genocide, during an appearance at the University of California at Berkeley. It was "unbecoming of us as Americans to play word games here," he declared. "I will today call it the Armenian genocide."

By doing so, he became the first US official to use the loaded word in an Armenian context. Like the Clinton administration before it, the Bush administration has always referred to the slaughter as a massacre or a tragedy, but not as a genocide. The circumspection is widely seen as an effort not to upset Turkey, an important US ally in the Middle East that shares borders with Iraq and Iran.

The stand-off follows successive efforts by Mr Schiff to introduce a bill specifically recognising the events of 1915 as an act of genocide - efforts that have been blocked at the White House's behest.

After France & Switzerland, Now Germany !

2006-03-22T01:58:00.000-08:00

After the French & Swiss laws prohibiting the Denial of Armenian Genocide, last week Berlin-Brandenburg Bundesland adopted a similar law prohibiting denial of the Armenian Genocide (paragraph 189).

Ironically, the Talaat Pasha rally gave a totally negative effect

The compelete story as reported in Defacto March 20, 2006 , reads :

LAW ON GUILT OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE DENIAL ADOPTED IN BERLIN-BRANDENBURG

In Germany, Berlin-Brandenburg Bundesland adopted a law on guilt of the Armenian Genocide denial (paragraph 189). From now on it is prohibited to call ?a lie? the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire in the territory, Regnum reports.

It is noteworthy that on the very day Turks were going to hold a demonstration in Berlin to commemorate Talaat Pasha, however, because of the resolution adopted, police thoroughly checked all the posters and transparencies in order to register facts of the Genocide denial.

Berlin-Brandenburg is the first in Germany and the second in Europe region in the number of Turks (the first is in Istanbul). Over 1 million Turks live only in Berlin. So, as the Armenian Turkologists note, Germany, the main Turkey?s ally in the EU, has confirmed its position on the resolution adopted by the Bundestag, which can bring about a chain reaction everywhere in the EU.

PBS Forced Producer to Revise Content of Genocide Documentary

2006-03-21T06:27:00.000-08:00

By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
March 23, 2006

The Ombudsman for PBS, Michael Getler, revealed in a commentary last week that unnamed "top PBS officials" were involved in editing and revising the content of Andrew Goldberg’s documentary on the Armenian Genocide that most PBS stations plan to air on April 17.

Getler quoted these PBS officials as saying: "We worked with the producer [Goldberg] through his final editing to ensure that the program met our standards. We, through Oregon Public Broadcasting, vetted its content with a historian and journalist unconnected with the show." These officials were also quoted as saying that they "were in contact with him [Goldberg] requesting script revisions" as he "was finishing" the documentary.

This alarming revelation becomes even more ominous when coupled with the fact that PBS officials decided to supplement the show with a 25-minute debate on the Armenian Genocide with the participation of two genocide deniers.

These PBS officials and producer Goldberg should disclose to the public which segments of the documentary were added, deleted or altered as a result of such outside intervention. Could it be that the two Turkish denialists who were interviewed within the documentary were added at the insistence of PBS? What else was changed due to the censorship of the work of an independent producer? Furthermore, PBS should reveal the names of the “historian and journalist unconnected with the show” who “vetted” the documentary. Who are these two individuals and what changes did they recommend?

Getler stated in his lengthy commentary (4 times as long as this column) that PBS has received more than 6,000 e-mails protesting the panel discussion. More than 18,000 individuals have also objected by signing an online petition. As a result, Getler reported that PBS stations in 8 of the 10 largest American cities do not plan to air the panel. This proves that the executives running the largest PBS stations nationwide disagree with those at PBS headquarters who decided that there was a need for such a panel! The programming directors of these major PBS stations said that the panel discussion did not add anything to the documentary.

The Ombudsman made one serious factual error in his commentary. He wrongly claimed that "a resolution [on the Armenian genocide] has not made its way through the full House or the U.S. Senate." Both in 1975 and 1984 the full House adopted resolutions to observe "a day of remembrance for all the victims of genocide, especially the 1.5 million people of Armenian ancestry who were the victims of the genocide perpetrated in Turkey between 1915 and 1923."

Jacoba Atlas, the Senior Vice President of PBS programming, and her colleagues, by insisting on the airing of the panel discussion, have caused significant damage to the reputation and operations of PBS, making it the target of criticism by members of Congress, major newspapers such as the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times, TV stations, and tens of thousands of viewers who signed petitions and sent letters and e-mails to PBS.

On March 9, the Los Angeles Times published a commentary by Aris Janigian titled: "PBS’ Perverse Genocide Debate." He accused Atlas and PBS of being "complicit in a murderous lie" by providing airtime and a forum to "deniers" and "falsifiers" of the Armenian Genocide. The L.A. Voice published an editorial on March 9, ridiculing both Atlas and PBS for treating the Armenian Genocide as a myth.

Current magazine published a lengthy article in its March 6 issue, titled: "Panel show riles rather than soothes genocide furor." The magazine quoted Atlas as making yet another nonsensical statement as to why the panel discussion was necessary: "Our own presidents – both Bush and Clinton – did not call it genocide. Because they have declined to call it genocide, it raises questions. The Turkish government does not call it genocide." This is the same official who recently announced that PBS considers the Armenian Genocide "settled history!" If PBS acknowledges the facts of the Armenian Genocide, why then question it and put on the air deniers who say that it is a myth? Regarding statements made by U.S. presidents on the Armenian Genocide, one wonders why Atlas is ignoring the fact that Pres. Ronald Reagan issued a Presidential Proclamation in 1981 in which he used the term "Armenian Genocide"? Must every U.S. president utter the words Armenian Genocide before Ms. Atlas is satisfied that it is genocide? So what if the Turkish government does not call it genocide? The President of Iran does not recognize the Holocaust. Is that enough reason for Atlas to dispute the facts of the Holocaust and air a debate on PBS with neo-Nazis?

Prof. Dennis R. Papazian, who initially was reluctant to support the campaign against the panel discussion, sent the following e-mail to this writer after watching the tape of the debate between Omer Turan and Justin McCarthy (genocide deniers) and Peter Balakian and Taner Akcam: "I have just previewed the post documentary discussion and it made me sick to my stomach to see Justin McCarthy and the Turks come out with blatant lies and deceptive assertions. I thought Taner and Peter ‘won the debate,’ but the denialists undoubtedly would plant doubt in the minds of innocent American viewers.” He then told this writer: “You did right to lead the attack against the showing of the ‘discussion.’ I personally would rather have neither shown than to show the discussion."

In a new twist to his long-standing denialist views, Prof. McCarthy was quoted by WNBC-TV in New York City as saying on March 1 that he would classify the events of 1915 as "mutual genocide," with both sides killing each other. McCarthy has gone from being completely wrong to being half right! He is for the first time accusing the Turkish leaders of committing genocide against the Armenians! One wonders what his Turkish handlers would think of his new admission?

Two weeks ago, in an e-mail to this writer, Wayne Godwin, the then Acting President and Chief Operating Officer of PBS, made a lame, but understandable, attempt to come to the defense of Ms. Atlas, claiming that the decision on the panel was reached by "the entire senior content team." If that is true, then “the entire senior content team” at PBS has made a grave error, thus making it even more problematic than a mistake by a single executive.

Finally, around 20 members of Congress have signed a joint letter to PBS asking that the panel discussion not be aired. As Congress provides a significant portion of the PBS budget, PBS executives can ill afford to ignore such letters from those who hold the purse strings.

Please continue to sign the online petition and circulate it to everyone in your e-mail address book or organization. Here is the link to the petition: http://www.PetitionOnline.com/pbspanel. Also, send an e-mail to Ms. Atlas at: Jatlas@pbs.org as well as to the new president of PBS: Paula Kerger at: Pkerger@pbs.org.

Link to the article

Widespread Outrage Over News of U.S. Ambassador Evans’ Recall

2006-03-16T08:51:00.000-08:00

By Harut Sassounian

Publisher, The California Courier
March 16, 2006 .

I reported last week that the State Department had decided to recall Amb. John Evans from Armenia for having acknowledged the Armenian Genocide last year. This callous decision has outraged Armenians worldwide and angered many members of Congress.

By sheer coincidence, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Bryza was in Armenia the day after my column was posted on the Internet. During a press conference in Yerevan, journalists repeatedly asked Bryza and Evans to comment on the recall decision. The two diplomats made a delicate dance around the subject, neither denying nor confirming the news. Since some of their comments were distorted because of mistranslation or inaccurate reporting, here is the transcript of what they actually said in English:

When a journalist asked Bryza in Armenian if Amb. Evans was being "recalled," the Embassy staff mistranslated the question to: "Is it true that Amb. Evans is retiring?" Mr. Bryza answered:

"…regarding Amb. Evans, he can certainly comment on his own plans to retire, which I hope are nonexistent, because he is a fantastic ambassador. He, like all of us, serves at the pleasure of the President of the United States. I used to work for the President’s staff; and one thing I learned is that I will not speak about any decision of the President -- it is up to the President to make his decisions. I advise him, but he makes the decisions, including [those] on personnel…."

Amb. Evans then added: "… I want to echo what Mr. Bryza said. We all serve at the pleasure of the President. I hope nobody expects any ambassador to stay forever…the fact of the matter is that I do not know when I will be leaving Armenia and I have not submitted my retirement papers. And I’ll add one other thing and that is: as long as I am the ambassador here, until the day I step on the plane, I will be in charge of this mission." Bryza then added: "Which we hope will be as late as possible."

The news of the Ambassador’s recall was prominently featured on Armenian TV stations that night and subsequently reported by wire services and newspapers in Armenia, Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey.

During State Dept.’s daily news briefings on March 8, 10 and 13, a spokesman was repeatedly asked to confirm the recall of Amb. Evans. Reporters were given evasive answers with a promise "to look into it." Finally, in the afternoon of the March 13, the State Dept. issued the following written response to the journalists’ insistent questions, giving the same evasive answer:

“Question: What is the status of U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Evans? Was he recalled for statements acknowledging the Armenian ‘genocide’?
Answer: U.S. Ambassadors serve at the pleasure of the President. Amb. Evans and his capable team have the full confidence of the administration.”

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) issued a press release on March 8, announcing that its chairman had written a toughly worded letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice asking her to address reports that Amb. Evans is being forced from office for acknowledging the Armenian Genocide. "The prospect that a U.S. envoy's posting - and possibly his career - has been cut short due to his honest and accurate description of a genocide is profoundly offensive to American values," wrote ANCA’s Chairman Ken Hachikian. "It would also represent a new low in our government's shameful complicity in the Turkish government's campaign of denial … by muzzling and punishing an American diplomat for his speech and his acknowledgement of a genocide," Hachikian wrote.

Cong. Grace Napolitano (Dem. of Calif.) submitted a pointed question to Assistant Secretary of State Dan Fried on March 8, while he was testifying before the House International Relations Committee, on whether any restrictions are placed on State Dept. officials concerning their use of the term "genocide" when referring to the Armenian Genocide. She also asked for confirmation on whether Amb. Evans was being recalled because of his remarks on the Armenian Genocide. Dan Fried was asked to respond in writing.

Cong. Frank Pallone (Dem. of New Jersey), the Co-Chairman of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, wrote to Secretary Rice on March 11, expressing his extreme disappointment over reports of the recall of Amb. Evans.

He told her that he is "outraged that the State Dept. is recalling Amb. Evans as retaliation for statements he made in recognition of the Armenian gnocide." He added:"It is simply wrong for the State Dept. to punish Amb. Evans for statements he made that are factually correct."

Secretary Rice has yet to respond to the written questions submitted on Feb. 16 by Cong. Adam Schiff (Dem. of Calif.) during her testimony before the House International Relations Committee. She was asked to assure the Committee that the State Dept. "has not taken – and will not take – any punitive action against Amb. Evans for speaking out about the Armenian Genocide."

Readers worldwide have reacted with anger to the news of Amb. Evans’ recall and indicated their willingness to participate in protest actions in front of U.S. Embassies in various countries as well as the State Dept. in Washington, D.C. Please continue writing to Secretary Rice by e-mailing her at: http://www.state.gov/. Click on "contact us" and then click on "send a message to the Secretary of State."

Kurd Sociologist Acknowledges Kurdish Role In Armenian Genocide.

2006-03-12T23:06:00.000-08:00

In a Kurdish Conference Bilgi University in cooperation with the Helsinki Citizens Assembly and the Empathy Group, Ismail Besikci said this:

When Ali Bayramoglu, a journalist, asked about the allegations that the Kurds committed the murder of a massive number of Armenians, sociologist Ismail Besikci responded by saying:

“The Intelligence Service contained many Kurdish people. Freed from the prison, promised possession, the Kurds were coaxed by the then government into participating in the Armenian genocide. The Kurds then did not act on their own free will. In the killing of many Kurds such as Musa Anter, the Kurds were again used to trigger violence.”

Zaman reported.

The farm of the skylarks : Taviani Brothers' Remind Mankind About Armenian Genocide

2006-03-12T02:51:00.000-08:00

In July 6, 2005 Noyan Tapan reported that famous Italian film-makers Vitorio and Paolo Taviani brothers , who won a prize at the "Golden Globe" Rome film festival, are going to shoot a film about the Armenian Genocide.

According to the "Marmara" Istanbul daily, the film-makers declared this at the press conference that followed the ceremony of prize distribution. The film on the Armenian Genocide will cost 15 millon euros.

Taviani brothers mentioned that they want to remind the mankind about the events that took place at the beginning of the previous century.

They film will be based on the Italian novel 'La masseria delle allodole' (The farm of the skylarks). The story, which is partly based on the personal memories of the author Antonia Arslan, tells the story of the exodus of the women of an Armenian family who escape their 'Farm of Skylarks' after all the men, including the children of their family have been savagely murdered there by the Turks. The film will be produced by Grazia Volpi, who previously collaborated with the Taviani brothers on the Tolstoy adaptation 'Resurrezione' (Resurrection).

The Star

In February 28, 2006 Toronto Star reported that Arsinée Khanjian , will be going to Bulgaria to star in a new movie by the Taviani brothers about the Armenian genocide.

About the movie and her role, Khanjian said:

"It's based on a novel that won a lot of awards, it's set in World War I. My character belongs to a family living in Turkey under the Ottoman Empire."

She was delighted to have a chance to work with the Taviani brothers, who have long been on her list of cinematic heroes, especially because of Padre, Padrone (which won the Palme d'Or at Cannes in 1977).
She feels lucky that the legendary Italians would be interested in the subject of the Armenian genocide. Much of the shooting will take place in the Bulgarian city of Plovdiv, where Armenian architecture of more than 100 years ago still exists.
One thing is guaranteed. Khanjian, who figured prominently in Egoyan's controversial Ararat, will go down in cinema history as the only actor ever to star in two movies about the Armenian genocide.

The Recent Development

In a recent development, The Council of Europe Eurimages Fund Board of Management agreed at its 99th meeting held on 5 to 7 March 2006 in Strasbourg, to support 9 feature films for a total amount of 3,622,000 Euros. Taviani Brothers' film about the Armenian Genocide was one of those supported films.

Yesterday, Turkish newspaper Zaman Online reported in an article titled "Genocide Movie with Turkish Money" , that The Council of Europe decided to give financial support to the Italian movie "The farm of the skylarks." Expressing the protest of Turkish government for that decision for the reasons explained in the Zaman's report below.

The Council of Europe foundation Eurimages decided to allocate 600,000 euros to Italian Taviani Brothers' new film titled "The farm of the skylarks," which was adapted from Armenian originated Antoni Aslan's novel after its last meeting in Strasbourg.

Euroimages', to which Turkey contributes a million euros yearly, drew reaction from Ankara. Turkish Representative to Eurimages, Ihsan Kabil, told Zaman that the movie insults the Turkish army and calls an army officer a "donkey."

The meeting in Strasbourg was reported to host many discussions about this issue. All members, except Turkey, approved the financial aid for the film, which had previously been approved by a 23-member jury early this week.

Kabil said Ankara could not prevent the decision despite its diplomatic efforts. He further noted Eurimages's French Chairman Jacques Toubon was quite influential in the decision. "Touban delivered a 15 minute speech during the meeting and explicitly supported the so-called Armenian Genocide. He said Turkey committed the genocide, acting as if he was talking about a historical fact rather than an unproven claim." Kabil and Ahmet Boyacioglu, Turkey's representatives in Eurimages, gave speeches to criticize Toubon's speech and the film.

Toubon, also a European Parliament (EP) Deputy, is known to be a supporter of the Armenian Genocide, Zaman noted.

Marlen Haas Condemns Determination Of Azeri Women To Award Murderer Ramil Safarov With HERO'S Status

2006-03-11T15:08:00.000-08:00

Marlen Haas, Secretary General of Socialist International Women organization, condemned the Azeri women who make a national hero out of Ramil Safarov, murderer of Gourgen Margarian, Armenian officer, at today's press conference in Yerevan ArmInfo reported.

Ramil Safarov Has Been Proclaimed “Man of the Year” in Azerbaijan, and he was honored with this title for beheading the sleeping Armenian lieutenant "Gurgen Margaryan" with an axe.

worth mentioning, that former Minister of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan Iskander Hamidov had persistently insisted on honoring the Azeri murderer and said:

“I don’t care how Safarov killed the Armenian officer. The more Azeris kill Armenians, the less Armenians there will be. If every Azeri soldier had killed an Armenian the war would have ended with the victory of Azerbaijan”.

These monstrous words, PanArmenian news noted, need no comments. It should only be mentioned that they belong to a person who has been a very important figure in the government of Azerbaijan and up to now represents the viewpoint of a considerable part of Azeri society and political elite. It should also be mentioned that Hamidov’s point of view is quite popular in the Azeri parliament where there are several committees supporting Ramil Safarov.

Honoring the Azri axe murderers like that, was perhaps the most vivid expression of anti-Armenian hysteria, which currently reigns in Azerbaijan

Happy Women's Day Hayohiner !

2006-03-08T01:40:00.000-08:00

Today marks the International Women's Day, and on this occasion I would like to congratulate all the Armenian Women, and I encourage you all to do so ...

Congratulate them all, the mother, the sister, the wife, the daughter, the fiancee and the friend. Make them feel special this day, and let them know that "They Do Matter"...

Armenian Women need to be recognized for their outstanding role in Armenian Communities & in Armenian struggle to survive, their role in preserving the Armenian identity and passing it to their children, and their key role in keeping the Armenian family together...

We call our language "Mayer Lezuo" [Mother Tongue], maybe that's because we learn it from our mothers !!

In this occasion I wanted to share with you an interesting Bibliography of Works in English on Armenian Women prepared by Armenian International Women's Association , to learn more about Armenian Women's role through out our history.

Armenian Nation's Leaders Congratulate Armenian Women...

H.H. Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II issued a congratulatory address to the Armenian women over the International Women’s Day marked on March 8. Yerkir reported .

“We wish that the holiday that begins with the spring bring joy to all women and their hearts and souls be always lit by trust, hope and love,” the address reads in parts.

"May Lord protect our mothers, sisters and daughters in the name of bringing up their children and strengthening of families, it further reads."

President Robert Kocharian also, issued a congratulatory address to the Armenian women over the Women’s Day marked on March 8, reported Yerkir , saying “Women have contributed a lot in the prospering of Armenia.”

The address says in part, as reported PanArmenian News :

“Dear women. I congratulate You on the International Women’s Day. It is hard to name all the fields where Your participation is traditionally great. Women have always played an important role for Armenia’s prosperity. No one realizes the importance of peace and sustainable development better than women do. I especially congratulate our mothers. You maintain our century-lasting traditions. Your upbringing forms the image of our next generations. I wish you the happiness of being proud of this future. Congratulating You on this wonderful spring holiday I wish to remain beautiful and charming and let warmness and love reign in your families.”

Speaker of the Parliament Artur Bagdasaryan and Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan also congratulated women with the holiday. They wished health women, happiness, love and family warmth.

Ambassador Evans to be Recalled For Acknowledging the Genocide

2006-03-07T00:13:00.000-08:00

By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
March 9, 2006

Ever since last year, when John Evans, the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, during a tour of the Armenian American community, broke rank with his superiors and publicly acknowledged the Armenian Genocide, there have been persistent stories circulating about his possible recall.

Last year, during a public gathering at the University of California at Berkeley, Amb. Evans courageously said: "I will today call it the Armenian Genocide…. I informed myself in depth about it. I think we, the US government, owe you, our fellow citizens, a more frank and honest way of discussing this problem. Today, as someone who has studied it … there’s no doubt in my mind [as to] what happened…. I think it is unbecoming of us, as Americans, to play word games here. I believe in calling things by their name."
Referring to the Armenian Genocide as "the first genocide of the 20th century," he said: "I pledge to you, we are going to do a better job at addressing this issue." Amb. Evans also disclosed that he had consulted with a legal advisor at the State Department who had confirmed that the events of 1915 were "genocide by definition."

Within days of making these statements and after complaints from Turkish and Azeri officials to the State Department, Amb. Evans was ordered by his superiors to issue "a clarification" in which he said that "misunderstandings" might have arisen as a result of his earlier comments. He said that he had used the term "genocide" in his "personal capacity."

The very next day, Amb. Evans was further embarrassed when he was ordered to issue "a correction" to his "clarification," amending the words "the United States policy on the Armenian Genocide" to "the United States policy on the Armenian tragedy." The Turkish press reported that the State Dept. had forced him to make this "correction," after receiving complaints from Turkey’s Ambassador to Washington.

Several months later, under pressure from the State Department, the American Foreign Service Association took the very unusual step of rescinding a "Constructive Dissent" award that it had decided to grant Amb. Evans during a special ceremony that was to be held at the State Department on June 17, 2005. It is highly ironic that Amb. Evans was deprived of a “dissent” award for deviating from official U.S. policy! Around that time, he was abruptly summoned to Washington, D.C. by his superiors for consultations.

After months of uncertainty, it now appears that the rumors about his possible dismissal have finally become reality. The State Department recently finalized the decision to recall him. According to reliable Armenian governmental sources, Amb. Evans informed high-ranking Armenian officials last week about his departure in the coming months, pending the Senate approval of his likely successor, Richard E. Hoagland, who is currently the U.S. Ambassador to Tajikistan. Knowledgeable U.S. sources in Washington have confirmed to this writer that Amb. Evans was being recalled because of his candid remarks on the Armenian Genocide. Neither the Ambassador nor the State Dept. has made any public comments regarding these developments.

It is noteworthy that during a hearing before the House International Relations Committee last month, Cong. Adam Schiff (Democrat of California) asked US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice several pointed questions regarding Amb. Evans. Cong. Schiff asked that Secretary Rice explain in writing if the State Dept. played any role in the reversal of the decision to grant Amb. Evans the "dissent" award. Cong. Schiff also asked the Secretary State to assure the House Committee that the Department of State has not taken, and will not take, any punitive actions against Amb. Evans for speaking out about the Armenian Genocide. Secretary Rice has not yet responded to these questions.

Amb. Evans has taken a principled stand for which he is sacrificing his diplomatic career. Even if it is too late to reverse the State Dept.’s decision, Armenians in general and Armenian-Americans in particular need to express their objection to the State Department’s punitive action against a distinguished diplomat for telling the truth about the Armenian Genocide.

Unless Armenians take a strong stand, they would be sending the wrong signal to the U.S. government that the Armenian Genocide is not an important issue for them! If they remain quiet on this occasion, never again would another U.S. diplomat dare to speak up on the Armenian Genocide, knowing full well that he would jeopardize his career and no one would care.
Write to your congressional representative and send a complaint to the Secretary of State at: http://www.state.gov/ . Click on " contact us" and then click on "send a message to the Secretary of State .”

Make your voices heard loud and clear!

Link to the Article

Boston's GBH Won't Air Debate on Armenian Genocide

2006-03-03T03:42:00.000-08:00

Boston Globe reported today that "Joining several public television stations around the country, Boston's WGBH has decided not to air a panel discussion that questions Turkey's role in the slaughter of Armenians at the time of World War I."

Thousands of Armenian-Americans -- and several congressmen -- have protested the discussion, comparing it to following a documentary on the Holocaust with a panel featuring Holocaust deniers. Los Angeles's KCET-TV and New York's WNET-TV are among the other stations that will not air the panel discussion.

''We at WGBH have reviewed the documentary, and we feel that it stands on its own," WGBH spokeswoman Lucy Sholley said yesterday. ''This was an editorial decision."

PBS affliated WNET-TV Dumps Denial Panel..

2006-03-02T03:50:00.000-08:00

After a world wide campaign launched by American-Armenian community to protest againt the intended broadcasting of a pre-taped 25 min. discussion panel in which deniers of the Armenian Genocide would have the chance to publicize the Turkish government's denial on American National T.V.

For weeks Armenians were protesting, signing petitions [collecting around 16,000 signatures today] , sending emails to the PBS and to their Members of Congress, and recentely rallying in New York in front of the offices of WNET-TV to urge the PBS affiliate not to broadcast a discussion panel this April featuring deniers of the Armenian Genocide.

Yesterday, PBS affiliated WNET-TV decided not to air a panel discussion, "It was an editorial decision," said Stella Giammasi, vice president and director of communications at WNET, Channel 13 . After screening the discussion, Giammasi said, WNET officials determined it "did not add anything to the documentary." AP reported.

U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner, who joined others at a protest outside WNET's office in Manhattan on Saturday, applauded the move. PBS, Channel 13, they do some of the best, most independent, thorough programming you can imagine on important issues," he said. "They made a decision here that protects that reputation and doesn't tarnish it."

That was the first step, and it was a "good" one ....but we should continue.

VP of PBS Should Be Dismissed For Insulting Armenians

2006-03-01T04:17:00.000-08:00

VP of PBS Should Be Dismissed
For Insulting Armenians

By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
March 3, 2006

Up until now, I had refrained from blaming any one individual at PBS for the unwise decision to air a debate with deniers of the Armenian Genocide, immediately after the broadcast of Andrew Goldberg's documentary, The Armenian Genocide, on April 17.

Regrettably, I must now single out Jacoba Atlas, the Senior Vice President of PBS programming, not only for being responsible for this misguided decision, but also for insulting Armenians worldwide by stating that the Armenian Genocide "is not entirely analogous" to the Jewish Holocaust.

In response to a letter from Steve Dadaian, the Chairman of the Armenian National Committee of America , Western Region, Atlas wrote:

"You and others have likened our decision to following a documentary on the genocide of Jews during WW II with a panel of Holocaust deniers. With all due respect, the comparison is not entirely analogous. Germany has fully accepted responsibility for the Holocaust, paid reparations, made apologies, met with survivors and teaches about it in its schools. As you know, this is not the case with the Armenian genocide. Turkey’s official position on this chapter of history is a key part of the controversy that the documentary and the panel discussion seek to examine."

Since when does PBS take its programming cues from oppressive governments? In terms of Turkish acknowledgement, Ms. Atlas is probably not aware that in an interview published in the August 1, 1926 issue of the Los Angeles Examiner, Kemal Ataturk admitted that the Young Turks had massacred "millions of [their] Christian subjects." She may not also know that the Turkish Military Tribunal in 1919 sentenced to death in absentia the masterminds of the Armenian Genocide. How many times Turkish leaders and Turkish courts must acknowledge the Armenian Genocide before Ms. Atlas is satisfied that the Armenian Genocide and the Jewish Holocaust are "analogous?"

Ms. Atlas owes an apology to the Armenian American community for providing a national platform to genocide deniers and stating that the Armenian Genocide is not "analogous" to the Holocaust. Should she fail to apologize and cancel the offensive panel questioning the Armenian Genocide, PBS management should then dismiss her from her position. American taxpayers should not pay the salary of someone who besmirches the memory of the victims of genocide and insults their descendants.

Notably, while Ms. Atlas is stubbornly clinging to her anti-Armenian Genocide stance, another Jewish American, Cong. Anthony Weiner (D-NY), was joining Armenian demonstrators outside the studios of WNET/13 (the PBS affiliate in New York City) last Saturday to protest the station’s planned airing of the genocide debate. The Associated Press and Newsday (NY) quoted Cong. Weiner as saying that the inclusion of genocide-deniers on the panel "is an insult to the history of that time." This is the first such demonstration held against a PBS station on this issue.

In other major developments on the PBS controversy since last week:

-- The New York Times published on Feb. 25 a lengthy article titled: "Armenian Furor over PBS Plan for Debate." The article referred to this writer as the "first [to] spread word of the petitions and protests against the panel."

-- Congressmen Adam Schiff (D-CA), George Radanovich (R-CA), Armenian Caucus Co-Chairmen Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) asked all members of the House of Representatives to sign a joint letter expressing their opposition to the PBS panel discussion. It is expected that many of the 150 members of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues would sign this letter. The Caucus makes up more than one-third of the entire House, a significant number when the time comes to allocate funding to PBS. "A commitment to balance does not mandate the inclusion of opinions that are objectively false," the congressional letter said. "Doing so only promotes the propagation of false and misleading views and undermines the credibility of PBS."

-- The Glendale News Press published an article on Feb. 22 titled:"Armenian Genocide Panel Protested."

-- Two Turkish newspapers (Turkish Daily News and Zaman ) and an Azeri newspaper (Echo) published articles on this controversy last week.

-- During the daily press briefing at the State Department on Feb. 24, a journalist asked Adam Ereli, the Deputy Spokesman of the State Department, about "the position of the U.S. Government" on the PBS controversy. Mr. Ereli’s response was: "You can watch whatever you want to watch."

-- Several PBS stations announced last week that they would not air the offensive panel discussion, following the broadcast of the Goldberg documentary.

-- The world famous rock band System of a Down supported the campaign against the PBS panel by posting a link to the ANCA’s online Webmail on its website, www.systemofadown.com and placed a link to the online petition on a second website: http://www.axisofjustice.org/feature_022106.htm.

-- KCET, the PBS station in the Los Angeles area, decided to air in April two genocide documentaries: The U.S. premiere of French filmmaker Laurence Jourdan’s "Le Genocide Armenien" and Canadian-Armenian Hagop Goudsouzian’s "My Son Shall be Armenian." KCET designated the month of April as "Armenian Remembrance Month."

-- Nearly 15,000 individuals have so far signed the online petition asking PBS not to broadcast the panel discussion. Meanwhile, the copycat Turkish petition is full of thousands of anti-Armenian hate messages, profanities, fake and unauthorized names, including those of people long dead, such as Ataturk and Talaat.

-- More than 3,500 protest e-mails have been sent to Ms. Atlas through the ANCA’s online Webmail.

-- Several Armenian organizations and web groups have placed the link to the online petition on their websites and have sent e-mails to their members urging them to sign the petition.

I suggest the following actions in order to continue the pressure on PBS to do the right thing:

1. Sign the online petition: http://www.petitiononline.com/pbspanel and forward the link to others.

2. Send an e-mail to Jacoba Atlas at Jatlas@pbs.org urging her not to provide airtime to genocide deniers. Forward her e-mail address to others asking them to write to her also.
3. Ask Armenian organizations post the link to the online petition on their websites and to send an e-mail to their members urging them to sign the petition and to e-mail Ms. Atlas.

4. Ask your Member of Congress to sign the joint congressional letter to PBS.

5. Contact your local PBS station and urge them not to broadcast the panel discussion. Go to http://www.blogger.com/www.pbs.org/stationfinder, enter your zip code and click next. When you see the logo of your local station, click next again.

6. Contact the PBS stations in Chicago and New York City (WNET) urging them to cancel their decision to air the panel discussion.

Mr. Erdogan, Mind Your Own Business, Will You ?!

2006-02-28T03:38:00.000-08:00

It seems that Turkish government have nothing better to do other than sticking it's nose in everybody else's business ... It seems that interfering in the EU countries "recognition of the Armenian Genocide" and trying to threaten them to to withdraw those recognition resolutions , is not enough. It seems that interfering in the Armenian-Azri issues over Nagorno Karabakh is not enough either ...

So instead of minding it's own business, and trying to solve it's internal troubles and correct the gross human rights violations in Turkey... Or maybe, only maybe, start acting like civilized country and take the moral step of recognizing the Armenian Genocide, Erdogan thought that Turkey should play "Godfather" of the region and try to solve everybody else's problems !

The Turkish Godfather Trilogy

Godfather Part 1 : "The Cartoon Crisis "

First, Turkey tried to play the "good guy" and offered to mediate between Islamic angry countries and the Danish government, to find a solution to the "Cartoon Crisis."

But it seems that Erdogan have no idea about what's going on in his own country. Mr. Erdogan needs to take a look at his own people, Turks are as furious as everyone else in the Islamic world over the the "Cartoons" issue... First he need to convince his own people to stop attacking Christians , stop shooting Christian priests , and burning Danish flags before offering mediation in the issue !

Godfather Part 2 : "Israeli- Palestinian Conflict"

After Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) victory in the Palestinian elections, the Israeli government didn't hide it's dissatisfaction with those results, and refused to deal with the newly elected Hamas government... Here jumpped the Turkish Godfather again, trying to dissolve yet another turmoil in the region.

Puting Turkey's reputation at stake, Turkey took on a highly risky mission by hosting a five-man delegation from the Palestinian radical group Hamas... regardless of what consequenses can result in that, which might vary from damaging its international reputation to complicating its relations with its Israeli and Western allies.

Ankara heard bitter criticism from Israel, and Israeli spokesman Ranaan Gissin had compared the move to Israel inviting separatist Kurdish rebels for talks and said it could damage bilateral ties, as BBC News had reported.

Maybe Turkey is finally trying to listen to some of it's national voices, that have demonstrated against Israel for long time !!

Godfather 3 : Iraqi Sectarian Crisis

The last part of this Turkish version of the "Godfather" so far is the current Iraqi Sectarian Crisis, that have exploded after the bombing of the Shiite shrine in Samarra sparked deadly reprisals against Sunni mosques and worshippers.

The bloodshed that resulted from that incident, is likely to complicate the task of Shiite and Sunni political leaders who have pledged to set up a government of national unity in the wake of the December elections which illustrated a deep sectarian split in Iraq, if not to start sectarian and ethnic conflict in Iraq.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Ja'fari is to visit Turkey today, February 28, to discuss how Turkey can help stem sectarian violence in Iraq.Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the visit two days ago in Istanbul. The Anatolia news agency quoted him as saying that radical Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr is also scheduled to visit Ankara soon.

So why does Turkey need to create new external fronts ? Doesn't Turkey have enough issues to worry about already both on the internal and external levels ?!

I think that Turkey is either trying to convince the EU that it's a huge political power in the region and it's civilized enough to solve everybody's problem, so the EU might overlook it's gross violations of Human Rights and accept to admit Turkey. Or maybe, Turkey is trying to distract the International community, so the latter might forget about the Armenian Genocide recognition by Turkey.

Congratulations Mr. President, Not You George !

2006-02-28T03:23:00.000-08:00

Armenia Now news reported that "Armenia’s First Man became First Grandfather this week with the birth of grand daughter Bella. "

Congratulations Mr. President ... But couldn't you find a nice Armenian name for the babygirl ?!