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06/23/2005
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1) ARF Artsakh Demands Investigation into Manukian Beating Incident
2) New Jersey Recognizes Armenian Genocide
3) Homenetmen Establishes New Chapter in Hungary
4) ARF Youth Delegates Discuss Genocide at IUSY Conference in Turkey

1) ARF Artsakh Demands Investigation into Manukian Beating Incident

STEPANAKERT–The Central Committee of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
(ARF) Artsakh released additional details about the beating of Pavel Manukian
by Mountainous Karabagh Republic authorities, and demanded that those
guilty of
the crime be punished according to the law.
“Pavel Manukian, a candidate running for MKR National Assembly, remains in
stable condition, after being beaten on June 21 in MKR’s Defense Ministry
offices.” The ARF press release states that Manukian has been transferred from
the critical care unit to the regular section of the hospital, though he
suffers severe headaches.
Manukian’s wife has asked that he be transferred to a hospital in Yerevan,
but
the request has been denied by a military judge, who cited the unstable
condition of the patient.
Mrs. Manukian on Wednesday filed a plea in MKR Superior Court, for a criminal
investigation into the beating incident, directly implicating MKR Defense
Minister Seyran Ohanian and his deputy Samuel Garabedian in the beating. She
also named generals A. Haroutunian, V. Balayan, and M. Hagopian as
participants.
Manukian’s fiery speeches during election campaigning evidently prompted the
beating. Manukian, a prominent participant of the war with Azerbaijan, bashed
the meddling of the commanders of MKR’s army in the electoral process,
accusing
them of voter intimidation and coercion.
In a declaration to various political parties in Karabagh, the ARF and
Movement 88 parties stated on Wednesday, “We view the severe beating of the
candidate for National Assembly in the offices of the Defense Ministry, as a
grave crime–one that landed him in the military hospital with life
threatening
injuries. The fact that this act–organized by the country’s military
sector–has been overlooked by the legal entities, and that no criminal
investigation has been launched, allows us to question the authority of the
country’s legal sector, as well as the public’s faith in it.
`We view the freedom of expression as one of the most valuable of democratic
principles. Political forces reject coercion, as well as the insolent
trampling
of the human honor and dignity, acts which can lead to civil unrest, and
ultimately cause instability in the country.
`We find that the only correct direction for the president of our country to
take, is to strive to implement all means to maintain lawfulness, in order to
ensure internal accord, to have a handle political `excesses,’ and to not
compromise our unrecognized country’s international standing.”
With plans to release their own statement, the Artsakh Democratic Party and
Free Homeland party refused to sign the declaration.

2) New Jersey Recognizes Armenian Genocide

Commission on Holocaust Education Approves Armenian Genocide Curriculum

TRENTON–New Jersey’s General Assembly voted 79 to 0 on June 22 approving of a
joint resolution commemorating the 90th anniversary of the Armenian genocide,
while the state-appointed Commission on Holocaust Education announced a
comprehensive curriculum on the Armenian genocide.
The resolution, which was sponsored by State Assembly members Joan Voss
(D-38)
and Robert Gordon (D-38), honors the memory of the 1.5 million Armenians who
were killed by the Ottoman Turks. “This joint resolution recognizes the 90th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and acknowledges the criminal
mistreatment
of the Armenians by the governments of the Ottoman Empire as an issue of
international and historic significance,” it says, in part.
“Man’s inhumanity to man knows no bounds,” said Voss, whose comments were
echoed by Gordon, and Assemblymen William Payne (D-29), Bill Baroni (R-14),
and
former Assembly Speaker Chuck Haytaian.
New Jersey officials have played a strong role in spearheading human rights
education since 1982, which has led to the inclusion of Armenian genocide
studies as part of the statewide curriculum. The action, announced by the New
Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education (NJCHE), marks the first time that a
stand-alone curriculum on the Armenian genocide will be incorporated in US
public and private schools.
The new curriculum consists of the resource book on the Armenian genocide
developed by the Facing History and Ourselves Foundation (FHAO) titled “Crimes
Against Humanity and Civilization: the Genocide of the Armenians,” which will
be distributed to middle and high schools throughout New Jersey, along with a
guide to teachers prepared by the NJCHE.

3) Homenetmen Establishes New Chapter in Hungary

BUDAPEST–As the Armenian community of Budapest was celebrating the 87th
anniversary of Armenia’s First Independence Day on May 28, they had cause for
another momentous celebration as a new chapter was added to the Homenetmen
family.
More than 120 youth, alongside 32 members from Homenetmen Vienna chapter,
assembled in Budapest’s City Hall to mark the occasion while Adam Sarksian
emceed and Homenetmen Vienna chapter’s Chairperson Rima Paroyan gave the
keynote address.
Homenetmen Western Region Central Committee member Manuel Marselian was
present to convey the organization’s message. Speaking about the importance of
passing on Homenetmen’s legacy to the youth of tomorrow, Marselian said,
“Though it might be easy to create a new chapter, the real challenge comes
when
the youth work together, through self-sacrifice, to strengthen and preserve
our
Armenian identity.”
Praising the determination of the Hungary chapter, Marselian then introduced
the chapter’s first elected executive, presenting them with the organization’s
by-laws and constitution, as well as the Homenetmen flag. The 2005 executive
members are Nigoghos Hagopian, Hayastan Aghegian, Gagik Jotian, Adam Sarksian,
Haroutioun Papzapanian, Ermani Mardaian, and Lilit Outamian.
The chapter will begin its activities by developing the athletics division,
while a scouting division will be formed in the future.

4) ARF Youth Delegates Discuss Genocide at IUSY Conference in Turkey

YEREVAN (Yerkir)–Armenian youth who recently attended a youth conference in
Turkey, told a news conference in Yerevan on Thursday that they spoke openly
about the Armenian genocide and even distributed booklets to participants.
The two Armenian Youth Federation of Armenia participants, Zinavor Meghrian
and Karen Mnatsakanian, along with AYF delegates Talline Tachdjian (France),
and Khatchik Mouradian (Lebanon) attended the International Union of Socialist
Youth (IUSY) meeting June 16-19, and were interviewed by the Turkish
newspaper,
Milliyet. “We discussed the Armenian genocide from different angles during the
interview,” Meghrian told the news conference. “We also spoke of the closed
borders and formation of a group of [Turkish] historians, to review Genocide
“allegations;” we told the paper we reject this idea, since we have no doubt
about facts concerning the Genocide.”
Mnatsakanian revealed that Turkish youth wrongly assumed that the Armenian
government is not concerned about the Genocide issue, but that only diaspora
Armenians pursue it. “It is because some young Armenian politicians make such
statements,” he said. Asked to name those politicians, Mnatsakanian said he
was
referring to Sargis Asatrian, the chairman of the Armenian Youth Party.
Participants of the IUSY conference, “We all are Minorities,” included
delegations from Georgia, Russia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Bulgaria,
Moldova, Serbia, Sweden, and other countries.

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