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PLAYING CARDS WITH GOD: MINISTRY MAKES CONCESSION ON SOCIAL IDS TO APPEASE CHRISTIAN ZEALOTS
By Suren Deheryan
ArmeniaNow Reporter
As it was promised by the Armenian government last week, a few
changes were introduced this week into the law “On Social Security
Cards”. Changes in the appearance of the card — including removing a
bar-code — were made after a considerable number of citizens refused
to be issued cards, considering them to be anti-Christian. Religious
fundamentalists believe the cards to be fulfillment of prophecy from
the New Testament book of Revelation (and connected to the “satanic”
number 666).
In an effort to make the cards more acceptable, the Ministry of
Social Affairs agreed to changes in the law “On Social Data” and
“Social Security Cards” and altered the design of the cards.
(To see previous coverage of the issue, go to:
,
go=pub&id=505&issue_id=60)
For citizens who refuse to be issued cards of the current design for
religious reasons, a new design of social cards will be created on
which there will be no bar-code and no symbol of the Ministry. It
will be written on the card: “Card number”, which, it is hoped,
will pacify the angry and devout believers.
Former member of Parliament Khachik Stamboltsyan, who is an advocate
of those citizens refusing to be issued social cards and is currently
the chairman of the “Christians Against Human Numbering” NGO, gives
assurances that due to the changes the card will now serve only as a
card of the social sphere and will contain information only regarding
social issues (wages, pension, profit and income).
“The threat was the figure of 666, which was not acceptable. The
threat was that this database was to be attached to the databases of
foreign countries, which was prevented in this case. We agree that
there should be such cards, but on condition that they are used within
the country,” says Stamboltsyan.
According to Stamboltsyan, those who have so far received cards against
their conscience can return them, receiving new ones without bar-codes
and symbols.
As a result of such changes delegates elected by the “Christians
Against Human Numbering” NGO and citizens refusing to be issued
social cards signed an agreement that these conditions satisfy the
nonconformists and that no new demands will be made to the government.
Nevertheless, even such changes do not satisfy some who claim to
devoutly follow what they consider Biblical precepts.
“With the proposed draft, the withdrawal of 666 changes nothing in
terms of religion. A Christian cannot tolerate his sign of belonging
to God being replaced by another sign, in this case by any number,
therefore it is not even important whether this number contains
three 6 digits or not,” Constitutional Court member and Mother See
of Holy Echmiadzin Supreme Council member Rafael Papayan told one
local newspaper.
And ordinary citizens explain their indignation the following way:
“If a person loses his or her passport, in case of receiving a new
one the number of the passport is changed. And in this case, in fact,
the card number is invariable,” says Christian education teacher,
35-year-old Margarita Hovhannisyan. “When I buy goods from the store,
which also contain bar-codes, and in some cases also the figure of
666, we are not afraid, as it is the number of the product. In this
case, regardless of whether it is called the ‘card number’ or not,
it is an unchangeable number and in fact a person’s number.”
Emma Petrosyan, 80, who has not been paid her pension for seven
months because she refused to get a card, says excitedly: “We will
not betray God. They want to steal our souls with this. I refuse to
receive a social card, let them allow us to sign and get our pension
the way we did before. This card frightens me and if I get it I will
not sleep at night, I will feel ill at ease. It is God, Christ and
the Cross that are my card.”
Stamboltsyan, who has not received his pensions to date because of
having no card, says he will now apply and hopes to pacify those who
were left unsatisfied with the changes.
“Be sure, if there were a threat from the amended law I would be
afraid as much as you are, but now we say that it is safe. The threat
of God’s anger has been removed.”
TRADERS SANS FRONTIERES?: RESEARCH SAYS ARMENIA AND TURKEY WOULD
BENEFIT FROM OPENED BORDERS
By Julia Hakobyan ArmeniaNow Reporter
What will Armenia gain if the border with Turkey is opened?
“The decline of transportation costs in the external trade, growth of
exports, GDP and employment, better opportunities for EU integration”
says the study of the Armenian European Policy and Legal advice
center. (AEPLAC)
This week the AEPLAC, an EU funded research center, introduced its
scenario “Study of the economic impact on the Armenian economy from
the re-opening of the Turkish-Armenian borders: Implications for
external trade.” The investigation was conducted on three models:
short-run (one year) mid-term (five years) and long-run (over five
years) and also includes gains for Turkey. (For more information,
visit )
During the presentation of the study Tigran Jrbashyan, the Director
of the Yerevan office of AEPLAC said that open borders would first
of all allow Armenia to reduce its transport expenses. Importing and
exporting goods through the Mediterranean Sea, would be incomparably
cheaper then through Georgia.
At present more than 90 percent of Armenia’s imported and exported
goods go through Georgian ports, with more than 1,000 freight cars
of food and fuel per month coming from Batumi.
The AEPLAC experts say that Mediterranean seaports are of greater
interests for Armenia than those of the Black Sea, as the Black Sea
ports do not allow the use of ocean container carriers.
“For example the cost of freight forwarding from Poti to Marseille
is $700-800 per container while from Beirut to Marseille it’s about
$100, since ocean ships have large capacity and therefore a lower
cargo transportation cost price,” says Jrbashyan.
Besides as a result of re-opening of Armenian-Turkish borders Georgia
will be forced to reduce its charges for freight forwarding service.
According to the short-term model with opening of the Armenian-Turkish
border the GDP will make 10.65 billion drams, ($24,482,758) the
number of jobs will increase by 1.500 and the growth of import will
make 4.71 percent while export will increase by 5.23 percent.
The mid-term-scenario suggests that the GDP growth will reach about
$99 million the employment will grow by 4,808 people, the export will
make 17 percent and import 12.95 percent.
If borders are opened Turkey will have a favorable position in EU
membership negotiating. Besides the re-opening of the borders can
be attractive for Turkey in terms of transit roads, taking into
account the opportunity of a re- exploration of the Kars-Gyumri
railway. (Currently the issue of constructing an alternative railroad
connecting Akhalkalak to Kars is included in the agenda of economic
development between Turkey and Georgia.)
A strong argument in favor of opened borders is the potential for
Turkey to develop its eastern region (bordering Armenia). The economic
indicators for this region show that it is five times less developed
that other parts of Turkey.
According to estimations in case of Turkey’s accession to EU, the
EU will have to allocate 80 percent of “structural funds” (a fund
from which the member states are provided means to cover regional
imbalances) to Turkey for developing the eastern region.
In 2002, Armenia exported production worth $630 million, while Turkey
exported that of $52.6 billion.
Re-opening of the borders will directly require that Armenia and
Turkey initiate a process of negotiations related to the economic
trade relations, taking into consideration that when voting for
Armenia’s accession to the World Trade Organization Turkey made a
reservation by noting that it is not going to apply the WTO rules
(free trade regime) in its economic relations with Armenia.
The study says that Armenia can not expect an immediate result of
the opening of the borders. However in the medium term Armenia will
manage to set relevant mechanisms for entering the EU markets via
Turkey with a broad commodity list. In the long-run the Armenia and
Turkish markets will become interconnected. Armenian producers will
start to continue the modernization of the Armenian enterprises and
local producers will have to compete with Turkish producers which
will positively impact the economy.
The Armenian government welcomed the study of the AEPLAC. David
Avetisyan, the deputy minister of Trade and Economical Development
called it a “unique research”
“This is in fact the first time Armenia is presented a model which
has a great potential. This model is based not on political interests
but deals with trade. We have great expectations.”
SECOND SHIFT FOR SECURITY: ARMENIAN REPLACEMENT TROOPS BOUND FOR IRAQ
By Aris Ghazinyan ArmeniaNow Reporter
Armenia’s second detachment of military troops was sent to Iraq
Wednesday (July 13), following a farewell party in Yerevan in which
terrorists attacks a few days earlier in London were the common
topic of conversation, and as general tension intensifies in Baghdad
and beyond.
The message of terrorists addressed to the leaderships of countries
participating in the allied coalition in Iraq was quoted often as the
troops gathered last Sunday. The message contained a warning to the
authorities of Italy and Denmark, as well as other “crusader-countries”
about the need to withdraw their troops from Iraq and Afghanistan.
In seeing off the Armenian contingent, Minister of Defense Serzh
Sargsyan said Armenia is not a “crusader country”.
“I think it right and appropriate that Armenia should participate
in the anti-terror coalition,” he said. “As for security concerns,
Armenia’s law-enforcement bodies and national security system,
regardless of terrorist acts in other countries, must constantly keep
this problem within the center of their attention.”
This week’s detachment replaces a 45-member regiment (10 sappers,
31 drivers, three doctors, one communication officer) attached to a
Polish division in Iraq since January 18.
The Chief of the General Staff of Poland called the Armenians’ service
“excellent”. No Armenian casualties were suffered.
“By sending its servicemen to Iraq, Armenia does not set itself
military tasks, but pursues humanitarian goals,” Chief of the
General Staff of Armenia’s Armed Forces, Colonel-General Mikael
Harutyunyan said in his speech during the send off. “Over the last
few years Armenia has been actively involved in the international
integration processes and it cannot keep aloof from the peacekeeping
and stabilization efforts of the world community.”
A total of 45 Armenian servicemen will go to Iraq as part of the
shift. Only one communication officer from the previous staff
in Iraq will remain in Baghdad. His replacement will take place
in six months. The rest of the peacekeepers will return to Armenia
soon. According to Harutyunyan, the new composition of the peacekeepers
will initially be sent to Kuwait for retraining, and then will head
for the Iraqi town of Al-Hinnu where the headquarters of the Polish
division are situated.
Speaking about the terms of the stay of Armenian servicemen in Iraq,
the Chief of the General Staff of Armenia’s Armed Forces said that a
preparation of a platoon will be conducted simultaneously and this
platoon will leave for Iraq in another half a year. It is possible
that this platoon will be manned with service of the first and second
shifts as well as the contingent now on duty in Kosovo.
“Participating over the last several years in peacekeeping operations,
Armenia no longer experiences a shortage of corresponding professional
personnel,” said Harutyunyan. “Armenia already has trained peacekeepers
ready to accomplish any assignment.”
Armenia’s peacekeeping battalion was formed in 2003, and a memorandum
about the participation of an infantry platoon of Armenia’s armed
forces in the peacekeeping operation in Kosovo within a Greek battalion
was signed in September of the same year. This document was ratified
by the Armenian Parliament in December 2003 and the first Armenian
contingent was sent to Kosovo in February, 2004. The third rotation of
the personnel of the Armenian contingent deployed in Kosovo took place
on April 15 of this year. Thirty-four representatives of Armenia’s
armed forces are serving there now.
Armenia’s Deputy Minister of Defense Lieutenant-General Artur
Aghabekyan said in this connection that the terms of the possible
prolongation of the participation of Armenian servicemen in
peacekeeping operations have not been determined yet. (The December
resolution of the Armenian Parliament that confirmed sending troops
to Iraq originally was meant for one year.)
Harutyunyan said that the Parliament will address this issue only at
the end of this year.
“However, in any case, whatever decision is made, the Armed Forces
of Armenia are ready to fulfill it,” said the Chief of Armenia’s
General Staff.
“I think that at the end of this year the National Assembly of Armenia
is likely to prolong the term of the stay of Armenian peacekeepers
in Iraq,” said military analyst David Harutyunov. “First, a number
of arguments cited by opponents of Armenian military presence in Iraq
luckily have not been justified – the circumstance that will no doubt
simplify the process of the prolongation of the terms as compared
to the political struggle unfolded during the adoption of the first
resolution about sending servicemen. Secondly, the participation of
Armenian servicemen in international efforts in Iraq is the reflection
of the long-term policy of Armenia’s leadership in the sphere of
security and foreign policy.”
TRAVELLING AND TALKING ABOUT NKR “PROBLEM”: JULY SEES INCREASE OF
SETTLEMENT ATTENTION BUT SIDES “STILL FAR FROM IT”
By Aris Ghazinyan ArmeniaNow Reporter
The month of July is proving to mark a new stage of boosted efforts
by the international community for settlement of “the Karabakh
Problem”. Representatives of international structures interested in
this issue have voiced a number of new ideas each which may have a
practical continuation.
The session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) completed its work in
Washington DC on July 5. During the session it discussed a report
on Nagorno Karabakh drafted by the special representative of the
OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Chairman on the Karabakh conflict Goran
Lenmarker. The Swedish parliamentarian emphasized the need to take
history into account and said that “the best way of ensuring the
security of Nagorno Karabakh may be its joining to Armenia.”
Many Armenian political analysts see these talks a significant
moment which is likely to reflect today’s dominant approaches of the
international community to the most acceptable ways of settling the
problem. However, in their opinion, it is also evident that these
approaches also imply a handover of five regions controlled by the
NKR defense army – Horadiz, Jebrayil, Fizuli, Kubatli and Aghdam –
to Azerbaijan.
The same day, the Russian cochairman of the OSCE Minsk Group Yuri
Merzlyakov introduced the idea of submitting to the presidents of
Armenia and Azerbaijan in Kazan (Tartarstan, Russia) on August 26 a
“Working Document” immediately concerning the Karabakh settlement.
A high-ranking diplomatic source told Radio Free Europe/Radio
Liberty () that this document implies holding
a referendum in Nagorno Karabakh which should take place within the
next 10 to 15 years.
“The variant of a referendum had also been proposed before, but back
then they spoke about a referendum not only in Nagorno Karabakh, but
also in Azerbaijan,” RFE/RL reports quoting its source. “Under the
new draft, Azerbaijan recognizes the right of the people of Nagorno
Karabakh to self-determination, with Lachin remaining under Nagorno
Karabakh’s control.”
On July 13, official Azerbaijan called this report ungrounded: Head
of the Department of the Press and Information Policy of Azerbaijan’s
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tair Tagizade told Turan news agency that
the information about the drafting of a settlement deal providing
for holding a referendum did not correspond to facts.
Still on July 5, PACE rapporteur on the Karabakh conflict David
Atkinson issued a rather surprising statement. He expressed his
conviction about the need to involve also representatives of the
parliaments of Armenia and Azerbaijan in the negotiating process
within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group.
By his statement, Atkinson is suggesting a shake up of the monopoly of
the executive authorities currently engaged in reaching a solution.The
last word, in any case, belongs to the heads of state, however,
the idea of involving the two states’ lawmakers in the process
is objectively oriented to the policy of weakening the dominating
positions of the OSCE Minsk Group.
Meanwhile, a visit of the OSCE Minsk Group cochairmen themselves to
the region of the Karabakh conflict took place this week.
“We are in a working mood, and I think that the visit will be very
useful for the further process of settlement,” Merzlyakov said in Baku
on Monday (July 11). “Variants of wordings will be discussed in the
course of the visit, and we want this work to be completed in Kazan.”
The main accents of the “Working Document” are likely to be well
known to the presidents of both states, and they are likely to possess
information about the general trends of the “new” proposal as well. As
Baku media reported, “the meeting of the OSCE Minsk Group cochairmen
with Azerbaijan’s president was held behind closed doors and nothing
is known about the reaction of Ilham Aliyev.”
The Minsk Group cochairmen visiting Baku – Steven Mann, Bernard
Fassier and Merzlyakov, apart from confidential discussions with
representatives of Azerbaijan’s leadership, also held a meeting
with “representatives of the Azeri community of Nagorno Karabakh”
– Nizami Bakhmanov (“head of the Shushi administration”) and Elbrus
Takhmazov (“head of the Lachin administration”). During the meeting,
the sides discussed the issue of the opening of the Aghdam-Khankendi-
Shusha-Lachin-Goris-Shakhbuz motorway with an exit to Turkey.
On Wednesday (July 13), the negotiators, who came to the Karabakh
capital of Stepanakert from Yerevan, held a four- hour talk with NKR
President Arkady Ghukasyan.
“The meeting was very constructive and useful,” said Merzlyakov. “The
cochairmen got answers from Nagorno Karabakh’s leader to a number
of questions that emerged in the settlement process and shared their
vision and ideas with him. As to the settlement agreement, the sides
are still very far from it.”
“Many aspects on which the sides have not yet come to terms are
obvious,” U.S. negotiator Mann said immediately after the meeting.
CHANGE IN THE AIR: PARTIES ON BOTH SIDES REACT TO LATEST CONSTITUTION
DRAFT
By Zhanna Alexanyan ArmeniaNow Reporter
At a meeting to discuss constitutional reform on Tuesday (July 12),
Vartan Poghosyan head of “Democracy” Non Governmental Organization
and a main opponent of earlier constitutional drafts said the latest
version “is a serious advance that approaches to the European standards
in many regards.”
Poghosyan, along with Minister of Justice David Harutyunyan, and
Presidential Advisor (for constitutional reforms) Armen Harutyunyan
and one member from each coalition party, formed Armenia’s delegation
to the Council of Europe’s June 23-24 session in Strasburg, where
Armenia’s latest proposed reforms were reviewed. (Armenia’s Parliament
submitted it’s draft to the Council on May 13.)
The Council’s Venice Commission called for amendments in three areas:
separation of powers, independence of judicial bodies and election
(rather than presidential appointment) of the Mayor of Yerevan.
In response to the Strasburg meeting, participating parties have
written another draft, which was submitted July 7.
According to Poghosyan, solutions are given for principle questions
and they should turn into constitutional reform draft; and in terms
of politics the opposition and the authorities should “make step
towards each other”.
“The submitted draft is truly a good basis for adopting a draft
of constitutional reforms in an atmosphere of political consent,”
Poghosyan said.
The most recent draft is said to include amendments that limit
presidential authority (the President does not keep the authority
to dismiss the Prime Minister and the authority to dissolve the NA
is limited.)
Under the new draft, the National Assembly would be authorized to
form the Government. It would also elect the Prosecutor General,
the Ombudsman (the first ombudsman was appointed by the President).
“This does not mean the draft we have is perfect,” Poghosyan
said. “There are many problems that should be referred to during the
process that will, in my opinion, be fulfilled if no disagreements
remain between the authorities and the opposition around principle
issues.”
The political opposition parties have not yet said whether they will
participate in the reform debates.
A statement by the “Justice” and “National Unity” parties calls the
latest draft “significant progress, however the steps made are not
complete and cannot be viewed as full range adoption of three principle
approaches publicly presented by the opposition on January 19 2005”.
The oppositional factions did not exclude in their joint statement
the possibility of cooperation in case of elimination of the
shortcomings. The statement says also achievement of positive and
unambiguous results at the referendum needs review of voters’ lists
and Electoral Code, as well as bringing to responsibility those in
charge of fraud and violence during the 2003 Presidential elections.
The task group of the Venice Commission will give its evaluation no
later than July 20th and the Armenian authorities should by that time
make the required amendments and clarifications. Then the final version
of the amendments should be submitted to the NA for the second reading.
On Tuesday President Robert Kocharyan signed a decree for summoning
an extra session on August 29th and discussion of the constitutional
reforms in the second reading. In case of approving by the parliament
the constitutional reform draft will be put on national referendum
in November.
OUTSIDE EYE: A NON-ARMENIAN’S VIEW OF LIFE IN HIS ADOPTED HOME
By John Hughes ArmeniaNow Reporter
In the middle of the night after 30 days out of Armenia, I am in Pulhov
Airport, St. Petersburg and send this text message to my colleague:
“I have reached the gate, and am seeing Armenian faces for the first
time in a month. If they only knew how I feel.”
If only.
I sit close to two men, because I want to listen to them talk, even
though I won’t understand a single sentence. But my ears have been
flooded with Russian for a month, and now I want to hear something
familiar.
Familiar? I can’t understand a bloody word. But the sound is welcome.
I recognize “spa se” and “ka zange” and guess that the man on his
mobile is telling someone to wait for his call. Dropped here without
so much as a ride to the airport from my Russian hosts, I imagine the
person on the other end of the line standing with about 50 relatives
– already with faces pressed against Zvartnots Airport waiting-room
windows, an hour before the flight even leaves St. Petersburg.
And I hear the words I’ve become most familiar with: “bon” and “eli”
– words I’ve come to define as “well, nothing”. (I’ve sworn that if
I ever had a child in Armenia, I’d name him/her “BonEli” – that way,
the kid would never be lonely, because somewhere an Armenian would
always be saying his name.)
After a month in the land of blue eyes and blonde hair, I welcome
the coffee eyes and midnight hair I am now strangely and comfortably
surrounded by.
Men (and some of the women) need shaves. The children are dressed as
if for church.
Black, red and white plaid plastic bags – the Caucasus suitcase –
are bulged and bound.
A grandmother holds an infant whose head is wrapped like a sausage, as
if this were winter instead of the middle of summer. She is watching,
too, a toddler, dressed in pink with a woven, white skull cap framing
her distinctly Hyastanci features that I am urged to pinch.
Teenage girls primp, tying shocks of hair behind their dark heads
where it falls toward counterfeit “designer” jeans that were probably
not as tight, three or four layers of lavash ago.
Men smoke. Then they smoke some more.
I see feet peeking from summer sandals that, if they have walked as I
did along the canals of this city, have walked first on the rocky soil
of a land that belongs to them and that is my good fortune to borrow.
They don’t know that I feel a part of them. Why should they? But in
3.5 hours the plane that holds us all, that gives us some unnatural
commonality, will land in a place that they’ll call “Hyrenik” and
I’ll call “home”. And we’ll mean the same thing. . .
I sit among the familiar strangeness and recall what I’ve been telling
my Russian acquaintances about the Armenians.
Turns out the sophisticates in the “Venice of the North” don’t have
such a high opinion of the “Hyes”. I’ve spent a month trying to change
that – telling that these mountain people have a sophistication of
their own – if you allow it to reveal itself.
I’ve told about the warmth of ancient and tiny Armenian churches
that is missing from Russia’s great cathedrals. I’ve explained the
recipe for harisa and the story of its origin. I went to a market
specifically to buy Armenian apricots for my hosts. I told about the
difference between Georgian pouri and Armenian mahatnakosh.
At the splendid Hermitage, I looked for Surenyants’ “Salome”, because
I missed seeing the one that hangs in the State Gallery in Yerevan. I
told about Komitas, and of how the communists painted a businessman’s
suit over his clerical robe on a mural inside an Etchmiadzin seminary
dormitory.
I was feeling pretty good about my ambassadorial role when I again
reached the streets of Yerevan. Feeling at ease, I turned up Nalbandian
and met two young adult men coming my way. They stared. I hadn’t been
stared at in a month.
They parted, so that I had to pass between them and then – I swear
I am not making this up – the one on my right leaned toward my face
and barked at me.
I wondered how I might explain that to the “Peter” bourgeoisie to
counter their opinion of the Caucasians.
“Eh,” I’d probably say, “voch inch.”
MUSEUM OF CONFLICT: DISPUTE OVER DISPLAY SPACE 13 YEARS OVERDUE
FOR RESOLUTION
By Vahan Ishkhanyan ArmeniaNow Reporter
The personal collection of Diaspora-Armenian artist Marcos Grigorian,
which is on display in the Museum of Literature and Art, has become
a subject of conflict.
The collection is the result of five decades of collection of the
81-year-old artist that he gathered while living in Iran and later
transferred it to the United States.
In 1992, Grigorian donated his collection to the state at the
request of the Armenian Government on condition that premises would
be allocated for it. It was temporarily given to the administration
of the Museum of Literature and Art and displays were organized in
its four exhibition halls. The museum was opened in 1993 and during
its opening Vice- President Gagik Harutyunyan expressed gratitude
to the artist on behalf of the state. The authorities promised to
allocate permanent premises to the museum within two years.
But a couple of years turned into 13 years’ waiting as no premises
or status have been given to the museum. Now, the administration
of the Museum of Literature and Art has demanded that its territory
be vacated, since it had no possibility to put up its own displays
(which include several thousand items). If the four halls occupied
by Grigorian are vacated, then the museum will get a possibility to
present each field of art in a separate hall.
Griogorian calls his collection the Middle East Museum. However,
it is much more embracive.
The Middle East collection includes Iranian faucets of the 12th-19th
centuries, doorknockers, keys, locks, nails, Iranian-Turkmen silver
ornaments of the 18th-19th centuries, 3 or 4,000-year-old bronze
items, etc.
One section of the museum is devoted to photographs connected with
Grigorian’s biography, works – canvases and earth works that brought
him recognition (). It also includes carpets
made with his patterns and looms on which a carpet-weaver makes a
new carpet for the museum once a year.
Due to the inaction of the Ministry of Culture, these two museums
have found themselves in a state of permanent conflict. The Museum
of Literature and Art demands that its premises be vacated; Grigorian
says that his museum will move out only if premises are provided to it.
“Marcos’s museum provided by an order of the Ministry of Culture
was not for exhibition but for preservation,” says Director of the
Museum of Literature and Art Henrik Bakhchinyan. “The Vice-President
and the Minister of Culture promised at that time that a status of
a separate museum and premises would be granted in two years’ time
and that the museum would move out, as this museum has nothing to
do with us by its profile. Later we applied to all five ministers
of culture for the museum to be removed, and for the exhibition
dedicated to our culture to be presented at full length. But they
always replied orally that this exhibition could not be touched as a
negative opinion towards us would be formed in the Diaspora then and
that they stop their donations. And now there are no premises. As a
result, the largest cultural hub has been deprived of the possibility
to exhibit its values.”
Now Bakhchinyan, bypassing the Ministry of Culture, has applied to
the Republic’s President and Prime Minister.
The conflict has become so aggravated that either side calls into
doubt the importance of the other’s museum. Grigorian says that the
territory occupied by him was not fit for use and that he had made
it fit. Bakhchinyan replies that after the collapse of the Soviet
Union the museum of outdated communist propagandist literature was
dismantled and it required time to organize a new exhibition (the
display of the Museum of Literature and Art became possible due to
Diaspora-Armenian philanthropists, the Ministry of Culture had not
allocated any funds), and that part of Grigorian’s museum are goods
brought from a flea market.
“Marcos is sitting on our throat. How can one hang bells instead of
(works by artists) Aram Khachaturyan and Vahan Teryan?”
Grigorian flies into a rage when he hears his collection being compared
to items brought from a flea market: “A person cannot be that ignorant
to compare it with items from a flea market. There is no collection of
such faucets in the world. My concern is that I am not a (billionaire
philanthropist Kirk) Kirkorian, but what I brought is not any worse.
This collection is priceless.”
Although some items like the ones in his collection could be purchased
at a flea market once, for example Russia samovars, still their value
is set high. Hakob Movses, who served as Minister of Culture in 1993
and through whose efforts Grigorian’s collection was brought in,
says that at that time the museum was evaluated at $1.7 million and
now its value has tripled.
Bakhchinyan also made a proposal to disperse Grigorian’s museum among
different museums, since it is a mix and has no common contents. If
a precise name is given to the museum then it would be called the
museum of Marcos Grigorian’s lifetime creation and collection. It
turns out that this was precisely the original name planned:
“We not simply asked, we begged for the museum to be brought to
Armenia,” says Hakob Movses. “We asked so much, we said that the
museum would be named after you. We set a task to ourselves to bring
the collection to Armenia. We didn’t think about the premises at that
moment. There was no territory at that time. But let them give it
now, there are so many places, they are constructing North Avenue,
or let them allocate a part of the territory given to Cafesjian.”
According to him, both sides are right and it is the government that
is to blame.
Grigorian says that if the Ministry of Culture continues to do nothing
and the state fails to fulfill its promise, then he will withdraw
his donation through court action.
Head of the Cultural Policy, Museums and Libraries Department of the
Ministry of Culture Anahit Galstyan only says that the Ministry is
searching for premises and 3-4 times a year discusses the issue of
the museum with Grigorian. However, she does not give any hope that
the problem will be solved in the near future. “It is getting more
and more complicated to buy premises as time passes,” she says.
More than a dozen buildings included in the list of monuments preserved
by the state were demolished for the construction of North and Main
avenues. And the Ministry of Culture did not oppose that. Nevertheless,
the government could submit a draft according to which territory would
be provided to Grigorian’s museum in the area under construction. But
no such step was made.
MEMORIES SET FREE: MUSA LER SURVIVOR TRAVELS BACK IN TIME
By Mariam Badalyan ArmeniaNow Reporter
Ninety-three year old Azat Sulikyan greets his visitors at the doorway
with a business handshake, leading them into the guestroom.
Family members are surprised that their grandpa has agreed to talk
about his earliest memories. Earlier he had refused an interview with
a television station.
“I do not have much to say. I was only three during the battle and
I don’t remember it, what else can I tell you?” says Azat in a
low voice.
What else to tell is that Azat is one of the few remaining survivors
of one of the most climactic events in the history of Armenia –
the famous battle at Musa Ler, when a few Armenians held off Turkish
soldiers until missionary ships saved them. The “40 Days at Musa Ler”
became legend, especially popularized in the novel by Franz Werfel.
“Pa, tell whatever you remember. Tell them about our Neneh,” says
Azat’s daughter-in-law Mariam. “You should have come some six years
ago, when our Neneh was alive.”
Mariam Yazirjyan could not wait and started telling about Neneh
herself.
Neneh is Haji Sarah – Azat’s mother, whom grandchildren called “Neneh”
as it was common among Western Armenians.
“Neneh was a very beautiful woman,” daughter-in-law Armenuhi Sulikyan
tells, “she was saying her brother’s wife put mud on Neneh’s face to
hide her beauty during deportation.”
Haji Sarah, the family story-teller, died in 1999, at the age of 103.
Azat listens to his family members talk, and is himself inspired. His
tightly closed lips suddenly open. He coughs, then begins his sory.
“I remember Musa Ler better than this Nor Aresh, where I live now. When
it was decided to annex Musa Ler back to Turkey, we all decided to
leave, otherwise we would rebel again. I was 27. Every bush, tree,
cliff, our house, the garden – all are before my eyes now…” Azat
fell into memories for a moment then continued, “A few years ago
Aram, the son of one of our villagers, Ruben – went to Musa Ler. I
had asked him to go and see our house.”
The house of Azat’s family was at the edge of the village. Aram found
it abandoned and shattered. Turks lived in other houses of the village.
“Turks lived also in Aram’s house. They remembered his
grandfather. They received him with hospitality, accompanied/showed
him to other villages and then saw him off.”
While the grandfather had started his story, the grandchildren gathered
in the room to hear it. It was a rare occasion that grandfather fell
in memories.
“Our village was Bitias, the farthest from the sea of Musa Ler’s six
villages, but the closest to the town of Antioch,” Azat recalls.
Bunched in mountains and surrounded with thick forests Bitias’s land
resembled a heaven. The soil was fertile and the woods were full
of wildlife.
“There was no man who did not know how to shoot, everyone had guns. We
smashed salt and made gun-powder and went to the forest for hunting,”
Azat livens up.
Although the village was very close to the town of Antioch, in order
to earn a living the villagers could not rely on selling village
products in the town.
“Antioch had only 18,000 residents and there were 360 villages
surrounding it; this was too much for a town of 18,000,” Azat says.
Bitias people, however, had another source of income. In summertime,
vacationers came from everywhere. Above the village in the mountains
there was a luxurious rest-house for rich people. But there were
people who stayed in the village.
“If a villager hosted a holiday-maker for a week, his whole family
would live for a whole year on that money,” Azat says. “My brothers
and I worked for a year to earn the amount of money we could get from
a vacationer, who stayed for a week.”
The whole family – sometimes 10-15 people – would leave the house
for a family on vacation, and stay outdoors.
“Ohan Voskeberan’s church is in our village,” Azat recalls with
pride. “And the monument, where the 18 heroes of Musa Ler are buried,
was built high on the mountain in the place of the battle to honor
the salvation of our people. It is 4 hours away from our village.”
Every September 15 the Armenians from all six Musa Ler villages –
Kebusie, Vagf, Khdrbek, Yoghunoluk, Haji Habibli, Bitias – made
a pilgrimage to the monument on the mountain, which was built in
the form of a ship in honor of the French ship rescuing Musa Ler
residents. The preacher blessed the harisa (a traditional Musa Ler
dish made of chicken and wheat) they made on the mountain, then they
celebrated their liberation.
According to Azat, in 1920-39, 70 Armenian families lived in Bitias.
“My friend Aram told me today there are 70 families living there,
Turk families… ” Azat sighed. “When we were leaving three families
stayed in the village, but they were either old couples or people
without an offspring so they did not think about the future.”
However, as Azat remembers in 1939 around 70 families stayed in all
six Musa Ler villages. Whether they have become Turks or left, Azat
has no idea.
He does know, however, about one other survivor, Sirak
Matossyan. Sirak, 99, lives within walking distance of Azat (click
here to read about Sirak). The men meet occasionally and play chess.
Azat wonders, though, whether anyone is left now to go to the
mountain. The question bothers him, and again he is silent.
DUMPED ON: SUMMER HOMES HAVE BECOME A GARBAGE SITE FOR BYUREGHAVAN
RESIDENTS
By Arpi Harutyunyan ArmeniaNow Reporter
Garbage from Byureghavan has become a smelly controversy for residents
on the outskirts of the town, whose Kotayk province summer homes have
become less than bucolic by air that smells of rotting refuse.
While town residents are pleased to have regular garbage service,
some 3 kilometers away, the hope of others for summer retreat is
literally spoiling. Permanent residents say they are paying with
their health for others’ convenience.
For more than 10 years, garbage that should have been taken to
a special landfill 15 kilometers away, has been dumped in an open
territory two to three times a day, contaminating the environment of
residents and dacha inhabitants.
Lyudmila Aghajanyan is among residents whose attitudes are turning
sour along with the mounting hectares of garbage they have inherited.
Aghajanyan has been living year-round in the house she bought, in
hopes that her grandchildren could use it as a summer home. But in
recent summers, even she leaves the house because the smell and dirt
have become unbearable.
“Nobody cares that we live in dust and dirt,” she says. “Round the
year we are surrounded by refuse. Such a terrible smell spreads
especially in summer that one can’t breathe. And when a wind blows
we close tightly the windows and stay ay home. It’s better to choke
of heat than of the refuse, smell and dust.”
Waste from Byureghavan – a town of 11,500 some 15 kilometers northwest
of Yerevan – is supposed to be hauled to the Jraber refuse collection
center.
But for at least a decade, the garbage trucks have gone no further
than the edge of town, creating today’s problem.
The smell endured by residents such as Aghajanyan, is the stink of
insufficient funds, authorities say.
Almost the same explanation is given to these by the head of
urban-planning and land tenure at the Municipality of Byureghavan
Hovhannes Ghukasyan.
“The Municipality does not have enough finances to take the refuse
to Jraber refuse collection area,” says Hovhannes Ghukasyan, head
of urban planning and land tenure. He says some 300-400,000 drams
(about $700-900) is needed per month.
“How can we provide the expenses when the residents do not pay for
the refuse collection service?” Ghukasyan says.
Residents counter, though, that they do pay their utility fees, and
that it is the municipality that is to blame for the unsightly and
unhealthy mess.
“We, the residents, regularly make all the payments, especially for
refuse collection,” says resident Alina Poghosyan. “It is advantageous
to the Municipality to blame us.”
Throughout the years the increasing garbage has become the symbol of
the summer housing bloc, which was intended to be an area for rest.
“What rest are you talking about when people, one can say, live in
garbage,” says resident Anzhela Manukyan, who lives in the town but
moves each year to the family summer home. “The resort has turned
into a refuse collector. Nature opens before one’s eyes from the
windows of true summer houses, and here one can see only smoking
garbage piles. And in hot weather the total garbage pile can become
also a reason for illnesses.”
Director of the Byureghavan Health Center, Vartan Avetisyan, also
says the garbage dump is a health threat.
“Of course it’s unacceptable that a refuse collector exists by
residences. The piled garbage creates fertile grounds for flies. They
can spread various infections including dysentery. I also have a
summer house in the territory and as a resident I am also concerned
and feel uncomfortable of the existing situation,” he says.
People in the area cannot cultivate the land nearby their houses,
because on windy days the refuse flies into their gardens. The area
is rich in blackberry bushes, but the people do not gather the crops:
the plastic bags from the refuse pile have become the covers for
trees and bushes.
In such anti-sanitary conditions people avoid using the fruits of
the gardens.
For some residents, however, the garbage pile has become a
“workplace”. Some feed their pigs there, some gather useful things
and fuel there. But even with that they complain.
“Of course we provide our large families with the ‘goods’ of this
refuse collection area: we gather plastic, bottles and take and sell
and make a bit of money. But it does not mean we wouldn’t like to
get rid of the dirt. At least we live a bit further, what can the
people living nearby say who breathe this air every day and enter
their houses through the garbage,” says Suren Gevorgyan.
According to Byureghavan Mayor Shavarsh Sedrakyan “there is no
anti-sanitary situation there.”
“We do not do anything wrong, nor do we harm anyone. Simply the
place is a big pit that is filled with garbage. Instead the town of
Byureghavan is clean, the garbage taking is realized for 100 percent,”
he says.
Contrary to the mayor, residents of the summer houses call the place
chosen for the garbage not a pit but a ravine.
“It is not a pit, you see, it is more a ravine. It is funny when they
say the pit should be filled with garbage. They could at least escape
explaining it that way. In the coming 10-15 years it will not fill,”
says Samvel Aghajanyan. “Put aside that much more garbage is poured
onto the flat area and not into the pit they say. It appears that we
will pass all our life in the dirt, will eat fruits and vegetables
grown from the dirt.”
In fact, not only the so called “pit” is used for the refuse pile,
but also the neighboring flat area. The area is quite large and could
serve for garden and vegetable cultivation and tree planting. But
today it is more than useless.
BOUNTIFUL HARVEST: GOLDEN APRICOT FESTIVAL ATTRACTS 140 FILMS FROM
45 COUNTRIES
By Gayane Abrahamyan ArmeniaNow Reporter
On July 12th the Yerevan summer heated up with the sweet-fruit scent
of the Golden Apricot International Film Festival. In a manner unlike
many such festivals, the Armenian variant opened with a blessing of
its symbol – the apricot (this season thankfully plentiful).
The odor of incense and apricots and the gentle mystic sounds of the
mass embraced the participants in the Church of St. Zoravor.
“Here I found warmness I hadn’t felt at any other festival, the
peculiarity of this festival is the manifestation of the national
spirit and it is also the guarantee of its continuation,” said Dutch
director Jos Stelling.
>>From the blessing, the opening ceremonies took place at the State
Academic Theater for Opera and Ballet. An 18-member duduk ensemble
led by Gevorg Dabaghyan played “Krunk” (The Crane), accompanying a
slide-show of Atom Egoyan’s “Ararat”.
Then accompanied by Anush and Inga Arshakyan’s “Tamzara” folk song
and Armenian dance the blessed apricot was served to the guests in
the hall. Many pop singers appeared with the soundtracks of Armenian
films. Singers Nune Yesayan and Artur Ispiryan hosted the opening,
and spoke only in English, until shouts of protest demanded that they
also speak in Armenian.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Vartan Oskanian read a greeting from
President Robert Kocharyan, calling cinema “an opportunity for
mutual understanding and comprehension, for peace between different
civilizations, countries and nations.”
After a red-carpet reception on Charles Aznavour Square, guests saw
this year’s first film (of 140, from 45 countries that would be shown
though the week-long festival), “Mariam”.
The $300,000 film, written and directed by Edgar Baghdasaryan, stars
Iranian-Armenian actress Janet Hovhannisyan and is about a teacher
of the deaf and her mystical illusions and loneliness. It also
represents the first use of computer special effects to be employed
in an Armenia-produced film.
The leader of Armenian cinematography, Baghdasaryan is the only
Armenian director whose documentary “The Country of Holy Rites”
gathered full halls at the Moscow Cinema two years ago for several
days, in times when Armenian films are not put for sale usually.
“In all of my films I try to one question: who am I, why have I
been born? In ‘Mariam’ I tried to find answer to one question –
whether man needs man today, can a man relate right to a man? The
more civilized the world becomes the lonelier and isolated the man
becomes – introvert and unhappy,” the director said.
The ending of the film remains mystic, for the director believes the
audience should become a co-author while watching the film and should
see the ending of the film in the hall.
Owing to the Golden Apricot Film Festival Yerevan hosts also Canadian
Armenian director Egoyan and his wife, actress Arsine Khanjian.
“I am proud to head the juries of the festival, this is a true
feast and everyone should take part in it; the festival takes place
especially owing to the dialogue with the audience,” Egoyan said.
Egoyan praised the festival organization and said it is comparable
in quality to other such international events.
“This year truly world cinematographers have arrived in Yerevan –
Abbas Quiarostami, famous Dutch film director Jos Stelling, Nikita
Mikhalkov; this is really an achievement,” says Egoyan.
In a short exclusive interview to ArmeniaNow (before he agreed to
give his first press conference in 35 years) Quiarostami mentioned
he is quite acquainted wiht Armenian culture.
“I have many Armenian friends in Iran and different countries of
the world. Last year my son was in Armenia and I was so interested
from what he told that I came this year despite my schedule,” said
Quiarostomi.
This year’s Golden Apricot included a retrospect show of Quiarostami’s
films, which the director called a big honor for him.
“Of course not all of my films will be shown but those selected will
give the Armenian audience an opportunity to be familiar with my art,”
said Quiarostami.
Quiarostami said he enjoyed “Mariam”, and that Baghdasaryan had a
“very original approach”.
The honored director said he came to Armenia with great interest to
see how in this newly born state in hard conditions films are created
and even a festival exists.
If last year, during the first Golden Apricot, locals and foreign
guests were tolerantly closing eyes on some shortcomings, this year
improvements are noticeable.
“Both the opening ceremony, and the number and quality of presented
films . . . this is a big step forward for one year that speaks
of the possibilities this festival has,” says Peter van Buren (The
Netherlands), president of the fiction films juries last year.
The head of the documentaries juries Ruben Gevorgyants believes the
two-year-old festival has started “walking”: “This is the toddler
that just starts walking, but is firm, walks for the sake of Armenia
and will soon tell the whole world about our country.”
The best films of the festival will be announced during final
ceremonies on July 17.
EUROPEAN CHALLENGE: WILL INTERNATIONAL CLUB FOOTBALL STAY IN ARMENIA
LONGER THAN USUAL?
By Suren Musayelyan ArmeniaNow Reporter
European club football arrived in Yerevan again this week after a long
year of waiting, but few fans and specialists believe that it will
actually stay here until autumn when the crucial stages of European
Cup tournaments begin.
Armenia, which boasts a mid-70s team, Ararat, competing as an equal
with grand European sides, has yet to see its first club progressing
to the late stages of European competitions in the post-independence
period.
Armenia’s champions FC Pyunik from Yerevan played against Finland’s
Haka in the first qualifying round of the Champions League on Wednesday
losing 0-1 in Valkeakoski and complicating the task of reaching the
next qualifying round (drawn against another Scandinavian stalwart
Valerenga from Norway) in a return match in Yerevan on July 20.
The task for Pyunik will look even tougher given that it will lose
two leading young players, goalkeeper Apula Bete and midfielder Karl
Lombe, who will be on international duty with Armenia’s U-19’s in
Northern Ireland.
FC Pyunik and national team coach Henk Wisman said before the match
that he hoped his charges would “make the fans happy”. Meanwhile,
his Finnish counterpart, Olli Huttunen, said he hoped for “a good
contest” in the two-leg tie.
Before the match in Finland international bookmakers highly evaluated
the chances of the Finnish team to win: 1.58, against 4.5 for Pyunik
and 3.4 for a draw and they are likely to tip Haka as winner on
aggregate.
It is the third time that Pyunik (participating in the Champions
League qualifying round for the sixth time) meet a Finnish team. On two
previous occasions, they first lost 5-6 on aggregate to HIK in 1996 and
in 2002 the Armenians manage to overcome Tampere – 6-0 on aggregate.
To reach the last 32-team group stage Pyunik have to outplay their
opponents in three qualifying rounds – a task that seems next to
impossible given that there is a chance Pyunik will have to meet
Champions League titleholders Liverpool in the final third round if
they manage to progress that far.
Before the start of the Champions League matches coach Wisman, who
had always spoke about the need to recruit good strikers, had invited
forwards from Argentina, Brazil and Mexico to the team.
The Dutch specialist was earlier criticized for the national team’s
setbacks in the 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign and Pyunik’s
underachieving in the national championship. Now he hopes his
attack-minded strategy will pay off soon.
Last year, still with their young top marksman, now Ajax man Edgar
Manucharyan, Pyunik first rekindled hopes for reaching the group stage
in the Champions League by beating Macedonia’s FK Pobeda (Skopje)
in the first qualifying round only to lose to Ukraine’s Shakhtar
(Donetsk) and failing to clear the double Slavonic barrier.
Now only a few loyal fans believe that the Yerevan side will manage
to overcome the double Scandinavian hurdle and a surely tougher
third round.
Sergey Petrosyan, 66, remembers the times of football glory for
Yerevan’s Ararat, as well as the decline in the 80s when the best
team of Armenia would finish far behind the top six in the Soviet
championship that allowed a place in a European competition.
“Many thought then that an independent championship would mean big
European football every season. But it didn’t happen,” he says. “I
think the level of club competition in the Soviet Union was higher
than Armenian clubs can get on the international level playing only
in qualifying rounds.”
Petrosyan remembers that Ararat played at least 30 competitive matches
during a season in the USSR championship, plus several Cup matches,
against strong teams from Moscow, Kiev, Tbilisi and others.
“Now they play a couple of matches against mediocre European teams
and even then drop out often without putting up any resistance,”
says the veteran football fan and former referee.
Armenian football legend of the 1950-60s Sargis Hovivyan thinks that
it is already more than two decades that Armenia has had no football.
“Of course, it is more than a decade that Armenia has had its own
championship, Cup competition, with one team becoming a champion,
winning the Cup or being relegated to the lower league. But until
we succeed in the UEFA competitions against teams of our or lower
standing, I consider that we have no football,” Hovivyan said in a
recent interview with the Iravunk weekly.
Football analyst Arman Karapetyan thinks that to be competitive on the
international level Armenian footballers need to play “intellectual
football”.
“Our footballers have reached a certain level of technical skills,
but lack intellectual mechanisms of applying these skills. They need
intellect that would act approximately as an internal combustion
engine, which turns thermal energy into mechanical one. That is,
intellect is needed to convert football skills into result,” the
analyst argues.
Banants from Yerevan and the League’s runners-up and Cup holders
Mika from Ashtarak played the first of their two-leg matches in the
UEFA Cup on Thursday night against neighboring Georgia’s Lokomitiv
(at home) and German Mainz (away), respectively (see this week’s
Sport Digest for results).
Before their return matches on July 28, both clubs bear in mind the
humiliating experience of Lernagorts Kapan routed by Switzerland’s
Xamax (1-3 and 0-6) in the Intertoto Cup last month.
It is clear that apart from intellect, Pyunik, Banants and Mika will
need to score goals (the more, the better) in their next matches to
stay on in the competition for any longer.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress