GIBRAHAYER
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_simon@cytanet.com.cy_ (mailto:simon@cytanet.com.cy)
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DR ANTRANIK ASHDJIAN ANNOUNCES HIS CANDIDACY
Dr.Atamyan’s candidacy expected to follow
Gibrahayer September 12, 2005. A prominent community activist – a dentist by
profession – with an impeccable track record in community affairs is bidding
to become the next Armenian representative in the Cyprus House of
Representatives, in the by-elections that will take place on Sunday October 9, 2005.
Besides his current position as Chairman of the Armenian National Committee
of Cyprus – a post which he has continuously held for the past eight years –
Dr.Antranik Ashdjian has been on the Editorial Board of the Artsagang
Armenian language monthly since its founding ten years ago.
He has on many occasions participated in conferences, seminars and
discussions in Cyprus, Armenia, Brussels and elsewhere, addressing issues concerning
the Armenian nation, the Armenian Cause, the Armenian Church, and the Armenian
Community in Cyprus as well as minority rights. Together with the late
representative Bedros Kalaydjian, he played a key role in formulating the Armenian
community’s positions and visions regarding its status in a post-solution
Cyprus.
He has written numerous articles on these issues which have been published
in Cypriot (Greek and Armenian language) and Diaspora publications.
Dr.Antranik Ashdjian – a graduate of the Semmelweis Medical University of
Budapest – speaks and writes Armenian, Greek, English and Hungarian fluently.
With his perfect knowledge of the Greek language he has – on numerous occasions
over the years – appeared and advocated on Armenian related issues on
national TV and all local printed and electronic media.
In 1998 he was ordained a Deacon in the Armenian Apostolic Church of Cyprus
which he has been serving since childhood.
Dr. Ashdjian has been a member of the Diocesan Committee for the 1700th
Jubilee of the Proclamation of Christianity as State Religion in Armenia and
numerous delegations of the Catholicosate of Cilicia in Ecumenical meetings and
conferences.
He has also been active in the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) and served
for several terms in the AYMA/HMEM committee.
In AYF’s first International jamboree held in Armenia in 1997, he met his
wife Aline – a Kuwaiti Armenian whom he married in 1999. Aline works as an IT
professional in PricewaterhouseCoopers, and is an active member of The
Armenian Relief Society (HOM) of Cyprus, Hamazkayin Oshagan Cyprus Chapter and The
Nareg School Parents and Teachers Association. Their daughter Alik aged five,
currently attends first grade in Nareg Armenian School.
Dr. Ashdjian has been instrumental in the publication of the coloured
tri-lingual album titled “The Armenian Apostolic Church in Cyprus”, as well as the
Armenian-Greek-English booklet containing the Armenian Liturgy aimed at
bringing non-Armenian speaking families closer to the Church and the community. He
is also responsible for the publication of “Keghart” – the periodical of the
Armenian Prelacy of Cyprus and assists in the publication of “Ardziv”, a
literary weekly published in Lebanon.
Although no other official candidacy has been announced to the press to
date, it is speculated by community circles that Dr. Ashdjian’s candidacy will
not be the last. Nareg School’s Committee Chairman Dr. Vahakn Atamyan’s name is
certain to join the name of candidates. Dr.Atamyan is the President of the
Ararat AGBU Futsal team and has served for several years on the School Board
of the Melkonian Educational Institute.
A TENNIS PLAYER FROM ARMENIA LANDS IN CYPRUS
A top ranked 15 year-old tennis player, Zaruhi Harutyunyan from Armenia has
landed in Cyprus.
She has decided to stay in Cyprus and travel the tennis circuit. To that
end, community officials offering assistance to the talented girl have already
arranged for her to train with the Cypriot National Tennis team at the
Federation’s National Tennis center and work is under way to arrange issues related
to her accommodation and support team who are going to help her make her mark
on the tennis circuit.
Harutyunyan decided to stay in Cyprus after the Aphrodite Cup – a world
ranking Junior tournament – in which she lost to -three years her senior – world
number 228 Zuzanna Likhova of the Czech Republic.
With limited possibilities and opportunities in Armenia, she is hoping that
her risks away from home will soon be rewarded.
As a nine year old, Harutyunyan won the Palm Springs – California Under 12
tournament and subsequently won tournaments in Bulgaria, Germany, Holland,
France, England in the under 14 and the under 16 categories.
Like every community undertaking, this too needs generous community support.
With the 6,000 subscribers reading Gibrahayer e-magazine every week, I am
certain that Armenians from across the globe will offer their assistance too.
Let us all give it to her.
With her practice schedule and physical training already planned and taken
care of by interested parties in Cyprus, the community can show its assistance
in several other ways.
She will soon go on the world tour. She needs support for travel and
accommodation, sponsors for clothing, a budget for her initial take-off, where she
will be attempting to break the tennis scene.
You would be amazed with the seemingly little things that are important
right now.
She is 15 and does not have a driving license and needs rides to and fro the
practice grounds every day… twice.
She needs to “replace” her family vacuum, of a widowed mother from a car
accident, and a four your old sister.
Take a moment to think about the needs of this brave young girl who has
given up everything we often take for granted
With her kind of potential I am certain she will give back to her homeland
what our homeland is unable to give to her right now.
Simon Aynedjian – Gibrahayer e-magazine
All contributions will be publicised in the coming issues of Gibrahayer
e-magazine. Email or call me on +357 99437073.
THE FIGHT TO SAVE MELKONIAN CONTINUES
..follow the latest news regarding the Pan-Armenian mobilization against .
the decision of the AGBU to shut down Melkonian school …
OUR OPINION
To realise and reinforce the fight to save Melkonian, it is important that
all parties involved as well as all individuals connected to the
administration and running of the school and decision-making processes of the last
decades, come out of their shelters and account for the reasons they perceive as to
why Melkonian was shut down.
Until today, this has not been done.
Only blaming the AGBU central board for a decision which was the final piece
to a puzzle, is both wrong and unethical.
It also shifts blame to the wrong-doings of the people who in the past ran
the school as a political bastion, and benefited from the funds and leverages
the school provided.
AGBU central board no doubt have their part of the blame. They too should
account for their wrong doings.
Who are the brave to stand on the ashes of Melkonian and account for the
biggest blow on our community after the Turkish invasion?
Gibrahayer e-magazine – September 6, 2005
â~@¢25 Turkish journalists will shortly pay a “working visit” to Yerevan on the
initiative of the Turkish
Foreign Ministry. The Star newspaper (Turkey) reports that the visit will
take place in
the framework of the events preceding the Sept 23-25 Istanbul Armenian
Conference, an event that is to consider alternative opinions on the Armenian
Genocide and to establish contacts for developing ties between Armenia and Turkey.
â~@¢A public conference scheduled for September 22 will address Turkey’s
violations of basic rights as it prepares to begin accession talks with the
European Union (EU) on October 3. Organized by the European Armenian Federation, the
conference, “December
2004–October 2005: Has Turkey Changed?” is supported by the largest
political group in the European Parliament, the EPP-ED–the Group of the European
People’s Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats in the European
Parliament.
â~@¢Cyprus escalated a row over Turkey’s refusal to recognize it, suggesting on
Thursday an emergency European Union ministerial meeting just one week
before Ankara is due to open membership talks. EU president Britain said it hoped
to avoid such a foreign ministers’ meeting, which would leave little time to
agree on a negotiating mandate before the planned October 3 start of talks.
â~@¢ The Armenian government approved on Thursday $200,000 in assistance to
victims of Hurricane Katrina. Deputy foreign minister Arman Kirakossian said the
money will be released from government’s reserve fund and will be
transferred on a special US government bank account early next week.
â~@¢Armenia’s defense ministry denied Azeri news reports that an Azeri soldier
had been killed in a skirmish with Armenian forces in
Mountainous Karabagh on September 7. The Azerbaijan ANS channel had reported
that Azeri army positions near a village in the northern section of the
frontline around had Karabagh came under ‘intensive’ automatic gunfire from
Armenian troops.
â~@¢Raging with its hypnotically dark, dense and arty style, “Mezmerize” is
System Of A Down’s recently released third album and perhaps its hardest-hitting
effort to date. With their newest album already topping the music charts in
the United States, Systm f Down are looking to unleash Mezmerize in Armenia.
â~@¢As part of its ongoing objective to develop activities and programs that
promote the growth of young Armenian American professionals and strong leaders,
the Armenian National Committee-Professional Network (ANC-PN) hosted its
inaugural Summer Trip to Armenia. Over 40 young Armenian American professionals
from across the nation embarked on the 13-day trip, which
traversed the Republics of Armenia and Mountainous Karabagh Republic.
I hear hurricanes a blowin’
And I know the end is coming soon
I fear rivers overflowing
I hear the voice for rage and ruin.
So don’t go out tonight
It’s bound to take your life
There’s a bad moon on the rise.
Bad Moon Risin by Creedance Clearwater Revival
RECENTLY REPATRIATED ARMENIAN CYPRIOT FAMILY OPEN UP AUTO SERVICE CENTER IN
NICOSIA
Gibrahayer. Nicosia September 12, 2005. An Armenian Cypriot family recently
back from Australia have opened up an Auto service center in Nicosia. The
Parikians who moved from Australia after fleeing the Turkish invasion of 1974
are back to their homeland and are throwing roots in the country they left 30
years ago.
The Showroom / Autoservice center – Style V – is situated on Dimosthenis
Severis Avenue (next to Yianopoullos Jewellery). The center will be fully
operational as of this week, and in October it will also engage in auto styling
and car sales.
The Parikians are hoping to bring to their new business the expertise they
have gained over the years in Australia and are confident that the Armenian
community of Cyprus will support their repatriation.
You can reach them for a free consultation at 22 661999, fax 22661955 and on
the following mobile number. 99753232.
You can also reach them by email at _stylev@cytanet.com.cy_
(mailto:stylev@cytanet.com.cy)
DENIED CITIZENSHIP
LOS ANGELES (AP) â~@~T A federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that a judge did
not err in granting U.S. citizenship to two Armenian men convicted more than 20
years ago of planning to bomb the Turkish Consulate in Philadelphia.
The decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ends a long struggle
by Viken Hovsepian and Viken Yacoubian, who plotted to bomb the consulate in
retaliation for the massacre of Armenians by Turks in 1915. The Turkish
government denies a massacre occurred.
The men, who have been out of prison since the early 1990s, now have
doctorates, have renounced violence and volunteer many hours a week in the Los
Angeles Armenian-American community, said Mathew Millen, an attorney who helped
handle the immigration portion of their case.
Federal law currently forbids convicted terrorists from becoming citizens.
But anyone convicted of an aggravated felony before November 1990 can be
granted citizenship if they have been “of good moral character” for five years
prior to their application, Millen said.
The men were in their early 20s when they and two others were arrested in
1982 after authorities tape-recorded them planning the bombing. Authorities at
the time said they were linked to the Justice Commandos of the Armenian
Genocide.
Hovsepian was sentenced to six years in prison in 1984, while Yacoubian was
sentenced to three years in prison and 1,000 hours of community service.
Yacoubian is now principal of the Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian School in
Los Angeles’ Little Armenia and has obtained a doctorate in counselling
psychology from the University of Southern California, according to court documents.
RECOMMENDED SITES
TATIANA’S CORNER returns soon … after Tatiana returns from The People’s
Republic of China
This corner is reserved for local artist Tatiana Ferahian’s comic strips
which are amalgamations of Armenian-Cypriot social commentaries, painted with
her usual wry and ironic humour, to stimulate and encourage awareness and
interest toward our community’s everyday happenings.
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TURKEY’S WAR WITH HISTORY
September 8, 2005 LA TIMES EDITORIAL – Orhan Pamuk, arguably Turkey’s most
famous novelist, knew it was risky to ask what had happened to hundreds of
thousands of Armenians killed during the era of the Ottoman Empire. But the
threats didn’t silence him.
Pamuk wondered out loud about the fate of Turkey’s Armenian community, and
the more recent killings of 30,000 Kurds in a war against armed separatists
that began in 1984, during a February interview with a Swiss newspaper.
Seven months later, and one day before European Union ministers were
scheduled to discuss Turkey’s bid to join the union, a Turkish public prosecutor
charged Pamuk with insulting his country.
In Turkey, it is a crime to “denigrate” Turkish identity, punishable by up
to three years in prison. It is up to government authorities to define the
meaning of “denigration.” Pamuk is scheduled to go to trial on Dec. 16.
The timing of Pamuk’s prosecution suggests a deliberate attempt by
conservatives within the Turkish government to derail the country’s EU negotiations.
It clearly violates the conditions set for Turkey’s EU membership, such as
guaranteeing free-speech rights.
In spite of a plethora of evidence gathered by Henry Morgenthau, the U.S.
ambassador in Constantinople from 1913 to 1916, that detailed how the Turkish
government engaged in the systematic annihilation of Armenians, the Turks
still refuse to admit culpability. Instead, they argue that Armenians who
collaborated with the invading Russian forces were deported to Syria and that many
of them died of exposure, famine and disease on their journey.
Pamuk, whose book, “My Name Is Red,” has been translated into more than 20
languages, and other Turkish intellectuals have called for a public debate on
their country’s past.
Last May, Turkish academics organized a conference in Istanbul on the fate
of Ottoman Armenians. Justice Minister Cemil Cicek postponed the conference
the day before it was supposed to open.
These skirmishes are part of a bigger battle between traditionalists and
those who favor European-style modernization.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan should order a halt to Pamuk’s
prosecution, and his government needs to foster more freedom of expression and thought
in Turkey. Striking arbitrary laws that give the government the right to
imprison “critics” of Turkey would be a start. So would an open debate on the
fate of the country’s Armenian population in the early 20th century.
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WHERE ARE WE IN THE INFINITE UNIVERSE?
A theory about coincidences or simultaneous occurrences and infinity
Professor Hovhanness I. Pilikian is an internationally acclaimed film
producer, theater director, a classical music composer, a classical scholar and
social scientist, fluent in many modern languages, including French, German,
Arabic, Armenian and Chinese.
Coincidences or Simultaneous occurrences are puzzling phenomena. Most
people have experienced them, and some on many occasions â~@~S when you would be
thinking of a person, and suddenly he/she appears (â~@~speak of the Devilâ~@~] they
say), or the telephone rings and there he/she is at the other end of the line.
Folk wisdom ascribes it to the powers of the Devil, while scientists scratch
their heads for an acceptable theory.
On one occasion, I picked up the telephone to ring the London
Iranian-Armenian poetess, Mrs. Shoghik Minassian, only to find her at the other end of the
line without the telephone having yet rang… she had picked up the telephone
to make a phone call herself. In even more of a complex and extremely
unlikely version of this â~@~S I have dialled the London based Painter from Armenia,
Artour Oshakantsiâ~@~Ys number, to discover him at the other end of the line
having picked up the telephone with the intention of telephoning me!
Coincidences are the chance occurrence of two unlikely events, seemingly
connected, sometimes the same, happening simultaneously, often at the same time,
overlapping, and even if not, still unlikely to occur, let alone out of the
blue, for no logical reason at all â~@~S it is how Matter behaves at the
subatomic Quantum level that scientists are still unable but struggling to explain…
click here for more:
BOOKS BY TURKISH WRITERS AT THE MOUFFLON BOOKSTORES
THE FRESH VOICE OF TURKEY’S VERY BEST, ORHAN PAMUK AND ELIF SHAFAK ARE IN
CYPRUS
Tel:22665155 bookshop@moufflon.com.cy ,
ARMENIAN MUSIC By Arek Dakessian in Beirut
This section is dedicated to bringing Armenian music closer to us, shedding
light on the Armenian music scene and its history.
DEREK SHERINIAN His latest album, released on the 9th of November 2004,
features a number of high-profile guests such as Zakk Wylde, Steve Stevens, Simon
Philips, Marco Mendoza, Brian Tichy…
Currently he is on tour with Billy Idol
Alice Cooper on Derek Sherinian: “There are a few people on this world who
are born rock stars, he is one” Derek was born Laguna Beach Calif. – an hour
south of LA. He started playing the piano at the age of 5, During his school
years, Derek got offered a scholarship to the prestigious Berkley School of
Music in Boston, where – from his junior year on in 1982- he jammed with the
likes of Will Calhoun who went on to play the bass guitar with Megadeth and
others…
After three semesters at Berkley Derek felt he had what it took to get up on
the big stage, and he got a phone call from his Berkley buddy Pitrelli, who
had just been named musical director of the Alice Cooper band, they were
looking for a keyboard player… He auditioned and got it.
Then Sherinian played with Kiss and Dream Theater alongside other bands, he
even formed a band of his own: Planet X, which was supposed to be the name of
his first solo album. Planet X released four albums. Derek himself has
released four solo albums… the number which is the astonishing one is the number
of albums he has been in, and as a band member, essential, is 19!!!
Another one of us who’s made it in the big time!
visit his personal website:
SPORTS NEWS AND CALENDAR
â~@¢ At the US Open Tennis Championships Armenian Argentinean David Nalbandian
lost to world number one Roger Federer 3-0, while Andre Agassi managed to win
a set in the finals of the same event. Federer won US$ 2.2 million dollars
for 15 days of work on the courts.
â~@¢In the European Futsal (five-a-side football) competition, Tal Grig
Yerevan needed an Emil Mesropyan goal, three seconds from time to keep them on
track for qualification from the four-team UEFA Futsal Cup preliminary round
mini-tournament. The Armenian champions’ successful spot-kick ensured a last-gasp
5-4 victory against Dinamo Tirana of Albania .
â~@¢Ararat AGBU of Nicosia are representing Cyprus in the Futsal Cup Champions
League from 8-13 October, in a round robin tournament that will take place in
Bucharest. Bidding for qualification are the Albanian, Armenian and English
teams, while Aramis of Hungary and Benefica of Portugal will be teams the
Armenian Cypriot team will be facing in their Group. Good luck to the Cyprus
Champions!
â~@¢15 tear old Zaruhi Harutyunyan of Armenia – participating in the world
ranking ITF Junior Championships (under 18) in Nicosia – made it to the semi
finals of the doubles event and challenged the second seed – three years her
senior – world number 228 Zuzanna Likhova of the Czech Republic eventually losing
7-6, 6-4. In the same tournament Harutyunyan defeated Cyprus number one
Irene Ketseva.
â~@¢( )- Larnaca Open Tennis Championships. Dikran
Bedrossian of London and Simon Aynedjian of Nicosia have teamed up to contest the
seniors men’s doubles tournament.
g i b r a h a y c a l e n d a r
â~@¢AYF weekly meetings continue every Monday at AYMA. Next meeting on Monday
19 September at 9:30 pm
â~@¢Badanegan meetings – for children from 7- 12 years old – have begun. They
take place every Saturday at 4:00 pm at AYMA
â~@¢AYMA / HMEM Chicco football practices take place every Friday at 7:30 pm at
AYMA
â~@¢Armenian Radio Hour on The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation via real audio
on . Broadcast 17:00-18:00 local Cyprus time (14:00-15:00
GMT). Armenian news every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday
â~@¢New Year’s Eve Dinner and Dance in London on December 31, 2005. Harout
Pampoukdjian and his Band will be performing in London at the Royal Lancaster at
Hyde Park – London on Saturday 31 December 2005. Reception at 8:00 pm and
Dinner at 9:00 pm. Tickets at 85.00 and Stage Tables at 95.00. For bookings
contact Janet Mardirossian at 4420 84221662, Yvette Mankassarian at 4420
79375703, Ovsig Saroukhanoff at 88683538 and Alenoush Ohanian at 4420 8998 8048 or
the following email address Yvette1411@aol.com . Special 99.00 per room rate
has been arranged by the hotel for overnight stayers. Organised by HOM
(Armenian Relief Society), Hamazkayin and HMEM.
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