LEADER OF RUSSIAN ARMENIANS CLAIMS HATE CRIMES IN RUSSIA AFFECT ARMENIANS LESS THAN OTHER MINORITIES
By Ruzanna Stepanian

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Nov 20 2006

A Moscow-based Armenian tycoon argues that racially motivated attacks
in Russia affect Armenians to a lesser degree than representatives
of other non-Slavic ethnic minorities.

Addressing the concerns over the recent killings of two ethnic
Armenians in Murmansk and near Moscow, Ara Abrahamian, the president of
the Union of Armenians of Russia (UAR), told Armenian intellectuals at
the Writers’ Union in Yerevan on Monday that one shouldn’t think that
only Armenians become victims of ethnic violence and get killed. On
the opposite, he said, statistics shows that representatives of other
ethnic groups, for example Azerbaijanis, are killed more frequently
in Russia.

"One killed Armenian is already too many. But Russia is a big
country. Armenians are killed not only because they are Armenians,
but they are killed because of their ‘wrong color of hair’. There is
no deliberate murder of Armenians," Abrahamian said, adding that much
fewer Armenians than Azerbaijanis or Georgians or representatives of
other [non-Slavic] ethnic groups are murdered in Russia.

According to Abrahamian, indeed there are some problems in Russia’s
law-enforcement bodies when they try to soften the motives of crimes,
besides corresponding work is not being done in public circles
to prevent such cases. But, he said, it doesn’t mean that Russian
authorities encourage such crimes.

The killings of two ethnic Armenians in the last couple of weeks
sparked a fresh outcry in Armenia. Scores of young people in Yerevan
signed a petition last Friday addressed to Armenia’s foreign minister
protesting Yerevan’s inaction and lack of policies on what they believe
to be crimes committed against Armenians in Russia on ethnic grounds.

Chairman of the UAR Murmansk regional community, businessman Artur
Harutiunian was killed next to his house on November 16. Earlier,
on November 11, an Armenian teenage boy, Narek Kocharian, was stabbed
to death on a railway near Moscow.

Galust Sahakian, who heads the parliamentary faction of the ruling
Republican Party of Armenia, told Armenian media on November 17 that
it is time the Armenian government took "serious steps" in response
to the ongoing wave of killings of Armenians in Russia.

Heghine Bisharian of the opposition Orinats Yerkir party argued that
the Armenian authorities are partly to blame for the wave of killings
as they have not created favorable economic conditions in Armenia
that would persuade Armenians who emigrated to Russia in search of
livelihood to return.

"It was, indeed, a great loss for us," Abrahamian said when asked
about the murder of the leader of the Armenian community of Murmansk.

"He [Harutiunian] had been doing a lot to organize Armenians, had
close ties with Armenia. Investigation is underway and it is in the
center of our attention," Abrahamian said, adding that it is yet very
early to express any opinion as "investigators should be allowed to
do their work."

Abrahamian said, however, that Harutiunian’s murder was not connected
with his being Armenia. He said he was a businessman and is likely
to have become a victim of "clashing interests."

Abrahamian complained that they do not get Armenia’s assistance in
preventing such cases. Meanwhile, he said, when a citizen of Armenia
is killed in Russia, Armenia must protest it vigorously.

Abrahamian also said that Armenia must clearly express its policy
towards Georgia in view of the Russian-Georgian tensions.

Russian-Georgian relations must not affect Armenia and if they do,
then in Abrahamian’s opinion Georgia must be criticized.

"Georgia should notify in advance. In case of a blockade it must give
us a way, a corridor," Abrahamian said.

Speaking about the upcoming elections in Armenia, the leader of
Russian Armenians said he is going to participate in the elections
but within the framework of the law. Commenting on what it means,
Abrahamian said that more than 500,000 citizens of Armenia who are
members of the Union of Armenians of Russia live in the Russian
Federation today. And so the Union must participate in the electoral
processes and express its opinion.

Currently, the organization led by Abrahamian studies the political
field in Armenia, what party presents what program and what political
views they have. In January 2007 the Union of Armenians of Russia
is going to announce what political force it will support in the
upcoming elections.