California Courier Online, January 25, 2007
1 – Commentary
Genocide Continues: Turkish Leaders
Are Responsible for Dink’s Murder
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
2 – College Students Work Toward Greater Role
For the Diaspora in Armenia’s Development
3 – Univ. of Venice Intensive Summer Course of
Armenian Language, Culture Set for August
4 – Melikians’ Donation of $1 Million Boosts
International Programs at Arizona State Univ.
5 – Canadian Billionaire Jack Khachkar
Buys Olympique Marseille Soccer Club
6 – Eyewitness Report of Pilgrimage to Historic
Armenia Set for Feb. 8
7 – Diocesan Debutante Ball Slated for
Feb. 18 at Regent Beverly Wilshire
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1 – Commentary
Genocide Continues: Turkish Leaders
Are Responsible for Dink’s Murder
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
The cold-blooded murder in Istanbul of Hrant Dink, the editor of the
bilingual Armenian/Turkish Agos newspaper, has been condemned by leading
officials and prominent individuals throughout the world.
Turkish leaders who reviled and mistreated him and took him to court
repeatedly on trumped up charges of "Insulting Turkishness" are now
expressing their "sincerest" condolences to his family. These are simply
insincere crocodile tears. Alarmed by the massive outpouring of sympathy for
the 52-year-old murdered Armenian editor, these Turkish officials are simply
engaged in damage control. Seeing that Turkey stands to lose a great deal
from a political assassination that was carried out in broad daylight, with
Dink’s body lying on the cold pavement for hours shown on worldwide TV
screens, and realizing the devastating effect this would have on their
country’s tarnished reputation, they have decided to unleash a charm
offensive, becoming overnight great admirers of Hrant Dink and staunch
defenders of freedom of expression and minority rights! Who are they
fooling?
These are the same leaders who painted a bull’s eye on Dink’s back by
labeling him an enemy of the Turkish nation. And then, they refused to
provide him with any protection after he informed them that his life was in
danger due to the steady stream of ominous death threats he was receiving.
In his last column, published on January 10, Dink foretold the immediate
danger to his life: "The threats reaching hundreds kept coming for months
through phone calls, e-mails and letters…. The deep force was trying to
single me out and make me an open target in the eyes of the people of
Turkey…. That great force which had decided once and for all to put me in
my place and had made itself felt at every stage of my lawsuit, through
processes I would not even know about, was present once again behind the
scenes. … The diary and memory of my computer are filled with angry,
threatening lines sent by citizens from this particular sector. Let me note
here at this juncture that even though one of these letters was sent from
[the neighboring city of] Bursa and that I had found it rather disturbing
because of the proximity of the danger it represented and [therefore] turned
the threatening letter over to the Shishli prosecutor’s office, I have not
been able to get a result
until this day."
While a 17-year old fanatical young man, hired by "dark forces," is said
to have pulled the trigger, many others have a share of responsibility in
Dink’s murder. It is noteworthy that the Turkish police, after apprehending
the assassin and a group of collaborators, discovered that he was armed and
directed to carry out this murder by another extremist who was trained in
the use of weapons by Chechens in Azerbaijan. It is becoming increasingly
clear, and Dink said so himself in his January 10 column, that he was being
targeted by "a deep force."
Given the sinister nature of the clandestine ruling circles of Turkey, known
as the "Deep State," an international panel of investigators must be
constituted in order to uncover the far-reaching tentacles of these
conspirators. It is obvious that Turkish leaders are not going to
investigate themselves. They are also not too eager to expose the
connections to Azerbaijan.
For decades, successive Turkish governments have denied the facts of the
Armenian Genocide and vilified those who have dared to speak about it. While
the long arm of the Turkish regime has reached everywhere in the world to
counter all mention of the Armenian Genocide, it has been even more
effective in silencing its domestic opponents. Turkey passed laws that made
it illegal to refer to the Armenian Genocide and adamantly refused to change
its repressive laws, even when European Union officials were pressing them
or pleading with them to do so. Turkey’s "Deep State" created an
atmosphere of fear and intimidation, so no one would dare to utter a word on
this subject. This atmosphere of intolerance gave a free rein to extremists
and agents of the "Deep State" to eliminate "all enemies of the nation."
Therefore, Turkish officials are directly responsible for Dink’s murder.
In a vain effort to appear accommodating, the Foreign Ministry of Turkey
issued a blanket invitation to leaders of Armenia and the Diaspora to come
to Istanbul for the funeral of Dink. The announcement said that the Turkish
government would pay all travel and hotel expenses for Armenians accepting
this invitation, making it clear that only "moderate" Armenians would be
welcome. It would be interesting to know whom the Turkish government
identifies as a "moderate" and which Armenian would accept direct payment
from Ankara.
There has been, however, one major and an unexpectedly positive development
since Dink’s tragic death. Tens of thousands of Turks and others have been
marching in the major cities of Turkey, shouting: "We are all Hrant Dink;
We are all Armenians!" This is an unprecedented act. It indicates that
there is such intense indignation, among at least a segment of the Turkish
population, at the repressive environment dominating the country for so long
that they no longer fear showing their resentment. If this circle of decent
and humane Turks would expand in the near future, it would bode well for
Turkish-Armenian relations and lead to popular pressure to stop the lies on
the Armenian Genocide.
If the Turkish government wants to take concrete and meaningful actions to
indicate its goodwill following the tragic death of Hrant Dink, it should
immediately repeal Article 301 which effectively bans any reference to the
Armenian Genocide, open the border with Armenia, and stop the denials and
the funding of denialist propaganda on the Armenian Genocide.
The U.S. government should also do its part by having the Congress pass a
resolution on the Armenian Genocide, followed by a presidential statement
issued on April 24 reaffirming the genocide. Similarly, the French Senate
should adopt the pending law which intends to penalize the denial of the
Armenian Genocide in France.
Substantive, not cosmetic changes must take place in Turkey in order to stop
such senseless killings. The European Union should finally speak with a
forceful voice rather than trying to appease the Turkish leadership which
has been heretofore very reluctant to carry out any substantial reforms.
Otherwise, Dink would have sacrificed his life in vain. He was a voice for
reason and peace in Turkey. He called himself a vulnerable "pigeon." He
put his life on the line and it was mercilessly cut short.
Will such killings ever stop in Turkey? Will the Armenian Genocide, 92 years
later, continue to claim more innocent victims? It is time to stop paying
lip service to reforms and start taking decisive action to end the
repressive atmosphere in Turkey. The Turkish people, marching by the
thousands in recent days, may have triggered such a salutary movement. Will
they be able to overthrow their oppressive yoke and force their leaders to
become more humane? Only time will tell!
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2 – College Students Work Toward Greater Role
For the Diaspora in Armenia’s Development
NEW YORK, NY. – Armenian students from all over the United States and Canada
will gather at Columbia University in New York City, Feb. 3-4 to discuss
the challenges and opportunities for development in Armenia.
Organized by the Columbia University Armenian Club and Advocates for
Armenia, the summit is being sponsored by the Armenian General Benevolent
Union (AGBU) and the Armenian Center at Columbia University.
The purpose of the summit, titled "Armenia’s Development: The Students’
Role", is to empower young Armenians to effect positive change in Armenia
today. The two-day meeting will feature presentations by prominent figures
in the developing fields of business, information technology, health, law,
and education, as well as addresses by high-ranking Armenian diplomats.
These presentations will set the stage for the core of the summit: Intensive
working sessions that will facilitate student action. During these sessions,
student participants will work with experts to formulate innovative ideas
for specific, small-scale projects to be implemented in Armenia within the
next two years.
Founder and Coordinator of Advocates for Armenia, Levon Bagramian, believes
that activities such as this summit should become frequent in the Armenian
communities of the United States.
"We are trying to get people to shift their attention to things that matter,
things that will outlive us," says Bagramian. "We believe that Armenians of
our generation have a lot at stake in the future of Armenia, a country that
has been growing and changing at a pace unprecedented in its recent history.
At the end of this road, we envision an Armenia that is independent,
peaceful, prosperous and democratic. Until then, we will not be satisfied
with sitting back and watching it happen on its own. We have made the
decision to be a part of the action, and we encourage our colleagues from
the Diaspora to do the same."
Registration is open to everyone on a first-come first-serve basis. More
information and access to the registration page are available at
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3 – Univ. of Venice Intensive Summer Course
Of Armenian Language, Culture Set for August
VENICE, Italy – The intensive summer course of Armenian Language and Culture
of the University of Venice (Department of Eurasian Studies and "Centro
Linguistico Interfacolta"), in collaboration with the Cultural Association
"Padus-Araxes," will take place Aug. 1-20. Arrivals are scheduled for July
30-31, exams on the 21st and departures on Aug. 22-23.
Applications must be done in writing. Numbers for phones and fax must be
provided along with an e-mail address. Applicants need to be at least 18
years of age.
The course has three basic levels, beginners, intermediate and Advanced.
Lessons are held Monday through Friday, five hours in the morning.
Attendance is compulsory. Various cultural initiatives will accompany the
course.
This year, for the first time, free elective courses of Armenian dance and
Armenian cuisine will be offered in the afternoon.
Tuition is 670 ~@ or its equivalent in other currency. Of this amount, 450
~@ must be sent as a registration deposit before March 31. After this date
the amount of the registration fee will be of 500 ~@. The total amount will
be settled on arrival day in one of the main Western currencies. This is a
requirement for access to the lodging. Once paid, monies will not be
refunded for any reason. A 10% discount is applied to those who have already
attended the course, at least twice, with a good result as well as to one of
the close relatives (parents, brothers, husband/wife). International bank
checks or money-orders must be made out only to Associazione Padus-Araxed,
and mailed to Assoc. Padus-Araxes – c/o Dipt. Studi Eurasiatici – S. Polo
2035 – 30125 Venezia (Italia). Personal or postal checks are not accepted.
Lodging is offered to the participants at a Student Home (Residenza
Abbazia), in Venice. Accommodation fee for Juily 30 through August 22 is ~@
800 for a single room, ~@ 600 for a double room. Lunch or dinner costs 7 ~@
to be paid at the time of the service.
For information, fax to +39.041.2414448 or send an E-mail to
<[email protected]>. For urgent information, call at +39.041.2414448
on Monday and Thursday morning from 9.30 am to 12.30 pm., or at
+39.347.4562981 at 8-10 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday (Italian
time). Please note the time difference.
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4 – Melikians’ Donation of $1 Million Boosts
International Programs at Arizona State Univ.
TEMPE, Ariz. – Arizona State University’s commitment to global engagement is
receiving a major boost in the form of a $1 million contribution by two
longtime Phoenix civic leaders and philanthropists, Gregory Melikian and his
wife Emma Ordjanian Melikian. Their gift will fund the expansion of
international programming at the university’s Russian and East European
Studies Center, a unit in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences that will
be renamed The Melikian Center in recognition of the university’s
partnership with the Melikians.
Center programming features the internationally recognized Critical
Languages Institute, which offers intensive instruction every summer in less
commonly taught languages of Eastern Europe and Eurasia, including Armenian,
Albanian, Macedonian, Tatar and Uzbek. The center’s strategic partnerships
with major universities of the region – notably its linkages with Yerevan
State University, Moscow State University, the University of Sarajevo, Ss.
Kiril and Metodij University (Macedonia) and the University of Pristina –
have been supported by grants from the U.S. Department of State and U.S.
Agency for International Development.
"This major contribution from the Melikians brings the study of Eurasia and
Eastern Europe into ASU’s wider scope of global engagement that already
includes important programming in China and Mexico," says ASU President
Michael M. Crow. "Programs like these are at the heart of ASU’s global
engagement efforts."
In 2001, an endowment from the couple led to the creation of The Melikian
Fund, which supports the study of Armenian language and culture at ASU. In
announcing this recent $1 million gift, center director and ASU professor
Stephen Batalden says the Melikians generosity will make a difference in the
lives of students and faculty, a difference that often has transformative
results.
"At a time when the geopolitical significance of the Eurasian Islamic rim
has never been greater, this gift from the Melikians will offer students at
ASU a unique research and language training opportunity for the 21st
century," Batalden says. "What the Melikians have done for the next
generation of leaders is to greatly expand the opportunities for
international exchange of scholars, for research and study abroad, and for
critical language training."
In commenting on the growing importance to understand the history, language
and culture of Eurasia and Eastern Europe, Gregory Melikian says, "What
better way to communicate than to speak each other’s language. These are
critical languages, and there is a critical need in the world today for
people who can speak these languages fluently."
He and his wife Emma are of Armenian descent and between them speak numerous
languages, including Russian and Armenian.
"Our world is shrinking," notes Emma Melikian. "And, in order to understand
all people of the world, and participate in global
engagement, our future generation has to speak critical languages and know
history to help America in the world arena," she says.
This latest gift by the Melikians follows a history of commitment and giving
to Arizona State University. In addition to the creation of The Melikian
Fund, Gregory Melikian previously donated to the university’s Special
Collections eight World War II dispatches, including a copy of the message
sent by Supreme Allied Commander Eisenhower announcing the end of World War
II in Europe. Melikian, an Army Signal Corps Sergeant at the time, was
tasked with sending the original high speed radio
transmission of the message, a copy of which he saved in plain text on a
Signal Corps form.
Gregory Melikian, who says with a chuckle that as a senior citizen he has
always admired longevity, began his long-term relationship with Arizona
State University in the 1970s, while serving on the board of the Friends of
Eight, a volunteer organization at the university’s PBS-affiliated
television station – Eight/KAET.
The Melikians are owners of the historic Hotel San Carlos in downtown
Phoenix and have been generous supporters of education and the arts in
Arizona. Gregory Melikian has been a board member of the Phoenix Symphony
and served as president of the Arizona Opera Company. Emma Ordjanian
Melikian has served on the board of the Asian Arts Council of the Phoenix
Art Museum. She is the founding president of Thank You America Foundation,
an organization in support of educational
opportunities for homeless and abused children of Arizona. For that, she has
received the George Washington Medal of Honor from the Freedoms Foundation
at Valley Forge in 1999, the Outstanding Achievement Award from the
Daughters of the American Revolution and the Alpha Delta Kappa Woman of
Distinguished Award in 2002. She also has been active in the National
Society of Arts and Letters for more than 20 years.
Additionally, the Melikians are among the original donors to the Armenian
Cultural Center in Scottsdale. Their three sons and a daughter – Robert,
Richard, James, and Ramona – have attended Arizona State University.
More information about The Melikian Center and ASU’s Russian, Eurasian and
East European Studies program is available at (480) 965-4188 or online at
<;
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5 – Canadian Billionaire Jack Khachkar
Buys Olympique Marseille Soccer Club
Eurosport, France
PARIS – Canadian billionaire Jack Kachkar is buying Olympique Marseille
owner Robert Louis Dreyfus’ share of the club. The final details are being
cleared up but the deal should be completed within the next few days,
Kachkar’s representatives told eurosport.com.
Kachkar is a Syrian-born Canadian of Armenian ancestry and runs Inyx Ltd, a
pharmaceuticals company.
The new OM supremo is contractually obliged to keep Chairman Pape Diouf and
director of sports Jose Anigo until the end of the season.
"Jack Kachkar confirms he made an offer to Robert Louis Dreyfus, accompanied
by the requisite guarantees, for the acquisition of his majority
shareholding of Olympique Marseille," a spokesman told us today.
"Mr. Kachkar’s offer will be revealed to the Marseille board in the next few
days for a consultation. The operation must be concluded during February."
Kachkar has been linked with a move for the sleeping giants since the start
of the season, with Sven-Goran Eriksson reportedly primed to take the
coaching reins on confirmation.
"I have wanted to invest myself personally in a big football club for a long
time," Jack Kachkar declared.
"I am passionate about football and I have been a Marseille fan for a while
now. I appreciate its history and the support of the fans for their team.
"Being the major shareholder of this historic club is an honor for me. This
is why I have the intention to involve myself personally within the club in
the long-term.
"Together we will make Olympique de Marseille a big club again."
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6 – Eyewitness Report
Of Pilgrimage to Historic
Armenia Set for Feb. 8
GLENDALE – Zaven Khanjian of Glendale, Calif., who last fall completed a
tour of historic Armenia will present an eyewitness account of the land,
people and culture on Feb. 8, at 7:30 p.m., at the Glendale Central Library,
222 East Harvard St., Glendale.
The pilgrimage covered Istanbul, the Eastern Cilician towns of Anteb,
Marash, Zeitun in addition to Romkla, Urfa, Kharpert, Arapkir, Aghin, Mus,
Bitlis, Ararat, Van, Ani, Gars in heartland historic Armenia and Hamshen in
the Jorokh Valley on the Black Sea.
Armen Aroyan, a pioneer in leading such groups on tours into historic
Armenia will accompany Zaven Khanjian in the presentation which will also
include a slide show and video clips.
The event is sponsored by the Hamazkayin Educational & Cultural Society of
Western United States Regional Executive and organized by its Glendale – La
Crescenta – Burbank Chapter.
Admission is free and the public is cordially invited. A reception will
follow the event.
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7 – Diocesan Debutante Ball Slated for
Feb. 18 at Regent Beverly Wilshire
LOS ANGELES – The Ladies Auxiliary of the Western Diocese of the Armenian
Church of North America are in the midst of preparing for their Thirty-sixth
Annual Debutante Ball.
The Ball will be held on Feb.18, in the ballroom of the Regent Beverly
Wilshire Hotel. There will be a reception beginning at 5:00 p.m.
Under the auspices of Western Diocese Primate Archbishop Hovnan Derderian
the presentation of our 24 Debutantes will begin at 6:00 p.m.
Chairlady Cindy Norian adds, "We are so thrilled to present 24 Debutantes
this year and it has been wonderful working with them.
Adrienne Krikorian, a very active person in the Armenian community, will be
the master of ceremonies
For reservations, call Rose Ketchoyan at (818) 788-5138.
For information about putting in a business ad or personal greeting in the
Keepsake Booklet, call Margaret Lulejian at (818) 886-03481
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