ARMENIAN REPORTER
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February 3, 2007
1. Members of Congress introduce resolution affirming U.S. record on
Armenian Genocide amid general optimism for passage; a tough fight is
likely
2. For this peace, we are in the debt of the Armenian soldier:
Armenia’s armed forces are 15
3. Prime Minister Erdogan and Turkish media point to "deep state"
following Dink’s murder
ARMENIA
4. Parliamentary elections in Armenia set for May 12
5. No change in Turkey’s Armenia policy
6. NATO assessment team to work in Armenia
7. Gazprom Oil confirms that it may build an oil processing factory in Armenia
INTERNATIONAL
8. Azerbaijan to enlist Turkish general to improve its military
COMMUNITY
9. USAPAC holds meetings on Capitol Hill
10. Philadelphia marks Hrant Dink’s murder with service at genocide memorial
11. Fresno judge dismisses request to remove "historic" homes; Old
Armenian Town will include five of its original homes
12. Team Armenia scores 3-1 victory over Fresno Fuego in exhibition soccer match
ARTS & CULTURE
13. Theater: Absurdist show at Luna Playhouse targets corruption in Armenia
14. Film: Armenian legends come to life at the world-famous Chinese
Theatre: Hollywood rolls out the red carpet for the premiere of "The
Priestess"
COMMENTARY
15. Letters: Amb. Evans on the murder of Hrant Dink
16. Letters: Help stop the Darfur genocide
17. Editorial: Support the Genocide resolution
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1. Members of Congress introduce resolution affirming U.S. record on
Armenian Genocide amid general optimism for passage; a tough fight is
likely
by Emil Sanamyan
Special to the "Armenian Reporter"
WASHINGTON — Lawmakers have launched a new effort to have the U.S.
Congress affirm the Armenian Genocide. The proposed House Resolution
106, "Calling upon the President to ensure that the foreign policy of
the United States reflects . . . the United States record relating to
the Armenian Genocide," was officially entered into the "Congressional
Record" on January 31.
The House measure is championed by Reps. Adam Schiff (D.-Calif.),
Frank Pallone, Jr. (D.-N.J.), George Radanovich (R.-Calif.), and Joe
Knollenberg (R.-Mich,), who announced the effort at a January 30 press
conference.
As in the past, the Bush Administration is expected to oppose the
resolution, which both its supporters and opponents agree has its best
chance of passage in years.
H. Res. 106 has received an early endorsement from over 160 of the 435
members of the House of Representatives. These early cosigners
comprise more than half of the Democratic majority and over one-fifth
of the Republican minority in the House.
The Democrats’ victory last November has led to the election of Rep.
Nancy Pelosi (D.-Calif.) as the Speaker of the House, the first time a
member of the Congressional Armenian Caucus and longtime supporter of
Armenian Genocide affirmation has been chosen for the position.
"We feel very strongly that this year is the year we’re going to get
[the resolution] passed," Rep. Pallone said at the press conference.
Asked by the "Reporter" how soon passage is expected, Rep. Knollenberg
suggested that the resolution would come up in the "next 90 days,"
around the time of April 24 commemorations.
But before it can be considered by the full House, H. Res. 106 will be
taken up by the House Foreign Affairs Committee, whose members —
including the legislation’s two other original cosponsors, Reps. Brad
Sherman (D.-Calif.) and Thaddeus McCotter (R.-Mich.) — will play an
important role in securing prompt committee consideration.
Twenty-one of the 48 committee members are among the early cosigners
of the resolution. The committee is chaired by Rep. Tom Lantos
(D.-Calif.), who has a mixed record on affirmation. A Holocaust
survivor, Rep. Lantos nevertheless opposed similar affirmation
measures in the past, citing Turkey’s importance to the United States.
But in 2005, the last time a resolution on the Armenian Genocide
received committee consideration, Rep. Lantos voted for affirmation,
citing Turkey’s obstructionism of U.S. policies. In January, Rep.
Lantos cosigned a congressional letter to the Turkish government
condemning the assassination of Hrant Dink and urging reform in
Turkey. Should the legislation clear the committee, as similar
measures have in the past, it will be up to the Speaker to bring the
resolution to the House floor, something that Speaker Pelosi’s
predecessors repeatedly refused to do, citing opposition from both the
Bush and Clinton administrations.
The resolution’s original cosponsors cautioned that passage would not
be easy.
"Make no mistake, the speaker will get a call from the president
asking for [a vote not be scheduled] on the grounds of national
security," said Rep. Radanovich. U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Ross Wilson
has already expressed the administration’s opposition to the
resolution.
And the Turkish government is likely to use its paid lobbyists in
Washington in combination with blackmail tactics, such as threatening
trade embargoes and suspending military cooperation, to provide a
rationale for the administration’s opposition. Turkey may also take
steps to tighten its blockade against Armenia, as it did in 2000, when
an Armenian Genocide resolution was pulled from congressional
consideration at the last moment.
But even the resolution’s opponents have acknowledged that it has good
chances of passage. U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns agreed
that there is a "lot of momentum behind" the effort to pass the
resolution. Mr. Burns made the comment while answering a question from
one of Turkey’s leading journalists, Mehmet Ali Birand, who suggested
that "there is an overall belief that the Bush Administration will not
be able to block" the resolution. This view was also shared by
Turkey’s former president (1993-2000) Suleyman Demirel, who was quoted
on January 23 by the Azerbaijani daily "Zerkalo" as saying that, "this
time around this legislation is expected to be adopted."
During his visit to Turkey in January, Mr. Burns was repeatedly asked
by major local media whether the murder of Hrant Dink would affect the
chances for the resolution’s passage. While Mr. Burns dismissed such
linkages as "inappropriate," it appears that while strongly condemning
the assassination, the Turkish establishment also had in mind the
imminent introduction of the resolution.
Former U.S. ambassador to Turkey Mark Parris (1997-2000) was quoted by
the "Turkish Daily News" as saying that "the resolution is likely to
pass in both the House of Representatives and the Senate" in spite of
Administration’s opposition.
At this week’s press conference, the resolution’s cosponsors argued
that the opponents of affirmation were misguided, and that passage is
in best interest of both U.S. and Turkey. Rep. Schiff asked: "How can
we demonstrate the kind of moral leadership we need to condemn the
genocide in Darfur, if we do not have the courage to recognize the
murder of a million and a half people in the first genocide of the
last century?"
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2. For this peace, we are in the debt of the Armenian soldier:
Armenia’s armed forces are 15
by Tatul Hakobyan
Special to the "Armenian Reporter"
BERKABER, Armenia – Robert Khudaverdyan has been a war veteran since
the age of 20. "Artavazd, Ararat, the other Ararat, Manvel, Manuk,
Karo, Hamlet. . . They were killed in the war. And now, whenever they
want, they fire. Here, where we are speaking, we are potential
victims," says Robert in the center of the village of Berkaber,
pointing to the Azerbaijani positions across the border. Today, for
the 33-year-old veteran and others in Berkaberd, the most important
thing is peace.
The Mazamlu and Qushchi Airum villages of Azerbaijan’s Qazaq region
and Mount Otundaq are strategically very significant regions for
Azerbaijan ‘s armed forces. A few Armenian villages and segments of
the Ijevan-Noyemberyan road are direct targets for them. Berkaber is
the most vulnerable, where about 800 hectares of fruited gardens
remain under the enemy’s control and the whole village is subject to
its whims. The villagers complain about the difficulties of life, but
the most important thing for them remains peace, even if it is
fragile.
For this peace, as in Berkaber, likewise in Yerevan and the border and
nonborder areas of Armenia, we are in the debt of the Armenian soldier
and the Armenian military, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary
now.
"The most important achievement of Armenia’s 15-year-old military is
the peace that has been in place for 13 years now. The armed forces
are not alone in this achievement, but it is also thanks to them. The
creation of the armed forces is a great achievement of our people,"
Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan announced at a January 19 news
conference, adding that the armed forced defend a 1,200-kilometer
border.
The Armenian armed forces brought together existing volunteer
battalions in order to defend the borders of Armenia and
Nagorno-Karabakh from the attacks of the enemy. Samvel Babayan has
gone from being a soldier in a volunteer battalion to defense minister
of Nagorno-Karabakh and has earned the Hero of Artsakh honor.
"Establishing the armed forces began not in 1990 or 1991 but in
mid-1992," he says. "Until then there were battalions, which
encompassed nationalist, patriotic boys who wanted to help the
fatherland and defend the country’s borders from the attacks of the
enemy. But there came a time in the second half of 1992 when amateur
work and nationalist sentiment was not enough; we had to have an
organized military that could face the enemy."
Vahan Shirkhanyan, the first defense minister of Armenia (who at the
time was called the chairperson of the Defense Committee) recalls that
in 1991 the committee started seeking out Armenian officers in the
Soviet armed forces and inviting them to Armenia.
"The government adopted a decision about setting up an attractive
package for them: housing and good pay," Shirkhanyan says. "And they
came. The first of the officers, 15-17 generals and colonels, started
inviting people they knew. Armenia’s Defense Committee wrote a letter
to Russia’s defense minister, asking for Armenian officers to be sent
on mission to Armenia. We were able to bring the freedom fighter and
the professional together."
Armenia’s first prime minister, Vazgen Manukyan, led the Armenian
military in the most difficult days for Armenian forces in the
Karabakh war, when Azerbaijan had captured over 40 percent of
Nagorno-Karabakh, the village of Artzvashen, which was part of
Armenia, and 800 hectares of Berkaber’s fruit orchards. It was the
autumn of 1992.
"When I was appointed defense minister, we had an important problem.
On the one hand, General Norat Ter-Grigoryan had already been invited
from Russia to Armenia, and he had been given the responsibility of
building the armed forces. On the other hand, his way of organizing
the armed forces, through conscripts, required 2-3 years, whereas
there was a war on. In addition, conflicts had arisen between the
freedom fighters and the professional officer corps.
"In the first place, we had to douse that conflict. Here is what we
did. We decided to establish two armed forces, in a sense: a standard
military with the structure of the Soviet miltary, based on the draft.
We tried not to use that force, the 18-year-olds, on the front lines.
The volunteers took the responsibility for fighting on their
shoulders. These people received high wages and that let them express
their patriotism in the war while knowing that their families were not
living in poverty," Mr. Manukyan adds.
Armenia’s longest-serving defense minister is Serj Sargsyan. He says
that about a third of the Armenian military today consists of
professional officers with long-term employment contracts. He does not
believe Armenia will be able to move to an all-professional military
in the near future, so it must make use of fixed-period military
service.
Armenia is implementing an Individual Partnership Action Plan with the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). This plan foresees
improvements in the armed forces.
Military analyst Richard Giragosian believes that defense reform
within the Armenian armed forces must not only continue but must adopt
a faster and deeper pace, aimed not only at maintaining a defensive
deterrent but also at adopting a strategic emphasis on quality over
quantity, of technology and modern warfare over the Soviet-era
doctrine of the past. "Thus, while Armenia stands ready to celebrate
the 15th anniversary of its armed forces, there should also be a note
of recognition that there are new challenges on the horizon, which
only demand immediate attention. Only then can Armenia truly celebrate
present security and not simply past victory," Giragosian says.
Mr. Sargsyan shares the concern that the Armenian armed forces may
have a shortage of soldiers in the coming years as boys born in the
1990s are called to service. Whereas about 90 thousand children were
born in Armenia each year through 1988, emigration and poor economic
conditions brought the birth rate down sharply, and it now stands
around 32-33 thousand per year. Sargsyan says there is a study on the
potential composition of the armed forces through 2018. Though there
will be a decrease in conscripts, he says, it will not have a
fundamental effect on the armed forces. "It cannot be catastrophic
because appropriate steps are being taken," he says. In 2006 alone we
have signed agreements with over 1,000 individuals who serve in the
Armenian armed forces, and not only the peacekeeping divisions but
also those serving near the border."
Greta Mirzoyan, chairperson of the Zinvori Mayr (Soldier’s Mother)
nongovernmental organization, often visits the troops. The main
problem in the Armenian armed forces today is that of the soldiers’
health, she says. "Today kids born after 1988 are already being called
up. You know what tough years 1988 to 1995 were for Armenia. Many kids
were born with health problems or developed problems in childhood. The
number of unhealthy conscripts is high today."
In the list of potential conscripts for 2006 there are 28,888 young
men born in 1988. Of them 18,659 became soldiers. The rest got
deferments for study, health, or other reasons. Mr. Sargsyan says 831
men avoided the draft and 333 of them were found in Armenia. The
defense minister adds that the number of deaths during service has
fallen sharply in recent years. Over 100 conscripts died in 2000, 47
in 2005, and 33 in 2006. "Thirty-three is not a statistic. These are
33 destinies. We must bring the number of deaths down to the minimum,"
Mr. Sargsyan says.
AZERBAIJAN’S MILITARY BUDGET
Azerbaijan increases its military budget significantly every year.
Baku plans to spend about $1 billion this year on its military. The
entire state budget of Armenia and that of Nagorno-Karabakh together
come to $1.3 billion.
According to Mr. Giragosian, Armenia’s military superiority is rapidly
eroding, as the future balance of power in the region has already
begun to shift. And this shift in military power is not in Armenia’s
favor. Armenia is faced with a looming arms race that it simply can
not hope to keep pace with."
Yet it is not simply the difference in the state defense budget
between Armenia and Azerbaijan that matters most. More importantly, it
is how and where Azerbaijan actually uses this vast amount of money.
Long a central vehicle for state corruption, the Azerbaijani armed
forces is far from impressive. It remains underfed and underdeveloped,
with profound internal problems ranging from inadequate living
conditions for its soldiers to a lack of equipment and supplies. This
is a reflection of the failure of Azerbaijan to undertake any serious
or sincere defense reform. But this may change, as there have been
some signs that Baku intends to move quickly, with Turkish assistance,
toward building a new, modern and capable armed forces," Mr.
Giragosian says.
Samvel Babayan believes that it is not the quantity of weapons that
determines battle-readiness. "What determines whether war will start
again is the everyday state of our armed forces. The enemy must always
understand that its revanchist steps will cost it dearly. We must do
everything to make sure the enemy does not start a war again. A boxer
who expects to lose avoids the ring. The enemy must likewise feel and
come to terms with the fact that problems must be solved around the
table. That is the role of the armed forces. It is not true that the
military has no role in politics. It is the basis on which politics
take place. It is what makes them talk to you at the table," Mr.
Babayan concludes.
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3. Prime Minister Erdogan and Turkish media point to "deep state"
following Dink’s murder
But Turkey’s government is in no rush to liberalize laws in an election year
by Emil Sanamyan
Special to the "Armenian Reporter"
WASHINGTON – Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan acknowledged that Turkey
has not done enough to crack down on what is known as a "deep state"
— a reference to an ultranationalist mafia encompassing elements of
Turkey’s government bureaucracy, security forces, and criminal world
— believed to be behind much of the past political violence in the
country.
But as xenophobic outbursts followed the outpouring of sympathy over
Hrant Dink’s murder, and in an apparent nod to nationalists, Turkish
officials said they were not ready to repeal provisions that
criminalize "insulting Turkishness" and that had led to the targeting
of Mr. Dink and other dissidents.
INVESTIGATION POINTS TO CONSPIRACY
It has also emerged that Turkish police were aware of an
ultranationalist’s plot to kill Hrant Dink, but apparently took no
action. The daily "Sabah" produced a letter sent to police
intelligence headquarters in Ankara and to the Istanbul police in
February of 2006, which cited a police informant, Erhan Tuncel,
reporting that "Yasin Hayal will shoot Hrant Dink."
Both Mr. Hayal and Mr. Tuncel are under arrest as part of the police
investigation into Mr. Dink’s murder. Mr. Hayal has confessed that he
supplied the suspected teenage assassin Ogün Samast with money and the
weapon used in the murder.
Turkish newspapers had previously described Mr. Tuncel as directing
Mr. Hayal and reported that he was charged with "instigating the
killing." "Sabah" published a photo linking Mr. Tuncel to Muhsin
Yazicioglu and his ultranationalist Grand Unity Party (BBP). Mr.
Yazicioglu has denied any role in the murder.
Mr. Tuncel, however, is unlikely to have been both the main organizer
and an informant who told police about the conspiracy to kill Mr.
Dink. And senior Turkish officials appear to share the public
perception of a larger conspiracy that led to the assassination.
The "Turkish Daily News" cited Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin,
who represented the government at Mr. Dink’s funeral, as telling
Samanyolu TV that police needed to find the real organizers of the
murder. "Those arrested boys are straw men to me," Mr. Sahin said.
The Turkish government also dismissed Trabzon’s governor and police
chief. Police officials would not comment on "Sabah"’s allegations.
Mr, Hayal, Mr. Tuncel, and Mr. Samast are residents of Trabzon, in
Turkey’s northeast, where another teenager murdered a Catholic priest
in February of last year.
AZERBAIJAN CONNECTION
The Turkish news portal Haber3.com and the newspaper "Radikal" cited
Orhan Dink as saying that his brother was particularly worried about
threats from retired general Veli Kucuk, since the latter was
previously with the controversial "Intelligence and Counter-Terror
Unit" (JITEM) of the Turkish Gendarmerie (internal security forces).
For over a decade, JITEM was in many ways a modern-day iteration of
the "Teskilat-i Mahsusa" (Special organization) that carried out
Armenian massacres on behalf of the Ottoman government. JITEM was
linked to death squads that targeted Kurdish resistance in Turkey and
their perceived political allies inside and outside the country.
The Kurdish Firat news agency published pictures of an Azerbaijani
nationalists’ get-together in Sweden in 2005, where Gen. Kucuk was
seen with other Turkish ultranationalists, such as Kamal Kerincsiz who
repeatedly filed legal claims against Mr. Dink and other Turkish
dissidents. Both Mr. Kerincsiz and Gen. Kucuk denied any role in the
murder.
The same news agency cites a nephew of Azerbaijan’s former deputy
interior minister Siyavush Mustafayev, who claimed in 2001 that Gen.
Kucuk, in cooperation with Azerbaijan, established a "murder network
against Armenians." Mr. Hayal, one of the main suspects so far, was
also reported to have been trained in explosives at a camp in
Azerbaijan.
"DEEP STATE" BACKLASH
As he was charged on January 24, Mr. Hayal issued a brazen public
threat against the writer Orhan Pamuk, who like Mr. Dink was charged
for raising the Armenian Genocide issue.
Just a day after Mr. Dink’s funeral, the "Agos" newspaper office
received a bomb threat from the "Turkish Revenge Brigade." The same
group threatened to bomb the Turkish parliament building in Ankara
unless suspects in Mr. Dink’s case were released and, according to the
Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF), ordered the 1998 murder
of Akin Birdal, Turkey’s leading human rights activist at the time.
In Gelibolu, just south of Istanbul, a 36-year-old ex-soldier took
passengers of a ferryboat hostage in protest of pro-Armenian
sentiments broadcast following Mr. Dink’s murder. In Samsun, where the
suspected assassin was arrested, a Turkish Protestant church was
stoned.
And at a soccer match in Trabzon, the city where plans to kill Mr.
Dink were allegedly hatched, fans held some 3,000 banners with
nationalist slogans and chanted in support of the local police chief
sacked by the government following the murder.
The chief of the general staff of the politically powerful armed
forces, Gen. Yasar Buyukanit, complained about the fact that foreign
diplomats accredited in Turkey attended Mr. Dink’s funeral, "Zaman"
daily reported. Gen. Buyukanit, who issued a statement condemning Mr.
Dink’s murder, was reportedly unhappy in what he sees as foreign
"indifference" to deaths of Turkish military personnel fighting the
Kurdish insurgency.
NO PLANS TO REPEAL 301
Speaking on January 28, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that
the government will not propose to repeal Article 301 of the Turkish
criminal code, Turkey’s NTV reported.
Article 301, along with other articles of the code, limit freedom of
expression and have led to the repeated prosecution of Mr. Dink, Mr.
Pamuk, and dozens of other Turkish intellectuals who question the
government’s policy on the Armenian Genocide and other "sensitive"
issues. The European Union and human rights organizations have long
called for the provisions to be dropped.
Mr. Erdogan suggested that the controversial provisions could be
revised and offered that Turkey’s civic groups jointly propose
amendments. The "Turkish Daily News" reported that the Ankara Bar
Association has called for a meeting of nongovernmental organizations
to discuss such proposals. The association’s president, Ozdemir
Ozakman, cautioned that NGOs had failed to develop a consensus over
the issue in the past. The government "is passing the ball," Mr.
Ozakman told the newspaper. "This is the political responsibility of
government. And we will send the ball back."
And no amendments are likely any time soon, as Mr. Erdogan is expected
to try to replace President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, whose term will be up
in May. In September, Turkey will hold general elections for
Parliament, in which all parties are courting nationalist voters.
***************************************** **********************************
ARMENIA
4. Parliamentary elections in Armenia set for May 12
President Robert Kocharian signed a decree on holding parliamentary
elections in Armenia on May 12, 2007, the presidential press service
announced.
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5. No change in Turkey’s Armenia policy
Armenia’s deputy foreign minister Arman Kirakossian, who was in
Istanbul for the funeral of Hrant Dink on January 23, held a meeting
with a high-ranking official at the Turkish foreign ministry. Mr.
Kirakossian told the "Armenian Reporter" that the sides discussed the
prospects for establishing diplomatic relations between the two
countries and also reopening the border.
Armenia has set no preconditions for establishing diplomatic
relations. Turkey, on the other hand, wants to see a final resolution
of the Karabakh conflict and demands that Armenia drop the Armenian
Genocide issue from its foreign policy agenda.
Mr. Kirakossian said that the Turkish side has not changed any of its
preconditions.
The land border between the two countries was closed by Turkey as
gesture to Azerbaijan as Armenians prevailed in Nagorno-Karabakh.
******************************* ********************************************
6. NATO assessment team to work in Armenia
YEREVAN — The NATO Assessment Team will work in Armenia from January
29 to February 2, 2007. Mediamax reports that the aim of the visit of
the team is to assess the implementation of the Individual Partnership
Action Plan (IPAP) of Armenia with the alliance, which came into force
in January 2006.
Within the framework of the visit, the NATO Assessment Team members
will hold meetings with the representatives of the Foreign Ministry,
the Defense Ministry, the Emergency Situations Department, National
Security Service of Armenia, the NATO member-state ambassadors, and
will visit the Information Center on NATO in Yerevan.
**************************************** ***********************************
7. Gazprom Oil confirms that it may build an oil processing factory in Armenia
YEREVAN — Gazprom Oil has confirmed that it is considering the
possibility of constructing an oil-processing factory in Armenia. The
Armenian presidential press service has also confirmed that the
project is under consideration, Mediamax reports.
The Russian "Kommersant" newspaper reports that the factory would be
on the border with Iran and have the capacity to process up to 7
million tons of oil per year. Construction would cost at least $1.7
billion plus another $1 billion for infrastructure to transport the
product, the newspaper estimates. The presidential press secretary,
Viktor Soghomonian, says the estimates are overblown.
Armenia is said to have proposed a factory that could process 3-4
million tons. "However, Moscow made a counteroffer, almost doubling
the capacity of the factory. Demand for oil in Armenia itself does not
exceed 250 thousand tons per year. Why the factory is needed is easy
to understand from the location of the future factory."
The newspaper adds: "The oil will be arriving to the factory from
Iran, for which it will be necessary to build a 200 km pipeline from
Tabriz , where there is already an oil refinery, up to the border with
Armenia. The transportation of the oil back to Iran would be done by a
railroad that does not exist," the newspaper writes.
"Experts consider the given project meaningless from the economic
point of view, explaining the interest for the project by political
motives. Indeed, an oil-processing factory in Armenia is a political
project, the potential participants of which count on receiving first
of all political dividends," "Kommersant" writes.
**************************************** ***********************************
INTERNATIONAL
8. Azerbaijan to enlist Turkish general to improve its military
PARAMUS, N.J. — According to an Azerbaijani news website (today.az)
Azerbaijan will take steps this year to upgrade its military to NATO
standards. In pursuit of this goal, the Baku government reportedly
plans to appoint a Turkish general as its deputy defense minister.
The Azerbaijani press has reported that a Turkish general will assume
the post in mid-2007; he will be specially appointed for this purpose
by the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK).
A news story published by the daily paper "Ayna" says that Baku will
grant the Turkish general significant authority, and permit him to
work with his team from Turkey. The partnership will continue until
2011, during which time a succession of Turkish generals — also to be
selected by the Turkish Armed Forces — will consecutively occupy the
post.
Azerbaijani and Turkish military officials have been discussing this
project for some time, the newspaper said, and the subject will be
taken up during the visit of General Ilker Basbug, commander in chief
of the Turkish Ground Forces, to Azerbaijan in January.
The "Ayna" story suggests that the identity of the next Deputy Defense
Minister may emerge within a few months of that meeting.
**************************************** ***********************************
COMMUNITY
9. USAPAC holds meetings on Capitol Hill
Senator Norm Coleman (R.-Minn.) meets with USAPAC’s executive director
Ross Vartian (left) and government affairs director Rob Mosher (right)
on Jan. 25, to discuss Armenian-Americans’ priorities and concerns. In
recent weeks, Mr. Vartian and Mr. Mosher held a series of meetings on
Capitol Hill; these have included meetings with the cochairs of the
Congressional Armenian Caucus Frank Pallone, Jr. (D.-N.J.) and Joe
Knollenberg (R.-Mich.), newly elected Rep. Tim Walz (D.-Minn.) and
Keith Ellison (D.-Minn.), as well as a number of Senate and House
staffers.
Last week, USAPAC representatives also met with the officers of the
U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) to discuss MCC’s Armenia
program.
See photo at
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10. Philadelphia marks Hrant Dink’s murder with service at genocide memorial
by Andrew Kevorkian
PHILADELPHIA — "Let it be known that Hrant Dink did not die in vain,
for he re-awakened the world to the tragic events of the history of
his people," Karine Birazian, ANCA Eastern Region executive director,
told a sparse crowd of mourners on January 27, at this city’s memorial
service for the murdered Hrant Dink.
The memorial was held at the monument of "Young Mehir," which stands
opposite the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The Mehir monument was
erected in 1976 as part of the Philadelphia Armenian community’s
contribution to America’s Bicentennial, as well as to note the
Genocide of the Armenians.
It was fitting, therefore, that Ms. Birazian remarked that "We are not
living in 2007, we are living in 1915. The newest victim of the
Armenian Genocide has been laid to rest, and we are in mourning."
Earlier, the mourners heard Arousiag Keshishian read Mr. Dink’s last
prescient editorial in his newspaper, "Agos." It was less an editorial
than it was a letter — passionate and sincere — to his Turkish
government to accept its history and enter a new world with confidence
in the future. It was a loving father’s letter to a beloved son who
has gone astray.
But, alas, some people didn’t see it that way, as Birazian noted when
she said, "His death shows us the lengths of denial and hatred."
The religious service during the brief memorial was conducted jointly
by Fr. Nerses Manoogian, of the St. Gregory Apostolic Church, and the
Rev. Armenag Bedrossian, of St. Mark’s Armenian Catholic Church.
Flowers were laid at the Mehir monument at the conclusion of the
service. The singing of "Mer Hayrenik" closed the program. Organized
by a joint committee of Philadelphia organizations, the program was
conducted by Ara Chalian, the committee’s cochair.
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11. Fresno judge dismisses request to remove "historic" homes; Old
Armenian Town will include five of its original homes
by Paul Chaderjian
Special to the "Armenian Reporter"
FRESNO, Calif. — Five homes described by local preservationists as
historic and removed from a 10-acre downtown Fresno neighborhood known
as Old Armenian Town may now become part of a new
multi-million-dollar, mixed-use, high-rise redevelopment project
called . . . "Old Armenian Town."
A court ruling this week determined that a previous agreement between
two Fresno-area preservation groups, the Fresno City Council, the
Fresno Redevelopment agency, and developers Gunner-Andros still
stands, and the homes owned by the City of Fresno cannot be located
outside the new development, as proposed recently by the developers.
"The Armenians are very important here," says president of Heritage
Fresno Midge Barrett. "We have no problem with the development. We
don’t find a problem with urban renewal. The problem is that we
believe the old can exist beside the new."
Armenian developer Richard Gunner and his partner George Andros
proposed to the preservationists to place the five homes around their
development. Many in the Armenian community, including the Armenian
businesses in the area, have no interest in saving the houses that may
or may not have once been homes to Armenian families. The new "Old
Armenian Town" redevelopment project is already home to California’s
5th District Court of Appeal, which is nearing completion. The site of
the project is across the street from the historic Holy Trinity
Armenian Apostolic Church. In addition to the courthouse, an Armenian
Cultural Center is also planned as part of the redevelopment project.
Half a dozen organizations, Armenian and non-Armenian, have sued to be
included in the cultural center.
Graduate student Stephanie Stockdale researched the geography and
history of the area. She says among those who lobbied for space in the
development was the Armenian Museum Group, a non-Armenian organization
that opposing groups insist has little to do with Armenian culture.
Even the Armenian Technology Group, which receives federal funding to
help farmers in Armenia, had asked for space to build an art center.
One organization that has been guaranteed space is the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation’s Armenian Cultural Foundation. The ACF has
been part of the neighborhood since 1908, when it began publishing the
original "Asbarez" newspaper in area. After the paper’s move to
southern California, its editorial and print shop served as a library
and community center until the mid 1980s. The City of Fresno relocated
what was known as the "Asbarez Club" to its present location, when the
Holiday Inn Corporation needed the Club’s property for a new hotel.
Now the community center is giving up its current location on Ventura
Street to make way for the "Old Armenian Town" development. The ACF’s
new building will house a community center, as well as the offices of
the Armenian National Committee, the Armenian Relief Society, and the
Armenian Youth Federation.
One proposed site for the homes at the center of the most recent
litigation was the corner of "M" Street and Santa Clarita, across the
street from the Holy Trinity Church. Another site picked by the
developers is on the south side of Freeway 41, on "L" and San Benito
streets, where William Saroyan grew up.
The five houses, now sitting behind fences, are all that’s left of an
eight-mile area that was the center of Armenian life in the early
1900s. Stockdale says the focal point of the neighborhood was a
10-block radius that was home to Armenian homes, stores, churches, and
social centers. "During the first few decades of the 20th century,
most of the Fresno-area Armenians found residence west of the Southern
Pacific Railroad tracks, near the 300 blocks of G and F Streets," says
Stockdale. "Early Armenian settlers who arrived prior to the Genocide
moved northward across the railroad around 1914 after the
reconstruction and relocation of Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic
Church to the corner of Ventura Avenue and M Street."
"This was an immigrant population that came here for religious
freedom," says Barrett. "The other thing is that it is also William
Saroyan’s neighborhood. His home doesn’t exist anymore; it was taken
by a freeway. There are many ethnic groups in Fresno, something like
80 or 90. But the Armenians were here early on, and now they have
moved on to L.A. and San Francisco. There is still a large population
here, but they left the neighborhood during the Depression."
Preservationists like Barrett envision that these homes can be
incorporated into the redeveloped neighborhood and used as souvenir
shops, cafes, and a Saroyan boutique. They say the hundreds of
thousands of conventioneers who gather at the Fresno Convention Center
across the street annually could visit the stores and learn a bit
about historic Fresno.
"There are some people in the city that think the buildings are
Armenian buildings, and the Redevelopment Agency is saying they are
not Armenian buildings," says the former Fresno City councilman for
the area Tom Boyajian. "This is about a group of people who don’t want
to see any historic buildings over 50 years old being knocked down or
condemned."
Boyajian says that as an Armenian, he sees more historic value in the
Emerson School, where William Saroyan was a student. He believes these
five remnants of homes can easily be placed on Saroyan’s old street or
in other nearby Armenian neighborhoods.
"The State Appellate Court doesn’t want these buildings in the area,"
says Boyajian. "Most of the Armenians want the houses to go, because
they are working with the developer to build an Armenian Community
Center."
The developers agreed to make room in their development for an
Armenian cultural center and other neighborhood tenants like the
Saghatelian family’s Valley Bakery. The Fresno institution has
continuously operated at its present "M" Street location since 1922,
making its "Lahvosh" cracker bread. The business is part of the
development.
The agreement to preserve the five homes was welcomed by two
Fresno-based history preservation groups, Heritage Fresno and Friends
of Armenian Town. The two organizations had accused the Fresno
Redevelopment Agency and the developers of not addressing the historic
value of the neighborhood and what to do with the homes that would be
displaced by the high-rise office buildings.
When the developers decided they wanted to utilize the corner of "M"
and Santa Clara Streets — one of the locations designated for the
five dilapidated houses — for a much-needed parking lot, the
preservationists went to court and convinced the bench that the homes
should not be moved to the alternate site the developers proposed.
The developers took that decision to court, and on January 26, Fresno
Superior Court judge R.L. Putnam threw out a request for a retrial,
saying motions like this are what give redevelopment agencies and
developers a bad name.
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12. Team Armenia scores 3-1 victory over Fresno Fuego in exhibition soccer match
by Sevag Tateosian
Special to the "Armenian Reporter"
FRESNO, Calif. — The Armenian national soccer team battled the Fresno
Fuego in an exhibition game on January 17. The game at Chukchansi Park
(formerly known as Grizzlies Stadium) was the Armenian team’s last
stop on a tour of the U.S.
"It is an honor and privilege to play against an international team,"
said Fresno Fuego head coach Jaime Ramirez. "It was a first for us."
"We are happy to make this trip," said Ian Porterfield, Team Armenia’s
coach. "It is a good way to give our young players exposure. We just
came from Los Angeles where it was the first time our players had
played on artificial turf," he continued. There, the team tied
Panama’s national team 1 to 1.
Thousands from Fresno’s large Armenian community showed up waving red,
blue, and orange flags to symbolize their support for the Armenian
national team. Even before the match began, the crowd began to chant
"Hayastan" and to sing Armenian songs.
Cold temperatures in the 30s did not stop young and old fans from
showing off their tricolor outfits. Both teams had several good shots
early on, but both goalies remarkably protected their ground.
With 25 minutes and 23 seconds in the first half remaining, Armenia’s
Ara Hakobyan (#7) was fouled as he attempted a goal. The referee
granted a penalty kick, and Hakobyan ultimately scored with a shot to
the center of the goal.
Then Galust Petrosyan (#17) snuck one past the Fresno Fuego goalkeeper
with less than two minutes left in the first half. Petrosyan’s goal
put Armenia up 2 to zero at halftime.
"We had a couple of opportunities that we missed, we were out of
rhythm and their goal keeper came up big," said Ramirez. When the
second half began, Fresno Fuego came out firing several shots early.
One was too high and went over the goal. Another went far left. A
header to the corner of the goal by Edgardo Contreras (#10) was
remarkably hit, but Armenia’s goalkeeper Gevorg Kasparov (#1) grabbed
it before it could go in.
However, Contreras came back with 27 minutes left in the second half
and with his right foot kicked in a goal to the left of the net. Even
with this goal, Armenia’s fans continued their persistent chants.
With 16 minutes and 20 seconds left in the second half, Armenia’s
Tigran Gharabaghtsyan got the crowd pumped when his shot from a
distance just missed lower left corner of the goal. Thereafter Armenia
scored the game’s last goal when Rafayel Nazaryan (#8) shot one in
with 4 minutes and 25 seconds remaining.
"It was a great game, I am happy that we came through with a victory,"
said Porterfield. It was good for us to come abroad and play," he
continued.
A forward on the Armenian squad, 17-year-old Armen Shahgeldyan, who
played throughout the game, said, "It was a surprise and privilege for
us to come here and play. It went well for us."
Porterfield ended by saying, "the Armenian and American community and
players gave us a wonderful welcome."
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ARTS & CULTURE
13. Theater: Absurdist show at Luna Playhouse targets corruption in Armenia
by Aram Kouyoumdjian
Special to the "Armenian Reporter"
GLENDALE, Calif. – Productions of Armenian-language plays on our
diasporan shores are so tragically rare that a reviewer of "Armenian
theater" may actually find himself more idle than the Maytag
repairman. I have had to define "Armenian theater" rather broadly as
theater "by or about Armenians" — essentially forgoing language as a
criterion — so as to have anything to review at all.
The good news is that the Armenian Theater Company is trying to
reverse that dismal status quo. The better news is that rather than
relying on the same old tried-and-true – but altogether dated –
mainstays of the classical canon, the company is gravitating toward
new and provocative scripts with contemporary relevance. And the best
news is that it is presenting these works in skilled and worthwhile
productions.
Last spring, the company staged Aghasi Ayvazyan’s "Zhangark"
(twilight), a taut drama set in postindependence Armenia during the
years of the economic blockade that inflicted devastating hardship on
the country’s populace. For its current production, the company has
turned to political satire, providing a lacerating look at the culture
of corruption that has permeated certain echelons within Armenia’s
governmental infrastructure.
Gevorg Sargsyan’s "Hanoon Hayreniki yev Zhoghovrdi" (In the name of
the fatherland and the people) is enjoying its world premiere at the
intimate Luna Playhouse in Glendale. As directed by Aramazd Stepanian,
the production boldly toys with surrealism and, despite its flaws,
emerges as a vibrant piece of Absurdist Theater.
For the most part, the play recounts the dream life of its central
character, Manuk Sousikyan, played with beautiful restraint and
befuddlement by Robert Khatchatryan. Sousikyan is a sort of Everyman
struggling with unemployment and with life’s daily hardships — in
this instance, a leak in his apartment. His subsequent visit to the
municipal Building Department, however, descends into a bureaucratic
nightmare and, through an improbable turn of events, Sousikyan ends up
as the unit’s chief. The appointment carries a price, though,
requiring a sacrifice "in the name of the people and the fatherland"
of Sousikyan’s lungs, which are then removed surgically.
Soon, bureaucratic tape leads Sousikyan to City Hall, where a
bribery-fueled machine is reigned over by an ethically challenged
mayor (Aram Muradyan in a scene-stealing turn thanks to impeccable
comic timing). In short order, Sousikyan takes over as mayor, a
position that requires yet another sacrifice — this time, his
stomach.
The climb up the political ladder next has Sousikyan as prime minister
(where the sacrificial organ is the heart) and ultimately as
president, where the price is the very essence of his manhood. The
terror of this prospect shocks Sousikyan out of his nightmare, but he
awakens to find that the events he had only imagined may be coming
real.
The play fearlessly takes on weighty subjects and, as with great
satire, tragedy underlies the humor. While it deals comedic blows at
corruption in public life, such as in the distribution of land and
wealth, Sargsyan’s script never ignores its effects on ordinary folk.
The script’s main flaw is its length, as a repetitive second act
causes it to drag. One wishes the writing were leaner, the satire more
tightly packed.
An inventive staging by director Stepanian, however, keeps the pace at
a good clip. Stepanian embraces (and enhances) the play’s absurdist
tendencies, peppering the action with surreal elements. Cannibals and
ancient Egyptians float across the stage, as does Stepanian himself,
performing cheeky Spanish dances. These delightful touches serve the
script well, as do Shahen Hacobian’s playful musical selections, which
perfectly accentuate the changes in mood. Unfortunately, no such care
is seen in the (uncredited) makeshift set.
The cast proves uneven, although the performances are uniformly
spirited. Along with Khatchatryan and Muradyan, standouts include
Laura Davtyan and Hakob Blikyan (both playing multiple key roles),
while Maro Khodaveerdi brings charm to her cameo as an Italian
socialite.
Despite any criticism I have, the production satisfies on so many
levels that I await the company’s next Armenian-language production
with anticipation. Its announced intention of staging Harold Pinter’s
"The Lover" in translation, however, leaves me conflicted. Seeing the
Nobel laureate’s edgy work in my native tongue sounds like a treat
indeed; but I can’t help dread that it may be at the cost of another
new Armenian script.
* * *
Aram Kouyoumdjian is the winner of Elly Awards for both playwriting
("The Farewells") and directing ("Three Hotels"). His collaborative
script for "Little Armenia" recently had its world premiere at the
Fountain Theatre in Los Angeles.
**************************************** ***********************************
14. Film: Armenian legends come to life at the world-famous Chinese
Theatre: Hollywood rolls out the red carpet for the premiere of "The
Priestess"
By Tamar Kevonian
Special to the "Armenian Reporter"
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Attempting to tell the story of events scarcely
recorded and shrouded in the mist of time is a daring challenge; it is
exactly what Vigen Chaldranian does in his new film, "The Priestess."
The film premiered on January 25, at the famed Grauman’s Chinese
Theatre here. Crowds lined both sides of the red carpet and filled
every one of the 1,162 seats to see the famed director’s latest work.
Chaldranian is known for his expressionist portrayal of topics. He
made his directorial debut with "April," a film dedicated to the
memory of the victims of the 1915 Genocide. His most recent film,
"Symphony of Silence," addressed the universal theme of mental
illness.
"Symphony of Silence" was the only Armenian film ever to be considered
for a "Best Foreign Language Film" nomination by the Academy of Motion
Pictures of Arts and Sciences. Chaldranian’s accolades have also
included the "Movses Khorenatsi Lifetime Achievement Award," the
highest honor awarded to an artist by the president of the Republic of
Armenia.
"The Priestess" was a coproduction of ArmenFilm Studios in Armenia and
Symphony Studios in the United States. It is touted as the first-ever
joint Armenian and American production.
Written by Anahit Aghasaryan and Vigen Chaldranian, the film is set in
pagan Armenia, before the country’s official adoption of Christianity
in 301. After a near-fatal car accident in present-day Armenia, a
woman loses her memory and can only recall her past life as a
priestess of the god Mithra (Miher) at the temple of Garni.
She recalls in detail a childhood spent in a small village, the father
she adored, the god-husband she worshiped, the son for whom she
sacrificed everything, the fate that would shape the history of
Armenia and her pivotal role during these legendary times. The story
of "The Priestess" is a blend of myth and the history of Gregory the
Illuminator, the founder of the Armenian Apostolic church.
St. Gregory survived in a pit, now known as Khor Virab, for more than
a decade despite being sentenced to death by pagan King Tiridates the
Great. Gregory’s survival was said to have been both a result of his
faith in God and the compassionate efforts of an anonymous woman. St.
Gregory’s life was recorded in "The History" by Agathangelos, written
perhaps as early as the 4th century (although there is scholarly
debate on this point).
During Gregory’s sentence, Tiridates grew deathly ill, and an angel of
God warned the king’s sister, Khosrovidukht, that only through the
prayers of Gregory would the king be healed. Upon freeing Gregory,
Tiridates was healed. The king, witnessing the power of the Christian
God, allowed Gregory the Illuminator to christen the Armenian people.
Thus, Armenia became the first Christian nation in the world.
"The Priestess" brings these stories to life through the story of the
main character, who is exiled from the temple because of her
infidelity with Khosrovidukht’s Greek tutor, Theo. The priestess
betrays her god-husband Mithra and becomes pregnant. Her god-husband
exacts revenge by killing her father and her lover and turning the
people of the village against her. The one-sentence reference by
Agathangeghos to the mysterious woman who sustained Gregory in the pit
is the basis of Chaldranian’s plot. She, rather than the angel of God,
is given credit for advising Khosrovidukht. She is also given credit
for giving birth to Agathangelos, her illegitimate child, who is then
taken in by the king’s sister.
These legendary stories in the film are well-researched and give a
good and broad overview of pre-Christian Armenia. The film itself
beautifully shows the emotional range of Rouzan Vit Mesropyan ("Vodka
Lemon") as the priestess. Portrayed on the silver screen are her
ethereal relationship with her god-husband, the physical longings
associated with being alive, the pain of her sacrifices, and her
wisdom about the upcoming new world order.
The film is also advocates the Christian God’s superiority over the
pagan gods — except that the priestess prophesizes the rise of
Christianity and Armenia’s conversion under the auspices of Mithra, a
pagan god. The movie shows the mysticism of both the new and old
religions with symbolic images, but without fully explaining their
significance.
"The Priestess" is edited from sequences of lush images, switching
between modern-day Yerevan, with its tangle of cars, and majestic
countryside landscapes. The depiction of the historic scenes of the
crowds, markets, religious gatherings, and mobs is perfect. Too
perfect. The costumes of the peasants are pleasingly color
coordinated, the crowds and mobs are arranged just so, and the goods
displayed at market too well arranged. It is hard to believe that
peasants wore white while working in their fields, and that they
somehow never soiled them. In an idealized dream version of the past,
these depictions are acceptable. However, if the filmmaker’s
intentions were to show the viewer the raw, violent nature of
Armenia’s pagan history, none of his visual effects supported his
interpretation.
While the pace of the film is consistent, languid, deliberate and full
of meaning, it unfortunately remains the same without variation. The
same mechanical pace is present whether the scene shows intimate
moments, a mob riot, a temple festival or religious persecution. Many
scenes end abruptly like an unfinished sentence, or transition
awkwardly and abruptly like unexpected speed-bumps.
Making a film is a difficult, monumental task requiring a multitude of
people from various disciplines. From preproduction to premieres,
filmmakers are forced to balance their art with the realities of the
business of making media products. Completing one film is an ambitious
effort, and Vigen Chaldranian’s efforts must be applauded, as he is
one of the few Armenian directors creating the art of film, and
creating it well.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Information on the film, including a photo gallery and
trailers, is available on a superb website,
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COMMENTARY
15. Letters: Amb. Evans on the murder of Hrant Dink
EDITOR’S NOTE: What follows is a letter from the former U.S.
ambassador to Armenia, John M. Evans, published in "The New York
Times" on Friday, January 26.
Dear Editor:
Re: "Editor Who Spoke for Turkey’s Ethnic Armenians is Slain" (News
article, Jan. 20, 2007): Hrant Dink, whom I met in Yerevan, Armenia,
in 2005, was a fearless fighter for truth and human dignity. His
assassination strikes a heavy blow against Turks, Armenians, and all
who strive for proper acknowledgement of the 1915 Armenian genocide
and for reconciliation between the two nations. His death should be a
wake-up call: the last stage of genocide is denial.
John M. Evans
Sag Harbor, N.Y.
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16. Letters: Help stop the Darfur genocide
Sir:
I want to thank you for your strongly worded editorial urging readers
to become active in the cause of alleviating the Darfur genocide (Dec.
23, 2006).
There is much to be done to arouse the public about this continuing
tragedy, and to get our country’s leaders and the world to halt the
violence and bring aid to the victims. To that end, I would like you
to consider publishing the following information. It is adapted from a
press release from the United Nations Association (UNA-USA), about a
local event to be held in Teaneck, NJ, on February 15, titled,
"Darfur: Why Genocide?"
"Darfur, the humanitarian disaster of rape and slaughter in the Sudan
is continuing into a fourth year. Patrick Hayford, distinguished
African diplomat and director of the United Nations’ Special Adviser
Office on Africa will speak on this moral crisis at ‘Darfur: Why
Genocide?’ on Thursday, Feb. 15, 7:30 p.m., at the Presbyterian Church
of Teaneck, NJ (1 Church St, corner of Teaneck Rd.)
"The outcry of the international public, and the grassroots activism
of the Save Darfur Coalition, have had an impact on the Sudanese
government. To quote from the New York Times: ‘A clamor on Main Street
– and Sudan is listening.’
"Mr. Hayford’s 31 years of diplomatic service includes the
ambassadorship from Ghana to South Africa and posts in Egypt, the
United Kingdom, and the United Nations. He will help the audience to
understand and respond to this complex international crisis, and the
UN’s role in brokering peace.
"The Bergen County Chapter of UNA-USA is hosting this event with the
co-sponsorship of The Presbyterian Church of Teaneck and St Mark’s
Episcopal Church. Admission is free and all are welcome. Come with
your questions. Refreshments will be served.
"The United Nations Association (UNA-USA) is a not-for-profit group
that presents events to inform the public on vitally important issues.
For information, call Phyllis Ehrenfeld at (201) 836-1533."
David Gopoian
Teaneck, N.J.
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17. Editorial: Support the Genocide resolution
The U.S. House of Representative once again has before it a resolution
reaffirming the Armenian Genocide. More than 160 representatives have
signed on as cosponsors.
The resolution calls on the president "to ensure that the foreign
policy of the United States reflects appropriate understanding and
sensitivity concerning issues related to human rights, ethnic
cleansing, and genocide documented in the United States record
relating to the Armenian Genocide and the consequences of the failure
to realize a just resolution." It also calls on the president to call
the Armenian Genocide by its proper name in his annual April 24
message.
The bulk of the resolution is a list of 30 "findings," which serve as
an excellent reminder of the history of the international response to
the Genocide. This history is the best explanation of why it is the
business of the United States to speak out about the Armenian
Genocide.
First, the Armenian Genocide was a watershed in the history of
international humanitarian law. Countries are generally not entitled
to intervene in the internal affairs of other countries. But in
response to the Young Turks’ campaign of race extermination against
Armenians, the great powers of 1915 came up with a new concept to
justify intervention: crimes against humanity.
This powerful concept recognizes that some crimes are so heinous that
all humanity, collectively, is responsible for stopping them and
punishing the perpetrators.
Second, the United States response to the Armenian Genocide is a proud
chapter in American history. Ambassador Henry Morgenthau and his
colleagues, with the blessing of the State Department, worked
tirelessly to stop the Genocide, and failing that, to save as many
lives as possible. American society responded generously to pleas to
help "the starving Armenians."
The resolution mentions "Near East Relief, chartered by an Act of
Congress, which contributed some $116,000,000 from 1915 to 1930 to aid
Armenian Genocide survivors, including 132,000 orphans who became
foster children of the American people."
Why would the president of the United States so consistently reject
commemoration of this tragic crime and the heroic response of the
American people to it? Because Turkey, which refuses to come to terms
with its history, has thus far successfully demanded that the United
States refrain from commemorating the Armenian Genocide or else suffer
Turkey’s oft-threatened diplomatic, military, and economic reprisals.
At long last, the House of Representatives must rebuff Turkey and do
what is right; it must do what country after country has been doing
around the world by reaffirming the fact of the Armenian Genocide.
Since crude denial no longer works, the campaign against the
resolution takes other forms.
One form is to suggest that the Genocide is something for Turks and
Armenians or Turkey and Armenia to work out together. The Turkish
government has disingenuously proposed a commission appointed by the
Turkish and Armenian governments to sort out the matter. President
Kocharian responded with a proposal to establish a commission to
address all issues on the Armenia-Turkey agenda.
There is, in fact, much for Turks and Armenians to sort out: the
treatment of Armenians and Armenian institutions in Turkey today,
Turkey’s decision to close the border with Armenia, Turkey’s refusal
to establish diplomatic relations with Armenia, and the consequences
of the Genocide. But the fact of the Genocide is not something for the
negotiating table. A commission established to mull the matter would
be as offensive and unnecessary as the Holocaust conference recently
held in Iran.
The resolution will meet resistance.
The United States ambassador in Turkey has already volunteered the
following promise: "the Administration will be actively involved with
the Congress to oppose this resolution."
If the resolution is to succeed, it will require the active support of
Armenian Americans and others who care about genocide, about truth,
and about American leadership.
Yes, the resolution has many cosponsors, and the Speaker is likely to
support it. But we can take nothing for granted.
In the matter of the Genocide resolution, Armenian groups in
Washington have been working together. The Armenian Assembly, the
ANCA, and USAPAC are working together under the bipartisan leadership
of Representatives Schiff, Radanovich, Pallone, and Knollenberg,
urging all Americans to send letters to their representatives. Each
organization’s website has a link to a service that allows anyone to
send a prewritten letter via webfax.
We urge our readers to do so.
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Direct your inquiries to sylva@armenianreporteronline.com
(c) 2007 CS Media Enterprises LLC. All Rights Reserved
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress