1- Erdogan Hires his Cousin as Lobbyist
To Obtain Votes of Turkish Americans
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com
2- Armenian’s First Satellite Reaches Orbit
3- Homenetmen Celebrates 2022 Navasartian Games
4- GALAS Queernissage Pop-Up Market
to Celebrate Creativity, Artistry of LGBTQ+
5- Armenia Continues Fight Against COVID-19
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1- Erdogan Hires his Cousin as Lobbyist
To Obtain Votes of Turkish Americans
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com
Pres. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has been President since 2014, is
planning to run for reelection in 2023. He previously served as Prime
Minister from 2003 to 2014. Before that, he was elected Mayor of
Istanbul in 1994 as a candidate from the Islamist Welfare Party.
However, he was forced out of office in 1998, banned from holding
political office, and imprisoned for four months after reciting a poem
which was viewed as an incitement to violence, religious or racial
hatred. Here is an ominous line from that poem: “The mosques are our
barracks, the domes our helmets, the minarets our bayonets and the
faithful our soldiers.” In 2001, he co-founded the Justice and
Development Party (AKP). Hence, Erdogan has been a continuous presence
at the highest echelons of Turkish government for almost 30 years.
Pres. Erdogan has now enlisted the help of his U.S.-based cousin, Dr.
Halil Mutlu, a citizen of Turkey, to obtain the votes of Turkish
citizens living in the United States during the 2023 presidential
election, to boost his slim chances for reelection.
According to the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA) filings of the
U.S. Department of Justice, Dr. Mutlu registered as a political
lobbyist on May 11, 2022, on behalf of the Turkish ruling party (AKP)
in the United States, as its sole representative. Dr. Mutlu is a
resident of Windsor, Connecticut. The AKP representation office,
officially registered as a U.S. corporation on May 2, 2022, is
headquartered in Washington, D.C.
The FARA registration, signed by Mutlu, states that the “AK Party
representation to the United States represents the Justice and
Development Party of Turkey in the United States. Its responsibilities
include organizing political, social and cultural activities among the
Turkish citizens in the United States. It also aims to contribute to
furthering the cooperation and historical friendship between the
United States and Turkey….” The FARA registration form reveals the
true aim of this elaborate lobbying scheme: “It will also prepare and
disseminate AK Party material in the United States for the political
support of the Turkish citizens during elections.”
The FARA registration indicates that the U.S. office of AKP represents
the AKP’s principal office located at Pres. Erdogan’s presidential
palace in Cankaya, Ankara, Turkey. It is stated that AKP’s U.S. office
“does not have a budget established or a specified sum of money
allocated” to finance its activities. Dr. Mutlu is said to work
without any pay.
The completed FARA registration application also states that AKP’s
U.S. office will disseminate information through magazines,
newspapers, advertising campaigns, press releases, pamphlets, other
publications, lectures, speeches, radio and TV broadcasts, motion
picture films, letters, telegrams, email, websites, and social media.
The U.S. office of the AKP stated that it will publicize the above
mentioned information to public officials, civic groups, associations,
legislators, libraries, government agencies, educational groups,
newspapers, and nationality groups.
It is not credible that Dr. Mutlu will be able to carry out such an
enormous amount of work “on a part time basis,” without any staff and
without pay. I hope the U.S. Justice Department will keep a close eye
on the trail of funds used for such massive expenditures.
The Turkish government has permitted its citizens who live outside the
country to vote in domestic elections ever since 2014. The vote of
Turkish citizens in the Diaspora is important because around 1.5
million or over 50% of Turks residing abroad voted in the 2018
presidential election, including 811,000 in Germany, 186,000 in
France, 145,000 in the Netherlands, 60,000 in Austria, and 46,000 in
the United States. Erdogan received close to 60% of all votes cast
abroad.
The U.S.-based AL-MONITOR news website, reported that “Turkish
opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu has explosively claimed that
millions of dollars have been siphoned off to allow President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan to flee the country if he loses the upcoming election….
Kilicdaroglu said the equivalent of $61 million was being transferred
‘all of a sudden,’ to the United States through education foundations
close to the President.” The New York-based Turken Foundation’s 2017
tax return shows that its assets were over $43 million. Erdogan’s two
children, son Bilal and daughter Esra, served on the Foundation’s
board. In 2014, Halil Mutlu was appointed chairman of the Turken
Foundation. He was also a board member of the Washington-based Turkish
American National Steering Committee, until his wife, Lynn Mutlu,
replaced him on the board.
It remains to be seen if Dr. Mutlu will be able to persuade a large
number of Turkish Americans to vote for Erdogan in next year’s
election. More importantly, should Erdogan not be reelected and stays
in Turkey, what legal troubles await him for violating a myriad of
Turkish laws for several decades.
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2- Armenian’s First Satellite Reaches Orbit
(RFE/RL)—Armenia’s first satellite reached Earth’s orbit on May 27
after launching on May 25 aboard a SpaceX rocket from Cape Canaveral
in Florida. The satellite, will have multiple uses. “Photographs to be
taken by the satellite will be used in Armenia for border control,
emergency prevention and management, environmental protection,
including climate-change monitoring, urban planning, road
construction, geology, and other purposes,” Prime Minister Nikol
Pashinyan told a weekly cabinet meeting.
SpaceX released photos of the launch of its Transporter-5 mission on
Twitter. The mission carried 59 payloads as part of what the company
calls a small satellite “rideshare” program.
SpaceX has done three such missions so far this year and plans another
in October.
Pashinyan said the satellite launch was the result of “cooperation”
between the state-run Armenian company Geocosmos and Satlantis, a
Spanish company that specializes in the production of small satellites
and cameras for them.
He did not reveal financial terms of the deal; the Armenian
government’s press office released photographs of it.
Armenia first announced satellite launch plans in 2012 after talks
with Russia’s Federal Space Agency. A year later, a senior government
official said Yerevan hoped to attract private investments in the
project worth $250 million. The project never materialized. Pashinyan
did not explain why a smaller-scale project was launched with a
Western rather than Russian company to implement it.
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3- Homenetmen Celebrates 2022 Navasartian Games
By Katy Simonian
This year’s 45th Navasartian Games and Festival, which will take place
on the campus of Los Angeles City College, will culminate on Fourth of
July weekend. Athletic competitions and Finals will convene from June
29 to July 3.
The Festival, featuring live entertainment, food and fun booths will
begin on Friday, July 1st at 4 pm and continue through Sunday, July
3rd.
The Closing Ceremonies will commence on Sunday, July 3rd at 6 pm, the
highlight of which will be the Parade of Champions, saluting the young
athletes and volunteers.
“We are so proud of all of our athletes. They are our greatest
achievement, as they inspire us to elevate one another through the
values of kindness, sportsmanship and humility. The Festival is our
way of saying thank you,” says Varant Melkonian, Homenetmen’s 2022
Exemplary Member.
“Elevate Yourself and Others with You.” This is the motto for
Homenetmen and serves as a guiding principle for the global Armenian
organization that has honored a passionate tradition of public service
for over a century.
In the Western United States, Homenetmen’s Scouting Program offers
over 2,000 Armenian-American Scouts the opportunity to earn medals and
badges for their unique areas of interest. The program features
regular troop activities such as field trips, outdoor scouting
exhibitions and camping excursions, all supervised by devoted
volunteers comprising parents, members and Scout leaders.
“Scouting brings us so much joy. It has made a positive impact on
shaping who I am today. So many people invested in me not only as a
Scout, but as a person. It is an honor to carry on the cycle of
giving. Watching them grow and preserve our beautiful Armenian culture
is a gift. Sharing intellectual conversations about our past, present
and future—our challenges and are successes, is what inspires me as a
Scout leader,” says Dr. Sharlene Gozalians, Regional Scout Master for
Homenetmen Western US.
The Scouts have the honor of representing our community and their
Armenian heritage at world jamborees, carrying the flag.
Most recently on April 24, Scouts from Homenetmen’s Western US Region
participated in annual commemorations, standing guard, presenting the
colors and placing a wreath at the Armenian Genocide Monument in
Montebello, honoring the victims and survivors of the Armenian
Genocide of 1915.
Homenetmen’s tradition of scouting is matched only by its legacy of
athletics, dating back to the vision of founder, Shavarsh Krissian,
whose prowess as an athlete inspired his vision for the organization.
Homenetmen’s Athletic Program includes basketball, volleyball, soccer,
tennis and table tennis to track and field, swimming, gymnastics and
karate. The cornerstone of the Athletic Program is sportsmanship and
teamwork—to instill a sense of confidence, kindness and humility.
Homenetmen’s Western US Region has over 6,000 athletic members. These
athletes compete locally and in regional tournaments, most notably the
Navasartian Games.
“This year’s 45th Navasartian Games includes events kicking off in San
Diego, Fresno, Orange County and across the greater Los Angeles area.
The 2022 Navasartian Games are proving to be the experience of a
lifetime for our youth and their families” said Sevag Garabetian, Vice
Chairman of Homenetmen’s Western Region.
The achievements of Homenetmen’s Scouting and Athletic Programs will
be celebrated at the 45th Navasartian Victory Ball, which will take
place on Sunday, June 26 at The Beverly Hilton. Los Angeles City
College is located at 855 North Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles CA 90029.
Accessible parking is available, as well as Metro and Bus Stops for
convenience.
“We honor all of our athletes and volunteers, as they represent the
very best of our Armenian community. Homenetmen stands as a beacon of
hope to inspire all people. Our unity and strength will lead to our
greatest victory which is the happiness and success of our future
generations,” said Hagop Tufenkjian, Chairman of Homenetmen’s Western
Regional Executive Committee.
For more information about the Navasartian Games, Festival and 45th
Navasartian Victory Ball, visit NavasartianGames.com or call (323)
344-4300; see page 8 for details.
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4- GALAS Queernissage Pop-Up Market
to Celebrate Creativity, Artistry of LGBTQ+
LOS ANGELES—Gay and Lesbian Armenian LGBTQ+ Armenian Society (GALAS)
will host its second annual Queernissage: an open air market featuring
LGBTQ+ creatives from South West Asia & North Africa (SWANA).
The market will take place on June 4, from 10 AM to 6 PM at the Studio
City Pop-Up: 4354 Tujunga Avenue, Studio City, CA 91604.
Queernissage is an homage to “Vernissage”, the open air market in
Armenia that has been a gathering place for artists and merchants for
decades. Through Queernissage, GALAS aims to create a space for their
community members to express and share their creativity with each
other and with the public. With an eclectic array of vendors,
attendees can expect to find artwork, freshly made baked goods,
interactive booths, and jewelry.
GALAS, now in its 24th year, also hosts programs including therapeutic
support groups, known as Soorj Sessions, as well as a scholarship fund
for college students of Armenian descent who have demonstrated LGBTQ+
activism.
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5- Armenia Continues Fight Against COVID-19
Armenia continues the fight against COVID-19. The government continues
to promote vaccinations. There were 2,075 active COVID-19 cases in
Armenia as of May 30. Armenia has recorded 422,939 coronavirus cases.
Armenia has recorded 8,624 deaths; this marks the second week where no
new deaths were recorded. 412,240 have recovered.
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