Author: Badalian Vardan

TALAAT PASHA’S REPORT ON THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

February 2, 2015

Recent Documents released in Turkish archives, combined with surviving
documents from Talaat’s Pasha’s private papers, confirm that Talaat
was indeed the architect of the Armenian Genocide. There is a clear
record that he ordered and supervised the general deportation of
Ottoman Armenians in 1915-16, and that he followed the fate of such
deportees from close quarters. Talaat was sent updates regarding
Armenians at different stages of deportations, as well as information
about the fate of others who were subjected to special treatment.

Although a great deal of Ottoman records still remain unavailable
in Turkish archives, the available records show that the Ottoman
deportation thesis was a smokescreen for the annihilation of
Armenians. Ottoman records in Turkish archives, as well as Talaat’s
1917 report, show that less than 100,000 Armenians survived in the
so-called resettlement zone for Armenians. According to Talaat’s
report on the Armenian Genocide, most Armenians in the Ottoman Empire
had disappeared between 1915 and 1917, or they were dispersed in
different provinces of the Ottoman Empire for assimilation. The forced
assimilation of hundreds of thousands of Armenians was indicative of
the power, control and purpose of the Ottoman state.

Talaat Pasha’s Report on the Armenian Genocide is the closest
official Ottoman view we have of the Armenian Genocide. The report was
undoubtedly prepared for Talaat Pasha and meant for his private use.

It was not meant for publication and probably only survived because
Talaat was assassinated in 1921 and his widow gave the report to
a Turkish historian who eventually published it.* No such record has
been released by Turkish archives to date, though the data presented in
the 1917 report can be checked against the available Ottoman records
and stands scrutiny.

According to Talaat’s figures 1,150,000 Armenians disappeared in
the Ottoman Empire between 1915-1917. This number includes well over
100,000 Armenians who fled from the Ottoman Empire in 1915 (and died
in large numbers from hunger, exposure and disease), but it does
not include tens of thousands of Armenian women and children who
were absorbed into Muslim families or placed into state orphanages
for assimilation.

In this publication of Talaat’s report on the Armenian Genocide,
historian Ara Sarafian discusses the 1917 report in light of other
Ottoman records. He presents Talaat’s statistics in all detail and
includes two invaluable color maps demonstrating the content of
the report, as well as additional Ottoman documents related to the
Armenian Genocide. Sarafian presents Talaat’s breakdown of the number
of Armenians, their native provinces, and their whereabouts in the
Ottoman Empire in 1917.

Free download Book. Talaat Pasha’s Report on the Armenian Genocide

Map 1. The Destruction of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, 1914-1917

Map 2. Surviving Armenian Deportees in the Ottoman Empire, 1917

TALAAT PASHA’S REPORT ON THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

London: Gomidas Institute, 2011 70 pp, colour maps insert ISBN
978-1-903656-66-2, paperback, UK£12.00/US$18.00 To order please
contact [email protected]

ARMENIA – KRG KEEN TO ESTABLISH RELATIONS; YEREVAN OPENS CONSULATE IN ERBIL

10:39, February 3, 2015

Falah Mustafa, Foreign Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government
(KRG) met with Armenia’s Ambassador to Iraq on February 2 in Erbil,
capital of the autonomous Kurdish enclave in northern Iraq, to discuss
bilateral relations, according to the official KRGwebsite.

This was the first visit by Ambassador Karin Gregorian to Erbil for
talks with the government of the Kurdish Region.

Gregorian said that the president and Armenian government are committed
to establishing and strengthening ties with the Kurdistan Region
and briefed Minister Mustafa on the opening of Armenia’s consulate
general in Erbil.

The Ambassador announced that starting next week; Armenia will conduct
direct flights from Yerevan to Erbil twice per week. He hoped that this
will lead to more economic and cultural exchanges between Kurdistan
and Armenia.

Ambassador Gregorian commended the KRG for its political and economic
developments as well as its culture of peaceful coexistence and
religious tolerance.

Minister Mustafa welcomed the Ambassador to Kurdistan and thanked him
for his efforts to establish institutional ties between Kurdistan and
Armenia. He commended the commitment of the government of Armenia
to strengthen ties with Kurdistan and welcomed the commencement of
flights between Erbil and Yerevan.

Mr. Mustafa and Ambassador Gregorian also discussed the security and
humanitarian challenges facing the Kurdistan Region. The Ambassador
expressed the support and solidarity of the government and people of
Armenia with the government and people of Kurdistan and pledged that
Armenia will soon provide Kurdistan with assistance.

Kirkus Reviews (Print)
February 1, 2015, Sunday

Stories My Father Never Finished Telling Me

Living with the Armenian legacy of loss and silence

NONFICTION; Memoir

Kalajian’s (co-author: They Had No Voice: My Fight for Alabama’s
Forgotten Children, 2013, etc.) “ethno-memoir” is an elegiac
reflection on growing up under the specter of the trials a family, and
a whole people, experienced. Kalajian, in his third book, touches upon
both his upbringing as an American boy and his being a bearer of a
tortured Armenian past.

The remembrances are deeply personal meditations on what it was like
to live distanced from a world with which he had very little direct
contact even as it powerfully shaped his life. Readers will sense the
author’s background as an investigative journalist as he tries to
wrestle the facts of his history from his family’s laconic resistance
to speak openly about it. Kalajian’s inscrutable father is a near
mystery; only slowly, in fits and starts, does Kalajian learn about
his adventurous but hardship-ridden life. He had no idea his father
went to China or Borneo and no idea his father grew up in Greece or
that he was raised in an orphanage. Even his more voluble mother’s
tales were carefully edited and studiously redacted. While not
intended as a work of rigorous scholarship, Kalajian’s book contains
considerable discussion about the history of Armenians, and much is
revealed about their experience with Turkish persecution and global
neglect. However, this is largely an autobiographical tale. “I am not
a historian, and this is not a book of facts and dates and sober
analysis,” he says. “This is a story told by a man born in midair
whose only hope for a good night’s sleep is to close his fingers
around the frayed cord of history and tug with all his might.” His
polished, sometimes even poetic prose evokes a sense of curiosity and
lament. In response to his family’s silence-and to the silence of a
whole people still shellshocked by their grim treatment-Kalajian has
become a professional storyteller and an excellent one at that. An
affecting account of an American man attempting to uncover his
Armenian heritage and history.

Publication Date: 2014-05-31
Publisher: 8220 Press
Stage: Indie
ISBN: 978-0-615-97902-1
Price: $16.95
Author: Kalajian, Douglas

ISRAEL
Le président israélien promet un grand pas vers la communauté arménienne

La communauté arménienne en Israël a été scandalisée par la tentative
du président Reuven Rivlin de mettre au même niveau le génocide
arménien et les événements de Khodjali lors de son discours à
l’Assemblée générale des Nations Unies.

Georgette Avagian responsable du CDCA jérusalem a dit qu’elle avait
été surprise que l’un des pionniers de la reconnaissance du génocide
arménien en Israël, Reuven Rivlin, ne qualifie pas les événements de
1915 “de génocide arménien >> directement.

Georgette Avagian a également noté que précédemment, en tant que
président de la Knesset, Rivlin avait bloqué à plusieurs reprises les
efforts de l’Azerbaïdjan de présenter un projet de loi sur Khojaly à
la Knesset.

>, a déclaré
Georgette Avagian.

Elle indique que le Comité national de Cause arménienne a informé le
Président de son indignation face au discours. Le Bureau du Président
a répondu à Georgette Avagian que “le Président fera un grand pas vers
les Arméniens”.

dimanche 1er février 2015,
Stéphane (c)armenews.com

REVUE DE PRESSE
Les 10 pires génocides de l’histoire

S’il y a quelque chose qui ne manque pas dans l’histoire de
l’humanité, ce sont les génocides, ces tueries à grande échelle
commises dans le seul but d’exterminer une race, une religion ou une
culture spécifique.

Les génocides sont des crimes contre l’humanité dont les auteurs se
cachent sous le couvert de lois religieuses, culturelles, raciales ou
politiques, pour lchement anéantir ceux qui ne pensent pas comme eux,
qui sont différents.

Voici 10 exemples parmi les pires génocides que nous offre l’histoire
de l’homme.

lire la suite..

dimanche 1er février 2015,
Stéphane (c)armenews.com

School Library Journal Reviews
February 1, 2015

Dance of the Banished

review by Lisa Nowlain

REVIEWS; Grades 9 and Up; Vol. 61 No. 2

SKRYPUCH, Marsha Forchuk. Dance of the Banished. 234p. Pajama Pr. Feb.
2015. pap. $15.95. ISBN 9781927485651.

Gr 8 Up–Skrypuch continues to tell the stories of young refugees–as in
The Hunger (2002), Nobody’s Child (2003, both Dundrun), and Daughter
of War (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2008)–in her latest historical novel.

Set between 1913 and 1917, it features two Alevi Kurd teenagers in
Anatolia as World War I breaks out and Turkey begins the Armenian
Genocide. Ali emigrates before the war begins and gives his
girlfriend, Zeynep, a journal to write in for when they meet again.
While in Canada, he is locked up in an internment camp because of his
nationality, though he does not identify as Turkish. Meanwhile, Zeynep
is witness to the genocide of her neighbors and is called to help. The
author sheds light on an often overlooked piece of history.
Unfortunately, she leans too heavily on clunky literary mechanisms:
the diary format preys on the integrity of the story and some
characters seem forced (though they bring up interesting historical
contexts, such as the Cree teenager who attempts to free Ali). The
characters are unyieldingly virtuous, and their rhetorical questions
at times are wearing–there is no variance in writing style between the
diary authors. However, the setting is fascinating, the research is
thorough, and the story is made all the more interesting due to
current events in the region. The author’s note is full of source
notes and historical details, though it lacks a bibliography. In a
world that continues to be violent, readers may find solace in the
novel’s joyful ending. VERDICTDance of the Banished is absolutely
school assignment worthy, and a good book for teens who enjoy
historical fiction.–Lisa Nowlain, Darien Library, CT

Relevant Magazine
Current > Nation
Jan/Feb Edition

Why Did Seattle Police Pepper Spray This Guy?

Seattle high school teacher Jesse Hagopian is suing the city for
$500,000 following a weird, seemingly arbitrary incident of him being
pepper sprayed while he attending a Martin Luther King Day rally. A
video of the incident, obtained by the NAACP, seems to show Hagopian
talking on his phone while walking by police when he is suddenly
sprayed in the face by one of the officers. If he provoked the attack
at all, that was not captured on video, and Hagopian himself said on
his Facebook page that he was minding his own business.

At one point after the big main march, group of bike cops set up a
line to keep us from marching. Some people walked through the line,
but I didn’t. When my phone rang, I turned away from the cops and
began walking away to answer the phone. A cop then pepper sprayed me
right in the face.”

Hagopian’s lawyer, James Bible, told The Guardian that “We wouldn’t
anticipate that there would be an apology in this case. Frankly the
Seattle police department has a long history of violating civil
rights” …

Las Vegas Sun, NV
Feb 1 2015

Genocide monument breaks new ground for Clark County

February 1, 2015
by Conor Shine

A tragedy that began a century ago in the Middle East is being
memorialized in what may seem like an unlikely place — Sunset Park.

Thanks to the dedication of Las Vegas’ Armenian-American community, an
estimated 1 million to 1.5 million victims of World War I-era genocide
of Armenians will be honored with a monument in the park.

“The genocide is a part of our history, it’s part of our identity,”
said Andy Armenian, who helped lead the monument planning effort. “The
monument will be a healing process for the community. For the broader
(Las Vegas) community, we hope this monument will serve as a history
reminder and with that be a deterrent to future genocides.”

The monument is a major accomplishment for Las Vegas’ Armenian
community, which has been working for five years to raise money and
get permission to put the sculpture in one of the region’s biggest
parks.

It’s also opening the door for other public monuments to be placed
around the valley. During a yearlong debate about whether to allow the
Armenian Genocide monument, Clark County commissioners realized they
had no rules in place for deciding whether to green light requests for
proposed monuments. The result was a new policy, passed in December,
that lays out guidelines for how to get monuments approved for display
in public spaces.

Monuments must address historic events, groups or people, have
relevance to the broader community and be meaningful to future
generations. They can’t include religious speech and can be denied if
they’re considered objectionable to the general community. Other
guidelines cover the look and location, and bar monuments from parks
smaller than 25 acres.

Commissioner Mary Beth Scow, whose district includes Sunset Park, said
the rules ensure anyone requesting permission to build a monument in a
park would receive a fair chance at approval. It also gives the county
flexibility to deny proposals that don’t meet the requirements.

“I think (the Armenian genocide monument) hits the criteria,” she
said. “It’s timeless. It has a lot of community significance. I don’t
think a lot of people are aware of that genocide. It’s important for
people to see, so we don’t forget something like that and don’t repeat
it.”

Monuments also must be privately funded, something the Armenian
American Cultural Society of Las Vegas accomplished by raising more
than $100,000 to pay for construction and long-term maintenance.

Andy Armenian said Sunset Park was chosen because of its proximity to
the Armenian community’s largest church, at Eastern Avenue and Desert
Inn Road.

“It’s centrally located in Las Vegas,” he said. “It’s one of the
largest and most visited parks. At the same time, many Armenian
families live within five to 10 minutes of Sunset Park.”

Las Vegas’ monument is modeled after a similar sculpture in Armenia,
with 12 decorative concrete pillars representing the 12 provinces
where Armenians were killed during the genocide. Construction is
expected to begin in the next three months and finish in about a year.

BOX:
What is the Armenian Genocide?

The Armenian Genocide began April 24, 1915, when the Ottoman
government in what today is Turkey arrested about 200 Armenian
community leaders. Systematic killing of Armenian men followed, and
women, children and the elderly were forced out of their homeland on
death marches to the Syrian desert.

Between 1 million and 1.5 million Armenians were killed in what is
considered one of the first modern genocides. The remaining Armenian
community was scattered in a diaspora, eventually settling around the
world, including in the United States.

Controversially, the Turkish government, which succeeded the Ottoman
Empire, still disputes the use of the term genocide to describe the
mass killings.

HEAD OF THE MILITARY INSTITUTE AFTER VAZGEN SARGSYAN RESIGNS

12:22, 02 Feb 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

Lieutenant General Martin Karapetyan, Head of the Military Institute
after Vazgen Sargsyan, has filed his resignation, Tert.am reports.

Minister of Defense Seyran Ohanyan has accepted the resignation.

Moreover, Martin Karapetyan has been tasked with dismissing the whole
leadership of the Military Institute.

Remind that serviceman of the Institute Haykaz Barsegyan was found
hung in the gym on January 29. Probe into the details of the case
is underway.

YELLOW OR WHITE?: TAXI SERVICE OWNERS COMPLAIN ABOUT FREQUENTLY CHANGING LICENSING LAWS

NEWS | 02.02.15 | 14:03

Alina Nikoghosyan
ArmeniaNow intern

Starting from December 25, 2014 yellow taxi license plates have
again been replaced by white plates, a process not welcomed by all
in the sphere.

“The cause for the change was the objective of simplifying the process
of receiving licenses for the private sector at least. Law-abiding
citizens had received licenses according to the old law, but there
were some who organized protests, certainly the law was not perfect
before, it is not today, either,” Vahagn Sahakyan, head of the branch
union of Armenia’s Taxi Service Employers, told reporters Monday.

According to Sahakyan, the situation with having both yellow and white
license plates created problems during the crossing of the Armenian
border, but later agreement was reached with Georgia that settled
the issue and yellow license plates in Armenia were also considered
legal in the neighboring state.

As for the state demands, the head of the union added” “State demands
mostly include questions regarding taxi car furnishing, as well as
speedometers, documents confirming their exactness and external and
internal decoration items.”

Lyova Avetisyan, owner of the Bravo+ taxi service, thinks that the
new law is good for individuals from every point of view, but not
for organizations.

“If the cost of the license for individuals is 12,000AMD (about $25),
for us it remains the same, 30,000 AMD, because every car is registered
and that car will pay for the license,” Avetisyan said.

Field specialists said that having yellow license plates is correct,
because there has been created trust among people toward taxis with
yellow license plates.