MAYOR ACCUSED
Sunday Times (London)
September 25, 2005, Sunday
THE mayor of an Armenian town was arrested after the head of a power
company was shot dead. Armen Kelishyan was said to have killed Ashot
Mkhitaryan after accusing him of inflating his electricity bill.
Financial Times (London, England)
September 23, 2005 Friday
London Edition 1
Turkish academics grasp nettle on Armenians: Bosphorus University is
hoping to avoid trouble this weekend when it finally holds a
controversial conference,
By VINCENT BOLAND
There is no moresensitive issue in Turkey’s 20thcentury history. The
country’s most celebrated writer faces jail for mentioning it. But
this weekend Bosphorus University plans to go ahead with a
conference, on the fate of Turkish Armenians at the end of the
Ottoman empire, that has been delayed for months after a government
minister accused the university of treason.
The meeting will be the first to discuss the issue outside official
control and will be closely watched for any hint that Turkey’s
democratic credentials fail to meet the standards expected of a
candidate for European Union membership.
As it prepares to begin the long process of joining the EU, Ankara
seems ready to address many contentious issues, such as Cyprus or the
plight of the country’s ethnic Kurds. But it appears paralysed on the
question of the Armenians.
Armenia claims that 1.5m Armenians died as a result of genocide by
Ottoman troops beginning in 1915, before the republic of Turkey was
created. Turkey maintains the death toll was much lower and that the
deaths were caused by deportation, war and hunger. Many historians
and some governments take Armenia’s side.
Two recent events highlight the sensitivity of the issue and what
could be at stake in this weekend’s conference, which will be
attended and addressed solely by Turkish historians. When the
university announced the gathering, to be held originally in late
May, there were fierce protests by republican and nationalist
politicians and academics at other universities and a government
minister accused the institution of “stabbing the country in the
back”.
The university capitulated, worried that hundreds of students from
universities in Anatolia, which are far more nationalist than
Bosphorus, would descend on the conference and disrupt the
proceedings. It rescheduled the conference for this weekend, with far
less publicity and a heightened sense of security.
The second event, which has given the conference proceedings added
significance, is the prosecution of Orhan Pamuk, Turkey’s most
celebrated writer. Earlier this year he told a foreign magazine that
“30,000 Kurds and 1m Armenians were killed in these lands and nobody
but me dares to talk about it”. He has now been charged with the
“public denigration of Turkish identity” for this statement, and
faces up to three years in jail if convicted in a trial set for
December.
The fact that this weekend’s conference is going ahead is a small
victory for civil rights in Turkey, while Mr Pamuk’s prosecution is a
large setback.
It is possible to discuss Armenia today in a way that was not
possible five years ago, some commentators say, but only on certain
terms. Ragip Duran, a journalist and communications lecturer at
Galatasaray University who has been jailed for his work, says: “It is
OK to talk about sensitive issues (such as Armenia), but only in a
certain national context. The Orhan Pamuk case is the best example of
the breaking of this taboo.”
The conference is not adopting Mr Pamuk’s provocative stance. Ayhan
Aktar, a professor at Marmara University who will attend, says it is
not aimed specifically at discussing or endorsing the genocide claim,
as some of its critics alleged in May, although participants may
choose to do so. The title of the proceedings – Ottoman Armenians
during the era of Ottoman decline – is neutral.
Still, it is significant that the conference is going ahead before
October 3, when Turkey begins its EU accession process.
The controversy in May rattled the government, despite the
contribution to the affair of Cemil Cicek, the justice minister, who
made the “treason” allegation against Bosphorus University.
Several participating academics say the government, which likes to
trumpet its pluralist instincts, urged the university to reschedule
the event for this weekend.
Nonetheless, ministers are being careful not to be identified too
closely with the event and the publicity it is sure to generate.
According to the university, there will be no official presence.
That is unlikely to affect the quality of the debate. But whether it
affects the public perception of the conference and its findings
remains to be seen.
STRADIVARIUS VIOLIN FOR ARMENIAN VIOLINIST
A1+
| 15:59:59 | 22-09-2005 | Official |
September 24 Armenian violinist Sergey Khachatryan will perform with
the National Chamber Orchestra of Armenia in the concert hall after
Aram Khachaturyan.
Sergey Khachatryan, the awardee and laureate of numerous contests
resides in Germany . Lately in Brussels he was awarded the first
prize of the famous Queen Elizabeth contest and received the right
to play Huggins Stradivarius violin.
Today Armenian President Robert Kocharian received the young violinist.
Wishing him every success the President wished the musician gave
concerts in his homeland once a year at least.
Azat Artsakh, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh
Sept 20 2005
X-Sender: Asbed Bedrossian <[email protected]>
X-Listprocessor-Version: 8.1 — ListProcessor(tm) by CREN
FOUNDATIONS OF THE CHURCH LAID
The dream of the inhabitants of the capital of NKR to have a church
in the city will soon fulfill. On September 15 the foundation stones
of St. Jacob Church near Hekimian Street in Stepanakert were laid. At
the ceremony of confirmation churchmen of Artsakh Diocese of the
Armenian Apostolic Church, officials and believers were present. The
Armenian benefactor Vache Yepremian from Los Angeles who will sponsor
the construction of the church was also present. After washing with
water and wine and anointing with chrism the 16 stones symbolizing
the 13 apostles, 2 evangelists and Gregory the Illuminator were
placed in the foundation of the church. Vache Yepremian said the idea
of building a church in Stepanakert occurred during his talks with
Archbishop of Artsakh Parghev Martirossian; he was surprised to learn
that there was no church in Stepanakert. The construction of the
church will last till next spring. And in the second half of October
the foundations of the cathedral will be laid. Its construction will
probably last for 2 – 3 years.
Noyan Tapan News Agency
Sept 19 2005
OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL EUROPEAN MOVEMENT ENVISAGED TO OPEN IN
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 19, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Henrik Kroner,
the Secretary General of the International European Movement
presented the history and the activity of the organization at the
September 16 meeting with Artur Baghdasarian, the Chairman of the RA
National Assembly. He mentioned that being a wide-spread movement in
Europe, the Internationak European Movement was in sources of
formation of the Council of Europe and the European Union.
As Noyan Tapan was informed by the NA Public Relations Department,
the issue of opening an office of the Movement in Armenia was
discussed at the meeting. It’s goal is to support formation of the
civic society and deepening democracy in Armenia. Henrik Kroner
proposed the NA Chairman to join the International European Movement
members of which are Jose Manuel Barroso, the President of the
European Commission, Valery Giscard d’Esting, the former President of
France, Helmut Kohl, the former Chancellor of Germany and many people
having high posts in Europe.
Artur Baghdasarian expressed his readiness to support Henrik Kroner
and wished successes in Armenian activities. An agreement was reached
on continuing the cooperation which can be implemented by a
successful activity of the office.
INTERNATIONAL PEN CALLS FOR AN END TO PUBLISHER RAGIP ZARAKOLU’S TRIALS
IFEX, Canada (International Freedom of Expression Xchange)
Sept 19 2005
Country/Topic: Turkey
Date: 19 September 2005
Source: Writers in Prison Committee, International PEN
Person(s): Ragip Zarakolu
Target(s): publisher(s) , writer(s)
Type(s) of violation(s): charged , legal action
Urgency: Bulletin
(WiPC/IFEX) – Members of International PEN, the world association
of writers, are protesting the decision to take to court one of
Turkey’s most well-known writers, Orhan Pamuk, for comments seen
to be “insulting” to the Turkish state. His trial is due to open in
mid-December (see IFEX alerts of 2 September and 6 April 2005). This
move has been widely condemned internationally. At the same time
other writers and journalists are on trial for commentary also seen
to be insulting to the Turkish state, its officials and institutions.
Most well known of these is the publisher Ragip Zarakolu, who has
rarely been out of the courts because of his publications since the
late 1970s.
In the next four weeks Zarakolu will be brought before courts three
times in three separate cases. On 20 September an Istanbul court will
preside over the latest in a series of hearings initiated in March this
year against Zarakolu’s publication of George Jerjian’s book History
Will Free All of Us/Turkish-Armenian Conciliation. The book is said
to be “insulting” to the memory of Kemal Ataturk by suggesting that
leading government figures close to Ataturk had been responsible for
the mass deportation of Armenians in 1915. Zarakolu is being charged
under articles of the Penal Code (art. 159/1 and art. 5186) that have
since been removed following penal revisions put into place in June
this year. The next day, another hearing will be held under the same
law – this time for Zarakolu’s publication of a book by Professor
Dora Sakayan’s An Armenian Doctor in Turkey: Garabed Hatcherian: My
Smyrna Ordeal of 1922. On 11 October, Zarakolu will yet again appear
in court to hear the latest in a series of hearings that started
in May 2004 for an article published in 2003 entitled, “Sana Ne”
(“Of No Interest”) that criticised Turkey’s policy towards the Kurds
in Iraq. As for the hearing on 20 September, he is being tried under
a law that has changed since the introduction of the new Penal Code.
Zarakolu has long been an advocate for minority and human rights
in Turkey. In 1968 he began writing for “Ant” and “Yeni Ufuklar”
magazines. In 1971 a military government assumed power in Turkey
and convicted Zarakolu of working with an international communist
organisation. He was imprisoned for three years. On his release
Zarakolu steadfastly refused to abandon his campaign for freedom of
thought, striving for an “attitude of respect for different thoughts
and cultures to become widespread in Turkey”. Unable to publish
certain works within Turkey, Zarakolu turned to the international
market, whilst he circumvented the ban on criticism of Turkey’s
military regime by turning his attention to abuses of human rights by
governments in South America and elsewhere. The Belge Publishing House,
established in Istanbul in 1977 by Zarakolu and his equally eminent
wife Ayse Nur, has been a focus for Turkish censorship laws ever
since. Charges brought against the couple – at one point there were
over thirty government-brought actions – resulted in imprisonment for
both Nur and Zarakolu, the wholesale confiscation and destruction of
books and the imposition of heavy fines. In 1995 the Belge Publishing
House offices were firebombed by an extremist rightist group, forcing
it to be housed in a cellar. Since his wife’s death in 2002 Zarakolu
has continued to face numerous prosecutions of which his current
trials are all too familiar.
PEN recognises that today the situation is much improved from when
the Belge Publishing House was first set up. But it is far from
perfect. PEN has on its records 50 ongoing court cases against writers,
journalists and publishers. Most cases end with acquittals or fines,
and rarely imprisonment, but the legal process moves slowly, often
taking months, sometimes years, before coming to a conclusion. The most
recent revision to the Penal Code, put into place in June this year,
shaved away a little more of the problematic elements that had in the
past led to sentences that included life imprisonment. Yet there still
remain laws that continue to penalise free speech. On 13 September,
the EU’s Enlargement Commissioner, Olli Rhen, agreed that there are
serious concerns about the Turkish Penal Code, adding that the trial
of Pamuk is clearly in contravention of the European Convention on
Human Rights, to which Turkey is a signatory.
International PEN, the world association of writers with centres in
99 countries, is deeply disappointed that, despite further changes
to the Penal Code, there remains repression of freedom of expression
in Turkey. PEN calls on the Turkish authorities to make further
reviews of articles contained in the Penal Code that breach the
international standards to which Turkey is committed. These standards
include Article 19 of the United Nations International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights, as well as Article 10 of the European
Convention on Human Rights. PEN recommends that pending such review,
all trials against writers and publishers on charges that contravene
international standards be halted.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Send appeals to authorities: – protesting the
fact that Zarakolu is on trial in direct denial of his rights as
guaranteed under the United Nations Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights, to which the
Turkish government is a signatory
APPEALS TO: Prime Minister Racep Tayyip Erdogan TC Easbaskanlik Ankara,
Turkey Fax: +90 312 417 0476
Cemil Cicek Minister of Justice TC Adalet Bakanligi Ankara, Turkey Fax:
+ 90 312 417 3954
Similar appeals should be sent to the Turkish Embassy in your own
country.
THE ICG WANTS ARMENIAN TROOPS TO WITHDRAW FROM KARABAKH
Azerbaijan News Service
Sept 9 2005
“Armenian troops must leave occupied territories around Daghlig
Garabagh.” The International Crisis Group will give this commendation
to Armenian Government on September 11 in Yerevan. Alain Deletros,
Vice-President of the International Crisis Group: Armenian troops
must leave 7 occupied regions and refugees from the territories must
return to their homes. After that the status issue of Daglig Garabagh
must be discussed. And I think the negotiations will continue
15-20 years. According to Alain Deletros these recommendations
were reflected in the reports which will be released on September
14 by the Organization. One of the reports will contain the present
situation of Daglig Garabagh. The second report is about the Conflict
settlement. The Vice-President of the International Crisis Group said
that they also gave commendations to Azerbaijan Government during
their visit to Baku. The main commendation was to stop creating
among Azerbaijanis the enemy mode against Armenians and to normalize
relations between two sides. The International Crisis Group also met
with Mazahir Panahov, the Chairman of Central Election Commission.
The International Crisis Group was appealed on receiving the List
of Azerbaijan citizens of Armenian origin under the 122 Khankandi
election Constituency. But Sabina Freizer, representative of the Group
on Southern Caucasus considers that to be very difficult. We very
highly appreciate this offer. But this offer was put forward in the
last stage. The registration is over yet. The negotiations must have
been held between Khankandi residents and Azerbaijani community of
Daglig Garabagh. Sabina Freizer said that in the Report Armenian and
Azerbaijani communities of Daglig Garabagh are advised to start talks.
A1+
| 15:49:25 | 16-09-2005 | Social |
NO COMPROMISE TO STUDENTS
The strike of the students of the University after Hrachya Acharyan is over.
The heads of the University did not want to compromise and the students have
to pay the education fees which have been raised.
`First I wanted to go to another University, but they I changed my mind, as
I realized the difference, and now I have to be adapted to the present
situation’, student Zarouhi complains.
The students did not even represent their pack of offers to the University
heads as they found it all in vain.
By the way, according to the students who participated in the act of
complaint, the lecturers treat them differently as to the others, mentioning
that they gave a political coloring to the minor problem. As for whether it
will affect their exam marks, the end of the year will show.
ARTUR BAGHDASARIAN: PARTICIPATION OF PARLIAMENT IN SETTLEMENT OF
GLOBAL PROBLEMS IS IMPERATIVE NEED OF TIME
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 15, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Participation of
the Parliament in settlement of global problems is the imperative need
of time. Artur Baghdasarian, the Chairman of the National Assembly
stated about this at the Parliament Chairmen’s Second World Conference
which took place in New York receintly.
The RA NA Chairman attached importance to parliaments’ role in the
contex of general democratization and spreading democracy for a number
of reasons: first, democracy is the shortest and the most effective
way for bearing challenges of the century: terrorism, war, violations
of the human rights, hunger and poverty. The Parliament, being a
representative body, is the closest state institution for the
people. To have an open Parliament means to be led by the principle of
transparency, to be upmost accessible and reachable for electors and
be ready for cooperation on the international arena. In this sense,
it’s necessary to develop interparliamentary cooperation as one of the
best ways of spreading democracy.
“We are ready for cooperation and are open for any democratic
initiative. It’s a pity, our Azeri partners use all possible stages
of international instances only to repreach and criticize Armenia,
instead of speaking about regional problems, development of democracy,
widening cooperation and possibilities and prospects of establishing
good relations with neighbors, Artur Baghdasarian stated.
The NA Chairman emphasized that “the Karabakh conflict was the
Karabakh people’s struggle for self-determination and right of liberty
which they managed to get by a war started just by the Azerbaijani
party.” He expressed confidence that the ten-year peace which the
international community supported actively, creates good opportunities
for reaching a just and continuous solution of the Karabakh issue.
Armenia always stands for the regional cooperation as a mean of
creating confidence. “In this contex, any destructive policy which is
aimed to isolate one of the countries of the region, is inacceptable
and will danger the stability of the region. He means the
Turkish-Azerbaijani efforts directed to building a new railway instead
of putting into action the Gyumri-Kars ready railway. Its aim is to
isolate Armenia. Such way of acting does not support the regional
cooperation. It’s the reason that we emphasize that present problems
should be solved by a constructive dialogue, but not by agressive
claims which has already said us nothing for a long time, which should
stay in the past as for us the cooperation for future is much more
important. This future supposes a peaceful Caucasus, a region
anchoring based on cooperation and dialogue, a region, which
expressing itself as a united and political area, should see its
future in the united European family,” Artur Baghdasarian stated.
Mentioning in this context the active dialogues promoted in in the
region by Armenia, the NA Chairman particularly mentioned creation of
the South Caucasian Parliamentary Assembly, expressing confidence that
it will greatly support solution of problems in the South Caucasus,
avoiding conflicts and having a democratic region.
The text of the RA NA Chairman’s speech was spread by the NA Public
Relations Department.
British baroness vows to continue aid to Nagornyy Karabakh
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
15 Sep 05
[Presenter] More people should visit Nagornyy Karabakh in order to
understand why the Armenians cannot accept Azeris [forced to leave the
region during the conflict] back, the deputy speaker of the British
House of Lords, Baroness Caroline Cox, has said. This is the 60th
visit of the baroness to Artsakh [Karabakh]. She has visited the
conflict zone during the most difficult years.
[Correspondent] Paying 60 visits to the same country means being in
true love with it. The baroness has been with the Artsakh people
during the hardest days of the conflict and now she is proud to see
the development of this liberated country.
[Caroline Cox, speaking in English with Armenian voice-over] People
who come to Artsakh for the first time do not believe that there was a
war a few years ago. I am proud to see that things are being restored
quickly and a democratic country is being built.
[Correspondent] The baroness never comes alone. Every time she comes,
she brings along many people from various countries of the world.
[Cox] It worries me that the international community does not
understand why the Armenians cannot accept Azeris back. Every time I
come, I bring along new guests to introduce them to true history and
to explain that the Armenians are the owners of this land.
[Correspondent] Caroline Cox came to Artsakh as part of a pilgrimage
with a delegation of 20 people from the USA, UK and Switzerland.
[Passage omitted: guests speak about Karabakh]
The guests were impressed how war veterans are treated. The
international Christian peace organization opened a rehabilitation
centre in Stepanakert seven years ago with the help of Caroline Cox,
where many war veterans are being treated. The sponsors are working to
improve the centre and Caroline Cox has a special role in helping the
centre, which was named after her.
The baroness said that she will continue to render assistance to
Artsakh and to pray that the international community finally
recognizes the independence of Nagornyy Karabakh.
Narine Agabalyan, Artur Nersesyan, “Aylur”, Stepanakert.
[Video showed the speaker of the Nagornyy Karabakh republic, Ashot
Gulyan meeting Caroline Cox, Cox’s visit to the rehabilitation centre]