Author: Emil Lazarian

The Corvallis Gasette
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
Remember, recall and pass on family history

By ROBERT CLARK

I enjoy genealogy and have worked with my parents and in-laws to assemble
information about my children’s family tree. I always felt it was important
that future generations hear and understand our family history. Little did I
know how true this would be.

One day I noticed gaps in my mother’s family tree. Since she was of Armenian
descent, I assumed poor recordkeeping was to blame. Then about 10 years ago,
I learned of a genocide directed at the Armenian people by the Turks during
the late 1800s and World War I. The reason for the hole in my family tree
dawned on me: Some of them never made it out.

Two years ago, I attended a lecture by Richard Hovannisian during Oregon
State University’s “Holocaust Memorial Week.” During the question-and-answer
session, I asked why family members – who must have seen these killings –
did not speak of it. His response was that other family members remained in
Armenia, and they feared reprisals for speaking out. This fear remained
strong 40, 50 even 60 years after they left Armenia. An Armenian woman in
the audience stood up and echoed those sentiments. Fear bred silence, and
silence shrouded our family’s past in mystery.

That brings us to 2004. My mother sadly passed away in May of 2003 and with
her, a chance to hear more of what her father had seen and done. Only three
children of the witnesses are alive in my family, and all are in poor
health. Through my uncle (the youngest of the remaining) I found a direct
link to the killings in 1895.

My grandfather lived on a farm near Mount Ararat and saw things firsthand.
He decided to immigrate to the United States with his immediate family,
traveling at night to board a ship bound for Ellis Island. From what I can
tell, my grandfather mentioned what he saw only once before his untimely
passing in 1944.

I have two purposes for writing this. First is to encourage the reader to
use every opportunity to learn about your heritage, no matter what you might
find out. Ask question, take notes, read letters, look at photo albums, ask
more questions. Future generations need to know this history, and when the
firsthand sources are gone, they’re gone. I regret not making a more
concerted attempt to talk with my mother. Don’t let fear stop this worthy
process.

Second, April 24 has been marked as Armenian Remembrance Day. Please take a
few moments to remember those killed during the first genocide of the 20th
century, the prototype for the Jewish holocaust. Though my family was
impacted 20 years earlier, during the first Armenian “cleansing” in 1895,
those killings set the stage for events in 1915.

Do not let fear and silence be your family’s hallmark. Tell your history.
Remember, and then act.

Robert Clark of Corvallis owns Dixon Creek Software.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ITAR-TASS, Russia
April 21 2004

Germany interested in stable South Caucasus

BAKU, April 21 (Itar-Tass) — German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer
said his country was interested in a stable South Caucasus.

Speaking at a press conference after talks with his Azerbaijani
counterpart Elmar Mamedyarov on Wednesday, Fischer called for
resolving the Karabakh conflict as soon as possible.

`Being a member of the OSCE Minsk Group, Germany, as an international
partner, is trying to contribute to the resolution of this conflict,’
he said.

Fischer and Mamedyarov had discussed bilateral economic and cultural
cooperation, the fight against terrorism, regional security, the
upcoming NATO summit in June, and democratic processes in Azerbaijan.

The German foreign minister said his country was ready to `assist
Azerbaijan in every way to ensure its democratic development.’

In his words, the European Union is actively discussing a new concept
of neighbourhood with the South Caucasus countries. `Compliance with
the Council of Europe’s human rights requirements and the
implementation of economic reforms are an important condition of
cooperation between the European Union and countries in the region,
including Azerbaijan,’ he said.

In the evening, Fischer is due to meet with President Ilkham Aliyev.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

New Armenian protest demands president step down

By Hasmik Lazarian

YEREVAN, Armenia (Reuters) – More than 10,000 demonstrators marched
Wednesday to demand the resignation of Armenian President Robert
Kocharyan, whom they accuse of rigging his re-election last year, and
to seek a national referendum on his administration.

Ignoring both heavy rain and a threat by authorities to disperse mass
gatherings, protesters poured into Freedom Square in central Yerevan
and then filed through the city center without incident. They avoided
a repeat of last week’s protest when police used water cannon to break
up a march on Kocharyan’s residence.

“Any administration relying on violence is doomed. Kocharyan must go,”
said Stepan Demirchyan, leader of the Justice Party and runner-up to
Kocharyan in last year’s presidential election.

Kocharyan dismisses any notion of a new opposition-led “rose
revolution” like that which forced the resignation last year of
veteran leader Eduard Shevardnadze in ex-Soviet Georgia to the north.

The president says Armenia, unlike Georgia, has a more solid economy
with authorities enjoying broader support.

Speakers at Wednesday’s rally also demanded punishment for those
responsible for dispersing a rally on April 13 in which about 30
people were hurt. Opposition leaders are also calling for the release
of activists they say were detained.

Kocharyan ran Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory populated by ethnic
Armenians which broke away from rule by mainly Muslim Azerbaijan in
the Soviet era.

He became Armenian president in 1998, but has made little progress in
tackling the conflict over the region. Some 35,000 people were killed
died in six years of fighting ended by a 1994 cease-fire.

Kocharyan’s allies have offered dialogue with opposition parties. But
Viktor Dalakyan, another Justice Party leader, said dialogue could
only focus on the terms of Kocharyan’s departure.

“In the hearts of the people, the authorities are no longer in power,”
he said. “All therefore that remains to be done is to give this a
political form.”

The largest rally in the campaign so far attracted 20,000
marchers. Activists have called a new protest for Saturday to coincide
with commemorations of what Armenians describe as the genocide of 1.5
million of their countrymen by Ottoman Turks in 1915.

04/21/04 16:50 ET

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian National Committee of Canada
3401 Olivar-Asselin
Montreal, Quebec
H4J 1L5

April 21st, 2004

Contact persons :
Robert Kouyoumdjian: (514) 336-7095
Shant Karabajak: (514) 334-1299
Aris Babikian : (416) 497-8972

PRESS RELEASE

Canada Recognizes the Armenian Genocide
The House of Commons adopts bill M-380 presented by Mrs. Madeleine
Dalhpond-Guiral

OTTAWA, April 21st, 2004 – On the eve of the 89th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide, the Canadian House of Commons, with overwhelming
majority, recognized the Armenian Genocide. The non-partisan vote was
153 for 68 against. When the result of the vote was announced, the House
of Commons chamber, which was packed with Armenians from Montreal,
Ottawa, Toronto and other Canadian cities, burst in applause and ringing
“bravo.” Tears of joy could be seen in the eyes of many Armenians.

Motion M-380, which reads: “That this House acknowledges the Armenian
genocide of 1915 and condemns this act as a crime against humanity,” was
moved by MP Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral (Laval Centre, Bloc Quebecois) and
was seconded by MPs Sarkis Assadourian (Brampton Centre, Liberal), Jason
Kenney (Calgary Southeast, Conservative Party of Canada) and Alexa
McDonough (Halifax, New Democratic Party). Voting, which began at 6:15
pm, lasted 30 minutes.

The governing Liberal leadership paved the way for this vote by allowing
a “free vote,” meaning that individual members are allowed to vote their
conscience, without any pressure or negative repercussions from their
respective party leaderships. Although Minister of Foreign Affairs Bill
Graham used every means available to him to defeat the Motion, he was
unable to change the historic outcome.

On February 21st, the Parliament held its first reading of Bill M-380,
which included an hour of debate on the measure. Among those speaking
in favor of the Resolution during the first reading were Derek Lee
(Liberal), Eleni Bakopnaos (Liberal), Francine Lalonde (BQ), Stockwell
Day (PC) and the Hon, Lorne Nystrom (NDP).

The second reading of M-380, to recognize the Armenian Genocide, took
place on April 20. During the one-hour debate, only one member of the
House spoke against the motion. The other seven speakers were favoured
of the motion.

In the last two days, the Turkish Embassy and its public relations firms
had launched a concerted campaign against the adoption of the bill. A
delegation from the Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC) was on
hand to counter the Turkish Embassy’s campaign of falsification and
distortion of the historical facts. An ANCC team has been in the
nation’s capital for the past several weeks representing the community’s
views on this matter.

The passing of this resolution was the culmination of a 25 year process
which encompassed similar resolutions being passed by city councils,
provinces, and the Canadian Senate (July 13, 2002).

Dr. Girair Basmadjian, president of the Armenian National Committee of
Canada (ANCC), was elated by the result of the vote. “As an Armenian, I
was moved and felt grateful for the respect that was shown by the
Canadian Parliament to the memory of the victims of the Armenian
Genocide. As a Canadian, I am proud that the House of Commons adopted
this historic motion.”

“This is a victory for truth and justice.” stated Dr. Basmadjian.

“Implicated in this course of action for over two decades, the ANCC has
constituted the driving force behind the process towards the adoption of
this motion,” commented Dr. G. Basmadjian. “The accomplishment of this
task was made possible through the mobilization as well as the
implication of our grass roots members who made sure that all Members of
Parliament were aware of the importance of this issue for our
community.”

The ANCC was actively involved in promoting the passing of the motion.
For the last six months, the ANCC worked very closely with
parliamentarians and foreign affairs critics of all the political
parties represented in the House. The ANCC received strong support from
numerous parliamentarians, including Jim Karaygainnis, Eleni Bakopanos,
Stephane Dion, Derek Lee, Stephane Bergeron, Jason Kenney, Svend
Robinson, Real Menard, and Senators Raymond Setlakwe and Shirley Maheu.
Ms. Libby Davies’ (Vancouver East) gesture to switch her motion with
madam Dalphond-Guiral motion, to allow the vote to take place before the
89th anniversary commemorations of the Armenian Genocide on April 24,
was greatly appreciated. Within the Liberal caucus, the contribution of
Mr. Sarkis Assadourian (Brampton Centre) also should be noted.

The ANCC mailed a specially-prepared brief to all members of the House.
The ANCC also mobilized the Canadian-Armenian community to counter the
Turkish Government’s propaganda campaign through e-mails, postcards and
telephone calls to parliamentarians.

A NATO ally, Canada now joins a long list of nations including France,
Italy, Greece, Switzerland and Russia which have recognized the Armenian
Genocide of 1915-1923.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

An Armenian answer to Azerbaijan

>From the Greek Daily Elevtherotypia
21 April 2004

By Thanasis Avgerinos ([email protected])

MOSCOW — “If Azerbaijan recognizes northern Cyprus, then this could set a
very interesting precedent, why not, for the case of Nagorno-Karabagh”,
stated Vardan Oskanian, the Foreign Minister of Armenia, while commenting on
a recent position taken by the Azeri President Ilham Aliyev during an
official visit to Ankara.

“It is very strange” stated Oskanian “to hear from the lips of Ilham
Aliyiev, who vehemently denies the right of self-determination for the
people of Nagorno Karabagh, claims about the possibility of recognition of
the independence of the Turkish part of Cyprus”, thus pulling the rug under
the feet of the leadership in Baku and the presidential diplomatic friendly
gestures towards Turkey.

The daily newspaper “Zerkala” in Baku characterized the Aliyev statement “a
failure of Azeri diplomacy from which the international status of the
country will be hurt, because he continues the policy of deterioration of
Azerbaijan’s relations with its neighbors, Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan and
now Greece” and interprets the statement as an effort to break the rapid
improvement of Turco-Armenian relations under the blessings of the West.

;id=99577172

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

BREAKING NEWS

POSTED AT 9:57 PM EDT Wednesday, Apr. 21, 2004

Liberal backbenchers break ranks over genocide motion

By ALEXANDER PANETTA

Canadian Press

Ottawa – Canada became one of few countries to formally recognize the
genocide of Armenian Turks during the First World War in a strongly
worded motion adopted 153-68 in the House of Commons on Wednesday.

Government members were discouraged from voting for the motion, which is
sure to anger a Turkish government that has never recognized the
massacre of 1.5 million Armenians starting in 1915.

Following a charged debate at their weekly closed-door caucus meeting,
Liberal backbenchers voted massively in favour while the party’s cabinet
contingent rejected the Bloc Québécois motion.

Prime Minister Paul Martin was absent during the politically sensitive
vote but Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham defended the government’s
opposition.

The Turkish government has warned that recognizing the genocide could
have economic consequences and Mr. Graham said he wanted to maintain
good relations with Turkey.

`Turkey is an important NATO ally in a region where it is a Muslim
country with a moderate government,’ he said.

`What we seek to do in our foreign policy is to encourage the forward
dimension, we’re forward-looking. We’d like our Armenian friends and our
Turkish friends to work together to put these issues in the past.’

The motion read: `That this House acknowledges the Armenian genocide of
1915 and condemns this act as a crime against humanity.’

The Turkish government rejects the charge of genocide as unfounded and
says that while 600,000 Armenians died, 2.5 million Muslims perished in
a period of civil unrest.

Unlike the Liberal government most opposition MPs – including
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper – voted in favour of the motion,
which places Canada in a category of only about two dozen countries to
have recognized the Armenian genocide.

The United Nations has also recognized the massacre, and Armenians have
been fighting for decades throughout the world for that sort of
acknowledgment.

One opposition critic labelled the Prime Minister `hypocritical’ for
promising more free votes and then forcing ministers to toe the line on
such a matter of deep personal conscience.

`It’s a terrible double standard for Paul Martin to force his ministers
to vote against it and not even show up himself,’ said Tory foreign
affairs critic Stockwell Day.

`That is a hypocritical double standard.’

Liberal Hedy Fry supported the motion but said it’s important to note
the atrocities were carried out under the Ottoman empire, which has
faded into history and was long ago replaced by a modern Turkish state.

`I think we need to recognize the past,’ she said.

`I think it doesn’t mean we’ve broken ties with the current regime in
Turkey. They are our colleagues, they are our NATO allies. They are a
moderate, Muslim government and I think we need to work with them.

Recognizing what happened in the Ottoman empire shouldn’t affect
Canada’s diplomatic relations with Turkey, she said.

Fry and many other former Liberal cabinet ministers who are now
backbenchers also voted in favour, including Martin Cauchon, Stephane
Dion, Maurizio Bevilacqua, Lyle Vanclief, Lawrence MacAulay, Herb
Dhaliwal and David Kilgour.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Contact: Armen Carapetian, Government Relations Director
Tel: 818-500-1918
Fax: 818-246-7353
Email: [email protected]
Web:

The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region (ANCA-WR)
moments ago learned that a record 170 US Senators and Congressmen are
to send President Bush a cosigned letter asking that he properly
characterize the Armenian Genocide in his April 24th commemorative
remarks.

The letter, which is attached below, represents an unprecedented
number of Members of Congress standing up to the President’s use of
euphemisms in describing the genocide of 1.5 million Armenians by
Ottoman Turks from 1915 through 1923. In his bid for the Presidency in
1999, George W. Bush wrote a strongly worded letter expressing
unequivocally that he would honor the memory of the victims of the
Armenian Genocide if elected President. However, while in office,
President Bush has failed time and again to reaffirm the United
States’ long record on the Armenian Genocide. ANCA-WR has been working
with Members of Congress representing constituents in western states
to show the President that there is broad support for historical
accuracy on this issue.

More details are to follow in an official press release.

April 21, 2004

The Honorable George W. Bush
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

We are writing to urge you to join us in reaffirming the United States
record on the Armenian Genocide in your April 24 commemorative statement.

This date marks the anniversary of the systematic and deliberate campaign
of genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire in 1915. Over the following
eight years, one and a half million Armenians were tortured and murdered,
and more than half a million were forced from their homeland into exile. In
the years since, descendents of Armenian immigrants have thrived in the
United States and in many other countries, bringing extraordinary vitality
and achievement to communities across this nation and throughout the world.

By properly recognizing the atrocities committed against the Armenian
people as “genocide” in your statement, you will honor the many Americans
who helped launch our first international human rights campaign to end the
carnage and protect the survivors. The official U.S. response mirrored the
overwhelming reaction by the American public to this crime against
humanity, and as such, constitutes a proud, irrefutable and groundbreaking
chapter in U.S. diplomatic history.

Now more than ever as your administration seeks to bring an end to global
terrorism and to help establish democracies in Afghanistan and Iraq, the
memory of the genocide underscores our responsibility to help convey our
cherished tradition of respect for fundamental human rights and opposition
to mass slaughters. The victims of the Genocide deserve our remembrance
and their rightful place in history. It is in the best interests of our
nation and the entire global community to remember the past and learn from
these crimes against humanity to ensure that they are never repeated.

We look forward to your April 24 statement and stand ready to assist you in
this endeavor and in the many other matters of importance to our nation
related to Armenia and the South Caucasus region.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Burbank Leader , CA
LATimes.com
April 21 2004

City parade to hit the streets
Burbank on Parade will feature 4,000 participants, 240 floats; theme
is ‘Let Us Entertain You.’

By Jackson Bell, The Leader

BURBANK – It hasn’t been an easy six months for the organizers of
Burbank on Parade.

After canceling the parade, then resuming it, and next having to
resolve the conflict in date with the Armenian Genocide Remembrance
Day, organizers have finally fixed all the kinks and look forward to
starting the show.

“[Parade organizers] look at all of it as a small stumbling block,
and can’t wait for Saturday and to then get started on next year’s
parade,” said Joanne Miller, the parade’s spokeswoman. “We usually
work on this for almost a whole year, and a few pitfalls on the road
are OK – nothing worthwhile is easy.”

The 23rd annual Burbank on Parade will kick off at 11 a.m. Saturday,
and will march east along Olive Avenue from Keystone to Lomita
streets. Nearly 240 different groups and about 4,000 people will
participate in this year’s event, which is themed “Let Us Entertain
You.” Every float will have a tie-in to entertainment.

This year’s highlight will be television star and comedian George
Lopez as the grand marshal. The Los Angeles Irish Set Dancers, led by
Burbank resident Michael Patrick Breen and the Reel Cowboys, a group
of men who ride on bails of hay in flatbed trucks, are other new
additions to the two-hour parade.

The 1974 Ford Torino hot rod from the film “Starsky & Hutch” will
also be featured.

In addition, drill teams, marching bands, floats, clowns and
equestrian acts will dazzle the anticipated audience of 30,000.

The parade will conclude its run with an awards ceremony in George
Izay Park. Also at the park, a crafts fair will be open from 8 a.m.
to 4 p.m., a talent showcase will run from 2 to 4 p.m. and the cars
that carry the celebrities and dignitaries will be on display.

Mary Alvord, who has announced the event for the past four years,
will be the first city manager to ride in the parade.

For Alvord, it is exciting to be part of an event that is essentially
Burbank.

“The parade is important because it is the epitome of what people
think of the city,” she said. “Despite being a city of 100,000
residents, the parade reinforces that Burbank has a small, hometown
feel.”

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Los Angeles Daily News, CA
April 21 2004

Police seek help finding would-be armed robber

By City News Service

GLENDALE — Glendale police asked for the public’s help Tuesday in
finding a would-be bandit who fired at a 51-year-old man while they
were struggling over the gun.

The intended victim had just returned home from shopping about 9 p.m.
April 14, in the 900 block of Patterson Avenue, when a gunman walked
up and demanded the resident’s wallet, Glendale police Officer
Leticia Chang said. A struggle ensued, and the intended victim
managed to get the gun from the would-be robber, who ran to a
dark-color car and fled with two other people.

The suspect was described as a slender Armenian, about 5 feet 6
inches tall with short black hair, wearing a white baggy jersey-type
shirt with a logo on the front, white shorts and white tennis shoes.

Anyone with more information about the robbery attempt is asked to
call Glendale detectives at (818) 548-3987 or the department’s main
number, (818) 548-4840. Anonymous calls can be made to (818)
506-STOP.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A1 Plus | 17:33:27 | 20-04-2004 | Politics |

COALITION FOILED DIALOGUE

Coalition-Opposition-Intelligentsia meeting initiated by Raffi
Hovhannissyan, finished. Aram Sargssyan /Republic Party/, Smbat Ayvazyan
/Republic Party/, Stepan Zaqaryan /People’s Party of Armenia/, and Vazgen
Manukyan /National Democratic Union/ from Opposition were present.

Coalition calling for talks and dialogue was absent. Academicians Rafael
Ghazaryan, Lenser Aghalovyan, Vardan Sedrakyan, Khoren Palyan and Edward
Simonyantc of intellectuals partook in the meeting. Naturally, Raffi
Hovhannissyan took part in the meeting, too.

Our reliable sources informed that ARF had informed the meeting organizers
Robert Kocharyan had invited ARF representatives. The fact gives cause to
conclude that Robert Kocharyan had forbidden Coalition to meet Opposition
and Intelligentsia.

The meeting organizers are preparing a statement and it will probably be
released today.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress