Author: Jack Hunanian

Asbarez – On November 10, Armenian students who peacefully protested a genocide denier’s lecture celebrating Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s career at Chapman University were attacked as the audience punched, shoved, spit, and yelled fascist hate speech at them.

The protest at Chapman University was one of several organized by the Armenian Youth Federation-Western United States (AYF-WUS), ARF Shant Student Association (ARF-SSA), and the All-Armenian Student Association (All-ASA) against “Ataturk Week,” a series of events around Southern California about Ataturk, who is considered to be the father of the modern Turkish Republic and the leader who ingrained the Ottoman Empire’s genocidal policies into the foundation of the Republic of Turkey.

Viral videos posted to Facebook Thursday and Friday showed Armenian youth peacefully protesting these events at Chapman University and California State University Northridge (CSUN) on Thursday, November 10, 2017.

“The violence and racist behavior displayed by the audience is a fraction of what Armenian, Kurdish and other minorities face every day in Turkey. We had people screaming ‘terrorist’ in our faces, and one man yelled that Armenians ‘do not have a civilization,’” said Razmig Sarkissian, Central Executive member of the AYF-WUS.

The lectures, intentionally scheduled on the day of Ataturk’s death, were planned by the Turkish Cultural Foundation, Association of Turkish Americans of Southern California, and Ataturk Monument in Los Angeles (ATAMLA). The events were to feature a lecture by Professor George Gawrych titled, “The Young Ataturk: From Ottoman Soldier to Statesman of Turkey.”  Gawrych is a known denier of the Armenian Genocide, and when describing what he calls a “complicated” case, he prefers the word “massacres” over “genocide.” Protesters stood and turned their backs to the speaker, who eventually chose to leave rather than engage.

The protests were rooted in objections to the Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s glorification. Ataturk instituted a social engineering campaign that instilled a fervent ultranationalist and secular ideology in the modern Republic of Turkey. The Turkish Nationalist Movement sought to integrate and assimilate all non-Turkish entities in the republic, essentially eradicating the remnants of the multi-ethnic Ottoman Empire. Ataturk offered amnesty to the members of the political party responsible for the Armenian Genocide (the Committee of Union and Progress) who switched allegiance to his government, including perpetrators of the Armenian Genocide who were directly responsible for the deportations and slaughter of over a million people. Ataturk’s revisionist policies and disregard for minorities set the foundation for the denialist policies that are still in force today.

Armenian serviceman Hayk Levon Hambartsumyan was wounded in Azeri firing at about 08:30 this morning, when protecting one of the military units located in the southern direction of the NKR Defense Army.

Probe into the details of the incident is under way, the NKR Defense Ministry said.

The Azerbaijani side violated the ceasefire about 50 times last night, firing more than 1,800 shots in the direction of the Armenian positions.

Photo: AFP

 

At least 30 people have been killed in a suicide bomb attack at a Kurdish wedding in north-eastern Syria, the BBC reports.

The bomber blew himself up on Monday night at a hall in Tal Tawil, outside Hassakeh city, reportedly while the bride and groom were exchanging vows.

There were conflicting reports about whether the groom was among the dead.

So-called Islamic State said one of its militants had attacked a “large gathering” of Kurdish fighters with a machine-gun and and explosive vest.

Kurdish-led forces have driven the jihadist group out of most of Hassakeh province, but they have been unable to prevent deadly bomb attacks.

According to a decree signed by President Serzh Sargsyan Edward Nalbandian has been reappointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia.

System Of A Down frontman Serj Rankian has launched a petition on Change.org, calling for action for positive civic changes and reforms in Armenia.

“Friends (In Armenia and Worldwide) – Today marks the 25th anniversary of Armenian independence. We should take the opportunity to celebrate some of the successes of this small but beautiful nation while also tackling the troubling issues at hand,” Serj Tankian said in a Facebook post.

“Independence means little when a large segment of the public are discontent. That is why myself and a group of friends have drafted a statement of support for the people of Armenia and their call to action for positive civic changes and reforms. Please have a look at the campaign link on  and sign on if you agree,” Tankian said.

The petition reads:

We, as Armenians, residing in Armenia and throughout the diaspora, are collectively committed to immediate change and justice in Armenia. In the wake of yearly protests and recent upheavals during the spring and summer of 2016 that resulted in gross violations of human and civic rights,

We say
NO to systematic corruption, monopolies, judicial inequality, police brutality, partisan politics, unequal rights, national depopulation, and elections tainted by fraud, all of which have contributed to the ongoing unrest.

We say
YES to the equality of all people, the fundamental preservation and protection of human rights, direct engagement in fair and transparent elections, respect for the rule of law, fair wages, separation of powers, a free press and advocacy for the disenfranchised.  We say yes to tangible, democratic change through civic engagement with the citizenry of Armenia.

As a global community of Armenians, we would like Armenia’s political leaders to embody integrity, accountability, wisdom, intelligence, diplomacy, compassion, effectiveness and visionary thinking in addressing the pressing needs of the people of Armenia, thereby securing an egalitarian, just and constructive path towards real democracy where every voice matters.

Justice Within Armenia is a coalition of concerned Armenians around the world who believe in standing in solidarity with the people of Armenia and being present as eyewitnesses and monitoring free and fair elections while actively engaging with the Armenian populace in contributing to the present and future of our nation. We need to visualize an egalitarian state worthy of the resilience of our people and achieve it. Given our unique values and character, Armenia can and should become a country of opportunity, creativity, democracy and hope in a region rife with turmoil. The alternative is unthinkable.

On 20 September Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan received the delegation of the French Alfortville city at the head of its mayor Luc Carvounas.

Issues related to the cooperation between Alfortville and a number of Artsakh towns were on the  agenda of the meeting.

The Head of State highlighted such cooperation, noting that there were all preconditions for widening and deepening the relations.

Dasaran was recognized as one of the best 5 innovative enterprises in the final round of Accelerate 2030 – joint international initiative by the UNDP and Impact Hub.

For the first edition of Accelerate2030, applications were submitted by 177 ventures from across 4 continents, out of which the international expert jury selected five ventures clearly contributing towards the Sustainable development goals, and Dasaran is among the top 5.

Being among the best innovative enterprises, Dasaran was invited to represent Armenia at the inaugural Social Good Summit to take place in Geneva, Switzerland on the 6th of October, 2016.

“With our activities we aim to increase Armenia’s image abroad and promote it as a modern education-exporting country,” commented Suren Aloyan, Founding President of Dasaran Educational Program.

One of Japan’s most active volcanoes is due for a major eruption within the next 30 years, say scientists who have studied a build-up of magma there, the BBC reports.

The Sakurajima volcano on Japan’s Kyushu island poses a “growing threat”, researchers at the University of Bristol say.

The volcano, located 49km (30 miles) from the Sendai nuclear plant, is also close to Kagoshima, a city of 600,000.

Sakurajima’s last deadly eruption was in 1914, when 58 people died.

The Japanese archipelago, which sits on the Pacific “Ring of fire”, has more than 100 volcanoes. Sakurajima regularly spews ash and there are many small explosions there each year, with the latest eruption being in February.

 – The launch of the Nagorno-Karabakh Forum was held in Montevideo, Uruguay on Friday September 2 with a team of social activists, academics and lawmakers “whose task will enrich and promote the country’s position of support for a peaceful position in the conflict between the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan”.

The Forum is composed of Senators Ruben Martinez andRafael Michelini Huelmo, Deputies Pablo Abdala,Susana Pereyra and Daniel Radio, as well as the lawyer Oscar Lopez Goldaracena, historian Gerardo Caetano and former Vice Foreign Minister Belela Herrera. The latter two co-chair the group.

The members of the Forum signed of a manifesto which, among other things, confirms the work of the participants in favor of “a peaceful settlement of the question of Nagorno-Karabakh” and “defending the right of its population to develop a free and sovereign in their ancestral homeland, without threats or violence.”

The document also endorses “the mediation efforts by the Minsk Group of the Organization for Cooperation and Security in Europe” and urges the international community to continue its efforts to “ensure respect for the agreements reached, put a stop on war rhetoric and discourage the parties to further deepen the wounds that the conflict has caused with new armed clashes.”

“We want them to know that in Uruguay, thousands of kilometers away from Karabakh, there are other people who are not indifferent,” said Deputy Radio after reading the manifesto. “What we are doing is an act of justice,” added Senator Michelini. Lopez Goldaracena, meanwhile, spoke from the perspective of law: “The people of Nagorno-Karabakh have already ‘self-determined’, because they chose their model of a free sovereign state.”

“We are launching an initiative that we hope will be replicated throughout the world,” said former Vice Foreign Minister Herrera. Caetano warned thatUruguay is “not for sale” and that while “Azerbaijan is powerful and knows how to buy wills” they firmly believe in the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Senator Ruben Martinez Huelmo said that the Forum is called to “overcome the threats,” while DeputySusana Pereyra stressed the commitment of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh to democracy from her experience as an election observer in 2012. Deputy Abdalaremarked that the “path that starts today will sooner or later lead to the independence, freedom and self-determination of Nagorno Karabakh.”

The event was inaugurated by Viken Boyadjian, member of the Armenian National Committe of Uruguay, who thanked the members of the Forum and recalled the commitment that keeps Uruguay with the Armenian people, Mario Nalpatian, member of the International Armenian National Committe and vice president of the Socialist International, and Robert Avedisyan, Permanent Representative of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic to the United States.

Avedisyan brought the message of President Bako Sahakyan, who thanked Uruguay for being a “leading democracy” and encouraged Forum members to remain “independent” in its decisions and attached to the values of human rights and justice, despite the “possible opposition from oppressive and oil-rich regimes and its allies.”

Today, on the occasion of Knowledge and Schooling Day, President Serzh Sargsyan attended the inauguration of a new unit of the Command and Staff Department of the Vazgen Sargsyan University of the RA Ministry of Defense and was present at the unveiling of the cross-stone memorial dedicated to the fallen graduates of the Military University.

Present at the ceremony were the relatives of the fallen graduates of the Military University, commanding staff of the RA Ministry of Defense and General Staff of the Armed Forces, Secretary of the National Security Council, RA Minister of Education and Science, Heads and Military Attaches of the diplomatic missions accredited to Armenia, Rectors of the higher education institutions of the Republic, and cadets.

After the unveiling and blessing of the cross-stone memorial dedicated to the fallen graduates, the President of Armenia and participants of the event laid flowers on the memorial and paid tribute to their memory.

At the ceremony dedicated to the inauguration, President Serzh Sargsyan congratulated those present on the occasion of the commencement of the academic year and opening of a new unit of the Command and Staff Department. The President toured the newly constructed premise of the Department, familiarized with the conducted works and conditions. According to the responsible officials, the use of the new unit of the Command and Staff Department provides opportunities to efficiently organize the process of training and retraining of the officers and to create infrastructural and institutional preconditions for the development of the theory of the military science. The Department comprises International, National Security, Military, and Warfare Chairs.

Address by President Sargsyan:

Generals, Officers, and Cadets,
Distinguished Guests,

This is a momentous day for Armenia: We have gathered at the leading educational institution for the training of the military personnel for our Armed Forces, the Vazgen Sargsyan Military University, on the occasion of the inauguration of a new unit of the Command and Staff Department for Senior Officers. We are indebted for the creation of this educational institution equally to the enthusiasm and diligence of the experts from our military agency as well as to the academic experience of the friendly and partner States.

For the first time in Armenia’s history the entire process of educating officers has been put on the institutional base – from the pre-draft readiness up to the stages of training senior and the highest officer cadre. I believe this is a serious achievement.
Officers actually constitute the backbone of the state, and I believe that it is strengthening through the continuous development of their knowledge and skills. Military education occupies a leading role in this process.

This institution for the highest military education at the battalion–brigade level will provide our commanders and staff officers with the ability to make decisions and act in the army-wide, coordinated, state-wide, and international operative environment ensuring at the same time their training as Masters in Army Management. I am confident that this Department will become an educational forge for the senior officers endowed with a critical, creative, and organized mindset.
Now I would like to address the cadets of the Department.

Distinguished Officers,

Today, the Master’s degree stage of your education is commencing. You will acquire knowledge and skills necessary for becoming the future leaders of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia, and critical among these skills are science of governance and art of management.

Armenia is a unique country with distinctive challenges and exceptional role. Our homeland has many strong features, and the greatest among them is the Armenian people with their innovative mind and boundless passion for creating.

Knowledge and skills to be acquired at the Command and Staff Department will guide you in the implementation of complex tasks and neutralization of challenges; they will instill you with the lasting ability to penetrate the intentions of the superiors in uncertain situations and through the precise vision of the task to guide the actions of the subordinates. The military actions of last April come to prove once again that unconditional devotion to the task of defending our homeland endows our Army with the competitive advantage of combating face to face with adversary, without pinning any hopes on foreigners, neutralizing in a fight the army and arsenal of the enemy. That very competitive advantage from the day one of our battle for existence and through the years of army building has been and remains the trump card of our Armed Forces, and it must also be applied and developed by the graduates of the Staff and Command Department during their daily service and in combat activities.

Distinguished Officers,

You will form the future military leadership of the Republic of Armenia. I want you to view this stage of your life as the most important stage for becoming skilled and professional officers. I congratulate us all on the occasion of this beautiful day, and I have no doubt that knowledge and skills which you will receive here are greatly anticipated by our people, the political military leadership of the Republic of Armenia, your immediate commanders and colleagues but most of all by your subordinates.