Author: Nahapetian Boris

SYRIA, ARMENIA HOLD BILATERAL TALKS

United Press International
June 3 2009

Armenian and Syrian officials met in Yerevan to discuss bilateral
relations and the regional diplomatic situation, a government news
agency reports.

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem met with Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan to discuss political solutions to regional issues
facing both countries, the official Syrian Arab News Agency reports.

Damascus hopes to strengthen its regional position in the
community. Washington has dispatched top diplomats to Damascus in
the hopes of reaching a variety of agreements with Syrian officials
on issues ranging from Lebanon to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Syria has also signed a series of energy agreements with neighboring
Iraq and Iran with the hopes of securing export potential in ports
in the Mediterranean Sea.

Moallem said Damascus and Yerevan shared nearly identical viewpoints
on regional issues.

Armenia, for its part, is wrestling with its own regional complications
over Nagorno-Karabakh.

War broke out between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh
in the early 1990s, and the regional fallout from that row remains
tense despite a 1994 cease-fire.

In related developments, Syrian President Bashar Assad in his third
round of Cabinet shake-ups appointed Lt. Gen. Tourkmani as his
assistant vice president and Lt. Gen. Ali Habib Mahmoud as his next
minister of defense.

Assad appointed new Cabinet officials at the ministries of Justice,
Interior, Health, Local Administration and Presidential Affairs in
addition and created a new environmental position on April 24.

PRESIDENT SERZH SARGSYAN AND PRESIDENT ILHAM ALIEV HELD A MEETING IN SAINT PETERSBURG

president.am
June 5 2009
Armenia

Today, The President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan and the President of
Azerbaijan Ilham Aliev held a meeting at the Baltic Star Hotel in
Saint Petersburg.

This meeting in Saint Petersburg is the fifth meeting of Presidents
Sargsyan and Aliev in the framework of the NK peace process. The
meeting started with the participation of the Ministers of Foreign
Affairs of the two countries Edward Nalbandian and Elmar Mamedyarov,
Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group Yuri Merzlyakov, Matt Bryza and
Bernard Fassier, as well as the Personal Representative of the
OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrzey Kasprzyk. Later, the meeting of the
Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan was continued in the tete-a-tete
format. The negotiations, which lasted almost two and a half hours,
were continued again in the extended format.

The meeting of the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan was conducted
in a constructive manner. The parties reached agreement to move
forward the negotiation process. The Foreign Ministers of the two
countries were instructed to continue to work with the assistance of
the OSCE Co-Chairs toward the synchronization the parties’ positions
and arrangement of the next meeting between the Presidents of Armenia
and Azerbaijan.

ANC ACTIVISTS WOULD SOLVE GLOBAL PROBLEMS IN YEREVAN COUNCIL

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
05.06.2009 16:24 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Municipal elections came to reveal the political
forces currently represented in Armenia’s political domain, as well
as the forces which are no longer active," Republic party member Suren
Surenyants told a news conference. The politician finds that there are
currently three political parties acting in Armenia: the Republican,
"Prosperous Armenia" and Armenian National Congress.

Commenting upon ANC’s refusal to work in Yerevan Council, Surenyants
said he was unaware whether any of the parties represented in Congress
desire to work in the Council, but added that Congress was firm on
its decision to waive its mandates, "Such minor tools of influence
will not help ANC to solve global issues," he noted.

Surenyants does not see any sense in commenting upon the statement
made by Marxist leader David Hakobyan who has no intention to waive
his mandate. Before including the bloc in the Congress, ANC leadership
should have properly considered the issue, the activist finds.

The post-electoral situation, according to Surenyants, shows that
society has put up with election results, something that wasn’t
observed after 2008 presidential elections.

ARMENIA: TRYING TO FIND A BALANCE BETWEEN ECONOMIC NEED AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY
Gayane Abrahamyan

Eurasianet

June 3, 2009

A Russian-owned mining company’s plan to build a gold-processing
plant near Armenia’s legendary Lake Sevan has raised concerns about
additional contamination of the lake, the source for 90 percent of
Armenia’s fresh water supplies.

The proposed plant, to be situated about 10 kilometers away from
Sevan, would reportedly include a reservoir for cyanide and toxic
chemicals and a dump for cyanide waste. Environmentalists fear that
the toxins could seep into underground water conduits and enter
the 1,200-square-meter body of water, one of the world’s largest
high-altitude lakes.

Fresh hazards to Sevan could mean fresh damage to the Ararat Valley,
which provides about 70 percent of Armenia’s fruit and vegetables and
which takes needed irrigation waters from Sevan. "Armenia will cease
to exist, if the lake is contaminated," commented former environmental
protection minister Karine Danielian. The National Academy of Sciences’
Lake Sevan Center stated that it has no information on the lake’s
current level of contamination.

The GeoProMining Company, headquartered in Moscow, and with copper,
gold and other mines in Armenia, Georgia and Russia, wants to
build the processing plant at its Sotk gold mine, 10 kilometers from
Sevan. Reducing transportation costs for ore processing is its reported
goal. Currently, Sotk’s ore must be transported 263 kilometers south
to another GeoProMining processing center.

In theory, environmentalists contend, the plan for a Sevan processing
center should be a non-starter. Article 10 of Armenia’s 2001 Law
on Lake Sevan bans the establishment of processing plants in the
lake’s basin.

The government has not yet officially endorsed the project, but
both the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Ministry of
Regional Management confirm that they have discussed the proposed
processing center.

Neither ministry, however, has yet received a written project proposal
from GeoProMining, ministry representatives told EurasiaNet.

Both the environmental protection ministry and GeoProMining refused
to discuss the project or to address potential risks highlighted
by environmental activists. "As Minister Ara Harutiunian has said
several times, we have not approved any project and all this panic is
senseless," Deputy Environmental Protection Minister Simon Papian said.

GeoProMining displayed similar reticence on the issue. Vardan
Vardanian, chairman of the board of directors of the company’s
Armenian subsidiary, GeoProMining Gold, declined an interview request
with EurasiaNet and later put an embargo on comments by a company
spokesperson.

The company’s reluctance to discuss the project has only fired
environmentalists’ criticisms.

Activists contend that the environmental protection ministry’s
assurances of caution will carry little weight in the face of a
December 2008 pledge from GeoProMining to invest $350 million into
Armenia’s gold-mining sector between 2009 and 2011. Precious and
non-ferrous metals are among Armenia’s top exports.

"They gave similar assurances regarding the [Armenian Copper Program’s]
copper-molybdenum mine exploitation and the plant mine’s construction
in Teghut," commented Inga Zarafian, chairperson of Yerevan’s Ecolur
information center, in reference to the ministry. "They promised
they would not allow the logging of 670 hectares of forest, but they
approved the plan and we lost the best forests in Armenia." [For
background see the Eurasia Insight archive].

Environmentalists had initially looked to the Law on Lake Sevan to
stop GeoProMining’s plans. They now contend that parliament may soon
amend the law – under government instruction – to clear legal hurdles
for the gold-processing plant. Opposition Heritage Party members of
parliament echo that view.

Khachik Harutiunian, chairperson of the National Assembly’s Committee
for Agricultural and Environmental Protection Issues, however, told
EurasiaNet that such amendments are not on parliament’s agenda.

For its part, GeoProMining maintains that it shares the concern for
Lake Sevan’s environment. In an April 26 television interview with
Yerkir Media TV, GeoProGold Board Chairman Vardanian stated that the
company plans to use mining technologies that will eliminate the risk
of environmental damage to Sevan. "We will refuse to exploit the mine
and will stop work if there is the slightest [environmental] hazard,"
he said.

The former director of the Sevan National Park, however, argues
that the area’s landslides and seismic activity may trump any such
technologies. "No one can guarantee the [toxic waste] dump against
an earthquake.

The smallest crack is enough to have the toxins penetrate into
underground water," said Gagik Sukhudian. Fears of potential shelling
from nearby Azerbaijani army positions underline that danger, he added.

To identify potential environmental ramifications, GeoProMining has
commissioned research by the National Academy of Sciences’ Institute
of Hydro-Ecology and Ichthyology. The Academy declined to discuss
the findings with EurasiaNet.

The amount of waste likely to be generated by the proposed
gold-processing plant has not yet been defined, but former
environmental protection minister Danielian estimates the total
at 100 million tons over 10 years. GeoProMining representatives
did not provide a figure. It remains uncertain whether
GeoProMining-commissioned research can clarify the environmental-impact
picture.

Editor’s Note: Gayane Abrahamyan is a reporter for ArmeniaNow.com
in Yerevan.

MAYOR BLOOMBERG ATTENDS ST. VARTAN CATHEDRAL DOORS DEDICATION

/03/mayor-bloomberg-attends-st-vartan-cathedral-do ors-dedication/
June 3, 2009

Speaking at the consecration of St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral’s new
bronze entry doors last Sunday, May 31, New York City Mayor Michael
Bloomberg described the grand portal as "a remarkable piece of work"
that reflects the "passion and craftsmanship" of the Armenian American
community.

Today is the beginning of yet another wonderful chapter in St. Vartan’s
history," the mayor said, addressing the more than 800 people gathered
in the sanctuary. "This is a religious site of great importance to
you and to Armenians across the entire country-a magnificent house
of prayer that New York is proud to be home to."

The day marked the first time the mayor had visited the cathedral
during his two terms in office.

Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian
Church of America (Eastern), celebrated the Divine Liturgy on Sunday
and consecrated the new doors on the cathedral plaza.

He welcomed Bloomberg "as a good friend and as a member of our family."

The Primate said that the cathedral had a long history of hosting city
leaders, from Mayor John Lindsay, who visited the cathedral after
its consecration in 1968, to Mayors Edward Koch and David Dinkins,
and more recently, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.

"The doors have been years in the making and you can sense the passion
and the craftsmanship that went into them as soon as you see them,"
Bloomberg said.

Remarking that the cathedral was built by survivors of the Armenian
Genocide, Bloomberg added that "it serves as a powerful reminder to all
peoples of the ability to create and beautify from the ashes of grief."

Many stories in one image

Following services, Archbishop Barsamian and Bloomberg led a procession
to the cathedral plaza where the new doors were unveiled by the mayor
and Primate.

The consecration ceremony began after Bloomberg’s departure,
culminating in Archbishop Barsamian tracing crosses on the doors in
holy chrism.

The afternoon was a time to celebrate the beauty of St. Vartan
Cathedral and the preservation of the ancient Armenian spirit in
the United States. Gathering under a nearly cloudless sky, visitors
watched as the Shushi Armenian Dance Ensemble of St. Vartan Cathedral,
donning traditional Armenian costumes, moved across the cathedral
plaza, hands and feet weaving the story of a nation’s journey. The
ensemble is directed by Seta Paskalian-Kantardjian.

The day continued with a multimedia photo exhibition in Guild Hall,
which chronicled the fabrication of the cathedral doors. More than
30 years in the planning, the doors were first conceived by members
of the St. Vartan Cathedral Guild who dreamed of erecting a grand
entranceway to what was at the time a still-new "mother cathedral."

Led by guild chair Alice Kavookjian, the group set about raising
money for the project, organizing dinners, bake sales, and other
activities. A sizeable amount was collected in those years, but work
on the project was put on hold as the Diocese turned its attention
to other matters.

Some seven years ago, under the leadership of the Rev. Fr. Mardiros
Chevian, dean of St. Vartan Cathedral, a committee was formed
to resume the doors’undertaking. The Rev. Fr. Garabed Kochakian,
Yn. Yefkin Megherian, and Michael Haratunian served on the committee,
helping design the doors and oversee their production.

This year, the Dadourian family gave a sizeable contribution that
allowed the project to go forward.

The doors were fabricated by Setrak Agonian and a team of sculptors
and artists at International Creative Medal Inc.

The doors depict in three-dimensional sculpted relief the conversion
of Armenia to Christianity. The two panels focus on the baptism of
King Drtad by St. Gregory the Illuminator in A.D. 301. The sculpted
artwork also shows Queen Ashkhen, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin,
and Mount Ararat.

The transom above the portal bears the image of Christ with an
inscription that honors the date of the cathedral’s consecration-April
28, 1968-by His Holiness Vasken I.

Fr. Kochakian said the work represented "a collection of many stories
into one image."

"It brings together and synthesizes the conversion of a nation and the
witness of our people, over 1,700 years of remaining faithful to the
call of Christ and pledging ourselves to do so in the future," he said.

In his sermon on May 31, Archbishop Barsamian said that the doors
speak to the ancient Armenian Christian tradition and to the way in
which the Armenian people embraced Christ’s message. "Let these new
doors, and the image upon them, always remind us of this truth: That
whenever we approach the great doorways-the great turning points-of
our lives, we do so armed only with our faith," the Primate said.

‘Each generation has something to contribute’

During the program, the Diocese recognized three surviving St. Vartan
Guild members, Bertha Khavlijian Moriarty, Araxe Cherishian, and
Yn. Mariam Ashjian, as well as Linda Kirishjian, who attended the
event on behalf of her late mother, Araksi Kirishjian.

"Alice Kavookjian’s dream was to have the great portals," said
Khavlijian Moriarty, recalling how guild members, including her mother,
fundraised through the years. She said they would have been proud with
the finished project. "The great portals proclaim our Christianity
and our history in such a magnificent way," she added.

The Diocese also expressed its appreciation to the Dadourian
family. Alex Dadourian spoke about his father, Dadour Dadourian, one
of the original visionaries who conceived St. Vartan Cathedral. Alex
Dadourian recalled that his father "had two loves in his life: his
family and his church."

Also recognized were the Gulbenkian and Diarbekirian families and
the Knights and Daughters of Vartan for their contributions to the
establishment of the Diocesan Center.

Ed Gulbenkian said he was inspired and encouraged by an older
generation of men who had been dedicated servants of the Armenian
Church. He added, "I challenge all of you to become leaders in the
Armenian Church."

Archbishop Barsamian closed the day by recalling that "40 years ago
Catholicos Vasken consecrated this cathedral. But that was not the
end of its story-only the beginning. Today reminds us that each
generation has something to contribute to our cathedral. Indeed,
the work our Lord calls us to do is never-ending."

A commemoration committee co-chaired by Melanie Dadourian and Greg
Dadourian organized Sunday’s program. Other committee members included
Karen Kouzoujian, Alice Demirjian, Astrid Dadourian, Haig Ariyan,
and Dn. Sebuh Oscherichian.

Haig Ariyan also served as the master of ceremonies. A piano
performance was given by Ari Nareg Terjanian.

The photo exhibition in Guild Hall was designed by Alice Demirjian,
with assistance from Melissa Dadourian and Heather Dadourian.

Is Armenia’s custom agency for real or a comedy show?

Hetq Online

2009/06/03

On May 27, 9:30 am, I happily went to Noragavit custom agency in the
outskirt of Yerevan, to pickup my car that I had shipped from Los
Angeles two months prior to repatriating to Armenia. In the back of my
car I had placed my personal items such as my used construction tools,
computer/printer and sports supplies.

Upon arrival, I was told that I would have to wait for all other car
recipients to arrive at the custom agency so that the Georgian
transport trucks could be opened in front of the eyes of all car
recipients. Of course later on, I found out that the only logical
purpose for making us wait to open the transport trucks, was for the
workers to get tips in order to give priority of who’s car comes out
first and tips for recharging the dead batteries of the cars.

After a 4 hour wait, my car was finally pulled out of the truck and
handed to me, however, my personal items from inside my car were
removed and placed in the truck along with the items of another
person. The truck was then locked up and I was told to go to the
custom house in the city of Abovian in order to retrieve my personal
items, despite my angry protest at the ridiculous idea of removing my
items from the car and sending it to another place. Of course their
excuse was that `Noragavit’ is the custom house for cars and `Abovian’
is the custom house for personal items.

After driving to Abovian city’s custom house and waiting for another
hour for the transport truck to arrive, I was handed a piece of paper
by the custom agent that detailed my personal items in the truck. I
was then told to take that piece of paper to the `Araratian’ custom
house near lake Yerevan, in order to apply for permission for my items
to be removed from the truck and placed in a warehouse in Abovian.

However, they also said, I would have to coordinate with the other
person who had items in the truck so that both of us would be in
Abovian at the same time with our stamped permissions, in order for
our belongings to be removed and stored. The items would then stay in
the warehouse until a future date for taxes to be determined and items
handed to the owners.

During this time, I received a call from the shipping company that
said if I was not able to remove my items from the truck on that day,
the shipping company would charge me extra fees for keeping the
Georgian truck in Armenia longer than necessary. After much struggle
to find the phone number of the other person with items in the truck,
I was able to coordinate and go to the `Araratian’ custom house near
lake Yerevan and apply for permission for removal and storing of my
items.

Upon getting the permission letter from near lake Yerevan, I drove
back to Abovian, waited for the other person to arrive with his
permission letter, paid a storing fee of 7000 drams and then watched
my items be removed from the truck and placed in a warehouse. I was
then told to go to the main custom house on Khorenatsi street in
Yerevan to apply for possible tax break as a repatriate sending his
personal car and items. It has now been a week since my items arrived
and they are still stored in Abovian as I await answer from the main
custom house on Khorenatsi regarding taxes.

Above story is only one small example of the unnecessary bureaucratic
torture regular people in Armenia go through daily in order to
retrieve their personal items sent from abroad. Besides the difficult
retrieval process, there are thousands of horror stories of arbitrary
taxation on used products, which often makes Armenia’s custom tax
higher than the product purchase price from abroad.

Such example is common on car parts being sent from junk yards in
America bought for minimal costs, but people in Armenia having to pay
taxes based on the kilo weight of the product which often ends up
being several times more than the purchase price. Armenia desperately
needs to simplify its custom’s systems with humane taxation for
retrieval of personal items that are not meant for resale. Until then,
I hope everyone could hold up a good sense of humor at the comedy they
must go through with the custom’s agency in order to obtain their
personal belongings in the Republic of Armenia.

Dro Tsarukyan

ISSUE OF GRANTING AMNESTY DISCUSSED AT PUBLIC COUNCIL SITTING

Noyan Tapan
June 3, 2009

YEREVAN, JUNE 3, NOYAN TAPAN. The first plenary sitting of Public
Council was held on June 2 in Yerevan. One of the issues on the sitting
agenda was the issue of granting an amnesty. The initial variant of
the draft decision made in consequence of concessions was submitted
to Council members’ discussion.

The draft decision, in particular, mentioned that amnesty is one of the
problems having public resonance, it can mitigate the current tension
in public life, promote formation of an atmosphere of tolerance and
mutual confidence.

According to the draft decision, in order to introduce the proposal of
amnesty to the RA President they should also discuss it at the Public
Council structures, as well as should apply to the NA Committee on
State and Legal Issues, Justice Minister, Prosecutor General, Police
Head "with the request of providing information regarding amnesty."

Karen Bekarian, a member of the Committee, the Head of the European
Integration NGO, considers that the issue of amnesty should not be
narrowed and brought to the amnesty of cases on the March 1-2 mass
disorders. Actor Sos Sargsian noted that if the decision on amnesty
mentions only March 1-2, it will be already not amnesty, but pardon.

BORIS NAVASARDYAN: COVERAGE OF THE CAMPAIGN WAS ALMOST EXEMPLARY
Karen Ghazaryan

"Radiolur"
01.06.2009 15:31

The Yerevan Press Club today presented an interim report on the
coverage of the elections for the Yerevan City Council by 7 Armenian
TV channels. The monitoring was conducted with the financial assistance
of the Open Society Institute.

The monitoring was conducted in two stages – before the start of the
election campaign and during the campaign. The final report will be
ready in a few days.

Presenting the general content of the monitoring, President of the
Yerevan Press Club Boris Navasardyan noted that the coverage of this
campaign differed from that of the presidential elections. According
to Boris Navasardyan, the materials presented by media and the
technologies used by the participating forces did not tend to prove
that the rival was worse. On the contrary, every political force had
the objective to prove that it was better.

The content of seven TV channels in Armenia was monitored. With
regard to the Public Television, Boris Navasardyan said: "This time
the Public TV ensured almost exemplary coverage."

Six other TV channels included the Second Armenian Channel, ALM (both
aired all over the territory of the republic), ArmNews, Yerkir Media,
Kentron and Shant. "This was a neutral, and even a kind campaign,"
this is the conclusion experts of the Yerevan Pres s Club drew

Summing up the results, Boris Navasardyan stated: "This proves that
our electronic media can be rather unbiased if they want so. If they
are not neutral, then they don’t want to or are not allowed to."

DIASPORA SLAMS ARMENIAN-TURKISH ‘ROAD MAP’ AGREEMENT

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
01.06.2009 12:51 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Over 150 Armenian Argentineans gathered in Buenos
Ayres under the chairmanship of professor Juan Gabriel Tokatlian
to discuss the April 22 Armenian-Turkish ‘road map’ agreement. "The
road map agreement is one of the most important events in Armenia’s
modern history and makes Armenia more vulnerable, as it can affect
Armenia-Diaspora relations and concurrence of forces in Eurasia,"
prof. Tokatlian said. Hai Dat South American Office member Khachik
Ter-Ghukasyan commented on two negative points of the agreement: the
date of its signature and secrecy of the process, what means that
the Armenian government made certain concessions. "Turkey uses the
‘road map’ in its strategic interests while the Armenian government
doesn’t have a common strategy," he said. For his part, Head of the
Argentinean diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church Gisak Muratian
said the agreement was an unpleasant surprise for the Diaspora.

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
May 31 2009

Controversy

by DOGU ERGIL

Once again a spurious agenda item occupied the public debate when
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an said: `For years those who
had different ethnic identities have been expelled from our
country. This was the result of a fascist policy. Even we have
committed this mistake from time to time. When one thinks rationally
one tends to admit we have really committed grave mistakes.’ This
statement was made following the debate over the probable demining of
a vast area of arable land lying along the Turkish-Syrian border by
foreign firms who would receive the right of cultivating the land for
more than 40 years in return for their services. The nationalist and
xenophobic reflex surged again, becoming agitated by the putative sale
of the motherland to ill-willed `enemies’ who would eventually snatch
it away from us. The prime minister complained about this
shortsightedness that has cost the country so much in the
past. Needless to say, the opposition parties who think their role is
to oppose anything and everything the ruling party and its leader does
and says retorted by claiming that no minority has been expelled from
Turkey.

The problem of our beloved nation is that it is subjected to the
teaching of a fabricated history in which we Turks are always right
and often the victim of foreign and domestic `enemies.’ The end result
of this ideology-laden history teaching is ignorance of the historical
facts and the truth about what we have done. That is why an average
Turk believes that the 1915 deportation of over a million Armenians is
only a just measure for punishing them for committing treason. The
1923 population exchange with Greece that forced two-and-a-half
million people of Greek origin to migrate was a successful ethnic
purification that was necessary to build a nation-state. The 1934
intimidation that forced the Jewish citizens out of Thrace (European
Turkey) was a measure to secure the western lands from minorities in
preparation for the world war that was approaching. In 1941 and 1942,
non-Muslim males were drafted on short notice to work as laborers in
what were called `labor battalions.’ They were also subjected to
exorbitant taxes in order to force them to sell their property and
abandon businesses. This was a measure to Turkify the entrepreneurial
class, which was thought to be the right thing to do under the shadow
of Fascism and Nazism, then the fashion of the day. The (officially
organized and provoked) events of Sept. 6-7, 1955 saw the destruction
and looting of non-Muslim businesses and shrines in Ä°stanbul
and Ä°zmir with a number of casualties. This formidable threat
drove the point home that they were not welcome in this country. Greek
citizens mainly left for Greece and Jewish citizens, by and large,
went to Israel. These things were all done against the principles of
the constitutive Treaty of Lausanne (1923) that gave birth to the
Turkish Republic.

Then came the forced evacuation of thousands of Kurdish villages in
the ’80s and ’90s; a part of their population saw no future in the
country and left for a better life elsewhere where they would not be
oppressed and persecuted. Additionally, 15,000 leftists had either
been expatriated or forced to leave during the military regime
following the 1980 coup. In the last decade many young women wearing
headscarves were deprived of the right to higher education and had to
leave the country to receive professional education abroad. These are
all minorities of some kind whose rights have been denied for the sake
of `state security.’ One is tempted to ask `What kind of security is
this that works against the basic rights, freedom and welfare of its
citizens?’ We have not really produced a plausible answer to this
fundamental question yet. Failure to do so has left our democracy
immature and force of law has not been replaced by rule of law. Laws
continue to protect the state rather than its citizens.

In short, the prime minister was telling the truth. However, telling
the truth and being consistent with it indeed are two different
things. In the formation of the new Cabinet Mr. ErdoÄ?an has
left in place the minister of defense, who is on record as declaring
publicly how wonderful it has been to eliminate all the ethnic and
religious minorities to create our nation-state. Obviously, the
military establishment was not unhappy with this unfortunate public
statement, either; otherwise, the minister would not have been
reappointed. Additionally, all the institutions of the state have
taken part in the discrimination against minorities, limiting their
property rights through systematic confiscation to force a change of
proprietorship. The judiciary (e.g., Council of State) deems
non-Muslim minorities as `domestic aliens’ and treats their endowments
as foreign institutions in order to limit their rights to
property. Both the bureaucracy and the judiciary have been
instrumental in implementing the two principles that have been in
effect since the last decade of the Ottoman Empire: 1) to get rid of
the minorities, and 2) to transfer their properties to Muslim
citizens.

However, the usurpation of property has not made this nation any
richer. Entrepreneurship is not the same as proprietorship, and ethnic
or religious purity does not create problem-free and cohesive
nations. These truths have been realized after so much human suffering
and loss. What a pity.

31.05.2009