Author: Navasardian Karapet

THOMASSON: ‘STARVING ARMENIANS’ WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN
By DAN K. THOMASSON, Scripps Howard News Service

Scripps News – Scripps Howard News Service
March 25 2010

WASHINGTON – There was a time in this country when mothers regularly
ordered their children to clean their plates by reminding them of the
"poor starving Armenians." So thoroughly inculcated in my recollection
was this admonition that when I first met a person of Armenian descent,
I blurted that he couldn’t be Armenian because he wasn’t starving.

The origin of this was of course the elimination of an estimated
1.5 million Armenians, or half of that nation’s population, by the
Turks in the waning years of the Ottoman Empire between 1915 and
1919 by massacre, death marches and starvation. It was a tragedy
only exceeded in modern history by the Holocaust and the murder of 2
million Cambodians by the Khmer Rouge and it resulted in the coining
of the word "genocide" to describe such a horrific event.

The Republic of Turkey has refused to take any responsibility for
this policy of destruction or to acknowledge that it was genocidal in
nature despite the fact that history and at least 20 other nations have
recognized it as such. And most Americans have little understanding
of the phrase once used to remind their grandmothers and grandfathers
that food and the privilege of eating it is a precious thing that
many do not have.

Many Armenians who survived the devastation made it to America and
became among this nation’s most prosperous and productive citizens.

The noted author William Saroyan and the San Francisco, financier,
philanthropist and restaurateur George Mardikian, whose biography, "The
Song of America," became a paean to his adopted country and a bible
of inspiration to tens and thousands of immigrants, are among them.

So the resistance of the Turkish government to official recognition
of what the rest of the world knows is about to get a jolt from the
American descendents of those who expired nearly 100 years ago. It
will be in the form of a major new museum smack dab in the middle
of Washington in one of the most traveled corridors in the nation’s
capitol, 14th Street just above Pennsylvania Avenue where millions of
American tourists will be tastefully but firmly educated about man’s
inhumanity to man. About a half mile further down the street is the
Holocaust Museum where millions have learned those lessons through
the suffering of the world’s Jews at the hands of Nazi Germany.

The Armenian Genocide Museum of America will be established in
an imposing limestone building that once housed the National Bank
of Washington operated by the United Mine Workers of America. The
building was erected in 1922, which coincidentally fits the time frame
of the events it will memorialize. It has been vacant for a number of
years. A modern "tower" addition will be added without disturbing the
architectural integrity of the old building. Money and oversight of the
project are under the guidance of a committee of distinguished Armenian
Americans and directed by Dr. Rouben Adalian of the Armenian National
Institute. A date for the restoration and opening is still a ways off.

Those who may think this will be just another memorial and museum in a
city where there are already too many are missing the point. Coupled in
proximity with the Holocaust Memorial and in a location so close to the
White House and Capitol Hill, it will be one of the more significant
punctuations to the ideal of human rights for which this country always
has stood if not always adhered to in its own dealings with minorities.

As our mothers knew, it is often necessary to remind us that there
are those less fortunate than we are and that survival is tenuous,
requiring perseverance reached only by digging deep into the spirit
and recognizing the lessons of sacrifice and refusing to forget the
tragedies of the past. That is pretty heavy stuff, but my mother
and millions of others, even in those harshest days of the Great
Depression, distilled it into two words, "starving Armenians,"
that instantly reminded us of our good fortune and warned us not to
waste it.

Perhaps if the rest of the world had paid attention to the implications
of Armenia, later genocides would not have occurred. It’s time the
Turks owned up.

(E-mail Dan K. Thomasson, former editor of the Scripps Howard News
Service, at thomassondan(at)aol.com.)

http://www.scrippsnews. com/node/52497

KREKORIAN DENIES POLITICAL PRESSURE
By Zain Shauk

Burbank Leader
03/24/politics/blr-race032410.txt
March 24 2010
CA

He rebuts claim that he tried to goad candidate into dropping out
of race.

A spokesman for Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Krekorian on Tuesday
denied claims that he offered Chahe Keuroghelian, a candidate for
his former Assembly seat, a later endorsement in exchange for him
dropping out of the race.

Keuroghelian, an Armenian-language-television host and former spokesman
for the Glendale Police Department, claimed in an election forum
Monday that Krekorian tried to pressure him to back out of contention
for the 43rd Assembly District.

Keuroghelian’s departure from the field of four candidates would
leave Krekorian’s endorsement, Glendale school board member Nayiri
Nahabedian, as the lone Armenian vying for the Assembly seat.

"Mr. Paul Krekorian himself has met with me, and the message was clear
that you will not get elected," Keuroghelian said during the forum.

"So instead of staying with this race and diluting the Armenian
votes and taking away Miss Nahabedian’s chances of getting elected,
you better pull out of the race. It is better for the community if
you pull out."

Representatives for Krekorian and Nahabedian denied the claims.

"Paul never once made any deal with Chahe," Krekorian spokesman Jeremy
Oberstein said.

Keuroghelian said representatives from Nahabedian’s campaign and from
the local chapter of the Armenian National Committee, whose political
action committee endorsed Nahabedian, were among those who pressured
him to drop out of the contest.

Nahabedian, along with other candidates in the district, which
includes most of Glendale, Burbank and parts of Los Angeles, has
actively campaigned to the large contingent of area Armenian voters
with targeted and translated campaign materials.

Keuroghelian, who has failed in his three election bids for Glendale
City Council, added after the forum that Krekorian offered to issue
that later endorsement for another council run.

"There were different types of approaches of making offers,"
Keuroghelian said. "One was if I decided to run for Glendale City
Council in 2011, I would be receiving an endorsement."

The issue was raised during a forum hosted by the Burbank Democratic
Club in which candidates were permitted to ask each other questions.

Democratic candidate Mike Gatto asked Keuroghelian if he had received
an offer to step out of the race.

"The accusation from Chahe and from Mike Gatto that there was some
sort of deal made is completely ridiculous," Oberstein said. "Paul is
supporting Nayiri because he believes that she can rise above these
gutter tactics that both of these campaigns are now employing."

The Armenian National Committee also rebutted the claims, although the
organization’s political action committee did meet with Keuroghelian
prior to making its endorsement.

The committee discussed "the relative strength of the two campaigns,
and that was the end of it," said Leonard Manoukian, co-chairman of
the Armenian National Committee’s Glendale chapter.

EVA RIVAS WILL PERFORM SECOND DURING SECOND EUROVISION SEMI-FINAL

Tert.am
12:48 ~U 24.03.10

Eva Rivas representing Armenia in the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest with
her song "Apricot Stone" will perform second (after Lithuania’s entry)
during the second semi-final, according to the official Eurovision
website.

The other contestants of the second semi-final to be held in Oslo,
Norway, on May 27, are Lithuania, Israel, Denmark, Switzerland,
Sweden, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, the Netherlands, Romania, Slovenia,
Ireland, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Georgia and Turkey.

Upon Tert.am’s request, Director of Armenia Production producing
centre Hayk Martirosyan, commenting on the results of the draw,
had to the following to say:

"Regardless of who we’ll share the stage with [on that day], we are
getting prepared for the contest and are doing it very seriously:
unique new approaches are being designed. In fact it is not that
important against whom we will compete during the second semi-final,
since they are all contest participants."

DAVID SHAKHNAZARYAN: ROBERT KOCHARYAN IS GOING TO MAKE USE OF THE SITUATION IN THE KARABAKH SETTLEMENT AND TAKE POWER FROM SERZH SARGSYAN

ArmInfo
2010-03-24 15:46:00

Arminfo. Ex-president of Armenia Robert Kocharyan is going to make use
of the situation in the Karabakh settlement and take power from Serzh
Sargsyan, chairman of Armenian National Congress David Shakhnazaryan
told journalists today.

‘New tendencies have already appeared in the Karabakh settlement, and
the desire of the Armenian authorities to offer intermediaries some
new formats of settlement is evidence of it. It is also a new thing
that the authorities do not agree to the supplements to the Madrid
principles though Azerbaijan agrees to them. Earlier it was visa
versa. For this reason, Sargsyan’s suggestion to make an agreement
with Azerbaijan not use force, is an attempt to return the situation
back’, – he said.

Shakhnazaryan thinks that judging from the behavior of the Armenian
authorities the Minsk process has come close to the moment of truth.

As for the problem about 5 regions, it has been already resolved,
as it is already for two years they are negotiating around them,
and the Madrid principles touch just on this problem and say about
ceding of these territories. ‘The domestic political processes are
based on it, still in the form of rumours about returning of Robert
Kocharyan…Kocharyan does not have political future, his criminal
future is more realistic. I think Kocharyan’s and Oskanyan’s returning
is hardly possible. And disagreements between Serzh Sargsyan and
Kocharyan are not a game at all’, – he concluded.

SARKSYAN: TURKEY HAS NO MORAL RIGHT TO BLAME US FOR ANYTHING

Today’s Zaman
March 22 2010
Turkey

Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan has suggested that Turkey intended to
use foreign legislative bodies’ resolutions on the killing of Anatolian
Armenians as a "pretext" for stalling the ongoing normalization
process between Ankara and Yerevan.

During an official visit to Paris last week, Sarksyan was asked in
an interview with Euronews whether he believed that there was any
particular reason for the timing of a US House committee’s recognition
earlier this month of the killing of Anatolian Armenians during World
War I as genocide as it came amid reconciliation efforts between
Armenia and Turkey.

"We are currently in discussions with Turkey on the issue of
re-establishing our relations. This should be done without any
preconditions, and I think that Turkey has no moral right to blame us
about anything or to impose any conditions. Re-establishing relations
without preconditions means we are not under any obligations to
stay away from any of the possible topics," Sarksyan responded in
the interview, the transcript of which is on the Web site of Public
Radio of Armenia.

"Let’s say that, by some miracle, the Turkish Parliament ratifies the
protocols, the Armenian Parliament does the same, we re-establish our
relations and a third country, which is against us re-establishing our
relations, on purpose takes up the genocide issue. Will the Turks,
therefore, use this as a pretext and break off relations?" Sarksyan
added.

ARDAVAZT THEATRE COMPANY’S NEW PRODUCTION OF BARONIAN’S CLASSIC DRAWS CROWDS

22-ardavazt-theatre-company-s-new-production-of-ba ronian-s-classic-draws-crowds
Monday March 22, 2010

The AGBU Ardavazt Theatre Company presented a new two-act production
of the immortal satirist Hagop Baronian’s "Kaghakavarutian Vnasnere"
(The Perils of Politeness), which was originally written as a prose
piece and published serially in "Khigar" monthly of Constantinople
from 1886 to 1888.

This enduring satire by Baronian (1843-1891) pokes fun at
the undesirable manners and mores of all classes of society in
Constantinople: bourgeois mentality, depravity, base flattery, and
nouveau riche behavior. However, since these human foibles manifest
themselves even today, the play’s popularity has not diminished at all,
despite the passage of almost over 125 years.

Skillfully dramatized by Krikor Satamian and directed by John
Samuelian, this production involving 28 talented actors and actresses
ran on Saturday and Sunday evenings from November 21 to December 20,
2009, with ten performances at the AGBU Alex Manoogian Center in
Pasadena, drawing enthusiastic audiences that numbered more than
2,500 in total.

Subsequently, acceding to the request of the AGBU Saturday School
of Orange County, Ardavazt gave a repeat performance on January 24,
2010 at the Ghougassian Hall of the Forty Martyrs Apostolic Church,
to the delight of more than 240 attendees, most of whom stayed on to
enjoy a delicious meal with the theater cast. This was followed by
the impromptu rendition of humorous anecdotes, readings, and skits
by members of the group, beginning with producer-director Krikor
Satamian himself.

Ardavazt’s production of "The Perils of Politeness," which coincided
with the group’s 30th anniversary, invariably drew rave reviews
in all sectors of the Los Angeles Armenian press. In "’The Perils
of Politeness’: The Theater’s Lasting Gain" (Nor Or, December 10,
2009), Vache Semerjian writes: "Ardavazt’s production is a first-class
success." In "AGBU’s Ardavazt Theatre Company Successfully Presented
‘The Perils of Politeness’" (Asbarez, December 18, 2009), Kevork
Bedigian writes: "The transformation of this satirical series to a
two-act play with two main characters [Melidos Aga and Kamig Aga]
is most commendable." In "The Perils of Politeness" (Nor Hayastan,
December 11, 2009), Vahan Vahanian writes: "Our ‘The Perils of
Politeness’ constituted a successful play owing to the outstanding
acting of the cast." In "The Presentation of Hagop Baronian’s
‘The Perils of Politeness’" (Nor Gyank, December 10, 2009), Krikor
Shenian writes: "Krikor Satamian’s superiority lies in his ability to
get the 28 actors and actresses to play their roles in concert with
him." In "Safe Path for ‘Perils’" (Asbarez, December 14, 2009), Aram
Kouyoumdjian writes: "The revival of an Armenian classic is always
welcome, and this particular revival was probably overdue."

As reported by Dr. A. Kazanjian in "Thanks for the Presentation of
‘The Perils of Politeness’" (Massis, November 28, 2009), the following
are a few of the comments made by individuals after seeing "The Perils
of Politeness": "We laughed steadily and to our heart’s content for
an hour or two"; "We enjoyed ourselves continually, forgetting our
worries"; "Believe me, Hagop Baronian cheered us up for a couple
of hours."

Followers of Ardavazt Theatre Company are now looking forward to its
upcoming production of one-act satires by Moliere and Feydeau.

EUROVISION DELEGATES GATHER IN OSLO

sion
02:24 pm | March 22, 2010

Social

Representatives from 39 participating countries of the 2010 Eurovision
Song Contest will gather in Norwegian capital today to get acquainted
with the details of the upcoming show.

On Tuesday, March 23, the draw for the running order of the Semi-Finals
and Final of the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest will take place at the
Oslo City Hall.

The 55th Eurovision Song Contest will take place in Oslo’s Telenor
Arena,

The semi-finals of the song contest are due on May 25 and 27.

Armenia’s representative Eva Rivas will present her "Apricot Stone"
on May 27.

THE BELLS OF ST. ASTVATZATZIN: NO ARMENIANS LEFT IN MADRAS TO HEAR THEM RING

2010/03 /22 | 16:10

Church and belfry testament to a proud past long gone

The Holy Mother of God Armenian Church, one of the oldest Christian
structures in all of India and the Far East is located in Chennai
(formerly Madras). It was built in 1772 on the grounds an ancient
Armenian cemetery that later became the private property of the
Shahamirian family.

The church replaced an Armenian chapel that had been built in 1712
that was destroyed in the 1746 British-French colonial war. There
are two dates inscribed at the church entrance – 1772 1nd 1712. The
new construction was financed by Shahamir Shahamirian (Sultanumian)
in memory of his wife who had died at an early age.

St. Astvatzatzin (Holy Mother of God) is a testament to the glorious
history of Armenians in Madras. One can say that the entire legacy of
Armenian Madras, that had become the foundry of the new liberation
thought of the times, has been stored under the arches of this
magnificent church.

St. Astvatzatzin is resting place for many historic figures

The white-plastered church is located on a street where the noted
merchants Shahamir Shahamirian, Samuel Moorat, the Gregory Brothers,
Seth Sam returned after their long and arduous journeys and found
eternal rest.

This is where the Madras Group was formed. Its members, including
Movses Baghramian, Shahamir Shahamirian and Joseph Emin, soared no
efforts to inculcate Armenian youth with ideals of enlightenment and
progressive thought.

Under these arches, every Sunday for forty consecutive years, Father
Harutiun Shmavonian, publisher of the first Armenian periodical
"Azdarar" (Monitor), offered the Holy Liturgy.

At least two Armenian printing presses were started here in Madras,
and an Armenian school. Many of the notable members of the Madras
Armenian community were laid to rest here. No wonder the street is
named "Armenian Street".

Time has marched on and there are no longer any Armenians in Madras.

But the walled Armenian Church, symbolizing their eternal glory rises
proudly on a hill top. At first glance, it is hardly noticeable.

When bells ring locals know an Armenian has returned

The commercial shopkeepers that line the street know precious little
about the church. But they are aware that it’s the oldest Christian
cathedral in the district.

Few also know that the unique and valuable examples of the first
Christian bells forged rest here in the church, in the three story
bell tower that rises apart from the church.

The belfry’s three pair of enormous bells called the faithful to
church for many decades. Sadly, now the bells are not rung every
Sunday. When the peeling of the bells is heard, residents in the
vicinity of Armenian Street know that an Armenian has come to the
church. Most Armenian visitors today come from Calcutta. The bulk
of Madras Armenians relocated to Calcutta in the latter half of the
19th century.

Each pilgrim that visits the Armenian church climbs the tower to see
the bells and to capture the moment. All three pairs of bells bear
dates. Each weighs 150 kilos. The oldest was forged in 1754.

Armenian church bells bear proud legacy

This bell has an Armenian inscription that was added in 1808 at the
district’s famous "Aroulapan" foundry. The next bell was forged in
1778 and the other two in 1790. They were donated by Agha Shahamir
Shahamirian in memory of his son Eliazar Shahamirian who died at the
tender age of nineteen. The last pair of bells is the most valuable,
having been forged in 1837 with the inscription, "Thomas Mears,
Founder, London". This signifies that the bells were built at the
prominent Whitechapel Bell Foundry in London. This foundry entered
the Guinness Book of records as the oldest manufacturing concern in
Great Britain. It mostly produces bells for use in churches.

The foundry has been operating since 1420. Traditionally, the name
of the chief craftsman of the period would be engraved on the bells
produced. From the 19th century up till 1968, all the finished
products, including the bells of St. Astvatzatzin, have carried the
moniker of "Mears & Stainbank"

The oldest bell forged at this foundry is kept in London. It has the
dubious distinction of being the world’s oldest. The next bell with the
oldest inscription is the famous Philadelphia Liberty Bell, dated 1752.

The Liberty Bell epitomizes the American War of Independence from
Britain. Tradition has it that the bell signaled the signing of the
American Declaration of Independence in 1776. Every year, thousands
of visitors flock to Philadelphia to gaze at this historic and
valuable bell.

Perhaps the most famous bell produced at this foundry is the one that
rings in the Big Ben clock tower in London’s Westminster Palace.

Forged in 1858, it is the biggest bell ever forged with a height of
2.2 meters and a width of 2.9. It weighs in at an astounding 13 tons.

Other famous bells to come out of the Whitechapel Foundry are those at
the Liverpool Mother Cathedral, London’s St Mary le Bow Church and the
bells at Westminster Abbey. Includes in this list of ancient bells are
two of the six bells found in the St. Astvatzatzin Church in Madras.

While it’s nearly impossible to state with any certainty that purchased
the bells for the church, by the application of a bit of deduction
and cross-referencing of the dates on the bells with the wealthiest
Armenians in Madras at the time, we can speculate that it was either
the Gregory Brothers or Seth Sam. It’s less likely that the Moorat
Family purchased the bells since they adhered to the Roman Catholic
Church.

Naturally, these bells symbolize the dedication of the Armenians
of Madras to the Armenian Apostolic Church. On the other hand, they
also reflect the wealth and prosperity that the community possessed
at the time.

This short narrative allows us to delve, albeit briefly, into the
life and times of the Madras Armenian community.

The English historian J. Hanvey, discussing the Armenian merchants
of Madras during the 18th century, notes that, "Armenians were
successfully trading with Russia as well as with England. With their
capital and contacts they held their own against the likes of English,
Russian and Dutch traders.

We thus see that at the dawn of the 19th century, Armenian merchants,
with their financial resources and prowess, were still giving the
British East-Indian company a run for the money.

It is likely that with such investments in English manufacturing,
the Armenians of Madras were aiming to preserve their influence in
British controlled India.

Hermineh Adamyan Armenian College and Philanthropic Academy Calcutta
(Kolkata), India

PRESIDNET SARGSYAN LEAVING FOR SYRIA

armradio.am
22.03.2010 10:50

President Serzh Sargsyan and Mrs. Rita Sargsyan are leaving for the
Arab Republic of Syria March today at the invitation of the President
of Syria, Bashar Al-Assad.

The delegation headed by President Sargsyan comprises the Ministers
of Foreign Affairs, Diaspora Affairs, Culture, Agriculture and other
officials.

The official welcome ceremony will be followed by the face-to-face
meeting of Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Bashar Al-Assad and the
meeting of the delegations of the two countries. The leaders of
Armenia and Syria will give a joint press conference.

Syria’s President Bashar Al-Assad and Mrs. Asma Al-Assad will give
an official dinner in honor of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and
Mrs. Rita Sargsyan.

Within the framework of the visit the Armenian President is expected
to meet the Chairman of the Syrian Parliament and the Prime Mnister.

President Sargsyan will give a lecture on "Armenian-Syrian relations"
at the Damascus University. Serzh Sargsyan will meet representatives of
the Armenian community of Damascus and will visit historical-cultural
sites.

Aram Khachatryan’s "Spartak" ballet will be performed at the Damascus
Opera Theatre under the high auspices of the First Ladies of Armenia
and Syria.

The Armenian President is expected to visit Aleppo and Deir al-Zour to
meet local authorities and representatives of the Armenian community.

news.am, Armenia
March 20 2010

Erdogan became jest for world media

14:11 / 03/20/2010 Erdogan’s words that media misinterpreted his
statement on deportation of 100.000 illegal Armenians from the
country, aroused sarcasm of foreign media.

German Der Tagesspiegel refers to CNNTurk’s ironic quotation: `The
guilty are found ` it’s media representatives,’ Erdogan said. The
paper then recalls that this is not the first indignation of public
entailed by Turkish Premier’s words, who is deprived of elementary
diplomatic etiquette. Nonetheless, the publication outlines that his
threats on deportation of Armenians might come true, as it will kill
Ankara’s efforts in relations’ normalization with Armenia and incite
the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide dramatically.

`Erdogan became known for his ignorance of diplomatic terms. From time
to time he allows himself statements lacking any tact. Turkey is used
to his &`high’ word-style and some politicians return him accordingly.
However, his &`style’ can harm Turkey’s foreign policy dramatically,’
the source reads recalling Erdogan’s impudent words to Israel,
groundless attacks at Germany concerning the Turkish emigrants, silly
accusations against China on committing genocide against Uigurs.

S.T.