Author: Tadevosian Garnik

UEFA.com
Aug 6 2004

Bringing football to children

UEFA’s charity partner Cross Cultures has just completed the training
of 1,800 prospective coaches for its popular and long-running Open
Fun Football Schools concept in the Balkan and Caucasus regions.

Association help
Together with 1,500 trainer assistants and more than 500 football
clubs, the coaches are now ready to welcome 25,000 boys and girls
aged between eight and 12 to an Open Fun Football School. The
trainers have been educated in co-operation with the football
associations of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia,
Georgia, F.Y.R. Macedonia, and Serbia and Montenegro.

Charity portfolio
Cross Cultures’ Open Fun Football Schools are part of UEFA’s charity
portfolio, and are also backed by the governments of Denmark, Norway,
Sweden and Finland, as well as by the Novo Nordisk healthcare
enterprise. Last November, UEFA presented a cheque for 400,000 to
the Open Fun Football Schools project. The funds were drawn from
fines imposed by the UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body in UEFA
competitions during the 2002/03 season.

1998 start
In 1998, the project started in war-torn Bosnia-Herzegovina with 12
football schools involving 2,252 boys and girls, and 189 coaches and
school leaders. In summer 2003, Open Fun Football Schools staged a
total of 78 schools involving 16,000 youngsters (13,000 boys and
3,000 girls) and 1,400 trainers and school leaders from
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, and Serbia and Montenegro. Schools
were also set up for the first time in Croatia, Georgia, Armenia and
Azerbaijan.

Charity programme
“We are a charity programme that wishes to bring football to all
children regardless of talent, skills, ethnic or social background,”
said Cross Cultures director Anders Levinsen. “And as initiator, it
is fantastic to see how this idea is supported by enthusiastic and
dedicated people.”

Girl support
As a charity programme, Open Fun Football Schools’ requirement is
that a minimum 50 per cent of all children taking part are boys and
girls who are not yet members of a football club, but who would love
to become members. Furthermore, the Open Fun Football Schools also
wish to promote girls football, and given the many new female coaches
Cross Cultures has trained this summer, the organisation expects a
minimum 25 per cent of all participants in the Balkans to be girls.

Community work
Along with the programme, Cross Cultures is distributing 27,000
footballs, trainers’ clothes and other equipment for the
participating football clubs. “By implementing our many trainer
seminars and by leaving all the equipment behind, we hope we can
motivate and encourage the local football clubs to continue their
important community work in organising grassroots football for their
children all year around,” Anders Levinsen concluded.

ArmenPress
Aug 4 2004

AUSTRIAN EMBASSY OFFICIAL SAYS ARMENIA-AUSTRIA LINKS MORE ACTIVE

YEREVAN, AUGUST 4, ARMENPRESS: Economic adviser at Austrian
Embassy in Moscow Johan Kauzli said links between Armenia and Austria
are becoming more active. Kauzli is inYerevan on the occasion of the
pilgrimage of more than 600 Austrians from Linze. He said that this
is his sixth visit to Armenia and recalled his visit during the
Soviet times when Armenia was considered a leading leather industry
republic. Kauzli said progress is visible in Armenia since the
independence especially in construction, service industry and
tourism.
J. Kauzly expressed his satisfaction for the closer links between
Armenia and Austria. He recalled an Austrian business exhibition in
Yerevan a year ago and also informed that Armenian businessmen will
visit Austria in September. In general, business, cultural and
scientific ties rise mutual interests and are prospective.
J. Kauzly noted that Armenian economy can boost only in case of
favorable conditions – open borders and direct routs to different
countries, active integration to international and particularly,
European structures. He voiced his hope that Armenian-Austrian ties
will contribute to that. According to him, Armenian businessmen
clearly understand their challenges and actively engage in solving
them which is marked by a visible economic growth in Armenia.

Zaman, Turkey
Aug 2 2004

Armenians to Support Kerry for So-Called Genocide Draft

The American National Committee for Armenians (ANCA), an Armenian
lobby firm in the US, announced their endorsement of Democratic Party
candidate, John F. Kerry, for the November 2 Presidential elections.
They removed their support from current US President George W. Bush,
who did not keep his promise to Armenians regarding a so-called
Armenian Genocide draft.

ANCA President, Ken Hachikyan, implored all Armenians in the US to
vote for Kerry. He said, “Senator Kerry is a friend of the Armenian
community who has strongly made efforts for Armenian issues during
his 20 years of experience.” Hachikyan regarded Bush as “a great
disappointment for Armenians” and said, “Not only did Bush not keep
his promise for recognizing genocide that he made before the 2000
election, but he also attacked on related legal efforts.”

The Armenian lobby claims that Bush was elected president in 2000
because Armenians in Florida, where the fate of the election was
determined, voted for Bush. According to a statement released by
ANCA, Kerry said, “My running mate and I thank ANCA for its support.”

Kerry has given support to pro-Armenian efforts during his long years
of service in the Senate. The Democratic Party Candidate voted for a
so-called genocide draft that was defeated in the Senate in 1990. He
is also a supporter of another draft envisaging indirect approval of
the so-called genocide draft, currently pending in the Senate.

La Stampa
July 28, 2004

“”Non uccidere”” nel secolo del genocidio

Tosatti Marco

Marco Tosatti ROMA Non uccidere: “”I dieci comandamenti””,
l’inchiesta televisiva di Luca De Mata, in programma oggi su Raiuno,
si occupa di quello che e’ stato forse uno degli imperativi piu’
disattesi nel secolo scorso. Una violazione che, adesso, sta tornando
ad assumere una veste religiosa, cercando in un dio la
giustificazione al delitto. Il secolo scorso e’ stato il secolo dei
genocidi: da quello armeno, perpetrato dal governo laico e agnostico,
anche se formalmente mussulmano, di Istanbul, e che uso’ anche l’odio
religioso anticristiano per i suoi fini, al genocidio rwandese, un
massacro etnico, di cui la puntata di oggi offre immagini inedite e
agghiaccianti.

Ma e’ naturalmente, per ragioni di attualita’ drammatica, sul
fenomeno del terrorismo suicida in nome di Allah che si fissa
l’obiettivo del regista, nel tentativo di comprendere le ragioni di
chi e’ disposto a sacrificare la sua vita, e quella di persone
innocenti, in nome di Dio. Un fenomeno sconosciuto, siano a qualche
anno fa; e che dopo l’11 settembre sembra sia diventato una delle
modalita’ belliche possibili nel mondo islamico (fino a quel momento
poche realta’ come quella delle “”Tigri Tamil”” lo praticavano. De
Mata ha raccolto voci discordanti, nel mondo che segue il Profeta. In
Burkina Faso, il responsabile dei giovani della moschea di Ouahigouya
ha detto: “”Io sono andato volontario in Iraq come tanti altri
giovani Islamici da tutto il mondo. Sono andato per fare la guerra.

Pronto a combattere e a morire, ma non certo a suicidarmi per
uccidere. L’Islam non chiede il suicidio-omicida. Spero che i
credenti musulmani e cristiani trovino la via della collaborazione””.

Non tutti sono d’accordo su questo punto; e per riuscire ad afferrare
la difficolta’ di una spiegazione, bisognerebbe comprendere con
quanta sofferenza nel mondo islamico viene vissuto il concetto di
“”thulm””, oppressione. Al Cairo Mohammed Abddullatif, un editore ha
dichiarato che “”il suicidio, come e’ detto sia nei Comandamenti che
nel Corano, e’ proibito. Ma ci sono dei casi particolari come, ad
esempio, in Palestina: i cosiddetti kamikaze. Proibire ai bambini di
andare a scuola, fermare la gente per strada, privare le persone del
necessario, tutto questo fa sentire ai palestinesi che non c’e’
speranza per il loro futuro. Non possono proteggere i loro figli.
Allora i palestinesi che vivono tutto questo sentono che per poter
proteggere la vita dei loro bambini, delle loro madri o dei loro
padri devono sacrificarsi e suicidarsi assieme ai suoi nemici. Fanno
questo per garantire la vita dei loro figli.

E’ per questo che non possiamo affermare che cio’ che fa un
palestinese e’ un omicidio o un suicidio. Egli pensa che in questo
modo protegge la vita degli altri e, sacrificandosi, da’ la vita agli
altri che soffrono””.

E’ solo l’esempio di un problema che e’ molto piu’ complesso di
quanto appaia a prima vista, e che vive di posizioni molto diverse,
come quella dell’imam Ibraim Reda, che dall’Egitto afferma: “”Noi non
siamo predicatori di terrorismo. Noi siamo predicatori di pace. Noi
tendiamo la mano agli Occidentali colti per costruire una civilta’
basata sul dialogo, cosi’ come qui in Egitto. In questo modo potremo
distruggere il terrorismo che nasce dalla poverta’ e
dall’oppressione””. Poverta’ e oppressione che sono largamente
alimentati dal Nord del mondo.

Un capitolo a parte e’ quello dedicato alla pena di morte legale;
praticata in molti paesi, e, nel mondo occidentale, anche dagli Stati
Uniti.

Richard C. Dieter, Direttore esecutivo del Centro sulla pena di morte
ricorda: “”Nei 25 anni da quando la pena di morte e’ stata
reintrodotta negli Stati Uniti 111 persone sono state trovate
innocenti e liberate dal braccio della morte, completamente
scagionate. Queste 111 persone erano credute da tutti colpevoli ed
sarebbero potuto essere giustiziate. E molte sono arrivate vicino all’esecuzione””.

WHAT IS GOING ON IN CALCUTTA?

Azg/am
28 July 2004

In July 2001 journalist David Zenian signed a very interesting article
in the AGBU Magazine, under the title “The Armenians of India; An
Historical Legacy ” where among the names of the Armenians of Calcutta
mentions J.C. Galstaun saying that he is one of the prominent
Armenians in Calcutta, often called the doyen of the Armenian
community there. He describes that he is a “wealthy merchant left his
legacy by erecting beautiful buildings such as his residence and a
museum and establishing Galstaun Park”.

Another member of the renowned Galstaun Family is Max Galstaun, who is
now the Director of a student home called “The Residency” (established
more than 15 years ago and situated in Kalyani, a suburb of Calcutta),
where 150 needy students are hosted. Max Galstaun, who is Uncle Max to
his children, took over ownership after the death of his father who
founded the Residency.

Other members of the Galstaun family have started large Schools in
Patna, Bihar. Most have emigrated to the United Kingdom, the USA and
Australia.

It is interesting to read about the Armenian legacy in many parts of
the world. If you go to Singapore you will see the Armenian Street
with the Armenian Church (being the oldest Christian worship building
in the tiny State). Isfahan of Iran is famous for its Armenian Quarter
with its many churches.

But there are sometimes disturbing news and scandals related to
Armenian communities. During March and April of the year 2004 we
received a series of e-mail signed by Max Galstaun. Most of them had
some sad information about the Armenians of Calcutta and the fate of
the Armenian College there with stories of violations and abuses (see
letters below).

In mid July 2004 these letters caught the attention of Vartan Ozinian,
who supervises a panel called Grtasser. He sent to the readers of
Azad-Hye.com the following alarming letter, in which he sees a link
between the closing of different Armenian educational institutions
around the world. Here is what he says:

Dear Editor of Azad-Hye, and people dealing with the Armenian Human
resources Development Fundamentals.

Azad-Hye, of Wed. Mar 17, 2004 – 4:20 am, (actually means letter of16
March, due to time differences) published two subsequent messages of
Mr. Max Galstaun in relation with children from Armenia enrolled in
the Calcutta Armenian College (we presume the good old
“Philanthropists College of Armenians” founded 1820 in Calcutta-India)

In its mails Mr. Galstaun, living in Calcutta, was describing an
alarming situation related to the children and the school. He had
written: “We need investigative journalists to contact us, so that we
can deliver documents concerning this racket”. â=80¦ “The Catholicos
has received written complaints andknow what is going on. Then why
silence”?

Grtasser-panel of Pro Educatio has tried to get in touch with
Mr. Galstaun. We have not been successful yet. In substance, before
rushing an international investigative journalist, we need more
information.

Could you please relaunch our request? For we consider that the long
date endemic crisis in the Armenian School sector became an acute
epidemic threatening the All Armenian Commonwealth, in the most
radical way.

We copied this mail for people who are especially dealing now with the
Melkonian Educational Institute (MEI) crisis.

At present we are not suggesting to the volunteer protectors of the
MEI to handle also the problems of the Armenian Philanthropists
College in Calcutta. For we believe in tackling “one thing at a time”
process, concentrating all forces for the defense of the MEI is the
priority, indeed.

Nevertheless we just would like MEI volunteers to know that some
people are systematically working to annihilate the very basis of the
Armenian Human Resources Development in many places, such as Cyprus
and India. Those annihilators think probably that nobody will be aware
of their “razzia” or nobody will react.

Ladies and gentlemen, please wake up and act / react. It is time. It
is not too late. We warn you: pay far more attention to what persons /
personalities / groups are doing, than paying consideration to the
heights of their rank in the institutions or in the society. That’s
how, we think, you couldcontribute to the “health” of your All
Armenian Commonwealth.

The friendless and miserable Calcutta Armenians would love to have
some dear friends like Dr. Chatterji (see below for the story of
Dr. Chatterji with the Armenians). Today, they are abandoned on the
dust heap of history. Their properties have been squandered and
disposed in all manners of shady deals.The School, Armenian College,
which Mr. Guzelian writes is now closed to the Calcutta Armenians and
their children. The Catholicos of Etchmiadzin, who is the
Administrator of the School, turns a blind eye to all the cries of the
children who are being tortured and abused. The girls are told too
shut up or they would be whores in Armenia. These are the despicable
words of the “Manager” Mrs. Sonia John, appointed by the Catholicos
of Etchmiadzin. Girls in the Schoolbathe in the open, without
curtains. The poor Armenian Priest who objected to all this, the
Revd. Gulgulian, could not keep shut anymore and spoke out against the
tyrant Mrs. John on Palm Sunday. Mrs. John did not send the pupils to
Church, instead she sent 12 Policemen and guards to the Church. The
Revd. Gulgulian took extreme offence to the policemen and asked them
to leave. They refusedto listen to him and refused to leave the
Church! During the Sermon the Rev. Priest condemned the tyrant and
exhorted the faithful to drive her out of the Church. Poor man! She
phoned the Catholicos at Etchmiadzin and the Rev. Gulgulian was
ordered back to Armenia. On Easter Sunday, the much chastened man,
seeing the power of the despot with the help of the Catholicos of
Etchmiadzin expressed his sadness for the poor Armenians he would be
leaving behind to the mercy of the tyrant, Mrs. Sonia John. Where are
the friends of the tiny Armenian community of Calcutta?
Revd. Gulgulian is back in Armenia, the Church has no services this
Sunday, as the care of the souls of the Armenians is not the priority
of the Catholicos of Etchmiadzin.

Young Girls Abused in Calcutta, India

13 April 2004

The regime of Mrs. Sonia John has brought in about 25 girls from
Armenia. Got them “adopted” by the Church? The Revd. Priest one day
saw the girls bathing as they did not even have curtains. He was
shocked and asked Mrs. Sonia John why the girls had to bathe in this
naked fashion ? She replied “What are you going to do, buy them
curtains?” This is the depravity the girls must put up with as they
are “orphans” from Armenia.

When the poor things ask for certain things they are told: “Shut up
and stop asking for things. If I did not bring you to Calcutta you
would be PROSTITUTES IN ARMENIA!”

Maybe when you read this, whoever you are, your heart will ache for
these poor girls and you will feel compelled to do something. Like
writing to the Catholicos of Etchmiadzin who has been appointed the
administrator by the Court in Calcutta. Please write to him about your
disgust.

Armenian Human Rights: Same Old Story Here in Calcutta

7 April 2004

There seems to be something in the Armenian character that does not
tolerate dissent. Here in Calcutta the meetings of the Armenian
Community are held by the ruling regime with the help of the corrupt
police and criminals. Votersare intimidated. Opposition is not allowed
into the meeting and is driven away by the criminals. Just about 15
people vote for a Trust property worth more than 500 million
rupees. They are the ones allowed to vote by the criminals.

Fred Babakhanian a young refugee from Iran, who stayed in Calcutta for
more than 20 years, who voiced his opposition to the regime of
criminals, was put away on a false charge of being without a visa. He
has spent over 3 years in jail even though he applied for refugee
status. The regime did not like him, they paid the police to fix this
poor young man. Spare a prayer for him. Just 100 US dollars will get
him out of jail.

Armenian Trusts in Calcutta

3 April 2004

There exist a number of trusts in Calcutta, India, intended to benefit
Armenians in Julfa, Iran (St. Mary’s Church Committee) and even
Rostov-on-Don (Nakhichevan) St. Catherine’s Monastery and many other
beneficiaries. The Apcar family Trust is a very large one being
fraudulently dealt with to benefit scamsters and rogues. The Trustees
are all into scams. The properties ownedby these Trusts can generate
millions of dollars for the beneficiaries, but since none show
interest in the matters the Trustees are into huge frauds with these
properties. If there are persons interested in these trusts, they
could getin touch with me through email and then the benefits could be
realized.

Trafficking in Armenian Children

16 March 2004

Dozens of children have been brought to Calcutta, India to study in
the once famous Armenian College. These children lead a very secretive
life. No local Armenian is allowed to speak to them. People who have
worked in the Armenian children are constantly relaying information
that these children are unhappy. The children are being abused and
treated very cruelly. I have seen with myown eyes the behavior of the
Managers of the School: They get almost violent, if the children are
even approached or if some local Armenian even speaks to them. The
children are beaten black and blue and tortured in various ways. Some
of them are orphans from Armenia and have no other place to return
to. They have to accept the torture. Many want to return to Armenia
and have cried in front of witnesses. If they are caught crying, they
are beaten again. How long must our children suffer? Do we all have
hearts of stone? Do we not care? We local Armenians need support to
get rid of this tyrant.

The Administrator appointed by the Supreme Patriarch is a totally
corrupt person. Notices have been published in the local newspapers
pointing out that she is a fraud. Yet, the Supreme Patriarch in
Yerevan sits blissfully unaware of what is going on in the Armenian
College, Calcutta. Funds donated to the Armenian College have been
used to build a “gorgeous” “beautiful” Armenian Embassy in New Delhi?
Why this route of donating to the School and then to the Embassy? Is
there money laundering going on here? The Administrator of the College
states that “all Armenian women are whores!” The Catholicos has
received written complaints and knows what is going on? THEN WHY THE
SILENCE?

ARMENIA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT TO BE SUSPENDED FOR OVERHAUL AND REFUELING

YEREVAN, JULY 23. ARMINFO. July 30 the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant is
to be suspended for overhaul and refueling, says the plant director
general Gagik Markossyan.

The plant was to be stopped July 15 but the date was put off because
of fuel economy. The overhaul is to last 65 days this implying
equipment updating. The second unit will be emptied so that one can
check up the state of its metalic body.

Armenian leader, Georgian foreign minister discuss regional development

Mediamax news agency
22 Jul 04

YEREVAN

Armenia is openly interested in stability in Georgia, Armenian
President Robert Kocharyan told today’s meeting in Yerevan with
visiting Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili.

The sides discussed Armenian-Georgian relations and prospects for
developing the South Caucasus region, Mediamax learnt from the
presidential press service. Since economic relations between the two
countries do not correspond to the genuine potential and aspirations
of Armenia and Georgia, Kocharyan said that it was necessary to
intensify the activities of the intergovernmental commission on
economic cooperation.

The Armenian president and the Georgian foreign minister also
discussed the prospects that emerged following the involvement of the
South Caucasus countries in the EU’s New Neighbourhood policy.

ARMENIA LEADER AND RUSSIA’S GAS EXECUTIVE DISCUSS PIPELINE TO IRAN

Mediamax news agency
19 Jul 04

YEREVAN

Armenian President Robert Kocharyan and Aleksandr Ryazanov, deputy
chairman of the board of the Russian company Gazprom, discussed the
construction of a gas pipeline from Iran to Armenia in Yerevan today.

The head of state’s press service told Mediamax today that the meeting
discussed the current situation with Armenia’s gas supplies and a
number of promising programmes.

The sides expressed satisfaction with the work of the company
ArmRosgazprom in which Gazprom has 45 per cent of the shares.

Robert Kocharyan and Aleksandr Ryazanov noted that year by year the
number of ArmRosgazprom’s subscribers and the level of gasification of
the republic increases.

ArmenPress
July 19 2004

ACHENBACH AND ARMENAL TO SIGN MODERNIZATION AGREEMENT IN AUTUMN

YEREVAN, JULY 19, ARMENPRESS: A spokesman for Armenal aluminum
foil factory in Yerevan told Armenpress that a German Achenbach that
has won a tender to modernize Armenal is expected to sign an
agreement in autumn with Rusal aluminum company, that owns all shares
in Armenal, to carry out the factory’s modernization program, aimed
at the creation of full-cycle production and quality improvements.
The spokesman said the program is likely to cost $40 million. He said
it also calls for the installation of modern equipment. The
modernization is expected to increase the profitability rate by 1.5
times.
Armenal was founded in 2000 on the site of the Kanaker aluminum
factory as a joint venture between RusAl and the Armenian government.
Since 2003, the factory has been owned by RusAl. The modernized
factory will produce 25,000 tons of aluminum foil against 10,500 of
2003.
Achenbach is one of the world leaders in production of foil and
non-ferrous metallurgy equipment. Since 1888 the company has provided
services in the area of production and installation of equipment for
aluminum, copper and zinc processing.
RusAl, created by Sibneft stockholders and entrepreneur Oleg
Deripaska, is the source of 75% of Russian and 10% of world supplies
of first-stage aluminum.

ARMENIAN PATRIARCH OF TURKEY SPEAKS IN FAVOR OF TURKEY’S MEMBERSHIP TO EU

ISTANBUL, JULY 15, ARMENPRESS: The Armenian Patriarch of Turkey,
Archbishop Mesrop Mutafian, met recently with the senior consul of the
French consulate in Istanbul, Jean Christopher Possel, who was eager
to learn Mutafian’s views concerning Turkey’s drive towards EU
membership.
Mutafian said it would not be correct to look at the entire
Armenian community of Turkey as a homogeneous body. “Those French
Armenians who resist Turkish EU membership represent only part of
Armenians. Along with Diaspora Armenians who advocate against Turkey’s
accession to EU there are also Armenians who realize the benefits that
can come for Turkish-Armenian relations together with Turkey’s
membership and therefore they support that process,” he said.
Mutafian said he too, as the Armenian Patriarch, speaks often in
favor of Turkey’s membership. “In the event of meeting all
requirements of becoming an EU member country, the membership will
have a very positive effect on the state of Turkish citizens, national
minorities, in terms of improving Armenian-Armenian relations and
securing regional stability,” he said.