Author: Taslakhchian Andranik

ANKARA – Turkish Daily News
17 December 2004

US says it acknowledges Armenian tradgedy

Boucher: Our position on the Armenia question is pretty well known

ANKARA – Turkish Daily News

The United States says it acknowledges the “terrible tragedy” the Armenian
community in Anatolia faced during the World War I years, but declined to
comment on whether the European Union should make it a precondition for the
start of accession talks with Turkey.
“Our position on the Armenia question is pretty well known. We’ve
acknowledged the terrible tragedy that befell the Armenian community in
Anatolia in the final years of the Ottoman Empire,” State Department
Spokesman Richard Boucher said at a press briefing.
He said Washington had been encouraging civil society and diplomatic
discussions about the tragedy as well as political dialogue between Armenia
and Turkey on the issue.

Boucher indicated the U.S. position on the issue had remained unchanged
since the president issued a traditional message on April 24, 2003, the date
that Armenians say is the anniversary of the alleged genocide.
Turkey categorically rejects Armenian charges that genocide was committed
against Armenians living in eastern Turkey in the final years of the Ottoman
Empire.

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on Wednesday calling on EU
leaders to open entry talks with Turkey. It also urged Ankara to acknowledge
the alleged genocide but made it clear it would not be a condition for the
start of accession talks.

–Boundary_(ID_kVi5cRn5tHkdrBeShGXTpw)–

Los Angeles Daily News, CA
Dec 14 2004

New council candidate swells field to 10

By Naush Boghossian, Staff Writer

GLENDALE — A new candidate — one who is being called the voice of
the youth — has entered the race for City Council.
Hovik Gabikian, 35, announced Monday that he would run for a seat on
the City Council — the 10th candidate to run for the four available
seats — and would fight for issues including affordable housing,
traffic regulation, environmental protection and expanding fire and
police services.

An eligibility worker at the Los Angeles County Department of Public
Social Services, Gabikian also serves as a leader with his labor
union.

“My intention is to expand and improve the quality of public life by
offering effective services,” said the graduate of the University of
California, Los Angeles.

Some race watchers believe that Gabikian, who helped organize more
than 70,000 people to march in Hollywood last year to commemorate the
89th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, distinguishes himself with
his large following among Armenian young people.

“He’s highly respected by the youth who attend universities and
colleges, so he may not have name recognition in the political arena,
but he’s definitely known, especially in the Armenian youth circles,”
Mayor Bob Yousefian said.

In addition to incumbents Dave Weaver, Frank Quintero and Bob
Yousefian, those who have said they will run are Glynda Gomez, Ara
Najarian, Garry Sinanian, Steve Hedrick, Pauline Field and John
Drayman.

HOLY LITURGY CELEBRATED IN CHURCH OF ST TADEOS-BARDUGHIMEOS IN TEHRAN
ON NAME DAY

TEHRAN, December 13 (Noyan Tapan). On December 10, a holy liturgy was
celebrated in Church of St Tadeos-Bardughimeos on the occasion of the
Name Day.

The liturgy was to be celebrated by head of the Armenian diocese of
Tehran Archbishop Sepuh Sargsian, who, however, was not able to attend
the celebration due to the death of his mother. In his absence Priest
Komitas Gharakhanian assisted by Priest Mashtots Khachatrian
celebrated the liturgy and preached.

According to the “Alik” newspaper (Tehran), during the sermon Priest
Komitas Gharakhanian expressed condolences on behalf of the faithful
and his own behalf to the holy father on his mother’s death.

Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
Dec 10 2004

Turks and Americans: America-phobia on the Rise in Turkish Capital

As the freezing winter days arrive, here in the capital Ankara,
relations are getting even colder. After `the Fellujah disaster’,
things will not be the same again, at least for some Turks.

For years America was the friendly face of `the Anglo-Saxon
Imperialism’ compared to Britain. Most of the Turkish people stick to
their primary education history books which tell stories about the
Atatürk fighting against the British in Gallipoli, Greeks in Izmir
and French in the South. Oh, of course don’t forget the Russians in
the East. After all this `historic brain washing’, most of the
Turkish people seem reluctant to use praising words for the British,
Greeks and French. But Americans were different.

When Ocalan, leader of the PKK, was backed by Italy, the streets of
Istanbul soared with protests against Italy. In the case of French,
it was boycotting the French products when the French Parliement
accepted a bill based on Armenian allegations. But Americans never
had a taste of this crowded protest.

Nowadays, there is an ongoing and silent protest against `American’
brand.

Anything American?

No thanks, remember Fellujah!!!.

This time it is different, silent, growing.

In Ankara there are two kind of people, one in Ulus (the old city)
and the second group of people in Kizilay (modern face of Turkey).
Ulus is a historic place with a citadel that can be seen from
everywhere and lots of religious monuments. Not only Muslims but also
Romans chooses the old city for building religious temples. There are
remains of ancient Roman Temple just meters away from Haji Bektash
Veliy Mosque. All this sums up to the lifestyle of the people of
Ulus, they are more conservative, more religious in some sense more
articulate.
Contrast to this, Kizilay hosts more secular, modern and `stateside’
people. For `Kizilarians’ this entire Fellujah thing is a `some kind’
of war in `somewhere far away’. Maybe this is the result of the media
filtering of some events, maybe Iraq is really somewhere far away.
But in Ulus things are a bit different, with a taste for protest.

When it comes to protesting, world has seen Americans protesting
French Buggets, Arabs burning Turkish biscuits and Chinese hackers
attacking American sites. Don’t end the list there, because there is
a recent protest from Turkish Barbers. In Ulus some barbers are
refusing to cut one of the popular hair cut styles in Turkey:
`American style’! American style is mostly popular among young
people. The recipe is quite simple `Sides short, top medium and back
curved’ or something like that. The name American is claimed to be
used after Turkish soldiers learned this hair cut style from their
American colleagues in Korea during the Korean War. As a result, this
hair style marks the years of the Korean War where Turks and
Americans fight together against `Evil’. The protest seems to tell
something more than a bunch of hair.

The barbers said the events in Fellujah and attack to the Muslim holy
sites made them feel impossible to ignore the events. One of the
barbers claim: `What you expect us to do? This is our way of earning
money and this is our way of protesting’. Whether or not this protest
will result with anything, they just want to protest. Even some of
them has posters attached to their front doors: `American style will
not be cut in this shop’. So you can not just enter one of those
shops and tell them to cut your hair `American style’. Although their
protest is quite peaceful, their aim may damage Turkish – American
relations `streetwise’. This peaceful protest started to dominate the
Ulus and areas nearby. The old city bazaar in the Ankara Citadel is
also peacefully rejecting American customers. Americans were so used
to this bazaar, even Ambassador of America Mr. Edelman’s relatives
claimed to do their shopping in this bazaar. Last week there were
rumors about Mr. Edelman’s discomfort about this event, he asked
Abdullah Gul (Turkish Foreign Minister) to help. The shop-keepers in
the bazaar says `We don’t want their dirty money. It smells blood’.

These are hard words to swallow for Americans. But maybe there are
people out there to understand these protests.

Americans just seem like `eyes wide shut’ and ears filled with
plaster. Even their long time Muslim friends can’t stand this. The
silent protests are just growing in the suburbs, may be Kizilay
doesn’t give a damn about it. But the people in Ulus, fought with
Americans against Korean, not the people of Kizilay. And the historic
roots of friendship and cooperation seem to shatter down from the
streets. This may lead to an unhappy relationship between Americans
and Turks that could harm both parties.

All this Fellujah and Iraq event reminds us a wise word: `Friend
shall speak truth even if it can bitter you’. The man on the street
is starting to speak bitter, but the other guy just dismisses.

Until when?

Baris SANLI, Anlyst at USAK/ISRO

OSCE FOREIGN MINISTERS COUNCIL SITTING COMMENCES IN SOFIA
[December 06, 2004, 23:26:24]

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Dec 6 2004

The 12th sitting of the OSCE Foreign Ministers Council has commenced
in Sofia, 6 December. Delegation of Azerbaijan led by foreign
minister Elmar Mammadyarov attends the action.

On the eve, a meeting of the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and
Armenia with participation of the OSCE MG co-chairs was held in
Sofia. Discussed were a number of questions connected to settlement
of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorny Karabakh conflict, and stressed
necessity of active and efficient continuation of the negotiation
process in the near future. Starting from this, there was reached
agreement to hold next round of meeting in format of Prague meeting
of the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia during forthcoming
meeting of the ministers of NATO Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council on
9 December in Brussels. In the Sofia meeting, also was discussed the
question initiated by the Azerbaijan side on sending a fact-finding
mission of OSCE to the region connected to illegal replacement of
population in the occupied territories.

Speaking on the first day of meeting, foreign minister of Azerbaijan
Elmar Mammadyarov attracted attention of participants to the
Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorny Karabakh conflict. He, in particular,
said that Armenia, attempting to strengthen sequences of its military
aggression in the occupied Nagorny Karabakh region of the Azerbaijan
Republic, pursues active policy of replacement of population in the
occupied territories, which is contradicts international humanitarian
law. This especially contradicts the 1949 Geneva Convention. He also
stated that Azerbaijan adheres peaceful settlement of the problem in
the frame of international legal principles and norms, relevant
resolutions of the UN Security Council, and documents of OSCE. He
noted that Azerbaijan stands ready to normalize the relations with
Armenia, but Armenia should observe international legal and
democratic principles and not base on the realities it gained by
force and territorial claims. The Minister, positively assessing the
Prague meetings, expressed his concern with illegal re-settlement of
population in the occupied territories that seriously impedes the
negotiation process and called on the OSCE to make its contribution
in settlement of the problem.

In the frame of sitting, Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has held meetings
with the EU commissioner on foreign relations and European
Neighboring Policy Ms. Benita Ferrero-Waldner, OSCE Democratic
Institutions and Human Rights Bureau director Christian Stroghal,
special envoy of the OSCE Chairman-In-Office on Armenia-Azerbaijan
conflict Phillip Dmitrov, as well as heads of the delegations of
Turkey, Belgium, Austria and Greece.

The 12th sitting of the OSCE ministerial Council will continue on 7
December.

ANSA Notiziario Generale in Italiano
Dic 4, 2004

TV: ‘C’ERA UNA VOLTA’ RIPARTE DAL GENOCIDIO IN CECENIA ;
SU RAITRE DA LUNEDI’ CINQUE PUNTATE SU PAESI EST EUROPEO

DATELINE: ROMA

BODY:
(ANSA) – ROMA, 3 DIC – Il genocidio dei ceceni e quello, mai
riconosciuto dalla Turchia, degli armeni; il mercato delle donne
dell’est europeo, l’identikit della Russia di Putin e gli
aspetti piu’ nascosti della Romania: sono i temi dei cinque
appuntamenti di ‘C’era una volta’, il programma di Silvestro
Montanaro giunto alla quinta edizione, che riprende dal 6
dicembre alle 23,40 su Raitre.

Dopo gli Stati Uniti, continua il ciclo dedicato agli
imperi, con cinque nuovi documentari che raccontano cosa accade
nei paesi che una volta erano parte dell’impero sovietico, ora
territori ricchissimi dal punto di vista energetico e insieme
barriera fisica e via d’accesso alle realta’ del sudest asiatico
e della Cina. “A 15 anni dalla caduta del muro di Berlino –
spiega Montanaro alla presentazione in viale Mazzini – le
promesse di una stagione di pace e giustizia aspettano ancora di
essere realizzate”. E nella prima puntata, dal titolo ‘Ombre
cecene’, di Manon Loizeau e dello stesso Montanaro, si vedra’ da
vicino una delle realta’ piu’ drammatiche di questa parte
d’Europa: la Cecenia, da un decennio sotto il tallone e la
violenza delle armate russe che hanno represso nel sangue ogni
aspirazione indipendentista. “Il 15% della popolazione e
scomparsa nel nulla, nelle fosse comuni”, ricorda Montanaro,
che sottolinea quanto “dietro a questa tragedia ci siano
responsabilita’ geopolitiche di alcuni paesi arabi e di alcuni
paesi occidentali”. Il documentario – con le drammatiche
testimonianze di famiglie decimate, vessate e terrorizzate – e
stato realizzato un anno fa, “quando ancora si poteva entrare
in Cecenia. Ora e’ diventato impossibile documentare cio’ che
avviene”, spiega Montanaro, che lamenta quanto “nel mondo
stiano aumentando i luoghi in cui non e’ possibile accedere”.

Per il direttore di Raitre Paolo Ruffini, ‘C’era una volta
e un esempio di come si possa “riuscire a raccontare delle
cose per le quali sembra normale non trovare spiegazioni.
Riuscire ad approfondire questi temi in seconda serata serve
almeno a cercare di capire. E’ un tentativo di raccontare un
mondo sempre piu’ piccolo ma sempre piu’ incomprensibile, sempre
piu’ lontano dalla realta’ virtuale della televisione”.

PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
e-mail: [email protected]
Website:
Contact: Iris Papazian

CROSSROADS E-NEWSLETTER – December 2, 2004

COMMITTEE FOR UNITED COMMEMORATION
OF 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF GENOCIDE FORMED
Under the auspices of His Eminence Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate
of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America and His Eminence Archbishop
Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America, a
committee has been formed to organize a pan-Armenian American commemoration
of the 90th anniversary of the Genocide next year. The commemoration will
take place in New York City on Sunday, April 24, 2005.
The joint commemorative committee convened its first meeting on October
21. Roy Stepanian of St. Mary Armenian Church, Livingston, New Jersey, and
Ken Sarajian of Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey have been
appointed by the Diocese and the Prelacy to serve as co-chairs. With the
attendance and support of major Armenian American groups, the committee
began its work. The immediate task will be the formation of subcommittees to
plan specific events, prepare educational and press materials, and begin
fundraising to underwrite the commemoration.
>From press release issued by the Joint Committee

ST. GREGORY CHURCH, GRANITE CITY
CELEBRATES 50TH ANNIVERSARY THIS WEEKEND
His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate, will be with the
parish of St. Gregory the Illuminator Church in Granite City, Illinois, to
celebrate the 50th anniversary of the church. His Eminence will travel to
Granite City. On Saturday he will preside over services in the former church
of the parish followed by a fellowship hour. His Eminence will officiate at
the Divine Liturgy services on Sunday, assisted by Rev. Fr. Serop Azarian,
pastor of the church. A celebratory banquet will follow.
The original St. Gregory Church, a small church on Maple Street, was
consecrated on December 5, 1954. A new and much larger church, a few miles
from the original site, was built and consecrated on October 12, 1997. In
2001 a Memorial was erected to honor the Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide,
along with a Walk of Remembrance that recognizes other family memorials.
Saturday evening arrangements have been made for informal nostalgic
remembrances with photographs and memorabilia covering the fifty-year
history of the parish.
In conjunction with the commemorations, parishioners will participate in
a mortgage burning ceremony thanks to an aggressive fundraising drive, which
enabled the church to pay its mortgage debt and establish an endowment fund.

CATHOLICOS ARAM IN GENEVA
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, left
Antelias last Saturday, November 27, for Geneva where he will preside over
the meeting of the Central Executive Committee of the World Council of
Churches. His Holiness is the Moderator of the WCC. During his visit to
Geneva and the headquarters of the WCC, His Holiness will deliver a prime
lecture on Ecumenism in the 21st Century.

CHRISTMAS FAMILY CONCERT ON SATURDAY
CELEBRATES THE YEAR OF THE FAMILY
During 2004, which was designated as The Year of the Family by His
Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, the Prelacy has
set its goals with the health and welfare of our families. Although the
yearlong celebration will come to an end with a Family Christmas Concert
this Saturday, December 4, certainly the Prelacy’s focus on the family will
continue as it has always.
The December 4th concert at the Alliance Française in New York City,
featuring Nvair and her HyeFamily friends and special guest from California,
Taline, has been sold-out for more than a month.
Youngsters attending with their parents are due for an exciting
afternoon with many surprises.

ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN PARTICIPATES
IN AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY LEADERSHIP COUNCIL
Archbishop Oshagan participated in the meetings this week of the
National Church Leadership Council organized by the American Bible Society.
The meetings took place in New York City, Monday and Tuesday, November 29
and 30. The theme of the meetings was, An Effective Church in a Post-Modern
World.

ST. SARKIS WILL HONOR POLICE AND FIRE FIGHTERS
Archbishop Oshagan will preside over special morning services and
luncheon in honor of the police of the 111th precinct and fire fighters of
Bayside, New York, organized by St. Sarkis Armenian Church, Douglaston, New
York.
This annual service and luncheon by St. Sarkis Church has helped bring
the church and community closer together.

THADDEUS AND BARTHOLOMEW
This Saturday, December 4, the Armenian Church commemorates Sts.
Thaddeus and Bartholomew, two of the twelve apostles who were the first
evangelizers of Armenia and were martyred there, giving the Armenian Church
its apostolic identity.
Thaddeus came to Armenia about 43 AD to preach Christianity. He was
martyred in southeastern Armenia. His tomb lies in the Armenian monastery of
St. Thaddeus (now Iran) where a chapel was built in the third century.
Bartholomew is thought to have come to Armenia about 66 AD. He was
martyred in Hadamakert, southeast of Lake Van.

SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
This Sunday, December 5, is the second Sunday of Advent. Advent, the
solemn period anticipating the birth of the Savior, is a period of
contemplation. This week let us think of those less fortunate than us and
take some action to help.

NEXT TUESDAY IS 16TH ANNIVERSARY
OF EARTHQUAKE IN ARMENIA
Next Tuesday, December 7, is the 16th anniversary of the earthquake in
Armenia that shook the very foundations of the Soviet Empire. Our thoughts
and prayers are with the families that suffered great loss and continue to
strive to reach normalcy. God rest the souls of those who perished and peace
to those who survived.

DECEMBER 7TH IS ALSO PEARL HARBOR DAY
At dawn on Sunday, December 7, 1941, naval aviation forces of the Empire
of Japan attacked the United States Pacific Fleet center at Pearl Harbor,
Hawaii, and other military targets. The sneak attack against Pearl Harbor
brought an immediate reaction of unprecedented unity from the American
people. Families from every class sent their sons and daughters to war,
bringing the U.S. into World War II in full force. Women joined the work
force and took over the jobs that were generally reserved for men.
Ultimately it was the industrial strength of the United States and the will
of the people that was the foundation of the U.S. victory.

TODAY MARKS FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH
OF ARCHBISHOP MESROB ASHJIAN
Today, December 2 marks the first anniversary of the passing of His
Eminence Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian who died in New York City where he was
visiting family and introducing his latest book, The Etchmiadzin Chronicles.
Our community was shocked and stunned as the news of his sudden death
spread.
On Sunday, December 12, all Prelacy churches will observe the first
anniversary of his passing with Requiem Services and Madagh. Archbishop
Oshagan will be at St. Illuminator Cathedral in New York City, where the
Divine Liturgy will be celebrated by His Eminence Archbishop Souren
Kataroyan, the former Prelate of Aleppo.
Archbishop Ashjian served as Prelate of the Eastern United States and
Canada for twenty years from January 1978 to May 1998. He also served as the
Executive Secretary of the 1700th anniversary of Christian Armenia and he
presided over a host of programs spreading the Light of Christianity and
benefiting the general population of Armenia and Artsakh.
Therefore, and we beseech you O heavenly Father, accept our deceased in
your Upper Jerusalem, in the gathering of those, who have been registered
first into the heavens. (from Armenian Requiem Hymn)
We end this week with a quote from a 1995 New Year message by Archbishop
Ashjian:
Traditionally the New Year has come to symbolize a time to reflect on
one’s own life and the general condition of the human race. Somehow, with
the coming of a new year-almost miraculously-life’s slate seems to be clean
and ready to be filled anew. This time, we think, we are determined to
change our ways, to have better priorities, to make this year better than
last. The changes that have taken place in our national lives in less than a
decade are enough to fill half a century. For so many years we went along
almost by rote with little, if any, deviation. And then on that fateful day
of December 7, 1988, the earthquake in northern Armenia brought upheaval and
change not only to Armenia but also to every corner of the Armenian
Diaspora. Life has not been the same since, nor will it ever be.

Visit our website at

PRESS RELEASE
Mardi 30 novembre 2004
Association Suisse-Armenie
Case postale 497
3000 Berne 14

COMMUNIQUE DE PRESSE
Pour publication immédiate

“Grave aggression raciste contre les Arméniens de France”

Samedi 27 novembre 2004, à 16 h 30, des citoyens français
d’origine arménienne du Comité de Coordination des Associations
Arméniennes de France ont été victimes, à Valence, d’une
aggression préméditée alors qu’ils faisaient circuler une
pétition demandant que la reconnaissance du génocide arménien
figure dans les critères d’adhésion de la Turquie à l’Union
Européenne. L’aggression a été portée par une vingtaine de
jeunes d’origine turque. À la suite de cette aggression, quatre
français d’origine arménienne ont dû être hospitalisés
pour des fractures multiples et des traumatismes crniens. La police
française a fait preuve d’une préoccupante passivité.

Cet acte intervient quelques mois avant le 90è anniversaire du
génocide des Arméniens, le 24 avril 2005, qui sera
commémoré solennellement dans le monde entier, notamment en
France et en Suisse.

Le manque d’instruction des jeunes turcs quant à la réalité
historique du génocide par l’empire ottoman est certainement une
des causes de cette dérive nationaliste. Le manque de cohérence
du législateur français en est une autre. La reconnaissance
seule du génocide par la France en janvier 2001 ne suffit pas, il
faut que cette loi soit accompagnée d’une instruction
intégrée dans le programme scolaire obligatoire et d’une loi
interdisant formellement toute forme de négationnisme. La Suisse
possède déjà une telle loi (article 261bis du code pénal
interdit de nier, de minimiser grossièrement ou de justifier un
génocide). Malheureusement, depuis l’adoption de cet article, de
trop nombreux cas de négation du génocide arménien en Suisse
sont à signaler.Il reste donc à la Suisse à développer un
programme d’instruction qui permette de prévenir de tels actes.

L’Association Suisse-Arménie, profondément touchée et
scandalisée par cet acte d’une violence inouïe, condamne
fermement cette aggression à l’encontre de citoyens français
exerçant simplement leurs droits civils.

L’ASA prend acte de l’attitude contradictoire du gouvernement
français qui, ayant reconnu le génocide arménien, ne condamne
pas le négationnisme de ce génocide sur son territoire.

L’ASA souhaite que les autorités et la presse des deux pays
prennent au sérieux l’existence de courants négationnistes
violents et veillent à ce que de tels crimes soient poursuivis et
condamnés avec la plus grande sévérité.

Enfin, les députés français étant signataires de la
déclaration du 18 juin 1987, dans laquelle l’Union européenne
estimait que le refus de l’actuel gouvernement turc de reconnaître
le génocide arménien constitue un obstacle incontournable à
l’examen d’une éventuelle adhésion de la Turquie à l’UE, il
nous paraît fondamental que le gouvernement français, le
président de la République ainsi que l’ensemble des partis
politiques français condamnent fermement cette aggression et posent
comme condition préalable à toute négotiation d’adhésion
de la Turquie à l’EU – lors du prochain sommet du Conseil
Européen les 16 et 17 décembre à Bruxelles – la
reconnaissance formelle du génocide des Arméniens commis au
début du vingtième siècle.

Andreas Dreisiebner
Sarkis Shahinian
Co-présidents de l’Association Suisse-Arménie

Pour plus d’informations, veuillez consulter <;

Contact:
Sarkis Shahinian | <[email protected]> | 079 399 16 25

Over 140kg of drugs seized in Belarus during special operation in CIS

Belapan news agency, Minsk
29 Nov 04

Over 140 kg of drugs have been confiscated by law-enforcement bodies
in Belarus during the Kanal-2004 [Channel-2004] operation that was
held on the territory of the member states of the Collective Security
Treaty Organization (Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan
and Tajikistan), the Belarusian news agency Belapan reported on 29
November. A total of 339 crimes were registered and 334 criminal cases
were instituted in Belarus during the Kanal-2004 operation, the news
agency added. The drugs, property, funds and material values that were
confiscated in Belarus during the operation are worth about 630,000
dollars, Belapan said.

FORUM 18 NEWS SERVICE, Oslo, Norway

The right to believe, to worship and witness
The right to change one’s belief or religion
The right to join together and express one’s belief

================================================
Monday 29 November 2004
RUSSIA: GOVERNOR LINKS JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES AND ISLAMIC MILITANTS AS
“DESTRUCTIVE CULTS”

Stavropol regional governor Aleksandr Chernogorov has linked Jehovah’s
Witnesses and Islamic militants as “destructive cults” at a major
local conference on “Totalitarian Sects – the Path to the
Destabilisation of the North Caucasus”. Chernogorov maintained that
“Wahhabism” and “Jehovism” [a Soviet-era term for the
Jehovah’s Witnesses’ faith] had infiltrated into southern Russia and were
now “attacking those confessions which provide the foundation of civil
peace” – Orthodoxy and “traditional” Islam. Jehovah’s
Witnesses “think that this might be the beginning of something,”
local Jehovah’s Witness representative Ivan Borshchevsky has told Forum 18
News Service. Recently, Jehovah’s Witnesses have had increasing
difficulties with the authorities. The Stavropol regional religious affairs
official has declined to discuss these matters with Forum 18.

RUSSIA: GOVERNOR LINKS JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES AND ISLAMIC MILITANTS AS
“DESTRUCTIVE CULTS”

By Geraldine Fagan, Forum 18 News Service

On local state television news on 28 September, the governor of Russia’s
southern Stavropol region singled out Jehovah’s Witnesses and linked them
as a danger with Islamic militants, at a major local conference on
“Totalitarian Sects – the Path to the Destabilisation of the
North Caucasus”. Both groups flourish in conditions of unemployment,
corruption and crime, Aleksandr Chernogorov maintained.

According to his official website, Governor Chernogorov went even further
at a working meeting convened in the spa town of Yessentuki in the wake of
the Beslan atrocity. Chaired by President Vladimir Putin’s then
representative in southern Russia, Vladimir Yakovlev, its principal
participants included leaders of the region’s “traditional”
confessions – the Russian Orthodox Church, Islam, the Armenian
Apostolic Church, Judaism and Buddhism.

During the recent years of economic and political reform, Chernogorov told
the 9 September meeting, “destructive cults” such as
“Wahhabism” [an all-embracing term commonly used for militant
Islam] and “Jehovism” [a Soviet-era term for the Jehovah’s
Witnesses’ faith] had infiltrated into southern Russia and were now
“attacking those confessions which provide the foundation of civil
peace” – Orthodoxy and “traditional” Islam. The fact
that this had gone unchecked testified to the flawed nature of Russia’s
1997 law on religion, he maintained, leading Stavropol regional
administration to take “several steps to curtail the activities of
destructive sects, with the support of Orthodox and Muslim clergy.”
One example, according to Chernogorov, was the recent condemnation and
dismissal of a number of imams with Wahhabi views by village assemblies
(see F18News 2 November 2004
) .

“We think that this might be the beginning of something,” local
Jehovah’s Witness representative Ivan Borshchevsky commented to Forum 18 in
Stavropol region’s southern spa town of Pyatigorsk on 30 September. When
police officers broke up Jehovah’s Witness congresses in the region in
2003, he said, they claimed to be acting in accordance with an order issued
by Governor Chernogorov, but the governor has refrained from publicly
expressing a negative stance towards Jehovah’s Witnesses until his recent
statements.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses’ reported that thousands of Jehovah’s Witnesses
were denied entry by Pyatigorsk police to a hired stadium for a three-day
July congress, effectively forcing its cancellation. On 22 and 23 August
2003, the statement continued, police and state officials demanded the
cancellation of a sign-language Jehovah’s Witness event at a hired circus
arena in Stavropol city, the participants of which also cited disruptions
to the electricity and water supply. On 29 August, according to the
Witnesses, police similarly curtailed a three-day convention to be attended
by over a thousand Jehovah’s Witnesses at a Stavropol stadium.

Ivan Borshchevsky told Forum 18 that court appeals filed against the
authorities’ actions in 2003 are still ongoing. While state representatives
argue that they constituted necessary measures in view of possible
terrorist attacks, he added, similar events have been held at the same
venues both before and afterwards without incident.

On 21 June 2004 RIA Novosti Russian news agency reported that Cossacks and
Orthodox clergy in Stavropol region’s southern town of Georgiyevsk had
petitioned the local authorities with a request to examine and take
measures against Jehovah’s Witness activity in the area, pointing out that
the Moscow community of Jehovah’s Witnesses was banned by a court in the
Russian capital on 26 March 2004 (see F18News 29 March 2004
) .

Ivan Borshchevsky told Forum 18 that he was currently unaware of any plans
to prosecute Jehovah’s Witnesses in Stavropol region in the same way as
Moscow. The Cossacks’ complaint came in the wake of a June 2004 Jehovah’s
Witness congress held at a congregation’s own building near Georgiyevsk, he
said, remarking that Jehovah’s Witnesses were now able to hold such events
only on their own premises, so that approximately a thousand participants
for whom there was no room in the Nezlobnaya Kingdom Hall had to sit on
chairs outside. Borshchevsky also remarked that it was no longer possible
to advertise congresses: “Earlier we used to invite the press and
place advertisements in newspapers, but now we issue only oral
invitations.” Cossacks and Russian National Unity nationalists broke
up a Jehovah’s Witness congress held in Georgiyevsk in 1999, he pointed
out.

Ivan Borshchevsky also remarked to Forum 18 that, while all congregations
in his area hold state registration, several encounter restrictions in
gathering for worship. Denied permission to buy or rent property, a
congregation of approximately 100 members in the town of Lermontov is
obliged to meet in several house groups, he said, while one in Yessentuki
is down to its last option of premises for rental. Before Borshchevsky’s
own Pyatigorsk congregation successfully appealed last year against the
local authorities’ refusal to allow the refurbishment of a canteen it had
purchased, he added, one official explained that they had promised then
local Orthodox Metropolitan Gedeon (Dokunin) of Stavropol and Vladikavkaz
“not to let Jehovah’s Witnesses into the town”.

Speaking to Forum 18 on 29 October, Stavropol regional religious affairs
official Vasili Shnyukov declined to respond to questions by telephone.

According to Ivan Borshchevsky, approximately 2,500 Jehovah’s Witnesses now
live in the spa-town area of Kavkazskiye Mineralnyye Vody. Rather than the
product of recent foreign mission, he said, Jehovah’s Witnesses first
appeared in the region in the mid-1950s after Stalin’s order exiling them
to Siberia was annulled: “They were forbidden from returning to either
their place of origin or major industrial centres.” Later in Soviet
times, in 1972, disquieted by the growth of Jehovah’s Witnesses activity in
the area, Stavropol regional Council for Religious Affairs compiled a
detailed report on what it called the “antisocial nature of this
sectarian organisation”.

For more background information see Forum 18’s Russia religious freedom
survey at

A printer-friendly map of Russia is available at
;Rootmap=russi
(END)

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