Author: Varosian Antranik

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE RECEIVES SEVERE REPRIMAND FROM ARMENIAN PRIME MINISTER

Noyan Tapan
March 4, 2010

YEREVAN, MARCH 4, NOYAN TAPAN. On the instructions of Armenian prime
minister, an internal investigation related to two civil servants
of the RA Ministry of Agriculture will start with the aim of their
dismissal. Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said at the March 4 sitting
of the government that a number of serious shortcomings were revealed
during checks conducted by the prime minister’s supervisory service
at the Ministry of Agriculture.

"Agriculture is an important sector and in 2010 we must take measures
to ensure at least a 5% growth in this sector. It means that scarce
state budgetary allocations for agricultural development should be used
most efficiently," the prime minister underlined. However, according to
him, in 2008-2009 the Audit Chamber examined the procurement process
at the ministry and revealed serious violations which were to be
eliminated – under direct control of the minister. In particular, it
was revealed that foot-and-mouth disease vaccines had been purchased
at prices exceeding their real cost.

Tigran Sargsyan said that such cases should be ruled out in 2010.

However, the studies show that the situation has deteriorated. In his
words, after receiving an alarm call from the chairman of the Audit
Chamber, the prime minister’s supervisory service conducted checks and
revealed that Hovhannes Hovhannisian, head of the Finance, Economic
and Accounting Department of the ministry, and Gevorg Tovmasian,
an employee responsible for the organization of procurement in 2010,
did not take the respective measures to rectify the situation.

"But for the supervisory service of the prime minister, we would have
suffered considerable losses. So I assign the Civil Service Council to
start an internal investigation to dismiss them from their positions,"
T. Sargsyan said.

Besides, the RA Minister of Agriculture Gerasim Alaverdian received
a severe reprimand from the prime minister for improper performance
of his duties.

ACA THANKS HOUSE RESOLUTION 252 SUPPORTERS IN CONGRESS

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.03.2010 01:51 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ With a vote of 23 to 22, the House Foreign Relations
Committee successfully passed House Resolution 252 (H. Res. 252)
pushing the Resolution in Congress for a final vote yet to be
scheduled.

The Armenian Council of America would like to thank the members of
Congress who courageously supported H. Res. 252 with their votes on
March 4. House Resolution 252 calls upon the President to ensure
that the foreign policy of the United States reflects appropriate
understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related to human
rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the United States
record relating to the Armenian Genocide.

"On behalf of the ACA I’d like to express my gratitude and applaud
the courageous members of Congress who voted for this crucial bill,"
said Sevak Khatchadourian, ACA Executive Board Member. "The majority of
the members voting for the bill believe that human rights and justice
takes precedence over the pressures and monetary contributions of
the Turkish government and lobbyist."

Recently, the Texas branch of the ACA and the Armenian American
community of Texas actively campaigned in urging the Texas Members
of Congress on the Committee to vote for the Resolution. One of the
key votes that determined the favorable outcome of the Resolution
was coincidentally Texas Rep. Green’s vote.

The Armenian and Turkish protocols played another major factor in
the Committee debate. A growing number of Members who voted against H.

Res. 252 continuously stated the Turkish Armenia Protocols and its
historical commission as the primary reasons for voting no. "The
Armenian and Turkish protocols posed as the biggest threat to the
Resolution but we fought that battle with the truth on our side,"
said Khatchadourian, "We are hopeful that the legislation will be
soon put on the House floor for a final overdue vote."

Over 137 House Congressional Members have cosponsored this measure,
spearheaded by Representatives Adam Schiff (D-CA), George Radanovich
(R-CA), and Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone
(D-NJ) and Mark Kirk (R-IL). A similar measure in the Senate
(S.Res.316) is led by Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and John Ensign
(R-NV) and currently has 13 cosponsors.

EBRD EARMARKS $118 MILLION TO ARMENIAN BANKS UNDER MULTI-BANK FRAMEWORK FACILITY II PROGRAM

ARKA
March 5, 2010

YEREVAN, March 5. /ARKA/. European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development has earmarked $118 million to Armenian banks under
Multi-Bank Framework Facility II program.

On Thursday, Mike Taylor, the EBRD director on financial institutions
of the Central Asia, Caucasus and Mongolia, speaking at a news
conference in Yerevan, said that the EBRD intended to invest $130
million in Armenia’s banking sector under this program.

The program launched in 2006 is aimed at development of financial
mediation in the country by opening mid-term credit lines for local
commercial banks for commercial lending.

Taylor said that Ameribank is the 13th bank, with which the EBRD has
established cooperation under this program.

On Thursday, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
signed an agreement on $10-million loan for Ameriabank for a joint
financing of mid-size loans extended by Ameriabank to local companies.

Ameriabank will allocate another $10 million from own resources for
implementation of this project.

As a whole, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
has provided over ~@335 million for supporting some 70 projects in
financial, corporate, infrastructural and energy sectors.

The Ameriabank CJSC (former Armimpexbank) was founded in July 1992
using the facilities of the Armenian branch of the USSR Vnesheconombank
(Foreign Economy Bank). On September 8, 1992, the bank received a
banking license from the Central Bank of Armenia.

In August 2007, TDA Holdings limited, affiliated with Troika Dialogue,
Russia’s leading investment company, purchased the bank’s shares.

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: ANKARA RECALLS AMBASSADOR AFTER U.S. PANEL CONDEMNS 1915 GENOCIDE OF ARMENIANS

ArmInfo
2010-03-05 09:02:00

ArmInfo. A U.S. congressional committee approved a resolution
condemning the 1915 slaughter of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire
as genocide, rejecting a last-minute Obama administration effort
to derail it and putting a chill on relations with Turkey, the Wall
Street Journal reported.

The House panel’s resolution, approved on a 23-22 vote, faces an
uncertain future in Congress. But it nonetheless could damage U.S.

relations with Turkey, a vital ally in the Middle East and Central
Asia. Within minutes of the vote, Ankara said it was recalling its
ambassador from Washington for consultations. Turkey took the same
step in 2007, when the committee passed a similar resolution.

WSJO quotes Huseyin Bagci, professor of international relations at
the Middle East Technical University in Ankara as saying: "We can
now declare the rapprochement with Armenia dead, the border cannot
open now." He predicted anti-Americanism in Turkey, already strong in
recent years, would rise, and that the vote would be seen in Turkey as
a failure of the government’s foreign policy. Turkey’s small Armenian
community was subdued. "We live with Turks, and Turkey is changing
for the first time in one hundred years," said Etyen Mahcupyan,
editor in chief of Agos, a bilingual Turkish-Armenian newspaper. His
predecessor, Hrant Dink, was assassinated by a Turkish nationalist in
2007. "Of course 1915 is hugely important to us, but not what the U.S.

Congress calls it." The vote on the resolution aroused concern of a
number of big American companies engaged in the defense sphere and
cooperating with Turkey. Among those companies are – Lockheed Martin
Corp., Boeing Co., Raytheon Co., United Technologies Corp. and Northrop
Grumman Corp.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called House Foreign Affairs
Committee Chairman Howard Berman (D., Calif.) on Wednesday and
"indicated that further congressional action could impede progress
on normalization of relations" between Turkey and Armenia, a White
House spokesman said. That undermined a campaign pledge from then-Sen.

Barack Obama, who said in January 2008 that "as president I will
recognize the Armenian genocide." The White House spokesman, Mike
Hammer, added Thursday that "the president’s position on the events
of 1915 is well known and his view of that history has not changed."

Until Wednesday, the Obama administration had taken a hands-
off approach to the vote. That stood in contrast to the Bush and
Clinton administrations, which openly opposed the resolution on the
long-running genocide issue. Mr. Obama on Wednesday called Turkish
President Abdullah Gul to thank him for his country’s efforts to
normalize relations with Armenia and pressed for rapid ratification
of border-opening protocols, the White House said.

ARMENIAN STATE REGULATOR ALLOWS 37% INCREASE IN GAS PRICES, INCITING CRITICISM FROM BUSINESSES
Lilit Gevorgyan

World Markets Research Centre
Global Insight
March 1, 2010

Armenia’s Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) endorsed
the gas price increase requested by ArmRosgazprom (ARG), a joint
Russian-Armenian national gas distribution company. ARG asked on 22
January to increase the price of natural gas from the current 96,000
drams (US$252) to 136,000 dram per 1,000 cubic metres of gas–a 41%
increase. The PSRC negotiated only a small decrease of the requested
new price and agreed that ARG will charge 132,000 dram per 1,000
cubic metres, a mere 4,000 dram difference.

The PSRC explained that it had to take the decision based on the 17%
rise in import prices for natural gas as well as the sharp appreciation
of the U.S. dollar against the dram. Another factor that determined
the price rise is the 20% drop in Armenia’s natural gas demand due
to the economic crisis. ARG hopes to recover some of its investments
through the new increase. The new price will be applicable from 1
April this year. The cChairman of the board and general director
of ARG, Karen Karapetyan, stated following the PSRC decision that
his company will not apply for further price increases even if the
dram continues to devalue against the dollar. Following the state
regulator’s decision, Armenia’s Ombudsman Armen Harutyunyan warned
the country’s authorities of a potential increase in social tension
the living standards are affected by the gas increase.

Significance:Higher gas prices will have a harmful impact on
the country’s small and medium businesses as well as the general
living standards of the 3.5-million population of this former Soviet
republic. A number of economists in Armenia estimate that the increase
will push up electricity, water and consumer goods prices by 15%. ARG
has a monopoly over the distribution of natural gas in Armenia which
is mainly imported from Russia via Georgia and partially from Iran.

The Armenian government owns 20% of ARG, and the remaining 80% is
owned by Russia’s Gazprom. Deprived of its own hydrocarbon resources,
it seems that the Armenian government has little say when it comes
to countering the requests made by foreign-owned ARG. The gas price
increase highlighted the need for energy diversification once again.

Armenia, which saw an 18% drop in GDP in 2009, needs to jump-start
its economy, but the latest PSRC decision is likely to have the
opposite effect.

TURKEY WARNS US AGAINST "GENOCIDE" BILL (REUTERS)

Khaleej Times
w.asp?xfile=/data/middleeast/2010/March/middleeast _March28.xml&section=middleeast
March 2 2010
UAE

2 March 2010 ANKARA – Turkey warned on Monday relations with its ally
the United States would be damaged if a U.S. congressional panel
votes this week to label a World War One-era massacre of Armenians
by Turkish forces as genocide.

The Armenian issue has poisoned ties between NATO member Turkey and the
United States in the past. In 2007, Ankara recalled its ambassador to
Washington for consultations after a U.S. panel approved a similar
bill.

Muslim Turkey accepts that many Christian Armenians were killed by
Ottoman Turks but denies that up to 1.5 million died and that it
amounted to genocide — a term employed by many Western historians
and some foreign parliaments.

Ankara has said such a resolution would also hurt efforts by Turkey
and Armenia to normalize ties.

"We want to believe that the Committee members will act responsibly
and that they are aware that the acceptance of the bill could damage
Turkey-U.S. ties as well as the efforts of peace and stability in the
South Caucasus," Turkey’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Burak Ozugergin
told reporters.

The nonbinding resolution, to be voted on Thursday by the House Foreign
Affairs Committee, would call on U.S. President Barack Obama to ensure
that U.S. policy formally refers to the massacre as "genocide" and
to use that term when he delivers his annual message on the issue in
April — something Obama avoided doing last year.

Obama visited Turkey last April, and his administration sees Turkey
as a key ally whose help it needs in solving confrontations from Iran
to Afghanistan.

Turkish lawmakers visiting Washington to lobby U.S. lawmakers against
the resolution said the Obama administration should do more to stop it.

When the issue last arose in Congress in 2007, then-President George
W. Bush and some Cabinet members explicitly warned against passage,
and the measure never came to a vote on the House floor.

"My impression is that the (Obama) administration is not fighting
against it very effectively," said Sukru Elekdag, a lawmaker and
former Turkish ambassador to the United States.

Elekdag said Turkish cooperation with the United States across the
region was at risk if the measure passed. Turkey is a transit route
for U.S. troops going to and from Iraq, has troops in Afghanistan
and has mediated with Iran, he said.

"Our hands (are) everywhere trying to help your country to solve
problems that it faces … As we are sensitive to your problems,
you have to be sensitive to our problems also."

The chairman of the Turkish parliament’s foreign affairs committee,
Murat Mercan, said passage of the U.S. resolution could jeopardize
Turkish parliamentary approval of protocols that Turkey and Armenia
signed last year to normalize ties.

Under those protocols a commission would be set up to investigate
the events of 1915, Mercan said. He and Elekdag spoke to reporters
at the Turkish embassy in Washington.

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x118
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website:

PRESS RELEASE

Monday, March 1, 2010

AGBU NYSEC Contributes Towards the Performing Arts

The AGBU New York Special Events Committee (NYSEC) continues to show its
strong support and passion for the performing arts. NYSEC recently
awarded scholarships to New York-based students who had applied to the
AGBU Education Department’s Performing Arts Fellowship Program. Funding
was made possible by proceeds from the October 24, 2009 NYSEC AGBU
Performing Artists in Concert event held at Weill Recital Hall at
Carnegie Hall. The concert, which showcased the talents of a group of
outstanding young Armenian musicians, was a follow-up to the inaugural
concert held in 2008. The celebration of music introduced the audience
to the impressive achievements attained by the young performers in their
respective fields. The featured musicians were all recipients of AGBU
scholarships pursuing their studies in the performing arts, which have
allowed them to be educated at some of the world’s most well-respected
and prestigious conservatories and universities. Joining NYSEC in making
a dynamic difference was a generous grant provided by the Levon and
Satenig Nazarian Endowment.

The four New York awardees are the following: Tatevik Ayazyan, pursuing
studies in violin performance at the Manhattan School of Music; Stepan
Dadourian, pursuing an Artist’s Diploma in classical flute performance
at the Long Island Conservatory of Music associated with SUNY Old
Westbury; Karen Hakobyan, pianist and composer, pursuing a Professional
Studies Diploma at Mannes College of Music; and Nazig Tchakarian,
pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts in violin performance at Stony
Brook University.

For decades, AGBU scholarships have been awarded to talented students of
Armenian descent studying in the performing arts. With generous monetary
contributions from donors, AGBU can carry out its mission of laying the
foundation for the future of these artists. The accomplishments of the
musicians today set the bar for new and succeeding generations. Those
who would like to make a contribution to the AGBU Performing Arts
Fellowship Program to help sustain it and support the development of
future Armenian musicians may contact AGBU by phone, 212-319-6383, or
email, [email protected].

Established in 2003 by a dedicated group of AGBU volunteers, NYSEC is
committed to upholding AGBU’s mission to preserve and promote the
Armenian identity and heritage. In this capacity, NYSEC organizes
educational, cultural and social activities in New York City, which
bring together Armenians in the local community.

Established in 1906, AGBU () is the world’s largest
non-profit Armenian organization. Headquartered in New York City, AGBU
preserves and promotes the Armenian identity and heritage through
educational, cultural and humanitarian program, annually touching the
lives of some 400,000 Armenians around the world.

For more information about AGBU and its worldwide programs, please visit

Dispersion of the Yazidi Nation in Syria, Turkey, Armenia, Georgia and
Europe: Call for UN Action

Dr. Muhammad Shamsaddin Megalommatis
February 28, 2010

In several previous articles, I republished calls and articles
elaborated by Aramaeans (Oriental Christians) and Turkmens (Sunni
Muslims) denouncing the grave degradation of Human Rights and the
prevailing terror campaign in North Iraq which has been undertaken by
the pseudo-Kurdish groups of the war criminals Talabani and Barzani,
and promoted with the US-UK help.

In the Fall 2008, I dedicated two articles to the unbearable
persecution carried out against the Yazidis, calling for the formation
an independent Yazidi state to avert a genocide performed against
them. Quite unfortunately, in the span of the last 15 months, the
situation in the land of Yazidis worsened dramatically. The links to
my articles are here:

iew/79908

es/view/83259

In an article published yesterday under the title "Iraq: Yazidi
Minority Calls for Help Against Al Qaeda "Kurdish" Terrorists Talebani
and Barzani", I republished part of a dramatic call expressed by Dr.
Mirza H. Dinnayi, Yazidi Intellectual and Coordinator of Yezidi
Community in Europe. With the present article I complete the
republication of Dr. Mirza H. Dinnayi´s call. In several forthcoming
articles, I will further expand on the subject that must draw an
urgent attention due to the precipitated deterioration in North Iraq
and the rise in force of an Al Qaeda terrorist state controlled by the
criminal gangs of the pseudo-Kurdish thugs Talabani and Barzani with
Freemasonic support from the UK – French – US adminsitrations.

Mirza Donnayi: The Future Prospects for Yezidis

The Situation of the Yezidi Minority – A Short Report

By Dr. Mirza H. Dinnayi

Former Iraqi President´s Advisor for Minority Affairs

Coordinator of Yezidi Community in Europe

om_content&view=3Darticle&id=3D82:mirza-do nnayi-the-future-prospects-for-yezidis&catid=3 D1:latest-news&Itemid=3D50

3. Situation of Yezidis in Syria

Yezidis live in east Syria in both provinces Aleppo and Hassake. They
suffer from double discrimination due to their religious as well as
their ethnical identities. The situation for them is very strained;
they live in areas which are extremely neglected. They could be
attacked from the neighbour tribes at any time. Several Yezidi women
were kidnapped and forced to get marry with Muslims. They become no
protection from the Syrian authorities if there is any pursuit or
conflict with other population groups. This discrimination is
representing in all visions of their life, i.e. Yezidi farmers can not
sell their goods (milk, cheese, meat=80¦ etc.). Muslims believe that
the Yezidis are not God worshipers, so it is not allowed to deal with
their farm products. The badly is, that such fanatic movements are
going to be stronger and harder.

This means that the daily conflicts with the neighbours have one
reason: This minority is not only a defenseless group but it is also a
society whom life has very gloomy future perspectives. Also the
ethnical community is frequently ignored hereby. On the other hand it
is important to say, that there are also in this area persons and
groups, who recognize the identity of the Yezidis, and achieve it as
the origin of all Kurds, they use this argument sometimes for their
own purposes. But this "acceptance" in the Kurdish community is
unfortunately very weak according to the "non acceptance wave".

The forms of persecuting of Yezidis are physical abusing, removal or
destruction of agricultural effective areas, robbery and theft of
cattle and furniture as well as the kidnapping of Yezidi girls. There
are many examples for such tragedies. Thousands of Yezidis like other
Kurds are regarded as (homeless). They have no civil rights in the
country; therefore they can expect no assistance from authority and
religious institutions. Yezidis are forced to learn and practice
Islamic law, differently than the Christians in the region, who must
not follow the religious requirements of Islam.

Since end of the seventies and beginning eighties leave Yezidis their
region and migrate to Europe, particularly into the Federal Republic
of Germany. More than 50% of the Yezidi population left Syria in the
last 20 years.

The events of March 2004 in the Kurdish regions played a negative
influence on the situation of Yezidis also. A Yezidi young man was
arrested and tortured up to death during his military service. This
makes the brutal reality, the Yezidis might be punished anytime and
even they have no role in the conflicts between Syrian government and
Kurdish community. There are many examples of such conflicts.

4. Situation of Yezidis in the Turkey

The most of the experts reported about the bad situation of Yezidis in
the Turkey. It is important to say, that the Turkish authorities are
still now against recognizing of Yezidis as an independent religion.
Their identity in the Turkey is written as ´Unbeliever´. There is no
registration of this religion. They were living under miserable
conditions of non acceptance & discrimination. The most of them are
emigrated in the last 20 years because of persecuting, war and
permanent attacks. The population of Yezidis in the Turkey has
decreased from 30.000 in 1982 to less than 500 persons last year.
Yezidi students have to learn Islam in the schools.

5. Situation of Yezidis in Armenia & Georgia

Yezidi society is the greatest minority in Armenia. There are more the
250.000 Yezidis who are originated from Armenia and Georgia. The
community makes 2 4% of the population of Armenia. The authors
Alexanian & Liankevich wrote about the situation of Yezidis the
following:

The Yezidis, also known as Yezidi Kurds, are Armenia´s largest
minority community. Life is hard but generally they do not blame
Armenians and have good relations with them. Their main complaints are
against the Armenian government.

Under the "Life is hard" the authors mean:

Difficult social conditions have caused many to emigrate, especially
to Russia, over the last few years. Around fifty families have left
the village of Zovuni in the Kotaik region alone. During land
privatisation in 2002, many Yezidis lost their pastures and were
unable to press their case with the authorities…. The Yezidis have
no representatives in the government or parliament.

The future of Yezidis is not certain. The future of Armenia´s Yezidis
depends crucially on the next children keeping the culture and
language. Currently Armenia has no Yezidi schools or textbooks and all
education is done in Armenian. (Alexanian & Liankevich 2005)

The reports about the situation of human rights are also not
positive. The report of US State Department 2006 explains:

There were reports that hazing of new conscripts was more severe for
minority group members such as Yezidis and Jehovah’s Witnesses. Some
Yezidi leaders reported that police and local authorities subjected
their religious community to discrimination. Other Yezidi leaders
denied the allegations.

In Georgia live Yezidis mainly in Tiflis. The perspectives of life are
not better. Yezidi experts explain the bad situation in both countries
with following points:

1. The Yezidi society has no civil rights. There are no free Yezidi
schools or

organisations.

2. The extreme nationalists and fanatics force Yezidis to migrate. At
the same time neglect the national authorities this discrimination.
They participate with their ignorance indirectly in persecuting of
Yezidi community.

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3. The bad social and economic situation of Yezidis forced them to
migrate toward other former USSR-countries. Some of them are forced to
convert their religion to become economic supports from the missionary
organisations.

6. Situation of Yezidi Refugees Abroad

6.1. Yezidis are escaping from Iraq.

The discrimination and pursuit of minorities, especially Yezidis, in
the last three years are the cause of a mass displacement of them,
particularly after the last attack in Sinjar. According to the
statistics and documentation of our community:

1. There are more than 50.000 Yezidis who registered themselves in the
UNHCR office in Damascus. Some of them returned back to Iraq, another
groups are still waiting in Syria to migrate toward Europe.

2. There are now in the other neighbour countries like Turkey hundreds
of Yezidi

families, who are escaping with deferent legal and illegal ways from
Iraq to Europe.

The target of these people is to save their families from terrorists.
These refuges are in the most of the time victims of smugglers in
Istanbul and in the other cities. For e.g. a band of Turkish smugglers
took more than 300 illegal refuges (280 persons were Yezidis) by ship
from Turkey to Greek. They left these people more than 10 days in the
see, without eating and drinking. According to our information, there
is a flow of Yezidis of about 500 persons monthly, traveling outside
of Iraq.

6.2. Yezidi Refugees in Germany

The number of Yezidi people in Germany is about 60.000. The majority
is coming from Turkey. Iraqi Yezidis are about 20.000 persons, 2000 of
them were coming in the last six months. The federal office of
migration and refuges in Germany (Bundesamt für Migration und
Flüchtlinge) decided to accept Yezidis, Christians and Mandean as
persecuted groups in Iraq. It is enough for the German offices to be
member of one of these groups in order to become refugee according to
the § 60 Paragraph no. 1-7 of the Accommodation´s Law
(Aufenthaltsgesetz, § 60 Abs. 1-7).

6.3. Yezidi Refugees in Sweden

The number of Yezidi people in Sweden is about 4000. Most of them came
within the last two years. There are more than 1500 Yezidis in Sweden
who have not got the right to stay; they are still waiting of
recognizing them.

There is a hope that Swedish government and migration offices in
Sweden recognize these people and facilitate the process of granting
them the right of asylum, in the same easy and quick procedure that
has been undertaken for Yezidis by Germany and other EU countries,
because they have no chance to return back to Iraq.

7 The Statement for our European Friends

Our people in Iraq are in need of your help. And we hope that you can
do something for them. We ask for your solidarity and humanitarian
support. We will be pleased if you give these people a new chance to
live in peace. There are now hundreds of orphans and poor families,
victims of the terror attacks. Most of them need urgent aid, nobody
dose anything for them. They are waiting of foreign help.

We will be very happy if you help us to rebuild our villages and to
help the victims to be treated. Our charitable foundation (Yezidi
Unterstützungsverein e. V.) is now operating a humanitarian campaign
for the victims, but we are depended of any support especially from
Sweden and Germany.

To solve the problem of Yezidi minority in Iraq:

a) We ask for international assistance and solidarity with Yezidi and
other minorities in the Iraq.

b) We ask the European Union countries to exert more political
pressure to change this bad situation of Yezidi in Iraq. The non
muslin minorities in Iraq, especially Yezidi are in need of the
international protection in order to live peacefully in their country.

c) We have a humanitarian project to support the victims of the terror
attack in Sinjar, especially children and women. The concept of this
project (Help Centre for the Orphans and Terror Victims) is to help
the victims socially and psychologically. Our centre in Sinjar is now
supporting 50 Orphans and 30 families. Our goal is to support all 228
Orphans and 100 helpless women, to be realized it needs foreign
donation.

d) The Yezidi Community and its associations are interested to inform
and explain the danger of migration outside of Iraq. Our goal is not
to move Yezidis from Iraq toward Europe, but to find peace for them in
their country. This can be done through organizing workshops, seminars
and newspaper and media campaigns. The Yezidi Community is planning to
start this campaign in April 2008. We hope that Swedish government
help us by this campaign. It is our interest and in the interest EU
Countries that this migration wave will be stopped.

e) We would like to start a campaign under the "Iraqi religions
working for peace". Such project could educate the Iraqi people;
Yezidis, Muslims, Christians and others the culture of peace and
culture of "Living together". This project needs European support.

Yezidi Community in Europe

Head Organisation of the Yezidi Associations in EU Countries, and the
attached charitable foundation (Yezidi Unterstützungsverein e. V.)
support people in need.

Address:

YUV e. V.

Bonhoefferstr. 7, D-30457 Hannover

Tel. 0049-15110625620

Email: [email protected]

Registration no. by Tax office: 16/200/83083

Registration number: 120240 at the district court Hildesheim, Germany

Bank account number : 900 329 130 / Bank code (BLZ) : 250 501 80

Bank Name: Sparkasse Hannover

IBAN: DE67 250501800 900329130

BIC: SPKHDE2H

Note 1

Dr. Mirza H. Dinnayi can be contacted here:

Phone: 0049-15110625620

Email: [email protected]

Note 2

The variants Yazidis and Yezidis reflect merely a different
vocalization of the name in Western languages; in this regard, I
personally agree with the choice made by the Wikipedia, but both forms
are valid.

Note 3

In my book The Six Stars of the Orient (Athens, 1994 / book review
available here: 04),
and more specifically on its third chapter which was focused on Amida
/ Diyarbakir, I dedicated several pages on the Yazidis (equally
present in Turkey), their religion, their Holy Book (Mas-haf-e Ras)
and their philosophical doctrine. As the whole book is available for
online reading (jpeg docs), I add here the links to the pages about
the Yazidis (in Modern Greek):

70105406430uhTpjE

o/2771570400105406430uleFWA

http://travel.webshot s.com/photo/2891396640105406430CaOxtM

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Note

Picture: Malek Tawus, the King Angel – Emanation of God, who created
the world, key element of the Yazidi Religion. By Yazidis, Malek Tawus
has been envisioned as peacock as his name (tawus) suggests. The word
is Indo-European of origin attested in Farsi and Ancient Greek.

es/view/143737

Memorandum of mutual understanding signed between RA Education and
Science Ministry and the Armenian Cause Foundation

2010-02-26
ws/more/id/592133/lang/en

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 26, ARMENPRESS: RA Education and Science Minister
Armen Ashotyan and Bagrat Yesayan, executive director of the Armenian
Cause Foundation will sign a memorandum of mutual understanding on
supporting the implementation of the `Estimate the path we passed and
recognize ourselves’ program. Mr. Ashotyan emphasized the importance
of cooperation between civil-private sectors and RA Education and
Science Ministry, considering it not only a financial source, but also
valuable public assistance in cooperation and implementation of
general projects.

NEW INITIATIVE WILL ENSURE BETTER PROTECTION OF JOURNALISTS’ RIGHTS

PanARMENIAN.Net
26.02.2010 18:17 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Orinats Yerkir party initiated a legislation
on amendments to RA Criminal code, envisaging better protection
of journalists’ rights, Orinats Yerkir parliamentary group member
Hovhannes Margaryan stated at RA NA briefing.

According to Margaryan, the bill is being read for the second time
at RA NA. "The legislation envisages punishment by a penalty of 400
times the minimum wage for inhibiting professional activities of a
journalist. Threatening a journalist or his family is punishable by
3 to 7 years in prison," Hovhannes Margaryan explained.

Orinats Yerkir party was founded in 1997. After March 12, 2007
parliamentary elections Orinats Yerkir became part of ruling coalition,
being presented in RA NA by 8 members. 3 ministerial positions are
occupied by Orinats Yerkir members in Armenian Government. Party
leader Artur Baghdasaryan is currently the Secretary of RA National
Security. At present the party lists over 100 000 members.