Category: 2023

Armenian Genocide commemoration held in Times Square

David Nargizian
 Taleen Babayan Diaspora 0

NEW YORK, NY — The significant theme of “Truth, Recognition and Justice” reverberated throughout Times Square on Sunday as Armenian Americans commemorated the 108th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, while advocating for the Armenians of Artsakh, who continue to endure the blockade on the Lachin Corridor implemented by Azerbaijan over four months ago.

Keynote speakers during the annual memorial event organized by the Knights and Daughters of Vartan pledged that the Armenian people will not be victims of ethnic cleansing once again.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, April 23, 2023

The first New Yorker to be elected to five terms in the US Senate, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) vowed to “work just as hard this term as every other term to fight for the Armenian people both here in America and in Armenia.” He noted that every genocide has something in common, which is that “the world looked away and turned a blind eye” resulting in a “stain on humanity.” Senator Schumer highlighted the importance of the act of remembrance to ensure that the “victims did not die in vain.” “We owe it to all of humanity to remember because a genocide that is not properly remembered always leads to another,” he said, recalling that for years he sponsored Senate resolutions and called on US presidents to finally name the “Medz Yeghern” for what it was — genocide. While the US did affirm the Armenian Genocide, Senator Schumer emphasized that the hard work must continue in the face of ongoing human rights abuses in Artsakh. “I urge Azerbaijan to lift the blockade now, and I urge the US government to do everything it can to lift the blockade,” he said. “I will use my power as Senate Majority Leader to encourage a peaceful settlement as soon as possible.” Senator Schumer concluded on an uplifting note and said that Armenia has “outlasted authoritarian thugs in the past and will continue to do so in the future,” expressing that the 1.5 million Armenian Americans living in the US are leaders in their communities, proof that “the Armenian nation has not just endured but prevailed.”

Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Senator Bob Menendez, April 23, 2023

Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) reflected on the “incredible successes” of the Armenian people in the US following the Armenian Genocide and stated he was “proud” of the role he played in US acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide, as he introduced and co-sponsored resolutions recognizing the Armenian Genocide since his first year in the Senate in 2006. “Fighting the denial of the Armenian Genocide is not only about the past, it’s about the present as Armenians again face the threat of ethnic cleansing,” said Senator Menendez, referring to Azerbaijan’s unprovoked assaults on the Armenians in Artsakh and the ongoing blockade of Artsakh. The US, however, continues to send security assistance to Azerbaijan, which Senator Menendez stated was “absolutely unacceptable.” “We should not be in bed with the government of Azerbaijan as they commit such atrocities because it is inexcusable, it is morally repugnant, and it has got to stop,” said Senator Menendez, emphasizing that he opposes any aid given to a country known for war crimes and aggression against a neighbor state, which he said applies to Turkey as well, where President Erodgan had labeled Senator Menendez as “persona non grata.” “Now he has elevated me to an ‘enemy of the state,'” said Senator Menendez. “But if standing up for human rights makes me an enemy of Erdogan, if calling out Turkey for arming Azerbaijan and enabling the massacre of innocent Armenian civilians makes me an enemy of Erdogan, if demanding Turkey recognizes its crimes of the past makes me an enemy of Erdogan, then that is a badge I will wear with honor.”

Director of the Program on Peace-building and Rights at Columbia University’s Institute for the Study of Human Rights David L. Phillips, received the Humanitarian Award from The Knights and Daughters of Vartan Times Square Armenian Genocide Commemoration Committee for his dedication and efforts in human rights and justice. As a result of the unprovoked violence against the Armenians in Artsakh, Phillips spearheaded a research and documentation project Artsakh Atrocities, in cooperation with Columbia University and the Artsakh Human Rights Ombudsman Office, which documents Azerbaijan’s “systematic effort to drive Armenians from their homeland through killings, ethnic cleansing and deportations.” “It’s clear from both Aliyev’s actions and hate speech that a second Armenian genocide is underway in Artsakh,” said Phillips, who has compiled extensive documentation of crimes committed by Azerbaijan’s forces and Turkish-backed Islamic fighters. “We document gruesome reports of torture and beheadings. We provide evidence of Armenian cultural destruction aimed at eradicating every trace of Armenian communities, and we hope that the Artsakh Atrocities project will preserve evidence to deter future crimes and hold perpetrators accountable.”

Permanent Representative of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic to the US Robert Avetisyan, April 23, 2023

Permanent Representative of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic to the US Robert Avetisyan expressed his gratitude to the US for its swift response during the Armenian Genocide, its diplomatic and humanitarian efforts, and its historic recognition, “which is another testament of unity between our nations when it comes to matters of truth, justice and humanity.” Despite the passing of a century, Rep. Avetisyan underscored that “Armenians are again at gunpoint.” While the 2020 war ended, the “aggression has not stopped and now extends to Armenia proper.” The months long blockade of the Lachin Corridor, according to Rep. Avetisyan, is a “humanitarian crisis rooted in politics” as the world “witnesses human cruelty by an oppressive regime towards people whose only crime is their desire to live in freedom, dignity and democracy.” “The ongoing blockade of Artsakh has clear genocidal intent, and we will continue our struggle with collective efforts to prevent a second Armenian Genocide.” Rep. Avetisyan noted that Aliyev “openly ignores” calls from the State Department, White House, Congress and International Court of Justice to re-open the Lachin Corridor. He stressed the need for “concrete actions” including economic and political sanctions against Aliyev, as well as more humanitarian aid and efforts to ease the suffering of those whose lives worsened under the blockade on a daily basis. “We have to protect our inalienable rights and liberties,” he concluded. “The Armenian Genocide started in 1915, but it did not end, [therefore] we have to continue to fight together.”

Alejandra del Carmen León Gastélum, April 23, 2023

Mexican politician Alejandra del Carmen León Gastélum, who along with Armen Yeritsian propelled the Senate of Mexico’s unanimous passage of Armenian Genocide recognition in February, spoke in Spanish. Translation was provided Dr. Vartan Matiossian. “It is our duty to recognize and commemorate the Armenian Genocide because it is our duty to prevent tragedies like this that are ignored, forgotten and hidden in the sands of time in the complicity of silence,” she said. Gastélum stated the importance of remaining alert since history has demonstrated the perils that can occur when people in suffering are abandoned. She expressed that being a “defender of human rights” is a “lifelong commitment” for her and remarked that Armenians have an “invaluable historical and cultural wealth, and are hardworking people who extend a friendly hand to whoever needs it.” “May this day serve to commemorate the victims of the Armenian Genocide, give dignity to the Armenian people, strengthen links of cooperation between nations in defense of peace, and protect human rights while relieving the suffering for all those affected by violence and war,” she concluded.

Grand Commander of the Knights of Vartan, Hunan Arshakyan, as well as the Grand Matron of the Daughters of Vartan, Gloria Korkoian, reflected on the noteworthy mission of their respective organizations during this critical time. “As we remember our martyred saints who gave their lives to our country and faith during the Armenian Genocide, we think of our fellow Armenians today in Armenia and Artsakh who are still suffering and fighting for their right to exist and their right to live as Armenians and be free from ethnic cleansing,” said Arshakyan. He stated that the Knights of Vartan is now in its second century of service to preserve the Armenian homeland, church and culture, and that “Armenians around the world carry the same responsibility to keep our people and heritage alive and to tell our story,” said Arshakyan. “We must never stop serving our people and fighting for truth and freedom.” The Daughters of Vartan aided the Armenian people in the aftermath of the Armenian Genocide, according to Korkoian, who noted that they helped the “Armenian people rise to reestablish communities, to help build and rebuild churches and schools, and preserve our families and our culture.” Korkoian said that the Daughters of Vartan aim to “champion the Armenian cause, alleviate the suffering of the Armenian people, ensure the safety of displaced Armenians, and to train leaders to serve the religious, cultural, educational and charitable needs of the Armenian people.”

Huyser Ensemble, featuring Harout Barsoumian, Karine Barsoumian, Maria Barsoumian, Ara Yegoryan, Diana Vasilyan and Michael Sarian, performed patriotic songs for the audience.

Huyser Ensemble, April 23, 2023

His Eminence Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Primate of the Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America, delivered the invocation, and Very Rev. Fr. Mesrop Parsamyan, Primate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, delivered the benediction. Aram Bashian of the Armenian Evangelical Church of New York City and Rev. Richard Shackil, Parochial Vicar of Holy Cross Armenian Catholic Church of Little Falls, NJ, shared remarks and prayers. The Holy Martyrs Armenian Day School students sang the Armenian and American anthems and God Bless America.

The Knights and Daughters of Vartan have sponsored the Times Square Armenian Genocide Commemoration since 1985, along with the support of a multitude of Armenian American community organizations. This year the event was co-chaired by Haig Gulian, Ari Minnetyan, and Christopher Artun, under the guidance of Chairman Emeritus Hirant Gulian.

Armen McOmber, Esq., Diran Jebejian, Chantelle Nasri served as MCs, while Armenian Assembly of America executive director Bryan Ardouny served as media spokesperson.

The winners of this year’s Knights & Daughters of Vartan Annual Essay and Visual Arts Contest were also announced: Nara Zakarian, 1st place (Tampa); Emily Maremont, 2nd place (San Francisco); Aiki Kassabian, 3rd place (Los Angeles) and runner-up Emily Dzhulfayan (Los Angeles).

Co-sponsoring organizations included the Armenian Assembly of America, represented by Ardouny; the Armenian General Benevolent Union, represented by Natalie Gabrelian, Director of Districts, Chapters, and Central Board Administration; the Armenian National Committee of America; ADL-Ramgavar Party, represented by Norair Megeurditchian, chairman of the Eastern District USA; Tekeyan Cultural Association, represented by Hilda Hartounian, member of the Tekeyan Cultural Association Board of Directors of US and Canada and chair of the Tekeyan Cultural Association Greater New York Chapter; Armenian Bar Association, represented by Chair and Board of Governors member Taline Sahakian; the Armenian Missionary Association; and the Armenian Council of America.

Participating organizations included the Armenian Network of America, Armenian Youth Federation, Homenetmen Scouts of NY and NJ, Armenian Relief Society, Armenian Church Youth Organization of America, AGBU Young Professionals, Armenian Students Association, Hamazkayin Cultural Association of NY and NJ, tri-state Armenian college and university clubs.

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Taleen Babayan earned her masters in journalism from Columbia University in 2008 and her bachelors degree in history and international relations from Tufts University in 2006. Her work has been published widely in both Armenian and non-Armenian media. She can be contacted at


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AW: Children of Genocide survivors honored at RI ANC flag raisings

Arsine Chaltikian
 Pauline Getzoyan Diaspora 0

The Armenian tricolor after being raised in North Providence

Descendants of survivors offered forceful and heartfelt statements on the occasion of the 108th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide at the Armenian National Committee of Rhode Island (ANC-RI) flag raising events held in North Providence and Cranston on Friday, April 21 this year.

The North Providence ceremony was held in the morning with dozens of people in attendance to see the tricolor raised at the town hall. Mayor Charles Lombardi once again hosted the event, which was the first flag raising organized by the ANC-RI in the state more than 20 years ago. ANC-RI chairman Steve Elmasian welcomed the crowd, and Rev. Fr. Kapriel Nazarian of Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Apostolic Church offered prayers of remembrance for the sainted martyrs, as well as for the people of Artsakh as they continue to endure the inhumane blockade by Azerbaijan. Reverend Hagop Manjelikian of the Armenian Evangelical Church closed the morning with prayer. 

ANC-RI chair Steve Elmasian addresses the crowd in North Providence

Reiterating his pledge to hold the flag raising every year, Mayor Lombardi declared April 24 as Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day in the town and state, while recognizing the substantial contributions of the Armenian community to the state of RI. He also introduced Margaret Moorachian, a resident of North Providence for 53 years, as the honoree and presented her with a proclamation from the town.

North Providence Mayor Charles Lombardi

“I stand here both honored and humbled as an American Armenian and the daughter of Armenian Genocide survivors, Garabed and Tarviz Topalian,” said Moorachian, as her children George and Nancy and grandchildren Luke, Faye and Avedis looked on. Moorachian shared her parents’ story of love and survival, as well as the values they instilled in their five children: “loyalty, family, community, sacrifice, kindness, generosity, work and celebration,” along with education.

North Providence honoree Margaret Moorachian

“Since ancient history, Armenia has been a persecuted nation,” Moorachian said. “Yet its people have never given up and fought for their beliefs. Perhaps it is this heritage that helped my parents to be resilient despite the traumas they experienced. Our parents not only survived but thrived,” she stressed before hoisting the flag with assistance from her grandchildren.

Margaret Moorachian raising the flag in North Providence with help from her grandchildren

That evening, Cranston City Hall saw a substantial crowd turn out for its flag raising. AYF Providence “Varantian” Chapter president and Homenetmen Scout leader Rosdom Mkrtschjan served as emcee for a robust program of speakers, including several elected officials who stated their commitment to the Rhode Island Armenian community, to recognition of the Armenian Genocide, to the designation of April 24 as Armenian Genocide remembrance day and to the importance of genocide education in the state’s schools, as indicated by law now. Among those were host Mayor Kenneth Hopkins, Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos, Secretary of State Gregg Amore, State Senator David Tikoian and State Representative Barbara Ann Fenton Fung.

Rev. Fr. Nazarian offered the opening prayer. Taleen Donoyan beautifully sang the Star Spangled Banner and “Mer Hairenik” as the Homenetmen Scouts stood honor guard. Rev. Fr. Shnork Souin of Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Armenian Apostolic Church closed the evening with prayer and unified singing of the prayer of resurrection. 

Mayor Hopkins said he was honored to continue the flag raising tradition in Cranston, begun almost two decades ago, as he introduced the evening’s honoree Jasper “Jake” Bedrosian, a resident of the city for more than 50 years and retired manager of the Garden City post office. Bedrosian received citations from the city of Cranston, Lieutenant Gov. Matos and Sec. of State Amore and a plaque from the ANC-RI.

And then, the descendants of Armenian Genocide survivors took center stage, including the honoree.

ANC-RI member Dr. Fotini Dionisopoulos

Dr. Fotini Dionisopoulos, a granddaughter of Genocide survivors, offered remarks on behalf of the ANC-RI, congratulating Bedrosian as an exemplary member of the Armenian community and one of many “who have contributed positively to this great city with your good character, citizenship, work ethic and warmth, while keeping your Armenian spirit alive and thriving amongst your families and communities.” Dr. Dionisopoulos, who is a beloved pediatric dentist in the community, spoke about the impact of the ANCA’s work and the importance of supporting its grassroots efforts.

“When I was a young girl, every April 24, I am sure many of you remember North Burial Ground Genocide remembrances,” recalled Dr. Dionisopoulos. “There our survivors, including my grandmother Arossiag, would gather and would walk in together to ‘Hanchetzek.’ Every year, the number got lower and lower. And then they were gone,” she said, stressing the need to continue advocating for those who have now passed.

The youth of the community, one from each of the three RI Armenian churches, took the podium and brought the crowd to thunderous applause.

Garen Zeitounian of the Armenian Evangelical Church went first. “I have great-great grandparents who lived through the Armenian Genocide. Although I never met them, it is because of their faith I am able to stand here today and talk about what being Armenian means to me,” began Zeitounian. “First, I am able to go freely and worship at the Armenian Evangelical Church. Ever since I can remember, Sundays are for going to church and spending time with family. Because Armenia was the first Christian nation, my parents taught me the importance of going to church and having Jesus in my heart. Second, I get to go to Armenian school, which is not always my favorite, but I do know the importance of it…Because of my ancestors I am able to play my dumbeg at Armenian events, something that I love to do. Because of Armenian school I now know how to read and write in Armenian which is something that I’m really proud of…It is our job to talk, remember and keep the Armenian culture going. Now more than ever with what is happening in Artsakh, we need to pray that those Armenians will survive and continue to prove how strong we are,” he concluded.

Next came John Stickler of Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Armenian Apostolic Church. “When the atrocities of 1915 began, my great-grandmother Shooshanig Avedisian was saved by German missionaries who brought her to an orphanage where she was educated and kept safe. Years later, she arrived in Pawtucket, RI, where she and her new husband made a life for themselves,” shared Stickler. “My great-grandmother worked very hard not just taking care of her young family but also educating other Armenians, who had also just immigrated to the United States. She also helped many fellow Armenians find their relatives after being scattered during the Genocide. She worked in local factories, doing whatever she could to provide for her family and also found work for many others…it is very clear the Turks did not succeed in 1915, but rather, they failed miserably. The survivors overcame many hardships but did not give up and made new lives for themselves, thus creating a new Armenia,” he forcefully finished.

Ryder Norigian of Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Apostolic Church was the final youth speaker, who explained the importance of remembering the Armenian Genocide and our holy martyrs on April 24. “We are all here to honor and remember their sacrifices for us. While this is great for one day of the year, it is a continual process, and we need to do more,” stressed Norigian. “More involves talking about our culture and keeping it alive. Some ways I keep it alive is by talking about it in school. As an example, in my 8th grade social studies class, we were studying a world map, and for that day we were looking at the Middle East. I didn’t see Armenia, so I explained to my teacher about Armenia and ended up teaching and talking to my class about our history and culture,” he explained. Norigian concluded with the following: “Remember who you are and where you come from. Secondly, with assimilation we are growing farther from our ancestors; my great-grandparents who went through it have passed, and my grandmother who witnessed her parents go through it firsthand is slowly coming to an age where she could soon pass… Finally, never let your Armenian culture and spirit die; involve yourself and teach people about who you are.”

Cranston honoree Jasper “Jake” Bedrosian

The evening’s honoree was the final speaker. Bedrosian spoke about the children of the Genocide, specifically his parents, Akabi Kibarian and Hampartsoum Bedrosian, survivors who came to the US via Syria and France, respectively. Since neither was able to attend school, they worked to help the families who sponsored them in this country. Bedrosian shared his novel experiences as a young student of immigrant parents with the goal to learn English. “In an Armenian house, homework meant two things. Homework was, when you got out of school, you studied from three to six, your school homework. After supper, job lot people came in, and you did jewelry homework,” he said, explaining how he learned mathematics at a young age. He expressed his desire to learn and grow in his community. “I wanted to learn the English language but retain my Armenian language,” he said, regaling the crowd with his AYF and school exploits and successes as a championship wrestling coach. “It’s not how you start your race in life; it’s how you finish,” Bedrosian quoted coach Bill Parcells. “And Jasper is not finished,” he concluded to cheers from the crowd.

Jasper “Jake” Bedrosian with young speakers Ryder Norigian, Garen Zeitounian and John Stickler (Photo: Steve Elmasian)

In a fitting and emotional conclusion to the evening and the day, Bedrosian raised the flag as Homenetmen Scouts sang “Mer Hairenik.”

Jasper Bedrosian raising the Armenian flag as the Homenetmen scouts salute and sing “Mer Hairenik”

Following the event, Ara and Sevan Janigian of Sonia’s Near East Market & Deli generously hosted refreshments at their location around the corner from Cranston City Hall.

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Editor
Pauline Getzoyan is editor of the Armenian Weekly and an active member of the Rhode Island Armenian community. A longtime member of the Providence ARF and ARS, she also is a former member of the ARS Central Executive Board. A longtime advocate for genocide education through her work with the ANC of RI, Pauline is co-chair of the RI branch of The Genocide Education Project. In addition, she has been an adjunct instructor of developmental reading and writing in the English department at the Community College of Rhode Island since 2005.


Armenpress: Azeri actions in Lachin Corridor aimed at committing ethnic cleansing in Nagorno Karabakh, Pashinyan warns EU’s Michel

Alex Nanijanian

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 09:22,

YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has held a phone call with President of the European Council Charles Michel.

“Views were exchanged around the military-political and humanitarian situation in the region,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a readout.

The Armenian Prime Minister “emphasized that the Azerbaijani side’s steps in the Lachin Corridor are aimed at the consistent implementation of its policy of committing ethnic cleansing in Nagorno Karabakh and fully depopulating Nagorno Karabakh.”

PM Pashinyan also “stressed the importance of an adequate reaction by the international community to Azerbaijan’s actions undermining regional security, as well as implementation of practical steps in the direction of the unconditional fulfillment of the International Court of Justice ruling.”

The Armenia-Azerbaijan negotiations process was also discussed.

“The sides attached importance to consistent efforts in the direction of ensuring stability and peace in the region.”

The Lachin Corridor has been blocked by Azerbaijan since 12 December 2022. 

The United Nations’ highest court – the International Court of Justice (ICJ) – ordered Azerbaijan on February 22 to “take all steps at its disposal” to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions. Azerbaijan has so far ignored the ruling.

RFE/RL Armenian Report – 04/25/2023

Hagop Kamalian 
                                        Tuesday, 


Karabakh Says Humanitarian Supply ‘Somewhat Restored’ Due To Russian Efforts


Nagorno-Karabakh’s de facto premier Gurgen Nersisian holds consultations on 
humanitarian issues in Stepanakert, 


A checkpoint set up by Azerbaijan at the entrance to the only road leading from 
Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh resulted in a complete halt of all humanitarian 
supplies to the region before they were “somewhat restored” due to efforts of 
Russian peacekeepers, authorities in Stepanakert said on Tuesday.

Addressing a meeting of senior members of the de facto ethnic Armenian 
government of the region, Nagorno-Karabakh’s premier Gurgen Nersisian said that 
the additional restrictions imposed by Azerbaijan had led to the impossibility 
of importing even the minimum amount of essential goods, including fuel, into 
the region since Sunday.

“As a result, we have been unable to deliver even the amount of goods provided 
for by ration coupons [given to the population] for a designated period. We will 
extend the validity of coupons so that our people can use them after their 
expiry,” Nersisian said, without elaborating.

Nagorno-Karabakh’s Information Center, a single information platform for the 
region’s government bodies, later said that due to efforts of the local 
administration and the Russian peacekeeping force it became possible to 
“somewhat restore” the supply of humanitarian cargoes disrupted in recent days.

According to the report, the main part of the cargo imported through the 
peacekeepers consisted of essential food included in the coupon system, which 
will be delivered to local stores beginning on Wednesday.

The supply of goods to Nagorno-Karabakh from Armenia has already been reduced 
dramatically since December when a group of Azerbaijanis calling themselves 
environmental activists blocked the only road connecting the region with Armenia 
and passing through the Lachin corridor.

Azerbaijan tightened the effective blockade on April 23 by setting up a 
roadblock on the Lachin corridor at the border with Armenia.

A bridge over the Hakari river where Azerbaijan set up a checkpoint at the 
entrance to the Lachin corridor stretching from Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh. 
April 23, 2023.

Commanders of Russian peacekeepers, who are deployed in Nagorno-Karabakh and the 
Lachin corridor under the terms of the Moscow-brokered 2020 ceasefire agreement, 
reportedly continued to conduct negotiations with Azerbaijani representatives 
regarding the checkpoint that Russia describes as unacceptable.

In the past several months Azerbaijan denied blockading the mostly 
Armenian-populated region, citing the fact that vehicles of Russian peacekeepers 
as well as representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross 
(ICRC) were not prevented from carrying humanitarian supplies to the region and 
transporting people needing medical care to Armenia.

But Nersisian said earlier today that for three days no transportation was 
carried out by ICRC vehicles. He added that “additional clarifications” had to 
be made regarding how urgent transportation of Karabakh residents should be done 
through the agency of the ICRC and Russian peacekeepers.

When setting up the checkpoint on Sunday Baku pledged that “necessary 
conditions” would be created for “a transparent and orderly passage of Armenian 
residents living in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan” in both directions.

In an interview with RFE/RL’s Armenian Service on Tuesday, Gegham Stepanian, a 
human rights defender in Nagorno-Karabakh, voiced doubts that any ethnic 
Armenian resident of the region would agree to be inspected by Azerbaijan 
services in the Lachin corridor.

Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh stress that the presence of an Azerbaijani 
checkpoint in the five-kilometer-wide corridor contradicts the provisions of the 
Moscow-brokered ceasefire agreement that put an end to a deadly war in 2020 and 
brought Russian peacekeepers to the region.

The United States and France, which along with Russia have spearheaded 
decades-long efforts to broker a solution to the protracted conflict over 
Nagorno-Karabakh, have voiced their concerns about the developments in the 
Lachin corridor, saying that an Azerbaijani checkpoint there undermines efforts 
to establish confidence and damages the peace process between Baku and Yerevan.




Jailed Ex-Defense Chief Seeks War Probe Testimony In Public Session

        • Gayane Saribekian

David Tonoyan


Armenia’s jailed former Defense Minister David Tonoyan has refused to appear 
behind closed doors in front of a parliament commission conducting a probe into 
a 2020 war in Nagorno-Karabakh in which the Armenian side suffered a defeat to 
Azerbaijan.

Instead, Tonoyan, who has been in custody pending investigation and trial for 19 
months now, challenged Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian to participate jointly 
with him in an open session of the commission where, he said, he would answer 
all questions.

Tonoyan, who served as Armenia’s defense minister in the Pashinian government in 
2018-2020, including during the 44-day Armenian-Azerbaijani war in 
September-November 2020, was arrested in September 2021, almost a year after 
being sacked from his post, on charges of supplying the armed forces with faulty 
ammunition.

Along with several other former senior officials he went on trial in January 
2022, denying the accusations.

Before the trial, however, Tonoyan warned that he must not be made a scapegoat 
for Armenia’s defeat in the six-week war and pledged to shed more light on it 
with “surprise revelations.”

Pro-government lawmaker Andranik Kocharian, who heads the parliament commission 
conducting the war probe, said on Tuesday that he was ready to discuss the 
former defense minister’s proposal.

Andranik Kocharian

“Have no doubt that the proposal will be considered, and, if possible, we will 
provide solutions,” he said.

The meetings of the commission that has worked for over a year now, are held 
behind closed doors and clarifications provided by officials invited to these 
meetings are not made available to the media.

Tonoyan said he ruled out his participation in a commission meeting that would 
be held behind closed doors as he said he doubted the commission’s impartiality.

“The absence of independent experts and representatives of the parliament’s 
opposition factions at the sessions of the commission not only raises questions 
about the impartiality of its work, but also is a fertile ground for the 
continuation of political speculations, slanders and dilettantish gossip,” the 
former defense chief explained.

Kocharian, for his part, ruled out any bias on the part of the commission 
members. “If he [Tonoyan] wants to come to the commission, there is no issue of 
bias here. The problem of bias will be solved if the participants ask questions 
and, if necessary, these questions will be available to everyone,” he said.

The ad hoc parliamentary commission has been examining the circumstances of the 
44-day war since early 2022. The opposition boycotted the work of the commission 
from the outset. Prime Minister Pashinian stated in parliament last week that he 
was ready to answer questions of the commission.

As part of the parliamentary inquiry the commission has already invited and 
questioned former and current chiefs of the Armed Forces’ General Staff and 
former Minister of Foreign Affairs Zohrab Mnatsakanian.




Armenian Authorities Dismiss Opposition Criticism Over Karabakh Road Checkpoint

        • Karlen Aslanian

Azerbaijan is setting up a checkpoint at the entrance to the Lachin Corridor, 
April 23, 2023.


Authorities in Yerevan do not accept criticism from the parliamentary opposition 
over the installation by Azerbaijan of a checkpoint in the Lachin corridor at 
the border with Armenia effectively obstructing the movement of people and 
traffic from and to ethnic Armenian-controlled Nagorno-Karabakh.

Members of the Armenian opposition claim that Yerevan itself gave the green 
light to Baku to put the roadblock when Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian stated in 
the National Assembly last week that Armenia fully recognizes the territorial 
integrity of Azerbaijan and expects Azerbaijan to do the same by recognizing the 
territorial integrity of the modern-day Republic of Armenia within its 
Soviet-era borders.

Pro-government head of the Armenian National Assembly’s Foreign Relations 
Committee Sargis Khandanian defended Pashinian’s remarks, insisting that, on the 
contrary, they were “constructive.”

Sargis Khandanian

“It is becoming clear that Armenia is the constructive party, and this is likely 
becoming visible to our international partners as well. This is also evidenced 
by, for example, very quick and targeted assessments by the U.S. State 
Department or the French Foreign Ministry after the situation emerged. And 
Armenia cannot abandon the peace process it has committed itself to, it cannot 
deviate from its goal of establishing stability in the region,” Khandanian said.

In separate statements issued on April 23, the United States and France, which 
along with Russia have spearheaded decades-long efforts to broker a solution to 
the protracted conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, have voiced their concerns about 
the developments in the Lachin Corridor, saying that an Azerbaijani checkpoint 
there undermines efforts to establish confidence in the peace process and 
damages the negotiation process.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell 
also assessed Azerbaijan’s installation of a checkpoint in the Lachin Corridor 
as an act “contrary to the EU’s call to reduce tensions.”

Meanwhile, Baku also cited statements from Yerevan on recognizing Azerbaijan’s 
territorial integrity in substantiating its decision to set up the checkpoint. 
Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in particular, referred to the 
agreements reached by the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan at their meetings in 
Prague and Sochi in October last year, describing the establishment of the 
checkpoint as a legal step.

The pro-government lawmaker in Yerevan said to this: “Armenia has always stated 
that the rights and security of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh should be 
addressed and that it should be done under conditions of international 
visibility. Therefore, such wording by Baku is manipulative. The latest 
statement in the National Assembly by Prime Minister Pashinian was also followed 
by a narrative about ensuring the rights and security of the Armenians of 
Nagorno-Karabakh.”

The April 23 installation by Azerbaijan of the roadblock on the Lachin corridor, 
the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia, completed the effective 
blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh that was established by a group of Azerbaijanis 
calling themselves environmental activists back in December.

Authorities in Yerevan and Stepanakert denounced the move, saying that it was in 
violation of the Moscow-brokered 2020 ceasefire agreement that designated the 
Lachin corridor along with the ethnic Armenian-controlled part of 
Nagorno-Karabakh as a sphere of Russian peacekeepers’ deployment.

Among other things, the new roadblock also cut four Karabakh villages from the 
rest of the region.

Russia’s Ministry of Defense said on Monday that commanders of its peacekeeping 
force were in negotiations with the Azerbaijani side over the issue of the 
checkpoint that official Moscow sees as a “unilateral step” by Baku and calls it 
“unacceptable.”

Official Yerevan says that it continues to see a way out of the created 
situation only through diplomatic and political means, expecting additional 
efforts from Russia.

The pro-government Armenian lawmaker also said on Tuesday that any scenario of 
using force “has no prospect.” “Because Armenia does not imagine solving the 
issues in that way,” Khandanian said.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked in a conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh for 
years. Some 30,000 people were killed in a war in the early 1990s that left 
ethnic Armenians in control of the predominantly Armenian-populated region and 
seven adjacent districts of Azerbaijan proper.

Decades of internationally mediated talks failed to result in a diplomatic 
solution and the simmering conflict led to another war in 2020 in which nearly 
7,000 soldiers were killed on both sides.

The six-week war in which Azerbaijan regained all of the Armenian-controlled 
areas outside of Nagorno-Karabakh as well as chunks of territory inside the 
Soviet-era autonomous oblast proper ended with a Russia-brokered cease-fire 
under which Moscow deployed about 2,000 troops to the region to serve as 
peacekeepers.




Resolution Calling For Recognition Of Nagorno-Karabakh Introduced In U.S. 
Congress

        • Arman Hovhannisyan

The United States Capitol


Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff has introduced a resolution in the United 
States Congress calling for the recognition of independence and 
self-determination of Nagorno-Karabakh.

According to the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), the resolution 
also calls for the condemnation of “unprovoked attacks by the Azerbaijani forces 
on Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.”

It emphasizes that the recognition of Artsakh, which is the Armenian name for 
Nagorno-Karabakh, is “consistent with the right to self-determination enshrined 
in various United Nations instruments and the people of Artsakh’s 1991 vote and 
decision to declare their independence from Azerbaijan.”

The document condemns the ongoing blockade of the Lachin Corridor, which is the 
only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia, and calls on Baku “to 
immediately cease its blockade and aggressions against Armenia and Artsakh 
without conditions.”

The resolution calls for all U.S. foreign and military assistance to Azerbaijan 
to be immediately ceased pursuant to Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act “to 
make clear to the Government of Azerbaijan that further attacks on Armenia and 
Artsakh will result in sanctions and other measures.”

The resolution underscores firm support for the sovereignty and territorial 
integrity of Armenia, which is described as a democratic partner of the United 
States, “against Azerbaijan’s military aggression and blatant violations of 
international laws and norms.”

The document also supports United States and international humanitarian 
assistance programs “to meet the urgent needs of victims of Azerbaijani 
aggression in both Armenia and Artsakh.”

Adam Schiff

In introducing the resolution backed by two other democratic congressmen, 
Congressional Armenian Caucus founding co-Chair Frank Pallone and Josh 
Gottheimer, Schiff stressed the importance of this move on April 24, the 
international day of commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.

“The United States must recognize the right of self-determination of the people 
of Artsakh, the need for remedial secession, and stop sending support to 
Azerbaijan. Anything less will only further embolden [Azerbaijani President 
Ilham] Aliyev in his attempt to annihilate the Armenian people,” he said, as 
quoted by the ANCA.

The initiative of the U.S. democratic congressman came a day after Azerbaijan 
announced the installation of a checkpoint at the entrance to the Lachin 
Corridor from Armenia, completing the effective blockade of the breakaway region 
that was established by a group of Azerbaijanis calling themselves environmental 
activists back in December.

Authorities in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh denounced the move, saying that it 
was in violation of the Moscow-brokered 2020 ceasefire agreement that designated 
the Lachin Corridor along with the ethnic Armenian-controlled part of 
Nagorno-Karabakh as a sphere of Russian peacekeepers’ deployment.

Official Moscow on Monday described “unilateral steps” in the Lachin Corridor 
made in violation of the basic provisions of the tripartite statement of the 
leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia of November 9, 2020, as 
“unacceptable”, expressing a hope that “Baku and Yerevan will show political 
will and will be able to overcome this negative trend in the near future.” The 
Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Moscow is ready to provide all 
the necessary assistance to Azerbaijan and Armenia “both at the political level 
and on the ground.”

In separate statements issued on April 23, the United States and France, the two 
other nations that along with Russia have spearheaded decades-long efforts to 
broker a solution to the protracted conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, have voiced 
their concerns about the developments in the Lachin Corridor, saying that an 
Azerbaijani checkpoint there undermines efforts to establish confidence in the 
peace process and damages the negotiation process.

The 2020 ceasefire agreement brokered by Russia put an end to a six-week 
Armenian-Azerbaijani war over Nagorno-Karabakh in which nearly 7,000 soldiers 
were killed on both sides.

The war in which Azerbaijan regained all of the Armenian-controlled areas 
outside of Nagorno-Karabakh as well as chunks of territory inside the Soviet-era 
autonomous oblast proper was followed by international efforts to facilitate a 
peace deal between Yerevan and Baku.


Reposted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2023 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

Armenia expects actions by allies to restore Lachin Corridor

Tania Jagharian

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 11:16,

YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan has held a meeting with the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin in Yerevan.

During the meeting, in the context of the dangerous situation in the region resulting from Azerbaijan’s provocative statements and aggressive actions, including its actions in the direction of installing a checkpoint in the area of responsibility of the Russian peacekeepers, the Armenian FM emphasized the need for a clear reaction and practical steps by Armenia’s allies and partners in the direction of restoring the function of the Lachin Corridor in line with the 9 November 2020 trilateral statement, the foreign ministry said in a readout.

Twin-engine plane landing in Syunik airport marks ‘historic’ moment

Ani Basmajian

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 11:41,

YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. The L410 twin-engine aircraft has landed in the Kapan airport in Syunik province after taking off from Yerevan for a flight to test the airport approach systems.

[see video]

Aviation authorities hailed it as a ‘historic’ moment because the Syunik airport was closed since the 1990s, with the exception of one day in 2017 when a private jet landed there.

The 19-seat L-410 UVP E20 aircraft took off from Zvartnots airport at 10:10 and landed in the Syunik airport at 10:58.

The Syunik airport has been renovated in accordance with international standards and is certified by the Civil Aviation Committee since 2020, the Civil Aviation Committee said in a statement.

"If genocide is denied, genocide continues": 108 years later, Columbus’ Armenians remember

Manouk Vasilian
Peter Gill

The Columbus Dispatch

As frankincense and myrrh wafted through the chilly evening air, young children, working parents and the elderly gathered below an old oak in their churchyard to listen to a prayer for the dead.

The Rev. Hratch Sargsyan stood in front of the roughly 75 worshippers and, speaking in a mix of English and old Armenian, conducted a service for the victims of a genocide that began 108 years ago on this past Monday. 

Azniv Torosov, 79, a grandmother of three from Pickerington, teared up. She said that when her mother was 7, she witnessed Torosov’s grandfather being murdered before she fled what is today Turkey and settled in Azerbaijan, where Torosov was born.

Almost everyone in the congregation seemed to have a similar story of a family member killed in the Armenian genocide, during which Ottoman authorities orchestrated the deaths of between 664,000 and 1.5 million people. April 24 is observed as a day of remembrance by the Armenian diaspora around the world.

“The reason we remember, and we demand recognition and reparations, is because if genocide is denied, genocide continues. It happened to us. It happened to Jewish people. It happened in Rwanda,” Sargsyan told the crowd.

Congregants bowed in front of a six-foot tall cross-stone known as a khachkar, bedecked with bouquets of carnations and tulips, then filed inside for dinner in the basement of the St. James Episcopal Church in Clintonville, which shares space with the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church. 

The local congregation has about 120 Armenian American families, according to Sargsyan.

Although the Turkish government disputes the use of the term “genocide,” historians have reached broad consensus that that is what happened during the last throes of the Ottoman Empire. The Young Turk government viewed with suspicion Armenians — a Christian ethnic minority in a Muslim-majority state — and feared they would rebel in alliance with Russia during World War I.

The purge began on April 24, 1915, when the government ordered Armenian intellectuals to leave Istanbul, and continued as between 664,000 and 1.2 million Armenians were killed in massacres or forced-marches into the desert, according to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

In 2021, President Joe Biden became the first American president to recognize the genocide; he put the dead at 1.5 million.

“The historical record on the Armenian Genocide is unambiguous and documented by overwhelming evidence. It is proven by foreign office records of the United States, France, Great Britain, Russia, and perhaps most importantly, of Turkey’s World War I allies,” according to the  International Association of Genocide Scholars, a non-partisan organization of researchers.

However, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a NATO ally, claims that the casualty figures are wildly exaggerated. Turkey has prosecuted writers who have dared to use the term “genocide.”

Armenian survivors fled what is today Turkey to Armenia and elsewhere in the Middle East, Europe and North America. In the U.S., the largest community is in California, according to the Armenian consulate.

Columbus’ Armenian community began to grow after Keteon Ares Menendian, an Armenian immigrant, began a local carpet business in 1910, according to Ohannes Tchobanian, 86, a retired engineer who lives in Clintonville. 

Tchobanian said more Armenians like himself came to Franklin County in the following decades, attracted by jobs and studies at Ohio State University — especially after the fall of the Soviet Union, to which Armenia belonged until 1991.

David Krikorian, 54, a small business owner from Cincinnati, said Turkey’s continuing denial of the genocide is frustrating.

“Can you imagine a Germany today that denied that the Holocaust happened?” he said. “The simple act of denying the genocide is one of the stages of genocide.”

To spread awareness among youth, Krikorian recently co-authored "Operation Nemesis," a graphic novel about the events of 1915-16, copies of which he distributed on Monday evening.

Like several other congregants, Krikorian also expressed concern over the simmering conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, the disputed territory that Armenia and Azerbaijan fought two wars over — most recently in 2020.

 As congregants dined in the church basement on spanakopita, grape leaves and meatballs, Hagop Mekhjian, 85, gave a speech in which he recalled growing up in exile in Aleppo, Syria.

“In my pre-teen years, my father made absolutely sure I went to western Syria, to see the piles of skulls of people who had died in the desert, because of the genocide. I came home sad and cried” said Mekhjian, a retired doctor and OSU professor emeritus who lives in Upper Arlington. “As I grew older, I overcame my sadness. And today, (April 24) is a joyous occasion — it’s a celebration, it's a miracle that we’re here…. Don't don't forget the past. Learn and apply the lessons for the future.”

Before the event wrapped up, Sarah Khatcherian Milo, 44, of Dublin, performed a traditional Armenian folk song. The song, “Armenian News,” is about a crane — a common bird in Armenia — that visits a wanderer in exile. 

Khatcherian, a professional opera singer, said it evokes nostalgia and the processing of grief. She translated the lines as:

"Oh crane, where are you coming from?

I am thirsty for your voice.

Do you have any news from our homeland?

You did not answer me and flew away,

Oh crane, fly away from our land."

Peter Gill covers immigration, New American communities and religion for the Dispatch in partnership with Report for America. You can support work like his with a tax-deductible donation to Report for America at:bit.ly/3fNsGaZ.

[email protected]

@pitaarji

Armenian Genocide annual commemoration at Fresno State

Lara Chatinian

by: Juanita Adame

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A day where the community came together and stood in solidarity to recognize the 1.5 million Armenians killed at the hands of the Turkish Ottoman Empire starting in 1915.

“It’s an important foundation it’s an important lesson to be told, an important story to be told,” said Karnig Kerkonian.

Kerkonian is an international human rights lawyer and was the keynote speaker for the annual commemoration at Fresno State.

“Fresno serves a very important role in the Armenian diaspora in itself,” he said.

The event included a presentation of flags, a religious service, and songs by local students.

Turkish Press: Ankara Governor’s Office bans panel on Armenian genocide

Adrine Hakobian
 DuvaR.english 
Turkey –

Duvar English

The Ankara Governor's Office on April 24 banned a panel titled "Don't Forget, Face: 1915," organized by the Ankara provincial assembly of the Peoples' Democratic Congress (HDK) to commemorate the 108th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. 

Previously, far-right Victory Party leader Ümit Özdağ previously targeted the panelist;  researcher and writer Kadir Akın, activist Kayuş Çalıkman Gavrilof and Green Left Party MP candidate Emirali Türkmenin, according to online news outlet Bianet. 

In its statement on the issue, the governor's office used the word "so-called" when referring to the Armenian genocide. The event was deemed “inappropriate” as a threat to “peace and security, personal inviolability, safety, and public welfare.” 

The Human Rights Association (İHD) Commission Against Racism and Discrimination's annual statement on the Armenian genocide, held in Istanbul’s Sultanahmet Square since 2005, was also banned. This year, the İHD had planned to hold the statement on the street where their building is located in Beyoğlu. However, the police prevented the rights defenders from holding the statement in the new location, forcing them to conduct it inside the association's building.

Turkey accepts that many Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire were killed in clashes with Ottoman forces in World War One, but denies the killings were systematically orchestrated and constitute genocide.