The Topeka Capital-Journal
Published Monday, May 17, 2004

Armenia focus of proclamation

The Capital-Journal

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius has signed a proclamation acknowledging the
“outstanding success” of the Kansas National Guard Partnership Program in
establishing improved security cooperation between the United States and
Armenia.
The proclamation said the program has established a military-to-military,
military-to-civilian and civilian-to-civilian association and improved
security cooperation between the two countries.

The proclamation was submitted by Alex Kotoyantz, of Junction City, a
retiree from the Kansas Department of Transportation, and signed by the
governor recently. It expresses gratitude for the contributions of Armenian
Americans who have chosen Kansas as their adopted homeland and enriched the
character of the state with their wisdom, courage and centuries-old
traditions.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Richard Kloian, Director
Armenian Genocide Resource Center
5400 McBryde Ave, Richmond, CA 94805
Tel:(510) 965-0152, fax:(510)215-0444
Email: [email protected]

Monday May 17, 2004

GENOCIDE SCHOLARS CONFERENCE
In 2005 TO FEATURE THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

By Richard Kloian

The largest international organization devoted to the study of genocide
has just issued a Call For Papers for its sixth biennial international
conference in Boca Raton, Florida in 2005, and has announced that
one of its major themes will be the Armenian Genocide.

An affiliate of the Institute for the Study of Genocide, the International
Association of Genocide Scholars was founded in 1994 by Israel
Charny, Helen Fein, Robert Melson and Roger Smith. The Association
of more than 200 scholars engages in research and teaching about the
nature, causes, and consequences of genocide, and advances policy
studies on the prevention of genocide. It meets biennially to compare
and share research in the field, discuss specific case studies, important
new works, links between genocide and gross human rights violations,
as well as the prevention and punishment of genocide.

At its second biennial conference in Montreal Canada in June 1997
the Association issued a unanimous resolution affirming that the
mass murder of Armenians in Turkey in 1915 was “a case of genocide
which conforms to the statutes of the United Nations Convention on
the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide.” They further condemned
“the denial of the Armenian Genocide by the Turkish government and
its official and unofficial agents.”

Many of the genocide scholars have published books and articles with
a major emphasis on the genocide and their works have become standards
in the field. A number have had to deal directly with state sponsored
genocide denial head on, especially as related to the Armenian Genocide.

Colin Tatz, Director of the Australian Institute for Holocaust
and Genocide Studies, in his 2003 book “With Intent to Destroy”
discusses Turkish denial and relates his personal encounters with
the Turkish Ambassador who attempted unsuccessfully to get him
to stop teaching his course on the Politics of Genocide because the
Armenian Genocide was emphasized. In his book he relates a
number of such encounters and discusses the influence of the
Turkish “denial machine” and its consequences.

In August 2000, the Chronicle of Higher Education reported that Helen
Fein, whose works are standards in the sociology of genocide, revealed
that the editors of Microsoft Encarta asked her to revise her entry on the
Armenian Genocide to include “the other side of the story” and to remove
the word “genocide,” which she resisted successfully. It was revealed that
they were bowing to pressure from the Turkish Embassy in Washington.
But such attempts only galvanizes scholars devoted to their work and
reinforces the need for teaching about genocide.

The current President of the Association, Robert Melson, has produced
numerous key articles on the Armenian Genocide and his book,
“Revolution and Genocide – On The Origins of the Armenian Genocide
and the Holocaust” stands as a major contribution to the field. The Vice
President of the Association, Dr. Israel Charny, in 1999, as Editor-in-Chief,
oversaw the publication of the first ever Encyclopedia of Genocide, now
used as a major reference source throughout the world and now available
on the web as an E-Book in which the Armenian Genocide has a major
emphasis along with the Holocaust.

At the last IAGS International Conference in Galway Ireland in 2003,
many papers and presentations discussed the Armenian Genocide,
which, as a separate field of study, has been drawing more interest
by specialists in the field over the years.

The text of the IAGS Press Release follows:

The Sixth Biennial Conference of The International Association of
Genocide Scholars (IAGS) will be held at Florida Atlantic University,
Boca Raton Florida, USA, June 4-7, 2005. In its Call For Papers, the
IAGS announces the general theme of the conference: “NINETY YEARS
AFTER THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE AND SIXTY YEARS AFTER
THE HOLOCAUST: THE CONTINUING THREAT AND LEGACY
OF GENOCIDE.”

“Following the Armenian Genocide and the Holocaust it was believed
that “never again” would genocide be allowed to occur. However, events
in Cambodia, former Yugoslavia, Rwanda, and for indigenous peoples
in other parts of the world, have demonstrated the continuing threat of
genocide. These have left survivors, perpetrators, bystanders, and
rescuers, and the world community confronting the legacy of
mass-murder and extermination.”

The International Association of Genocide Scholars welcomes proposals
for scholarly papers and sessions dealing with a variety of related
themes such as those below. All proposals are due by January 15, 2005.

Participation in conferences and panels is vetted and open only to
registered members. Membership in the IAGS is open to scholars,
graduate students, and other interested persons any place in the world
who address the study and prevention of genocide using scholarly
methods in good faith in the pursuit of truth. For membership
information please email Dr. Steven Jacobs at: [email protected].

Themes of the Sixth Biennial IAGS conference

I. The origins of and accountability for the Armenian Genocide
and/or the Holocaust.

II. The legacy of the Armenian Genocide and/or the Holocaust
for survivors, perpetrators, bystanders, and the world community,
including international law and organizations.

III. The origins of and accountability for genocides in Cambodia,
former Yugoslavia, Rwanda and for indigenous peoples.

IV. The legacy of genocide in Cambodia, former Yugoslavia,
Rwanda and for indigenous peoples, and for the world
community, including international law and organizations.

V. The denial of genocide.

VI. The representation of genocide in literature, art, film, and music.

VII. Commemoration, restitution, and reconciliation.

VIII. Identification of endangered communities and the prevention
of genocide.

“Participants should submit a brief (no more than one page) abstract
and a short resume (no more than one page), indicating which of the
eight themes their paper addresses. Scholars are encouraged to assemble
a group of papers as a theme panel, but participation by individuals is
limited to no more than two (2) panels in the role of presenter,
discussant, or chair.”

Please send two hard copies and email attachments in Microsoft Word
of abstracts, resumes, and proposals for panels to Dr. Stephen Feinstein,
Director, Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, College of
Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455-0125,
USA. Tel: 612-626-2235. [email protected]

All proposals are due by January 15, 2005. For more information
on the 2005 conference, past conferences, the organization and its
work, individuals are encouraged to visit the IAGS web site at:
, or they can send emails to: [email protected]
.

Armenia Protests

The Moscow Times
Monday, May 17, 2004. Page 4.

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — Armenia’s opposition parties on Friday resumed
their campaign of demonstrations demanding the resignation of President
Robert Kocharyan after talks with pro-government figures broke down.

An estimated 7,000 people gathered in central Yerevan for a rally. It
was the latest in a series of massive gatherings that began in
early spring.

Meanwhile, Kocharyan met with President Vladimir Putin for talks
dominated by bilateral trade issues Friday.

Sarkissian Deems Azerbaijan’s Offer Unserious

Baku Today

Baku Today 17/05/2004 19:08

Armenian defence minister Serge Sarkissian said his country is still
sticking to all of its three principles on peaceful resolution of
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Turan reported on Monday, citing Armenia’s
Ayots Ashkhar newspaper.

They principles are; Nagorno-Karabakh in no way can be subordinated to
Baku, it has to have an overland border with Armenia and the region’s
security has to be guaranteed.

Sarkissian also called Azerbaijan’s suggestion to release seven
occupied districts in return for opening of communication lines
unserious one, claiming Baku may break its promise any time.

The defence minister said Armenia is against stage by stage settlement
of the conflict because it could prove to be dangerous for Yerevan.

“The option is dangerous because while the parties can agree in the
first stage, they may not come to an agreement in the second one,”
Sarkissian said.

Warning on NATO

The Moscow Times
Monday, May 17, 2004. Page 4.

MINSK (AP) — Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko accused
other former Soviet republics on Friday of violating the spirit of a
post-Soviet security agreement by conducting individual negotiations
with NATO.

“If these individual negotiations are going on, what kind of treaty is
this?” Lukashenko said, referring to the Collective Security Treaty
Organization, which comprises Belarus, Russia, Armenia, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

“Russia is moving toward cooperation with NATO, and this we learned
about through the media,” he said.

Agency WPS
The Russian Oil and Gas Report (Russia)
May 17, 2004, Monday

IRAN AND ARMENIA SIGNED AN AGREEMENT ON CONSTRUCTION OF A GAS
PIPELINE

The agreement on construction of the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline was
signed on May 13. The Armenian Energy Ministry reported that Energy
Minister of Armenia Armen Movsesyan and Oil Minister of Iran Namdar
Zanganeh signed the agreement.

Under the agreement Iran will supply 1.1 billion cubic meters of
natural gas to Armenia a year and Armenia will pay for the gas with
electric energy. The countries also plan to increase gas supplies to
2 billion cubic meters a year in the future. The companies to build
the pipeline will be chosen at a tender. Previously the Armenian
party spoke about intention of Gazprom and Ukrainian companies to
take part in the project. Construction of the pipeline will cost
about $90 million for Armenia and $120 million for Iran.

Source: gazeta.ru, May 14, 2004

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

WWF: Landmark Toxics Treaty Becomes International Law

WASHINGTON, May 17 /U.S. Newswire/ — World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
said today that the entry into force on May 17th of the Stockholm
Convention on persistent organic pollutants (POPs) will significantly
reduce toxic threats to wildlife and people throughout the world.

“WWF applauds the initiative and commitment of the 59 countries
that have joined the treaty and we urge the United States and other
governments to get on board quickly,” said Brooks Yeager, vice
president of WWF’s Global Threats Program and formerly the chief
U.S. negotiator for the POPs treaty. “The Stockholm Convention is a
shining example of how the international community can come together
to address a serious environmental and health threat. Whales, polar
bears, birds of prey, and people throughout the world will benefit
from eliminating the toxic chemicals targeted by this progressive,
new global regime.”

The treaty will ban or severely restrict 12 extremely harmful
chemicals, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, and
several pesticides, with provisions to add additional chemicals in the
future. POPs have four key characteristics: they are toxic; they are
persistent, resisting normal processes that break down contaminants;
they accumulate in the body fat of people, marine mammals and other
animals, and are passed from mother to fetus; and they can travel
great distances on wind and water currents. Even small quantities of
POPs can cause nervous system damage, diseases of the immune system,
reproductive and developmental disorders, and cancers.

France became the 50th party on Feb. 17, 2004, triggering a 90-
day countdown for the treaty to become binding international law
for countries that have ratified it. In the three years since the
treaty has been open for ratification, 59 countries have joined the
Convention. The United States is noticeably absent from the list
of Parties. Although the U.S. signed the treaty in May 2001, there
exists considerable disagreement about how to amend existing laws to
implement the treaty. The first Conference of Parties (COP) is slated
to take place in Uruguay from 2 to 6 May, 2005. To participate as
a party at this crucial first meeting, governments need to join at
least 90 days beforehand — by Feb. 1, 2005.

“WWF wants the United States to become a party to the Stockholm
Convention in time to participate in the first COP, but not if that
requires bad legislation,” said Clifton Curtis, director of WWF’s
Global Toxics Program. “The White House is pushing language that goes
way too far in divorcing the Stockholm new chemicals “adding mechanism”
from the domestic process — and then piles on industry-favored baggage
with controversial cost-benefit and sound-science type requirements,
all of which would make it very difficult to regulate any POP added
to the treaty.”

For further information: Tina Skaar: 202-778-9606, 202-487-1181
(mobile) or tina.skaar(At)wwfus.org; Kerry Zobor: 202-778-9509 or
kerry.zobor(At)wwfus.org

Note:

Additional information about the Stockholm Convention is available
at

The 59 parties to the Stockholm Convention are: Antigua and Barbuda,
Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana,
Canada, Chad, Ctte d’Ivoire, Czech Republic, Democratic People’s
Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji,
Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Iceland, Japan, Lebanon, Lesotho,
Liberia, Luxembourg, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Mongolia, Myanmar,
Nauru, Netherlands, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay,
Philippines, Republic of Moldova, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Senegal,
Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United Republic
of Tanzania, Uruguay, Vietnam, Yemen.

Contact: Tina Skaar, 202-778-9606 or tina.skaar(At)wwfus.org, or
Kerry Zobor, 202-778-9509 or kerry.zobor(At)wwfus.org, both of the
World Wildlife Fund

05/17 12:05

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

CROSSROAD E-NEWSLETTER: May 13, 2004

CRITICAL ISSUES OF LIFE & FAITH
WILL BE DISCUSSED IN MID-ATLANTIC
ADULT CHRISTIAN EDUCATION PROGRAM

The Armenian Religious Education Council (AREC) has planned a unique
program for adults in the mid-atlantic region. The Adult Christian Education
program will include lectures, Bible studies, panel discussions, small group
discussions, and worship services over the weekend of June 25 to 27, 2004.
The seminar will take place at St. Mary of Providence Center in Elverson,
Pennsylvania, beginning Friday evening, June 25 and continue through Sunday
afternoon, June 27.
The main portion of the program will take place on Saturday and those
who do not wish to stay the entire weekend can attend the Saturday session
only. The main speaker on Saturday will be Dr. Vigen Guroian, Professor of
Theology and Ethics at Loyola College in Baltimore, Maryland. Professor
Guroian is the first Armenian theologian ever elected to the American
Theological Society and the Orthodox Theological Society of America. He has
served on the Board of Directors of the Society of Christian Ethics, has
been active in both the National Council of Churches and the World Council
of Churches, and is a member on numerous editorial boards. His published
works include nearly 150 articles, and six books with three more scheduled
to be published later this year.
Professor Guroian will provide an Armenian Orthodox Perspective to many
issues that are currently in the headlines. His presentation will focus
issues like marriage, gay marriage, abortion, euthanasia, cremation, suicide
and reproductive technologies.
Complete information about the seminar, registration form, and
directions to the Center are on the Prelacy web page,
or you may contact Archdeacon Shant Kazanjian at
the AREC office, 212-689-7810.

EARLY REGISTRATION FOR
DATEV INSTITUTE SAVES $$$
A reminder that the deadline for the early-bird registration for the St.
Gregory of Datev Institute Summer program is this Saturday, May 15. Register
by this Saturday and save $50. To register, just go to the Prelacy website
(), print the registration form,
fill it out and sent it in with your payment.
The Datev Summer Program will take place June 27 to July 4, 2004, for
junior and senior high school students, at the St. Mary of Providence
Center, Elverson, Pennsylvania.

JEOPARDY TOURNAMENTS CONTINUE
St. Stephen’s Saturday School team won the New England area Jeopardy
Tournament organized by the Armenian National Education Committee (ANEC).
The Mourad School of Rhode Island was the runner-up.
A capacity audience attended the competition, which took place at St.
Stephen Church, Watertown, MA, on May 8. Five teams from the following
schools participated: St. Stephen Elementary School, St. Stephen Saturday
School (Watertown), Armenian Sisters Academy (Lexington), Mourad Armenian
School (Providence) and St. Gregory School (North Andover).
The next regional competition will take place this Saturday, May 15, in
Chicago for the Midwestern Armenian schools.

THEATRE WORKSHOP AT SIAMANTO ACADEMY
Nora Armani, renowned Armenian stage, TV, radio and film actress, has
been invited to conduct a theatre workshop with the students of the Siamanto
Academy, this Saturday, May 15, 2004. The multi-lingual, award-winning Ms
Armani will share her experiences growing up as an Armenian in Egypt and her
theatrical experiences in London and Paris.
The Siamanto Academy meets every Saturday at the Armenian Center, 69-23
47th Avenue, Woodside, New York, 11 am to 2:30 pm. The college-accredited
Academy offers Armenian language, history and Christian studies for high
school students. For information contact Gilda B. Kupelian, Director of the
Armenian National Education Committee (ANEC): [email protected]

PRESIDENT KOCHARIAN VISITS ANTELIAS
Armenia’s president, Robert Kocharian, is visiting Lebanon upon the
invitation of President Lahoud. Yesterday, May 12, President Kocharian met
with His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, at the
Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia. Clergy serving the Catholicosate and
members of the Executive Council attended the meeting.
On the first day of his visit to Lebanon, the President and His Holiness
had a breakfast meeting at which time they discussed issues pertaining to
Armenia and Diaspora-Armenia relations. They both emphasized the importance
of strengthening the national unity at this critical point of the history of
the Armenian people.

OUTREACH ISSUE DEDICATED TO
ARCHBISHOP MESROB ASHJIAN
The special issue of Outreach, dedicated to the late Archbishop Mesrob
Ashjian, is complete and can be seen on line by visiting the Prelacy web
site,

CHRONICLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION
FEATURES ARTICLE BY PETER BALAKIAN
The May 7, 2004 issue of The Chronicle of Higher Education features an
article written by Peter Balakian, entitled How a Poet Writes History
Without Going Mad. Balakian, the author of The Burning Tigris: The Armenian
Genocide and America’s Response, as well as numerous books of poetry and the
highly-acclaimed memoir, Black Dog of Fate, notes that a prominent Armenian
psychiatrist asked how he is able to write about massacre, deportation,
rape, and torture without becoming depressed or even incapacitated. Balakian
then goes on to describe how he came to write The Burning Tigris.
Balakian writes, In the face of such horror, can a writer even suggest
there is pleasure and excitement in doing the work, in the act of writing? I
came to The Burning Tigris as someone who has spent most of his life writing
in the rhythms and image language of the lyric poem and, at the time, was
finishing a book of new poems. In the 1990s I wrote a memoir, Black Dog of
Fate, about growing up Armenian American in the suburbs of Northern New
Jersey in the 1950s and 60s and gradually awakening to the history of the
Armenian Genocide my grandparents had lived through. One of the challenges
for me in crossing genre boundaries was to find the ways I could bring along
the appropriate aspects of my craft. In writing a memoir, I discovered that
the past could be opened up by finding images in memory that, like a thread,
could unravel into a once-forgotten experience.
Balakian concludes his long article with the observation that the
artistic challenges of locating the events, the characters, and their voices
in sensory, human time was an energizing force that kept me writing when the
darkness of the subjects could have shut me down.

ALMOST SISTERS, NEARLY BROTHERS
BY SUSAN ARPAJIAN JOLLEY
The current issue of TRANSFORMATIONS, The Journal of Inclusive
Scholarship and Pedagogy, includes a beautifully written article by Susan
Arpajian Jolley, titled Almost Sisters, Nearly Brothers.
Susan, a high school teacher in Delran, New Jersey, in a moving
narrative relates her emotionally charged experiences during her teaching of
English to a group of students, including several students from Turkey. Her
ambivalent feelings at the beginning of the journey become as much a
learning experience for her as for her students. She remembers the stories
of her childhood told by her grandparents and the images they conjure. She
writes, I hold these images in my mind because Agyuls country and my
grandparents land are the same. But Agyul is Turkish, and I am Armenian. If
you know the history that many people do not, the story of what has been
termed the first genocide of the modern age, you will understand.
Susan gives poignant, if different, voices to her grandmothers. Both are
survivors. Both have experienced unbelievable losses. Her maternal
grandmother withdraws and the full extent of her story goes with her to the
grave. Her paternal grandmother becomes a highly respected leader in the
Philadelphia Armenian community, an activist, a teacher of the Armenian
language.
Susan concludes, This teaching and learning experience brought us
together in ways that never would have happened otherwise, and we’re all
better for it. My new perspective will not solve any political problems
between our two nationalities, but, at least on a personal level, it is a
step.
Susan is the daughter of Vazken and Rose Arpajian, active members of St.
Gregory Church in Philadelphia, and the granddaughter of the late Kevork and
Ardemis Arpajian and Movses and Arek Zakarian.
The full article will be published in a forthcoming issue of Outreach.

NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY
WILL CONVENE NEXT WEEK
The National Representative Assembly (NRA) of the Eastern Prelacy will
convene in Philadelphia, May 19 through 21. The host parish is St. Gregory
the Illuminator. For more details visit the Prelacy web-site:

ST. ILLUMINATORS ARMENIAN DAY SCHOOL
ANNUAL DINNER DANCE TOMORROW EVENING
The annual dinner-dance of St. Illuminators Armenian Day School will
take place tomorrow evening, Friday, May 14, 2004, at the Terrace on the
Park, Flushing, NY, at 8 p.m. Archbishop Oshagan will honor Mrs. Anna
Kayaloff with a special certificate of merit for her many years of dedicated
service to the Armenian Church and the school. For details contact the
school office, 718-478-4073.

PRELATE WILL VISIT BOSTON, WHITINSVILLE
Saturday, May 15, the Prelate will travel to Boston where he will meet
with the board of St. Stephen Elementary School to discuss the proposed
addition to the school. St. Stephen School was recently rated as one of the
best in the area.
From Boston, Archbishop Oshagan will go to Whitinsville where on Sunday,
May 16, he will officiate at the Divine Liturgy and deliver the Sermon at
St. Asdvadzadzin Church. He will also officiate at the ordination of Diran
Der Khosrofian to the rank of deacon and Hratch Simonian to the rank of
acolyte. Following the services His Eminence will preside over the annual
anniversary banquet of the church where His Eminence will award a special
Certificate of Merit to Alan Goshgarian for his many years of dedicated
service to the Armenian Church.

ASCENSION DAY
Next Thursday, May 20, 2004, is Holy Ascension Day (Hampartzoum). The
Prelate will celebrate this Feast in Philadelphia during the National
Representative Assembly at St. Gregory Church. The faithful of the
Philadelphia community are expected to celebrate this joyous feast-the last
of the dominical events of the life of Jesus as written in the Gospels, by
attending the Divine Liturgy on Thursday evening, 7:30 p.m., officiated by
V. Rev. Fr. Anoushavan Tanielian, Vicar of the Prelacy.
After the miraculous Resurrection, Jesus appeared before the Disciples
numerous times. On Ascension Day, forty days after the Resurrection, Jesus
met with his disciples and gave final instructions. He advised them not to
begin widespread teaching until the Descent of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost)
when they would be empowered with new power and ability. Two of the
evangelists, Mark and Luke, conclude their writings with the Ascension.
The Ascension took place at the village of Bethany, on the Mount of
Olives. After his final instructions, according to the Gospel, Jesus was
received up into heaven and sat on the right hand of God.
There are many Armenian traditions associated with the commemoration of
Ascension Day. One tradition that has remained active is the telling of
fortunes for young women (Vijakahanoutiun), which has been immortalized in a
famous scene in the opera Anoush.
The Ascension is described in the New Testament in Mark 16:19; Luke
24:50-51; and Acts 1:9-11.

“You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the
ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

Visit our website at

DEFENSE MINISTER SHRUGS OFF FEARS OF NEW WAR

ArmenPress
May 13 2004

YEREVAN, MAY 13, ARMENPRESS: Armenian defense minister Serzh Sarkisian
brushed away Wednesday the talk about a shaky peace and the possible
resumption of hostilities in Nagorno Karabagh, saying they do not
correspond to reality. “But this does not mean that I can exclude
the renewal of military actions in any time,” he said to reporters.

Sarkisian said the main guarantees against a new war are the ongoing
talks between the conflicting sides, the capability of the armed
forces and the activity of international peace brokers. “We have not
been sitting on our hands and I think that today our army differs
substantially, in terms of its strength from what we had back in
1993-1994. It is very different now,’ he said.

FREEDOM TO POLITICAL PRISONERS!

A1 Plus | 15:27:27 | 17-05-2004 | Politics |

Civil Will For and Against organization staged a series of protest
actions last week. This week as well started with the organization-held
protest action outside the General Prosecutor’s Office in Yerevan.

The demands remain the same – to release political prisoners. The
action participants say they are determined to continue their
struggle until all political prisoners are released. The protesters
told journalists they found National Assembly Vice-Speaker Tigran
Torossyan’s recent statement that there are no political prisoners
in Armenia ridiculous and showed a list of 14 people.

Gemma Galstyan, mother of Republic party member and political prisoner
Suren Surenyants, took part in the action. She said her son has
health problems.

“I am being denied meeting with my son, because of, as they say,
a special order given by Prosecutor General”, she said.

By the end of the action, protesters sent a paper with the demand
signed by 1,700 citizens.