ARKA News Agency – 04/21/2004

ARKA News Agency
April 21 2004

Regular meeting of united opposition starts today at the square of
Freedom in the center of Yerevan

RA Prime Minister and Estonian Ambassador in Armenia note the
necessity of stimulation economic relations between two countries

RA President meets the US Ambassador in Armenia and USAID Mission
Director

An exhibition devoted to historical and cultural monuments of North
Artsakh organised in Stepanakert

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REGULAR MEETING OF UNITED OPPOSITION STARTS TODAY AT THE SQUARE OF
FREEDOM IN THE CENTER OF YEREVAN

YEREVAN, April 21. /ARKA/. Regular meeting of united opposition
started today at the square of Freedom in the center of Yerevan. The
organizers of the meeting are Justice bloc, National Unity Party and
Communist Party of Armenia. ARKA correspondent reports from the
meeting that about 5 thousand people take part in the rally. The
meeting was opened by the Chairman of National Democratic Party, RA
NA Deputy Shavarsh Kocharian, who stated that authorities try to make
it seem that opposition tries to get to power by force, which does
not correspond to reality. `Till now opposition acted in the frames
of Constitution, which is a guarantee of our victory’, Kocharian
said. He said that Kocharian is sentenced to failure and statements
of international organizations testify to that. He stressed that the
idea of fight is much deeper than personal political interests of
opposition.
Leader of Justice Bloc Stepan Demirchian stated that authorities that
use any power are doomed. `Armenia must develop by democratic way and
those who prevent this process must go away’, Demirchian said. L.D.
–0–

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RA PRIME MINISTER AND ESTONIAN AMBASSADOR IN ARMENIA NOTE THE
NECESSITY OF STIMULATION ECONOMIC RELATIONS BETWEEN TWO COUNTRIES

YEREVAN, April 21. /ARKA/. RA Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan and
Estonian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary in Armenia
Andreas Unga noted the necessity of stimulation economic relations
between two countries. According to RA President’s Press Service and
Public Relations Department, in the course of the meeting the parties
attached importance to bilateral co-operation in various fields of
economy, in particular, in industry, agriculture, health care,
tourism, science and culture. Taking into consideration the
importance of IT development for Armenia, Margaryan emphasized the
importance for co-operation exactly in that field and spread of
Estonian Electronic Administration Academy experience in Armenia.
According to the press release, Margaryan and Unga also discussed
issues connected with holding business forums, organization of
visits, and establishing close co-operation between certain
Ministries and Trade Industry Chambers of RA and Estonia for
stimulation of bilateral trade turnover.
In the course of the meeting, Margaryan congratulated Unga on
Estonia’s entrance into EU and expressed hope that Estonia will
become Armenia’s reliable partner, which will contribute to Armenia’s
integration into the EU. Also, Margaryan congratulated Unga on
Estonia’s full membership in NATO, noting that Armenia will keep to
its policy of consistent development of co-operation with that
organization in the framework of Partnership for Peace program.
In his turn, Estonian Ambassador noted that Estonia as a new member
of EU encourages New Neighborhood program , due to which the counties
of the South Caucasus, including Armenia, will have the chance to
become members of European family. A.H – 0–

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RA PRESIDENT MEETS THE US AMBASSADOR IN ARMENIA AND USAID MISSION
DIRECTOR

YEREVAN, April 21. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharyan has met John
Ordway, the US Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary in
Armenia, and Robin Phillips, USAID Mission Director. According to the
RA President’s Press Service Department, issues regarding the
programs on humanitarian aid provision to Armenia by the US
Government were discussed in the course of the meeting. Besides, the
issues of Armenia’s participation in Millennium Challenges Fund
program was touched. A.H.–0–

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AN EXHIBITION DEVOTED TO HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL MONUMENTS OF NORTH
ARTSAKH ORGANISED IN STEPANAKERT

STEPANAKERT, April 21. /ARKA/. In connection with International Day
of monuments and historic places, Haiki Serund (Haik’s generation)
youth organisation, acting in Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR),
organised an exhibition devoted to historical and cultural monuments
of North Artsakh. According to ARKA’s reporter in Stepanakert, the
photos of a famous ethnographer Samuel Karapetyan exhibited reflect
cultural and everyday life of ancient villages of North Artsakh
(Shahumyan, Shamkhor, Khanlar, and Dashkensk regions), where
historical and cultural monuments preserved.
According to specialists, the Azerbaijani side destroyed thousands of
historic monuments on the territory of Karabakh. 167 churches, 8
monastery complexes and 123 historical Armenian cemeteries were
destroyed when Karabakh was part of Azerbaijan, and during the period
of war aggression on the part of Azerbaijan against NKR. A.H. –0–

Our Lobsters in Demand in Europe

A1 Plus | 22:04:17 | 21-04-2004 | Politics |

OUR LOBSTERS IN DEMAND IN EUROPE

On Wednesday, Armenian-European Economic Policy Center Economic Adviser
Ashot Iskandaryan, said Wednesday Armenia had exported mostly precious
stones to European countries for last years. In 2003, considerable amount of
lobsters costing 1 million 600 thousand USD was sent to EU member countries.

He said goods of 678,1 million USD were exported to the EU countries. This
year commodity turnover rose twice comparing with that of past years.

Armenia Builds Three Wind Power Stations On Iranian Funds

Armenia Builds Three Wind Power Stations On Iranian Funds

Mediamax
April 21, 2004

YEREVAN

A hydroelectric power station with 80 megawatt power will be built on
the Armenian side of the Araks river, Armenian Minister of Energy
Armen Movsisian said in Yerevan today.

Armen Movsisian said that at present the appropriate geological
prospecting and cartographical works are being conducted, which are
planned to be finished by the middle of the year, Mediamax reports.

The Minister also said that the construction of three wind power
stations with total 2 megawatt power has begun on the Iranian funds to
the amount of $2.5 mln. According to Armen Movsisian, the research
shows that Armenia has a potential for the development of wind energy.

CENN Daily Digest — Armenia – 04/21/2004

CENN – APRIL 21, 2004 DAILY DIGEST — ARMENIA
Table of Contents:
1. Dalma Gardens Will Be Seized
2. Armenian President Says Iran Pipeline To End Energy Dependency
3. Armenian Paper Critical of State Policy on Iran Gas Pipeline
4. Armenian Industrial Production Up 10.5% in Q1
5. Development Bank Looks East to Aid Poor Nations

1. DALMA GARDENS WILL BE SEIZED

Source: A1 Plus, April 20, 2004

Dalma Gardens’ renters have today assembled at Municipality again. Their
problem is not settled, the territories will be taken away and the
tenants demand to prolong the contracts by 25 years.

Karen Davtyan, head of Department Real Estate Management of
Municipality, says there is a special decision of Government under which
a part of gardens is to remain as a green area and the rest will serve
other purposes.

Mr Davtyan informed they follow the above decision. “Policemen have come
today with tractors to destroy our green territories”, renter Azat
Khachatryan says. Then they left warning to raze the green zones if the
appropriate decision wasn’t produced the next day.

“No Court accepts any document on Dalma Gardens to launch legal
proceedings”, renter Yntsa Hovhannissyan says.

Tenants assure policemen have today blocked the roads to Leningradyan
street and Hrazdan Sport Complex to hamper the renters to come to their
gardens.

2. ARMENIAN PRESIDENT SAYS IRAN PIPELINE TO END ENERGY DEPENDENCY

Source: Mediamax News Agency, April 20, 2004

On April 20, 2004, in Yerevan Robert Kocharyan, the President Armenian
stated that a gas pipeline to link Iran and Armenia will only be used to
meet Armenia’s energy needs. “We do not discuss any other options with
the Iranian side,” Robert Kocharyan said in reply to a question about
the possible use of the pipeline for shipping gas to Europe.

Mediamax quoted Kocharyan as telling a news conference in Yerevan today
“the construction of the gas pipeline is very important as this will
make Armenia independent in terms of energy supplies”.

3. ARMENIAN PAPER CRITICAL OF STATE POLICY ON IRAN GAS PIPELINE

Source: Haykakan Zhamanak, April 17, 2004

Text of Erdzanik Abgaryan’s report by Armenian newspaper Haykakan
Zhamanak on 17 April headlined “Kocharyan is giving a big gas pipeline
to a Turk as a gift”.

It is no secret that the European Union has a positive attitude towards
the idea that the Central Asia-Iran-Armenia gas pipeline should go via
Armenia, suggesting the closure of the Armenian Nuclear Power Station,
which meets the interests of the people’s security. Iran’s position on
this issue is absolutely good.

But it is strange and tragicomic that the special representative of the
EU for the South Caucasus, Heikki Talvitie, and Iran’s Foreign Minister
Kamal Kharrazi have tried to persuade the Kocharyan administration to
agree to build the gas pipeline via Armenia. So the gas pipeline caused
a stir last week.

[Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan] Oskanyan, who fails all strategic
issues together with his chief [Armenian President Robert Kocharyan],
visited Tehran and finally buried the hope that the gas pipeline will be
constructed via Armenia. Information sources disseminate contradictory
information about that visit and it may be concluded that the Armenian
authorities and their secret services were behind that flow of
disinformation. But on 13 April Iran’s Oil Minister [Bizhan Namdar-]
Zanganeh announced that a contract on the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline is
already ready and he will soon visit Armenia for signing it. Saying that
the volumes of Iranian gas supplies are limited by 1,500m cu.m.
annually, Zanganeh in fact confirmed that the constructed pipeline will
not be a transit one. That is, Armenia is withdrawn from this
international programme just the same way as it was withdrawn from other
international and regional programmes. As a result of it, the Armenians
will be deprived of those significant sums that would be charged for
transit, and of many jobs, and it is even more tragic that Armenia will
be sidelined from all international interests.

As can be seen, the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline will also be under
Russia’s control as Russia’s Itera will be the gas pipeline’s operator.
We do not accuse Russia, we accuse its Armenian stooges: Kocharyan and
his administration who betrayed our national interests. Nevertheless, it
is obvious that Russia’s diplomatic position on this gas pipeline is
based not only on its aspiration to preserve its monopoly on gas
supplies to Europe, but also on its aim to establish deeper relations
with the Turks and Azerbaijanis. The point is that the Russians also
know that the Central Asia-Iran-Europe pipeline will be undoubtedly
constructed. And if not via Armenia, it may be constructed via Turkey or
Azerbaijan.

So withdrawing Armenia from the regional and international cooperation
programmes, as well as from the Central Asia-Iran-Europe gas pipeline
system, Russia simply cooperates with Turkey and Azerbaijan in the issue
of sidelining Armenia from the world processes. So we can say that the
“national” socialist Dashnaks and the law-abiding persons who have
turned the National Assembly into barracks, headed by Kocharyan, are
handing the strategic interests of Armenia to the Turks on a plate. And
today’s opposition, at its mass rallies, is obliged to disclose this
crime along with other crimes of the Kocharyan administration that
flouts the interests of the Armenian people and statehood.

5. ARMENIAN INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION UP 10.5% IN Q1

Source: Interfax, April 19 2004

Industrial production in Armenia in the first quarter 2004 increased
10.5% year-on-year to 69.5 million dram, not including industrial
production in the electricity sector, Economic Development and Trade
Minister Ashot Shakhnazarian told journalists.

He said that the mining and diamond cutting industries accounted for the
largest share in industrial production in the reporting period.

The minister said that exports of industrial products from Armenia
increased 27% year-on-year to amount to 43.2 million dram in the first
quarter this year. The official exchange rate on April 16 was 558.16
dram to the dollar.

6. DEVELOPMENT BANK LOOKS EAST TO AID POOR NATIONS

International Herald Tribune, April 20, 2004

LONDON With the most advanced economies in the former Communist bloc set
to join the European Union next month, the multinational bank that was
set up to aid the transition to capitalism said Monday that it would pay
greater attention to poorer countries farther to the east.

The agency, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, will
not immediately cease operations in the eight Central and Eastern
European countries that, along with Malta and Cyprus, are set to join
the EU on May 1, 2004. But in those countries, the bank’s “role should
naturally fall away over the years to come,” said Prime Minister Tony
Blair of Britain, who addressed the agency’s annual meeting in London on
Monday.

The development bank, which operates in 27 countries, said Monday that
it had created a new program aimed at increasing its lending in seven of
the poorest ones – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Kyrgyz Republic,
Moldova, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan – where more than 50 percent of the
population lives below the poverty line.

In those countries, governments are too indebted to raise new financing,
and foreign investors are often unwilling to enter, given the myriad
risks – not least, in countries such as Uzbekistan, where George Soros
and other investors have complained of a woeful human rights record.
Meanwhile, the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, and the subsequent ouster
of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan – which borders on two of the seven
countries, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan – heightened the awareness in some
Western capitals of the strategic importance of former Soviet Central
Asia, in particular.

Jean Lemierre, the bank’s president, who was elected to a second
four-year term on Monday by the bank’s board, said the bank would step
up its efforts to finance small businesses, cross-border trade and
small-scale infrastructure projects, among other things.

“The bank is ready to take on the financial as well as reputational risk
as we seek to invest more in countries at the earlier stages of
transition,” Lemierre said.

The bank said it aimed to increase its combined investment in the seven
countries to about E150 million, or $181 million, a year from the
current E90 million. Because its investments typically result in
additional private-sector activity, the bank said it expected the
overall effect to be greater than that.

The bank will take on added risk in part by adhering to local law,
rather than international law, in some of its investments in the seven
countries. Bankers said that should not pose a threat to the bank’s
financial health because the activities in the seven poorest countries
account for only a fraction of the overall investments; the bank made
E3.7 billion worth of new investments last year.

Yet new lending in the seven poorest countries had actually been
dwindling. By 2002, said Michael McCulloch, a consultant to the bank on
its new initiative, these countries were actually paying more to service
previous commitments to the bank than they were receiving in new
investment flows.

In the relatively well-to-do Eastern and Central European countries that
are joining the EU, the agency has typically invested in large projects,
often in cooperation with private-sector lenders. With their financial
markets gained in depth and breadth, domestic and regional banks lend to
smaller borrowers. But the seven poorest countries have few lenders
willing to finance projects in the E500, 000 to E2 million range, the
bank said, yet these will be crucial to the development of their
economies.

As the bank shifts its emphasis a bit to the east, its horizon is
growing. Jean-Claude Juncker, the chairman of its board of governors and
prime minister of Luxembourg, urged other governors to complete the
process of accepting Mongolia as a country of operation for the bank.
The United States, among others, has already approved Mongolia as a
country of operation.


*******************************************
CENN INFO
Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN)

Tel: ++995 32 92 39 46
Fax: ++995 32 92 39 47
E-mail: info@cenn.org
URL:

www.cenn.org

ANCA Welcomes Canada’s Recognition of the Armenian Genocide

Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th St. NW Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: anca@anca.org
Internet:

PRESS RELEASE
April 21, 2004
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

ANCA WELCOMES CANADA’S RECOGNITION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

— NATO Members Joins Growing Number of Nations
Officially Recognizing Turkey’s Crime Against Humanity

— Praises ANC of Canada for Success in Two Decade-Long Effort

OTTAWA, CANADA – With an overwhelmingly favorable vote of 153 to 68
in Parliament today, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
member Canada joined the growing number of nations that have
formally recognized the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA).

The motion reads, simply “That this House acknowledges the Armenian
genocide of 1915 and condemns this act as a crime against
humanity.’

“Armenians in America and throughout the world welcome this
historic step by Canada,” said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director
of the ANCA. “The Canadian Parliament, in rejecting intense
Turkish government pressure, took an important step in further
isolating Turkey for its shameful, international campaign of
genocide denial.”

Today’s action, which followed yesterday’s second reading of the
Armenian Genocide Resolution, Bill M-380, is the culmination of
more than twenty years of work by the Armenian National Committee
of Canada, (ANCC) in Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and
throughout the country. An ANCC team has been in the nation’s
capital for the past several weeks representing the community’s
views on this matter.

Bill M-380 was introduced last year by Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral
(Bloc Québecois), seconded by Sarkis Assadurian (Liberal), Alexa
McDonogugh (National Democratic Party), Jason Kenney (Conservative
Party). On February 21st, the Parliament held its first reading,
which included an hour of debate on the measure. Among those
speaking in favor of the Resolution during the first reading were
Derek Lee (Liberal), Eleni Bakopnaos (Liberal), Francine Lalonde
(BQ), Stockwell Day (PC) and the Hon, Lorne Nystrom (NDP).

The governing Liberal leadership paved the way for this vote by
allowing a “free vote,” meaning that individual members are allowed
to vote their conscience, without any pressure or negative
repercussions from their respective party leaderships.

#####

www.anca.org

Sara Corning Event on Parliament Hill

PRESS RELEASE
Office of Sarkis Assadourian M.P.
120 Confederation
House of Commons, Ottawa, Canada
Contact: Daniel Kennedy
Tel: 613 995 4843

Press Release
Ottawa April 21, 2004

M.P. Sarkis Assadourian, Hosts Reception Honouring Sara Corning
Saviour of Smyrna’s Orphans

Mr. Sarkis Assadourian (Brampton Centre, Lib.): Chairman of the
Canada-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship Group today hosted a reception
on Parliament Hill, to honour the memory of Sara Corning.

Sara Corning a native of Nova Scotia was responsible for the rescue of
thousands of, Armenian children, from the port of Smyrna in the summer
of 1922. The orphans, survivors of the Genocide at the hands of the
Ottoman Turks were evacuated to Greece with Corning’s assistance.

Guests at the event had the opportunity to view photographs and
documents from The Yarmouth County Museum in Nova Scotia illustrating
the valiant efforts of Sara Corning on behalf of the Armenian orphans.
The photographs evoked the terrible suffering of the children but also
spoke of their tremendous courage and strength of spirit as they
played with rag dolls or learned sewing and weaving skills at the
orphanage.

The highlight of the event saw the relatives of Sarah Corning receive
an enunciate from His Holiness Karikian ll, Catholocos of All Armenia,
honouring the efforts of their ancestor on behalf of the Armenian
orphans the eunnciate presented by His Emminence Bishop Kalestian
Bagrat Primate Armenian Apostolic Church Canadian Diocese

Greg Sarkissian Chairperson of the Zorian Institute announced that the
institute will soon publish a history of the life of Sara Corning

“I am thrilled to be able to share in this wonderful celebration of
Sara Corning an unsung hero of Armenians everywhere. A Canadian who’s
efforts on behalf of the orphans of Smyrna are a remarkable chapter of
history”, said Assadourian.
-30-
For further information contact: Daniel Kennedy 613-995-4843

Canada: Historic Vote in House of Commons Recognizes Arm. Genocide

PRESS RELEASE
Office of Sarkis Assadourian M.P.
120 Confederation
House of Commons, Ottawa, Canada
Contact: Daniel Kennedy
Tel: 613 995 4843

Breaking News.

Canadian Parliament passes historic recognition of the Armenian
Genocide by a massive margin of 153 to 68.

Motion M-380 seconded by Sarkis Assadourian, M.P. Brampton Centre won
the resounding approval of the House of Commons. The successful
motion called on the House of Commons to acknowledge the Armenian
Genocide of 1915 and condemn this act as crime against humanity.

CBC: Canadian Parliament recognizes Armenian genocide

CBC News

Canadian Parliament recognizes Armenian genocide
Last Updated Wed, 21 Apr 2004 22:39:42

OTTAWA – The House of Commons has reversed a long-standing policy and
passed a resolution denouncing the Turks for committing genocide
against Armenians in 1915.

The vote passed easily, 153-68.

The motion said: “That this House acknowledges the Armenian genocide
of 1915 and condemns this act as a crime against humanity.”

Armenian Canadians hold a vigil after the vote

For decades consecutive Canadian governments have dodged the sensitive
issue by calling what happened in eastern Turkey a “tragedy,” stopping
well short of referring to the events as “genocide.”

In 1915, during the First World War, Turkish troops put down an
Armenian uprising. Armenians say about 1.5 million people were killed
by the Ottoman Turks, during a brutal eight year campaign.

Turkey has always fought attempts by Armenians and international human
rights organizations to have the events declared a
genocide. Previously, Ankara has warned countries contemplating
similar action that there would be negative consequences. In some
cases business contracts have been held up or denied.

In 2001 France backed the Armenian case. Ankara responded by freezing
official visits to France and temporarily blocking French companies
from competing for defence contracts.

The U.S. dropped a similar resolution a year earlier after the White
House warned it could hurt U.S. security interests.

Before Wednesday’s vote in Parliament, Foreign Affairs Minister Bill
Graham issued a statement saying “Canada has had friendly and
co-operative relations with Turkey and Armenia for many years. The
Canadian government is committed to make these relationships even
stronger in the future.”

The Turkish Embassy in Ottawa says it is drafting a response.

Written by CBC News Online bstaff

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2004/04/21/canada/armenia040421

Armenian Gays get Organised

Institute for War and Peace
Armenian Gays get Organised

A self-help group is a tentative step towards getting society to recognize
homosexuals.

By Zhanna Alexanian in Yerevan (CRS No. 228, 21-Apr-04)

Eight gay men and a transsexual met in a Yerevan café recently to discuss
plans to form what will be Armenia’s first gay and lesbian rights
organisation and start to lift the taboo on homosexuality in the country.

None of them were from the capital. Although invited, Yerevan homosexuals
declined to attend the first meeting. Those who did show up were from four
other Armenian cities: Gyumri, Idjevan, Goris, and Echmiadzin.

The gathering was prompted by an announcement posted on the website of the
Association of Gay and Lesbian Armenians of France, calling on the gay
community in the home country to get together and discuss how to best
protect their rights.

“We formed a group we called the Self-Help Group, Grigor Simonian, a
23-year-old gay man from Gyumri, told IWPR. “We must come out and openly
admit we’re gay. How can we complain, or assert our lifestyle, unless we
publicly admit we’re gay?”

But the majority of Armenian gays and lesbians think it is too early to
institutionalise themselves, as neither the wider community, nor they
themselves, are ready. They say the first goal is to foster awareness and
tolerance in society at large. “They must accept us for what we are,
acolytes of same-sex love,” said Grigor. “We must embrace our true
identities. It’s our life, and no one has the right to interfere.”

Armenian gays and lesbians find each other on the internet, but many are
then too afraid to meet in person. For many, furtive emails are their first
attempts to come out of the closet.

“I was brave enough to take charge of organisational matters,” Grigor said.
“I feel no need to hide the fact I’m gay, but no need to flaunt it either.”

Grigor said the main reason he initiated the self-help group was his
determination to overcome his own fear and shame. But even he has not told
his parents that he is homosexual. After graduating from the sociology
department at Yerevan State University, Grigor lives and works in Gyumri,
where he has been living in a rented apartment, separately from his parents,
for the last five years.

When his parents inquired about his frequent trips to Yerevan, Grigor did
tell them that he goes there to organise gay and lesbian gatherings. “They
think I’m doing this out of my excessive organisational zeal. I’m not going
to tell them more than that. They’d be very upset.” Gyumri is a city where
conservative traditions are very deeply rooted.

Grigor is pessimistic about the likelihood of Armenian society ever
accepting homosexuals. “As a nation, we have zero tolerance for men and
women who do not procreate. This cannot be changed, not even if all the
barriers – intellectual and other – are removed,” he said, wistfully.

But a self-help group may be just what Armenian gays and lesbians need at
the moment. The more people join, the more secure and accepted they will
feel. At the same time they are receiving information about sexual health
and HIV/AIDS.

Grigor is convinced a sense of togetherness will make gay and lesbian
Armenians feel much better. More and more people are attending the
gatherings. The third meeting drew some 50 participants, including 15
lesbians and transsexuals from Yerevan. The organisation has not been
formally founded, but the participants say that is the next step.

Gays and lesbians say they have always had a hard time in Armenia in the
face of deep-rooted prejudice and bias. “Although I have never experienced
violence, I often find threatening notes on my door when I come home.
Threats are a part of our daily lives,” said Grigor.

In August 2003 Armenia abolished an article in its penal code prescribing
severe punishment for male homosexuals. The infamous Article 116 recommended
five-year prison sentences for men found guilty of homosexuality.

Although the article had not been applied since 1998, seven men were sent to
prison under Article 116 in 1996, and four each in 1997 and 1998. In effect,
as long as homosexuality remained a criminal offence, a gay and lesbian
rights organisation was out of the question.

Armenian gays and lesbians say that the abolition of Article 116 has removed
a key justification for seeking asylum in foreign countries. But many still
complain of police brutality and complain they are not treated on an equal
footing with other citizens.

Aram, 19, an artist and teacher, said he had been humiliated and beaten up
frequently by his peers since they found out he was gay. “They go around in
groups, and it’s useless to talk to them,” Aram said. “When your paths
cross, it is almost impossible to avoid a conflict.”

Few gays ever report offences against them to the police, fearing their
families will be notified. The new self-help group hopes to offer advice and
protection for vulnerable people. At the moment their only feeble recourse
to justice is through international non-government organisations, NGOs.

Christine Mardirossian, human rights officer at the Yerevan office of the
Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, told IWPR her office
has not received any complaints from individual gays or lesbians.

The Armenian Helsinki Group is probably the only local NGO that gays and
lesbians trust. They frequently involve the NGO and its head, Michael
Danielian, in their troubles.

“They call me when they get in trouble with the police. I go and bail them
out,” Danielian told IWPR. He cited about two dozen cases when the police,
knowing that someone is gay, have tried to extort money from him. Danielian
said gay people much prefer to pay rather than let the police inform their
families and employers they were gay, and bear the stigma.

Homosexuals face a tough time when they do military service, said Danielian.
“Once, a whole regiment went without food for several days, because they did
not want to sit at the same table with a homosexual,” said Danielian. The
taboo against homosexuality is so strong that if a conscript openly admits
he is homosexual, then his tableware is kept separately and gay soldiers are
not allowed to do any kitchen work, cook or handle food.

Another problem is that army doctors have been known to send conscripts to
mental institutions after “diagnosing” them with homosexuality, after which
they are exempted from military service.

“I believe homosexual men have the right to do their civic duty and serve in
the military,” Danielian said. “But fellow soldiers and officers must learn
to treat them with respect. They are regular citizens just like the rest of
us.”

Zhanna Alexanian is a reporter for the ArmeniaNow.com weekly Web bulletin

Remember, recall and pass on family history

The Corvallis Gasette
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
Remember, recall and pass on family history

By ROBERT CLARK

I enjoy genealogy and have worked with my parents and in-laws to assemble
information about my children’s family tree. I always felt it was important
that future generations hear and understand our family history. Little did I
know how true this would be.

One day I noticed gaps in my mother’s family tree. Since she was of Armenian
descent, I assumed poor recordkeeping was to blame. Then about 10 years ago,
I learned of a genocide directed at the Armenian people by the Turks during
the late 1800s and World War I. The reason for the hole in my family tree
dawned on me: Some of them never made it out.

Two years ago, I attended a lecture by Richard Hovannisian during Oregon
State University’s “Holocaust Memorial Week.” During the question-and-answer
session, I asked why family members – who must have seen these killings –
did not speak of it. His response was that other family members remained in
Armenia, and they feared reprisals for speaking out. This fear remained
strong 40, 50 even 60 years after they left Armenia. An Armenian woman in
the audience stood up and echoed those sentiments. Fear bred silence, and
silence shrouded our family’s past in mystery.

That brings us to 2004. My mother sadly passed away in May of 2003 and with
her, a chance to hear more of what her father had seen and done. Only three
children of the witnesses are alive in my family, and all are in poor
health. Through my uncle (the youngest of the remaining) I found a direct
link to the killings in 1895.

My grandfather lived on a farm near Mount Ararat and saw things firsthand.
He decided to immigrate to the United States with his immediate family,
traveling at night to board a ship bound for Ellis Island. From what I can
tell, my grandfather mentioned what he saw only once before his untimely
passing in 1944.

I have two purposes for writing this. First is to encourage the reader to
use every opportunity to learn about your heritage, no matter what you might
find out. Ask question, take notes, read letters, look at photo albums, ask
more questions. Future generations need to know this history, and when the
firsthand sources are gone, they’re gone. I regret not making a more
concerted attempt to talk with my mother. Don’t let fear stop this worthy
process.

Second, April 24 has been marked as Armenian Remembrance Day. Please take a
few moments to remember those killed during the first genocide of the 20th
century, the prototype for the Jewish holocaust. Though my family was
impacted 20 years earlier, during the first Armenian “cleansing” in 1895,
those killings set the stage for events in 1915.

Do not let fear and silence be your family’s hallmark. Tell your history.
Remember, and then act.

Robert Clark of Corvallis owns Dixon Creek Software.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress