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OSCE Minsk Group Calls on Both Sides to Cease Military Action Along Line of Contact

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MOSCOW/VIENNA/WASHINGTON (A.W.)—On July 5, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group Co-Chairs—Ambassador Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, Ambassador Stephane Visconti of France, and Ambassador Richard Hoagland of the United States—released a statement calling on both the Armenian and Azerbaijani sides to cease military action along the Artsakh-Azerbaijan Line of Contact (LoC).

On July 5, the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairsreleased a statement calling on both the Armenian and Azerbaijani sides to cease military action along the Artsakh-Azerbaijan LoC.

“Violence only begets further violence and accomplishes nothing,” read part of the statement. “The only responsible and humane way to resolve this long-standing conflict is for the sides to return to the negotiation table in good faith.”

The Co-Chairs also extended their condolences to the families of the victims.

Following the statement, Armenian Foreign Minister held phone conversations with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs and Personal Representative of the Chairperson-in-Office Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk.

According to Armenian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Tigran Babayan, Nalbandian discussed the Azerbaijani provocations that took place on July 4 at the Artsakh-Azerbaijani Line of Contact (LoC), as well as its consequences. “During phone conversations with OSCE [Minsk Group] co-chairs, FM Nalbandian presented the situation after Azerbaijan provocation,” Babayan tweeted.

In the evening of July 4, the Artsakh Ministry of Defense announced that Artsakh Defense Army forces had responded to Azerbaijan’s shelling of Armenian positions earlier in the evening. According to a statement issued by the Artsakh Ministry of Defense, the Azerbaijani side suffered human losses and a military post in the Azerbaijani village of Alghanlu was damaged.

 


Amnesty International Turkey Director, Seven Other Human Rights Defenders Detained in Istanbul

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Amnesty Secretary General Calls for Their Immediate and Unconditional Release

LONDON, U.K. (Amnesty International)—Idil Eser, the Director of Amnesty International Turkey, was detained on June 5 along with seven other human rights defenders and two trainers during a digital security and information management workshop in Büyükada, Istanbul.

Idil Eser (Photo: Amnesty International)

“We are profoundly disturbed and outraged that some of Turkey’s leading human rights defenders, including the Director of Amnesty International Turkey should have been detained so blatantly without cause,” said Amnesty International’s Secretary General Salil Shetty.

Shetty called the detention a “grotesque abuse of power” and said that the arrests highlight the dangerous situation facing human rights activists in Turkey. “Idil Eser and those detained with her, must be immediately and unconditionally released,” Shetty said.

“World leaders currently sitting in Hamburg have been remarkably tolerant of Turkey’s human rights meltdown. With President [Recep Tayyip] Erdoğan now in their midst, this would be a good time to speak out firmly and call for the release of all human rights defenders currently behind bars,” Shetty added.

The whereabouts of Idil Eser and the others detained alongside her are currently unknown.

Idil Eser and the other detainees, are understood to have been denied access to lawyers, which police are entitled to do for 24 hours, and the right to contact a family member, which must be granted immediately.

Police have told lawyers that they will be given information at 2: 30 p.m.

In addition to Idil Eser, the seven human rights defenders detained were: İlknur Üstün, Women’s Coalition, Günal Kurşun , lawyer, Human Rights Agenda Association, Nalan Erkem, Lawyer, Citizens Assembly, Nejat Taştan, Equal Rights Watch Association , Özlem Dalkıran, Citizens’ Assembly, Şeyhmuz Özbekli, lawyer, Veli Acu, Human Rights Agenda Association.

Two foreign trainers—a German and a Swedish national—as well as the hotel owner, were also detained.

“The United States is deeply concerned by the July 5, detention of prominent human rights defenders from Amnesty International Turkey and other respected institutions,” read a statement released by U.S. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert. “As with past arrests of prominent human rights defenders, journalists, academics, and activists, we underscore the importance of respecting due process and individual rights, as enshrined in the Turkish Constitution, and consistent with Turkey’s own international commitments. As we have expressed on numerous occasions, persistent curbs on freedom of expression erode the foundations of democratic society. More voices, not fewer, are necessary in challenging times,” continued the statement.

The detentions come less than a month after Amnesty International’s Turkey chair, Taner Kiliç, was remanded in prison custody on baseless charges.

 

Off the Beaten Path: The Caves of Armenia

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Special for the Armenian Weekly

Armenia is known for its ancient monasteries in the mountains, its historic brandy, and its warm-hearted hospitality—a small country in the southern Caucuses bridging Europe and Asia. It is a land of undiscovered natural beauty both above and below the ground.

Getting There

Most visitors to the country, fly into the capital city, Yerevan. Several reputable tour companies based in Yerevan offer rough-road and off-road touring and guiding.  Since I was traveling without equipment or transportation, DA Tours (Discover Armenia Tours) was an excellent choice to lead my personalized trip to one of the best caves in Armenia: Mozrov Cave.

Mozrov Cave along with Arjer (meaning “Bear”) Cave and several others in the area are located in the Vayots Dzor province, in the southern part of Armenia, located near the village of Areni, about a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Yerevan. A great way to enjoy the region is to stay at the Areni Wine Art Bed and Breakfast (options for lunch and dinner) with some of the tastiest home-cooked food in all of Armenia.  Its knowledgeable owner, David Simonyan is always eager to lead sightseeing and hiking trips in the area.

Mozrov Cave along with Arjer Cave and several others in the area are located in the Vayots Dzor province (Photo: Carolyn Rapkievian)

Mozrov Cave

Vladimir Grigoryan, owner of DA Tours, provided hard-hats, head-lamps, and flashlights and we turned off the Yerevanyan Highway near the village of Arpi, crossed the Arpa River and ascended a dirt road to around 1560 meters with spectacular views of the valley along the way.

Vladimir Grigoryan, owner of DA Tours, provided hard-hats, head-lamps, and flashlights (Photo: H. Tadevosyan/AMAP)

Mozrov Cave was discovered in 1965 during road construction. The entrance partially collapsed due to heavy snowfall in 2012 but the cave is still accessible. This karst cave is about 300 meters in length and is one of Armenia’s most decorated caves.

Mozrov Cave was discovered in 1965 during road construction. (Photo: Carolyn Rapkievian)

We carefully descended, slipping under the protective tin plates covering the entrance and sliding down the dry, loose rubble.  We soon encountered flowstone, stalactites, stalagmites and columns, pristine popcorn, cave coral, active soda straws, bacon-rind, and draperies.  I was heartened to discover that there was very little evidence of vandalism or damage.  The cave is ideal for intermediate-level recreational cavers on their own and novice cavers with a guide.

Mozrov Cave (Photo: H. Tadevosyan, AMAP)

Mozrov Cave (Photo: H. Tadevosyan, AMAP)

Mozrov Cave (Photo: H. Tadevosyan, AMAP)

Mozrov Cave (Photo: H. Tadevosyan, AMAP)

Mozrov Cave (Photo: H. Tadevosyan, AMAP)

Mozrov Cave (Photo: H. Tadevosyan, AMAP)


Underground and Beyond

Many other caves in Armenia are known for their historic and prehistoric habitation and religious uses. Nearby, in the Areni-1 cave complex, archeologists discovered the world’s oldest known shoe (5,500 years old) and the world’s earliest-known (6,100 years old) wine making. The human remains, fermentation vats, a wine press, and storage jars clearly point to a sacred religious use of the cave.  Tourists are not allowed in the cave but are welcome to explore the ancient cave settlement of Khndzoresk, located near the town of Goris and UNESCO World Heritage Site Geghard, a medieval monastery carved out of a mountain cave with a sacred spring that still flows inside the ancient sanctuary.

in the Areni-1 cave complex, archeologists discovered the world’s oldest known shoe (5,500 years old) and the world’s earliest-known (6,100 years old) wine making. (Photo: Carolyn Rapkievian)

Many of the local wineries still practice the ancient Armenian tradition of wine-making and are happy to take visitors to see their underground cellars–and of course celebrate a great day of caving with a toast!

Many of the local wineries still practice the ancient Armenian tradition of wine-making. (Photo: Carolyn Rapkievian)

 

 

Russia Criticizes Azerbaijan’s Travel Ban on Armenians from Russia

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MOSCOW, Russia (A.W.)— On July 5, Russia’s Foreign Ministry demanded Azerbaijani authorities to stop discriminating against Russian citizens with Armenian surnames arriving in the country.

On July 5, Russia’s Foreign Ministry demanded Azerbaijani authorities to stop discriminating against Russian citizens with Armenian surnames arriving in the country.

“We have to state that Russian citizens arriving in Azerbaijan are indeed subject to discrimination on ethnic grounds,” the Ministry said in a statement.

The Azerbaijani government has long maintained a travel ban for not only Armenia’s citizens but also ethnic Armenians from other countries. The country considers any Armenian presence in Azerbaijani a security risk and an insult to the country’s honor and territorial integrity.

Citing the Russian Foreign Ministry, Russian-based TASS news reported that 25 Russian citizens with Armenian surnames have been detained and subsequently deported after attempting to enter Azerbaijan in the past year. According to the TASS report, Azerbaijani authorities detained the Armenians for several hours—in some cases without providing them with food, water, and medical assistance—and then expelled them at their own expense.

The authorities cited the citizens’ Armenian surnames as the reason for the move,

but there were also cases where individuals with traditional Russian names suspected of having Armenian ancestors were also interrogated by officials.

The Ministry said that it has repeatedly demanded in official requests that Russia stop this practice, but that they have been told by Azerbaijan that the travel ban is necessary to avoid “undesirable incidents.” The Ministry considered the explanation unsatisfactory.

 

European Parliament Votes for Turkey EU Accession Talks to be Suspended

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MEP Kati Piri: ‘This Parliament Speaks with One, Clear, and Loud Voice in Condemning the Turkish Government’s Serious Decline in Democratic Standards…’

BRUSSELS, Belgium— Turkey’s European Union (EU) accession talks should be suspended if proposed changes to the constitution go ahead, as these go against EU membership criteria, warned Members of European Parliament (MEP) on July 6.

The resolution was approved by 477 votes to 64, with 97 abstentions.

The resolution was approved by 477 votes to 64, with 97 abstentions.

“MEPs are concerned about Turkey backsliding in the rule of law, human rights, media freedom, and the fight against corruption. They condemn the repeatedly declared support for the reintroduction of the death penalty by the Turkish President, which would put into question Turkey’s membership in the Council of Europe and lead to an immediate end of EU accession talks,” read a part of a report published by the European Parliament’s press service.

Taking note of the outcome of Turkey’s recent referendum and the expansion of presidential powers, the resolution calls on the EU Commission and the EU national governments “to formally suspend the accession negotiations with Turkey without delay if the constitutional reform package is implemented unchanged.”

MEPs also noted in their annual assessment of Turkey’s reform progress that 2016 was a difficult year for Turkey as a result of the war in Syria, the influx of refugees, a string of heinous terror attacks and a coup attempt. They condemned the coup attempt and expressed their solidarity with the people of Turkey, but at the same time condemned the Turkish government’s disproportionate response, resulting in large-scale dismissal of civil servants, the closing of media outlets, the arrest of journalists, judges and human rights defenders, and the closure of schools and universities.

The resolution also recognizes the importance of good EU-Turkey relations and maintaining a constructive and open dialogue. MEPs also supported upgrading the EU-Turkey Customs Union, asking for human rights and fundamental freedoms to be a part of a new agreement.

The European Parliament also called on Turkey to show active support for a rapid and successful conclusion to the negotiations and to start withdrawing its troops from Cyprus. “The European Parliament supports a fair, comprehensive, and viable settlement of the Cyprus problem, based on bi-communal and bi-zonal federation,” read a part of the report.

”This Parliament speaks with one, clear, and loud voice in condemning the Turkish government’s serious decline in democratic standards, and continues to support the Turkish population—millions of whom would like to continue to see the EU as an anchor for reforms in their country. Together with you [Turkish people] we hope “Adalet” (justice) will return to Turkey soon,” said MEP Kati Piri.

The European Parliament is planning to send an ad-hoc delegation to Ankara in the autumn with the aim of renewing parliamentary dialogue.

The procedure for suspending EU accession negotiations is set out in article 5 of the Negotiating Framework for Turkey. This stipulates that “in the case of a serious and persistent breach in Turkey of the principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and the rule of law on which the Union is founded, the Commission will, on its own initiative or on the request of one third of the Member States, recommend the suspension of negotiations and propose the conditions for eventual resumption”.

A Year After Joining Manchester United, Mkhitaryan is Only Getting Better

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It has been exactly a year since Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s transfer from Borussia Dortmund to Manchester United.  The Armenian star has definitely met expectations, even though Manchester United did not do as well as they hoped, finishing a dismal sixth in the Premier League standings.

While the finish was disappointing, the team did win the Europa League, which qualifies them for the Champions League next season.  Next year they will be looking to do a lot better in the Premier League and go far in the Champions League.

Mkhitaryan shared this image on Facebook account on June 6, the first anniversary of his Manchester United signing. (Photo: Henrikh Mkhitaryan Facebook)

The standout star of the team this year was Zlatan Ibrahimovic.  He scored 17 goals in 27 appearances and led his team time and time again. But sadly, for Manchester United fans, he will likely not be playing with their beloved next year.  He is 35 and is not getting any younger.  Chances are he will move to Major League Soccer (MLS) to finish his legendary career in North America.

Even though Ibrahimovic was the star, Mkhitaryan was a force to be reckoned with. He scored a total of 11 goals for United—four in the Premier League, one which included a scorpion kick contender for goal of the season. Mkhitaryan was probably the most flexible player in terms of positioning.  He played right wing, right-mid, center attacking mid, sole striker, and even played left back.  His favorite position is center attacking mid and not playing there was frustrating for the Armenian star as team Coach Jose Mourinho continued to mainly play Mkhitaryan in the right wing position.

Captain Wayne Rooney is slowing down because of his age (31) and is clearly not the player he used to be.  Manchester United signed a four-year contract with him in 2014 for 104 million euros.  Many feel that this was a rash decision because nobody can expect a player can stay at their peak through the age of 33.  He is a legend for Manchester United but it is clear that he cannot be a starter for the team anymore.  And by staying with Manchester United, he will end up hurting the club quite a bit. According to some reports, he will end up with rival club Everton.

Mkhitaryan can have a better season next year.  He will have a secured starting spot at the beginning of the season unlike last year.  He is in his prime and if Coach Mourinho gives him more chances, he will exceed expectations.  The Armenian sensation will definitely prove himself to be a worthy player in the Premier League.

 

AYF Summer 2017: A Hike to Remember

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The “AYF Summer 2017” section of the Armenian Weekly’s Youth page will highlight the 2017 summer programs of the Armenian Youth Federation – Youth Organization of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (AYF-YOARF) Eastern United States.

***

A Hike to Remember

By Chantelle Nasri, 2017 AYF Intern

Walking through corn stalks, climbing up rocky mountainsides, following beaten trails, all under the scorching heat of the Armenian countryside sun, the only way we would accomplish an 11-mile hike was by taking one step at a time. Often, it felt impossible and at times like there was no end. However, I can attribute our success of climbing the Tjokhki Tsor Mountain Range not only to my fellow interns but to the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) members of Yerevan as well.

‘I can attribute our success of climbing the Tjokhki Tsor Mountain Range not only to my fellow interns but to the AYF members of Yerevan as well.’

Approximately 40 of us took on the challenge of climbing this mountain range. Although not an easy trail, the difficulty of it was easily ignored as we bonded as a group. This excursion was different from the past two we participated in, since this was done alongside the AYF members of the Yerevan chapter.

Approximately 40 AYF members and interns took on the challenge of climbing the mountain range.

At first, the group of interns and AYF members of Yerevan were quite divided, but as we embarked on our adventure, we learned more about one another in which no barriers existed—including language. Once we reached our destination, the 11-mile hike and 8 hours under the scorching sun was the last of many things I will hold memorable to this experience.

‘The breathtaking scenery, in which a professional camera could not even capture, was a vision of Armenia that you will not fine anywhere on the internet.’

The breathtaking scenery, in which a professional camera could not even capture, was a vision of Armenia that you will not fine anywhere on the internet. The beauty and history that this country holds and the pride and love of its people is beyond imaginable.

‘Joining the AYF is no longer an option for me, but a responsibility for me to fulfill, living as an Armenian-American.’

My involvement in this summer’s AYF Eastern United States Internship is my very first interaction with the AYF on a worldwide scale. Two weeks into the program, as I grow closer to my fellow interns and meet the people of Armenia through these excursions, I am learning to grow to be more prideful of my heritage. These two weeks have shown me what it means to be a part of a community and just how powerful it can be. Joining the AYF is no longer an option for me, but a responsibility for me to fulfill, living as an Armenian-American.

Artsakh Commander Refutes Accusations of Shelling Civilians; MFA Says Azerbaijan Used Human Shields

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STEPANAKERT, Artsakh (A.W.)— On July 5, Lieutenant-General Levon Mnatsakanyan, Commander of Artsakh’s Defense Army, refuted Baku’s statements accusing the Armenian side of shelling peaceful settlements and killing innocent civilians.

Levon Mnatsakanyan (Photo: Photolure)

Mnatskanyan noted that the Artsakh Defense Army has never initiated any attack but has instead retaliated any provocations by Azerbaijan. He added that the statement by Azerbaijan regarding the death of civilians on July 4 was nothing more than a “cynical attempt to disorient the international community at the expense of the blood of innocent citizens.”

“The Defense Army of Artsakh never chose peaceful settlements as targets, which is inherent in our enemy. The target of our attacks was, and will continue to be, exclusively those military facilities, from where the enemy is firing the Armenian positions,” said Mnatskanyan. “It is unfortunate that the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan considers it natural to place its fire installations in peaceful settlements, and the practice of carrying off offensive actions from these firing points towards Artsakh positions.”

Lieutenant-General Mnatsakanyan also stressed that the placement of military facilities near villages by Azerbaijan is a gross violation of international law. He then called on the Azerbaijani forces to refrain from military action and to seek a solution around the negotiating table.

“Since the April aggression up to now, we have repeatedly drawn attention to the fact that the Azerbaijani side, in violation of all the norms of international humanitarian law, does not disdain to use its civilian population as a human shield for shelling the territory of Artsakh,” read part of a statement released by the Artsakh Foreign Ministry on July 5.

The statement also stressed the importance of the agreements reached at the summits of May 16, 2016 in Vienna and of June 20, 2016 in St. Petersburg aimed at the stabilization of the situation at the Line of Contact (LoC).

 

 


Sireli Unger Mark

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In Memory of Mark Alashaian

***

Sireli unger Mark,

To some, you were a stranger with a recognizable voice. To many, you were a peer, always ready with a funny story. To several, you were a mentor with an inspiring lesson. To all of us, you were an unger—a leader with a stern reprimand, an adviser with experience to share, a friend with a joke to get through a long day, a coach with a particularly difficult drill, and quite simply an unger. Your reprimands were not taken lightly, your experiences will be learned from by  generations to come, and your jokes will be repeated to get through the long days that lie ahead.

‘To all of us, you were an unger…’

Today’s generation of AYF-YOARF ungers was lucky to have learned a lot from you. We learned to respect our elders for their wealth of knowledge, our peers for what they have to share, our communities for they are our structure, and our nation for it is our future. We learned to give as much as we could and then give a little more. We learned to be leaders and not followers. We learned to question others no matter the circumstance. We learned that being tired is not an option when there is a job to be done. We learned to live life to the fullest and make every minute count. Some of us also learned a few choice words that we were not allowed to repeat…

Surely, there was more to learn and we are sorry to have missed those opportunities. Please know that your lessons will not be forgotten, your larger than life nature cannot be replicated, and your positive outlook will be something we continue to strive for.

Sireli unger,

Meetings with you were both excruciating and entertaining. Your genuine feedback to every suggestion was a refreshing example of honesty for many. The boards you sat on and the executives you chaired are simply a fraction of the work you accomplished over your years of service to the Armenian people. You constantly and consistently showed an unwavering dedication to the Armenian cause for which you fought day in and day out. This may be the most important lesson we learned. Our cause, our nation, and our purpose cannot wait and we, as ungers, have no right to make it wait.

Thank you for everything you have given us. We will continue to hear your voice and look for your guidance, sireli unger.

 

Sincerely,

Nairi Khachatourian

U.S. House May Vote to Block F-35 Sale to Turkey

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House Rules Committee Set to Consider Multiple Amendments Imposing Sanctions over Turkey’s May 16 Attacks on Peaceful Protesters

WASHINGTON—Political fallout from the May 16 attacks by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s security detail against peaceful protesters in Washington, D.C. continued into Congressional appropriations season, with the introduction of four amendments — by Representatives Dave Trott (R-Mich.), David Cicilline (D-R.I.), Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.), and Don Beyer (D-Va.) —to impose sanctions on Turkey, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

Representatives Dave Trott (R-MI), Don Beyer (D-Va.), David Cicilline (D-R.I.), and Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) have introduced amendments sanctioning Turkey for the Erdogan-ordered attacks against peaceful protesters in Washington, D.C. (Photo: ANCA)

“We welcome the leadership of Armenian Caucus Co-Chairman David Trott, House Foreign Affairs Committee members Dana Rohrabacher and David Cicilline, and Representative Don Beyer for offering amendments sanctioning Turkey over the May 16th attack by President Erdogan’s bodyguards against peaceful protesters in Washington, D.C.,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.  “We join with our Hellenic, Kurdish and Assyrian American friends and the full range of our coalition partners in looking forward to the House Rules Committee clearing these – and any other constructive amendments that may be offered – for timely consideration on the floor of the House, where we expect they will receive broad, bipartisan backing.”
Rep. Cicilline’s proposal would block a pending sale of F-35 jets to Turkey “until the President of the United States certifies that the Government of Turkey is cooperating with the criminal investigation and prosecution of Turkish Government employees involved in the assault on civilians in Washington, D.C.”  Rep. Cicilline has been outspoken in condemning the attacks, noting that “this was a particularly brazen act, on the heels of a highly publicized meeting with our President, and one has to wonder why President Erdogan felt so emboldened, that in the bright D.C. sunshine, in front of cameras and hundreds of people, he sent his attack dogs out.  As Secretary Tillerson said, this is simply unacceptable.”
Rep. Trott’s amendment would block the proposed sale of semi-automatic guns to Turkey, targeted for use by Erdogan’s security detail.  Rep. Trott and Rep. Pallone were recently joined by over 30 House members, including House Intelligence Committee Chairman and Ranking Democrat Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), respectively, in calling on Secretary of State Tillerson to block the sale.  House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-Calif.) and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Democrat Ben Cardin (D-Md.) were among the first to express concerns about the pending sale.
Rep. Rohrabacher’s amendment would prohibit the transfer of U.S. defense articles to Turkey and, instead, make them available to Kurdish Peshmerga forces, who have played an instrumental role in the battle against the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL).  Rep. Rohrabacher, who serves as Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, presided over the hearings spotlighting the Erdogan-ordered attacks in May.
Rep. Beyer’s amendment would ban Erdogan’s security forces who took part in the May 16th attack from securing U.S. visas for future travel to the United States.  Rep. Beyer has been outspoken in condemning the brutal beatings, calling for the expulsion of the Turkish Ambassador to the U.S. and signing multiple Congressional letters condemning the attacks.
These proposed measures—part of over 300 amendments to the National Defense Authorization Bill—are scheduled to be first considered by the House Rules Committee on July 12.  Amendments approved by the Committee will then be taken up on the House floor as early as Thursday of next week.
The ANCA’s Hamparian captured live videotape at the scene of the May 16th attack, which took place in front of the Turkish Ambassador’s residence, where President Erdogan was scheduled to have a closed-door meeting with representatives of The Atlantic Council, a think-tank in Washington, D.C., which receives Turkish funding. Hamparian’s video served as source footage for CNN, AP, and other news outlets, transforming a violent incident into a global spotlight on Turkey’s violence, intolerance, and aggression.
Hamparian testified before a May 25 Foreign Affairs Subcommittee hearing on this matter. Joining him at the hearing were Ms. Lusik Usoyan, Founder and President of the Ezidi Relief Fund; Mr. Murat Yusa, a local businessman and protest organizer; and Ms. Ruth Wedgwood, Edward B. Burling Professor of International Law and Diplomacy, at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. Usoyan and Yusa were victims of the brutal assault on May 16th by President Erdogan’s bodyguards.
On June 6, with a vote of 397 to 0, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously condemned Turkey’s attack, taking a powerful stand against Ankara’s attempts to export its violence and intolerance to America’s shores. H.Res.354, spearheaded by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-Calif.), Ranking Democrat Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), has received the public backing of House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.). A companion measure has been introduced in the Senate by Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.).
The House vote followed broad-based Congressional outrage expressed by over 100 Senate and House members through public statements, social media, and a series of Congressional letters.
On June 16, U.S. law enforcement issued 18 arrest warrants – including a dozen against Turkish President Recep Erdogan’s bodyguards – in connection to the May 16thattacks.  Two Turkish-Americans have already been arrested for assault, and two Turkish Canadians have also been charged.  During a June 15th press conference, Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Police Chief Peter Newsham detailed the exhaustive investigation carried out by the Metropolitan Police Department and other law enforcement agencies leading to the arrest warrants.
Mayor Bowser condemned the attacks, calling them an “affront to our values as Washingtonians and as Americans and it was a clear assault on the first amendment.”
Chief Newsham explained, “We have dignitaries that are in and out of this city on a daily basis. Rarely have I seen, in my almost 28 years of policing, the type of thing that I saw on Sheridan Circle on that particular day.  You had peaceful demonstrators that were physically assaulted and the message to folks who are going to come to our city either from another state or from another country is that’s not going to be tolerated in Washington, D.C.”
In response to a question from The Armenian Weekly, Chief Newsham acknowledged that investigators are looking into the role of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the May 16th attack, but indicated that, despite the available video and other evidence, there is not yet sufficient probable cause to seek his arrest.

Three Armenian Servicemen Wounded at Line of Contact

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STEPANAKERT, Artsakh (A.W.)—On July 7, at around 9 a.m., Azerbaijani forces violated the ceasefire at the southern section of the Line of Contact (LoC), wounding three Armenian servicemen—Robert N. Gasparyan (b. 1969), Hambardzum K. Harutyunyan (b. 1997), and Vahe G. Badalyan (b. 1998).

Artsakh Defense Army troops (Photo: artsakh.org.uk)

The Azerbaijani military used various different caliber weapons, including mortars, grenades, and D-30 and D-44 cannons.

The Artsakh Defense Army took retaliatory measures to suppress the Azerbaijani offensive, the Artsakh Defense Ministry said in a statement. The Ministry added that the Azerbaijani military leadership bears full responsibility for destabilizing the situation at the LoC.

 

Mark Alashaian: In Memoriam

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The following is adapted from remarks delivered on July 5, at Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Apostolic Church, Ridgefield, N.J.

***

As I drove to church this evening, I was frankly amazed by what I saw: throngs of people, assembled in lines that stretched outside and around the block. It was if the Mayor of Ridgefield had passed! Crazy perhaps, but ultimately fitting, because Mark was, in a sense, the mayor of our community. He seemingly knew everyone, had dealings with everyone, and through his hard work and commitment, drew the love and respect of nearly everyone.

Mark Alashaian

I could tell you a hundred stories about Mark—some funny, some serious, some absurd, some uplifting, and more. I could share also my personal reflections of how he started as my athletic competitor, and gradually became my friend, colleague, unger, and finally, like a brother to me.

But I won’t go there, because as I look out upon those assembled here, I see dozens of people who knew Mark as well as I, if not better. I look forward to hearing all of your memories and reflections tomorrow, at the hokejash.

For the moment, I’d rather focus on those things that made Mark special, that make him worth celebrating—as a person, as a family man, and especially as a leader of our community. In the end, he was someone who made all of our lives better.

For most of us, the tendency is to view Mark as an immovable object. He had a strong personality with many likes and dislikes, mannerisms, a wicked sense of humor, unflagging loyalty to his friends and beliefs, and certainly many quotable (and unquotable) lines.

I now believe it’s a disservice to view him as an immovable object. Why? Because over 45+ years, I also saw a trajectory of growth, a continual expansion of his horizons and worldview. Let me explain.

Like many of our peers, we met playing sports, especially basketball, at an early age. But by our early teens, if not before, Mark developed into something else. He wasn’t just a gym-rat; he became something like a general manager of a ballclub—almost like the famous Red Auerbach. With his unique swagger and salesmanship, he began talking about how to organize players, teams, and schedules. He would brag especially about the great new players he would “discover” for the St. Illuminator’s basketball team. While these players sometimes weren’t all that great, in fact, Mark’s swagger and promotional sense left the rest of us reacting and off-balance.

As he grew into young adulthood, he became increasingly keen to community dynamics. He took pride in knowing who came from what family, who was a Malatiatsi, Kharpertsi, or Dikranagertsi, and over time enjoyed getting to know the community in all of its color and diversity. While he began as a dyed-in-the-wool Amerigahai, he gradually worked side-by-side with Armenians of all stripes—Beirutsis, Bargsgahais, people from our Dashnak community, people from the “other side,” and more. What’s more, he enjoyed it, absorbed it, took it all in.

Later, as he developed experience in the corporate world, Mark moved to another level. A born recruiter (which in fact became his profession), he had an uncanny sense of who to plug in where, and how to create a division of labor in our community activities. As time went on, he also took to building things—golf tournaments, raffles, cigar night fundraisers and more—that could create income streams and bases of support for our various organizations. Over time, a once-boisterous young man became less and less interested in winning arguments, and more and more interested in building things of lasting value.

But it didn’t stop there: He also grew and matured in other ways. In recent years, he joined groups like Homenetmen—which we couldn’t have imagined joining in the turbulent ‘70s and ‘80s, when there were culture clashes in our community and when we viewed such groups as Middle Eastern entities that had been “imported” into our community. By the early 2000s, Mark not only engaged with the Homenetmen, he embraced it and became a vital cog in its regional athletic programs up until today.

As he developed a family, Mark’s experience of parenting led him to value the importance of mentorship. Hence his various efforts—as coach, as youth advisor, or as “big brother”—in which he gravitated toward nurturing the youth growing up in our communities. In this, he reminded me greatly of another stalwart in New Jersey, someone who played a formative role for many of us a generation ago. That was the late Vaghinag Koroghlian. Both men truly enjoyed working with kids. Yes, it was hard work, but it was also their pride and joy. They absolutely loved it! And it showed in the level of satisfaction they took in their work.

Finally, in his later years—perhaps affected by a sense of his own mortality—Mark began to think about legacy, about what he would leave behind. Just the other day, we were speaking about his latest meeting with Camp Haiastan’s Board of Directors, where they reviewed a proposal to deliver two lectures to the campers about the history of the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) Olympics. Mind you, no one was more devoted to the Olympics than Mark. But in this case, his sense of proportion and priority was offended. “Two lectures about the AYF Olympics? Really? Isn’t one enough?” he exclaimed. “I also want my kids to learn about Karabagh, Javakhk, about the history of our country. That stuff is really important.” Again, these were comments we might not have heard 25 years ago. But I heard them now.

***

When I heard the news of Mark’s passing, I issued a primal scream. Literally. It felt like a big punch in the gut. From a community standpoint, this wasn’t just any loss; it was as if something had been torn away from our collective body. I’m sure others feel this way also.

But then I wondered, “Why? Why do I feel this way?” I mean, here was someone with serious health issues, who had already cheated death at least once. So, why all the commotion, surprise, pain, and anger? Now it’s clear to me. It’s because Mark intertwined with so many lives; because he was there—in a tangible way—for so many people; because there was so much he was involved in, on a daily basis. It’s simply amazing to recount all the activities he was meaningfully involved in. In fact, there were all sorts of plans still unfinished… I feel as if, in some way, he was just hitting his stride.

So how do we begin to compensate for the loss of this massive presence in our community? And how do we properly honor the legacy of our fallen unger? If you know Mark, the answer is simple: Pick up a shovel and get to work. If we want to honor his memory, then stop the excuses, get involved, and demand more of yourself. Do something, even if it isn’t at Mark’s high level. Our community’s life depends on your involvement, and it doesn’t matter how. Write a check, send your kids to Camp Haiastan, work for Hai Tahd, our church, and our community organizations. If each of us takes a piece, we will do Mark proud, and begin to fill the void he has left.

On behalf of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), let me offer our heartfelt condolences to Mark’s wife Nicole, his sons Armen and Shant, brother Richard and wife Vana, brother Avedis and wife Meganoush, his mother Rosemary, and the entire extended Alashaian and Stepanian families. Please understand that we are here for you, just as Mark was there for so many of us. May he rest in peace.

 

Unseen Armenia: Varagavank, Nor Varagavank

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Holy Cross of Varag Day

In third century A.D. on Varag Mountain, on the south shore of Lake Van in Western Armenia, Saint Hripsime and her maidens were fleeing the persecution of Christians by the Byzantine Empire. There they hid a piece of the Holy Cross from the pursuing soldiers.  Later, in 650 AD, the fragment of the cross was found by the Armenian hermit Todik. To commemorate this event Catholicos Nerses proclaimed the nearest Sunday to Sept. 20 to be the Feast of the Holy Cross of Varag.

Varagavank, with staff and students, Western Armenia, pre-1915

In 981 a church was built on this holy site by the Artsruni rulers of Vaspurakan (Van region) and ultimately a monastery, Varagavank, was established there in the ninth century. Varagavank housed the holy relic of the cross. Periodically the monastery was destroyed by invaders and subsequently rebuilt, often thanks to the devotion of wealthy Armenians. Unruly Kurdish tribes on occasion would steal the treasures of Varagavank, including the fragment of the holy cross, and ransom them back to the Armenians. The relic of the cross was periodically moved for safety. For a period, it was housed at the Surb Khatch (Holy Cross) church on Akhtamar Island on Lake Van.

Entrance to Varagavank ruins, 2016 (Photo: Hovsep Daghdigian)

In the 13th century, in the northern part of the territory of what now constitutes the Republic of Armenia, King David Kyurikian of the Tashir-Dzoraget district established a monastic complex. When Varagavank was threatened by invading Mongols in 1237, Varagavank’s Father Ghukas rescued the relic of the cross and other treasures, bringing them to the monastic complex established by the Kyurikians. Thus the monastic complex was subsequently renamed Nor Varagavank (“New Varagavank”) and the nearby village was renamed Varagavan.

Inside one of the remaining Varagavank churches, believed to be Church of Holy Cross, 2016 (Photo: Hovsep Daghdigian)

Varagavank played an important role in Armenian history. In the late 1800s Khrimian Hairig (1820-1907), one of Armenia’s most honored clerics, became the rector of Varagavank. Here he published a newspaper, Artziv Vaspurakan (Eagle of Vaspurakan), established a school and seminary, and advocated education for women. Khrimian Hairig led the Armenian delegation to the Congress of Berlin peace conference in 1878 where he attempted to champion Armenian rights. He lamented that, unlike the powerful European nations, the Armenian delegation did not have at its side Armenian officers with bloody swords hanging from their belts. He deplored Armenia’s weakness. In 1892 he was elected Catholicos.

Procession to Nor Varagavank, Varaga Surb Khach Or, 2016 (Photo: Hovsep Daghdigian)

In 1915, during the Armenian Genocide, Varagavank was nearly completely destroyed with only shells of a few of the buildings remaining. The late Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian worked with the local Muslim cleric to ensure that what remains of Varagavank would not be destroyed.

Every year, on the day before Holy Cross of Varaga Day, the relic of the cross is brought from Echmiadzin, its current home, to Nor Varagavank*. That evening clerics post an all-night vigil. The following day a procession, lead by the relic of the cross, proceeds up the small hill to Nor Varagavank where Holy Cross of Varaga Day is celebrated.

Varaga Surb Khach Or, celebration of Holy Cross of Varag Day, Nor Varagavank, 2016 (Photo: Hovsep Daghdigian)

As we were leaving Varagavan, there appeared a distant view of the monastery from a vineyard at the edge of the village. I walked into the vineyard to take a photograph. The sweet aroma from fresh, ripening grapes was intense. The family which owned the vineyard, having finished their lunch break, were back picking grapes. I was invited to some of the remaining food, with a couple of glasses of very strong oghi. After thanking the family for their hospitality, I was handed a large bag of grapes. I sent grandfather of the family some photographs I took of him with his grandson, the women of the family having declined to be photographed.

Grandfather and grandson, vineyard, Varagavan village, Tavush province (Photo: Hovsep Daghdigian)

***

*Thanks to the financial support of Mr. Norayr Khachatryan, the owner of the Ideal System chain of stores in Armenia, the partial renovation of Nor Varagavank was accomplished during the past 5-6 years.

 

Assyrian-American Organizations Call for the Return of Confiscated Properties in Turkey

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Statement

The Republic of Turkey has recently confiscated Assyrian properties in Tur Abdin.

The Republic of Turkey has recently confiscated Assyrian properties in Tur Abdin.

This attempt to confiscate Assyrian properties, including churches, monasteries and cemeteries, is considered by Assyrians around the world as the last bullets of the Assyrian Genocide of 1915.

The Turkish state has seized among others below Syriac Orthodox Church and Monasteries in:

Hapisnas: Mor Lazar Monastery
Marbobo: Mor Dodo Church
Harabale (Arkah): Mor Malke Monastery
Harab-mishke: Mor Aho Church
Badibe: Mor Yahkup Monastery

Assyrian people are the indigenous people of the region. They are the founders of the first civilization in Mesopotamian who endured several massacres and continued persecution until this present time. It is an open wound from the genocide of 1915 that continues to bleed at the hands of our oppressors; the Turkish state which recently confiscated our churches, monasteries, and cemeteries.

As Assyrian organizations in the United States, we appeal to our government, the United Nations, the European Union and all international institutions and Human Rights Organizations to demand that Turkey stop this policy of religious and ethnic intolerance and immediately return the monasteries and churches to their rightful owners.

Signed,

Carlo Ganjeh, Assyrian Universal Alliance (AUA), Americas Chapter

David William Lazar, American Mesopotamian Organization (AMO)

George Stifo, The Assyrian Democratic Organization, USA Branch

Dr. Sargoun Issa, Restore Nineveh Now Foundation (RNNF)

Sabri Atman, Assyrian Genocide and Research (SEYFO Center)

 

Turkey: A Millennium On… Still Plundering

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The Turks, in their various tribal incarnations, hit the Middle Eastern scene about 1,000 years ago.  Since then, they don’t seem to have learned much.

Despite massive forced Turkification of indigenous populations; despite massive theft/borrowing of existing cultural and governmental traditions and institutions; despite lots of interaction with neighboring empires and states; despite repeated efforts to “modernize;” despite now having one of the 17th or 18th (depending on the system used to measure) economy in the world… the Turks of Turkey seem to be unable to shake their marauder’s instincts.  They continue, even today to rely on looting.

Never mind their claims to the glory days of Suleiman “the Magnificent.”  Never mind the 500-plus year life of the Ottoman Empire.  Never mind their self-aggrandizing claims of being “great” state builders.  The only times the Turks were doing “well” was when they were conquering and living off the ill-gotten booty that provided.

Throughout their presence in our homeland, the Armenian Highlands, Mesopotamia, the rest of the Fertile Crescent, Egypt, Turkish rulers have not only been brutal, but also economically draining, even more so than most empires.

If the genocide era with its almost total dispossession of Armenian wealth along with much of Assyrian and Greek wealth, too, is not sufficient example, then we need only look to the early “republic” period under Ataturk when countless Islamicized Eastern Europeans were settled in the areas that had been home to other peoples.  If that’s not recent enough, we have the WWII Varlık Vergisi, the wealth/capital tax.  It was designed to, and did, impoverish the Armenian, Greek, and Jewish populations, sending many who could not pay this ridiculous tax to forced labor camps.  Still not recent enough?  How about the invasion, occupation, and Turkish-populating of half of Cyprus?

You are too Americanized and have lost historical perspective?  Want to play “hard to convince?”  How about the looting of Aleppo for the benefit of Turkish industry just a few years ago during the chaos created by Turkey’s-supported “rebels” coupled with the Daesh/ISIS oil being smuggled from Iraq and Syria through Turkey?  Still too pig-headed to accept that Turkish leadership has ever been fixated on plunder?  How about a little more than one week ago when the seizure of 50 Syriac churches was reported?

These are being turned over to Turkey’s Diyanet, the directorate that is responsible for all religious “foundations” and has been used by Turkey to retain leverage over the growing number of Turks in Europe by funding imams/mosques there.  This windfall will accrue, once again, to those who have been plundering and looting our lands and people for a millennium.

We must develop and implement ways to stop this.  We should fight economic fire with economic fire.  Boycotts and divestment campaigns against Turkey are likely to be one of our most potent weapons.  The efforts afoot in the California legislature now are the beginnings of just such a movement.  Unfortunately, our path is more complicated than in the days of the anti-apartheid movement of the 1980s because our much beloved corporate controlled federal legislature has enacted laws that significantly constrain the ability to engage in such action.  The courts have not been any better.

But, let’s keep plugging away—publicizing Turkey’s misdeeds and putting pressure on their still-pubescent economy.  You can help by sending letters of support for California’s AB 1597, the Turkey divestment bill.  Contact Haig Baghdassarian at haig@ancawr.org for guidance and sample letters to send.


Artsakh Serviceman Killed by Azerbaijani Fire

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STEPANAKERT, Artsakh (A.W.)–Armenian serviceman Vazgen Poghosyan (b. 1997) was killed by Azerbaijani fire at around 5:40 p.m. on July 10.

According to a press statement released by the Artsakh Defense Ministry, an investigation has been launched to figure out the details of the incident. The Ministry also expressed its condolences to the family, loved ones, and fellow serviceman of the deceased solider.

Henry Theriault Elected President of the International Association of Genocide Scholars

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BRISBANE, Australia (A.W.)—Professor Henry C. Theriault was elected President of the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) on July 11, at the IAGS conference in Brisbane, Australia.

Professor Henry C. Theriault (Photo: Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee of Toronto)

“Genocide studies has been at the forefront of recent human rights advances. Dire political climates in the US, Europe, and other areas threaten this progress. Racism, xenophobia, misogyny, etc. pervade public discourse and drive repressive legal and political regressions the world over. Genocide’s prevalence even threatens increase,” Theriault said during his nomination. “Against this, a vibrant IAGS is essential. Demagogues attack the sensibilities genocide studies engenders. Our work is a crucial challenge to their propaganda. IAGS must strive against this marginalization while innovatively expanding the field, especially creating space for emerging scholars particularly vulnerable to this backlash,” he added.

Theriault was most recently Professor in and Chair of the Philosophy Department at Worcester State University, where he has taught since 1998. From 1999 to 2007, he coordinated the University’s Center for the Study of Human Rights. He earned his B.A. in English from Princeton University and his Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Massachusetts, with specializations in social and political as well as continental philosophy. Theriault’s expertise is in genocide and human rights studies, and his research focuses on reparations, victim-perpetrator relations, genocide denial, genocide prevention, and mass violence against women and girls. Since 2007, he has chaired the Armenian Genocide Reparations Study Group and is lead author of its March 2015 final report, Resolution with Justice. He has published numerous journal articles and chapters in the area of genocide studies.

He has lectured and given panel papers around the world, including in Armenia, Turkey, Artsakh, Lebanon, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Rwanda, Britain, France, Belgium, Italy, Argentina, Canada, and across the U.S.

During the summer of 2013 he was based at Griffith University Mt. Gravatt as a visiting scholar at the Australian National Research Council’s Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security, where he investigated the impact of humanitarian military intervention on levels of violence against and exploitation of women and girls.

He is founding co-editor of the peer-reviewed Genocide Studies International (International Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies and University of Toronto Press) and was recently named co-editor of Transaction Publishers’ Genocide: A Critical Bibliographic Review. From 2007 to 2012 he served as co-editor of the International Association of Genocide Scholars’ peer-reviewed Genocide Studies and Prevention, and was guest editor of the International Criminal Law Review special issue on “Armenian Genocide Reparations” (14:2, 2014), and the Armenian Review special issue on the “New Global Reparations Movement” (53:1-4, 2012).

Theriault is also the chair of the Armenian Genocide Reparations Study Group (AGRSG), which was assembled in 2007 by four experts in different areas of reparations theory and practice. In September 2014, the group completed its final report, “Resolution with Justice—Reparations for the Armenian Genocide,” a wide-ranging analysis of the legal, historical, political, and ethical dimensions of the question of reparations for the genocide. It also includes specific recommendations for the components of a complete reparations package.

Theriault, a longtime contributor to the Armenian Weekly, is the first Armenian President of the IAGS.

 

 

Two LGBT-Themed Films at the Center of Controversy at Yerevan’s Golden Apricot Festival

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YEREVAN (Asbarez)—Opening ceremonies for the 14th annual Golden Apricot International Film Festival were held July 9, kicking off this year’s festival amid controversy stemming from the organizers’ decision to cancel an off-competition screening of 40 films showcasing work of filmmakers from around the world, with some accusing organizers of censorship.

A documentary, Listen to Me: Untold Stories Beyond Hatred, and Apricot Groves, a fiction film featuring LGBT characters, were originally included in the ‘Armenians: Internal And External Views’ lineup.

Filmmakers who had submitted their work to be screened in an off-competition program entitled, “Armenians: Internal And External Views,” were informed Friday through an email from Golden Apricot organizers that the screening of the entire slate of films was cancelled, without elaborating on a reason for this decision.

Filmmaker Hrayr Eulmessekian, whose film Vahé Oshagan: Between Acts, was to have been screened during “Armenians: Internal and External Views” received the email, which he shared on his Facebook page.

“We want to inform you that Armenians: Internal and External Views non-competition program is completely cancelled. We apologize for any inconveniences,” said the email received by Eulmessekian and the other filmmakers whose works were to be screened.

The decision has also baffled Beirut-based filmmaker Nigol Bezjian whose documentary, Temple of Light, centering on the closure of the Melkonian School in Cyprus, was to have been screened during the program.

“The film is about shutting down of the Melkonian School and now the film is shut [down] in Yerevan,” Bezjian told Asbarez through Facebook Messenger, pointing to the irony of the situation.

At the same time, activists took to social media to voice their anger at the cancelation, with some claiming that two LGBT-themed films, which were part of the program’s slate were at the heart of the decision to cancel the entire program.

A documentary, Listen to Me: Untold Stories Beyond Hatred, and Apricot Groves, a fiction film featuring LGBT characters, were originally included in the “Armenians: Internal And External Views” lineup.

Armenia’s Cinematographers’ Union said that due to the passing of the group’s former director, Rouben Gevorgyants on June 23, the group was in mourning and would not screen any films. The group had said earlier that the two LGBT-themed films would have to be removed and threatened to cancel the entire showcase of 40 films.

A documentary, Listen to Me: Untold Stories Beyond Hatred, and Apricot Groves, a fiction film featuring LGBT characters, were originally included in the ‘Armenians: Internal And External Views’ lineup.

Throughout the weekend social media sites were abuzz with allegations and finger pointing and conclusions that the Golden Apricot organizers caved in to archaic approaches toward LGBT people and cancelled the entire slate.

The organizers are doing themselves a disservice by not clearly articulating the impetus for the cancelations. Asbarez’s email inquiry to the organizers of the festival remains unanswered.

Canadian-Armenian filmmaker Atom Egoyan and his actress and activist wife Arsinée Khanjian posted an announcement on Facebook decrying the decision to cancel the slate of films. They also argue that the best way to honor a late cinematographer is to ensure that the medium continues to flourish and proliferate.

“We are very concerned about the censorship by the Union of Cinematographers and the following decision to cancel an entire programming by the Golden Apricot Film Festival. Atom was President of the Festival for almost ten years and it’s dismaying to see a festival that we both proudly advocated for within the international film community in the name of films and filmmakers that spoke of such urgent human rights issues can be suppressed, especially when these ideas need to be discussed and brought to light,” said the announcement by the two Diasporan artists.

“Surely there is no better way to honour the spirit of an important Armenian filmmaker, Rouben Gevorgyants, than by making sure new films from Armenian voices can be seen and shared. We have never heard of a program of new films being cancelled to commemorate a cineaste’s death as a sign of mourning and respect! This claim seems, therefore, quite preposterous. We urge the Festival to review this outlandish decision. We urge the Festival to present this programme of thought-provoking work which reflects the true diversity of voices present in Armenia today and the Diaspora alike,” added the announcement.

The festival kicked off on Sunday with the traditional blessing of the apricots, a fruit indigenous to Armenia, and continued with the unveiling of stars of directors Frunze Dovlatyan, Yuri Yerznkyan and cinematographer Sergey Israelyan at Charles Aznavour Square in Yerevan.

Welcoming remarks were delivered by founding director of the festival Harutyun Khachatryan and Ralph Yirikian, the General Manager of VivaCell-MTS, which is the general partner of the festival.

After the introduction of the jury and the competition program, the festival’s opening film, Khaspush by Hamo Beknazaryan, was screened.

According to the organizers, this year, the annual film festival, founded in 2004, received 1,100 film submissions from 96 countries. Organizers selected 47 films to compete in three main categories: International Feature Competition (12 films), International Documentary Competition (16 films) and Armenian Panorama National Competition (19 films).

The Armenian Who Helped Create Today’s Turkish Language

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Special for the Armenian Weekly

 

“Turkey’s president wants to purge Western words from its language,” reported The Economist on June 15.

[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s] latest purge has a more abstract target. Mr. Erdoğan wants to rid Turkish of unsightly Western loan-words. Turkey faces a mortal threat from foreign “affectations”, Mr. Erdoğan declared on May 23rd. “Where do attacks against cultures and civilisations begin? With language.” Mr. Erdoğan started by ordering the word “arena”, which reminded him of ancient Roman depravity, removed from sports venues across the country.

Hagop Martayan, or Agop Dilaçar, was the first Secretary General and head specialist of the state-funded Turkish Language Institution (Türk Dil Kurumu, TDK) founded in 1932 in Ankara. (Photos: Ara Güler)

In 2014, Erdoğan had proposed introducing mandatory high school classes in Ottoman Turkish.

During the six centuries of the Ottoman Empire, the language in which laws, religious texts, and literature were written was called the Ottoman language. It was written in Arabic script and extensively used Arabic and Persian words.

The Turkish Republic, founded in 1923, took on a challenging task: creating a new language to be written in Latin script. Doing so would require a lot of work and imagination. Researchers developed new grammar rules, invented new Turkish words, and borrowed words from Western as well as other languages. And that language became the Turkish language the people in Turkey speak today.

“Who helped redesign the way an entire nation would write and express itself?” asks The 100 Years, 100 Facts Project. “None other than one Hagop Martayan.”

Hagop Martayan, or Agop Dilaçar, was the first Secretary General and head specialist of the state-funded Turkish Language Institution (Türk Dil Kurumu, TDK) founded in 1932 in Ankara. He worked as a professor of Turkish at Ankara University between 1936 and 1951. He also was the head adviser of the Turkish Encyclopedia between 1942 and 1960. He wrote books and articles on the Turkish language. Beside his mother tongue, Armenian, he knew English, Ottoman, Azeri, Uighur, Latin, Greek, German, Russian, and Bulgarian.

He devoted most of his life and his entire career to developing Turkish and uplifting Kemalist ideals—including the irrational and unscientific “Sun Language Theory,” which claimed that Turkish was the language from which all civilized languages derived. According to this theory, all human languages could essentially be traced back to Turkic roots.

In an article about Martayan’s life (“The Good Child of the Republic: Hagop Martayan or A. Dilaçar”), Levent Özata, a journalist with the newspaper Agos, writes that Martayan was sent to the Caucasian front to fight as an Ottoman soldier during WWI. After the war, Martayan held various positions, including principal of an Armenian school in Beirut, Lebanon, and then a lecturer of Turkish and Uighur in Sofia, Bulgaria. But when the newly formed Turkish state decided to invent a new language in the 1930s, Martayan’s life changed course.

With his articles on the Turkish language, Martayan had attracted the attention of the authorities. But he had been denationalized, stripped of citizenship; he was wandering around with a certificate documenting his statelessness. He was allowed to enter Turkey as “a special guest of Mustafa Kemal, the first president of Turkey, to develop the Turkish language.

With the founding of the new republic, the political leaders of Turkey accelerated the process of forced Turkification through several policies that targeted the non-Muslim and non-Turkish citizens of the country.” The historian Rıfat Bali writes:

Another indication of being Turkified was to Turkify names and surnames. The Law of Family Names accepted in 1934 made mandatory for everybody to take a family name. However, the law prevented the adoption of names of tribes, foreign races and nations as family names. The Greeks of Turkey would Turkify their names by dropping the “-dis” and “-poulos” suffixes. Most of the Jews would Turkify their names and surnames by finding a Turkish equivalent for each Jewish name.

And it was Mustafa Kemal who suggested Martayan’s surname, Dilaçar [literally, “one who opens up the tongue (or language)”; perhaps better translated as “language-giver”] because of his contributions to Turkish after the promulgation of the Law of Family Names.

Yalçın Yusufoğlu, a journalist, politician, and author, wrote that his mother, who worked as a primary school teacher between 1926 and 1970, said “Professor Agop was one of those who taught us Turkish. He was the professor of professors.”

Martayan held his position and continued his research in linguistics at the TDK until his death on September 12, 1979, in Istanbul. Yet, despite his contributions, Martayan’s death once again showed the insane levels of Armenophobia in Turkey. His hard work, his loyalty to the Turkish government, and even his turning a blind eye to the persecution of his own people did not pay off, for he was still an Armenian—the identity that Turkey tried to annihilate in 1915.

Upon his death, he was treated like a second-class citizen without a name. The TDK, for which he had toiled for decades, published a note of condolence on newspapers in which his full name was censored, written as “A. Dilaçar.”

Even when government authorities attempted to “award” him, they hid his Armenian name. “There is a street named after him in the Şişli town of Istanbul: ‘A. Dilaçar Street’ (‘A. Dilaçar Sokağı’),” Özata reported.

Turkish journalists also joined the chorus and concealed his name. Yusufoğlu wrote an article describing how all Turkish newspapers—other than Gerçek (The Truth), the daily that Yusufoğlu worked for at the time—censored the name Agop:

It was September of 1979. That evening, those watching the main news bulletin of the TRT [state-funded Turkish Radio and Television Corporation] learnt that ‘Adil Açar’ was dead. No one listening to the news report had heard that name. They learnt from the TRT that the said person had contributed to the Turkish language, was one of the former officials of the Turkish Language Institution and would be laid to rest on the scheduled day.

The next day we learnt from newspapers that the name of the scholar was not ‘Adil Açar’. The announcement that the TDK got published on newspapers referred to the deceased as ‘A. Dilaçar’. it did not mention at what mosque the funeral would be held and at what cemetery he would be buried. Moreover, all newspaper reports covered it saying ‘A. Dilaçar has died’. The [state-funded] Anadolu Ajansı (Anatolian Agency/AA) also covered it in the same fashion. And none of the newspapers later made a correction, either out of ignorance or to follow the official jargon. In brief, the deceased had no name or last name.

Agop’s full name is not written even on the cover of his biography, published by the Turkish Language Institution, to which he dedicated his entire career. Instead, it is written as “A. Dilaçar.”

Martayan was not the only Armenian linguist who researched and developed Ottoman and/or modern Turkish. The researcher Yaşar Şimşek listed some of them, as follows: Edvard Vladimiroviç Sevortyan, Pars Tuğlacı (Parseh Tuğlaciyan), Kevork Pamukciyan, Lazar Zaharoviç Budagov, Artin Hindoghlou (Hintliyan), Bedros Keresteciyan, Karekin Deveciyan, Anton Tıngır, Krikor Sinapyan, Armenak Bedevyan, Bedros Zeki Garabedyan, Cosimo Comidas de Carbognano (Kömürciyan).

Another Armenian linguist from Turkey, Sevan Nişanyan, who is one of the leading intellectuals and authors in the country, has been jailed since 2014 on trumped-up charges against him.

Turkish curricula at schools does not mention even the name of Martayan or any other Armenian intellectual. For teaching Turkish children about Armenians who made massive cultural and intellectual contributions to their homeland could lead to some “unwanted” consequences for the Turkish government.

Children have curious minds. A Turkish child who has not been brainwashed by official Turkish propaganda could well ask “dangerous” questions even if taught a little bit about the Armenians: Since when have Armenians been living in Asia Minor? Was there a time when they were the majority? Or have they always been a tiny minority as they are today? How many Armenians lived in the Ottoman Empire? Besides Martayan, who were the other famous Armenians? And what has happened to all those hundreds of thousands of Armenians? Where have they disappeared?

Teaching Turkish children about real Armenians with real stories—not lies about Armenians as “treacherous enemies” who tried to destroy Ottoman Turkey and who thus deserved to get “neutralized”—could help Turkish children develop humane bonds with and fraternal feelings for the Armenian people.

Of course, such questions would greatly challenge the status quo for the Turkish government. And intellectual dissent—no matter where it comes from—is what the Turkish government detests and punishes most severely.

Moreover, recognizing and respecting Armenian people are not what the founding fathers of the Turkish Republic have taught their Turkish citizens. Ataturk, who gave Martayan his Turkish last name, is quoted as having said on March 16, 1923, in a speech to the Adana Turkish Merchant Society: “The Armenians have no right whatsoever in this beautiful country. Your country is yours, it belongs to Turks. This country was Turkish in history; therefore it is Turkish and it shall live on as Turkish to eternity…. Armenians and so forth have no rights whatsoever here. These bountiful lands are deeply and genuinely the homeland of the Turk.”

The etymology of Turkish words is not what matters in a country that still has much bigger, more serious moral and ethical issues to tackle. The words that Turks use might well be rooted in Arabic, Persian, French, English, or—God forbid—Armenian, Greek, or Kurdish. What matters is the need to face the pathological racism and bigotry in Turkey that have concealed the Armenian name of the linguist who helped create the modern Turkish language.

With Azerbaijan’s Economy In A Tailspin, Will The Caucasus See Another War?

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By Movses Ter-Oganesyan

On May 18, Azerbaijan drew the ire of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group and the Russian Foreign Ministry when it broke the shaky ceasefire agreed to by the warring parties last year. These were rare condemnations by historically neutral organizations. Using an Israeli Spike missile, Azerbaijan destroyed an air-defense system under the control of the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabagh Republic (NKR/Artsakh) Defense Army. This came after Azerbaijan made repeated claims of Armenian violence along the border and broke-up an alleged Armenian spy ring operating within its armed forces since 1988.

Azerbaijani Armed Forces (Photo: Vestnik Kavkaza)

Azerbaijan made similar claims of increasing violence by its arch-foe after it devalued its national currency, the manat, by nearly half in 2015. The depreciation of the currency caused the average Azeri to lose nearly half of their life savings in two 2015 devaluations. This crisis preceded the biggest flair up of violence along the Line of Contact (LoC) between NKR and Azerbaijan since the 1994 trilateral ceasefire agreement signed in Bishkek by Armenia, Nagorno-Karabagh and Azerbaijan.

The same week that Azerbaijan attacked the air-defense system, the International Bank of Azerbaijan (IBA) defaulted on a $100 million loan payment and filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy in New York courts. This came as a shock to markets given that the IBA had reported a 24% increase in y/y operating income in the first quarter of 2017. With more payments due in June and October, Azerbaijani news is already forecasting the potential bankruptcy of the biggest bank in the country. To make matters worse, IBA has given a $2 billion loan to Azerbaijan’s state energy giant, State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR).

In December 2016, the S&P Global Rating affirmed SOCAR’s credit rating at ‘BB’ with a negative outlook. On May 15—the same day Azerbaijan destroyed the NKR air-defense system—Moody’s downgraded the foreign-currency senior unsecured debt rating of the IBA to ‘Caa3’ from ‘B1’ and “placed it on review for downgrade following its announced debt restructuring.” As the guarantor of these struggling state owned goliaths, Azerbaijan’s own ‘Ba1’ credit rating is on review for a downgrade. This does not bode well for the Caspian Sea nation given its need to assure creditors of its ability to pay back loans; loans it desperately needs in order to secure financing for its Southern Gas Corridor project. Kazakhstan, a regional ally, is now coming to terms with pension funds it lost by sinking $70 billion tenge ($224 million) into a recent IBA venture.

The downgrade of the credit ratings comes on the heels of decreased oil and gas production, a decline in country’s construction sector, and increased inflation. As the country battles a serious case of the Dutch Disease, the ruling Aliyev clan – dependent on oil revenues to maintain power — has much reason to attempt to pacify its domestic population by rallying them around the flag. The massive Azerbaijani aggression in last April’s war came on the eve of the release of the Panama Papers, which implicated Azerbaijan’s first family in massive fraud and nepotism involving off-shore bank accounts. History may not repeat itself, but it often echoes.

With a 10-fold increase in defense spending over the past decade, Baku has acquired offensive weaponry from Turkey, Israel and Russia. Azerbaijan certainly has the impetus to find out what its military hardware is capable of. This necessity, coupled with a potential economic meltdown of the nation’s economy, provides the perfect opportunity for increased violence along the LoC. The recent deployment and withdrawal of 10 tanks near the village of Talish is an example of a ruse de guerre by Baku meant to desensitize the Armenian troops in the area. The Azerbaijani military is certainly testing the waters.

The Aliyev regime cannot afford to fight a long-term war where its oil infrastructure may come under threat, therefore it would aim for a restricted show of force in limited clashes as witnessed last year. The psychological boost the Azerbaijanis received after minimal territorial gains last April has emboldened many in the nation to think they could take over Armenia’s capital, Yerevan, if war were to ensue. In Armenia, people believe that villages and swaths of land constantly change hands during hostilities and, should it escalate to all-out-war, could lead to the Balkanization and complete dismantling of Azerbaijan. Due to public opinion in both countries, it would be very hard for either the Sargsyan or the Aliyev government to explain anything less than decisive victory on the battlefield. This, coupled with the unpredictability of any given theater of war, means an escalation cannot be ruled out.

This article first appeared on Forbes.com on July 7

Movses Ter-Oganesyan is a fellow at the Eurasian Research and Analysis Institute.

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