WASHINGTON, DC – For the first time in more than 30 years, the U.S. House of Representatives is set, over the course of the coming week, to hold an up-or-down vote on the Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.296), a bipartisan measure locking in U.S. recognition that would, if adopted, strike a powerful blow against the gag-rule that Ankara has long enforced against honest American remembrance of this crime, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) announced that the Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.296) would be on the House docket the week of October 28th, along with H.R.4695, the Protect Against Conflict by Turkey Act that would impose harsh sanctions on Turkey over its recent invasion of northern Syria, which has displaced hundreds of thousands, killed hundreds.

“With the president caving-in to Erdogan, it’s up to Congress to speak out for America,” ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian told Yahoo News. He added that the resolution would be a “signal” to the Turks that “that Washington won’t be bullied, U.S. policy can’t be hijacked, and American principles are not for sale.”

The ANCA has worked closely with House and Senate leaders to secure votes on H.Res.296 and its Senate counterpart – S.Res.150 – since their introduction in April, 2019.  The ANCA Quick Connect Call-Alert is the latest nationwide campaign to support the measure, directly connecting advocates to speak with their legislators with just a few clicks.  Thousands of letters have already been sent to Congress by ANCA Rapid Responders and Armenian American advocates through the ANCA online portal.

In Washington, DC, ANCA staff and volunteer advocates from throughout the U.S. have been visiting Congressional offices non-stop, encouraging co-sponsorship and votes for the measure.  Over the past two days, 11 U.S. Representatives have co-sponsored or shared their support for H.Res.296, including Representatives Sanford Bishop (D-GA), William Lacy Clay (D-MO), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Warren Davidson (R-OH), Dan Kildee (D-MI), Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), Doris Matsui (D-CA), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Bennie Thompson (D-MS), and Mike Thompson (D-CA).

U.S. Representatives Speak Out; Bring Unprecedented Momentum leading to House Vote

Congressional Armenian Caucus leaders Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Rep. Peter King (R-NY), Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA), Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), welcomed the opportunity for a House floor vote on the Armenian Genocide Resolution. “At a time when Turkey has launched a campaign into Northern Syria, which has killed hundreds and displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians, it is all the more important that the House speak clearly and directly about crimes against humanity, whether they occurred a century ago or in the present day. Next week, all Members of the House can go on record to state clearly the historic fact of the genocide, joining 49 U.S. states and many of our closest allies that have already taken this important step,” stated the Armenian Caucus leaders.

Rep. Adam Schiff, who along with Rep. Gus Bilirakis introduced and is spearheading the bipartisan measure, added, “This is a moment that has been years in the making, and I’m grateful for the tireless advocacy of so many who insisted that the United States must never be a party to genocide denial.”  He went on to note, “Recent weeks have brought images of families and children fleeing their homes in terror, headed to nowhere except away from the bombs and mortars. These images make the memory of one hundred years ago feel like yesterday. Denial of genocide causes pain to the survivors, yes, but it also gives succor to human rights abusers of today, who can rest easily that the passage of time and the accumulation of power will wipe clean their reputation.”

Over the past week, members of Congress have been making a steady of stream of references to the Armenian Genocide on social media and during Congressional hearings focusing on Turkey’s invasion of northern Syria.

During an October 23rd House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing titled “The Betrayal of our Syrian Kurdish Partners: How Will American Foreign Policy and Leadership Recover?“, senior Committee member Rep. Brad Sherman, (D-CA) was blunt in his questioning of Ambassador James Jeffrey, Special Representative for Syria Engagement and Special Envoy to the Global Coalition To Defeat ISIS, and Mr. Matthew Palmer, Deputy Assistant Secretary, State Department Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs.

“When I came here 23 years ago, one of the things I thought was morally incumbent upon Congress was to recognize the first genocide of the 20th century – the Armenian Genocide. We were told ‘But Turkey is a great ally of the United States; don’t put that at risk.’ How’s that working out for us?,” asked Rep. Sherman.  He continued, noting, “Does the dishonoring of America and the undercutting of our reputation of speaking the truth, was that worth it? Did we get some great help , alliance, love, loyalty from Erdogan?”

“There’s a history of Turkey doing cleansing – especially of the Armenians,” Congressman Albio Sires (D-NJ) told House Foreign Affairs Committee members during that same hearing.

“I was struck by the animosity. It reminded me of the hatred they [Turkey] had for the Armenians that led to the Armenian Genocide,” said Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ).

Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV), in discussing Turkey’s recent invasion of northern Syria, noted, “We should have known what the Turks are capable of. You can ask Armenia, ask Greece, ask Cyprus now – they’re drilling in their territory.”

Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA) offered a powerful floor statement in support of immediate passage of H.Res.296.  “The road to justice begins with full recognition of the Armenian people’s suffering,” said Rep. Costa.  “Both Turkey and the United States, immediately, should recognize that the Armenian genocide occurred, as the European Union has done.  I am proud to support H. Res. 296 which, over the objections of Ankara, would establish permanent U.S. recognition and ongoing American remembrance of the Armenian genocide. That is the right thing to do.”

Earlier today, Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), chair of the Committee on House Administration, offered a strong message of support for passage of H.Res.296. “The US is supposed to condemn bad actors when they violate human rights & kill our allies, not aid & abet them. Instead of capitulating to Erdogan’s demands, Trump should: 1. Sanction Turkish officials responsible for these atrocities; 2. Stop selling arms to Turkey for use in Syria; 3. Revoke visas of Erdogan’s bodyguards who assaulted protesters on US soil; 4. Recognize the Armenian Genocide.”

Virginia Congressman Don Beyer told Yahoo News, “It’s time to start holding Turkey accountable for its actions. Both Congress and the White House have remained silent on this issue for far too long, and I look forward to changing that next week.”

House Rules Committee to Discuss Armenian Genocide Resolution on Monday, October 28

Prior to going to the House Floor, the House Rules Committee, chaired by Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA), must decide the “rules” upon which the resolution will be taken up on the floor. The committee’s recommendation and the full floor vote on H.Res.296 can come at any time through Thursday, October 31st. “Not acknowledging the genocide is a stain on our human rights record and sends the exact wrong message to human rights abusers around the world,” Rep. McGovern told Yahoo News regarding House consideration of H.Res.296.

The Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.296), introduced in April, 2019, by Representatives Adam Schiff and Gus Bilirakis, is a bipartisan measure which locks in permanent U.S. recognition and commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, ends U.S. complicity in Turkey’s denial, and promotes public education regarding the crime as a genocide prevention tool. Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) have spearheaded the Senate version of the resolution (S.Res.150). Over 120 U.S. Representatives and more than 18 Senators are cosponsors of the measures.

Background:

The Armenian Genocide was the centrally planned and systematically executed slaughter of the Armenian people, carried out by the Ottoman Turkish Government from 1915-1923. The Greek and Assyrian / Chaldean / Syriac communities suffered the same fate, with over 2.5 million Christians killed in that time period. April 24th is the international day of commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.

The United States embarked on an unprecedented international humanitarian campaign, mandated by Congress in 1916 through the establishment of Near East Relief, saving over 130,000 orphans and some 1 million survivors of the Armenian Genocide by providing assistance valued at over $2.5 billion in current dollars.

The U.S. first recognized the Armenian Genocide in 1951 through a filing which was included in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) Report titled: “Reservations to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.” The specific reference to the Armenian Genocide appears on page 25 of the ICJ Report: “The Genocide Convention resulted from the inhuman and barbarous practices which prevailed in certain countries prior to and during World War II, when entire religious, racial and national minority groups were threatened with and subjected to deliberate extermination. The practice of genocide has occurred throughout human history. The Roman persecution of the Christians, the Turkish massacres of Armenians, the extermination of millions of Jews and Poles by the Nazis are outstanding examples of the crime of genocide.”

President Ronald Reagan reaffirmed the Armenian Genocide in 1981. The U.S. House of Representatives adopted legislation on the Armenian Genocide in 1975, 1984 and 1996. Forty-nine U.S. states have recognized the Armenian Genocide through resolution or proclamation.

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ANCA

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest and most influential Armenian-American grassroots organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues. To learn more, visit www.anca.org.

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An ultra-marathon is coming to Artsakh!

I am thrilled to be the first person to bring news of this project, which has been brewing for some three years, to the Armenian community at large!

The race will be run over the course of six days starting August 30, 2020. Its course will mostly follow the “Janapar Trail.” The trail starts in Vartenis/Vardenis (Republic of Armenia) and ends in Hatrout/Hadrout (Republic of Artsakh). The race will end with celebrations in Shushi. Runners will experience a number of exciting landmarks along the route including Dadivank monastery, Zuar hot springs, the lofty peak of Kachaghakaberd, Dadeeg/Babeeg in Stepanakert, Hoonot/Hoonod Canyon, and many towns and villages where they will meet our hospitable compatriots.

The race is being put on by AdventureCorps, the same organization that puts on Badwater 135, “the world’s toughest footrace” and other grueling running and bicycling races.

Organizer Chris Kostman has been working with Telma Ghazarian Altoon and the full support of Artsakh’s government. Telma is an accomplished ultra-marathoner who has run in extreme races around the world. She first ran the Janabarh trail (178 miles) in 2017 in less than two and a half days! Bringing a world-class race to the Armenian highland has been a dream of hers for years. Chris is an accomplished cyclist (setting records in the 1980s) and has participated in snowshoeing and other extreme races. He has been organizing races for the better part of four decades.

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and working (to a minuscule degree) with Chris and Telma. Their excitement is contagious, rightly so, every time they discuss this project. It really is worthy of much admiration by Armenians. Participation in this race is capped at 50. These folks will undoubtedly be captivated by the beauty of Artsakh and the warmth and friendliness of its people. They will end up telling their stories to friends, relatives and their social media outlets. Elite athletes such as these command a lot of respect and will pique others’ curiosity about the almost-unheard-of-place they will be racing in. This kind of publicity is best since it is sincere and comes from trusted sources.

For the cynics out there who may be thinking “what non-Armenian would even be remotely interested in going to Artsakh, much less to run six back-to-back marathons” – I’ve got great news. Formal promotion for the race hasn’t even started yet. It is just posted on AdventureCorps’ website and already 15 participants have registered from four different countries – Brazil, Norway, United Kingdom and the USA.

Artsakh Ultra is exactly the kind of exposure and business we want to expand in our homeland. This kind of adventure/ecotourism is one of the two best components for economic growth (the other being the information technology sector). It’s not just the cafés and nightlife of Yerevan, nor the castles and churches of our ancestors, and not even the sites of the world’s first wine-making facility nor its oldest shoe that make Armenia attractive, but the glory of its wilds!

Go to the website. Follow the race as more world class runners register. Watch for it next year. Spread the word about it. And, if you, like Telma, are involved in a particular area of activity and know someone like Chris, work with her/him to bring more ecologically friendly and economically beneficial activity to Armenia.

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Garen Yegparian

Asbarez Columnist

Garen Yegparian is a fat, bald guy who has too much to say and do for his own good. So, you know he loves mouthing off weekly about anything he damn well pleases to write about that he can remotely tie in to things Armenian. He's got a checkered past: principal of an Armenian school, project manager on a housing development, ANC-WR Executive Director, AYF Field worker (again on the left coast), Operations Director for a telecom startup, and a City of LA employee most recently (in three different departments so far). Plus, he's got delusions of breaking into electoral politics, meanwhile participating in other aspects of it and making sure to stay in trouble. His is a weekly column that appears originally in Asbarez, but has been republished to the Armenian Weekly for many years.

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GLENVIEW, Ill.—The Armenian community and the Chicago Hamazkayin Educational and Cultural Organization recently honored the music of Gomidas Vartabed and the writings of Hovhannes Toumanyan and Gevorg Emin.

More than 100 people attended event “Fables, Music and Poetry” on Sunday, October 20 at the Shahnasarian Hall at the Armenian Community Center.

Ethnomusicologist Gomidas Vartabed and noted writer Hovhannes Toumanyan were born 150 years ago; poet, essayist and writer Gevorg Emin was born 100 years ago.

Students and volunteers from Taniel Varoujan Armenian School and the community at large participated in the celebration of these important figures in Armenian history. There were dramatic readings and short histories presented. Areni Artinian read Akh, ays Masise by Gevorg Emin. Tson Gomidasin was read by Sona Papazian. Harry and David Torian read Toumanyan’s Hin Orhnouteun. Arev Muradian read Toumanyan’s Tmpgaperti Aroume. The Taniel Varoujan School Choir sang Gomidas’ Khngi Dzar and Ambi Dagits—Hampartsum Yayla (Toumanyan and A. Dikranyan). Anoush’s Aria (Toumanyan—A. Dikranyan) was beautifully sung by Areney Tomakjian.

Hamazkayin member Jacqueline Papazian spoke about the life of Gevorg Emin. Rozig Sazian elaborated on the life of Gomidas Vartabed and Lusine Torian spoke about the life of Hovhannes Toumanyan. The Hamazkayin Sardarabad Dance Ensemble also performed. The musical portions of the program were led by musical director Haroutune Kendimian, his daughter and pianist Loucine Kendimian-Tokmakjian and pianist Lusine Torian. Kendimian-Tokmakjian performed Gomidas’ Yed ou Arach and Karoun a tsune a arel with Vana Dakarian on vocals.

Holy Father Ghevont Pentezian was also present. He thanked Hamazkayin and offered a prayer and closing remarks. 

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Hamazkayin Eastern U.S.

The Eastern USA region of Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society, consisting of nine chapters, constitutes one of the branches of the worldwide Hamazkayin family, founded in 1928.

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YEREVAN—In honor of its 10th anniversary, the Cafesjian Center for the Arts (CCA) and Beeline have presented the exhibition, Art Studio, at the National Gallery of Armenia Yeghegnadzor. The exhibition will be open until November 14.

CCA presented the exhibition created as a result of the Cafesjian Teen Council’s Art Studio educational project. It was launched at CCA in 2018 and continued at UWC Dilijan and TUMO Gyumri in 2019. The photostory features ten contemporary Armenian artists and their studios, where the artists’ creative environment and its diversity are revealed through the eyes of the Cafesjian Teen Council members.

“The Cafesjian Teen Council members always initiate and implement interesting and creative projects,” said CCA acting executive director Vahagn Marabyan. “The Art Studio project stands out among those. We are delighted to present the exhibition, created as a result of that project, in different regions of Armenia. We are grateful to our permanent partner Beeline, whose support enables us to implement such unique projects. We would also like to extend our gratitude to Mr. Arman Tsaturyan, Director of the National Gallery of Armenia, for the cooperation.”

“The Cafesjian Center for the Arts is doing an important job of supporting young people in their first steps in the sphere of art,” said Beeline Armenia CEO ANdrey Pyatakhin. “It is crucial that it not be confined within Yerevan and for the other regions of Armenia to be involved in the process – both as participants and audience. We are happy to be a part of this and support the young artists’ growth and development as much as we can.”

CCA and Beeline have been cooperating since 2011. In the frames of this long-term cooperation, teen, family and other educational programs with a focus on children’s and teenagers’ aesthetic education are regularly implemented at the Center.

The mission of the Cafesjian Center for the Arts is to bring the best of contemporary art to Armenia and present the best of Armenian culture to the world. Dedicated to its mission, the CCA has been organizing a wide variety of exhibitions, presenting unique works of contemporary art, offering movie screenings, concert series, lectures and educational programs since its opening in November 2009.

The Cafesjian Teen Council is a 13 to 16-year-old teenagers’ leadership group created in 2017 with the goal to build a long-lasting relationship with teenagers, to lay emphasis on their diverse interests and needs, making the Center an attractive venue for all teenagers, to engage them in the cultural environment as active participants, at the same time, to foster their creative thinking and visual literacy, thus enhancing their communication, teamwork and leadership skills.

This article is a press release submitted to the Armenian Weekly. If your organization has news it would like to submit to the paper for consideration, please email us at editor@armenianweekly.com. 

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Guest contributions to the Armenian Weekly are informative articles written and submitted by members of the community, which make up our community bulletin board.

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WATERTOWN, Mass—The 100th Annual Meeting of the Armenian Missionary Association of America (AMAA) was held at the Armenian Memorial Church of Watertown, MA on Saturday, October 19, 2019. AMAA President Nazareth Darakjian, M.D. presided over the meeting. Board member Rev. Ara Guekguezian offered the opening prayer and Rev. Dr. Krikor Youmshajekian, President of the Armenian Missionary Association of Australia offered the closing prayer.

During the Annual Meeting AMAA Officers, Directors and Committee Chairs, as well as delegates of the Armenian Evangelical Unions, the Armenian Evangelical World Council and affiliated organizations presented their annual reports, shared their joys and concerns and praised God for another successful year.

The general membership of the AMAA elected the following eight members to the Board of Directors Class of 2022 for a term of three years: LindaKay Abdulian, Hrair Steven Aharonian, M.D., Rafi Balabanian, D.D.S., Phyllis Dohanian, Nurhan Helvacian, Ph.D., Rev. Haig Kherlopian, D.Min., Seta Loshkajian Nalbandian and Michael Voskian, D.M.D.

In conjunction with the AMAA Annual Meeting, on October 17 and 18, the AMAA Board held a Strategic Planning Session and a Board meeting, and the Armenian Evangelical World Council held its meeting.  

On Sunday, October 20, members and guests joined the congregation of the Armenian Memorial Church of Watertown, MA for Sunday Morning Worship Service. Rev. Jeremy Tovmassian, Pastor of the Armenian Evangelical Church of greater Chicago preached in English, and Rev. Megrditch Karagoezian, the President of the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East (UAECNE), preached in Armenian. A special prayer was offered by Rev. Haroutune Selimian, President of the Armenian Evangelical Community of Syria in memory of AMAA members and friends who made the transition from this life to life eternal during the past fiscal year. Rev. Dr. Ron Tovmassian, Senior Pastor of the United Armenian Congregational Church of Los Angeles, CA officiated at the installation of the newly elected members of the AMAA Board of Directors. 

At the conclusion of AMAA’s 100th Annual Meeting weekend, a special gathering and Commemorative Worship Service was held on Sunday, October 20 in the afternoon, at the Armenian Church of the Martyrs, Worcester, MA – The first Armenian Evangelical Church established in the USA in 1892 and the birthplace of AMAA in 1918. The Service was led by the Pastor of the Worcester Church Rev. Stephen Carlyle who welcomed the guests and charged them to recommit to Jesus Christ as people of faith from all around the world, and to serve the Lord together in Unity. Messages of Reflections of the past, current and hope for future were delivered by Zaven Khanjian, AMAA Executive Director/CEO, Rev. Megrditch Karagoezian, President of UAECNE and Taline Avakian Borekjian, a member of Worcester Church. During the Service hymns of praise were sung and special prayers were offered praising God for the past 100 years of faithful service of the AMAA and asking God’s guidance for the future. 

The AMAA thanks Rev. Dr. Avedis Boynerian, Pastor of the Armenian Memorial Church of Watertown and its members for hosting its 100th Annual Meeting and for welcoming all with great warmth, hospitality, delicious meals and enthusiasm. May God continue to bless this congregation and their ministry.

The Armenian Missionary Association of America serves the religious, educational and social needs of Armenian communities in 24 countries around the world including Armenia and Artsakh.

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Guest contributions to the Armenian Weekly are informative articles written and submitted by members of the community, which make up our community bulletin board.

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“She plays the piano like a man!“ That was one of the statements in a review of my 2008 Merkin Hall debut at Lincoln Center.

I remember reading this strange expression and suddenly feeling a powerful awakening inside of me – an awakening of memories of many such statements, some even going as far back as my childhood in Yerevan, Armenia.

One particular memory from Yerevan really stood out in my mind.

I am incredibly blessed that my parents raised me to be my authentic self without consideration to what a typical Armenian female should be like. I spent as much time with my mother as I did with my father.

As a result, I remember some of our neighbors telling my father that if he doesn’t stop playing outdoor activities and games with me, I’m going to turn into a “gazan aghchik,” which translates to a “beast girl.”

Well, I guess they had anticipated this critic’s perceptions of my music making, of my instinctive gravitation toward muscular, epic and powerful piano music. 

One thing that all these “critics” had not anticipated is that my own unique way of connecting to such thunderous works as Igor Stravinsky’s “Petrouchka” and “Firebird” was not only nothing to be afraid of and hide, but that it was actually going to be the greatest source of my authentic power. It was this unique form of self-expression that would help me communicate with my listeners and stand dumbfounded as dozens and dozens of audience members would line up with beaming smiles and at times tears to tell me how moved they were.

I will never forget a gravely ill woman approaching me in Italy, after a performance of Stravinsky’s “Firebird” and telling me how she felt like a new person, whole and fully alive, after hearing this great work.

All of this made me believe to my very core – one person’s drive and bright light can be contagious, and it can pass on to others, helping them find their own light.

And so, what many of these critics hadn’t anticipated was also the incredible opportunities that came my way once I fully embraced “my” unique authentic type of playing. 

Last year, the iconic Centaur records engaged me to do a recording for them. My heart leaped with the clarity of exactly what I would be recording. There most certainly is something beastly in the piano music of Rachmaninoff and Stravinsky.

And there is no doubt in my mind that is exactly the kind of music that appeals to my heart the most. It somehow brings me to life in a way that nothing else ever has.

It is almost as if through playing this music I am able to go really deep—much deeper than my appearance, gender or ethnicity. I am able to go to the very core of my being that has a  little piece from God in it, one that I feel lives inside each and everyone of us. We all have that little piece of God inside. Mine just happens to shine through the brightest when I am tearing through grand passionate piano works like those of Rachmaninoff and Stravinsky.

And with that core center we become truly one with our creator. We receive supernatural powers and feel like we can do anything. We start asking “Why not?” And perhaps more importantly “why not me?” The interesting thing is that I did not always have such clarity of vision as to what music speaks to me the most.

It is interesting that this clarity and acceptance of my authentic power did come only about two years ago at a particularly transformational moment in my life after meeting with one of the world’s most important music agents. It was clear that he saw great talent and promise in me, and yet at the end of our meeting, he spoke some of the most powerful words I have ever heard, which hit me like lightning. He looked at my repertoire list—which, by the way, I had filled with every single piece I knew, desperately trying to show just how much I was capable of—and he said, “I don’t quite know yet who you are as an artist.” After that meeting, I made a commitment to myself to only play music that is the most “me” and not be afraid of judgment, of being told that I play “like a man.”

From that point forward, all of my concert programs and recordings I produce, including my “Rachmaninoff and Stravinsky” recording, are born out of this specific moment of empowerment, in which I finally embraced my authenticity.

And so now, after endless hours of practice, recording sessions, and gallons of coffee, my recording of Rachmaninoff’s Moments Musicaux, Piano Sonata No. 2, Lilacs, and the two Stravinsky masterpieces – “Petrouchka” and “Firebird” has been released and will be celebrated with a concert performance at Carnegie Hall on November 4.

And as I think of this incredible full-circle moment in my life, I again remember some of those critics, but then gratefully turn my gaze toward my parents who have stood by the side of their “gazan aghchik,” encouraging her to dream big, to go all out, to play that piano like it has never been played before.

It is particularly symbolic that my CD and the Carnegie Hall program conclude with the inspiring narrative of Stravinsky’s “Firebird.” The three contrasting movements of this work present an empowering story of overcoming all things dark and unjust. Though as we reach adulthood, we tend to lose our faith in fairy tales, I believe there is a secret part in all of our hearts, hidden deep within, that still wants to believe in the power of good over evil so very badly. That part of our hearts is richly rewarded in the finale, as the glorious theme of victory, first heard quietly from afar, crescendos just like the sun slowly rising after a dark night, and fills up our hearts with a triumphant jubilation. 

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Kariné Poghosyan

Kariné Poghosyan made her orchestral debut at 14, playing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1, and her solo Carnegie Hall debut at 23. Since then she has gone on to win numerous awards and perform in some of the world’s most prestigious concert halls. Poghosyan’s musical studies began in her native Yerevan in Armenia at the School of the Arts No. 1 and continued at Romanos Melikian College and the Komitas State Conservatory. After moving to the U.S. in 1998, she received her B.M., summa cum laude, from Cal State Northridge followed by her M.M. and D.M.A. degrees at Manhattan School of Music. In fact, she completed her D.M.A in a record-breaking two years with a thesis on Aram Khachaturian’s works for piano. Poghosyan is currently based in New York, where she teaches at the Manhattan School of Music.

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BELMONT, Mass. – On Saturday, November 2, 2019, world-renowned opera singer Isabel Bayrakdarian will perform songs of Komitas and Sayat Nova at the sold-out Gala of the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge, MA. A versatile opera singer, and concert and recording artist, Bayrakdarian has performed to great acclaim with the premier orchestras of the world and will be celebrating the 150^th anniversary of the birth of Komitas (1869–1935), the priest, musicologist and choirmaster with her performance at the NAASR Gala.

Accompanying her will be the Borromeo String Quartet, one the most important string quartets of our time, and the faculty ensemble-in-residence at the New England Conservatory of Music. They have collaborated with many of today’s great composers and performers and work extensively with the Library of Congress, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

“We are honored that one of the foremost sopranos of our time will grace us with her presence,” said NAASR Chairman of the Board Yervant Chekijian. “Her performance with the Borromeo Quartet will be part of an evening we will long remember.”

NAASR’s 65^th Anniversary Gala follows the Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting, on November 1, of NAASR’s spectacular, new, state-of-the-art global headquarters, named after Vartan Gregorian, President of the philanthropic Carnegie Corporation of New York. The Gala will celebrate NAASR’s 65 years of achievement and mark a new era as NAASR looks toward the future and welcomes the next generation to build a prosperous future for Armenian Studies. Vartan Gregorian will give the keynote address, and David Ignatius, Washington Post columnist and novelist, will be the master of ceremonies.

Founded in 1955, NAASR is a world leader advancing Armenian Studies, connecting scholars of Armenian Studies with the public, and building community worldwide. To date, NAASR has financial commitments for $6.2 million of the $7 million project for its new headquarters. To learn more about NAASR, contact Sarah Ignatius, Executive Director, at hq@naasr.org or call 617-489-1610.

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NAASR

The National Association for Armenian Studies and Research was launched in March 1955 with a vision to promote Armenian Studies by establishing endowed chairs at some of the foremost universities in the United States.

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The United States government has recognized the Armenian Genocide multiple times in the past. In an official document submitted by the US government to the World Court in 1951, the Armenian Genocide was acknowledged for the first time as an example of genocide. The House of Representatives adopted two resolutions in 1975 and 1984, acknowledging the Armenian Genocide. Furthermore, Pres. Ronald Reagan issued a Presidential Proclamation on April 22, 1981 referencing the Armenian Genocide.

Nevertheless, recent US Administrations have made repeated attempts to block the acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide by the US Congress and successive US Presidents have avoided using the term genocide in their April 24 commemorative statements.

For example, the Reagan administration, after Pres. Reagan issued a Presidential Proclamation in 1981 acknowledging the Armenian Genocide, opposed Congressional resolutions recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

The George H. W. Bush administration opposed Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole’s efforts to have the US Senate recognize the Armenian Genocide Resolution in 1990.

The Clinton administration blocked the passage of the Armenian Genocide Resolution in 2000, moments before the House was to vote on it.

The George W. Bush administration objected to the adoption of the Armenian Genocide Resolution by the House of Representatives in 2007.

The Obama administration opposed the Armenian Genocide Resolution in 2010, preventing it from reaching a full House vote.

An unclassified “Secret” State Department document, dated October 2, 2000, discloses the length to which the US government went to block the passage of House Resolution 596 in the year 2000, while Bill Clinton was President and Madeleine Albright was Secretary of State. Resolution 596 was approved by the House International Relations Committee on 24 yes, 11 no and two present votes on October 3, 2000, but not put to a vote in the House of Representatives.

The “Secret” document contains two letters: the first from Secretary of State Albright to Foreign Minister of Armenia Vartan Oskanian and Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Ipekci; the second letter is from Tom Pickering, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, to Dick Solomon, President of the US Institute of Peace. In an introductory note, Steven Sestanovich, Special Adviser to the Secretary of State for the new independent states of the former Soviet Union, tells US Ambassador to Armenia Michael Lemmon that both Pickering and Solomon “are obviously part of the deal we are trying to put in place to head off the Genocide Resolution. I discussed them today with VO [Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian] and Van Krikorian [Co-Chair of the Armenian Assembly of America] did the same. VO was positively disposed but said he could not speak for RK [Pres. Robert Kocharyan], who had already gone home sick. VO will speak with him tomorrow and get his reaction….”

In the second letter, Under Secretary of State Pickering wrote to Solomon, President of the US Institute of Peace, an independent institution founded by Congress: “…Recently, the Congress has been deliberating a resolution, HR 596 on ‘Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.’ As you know, the Administration has opposed this resolution, but we firmly believe that a Truth and Reconciliation process on this subject is needed…. The Secretary [of State] has asked me to write to propose that the US Institute of Peace begin developing ideas for such a Truth and Reconciliation process with the goal of launching it in the near future…As a first step, we hope you will consider convening a group of credible and recognized Turks, Armenians and others. These should include the representatives of public groups, scholars, archivists, government or former government officials and others. Our hope is that an initial meeting could be held as early as December in Washington, D.C. This initial planning group would review the historical and political contexts and generate a consensus on the scope and timetable of subsequent activities, including creation of a commission to prepare a report.”

The initiative proposed by the Department of State was finally launched in July 2001 when the “Turkish Armenian Reconciliation Commission” (TARC) was founded with the participation of six Turks and four Armenians which included Van Krikorian from the Armenian Assembly of America, Antranik Migranian from Moscow and two Armenian foreign ministry officials.

In the months succeeding the formation of TARC, I wrote several editorials opposing it because it was clear that TARC was a ploy by the State Department to block the proposed congressional resolution to recognize the Armenian Genocide. Even without the knowledge of the “Secret” document disclosed in this article, most observers suspected that TARC was created and funded by the State Department in conjunction with the Turkish government to undermine the pursuit of the Armenian Cause.

Unfortunately, certain Armenian groups and individuals were deceived by this American-Turkish ploy which was naively supported by the Armenian Foreign Ministry. It took a considerable effort on the part of many Diaspora Armenians to convince the Armenian government to drop its support of TARC.

Armenians need to remain vigilant not to fall in the trap of those who pursue their own interests at the expense of the Armenian nation!

Author information

Harut Sassounian

California Courier Editor

Harut Sassounian is the publisher of The California Courier, a weekly newspaper based in Glendale, Calif. He is the president of the United Armenian Fund, a coalition of the seven largest Armenian-American organizations. He has been decorated by the president and prime minister of the Republic of Armenia, and the heads of the Armenian Apostolic and Catholic churches. He is also the recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

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WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. House Rules Committee – chaired by Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) – cleared the Armenian Genocide Resolution, H.Res.296, for an up-or-down vote of the full House of Representatives, as early as the afternoon of Tuesday, October 29th, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). The bipartisan measure will reach the House floor under a “closed” rule, which will allow Representatives to vote on the resolution, as introduced, without amendments.

“We want to thank Chairman McGovern for his principled leadership and to share our profound appreciation with Chairman Engel, Congressman Smith, and Congresswoman Eshoo for their powerful testimony in support of a full U.S. House vote on the Armenian Genocide Resolution,” said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA.  “Most importantly, we encourage our community and coalition partners to continue calling in to Congress, demanding passage of H.Res.296, by visiting www.anca.org/call.”

Preliminary indications are that the “Rule” for consideration of the Armenian Genocide Resolution will be discussed Tuesday, October 29th, starting about 12:30pm for up to 1 hour, with the House floor discussion starting as early as 2:45pm and lasting up to 1 hour.  The vote would take place soon thereafter. Times are subject to change based on the Congressional schedule.

Chairman McGovern opened the hearing with powerful opening remarks, stating that H.Res.296 “is an opportunity for the House to speak loudly and about the Armenian Genocide and finally acknowledge what it actually was, a genocide. Although the executive branch has issued proclamations and Congress has passed measures over the years on this, none in modern times have actually relayed all the facts and called it what it really was.   Enough with the euphemisms, facts are important, speaking the truth is important, and if dark chapters in our history are not acknowledged, they are doomed to be repeated.”

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Eliot Engel (D-NY) and Senior Republican Member Chris Smith (R-NJ) offered compelling testimony in support of a closed rule and favorable consideration of H.Res.296 when it reaches the House floor.

“Many of us are concerned with what’s going on in various parts of the world. The Armenian Genocide is a Genocide, and many of us are concerned with, frankly, others, including the Kurds. It is happening right now and Turkey is again in the thick of things. So, I think if there was never a right time to release this before, now is definitely the right time,” said Chairman Engel.

“They [Turkey] threaten other countries! They threaten us! When I had a hearing in 2000, the ambassador of Turkey, because I had both sides at the table – the Armenians and the Turks – he threatened us with Incerlik.  Frankly, with a friend like that in NATO, who needs enemies?”  said Rep. Smith.

Procedural opposition to the resolution was raised by Congressman Rob Woodall (R-GA) and Rules Committee Ranking Republican Tom Cole (R-OK), who noted that H.Res.296 is moving straight to the House floor without a Foreign Affairs Committee hearing.  Chairman McGovern noted that the Republican and Democratic leaders of this panel had given their green-light to fast-track consideration of H.Res.296, and both Chairman Engel and Representative Smith noted that the facts of the Armenian Genocide have been firmly established in the U.S. House during the course of multiple Congressional hearings over the course of the past two decades.

Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA), who is of Armenian and Assyrian heritage, made an impassioned plea for passage of the resolution during her testimony in support of H.Res.296.  Last week, Rep. Eshoo told Congressional colleagues, “Members of my own family were among those murdered. My mother escaped with my grandmother from Armenia, and my father, an Assyrian Christian, was driven from the Middle East. Both carried the terror of the atrocities of the Ottoman Turks for a lifetime.”

Other Rules Committee members speaking in favor of the measure included Rep. Joseph Morelle (D-NY), who noted his support for Armenian Genocide legislation when he served in the New York State Assembly and Rep. Donna Shalala (D-FL), who is of Lebanese origin and who described how her Maronite family was displaced during the Armenian Genocide.  Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-AZ) noted that she was an original cosponsor of the measure and supports its adoption, and Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), noted that she learned about the Armenian Genocide through archives in Pennsylvania and the Mher Statue in downtown Philadelphia.

Tonight’s House Rules Committee action opens the path for the first U.S. House of Representatives vote affirming the Armenian Genocide in over 30 years. The bipartisan measure — strongly supported by the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) — would lock in U.S. acknowledgment of the Armenian Genocide and strike a powerful blow against the gag-rule that Turkey has long enforced against honest American remembrance of this crime.

Led by House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Florida Republican Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), the Armenian Genocide Resolution has been gaining momentum in the past week – particularly following Turkey’s invasion of northern Syria. The measure currently has over 140 cosponsors. A similar version in the Senate (S.Res.150) – led by Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) – has 18 cosponsors and continues to attract growing support.

The U.S. House will also vote on H.R.4695, the Protect Against Conflict by Turkey Act, that would impose harsh sanctions on Turkey over its recent invasion of northern Syria. The Armenian National Committee of America strongly supports passage of that measure as well.

The ANCA, over the course of many decades, has pushed back against Turkey’s heavy-handed denial, striving to put America on the right side of the Armenian Genocide. During the current session of Congress, the ANCA worked closely with House and Senate leaders to secure votes on H.Res.296 and S.Res.150 since they were introduced in April, 2019.  Over the past weeks, thousands of letters and phone calls have already been made by Armenian American advocates through the ANCA online portals – anca.org/genocide and anca.org/call.  The ANCA teamed up with the Armenian Youth Federation Eastern and Western United States for a targeted social media effort to expand community participation in the lead-up to the vote.

ANCA leaders and advocates from across the U.S., including ANCA National Board member Ani Tchaghlasian, ANCA Western Region Board Members Raffi Kassabian, Hermine Pakhanians, and Raffi Sarkisian, ANCA Nevada’s Hera Armenian, and AYF Western Region Central Executive Member Hakob Hajibekyan joined with ANCA Government Affairs Director Tereza Yerimyan, ANCA Western Region Government Affairs Coordinator Arsen Shirvanyan, Community Development Coordinator Simon Maghakyan, veteran ANCA staff Dickran Khodanian and Justin Kaladjian for a targeted fly-in to secure passage of H.Res.296.  ANCA Capital Gateway Fellows, Leo Sarkisian Internship alumni, and AYFers including Nairi Diratsouian, Daron Pogharian, Varant Anmahouni, Alex Manoukian and Nareg Kouyoumjian partnered with Programs Director Sipan Ohannesian in the ANCA mission to meet with every Congressional office prior to the vote.

Greek, Assyrian, Jewish Groups Rally Support for Armenian Genocide Resolution

Traditional support by Hellenic American, Assyrian American, and a broad range of human rights organizations was augmented today by the Anti-Defamation League and American Jewish Committee, with both organizations issuing statements in support of the measure.

“This historic Congressional resolution, while long overdue, is an important step toward raising awareness and educating the American public about the horrific genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire against Armenians during the early part of the 1900s,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL CEO. “The 20th century saw the worst episodes of genocide in recorded human history, beginning with the Armenian Genocide, through the Holocaust and all the way to the atrocities in Bosnia and Rwanda. Indeed, historians note that Hitler viewed the Armenian Genocide and the world’s indifference toward it as inspiration to launch his own genocidal campaign across Europe. We believe that remembering and educating about any genocide – Armenian, the Holocaust, Bosnia, Rwanda, and others – is a necessary tool to prevent future tragedies and begins with recognition.”

AJC Executive Director tweeted the organization’s support for the measure, stating, “This week, US Congress takes up a resolution on Armenian Genocide. Starting in 1915, Ottoman Empire decimated Armenian Christian population. 1st genocide of the 20th century. To this day, Turkey tries to deny this documented crime. Don’t let it. That’s why we support H.Res. 296.”

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ANCA

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest and most influential Armenian-American grassroots organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues. To learn more, visit www.anca.org.

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From the moment I was told of the sudden news that my high school, AGBU Manoukian High School (AGBU MHS), would be shutting down and merging with AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian School, I was in complete shock. It all felt so surreal; I had graduated from AGBU MHS only three years ago and my younger brother had just recently graduated this June. To think, an institution that has played such a large role in my life and has helped shape my identity would be closing its doors to future generations of students was incredibly heartbreaking. 

My years at AGBU MHS were filled with happy and bittersweet moments. The faculty became our second family, and our school became a second home. The faculty members stood as a backbone to the entirety of the student body and always prioritized the needs of their students over all else. They were pivotal in shaping our high school experiences and emphasizing the importance of being Armenian and our responsibility to preserve the culture everyday. 

The work of the Armenian department at the school was nothing short of exceptional. The amount of time and effort put in by Mr. Norayr Daduryan and Ms. Lora Kuyumjian to instill a sense of Armenian pride within its student body through the teachings of poetry, song, theater and art is truly remarkable. These two educators single-handedly created a tiny Armenia within our small campus, and they continue to mold the new generation of students into passionate Armenians who, I’m positive, will go on to become vocal advocates for the Armenian cause in their communities.

As I walked onto campus on Monday morning, there was a strange silence and eeriness in the air, which I had never felt before. At 8:30 am, the students staged a silent walkout from their classes, with posters in their hands, that displayed statements like “I should be worrying about my future college, not my future high school” and “Can’t afford our education? Well, we can’t afford assimilation.” Their faces read frustration, anger, sadness and disappointment. Their school was giving up on them and forcing them to separate from the environment that they had become so comfortable and accustomed to. 

I watched the events unfold as I stood with a group of alumni, wearing black in solidarity with the #SpartanStrong movement, feeling betrayed and angry with those who made this decision. While the MHS Board and the Manoukian Foundation attributed the shutdown of the school to the growing financial burden due to declining student enrollment, I was left dumbfounded: how is it possible that one of the wealthiest Armenian organizations, led by the richest benefactors, does not have the financial capacity to support one small Armenian high school in Pasadena? Are they even slightly concerned about the risk of assimilation? Are they aware of the consequences this decision will bring for future generations of Armenian students? 

The protest included speeches by supporters of the cause, including Mrs. Maro Najarian-Yacoubian, co-chair of the Parent Support Group; Mr. Joseph Atme, AGBU MHS student body president; Father Barthev Gulumian, Mr. Norayr Daduryan and Mrs. Lora Kuyumjian. Each speech was more powerful than the last. We were all left with the spirit and passion to continue fighting for the school. 

Mr. Daduryan emphasized how communities in the diaspora in Syria, Lebanon and even Istanbul, continue to operate their schools, in times of conflict and tension, yet an Armenian school in America, backed by robust organizations and donors, is not able to keep its doors open for more than 13 years. AGBU MHS is not the only school that is dealing with the difficulties of low enrollment and financial issues in Southern California. There are other Armenian schools that have been operating long before AGBU MHS, and they continue to operate today. Why? Because rather than using the school as an asset to gain profit, other schools see a greater, more honest purpose in keeping Armenian schools open: to preserve the language and culture for generations to come. 

Towards the end of the protest, I was overcome with tears, as I was faced with the sad reality of the situation. This school introduced me to my lifelong friends, who are currently studying at top universities in California and have become heavily involved in their Armenian communities. This school introduced me to the greatest network of educators. To this day, I continue to seek their advice and ask for guidance, as they have become mentors to me. I will always be grateful that I had the chance to attend an Armenian school and knowing the benefits of attending an Armenian school, I believe that future generations of students should not be stripped away from this opportunity. 

Future generations of Armenian students should be guaranteed the opportunity to attend an Armenian school. They need to learn about the history and the resilience of the Armenian people, learn the beautiful language, recite our poetry, sing our songs and, most importantly, have the chance to visit the homeland with their peers, which is a life-changing experience for young Armenians. 

I urge the AGBU MHS School Board and the Manoukians to reconsider their decision to close down the high school because it would be a shame to do so. 

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Taleen Nazarian

Taleen Nazarian is a fourth-year student at the University of California, Irvine studying Political Science and Criminology, Law and Society. She was born and raised in Pasadena, California. She has become involved in the Armenian Students’ Association at UC Irvine, serving as the Cultural Chair and the current Vice President. She has interned for the Armenian National Committee of America - Western Region (ANCA-WR) and has become a vocal advocate of the Armenian cause in her community.

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WASHINGTON, DC – In a major blow to Ankara’s obstruction of justice for the Armenian Genocide, the U.S. House today voted overwhelmingly to pass H.Res.296, an Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) – backed measure locking in ongoing U.S. recognition of this crime and officially rejecting Turkey’s denial of the genocide it committed against Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Syriacs, Maronites and other Christian nations.  The Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.296) was adopted by a vote of 405 to 11 with 3 voting present.

ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian stated, “The ANCA welcomes the U.S. House of Representatives vote overriding the longest-lasting foreign veto in American history – Ankara’s gag-rule against honest American remembrance of the Armenian Genocide. We must now move forcefully toward a truthful, just and comprehensive resolution of Turkey’s crime against humanity that killed over 1.5 million innocent Armenians.”

Hamparian continued, “While much can be said of today’s vote – this is crystal clear. First, this vote exposed – in powerful ways – Ankara’s attempts to enlist America in its obstruction of justice for the Armenian Genocide. Second, this vote places America on the side of justice, which has, for far too long, been denied to the victims and surviving generations of the Armenian Genocide.”

The Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.296) establishes, as a matter of U.S. policy, 1) the rejection of Armenian Genocide denial, 2) ongoing official U.S. government recognition and remembrance of this crime, and 3) support for education about the Armenian Genocide in order to help prevent modern-day atrocities.  Representatives Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) led the House effort, while Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) are spearheading the Senate measure (S.Res.150).

The ANCA has consistently pushed back against Turkey’s denials, striving to put America on the right side of the Armenian Genocide. Thousands of letters and phone calls have already been sent to Congress by Armenian American advocates through the ANCA online portal.

For more information on the Armenian Genocide: www.anca.org/HRes296.

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ANCA

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest and most influential Armenian-American grassroots organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues. To learn more, visit www.anca.org.

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Thurgood Marshall once said, “The only way you can get your rights…is to insist upon them.” To this end, the Armenian Youth Federation-Youth Organization of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Eastern Region (AYF-YOARF) and the greater Armenian-American community have fought for decades in search of justice for one of the darkest moments in human history: the Armenian Genocide of 1915. Today, by voting to set a permanent U.S. policy in recognition of the Genocide, the U.S. House of Representatives has taken an important step in holding Turkey accountable for the systematic slaughter of 1.5 million Armenians between 1915 to 1923. 

An end has been put to Turkey’s gag rule by properly recognizing the atrocities of the Ottoman Empire. After nearly 105 years of denial and mockery, Turkey is facing justice. With this policy, the United States refuses to kowtow to Turkey’s manipulation and deceit. No longer can Turkey wrongfully use its geopolitical stronghold to blackmail the United States into supporting its regime of human rights violations. 

The AYF-YOARF ER thanks the U.S House of Representatives for embodying our beloved American values of courage, truth and justice today. By recognizing the Armenian Genocide, the U.S House of Representatives has given due honor to the noble efforts of many Americans who responded during the crisis, like American Red Cross founder Clara Barton, U.S Ambassador Henry Morgenthau, President Woodrow Wilson and the Americans who were part of the Near East Relief Foundation. This is the beginning of a new and brighter chapter for Armenian-American relations and for descendants of Armenian Genocide survivors in the United States, who can now proudly say that their country recognizes the Armenian Genocide. Once again, thank you to the United States House of Representatives for bringing this great nation to the right side of history. 

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AYF-YOARF

Founded in 1933, The Armenian Youth Federation is an international, non-profit, youth organization of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF). The AYF-YOARF Eastern United States stands on five pillars that guide its central activities and initiatives: Educational, Hai Tahd, Social, Athletic and Cultural. The AYF also promotes a fraternal attitude of respect for ideas and individuals amongst its membership. Unity and cooperation are essential traits that allow members of the organization to work together to realize the AYF’s objectives.

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The Central Committee of the ARF Eastern Region, USA congratulates the passage of House Resolution 296 (H.Res.296) in the House of Representatives today re-affirming the Armenian Genocide as historical fact. For decades, the State Department and successive administrations have vociferously opposed the recognition of the Armenian Genocide citing Turkey’s bilateral relations with the US, trade, military bases and a myriad of other irrelevant issues. Today, the House spoke unequivocally to set the record straight with an overwhelming vote of 405 for the resolution and only 11 against. We are proud that the House of Representatives re-affirmed the Armenian Genocide today, once again proving that truth will always prevail.

We are exceedingly proud of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) today and every day for its unwavering, decades long dedication to pursuing justice for the Armenian Genocide. The ANCA has never wavered, never yielded in the pursuit of justice for the unspeakable crimes and injustices committed against our nation. The success we all witnessed today is an affirmation of the ANCA’s vision and policies.

In light of this historic accomplishment, we are dedicated to continue the struggle until we gain justice through reparations for our cause.

October 29, 2019
Armenian Revolutionary Federation, Eastern U.S. Central Committee

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ARF Eastern US Central Committee

The ARF Eastern Region Central Committee’s headquarters is the Hairenik Building in Watertown, Mass. The ARF Eastern Region’s media and bookstore are also housed in this building, as are various other important Armenian community organizations. The ARF Eastern Region holds a convention annually and calls various consultative meetings and conferences throughout the year.

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NEW YORK, NY—In honor of the 120th and 85th anniversaries of the Hairenik and Armenian Weekly, a group of journalists, community leaders and subscribers of the historic publications discussed and examined the role of the press in the Armenian Diaspora this past weekend. 

“Without these newspapers, we would not have had a place to see ourselves in our full experience as Armenians and as Armenian Americans,” said Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) member and former Weekly editor Georgi-Ann Oshagan during her formal remarks at the Conference on the Armenian Press on Saturday. 

Guests were first invited into the church sanctuary for a short prayer service led by His Eminence Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Prelate and Reverend Father Mesrob Lakissian. His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, has declared the year 2019 as the Year of the Armenian Press.

“What a beautiful coincidence,” began ARF Eastern Region Central Committee member Khajag Mgrdichian in Armenian, “that the milestone anniversaries of the Hairenik and the Armenian Weekly are occurring during the ‘Year of the Armenian Press.’”

Founded in 1899 as the organ of the ARF, the Hairenik is considered the oldest, continuously published Armenian-language newspaper in the world. Decades later, in an effort to answer the growing needs of immigrants, an English column appeared in the Hairenik, peaking the interest of English-speaking Armenians desperate to reconnect with their Armenian heritage while struggling to find their place in rather foreign surroundings. In the spring of 1934, their thirst for information about the homeland was quenched in the form of the Hairenik Weekly. In 1969, the name was changed to the Armenian Weekly. “This was a momentous decision to have that English language newspaper—a dedicated newspaper, not a pullout, not an insert, but an English language newspaper,” said Oshagan. “It was the vision of the ARF at that time to choose hope in the youth and in future generations…rather than be motivated by fear.”

“Even back in the 1930s, the necessity of English-language Armenian news publications existed, and that necessity has only grown over the years,” said former Weekly editor Rupen Janbazian, who is now leading the Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society’s innovative online Armenian cultural platform, h-pem. “The creation of a platform to engage young Armenians, and non-Armenians for that matter, with Armenian culture in the English language is a long time coming.”

Janbazian moderated an English panel featuring Oshagan and Armenian Mirror Spectator assistant editor Aram Arkun. The journalists discussed the impact of the Hairenik and Armenian Weekly on the Armenian experience and how community newspapers are handling today’s societal and technological changes. “We are weeklies with websites,” said Arkun, who believes that unfortunately the print version of the Mirror Spectator, which is the newspaper of the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (ADL), may not last very much longer as it competes with free online news sources. George Aghjayan, ARF-ER Central Committee Chair respectfully disagreed, saying “There will always be that cohort who wants to hold that paper in their hands.” Aghjayan noted that these community newspapers are backed by political parties that are willing to invest in their existence.

Other issues were introduced during an interesting back and forth with engaged audience members, including ARF Eastern Region Central Committee member Ani Tchaghlasian who was accompanied by her son Sarhad. Tchaghlasian inquired about the youth’s growing disinterest in the print. “We need to ask the youth themselves,” replied Oshagan, who commented on the absence of a dedicated Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) page in the Weekly—a pressing issue that the Weekly Editorial staff has commissioned with members of the AYF Central Executive.

Horizon Weekly editor Vahakn Karakachian addressed this challenge with a case study out of Canada, explaining that schools in Montreal and Toronto assign newspaper reading material to their students every month so that the students can get a better understanding of the craft and the world around them. 

Karakachian then moderated an Armenian panel, which included University of Michigan-Dearborn professor Dr. Ara Sanjian, thought leader and writer Vrej Armen Artinian and Columbia University professor and former Weekly editor Dr. Khatchig Mouradian, who criticized the Armenian media’s tendency to avoid discussions on issues of global concern and limiting its focus to an Armenian-centric discourse. As an example, he brought up one reader’s scathing, narrow-minded comment that was posted online in regards to a recent article about modern immigration. “I do not subscribe to the Armenian Weekly to read about immigration issues,” wrote the reader. “When we limit the issues we address,” began Dr. Mouradian in Armenian, “we also limit our readership.”

The event was book-ended with lectures by historian Dr. Vartan Matiossian and Aghjayan, who concluded with a slideshow presentation on the future of the Hairenik publications, the newspaper digitization project (spearheaded by Berj Panosyan, who was present at the conference) and the exciting infrastructural developments on the fourth floor of the Hairenik building. “The building itself is a hub,” said Aghjayan of the Watertown, Massachusetts headquarters. “It represents the vibrancy of our party in this region.” 

Readers interested in learning more about this event can watch the conference in its entirety on the Armenian Weekly Facebook page, where it was streamed live in three parts.

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Leeza Arakelian

Assistant Editor

Leeza Arakelian is the assistant editor for the Armenian Weekly. She is a formally trained broadcast news writer and a graduate of UCLA and Emerson College. Leeza has written and produced for local and network television news including Boston 25 and Al Jazeera America.

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YEREVAN—Deputy Chief of the Armenian National Police Service Hovannes Kocharyan has been relieved of his responsibilities after publicly objecting to a bill currently being discussed in the National Assembly to change the way heads of the Armenian security community are appointed. President Armen Sarkisian signed a decree last week confirming this decision on the recommendation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Vladimir Karapetian, the spokesman for the Prime Minister’s office, explained that the former Deputy Chief broke the law which requires police to remain neutral in politics.

Kocharyan’s dismissal comes a little over a month after the Prime Minister publicly sacked National Security Service (NSS) head Artur Vanetsyan and Police Chief Valeriy Osipyan. Both Osipyan and Vanetsyan had been career officers in their respective agencies, promoted in the wake of last year’s Velvet Revolution. While Osipyan had come under fire from watchdogs for the nature of his police reforms and the rise of petty crime under his watch, Vanetsyan had earned a reputation as a high-profile Pashinyan ally in the corruption investigations against notorious oligarchs.

According to the current law, the heads of the police and the NSS, the intelligence agency which replaced the Soviet-era KGB following independence, can only be promoted from within their ranks, thus limiting the Velvet government’s choices for these key roles. These two agencies, along with the State Revenue Committee, had previously been under the direct control of the president, but former President Serzh Sargsyan transferred them to the direct control of the prime minister in anticipation of an eventual switch to a parliamentary system following a controversial constitutional referendum in 2014. As a result, these agencies have developed reputations for opaque hierarchical structures sustained on personal relationships with the former president and a lack of any real accountability.

Pashinyan, who as leader of the opposition had been vocal in his condemnation of Sargsyan’s attempt to create a “super premiership,” has since been reluctant to relinquish these powers after taking office. However, his administration has worked with the opposition Bright Armenia Party to bring these agencies under parliamentary review. The latest bill proposed by Bright Armenia MPs would allow the prime minister to appoint any Armenian citizen over the age of 25, provided that they have resided in the country for a minimum of four years, to the NSS and police.

While the bill was widely expected to pass on its second hearing last week, it has been delayed at the request of Vladimir Vartanian, who chairs the legal affairs committee, for further review.

Some critics have defended Kocharyan’s criticism of the bill, arguing that subjecting the Police and NSS to outside political appointees will do little to promote accountability. Others still have accused the new government of trying to strengthen its hold on power by appointing loyalists to these critical segments of the Armenian security establishment. 

Dr. Matthew Light, an associate professor of criminology at the University of Toronto who has extensively studied police reform in both Armenia and Georgia, characterized the bill as a positive step which establishes, both symbolically and practically, that the police, who have a constitutionally mandated monopoly on the use of force, are accountable to Armenia’s democratically elected political leaders. Pointing to the experience of other countries in the region, Dr. Light advises authorities to do more than simply place security forces under civilian institutional supervision. In-depth police reform “requires a long-term investment in reforming all aspects of police work, including training, personnel recruitment and management, and evaluation and incentive structures,” he told the Armenian Weekly. 

While President Sarkisian has appointed Arman Sargsyan as acting police chief and Eduard Martirosian acting head of the NSS, Pashinyan has so far refrained from announcing his choices to head these key agencies. The date for the bill’s third reading has not yet been made public.

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Raffi Elliott

Columnist & Armenia Correspondent

Raffi Elliott is a Canadian-Armenian political risk analyst and journalist based in Yerevan, Armenia. As correspondent and columnist for the Armenian Weekly, he covers socioeconomic, political, business and diplomatic issues in Armenia, with occasional thoughts on culture and urbanism.

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YEREVAN, Armenia – On October 23, 2019, the inaugural Forest Summit: Global Action and Armenia concluded three days of insights and shared learnings from some of the world’s leading climatologists, forestry professionals and political leaders in Yerevan. The Summit has been heralded by Armenia’s political leadership and forestry professionals worldwide as a necessary assembly of thought-leaders at an important time. The unprecedented event was co-hosted by American University of Armenia’s Acopian Center for the Environment and Armenia Tree Project (ATP).

Though small in size, Armenia has fought hard to protect its forests and has shown renewed political commitment to protecting, restoring, and expanding Armenia’s forest cover. “Addressing environmental issues, and in particular forest conservation and restoration, are among the priorities of our government,” said Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in his remarks to the attendees. “Environmental issues are not isolated problems. They nearly always have a global impact and call for concerted efforts to address them, and in this respect, events that provide a platform for exchanging ideas, exploring international experience and identifying potential partnerships are crucial. I am pleased to see that this conference brings together world-class professionals from whom I am sure we have much to learn.”

More than 350 attendees from 12 countries enjoyed presentations by a host of speakers with expertise from five continents, headlined by Dr. Anthony S. Davis, interim dean and professor at the College of Forestry at Oregon State University. Dr. Davis spoke of how forest-friendly policies must be factored into policy-making worldwide, and how the planting of trees plays a crucial role in combating climate change. 

Davis lauded Armenia’s pledge to double its forest cover by 2050 as part of its commitment to the Bonn Challenge and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. “In 2050, half of the forest cover in Armenia will be based on decisions made starting now,” said Davis, addressing the crowd on Tuesday. “There should be no greater calling to work together than that information. The future of what you see as a forest in Armenia will be driven by decisions you make starting today.” 

Echoing Davis, each speaker brought innovative thoughts and key learnings on the role of forests in national economies, and how planting the right trees in the right places can support communities and bolster ecosystems. Guests learned how forests benefit from innovations on water supply sustenance, international donors, tree biodiversity, and the optimal utilization of nurseries and commercial forests. 

The conference underscored the urgency of the climate change crisis and the role forests play in the fight against it. Forests help to sequester carbon dioxide, purify water and expand habitat for entire ecosystems. 

Led by the work of ATP, Armenia has seen a rebound in its canopy cover since the 1990s. This fall, the group will plant its six millionth tree in Armenian soil. Founded in 1994 by activist Carolyn Mugar, ATP has furthered the country’s economic and social development by restoring trees across the country, creating hundreds of jobs through tree-related programming and educating tens of thousands of students on environmental issues. The co-hosting of this inaugural conference was done in commemoration of the ATP’s 25th anniversary. 

The AUA Acopian Center for the Environment has been on the forefront of organizing policy discussions and debates on a large number of environmental challenges and opportunities in Armenia. The Summit is an example of the Center’s deep commitment to open and multi-stakeholder deliberations on critical environmental issues, bringing international and national experience to identify paths forward.

In addition to the insights and addresses from talented speakers and panelists, the conference provided field visits to Dilijan National Forest and Margahovit Village.

About the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment 
The AUA Acopian Center for the Environment, a research center of the American University of Armenia (AUA), promotes the protection and restoration of the natural environment through research, education, and community outreach. The AUA Acopian Center’s focus areas include sustainable natural resource management, biodiversity and conservation, greening the built environment, clean energy, and energy efficiency, as well as information technology and the environment.

About Armenia Tree Project 
Armenia Tree Project (ATP), a non-profit program based in Massachusetts and Yerevan, conducts vitally important environmental projects in Armenia’s cities and villages. Since 1994, ATP has made enormous strides in combating desertification in the biologically diverse but threatened Caucasus region. More than 5,700,000 trees have been planted and restored, and hundreds of jobs have been created for Armenians in seasonal tree-related programs. ATP works to further Armenia’s economic and social development by mobilizing resources to fund reforestation. These vital new trees provide food, wood, environmental benefits, and opportunities for economic growth. ATP has a full time staff of over 80 in Armenia. The Yerevan office manages four state-of-the-art tree nurseries and two environmental education centers, partners with villagers to create tree-based micro-enterprise opportunities, creates urban green belts for public use, restores degraded forest lands, and employs hundreds of part-time workers to plant new forests.

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Armenia Tree Project

Armenia Tree Project (ATP) is a non-profit program based in Woburn and Yerevan conducting vitally important environmental projects in Armenia's cities and villages and seeks support in advancing its reforestation mission. Since 1994, ATP has planted and restored more than 5,300,000 trees, and hundreds of jobs have been created for Armenians in seasonal tree-related programs. Visit their website for more info: armeniatree.org.

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Last week, the Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC)—Armenia’s equivalent to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)—circulated an early draft of a bill which would empower internet service providers (ISPs) to engage in bulk collection and storage of user data. While the PSRC has offered a relatively benign explanation for the move, stating that it’s only intended to clarify legislation on data management, the proposed bill contains language that compels ISPs to collect and store identifiable information on anonymous online users. This includes datasets pertaining to emails, browser histories and the device used to access the internet. 

The PSRC has contended that it is already authorized to collect user data, which would not be accessible to authorities without a warrant. Still, this flagrantly Orwellian attempted government overreach into the private lives of its citizens should be alarming to any privacy rights advocate and stands in sharp contrast to the authorities’ commitment to an open and transparent society.

Aside from the more mundane issues such as the lack of a good explanation for this law’s necessity or the large costs incurred on smaller ISPs who will have to pay out of pocket to secure the extra storage space, the PSRC’s actions raise some serious questions on the limits of the state’s regulatory authority. 

Armenia’s 2006 Law on Electronic Communication authorizes the PSRC to regulate telecom in the country, including internet access, though there are absolutely no legally established term limits on the agency’s leadership, nor is there any effective protocol in place to replace it. Most troubling is the lack of clarity on whether the PSRC’s proposed actions are even constitutional. 

As civil libertarians have pointed out, the bill would be in violation of a number of Armenian laws designed to protect individual privacy. The Protection of Personal Data law, which survived former President Serzh Sargsyan’s 2015 constitutional amendment untouched, strictly limits the government’s ability to collect and store personal data without their consent. The current law also explicitly prevents the collection of “any kind of data which makes possible directly or indirectly identify an individual” without a warrant. 

Askhen Kazaryan, director of civil liberties at the Washington, DC-based watchdog TechFreedom, warns that if adopted, the ISP regulation bill would “turn Armenia into one of the biggest surveillance states in the region.” Echoing the objections of many critics in Armenia, she characterized the bulk collection of user data without rigorous due process in a court system that hasn’t been fully freed of corruption as “outlandish,” adding (at her insistence), “What is this, North Korea?” 

Armenians have long counted the freedom to privately access the internet among the country’s most prized civic virtues. The open and decentralized nature of Armenia’s ISPs has been credited with facilitating the growth of a vibrant and resilient civil society, despite the semi-authoritarian governments of the past. 

While there is no doubt that the new Armenian authorities have made substantial achievements in promoting government accountability, transparency and civilian oversight into its various agencies, the state does have a not-insignificant history of meddling with the country’s access to the internet. In 2016, many users in Armenia reported being unable to access social media sites like Facebook through major ISPs Armentel or Ucom for a 40-minute long period which coincided with the start of the Sasna Dzrer’s assault on the Martuni police depot. Facebook later confirmed that it had been blocked from within Armenia. 

According to Freedom House, Armenian authorities have also been known to occasionally block content deemed pornographic or criminal in nature in accordance with Article 263 of the criminal code. Activists and journalists have also reported being blocked in what regulators later admitted to being poor attempts at tackling hate speech on the web. 

Recent events have demonstrated that even citizens of more mature democracies with boisterous legal, democratic and civic institutions have not been immune to covert mass surveillance operations on the part of their own intelligence apparatus outside of legal purview. Armenia’s 2015 Protection of Personal Data law placed the country in line with European standards with respect to the processing of personal data. As the EU moves ahead with legislation to protect users’ “right to be forgotten,” this proposed bill would move Armenia in the opposite direction.

Robust, free and unregulated internet access is the foundation upon which Armenia is building its credentials as a democratic society as well as its much-lauded tech industry. While the need to better define the state’s regulatory responsibility is not in question, haphazard government intervention on the web may set a dangerous precedent for the future development of Armenian civil society as well as the country’s attractiveness as an international technology hub. Armenia’s state telecom regulator has enjoyed a reputation as one of the country’s most independent and transparent agencies for over a decade, so why the sudden change in attitude? As Kazaryan concludes, “New Armenian government should know better.”

Author information

Raffi Elliott

Columnist & Armenia Correspondent

Raffi Elliott is a Canadian-Armenian political risk analyst and journalist based in Yerevan, Armenia. As correspondent and columnist for the Armenian Weekly, he covers socioeconomic, political, business and diplomatic issues in Armenia, with occasional thoughts on culture and urbanism.

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The Armenian Weekly Editorial Board and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Eastern Region (ARF-ER) Central Committee are proud to announce the introduction of longtime ARF member Pauline Getzoyan as editor of the Armenian Weekly. This is her first of hopefully many editorials. 

This week I listened to members of the US House of Representatives explain the importance of passing House Resolution 296 (H.Res.296) recognizing the Armenian Genocide, made possible in large part due to the active lobbying efforts of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). Following discussion, the House overwhelmingly voted in favor of the resolution – a landslide victory with a vote of 405 to 11! Two weeks ago, I was an Eastern Region delegate at the Armenian Relief Society (ARS) 72nd International Convention, listening to my fellow delegates eagerly come to the aid of our South American colleagues in their need for funds to keep a rest home open and viable for the Armenian elderly in their community. Prior to the beginning of the ARS convention, I reflected on and composed testimony in support of legislation mandating the inclusion of genocide education in Massachusetts schools, similar to one passed in my home state of Rhode Island in 2016. While I couldn’t be physically present for the testimony, I felt my written testimony allowed me to be there in spirit.

Why am I telling you this? As I sit here ready to begin my new role as editor of The Armenian Weekly, these recent events highlight the similarities between activities I feel are my missions. I don’t say this to seem pretentious, but rather to explain the impact of these events in my life thus far. This is especially in remembrance of my grandparents—those strong, steadfast, loving, faithful and determined survivors of the Armenian Genocide. How I wish I could have seen their faces in reaction to passage of H.Res.296, not to mention passage of the RI genocide education legislation! I can’t help but think of their reactions to the additional possibility of the legislation requiring genocide education in Massachusetts schools. 

My maternal grandmother Margaret DerManuelian was a member of the ARS Arax chapter in Providence. She solemnly would have nodded her head as I told her about what happened at the convention in Montreal, saying that this is what the ARS does, responds to the needs of our people, always “with the people, and for the people.” She would not have been surprised at all. Rather, she would have expected nothing less, while I was moved to tears at the generosity and love of our members in responding to the needs of our elderly. At the same time, word of the Turkish attacks in northern Syria, once again impacting the Armenian community in the region, brought consternation to the convention, requiring an immediate call to action and a view to how “we” could help “our people.”

Now, adding to the work I consider to be some of my most important is this new position as editor of a newspaper that has been in my life since birth, a newspaper that has always been visible in our home and part of our family life keeping us informed on important news and events impacting us individually and as part of a much larger Armenian community. How does this fit in with the rest of my work? How can I continue to work for the good of our community? As I consider these questions, I realize that serving in my new role brings everything together in a way I never would have imagined. As someone who believes in communicating noteworthy and inspiring happenings, I hope to further engage our community in all aspects of the collective Armenian experience, particularly related to education, culture and humanitarian efforts, areas I hold especially close to my heart.

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Pauline Getzoyan

Pauline Getzoyan is an active member of the Rhode Island Armenian community. Currently, she serves as the communications coordinator of Sts. Vartanantz Church, having been office manager for several years prior. A longtime member of the Providence ARF, she is also a 15-year member of the Armenian Relief Society (ARS) and serves as chairperson of the Providence Ani” chapter, as well as a former member of the Central Executive Board. Pauline has been a long-time advocate for genocide education through her work with the ANC of RI, and she was a member of the coalition group responsible for passage of legislation in RI requiring the teaching of genocide in the state’s secondary schools. In this capacity, Pauline is co-chair of the RI branch of The Genocide Education Project, as well as a member of the RI Holocaust and Genocide Education Coalition. Serving as editor of The Armenian Weekly fulfills a lifelong goal of communicating issues of importance to the Armenian community. Pauline holds a BA in Communications from Rhode Island College and an MA in Education from Roger Williams University. She has been an adjunct instructor of developmental reading and writing in the English department at the Community College of Rhode Island since 2005.

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Harvard Square is one of those places where it’s easy to camouflage, simply because she’s a museum of all different types of people; artists selling their visions on the sidewalk, protesters enjoying the sound of their own voices, just-in-from-somewhere students sticking together in an attempt to fill their home-shaped voids. She sings – sometimes a little too loudly – and if you’re not careful, you might get lost in her music. Not that Michelle could have felt any more lost than she already did; she and her older sister Maria were in the back of an Uber that was at the mercy of the Square’s weekend crowd, on their way to a get-together that Maria had organized for Ani, who had just gotten engaged to Arden.

“I got them this.” Michelle tapped the sparkly pink gift bag she held in her lap, which contained a hand-held blender. “You think they’ll like it?”

“Maybe.” Maria pulled down the car mirror above her seat and teased her wavy hair, which had recently been cut into a thick bob. “But honestly, I think it’s kind of a weird gift for an engagement.”

“Why? They’re moving in together soon; I assume they’re going to be cooking.”

“Arden will be, yes. But Ani? He calls her ‘Takeout Queen’ for a reason.” She patted the tiny gift boxes in her lap. “She’ll like this necklace I got her, though, and he’ll love the watch.”

“Well, you should have told me what to get.” Michelle huffed. “They’re your friends.”

“They’re yours, too.”

That wasn’t true, and they both knew it. The sisters had known Ani and Arden pretty much since they were born – a common consequence of having parents who had grown up together– and the kids had bled into one another’s academic, extracurricular and personal lives like watercolor. Ani and Arden had been frequent guests at the sisters’ house for playdates, which Maria always enjoyed, but Michelle always observed from behind their mother’s skirt. It’s not that the other children ever actively excluded Michelle, but every time she joined one of their games, things always degenerated into them breaking off into a different activity and leaving Michelle sitting in the dust. As Michelle was the youngest of the three, the children’s parents thought it may have been the age difference, but that didn’t explain how easily Taline – Arden’s sister, who was a year younger than Michelle – fit into the group, which Maria and Michelle’s father referred to as the “Fab Four.” The situation didn’t improve for Michelle even well after the girls became teenagers. Whenever she was required to breathe the same air as The Fab Four, she would retreat to a solitary corner of the room to text her own group of friends – Robin, Sai-Yeon, Priyanka and Katherine – who were always waiting at the other end of cyberspace to provide silly memes and moral support. She patted her pocket to make sure her phone was on her person. Yes, it was; fully charged and ready to withstand two hours of boredom and loneliness.

Once their Uber pulled up to the curb, Michelle could feel her head throbbing as they began the 30-second walk to Ball N’ Chain, the freshly-painted, newborn pub on Brattle Street. 

“I’m so excited.” Maria turned to Michelle. When Michelle didn’t respond, Maria’s sisterly intuition told her something wasn’t right.

“You okay?” Maria put her hand on Michelle’s shoulder. Michelle paused; what could she say? How could she tell her sister – who had been talking about this night with stars in her eyes for a week – that being around this crew felt like putting on an itchy sweater?

“I’m just really hungry.” She patted her stomach, even though she wasn’t that hungry at all.

“Oh? Well, we’re about to change that.” Maria made her left arm into a hook and waited for Michelle to link her own arm into it. Since Michelle could walk, this had been Maria’s quiet display of protection for her, a gesture she reserved only for occasions like first days of school or doctors’ visits. As annoyed and anxious as she was, Michelle couldn’t keep from smiling. She obliged, and Maria used her free arm to open the door.

The bar was so packed that it was difficult to pick out who they were supposed to be seeing in the loud storm of patrons, but Maria spotted her crew right away. The rest of the Fab Four were sitting at a corner booth with Ani’s cousin James, the sight of whom calmed Michelle down instantly. They often saw each other at community parties, all of which followed the same script—Live Aid-sized crowds, date cookie pyramids on silver platters, old folks belting out their greatest hits (“you’ve gained so much weight” was always the most popular one) – and every time Michelle sought refuge in a quiet corner of the room, she’d find that James had already beaten her to it, and the two would strike up conversations with each other about everything from sports (his all-time favorite subject) to classic rock (hers). She didn’t know James super well, but she was elated that she’d have someone at this table to talk to. The minute Maria saw her friends, she unhooked her arm from Michelle’s and started waving at them so ostentatiously that people from other tables stopped to look. 

“Ani!” She crowed. Upon hearing her name, Ani whipped around to face the sisters. She was short and plump, with a face that reminded Michelle of every smiling illustration of the moon that she’d seen in children’s books. She noticed Maria, gasped and practically leaped out of the booth to run to her.

“Hi!” Ani drew out her greeting for several seconds as she embraced Maria. “Oh, my God! It’s been forever.”

“I know!” Maria gushed. “It’s crazy!”

The two women then launched into their elaborate secret handshake that they’d made up when they were kids and erupted into peals of laughter. Michelle gawked at them; it had only been two months since they’d last seen each other, and here they were, clapping their palms against each other and bear-hugging as if one of them had just come back from war. She stood there for almost a full minute, waiting for Ani’s eyes to meet hers. There seemed to be an unwritten rule in their community that when the sisters were in public together, Maria must always be acknowledged first. Michelle found the whole scene laughable, and yet, it stung to watch. 

Then, it was Arden’s turn to greet Maria. He was the oldest of the group at 26, and Hollywood-handsome, with shampoo commercial-worthy hair and just the right amount of stubble.

“Hi, there.” He, too, hugged Maria and kissed her on both cheeks. “Thank you so much for doing this.”

“My pleasure.” Maria grinned and nodded towards her little sister, who was stiff with awkwardness. “Look who I brought.” 

“Hi, Michelle.” After what seemed like an eternity, Ani turned to Michelle and wrapped her arms around her. “Good to see you.”

“You, too,” Michelle responded, muffled by Ani’s shoulder. When Arden finished hugging Maria, he playfully slapped Michelle on the back.

“Michelle, ma belle!” He bellowed in a dark brown voice. “How goes it?”

Michelle, unsure of how to respond, felt sand in her throat. “It… goes fine.”

Ani and Maria failed to contain their laughter, and Michelle’s face became a sunset. This always happened when they all got together. Any sisterly obligation Maria claimed to have was temporarily abandoned, and whenever Michelle messed up, she would be left to marinate in her own mistakes.

The girls sat down between Taline and James and went through the whole greeting routine with them as well — though Michelle fist-bumped James when she saw him. They were both relieved to be in each other’s presence for the same reason. When they were all settled, Maria placed her two wrapped gifts on the table in front of the couple.

“I got you both a little something.” Maria beamed. “Shnorhavor. Congratulations.”

“Oh, my goodness!” Ani gasped as she gingerly took the necklace out of its packaging. “It’s beautiful!” Arden, too, was clearly pleased with the watch and kept admiring it as he held it in his hand.

“You gotta step up your game, you two!” Arden joked, glancing at James and Taline.

“I have something for you guys, too.” Michelle raised her voice and rattled her gift bag. She handed the bag to Ani, who eagerly reached inside and pulled out the blender. Upon realizing what it was, she stared at it like it was a strange animal.

“Arden, this is for you.” She pretended to hand the appliance to her husband-to-be, which got a laugh out of Maria, Arden and Taline.

“See?” Maria whispered to Michelle, who instantly shrunk. This never happened when she exchanged gifts with Katherine or Sai-Yeon; when she was with those friends, her arrow usually hit the bullseye, but with these folks — her own folks — she consistently missed it by a mile. But why did Maria always have to rub it in?

“I’m only kidding!” Ani said, with a syrupy inflection. “Thank you, sweetheart.”

Arden took the blender and seemed genuinely grateful for it. “Think of all the sauces and soups I can make with this.”

“You can use it to make hummus or salsa on game days.” James piped up, but his comment elicited nothing but crickets.

“He loves his football games.” Ani laughed politely, as if she were making excuses for the behavior of an errant child. James hung his head, but he was visibly irritated.

“That is a good idea.” Michelle leaned over and whispered to him, and she saw the corners of his mouth lift a little. If there was one thing that could make this night a little more bearable, it was that she knew she could ease his mind even when hers was about to explode.

“Ooh! Ooh! Ooh!” Taline exclaimed as she scrolled through her phone.

Arden raised his eyebrows at her. “Is there a monkey at our table?”

“Look!” She handed her phone to him and then to Maria. “I didn’t even know they were going out.”

“Who?” Michelle didn’t know who they were referring to, and while she didn’t really care, she secretly wanted to be in on the whole thing.

“You remember Ellen?” Taline asked Michelle. “From dance?”

“Uh-huh.” Michelle replied, even though she didn’t.

“She’s going out with Raffi.” Maria said – then, realizing that they knew close to ten Raffis, added – “Raffi G. from Lexington, not Raffi D.”

“Oh, yeah!” Michelle exclaimed, because she actually did remember Raffi G., albeit vaguely. But it didn’t matter if she wouldn’t be able to pick him out of a lineup if she were to see him today; this was proof that she wasn’t as far removed from her own people as she thought.

“He’s Mike’s brother, right?” James asked, starting to get engaged in the conversation.

“Cousin.” Ani playfully nudged James and spoke to him in a tone befitting a Sesame Street character. “You know that, Jamie.”

“No, I don’t.” James sounded slightly annoyed. Unlike his cousin and her buddies, he didn’t stay up at night studying the family trees of all the Armenians in the Northeast. Michelle locked eyes with him and gave him a sympathetic wink.

“Did you order food?” Maria scanned the area, looking for a server.

“Yeah. Mozzarella sticks all around.” With a perfectly manicured finger, Taline gestured towards everyone but Michelle and James.

“What’s Michelle going to eat?” Maria was suddenly concerned for her sister, who was allergic to dairy — something everyone at the table had been aware of for almost two decades. 

“Oh, right!” Arden smacked his forehead. “I’m so sorry; I forgot.”

Of course you did, Michelle smirked internally, gesturing “no worries.”

“I ordered fries; we can split them.” James turned to Michelle, who bowed her head at him in silent thanks. 

“My little cousin is so nice.” Ani nudged Maria, who nodded in agreement.

“Remember what the counselors used to say at Camp Yerevan?” Arden took another sip of his beer. “‘Take care of your brother.’” 

“Or sister.” Maria chimed in, and Michelle stopped to enjoy the delicious irony of the moment. Oh, how badly she wanted to do or say something that would dim Maria’s star, to make her shiver with embarrassment that felt like putting on wet clothes…that feeling was strong, but sisterhood is stronger — so, like she always did during moments like this, she exhaled slowly and held her tongue.

When the night thankfully came to an end, the five young folks went outside and waited for the Uber that Taline had ordered for all of them. When it finally arrived, Maria stuck her head in the car to check if it could accommodate their entire posse. When she saw that it didn’t, they all stood around wondering what to do.

“I’m going with my love.” Ani, who was standing next to her cousin, rushed past him and snuggled up to Arden, who led her into the backseat.

“I’ll take an Uber with Maria.” Taline put her arm around Maria.

“No, but I want Maria in our car.” Ani pouted, which made both James and Michelle roll their eyes. Maria stood in the middle of the sidewalk, turning her head towards her sister and James, and then the Uber, as if she was making a life-or-death decision.

“I’ll go by myself.” Michelle blurted out.

“You sure?” The thought of Michelle coursing through the city alone in a stranger’s car brought moisture to Maria’s palms. Maria’s hesitation filled Michelle with a spark of hope; maybe her supportive arm-offering sibling was slowly starting to come back to her.

“Uh-huh.” Michelle had paid for her and Maria’s Uber going in and couldn’t afford to do it again, but she would have gladly made the 30-minute pilgrimage by foot to her apartment if it meant she didn’t have to spend another minute getting brushed off to the side. Plus, just as she could smell her sister’s apprehension, she could also sense her desire to be with her clan.

“I can walk with Michelle.” James — who, out of everyone, lived the farthest away — volunteered out of the blue. Michelle was pleasantly taken aback; all this time, James had been nothing more to her than a fellow wallflower who talked to her a few times a year, and now he was more willing to make sacrifices for her than her own family was. 

Maria shrugged, and after a few hesitant seconds, decided to complete the Fab Four, as Michelle figured she would. 

“Bye, Michelle.” Maria hugged her sister and hopped with Taline into the Uber, which dissolved into the night. It was just Michelle and James now, standing two feet away from each other on the sidewalk, feeling strange yet also at peace. James broke the tension by turning in the direction of Mt. Auburn Street.

“My place is actually down this way.” Michelle said, pointing in the opposite direction.

“Actually, would you like to go to The Frappe House?” James asked. “Neither one of us ate much.”

“You didn’t have to share your fries with me.”

“Friends don’t let friends go hungry.” He replied gently, and Michelle froze. Sure, they were “friendly” with each other, but crossing into “friend” territory weighs more than gold. 

“I can’t have ice cream.” Michelle stared down shyly at her feet.

“I know. But they have killer sorbets. My treat.”

Never one to turn down sweets, Michelle followed him to The Frappe House, an ice-cream shop that had opened about six months ago. The place was a slice of ancient Americana, with shiny metal tables and plump red leather seats. It wasn’t as hopping as Ball N’ Chain, but there were enough customers to give Michelle the impression that the ice cream and sorbet were certainly worth a try. They entered, and Michelle’s eyes were immediately drawn to the list of flavors on the wall.

“Ooh, raspberry lime.” She pointed to the list. “I’ll take a small cup of that.”

“Make that two, please.” James told the girl at the counter, who nodded and went to grab two cups.

“No dairy for you, either?” Michelle asked.

“Oh, I can have dairy.” He took his wallet out to pay.

“So why don’t you take a regular flavor?”

“Solidarity.” He handed Michelle her cup of sorbet after the server set down both cups on the counter, and held his up in the air. Michelle felt warm inside; at least someone was in solidarity with her.

They scoped the shop, and James found a booth for them next to the door.

“You were having a tough time, too, tonight, huh?” She took a delicate lick of her sorbet.

“I just never really gelled with those guys. Them and their —” He then began to wildly flail his arms, which left Michelle confused.

“Is that an octopus having a seizure?”

“No, it’s their handshake.” He answered and did it again. Michelle was overcome with laughter.

“I didn’t know you were so funny.” She gasped for breath as she wiped amused tears from her eyes.

“That’s cause you’ve never seen me with my boys.” He took out his phone to show Michelle a picture of his crew; one Asian-looking fellow and two redheads who looked like they had hatched from shamrocks. “I was supposed to see them tonight, but…” He shrugged. “…I knew I had to be there for Ani. It’s not every day your cousin gets engaged.” He scrolled to another picture that showed him sandwiched between two of them and making a goofy face. “You wouldn’t believe it, but when I’m with them, I’m the clown of the group.”

“I’m like that with my group, too.” Michelle balanced her spoon on her nose. 

“I believe that.” James giggled when the spoon fell on the table. 

“But with our own…” Michelle’s voice trailed off. “…I’ve always felt like the letter ‘Y’.”

“What do you mean?”

“What did they teach you in kindergarten? A, E, I, O, U, and sometimes Y.”

“Well, here’s to feeling like all the other vowels.” He held his cup up to the sky. “Kenatz. Cheers.”

Michelle raised an eyebrow, and clinked her cup against his. “I’ve never seen anybody kenatz with food before.”

“I know! It’s crazy.” James’ voice floated up to a falsetto. He grinned mischievously, and Michelle instantly realized what he was doing.

“Watch it.” Her tone was not angry, but it meant business. 

“Alright, sorry.” James, contrite and slightly nervous, cleared his throat. “I was just playing.”

“Yeah, but…..” She ate another spoonful. “Blood is thicker than sorbet.”

“Ew. I hope not.” He wrinkled his nose at her and chuckled.

Suddenly, her phone buzzed urgently. She took a look at the screen. It was Maria, asking “Are you home yet?” Michelle stared at her screen for a moment; there was so much she wanted to unload that was resting in her fingertips, but she held back; Maria was her sister, after all, and the idea of her being upset hurt Michelle’s heart—even if the reverse wasn’t always true. 

“b there soon. will text u.” Michelle typed. She slipped her phone back into her purse. She intended to go home eventually, back to living in the afterglow of her sister’s aura and wishing she could sink into the ground whenever she was amongst those who had nothing in common with her but the fact that their ancestors had all crossed the Caucuses. But right now, where she was, sitting with a kindred spirit, transcended the clock.

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Sharisse Zeroonian

Born and raised in the Boston area, Sharisse Zeroonian is a filmmaker and writer by night, and an afterschool program teacher by day. She has written and directed three films so far, including “The Mouse in The Bread” (2018), and has written several plays, short stories and poems. Her work has been featured in NYU’s Minetta Review and on NPR (and if you’re reading this, it means her work has been featured in The Armenian Weekly as well).

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Similar to many other American Armenians, I have been watching the proceedings in the House of Representatives on H.Res.296 concerning the recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Given the decades of subordination of this tragic event, we are all drawn to any attention to return dignity to our existence. Regardless of the politics in our nation, as Americans and Armenians we are proud to listen to speaker after speaker offer commentary of support with both historical and contemporary references. It reflects the good intentions of many and also the strength of the Armenian Diaspora in generating political capital and professional relations. What started in the years after the genocide as a one-man lobbying show with the esteemed Vahan Cardashian has matured into a rights advocacy machine run by the grandchildren of the survivors. Turkey is absolutely correct in identifying the “Armenian lobby” as having an influence. But let’s give a little credit to the leadership of the Armenian Congressional Caucus. It also helps that they both have the truth on their sides. During Ittihad and early Kemal days, the Turks had a mission to kill as many Armenians as possible. This resolution speaks of only the Ottomans, but we know of the thousands lost in Cilicia after the French departure or the massacres in the east until 1923. It was their belief that the scattered survivors would assimilate into their host cultures within a generation, and that would be that. Well, then there was something called Sardarabad which stopped the eastward carnage. The Turks also forgot to read our history of resilience. Centuries before the Turks even knew the Armenian highlands, there was Vartanantz which has inspired generations. They should have known better. We are a people who succeeded in significant migrations from the highlands to Cilicia after the first Turkish wave to reestablish our national existence. American-born Armenians advocating for recognition are the worst of the Turkish nightmares. It is the best evidence of the futility of denying the truth. It is also evident in the Middle East, in South America, in Australia, in Russia and in Europe. In fact, anywhere the seeds of survivors were scattered, we see this rebirth. Yes, we are happy about the resolution, but we also need to be thinking about where we were, where we are and where we are going.

Where are we going? Headlights are a critical area of functionality for an automobile. They illuminate the path forward, and they enable our vision. With headlights, driving in darkness becomes possible. We need to keep our headlights on as a people. We need to rally around a vision. That vision on the Armenian Genocide needs to be articulated and advocated to our community by our leadership. You ask, “What vision? We are all together on the Armenian Genocide. We have a vision.” My response would be, “Do we?” 

The Armenian Genocide has clearly been a common thread to our people. The pain of being an unrecognized victim has bonded our people, but it has also generated anger, resentment and even hatred. As we have discussed before, these are perfectly natural reactions, but they are not useful long term. How do we define closure for the Armenian Genocide? For some in the diaspora, the acknowledgment is enough to end the dark cloud of a denied victim. Others in our nation will accept an admission or “apology” from the Turkish government as resolution. A growing plurality believe that justice is connected to restitution and reparations for the human, territorial and material losses inflicted on the Armenian people. Still, another school of thought is that with the canonization of the martyrs we, on earth, should move on knowing that they have been sainted and are truly with our Lord. I have encountered another mentality that believes that we have become a “genocide-centric” society and that our focus should be on strengthening Armenia and Artsakh. Well, there you have it—at least five perspectives on how to proceed with the genocide. These perspectives are not in conflict, but they also do not represent any consensus.

Why is this important? We need to remember that it was only 1965 when the first country formally recognized the Armenian Genocide (Uruguay). More countries were added to the list in recent years, thanks in large part to the increasing maturity of our international advocacy. The tide has turned on the recognition campaign. The numbers say it, and the Turks know it. Their strategy of spending millions to lie has failed. The House passage of the Genocide resolution by a 405-11 margin is, by any standard, a strong statement. Of course in politics there is always a variety of motivations. For many (I like to believe), it is a statement of the “moral authority” of the US. For others, the timing of the Kurdish tragedy has brought focus to all Turkish atrocities. I am sure there are even a few who see this as an opportunity to voice opposition to the President’s Syrian policy. What they all have in common is bad news for Turkey. Of all the comments made on the record today, I found great pleasure in the frequent reference to our “supposed ally” Turkey. Perhaps, just perhaps, the veneer is beginning to crack. We should relish the moment of success of this meaningful victory, but we should also view this from a practical perspective. A House resolution by itself will not change foreign policy. A comparable resolution by the Senate could encourage the President to support the resolution in his annual April statement. Today we have the  recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the US House of Representatives and not the United States. This is progress, but changing foreign policy is the endpoint. 

While the US recognition process continues, it is clear that the trend worldwide is favorable. That being said, it is time for our “headlights” to unite us on a path forward. We must define the term “justice” in the context of the genocide. This raises the question of not only what is the vision, but who gets to decide. In reviewing the process, it can be summarized with two phrases: Republic of Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora. Prior to 1991, the diaspora led the charge on recognition and justice. After the creation of the sovereign republic in 1991, it became the recognized entity in the world of nations. Since that time, various groups in the diaspora have communicated with the homeland as it relates to this issue. In my view, this is not a sustainable model. I think everyone recognizes that, but our integration process is painfully slow and full of “turf” battles. The term ”diaspora” has been a convenient singular term for Armenia, but all parties understand the remarkable complexity in that simple word. The question remains, now that the recognition tide is turning, how do we effectively rally around a strategy as a nation that defines and realizes justice? In the diaspora, particularly in the US, two advocacy groups drive the work in this domain: the Armenian Assembly of America and the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). The Assembly began in 1972 as an “independent” advocacy group attracting Armenians from all backgrounds. The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) should be acknowledged for its decision in the 1970s to nurture the ANCA as a grassroots advocacy group which now has an international focus. Both do admirable work. Frankly, I would like to see more public and private collaboration when it comes to matters that require the consensus of the Armenian community and Armenia. The time has arrived to articulate a long-term vision, and that will require us to be on the same page. We need to focus more on the mission, not the organization. This is difficult for us as often our loyalties are to an organization and its influence. That is understandable, but what is truly effective is for all to be associated with the mission. Once the diasporan groups are reasonably aligned, communication with Armenia will be more effective. Today’s process feels sub-optimal, and the near term will require a more sophisticated mechanism. Each group appealing to its own set of supporters and then establishing its own relationship with Armenia makes consensus challenging. Our people are willing to follow a vision that reflects collaboration and clarity. This is less about criticism and more about dealing with our next set of challenges fueled by our success.

Our journey to dignity, respect and justice has prevailed over the incredible financial resources of Turkey and its denial. One of the greatest ironies of our tragedy is that those leading the struggle today are the grandchildren of those expelled or murdered. Today, they are highly educated, successful and committed. Around the world, they are carrying forward the cause of justice in the name of those who can no longer speak and those who are yet to be born. It is time for us to rally around a singular path to justice. This requires a greater level of collaboration and a subordination of “self interests” for the honorable mission. Some points remain clear. Genocide is a crime against humanity. Time has not diluted its impact or importance. It is our responsibility to articulate our path for justice and closure. The diaspora and Armenia need to embrace this vision. It took 50 years for our cause to become a public mission. The progress made in the last 50 has been impressive for truth believers and devastating for those who deny. With our headlights on, our future will continue to be illuminated.

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Stepan Piligian

Columnist

Stepan was raised in the Armenian community of Indian Orchard, MA at the St. Gregory Parish. A former member of the AYF Central Executive and the Eastern Prelacy Executive Council, he also served many years as a delegate to the Eastern Diocesan Assembly. Currently , he serves as a member of the board and executive committee of the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR). He also serves on the board of the Armenian Heritage Foundation. Stepan is a retired executive in the computer storage industry and resides in the Boston area with his wife Susan. He has spent many years as a volunteer teacher of Armenian history and contemporary issues to the young generation and adults at schools, camps and churches. His interests include the Armenian diaspora, Armenia, sports and reading.

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