The blog contains articles and thoughts in English, Armenian and Arabic about Armenian issues, Artsakh-Karabakh issue, Armenian Genocide as well as the life of Armenians and Christians in Iraq and the Middle East.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Frozen Protocols…And Warmed Over Obama Statement
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
Two developments on Armenian-Turkish issues spilled a lot of ink last week. Neither one was significant, but assumed significance because of extensive international media coverage.
On April 22, exactly a year after the release of the roadmap, ostensibly to normalize Armenia-Turkey relations, and six months after the infamous Protocols were signed by the two countries with great fanfare, Pres. Serzh Sargsyanannounced their suspension.
There was actually nothing new in this announcement. It has been crystal clear for months that Turkey's leaders never intended to ratify the Protocols. They simply wanted to exploit them in order to extract further concessions from Armenia. Turks repeatedly announced that unless Armenia turned over Karabagh (Artsakh) to Azerbaijan, the Turkish Parliament would not ratify the Protocols. As time went by, Turkey added more inane demands, such as reversal of the Armenian Constitutional Court’s decision, and withdrawal of genocide resolutions from Parliaments of other countries. Since Armenia had repeatedly announced that it would not be the first to ratify the Protocols, the accords were already frozen for months, if not stillborn.
Even though some may view Pres. Sargsyan’s decision as a bold move, it would have been far more preferable for him to withdraw his country’s signature from the Protocols, since they were dead in the water anyway. He could have easily blamed their collapse on Turkey’s intransigence. He did acknowledge in his last week’s public announcement that he decided to suspend the Protocols, after Russia, France and the United States asked him not to abandon them completely.
Now that Armenia has blinked first, Turkey is blaming it for causing the collapse of the Protocols. Armenia has thus helped Turkey to wiggle its way out of the intense international pressure it was subjected to in recent months for its failure to ratify them.
Moreover, as long as the Protocols are not completely discarded, Turkey will continue to exploit them by cleverly claiming that it is still committed to their ratification under the "right" conditions, and will use them as a viable tool to defeat all initiatives by third countries on the Armenian Genocide.
Regrettably, Turkey is not the only country exploiting the Protocols. Pres. Obama, after pressuring Armenia not to reject the Protocols, dodged the term "Armenian Genocide" once again in his annual statement. He used as an excuse the non-existent "dialogue among Turks and Armenians."
Just as he had done last year, Pres. Obama substituted the term "Meds Yeghern" [Great Calamity] for the Armenian Genocide and used the same worn out euphemisms and shameful word games for which, as a Senator and presidential candidate, he had condemned Pres. George W. Bush.
The overwhelming majority of Armenian-Americans, who had supported Obama’s candidacy and trusted him, now feel disillusioned and deceived. He ran his campaign on the promise of change, only to adopt the same immoral position of his predecessors, even though he keeps saying that he has not changed his mind regarding his pledge to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide!
In a column I wrote last year after Pres. Obama first broke his campaign promise on the Armenian Genocide, I stated that Armenian-Americans do not need to beg him to acknowledge the Genocide. Thirty years ago, Pres. Reagan issued a Presidential Proclamation referring to the Armenian Genocide. Therefore, Armenian-Americans see no special advantage in a repeat statement by Pres. Obama. By not keeping his word, however, Pres. Obama succeeded in undermining his own reputation and credibility with the American people and world public opinion.
It is simply mind-boggling that the President of the United States would go out of his way to issue a statement that would alienate the very people he is trying to accommodate.
Just imagine what the outcry would be had Pres. Obama referred to the Holocaust as a massacre or a tragic event. Yet, this is exactly what he has done on the Armenian Genocide by using a series of euphemisms in his April 24 statement: "Dark past," "Dark moment in history," "painful history." "awful events of 1915," " a devastating chapter," "one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century," "murder," and "terrible events." Pres. Obama’s aides could have spent their time more usefully by reading a history book rather than a dictionary of synonyms.
The only new idea in Pres. Obama’s April 24, 2010 statement is the following brief sentence: "I salute the Turks who saved Armenians in 1915." This is a commendable notion which unfortunately becomes devoid of any meaning, in the absence of who or what exactly these Armenians were saved from!
We all hope that the solemn commemorations next April 24 would not be tarnished either by the Protocols (frozen or thawed) or by Pres. Obama’s offensive statement!
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Turks in Istanbul commemorate 1915 killings of Armenians
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=turks-in-first-commemorate-massacre-of-armenians-2010-04-24
Comment:
The demonstrators did not dare to use the word Genocide, otherwise they would have been tried under article 301 of the Turkish Panel Code. We hope that this rally and all previous activities undertaken by Turkish intellectuals mark the start of the long and hard way Turkey will pass to recognize the Armenian Genocide.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Friday, April 23, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Israeli Scholar Assails Israel’s Denial of the Armenian Genocide
By Harut Sassounian Publisher, The California Courier
An important international symposium on “Armenia-Turkey: How to Normalize Relations,” was held in Paris on April 14. It was organized by the French Bureau of the Armenian Cause and the Armenian National Committee of France.
The participants were: Dr. Yair Auron, Professor of History at Open University, Israel; Dr. Israel Charny, Executive Director, Institute on the Holocaust and Genocide, Jerusalem; Ali Ertem, Turkish historian and President of the Association to Combat Genocide, Germany; Dogan Ozguden, Turkish journalist and President of the Foundation “Info-Turk,” Belgium; Dr. Alfred de Zayas, Prof. of International Law, Geneva; Dr. Yves Ternon, historian, Paris (by video); Frederic Encel, Political Scientist, Lecturer, Institute of Political Studies of Paris; Giro Manoyan, spokesman of the Armenian Cause office of the ARF Bureau, Armenia; and Harut Sassounian, Publisher of The California Courier, Los Angeles.
Given the recent heated exchanges between Israeli and Turkish officials and the upcoming discussion on the Armenian Genocide in the Knesset on April 28, the audience paid particular attention to Prof. Auron’s bold and candid remarks. He has been, for many years, a staunch supporter of the recognition of the Armenian Genocide and a strong critic of its denial by the Israeli government.
Prof. Auron started his presentation by quoting from an article written in 1918 by Shmuel Talkowsky, the secretary of Chaim Weitzmann, who later became the first president of Israel. Talkowsky deplored the “martyrdom” of Armenians and suggested that “a free and happy Armenia, a free and happy Arabia, and a free and happy Jewish Palestine are the three pillars on which will rest the future peace and welfare of the Middle East.” Dr. Auron expressed his regret that the policy of the State of Israel today is far from the principles enunciated by Talkowsky in 1918.
Criticizing Israel’s opposition to the acknowledgment of the Armenian Genocide, Prof. Auron listed the following specific anti-Armenian actions: “In 1978, a film on the Armenian Quarter in Jerusalem was banned from being screened. In 1982, the Israeli Government intervened in an international Congress on the subject of the Shoah and Genocide, pressing the organizers to eliminate lectures on the Armenian Genocide. In 1989, Israel was involved in preventing mention of the Armenian Genocide in an American calendar. In one way or another, Israel and Jews were involved in the debate in the United States also in 1985, 1987, 1989, 2000, 2007, and 2010. In 1990, the showing of ‘Armenian Journey,’ a TV film produced in the U.S., was banned.”
Prof. Auron further related that on April 24, 2000, when Yossi Sarid, Israel’s Minister of Education, suggested the inclusion of the Armenian Genocide in high school curricula, Israel’s government rejected the idea.
A year later, on April 10, 2001, the then Foreign Minister (now President) of Israel Shimon Peres was quoted as stating: “We regret attempts to create a similarity between the Holocaust and the Armenian allegations. Nothing similar to the Holocaust occurred. It is a tragedy, but not a genocide.” Reminding his audience that Israel’s Ambassador to Armenia Rivka Cohen made similar denialist remarks in February 2002, Prof. Auron considered these statements “as Israel’s escalation from passive to active denial, from moderate denial to hard-line denial.” He said that an Armenian friend “rightly” told him: “I do not know of any enlightened politician in a democratic state that has ever made remarks such as these; you, the Jews, of all people!”
Prof. Auron also spoke about discussions held in the Israeli Parliament on the Armenian Genocide in 2007, 2008, and 2009. Each time, the Israeli government opposed this issue. He expected a similar rejection later this month when the issue is raised in Knesset once again.
Prof. Auron specifically pointed out the double-standard practiced by Israel: “The State of Israel continues to struggle against Holocaust denial on one hand, but participates in the denial of another genocide on the other. This most likely will damage the struggle against Holocaust denial in the future. One might view this attitude as a moral failure. We have to remember that moral claims can have influence only if they are consistent…. Everyone would agree that Israel has no right to bargain with the memory of the Holocaust. But, even more, it has no right – by no means, in any circumstance, and much less so than any other country – to bargain with the memory f another victim group. And yet Israel did just that with the Armenian Genocide. Israel is contributing to the process of genocide denial and by doing so, it also betrays the memory and the legacy of the Holocaust.”
The Armenian Genocide has been almost universally acknowledged by dozens of countries, international organizations and prominent scholars. Armenians do not need to beg Israel to recognize it. By denying the Armenian Genocide, Israel morally undermines its own credibility and standing in the world! |
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Roadmap to Nowhere or New Delay Tactic: Genocide Recognition in 2015?
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
Faced with deadlock in ratifying the Armenia-Turkey Protocols, the major powers are desperately looking for a face-saving way out of the current dilemma. France, Russia and the United States have invested far too much time and effort to walk away from the negotiated and signed, but not ratified, "deal of the century."
At the time of writing this column, the President of Armenia and the Prime Minister of Turkey had been summoned to Washington by Pres. Obama for a last ditch effort to rescue the Protocols or at a minimum create an illusion of progress in the reconciliation process. The slightest gesture or even the promise of an improvement in Armenia-Turkey relations or the Artsakh (Karabagh) conflict would give Pres. Obama the required fig leaf to cover up his broken promise on the Armenian Genocide.
It will soon be clear if White House pressure on Armenia and Turkey would result in any positive movement, such as limited opening of the Armenia-Turkey border, before ratifying the Protocols. Azerbaijan’s President was deliberately left out of the Washington Summit in order to prevent him from undermining U.S. mediating efforts. In the event of Turkish recalcitrance, Armenia’s President would have no choice but to withdraw his country’s signature from the Protocols, blaming Turkey for putting preconditions and demanding that Artsakh be handed to Azerbaijan.
In an attempt to break the deadlock, Thomas de Waal, Senior Associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, issued a "Policy Brief" on April 9, just before the start of the Washington Summit. The report, "Armenia and Turkey: Bridging the Gap," suggests five "goodwill gestures" that Turkey needs to make in order to keep reconciliation with Armenia alive.
-- An opening of the Armenia-Turkey border for noncommercial travelers;
-- A limited opening of a zone next to the Armenia-Turkey border that contains the medieval Armenian city of Ani, now just inside Turkish territory. This would allow Armenian tourists to visit the ancient site.
-- A Turkish initiative to fully open and digitize the Ottoman archives containing the official Ottoman records of the events of 1915 to 1921.
-- A Turkish government initiative to invite diaspora Armenians to visit the ancient Armenian heritage sites of Anatolia.
-- The opening of a Turkish Airlines route between Istanbul and Yerevan.
In return, de Waal suggests that Armenia pledge "to end the isolation of Nakhichevan once the Turkish-Armenian border opens."
After offering the aforementioned simplistic ideas, de Waal turns to the Armenian Genocide recognition issue and tries to come up with a long-term solution to the perennial Armenian-American lobbying efforts which "hobble" the United States. He calls the confrontation in Congress on this issue between Armenians and Turks, "grubby political bargaining."
According to de Waal, Pres. Obama’s broken promise on the Armenian Genocide and his use of "Meds Yeghern" (Great Calamity) as a substitute for Genocide is "a dignified formula."
Here is what de Waal suggests:
“In order to move away from this annual agony, it makes sense to reframe the Armenian-Turkish issue within a longer perspective. The coming centenary of the Armenian holocaust in five years’ time in 2015 and the growing debate within Turkey on the ‘Armenian question’ gives impetus to this approach. In 2015 -- whether the Turks like it or not -- the world will mark the anniversary of the Armenian tragedy. The president could deliver a message on April 24, 2010, in which he notes that the centenary commemorations are now five years away and pledges that, if still in office, he will join in those events (perhaps even in Yerevan), but in which he also promises the Turks a little peace until then by affirming his faith in the internal debate in Turkey. Obama could say, ‘We hope to mark this tragic date with our Turkish friends, and not without them,’ and aspire to be a catalyst for Armenian–Turkish reconciliation.”
What de Waal is suggesting is simply a ploy to bury the Armenian Genocide issue for another 5 years, while creating a breathing space for the ratification of the defunct Protocols.
Before Pres. Obama could be trusted to keep any new promises, he needs to uphold the ones that he has already made and broken. Besides, what guarantees do we have that the President will be re-elected for a second term, and even if he is, that he will keep his pledge!
Publisher, The California Courier
Faced with deadlock in ratifying the Armenia-Turkey Protocols, the major powers are desperately looking for a face-saving way out of the current dilemma. France, Russia and the United States have invested far too much time and effort to walk away from the negotiated and signed, but not ratified, "deal of the century."
At the time of writing this column, the President of Armenia and the Prime Minister of Turkey had been summoned to Washington by Pres. Obama for a last ditch effort to rescue the Protocols or at a minimum create an illusion of progress in the reconciliation process. The slightest gesture or even the promise of an improvement in Armenia-Turkey relations or the Artsakh (Karabagh) conflict would give Pres. Obama the required fig leaf to cover up his broken promise on the Armenian Genocide.
It will soon be clear if White House pressure on Armenia and Turkey would result in any positive movement, such as limited opening of the Armenia-Turkey border, before ratifying the Protocols. Azerbaijan’s President was deliberately left out of the Washington Summit in order to prevent him from undermining U.S. mediating efforts. In the event of Turkish recalcitrance, Armenia’s President would have no choice but to withdraw his country’s signature from the Protocols, blaming Turkey for putting preconditions and demanding that Artsakh be handed to Azerbaijan.
In an attempt to break the deadlock, Thomas de Waal, Senior Associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, issued a "Policy Brief" on April 9, just before the start of the Washington Summit. The report, "Armenia and Turkey: Bridging the Gap," suggests five "goodwill gestures" that Turkey needs to make in order to keep reconciliation with Armenia alive.
-- An opening of the Armenia-Turkey border for noncommercial travelers;
-- A limited opening of a zone next to the Armenia-Turkey border that contains the medieval Armenian city of Ani, now just inside Turkish territory. This would allow Armenian tourists to visit the ancient site.
-- A Turkish initiative to fully open and digitize the Ottoman archives containing the official Ottoman records of the events of 1915 to 1921.
-- A Turkish government initiative to invite diaspora Armenians to visit the ancient Armenian heritage sites of Anatolia.
-- The opening of a Turkish Airlines route between Istanbul and Yerevan.
In return, de Waal suggests that Armenia pledge "to end the isolation of Nakhichevan once the Turkish-Armenian border opens."
After offering the aforementioned simplistic ideas, de Waal turns to the Armenian Genocide recognition issue and tries to come up with a long-term solution to the perennial Armenian-American lobbying efforts which "hobble" the United States. He calls the confrontation in Congress on this issue between Armenians and Turks, "grubby political bargaining."
According to de Waal, Pres. Obama’s broken promise on the Armenian Genocide and his use of "Meds Yeghern" (Great Calamity) as a substitute for Genocide is "a dignified formula."
Here is what de Waal suggests:
“In order to move away from this annual agony, it makes sense to reframe the Armenian-Turkish issue within a longer perspective. The coming centenary of the Armenian holocaust in five years’ time in 2015 and the growing debate within Turkey on the ‘Armenian question’ gives impetus to this approach. In 2015 -- whether the Turks like it or not -- the world will mark the anniversary of the Armenian tragedy. The president could deliver a message on April 24, 2010, in which he notes that the centenary commemorations are now five years away and pledges that, if still in office, he will join in those events (perhaps even in Yerevan), but in which he also promises the Turks a little peace until then by affirming his faith in the internal debate in Turkey. Obama could say, ‘We hope to mark this tragic date with our Turkish friends, and not without them,’ and aspire to be a catalyst for Armenian–Turkish reconciliation.”
What de Waal is suggesting is simply a ploy to bury the Armenian Genocide issue for another 5 years, while creating a breathing space for the ratification of the defunct Protocols.
Before Pres. Obama could be trusted to keep any new promises, he needs to uphold the ones that he has already made and broken. Besides, what guarantees do we have that the President will be re-elected for a second term, and even if he is, that he will keep his pledge!
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Maragha Genocide
“...It was truly like a contemporary Golgotha many times over.”
BARONESS CAROLINE COX
Friday, April 09, 2010
Easter Celebrations in Baghdad
The Armenians of Baghdad once again proved their indomitable spirit regarding their faith and attachment to our Mother Church
During the aforementioned services and Divine Liturgies a huge number of Armenians flocked to St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in Baghdad Iraq
On the Eve of Lazarus Saturday His Eminence tonsured six young men into the rank of acolyte and reader. Then he confirmed the rank of sub-deacon on tbir Hovsep Mesropian.
On Palm Sunday the Cathedral was adorned with palm boughs and olive branches where the Divine Liturgy was celebrated with many believers in attendance. In the afternoon our people participated in the services of the Opening of the Doors (Trenpatsek).
On Holy Thursday different Church services were conducted during the whole day. In the morning Divine Liturgy was offered in remembrance of the Lord's Supper. Early afternoon the Washing of the Feet Ceremony was conducted. This year Avak Serpazan washed the feet of 12 people from among Diocesan Council's and our community centers’ Committee members and two acolytes. After a short recess "Khavaroom" vigil was observed with attendance of very many faithful during which six Gospels of the Passion of Christ were intoned. When the lights were turned off in the Cathedral "Oor Yes Mayr Eem" was chanted by Deacon Aram Saint John
In the afternoon of Good Friday the Burial Ceremony of our Lord took place with the attendance of a huge number of our faithful. A semblance of a wooden coffin, laden with fresh flowers brought by the believers, was carried within the isles of the Cathedral for the adoration of our people. After services the flowers were distributed to all those present.
In the afternoon of Holy Saturday, after reading passages from the Old Testament as well as from the Prophecy of Daniel, Divine Liturgy was celebrated during which the Easter Messages of His Holiness Catholicos Karekin II and our Primate were read.
On Easter Sunday Episcopal Badarak was celebrated by His Eminence with the participation of very many faithful. After Avak Serpazan's sermon and the singing of the Lord's Prayer all those present received Holy Communion. Although four huge car bombs occurred faraway with a very noisy blast, nothing marred the inner happiness all of us felt at Easter, the day of Christ's victory over evil, sin and death. It was truly a wonderful celebration with the feeling of calm and peace which surpasses all human understanding.
During all the services the "Zvartnots" choir under the direction of Mr. Nubar Peshdigian sung proper hymns and the Divine Liturgies.
We include few photos of the different Church Ceremonies.
Diocesan Office
Feast of the Annunciation
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
Planting a Tree…On First-ever Visit to Artsakh
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
It may surprise some to learn that I had not been to Artsakh (Karabagh) until last week.
Of course, I always wanted to go to Artsakh, but not as a mere tourist. I wanted to visit Artsakh on a special occasion which finally came on March 31. As Senior Vice President of The Lincy Foundation, I participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony of a newly built school in Stepanakert, the capital of Artsakh. Funded mostly by The Lincy Foundation and partially by the Government of Artsakh, the project was successfully implemented by Save the Children.
The Grand Opening of the school was attended by government officials led by President of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan, and other dignitaries. The new school will accommodate 350 students. It was a great day of celebration for the people of Stepanakert, as parents and students expressed their joy and gratitude for this state-of-the-art facility.
Beyond the high quality of construction, what impressed me most was Artsakh’s self-sufficiency! All supplies and materials, including school desks and cabinets, were produced in Artsakh, providing employment and income to the local population. Nothing imported from Turkey!
During my brief stay in Artsakh, I had the opportunity to see some of the ancient cathedrals and majestic mountains of the region, which visitors often compare with the beauty of Switzerland. I met the leaders of the fledgling republic who are doing their utmost to provide prosperity for their 150,000 citizens as well as protection from periodic Azeri attacks.
The people of Artsakh are comforted, knowing that they are not alone. Millions of Armenians around the world support their struggle for survival against all odds in this secluded ancient land.
I had no difficulty relating to the local people, as my grandparents hail from Zeytoun, in Cilicia, a mountainous region, not unlike Artsakh, with a warrior population that successfully fought for five centuries against constant attacks by the powerful Ottoman Army. Zeytoun was known as the "Eagles’ Nest," an apt name for Artsakh.
It was clear from my conversations with leaders and people of Artsakh that they would never accept to live under Azerbaijan’s yoke again! The young generation was born and raised in Free Artsakh. It is out of question for them to be under Azeri occupation. The older generation, which spilled blood to gain Artsakh’s precious freedom, will never again accept any form of foreign domination.
While the heroic Artsakh people have paid the ultimate price for their independence -- sacrificing their lives -- they only ask the rest of us to contribute funds, time and energy to support their just cause!
It was a great honor for me to be asked by Prof. Gourgen Melikian, Dean of Faculty of Oriental Studies at Yerevan State University and a devoted Artsakh volunteer, to plant a walnut tree near the village of Berzor, in the Lachin Corridor, linking Armenia with Artsakh.
Prof. Melikian had made all the arrangements for the planting ceremony. He had the walnut tree seedling, a shovel, a watering pot, and an appropriate recitation for the occasion. I noticed that there were many other young trees nearby, indicating Prof. Melikian’s determination not to let any visitor pass through the Lachin Corridor, without planting a tree.
The most touching moment of the ceremony arrived when Prof. Melikian, holding a glass of red wine in his hand, recited a moving Armenian poem about tree planting written by Leon Zaven Surmelian in 1924. Here is my rough translation of that beautiful poem:
Bless this tender tree, O Lord; I plant it here
In crumbling black soil, where my forebears lie
As their mighty progeny, master of this land anew,
I grow under the sun, with their name on my lips.
This grand tree shall extend its arms and soul,
Embracing my forebears’ immortal fiery breath;
O Lord, let this lonesome, graceful tree be a prayer,
And a cuddling object for young lovers.
The olden history of these memorable lands
Brings tears to my eyes. Glory and death aplenty
In my ancient land, whose fierce progeny I am,
With bountiful thoughts, and soothing dreams.
This tree I planted, as a cross for my departed ones.
While listening to this inspiring poem, I made a vow to return often to this cherished land, to water my tree and defend the ground upon which it stands. May this walnut tree grow mighty with deep roots, and bear fruit for generations to come!
Publisher, The California Courier
It may surprise some to learn that I had not been to Artsakh (Karabagh) until last week.
Of course, I always wanted to go to Artsakh, but not as a mere tourist. I wanted to visit Artsakh on a special occasion which finally came on March 31. As Senior Vice President of The Lincy Foundation, I participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony of a newly built school in Stepanakert, the capital of Artsakh. Funded mostly by The Lincy Foundation and partially by the Government of Artsakh, the project was successfully implemented by Save the Children.
The Grand Opening of the school was attended by government officials led by President of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan, and other dignitaries. The new school will accommodate 350 students. It was a great day of celebration for the people of Stepanakert, as parents and students expressed their joy and gratitude for this state-of-the-art facility.
Beyond the high quality of construction, what impressed me most was Artsakh’s self-sufficiency! All supplies and materials, including school desks and cabinets, were produced in Artsakh, providing employment and income to the local population. Nothing imported from Turkey!
During my brief stay in Artsakh, I had the opportunity to see some of the ancient cathedrals and majestic mountains of the region, which visitors often compare with the beauty of Switzerland. I met the leaders of the fledgling republic who are doing their utmost to provide prosperity for their 150,000 citizens as well as protection from periodic Azeri attacks.
The people of Artsakh are comforted, knowing that they are not alone. Millions of Armenians around the world support their struggle for survival against all odds in this secluded ancient land.
I had no difficulty relating to the local people, as my grandparents hail from Zeytoun, in Cilicia, a mountainous region, not unlike Artsakh, with a warrior population that successfully fought for five centuries against constant attacks by the powerful Ottoman Army. Zeytoun was known as the "Eagles’ Nest," an apt name for Artsakh.
It was clear from my conversations with leaders and people of Artsakh that they would never accept to live under Azerbaijan’s yoke again! The young generation was born and raised in Free Artsakh. It is out of question for them to be under Azeri occupation. The older generation, which spilled blood to gain Artsakh’s precious freedom, will never again accept any form of foreign domination.
While the heroic Artsakh people have paid the ultimate price for their independence -- sacrificing their lives -- they only ask the rest of us to contribute funds, time and energy to support their just cause!
It was a great honor for me to be asked by Prof. Gourgen Melikian, Dean of Faculty of Oriental Studies at Yerevan State University and a devoted Artsakh volunteer, to plant a walnut tree near the village of Berzor, in the Lachin Corridor, linking Armenia with Artsakh.
Prof. Melikian had made all the arrangements for the planting ceremony. He had the walnut tree seedling, a shovel, a watering pot, and an appropriate recitation for the occasion. I noticed that there were many other young trees nearby, indicating Prof. Melikian’s determination not to let any visitor pass through the Lachin Corridor, without planting a tree.
The most touching moment of the ceremony arrived when Prof. Melikian, holding a glass of red wine in his hand, recited a moving Armenian poem about tree planting written by Leon Zaven Surmelian in 1924. Here is my rough translation of that beautiful poem:
Bless this tender tree, O Lord; I plant it here
In crumbling black soil, where my forebears lie
As their mighty progeny, master of this land anew,
I grow under the sun, with their name on my lips.
This grand tree shall extend its arms and soul,
Embracing my forebears’ immortal fiery breath;
O Lord, let this lonesome, graceful tree be a prayer,
And a cuddling object for young lovers.
The olden history of these memorable lands
Brings tears to my eyes. Glory and death aplenty
In my ancient land, whose fierce progeny I am,
With bountiful thoughts, and soothing dreams.
This tree I planted, as a cross for my departed ones.
While listening to this inspiring poem, I made a vow to return often to this cherished land, to water my tree and defend the ground upon which it stands. May this walnut tree grow mighty with deep roots, and bear fruit for generations to come!
Monday, April 05, 2010
Sunday, April 04, 2010
Turkey should follow Serbia’s lead in tolerance, humanism: Sharmazanov
http://news.am/en/news/18237.html
Comment: Turkey's apology to Armenian people for the Armenian Genocide is not enough. It should be followed by reparation and return of Armenian lands.
Saturday, April 03, 2010
Friday, April 02, 2010
Thursday, April 01, 2010
Desperate Turkish Tactics to Woo Diaspora on the Eve of April 24
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
The Turkish government has been receiving a succession of bad news in recent weeks. Its persistent policy of denial of the Armenian Genocide suffered serious setbacks when the Foreign Affairs Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Swedish Parliament, and Catalonia’s regional Parliament in Spain adopted resolutions acknowledging the Armenian Genocide.
Turkish denialists are terrified by these official acknowledgments on the eve of the 95th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. They are even more alarmed by the fact that the Parliaments of Bulgaria, Israel, Serbia, Spain, and Great Britain are about to consider similar resolutions in April.
The Turkish leadership was under the mistaken impression that the Protocols signed with Armenia six months ago would end any further action on the Armenian Genocide by the international community. In fact, Turkey had viewed these Protocols as a last ditch effort to stem the tide of such acknowledgments in the future. Its devious strategy almost worked, as the genocide resolutions in both Spain and the U.S. Congress were adopted by a mere one vote majority. The opponents of these resolutions specifically cited the “reconciliation” between Armenia and Turkey as their reason for voting against them.
Alarmed by these developments, and distracted by serious internal problems, the Turkish government has initiated, perhaps a little too late, a series of actions, hoping to prevent further defeats on the Armenian Genocide issue.
These actions range from using harsh, bullying tactics against countries that dare to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide, and a soft approach to mislead the international community into thinking that the Turkish government is being more accommodating towards Armenians.
Among the Turkish bullying tactics against countries acknowledging the genocide are:
-- Recalling its ambassador;
-- Canceling military contracts; and
-- Boycotting the purchase of consumer goods.
Last week, Turkish officials added a new twist, threatening to sue the more than 20 countries that have already acknowledged the Armenian Genocide. This is one of the many bluffs Turkish leaders use from time to time to discourage additional countries from acknowledging the Genocide. I truly hope that Turkey would carry out this threat, as it would create worldwide publicity for the mass crimes committed against Armenians. Any fair-minded non-Turkish court would immediately dismiss such a frivolous lawsuit!
Turkey’s more clever tactics, using soft gloves at the advice of western public relations agents, include:
-- Renovating a couple of historic Armenian churches, while thousands of others are converted to mosques, stables, residences or simply ruined.
-- The “gracious” gesture of allowing religious services to be performed once a year for a limited number of people and limited duration to be determined by Turkish authorities, at the 10th century Holy Cross Armenian Church at Akhtamar Island, on Lake Van. This world famous house of worship is officially designated as a touristic site, not a church!
-- Reviewing the possibility of lifting the ban on children of refugees from Armenia to attend private Armenian schools in Istanbul.
-- A “show” meeting held last week between Prime Minister Erdogan and the head of Istanbul’s Sourp Prgich Armenian hospital, who was wrongly named as the leader of Turkey's Armenian community. This meeting was more akin to a slave being summoned by his master. Afterwards, Bedros Shirinoglu dutifully told the Turkish media that “1915” was nothing more than a feud between two loving friends, instigated by third parties! He said that his grandfather was among the victims, but so were many Turks! Shirinoglu blamed himself and asked for Erdogan’s forgiveness for the latter’s threat to deport 100,000 Armenian refugees, saying that the inflated figure was his own fault, not the Prime Minister’s.
-- Finally, Foreign Minister Davutoglu came up last week with a new ploy to divide the Armenian Diaspora, after having limited success in his attempt to split the Diaspora from Armenia with the Protocols. Davutoglu announced that the Turkish authorities will initiate “dialog” with “reasonable Diaspora Armenians,” meaning Armenians who do not mind selling out the Armenian Cause for their own ego and personal gain. The Turkish Foreign Minister stated that contacts will be established with Armenian “intellectuals, universities, and civil societies.”
Clearly, Turkish officials are resorting to all possible means, including the continued exloitation of the defunct Protocols, to discourage additional countries from acknowledging the Armenian Genocide.
Armenia and the Diaspora must remain vigilant and united, especially in the weeks leading up to the 95th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, in order not to fall victim to Turkish machinations, inducements and entrapments.
Publisher, The California Courier
The Turkish government has been receiving a succession of bad news in recent weeks. Its persistent policy of denial of the Armenian Genocide suffered serious setbacks when the Foreign Affairs Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Swedish Parliament, and Catalonia’s regional Parliament in Spain adopted resolutions acknowledging the Armenian Genocide.
Turkish denialists are terrified by these official acknowledgments on the eve of the 95th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. They are even more alarmed by the fact that the Parliaments of Bulgaria, Israel, Serbia, Spain, and Great Britain are about to consider similar resolutions in April.
The Turkish leadership was under the mistaken impression that the Protocols signed with Armenia six months ago would end any further action on the Armenian Genocide by the international community. In fact, Turkey had viewed these Protocols as a last ditch effort to stem the tide of such acknowledgments in the future. Its devious strategy almost worked, as the genocide resolutions in both Spain and the U.S. Congress were adopted by a mere one vote majority. The opponents of these resolutions specifically cited the “reconciliation” between Armenia and Turkey as their reason for voting against them.
Alarmed by these developments, and distracted by serious internal problems, the Turkish government has initiated, perhaps a little too late, a series of actions, hoping to prevent further defeats on the Armenian Genocide issue.
These actions range from using harsh, bullying tactics against countries that dare to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide, and a soft approach to mislead the international community into thinking that the Turkish government is being more accommodating towards Armenians.
Among the Turkish bullying tactics against countries acknowledging the genocide are:
-- Recalling its ambassador;
-- Canceling military contracts; and
-- Boycotting the purchase of consumer goods.
Last week, Turkish officials added a new twist, threatening to sue the more than 20 countries that have already acknowledged the Armenian Genocide. This is one of the many bluffs Turkish leaders use from time to time to discourage additional countries from acknowledging the Genocide. I truly hope that Turkey would carry out this threat, as it would create worldwide publicity for the mass crimes committed against Armenians. Any fair-minded non-Turkish court would immediately dismiss such a frivolous lawsuit!
Turkey’s more clever tactics, using soft gloves at the advice of western public relations agents, include:
-- Renovating a couple of historic Armenian churches, while thousands of others are converted to mosques, stables, residences or simply ruined.
-- The “gracious” gesture of allowing religious services to be performed once a year for a limited number of people and limited duration to be determined by Turkish authorities, at the 10th century Holy Cross Armenian Church at Akhtamar Island, on Lake Van. This world famous house of worship is officially designated as a touristic site, not a church!
-- Reviewing the possibility of lifting the ban on children of refugees from Armenia to attend private Armenian schools in Istanbul.
-- A “show” meeting held last week between Prime Minister Erdogan and the head of Istanbul’s Sourp Prgich Armenian hospital, who was wrongly named as the leader of Turkey's Armenian community. This meeting was more akin to a slave being summoned by his master. Afterwards, Bedros Shirinoglu dutifully told the Turkish media that “1915” was nothing more than a feud between two loving friends, instigated by third parties! He said that his grandfather was among the victims, but so were many Turks! Shirinoglu blamed himself and asked for Erdogan’s forgiveness for the latter’s threat to deport 100,000 Armenian refugees, saying that the inflated figure was his own fault, not the Prime Minister’s.
-- Finally, Foreign Minister Davutoglu came up last week with a new ploy to divide the Armenian Diaspora, after having limited success in his attempt to split the Diaspora from Armenia with the Protocols. Davutoglu announced that the Turkish authorities will initiate “dialog” with “reasonable Diaspora Armenians,” meaning Armenians who do not mind selling out the Armenian Cause for their own ego and personal gain. The Turkish Foreign Minister stated that contacts will be established with Armenian “intellectuals, universities, and civil societies.”
Clearly, Turkish officials are resorting to all possible means, including the continued exloitation of the defunct Protocols, to discourage additional countries from acknowledging the Armenian Genocide.
Armenia and the Diaspora must remain vigilant and united, especially in the weeks leading up to the 95th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, in order not to fall victim to Turkish machinations, inducements and entrapments.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
p--cmYrAD_e345B