October 1990
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Hye Sharihoom ... Now in it's Twelfth Year ,.. Non-Profit Org. ~ The Newspaper of the california State University, Fresno U.S. Postage Annenian Students Organization and Annenian Studies Program PAID Fresno, CA 93740 Penntt No. 262 Address Correction Requested ~u.s (}U.Pd-nJl.tr - Hye ·sharzhoom October 1990 . Supplement to the Daily Collegian ~ Volume 12, No. 1 . ~ Armenians Elect New President· popularly chosen parliament and 14% representation from various Presidium in February of this year, and By Jeff Ahronian Levon Der Bedrosian, who was other Armenian political groups. was re-elected to the Armenian Editor born in Aleppo, Syria in 1946, was Der Bedrosian was one of the Parliament in May. elected by the Armenian Parliament to leaders of the Armenian National Der Bedrosian has also served as a Indeed, t'is the dawning of a new become the President of the Presidium ·Movement, which started as the member of the governing body of the era. of the Armenian Supreme . Soviet, Karabagh Committe in 1988, and Armenian National Movement since The Berlin Wall has come a defeating the Communist Party Chief which later turned into an all-Armenian November 1989 and later also as tumbling down. The dictatorships in Vladimir Movsisyan. Der Bedrosian national movement His political president of the organization. Romania and Checkoslavia have been captured 140 votes against Mov activities were launched in the 1960's. What remains to be seen is if Der ousted. And amazingly for the frrst sisyan's 80 on the fourth ballot While a student at Yerevan University,. Bedrosian can finally settle all of the time, countries all over this world are For the frrst time in nearly 70 he participated in student movements, turmoil within Armenia. As the finally learning how it feels to elect years, Armenians were able to freely ran a campaign for the recognition of number of different political parties their leaders in a democratic process. elect their representatives to the the Armenian .Genocide, and was jailed continues to grow, the citizens of History was made in Armenia not republic's highest legislative body. in 1966 for ten days. In early 1989, Armenia begin to face yet another too long ago as the first ever non The Armenian Parliament, which while a member of the Karabagh string of mounting problems. Der Communist was elected President of consists of 26Q total . m~(llbers (20% Committee, he was again imprisoned Bedrosian is faced with the mighty the Soviet Republic. It marked the still pending election), is made pp of with .other.members of the movement task of reuniting a country erupting frrst time in the republic's history that 35% representation from the Armenian In May of 1989, Der Bedrosian with internal disor er and hereafter its citizens were able to democratically National Movement, 31% repre was elected as a deputy to the Supreme working towards the univerSal goal of elect their president by way of a sentation from the Communist Party, Soviet of Armenia, as a member of its national independenc~. Students Visit Historic Homeland both the train hall ·where the killing By Hye Sharzhoom Staff took place and also the square in front of - Four students; Annen Devejian, Phil Erebuni museum which has been trans Gam, Matthew Jendian, and Robert formed into a vast memorial of flowers Vartabe<fuin accompan ·ed Barlow Der and photos of the dead Mugrdechian of the , CSU Fresno The biggest obstacle to overcome was Armenian Studies Program on a twenty the chronic gasoline shortage which five day educational trip to Armenia. plagued the country throughout the stay, This was the third such' overseas visit depending on the whims of the central government in Moscow, or on the organized by Der Mugrdechian7 in cluding a trip to Jerusalem in 1986 and a conditions of the blockade. The shortage trip to Yerevan in June of1988. This was critical and lines were common year's group was the guest of Yerevan sights at the few functioning gasoline State University and the Committee for stations in the city. Cultural Relations with Armenians While bread was plentiful in June, abroad. beef was in short supply and available YSU Vice-Rector for International only for the right price. Many staples Relations Dr. Raffi Matevossian was the such as sugar and butter were rationed. host for the group's stay in Armenia There were private cooperative which included educational excursions restaurants whel'e the students ate the throughout the length and breadth of majority of theii' meals. Armenia. There also was. the A visit to the Martyr's Monument for opportunity to meet with local students the Genocide of the Armenians brought from the university. into focus the harsh realities · of both As guests of the university the past and present in Armenia. The freshly students were housed in the graduate dug graves of Armenian fedayees dormitory which is used for fpreign (freedom-fighters) lined the long (Left to right)Phil Garo,Armen Devejian,Aiex (tour guide), students, including Americans, on 52 promenade which leads to the entrance of Mischa(driver), Barlow Der Mugrdechian, Matthew Jendian Lenin Prospect, across the street from the Monument. It was not difficult to ·in front of the old city of Goris. the Madenataran (State Manuscript feel the intensity with which the nation Library). The dorm's central location mourns its dead. was ideal and in addition, we had the An overnight trip to Goris and the checkpoints had been establish~ in order university, later serving as a defensive opportunity to meet other Armenian Monastery of Datev was one of the to enforce a Moscow directive for bulwark against the intrusion of the students from different countries. · 'highlights of the trip. Traveling through popular militias to disarm.) Mongols and Turks. The Monastery Excursions were taken to Leninakan, the rugged hills and mountains of Goris itself, nestled in a small valley, towers over the entire area and is the site Lake Sevan, Khor Virap, Mt. Arakadz, Zangezur was a vivid reminder of the was a picturesque town, filled with Geghard, Garni, and an overnight visit dangers facing Armenia as ·special proud Armenians who related how they to the Zangezur region where the group permission was needed from the Interior took turns protecting their families and stayed in Goris, the regional capital. Ministry and from the Committee on town. Arriving just after the May 27 Cultural Relations to travel to the area Goris is in southeastern Armenia, not shooting of Armenians at the central because it was a military zone. Soviet far away from the Monastery of Datev, a train station of Yerevan the students Army checkpoints were common on the monument to Armenian faith and were eyewitness to the destructive road, with tanks and machine gun ingenuity . The monastery was a remnants of that battle as they visited batteries trained on passing cars. (The religious center and also a medieval EDITORIALS, Page 2 Hye Sharzhoom October ·1990 Fresno vs. Watertown: A Comparison of Two Cities On the contrary .Each is supported by Watertown, are relatively the same. having theirs? by Jeff Ahronian a strongArmenian-American population. The names, the faces, the clothes... Was it a coincidence that the very Editor Fresno boasts over 35,000 Armenians Armenian grocery stores, butchershops, night before I had a bountiful "keyma while Watertown approximately 3,600. funeral homes... and lamajoon" dinner with friends in Fresno, California, population Hence, nearly 10% of each city's All the same... Watertown, I was having a "keyma and 350,750, is known throughout this population is of Armenian descent I had the pleasure of visiting lamajoon" meal with family in Fresno? country for many a splendid thing. Its Therefore, one in every ten people you Watertown this summer. Much to my And was it a coincidence that I just rich, vast, agricultural land regions. Its pass on the street can understand the surprise, the people I met . were very ·' started my last three paragraphs with raisins. Its degrading mini-series. word pare'V (that is, if spoken slowly). much like your typical Armenian you'd "was it a coincidence"? Watertown, Massachusetts, on the And one in eyery ten people you pass .on find anywhere. They spoke Armeniap, It is a known fact that before settling other hand, approximately five miles the street has eaten keyiiUl at least once ate Armenian food (including cracker- down in Fresno, many Armenians came away from downtown Boston, with a (well, maybe keyiiUl is a bad bread imported from Fresno), listened to through Watertown frrst, or Boston for population of roughly 36,000, isn't example). Armenian kef-time music (also im- that matter. To many, Fresno is often known for much. They are two entirely different cities ported from Fresno), and even had their viewed as the most important and most Yet, why would the author of this on opposite coasts of the United States- own gardens (which, by far, was their prosperous Armenian-American com- piece mention Fresno and Watertown in .. thousands of miles away from each own pride and joy). munity of all time. If this holds true, the sanie breath and what possibly could other. Was it a coincidence that the very then Watertown, Massachusetts, can these two juxtaposed cities have in Yet, upon first glance, the people same week I was in Watertown, its Holy perhaps be thought of as a microcosm of common? Their stylish downtown sky · appear to ·be nearly the same. The Trinity Church was having their annual its distant neighbor, a city waiting in lines? Their zest for more Cadillac chur~hes, though not as abundent in grape blessing picnic-- the same week the wings-- anxiously anticipating the dealerships? the Fresno Holy Trinity.