The Armenian
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SEPTEMBER 14, 2013 MirTHErARoMENr IAN -Spe ctator Volume LXXXIV, NO. 9, Issue 4303 $ 2.00 NEWS IN BRIEF The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Since 1932 Human Rights Group Condemns Police Armenia Stuns Czechs with Last-Minute Win Corruption PRAGUE (Reuters) — Armenia scored in YEREVAN (Hetq) — Levon Nersisyan, who heads injury time to beat the Czech Republic 2-1 in the Andrei Sakharov Human Rights Center in their World Cup Group B qualifier on Friday, Armenia, has written an open letter to Armenian severely denting the home side’s chances of Police Chief Valery Gasparyan, calling on him to making the finals. either discipline individual police officers found The Czechs looked like they had salvaged guilty of using inappropriate force against peaceful a draw when Tomas Rosicky’s long-range protesters, or else to resign. shot deflected into the net off a defender to The letter comes on the heels of recent incidents level at 1-1 in the 70th minute. in which police officers have been accused of But Gevorg Ghazaryan latched onto a pass employing heavy-handed tactics, including outright deep in Czech territory in injury time and intimidation and beating, against activists. found the net with a shot that bounced off Nersisyan wrote that in Armenia the police con - keeper Petr Cech and past a sprawling tinue to be used as a “club” by authorities to intim - Michal Kadlec who was unable to clear his idate citizens engaged in peaceful protest. lines. The human rights defender also accuses “We had a good start and a bad end,” Gasparyan of failing to deliver on his promise to Czech coach Michal Bilek told reporters. make qualitative changes within the ranks of the The Czechs dominated possession but police, adding that recent events give the impres - paid the price for squandering a clutch of Czech Republic’s Libor Kozak (L) fights for the ball with Armenia’s Varazdat sion that police officers are being trained to be quality chances in a match that highlighted Haroyan during their 2014 World Cup qualifying soccer match in Prague more aggressive and hostile when it comes to deal - the home side’s inability to finish. September 6, 2013. (REUTERS/David W Cerny) ing with the public. see SOCCER, page 4 Nersisyan asked how Gasparyan intends to create more public confidence towards the police given the behavior of police over the course of the past few weeks. Geneva Exhibition Raises Awareness Pasadena Council Armenia to Continue Of Armenian Genocide Unanimously Cooperation with Approves Armenian European Union GENEVA (Public Radio of Armenia) — “Knowing the history of the Armenian The World Council of Churches (WCC) and Genocide is one way to make sure that such Genocide Memorial YEREVAN (Armenpress) — Armenia’s decision to the Armenian Apostolic Church are hosting atrocities never happen again. There is still join Customs Union was made for the benefit of the a one-month exhibition on the Armenian a need for churches, communities and gov - In Memorial Park country, according to the president of the Genocide. ernments to recognize the Armenian Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs of It displays information on the history of Genocide, and condemn these events in Armenian National Assembly Artak Zakaryan. “Of genocidal events in the Ottoman Empire, order to pave the way for reconciliation and By Lauren Gold course, there will be some political scopes which which killed more than a million Armenians healing of the scars from the past,” said will express their surprise but nothing extraordi - nary happened,” said Zakaryan. He spoke about between 1915 and 1923. Parsamyan. PASADENA, Calif. (Pasadena Star- Open to the public until September 30, Parsamyan went on to say that the “exhi - the longtime cooperation between Armenia and News) — In front of dozens of supporters Russia in many spheres. the exhibition is being held at the bition on Armenian Genocide is timely” from the local Armenian community, the Ecumenical Centre, addressing the theme, given the theme of the WCC 10th Zakaryan said that by joining the Customs City Council on Monday, September 9, Union, Armenia does not suspend relations with “Because I live, you too shall live” (St John Assembly, “God of life, lead us to justice and unanimously approved a proposal for a 14.19, New Testament). peace.” The WCC assembly is set to take European Union. “Armenia will develop relations memorial dedicated to the 1915 with European Union in all directions as much as it The exhibition is organized by the place from October 30 to November 8 in Armenian Genocide, which will be erect - Armenia Inter-Church Round Table Busan, Republic of Korea. will be “possible” by European Union and will not ed in Memorial Park. be contrary to Armenia’s decision to join Customs Foundation. “The God of life has let Armenians carry Thirty-six people submitted comment At the opening of the exhibition, Fr. on their journeys for justice and peace,” he Union,” said Zakaryan highlighting that Armenia cards to speak before the council can not forget those achievements which were Mesrop Parsamyan, vicar general of the said. The WCC assembly theme is impor - Monday night, the majority of whom South from the Armenian Diocese of tant for the Armenians who are demanding made during cooperation with European Union. spoke in favor of the project, which On September 3 in Moscow President of the France, declared, “People need to know condemnation of the Armenian Genocide would be completed by April 24, 2015 to what happened.” see GENEVA, page 4 Republic of Armenia Serge Sargisian announced mark the 100th anniversary of the slay - Armenia’s decision to join the Customs Union head - ing of 1.5 million Armenians by the ed by Russia and the implementation of steps toward Ottoman Turks. In addition, 93 others in that goal. At the same time Sargisian said that the attendance signed a petition of support decision to join Customs Union does not mean that Argentina Armenians Protested Istanbul submitted to the council. dialogue with European organizations. The presi - More than 1,000 other community dent’s chief of staff, Vigen Sargisian, on September 4 Candidacy for Summer 2020 Games members had signed an earlier petition announced that a pre-signing of the Association in support of the project submitted to Agreement remains in Armenia’s agenda. Tokyo Named Winner of Bid Tayyip Erdogan, who had traveled to the city. Buenos Aires to bid for the 2020 Summer Former Pasadena Police Chief Barney BUENOS AIRES (PanARMENIAN.Net) — Olympic Games. Melekian, who is also on the Pasadena The Armenian community of Argentina ral - Razmig Nalpatian, president of Armenian Armenian Genocide Memorial lied on Saturday, September 7, against the Youth Federation of South America, said Committee, said the monument is an visit of Prime Minister of Turkey Recep see PROTEST, page 3 important commemoration of an event INSI DE in Armenian history that many, includ - ing the US government, do not recog - nize as a genocide. “Most people have no idea of the sig - Planting nificance of April 24, part of this is because the Turkish government contin - Success ues to deny that this event ever hap - pened,” Melekian said. “This memorial Page 5 should not only be a memorial to the past but it should serve as a beacon for future generations to ensure they do not forget not just the Armenians but all vic - tims of injustice.“ INDEX Much of the discussion among the pub - Arts and Living . 10 lic and council members Monday night Armenia . 2 Community News. 5 centered on the memorial’s location. Editorial . 14 A handful of military veterans and International . 3,4 other speakers said staff’s recommenda - Protestors in Argentina held up signs honoring Hrant Dink. tion of Memorial Park was inappropriate, see MEMORIAL, page 16 2 S ATURDAY , S EPTEMBER 14, 2013 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR ARMENIA News From Armenia Opening of the Ruben Sevak Parliament Discusses Museum at Echmiadzin Customs Union YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — Armenia’s parliament is ECHMIADZIN — On September 10, of Armenians. become a perpetually ringing bell currently discussing President Serge Sargisian’s under the auspices of Karekin II, Chilingarian, benefactor of the muse - tower, which will be heard all over the announcement last week that Armenia intends to Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of um, and nephew of Sevak, also spoke. world and fulfill the efforts in achieving join the Russia-led Customs Union. All Armenians, the opening ceremony “Today we witness a miracle, as the worldwide recognition of the Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian has been of the Ruben Sevak Museum was con - memory of the martyr of the Great Genocide,” he said. invited to explain why the decision to join the vened in the Mother See. Armenian Genocide of 1915, renowned Karekin II went on to add, “This Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan In the museum, located in the 18th- poet Ruben Sevak was resurrected and museum becomes the immortal voice of was made without any consultation with parlia- century building called Ghazarapat and immortalized on this sacred land,” he the past, present and future, reborn ment. renovated by the sponsorship of stated in part, expressing his gratitude from the dead, rising once again and The session on September 10, which will be held Hovhannes Chilingaryan, around 200 to Karekin II for implementing the pro - attaining a path through life. Today in behind closed doors, was initiated by opposition unique and valuable paintings lawmakers. will be displayed, donated by On September 6, the European Union’s (EU) com- Chilingaryan himself. There missioner for enlargement and neighborhood poli- were also charcoal drawings, cy, Stefan Fuele, said Armenia’s obligations to the belonging to the renowned Customs Union would not be compatible with an intellectual, the late Ruben EU Association Agreement that had been scheduled Sevak, personal effects and doc - to be discussed and initiated in November at a sum- uments, sacred historical items, mit in Vilnius.