AUGUST 15, 2020 MMirror-SpeirTHEror-SpeARMENIAN ctator Volume LXXXXI, NO. 5, Issue 4647 $ 2.00 NEWS The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Since 1932 IN BRIEF COVID Cases Continue Increasing in Armenia YEREVAN (PanARMENIAN.Net) — The num- ber of confirmed coronavirus cases in Armenia grew by 23 to reach 40,433 on Monday, August 10, according to information provided by the Health Ministry. Fresh figures also revealed that 96 more people have recovered, while five patients had died from Covid-19 in the previous 24 hours. A total of 176,354 tests have been performed since the beginning of the outbreak in the country, the National Center For Disease Control and Prevention said. So far, 32,616 people have recovered, 796 have died from the coronavirus in the country, while 228 others carrying the virus have died from other causes. Catholicos Karekin II Offers Prayers for Beirut Tekeyan School and Lebanon ECHMIADZIN — On Sunday, August 9, Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II led a solemn Center Suffer Great Damage hokehankisd service, to pray for the repose of vic- tims of the August 4 explosion in Beirut. mare. We did not understand what The requiem service followed the Divine Liturgy Need Our Help happened. Only now are some expla- celebrated before the outdoor altar of Holy nations emerging about the situation Echmiadzin’s King Drtad pavilion, where the By Aram Arkun and its causes. It took place yesterday catholicos delivered a eulogy for the fallen. Mirror-Spectator Staff at approximately 6 or 6:30 p.m. our “We ask the Lord to grant peace to the victims, Appeal for Lebanon and the time. While I pulled myself together, I among them our own Armenian countrymen; to BEIRUT — The August 4 explosion received photographs from the comfort the hearts of their loved ones and all who Tekeyan School of Beirut in Beirut has caused great loss of life school’s guard. I rushed to the school grieve; and to bring a rapid recovery to the thou- and property. Among the many this morning.” sands of injured,” Catholicos Karekin II said. The aftermath of the terrible Beirut Armenian institutions damaged are “Where can I start? How can I After gratefully describing Lebanon as a country explosion of August 4 will affect Lebanon the Tekeyan School in Bourj explain it? Everything is topsy-turvy. that has been welcoming to Armenians, especially for a long time to come. The Hammoud and the Tekeyan Center in The Tekeyan School has no doors or after the Genocide, and affirming that Armenians unnecessary loss of life is a Gemmayze. windows. There are no offices, no com- have a profound stake in the well being of Lebanese cause for mourning The Tekeyan School serves a largely puter room, no kitchen, no music society, he said that in the wake of its recent disas- throughout the world. low-income Armenian population in room, no laboratory. Everything is ters, “Lebanon needs the support of the world’s The treatment of the Bourj Hammoud, and, like many other ruins, the library, the hall, the sound nations today.” wounded and the efforts to Lebanese institutions, was already system.” The iron gates of the school “Every Armenian heart reaches out to Lebanon rebuild destroyed homes, insti- struggling during the difficulties of were also destroyed. today, in this time of trial. We convey our sympathy tutions and much of the heart of the city the recent Lebanese economic crisis, see BEIRUT, page 3 to the Lebanon’s President, its State Council, and will require international help. The Tekeyan compounded with the all of its people. We grieve along with our spiritual Cultural Association of the United States arrival of the novel coro- brother Catholicos Aram I of Cilicia, with our and Canada (TCA) joins in the mourning navirus. The Tekeyan Armenia, Artsakh Send Aid Armenian community in the country, and especial- and is ready to play a part in the work of Cultural Association of ly with the Armenian families who have suffered the reconstruction. the United States and To Shell-Shocked Lebanon loss of loved ones in this tragedy.” Every Armenian organization has an Canada had sent the He also observed that “The gentle Lebanese obligation to help the Armenian communi- school financial assis- people have overcome many trials in their histo- ty of Beirut, which has played such a sig- tance this year, but now ry, and we have faith that with perseverance and nificant leadership role in the Armenian it is clear that the need solidarity they will overcome the difficulties of diaspora. The Tekeyan Cultural is much greater and this age. In the meantime, we invite our patriot- Association’s ties to Lebanon run deep. much more urgent. ic children across the world to support the The situation of the Beirut Armenians The principal of the Lebanese-Armenian community through this had significantly deteriorated over the past Tekeyan School, Galina painful period, and more generally to help that few years due to the Lebanese economic Shememian Nadjarian, land renew itself after the heartbreaking destruc- crisis. The novel coronavirus was one more related the situation the tion caused by the explosion.” cruel blow. The Tekeyan School of Beirut day after the explosion, serves primarily the low-income Armenian on August 5. Still clear- community of Bourj Hammoud. The ly shaken, she said, Aid from Armenia leaves for Beirut. See story on school, along with the community it serves, “Yesterday, we lived page 2. INSIDE was facing great financial difficulties, and through an utter night- TCA agreed earlier this year to increase its assistance. Aside from sending money from its own resources, it initiated a fundraising campaign. Theater and see APPEAL, page 4 Treaty of S vres è COVID At Least 13 Armenians Centennial and Die in Beirut Tragedy Cilician Armenia Page 15 BEIRUT (Combined Sources) — According to Lebanese sources, This week, we commemorate the cen- INDEX 11 Armenians were among the tennial of the Treaty of S vres and the approximately 200 killed after the è Armenia . 2 declaration of independence of Cilicia Arts and Living . 15 explosion in the city’s port on Tuesday, August 4, and 250 were with a special section, including men- Community News. 5 Editorial . 17 injured. tion of the courage and diplomacy of International . 3-4 see DEATHS, page 4 Mihran Damadian. See pages 8–14. 2 S A T U R D A Y A U G U S T 15, 2 0 2 0 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR ARMENIA News From Armenia Armenia, Artsakh Send Aid More Aid Approved For Border Villages To Shell-Shocked Lebanon YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — The Armenian govern- ment approved on Thursday, August 6, 277 million YEREVAN and BEIRUT (Combined working on this matter. zens or residents of Armenia have urged drams ($570,000) in additional financial aid to four Sources) — A number of countries, The Republic of Artsakh has also the Armenian government to launch villages in Tavush province damaged during last including Armenia, are sending human- assistance to Lebanon to help in elimi- special Yerevan-Beirut flights for that month’s deadly fighting at a nearby section itarian aid and medical teams to Beirut. nating the aftermath of the devastating purpose. ofArmenia’s border with Azerbaijan. The first Armenian relief aircraft car- August 4 Beirut explosion, President of According to Sinanyan, some 40 According to the provincial administration, 89 vil- rying medicine and medical equipment Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan said on Lebanese Armenians have expressed lage houses there were hit by cross-border shelling to Beirut after the major explosion on social media. the wish to emigrate to Armenia. from the Azerbaijani side. The central government August 4 arrived in the Lebanese capi- The cargo “From the People of Lebanon, a nation with a population pledged to repair all of them immediately after the tal on August 8, Armenian Foreign Artsakh to Lebanon” has already of some 6.8 million, is home to more weeklong hostilities which left at least 12 Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan tweeted. arrived in Beirut. than 150,000 ethnic Armenians, many Azerbaijani servicemen and 5 Armenian soldiers “First of the three airlifts of assistance “The assistance is in the form of of whom live in capital Beirut. dead. It had initially allocated 25 million drams for from Armenia to brotherly Lebanon food,” Harutyunyan said. “And this isn’t World leaders have pledged nearly that purpose. arrived in Beirut,” Mnatsakanyan tweet- all, because I am going to convene a $300 million (253 million euros) to Minister for Local Government and Infrastructures ed. “From Armenia’s heart to Beirut.” meeting on this issue tomorrow and I Lebanon to help it recover from last Suren Papikyan said more than 110 million drams of The second and third planeloads of will inform on our decisions. Artsakh week’s massive explosion in Beirut, the extra government funding will be channeled into supplies for Lebanon were sent on stands by Lebanon in overcoming this the Voice of America reports. ongoing house repairs in three of those border vil- August 9 and 11. difficult challenge,” he said. More than 30 leaders, meeting by lages: Aygepar, Nerkin Karmiraghbyur and Chinari. In addition, as a gesture of solidarity Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan teleconference at the behest of French Papikyan said another 84.3 million drams will be the National Assembly of Armenia was described Lebanon as “one of Armenia’s President Emmanuel Macron, said the spent on refurbishing schools and bomb shelters illuminated with the colors of Lebanese closest friends,” implying the existence “assistance should be timely, sufficient located in these and another border village, Movses.