MAY 13, 2017 Mirror-SpeTHE ARMENIAN ctator Volume LXXXVII, NO. 43, Issue 4487 $ 2.00 NEWS The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Since 1932 INBRIEF Belge Publishing Armenia to Give Fresh Aid to Syria House Raided by YEREVAN — The Armenian government will allo- cate funds from its reserve funds to the Ministry of Turkish Police Foreign Affairs for the purpose of providing human- itarian aid to Syrian citizens affected by the crisis. ISANBUL (Public Radio of Armenia, The government approved the decision at a sit- Armenpress) — Turkish police on the night ting today. of Sunday, May 7, raided the Belge pub- The sum will be transferred to the Hayastan All- lishing house, searching the venue for Armenian Fund for purchasing the necessary about three hours, Turkish media report. goods. The officials reportedly prevented Armenia sent 18 tons of humanitarian aid to employees from leaving, seized a total of Syria earlier this year. 2,170 books and briefly detained editor Mehmet Ali Varis. The publishing house was raided on sus- Turkish Justice picion of having links to the far-left Young girls show their pride in Shushi. Minister Discusses Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/ Front (DHKP/C). Gulen Extradition in US The Belge Publishing Victory Day, Shushi Liberation WASHINGTON (Armenpress) — While on a work- House was founded by ing visit to the US, Turkey’s Justice Minister Bekir Ragip Zarakolu and his Commemorated in Artsakh, Armenia Bozdag met with US Attorney General Jeff late wife, Ayse Nur, in Sessions during which they discussed the extradi- 1977. STEPANAKERT (Public Radio of Armenia) — President Serzh Sargsyan partic- tion of US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen. Zarakolu has been writ- ipated on May 9 in the festive events in Stepanakert and Shushi dedicated to Bozdag presented a new document on Gulen’s ing and publishing about Victory Day, the 25th anniversary of the creation of the Defense Army of Artsakh “criminal” activity to the attorney general. the Armenian Genocide and liberation of Shushi. Bozdag’s visit will be followed by President since the early 1990’s. His Ragip Zarakolu This morning, together Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to the US May 15-17. ‘Belge’ print house has with the Artsakh authori- Erdogan also stated that he is going to discuss published over ten vol- ties, members of the gov- Gulen’s extradition with President Donald Trump. umes on the topic, for which he and his family ernmental delegation have been consistently persecuted and jailed by from Armenia, people of Turkish authorities. Artsakh and guests, who Russian Troops ‘Ready On May 9, Member of Parliament Garo have arrived to Artsakh to Paylan retorted on Twitter: “Belge participate in the festivi- To Fight ISIS’ Publishing House has written down the his- ties, at the Revival Square YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — Russia’s Foreign tory of Turkey’s crimes. … At least read the in Stepanakert Serzh The flag of Artsakh in Shushi Minister Sergey Lavrov said on May 5, that Russian confiscated books.” Sargsyan marched with troops stationed in Armenia and other former Zarakolu is known for recognizing the the participants of the Soviet republics are prepared to fight against the Armenian Genocide. event to the Stepanakert Memorial and paid tribute to the memory of those who Islamic State (IS) militant group. Zarakolu has visited Armenia on numer- had fallen in the Great Patriotic War and heroes of the Artsakh Liberation War. “Unfortunately, IS has established itself in the ous occasions, condemned the Armenian In the framework of the festive events, Serzh Sargsyan also visited Shushi and Middle East and north Africa and does not want to Genocide and urged the Turkish govern- laid flowers at the pedestal of the Memorial and later at Vazgen Sargsyan’s surrender yet, but we will definitely finish it off,” he ment to face the reality. Zarakolu is cur- see SHUSHI, page 3 told the Moscow-based MIR TV channel. “But even rently residing in Europe. at this stage it is becoming active in Afghanistan, especially in its northern regions bordering our neighbors and allies.” Decision of Acquittal Lavrov said that a joint rapid-reaction force formed by Russia, Armenia and other member Reversed in the Case states of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Of Threat Against Organization (CSTO) is in a state of “permanent readiness for action” against the extremist Islamist Agos Newspaper group. “The Russian bases stationed in Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia are also prepared to act,” he added. By Uygar Gültekin The Russian military base in Armenia has up to 4,000 soldiers and hundreds of tanks, armored vehicles, and artillery systems in addition to more ISTANBUL (Agos) — The people who than a dozen MiG-29 fighter jets. Moscow has bol- put black wreath in front of Agos on stered it with helicopter gunships and other mili- April 24, 2015 and made threatening tary hardware in the last few years. statements were acquitted. The Court of Appeals reverse the decision of acquittal on the ground that the statement incite hatred and enmity. Nationalist Turkey Party Istanbul Chair Bilal Gökçeyurt and the chair of so-called INSIDE Garo Paylan, front row, center, with members of the clergy and dignitaries, including Bishop Turan Organization Ercan Uçar put black Abgar Hovakimyan, third from left, and Dr. Arshavir Gundjian, second from right wreath in front of Agos on April 24, 2015, the centennial of Armenian Genocide, and made a press statement including threat messages. Legal action was taken Goodbye and on November 18, 2016, the court MP Garo Paylan Visits acquitted the suspects with the claim that there is no element of crime. Agos Karoun appealed the decision. Quebec, Canada Diocese The Court of Appeals reversed the Page 10 See AGOS, page 4 MONTREAL — On May 2, Garo Paylan, an Armenian member of parliament serving in Turkey, representing the HDP party, paid a visit to the Diocesan Headquarters. Paylan was greeted by Bishop Abgar Hovakimyan, Primate, and the Parish Priests of the Montreal and INDEX Laval Armenian Apostolic Churches. Arts and Living . 12 The Primate introduced took Paylan to St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Cathedral Armenia . 2,3 of Montreal and invited him to meet with clergy and leaders of the Armenian Community Community News. 6 organizations of Montreal. Editorial . 17 International . 4,5 Paylan’s visit to Canada has been organized by the Union of Armenian Churches The black funereal wreaths placed out- and Associations of Quebec and the Union of Armenian Churches and Organizations side Agos offices of Toronto. 2 S ATURDAY, M AY 1 3 , 2 0 1 7 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR ARMENIA News From Armenia Hanganak Elderly Project Expands to Shushi With Support from Armenia Fund USA Armenia: Workers at PARAMUS, N.J. — During the last ic, the medical staff makes home visits a handful of benefactors, however, the Russian Military Base few months of 2016, Armenia Fund to accommodate. Medication is also larger part of the financial support has USA began fully funding the Hanganak ordered by physicians for beneficiaries been carried by the Armenian Protest Unpaid Wages Elderly Project in Shushi, Artsakh. The in need and similarly if a patient cannot Women’s Welfare Association, Inc. In GYUMRI, Armenia (RFE/RL) — Workers at project aims to help the most vulnera- pick it up, nurses will make a home April of 2016, Dr. Gohar Hovhannisyan, Russia’s military base in Armenia have gone on ble part of the population, the elderly delivery. Moreover, social services such MD, MPH approached Armenia Fund strike, claiming they haven’t been paid since aged 63 and above, who are living as housekeeping, cooking, shopping USA’s Executive Director Lisa February. alone in Shushi and its surrounding vil- and more are provided to the benefi- Stepanian to present the expansion of The protest, on May 3, involved about 100 workers lages. These individuals frequently find ciaries in order to improve their daily the Elderly Project beyond at a Russian company that services the apartments of themselves unable to obtain food and living. Food provision is a main priority Stepanakert. Shortly after, Lisa Russian contract soldiers at the 102nd Military base medical help due to their inadequate for this project. Most of the elderly will Stepanian, Ara Vardanyan Hayastan All in Gyumri, Armenia’s second city, the Armenian ser- financial situations and poverty-strick- retrieve the food themselves from the Armenian Fund’s executive director, vice of RFE/RL reported. en conditions. They live in isolation as office; however social workers and and Vardan Partamyan, head of pro- The workers said that they believed that the money they are unable to socialize with their nurses will deliver to those who cannot jects and external relations, met with for their salaries had arrived from Russia, but that peers and connect with the outside pick it up themselves. Social activities Dr. Hovhannisyan, MD, MPH to discuss the company they worked for had gone bankrupt and funding and finalize the launch of they hadn’t been paid for more than two months. Hanganak’s vital activities in Shushi. The protest seemed to achieve its aim: the workers There are currently 30 beneficiaries met with the commander of the base, Colonel of the project in Shushi and only two Vladimir Elkanov, who said he hadn’t been aware of of them live in its surrounding villages. the issue and would look into it. Although that would Every month Armenia Fund USA seem to suggest that the problem will be resolved ensures that all beneficiaries are receiv- without much more drama, Russia still doesn’t need ing the necessary medical services, any more controversy over its base in Armenia.