UPDATE Tle with Cancer, with His Wife, Isabella of the Armenian National Committee of America
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MAY 2, 2020 Mirror-SpeTHE ARMENIAN ctator Volume LXXXX, NO. 41, Issue 4634 $ 2.00 NEWS The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Since 1932 IN BRIEF Trump Again Refrains From Saying ‘Genocide’ WASHINGTON (RFE/RL) — In contrast with landmark resolutions adopted by the US Congress late last year, President Donald Trump again declined on April 24 to describe the 1915 mass killings of Armenians in Ottoman Turkey as genocide. Just like his predecessors, Trump continued to use instead the Armenian phrase “Meds Yeghern” (Great Crime) in a statement on the 105th anniversary of the genocide. “Today, we join the global community in memorializing the lives lost during the Meds Yeghern, one of the worst mass atrocities of the 20th century,” read the statement. “Beginning in 1915, 1 and a half million Armenians were deported, massacred, ARMENIA MARKS GENOCIDE ANNIVERSARY YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — Armenia’s leaders laid flowers at the Tsitsernakabert memo- or marched to their rial in Yerevan on April 24 during official commemorations of the 105th anniversary of the Armenian genocide in Ottoman Turkey which were deaths in the final scaled back due to the coronavirus pandemic. (See Anniversary, page 2) years of the Ottoman Empire.” “On this day of IMF Plans $280 Million Appreciation: remembrance, we pay respect to those who suffered and lost their In Emergency Funding Ambassador Shougarian’s Deep lives, while also renewing our commitment to fos- tering a more humane and peaceful world,” it For Armenia said, praising the “strength and resiliency of the Armenian people in the face of tragedy.” YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — The Impression on US, Armenia Trump has previously issued virtually identical International Monetary Fund will likely dis- statements on what the White House calls burse next month $280 million in emer- By BOSTON — Rouben Shougarian, who in 1993 became newly Armenian Remembrance Day marked on April 24. gency loans designed to help Armenia fight Stephen independent Armenia’s first ambassador to the United States The US House of Representatives and Senate the coronavirus outbreak and mitigate its Kurkjian and spent his career as a diplomat, academic, writer, advocate recognized the Armenian genocide in separate economic consequences, a senior IMF offi- for democratic values and champion of Armenia’s well-being, Special to the resolutions passed in October and December cial said over the weekend. Mirror-Spectator passed away in Boston on Tuesday, April 21. respectively. Yulia Ustyugova, the fund’s resident repre- Shougarian, 57, had lived in The Trump administration distanced itself sentative in Yerevan, told RFE/RL’s Armenian the Boston area since 2008 with from the resolutions. service that the IMF is also planning $140 mil- his wife, Lilit Karapetian- The two leading Armenian-American advocacy lion in additional funding to Armenia. Shougarian, a renowned pianist, groups strongly criticized Trump for not follow- The Armenian government announced and three sons Narek ing the US lawmakers’ example. last week plans to borrow around $540 mil- Shougarian, Tigran Shougarian “The Administration’s statement falls short of lion for cushioning the impact of an unfold- and Haik Shougarian. In a state- the national consensus as reflected in the ing economic recession in the country. ment posted on social media, unequivocal affirmation by the Congress of the Finance Minister Atom Janjughazyan said the family stated: “It is with United States which overwhelmingly adopted H. the government needs to offset a major great sorrow that we announce Res. 296 and S. Res. 150 last fall, as well as by 49 shortfall in its tax revenues and to contin- that our loving father and hus- American states,” Bryan Ardouny, the executive ue financing coronavirus relief measures. Amb. Rouben Shougarian at Boston University band, Ambassador Rouben director of the Armenian Assembly of America, see IMF, page 16 see APPRECIATION, page 8 said in a statement. “Despite last year’s near-unanimous Congressional recognition of the Armenian Benefactor, Entrepreneur Genocide, President Trump has, once again, granted Turkish President Erdogan — an openly 9 tion and the organizations, institutions, restaurants and entertainment that are Aso Tavitian Dies anti-American dictator — a veto over honest US CORONAVIRUS vital elements to the lives of Armenians remembrance of Turkey’s WWI-era genocide of STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. — Aso O. Tavitian throughout the metropolis, are still on millions of Armenians and other Christians,” VID-1 passed away on April 21, 2020 after a bat- O lockdown as citizens become accus- charged Aram Hamparian, the executive director C UPDATE tle with cancer, with his wife, Isabella of the Armenian National Committee of America. tomed to a new way of life. Meisinger, at his side. Following Governor Gavin Newsom’s Tavitian was born in Sofia, Bulgaria. In statewide shutdown that was echoed by LA Community in 1959, after leaving Communist Bulgaria, he Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, the arrived in Beirut, Lebanon. After learning City of Glendale declared a state of Wait-and-See Mode English from an Armenian English High emergency on March 19 and ordered all INSIDE School teacher in Beirut, he was accepted nonessential businesses to close and at Haigazian College on a full scholarship declared residents to stay at home, By Taleen Babayan but couldn’t afford his living expenses and according to former Mayor and coun- Special to the Mirror-Spectator thought he would not be able to pursue his cilmember Ara Najarian. Metro Detroit education when an anonymous benefactor “Glendale took specific steps on this altered his life. Tavitian later learned that LOS ANGELES — The epicenter of matter and closed all city events, play- see TAVITIAN, page 16 Comes Together the Armenian-American community in grounds, pools and hiking trails,” he the United States adapted across all said. “We increased social services sectors when California’s “Safer at including our senior meal program and Page 4 Home” mandate went into effect in we delivered meals to the homeless and March, ordering citizens to stay at obtained temporary lodgings for them home and non-essential businesses to in motel rooms.” close as a way to counter the COVID-19 Glendale acted fast and made its citi- INDEX pandemic and flatten the curve of zens and sanitation its priority by Armenia . 2 cases. Although the number of infec- installing portable bathrooms and Community News. 4 tions, approximately 20,000 in Los handwashing stations throughout the Editorial . 14 Angeles county, did not ravage the city city, waiving fares on all municipal International . 3 as much as anticipated, government buses, developing a COVID-19 telephone Aso Tavitian with former Primate of the Diocese of leaders are erring on the side of cau- see CORONAVIRUS, page 10 the US (Eastern) Khajag Barsamian 2 S ATURDAY, M AY 2 , 2 0 2 0 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR ARMENIA News From Armenia COVID-19 Cases in Armenia Still Rising YEREVAN (PanARMENIAN.Net) — The novel coronavirus continues rapidly spreading world- wide, including in Armenia, the neighboring coun- tries and the region in general. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Armenia reached 1867 on Tuesday, April 28. A total of 866 patients have recovered from the disease so far, while 30 have died. The number of cases of coronavirus infection has increased to 511 in Georgia, where six people have died from Covid-19 complications. 5085 people are quarantined, and 558 are watched by doctors across the country. In Russia, health officials reported the largest one- day increase ever with 6411 new cases, bringing the total number to 93 558. The country has also con- firmed 867 deaths so far. A military honor guard at the Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex in Yerevan, April 24, 2020. A total of 1717 people have contracted the disease in Azerbaijan, 22 of whom have died as a result. Iran’s death toll from the new coronavirus has increased to 5,877, a health ministry spokesman Armenia Marks Genocide Anniversary said, adding that the total number of cases has climbed to 92,584. ANNIVERSARY, from page 1 last month. Heeding a government That is why we declare that we remem- In Turkey, Covid-19 has so far claimed 2,900 lives, President Armen Sarkissian, Prime appeal, many of them turned off the ber and demand.” while 112,261 have tested positive for the disease. Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Parliament lights in their homes and lit mobile Both Pashinyan and Sarkissian Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan and phone flashlights by their windows for thanked the three-dozen countries, Science Lab Develops Air Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin three minutes in memory of the dead including the United States, France, II, the supreme head of the Armenian on the evening of April 23. Churches Germany and Russia, whose parlia- Sterilizer Apostolic Church, visited the hilltop across the country tolled their bells in ments and/or governments have recog- memorial separately, observing social the meantime. nized the Armenian genocide. YEREVAN (Armenpress) — Scientists at the distancing rules aimed at stopping the “The Armenian Genocide perpetrated Sarkissian urged more states to do the Alikhanian National Science Laboratory headed by spread of the virus in the country. by the Ottoman Empire was a crime not same. Ani Aprahamian have developed an ozone generator KarekinII and several other senior only against our ethnic identity but also “We cannot on one hand declare which can sterilize areas of up to 140 cubic meters clergymen prayed by its eternal fire for against human civilization,” Pashinyan that we are going to fight together every hour. some 1.5 million Armenians who were declared in a televised address to the against xenophobia, discrimination, “Generally, our lab doesn’t do such work, but killed during the Armenian Genocide. nation broadcast live from intolerance, anti-Semitism, denial and because of the coronavirus and the state of emer- For the first time ever, ordinary Tsitsernakabert.