APRIL 6, 2013 MirTHErARoMENr IAN -Spe ctator Volume LXXXIII, NO. 38, Issue 4283 $ 2.00 NEWS IN BRIEF The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Since 1932 Armavia Airline Goes State House Armenian Genocide Bankrupt YEREVAN (Bloomberg) — Armenian businessman Mikayel Baghdasarov’s Armavia, the country’s only airline, declared bankruptcy last week and ceased Commemoration on April 19 flights on April 1. The company, founded in 1996, was unable to pay debts owed to the Zvartnots Airport and to its BOSTON — Each April for the past 28 gram of speakers and honorees. keynote address. Armenian Heritage contractors, Armavia said in a statement. According years, members of the Armenian communi - Following the ceremony and pend - Park architect Donald Tellalian will be to Baghdasarov, the total debt was close to $50 mil - ty along with state legislators and guests ing final permitting, attendees will honored with a Joint House and Senate lion. have filled the House Chamber at the State be invited to march from the State Resolution. Dedicated in May 2012, Europe’s debt crisis has curbed travel and made House to commemorate the Armenian House to the Armenian Heritage the park is a gift to the governments reluctant to aid airlines amid the Genocide. This year marks the 98th Park on the Rose Kennedy Commonwealth from the region’s deepest cost cuts in a generation. anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and Greenway for additional Massachusetts Armenian- Armavia’s owners said they have been diverting the commemoration will take place on remarks, music and a American community. The split funds from other businesses to fund the airline for Friday, April 19 at 10:30 a.m. with a pro - catered lunch. The march dodecahedron abstract sculp - the past three years. will include a ture, constructed by A&A Armavia had 14 aircraft and was the first opera - stop along Industries, rests atop a 16-foot- tor of Sukhoi’s Superjet 100. the way to diameter reflecting pool. It is place a designed to be reconfigured wreath at the each year and symbolizes those Several Armenians New England Holocaust who were pulled apart from their country Memorial. but reestablished themselves in new coun - Wounded in Aleppo The event is both solemn tries. Visitors can also walk along a ALEPPO (Armenpress) — Clashes between the gov - and celebratory, recognizing labyrinth symbolizing the journey of life. ernmental forces and armed rebels escalated this the genocide of 1.5 million “We are very excited this year to intro - week, resulting in the wounding of several Armenians between 1915 and duce the march from the State House to Armenians, stated Press Secretary of the Armenian 1923 by the Ottoman Turkish the Armenian Heritage Park,” said Lalig National Prelacy Jirair Reisian. Billboards from Peace of Art Ask for government, as well as honor - Musserian of Belmont who is coordinating Reisian stated that the clashes were concentrat - Genocide Condemnation ing survivors and looking for - this year’s celebration. The committee ed in the Sheikh Makhsood district, which neigh - ward as descendants commit see COMMEMORATION, page 8 bors several Armenian areas. The district is mostly WATERTOWN — During the month of April, themselves to preserving their populated by Kurds, along with a small number of Peace of Art, Inc., will display the Armenian culture and working for Armenians. Most local Armenians have migrated to Genocide commemorative billboards to honor the humanitarian projects. other regions for security reasons. victims of the Armenian Genocide, calling for Former US Ambassador to Hovannisian Ends During a press conference, Reisian noted that the recognition and condemnation of the Genocide. Armenia John Marshall rebels tried to breach Armenian districts and a see BILLBOARDS, page 8? Evans, who served from 2006 number of bombs exploded in these areas wound - to 2008, will deliver the Hunger Strike ing Armenians. He stated that their injuries were not serious. YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — The six-week Reisian also noted that the city had been standoff between Armenian President-elect deprived of electricity for five days. SOAR Continues Mission to Aid Orphans Serge Sargisian and his closest challenger, Raffi Hovannisian, may have run its course beginning a journey that would affect the lives — or simply entered a new phase. Restorations Launched of countless children in the process. On March 31, Easter Sunday, By Gabriella Gage Hovannisian ended the hunger strike he At St. Norashen, Mirror-Spectator Staff While visiting Armenia during the adop - tion process, they toured several orphan - had embarked upon three weeks earlier to St. Minas Churches ages and experienced first hand the condi - demand that the authorities recognize him PHILADELPHIA — When George S. tions in which the children were living. It as the legitimate winner of the February 18 TBILISI (Armenpress) — Restoration projects to for - Yacoubian Jr., and his wife, Erica, began the was there that they met their daughter, ballot in which according to official returns tify walls and clean building exteriors were recent - process of adopting a child from Armenia in Liliana, whom they would bring home on he polled 37 percent compared with 58 per - ly launched at two Armenian churches, St. 2005, they knew that their lives and the life of April 23, 2006, but their connection to the cent for the incumbent, Sargisian. Norashen and St. Minas. a child without a home would forever change. orphans of Armenia did not stop there. A leading member of Sargisian’s Georgian historical expert, Joni Melikyan, said, “A They did not know, however, that they were see ORPHANS, page 9 Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) hailed library was opened in St. Norashen Church during Hovannisian’s decision as “prudent” and the Soviet years. After a huge amount of debris col - indicated that it could pave the way for lected there, a commission under the Ministry of talks between the two men. Culture of Georgia launched cleaning activity.” Having vowed that Sargisian’s inaugura - The ministry began a project to fortify the walls tion on April 9 would take place over his of St. Norashen after the dome of the church dead body, and after rejecting on March 26 cracked — a structural condition which could have an appeal by Sargisian to end his hunger led to the collapse of the church. strike, Hovannisian told supporters during A number of representatives of public organiza - a rally on Yerevan’s Liberty Square on tions and patriarchate members have been includ - March 29 that he had decided “to go on liv - ed in the commission to restore the churches. ing for the sake of the future of my Motherland.” Hovannisian also said on March 29 that he plans to continue his campaign of protest. The INSI DE following day, he set out on a tour of the provinces (where his support based is greater than in the capital) prior to convening a fur - ther rally in Yerevan on April, at which he will Family unveil his future plans. Yet for all Hovannisian’s efforts to put a brave face on his decision not to put his life History at risk, it is Sargisian who has emerged the The faithful gathered outside Holy Echmiadzin Cathedral on Easter Sunday. stronger from the protracted stand-off — at Page 11 least in the short term. First, he has reacted consistently, with rea - Pageantry of Easter at Holy Echmiadzin son and restraint, and without recourse to vio - lence, to Hovannisian’s shifting and sometimes INDEX ECHMIADZIN — On Sunday, March 31, the Armenian Apostolic Church cele - populist demands, offering counterproposals Arts and Living . 10 brated the Feast of the Glorious Resurrection of Jesus Christ with great solemnity that would have guaranteed Hovannisian’s Armenia . 2 throughout the world. In Holy Echmiadzin, Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Zharangutiun (Heritage) party greater input Community News. 4 Catholicos of All Armenians, celebrated a Pontifical Divine Liturgy in the Mother into shaping the political agenda, and possibly Editorial . 14 Cathedral in honor of the church’s most important feast. also a handful of portfolios in the new govern - International . 3 see EASTER, page 16 ment. see HUNGER STRIKE, page 2 2 S ATURDAY , A PRIL 6, 2013 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR ARMENIA News From Armenia AGBU Initiates a New Long-Term Project in NKR Commits $575,000 to AUA throughout NKR. The Center will more). In addition, classes in music, Parliament Trespasser serve students of all ages, Members management, tourism development To Implement Joint Program of Parliament, Government officials and more will be offered. Jailed for Two Months YEREVAN — In October 2012, on and other entities, and offer courses Setrakian remarked, “AGBU is YEREAN (ArmeniaNow) — A man who attempted to the occasion of AGBU’s 87th General in English language improvement, pleased to announce the latest AGBU enter the parliament building with a knife has been Assembly in Yerevan, a new AGBU preparatory classes for university program in Nagorno Karabagh. We arrested for two months, a Prosecutor General’s educational and are convinced that education and cul - Office spokesperson said. cultural initiative ture are key factors in the develop - Vrezh Galstyan, a 25-year-old resident of the town was announced by ment of any nation. The AGBU NKR of Masis said to be suffering from mental disorders, Nagorno Karabagh Campus will become a hub of learn - has been charged with the use of violence against Republic (NKR) ing activity that will provide people of a representative of law under Article 316 of President Bako all ages in Nagorno Karabagh new Armenia’s Criminal Code. Sahakyan and opportunities.” On March 22, Galstyan, who was armed with a AGBU President Sahakyan commended AGBU for knife, made an attempt to enter the parliament Berge Setrakian.