MAY 21, 2011 MirTHE rARoMENr IAN -Spe ctator Volume LXXXI, NO. 45, Issue 4189 $ 2.00 NEWS IN BRIEF The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Azerbaijani Military Community Leaders Discuss ‘The Road Ahead’ for Genocide Recognition Fired 1,700 Times in

WATERTOWN, Mass. — A symposium dedicated to exploring the next steps One Week, Killing One for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide saw both unity and disagree - Armenian ment last Thursday, with four panelists sharing four differing opinions on how BAKU (news.am) — Azerbaijan violated ceasefire By Thomas C. Nash the movement should proceed. regime around 450 times in the contact line Special to the Mirror-Spectator The panel discussion, held at the between the armed forces of Azerbaijan and Armenian Cultural and Educational Nagorno-Karabagh from May 8 to 14. Center on May 12, was jointly spon - According to information of the Nagorno sored by the Armenian General Benevolent Union Young Professionals Karabagh Defense Army, Azerbaijanis fired 1,700 (AGBU-YP) Boston and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) times in the direction of the Armenian positions. Sardarabad Gomideh, in a first collaboration of its kind locally. The Armenian side incurred losses as a result of The panel featured participants from fields ranging from academia to intensive firing on May 11-12. political advocacy, including Aram Hamparian, executive director of the Arayik Balasanyan, 33, resident of Kyuratagh vil - Armenian National Committee of America; Marc Mamigonian, director of lage, Hadrut region of Nagorno-Karabagh, received programs at the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research; a gunshot wound in the head, while operating a Michael G. Mensoian, professor emeritus of political geography at the tractor. He died on the way to Hadrut hospital. University of Massachusetts, Boston, and Khatchig Mouradian, Armenian From left, Michael Mensoian, Khatchig Mouradian Nagorno Karabagh Defense forced retaliated. Weekly editor and PhD student at Clark University. and Aram Hamparian see PANEL, page 10 Gor Minasyan Becomes World Youth Armenia Warns Weightlifting Champion For Jerusalem’s Armenians, 1,600 Years Renewed Hostilities LIMA, Peru (Panorama) — The World Youth Of History and an Uncertain Future Weightlifting Championship ended with a victory for Armenian Gor Minasyan, who lifted a total of TARA TODRAS-WHITEHILL/ASSOCIATED PRESS Will Prompt NKR 379 kilograms and became world champion. Minasyan, 16, also won gold medals in the snatch Recognition (174 kilogram) and clean and jerk (205 kilogram). The Armenian national team has occupied the YEREVAN (Armenia now) — Armenia has third place having only been bested by teams from again warned Azerbaijan against unleash - Russia and China. ing a new war in Nagorno-Karabagh, stress - ing that renewed military hostilities will prompt Yerevan to consider a formal recog - Hamshen Families to nition of the independence. In an interview with the Russian Resettle in Karabagh Moskovskie Novosti newspaper BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (Radiolur) — Around 200 (www.mn.ru) published on Monday, Hamshen-Armenian families living in Kyrgyzstan are President Serge Sargisian reiterated opting to resettle in the Nagorno-Karabagh Republic. Yerevan’s position in yet another clear mes - Armenians of Hamshen in Western Armenia sage to an increasingly-belligerent were conquered by the Ottomans in the 15th cen - Azerbaijan amid more reports of the loss of tury. The majority of them were forced to convert life along the line of contact of Azeri and to Islam. A resurgence of Hamshen-Armenians has ethnic Armenian armed forces in Karabagh. begun in recent years, with a group in Armenia JERUSALEM — Fr. Samuel Aghoyan, above, prays after lighting a Still, the Armenian leader acknowledged forming community organizations and publishing a candle in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, inside Jerusalem’s Old what many in Armenia view as a risk of newspaper. City. One of the four quarters of old Jerusalem belongs to the thwarting the current internationally-medi - The Hamshen-Armenians settled in Adjaria, from Armenians, keepers of an ancient monastery and library, heirs to ated peace talks. “We don’t do that [don’t where they were driven out and a large majority a tragic history and to a stubborn 1,600-year presence that some recognize Karabagh] because we are hold - settled in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. ing negotiations, whereas the recognition fear is now in doubt. Buffeted by Mideast forces more powerful Nagorno Karabagh is willing to organize the of Nagorno-Karabagh would mean scuttling than themselves, this historic Jerusalem community has seen its process of resettlement, said David Babayan, these talks. In any way, it is better to be spokesman for Nagorno Karabagh president. “The numbers quietly drop below 1,000 people. (See full story on negotiating,” Sargisian stressed. page 20.) authorities are doing their best to give new momen - In assessing the risk of renewed hostili - tum to the process.” ties in Karabagh, Sargisian said such a About 150,000 Hamsehn-Armenians reside in threat persisted “because Azerbaijan is Turkey today. Forty thousand of them have pre - dragging out the process.” served their national identify, their unique Armenian He warned, “There are, perhaps, some dialect and a number of Christian traditions. Stephen Kurkjian Headlines June 4 plans regarding the accumulation of power and strength in order to try to launch a new Mirror-Spectator Banquet in NJ military adventure at a convenient moment. It is a wrong approach, because the events INSI DE Musicians Datevik, Kalfayan, may develop by two scenarios. The first one is a total warfare and further occupation of Wells to Perform Nagorno-Karabagh, which is possible only if the people of Nagorno-Karabagh are totally Historic By Aram Arkun annihilated. And the second one is Azerbaijan’s defeat and subsequent loss of Mirror-Spectator Staff new territories. And then Azerbaijan will Photographs again complain about losing five, six or more TEANECK, N.J. — Last week, informa - districts. And what then? Again truce, agree - page 14 tion about three speakers, Peter Sourian, ments, ceasefire violations, a new war… All Florence Avakian and Nerses Babayan, these scenarios have no future.” each of whom will speak of an intellectu - Sargisian stressed that “the problem can al from the New York area supportive of be resolved only on the principle of com - the Armenian Mirror-Spectator in the promises. past, respectively, Jack Antreassian, Dr. “But there is a red line: the people of INDEX Movses Housepian and Armine Dikijian, Nagorno-Karabagh should themselves Armenia ...... 2, 3 Arts and Living ...... 14 was given. This week’s article on the decide their destiny,” Sargisian added. Calendar ...... 18 June 4 New Jersey Mirror-Spectator ban - Tensions around Nagorno-Karabagh Community News...... 6 quet focuses on the keynote speaker, have been high during the past year amid Editorial ...... 18 Stephen Kurkjian, and provides addition - faltering negotiations over the region’s International ...... 4, 5 al information on the musicians perform - status and more frequent violations of the ing as part of the program. Keynote speaker Stephen Kurkjian 1994 ceasefire resulting in casualties on see BANQUET, page 11 both sides. 2 S ATURDAY , M AY 21, 2011 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR ARMENIA News From Armenia UN Commissioner Urges More Donor

Armenia to Raise Funding for Armenian Refugees Military Draft Age YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — The Armenian parliament By Hovannes Shoghikian approved on Monday government plans to raise the military draft age to 19 because of changes in the YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — United national education system. Nations High Commissioner for Male citizens of the country have until now been Refugees Antonio Guterres backed on drafted to the Armenian Armed Forces at age 18. Tuesday Armenia’s efforts to attract Young men enrolled in state-run universities are donor funding for the provision of ade - called up after graduation, while those deemed unfit quate housing to thousands of for two-year compulsory military service, on medical Armenians who fled Azerbaijan over and other grounds, are exempt from it altogether. two decades ago. The Soviet-era system of 10-year schooling has Guterres appealed to international enabled virtually all boys to finish school before donor agencies and governments as he reaching draft age. attended an international conference Over the past decade Armenia has gradually on the issue held in Yerevan. switched to a 12-year education cycle that will pro- The Armenian government hopes duce its first graduates next year. This means that that the conference will help it attract thousands of male students will turn 18 and be sub- $45 million in assistance, which it says ject to the draft before passing graduation exams. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres and Prime is necessary for building or buying new Minister Tigran Sargisian Under existing legislation, they would also be unable homes for about 1,200 refugee families to pursue higher education and qualify for service that still live in miserable conditions. deferments. The Armenian government believes that they should More than 350,000 Armenians from “We don’t believe anymore,” said be able to finish high school before being drafted. Azerbaijan took refuge in Armenia fol - Anya, a single, elderly woman. “We have Hence, its proposal to raise draft age by one year. lowing outbreak of the conflict over lived here for 22 years.” The National Assembly unanimously approved, in Nagorno-Karabagh Nagorno-Karabagh in 1988. The Armenian government pledged the first reading, a corresponding amendment to an According to the State Migration in 2004 to provide all needy refugees Armenian law on military service. Its passage in the Flights on Hold Service, 1,175 families still live in single with new homes in the next few years. second and final reading appears a mere formality. rooms lacking basic amenities. It stopped allocating funds for that pur - Despite Airport Speaking at the conference, Guterres pose with the onset of the global finan - recalled a 2006 visit to some of these cial crisis in 2009. Overflow from Kapan Reconstruction families. “I was moved by the extreme “Of late, political tension, military difficulty of their conditions, which conflicts and natural disasters in vari - Tailings Dam Threatens STEPANAKERT (RFE/RL) — The inevitably affect the physical and mental ous regions have displaced more peo - Village launch of the first commercial flights to conditions of those people,” he said. ple,” Tigran Sargisian said. “The inter - Nagorno-Karabagh in two decades has “There is a solution to this situation, national community’s attention to the YEREVAN (Hetq) — On May 8, waste water from the been postponed indefinitely. there just need to be funds,” added the needs of people in those new crisis-hit Zangezour Copper-Molybdenum Combine in Kapan Armenian-Karabagh authorities in UN official, who held separate meetings areas is natural.” was reported to have overflowed the perimeter of Stepanakert are now refusing to with President Serge Sargisian and “But we expect that the international the dam, which is supposed to contain it. announce any dates for the official Prime Minister Tigran Sargisian. community will not disregard older The toxic pond has sprung up about 40 meters reopening of the airport, located eight More than 80 families living in a run - problems, including the problem of from the community’s main spring for drinking kilometers east of the region’s capital. down hotel in Yerevan’s Nork-Marash Armenian refugees,” he said. water. A noxious odor has also permeated through- With its $3-million reconstruction district, all of them former residents of “We want to solve this problem as out the settlement. nearly completed early this year, Baku, have been waiting for such solu - soon as possible,” the prime minister Nagorno-Karabagh officials announced tion for more than 20 years. Gayane said in an interview. that the airport would reopen its doors Zakharian has shared a room there with The only immediate pledge of assis - Hungary’s Parliament on May 9 for an inaugural flight from her mother and daughter since 1989. tance at the conference came from the Speaker Visits Armenia Yerevan. “We very much hope that something government of Brazil. The Brazilian Azerbaijan condemned the plans as will be decided at that conference,” she Embassy in Yerevan said it will con - YEREVAN (news.am) — The Hungarian delegation illegal and threatened to shoot down said. “We were told that donors are tribute $50,000 to the housing pro - headed by Parliament Speaker Laszlo Kover arrived aircraft entering Karabagh without its coming and they may provide some of gram. for a two-day official visit to Armenia on Tuesday. permission. the money needed for building new Whether the government can raise He met with President Serge Sargisian, Parliament Leaders of the self-proclaimed homes for us.” larger sums remains to be seen. “At this Speaker Hovik Abrahamian and Foreign Minister Nagorno-Karabagh Republic and “Every year they promise that this stage we have no funds allocated for Eduard Nalbandian. Armenian officials dismissed the will be the last year of hardship but addressing housing problems directly,” The delegation also met with the members of threats, saying the airport would be nothing is being done in practice,” the head of the EU Delegation in Armenia-Hungary friendship group. inaugurated as planned. President Zakharian added skeptically. Yerevan, Raul de Luzenberger, said. Hungarian members of parliament finally visited Serge Sargisian said in late March that the memorial to the Armenian Genocide victims. he would board the first Yerevan- Stepanakert flight since 1991. The Azerbaijani threats were also Armenian Assembly Hosts Events Genocide Museum denounced by the United States and Director Demoyan Sued other foreign powers trying to broker a In Armenia Dedicated to Genocide peaceful solution to the Karabagh dis - For Slander pute. YEREVAN — During the week leading all of humanity,” Darbinian continued. Baku appeared to back away from up to the 96th anniversary of the In conjunction with the Assembly’s YEREVAN (hetq) — Armen Ayvazyan, director of the them in early April, with an Azerbaijani Armenian Genocide, the Armenian Yerevan Youth Club (AYYC), the Ararat Center for Strategic Research, has sued Hayk Foreign Ministry spokesman saying Assembly of America’s Yerevan Office Assembly also hosted a two-day art exhi - Demoyan, director of the Armenian Genocide that it “did not and will not use force hosted a series of events dedicated to the bition featuring works by local artists Museum-Institute, and is demanding a total of 3 mil- against civil facilities.” memory of Armenian Genocide victims. reflecting upon the legacy of 1915. lion drams in compensation. Still, the US, Russian and French Armenian government and US During the exhibit opening, Assembly This is the latest in a series of charges and mediators co-chairing the OSCE Minsk Embassy officials were among the Chairman Hirair Hovnanian commend - counter-charges that the two have recently traded. Group warned later in April that the air - Assembly’s special guests at last week’s ed the initiative, and along with his wife Ayvazyan claims that Demoyan slandered him in port reopening “could lead to further concert of sacred Armenian music per - Anna, shared family memories of the an interview with Veradardz TV program producer increased tensions” in the conflict zone. formed by the Speghani Choir held at Armenian Genocide. Harout Bronozyan on March 30, in the US, and in an Karabagh leaders have since claimed the Assembly’s Yerevan Center. In Speaking on the occasion, Darbinian article Demoyan wrote, which appeared in Hetq that a flight between Nagorno- recognition of her contributions to the also emphasized the importance of the Online, on April 12. Karabagh and Armenia was never contemporary art of choir music for the role of the youth in the country’s Ayvazyan notes that Demoyan called him a “provo- scheduled to take place on May 9. They last 15 years, Choir Director and future. “Through the Assembly’s cateur,” “a man afflicted with the frenzy of vanity,” have also pointedly declined to clarify Conductor, Sarina Avtandilyan, was Yerevan Youth Club, the Assembly is “a gang leader” and “a state criminal,” etc. when flights at the airport would be awarded the Vazgen Sargisian Medal of able to support a cadre of talented In addition, Ayvazyan, in his legal suit claims that launched. Honor by Armenia’s Ministry of young individuals by involving them in Demoyan said that “Armen Ayvazyan had swallowed “I find it difficult to answer that ques - Defense. various events and educational activi - the Turkish bait” and had committed a state crime tion,” airport director Artur Karapetian Noting that the dangers of genocide ties,” said Darbinian. The AYYC was by turning down the lights at the Tzitzernakaberd said on May 13. “We don’t set dates, we and its denial continue in the 21st cen - formed in 2010 as part of the Genocide Memorial on September 6, 2008 when just work.” tury, the Assembly’s Country Director Assembly’s new initiatives in its recent - President Abdullah Gul of Turkey was in Yerevan for Karapetian confirmed that the small Armina Darbinian stated, “We join with ly dedicated Yerevan Center near a football match between the two countries’ nation- airport’s new terminal has already been Armenians across the globe and all peo - Republic Square. al teams. fully constructed, furnished and ple of good will in remembering the vic - On April 24, the Assembly’s Yerevan equipped with navigation devices. But tims of the Armenian Genocide. Office staff joined thousands of compa - he said “some construction work” still Together, we will help end the scourge of triots in paying tribute to the victims of needs to be done on the runway. genocide and build a brighter future for the Armenian Genocide. S ATURDAY , M AY 21, 2011 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR 3 ARMENIA

AVC Volunteers Spring into Community Service in Armenia

YEREVAN — Armenian Volunteer Corps plement my main volunteer service.” (AVC) volunteers have turned spring into a In early April, volunteers helped clean the season full of community service, comple - gardens at Our Lady of Armenia Boghossian menting the service they already bring as Education Center in Gumri (www.armenian - part of volunteering in Armenia. sisters.org), an AVC volunteer placement site. Early this spring, AVC volunteers helped “I enjoyed helping the Center with some paint a classroom and hallways at the middle spring cleaning and preparation,” said Dawn school in Nor Kyugh, a village just outside of Huckelbridge (US), who is volunteering in Yerevan where students from the SOS- Armenia for two months, splitting her time between the Women’s Resource Center (www.womenofarmenia.org) and the International Center for Human Development (www.ichd.org). “It was espe - cially meaningful because we had an opportunity to learn about the Center and the work it does in Gumri.” On April 27, volunteers joined the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Nicholas Avedisian-Cohen, Achod Papasian and Oksana Mirzoyan recycling flowers from the Cultural Assets Armenian Genocide Memorial (www.fpwc.org) (also known as SunChild) for the second year in a row to help recycle “Painting classrooms a warm orange color Shushi, so making sure they have a warm the flowers laid at the at the school in Shushi was very rewarding. learning environment is really important!” Tsitsenakaberd Armenian It really meant a lot to me because I was able Serving Armenia through volunteerism Genocide memorial on April to do something tangible for the Artsakh and enhancing a culture of service in 24. The flower petals are community in a small way,” stated volunteer Armenia is AVC’s mission. Volunteers do this used to make recycled paper, Nathalie Demirjian (US), who is volunteering not only through their specific volunteer which the Genocide Museum in Armenia at Knyazyan & Partners placement but also through organizing and uses for invitations and cards. (www.knyazyanlaw.com), a law firm special - participating in community service projects. “Recycling flowers was a izing in intellectual property. “The children For more information about AVC visit meaningful experience for at this school are the future of Artsakh and www.armenianvolunteer.org. me,” stated Meredith Derian- Toth (US), an AVC volunteer Nathalie Demirjian, Ani Grigorian and Marie Hagopian sponsored by Birthright painting at the Nor Kyugh Middle School Armenia. “I was happy to help an organization that is forward thinking in their approach Children’s village attend school. Volunteers towards recycling. I hope this is a small step in and students from the school also helped the direction of a country-wide program.” clean the school grounds. This community Derian-Toth is spending three months volun - service project helped revamp the areas teering with Bars Media (www.barsmedia.am) where the children spend their time, both and the Seda Ghazaryan Memorial indoors and outdoors and provided an Foundation (www.sgmf.am). opportunity for volunteers to give back and But that isn’t all. learn about the SOS-Children’s Village and On May 10, during an excursion to their involvement in the community. Artsakh organized by Birthright Armenia “I enjoyed learning about the SOS- (www.birthrightarmenia.org), a total of 16 Children’s village by painting with fellow vol - AVC volunteers, alumni and Birthright unteers, students from the school and staff Armenia participants spent the day painting from the SOS-Children’s village,” said Vicken classrooms at the Daniel Ghazaryan Music Muradian (France), who took a three-month School in Shushi. Volunteers painted three break in between jobs in China and France classrooms after which they challenged some to volunteer at the National Competitiveness of the students to a game of football, basket - AVC volunteers painting the floor at the Daniel Ghazaryan Music School in Shushi Foundation. “This was a great way to com - ball and other games.

International Inspection of Armenian Nuclear Plant Kicks Off

YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — The International Atomic Energy quakes. They say that alone makes its closure Agency (IAEA) began a two-week inspection of the nuclear imperative. power station at Metsamor on Monday, May 16, amid renewed Armenian government officials and nuclear domestic and international concerns about its safety fueled by experts dismiss such concerns. They say that the recent nuclear disaster in Japan. Metsamor’s reactor cooling system is different Armenia’s Ministry of Energy and Natural Resource said a from Fukushima’s and that the facility is reli - team of IAEA experts from nine countries will closely examine able enough to withstand a powerful earth - Metsamor’s reactor and other facilities and assess their opera - quake. Another argument advanced by them tional safety in a special report. is that the plant has undergone numerous It said the inspection will be conducted under the Vienna- safety upgrades since one of its two reactors based nuclear watchdog’s Operational Safety Review Team was reactivated in 1995. (OSART) program, which is designed to help countries guard “The safety of the plant’s exploitation is at against nuclear emergencies. a high level today,” the Ministry of Energy The Armenian government solicited the OSART mission at and Natural Resources said in a May 6 state - Metsamor about two months ago, citing the need to learn ment. “The results of safety monitoring peri - lessons from the grave accidents at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi odically conducted by other international nuclear plant. teams also testify to that.” Prime Minister Tigran Sargisian said last week that the gov - The Armenian government has no ernment expects the IAEA team to identify “the strong and weak Metsamor-related concerns despite initiating sides of our atomic plant.” “We are ready for that inspection,” he the IAEA inspection, it said. Inside the Metsamor nuclear power station told reporters. The government also made clear recently The Soviet-built Metsamor plant, which meets about 40 per - that it will press ahead with an ambitious pro - cent of Armenia’s energy needs, has long prompted concerns ject to build a new and more powerful nuclear plant in place of the construction could be delayed by several years, suggesting from local environment protection groups and Western govern - the aging facility located over 30 kilometers west of Yerevan. that the reactor, which went into service in 1980, will function ments. The Fukushima disaster has cast a fresh spotlight on its Armenian officials have said in the past that its construction will longer than planned. safety, with senior European Union officials discussing the mat - start by 2012 and probably end in 2017, in time for the planned Whether the government is ready to delay the decommission - ter with Armenian leaders during recent visits to Yerevan. decommissioning of the Metsamor reactor. ing even after the Fukushima accident remains to be seen. The Armenian environmentalists argue that like Japan, Armenia is However, the head of Armenia’s State Committee on Nuclear outcome of the OSART evaluation may well have a significant situated in a seismically active region prone to powerful earth - Safety, Ashot Martirosian, said in an interview last August that impact on its intentions. 4 S ATURDAY , M AY 21, 2011 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR INTERNATIONAL International News Armenian Church of Singapore $20 Million Worth of Weapons Sold by Turkey Celebrates Major Anniversary

To Azerbaijan SINGAPORE — One sometimes and Ani Umedyan. ANKARA (PanARMENIAN.Net) — Turkey sold wonders about the lost communities Professionals weapons and munitions worth $20 million to of the Armenian diaspora. Singapore, include leaders from Azerbaijan from January to April this year, accord- whose 175-year-old church, The Turkey, France, ing to a report issued by the Central Anatolian Armenian Church of St. Gregory the United States and Exporters Union. Illuminator, comes to mind as an Georgia. Turkish companies exported weapons and muni- example. The church cele - tions worth $20 million to Saudi Arabia and muni- Singapore’s Armenian heritage has brated the 175-year tions worth $10 million to the US in the first quar- not disappeared. The community, of concretion March ter of this year. Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia and the which had leaders that established 27, with Archbishop US are in the top three, in the list of export of notable Singapore institutions such as Aga Baliozian of weapons and munitions; they are followed by the Strait Times (national newspaper) Australia who is Lebanon, Russia, Belgium, Pakistan, Italy, United and Raffles hotel, dissolved when mentoring the Arab Emirates and Portugal. Japanese forces occupied Singapore Singapore church. during WWII. Today, the community The community is very much alive and growing. received generous Turkish University to Approximately 60 members gathered donations including to commemorate the Armenian one from Rhode Offer Armenian Genocide and celebrate Easter. Island to restore the Language Course In true Armenian style, the event church repairing ter - started with a generous picnic. With mite, water and ISTANBUL (International Herald Tribune) — Using no Clergy available, an Armenian paint damage. The a $23,500 grant from the German Marshall Fund’s opera singer, Gayane Vardanyan sang large rectory needs Black Sea Trust, Kadir Has University plans to three Sharagans with an emotional similar restoration begin offering Armenian language lessons this Soorp Soorp and Hyre Mer . She also work and new elec - month. recited two eloquent poems in Easter trical wiring. The Serdar Dinler, director of the university’s Center for Armenian. church’s beauty Lifelong Learning, said by telephone that the course Community leader and organizer, makes is a major would be taught by a doctoral candidate from Pierre Hennes (US) explained the tourist attraction. will lease the church for services. Armenia as part of a cultural exchange between coun- community is made up of one-third The church sits like The Singapore Armenian Church tries whose ties have been fraught for a century. original families, one-third Hyeastayns a gem in the mod - “Turkey is becoming an energy-transit corridor and and one-third expatriate professional ern city-state. In a center for diplomacy in the region,” Dinler said. people totaling about 80 people with 1973, the building was designated a The interior has a marble altar with “Also the Turkish government has a new zero prob- five newborns this year. Young national monument by the National a picture of the Last Supper. The pic - lem’s policy with its neighbors, so we believe that the Armenian born professional musicians Preservation Board. While often used ture of the Last Supper is common in new generation in Turkey needs to have more dia- include concert conductor, cellist for weddings, the small Syrian and Asian-Armenian churches, while in the logue with neighboring countries, including Armenia, Gevorg Sargsyan, Naira Mkhitaryan Coptic (Egyptian) Church community US, churches usually have the Virgin Russia, Iran, Greece, etc. Knowing the language can Mary and Christ Child. only help.” Kadir Has is a private university estab- However, churches are about serv - lished along the Golden Horn in 1997 and named ing religious needs. Critical to the after its founder, a Turkish automotive magnate. community’s future is creating a trust to fund a monthly Badarak with a Priest from Australia and preserve the Students Taking Exams church well into the future. With Forced to Deny many young children and immigrants from areas without a church heritage, Armenian Genocide religious education is essential. The Kazarian Foundation and Paul ISTANBUL (Panorama) — According to the website Kazarian have been instrumental in Ermenihaber.am, an exam at the Faculty of History supporting the Church. Parish leaders at Dicle University of Turkey includes a question on Pierre Hennes, Greg Basmadjian and the Armenian Genocide, with the right answer Greg Soghomonian have three goals: denying the Genocide. to fund a regular monthly church ser - The question is: “No Armenian Genocide occurred vice, preserve the two buildings and in the Ottoman Empire. Some of Armenians cooper- continue to grow the population by ating with Russians and hitting the Ottoman army seeking Armenians who are moving to from behind died due to betrayal, some emigrated this vibrant financial and trade center. from the country at the suggestion of Germans and To learn more about Saint Gregory the died of hunger, diseases and cold, so the Armenian Illuminator Church, contact Hennes at population in Turkey decreased.” Celebrating the anniversary of the church [email protected]. The possible answer was either: a) correct or b) incorrect. Students who selected answer b lost a point. The lecturer who compiled the questionnaire said he sees nothing extraordinary about this question. Marios Garoyian Calls Turkey ‘International Terrorist’

Festival to Screen Film NICOSICA, Cyprus (Hellenic News of al terrorist, who, America) — President of the House of through military On Kars Monument’s Representatives Marios Garoyian has power, attempts to Dismantlement stressed the responsibilities of the inter - impose its rules on national community in regards to its neighbors and ISTANBUL (Tert.am) — A documentary on the dis- Turkey’s crime, the Armenian Genocide, non-neighbors. As mantlement of a Kars-based monument symbolizing saying that if Turkey had been punished long as Turkey Turkish-Armenian friendship, “First and Last” will for that crime, the Turkish invasion remains unpun - be screened at the Golden Orange annual film fes- against Cyprus may not have taken place. ished, the interna - tival in Turkey. Describing Turkey as an international tional community Director Mujdat Gezen said his film ends with a terrorist, he called upon Ankara to has no right to be scene that shows the decapitation of the monument admit its crime and apologize for it. proud of today’s of Humanity and Peace. Last Tuesday, at a school event, titled world order, he Gezen also spoke critically of the Turkish Prime “Armenian Genocide from the past to stressed, adding Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan who had called the the present,” Garoyian underlined the the international monument “monstrosity” and ordered to pull it down. responsibilities of the international com - community should “What does it mean ‘I don’t like the monument?’ munity, saying that the Armenian feel like an accom - That’s a display of fascism ... And I don’t like the Genocide must be condemned and rec - plice as long as the Marios Garoyian prime minister, but do I call him a ‘monster?’” ognized by all and called upon Turkey Armenian asked Gezen. to admit its crime and apologize to the Genocide and The dismantlement of the statue started last Armenian people and all of humanity. other ethnic cleansing crimes of Turkey tional condemnation of the crime and month and is still underway. Unfortunately, the non-punishment of remain unpunished. He recalled that said that the Cypriot House of Turkey by the international community Cyprus was the first country to raise the Representatives as well as the Greek increases Ankara’s intransigence, he said issue in the 1960s before the UN Parliament were among the first parlia - and described Turkey as an internation - General Assembly, asking for an interna - ments to have condemned it. S ATURDAY , M AY 21, 2011 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR 5 INTERNATIONAL AGBU Egypt District President Berdj Terzian Honored in Cairo

CAIRO, Egypt — The chairman of AGBU ments in communal, academic, educational and Committee, present - Egypt’s District Committee and honorary chair - literary activities dedicated to the Armenian ed Terzian with a man of AGBU’s Cairo Chapter, Berdj Terzian, cause and to the Motherland. commemorative was recently honored for his long-term commit - Two weeks later, on May 8, around 90 people plate on behalf of ment and contribution to the Armenian com - gathered at the Belekdanian Hall in Cairo to AGBU Cairo. munity around the world. On April 24, follow - once again honor Terzian, this time at an award Others also spoke ing Easter Mass at the St. Gregory the ceremony and cocktail reception. AGBU’s and shared their Illuminator Armenian Church in Cairo, Terzian Central Board bestowed on Terzian the title of thoughts of Terzian’s received the Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Medal of “AGBU Honor Member,” which is given to indi - decades of service, Honor according to the encyclical issued by viduals who have rendered extraordinary ser - including longtime Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, on vices to AGBU. friend Norayr The event, which was organized by AGBU Deuvletian, Cairo, was attended by Bishop Ashot Melkonian, Coussan Mnatsaganian, Primate of the Armenian and Mnatsaganian. Apostolic Church in Egypt; Bishop Monsignor They each praised Krikor Augustinos Coussan, Primate of the the work and deeds Armenian Catholic Community in Egypt; of Terzian, giving Armen Melkonian, the ambassador of the accounts of personal Republic of Armenia to Egypt, and his wife; and professional numerous members of the Cairo Diocesan experiences that On May 8, Berdj Terzian, right, received the “AGBU Honor Member” certifi - Council and many board members of local they had shared with cate from AGBU Cairo Chairman Viken Djizmedjian. Armenian institutions, clubs and organizations, him and stressing as well as the honoree’s close friends and rela - his important work tives. for Armenians everywhere. Council for several decades, as a member of the Berdj Terzian, president of AGBU Egypt’s District An introductory address was given by AGBU Subsequently, the evening’s honoree took to Diocesan Board of Education, a member of Committee and honorary chairman of AGBU’s Cairo Chairman Viken Djizmedjian, who also the floor to express his gratitude to Karekin II, Nubarian School’s Board of Trustees and even - Cairo Chapter, receives the Sts. Sahag and presented the AGBU Honor Member certificate Catholicos of All Armenians, Setrakian and all tually as the chairman of the Armenian Mesrob Medal of Honor on April 24 at the St. to the distinguished guest. There was a reading members of the AGBU Central Board of Apostolic Church’s Executive Committee from Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Church in Cairo. of the Pontifical Encyclical by Rev. Hagop Directors. He conveyed his personal apprecia - 2003 to 2006. Terzian is known for his contri - Hagopian, pastor of the Armenian Apostolic tion for the bestowment of his distinguished bution to AGBU’s Egypt district and Cairo chap - Church in Cairo, and a reading by AGBU’s awards and he thanked everyone in attendance ter for nearly five decades as a member and a October 27, 2010 at the Mother See of Holy President Berge Setrakian, who shared con - for supporting these distinct honors and com - chairman. He is also revered for his vigorous Echmiadzin. The Sts. Sahag and Mesrob medal gratulatory letters addressed to Terzian. Onnig ing out to celebrate. involvement in various Armenian-related editor - is one of the highest honors of the Armenian Belekdanian, vice chairman of AGBU Cairo and Terzian has been serving the Armenian ial activities in both the Armenian and Arabic Church and is awarded for significant achieve - member of the AGBU Egypt District Church in Egypt as a member of its Diocesan languages. State: Council Did Not Get Permit to Build Kars Statue

cil is valid. The last decision taken by an admin - administrative court asked for the defense from administrative court gave a decision in favor of By Ali Aslan Kilic istrative court in line with the municipal deci - the current Kars municipality regarding the rea - our demand in two days. Some circles criticize sion is to the point as well. Decisions taken by son for their demand to stop construction. the regional court for deciding in two days but administrative courts are valid from the Bastimar said they submitted their defense to they don’t say anything about the one-day deci - ANKARA (Today’s Zaman) — While a statue moment of the decision and they are to be the court 10 days later. “Our defense reached sion of the [Erzurum] administrative court,” he popularly known as the “Monument to enforced quickly.” them on the 11th day and the Erzurum said. Humanity” continues to be demolished, it is The story of the statue goes back as far as Administrative Court ruled for a stay of execu - The company that won the tender to pull the now argued that the monument was erected 2006. The municipal council at the time wanted tion [of the decision to stop the construction]. statue down aims to complete the demolition by without getting the necessary permission and to have a monument symbolizing peace and kin - We objected to the court ruling. A regional May 20. therefore it would have to be demolished any - ship and it went out to tender in 2006. A piece way. of Treasury land was found for the statue. As The controversy surrounding the statue part of an urban transformation project, the began after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Treasury was asked for the land to make a park. Erdogan called it a “monstrosity.” It was erect - However, construction started before receiving ed to commemorate the Ottoman soldiers who a response from the Treasury. Upon objections, froze to death 96 years ago during a military the Supreme Council of Monuments stopped operation against Russia. The “Monument to the construction of the statue in 2008 and Humanity” is also meant to symbolize the questions over the land’s being a historic and friendship between Turkey and Armenia. protected area also arose. In addition, the The Kars Municipality’s lawyer, Agca Treasury rejected the erection of the statue and Bastimar, states that most sites of historical informed the Supreme Council of Monuments interest in Kars belong to the Treasury, that the giant statue would change the profile adding: “Though the issue has been dis - of the city. cussed from many different aspects, a fact is In other words, a statue that Kars has been being overlooked. The then-municipality that discussing for years came to the public’s allowed the erection of the statue wrote to attention nationally and internationally after the relevant authorities [for permission]; Erdogan made the “monstrosity” comment however, they started construction before about it. The media reports created the receiving a reply.” impression that the monument was being The municipal council in Kars earlier decided demolished because of Erdogan’s words, as to demolish the statue and the demolition the final decision to demolish the monument AGBU’s Nork Children’s Center troupe from Yerevan on stage after a performance at the began in mid-April. The demolition is expected came three days after the prime minister’s Hovhannes Boghosian Auditorium in Beirut, Lebanon to be completed in a month. The municipality comment. plans to open a park for the province’s residents In addition to questions regarding the land in lieu of the statue after getting the necessary and artistic merits of the statue, the permission. “Monument to Humanity” also raises political AGBU’s Nork Children’s Center Speaking to Sunday’s Zaman, lawyer questions due to its connection to Armenia. Bastimar said anything erected on Treasury Former Kars Mayor Naif Alibeyoglu, who Troupe Performs in Lebanon land without the necessary permission would approved the construction of the statue, says definitely be demolished even if the structure they built the monument as a response to geno - BEIRUT, Lebanon — During the week of April 2-8, 30 youth from AGBU’s Nork Children’s belonged to a municipality. Recalling that the cide claims. Alibeyoglu was a member of the Center in Yerevan performed here in connection with the 80th anniversary of the founding Treasury is a legal entity like a municipality, Justice and Development Party (AK Party) at of AGBU Armenian Youth Association (AYA). Five performances, directed by Aida Bastimar argued that it is wrong to attribute the time of the decision, but was later dismissed Antreassian, were held at the Hovhannes Boghosian Auditorium, drawing in a total of 3,000 the demolition to the prime minister and dis - from the party. Some opposition circles led by guests, which included 1,300 Armenian school students. cussions on its “monstrosity.” the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) inter - The AGBU Children’s Centers performers ranged in age from 5 to 14. Their performances, While noting that the legal process to demol - preted the construction of the monument as an which consisted of song, dance and gymnastics, followed introductory remarks by their ish the statue started in 2010, Bastimar contin - AK Party Armenian initiative. group leader, Rev. Komitas Hovnanian, a member of the brotherhood of Holy Echmiadzin ued: “The structure defined as the ‘Monument Once the Supreme Council of Monuments and head of the AGBU Nork Children’s Center. During their time in Lebanon, the youth to Humanity’ is an unlicensed construction in decided to stop the construction, Culture and from Armenia spent the good part of four days sightseeing and exploring the countryside. terms of administrative law. The procedure Tourism Minister Ertugrul Günay supported They made visits to Catholicos Aram I of Cilicia, the museum of the Cilician Catholicosate applied to unlicensed constructions is being reversal of the decision to stop construction but in Antelia, Lebanon, the Armenian Genocide Monument in Antelias, the village of Harissa, implemented for this statue as well. Since it was abided by the council’s ruling. the Armenian Catholic monastery of Bzommar, the Jeita grotto, the Armenian Birds’ Nest erected without permission from administrative In the meantime, sculptor Mehmet Aksoy and orphanage and the historic Byblos Fort in Jibeil. Travel expenses were underwritten by the bodies, the legal process has been put into oper - his lawyers went to court to challenge the deci - Armenian company VivaCell. ation; the decision made by the municipal coun - sion to stop the erection of the statue. The 6 S ATURDAY , M AY 21, 2011 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR Community Ne ws

Feds Make Arrests in GenEd Delivers Belmont, Watertown Armenian Genocide In Alleged Drug Ring Presentation to Global Leadership Students By Franklin Tucker LOS ANGELES — Five hundred mid - dle and high school students at the Ambassador School of Global BELMONT, Mass. (Belmont Patch) — A Leadership learned about the Belmont man was charged Friday afternoon Armenian Genocide last week at a spe - with seven others on conspiracy to sell mari - cial assembly program and discussion juana and oxycodone as part of a drug ring cen - presented by The Genocide Education tered in Watertown, according to an affidavit Project (GenEd), in partnership with filed in Federal District Court of Massachusetts the AGBU Young Professionals of Los in Boston. Angeles (YPLA). Vartan A. “V” Soukiasian of Belmont was Suzanne Douzmanian, GenEd’s arrested last month for being a major figure Southern California regional coordina - in distributing “wholesale quantities of mari - tor, led the discussion, which examined juana ... received from an organization based in the political and historical context of Quebec,” according to the affidavit filed on the Armenian Genocide, as part of the April 20 by Special Agent Phillip Lavoie of the continuum of genocides of the 20th Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Members of Cambridge’s Ararat Lodge, Knights of Vartan, dispatch another ship - ment of medical supplies to Armenia worth $359,200, earmarked for Chambarak. century. She also incorporated an A Watertown man, Safwan “Sammy” (Tom Vartabedian photo) examination of the historical journey Madarati, was the focus of the federal drug of her own grandparents, survivors of investigation after he was caught on June 14, the Armenian Genocide, into the pre - 2010 with $70,040 in what authorities believe sentation. is drug money, according to the affidavit. For many of the students, this was Other defendants in the case are Hagop N. “Jack” Knights Send $359,200 the first they had heard of the Sarkissian, of Weston; Antranic “Anto” Idanjian, of Armenian Genocide. Although state Waltham; Robert “Bobby” Johnson, of Stoneham; law requires that the Armenian Sanusie Mo Kabba, of Stoughton; Jeffrey Spinks, of In Medical Supplies Genocide be taught in California Boylston; Abraham Bellini of Somerville and schools, many schools still do not Karapet “Garo” Dzhanikyan, of Watertown. include this history in their curricu - Madarati, Sarkassian and Kabba also face To Armenia lum. charges of conspiracy to collect debt by extor - “This was an eye-opening assembly tionate means. for my students. Since we are part of The investigation began in Febrary 2010 in NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. — The town of Chambarak, located in rural Armenia, the International Studies Schools Vermont when federal authorities were looking needed medical help desperately. Network, the presentation was espe - into a drug trafficking organization based in The town has 7,000 residents with another 10,000 in the surrounding villages cially relevant to our global leadership Canada that used warehouses in Massachusetts that access the hospital. They rely on one ill-equipped hospital with insufficient theme. I would definitely ask them to and Rhode Island, the affidavit said. The inves - supplies, which often sends patients on a come back every year.” The tigation led authorities to a warehouse at 33 three-hour-drive to Yerevan for their Flagship Drive in North Andover. By Tom Vartabedian emergency needs. Surveillance led authorities to Madarati. On With 80 percent unemployed, most res - March 23, 2010, a rented U-Haul truck left the idents survive day-to-day by farming and warehouse and stopped at 185 Warren St. in raising cattle. Accessibility is difficult, due to poor roads. Watertown, Madarati’s home, Lavoie wrote. Assistance is on the way, thanks to a shipment of medical supplies worth On June 14, 2010, Federal agents set up sur - $359,200, sponsored by the Ararat Lodge of Cambridge, Knights of Vartan, veillance of the Dunkin Donuts at 49 Mt. through the International Medical Equipment Collaborative (IMEC), a humanitar - Auburn St. in Watertown. They allegedly spot - ian group designed to upgrade impoverished hospitals and medical centers ted a man give two duffle bags to Madarati in throughout the world based inside the former Lucent Technologies building in the parking lot. North Andover. Suzanne Douzmanian Watertown Police stopped Madarati’s car at “Economically, the town of Chambarak is a disaster,” said Jack Medzorian, pro - Summer and Waverley streets. When ICE ject director on the Armenia Medical Aid Team. “Being on the border with agents looked in the bag, they found $70,040 in Azerbaijan, they are subject to routine harassment by the Azeris who make fre - International Studies Schools cash, which they believe to be drug proceeds, quent incursions, crossing the border to steal cattle, kidnapping and torturing bor - Association (ISSA) is a national net - according to the affidavit. der residents, and employing snipers to kill innocent civilians. During the war, civil - work of schools dedicated to improving In August 2010, ICE and Drug Enforcement ian targets were bombed, including homes, a kindergarten and the hospital.” students’ understanding of the world. Agency (DEA) agents received permission to Joining Medzorian on the team were: Aurelian Mardiros, Sarkis Gennetian, School counselor Nicole Nigosian monitor and record Madarati’s cell phone calls. Varujan Masrof, Albert S. Movsesian, Dr. Nishan Goudsouzian, Haig Deranian, spearheaded the event to coincide with “These wiretaps have revealed that Madarati Nishan Mootafian, Richard Cherkerzian, Krikor Shaboyan, Armen Bogossian, the 96th anniversary of the Armenian is involved in the distribution of marijuana, oxy - Charles Guleserian and Michael Boudakian. Genocide. “My grandparents were codone, cocaine and Ecstasy in and around the Members gathered at the IMEC plant for their eighth shipment in 10 years. They Armenian Genocide survivors, so orga - area of Watertown, Massachusetts,” Lavoie locked hands and recited prayers as the van left the loading dock bound for nizing this presentation really meant a wrote in the affidavit. Armenia. The shipment is slated to arrive in six to eight weeks. lot to me. I was happy to be able to Federal agents learned that Madarati worked Included in the 20 pallets were a complete operating room with anesthesiology, share a part of my cultural and family with Soukiasian, Sarkissian and Johnson to distrib - radiology suite, surgical, maternity and special care suites, 12 beds and mattress - history with my students. In fact, I feel ute large quantities of marijuana and other drugs. es, an incubator, along with vital sign monitors and other essential equipment. that this is one of best things I could Soukiasian and Idanjian’s cell phones were The IMEC staff and volunteer teams collected, assembled and packed the sup - have done as a personal contribution also tapped by the agents. plies. A check totaling $21,000 was presented to the group by the Knights to cover toward awareness and remembrance,” The conversations and communications were in equipment and supply costs, donated by 75 individuals. said Nigosian. English, Arabic and Armenian, and federal authori - Also collaborating on the project was the United Armenian Fund (UAF), based “The role of GenEd, as the conduit ties had to bring in contractors to translate. in California, which financed the transportation costs of the container from for educating teachers and students on On October 27, 2010, agents seized $1.77 Boston to Yerevan, along with SHEN, a non-government charitable organization the historical facts of the Armenian million in cash after observing Madarati and based in Yerevan, which cleared the way in Chambarak. Genocide is an important one,” said Soukiasian deliver two pieces of luggage to two Medzorian visited SHEN last September with his wife, Eva, and obtained their AGBU YPLA Chair Yeghig Keshishian. unnamed men who had entered the US from assistance to coordinate the shipment of a 40-foot container of medical supplies to “We value the incredible work of this Canada earlier that day. The bags were Chambarak. A follow-up visit for a needs assessment resulted in the latest dispatch. organization and its behind-the-scenes exchanged at the Marriott Hotel in Newton and The shipment follows another valued at $425,000 last spring to the Miasnikyan approach to bridging the educational agents made the stop as the two unnamed men Regional Health Care Center in Armavir as well as the Yerevan Central Oncology gap on a topic that has long gone tried to enter Hanscom Airport. Hospital. Over the past decade, the Ararat Lodge has delivered some $3 million in untaught in our school curriculum.” On January 10, 2011, agents stopped medical supplies to Armenia. The Genocide Education Project is a Belmont-resident Soukiasian after he picked up “All this means improved access to health care, better care for mothers, children nonprofit organization dedicated to a package at 328 Mt. Auburn St. in Watertown and infants, and decreased mortality rates in that country,” added Medzorian. providing instructional resources and and found two pounds of marijuana in his car. “Doctors and nurses desperately need upgraded medical equipment and supplies teacher training about human rights Agents tracked Madarati on March 15, on to provide better care for their patients. We have a moral and ethical responsibili - and genocide, with a particular focus what they suspected was a drug deal. Bags, ty there.” on the Armenian Genocide. For more which he exchanged with unidentified suspects, see SUPPLIES, page 8 information visit were found in a car stopped by state police in http://www.genocideeducation.org/. Winchendon. They contained approximately 150 pounds of marijuana, the affidavit said. S ATURDAY , M AY 21, 2011 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR 7 COMMUNITY NEWS Dr. Ani Kalayjian Discusses Her Efforts on Dealing with Trauma at TCA Book Event

helped her in her own healing process. model that she developed. Through these level, impacting our families, communities and By Shoghig Chalian Currently, Kalayjian has collaborative seven steps, various aspects of dispute, con - organizations. research on trauma forgiveness and healing in flict, betrayal, humiliation or disagreements The famous quote of William Saroyan comes Sierra Leone, Armenia and the US and has are assessed, identified, explored and to mind, “Go ahead, destroy us, destroy TENAFLY, N.J. — The Tekeyan Cultural organized and delivered 25 post-disaster processed. Some of the points that stood out Armenia, but when two Armenians come Association (TCA) of NY/NJ sponsored a book humanitarian outreach projects. were the lessons, meaning or positive associa - together, anywhere in the world, we build a new talk with Dr. Ani Kalayjian — psychologist, Kalayjian presented research findings on tions that one discovers as a result of the dis - Armenia!” These are the Armenian communi - board-certified expert on traumatic stress, demonstrating how practicing forgiveness is aster, based on Victor Frankl’s logotherapeu - ties that he was talking about — the rich culture board member of the United Nations non-gov - essential for individual health, collective com - tic priniciples. Also the seventh step includes and heritage that we preserve. This is the mes - ernmental organization Human Rights munity health and transformation of horizontal releasing fear, uncertainty and resentment, sage that emerged for me, after the talk discus - Committee, chair of monitoring committee and violence. (Horizontal violence can be towards using breathing techniques, towards self- sions, that challenged the issue of forgetting vs. disaster prevention committees of the American our family members, brother and sisters, com - empowerment as well as to engender grati - forgiveness: we also need to pay attention to Psychological association’s International divi - munity members and organizations.) She said tude, compassion, faith, strength and forgive - our inner psychological well-being; our emo - sion — and presented the two-volume book of that forgiveness releases people from a paralyz - ness in response to disasters. tional well-being that in turn affects our physi - Mass Trauma and Emotional Healing around ing past by helping them to enjoy the present, She also shared some of the myths regarding cal well-being, in order to survive, strengthen the world that she coauthored. She was the and envision a future without judgment, resent - forgiveness compiled from her lectures around the self, elevating oneself from a victimized chief editor for her book, Forgiveness and ment, anger or sadness. According to the world, such as “If I forgive, I will forget” or state to a state and a degree of “forgiveness” Reconciliation Psychological Pathways to Kalayjian’s research, conducted 80 years after the enemy will be sent free, there will be no jus - that preserves the self and our communities, Conflict Transformation and Peace Building . the Ottoman Turkish Genocide of Armenians, tice, and the need for anger to survive or wait - and in unison, have the strength and courage to Dr. Vagheenag Tarpinian, a member of the resentment and anger continues in the hearts ing for the enemy to acknowledge and ask for confront those who deny and try to make the TCA NY/NJ Committee, welcomed the atten - of many survivors due to the ongoing Turkish forgiveness first. These were the points brought world forget. dees and presented Kalayjian as an ADL and government’s denial of the Genocide. It is true up as well from some of the attendees of this Kalayjian concluded that practicing forgive - TCA member and a founding member of the that the expression of remorse by the perpetra - presentation, as they were addressed at the ness is essential for creation of peace on the TCA Mher Megerdichian theatrical group, and tor to a victim would have an enormous healing question-and-answer session, which needs to be interpersonal and intrapersonal levels as ulti - gave a synopsis of the books and invited her for value, however in this case, the anger towards explored further. Kalayjian further clarified that mately for creating peace and reconciliation the slide show presentation. the perpetrators’ denial has made it difficult to forgiveness does not mean forgetting or stop - worldwide. As the Dalai Lama once said, “Peace The presentation addressed post-trauma forgive. ping our reparation requests. Since we are wait - for example starts within each one of us. When growth, making meaning of it and the chal - Kalayjian further enlightened us of how psy - ing for the acceptance of the act which in this we have inner peace, we can be at peace with lenges of practicing forgiveness. The chal - chotherapy practices have revealed that holding writer’s opinion is an essential turning point, those around us.” lenges included: how to integrate past trau - a grudge is detrimental to one’s physical, men - we can choose to stay victims or continue on Kalayjian stated that this is an introduction mas into our psyche, how not to react to old tal, emotional, ecological and spiritual health. strengthening our self by acknowledging that to the subject; we can go deeper by conducting hurt and pain, as well as, building peace in When individuals have anger against them - “for they do not know what they were doing,” workshops in the future; the discussion one’s self which would affect the family, and selves and/or perpetrators, this anger forces as Jesus proclaimed when they crucified him, amongst the attendees continued around the in turn the community, and ultimately, our them to feel helpless, as they are expecting and go on with faith that has helped us survive refreshment table, and was televised by K. universe. Kalayjian presented her case of something that has not happened for over 94 and strengthen our nation, on an individual Kocharian of the Voice of Armenia television. being threatened while in Istanbul, as she years. This power of transformation is impor - was attempting to present her research find - tant to embrace; and she went on to state that ings on the Armenian Genocide survivors’ if this shift does not occur, then we are doomed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and how she to pass it on to seven next generations. went back there when they had an earth - Kalayjian went further in sharing the seven- Seepan Parseghian to Serve as Intern with UN quake, and further explained how that act step bio (psychological) and eco (spiritual) International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda LOS ANGELES — When University of the memory of my grandparents — by applying Southern California (USC) Law student my legal education to work on cases that seek Seepan Parseghian graduates this week, he justice for crimes against humanity that occur $UPHQLDQ +HULWDJH 3DUN won’t immediately take a job at a law firm or through to the present day,” he said. a position with the US Attorney’s office. Under the supervision of Prof. Hannah 2Q WKH 5RVH )LW]JHUDOG .HQQHG\ *UHHQZD\ %RVWRQ Instead, Parseghian will be preparing to trav - Garry, director of the IHRC, this USC Law el this summer to work with judges and legal clinic has partnered with judges and legal staff staff at the International Criminal Tribunal for on cases before the ICTR. These partnerships Rwanda (ICTR) in Arusha, Tanzania. are the first of their kind with an American Parseghian is one of six USC Law students law school. selected to take part in the school’s new “This has been an incredible and unique International Human Rights Clinic (IHRC), opportunity for USC Law,” Garry said. which for the past several months, has been “Students such as Seepan with a passion for working remotely from Los Angeles with the enforcing the most fundamental human rights judges on trials involving charges of genocide, norms are gaining the knowledge and skills crimes against humanity and war crimes. All required for addressing mass atrocities under of the defendants were high-level government international law. They are also providing crit - ministers and politicians allegedly responsible ical support to tribunals established to bring for planning and ordering the 1994 Rwandan justice to the millions of victims and their fam - genocide, which resulted in approximately ilies who have suffered unspeakable horrors in 800,000 deaths within a period of two these parts of the world.” months. For the past several months, Parseghian “It will be an incredible experience to meet and fellow third-year law students Jamie face-to-face with the judges and legal staff on Hoffman and Shannon Raj worked remotely these historic trials. This is the kind of legal with the ICTR Karemera et al. and Bizimungu education I dreamt of entering law school,” et al. Trial Chambers under the close supervi - said Parseghian, 24, who earned his under - sion of Garry, assisting the Chambers with graduate degree in political science in 2007 wrapping up the trials and rendering the final from Stanford University. judgments. Fighting genocide is important to In addition to providing research and spe - Parseghian because his grandparents were cialized advice on diverse substantive and pro - survivors of the Armenian Genocide almost a cedural legal issues arising under internation - century ago. Parseghian has been an active al law, Parseghian reviewed and analyzed evi - member of several Armenian-American orga - dence submitted at trial in order to assist with nizations, having served as president of the the drafting of judicial documents and co- Stanford Armenian Students’ Association, authored reports updating the Trial executive director of Fast for Armenia, a stu - Chambers on relevant jurisprudence. dent-led charity and as an intern with the After taking the California Bar Exam in Armenian National Committee of America in July, Parseghian will travel to Arusha, Washington, DC. Tanzania, where he will continue to assist “As a descendant of survivors of the with the rendering of the Karemera et al. and Armenian Genocide of 1915, I have through - Bizimungu et al. judgments as well as work on out my life advocated for recognition of the other pending cases before the Tribunal. He Armenian Genocide and prevention of future will also travel to genocide memorial sites and

C Tellalian Associates Architects & Planners, LLC. crimes against humanity,” he said. “When I speak with survivors in neighboring Rwanda. came to USC Law, I was yearning for an “Working with the Clinic and the ICTR has under construction opportunity to use my legal skills to solve real been an immensely gratifying and educational world problems on the international stage.” experience, both on a personal and profes - Sponsorship/Naming Opportunities DONATE Now Parseghian looks forward to working sional level,” Parseghian added. “I look for - James Kalustian 781 777.2407 online: www.ArmenianHeritagePark.net on cases addressing genocide perpetrated ward to working on-site in Arusha with the Charles Guleserian 617 484.6100 Haig Deranian 617 489.2215 check: Armenian Heritage Foundation against victims a world away. ICTR to witness firsthand how the law Walter Nahabedian 781 891.7249 25 Flanders Road “When I learned about the clinic, I realized advances international human rights norms Dr. Jack Kasarjian 617 232.6350 Belmont, MA 02478 that it not only fulfilled that desire, but also and brings justice to those who have had to represented the most effective way to honor endure the most evil forms of violence.” 8 S ATURDAY , M AY 21, 2011 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR COMMUNITY NEWS

Andre Ward Dominates Arthur Abraham in Super 6 Semifinals

CARSON, Calif. (AP) — Andre Ward felt like the road team in his home state when he walked to the open-air ring amid a cho - rus of boos while hundreds of Armenians waved red-blue-and- orange flags. Ward took the abuse and smiled. Arthur Abraham would have needed a white flag to stop Ward from steamrolling him on the way to the Super Six tournament final. Ward overwhelmed Abraham with power and speed in near - ly every round of an unanimous decision victory Saturday night, defending his WBA super middleweight title in the Super Six semifinals. Ward (24-0, 13 KOs), the Olympic gold medalist from Oakland, put on another clinic in patient, tactical boxing while dismantling Abraham (32-3), the Armenian-born German who had a perfect record until losing three straight in the Super Six. The Los Angeles area’s sizable Armenian population turned out in force for Abraham, but Ward had answers for all of them. “We’re going to the final, baby,” Ward said. “Arthur is strong, and he’s a hard hitter, (but) we showed that we can win in a way other than our original game plan.” Ward is one fight away from the tournament title that should establish him as the 168-pound division’s top fighter. England’s Carl Froch is favored to beat Glen Johnson in the other Super Six semifinal bout in Atlantic City, NJ, on June 4, and the final is expected this fall. Ward felt even less at home when the referee wouldn’t allow him to fight Abraham on the inside, repeatedly breaking up the fighters when the action got close. After Abraham managed a few lively exchanges during the early rounds, Ward took control Arthur Abraham with an excess of speed and precision, peppering Abraham with jabs and combinations. Abraham largely stopped throwing good punches when he ical display of his superior technical skill. Lucian Bute, the likely challenger for the Super Six winner. realized he was hopelessly overmatched at Home Depot Center, “I started well, and I thought I did good the first three rounds,” Although injuries led to the withdrawal of half the original just south of Los Angeles. Abraham said through a translator. “He didn’t hit me, and I was field, Ward earned one-sided victories over Mikkel Kessler and “I wish the ref had let me fight on the inside, because that’s blocking a lot of his shots. But then I tried for the knockout and I Allan Green to reach the semifinals against Abraham, who what I had planned for,” Ward said. “But we made adjustments couldn’t do it. I cramped up and I got too tense.” advanced despite losing twice. and got the win... I’m going to stay humble. I’m going to keep Ward used his jab aggressively in the opening rounds, but The Super Six hasn’t worked out well for Abraham, an working hard. I want to be a champion for a long time and take Abraham showed more aggression than in his previous two unbeaten middleweight champion and presumptive tourney co- the least amount of punishment possible.” bouts, even rattling Ward with a right hand behind his ear in favorite when it began. Judge Stanley Christodoulou scored it a 120-108 shutout for the third round. After knocking out Jermain Taylor in his first bout, he Ward, while German judge Ingo Barrabas and The Associated Ward weathered those attacks and took charge. He never came received his first career defeat when he was disqualified late in Press favored Ward 118-110. Dr. James Jen Kin gave it to Ward close to stopping Abraham, but he battered Abraham into the ropes a fight he was losing to Andre Dirrell. Abraham then was 118-111. with an overhand right in the final minute of the 12th round. trounced by Froch in his last bout, thoroughly unable to keep Ward still hasn’t lost since he was a 12-year-old amateur. The Ward threw 289 jabs over 12 rounds, landing 178 of his 444 up with the English star. Bay Area fighter starred in Athens, winning the only US boxing total punches. Abraham got credit for more power punches and Earlier at the Home Depot Center, slimmed-down heavy - gold in the past three Olympics. landed a similar percentage of total punches, but Ward landed weight contender Chris Arreola stopped Nagy Aguilera in the Abraham had the fans’ backing in just his third US appear - all the blows that counted. third round in an impressive performance. Arreola, who lost his ance. Hundreds of rowdy fans jeered Ward and chanted “Ar-Tur! Ward emerged as an elite pound-for-pound fighter while dom - title shot against Vitali Klitschko in September 2009, dedicated Ar-Tur!”, but Ward quickly quieted the crowd with another clin - inating the group stage of this now-ramshackle tournament himself to conditioning before beating Aguilera, who lost when matching the world’s top 168-pounders outside of Canada’s he couldn’t defend himself on the ropes.

Knights of Vartan Send $359,200 Nardolillo Funeral Home In Medical Supplies to Armenia Est. 1906

SUPPLIES, from page 6 The clinic in Moshatagh is located inside a John K. Najarian, Jr. Transportation of the medical goods to dilapidated school building where three Rhode Island’s Only Licensed Armenian Funeral Director Armenia alone runs about $10,000. As for rooms are allocated for medical needs. Three the equipment, nearly all of it is donated by nurses are working here to assist the sur - 1278 Park Ave. Cranston, RI 02910 (401) 942-1220 businesses throughout the country. rounding villages. The only furnishings were 1111 Boston Neck Rd. Narragansett, RI 02882 (401) 789-6300 Twenty years ago when Medzorian visited two beds and no medical equipment until www.nardolillo.com Berd just before the Azeri war, it was a help arrived. vibrant community with 12,000 residents. Berdzor is better equipped with eight doc - Since then, the population has been halved tors, five nurse practitioners, a midwife and because of the lack of economic opportuni - 10 nurses. The regional hospital there serves ties the entire area and has the region’s only “These people are virtually deprived of pharmacy over 1,314 square miles. An ultra - proper basic medical care because of poor sound machine is brought from another facilities and supplies,” he says. “Most of my region once a month. Often, though, patients contacts aren’t with patients but with service GF UiNrEaRgAoL sHiaOMn E cannot honor their appointments due to a providers and they’re so grateful at any assis - lack of transportation. James “Jack” Giragosian, CPC tance received. What we send is safe, updated equipment. They consider it a treasure.” In Kovsakan, the situation is just as bleak. Funeral Counselor Although it is called a hospital, this facility An oncology hospital in Yerevan with 650 576 Mt. Auburn Street, Watertown, MA 02472, TEL: 617-924—0606 should not be allowed to function as a health beds was enhanced with an updated mam - www.giragosianfuneralhome.com mography unit. The Medzorians make a cou - center, according to reports. It can only offer ple visits annually to Armenia, checking the consultations, distribute limited medicine, progress of their state and assessing other perform vaccinations, deliver babies and transport serious cases to a regional hospital. needs. The Yerevan project raises eyebrows. Telephone (617) 924-7400 “I see 20 women a day lined up to have a The government plans to build a large clinic mammogram,” he said. “Before that, there to replace the present facility. were none. Also sent there were some ultra - “Based on the feedback, we feel comfort - Aram Bedrosian sound units. Through early detection, able at all the good this does,” said Deranian, women’s lives get saved.” who just completed his term as national com - Funeral Home, Inc. Other health centers which have benefitted mander. “Things we take for granted, like tremendously with such acts of kindness crutches and an incubator, are a godsend to Continuous Service By The Bedrosian Family Since 1945 include: Berdzor (formerly Lachin), popula - those who have without. Jack has done an tion 8,000; Kovsakan, population 4,000; unbelievable job in perpetuating this mission. MARION BEDROSIAN Ishkanadzor, population 2,000 and To have IMEC as a conduit to Armenia offers 558 MOUNT AUBURN STREET PAUL BEDROSIAN Moshatagh, population 1,000. a perfect relationship.” WATERTOWN, MA 02472 LARRY BEDROSIAN S ATURDAY , M AY 21, 2011 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR 9 COMMUNITY NEWS

1990 and got an accounting degree from Bentley They nurse their wounds like the pros. They win Kim Boroyan College. Her job as a controller serves a market - and lose with the same intensity as those who ing company in Newton and eight radio stations get paid millions of dollars for their actions. It’s in upstate New York. She is also an accounting an eight-game season packed with a wallop. Gets Her Kicks manager for a housing project in Lawrence. Games aside, there are the three-hour prac - Her family is active Sts. Vartanantz Church in tices twice a week. Chelmsford, which she also attends. Her heritage “You build relationships on a team,” she says. From Football and faith continue to remain vital on all fronts — “I look at it as an opportunity to build new even when she dons a uniform. One helmet she friendships.” wore bore the Armenian Tricolor. Mom Sandy Boroyan remains her biggest fan, By Tom Vartabedian “I always pray before each game and ask that often joined by friend Kevork Tevekelian. Make my grandmother (Theresa Amboian) watch over no mistake about it. Kim Boroyan has estab - MELROSE, Mass. — Kim Boroyan is not your me,” she admits. “My feelings about the lished herself as quite the spectator favorite. typical Armenian woman. Genocide are too intense to be put into words. As for retirement, it’s still not in the picture. Not unless you consider someone who spends More than anything, I’d like to walk the soil of “As long as the desire is there and the feet con - her time dodging hits and eating more dirt than Armenia and breathe the same air as my ances - tinue to move, my heart will be there,” she said a gopher on the gridiron. Kim Boroyan as she appears in a quarterback’s tors.” proudly. “There are players in their 40s still com - The self-employed accountant, whose business uniform for the Independent Woman’s Football Though she remains a diehard New England peting. I’m taking it one season at a time. I keep is called Hye Expectations, balances her career League Patriots fan, her NFL role model is Pittsburgh coming back because I love it.” as a star running back and quarterback in the Steelers safety Troy Polamalu. Independent Women’s Football League. “He’s one player whose intensity and heart She calls signals for a team named the the Bay State Warriors, then the Boston Militia can’t be matched,” Boroyan notes. Manchester (NH) Freedom. At age 38, she is one when auto dealer Ernie Boch Jr. bought the fran - The league has given her many high points, as of the oldest players in the league — if not one of chise, and now the Freedom. It is fair to say she’s well as lows. During an All-Star game in 2009, Speaker at Detroit the best. Her peers have the perfect name for her. a glutton for punishment. she scored a touchdown to help the East beat the They call her “the female Brett Favre.” Over time, she has also recovered from a broken West. A low point? It happened to be a play-off Program Addresses “They mean it in a nice way,” she said. “I guess tailbone and cracked ribs. A strength and condi - game against DC when her team drove 60 yards it comes with the territory when you’re almost tioning gym is her second home. At 5-foot-3 inches, for a TD to go ahead by five points, only to lose Pros and Cons of 40 years old and trying to play quarterback in a 135 pounds, her diminutive size is hardly a detri - in the waning seconds. That would have gotten tackle football league.” ment. She compensates with desire and dexterity. her team into the championship game in Texas. Nuclear Power A year ago, she took time off to recover from “I’ve always been involved with sports and She has a game-day routine, from what she knee surgery and considered leaving. A call from loved everything competitive,” she pointed out. wears to what she eats and where she sits in the SOUTHFIELD, Mich. — Nuclear engineering is her coach was all it took to convince Boroyan “I took an interest in basketball, boxing, golf and locker room. an obscure subject to many and rarely com - otherwise. The itch to return was overpowering football after college. I’ve coached soccer and “I listen to music and focus on the task at mands the attention of the average citizen. after being introduced to the sport in 2002. softball at both the high school and college hand,” she explains. “Once the game starts, all However, the recent nuclear disaster in Japan has The hiatus from football was hardly a rest. ranks. Sports are a positive influence on children the stress of everyday life is left behind. I tend to awakened everyone’s interest on nuclear issues, During that time, Boroyan competed in as well as adults. It’s a healthy way to relieve be totally focused on the game.” including most Armenians who are concerned triathlons. stress and have fun doing it.” Though it’s a women’s league, don’t think of it about safety at the Nuclear Power Plant in In quick order, Boroyan has donned pads for Boroyan graduated from Chelmsford High in as “powder puff” football. They hit like the pros. Armenia (Metsamor). A presentation was organized with the joint sponsorship of Armenian Engineers and Scientists of America-Michigan Section (AESA- MI), Cultural Society of Armenians from Istanbul (CSAI) and Tekeyan Cultural Association-Detroit Chapter (TCA) to address questions/issues con - 80th cerning nuclear energy. The speaker, Don Bramlett, made the presen - tation on April 28 at Alex and Marie Manoogian School, titled “Nuclear Power Plants: Friends or Foes?” ANNIVERSARY - BANQUET Bramlett is not a stranger to the Armenian community. Some years ago, he made an excel - lent presentation on the safety profile of Metsamor. He has spent his entire 38-year engi - of the neering career in the energy industry. Initially, he worked in the natural gas industry with Michigan Consolidated Gas and Michigan Wisconsin Pipeline Companies. Later he worked in the nuclear power and fossil power generation segments of the electric utility industry with Detroit Edison Company. He is currently a senior project engineer in fossil power generation with Detroit Edison Company, a major, regulated sub - sidiary of DTE Energy. Bramlett has spent the greater part of his pro - Tekeyan Cultural Association fessional life close to nuclear power plants and Friends of The Armenian Mirror-Spectator has developed a keen knowledge of the com - plexities of these installations. True to his promise, he did not intimidate his audience with Keynote Speaker Master of Ceremonies the complexities of nuclear physics, but he paint - ed a mosaic by which the listener could draw his/her conclusions. In view of the recent disas - ter in Japan there were numerous safety-related questions. He did an excellent job answering questions to the satisfaction of his audience. Some interesting facts about nuclear power plants: • There are more than 100 nuclear power plants in the US, and every one of them has its own unique characteristics. • Although the US has the largest number of nuclear power plants in the world, these plants supply only about 20 percent the country’s ener - gy needs. • The US is planning to build far fewer nuclear power plants than some of the developing coun - tries in the world. Stephen Kurkjian • Metsamor supplies about 40 percent of PULITZER PRIZE WINNING JOURNALIST Dr. Raffy Hovannesian Armenia’s energy needs. • A major issue with nuclear power plants is the waste produced after uranium rods are Saturday, June 4, 2011, at 7:00 PM depleted by the energy production. This waste Teaneck Marriott At Glenpoint, 100 Frank W. Burr Blve, Teaneck, NJ can remain dangerous for hundreds of years and no one has a perfect solution for their disposal at DONATION $ 125.00 this time. For Tickets Please call: Shoghig (201) 803-0240 During the afterglow, Bramlett continued to Sirvart (201) 739-7775 be peppered with additional questions. SHEMAVON (718) 344-7489 — Edmond Megerian, PE AESA-Michigan Section 10 S ATURDAY , M AY 21, 2011 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR COMMUNITY NEWS Community Leaders Discuss ‘The Road Ahead’ for Genocide Recognition

PANEL, from page 1 Native Americans? No. Am I benefiting from the A fifth panelist, Bryan Ardouny, executive consequences and the results? Yes, I am. Every director of the Armenian Assembly of America, single Turkish person, one way or the other, is was unable to attend. benefiting from the consequences of the Moderator Alin K. Gregorian, editor of the Armenian Genocide.” Mirror-Spectator , began the discussion by ask - “There is violence in the status quo,” ing, “If there is a road ahead, that must mean Mouradian added. “When people say ‘Be realis - there is a road behind us. What steps brought tic,’ they are essentially saying, ‘Do what we us here?” want you to do.’” Hamparian began by stressing that efforts to Mamigonian concluded by examining the talk get the Armenian Genocide recognized by of a “politically-powerful” Armenian-American

From left, moderator Alin K. Gregorian, with panelists Marc Mamigonian, Michael Mensoian, Khatchig Mouradian and Aram Hamparian

Gomideh served as event chairs. tice. Dialogue aimed at achieving these suc - AYF Great Boston Nejdeh chapter chairman, cesses is, in itself, a step in the right direction. Stepanos Keshishian, said: “Personally, I That’s not to say that we should all give up our thought it was a great initiative to bring togeth - individual beliefs and adapt to a centralized ide - er Armenians of different sub-communities for a ology. The point is that we each, as individuals discussion. Although we may have differing or as groups, have the ability to make accom - political beliefs or ideologies, the important plishments, and dialogue will certainly not thing is that we all work for the health of our hurt.”

The panelists with members of the AGBUYP of Boston

Congress was not the endgame, but rather seek - community and a weak Turkish equivalent he ing reparations, an issue that became one of the says is put forward often in Turkish American most debated items during the discussion. groups. “We are asking [the Turkish government] to “I think recognition for Armenia will be a acknowledge a truth and stop obstructing jus - source of tremendous moral satisfaction, I don’t tice,” Hamparian said. “What exactly is it that know that it’s going to make Armenia any Turkey fears? Are they so afraid of a word, or stronger or any safer,” Mamigonian said. “It will what that word will lead to?” probably lead to better relations between the He stressed great strides have been made in two countries. But overnight is it going to trans - the field. He likened the uphill battle for recog - form Armenia into having a less corrupt gov - nition to that of the fight against the tobacco ernment or an abundance of natural resources lobby, which only a couple of decades ago, had and greater strategic importance? I don’t know seemed insurmountable. about that.” From left, Marc Mamigonian, Michael Mensoian, Khatchig Mouradian and Aram Hamparian Mensoian, a contritubor to the Armenian At the beginning of the evening, YP Boston Weekly , stressed the need for Armenian- Chairwoman Nicole Meregian gave opening Americans to focus on old Armenian lands that remarks. She also noted state Rep. Jonathan nation and for the well-being and comfort of all An audio recording of the symposium will be are under duress, such as Karabagh, which Hecht (D-Watertown) was in attendance. our brothers and sisters around the world. As available at www.mirrorspectator.com. though it is liberated, remains under threat, and Chris Mensoian of AGBU YP Boston and Aram [Hamparian] mentioned, it will come in (Some material from the AGBU was used in the Javakhk region of Georgia, old Armenian Jirayr Beugekian of the ARF Sardarabad small accomplishments aimed at ensuring jus - this story.) lands, where Armenians face government per - secution for keeping their language or schools. “We have elevated [Genocide recognition] to a cause célèbre that is the most important thing as far as the Armenian-American community is concerned,” he said. “My view is that it’s a polit - Sponsor a Teacher in Armenia and Karabagh 2011 ical dead end. What we need to focus on are the immediate problems.” That remark set off a back-and-forth that saw Hamparian call Mensoian’s assertion a “false Since its inception in 2001, TCA’s ‘Sponsor choice” between pushing for recognition and focusing on other issues. Mouradian and a Teacher’ program has raised over $477,750 Mamigonian both worked to highlight the need for justice both in academia and in the repara - and reached out to 3,700 teachers and tions movement. To exit the Genocide recognition movement, school workers in Armenia and Karabagh. Mamigonian noted, would mean “a void that will readily and eagerly be filled” by the Turkish government’s version of history. £ When it came to the geopolitical issues that surrounded the Armenian Genocide, the panel K Yes, I want to sponsor teachers in Armenia and Karabagh to continue shared mostly the same views. The group was in helping them to educate the children, our future leaders. I would like to have agreement that opening of the border between the teacher’s name and address. Armenia and Turkey would likely have adverse K $160 K $ 320 K $ 480 K other $ effects for Armenia, and that discussion of repa - ————————— rations to Armenia was not an issue that should Name be pushed aside — despite the fact that the Address issue may be driving Turkey to avoid recogniz - City State Zip code ing the Genocide. Tel: Mouradian stressed that the notion of whether such aims are “realistic” gets in the Make check payable to: Tekeyan Cultural Association – Memo: Sponsor a Teacher 2010 way of justice, saying that the arguments that Mail your check with this form to: modern day Turks aren’t to blame for the TCA Sponsor a Teacher Genocide is similar to that of the United States’ 5326 Valverde, Houston, TX 77056 history of slavery. “I came to this country a few years ago. Am I Your donation is Tax Deductible. responsible for slavery or the destruction of S ATURDAY , M AY 21, 2011 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR 11 Ne w York M E T R O Musicians Datevik, Kalfayan, Wells to Perform at Mirror-Spectator Banquet

BANQUET, from page 1 Globe . He returned one more time to interview Kurkjian is one of the most prominent jour - the Dink family and write about the ongoing nalists the Armenian-American community has abortive Turkish state investigation and judicial produced. As an investigative reporter and edi - proceedings in the Armenian General tor for the Boston Globe for more than 39 Benevolent Union magazine in April of the years, he has won three Pulitzer Prizes as well same year. as more than 25 regional and national awards. For the last six years, Kurkjian has been Exposure to government corruption while doggedly working on an even more complicated growing up in the Boston area motivated him Armenian project: he is authenticating and to uncover any number of scandals, including explicating a photograph taken in 1915, before abuse by Catholic clergy in the Boston the hanging of a group of Armenian men in Archdiocese, problems with the Massachusetts Kayseri. Bay Transportation Authority and misdeeds in Kurkjian is a strong supporter of the Mirror- the city of Somerville near Boston. Kurkjian Spectator who has spoken at previous events was one of the founders of the Globe ’s for the newspaper. He occasionally gives lec - Spotlight Team, and served from 1979 to 1986 tures in the Armenian community and is a as its chief. The team today continues to work member of the board of directors of the in his tradition of investigative reporting. National Association for Armenian Studies and Kurkjian went on to become the head of the Research (NAASR). Globe ’s 10-man Washington bureau from 1986 to 1991. He reported on the White House, the Musical Program Justice Department, the Iran-Contra affair and Elizabeth Kalfayan, violoncellist and director the Gulf War. He then returned to Boston to of the New Horizon Symphony Orchestra, was continue covering local news. born in Romania. She has performed with the Kurkjian, a graduate of Boston Latin School, Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea, the Baroque Boston University and Suffolk University Law Music Ensemble, the Metropolitan Lyric Opera, School, took a buyout from the Globe in 2007. the New Jersey Pops Orchestra, the Opera at Afterwards, he began writing for the Florham, the State Repertory Opera Company Datevik Dorchester Reporter , taught a course at and as a soloist with the Hawthorne Chamber Suffolk University and began work on several Orchestra. She has also appeared with k.d. lang, new local investigative projects. He is also writ - Ray Charles, Anne Murray, Smokey Robinson, Warwick and Elvis Costello, and has performed The Grammy-Award-winning Palombi is, ing a book about the 1990 art heist at the Cindy Lauper and Bernadette Peters, The with some of the greatest shows on Broadway. according to Steely Dan tenor saxophonist and Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum, which to this Doors and the Neo-Bass Ensemble with jazz Currently, he is the violist of the critically- jazz musician Walt Weiskopf, “one of the most day remains the largest art theft in the world. It artist Lisle Atkinson. Kalfayan is co-founder of acclaimed Sweet Plantain String Quartet and sought-after young bass players,” and has per - is an unsolved puzzle, with all 13 works of art, the Encore String Quartet, Melody Arts Trio the principal violinist of the New Horizon formed or recorded with Michael Brecker, Billy pieces by major artists like Rembrandt, Degas and the Harmonia Chamber Players. As an edu - Orchestra. Hart, Joe Lovano, Dave Liebman, Etta Jones, and Manet, still missing. cator, she was director of strings for the River Datevik, whose biography has already been Kurkjian has always maintained an interest in Dell School District, in New Jersey, and created given in a prior article in this series, has Armenian affairs. Despite all his prizes, he feels and taught an educational music program for appeared at Lincoln Center, Town Hall, his most successful article was “Roots of children with special needs. See Carnegie Recital Hall, Knitting Factory and in Sorrow,” published in the Globe in 1993 about www.elizabethkalfayan.com for more informa - most major New York clubs, as well as the his traveling with his father to their ancestral tion. Charles Hotel and Night Stage (Boston), Sands village of Kghi. Kurkjian felt the trip “had a Performing with Kalfayan will be Orlando Hotel (Atlantic City), Tacoma Station Tavern haunting effect on me. It awakened a need to Wells. He attended the State University of New (Washington-DC), Shrine Auditorium as well as learn more about the massacres, how they hap - York at Purchase as a double major on violin the Alex Theatre and Stars Theatre (Los pened, and why the world community, the and viola. Among the many ensembles he has Angeles), among other venues. Turks and even the Armenians allowed them to played with are the Northeastern Pennsylvania She has given special performances or inter - go unpublicized and unaddressed for so many Philharmonic, St. Lukes Chamber Orchestra views, among others, on the “MacNeil Lehrer years.” and Radio City Christmas Spectacular orches - News Hour” (PBS), “Jazz Central” BET Cable Kurkjian was able to cover the funeral of tra. Wells has performed and recorded with TV, Public Radio International on World’s assassinated Turkish-Armenian newspaper edi - major artists such as Mariah Carey, John Global Hit, Voice of America, the worldwide live tor Hrant Dink in 2007, before retiring from the Legend, Rihanna, Harry Connick Jr., Dionne TV tribute to Willis Conover and live TV broad - cast of the Russia-Japan Jazz Summit. Datevik is also a choral director and voice teacher, teaching students of all ages and levels, and has given workshops and master classes at the Manhattan School of Music and the New School of Music in New York. Performing with Datevik will be jazz pianist Bob Albanese, bass player Phil Palombi and drum - mer David Meade. Equally at home in jazz, Latin, pop and theatrical musical settings, Albanese has worked with a wide variety of artists, including Anita O’Day, Buddy Rich, Warne Marsh, Rita Moreno, Herb Ohta, Leslie Uggums, Daphne Elizabeth Kalfayan Rubin Vega, Bill Watrous, Cab Calloway, Freddie Hubbard and Branford Marsalis. Maynard Ferguson, Chris Potter, Rich Perry, Curtis Stigers, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Lew Tabackin, Chucho Valdes, Mark Turner, Eliot Zigmund and The Village Vanguard Orchestra. He teach - es at the Eastman School of Music and else - where. Meade has performed with Aretha Franklin, the Mamas and the Papas (1994) Australian tour, the 2000 Bobby McFerrin Emergency Exit USA tour, at Rockefeller Center’s Rainbow Room with Maricio Smith and Robert Albanese, Lincoln Cneter, Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, Aspen Jazz Festival and the Monterey Jazz Festival. In 2003 he traveled for the US State Department as a “Jazz Ambassador” perform - ing in eight different European countries. He has been warmly received in Armenia together with Datevik, and praised for his understanding and feel for Armenian music. Currently, he teaches master classes at New York University. The June 4 banquet, hosted by the Tekeyan Entertainment Fridays Cultural Association and the Friends of the Armenian Mirror-Spectator , will take place at and Saturdays the Teaneck Marriott at Glenpoint (100 Frank W. Burr Boulevard). Donations, at $125 per person, are welcomed. For tickets, call Shoghig at (201) 803-0240, Sirvart at (201) 739-7775, or Shemavon at (718) 344-7489. 12 S ATURDAY , M AY 21, 2011 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR Ne w York M E T R O AGBU Camp Nubar to Welcome Dance and Craft Instructors from Armenia

NEW YORK — AGBU Camp Nubar will wel - of Nubar campers. come two new instructors from Armenia to its “We have always worked to provide a rich summer camp for approximately three weeks summer experience filled with Armenian her - of classes in traditional Armenian dance, arts, itage. This year, we will be offering some - crafts and pottery. thing new by bringing teachers directly from From July 16 to August 6, ballet master Armenia. They regularly work with young people and know how to make learning fun,” says Sarah Partin Setrakian, chairwoman of the AGBU Camp Nubar committee. “Arman and Ella have a proven track record from their time at St. John’s Armenian Church summer camp in Detroit last year, and we’re proud to have them join Camp Nubar.” In addition to their work in Michigan, the visiting instructors have established reputations at the AGBU Children’s Centers in Yerevan, which provide after-school and sum - mer instruction in art, computer, Ballet master Arman Julhakyan works with young Armenian dancers. crafts, dance, gymnastics, history, language and music programs to Art instructor Ella Pepanyan instructs some young arti - 4,000 children, ages 5 to 21. Over the the top prize in the United Nations’ tennis, archery as well as newer additions sans in the art of traditional Armenian pottery. years, the students of the AGBU International Children’s Art Competition. such as creative writing, digital media and Children’s Centers have shared their One of the special treats for camp attendees technology and vocal class. This year’s addi - performing arts and artistic talents will be firsthand experience in Armenian tion of Armenian dance and crafts from Arman Julhakyan and art instructor Ella with people around the world through tours crafts, such as batik textile design and pot - first-rate Armenian instructors is sure to Pepanyan, both of the AGBU Children’s and exhibitions. Their talents have delighted tery. make the experience even more unforget - Centers in Armenia, will conduct classes for audiences in Brazil, Canada, Georgia, Poland, Last year, Camp Nubar welcomed 235 table. the hundreds of youth that attend the camp Russia, Uruguay and the United States. In campers from six countries, who took part For more information on the 48th season of each summer. Julhakyan and Pepanyan will 2007, 13-year-old Mariam Marukyan from the in classic Camp Nubar activities, such as Camp Nubar or to register, visit be adding a new dimension to the experience Nork AGBU Children’s Center was awarded horseback riding, arts and crafts, tubing, www.campnubar.org. New York Fed Pro Career, Concussions Fail to Derail Asks Judge to Dismiss Armenian Alecko Eskandarian from Degree

Group’s ‘Turkish “I left that meeting fuming, ger headaches.” By Tara Sullivan thinking, ‘Wow, she thinks I’m Yet he refused to let that be Gold’ Lawsuit an idiot,’” the Montvale native the defining chapter of his life. said. ‘She thinks I’m a college Boosted by the mantra that NEW YORK (Bloomberg) — The Federal MONTVALE, N.J. (New Jersey Record) — As reject.’ That lit a fire under me.” guides him — “If you’re not living, Reserve Bank of New York asked a judge to he listened to his college dean tell him how Eskandarian has always you’re dying” — he gathered up dismiss a lawsuit filed by an Armenian proud she was of him, Alecko Eskandarian felt found motivation in proving the credits he’d compiled during group seeking to force the disclosure of about ready to burst. But before the wave of doubters wrong, from silencing his professional days at UVa, information on gold and other assets good feeling ever had a chance to wash itself over the ones who thought his body American and El Camino allegedly seized by the Turkish government him, he was flattened by the undertow. was too small to excel at soccer College, and headed back to in 1915. Eskandarian served as an assistant coach at to answering those who Virginia to earn the 80-plus The nonprofit Center for Armenian the University of Virginia this year. thought his ultimately prolific hours he still needed. He joined Remembrance, based in Glendale, Calif., It was a crash he never forgot. athletic career would preclude his former team as a volunteer sued the Board of Governors of the Federal But finally, it is one he can erase. any academic accomplishments. assistant coach, delighting in Reserve System and the Federal Reserve When Eskandarian takes his part in University Yet the personal road that Alecko Eskandarian being the bridge between coach - Bank of New York in March, saying of Virginia’s graduation ceremony May 22, his seemed so smooth — the one es whose wisdom he respects Armenian assets called “Turkish gold” were degree in anthropology in his hand, he will do that led from an All-American and players his success inspires. seized during the “Armenian Holocaust.” more than fulfill a promise to himself and his par - high school career at Bergen Catholic to his And in that courageous ability to move for - The center’s claims are “moot” because the ents that a professional soccer career would not Hermann Trophy-winning tenure at Virginia to ward, the goal that once seemed so far away is nonprofit group has “already conducted a stop him from finishing college. He will erase the an MVP trophy for leading DC United to a here. The days he once wondered, “Is this ever thorough examination of defendant’s relevant sting left by a professor who didn’t think he had Major League soccer title — has had more than going to happen,” are replaced by the day he’ll records” and “has already received and it in him. And he will defeat a medical opponent its share of detours. don a cap and gown and walk by his mom, Ava, reviewed documents it has deemed relevant to far scarier than any on-field defender, succeeding Eskandarian hasn’t been on a soccer field dad, Andranik (the former Cosmo) and brother, its requests,” the Federal Reserve Bank of as a full-time student with a brain repeatedly rat - since July 2009, when a fourth concussion shut Ara, degree in hand. New York said in its response to the complaint tled by concussions. him down for good. Playing for the LA Galaxy in “He’s been a great student,” said Rachel Most, filed today in federal court in Manhattan. For a man long defined by how many times he an exhibition game against AC Milan, the new dean Eskandarian found when he The bank asked US District Judge could put the ball in the net, this is the goal that Eskandarian took a ball to the face. It broke his returned to school, an anthropology professor Deborah A. Batts to throw out the center’s overshadows them all. nose and shook his already fragile brain. Doctors who didn’t merely guide his course selection but lawsuit and order the group to pay the “It was my last semester before I went pro and prescribed complete rest. He has not been believed in him, too. “He’s incredibly smart, high - bank’s legal costs. I was so focused on soccer that I was struggling in cleared to play. He might never be. ly motivated, was a frequent participant in class The assets, according to the center’s law - the classroom. I know I was being an idiot — I had There was an understandable wave of grief. with good questions and great comments. I’m suit, totaled about 5 million pounds at the my head in the clouds,” said Eskandarian, 28. “It’s torture. It’s absolute torture,” he said. really looking forward to watching him walk at time and were deposited by the Turkish gov - One of his classes was taught by a dean, and “For any athlete, let alone a professional athlete, graduation.” ernment in Germany’s Reichsbank. They with his hat in hand, the struggling student not being able to do what you love, it’s just awful. Eskandarian hasn’t committed to anything were taken by the US and other Allied pow - approached the teacher to apologize. He admit - If you tear an ACL, you have a rehab timetable. beyond graduation, but a future in coaching ers at the end of World War I under the ted he hadn’t done his best and professed a will - With concussions, there is such an element of would come as no surprise. He was a remarkable Treaty of Versailles, the center said. ingness to do whatever necessary to make it the unknown.” player, one whose Bergen County record 154 The group said it filed a Freedom of right. Like the dynamic, creative player he was on He deals daily with an aggregate of symptoms goals, 50 college goals and numerous appear - Information Act request with the Federal the field, Eskandarian was certain he could score doctors call post-concussion syndrome, which ances with the U-17, U-20 and U-23 national Reserve in June. The agency said it could - this last-second goal in the classroom. can include headaches that range from strong, teams seemed destined to get him on last sum - n’t locate any information and forwarded The professor stopped him cold. sharp bursts of pain to long, lingering aches, ver - mer’s World Cup roster. Now? Who knows. the request to the Federal Reserve Bank of “She pulled me aside and said, ‘Alecko, I’m so tigo, nausea or lethargy. “I appreciate and understand why people want New York, which also said it couldn’t find proud of you,’” he recalled, his detailed recollec - “It’s taxing. It’s taken its toll, mentally, physi - to know if I’m going to play again. I want to any records. tion years later serving as strong evidence of the cally, emotionally,” Eskandarian said. “Every know too, every day,” he said. “But with the The case is Center for Armenian impact of that short conversation. “‘You’re still aspect of my life has been affected by my injury more we understand this injury, I understand Remembrance v. Board of Governors of the going to get a bad grade, but you’re going to do and my friends and family have been affected too. why doctors won’t clear me. There are no Federal Reserve System, 1:11-cv-01483, US what you love as your job. School is not for It’s like a piece of you dies. You can’t be the same answers and it’s scary.” District Court, Southern District of New everybody. Not everybody goes to college and person you were before. If I have a conversation Whether Eskandarian plays again or not, he York (Manhattan). graduates.’ that’s too intense or laugh too hard, it can trig - already has scored the biggest goal of his life. S ATURDAY , M AY 21, 2011 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR 13 Ne w York M E T R O Armenian Cultural Awareness Weekend Held in Queens, NY

Mardirossian pointed out that the work of the By Aram Arkun Near East Relief organization became a model Mirror-Spectator Staff for the Marshall Plan, Peace Corp, USAID and the United Nations Development program, and the lessons of the Armenian Genocide and its BAYSIDE, N.Y. — The Anthropology Museum aftermath should be taken to heart in today’s of the People of New York City and the world. Armenian Cultural Educational Resource The final part of the May 15 program was a Center Gallery at Queens College presented rousing performance by the Antranig Dance Armenian Cultural Awareness Weekend at Ensemble, sponsored by the AGBU. Established Queensborough Community College, from May in 1969, the ensemble has performed in 13 to 15. The Harriet and Kenneth Kupferberg Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and the State Holocaust Resource Center and Archives at Opera Theater in Armenia. Members train under Queensborough Community College hosted the the artistic directorship of Joyce Tamesian- Lena Simonian, Archbishop Hovnan Derderian and Dr. Simon Simonian after the ceremony weekend events, which were spearheaded by Shenloogian, director since 1986, and for three the efforts of Margaret C. Tellalian-Kyrkostas. months each year with Gagik Karapetian, recent - Marge, as she is known to many, is the hard - ly the artistic director of the State Dance working and gregarious executive director of Ensemble of Armenia. The lively Armenian Dr. Simon Simonian Receives both the Anthropology Museum and the dances performed by the 16 members of the St. Nerses Shnorhali Medal of Honor Armenian Cultural Educational Resource ensemble were received with great applause.

LA CANADA, Calif. — Dr. Simon Simonian, former member of Tekeyan Cultural Association’s Central Board of Directors, received the St. Nerses Shnorhali (Graceful) medal of honor from Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II for his long-time dedication to the Armenian Church and to the Armenian nation, on Sunday, May 1, at St. Leon Armenian Cathedral. Simonian has been an active member of the California-Armenian community and has held important positions within the AGBU, Armenian American International College, Tekeyan Cultural Association and the Armenian Church. Simonian practices otolaryngology in Los Angeles and Pasadena. He graduated with honors from the American University of Beirut Faculty of Medicine 36 years ago. Prior to the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy service, the Primate, Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, invited Simonian and his wife, Lena, to the nave of the cathedral and for his years of dedicated service to the Western Diocese, bestowed upon Simonian the St. Nerses the Graceful medal. “Dear Dr. Simonian, for years you have passionately and selflessly served the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America. Your compassionate desire to serve the Armenian community dates back to your years in Lebanon. We commend your active involvement in the communities of La Canada and Crescenta Valley. As an exemplary mem - ber of the Parish Council, you have contributed to the prosperity of the parish. We were pleased to learn of your invaluable contributions to the Armenian General Benevolent Union and the Tekeyan Cultural Association in helping them carry out their respective mis - sions,” wrote the pontiff in the letter read by Rev. Khajag Shahbazyan. The Armenian exhibit at the Harriet & Kenneth Kupferberg Holocaust Resource Center and Archives The medal was presented to Simonian by the Primate who reflected on his years of ded - icated service. He commended also Lena Simonian for her role as vice chair of the Ladies Society Central Council. Center. The Armenian General Benevolent Earlier events during the weekend included a Union (AGBU) and New York Community Bank lecture by Dr. Dennis Papazian; readings of provided financial support for the programs. poetry taken from the experiences of Armenian On May 15, after words of welcome from Genocide and Holocaust survivors by Dr. Mary Tellalian-Kyrkostas, and an introduction by Filou and Raymond Tellalian; music performed Master of Ceremonies Theo Kyrkostas, Ellen by the Serenity Quartet (Ivy Zohra Adrian, Golann, Sid Fidelman and Ida Fidelman, three Arnold Lee, Cosmo Mallardi and Lamy Istrefi veteran members of the Shalom Israeli Dancers, Jr.), including Armenian Suite , a piece specially E-SUBSCRIPTION presented eight Israeli folk dances with differ - composed by Marcos Varela for the evening, ent regional accents and styles, along with and Mark Kyrkostas’ If I Were a River and per - some explanations. The audience clapped along formances by the Hychem Armenian Hip Hop AVAILABLE to many of the dances. Dancers and Michael Hovsepian’s PT Grimm The main speaker for the evening was Shant Avant Guard Rock Band. A film based on Franz Mardirossian, chairman of the Board of Werfel’s Forty Days of Musa Dagh , and the film The Armenian Mirror-Spectator will be available every Directors of the Near East Foundation (NEF) version of William Saroyan’s stage play, “Hello Thursday, in COLOR and PDF format to all who subscribe since 2007. A certified public accountant, specifically to this electronic delivery. Mardirossian was born in Lebanon and has a bache - The annual rate is $50. lor’s and master’s degree (in business administra - To subscribe to this service, please fill out the following tion) from Pace University’s Lubin School and mail it along with your check of $50 made out to the: of Business. Professionally, he is a Armenian Mirror-Spectator, partner and the chief financial officer of 755 Mt. Auburn Street, Kohlberg & Company, a Watertown, MA 02472 middle-market private equity firm. Mardirossian gave a PowerPoint presentation H Yes, Please e-mail me the Armenian Mirror-Spectator about the history and A portion of the Armenian Cultural Awareness exhibit at every Thursday. work of Near East Relief, Queensborough Community College the predecessor organiza - tion of the NEF, with My E-mail address is ______Armenians. He spoke about the efforts of NEF Out There,” were screened on May 14. to preserve the archives of the Near East Relief, During the entire weekend, a traveling exhib - Name and Last name ______which are now held by the Rockefeller it of mounted photos of the Armenian Genocide Foundation in Sleepy Hollow, NY. He also point - and another exhibit with basic information ed out that NEF still does projects for about the Armenian people were displayed at You can also e-mail your request to [email protected] Armenians. At present, it is attempting to Queensborough Community College. A great encourage local economic development in the deal of information on Armenians is still acces - for faster service Republic of Armenia through a community- sible to visitors at the Anthropology Museum of based participatory approach, and focuses on the People of New York at Queens college and rural Armenian villages. admission is free. 14 S ATURDAY , M AY 21, 2011 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR Arts & Living

Writer/Epicurean Nancy Art of Painter Mehagian’s Supernatural Kids Cookbook Inspires Sumbat to Be Junior Chefs Presented in LOS ANGELES — Jamie Oliver launched a “food revolution.” Oprah Winfrey has adopted what she calls a “veganish” diet. Alice Waters pio - Talk at ALMA neered a new way of eating and thinking with her call for sustainable and local harvesting. And WATERTOWN, Mass. — Dr. Armen Der Michelle Obama planted an enviable garden on Kiureghian, professor of civil engineering the White House grounds, firmly establishing and holder of the Taisei Chair at the the First Lady as part of the deep bench of high University of California, Berkeley, will profile and influential heavy hitters that admon - give an illustrated lecture on “The Life ish what has become a fast food nation. and Work of Sumbat,” on Wednesday, Yet long before these notables espoused the May 25, at 7:30 p.m., at the Armenian virtues of healthy and mindful eating, Los Library and Museum of America (ALMA), Angeles epicurean Nancy Mehagian in 1977 cre - 65 Main St. ated an impressive collection of vegetarian Der Kiureghian, the son of the artist, is recipes for the the author of a book on his father’s junior set, in an work. The lecture is co-sponsored by effort to inspire her ALMA and the National Association for then 5-year-old Armenian Studies and Research daughter to eat (NAASR). healthy. “I wanted Sumbat Der Kiureghian (1913-1999) is to pass on the tra - the most celebrated Iranian watercolorist dition of cooking of the 20th century. A descendant of healthy food,” said 17th-century Armenian settlers in the Antoine Agoudjian Mehagian. “I’ve New Julfa district of Isfahan, he embod - always felt that if ied the artistic traditions of his people children get a taste and of his hometown. He is admired for of natural foods Istanbul Photographic Exhibition early enough, they Nancy Mehagian will know the dif - Tackles the Taboo Subject of ference between junk food and real food. Back in the ’70s, there were studies being done connecting food addi - Armenian Genocide tives and hyperactivity. I would love all children to get a healthy start in life.” ISTANBUL — Ninety-six black-and-white photographs hang on the spotless walls Nearly 25 years after she wrote her first chil - of Depo, an Istanbul cultural center, one for each year since the start of the dren’s cookbook, Mehagian (author of the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman award winning culinary memoir, Siren’s Feast ) Empire, on April 24, 1915. got busy in the kitchen, updating culinary cre - By Guillaume Perrier “The Burning Eyes” exhibition is ations from the days when she owned the first divided into five parts, corresponding vegetarian restaurant on the island of Ibiza and to the five vilayets (provinces) formerly borrowing from extensive travels and a lifetime decreed as Armenian by the empire — Van, Erzurum, Bitlis, Diyarbakir and Harput of entertaining to create The Supernatural — and are now part of eastern Turkey. These provinces bear the imprint of a crime Kids Cookbook , a collection of 70 recipes for that the French-Armenian photographer Antoine Agoudjian, the grandson of junior chefs (and kids of all ages.) Recipes titled Genocide survivors, has been investigated for the last 15 years. Sweet Potato Chips, Mexiquinoa Salad, His travels have taken him to all the Armenian communities scattered across the Vegetable Pudding, Yankee Noodle Casserole, Middle East, but also along the trail leading to deportation and massacre, from the Curried Sweet Carrots and even a healthy bis - Dr. Armen Der Kiureghian west of Turkey to the Syrian desert of Deir ez-Zor, in search of memories that have cuit for dogs are included in the contemporary been denied and repressed but never wholly effaced. These memories of the collection, illustrated by New York artist Genocide, coded into the DNA of survivors, are etched into Agoudjian’s pho - Alexandra Conn. “The cookbook tempts eyes his watercolor and gouache renditions of tographs. “Denial is what keeps the Genocide topical and photographic truth helps just as the recipe tempts palates,” said top Iranian and Armenian village scenes and bring things to the surface,” he says. of landscapes. Through his art, he played His work, which plays on light and contrasts, draws us into the torments of the the role of a mediator between East and Armenian soul and its culture. Under a heavy sky the ghosts of genocide victims West: he brought a European artistic haunt the villages, ruined churches and petrified communities of Anatolia. style (lucid watercolor applied in loose Agoudjian tells the story of his people’s deportation, exodus and martyrdom, includ - brushwork) to Iran and he introduced ing the funeral of the journalist Hrant Dink, who was murdered in 2007. Death Iranian lifestyle, folk traditions and land - inhabits each survivor, but a glimmer of hope still remains. scapes to Western audiences. His works Above all, by bringing “Burning Eyes” to a Turkish audience, Agoudjian has capture the energy and diversity of achieved much more than a mere exhibition. He has contributed to a bridge-build - Iranian society while also straddling the ing process, which started some years ago. For the Turkish state the Genocide is line between figurative and abstract still a taboo, but civil society has started its work of reappraisal. painting. Sumbat lived and created in see EXHIBIT, page 16 Glendale, Calif., during the last 19 years of his life. Der Kiureghian’s book, The Life and Art of Sumbat , presents the artist’s biog - raphy through a series of intimate sto - ries, letters, pictures and quotations from Cover of Supernatural Kids Cookbook other writers. The book includes more than 180 color reproductions of Sumbat’s paintings, drawings and sketch - Amazon reviewer, Gail Cooke. es. The book will be available for pur - The book, published by former LA Weekly chase the night of the talk. publisher Judith Proffer and her Huqua Press, Armen Der Kiureghian is one of the embraces what Winfry dubbed a “veganish” founders of the American University of philosophy. Some recipes call for cheese and Armenia. He served as founding dean of eggs and there is even a broiled fish and the school of engineering from 1991 to healthy chicken tender offering. Fruits, nuts, 2007, concurrently with his Berkeley whole grains, vegetables, beans, raw sugar, position. Among other awards, he is the whole wheat flour and other farmer’s market recipient of the Movses Khorenatsi medal fare are mainstays in the book that introduces from the government of Armenia for his children to gomasio (sea salt), blue corn, ginger efforts in advancing higher education in root and jicama while recipes for beet soup, Armenia, and the Alfred M. Freudenthal A monastery in Van, one of Antoine Agoudjian’s pictures baked acorn squash and sautéed brussel Medal from the American Society of Civil sprouts attempt to expand and tempt the junior Engineers for his research. palate. “The greatest challenge in getting see COOKBOOK, page 15 S ATURDAY , M AY 21, 2011 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR 15 ARTS & LIVING Supernatural Kids Cookbook Inspires Junior Chefs

COOKBOOK, from page 14 children to eat healthier food is to make that food delicious and available and have healthy alterna - tives to the foods they love,” says Mehagian. Her Sultan’s Pizza, whole wheat spaghetti, vegetarian chili and grilled cheese are all kid pleasing with - out the fats or additives found in their packaged counterparts. The book also includes her moth - er’s recipe for Swedish pancakes. “She was my first food hero,” said Mehagian. Bridget Fonda, a fan of Mehagian’s oatmeal cookie recipe and mother to a young son, wrote the foreword. “Her cookbook is inspired,” said Fonda. “Giving kids simple tools to feel com - fortable in the kitchen and create food that enriches them can’t help but spread into other areas of their lives.” A portion of the proceeds from the sales of the book benefits Jeff Bridges’ End Hunger Network (www.endhunger.com). great dignity by not publishing the pictures because, as he said, ‘that Honor, Dignity, Courage is not who we are,’” Daniel Varoujan Hejinian, the founder of Peace of Art, Inc., said. FOXBORO, Mass. — “Honor In reference to the presidential campaign promise to recognize the By Rosario Teixeira Dignity Courage” is the mes - Armenian Genocide, he said “I’m confident that the president who sage sponsored by Peace of Art, brought justice to the 3,000 Americans who lost their lives on Inc., on the digital billboard in September 11, 2001, will also bring justice to 1.5 million Armenians Foxboro one-fourth of a mile south of the main entrance to Gillette who lost their lives on April 24, 1915, by recognizing the Armenian Stadium and Patriot Place, which went up on display the week of May Genocide.” 9. The image is a composite of President Barack Obama carrying a red, Peace of Art is a non-profit educational organization, not associat - white and blue wreath he placed on Ground Zero last week. ed with political or religious institutions, which uses the universal lan - The advertising space has been donated by Carroll Advertising. guage of art to raise awareness to the human condition, and to pro - Almost a decade has passed since the nation watched the televised mote peaceful solutions to conflict. (www.PeaceofArt.org) terrorist attack on our land. Along with the destruction of the Twin Included in the Peace of Art projects, are the recognition of the Towers, 3,000 lives were taken and many more lives were forever Armenian Genocide annual campaign carried by Peace of Art since changed. The nation changed, and it shook our belief that our democ - 2003, and “Colors of Liberty” (www.ColorsofLiberty.com), which was racy would keep us safe. created by Hejinian in 2009. “Our president demonstrated enormous courage by delivering jus - “Colors of Liberty” is a collection of paintings, which celebrate tice to the architect of September 11th terrorist attack, and showed America and promote unity. 16 S ATURDAY , M AY 21, 2011 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR ARTS & LIVING

ALMA Will Present New Genocide Exhibition Followed by Commemorative Concert A RMENIANS WATERTOWN — On Sunday, May 22, the Armenian Library and Museum of America (ALMA), will present a special concert memori - alizing the Armenian Genocide and featuring performances by several accomplished musi - cians. The concert will follow the official opening of The ImNproper BTostoniaHEn published chanNged theEWS way juice bottles were the new Genocide exhibition on ALMA’s mez - an interview by Kyle Wright with actor designed from cans to wide-mouthed zanine at 2 p.m. Guests are welcome to stay for Gavin Creel who discussed what audi - bottles. refreshments served after the concert. ence members should expect in Long wavy locks were the staple for The new exhibit, “The Armenian Genocide: “Prometheus Bound,” a recent play celebrities up until recently, when a new Hayots Tseghaspanutiun,” is a stunning visual I narrative of the events of 1915-1923 and the which was staged at the Oberon, in trend emerged — short, cropped hair. Cambridge, Mass., featuring music by Taking on this new look have been stars continuing aftermath and denial by the Turkish former System of the Down frontman such as Katie Holmes, Michele Williams government. The exhibit’s text and overall Serj Tankian. Creel says that the feel of and Ginnifer Goodwin, to name a few. design were created by ALMA’s Haig Der the play, while honoring the Aeschylus’ According to Naz Kupelian, a hair stylist Manuelian (chairman), Dr. Barbara Merguerian, original material, is like being in an who owns an epynomous salon in Gina Hablanian, Gary Lind-Sinanian and Arakel underground rock club, and that the Lexington, Mass., this new look signifies Almasian, assisted by a number of outside con - music is unapologetically loud. asserting one’s individuality and break - sultants. The striking wall graphics were designed by That point is also emphasized by Stuff ing away from the mold. Kupelian adds Rouben Shougarian, the first Armenian Ed Malouf of Content Design Collaborative. scribe Scott Kearnan who anticipated that short hair best suits women with Ambassador to the United States, will cut the rib - “Prometheus Bound” to be similar to a high cheekbones and strong jawlines, Visitors to the museum will find a chronological bon for the opening of the new Genocide exhib - rock concert. He credited artistic direc - according to the February 8 issue of narrative of the events leading up to World War it and will give a short talk on the subject. tor of the play, Diane Paulus, as being Stuff . I, the Genocide and the continued denial. Edward Barsamian hand picks each The official opening of the exhibit will be Oriental, handmade rug for his third-gen - marked by a ribbon-cutting ceremony, per - University in Medford. Shougarian’s book, West eration family-owned Oriental Rug formed by the first Armenian ambassador to of Eden, East of the Chessboard: Four Importers company, in Lexington, Mass., the United States (1993-1999), Rouben Philosophical Looks Upon the Unknown , was according to a May issue of the Boston Shougarian. presented at ALMA last year. Globe . The article describes his dismay Shougarian was the deputy foreign minister The exhibit’s design committee will be in at quasi-hand made rugs, which devalue of the Republic of Armenia (1999-2005) and attendance at the opening and welcomes ques - quality handmade rugs. “The weave is ambassador to Italy, Spain and Portugal (2005- tions and comments from the public. someone’s interpretation of beauty and 2008). He currently teaches at the Fletcher Admittance is free to all events of the day and often reflects a philosophy of life.” School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts visitors are welcome. Typically his rugs are sold for people’s living or dining rooms, but he said Raffy Mardirossian, right expensive sports car owners purchase the rugs as car mats because it adds Istanbul Photographic Exhibition Tackles flair. inventive and rebellious, but he says that In another issue of the Improper The Taboo Subject of Armenian Genocide the rebels behind this play have a cause, Bostonian , which featured a photo as certain shows will be dedicated to spread of those who attended Boston people considered wrongly imprisoned. EXHIBIT, from page 14 Turkey, as part of a collection of history books The American Repertory Theater collab - “The process has been gathering speed since launched by Köker. Exhibiting in Turkey is also orated with Amnesty International in the death of Hrant Dink,” says the writer the culmination of a personal quest for the pho - staging the play. Ahmet Insel. “The exhibition fits into this con - tographer. “Many people think it’s daft, maybe More Prometheus: A February 20 text. We have already had several cultural even thoughtless, but I’m increasingly aware Boston Globe article talks about events in Turkey devoted to the Armenian ques - that this story is not just an Armenian concern. “Prometheus Bound,” specifically about tion,” he adds. “Osman Köker organized a very It is of interest to anyone who longs for truth,” playwright’s Steven Sater’s personal important exhibition drawing on a collection of he says. experiences and inspiration for the con - period postcards, which showed quite clearly The events in Istanbul to commemorate the temporary look at Aeschylus’ Greek that the Armenians were here before 1915, Genocide on April 24, organized by writers and tragedy about the god Prometheus, who then disappeared.” human rights campaigners, confirmed dared to steal fire and give it to humans. Some time ago the Armenian community’s Agoudjian’s convictions. “I hope this will open As penance Prometheus is chained to a Agos newspaper, founded by Dink, published a the way for other exiled Armenians who want to cliff, while in this new version, the god is series of pictures by Agoudjian. A few months work here,” he adds. But the topic is still very also a prisoner in his mind. Tankian said later he traveled to Istanbul to meet Osman sensitive in Turkey. Some ultra-nationalist mili - Prometheus stood up for humanity and Kavala, a business man and one of the driving tants tried to barge into the exhibition opening, referred to him as the “original Jesus.” forces in cultural exchanges between Turkey but were quietly kept at a safe distance by the and Armenia. Together they decided to mount police. Tankian’s political activist leaning made Edward Barsamian him a natural fit for this production, an exhibition at the Depo, an arts center in “Burning Eyes” is at Depo, Istanbul, Turkey according to the article. Istanbul. until early June. In another Boston Globe article in the Ballet’s Midsummer Night’s Dream Ball, A collection of Agoudjian’s photographs, same issue, writer Geoff Edgers exam - Raffy Mardirossian, event host, is pic - originally published in France (Les Yeux (This article originally appeared in Le ines the rise and fall of the original rock tured. On the Improper Sightings page Brûlants, Actes Sud , 2006), has also come out Monde . It was subsequently translated for and band Boston (1976-79), particularly are: Aban Makarechian, shown walking in a bilingual (Turkish and Armenian) version in published in Guardian Weekly .) frontman Brad Delp and the creator of along the Great Wall of China; and Boston, Tom Scholz. Boston recorded Souren and Lisa Maserejian, at Iguaza hits such as More Than A Feeling and Falls, on the border of Brazil and Don’t Look Back . Since the band’s Argentina. demise, numerous lawsuits among the A brief review on an upcoming restau - members have ensued, particularly sur - rant Nubar appears in the April 19-May 2 rounding Delp, who committed suicide issue of Stuff . Nubar is the latest restau - in 2007. Richard Kilbashian, a sound - rant in the Sheraton Commander Hotel, man in Delp’s Beatles cover band, was which is owned by the Guleserian family. close to Delp and said that in 2006 Delp The restaurant’s name is an homage to was deeply upset about finding out that Edward Nubar Guleserian, a member of his girlfriend, Pam Sullivan, was having the family. Over the years, various types an affair and employed Kilbashian’s help of restaurants have occupied that spot in to track down the man with whom his the hotel, from the high-end Colonial girlfriend was involved. However, Room to The Golden Steer steakhouse. months later he was making plans to Nubar is decidedly modern and sleek, marry Sullivan. according to the article. An obituary in the Boston Globe for On Tuesday, May 17, Garrison Keillor Joseph Selame described Selame’s work read a poem by David Kheridian on his as designer of brand logos for many com - radio program, “The Writer’s Almanac” panies, including Stop & Shop, CVS, on NPR; on May 21 he will read another Fenway Franks and VeryFine. Greg of Kheridian’s poem. To tune in, visit Kolligian, managing director for writersalmanac.publicradio.org/stations Selame’s company, said that Selame /list.php. Advertise in the Mirror-Spectator S ATURDAY , M AY 21, 2011 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR 17 ARTS & LIVING Amaras Arts Alliance Presents Three Sopranos in Concert

LEXINGTON, Mass. — Amaras Art Alliance of three singers. Additionally, there will be three stage presence. Most recently she created the her “character and vocal richness” is a New Watertown will host “Escape The Ordinary” a special guests, including Roberto Cassan, accor - role of Violetta in “La Traviata” with the England-based performer. The Boston Globe concert of three sopranos on Sunday, June 12 dion; violinist Sarkis Karapetyan and Zori Granite State Opera. International critics called affirms that “Shivick has a voice evenly glam - at 3 p.m. at the National Heritage Museum Babroudi playing the duduk. her singing “breathtaking.” Last year, orous throughout its compass and an engaging here. The three sopranos, Nuneh Badalyan, The three sopranos, all international per - Karapetian was the soloist in the New England stage presence.” Shivick is a national winner of Noune Karapetian and Jane Shivick will per - formers with vast experience in the performing tour of the Kinodance Company, a company the renowned Metropolitan Opera National form popular songs and duets from musical the - arena, come from varied musical backgrounds. and performance that was described by the Council Audition, and was awarded a debut per - ater, arias from beloved operas, popular Latin- Badalyan is an active soloist and chamber Boston Globe as a “breathtaking synthesis of formance and NPR broadcast with the American songs as well as Armenian pieces. musician who tours extensively with the live and filmed dance. Kinodance’s production Metropolitan Opera Orchestra under the direc - Amaras Art Alliance founder Arax Badalian National Chamber Orchestra of Armenia. of Denizen, inspired by the land and music of tion of Sir Charles Mackerras. She has also says, “the three women will introduce interesting Badalyan, a native of Armenia, performs world- Armenia,” continued the Boston Globe , “got been a winner at the Metropolitan Opera New harmonies in all the music that has been wide, and has sung with the Armenian new meaning with Ms. Karapetian’s interpreta - England Regional National Council Audition arranged by Artur Veranian. We all are familiar Philharmonic, Canterbury (United Kingdom) tion of songs by Komitas.” Karapetian devel - and the Annamaria Saritelli-DiPanni Bel Canto with the famous Three Tenors who each sing one Festival Orchestra and at Cagne-Sur-Mer in oped the vocal score as well as the role of the Vocal Scholarship Competition. She has per - line. Our three sopranos, Nuneh, Noune and France. She has recorded a number of CDs, Goddess Anahit for Kinodance. Karapetian formed extensively with orchestras throughout Jane, are introducing beautiful harmonies in most notably Puccini’s “Il Tabarro” in the role tours throughout the United States singing in New England and the United States including many of the pieces in just the right places to keep of Giorgietta. Her solo recital debut at recitals and with numerous opera companies the Boston Pops, Boston Civic Symphony, the concert exciting and sounding new. I know Rachmaninoff Hall in Moscow, in 1996, coin - such as Opera Boston, Pacific Repertory Opera, Indian Hill Symphony, New Philharmonia audiences will be thrilled to hear these beautiful cided with the receipt of her diploma of distinc - Opera Providence, Granite State Opera and oth - Orchestra as well as with Opera Providence and voices, singing music that will help us all escape tion at the Rimsky-Korsakov International ers. She is also the creative force behind the the Aspen Opera Theater Center in Colorado. the ordinary — if only for the afternoon. The three Competition in St. Petersburg. children’s CD “Tsapik,” released in 2007. The Tickets are available for “Escape the sopranos will be together for only this one per - Karapetian has been praised by critics and CD was nominated as the Best Children’s Ordinary” online at amarasonline.com or call formance — you don’t want to miss them.” audiences alike. The Boston Phoenix com - Album at the Armenian Music Awards of 2007. Amaras. The National Heritage Museum is Pianist Levon Hovsepian will accompany the mented on her distinctive timbre and lovely Shivick, praised by the New York Times for located at 33 Marrett Road.

Court-Martial Proceedings Sheds Light on Past Judgement of Genocide

Nearly a century ago and through 61 crimi - policies can be adopted. These leadership short - “Without exaggeration one may assert that According to Dadrian, this bold Turkish under - nal court proceedings the Istanbul Courts- comings led to the rise of opportunities the onset of this delicate phase of evolving polit - taking was held to be realized and affordable on Martial had already prosecuted some 300 through which the Ittihadists set out to carry ical developments proved to be the death war - account of a paramount factor characterizing Young Turk Ittihadist chieftains accused of out their policy of annihilation. rant of the Armenian people, comparable to the the aftermath of the late 19th-century series of complicity in the mas - Dadrian stated: “Aware of the vulnerability of issuance of a ferman. Demands for ‘equality of Abdul Hamid era massacres, i.e. impunity. sacres of 1915. Even the Armenians and of the resulting opportuni - rights,’ then ‘semi-autonomy,’ to be followed by Commenting on the courts-martial that were BOOKS though they did not ties to profit from it, the Turkish leaders ‘complete autonomy’ were signposts heralding held in the period between 1919 and 1922, produce any practically- pounced upon the Armenians and crushed the onset of a replica of the Balkan model of Dadrian offers the following comment: “The signifi cant results, they nevertheless led to them with boundless fury and vindictiveness. ... emancipation from Ottoman rule. Intent on criminal prosecution of high-ranking state func - the revelation of a large mass of documen - “The Armenian revolutionary movement and avoiding a duplication of this Balkan syndrome, tionaries and government officials identified tary evidence. the ensuing period of Armenian Reforms the Ittihadist leaders resolved to seek and apply with the Ittihad political party, was a highly The volume under discussion is titled The proved as catalysts in this respect.” a radical solution to the problem. This meant noteworthy event. It was likewise remarkable Court-Martial Proceedings of the Military As it happened in the period of Abdul Hamid the adoption of the Hamidian precept, namely that prominent Turkish witnesses testified for Tribunal 1919-1922 (Tehcir ve Taktil. Divan-i era massacres, the consequences of the to eliminate the Armenians themselves. the benefit of Armenian victims as they Harb-irfi Zabitlari 1919-1922), compiled jointly February 1914 Armenian Reform Agreement, With the onset of World War I the requisite demanded punitive justice for the criminally by Vahakn Dadrian and Taner Akçam (Istanbul, through which the Ittihadist regime was com - conditions for the implementation of these pre - incriminated perpetrators. ... Bilgi University Press, 2010, second edition, pelled to embrace a historically-renewed scheme cepts were at hand. Two existing conditions “There is much semblance between these 733 pages). of Armenian Reforms, proved cataclysmic as served to facilitate that task: the administrative courts-martial, on the one hand, and the con - Despite the fact that almost 100 years have these reforms helped precipitate the great catas - astuteness of the perpetrators and the battle- temporary Ergenekon trial series in the modern passed since the tragedy, the withholding and trophe. To refer to Dadrian again: tested martial aptitudes of the Ottoman army.” Republic of Turkey, on the other.” concealment of the court records relative to the judicial proceedings is a paramount fact indica - tive of the importance of their contents. The silence and fear associated with the disclosure of these proceedings is clearly illustrated in the prefatory statement of the book. This state of mind bespeaks of a design to foil any attempt to CC AA LLEENNDDAARR unravel the concealed aspects of 1915. The present attempt to illuminate readers, involves a book comprising the record of the proceedings of the criminal trials regarding the World War I genocide. Launched in November 1918, the Courts-Martial set forth to prosecute the Ittihadist leaders under the charges of a) MASSACHUSETTS entering World War I, b) massacre against the JUNE 4 — Armenian Memorial Church Annual Fair and Silent Christian minorities: primarily the Armenians Auction, (rain or shine), meals served all day, delicacies table, 32 and c) illegitimate and unlawful state transac - Bigelow Ave., Watertown. tions. Following 62 court proceedings in the period between 1919 and 1922, 20 death ver - dicts were issued but only three of them could NEW JERSEY be actually executed. There is the following con - MAY 21 — “We Are Like This,” one-man show with Krikor clusive observation in the work of Dadrian, the Satamian, 8 p.m., at Greek Orthodox Cathedral, St. John the world-renowned expert on genocidology. Theologian, 353 East Clinton Ave., Tenafly. Tickets, $65, including Even though belated in their initiation and dinner and wine. For tickets, call Mary (201) 745-8850 or Noushig thus futile in essence, some Armenian political (718) 344-5582. Organized by Tekeyan Cultural Association Mher leaders attempted to emulate the independence- Megerdchian Theatrical Group. oriented revolutionary drives and tactics of the JUNE 4 — Anniversary-Banquet in anticipation of the 80th European nations in the Balkans. anniversary of the Armenian Mirror-Spectator newspaper, the Notwithstanding the role of some other ancil - first English language Armenian newspaper in the world, organized lary factors, the Armenians having been by the Friends of the Tekeyan Cultural Association of New Jersey. deprived of external help, ended up suffering a Joe Dadgigian, pictured above, and Dik Saturday, 7 p.m., at Teaneck Marriott at Glenpoint, 100 Franklin W. most horrible failure. Dagavarian will give an illustrated talk, Burr Blvd., Teaneck. For tickets, call Shoghig (201) 803-0240 or In general the Armenians continue to cir - Sirvart (201) 739-7775. titled “Hiking in Armenia’s Mountains, cumvent and overlook this aspect of the prob - Valleys and Villages,” covering the Siunik lem deliberately. At issue here is the inability of NEW JERSEY area of Southern Armenia, on Saturday, the Armenian leadership cadres to apply stan - May 21, at 6 p.m., at the ARS Community dards of statesmanship in their thinking as they JUNE 19 — St. Nersess Armenian Seminary’s annual Father’s Day Center, 142 Liberty St., Lowell. Dinner and failed to grasp the importance of the principle Picnic, from noon to 5 p.m., at Stratton Road, New Rochelle. program are $20, adults; $10, students. of raison d’état, i.e, the justification of the exis - Delicious kebob meals and desserts, live Armenian music, children’s tence and function of the state as an institution. activities, vendors. Free parking and admission. Visit The fact to consider is that a state, i.e., a gov - www.stnersess.edu or call (914) 636-2003. ernment, can only pursue a “modern” system of governance through which strictly self-interest- 18 S ATURDAY , M AY 21, 2011 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR COMMENTARY

T HE A RMENIAN OPINION Mirror- It’s About Time to Recognize Spectator the Armenian Genocide the Turkish government claim that there was no will by the By Rabbi Albert Gabbai Ottoman government to exterminate the Armenian popula - tion, and that the 1915 massacres were simply the conse - quences of war. Established 1932 What would you say if the world denied that the Holocaust Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu condemned An ADL Publication ever happened? Or that something like it may have occurred, President Barack Obama’s recent statement marking the 96th but on a very small scale, and as an understandable byprod - anniversary of the April 24 massacre (a statement that uct of a war that was raging simultaneously? Or that it’s being stopped short of calling it genocide). Davutoglu said he

EDITOR exaggerated and exploited today to create an undeserved wished that the president could share the Turks’ pain from Alin K. Gregorian sense of sympathy? the World War I era, adding that a “one-sided statement is not That is what people of Armenian descent feel in regard to sufficient” considering the historical events. ASSOCIATE EDITOR their genocide, what they call the tseghasbanootyoun. The Unfortunately, the State of Israel, as well as some major Aram Arkun term is used to describe the events of 1915, when, during Jewish organizations, have a regrettable record on officially ART DIRECTOR World War I, members of the Turkish majority, abetted by recognizing the Armenian genocide. In contrast to 22 nations Marc Mgrditchian minority Kurds, murdered up to 1.5 million Armenian (and 43 individual states, including Pennsylvania), Israel and Christians, all fellow citizens of the Ottoman Empire. the United States have to date not recognized the events of PRODUCTION Dilani Yogaratnam Turkey has not only refused to admit that the Armenian 1915 as a genocide. Genocide even occurred, but it has pressured other countries, Israel’s position on this issue has been complicated by the educational institutions, movie studios — even Jewish organi - fact that Turkey was, in 1949, the first Muslim state to recog - zations — not to broach the subject. nize Israel. Israel has had a much more cooperative relation - CONTRIBUTORS: Many people, Jews included, are ignorant about this topic, ship with Turkey than with other Muslim countries, although Elizabeth Aprahamian, Daphne Abeel, Dr. one of which Armenian Americans are all too starkly aware, this relationship has lately deteriorated. Haroutiune Arzoumanian, Edmond often because their ancestors were killed or were survivors. This deterioration became obvious in late May 2010, when Azadian, Prof. Vahakn N. Dadrian, Diana The Armenian Genocide is generally not taught in schools and Israeli forces raided a Turkish aid flotilla aiming to violate Der Hovanessian, Philip Ketchian, rarely touched upon by major media sources. Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip, claiming nine lives. Kevork Keushkerian, Sonia Kailian- Until recently, I had never raised the subject of the Turkish officials described the event as an act of “state terror” Placido , H arut Sassounian, Mary Terzian, Armenian Genocide during Shabbat remarks at Congregation on Israel’s part. Prior to that, some Jewish and pro-Israel orga - Hagop Vartivarian, Naomi Zeytoonian, Taleen Babayan Mikveh Israel, despite the fact that, having grown up in Cairo, nizations had failed to recognize the 1915 massacres as geno - I had numerous Armenian friends in the high school I attend - cide, due to concern for Israel-Turkey relations and the Jews ed. still in Turkey. CORRESPONDENTS: We Jews are very sensitive about the use of the term But it is important for people to become more informed Armenia - Hagop Avedikian “Holocaust,” and have reason to deplore its trivialization. about the Armenian genocide. We Jews know what persecu - Boston - Nancy Kalajian Still, Armenian-Americans are justified when they compare tion and living in a Diaspora mean. We aim to be a “light to Philadelphia - Lisa Manookian their genocide to our Shoah. the nations.” Therefore, we have a duty to reach out to Contributing Photographers: By the end of 1915, Armenians had been ethnically Armenian-Americans and offer our solidarity in their struggle Jacob Demirdjian, Harry Koundakjian, Jirair cleansed from the western half, the ancestral heart, of their to receive the kind of recognition for their genocide that we Hovsepian homeland of several thousand years. Long loyal citizens of receive (and have every right to expect) for our own the Ottoman Empire, they were caught by surprise, when 250 Holocaust. The Armenian Mirror-Spectator is published weekly, except two weeks in July, by: of the most prominent Armenian male citizens were arrested and massacred in Constantinople on April 24, 1915. (Rabbi Albert Gabbai leads Congregation Mikveh Israel in Baikar Association, Inc. Unlike German officials, who have admitted and apologized Philadelphia. This commentary was originally from the May 11 755 Mt. Auburn St., Watertown, MA 02472-1509 for their country’s actions against the Jews, representatives of issue of the Jewish Exponent .) Telephone: 617-924-4420 FAX: 617-924-2887 www.mir rorspectator.com E-Mail: editor@mirrorspectator .com LETTERS For advertising: [email protected] New York/New Jersey Office 560 Sylvan Ave. , Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632 ADL’s ‘Immoral’ Genocide Stand (201) 800-1164 To the Editor: national ADL must prove its commitment to billboards in years to come to commemorate SUBSCRIPTION RATES : I am disappointed that Clear Channel in human rights and tikkun olam (Hebrew for the Armenian Genocide. U.S.A. Stoneham is providing the Anti-Defamation “repairing the world”). The ADL must stop lob - After all, Raphael Lemkin, the prominent 2nd Class $75 a year League (ADL) with 100 free billboards across bying on bullying Turkey’s behalf and instead Polish-Jewish jurist who coined the word 1st Class $120 a year Canada the commonwealth to advance the group’s so- unambiguously recognize the Armenian “genocide” based on the Armenian Genocide Air Mail $125 a year called anti-bullying program. Genocide and openly support a congressional and the Jewish Holocaust and drafted the The ADL’s immoral position on the resolution on this crime. 1948 UN Genocide Convention, gave the world All Other Countries Armenian Genocide and selective approach to Clear Channel should heed its own Code of a moral compass by poignantly saying: Air Mail $190 a year Display advertising r at e: $7 per column inch fighting genocide have undermined its ability Conduct about not supporting political orga - “Humanity is our client. Every day of delay is to be a voice for humanity and justice for all. nizations and not, in effect, allocate funds to concession to crime. That is why the Massachusetts Municipal the highly politicized ADL. The ADL’s name, — Luder Tavit Sahagian © 2010 The Armenian Mirror-Spectator Association and a dozen cities statewide sev - logo and website on its billboards should be Needham, Mass. Periodical Class Postage Paid at Boston, MA ered ties with the ADL’s “No Place for Hate” replaced with those of credible anti-bullying and additional mailing offices. program. organizations. (This editorial letter originally appeared in With the centennial commemoration of the Clear Channel should also end its double the May 5 issue of the MetroWest Daily ISSN 0004-234X Armenian Genocide approaching in 2015, the standards and give Peace of Art several free News .) POSTMASTER : Send address changes to The Armenian Mirror-Spectator, P.O. Box 302, Watertown, MA 02471-0302 Notice to Contributors The welcomes articles, commen - — Deadline for submission of all articles and advertising is Armenian Mirror-Spectator taries and community news from our readers. In order to assure 12 noon on Monday of the week of publication. Copying for other than personal use or the accurate and timely publication of articles submitted, — Photos will be published without charge at the discretion of internal reference is prohibited without express permission of the copyright please note the following policies: the editors and art director. Photos will be returned only if a self- owner. Address requests for reprints or — All articles submitted should be typed, double (or triple) addressed and stamped envelope is included. back issues to: spaced and printed in a type size large enough to be clearly — The will publish only one article about an upcoming Baikar Association, Inc. M-S legible (10 point or larger). Submissions that do not conform to organizational event. For major special events, exceptions may 755 Mt. Auburn St., Watertown, MA 02472-1509 these specifications will be assigned lowest priority. be made only by special arrangement with the editors. — Articles sent by fax are acceptable, and e-mail submissions — Telephone numbers, ticket prices and other details (at the are encouraged. discretion of the editors) will not be included in press releases, Check us out at — All submissions should include the name of a contact person but should be reserved for calendar listings and advertise - mirrorspectator.com and a daytime telephone number. ments. S ATURDAY , M AY 21, 2011 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR 19 COMMENTARY

returned to CFF, if the Assembly failed to develop the this instance, one could appropriately add: There is a time museum by December 1, 2010. That obligation was subse - to sue and a time to settle! quently conveyed to the AGM&M organization. Over a decade ago when the idea of an Armenian In response to a new filing by the Assembly objecting to Genocide museum was first discussed at an Armenian the January 26, verdict, Judge Kollar-Kotelly made a final Assembly board meeting, long before any internal disputes My Turn ruling on May 9, ordering the Assembly to transfer owner - had surfaced, the organizers asked for my view on their ini - ship of the museum property to CFF no later than May 23. tiative. I suggested that they invite major Armenian- By Harut Sassounian She rejected the Assembly’s demand for a new trial. She American organizations to participate in a community-wide also asked a magistrate judge to recommend to her the effort to oversee the fundraising and implementation of exact amount of Cafesjian’s legal fees to be reimbursed by this pan-Armenian project. Regrettably, back then, my There is a Time to Sue and a AGM&M. advice was unanimously rejected. Time to Settle While CFF must be satisfied with the verdict, the CFF is moving in the right direction by inviting major Assembly is probably considering its legal options. Armenian-American organizations, including the It is unfortunate that the noble and sacred concept of However, given the judge’s two recent verdicts in favor of Armenian Assembly, and prominent Armenian and non- establishing an Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial CFF, filing more lawsuits or appeals is neither in the Armenian individuals to come together to realize the (AGM&M) in Washington DC, had to end up in court. Assembly’s interest nor that of the Armenian-American laudable, yet long-delayed plan to establish an Armenian But contrary to popular belief, the issue was not simply community. The time has come to put a stop to the legal Genocide Museum and Memorial by April 24, 2015 — the a feud between two wealthy individuals — Gerard Cafesjian wrangling and start concentrating on the important task of 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. In order to and Hirair Hovnanian — or a mere disagreement over the building a genocide museum. accomplish such a lofty goal in four years, everyone must size and scope of the project. The actual dispute resulted CFF’s chairman, Gerard Cafesjian, made the right deci - put aside all other considerations and concentrate on the from an attempt by Armenian Assembly leaders to take con - sion when he announced that “the court’s concluding ver - monumental task at hand. Internal Armenian squabbles trol of the multi-million dollar museum buildings donated dict frees us all to build this long-awaited museum and only serve to provide Turks with further ammunition to by the Cafesjian Family Foundation (CFF) and exclude memorial about the fact and ongoing consequences of the ridicule Armenians and their sacred cause. Rather than Cafesjian from any decision-making powers as a Board Armenian Genocide.” wasting more time and money on further lawsuits and member of the AGM&M charitable organization. CFF’s Board member Ross Vartian pledged that CFF appeals, the funds and energies of the Armenian- After a lengthy litigation, Federal Judge Colleen Kollar- would re-launch the museum project “with the participa - American community should be channeled towards estab - Kotelly ruled on January 26, that the museum buildings tion of ALL interested organizations and individuals.” lishing this important edifice, which is expected to cost had to be returned to CFF. She upheld the validity of the During a subsequent Voice of America interview, Vartian well over $100 million. “reversionary clause” included in the grant agreement made it clear that CFF welcomed the participation of the An Armenian Genocide museum located in the heart of signed by the Armenian Assembly of America on November Armenian Assembly in such a community-wide effort. the nation’s capital, just two blocks away from the White 1, 2003, which stipulated that the properties donated by This is a very sensible approach. As the Bible states, “to House, will be a lasting memorial to the 1.5 million inno - CFF to the Assembly for the purpose of establishing an everything there is a season. …A time to break down and a cent victims and a tribute to the indomitable spirit of the Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial would be time to build up…a time for war and a time for peace.” In survivors.

Why no Outcry over These Torturing Tyrants? Read Family of

are honorable people and understand when criticism is By Robert Fisk said with good faith. But no, we are silent. Even when Shadows for Insight Bahraini students in Britain are deprived of their grants because they protested outside their London Christopher Hill, a former US secretary of state for embassy, we are silent. (Cameron and Clegg, shame on east Asia who was ambassador to Iraq — and usually a you.) Into Politics, Respect very obedient and un-eloquent American diplomat — Bahrain has never had a reputation as a “friend” of wrote the other day that “the notion that a dictator can the West, albeit that is how it likes to be portrayed. claim the sovereign right to abuse his people has More than 20 years ago, anyone protesting the royal By George S. Yacoubian become unacceptable”. family’s dominance risked being tortured in the securi - Unless, of course — and Mr Hill did not mention this ty police headquarters. The head of it was a former — you happen to live in Bahrain. On this tiny island, a British police Special Branch officer whose senior tor - ecommended reading for the passionate Armenian is Family Sunni monarchy, the al-Khalifas, rule a majority Shia turer was a pernicious major in the Jordanian army. of Shadows by Garin K. Hovannisian. population and have responded to democratic protests When I published their names, I was rewarded with a To those of us who are ideologically unimpaired, however, with death sentences, mass arrests, the imprisonment cartoon in the government newspaper Al-Khaleej a word of caution. The book, a loving three-generation trib - of doctors for letting patients die after protests and an which pictured me as a rabid dog. Rabid dogs, of ute to the Hovannisian clan is replete with innuendos and “invitation” to Saudi forces to enter the country. They course, have to be exterminated. It was a threat. rhetoric that distinguish the author as emphatically polemic. have also destroyed dozens of Shia mosques with all The al-Khalifas have no problems with the opposition View for example, his statement which appears on Page 33, the thoroughness of a 9/11 pilot. But then, let’s newspaper, Al-Wasat , however. They arrested one of its “On May 28, 1918, with support from no one, the Armenian remember that most of the 9/11 killers were indeed founders, Karim Fakhrawi, on April 5. He died in police R National Council declared the independent Republic of Saudis. custody a week later. Ten days later, they arrested the Armenia.” To whom? And what do we get for it? Silence. Silence in the US paper’s columnist, Haidar Mohamed al-Naimi. He has By his own grandfather’s admission, there was no — I repeat no — pub - media, largely silence in the European press, silence not been seen since. Again, silence from CamerClegg, lic declaration of independence. Only in an internal policy document did from our own beloved CamerClegg and of course from Obama, La Clinton and the rest. The arrest and charg - the expression “independent Republic of Armenia” appear. In the interest the White House. And — shame of shame — silence from ing of Shia Muslim doctors for letting their patients die of historic accuracy: once military successes near Yerevan and the conclu - the Arabs who know where their bread is buttered. — the patients having been shot by the “security sion of peace at Batum, had been verified, sometime in early June, did the That means, of course, also silence from al-Jazeera. I forces,” of course — is even more vile. I was in the hos - National Council venture to use the term publicly. A nuanced interpreta - often appear on their otherwise excellent Arabic and pital when these patients were brought in. The doctors’ tion, perhaps, but factual nevertheless. English editions, but their failure to mention Bahrain is reaction was horror mixed with fear — they had simply Even more egregious, employed repeatedly throughout the book were shameful, a dollop of dirt in the dignity that they have never seen such close-range gunshot wounds before. the words ARF and anti-ARF or, alternately ARF and non-ARF, echoing brought to reporting in the Middle East. The Emir of Now they have been arrested, doctors and patients the familiar cliché that “those who are not with us, are against us.” Qatar — I know him and like him very much — does not taken from their hospital beds. If this was happening in Nothing could be further from the truth. The vast majority of Armenians- need to belittle his television empire in this way. Damascus, Homs or Hama or Aleppo, the voices of from both Apostolic camps- were and continue to be non- political and CamerClegg is silent, of course, because Bahrain is CamerClegg, and Obama and La Clinton would be ring - view that arena as divisive, embarrassing and moot. Telling was the one of our “friends” in the Gulf, an eager arms buyer, ing in our ears. But no. Silence. Four men have been repeated usage of ARF and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation. home to thousands of Brit expatriates who — during sentenced to death for killing two Bahraini policemen. Common knowledge is that their primary opposition in the United States the mini-revolution by Bahrain’s Shia — spent their It was a closed military court. Their “confessions” were is the ADL, (which coalesced after the loss of independence or the time writing vicious letters to the local pro-Khalifa aired on television, Soviet-style. No word from Armenian Democratic League. But nowhere do these words appear. press denouncing Western journalists. And as for the CamerClegg or Obama or La Clinton. Instead we read of the Ramgavars. The formal acronym and name of one demonstrators, I recall a young Shia woman telling me What is this nonsense? Well, I will tell you. It has but only a generalization for the other. Consistency is the hallmark of that if only the Crown Prince would come to the Pearl nothing to do with the Bahrainis or the al-Khalifas. It objectivity. And I could go on and on. On Page 46, we read that Stalin Roundabout and talk with the protesters, they would is all about our fear of Saudi Arabia. Which also means “commanded” the church while on Page 76, “the Catholicos of carry him on their shoulders around the square. I it is about oil. It is about our absolute refusal to remem - Etchmiadzin, man under the supervision of the Communist Party in believed her. But he didn’t come. Instead, he destroyed ber that 9/11 was committed largely by Saudis. It is Moscow,” (in Yerevan, arguably, but certainly not Moscow, but of course their mosques and claimed the protests were an Iranian about our refusal to remember that Saudi Arabia sup - the latter capital comes with connotations.) plot — which was never the case — and destroyed the ported the Taliban, that Bin Laden was a Saudi, that All this aside, the depth of emotion that permeates the book’s 257 pages statue of the pearl at the roundabout, thus deforming the most cruel version of Islam comes from Saudi reveals the author’s filial devotion — and rightfully so — to three genera - the very history of his own country. Arabia, the land of head-choppers and hand-cutters. It tions of Hovannisians, his great-grandfather Kaspar; his grandfather Obama, needless to say, has his own reasons for is about a conversation I had with a Bahraini official — Richard and his father Raffi: Kaspar for his triumph over Genocide; silence. Bahrain hosts the US Fifth Fleet and the a good and decent and honest man — in which I asked Professor Hovannisian for his iconic scholarship in his four-volume histo - Americans don’t want to be shoved out of their happy him why the Bahraini prime minister could not be ry of Armenia, not overlooking his The Armenian Genocide in little port (albeit that they could up-sticks and move to elected by a majority Shia population. “The Saudis Perspective , [I own four of these five tomes] ranking him as the foremost the UAE or Qatar anytime they wish) and want to would never permit it,” he said. Yes, our other friends. authority on the First Republic; and the incredible path of patriotism and defend Bahrain from mythical Iranian aggression. So The Saudis. sacrifice chosen by his father Raffi, a journey perhaps not yet concluded. you won’t find La Clinton, so keen to abuse the Assad The book is published by HarperCollins and may be purchased from family, saying anything bad about the al-Khalifas. Why (This column by Robert Fisk originally appeared in the HarperCollins e-books. This I recommend so everyone may judge for them - on earth not? Are we all in debt to the Gulf Arabs? They May 14 edition of The Independent .) selves. 20 S ATURDAY , M AY 21, 2011 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR

For Jerusalem’s Armenians, 1,600 Years of History and an Uncertain Future

JERUSALEM (AP) — One of the four quarters parents, parents and children, living in a war - laypeople subject to the pressures and pulls of Young Armenians, expected to marry of old Jerusalem belongs to the Armenians, rens of small apartments alongside their priests this world, may not. Armenians, are faced with a shortage of poten - keepers of an ancient monastery and library, in a self-contained outpost that has existed Aghoyan arrived at the monastery as a 16- tial spouses. Because they are typically well-edu - heirs to a tragic history and to a stubborn here, in some form, at least as far back as the year-old seminarian in 1956 from Syria, where cated, fluent in English and have family con - 1,600-year presence that some fear is now in fifth century AD. his parents had fled from Turkey. He found the nections abroad, they are equipped to leave. doubt. Also inside is a library, a health center, two Jerusalem monastery crowded with families, Those who do join a diaspora that numbers an Buffeted by Mideast forces more powerful social clubs and a school where each grade now most of them refugees or descendants of estimated 11 million people worldwide and sup - than themselves and drawn by better lives else - has an average of only six or seven pupils. refugees who escaped the killings. ports churches, community centers and at least where, this historic Jerusalem community has “We worry about this, of course. But we The resulting refugees swelled the small exist - a dozen international online dating sites with seen its numbers quietly drop below 1,000 peo - haven’t found a solution,” said Samuel ing community of Armenian priests and laymen, names like Armenians Connect and armenian - ple. The Armenians, led by an ailing 94-year-old Aghoyan, 71, one of the community’s senior and by the time Jerusalem was split between passion.com. patriarch, find themselves caught between Jews priests. Jordan and Israel in 1948 the Armenians num - “Whoever leaves still dreams about Jerusalem and Muslims in a Middle East emptying of On a recent afternoon in the Armenian bered more than 25,000, by some counts. They and says they’ll come back. But they won’t,” Christians, and between a deep sense of belong - monastery’s nerve center, the medieval cathe - were traders and craftsmen whose distinctive Aghoyan said. ing in Jerusalem and a realization that their dral of St. James, clerics in black cowls chanted mosaics of painted tiles remain one of the city’s Others are more optimistic. Ruppen future might lie elsewhere. under dozens of oil lamps suspended from the signature design features. Nalbandian, 29, a community youth leader with “Very few will remain here if it goes on like vaulted ceiling. Next to a priest waving a censer After 1948, with the city divided, the Old City a master’s degree in neurobiology from an this,” said Kevork Kahvedjian, a Jerusalem was an inlaid panel concealing the entrance to under Jordanian control and economic Israeli university, said the outflow has slowed. storeowner. a staircase ascending inside the wall to the prospects bleak, most Armenians left, joining Of 11 students in his class at school, he said, Kahvedjian sells vintage black-and-white pho - church’s second floor. thriving exile communities in places like only two have left. Ten men he knows have tos of the Holy Land from a store founded in The monastery, led by the patriarch Torkom Fresno, Calif., and Toronto. found brides in Armenia and brought them 1949 by his father, who arrived in Jerusalem as Manoogian, 94, guards other secrets. It holds Perhaps 3,000 remained by the time Israel back to Jerusalem, he said. a child after the Genocide of Armenians under the world’s second-largest collection of ancient captured the Old City in 1967. Some in the community point to an unex - Ottoman rule during World War I claimed his Armenian manuscripts, 4,000 texts guarded in The Armenians, along with Arab residents of pected boon in the form of Armenian Christians own parents. Today, Kahvedjian said, he has sib - a chapel opened only once a year. It also owns east Jerusalem, were given residency rights in — possibly more than 10,000 of them, though lings in Canada and the US, a son in the Bible of Keran, a gold-covered manuscript Israel, and some have since applied for full citi - estimates vary — who arrived in Israel as part of Washington, DC and a daughter who plans to named for an Armenian queen and kept in a zenship. But the community has tried to plot a a mass immigration of Soviet Jews in the 1990s move away soon. treasury whose location the priests will not neutral course in a place where that is difficult. and were eligible for citizenship because they The insular world of the Jerusalem divulge, and the staff of King Hetum, made Ties with both Israelis and Palestinians have had a Jewish parent or spouse. Some have Armenians is reached through a modest iron from a single piece of amber and revealed to the been tense at times. mixed with the established Armenian commu - door set in a stone wall. public for a few minutes every January. Israel’s Interior Ministry does not have statis - nity. The door, locked every night at 10:30 p.m., The several dozen priests, most of whom are tics on the number of Armenians. Community Not long after the Armenians adopted leads into a monastery compound that is home sent to Jerusalem by the church from else - leaders like Aghoyan and Tsolag Momjian, the Christianity in 301 AD in their homeland to a contingent of cloaked clergymen and also where, will remain, as will their edifices and honorary consul of Armenia, agree there are around the biblical Mt. Ararat, on the eastern to several hundred Armenian laypeople: grand - relics. But the community itself, made up of now fewer than 1,000 in the city. border of modern-day Turkey in Turkish-occu - The slow decline of the Jerusalem Armenians pied Western Armenia, they dispatched priests reflects a broader shrinking of the Middle to Jerusalem. East’s ancient Christian population. For much They have remained ever since, through often of the past century, Christians in Lebanon, Iraq, devastating conquests by Arab dynasties, Youth Parliament Set to Start Egypt, the Palestinian territories and elsewhere Persian armies, mounted Turkish archers, have been moving to the West, fleeing poverty, Crusaders, the Ottoman Empire, Englishmen, religious intolerance and violence such as the Jordanians and Jews. Work in Armenia This Month anti-Christian riot that erupted this week in “As we have lived here for 1,600 years, we will Cairo, leaving 12 dead and a church burned. continue to live here,” Nalbandian said. nated for students from state-run and private By Gohar Abrahamyan higher educational institutions, 30 seats are for younger members of political parties that hold mandates in the National Assembly, 42 seats are YEREVAN (ArmeniaNow) — The Youth for individual citizens from provinces of Armenia Parliament of the Armenian National Assembly (through self-nomination) and the minimum of will start work in late May with a one-year term; four seats are reserved for ethnic minorities. “Comedy this consulting public body will consist of 131 Prosperous Armenia parliamentary faction members, between the ages of 18 and 30. member Vahe Enfiajyan believes that this way The Youth Parliament established by the the voice of the youth will have better chances March 28 decree of Parliament Speaker Hovik of reaching their seniors in the National Abrahamian will mirror the National Assembly Assembly. in its structure, format and contents. The ses - “This ensures young people’s involvement in Night” sions will be held at the same hall, and the body the law-making process, which is of great sig - will have 12 standing committees. However it nificance. It will be an open field where they featuring Actor, Director, Comedian Krikor Satamian

Recreation Center St. Johns Armenian Church 22001 Northwestern Hwy. Southfield, MI

$50/person includes lavish Buffet dinner & Wine and soft drinks Artak Davtyan (left), Vahe Enfiajyan Sunday, will not have its own chairman and vice chair - can freely express their opinions without men; these posts will be held by chairmen of restrictions,” says Enfiajyan. May 22, 2011 the standing committees on a rotation basis. The registration deadline was April 30 and “We have not invented a bicycle, this practice the current batch of 350 candidates who have at 4 p.m. exists in different countries,” says Artak made it to the second stage will be interviewed, Davtyan, member of the ruling Republican and 131 finalists will be selected as deputies for Organized by the Tekeyan Cultural Association Party’s parliamentary faction and coordinator the youth parliament. Proceeds to be allocated to the TCA Orphan’s Higher Education Fund of the youth parliament, adding that special It will be a non-profit entity where the in Armenia. care is taken to ensure female activists’ involve - deputies will hold mandates but will not receive ment in the parliament — the anticipated ratio salaries, and their decrees will not hold legal You must RSVP - for reservations, please call today: is around 30 percent. force; details, however, will be further discussed Karen Koundakjian at 248-761-9844 • Hagop Minassian at 248-569-0999 Fifty seats in the youth parliament are desig - by Armenia’s lawmakers.