Martyrs Remembered at Statehouse Program

APRIL 23, 2011 MirTHE rARoMENr IAN -Spe ctator Volume LXXXI, NO. 41, Issue 4185 $ 2.00 NEWS IN BRIEF The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Schiff Urges Obama to Holy Land Acknowledge Armenian Genocide Churches WASHINGTON — This week, Rep. Adam Schiff (CA-29) sent a letter to President Barack Obama urging him to properly characterize the murder of Protest New 1.5 million Armenian men, women and children as a “genocide” in his statement marking the April 24 anniversary of the start of the Genocide. Israeli Taxes “Mr. President, you have always been a leader on the important issue of human rights,” Schiff said. “Unfortunately, both last year and in 2009, you did not use the term ‘genocide’ to describe By Arthur Hagopian the events of 1915-23. I ask you to return to the clarity you so forcefully expressed in 2008 and stand with the ever-dwindling number of sur - JERUSALEM — The heads of Christian vivors, as well as the descendants of others, who churches in Jerusalem have expressed grave survived the Armenian Genocide and continue to concern over renewed moves by the Israeli suffer the ‘double killing’ of denial, by referring authorities to tax church buildings and to it as a genocide.” properties. In the last Congress, Schiff was the primary spon - While previous such moves have ended sor of H. Res. 252, the Affirmation of the US in failure, the Israelis have not tried hard to Record on the Genocide. mask their intention to persist in their efforts to impose an “arnona” (property tax) on properties owned by the various Bryza Barred from churches, including those which have been Visiting Julfa Cemetery vacant for some time. In a statement issued here this week, a BAKU (RFE/RL) — The Azerbaijani authorities loose conglomeration of the 13 Christian on Thursday refused to allow US Ambassador churches officially recognized by Israel, call - Matthew Bryza to visit an ancient Armenian ceme - Gov. Deval Patrick spoke at the program. (Jirair Hovsepian photo) ing itself the “Heads of the Churches of the tery in Azerbaijan that was reportedly destroyed by Holy City of Jerusalem,” warned of dire con - them in 2005. sequences that would ensue should The cemetery, which once had thousands of Israel carry out its plans. Armenian cross stones, or khachkars, is located Martyrs Remembered “Such imposition would constitute a rad - near Julfa, in Nakhichevan. ical departure from the consistent practice Videos that emerged in late 2005 showed of every previous state to have governed Azerbaijani troops attacking the UNESCO-protect - At Statehouse Program any part of the Holy Land, including the ed gravestones. They elicited condemnation from Ottoman Empire, the British Mandate, the the European Parliament and other bodies. Hashemite Kingdom and the State of Israel The Azerbaijani government denied their BOSTON — The Armenian-American community gathered at the itself,” the church leaders said. destruction at the time. Still, a 2006 report by the Massachusetts Statehouse on April 15 to commemorate the lives lost — and those “It would represent a significant worsen - London-based by the Institute for War and Peace that thrived — in the wake of the first ing of the conditions of the churches in the Reporting (IWPR) confirmed that the cemetery has genocide of the 20th century. Holy Land. It would also be in direct contra - vanished. The IWPR said its journalist was near The ceremony, headed for the first By Thomas C. Nash diction of the mandate of the United Nations enough to see that the cemetery was gone. time by Watertown state Rep. Jonathan Special to the Mirror-Spectator Organization in General Assembly resolution In a statement posted on its website, the US Hecht, focused on the lives built after 181, of November 29, 1947, as it applied not Embassy in Azerbaijan said Bryza tried to travel to the events of 1915 in a new country. only to Jerusalem but also to the two nation - Julfa during a two-day visit to Nakhichevan that The diaspora “rose from the ashes of genocide in a remarkable testament to al states that it authorizes to be established ended on Thursday. the spirit of the Armenian people,” Hecht noted. in the Holy Land,” they warned. “The ambassador’s request to visit Djulfa was Hecht stressed the importance of meeting in the Statehouse, in the House of The churches argued the Israeli move denied,” the embassy said. “But authorities in Representatives, as a chance to show a new generation the importance of remem - would be in contravention of the so-called Nakhchivan did discuss the Djulfa Khachkars in bering what occurred. “status quo” agreements promulgated in detail with Ambassador Bryza and pledged to work “It is through educating future generations that we maintain the truth of the the 19th century, which have governed rela - with him to facilitate a visit to the Djulfa cemetery Armenian Genocide,” Hecht added. tions between the churches and govern - in coming months.” The day’s program was titled “Honoring the Truth by Educating the Next ments since Ottoman times. “As I pledged to do in Washington before arriv - Generation,” paying tribute to the two Armenian schools in the state. Under the terms of the status quo, the ing as Ambassador, I traveled to Nakhchivan to see COMMEMORATION, page 10 Ottomans pledged to exempt church prop investigate what happened in Djulfa,” Bryza was see JERUSALEM, page 3 quoted as saying. Dismantling Dr. Antranig Chalabian, Author Of ‘Monument Of Historical Volumes, Dies INSI DE To Humanity’ DETROIT — Dr. Antranig Chalabian, the In Kars Starts author of several volumes of Armenian histo - ry, died on April 12, at his home in Genocide KARS (PanARMENIAN.Net) — Southfield. He was 89. The dismantling of the Born in Kessab, Syria, he was predeceased Remembered “Monument to Humanity” by his wife, Siran. here started on the threshold He leaves his children, Annie (and Tom) pages 9-14 of the Armenian Genocide Hoglind, Dr. Jack and Gayle Chelebian and anniversary. Karine and Hovsep Koundakjian, as well as The monument will be divid - eight grandchildren and one great-grand - ed into two parts. Special child. equipment will be brought Chalabian wrote several volumes on INDEX from Istanbul for the operation Armenian history and historical figures, Armenia . 2 that started April 16 following which went on to sell well. He is best known Arts and Living . 15 a decision of Erzerum adminis - for his biography of General Antranik. Calendar . 16 trative court after Prime After graduating from the local Armenian Community News. 4 Minister Recep Tayyip Evangelical School, he studied at Aleppo Editorial . 17 Erdogan labeled the statue College and graduated in 1944. He taught in International . ... 3 “monstrous.” his former school in Kessab for one year. Then he returned to Aleppo College where Dr. Antranig Chalabian see CHALABIAN, page 20 2 S ATURDAY , A PRIL 23, 2011 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR ARMENIA News From Armenia Armenia No Longer Eligible For US Aid Program YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — Armenia is crackdown on the Armenian opposition this point, Armenia is not eligible for a no longer eligible for receiving addi - that followed it. second compact due to where it stands Baroness Cox, MPs Visit tional US economic assistance under a The aid cut did not affect the rest of the on the [MCA] indicators.” program designed to reward good gov - MCA funding, which is being mainly Yovanovitch specified that President Armenia and Karabagh ernance and reforms around the world, channeled into Armenia’s battered irriga - Serge Sargisian’s administration YEREVAN (PanARMENIAN.Net) — On April 18, US Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch said tion networks. Their ongoing refurbish - should, among other things, hold more Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Hovik on Friday. ment is due to be completed this democratic elections. “As Armenia Abrahamian met with a British delegation headed She said the approaching parliamen - September. enters into an election cycle, with par - by Caroline Cox, chairwoman of the British- tary and presidential elections in the Yovanovitch and Prime Minister liamentary elections next year and pres - Armenian Parliamentary Friendship Group. country will be an opportunity for the Tigran Sargisian visited on Friday the idential elections the year after, there is Abrahamian said Armenia attaches importance to Armenian government to improve its central Aragatsotn province to inspect an opportunity to boost these indica - boosting relations with Great Britain in various democracy and human rights record and local irrigation canals that have been tors,” she said. fields. thus again qualify for the Millennium rehabilitated with MCA funds. They also “Obviously, conduct on the day of Beside, he stressed the importance of intensify- Challenge Account (MCA) program. met with farmers that have received elections is an important thing but so is ing the inter-parliamentary cooperation in both The US government approved $236 training as part of the same scheme. freedom of the press, freedom of assem - bilateral and multilateral formats. million worth of MCA assistance to “We hope that this program has bly, the many other things that go into Abrahamian expressed belief that the visit of the Armenia in 2006 to finance a rural made and will continue to make a real general good governance,” she added. British parliament members will contribute to the development plan submitted by impact on the rural community in Yovanovitch urged the Armenian development of relations between the parliaments Yerevan. In June 2008, Washington terms of increased wealth,” Yovanovitch authorities to hold free elections, of the two countries. scrapped a $67 million segment of the told journalists there. respect civil liberties and embark on He also briefed on the history of the Karabagh aid package, which envisaged the recon - The US diplomat made clear that other “deep and difficult” reforms in a conflict, at the request of the British parliament struction of hundreds of kilometers of Yerevan cannot apply for more MCA aid recent speech at Yerevan State members who are on a visit to Armenia for the first rural roads.

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