THE ARMENIAN MIRRORc SPECTATOR Since 1932 Volume LXXXXII, NO. 5, Issue 4697 AUGUST 21, 2021 $2.00 Armenian Soldier New RI Law Creates Killed in Latest Holocaust and Genocide Education Commission Shoot-Outs Along PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A new law sponsored by Rep. Rebecca Kislak and Azerbaijani Border Sen. Gayle L. Goldin will create a per- YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — An Armenian manent commission to promote and con- serviceman was killed in what the coun- tinually improve genocide and Holocaust try’s Defense Ministry describes as an- education in schools. other provocation by Azerbaijani forces The legislation (2021-H 5650A, 2021- at the heavily militarized state border. S 0840A), which passed the General In a report on Monday, August 16, the Assembly July 1 and was ceremonially Ministry said Vahan Tatosyan, a 46-year- signed into law by Gov. Daniel McKee old senior non-commissioned officer, was later in July, formalizes a commission to fatally wounded by a sniper at the Yeraskh implement a 2016 law introduced by Sen- section of the border with Azerbaijan’s ator Goldin and House Majority Whip western exclave of Nakhichevan in the Katherine S. Kazarian to require public morning. schools to teach students about genocide “The Armenian Defense Ministry and the Holocaust. shares the grief over the loss and express- Tatevik Sargsyan, Chief Operating Officer of the Aznavour Foundation, with one “Given the hate and bigotry that is com- es support to the family, relatives and col- of the grant recipients mon in public discourse today, it is espe- leagues of the killed serviceman,” it said, cially important to educate students about claiming that Azerbaijan also suffered the incredible damage that prejudice and losses as a result of “retaliatory actions intolerance have caused throughout his- taken by the Armenian side.” Beyond First Aid: tory. The best way to ensure our future The Azerbaijani side has denied any re- generations never repeat these actions is sponsibility for the death of the Armenian The Aznavour Foundation’s Grant to Wounded Soldiers Program to teach them about the impact the Holo- serviceman. caust and other genocides have had in our Later, on Monday evening, the Arme- By Cristopher Patvakanian world. Learning about our past provides nian Defense Ministry said that another Special to the Mirror-Spectator perspective on current world events. Armenian soldier, 19-year-old private It is also an opportunity for people to Arman Hakobian, was killed by fire YEREVAN — The Aznavour Founda- learn from one another about experienc- opened by Azerbaijani armed forces in tion has always been committed to sup- es of oppression,” said Senator Goldin, the Gegharkunik section of the border. It porting a stronger Armenia, during times of whose grandparents fled eastern Europe said Armenian forces returned fire, kill- both peace and strife. The legendary chan- to Canada during the pogroms. Those of ing at least three Azerbaijani soldiers and son singer Charles Aznavour was a cham- her family members who were unable to pion of efforts to provide humanitarian aid wounding at least one. Veterans at their contract signing cer- escape died in either the pogroms or the dating back to the 1988 earthquake, when Earlier on August 16, the Armenian De- emony for grants from the Aznavour Holocaust. he led a worldwide fundraiser and creat- fense Ministry also reported an attempt by Foundation Said Kislak (D-Dist. 4, Providence), Azerbaijani armed forces to advance at ed the renowned Pour toi Arménie song “So many Rhode Islanders’ families are the Syunik part of the Armenian-Azerbai- to help the victims from Spitak. As such, war, direct aid and short-term support was from communities that have been im- jani border, particularly in the area of Sev it comes as no surprise that the Aznavour a priority for the foundation, as it collected pacted by genocides. Listening to each Lich (Black Lake). Foundation created programming to assist and transported over 175 tons of human- other’s stories and learning about those The Defense Ministry said that the with the humanitarian crisis during and itarian aid to Armenia and Artsakh. Chief diverse histories will help us see the hu- Azerbaijani side suffered at least one following the 2020 Artsakh war. of Operations at the Aznavour Foundation see SOLDIER, page 4 During the most urgent period of the see AID, page 4 Portantino: ‘I Am Proud of My Friendship With the Armenian Community. That’s Part Of Who I Am.’ From left, Sen. Gayle L. Goldin, Rep. By Ani Duzdabanyan-Manoukian GLENDALE — When I moved to Califor- Rebecca Kislak, Pauline Getzoyan, Special to the Mirror-Spectator nia years ago, it was in time for the elections Barbara Wahlberg. Marty Cooper for different political offices. While the Ar- and House Majority Whip Katherine menian community members were doubting whether this or that fellow member will S. Kazarian. Getzoyan represent the community’s interests the best, one non-Armenian name was getting top manity in one another and build stronger marks on the ballot: Anthony Portantino. communities. This bill will establish a In the case of Anthony Portantino, that devotion was anything but usual. I even commission to provide support to our ed- thought that he might have Armenian ancestors (you know, that’s how it ends in most ucators and raise awareness of genocides cases with us). But it turned out that Senator Portantino, whose ancestors are that have affected Rhode Islanders and from Italy, learned about Armenians when he was a child growing have shaped our communities’ histories.” up in New Jersey. His mother was the one who somehow Under the bill, the Holocaust and Geno- see FRIENDSHIP, page 10 cide Education Commission will gather see EDUCATION, page 9 ARMENIA CONNECTICUT VERMONT Abovyan’s Pastor in Dutch-Armenian A Vegetable US to Raise Support Gegard Mousasi Garden? Food for Church, Artsakh Defends Bellator For the Soul Refugees, Armenia Middleweight Title Page 3 Page 7 Page 16 2 Saturday, AUGUST 21, 2021 ARMENIAN MIRROR-Spectator ARMENIA NEWS from ARMENIA Karabakh Will Never Be Armenian Government Seeks To Intensify A Part of Azerbaijan, Says State Minister Coronavirus Vaccination Drive STEPANAKERT (PanAR- YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — In a bid to ministered in the last month. Armenia ended its universal mask man- MENIAN.Net) — Artsakh (Na- stimulate a more active vaccination drive Referring to official statistics, Prime date in June and now requires that citizens gorno-Karabakh) State Minister employers in Armenia may be required to Minister Pashinyan reported a 35-percent wear face masks only in closed public spac- Artak Beglaryan has said that Art- demand Covid-19 vaccination certificates increase in the weekly number of new coro- es. sakh will never be a part of Azer- or negative test results every two weeks navirus cases, noting a growth dynamics. In July, the Armenian government ex- baijan. On August 16, he weighed from their employees beginning on October Pashinyan reportedly said that the analy- tended the coronavirus-related legal quar- in on a recent interview by Azer- 1, the country’s health authorities have said. sis of the statistics shows that the coronavi- antine regime for another six months. This baijani President Ilham Aliyev Health Minister Anahit Avanesyan de- rus situation in Armenia is getting tense and legal regime allows the authorities to in- who said only 25,000 people have scribed the current coronavirus situation that control over the observance of anti-ep- troduce pandemic-related measures as re- returned to Karabakh after the war in Armenia as “quite tense” as she spoke idemic rules should be tightened. quired. in late 2020. “Lies don’t become during Monday government consultations truths by repeating; Artsakh/Kara- on the subject hosted by Prime Minister Ni- bakh now has 120,000 population, kol Pashinyan. not 25,000,” Beglaryan tweeted. Armenia’s Ministry of Health said in the “Artsakh will never be a part of morning that 256 people had tested positive Azerbaijan, forget it.” Beglary- for the coronavirus during the past day and an noted that Karabakh expects a seven patients died from Covid-19. clear reaction from the internation- Overall, nearly 235,000 coronavirus cas- al community to Aliyev’s confes- es have been identified in Armenia since the sion that Azerbaijan was the one to beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, launch the war on September 27, with over 4,700 deaths caused by the dis- 2020. ease. Avanesyan said that at this moment Ar- Lake Sevan Water Use menia has 10 medical establishment treat- ing Covid-19 patients. According to her, of Bill Passes Parliament 929 hospitalized patients, 483 are in heavy YEREVAN (Armenpress) — condition and 100 are in critical condition. The government-backed bill on As quoted by the government’s press allowing authorities to use more office, the minister said that a growth water from Lake Sevan amid a dynamics is being currently observed drought passed parliament at first in the vaccination process. So far, Ava- reading by 64-19-1. The current nesyan said, the number of vaccinations law allows to use up to 170 million against Covid-19 in Armenia has exceeded Health Minister Anahit Avanesyan gets the COVID vaccine in Armenia (Eurasianet. cubic meters from the lake which 220,000, of which about 100,000 were ad- org photo) is an important source for irrigation water. Authorities want to increase the annual maximum volume to 245 million cubic meters for this Armenia Reaffirms Support For India’s Territorial Dispute With Pakistan year. YEEVAN (RFE/RL) — Armenia has because of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. direct involvement in the 2020 war in Na- UK’s Boris Johnson reiterated its support for India over its de- Along with Turkey, Pakistan openly sup- gorno-Karabakh.