NOVEMBER 30, 2019 Mirror-SpeTHE ARMENIAN ctator Volume LXXXX, NO. 20, Issue 4613 $ 2.00 NEWS The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Since 1932 INBRIEF Constantine Orbelian White House Nominated for Grammy LOS ANGELES — It was announced this week Directed Block that a recording featuring Stephen Costello and the Kaunas City Symphony, led by Constantine Orbelian, has been nominated for the 2020 Of Armenian Grammy Award for Best Classical Solo Vocal Album. The album is titled “A Te, O Cara: Stephen Genocide Costello Sings Bel Canto.” A review in Opera News by Maria Mazzaro said Resolution “the tenor sounds better than ever on his latest album, featuring bel canto’s greatest hits.… The Kaunas City Symphony, under the fine baton of WASHINGTON — Many were perplexed Constantine Orbelian, plays with aplomb…” and outraged when, right after clashing The 62nd Annual Grammy Awards ceremony is with Turkish President Recep Tayyip scheduled for January 26, 2020, at Staples Erdogan in a heated Oval Office meeting on Center in Los Angeles. It will recognize the best November 13, Republican Sen. Lindsey recordings, compositions, and artists of the eli- Graham hurried back to the Senate floor gibility year, running from October 1, 2018, to and did something that likely delighted August 31, 2019. Erdogan. Graham blocked a resolution that Diana Alexanian and Hagop Alexanian of the TCA Detroit chapter present William would have formally recognized Turkey’s Terian’s portrait of Vahan Tekeyan genocide of the Armenian people. Armenian Assembly Erdogan pulled out his iPad and showed Commends Menendez, Tekeyan Convention in Watertown Is the Oval Office group a propaganda video depicting the leader of the primarily Kurdish Cruz for Pressing Both Productive and Forward Looking Syrian Democratic Forces as a terrorist. The South Carolina Republican then Genocide Resolution WATERTOWN – The Tekeyan Cultural Association (TCA) of the United States chided him over the clip. “Well, do you want WASHINGTON — On November 21, Senate and Canada held its 35th annual convention at its almost fully renovated Baikar me to go get the Kurds to make one about Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member headquarters on November 23 with a full day of reports, culminating in a dinner what you’ve done?” he said. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) requested unanimous program with various awards and performances. Delegates from various Tekeyan What happened next, which has not been consent to pass S.Res.150, and was joined by the centers and TCA Central Board members were hosted by the newly reformed TCA previously reported: As Graham was leaving lead Republican on the bill, Senator Ted Cruz (R- Boston chapter. the Oval Office, senior White House staff TX), reported the Armenian Assembly of America Prior to the formal meeting, delegates met for dinner November 22. The next asked him to return to the Senate and block (Assembly). Introduced in April, the bill enjoys morning they went to pay their respects at the the Armenian genocide resolution — a mea- the bipartisan support of 28 Senators. grave of Dr. Nubar Berberian in Mt. Feake sure that would have infuriated Erdogan. “We commend Senators Menendez and Cruz Cemetery of Waltham, with a ceremony officiated Graham confirmed this in a phone inter- for their bipartisan efforts to bring S. Res. 150 by Fr. Arakel Aljalian of St. James Armenian view on Saturday. to the Senate floor. Senator Menendez, in recall- Church of Watertown. Dr. Berberian, aside from “After the meeting, we kind of huddled ing the U.S. diplomatic efforts to help the his decades of service to the Armenian Democratic up and talked about what happened,” he Armenian people at the time, also highlighted Liberal Party, was a founding member of TCA in said. A White House legislative affairs offi- the overwhelming approval of a similar measure North America and served as the secretary of the cial told Graham that Bob Menendez (D- last month in the House of Representatives by a Central Board until the last days of his life. N.J.) was going to bring up his Armenian vote of 405 to 11. Senator Cruz stated that the The group then went to the Baikar Building, genocide resolution and asked if Graham Armenian Genocide is a fact and, with respect to where they were welcomed by TCA Boston chair could “please object.” Turkey, noted that friends and allies can speak Dr. Aida Yavshayan. Central Board president “I said sure,” Graham said. “The only Dr. Aida Yavshayan, chair the truth,” stated Assembly Executive Director Edmond Y. Azadian declared to the delegates that of the TCA Greater Boston reason I did it is because he [Erdogan] Bryan Ardouny. there was a resurgence in Tekeyan activities in Chapter, welcomes guests. was still in town. ... That would’ve been Regrettably, the request for unanimous con- see CONVENTION, page 9 poor timing. I’m trying to salvage the relationship if possible.” sent was objected to by Sen. David Perdue (R- see RESOLUTION, page 20 GA). After this latest development, Sen. Menendez vowed not to relent, and to continue fighting until the Senate adopts the Armenian Genocide resolution. “The objection by one Senator claiming that Murder of Priest Raises Fears for Syria’s Christians now is not the time to consider S. Res. 150 rings hollow. It is always the right time to shine a light LONDON (Catholic Herald/Zenit) — father Hanna Petoyan on crimes against humanity and speak the Violence this month in Syria has raised the took place on the morning truth,” Ardouny continued. “We urge the Senate specter of renewed Islamist persecution of November 12 in to act and join the House of Representatives’ against Christians, especially in the north- Qamishli, reported Fides overwhelming and historic bipartisan vote stand- east of the country. Armenian Catholic Fr. News Agency. ing up against genocide denial.” Hovsep Bedoyan and his father Abraham “For us they are mar- were shot dead in an ambush in the tyrs. And what happened province of Deir Ezzor. A deacon, Fati to them is a confirmation Sano, was also injured. that the war is not over INSIDE The group were travelling to the province here, as we had hoped,” to view progress on the restoration of the Boutros Marayati, Armenian local Armenian Catholic church. Catholic Archbishop of Amid reports that ISIS had claimed Aleppo, told Fides. Arpa Film responsibility for the attacks, Armenian The funerals of the Catholic Archbishop Boutros Marayati of priest and his father were Aleppo told the Catholic charity Aid to the celebrated in the Fr. Hovsep Bedoyan and his young charges Festival Church in Need: “Fr. Hovsep was dressed in Armenian Catholic Church his priestly attire … Consequently [he was] of St. Joseph, in the pres- Page 13 recognizable as a priest, in addition to the ence of priests, religious, and faithful of all Marayati, “many Christian refugees also fact that his car was clearly marked, in large the Christian communities present in the fled from Deir ez-Zor, when that city was letters, with the words ‘Armenian Catholic area. Father Antranig Ayvazian, Episcopal devastated by war. He also carried out his Church.’” Vicar of the Armenian Catholic community pastoral work among them, and for a long The incident coincided with an explosion of Upper Mesopotamia and northern Syria time, he also followed the projects imple- INDEX near the Chaldean Catholic church and a presided over the funeral liturgy. mented with the help of international Arts and Living . 13 market in nearby Qamishli, Fr. Bedoyan’s Father Hovsep, 46, was married and a groups to rebuild the church and the hous- Armenia . 2,3 home city. Local clergy reported that seven father of three children, ordained a priest 5 es of the Christians in Deir ez Zor, Community News. 6 Editorial . 17 people were killed and at least 70 others years ago, was the priest of the Armenian destroyed by the war. For this reason, he International . 4,5 injured in an attack involving three bombs Catholic community of Qamishli, in the went to Deir ez Zor every two weeks to in two cars and on a motorbike. northeastern Syrian province of Hassake. check the progress of the work. He had The funeral of Father Petoyan and his “In the city of Qamishli,” says Archbishop see FEARS, page 20 2 S ATURDAY, N OVEMBER 3 0 , 2 0 1 9 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR ARMENIA News From Armenia Raspberry Pashinyan Says Helping Fields Syria Is Moral Obligation for Armenia Forever… YEREVAN (Armenpress) — Armenia is worried DEBET, Armenia — Is there anything about the Turkish invasion of Syria, Prime Minister common between a school principal, a Nikol Pashinyan told the Corriere della Sera news- garment factory mechanic and a chem- paper in Italy in an interview on November 25. He istry teacher? Yes, all of them live in added that the international community should take Yeghegnut community in Lori region measures to force Turkey to withdraw its forces from and are involved in an effective back- Syrian territories. yard farming project conducted by the Speaking about the refugees resulted by the Syrian Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) in war, Pashinyan noted that during this period partnership with the United Nations Some of the berries from the rural communities COAF serves Armenia gave shelter to 20,000 Syrian refugees. Development Programme (UNDP) GEF “Taking into account the population-refugees Small Grants Program. ratio, we rank third in terms of receiving the The Sustainable Income through households with more raspberry bush- factory was shut down and I had to go refugees. We have a population of 3 million. Giving a Effective Household Management pro- es in order to support sustainable back to agriculture and cattle-growing.