NOVEMBER 8, 2014 MirTHErARoMENr IAN -Spe ctator Volume LXXXV, NO. 17, Issue 4360 $ 2.00 NEWS IN BRIEF The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Since 1932 Bishop Vahan Human Rights Journalism Focus of Hovhanessian Elected Primate of French Annual Heritage Park Lecture Diocese PARIS — On November 1, meeting under the chair - manship of V. Rev. Mesrob Barsamian, locum tenens of the Armenian Diocse in France, Bishop By Alin K. Gregorian Vahan Hovhannesian, currently Primate of the Mirror-Spectator Staff Diocese of Great Britain and Ireland, was elected Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of France by the assembly of Diocesan religious and BOSTON — The fifth annual Armenian lay delegates. He succeeds Archbishop Norvan Heritage Park Foundation endowed lecture Zakarian. The result was immediately transmitted on Thursday, October 23, focused on jour - to Catholicos Karekin II for confirmation and bless - nalists around the world who cover human ing. Diocesan authorities will soon announce the rights issues, and who sometimes pay the date of the inauguration of the new Primate. ultimate price for their courage. Hovhannesian was born in Bagdad in Iraq in Three journalists, including veteran jour - 1963. In 1985 he graduated from the Faculty of nalist Ray Suarez, Pulitzer Prize-winner Electrical Engineering of the University of Stephen Kurkjian, formerly of the Boston Baghdad and began studying theology at St. Globe , and Thomas Mucha of Global Post, Nersess Seminary in New York and St. Vladimir’s shared their experiences at the K. George Orthodox Theo in the same city. and Carolann Najarian MD Lecture on Human Rights called “Truth to Action: Media Freedom,” at Faneuil Hall. Memorandum Signed One of the first speakers was Boston From left, Dr. Carolann Najarian, Courtney Radsch, Mayor Martin Walsh, Ray Suarez, Mayor Martin J. Walsh, who spoke not only Thomas Mucha and Stephen Kurkjian Between Gulbenkian about human rights, but also his ties to the Armenian community. He recalled serving Foundation and in the State House with Rachel Kaprielian its Armenian Quarter with Koutoujian, built communities all over the world.” Diaspora Ministry and Peter Koutoujian, both of whom even - chuckling about the very tall Koutoujian He paid tribute not only to the survivors tually left the State House, as he did, one to trying to pass through a doorway that was of the Armenian Genocide, but to the peo - YEREVAN — The Armenian Communities head the Registry of Motor Vehicles first half his height. ple in Boston who a century back, at the Department of the Calouste Gulbenkian and now the Office of Labor and Workforce He praised the Armenian Heritage Park very same location, in Faneuil Hall, raised Foundation and the Armenian Ministry of the Development, and the other who is cur - for presenting new possibilities in terms of the alarm about the Genocide and created Diaspora signed a memorandum of understanding rently the sheriff of Middlesex County. public space. “It is one of the most thought - mechanisms to help survivors. to collectively reinforce the advancement of He also recalled his visit to Jerusalem and fully-designed spaces in our city,” he said. “I am of Irish descent and there are a lot Western Armenian. The agreement was signed at “I am so grateful to the Armenian- of similarities. So many Armenian people the ministry’s offices in Yerevan by Minister American community who use their back - here are so proud of their heritage and Hranush Hakobyan and Razmik Panossian, who ground to shine the line on human rights,” don’t want to let it go,” he said. was representing Martin Essayan, a trustee of the he said. “The Armenian people experienced Courtney Radsch, advocacy director for foundation. a massive loss of life,” he said, but the sur - the Committee to Protect Journalists, This agreement is one element in the wider pro - vivors of the Genocide “persevered and see MEDIA, page 9 grams of the Armenian Communities Department of the Gulbenkian Foundation in the promotion of Armenian language and culture, and is in addition to its other academic and civil society engage - New Chairman Claims Probe Clears Pasadena ments in Armenia. The agreement is for three years. The Gulbenkian Foundation’s contribution Genocide Memorial Committee of Impropriety is 75,000 ruros (approximately $100,000) for the Anthony Portantino. first year. By André Coleman Melekian said that the group has been The agreement stipulates assistance to initiatives assured by its CPA that the PASAGMC’s IRS undertaken by the Educational Center for Mayor Tom Menino at the opening nonprofit status is current and secure and Learning Western Armenian in Armenia, and other of the Armenian Heritage Park in PASADENA, Calif. (Pasadena Weekly) — that there are no financial irregularities similar entities; and support for a scholarship pro - May 2012 Responding to allegations of financial regarding any funds that have been collected. gram for diasporan Armenian students wishing to impropriety made by its former chairman, “The goal is to finish the project,” pursue a course in Armenian Studies within a uni - former Pasadena Mayor Bill Paparian, the Melekian told the Pasadena Weekly on versity in Armenia. Moreover, the Gulbenkian Remembering Pasadena Armenian Genocide Memorial see PASADENA, page 10 Foundation and the ministry will undertake to Committee (PASAGMC) issued a statement coordinate their respective efforts in the publica - Thomas Menino last week indicating an internal investiga - tion and dissemination of learning materials (in tion into Paparian’s claims found no wrong - print or electronically) of the Western Armenian doing involving the group’s finances. Armenians Mull Electing language, as well as periodically updating each By Alin K. Gregorian “After a thorough review by the board, it other of their respective activities. Mirror-Spectator Staff is clear that the allegations made by Mr. Istanbul Patriarch Paparian represent, at best, a gross distor - tion of the facts and, at worst, a concerted ISTANBUL (Daily Sabah) — The lengthy BOSTON — For Boston residents campaign to mislead the community,” the absence of Archbishop Mesrob Mutafyan, and for those attending official statement reads. Paparian served as the the Armenian Patriarch in Turkey, due to INSI DE events in the city, seeing Mayor group’s chairman until resigning late last his illness, has fueled a debate in the coun - Thomas Menino was routine. month. try’s Armenian religious community The mayor, who became Boston’s At that time, Paparian’s main complaints regarding whether the patriarch should be longest serving mayor, died on were leveled against the committee’s trea - replaced with a successor. Harvard Thursday, October 30, in the city he surer, David Gevorkyan, who Paparian said Since Mutafyan, officially known as loved so much, at the age of 71. was not truthful about his work and edu - Mesrob II, began suffering from dementia It was clear that the cancer that cation history. in 2008, Archbishop Aram Atesyan has Dink Talk had been ravaging his body for many “While the board cannot control what been serving as the head of the church in years was strengthening its hold on Page 5 the prior chairman says, his saying them his capacity as Patriarchal Vicar. A group of him, making him increasingly frail. does not make them true. His actions both Armenian dignitaries have urged for an The news a few days prior that he prior to and since his resignation were hurt - election of a new patriarch. Turkish laws had decided to forego any further ful to the project and not in keeping with prevent it since a new patriarch cannot be treatments made it clear that there legal ethics,” reads the group’s statement. elected while his predecessor is alive. INDEX was no hope. Paparian, who could not be reached for Another debate is over whether the new Arts and Living . 11 Much of the city, including the comment on this story, was replaced as patriarch will be “a co-patriarch” or not. Armenia . 2,3 members of the Armenian commu - PASAGMC chairman by Board member A patriarchal election is required to be Community News. 5 nity in Massachusetts, mourned the Bernard Melekian, a former Pasadena held by the synod and the synod has to Editorial . 14 death of this plain-speaking man International . 4 police chief and city manager. apply to the Interior Ministry after approv - see MENINO, page 8 Members of PASAGMC board include ing the election. The government ruled out Melekian and former Assemblyman see PATRIARCH, page 4 2 S ATURDAY , N OVEMBER 8, 2014 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR ARMENIA News From Armenia Hollande Talks about Karabagh Herbie Hancock to Give Concert in Armenia Conflict at Meeting with Erdogan YEREVAN (Armenpress) — Grammy Award winning YEREVAN (Armenpress) — At the the issue’s regulation is based are meeting between Presidents American pianist, keyboardist, bandleader and com- course of an October 31 meeting acceptable for the sides, which can Hollande, Sargisian, and Aliyev, the poser Herbie Hancock will give a concert in with President of Turkey Recep give an opportunity to record Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Armenia in the Alexander Spendiaryan National Tayyip Erdogan, President of progress in this issue. Among other Group Igor Popov of Russia, James Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet on November France François Hollande touched things, Hollande stated that they Warlick of the USA, Pierre Andrieu 20. upon the Nagorno Karabagh (NK) take into consideration Turkey’s of France and the personal repre - The organizer of the concert company One conflict and the meeting of attention to this issue. sentative of the OSCE Chairman-in- Production declared: “It was very difficult to bring Presidents Sargisian and Aliyev, On the initiative of Hollande, Office Anjey Kasperchik. The par - him to Armenia.