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PRESS RELEASE
Armenian National Committee
Eastern United States
P.O. Box 1066
New York, NY 10040
Contact: Doug Geogerain
Tel: 917.428.1918
Fax: 718.651.3637
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.anca.org
ANC Applauds Election Monitors to Observe Nagorno-Karabagh Elections
June 13, 2005
The Armenian National Committee applauds Global Exchange, a San
Francisco based human rights organization, for sending a delegation
of independent human rights observers to Nagorno-Karabagh this
month for its parliamentary elections. Tom Miller, Human Rights
Attorney and General Counsel of Global Exchange, and Chris Michael,
Coordinator of the Global Exchange Democracy Program, will lead the
delegation. They will be joined by Dan Shartin and Leontina Hormel,
both of Worcester State College, and its Center for the Study of Human
Rights. The delegation will arrive in Karabagh the week prior to the
June 19th elections.
"This delegation led by Global Exchange and the Center for the
Study of Human Rights marks an important step in building a highly
functioning civil society in Karabagh," stated Dikran Kaligian,
Chairman of the Armenian National Committee for the Eastern United
States. "Global Exchange comes to Karabagh with broad experience
in election monitoring, while Worcester State College's Center has
extensive contacts in the human rights community. The Karabagh
conflict has raised controversial issues regarding democracy in
the region. All parties will be well served by allowing impartial
observers to be present during elections in Karabagh, as well as in
Armenia and Azerbaijan."
With Azerbaijan under scrutiny for rigged elections and corruption,
fledgling Karabagh feels it can hardly afford to hold unfair
elections, especially when its de jure status still hangs in the
balance internationally. However, sources in the region report
pre-election hirings and firings, bribes and pork-barrel spending,
and various forms of intimidation in the run up to the elections.
Global Exchange (GX) is an international human rights organization
with an established track record of promoting political, social and
environmental justice on a global scale. Since its founding in 1988,
it has worked to increase global awareness among the U.S. public while
building partnerships around much of the world. Its Political and Civil
Rights Campaigns include the monitoring and reporting on human rights
and elections in areas of the world often beleaguered with protracted
conflict. It has supported pro-democracy movements in South Africa,
Cuba, Mexico, Indonesia, the United States and other countries.
Ted Smith is GX's Democracy International Program Director. "We are
excited about this visit to explore the possibility of expanding our
activities in the Caucuses. We look forward to meeting with the NKR
Central Electoral Commission as well as official and ordinary members
of Karabagh's civil society. Through informally observing these
elections, we can see if comprehensive monitoring can be arranged in
the future," said Lewis. The delegation will serve as observers on
June 19 and will remain in Karabagh until the vote tally concludes
the following day.
Based in Massachusetts, the Center for the Study of Human Rights
at Worcester State College examines and explores issues of human
rights and presents these primarily through speaker series, which
have included Noam Chomsky, U.S. Representative James P. McGovern,
Archbishop of South Africa Ndungane, poet activist Dennis Brutus
and many others. The Center received an official citation from the
Massachusetts State Senate for contributing to the advancements of
human rights through community and academic education. The Center's
director, Dr. Henry Theriault, said, "In receiving Professors Shartin
and Hormel, the people of Nagorno-Karabagh will empower their future
by hosting deeply conscientious and highly trained witnesses of
their elections."
###
Armenian National Committee
Eastern United States
P.O. Box 1066
New York, NY 10040
Contact: Doug Geogerain
Tel: 917.428.1918
Fax: 718.651.3637
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.anca.org
ANC Applauds Election Monitors to Observe Nagorno-Karabagh Elections
June 13, 2005
The Armenian National Committee applauds Global Exchange, a San
Francisco based human rights organization, for sending a delegation
of independent human rights observers to Nagorno-Karabagh this
month for its parliamentary elections. Tom Miller, Human Rights
Attorney and General Counsel of Global Exchange, and Chris Michael,
Coordinator of the Global Exchange Democracy Program, will lead the
delegation. They will be joined by Dan Shartin and Leontina Hormel,
both of Worcester State College, and its Center for the Study of Human
Rights. The delegation will arrive in Karabagh the week prior to the
June 19th elections.
"This delegation led by Global Exchange and the Center for the
Study of Human Rights marks an important step in building a highly
functioning civil society in Karabagh," stated Dikran Kaligian,
Chairman of the Armenian National Committee for the Eastern United
States. "Global Exchange comes to Karabagh with broad experience
in election monitoring, while Worcester State College's Center has
extensive contacts in the human rights community. The Karabagh
conflict has raised controversial issues regarding democracy in
the region. All parties will be well served by allowing impartial
observers to be present during elections in Karabagh, as well as in
Armenia and Azerbaijan."
With Azerbaijan under scrutiny for rigged elections and corruption,
fledgling Karabagh feels it can hardly afford to hold unfair
elections, especially when its de jure status still hangs in the
balance internationally. However, sources in the region report
pre-election hirings and firings, bribes and pork-barrel spending,
and various forms of intimidation in the run up to the elections.
Global Exchange (GX) is an international human rights organization
with an established track record of promoting political, social and
environmental justice on a global scale. Since its founding in 1988,
it has worked to increase global awareness among the U.S. public while
building partnerships around much of the world. Its Political and Civil
Rights Campaigns include the monitoring and reporting on human rights
and elections in areas of the world often beleaguered with protracted
conflict. It has supported pro-democracy movements in South Africa,
Cuba, Mexico, Indonesia, the United States and other countries.
Ted Smith is GX's Democracy International Program Director. "We are
excited about this visit to explore the possibility of expanding our
activities in the Caucuses. We look forward to meeting with the NKR
Central Electoral Commission as well as official and ordinary members
of Karabagh's civil society. Through informally observing these
elections, we can see if comprehensive monitoring can be arranged in
the future," said Lewis. The delegation will serve as observers on
June 19 and will remain in Karabagh until the vote tally concludes
the following day.
Based in Massachusetts, the Center for the Study of Human Rights
at Worcester State College examines and explores issues of human
rights and presents these primarily through speaker series, which
have included Noam Chomsky, U.S. Representative James P. McGovern,
Archbishop of South Africa Ndungane, poet activist Dennis Brutus
and many others. The Center received an official citation from the
Massachusetts State Senate for contributing to the advancements of
human rights through community and academic education. The Center's
director, Dr. Henry Theriault, said, "In receiving Professors Shartin
and Hormel, the people of Nagorno-Karabagh will empower their future
by hosting deeply conscientious and highly trained witnesses of
their elections."
###