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TOP STORIES
03/21/2005
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1) Karabagh Status Most Important, Lennmarker Says
2) Armenia Asks OSCE to Send Fact-Finding Mission to Formerly
Armenian-Populated Regions
3) Armenia Names New Ambassador to US
4) German Politicians Increase Pressure on Turkey over EU Reforms
5) Rumsfeld Puts Heat on Turkey
6) Azerbaijan's Leader Pardons 114 Prisoners
7) Desert Nights: An Interview with Ara Manoogian
8) Alpha Epsilon Omega Wristband Campaign Seeks to Raise Genocide Awareness
9) Disabled Armenian Athlete Completes LA Marathon
10) Antonovich Appoints John Krikorian to Small Business Commission
1) Karabagh Status Most Important, Lennmarker Says
YEREVAN (Yerkir)--The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OCSE) rapporteur on Karabagh Goran Lennmarker, reaffirmed that the region's
status is of utmost importance, National Assembly Vice Speaker Vahan
Hovhannissian told a news conference on Monday.
According to Hovhannisian, Lennmarker also said that Azeri arguments
regarding
the refugees and territories are secondary.
Leading a two-member delegation to Brussels last week to discuss with Azeri
counterparts Lenmarker~Rs report, Hovhannissian said the draft report was not
discussed because of several questionable points. He described the preliminary
report as ~Sbalanced,~T speculating that it might have been the cause of Azeri
parliament members~R anger. Its final version, he said, would be presented
to an
OSCE annual meeting in Washington in July.
The Brussels meetings were held to discuss the Karabagh conflict, as well as
specify both nations~R approaches towards conflict resolution in the context of
eventual European integration as part of EU~Rs Wider Europe new initiative. He
said discussions were held with senior officials of the European Commission,
European Parliament, and EU Committee of Ministers.
~SIn general, the Armenian delegation managed to present its views and
persuade
Lenmarker to address that the major problem towards finding a solution is
Nagorno Karabagh~Rs status and that all problems presented by Azeris are its
derivatives~Ewithout the resolved issue of the status all other issues
cannot be
resolved,~T he said.
He also indicated that during the discussion of the issue, the Azeris
unsuccessfully attempted to include "Atkinson~Rs provisions" in the report, as
well as tried to set the next meeting in London, in hopes of gaining backing
from the British. This proposal was also denied, Hovhannisian said.
2) Armenia Asks OSCE to Send Fact-Finding Mission to Formerly
Armenian-Populated Regions
YEREVAN (Armenpress)--During a televised appearance over the weekend, Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian said that Armenia has officially asked the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to send a
fact-finding mission to Mountainous Karabagh~Rs northern Martakert, Shahumian,
and eastern Martuni regions--once densely populated by Armenians who had fled
their homes to escape Azeri massacres.
Oskanian told Armenian Public TV that the OSCE fact-finding mission's report
indicates that the issue of refugees has two sides. ~SAzeris say only they have
refugees; however, the majority of those living now in several
Armenian-controlled regions around Karabagh are Armenian refugees from
northern
Martakert and Shahumian who say they are ready to return to their homes.~T
"After the OSCE fact-finding mission's report, there are no obstacles and the
talks should resume," Oskanian said.
3) Armenia Names New Ambassador to US
YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--President Robert Kocharian has appointed Tatul Markarian, a
deputy foreign minister who has represented him in peace talks with
Azerbaijan,
as Armenia~Rs new ambassador to the United States.
Markarian, 40, will replace Arman Kirakossian who has headed the Armenian
diplomatic mission in Washington since October 1999.
A graduate of Washington~Rs Johns Hopkins University, Markarian began his
diplomatic career at the Armenian embassy in the U.S. where he held various
positions from 1994-98. He had previously worked as a top aide to Gagik
Harutiunian, Armenia~Rs former vice-president and prime minister who now heads
the Constitutional Court.
Markarian became deputy foreign minister in 2000 and his influence grew two
years later when he was named Kocharian~Rs personal representative in
internationally sponsored negotiations on Mountainous Karabagh. He met
regularly with his Azeri counterpart Araz Azimov, between 2002 and 2003.
4) German Politicians Increase Pressure on Turkey over EU Reforms
BERLIN (Reuters)--Turkey needs to reinvigorate its reform drive if it wants to
start European Union entry talks as planned on October 3, two leading German
politicians say.
"At the moment, I do not see any movement. If that remains the case, there
will be no start to entry negotiations," Martin Schulz, the Socialist
leader of
the European Parliament, told Berliner Zeitung newspaper on Sunday.
"We must say clearly: If Turkey wants negotiations, further things need to
happen," he told Sunday's edition of Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung
newspaper.
Guenter Gloser, the European spokesman of Germany's ruling Social Democrats,
told the same newspaper he feared Turkey was in a "weak phase of fatigue"
after
a string of reforms encouraged EU leaders in December to offer Ankara a date
for talks.
The EU might have to delay the start of talks if Turkey did not act, he said.
The German lawmakers' comments partly echo those of EU envoy Hansjorg
Kretschmer, who said earlier this month Turkey was showing "slippage" in its
reform drive.
Television footage showing police beating and kicking mainly women
demonstrators at a rally on March 6 shocked many in Europe and drew sharp
criticism from EU officials. Turkey has pledged a full probe and six police
officers have so far been suspended.
The Istanbul incident revived concerns that Turkey is not fully
implementing a
range of EU-inspired human rights reforms.
5) Rumsfeld Puts Heat on Turkey
By Geoff Elliott
The weekend's second anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq proved to be
another bloody one but US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has sheeted
home at
least some of the blame for the troubles to Turkey.
Rumsfeld yesterday hailed Iraq's liberation and January elections but said
the
insurgents' success was a result of the Government in Ankara blocking US
troops
from entering Iraq from Turkey, to the north.
"Given the level of the insurgency today, two years later, clearly if we had
been able to get the 4th Infantry Division in from the north, in through
Turkey, more of the Iraqi, Saddam Hussein, Baathist regime would have been
captured or killed," Rumsfeld told Fox News. "The insurgency today would be
less."
Coalition troops were forced to use southern Iraq corridors, which the US
military says allowed insurgents to evade capture in the north.
The US-Turkey standoff occurred partly in the context of Ankara's concerns
that any move to autonomy for Iraq's northern Kurdish population would enliven
its own ethnic Kurds in their drive to independence.
Rumsfeld said that by the time Baghdad was taken, Saddam's military and
intelligence personnel had escaped to the northern cities and were, "in a
number of instances, still active."
But he was confident the Iraqi security forces were taking more
responsibility
for the insurgency and that it would gradually diminish.
At least 45 people were killed in weekend violence in Iraq, including a US
soldier. In one of at least six deadly incidents, in the northern city of
Mosul
a suicide bomber blew himself up in a provincial anti-corruption department.
The department's chief, General Walid Kachmoula, died, as did two guards.
With more than 1500 US soldiers killed and about 11,000 wounded, many
Americans are asking how much longer the occupation--involving about
152,000 US
troops--will continue. Asked on the ABC network whether the US commitment
could
be reduced soon, Rumsfeld indicated that was possible. "We're planning to
bring
the 152,000 down to about 135,000 or 137,000 or 140,000 over the coming weeks,
now that the election is behind us."
Washington expects Iraq's security forces to reach 200,000 members by the
northern summer.
6) Azerbaijan's Leader Pardons 114 Prisoners
BAKU (AP)--Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev pardoned more than 100
prisoners
on Sunday, including dozens of opposition politicians whose release had been
demanded by Europe's top human rights body.
Fifty-three of the 114 people pardoned were on a list of political prisoners
that the Council of Europe demanded be released, Aliyev's office said in a
statement.
Aliyev's decree came just four days after the Parliamentary Assembly of the
Council of Europe warned Azerbaijan that it must free its political prisoners
or face punitive measures, including a review in the former Soviet republic's
membership on the 46-nation council.
Council officials were pressing for the prisoners to be released by April to
ensure parliamentary elections scheduled for November are free and fair.
Among those pardoned Sunday were seven top opposition leaders convicted for
taking part in protests following a 2003 presidential vote and sentenced to
prison terms of up to five years.
Aliyev was declared the winner of the 2003 poll to succeed his father Heydar.
Western observers said the election was marred by fraud, and several thousand
protesters marched through Baku, smashing cars and shop windows after the
vote.
Like his father, the longtime ruler in this oil-rich Caspian state, Aliyev is
accused of stifling political dissent and media independence, and opposition
members mounted large protests earlier this month after the killing of a
prominent journalist whose death they blamed on the authorities.
7) Desert Nights: An Interview with Ara Manoogian
Ara Manoogian is an American-Armenian living and working in the self-declared
Republic of Nagorno Karabagh. He is the grandson of Shahan Natalie, a famous
Armenian writer and activist, and works for the foundation established in his
grandfather~Rs name.
Through the Shahan Natalie Foundation, Inc. he has conducted a number of
high-profile investigations into corruption and human rights related issues in
both Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh.
His most recent was conducted in collaboration with Edik Baghdasarian,
Editor-in-Chief of Hetq Online, who investigated the trafficking of women and
children from Armenia to the United Arab Emirates.
ONNIK KRIKORIAN: You~Rve recently returned from your third and final trip to
Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where you were involved in an
investigation into the problem of trafficking from Armenia. When did this
investigation start?
ARA MANOOGIAN: Edik Baghdasarian and I started this investigation at the
beginning of 2004 although we had discussed this problem on many occasions
prior to that. From reading many reports from international organizations in
Armenia, we knew that there was a problem and so, at the beginning of 2004, we
decided to examine the situation on the ground to determine whether those
reports were accurate.
On our first trip to Dubai in February or March 2004, we very quickly
discovered where the Armenian girls were although we spoke with only one girl
at first. When we noticed the sad look on her face, we considered that she was
a possible victim. She reminded me very much of girls from Nagorno Karabagh
and
as it turned out, she was a refugee from Azerbaijan.
She was twenty or twenty-one years old and was divorced from her childhood
sweetheart who left for Russia because of the harsh economic condition in the
country leaving her alone to bring up her daughter. Because she had been
unable
to find employment that would pay her a decent living wage, and as she was a
very beautiful girl, she said there were only a few options available to her.
She could either work in a store in Armenia for 30,000 drams (about $60) a
month and be expected to sleep with her boss or she could go "elsewhere" to
work. In a sense then, she was in Dubai voluntarily and we discovered that she
partially knew what she was getting herself into. However, she did admit that
she wasn~Rt expecting Dubai and other Arab countries to be so rough and
dangerous, especially for girls.
OK: Do you consider that she was a victim in the sense that as a single
mother
unable to support her family in Armenia she had no choice but to find this
type
of work abroad?
AM: Yes, that~Rs what she felt. Incidentally, on our third trip we tried to
find her again but her phone had been disconnected.
OK: Were most of the girls at least partially deceived into working abroad as
prostitutes?
AM: I would say that a large number of girls from Armenia are tricked into
coming by being offered an opportunity to find employment outside Armenia.
Speaking to these girls, most seemed very naive and uneducated. Many came from
broken homes.
However, we also visited a hotel in Dubai called the St. George that
accommodated a couple of hundred Armenian girls, most of whom appeared to have
come to Dubai voluntarily. Even there, however, we found a few girls that had
been tricked into coming by friends already working in Dubai.
Because we knew that we had to get inside this ring to collect
information, we
also managed to discover which girls were truly the victims of trafficking and
which were not. As a result, those that had been tricked wanted to expose
those
responsible for their situation.
OK: That sounds a little risky. I would imagine that those responsible for
trafficking are not people you want to mess with. All you needed was one girl
to tell her trafficker what you were doing...
AM: We think that there was one girl like that and on my last week I was
followed everywhere so yes, that risk did exist. However, the girls we trusted
were quite reliable for the most part and nothing serious happened.
OK: How old were the girls?
AM: We heard that there were fourteen year olds in Dubai but the youngest I
personally saw was sixteen. The oldest was about twenty-seven or twenty-eight
years old.
OK: How did these girls manage to enter a country such as the United Arab
Emirates which has very strict rules of entry, especially for young women and
girls traveling alone?
AM: From what we were told and from what we saw in the form of documents, the
girls were first taken to Russia where false passports are prepared. Usually,
the first names of the girls are kept the same, and sometimes even their
surnames, but their date of birth is changed to make them over thirty.
However,
because they still appear to be, and actually are, younger it appears that the
authorities in the UAE are therefore involved. These girls are not even
questioned about their passports when they enter the country.
OK: What you~Rre saying is that nobody bothers to question these young girls
traveling on passports indicating that they are, in some cases, twice as
old as
they actually are when entering the UAE?
AM: Actually, the passports they~Rre traveling on are the old red [Soviet]
passports which, I think, are not recognized anywhere else in the world apart
from in the UAE.
OK: Presumably, the same is true when the girls leave Russia?
AM: From what these girls told us, they actually have two passports. They
leave Russia on their Armenian passport but then, when they board their
flight,
they hide it in one of their shoes and enter the UAE on their Russian
passport.
OK: When they arrive in Dubai, do they still retain their passports?
AM: No. The trafficker takes all of their documents when they arrive and
gives
them a Xerox of their fake passport and visa which is sufficient for them to
travel around and stay in hotels.
OK: What happens then? After working for the traffickers, can they eventually
buy back their passports?
AM: Yes, they can buy back their freedom. The way this works is that the
trafficker decides their "debt" which varies between $6-12,000. I~Rm not sure
how the debt is determined but anyway, the girls work and give all their
income
to the trafficker who sends a minimum of $100 a month to their families in
Armenia who presumably think that they are working in Russia, Greece, Spain or
some other country. After the "debt" is "settled," their documents are then
returned and the girls are given the option to continue to work in the UAE
under the protection of the trafficker who takes a percentage of the money
they
earn.
OK: How many Armenian girls are working as prostitutes in the UAE?
AM: We can~Rt put a concrete figure on this but initial figures from various
organizations estimate that there are approximately five hundred. However, I
personally saw over two hundred girls in only four or five locations but
others
are known to be working in other places. Edik went to other locations that I
didn~Rt, for example, and reported that there were also a large number of girls
from Armenia there. Therefore, based on what we saw and from speaking to the
girls themselves, I~Rd say that there are as many as two thousand Armenian
girls
working in the UAE. I would say that this is a realistic and believable
figure.
OK: Is there enough evidence to take legal action against anyone involved in
the trafficking of women and children from Armenia to the UAE?
AM: Yes, and we will be pursuing the matter once our film is ready. We would
expect some arrests to be made later and maybe even prior to the completion of
the film. Many of the articles we have already published are accompanied by
pictures of people involved in trafficking and one woman wanted by Interpol is
currently in jail in Armenia. However, she is only serving a light sentence.
OK: I remember this case from one of your articles. You suggest that this
particular woman returned to Armenia knowing full well she would be imprisoned
for a short period of time in order to clear her name off Interpol~Rs list.
AM: Yes, and if the law worked, she would be facing additional charges.
OK: Is this the problem, then? Is the law not functioning correctly or are
sentences for trafficking simply too light?
AM: The law contains provisions to hand down heavy sentences to traffickers
but the legal system is not functioning correctly. I was present at the trial
of five traffickers in Armenia last August and as far as I am concerned, Judge
Ohanian and the prosecutor failed to do their jobs properly. These individuals
should have received sentences of at least ten years but when Gulnara
Shahinian, an expert on trafficking, presented the judge with details of
Armenia~Rs international obligations to prosecute those guilty of trafficking,
he instead insisted on prosecuting them with old Soviet laws that carried
lighter sentences of only two years.
OK: Why do you think that was?
AM: The evidence we collected on three trips suggests that there are
officials
in Armenia and the UAE that are directly involved in trafficking. There is not
a single doubt in my mind that they are directly involved.
OK: If that~Rs the case, and after talking about possible risks in Dubai,
isn~Rt
it potentially dangerous to expose those responsible for trafficking in
Armenia?
AM: We~Rre in the homeland.
OK: That gives you protection?
AM: Yes. In fact, it gives me a great deal of protection because my family
has
conducted this kind of work for many, many years and my grandfather as well as
the foundation established in his name is very well respected by the Minister
of Defense and the military. As a result, I~Rm not concerned at all and anyway,
I~Rm a true believer in fate. When someone~Rs time comes, that~Rs their time. I~Rm
not a person who lives in fear and it is for that reason that I do what I do.
It has to be done.
OK: Now that Hetq Online has examined the problem of trafficking from Armenia
to the UAE, what do you think the Armenian Government~Rs response should be?
AM: The Armenian Government~Rs response should be to denounce this as not
being
culturally cohesive and as being wrong. However, the Government has known
about
this problem for a number of years and I~Rm still unable to comprehend why it
has not yet issued any additional statement on the matter.
Regardless, the Armenian Government, as well as the Church and the Diaspora,
needs to take a strong position on this problem. What we have discovered, and
what we have published up until now, is irrefutable. The evidence is there and
it~Rs unreasonable for people to go into denial.
OK: However, do you think that it~Rs considered culturally taboo to talk about
such issues?
AM: Absolutely, and what I~Rve noticed from my own internet blog where quite a
few of the articles have been republished is that few readers want to publicly
comment on the findings of our investigation. Of course, I~Rve received some
private emails which have been very positive and there have also been some
financial commitments from readers for future investigative work but only on
the provision that these donations are made anonymously. Otherwise, it would
appear that many Armenians in the Diaspora, and even here in Armenia, are in
shock.
OK: It~Rs also interesting to point out that one of those responsible for
funding this investigation is a prominent Diasporan who also prefers to remain
anonymous. It~Rs good that they supported this project, of course, but very
interesting to note that they don~Rt want their name to be known. Ironically,
however, you would have thought that it is precisely these people that should
be acknowledged and appreciated.
AM: There were also some donations from a number of other individuals that
wanted to remain anonymous. However, a number of others who said that they
understood the importance of this work declined. Presumably this was because
they were afraid of the possible fallout.
OK: There~Rs also a sizeable Armenian Community in the UAE. Were they willing
and able to assist in your investigation, albeit anonymously?
AM: No. You have to understand that unless you are born in the UAE, almost
everyone is on a residency visa and because the Government is directly
involved
with trafficking, the Armenians living and working there chose not to be
involved in any shape, form or fashion even though I~Rm sure that many would
have liked to have been. Because we understood that situation we pretty much
left the Armenian community alone.
OK: What about the Diaspora in the United States and Europe. They don~Rt face
any risk so what do you think they should do?
AM: I~Rve received emails from Armenians in the Diaspora who say that they
found this investigation very "interesting." Unfortunately, the problem of
trafficking is not "interesting." It~Rs very sad and shouldn~Rt be looked
upon as
just another human interest story. It is instead an issue that affects all of
us regardless of whether these girls went to the UAE voluntarily or not. The
reason why this phenomenon exists today is economic and therefore, it is
resolvable. However, it will take commitment but until then, Armenia is in a
situation that I would describe as being out of control.
OK: Do you think that the Diaspora should speak out about such issues?
AM: Absolutely. The Diaspora, or at least those who have a sense of
belonging,
has a responsibility to do so. Unfortunately, the Armenian Government does not
understand the concept of civil service or the fact that they are civil
servants. This has to change and Armenians in the Diaspora can assert a
certain
amount of pressure on the Government to do so. However, so far they~Rre not.
Instead, there~Rs a certain mentality that~Rs probably very damaging for this
nation. It~Rs the idea of something being "amot (shameful)." I~Rve heard this
over and over again and the notion that it~Rs shameful to talk about problems
such as trafficking. It~Rs much easier to ignore the problem but, in my
opinion,
there~Rs nothing shameful in talking about such problems if the situation
can be
changed as a result. The Armenian Diaspora can play a role in that and perhaps
I~Rm evidence of that.
OK: However, you~Rre just one person out of six million.
AM: Yes, I~Rm one of six million but my voice has been heard time and time
again and I~Rve achieved results. If properly coordinated, I believe that other
individuals and organizations can also have a positive impact in determining
the future of our nation. In my opinion, it~Rs time for the Diaspora to wake
up.
When people remain silent, they can only contribute to perpetuating such
problems.
OK: Of course, some people, especially in the Diaspora, might instead
criticize you for concentrating only on the negative aspects of life in
Armenia. How would you respond to those that accuse you of dirtying the
country~Rs image abroad?
AM: I would say that unless we address the problems that threaten the future
of this nation, there can be no moving forward. However, I~Rd also add that I
think of myself as an optimist and believe that Armenia has a promising future
if these problems are resolved.
---
Edik Baghdasarian and Ara Manoogian~Rs investigation into the trafficking of
women and children from Armenia can be read online at
<http://www.hetq.am/>http://www.hetq.am. Ara Manoogian~Rs blog from Armenia and
Nagorno Karabagh, Martuni or Bust, can be read online at
<http://www.aramanoogian.blogspot.com/>http://www.aramanoogian.blogspot.com.
8) Alpha Epsilon Omega Wristband Campaign Seeks to Raise Genocide Awareness
LOS ANGELES--Alpha Epsilon Omega, The Armenian Fraternity, has launched the
`Never Again' awareness wristband campaign to bring greater awareness to the
Armenian Genocide and the struggle for recognition. They will serve as a
symbol
that recognition of the Armenian genocide is a crucial part in preventing
future genocides. The wristbands are a reflection of the spirit of the
Armenian
culture which has endured the constant pose of denial from the government of
Turkey. The wristbands represent the constant reminder to ourselves that
history, if not accounted for, is in danger of repeating itself.
The awareness wristbands are in black and have ~QNEVER AGAIN~R embossed on one
side. Available for purchase from the website, the wristbands are for youth
and
adults of all ages. All proceeds, including donations generated by the NEVER
AGAIN campaign, will go to the Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial, the
Zoryan Institute, and other organizations actively involved in pursuing
recognition of the Armenian genocide.
Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial being part of ANI (Armenian National
Institute) is in the forefront of research in the area of the Armenian
genocide
and the prevention of future genocides. The Zoryan institute funding the
International Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies is also making
opportunities for scholars to research and publish in the field of genocide
and
human rights studies. For more information regarding these organizations,
please visit the following websites: <http://www.agmm.org/>www.agmm.org and
<http://www.zoryan.org/>www.zoryan.org.
If you would like to become a sponsor, or would like to know how you or your
organization can contribute to this campaign, please visit
<http://www.never-again.com/>www.never-again.com or send an email to
[email protected].
9) Disabled Armenian Athlete Completes LA Marathon
GLENDALE--Pyunic athlete Greta Khandzrtyan, an above the knee double amputee
from Armenia, completed the 26-mile wheelchair division of the Los Angeles
Marathon on Sunday, March 6, in 3 hours and 19 minutes.
~SI am thrilled to have finished my second Los Angeles Marathon and proud
to be
able to show that a person can accomplish any goal regardless of their
physical
disabilities,~T said Khandzrtyan, 18.
Khandzrtyan's determination was put to the test after passing the 5-mile
marker. She fell out of her racing wheelchair when her waist strap came apart.
After recovering from the fall, she was assisted back into her wheelchair by
spectators. However, Khandzrtyan was not able to race at full speed as part of
her chair's wheel frame had bent.
At the 22nd mile mark, Lorig Sivazlian, a Pyunic-LA member, briefly joined
the
race. Seeing Khandzrtyan approach, Sivazlian moved from the sidewalk and ran
alongside the racer shouting words of encouragement. ~SI received an extra
burst
of energy by seeing Lorig and the three other Pyunic supporters,~T added
Khandzrtyan.
Founded in 1989 to help the disabled children of the 1988 earthquake in
Armenia, Pyunic is the leading non-governmental organization shaping public
awareness for the disabled. Pyunic provides humanitarian aid, social services,
career training and summer/winter teaching camps. Pyunic athletes have
competed
in numerous worldwide athletic competitions, including the Los Angeles
Marathon
and both summer and winter Paralympics since 1994.
For more information about Pyunic, please contact Sarkis Ghazarian at (818)
785-3468 or visit <http://www.pyunic.com/>www.pyunic.com.
10) Antonovich Appoints John Krikorian to Small Business Commission
LOS ANGELES--Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich recently
appointed John Krikorian to the Los Angeles County Small Business
Commission--which serves to provide ongoing advice and support to the Board of
Supervisors to help small business grow in Los Angeles County.
A resident of Glendale, Krikorian is a publisher/consultant for Cal-Conn
Enterprises, Inc., publisher of Business Life and Senior Living Magazines,
along with Krikorian Marketing Group. He is also a member of the Glendale
Adventist Medical Center Civic Advisory Board, Pasadena~Rs Mayor Disability
Committee, Woodbury University President~Rs Executive Council, County of Los
Angeles Human Relations Corporate Advisory Council, and County of Los Angeles
Area Agency for Aging.
Krikorian and his son Greg Krikorian (serving as President on the Glendale
Unified School Board) founded in 1989 Business Life Magazine--a four-color
business lifestyle magazine that serves readers and advertisers in Los Angeles
County. Readers include business owners--small and large--movers and
shakers in
cities served, professionals and various members of multicultural chamber and
business associations, Hispanic, Armenian, Asian, Filipino, Black, etc. Senior
Living Magazine serves the over 55 market in Los Angeles County and delivers
quality journalism in a four-color format.
Business Life Magazine has received many awards over the past years,
including
the State of California ~SMedia Advocate~T award from the US Small Business
Administration, as well as Soroptimist International~Rs prestigious ~SImproving
the Status of Women~T award.
In the mid-90~Rs, with the emerging ethnic market, they saw the need to
develop
a multicultural agency. Krikorian Marketing Group (KMG) was born to serve the
needs of the multicultural market located in Los Angeles County and in
California. The concentration was on emerging multicultural populations that
included a large and growing number of Armenians and extended to connect with
the Russian, Arabic, and Iranian communities.
For additional information call (818) 240-7088, Fax (818) 240-7380, or visit
<http://www.businesslife.com/>www.businesslife.com.
All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier
and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and
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(c) 2005 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved.
ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for
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mass media outlets.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
TOP STORIES
03/21/2005
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <http://www.asbarez.com/>HTTP://WWW.ASBAREZ.COM
1) Karabagh Status Most Important, Lennmarker Says
2) Armenia Asks OSCE to Send Fact-Finding Mission to Formerly
Armenian-Populated Regions
3) Armenia Names New Ambassador to US
4) German Politicians Increase Pressure on Turkey over EU Reforms
5) Rumsfeld Puts Heat on Turkey
6) Azerbaijan's Leader Pardons 114 Prisoners
7) Desert Nights: An Interview with Ara Manoogian
8) Alpha Epsilon Omega Wristband Campaign Seeks to Raise Genocide Awareness
9) Disabled Armenian Athlete Completes LA Marathon
10) Antonovich Appoints John Krikorian to Small Business Commission
1) Karabagh Status Most Important, Lennmarker Says
YEREVAN (Yerkir)--The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OCSE) rapporteur on Karabagh Goran Lennmarker, reaffirmed that the region's
status is of utmost importance, National Assembly Vice Speaker Vahan
Hovhannissian told a news conference on Monday.
According to Hovhannisian, Lennmarker also said that Azeri arguments
regarding
the refugees and territories are secondary.
Leading a two-member delegation to Brussels last week to discuss with Azeri
counterparts Lenmarker~Rs report, Hovhannissian said the draft report was not
discussed because of several questionable points. He described the preliminary
report as ~Sbalanced,~T speculating that it might have been the cause of Azeri
parliament members~R anger. Its final version, he said, would be presented
to an
OSCE annual meeting in Washington in July.
The Brussels meetings were held to discuss the Karabagh conflict, as well as
specify both nations~R approaches towards conflict resolution in the context of
eventual European integration as part of EU~Rs Wider Europe new initiative. He
said discussions were held with senior officials of the European Commission,
European Parliament, and EU Committee of Ministers.
~SIn general, the Armenian delegation managed to present its views and
persuade
Lenmarker to address that the major problem towards finding a solution is
Nagorno Karabagh~Rs status and that all problems presented by Azeris are its
derivatives~Ewithout the resolved issue of the status all other issues
cannot be
resolved,~T he said.
He also indicated that during the discussion of the issue, the Azeris
unsuccessfully attempted to include "Atkinson~Rs provisions" in the report, as
well as tried to set the next meeting in London, in hopes of gaining backing
from the British. This proposal was also denied, Hovhannisian said.
2) Armenia Asks OSCE to Send Fact-Finding Mission to Formerly
Armenian-Populated Regions
YEREVAN (Armenpress)--During a televised appearance over the weekend, Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian said that Armenia has officially asked the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to send a
fact-finding mission to Mountainous Karabagh~Rs northern Martakert, Shahumian,
and eastern Martuni regions--once densely populated by Armenians who had fled
their homes to escape Azeri massacres.
Oskanian told Armenian Public TV that the OSCE fact-finding mission's report
indicates that the issue of refugees has two sides. ~SAzeris say only they have
refugees; however, the majority of those living now in several
Armenian-controlled regions around Karabagh are Armenian refugees from
northern
Martakert and Shahumian who say they are ready to return to their homes.~T
"After the OSCE fact-finding mission's report, there are no obstacles and the
talks should resume," Oskanian said.
3) Armenia Names New Ambassador to US
YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--President Robert Kocharian has appointed Tatul Markarian, a
deputy foreign minister who has represented him in peace talks with
Azerbaijan,
as Armenia~Rs new ambassador to the United States.
Markarian, 40, will replace Arman Kirakossian who has headed the Armenian
diplomatic mission in Washington since October 1999.
A graduate of Washington~Rs Johns Hopkins University, Markarian began his
diplomatic career at the Armenian embassy in the U.S. where he held various
positions from 1994-98. He had previously worked as a top aide to Gagik
Harutiunian, Armenia~Rs former vice-president and prime minister who now heads
the Constitutional Court.
Markarian became deputy foreign minister in 2000 and his influence grew two
years later when he was named Kocharian~Rs personal representative in
internationally sponsored negotiations on Mountainous Karabagh. He met
regularly with his Azeri counterpart Araz Azimov, between 2002 and 2003.
4) German Politicians Increase Pressure on Turkey over EU Reforms
BERLIN (Reuters)--Turkey needs to reinvigorate its reform drive if it wants to
start European Union entry talks as planned on October 3, two leading German
politicians say.
"At the moment, I do not see any movement. If that remains the case, there
will be no start to entry negotiations," Martin Schulz, the Socialist
leader of
the European Parliament, told Berliner Zeitung newspaper on Sunday.
"We must say clearly: If Turkey wants negotiations, further things need to
happen," he told Sunday's edition of Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung
newspaper.
Guenter Gloser, the European spokesman of Germany's ruling Social Democrats,
told the same newspaper he feared Turkey was in a "weak phase of fatigue"
after
a string of reforms encouraged EU leaders in December to offer Ankara a date
for talks.
The EU might have to delay the start of talks if Turkey did not act, he said.
The German lawmakers' comments partly echo those of EU envoy Hansjorg
Kretschmer, who said earlier this month Turkey was showing "slippage" in its
reform drive.
Television footage showing police beating and kicking mainly women
demonstrators at a rally on March 6 shocked many in Europe and drew sharp
criticism from EU officials. Turkey has pledged a full probe and six police
officers have so far been suspended.
The Istanbul incident revived concerns that Turkey is not fully
implementing a
range of EU-inspired human rights reforms.
5) Rumsfeld Puts Heat on Turkey
By Geoff Elliott
The weekend's second anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq proved to be
another bloody one but US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has sheeted
home at
least some of the blame for the troubles to Turkey.
Rumsfeld yesterday hailed Iraq's liberation and January elections but said
the
insurgents' success was a result of the Government in Ankara blocking US
troops
from entering Iraq from Turkey, to the north.
"Given the level of the insurgency today, two years later, clearly if we had
been able to get the 4th Infantry Division in from the north, in through
Turkey, more of the Iraqi, Saddam Hussein, Baathist regime would have been
captured or killed," Rumsfeld told Fox News. "The insurgency today would be
less."
Coalition troops were forced to use southern Iraq corridors, which the US
military says allowed insurgents to evade capture in the north.
The US-Turkey standoff occurred partly in the context of Ankara's concerns
that any move to autonomy for Iraq's northern Kurdish population would enliven
its own ethnic Kurds in their drive to independence.
Rumsfeld said that by the time Baghdad was taken, Saddam's military and
intelligence personnel had escaped to the northern cities and were, "in a
number of instances, still active."
But he was confident the Iraqi security forces were taking more
responsibility
for the insurgency and that it would gradually diminish.
At least 45 people were killed in weekend violence in Iraq, including a US
soldier. In one of at least six deadly incidents, in the northern city of
Mosul
a suicide bomber blew himself up in a provincial anti-corruption department.
The department's chief, General Walid Kachmoula, died, as did two guards.
With more than 1500 US soldiers killed and about 11,000 wounded, many
Americans are asking how much longer the occupation--involving about
152,000 US
troops--will continue. Asked on the ABC network whether the US commitment
could
be reduced soon, Rumsfeld indicated that was possible. "We're planning to
bring
the 152,000 down to about 135,000 or 137,000 or 140,000 over the coming weeks,
now that the election is behind us."
Washington expects Iraq's security forces to reach 200,000 members by the
northern summer.
6) Azerbaijan's Leader Pardons 114 Prisoners
BAKU (AP)--Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev pardoned more than 100
prisoners
on Sunday, including dozens of opposition politicians whose release had been
demanded by Europe's top human rights body.
Fifty-three of the 114 people pardoned were on a list of political prisoners
that the Council of Europe demanded be released, Aliyev's office said in a
statement.
Aliyev's decree came just four days after the Parliamentary Assembly of the
Council of Europe warned Azerbaijan that it must free its political prisoners
or face punitive measures, including a review in the former Soviet republic's
membership on the 46-nation council.
Council officials were pressing for the prisoners to be released by April to
ensure parliamentary elections scheduled for November are free and fair.
Among those pardoned Sunday were seven top opposition leaders convicted for
taking part in protests following a 2003 presidential vote and sentenced to
prison terms of up to five years.
Aliyev was declared the winner of the 2003 poll to succeed his father Heydar.
Western observers said the election was marred by fraud, and several thousand
protesters marched through Baku, smashing cars and shop windows after the
vote.
Like his father, the longtime ruler in this oil-rich Caspian state, Aliyev is
accused of stifling political dissent and media independence, and opposition
members mounted large protests earlier this month after the killing of a
prominent journalist whose death they blamed on the authorities.
7) Desert Nights: An Interview with Ara Manoogian
Ara Manoogian is an American-Armenian living and working in the self-declared
Republic of Nagorno Karabagh. He is the grandson of Shahan Natalie, a famous
Armenian writer and activist, and works for the foundation established in his
grandfather~Rs name.
Through the Shahan Natalie Foundation, Inc. he has conducted a number of
high-profile investigations into corruption and human rights related issues in
both Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh.
His most recent was conducted in collaboration with Edik Baghdasarian,
Editor-in-Chief of Hetq Online, who investigated the trafficking of women and
children from Armenia to the United Arab Emirates.
ONNIK KRIKORIAN: You~Rve recently returned from your third and final trip to
Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where you were involved in an
investigation into the problem of trafficking from Armenia. When did this
investigation start?
ARA MANOOGIAN: Edik Baghdasarian and I started this investigation at the
beginning of 2004 although we had discussed this problem on many occasions
prior to that. From reading many reports from international organizations in
Armenia, we knew that there was a problem and so, at the beginning of 2004, we
decided to examine the situation on the ground to determine whether those
reports were accurate.
On our first trip to Dubai in February or March 2004, we very quickly
discovered where the Armenian girls were although we spoke with only one girl
at first. When we noticed the sad look on her face, we considered that she was
a possible victim. She reminded me very much of girls from Nagorno Karabagh
and
as it turned out, she was a refugee from Azerbaijan.
She was twenty or twenty-one years old and was divorced from her childhood
sweetheart who left for Russia because of the harsh economic condition in the
country leaving her alone to bring up her daughter. Because she had been
unable
to find employment that would pay her a decent living wage, and as she was a
very beautiful girl, she said there were only a few options available to her.
She could either work in a store in Armenia for 30,000 drams (about $60) a
month and be expected to sleep with her boss or she could go "elsewhere" to
work. In a sense then, she was in Dubai voluntarily and we discovered that she
partially knew what she was getting herself into. However, she did admit that
she wasn~Rt expecting Dubai and other Arab countries to be so rough and
dangerous, especially for girls.
OK: Do you consider that she was a victim in the sense that as a single
mother
unable to support her family in Armenia she had no choice but to find this
type
of work abroad?
AM: Yes, that~Rs what she felt. Incidentally, on our third trip we tried to
find her again but her phone had been disconnected.
OK: Were most of the girls at least partially deceived into working abroad as
prostitutes?
AM: I would say that a large number of girls from Armenia are tricked into
coming by being offered an opportunity to find employment outside Armenia.
Speaking to these girls, most seemed very naive and uneducated. Many came from
broken homes.
However, we also visited a hotel in Dubai called the St. George that
accommodated a couple of hundred Armenian girls, most of whom appeared to have
come to Dubai voluntarily. Even there, however, we found a few girls that had
been tricked into coming by friends already working in Dubai.
Because we knew that we had to get inside this ring to collect
information, we
also managed to discover which girls were truly the victims of trafficking and
which were not. As a result, those that had been tricked wanted to expose
those
responsible for their situation.
OK: That sounds a little risky. I would imagine that those responsible for
trafficking are not people you want to mess with. All you needed was one girl
to tell her trafficker what you were doing...
AM: We think that there was one girl like that and on my last week I was
followed everywhere so yes, that risk did exist. However, the girls we trusted
were quite reliable for the most part and nothing serious happened.
OK: How old were the girls?
AM: We heard that there were fourteen year olds in Dubai but the youngest I
personally saw was sixteen. The oldest was about twenty-seven or twenty-eight
years old.
OK: How did these girls manage to enter a country such as the United Arab
Emirates which has very strict rules of entry, especially for young women and
girls traveling alone?
AM: From what we were told and from what we saw in the form of documents, the
girls were first taken to Russia where false passports are prepared. Usually,
the first names of the girls are kept the same, and sometimes even their
surnames, but their date of birth is changed to make them over thirty.
However,
because they still appear to be, and actually are, younger it appears that the
authorities in the UAE are therefore involved. These girls are not even
questioned about their passports when they enter the country.
OK: What you~Rre saying is that nobody bothers to question these young girls
traveling on passports indicating that they are, in some cases, twice as
old as
they actually are when entering the UAE?
AM: Actually, the passports they~Rre traveling on are the old red [Soviet]
passports which, I think, are not recognized anywhere else in the world apart
from in the UAE.
OK: Presumably, the same is true when the girls leave Russia?
AM: From what these girls told us, they actually have two passports. They
leave Russia on their Armenian passport but then, when they board their
flight,
they hide it in one of their shoes and enter the UAE on their Russian
passport.
OK: When they arrive in Dubai, do they still retain their passports?
AM: No. The trafficker takes all of their documents when they arrive and
gives
them a Xerox of their fake passport and visa which is sufficient for them to
travel around and stay in hotels.
OK: What happens then? After working for the traffickers, can they eventually
buy back their passports?
AM: Yes, they can buy back their freedom. The way this works is that the
trafficker decides their "debt" which varies between $6-12,000. I~Rm not sure
how the debt is determined but anyway, the girls work and give all their
income
to the trafficker who sends a minimum of $100 a month to their families in
Armenia who presumably think that they are working in Russia, Greece, Spain or
some other country. After the "debt" is "settled," their documents are then
returned and the girls are given the option to continue to work in the UAE
under the protection of the trafficker who takes a percentage of the money
they
earn.
OK: How many Armenian girls are working as prostitutes in the UAE?
AM: We can~Rt put a concrete figure on this but initial figures from various
organizations estimate that there are approximately five hundred. However, I
personally saw over two hundred girls in only four or five locations but
others
are known to be working in other places. Edik went to other locations that I
didn~Rt, for example, and reported that there were also a large number of girls
from Armenia there. Therefore, based on what we saw and from speaking to the
girls themselves, I~Rd say that there are as many as two thousand Armenian
girls
working in the UAE. I would say that this is a realistic and believable
figure.
OK: Is there enough evidence to take legal action against anyone involved in
the trafficking of women and children from Armenia to the UAE?
AM: Yes, and we will be pursuing the matter once our film is ready. We would
expect some arrests to be made later and maybe even prior to the completion of
the film. Many of the articles we have already published are accompanied by
pictures of people involved in trafficking and one woman wanted by Interpol is
currently in jail in Armenia. However, she is only serving a light sentence.
OK: I remember this case from one of your articles. You suggest that this
particular woman returned to Armenia knowing full well she would be imprisoned
for a short period of time in order to clear her name off Interpol~Rs list.
AM: Yes, and if the law worked, she would be facing additional charges.
OK: Is this the problem, then? Is the law not functioning correctly or are
sentences for trafficking simply too light?
AM: The law contains provisions to hand down heavy sentences to traffickers
but the legal system is not functioning correctly. I was present at the trial
of five traffickers in Armenia last August and as far as I am concerned, Judge
Ohanian and the prosecutor failed to do their jobs properly. These individuals
should have received sentences of at least ten years but when Gulnara
Shahinian, an expert on trafficking, presented the judge with details of
Armenia~Rs international obligations to prosecute those guilty of trafficking,
he instead insisted on prosecuting them with old Soviet laws that carried
lighter sentences of only two years.
OK: Why do you think that was?
AM: The evidence we collected on three trips suggests that there are
officials
in Armenia and the UAE that are directly involved in trafficking. There is not
a single doubt in my mind that they are directly involved.
OK: If that~Rs the case, and after talking about possible risks in Dubai,
isn~Rt
it potentially dangerous to expose those responsible for trafficking in
Armenia?
AM: We~Rre in the homeland.
OK: That gives you protection?
AM: Yes. In fact, it gives me a great deal of protection because my family
has
conducted this kind of work for many, many years and my grandfather as well as
the foundation established in his name is very well respected by the Minister
of Defense and the military. As a result, I~Rm not concerned at all and anyway,
I~Rm a true believer in fate. When someone~Rs time comes, that~Rs their time. I~Rm
not a person who lives in fear and it is for that reason that I do what I do.
It has to be done.
OK: Now that Hetq Online has examined the problem of trafficking from Armenia
to the UAE, what do you think the Armenian Government~Rs response should be?
AM: The Armenian Government~Rs response should be to denounce this as not
being
culturally cohesive and as being wrong. However, the Government has known
about
this problem for a number of years and I~Rm still unable to comprehend why it
has not yet issued any additional statement on the matter.
Regardless, the Armenian Government, as well as the Church and the Diaspora,
needs to take a strong position on this problem. What we have discovered, and
what we have published up until now, is irrefutable. The evidence is there and
it~Rs unreasonable for people to go into denial.
OK: However, do you think that it~Rs considered culturally taboo to talk about
such issues?
AM: Absolutely, and what I~Rve noticed from my own internet blog where quite a
few of the articles have been republished is that few readers want to publicly
comment on the findings of our investigation. Of course, I~Rve received some
private emails which have been very positive and there have also been some
financial commitments from readers for future investigative work but only on
the provision that these donations are made anonymously. Otherwise, it would
appear that many Armenians in the Diaspora, and even here in Armenia, are in
shock.
OK: It~Rs also interesting to point out that one of those responsible for
funding this investigation is a prominent Diasporan who also prefers to remain
anonymous. It~Rs good that they supported this project, of course, but very
interesting to note that they don~Rt want their name to be known. Ironically,
however, you would have thought that it is precisely these people that should
be acknowledged and appreciated.
AM: There were also some donations from a number of other individuals that
wanted to remain anonymous. However, a number of others who said that they
understood the importance of this work declined. Presumably this was because
they were afraid of the possible fallout.
OK: There~Rs also a sizeable Armenian Community in the UAE. Were they willing
and able to assist in your investigation, albeit anonymously?
AM: No. You have to understand that unless you are born in the UAE, almost
everyone is on a residency visa and because the Government is directly
involved
with trafficking, the Armenians living and working there chose not to be
involved in any shape, form or fashion even though I~Rm sure that many would
have liked to have been. Because we understood that situation we pretty much
left the Armenian community alone.
OK: What about the Diaspora in the United States and Europe. They don~Rt face
any risk so what do you think they should do?
AM: I~Rve received emails from Armenians in the Diaspora who say that they
found this investigation very "interesting." Unfortunately, the problem of
trafficking is not "interesting." It~Rs very sad and shouldn~Rt be looked
upon as
just another human interest story. It is instead an issue that affects all of
us regardless of whether these girls went to the UAE voluntarily or not. The
reason why this phenomenon exists today is economic and therefore, it is
resolvable. However, it will take commitment but until then, Armenia is in a
situation that I would describe as being out of control.
OK: Do you think that the Diaspora should speak out about such issues?
AM: Absolutely. The Diaspora, or at least those who have a sense of
belonging,
has a responsibility to do so. Unfortunately, the Armenian Government does not
understand the concept of civil service or the fact that they are civil
servants. This has to change and Armenians in the Diaspora can assert a
certain
amount of pressure on the Government to do so. However, so far they~Rre not.
Instead, there~Rs a certain mentality that~Rs probably very damaging for this
nation. It~Rs the idea of something being "amot (shameful)." I~Rve heard this
over and over again and the notion that it~Rs shameful to talk about problems
such as trafficking. It~Rs much easier to ignore the problem but, in my
opinion,
there~Rs nothing shameful in talking about such problems if the situation
can be
changed as a result. The Armenian Diaspora can play a role in that and perhaps
I~Rm evidence of that.
OK: However, you~Rre just one person out of six million.
AM: Yes, I~Rm one of six million but my voice has been heard time and time
again and I~Rve achieved results. If properly coordinated, I believe that other
individuals and organizations can also have a positive impact in determining
the future of our nation. In my opinion, it~Rs time for the Diaspora to wake
up.
When people remain silent, they can only contribute to perpetuating such
problems.
OK: Of course, some people, especially in the Diaspora, might instead
criticize you for concentrating only on the negative aspects of life in
Armenia. How would you respond to those that accuse you of dirtying the
country~Rs image abroad?
AM: I would say that unless we address the problems that threaten the future
of this nation, there can be no moving forward. However, I~Rd also add that I
think of myself as an optimist and believe that Armenia has a promising future
if these problems are resolved.
---
Edik Baghdasarian and Ara Manoogian~Rs investigation into the trafficking of
women and children from Armenia can be read online at
<http://www.hetq.am/>http://www.hetq.am. Ara Manoogian~Rs blog from Armenia and
Nagorno Karabagh, Martuni or Bust, can be read online at
<http://www.aramanoogian.blogspot.com/>http://www.aramanoogian.blogspot.com.
8) Alpha Epsilon Omega Wristband Campaign Seeks to Raise Genocide Awareness
LOS ANGELES--Alpha Epsilon Omega, The Armenian Fraternity, has launched the
`Never Again' awareness wristband campaign to bring greater awareness to the
Armenian Genocide and the struggle for recognition. They will serve as a
symbol
that recognition of the Armenian genocide is a crucial part in preventing
future genocides. The wristbands are a reflection of the spirit of the
Armenian
culture which has endured the constant pose of denial from the government of
Turkey. The wristbands represent the constant reminder to ourselves that
history, if not accounted for, is in danger of repeating itself.
The awareness wristbands are in black and have ~QNEVER AGAIN~R embossed on one
side. Available for purchase from the website, the wristbands are for youth
and
adults of all ages. All proceeds, including donations generated by the NEVER
AGAIN campaign, will go to the Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial, the
Zoryan Institute, and other organizations actively involved in pursuing
recognition of the Armenian genocide.
Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial being part of ANI (Armenian National
Institute) is in the forefront of research in the area of the Armenian
genocide
and the prevention of future genocides. The Zoryan institute funding the
International Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies is also making
opportunities for scholars to research and publish in the field of genocide
and
human rights studies. For more information regarding these organizations,
please visit the following websites: <http://www.agmm.org/>www.agmm.org and
<http://www.zoryan.org/>www.zoryan.org.
If you would like to become a sponsor, or would like to know how you or your
organization can contribute to this campaign, please visit
<http://www.never-again.com/>www.never-again.com or send an email to
[email protected].
9) Disabled Armenian Athlete Completes LA Marathon
GLENDALE--Pyunic athlete Greta Khandzrtyan, an above the knee double amputee
from Armenia, completed the 26-mile wheelchair division of the Los Angeles
Marathon on Sunday, March 6, in 3 hours and 19 minutes.
~SI am thrilled to have finished my second Los Angeles Marathon and proud
to be
able to show that a person can accomplish any goal regardless of their
physical
disabilities,~T said Khandzrtyan, 18.
Khandzrtyan's determination was put to the test after passing the 5-mile
marker. She fell out of her racing wheelchair when her waist strap came apart.
After recovering from the fall, she was assisted back into her wheelchair by
spectators. However, Khandzrtyan was not able to race at full speed as part of
her chair's wheel frame had bent.
At the 22nd mile mark, Lorig Sivazlian, a Pyunic-LA member, briefly joined
the
race. Seeing Khandzrtyan approach, Sivazlian moved from the sidewalk and ran
alongside the racer shouting words of encouragement. ~SI received an extra
burst
of energy by seeing Lorig and the three other Pyunic supporters,~T added
Khandzrtyan.
Founded in 1989 to help the disabled children of the 1988 earthquake in
Armenia, Pyunic is the leading non-governmental organization shaping public
awareness for the disabled. Pyunic provides humanitarian aid, social services,
career training and summer/winter teaching camps. Pyunic athletes have
competed
in numerous worldwide athletic competitions, including the Los Angeles
Marathon
and both summer and winter Paralympics since 1994.
For more information about Pyunic, please contact Sarkis Ghazarian at (818)
785-3468 or visit <http://www.pyunic.com/>www.pyunic.com.
10) Antonovich Appoints John Krikorian to Small Business Commission
LOS ANGELES--Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich recently
appointed John Krikorian to the Los Angeles County Small Business
Commission--which serves to provide ongoing advice and support to the Board of
Supervisors to help small business grow in Los Angeles County.
A resident of Glendale, Krikorian is a publisher/consultant for Cal-Conn
Enterprises, Inc., publisher of Business Life and Senior Living Magazines,
along with Krikorian Marketing Group. He is also a member of the Glendale
Adventist Medical Center Civic Advisory Board, Pasadena~Rs Mayor Disability
Committee, Woodbury University President~Rs Executive Council, County of Los
Angeles Human Relations Corporate Advisory Council, and County of Los Angeles
Area Agency for Aging.
Krikorian and his son Greg Krikorian (serving as President on the Glendale
Unified School Board) founded in 1989 Business Life Magazine--a four-color
business lifestyle magazine that serves readers and advertisers in Los Angeles
County. Readers include business owners--small and large--movers and
shakers in
cities served, professionals and various members of multicultural chamber and
business associations, Hispanic, Armenian, Asian, Filipino, Black, etc. Senior
Living Magazine serves the over 55 market in Los Angeles County and delivers
quality journalism in a four-color format.
Business Life Magazine has received many awards over the past years,
including
the State of California ~SMedia Advocate~T award from the US Small Business
Administration, as well as Soroptimist International~Rs prestigious ~SImproving
the Status of Women~T award.
In the mid-90~Rs, with the emerging ethnic market, they saw the need to
develop
a multicultural agency. Krikorian Marketing Group (KMG) was born to serve the
needs of the multicultural market located in Los Angeles County and in
California. The concentration was on emerging multicultural populations that
included a large and growing number of Armenians and extended to connect with
the Russian, Arabic, and Iranian communities.
For additional information call (818) 240-7088, Fax (818) 240-7380, or visit
<http://www.businesslife.com/>www.businesslife.com.
All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier
and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and
subscription requests.
(c) 2005 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved.
ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for
academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through
mass media outlets.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress