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03/31/2006
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1) ANCA Launches Nationwide Telethon
2) Karabagh Citizens Have Never Been and Will Never Be Azeri Citizens
3) Ankara May Soon Open Its Borders with Armenia, Says Daniel Fried
4) OSCE Has No Problem with Karabagh's Participation in Talks
5) EU Concerned with Violence in Turkey
6) Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo to Host Armenian Genocide
Exhibit, LAUSD Training
7) USC Armenian Graduate Students' Association Donates $5,000 to
Glendale-Ghapan Sister City Association
8) Los Angeles Based Architect Redesigns Karabagh Hospital
9) ARF Badanegan Seminar
10) Youth And Our Church: By Pattyl Aposhian
11) Critics' Forum: Film and Music: By Hovig Tchalian
12) Thank You Vecdi: By Garen Yegparian
1) ANCA Launches Nationwide Telethon
--Grassroots advocacy organization expanding operations in nation's Capital
and
across US
(WASHINGTON, DC)--The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) will
launch its first nationwide telethon on May 21, 2006 with the theme "Securing
our roots~E Building for the future."
The goal of the telethon, which will air throughout the United States on
television stations in major Armenian communities and via satellite TV, is to
raise funds to expand ANCA's work and programs in service to the Armenian
Cause
(Hai Tahd). The ANCA has been stepping up its advocacy efforts over the last
decade on many issues important to the Armenian community and the telethon
will
raise the additional financial resources necessary to meet the growing
challenges facing the Armenian people.
As a first step in these expansion plans, in early March the ANCA Endowment
made a historic announcement regarding a state-of-the-art building it
purchased
from AOL founder Steve Case, which is located in the heart of the nation's
capital, Washington, DC. The building, which is equipped with the latest
technology, is located blocks from the White House and near Embassy Row.
"Now is the time to build on our successes with a national telethon
devoted to
'Hai Tahd'--the Armenian Cause," said Ken Hachikian, Chairman of the ANCA. "We
look forward to generating the increased political power, influence, and
respect that the Armenian American community deserves--and that the Armenian
homeland needs. Purchasing a building in the heart of Washington, DC's
political establishment gives the Armenian Cause a permanent home in the US
and
provides a platform to expand our service to the Armenian nation."
The ANCA telethon will be broadcast from 6:00 PM to midnight Eastern Standard
Time (EST) and 3:00-9:00 PM Pacific Standard Time (PST) on May 21 and will
feature a wide array of engaging programming including documentaries,
prominent
political figures, community representatives, and artistic performances, all
with an eye toward raising substantial funds to support the ANCA's advocacy
programs throughout the United States.
"The launch of the ANCA Telethon represents a historic occasion to both
demonstrate the substantial progress and results the ANCA has achieved for the
Armenian Cause and to outline our plans for the future," said Zanku Armenian,
spokesperson for the ANCA Telethon. "We are at a defining moment for Hai Tahd
and need to expand our infrastructure to meet the increasing challenges from
the many forces arrayed against our nation, our homeland, and our struggle for
justice. The Telethon will provide a unique forum to unify our community's
strength, foster greater participation, and generate the resources we need to
advance the Armenian Cause."
The genesis of the ANCA Telethon theme, "Securing our roots~E Building for the
future," reflects the ANCA's respect for our roots and our aspirations for the
future. "Securing our roots" represents our enduring historic roots as a
people, our grassroots around the country, and our deep roots in Washington,
DC. At its core, grassroots advocacy is the very soul of the ANCA. While
"Building for the future" represents the ANCA's constant efforts to expand its
effectiveness as a world-class organization, recognized internationally as the
principled and forceful voice of the Armenian American community.
2) Karabagh Citizens Have Never Been and Will Never Be Azeri Citizens
YEREVAN (Yerkir/Armenpress)-- Azerbaijan's Foreign Affairs Minister Elmar
Mamedyarov said Friday that Baku was prepared to negotiate a peace agreement
directly with Karabagh's authorities if the Armenians of Karabagh acknowledge
that they are citizens of Azerbaijan.
Mountainous Karabagh Republic's (MKR) Foreign Affairs Ministry responded by
saying that MKR authorities responded that they have always supported direct
participation in the negotiations without preconditions.
"Karabagh citizens have never been and will never be citizens of Azerbaijan.
The statements by the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry are made for the Azeri
public and do not reflect the reality of the Nagorno Karabagh conflict
settlement," added MKR's Foreign Ministry.
Mamedyarov also said that Armenia must walk out of the negotiation process
and
recognize the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.
"But I am afraid Armenia would not want Azerbaijan to hold direct talks with
Nagorno-Karabagh," he was quoted by Trend news agency as saying. Mamedyarov
reiterated that Baku would have to resort to force to end the conflict if the
talks did not produce progress.
3) Ankara May Soon Open Its Borders with Armenia, Says Daniel Fried
WASHINGTON, DC (Armenpress)--Daniel Fried, the US Assistant State Secretary on
Eurasian and European affairs, said after his visit to the South Caucasus that
"Ankara may open its borders with Armenia in a short period of time."
According to Turkish "Aksham," Fried said that during his meetings in Ankara
he discussed the issue of opening the Turkish-Armenian border and told the
Turkish government that the US demands the border be opened.
Fried also mentioned the issue of the Armenian genocide, saying that works is
being done to make Turkey come into terms with its history.
4) OSCE Has No Problem with Karabagh's Participation in Talks
(Combined Sources)--The American co-chair of the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group, Steven Mann, said that the
participation of Karabagh in the negotiating process is up to the conflicting
sides.
"The approach of the OSCE MG co-chairs is as follows: if the parties are for
involving the Nagorno Karabagh in the talks, we will support this option,"
Mann
said.
The American co-chair also commented on the more frequent ceasefire
violations
along the line of contact.
"The Personal Envoy of the OSCE chairman-in-office, Andrzej Kasprzyk informs
us regularly about this issue," he said, adding that the conflicting parties
often discuss how to maintain the ceasefire.
"The most optimal method should be agreed on in order to avoid war," said
Mann. "The United States thinks that 2006 is a promising year for reaching a
peace accord. However, it will not be possible to completely solve the
conflict
in 2006, because it needs many years."
"I think the parties will decrease the risk of war. I do not think anyone is
interested in resuming the war," the US diplomat said. "However, the ceasefire
violation does not sound good."
Mann also said that the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs might hold their next
meeting in April. He said that the Armenian and Azeri Foreign Ministers may
also meet soon, "but the exact date of this meeting has not yet been set."
"We [the co-chairs] are analyzing the situation and specifying our next
steps," Mann said.
5) EU Concerned with Violence in Turkey
(Reuters/AP)--The European Union expressed serious concern on Friday over
violent clashes which have killed six people, including two children, in
southeast Turkey and urged Ankara to improve the rights of Kurds in the
region.
Stone-throwing Kurds have been clashing with riot police in Diyarbakir since
Tuesday, turning the city of one million people on the River Tigris into a
battle zone.
It is the worse violence in the Muslim nation since it began accession talks
with the 25-nation European Union last October.
"We are very concerned by the latest tensions in the southeast of Turkey and
the violence, which have resulted in casualties," said Krisztina Nagy,
spokeswoman for the EU's Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn.
"We are aware of the serious terrorist problem in the region but it is a much
wider problem than just a security issue."
The EU's view was echoed by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), which
governs the northern part of Iraq, bordering Turkey's own Kurdish region.
"What happened here is an example of a continuing problem of Turkey using
force to solve what is a political and economic problem," Burham Jaf, KRG
permanent representative to the EU told Reuters.
"There needs to be a focus on a political solution and all sides need to
start
talking to each other," adds the Iraqi Kurd official.
More than 30,000 people, most of them Kurds, have been killed since the
Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) took up arms for a Kurdish homeland in Turkey in
1984.
Turkey, the European Union, and the United States all see the PKK as a
terrorist organization, but the EU has also repeatedly urged Ankara to grant
greater cultural and linguistic rights to its 12 million Kurds. Under
pressure,
Turkey's government has passed some reforms, but implementation has remained
patchy.
The European Commission urged the Turkish authorities to address "urgently"
the lack of economic development and cultural rights in that region.
"The region needs peace, economic development, and real exercise of cultural
rights for Kurds," Nagy said, adding that this was not a new problem and was
raised constantly by the European Commission in its talks with Turkey.
Asked whether the EU executive was critical of Turkish police actions, Nagy
said she was worried by the whole situation.
The clashes first erupted on Tuesday after funeral ceremonies for 14 PKK
rebels killed by troops last weekend.
An eight-year-old child died overnight in hospital. A man and a child were
shot dead on Wednesday and a second man was crushed under a police armored
car.
It was not immediately clear when or how the other two people died.
Political analysts say the clashes reflect local anger over high
unemployment,
poverty and Ankara's refusal to grant more autonomy and cultural rights to the
mainly Kurdish region.
Police spokesman Ismail Caliskan said the PKK was behind the violence.
Police are also claiming that Kurds were behind Friday's explosion in
Istanbul, which killed one person and injured 13 others.
The blast occurred at a bus stop in the Kocamustafapasa district. A police
official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said authorities suspect that
autonomy-seeking Kurdish rebels may have been behind the blast.
Turkey bars civil servants from speaking to journalists without prior
authorization.
Video footage broadcast on CNN-Turk television showed debris scattered across
a residential street, covering the sidewalk and parked cars.
Police carrying submachine guns tried to keep crowds of people from the site.
A bomb disposal expert wearing protective gear checked nearby garbage cans.
6) Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo to Host Armenian Genocide
Exhibit, LAUSD Training
LOS ANGELES--City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo will host an exhibit and teacher
training workshop for Los Angeles Unified School District teachers about the
Armenian genocide at Los Angeles City Hall on April 3.
The exhibit, iwitness, features striking portraits and oral histories of
Genocide survivors and will be on display through the end of April. The
teacher
training workshop will be conducted by The Genocide Education Project, a
non-profit educational organization, which will ultimately train more than 300
LAUSD world history teachers about the Armenian genocide.
The workshop, which incorporates elements of the iwitness exhibit in its
lesson plans, will take place at City Hall from 8 AM to 3 PM on April 3, with
the opening reception for iwitness at 5 PM.
"I am proud to be hosting both iwitness and the training for LAUSD teachers,"
said Delgadillo. "The photos and personal accounts of these survivors not only
humanize the Genocide but also foster awareness through a powerful combination
of art and education."
Deputy City Attorney Sara Anjargolian, a policy advisor to Delgadillo who
also
serves as the Office's liaison to the Armenian community, said the program
would have a broad impact. "As the City Attorney for one of the most diverse
cities in the world, Rocky Delgadillo is keenly aware of the importance of
teaching about the Genocide and the crucial historical lessons it provides for
all Angelenos," she said.
Iwitness, an exhibit by The Genocide Project and photographers Ara Oshagan
and
Levon Parian, combines portraits of Armenian genocide survivors with their
eyewitness accounts. Collected over a nearly 10-year period, iwitness also
features historical photos and testimonials from American and other officials
stationed in the Ottoman Empire during the Genocide.
"Iwitness brings together not only the photos of the survivors and their
eyewitness stories but also historical photos of the actual events and
accounts
by foreigners--American, British, Austrian officials--who saw what was
happening and attempted to prevent it," said photographer Levon Parian. "The
viewer of the exhibit will not only get a glimpse into the individual personal
tragedies of survivors but also an idea of the historical context in which it
all took place."
The Genocide Education Project is a nonprofit organization that assists
educators in teaching about human rights and genocide, particularly the
Armenian genocide, by developing and distributing instructional materials,
providing access to teaching resources and organizing educational
workshops. It
has been involved for nearly a decade in providing invaluable materials for
teachers and has created one of the most important genocide resources sites on
the net at www.TeachGenocide.org.
"We are currently in the process of one of our most important projects--a
series of one day workshops targeted at training LAUSD world history teachers
about the Armenian genocide," says Raffi Momjian, Executive Director of The
Genocide Education Project. "The fact the LA City Attorney's office is hosting
one of our workshops in association with the iwitness exhibit is critical in
raising awareness of the importance of teaching not only the Genocide but all
human rights abuses."
Iwitness has been featured in the Los Angeles Times Sunday Magazine and on
National Public Radio's "Morning Edition," and has been exhibited in the
California and Texas State Senate rotundas and the Rotunda of the Capitol in
Washington, DC. It has also been exhibited at the Downey Museum of Art.
Iwitness will be on display at the City Attorney's Office through the
month of
April. For more information, or to schedule a student field trip to the
exhibit, please call (213) 978-8100.
To RSVP for the April 3 opening reception, please email [email protected] or
call (213) 978-1575 by March 31.
7) USC Armenian Graduate Students' Association Donates $5,000 to
Glendale-Ghapan Sister City Association
GLENDALE--At their 2006 Annual Gala & Live Auction in February, the University
of Southern California Armenian Graduate Students' Association (USC AGSA)
raised nearly $25,000 for charity projects in Armenia. As a non-profit
organization working to enhance the lives of the people in Ghapan and
surrounding villages, the Glendale-Ghapan Sister City Association (GGSCA)
received $5,000 from the USC AGSA to renovate a youth center in the Village of
Dantsaver.
"Our collaboration with the Glendale-Ghapan Sister City Association developed
naturally since we share the common visionto strategically preserve and
fortify
our homeland," said Armen Margarian, president of the USC Graduate Students'
Association. "The Dantsaver Village Youth Center project was especially near
and dear to us as young Armenians living in the US since we feel that an
integral part of our duty is to reach out to our fellow siblings in Armenia
and
develop professional relationships that will aid in their success in the
international, academic, and professional arenas," continued Margarian.
"We are thrilled and so grateful not only that the USC AGSA students are
globally aware, but are actively involved in nation-building by hosting events
that assist the not-so-privileged in Armenia prosper and thrive," said Artin
Manoukian, president of the Glendale-Ghapan Sister City Association. "We
encourage other like-minded organizations to come forward as it is through the
collaborative efforts of community members and organizations such as the USC
AGSA that our mission of cultivating economic cooperation and cultural
exchanges can be realized, all the while enhancing the standard of living for
our brethren in Armenia" added Manoukian.
Since its inception in 2002, the GGSCA has been actively working to fulfill
its mission by concentrating its efforts on improving the conditions in the
pre-schools, the healthcare system in Ghapan and the surrounding villages. In
2005, a much-needed ambulance donated by the City of Glendale Fire Department
was delivered to Ghapan along with 30 hospital beds donated by Dr. Vartkes and
Mrs. Mary Najarian. With proceeds from an event held at Hoover High School in
Glendale, the GGSCA delivered bedding for 1200 pre school students including
sheets, pillow cases, blankets, and uniforms for the staff. This project
served
a dual purpose by providing needed goods, and also by contributing to Ghapan's
local economy by employing the local Blind and Handicapped Association to sew
the items.
During Easter last year, the Glendale-Ghapan Sister City Association
delivered
gifts including backpacks, school supplies, and lunch sets to 1200 Ghapan
preschoolers. This Easter, the GGSCA is preparing its shipment of similar
items
to be sent to 1200 preschoolers in Ghapan and 300 others in surrounding
villages.
In addition to the renovation of the youth center in Dantsaver village with
USC AGSA's generous support, some of GGSCA's upcoming projects include the
opening of the completely renovated school in Norashenik village by the
Armenian Educational Foundation and a section of Pre-School Number 8 by Mr.
and
Mrs. Kahren Beniassians. Also scheduled for autumn 2006 is a trip to Ghapan
with a medical delegation from Glendale Adventist Medical Center.
Through the joint effort of the Armenian National Committee of Glendale, the
City of Glendale, and the City of Ghapan, the GGSCA was established to help
cultivate economic cooperation and cultural exchanges between the two cities.
In December 2002, the Glendale City Council passed a resolution recognizing
Ghapan as a Sister City. GGSCA is a non-profit organization that aims to
foster
goodwill and understanding through cultural, educational, and economic
cooperation between the people of Glendale and Ghapan.
For more information or to contribute to GGSCA, please contact (818) 828-8882
or email at [email protected].
8) Los Angeles Based Architect Redesigns Karabagh Hospital
LOS ANGELES--In early March, Armenia Fund's Western US Region led a hospital
reconstruction team to the war-torn Martakert region of Karabagh. The purpose
of the site visit was to formulate architectural and engineering plans for the
new regional healthcare facility. The project will be funded by donations
collected during the 2005 Telethon as part of the Martakert Regional
Development plan. In addition, a number of long time benefactors in the
western
US region sponsored the reconstruction of specific departments of the
hospital.
Arturo Fribourg, a Los Angeles based architect specializing in public works
and health care facilities, was a part of the team visiting the hospital.
Fribourg will provide the conceptual design of the hospital. Karabagh-based
architect Mamikon Farsian, will tailor the design to local construction and
medical codes and prepare the final drawings in accordance with Fribourg's
plan
for the hospital.
Prior to his departure to Armenia, Fribourg worked with Dr. Alina Dorian,
senior program manager at the UCLA Center for Public Health and Disasters, to
map out the initial plans. Dorian, who is currently in Karabagh, is part of
the
team as the public healthcare advisor. She will prepare the region's
healthcare
program and will oversee the development of a modern healthcare
administration.
Built in the early 1970's, the Soviet-era hospital has deteriorated due to
improper maintenance. The hospital was severely damaged in the war, suffering
aerial missile attacks and looting. The renovated hospital will be up to
western standards and meet the needs of the region.
During the visit to Karabagh, Fribourg met with the president of Mountainous
Karabagh Republic, Arkady Ghoukasian and Prime Minister Anoushavan Danielian.
Ghoukasian thanked Fribourg for embarking on this challenging project and
pledged full support for the proper and timely completion of the project. Led
by Armenia Fund's Executive Director, Sarkis Kotanjian, the team also met with
Health Minister Dr. Zoya Lazaryan and Chief Administrator of the Hospital Dr.
Sergei Ohanian to learn about immediate and long term healthcare needs of the
Martakert Region as well as problems facing the hospital.
According to the schedule, all architectural designs will be completed by
late
April, paving the way for a full-scale reconstruction during the late spring
months of 2006. The project is expected to be completed within the next 12-18
months with a brief hiatus during the harsh winter months.
After construction is complete, Armenia Fund will furnish the new hospital
with modern medical supplies and state of the art equipment. Currently,
Armenia
Fund is working on obtaining special grants and in-kind donations from major
healthcare providers throughout the United States. For more information on
this
project, please visit www.armeniafund.org.
Armenia Fund, Inc., is a non-profit 501©(3) tax-exempt corporation established
in 1994 to facilitate large-scale humanitarian and infrastructure development
assistance to Armenia and Karabagh. Armenia Fund, Inc. is the US Western
Region
affiliate of "Hayastan." All-Armenian Fund. Tax ID# 95-4485698
9) ARF Badanegan Seminar
The ARF Badanegan Organization of Western America held its Annual Winter
Seminars during the weekends of February 3-5 and February 24-26.
Each year, the Badanegan Central Council of the ARF organizes two weekend
sessions, during which Badanees from all over Southern California gather at
AYF
Camp in Big Pines, California. Session one of this year's seminar had over 50
participants between the ages of 9 and 13. More than 120 badanees between the
ages of 14 and 17 participated in second session of the seminars.
During the weekend seminars, participants were able to meet and interact with
different badanees from various chapters, participate in workshops and
educationals, take part in a talent show, as well as go on hikes, play games,
compete in a quizbowl, discuss current events, and learn about Armenian
history.
The ARF BCC would like to thank all badanees and advisors for
participating in
this year's Seminars.
If you're interested in obtaining more information about the ARF Badanegan
Organization, please contact us at [email protected] or
visit
our website at www.badanegan.org.
10) Youth And Our Church
By Pattyl Aposhian
My hand trembles as I open the rusted mailbox outside my house. This tin box
contains my future. Quickly, I begin making promises to myself--be it
attending
Sunday mass, volunteering as a mentor for the local church youth group, or
even
a task as simple as lighting a candle~E all in return for a letter of
admission.
At that moment, I think of everything and anything to deepen my faith and
truly
seek God before I read the letter that will change my life.
As I tear open the envelope, a smile lights up my face when I read the
official letter of acceptance. Instantaneously, I forget the small promises
made seconds ago and go about my life as I had before--without doing anything
differently.
It's either the best of times or the worst of times. Teenagers today have
come
to view faith and the church as an escape from reality or a forum for social
happiness. We turn to the church during the birth of a child or the
marriage of
a friend or loved one. We turn to the church when we have scored a 170 on our
LSAT's and received an acceptance letter from Harvard Law School. We turn to
the church when our lives are moving in the right direction and we know,
without question, that our faith and belief in God had something to do with
it.
On the other hand, we turn to our church and clergymen to ask "why?" Why
didn't I get accepted to Business School? Why did the police officer stop me
for speeding and slap me with a DUI? Why are my friends allowed to break
curfew
and I'm not? Why has life thrown me a curve ball?
Seem too simple? Today's youth questions faith on different levels. An older
individual reading this article may view hardship and its link to faith
differently than a teenager. A teenager may turn to faith because of problems
such as peer pressure, materialism, beauty, and perhaps even a need for
acceptancein other words, subject matters that adults "just don't
understand."
Times have changed. Generations before us viewed church differently than
we do
today. Attending church every Sunday was not an option for our parents or
grandparents. Going to the wedding reception and "skipping" the church
ceremony
was unthinkable.
Now, it has become a matter of choice. The "cool" way to attend church is to
hang out in the quad or parking lot twice a yearEaster and Christmasas you use
the opportunity to wear your Sunday best and socialize with friends. Some
of us
make a small effort and go into the church to light a candle. We spot a place
to sit between two elderly women and think otherwise. We stand near the door
for two minutes, observing the sea of salt and pepper hair only to realize
that
the average age of attendees is double ours. We walk away thinking this sermon
really isn't for us anyways.
Reality is, the younger generation just doesn't understand--seeking faith is
not something that takes place on our clock. Attending church should not be
associated with social gatherings or harrowing times. Our faith should
surround
us every day and be blind to time schedules, daily occurrences, and our own
personal lives.
Armenian youth are an integral part of the Armenian culture and our faith is
an important determining factor in our choice of values. The Western
Prelacy of
Armenian Churches has committed to taking the youth deeper into the Bible,
prayer, and mentoring programs so that Generation X and Y will be grounded to
our faith. By witnessing the need for special programs for youth, the Church
has responded to the needs of the Armenian community by setting up youth
groups
and youth services. With every passing day, youth programs are growing
stronger
and developing along practical lines of life.
We are more fortunate than our counterparts of the 1960s and 1970s. Our
personalities seem much more cheerful. We do not drift along with the current.
Our behavior is more practical and reasonable. We survive by adaptation,
and we
seek development through creativity. In other words, the manifestation of our
sense of values regarding faith, knowledge, spirituality, work, modernization,
marriage, consumerism, and other areas of life, all have a special
personality,
and reflect trends in society's development.
If we compare the values of today's youth with those of an older
tradition, we
find these values significantly different. We, Generation X and Y, not only
emphasize the life of the spirit, but we also pay greater attention to
material
life and the quality of life. For example, the traditional Armenian attitude
towards life is: be content with what you have, be hardworking and thrifty,
study hard, and bear your burdens. But today's youth seek a life of quality
and
beauty. We have doubts about the traditional value system, and we challenge
it.
Sometimes, we do not understand why our parents repeatedly emphasize
industriousness and hard work. The atmosphere of consumerism prevails, but the
Armenian community still emphasizes duty, practicality, steadfastness, and
patience. But today's youth seek novel things. We seek success; we want to
travel; we want to enjoy gatherings of family and friends. We also seek a
variety of social stimuli. However, we still seek faith and spirituality.
With the changes and developments in modern society taking place so rapidly,
everyone is adapting quickly, especially the Western Prelacy. The Church
understands the challenge of youth involvement and the influence of democratic
ideas, equality, and modern technology. The church sees the change in family
life, schools, and society and reflects on how it can play the role of prophet
and speak out for justice in society. Furthermore, the Church has taken its
commitment to the youth further by adapting to their needs.
Therefore, I ask the Armenian youth? Where are you? Why can't you log off
myspace.com a couple of hours early and attend church on Sunday? Why can't you
make friends at youth group gatherings rather than flirt with disaster at
local
bars and coffee houses? In short, why are you not actively involved with the
church?
The church has done its share. Now, it's our turn to prove that the Armenian
youth is willing, dedicated, and faithful.
11) Critics' Forum
Film and Music
Belated History: Revisiting Atom Egoyan's "Ararat"
By Hovig Tchalian
It may seem unusual to review a film released almost four years ago. But
as we
enter the first year of the tenth decade of commemorating the Armenian
genocide, Atom Egoyan's "Ararat" (2002) presents an ideal opportunity to do so
in the context of the film's central theme, the uncanny act of
remembering--again.
"Ararat" is a powerful, reverent and unquestionably personal look at the
ravages of the Genocide, both immediate and more distant. But the film as a
whole is also deeply flawed, precisely because of its personal nature.
Like Egoyan's other films, the premise of "Ararat" is complex and
multi-layered. It revolves ostensibly around the making of a film about the
Genocide by Edward Saroyan (played by Charles Aznavour), a well-known director
now well past his prime. In typical Egoyan fashion, the stories of the other
characters weave themselves into the central story of the making of Saroyan's
film: Raffi, the main character (played credibly by David Alpay), is in love
with his step-sister, Celia; she is locked in struggle with his mother, Ani
(played by Egoyan's wife, Arsinée Khanjian); Ani is an art historian
interested
in Arshile Gorky (played movingly by Simon Abkarian) and his representation of
himself and his mother, which Celia accuses her of using as a way of coming to
terms with the death (or, according to Celia, her murder) of her second
husband, Celia's father; the film's producer, Rouben (played by Eric
Bogosian),
hires Ani as a consultant, in order to help add elements of Gorky's biography
as a plotline in the film.
The stories converge on Raffi's attempt to bring (or perhaps sneak) several
rolls of film into the United States that he claims to have shot in Anatolia
(present-day Eastern Turkey, historically Western Armenia) for use in the
production. An aging customs officer, David (played ably by Christopher
Plummer), is the only person who stands in his way. David is himself close to
retirement and having trouble adjusting to his divorced son's relationship
with
his half-Turkish gay lover (played by Elias Koteas), an actor who winds up
playing the part of the main Turkish antagonist in Saroyan's film, Jevdet
Bey.
As is clear from the extended synopsis above, the various elements of the
film
make for a complex storyline. Though it can be argued that some of the details
are "wasted" here (other, better films, of Egoyan's are far more "efficient"
and less heavy-handed), there is still a clear purpose to them. For instance,
the twin details of the director's waning talentsa fact mentioned off-handedly
by Raffiand the customs officer's impending retirementrevealed slowly
throughoutare subtle but significant. Together, they represent the film's
central concern, what we might call the "latency" or "belatedness" of
historyin
other words, the difficulty of proving after the fact an event that took place
in the past. We understand that the Genocide narrative in the imaginary
film is
told too late to change the facts but, equally, struggling even to transmit
them meaningfully to posterity. Like its director, the film is tragically past
its prime. The same may be said of any attempt to capture the full weight of
history, a fact that Egoyan (as a director of the film that tells its own,
similar story) recognizes all too well.
The two aging characters and the structure of the film-within-a-film repeat
themselves across a host of other dualities: we find out that Ani has been
married twice, first to Raffi's father, who was killed in an attempt to
assassinate a Turkish diplomat, and second to Celia's father, who apparently
(and like Gorky) committed suicide; we discover that Raffi is actually
sneaking
two sets of films across the border, one set of rolls (that may in fact
contain
Heroin) given to him by the Turkish soldier who helped him get into view of
Ararat and a roll of film that he took on his own camcorder that includes a
shot of the Madonna and child in Aghtamar that mirrors Gorky's painting; we
are
also told that Gorky painted that image in 1934, as a way of coming to terms
with the killing of his mother in 1915 (an act that Ani is trying to uncover
and understand in the present).
Such parallels, sometimes subtle and sometimes less so, all build on the idea
of belatedness. They do not represent dualities so much as an almost endless
string of repetitions and revisions, of strange but hopeful attempts, as I
suggested earlier, to remember--again. By the end of the film, the sheer
number
and dizzying array of motifs in the film come perilously close to overwhelming
its subject as well as its viewer.
A surprisingly effective repetition in the film is the one that involves Ali,
who plays the part of the Turkish official, Jevdet Bey, in Saroyan's film. He
is a half-Turkish American citizen who reveals during the course of filming
that he has trouble believing that the Genocide was ever more than a civil
disturbance and those killed much more than casualties of war. Raffi's futile
attempt to convince him otherwise is more than an act of will. His
all-too-human response of confronting a Genocide denierin the person of
Alibecomes at the same time a heroic attempt to reach back into and reverse
history itselfin the person of Jevdet Bey. History and art collide in Raffi's
personal encounter with collective memory and the reconstruction of historical
experience.
The personal nature of Raffi's encounter ensures the emotional and artistic
integrity of the film, its heart and soul. But surprisingly, it also
represents
the film's undoing. The delicate balance between art and tragedy
represented in
Raffi's experience begins to unravel as we extend it to include Egoyan's own
experience of making a quite personal film about the Genocide. From this
broader perspective, the film is unable to navigate the fine line between art
and historical commentary. In that sense, the complex associations among the
film's various elements must be seen as a heroic but doomed attempt to capture
the fullness of the Genocide and its implications, both personal and
collective. To put it differently, the film puts forward the idea that a
historical event is infinitely complex, all the while attempting to shed light
on what actually happened. Not surprisingly, reviews of the film have
described
it either as "slanted" or "committed," a distinction that even a filmmaker of
Egoyan's talents would be hard-pressed to overcome.
As mentioned earlier, the film's complex plot converges on Raffi's attempt to
sneak the rolls of film out of Turkey and into the States, and in the film's
rationale, into the light of day. The customs officer, David, suspects that
the
roll given to Raffi by the soldier contains drugs. David explains that many of
those who ingest those drugs to sneak them past the officers, when confronted
with the crime, get so nervous that the packets explode in their system,
causing an immediate overdose. The conversation parallels the very first scene
in the film, in which Aznavour's character, Saroyan, tries to get a
pomegranate
("nour") past customs. (It also parallels the imagined story in Saroyan's
film,
in which Gorky fails in his attempt to get a letter about the Turkish siege on
Van to the American authorities and is caught by Jevdet Bey.) When David
refuses to allow Saroyan to bring the fruit across the border, Saroyan ingests
the seeds instead, explaining that he expects them to bring him luck. (We find
out later that his mother, a deportee, had a single pomegranate with her on
her
journey and survived by ingesting a seed a day and considering it a full
meal.)
The most obvious parallel in all these cases is to the truth at the heart of
the Genocide, which starts as a letter of distress in Saroyan's film and
becomes, in Egoyan's, both pomegranate seed and packet of heroin,
sustaining to
those who would give it life and a potentially explosive issue to those intent
on suppressing it.
The film's resolution, if there is one, comes in the form of Raffi's
liberation. David releases him from customs, accepting the various lies he has
told as a way of getting at the truth, of imagining its possibility. This act
in turn leads to David's acceptance of his son and sets everything that has
come before it awash in the light of hope. It is reminiscent of perhaps the
single most affecting moment in the film, in which Gorky, struggling to paint
his mother's portrait, gives himself over to the music playing on his
phonograph and dances to it, palette and paintbrush in hand. Egoyan has
earlier
shown us captive Armenian women made to dance by Turkish soldiers, a scene
that
transforms Gorky's, by contrast, into the ultimate act of imagination and
hope,
a dance on the grave of history itself.
The film's final scene is of Gorky's mother sewing a button back onto her
son's jacket. The button is missing in Gorky's famous portrait but hidden from
view, covered over by a flower his mother gives him to hold over it just
before
the photograph is taken. The humble act of sewing it back on stands in for the
far more difficult goal of setting history right, after the fact. It presents
the film's hopeful answer to the problems posed by history's belatedness.
"Ararat" is not Atom Egoyan's finest film. That distinction belongs to "The
Sweet Hereafter" (1997), a simple, graceful and ultimately more powerful
meditation on the effects of a school bus crash on the residents of a
Midwestern town. The earlier film does not try as hard to confront the full
impact of its tragedy, though one admittedly smaller in scope. Paradoxically,
Egoyan's personal feelings about the events depicted in "Ararat" render it a
painfully personal attempt to address an unresolved historical tragedy in all
its complexity. But it is worth revisiting, if only to confront the immensity
and hope of the enterprise.
Hovig Tchalian holds a PhD in English literature from UCLA. He has edited
several journals and also published articles of his own. You can reach him or
any of the other contributors to Critics' Forum at [email protected].
This and all other articles published in this series are available online at
<http://www.criticsforum.org/>www.critics forum.org. To sign up for a weekly
electronic version of new articles, go to
<http://www.criticsforum.org/join>www.cri ticsforum.org/join. Critics' Forum
is a
group created to discuss issues relating to Armenian art and culture in the
Diaspora.
12) Thank You Vecdi
By Garen Yegparian
We haven't had this much Turkish fun in the LA basin for a while. I suppose
the Turkish government had forgotten where the victims of its genocidal
policies reside in large numbers.
We of course demonstrated outside the Beverly Hills Hilton where Turkish
Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul was addressing the Los Angeles World Affairs
Council. But other than observing that participation seemed low, I can't speak
to how well it went since I was inside being amused by the 'turkey-du-jour'
Gonul.
He is presumably intelligent and competent at what he does, but it was not in
evidence that day. His English seemed reasonably solid, but slow in coming
forth. His speech was prepared and he read it in a painfully obvious, tedious
way, with an occasional live joke thrown in. He wasn't even able to get
through
the whole of it. Besides omitting portions of his comments about Iraq, he
conveniently consumed the allotted time and left Caucasus and Artsakh issues
out along with Central Asia. Nothing about Armenia of any substance was
part of
his presentation. You'd think we didn't exist (in his wishful thinking).
So what did he say? Much of it seemed somewhat general, though he did cite
statistics about Turkey's expenditures in the realm of defense, with specifics
focusing on purchases from the US and Israel. He emphasized Turkey's
"even-handedness" in dealing with Israel-Palestine issues. Turkey's role in
NATO was trumpeted to such a degree that the casual listener might think it
founded the defense pact and single-handedly kept it alive. He took cheap
shots
at Syria and other neighbors, pointing out that of 18 current conflicts 13 are
in Turkey's neighborhood.
This brings us to items of greater specific interest to Armenians. If so many
conflicts are in its neighborhood, doesn't that suggest that Turkey is a cause
of instability? Not according to good ole Vecdi. You see Turkey is a net
"exporter" of security since 6149 personnel from 58 countries have
participated
in programs at the NATO Partnership for Peace Center established 1998 in
Ankara. Translation: Turkey gets to wine and dine these folks in an attempt to
win itself friends--and much of it at others' expense. Isn't that a great
deal?
In addition, "peace at home, peace in the world" is paradigmatic in Turkey
(and
for Gonul personally--sniffle, I am so touched) as stated by Ataturk, the
magnificent peacemaker.
Terrorism, the catchall word for the Bush regime and its cohort of cronies
and
fawners, was prominently on display. Turkey (imagine violins playing) really
understands what the US is going through after the September 11 attacks since
it's been at war with terrorists (sic: Kurds justly seeking statehood) for 20
years at the cost of 32,000 lives.
Gonul ended his presentation with inane niceties and remarks clearly intended
to kiss-up to American powers that be, an overabundance of the standard,
fatuous fluff that attends such presentations by representatives of countries
groveling to be in Washington's good graces.
It only got more ridiculous during the question and answer session, but more
revealing. In the context of a response to a question about Iran, Gonul
referred to Iraq as having been "part of our country." The only time that
applied was during the Ottoman Empire (OE). So he clearly admits that the OE
and Turkey are integral from the perspective of statehood, in this case
successively. So much for arguments that the Genocide was committed by a
"different" country.
Two questions of direct Armenian interest were posed. An elderly woman asked,
in the kindest, most non-aggressive way imaginable, why Turkey refused to
simply acknowledge the history of 1915. His response, "We are thinking
there is
nothing to acknowledge." Then he told of being from "Eastern Turkey" and half
his father's family being massacred by Armenians. He also tried without ever
making a clear point, to play divide-and-conquer by claiming there exist three
types of Armenians: "our Armenians, Armenians in Ermenistan, and Armenians
living all over the world." He then proceeded to describe how Armenians and
Turks lived happily side-by-side until 1878 when part of the OE was lost to
the
Russian Empire. In this remark, he built on an earlier theme about how Turkey,
continuing the policies of the OE, practiced multiculturalism, just as in the
US (please hold your laughter 'til later). Then, the Russians trained young
Armenians to hate Turks. When WWI commenced, these 'Turk-hating' Armenians
returned to the OE and starting killing Turks. In response, the Turkish Army
killed Armenians. Again, it's interesting that the Defense Minister confesses
it was the army, an organ of the state, which did the killing. I told you it
got more ridiculous. Can you picture a bunch of 50-60 year old Armenians
running around in Turkish occupied Armenia, during WWI, mass-murdering Turks?
This guy and his ilk ought to try their hand at stand-up comedy! Here, a
fed-up
outburst from the audience pointed out Gonul's lies. The participant was even
threatened with removal.
The second Armenian question asked the minister what happened, in 1915, to
the
Armenian part of the mosaic of cultures and religions he'd claimed during his
presentation constituted the OE. Here, the dangers of reading a speech
prepared
by someone else manifested. Gonul was clueless as to what "mosaic" meant. The
question was repeated. Then the MC repeated it as he did with all the
questions. Yet Gonul continued his fumbling. He asked what a "museum" had
to do
with the discussion. Finally, a man approached and clarified it for him,
presumably in Turkish. He looked like a complete fool. It was pleasing.
When he
finally did respond, he claimed 152 nationalities and religious groups lived
happily together until the West attacked and awoke the Christian population.
Not that he claimed there were no killings, you see. Then he described having
an Armenian "aunt"--I guess it's all the rage these days in Turkey to claim an
Armenian relative, which in straight talk would be known as a Genocide
survivor. And many Armenian boys were orphaned, and went to military schools
and now live happily in the mosaic. Yup, believe it or not, his response
was as
disjointed as the last few sentences.
Throughout Minister Gonul's presentation, I was taking notes. One of the
Turks
at my table kept eyeing me nervously, wondering why. It was a great
pleasure to
observe his uneasiness. Meanwhile, his friend was busy regaling the woman
sitting beside him with the glories of Turkish tourism. Isn't it great to
usurp
others' legacies, use it to make money and cover up your crimes against those
very same people?
When all is taken into account, we can only say "Thank you Mr. Gonul, thank
you
Turkey. Please send him to visit us more often." He's one of the best things
for Armenians and others with grievances against Turkey, reminiscent of former
Ambassador Sukru Elekdag, the boxer turned diplomat and his "masterful"
mouthings.
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
TOP STORIES
03/31/2006
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <http://www.asbarez.com/>HTTP://WWW.ASBAREZ. COM
1) ANCA Launches Nationwide Telethon
2) Karabagh Citizens Have Never Been and Will Never Be Azeri Citizens
3) Ankara May Soon Open Its Borders with Armenia, Says Daniel Fried
4) OSCE Has No Problem with Karabagh's Participation in Talks
5) EU Concerned with Violence in Turkey
6) Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo to Host Armenian Genocide
Exhibit, LAUSD Training
7) USC Armenian Graduate Students' Association Donates $5,000 to
Glendale-Ghapan Sister City Association
8) Los Angeles Based Architect Redesigns Karabagh Hospital
9) ARF Badanegan Seminar
10) Youth And Our Church: By Pattyl Aposhian
11) Critics' Forum: Film and Music: By Hovig Tchalian
12) Thank You Vecdi: By Garen Yegparian
1) ANCA Launches Nationwide Telethon
--Grassroots advocacy organization expanding operations in nation's Capital
and
across US
(WASHINGTON, DC)--The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) will
launch its first nationwide telethon on May 21, 2006 with the theme "Securing
our roots~E Building for the future."
The goal of the telethon, which will air throughout the United States on
television stations in major Armenian communities and via satellite TV, is to
raise funds to expand ANCA's work and programs in service to the Armenian
Cause
(Hai Tahd). The ANCA has been stepping up its advocacy efforts over the last
decade on many issues important to the Armenian community and the telethon
will
raise the additional financial resources necessary to meet the growing
challenges facing the Armenian people.
As a first step in these expansion plans, in early March the ANCA Endowment
made a historic announcement regarding a state-of-the-art building it
purchased
from AOL founder Steve Case, which is located in the heart of the nation's
capital, Washington, DC. The building, which is equipped with the latest
technology, is located blocks from the White House and near Embassy Row.
"Now is the time to build on our successes with a national telethon
devoted to
'Hai Tahd'--the Armenian Cause," said Ken Hachikian, Chairman of the ANCA. "We
look forward to generating the increased political power, influence, and
respect that the Armenian American community deserves--and that the Armenian
homeland needs. Purchasing a building in the heart of Washington, DC's
political establishment gives the Armenian Cause a permanent home in the US
and
provides a platform to expand our service to the Armenian nation."
The ANCA telethon will be broadcast from 6:00 PM to midnight Eastern Standard
Time (EST) and 3:00-9:00 PM Pacific Standard Time (PST) on May 21 and will
feature a wide array of engaging programming including documentaries,
prominent
political figures, community representatives, and artistic performances, all
with an eye toward raising substantial funds to support the ANCA's advocacy
programs throughout the United States.
"The launch of the ANCA Telethon represents a historic occasion to both
demonstrate the substantial progress and results the ANCA has achieved for the
Armenian Cause and to outline our plans for the future," said Zanku Armenian,
spokesperson for the ANCA Telethon. "We are at a defining moment for Hai Tahd
and need to expand our infrastructure to meet the increasing challenges from
the many forces arrayed against our nation, our homeland, and our struggle for
justice. The Telethon will provide a unique forum to unify our community's
strength, foster greater participation, and generate the resources we need to
advance the Armenian Cause."
The genesis of the ANCA Telethon theme, "Securing our roots~E Building for the
future," reflects the ANCA's respect for our roots and our aspirations for the
future. "Securing our roots" represents our enduring historic roots as a
people, our grassroots around the country, and our deep roots in Washington,
DC. At its core, grassroots advocacy is the very soul of the ANCA. While
"Building for the future" represents the ANCA's constant efforts to expand its
effectiveness as a world-class organization, recognized internationally as the
principled and forceful voice of the Armenian American community.
2) Karabagh Citizens Have Never Been and Will Never Be Azeri Citizens
YEREVAN (Yerkir/Armenpress)-- Azerbaijan's Foreign Affairs Minister Elmar
Mamedyarov said Friday that Baku was prepared to negotiate a peace agreement
directly with Karabagh's authorities if the Armenians of Karabagh acknowledge
that they are citizens of Azerbaijan.
Mountainous Karabagh Republic's (MKR) Foreign Affairs Ministry responded by
saying that MKR authorities responded that they have always supported direct
participation in the negotiations without preconditions.
"Karabagh citizens have never been and will never be citizens of Azerbaijan.
The statements by the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry are made for the Azeri
public and do not reflect the reality of the Nagorno Karabagh conflict
settlement," added MKR's Foreign Ministry.
Mamedyarov also said that Armenia must walk out of the negotiation process
and
recognize the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.
"But I am afraid Armenia would not want Azerbaijan to hold direct talks with
Nagorno-Karabagh," he was quoted by Trend news agency as saying. Mamedyarov
reiterated that Baku would have to resort to force to end the conflict if the
talks did not produce progress.
3) Ankara May Soon Open Its Borders with Armenia, Says Daniel Fried
WASHINGTON, DC (Armenpress)--Daniel Fried, the US Assistant State Secretary on
Eurasian and European affairs, said after his visit to the South Caucasus that
"Ankara may open its borders with Armenia in a short period of time."
According to Turkish "Aksham," Fried said that during his meetings in Ankara
he discussed the issue of opening the Turkish-Armenian border and told the
Turkish government that the US demands the border be opened.
Fried also mentioned the issue of the Armenian genocide, saying that works is
being done to make Turkey come into terms with its history.
4) OSCE Has No Problem with Karabagh's Participation in Talks
(Combined Sources)--The American co-chair of the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group, Steven Mann, said that the
participation of Karabagh in the negotiating process is up to the conflicting
sides.
"The approach of the OSCE MG co-chairs is as follows: if the parties are for
involving the Nagorno Karabagh in the talks, we will support this option,"
Mann
said.
The American co-chair also commented on the more frequent ceasefire
violations
along the line of contact.
"The Personal Envoy of the OSCE chairman-in-office, Andrzej Kasprzyk informs
us regularly about this issue," he said, adding that the conflicting parties
often discuss how to maintain the ceasefire.
"The most optimal method should be agreed on in order to avoid war," said
Mann. "The United States thinks that 2006 is a promising year for reaching a
peace accord. However, it will not be possible to completely solve the
conflict
in 2006, because it needs many years."
"I think the parties will decrease the risk of war. I do not think anyone is
interested in resuming the war," the US diplomat said. "However, the ceasefire
violation does not sound good."
Mann also said that the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs might hold their next
meeting in April. He said that the Armenian and Azeri Foreign Ministers may
also meet soon, "but the exact date of this meeting has not yet been set."
"We [the co-chairs] are analyzing the situation and specifying our next
steps," Mann said.
5) EU Concerned with Violence in Turkey
(Reuters/AP)--The European Union expressed serious concern on Friday over
violent clashes which have killed six people, including two children, in
southeast Turkey and urged Ankara to improve the rights of Kurds in the
region.
Stone-throwing Kurds have been clashing with riot police in Diyarbakir since
Tuesday, turning the city of one million people on the River Tigris into a
battle zone.
It is the worse violence in the Muslim nation since it began accession talks
with the 25-nation European Union last October.
"We are very concerned by the latest tensions in the southeast of Turkey and
the violence, which have resulted in casualties," said Krisztina Nagy,
spokeswoman for the EU's Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn.
"We are aware of the serious terrorist problem in the region but it is a much
wider problem than just a security issue."
The EU's view was echoed by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), which
governs the northern part of Iraq, bordering Turkey's own Kurdish region.
"What happened here is an example of a continuing problem of Turkey using
force to solve what is a political and economic problem," Burham Jaf, KRG
permanent representative to the EU told Reuters.
"There needs to be a focus on a political solution and all sides need to
start
talking to each other," adds the Iraqi Kurd official.
More than 30,000 people, most of them Kurds, have been killed since the
Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) took up arms for a Kurdish homeland in Turkey in
1984.
Turkey, the European Union, and the United States all see the PKK as a
terrorist organization, but the EU has also repeatedly urged Ankara to grant
greater cultural and linguistic rights to its 12 million Kurds. Under
pressure,
Turkey's government has passed some reforms, but implementation has remained
patchy.
The European Commission urged the Turkish authorities to address "urgently"
the lack of economic development and cultural rights in that region.
"The region needs peace, economic development, and real exercise of cultural
rights for Kurds," Nagy said, adding that this was not a new problem and was
raised constantly by the European Commission in its talks with Turkey.
Asked whether the EU executive was critical of Turkish police actions, Nagy
said she was worried by the whole situation.
The clashes first erupted on Tuesday after funeral ceremonies for 14 PKK
rebels killed by troops last weekend.
An eight-year-old child died overnight in hospital. A man and a child were
shot dead on Wednesday and a second man was crushed under a police armored
car.
It was not immediately clear when or how the other two people died.
Political analysts say the clashes reflect local anger over high
unemployment,
poverty and Ankara's refusal to grant more autonomy and cultural rights to the
mainly Kurdish region.
Police spokesman Ismail Caliskan said the PKK was behind the violence.
Police are also claiming that Kurds were behind Friday's explosion in
Istanbul, which killed one person and injured 13 others.
The blast occurred at a bus stop in the Kocamustafapasa district. A police
official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said authorities suspect that
autonomy-seeking Kurdish rebels may have been behind the blast.
Turkey bars civil servants from speaking to journalists without prior
authorization.
Video footage broadcast on CNN-Turk television showed debris scattered across
a residential street, covering the sidewalk and parked cars.
Police carrying submachine guns tried to keep crowds of people from the site.
A bomb disposal expert wearing protective gear checked nearby garbage cans.
6) Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo to Host Armenian Genocide
Exhibit, LAUSD Training
LOS ANGELES--City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo will host an exhibit and teacher
training workshop for Los Angeles Unified School District teachers about the
Armenian genocide at Los Angeles City Hall on April 3.
The exhibit, iwitness, features striking portraits and oral histories of
Genocide survivors and will be on display through the end of April. The
teacher
training workshop will be conducted by The Genocide Education Project, a
non-profit educational organization, which will ultimately train more than 300
LAUSD world history teachers about the Armenian genocide.
The workshop, which incorporates elements of the iwitness exhibit in its
lesson plans, will take place at City Hall from 8 AM to 3 PM on April 3, with
the opening reception for iwitness at 5 PM.
"I am proud to be hosting both iwitness and the training for LAUSD teachers,"
said Delgadillo. "The photos and personal accounts of these survivors not only
humanize the Genocide but also foster awareness through a powerful combination
of art and education."
Deputy City Attorney Sara Anjargolian, a policy advisor to Delgadillo who
also
serves as the Office's liaison to the Armenian community, said the program
would have a broad impact. "As the City Attorney for one of the most diverse
cities in the world, Rocky Delgadillo is keenly aware of the importance of
teaching about the Genocide and the crucial historical lessons it provides for
all Angelenos," she said.
Iwitness, an exhibit by The Genocide Project and photographers Ara Oshagan
and
Levon Parian, combines portraits of Armenian genocide survivors with their
eyewitness accounts. Collected over a nearly 10-year period, iwitness also
features historical photos and testimonials from American and other officials
stationed in the Ottoman Empire during the Genocide.
"Iwitness brings together not only the photos of the survivors and their
eyewitness stories but also historical photos of the actual events and
accounts
by foreigners--American, British, Austrian officials--who saw what was
happening and attempted to prevent it," said photographer Levon Parian. "The
viewer of the exhibit will not only get a glimpse into the individual personal
tragedies of survivors but also an idea of the historical context in which it
all took place."
The Genocide Education Project is a nonprofit organization that assists
educators in teaching about human rights and genocide, particularly the
Armenian genocide, by developing and distributing instructional materials,
providing access to teaching resources and organizing educational
workshops. It
has been involved for nearly a decade in providing invaluable materials for
teachers and has created one of the most important genocide resources sites on
the net at www.TeachGenocide.org.
"We are currently in the process of one of our most important projects--a
series of one day workshops targeted at training LAUSD world history teachers
about the Armenian genocide," says Raffi Momjian, Executive Director of The
Genocide Education Project. "The fact the LA City Attorney's office is hosting
one of our workshops in association with the iwitness exhibit is critical in
raising awareness of the importance of teaching not only the Genocide but all
human rights abuses."
Iwitness has been featured in the Los Angeles Times Sunday Magazine and on
National Public Radio's "Morning Edition," and has been exhibited in the
California and Texas State Senate rotundas and the Rotunda of the Capitol in
Washington, DC. It has also been exhibited at the Downey Museum of Art.
Iwitness will be on display at the City Attorney's Office through the
month of
April. For more information, or to schedule a student field trip to the
exhibit, please call (213) 978-8100.
To RSVP for the April 3 opening reception, please email [email protected] or
call (213) 978-1575 by March 31.
7) USC Armenian Graduate Students' Association Donates $5,000 to
Glendale-Ghapan Sister City Association
GLENDALE--At their 2006 Annual Gala & Live Auction in February, the University
of Southern California Armenian Graduate Students' Association (USC AGSA)
raised nearly $25,000 for charity projects in Armenia. As a non-profit
organization working to enhance the lives of the people in Ghapan and
surrounding villages, the Glendale-Ghapan Sister City Association (GGSCA)
received $5,000 from the USC AGSA to renovate a youth center in the Village of
Dantsaver.
"Our collaboration with the Glendale-Ghapan Sister City Association developed
naturally since we share the common visionto strategically preserve and
fortify
our homeland," said Armen Margarian, president of the USC Graduate Students'
Association. "The Dantsaver Village Youth Center project was especially near
and dear to us as young Armenians living in the US since we feel that an
integral part of our duty is to reach out to our fellow siblings in Armenia
and
develop professional relationships that will aid in their success in the
international, academic, and professional arenas," continued Margarian.
"We are thrilled and so grateful not only that the USC AGSA students are
globally aware, but are actively involved in nation-building by hosting events
that assist the not-so-privileged in Armenia prosper and thrive," said Artin
Manoukian, president of the Glendale-Ghapan Sister City Association. "We
encourage other like-minded organizations to come forward as it is through the
collaborative efforts of community members and organizations such as the USC
AGSA that our mission of cultivating economic cooperation and cultural
exchanges can be realized, all the while enhancing the standard of living for
our brethren in Armenia" added Manoukian.
Since its inception in 2002, the GGSCA has been actively working to fulfill
its mission by concentrating its efforts on improving the conditions in the
pre-schools, the healthcare system in Ghapan and the surrounding villages. In
2005, a much-needed ambulance donated by the City of Glendale Fire Department
was delivered to Ghapan along with 30 hospital beds donated by Dr. Vartkes and
Mrs. Mary Najarian. With proceeds from an event held at Hoover High School in
Glendale, the GGSCA delivered bedding for 1200 pre school students including
sheets, pillow cases, blankets, and uniforms for the staff. This project
served
a dual purpose by providing needed goods, and also by contributing to Ghapan's
local economy by employing the local Blind and Handicapped Association to sew
the items.
During Easter last year, the Glendale-Ghapan Sister City Association
delivered
gifts including backpacks, school supplies, and lunch sets to 1200 Ghapan
preschoolers. This Easter, the GGSCA is preparing its shipment of similar
items
to be sent to 1200 preschoolers in Ghapan and 300 others in surrounding
villages.
In addition to the renovation of the youth center in Dantsaver village with
USC AGSA's generous support, some of GGSCA's upcoming projects include the
opening of the completely renovated school in Norashenik village by the
Armenian Educational Foundation and a section of Pre-School Number 8 by Mr.
and
Mrs. Kahren Beniassians. Also scheduled for autumn 2006 is a trip to Ghapan
with a medical delegation from Glendale Adventist Medical Center.
Through the joint effort of the Armenian National Committee of Glendale, the
City of Glendale, and the City of Ghapan, the GGSCA was established to help
cultivate economic cooperation and cultural exchanges between the two cities.
In December 2002, the Glendale City Council passed a resolution recognizing
Ghapan as a Sister City. GGSCA is a non-profit organization that aims to
foster
goodwill and understanding through cultural, educational, and economic
cooperation between the people of Glendale and Ghapan.
For more information or to contribute to GGSCA, please contact (818) 828-8882
or email at [email protected].
8) Los Angeles Based Architect Redesigns Karabagh Hospital
LOS ANGELES--In early March, Armenia Fund's Western US Region led a hospital
reconstruction team to the war-torn Martakert region of Karabagh. The purpose
of the site visit was to formulate architectural and engineering plans for the
new regional healthcare facility. The project will be funded by donations
collected during the 2005 Telethon as part of the Martakert Regional
Development plan. In addition, a number of long time benefactors in the
western
US region sponsored the reconstruction of specific departments of the
hospital.
Arturo Fribourg, a Los Angeles based architect specializing in public works
and health care facilities, was a part of the team visiting the hospital.
Fribourg will provide the conceptual design of the hospital. Karabagh-based
architect Mamikon Farsian, will tailor the design to local construction and
medical codes and prepare the final drawings in accordance with Fribourg's
plan
for the hospital.
Prior to his departure to Armenia, Fribourg worked with Dr. Alina Dorian,
senior program manager at the UCLA Center for Public Health and Disasters, to
map out the initial plans. Dorian, who is currently in Karabagh, is part of
the
team as the public healthcare advisor. She will prepare the region's
healthcare
program and will oversee the development of a modern healthcare
administration.
Built in the early 1970's, the Soviet-era hospital has deteriorated due to
improper maintenance. The hospital was severely damaged in the war, suffering
aerial missile attacks and looting. The renovated hospital will be up to
western standards and meet the needs of the region.
During the visit to Karabagh, Fribourg met with the president of Mountainous
Karabagh Republic, Arkady Ghoukasian and Prime Minister Anoushavan Danielian.
Ghoukasian thanked Fribourg for embarking on this challenging project and
pledged full support for the proper and timely completion of the project. Led
by Armenia Fund's Executive Director, Sarkis Kotanjian, the team also met with
Health Minister Dr. Zoya Lazaryan and Chief Administrator of the Hospital Dr.
Sergei Ohanian to learn about immediate and long term healthcare needs of the
Martakert Region as well as problems facing the hospital.
According to the schedule, all architectural designs will be completed by
late
April, paving the way for a full-scale reconstruction during the late spring
months of 2006. The project is expected to be completed within the next 12-18
months with a brief hiatus during the harsh winter months.
After construction is complete, Armenia Fund will furnish the new hospital
with modern medical supplies and state of the art equipment. Currently,
Armenia
Fund is working on obtaining special grants and in-kind donations from major
healthcare providers throughout the United States. For more information on
this
project, please visit www.armeniafund.org.
Armenia Fund, Inc., is a non-profit 501©(3) tax-exempt corporation established
in 1994 to facilitate large-scale humanitarian and infrastructure development
assistance to Armenia and Karabagh. Armenia Fund, Inc. is the US Western
Region
affiliate of "Hayastan." All-Armenian Fund. Tax ID# 95-4485698
9) ARF Badanegan Seminar
The ARF Badanegan Organization of Western America held its Annual Winter
Seminars during the weekends of February 3-5 and February 24-26.
Each year, the Badanegan Central Council of the ARF organizes two weekend
sessions, during which Badanees from all over Southern California gather at
AYF
Camp in Big Pines, California. Session one of this year's seminar had over 50
participants between the ages of 9 and 13. More than 120 badanees between the
ages of 14 and 17 participated in second session of the seminars.
During the weekend seminars, participants were able to meet and interact with
different badanees from various chapters, participate in workshops and
educationals, take part in a talent show, as well as go on hikes, play games,
compete in a quizbowl, discuss current events, and learn about Armenian
history.
The ARF BCC would like to thank all badanees and advisors for
participating in
this year's Seminars.
If you're interested in obtaining more information about the ARF Badanegan
Organization, please contact us at [email protected] or
visit
our website at www.badanegan.org.
10) Youth And Our Church
By Pattyl Aposhian
My hand trembles as I open the rusted mailbox outside my house. This tin box
contains my future. Quickly, I begin making promises to myself--be it
attending
Sunday mass, volunteering as a mentor for the local church youth group, or
even
a task as simple as lighting a candle~E all in return for a letter of
admission.
At that moment, I think of everything and anything to deepen my faith and
truly
seek God before I read the letter that will change my life.
As I tear open the envelope, a smile lights up my face when I read the
official letter of acceptance. Instantaneously, I forget the small promises
made seconds ago and go about my life as I had before--without doing anything
differently.
It's either the best of times or the worst of times. Teenagers today have
come
to view faith and the church as an escape from reality or a forum for social
happiness. We turn to the church during the birth of a child or the
marriage of
a friend or loved one. We turn to the church when we have scored a 170 on our
LSAT's and received an acceptance letter from Harvard Law School. We turn to
the church when our lives are moving in the right direction and we know,
without question, that our faith and belief in God had something to do with
it.
On the other hand, we turn to our church and clergymen to ask "why?" Why
didn't I get accepted to Business School? Why did the police officer stop me
for speeding and slap me with a DUI? Why are my friends allowed to break
curfew
and I'm not? Why has life thrown me a curve ball?
Seem too simple? Today's youth questions faith on different levels. An older
individual reading this article may view hardship and its link to faith
differently than a teenager. A teenager may turn to faith because of problems
such as peer pressure, materialism, beauty, and perhaps even a need for
acceptancein other words, subject matters that adults "just don't
understand."
Times have changed. Generations before us viewed church differently than
we do
today. Attending church every Sunday was not an option for our parents or
grandparents. Going to the wedding reception and "skipping" the church
ceremony
was unthinkable.
Now, it has become a matter of choice. The "cool" way to attend church is to
hang out in the quad or parking lot twice a yearEaster and Christmasas you use
the opportunity to wear your Sunday best and socialize with friends. Some
of us
make a small effort and go into the church to light a candle. We spot a place
to sit between two elderly women and think otherwise. We stand near the door
for two minutes, observing the sea of salt and pepper hair only to realize
that
the average age of attendees is double ours. We walk away thinking this sermon
really isn't for us anyways.
Reality is, the younger generation just doesn't understand--seeking faith is
not something that takes place on our clock. Attending church should not be
associated with social gatherings or harrowing times. Our faith should
surround
us every day and be blind to time schedules, daily occurrences, and our own
personal lives.
Armenian youth are an integral part of the Armenian culture and our faith is
an important determining factor in our choice of values. The Western
Prelacy of
Armenian Churches has committed to taking the youth deeper into the Bible,
prayer, and mentoring programs so that Generation X and Y will be grounded to
our faith. By witnessing the need for special programs for youth, the Church
has responded to the needs of the Armenian community by setting up youth
groups
and youth services. With every passing day, youth programs are growing
stronger
and developing along practical lines of life.
We are more fortunate than our counterparts of the 1960s and 1970s. Our
personalities seem much more cheerful. We do not drift along with the current.
Our behavior is more practical and reasonable. We survive by adaptation,
and we
seek development through creativity. In other words, the manifestation of our
sense of values regarding faith, knowledge, spirituality, work, modernization,
marriage, consumerism, and other areas of life, all have a special
personality,
and reflect trends in society's development.
If we compare the values of today's youth with those of an older
tradition, we
find these values significantly different. We, Generation X and Y, not only
emphasize the life of the spirit, but we also pay greater attention to
material
life and the quality of life. For example, the traditional Armenian attitude
towards life is: be content with what you have, be hardworking and thrifty,
study hard, and bear your burdens. But today's youth seek a life of quality
and
beauty. We have doubts about the traditional value system, and we challenge
it.
Sometimes, we do not understand why our parents repeatedly emphasize
industriousness and hard work. The atmosphere of consumerism prevails, but the
Armenian community still emphasizes duty, practicality, steadfastness, and
patience. But today's youth seek novel things. We seek success; we want to
travel; we want to enjoy gatherings of family and friends. We also seek a
variety of social stimuli. However, we still seek faith and spirituality.
With the changes and developments in modern society taking place so rapidly,
everyone is adapting quickly, especially the Western Prelacy. The Church
understands the challenge of youth involvement and the influence of democratic
ideas, equality, and modern technology. The church sees the change in family
life, schools, and society and reflects on how it can play the role of prophet
and speak out for justice in society. Furthermore, the Church has taken its
commitment to the youth further by adapting to their needs.
Therefore, I ask the Armenian youth? Where are you? Why can't you log off
myspace.com a couple of hours early and attend church on Sunday? Why can't you
make friends at youth group gatherings rather than flirt with disaster at
local
bars and coffee houses? In short, why are you not actively involved with the
church?
The church has done its share. Now, it's our turn to prove that the Armenian
youth is willing, dedicated, and faithful.
11) Critics' Forum
Film and Music
Belated History: Revisiting Atom Egoyan's "Ararat"
By Hovig Tchalian
It may seem unusual to review a film released almost four years ago. But
as we
enter the first year of the tenth decade of commemorating the Armenian
genocide, Atom Egoyan's "Ararat" (2002) presents an ideal opportunity to do so
in the context of the film's central theme, the uncanny act of
remembering--again.
"Ararat" is a powerful, reverent and unquestionably personal look at the
ravages of the Genocide, both immediate and more distant. But the film as a
whole is also deeply flawed, precisely because of its personal nature.
Like Egoyan's other films, the premise of "Ararat" is complex and
multi-layered. It revolves ostensibly around the making of a film about the
Genocide by Edward Saroyan (played by Charles Aznavour), a well-known director
now well past his prime. In typical Egoyan fashion, the stories of the other
characters weave themselves into the central story of the making of Saroyan's
film: Raffi, the main character (played credibly by David Alpay), is in love
with his step-sister, Celia; she is locked in struggle with his mother, Ani
(played by Egoyan's wife, Arsinée Khanjian); Ani is an art historian
interested
in Arshile Gorky (played movingly by Simon Abkarian) and his representation of
himself and his mother, which Celia accuses her of using as a way of coming to
terms with the death (or, according to Celia, her murder) of her second
husband, Celia's father; the film's producer, Rouben (played by Eric
Bogosian),
hires Ani as a consultant, in order to help add elements of Gorky's biography
as a plotline in the film.
The stories converge on Raffi's attempt to bring (or perhaps sneak) several
rolls of film into the United States that he claims to have shot in Anatolia
(present-day Eastern Turkey, historically Western Armenia) for use in the
production. An aging customs officer, David (played ably by Christopher
Plummer), is the only person who stands in his way. David is himself close to
retirement and having trouble adjusting to his divorced son's relationship
with
his half-Turkish gay lover (played by Elias Koteas), an actor who winds up
playing the part of the main Turkish antagonist in Saroyan's film, Jevdet
Bey.
As is clear from the extended synopsis above, the various elements of the
film
make for a complex storyline. Though it can be argued that some of the details
are "wasted" here (other, better films, of Egoyan's are far more "efficient"
and less heavy-handed), there is still a clear purpose to them. For instance,
the twin details of the director's waning talentsa fact mentioned off-handedly
by Raffiand the customs officer's impending retirementrevealed slowly
throughoutare subtle but significant. Together, they represent the film's
central concern, what we might call the "latency" or "belatedness" of
historyin
other words, the difficulty of proving after the fact an event that took place
in the past. We understand that the Genocide narrative in the imaginary
film is
told too late to change the facts but, equally, struggling even to transmit
them meaningfully to posterity. Like its director, the film is tragically past
its prime. The same may be said of any attempt to capture the full weight of
history, a fact that Egoyan (as a director of the film that tells its own,
similar story) recognizes all too well.
The two aging characters and the structure of the film-within-a-film repeat
themselves across a host of other dualities: we find out that Ani has been
married twice, first to Raffi's father, who was killed in an attempt to
assassinate a Turkish diplomat, and second to Celia's father, who apparently
(and like Gorky) committed suicide; we discover that Raffi is actually
sneaking
two sets of films across the border, one set of rolls (that may in fact
contain
Heroin) given to him by the Turkish soldier who helped him get into view of
Ararat and a roll of film that he took on his own camcorder that includes a
shot of the Madonna and child in Aghtamar that mirrors Gorky's painting; we
are
also told that Gorky painted that image in 1934, as a way of coming to terms
with the killing of his mother in 1915 (an act that Ani is trying to uncover
and understand in the present).
Such parallels, sometimes subtle and sometimes less so, all build on the idea
of belatedness. They do not represent dualities so much as an almost endless
string of repetitions and revisions, of strange but hopeful attempts, as I
suggested earlier, to remember--again. By the end of the film, the sheer
number
and dizzying array of motifs in the film come perilously close to overwhelming
its subject as well as its viewer.
A surprisingly effective repetition in the film is the one that involves Ali,
who plays the part of the Turkish official, Jevdet Bey, in Saroyan's film. He
is a half-Turkish American citizen who reveals during the course of filming
that he has trouble believing that the Genocide was ever more than a civil
disturbance and those killed much more than casualties of war. Raffi's futile
attempt to convince him otherwise is more than an act of will. His
all-too-human response of confronting a Genocide denierin the person of
Alibecomes at the same time a heroic attempt to reach back into and reverse
history itselfin the person of Jevdet Bey. History and art collide in Raffi's
personal encounter with collective memory and the reconstruction of historical
experience.
The personal nature of Raffi's encounter ensures the emotional and artistic
integrity of the film, its heart and soul. But surprisingly, it also
represents
the film's undoing. The delicate balance between art and tragedy
represented in
Raffi's experience begins to unravel as we extend it to include Egoyan's own
experience of making a quite personal film about the Genocide. From this
broader perspective, the film is unable to navigate the fine line between art
and historical commentary. In that sense, the complex associations among the
film's various elements must be seen as a heroic but doomed attempt to capture
the fullness of the Genocide and its implications, both personal and
collective. To put it differently, the film puts forward the idea that a
historical event is infinitely complex, all the while attempting to shed light
on what actually happened. Not surprisingly, reviews of the film have
described
it either as "slanted" or "committed," a distinction that even a filmmaker of
Egoyan's talents would be hard-pressed to overcome.
As mentioned earlier, the film's complex plot converges on Raffi's attempt to
sneak the rolls of film out of Turkey and into the States, and in the film's
rationale, into the light of day. The customs officer, David, suspects that
the
roll given to Raffi by the soldier contains drugs. David explains that many of
those who ingest those drugs to sneak them past the officers, when confronted
with the crime, get so nervous that the packets explode in their system,
causing an immediate overdose. The conversation parallels the very first scene
in the film, in which Aznavour's character, Saroyan, tries to get a
pomegranate
("nour") past customs. (It also parallels the imagined story in Saroyan's
film,
in which Gorky fails in his attempt to get a letter about the Turkish siege on
Van to the American authorities and is caught by Jevdet Bey.) When David
refuses to allow Saroyan to bring the fruit across the border, Saroyan ingests
the seeds instead, explaining that he expects them to bring him luck. (We find
out later that his mother, a deportee, had a single pomegranate with her on
her
journey and survived by ingesting a seed a day and considering it a full
meal.)
The most obvious parallel in all these cases is to the truth at the heart of
the Genocide, which starts as a letter of distress in Saroyan's film and
becomes, in Egoyan's, both pomegranate seed and packet of heroin,
sustaining to
those who would give it life and a potentially explosive issue to those intent
on suppressing it.
The film's resolution, if there is one, comes in the form of Raffi's
liberation. David releases him from customs, accepting the various lies he has
told as a way of getting at the truth, of imagining its possibility. This act
in turn leads to David's acceptance of his son and sets everything that has
come before it awash in the light of hope. It is reminiscent of perhaps the
single most affecting moment in the film, in which Gorky, struggling to paint
his mother's portrait, gives himself over to the music playing on his
phonograph and dances to it, palette and paintbrush in hand. Egoyan has
earlier
shown us captive Armenian women made to dance by Turkish soldiers, a scene
that
transforms Gorky's, by contrast, into the ultimate act of imagination and
hope,
a dance on the grave of history itself.
The film's final scene is of Gorky's mother sewing a button back onto her
son's jacket. The button is missing in Gorky's famous portrait but hidden from
view, covered over by a flower his mother gives him to hold over it just
before
the photograph is taken. The humble act of sewing it back on stands in for the
far more difficult goal of setting history right, after the fact. It presents
the film's hopeful answer to the problems posed by history's belatedness.
"Ararat" is not Atom Egoyan's finest film. That distinction belongs to "The
Sweet Hereafter" (1997), a simple, graceful and ultimately more powerful
meditation on the effects of a school bus crash on the residents of a
Midwestern town. The earlier film does not try as hard to confront the full
impact of its tragedy, though one admittedly smaller in scope. Paradoxically,
Egoyan's personal feelings about the events depicted in "Ararat" render it a
painfully personal attempt to address an unresolved historical tragedy in all
its complexity. But it is worth revisiting, if only to confront the immensity
and hope of the enterprise.
Hovig Tchalian holds a PhD in English literature from UCLA. He has edited
several journals and also published articles of his own. You can reach him or
any of the other contributors to Critics' Forum at [email protected].
This and all other articles published in this series are available online at
<http://www.criticsforum.org/>www.critics forum.org. To sign up for a weekly
electronic version of new articles, go to
<http://www.criticsforum.org/join>www.cri ticsforum.org/join. Critics' Forum
is a
group created to discuss issues relating to Armenian art and culture in the
Diaspora.
12) Thank You Vecdi
By Garen Yegparian
We haven't had this much Turkish fun in the LA basin for a while. I suppose
the Turkish government had forgotten where the victims of its genocidal
policies reside in large numbers.
We of course demonstrated outside the Beverly Hills Hilton where Turkish
Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul was addressing the Los Angeles World Affairs
Council. But other than observing that participation seemed low, I can't speak
to how well it went since I was inside being amused by the 'turkey-du-jour'
Gonul.
He is presumably intelligent and competent at what he does, but it was not in
evidence that day. His English seemed reasonably solid, but slow in coming
forth. His speech was prepared and he read it in a painfully obvious, tedious
way, with an occasional live joke thrown in. He wasn't even able to get
through
the whole of it. Besides omitting portions of his comments about Iraq, he
conveniently consumed the allotted time and left Caucasus and Artsakh issues
out along with Central Asia. Nothing about Armenia of any substance was
part of
his presentation. You'd think we didn't exist (in his wishful thinking).
So what did he say? Much of it seemed somewhat general, though he did cite
statistics about Turkey's expenditures in the realm of defense, with specifics
focusing on purchases from the US and Israel. He emphasized Turkey's
"even-handedness" in dealing with Israel-Palestine issues. Turkey's role in
NATO was trumpeted to such a degree that the casual listener might think it
founded the defense pact and single-handedly kept it alive. He took cheap
shots
at Syria and other neighbors, pointing out that of 18 current conflicts 13 are
in Turkey's neighborhood.
This brings us to items of greater specific interest to Armenians. If so many
conflicts are in its neighborhood, doesn't that suggest that Turkey is a cause
of instability? Not according to good ole Vecdi. You see Turkey is a net
"exporter" of security since 6149 personnel from 58 countries have
participated
in programs at the NATO Partnership for Peace Center established 1998 in
Ankara. Translation: Turkey gets to wine and dine these folks in an attempt to
win itself friends--and much of it at others' expense. Isn't that a great
deal?
In addition, "peace at home, peace in the world" is paradigmatic in Turkey
(and
for Gonul personally--sniffle, I am so touched) as stated by Ataturk, the
magnificent peacemaker.
Terrorism, the catchall word for the Bush regime and its cohort of cronies
and
fawners, was prominently on display. Turkey (imagine violins playing) really
understands what the US is going through after the September 11 attacks since
it's been at war with terrorists (sic: Kurds justly seeking statehood) for 20
years at the cost of 32,000 lives.
Gonul ended his presentation with inane niceties and remarks clearly intended
to kiss-up to American powers that be, an overabundance of the standard,
fatuous fluff that attends such presentations by representatives of countries
groveling to be in Washington's good graces.
It only got more ridiculous during the question and answer session, but more
revealing. In the context of a response to a question about Iran, Gonul
referred to Iraq as having been "part of our country." The only time that
applied was during the Ottoman Empire (OE). So he clearly admits that the OE
and Turkey are integral from the perspective of statehood, in this case
successively. So much for arguments that the Genocide was committed by a
"different" country.
Two questions of direct Armenian interest were posed. An elderly woman asked,
in the kindest, most non-aggressive way imaginable, why Turkey refused to
simply acknowledge the history of 1915. His response, "We are thinking
there is
nothing to acknowledge." Then he told of being from "Eastern Turkey" and half
his father's family being massacred by Armenians. He also tried without ever
making a clear point, to play divide-and-conquer by claiming there exist three
types of Armenians: "our Armenians, Armenians in Ermenistan, and Armenians
living all over the world." He then proceeded to describe how Armenians and
Turks lived happily side-by-side until 1878 when part of the OE was lost to
the
Russian Empire. In this remark, he built on an earlier theme about how Turkey,
continuing the policies of the OE, practiced multiculturalism, just as in the
US (please hold your laughter 'til later). Then, the Russians trained young
Armenians to hate Turks. When WWI commenced, these 'Turk-hating' Armenians
returned to the OE and starting killing Turks. In response, the Turkish Army
killed Armenians. Again, it's interesting that the Defense Minister confesses
it was the army, an organ of the state, which did the killing. I told you it
got more ridiculous. Can you picture a bunch of 50-60 year old Armenians
running around in Turkish occupied Armenia, during WWI, mass-murdering Turks?
This guy and his ilk ought to try their hand at stand-up comedy! Here, a
fed-up
outburst from the audience pointed out Gonul's lies. The participant was even
threatened with removal.
The second Armenian question asked the minister what happened, in 1915, to
the
Armenian part of the mosaic of cultures and religions he'd claimed during his
presentation constituted the OE. Here, the dangers of reading a speech
prepared
by someone else manifested. Gonul was clueless as to what "mosaic" meant. The
question was repeated. Then the MC repeated it as he did with all the
questions. Yet Gonul continued his fumbling. He asked what a "museum" had
to do
with the discussion. Finally, a man approached and clarified it for him,
presumably in Turkish. He looked like a complete fool. It was pleasing.
When he
finally did respond, he claimed 152 nationalities and religious groups lived
happily together until the West attacked and awoke the Christian population.
Not that he claimed there were no killings, you see. Then he described having
an Armenian "aunt"--I guess it's all the rage these days in Turkey to claim an
Armenian relative, which in straight talk would be known as a Genocide
survivor. And many Armenian boys were orphaned, and went to military schools
and now live happily in the mosaic. Yup, believe it or not, his response
was as
disjointed as the last few sentences.
Throughout Minister Gonul's presentation, I was taking notes. One of the
Turks
at my table kept eyeing me nervously, wondering why. It was a great
pleasure to
observe his uneasiness. Meanwhile, his friend was busy regaling the woman
sitting beside him with the glories of Turkish tourism. Isn't it great to
usurp
others' legacies, use it to make money and cover up your crimes against those
very same people?
When all is taken into account, we can only say "Thank you Mr. Gonul, thank
you
Turkey. Please send him to visit us more often." He's one of the best things
for Armenians and others with grievances against Turkey, reminiscent of former
Ambassador Sukru Elekdag, the boxer turned diplomat and his "masterful"
mouthings.
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress