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California Courier Online, August 24, 2006
1 - Commentary
Turks Falsely Claim Armenians Would
Welcome Turkish Troops in Lebanon
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
2 - Armenian Patriarchate Ends Boycott
Of Community Papers Over Criticism
3 - No Surprise: Armenians Aid Poochigian's Campaign
4 - Haladjian's Nabaztag Wi-Fi
Rabbit Targets US consumers
5- Armenian Caucus Established
in California State Assembly
6 - San Gabriel Valley Ararat Guild to Feature
Film-Maker, Carla Garapedian, on Sept. 11
7 - Zoryan Institute Launches New
Scholarly Journal on Genocide
***************************************** *********************************
1 - Commentary
Turks Falsely Claim Armenians Would
Welcome Turkish Troops in Lebanon
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
Turkish officials fabricated a news story last week in order to
create the false impression that their soldiers would be warmly
welcome in Lebanon, even by the local Armenian community!
The widely circulated Turkish newspaper Hurriyet published a
front-page story on August 18 claiming that the only Armenian
Minister in the Lebanese Cabinet had agreed to the stationing of
Turkish troops in Lebanon. The story, written by Hurriyet's Chief
Editor Ertugrul Ozkok, carried the following sensational title: "Even
the Armenian Minister wants us in Lebanon."
Ozkok published the dramatic details of the dinner that was given in
Beirut last week by Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora in honor of
the Foreign Ministers of France, Pakistan, Malaysia and Turkey. In
attendance were also 9 Lebanese Ministers, including Jean
Oghassapian, the Minister of Administrative Reforms.
According Ozkok's article, when Turkey's Foreign Minister Abdullah
Gul asked Prime Minister Siniora how the Lebanese people would react
to the presence of Turkish soldiers in their country, Siniora
responded to the great surprise of everyone at the dinner table:
"Even the Armenian Minister in our Cabinet wants the Turkish soldiers
to come." Ozkok wrote that Siniora then called over Minister
Oghassapian from an adjacent table and "holding his arm," asked him:
"You also want the Turkish soldiers to come, don't you?" The Armenian
Minister reportedly replied: "Yes, we want them." Ozkok reported that
Turkish officials present at the dinner were utterly surprised
"especially since only that same morning, the Lebanon-based Tashnak
Party had issued a declaration," announcing its opposition to
stationing Turkish troops in Lebanon. Ozkok gleefully concluded:
"Clearly the Armenian Minister and the Tashnak declaration were at
odds." Gul reportedly told the Turkish journalists at the dinner that
Ankara was "not taking seriously" the efforts of the Armenian lobby
in the U.S. to prevent Turkish soldiers from entering Lebanon.
Stretching the truth even further, Ozkok reported that the Shiite
Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, Nebih Berri, told Gul at the
dinner: 'I speak in the name of the Shiites in Lebanon. We want from
our hearts that the Turkish soldiers participate in the peacekeeping
force."
The Turkish press is notorious for publishing untrue and distorted
reports. However, in this case, it appears that Mr. Ozkok, a
distinguished journalist and a prominent media executive, may have
been used by Turkish officials to disseminate a fabricated story.
Ozkok, who was in Istanbul during last week's dinner in Beirut, was
fed this fictitious news by Turkish Foreign Ministry officials.
In order to verify what really took place at that dinner, I contacted
Minister Oghassapian and spoke with him last Sunday. He was
absolutely shocked to hear what Hurriyet had reported. He said that
just about every item in that article was false! He said he did not
walk over to the table where the Lebanese Prime Minister and the
Turkish Foreign Minister were sitting and did not exchange any words
with either one of them that night. He did not discuss with anyone
the possible participation of Turkish troops in the peacekeeping
force. He also said that the Speaker of the Parliament Nebih Berri
was not present at the dinner at all. Furthermore, Minister
Oghassapian said to this writer that in separate meetings with Prime
Minister Siniora, he had told him of the strong opposition of the
Armenian community to the stationing of Turkish troops in Lebanon.
It is clear that the Turkish Foreign Ministry, by fabricating this
news report, is trying to create the false public perception that
Turkish soldiers would be warmly welcome in Lebanon. This point was
made more obvious in another Hurriyet story which reported that Gul
was told during his visit to Lebanon: "All sides are waiting for the
friendly Turkish soldiers" to take part in the peacekeeping force.
The second Turkish intent in falsifying this report seems to be to
split the Armenian community into two camps: for and against having
Turkish troops in Lebanon.
Fortunately, this Turkish lie did not last very long. After I spoke
with Minister Oghassapian, he issued a formal statement that was
published in the Aug. 22 issue of Zartonk, the organ of the Ramgavar
Party in Lebanon. He described the words attributed to him by
Hurriyet as "imaginary and not corresponding to reality." He said
that in private conversations with Prime Minister Siniora, he had
indicated his reservations regarding the presence of Turkish troops
in Lebanon. He concluded his published statement by drawing
everyone's attention to the standard practice of the Turkish media to
distort the news.
Here is an update about the flurry of developments that have taken
place since this writer first suggested earlier this month that
Turkish troops should not be stationed in Lebanon:
-- All three Armenian political parties issued statements rejecting
the participation of Turkish troops in the international peacekeeping
force in Lebanon. The spiritual leaders of the three Armenian
denominations in Lebanon (Orthodox, Catholic and Evangelical) issued
a similar joint statement.
-- An ARF delegation met with various Lebanese leaders as well as the
Ambassadors of Russia, Japan, Great Britain, China, Italy, Iran and
Egypt to impress upon them the unacceptability of Turkish troops in
Lebanon. The Armenian delegation told the Lebanese Prime Minister
that it would not accept even a single Turkish soldier on Lebanese
soil!
-- The Armenian National Committee of America sent a letter to Pres.
Bush objecting to the participation of Turkish troops in Lebanon. A
similar statement was issued by the ANC office in Europe.
-- The American Hellenic Institute wrote a letter to Pres. Bush
opposing the inclusion of Turkish soldiers in the peacekeeping force.
-- The Foreign Minister of Armenia, Vartan Oskanian, announced on
August 21 that the Lebanese government should have the right to
choose which country's troops it wants on its soil. Regrettably, he
did not offer a small contingent of troops to Lebanon, while
Armenians are taking part in the international force in Iraq and
Kosovo!
-- The President of Lebanon Emile Lahoud announced that countries
that have a strategic alliance with Israel, a clear reference to
Turkey, should not send troops to Lebanon, because they would not be
non-partisan. It is to be noted that Israel rejected the
participation of Malaysia, Indonesia and Bangladesh, on the ground
that they have no diplomatic relations with Tel Aviv, even though
their troops would not be stationed in Israel. Lebanon then has even
more of a right to reject the Turkish troops which would be stationed
on its territory.
-- According to the Lebanese Al Nahar newspaper, Hezbollah would not
accept the presence of Turkish troops in South Lebanon and considers
them to be proxies for the United States and Israel. An early sign of
a possible clash between the Sunni Turks and the Shia Hezbollah
forces came last week when four Turkish reporters were detained by
Hezbollah. After confiscating their films, the reporters were
released.
-- The Prime Minister and the Defense Minister of Israel both warmly
welcomed the stationing of Turkish troops in Lebanon!
-- Various American neo-con analysts supported the participation of
the Turkish troops in Lebanon stating that this would enhance
Turkey's prestige in the Middle East and increase its chances of
joining the European Union.
-- Turkish leaders are dragging their feet in making a final
commitment of troops for Lebanon. Analysts believe that the Turks are
trying to maximize the concessions they could milk from the West for
their eventual participation. They also announced that the Turkish
Parliament must first approve such a commitment. This is the same
scenario that the Turks orchestrated on the eve of deciding whether
or not to allow American troops to invade Iraq via Turkey. The
Turkish leaders also stated that their troops would only engage in
humanitarian and reconstruction efforts, not combat activities, thus
contradicting UN's announced intention of dispatching a robust
military force. Maybe the Red Cross should replace the Turkish
troops. It is better equipped to do relief work!
-- Onur Oymen, one of the leaders of CHP, the main opposition party
in Turkey, said his group is against sending Turkish troops to "an
uncertain adventure in Lebanon." In addition, a group of Turkish
peace activists held a protest in Adana last Saturday. They said that
Ankara had allowed the U.S. to use the Incirlik Airbase to supply
bombs and ammunition to Israel. Meanwhile, a group of Turkish
intellectuals started a petition against sending Turkish troops to
Lebanon.
-- Robert Fisk, the prominent correspondent of the British newspaper,
The Independent, warned that if the Turkish army is sent to Lebanon,
"count the days - or hours - to the first attack upon it."
Turkey would save itself a lot of embarrassment if it would simply
announce its own decision not to send troops to Lebanon, before being
rejected by the Lebanese, particularly the Hezbollah!
*************************************** ***********************************
2 - Armenian Patriarchate Ends Boycott
Of Community Papers Over Criticism
By Asli Sozbilir
ISTANBUL (Hurriyet) - The Armenian Patriarchate has imposed an
embargo on church ads in the Armenian community newspapers Agos and
Jamanak, which had harshly criticized Turkey's Armenian Patriarch
Mesrob II for stating that he did not agree with the "recognize the
genocide" announcement made by Catholicos Karekin II of Etchmiadzin
[during his recent visit to Istanbul].
The negative stance adopted by both newspapers against the Patriarch
prompted the Spiritual Council into action. The Council got together
with the leaders of the community's foundations and raised the issue
of not giving either newspaper church announcements.
The first test of this call by the Patriarch to boycott announcements
was made last week. The notice for the Surp Garabet Church, which is
the traditional place of celebration for Vartavar Yortusu, appeared
only in the Marmara newspaper and not the two newspapers in question.
When the Armenian community objected to the publication of notices
getting drawn into the argument between the Patriarch and the press,
30 foundation leaders held a meeting last week and published a joint
statement in order to reduce tensions between the Patriarchate and
the two newspapers.
While the statement went to great lengths to emphasize freedom of the
press it also noted that they did not support the method of banning
church notices.
Following this statement, Patriarchate officials got together with
the foundation leaders and stated they were ending the boycott. The
statement issued by the Patriarchate said that Mesrob II had no
involvement in the incident, and refuted allegations of an embargo.
***************************************** ********************************
3 - No Surprise: Armenians Aid Poochigian's Campaign
By Hank Shaw
Capitol Bureau Chief
SACRAMENTO - Most candidates raise the bulk of their cash from unions
or builders or insurance companies. Not state attorney general
candidate Chuck Poochigian: The fount of his campaign cash comes from
fellow Armenians.
Poochigian, a state senator from Fresno, whose district includes part
of San Joaquin County, will face former Gov. Jerry Brown, now mayor
of Oakland, in autumn's election for California's top cop.
A Record analysis of Poochigian's fund-raising shows he has at least
900 Armenian contributors who have combined to pump more than
$780,000 into his campaign.
Compare this to Brown, who state records show has just nine Armenian
contributors.
It is a tremendous show of ethnic pride: According to a calculation
based on population estimates from the Armenian National Committee,
only about 500,000 voting-age people of Armenian ancestry live in
California.
The reason for this outpouring of support is simple, according to
interviews with dozens of Poochigian contributors: Armenians take
care of their own.
"We Armenians stick together - we're a close-knit group of people,"
said Ted Katzakian of Lodi. "It's just Armenian pride more than
anything."
Even tennis star Andre Agassi, who has some Armenian heritage,
contributed $10,000 to Poochigian.
"It is a very large extended family," Poochigian said.
Indeed, nearly every one of the dozen Central Valley Poochigian
contributors interviewed for this story had a direct connection to
the candidate; one had a sister who dated one of Poochigian's
relatives, another had a cousin who went to California State
University, Fresno, with him, a third has met him at any number of
Armenian community functions.
Poochigian deflects the uniqueness of his situation, noting that the
Portuguese have always helped their own in the San Joaquin Valley and
the Vietnamese were instrumental in getting Orange County Assemblyman
Van Tran elected two years ago.
"I'm certain that there's a lot of groups that seek to be supportive
of people of their own background," he said.
Turlock melon farmer Berj Moosekian says ethnic pride helped a little
when he decided to write Poochigian a check, but he said it's not
that related to being Armenian. "It's because he supports Valley
issues. He's sensible and doesn't go to extremes."
Moosekian and the others see Poochigian as something akin to the
Second Coming of George Deukmejian. "The Duke" was California's first
elected Armenian in the 1960s, and later became attorney general and
then governor from 1983-1991.
"He reminds me so much of Deukmejian," said Ralph Saroyan of
Stockton. "In my mind, he is the antithesis of a typical politician."
Poochigian got into politics volunteering on Deukmejian's 1978
campaign and later worked for him during the last two years of his
gubernatorial term. He calls Deukmejian his role model.
Both men are viewed by those who know them as hard-working,
intellectual conservatives, polite to a fault and deeply interested -
critics say obsessed - with law-and-order issues.
It was Deukmejian who as a Long Beach state senator sponsored the
legislation that re-instated the death penalty in California. Jerry
Brown vetoed it and then suffered one of California's rare veto
overrides. The Duke then served as attorney general during Brown's
second term. They remain ideological foes.
Deukmejian is widely considered responsible for pushing the Armenian
community into politics. Deukmejian said the effort took years, but
it worked: "I have often said I never would have made it without
their support."
He's transferred that support to Poochigian by writing fund-raising
letters on his behalf.
Whether it will lead Poochigian to victory in November remains to be
seen. Few Californians know who he is, and he trails Brown 54 percent
to 33 percent in last month's Field Poll. Brown also has $1.7 million
more in his campaign account than Poochigian heading into the fall.
Deukmejian thinks money will matter: He says voters need to get to
know Poochigian as much as they need to know the details of Brown's
time as governor and mayor of Oakland, and the only way to do that
statewide is through expensive radio and TV ads.
"It's an uphill effort, but so was mine," Deukmejian said. "If he
(Poochigian) and his campaign can raise enough money to get his
message across, I believe this is doable."
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4 - Haladjian's Nabaztag Wi-Fi
Rabbit Targets US consumers
The Nabaztag Wi-Fi rabbit has been unveiled by Violet, a French
company 55% owned by French entrepreneur Rafi Haladjian and 30% by
Banexi Ventures, a private equity arm of French bank BNP Paribas.
Nabaztag means 'rabbit' in Armenian, which is the first language of
Haladjian, the man who conceived the idea. The rabbit is able to read
out e-mails and mobile phone text messages, provide alerts to stock
news and offer traffic updates through Internet feeds from a wireless
Wi-Fi network.
Basic Internet feeds, such as certain e-mail reading, stock market
performance and weather forecasts are free, while calls and text
messages are charged to the sender, although text messages are free
for premium service subscribers.
The Wi-Fi rabbit, which is made in China, costs EUR115 in France, £80
in the UK and $150 in the US, has already been sold in Belgium,
France, the UK and Switzerland and is now being targeted at the US.
Nabaztag is expected to prove popular among certain groups of
consumers, and Haladjian said he expects sales to reach 150,000 by
the end of 2006, 400,000 in 2007 and around 2 million by the end of
2008.
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5 - Armenian Caucus Established
in California State Assembly
SACRAMENTO - A bipartisan group of legislators last week formed the
Assembly Armenian-American Legislative Caucus, which is modeled after
a similar grouping that has been addressing Armenian-American issues
in Congress, the Glendale News Press reported.
Co-founded by Assembly majority leader Dario Frommer, a Democrat who
represents Burbank and Glendale, and Stockton Republican Greg
Aghazarian, the caucus aims to address issues of concern to the more
than 700,000-strong California-Armenian community.
"Our intent is for it to be a working caucus and a group of folks
who reach out and educate others," Frommer told the Glendale News
Press. "Here in California we have a large and vibrant Armenian
community, not just in my district, but in Fresno and other places,
and we want to bring those folks together."
Frommer and Aghazarian expressed hope that the California State
Senate will follow suit.
Such a caucus is long overdue, Burbank Unified School Board member
and Democratic candidate for the 43rd Assembly District, Paul
Krekorian told the News Press.
"I've been a little surprised that legislators who consider
themselves friends of the Armenian community did not create one like
this years ago," he told the News Press, adding, "But what matters to
most to Armenians is the same that matters to all Americans:
Excellent public schools, good jobs, health care for seniors and the
opportunity to send their kids to college."
Frommer, who currently represents the 43rd District, will vacate his
seat this year because of term limits.
****************************************** ********************************
6 - San Gabriel Valley Ararat Guild to Feature
Film-Maker, Carla Garapedian, on Sept. 11
By S.G. Marootian
PASADENA - Documentary film-maker Cara Garapedian will be the guest
speaker at the San Gabriel Valley Ararat Guild's annual kufta dinner,
Sept. 11, in Cilicia Church's Derian Hall, in Pasadena
Co-chairmen of the Guild, Grace Jamentz and Seda Marootian, extend an
invitation to everyone in the community interested in hearing the
inside story of documentary movies. Garapedian's latest
political/music documentary "Screamers" centers on platinum Grammy
award winners "System of a Down" rock band which looks at genocide
denial from the Armenian Genocide to Rwanda, Bosnia and the current
genocide in Darfur.
"Screamers" was filmed in Turkey, Europe and the United States.
Excerpts of the film were shown in Congress this last April in
anticipation of its release this year.
The only American ever to anchor the famous BBC World News, Ms.
Garapedian earned her Ph.d. in International Relations at the London
School of Economics, before "cutting her teeth" as a correspondent
for NBC and later swept up by BBC as a director and anchor.
Since leaving BBC where, among other stories, she exposed major
faults in Europe's most dangerous nuclear reactors, she has made her
name as an international documentary director, working for Hardcash
Productions, the company that produced the Emmy award-winning film
about women in Afghanistan, "Beneath the Veil." Her sequel "Lifting
the Veil" premiered on the Sundance Channel in 2003 and since has
been shown around the world.
In her film "Dying for the President" she made headlines by
sneaking into Chechnya to document Russian war crimes. More recent
headlines surrounded her 2005 film "My Friend the Mercenary" about
the attempted coup in Equatorial Guinea., linked to Mark Thatcher,
son of England's former P.M. Margaret, and the notorious mercenary,
Simon Mann.. Garapedian went inside the mercenary world of South
Africa where the coup was plotted and secretly filmed in Zimbabwe and
Equatorial Guinea. The headline about her in the L A. Times is
probably the best description of her work, "Documenting Truth in
Dangerous Places."
Another acclaimed Garapedian film, "Children of the Secret State"
set in North Korea, details starvation, human right abuses and
cannibalism. The film has also been shown around the world and
locally broadcast on the Discovery Times Channel. In 2005, her
documentary "Iran Undercover," covering the underground student
movement in Iran, won the prestigious Edward R. Murrow award, as part
of the PBS Frontline World series.
In addition to anchoring BBC World News, she has been a correspondent
for NBC Sunrise, NBC Nightly News and CNBC Financial News. She
narrated the Armenian Genocide film, "Voices from the Lake" by
film-maker J. Michael Hagopian as well as co-writing his
award-winning film "Germany and the Secret Genocide."
The Cilicia Church is located at 339 S. Santa Anita Blvd., in
Pasadena
Reservations for the dinner presentation are recommended and may
be made by phoning Agnes Boghosian (626)798-3708 or Isabelle
Melkesian (626)446-7369. Donation, $25.
************************************************* *************************
7 - Zoryan Institute Launches New
Scholarly Journal on Genocide
TORONTO, Canada - The International Institute for Genocide and Human
Rights Studies (A Division of the Zoryan Institute), chaired by Dr.
Roger W. Smith, announced last week the co-founding and joint
publication of a new journal, Genocide Studies and Prevention, in
partnership with the International Association of Genocide Scholars
(IAGS), headed by Dr. Israel W. Charny. The journal's first issue,
Summer 2006, published through a partnership with the University of
Toronto Press, is available now.
"Genocide Studies and Prevention, as a peer-reviewed journal, was
established to fulfill several goals at the same time," remarked Dr.
Smith, a founder of the IAGS. "First, as the official journal of the
IAGS, its mission is to understand the phenomenon of genocide, create
an awareness of it as an ongoing scourge, and promote the necessity
of preventing it. Second, as an initiative of the IIGHRS, it is
intended to help stimulate, educate and develop new generations of
scholars to engage in research and provide an academic forum on
genocide. Third, it is hoped that it will educate government
policy-makers, as well as the general public, on why and how genocide
occurs so that they may be persuaded to use all of their influence to
prevent genocide, or at least intervene if it is already taking
place," he concluded.
The first issue of this inter-disciplinary journal is devoted to the
genocide in Darfur. It features articles written by such noted
experts as award-winning author Rene Lemarchand; Samuel Totten, who
served as an investigator on the US government's Darfur Atrocities
Documentation Team; legal experts Kelly Dawn Asking and Jerry Fowler;
Political Science Professor Scott Straus; and Major Brent Beardsley,
who served as General Romeo Dallaire's personal staff officer in the
UN peace-keeping mission in Rwanda in 1994 and was an eye-witness to
the genocide there.
The second issue, which is already in press, will be devoted to the
Armenian Genocide and will have many distinguished contributors,
including Taner Akcam, Vahakn Dadrian and Roger W. Smith. Subsequent
issues will be devoted to such themes as the Genocide in Rwanda,
Genocide and International Law, and Genocide and Ethnocide of
Indigenous Peoples.
Israel W. Charny, President of IAGS stated that, "Today, one can look
with some satisfaction on the increasing emergence of scholarship and
the scientific study of genocide, and therefore one may also dare to
begin to think of the possibilities for preventing genocide. It is
for these reasons that we are especially pleased to see the synergies
of our relationship with the IIGHRS, with whom we share a deep
commitment to the study and genocide of all peoples, in the
establishment of this new journal."
Genocide Studies and Prevention is published three times a year.
Subscriptions are $50.,per year, but a discount is available for the
first year. For more information, contact the IIGHRS (Zoryan
Institute), [email protected], Tel: 416-250-9807.
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--Boundary_( ID_Cc8oWSFESVutgc58Hm5T7A)--
1 - Commentary
Turks Falsely Claim Armenians Would
Welcome Turkish Troops in Lebanon
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
2 - Armenian Patriarchate Ends Boycott
Of Community Papers Over Criticism
3 - No Surprise: Armenians Aid Poochigian's Campaign
4 - Haladjian's Nabaztag Wi-Fi
Rabbit Targets US consumers
5- Armenian Caucus Established
in California State Assembly
6 - San Gabriel Valley Ararat Guild to Feature
Film-Maker, Carla Garapedian, on Sept. 11
7 - Zoryan Institute Launches New
Scholarly Journal on Genocide
***************************************** *********************************
1 - Commentary
Turks Falsely Claim Armenians Would
Welcome Turkish Troops in Lebanon
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
Turkish officials fabricated a news story last week in order to
create the false impression that their soldiers would be warmly
welcome in Lebanon, even by the local Armenian community!
The widely circulated Turkish newspaper Hurriyet published a
front-page story on August 18 claiming that the only Armenian
Minister in the Lebanese Cabinet had agreed to the stationing of
Turkish troops in Lebanon. The story, written by Hurriyet's Chief
Editor Ertugrul Ozkok, carried the following sensational title: "Even
the Armenian Minister wants us in Lebanon."
Ozkok published the dramatic details of the dinner that was given in
Beirut last week by Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora in honor of
the Foreign Ministers of France, Pakistan, Malaysia and Turkey. In
attendance were also 9 Lebanese Ministers, including Jean
Oghassapian, the Minister of Administrative Reforms.
According Ozkok's article, when Turkey's Foreign Minister Abdullah
Gul asked Prime Minister Siniora how the Lebanese people would react
to the presence of Turkish soldiers in their country, Siniora
responded to the great surprise of everyone at the dinner table:
"Even the Armenian Minister in our Cabinet wants the Turkish soldiers
to come." Ozkok wrote that Siniora then called over Minister
Oghassapian from an adjacent table and "holding his arm," asked him:
"You also want the Turkish soldiers to come, don't you?" The Armenian
Minister reportedly replied: "Yes, we want them." Ozkok reported that
Turkish officials present at the dinner were utterly surprised
"especially since only that same morning, the Lebanon-based Tashnak
Party had issued a declaration," announcing its opposition to
stationing Turkish troops in Lebanon. Ozkok gleefully concluded:
"Clearly the Armenian Minister and the Tashnak declaration were at
odds." Gul reportedly told the Turkish journalists at the dinner that
Ankara was "not taking seriously" the efforts of the Armenian lobby
in the U.S. to prevent Turkish soldiers from entering Lebanon.
Stretching the truth even further, Ozkok reported that the Shiite
Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, Nebih Berri, told Gul at the
dinner: 'I speak in the name of the Shiites in Lebanon. We want from
our hearts that the Turkish soldiers participate in the peacekeeping
force."
The Turkish press is notorious for publishing untrue and distorted
reports. However, in this case, it appears that Mr. Ozkok, a
distinguished journalist and a prominent media executive, may have
been used by Turkish officials to disseminate a fabricated story.
Ozkok, who was in Istanbul during last week's dinner in Beirut, was
fed this fictitious news by Turkish Foreign Ministry officials.
In order to verify what really took place at that dinner, I contacted
Minister Oghassapian and spoke with him last Sunday. He was
absolutely shocked to hear what Hurriyet had reported. He said that
just about every item in that article was false! He said he did not
walk over to the table where the Lebanese Prime Minister and the
Turkish Foreign Minister were sitting and did not exchange any words
with either one of them that night. He did not discuss with anyone
the possible participation of Turkish troops in the peacekeeping
force. He also said that the Speaker of the Parliament Nebih Berri
was not present at the dinner at all. Furthermore, Minister
Oghassapian said to this writer that in separate meetings with Prime
Minister Siniora, he had told him of the strong opposition of the
Armenian community to the stationing of Turkish troops in Lebanon.
It is clear that the Turkish Foreign Ministry, by fabricating this
news report, is trying to create the false public perception that
Turkish soldiers would be warmly welcome in Lebanon. This point was
made more obvious in another Hurriyet story which reported that Gul
was told during his visit to Lebanon: "All sides are waiting for the
friendly Turkish soldiers" to take part in the peacekeeping force.
The second Turkish intent in falsifying this report seems to be to
split the Armenian community into two camps: for and against having
Turkish troops in Lebanon.
Fortunately, this Turkish lie did not last very long. After I spoke
with Minister Oghassapian, he issued a formal statement that was
published in the Aug. 22 issue of Zartonk, the organ of the Ramgavar
Party in Lebanon. He described the words attributed to him by
Hurriyet as "imaginary and not corresponding to reality." He said
that in private conversations with Prime Minister Siniora, he had
indicated his reservations regarding the presence of Turkish troops
in Lebanon. He concluded his published statement by drawing
everyone's attention to the standard practice of the Turkish media to
distort the news.
Here is an update about the flurry of developments that have taken
place since this writer first suggested earlier this month that
Turkish troops should not be stationed in Lebanon:
-- All three Armenian political parties issued statements rejecting
the participation of Turkish troops in the international peacekeeping
force in Lebanon. The spiritual leaders of the three Armenian
denominations in Lebanon (Orthodox, Catholic and Evangelical) issued
a similar joint statement.
-- An ARF delegation met with various Lebanese leaders as well as the
Ambassadors of Russia, Japan, Great Britain, China, Italy, Iran and
Egypt to impress upon them the unacceptability of Turkish troops in
Lebanon. The Armenian delegation told the Lebanese Prime Minister
that it would not accept even a single Turkish soldier on Lebanese
soil!
-- The Armenian National Committee of America sent a letter to Pres.
Bush objecting to the participation of Turkish troops in Lebanon. A
similar statement was issued by the ANC office in Europe.
-- The American Hellenic Institute wrote a letter to Pres. Bush
opposing the inclusion of Turkish soldiers in the peacekeeping force.
-- The Foreign Minister of Armenia, Vartan Oskanian, announced on
August 21 that the Lebanese government should have the right to
choose which country's troops it wants on its soil. Regrettably, he
did not offer a small contingent of troops to Lebanon, while
Armenians are taking part in the international force in Iraq and
Kosovo!
-- The President of Lebanon Emile Lahoud announced that countries
that have a strategic alliance with Israel, a clear reference to
Turkey, should not send troops to Lebanon, because they would not be
non-partisan. It is to be noted that Israel rejected the
participation of Malaysia, Indonesia and Bangladesh, on the ground
that they have no diplomatic relations with Tel Aviv, even though
their troops would not be stationed in Israel. Lebanon then has even
more of a right to reject the Turkish troops which would be stationed
on its territory.
-- According to the Lebanese Al Nahar newspaper, Hezbollah would not
accept the presence of Turkish troops in South Lebanon and considers
them to be proxies for the United States and Israel. An early sign of
a possible clash between the Sunni Turks and the Shia Hezbollah
forces came last week when four Turkish reporters were detained by
Hezbollah. After confiscating their films, the reporters were
released.
-- The Prime Minister and the Defense Minister of Israel both warmly
welcomed the stationing of Turkish troops in Lebanon!
-- Various American neo-con analysts supported the participation of
the Turkish troops in Lebanon stating that this would enhance
Turkey's prestige in the Middle East and increase its chances of
joining the European Union.
-- Turkish leaders are dragging their feet in making a final
commitment of troops for Lebanon. Analysts believe that the Turks are
trying to maximize the concessions they could milk from the West for
their eventual participation. They also announced that the Turkish
Parliament must first approve such a commitment. This is the same
scenario that the Turks orchestrated on the eve of deciding whether
or not to allow American troops to invade Iraq via Turkey. The
Turkish leaders also stated that their troops would only engage in
humanitarian and reconstruction efforts, not combat activities, thus
contradicting UN's announced intention of dispatching a robust
military force. Maybe the Red Cross should replace the Turkish
troops. It is better equipped to do relief work!
-- Onur Oymen, one of the leaders of CHP, the main opposition party
in Turkey, said his group is against sending Turkish troops to "an
uncertain adventure in Lebanon." In addition, a group of Turkish
peace activists held a protest in Adana last Saturday. They said that
Ankara had allowed the U.S. to use the Incirlik Airbase to supply
bombs and ammunition to Israel. Meanwhile, a group of Turkish
intellectuals started a petition against sending Turkish troops to
Lebanon.
-- Robert Fisk, the prominent correspondent of the British newspaper,
The Independent, warned that if the Turkish army is sent to Lebanon,
"count the days - or hours - to the first attack upon it."
Turkey would save itself a lot of embarrassment if it would simply
announce its own decision not to send troops to Lebanon, before being
rejected by the Lebanese, particularly the Hezbollah!
*************************************** ***********************************
2 - Armenian Patriarchate Ends Boycott
Of Community Papers Over Criticism
By Asli Sozbilir
ISTANBUL (Hurriyet) - The Armenian Patriarchate has imposed an
embargo on church ads in the Armenian community newspapers Agos and
Jamanak, which had harshly criticized Turkey's Armenian Patriarch
Mesrob II for stating that he did not agree with the "recognize the
genocide" announcement made by Catholicos Karekin II of Etchmiadzin
[during his recent visit to Istanbul].
The negative stance adopted by both newspapers against the Patriarch
prompted the Spiritual Council into action. The Council got together
with the leaders of the community's foundations and raised the issue
of not giving either newspaper church announcements.
The first test of this call by the Patriarch to boycott announcements
was made last week. The notice for the Surp Garabet Church, which is
the traditional place of celebration for Vartavar Yortusu, appeared
only in the Marmara newspaper and not the two newspapers in question.
When the Armenian community objected to the publication of notices
getting drawn into the argument between the Patriarch and the press,
30 foundation leaders held a meeting last week and published a joint
statement in order to reduce tensions between the Patriarchate and
the two newspapers.
While the statement went to great lengths to emphasize freedom of the
press it also noted that they did not support the method of banning
church notices.
Following this statement, Patriarchate officials got together with
the foundation leaders and stated they were ending the boycott. The
statement issued by the Patriarchate said that Mesrob II had no
involvement in the incident, and refuted allegations of an embargo.
***************************************** ********************************
3 - No Surprise: Armenians Aid Poochigian's Campaign
By Hank Shaw
Capitol Bureau Chief
SACRAMENTO - Most candidates raise the bulk of their cash from unions
or builders or insurance companies. Not state attorney general
candidate Chuck Poochigian: The fount of his campaign cash comes from
fellow Armenians.
Poochigian, a state senator from Fresno, whose district includes part
of San Joaquin County, will face former Gov. Jerry Brown, now mayor
of Oakland, in autumn's election for California's top cop.
A Record analysis of Poochigian's fund-raising shows he has at least
900 Armenian contributors who have combined to pump more than
$780,000 into his campaign.
Compare this to Brown, who state records show has just nine Armenian
contributors.
It is a tremendous show of ethnic pride: According to a calculation
based on population estimates from the Armenian National Committee,
only about 500,000 voting-age people of Armenian ancestry live in
California.
The reason for this outpouring of support is simple, according to
interviews with dozens of Poochigian contributors: Armenians take
care of their own.
"We Armenians stick together - we're a close-knit group of people,"
said Ted Katzakian of Lodi. "It's just Armenian pride more than
anything."
Even tennis star Andre Agassi, who has some Armenian heritage,
contributed $10,000 to Poochigian.
"It is a very large extended family," Poochigian said.
Indeed, nearly every one of the dozen Central Valley Poochigian
contributors interviewed for this story had a direct connection to
the candidate; one had a sister who dated one of Poochigian's
relatives, another had a cousin who went to California State
University, Fresno, with him, a third has met him at any number of
Armenian community functions.
Poochigian deflects the uniqueness of his situation, noting that the
Portuguese have always helped their own in the San Joaquin Valley and
the Vietnamese were instrumental in getting Orange County Assemblyman
Van Tran elected two years ago.
"I'm certain that there's a lot of groups that seek to be supportive
of people of their own background," he said.
Turlock melon farmer Berj Moosekian says ethnic pride helped a little
when he decided to write Poochigian a check, but he said it's not
that related to being Armenian. "It's because he supports Valley
issues. He's sensible and doesn't go to extremes."
Moosekian and the others see Poochigian as something akin to the
Second Coming of George Deukmejian. "The Duke" was California's first
elected Armenian in the 1960s, and later became attorney general and
then governor from 1983-1991.
"He reminds me so much of Deukmejian," said Ralph Saroyan of
Stockton. "In my mind, he is the antithesis of a typical politician."
Poochigian got into politics volunteering on Deukmejian's 1978
campaign and later worked for him during the last two years of his
gubernatorial term. He calls Deukmejian his role model.
Both men are viewed by those who know them as hard-working,
intellectual conservatives, polite to a fault and deeply interested -
critics say obsessed - with law-and-order issues.
It was Deukmejian who as a Long Beach state senator sponsored the
legislation that re-instated the death penalty in California. Jerry
Brown vetoed it and then suffered one of California's rare veto
overrides. The Duke then served as attorney general during Brown's
second term. They remain ideological foes.
Deukmejian is widely considered responsible for pushing the Armenian
community into politics. Deukmejian said the effort took years, but
it worked: "I have often said I never would have made it without
their support."
He's transferred that support to Poochigian by writing fund-raising
letters on his behalf.
Whether it will lead Poochigian to victory in November remains to be
seen. Few Californians know who he is, and he trails Brown 54 percent
to 33 percent in last month's Field Poll. Brown also has $1.7 million
more in his campaign account than Poochigian heading into the fall.
Deukmejian thinks money will matter: He says voters need to get to
know Poochigian as much as they need to know the details of Brown's
time as governor and mayor of Oakland, and the only way to do that
statewide is through expensive radio and TV ads.
"It's an uphill effort, but so was mine," Deukmejian said. "If he
(Poochigian) and his campaign can raise enough money to get his
message across, I believe this is doable."
************************************ **************************************
4 - Haladjian's Nabaztag Wi-Fi
Rabbit Targets US consumers
The Nabaztag Wi-Fi rabbit has been unveiled by Violet, a French
company 55% owned by French entrepreneur Rafi Haladjian and 30% by
Banexi Ventures, a private equity arm of French bank BNP Paribas.
Nabaztag means 'rabbit' in Armenian, which is the first language of
Haladjian, the man who conceived the idea. The rabbit is able to read
out e-mails and mobile phone text messages, provide alerts to stock
news and offer traffic updates through Internet feeds from a wireless
Wi-Fi network.
Basic Internet feeds, such as certain e-mail reading, stock market
performance and weather forecasts are free, while calls and text
messages are charged to the sender, although text messages are free
for premium service subscribers.
The Wi-Fi rabbit, which is made in China, costs EUR115 in France, £80
in the UK and $150 in the US, has already been sold in Belgium,
France, the UK and Switzerland and is now being targeted at the US.
Nabaztag is expected to prove popular among certain groups of
consumers, and Haladjian said he expects sales to reach 150,000 by
the end of 2006, 400,000 in 2007 and around 2 million by the end of
2008.
********'******************************** *********************************
5 - Armenian Caucus Established
in California State Assembly
SACRAMENTO - A bipartisan group of legislators last week formed the
Assembly Armenian-American Legislative Caucus, which is modeled after
a similar grouping that has been addressing Armenian-American issues
in Congress, the Glendale News Press reported.
Co-founded by Assembly majority leader Dario Frommer, a Democrat who
represents Burbank and Glendale, and Stockton Republican Greg
Aghazarian, the caucus aims to address issues of concern to the more
than 700,000-strong California-Armenian community.
"Our intent is for it to be a working caucus and a group of folks
who reach out and educate others," Frommer told the Glendale News
Press. "Here in California we have a large and vibrant Armenian
community, not just in my district, but in Fresno and other places,
and we want to bring those folks together."
Frommer and Aghazarian expressed hope that the California State
Senate will follow suit.
Such a caucus is long overdue, Burbank Unified School Board member
and Democratic candidate for the 43rd Assembly District, Paul
Krekorian told the News Press.
"I've been a little surprised that legislators who consider
themselves friends of the Armenian community did not create one like
this years ago," he told the News Press, adding, "But what matters to
most to Armenians is the same that matters to all Americans:
Excellent public schools, good jobs, health care for seniors and the
opportunity to send their kids to college."
Frommer, who currently represents the 43rd District, will vacate his
seat this year because of term limits.
****************************************** ********************************
6 - San Gabriel Valley Ararat Guild to Feature
Film-Maker, Carla Garapedian, on Sept. 11
By S.G. Marootian
PASADENA - Documentary film-maker Cara Garapedian will be the guest
speaker at the San Gabriel Valley Ararat Guild's annual kufta dinner,
Sept. 11, in Cilicia Church's Derian Hall, in Pasadena
Co-chairmen of the Guild, Grace Jamentz and Seda Marootian, extend an
invitation to everyone in the community interested in hearing the
inside story of documentary movies. Garapedian's latest
political/music documentary "Screamers" centers on platinum Grammy
award winners "System of a Down" rock band which looks at genocide
denial from the Armenian Genocide to Rwanda, Bosnia and the current
genocide in Darfur.
"Screamers" was filmed in Turkey, Europe and the United States.
Excerpts of the film were shown in Congress this last April in
anticipation of its release this year.
The only American ever to anchor the famous BBC World News, Ms.
Garapedian earned her Ph.d. in International Relations at the London
School of Economics, before "cutting her teeth" as a correspondent
for NBC and later swept up by BBC as a director and anchor.
Since leaving BBC where, among other stories, she exposed major
faults in Europe's most dangerous nuclear reactors, she has made her
name as an international documentary director, working for Hardcash
Productions, the company that produced the Emmy award-winning film
about women in Afghanistan, "Beneath the Veil." Her sequel "Lifting
the Veil" premiered on the Sundance Channel in 2003 and since has
been shown around the world.
In her film "Dying for the President" she made headlines by
sneaking into Chechnya to document Russian war crimes. More recent
headlines surrounded her 2005 film "My Friend the Mercenary" about
the attempted coup in Equatorial Guinea., linked to Mark Thatcher,
son of England's former P.M. Margaret, and the notorious mercenary,
Simon Mann.. Garapedian went inside the mercenary world of South
Africa where the coup was plotted and secretly filmed in Zimbabwe and
Equatorial Guinea. The headline about her in the L A. Times is
probably the best description of her work, "Documenting Truth in
Dangerous Places."
Another acclaimed Garapedian film, "Children of the Secret State"
set in North Korea, details starvation, human right abuses and
cannibalism. The film has also been shown around the world and
locally broadcast on the Discovery Times Channel. In 2005, her
documentary "Iran Undercover," covering the underground student
movement in Iran, won the prestigious Edward R. Murrow award, as part
of the PBS Frontline World series.
In addition to anchoring BBC World News, she has been a correspondent
for NBC Sunrise, NBC Nightly News and CNBC Financial News. She
narrated the Armenian Genocide film, "Voices from the Lake" by
film-maker J. Michael Hagopian as well as co-writing his
award-winning film "Germany and the Secret Genocide."
The Cilicia Church is located at 339 S. Santa Anita Blvd., in
Pasadena
Reservations for the dinner presentation are recommended and may
be made by phoning Agnes Boghosian (626)798-3708 or Isabelle
Melkesian (626)446-7369. Donation, $25.
************************************************* *************************
7 - Zoryan Institute Launches New
Scholarly Journal on Genocide
TORONTO, Canada - The International Institute for Genocide and Human
Rights Studies (A Division of the Zoryan Institute), chaired by Dr.
Roger W. Smith, announced last week the co-founding and joint
publication of a new journal, Genocide Studies and Prevention, in
partnership with the International Association of Genocide Scholars
(IAGS), headed by Dr. Israel W. Charny. The journal's first issue,
Summer 2006, published through a partnership with the University of
Toronto Press, is available now.
"Genocide Studies and Prevention, as a peer-reviewed journal, was
established to fulfill several goals at the same time," remarked Dr.
Smith, a founder of the IAGS. "First, as the official journal of the
IAGS, its mission is to understand the phenomenon of genocide, create
an awareness of it as an ongoing scourge, and promote the necessity
of preventing it. Second, as an initiative of the IIGHRS, it is
intended to help stimulate, educate and develop new generations of
scholars to engage in research and provide an academic forum on
genocide. Third, it is hoped that it will educate government
policy-makers, as well as the general public, on why and how genocide
occurs so that they may be persuaded to use all of their influence to
prevent genocide, or at least intervene if it is already taking
place," he concluded.
The first issue of this inter-disciplinary journal is devoted to the
genocide in Darfur. It features articles written by such noted
experts as award-winning author Rene Lemarchand; Samuel Totten, who
served as an investigator on the US government's Darfur Atrocities
Documentation Team; legal experts Kelly Dawn Asking and Jerry Fowler;
Political Science Professor Scott Straus; and Major Brent Beardsley,
who served as General Romeo Dallaire's personal staff officer in the
UN peace-keeping mission in Rwanda in 1994 and was an eye-witness to
the genocide there.
The second issue, which is already in press, will be devoted to the
Armenian Genocide and will have many distinguished contributors,
including Taner Akcam, Vahakn Dadrian and Roger W. Smith. Subsequent
issues will be devoted to such themes as the Genocide in Rwanda,
Genocide and International Law, and Genocide and Ethnocide of
Indigenous Peoples.
Israel W. Charny, President of IAGS stated that, "Today, one can look
with some satisfaction on the increasing emergence of scholarship and
the scientific study of genocide, and therefore one may also dare to
begin to think of the possibilities for preventing genocide. It is
for these reasons that we are especially pleased to see the synergies
of our relationship with the IIGHRS, with whom we share a deep
commitment to the study and genocide of all peoples, in the
establishment of this new journal."
Genocide Studies and Prevention is published three times a year.
Subscriptions are $50.,per year, but a discount is available for the
first year. For more information, contact the IIGHRS (Zoryan
Institute), [email protected], Tel: 416-250-9807.
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