ՅՈՒԶՈՒՄՆԱԼԻՑ ՀՐԱԺԵՇՏ ՄԸ ԵՒՍ ՀԱՆԳՈՒՑԵԱԼ ՀՐԱՆԴ ՏԻՆՔԻՆ

Կուզենք մեր կարդացողներուն ներկայացնել յետեւեալ " Հրաժեշտի Նամակ " ուղղուած Հրանդ Դինքին: Մեր ձեռքը նոր անցած այս յուզիչ գրութիւնը մեզ բոլորիս վրայ մեծ ազդեցութիւն թողուց:

ՆԱՄԱԿ ' ՀՐԱՆԴ ՏԻՆՔԻՆ

Սիրելի Հրանդ,

Կը հաւատամ, որ արդէն ջուրը իր հունը գտած է, եւ դուն գտած ես անոնք, զորս մենք կորցնցուցած ենք 92 տարի առաջ: Քեզմէ խնդրանքներ ունիմ:

Իմ կողմէ ողջագուրէ Գրիգոր Զօհրապը: Ըսէ անոր, որ իր նորավէպերը կը կարդամ: Ողջոյններս փոխանցէ Դանիէլ Վարուժանին: Ըսէ անոր, որ ան իր բանաստեղծութիւններով լուսաւորեց պատանեկութիւնս: Հրանդ, մի մոռնար Սիամանթոյին հետ յոյսի երգեր երգելու:

Ըսէ անոնց, որ անոնք մեր դարաններուն վրայ են, անոնք մեր գրասեղաններուն վրայ են, անոնց խօսքերն ու բառերը մեր շրթներուն վրայ են ու հոգիներուն մէջ:

Ըսէ անոնց որ...Օր մը անոնց արձանները, նաեւ քուկդ, պիտի կանգնեցուին Պոլսոյ մեջ:

Մի մոռնար Կոմիտասին հետ աղօթելու եւ ըսէ անոր, որ օր մը հայ կիները կրկին պիտի երգեն Անատոլուի գիւղերուն մէջ:

Հաճիս, գտիր մեծ հայրերս: Ըսէ անոնց, որ մենք իրենց անունները ու սէրը կը տանինք մեզի հետ հոն, ուրկէ անոնք երբէք չեն հեռացած եւ զոր մենք երբէք չենք տեսած:

Հրանդ, համբուրէ օրհնեալ ճակատները 1915-ի Մեծ Եղեռնի իւրաքանչիւր նահատակի:

Ըսէ անոնց, որ մենք մեզի հետ կը տանիք իրենց անունները ու սէրը այն հողին նկատմամբ, զոր երբէք չլքեցին, իսկ մենք երբէք չտեսանք:

Ըսէ անոնց, որ անապատները պիտի ծաղկեցնենք իրենց յիշատակներու բուրմունքով:

Ըսէ անոնց, որ Թալէաթէն մինչեւ Սամասթ' մենք վերապրողներ ենք:

Ըսէ անոնց, որ բոլորս Զօհրապ, Վարուժան, Սիամանթօ, Կոմիտաս եւ Հրանդ ենք:

Սիրով'

Խաչիկ Մուրատեան

ARMENIAN POLITICS: FROM THE RATIONAL TO THE RIDICULOUS

Here at Sassna Dzrer, we have recently come upon two news items emanating from the Republic of Armenia - one from the Executive and the other from the Legislative branches of government. The one is rational and the other borders on the ridiculous...


First the Rational....While in France on a state visit Republic of Armenia (ROA) President Robert Kocharian, during an interview with the newspaper Le Figaro, renewed his offer to establish diplomatic ties with Turkey without any preconditions. When asked by journalists why his country had refused Turkey's offers to form a joint research committee to debate the World War I killings of Armenians, which the overwhelming majority of recognized genocide scholars categorize as a genocide, President Kocharian answered by stating,

"Normalization of bilateral relations is up to governments, not historians. That's why we are ready to establish diplomatic relations with Turkey without conditions and to create an intergovernmental commission and to discuss all questions, even the most sensitive."

President Kocharian also commented that Armenia continues to be under threat by having Turkey as its neighbor since the failure of Turkey to recognize the armenian Genocide was not only an ethical problems but one that posed a national security risk as well.

"We have the same neighbor now that refuses to accept its guilt in 1915. There is a risk that what happened before could happen again," Kocharian said, in Paris for the official start of France's Armenia Year, which will involve a variety of social and cultural activities

And the Ridiculous...It appears that the ROA National Assembly has just passed the first draft of a bill that would grant dual citizenship to Armenians living abroad. We haven't yet got our hands on the nuts and bolts of the bill since it appears the proponents of the legislation are formulating its provisions "on the go". That's to say someone raises the question about military service or taxation and they come up with a variety of options addressing such sensitive topics.

We have always failed to see the urgency in drafting such legislation in the first place. Its supporters argue that dual citizenship would encourage many more in the dispersion to feel a real connection to the ROA and would increase travel to and investment in Armenia. As if that is not possible now. Such symbolic gestures may be well-meaning but they miss the mark almost entirely. Legislation may facilitate such cross-pollination between the two Armenian realities but what is crucially needed is the building of true bridges of communication and contact between the ROA and the dispersion.

According to Viken Hakobian, Academic Secretary of the Natural Sciences Division of the Natural Academy of Sciences, and a supporter of the dual citizenship legislation,

"I want to stress that dual citizenship will also restore to some extent historical justice. Armenia is the homeland of our nation that is spread throughout the world. Why should we consider Armenia our home while the Diaspora Armenians should not be able to feel the same? This is not fair, and dual citizenship must be introduced. I am sure that once dual citizenship is adopted Armenians living in different countries will be inspired to come to Armenia more often which will in its turn result in an increase of economic investments. Finally, the most important feeling is the feeling that you have a homeland. I have met many Diaspora Armenians that have a great wealth in other countries but they feel they are guests in those countries, they do not have a sense of a homeland. This should be changed."

(These are fine sentiments indeed but for the most part based on emotional desires and not on concrete analysis of the situation and conditions involved. Before we can even contemplate dual-citizenship , concerned individuals and organizations on both sides of the Armenian divide need to get serious regarding how we can, to the extent possible, bridge the cultural and communications gap that has kept the two sides strangers for the past fifteen years since independence. Those who claim we are One Nation, One People need to look beyond the easy fix of symbolism and be creative when it comes to scaling the barriers, both externally imposed and self-made, that continue to keep us apart.)

CONTROVERSIAL FRENCH BILL ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE APPEARS SHELVED FOR NOW...

France's National Assembly last October passed the bill criminalising the denial of the Armenian Genocide and called for penalties of one year in prison and fines of 45,000 Euros for those who did. The bill has not yet been included in the Senate's agenda where it would have to be pass in order to become law. In the French Upper House the current Center-Right government of President Chirac, who opposes the bill, holds a majority.

Since France's parliamentary session is almost over ahead of the electoral campaign for the presidential and legislative poll to be held this spring, the draft bill would have to be voted on again by the new National Assembly to resume the process

Elif Shafak, the Turkish novelist who is a strong critic of Article 301 of Turkey's Penal Code (which enables legal prosecution undermining the freedom of expression in Turkey), has stated that the French move sparked nationalist reactions in her country that eventually harmed people like herself who are trying to push for an open debate on such sensitive topics.

Ms. Shafak is quoted as saying that,

"I think that 1915 is such a sensitive and delicate political theme that it shouldn't be subject to political power games. It should not be up to politicians to decide which version of history should be acknowledged by everyone," she told the EU Observer. I criticise my own government for curbing freedom of expression. But it is a universal principle. If I defend it in Turkey, I will defend it in France or everywhere with the same zeal and determination. And the French bill was very much against this principle."

(One can only commend Ms. Shafak for her principled stand when it comes to defending a person's freedom of expression, especially in a country like Turkey where the consequences of such pronouncements can be quite lethal. However, it appears that she skirts the real issue when she categorizes the near total destruction of a two thousand year old nation on its historic homeland as a "delicate political theme" that should not be utilized for "political power games". Unfortunately, the Armenian Genocide has been used as a political football by the powers that be whilst Turkey has taken on the role of referee, tooting her whistle and calling "foul" against the side that forgot to pay the bigger bribe before the game got underway..)

CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE CAMPAIGN UNDERWAY IN TURKEY TO PROTEST ARTICLE 301 - CITIZENS URGED TO DECLARE SOLIDARITY WITH HRANT DINK

The Initiative for Freedom of Expression, a coalition in Turkey that works towards promoting democratic change through peaceful civil disobedience, has recently organized a unique campaign whereby Turkish citizens can sign an affidavit stating they agree with those particular statements made by Hrant Dink for which he had been prosecuted under Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code and that they, in turn, wish to be prosecuted in a similar fashion.

(Below we present a copy of the letter that appeared on this group's website that some 500 people, including Taner Akcam, have already signed.)

I TOO AM HRANT DINK!!!!!!

The Initiative for Freedom of Expression is broadening the civil disobedience campaign launched earlier for Hrant Dink entitled: " I TOO AM HRANT DINK "

I agree with his words quoted below and considered as crime, I want to be tried too.

1. Quoted from the decision of 9th. Penal Department of Highcourt which approved six months prison sentence for Dink: (This decision was approved by General Assembly of Penal Departments and got finalised despite the objection of the chief prosecutor.) “There is no doubt that the phrase ‘The fresh blood that would replace the poisoned blood that Turk would bleed out, exists in the noble vein of Armenian that he would form with Armenia’ is an insult to Turkishness.”

2. Dink’s words that were published in the 21.07.2006 dated issue of Agos paper and led to the ongoing trial in Şişli Primary Court Nm. 2: (The next hearing is on 22 March 2007 at 10.00 am.) “Of course I say that it was a genocide since the consequences reveal and define it anyway. We see that the people who had lived on this land for four thousand years disappeared during the incidents ."

For more on this campaign and to see a list of signatures CLICK HERE

ARMENIANS IN IRAQ ARE RESETTLING IN AUTONOMOUS KURDISH REGION

(09-02-2007; Kurdish Aspect)

According to an article that appeared in The Kurdish Aspect, there has been a recent influx of Armenians to the Kurdish-controlled region in northern Iraq. The report states that many Armenians are fleeing the violence and political instability in Baghdad for the relative security in the territory administered by the Kurdish Regional Government.

The article's author states that some 1,000 Armenians now reside in the Kurdish town of Zakho, which straddles the Iraqi-Turkish border. More amazing, the report cites that efforts are underway to rebuild a few former Armenian villages in the region, most notably that of Hawresk.

Early in the 20th century, many Armenians fleeing persecution in the Armenian villayets in the Ottoman Empire resettled in these border areas. Gradually, many moved to Baghdad and other urban areas. It seems that the trend has now reversed, however slightly.

ARMENIA: EXPENSIVE ADVERTISING RATES A POLITICAL HANDICAP !!!

(16-02-2007, EurasiaNet)

As Armenia's parliamentary election campaign takes shape, opposition parties are crying foul after public and private television broadcasters set what leading government critics consider to be exorbitantly high prices for campaign ads.

One minute of airtime will cost candidates and political parties about 80,000 drams (US$225) on public television and as much as approximately 130,000 drams per minute on private television stations. The parliamentary election will be held 12 May. The prices are more than double the approximate US$120 per minute charged during Armenia's 2003 parliamentary elections.

Armenia's election law grants political parties an hour of free airtime on state television and two hours on state radio during the campaign season. Parties must pay for any airtime over that limit. A 5-million-dram (roughly US$14,000) limit set on each candidate's campaign spending could pose an additional obstacle for opposition parties. Assuming no other campaign expenses, each candidate would only have enough money to pay for about one hour of advertising during the campaign, based on the current pricing structure.

Click HERE to read the entire article...

TOP TURKISH GENERAL SAYS U.S. ADMINISTRATION FIRMLY AGAINST GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

16-02-2007 ; Today's Zaman

According to news reports, General Yasar Buyukanit, Turkey's top military official, has stated that during his visit to the United States he has observed a firm resolve on the part of the Bush administration to block a resolution now in the U.S. Congress to recognize the Armenian Genocide of 1915.

According to the article, General Buyukanit sated that, "I have heard senior U.S. administration officials saying decisive words on stopping the Armenian genocide resolution from securing recognition in Congress." These comments refer to recent talks he had with Vice President Dick Cheney and National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley.

On Friday, February 16th the General was to meet with U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Tom Lantos regarding the Genocide resolution , among other issues.

" ANATOLIAN ROCK " FUSION OF EAST & WEST...STILL ALIVE & KICKIN!!!!

We came across an interesting article in Today's Zaman that deals with the musical genre called "Anatolian Rock".

If focuses on the upcoming instrumental album of one of the pioneers of the genre, Cahit Berkay. Back in the early 1970's he and others started to turn to Anatolia for musical inspiration, fusing these traditional melodies with the sensibilities of 1960's rock.

Interestingly enough, a major force in this field was a popular singer named Cem Karaca, who's mother was an Armenian theater actress in Turkey. Cem Karaca, was ultimately forces to flee Turkey due to his leftist political leanings and lived in exile in West Germany until his return to Turkey in the early 1990's.

In the late 1960's and early 1970's there were many such attempts to fuse the traditional and rock genres , some of the better known being Pentangle and Fairport Convention in England, Planxty and Moving Hearts in Ireland, etc.

Then too we have the ground-breaking album "ZARTONG", the one and only LP by a group of young French-Armenians of the same name in the late 1970's. But don't go looking for the album. It was privately produced and the last time I saw a copy being sold on e-Bay it was going for quite abit of money. Luckily I still have a cassette that the band gave me. (Pokr Mher)

ARTISTS IN ARMENIA CRITICAL OF GOVERNMENT'S MOVES TO LIMIT ARTISTIC EXPRESSION

The following statement has come to our attention regarding a group of Armenian artists in Yerevan who have criticized the government for limiting freedom of expression and artistic expression. In particular, they cite the governmen't banning of British performance artist Nigel Charnock's solo show. Readers will remember that Mr. Charnock was taken to task for wrapping himself with the Armenian flag and walking on it. He has since apologized for this act but described himself as being quite fond of Armenia.

*****************************

Yerevan - February 2, 2007

By this letter we express our principal disagreement with the situation in Armenia concerning art, culture and freedom. We find it very important to let you know and ask your support as the violation against freedom of art, expression and though has no geography and should be STOPPED and PROTESTED world-widely by all the means we have.

Please, forward and inform everybody about our pain and send/ show your position to the Armenian Government and all the people and organizations dealing with Armenia.

Here are the addresses:

Government of the RA:
1. Republic Square. Yerevan, Republic of Armenia Tel:. (374 10) 52 87 12, 52 74 02, Fax:. (374 10) 52 87 12 http://www.blogger.com/

Ministry of the Culture:
Government Building 3, Republic Square, Yerevan
Tel.: 52-93-49http://www.blogger.com/


Here is a copy of their full statement:

The Ministry of Culture Puts Veto on Freedom

It would be much better if the Minister of Culture would be capable to explain to the uneducated “pure Armenian” audience, who is far away from real art , having included the cotemporary in anachronic ethnic and militaristic, that the ART in THE WORLD is liberated times ago and the ARTIST is FREE to CREATE.

The art, the artist and the thought in Armenia are forbidden from now on. The announcement of Minister of Culture from 01.02.2007 recovers long-term Soviet totalitarian repressive machinery aimed to exclude alternative thinking and pluralism. Actually by this decision the artistic freedom without the approval of the Ministry of Culture in Armenia is forbidden.

From now on the art is arrested by the power- holders conditioned by their doubtful education, by soc-realistic spirit and by nationalistic vision. From this moment the government declares the existence of the only possible and nationally admitted culture in Armenia and “the one nation- one culture[1]” becomes the general slogan of state repressions against free creation and free artist.

By the banning the performance of the British artist the artist in Armenia is forbidden too and the audience is forbidden to see, to listen, to feel and to think by his/ her own. This announcement has a direct trend to exile from the country all those, who are not agree to fit with state cultural standards.

In this context it becomes clear why in independent Republic of Armenia liberated from Soviet totalitarism the KGB Day is celebrated nation-widely and enthusiastically, the whole cultural space is filled with militaristic spirit, and the folk and rabiz are mixed and propaganded broadly.

This is the way how the fascism enters and becomes reality accompanied by the society’s excitement.

Such kind of insult was never given to the art in post-Soviet times. The real intellectual must react to this unprecedented violence.

Harutyun Simonian, artist
Lala Aslikyan, citizen
Astghik Melkonyan, artist
Tigran Khachatryan, artist
Mariam Elmasyan, professor- orientalist
Lori Yapujyan, musician
Aram Talalyan, professor, Conservatory
Karen Hakobian, musician, “Hope” NGO
Artur Avanesov, composer, culturologist
Karine Talalyan, musician
Lilit Zakaryan, art critic
Vigen Tadevosyan, artist
Vahe Boyajyan, professor, Yerevan State University
Anahit Vardanyan, lawyer
Avetis Avagyan, civil servant
Natalya Martirosyan, human rights activist
Shushan Vardanyan, pharmacist
Anna Barseghyan, art curator, utopist
Stephan Kristensen, scientist, political activist
Vakhtang Siradeghyan, RA citizen
Armen Ohanyan, RA citizen
Gayane Sargsyan, RA citizen
Suren Saghatelyan, RA citizen
Naira Sultanyan, RA citizen
Vehanush Hovhannisyan, “Meghvik” NGO
Bella Sargsyan, RA citizen
Marish Manucharyan, RA citizen
Sona Abgaryan, artist
Ruben Arevshatyan, art curator
Nika Yepiskoposyan, sociologist
and others.