Unzipped

British ambassador in Armenia says ‘good-bye’. “Love embassy” stays

2012-01-12T00:57:00.001Z

If you ask my opinion, I’d say - to date - Charles Lonsdale was the best foreign ambassador in Armenia. He fitted right and genuinely into the environment, issues, people transforming the embassy into the “love embassy”. Although Daily Mail dubbed it a “love embassy” with negative connotations, for me this was the best term ever to refer to any diplomatic mission. What can be better than love?

[...] The controversy comes after it was revealed that the current ambassador recently married an Armenian woman working at the British Embassy.
The two developments have led to local politicians nicknaming the British mission the ‘love embassy’. [...] (Daily Mail)

I personally met Charles and Maria in Yerevan. Here is what I posted following the meeting:

What a nice couple: UK ambassador in Armenia Charles & Maria. Friendly, intelligent, cool. Great night out with them & Onnik + more friends. People. Atmosphere. Super. At my fave venue in Yerevan. Alternative Armenia reality. The one I like. #YerevanDiaries

Below is an extract from his farewell blog post. Good-bye, Charles. You will be missed!!

[...] The economic crisis means poverty is as serious an issue as ever, though I’ve written before now on some good work being done by NGOs, including Oxfam. There’s also been some progress on gender issues and it’s possible now to hope for some progress on the question of domestic violence in a way I didn’t think possible when I first arrived. There’s even been some limited progress in reporting of lesbian and gay issues, though there’s still a long way to go to overcome some deep-rooted prejudices.

Encouragingly, I think we’re seeing more active participation by young people in both formal and informal politics, including campaigning on particular issues, such as the environment. That’s something we’ve supported and encouraged and meeting bright, active young people has always been one of the things that gives me hope for Armenia’s future, whatever the challenges ahead. The biggest issue though is to ensure that those young people see their future in Armenia, and that they have the opportunity to put their talents to work here, rather than joining the steady outflow of people away from the country.

I have occasionally apologised for adding to that outflow by marrying one of those bright young Armenians, and I will be forcing her to leave, at least temporarily to come with me to Vienna for my next job. As she pointed out though, it’s open to debate if I’m taking her away from Armenia or she is taking me to Armenia. At any rate, I look forward to returning to this fascinating country.

When asked for my feelings on departure, I’ve tended to say that I’m a frustrated optimist: there is a lot of potential and I’ve come across many capable, smart people. But somehow the necessary changes have rarely moved as fast or as far as I would hope. But I remain optimistic that positive changes can and should continue. [...]

And now I’d like to welcome Jonathan Aves and Katherine Leach, new British ambassadors in Yerevan. I have to admit, like many, at first I thought such a dual appointment is a pretty bizarre arrangement. This is probably because there was no much precedent for us and that’s what we used to see: one ambassador per country. But hey... “Two for one”. Normally, a good deal :) Anyone familiar with my blog would know that I frequently defy what was “expected”, “used to” or the “norm”. And I am pretty open and excited to see this new arrangement in action.

I met Jonathan and Katherine in London and have to say they seem full of energy and enthusiasm to contribute for best in Armenia. Here is hoping they will double their efforts in pursuing the issues and more mentioned by Charles in his farewell post.

*pictures - via British Embassy Yerevan FB page and MFA.

Merry Christmas, à la police.am

2011-12-20T22:47:00.000Z

Have to say, for once I enjoyed watching police-made video. Regardless of who was pictured there, I liked that they felt the need for PR by putting a “human face” on to Armenian police. And it's pretty entertaining to watch.

Now if only what I see on the video I can observe in real life too. That would truly be a Christmas miracle.

Tweetathon, march, “wall of shame” - Armenia marks International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

2011-11-24T23:53:00.002Z

Tweetathon
To raise awareness of this year's 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence campaign and of gender-based violence in general, a group of civil society organisations are planning a Tweetathon this Friday, 25 Nov 2011. Friday is the first of the 16 Days and the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

To participate in the Tweetathon, please join the conversation by using the #16days hashtag. Here are a few suggestions via Women’s Resource Center and PINK Armenia:

"This Friday is #IDEVAW and the start of #16days2011. Join the #16days tweetathon on 25 Nov to spread awareness about #GBV & #VAW"

"Today is #IDEVAW and the start of #16days2011. What can we do to combat #GBV & #VAW all year? Share your thoughts using the #16days hashtag"

"Happening now: #16days tweetathon. Check out what people are saying about #GBV & #VAW and join the conversation! #IDEVAW #16days2011"

"#FollowFriday: the #16days tweetathon! #GBV #VAW #IDEVAW #16days2011 #FF"

March
Few stats via Women’s Resource Center, Armenia:

1 in every 3 women experiencing domestic violence around the world are also subjected to sexual assault.
In the first semester of 2011 there were 10 registered legal cases on trafficking in Armenia; 8 are related to sexual trafficking of women.
In Armenia, women are still getting abortions based on gender choice (favoring male fetuses over female). The gender ratio has reached a scandalous level and organizations are getting worried.
In Armenia, we have 131 deputies and only 11 among them are women.
Poverty strikes women the most; globally 70% among the poorest are women.
In Armenia, we have 18 ministers, among them only 2 are women.
In the world, 95% of victims of domestic violence are women.
No one will be protected against violence if we stay silent!
In Armenia, approximately 1 671 012 of the population is female.
You have 1 671 012 reasons to join this march to stop violence against women and girls on 25 November!

Street action "Wall of shame"

(Unzipped: reminds me in concept my Hall of Shame)

Women's Rights Center organises a street action called "Wall of shame" in the framework of 16 Days of Activism. During the action a poster demonstrating husband’s violent behavior towards her wife (the scene is caught by their little daughter) will be presented in the center of the avenue. Papers and pens will be distributed to the passersby, who may express their feelings and comments on that picture. It is anticipated that the picture will be covered with different comments of the passersby until the end of the action.

Barbaric destruction of what remained from old Yerevan continues

2011-11-23T19:55:00.002Z

...and now it's a turn of my very favourite part of downtown Yerevan - buildings on Arami street. Instead of preserving what little remained from old Yerevan, those in power systematically destroy it.

Activists organised a chained protest action last night in an attempt to prevent such act of barbarism (and I am using here the mildest possible word).

Via CivilNetTV: Արամի 30 հասցեում գտնվող "Էդեն" սրճարանն այսօր փակվում է. շենքը ենթակա է ապամոնտաժման: Այս կապակցությամբ մի խումբ ակտիվիստներ հավաքվել էին շենքի մոտ` արտահայտելու իրենց բողոքն ու կոչ անելու պահպանել պատմական շինությունները Երևանում: Ադրինե Գրիգորյանն իրեն շղթայել էր շենքին: Նա ցանկանում էր ընդգծել, որ մենք պատմության մի մասն ենք ու պարտավոր ենք տեր լինել մեր արժեքներին:

*Thanks to Ditord for the link to the video.

Ever was curious how I 'became' gay? What sort of "propaganda" turned me, a little child, into a homosexual guy?

2011-11-22T21:41:00.000Z

Read this on Unzipped: Gay Armenia -

How I ‘became’ gay. A very personal reflection ahead of return to Stalinism and Fascism in Russia

"Building the [Soviet] Revolution"... sort of... in London

2011-11-19T21:57:00.001Z

(Never built) Tatlin’s Tower was re-created to mark "Building the Revolution: Soviet Art and Architecture 1915-1935" exhibit at the Royal Academy of Arts in London.

[...] Its official title was Monument to the Third International (the revolutionary congress of that name had taken place in 1919) and it was intended to mark the Soviet revolution in Petrograd (St Petersburg) in much the same way that the Eiffel Tower was built to commemorate the French Revolution in Paris – a century after the event. Tatlin’s Tower would have stretched right across the River Neva.

This monument was intended as a conference and administration hub, as well as a propaganda broadcast centre and all-purpose symbol for international revolution. Talking of revolution, buildings slung within its armature would have rotated at different speeds (a year, a month, a day) making it not only a huge metaphor but also the world’s largest perpetual calendar.

Never built, Tatlin’s Tower passed into mythology. It has been a potent symbol for both the Left and for those artists and architects influenced by Russian Constructivism: Richard Rogers RA, Zaha Hadid RA and Anish Kapoor RA all acknowledge it. [...]

These "building the revolution" posters can be seen all over London.

Exposed: racism and 'blood purity' part of ideology of Armenia ruling Republican party?

2011-11-10T23:53:00.000Z

Thanks to a Facebook friend of mine, I did something I have never done before (or never had any desire whatsoever to do). I looked at the library of ideological publications produced by Armenia's ruling Republican party. In particular, one ‘fundamental’ and pretty 'mind-blowing’ publication. Trust me, that was more than enough for me. What I read there is disgusting, and believe you me, "disgusting" is an understatement.

It's a publication about ‘foundations’ of Armenian family and gender roles (published by Republican party in 2002 and available under the “library” section of their official website).

It uses N-word to refer to black people and 'justifies' the notion of 'purity of blood' calling for no mixed marriages in order to preserve... yes, that very same 'purity of blood' + more racist rant. I am not even going further into their 'defining' of gender roles etc. If this is not a Nazi and racist ideology, then what is it?

For a country with European inclination, or in fact for any country, this is an appalling display of what should have no place in modern world, let alone as part of the ideology of ruling party. I wonder if Armenia president and PM, as party leaders, are aware of these ideological 'pearls' and whether they share what is supposedly part of their own party ideology? Either they should immediately ditch them from their 'library' and distance themselves from what was expressed in this and similar party publications or people associated with the Republican party risk putting shame on themselves and on Armenia's reputation.

Just to illustrate the point, below are only few extracts from the “Armenian Family” (“ՀԱՅ ԸՆՏԱՆԻՔ” - AM) publication (Republican Party of Armenia, Yerevan 2002):

Երբ մի քանի տարի առաջ ժառանգաբան Նվարդ Քոչարին հարցրեցինք, թե արդյոք ինքը համաձայն կլիներ, որ հայը, օրինակ, նեգրի հետ ամուսնանար, նա պատասխանեց.

- Եթե ընտրեց, ամուսնացավ, այո, համաձայն եմ: Կարեւորը որ նա հայկական միջավայրում ապրի եւ հայանա: Ինչ վատ կլինի, եթե նեգրի երաժշտականությունը, ռիթմի զգացողությունը ներմուծվի:

Թե ինչպես պիտի նեգրը հայանա, նույնիսկ երեւակայությունը թույլ չի տալիս պատկերացնել: Իսկ որ հայերս երաժշտականության բնածին պակաս ունենք եւ ստիպված պիտի ուրիշից ներմուծենք, շատ անլուրջ է:

Ներկայումս խառնազգի ամուսնությունները մեզանում (լինի Հայրենիքում, թե Սփյուռքում) առավելապես կատարվում են հաշվենկատորեն, երբ, բարեկեցիկ կյանքի ակնկալիքով, շատ հայեր “ամուսնանում” են եվրոպացիների, ամերիկացիների, արդեն` նաեւ պարսիկների, արաբների հետ:

Արյունախառնության կողմնակիցները գտնում են, որ իբր խաչասերումից առաջացած սերունդն ավելի ոժեղ և խելոք է լինում: Դժվար թե: [...] օրինակ, մուլատների մոտ ակնհայտ են մտավոր պակասությունները:

Blizzard of Desire (Marc Quinn), Selfridges, London - Christmas 2011

2011-11-08T22:22:00.000Z

*This art work - Blizzard of Desire by Marc Quinn - is part of Selfridges Christmas 2011 window display.

"От перемены мест слагаемых..." - re: so called sackings and resignations in Armenia ruling circle

2011-11-02T23:57:00.000Z

In case you have a (even the tiniest possible) thought that what's being happening now - number of high profile reshuffles, including police chief and speaker of the parliament - may somehow positively or negatively impact your life or that of your country... It will be the same. Nothing has really changed. A bit better, a bit worse, doesn’t much matter. This reshuffle has a very specific internal meaning and importance. Internal in terms of power reshuffle within the ruling party and administration in the run-up of the elections.

Have a look at the ‘new’ police chief who replaced the 'old' one. It’s the same guy who instead of tackling root causes of violence in the army (as deputy MoD), started blaming everything on... 'foreign-sponsored groups' who has been voicing their concerns re status quo in the army, threatening with 'legal actions', a claim repeated afterwards by the minister himself. I am not even going into details of his 'heroic' track record. You may have thought that Alik was the worst possible choice for police chief. Think again. It’s very difficult to decide who is better here: Alik or Vova? “Better” is not the word to be used. It’s from worse to worse.

In its essence, it’s all about elections, loyalty, although have to be honest, I am not entirely sure that Vova Gasparyan (new police chief) is any less or more loyal than Alik Sargsyan (now former police chief).

But above all, its about their perceived ability to “secure" winning the upcoming election. What the word “secure” means in Armenian election context, no need to explain. It’s pretty self-explanatory.

Ironically, now ex-speaker Hovik Abrahamyan (nicknamed "muk" - AM for mouse) will be heading - yet again - the election HQ of the ruling Republican party. Some say this was his ‘punishment’ for alleged alliances with (pro-Kocharyan) Prosperous Armenia party and ex-president Kocharyan himself. Who cares?

There is an expression that describes what's being happening perfectly. I do not know why but I like saying it in Russian: От перемены мест слагаемых сумма не меняется.

Halloween: Picture of the Day

2011-10-31T21:34:00.000Z

Among the all Halloween-themed pictures I've seen today, this one strikes me the most.

*Sex workers wearing skeleton masks gather in Mexico city for a procession to remember their deceased colleagues, in particular those violently murdered in the past few years, two days before the Day of the Dead festival when Mexicans pay homage to family and friends who have died. Photograph: Carlos Jasso/Reuters (source: The Guardian)

Member of "Army in Reality" group Lala Aslikyan is detained

2011-10-27T09:47:00.003+01:00

UPDATED: Lala Aslikyan has been released (see comments section for reports in English)

Breaking news (AM only):

ՀԱՂՈՐԴՈՒՄ

2011թ. հոկտեմբերի 27-ին ՀՀ կառավարության շենքի մոտ պետք է տեղի ունենար Հայաստանի զինված ուժերում մահացած զինծառայողների ծնողների և “Բանակն իրականում” նախաձեռնող խմբի հերթական ակցիան` զինծառայողների սպանությունները բացահայտելու և գործերի քննությունը պատշաճ կերպով
վարելու պահանջով: Ոստիկանները թույլ չեն տվել, որպեսզի ակցիան կայանա նախատեսված վայրում և բռնություն են կիրառել զինծառայողների ծնողների նկատմամբ` հրմշտելով նրանց և խոչընդոտելով խաղաղ հավաքի անցկացումը: Ակցիայի մասնակիցներն արձագանքել են` արտահայտելով իրենց վերաբերմունքը ոստիկանների բռնությունների նկատմամբ:

Ոստիկանները, բռնի ուժ կիրառելով ցուցարարներից մեկի` “Բանակն իրականում” քաղաքացիական նախաձեռնության անդամ Լալա Ասլիկյանի նկատմամբ, նրան տեղափոխել են ՀՀ ոստիկանության Երևան քաղաքի վարչության կենտրոնական բաժին:

ՀՀ ոստիկանության Երևան քաղաքի վարչության կենտրոնական բաժնի մոտ, որտեղ հավաքվել են մի խումբ քաղաքացիներ` պահանջելու ազատել Լալա Ասլիկյանին, կրկին տեղի է ունեցել միջադեպ. ՀՀ ոստիկանության Երևան քաղաքի վարչության կենտրոնական բաժնի փոխոստիկանապետ Արայիկ Պետրոսյանը փորձ է արել մեքենայով վրաերթ կատարել ցուցարարների ուղղությամբ և հարվածել ԱԺ պատգամավոր Զարուհի Փոստանջյանին:

Արդեն կես ժամից ավել է Լալա Ասլիկյանի փաստաբան Ռոբերտ Ռևազյանը կանգնած է ՀՀ ոստիկանության Երևան քաղաքի վարչության կենտրոնական բաժնի մուտքի մոտ և նրան թույլ չեն տալիս մուտք գործել ոստիկանության բաժին: Մոտ 20 ոստիկան կանգնած են ոստիկանության բաժնի մուտքի մոտ, իսկ 30-ը ավելի հեռու` խոչընդոտելով ցուցարարներին մոտենալ ոստիականության բաժնի շենքին:

Open letter to Orange Armenia re: homophobic short story shortlisted for their annual book prize

2011-10-21T08:01:00.003+01:00

For Armenian version, see Unzipped: Gay Armenia

For more background info, read: #Fail: Homophobe writer shortlisted for Orange Armenia book prize 2011

***
Dear Orange Armenia,

We wish to express our concern with one of the entries of the Orange Book Prize.

For the 2011 Orange Book Prize, as noted on Orange Armenia's official website, 130 creative works were submitted to the contest, 79 of which were in the short story category. The jury of "professional readers," according to Orange Armenia's description, selected 11 out of the 130 entries submitted, one of which — Paruyr Santrosyan's "Hours Before [Being Given] the Death Penalty" — contains hatred toward homosexual people. The author in his work, in particular, complains that the Republic of Armenia guarantees equality for all, including homosexual people, adding that if he were talk about homosexual people, he would be forced to do so using profanities.

We would like to express our concern to the aforementioned. Orange Armenia is one of those reputable companies in Armenia that embraces Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), acknowledging that it has a responsibility to the public, and always tries to uphold its reputation at the pan-Armenian and international level, which France Telecom also attempts to do on local, national and international platforms. Expressing a malevolent attitude toward marginalized groups and minorities through Orange Armenia, we believe, is first and foremost detrimental to the company itself. Apart from the fact that Orange Armenia might lose the trust of many of its customers and sustain losses on a PR level, this is also dangerous for Orange Armenia's LGBT customers and employees, because the author of this work affronts LGBT people and tramples their dignity. According to its website, France Telecom–Orange is "committed to ensuring transparency, quality and security for all its customers," while promoting diversity and equal opportunity for its employees: "France Telecom-Orange has a duty to set an example by promoting equal opportunity and combating all forms of discrimination."

It is incomprehensible how Orange Armenia allowed a story to participate in the contest and to be selected out of 79 entries in this category by a jury of "professional readers" which spreads hate toward a marginalized group — in this case, homosexual people. Would it be permissible, perhaps, for a story to be included in the contest that spread the same message of hate towards, for example, Jewish people or people of a different skin color or any number of other marginalized communities?

Considering the aforementioned, we would like to suggest that Orange Armenia issue a statement reaffirming its unbiased and impartial approach toward its LGBT customers (also potential LGBT customers, which it might lose due to homophobia) and toward marginalized groups, in line with the company's own policies and Article 14.1 of Armenia's Constitution which guarantees equality for all, irrespective of personal or social circumstances (in this case, irrespective of an individual's sexual orientation). In particular, we ask that the aforementioned short story entry be removed from the competition.

We look forward to receiving your response.

Respectfully Yours,

Public Information and Need of Knowledge NGO (PINK Armenia)
Mika, author of the blog "Unzipped: Gay Armenia"
Women's Resource Center of Armenia
Sexual Assault Crisis Center, Yerevan
New Generation NGO
Guarantee Center for Civil Society NGO
World Independent Youth Union NGO
Society Without Violence NGO
Haykuhi Margaryan
Hamo Sargsyan
Narek Harutyunyan
Anna Grigorian
Armen Ohanyan
Tufenkian Foundation Women's Support Center
Diana Muradova
"Young Professionals Caucasus"
Ginosi.com LLC
____
originally published here

PR and propaganda fail in the face of reality in Armenia army

2011-10-16T22:41:00.000+01:00

Yes, tragic incidents in the army happened in the past too. Yes, we may not have realised their full extend in the past due to lack of publicity. There might be some truth in such statements, but they cannot be used to justify the appalling reality of violence and abuse in the Armenian army that tend to turn into routine statistics of non-combat deaths as part of daily news headlines.

3 deaths + “incidents” in 5 days... Plus all those soldiers who were killed or ‘suicided’ over the past year or so... This is an indication of endemic problems of violence and bullying in our army and lawlessness on all the levels of military management and beyond that, without addressing properly and comprehensively, unsurprisingly getting worse and worse... And a reflection of complacency towards violence in our society where machismo still rules.

Ironically, even now state propaganda machine tries blaming “foreign sponsored NGOs” and human rights activists for damaging army’s reputation and its military and psychological capabilities with their criticism, publicity and demands. So it’s not murders or ‘suicides’ of soldiers but publicity surrounding those incidents and demand for answers and responsibilities that damage Armenia’s security and defense?!

We may do the most impressive breathtaking military parades for propaganda purposes. But any propaganda or PR exercise fail spectacularly when facing such realities.

Armenia crushed Macedonia 4:1 in a perfect display of team spirit at Euro 2012 qualifier

2011-10-07T18:35:00.002+01:00

*pictures - by PanARMENIAN Photo

After a decade of post-Soviet malaise, Armenia national team started showing up a type of professional and exciting football that I love.

Below are pictures of 5 players of the day. But the real heroes of the day - Armenia national team as a whole. See their faces here.

And if there was a contest for 'comment of the day', the prize would go to a friend of mine Sylvie K. who commented under my Facebook status:

“this makes me believe in miracles - that we CAN succeed in a TEAM sport...not just in CHESS”.

And perhaps the most hilarious tweet of the day (AM) ;))

Աղջիկ լինեի, կամ գեյ, էսօր մեր սաղ թիմին կտայի
@8731

*pictures - by PanARMENIAN Photo / Vahan Stepanyan

Steve Jobs...

2011-10-06T01:19:00.002+01:00

I surrendered to Apple. I did it voluntarily, and have not regretted since.

I use Mac. I use iPad. I use iPhone. You inspired me.

Your vision changed the world on so many levels. It changed my world too. The way I use technology. The way I interact with others and myself.

THANK YOU!

Rest in peace...

In front of the Apple store, Regents street, London

***

Steve Jobs

1955 - 2011

Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.

http://www.apple.com/stevejobs

‘Sex bombs’ as new ‘weapons of mass distraction’ in Armenia?

2011-10-01T10:51:00.000+01:00

This erotic show, or whatever it was, reportedly was staged at the Northern avenue to ‘coincide’ with the opposition rally at the nearby Liberty sq. in Yerevan. Some claim that the authorities started using sex as a ‘weapon of mass distraction’ :))

Not surprising that regime used sex (half naked women in black/red lingerie) to try to distract from Liberty Square
@tzitzernak

Whether this is the case or not, the coincidence is hilarious.

Bullying by haircut: Outrageous lawlessness by head teacher at one of Yerevan schools

2011-09-26T22:19:00.000+01:00

I am speechless. A truly outrageous incident has happened today at one of 4th grade classes in a Yerevan school named after Daniel Varuzhan. Head teacher has forcibly cut children’s hair because apparently she didn’t like their haircut. She later ‘explained’ it by an expression of “motherly joke” from her side. This incident has got reported and gained publicity thanks to journalist parents. It’s currently being investigated by educational authorities.

How many similar or more outrageous incidents go unreported, one may wonder?!

Pictures and reporting by Gagik Shamshyan. Original source: news.armeniatv.com

Այսօր՝ սեպտեմբերի 26-ին, Երևանի Դանիել Վարուժանի անվան թիվ 89 դպրոցի մի խումբ ծնողներ բողոքում էին դպրոցում տեղի ունեցած միջադեպի փաստով:

Ինչպես news.armeniatv.com-ին հայտնում է ֆոտոլրագրող Գագիկ Շամշյանը, նշված դպրոցի 4-րդի «Գ» դասարանի դասղեկ Գայանե Թանգյանը ստիպողաբար դասարանի՝ թվով 9-ը տղա երեխաների մազերը կտրել է:

Ծնող Ալլա Մկրտչյանը մեզ հետ զրույցում բարկացած պատմում էր. «Ես իմ երեխային առավոտյան մաքուր ուղարկել եմ դասի, իսկ դասղեկը բռնել, տղայիս մազերը կտրել-այլանդակել է. ու տենց մի քանի երեխաների: Ինձ էլ ասում է, թե՝ ում ուզում ես բողոքի, լավ եմ արել, դա իմ օրենքնա»:

Դասղեկ Թանգյանը, ով չցանկացավ նկարահանվել, իր արարքը պատճառաբանում էր, թե մայրաբար կատակ է արել: Երևանի քաղաքապետարանի հանրակրթության վարչության պետ Գայանե Սողոմոնյանը մեզ հետ զրույցում, դատապարտելով կատարվածը, ասաց, որ կատարվածի մասին ինքն արդեն տեղյակ է, և մեղավորները ենթարկվելու են խիստ պատասխանատվության:

Իսկ մի քանի ծնողներ էլ ասացին, որ Գայանե Սողոմոնյանի զանգից հետո Թանգյանը ոտուձեռ էր ընկել ու խնդրում, որպեսզի աղմուկ չբարձրացնեն, թե չէ հանրակրթության վարչությունը իրն «օդ կհանի»:

*Thanks to @kornelij for the info.

Picture of the Day: marching priests (Armenia Independence Day)

2011-09-21T20:56:00.001+01:00

This is by far THE Picture of the Day for me. This is unlike anything you may ever seen. Hilarious is an understatement here. This picture shows so many things on so many levels... If only we had Armenian Almodovar, this would become a masterpiece...

*source of picture: PanARMENIAN Photo / Tigran Mehrabyan

#Fail: Armenia Junior Eurovision selection show promotes Dolphinarium

2011-09-17T18:30:00.000+01:00

Tonight I decided to watch the Armenia selection show for Junior Eurovision, but I turned it off instantly as soon as they started promoting Dolphinarium.

I boycott today's #Armenia Junior #Eurovision selection show as they promote Delphinarium #fail

This is what Public TV in Armenia promotes among younger audiences. A major #fail.

To Shut Down the Dolphinarium: Armenian Environmentalists Ready to Go to International Courts

[...] The government ministry is being accused of inaction with reference to the newly constructed Nemo Dolphinarium in Yerevan’s Komitas Park, which environmentalists have been demanding be shut down.

[...]...Armenia does not have the necessary conditions or suitable climate for dolphins to live.

“We also presented arguments by different experts and environmentalists in Armenia testifying the fact that Armenia does not have the means to keep dolphins” [...]

“We wanted [them] to conduct monitoring, to check the conditions, the dolphins’ health — but they refuse.[...] Only on the telephone, a woman answered our questions and said that the pool is not [full] of ocean water, they only make additions, the dolphins’ health is rarely checked because experts [have to] come in from other countries” [...]

*source of picture and selected extracts above - Epress.am

Inside the Europe's largest shopping centre - Stratford Westfield, Olympic city, East End, London

2011-09-14T00:34:00.000+01:00

Opened 13 September 2011

Yerevan Diaries: night people, sex and rock... and losers

2011-09-10T20:01:00.002+01:00

Instead of editorial

One of the reasons why I like Yerevan at night is because all those սուտի նամուսով Armenian men and women, boys and girls are at home, sitting in front of their computers or TVs and judging others’ life OR back to sleep after yet another sex-less day. Because they are afraid of night. Night has different rules (or no rules). Rules for those who enjoy living.

Because in reality they [“սուտի նամուսով”] would love to do what others - who they judge - do with their lives, but they are afraid or fail at doing so. In fact, what they NORMALLY do would be considered much-much worse according to the same books or dogmas they use to judge others. They quite enjoy it. Then, they return to their ‘perfect’ lives, back home, and continue living... not their lives, but others’. Continue living lies.

And, yes, they are very bad at sex. They have close to “0” sex skills. And they are jealous of those, who are good at it. They want to kill ‘em.

There are two very different Yerevan: day-time and night-time. I suppose, it's obvious which one I prefer.

That’s why I absolutely loved my night outs in Yerevan. And I loved the rock concert at Liberty sq (Opera) as part of Summer Music Festival.

“Take me downtown
Take me underground” -

crowd was singing along with the Danish rock group.

That was quite a change from usual rabiz or cheap pop happenings going on there (latest example). The atmosphere was electric, free, good weird.

For a moment, I felt like Yerevan turned into one of the European capitals. I was in an alternative reality in Yerevan. The reality I prefer and will choose for instead. The rest is for losers.

Paris: poster - Aznavour

2011-09-06T01:13:00.000+01:00

Paris: "Здесь говорят по русски"

2011-09-06T01:10:00.001+01:00

Funnily enough, the name of this restaurant is 'Greek Tavern' or something like that :)

Paris: Histoire de Paris

2011-09-06T01:02:00.000+01:00

Paris: Presse

2011-09-06T01:01:00.000+01:00

Yerevan Diaries: arty buildings

2011-09-04T19:22:00.000+01:00

I wish we have more buildings like these in Yerevan. Cheerful. Arty. Alive.

Yerevan Diaries: the use of AM letter "Չ"

2011-09-03T14:12:00.000+01:00

*Lovers' park

Yerevan Diaries: a signpost

2011-09-03T10:57:00.003+01:00

Yerevan Diaries: Banned book

2011-08-26T10:01:00.000+01:00

My reputation follows me. Even presents I receive in Yerevan are pretty much X-rated. Not complaining :) It's Unzipped, after all.

This book has been reportedly banned from Armenian book stores for using not 'normative' language, that proved to be too shocking for book store owners.

Here it is. Unzipped.

Haven't read it yet, but will do upon my return to London.

Yerevan Diaries: no poster Opera

2011-08-24T08:50:00.002+01:00

Have to admit. I missed the view of Opera area surrounded by posters & ads of performances and so on. They were good and bad, tasteful and tasteless. But they were part of the 'deal', and fitted the area perfectly. Without them, the only 'filling' for Opera area (& Liberty sq) is provided by cafes. And it looks empty to me.

Yerevan Diaries: Swan Lake

2011-08-24T08:43:00.001+01:00

Glad to see Swan Lake area in downtown Yerevan looking nicer and taken care of, much better than 2 years ago. Bonus: the addition of new art works.

Yerevan Diaries: ...when hall = հոլ :)

2011-08-23T06:26:00.000+01:00

Still can't stop laughing whenever I see these examples of using Armenian translit to refer to English words re venue names. Some of them are hilarious.

Here is just one of such examples :)

Yerevan Diaries: PanArmenian games closing ceremony - #Fail

2011-08-22T09:50:00.001+01:00

I am so glad that due to personal circumstances could not make it to Liberty sq for a closing ceremony of PanArmenian games (open air event/concert). Instead, watching it on TV. That was the better/safer option, considering what was on the menu.

Throughout the ceremony, it was full with pathetic, pseudo-patriotic speeches. They sounded so fake, with artificial smiles and 'special expressions' on the face of those on stage, that the only appropriate tag to describe the happening was #FunnySad.

[Btw, I didn't know that PanArmenian games is also a beauty pageant with prizes for "Miss Beauty".]

And finally... When you see Armenchik - 'king of rabiz' - chosen as a headlining act for PanArmenian games closing ceremony, no more comments needed, indeed.

This was one of the most boring, pathetic and tasteless ceremonies I have ever seen in Yerevan.

Verdict: #Fail

Yerevan Diaries: newspapers; Google maps

2011-08-18T07:18:00.001+01:00

Morning papers
In past, whenever I was in Yerevan, always started my morning with a pile of morning papers. Newspapers of broad range of affiliations or 'independent' ones were part of my daily routine. No longer. Have no desire whatsoever to purchase them. For now, my quick glancing at online outlets seem sufficient enough. Still, downloaded digital versions of The Guardian and The Independent.

Google maps - Yerevan
In past, I was looking at Google maps - Yerevan as something with more of a sentimental value, not for practical purposes. Yesterday, for the first time, I used it to find a particular street in downtown Yerevan. And it worked. And I loved it. From now on, its practical value seem more important to me.

Serj Tankian in Yerevan: Dorians, the audience, messages, and the most bizarre 'weapon of mass destruction'

2011-08-15T13:23:00.002+01:00

Yerevan Diaries

Bottle cap as a 'weapon of mass destruction'

The weirdest thing happened before the concert started. Security or stewards demanded bottle caps to be separated from plastic bottles and thrown away before one can enter the concert area. I & friends could not get it: why bottle caps? Someone suggested that they could be thrown at others during the concert, but plastic bottles could be used for the similar purposes too, if one had such a desire. Whose 'genius' idea this was, I wonder?

Dorians - more than an opening act

Absolutely loved Dorians. Always liked them via their YouTube clips, but now that I managed to enjoy their performance live, I am 'officially' their fan. Top class rock performance, in line with best young rock groups elsewhere.

Serj Tankian

Despite criticism re not powerful enough sound and choice of music, Serj Tankian was good too. I expected higher energetics, but he didn't disappoint me. And I loved the stage design, very tasteful, and organic with the outside environment. And symphonic orchestra from the Yerevan Opera House was pretty good too.

Messages & the audience

The audience was very mixed. Not in a good way mixed. Quite a few young people didn't REALLY know why they were there. They probably came in for a free concert and/or to say 'we were at Tankian's concert'. They were minority, perhaps, but a sizeable minority. This group typically had no clue what Tankian was singing about, and was funny to observe how they followed others' to start clapping etc. :)

There were some powerful messages from Serj Tankian about ridiculousness of borders - between people, countries and nations. He made it loud and very clear that "all walls are f*cking empty". But it seemed to me, that for a sizeable proportion of people present at the concert, the only message they got from Tankian was one with the G-word.

Calls for universal recognition of the Armenian Genocide, expectedly, followed by huge applause. But immediately after, Serj Tankian mentioned that we should pay attention to problems within Armenia too, without specifying them. Much weaker applause followed.

(just one of those problems) Environmentalists managed to make their point known during the concert by waving a huge poster "Mining is killing".

And the least applause of the night goes to... Armenia president Serj Sargsyan

People were shouting Serj (meaning Serj Tankian), accompanied by the huge applause for his performance. Then he mentioned that there is another Serj present at the concert - Serj Sargsyan, the president of Armenia, that is. No shouting of his name, and only very weak, hardly noticeable applause followed. This was yet another message of last night, but this time from the audience...

Yerevan diaries: London - Tehran... via Yerevan

2011-08-15T10:28:00.000+01:00

Now I know why it became so difficult to impossible to book BMI direct flights from London to Yerevan.

I've heard it before as a speculation that this flight became unofficially a transit route to connect London with Tehran.

However, I can confirm that there is nothing 'unofficial' there. Indeed, London -Yerevan BMI flight turned into "London -Tehran via Yerevan", as featured at the Heathrow airport, and most passengers were Iranian or heading to Tehran. I am actually amazed with the numbers of Iranian passengers to and from London taking into account the relationships between these two countries.

Anyway, here I am, in Yerevan... via London - Tehran :)

Full of contrasts and surprises. 'White Illusions' concert by Karen Grigoryan & co at Royal Festival Hall in London – 1 September 2011

2011-08-02T10:34:00.001+01:00

Essential date for your diary, if you are in London that is: Thursday 1 September 2011, Royal Festival Hall.

This will be the most unusual Armenian concert you may have seen in London. Full of contrasts. With the mixture of classical music, experimental beats and pop rock.

Renowned composer and producer Karen Grigoryan presents White Illusions, a concert consisting of 20 of his greatest experimental classical works and performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra. This gala is an opportunity to gain an insight into the work of one of today's foremost Armenian contemporary classical composers, performed by one of London's premiere orchestras.

Grigoryan is joined by Juice, a uniquely versatile Armenian vocalist who released her debut album Kix in 2010. The Philharmonia Orchestra is led by the acclaimed young conductor Marius Stravinsky, Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the Karelia Philharmonic Orchestra (KPO).
http://www.karengrigoryan.com/

Karen Grigoryan’s muse – Juice, will perform KIX and Save Our Love. The latter is about emo girl. Btw, liked the latest tribute by Juice to Amy Winehouse.

*picture - by Artashes Martirosyan (EL Style project)

A version of Sirusho’s song for organ will be performed by Artur Bobikyan. More surprises await you during the concert. Don’t miss.

For tickets, follow this link:

South Bank Centre

Karen dedicates this concert to the 20th anniversary of Armenia independence.

Fascism during Vartavar

2011-07-31T22:43:00.000+01:00

Armenian Aryans, ultra-nationalists, anti-semitic and homophobic group based in Armenia, apparently hijacked the Vartavar celebrations in Garni again.

Horrific picture.

No wonder that Norwegian right wing terrorist may have found links in Armenia too.

*picture by Onnik Krikorian

Norway terrorist’s alleged diary indicate links to Armenia far right nationalists

2011-07-25T21:12:00.000+01:00

The extract below is believed to be from Norway mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik diary or manifesto. It suggests that this guy may have developed links to far right nationalists / neo-nazi in Armenia too.

Quote thanks to Nazarian posting /emphasis mine/:

“March 2010

I have ended my “email acquisition phase” ending up with a grand total of 5700 Facebook contacts (2 accounts) and a total of 8000 high quality email addresses (representing all spheres of cultural conservative thought). I now have a direct way forwarding my compendium to a good portion of the most dedicated nationalist oriented individuals in all Western European countries, including the US, Australia, Canada, South Africa, certain Eastern European countries, Armenia, Israel and even India. This task has taken me several months and it pained me to purge all my FB contacts. I’ve talked and discussed with hundreds of patriotic individuals (many whom are nationalist oriented intellectuals fighting the good fight), many good people, which made the decision to purge the contacts even harder. I have now moderated by FB profile considerably and transformed it to a politically correct profile. I do fear sometimes that my endeavours relating to the research of the book, and acquisitions of these addresses has resulted in me being put on various watch lists. I know that at least a few of the profiles I invited are fake, and used for information gathering for various European and US intelligence agencies. The question is; have they flagged me? I guess I will find out eventually...”
***
This information about possible links of Norwegian murderer to Armenian nationalist groups or individuals is very worrying, indeed. This is what should be considered a matter of national security and swiftly investigated by relevant agencies in Armenia.

I may only hope that the enormous tragedy in Norway will serve as a wake-up call for people and governments in broader Europe, including Armenia, on the rise of neo-nazi and other full-of-hatred groups in the continent.

Amy Winehouse: my London is shrinking

2011-07-24T01:19:00.000+01:00

She was part of my London. When I moved here, after the initial ‘introductory’-touristy period, I started creating MY very own London within THE London. “Creating” is probably the wrong choice of word here because I didn’t artificially create it per se. It was evolved in a very organic way. Into a space with people, places, things that come to my mind when I think of London. They are a reflection of my interests. Taste. Preferences. Together they define much smaller, much more intimate and dear London to me.

Now that Amy is gone I feel the sense of (part)emptiness and I do not know how, when or if I will be able to fill it again.

It feels like part of my London is gone, cut off. Part of myself. It's painful.

Good bye, Amy... xxx

Cute Armenian children on the Facebook video call / chat announcement!

2011-07-06T21:13:00.000+01:00

So cute!! I love this :))

*thanks to Dave Chapman for the link.

Re: the ‘issue’ of foreign-language schools in Armenia (AM)

2011-07-06T15:21:00.000+01:00

Անձամբ ես ռուսական դպրոց եմ գնացել Երևանում: Առանձնապես չեմ բողոքում իմ հայերենի իմացության առումով: Միշտ էլ գրել և կարդացել եմ հայերեն (ռուսերենի և անգլերենի հետ մեկտեղ), և հիմնական խոսակցական լեզուս հայերենն է եղել:

Օբյեկտիվորեն հասկանում և ընդունում եմ օտարալեզու դպրոցներին դեմ պայքարողների որոշ պատճառաբանումները: Բայց համաձայն եմ նաև այս կարծիք արտահայտողի հետ, որ մի տեսակ ֆանատիզմի աստիճանի է հասնում այս ամենը, և անհանդուրժողական մթնոլորտի` այլ կարծիք արտահայտողների նկատմամբ:

Armenia: ...when it's OK that reporters are prohibited from sitting in on the trial

2011-07-06T15:10:00.000+01:00

Was thinking about today's decision in Vanadzor to not allow journalists' presence (sitting in) at suspected pedophile trial. I reckon, it's for better, away from sensationalist reporting, and minimises the possibilities of breaching children's privacy.

Important message from Eurovision to Baku: Azerbaijan must guarantee freedom of expression and sufficient visa entry [incl. for Armenians]

2011-06-29T21:25:00.000+01:00

“In line with standard requirements that have to be fulfilled to host the Eurovision Song Contest, the government of Azerbaijan has been requested by the EBU to provide guarantees about security during the event, as well as freedom of expression, according to Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights and in line with the case law of the European Court of Human Rights, to all participants, fans, accredited journalists and the individual citizens of the country that access official Eurovision Song Contest premises. The EBU also requested that all accredited individuals and ticket holders shall receive sufficient entrance visa for the required duration. Such guarantees are expected to be given in the weeks to come.” - reads statement published on official Eurovision website.

As Escdaily rightly pointed out, “such words are more than likely to refer to the question of Armenia’s participation, VISA entry requirements, and questions about press freedom in the would-be host country.”

[...]

More on Unzipped: Gay Armenia

'Friendly handshake' from Basel... with 'Dita Von Teese'

2011-06-25T22:40:00.000+01:00

'Friendly handshake'

Green trams

'SODOM', well, sort of ;)

The only reason I bought this bottle of Perrier... because it was featuring Dita Von Teese :)

London: Random AM 'encounters'

2011-06-18T20:25:00.001+01:00

Francis Kurkdjian, Liberty, London

"Family rules"... Of course, Kardashian :)

Dancing under rain - First Armenian Street Festival in London

2011-06-12T17:46:00.000+01:00

Poor organisers. ('հայի բախտ' situation) The weather was so miserable today that it spoilt to a great extent what promised to be a fun Armenian day out in the heart of London. The first Armenian Street Festival. But as you could see from these pics, some were making their best effort to have fun with Armenian dancings under rain.It all resembled Yerevan's Vernissage (something like Armenian Camden Market), meaning that for people from Armenia, like me, there was nothing particularly special there although was cute seeing a Yerevan 'institution' transferred to the Armenian church courtyard and beyond in London. I assume, this should have been more interesting and exciting for Diaspora Armenians and occasional British residents and guests. Greetings by Mayor Boris Johnson were passed to the festival participants.As expected with Armenian events, the least organised part was food section :) which despite some efforts made was a bit chaotic (reasonably tasty but chaotic). And different people getting slightly different portions for the same food tickets they purchased.Turnout was pretty good. Imagine that it would have been totally packed if there were more favourable weather conditions. Here is hoping for sunny, or at least more rainbow-ish 2nd street festival.

Keep Yerevan clean of hate garbage - social ad by ArmComedy

2011-06-02T22:52:00.001+01:00

This is so good that has to be posted on both of my blogs.
...

FYI mayor of Yerevan and residents. Respects to ArmComedy.

Relevant posts from my archive:

Homophobic posters in Yerevan, Armenia

Council of Europe issues non inclusive anti-discrimination report on Armenia amid rise in intolerance towards minorities

Armenia: political prisoners... no longer

2011-06-01T02:11:00.000+01:00

Amnesty...

Many comment and ask whether this was done under the international pressure, debate the underlying reasons etc. The most important for me is that international pressure would be irrelevant and could have no impact unless there are internal drivers and demand too. The latter could be indicative of (positive) changes in our society.

I may only hope that the phrase "political prisoner" will become an anachronism in AM dictionary. Now, after three years of stagnation, it’s time to move forward.

Spotted: Arshile Gorky poster at deprivation division line in London

2011-06-01T01:55:00.000+01:00

Deptford Bridge train station in South-East London. This station is like a separation line between Greenwich area with its traditional or new developments and a very deprived Deptford area. Make one step towards Deptford, and you could literally feel the deprivation and you could immediately sense that you entered not the safest part of London, to put it mildly.

The fact that they didn’t change the advert poster for a year-old Tate Modern exhibit of Arshile Gorky, may indicate that the advertisers are not exactly interested in promoting their services or whatever in the area. On the other hand, the very fact that art poster appeared there, even if a year ago, could be a hopeful sign that one day things could change for better. With the help of Arshile Gorky... :)

Way to go, EU! Way to go, Armenia! At last - "positive developments"

2011-05-14T11:52:00.000+01:00

So glad to see that the EU is becoming more directly and actively involved in Armenia affairs. Being a Europhile myself, I do believe that this - and Armenia's European direction - will ensure that Armenia is moving forward, for real. This is exactly what I want to see, and hope for.
***
EU statement on recent developments in Armenia

The EU takes note of recent positive political developments in Armenia. The EU has on a number of occasions raised concerns about freedom of assembly in the country. We therefore welcome the fact that, for the first time in many years, the political opposition was granted permission to hold a rally in Liberty Square on 28 April. We hope that future requests to hold rallies will be handled in the same way. This rally passed off in an orderly manner due, it seems, to the effective co- operation between law enforcement bodies and opposition groups. With Armenia due to begin a new cycle of elections in 2012, we attach particular importance to the respect for freedom of assembly.

The EU also welcomes President Sargsyan’s statement of 20 April in which he called for a more meticulous investigation into the violent events of March 2008. In that same context, we welcome the fact that in recent weeks three opposition activists, Harutyun Urutyan, Roman Mnatsakanyan and Aram Bareghamyan, sentenced and imprisoned in the aftermath of those events, have been released on parole. We call on the Armenian authorities to release all the activists that remain in detention soon. The EU believes that a thorough investigation of the violent events of March 2008 and the release of all those in custody in relation to those events will help Armenia to truly move on.

Finally the EU would like to reiterate once again the importance it attaches to intensified relations with Armenia and invites the Armenian government to make full use of the opportunities provided by the Eastern Partnership and the European Neighbourhood Policy.

EUROPEAN UNION
OSCE Permanent Council Nr 861
Vienna, 12 May 2011
www.delvie.ec.europa.eu
***
Related:

RFE/RL - EU Hails ‘Positive Developments’ In Armenia

The Armenian Observer Blog - EU welcomes recent developments in Armenia

Lady Gaga... Unzipped

2011-05-01T10:41:00.000+01:00

Few days ago I bought NME magazine with Lady Gaga on cover. No need to guess the front page headline... Lady Gaga Unzipped :))) Could not resist it. Don’t judge :)

P.S. Royal Wedding - Soho, London (part 1)

2011-04-30T11:05:00.001+01:00

*For Part 2 - see Unzipped: Gay Armenia

Armenians in London mark the anniversary of 1915 Genocide (video)

2011-04-24T22:36:00.000+01:00

Commemorating the Armenian Genocide 24 April 1915 - London 23/04/2011

*video by AYFUK (Armenian Youth Forum UK)

Yerevan State University students council marks the Armenian Genocide anniversary... with a cheap show of flag burning hatred on Facebook

2011-04-24T13:03:00.001+01:00

You may have thought that the students council at the Yerevan State University fails in standing up for students rights only. You would be wrong. They fail on many other levels too.

To mark the Armenian Genocide anniversary, they created an event on Facebook for ... virtual flag burning of Turkey and Azerbaijan flags. How heroic!

I mentioned many times my opinion on flag burning and will repeat here briefly.

It's wrong, unnecessary and distracts from the main message. It’s simply a cheap show of pseudo-patriotism that only adds to the hatred without having any positive impact whatsoever.

I am glad that many current and former university students raised their discontent re their students council actions and started reporting the event’s page.

amot e, yes amachum em, vor event-i henc heghinak@ nshvac e Hamaslarani us.xorhurd@, yes report em anum sa, qani vor atelutyun@ lucum che, isk nman ararqner@ chxchim baner en, sa arjanapativ pahvacq che! (example - FB status)

I reported it too. At the time of writing, the event’s page disappeared and was no longer accessible on Facebook ("The page you requested was not found"). I take it that our reporting made an effect, although some claim they still can access the page.

Komitas: ‘forgotten folk hero who speaks for the soul of nation’, as per The Guardian and Armen Ra, US-based Iranian Armenian Theremin virtuoso

2011-04-23T10:32:00.000+01:00

The forgotten folk hero

Composer Komitas Vardapet survived a genocide and brought Armenia and Turkey’s divided music closer. He should be better known, says Michael Church in The Guardian.

Sunday 24 April is Easter Day, but for Armenians it is also genocide remembrance day. This is when Armenians all over the world will gather to commemorate the anniversary of the 1915 genocide in which 1.5 million Armenians in Turkey were either slaughtered, or died on forced marches into exile. For Armenians, music is memory. And whenever they gather to honour their dead, the songs they sing are by the composer who speaks for the soul of their nation, Komitas Vardapet. He himself was a victim of the 1915 persecution, and though he survived physically, he was driven into madness by it. Outside Armenia he, too, has been swept under the carpet of history. More...

And here is a brilliant interpretation of Crane (Komitas) by Armen Ra, US-based Iranian Armenian Theremin virtuoso. More about Armen Ra...

Crane, Komitas

Disgrace of the Day: police in Azerbaijan capital Baku escorts a girl after she shouted "freedom"

2011-04-17T22:41:00.000+01:00

I am speechless. Can state brutality go any further than this? A total disgrace.

*via Yahoo News:

Azeri police escort a girl after she shouted "freedom" during an opposition rally to protest against policies by the authorities in Baku April 17, 2011. The girl attended the protest with her mother and the two were taken away in a police car. REUTERS/Irada Humbatova

PINK Armenia and activists: "Prejudice and discrimination made us silent today" - Day of Silence 2011

2011-04-14T22:23:00.000+01:00

15 April 2011 - Day of Silence

"We apologize, but we won’t be available for the world on April 15: we will not respond to emails, phone calls, we will not have any activities and will not provide any direct service. On April 15, we will keep silence for..."

*source: PINK Armenia

More details - Unzipped: Gay Armenia

Relevant reading: Call to Armenian media. Do the right thing. Write about the Day of Silence - 15 April 2011. Raise your voice against bullying and harassment of LGBT youth

Armenian artist Rafael Megall presents his first UK exhibition at central London gallery

2011-04-11T00:44:00.000+01:00

Born in Yerevan, Armenia in 1983, Rafael Megall (Melikyan) - www.rafaelmegall.com - started to paint at the age of nine. Since an early age he has exhibited his paintings, both in solo exhibitions and at prestigious international shows, such as (most recently) SOFA-New York 2009, ArtExpo-New York 2009, Florence Biennale 2009 and Toronto Art Expo in 2010. Rafael’s paintings appear in numerous private and public collections, including National Gallery of Armenia and the Vatican.

He is a son of well known doctor (endoscopic surgery) and MP from “Prosperous Armenia” party Armen Melikyan.

Says Celine Gauld-Bruckner of the Gallery 8: “It is an honour to present this first UK exhibition of the fine young Armenian artist Rafael Megall. My first reaction to his wonderfully vibrant paintings was to smile at the warmth and energy they emanate. Evincing a powerful sense of form and colour the paintings are executed with a sureness of touch that is a product of Rafael's relationship with and interpretation of Nature."

I like this quote by Rafael: “Painting will not be born if you do not put fire under your feet.”

He reveres Nature as his greatest teacher - 'I create my Nature, my images, by means of feeling and passing through my inner world'. The artist’s world is far from being fragile however, it is instead rebellious, chaotic and complex. His character is reflected in the palette of his paintings, his every creation a 'self-portrait'. (Galleries magazine)

Exhibition runs 11-17 April 2011, 10am-5pm, Gallery 8 (8 Duke Street, St James’s, London SW1Y 6BN www.8dukestreet.co.uk)

Yerevan, Armenia - 8 April 2011 - Picture of the Day

2011-04-08T22:46:00.000+01:00

Opposition rally, 8 April 2011, Yerevan, Armenia

Striking picture by Svetlana Antonyan.

"Break the silence on violence!" - social ad and exhibition by Armenian women's rights groups

2011-04-06T21:11:00.000+01:00

Social ad created by the Women's Resource Center's volunteers Sarag Blue and Kathy Moughalian, edited by Sarkissian Tamar - on violence against women.
***
7 April 2011, 1-6pm, Charles Aznavour Square (in front of "Moscow" cinema), Yerevan, Armenia

"Respect women - stop violence" exhibition organised by another activist group - Women's Rights Center in Yerevan: "to raise public awareness on the negative influence of domestic violence against women and children. During the exhibition silhouettes of 7 women with attached true stories on them will be exhibited and the passersby will be handed informative leaflets and booklets on domestic violence phenomenon." For more details, see event's Facebook page.

Losers! Armenia TV censors president-related joke at Tashir 2011 pop music ceremony from Moscow

2011-04-03T21:35:00.000+01:00

This was such a blatant censorship by Armenia TV that even Soviet-style apparatchiks would feel uncomfortable about. At least Soviet era communists were employing more sophisticated methods. They interrupted live coverage of humorist Garik Martirosyan's joke re Armenia president Serj Sargsyan during Tashir 2011 Armenian pop music ceremony from Moscow, by replacing it with the sketch of own production.

Immediately, @ArmComedy and myself @unzippedblog started commenting on Twitter and using hashtag #fail in relation to Armenia TV.

Around 30 mins later, they realised what a ridiculous thing they have done, and Garik went to the stage and repeated his joke. I am so not buying that Garik's joke was censored due to "technical glitch", as was announced during the ceremony. It was because Armenia TV got scared, and decided not to 'risk', just in case. At the end, as expected, the joke was anything but 'dangerous' for Armenian president.

Armenia TV made a laughing stock out of itself. There is one word for such people. Losers!

P.S. I am not going to comment here about the ceremony itself. Suffice to say, if not for Lara Fabian, I should have demanded an apartment in Yerevan as a compensation for wasted hours and serious attack of tastelessness.

Armenian Syrian photographer Hrair Sarkissian "In between" dreamt of and post-Soviet realities in Armenia, at Tate Modern, London

2011-04-03T11:55:00.000+01:00

Familiar pictures. Still, bizarre to see these grand Soviet-style buildings in the middle of nowhere.

Three works of Armenian Syrian photographer Hrair Sarkissian are exhibited (11 February - 17 April 2011) as part of Out of Place intimate display at Tate Modern in London.

Tate Modern writes: "Hrair Sarkissian’s In Between 2007 [Unzipped: as per Hrair Sarkissian website, see below, it's 2006] is a series of large-scale photographs of austere Soviet-style buildings left abandoned in the dramatic hills and valleys of rural Armenia. They register the paradox experienced by this Syrian artist of Armenian origin of ‘returning’ to a land which he had only known from family stories, as the reality of the region replaced the country he had imagined"

Hrair Sarkissian website adds: "The In Between (2006) series grew out of an inconsistency in Sarkissian’s own identity (born in Syria with Armenian origins) that came to the fore after he visited Armenia several times. The reality of Armenia struggling to survive and recovering from the remains of the Soviet system did not match the image of a self-assured and proud ‘Mother Armenia’ the diaspora Armenians grew up with."

Armenia vs Russia EURO 2012 qualifying. No party for tonight...

2011-03-26T17:19:00.000Z

First, something positive. Look at this picture tweeted live from the Yerevan stadium by @adagamov. Beautiful.

"Стадион забит до отказа, спели гимны. У армян на бумажках цвета флага на др стороне текст гимна"

Now look at his second picture + commentary about poor organisaton of people entry to the stadium by the Armenian side. I can confirm that I’ve heard similar complaints from others who were at the stadium too.

"На входе дикая давка, организация просто из рук вон"

For the first half (apart from 10 mins at the beginning), it was Berezovsky vs Russia. To other players in our team - thumbs down. Second half was more active and interesting. But it was nil vs nil at the end. No party for tonight.

And about Armenian Public TV online broadcast of the match. It sucked spectacularly. It was like a torture to watch, interrupting (“buffering”) every couple of seconds (!!). And no, my Internet connection was OK, many of my friends experienced the same. Wouldn’t it be more honest to simply not have online broadcast?! Luckily, I got a link to different channel, and managed to watch more or less OKish the second half of the match.

Armenia and Georgia, among 85 countries, signed major UN gay rights statement

2011-03-23T22:18:00.001Z

For details and commentary, see Unzipped: Gay Armenia

Armenia and Georgia, among 85 countries, signed major UN gay rights statement

When opposition leaders in Armenia fail...

2011-03-23T07:19:00.000Z

I have no desire whatsoever to comment in detail on the ‘hottest topic’ of discussions in Armenia now - why or whether Levon Ter-Petrosyan (LTP) should have approached another prominent oppositionist, head of Zharagutyun (‘Heritage’) party, ex-Foreign Minister Raffi Hovhannisyan who is on hunger strike at Liberty sq in Yerevan. [Read also: Liberty sq. Liberated. ‘Spring of hope’ for changes in Armenia?]

Most reactions I saw are exploiting this topic for their narrow political interests and dirty tricks under the cover of ‘care’ about Raffi or LTP or opposition or Armenia’s future... I just want to say one thing. In my opinion, regardless of political desirability, inter-personal relations, sensitivities, ‘simple’ or ‘complex’ politics, LTP should have approached Raffi. I do not care about all sorts of excuses provided. It was the only right thing to do for ethical and human perspectives. It was also right thing to do in terms of “public relations”.

‘17 March’ should have been a day of triumph for LTP led Armenian opposition. It was. For one day only. Now it's turning into a PR disaster for Levon. As if things were not bad enough, LTP comes up with an “explanation” of his actions and motives, that is beyond words ridiculous.

Armenian National Congress (HAK) leader Levon Ter-Petrossian responded to a question by local daily Haykakan Jamanak (“Armenian Times”) as to why the opposition leader didn’t approach Heritage Party leader Raffi Hovannisian during the HAK rally on Mar. 17 at Liberty Square. Recall, Hovannisian has been camped out at Liberty Square since Mar. 15, the day he began his hunger strike “for freedom.”
“Because that goes against my Christian principles. Christianity for me is before or even more than religion, it is a moral codex. And this codex categorically rejects the piety, mercy, humility, modesty, charity, including a demonstration of fasting, of Christian virtues. When a virtue is put on display, it stops being a virtue. Particularly on fasting, one of the Armenian Church’s most authoritative Fathers, Hovhan [Hovhannes] Mandakuni, in the 5th century said the following: ‘The Devil destroys both the one fasting and his Lent, when man wants and classifies himself above others, so that his abstinence is drummed by others, and people become aware of and admire his endurance. Such a Lent doesn’t cleanse and justify, but rather pollutes and destroys’ (Matenagirk Hayots, A, p. 1170). On request, a hundred such examples can be brought forth from Armenian and world church literature.
“Anyway, if Raffi Hovannisian instead of publicly fasting, announced a hunger strike with specific political demands, I would not only welcome him, but also announce my full solidarity,” he said.

I mean. seriously, Levon. This is what you are going to do when you come to the power? To preach? And to "explain" your actions by Bible articles, Christian “principles” and “virtues” as opposed to the constitution, human rights and law?

There are few things more off-putting for me than politicians using religion to “explain”, “excuse” or “justify” their actions or inaction.

Now about Raffi’s “demands”. That Raffi started his hunger strike “for freedom” without any specific demands was a bit strange, to say the least. After all the criticism of recent days and the latest from LTP, today he finally revealed what he called Heritage party’s “political demands”. Sorry, Raffi, these are not ‘demands’, but rather empty slogans and populism:

1. Power to the people
2. No to a party state
3. The people are the country’s owner
4. Vox populi, vox Dei (the voice of the people is the voice of God)
5. A free square, free citizen, free country
6. A free citizen, a safe state
7. A dignified future for Armenian youth
8. Employment for the people
9. SOS Armenia is being emptied of Armenians
10. No to injustice, poverty and emigration
11. An end to ruling corruption
12. Strength also lies in morality
13. No to [the Armenian-Turkish] Protocols, yes to Homeland
14. Recognition of Artsakh [the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh]
15. That miraculous country which is ours and will be ours — Armenia.

"The voice of the people is the voice of God". What a ‘powerful’ ‘demand’, indeed. And so on, and so on...

Come on, Raffi, I was of much-much higher opinion of you. In fact, you were one of the most respected (if not the most) Armenian politicians for me. But this? You can’t be serious. This is a joke. Honestly, when I started reading these points, I burst into laughing. But then I stopped as I realised how sad the reality is.

Yes, I know, I’ve been reminded that this is not specific to Armenia, that politicians suck everywhere, but have to repeat what I’ve said on Twitter and Facebook today. Politicians in Armenia suck... even the good ones.

Now high profie Dashnak MP in Armenia attacks Emo

2011-03-22T22:23:00.001Z

Says Hrayr Karapetyan, MP from the nationalist ARF Dashnaktsutyun party, head of parliamentarian committee on Defence, National Security and Internal Affairs: “emo movement has become a serious threat for the Armenian youth”. He didn’t stop here and went further claiming that... “if the situation remains unchanged, this movement will threaten the army building process”. (!) But wait, he didn’t stop here. He called for... “parliamentary hearings” on emo.

Whatever I said in past in my relevant post re Armenian police hunting down emo teenagers is totally applicable for this товарищ Hrayr too.

Degradation and stupidity. Police in Armenia hunts down perceived emo teenagers, confiscates ‘weapons of mass destraction’, oh, sorry, souvenirs

P.S. Ida Kar - Armenian "bohemian photographer" at National Portrait Gallery in London

2011-03-20T10:23:00.001Z

As I mentioned before - YES! Armenian “bohemian photographer who made history” Ida Kar restrospective at the National Portrait Gallery in London - this seemed to be a must see exhibit in London, and it was. Here are few pics I made at the National Portrait Gallery in London. The exhibition is on until 19 June 2011. Don't miss!

*"Return to Armenia": her works for The Tatler magazine after she visited Armenia for the first time since childhood. On this picture, you may also see the caricature of Ida Kar, with Armenian inscriptions, by local Yerevan artist S. Stepanian, 1957 (also below - as a fridge magnet I bought from the National Portrait Gallery shop).

Few more posters from the exhibit.

And this is perhaps her most provocative work on display at the exhibit: 'Mother and Child' (Hanja Kochansky with her daugther Katya Cobham (née Bebb)).

*© National Portrait Gallery, London - Ida Kar, 22 August 1974

Related on Unzipped: Gay Armenia - Ida Kar - Armenian "bohemian photographer"- fashionista

Liberty sq. Liberated. ‘Spring of hope’ for changes in Armenia?

2011-03-18T00:33:00.001Z

From the moment when Liberty sq got seized by the authorities 3 years ago, it became apparent that unless it gets liberated again, there will be no possibility for real changes in Armenia. Apart from the great symbolism that Liberty sq represents, you just can’t have hopes for democracy in your country when you have ‘no-go’ zones there. Not that this is the only pre-requisite for changes, but still...

I can’t help myself but wonder: will today’s event transcend into a ‘spring of hope’ for changes in Armenia? It’s clear that the liberation of Liberty sq happened due to a good will and cooperation between the opposition and the authorities added by biggest (in recent past) people turnout, continuous pressures from the European structures (incidentally, senior PACE rapporteurs on Armenia were in town), worsening of socio-economic conditions of locals and the influence of more global spirit of revolutionary uprisings elsewhere.

My immediate reaction to the liberation of Liberty sq in the heart of Yerevan became “Top Tweet” for #17mar on Twitter.

This is one of the first pictures to appear live from Liberty sq on Twitter.

Picture of the Day. #Yerevan Liberty sq. via @divideetimpera: #Armenia #17mar http://t.co/9E8RlUG

@unzippedblog

Opportunities for something positive for Armenia are there, or as they say, ‘in the air’. It’s now up to people, opposition and the authorities to make them a reality. It would be such a shame to miss this chance again. For the start, there should be no political prisoners in Armenia. Absolutely none.

Along with Liberty sq., at least 2 political prisoners set free today. Senior European delegation in town. #Armenia #Yerevan #17mar

@unzippedblog

And let’s not forget who directly kick started the latest wave of the “battle for Liberty”. Couple of days ago, prominent oppositionist, head of Zharangutyun (Heritage) party, ex-foreign minister Raffi Hovhannisyan started “hungry for change” hunger strike inside the Liberty sq making it more than ever (over the past 3 years) accessible to protest voices and activists. “On the morning of March 15, 2011 he went on a hunger-strike to put an end to empty promises, corrupt practices and corrosive apathy.” “His actions paved the way for thousands of peaceful protesters, under the leadership of Armenian National Congress (a coalition of opposition groups) to, in the evening of March 17, 2011, retake Liberty Square.” (press release and picture below - FB page - Hungry for Change: Freedom and Justice in Armenia | Ծոմ Ազատության)

Oh, and btw, this headline from epress.am instantly became one of my favourites from today. Լարվածությունը թուլացել է. ոստիկանները ընթրում ու կոկա-կոլա են խմում (‘Tension decreased. Police having a bite to eat and drinking coca-cola)

Ոստիկանները չեն թաքցնում իրենց ուրախությունն առ այն, որ հրաման ստացան բացել շղթան և ցուցարարների նկատմամբ ուժ չկիրառել:

Երիտասարդ ոստիկանների մի խումբ, տեղակայվելով Սայաթ-Նավա պողոտայի կողմից, նստել է ասֆալտի վրա, բրդուճներ են ուտում ու կոկա-կոլա խմում. նրանք առավոտվանից լարված վիճակում կանգնած էին փողոցում:

The Duke (Prince Andrew) and The Despot (Azerbaijan president Aliyev)

2011-03-09T00:21:00.003Z

Killing headline in today's Daily Mail following revelations in British media of dodgy connections of Prince Andrew as Britain’s “trade ambassador”. The Independent calls this “dangerous liaisons” “damaging him and the country” that turn “royal asset to national liability”.

AZERBAIJAN
Ilham Aliyev: Hardline President of oil-rich Azerbaijan, who in 2009 met Andrew with a view to establishing economic ties with Britain. Aliyev is accused by his opponents of electoral fraud, and has blocked media organisations including the BBC from broadcasting from his country. The Duke met Aliyev again at the Davos economic forum this year, while the Duke is also said to be friendly with his daughters, Leila and Arzu.

But Daily Mail’s headline nails it.

The Duke and The Despot

Revealed: Prince Andrew’s ‘close friendship’ with brutal billionaire dictator accused of torture and corruption

This is despite big oil related British interests in Azerbaijan.

And this is against the backdrop of reports coming from Baku re targeted detentions and torture of youth activists ahead of planned ‘Day of Protest’ in Azerbaijan on 11 March 2011.

*picture via Sky News

Daniel Craig in drag to support Equality - 8 March International Women's Day

2011-03-07T23:10:00.002Z

This is Daniel Craig as you've never seen him before. He appears here in drag as part of the EQUALS project, charity led by Annie Lenox, in honour of International Women's Day.

*via The Huffington Post. Thanks to Onnik for the link.

Russia + Armenia + Azerbaijan: presidents in tracksuits

2011-03-06T14:23:00.000Z

Apparently, Russia president Dmitry Medvedev likes photography. As reported by News.am, during last meeting (5 March) in Sochi with Armenia president Serj Sargsyan and Azerbaijan president Ilham Aliyev, he followed his hobby and personally took pictures of Aliyes and Sargsyan wearing tracksuits. Although those (Medvedev) pics are not available, News.am posted other no-tie-but-tracksuit pics from the meeting. Can't say I am impressed with those tracksuits, especially by AM and AZ presidents. But hey, they are all 'smiles'. Well, sort of.

Президент России Дмитрий Медведев, который не раз во время поездок в разные страны и города делал фотоснимки для личной коллекции, на встрече с главами Армении и Азербайджана на горнолыжном курорте Красная Поляна под Сочи 5 марта не изменил своей традиции. Как передает корреспондент Новости Армении – NEWS.am, после официальной части встречи, когда политики сняли галстуки и надели спортивные костюмы, Дмитрий Медведев сделал несколько фотоснимков Сержа Саргсяна и Ильхама Алиева вместе. Затем Медведев продемонстрировал армянскому и азербайджанскому коллегам получившиеся снимки в своем цифровом фотоаппарате. [...] Лидеры встретились у подножия одного из горнолыжных склонов на Красной Поляне и вместе выпили по чашке чая в кафе. Затем президенты на фуникулере поднялись на хребет Псехако.

YES! Armenian “bohemian photographer who made history” Ida Kar restrospective at the National Portrait Gallery in London

2011-03-05T12:44:00.001Z

I cannot believe I have not heard of her before... Now I am all excitement in anticipation of the exhibit.

A must see exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery, London. From 10 March to 19 June 2011.

"Russian-born, of Armenian heritage, Ida Kar (1908–74) was instrumental in encouraging the acceptance of photography as a fine art. Her subjects were the most celebrated figures from the literary and artistic spheres of 1950s and 1960s Europe and Russia. They include artists such as Henry Moore, George Braque, Gino Severini and Bridget Riley and writers such as Iris Murdoch and Jean-Paul Sartre.

Taken in the environments in which they lived and worked, the photographs on display offer a fascinating insight into post-war cultural life. Comprising several iconic portraits and many never previously exhibited, the exhibition is drawn from the Ida Kar Archive, acquired by the National Portrait Gallery in 1999."

The Guardian writes about forthcoming exhibition of Ida Kar: “Unlike many of her famous subjects, Ida Kar, a once sensational bohemian photographer, has slipped into obscurity.”

Below are selected extracts form The Guardian review, accompanied by some of Ida Kar’s works via the National Portrait Gallery in London.
***
“Ida Kar was an Armenian, a bohemian and a fiercely distinguished artist who made history. Her exhibition at the Whitechapel in 1960 has been described as the first one-person photography show to be held in a major London gallery. It made her name, but her fame has been slowly slipping away over the decades. It should now be revived thanks to a new look at her work at the National Portrait Gallery, full of striking images of familiar and unfamiliar faces. Some of her subjects, like herself, have drifted away towards neglect and obscurity, but others – Ionesco, Braque, Sartre, Shostakovich, Bertrand Russell, TS Eliot, Andre Breton, Doris Lessing, Bridget Riley, Ivon Hitchens – have held the frontline. She knew how to get hold of the famous and the about-to-be famous. She was a hustler [...]”

“Born Ida Karamian in 1908 to Armenian parents in Russia, she served her apprenticeship and found both friends and a metier in modernist Paris in the late 1920s. In the 30s she rejoined her family in Egypt, where she married an Egyptian photographer with whom she set up a studio."

© National Portrait Gallery, London: Ida Kar, Still Life, Egypt, early 1940s

"She married her second husband, the artist and writer Victor Musgrave, in Cairo during the war, and the couple came to England in 1945, to austerity and Soho and the Colony Room club, to a land of coffee bars and struggling writers in bedsits."

© National Portrait Gallery, London: Ida Kar, late 1950s

"London became her home terrain, which she conquered by camera and from which she set off on excursions to other settings and other countries – to the St Ives of Patrick Heron and Peter Lanyon, to a Stalin-haunted Moscow, to an ethnically dressed Armenia, back to Paris and some of her most famous sitters, and on to Cuba in 1964. This was a hardworking freelance life with no institutional support and little comfort, at times awkwardly poised between art, photojournalism and celebrity portraiture. (At one point she was reduced to accepting a commission to photograph zoo animals, a move that did not serve her well.) She felt strongly that photography was undervalued as a form and treated without respect, and she was right: David Sylvester, discussing her Whitechapel exhibition on The Critics on the Third Programme, denied that photography could ever be "a true art".

“She told the Whitechapel's director, Bryan Robertson: "We are going to make this show the most exciting photographic event since The Family of Man." And she had her wish. It was a sensation.”

“As a woman, Kar had to fight her way, and her struggle to be taken seriously made her at times difficult, temperamental and autocratic. She was no feminist. Politically she was of the old-fashioned left, a sympathiser of Moscow, East Germany and Cuba, and she was certainly not in the vanguard of the rising feminism of the late 50s and early 60s. When asked by Queen magazine why she photographed so few women, she replied: "I photograph famous people, and famous people are mostly men. Beauties leave me cold."

© National Portrait Gallery, London: Ida Kar, Unknown man; Ronald Frederick Henry Duncan, 1951

"And if one looks carefully at the portraits of the women who did receive the accolade of her solicitations, she really does not do some of them very well.”

© National Portrait Gallery, London: Ida Kar, Gina Lollobrigida with her bust by Sir Jacob Epstein, 1952

“Those who live by the camera shall die by the camera, and be resurrected by it. Ida Kar (who also liked to wear a hat) is back on view at the National Portrait Gallery, outfacing mutability and the unimaginable touch of time.”

Armenian police: the lowest possible denominator

2011-03-03T20:43:00.002Z

I like the caption of this picture: "good morning police". I I like the title of blog post by Bnamard: FUCKAKENTRON VOSTIKANUTYUN

Says pretty much it all.

*video via Epress.am

"Police can be seen pushing, shoving and yelling at protestors in Yerevan’s Republic Square, including Heritage Party MP Armen Martirosyan. Also seen in the video caught up in the scuffle are Heritage Party MPs Anahit Bakhshyan and Zaruhi Postanjyan, and activist Mariam Sukhudyan. Officers then pick up activist Vardges Gaspari and shove him in a police van standing by."
***

Good round-up of today's news via RFE/RL (AM)

#1mar - Yerevan, Armenia, 3 years on...

2011-03-01T02:07:00.007Z

#1mar is 'official' Twitter hashtag proposed by opposition activists to refer to live news / events / commentary marking the 3rd anniversary of 1 March 2008 bloody crackdown on the opposition in the aftermath of falsified presidential election in Armenia. Depending on events, I will probably write a more comprehensive blog post later today, tomorrow or some time this week. Until then, follow my twitter updates @unzippedblog and live news (via Twitter) from Yerevan, Armenia re #1mar.
***
UPDATE 2 March 2011: BBC video report

Vahram Petrosyan: witch-hunt

2011-02-19T13:33:00.000Z

I did not even know this guy - Vahram Petrosyan - before this whole ‘story’ erupted (e.g.), and am not fan of his music (or any ‘klkloc’-like music), to say the least. But I cannot stand this witch-hunt, a targeted campaign by some media outlets (e.g. Shant TV) and others (using as a basis an edited script), and attempts at labeling people as and hunting for ‘enemy of nation’. If you do not agree with someone, just say it, without resorting to hate. Where this recent resurgence of ‘bloodthirstiness’ came from?

(here is one of the relatively recent examples I reflected on this blog too)

For this reason, I am posting this video and clarifications by Vahram Petrosyan (AM): “Վահրամ Պետրոսյանի ասուլիսը առանց մոնտաժի”

The funny thing is this guy is not even a rebel or indie or alternative, he is part of the mainstream Armenian pop scene (!).

Museum of Broken Relationships

2011-02-13T12:41:00.000Z

Would be interesting to see, what items Armenians would send if the similar museum established in Yerevan. For now, a "collection of half-century old postcards" was sent by a woman from Yerevan to the founders of the Museum of Broken Relationships in Zagreb.

*The Guardian

Display of affection
Every object tells a story and none more so than the items donated by lovers (and ex-lovers) to Zagreb's new Museum of Broken Relationships. [...]

*A garden gome after being hurled in fury at a windscreen - on show in the Zagreb Museum of Broken Relationships.

[The museum is the work of designer and artist Drazen Grubisic and film producer Olinka Vistica.] Grubisic and Vistica have stopped formally soliciting donations, but they receive them more or less constantly anyway: most recent was a collection of half-century old postcards, sent by an elderly woman in Yerevan, Armenia.

"Older people tend to take it more seriously," says Grubisic. "They are often really moved. Kids haven't had the experience. It's funny when couples come in. Some are laughing, but some … some are really thinking."

Museum of Broken Relationships

The WikiLeaks files - Armenia: (then) Deputy Finance Minister David Avetissian attacks president Sargsyan’s “empty gestures at reform” and “empowering thuggish elements in and out of government”

2011-02-09T01:01:00.000Z

This is a very interesting extract from the US embassy cables and a clear indication of disillusionment and divisions post- 1 March within the ruling regime.

[By: Charge d'Affaires Joseph Pennington]

Polchief recently met with Deputy Finance Minister David Avetissian, a leading young

reformer in the government, who expressed profound cynicism about the direction in which the government is headed. He predicted a severe political and economic crisis by the end of this year, and is convinced that President Sargsian is making nothing more than empty gestures at reform to satisfy international and domestic audiences. He said that behind the scenes, however, the new president is centralizing control, marginalizing reformist voices, and empowering thuggish elements in and out of government. As a result, Avetissian said he will probably resign from government service this summer, and is headed to Washington in May to look into employment opportunities with the World Bank.

*US embassy cables in full.
**source of picture

The WikiLeaks files - Armenia: Prominent opposition members approached the US embassy about asylum (pre/post- 1 March)

2011-02-09T00:52:00.001Z

[By: Charge d'Affaires Joseph Pennington]

Prominent members of the opposition have contacted us about asylum and/or the issuance of tourist visas to ride out the crisis in the United States. One of these is Tigran Ter-Petrossian, LTP’s nephew, who LTP lieutenants say is hiding out in the United Arab Emirates fearful for his life. LTP's confidants have asked the Embassy to help with a tourist visa, and insist that Tigran has no intention of applying for political asylum once in the United States. (NOTE: We've explained to LTP's representatives that since we cannot establish the bona fides of Tigran's case, we cannot intervene to issue a visa, and that he would have to apply at our consulate general in Dubai like everyone else.) LTP's son David went to Los Angeles before the election at the urging of his father, again presumably out of concern for his son's life. To our knowledge he has yet to return. (NOTE: While it's difficult to ascertain the validity of these allegations, it is undeniable that violence has plagued the development of Armenia's post-independence political culture.)

*US embassy cables in full.

The WikiLeaks files - Armenia: Post- 1 March middle class exodus

2011-02-09T00:46:00.000Z

Below are selected extracts. US embassy cables in full.

ARMENIA'S POLITICAL CRISIS SPURS EMIGRATION

SUBJECT
For those Armenians who have long considered emigrating abroad to pursue a brighter economic future, the current political crisis appears to have finally moved some to action. Besides the twenty or so asylum seekers who approached the Embassy after the fatal March 1 clashes and state of emergency, an increasing number of intending immigrants from Armenia's middle class have also come to our attention, including one of the Embassy's GSO staff who abruptly ended 12 years of USG service to emigrate to the Czech Republic. These successful, middle class citizens tell us that the crisis has played a consequential role in spurring them to finally emigrate, saying it has dashed any remaining hopes they had for a stable, post-independence Armenia. Many say the political instability from the crisis has added yet one more disturbing element to their long list of concerns that include economic uncertainties and a worsening environment in which to raise their kids. Some also say they see an ongoing moral decay in society, where rich, well-connected, law-breaking elites run roughshod over ordinary Armenians' rights. In addition to these voices from the middle class, we have also begun to hear disenchanted officials contemplate emigration.

COMMENT
Emigration from Armenia is nothing new. It has been estimated that since its independence from the USSR, Armenia has lost 1,000,000 of its citizens to emigration -- almost one third of its 3.5 million pre-independence population. What appears to be a new development, however, is the hemorrhaging of successful middle-class citizens who decided to stick out post-independence growing pains only to see that their wait has been for naught. The loss of these individuals is significant: they would stay if they thought the country was headed in the right direction. But their decision to pull up their tent stakes now, after one of modern Armenia's gravest political crises to date, suggests that a serious malaise has taken deep root in society. Disillusioned, the once-committed appear to have lost faith that their government cares about improving their welfare or moving the country forward.

[By: Charge d'Affaires Joseph Pennington]

The WikiLeaks files - Armenia: High profile crime and Ukrainian ambassador's allegation

2011-02-08T10:31:00.001Z

Most of the criminal incidents of October 2008 reflected in the US embassy cable below have been widely reported and nothing new. The most surprising and unknown to me was the allegation by the Ukrainian ambassador that his apartment in Yerevan was broken into for “politically-motivated” reasons related to his staging of Ukraine famine remembrance event the same day that Russian president Medvedev arrived for his first state visit in Armenia. However, even the US ambassador Yovanovitch specifically mentions about US embassy’s “doubt” re Ukrainian ambassador’s “assumption”.

Below are selected extracts. US embassy cables in full.

SUMMARY
A recent string of unconnected violent attacks around Armenia has prompted the opposition to decry the emergence of a "criminal state." Over the October 24-26 weekend, one person was killed in Yerevan, four were killed in the northern city of Spitak, and the recently re-elected mayor of the northern town of Stepanavan was almost knifed to death by his opponent's supporters. About a dozen other people were injured in these attacks, some critically. The motives of each attack remain unclear, with various media speculating on the causes while police launch investigations. In separate, recent attacks in Yerevan, a foreign businessman and the Ukrainian Ambassador were targeted by unknown assailants, apparently as a result of their business and diplomatic engagements.

YEREVAN'S VENDETTA MURDER AND DISCOTHEQUE VIOLENCE. President Sargsyan's nephew implicated
On October 26 in broad daylight in one of Yerevan's central neighborhoods, two young men shot and killed one man, while wounding his companion. After the voluntary surrender of one of the perpetrators, Armenia's Prosecutor General described the attack as a revenge murder for the November 2007 killing of the perpetrator's uncle, who was the chairman of the Armenian Association of Hunters and a senior member of the pro-government Prosperous Armenia party. The perpetrator of that crime was never prosecuted, but media reports alleged that law enforcement authorities suspected the victim of the October 26 attack could have been its perpetrator.

Also over the same weekend, violence broke out in two separate Yerevan discotheques, where a shootout in one of them reportedly left one person wounded. In another night spot, a mass brawl broke out, allegedly prompted by a nephew to President Sargsian. Press reports allege that Sargsian's nephew and companions initiated the brawl that reportedly resulted in serious injuries and the loss of an eye by one of the persons involved in the melee.

UKRAINIAN AMBASSADOR'S APARTMENT RANSACKED
Ukraine's Ambassador to Armenia recently shared with the Ambassador that his apartment was broken into on Sunday, October 19. He believed the crime was related to his defying the GOAM's heavy-handed attempts to persuade him to cancel the Holodomyr remembrance event (the 1932 famine that Ukrainians believe was genocide) which he held on Monday, October 20 -- the same day that Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev arrived for his first state visit to Armenia. On the preceding Saturday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had called in the Ukrainian Ambassador where he was told in no uncertain terms that the event had to be cancelled. He refused. On October 19, while he was out, his apartment was broken into, and his personal possessions smashed, and very little was stolen. It took the police over an hour and a half to respond. He told the Ambassador that he believed the crime was an effort to intimidate him before the remembrance event. No GOAM official attended the event and Armenia's Public Television (Channel H1) described the memorial event in its evening coverage as "terrible" and "only fit for a circus."

COMMENT
Armenia and the city of Yerevan have traditionally been quite safe cities for average citizens and for visiting foreigners. Lawlessness is nothing new in Armenia, particularly in the political, financial and criminal arenas. In recent times, officials from the tax and customs services have been assassinated for unclear reasons. There have also been too-frequent incidents of powerful persons -- oligarchs, generals, and their children, relatives, or bodyguards -- getting involved in sometimes violent confrontations with those who may cross their paths, whether on the highway or in a night club setting, typically with impunity. Such people have been shown most often to be above the law, in their confrontations with average passersby.

The various incidents grouped together in this cable have in common their recent timing and the fact they were incidents of violence, but in other respects differ. Purposefully targeted attacks of a foreign businessman or a possibly-targeted home invasion of a foreign diplomat (if that is truly what these events were) seem an entirely new factor in Armenia. The Hans Boon [Unzipped: the Dutch director of HayPost] attacks seem particularly suspicious. Given that foreigners are very rarely assaulted in Armenia, for the same man to be attacked twice in four months suggests either strikingly bad security judgment on his part or deliberate targeting. We have more doubt about the Ukrainian Ambassador,s assumption that the burglary of his home was politically-motivated. Economically-motivated burglaries are not too uncommon for expatriates, homes that may be less well-protected than are U.S. Embassy housing, while a government-sponsored raid on an ambassador,s home is far outside the bounds of what we have seen in Armenia before. We plan to look further into these issues in the upcoming weeks, and hope to refine our understanding of whether there is a new pattern of increased lawlessness and politically-motivated violence, or whether this was simply a particularly striking confluence of unrelated events.

[Yovanovitch]

The WikiLeaks files - Armenia: Minister of Nature Protection allegedly asked for $3 million bribe

2011-02-08T00:52:00.002Z

Below are selected extracts. US embassy cables in full.

GLOBAL GOLD MINING: A YEAR OF CLAIMS OF CORRUPTION AND ATTEMPTED EXPROPRIATION
Global Gold Corporation (GGC) is an international gold mining company with operations in Armenia and principal offices in Connecticut. For the past few years, GGC has been involved in an at-times hostile dispute with the GOAM and more specifically with the Armenian Minister of Nature Protection over licenses to its mines in Hankavan, Toukhmanuk, Getik and Marjan. GGC brought these disputes and an allegation that the Minister had requested a $3 million bribe to our attention in April 2006.

MINISTER OF NATURE PROTECTION ASKS FOR A $3 MILLION BRIBE
On July 25, 2005, according to GGC, the Armenian Minister of Nature Protection Vartan Aivazian had asked GGC's local attorney Ashot Boghossian to pay a $3 million bribe to Aivazian's close associate and Member of Parliament Mourad Gouloyan, claiming that the payment was necessary to complete the December 2003 sale. We first became aware of the alleged bribe request on April 19, 2006, when the GGC's AmCit Chairman/CEO and Boghossian raised the matter with then U.S. Ambassador Evans. GGC claimed that, as a result of its refusal to pay the bribe, the Minister was unwilling to issue licenses to which GGC was entitled, granted duplicate licenses to other companies for mining sites owned and operated by GGC and generally obstructed GGC's business operations.

We were extremely concerned about these allegations and Ambassador Evans raised them as a "hypothetical" at the U.S.-Armenia Task Force Meeting on May 2, 2006. The Finance Minister's response referred to a mining company, a detail we had not included in our hypothetical, which suggested that other members of the GOAM were also aware of the allegations. The Finance Minister recommended that the company appeal to the Prosecutor General. Due to the poor reputation of the Armenian court system, however, GGC was unwilling to initiate a case locally. The Prosecutor General's office had the authority to begin its own investigation based on the allegations, but failed to do so.

COMMENT: A MESSY SITUATION WITH NO CLEAN FACES
There is no question that GGC has been getting the run around from the Ministry of Nature Protection. While it is continuing its operations in Armenia, the company legitimately feels vulnerable and exposed to potential short-fuse attempts to expropriate its mining properties. Adding to GGC's concern are recent actions taken by the GOAM to force another, Indian-owned, gold mining company out of the local market. Global Gold, however, has at times been less than entirely forthcoming with us. They did not report Minister Aivazian's alleged bribe solicitation until almost a year after it happened, were cagey about the timing of events, and for a number of months appeared reluctant to take the matter to court. We strongly support GGC's decision to file for international arbitration and recommend that future U.S. engagement on this issue focus on the need for a full and complete hearing of the facts rather than a political agreement which might resolve GGC's immediate problems but will do little to advance rule of law in Armenia.

[Godfrey]

The WikiLeaks files - Armenia: Vanadzor emerges as Armenia’s commercial sex capital

2011-02-08T00:49:00.001Z

Below are selected extracts. US embassy cables in full.

A PROSTITUTE'S STORY: SEX AND TRAFFICKING IN VANADZOR

A DIFFERENT KIND OF TRAFFICKING
We went to Vanadzor expecting to hear stories of illicit smuggling across borders and of girls lured into prostitution under false pretenses. What we heard was significantly more pedestrian. According to Aida and Suzy, very few Vanadzor women are tricked into working in Dubai or Istanbul brothels these days. They go knowingly, on legal passports, with legal visas, and for the most part without having to bribe border guards to let them through. They share buses and airplanes with underwear salesgirls traveling to buy more inventory and the odd middle-class family going on holiday. Pre-teenage girls ride buses to Turkey carrying permission letters signed by their parents, who for the most part have dispatched their daughters themselves, and who understand exactly how young Anahit or Armine will earn the several hundred dollars she will send home each month. And while the prostitutes and the NGO employees we met said sometimes women are abused in the brothels, or aren't paid in full, they said the greater part of women generally understand what they are getting themselves into, and may already have worked as prostitutes for years. Far from being the pursuit of violent smuggling rings who kidnap women and sell them into slavery, trafficking in Armenia is largely a result of the poor economy, they said, and has mostly to do with opportunistic pimps taking advantage of women who are already willing to prostitute themselves.

And there are a lot of willing women in Vanadzor. Hope and Help's Satik Grigoryan told us the NGO has registered more than 200 prostitutes. Aida estimated that 70 percent of women in Vanadzor are prostitutes, drawing laughs from the Hope and Help employees. While her figure was inflated, the statement outlined how pervasive prostitution is in Vanadzor. Prostitutes come to the clinic for regular check-ups and to replenish their condom stocks. Grigoryan told us that most of the prostitutes had never seen or heard of such contraceptives before they came to Hope and Help. She gave Aida and Suzy a couple of chocolates and a fistful of condoms each before they went home.

POLICE role questioned
Rudik Varosyan, head of the department on minors in the Vanadzor police department, told us trafficking in minors is an emerging problem in Vanadzor. He said most Vanadzor women -- and girls -- who go to Turkey to engage in prostitution are not being lured under false pretenses. More and more underage girls are being sent by their families to go and earn a little money, Varosyan said, adding that he has never heard of a case in which a minor went without parental permission. "Some parents are proud that their kids are there making money," he told us. He said the women and girls who went to Turkey usually were not held prisoner, and they were usually paid, though not necessarily in full. After the women were deported, Varosyan said, they often became recruiters for the pimps in Turkey. Varosyan said it was hard to fight the trafficking organizations because the pimps usually operate through intermediaries who never actually meet them. When police bring a case to court, the intermediary gets nailed, and the pimp continues her business, having suffered only minor inconvenience.

Though Varosyan clearly took to heart the plight of pre-teen and teenage prostitutes, local NGO staff told us that the police actually help facilitate prostitution. Artur Sakunts of the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly told us his organization wanted to look into allegations by locals that the Vanadzor police protected pimps and threatened prostitutes who wanted to quit their jobs. (Note: Aida told us police hindered her work by forcing her to undergo annual medical check-ups. End Note.) Other NGO staff told us about cases of police patronizing the prostitutes. Sakunts corroborated Varosyan's story about parents forcing their daughters to become prostitutes. Sakunts also noted that the domik village was a prostitution hub: home to a large percentage of the Vanadzor sex trade workforce while also serving as their workplace. Aida told us prostitutes there often work for a bag of rice or a few pieces of bread.

COMMENT: “... two Armenias: Yerevan, and the rest of the country”
Many visitors to Armenia who see only Yerevan -- with its pretty main square and shiny Hummers and BMW X5s -- and leave thinking the country is doing well economically. Armenians and seasoned expats often tell these visitors that there are two Armenias: Yerevan, and the rest of the country. Our trip to Vanadzor was like a spin on the focus dial of a pair of binoculars; afterwards, the distinction was clear to us, and in sharp relief. It is easy, sitting in the relatively well-to-do capital city, to put the problem squarely in the laps of lawmakers and law enforcement, and to bang our fists on the government's coffee tables to demand that they work harder to stop the crimes. But fist-banging won't change the fact that many prostitutes work simply to get food on the table, and that they believe they will be paid better in Turkey or the UAE. The Armenian government cannot improve a bad economy with stricter laws and harsher sentencing. While both are needed here, Armenia has to offer these women an alternative to turning tricks if it is to eradicate trafficking.

[By: Amb. John M. Evans]

The WikiLeaks files - Armenia: Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan recalls ‘old Armenian saying’, blames victims, and asks to investigate the NGO that aided them. Alleged corruption and abuse in PG’s office

2011-02-08T00:45:00.001Z

Below are selected extracts. US embassy cables in full.

AMBASSADOR PUSHES PROSECUTOR GENERAL ON TRAFFICKING CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS

SUMMARY
Ambassador, DCM and Poloff met with Armenian Prosecutor General (PG) Aghvan Hovsepyan August 8 about allegations of investigative misconduct and abuse in connection with a human trafficking case. The underlying case involves three prostitutes who allege they were trafficked from Armenia to Turkey via Georgia with fraudulent documents, and coerced and deprived of payment under threat of arrest. Hovsepyan began by saying he was familiar with the case and rejecting the allegations out of hand; however, he eventually committed to investigating the allegations. The PG first defamed the victims, and volunteered that he had asked the National Security Service (NSS) to investigate the NGO that had aided them. After a long discussion, he came around to a more responsive approach. End Summary.

PROSTITUTES ALLEGE CORRUPTION IN PG'S OFFICE
On July 28, three alleged trafficking victims from Gyumri, Armenia's second-largest city, were interviewed by investigators from the PG's office. After their interview, they stormed fuming into the Yerevan branch of "Hope and Help," an NGO that assists prostitutes and trafficking victims, to complain about the conduct of investigators Armen Gasparyan and Aristakes Yeremyan. (COMMENT: Yeremyan has been accused of complicity with traffickers before. The PG's office opened what we believe was a cursory investigation into those allegations in February.)

[two of the three prostitutes] Mkrtchyan and Madoyan claimed PG office investigators Gasparyan and Yeremyan told them to recant the testimonies they had given to the police. Madoyan also claimed Yeremyan struck her in the face during a July 31 meeting. Among their complaints were that the investigators told them to say the trafficker owed them less money than she actually did, and accused them of filing police statements in order to blackmail the alleged trafficker. (NOTE: Under the Armenian system, criminal investigators are an arm of the PG's office, and thus of the judicial branch. Police services are separate, and fall under the purview of the executive branch.)

COMMENT: There were some discrepancies in the victims' stories. We also have some questions about the mental competence of one of the victims. The complete circumstances of the matter are therefore legitimately open to some question. We are persuaded, however, that the basic facts of the case are accurate. Investigating authorities must take such allegations seriously, and not dismiss them out of hand because they find the victims distasteful.

THERE IS AN OLD ARMENIAN SAYING
Ambassador, DCM and Poloff met together with the PG to underline the seriousness of the case, both in its own right and as a bellwether for Armenian authorities' handling of TIP cases. The Ambassador discussed in detail several of the allegations, and stressed that they presented an opportunity for the PG's office to demonstrate its commitment to anti-TIP efforts.

Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan was aware of the reason for our call. He smirked unmistakeably as the Ambassador raised our points. Hovsepyan spent a few minutes listing the GOAM's achievements on trafficking, before addressing the case at hand. He then told us he had heard about these allegations a week earlier from the National Security Service (NSS), adding that he had then asked the NSS to investigate both the victims and the NGO that had reported the allegations to the government. (NOTE: The Ambassador did not mention the NGO specifically, but when the prosecutor did so, he confirmed that an NGO had been involved.)

Hovsepyan said he had personally investigated the allegations, and said that the case notes made it clear that the prostitutes had been lying. He characterized them as "unconscientious and non-compliant," saying derisively that they were "governed by different interests in their daily lives." He kept repeating that the prostitutes were angry that the investigators were not helping them recover their unpaid salaries from the pimp, and that money had motivated the allegations. He robustly defended Yeremyan. (NOTE: This is not surprising, given information we have received from Anti-TIP Unit Senior Prosecutor Armen Boshnaghyan (please protect) that the investigator has Hovsepyan's full support) During his impassioned defense of Yeremyan, Hovsepyan cited an Armenian proverb which, roughly translated, means "May God keep us from the evil that comes from prostitutes."

PG AGREES TO INVESTIGATE
The Ambassador said he disagreed with the proverb, and that the shared Christian heritage of our countries compelled us to "hate the crime, but love the victim." He told Hovsepyan that he was troubled to hear that the prosecutor general had asked the NSS to investigate the prostitutes and the NGO, rather than investigate the allegations. Hovsepyan said there must have been a translation error, and that he actually had said that he asked the NSS to investigate the allegations, since it would not do to have the PG's office investigate itself. (NOTE: There was no translation error.) A few minutes later, Hovsepyan said his office had in fact been investigating the complaints for a week, and that it would continue to do so.

Finally, Hovsepyan agreed to launch an internal investigation of the allegations. He said he would solicit the NGO's input. But he continued to sing Yeremyan's praises and to accuse the prostitutes of lying. He also mentioned that Yeremyan had asked repeatedly to be moved out of the Anti-TIP Unit, and that he would consider granting that request.

COMMENT: MUCH CAUSE FOR CONCERN, BUT ALL IS NOT LOST
Hovsepyan's performance was in character and betrayed the PG's apparent personal attitude toward trafficking victims and cases. We think we have at least ensured a more serious investigation of this case. We intend to pursue this matter further, and are optimistic that bringing pressure to bear on the MFA will achieve results, given President Kocharian's interest in Armenia's TIP rating. We will make the point that the next Interim Assessment is coming up.

[By: Amb. John M. Evans]

Diaspora ‘աչքակապություն’ of parliament. Double act of non elective representativeness in Armenia?

2011-02-02T00:38:00.001Z

Of course, this “presidential idea” voiced by - infamous for all the wrong reasons - ‘Diaspora minister’ Hranush Hakobyan, has for now more of a ‘exploring the grounds’ and populist (‘աչքերին թոզ փչել’) meaning. But it may potentially develop into something more significant with the implications for future.

Some observers were quick to dismiss it as an “idea” to divert people’s attention from real issues.

Few points for now.

As if having one effectively non elected parliament was not enough, making Constitutional changes to formalise the archaic system of non-representative pseudo-parliamentarians, similar to British ‘House of Lords’ is truly a “Forward, Armenia” (of course, British citizens, unlike Armenians, have elective democracy too).

This is like creating yet another stillborn, aka presidential “Public Council” that was established under the pretentious/populist/made-up (delete as appropriate) “idea” of making people's voices heard. Not that anyone believed it.

I can’t imagine this Diaspora chamber of parliament, or whatever, will ever get materialised, but - even if theoretically - this “idea” may have a serious implications of making a total mess in Diaspora-Armenia relations, as well as within Diaspora.

Intrigue of the Day: Luzhkov's wife Baturina vs. Ashot Eghiazaryan

2011-01-26T01:32:00.000Z

City Spy

More bad news for Russia's reputed richest woman, construction mogul Yelena Baturina, wife of the ex-Mayor of Moscow.

Following hubby Yury Luzhkov's departure as Mayor - during his tenure, she managed to win many lucrative tenders for city construction projects - the couple announced that they would in future school their teenage daughters Aleona and Olga in London. No sooner had Yelena touched down here than she was reportedly quizzed by British officials at the airport.

Now Baturina, Luzhkov and potash billionaire Suleyman Kerimov are embroiled in a court case in London. They're accused of involvement in a conspiracy against Russian parliament member and businessman Ashot Egiazaryan that saw a hostile takeover of his shares in the redevelopment of the landmark Moskva Hotel in Moscow.

Already, many of Kerimov's assets have been frozen under the £1.5 billion lawsuit filed by rival Egiazaryan in London's arbitration court. Kerimov is battling the freezing order. Watch this space.

*source: London's Evening Standard

Human Rights Watch: ‘Armenia's international partners, EU did not fully use their leverage to influence the human rights situation’

2011-01-26T01:13:00.000Z

Below are selected extracts and headlines from Armenia chapter in Human Rights Watch annual world report reflecting events of 2010. I could sum up it as a year of lost opportunities for Armenian authorities and for re-establishing democracy and respect for human rights in Armenia.

1 March chapter still wide open

11 political prisoners

No thorough investigation into deaths

“Authorities have yet to ensure a meaningful investigation into, and full accountability for, excessive use of force by security forces during clashes with protestors in March 2008. Ten people were killed, including two security officials and eight protestors. Only four police officers have been convicted of excessive use of force, in December 2009. They were sentenced to three years, but were amnestied immediately, and are only barred from working in law enforcement.

More than 50 civilians were prosecuted in relation to the March 2008 violence, with some sentenced to lengthy prison terms. Although a June 2009 presidential pardon released many of them, local human rights groups maintain that 11 opposition supporters remain imprisoned on politically motivated charges.

On January 19, a court sentenced Nikol Pashinyan, opposition leader and editor-in-chief of the Haykakan Zhamanak newspaper, to seven years imprisonment for allegedly organizing "mass disorders" during the March 2008 events. An appeals court upheld the decision but halved his sentence. In November 2010 Pashinyan claimed two masked men attacked and beat him in Kosh prison; the government denied the allegation.

In April 2010, relatives of nine victims killed in the March 2008 violence, the eight protestors and one of the soldiers, appealed unsuccessfully to court for a thorough investigation into the deaths.”

Torture and Ill-Treatment in police custody, army

“Local human rights groups report continued ill-treatment in police custody. For example, on April 13, 2010, police detained 24-year-old Vahan Khalafyan and four others in Charentsavan, north of Yerevan, on suspicion of robbery. Khalafyan died of knife wounds some hours later. Police say he stabbed himself with a knife obtained in the station, and deny allegations of ill-treatment.

On April 23, investigators charged the head of Charentsavan's Criminal Intelligence Department and three others with abuse of authority. The trial is ongoing at this writing. Khalafyan's relatives and human rights groups want additional murder and torture charges. An internal police investigation led to the dismissal of Charentsavan's police chief and three officers. The Helsinki Citizens' Assembly (HCA) Vanadzor Office reported that police ill-treated two other men detained with Khalafyan. Police failed to conclusively investigate these incidents.

On August 27 a court ordered the investigation into the death in custody of Levon Gulyan be reopened. In May 2007, Gulyan was found dead following a police interrogation. Authorities say he jumped from the second-story of a police station trying to escape. Gulyan's relatives deny this, insisting he was tortured.

During a September 2010 visit the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention interviewed numerous detainees and prisoners who alleged beatings, other ill-treatment in police custody, and refusal by prosecutors and judges to admit evidence of the ill-treatment into court.

In September a YouTube video showed Army Major Sasun Galstyan beating and humiliating two conscripts. An investigation into abuse of power is ongoing.

In June the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) found Armenia had twice violated the prohibition against inhuman or degrading treatment in the case of Ashot Harutyunyan. Convicted of fraud and tax evasion in 2004, Harutyunyan died of a heart attack in prison in January 2009. The court determined authorities had denied him necessary medical care for his multiple chronic health problems, including heart disease, an ulcer, and diabetes. The court also found the government's public restraint of Harutyunyan in a metal cage during his appeal hearings amounted to degrading treatment.

On July 26, 14 human rights groups issued a statement citing a 20 percent rise in the national prison population, which is leading to overcrowding, health problems, and conflicts among detainees.”

No independent TV station

Restrictions in freedom of assembly

Human rights defenders

“Police closed the investigation into the May 2008 attack on Armenian Helsinki Association Chairman Mikael Danielyan, who was wounded when an assailant shot him with a pneumatic gun after an argument. The investigation was allegedly closed due to lack of criminal intent. A court rejected Danielyan's appeal against the decision.

Mariam Sukhudyan, primarily an environmental activist, publicized on national television in November 2008 the case of two girls who alleged sexual harassment at a Yerevan school. Police charged Sukhudyan with falsely reporting a crime. On March 10, 2010, the United States Embassy awarded Sukhudyan its first ever Woman of Courage Award. A day later, the criminal case against her was dropped.”

Armenian Catholicos Garegin II: slap in the face to medical profession in Armenia?

2011-01-22T11:13:00.000Z

Just to put it straight first. I wish good health and speedy recovery to Armenian Catholicos Garegin II.

Few days ago he underwent “laparascopic cholecystectomy” (removal of gall bladder) and reportedly feeling OK.

Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II has recently underwent a surgery in New York by the recommendation of doctors, Vahram Melikyan, the head of the Public Relations Department at the Holy See of St Echmiadzin, told Tert.am.

"The Catholicos has undergone a laparoscopic cholecystectomy," he said, adding that the patriarch was discharged from hospital a few days after the surgery and continues his meetings in the United States. Garegin II will reportedly return to Armenia later this month.

All sounds fine if only not for one ‘minor detail’. He underwent this surgery in... New York. This is a pretty routine procedure available in Armenia and does not require any complicated equipment or complex specialist treatment. So why Catholicos chose for his routine medical treatment New York, instead of, say, Yerevan?

Is this a reflection of his mistrust to the quality of medical profession, and particularly surgery, in Armenia?

Or is this a reflection of something else in line with “I go for shopping to Paris and London” - “I go for surgery to New York”?

In any case, ditching local doctors for such a routine procedure is pretty much a slap in the face to Armenian surgeons and medical profession in general.

*picture - via Tert.am

Azeri blogger marks Hrant Dink's assassination anniversary by making Armenian language post

2011-01-19T22:19:00.000Z

There are quite a few publications in Armenian and international (including Turkey and Azerbaijan) online space, blogs and media to mark the 4th anniversary of Hrant Dink's assassination in Turkey. But this particular post by well known Azeri blogger, musician and youth activist Araz Önər, currently based in the Netherlands, grabbed my attention. Not only by its content, which is good, but by posting it in Armenian too (available in EN, AZ and AM).

Below I re-post the Armenian version on my blog. Araz ends by transforming "We are all Hrant Dink" into "We are all free". If only...
***

Հրանտ Դինքի սպանությունը

Մարդիկ 17 տարեկանում կարող են շատ հիմար լինել: Եթե չորս տարի առաջ 17-ամյա Օզգուն Սամասթը իմանար, թե ում է սպանում, իր երիտասարդությունը չէր զոհաբերի նրանց համար, ովքեր իրեն ստիպեցին անել այդ ոճրագործությունը: Հրանտ Դինքը և´ հայերի, և´ թուրքերի համար պատմական կարևոր նշանակություն ունեցող լրագրող էր: Կարծում եմ նրա մահը մեծ հանցանք է ողջ աշխարհի ազատ լրագրողության դեմ:

Շատ ափսոս, որ Թուրքիայում 21-րդ դարում դեռևս մնացել են ֆաշիզմի հետքեր, որը սպառնալիք են դառնում այնտեղ ապրող արժեքավոր մարդկանց կյանքի համար:

Թուրքիան Նազիմ Հիքմեթներին, ում բարոյական և ֆիզիկական տառապանք է պատճառել, անգութաբար սպանված Հրանտ Դինքերին հետո կհասկանա և կգնահատի: Ներկայումս, ավաղ, Թուրքիան ոչինչ չի հասկանում: Այս ոճրագործությունը մի երիտասարդին վեագրելը ընդամենը մի խղճուկ փորձ է քողարկելու այն փաստը, որ սպանությունը կազմակերպվել է պետական մակարդակով: Դժվարանում եմ հասկանալ, թե ինչ էր մտածում թուրք ոստիկանը, որը ժպտում էր Օզգուն Սամասթի հետ թուրքական դրոշի տակ նկարվելիս…

Լինելով բլոգեր` կարծում եմ, որ Հրանտ Դինքի մահը մեծ հանցագործություն է թուրքական պետությունում ազատ խոսքի դեմ և խստորեն դատապարտում եմ այդ ոճիրը: Ի դեպ, չեմ ասում «բոլորս Հրանտ Դինք ենք, բոլորս հայ ենք», այլ ասում եմ «բոլորս ազատ ենք»:

Arshile Gorky - the very Armenian art cafe in the heart of Tate Modern, London

2011-01-05T15:07:00.001Z

It’s been ages I wanted to make this post - my reflections of last year’s Arshile Gorky’s major exhibit at my favourite art venue in London - Tate Modern. [Don’t ask me re the reasons for delay. I simply do not know. This is the way I write. It has to come to me - inspiration, weather, mood...]

I’ve seen Gorky before, at various art venues worldwide, but I’ve never seen such a big retrospective of his works concentrated in one place. What made this especially dear to me was the chosen venue for the exhibit - Tate Modern.

In some of Arshile Gorky’s abstract works I clearly noticed the Armenian shape of nose. Or may be it was just my imagination :)

I have to say I am not much fan of his abstract paintings as you could not find an individuality, a ‘signature’ there. They look more like studies after various artists. However, I like his portraits. This is where I can recognise ‘signature’ Gorky.

These two small paintings were so cute that became my instant favourites.

*self portrait 9 yrs old (above)

*my imaginary wife (below)

Outside the exhibit halls there was Arshile Gorky themed cafe space in the heart of Tate Modern. That was an exhibition in its own self, no less exciting, with pictures of Gorky I’ve never seen before, and his bio details. It was kind of surreal to have an Armenian corner on such a prominent display inside the Tate Modern.

And this ‘posing’ picture of Arshile Gorky, displayed in the cafe, was a revelation to me. He looks like a pretty sexy model there.

Happy 2011 !! :) x

2010-12-28T12:55:00.000Z

*'Winter Wonderland', Hyde Park, London

‘Top’/’bottom’ Arthur Baghdasaryan, homophobia, political prostitution and ‘European values’ in Armenia

2010-12-27T09:56:00.000Z

Read more on Unzipped: Gay Armenia

*source of photo: Photolur, via A1+ (from my archive: Disgrace of the Day - Arthur Baghdasaryan)

Obituary (The Telegraph): Michael Hagopian - "Film maker who sought to prove that the Armenians had suffered Genocide"

2010-12-21T21:22:00.000Z

Only today, reading The Telegraph, I learned this... RIP, Michael Hagopian...

Below is his Obituary as it appears in The Telegraph.
***

Michael Hagopian

Film maker sought to prove that the Armenians had suffered genocide

Michael Hagopian, who died on December 10 aged 97, survived the massacre of Armenians by the Turks during the First World War and went on, as a documentary film maker, to campaign for the killings to be recognised officially as “genocide”.

According to historians, between 1915 and 1918 some 1.5 million Armenians died in a series of wholesale massacres and deportations which took place amid the chaos of war and the dismemberment of the Ottoman Empire. Turkey maintains that the deaths (which it estimates at 300,000 Armenians and about as many Turks — many of them victims of famine and disease) occurred within the context of a civil war sparked after Armenians, backed by Russia, rose up against the Ottomans. It remains a crime in Turkey to portray the killings as “genocide”.

Hagopian was determined to refute the Turkish claims. Among several documentaries, The Forgotten Genocide (1976), the first full-length feature on the killings, involved nearly 400 witness interviews and 20 years of research and received Emmy nominations for best documentary writing and production.

The River Ran Red (2008) told how hundreds of thousands of Armenians were forced into the Syrian Desert, where most of them died of starvation, and was voted best international historical documentary by the New York International Film & Video Festival in 2009.

To date, 20 countries have officially recognised the events of the period as genocide. Earlier this year a resolution to that effect was narrowly approved by the American congressional Foreign Affairs Committee. On several recent occasions, however, similar resolutions have been adopted by the committee only to fall short of endorsement by a vote of the full House.

In 2007, for example, a committee resolution branding the massacre of Armenians as genocide was greeted by a jubilant Hagopian as a sign that “representatives in Congress now realise the Armenian community has a lot of political power”. But in the end support for the bill ebbed away as Ankara recalled its ambassador to Washington and politicians within Congress feared that ties to Turkey – whose airspace was a crucial corridor to supply US troops in Iraq – would be irreparably damaged. Turkey is again lobbying America to prevent any vote in the present instance.

The son of a prominent physician, Jakob Michael Hagopian was born on October 20 1913 in the ancient Armenian town of Kharpert, in what was then the Ottoman Empire (now Turkey). One night in June 1915, after his parents heard that Turkish soldiers were on the rampage nearby, he was hidden in a well behind their home. “To save my life, [my father] placed me in it, hoping the Turks would not find me, that by a miracle I would survive,” Hagopian recalled in 2001. “He had great faith in Providence.” The soldiers did not come that night. But when they did several days later, the family was spared because his father had treated local Turks.

The family remained in Turkey until 1922, when they fled to the United States. They lived in Boston before settling at Fresno, California, in 1927.

After studying Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley, Hagopian took a doctorate in International Relations at Harvard. He then served in the US Army Air Forces during the war before teaching at several universities, including the American University of Beirut, where he began teaching himself to make films. He later took film classes at the University of California, Los Angeles.

In 1952 he founded his own film production company, initially making films about the cultures of the Middle East, Nigeria, India and the American Indians. In 1979 Hagopian founded the Armenian Film Foundation, which was dedicated to preserving the visual and personal histories of the witnesses to the massacres.

Hagopian wrote, directed and produced 17 films about the Armenians . As he recalled in Voices From the Lake (2000): “I remember my mother saying, 'You can kill a people, but their voices will never die’.”

Michael Hagopian is survived by his wife, Antoinette, and by a daughter and three sons.

Armenian + Emo = Armo?

2010-12-11T02:48:00.000Z

Related: Degradation and stupidity. Police in Armenia hunts down perceived emo teenagers, confiscates ‘weapons of mass destraction’, oh, sorry, souvenirs

*via Gawker

Armenian Police: Emo Music Can "Distort Our Gene Pool"

A full-blown panic over emo music has taken hold of the Armenian capital of Yerevan, after a 15-year-old "emo" kid committed suicide. The Chief of Police warns that kids being into emo music will somehow produce a generation of mutants.

Here's how EurasiaNet describes the reaction of the Armenian Chief of Police:

No law prohibits people from being emos, but police have left little doubt that their tolerance for emo fans is in short supply. In a December 6 interview with the newspaper Hraparak, Armenian Chief of Police Alik Sargsian commented that "emos are dangerous" and can "distort our gene pool."

"I do not like emos, in fact. I absolutely don't like them. I do not understand or accept them," said Sargsian.

Some Armenian scientist should probably do a study where they expose rats to three Fallout Boy EPs a day and see what happens.

(thanks to Walter (& Katy) for the title of my post)

Outrage as Armenia Fund Telethon promotes homophobia

2010-12-06T01:22:00.008Z

UPDATE 29 April 2011: VO.X frontrunner Aram Rian has re-edited and replaced the controversial portion of the band’s "I Love Armenia" music video, by removing the reference to homosexuality as “perversion”. We have reached a mutual understanding with the group and consider this matter resolved as dialogue has taken place. We no longer have reason to believe either Aram Rian or VO.X is homophobic, and we wish them success in their future endeavors.
***
UPDATE 7 December 2010: Contrary to Twitter and Facebook reactions, the Executive Director of Armenia Fund, Inc. and the Executive in Charge of Production for Telethon 2010, officially denied that VO.X music video was aired during the Telethon 2010 (see comments section on Unzipped: Gay Armenia)
***

Think of donating to Armenia Fund?

Think again!

Why?

Read my post on Unzipped: Gay Armenia

Spotted: Armenian cookery book at Lebanese restaurant in London

2010-11-27T00:45:00.002Z

Was having an early dinner with a friend of mine at a pleasant Lebanese restaurant in central London. And look what we've spotted there. An Armenian, well, mainly Middle Eastern, cookery book by Arto Der Haroutunian. It's only after, digging further into his name, I realised that he is one of the brothers who founded the Armenian restaurant in Manchester (UK).

Pay attention how they indicated "drinks" in Armenian translit: "Khumichk" :)

I can't judge about the quality of recipes but wish there were more illustrations inside.

Space-themed Christmas, Carnaby street, London

2010-11-27T00:00:00.000Z

We are the champions. Vladimir Arzumanyan makes Armenia winner of Junior Eurovision 2010

2010-11-20T22:24:00.001Z

Amid all the depressive news coming these days from Armenia, I SO WANTED some positive news. So I decided to try my luck with the Eurovision, the Junior one. Children are our hope, with their sense of freedom, creativity and individuality, well, unless Armenian police is of different opinion, that is. Not that it matters.

Below is how the events unfolded, as per chronology of my Twitter notes.

I started morning with the reminder, most of all to myself. I did not follow the national selection process nor the build-up to the Junior Eurovision. But when I watched the video of Armenia entry’s song and performance this morning, things became clear to me: a star was born.

Today is Junior #Eurovision. 12 yrs old Vladimir Arzumanyan to represent #Armenia. He has all qualities for pop star !! http://goo.gl/0YRuA

Then I decided to ditch my initial plans for a night out and have a more quiet evening at home watching the Junior Eurovision. Boy, I so did not regret it:

Junior #Eurovision live http://www.junioreurovision.tv/esctv

Could not hide my excitement as I genuinely believed that this year’s Armenian entry is a spot on:

#Armenia is No. 10 at Junior #Eurovision. GO Vladimir Arzumanyan!

And one more general observation:

Sooo difficult to criticise children at Junior #Eurovision... You can't go with the adult Eurovision bitchiness :)

Then it was No. 10. And my first impression immediately after the Vladimir’s performance:

Impressive #Armenia performance at Junior #Eurovision. He is so cute, voice was not very strong but he feels the stage perfectly, he is a star

And before the voting results being announced:

Have to say, regardless of voting results, this was #Armenia strongest entry to Junior #Eurovision since Arevik.

Conclusion to the night was a fireworks. This is how I reacted when it became clear that Armenia won the Junior Eurovision:

OMG!!!! Yes! Yes! Yes! #Armenia - winner of Junior #Eurovison!!! Well deserved. Well done, Vladimir!!!

And the last bit, albeit too optimistic :

If only we have someone to match Vladimir for the main #Eurovision contest, #Armenia would be a double winner. How wonderful it would be !!!

Below is an extract from Vladimir’s first press conference after winning the contest:

[...] But what does he want as a present for his victory? Well, putting into his words - "I want a brother, my mother promised me that if I'd win!"

Now, after winning the biggest music contest for young singers, he still doesn't think of himself as a star. "Stars are only in the sky, I'm only human," Vladimir told the press. [...]

Cute! Cute! Cute!

*picture - Reuters

Degradation and stupidity. Police in Armenia hunts down perceived emo teenagers, confiscates ‘weapons of mass destraction’, oh, sorry, souvenirs

2010-11-19T01:39:00.002Z

Over the last few weeks, reports from Yerevan indicated that police started targetting young people who look different from what they consider a ‘normal look’ and intimidating them, to put it mildly. Yesterday they went further and briefly detained 6-7 people, mainly girls, who they perceived to be part of “emo movement”. There are reports of police violence during detention. (Read also (RU) here and here)

ArmInfo: The press service of the police has told ArmInfo that the girls were detained by a group of police guards, who noticed that one of them was holding a "sharp piercing object." Later the policemen found one more object [this implying that the girls were frisked - edit.]. Presently, the police are identifying the detainees. The "sharp piercing object" was in fact a souvenir - a skull with two sword-like blunt-ended sticks. Such a souvenir can be found in many local shops but for the police it looked like a dangerous weapon. Following this logic, if you happen to buy a knife in a shop you may well spend night in a police department.

This all began a month or two ago when quite a few Armenian media outlets started systematically publishing sensationalist articles and reports linking virtually all teenage or youth suicides in Armenia to emo. Needless to say that in most, if not all, cases, they had no evidence whatsoever to support their claims, except for wild speculations. “Слышал звон, да не знает, где он.” This was accompanied by highly publicised ‘angry students’ letter to authorities demanding the clean up of one particular downtown tunnel from traces of ‘emo graffiti’. The tone of that letter and media reports, followed by various interviews/press conferences mixing emo with the religious sects - you got the picture - created an image of emo teenager as a ‘threat to national security’. Familiar wording, isn’t it?

And how easy. Nobody cares why those young people commit suicides. Finally, they found an easy solution. A new ‘enemy of nation’. To ‘neutralise’.

ArmInfo: ArmInfo has already reported that the Armenian Police started serious operative measures aimed at identification and actual neutralization of teen-fans of the global informal movement and subculture EMO. A reliable source told ArmInfo that the Police leadership charged all the departments for minors to start operative measures and draft the list of all the EMO fans in the country. [...]

Однако, не смотря на то, что некоторые, в том числе и полицейские чины Армении, считают культуру <эмo> деструктивной до такой степени, что готовы идти на антиконституционные <профилактическиe> мероприятия против детей 12-17 летнего возраста, на самом деле это не так. "Эмо" само по себе не несет ничего плохого, а наоборот старается донести до людей идею, что помимо материальных ценностей в жизни человека должны быть и ценности духовные. Видимо это последнее обстоятельство и беспокоит власть предержащих, так как в корне противоречит насаждаемой в стране культуре погони за длинным рублем.

Конечно, как и в любом неформальном молодежном движении - хиппи 60-х или панки 80-х прошлого столетия, эмо - не без изъянов и крайностей разного характера, присущих детям трудного переходного возраста, но заниматься этим должны психологи и заниматься крайне тонко, чтоб не калечить психику детей. А проблема эта отдана на откуп тем, кто по долгу службы привык иметь дело с потенциальными уголовными элементами. Что из этого получится догадаться не сложно. Благодаря подобной <дальновидной> госполитике, мы завтра можем стать свидетелями случаев побоев, массовых избиений и насилий в отношений <эмо> со стороны <нормальных>, по версии государства, подростков.

In reality, this is a pretty organised attack towards youth, or anyone for that matter, who look and behave differently, different from what is perceived to be ‘normal’, ‘acceptable’ look or behaviour.

I am trying to find words to describe police actions. Whatever comes to my mind is an understatement. On one hand, I am outraged. On the other hand, reading and hearing of ‘brave’ Armenian policemen ‘neutralising’ teenagers make me burst into laughing. That’s how ridiculous they look like. But as ArmInfo rightly pointed out, such actions could lead to much more tragic consequences by inciting hatred towards anyone who looks different...

I wanted to say that Stalinist methods are well and alive in Armenia, but it’s not just this. This is a perfect example of total degradation and stupidity of Armenian police and those who are in charge of it. Plus, their “вседозволенность”.

Not only what they do is unlawful, but they are pushing teenagers further deep underground, and risk created a contra-reaction that would be very difficult to deal with.

I AM SO EMO

Glad to see that many Armenian bloggers expressed their outrage with the police actions and solidarity with perceived or real emo followers. “I am emo” - statements you could read in a number of blogs (example).

With such actions, Armenian policemen made a total mockery of their profession. That Armenia police chief Alik Sargsyan is stupid is not news. That he & co totally lost their mind is a worrisome development. R.I.P., Armenian police.

*photo - Nazik Armenakyan / ArmeniaNow.com
Emo in Yerevan: Eccentric and emotional teenagers challenge society (ArmeniaNow)

Hampstead, London

2010-11-17T21:38:00.000Z