Fascism during Vartavar

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

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

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!

So cute!! I love this :))



*thanks to Dave Chapman for the link.

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

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

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]

“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'

'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'

Francis Kurkdjian, Liberty, London

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

Dancing under rain - First Armenian Street Festival in London

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

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

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

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"

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

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)

*For Part 2 - see Unzipped: Gay Armenia

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

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

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

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"

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