Thirty countries deport HIV+ migrant workers, sixty six countries discriminate HIV+ travellers, including 19 in the WHO Europe region [including Armenia].
“Exclusionary policies like these are a shame for Europe”, says Karl Lemmen from the German AIDS Federation. “European States and institutions should do everything possible to remove HIV related travel restrictions within its territory to guarantee that human rights prevail and `European values` exist.
For details - see Unzipped: Gay Armenia
Wednesday, 10 December 2008
Sunday, 7 December 2008
20 years on, it's still earthquake zone
I remember...
*An estimated 7,000 families are still in the woeful temporary accommodation given to them in the weeks after the quake. For them, it has been 20 years of empty promises. (Reuters)
*An estimated 7,000 families are still in the woeful temporary accommodation given to them in the weeks after the quake. For them, it has been 20 years of empty promises. (Reuters)
Saturday, 6 December 2008
"Tell us the facts..." (Quote of the Day)
In a seminar last week in Washington, D.C., Christopher Kojm, former Executive Deputy Director of the “9/11 Commission” reiterated his concerns following an October fact-finding mission here to evaluate Armenia’s progress on getting to the truth of last March 1’s deadly post-election violence.
Speaking at a forum titled “The South Caucasus: A Year of Ballots and Bullets,” Kojm related the 10 deaths and hundreds of injuries of March 1 to a scale of United States’ proportions. “It would be a thousand killed, over ten thousand injured, and seven thousand imprisoned. Naturally, had that occurred in our country (the US), this would have been a topic of discussion and the American people would like to know what happened on that night. Who is responsible? Tell us the facts so that our country can deal with them and move forward.”
But the 9/11 investigator’s comments expressed doubts on whether such a report can be produced in Armenia due, largely, to the lack of involvement of any opposition representatives’ participation.
“Our (the team of three who traveled to Armenia) message to everyone was the same: No report will be seen as credible if it is written by the government, or if it is written by the opposition. A report will only be credible if leaders of different parties work together so that they are forced to look passed their preconceptions, their clear political difference, and that they are forced to focus on the facts.”
*ArmeniaNow
/emphasis mine/
Speaking at a forum titled “The South Caucasus: A Year of Ballots and Bullets,” Kojm related the 10 deaths and hundreds of injuries of March 1 to a scale of United States’ proportions. “It would be a thousand killed, over ten thousand injured, and seven thousand imprisoned. Naturally, had that occurred in our country (the US), this would have been a topic of discussion and the American people would like to know what happened on that night. Who is responsible? Tell us the facts so that our country can deal with them and move forward.”
But the 9/11 investigator’s comments expressed doubts on whether such a report can be produced in Armenia due, largely, to the lack of involvement of any opposition representatives’ participation.
“Our (the team of three who traveled to Armenia) message to everyone was the same: No report will be seen as credible if it is written by the government, or if it is written by the opposition. A report will only be credible if leaders of different parties work together so that they are forced to look passed their preconceptions, their clear political difference, and that they are forced to focus on the facts.”
*ArmeniaNow
/emphasis mine/
Friday, 5 December 2008
Today's Zaman: "Turkish intellectuals give personal apology for 1915 events"
*via Today's Zaman
A group of Turkish intellectuals have apologized for the “great disaster that Ottoman Armenians suffered in 1915” but have fallen short of calling on the state to do the same.
A petition initiated by a group of intellectuals, including professors Baskın Oran and Ahmet İnsel, journalists Ali Bayramoğlu and Cengiz Aktar, personally apologizes for the events.
The group is asking other people to sign the petition, which reads as follows: “I cannot conscientiously accept the indifference to the great disaster that Ottoman Armenians suffered in 1915, and its denial. I reject this injustice and acting of my own will, I share the feelings and pains of my Armenian brothers and sisters, and I apologize to them.”
The organizers of the campaign have underlined that first they will collect signatures from intellectuals and they will then open a secure Web site to collect signatures. [...]
The petition, which has already become the target of nationalists, has led to criticism from other intellectuals.
Aytekin Yıldız, the coordinator of the Confrontation Association (Yüzleşme Derneği), pointed out that the Armenian community was already aware of the fact that there are many people in Turkey of conscience, and the important thing was not to declare what is already known. “It is a good starting point, but not enough. Firstly, what do they mean by ‘great disaster’? Let’s name it, it is genocide. Secondly, the state has to apologize,” Yıldız pointed out. [...]
A group of Turkish intellectuals have apologized for the “great disaster that Ottoman Armenians suffered in 1915” but have fallen short of calling on the state to do the same.
A petition initiated by a group of intellectuals, including professors Baskın Oran and Ahmet İnsel, journalists Ali Bayramoğlu and Cengiz Aktar, personally apologizes for the events.
The group is asking other people to sign the petition, which reads as follows: “I cannot conscientiously accept the indifference to the great disaster that Ottoman Armenians suffered in 1915, and its denial. I reject this injustice and acting of my own will, I share the feelings and pains of my Armenian brothers and sisters, and I apologize to them.”
The organizers of the campaign have underlined that first they will collect signatures from intellectuals and they will then open a secure Web site to collect signatures. [...]
The petition, which has already become the target of nationalists, has led to criticism from other intellectuals.
Aytekin Yıldız, the coordinator of the Confrontation Association (Yüzleşme Derneği), pointed out that the Armenian community was already aware of the fact that there are many people in Turkey of conscience, and the important thing was not to declare what is already known. “It is a good starting point, but not enough. Firstly, what do they mean by ‘great disaster’? Let’s name it, it is genocide. Secondly, the state has to apologize,” Yıldız pointed out. [...]
The Peace and Sport Image of the Year Award: Turkey and Armenia
Peace and Sport Organization (Organisation pour la Paix et le Sport) - press release:
This distinction for the best image of fraternization through sport was awarded for a photograph of the historic handshake between the President of the Republic of Turkey Abdullah Gül and the President of Armenia, Serge Sarkissian, during the qualifying match for the Football World Cup between Turkey and Armenia. Thanks to football, this moment marked the end of nearly two decades of diplomatic silence.
H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco presented the award jointly to Armen Grigorian, Armenian Minister of Youth and Sport, and to Mahmut Özgener, President of the Turkish Football Federation, who exchanged long greetings on stage, creating a moment of intense emotion amongst spectators.
Joel Bouzou and David Tomatis, CEO of Sportel, acclaimed the photograph as “a symbol of hope for two communities whose history has been marked by hostility and pain.”
In a letter sent to Peace and Sport, the Armenian President Mr Sarkissian proclaimed himself “deeply moved to hear the Grand Jury’s decision to attribute the Peace and Sport Image of the Year Award to his handshake with Turkish President Mr Gül.” He added that he was convinced that “Sport is one of the best ways to overcome differences between nations”.
*photo - via Public Radio of Armenia
CNN "Screams 'Bloody Murder' But Not about Armenian Genocide"
According to the US-based Armenian National Committee of America, "A powerful new CNN documentary, "Scream Bloody Murder," anchored by Christiane Amanpour, premiered tonight (9:00 p.m. ET/PT). The program offered a compelling look at genocide throughout history, with a special focus on those who witnessed and warned the world about these atrocities.
Sadly, however, in a disservice to it millions of viewers, CNN neglected to include the Armenian Genocide as the first such event, despite the fact that it was this atrocity that first prompted international lawyer Raphael Lemkin to coin the word "genocide," and to work toward the eventual adoption of the U.N. Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide."
Asbarez provides more details:
You may take action now.
Sadly, however, in a disservice to it millions of viewers, CNN neglected to include the Armenian Genocide as the first such event, despite the fact that it was this atrocity that first prompted international lawyer Raphael Lemkin to coin the word "genocide," and to work toward the eventual adoption of the U.N. Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide."
Asbarez provides more details:
A powerful documentary entitled “Scream Bloody Murder” anchored by Christiane Amanpour premiering on CNN today (9 p.m. ET/PT) offers a gripping look at Genocide throughout history and those who witnessed and warned a deaf world about such atrocities, but neglects to mention the Armenian Genocide as the first such event that prompted Raphael Lemkin to coin the phrase.
The documentary begins with the roots of the word Genocide and chronicles the stormy conflicts within Lemkin, who, as Amanpour puts it, was affected by the slaughter of 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman Turks and was prompted to coin the phrase Genocide. In the almost 90-minute press screener, the Armenian Genocide was mentioned for about 45 seconds as an anecdotal reference to Lemkin's struggle for human justice. Using photographs now familiar to all Armenians and possibly obtained from Armin T. Wegner Collection, Amanpour illustrates the horror of the Armenian Genocide but does not delve into it in as in-depth and compelling manner as she does the other instances of Genocide.
Throughout the program, Amanpour “reveals stories of those who tried to stop genocide,” as the CNN press information describes it and discusses the horrific stories of Genocide with “heroes who witnessed evil-- and 'screamed bloody murder' for the international community to stop it.
Amanpour and CNN should be applauded for the in-depth look at Genocide, from the Holocaust to the killing fields of Cambodia, to Iraq, Rwanda, Bosnia and now Darfur the horror of it all is told with searing images and graphic eyewitness accounts.
To bring attention to Genocide, on the eve of the 60th anniversary of the adoption of UN Convention of Genocide and Human Rights, authored by Lemkin, is an important accomplishment, one that also asks the hard question of why the world did (does) not interfere when it has a moral obligation.
Amanpour adeptly clarifies the political machinations behind the response--or lack thereof--by the US in all instances featured in the report and wonders, at the end, whether others who “scream bloody murder” will be heard. One wonders, however, if Amanpour heard the screams of Henry Morgenthau, the US Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire at the time of the Armenian Genocide, who along with Elie Wiesel, Father Francois Ponchaud, Peter Galbraith, Richard Holbrook, Canadian General Romeo Dallaire and others who bore witness to such unspeakable atrocities and whose warnings prompted action but not soon enough to save millions of lives.
Perhaps, the Armenian community can now prompt CNN, as it did eight years ago ABC News and its venerable anchor the late Peter Jennings to take a closer look at the first Genocide of the 20th Century. [...]
You may take action now.
Thursday, 4 December 2008
Armenia signs European treaty which potentially grants adoption rights to same-sex couples
All details - in Unzipped: Gay Armenia
...signing this treaty by Armenia is encouraging sign, and I commend Armenian government for that.
Not only Armenia is the first country in South Caucasus to do so, but also among the first Europe-wide too. From this point of view, this is pretty significant and welcoming development.
...signing this treaty by Armenia is encouraging sign, and I commend Armenian government for that.
Not only Armenia is the first country in South Caucasus to do so, but also among the first Europe-wide too. From this point of view, this is pretty significant and welcoming development.
Wednesday, 3 December 2008
Irony of the Day
Armenia’s incumbent president Serj Sargsyan unveils memorial to the victims of Soviet time political repressions… having dozens of modern day political prisoners in independent Armenia.*photos - by Photolur, via A1+
Moving closer to Europe: The Eastern Partnership
I am pretty much pro-European in my views of Armenia’s direction. Therefore, I welcome any step which brings Armenia closer to the EU. There is no promise of EU membership with this new initiative of Eastern Partnership which was formally announced today. However, there is hint at it. The way to Europe is closer now, but still long way to go.We like criticising other EU candidate countries, in particular Turkey (I would add here EU members Poland, Bulgaria…), that they are not ready to be considered as such, there are lots of problems in terms of democracy and human rights in those countries. We now have to look at ourselves and honestly ask: Are we ready? The obvious answer is no. We are not even close. However, the prospect of closer ties or even eventual membership could hopefully stimulate reforms in our country like it did in other countries. EU must offer more than a hint at the membership prospects to make incentives for changes more desirable. On the other hand, it has to be very strict in assessing and pushing countries’ compliance with the standards. These are hopes, but we know very well that the reality is different, and depending on the situation the wind may blow to any direction.
One thing I know for sure. I can’t wait to see THE day when Armenian citizens will travel EU countries visa-free.
*The EU will formally launch this initiative in spring 2009 at a special “Eastern Partnership Summit”.
French government opposed to the penalization of the Armenian genocide's negation
Jean Eckian reports from ParisTuesday December 2, Mr. Rene Rouquet, Deputy-Mayor of Alfortville town (area of Paris), with a strong concentration of citizens of Armenian origin, challenged the French government so that the Senate achieves a legislative evolution, in order to punish the negationnists of the Armenian genocide of 1915.
« This concern is not only that of Armenian diaspora of France : it is that of all those which are attached to justice and the right, for which France, fatherland of the Rights of Man and cradle of the lights, would be honoured to adapt its legislation to condemn, penally, the negation or the dispute of this genocide. », he said.
In his answer to the deputy, Mr. Alain Marleix, Secretary of State for interior and to the territorial collectivities, said: «concerning the bill of which you speak, the position of the Government is clear and known: it is not favorable to its inscription with day order of the Senate. As I have just evoked it, the legislative device already exists. Moreover, the Government considers that it does not belong to the Parliament to legislate on history and that it is to the historians for whom it returns to write and to interpret this one". Secretary of State justified the current location of the French government by the evolution of the Turkish Armenian dialogue that " we must encourage », he said.
On this question, the French government is in total contradiction with position of President Sarkozy, favorable to the penalization of the negation of Armenian Genocide.
In reaction to the decision of the French government, Council of Coordination of the Armenian Organizations of France, Calls to demonstrate on December 10 in front of the Senate.
Referendum on Karabakh settlement in Armenia: populist, useless and dangerous exercise
This may sound like breaking news that Armenian government wants to listen to public opinion and go forward with Karabakh settlement only after getting approval from the public via 'nationwide referendum'.
Sadly, this only sounds like that. In reality, this is useless and perhaps even dangerous populist exercise.
Imagine if Karabakh settlement agreement is put to a nationwide vote. Will it be the whole document or some separate clauses or, even worse, ‘principles’ which then anyone could interpret the way they want?
Then, let’s consider that understandably Azerbaijan also follows the suite and conducts its own referendum. Now hypothetical outcomes.
What if Armenia rejects it, and Azerbaijan accepts it? Does this mean war?
What if Armenia accepts it and Azerbaijan rejects it? Does this mean that Armenia would be forced to more compromises to satisfy Azerbaijan?
What if both Azerbaijan and Armenia accept it? Where does this leave Karabakh? Where is their voice? One would assume that the very people who will be directly affected by any decision signed are Karabakh citizens. It would be unimaginable that they should be left out of this ‘democratic exercise’. Till now, it was impossible for parties to agree on the terms of Karabakh referendum for its future status as reportedly a final step of the proposed settlement. There is no way that with current Azeri official position there will be any agreement to take into account the results of Karabakh’s own referendum on the settlement principles.
But forget even what I said above.
Do we trust voting, referendum, polling, you name it, initiated by Armenian authorities? The answer is simple: No. The whole history of national voting/referendum since 1995 proves that the answer is simple: No.
Unless there are fundamental changes in Armenian society and political system in terms of democratisation and representative governance, Armenian public will not accept any result of any poll initiated by Armenian authorities. This will only lead to intensifying of internal divisions and political crisis. Armenian ruling administration had almost a year to initiate real reforms, to increase faith of the public in democratic institutions. They failed so far, spectacularly.
And, finally, one somewhat minor point. If this poll, or ‘referendum’, initiated by Armenian government, is expected to be non-binding, why not conduct a proper opinion poll instead to reveal public views, even if for internal use only? The alternative in form of a proposed ‘nationwide referendum’ is populist, useless and dangerous exercise.
P.S. A1plus blog has also made a relevant entry on this subject matter (in Armenian)
Sadly, this only sounds like that. In reality, this is useless and perhaps even dangerous populist exercise.
Imagine if Karabakh settlement agreement is put to a nationwide vote. Will it be the whole document or some separate clauses or, even worse, ‘principles’ which then anyone could interpret the way they want?
Then, let’s consider that understandably Azerbaijan also follows the suite and conducts its own referendum. Now hypothetical outcomes.
What if Armenia rejects it, and Azerbaijan accepts it? Does this mean war?
What if Armenia accepts it and Azerbaijan rejects it? Does this mean that Armenia would be forced to more compromises to satisfy Azerbaijan?
What if both Azerbaijan and Armenia accept it? Where does this leave Karabakh? Where is their voice? One would assume that the very people who will be directly affected by any decision signed are Karabakh citizens. It would be unimaginable that they should be left out of this ‘democratic exercise’. Till now, it was impossible for parties to agree on the terms of Karabakh referendum for its future status as reportedly a final step of the proposed settlement. There is no way that with current Azeri official position there will be any agreement to take into account the results of Karabakh’s own referendum on the settlement principles.
But forget even what I said above.
Do we trust voting, referendum, polling, you name it, initiated by Armenian authorities? The answer is simple: No. The whole history of national voting/referendum since 1995 proves that the answer is simple: No.
Unless there are fundamental changes in Armenian society and political system in terms of democratisation and representative governance, Armenian public will not accept any result of any poll initiated by Armenian authorities. This will only lead to intensifying of internal divisions and political crisis. Armenian ruling administration had almost a year to initiate real reforms, to increase faith of the public in democratic institutions. They failed so far, spectacularly.
And, finally, one somewhat minor point. If this poll, or ‘referendum’, initiated by Armenian government, is expected to be non-binding, why not conduct a proper opinion poll instead to reveal public views, even if for internal use only? The alternative in form of a proposed ‘nationwide referendum’ is populist, useless and dangerous exercise.
P.S. A1plus blog has also made a relevant entry on this subject matter (in Armenian)
Monday, 1 December 2008
Saturday, 29 November 2008
Reports: Samantha Power is back on board of Obama’s foreign policy team
Few weeks ago I wrote about speculations on potential return of Samantha Power to Obama’s foreign policy team. Samantha Power is a Pulitzer Prize winning author and renowned anti-genocide and human rights activist. She is pretty influential and considered as “pro-Armenian”. In February 2008, Samantha Power has taped a “powerful 5-minute video reviewing presidential hopeful Barack Obama's support for Armenian issues, and encouraging Armenian Americans to vote for him in the upcoming primaries”, as reported by the Armenian National Committee of America.The main impediment to her return was an incident during Obama’s pre-election campaign, when Samantha Power called Hillary Clinton a “monster”. She then resigned from Obama’s presidential campaign team.
However, according to the reports coming out from the US, Samantha Power is back on board of Obama’s foreign policy team. The Huffington Post reports:
“WASHINGTON — An adviser to Barack Obama's presidential campaign who was forced to resign earlier this year after calling Sen. Hillary Rodham Cllinton a "monster" is now working on the transition team for the agency Clinton is expected to lead.
State Department officials said Friday that Samantha Power is among a group of foreign policy experts that the president-elect's office selected to help the incoming administration prepare for Clinton's anticipated nomination as secretary of state. The Obama transition team's Web site includes Power's name as one of 14 members of the "Agency Review Team" for the State Department.
Clinton's role at State is expected to be announced after the Thanksgiving weekend. Power's apparent rehabilitation is another sign of that impending move.
Clinton's office declined to comment on Power's inclusion in the State Department transition, but an official close to the Obama transition team said Power had "made a gesture to bury the hatchet" with Clinton and that it had been well-received.
Power has been given an official State Department e-mail address and has been seen in the building, said the State officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly about the transition. A State Department spokesman referred questions to Obama's transition team, which later declined to comment.”
*photo - via Mail Online
Quote of the Day
Awards are like haemorrhoids. Sooner or later every asshole gets one.
*Sarah Morton (Charlotte Rampling), Swimming Pool (2003), François Ozon
*Sarah Morton (Charlotte Rampling), Swimming Pool (2003), François Ozon
Wednesday, 26 November 2008
RIP: Lycos-Armenia
A1plus: "A leading IT Company Lycos-Armenia is closing down. The administration has informed the staff about the company's closure at a special meeting minutes ago. Employees were notified of the menace of closure weeks ago. Lycos-Armenia is a development and operations center for the business units of Lycos Europe. The company employs some 1000 people [Unzipped: other sources put the number at around 700 people], the best specialists of the sphere. Presently, the company neither confirms nor denies the information. Details will be given later in the day."Here are some relevant world news headlines:
Lycos Europe admits defeat in search for investor
Lycos Europe Cries “Uncle!”
Lycos Europe to close portal, end Web hosting
Kings of the chess
They did it!! - Armenia wins 2nd consecutive Chess Olympiad gold.Congrats!!
They will get heroes reception today upon return to Yerevan.
*photo - by Photolur, via ArmeniaNow
Tuesday, 25 November 2008
Monday, 24 November 2008
Congratulations: we are officially a “medium-income country”
Well, apparently, this transition for Armenia from the “low-income country” to the “medium-income country” happened at the beginning of 2006. For this very reason, the UK government announced today suspension of its “assistance programme to Armenia”.
Taking into consideration that at the beginning of 2006 Armenia was included in the list of medium-income countries, and the assistance policy of the UK Department of International Development is mainly targeted at the implementation of programs in low-income countries, the UK Government has decided to suspend the assistance program to Armenia at the end of 2008.
Rock Aid Armenia - Smoke on the water
I cannot believe I had no idea about this music project. Just found the link to this YouTube video via Propeller.
Must see!
“This was a joint humanitarian effort by an elite group of musicians who gathered at Metropolis Studios in Chiswick, London on July 8, 1989 for a project to raise money to help those affected by the Leninakan [Gyumri] Earthquake of 1988 that struck Armenia. Bryan Adams, Ritchie Blackmore, Bruce Dickinson, Keith Emerson, Ian Gillan, David Gilmour, John Paul Jones, Tony Iommi, Alex Lifeson, Jon Lord, Brian May, Adrian Smith, Paul Rodgers, Chris Squire and Roger Taylor.”
Must see!
“This was a joint humanitarian effort by an elite group of musicians who gathered at Metropolis Studios in Chiswick, London on July 8, 1989 for a project to raise money to help those affected by the Leninakan [Gyumri] Earthquake of 1988 that struck Armenia. Bryan Adams, Ritchie Blackmore, Bruce Dickinson, Keith Emerson, Ian Gillan, David Gilmour, John Paul Jones, Tony Iommi, Alex Lifeson, Jon Lord, Brian May, Adrian Smith, Paul Rodgers, Chris Squire and Roger Taylor.”
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