Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online

Today Armenia marked the 18th Anniversary of the anti-Armenian pogroms that took place in the industrial city of Sumgait in Eastern Azerbaijan. The violence that left 32 Armenians dead marked the start of inter-ethnic conflict over the territory of Nagorno Karabakh that later turned into full scale war. Unfortunately, I missed the main event in Yerevan’s Republic Square, but was at least able to accompany a group of a few hundred students from Amirian Street to Tsitsernakaberd.

(more…)

From: Onnik Krikorian
Date: Sun, 26 Feb 2006 02:51:58 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Letter on the ArmeniaNow article “New Society…”

26 February 2006

Re. http://www.groong.com/news/msg138826.html

Dear Groong,

Armenia Now’s article, New Society, New Problems, New Solution, on 24 February 2006 failed to chronicle the series of events that led to the opening of the first ever homeless shelter in Yerevan. In fact, it was a series of articles published in Hetq Online at the beginning of 2005 as well as a documentary film produced by Hetq’s Editor-in-Chief and Yerkir Media TV that forced the Armenian government to allocate funds for the shelter opened last month.

Unfortunately, even then, the government had to be forced not to postpone the opening until March by another series of articles on the homeless published at the beginning of January and further collaboration between Hetq and the Yerkir Media and Shoghakat TV stations. It also took a threat from an anonymous Diasporan donor to hold a press conference to accuse the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of incompetence and the mishandling of his donations to have the shelter opened on time.

Even when it was, however, the first homeless to be admitted into the shelter had to be physically transferred there by Hetq Online and Vem Radio in a van borrowed from the Zatic Children’s Home (Orphanage). The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs refused to do so, citing lack of money for petrol. All of this was well documented by Hetq Online articles that were reproduced in the local Armenian print media and through my blog at:

http://oneworld.blogsome.com/category/homelessness/

Sincerely,
Onnik Krikorian

—
Oneworld Multimedia
http://www.oneworld.am

When I sent the letter, which can be temporarily found at http://groong.usc.edu/news/msg138915.html, to Groong, I also cc-ed Armenia Now. However, I have yet to receive a response, let alone an explaination.

Arami Street Hunger Striker, UN Building, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online

As detailed frequently on this blog, as well as in articles and personal correspondence since 2001 despite the risk of incurring the wrath of many in the Diaspora who consider that the “development” of central Yerevan is “progress,” the controversy over the “construction boom” continues. This time, EurasiaNet publishes an article by RFE/RL’s Emil Danielyan. Basically, in a country so poor, the erection of luxury office and apartment buildings can hardly be considered “natural.”

An ongoing construction boom has kept Armenia’s economic growth in double digits in recent years, but at the same time has laid bare serious problems with the rule of law and growing social inequality. Hundreds of Armenians have been forced to vacate their homes, later torn down to make room for expensive residential and office buildings. Some have resisted eviction by staging street protests, going on hunger strikes and even threatening to commit suicide.

(more…)

Raffi Hovannisian, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online

Following the return of U.S. born former Foreign Minister Raffi Hovannisian to the political scene in Armenia, and after his much publicized detention by agents of the National Security Service — the former KGB — at Zvartnots Airport, it now looks like the Government is doing all it can to dirty the Hovannisian family name. According to Hetq Online, Public TV appears to be playing a significant role in attempts to destroy the image of one of Armenia’s most respected public figures.

Anchorperson Tatevik Baghdasaryan presented the report, entitled Charity as Political Business, with the following introduction:

“The activity of public charity organizations in Armenia is based mainly on donations from Diasporan philanthropists – on their money. And where there is money, there is temptation. The question of whether philanthropists’ money always serves charitable purposes is of interest, first of all, to those who don’t hesitate to provide portions of their earnings on a regular basis to those in need. Among these people is Armenian-American Jack Berberian, a philanthropist who is well known and widely respected within the community. Haylur ’s investigative team has tried to find out how [they are used] and what purposes charitable donations serve?” (For the full text, see: www.armtv.com).

The Haylur “investigative team”, anxious about how Jack Berberian’s money was being spent in Armenia, alleged that “the funds raised by the executive director of JAA, Armine Hovhannisian (the wife of former Foreign Minister Raffi Hovhannisian), in America are allotted to her husband’s political activity, to collecting signatures in support of Hovhannisian’s receiving Armenian citizenship, etc. The important question is whether Jack Berberian, who finances the program, is aware of all this. Does he know that the money he has provided for the education of Armenia’s youth is invested in a family business that serves one man’s political ambitions? Certainly not, because the Diaspora has made it clear from the very beginning of Armenia’s independence that it was important to them that donations reach their target.”

(more…)

Specialized Children’s Home, Kharberd, Ararat Region, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online

Today, as part of ongoing work on children in residential care in Armenia, I visited a new center for adults with mental disabilities on the outskirts of Yerevan. This is especially interesting for me given my ongoing project on the Kharberd Specialized Children’s Home. Although conditions there have improved significantly since the early to mid 1990s, when the institution was hit by scandal after scandal, there still remains the problem of what happens to the kids when they reach the age of 18.

(more…)

Politics doesn’t seem to figure at all in this week’s roundup of the Armenian English-language blogosphere, or at least in those posts relating to the Republic itself. Culture, however, does. Over at Blogrel, for example, Harmick says that the lyrics for Armenia’s entry in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest have been released, but laments the fact that nobody checked them first.

What I say, what I hide
Without your love?
What I have in my mind
Without your love?

Leaving out the word “will” makes the sentences senseless. Nevertheless, lets hope the music makes up for this.

Armenia will be represented by local singer and heart-throb Andre. Nevertheless, it has to be said that some concern has to be raised by the less than open way in which this singer has been chosen to represent his country. For example, a national competition chooses who will represent the UK whereas Armenia has apparently yet to hear this song.

(more…)

By Nessuna

Christina at Local Life in Armenia talks about her last visit to the “World of Books” bookstore on Mashtots avenue. It is with great pleasure that she visits bookstores because of a huge collection she can find there.

Now you have to choose between Steiner, Pascal, Hesse, Markes (you have to choose because books are not that cheap in comparative terms of course). There are also many books of Armenian writers, especially young ones. A church sponsored the publication of a stunning collection of medieval Armenian poems.

However, Russian publications still dominate, and there is not much literature in foreign languages. Still, there are a couple of things Armenian bookstores lack to make Christina happy — that is reading halls and an opportunity to subscribe.

(more…)

British-Armenian Photographer Among World Press Photo Award Winners

The morning of July 7 2005 was the same as any other for Edmond Terakopian, a photographer with the British Press Association (PA), until his cell phone rang during a photo shoot at London’s Natural History Museum. Along with 20 other photographers, Edmond was waiting to photograph the world’s largest uncut diamond.

The voice on the other end of the phone, however, had a new assignment for the British-Armenian photographer. Reports were coming in of an explosion at the Aldgate East Tube (Metro) Station. No other details were known.

According to Edmond’s personal account of that fateful day, it wasn’t long before the full horror that was to bring the London Tube to a halt became apparent. The British capital was under attack. A second phone call from the Press Association reporting another explosion at the Edgeware Road Tube station made that all too clear. “My heart sank. This was no longer an accident,” remembered Edmond in his account published by the Digital Journalist online magazine.

“How can there be two explosions […] in the same morning? I knew it must be terrorism.”

What followed then made headline news across the globe. However, only few people in Armenia knew that one of the most prolific photographers sending images out on the wire that week was Edmond, a friend that I have been fortunate enough to know for 12 years. Tireless in his dedication and commitment to his work, Edmond is a true professional and, unlike most other Armenian photographers, has always spared what little time he has free to encourage others.

I can count myself among the number of photographers that have benefited from his advice over the years.

(more…)

Aram, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online

Armenia Now has just published an article on the opening of Yerevan’s first ever shelter for the homeless. Unfortunately, their story is very far removed from the truth so if you really want to know how Hetq Online, Yerkir Media TV, an anonymous Diasporan donor, and a priest forced the government to open the shelter, you can be read all my posts at:

http://oneworld.blogsome.com/category/homelessness/

Certainly, it has to be said that if there was one person who almost single-handedly brought public and government attention towards the plight of the homeless in Yerevan it is Edik Baghdasarian, Editor-in-Chief of Hetq Online. Ironically, Armenia Now knows this all too well, so I’m surprised that they missed the opportunity to report the real story.

In Tim’s Russo latest account of the 1998 presidential elections the former NDI employee remembers the emergence of It’s Your Choice as the largest domestic observation mission in Armenia. As I spent the day of the 27 November 2005 referendum with Harout Hambartsumian, head of IYC, this blast from the past is particularly interesting.

IYC was funded by NDI. Every penny that paid for the room in which the meeting was held, the salaries of the people around the table, the programming which they conducted, came from the US taxpayer, through a Congressional appropriation, to the US Agency for International Development, to NDI through a grant, from NDI to IYC. The organization would not exist without NDI. Under other circumstances, the meeting would have been an NDI program, top to bottom. But not today.

“Harout,” I said looking up from the floor, “I am just here to observe this meeting. You have to decide, IYC has to decide, what it wants to do during these elections.” Then Harout looked down at the floor as I continued. “Whatever you decide, we will support fully.”

He looked back up at me. “I think they want to hear from you.” He saw it less as a matter of protocol than of substance. “This is a crucial moment for IYC.”

[…]

“Harout, this isn’t my country, it’s yours.” We looked each other in the eye. “I am not going to be the one living here six months from now after this election,” I said, then pointed to the room, “…they will.” Harout looked down at the floor again and began nodding. “You will.” I kept looking at him. “It’s not my ass on the line with this decision…it’s yours.”

Read Tim’s post in full here.

A week and half ago I linked to a story on the possible role of Azerbaijan and Iran’s large Azerbaijani minority in any action against the Islamic Republic. This is not the first time that the idea of promoting nationalism among Iran’s large Azeri minority living on Armenia’s southern border has been made, although that’s not to downplay the importance of minority rights in any country.

There’s more information on South Azerbaijan at http://www.travel-images.com/az-south.html.

Currently the main voice for the Azeri population in the Islamic Republic is the National Liberation Movement of Southern Azerbaijan (NLMSA), headed by Piruz Dilenchy. The organization was created in 1996, when six Azeri political parties merged. The Iranian government has accused Turkey of being involved with the NLMSA. The movement is quite vocal in it struggle and has organized several demonstrations recently, mainly in Tabriz, which were violently broke up by the Iranian police.

Recently the Azeri population and the Iranian authorities have clashed over the election of Mahmood-Ali Chehregani to the Teheran parliament. He is an outspoken defender of Azeri rights and an opposer to forced ‘Persianization’ of South Azerbaijan. The Iranian authorities have barred him from taking his seat in parliament and have even been accused of torture.

It’s also not an old idea.

The Democratic Republic of South Azerbaijan, or Azerbaijan People’s Government, was a Soviet backed, shortlived attempt (November 1945-November 1946) to acclaim autonomy for the region of Azarbaijan in Iran.

Following the Soviet occupation of parts of northern Iran during the Second World War attempts were made to secede Turkish parts of Nortwestern Iran by the Azerbaijani Democratic Party under the leadership of Sayyid Jafar Pishevari.

These attempts culminated in November 1945 in the creation of a government based in Tabriz. The first and only Prime Minister of this new and shortlived Republic was Prime Minister Ahmad Kordary (variously spelled Kordari or Kodari). Prime Minister Kordary was jailed for many years by the Shah and later released due to the tireless efforts of his brother Kazem Kordary. Following pressure by Western powers, the Soviet Union reneged on its support to the new republic and Iranian military succeeded in re-establishing Iranian rule in November 1946. Many of the leaders sought refuge in the Azerbaijan SSR.

Certainly, blogs such as http://southazerbayjan.blogspot.com/ and http://southazarbaijan.blogspot.com/ remind me of the Kurdish separatist movement in Turkey. This is especially true when it comes to calls for cultural and linguistic rights for Iran’s large Azeri minority.