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NSW parliament’s lower house adopts motion recognizing genocides

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May 8, 2013 – 11:21 AMT

The New South Wales Parliament’s Legislative Assembly (Lower House) adopted a unanimous motion recognizing the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek 157556genocides. This follows a similar motion passed by the NSW Parliament Legislative Council (Upper House) last week.

This motion, introduced by the Premier of New South Wales, Barry O’Farrell, formally recognised the Assyrian and Greek genocides, while at the same time reaffirming the historical reality of the Armenian Genocide.

Last week’s Legislative Council motion was introduced by the Hon. Rev Fred Nile. That motion was also passed unanimously.

The Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC Australia), Vache Kahramanian remarked: “Today is a historic day for the great state of New South Wales. Once again it has stood as a shining beacon in ensuring that the historical reality of the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek genocides are never forgotten.”

152641“We thank the New South Wales Parliament, and in particularly the Honourable Barry O’Farrell MP – the Premier of New South Wales – for introducing the motion to the house and to all Members for standing on the side of truth on this important issue.”

The passing is the result of the combined advocacy efforts of the Armenian National Committee of Australia, the Assyrian Universal Alliance, and the Australian Hellenic Council.

NSW is Australia’s largest state, and the first state in Australia to have recognised the Armenian Genocide in 1997.

Bones of Dersim massacre victims found 76 years later (Another Turkish government crime against Humanity and ethnic cleansing Exposed)

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Another Turkish government crime against Humanity and ethnic cleansing Exposed (Turkey the truth has no shelf life)
6 May 2013 /ALİ HAYDAR GÖZLÜ, TUNCELİ
A group of jkemikournalists and relatives of the victims of a 1937 massacre in the predominantly Alevi region of Dersim have found some bones probably belonging to the victims after carrying out a search in a cave in which many killings took place.

The notorious massacre occurred in 1937 in Dersim, which was historically a semi-autonomous region, as a brutal response to rebellious events. The alleged rebellion was led by Seyyid Rıza, the head of a Zaza tribe in the region. The Turkish government at the time, led by then-Republican People’s Party (CHP) head İsmet İnönü, responded with air strikes and other violent methods of suppression, killing thousands of people.

It is estimated that as many as 70,000 Kurdish Alevis were killed in Dersim between 1937 and 1938. The bodies of many of the victims are still missing.

In a bid to find some remains, a group of relatives of the victims and journalists searched the Laç Cave, where the killing of hundreds of people took place. After searching for about 11 hours, the group found bones most probably belonging to the Dersim massacre victims.

Entry to the area the group searched is prohibited to the public for security reasons; however, the group violated the prohibition.

One of the victims’ relatives, Hıdır Çiçek, said his uncle, cousins and many other family members died in the incident and that his father barely survived. Çiçek said he could not hold back his tears when he saw the bones.

Shell casings produced in 1935 were also discovered in the cave.

Çiçek said many of the people hiding in that cave were his relatives. “I remember everything my father told me about this cave and everything seems so familiar to me. Although it is the first time I have come here, I feel like I have stayed in this cave. What more can I say after I have seen these [bones]? There is another cave somewhere in this area, too, and most of the people who survived back then survived thanks to this cave,” he said.

His father told Çiçek that there were 500 to 1,000 people hiding in the Laç Cave. He demanded that the cave be turned into a monument honoring the victims of the massacre.

Laç Cave is one of the largest caves in the area. When many people were killed in Dersim at the time, about 500 people fled and hid in the cave, where they spent many days with little food and water. The majority of those hiding in the cave were women and children. It is believed that when one woman left the cave to get some water from a stream, soldiers found out about the people hiding in the cave and air strikes were carried out.

Turkey hopes nuclear partner France will review ‘genocide’ stance (Another Turkish government Genocide denial tactic by using Economic leverage)

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Another Turkish government Genocide denial tactic by using Economic leverage to corrupt business leaders and government officials around the world. Sorry Turkey the truth has no shelf life sooner or later you will. Stop camouflaging your crime against Humanity and ethnic cleansing with $$$$.

6 May 2013 /TODAY’S ZAMAN, İSTANBUL
Ankara is expectnukleering to see Paris weigh its stance on Armenian genocide claims rather more carefully amid improving trade ties, Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yıldız told reporters Monday in Ankara.

France’s GDF Suez will partner with Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd and Itochu Corporation to build Turkey’s second nuclear power plant at an estimated cost of $22 billion under an agreement signed last week. The consortium will use French nuclear group Areva’s Atmea reactors.

Yıldız’s remarks on Monday come on the heels of speculation in French and Turkish media that the nuclear deal will benefit the political relations between Paris and Ankara, which have been strained by the former’s recognition of killings of Armenians at the hands of Ottoman Turks during World War I as genocide. Ankara last year rejected requests by two French firms to be involved in Turkish nuclear power projects amid Turkish anger at a French bill making it illegal to deny that the mass killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks a century ago was genocide.

Observers argued the French stance on the issue would continue to test Turkey’s patience as the 100th anniversary of 1915 events approaches. It is known that the Armenian diaspora is pushing for a worldwide initiative in 2015.

Recalling that the French government is aware of the need to break the ice in ties with Turkey, Yıldız said he expected the latest energy deal to serve this end. “We unfortunately failed to bring about a rapprochement during the [former President Nicolas] Sarkozy term. …last week’s deal is a positive step to see this happen,” Yıldız remarked. The minister said although it is too early to expect concrete steps from France in this regard, he believed energy matters in political relations today more than ever before.

Apart from the genocide claims, Turkey also hopes to see France soften its stance on the Ankara’s bid to join the EU. Yıldız had earlier said Turkey would expect gestures from Paris on its EU bid. Prior to the nuclear deal, the French government agreed in February to the opening of talks on one of the five negotiating chapters that it has been blocking since former President Sarkozy’s term in office.

Turkey to decide IPOs for nuke plant by October

Ankara is weighing a possible move to make public certain shares in a company that is going to be established as part of a project to build Turkey’s second nuclear power plant, Minister Yıldız said Monday in Ankara.

In line with the deal signed between Turkey and Japan, the parties will establish a separate company to undertake the construction and operation of the nuclear plant in Sinop province. A 51 percent share in this company will belong to Japan, with the rest in Turkey’s hands. Yıldız said the government mulled two alternative plans: “One is we give the entire 49 percent to the Electricity Generation Company [EÜAŞ], and the second plan is to keep EÜAŞ’s share at around 30 percent and either give the rest to local private firms or trade them on the stock exchange.” Yıldız said his ministry consulted with the Treasury for a possible IPO and will reach a final decision after deliberations with the participation of the Prime Minister’s Office.

An Energy Ministry official told Today’s Zaman on Monday that the government would make clear the initial public offering (IPO) issue in the planned nuclear company by October. “We will ink the final contracts on the nuclear plant in October, and this is when the government should decide on the IPO,” he said.

In an earlier deal, Russia’s Rosatom will start construction of Turkey’s first nuclear power station in mid-2015 in Mersin’s Akkuyu district.

Turkey guarantees the procurement of electric power from the two nuclear plants during the 20 years following their completion. Ankara will pay $12.35 per kilowatt hour (kWh) to Russia and $11.8 to Japan.

Five-storied buildings to be built in 3 Armenian cities for Syrian-Armenians

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11:59, 6 May, 2013

YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. Special sites have been chosen in the cities of Ashtarak, Ejmiadzin and Masis for the construction of buildings and detached houses for the Syrian-Armenians settled in the Republic of Armenia. In a conversation with “Armenpress” the Head of Staff of the Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia Firdus 717843Zakaryan stated that in case of successful implementation of the program, other sites will also be allocated in future.

Among other things Firdus Zakaryan underlined: “Buildings must be built in the site. There are three elements in the programs. The Government of the Republic of Armenia will also contribute to the program. The Government will take care about the issue of allocation of the sites. The Syrian-Armenian family will pay for certain part of the cost, and the rest will be paid by the sponsor. The first sponsor has already been found.  Upon the wish of the Syrian Armenians detached houses will be built as well. Notwithstanding in this case only the person, who wants to have a detached house must take care of the whole costs.” Firdus Zakaryan did not want to name the sponsor yet. The Yerevan State University of Architecture and Construction will introduce the construction project free of charge. The Union of Architects of Armenia has also put forward certain suggestions. The sites were allocated on the order of the President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan.

Turkish Authorities Involved in Stealing Body Organs of Injured Syrians victims (Another Turkish crime against humanity)

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BEIRUT, (SANA)- The Lebanese ad-Diyar newspaper revealed that the Turkish authorities are involved in trafficking the body organs of injured Syrians who reach the Turkish territories.

In its issue on Saturday, the newspaper said the Turkish authorities transport young Syrian injured of those who enter Turkey to hospitals in Antalya and Iskenderun in cars 20130504-143429_h480531guarded by Turkish police and intelligence.

It added that the injured Syrians have their body organs excised after being anesthetized to be later killed and mostly buried in the Turkish lands or sent to the border.

The newspaper noted that the body organs of the injured people that are mostly trafficked are livers, kidneys and hearts to be given to people who are waiting for treatment in Turkey, according to confirmed information.

A French doctor confirmed to Ad-Diyar that stealing of human body organs of injured Syrians in Turkey has actually taken place.

The Lebanese newspaper pointed out that European scientific websites known for their credibility revealed acts of stealing body organs that took place at Antalya Hospital, noting that body organ theft and transplantation operations have increased in Turkey over the past two years since the beginning of the crisis in Syria.

It added that Syrian doctors who have come from Germany, France and Belgium to treat the injured have found out about human body organ stealing, but were prevented from getting any information by the Turkish army.

Ad-Diyar stressed that Turkish doctors confirmed that out of 62,000 civilian and military injured people who were transported to Turkey, body organs of 15,622 of them were excised, with the injured people sent back to Syria to be buried.

The newspaper cited an incident when families of one of those sent to be buried in Syria opened the coffin only to discover the truth, noting that the Syrian doctors were prevented from seeing any of the dead bodies inside Turkey.

Ad-Diyar said the World Health Organization has started an immediate investigation into the issue and asked the Turkish Health Ministry to provide a list of the number of organ transplantation surgeries performed over many years for comparison and the names of the patients.

H. Said

R-Mean and his supporters raise Genocide awareness through “Our Wounds” movement – INTERVIEW

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May 04, 2013 | 00:20

By Anna Ghazaryan

Armenian media outlets have recently published a photo of The Game wearing a T-shirt with “Our Wounds Are Still Open-1915” – the name of a movement launched Vanes_Martirosyanahead of the 98th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Meanwhile, “Open Wounds” song by R-Mean was quickly spread in the Armenian social networks. It was revealed that the movement was organized by a group of American Armenian young people who wanted to pay tribute to the Armenian Genocide victims and raise Genocide awareness all over the globe. Those who were behind the idea – rapper R-Mean and active Armenian community member from Boston Zareh Zurabyan told about the project in an interview with Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Who is the author of this movement? How did the idea come along to write “Our Wounds Are Still Open-1915”? Who designed it and whose idea was it to have a design like that?

R-Mean: My manager Alex Kodo and I had the idea of making a new video for this song because we knew it was a jewel. And along with it we wanted to do t-shirts….  I had written the song and called it “Open Wounds” so I felt like the shirt had to make the same statement as the song. “Our Wounds Are Still Open” was perfect. It was Alex’s idea to add the “1915”.  Then we contacted our graphic designer, the owner of “Extra Good” clothing line, Narek Churukyan who we sat down and did the actual design with.

How did you start to spread the shirts? What makes people of other nationalities buy the shirt?

Zareh: The social medias were very helpful in spreading the new video, and the shirt sales. R-Mean having a huge following throughout the world specifically in the West Coast of USA, and me having a large connection here in the East Coast specifically Massachusetts, Boston and Rhode Island, Providence and NY, Brooklyn, I was able to spread the shirts around here. We kind of combined our large network of friends and jointly promoted the video and the shirts. Everybody was happy to be part of the movement, and to help the cause. Having all my friends and family being back home in Armenia, some studying abroad in Germany, Moscow, France, R-Mean having family and fans back in Amsterdam and other parts of the world, it was easy to spread the word and have all the communities in these cities to buy the shirts – especially when they knew the proceeds will go to ArmeniaFund.

 

Just from top of my head, shirts were bought from all over USA, Canada, UK, Norway, Sweden, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Dubai, Budapest, Lebanon, Syria, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, and of course Armenia.

What got other races to buy the shirt has to do with couple of things. One of the reasons is the design of the shirt. Just from a style point of view, the design and the colors that are used are modern and it speaks to the youth. People want to wear it to look good. Another reason is the saying, it is different, and it doesn’t say Armenian Genocide on it as many other shirts say, which in turn isolates us from others. In this case the shirt is somewhat universal. It can be related to many injustices in the world that are not recognized. The 1915 pinpoints the Armenian Genocide, but the Wounds can be related to many other injustices. As Martin Luther King Jr said, “Injustice anywhere, is threat to justice everywhere.”

How did The Game decide to wear the shirt?

Zareh: The Game and R-Mean are both from California, and they did a song together called “Lost Angels” before, so when the “Open Wounds” movement started, the mutual respect between them resulted in The Game to pay his respect to the victims of the Genocide, and to the large Armenian community in California. It was very nice of him and it is greatly appreciated.

What other famous people were wearing the shirts, except for The Game? How did it happen that Kim Kardashian’s fan page posted the video?

R-Mean: It was important for us to show how many people in position, and people outside of the Armenian community were supporting this “Open Wounds” movement… We started contacting our connects in the music industry and really just anyone with a following that we knew people look up to and asked them if they wanted to be a part of this and support. We had legendary radio DJ’s Julio G, Romeo of Tha Goodfellas, Sway from MTV and Tech on the world famous Wake Up Show (on Eminem’s radio station Shade45)… We had Armenians like boxer Vanes Martirosyan, UFC fighter Manny Gamburyan, Dj Vick One, Capital Z, Maria Cozette, Hrach Titizian, Super Sako, and so many more… We had Singer/Actress Farrah Franklin (formerly from Destiny’s child), and then of course The Game. These are all people we knew and they respected the movement and what we were trying to do so they supported. They posted pictures and the video online for all of their huge followings to see. We also got in touch with Congressman Adam Schiff who has always supported the Armenian cause in Congress. Our fans started reaching out to The Kardashians on twitter, IG, and FB telling them about the “Open wounds” song and the movement… Eventually they posted it on Kim’s official fan page. That was real cool.

“Open Wounds” song was loved by many people and it was widely spread in the Armenian social media very quickly. Please tell a little bit how it was written and who did the video?

R-Mean: Several years ago I had the idea of doing this song. A genocide song named “Open Wounds”. I knew which producer I wanted to do it and I knew which singer I wanted on it.  I also knew I wanted it to have duduk samples so I collected a lot of duduk CDs and took them to my producer Blind. He made the beat… And then I took the beat to Soseh. As soon as I played it she came up with the idea to use “Kilikia” I hadn’t thought of doing the chorus in Armenian but when she said it I felt it was genius. Then I just put my heart into the verses and that was it. It truly came together magically.

My manager Alex Kodo, who is also my director, did the video. He also did the video for my last song “Lost Angels” with The Game. But “Open Wounds” was all him. From the ideas, the footages, the concepts, the editing, everything… He really killed it.

What other ideas do you have to raise awareness about the Armenian Genocide?

R-Mean: As a Hip Hop artist, this is what I do. I put the message in my music and try to reach as many youth as possible and as many non-Armenians as possible. The song and the video will continue the spread… But more importantly we will be spreading the shirts all year long. This is not a once a year in April thing. We will keep spreading these because a good looking t-shirt is a great way of making a statement and spreading the message. Everyone keeps asking what that t-shirt means.

Zareh: Like R-Mean said, Hip-Hop is the voice of the youth, and his song has aided me enormously in promoting the shirts and the awareness here in Boston. Local artists here like G-Eyez, Tha Jist, Chris aka Chief, Dark Blue and many more who have never heard of the Armenian Genocide or have, but didn’t know how to pay their respect to the cause or bring awareness, reposted the video on their social networks. It was very nice of them to do so and I thank them for it. I went to the AYF Boston chapter and presented them with the shirts, went to High Schools, many of my friends in different business areas wore the shirts, and we only got positive feedback.

Boston Armenian community had been very passive these last couple of years. The protests have had minimal participation from the youth. A lot of the kids didn’t seem to have that passion that the elder generations used to have. So when the Boston community saw an artist like R-Mean being so passionate in his song for everyone to see, and spreading awareness on such a limelight along with these famous artists – it injected this fresh breeze of pride in the youth.

It got to a point where I would see random people in the most unexpected places wearing the shirts. It is beautiful. Best part is that people always ask what the shirt says, so we are inclined to inform them of our history.

April 24th, 2013 is over, I am still getting orders almost every day, Armenian and non-Armenian. It is a beautiful thing and I am very proud of the Boston Armenian Community for their support, passion, and enthusiasm. Boston community is passionate once again, and excited to do next year’s protest in the newly founded Armenian Heritage Park in downtown for the Armenian Genocide Victims. We worked 5 years to finally get our own park here in Massachusetts, and we finally got it. It is time that we use that park with pride.

 

AYF Calls on USC to Retract Invitation of Turkish Vice Consul Tolga Arslan

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LOS ANGELES—The Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) has raised concern regarding the University of Southern California (USC) Center for Public Diplomacy’s decision to invite Tolga Arslan, Turkish Vice-Consul, to speak at the Association of Public Diplomacy Scholars (APDS) Conference on Friday, May 3.

USC_Logo-1024x320The conference is held annually and has four panels this year focusing on Public Diplomacy’s Domestic Dimensions, Public Diplomacy in Conflict Zones, and Diasporas and Consular Diplomacy. Togla Arslan has been invited to speak on the subject of Diasporas and Consular Diplomacy in order to share his public diplomacy strategies and the most effective ways of engaging with their diasporas. Arslan is not only a representative of a government that actively denies the Armenian Genocide, but he also actively works with organizations in the Diaspora that advocate for the denial of genocide.  This concern should not only be a concern to the Armenian community and to human rights advocates, but to the USC faculty and students as well. Inviting a representative of a government that does not engage in just practices in diplomacy reflects negatively upon the department and its credibility.

It is important that those attending this conference are educated and aware of the ongoing human rights violations by the Turkish government. USC should not allow representatives of foreign governments that have one of the worst human rights violation records to influence our education in the United States. It is important that we be critical and that we speak out when we see individuals like Arslan, through his government, attempting to influence our educational system.

The Armenian Youth Federation calls on the USC Center for Public Diplomacy to retract its invitation to Tolga Arslan, and to be truly critical of the representatives that they invite for future panels.

On November 1, Arslan was invited to be the keynote speaker at the UCLA Bruin Model UN conference, where he was supposed to deliver the introductory speech to the conference participants. Arslan canceled his appearance at the last minute due to the combined efforts of the Armenian Youth Federation Western Region (AYF-WR), Armenian National Committee of America Western Region (ANCA-WR), and the UCLA Armenian Student Association (ASA). The BruinMUN organizers thanked the Armenian community for their steadfast commitment to the principles of truth, justice, and human rights.

Founded in 1933, the Armenian Youth Federation is the largest and most influential Armenian American youth organization in the United States, working to advance the social, political, educational and cultural awareness of Armenian-American youth.

Illinois to host Ottoman Genocides of Anatolian Christians symposium (Armenian, Assyrian and Greek)

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May 2, 2013 – 14:57 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Less than a month after the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center ran its first program on the Armenian Genocide, a two-day symposium covering even more ground is slated for the same venue, Skokie Review reported.

156723The Ottoman Turkish Genocides of Anatolian Christians: A Common Case Study will draw scholars from around the world to present original research on the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek genocides.

The conference, due on May 10-11, is moderated by Zoryan Institute Executive Director George Shirinian, who edited the book: “The Asia Minor Catastrophe and the Ottoman Greek Genocide: Essays on Asia Minor, Pontos, and Eastern Thrace, 1913–1923.”

Organizers include the Armenian National Committee, the Assyrian Center for Genocide Studies and the Asia Minor and Pontos Hellenic Center, which was founded by George Mavropoulos.

Concept Schools, Illinois, and the Turkish Imam Gulen Movement

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By: Sharon Higgins
Introduction
On March 19, 2013, the Illinois State Charter School Commission approved two new Chicagocharter schools to be operated by Concept Schools. The gulen__fethulah_with_korandecision reversed a ruling by ChicagoPublic Schools.Concept Schools is a charter management organization associated with the Gulen movement, areligious group with a global reach that originated in Turkey forty years ago. The movement isinvolved with business, media, interfaith dialogue, and Turkish culture promotional activities
 –
  but it is especially known for its focus on establishing schools. People in Turkey are familiar with the movement and aware of its connection to certain Turkishschools. People in other countries who are not familiar with themovement may only notice that a local school is“Turkish run.
 To date, members of the Gulen movement have opened hundreds of  private
schools in over 100countries around the world, as well as 135 charter schools in the United States. The creation of charter school law presented the Gulen movement with the opportunity to establish schools in theUS that would be fully funded by American taxpayers.The founders of Concept Schools opened the movements first charter schools in 1999, twoHorizon Science Academy schools in Ohio. Today, Concept is a regional organization thatoperates 27 charter schools in seven Midwestern states, two of which are Illinois: the ChicagoMath and Science Academy and Quest Charter Academy in Peoria.This report will provide readers with a basic understanding about the Gulen movement, itsstructure in the US, and some of the activities in which it is engaged, especially as they relate tothe
movement’s charter schools in Illinois. It contains the following sections:

The real motivation of the Gulen movement — charter schools and all — is to accumulate political and financial resources to further the transformation of Turkey itself, according to JoshuaHendrick, assistant professor of sociology and global studies at Loyola University in Maryland and perhaps the leading U.S. scholar of Gulen.

Portland Press Herald (1)

read more on http://perimeterprimate.blogspot.com/

By: Sharon Higgins

Pope Francis: Great powers “washed their hands” during Armenian Genocide

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12:28, 1 May, 2013

YEREVAN, MAY 1, ARMENPRESS: During the Holocaust the great powers “washed their hands”, as they knew more than talked about. They did not state that during 717283the Armenian Genocide as well they “washed their hands”. As reported by Armenpress, quoting the Diario Armenia, this was stated by Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the current Pope of Rome Francis in the book “Sobre el Cielo y la Tierra”, published jointly with the Argentinean rabbi Abraham Skorka in 2010. The book was recently republished.

The Pope of Rome Francis noted that in the 20th century they destroyed villages, considering themselves to be gods. “Turks did that with Armenians, Germans – with Jewish people, Stalin’s communists – with Ukrainians”.

Jorge Mario Bergoglio wrote: “If thinking about the paradise a person does not struggle for his rights, he is under the influence of opium. People, who overcame persuasion and massacres, as during the three largest genocides of the last century towards Armenians, Jewish and Ukrainians, struggled for their freedom”.

The book reveals the viewpoints of the Pope of Rome Francis about the church, religion and belief. It also touches upon atheism, death, abortion, Holocaust, homosexuality and capitalism.