August 23, 2012 | 10:00

Thursday, August 23, 2012 marks the 22nd anniversary of Armenia’s Declaration of Independence.

Exactly 22 years ago on this very day, Armenian SSR Supreme Council adopted Armenia’s Declaration of Independence, whereby the country’s independence process was launched.

By way of the Declaration of Independence, Armenian SSR was renamed the Republic of Armenia—or Armenia, in short form. And on the very next day, that is, on August 24, the law on the country’s flag was adopted, whereby the tricolor was recognized as Armenia’s national flag.

At the Supreme Council’s session on August 23, 1990, the text of the Declaration of Independence was read by Aram Manukyan—the current opposition Armenian National Congress Parliamentary Faction Secretary and Armenian National Movement Party Chairman—as namesake of the founder of the First Republic of Armenia.

And one year later, on September 21, 1991, Armenia held its referendum on independence, and, as a result, 94.99 percent of the participants voted in favor of Armenia’s independence.

GLENDALE—All religious denominations, political parties and relief organizations in the Western United States have come together to form a joint committee to assist the Armenian community of Syria. On Thursday, the group issued a call to support the efforts, the text of which is presented below:

During the past weeks, the 17-month conflict in Syria has escalated to dangerous proportions. Caught in the crossfire of this growing conflict are the innocent citizens of Syria, among them the large Armenian community.

The presence of Armenians in Syria dates back many centuries, and throughout that time, the community has had an important role in the Armenian Diaspora reality. Especially after the Armenian Genocide, the growing Armenian community, through its hard work and determination has created beneficial situation for nurturing families and establishing national institutions such as churches and schools, and preserving our heritage and traditions. Today, due to the current conflict, the Armenian community is facing a crisis. The Armenian community organizations in Syria, by adhering to the survivalist spirit of the Armenian people, have already mobilized to effectively and in an organized manner cater to the needs of the community.

In light of this mounting humanitarian crisis, Armenians will not remain indifferent, and will get to work to extend a helping hand and assist the Syrian-Armenian community.

The Armenian American community of Western United States is equally concerned with these developments, which impact the entire Armenian nation. Any harm inflicted upon any member of our dispersed Armenian family equally impacts the rest of the family be they in Armenia or the Diaspora. With increased resolve and conviction we must be ready to support the Syrian-Armenian population, just as we have come to aid of our brethren in Armenia, Artsakh, Lebanon and Iraq, in their time of need.

We call upon the Armenian American community of the Western United States to facilitate the needs of the Syrian Armenian community and to contribute for the preservation of the Armenian community. The Syrian Armenian community has fulfilled its centuries-old mission proudly, and today as it holds on to its home, the community is aware of its exceptional and unique role it has had in the Diaspora, which unequivocally needs to be preserved.

We hereby announce the formation of a Joint Committee in Support of the Syrian Armenian Community.

Archbishop Hovnan Derderian
Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian
Bishop Mikayel Mouradian
Rev. Joe Matossian
Social Democrat Hunchakian Party
Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Armenian Democratic Liberal Party
Armenian General Benevolent Union
Armenian Relief Society
AMAA

August 12, 2012 | 01:11

Congressman Ryan brings to the national Republican ticket a long legislative record as an advocate for U.S. reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide – co-sponsoring legislation to commemorate this crime, and co-signing a number of Congressional letters asking President Bush and Obama to honor their commitments to properly recognize this atrocity as a genocide, said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian commenting for the Armenian News-NEWS.am information on Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) running for vice president.

“Much like the current vice president, Joe Biden, Representative Ryan enters the presidential race with ‘A’ ratings from the ANCA,” noted Hamparian. “We look to the Romney-Ryan ticket to publicly share their views on issues of special concern to Armenian American voters, and also to the Obama-Biden White House to explain their policies on matters of particular interest to our community, so that Armenian American voters can make fully informed choices at the ballot box this November.”

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) is running for vice president, after presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney announced him as his pick on Saturday morning.

17:01, 14 August, 2012

YEREVAN, AUGUST 14, ARMENPRESS: For the past four years, members of our Armenian Genocide Education Committee of Merrimack Valley have filtered in and out of high schools north of Boston, reports Armenpress citing The Arnmenian Mirror-Spectator.

We have also expanded our reach to include schools around Greater Boston, like Newton South. Scores of children have benefited by our lessons. In most every case, instructors have been overwhelmed by the impact being made for they, too, come out learning a valuable lesson in history.

There hasn’t been one repercussion, not even a grunt from a naysayer, until now. A vile and vindictive article from a pro-Turkish website (www.historyoftruth.com) enraged me, bearing the headline: ”Armenians Spreading Their Lies at High Schools.”

The gutless piece failed to carry a by-line, thus making it more intolerable. What’s more, a photograph of Wilmington High students holding samples of postage stamps they had designed carried the inscription: ”Their Lies Reached Schools.”

The group photo also had the two presenters that day, myself and Albert S. Movsesian. The event was to generate ideas for a postage stamp to be sent to the Postmaster General of the United States in an effort to get a commemorative stamp for the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in 2015. A completely harmless project meant to both elucidate and arouse our younger non- Armenian population was slurred with malice.

The rebuttal was generated in response to an all-encompassing piece written by Chairman Dro Kanayan, giving readers a fairly detailed account of the progress made in schools this year. How effective has it been?

While attending a grand-niece’s Chelmsford High graduation party the week before, I approached a table occupied by students who had been addressed during a genocide class taught by Jennifer Doak.

The next paragraph quoted Kanayan’s story: ”Armenian researcher Dro Kanayan said for those people who feel that our elders and the youth cannot work together, don’t worry.

”Kanayan and both of his peers, Albert Movsesian and Tom Vartabedian, have been working together to have the so-called Armenian Genocide included in the high school curriculum on Human Rights in the Merrimack Valley. ”They are teaching students about the so- called Armenian Genocide and Armenian culture.”

The story goes on to say how we have ”poisoned”  the students in over 10 high schools, providing individual classroom presentation on comparative genocides over the past 100 years The account proceeded to implement other high schools including a deaf student we had encountered at Newton South who learned about the Genocide through American Sign Language.

Adding more insult to injury, a second photo was used of Dro Kanayan holding a picture of his famous grandfather General Dro, who led the siege at Bash Abaran during World War I.

I should be fuming over such poppycock. Instead, I hold no regret over those who are ill-informed and continue to show their absurdity. The more Turkey refutes histori- cal fact, the more scornful it becomes. The more truth will prevail and people will see how superficial the Turkish government continues to remain.

I recall once how vandals had climbed to the top of a billboard in Watertown and defaced a Genocide sign that had been sponsored by activist/artist Daniel Varoujan Hejinian. For years, Hejinian has been putting up these notices to draw attention during April 24.

For the most part, the Armenian papers have publicized the act, but nothing ever caught the attention of the American press, which matters more.

The fact that some screwball scaled a building at night to commit an act of degradation suddenly became media hype. It appeared in newspapers and television networks, giving the Armenian Genocide more exposure than normal.

During a commemoration that week in Merrimack Valley, a local priest approached the podium and remarked about the insanity.

PanARMENIAN.Net –  A Camp Pendleton-based special operations captain was one of three Marines fatally shot before dawn Friday, August 10 in Helmand province by an Afghan police officer who had just shared a meal with them, UT San Diego said.

It was the third attack on coalition forces by their Afghan counterparts in a week.

Capt. Matt Manoukian, 29, of Los Altos Hills was killed along with two other yet-to-be-identified special operations troops after an Afghan police commander invited them to a meeting to discuss security issues. The meeting followed the meal, which took place early because of daytime fasting restrictions during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

The “green-on-blue” attack occurred in the volatile Sangin district of Helmand province, said U.S. military spokeswoman Maj. Lori Hodge. Sangin was a Taliban stronghold for years and has one of the highest concentrations of improvised explosive devices in Afghanistan.

Authorities are searching for the gunman, who fled after the shooting. Sangin’s district chief and the Taliban both identified the assailant as a member of the Afghan National Police who was helping Marines train the Afghan local police.

Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi said by telephone that the attacker joined the insurgency after his attack Friday. “Now, he is with us,” Ahmadi said.

Last month, during an interview with U-T San Diego in Afghanistan, Manoukian said he trusted Afghan forces as his partners in a joint mission of “security, governance and development. It’s a full-spectrum operation.”

In 25 attacks this year, 31 U.S. coalition service members have died at the hands of Afghan forces or insurgents disguised in Afghan uniforms, according to NATO. There were 11 such attacks and 20 deaths last year, according to an Associated Press count. Each of the previous two years saw five such attacks.

The assaults have cast a shadow of fear and mistrust over U.S. efforts to train Afghan soldiers and police more than 10 years after the U.S.-led invasion to topple the Taliban’s hardline Islamist regime for sheltering al-Qaeda’s leadership. They also raise further doubts about the quality of the Afghan forces taking over in many areas before most international troops leave the country in 2014.

Manoukian, the son of two judges, joined the Marine Corps about seven years ago. He was on his fourth combat deployment — including his second in Afghanistan.

August 10, 2012 | 11:30

Hayastan All-Armenian Fund opened up donation accounts to render direct assistance to Syrian-Armenians.

Due to difficult situation in Syria, mass fundraising campaigns are held in many states but the collected funds may disappear, the fund said in a statement. To avoid such an outcome, all our compatriots wishing to help Armenian community of Syria can make donations into the following AMD and foreign currency accounts:

HSBC Bank Armenia

9, V. Sargsyan Str. Yerevan Armenia

SWIFT: MIDLAM22

ACC NO 001-002195-102 (USD)

ACC NO 001-002195-104 (EUR)

ACC NO 001-002195-001 (AMD):

Reported By; News.am