Gagrule.net

Gagrule.net News, Views, Interviews worldwide

Ambassador: Egypt Parliament is seriously discussing Armenian Genocide recognition

By

concedering armenian genocideYEREVAN. – The Parliament of Egypt is seriously discussing the issue of the Armenian Genocide recognition, the Ambassador of Egypt to Armenian Tarek Maati told Armenian News – NEWS.am.

In his words, currently the Government of Egypt has not yet taken a decision regarding this issue. “But the Egyptian Parliament, which has very wide authorities according to our new Constitution, is discussing this issue seriously. We’ll see in the coming days what will be the decision.  As an Ambassador of Egypt to Armenia, I wish all the best to your country,” Ambassador Maati added

Egyptian MP Mustafa Bakri urged the parliament and government of the country to recognize the Armenian Genocide. Together with 336 deputies he called on the parliament to approve the draft resolution in favor of recognizing the Genocide of 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman government in 1915.

EGYPT: A resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide submitted to the Egyptian Parliament supported by 337 MPs

By

Egypt genocideA resolution submitted by independent MP Mostafa Bakri calls on Parliament and the government to recognize the genocide of Armenians by the Ottoman state in 1915 reported the Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram.

Egyptian MP Mostafa Bakri said he and 336 MPs have asked Parliament to approve the draft resolution in favor of the recognition of the destruction of 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Empire in 1915 as genocide.

“Parliament must hold a special session on this topic because it was a mass extermination of crime that must be condemned by all parliaments of the world,” said Mostafa Bakri.

“New historical evidence has exposed the massacre of 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman Turks between 1915 and 1922,” said Mostafa Bakri, adding that his proposal “comes after the German parliament voted last month in favor of the recognition of the massacre as genocide in 1915, and many other countries should follow. “

Mostafa Bakri concluded that “while the Ottomans committed the massacre of 1915, the Erdogan regime is now moving to commit another crime against his political opponents and minorities seeking independence.”

The proposal comes after another Egyptian MP Emad Mahrous, has demanded Sunday that the Egyptian government grant political asylum to the figure of Fethullah Gulen Turkish opposition.

Emad Mahrous accused Erdogan to exploit the failed coup against him this month to detain hundreds of political opponents and turn Turkey into a dictatorship of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Talaat Khalil, a member who supported the draft resolution Mostafa Bakri, told reporters that the genocide must be condemned by all governments and world parliaments.

“In addition, authors should admit their crimes and even apologize for them,” said Talaat Khalil.

“But it is clear that the arrogant regime of Erdogan will never admit that the massacre [occurred] because he believes a new Ottoman sultan,” said Talaat Khalil.

Talaat Khalil added that Egypt had close relations with both the Armenian people and the Turkish people.

“Egypt has always been a refuge for Armenians since the massacre of 1915,” said Talaat Khalil, arguing that “outside its political responsibility, the parliament of Egypt must recognize the [genocide] against Armenians . “

Khalil concluded by saying that “this should not be considered as a hostile act by the Egyptian parliament against Turkey, but must be seen as a movement that comes from purely humanistic considerations.”

Thursday, July 28, 2016,
Stéphane © armenews.com

They Died So We Would See our Homeland: Lisbon 5 at 33

By

the 5 herosBY ARA KHACHATOURIAN

“I will die without having seen the motherland. I don’t care. Others will see it…” So said Setrak Adjemian in July 1983, before he and his four friends, Sarkis Aprahamian,. Vatche Daghlian, Ara Kerdjelian and Simon Yahneian, headed to Lisbon where, on July 27 of that year, they would sacrifice their lives at the altar of justice and in the name of the Armenian Cause, forever becoming immortalized and memorialized as modern-day heroes of the Armenian Liberation struggle.

More than three decades later, we can say that the aforementioned five heroes, better known as the Lisbon 5, did not die in vain since many have not only seen the motherland but some have even been able to call it home. Furthermore, their demand for justice for the Armenian Genocide reverberated around the world vocalizing the cries of the entire Armenian nation and piercing the deaf ears of the international community, which had distanced itself from the truth and justice.

They died without having seen the motherland, so Pope Francis, last month, could kneel at Dzidzernagapert and after praying for the memory of 1.5 million Armenians, could declare the Armenian Genocide the first such crime of the 20th century and call for justice.

They died so more than a century later, the German Bundestag would not only recognize the Armenian Genocide but also admit German complicity in it. They died so that world leaders would line up to pay their respects to the Genocide victims at Dzidzernagapert on April 24, 2015.

A mere five years after Sarkis, Setrak, Ara, Simon and Vatche set out to advance the Armenian Cause and through their ultimate sacrifice emboldened the entire Armenian Nation, the men and women of Artsakh rose up to demand justice. When their peaceful calls were met with gruesome aggression and violence, they took up arms, and through the sacrifice of their lives, ensured that today the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic stands tall atop the Caucasus Mountains and reminded the world that the Armenian Liberations Struggle was not over and would continue.

So much of what we, as Armenians, do today can be attributed to the sacrifices made by the Lisbon 5 and their comrades in arms, who in the 1970’s and 1980’s took a page out of Operation Nemesis and sought justice for the Armenian people when no one else would. They took matters into their own hands, because the international powers were busy elevating Turkey and hiding its criminal past, becoming accomplices in the crime of Genocide.

When the Armenian Youth Federation can boast that during that past 22 years, through its Youth Corps program, it has sent hundreds of volunteers to Armenia and Artsakh, where they have brought together local youth and served as bridge between the homeland and the Diaspora, we can say that the Lisbon 5 legacy has imparted its lessons to a new generation of dedicated young Armenian men and women. By the same token, when Armenian schools nurture and empower thousands of young people to proudly advance the Armenian Cause as part of their daily life, we can say not only they did not die in vain, but in fact their message is being heard loud and clear.

Today, the challenges facing the Armenian nation are not insurmountable even though they might seem enormous. The most fundamental lesson we can take from the selflessness of the Lisbon 5 is that personal and collective sacrifices most often translate into successes. Our dedication and commitment to a better future for the Armenian Nation, through sacrifice, will enable us to not only confront external threats but will empower us to work through internal challenges.

After all, they didn’t care if died without having seen our motherland so that we can proclaim today that not only we can see our motherland, we will fight to the end to protect and elevate it.

Medical center belonging to Armenian closed in Istanbul over alleged ties to Gulen

By

Armenian SchoolA medical center belonging to Armenian Aret Kamari was closed in Istanbul because of alleged ties to Gulen movement and for national security reasons.

Three universities, 149 schools, 150 unions, 15 foundations and four medical centers have been closed under similar accusations, Agos reported.

The claims of Armenian doctor that he is a Christian and he has no relation to Gulen did not yield any result. The owner was deprived an opportunity to appeal the decision.

Which VP Candidate has a Better Record on Armenian Genocide Recognition?

By

Harut sassounian 740BY HARUT SASSOUNIAN

Now that Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have selected their vice presidential candidates, Armenian Democrats are claiming that Sen. Tim Kaine has the better record on recognition of the Armenian Genocide, while Republican Armenians are insisting that Gov. Mike Pence is the clear-cut favorite on this issue. The more important question is: does it really matter?

During his years as Mayor of Richmond and Governor of Virginia, Kaine was supportive of various Armenian issues, including Armenian Genocide recognition. As U.S. Senator, he did not cosponsor the Armenian Genocide Resolution, but voted for it in the Foreign Relations Committee in April 2014, only after demanding that all references to Turkey be removed from the Resolution. He wanted to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide, without offending the Turkish government! Sen. Kaine has also not cosponsored the currently pending Armenian Genocide Resolution.

Sen. Kaine received a C+ grade from the Armenian National Committee of America in 2014 because he:

1) Insisted that the text of the Armenian Genocide Resolution be watered down before he voted for it;

2) Did not make remarks in remembrance of the Armenian Genocide in the Senate;

3) Did not participate in the Capitol Hill Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide;

4) Did not cosponsor the Haiti and Armenia Reforestation Act.

Gov. Pence of Indiana, Donald Trump’s vice presidential nominee, also has a checkered record on Armenian Genocide recognition, while serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, 2001-13. As a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, he voted for the Armenian Genocide Resolution in 2005, but voted against it in 2007 and 2010 out of concern for its possible fallout on US-Turkey relations, while acknowledging the Armenian Genocide. In 2012, his last year in Congress, Pence received a C grade from the Armenian National Committee of America.

Below are excerpts from Cong. Pence’s remarks in the Committee on Foreign Affairs on March 4, 2010:

“…I believe a genocide was committed against the Armenian people in the early part of the last century and it should never be forgotten…. The fact that more than 1 million Christians were killed makes the loss even more personal to me.”

Cong. Pence continued: “While we should never forget this genocide and the lives that were lost and the lives that are still marred to this day, I sadly cannot support this Resolution…. Now is not the time for this Committee or the American Congress to take up the measure that is before us…. Turkey is a strategic partner in our ongoing efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. They share our interest in defeating international terrorism…. I rise today in respectful opposition to this Resolution, but I do so with deep respect for those on this Committee and those who would be looking on that would have the Armenian people be heard on this point. While I cannot support this Resolution, let them at least note that this American identifies with their loss, acknowledges those tragic events of so many years ago and offers my condolences to the families who still bear the burden of what was in fact a genocide. I urge my colleagues to oppose this Resolution….”

Having reviewed the records of both candidates on this issue, one should keep in mind that:

1) Vice Presidents do not decide policy; Presidents do!

2) There is no need to argue over which candidate would recognize the Armenian Genocide, since it has been repeatedly recognized by the U.S. government as follows:

  1. a) Official document was submitted to the World Court in 1951;
  2. b) Pres. Ronald Reagan issued a Presidential Proclamation in 1981;
  3. c) House of Representatives adopted two Resolutions in 1975 and 1984.

Consequently, Armenians should no longer seek Genocide recognition, but justice! The candidates’ position on this issue matters only if they have either denied the Armenian Genocide in the past or promised to recognize it, but did not keep their word!

There are, however, several other important Armenian issues that should be discussed with political candidates, such as, supporting Artsakh (Karabagh), pressuring Turkey to restore confiscated Armenian properties, providing larger U.S. foreign aid to Armenia and Artsakh, hiring qualified Armenian-Americans, and improving trade and economic relations with the Republic of Armenia.

Unfortunately, regardless of what the issues are, one can never be sure that promises made by presidential candidates during the campaign will be remembered and kept, once the President is elected and comfortably installed in the White House!

Egyptian MPs urge parliament and government to recognize Armenian Genocide

By

Egypt armenian genocide

Egyptian MP Mostafa Bakri has called on parliament and ‎the government to recognize the Armenian Genocide.

He and 336 MPs have called on parliament ‎to approve a draft resolution in favour of ‎recognizing the death of 1.5 ‎million Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman state in 1915 as a “genocide”, AhramOnline reported.‎

‎Independent MP Bakri calls for a special session on ‎the issue because the crime “should be ‎condemned by all world parliaments.”

“New historical evidence has ‎exposed the slaughter of 1.5 million ‎Armenians at the hands of Ottoman Turks ‎between 1915 and 1922,” Bakri said.

Bakri concluded that while “the Ottomans ‎committed the 1915 massacre, the Erdogan regime is now moving to commit ‎another crime against his political ‎opponents and minorities that seek ‎independence.”

MP Talaat Khalil supports Bakri’s ‎draft resolution and believes that perpetrators ‎must admit their crimes and apologize.

“But it is clear that the arrogant Erdogan ‎regime will never admit that this massacre ‎[took place] because he believes himself to be a new ‎Ottoman sultan,” Khalil told reporters, adding that Egypt has always been a shelter for the ‎Armenians since the 1915 massacre.

GENOCIDE A group of Azerbaijani opposition states recognize the Armenian Genocide

By

Azeri opositionThe Armenian Mamul.am website says the opposition television channel criticized Meydan.tv Azeri Azeris who deny the Armenian Genocide in 1915 in Ottoman Empire. Medyan.tv said were victims of genocide especially Armenians, Greeks and Assyrian-Chaldean. According Meydan.tv, 4 million Christians that 1.5 million Armenians were killed. Azeri opposition groups as well as relatives of Meydan.tv are indignant that the authorities of Azerbaijan and their friends have a denialist stance on these genocides. These groups Renata Ahoundova the author of a text “injustice against Turkey,” says the government of Azerbaijan and its president contribute to practical denial of the Armenian genocide, while in Azerbaijan nobody puts genocide in quotation marks .

Krikor Amirzayan

Saturday, July 23, 2016,
Krikor Amirzayan © armenews.com

California State Board of Education Adopts Expanded Armenian Genocide Curriculum

By

education genocideSACRAMENTO—During its July 14 meeting, the California State Board of Education (“CSBE”) adopted a new History-Social Studies curriculum framework which will serve as guidelines for public school teachers. This framework provides significant improvements and expanded language and scope of information regarding the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region (ANCA-WR).

The additions regarding the Armenian Genocide were a result of collaborative work between the ANCA-WR, the Genocide Education Project (“GenEd”), the Instructional Quality Commission (IQC), Superintendent Tom Torlakson, and a culmination of the initiative taken by Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian (D – San Fernando Valley) and the Armenian Legislative Caucus beginning with the Armenian Genocide Education Act (AB 1915), initiated by principal author Nazarian, which was signed into law in 2014.

“Genocide education has been a top priority for the ANCA-WR and the adoption of the new curriculum framework, with the additional language regarding the Armenian Genocide, will further students’ understanding of crimes against humanity and provide them with greater context regarding the interconnection of such historical events, beginning with the Armenian Genocide.  We extend our heartfelt appreciation to the State Board of Education, the IQC, Superintendent of Public Schools Tom Torlakson, our Education Committee, GenEd, Assemblymember Nazarian, and the Armenian Legislative Caucus for their commitment and leadership as well as UTLA, SEIU, LAUSD, President Zimmer and the thousands of organizations, officials, leaders, and community members who submitted letters of support, making the language additions possible,” stated ANCA-WR Executive Director Elen Asatryan.  “We look forward to continuing our work with the Department of Education, Superintendent Torlakson and GenEd through our Education Committee to make the necessary changes in the textbooks that are reflective of the new curriculum framework and ensure that the Armenian Genocide is taught in every classroom throughout the Golden State and beyond,” added Asatryan.

“I want to thank all the groups and individuals from the Armenian community who took the time to get involved in this process,  make so many great comments and attend numerous meetings,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson. “This was an inclusive public effort to broaden knowledge of this terrible period in history, learn more about world events, and deepen our students’ understanding of the Armenian experience. California students will be better prepared to succeed in 21stcentury careers and college because of the contributions made in our updated History/Social Science Frameworks,” he added.

Representatives of the Armenian American community and the ANCA – WR, including Asatryan and Chief Legislative Consultant Haig Baghdassarian were in Sacramento to testify when the Board of Education deliberated adoption of the History-Social Studies Curriculum Framework. Assemblyman Nazarian traveled especially to Sacramento, in the midst of the legislature’s summer recess, to have his voice and those of his constituents heard by the Board.

The ANCA – WR, the Genocide Education Project, and the Armenian Legislative Caucus, in coordination with GenEd, led the way in ensuring that the IQC proposed, and that the Board of Education adopted an accurate and comprehensive treatment of the Armenian Genocide. Nazarian led the efforts of the Armenian Legislative Caucus, and his efforts were supported by Assemblymen Katcho Achadjian (R – San Luis Obispo) and Scott Wilk (R – Santa Clarita).

Beginning in September of 2015, the ANCA-WR, Genocide Education Project, Assemblymember Nazarian and the Armenian Legislative Caucus submitted proposed language changes and additions to the current curriculum framework and attended the IQC hearings to advocate for those proposals.  Submitted proposed language additions and changes may be found online at www.ancawr.org/CAGenocideEducation.  Just days before the July 14 meeting, the ANCA-WR also launched a letter campaign, which resulted in over 2,000 support letters being submitted to the SBE on the subject from elected officials, organizations, educators, officials, and residents throughout California.

“This is a watershed moment; education and vigilance are the keys to banishing the act of genocide to exist solely in the pages of history books,” stated Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian. “I am proud to have lead the legislative charge to pass the Armenian Genocide Education Act (AB 1915). The decision by the State of California Board of Education will allow students across California to understand and learn from the Armenian Genocide.”

The revised and newly adopted curriculum framework include:

  1. The addition of key facts regarding the Armenian Genocide and its causes;
  2. Reference regarding the clear link between the Armenian Genocide and the Holocaust; and
  3. Information regarding the unprecedented American humanitarian response to the Armenian Genocide—during which time, through the first US Congressionally sanctioned humanitarian organization, the Near East Relief, the United States and the American people from every state, raised over 117 million dollars, saved over 1 million refugees, and over 132,000 orphans.

“The Social Studies Framework is critical to the teaching of all content related to Social Sciences, and most important for all Armenians is the factual teaching of the Armenian Genocide and the support role provided by the USA Near East Relief.  To effect change on any framework takes years.  The ANCA-WR Education Committee started this work 2 years ago, and has teamed up with leaders in Genocide Education and elected officials to make certain that students learn the true facts about Genocide. Committee members have taken responsibility to write letters and meet and work with text book publishers to effect the necessary changes.  We are proud of the ANCA-WR staff, elected officials and individuals who gave days and hours of their time to reach this critical goal.  This is a milestone for California Genocide Education and one that should be celebrated.  The work now begins, not only to change the text books to match the frameworks but to also make certain that teachers teach the Genocide content and teach it thoroughly,” noted ANCA-WR Education Committee Chair Alice Petrossian.

Roxanne Makasdjian, a GenEd board member, played an integral role in the process and particularly in recommending language, and was instrumental in obtaining assistance from an authority on Armenian History, Professor Stephan Astourian who is Director of the Armenian Studies Program at UC Berkeley, in order to make sure that the language in the framework will be accurate. Professor Keith Watenpaugh, an Armenian Genocide scholar at UC Davis who specializes in Modern Islam, Human Rights and Peace, offered his expertise to the California History Social Studies Project, which is the organization within the UC Davis History Department which has been tasked with revising the Curriculum Framework.

“The Armenian Genocide is a significant and instructive moment in modern world history, said Makasdjian. “We’re gratified that our work to insure California’s History-Social Studies teachers are given more appropriate guidelines for teaching about it have been successful.”

Asatryan expressed appreciation for the many voices who have lent their support in an effort to enhance Armenian Genocide education in California’s public schools. She stated that “it was heartening to have the full support of exemplary leaders like Superintendent Torlakson and Steve Zimmer, President of the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education, among many other prominent education leaders and organizations lend their support to our efforts.”  In his letter to the IQC committee, Zimmer noted that “Our curriculum quite literally shapes our students’ understanding of the past and even more significantly prepares them to be the change agents who can build a better future.”

Administrators and educators may obtain lesson plans and teaching materials on the Armenian Genocide by contacting GenEd info@GenocideEducation.org or visiting teachgenocide.org.

The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the

Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.

Armenia president speaks about seizure of police headquarters

By

armenian presidentYEREVAN. – President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan on Friday chaired consultations with the participation of national security service, police, justice ministry representatives and investigators to discuss seizure of the police regiment in Yerevan.

President Sargsyan noted importance of doing everything for a peaceful solution to the crisis. The Armenian leader called to draw lessons from the difficult situation we are all faced with.

During the meeting, he expressed condolences to the family of killed Colonel Arthur Vanoyan.

The Armenian leader added that the idea to solve problems through violence and force is very dangerous and is fraught with serious consequences for the entire country.

“I call on the militia who seized the police regiment to display restraint and not to threaten others’ lives by their provocative actions,” he said, calling to release the hostages and to surrender their weapons.

The President warned all those who are dissatisfied with the reality against “undermining the foundations of our statehood.”

“I urge all members of our society to exercise their political and civil rights exclusively in a peaceful way and within the law,” Sargsyan said.

Everyone must realize the real threats that provocations and extremal steps may contain.

President urged the representatives of the law enforcement agencies to exercise restraint and act “within the rule of law”.  He assured that the government would act patiently “without making society a hostage”, and would not act “in a traditional way for such situations”.

Ongoing events fraught with grave consequences – Armenian clergyman says

By

armenian clergymanThe ongoing events may have grave consequences for Armenia unless everyone comes to realize that the national interests are the highest value, priest Asoghik Karapetyan told Tert.am as he commented on the latest developments in Armenia’s capital, particularly on the clashes between civilians and police.

“Armenians are confused. What our society badly needs is peace of mind and sincere dialogue. The numerous difficulties in our everyday life have created tension. The present situation makes us all, especially intellectuals, responsible for talking to our fellow-citizens while we consider our national interests superior to everything else, making efforts to lead them to the right way and keep them from blind hate and its aftermath,” said Asoghik Karapetyan.