German and Abkhaz observers positively asses the course of voting at Artsakh Constitutional referendum

February 20, 2017 By administrator

artsakh-referendum Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of the unrecognized Abkhaz Republic Gamisonia Alekseyevna who is monitoring the Artsakh ConstitutionalRreferendum has positively assessed the course of the voting. In an interview with panorama.am at 3/8 polling station Mrs. Alekseyevna said: “We are glad to be for a vote monitoring mission in Nagorno Karabakh. This is expected to become a historic day and we welcome the conduct of the referendum.”

Chairwoman at 3/8 polling station Lyudmila Harutyunyan told Panorama.am the voting continues in a routine manner with no incidents as of 10:00 a.m.

German observers watching the vote at 1/8 polling station have been satisfied with the course of the election process as well and hailed the organization of the referendum in an interview with Panorama.am

Chairwoman at the mentioned polling station Naira Petrosyan informed that as of 10:00 a.m. 67 citizens have casted their votes with no incidents recorded thus far.

To remind, the Artsakh people are voting today in a referendum on constitutional amendments which envisages a switch to a presidential form of governance. As the Chairwoman of NKR Referendum Central Commission Srbuhi Arzumanyan told at a briefing on early Monday, 280 polling stations opened at 08:00 a.m. throughout the country and at the Permanent Representation of the NKR in Yerevan.

Some 100 international observers are observing the vote, while 80 reporters representing 40 local and foreign media outlets are covering the election process.

Artsakh President: Any aggression against Artsakh is perceived by the Armenian people as a patriotic war

January 21, 2017 By administrator

April developments showed our Defense Army’s high combat readiness, determination of our people and the entire Armenian nation to defend the Motherland’s independence, freedom and dignity, ability to unite in critical moments, Artsakh President Bako Sahakyan stated on Saturday, adding the fact that “any aggression against Artsakh is perceived by the Armenian people as a patriotic war.”

According to the report by the President’s Office Information Department, Bako Sahakyan’s comments came at the meeting of the Defense Army’s Military Council devoted to summing up the results of 2016 and action plans for 2017.

In his speech the President Sahakyan touched upon the army-building process, mentioned accomplishments and existing issues, assessing the activities carried out in 2016 as a whole satisfactory.

According to the President, 2016 was a hard year from the military-political point of view and went down in the history of our people as the year of the Four Day April War. “This war has evidently revealed a number of fundamental developments in military-political and psychological dimensions as well tasks to be carried out and necessary steps to be implemented for facing new challenges”, underlined Bako Sahakyan.

According to the release, the Head of the State gave concrete instructions to the defense minister and supreme command staff of the Army for proper solution of the problems the armed forces faced. Head of the General Staff of the Republic of Armenia’s Armed Forces Movses Hakobyan and other officials partook at the meeting.

President Sargsyan to visit the southeast segment of the border and Artsakh

December 8, 2016 By administrator

President of Armenia, Commander-in-Chief Serzh Sargsyan today has left on a working visit to one of the military units located at the southeast segment of the RA border, press department of the President’s Office reported.

Accompanied by the RA Minister of Defense and the highest echelon of the Armed Forces, President Sargsyan at the site of the permanent location of the unit familiarized with the combat readiness of the unit, listened to the report of the commander, conversed with the troops. Later, he toured the newly constructed barracks, familiarized with the conditions and at the canteen dined with the soldiers.

President Serzh Sargsyan commended a number of servicemen who excelled during their service.

Afterwards, the President Sargsyan left on a working visit to the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh, the release reads.

Artsakh Atlas published in three languages

November 22, 2016 By administrator

artsakh The newly published electronic atlas of Artsakh available in three languages – Armenian, Russian, and English, – provides scientific, yet brief information about the region, Shoghine Hovhannisyan, chairwoman at Duty of Soul NGO stated during the presentation of the work on Tuesday.

In her words, the 40-page work offers an all-embracing picture of Artsakh (including the occupied northern part) with photos as well as maps of ethnic distribution, scriptoria, educational institutions and cultural monuments.

“The aim of this work to make the history and culture of Artsakh accessible both to the Armenian public, especially the politicians engaged with Artsakh issues and to the foreign audience. This is a weapon on the diplomatic front to be used against Azerbaijan,” Mrs. Hovhannisyan said.

The electronic versions of the Atlas have been prepared by Duty of Soul NGO the with the support of the Foundation studying Armenian architecture and implemented within a grant programme of the Youth Foundation of Armenia. The atlas is available at the website of the Foundation http://www.raa-am.com/Arcaxqartezagirq/imeges/Arcakhq__En.pdf.

Shoghine Hovhannisyan informed that the Russian and Armenian versions of the work will be presented by the end of the year or at least in the beginning of the next year.

The head of the foundation studying Armenian architecture Samvel Karapetyan, present at the presentation, said that preference had been given to the maps drafted by foreign authors.

“There are number of maps depicting Armenia with Artsakh within its borders that had been drawn by foreigners. A map dating 1985 was entitled Artsakh – not Karabakh, which means that in the 19th century the land was known as Artsakh. It remains unknown the reason for the later dismissal of the name Artsakh from circulation and preferring Karabakh instead,” Karapetyan noted.

He next informed that the atlas features the educational institutions with details such as the dates of their foundation, the manuscripts kept, while the map of the historical monuments is split due to the great number of the sights with separate categories for churches, towers, fortresses, monuments, etc.

Furthermore, as Karapetyan informed, the Artsakh Atlas is supplemented with maps of various specific specialization.

To note, the Artsakh Atlas was initiated within a grant competition of the Youth Foundation of Armenia, a partner organization chosen by the RA President.

Artsakh: “I was looking for the eyes and the smile of my son”: evening in tribute to Captain Urfanyan

November 12, 2016 By administrator

captain-urfanyan-mother “I definitely need to visit Artsakh to see the place where my son lived, served and fought,” Ms. Hasmik, mother of the April war hero and the holder of Combat Cross of the First Degree Captain Armenak Urfanyan, told panorama.am during the evening in tribute to her son.

She said that she managed to persuade her junior son to take her to Martakert (the place where Armenak lived five years ago) with great difficulty. “I visited the hotel where my son lived and the shop which he had visited every day. I also visited the military regiment, talked to his solders, his sons. When asking how are your servicemen, he replied “my sons are all right”… I saw and talked to some of his servicemen.”

Captain’s mother has also visited the posts and the trench where his son had heroically fallen. “I hoped that i would find my son in the trench. I was looking for his eyes and smile there: he had lived in that trench for five years.”

During the visit of Armenak’s mother to Karabakh a documentary film entitled “Mother of the Army” was being shot which premiered at the beginning of the memorial evening. The author of the film is Sona Tonakanyan.

During the interview conducted with Arthur Khachatryan, Armenak Urfanyan’s combat friend, he told that he saw Armenak for the last time on 1 April before he left to carry out his military duty.

“He was a good friend and a good captain. He was a role model for us with his courage. Armenak didn’t retreat even after he was given an order, he kept the posts till his last breath. Martkert posts have mainly been preserved by Armenak and his three fellow servicemen: Robert Abajyan, Andranik Zohrabyan and Kyaram Sloyan,” his friend noted.

Notably the evening had been organized by Javakhk Patriotic Union in cooperation with the RA Defense Ministry.

“Such events in tribute to our fallen solders will be continuous. Due to such events our young generation should know who the genuine hero is,” Deputy President of Javakhk Patriotic Union Artush Grigoryan noted.

During the evening singer Masis Hunanyan performed a song dedicated to Armenak Urfanyan.

California college students thank the soldiers of Artsakh

August 14, 2016 By administrator

Armenian Site Hetq published the drawings and thanks to American-Armenian schoolchildren fifth class given to young soldiers of Artsakh.

Dear soldiers, I wish you success. I hope you will defend our land. You spend your life for the country, so the Karabakh, Artsakh and Armenia are still with us. With love. Ani Mardirossian.

Dear fellow Armenian. You are doing a very important job because you are always fighting for us. You bring us happiness when we hear that you left your families to fight for us. With love. Eva Mansourian.

I am grateful because you defend our country so well. You are very brave because you sacrifice your life for us. I love you all. Lucy Gouljian

Hello, my name is Garen and I appreciate that you protect the Armenians. I think about you all the time soldiers and pray that you stay safe. Garen Minassian

Thank you to fight for us and our country and against the Azeris. Love, Alex Kechedjian.

Photos: Hakob Poghosyan

ANCA Launches Campaign Prioritizing Artsakh Freedom, Rejecting Undemocratic ‘Madrid Principles’

August 4, 2016 By administrator

ANCA grassroots campaign – anca.org/madrid – calls for a rejection of the flawed “Madrid Principles” and outlines key policy priorities for Karabakh peace and freedom.

Supporters of Artsakh Peace Can Visit www.anca.org/madrid to Contact their Legislators

WASHINGTON—The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has launched a renewed drive to educate U.S. legislators and senior policymakers regarding the dangers that the proposed “Madrid Principles” present to international efforts to check Azerbaijani aggression and peacefully negotiate a sustainable and democratic resolution of status and security issues related to the independent Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh).

“The peace we all seek, if it is to be sustainable, must rest upon democratic foundations – the right of all to live in liberty, free from foreign rule,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “And today, more than ever, it’s clear that reaching a real and lasting resolution requires that the OSCE abandon its deeply flawed Madrid Principles and rethink its approach to this peace process based upon the universal value of democratic self-determination, our shared commitment to fundamental human rights, and the right of the citizens of Artsakh to security against foreign aggression.”

First discussed in 2007 with the specifics largely kept secret until recently, the “Madrid Principles” set forth a proposed formula which purportedly calls for Artsakh’s up-front surrender of 7 regions of its sovereign territory in return for only a vague promise that Azerbaijan will allow a future “expression of will” that would determine its status, setting the stage for continued conflict and increased regional instability. “A phased agreement that envisions Azerbaijan honoring its future commitments is simply not a sound basis for peace, particularly when we consider that Baku’s track record of constantly and flagrantly violating its own signature on the cease-fire agreement it signed in 1994,” explains the letter to Congressional leaders.

The letter goes on to urge legislators to support a range of policy priorities for Karabakh peace and freedom, including:

— Supporting a Balanced and Sustainable Approach to Peace: The OSCE should come back with a more balanced and sustainable approach than the deeply flawed Madrid Principles, which are little more than a recklessly asymmetrical attempt to force Nagorno-Karabakh to make strategic security concessions in return for only vague Azerbaijani promises regarding its future status.

— Saving Lives and Averting Renewed War: The Obama Administration should openly pressure Azerbaijan to accept the Royce-Engel peace proposals (which have already agreed to by both Armenia and Artsakh), to 1) withdraw all snipers and heavy arms, 2) add international observers, and 3) deploy gunfire locators along the line of contact.

— Challenging Azerbaijan’s Aggression: The United States and the OSCE should openly challenge Azerbaijan’s aggression, ending a pattern of silence in the face of aggression that has only emboldened Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

— Returning Karabakh to the peace talks: The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic should be restored to the negotiating table as a full participant in all OSCE talks regarding its future security and status. The exclusion of Artsakh from talks about its own future is both highly immoral and ultimately counterproductive.

— Continuing aid to Nagorno-Karabakh: The United States should increase direct aid to Nagorno-Karabakh, providing at least $5 million annually for a humanitarian assistance program (including rehabilitation programs for children and adults with disabilities) that has been in place since 1998.

— Cutting military aid to Azerbaijan: Congress should cut off all military aid to Azerbaijan until it ceases all threats and acts of aggression and commits to a peaceful resolution, and the Administration should cease issuing waivers of the Section 907 restriction on direct aid to the Azerbaijani government.

Supporters of a peaceful and democratic Artsakh can visit anca.org/madrid to contact their legislators and share with them the dangers of the “Madrid Principles.”

Women of Artsakh: Dreaming independence and peace

June 7, 2016 By administrator

karabakh woman Italian photographer Karl Mancini has created a project about the women of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh), titled Dreaming Independence and Peace and first published on Maptia.

“From the simple family mother to the minister of culture and youth affairs, from the common employee in a beauty salon to the head of the supreme court of justice, women are the soul of Karabakh, the strength of this country; in some ministries they account for 80% of the personnel. They dream of independence and peace to build a different future for their children. They love intensely, fight tenaciously, often suffer in silence, and believe in their traditions. They are brave and fragile,” the story says on Maptia.

In a conversation with PanARMENIAN.Net Mancini – who works for Echo Photojournalism and has together with Gianmarco Maraviglia implemented another project in Karabakh, titled Blooming in the Black Garden – said that he has dedicated a major part of his work to female stories, also seeking to prepare a project in a country he loves. And Artsakh seemed to be a natural choice.

His previous project, Blooming was published on Newsweek (USA), Internazionale (Italy) and La Croix (France).

“I believe the women of Artsakh have a lot to say. They support the men on the frontline, suffering in silence and sustaining families alone,” he added.

“One day, I spent several hours with a female friend of mine in a wonderful place in Artsakh in the middle of nature just telling each other stories. I’ll never forget that moment, those simple emotions that should serve as a basis for every kind of relationship,” Mancini added.

“Of course, I do see beauty in women but making a portrait is not just about taking a photo. It’s like a gift that I receive and give back with my story. Everything becomes an exchange of emotions.”

System of a Down’s Serj Tankian Perform New Political Song ‘Artsakh’

May 19, 2016 By administrator

Serj Tankian has recorded “Artsakh,” a song calling for solidarity among Armenians in the disputed region of Azerbaijan.

Passionate acoustic tune calls for solidarity among Armenians in disputed region of Azerbaijan.

System of a Down frontman Serj Tankian was so moved by the resilience of Armenian fighters in Nagorno-Karabakh, a region in the former Soviet Republic of Azerbaijan that neighbors Armenia, during a four-day war in April that he wrote a passionate new political folk song, “Artsakh,” in deference to them. The song voices support for the people of Artsakh – the Armenian name for the region – and protests what Tankian describes as Azeri aggression.

“These people have lived on those lands for thousands of years,” the singer wrote in a statement. “They have struggle but also great beauty written on their foreheads. The whimsical appropriation of land by an empire (Stalin) placed them under Azerbaijan. They have since gained their independence and have lived a prosperous existence for the last 20 or so years. I do not believe in wars and ultimately borders but I deeply believe in self-determination and life without oppression. Therefore it is time for the world to recognize them as the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).”

Violence broke out in the region on April 2nd, prompting Azerbaijan’s president, Ilham Aliyev, to call for the “immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian troops from our territories,” according to The Washington Post. As the situation worsened, Azerbaijani troops attempted to take control of the region. The paper reported scores of deaths, the worst in the region since 1994. A ceasefire was declared on April 5th. Russian President Vladimir Putin voiced his support of a truce, according to Armenia Now.

“It’s a crazy provocation,” the singer tells Rolling Stone. “It’s a land that these people have lived on from the beginning of time, from time immemorial, with children springing from the rivers and generations coming from their mountains. There is a national liberation struggle embedded within their character, their public mask, if you will. It goes on through trying to create peace. We will ultimately win with culture and all this beautiful stuff.”

Tankian made a video for the song, on which he sings and plays guitar, this past weekend.

“Artsakh” lyrics, translated:

We’ve always lived on these lands,

Reaped and harvested these fields,

Generations sprung from your rivers,

Children born from your mountains,

The public mask of tradition,

The struggle for liberation or death,

The enemy’s gaze at your terrain,

Our smiles at your bosom,

At your bottomless will.

We’re going to sing with our fists

With the tricolor flag of justice,

Humanitarian love of peace

With the holy blessing of a child’s face,

We are going to prevail with culture

We are going to prevail by being Armenian.

I was inspired to write a song for #artsakh. @RollingStone is premiering the video by @RandCourtney here – https://t.co/BiR2ycvlyW

— Serj Tankian-#SanctionAzerbaijan (@serjtankian) May 4, 2016

Source: http://www.rollingstone.com

Artsakh President signifies the freedom fighters’ participation in defending the Motherland

May 17, 2016 By administrator

f573b122496031_573b12249606e.thumb Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan visited one of the Defense Army’s training grounds on 17 May, met with the personnel of a battalion composed of members of the Artsakh Union of Freedom Fighters, got introduced with their daily life and course of service, reports Central Information Department of the Office of the Artsakh Republic President.

The Head of the State welcomed this initiative, signifying the freedom fighters’ participation in defending the Motherland.

According to the source, Defense Minister Levon Mnatsakanyan, Head of the Artsakh Union of Freedom Fighters Samvel Karapetyan, Chairperson of the NKR NA Standing Commission on Defense, Security and Legalism Issues, Zhanna Galstyan and other officials accompanied the President.