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Georgia, Genocide Memorial Unveiled in Tbilisi

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TBILISI, Georgia (DFWatch)—A memorial to the Armenian genocide was unveiled in Tbilisi on Monday. The memorial is made of stone and stands in the yard of one of the Armenian churches in the capital.

Jughai_khachqar_TbilisiyumLevon Isakhanian, a representative of the Armenian community in Georgia, explained to Georgian news agency DF Watch that a khachkar is a stone with a cross and ornaments engraved in it. This is a memorial statue and it is an Armenian tradition to place such stones on graves.

There are only a few khachkars left in Georgia, dating from different time periods.

This is the second Armenian stone memorial in Georgia. The first one was placed in front of another Armenian church in Tbilisi a few years ago in order to pay tribute to people who died in Tbilisi on April 9, 1989, during a pro-independence rally which was dispersed by Soviet soldiers.

The new khachkar is dedicated to the memory of approximately 1.5 million people who were massacred by the Ottoman government during the Armenian Genocide at the turn of the 20th century.

Historians and many politicians consider the mass killings, torture, deportations, and ultimately displacement of the Armenian population from its native homeland in 1915-1918 as genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire.

Every year on April 24, the Armenian community in Georgia holds rallies outside the Turkish embassy in Tbilisi. They pay tribute to those who were killed and demand that the Georgian government recognize the genocide.

The Turkish government categorically denies that the Ottoman Empire carried out a campaign of ethnic cleansing against Armenians. Prime Minister Tayyip Erdoğan said in an interview with the German magazine Der Spiegel that there cannot be any conversation about any kind of genocide. He said he thinks that assessing these events is a subject for historians and lawyers, not politicians. Erdoğan said Turkey is ready to publish historical material and calls on Armenia to take the same step. He said he thinks it is a mistake when journalists and politicians use the word “genocide.”

The unveiling of the new memorial was held in connection with the April 24 commemoration and was attended by representatives of different churches.

“It is a very important day for the history of the Armenian community in Georgia. This is a day when a khachkar, dedicated to the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide, was erected for the first time in Tbilisi,” Vazgen Mirzakhaniani, head of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, said at the unveiling ceremony.

“We appreciate the attitude of Georgians to this day and we want this khachkar to also become a symbol for Armenian-Georgian relations, which go back centuries.”

Georgia: Prelude to Ukraine?

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By Andrew Gavin Marshall for BFP
In 2008, the small Eastern European nation of Georgia invaded the breakaway province of South Ossetia, bombing Russian peacekeeping forces in the process, and prompting a Russian military invasion of Georgia itself. This 0415_EPPPostwar was the result of years of US and NATO moves to the east, building relations and increasing support for Georgia, for which the Russians drew a line in the sand, declaring that Georgia would never be allowed to become a member of NATO. The Russian military response in 2008 changed the game between the West and the East, after several decades of Russia being encroached upon by the West, Russia pushed back, leaving the West at a loss for how to react. The lessons of Georgia can be seen in the current conflict in Ukraine. But the lessons have yet to be learned. – See more at: http://www.boilingfrogspost.com/2014/04/16/empire-power-people-with-andrew-gavin-marshall-episode-108/#sthash.ReVij2Ir.dpuf

Demonstration held in Tbilisi to support Kessab Armenians

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April 07, 2014 | 11:15

203021A requiem service in memory of the victims of Syria’s war was conducted Sunday in Surb Etchmiadzin Church of Tbilisi, Georgia.

Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanian, Primate of the Diocese of the ArmenianApostolicChurch in Georgia, attended the mourning ceremony.

Subsequently, the initiative of the “Hayartun” Center at the Diocese of the ArmenianApostolicChurch in Georgia, the Assembly of Tbilisi Armenians, and the Armenian Community of Georgia, and a group of Armenians accompanied by Father Manuk Zeynalyan headed to the United Nations Office in Georgia.

The protestors, holding banners and the national flags of Armenia and Georgia, demanded to end the violence against the Syrian civilians and bring Turkey to justice for providing support to Islamist groups attacking the peaceful city of Kessab and surrounding areas.

The peaceful demonstrators passed Chavchavazde Avenue and headed to the Turkish Embassy. They waved banners in different languages saying “Save Kessab!”, “Stop crime against Kessab!”; the protestors also demanded from Turkey to stop its genocidal policy towards the Armenians.

By and large, more than 250 people participated in the demonstration.

Let us recall, that on March 21, terrorist groups opposing the Syrian government entered Armenian-inhabited city of Kessab from Turkey.

The Armenian NGOs in Georgia issued the below appeal to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, which is signed by the Armenian NGOs in Georgia:

“To United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

“Mr. Ban Ki-moon,

“According to various sources the civil war in Syria has now killed more than 100,000 people, including loss of civilian life. Since the beginning of the so called Syrian Crisis it has been reported that in addition to Syrian citizens the foreign citizens, members of radical Islamist groups including those that are recognized by the majority of UN member states, as a terrorist organizations, oppose the country’s government.

“On 21 March 2014 various terrorist groups and bandit formations entered the town of Kessab and surrounding areas. As a result of the armed attack more that 2000 Kessab town residents, the vast majority of whom are the Syrian citizens of Armenian origin, who less than 100 years ago found shelter in this town during the 1915-23 Armenian Genocide, carried out by the Turkish government against Armenians, were forced to leave their homes and belongings and seek refuge in other Syrian settlements. After Islamist militants took over the Syrian town of Kessab they committed numerous acts of vandalism, destroying and looting Christian religious buildings and institutions, private and civil institutions (schools, hospitals, retail facilities etc.).

“It must be recalled that the first implemented by the Turkish armed units massacre in Kessab took place in 1909, while during the 1915-1923 Armenian Genocide, implemented by the Turkish government, 5000 Armenians were murdered in Kessab.

“The fact that armed terrorists entered Kessab from Turkey causes sincere indignation. The fact that Turkey allowed armed militants to cross freely the state border with Syria, as well as many records spread by radical Islamist groups, indicate that the TurkishRepublic provided full support to militants invading peaceful town like Kessab. Basing on spread by mass media records of confidential conversation of Turkish top leaders, as well as a statement issued by the Turkish Prime Minister and many other materials it is confirmed that apart from technical support Turkey has provided political support to a variety of terrorist groups.

“We, the undersigned Armenian NGOs in Georgia urge you:

“• to pay close attention to total violation of fundamental human rights and gross violations of international humanitarian law, taking place during the intervention of the Islamist groups in Syria;

“• to examine the evidence on Turkey providing technical and political support to Islamist groups attacking the peaceful city of Kessab;

“• to give a legal opinion on Turkey’s actions and bring Turkey to justice for its genocidal policy towards the Armenian civilians population of Syria.

‘“Hayartun” Center at the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia

“Armenian Community of Georgia

“Assembly of Tbilisi Armenians

“Union of Tbilisi Armenians

“International Association of Pan-Armenian Forum Participants

“Online Magazine Armenian Art Hall.”

French leader to mediate Karabakh settlement at Yerevan, Baku visit?

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April 4, 2014 – 17:03 AMT

177663 French President Francois Hollande’s official visit to Azerbaijan, scheduled for next month, is of great political importance, French envoy said, according to APA.

As Pascal Meunier reminded at a news conference in Baku, visits to Armenia and Georgia are also on the French President’s agenda.

He recalled that President Hollande would visit Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia.

“One of main goals of President Hollande’s visit is to support a peaceful resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. The resolution of the Karabakh issue will open up great opportunities for the conflicting parties. The second aim is to show that as a sovereign entity, the region that can determine its future itself. We support peace and friendship among the regional countries,” the French ambassador to Azerbaijan concluded.

As was reported earlier, initiation of the Genocide denial criminalization bill will be officially announced during Hollande’s visit to Armenia.

On January 23, 2012 the French Senate passed the bill making it a crime to deny the Armenian Genocide. The bill envisaged a 45,000 euro fine and a year in prison for anyone in France who denies this crime against humanity committed by the Ottoman Empire. However, the French Constitutional Council ruled the bill as anti-constitutional. In a statement the Council said the document represented an “unconstitutional breach of the practice of freedom of expression and communication

Later, President Hollande pledged to redraft the law criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial in France, stressing the need to ensure the legal framework to avoid censorship by the Constitutional Council.

Washington’s Drive For Hegemony Is A Drive To War — Paul Craig Roberts (Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvilli, who was installed in power by the Washington)

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Paul Craig RobertPaul Craig Roberts,

It was five years ago that the president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvilli, who was installed in power by the Washington supported “Rose Revolution,” launched a military invasion of South Ossetia, a break-away province under its own government. The Georgian attack killed Russian peace-keeping troops and numerous Ossetians.

The Russian military response overwhelmed the US trained and equipped Georgian army in 5 days to the embarrassment of Saakashvilli and his Washington sponsors.

Washington began the training and equipping of the Georgian military in 2002, and continues to conduct joint military exercises with Georgia. In March and April of this year the US again conducted joint military exercises with Georgia. Washington is pushing to have Georgia admitted as a member of NATO.

Most analysts regard it as unlikely that Saakashvilli on his own would violate the peace agreement and attack Russian troops. Certainly Saakashvilli would have cleared the aggression with his Washington sponsor.

Saakashvilli’s attempt to recover the territories was an opportunity for Washington to test Russia. Washington saw the attack as a way of embarrassing the Russian government and as a way of testing Russia’s response and military in action. If Russia did not respond, the government would be embarrassed by its failure to protect its interests and the lives of those Russia regards as citizens. If Russia did respond, Russia could be denounced, as it was by President George Bush, as a bully that invaded a “democratic country” with a Washington-installed president. Especially interesting to Washington was the ability to observe the Russian military’s tactics and operational capabilities.

North Ossetia is part of Russia. South Ossetia extends into Georgia. In 1801 Ossetia and Georgia became part of Russia and subsequently were part of the Soviet Union. Under Russian law former Soviet citizens have the right to be Russian citizens. Russia permitted Georgia to become independent, but South Ossetia and Abkhazia broke away from Georgia in the 1990s.

If Washington succeeds in installing Georgia into NATO, then an attempt by Georgia to recover what it regards as lost territories would escalate the conflict. An attack by Georgia would comprise an attack by the US and NATO against Russia. Despite the risk to Europe of being pulled into a war with Russia, this month the chief of Denmark’s Home Guard was in Georgia on Washington’s mission discussing cooperation between the defense ministries of Denmark and Georgia on regional security issues.

Georgia lies to the East of the Black Sea. What “regional security issues” does Georgia have with Denmark and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization? NATO was established to defend Western Europe against Soviet attack.

Finland and Sweden remained neutral during the Cold War, but both are now being recruited by NATO. NATO lost its purpose with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Yet, it has been greatly expanded and now includes former constituent parts of the Soviet Empire. NATO has become a cover for US military aggression and supplies troops for Washington’s wars. Georgia’s troops are fighting for Washington in Afghanistan and fought for Washington in Iraq.

Washington kept NATO alive and made it into a mercenary army that serves Washington’s world empire.

In a provocation to both Russia and China, the US is currently conducting military exercises in Mongolia. Troops from Korea and Tajikistan, formerly part of the Soviet Union, are also participating. Washington calls such operations “building interoperability between peacekeeping nations.” Obviously, foreign military forces are being incorporated into the Empire’s army.

Are Americans aware that Washington is conducting military exercises all over the world, is surrounding Russia and China with military bases, and now has an Africa Command? Have Congress and the American people signed off on Amerika Uber Alles? Shouldn’t Washington and the military/security complex be reined in before Washington’s aggression triggers a nuclear war?

 

Georgian-Armenians discussed possibility of Armenian Genocide recognition with Georgian Government representatives

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10:45, 5 March, 2013

YEREVAN, MARCH 5, ARMENPRESS: “Georgia’s Armenian Community” NGO department representatives had a meeting with Sozar 710392Subari, Political Secretary of “Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia” coalition. As  “Georgia’s Armenian Community” NGO press service told Armenpress, the March 4 meeting was seeking to introduce the new Government members issues  the Georgian-Armenians are concerned with,  as well as stance of the Georgian-Armenian community regarding them, and put forward ways of the solution of the present issues.

Participation of national minorities in the governing process of  the country, problems observed in the secondary and higher education systems, as well as issues referring to the erection of the cross-stone dedicated to the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims and possibility of official recognition of the Armenian Genocide have been touched upon in the course of the meeting.