Hundreds Archives

Australian Mosque Firebombed as Hundreds Prayed Inside

June 29, 2016 by administrator

An Australian mosque was vandalized and firebombed on Tuesday evening, as hundreds of Muslims, including children, were inside for their evening prayers.

The vandals spray painted the words “F**k Islam” on a wall outside the mosque at the Australian Islamic College in Thornlie, near Perth, before setting a car on fire with an accelerant.

After hearing the cars explode, worshippers rushed outside to see vehicles ablaze and three people fleeing the scene. Authorities believe that a gasoline bomb was used inside one vehicle, which spread and damaged four others.

Luckily, nobody was injured during the attack, which was also in a heavily populated residential area.

“The way I see it, it was more targeted at people praying than the school, because the school was not in operation at that time,” Dr. Abdullah Khan, principal of the Australian Islamic College, told Perth Now.

The school is not caving to the act of hate, however, and will continue to operate normally.

“We have given [the parents] instructions that it is business as usual and children should come to school as they do every single day,” Khan said.

The school has been vandalized repeatedly over the last few years, but parents of students are now concerned about an increase in violent attacks.

“We get a lot of hatred, just racism really,” Zahra Alasadi, a mother of a student, told Perth Now.

Mosque Imam Yahya Adel Ibrahim took to Facebook on Tuesday to speak out about the incident, noting that it was the act of a few individuals and not an entire portion of society.

“Thankfully our community won’t start hating and playing blame games and singling out groups of people in our society. This, undoubtedly, is a criminal act of hate, but it is the act of a person or group not the greater whole,” Ibrahim wrote.

“Despite what just transpired, everyone stayed to finish their prayers refusing to give into the terror that had just occurred,” he continued. “I know the outpouring of support from the community will be overwhelming because Perth has the best, kindest, and most warm-hearted people.”

During a press conference on Wednesday, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull stated that he “cannot condemn strongly enough any attacks of that kind.”

Hundreds of Japanese protest Obama visit to Hiroshima

May 27, 2016 by administrator

Japanese during a rally against US President Barack Obama’s then upcoming-visit to Hiroshima, May 16, 2016. (Photo by AFP)

Residents in Hiroshima have greeted President Barack Obama with protests at the site of the world’s first atomic bombing conducted by the US more than 70 years ago.

Obama arrived at Hiroshima’s atomic bomb park Friday on the first visit by a sitting US president and was greeted by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

“You’re not welcome here” and “Get out of Hiroshima,” the protesters shouted in a rally held at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park.

They held banners that read, “Get rid of all nukes immediately,” “Remove all US bases from Okinawa” and “We won’t let you use military alliances to start your next war.”

Among the protesters, there were labor union members, college students as well as survivors and the relatives of the victims of the Hiroshima bombing on August 6, 1945.

“I could hear schoolchildren screaming ‘Help me! Help me!’ said Kinuyo Ikegami, an 82-year old survivor of the bombing, who took part in the Friday gathering.

“It was too pitiful, too horrible. Even now it fills me with emotion,” she added.

“The suffering such as illness gets carried on over the generation,” said Han Jeong-soon, the daughter of a Korean survivor.

“That is what I want President Obama to know. I want him to understand our sufferings.”

Obama has said he will not apologize for the bombing, which killed thousands instantly, and some 140,000 by that year’s end.

“I want Obama to say ‘I’m sorry.’ If he does, maybe my suffering will ease,” said 73-year-old Eiji Hattori, who was a toddler at the time of the bombing and now has three types of cancer.

“If Obama apologized, I could die and meet my parents in heaven in peace,” he said.

Obama’s visit to Hiroshima has stirred heated debate, with critics pointing to paradoxes in policies relying on nuclear deterrence while calling for an end to atomic arms.

The city of Nagasaki was hit by a second nuclear bomb on Aug. 9, 1945, and Japan surrendered six days later.

The US justifies the bombings, contending that they were necessary to end the war and save lives, although many historians question that view and believe they were unjustified.

Aides say Obama’s main objective in Hiroshima is to showcase his nuclear disarmament agenda. However, critics say he has made scant progress and is spending heavily to modernize the US atomic arsenal.

Japan, despite advocating disarmament, relies on the US nuclear umbrella for extended deterrence.

Among the governments critical of the visit, North Korea on Friday denounced Obama’s visit to Hiroshima as an act of stunning hypocrisy and “a childish political calculation.”

“Even if Obama visits the damaged city, he cannot hide his identity as a nuclear war fanatic and nuclear weapons proliferator,” read part of a report on North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

USA: First Armenian genealogy conference draws hundreds to Watertown (video)

May 14, 2016 by administrator

The first Armenian Genealogy Conference was held at the Armenian Cultural and Educational Center (ACEC), in Watertown, Mass on the weekend of April 9-10.

More than 300 people attended the two-day conference, the Armenian Weekly reports.

Some came from as far as Vancouver, Canada, while two participants flew in from Great Britain.
The program began Saturday with a welcome by the three conference organizers, Tracy Rivest Keeney, Mark Arslan, and George Aghjayan.

Keeney, creator of the Armenian Genealogy Facebook page, led the first presentation, covering the sources most commonly available to genealogists in the United States. She used real cases in highlighting the valuable information that can be gleaned from the sources. Her talk supplied an important foundation, especially for those just beginning their family tree research.

The next presenter, Arslan, provided background on his family research and its evolution to become the Armenian Immigration Project. Initially devoted to immigrants from Keghi, the website has become an extensive database for all immigrants to the United States. Arslan gave examples of the ways to search the databases as well as to link individuals to various records. He also explained how others can help in transcribing records.

Vahe Tachjian, director of Houshamadyan, spoke of the project’s aim to “reconstruct Ottoman Armenian town and village life.” He gave examples of memory items that supply important context, particularly for genealogists. He also explained how people can help expand the project.

Then, both Houshamadyan and Project Save—the Armenian photograph archives and one of the sponsoring organizations of the conference—welcomed attendees to their booths, where participants shared their photographs, family trees, and other memory items, and learned about these two important Armenian institutions.

Following lunch, Luc Baronian, professor of linguistics at Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, spoke of the importance of the books, periodicals, and other information contained in the records of Armenian compatriotic unions. Using the examples of Gurin, Ourfa, Albustan, and Gesaria, Baronian detailed early census records, hand-drawn maps, post-genocide lists of villagers around the world, and survivor memoirs to highlight the richness of material available to genealogists.

The final speakers for the day were Janet Achoukian Andreopoulos and Stephen Kurkjian.
Andreopoulos supplied a brief explanation of the different DNA tests available and the companies that offer them. Kurkjian and Andreopoulos then told the story of how a DNA test helped one woman identify her Armenian father. Andreopoulos walked the audience step-by-step through the process and methods she used to unearth the previously unknown father.

The final two hours on Saturday were devoted to networking and actual research. More than 12 volunteers from nearby Family History Centers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints helped attendees with their own family research. In addition, based on the village origins of conference participants, photographs of the attendees were taken with others from the same region—the villages fell into 12 regions, and participants were divided into groups accordingly. DNA kits from Family Tree DNA were also made available at a discount.

The day-long program was video-taped by Roger Hagopian, well-known local filmmaker (“Destination Watertown: The Armenians of Hood Rubber” and “Memories of Marash”). The videos (14 parts) are available through the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) YouTube channel:
On Sunday, cosponsors Project Save, the NAASR, and the Armenian Museum of America (AMA) opened their doors to conference participants. Attendees learned more about the missions of the organizations, their extensive collections and resources, and the way they can be used by genealogists. Hamazkayin Boston and the Tekeyan Cultural Association also sponsored the conference. Given the tremendous success of the program, future conferences are currently being planned for other locations.

#Karabakh Hundreds Volunteering to Fight on the Frontlines

April 2, 2016 by administrator

People gather on Saturday at the Artsakh Freedom Fighters’ Association to enlist

STEPANAKERT—After Azerbaijan launched a massive attack on all fronts of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic late Friday and early Saturday, the Artsakh Freedom Fighters’ Association has been flooded with Karabakh residents wanting to volunteer to go to the frontlines.

Alvaro Shekian, the head of the AFFA told Artsakhpress.am that hundreds of volunteers have already signed up to fight on Saturday.

“We are all ready and waiting for the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Defense Army command, and if the imperative calls, we will immediately head to the frontlines,” said Shekian.

“In my opinion, this is yet another expression of the enemy’s brutality. However, at this time, nothing can salvage them from us. I don’t understand, how many times must they lose for them to understand that they are weak, that they are not fighters and they can’t defeat us,” added Shekian.

“I am saying resolutely that when the time comes we will take part in the fighting. They [the Azerbaijanis] should begin to evacuate the residents of Brada,” explained Shekian, referring to a city on the immediate outskirts of the Artsakh-Azerbaijan border.

We stand with @Karabakh_MoD #Karabakh #NKpeace against Terrorist State of #Azerbaijan Aggression. pic.twitter.com/KeuaRdAjtp

— Wally Sarkeesian (@gagrulenet) April 2, 2016

Diyarbakir: Hundreds Kurds flee southeast Turkey warzone as 23 killed, curfew expanded

January 28, 2016 by administrator

Hundreds of people have fled the mainly Kurdish city of Diyarbakir, located in southeastern Turkey, as authorities have extended the curfew there after 23 people were killed in street battles, including three Turkish soldiers and 20 Kurdish fighters.

Heavy gunfire continued on Wednesday in the ancient Sur district of Diyarbakir amid clashes between authorities and militants said to be members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has been outlawed by Ankara, Turkish Dogan news agency reported.

Three Turkish soldiers were killed in Sur when militants fired on them with rifles and a rocket launcher, Reuters cited security sources as saying.

Turkey’s army also confirmed that it had killed 11 alleged PKK in the town of Cizre near the Syrian border, and nine others in Sur on Tuesday. The Turkish army claims it has killed 134 Kurdish fighters in the ancient Sur district since December. The district has also witnessed severe damage since then.

The 24-hour curfew zone has been extended to five more districts in Diyarbakir, according to the district governor’s office. The curfew bans residents from leaving their homes and forbids observers and reporters from entering the areas when clashes are taking place.

After alleged members of PKK reportedly dug trenches and set up explosive devices, the curfew was put in place “restore public order,” the district governor’s office said.

Local media reports estimate that more than 2,000 people left Sur following the fighting on Wednesday. People were seen fleeing with suitcases, bags, and bedding.

Watch Ruptly TV’s footage from the streets of Diyarbakir below:

Turkey’s state early in the morning started to warn people that they have to leave their houses. And right now thousands of people are trying to leave Sur district, the ancient part of the city,” Harun Ercan, a Diyarbakir resident, told RT.

“This armed conflict continues to create new tragedies and these people don’t know what to do. While these operations continue, gross human rights violations are committed by Turkey’s security forces,” Ercan added.

Turkish authorities have introduced curfews in several Kurdish-majority towns since the peace process with the PKK collapsed in the summer of 2015.

Clashes between Turkish forces and Kurdish PKK fighters have been ongoing since July. Turkey’s authorities maintain that all of those killed during the security operations in the country’s southeast have been PKK members.

However, the Turkish Human Rights Foundation reported that at least 198 civilians, including 39 children, have been killed in military operations in the area since August.

Kurds have long been campaigning for the right to self-determination and greater autonomy in Turkey, where they are the largest ethnic minority. In late December, a congress of Kurdish nongovernmental organizations called for Turkey’s southeastern regions to be granted autonomy via constitutional reforms.

Turkish security forces launched a large-scale security operation in southeastern part of the country on December 14.

Human Rights Watch criticized the curfews, stating that they make it impossible to monitor causes of deaths. “Many people have died in circumstances which are extremely difficult to scrutinize because of the curfews,” The Guardian quoted Emma Sinclair-Webb, a senior researcher for Human Rights Watch, as saying.