Armenian life in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

In the 29th April 2005 issue of "Addis Tribune" (a publication of Tambek
International, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, established in 1992) printed an
article by Garbis Krajian, under the title: "Genocide 90 years ago �?" and
Denial"

Garbis Kradjian is a graduate of Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and
a teacher of ethics courses. His current assignment is in Ethiopia and
Zambia.

The article was more than a tribute to the memory of the victims of the
Genocide. It was a blend of memories on personal, communal, national and
trans-national levels, all intermingled in an interesting way. After all,
our life is a reflection of the reality within those four circles.

The article begins with the following statement:

As a form of introduction, I was born in Ethiopia from Armenian parents. My
family�?Ts history in Ethiopia goes back over 150 years. From my father�?Ts
side, I am fortunate to trace my genealogy back five generations. From my
mother�?Ts side, I am only able to go back as far as my grandfather.
Nonetheless!

I grew up in the Arat Kilo region and still remember many of my childhood
friends. I became fluent in Amharic [the majority language in Ethiopia] and
loved doing everything a child would do in our neighborhood. Ethiopia became
my home country and home to almost all Armenians who live in Ethiopia. Right
after the fall of the Emperor I left Ethiopia for Canada.

After living abroad for thirty years, I have returned to Ethiopia as an
educator. Upon my arrival I learned that the once vibrant and prosperous
Armenian community that numbered around 1,500 has dwindled to less than one
hundred. The remaining twenty families still run the community school, a
club and a church.

On April 24th, like it has been done for the last 90 years, I also went to
my church to pray for the soul of my ancestors.

It is estimated that over ten million Armenians and friends in one hundred
fifty-two countries gathered in churches, community centers, and national
assembly halls to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

I was one of sixty Armenians who congregated at St. George (Kevork) Armenian
Church [in Addis Ababa, capital city of Ethiopia] to pay tribute to my
ancestors who were victims of the atrocities committed by the Turkish
Ottoman Empire during the First World War.

Needless to say, I could not think of being anywhere else in the world at
this particular moment than this sacred place in Addis which is still
situated in the same setting where I regularly prayed as a child until I was
19 years of age. This was the same site, where every year, on April 24th, a
thousand or so Armenian-Ethiopians gathered to remember their ancestors, the
children, and the elderly who were slaughtered by the Ottoman Army. In fact,
what makes my conviction so much stronger is that I am the grandchild of one
of the Forty Orphans, the �?oArba Lijoch,�?� who survived the genocide and
escaped to Jerusalem. In Jerusalem, these forty orphans were given shelter
at the Armenian Monastery later to be adopted by Emperor Haile-Selassie.

The Emperor brought them to Ethiopia, where they made this lovely country
their home. These forty young men, who were a band had impressed the Emperor
with their musical skills. Upon their arrival to Ethiopia, they were
commissioned, under the directorship of Noubar Nalbandian, uncle of Nerses
Nalbandian, to compose the National Anthem of Ethiopia. It remained as the
anthem, �?oTeferi Marsh�?� or �?oEthiopia Hoy,�?� until the arrival of the
Dergue
[military committee formed in 1974 after the overthrow of Emperor Haile
Sellasie].

Before I move to the topic of my immediate concern, I pay much gratitude to
all Ethiopians, present and past, for giving the Armenians a home for the
last 100 years.

Garbis Krajian then gives a summery of the Genocide explaining why Turkey
should recognize it.

He ends the article by borrowing Reverend Martin Luther King�?Ts �?oI have a
dream�?� speech:

I have a dream that one day little Armenian boys and girls will be able to
join hands with little Turkish boys and girls as sisters and brothers
without having to bring up the past. I hope one day, my daughters Sara and
Ani will be able to play with the children of my very good Turkish friend
Serdar, without even going there�?�there �?�there, to the past, a very sad
past
that is inevitable to surface when an Armenian and Turk meet.

----------

70th anniversary of St. George (Kevork) Church in Addis Ababa.

On the 16th January 2005, the Armenian Community in Ethiopia witnessed one
of its memorable days, the celebration of the 70th anniversary of St. George
(Kevork) Armenian Apostolic Church of Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia.

The celebration was presided by Archimandrite V. Rev. Fr. Ashot Mnatzakanyan
(Locum Tenens of the Diocese of Armenian Apostolic Church of Egypt and all
Africa), Rev. Fr. Myron Sarkissian, Pastor of the Community (and other
nearby countries such as Sudan) attended the ceremony. The celebration
enjoyed the support of His Holiness Patriarch Abouna Paulos, the Head of the
Ethiopian Orthodox Church. This fact in itself was a proof of ages old
friendly relationship between the Oriental Orthodox Churches of both
countries: Armenia and Ethiopia.

------------
Catholicos Aram I helps the Ethiopians of Lebanon build their first church.

Antelias, Lebanon (10 February 2005)- His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of
Cilicia, has contributed to the church-building efforts of the Ethiopian
community of Lebanon. The community will soon construct its first church in
the Ainaar village, located in Mount Lebanon. The land was registered as a
property of the Catholicosate of Cilicia [donated by a Lebanese Christian
benefactor].

His Holiness Patriarch Abouna Paulos, the Head of the Ethiopian Orthodox
Church, had visited the Catholicosate two years ago and asked Aram I to
assist the Ethiopian Community of Lebanon. Upon his request, Catholicos Aram
I closely followed the religious activities of the community during the last
two years. The Ethiopian Patriarch�?Ts visit has paved the way for continual
cooperation between the Catholicosate of Cilicia and the Ethiopian Orthodox
Church.

See photo and links at the following link:

www.azad-hye.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=187

King Fahd sends cable of congratulations to Kocharian

Note: Although King Fahd is mentioning the "existing close relations between
the two friendly countries" in the following cable, still Saudi Arabia does
not have diplomatic relations with Armenia. Anyway, this cable could be a
good sign of development in this issue / Azad-Hye

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd bin Abdulaziz sent a
cable of congratulations to President Robert Kocharian of Armenia on
the occasion of his country's Independence Day.

In his own name and on behalf of the people and government of the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Monarch wished the President of Armenia
continuous good health and happiness and his people steady progress
and prosperity.

King Fahd also hailed the existing close relations between the two
friendly countries..

Source: Saudi Press Agency, Riyadh, 27 May 2005

Prof. Peter Balakian in Lebanon

Note: After being in Cyprus, where he delivered a lecture to the Armenian
Community in Nicosia and paid a visit to the Armenian quarter in old Nicosia
(now occupied by Turkish forces), Prof. P. Balakian continued his Middle
Eastern tour to visit Beirut. Below are excerpts from a press release by
Haigazian University / Azad-Hye

Haigazian University hosts Prof. Peter Balakian

In the line with Haigazian University's 50th Anniversary celebratory
events Peter Balakian was the host of Haigazian University for four
memorable days in Beirut.

The caliber of the lectures- highlighted by their focus on Balakian's
childhood, and the Armenian Genocide, the enraptured capacity audience, and
the effective interaction- had tremendous positive echoes in the Lebanese
society.

In his first lecture, "A Memoir about Growing up in the New Jersey Suburbs
and the Armenian Genocide", Prof. Balakian read some passages of his book
Black Dog of Fate, and shared with the audience some of his experiences on
growing up as an American in a typical New Jersey suburb, and later
learning of his family's terrible suffering during the Armenian Genocide.
Balakian emphasized the role his grandmother, a genocide survivor, played
in delivering encoded messages about her experience, which he was later
able to decipher and develop.

The second lecture, entitled "The Armenian Genocide and America's First
International Human Rights Movement" was even a greater success. The hall
was filled with an overflow of people, many attending the lecture twice, in
order to grasp the maximum opportunity of benefiting from Balakian's
presence in Beirut.

Balakian considered the Armenian Genocide as an important part in history
of the 20th century, insisting the issue should be incorporated in school
and university curricula worldwide. He added that it's impossible to
narrate the 1st World War without pausing to consider the Armenian
Genocide, a paradigm for subsequent twentieth century genocides.

Dr. Balakian also read passages from The Burning Tigris, his book which
appeared on the best-seller lists of the New York Times, the Los Angeles
Times, The Wall Street Journal, and USA Today.

Besides his lectures, Balakian had the chance to discover the Armenian and
Lebanese heritage by visiting Radio Van, and recording an interesting
interview, exploring the Armenian Museum at the Armenian Catholicossate in
Antelias, and finally enjoying Lebanese food and discovering the ancient
heritage of the city of Byblos.

Dr. Peter Balakian is a Professor of the Humanities and Professor of
English at Colgate University in New York state. He lives in Hamilton,
New York with his wife and two children Sophia and James.

(Abridged)

The Joint Declaration of the conference organizers and participants

Note: The conference on Armenian Genocide in Bosphorus University was
cancelled even before it started. Turkey's Minister of Justice labelled the
conference a stab in the back of Turkey. As you see even an academic
discussion of the Genocide could be a cause of threats and treason
accusations. We hope that in the near future the organizers will succeed in
holding this conference. Turkey cannot enter Europe if academic freedom is
victim of the public prosecutor's mood and disposition / Azad-Hye.

Subject: The Joint Declaration of the Conference Organizers and
Participants, 27 May 2005

The three day conference entitled 'The Otoman Armenians during the Era
of Otoman Decline' that we, as academics and public intellectuals of
Turkey, had planned with Bosphorus University as host was unfortunately
forced to be deferred as a consequence of pressures, threats and
slander.

We protest that two deputies serving under the roof of the Turkish
National Assembly, which is presumed to be the guarantor of scientific
activities, academic freedom and security of life and property, have
engaged in provocations that are totally in opposition to these
fundamental principles, and that the spokesperson of the government
incriminated all the conference participants by serious claims such as
'thrusting a knife into the nation's back.' We are additionally ashamed
that this spokesperson also carries the title of 'Minister of Justice.'
We think that it would be more appropriate for him to be utilized with a
duty outside of that of law and justice. We herewith notify the public
that this conference will be convened in the near future.

We organize this conference to seek answers to the question 'what
happened before, during and after 1915?' We attempt to understand and
recount a historical issue that during the last years has become trapped
and increasingly politicized between the radical Armenian national and
official Turkish theses.

Scientific meetings are not necessarily covered like television debates
conducted on certain issues. Scientific meetings also do not have the
prerogative to bring together all sides who are in opposition to one
another and who are also convinced of their own 'truths.' Furthermore,
the decision to determine who should compr‎ise the participants of a
scientific conference is the most natural right of the hosts and the
most fundamental application of the freedom of thought that is supposed
to exist at universities. No one individual, organization and
institution has the right to intervene in a scientific conference
organized outside of its own body.

In addition, we find the unjust and prejudiced accusations made against
the not yet presented papers of a not yet actualized conference totally
unlawful. Had the actualization of this conference been tolerated, the
rich, varied and not at all monotonous approaches to the issue of what
happened before, during and after 1915 would have emerged.

We, the participants of this conference whose signatures are enclosed
below, want to especially point out, as we also noted on our press
release dated 17 May 2005, that ''The emergence of different, critical
and alternative voices, the demonstration of how Turkey actually
contains such a rich multiplicity of thoughts would be, once again, to
the utmost benefit of Turkey.' We believe that the actualization of our
conference in the very near future would be one of the most significant
steps taken in our country on the path to academic freedom, to the
independence of universities, and in general toward democracy.'

Peter Balakian in Cyprus

An unprecedented crowd filled Utudjian Hall last Friday to listen to the
author of "The Black Dog of Fate" and "The Burning Tigris" Peter Balakian,
who had come to Cyprus for a single lecture, organised by the Hamazkayin
Oshakan Cyprus Chapter.

The slide aided presentation, the discussion, the cocktail and book signing
that followed was an experience that will undoubtedly stay with all of us,
either as a memory of the evening or while we read Balakian's books.

Armed with the information and passion transmitted to us, we all feel we are
better ambassadors of our cause for international recognition of the
Armenian Genocide.

Peter Balakian and his aide Doris Varjabedian Cross were guests of the
Armenian community at a dinner that followed at a local taverna. The
following day they also took the opportunity to cross the Green Line and
visit the ruined Armenian neighbourhood.

Images from the lecture/discussion, the dinner, the walk about the Turkish
occupied Armenian neighbourhood at:

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2126338644&code=16188315&mode=invite&DCMP=isc-email-AlbumInvite

Source: Gibrahayer e-magazine, Nicosia, 24 May 2005. Editor: Simon Aynedjian
To subscribe to Gibrahayer: http://gibrahayer.cyprusnewsletter.com
To contact the listmaster send an email to simon@cytanet.com.cy

UAE Armenian Calendar (28 May, Javakhk, End of School Festivities)

http://www.azad-hye.com/media/a1/uae-armenian-agenda-2005.html

27 / 5/ 2005 (Abu Dhabi)
In commemoration of the First Republic (1918-1920), the Council of the
Armenian Community in Abu Dhabi is organizing a lecture at the Crowne Plaza
hotel, on 27 May 2005, 6:30 pm.

The lecturer is Dr. Areziv Papazian, who will present the Javakhk region in
present day Georgia (he gave the same lecture in Sharjah few days ago. See
below for more details).

27 / 5/ 2005 (Sharjah)
A luncheon to celebrate the First Republic of Armenia (1918-1920) will take
place at the Radisson SAS Hotel (formerly known as Continental Hotel),
Sharjah, on Friday, 27th May 2005, from 1:00 pm onwards.

Well known singer Norair Kazandjian will be entertaining. Admission fees
(including open buffet) are AED 75 for adults and AED 40 for children 4-12
ages old. For infants up to 4 years old the admission is free.

A program for children will also be available.

For bookings call Church's office on 06-5660320 from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm or
Moushegh Bedirian on 050-4816753.

26 / 5/ 2005 (Sharjah)
The Ohanessian Armenian school's end of school year festivities will take
place on Thursday, 26th May 2005, at 6:00 p.m. at the Sharjah Armenian
complex.

Lecture about "Javakhk" in Sharjah

http://www.azad-hye.com/media/a1/uae-armenian-agenda-2005.html

Lecture about "Javakhk", organized by the Council of Armenians in Dubai and
Sharjah, on 23rd May 2005, 08:30 p.m. in the Sharjah Armenian complex.

Keynote speaker will be Dr. Ardziv Papazian, specially invited from France.

Javakhk is an area of land within Georgian borders, adjacent to Armenia and
populated with Armenians. The population lives in extremely difficult
economic situation, especially that the central government in Georgia is not
in a position to financially sport any of social or economic projects in the
region.

Recently the Georgian Public Prosecutor paid an official visit to Armenia,
during which he met Church figures and higher governmental officials in
Armenia and discussed with them the problems of Georgian Armenians,
especially the case of the Georgian nationalists who are trying to put under
their control Armenian churches or real estate belonging to the Armenian
Church in Georgia.

Text in Armenian:
http://www.azad-hye.com/media/a1/uae-armenian-agenda-2005.html

Would you wish to be an Armenian in 1915?

The following is an article by Turkish novelist, political commentator and
liberal columnist Ahmet Altan (born 1950, graduate of Faculty of
Administrative Sciences at Istanbul University), who works as journalist and
TV producer. He is author of several best selling novels. He has been
persecuted by his country's justice system for articles published in the
press.

At one point all Turkish dailies stopped publishing his articles when he
wrote in the daily newspaper "Milliyet" (2001) a column titled "Atakurd", in
which he wondered how the Turkish people would react if they were living in
a country called “Kurdey”, where basic rights of citizens other than Kurds
were violated.

The following article titled "Genocide …" was published on 9th May 2005 in
the popular Turkish political commentary website Gazetem.net.

I would like to ask a very simple, ordinary question.

Would you wish to be an Armenian in 1915?

No, you wouldn't.

Because now you know you would have been killed.

Please stop arguing about the number of murdered or the denials or the
attempts to replace pain with statistics.

No one is denying that Armenians were murdered, right?

It may be 300,000, or 500,000, or 1.5 million.

I don't know which number is the truth, or whether anyone knows the true
number accurately.

What I do know is the existence of the death and pain beyond these numbers.

I am also aware how we forget that we are talking about human beings when we
are passionately debating the numbers.

Those numbers cannot describe the murdered babies, women, the elderly, the
teenage boys and girls.

If we leave the numbers aside, and if we allow ourselves to hear the story
of only one of these murders, I am sure that even those of us who get
enraged when they hear the words "Armenian Genocide" will feel the pain,
will have tears in their eyes.

Because they will realize that we are talking about human beings.

When we hear about a baby pulled from a mother's hands to be dashed on the
rocks, or a youth shot to death beside a hill, or an old woman throttled by
her slender neck, even the hard-hearted among us will be ashamed to say,
"Yes, but these people killed the Turks."

Most of these people did not kill anyone.

These people became the innocent victims of a crazed government powered by
murder, pitiless but also totally incompetent in governing.

This bloody insanity was a barbarism, not something for us to take pride in
or be part of.

This was a slaughter that we should be ashamed of, and, if possible,
something that we can sympathize with and share the pain.

I understand that the word "genocide" has a damningly critical meaning,
based on the relentless insistence of the Armenians' "Accept the Genocide"
argument, or the Turks' "No, it was not a genocide" counterargument, even
though the Turks accept the death of hundreds of thousands of Armenians.

And yet, this word is not that important for me, even though it has
significance in politics and diplomacy.

What is more important for me is the fact that many innocent people were
killed so barbarically.

When I see the shadow of this bloody event on the present world, I see a
greater injustice done to the Armenians.

Our crime today is not to allow the present Armenians even to grieve for
their cruelly killed relatives and parents.

Which Armenian living in Turkey today can openly grieve and commemorate a
murdered grandmother, grandfather or uncle?

I have nothing in common with the terrible sin of the past Ittihadists, but
the sin of not allowing grief for the dead belongs to all of us today.

Do you really want to commit this sin?

Is there anyone among us who would not shed tears for a family attacked at
home in the middle of the night, or for a little girl left all alone in the
desert during the nightmare called "deportation," or for a white-bearded
grandfather shot?

Whether you call it genocide or not, hundreds of thousands of human beings
were murdered.

Hundreds of thousands of lives snuffed out.

The fact that some Armenian gangs murdered some Turks cannot be an excuse to
mask the truth that hundreds of thousands of Armenians were murdered.

A human being of conscience is capable of grieving for the Armenians, as
well as the Turks, as well as the Kurds.

We all should.

Babies died; women and old people died.

They died in pain, tormented, terrified.

Is it really so important what religion or race these murdered people had?

Even in these terrifying times there were Turks who risked their lives
trying to rescue Armenian children.

We are the children of these rescuers, as well as the children of the
murderers.

Instead of justifying and arguing on behalf of the murderers, why don't we
praise and defend the rescuers' compassion, honesty, and courage?

There are no more victims left to be rescued today, but there is a grief, a
pain, to be shared and supported.

What's the use of a bloody, warmongering dance around a deep pain?

Forget the numbers, forget the Armenians, forget the Turks, just think of
the babies, teenagers, and old people with necks broken, bellies slashed,
bodies mutilated. Think about these people, one by one.

If nothing moves in you when you hear a baby wail as her mother is murdered,
I have nothing to say to you.

Then add my name to the list of "traitors."

Because I am ready to share the grief and pain with the Armenians.

Because I still believe there is something yet to be rescued from all these
meaningless and pitiless arguments, and that something is called "humanity."

Translated by the Zoryan Institute

The URL for this story is:
www.azad-hye.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=186

Aram I pays a visit to distant Iranian-Armenian town of Arak

For the first time in the history of the past few centuries of Iran's
Armenian community, an Armenian Catholicos visited Arak, a town which
lies at a distance of approximately 275 Km from Tehran and where the
few remaining Armenians have still preserved their church and school.

After a regular service held in the Armenian Church of Arak, Archbishop
Sarkissian welcomed His Holiness and presented to him the Armenians
of Arak, who though small in numbers, have a strong will to preserve
their Armenian identity.

"I come to Arak from far away Antelias to be with you, to bring the
love and care of the Armenian Church, so that living in this isolated
place, far from large Armenian communities and distant from the center
of the Diocese, you wouldn't remain deprived of our church's spiritual
and moral support and encouragement," said His Holiness.

His Holiness praised the director of the Armenian school of Arak and
granted her the St. Mesrob Mashdots Medal of Honor. He also praised
the members of the church's and the school's boards of trustees and
all the Armenians of Arak for their dedication to the community. His
Holiness commended the primate of Tehran who has paid special attention
and care to Arak.

His Holiness also received the town's police chief. He visited the
St. Hagop Armenian Church, built in 1718 and located in the formerly
Armenian-populated village of Kalava. His Holiness said a short prayer
and then visited the village's Armenian cemetery, which is rich with
Khatchkars (crosses of stone).

The Syrian Ambassador to Iran had organized a luncheon in honor of
His Holiness a day earlier, on May 15. The primate of Tehran and
the ambassadors of Bahrain, Lebanon, United Arab Emirates, Palestine
and a number of other countries attended the luncheon in the Syrian
embassy.

Source: PRESS RELEASE: Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: cathcil@cathcil.org
Web: http://www.cathcil.org/
Armenian version: http://www.cathcil.org/v04/doc/Armenian.htm
Original title: HIS HOLINESS PAYS HIS FIRST VISIT TO ARAK
(Abridged)

New operator of mobile communication in Armenia

YEREVAN, MAY 17. ARMINFO. The new operator of mobile communication
in Armenia - K-Telecom - will start its activities this summer,
says K-Telecom Director General Ralph Yerikian.

After long negotiations Armentel and K-Telecom signed Monday an
agreement on coupling their cellular communication networks.

For commercial reasons Yerikian refuses to say for how much his
company will lease a communication channel from ArmenTel and how
much it will charge for its services. Now the company is actively
engaged in administrative, commercial and technical preparations and
will official announce its tariffs as soon as it enters the market.
Yerikian says that K-Telecom will provide two types of services:
post-paid and pre-paid.

K-Telecom belongs to a Lebanese holding and provides services in
Karabakh. The company's president and owner is Piere Fattoush.

Armenian Community in Kuwait: Brief History

AZAD-HYE (14 May 2005): After the formation of the United Arab Republic in
Egypt and Syria (1958), many Armenians emigrated to the United States,
Canada, Australia, Argentina and elsewhere. Some of them arrived in Kuwait,
then a desert Emirate, with limited modern comforts.

In 1959 young priest Gorun Shrikian visited Kuwait on two different
occasions, during which he established a congregation, the core of the
present day Armenian Community.

In 1961 priest Barouyr Sarkissian settled down in Kuwait City and served the
community for more than thirty years.

The Community was originally formed by bachelors who were employed in light
industries, auto repair shops, electronics, services etc. Eventually they
got married and brought to Kuwait their brides from their countries of
origin (Syria, Lebanon, Iran, etc.). As their children reached schooling
age, the need for learning the Armenian language, history and religion led
to the establishment of a school in the late 1960's. The new premises of the
school were inaugurated in 1972.

Since then the number of the Armenians in Kuwait expanded and reached a peak
of 12000 in the mid 1980's. The number of students enrolled in the Armenian
School scored a record 700 pupils. High School section (Azkayin Jemaran) was
introduced, enabling graduates to get enrolled in University level graduate
courses worldwide. Today the school covers the whole range from kindergarten
to the 12th grade. It has some 35 full-time teachers, half of them
Armenians.

The invasion of Kuwait by Iraqi forces of the ousted regime of Saddam
Hussein caused great damage to the State of Kuwait and the Armenian
Community. Fortunately the invasion took place in August (1990), during
which many Armenian families were already outside the country and did not
directly suffer the consequences of the invasion. Only 500 Armenians
remained in Kuwait during the six months of the Iraqi invasion, many fled
the country through the Saudi border.

After the restoration of national authority in Kuwait, many Armenians
returned to their positions in Kuwait, yet a considerable number continued
living in new places. The returned ones were compensated by the Kuwaiti
government (through special arrangement with the United Nations) with
monthly salaries that covered the complete period of invasion. The number of
Armenians after the invasion steadily rose to 3000 in 1994 (present day
estimation is 4500, number of students 350).

The eternal problem of the School is to find a lasting and capable
headmaster. The most problematic year was 2000-2001 when the Headmistress
(Knarik Kasbarian) was dismissed in the middle of the School Year and the
School governing body experienced severe conflict with the National Council
(heavily backed by ARF party members). After a series of unsuccessful
choices Minas Hanskehyan was appointed as Headmaster.

The first Armenian publication of Kuwait appeared in the Armenian School
under the name "Swallow" (Dzidzernag / 1978). The current student
publication is called "Oasis" (second term 2004, 16 pages). The Armenian
scout movement (Homenetmen) is active since the 1970's. Church choir
"Naregatsi" is conducted by Kevork Hadjian.

The Representative of the Catholicosate of Cilicia for the entire Gulf
Region's Armenians has its seat in Kuwait City (Salmiya Area, PO Box 8157,
Tel: 00965-5614392, Fax: 00965-5638312). First prelacy level elections took
place in 1994. The dominant political fraction is ARF, which controls all
seats in local bodies, through appointing loyal members and sympathizers.
The official publication of the Prelacy is called "Aztarar" (since 1993 /
dubbed as "bulletin of Armenian Affairs", in PDF format since September
2004). It is basically a compilation of general Armenian news (mostly from
ARF affiliated sources). Compiler is Kevork Hadjian. The present day
Catholicosal Representative is Archbishop Dr. Gorun Babian (long time Head
of Church in Isfahan, Iran, originally from Lebanon). The priest is Der
Ardag Kehyeyan (son of Der Adom, reputed priest in Aleppo for many
generations).

Armenians have a great reputation in Kuwait. The local media occasionally
writes about the Armenians and their activities. On the occasion of the 90th
Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide the Armenians organized a blood
donation. About one hundred persons donated blood to people in need. Media
referred extensively to the blood donation, the Armenian Genocide, the
painting exhibition organized by the Armenian School, etc. Archbishop Babian
was interviewed. Giragos Kouyoumdjian wrote several articles in Kuwait
English and Arabic newspapers, stressing the meaning of the Genocide and
expressing thanks to the Arabs who welcomed the Armenians during difficult
times (World War I). The Turkish Embassy in Kuwait responded with the usual
denial of the Genocide, providing explanation of the reasons behind the
Armenian "deportations".

Some individual Kuwaiti writers urged the Turkish government to acknowledge
the Genocide. They sympathized with the Armenians, especially that Kuwait
and Armenia are both small nations in a sea of surrounding bigger entities.

See special photos of Kuwaiti Armenian establishments (School and Church) in
the Photo Gallery. Above photo: Students of 11th and 12th Grade 2003-2004

The URL for this story is:
www.azad-hye.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=185

"The Young Musician" School of Music in Abu Dhabi

The "Young Musician" School of Music in Abu Dhabi invites you to a concert
at "Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation", on Tuesday 10th May 2005, 5:30 p.m.

Concert Realization: Mr. Krikor Jerejian

The Teachers: Karine Haroutiunyan and Nona Haroutiunyan

The Students: Somaya Hassaballa, Jinan Moumneh, Rhea Oommen, Christine
Simonian, Shaghig Patanian, Eddie Nahabedian, Sarah Zugheib, Kaleen
Mahserejian, Anto Mahserejian, Victor Khoukaz, Klaudia Khoukaz, Katia
Khoukaz and Maia Hariri

You can find more information about this school owned and managed by
Armenians at:
http://www.azad-hye.com/ads/youngmusician/youngmusician.html

Exhibition of Jean Paul Guiragossian in Abu Dhabi

"Visu Art" (www.visu-art.com) invites you to the preview and cocktail of an
art exhibition, to discover the work of distinctive contemporary artists:
paintings of Jean Paul Guiragossian, sculptures of Veronique Longchamp,
Emilio Velilla, Angel Criado, Oscar Alvarino, Manuel Mateo, Angel Florez and
Luisa Rodriguez.

The preview cocktail will be held on Wednesday, May 11th 2005, from
6:30-9:00 pm, Thursday, May 12th 2005, from 10 am – 9 pm, at the upper hall
lobby of the Beach Rotatan Hotel and Towers, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

For more information you are requested to contact Gladys Accad
(gladys@visu-art.com, mobile 0506512958) or Colette Arslan
(colette@visu-art.com, mobile 050-5535011)

Paintings of Jean Paul Guiragossian were exhibited in the past, in the
"Cultural Foundation" of Abu Dhabi, and in the Dubai Ladies' Cultural Club
in 2003.

Born on the 20th March 1967 Jean Paul Guiragossian grew up learning how to
paint in his Father’s Studio, the famous painter Paul Guiragossian
(1926-1994). He attended the Lebanese University of Fine Arts and the
Ontario College of Art (Canada, 1984-1987). He has participated in
exhibitions since 1972, when he was at the age of five.

Contact Paul Guiragossian: jpgossian@yahoo.com

Online Museum: http://www.jeanpaulguiragossian.com/

Check the following archive article about the previous exhibition in the
UAE:
http://www.azad-hye.com/nuke/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=81

Upper-Left Photo in www.azad-hye.com: Painting by Jean Paul Guiragossian,
Past & Future 2-1997, Oil on Canvass, 80 x 65 cm

This article comes from AZAD_HYE
www.azad-hye.com

The URL for this story is:
www.azad-hye.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=184

Questions standing in front of a very old nation

We received the following message from Lusine Korekyan
(lusinek191072@yahoo.com), UAE, addressed to Mr. Ara Baliozian

To: Mr. Ara Baliozian,

I am very glad I have read your article posted in Azad-hye.com Newsletter on
27th April 2005 (see original message below)

I would like to say you thanks for thinking that way about our grand issue
(the Genocide). That was maybe the first objective article I have ever read
about genocide, which, in my opinion, applied to the roots of the problem. I
used to say that there are some deep, maybe unconscious, reasons for what
happened with the Armenians in 1915. But all the Armenians I discussed with,
used to tell me I would not be Armenian at all if I thought like that.

I used to ask many Armenians "How come that someone came to your own home as
a stranger and became an owner of it? And then he kicked you out of your own
home? Whose fault is it? Is it the owner's fault or the stranger's? Why
Turks came to Armenia in a certain time and became the owners of our
homeland? What's the reason that Armenians were so weak to withstand or
resist them? What was our mistake as an ancient (supposed to be wise and
experienced) nation? What we have learned from that mistakes and the tragedy
of genocide?"

If something bad happens to our children, it is our responsibility as
parents to make them analyze and understand why that particular thing has
happened, what they learned from it and what should they do to prevent it in
the future. How should we explain to our children why the Genocide happened
with us? I have even put these questions in front of the readers of
www.azad-hye.com some time ago hoping to get answers from Armenians. But I
didn't. Is it possible that no one has answers? Or is it possible that
nobody is asking himself these questions? How come? Is it possible that
Armenians have no parents, I mean persons who are taking care about the
nation generally? Who is responsible for analyzing our past experiences and
giving us proper answers?

We are inheriting fear, hatred, and revenge to our ancestors concerning
genocide issue. Fear, hatred and revenge are destroying our psychology and
making us weak. To carry all these feelings inside of us from generation to
generation means to create hell in our lives. How could we feel safe, if
there are so many negative emotions inside of our psyche? And if we cannot
feel safe, fulfilled and peaceful in this world what kind of generation we
can raise?

And yet we are proud of being Christians! How come? What's the main idea of
Christianity? Forgiveness! How should we teach our children to be Christians
and do not forgive Turks? Isn't it contradiction? I do not suggest
forgetting this issue, never! But we should forgive for our own good and
become stronger. The dominant feeling of being a victim is paralyzing our
immune system!

We should clean our psych from negative emotions that are just sticking us
to our pain and do not let as be sober, aware and flexible.

Mr. Baliozian is giving some reasons why it has happened with the Armenians.
Why heroism and treachery are always combating with each other throughout
our history, making us vulnerable to other nations? What should be done to
correct past mistakes? All these questions are still standing in front of us
as a very old nation, and waiting for their answers.

Yours Respectfully,

Lusine Korekyan
UAE

Original Message

From: "Ara Baliozian" <arabaliozian@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed Apr 27, 2005 9:30 pm
Subject: The bloodthirsty savages and Asiatic barbarians

While on every April 24 we mourn Talaat's victims, let us not ignore
Stalin's victims, whose number remains unknown to most of us. But
perhaps we prefer to ignore them because the executioners were not
Turks but Armenians.
*
In the Middle Ages Jews who copied the Holy Scriptures believed that
even a single letter in the wrong place might mean the destruction of
the world. How much more so the death of a single innocent human
being?
*
What if the world is being destroyed even as I am writing and you are
reading these lines, but because the destruction is in slow motion we
have the illusion of survival.
*
The Genocide is a tragic episode in our history, but it is only a
chapter, not the whole book. It is a factor, even if a defining
factor, in shaping of our identity, but it is not the only factor.
*
The Genocide is history, it is not theology, and it should not be
allowed to become pathology. If we allow it to become pathology, it
may paralyze our will to confront and solve our present problems of
which we have more than our share.
*
G.K. Chesterton: "The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also
to love our enemies; probably because they are generally the same
people."
*
Armenians who hate are convinced that their hatred bears God's seal
of approval.
*
We are better at excommunicating friends than converting enemies.
*
We have more enemies than friends, and our friends are friends in
name only. We cannot even rely on our fellow Armenians for friendship.
*
When it comes to literature, we prefer writers who plagiarize
patriotic clichés and recycle pro-establishment platitudes to one who
speaks his mind and says what must be said. We stifle originality
when it fails to flatter our collective ego or when it challenges our
prejudices. How many of our contemporary writers (do we have them?)
would have the integrity and courage of Raffi and say "Treason and
betrayal are in our blood"? And it is worth remembering that Zarian
confided his true feelings about his fellow Armenians (such
as "Armenians survive by cannibalizing one another") only in his
notebooks, which were not meant for publication in his lifetime.
*
When a reader who disagrees with me pretends I am the only Armenian
he disagrees with, I have no choice but to conclude that I must be
the only Armenian he reads.
*
It is an insult to all Armenians to think that they are so vulnerable
and fragile that they can be ruined by an idea that does not bear a
boss's, bishop's, or benefactor's seal of approval.
*
It makes little sense to suggest that after 600 years of coexistence
the Turks suddenly woke up on April 24, 1915 and decided to
exterminate us because we aroused their cannibal instincts. No one
with any degree of objectivity and common sense will ever agree with
us if we say or imply in any way that we are better than Turks. All
such talk is bound to smack of racism and lower our moral standing.
*
The Genocide is a central issue with us. It was only a peripheral one
for them. We were only a small fraction of their problems of which
they had many more than they could handle in a rational way. They
massacred us because they had the power and we didn't.
*
We only damage our credibility if we as victims assert moral
superiority or adopt a holier-than-thou stance. Because by saying
Turks are evil we also imply that they are good only for
extermination. But to think in terms of extermination is
quintessentially Ottoman.
*
Let us therefore put an end to all talk of Turks as bloodthirsty
savages and Asiatic barbarians.

Abu Dhabi Armenian Annual Ball 2005

The Council of the Armenian Community of Abu Dhabi invites you to "Crowne
Plaza" Hotel ("Emirates" Ballroom), Thursday 19 th May 2005, at 9:00 p.m.,
for live entertainment by popular singer HOVSEP KASPARIAN and his band
“GOMIDAS” (specially invited from Syria).

For entrance tickets and reservation, please contact: Mrs. Dikranouhi
Sarkisian: 050 6146659, Mrs. Maral Hajibalian: 050 7420509, Mr. Setrag Der
Melkonian: 050 6521240, Mr. Raffi Simonian: 050 6626086, or any member of
the Armenian Community.

International buffet with valuable gifts.

Entry for children below 12 years old is not allowed.

Ticket price: AED 150 (US $ 41) per person.

Two end of year events in the Armenian School of Abu Dhabi

Council of the Armenian Community of Abu Dhabi (P.O. Box 29423, Abu Dhabi,
UAE, E-mail: armeniancouncilad@yahoo.co.uk) announces the following:

The Armenian Community School of Abu Dhabi cordially invites you to the
following events:

1- The 8th grade of The Armenian Community School, along with the class of
2004 will present "ANNIE" at "The Club" (known also as Abu Dhabi British
Club), Friday, 6 May 2005, at 6:30 pm

2- End of school year theatrical play, in the same location, Friday, May 13,
2005, at 6:30 p.m.

Armenians of Sharjah and Dubai can combine a sightseeing tour to Abu Dhabi
with the above events (especially for the second event, there is enough time
to do prior arrangements).

Kuwaiti writer on Armenian Genocide

Kuwaiti writer Ahmad Al Rabe'e has published an interesting article in the
25th April 2005 issue of the well-known Saudi international daily "Asharq
Alawsat". Below is a translation of the article from Arabic:

Commemorating the Armenian Genocide

It is already the 90th anniversary of one of the most brutal mass
annihilations in the history of mankind: the Armenian Genocide, a chain in a
series of crimes against humanity, involving many peoples: massacres against
Jews, Kurds, Palestinians and Armenians.

A short while ago was the anniversary of the Holocaust, the crime that
Hitler committed against the Jews. Newspapers, radio and TV stations
conducted many interviews and discussions on the subject of Holocaust. It is
true that our human duty is to express solidarity with the Jewish victims of
Nazism, but it is pity that human beings are still selective, even when it
comes to the past: for example the killings of the Jews have become an
international event, commemorative monuments are erected and museums for the
victims are built, acts that are required indeed. But what about the
Armenian Genocide? Why this appalling silence every year? Why the Turkish
insistence on not publicly apologizing to the Armenian people, although the
current Turkish generation is not guilty and the apology would be for a
historical crime, all of whose victims and perpetrators have passed away by
now.

I am used to write on the occasion of the Armenian Genocide. I am also used
to receive every time a letter from the Turkish Embassy in Kuwait, in which
an attempt is made to explain the Turkish point of view, running away from
self-confrontation and telling the truth.

There are other tragic events in the history of mankind, dealt also with a
selective method: The anniversary of the Kurdish Halabja passes silently,
although a crime with chemical weapons have been committed there against
innocent families. The day of Sabra and Shatila and before that Deir Yassin:
people were killed brutally like sheep. The anniversary of Saddam Hussein's
invasion to Kuwait: the killing of people, the destruction of a country and
the burning of more than five hundred oil wells, one of the greatest crimes
against the environment.

I hope that we all read the message of the Prime Minister of Japan, in which
he is apologizing to all the nations who were victims of the Japanese
colonial period. He apologized in frank, clear and comprehensive way, with
pride. It is a great human merit to act so, especially all we are asking is
a mere apology ... the least a faithful can do.

See article in Arabic language.
http://www.asharqalawsat.com/leader.asp?section=3&issue=9645&article=295653

The URL for this story is:
www.azad-hye.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=183

Muslim Hamshen Armenians

"Hamshen" NGO expresses concern over the fate of Hamshen Armenians
converted into Islam. President of "Hamshen", Ivan Krbashian, told
Yerkramas newspaper of Krasnodar (Russia) that the authorities of
Krasnodar region have refused for the 4th time to register "Hemshliner"
cultural union of local Muslim Armenians.

Krbashian thinks that the religion they practice is the main reason for
refusal. It's not a secret that the representatives of International
Organization for Migration transporting Meskhet Turks to the USA
already talk of sending Hamshen Armenians the same direction together
with Kurmanji-speaking Kurds.

In 17th century, Armenians of Hamshen region of Western Armenia
were forcefully converted into Islam, and a new ethno-religious group
speaking Hamshen dialect of Armenian came into being. There were around
600 Muslim Armenians in Ajaria (Georgia) in 20s of 20th century. In
1944 Hamshen Armenians together with Meskhet Turks and Kurds were
exiled to Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. In 70s, part of them resettled in
the region of Krasnodar, and today around 1000 Muslim Hamshen Armenians
live in Apsheron, Belorechensk and other settlements of the region.

Source: AZG Armenian Daily, Yerevan, 05/05/2005
Original Title: "Will Muslim Hamshen Armenians be banished from Krasnoder
region?"

Kuwaiti writer on Armenian Genocide

Kuwaiti writer Ahmad Al Rabe'e has published an interesting article in the
25th April 2005 issue of the well-known Saudi international daily "Asharq
Alawsat". Below is a translation of the article from Arabic:

Commemorating the Armenian Genocide

It is already the 90th anniversary of one of the most brutal mass
annihilations in the history of mankind: the Armenian Genocide, a chain in a
series of crimes against humanity, involving many peoples: massacres against
Jews, Kurds, Palestinians and Armenians.

A short while ago was the anniversary of the Holocaust, the crime that
Hitler committed against the Jews. Newspapers, radio and TV stations
conducted many interviews and discussions on the subject of Holocaust. It is
true that our human duty is to express solidarity with the Jewish victims of
Nazism, but it is pity that human beings are still selective, even when it
comes to the past: for example the killings of the Jews have become an
international event, commemorative monuments are erected and museums for the
victims are built, acts that are required indeed. But what about the
Armenian Genocide? Why this appalling silence every year? Why the Turkish
insistence on not publicly apologizing to the Armenian people, although the
current Turkish generation is not guilty and the apology would be for a
historical crime, all of whose victims and perpetrators have passed away by
now.

I am used to write on the occasion of the Armenian Genocide. I am also used
to receive every time a letter from the Turkish Embassy in Kuwait, in which
an attempt is made to explain the Turkish point of view, running away from
self-confrontation and telling the truth.

There are other tragic events in the history of mankind, dealt also with a
selective method: The anniversary of the Kurdish Halabja passes silently,
although a crime with chemical weapons have been committed there against
innocent families. The day of Sabra and Shatila and before that Deir Yassin:
people were killed brutally like sheep. The anniversary of Saddam Hussein's
invasion to Kuwait: the killing of people, the destruction of a country and
the burning of more than five hundred oil wells, one of the greatest crimes
against the environment.

I hope that we all read the message of the Prime Minister of Japan, in which
he is apologizing to all the nations who were victims of the Japanese
colonial period. He apologized in frank, clear and comprehensive way, with
pride. It is a great human merit to act so, especially all we are asking is
a mere apology ... the least a faithful can do.

See article in Arabic language:
http://www.asharqalawsat.com/leader.asp?section=3&issue=9645&article=295653

The URL for this story is:
www.azad-hye.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=183