Things in Lebanon are not back to normal yet and seems with possible failure in Doha talks, Tensions will increase. But what has it to do with Armenians?

An adviser to prime minister Siniora has told to Voice of Lebanon Radio Program: “The Armenians want “rights” in Lebanon.. while they have only crumbs in Armenia”
Obviously elements in the Government which is backed by United states are angry with the way, Armenian have sided in the political scene of Lebanon.
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I’ve grown to admire Elif Shafak’s opinions, especially nowadays as they give us a solid preview of what life can be like for a progressive Turkish contemporary writer/intellectual living and working in a post Hrant Dink world.

Listen to this recent interview on NPR’s Fresh Air radio program and please share your thoughts:

In this particular interview, it was interesting to listen to Shafak’s continued solid stance that the radical Turkish Nationalist movement is really a minority voice that is on the fringes of contemporary Turkish society, a compete opposite of what I originally conceived. There is a lot about Turkish society I have yet to discover, but it seems to be clear that there is this silent majority within the literate groups of Turkey who seem to be intellectually frustrated and actively questioning the official government “feed” about many current issues and past dark historical events. This is a good thing, as it may directly or indirectly propel a richer level of communicative openness and idea-exchange within Turks about various “Armenian” taboo topics in Turkish society such as the Ottoman era Armenian Genocide and the moral legitimacy of Turkey’s current day Armenian economic/border blockade.

Author Elif Shafak was acquitted after being taking to trial for “insulting Turkishness” when a fictional character described the Armenian genocide in her latest book. AFP/Getty Images

A video grab released by Turkish police shows an image of a man suspected of killing journalist Hrant Dink, one of Turkey’s most prominent ethnic Armenians, as the government came under fire for failing to protect him despite nationalist threats.(AFP/HO)

According to a recent AP news release, Turkish Police detained a suspect early today in the slaying of Hrant Dink, acting on a tip from the boy’s father after his pictures were broadcasted on Turkish television. According to press information provided by the Turkish Police, the suspect’s name is Ogun Samast, a 17 years old caught on a bus in the Black Sea city of Samsun. Samast was apparently on his way from Istanbul back to his hometown of Trabzon.

Reporter Benjamin Harvey of the Associated Press also notes that Dink’s secretary had also identified the young man in the photograph as the same person who had requested a meeting with Dink the day he was killed. The man said he was a student at Ankara University. The request was refused, and the secretary said she saw him waiting in front of a bank about an hour before Dink was killed.

It would be interesting to find out if this teen acted alone or had ties to a group. I doubt we will ever know the authentic truth.

It’s been a very difficult news event for me to follow and reflect upon. From what I can gather, this man was very much loved and respected by not only community ethnic Armenians but by the activist/progressive Turkish community.

The most significant memory I have of Dink was in last years American-PBS documentary film on Genocide where I think Dink describes Turks as being a kind (pari) people. I may be wrong with my recollection of what he specifically stated, but his intentions gave me impression that he was a unifier and not a divider. It is important to remember what Hrant Dink stood for, what he fought for and what he achieved for both Turkey and her minority Armenian community.

…that probably wasn’t the first point in Sahakashvili’s agenda. Still, that’s what Georgia is clearly getting out of the scandal: according to data from the Regional Electoral Committee of Akhalkalaki (the predominantly Armenian populated town in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region in Georgia), Akhalkalaki with 7052 voters will have 1 delegate to the regional sakrebulo (the local representative self-government body), which is as many as the Georgian village Ptena with 204 voters. The elections in Georgia certainly look promising… and will probably go by unnoticed, lost in the overall spy-scandal fuss!!!
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A new documentary has been broadcasted in the US covering four university students all of whom are are transgendered. (Please skim the Wikipedia article if you don’t have any background on this subject.) It is called TransGeneration. It is on the Sundance and Logo channels (available on most digital cable and sat.)

It is a really great show. There are 8 parts, each of which features all of the four students: two of whom are transitioning female to male and two are transitioning male to female. These young adults are very interesting. Their stories are extremely compelling.

One of the students is T.J., who is Armenian from Cyprus (although he was born in Beiruit.) T.J. went to Melkonian in the 1990s as Tamar and won a Fullbright Scholarship to come to the US.

[T.J.] has embraced college as a place for intellectual, political and personal self-discovery. After graduating at the top of his high school class in Cyprus, T.J. received a Fulbright scholarship to study in the U.S. At Michigan State University in East Lansing, T.J. is part of the campus’ tight-knit transgender community, and openly expresses the male identity he sensed as a very young child. Bright and politically engaged, he has chosen to continue towards a graduate degree in Student Affairs Administration at Michigan State University. But T.J.’s gender expression is irrevocably at odds with his family and community in Cyprus, where he is expected to return after completing graduate work. His mother refuses to talk to him about the subject, and it is no secret that he is expected to sublimate his personal desires to the will of his community. As T.J. plans to a visit home in May, he realizes that he will have to confront his mother and sister about his desire to transition. And T.J. knows that if he is to become the man he deeply feels himself to be, he may never be able to go home.

When T.J. calls his mom in one of the episodes, you can hear the pain in his voice telling his mom that he only wants to visit for a week in the summer. In Armenian it is more painful than the English subtitles, certainly.

If T.J. goes to Cyprus, he will be forced to live as a woman again, something that he is not comfortable with.

Armenian GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered) people have a world of issues to deal with related to their families. T.J.’s story is not unique. Watching this show highlights a number of these issues. I can’t express in words what it is like to see this pain.

(I hate to make it sounds like this show is so upsetting - there are lots of positive moments as well.)

Armenian GLBT links

More information about T.J., including an interview.
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A pro Jewish watchdog/publication website identifying itself as the Union of Councils for Jews in the Former Soviet Union (or UCSJ), recently posted some disturbing news on two separate ethnic Armenian murders in Russia, just days apart.(click below)

Armenian Murdered in Moscow, Possibly by Skinheads
(January 11, 2006)

Teenage Migrant Stabbed to Death in Moscow
(January 10, 2006)

UCSJ’s has lots of similar hate-attack-stories published on their site. I’m just wondering what’s really going on in Vladamir Putin’s Russia?

In a positive sign from Turkey, 45 minutes of Kurdish language TV will be shown each day. [source]

A good move toward making concessions to the EU.

On a related note, I have a classmate from Turkey (she is ethnically mixed) with whom I discuss minority issues in Turkey. She says that other than Kurds, she believes that the Turkish government thinks that they are already doing plenty for the minorities. With schools, newspapers, radio, and TV, minorities have a lot going on in their languages. My classmate, belonging to a number of different minority groups, feels differently, but it is interesting to know how she perceives the government’s attitude.

She’s also said that the major reason that the Turkish government can’t do the same for the Kurds is sheer numbers. She thinks that the government is really scared of the Kurds.

Kurdish classmates that I had during my undergraduate years said the same thing. Granted, the fact that they were studying in the US and spoke English extremely well means that they are of a certain class, to be sure, but hearing this from a variety of sources is interesting.

Maybe all this fear is a good argument for a Kurdistan?

Tonight I went to a great talk at SOAS by Forum18. You probably recognize the name Felix Corley, as that is the individual that sends the information to Groong.

It was nice meeting Felix in person after all these years and he and his associate editor, John, had a number of interesting things to say about the state of religious freedom in the Caucasus. What was also nice was meeting a lot of new people (and people that I knew their name but hadn’t met) in London.

There is a thriving Armenian-related academic community here. At this event I learned that Dr. Dadrian is speaking tommorow night (which I can’t attend because my best friend from the States is flying in around the same time and I need to get her settled into my house). This weekend there is an Armenian festival — which I am not sure about because I have to teach on Saturday and may go visit a friend in Southern England on Sunday. Next week there is a Karabakh film. I also attended a talk on the region last week.

That’s a lot of events in one month!

Very stimulating and fun. I keep on meeting great people too.

I’ll try to do a write up on the religious freedom talk sometime soon. With my friend coming into town this week, a different friend next week, and a different set of friends the week after, a number of essays to work on and two internships - oh, and tutoring and a help desk job… my life is getting busy again. I’ll get back to business soon!

But, I’ll be in California for December and January for about a month. I’ll be unpacking a house, but if any Blogrel California readers want to meet up - let me know!

Editor of the Armenian newspaper Agos in Istanbul, Hrant Dink, was sentenced today. He was found guilty of “insulting and weakening Turkish identity in the media.”

The sentence was suspended, so he will not have to serve time in jail unless he repeats the offence. Dink says he will appeal to a higher court and, if necessary, to the European Court of Human Rights.

FT coverage
RFE/RL coverage

BBC coverage

Okay, I won’t argue with the fact that the Ottoman Empire up until the 19th century did tolerate religious minorities pretty well. But then those minorities started making too much money and having too much power and things changed.

But the good ol’ Voice of America has a report today that says that “Turkey an Example of Religious Tolerance for 500 years.”

Okay, problem number 1: Turkey is less than 100 years old.

Problem number 2: Check out this quote: “Modern Turkey’s founder, Mustafa Kemal, also known as Ataturk, rejected tying his new government to Islam, even prohibiting the use of traditional clothing in favor of western wear. Religious tolerance was also his government’s policy.” I don’t know if Ataturk was intentionally trying to be tolerant with his policy.

Problem number 3: “‘We have good relationships with our neighbors the Armenians and the Greeks. They come to our funerals. We go to their funerals,’ says Mahmut Uslu, a worshipper at the mosque.” It is nice to hear that this guy is attending Armenian and Greek funerals today, but I wonder if how many Armenian and Greek funerals his grandfather attended?

The article does mention Genocide allegations, but the whole thing is a little too weird, if you ask me. They do interview a Rabbi, but no Greeks or Armenians are interviewed, mostly Turks.

What’s up, Voice of America and reporter Miguel Angel Rivera?

I love flickr.com so much.

Check out this map.

WELCOME TO THE CARNIVAL OF REVOLUTIONS, the blogosphere’s weekly roundup of news related to the global struggle for democracy and freedom.

First, some advice to our revolutionaries out there: Revolution is not a onetime event. - Audre Lorde

And second, some advice to those who oppose: Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable. - John F. Kennedy, 1962

And finally, seeing as this is a carnival, Democracy is the art of running the circus from the monkey cage. - H. L. Mencken

On with the show!

The three most important sources for the world of revolutions must be, IMHO: Gateway Pundit, Publius Pundit, and Global Voices Online. Thanks to all three for constant inspiration.

A few general links:

As a start, the Foreign Policy Institute released its Failed States Index this week.

What are the clearest early warning signs of a failing state? Among the 12 indicators we use, two consistently rank near the top. Uneven development is high in almost all the states in the index, suggesting that inequality within states—and not merely poverty—increases instability. Criminalization or delegitimization of the state, which occurs when state institutions are regarded as corrupt, illegal, or ineffective, also figured prominently. Facing this condition, people often shift their allegiances to other leaders—opposition parties, warlords, ethnic nationalists, clergy, or rebel forces. Demographic factors, especially population pressures stemming from refugees, internally displaced populations, and environmental degradation, are also found in most at-risk countries, as are consistent human rights violations. Identifying the signs of state failure is easier than crafting solutions, but pinpointing where state collapse is likely is a necessary first step.

And IEFS has a useful Election Watch reference page.

Some elections to keep your eyes on in the next month:
Burundi Presidential Aug 19, 2005
Singapore Presidential Aug 2005
Egypt Presidential (First Round) Sept 7, 2005
Egypt Presidential (Second Round) Sept 17, 2005
Afghanistan Parliamentary Sept 18, 2005
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We have posted quite a lot on Vova Arutyunian in Georgia and his adventures in breeding hamsters and throwing grenades at Bush. Now the Georgian newspapers report that a suspect in February terrorist explosion in Gori was formerly a high-ranking military intelligence officer in the Azeri Army.

According to Rezonansi (as reported by Civil Georgia),

Anatoly Sysoev was born in 1950 in Tbilisi and served in the Soviet, and then Russian military intelligence (GRU). In 1992 he officially resigned from service, but left for Azerbaijan the same year and participated in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in 1992-1995 as a head of field intelligence of the Azerbaijani field artillery.

Civil Georgia reported earlier that

Georgian Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili alleged on July 25 that agents of Russia’s Main Intelligence Administration (GRU - Glavnoye Razvedovatelnoye Upravlenie) were behind a car bomb explosion in Gori on February 1, which resulted in death of three Georgian policemen.

He said that the law enforcers arrested in the South Ossetian conflict zone two persons who are suspected in carrying out this terrorist act. Merabishvili said that the third person, with links to this explosion is also arrested.

“According to our information, year and half ago colonel of the Russia’s GRU Anatoly Sisoev has set up a group of saboteurs, which, according to our information was trained on the territory of Russia… This group has carried out the terrorist act here in Gori,” Merabishvili said at a news conference which was held in Gori.

Information on Sysoev can be found here:
Azeri “Ekho” newspaper (in English)
Azerbaijan Monitor Newspaper (in Russian)

Molokans in Armenia is one of our favorite topics here at Blogrel and while I knew that a small community also existing in Azerbaijan, I was surprised to read this today.

PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN RECEIVES REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MOLOKAN COMMUNITY OF COUNTRY

It is the 200th anniversary of the Molokan faith. Aliyev took the opportunity to espouse upon his country’s love for all nationalities and minorities.

Approximately, two centuries ago ancestors of the Molokans were removed to the territory of Azerbaijan. And since, we have been living in one family. Especially, if to take into account that the socio-political formation had changed, it is an important factor. In all periods, the Molokans have lived up their customs and traditions, and preserved and performed their religious rituals. It continues and now, after Azerbaijan regained its state sovereignty. Peaceful coexistence, mutual understanding is available in Azerbaijan society irrespective of views and religious belonging. Our society is tolerant to all religions and faiths. The citizens of Azerbaijan irrespective of their national and religious faith equally enjoy all the rights.

Will Robert K meet with the Armenian Molokans too or is he not concerned with appearing tolerant of minorities?

As Azeri news sources reported today, the Azerbaijan Public TV chief announced that it will air TV broadcasts in Armenian. The intended beneficiaries of this service are the Armenians in Karabakh. As transmitted by PanArmenian.net:

“Karabakh Armenians are citizens of Azerbaijan. We are going to provide a special status to them. Citizens of Azerbaijan should know about the processes in the country and state development not through hearsay. After they get to know about this development, they will come against Armenian occupation themselves,” [Director General of the Public Television Company (OTV) of Azerbaijan, that was founded yesterday, Ismail Omarov ] said.

Nice try, Mr. Omarov. Where were you, like, 20 years ago?

Actually, this is more likely a reciprocal act: the Karabakh TV & Radio authority has been airing “Voice of Justice” program in Azeri language for a long time. (Read a funny report on this). One of the announcers is an ethnic Azeri woman living in Artsakh. There was a report by Julia Hakobyan on this in ArmeniaNow.com and AGBU Magazine.

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UNICEF and World Vision Canada has started up a project, “Street Wise” in Georgia to teach vulnerable youth in a train-the-trainer type format about basic decision-making skills, life skills, sex education, and confidence building. The project will work with over 6000 young people, many of whom are in institutions and will soon be “out of the system.” The program is available for street kids, homeless children, chidren in institutions, and in vulnerable families.

The organizations working with this project seem to know what they’re talking about, specifically regarding the chance of these children becoming victims of trafficking and other criminal activities.

Here’s the article.

Sounds like a great project. I can only hope for success in Georgia so that the project may be repeated in Armenia.

I’m back from vacation, thanks for putting up with the limited posting I was able to do via dial up.

Today the Republic of Armenia’s Human Rights Defender Larisa Alaverdyan opened a website where citizens can learn how to file complaints in Armenian, Russian or English.

There are also news updates, press releases, information about the position, links to the constitution and laws.

This Human Rights Defender position came into being in late 2003 with Ms. Alaverdyan being placed in this position in March 2004.

The goals of the position:
- protection, and the restoration, of human rights and fundamental freedoms from violation by state and local self governance bodies and by their officials, whether elected or otherwise;
- creation of state guarantees, and mechanisms for their enforcement, for the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms; and
- respect and protection of human rights and freedoms at the state and local levels, and by their officials, whether elected or otherwise

The objectives of the position:
- on a national level, raise the country’s level of legal and juridical protection of the people;
- facilitate and contribute to the improvement of legislation related to human rights and fundamental freedoms, and bring Armenian legislation in line with the norms and standards of international law;
- initiate constructive cooperation between the Human Rights Defender and the various branches of government, between the Human Rights Defender and society at large, and facilitate and encourage the development of that cooperation; and
- ensure the possibility and availability of human rights protection and guarantees, as well as fundamental freedoms

We’ve seen her actively in the news over the past year and she has met with many different organizations in and outside of Armenia.

This website is well done and makes it easy for groups to reference information quickly. Well done!

Armenia’s southern neighbor Iran, will be holding presidental elections this Friday. Many Iranians are choosing to not vote in protest. Not voting doesn’t make a lot of sense to me, but maybe it’ll work ??

In the last few days a number of unauthorized protests have occured and there have been a few bombings. RFE/RL reports that some of the bombings may have been done by minorities groups.

Armenians constitute one of Iran’s largest minorities, as we’ve discussed before.

The Iranian government and the RoA have been working together a lot lately. Will that promote the current regime in the eyes of the Armenians in Iran? How are the Armenian Iranians voting in this election?

RFE/RL has a summary page to see the issues, the candidates, etc.

IRIN pubished a good summary of the history of the Meskhetian Turks today focusing on the population currently live in Kyrgyzstan.

As you may know, the Meskhetian were deported in the past 60 years and are now scattered across the former USSR. A repatriation plan is opposed by some groups in Georgia, Russia, and Turkey. [Wikipedia entry] One part of this group are considered “Muslimized” Armenians known as the Hamshens who do live in Georgia today. [Wikipedia entry] and [Armeniapedia entry]

Burt Vaux, one of the foremost Armenian lingists in the world (and non-Armenian and a great guy!) has done some very interesting research on the Hamshens. A summary of his work is available here.

Eurasianet has a special presentation looking at the Rose Revolution in the Republic of Georgia. Perhaps it expects too much too quickly in what is still an exceedingly corrupt and economically backward region but nevertheless, it’s worth a look and certainly the basis for discussion on the future of Armenia’s northern neighbor.

The presentation that requires Macromedia Flash can be viewed online here.