STEPANAKERT, Artsakh (A.W.)— On July 5, Lieutenant-General Levon Mnatsakanyan, Commander of Artsakh’s Defense Army, refuted Baku’s statements accusing the Armenian side of shelling peaceful settlements and killing innocent civilians.

Levon Mnatsakanyan (Photo: Photolure)

Mnatskanyan noted that the Artsakh Defense Army has never initiated any attack but has instead retaliated any provocations by Azerbaijan. He added that the statement by Azerbaijan regarding the death of civilians on July 4 was nothing more than a “cynical attempt to disorient the international community at the expense of the blood of innocent citizens.”

“The Defense Army of Artsakh never chose peaceful settlements as targets, which is inherent in our enemy. The target of our attacks was, and will continue to be, exclusively those military facilities, from where the enemy is firing the Armenian positions,” said Mnatskanyan. “It is unfortunate that the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan considers it natural to place its fire installations in peaceful settlements, and the practice of carrying off offensive actions from these firing points towards Artsakh positions.”

Lieutenant-General Mnatsakanyan also stressed that the placement of military facilities near villages by Azerbaijan is a gross violation of international law. He then called on the Azerbaijani forces to refrain from military action and to seek a solution around the negotiating table.

“Since the April aggression up to now, we have repeatedly drawn attention to the fact that the Azerbaijani side, in violation of all the norms of international humanitarian law, does not disdain to use its civilian population as a human shield for shelling the territory of Artsakh,” read part of a statement released by the Artsakh Foreign Ministry on July 5.

The statement also stressed the importance of the agreements reached at the summits of May 16, 2016 in Vienna and of June 20, 2016 in St. Petersburg aimed at the stabilization of the situation at the Line of Contact (LoC).

In Memory of Mark Alashaian

***

Sireli unger Mark,

To some, you were a stranger with a recognizable voice. To many, you were a peer, always ready with a funny story. To several, you were a mentor with an inspiring lesson. To all of us, you were an unger—a leader with a stern reprimand, an adviser with experience to share, a friend with a joke to get through a long day, a coach with a particularly difficult drill, and quite simply an unger. Your reprimands were not taken lightly, your experiences will be learned from by  generations to come, and your jokes will be repeated to get through the long days that lie ahead.

‘To all of us, you were an unger…’

Today’s generation of AYF-YOARF ungers was lucky to have learned a lot from you. We learned to respect our elders for their wealth of knowledge, our peers for what they have to share, our communities for they are our structure, and our nation for it is our future. We learned to give as much as we could and then give a little more. We learned to be leaders and not followers. We learned to question others no matter the circumstance. We learned that being tired is not an option when there is a job to be done. We learned to live life to the fullest and make every minute count. Some of us also learned a few choice words that we were not allowed to repeat…

Surely, there was more to learn and we are sorry to have missed those opportunities. Please know that your lessons will not be forgotten, your larger than life nature cannot be replicated, and your positive outlook will be something we continue to strive for.

Sireli unger,

Meetings with you were both excruciating and entertaining. Your genuine feedback to every suggestion was a refreshing example of honesty for many. The boards you sat on and the executives you chaired are simply a fraction of the work you accomplished over your years of service to the Armenian people. You constantly and consistently showed an unwavering dedication to the Armenian cause for which you fought day in and day out. This may be the most important lesson we learned. Our cause, our nation, and our purpose cannot wait and we, as ungers, have no right to make it wait.

Thank you for everything you have given us. We will continue to hear your voice and look for your guidance, sireli unger.

Sincerely,

Nairi Khachatourian

House Rules Committee Set to Consider Multiple Amendments Imposing Sanctions over Turkey’s May 16 Attacks on Peaceful Protesters

WASHINGTON—Political fallout from the May 16 attacks by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s security detail against peaceful protesters in Washington, D.C. continued into Congressional appropriations season, with the introduction of four amendments — by Representatives Dave Trott (R-Mich.), David Cicilline (D-R.I.), Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.), and Don Beyer (D-Va.) —to impose sanctions on Turkey, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

Representatives Dave Trott (R-MI), Don Beyer (D-Va.), David Cicilline (D-R.I.), and Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) have introduced amendments sanctioning Turkey for the Erdogan-ordered attacks against peaceful protesters in Washington, D.C. (Photo: ANCA)

STEPANAKERT, Artsakh (A.W.)—On July 7, at around 9 a.m., Azerbaijani forces violated the ceasefire at the southern section of the Line of Contact (LoC), wounding three Armenian servicemen—Robert N. Gasparyan (b. 1969), Hambardzum K. Harutyunyan (b. 1997), and Vahe G. Badalyan (b. 1998).

Artsakh Defense Army troops (Photo: artsakh.org.uk)

The Azerbaijani military used various different caliber weapons, including mortars, grenades, and D-30 and D-44 cannons.

The Artsakh Defense Army took retaliatory measures to suppress the Azerbaijani offensive, the Artsakh Defense Ministry said in a statement. The Ministry added that the Azerbaijani military leadership bears full responsibility for destabilizing the situation at the LoC.

The following is adapted from remarks delivered on July 5, at Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Apostolic Church, Ridgefield, N.J.

***

As I drove to church this evening, I was frankly amazed by what I saw: throngs of people, assembled in lines that stretched outside and around the block. It was if the Mayor of Ridgefield had passed! Crazy perhaps, but ultimately fitting, because Mark was, in a sense, the mayor of our community. He seemingly knew everyone, had dealings with everyone, and through his hard work and commitment, drew the love and respect of nearly everyone.

Mark Alashaian

I could tell you a hundred stories about Mark—some funny, some serious, some absurd, some uplifting, and more. I could share also my personal reflections of how he started as my athletic competitor, and gradually became my friend, colleague, unger, and finally, like a brother to me.

But I won’t go there, because as I look out upon those assembled here, I see dozens of people who knew Mark as well as I, if not better. I look forward to hearing all of your memories and reflections tomorrow, at the hokejash.

For the moment, I’d rather focus on those things that made Mark special, that make him worth celebrating—as a person, as a family man, and especially as a leader of our community. In the end, he was someone who made all of our lives better.

For most of us, the tendency is to view Mark as an immovable object. He had a strong personality with many likes and dislikes, mannerisms, a wicked sense of humor, unflagging loyalty to his friends and beliefs, and certainly many quotable (and unquotable) lines.

I now believe it’s a disservice to view him as an immovable object. Why? Because over 45+ years, I also saw a trajectory of growth, a continual expansion of his horizons and worldview. Let me explain.

Like many of our peers, we met playing sports, especially basketball, at an early age. But by our early teens, if not before, Mark developed into something else. He wasn’t just a gym-rat; he became something like a general manager of a ballclub—almost like the famous Red Auerbach. With his unique swagger and salesmanship, he began talking about how to organize players, teams, and schedules. He would brag especially about the great new players he would “discover” for the St. Illuminator’s basketball team. While these players sometimes weren’t all that great, in fact, Mark’s swagger and promotional sense left the rest of us reacting and off-balance.

As he grew into young adulthood, he became increasingly keen to community dynamics. He took pride in knowing who came from what family, who was a Malatiatsi, Kharpertsi, or Dikranagertsi, and over time enjoyed getting to know the community in all of its color and diversity. While he began as a dyed-in-the-wool Amerigahai, he gradually worked side-by-side with Armenians of all stripes—Beirutsis, Bargsgahais, people from our Dashnak community, people from the “other side,” and more. What’s more, he enjoyed it, absorbed it, took it all in.

Later, as he developed experience in the corporate world, Mark moved to another level. A born recruiter (which in fact became his profession), he had an uncanny sense of who to plug in where, and how to create a division of labor in our community activities. As time went on, he also took to building things—golf tournaments, raffles, cigar night fundraisers and more—that could create income streams and bases of support for our various organizations. Over time, a once-boisterous young man became less and less interested in winning arguments, and more and more interested in building things of lasting value.

But it didn’t stop there: He also grew and matured in other ways. In recent years, he joined groups like Homenetmen—which we couldn’t have imagined joining in the turbulent ‘70s and ‘80s, when there were culture clashes in our community and when we viewed such groups as Middle Eastern entities that had been “imported” into our community. By the early 2000s, Mark not only engaged with the Homenetmen, he embraced it and became a vital cog in its regional athletic programs up until today.

As he developed a family, Mark’s experience of parenting led him to value the importance of mentorship. Hence his various efforts—as coach, as youth advisor, or as “big brother”—in which he gravitated toward nurturing the youth growing up in our communities. In this, he reminded me greatly of another stalwart in New Jersey, someone who played a formative role for many of us a generation ago. That was the late Vaghinag Koroghlian. Both men truly enjoyed working with kids. Yes, it was hard work, but it was also their pride and joy. They absolutely loved it! And it showed in the level of satisfaction they took in their work.

Finally, in his later years—perhaps affected by a sense of his own mortality—Mark began to think about legacy, about what he would leave behind. Just the other day, we were speaking about his latest meeting with Camp Haiastan’s Board of Directors, where they reviewed a proposal to deliver two lectures to the campers about the history of the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) Olympics. Mind you, no one was more devoted to the Olympics than Mark. But in this case, his sense of proportion and priority was offended. “Two lectures about the AYF Olympics? Really? Isn’t one enough?” he exclaimed. “I also want my kids to learn about Karabagh, Javakhk, about the history of our country. That stuff is really important.” Again, these were comments we might not have heard 25 years ago. But I heard them now.

***

When I heard the news of Mark’s passing, I issued a primal scream. Literally. It felt like a big punch in the gut. From a community standpoint, this wasn’t just any loss; it was as if something had been torn away from our collective body. I’m sure others feel this way also.

But then I wondered, “Why? Why do I feel this way?” I mean, here was someone with serious health issues, who had already cheated death at least once. So, why all the commotion, surprise, pain, and anger? Now it’s clear to me. It’s because Mark intertwined with so many lives; because he was there—in a tangible way—for so many people; because there was so much he was involved in, on a daily basis. It’s simply amazing to recount all the activities he was meaningfully involved in. In fact, there were all sorts of plans still unfinished… I feel as if, in some way, he was just hitting his stride.

So how do we begin to compensate for the loss of this massive presence in our community? And how do we properly honor the legacy of our fallen unger? If you know Mark, the answer is simple: Pick up a shovel and get to work. If we want to honor his memory, then stop the excuses, get involved, and demand more of yourself. Do something, even if it isn’t at Mark’s high level. Our community’s life depends on your involvement, and it doesn’t matter how. Write a check, send your kids to Camp Haiastan, work for Hai Tahd, our church, and our community organizations. If each of us takes a piece, we will do Mark proud, and begin to fill the void he has left.

On behalf of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), let me offer our heartfelt condolences to Mark’s wife Nicole, his sons Armen and Shant, brother Richard and wife Vana, brother Avedis and wife Meganoush, his mother Rosemary, and the entire extended Alashaian and Stepanian families. Please understand that we are here for you, just as Mark was there for so many of us. May he rest in peace.

Holy Cross of Varag Day

In third century A.D. on Varag Mountain, on the south shore of Lake Van in Western Armenia, Saint Hripsime and her maidens were fleeing the persecution of Christians by the Byzantine Empire. There they hid a piece of the Holy Cross from the pursuing soldiers.  Later, in 650 AD, the fragment of the cross was found by the Armenian hermit Todik. To commemorate this event Catholicos Nerses proclaimed the nearest Sunday to Sept. 20 to be the Feast of the Holy Cross of Varag.

Varagavank, with staff and students, Western Armenia, pre-1915

In 981 a church was built on this holy site by the Artsruni rulers of Vaspurakan (Van region) and ultimately a monastery, Varagavank, was established there in the ninth century. Varagavank housed the holy relic of the cross. Periodically the monastery was destroyed by invaders and subsequently rebuilt, often thanks to the devotion of wealthy Armenians. Unruly Kurdish tribes on occasion would steal the treasures of Varagavank, including the fragment of the holy cross, and ransom them back to the Armenians. The relic of the cross was periodically moved for safety. For a period, it was housed at the Surb Khatch (Holy Cross) church on Akhtamar Island on Lake Van.

Entrance to Varagavank ruins, 2016 (Photo: Hovsep Daghdigian)

In the 13^th century, in the northern part of the territory of what now constitutes the Republic of Armenia, King David Kyurikian of the Tashir-Dzoraget district established a monastic complex. When Varagavank was threatened by invading Mongols in 1237, Varagavank’s Father Ghukas rescued the relic of the cross and other treasures, bringing them to the monastic complex established by the Kyurikians. Thus the monastic complex was subsequently renamed Nor Varagavank (“New Varagavank”) and the nearby village was renamed Varagavan.

Inside one of the remaining Varagavank churches, believed to be Church of Holy Cross, 2016 (Photo: Hovsep Daghdigian)

Varagavank played an important role in Armenian history. In the late 1800s Khrimian Hairig (1820-1907), one of Armenia’s most honored clerics, became the rector of Varagavank. Here he published a newspaper, Artziv Vaspurakan (Eagle of Vaspurakan), established a school and seminary, and advocated education for women. Khrimian Hairig led the Armenian delegation to the Congress of Berlin peace conference in 1878 where he attempted to champion Armenian rights. He lamented that, unlike the powerful European nations, the Armenian delegation did not have at its side Armenian officers with bloody swords hanging from their belts. He deplored Armenia’s weakness. In 1892 he was elected Catholicos.

Procession to Nor Varagavank, Varaga Surb Khach Or, 2016 (Photo: Hovsep Daghdigian)

In 1915, during the Armenian Genocide, Varagavank was nearly completely destroyed with only shells of a few of the buildings remaining. The late Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian worked with the local Muslim cleric to ensure that what remains of Varagavank would not be destroyed.

Every year, on the day before Holy Cross of Varaga Day, the relic of the cross is brought from Echmiadzin, its current home, to Nor Varagavank*. That evening clerics post an all-night vigil. The following day a procession, lead by the relic of the cross, proceeds up the small hill to Nor Varagavank where Holy Cross of Varaga Day is celebrated.

Varaga Surb Khach Or, celebration of Holy Cross of Varag Day, Nor Varagavank, 2016 (Photo: Hovsep Daghdigian)

As we were leaving Varagavan, there appeared a distant view of the monastery from a vineyard at the edge of the village. I walked into the vineyard to take a photograph. The sweet aroma from fresh, ripening grapes was intense. The family which owned the vineyard, having finished their lunch break, were back picking grapes. I was invited to some of the remaining food, with a couple of glasses of very strong oghi. After thanking the family for their hospitality, I was handed a large bag of grapes. I sent grandfather of the family some photographs I took of him with his grandson, the women of the family having declined to be photographed.

Grandfather and grandson, vineyard, Varagavan village, Tavush province (Photo: Hovsep Daghdigian)

***

*Thanks to the financial support of Mr. Norayr Khachatryan, the owner of the Ideal System chain of stores in Armenia, the partial renovation of Nor Varagavank was accomplished during the past 5-6 years.

BRISBANE, Australia (A.W.)—Professor Henry C. Theriault was elected President of the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) on July 11, at the IAGS conference in Brisbane, Australia.

Professor Henry C. Theriault (Photo: Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee of Toronto)

“Genocide studies has been at the forefront of recent human rights advances. Dire political climates in the US, Europe, and other areas threaten this progress. Racism, xenophobia, misogyny, etc. pervade public discourse and drive repressive legal and political regressions the world over. Genocide’s prevalence even threatens increase,” Theriault said during his nomination. “Against this, a vibrant IAGS is essential. Demagogues attack the sensibilities genocide studies engenders. Our work is a crucial challenge to their propaganda. IAGS must strive against this marginalization while innovatively expanding the field, especially creating space for emerging scholars particularly vulnerable to this backlash,” he added.

Theriault was most recently Professor in and Chair of the Philosophy Department at Worcester State University, where he has taught since 1998. From 1999 to 2007, he coordinated the University’s Center for the Study of Human Rights. He earned his B.A. in English from Princeton University and his Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Massachusetts, with specializations in social and political as well as continental philosophy. Theriault’s expertise is in genocide and human rights studies, and his research focuses on reparations, victim-perpetrator relations, genocide denial, genocide prevention, and mass violence against women and girls. Since 2007, he has chaired the Armenian Genocide Reparations Study Group and is lead author of its March 2015 final report, Resolution with Justice. He has published numerous journal articles and chapters in the area of genocide studies.

He has lectured and given panel papers around the world, including in Armenia, Turkey, Artsakh, Lebanon, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Rwanda, Britain, France, Belgium, Italy, Argentina, Canada, and across the U.S.

During the summer of 2013 he was based at Griffith University Mt. Gravatt as a visiting scholar at the Australian National Research Council’s Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security, where he investigated the impact of humanitarian military intervention on levels of violence against and exploitation of women and girls.

He is founding co-editor of the peer-reviewed Genocide Studies International (International Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies and University of Toronto Press) and was recently named co-editor of Transaction Publishers’ Genocide: A Critical Bibliographic Review. From 2007 to 2012 he served as co-editor of the International Association of Genocide Scholars’ peer-reviewed Genocide Studies and Prevention, and was guest editor of the International Criminal Law Review special issue on “Armenian Genocide Reparations” (14:2, 2014), and the Armenian Review special issue on the “New Global Reparations Movement” (53:1-4, 2012).

Theriault is also the chair of the Armenian Genocide Reparations Study Group (AGRSG), which was assembled in 2007 by four experts in different areas of reparations theory and practice. In September 2014, the group completed its final report, “Resolution with Justice—Reparations for the Armenian Genocide,” a wide-ranging analysis of the legal, historical, political, and ethical dimensions of the question of reparations for the genocide. It also includes specific recommendations for the components of a complete reparations package.

Theriault, a longtime contributor to the Armenian Weekly, is the first Armenian President of the IAGS.

Special for the Armenian Weekly

“Turkey’s president wants to purge Western words from its language,” reported The Economist on June 15.

[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s] latest purge has a more abstract target. Mr. Erdoğan wants to rid Turkish of unsightly Western loan-words. Turkey faces a mortal threat from foreign “affectations”, Mr. Erdoğan declared on May 23rd. “Where do attacks against cultures and civilisations begin? With language.” Mr. Erdoğan started by ordering the word “arena”, which reminded him of ancient Roman depravity, removed from sports venues across the country.

Hagop Martayan, or Agop Dilaçar, was the first Secretary General and head specialist of the state-funded Turkish Language Institution (Türk Dil Kurumu, TDK) founded in 1932 in Ankara. (Photos: Ara Güler)

In 2014, Erdoğan had proposed introducing mandatory high school classes in Ottoman Turkish.

During the six centuries of the Ottoman Empire, the language in which laws, religious texts, and literature were written was called the Ottoman language. It was written in Arabic script and extensively used Arabic and Persian words.

The Turkish Republic, founded in 1923, took on a challenging task: creating a new language to be written in Latin script. Doing so would require a lot of work and imagination. Researchers developed new grammar rules, invented new Turkish words, and borrowed words from Western as well as other languages. And that language became the Turkish language the people in Turkey speak today.

“Who helped redesign the way an entire nation would write and express itself?” asks The 100 Years, 100 Facts Project. “None other than one Hagop Martayan.”

Hagop Martayan, or Agop Dilaçar, was the first Secretary General and head specialist of the state-funded Turkish Language Institution (Türk Dil Kurumu, TDK) founded in 1932 in Ankara. He worked as a professor of Turkish at Ankara University between 1936 and 1951. He also was the head adviser of the Turkish Encyclopedia between 1942 and 1960. He wrote books and articles on the Turkish language. Beside his mother tongue, Armenian, he knew English, Ottoman, Azeri, Uighur, Latin, Greek, German, Russian, and Bulgarian.

He devoted most of his life and his entire career to developing Turkish and uplifting Kemalist ideals—including the irrational and unscientific “Sun Language Theory,” which claimed that Turkish was the language from which all civilized languages derived. According to this theory, all human languages could essentially be traced back to Turkic roots.

In an article about Martayan’s life (“The Good Child of the Republic: Hagop Martayan or A. Dilaçar”), Levent Özata, a journalist with the newspaper Agos, writes that Martayan was sent to the Caucasian front to fight as an Ottoman soldier during WWI. After the war, Martayan held various positions, including principal of an Armenian school in Beirut, Lebanon, and then a lecturer of Turkish and Uighur in Sofia, Bulgaria. But when the newly formed Turkish state decided to invent a new language in the 1930s, Martayan’s life changed course.

With his articles on the Turkish language, Martayan had attracted the attention of the authorities. But he had been denationalized, stripped of citizenship; he was wandering around with a certificate documenting his statelessness. He was allowed to enter Turkey as “a special guest of Mustafa Kemal, the first president of Turkey, to develop the Turkish language.

With the founding of the new republic, the political leaders of Turkey accelerated the process of forced Turkification through several policies that targeted the non-Muslim and non-Turkish citizens of the country.” The historian Rıfat Bali writes:

Another indication of being Turkified was to Turkify names and surnames. The Law of Family Names accepted in 1934 made mandatory for everybody to take a family name. However, the law prevented the adoption of names of tribes, foreign races and nations as family names. The Greeks of Turkey would Turkify their names by dropping the “-dis” and “-poulos” suffixes. Most of the Jews would Turkify their names and surnames by finding a Turkish equivalent for each Jewish name.

And it was Mustafa Kemal who suggested Martayan’s surname, Dilaçar [literally, “one who opens up the tongue (or language)”; perhaps better translated as “language-giver”] because of his contributions to Turkish after the promulgation of the Law of Family Names.

Yalçın Yusufoğlu, a journalist, politician, and author, wrote that his mother, who worked as a primary school teacher between 1926 and 1970, said “Professor Agop was one of those who taught us Turkish. He was the professor of professors.”

Martayan held his position and continued his research in linguistics at the TDK until his death on September 12, 1979, in Istanbul. Yet, despite his contributions, Martayan’s death once again showed the insane levels of Armenophobia in Turkey. His hard work, his loyalty to the Turkish government, and even his turning a blind eye to the persecution of his own people did not pay off, for he was still an Armenian—the identity that Turkey tried to annihilate in 1915.

Upon his death, he was treated like a second-class citizen without a name. The TDK, for which he had toiled for decades, published a note of condolence on newspapers in which his full name was censored, written as “A. Dilaçar.”

Even when government authorities attempted to “award” him, they hid his Armenian name. “There is a street named after him in the Şişli town of Istanbul: ‘A. Dilaçar Street’ (‘A. Dilaçar Sokağı’),” Özata reported.

Turkish journalists also joined the chorus and concealed his name. Yusufoğlu wrote an article describing how all Turkish newspapers—other than Gerçek (The Truth), the daily that Yusufoğlu worked for at the time—censored the name Agop:

It was September of 1979. That evening, those watching the main news bulletin of the TRT [state-funded Turkish Radio and Television Corporation] learnt that ‘Adil Açar’ was dead. No one listening to the news report had heard that name. They learnt from the TRT that the said person had contributed to the Turkish language, was one of the former officials of the Turkish Language Institution and would be laid to rest on the scheduled day.

The next day we learnt from newspapers that the name of the scholar was not ‘Adil Açar’. The announcement that the TDK got published on newspapers referred to the deceased as ‘A. Dilaçar’. it did not mention at what mosque the funeral would be held and at what cemetery he would be buried. Moreover, all newspaper reports covered it saying ‘A. Dilaçar has died’. The [state-funded] Anadolu Ajansı (Anatolian Agency/AA) also covered it in the same fashion. And none of the newspapers later made a correction, either out of ignorance or to follow the official jargon. In brief, the deceased had no name or last name.

Agop’s full name is not written even on the cover of his biography, published by the Turkish Language Institution, to which he dedicated his entire career. Instead, it is written as “A. Dilaçar.”

Martayan was not the only Armenian linguist who researched and developed Ottoman and/or modern Turkish. The researcher Yaşar Şimşek listed some of them, as follows: Edvard Vladimiroviç Sevortyan, Pars Tuğlacı (Parseh Tuğlaciyan), Kevork Pamukciyan, Lazar Zaharoviç Budagov, Artin Hindoghlou (Hintliyan), Bedros Keresteciyan, Karekin Deveciyan, Anton Tıngır, Krikor Sinapyan, Armenak Bedevyan, Bedros Zeki Garabedyan, Cosimo Comidas de Carbognano (Kömürciyan).

Another Armenian linguist from Turkey, Sevan Nişanyan, who is one of the leading intellectuals and authors in the country, has been jailed since 2014 on trumped-up charges against him.

Turkish curricula at schools does not mention even the name of Martayan or any other Armenian intellectual. For teaching Turkish children about Armenians who made massive cultural and intellectual contributions to their homeland could lead to some “unwanted” consequences for the Turkish government.

Children have curious minds. A Turkish child who has not been brainwashed by official Turkish propaganda could well ask “dangerous” questions even if taught a little bit about the Armenians: Since when have Armenians been living in Asia Minor? Was there a time when they were the majority? Or have they always been a tiny minority as they are today? How many Armenians lived in the Ottoman Empire? Besides Martayan, who were the other famous Armenians? And what has happened to all those hundreds of thousands of Armenians? Where have they disappeared?

Teaching Turkish children about real Armenians with real stories—not lies about Armenians as “treacherous enemies” who tried to destroy Ottoman Turkey and who thus deserved to get “neutralized”—could help Turkish children develop humane bonds with and fraternal feelings for the Armenian people.

Of course, such questions would greatly challenge the status quo for the Turkish government. And intellectual dissent—no matter where it comes from—is what the Turkish government detests and punishes most severely.

Moreover, recognizing and respecting Armenian people are not what the founding fathers of the Turkish Republic have taught their Turkish citizens. Ataturk, who gave Martayan his Turkish last name, is quoted as having said on March 16, 1923, in a speech to the Adana Turkish Merchant Society: “The Armenians have no right whatsoever in this beautiful country. Your country is yours, it belongs to Turks. This country was Turkish in history; therefore it is Turkish and it shall live on as Turkish to eternity…. Armenians and so forth have no rights whatsoever here. These bountiful lands are deeply and genuinely the homeland of the Turk.”

The etymology of Turkish words is not what matters in a country that still has much bigger, more serious moral and ethical issues to tackle. The words that Turks use might well be rooted in Arabic, Persian, French, English, or—God forbid—Armenian, Greek, or Kurdish. What matters is the need to face the pathological racism and bigotry in Turkey that have concealed the Armenian name of the linguist who helped create the modern Turkish language.

Special for the Armenian Weekly 

WATERTOWN, Mass.—During the last two years, the pages of the Armenian press have been filled with news about the many fundraising events and functions organized by regional and local entities of the Armenian Relief Society (ARS), to finance the rebuilding of the ARS Soseh Kindergarten in Stepanakert, Artsakh.

Below is the Armenian Weekly’s interview with Chamavonian about the history of the Soseh Kindergartens and the upcoming opening of the Stepanakert location.

This important project has been undertaken by the ARS Central Executive Board (CEB), which is chaired by Caroline Chamavonian. She assumed the duties of Chairperson immediately following the adjournment of the 71^st ARS International Convention in Oct. 2015 in Yerevan. Chamavonian had served as Treasurer on the previous Executive Board for four years and currently holds a managerial position in a global financial services company.

Below is the Armenian Weekly’s recent interview with Chamavonian about the history of the Soseh Kindergartens and the upcoming opening of the Stepanakert location.

***

The Armenian Weekly: How did the idea of ARS Soseh Kindergarten come about?

ARS CEB Chair, Caroline Chamavonian

Caroline Chamavonian:  As a result of the Artsakh liberation war, many children lost their fathers and their mothers needed to provide for their families. The children needed a place where they could be physically and psychologically nourished along with their peers. The concept of an ARS nursery/kindergarten was formulated based on these realities and in spring of 1998, the first kindergarten in Artsakh was established in Stepanakert. The kindergartens were named “Soseh” after the legendary heroine Soseh Mairik. In fact, the mothers of these children were themselves, true heroines of courage and strength. Teachers and care-givers nurtured the spirit of patriotism in the hearts of the children. In each kindergarten, along with Soseh Mairik’s portraits there are the portraits of the martyred freedom fighters.

Ungerouhi Nelly Ghoulian, the widow of the martyred hero, Ashot “Bekor” Ghoulian, was the first— and still is the current—principal of the Stepanakert Kindergarten. Kindergarten buildings were given to the ARS by the government of Artsakh. After renovation, each kindergarten opened their doors to the children.

A.W.: How did the reconstruction of the Kindergarten building start?

C.C.:  During my first term on the Central Executive Board (CEB), the Artsakh authorities informed the ARS that the old building did not live up to their new standards. Our Board decision was to rebuild and not to re-renovate. By Aug. 2015, the old building was demolished and a fundraising committee was appointed which consisted of representatives from all ARS regions under the co-chairmanship of ungerouhis Angele Manougian of Florida and Houri Najarian of Toronto. When the new CEB took over, the same committee was re-appointed. The blessing of the new building foundation took place immediately following the adjournment of the 71^st ARS International Convention. ARS delegates, pupils and their parents, as well as many guests were present.

Soseh Kindergarten students

A.W.:  What is the current status of the rebuilding effort?

C.C.:  I am pleased to announce that we have already raised one million U.S. dollars through the united efforts of the Committee members and all ARS regional entities to cover the construction cost and implementation of the project expenses. The building is on the verge of completion. It was designed by architect Manoushag Titanyan. It covers approximately 6,000 square feet and will accommodate 130 children aged between 3 and 6, in four groups.

The new building under construction

The building has all the amenities of a modern kindergarten including playrooms, classrooms, a kitchen, bathrooms, a nurses’ quarters, a hall, a stage, a teachers’ room, heating, a water reservoir, as well as video connected internet network. There is a multipurpose hall on the third floor, which will be used by the ARS Artsakh chapter for its various programs, while accommodating a variety of extracurricular activities. The significance of the cellar as a shelter reemerged as more essential after the 2016 April War.

A.W.: Will the other Soseh Kindergartens across Artsakh still operate?

C.C.: Of course, ARS continues to implement its humanitarian programs, providing the cultural and physical needs of our communities, whenever and wherever the necessity arises. Currently, we have eight functioning kindergartens, one in each of the following locations: Stepanakert, Shushi, Togh, Metz Tagher, Ashan, Akanaberd, Qaregah, and Khndzristan. They provide employment for 72 individuals.

Kindergarten students attending the cornerstone blessing of the new building

Ungerouhi Nelly Ghoulian

Last year, following the April War, ARS was the first to rush to help—and continues to help—the war casualties’ families and those of the wounded. The HOMuhis of Armenia and Artsakh proved that we have heroic women living and confronting present day conflicts at the risk of personal peril, struggling to provide assistance where it is needed, while their husbands, brothers and sons are at the frontlines. On the other hand, our entities and supporters in the diaspora, continue to stand by the homeland and raised around $350,000 U.S. dollars for Artsakh and Armenia through in-person and online fundraising.

The ARS Artsakh office in Stepanakert

A.W.: What details can you provide about the upcoming opening?

C.C.: The opening ceremony will start at 11 a.m. on Sept. 6. In the same evening we will celebrate the 25^th Anniversary of the ARS Artsakh chapter. We are expecting over 400 ARS members and donors to be present. On this happy occasion, our regional entities have organized tours. Official guests from Artsakh, Armenia, and as far away as France will be attending. On behalf of the ARS Central Executive Board, I wish to express my gratitude to all donors, whose names will appear in a special commemorative booklet. I am ecstatic, that our donors believed in the ARS mission, and provided vital support for the success of this project.

Honoring martyred Artsakh heros at the Soseh Kindergarten

Former and current ARS CEB members at the groundbreaking ceremony

Our entire membership is excited with these activities, and soon they will witness the success of their efforts. This is an opportunity to realize the true meaning of the ARS motto, “With the people, for the people”.  

Special for the Armenian Weekly

“On June 17, 1929, this airline’s first passenger flight left Dallas, making stops at Shreveport, Monroe, and Jackson. Thirty seconds, good luck,” says Jeopardy! host, Alex Trebek. Then the music starts: that ubiquitous tune signaling impatience, waiting and mounting pressure.

(L to R) Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek and Peter Guekguezian (Photo: Jeopardy!)

Peter Guekguezian is one of the contestants on the June 19^th broadcast of the popular game show. Guekguezian is a linguist from Fresno, Calif., and a defending Jeopardy! champion, having won $18,401 on the previous show. This time, he is up against a history instructor from Tucson, Ariz. and a writer from Brooklyn, N.Y., whose score going into Final Jeopardy! is almost double Guekguezian’s.

Guekguezian feels the pressure and writes, “Southwest.”

“I heard Dallas and thought Southwest, but they’re too recent,” he recalls. “Then it hit me that Monroe, Shreveport, and Jackson are all in the Mississippi Delta… Most of the time they give you clues within the Final Jeopardy! question.” With time to spare, he crossed out “Southwest” and wrote “Delta” to win the round with $7,198.

Guekguezian went on to play twice more for a total of four games—and during his three-day winning streak, he earned $44,800.

He describes the airplane carrier question as one of the most memorable of his Jeopardy! run, and speaks with excitement about the experience:

“The other contestants and the production crew are all very intelligent, really nerdy, very funny. You have a good time there, ” Guekguezian says. He had auditioned three times for the show before being placed into the contestant pool. When he was called in for the show, he had a month to prepare: practicing with quiz games and reviewing almanacs, studying how to wager, and also preparing mentally for those high-pressure moments of competition.

Also of use to Guekguezian during the game was his PhD in Linguistics from the University of Southern California; knowing a little bit about a lot of different languages and etymologies often helped in parsing the clues.

“I speak some Spanish, some Armenian, a little bit of French…and I have a working knowledge of the two languages I’ve done a lot of documentation on.”

These are Chukchansi Yokuts, a Native American language spoken in the central valley of California, and Saisiyat, a language spoken in Taiwan. Both are what linguists call endangered languages, or languages that are at risk of being lost in the near future. Languages can become endangered for different reasons, but the two Guekguezian studies are endangered because of colonization and displacement of the speakers.

In the fall, Guekguezian will head to the University of Rochester for a postdoctoral fellowship. In addition to continuing his research there, he plans to participate in a project aimed at using computational methods and natural language processing to make the collection and transcription of endangered language data more efficient.

Another endangered language Guekguezian is interested to explore at some point in his career is Armenian. He hopes to get funding to attend the Armenian Linguistics Conference in Yerevan this October to meet with other attendees about efforts to preserve varieties of Armenian that are less common.

“It’s a crisis that we don’t talk much about as a people: what’s going to happen to people who speak non-standard varieties of Armenian?” Guekguezian nasks. He says many of the languages and dialects of Western Armenia are already long-gone, while some still exist in places with enduring Armenian populations, such as Kessab, Syria. With those languages, we lose characteristics of those villages, and old-world Armenia.

Even Western Armenian is in what Guekguezian calls a “precarious position,” because there are no monolingual speakers—most speakers of Western Armenian also speak Arabic, English, French or Spanish, among others. To make sure these dialects survive, he says, we have to create spaces for the language to be spoken—and encourage its transition from generation to generation.

“It’s hard to pass on a language,” says Guekguezian, “One parent has to speak that language to the child most of the time in order for them to have a good grasp of it. They have to be able to speak to other kids their age. It has to be a functional language. Children are smart…if they can get by with a different language, they’ll learn that one.”

Guekguezian faces a similar challenge in his own life. Though he says he speaks very basic Armenian, he is working to pass the language on to his two-year-old son.

“He knows a few words. He can understand quite a bit,” says Guekguezian. “I’m giving him the foundation as best I can.”

Rep. Trott (R-Mich.): ‘We Need to Block this Arms Sale and Once and for All Point a Finger in Erdogan’s Chest and Tell Him that a Strategic Location Does Not Place Turkey Above the Law’

WASHINGTON— U.S. House Committee on Rules has cleared Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Dave Trott’s (R-Mich.) Turkey sanctions amendment for vote this week by the full House of Representatives, with three more measures, presented by Representatives Don Beyer (D-Va.), David Cicilline (D-R.I.) and Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif,) set for consideration by the panel later today, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

The Trott Amendment opposes the $1.2 million sale of U.S. semi-automatic handguns to Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s security detail, in response to their May 16th attack on peaceful protesters in Washington, D.C.  

The Trott Amendment opposes the $1.2 million sale of U.S. semi-automatic handguns to Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s security detail, in response to their May 16th attack on peaceful protesters in Washington, D.C.

“Over the past few months, we’ve seen our NATO allies take extraordinary steps against Turkey, and it’s time for the State Department to do the same,” said Rep. Trott. “We need to block this arms sale and once and for all point a finger in Erdogan’s chest and tell him that a strategic location does not place Turkey above the law.”

Rep. Trott went on to note that, “just two months ago, Erdogan’s henchmen, with him complacently observing just feet away, launched a brutal attack on peaceful protesters exercising their first amendment rights. A notorious oppressor of basic human rights and freedom, Erdogan imported his nefarious attitudes to our nation’s capital. While Erdogan’s thugs may run unchecked in Ankara, this is the United States of America and this is totally unacceptable.”

The ANCA welcomed the House Rules Committee decision. “We are pleased to see the Trott Amendment approved for U.S. House consideration this week and look forward to the Rules Committee providing all of their House colleagues with the opportunity for an up or down vote on additional Turkey sanctions proposed by Reps. Cicilline, Rohrabacher, and Beyer,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.”

“Up on Capitol Hill, across the Washington, D.C. foreign policy community, and even among career Department of State and Pentagon officials, it’s increasingly clear that May 16th marked a watershed moment in U.S.-Turkey relations – a defining, clarifying, deeply troubling anti-American episode that will, in the months and years to come, continue to inform key areas of engagement by U.S. policymakers with their Turkish counterparts.”

The House Rules Committee is set to convene at 3 pm. today (July 12th) to consider the other Turkey sanctions measures as part of the over 300 amendments submitted to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA – H.R.2810).  The full House will be considering and voting on the measure on July 13th and 14th.

Rep. Beyer’s amendment would ban Erdogan’s security forces who took part in the May 16th attack from securing U.S. visas for future travel to the United States.  Rep. Beyer has been outspoken in condemning the brutal beatings, calling for the expulsion of the Turkish Ambassador to the U.S. and signing multiple Congressional letters condemning the attacks.

Rep. Cicilline’s proposal would block a pending sale of F-35 jets to Turkey “until the President of the United States certifies that the Government of Turkey is cooperating with the criminal investigation and prosecution of Turkish Government employees involved in the assault on civilians in Washington, D.C.”  Rep. Cicilline has been outspoken in condemning the attacks, noting that “this was a particularly brazen act, on the heels of a highly publicized meeting with our President, and one has to wonder why President Erdogan felt so emboldened, that in the bright D.C. sunshine, in front of cameras and hundreds of people, he sent his attack dogs out.  As Secretary Tillerson said, this is simply unacceptable.”

Rep. Rohrabacher’s amendment would prohibit the transfer of U.S. defense articles to Turkey and, instead, make them available to Kurdish Peshmerga forces, who have played an instrumental role in the battle against the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL).  Rep. Rohrabacher, who serves as Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, presided over the hearings spotlighting the Erdogan-ordered attacks in May.

The ANCA has launched an online campaign calling on Rules Committee members and the broader House membership to support passage of the measures.  As part of that campaign ANCA Leo Sarkisian Internship team members reached out to constituents of House Rules Committee members encouraging them to share their concerns with their legislators. To take action, visit anca.org/sanctions.

The ANCA’s Hamparian captured live videotape at the scene of the May 16 attack, which took place in front of the Turkish Ambassador’s residence, where President Erdogan was scheduled to have a closed-door meeting with representatives of The Atlantic Council, a think tank in Washington, D.C. which receives Turkish funding. Hamparian’s video served as source footage for CNN, AP and other news outlets, transforming a violent incident into a global spotlight on Turkey’s violence, intolerance, and aggression.

Hamparian testified before a May 25 Foreign Affairs Subcommittee hearing on this matter. Joining him at the hearing were Ms. Lusik Usoyan, Founder and President of the Ezidi Relief Fund; Mr. Murat Yusa, a local businessman and protest organizer; and Ms. Ruth Wedgwood, Edward B. Burling Professor of International Law and Diplomacy, at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. Usoyan and Yusa were victims of the brutal assault on May 16th by President Erdogan’s bodyguards.

On June 6, with a vote of 397 to 0, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously condemned Turkey’s attack, taking a powerful stand against Ankara’s attempts to export its violence and intolerance to America’s shores. H.Res.354, spearheaded by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-Calif.), Ranking Democrat Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), has received the public backing of House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.). A companion measure has been introduced in the Senate by Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.).

The House vote followed broad-based Congressional outrage expressed by over 100 Senate and House members through public statements, social media, and a series of Congressional letters.

On June 16, U.S. law enforcement issued 18 arrest warrants—including a dozen against Turkish President Recep Erdogan’s bodyguards – in connection to the May 16—attacks.  Two Turkish-Americans have already been arrested for assault, and two Turkish Canadians have also been charged.  During a June 15 press conference, Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Police Chief Peter Newsham detailed the exhaustive investigation carried out by the Metropolitan Police Department and other law enforcement agencies leading to the arrest warrants.

Mayor Bowser condemned the attacks, calling them an “affront to our values as Washingtonians and as Americans and it was a clear assault on the first amendment.”

Chief Newsham explained, “We have dignitaries that are in and out of this city on a daily basis. Rarely have I seen, in my almost 28 years of policing, the type of thing that I saw on Sheridan Circle on that particular day.  You had peaceful demonstrators that were physically assaulted and the message to folks who are going to come to our city either from another state or from another country is that’s not going to be tolerated in Washington, D.C.”

In response to a question from The Armenian Weekly, Chief Newsham acknowledged that investigators are looking into the role of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the May 16 attack, but indicated that, despite the available video and other evidence, there is not yet sufficient probable cause to seek his arrest.

Special for the Armenian Weekly

When I was three, my younger sister Sareen would follow me around everywhere. She was only 18 months old and called me “Daga.” “I am not Daga,” I would admonish quietly. “I am Nareg.” Even at the tender age of three, I understood that I had a lifetime of gently, yet emphatically, correcting mispronunciations of my Armenian name to look forward to.

‘Nami told me that I was named after a Christian saint, Gregory of Nareg, who wrote meaningful and beautiful prayers.’

Growing up, I often wished that my name were John. It’s common, easy to pronounce, and not weird. My name, Nareg, is the opposite of all three of those things. Nareg is not on the Top 100 list of baby names in the United States; no one pronounces the name Nareg correctly unless they are Armenian; and it is, well, kind of odd.

The day I met the only other Nareg in America was a seminal moment in my life (I know there are other Naregs in America—it’s just that I feel like there are no other Naregs in America). I was nine years old, and I was attending a service at the Armenian Apostolic Church. After the service, all of the children gathered in the hall to hear a talk about an Armenian camp in the Boston area: Camp Haiastan. A handsome, debonair young man came up to the podium and began to speak to us. I don’t really remember much of what he said about the camp, because I stopped listening as soon as he introduced himself to us: “Good afternoon kids, I am Nareg.” What? His name was Nareg! I was thrilled that I was not the only person with this strange name! There was hope yet! Here was this smart, articulate Nareg, whose life clearly had not been marred by years of correcting mispronunciations of his/my name!

Though my name is not easy to pronounce, most of my teachers and friends are able to approximate its pronunciation, using a slightly Anglicized version. Armenians, even those born into the diasporan communities, have no such problems pronouncing my name, of course. The “r” rolls off the Armenian tongue, and the “ah” in the first syllable of my name is correctly and easily vocalized as though one is opening wide (“ahhh”) for the dentist. However, those poor non-Armenian souls who first encounter my name have a rough time of it.

One day in fourth grade, our substitute teacher, Ms. Wolfe, called on me to answer a question. The class, somewhat lacking focus, immediately quieted down in anticipation of what promised to be an interesting (and humorous) attempt to say my name. In Ms. Wolfe’s thick New York accent, I became Nurraajj. I tried to correct her. “I am Nareg,” I said simply. But, alas, my attempts fell on deaf ears. I am grateful that my classmates stopped calling me Nurraajj after only three years.

Ms. Wolfe’s mispronunciation notwithstanding, my name sounds odd to any English-speaking person. Many verbalize Nareg as “not egg,” or even “noir egg.” I like eggs, so I am OK with egg references—but generally not when they’re connected to my name. “I am Nareg,” I asked my grandmother Nami, “but why?” Nami told me that I was named after a Christian saint, Gregory of Nareg, who wrote meaningful and beautiful prayers. Apparently, I was born after my parents, my extended family, and our church community read Gregory of Nareg’s prayers. Doctors had told my mother that after my older brother was born, she could not have any more children. It seems the medical professionals were wrong.

I have decided that even though my name has its challenges, it is something that I am proud of. My name is more than my identity; it is an answer to many prayers. In that, it is a peek into the soul of the Armenians.

BRUSSELS, Belgium—Members of European Parliament (MEP) Marek Jurek (Poland) and Costas Mavrides (Cyprus) have urged Azerbaijan to stop using its own civilian population as human shields and to introduce an Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) sponsored independent investigative mechanism at the Artsakh-Azerbaijan Line of Contact (LoC).

Members of the Azerbaijani Special Forces during a military parade in Baku 2011 (Photo: Walker Baku/Wikimedia Commons)

“On July 4, 2017 Azerbaijani armed forces violated the cease-fire regime in the contact line. Azerbaijan had installed a multiple rocket launcher system in an inhabited village, thus using its own civilian population as a human shield. The crossfire resulted in a tragic loss of two civilians on the Azerbaijani side. We deplore the loss of two innocent lives and emphasize that this tragedy, as well as other clashes between the armed forced could have certainly been avoided, if Azerbaijan agreed to install an independent investigative mechanism to determine which side exactly violates the cease-fire. The OSCE Minsk-Group has proposed this on several occasions. The Armenian side has agreed to install this mechanism. Unfortunately, official Azerbaijan continues to reject it”, the MEPs said in a statement, made public by Yerevan-based Armenpress news agency.

The lawmakers underscored that the investigative mechanism could have helped avoid the 2016 April War, when Azerbaijan shelled Armenian villages. Twelve-year-old Vaghinak Grigoryan, who was on his way to school, was one of last April’s victims.

“The bodies of an elderly 90-year-old couple in the village of Talish, were brutally mutilated by the Azerbaijani forces, their ears were cut off. Since April 2016 the Azerbaijan armed forces have committed war crimes, including an ISIS-style beheading of an Armenian soldier Karam Sloyan. Pictures of the head were then posted on the social media by the Azerbaijani forces as a trophy and the cruel murder was praised as a heroic act. These barbaric acts are unfortunately an indirect consequence of Armenophobia in Azerbaijan, nurtured from the highest levels and acts, such as elevating Ramil Safarov, who killed an Armenian colleague in his sleep with an ax in Budapest, to a national hero by the current Government of Azerbaijan”, the statement says.

Marek Jurek and Costas Mavrides mentioned that the losses on both sides are tragic and they must absolutely be prevented.

“It is unacceptable to use a population as a human shield while shelling other inhabited areas and then abuse photos for propaganda purposes. An investigative mechanism must be immediately installed. We herewith call on Azerbaijan to stop using its own population as a human shield and install the OSCE independent investigative mechanism which would create favorable conditions for trust and negotiations”, the MEPs said.

2017 Armenian Youth Federation Senior Olympic Games, Hosted by the AYF-YOARF Racine “Armen Garo” Chapter, to Take Place in Downtown Milwaukee

As you are all aware, the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee is this year’s Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) Olympic Headquarters.  Located in the heart of Downtown Milwaukee, the Hyatt Regency is only one or two blocks from up to 40 restaurants, the Shops at Grand Avenue and the Milwaukee River Riverwalk, a mile from five major museums, and no more than 10 miles from all of the athletic facilities (and Milwaukee’s General Mitchell International Airport).

This year’s Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) Olympic Games are here in Downtown Milwaukee and hosted once again by the AYF-YOARF Racine “Armen Garo” chapter, Aug. 31-Sept 4.

The weekend’s festivities kick off on Thursday night with the AYF Olympic Welcoming Party at the Ale Asylum Riverhouse from 8 p.m.-2 a.m.  Located just two blocks away from the Hyatt, the Ale Asylum Riverhouse serves world-class pubfare and world class ales brewed in Madison, Wisconsin’s State Capitol.  A full menu is available until 10 p.m., followed by a late night menu until 12 midnight, and closing time is 2 a.m.  Admission is free and 21 and under are welcome.

The first athletic event of the weekend is the AYF and Alumni Golf Tournament at Oakwood Park Golf Course in Franklin at 8 a.m. Friday morning.  Located only 10 miles away, Oakwood is a Championship-level course and is the longest in length of Milwaukee County Parks’ golf courses.  Registration for Alumni golf is $70 and includes 18 holes of golf, motor cart and a picnic lunch buffet featuring Wisconsin bratwurst and hamburgers, kettle chips, pasta salad, freshly baked cookies and a beverage ticket (additional beverages can be purchased).

An hour later, at 9 a.m., is the start of the AYF Tennis Tournament at the McKinley Park Tennis Courts.  Less than three miles away from the Hyatt, the tennis courts offer a beautiful view of the McKinley Marina and Lake Michigan.  Spectators will not go hungry or thirsty because Colectivo Coffee Roasters & Cafe is located across the street from the tennis courts, serving Session Roasted™ coffees, Letterbox Fine Tea, Colectivo Keg Company beers, and made-from-scratch food, Troubadour artisan breads, and baked goods.

Friday’s final athletic event is the AYF Swim Meet, which will start at 5 p.m. at South Milwaukee High School.  Located exactly 10 miles away, South Milwaukee High School will also host the AYF Softball Tournament on Saturday and Olympic Track and Field events on Sunday.

On Friday, back at the Hyatt, the joint AYF Alumni Reception and AYF Dance will start at 8 p.m.  In fact, all of the dances will be held in the Regency Ballroom, which is located on the second floor of the Hyatt.  The Racine Armenian community is already hard at work preparing the mezze menu.  Chicago’s own Hye Vibes, featuring John Harotian, Mark Gavoor, John Paklaian, Kraig Kuchukian, and Stepan Fronjian, will perform from 8 p.m.-12 a.m., followed by the reigning AYF band Yerakouyn, featuring Shant Massoyan, Raffi Massoyan and Rafffi Rachdouni, performing from 12 a.m.-4 a.m.  Admission is $30.

Saturday morning, the AYF Softball Tournament at South Milwaukee High School will start at 9 a.m.  For those not attending the tournament, it will be a perfect opportunity to see more of Downtown Milwaukee which includes the Milwaukee Public Museum, Betty Brinn Children’s Museum, Milwaukee Art Museum, Discovery World and the Harley Davidson Museum.  The Saturday Night Spectacular, featuring Kevork Artinian and Friends George Tebrejian, Jim Kzirian, Steve Vosbikian and Raffi Massoyan begins at 9 p.m.  Admission is $35.  After 2 a.m., local DJ Angel Eyes will mix current radio hits with her style of Deep/Tech/Vocal House music.

Sunday morning, the AYF Track and Field Meet back at South Milwaukee High School kicks off early at 9 a.m.  The parade of athletes will take place followed by the Olympic opening ceremonies at 12 noon.  The Olympic Grand Ball begins at 9pm that evening with music performed by Michael Gostanian and the Philadelphia All Stars – David Hoplamazian, Aram Hovagimian, Antranig Kzirian, Jim Kzirian, Chris Vosbikian and Steve Vosbikian.  Around 11 p.m. the AYF Olympic Awards Ceremony will take place.  Admission to Grand Ball is $35. After 2 a.m., DJ Angel Eyes will return and debut her mix of Armenian music with her style of Deep/Tecjh/Vocal House music.

Monday morning will come too soon and you can say your goodbyes and, perhaps, purchase a 2018 AYF Olympic t-shirt, from the Hyatt Regency lobby.

For more information, stay tuned to this column or go to www.ayfolympics.org, https://www.facebook.com/AYFOlympics/ or https://twitter.com/ayfolympics.

“Oor eh? Hos eh!”

Bipartisan “Stand for Free Speech” to Take Place at Sheridan Circle on July 19 at 8:30 a.m.

WASHINGTON—Members of the U.S. Congress will join victims of Turkey’s May 16 attack on peaceful protesters in Washington, D.C. at a July 19th “Stand for Free Speech” at Sheridan Circle, site of the unprecedented foreign assault against U.S. protesters which hospitalized nine people, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

Members of the U.S. Congress will join victims of Turkey’s May 16 attack on peaceful protesters in Washington, D.C. at a July 19th ‘Stand for Free Speech’ at Sheridan Circle, site of the unprecedented foreign assault against U.S. protesters which hospitalized nine people,

The early morning event will start at 8:30 a.m. and continue until approximately 10 a.m.  Among the U.S. legislators who have agreed to take part and offer remarks are Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), who Co-Chairs the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission and Rep. Dave Trott (R-Mich.), Co-Chair of the Congressional Armenian Caucus.  Additional U.S. Legislators are expected to lend their voices to the event, which is supported by a broad range of non-governmental organizations devoted to human and civil rights.

Additional information is provided on the Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/278787265862552

This bipartisan defense of First Amendment freedom of speech and assembly was first raised by several members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, during the panel’s May 25 mark-up of legislation condemning this attack and, later that same day, at a Europe Subcommittee hearing, led by Rep. Rohrabacher.  Video from the House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing is available at:

The July 19 gathering comes a month after Washington, D.C. law enforcement issued 18 arrest warrants – including a dozen against Turkish President Recep Erdogan’s bodyguards and two Canadians of Turkish origin. Two Americans of Turkish heritage have already been arrested for assault and various related crimes.  Hours after the arrest warrants were issued, the Turkish Foreign Ministry summoned U.S. Ambassador to Turkey John Bass and, according to a press statement, “emphasized that the decision, which clearly was not taken as a result of an impartial and independent investigation, is unacceptable.” President Erdogan later reacted angrily to news of these arrests, asking “What kind of a law is this? … If they [bodyguards] are not going to protect me, why would I bring them with me to America?” Erdogan vowed to fight the charges leveled against his bodyguards.

The ANCA’s Hamparian was videotaping live at the scene of the May 16 attack, which took place in front of the Turkish Ambassador’s residence where President Erdogan was scheduled to have a closed-door meeting with think tank leaders. Hamparian’s video showed pro-Erdogan forces crossing a police line and beating peaceful protesters – elderly men and several women – who were on the ground bleeding during most of the attack.

Hamparian testified before a May 25 Foreign Affairs Subcommittee hearing on this matter. Joining him at the hearing were Ms. Lusik Usoyan, Founder and President of the Ezidi Relief Fund; Mr. Murat Yusa, a local businessman and protest organizer; and Ms. Ruth Wedgwood, Edward B. Burling Professor of International Law and Diplomacy, at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. Usoyan and Yusa were victims of the brutal assault on May 16th by President Erdogan’s bodyguards.

On June 6, with a vote of 397 to 0, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously condemned Turkey in response to the attacks, taking a powerful stand against Ankara’s attempts to export its violence and intolerance to America’s shores.  H.Res.354, spearheaded by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-Calif.), Ranking Democrat Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), has received the public backing of House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.).  The U.S. House is set to vote tomorrow on the National Defense Authorization Bill, a far-ranging measure that includes a provision, championed by Armenian Caucus Co-Chairman David Trott (R-Mich.), raising objections to a proposed U.S. sale of handguns for use by the very Erdogan security detail involved in the May 16th attack.

The vote followed broad-based Congressional outrage expressed by over 100 Senate and House members through public statements, social media, and a series of Congressional letters.

The May 16 protest in front of the Turkish Ambassador’s residence was a continuation of a demonstration held earlier in the day in front of the White House, co-hosted by the ANCA. As President Trump met with President Erdogan. human rights and religious rights groups were joined by representatives of the Kurdish, Yezidi and Armenian communities to call attention to the Erdogan regime’s escalating repression against free press, the Kurdish and other ethnic communities, as well as Turkey’s ongoing obstruction of justice for the Armenian Genocide.

BAKU, Azerbaijan (A.W.)—According to a report by the Baku-based Haqqin news agency, an Azerbaijani state prosecutor made a motion on July 14 for Russian-Israeli blogger Alexander Lapshin be sentenced to six and a half years in prison.

A scene from Laphin’s detention in Baku (Photo: Interfax)

The defense will deliver its remarks at a judicial hearing scheduled for July 19, according to the report.

Images of Russian-Israeli blogger Alexander Lapshin being detained in Baku were released on June 7 by the Interfax news agency just hours after news broke out that the Supreme Court of Belarus rejected his appeal and upheld the decision of the Prosecutor General’s office to extradite him to Azerbaijan.

Lapshin faced criminal prosecution in Azerbaijan for “illegal border crossing” and “public calls against the country.” Following the Supreme Court decision, Artsakh President Spokesperson Davit Babayan said that Lapshin’s extradition is a “challenge” to Israel.

The blogger’s extradition to Baku was widely criticized in Artsakh, Armenia, Russia, Israel, the United States, and around the world.

Artsakh Ombudsman Ruben Melikyan was quick to condemn the decision to extradite Lapshin. “Demonstrative prosecution of Lapshin is an attack [on] free speech and freedom of movement. Should be condemned in the strongest terms,” Melikyan tweeted moments after Lapshin’s extradition. “Lapshin’s case is a black-and-white issue. Oppression v. freedom. Human Rights defenders and journalists should visit NKR more as a response,” Melikyan added in a separate tweet.

The NKR Foreign Ministry released a statement shortly after the extradition calling the incident “a flagrant violation” of the fundamental rights to the freedom of movement and freedom of speech. “Intending to hand over Alexander Lapshin to Azerbaijan at the request of Baku, based on the trumped-up and politically biased case, the Belarusian authorities demonstrate that they put political benefit above democratic norms and principles of legitimacy and justice,” read a part of the statement.

In an interview with Armenian based Public Radio of Armenia, NKR President Spokesperson David Babayan stated that this should be an alarming message for the international community and Armenia. “We must rely upon ourselves and not expect any international organization to protect our interests,” said Babayan. “This is definitely a trade deal, but it’s unclear whether it’s a deal between Azerbaijan and Belarus or [Azerbaijani President Ilham] Aliyev and [Belarusian President Alexander] Lukashenko.”

Following the decision of the Supreme Court, Moscow made a statement on the extradition. “According to the available information, the Supreme Court of Belarus, having considered the case in a closed session on Feb. 7, dismissed the complaint of the citizen of Russia and Israel Alexander Lapshin against the decision of the General Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Belarus on his extradition to Azerbaijan. The Russian side expresses disappointment with this decision,” read a statement released by Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Feb. 8. “We intend to continue taking all the necessary measures to protect the rights and legitimate interests of the Russian citizen to quickly return him to his family,” the statement said.

In addition, Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told TASS that Russia will continue to take all legal measures in order protect the interests of Lapshin.

A senior official from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) strongly criticized Azerbaijani authorities on Feb. 8, for demonstratively arresting Laphin. Dunja Mijatovic, the OSCE representative on press freedom, tweeted photographs of masked and heavily armed security personnel escorting Lapshin in Baku. “Dismayed: A blogger/journalist taken to prison as a dangerous criminal. Free speech must prevail in the OSCE region,” Mijatovic wrote.

Commenting on the extradition, Member of Israeli Parliament Ksenia Svetlova told reporters on Feb. 8 that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Ministry Avigdor Liberman are responsible for Lapshin’s extradition. Svetlova said that she had been following the developments of Lapshin’s case very closely, but was not able to get him released. After requesting action from Prime Minister Netanyahu two weeks ago and his failure to respond, she once again called on both the Prime Minister and Defense Minister to intervene in Lapshin’s case and help him get released.

Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Executive Director Aram Hamparian commented on the matter, saying that the Lapshin case is another example of Azerbaijan’s aim to isolate Artsakh. “Azerbaijan got Belarus to extradite Lapshin for the ‘crime’ of visiting Artsakh in order to scare others, including journalists, from ever visiting Artsakh. That is Baku’s aim. To isolate and undermine Artsakh—on the battlefield, in the media, and in the political world,” Hamparian wrote in a Facebook post moments after news of Lapshin’s extradition surfaced.

The Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU) called on the Australian government to condemn Lapshin’s extradition in a statement released on Feb. 8.

“The Armenian National Committee of Australia calls on the Australian government, as well as all human rights and civil liberty organizations in Australia and internationally, to join us in condemning this blatant act of the Azerbaijani dictatorship in attempting to ‘export’ its repression of freedom of speech,” ANC-AU Managing Director, Vache Kahramanian stated. “Today, freedom was compromised. It is black day for free speech and journalism around the world.  The international community must not countenance this shameful act and instead, we must call for Mr. Lapshin’s immediate release,” Kahramanian added.

Rep. Trott: ‘Strategic Location Does Not Place Turkey Above the Law’

WASHINGTON—On July 14, U.S. Representative Dave Trott (R-Mich.) issued the following statement after his amendment to reject the proposed sale of semi-automatic handguns and ammunition to the Turkish government passed the House of Representatives as a part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

Dave Trott

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“Over the past few months, we’ve witnessed our NATO allies take extraordinary steps against Turkey, and it’s time for the State Department to do the same. We need to block this arms sale and once and for all point a finger in [Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan’s chest and tell him that a strategic location does not place Turkey above the law.

“Just two months ago, Erdogan’s henchmen, with him complacently observing just feet away, launched a brutal attack on peaceful protestors exercising their first amendment rights. A notorious oppressor of basic human rights and freedom, Erdogan imported his callous attitudes to our nation’s capital. While Erdogan’s thugs may run unchecked in Ankara, this is the United States of America and this is totally unacceptable. I am proud my colleagues from both sides of the aisle have come together to declare Turkey will no longer compromise our democratic values.

“In addition to passing my amendment, this year’s NDAA provides our troops with the modernized equipment and resources they need to safely and effectively do their jobs. It ensures they receive the 2.4% pay raise they have earned, supports their families, all while bolstering our military readiness in the face of an ever-evolving enemy.”

Special for the Armenian Weekly

Dr. Steven Leonard Jacobs holds the Aaron Aronov Endowed Chair of Judaic Studies and is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Alabama-Tuscaloosa. An ordained rabbi, Professor Jacobs is a specialist on the Holocaust and Genocide, Biblical Studies, Jewish-Christian Relations, and is one of the foremost authorities on Raphael Lemkin (1900-1959), who coined the term “genocide” and devoted his life to the enactment of an international law on the punishment and prevention of genocide.

Dr. Steven Leonard Jacobs

Among his numerous publications, he is the author of the chapter entitled, “Lemkin on Three Genocides: Comparing His Writings on the Armenian, Assyrian, and Greek Genocides,” in the recently published book, Genocide in the Ottoman Empire: Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks 1913-1923, edited by George N. Shirinian (New York and Oxford: Berghahn Books, 2017, published in association with The Asia Minor and Pontos Hellenic Research Center and The Zoryan Institute).

The interview was conducted by e-mail during the middle of May 2017.

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The cover of Shirinian’s Genocide in the Ottoman Empire: Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks 1913-1923

George Shirinian: Your unique contribution to this new book is a comparative study of the writings of Raphael Lemkin on the Armenian, Assyrian, and Greek Genocides. Who was Raphael Lemkin, and why is what he wrote important?

Steven L. Jacobs: Lemkin (1900-1959) was a Polish-Jewish lawyer who emigrated to the United States after the Nazi invasion of Poland in 1939. His initial concerns during his teenage years with the gross inhumanity of groups of people in power towards other groups having little or none led him to a concern with international criminal law. After arriving in the US, he taught law at both Duke University and Yale University before joining the US Board of Economic Advisors in Washington, DC, and would later serve as an advisor to Justice Robert H. Jackson during the post-WWII International Military Tribunal at Nuremburg, Germany, dealing with Nazi war criminals. He would devote the remaining thirteen years of his life to seeking the ultimately-successful ratification of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide by the United Nations in December 1948. His coinage of the word “genocide” appeared in his magnum opus Axis Rule in Occupied Europe: Laws of Occupation, Analysis of Government, Proposals for Redress (Washington, DC: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 1944), specifically Chapter 9 (pgs. 79-94). It is somewhat ironic that this small chapter in this massive volume of almost 650 pages became his life’s work.

His voluminous writings, and even a television appearance, on the subject of genocide brought the concept of mega-group murder to the attention of the world community of scholars, intellectuals, and the wider public, and began a debate about its various permutations and configurations which continues to this day. All this affirms him as the “Father of Genocide Studies,” an outgrowth and expansion of the field of Holocaust Studies.

Raphael Lemkin

G.S.: Lemkin wrote at a time when the study of the Ottoman destruction of the Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks was in its infancy. What sources did he use? Did he say anything that historians today find useful?

S.L.J.: In addition to his 1944 text, Axis Rule in Occupied Europe, Lemkin also intended to publish a three-volume History of Genocide (Antiquity, Middle Ages, Modern Times), as well as a monograph, Introduction to the Study of Genocide. Neither was completed nor published. In 2012, it was my good fortune to edit, introduce, and bring to publication both sets of texts, even though incomplete, in one volume, titled Lemkin on Genocide (Lanham, Md.: Lexington Books).

As to his use of sources, it is important to keep in mind that Lemkin was a master of many languages—Polish, Russian, French, German, Hebrew, Yiddish (and others!)—and was thus able to draw upon numerous publications in those languages which addressed the thirteen genocides included. Most of the sixty-three genocides reflected in his Outline were never addressed. An in-depth examination of more than 20,000 pages of his archives only barely hints at these other texts.

The cover of Lemkin on Genocide

Lemkin left a substantial, untitled, 120-page monograph on the Armenian Genocide, along with a six-page summary, and the monograph has been published (Raphael Lemkin’s Dossier on the Armenian Genocide, Glendale, Calif.: Center for Armenian Remembrance, 2008). I have written several articles about Lemkin and the Armenian Genocide.

As regards the Assyrian Genocide, not one but two chapters—Chapter 2 (“Assyrian Invasions”) of Volume I, and Chapter 2 (“Assyrians in Iraq”) of Volume III—are included among his papers. The latter constitutes a forty-two-page chapter in Lemkin on Genocide.

Most interesting of all, however, with regard to the Greek Genocide, five chapters are presented in the outline, more than any other case. These are titled, “Genocide in Ancient Greece”, “Genocide against the Greeks,” “Greeks under Franks, “Greeks in Exile from Turkish Occupation,” and “Genocide by the Greeks against the Turks.” Unfortunately, none of these is found among his papers. Instead, what we do have are a large text of so-called “Background” of fifty-seven pages and a later edited and slightly smaller version (fifty-five pages) entitled “Greeks in the Ottoman Empire,” the title of which is not listed in the outline. Three additional chapters in Volume III—“Bulgaria under the Turks,” “Genocide by the Janissaries,” and “Smyrna”—would have proven most helpful regarding his thinking about both the Ottoman Empire and the post-Ottoman Kemalist regime. But, alas, they, too, are not found among his papers, and, in all likelihood, were never written. One chapter that does exist is on the massacre of Greeks in Chios during the Greek War of Independence. It constitutes six pages in Lemkin on Genocide. I have also written separately on Lemkin and the Genocide of the Greeks.

To historians today, not only are his bibliographies of value in visiting the various genocides he examined, but his historical summaries, comments and critiques regarding victims, perpetrators, and bystanders enlarge the work beyond simply that of reporting the past. Moreover, Lemkin broadened his concerns to include the arenas of morality, ethics, and practical and political responsibilities, with which we continually wrestle today.

G.S.: Your new article deals with Lemkin’s writings on three cases of genocide. What benefits are there, generally, to taking a comparative approach?

S.L.J.: In principle, comparative work begins with an open mind: bringing together two or more seemingly disparate cases, events, or people and looking not only for similarities but differences as well, and then expanding the search to include other scenarios as well. What can, ideally, result is a broadened perspective and understanding regarding those items under examination, and, further, their possible applicability as additional case studies are brought into the conversation.

It is important to keep in mind that comparison is not the only tool that scholars bring to the table. Vetting historical documents, knowledge of specific languages and how they were understood at the time of their use, interviewing witnesses to contemporary events (and vetting the accuracy of their memories) are also used to ascertain the most accurate and complete pictures of those things under investigation. All tools used by various disciplines in the “human sciences” (history, literature, psychology, sociology, religious & Judaic studies, etc.) have, over the generations, proven their value in examining the past, and even going so far as to proving their applicability to both the present and the future.

G.S.: In this specific case of Raphael Lemkin, what has a comparative approach revealed?

S.L.J.: A. Strictly speaking, Lemkin was not a comparativist. He was of that “first” generation of historians, writers, and thinkers who saw as his task to “get the word out,” that is to say, present the evidence of those cases of genocide that were of importance to him—together with his own commentaries—and then let others expand the cases and draw further conclusions. His “mission,” if you will, was to get the world—at least the Western world—to view group murder in a whole new way, based on the reality that genocide has, historically, always been part of the human journey. His objective was to make others realize that it was not only the present moment (World War II and the Nazi murder of the Jews and its initial aftermath) that were genocidal, but, throughout human history, human power groups have engaged in genocide against non-power groups for a whole host of reasons (political, social, religious, economic, etc.). In doing so, Lemkin opened the door to this “darker side” of human history, and for that he is to be applauded.

Additionally, it must also be noted that Lemkin was not a classically-trained historian, but, rather, a lawyer who saw his stage as that of international law. Scholar that he was, he filtered his work through the lens of its practical applicability, understanding law and its prosecutorial opportunities as the appropriate arena where past crimes could be evaluated, current perpetrators could be punished, and, ideally, future cases of genocide could be prevented.

Raphael Lemkin’s United Nations General Assembly pass (Photo: Center for Jewish History)

G.S.: Lemkin is famous for coining the word “genocide” and providing the first comprehensive definition of it. Did he doubt that the term applies equally to the Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks?

S.L.J.: Most assuredly, he understood these three cases as genocide. Today, there are three sources of denial that they are genocide. One originates with the inheritor of the perpetrator Ottoman state, which seeks to evade any responsibility for past crimes, and those who support it for political or economic reasons. The second originates from what sociologists call “the competition of victims.” This refers to the tendency of some victim groups to want to make their genocide seem more important by denying status to others. The third originates with some genocide scholars, who are so caught up in narrowly defining what genocide is, that they lose sight of the impact on the survivors and their descendants.

It is part of the work of scholars to define and categorize the events they/we study, and to expand and/or contract these same definitions, further refining similarities and differences, as they/we apply them to specific case studies. In the process, however, we must never lose sight of our humanity.

G.S.: Is there any reason for anyone today to doubt that the term applies equally to the Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks?

S.L.J.: Not at all. My contribution to Genocide in the Ottoman Empire was to examine in depth, perhaps for the first time, Lemkin’s writings on these three genocides—Armenian, Assyrian, and Greek—what he wrote, what he saw as their similarities and differences, and fault not only the Turks but the Germans and British, as well, as uneven partners in these crimes. Certainly, Lemkin saw parallels between genocide in the Ottoman Empire and that in Nazi Germany.

For clarity, I’ll state that the discussion is about soccer, known as football to all the world except in the U.S.

I’ve never been a fan of watching sports.  My eyes glaze over when people start discussing baseball statistics or who won the latest basketball game or what kind of avian creature’s level was achieved in golf by such-and-such professional player.

‘My hair really starts to on end when I hear that some Azerbaijani businessman has bought an Austrian football team, FC SV Ottakring, and renamed it Karabakh’

I can’t even seem to get excited when Armenians achieve fame and acclaim in the field of sports.  The latest rage seems to be Henrig Mkhitarian, playing for some English team.  Before that, there were two Armenians on the French team that won some championship.  If I remember, there was a kerfuffle surrounding one of them.  I just chuckle and move on.

Of course, there’s the 1973 victory of Armenia’s team in the USSR.  People still rave about that team. But again, I just yawn.

I only start perking up when I learn of things like our inspiring, heroic, lullaby, “Zarteer Lao” having its music coopted/stolen by a Turkish football team, Fenerbahçe, and used as its anthem with their lyrics.  Fortunately, in 2011, when the team learned of this fact, their anti-Armenian animus, hatred, led them to discard the music.

My hair really starts to on end when I hear that some Azerbaijani businessman has bought an Austrian football team, FC SV Ottakring, and renamed it “Karabakh.” Of course I snicker that they’re still using the Russian-impacted transliteration of the name, ending with “kh” instead of “gh”—it shows how pathetic the people behind this farce are.  Then I start getting irritated that they have the temerity to claim what’s ours.

But then, I started thinking… what if they’re inadvertently doing us a favor?  The team, composed largely of Turkish players, by parading the name of part of the Armenian Highland, is actually bringing attention to the cause of Artsakh’s independence.  How?  Any regular citizen who takes even a few minutes to look up “Karabakh” because it is an odd-sounding name in a European context, will stumble onto our just cause even after reading just a few paragraphs.

So, let’s help them publicize our cause!  Heck, why not encourage Turks (better yet Kurds, just to drive Ankara into further fits of fretting) in Germany to form a team named “Giligia” and/or “Van” and/or “Malatia”…