Let them eat cake....

The Civilitas Foundation has been sending out emails, introducing itself, its goals and principles, to all different sorts of people. This includes diasporan armenians, and non armenians. In fact, I know of a case of two business partners in Armenia, let's call them A and B, who use B's personal email for the business (with emails signed by B only). The email from Civilitas went to the business email, but addressed to A. A little odd...a foreign embassy (as one of the partner's has foreign citizenship), the PeaceCorps (which works under the US government), and ProjectHarmony, which has of recent been swallowed up into the Armenia Government.

How did Civilitas get a hold of that email address, and that name?

Nice office by the way. Beautiful view, and decor! Great taste. I suppose the art-deco provides an environment that helps drown out the memories of what truly happened in that city, that view in particular.

I downloaded these pictures from the Civilitas Foundation website. There are many more to be viewed, if you're interested.

Pay raises for judges

There's not doubt that many in Armenia need raises. Many who work hard, and struggle, even if they have money coming in from the outside, to make ends meet, should be being paid so much more than they are now. The old woman, bent over, sweeping the street with a hand held broom head for so many hours, who leaves that job to then have another job cleaning bathrooms at some bar or restaurant, and still can't pay the admission fee for her kid to go to school. That woman need a raise, or five.
But guess who is going to get a nice fat raise? Definitely not that woman, or so many like her. Nope.

Among others, judges are getting raises... Below are a few excerpts from Noyan Tapan...

It was additionally stipulated in the bill passed in the first reading that the salaries of the chairman and members of the Constitutional Court will make: in 2009 the salary of the CC chairman will make 680 thousand drams instead of the current 340 thousand drams, and that of a member of the CC will make 600 thousand drams instead of 300 thousand drams. This changes will be in force from January 1 to December 31 of 2009.

...That's the same constitutional court, by the way, that we saw in action earlier this year, soon after the so-called democratic election in February.

The minimum is going up too, but not proportionately...

By the last two bills, starting from January 1, 2009, the minimum monthly salary and the personal deduction from the gross income will make 30 thousand drams (about 100 dollars) instead of current 25 thousand drams

.

They said what??? It just keeps on coming...

An article on lragir.com worth reading (among many) - here's the excerpt:

...Դա Հայաստանի ներկայիս իշխանությունն է, ովքեր ասում են միջնորդներին, որ կարող են ղարաբաղցիներին համոզել ընդունել ցանկացած որոշում: Եւ այս ամենը համանախագահներն ասում էին բաց, չամաչելով իրենց արտահայտություններից, բնական է պայմանով, որ դա չդառնա հանրության սեփականությունը:

...It is the government of Armenia who tell the mediators they can have the people of Karabakh accept any settlement. And the mediators stated this openly and straightforwardly, though on the condition that it would not be published....

Myasnikyan statue events ...

Pashinyan wrote a piece about a week ago now, addressing Afyan's focus on a certain set of Pashinyan's word..."We are not moving away from the Myasnikyan statue, we're staying here." The original is on payqar.org, below is my translation...


Of all the announcements I made on March 1st, the one that Sashik Afyan, Deputy Chief of Police of the Republic of Armenia dislikes the most is the one where I said: we are not moving away from the Myasnikyan statue, we're staying here. This may sound strange to the reader, since, among all the things I said that day, there were much better, more dislikeable, statements – but Afyan is talks about that one. Why?

The answer is very simple: this announcement disappointed not only him, but his criminal bosses, too. When I arrived near the Myasnikyan statue on March 1, there already were no police there. Only about 50 helmeted [individuals] were left at the entrance to Yerevan's City Hall. And, as Vahagn Hovakimyan (1) has uncovered, these were the "Yepremyan unit" of the police force, and they were waiting for the "other Yepremyan unit" also of the police, but dressed in civilian clothing. This other unit was supposed to come and stage a fight with the police standing in front of City Hall. Their fight, however, was not at all impressive, since those doing the beating and those being "beaten," all knew that they were putting on a show, as did we. And, just between us, there were people who were naïve enough to try to separate Yepremyanite from Yepremyanite, that is, the staged fight, and who are now sitting in jail. So, Yepremyan’s police similarly very quickly vanished through the back door of City Hall, leaving the building defenseless.
Naturally, Yepremyan's second unit, those in civilian clothing, tried to attack the building, but the opposition leaders took control of the situation, and so the provocative Yepremyan's group's short-lived experience was over. But the absence of any police in the areas around the Myasnikyan statue was strange. Maybe they were nearby? No, there were no police, not by the fish market, not by "Metropol" hotel, not by the Circus, not by the Shahumyan statue. In short, there were no police—anywhere. And when it was announced that we were staying there, a strange thing took place: a movement of forces was noticed from the direction of Baghramyan Boulevard, via Proshyan and Mashtots Streets. They were moving towards roads accessing the Myasnikyan statue.

Now, let's try to figure out the situation. Hundreds of thousands of people have gathered near the Myasnikyan statue. Not only the police leave the area where people are gathering, all the while using every possible means to increase the tension, but they leave all visible areas. In effect, they free up all the roads before the demonstrators, giving them the impression that there is no longer any force resisting them. Why? To make it seem obvious that the only logical move would be to continue towards the "Hrazdan-1" complex and the presidential building, where by now, not only Internal and military forces, but more than one thousand [individuals] carrying automatic machine guns are waiting for a valid and justifiable opportunity to open fire; who lust for blood; and so that their criminal chief can declare a state of emergency.

Both the presidential building and the "Hrazdan-1" complex appeared unchanged from the outside since the forces that were concentrated there were not visible from the outside. But the Opposition was not going to play along the government's scenario. The government until this point was suggesting that the demonstrators move to the square near Yerevan's railway station. It is understandable that this suggestion was not going to be accepted, and the suggestion to go to the station via the Matenadaran had to seem like manna from the sky. The government needed the Matenadaran for another reason: during the march, stores needed to be looted and destroyed. And more, "Yepremyan's units" had to try to veer the march past opera toward Bagramyan boulevard. But, as you know, the decision was clear; we were staying by the Myasnikyan statue, and that was final.
And then, when it became obvious that this decision was not subject to change, the armed gangs and forces started to move toward the Myasnikyan statue. Now, many may ask, in that case, how was the Opposition going to win, if they were not going to attack the presidential building, or the government, or the "Hrazdan-1" complex? The Opposition was going to win the way it had been up until March 1: by dancing, by holding demonstrations. And on March 1, our right to protest, our rights as citizens, should have been upheld—and that’s all. If anyone doubted that it was possible to win in this way, the ‘kocharyanaserjakan’ regime did not; that regime could already see its defeat.
The government hyenas needed blood, because it was obvious even to a child, that the regime's situation could only be maintained by the use of tanks, that is, by the announcement of a State of Emergency. And a State of Emergency could not be proclaimed without blood. If on that day the opposition had acted according to the government’s plan, Afyan would have no reason to blush now; no questions would arise in public circles now; everything would be simple and clear now.

Now, too, everything is simple and clear—but from the other side.


(1) Pashinyan is referring to an article written by Vahagn Hovakimyan in HZH newpaper, the last paragraph of which describes a videotape by two people of the some of these events around the statue.

Jahangiryan in the courtroom...

Gagik Jahangiryan, former deputy Prosecutor-General, was fired when he openly supported the opposition on Feb 22, claimed the presidential election was fraudulent, and to top it off, supported LTP's viewpoint regarding the fateful events of October 27, 1999. After those statements he and his brother were basically kidnapped, his brother shot during the event.
Jahangiryan has a defense lawyer, but has been doing alot of his own talking, as can be heard on excerpts that are often played on rfe/rl broadcasts. He is an extremely powerful entity in the courtroom, as the combination of his knowledge of law, and unwavering insistence on the Truth make it very difficult for those trying to bend the truth. At one point he is arguing with the Judge, outright - and in one of the later segments he is has gone past questioning those on the stand to questioning the entire substrate of corrupt politics and law in present Armenia. But, its been a while since I'd seen any new videos or photos, so I was glad when a1plus posted one.


On another note, for those wondering where all this sniper business came from, listen to it on YouTube here.

A sniper in the midst...

"Nikoyan effectively acknowledged the authenticity of the tape as he admitted that the police did have one sniper at their disposal.

“They officially replied to my inquiry – ‘the presence of one sniper’. There was one such sniper.” "(from rfe/rl)

If your purpose is to quiet the masses, to prevent mass unrest and violence, to secure the safety of a city, then why would you work on targeting individuals via a sniper?

Why not use smoke bombs? Why not just fire into the air? Why not try to negotiate?
[Which, by the by, is what LTP did when the mob tried to take down the gates of the Presidential building in 1996, and that was after he found out members of Parliament had been kidnapped.]

That's not to mention the real way to deal with the situation, the unspeakable way, that is, to deal with the underlying cause.

Journalist attacked, again...

It seemed, at least to me, that the attacks on journalists and human rights workers was, maybe, hopefully, decreasing... I was obviousy wrong. I guess it was hopeful thinking. Edik Baghdasaryan, editor in chief of Hetq online, was attacked after coming out of his workplace tonight.

How does SS dare to speak of democracy, when there is no freedom of speech?
a1plus article
Click here for the video.

Religion, Altruism and Evolution

I had tried to avoid watching the most recent scuffle in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher between the Greeks and the Armenians. I had to watch it though, when a friend pointed out how the church battle just goes to show that, as Biologist E.O. Wilson points out, Religion follows the laws of Evolution, too:

"There is a principle in ecology, Gause's law, which states that maximum competition is to be found between those species with identical needs. In a similar manner, the one form of altruism that religions seldom display is tolerance of other religions."
Wilson, 1978

Update on Mr. Manukyan

Mr. Manukyan's trial has been scheduled and then delayed in the
courtroom for the last month. You can follow the time-line of the
charade below. This is how oppressive regimes keep their power:
by totally exhausting all hope and crushing the spirit of those that
are brave enough to fight for a decent country.

• November 13: Trial delayed until November 20th

• November 7: Trial delayed until November 13th

• November 3: Trial delayed until November 7th.

• October 29: Attorney calls in sick, trial postponed until November 3rd.

• October 23: Trial postponed until October 29th.

• October 15: Mr. Manukyan is charged with organizing an unauthorized
illegal public demonstration. The court heard testimony from one
witness, an individual who had previously pled guilty to a crime
relating to the March 1 incident. He had received a suspended sentence
for his own conviction. In a series of investigation statements
(before trial) the witness stated that he had received approximately
$60 from the defendant and that the witness had used the money to bus
people into Yerevan for the unauthorized demonstrations at the
direction of the defendant. At the trial the witness stated that he
had received money from the defendant as part of the opposition
campaign, but that the defendant never directed him to use the money
for the demonstrations. Unfortunately, the judges in Armenia often
base guilty verdicts on pre-trial investigation statements even where
the witness comes into court and recants on his prior statement. The
court was to hear from two other witnesses. One failed to show up and
the other is incarcerated. The court is attempting to bring the
incarcerated witness to the trial. The defense counsel made a motion
to release Mr. Manukyan but the court denied the motion. The trial to
resume Oct. 23.

• October 6: Trial postponed at the last minute due to lack of
prosecution witnesses.

• September 17: Two witnesses testified – both police officers. One
testified as the "victim" and the other as a "witness". Per a US
official who attended the trial: "The bad news is that this case
clearly demonstrates, even assuming that the defendant is completely
guilty, that the authorities are out to get him. He took part in the
demonstration and he (allegedly) threw a rock that hit a cop in the
foot. Minimal injury at worst. This is really no big deal".

• September 9: The defense attorney made a motion to disqualify the
two prosecutors working on the case. That motion was denied by the
judge. The case is moved to the higher felony and adjourned to Sept.
17 to hear from the victim / police officer.

• July 29: The prosecutor seeks an adjournment to upgrade the charges
to more serious felonies, punishable by 5 to 10 years imprisonment.
At the prosecutor's request the court adjourned the case for four
weeks.

• July 15: After 4 months in 'pre-detention', a trial date is finally
scheduled. The court date is later cancelled at the last minute due
to lack of witnesses.

• March 1: Ashot Manukyan is beaten and arrested at dawn after 11 days
of peaceful protest of a corrupt election. He is taken to Nubereshen
detention center and not allowed to see his family for over a month –
until his wounds heal.

Letter by Penelope Morrison to Oskanyan

Armenian is below:

Civilitas…or Humanitas and Civilitas?
An Open Letter to Mr. Vartan Oskanian

Dear Mr. Oskanian,

Two interviews I saw recently—yours and Mr. Hatspanyan’s—focused my attention on you and the Civilitas Foundation.

As you can imagine, Mr. Hatspanyan’s revelations have alarmed many Armenians. But I refused to believe that a man like you, a paragon of absolute dedication to our country, could be involved in such a dastardly plot. Until, that is, you explained the reason you established Civilitas: to build a civil society in Armenia.

Have you not noticed a civil society developing right before your very eyes, Mr. Oskanian? Not even on Northern Avenue, under your office window? It is no wonder you have taken the path you have, as you have chosen to blind yourself to the commitment to Truth, Justice and Equality, which has and is pouring forth from the citizens of Armenia.

You have yet to tell us what you mean by ‘civil society.’ What should the hundreds of thousands of citizens have done to have qualified for membership in your ‘civil society?’

Rather then the pictures of their imprisoned fathers, should the boats made by children have carried the pictures of Tigran Torosyan, Eduard Sharmazanov, Aghvan Hovsepyan, Hovik Abrahamyan, Robert Kocharyan and Vartan Oskanian?


Should the women peacefully demonstrating on Northern Avenue have politely thanked the policemen for abusing them?

Should the citizens of Armenia have sent Thank You cards to then President Kocharyan for the calculated slaughter of Armenian citizens?

You may also want to reconsider the use of the term Civilitas, for grammatical and contextual reasons. It may sound good for PR purposes, Mr. Oskanian, but it does not mean, in your own words, ‘to be a citizen,’ Roman or otherwise. Nor does the Roman usage accommodate your foundation’s epic blueprint for the ‘salvation’ of Armenian society.

The ambitious undertaking you have set for your Civilitas may come close to Dante’s view of rebuilding human society, but, alas, without Dante’s Humanitas and Civilitas. I would strongly suggest a second reading of Dante to understand what true Civilitas means, Mr. Oskanian. Pay special attention to the part about the right of citizens to make their own choices, and their right to exist for their own sake and not for the sake of someone else. Stated differently, to be members of a civil society, human beings don’t need to have a blueprint of civil society imposed on them. After all, that would only pave the way to totalitarianism, would it not, Mr. Oskanian?

By far the most famous of Dante’s works is The Divine Comedy, where he journeys through Hell, Purgatory and finally Paradise.

The Roman poet Virgil guides Dante through Hell and Purgatory.

Who will be your guide as you try to find a way out of your Hell and Purgatory, Mr. Oskanian? Muk? Lefik Samo? Nemetz Rubo? Dodi Gago? Or, will it be Rob?

Sincerely,

Penelope Morrison
San Francisco, California

Սիվիլիտաս... թե՞ հումանիտաս և սիվիլիտաս
Բաց նամակ Պրն. Վարդան Օսկանյանին

Մեծարգո Պրն. Օսկանյան,

Վերջերս իմ ընթերցած երկու հարցազրույցները՝ Ձերն ու Պրն. Հացպանյանինը, ուշադրությունս բևեռեցին Ձեր և Սիվիլիտաս Հիմնադրամի վրա:

Ինչպես կարող եք պատկերացնել, Պրն. Հացպանյանի բացահայտումները շատերին մտահոգության մեջ գցեցին: Սակայն ես մերժում էի հավատալ, թե մեր երկրին կատարյալ նվիրվածության մարմնացում հանդիսացող Ձեզ նման մեկը կարող է նման ստոր դավադրության մեջ ներքաշված լինել: Դա՝ մինչև Ձեր բացատրելը, թե որն է Սիվիլիտասը հիմնելու Ձեր դրդապատճառը. Հայաստանում քաղաքացիական հասարակության հիմնադրումը:

Պարոն Օսկանյան, Դուք չե՞ք նկատել հենց Ձեր աչքերի առջև ծավալվող քաղաքացիական հասարակությունը: ոչ նույնիսկ Հյուսիսային Պողոտայո՞ւմ՝ Ձեր գրասենյակի պատուհանի տա՞կ: Զարմանալի չէ, որ այն ուղին եք ընտրել, որն ընտրել եք, քանի որ որոշել եք կույր լինել Ճշմարտության, Արդարության ու Հավասարության հանդեպ Հայաստանի քաղաքացիներից հորդացած և հորդացող նվիրվածության նկատմամբ:

Դուք դեռ մեզ պետք է բացատրեք, թե ինչ նկատի ունեք "քաղաքացիական հասարակություն" ասելով: Հարյուր-հազարավոր քաղաքացիներն այդ ի՞նչ պետք է անեին՝ Ձեր "քաղաքացիական հասարակության" անդամակցությանն արժանանալու համար:

Երեխաների պատրաստած նավակները իրենց ձերբակալված հայրերի նկարների փոխարեն Տիգրան Թորոսյանի, Եդուարդ Շարմազանովի, Աղվան Հովսեփյանի, Հովիկ Աբրահամյանի, Ռոբերտ Քոչարյանի ու Վարդան Օսկանյանի նկարնե՞րը պետք է կրեին արդյոք:

Հյուսիսային Պողոտայում խաղաղ ցույց անող կանայք իրենց ծեծող ոստիկաններին քաղաքավարի կերպով շնորհակալությու՞ն պետք է հայտնեին արդյոք:

Հայաստանի քաղաքացիներին հաշվարկված կերպով սպանդի ենթարկելու համար քաղաքացիները նախկին նախագահ Ռոբերտ Քոչարյանին շնորհակալական բացի՞կ պետք է ուղարկեին արդյոք:
Թերևս վերանայեք Սիվիլիտաս տերմինի գործածությունը՝ քերականական ու բովանդակային պատճառներով: Այն PR-ի նպատակով թերևս բարեհունչ է, Պրն. Օսկանյան, սակայն բառը չի նշանակում, ինչպես Դուք եք ասում, "լինել քաղաքացի"՝ հռոմեացի թե այլ: Եվ ոչ էլ դրա հռոմեական կիրառությունն է հարմարվում հայ հասարակության "փրկության" Ձեր հիմնադրամի դյուցազներգական նախագծին:

Սիվիլիտասի համար Ձեր սահմանած ամբիցիոզ նախաձեռնությունը կարող է մերձենալ մարդկային հասարակությունը վերակառուցելու Դանթեի տեսակետին, սակայն, ավա՜ղ` առանց Դանթեի Հումանիտաս և Սիվիլիտասի: Ես լրջորեն խորհուրդ կտայի վերընթերցել Դանթեին՝ հասկանալու համար, թե իրական սիվիլիտասն ինչ է նշանակում, Պրն. Օսկանյան: Հատուկ ուշադրություն դարձրեք իրենց սեփական ընտրանքները կատարելու քաղաքացիների իրավունքի և հանուն իրենց, այլ ոչ թե ուրիշ մեկի համար գոյություն ունենալու նրանց իրավունքի մասերին: Այլ կերպ ասած՝ քաղաքացիական հասարակության անդամ լինելու համար մարդկային արարածները կարիք չունեն իրենց պարտադրված քաղաքացիական հասարակության նախագիծ ունենալու: Ի վերջո, դա միայն տոտալիտարիզմի համար է հող հարթելու, այնպես չէ՞, Պրն. Օսկանյան:

Դանթեի գործերից անհամեմատ ավելի հանրաճանաչը "Աստվածային կատակերգությունն" է, ուր հեղինակը ճամփորդում է Դժոխքի, Քավարանի և վերջապես Դրախտի միջով:

Դանթեին Դժոխքում ու Քավարանում առաջնորդում է hռոմեացի բանաստեղծ Վերգիլիոսը:

Իսկ Ձե՞զ ով է առաջնորդելու, երբ փորձեք Դժոխքից ու Քավարանից Ձեր ճամփան գտնել, Պարոն Օսկանյան: Մու՞կը: Լֆիկ Սամո՞ն: Նեմեց Ռուբո՞ն: Դոդի Գագո՞ն: Իսկ գուցե` Ռո՞բը:

Անկեղծորեն՝

Պենելոպե Մորիսոն
Սան Ֆրանցիսկո

Hatspanyan Arrested!!!???

Both Lragir and A1plus and RFE/RL are reporting in their Armenian language sections that Sarkis Hatspanyan has been arrested.
It was also in Armenian on Azatutyun Radio (via RFE/RL), and there were more details there. They report that around 9 o'clock on Nov 7 he was invited to the National Security Service for questioning, after which he was arrested for suspicion of «Սուտ մատնություն», which literally translated means false fingerpointing, but in legalese is probably closer to making false allegations. His lawyer reports that he is being held in isolation. His lawyer also says that Hatspanyan told him that he is being treated with great politeness.
What does this mean about the validity of Hatspanyan's statements, and his arrest. There are tons of possible explanations. The most interesting question is who ordered the arrest - was it SS, or RK? Who has true control? - which has been the question all along.
In his interview, Hatspanyan absolved SS of guilt around the events of March 1, and to some extent gave the impression that SS was forced into a difficult situation, and that the violence was all RK's doing. So why would SS then imprison this man? For more information? For his "own safety"?
On the other hand, maybe the absolution in the interview doesn't mean much of anything to SS, and this is an excellent opportunity to arrest a strong, outspoken critic of the government.
Or could RK be running this arrest show, and Hatspanyan was blowing the whistle?
Regardless, it would have to be with SS's knowledge.

There's obviously much more going on than the few tidbits that have been thrown to us - hopefully there will be more information soon.

Lachin, Lachin, Lachin

One of the main reasons we went to war over Karabagh was to assure the security of the people of Karabagh. And to assure that, we needed to secure Lachin, and more specifically, the Lachin Corridor. It was a sticking point back then, and it is now - here's an excerpt from yesterday's RFE/RL article:

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov singled out late last month the future of the so-called Lachin corridor, which provides for the shortest overland link between Karabakh and Armenia proper, as the main stumbling block in the negotiating process. He did not elaborate, though.

“Everybody knows that that issue has to be resolved,” Bryza said, referring to Lachin. “It’s an important one. We’re working on that and getting closer to that.”

From what I recall, with the 1994 ceasefire, not only the Lachin corridor, but the entire Lachin Region, would be and still is controlled by Armenians. Take a look at these maps and see just how important this region is.
















I sure hope these guys know what they're doing.
Whether they're trying to save their own faces, their asses, their political offices, or their political parties, on all sides (Russian, American, Armenian to name a few), I hope they know what they're doing.

Guess what???

Guess who is next in line for office of President of the Republic of Armenia IF SS is removed... The Chair of the National Assembly, aka, Hovik Abrahamyan, aka, Muk...Yes, he is a member of the nickname club.

A known thug, a man who was quite close to RK. In fact, when he started rising through the ranks of the National Assembly after March, 2008, it was hypothesized by many that he was part of the mechanism to bring RK back into the visible limelight. See Muk's official biography on the National Assembly Website. Of course, his true accomplishments are not on the official Biography - we'll have to wait for the uncensored version for what he's really done.

Keep in mind that Hatspanyan has revealed news of a plot to kill SS. According to the laws of Armenia, Muk would become the temporary President. How interesting.

Threat to SS???

Over the past couple of days a news story is breaking out re: an interview Hatspanyan gave stating that he has information about a plot against SS's life - the English of which is now available on khosq
from thekarabakhdeal.blogspot.com.
The original Armenian interview can be found on Haykakan Zhamanak.
Lragir reports today that :

The National Security Service has launched legal proceedings on the basis of the report of the Haykakan Zhamanak Newspaper, the NSS reports. The Haykakan Zhamanak had reported that Sargis Hatspanyan had stated referring to reliable and serious sources that an attempt against Serge Sargsyan is being plotted. In this connection, the NSS has launched legal proceedings under Article 35-305 of the Crime Code, plotting attempt against a statesman.

A1plus has a similar follow-up report.
As per Hatspanyan's source, Kocharyan driven forces are responsible for the possible attempt against SS's life. Including Oskanyan's new Civilitas Foundation. Curious who they are? Go to their website, where you will find some information, and many pictures of Oskanyan: CivilitasFoundation.org.

Principles? What Principles?

The ARF is threatening to pull out of the coalition due to SS's plan regarding NK.

“If the actions of the supreme authorities run contrary to our principles -- and by that we mean what we consider our national interests in the first instance -- … then of course we will have no common course to follow with those authorities,” warned deputy parliament speaker Hrayr Karapetian . (from the article on RFE/RL)

Wow. I applaud the ARF for standing by their principles.
I guess defense of the Armenian people is not one of their principles, as demonstrated by the fact that they joined the ruling coalition after the events of March 1.