FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich.—Protecting, defending and advancing Artsakh’s security, independence and recognition are at the top of this year’s national, regional and local Hai Tahd agenda.

That was the message delivered by ARF Eastern Region US Central Committee Vice-Chair Ani Tchaghlasian at the ANC of Michigan’s community town hall on Saturday, Feb. 8 at the Holiday Inn Express in Farmington Hills, Michigan.

“For this year, the main topic and where we feel the most danger is related to Artsakh,” Tchaghlasian said.

She highlighted continuing Fiscal Year 2021 aid to Artsakh as “one of our biggest issues” because the Trump administration has removed Artsakh aid from the budget it received from Congress, contrary to prior US foreign aid budgets of the past 15 years which contained comparatively small, but meaningful amounts of money to fund the Halo Trust’s critical de-mining work in the young republic.

“The demining program has probably saved thousands of lives and allowed the Armenian population to grow into areas that were heavily mined that would not have been able to be populated otherwise,” Tchaghlasian explained. “There’s still a lot of work to be done. Artsakh is not de-mined completely, but this year, the State Department has told us very clearly that they do not support any aid to Artsakh. This is a major, major issue for us.”

Tchaghlasian said that there are “many” reasons why the State Department has taken the “no aid” position toward Artsakh, including punishing Armenia for its relationships with Syria and Iran and rewarding Azerbaijan for its recent policies against Iran, bolstered by political goodwill purchased through its multi-million-dollar lobbyist contracts.

“We have a huge avalanche to deal with, but one of the main goals this year is to maintain some amount of aid to Artsakh so we’re not in a place where we’re fighting to get it back. We have to pressure our elected officials to put pressure on the State Department because both houses had aid to Artsakh line items removed by the administration.”

As for the Republic of Armenia’s political moves regarding the future of Artsakh’s territorial integrity, Tchaghlasian said, “We don’t know what’s happening behind closed doors. It wouldn’t be beyond our imaginations to think that there may be proposals that people are talking about that would be unacceptable to us, that would endanger Artsakh’s existence.”

That’s why local Hai Tahd committees across the Eastern Region are being tasked with a 2020 work list that prioritizes efforts to enhance Artsakh’s local profile and among elected officials in all levels of government, including social, humanitarian and economic efforts that keep non-Armenians connected to the country.

“The more traffic Artsakh gets from foreigners, the more it becomes normal for it to be on a path to recognition,” Tchaghlasian added, noting that sister city connections between Artsakh’s cities and villages and those in the eastern US with influential Armenian communities can be leveraged for meaningful interaction, engagement and understanding.

“Artsakh is a very isolated place. Artsakh is a place where people often feel alone,” Tchaghlasian explained. “Getting a piece of paper from a place they can’t place on a map is such a big deal for them. These people are in a constant war situation. There’s not a family that’s not been affected by the war in Artsakh. We can help by bolstering the self-confidence of the Artsakh people.”

Tchaghlasian emphasized that local efforts to pass Artsakh recognition legislation at the state and local levels, in addition to advancing exchange programs, allow those living in the eastern US to play “a very important role in Artsakh” where the stakes are so high.

“Without protecting Artsakh’s safety and independence, it isn’t just Artsakh we could lose. We would lose a significant part of the Republic of Armenia as it currently stands today.”

Another relevant local Hai Tahd committee agenda item is to advance community understanding for the 100 year-old Treaty of Sevres establishing the Republic of Armenia’s territorial boundary as envisioned by US President Woodrow Wilson in 1920. The treaty expanded the Republic of Armenia’s territory to include certain Armenian-populated lands in eastern Turkey, including Trabizon to provide access to the Black Sea.  

Tchaghlasian said understanding the Treaty of Sevres is essential to having a more complete understanding of Armenian Genocide reparations, essential for Armenian Genocide justice.

“We have to first explain what it is we’re all talking about, and why just recognition isn’t enough, why justice means reparations,” she added. “We need to start that dialogue this year.”

The year 2020 is also an election year that includes the presidential race. Tchaghlasian observed that the sometimes-divisive political climate on social media has recently impacted perceptions about the Armenian National Committee’s (ANC) political leanings.

“Once and for all, ANC is not for Republicans or for Democrats. ANC is about Hai Tahd. We only care about issues that are Hai Tahd related. I don’t care if someone’s a Democrat, they’re a Republican, or if they come from Mars. It makes no difference to us.

“The bottom line is that for our issues, we have to be really smart as Armenians and vote for what’s best for us as a community. And sometimes that’s going to be the Republican and sometimes that’s going to be the Democrat.

“This is where Hai Tahd work is so important at the local level. We need to know our representatives well so that we are making the right choice for our cause, we’re making the right choice for all of our martyrs, we’re making the right choice for those soldiers that are fighting on the border in Artsakh. We should be supportive of candidates who support our cause. That’s it. It’s very simple.”

A lively question and answer session followed the presentation which can be viewed on the ANC of Michigan’s Facebook page.

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Georgi-Ann Bargamian Oshagan

Georgi-Ann Bargamian Oshagan is a former editor of the Armenian Weekly. After 10 years working in community journalism, she attended law school and is an attorney, but she remains committed to her first love journalism by writing for the Armenian Weekly and contributing occasionally to the Detroit Journalism Cooperative.

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By Rev. Fr. Dr. Vahan Kouyoumdjian and Yn. Maggie Kouyoumdjian

Yeretzgin and I are honored to share our knowledge and experience with you at your annual Couples’ Night Out gathering and celebration next month. We are truly humbled and looking forward to spending precious time together.

God commissioned Adam and Eve to nurture the heavenly Eden and subsequently their divine union. Their distraction and disobedience, caused the loss of the blessings promised them.

Unfortunately with our busy lives, sometimes it is easy for us to get distracted and lose focus of the most important things. The abundance of stressors does not help either, creating further conflict and adding to the rift in a relationship.

During our periods of stormy weather, it may feel like the way is perilous. We get lost and drown. This is just as Christ’s disciples felt as well in times of hardship. However, when Jesus would appear to them, they would receive Him and safely reach their destination.

If we are still, not focus on the stresses only, but on Him, we can then see that we are full of blessings indeed.

Oneness in a healthy God-centered marriage isn’t easy, and it isn’t going to be something you can do while sitting on the couch. It is an active LOVE that requires you to be humble, forgiving, kind, patient, engaged, compassionate, and above all, concerned about your partner’s needs before your own.

Join us on Friday, March 13 at the church hall of St. Stephen’s Armenian Apostolic Church in Watertown, Massachusetts, where we will offer our support and guidance on one of the most important relationships that God has created.

Related: Couples’ Night Out: An Invitation from the Sabounjians, Boynerians

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Guest Contributor

Guest contributions to the Armenian Weekly are informative articles written and submitted by members of the community, which make up our community bulletin board.

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This tribute contains comments that were delivered at a memorial luncheon that took place on Saturday, February 15, 2020 at the Hackensack Golf Club in Emerson, NJ which followed John’s interment in the Garden of Memories Mausoleum in Washington Township, NJ and his funeral at Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Apostolic Church in Ridgefield, NJ.

I know that John’s spirit is enjoying all the stories his family and friends will tell about him and their times together as we remember him today.

The Najarians were of Dikranagerdtsi extraction, as were the members of my own family. We were active in the Union City and West New York regions of New Jersey, which in the years following the Armenian Genocide and leading up to the 1950s, comprised “Little Dikranagerd” because so many refugees from that region of Western Armenia resettled there. 

My association with John Najarian was more than that of one individual to another, but rather to the entire Najarian family. It started with John’s father, Charles Najarian, who operated a grocery store in West New York, NJ, and despite his business cares and responsibilities of raising three children with his wife Vergine, managed to devote time to their beloved Armenian community. Sometime in the 1950s, I served on the auditing committee with Charles to review the records of the Board of Trustees of the Armenian Apostolic Church of NJ, which was before Sts. Vartanantz Church was built. 

Next comes Adrienne, John’s sister, with whom I sang in the church choir and the Armenian National Chorus of New York conducted by Armen Babamian. On my way to rehearsals at the McBurney YMCA, located at Seventh Avenue and 23rd Street in Manhattan, I used to pick up and drop off Adrienne (later Mahlebjian). She especially liked to talk to me in our Dikranagerdtsi dialect using pungent expressions that revealed her fine sense of humor. 

Then comes John’s older brother Harold with whom I would pal around during our youth. He introduced me to his circle of odar friends in West New York, and they invited me to join them on their excursions to Belmar and the Jersey Shore during the summers. Harold and I double-dated with Diane and Alice, who eventually became our wives.

The Najarian family was a very musical one. John’s sister Adrienne had a beautiful soprano voice. Adrienne’s twin daughters Lynn and Lisa sing just like her. Even today, Lynn continues to sing as a member of the Sts. Vartanantz Choir. John’s brother Harold loves classical music, particularly opera. And unbeknownst to most people, Harold has a first-rate operatic tenor voice. He didn’t sing in any choir, Armenian or otherwise, nor did he perform in public. And it’s unfortunate that he chose to hide his light under a bushel. However, he maintained his interest in music and would go into Manhattan to attend the Sunday afternoon broadcasts of the NBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Arturo Toscanini. On one such occasion, when Harold was sitting in the front row close to where the conductor was standing, Toscanini, who was known for his vigorous style, happened to strike his baton against a music stand. It flew out of his hand and skidded along the floor to where Harold was sitting. Harold stooped down to pick it up and held on to it. No one came to reclaim it, even after the concert was over, so he kept it and I presume he still has it to this day. A fitting souvenir.

Now John also liked to sing. But he didn’t quite have the equipment that Adrienne and Harold had. But that didn’t stop him. He would sing at the drop of a hat and whenever it suited him. Many times during our poker sessions, if he won a significantly large pot, he would break out into song, such as “Im chinari yaruh,” an Armenian folk song that extolls the virtues of the beloved and likens her to the praiseworthiness of a beautiful plane tree. 

My association with John centered on the activities that took place in or around Armenia Hall in Union City, New Jersey and our active involvement in the affairs of Sts. Vartanantz Church, the Sts. Vartanantz Men’s Club, the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) Alumni Association, and the Armenian Seniors of Sts. Vartanantz, St. Leon, and St. Thomas churches. Back in the old days, before Sts. Vartanantz was built, Armenia Hall, the hub of Armenian community activity at that time, was located at the junction of Hudson Boulevard and Kerrigan Avenue, which were not quite parallel. Armenia Hall was located at the triangle where those two avenues met. So Armenia Hall was a triangular shaped building (with half a second floor), owned by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) and which was also used by the Armenian Relief Society (ARS) and the AYF for their many activities such as cultural events, plays, concerts, lectures, meetings, political gatherings, hantesses and dinners. 

It was divided into two portions. Most activities took place in the larger hall with the higher ceiling. The other hall had a low ceiling, and that’s where the members of the AYF basketball team had mounted a basketball hoop to one wall just below the ceiling. Because of that low ceiling, the basketball could not be arced in the customary way to shoot into the basket. It had to be thrown with a shallow arc in order to make the shot. And this difficulty they managed to surmount and eventually became crackerjack shooters. 

Those of you who knew John know what a superb athlete he was and how much he loved to play basketball, among other sports. This family trait is shared by his son Jeff, his daughters Sharon and Sandy, and his nephew Steve Mahlebjian, who all played with distinction for Sts. Vartanantz in the Armenian Churches Sports Association as well as with the AYF.

At various times, the AYF basketball team of Union City included, besides John Najarian, other outstanding athletes such as John Kazanjian, Charles (Buby) and Dick Shareshian, Marty Kavazanjian and Harry Bakalian. This all-victorious team in the AYF league became legendary. 

John liked to talk about the old days and Armenia Hall. One of his favorite anecdotes had to do with a challenge to a basketball match that the AYF chapter received from its rivals in Union City—the Armenian General Athletic Union (AGAU). The AGAU was the American version of the Homenetmen, replete with a Boy Scout troop. It was led by Mike Megerdichian. Only the Homenetmen had a political orientation whereas the AGAU did not; the AGAU’s motto was “no politics.” But of course no politics meant “no nationalism.” And so all the things that were taught to the AYF kids such as Armenian history, the First Armenian Republic, its leaders, our national flag, anthem and coat of arms were denied to the youth of the AGAU. And the consequences were predictable. The AYF is still flourishing today, whereas the AGAU organization is defunct. 

Mike Megerdichian was so proud of his AGAU basketball team that he challenged the AYF team to a tournament and arranged for a trophy to be given to the winning team. Well, the AYF team trounced the AGAU team, and when it came time for a presentation of the trophy, Mike could not be found. He had run off with the trophy because he could not bear to present it to the rival team.

Another incident that occurred at Armenia Hall that John liked to talk about had to do with the caretaker, who, in addition to his other duties, would serve refreshments to the members of the Men’s Club who would meet on the second floor where they would play tavli and pinochle. And on one occasion, the caretaker approached one of the card players with a tray containing four cups of demi-tasse coffee. The player said, “I didn’t order that.” The caretaker replied, “You certainly did! I heard you!” The player insisted that he hadn’t, and the caretaker, who was short tempered, got so angry, he threw the tray, cups, coffee and all against the wall where they were playing.

The things that John and I would reminisce about went beyond Armenia Hall and addressed the goings-on of the Armenian community as a whole in Union City and West New York. As a matter of fact, one week before John’s demise, we were talking about the juicy gossip items that occasionally made the rounds, which included who was carrying on with whose wife. Oh yeah, our chaste Armenian community had its peccadilloes and more than one skeleton in the closet. And John was conversant with all of it. Very little escaped his discerning eye. Like a true Dikranagerdtsi, John had a well-developed sense of humor. Very often, his comments were quite humorous and provoked laughter. 

John was not a superficial Armenian but one who felt his Armenian identity in his bones. Not only was he active in our many community organizations, but he was extremely knowledgeable about Armenian affairs, current events and history. He was a fluent Armenian speaker. He went out of his way to keep himself apprised of what was happening to the Armenians in the news and on the battlefront. And what he did not know, he would ask about, always curious to be on top of what was being accomplished by Armenians. Any time there was an Armenian project that needed support, John would be among the first to donate funds and would do so generously. 

John’s activities in church and social organizations revealed his ability as a first-rate leader. He never refused responsibility when it was asked of him. By serving the church, community and its many organizations, John served the Armenian nation. 

John met, fell in love with and married fellow AYFer Sally Chilingirian of Watertown, Massachusetts. They raised three fine Armenian-oriented children—Jeff, Sharon and Sandy. Because these children were subsequently supported in that orientation by their spouses, John and Sally’s many grandchildren are following in these footsteps. 

Asdvadz Hokin Lousavoreh.

Upon the request of the family, in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Apostolic Church of Ridgefield, NJ, or Camp Haiastan of Franklin, MA.

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CK Garabed

Weekly Columnist

C.K. Garabed (a.k.a. Charles Kasbarian) has been active in the Armenian Church and Armenian community organizations all his life. As a writer and editor, he has been a keen observer of, and outspoken commentator on, political and social matters affecting Armenian Americans. He has been a regular contributor to the Armenian Reporter and the AGBU Literary Quarterly, “ARARAT.” For 20 years, Garabed has been a regular contributor to the Armenian Weekly. He produces a weekly column called “Uncle Garabed's Notebook,” in which he presents an assortment of tales, anecdotes, poems, riddles, and trivia; for the past 10 years, each column has contained a deconstruction of an Armenian surname. He believes his greatest accomplishment in life, and his contribution to the Armenian nation, has been the espousing of Aghavni, and the begetting of Antranig and Lucine.

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BELMONT, Mass.—A group of Armenian American journalists, scholars and community members gathered at the new National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) Vartan Gregorian Building last week to explore the evolution and sustainability of the Armenian American press.

“Newspapers have an extraordinary responsibility to their readers,” said Pulitzer Prize winner and former Boston Globe journalist Stephen Kurkjian at the standing room only event. “The vibrancy of our community depends on the work that these two newspapers perform and what they cover,” continued Kurkjian in his opening remarks, applauding fellow panelists Leeza Arakelian (assistant editor, Armenian Weekly) and Alin K. Gregorian (editor, Armenian Mirror-Spectator).

The Thursday evening panel discussion, presented by the NAASR/Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Lecture Series on Contemporary Armenian Issues and co-sponsored by the AGBU-Young Professionals of Boston and the Armenian Youth Federation Greater Boston “Nejdeh” Chapter, was moderated by Weekly “In Sight” columnist and NAASR board member Stepan Piligian, who introduced three topics: content coverage, audience reach and the media’s relationship with Artsakh and Armenia. “Our Armenian community newspapers are our lifeblood, and they reflect our social and civic lives, our history,” said Arakelian to an attentive audience. “They exemplify the spirit of the Armenian people.”

Unfortunately, however, Diasporan Armenians, specifically members of the emerging generation, face the challenges that come with dual identities and assimilation. “But when they learn our story, the story of our history, they will flock to it,” said Kurkjian, offering some enlightenment and noting his own family’s experience with Armenian print journalism.

Party affiliation has long been the primary difference between the two community newspapers. The Armenian Weekly (1934) is a publication of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Eastern Region and primarily publishes information pertaining to its sister organizations—the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), the AYF-YOARF, the Armenian Relief Society (ARS), Homenetmen and Hamazkayin. The Mirror-Spectator (1931) is the weekly newspaper of the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (ADL).

It was the belief of some panelists that the publications are beginning to find some commonalities in their coverage as community organizations exhibit signs of cooperation. “With every generation, I think we are a little further away from our point of origin and a little more melted into the host community,” said Gregorian.

Both the Weekly and Mirror-Spectator have always strived to build a bridge with voices, stories and news items from both Armenia and the Diaspora. “We write history every week,” said Gregorian.

But as Arakelian pointed out, common themes still threaten the existence of our press – limited resources, a growing disinterest in print and subscription-based news, and in today’s age, considering a 140-character tweet as news. “I don’t want to see the day where we have to rely on a large market to tell our side of the story,” she said.

Mirror-Spectator assistant editor Aram Arkun and Weekly editor Pauline Getzoyan later joined the panel during a lively question-and-answer session and addressed the audience’s concerns regarding declining revenue with evolving technology. Instead of highlighting the obvious challenge of having a newspaper in a digital era, Getzoyan commended the internet for bringing in new readers across the globe. “I would consider that as revenue, in terms of readership, as opposed to monetary revenue,” she explained.

Panelists offered thought-provoking and at times, emotionally stirring commentary throughout the evening. “I hope that young people, now that they’re engaging in social media with the Weekly, get subscriptions and encourage their friends to get subscriptions,” said Ani Khatchadourian of Waltham. “I hope they discuss what they see in the Weekly with their friends,” she added, explaining how Armenian media outlets are pivotal in keeping the Armenian Diaspora alive.  

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Kristina Ayanian

Kristina Ayanian is a recent graduate of Bentley University with a double major in finance and global studies and a minor in corporate communications. She was a reporter for ABC's Teen Kids News, whose episode interviewing Prince Edward of England was nominated for the 2014 Emmy's. She enjoys performing and has been invited to sing and play piano at Carnegie Hall.

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The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) of Artsakh is participating in the upcoming Artsakh presidential and parliamentary elections on March 31 with its own presidential candidate, along with candidates for parliament. The decision to participate in the elections was made during a special convention held at the end of January.

Current chairman of the Artsakh ARF Central Committee Davit Ishkhanyan is the ARF candidate for president. In an interview with Yerkir.am, Ishkhanyan outlined some of his and the ARF’s priorities, including instituting reforms to the Artsakh constitution, adopted in 2017, that concentrates power with the office of the president. Ishkhanyan advocated for a distinct separation of power after explaining the party’s belief that the current concentration of power is not a practical system of government. The separation of powers would allow the legislature and local government structures to operate as independent elected entities.

Ishkhanyan further prioritized the strengthening of the Armenia-Artsakh Strategic Cooperation agreement while also promoting the notion of the “Nation-Army” concept which he says has been discussed by the party since the 1990s, although concrete steps to strengthen that dynamic have not been initiated.

In addition to chairing the Artsakh Central Committee (CC), Ishkhanyan is also a member of parliament where he has headed the ARF legislative bloc from 2015 to 2017 and serves as a member of the permanent commission on finance, budget and economy.

Ishkhanyan was born on December 27, 1968 in the Ashan village of Artsakh’s Martuni province. After receiving his primary and secondary education in Ashan, Ishkhanyan attended the Stepanakert Pedagogy Institute’s history and social studies department, served as principal of the Ashan Secondary School and was head of the Ashan community.

Ishkhanyan has had a storied role in the Artsakh Liberation Movement beginning with the volunteer movement and as an active member of the student detachment. He was commander of the 28th battalion of the Nargorno-Karabakh (NKR) Defense Army, earned the Martakan Khach (Military Cross) first degree medal and was awarded the coveted Mkhitar Gosh medal by the president of Artsakh in 2018.

A member of the ARF since 1989, Ishkhanyan’s political career began in 1991 when he was elected to the first and later the sixth convocation of the National Assembly of the Republic of Artsakh. He is married with three children.

In addition to Ishkhanyan’s candidacy for president, Artsakh ARF’s top candidates for parliament include Arthur Mosyan, Vahram Balayan and Armine Harutyunyan. 

Like Ishkhanyan, Mosyan has distinguished himself in the Artsakh Defense Army from soldier to deputy district commander and has been awarded the Martakan Khach first degree and Mkhitar Gosh medals. Mosyan was born on January 15, 1975 in Martuni and has been a member of the ARF since 1990. He was the deputy head of Martuni district administration, Minister of Justice, chairman of the Control Chamber of Artsakh and prosecutor general of Artsakh. Mosyan was also elected a deputy of the third convocation of the Artsakh National Assembly.

Candidate Balayan was born on August 22, 1962 in the village of Gishi in the Martuni region. A member of the ARF since 1991, Balayan is a professor and doctor of historical sciences and author of 124 scientific works. For many years he was head of the history department at Artsakh State University, as well as serving as vice-rector. Balayan was a member of the third, fifth and sixth convocations of the National Assembly and has served as vice president since 2015. In recognition of his contributions, he was awarded the Mesrop Mashtots and Yerakhtakitutyun (Gratitude) medal.

Rounding out the candidates is Harutyunyan who was born on September 4, 1972 in Gyargaryar village in the Stepanavan region. Since 2011 she has been a member of the Armenian Relief Society (ARS) and currently serves as chair of the Artsakh region. Harutyunyan was a teacher and organizer at Shoshi Secondary School, a chemistry lecturer at the Agricultural College and held responsible positions in various departments of the NKR executive. She is currently the head of the letters division at the government affairs secretariat of the presidential administration.

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FRANKLIN, Mass.—The AYF Camp Haiastan Board of Directors has appointed a four-person Search Committee to manage the selection process for a new Executive Director (ED). David Hamparian, who has been the executive director of the youth camp for the past seven years, has decided to pursue other career opportunities.

The Search Committee consists of current Board Chair Michael Guzelian of Massachusetts, current Board member Hagop Soulakian of Illinois and former Board members Peter Jelalian of New York and Steve Mesrobian of Rhode Island. The four were selected not only for their extensive knowledge of the Camp’s operations, but also for their outreach capabilities and active involvement in the Armenian American community.

The new Executive Director will only be the fourth individual to serve in that position since the Camp was formally incorporated in 1976 as a non-profit organization. “In order to make this place the greatest place on earth, we have to continue to live by the words of Mal Varadian, a long-time Camp leader and supporter when he said, ‘Honor the traditions, but make it better than it was,’” said Guzelian. “We are thankful and grateful to David ‘for making it much better.’ We are looking for someone who will build on the work that David and his two predecessors, Bob Avakian and Roy Callan, have done.”

Founded in 1951, Camp Haiastan is the oldest Armenian camp in the United States. Over the years, it has served thousands of young people by providing a healthy and safe summer experience while exposing them to Armenian culture.

During his leadership, Hamparian implemented a major facilities improvement campaign. A number of new buildings were constructed, and older ones were repurposed to ensure that the Camp would be able to provide a 21st century experience. Additionally, under his tenure the Camp achieved a high level of financial stability and sustainability.

The Board has expressed its gratitude to Hamparian for bringing the Camp to this new level and allowing them to shift their focus on the program. In a discussion about future plans, Hamparian said, “Some program initiatives work well, some slightly less. Keep the core of the program and make slow, gradual change. Camp traditions are important, but we need to be open to innovation and the fact that the needs and wants of our parents and campers are changing with time.”

This suggestion will be one of the key components in selecting the new Executive Director. That person must be able to take what has been done in the past and build on it. The ever-changing needs of children and their parents’ expectations need to be constantly evaluated and modifications need to be made while maintaining the long-standing mission of the Camp.

Soulakian explained that the new Executive Director will need to continue to think of new and innovative ways to “expand our reach, provide exemplary activities/programs and to ensure that all of our campers and staff leave with an amazing Armenian experience that can light a flame in each of them to bring to their respective communities.”

The position not only provides personal satisfaction and community service, but also professional growth. In addition to administrative skills, one will utilize and continue to develop their financial and investment aptitude, personnel management, marketing and public relations competence and facilities oversight.

Additional information on the Camp and the Executive Director position can be found online. If you have questions or would like to discuss the position in more detail, please call Board Chairman Michael Guzelian at 781-710-1412 or email EDsearch@camphaiastan.org.

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Guest Contributor

Guest contributions to the Armenian Weekly are informative articles written and submitted by members of the community, which make up our community bulletin board.

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Prof. Houri Berberian of the University of California, Irvine, will give a book talk entitled “Roving Revolutionaries: Armenians and the Connected Revolutions in the Russian, Iranian, and Ottoman Worlds,” on Thursday, February 27, 2020, at 6:10 p.m. at Columbia University, Knox Hall, Conference Room 208, 606 West 122nd St., New York, NY 10027. This program is co-sponsored by the Columbia University Armenian Center, Columbia University Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies (MESAAS), and the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR).

Houri Berberian is Professor of History, Meghrouni Family Presidential Chair in Armenian Studies, and Director of the Armenian Studies Program at UC Irvine. Her talk will be based on her new book, Roving Revolutionaries: Armenians and the Connected Revolutions in the Russian, Iranian, and Ottoman Worlds (Univ. of Calif. Press, 2019). The talk explores three of the formative revolutions that shook the early 20th century world occurred almost simultaneously in regions bordering each other.

Though the Russian, Iranian, and Young Turk Revolutions all exploded between 1904 and 1911, they have never been studied through their linkages until now. Roving Revolutionaries probes the interconnected aspects of these three revolutions through the involvement of the Armenian revolutionaries—minorities in all of these empires—whose movements and participation within and across frontiers tell us a great deal about the global transformations that were taking shape. Exploring the geographical and ideological boundary crossings that occurred, Berberian’s archivally grounded analysis of the circulation of revolutionaries, ideas and print tells the story of peoples and ideologies in upheaval and collaborating with each other, and in so doing it illuminates our understanding of revolutions and movements.

This event is open to the public and copies of Roving Revolutionaries will be available for purchase.  For more information please contact Prof. Khatchig Mouradian at km3253@columbia.edu.

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NAASR

The National Association for Armenian Studies and Research was launched in March 1955 with a vision to promote Armenian Studies by establishing endowed chairs at some of the foremost universities in the United States.

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WASHINGTON, DC – The Trump administration’s $100 million security and military aid package to Baku largely funds joint U.S.-Azerbaijani Iran-facing initiatives – while enabling new offensive capabilities and freeing up other military resources for the Aliyev regime’s ongoing aggression against Artsakh and Armenia – according to a review, this week, of detailed budget breakdowns provided by the Congressional Research Service.

The largest share of U.S. security assistance to Baku is the Administration’s allocation of $101.5 million in FY18 and FY19 for “Section 333 Building Partner Capacity” assistance for “Maritime Security for the Caspian Sea and Southern Border Security programs.” This section of the National Defense Authorization Act was established in FY17 to build the capacity of foreign national security forces, including for “maritime and border security operations” and “military intelligence operations.” Between FY04 and FY09, Azerbaijan received approximately $64 million in “Caspian Sea Maritime Proliferation Prevention Program (Cooperative Threat Reduction),” and roughly $10 million in FY11 “Section 1206 Global Train and Equip” assistance.

“We are troubled that the Trump Administration’s $100 million security aid package to Baku adds substantial new equipment, tactical abilities, and offensive capacities to the Azerbaijani arsenal, while freeing up its state resources for renewed cross-border action against Artsakh and Armenia,” said ANCA Government Affairs Director Tereza Yerimyan. “American taxpayers shouldn’t be asked to provide a single dollar in military aid to an overtly and unapologetically aggressive Aliyev regime that – as recently as a week ago in Munich, Germany – renewed threats to attack Artsakh and publicly laid claim to Yerevan and all of Armenia as Azerbaijani territory. The Trump administration should either stop sending military aid to Baku or start matching every dollar they send to Azerbaijan with another to Armenia.”

In testimony submitted to the House Appropriations Committee this week, the ANCA requested a provision in the foreign aid bill requiring that: “No funds appropriated or otherwise made available under this Act may be provided to the Government of Azerbaijan until the President determines, and so reports to the Congress, that the Government of Azerbaijan is taking demonstrable steps to cease all blockades and other offensive uses of force against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.”

This testimony, submitted by Government Affairs Director Tereza Yerimyan, supported this request by citing Azerbaijan’s obstruction of the Royce-Engel Peace Proposals, opposition to the U.S.-Artsakh Travel and Communication Resolution (H.Res.452), and continued cross-border attacks against Artsakh and Armenia.

Congress Has Maintained Armenia-Azerbaijan Aid Parity on FMF and IMET Military Assistance

Relatively smaller levels of Foreign Military Financing (FMF) and International Military Education and Training (IMET) – appropriated on the principle of parity with Armenia – have been provided to Azerbaijan since FY02 – the first year of the Section 907 presidential waiver. The Congress, in the wake of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, granted the White House the authority to waive the Section 907 restrictions, enacted in 1992 with the support of the ANCA, on U.S. aid to the Azerbaijan government, contingent upon the President determining that such aid “will not undermine or hamper ongoing efforts to negotiate a peaceful settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan or be used for offensive purposes against Armenia.”

According to recent Congressional Budget Justifications, FMF assistance supports “Azerbaijan’s military professionalization and interoperability with NATO and coalition partners in multinational operations,” as well as “increased maritime domain awareness, with the goal of enhancing border security and protection of critical energy infrastructure.”

Additional U.S. security assistance has also been provided, at lower levels, for a range of other purposes, including nuclear and biological nonproliferation programs.

Congressional Alarm Bells on Increased Azerbaijan Military Aid Initially Raised in 2019

In September 2019, Congressional Armenian Caucus founding Co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Co-Chair Jackie Speier (D-CA) and Vice-Chair Adam Schiff (D-CA) expressed concerns to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Mark Esper about the proposed dramatic increases in security assistance to Azerbaijan, noting that Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, adopted in 1992, places restrictions on aid to Azerbaijan due to its ongoing blockade and aggression against Armenia and Artsakh.

“While the State Department has the authority to extend a waiver of Section 907, we do not believe the waiver the State Department noticed on April 18, 2019, is an appropriate use of this authority considering Azerbaijan’s continued efforts to destabilize the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh and given the ruling regime of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s documented culture of corruption and oppressive tactics against dissenters,” stated Representatives Pallone, Speier, and Schiff in their September 27th letter.

In response to State and Defense Department assertions that $102 million in security aid to Azerbaijan “will neither undermine efforts to negotiate a peaceful settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, nor be used for offensive purposes against Armenia,” Representatives Pallone, Speier and Schiff were adamant:

“Without question, the increase of security assistance to Azerbaijan creates an imbalance in the region and ignores a 20-year precedent in U.S. foreign policy. We are concerned that rewarding Armenia’s autocratic neighbor with this windfall at such a time of historic change in Armenia sends negative signals about the importance we place on democratic values. Returning to parity in military assistance is the only way the U.S. will be able to retain its credibility as a regional power capable of bringing Azerbaijan and Armenia together.”

In their November 18th letter, the Congressional Armenian Caucus leaders requested that Armenia be provided with “training and equipment to build partner capacity that will help secure its borders and create military parity in funding with Azerbaijan. This funding would increase Armenia’s capacity for counterterrorism, counter-illicit drug trafficking, and weapons of mass destruction interdiction operations – especially on its southern border with Iran. We also ask for robust funding of confidence-building measures on each side of the border between Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh, and Armenia – including those that would implement the 2015 Royce-Engel Peace Proposal – to establish a clearer pathway to peace for all parties in this conflict.”

Author information

ANCA

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest and most influential Armenian-American grassroots organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues. To learn more, visit www.anca.org.

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WASHINGTON, DC – Continued Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) demining and rehabilitation assistance and support for the implementation of the Royce-Engel proposal to deploy gunfire locators along the line-of-contact were key components of the Armenian National Committee of America’s (ANCA) testimony,  submitted earlier today to the U.S. House panel drafting the Fiscal Year 2021 foreign aid bill.  The request for Artsakh aid was part of a broader $100 million targeted assistance package which would bolster U.S-Armenia economic and military partnerships and support for Armenia.

ANCA Government Affairs Director Tereza Yerimyan shared with appropriators how the ANCA’s proposals advance U.S. interests and suggested concise, draft legislative language for their consideration. She reaffirmed the ANCA’s commitment to Armenia’s aid-to-trade transition, asking Members of the Subcommittee to encourage the Trump Administration to make full use of the U.S.-Armenia Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) and Economic Task Force, and, most urgently, to move forward with the long-overdue negotiation of a modern U.S. Armenia Double Tax Treaty.

Yerimyan opened her testimony to the House’s Appropriations Subcommittee on State-Foreign Operations by marking the 100th anniversary of U.S.-Armenia relations, noting that on April 23, 1920, President Woodrow Wilson – through a letter from Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby to the Representative of the Armenian Republic, Garegin Pasdermadjian – formally recognized the Republic of Armenia.

The full text of the ANCA’s submitted testimony is provided below. Similar testimony will be submitted for Senate consideration in upcoming weeks.

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The Armenian American Community & U.S. Foreign Assistance Policy
For Fiscal Year 2021

presented by
Tereza Yerimyan, Government Affairs Director
Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)

for the
Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
Committee on Appropriations
United States House of Representatives

We want to share with the Subcommittee our special thanks this year, as we mark a century of U.S.-Armenia relations and celebrate this milestone in the enduring friendship of the American and Armenian peoples.

It was one hundred years ago, on April 23, 1920, that President Woodrow Wilson – through a letter from Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby to the Representative of the Armenian Republic, Garegin Pasdermadjian – formally recognized the Republic of Armenia.

This panel has played a vital role in strengthening Armenia’s independence and fostering bilateral U.S.-Armenia ties in the years since Armenia reestablished her independence in 1991 after decades of Soviet tyranny – meeting humanitarian needs, providing technical assistance, supporting Armenia’s aid-to-trade transition, and investing in a durable and democratic peace between Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) and Azerbaijan.

Our specific requests related to the FY21 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs bill are for the following three provisions:

1) Nagorno Karabakh

Of the funds appropriated by this Act, not less than $10,000,000 shall be made available to:

— Fund demining and landmine risk education programs in Nagorno Karabakh, and

— Support Nagorno Karabakh-based regional rehabilitation services for survivors of landmine injuries and other individuals with physical and cognitive disabilities.

The U.S. aid program to Nagorno Karabakh may require only a small expenditure, but it represents a major American investment in peace.

Since Fiscal Year 1998, direct U.S. aid to Nagorno Karabakh has provided the people of Nagorno Karabakh with maternal health care, clean drinking water, and life-saving demining by the HALO Trust. Continued aid is needed to complete demining and meet the desperate needs for regional rehabilitation services – such as those provided by the Lady Cox Rehabilitation Center – for infants, children and adults with physical and cognitive disabilities – including those injured by landmines and unexploded ordnance.

As you may recall, in August of last year, in response to indications that the Administration was set to cut Nagorno Karabakh funding, 22 Senators and 89 Representatives co-signed bipartisan letters defending the USAID-funded HALO Trust demining program. Copies of these letters were sent to this Subcommittee.

While the exact percentage of territory requiring clearance remains uncertain, The HALO Trust’s village-by-village resurvey has already identified 1.8 million square meters of additional contamination in the highly populated Martakert region, a figure that will certainly increase as the re-survey continues. All told, 385 people have been killed or injured by landmines or other explosives in Nagorno Karabakh since 1995, including several HALO trust employees in just the past few years.

In the wake of last summer’s U.S. House passage of the Chu Amendment to the National Defense Authorization Action, we also encourage the panel to support funding for implementation of the Royce-Engel peace proposals, particularly their call for the deployment of OSCE-monitored, advanced gunfire locator systems to determine the source of attacks along the line of contact.

2)  Armenia

Of the funds appropriated by this Act, not less than $90,000,000 shall be made available for assistance for Armenia.

Armenia – a Christian nation deeply rooted in Western democratic values – has, despite the crushing economic impact of Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades, stepped forward as an ally and partner for the United States on a broad array of complex regional challenges.  The Armenian military has been among the highest per capita providers of peacekeepers to U.S.-led deployments, including those in Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Kosovo, and Mali.

We commend the Subcommittee’s commitment to American Schools and Hospitals Abroad, and encourage continued support through this program for the American University of Armenia and the Armenian American Wellness Center.  We also ask the panel to prioritize supporting Armenia’s role as a regional safe haven for at-risk refugees.

3) Azerbaijan

No funds appropriated or otherwise made available under this Act may be provided to the Government of Azerbaijan until the President determines, and so reports to the Congress, that the Government of Azerbaijan is taking demonstrable steps to cease all blockades and other offensive uses of force against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.

We remain troubled that the Administration’s $100 million security package to Baku adds equipment, tactical abilities, and offensive capabilities to the Azerbaijani arsenal, while freeing up its own state resources for renewed cross-border action against Artsakh and Armenia. The Administration should either cease sending military aid to Baku or – in keeping with the principle of parity – start matching every dollar they send to Azerbaijan with another to Armenia.

As the Subcommittee considers issues related to Azerbaijan, we draw your attention to how its government has, in recent years, failed three key Congressional tests of its commitment to peace:

1) Azerbaijan continues to obstruct implementation of the bipartisan Royce-Engel accountability/peace proposals, which call on all parties to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict to agree to the withdrawal of snipers, heavy weapons, and new armaments, the addition of OSCE observers, and the deployment gunfire locator systems.

2) Azerbaijan has condemned the U.S.-Artsakh Travel and Communication Resolution (H.Res.190), a common-sense measure that seeks to open up channels of communication toward a peaceful resolution.

3) Azerbaijan remains a recipient of substantial U.S. security aid, even as it continues to initiate cross-border attacks against both Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia, contrary to the spirit and letter of Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act.

In closing, we would like to emphasize, once again, our appreciation for this Subcommittee’s leadership in Armenia’s aid-to-trade transition.  In this spirit we welcomed the Administration’s recent upgrade of annual U.S.-Armenia Economic Task Force meetings to a U.S.-Armenia Strategic Dialogue. The time has come for a long-overdue negotiation toward a modern U.S.-Armenia Double Tax Treaty, a bilateral Social Security Totalization Agreement, and debt-forgiveness in return for the reforestation of Armenia.

The ANCA, as always, thanks you for your leadership and looks forward to working with the Subcommittee to strengthen the U.S.-Armenia alliance, promote regional stability, and advance American interests and our shared democratic values.

Author information

ANCA

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest and most influential Armenian-American grassroots organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues. To learn more, visit www.anca.org.

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NEW YORK, NY—Dr. Seta B. Dadoyan will present a lecture entitled “Islam in Armenian Literary Culture, 7th to 21st Centuries: Texts, Contexts, and Dynamics,” on Wednesday, March 11, 2020, at 7:00 p.m., at Columbia University, Knox Hall, Conference Room 208, 606 West 122nd St., New York, NY 10027. The program is co-sponsored by the Columbia Armenian Center, Columbia University Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies (MESAAS) and the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR).

Unique patterns of interaction and development distinguished the Armenian experience in the world of Islam from the beginning, yet a large body of the record in the entire Armenian literature remains not only barely studied but also unavailable to scholars in Near/Middle Eastern and interfaith studies. Based on the primary and secondary material from the 1660s to the present she has gathered and made available (in her translations), Dadoyan traces novel paradigms of mutual perceptions and interactions in dynamic historical development in the Near/Middle East. The objective is to bring forth in a coherent whole and for the first time, a critical and comprehensive panorama. The discussions, analyses and arguments focus on three themes: the perceptions of the Prophet and Islam, or the “Medieval Armenian Mahmet and his Laws” – Seventh to fourteenth centuries; Pax Islamica  ̶  the literary record seventh to the twentieth centuries; The Holy Qur’ān in the literature or the “Armenian Ghurans,” and their side-scripts and appendices 1680-2014.

Professor Seta B. Dadoyan is Doctor of Sciences in Philosophy. She has taught cultural studies, philosophy, art and technology histories, professional ethics, and Armenian studies. She has authored, edited and co-authored a dozen books, including The Fatimid Armenians: Cultural and Political Interaction in the Near East (1997), and The Armenian Catholicosate from Cilicia to Antelias: An Introduction to the Political History (2003), and The Armenians in the Medieval Islamic World: Paradigms of Interaction, Seventh to Fourteenth Centuries (2011-2013). Her forthcoming book is titled, Islam in Armenian Literary Culture. Texts, Contexts, Dynamics.

For more information please contact Prof. Khatchig Mouradian at km3253@columbia.edu.

Author information

NAASR

The National Association for Armenian Studies and Research was launched in March 1955 with a vision to promote Armenian Studies by establishing endowed chairs at some of the foremost universities in the United States.

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WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has rolled out an in-depth look at its full-spectrum advocacy priorities, outlining its policies on a broad array of mutually-supportive issues – from defending Artsakh to securing justice for the Armenian Genocide, and strengthening U.S.-Armenia relations.

The updated publication of “ANCA360: Policy, Priorities, Results”—coincides with the kickoff of the global Hai Tahd (Armenian Cause) conference, hosted by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), which has brought together representatives of over 20 Armenian National Committees from around the world, to share best practices in advancing community priorities in each of their respective countries. The five-day conference, taking place from February 24 to 28 in both Armenia and Artsakh, was preceded by a meeting with Armenia Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, who shared the Armenian government’s focus on a range of issues from ensuring a peaceful future for Artsakh to ongoing efforts to secure international recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

In interviews with Armenian media during the conference, ANCA Chairman Raffi Hamparian placed special emphasis on the ANCA’s pro-Artsakh advocacy, including the latest effort to expand U.S. aid for demining and rehabilitation efforts. Hamparian stressed that over 10,000 ANCA advocates had already contacted their legislators to include Artsakh assistance in the Fiscal Year 2021 foreign aid bill, with more taking action every day through the anca.org/aid advocacy portal.

Last week, ANCA Government Affairs Director Tereza Yerimyan submitted testimony to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations outlining the ANCA’s argument for Artsakh aid as well as calling for $90 million in aid to Armenia and parity in military assistance to Armenia and Azerbaijan.

“ANCA360: Policy, Priorities, Results” outlines the following policy items and stresses the ANCA’s commitment to broader youth civic engagement through its signature Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Program and ANCA Leo Sarkisian Internship program, as well as newer initiatives like ANCA Rising Leaders and Maral Melkonian Avetisyan internship.

U.S. Policy on Artsakh | Peace & Freedom: Generate increased U.S. support—in principle, policy, and practice—for the security and prosperity of the independent Artsakh Republic, through initiatives challenging Azerbaijan’s aggression, strengthening U.S.-Artsakh ties, appropriating direct U.S. aid, and supporting the OSCE Minsk Group’s efforts to resolve Artsakh-Azerbaijan status and security issues.

U.S. Policy on Genocide | Truth & Justice: Leverage near-unanimous U.S. House (405-11) and unanimous Senate (100-0) passage of the Armenian Genocide Resolution (2019) to end Executive Branch complicity in Ankara’s denials, as a pivot toward a policy of sustained U.S. pressure on Turkey to abandon its denials, accept its responsibilities, and engage with Armenia and relevant Armenian stakeholders toward a truthful, just, and comprehensive international resolution of its crimes.

U.S.-Armenia Ties | Partnership & Progress: Upgrade the strategic U.S.-Armenia partnership—expanding trade, increasing aid, further developing mutually-beneficial political, economic, security, military, and peacekeeping cooperation, and elevating the frequency of bilateral visits at the level of head of state/government.

U.S. Foreign Assistance | Aid & Trade: Shape U.S. foreign aid policy in support of the ANCA’s regional priorities, by advancing provisions in the annual State-Foreign Operations bill that mandate increased direct U.S. humanitarian investments in Artsakh, substantially expanded development assistance to Armenia, fully funded U.S.-Armenia military cooperation, and common-sense restrictions on U.S. military and security assistance to Azerbaijan.

U.S.-Turkey Ties | Integrity & Accountability: Restore balance to the U.S.-Turkey relationship by ending a century of appeasement of Ankara, and holding Turkey accountable for its increasingly anti-American orientation and openly anti-Armenian actions.

ANCA Youth | Inspiration & Empowerment: Empower the next generation of Armenian Americans by training university students as effective advocates and helping recent graduates start promising policy, political, government, and media careers in Washington, DC.

Author information

ANCA

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest and most influential Armenian-American grassroots organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues. To learn more, visit www.anca.org.

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WATERTOWN, Mass.—The editorial staff of the Armenian Weekly is pleased to announce the online (PDF) release of the English section of the Hairenik and the Armenian Weekly joint, full-color magazine issue dedicated to the 120th anniversary of the Hairenik and the 85th anniversary of the Armenian Weekly.

The Hairenik Association published the joint, full-color magazine issue on Dec. 25, 2019, for the 12th consecutive year. The issue features research, analysis, op-eds and photographs by a host of former and current newspaper editors, longtime contributors and commentators.

Rupen Janbazian, former editor of the Armenian Weekly and current editor of Hamazkayin’s online cultural platform h-pem, served as the guest editor for the English portion of the magazine issue, alongside Armenian Weekly assistant editor Leeza Arakelian, who helped copy-edit the final product. 

The commemorative magazine features an extensive history of the newspapers, including how they were first conceived and brought to life. The issue also highlights the personal memories and anecdotes of several former editors including Georgi Ann Oshagan, Muriel Parseghian and Antranig Kasbarian.

“We hope to transport readers to 1899 to tell the story of how the Hairenik was born and how it has stood the test of time,” said Janbazian. “Through this magazine, we will provide readers with insight into the history of our newspapers, but also start important conversations about their futures,” added Janbazian.

The PDF version of the magazine’s English section can be read and downloaded here. 

The Hairenik Weekly would like to thank all of its contributors, donors, supporters and readers for making the magazine issue a reality. “Our special magazine issues have been at the cutting edge of discussion on history, human rights, justice and other pressing topics for more than a decade—a feat that would not be possible without the financial and moral contributions of our readership and our community,” noted Janbazian. 

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PROVIDENCE, RI—The Armenian Martyrs’ Memorial Committee of RI (AMMC-RI) hosted a memorable and fun-filled 22nd Youth Day on Monday, February 17. About 30 youngsters between the ages of seven and fourteen participated in the annual event which was held during the February school vacation week this year. In addition to the theme of Vartanantz, the program was dedicated to the Holy Martyrs and survivors of the Armenian Genocide. Following a blessing offered by Rev. Fr. Shnork Souin of Sts. Sahag & Mesrob Church, the group recited the Lord’s Prayer (Hayr Mer) in Armenian and English.

Weekly editor Pauline Getzoyan conducted the first session of the day which traditionally is devoted to a subject associated with genocide education. This year’s focus was the significance of flags and particularly tricolor flags, their symbolism, and ultimately the colors of the Armenian flag and their meaning. The children also learned about the history of the flag design and its connection to the First Republic of Armenia and its establishment following the Genocide. At the conclusion of the session, the children created their own flag designs for their schools.

As is customary, an arts and crafts class with Hasmig Phillips and Janet Houser had the children painting and decorating shields symbolizing the battle of Avarayr. The fun continued in the kitchen with Sylvia Simonian, Gloria Nahabedian and Shoghig Tavitian who taught the children to make lavash and apricot and walnut roll-ups. A highlight of the day was the ever-popular music session which this year was conducted by Raffi Rachdouni who taught the children songs appropriate for Vartanantz day.

Rhode Island clergy Rev. Fr. Kapriel Nazarian of Sts. Vartanantz Church, Rev. Fr. Shnork Souin of Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Church and retired pastor of the Armenian Evangelical Church Rev. Hagop Manjelikian conducted a variety of lessons focused on the theme of the day. In addition, Deacon Hagop Ghajanian offered a lesson on St. Vartan and the Battle of Avarayr and provided a fact sheet for the children. 

In addition to sessions for the younger participants, there were presentations devoted to the older students. Newly ordained Deacon Shant Eghian shared his experiences at the Summer Youth Academy in Antelias, Lebanon last summer with a beautiful PowerPoint presentation featuring photos from the trip. Armenian National Committee representatives Steve Mesrobian and George Mangalo discussed the Genocide and United States politics focusing on the passage of the Armenian Genocide resolutions in both the House and Senate. Supplementing their presentation, Getzoyan provided the students with packets from the Genocide Education Project that included materials intended to promote Armenian Genocide education in their classrooms. The students were encouraged to share the materials with their teachers and to inform them about the passage of the resolutions in Congress last year.

By the end of the day, it was evident that all the participants enjoyed their time at Youth Day with an eye toward next year’s adventure.

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ANKARA—The fourth convention of the People’s Democratic Party (HDP) in Turkey convened this week with Armenian Turkish parliament member and HDP representative Garo Paylan serving as chair, among others.

Representing the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) at the convention was Khajag Mgrdichian, along with 100 international participants and thousands of guests. Convention organizers estimated a crowd of 30,000 party members and supporters and the broadest foreign delegation in HDP’s history. Mgrdichian also represented the ARF at HDP’s previous convention.

Delegates from Armenia, France, Germany, Australia, Tunisia, Palestine, Jordan, Morocco, Cyprus, Sweden, West Bank, Galicia, Lebanon, Greece, Basque, Egypt, Italy, Catalonia, Denmark, Norway, England, Scotland, Portugal, Finland, Switzerland, and Spain attended the congress, alongside more than 30 representatives of political parties and women’s organizations from the Middle East. The congress also hosted the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe United Left Group Chairman Tiny Kox, Palestinian People’s Liberation Front member Leila Khalid, Swedish Social Democratic Party Member of Parliament Kadir Kasırga, and President of the European Free Alliance Lorena Lopez de Lacalle as guest speakers. According to the HDP, thousands more were not allowed to attend due to the crackdown by the government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. 

At the close of the convention, the delegates elected the party’s co-chairs. According to HDP by-laws an equal number of men and women are elected to the party’s leadership bodies. Pervin Buldan and Mithat Sancar were elected as the party’s co-chairs along with the Party Assembly with 836 votes from the 1018 delegates that participated.

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DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla.—During their Valentine’s Day Dance, Chairperson Mary Andonian of the Armenian Relief Society (ARS) Florida “Sosseh” Chapter with the help of second generation ARS members honored their founding members—Ungerouhi Amiarian, Ungerouhi Danielian, Ungerouhi Khatchikian, Ungerouhi Kochkerian and Ungerouhi Tokatlian.

The Sosseh Chapter was founded in 1985 with the goal of preserving Armenian culture and bringing Armenian women together to serve a greater good through social, educational and humanitarian efforts. 

The chapter celebrated the 110th anniversary of the ARS as well as its own. The ARS “Sosseh” Chapter has turned 35 years old. In this celebration, the ARS “Sosseh” chapter extends its appreciation to all its members for their years of hard work and dedication.

Happy 35th anniversary to our southernmost chapter.

Author information

Armenian Relief Society Eastern U.S.

The ARS Eastern USA has 32 chapters located throughout the New England, Mid-Atlantic, Midwestern, and Southeastern regions of the United States. Please contact the ARS Eastern U.S. Regional Office (arseastus@gmail.com) if you would like more information about a chapter near you.

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Mitch Kehetian.

For so many and for so many years, the name has meaning: whether you were in, or are in journalism circles in Greater Detroit, a member of the Detroit Armenian community, or read any of the Armenian papers.

More people knew Mitch than he actually knew face to face.

For decades, his writings spoke volumes; his convictions were clear. So many readers, over many years, knew Mitch and his sense of the truth and what was right not only for his Greater Detroit newspaper community, but for the Armenian cause. Mitch’s work was broadly respected. His crystal clear thinking reflected a keen mind and transparency; his opinion was sought.

A sense of responsibility, accountability and of American and Armenian patriotism underlined the profession and thinking of this Wayne State University graduate.

Mitch was and will be remembered as a renowned journalist and editor and a spirited American patriot. His commentary in Detroit area newspapers carried meaning and respect; his many years of articles in Armenian press reflected his proud sense of being an Armenian patriot.

His last column for the Armenian Weekly—after many decades of contributions—was printed in July 2019. The subject was the historical Detroit Armenian neighborhood from years back: Delray. What else!

In the community, Mitch was a leader in the formation of the Nor Keghi Association, a gathering of spirited community members from that ancestral region who raise funds to benefit the schoolchildren of Nor Keghi. He also assisted on many April 24 committees in preparing materials for the media.

To many, Mitch’s William Saroyan “look alike” was uncanny.

Mitch’s book Giants of the Earth—a journal about family and history in the Keghi region and historic Armenia—was an extension of his soul, a yearning to fully and physically embrace his roots, his “search” for his father’s sister while walking the land of his father and family.

When discussing the genocide or speaking of Armenia’s independence, Mitch’s voice would reflect conviction. The twinkle in his blue eyes would reflect passion.

Quiet and unassuming in nature, Mitch’s powerful heart and energy were devoted to his “four angels”: wife Rose, daughters Grace, Janet and Karen; cherished grandchildren Melanie, Stephen, John and Michael; his deceased brother Nash’s daughter Sharon and family (Broglin) who became very meaningful to Mitch…and to the Armenian Cause.

Mitch started his newspaper career as a copy boy in 1953—moving quickly to reporter—with the Detroit Times and was with the paper until its demise in 1960.

Kehetian joined the ranks of retirement on Nov.18, 2005 from the Macomb Daily, a suburban Detroit daily newspaper where he served as editorial page editor. Previously he held posts of city editor, managing editor and editor-in-chief with the paper. 

Previously, Mitch held reporting and editorial posts with the Columbus (Ohio) Citizen-Journal, Daily Eagle (western Wayne County – Michigan), and East Side Newspapers-Community News in Detroit.

From his 2005 retirement to the end of 2019, he wrote op-ed pieces for the Macomb Daily.

This is not bestowed on many who retire from journalism.

Mitch had become an institution, a pillar of credibility.

“I love Macomb County,” he would say with that “Mitch twinkle” in his eyes.

Truth in reporting and the public’s right to know what could affect them were paramount to this true professional. “Government and the press are accountable to the people,” he would say with his trademark conviction.

Mitch had presence in any room he walked into. He had professionalism and class.

Mitch’s respect and influence in Macomb County were sought by countless political leaders over the years: US Rep. Jim O’Hara, Sen. Carl Levin, US Rep. Sander Levin, US Rep. Candice Martin and a string of governors from both parties.

He was even appointed as a Trustee of Central Michigan University by Gov. James Blanchard.

Does anyone remember the White House press conference when Mitch asked President Reagan about the Genocide? Reagan’s response was a “yes,” confirming his proclamation on Armenian and Cambodian genocides.

Add to that lunches at the White House no matter who the President was.

In no uncertain terms and for decades, Mitch would bring up congressional Genocide recognition to all those in the Michigan congressional delegation. His voice was heard. A most credible Michigan journalist spoke for past family members and his people.

Every April 24 when working and after retiring, Mitch would write an editorial about the Armenian Genocide.

If Mitch had a favorite among those in politics, it would be the Boniors.

Ed Bonior was a local community activist, community leader and once mayor of East Detroit. His son US Rep. David Bonior was House of Representatives Democratic Majority Whip and a substantial leadership voice for the Armenian Cause for more than 20 years. He led the movement that one year saw the US House pass the Genocide resolution.

Mitch covered both for the Macomb paper.

Mitch’s father and Ed Bonior were also lifelong friends, the foundation for a meaningful lifetime family relationship.

Although he had the opportunity to join the ranks of reporters in either of the larger Detroit Free Press or Detroit News publications, he preferred the small town papers.

“I like small towns and small town personalities,” he would say. “It is more people-oriented. Reporting is about people, very recognizable and personal in small towns.”

In 2006, in recognition of 52 years as an outstanding newspaper reporter, editor and leader in journalism, Mitch was awarded Wayne State University’s coveted Lifetime Achievement Award at the April 6 campus observance of Journalism Day.

Being recognized in one’s profession—peer recognition—is the ultimate honor.

At the awards ceremony, Professor Ben Burns, director of the journalism program at Wayne State, praised Mitch’s career as a journalist, as one who practiced the tenets of truth in reporting and dedicated a lifespan in protecting the public’s right to know and serving the journalism community. 

“This award could very well be known as the Mitch Kehetian Award,” Burns concluded.

In honoring Mitch, Burns addressed the newsman’s stellar service and leadership as president of the Detroit Chapter’s Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) and Detroit Press Club.

Mitch said that the 52 years of his career placed him at the sidelines of community history (politics, business, social), and the award from Wayne State’s Department of Communication was an honor he treasured.

Mitch was named General Alexander Macomb Citizen of the Year by the March of Dimes in recognition of his support for the non-profit organization.

Funeral services for Mitch were held February 27 at St. Sarkis Church in Dearborn with Rev. Fr. Hrant Kevorkian officiating.

In reflecting on his recent times with Mitch, Der Hayr noted, “During my weekly visits to Mitch in the past month, even at the time that he was weak, during our conversations, he kept passing along thoughts of Armenian American nationalistic spirit.”

He continued, “I asked him what he thought and if he had something to say, and his response was: teach your children to be proud Armenian-Americans, take them to Armenia, let them know our history and heritage.”

“He asked me to make sure I pass his message to the AYF kids,” Der Hayr added.

Sound advice from a former AYF chairman !

Mitch Kehetian: A profile of prestige and patriotism.

People like Mitch do not come along every day.

We are thankful to have known him.

Author information

Harry Derderian

Harry Derderian is a native of Indian Orchard, Mass and resident of Farmington Hills, Mich. He is a member of the Marketing faculty at Eastern Michigan University as well as adjunct professor of marketing at University of Michigan-Dearborn and adjunct Professor of Business at Schoolcraft Community College.

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WASHINGTON, DC – The Congressional Armenian Caucus is calling for a $100 million aid package for Armenia and robust aid for Artsakh’s lifesaving demining and rehabilitation assistance as House Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) and Ranking Member Hal Rogers (R-KY) begin crafting the FY2021 Foreign Aid Bill, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

“Meaningful increases in Fiscal Year 2021 technical assistance to Armenia for important priorities – including for freedom of the press, judicial independence, anti-corruption and civil society purposes – will have an exponentially positive impact on the country’s budding democratic institutions,” stated the ‘Dear Colleague’ letter circulated this week by Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Jackie Speier (D-CA) and Vice-Chair Adam Schiff (D-CA), which included the following budgetary requests:

— $100 million for economic, governance, rule of law, and security assistance to Armenia through State Department and USAID accounts.

— $1.5 million for Artsakh demining and robust funding for regional rehabilitation services for survivors of landmine injuries and individuals with physical and cognitive disabilities.

— That the State Department and USAID lift any official or unofficial restrictions on U.S. travel, communication, or contacts with Artsakh government officials.

— The suspension of U.S. military aid for Azerbaijan until it has been verified to have ceased all attacks against Armenia and Artsakh.

Representatives David Cicilline (D-RI), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Barbara Lee(D-CA), and Grace Napolitano (D-CA) have already joined the Congressional Armenian Caucus leaders in co-signing the letter.

“We want to thank Representatives Pallone, Speier and Schiff and their colleagues in the leadership of the Armenian Caucus for advancing an aid package for Artsakh and Armenia which represents a true investment in peace,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “U.S. assistance continues to play a critical role in the expansion of Armenia’s economic, defense and democracy development, and returns long-term dividends for U.S. security and economic interests, while helping to advance American values across the region for decades to come.”

The ‘Dear Colleague’ comes as the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations heard testimony from Congressional members on their FY2021 foreign aid priorities, including Representatives Judy Chu (D-CA) and Jim Costa (D-CA) who stressed the importance of expanded U.S. demining assistance to Artsakh. Members of Congress have until Friday, February 28th, to submit written testimony to the key House foreign aid panel outlining their aid priorities. Additional calls for expanded U.S. aid to Armenia and Artsakh are anticipated by the ANCA.

The policy priorities outlined by the Armenian Caucus, which annually spearheads bipartisan efforts to secure support for Armenian-related aid appropriation, align with ANCA testimony presented last week to the House panel tasked with writing the FY2021 foreign aid bill.

Author information

ANCA

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest and most influential Armenian-American grassroots organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues. To learn more, visit www.anca.org.

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WASHINGTON, DC—Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA) called for $10 million in U.S. aid to Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) and pushed back against State Department efforts to end life-saving Artsakh demining assistance, in powerful testimony offered this week before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, the body tasked to prepare the Fiscal Year 2021 Foreign Aid Bill. Central Valley Congressman Jim Costa (D-CA) emphasized his commitment to Artsakh aid and demining efforts worldwide in separate testimony before the key aid panel, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

“We strongly support the Artsakh aid priorities advanced by Representatives Chu and Costa and thank them both for their leadership in working with key appropriators in support of a mine-free Artsakh,” said ANCA Government Affairs Director Tereza Yerimyan, who was on hand during Thursday’s testimony. “We look forward to continuing to engage with our friends across Capitol Hill throughout the appropriations process to support pro-Artsakh aid priorities as well as a robust $90 million aid package for Armenia.”

Rep. Chu, who traveled to Artsakh last October and saw demining efforts there first hand, praised USAID and The HALO Trust for clearing over 33,000 acres of former minefields in Artsakh since 2000, noting that over 3,500 landmines, 3,100 cluster munitions, and 7,600 items of unexploded or abandoned ordnance have been destroyed.

“USAID is trying to end support for this program with little to no justification,” argued Rep. Chu, who continued to note, “this request of $10 million pales in comparison to the $100 million in security assistance given to Azerbaijan, so we can be sure that financial constraints are not the obstacle here.”

She concluded her testimony, noting, “If we are sincere in our commitment to peace, then we must support this request of $10 million, which will allow HALO to finish their work and remove the landmines and UXO that daily threaten the lives of civilians in Nagorno-Karabakh.”

Rep. Costa concurred, stating, “in Nagorno Karabakh, with the help of U.S. assistance since FY1998, the HALO Trust has cleared almost 500 minefields, making land safe and transforming the lives of more than 130,000 people. An FY21 appropriation is needed to help make Karabakh mine free, including the clearance of newly identified 1.8 million square meters of additional contamination in the highly populated Martakert region, and should be expanded to support the desperate needs for regional rehabilitation services for infants, children and adults with physical and cognitive disabilities – including those injured by landmines and unexploded ordnance. It is our moral duty as a nation to continue to lead humanitarian efforts.”

Following Rep. Costa’s testimony, House Appropriations Committee Chair Nita Lowey (D-NY) reminisced about her 1998 trip to Artsakh, noting, “It’s an experience I will never forget.”

ANCA Government Affairs Director Tereza Yerimyan thanked Representatives Chu and Costa for their leadership immediately following their testimony and spoke with House Appropriations Committee Chair Nita Lowey about the vital role of continued U.S. demining assistance in Artsakh and support for rehabilitation services, like those provided by the Lady Cox Rehabilitation Center in Stepanakert.

In testimony submitted to the Subcommittee last week, Yerimyan urged that the FY2021 Foreign Aid Bill include language stating that “not less that $10,000,000 shall be made available to: fund demining and landmine risk education programs in Nagorno Karabakh, and; support Nagorno Karabakh-based regional rehabilitation services for survivors of landmine injuries and other individuals with physical and cognitive disabilities.” Yerimyan argued, “The U.S. aid program to Nagorno Karabakh may require only a small expenditure, but it represents a major American investment in peace.”

The ANCA is continuing its nationwide action campaign in support of the $10 million Artsakh appropriation. Over 10,000 constituents have already reached out to their Senators and Representatives to advance this effort. To send a letter or be connected to your legislators through the ANCA Quick Connect call system, please visit anca.org/aid.

Members of Congress have until Friday, February 28th, to submit written testimony to the key House foreign aid panel outlining their Fiscal Year 2021 foreign aid priorities. Additional calls for expanded U.S. aid to Armenia and Artsakh are anticipated by the ANCA.

Author information

ANCA

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest and most influential Armenian-American grassroots organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues. To learn more, visit www.anca.org.

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WASHINGTON, DC – A dozen U.S. House members condemned the brutal massacres of Armenians in the Azerbaijani cities of Baku, Sumgait, and Kirovabad from 1988-1990, urging the Aliyev regime to end its ongoing aggression against Artsakh and Armenia in a series of statements for the Congressional Record shared throughout the month of February, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

The calls for justice echoed moving remarks offered during the Capitol Hill commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of the Baku pogroms held earlier this month.

“We join with friends of Armenia and advocates of human rights across America in thanking House leaders for marking the 30th Anniversary of the Baku pogroms and the related attacks in Sumgait, Kirovabad, and Maragha,” said ANCA Government Affairs Director Tereza Yerimyan. “In pausing to remember these atrocities, we commemorate the lives of those who were lost, while also helping to protect those who survived by both condemning Azerbaijan’s ongoing aggression and supporting Artsakh freedom.”

Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ) was the first this year to honor the memory of the Baku and Sumgait victims, stating “it is critical for the United States government to recognize and denounce violent assaults against any civilians. I continue to stand with the Armenian people in condemning this horrific massacre.  Tragically, the Azerbaijani government’s approach toward the Armenian people has changed little since the pogroms were initiated. We still hear the same violent rhetoric and witness intimidation tactics aimed at the people of the Republic of Artsakh.”

Fellow Caucus Co-Chair Jackie Speier (D-CA), who along with Rep. Pallone, visited Artsakh last year, offered powerful remarks on the House floor condemning the attacks, noting, “If the [U.S.] Administration won’t help those who stand for peace and democracy, Congress must. The legacy of Baku, Sumgait, and Kirovobad reminds me why. We must fight for the memories of those we lost, for
their dreams of safety and security, and for the promise of a free Artsakh.”

Armenian Caucus Vice-Chair Adam Schiff (D-CA), stated “The pogroms accomplished their purpose in displacing the entire Armenian community from their homes in Azerbaijan, but in the decades since, Azerbaijani authorities have continued to fan the flames of ethnic hatred, using it as a tool to distract their populace from the corrupt and repressive regime in Baku. The anniversary of Sumgait is a reminder of the consequences when aggression and hatred grow unchecked.”

Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA) marked the anniversary of Azerbaijani attacks by also calling for expanded aid to the Republic of Artsakh. “On this anniversary, it is vital that we recommit ourselves and United States policy to healing the pain caused by anti-Armenian aggression,” stated Rep. Sanchez. “I urge the Trump Administration to support life-saving programs like demining assistance in Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as officially recognize the Republic of Artsakh. It is past time to implement carefully crafted, bipartisan proposals to cement peace in the region.”

“These were crimes against humanity that have still gone unrecognized by Azerbaijan,” stated Massachusetts Congresswoman Katherine Clark (D-MA), who went on to “call upon [the Azerbaijani] government to acknowledge and condemn these acts of violence, actively prosecute the perpetrators of these crimes, and take all appropriate action so that these atrocities never happen again.”

Texas Republican Pete Olson (R-TX) noted, “We have a solemn duty to remember the devastation the Armenian people suffered—and demand a world where freedom can be found for all people, and where events like the Baku and Sumgait Pogroms are relegated to a dark and distant past.”

Illinois Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) called on the “Azerbaijani government to acknowledge that these atrocities occurred, and that it seeks justice for the victims by prosecuting those who committed these horrific acts of violence. I also call upon the government of Azerbaijan to take all appropriate action to prevent further tragedies of this nature, and to do whatever is necessary to begin the healing process for the families of the victims. I call on the Azerbaijani government to respect the rights of all minorities living within its borders.”

Fellow Illinois Congresswoman Janice Schakowsky (D-IL), concurred, stating “for over 30 years, Azerbaijan has attempted to cover up these crimes against humanity and has propped up the perpetrators of the Baku and Sumgait Pogroms as national heroes. It is critical that the United States government recognize and denounce this ethnically motivated violence and attacks on innocent children, women, and men in Armenian communities. We must all be aware of the history of violence targeting the Armenian people.”

House Rules Committee Chairman James McGovern (D-MA) explained, “It is clear that the pogrom of Armenians in Baku was not a spontaneous and one-time event, but the culmination of a series of
ethnic violence waged against Armenians”

Central Valley Congressman TJ Cox (D-CA) concurred, stating “the Azerbaijani leadership has yet to be held accountable for this violence against its Armenian civilians. Instead of condemning these atrocities of decades ago, the Aliyev government continues holding a militant policy against Armenians, especially within the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. I call upon my colleagues to join me in condemning this atrocity, strengthening our ties to the Republic of Artsakh, and holding Azerbaijan accountable for its actions.”

Maryland Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD) explained, “When human beings are denied their universal freedoms, and when governments put in place dehumanizing rhetoric, policies, and laws; then hatred, violence, and suffering follow. I urge my colleagues to stand with me in recognition of the plight suffered by ethnic Armenians thirty years ago and to stand vigilant against the use of ethnic and religious hatred to stir violence against minorities here in the United States and around the world.”

Michigan Congressman Andy Levin (D-MI) stated, “During these tragic events 30 years ago, Armenians faced unthinkable horrors. Press reports describe Armenians tossed out of their homes, their possessions thrown into bonfires. Others were killed by mobs.  As we condemn this violence and remember those who were lost, we must also look forward and reaffirm our commitment to the Armenian people.”

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Baku pogroms, one of the more violent anti-Armenian massacres orchestrated by Azerbaijan during the early years of Artsakh’s ultimately successful democratic movement for independence. Over the course of seven days, Azerbaijani mobs killed dozens and forced hundreds of thousands among the centuries old Armenian population in Azerbaijan to find safe haven in Armenia and countries around the world.

The Baku attacks were the culmination of earlier anti-Armenian violence aimed at killing and driving Armenians from their homes which began on the evening of February 27, 1988 in Sumgait, Soviet Azerbaijan. Within hours, these attacks turned into a series of well-documented pogroms during which Sumgait’s Christian Armenian residents were indiscriminately murdered, raped, and maimed by Azerbaijanis.

Despite Sumgait’s 30-minute proximity to Baku, police allowed the pogroms to go on for 3 days, during which Armenians were burned alive and thrown from windows. Credible sources report that hundreds of Armenians were murdered. Soviet authorities, who blocked journalists from the area, estimated that over 30 were killed and 200 injured. Other similarly violent pogroms took place in Kirovabad and Maragha.

Author information

ANCA

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest and most influential Armenian-American grassroots organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues. To learn more, visit www.anca.org.

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LOWELL, Mass.—On Saturday, February 29, the Lowell Aharonian Gomideh of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) hosted a dual commemoration of the February 1921 revolt against Soviet rule and the 30th anniversary of the pogroms against the Armenian community in Azerbaijan. The program included remarks by Ara Jeknavorian on recent activities of the Merrimack Valley Armenian National Committee (ANC) and Ani Haroian, representing the ARF Eastern Region. 

The featured speaker was Judy Saryan, editor and publisher of the Zabel Yessayan project at the Armenian International Women’s Association (AIWA). Saryan presented a multimedia discussion about the life and work of the novelist, intellectual and activist, Zabel Yessayan. A highly informative video recounted the writer’s experiences during the Armenian Genocide. After a narrow escape from Turkish authorities in April 1915, Yessayan dedicated herself to documenting the atrocities unfolding at home in Constantinople. Steadfast to her commitment to giving voice to the voiceless, Yessayan used her pen and her connections to disseminate information, to collect and publish eyewitness accounts from survivors and most unusually for her time, to expose the particular violence inflicted on women and children as a tool of genocide.​​ In 1929, Yessayan moved to Soviet Armenia, where she taught literature at Yerevan State University and continued writing and publishing. In the 1930s, she became a victim of Joseph Stalin’s repression of intellectuals; she was arrested and died in an unknown prison, probably in 1943. Several passages from several translated works by Yessayan were read by Saryan.

Reverend Fathers Vart Gyozalian and Stepan Baljian offered the invocation and benediction respectively. Aram Jeknavorian served as master of ceremonies. 

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Ara Jeknavorian

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