National, International, Armenia, and Community News and Opinion

Craig 

Kalpakjian: 

challenging 

reality 

See story on page C3 m 

The Molokans 

add ethnic 

color to 

Armenia 

See story on page 15 m 

Armenians build 

a new Armenia 

in Naples, 

Florida 

See story on page 4 m 

Western U.S. Edition 

Number 108 

April 4, 2009 

the armenian 

reporter 

Kim: My greatest pride is 

my Armenian genes and 

my Armenian vor 

See story on page 14m 

Visit us at the new reporter.am

The Armenian Reporter | April 4, 2009

Number 108 

April 4, 2009 

Commentary 

Armenian Church’s expanding role in the military 

In 1997 Catholicos Karekin I 

appointed Father Vertanes 

Abrahamian as the first chaplain 

of the Armenian Army. Since that 

time, the program has grown to 30 

chaplains, both priests and deacons, 

serving Armenia’s armed forces. At 

the helm of this critical ministry is 

the since elevated Bishop Vertanes 

The Armenians of Colorado welcomed 

Ronald Altoon and Edward 

Avedisian to Louisville on March 

24. The group gathered to hear Mr. 

Altoon describe his experiences in 


The Molokans add ethnic color to Armenia 

Ivan Makshanov, a Russian Molokan 

was born and has always lived 

in the village of Lermondova. His 

ancestors, exiled from the Saradova 

province of Russia have also lived 

in this village. “Our homeland was 

Russia. We were exiled from there. 

Community 


If they exiled us here, and we have 

lived in Armenia for more than 150 

years, then Armenia is our homeland,” 

he says. Tatul Hakobyan reports 

about the Russian Molokans 

living in Armenia. 


Abrahamian, himself as veteran of 

the Karabakh war. This year, His 

Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos 

of All Armenians, elevated the 

chaplaincy program as well, and 

has since been granted diocesan 

status. 

Armenians of Colorado host AUA guests 


designing a state-of-the-art educational 

building for the American 

University of Armenia 


the armenian 

reporter 

Speculations mount about a 

possible Armenia-Turkey deal 

Anonymous sources 

cited on timing, 

substance 

Armenia’s foreign 

minister to attend 

conference 

News analysis by Emil 

Sanamyan 

President Abdullah Gül of Turkey, on right with mustache, is received by 

President Serge Sargsian of Armenia at the presidential palace in Yerevan as 

protestors invoke Armenian grievances against Turkey, Sept.6, 2008. Photolure. 

WASHINGTON – With President 

Barack Obama on his way to Turkey 

just weeks before Armenian 

Genocide commemoration day, and 

unprecedented high-level meetings 

between Armenia and Turkey, expectations 

for progress in relations 

between Armenia and Turkey are 

once again being fueled. 

Armenian officials contacted by 

the Armenian Reporter would not 

comment on whether an agreement 

with Turkey was imminent, but 

did confirm that Foreign Minister 

Edward Nalbandian will attend 

the Istanbul conference, which Mr. 

Obama will address. 

Writing on April 1, the Wall Street 

Journal cited anonymous diplomatic 

sources as claiming that Armenia 

and Turkey “could soon announce 

a deal aimed at reopening their 

border and restoring relations” and 

that “the timing of the deal is being 

choreographed” with Mr. Obama’s 

trip, the paper’s Brussels and Istanbul 

correspondents reported. 

One of the Journal correspondents 

contacted by the Reporter 

would not reveal if any of the officials 

he spoke with were from Armenia. 

The outlines of the deal, as described 

by these anonymous sources 

would include “opening and fixing 

borders, restoring diplomatic 

relations and setting up commissions 

to look at disputes, including 

Continued on page 3 

House Armenia Caucus co-chairs 

request support for Armenia funding 

On the road: Hamazkayin N.Y. Theatre Group 

celebrates Levon Shant 

The Hamazkayin Armenian Educational 

and Cultural Society of 

New York will be celebrating the 

140th anniversary of the birth of 

renowned playwright Levon Shant 

With his “Letter to President 

Obama,” 14-year-old Aram Balian 

of Chevy Chase, Md., has won the 

second annual Armenian Student 

Essay Contest, the Knights of Vartan 

“Ani” Lodge has announced. 


Knights of Vartan “Ani” Lodge announces winner 

of student essay contest 


Celebrating Zabel Varadian’s life 

by presenting the U.S. premiere of 

a dramatic love story, “On the Road” 

(“Champoon Vra”). 


The winning essay urges the president 

to follow up on his affirmation 

to recognize and to persuade the 

Republic of Turkey to recognize the 

Armenian Genocide. 


In 1956, Zabel Shiranian and her 

husband Mal Varadian purchased 

the Public Street Market in South 

Providence, R.I., which they operated 

for 40 years until their retirement. 

They provided the first employment 

for dozens of young men 

who grew to be family friends and 

successful members of the Rhode 

Island Armenian-American community. 


by Maria Titizian 

YEREVAN – House Armenian Caucus 

co-chairs Reps. Frank Pallone, 

Jr. (D.-N.J.) and Mark Kirk (R.-Ill.) 

sent a letter requesting support for 

funding programs for Armenia to 

the leaders of the Appropriations 

Subcommittee on State-Foreign 

Operations, chairperson Rep. Nita 

Lowey and ranking member Kay 

Granger. 

The letter was signed by 32 other 

members of Congress (see chart). 

In their letter, Mr. Pallone and 

Mr. Kirk ask for tighter restrictions 

on Section 907 of the Freedom 

Support Act, which limits U.S. 

military aid to Azerbaijan as long 

as Azerbaijan threatens stability in 

the region. The letter reads, “The 

Armenian Caucus for years has 

supported parity between Armenia 

and Azerbaijan, but Azerbaijan’s 

continual threats of war with 

Armenia, a U.S. ally in the South 

Caucasus, threaten stability in the 

region. Due to these threats, we are 

requesting tighter restrictions on 

Section 907 of the Freedom Support 

Act.” 

The signers asked for $70 million 

in economic assistance and $5 

million in military assistance to 

Armenia. “The people of Armenia 

James Langevin 

Anna Eshoo 

Stephen Lynch 

Candice Miller 

John Sarbanes 

Dennis Cardoza 

James McGovern 

Rush Holt 

Louis Capps 

Loretta Sanchez 

Anthony Weiner 

Gary Peters 

Jim Costa 

Scott Garrett 

Raul Grijalva 

Timothy Walz 

continue to face the devastating 

impact of Turkey and Azerbaijan’s 

dual blockades, illegal actions that, 

according to World Bank estimates 

from several years ago, cost Armenia 

roughly $720 million annually. 

Compounding the impact of these 

blockades is the approximately $680 

million loss to Armenia’s economy, 

in the form of increased transportation 

costs, higher prices, and lost 

investment, that resulted from 

the recent Russia-Georgia conflict. 

During this conflict, Armenia provided 

humanitarian, diplomatic 

and economic assistance to Georgia, 

facilitated the safe transit for 

U.S. and international officials, and 

helped rebuild damaged Georgian 

infrastructure,” the letter states. 

They also request $10 million in 

aid for Nagorno-Karabakh, urging 

a shift in that aid from humanitarian 

to developmental programs. Finally, 

they asked for an end to any 

remaining restrictions on United 

States and Nagorno-Karabakh government 

official contacts. f 

Members of Congress who have signed the 

Appropriations letter 

Grace Napolitano 

Chris Van Hollen 

Ed Markey 

Eliot Engel 

Henry Waxman 

Collin Peterson 

Howard Berman 

Mark Souder 

Brad Sherman 

Joseph Baca 

Barney Frank 

Chaka Fattah 

Elton Gallegly 

Carolyn Maloney 

Joseph Crowley 

Frank LoBiondo

The Armenian Reporter | April 4, 2009 

National 

Washington briefing 

by Emil Sanamyan 

Obama begins tour of 

Europe and Turkey 

President Barack Obama began 

a weeklong five-city tour that focuses 

on the European allies of the 

United States, relations with Russia 

and Turkey, and the economic 

crisis. The trip is the president’s 

first major foray abroad since taking 

office. 

In London on April 1–2, Mr. 

Obama was joined by leaders of 

world’s largest economies, including 

those of Russia and Turkey, for 

the G20 economic summit. Talks 

with the Russian president were 

followed by a joint statement 

pledging a fresh nuclear disarmament 

initiative, and cooperation 

on missile defense, nonproliferation, 

counterterrorism, and talks 

with Iran. 

The president’s next stop, Strasbourg 

(April 3–4), is hosting the 

60th anniversary summit of the 

North Atlantic Treaty Organization 

(NATO), which just expanded 

to 28 members after formally 

adopting Albania and Croatia. 

Another former Yugoslav republic, 

Macedonia, has been blocked 

from joining due to Greece’s longstanding 

objections to that country’s 

name. 

A spokesperson for the State 

Department said on April 1 that 

NATO is open to additional members 

and “that both Georgia and 

Ukraine, should they choose to 

become NATO members and meet 

NATO’s membership criteria, will 

someday become members of the 

alliance.” 

While U.S. officials refuse to admit 

it, rhetorically there has been 

markedly less enthusiasm for the 

two countries’ membership since 

the brief war between Russia and 

Georgia last August. 

After a stop in Prague for a summit 

between the United States 

and the European Union on April 

5, Mr. Obama will continue to 

Ankara (April 5–6) and Istanbul 

(April 6–7). 

According to a White House 

national security affairs spokesperson, 

Denis McDonough, 

who spoke with Turkish media 

on March 28, the Ankara itinerary 

includes a visit to the Ataturk 

Mausoleum; a meeting with the 

Turkish president, followed by 

lunch and a joint press conference; 

an address to the Turkish 

parliament; and a meeting with 

the prime minister. 

In Istanbul later on April 6, Mr. 

Obama will participate in the meeting 

of the Alliance of Civilizations 

– a United Nations program co-initiated 

by Turkey and Spain. The alliance 

brings together 78 countries 

worldwide, including Azerbaijan, 

Iran, and Russia, but not Armenia, 

Georgia, or Israel. 

And on the final day of the trip, 

Mr. Obama will meet with Turkey’s 

religious leaders, visit Sultanahmet 

Mosque and Hagia Sophia, and 

participate in a roundtable with a 

group of Turkish students joined 

by others in Europe and Middle 

East via video conference. 

Administration official 

promises “energetic 

engagement” on 

Karabakh 

“We must engage energetically on 

enduring conflicts in Moldova 

and Nagorno-Karabakh,” newly 

appointed Assistant Secretary of 

State Philip Gordon told members 

of the Senate Foreign Affairs 

Committee during his March 27 

confirmation hearings. 

In his prepared testimony, 

Mr. Gordon also promised to 

“support the negotiations on a 

settlement in Cyprus; promote 

Turkey’s EU aspirations while 

encouraging it to improve relations 

with Armenia, Cyprus and 

Greece; and vigorously promote 

the diversification of European 

energy supplies.” 

Denies media report 

that he claimed it 

“will not pass” 

by Emil Sanamyan 

WASHINGTON – Rep. Mark Kirk 

(R.-Ill.), co-chair of the congressional 

Armenian caucus, says that he 

remains hopeful about the progress 

of the Armenian Genocide 

resolution and was misquoted by 

the Turkish media about it. 

“My hope is that we get this resolution 

to [a vote on] on the floor and 

that we adopt it,” Mr. Kirk told the 

Armenian Reporter on April 2. But, he 

added, “I don’t know when Speaker 

[Nancy] Pelosi is going to put this 

resolution on the floor. We are all 

waiting for the Speaker to tell us.” 

Mr. Gordon, the State Department’s 

new manager for Europe 

and Eurasia, also promised to 

“promote democracy, encourage 

economic reform, protect national 

sovereignty and territorial integrity, 

and resolve the enduring conflicts 

that cause needless suffering 

on a daily basis and – as we saw last 

summer in Georgia – risk erupting 

violently at any time.” 

Possibly reflecting the Obama 

administration’s interest in engaging 

Russia, and while referring to 

“the Russian invasion of Georgia 

and unjustifiable recognition of 

two breakaway regions,” the testimony 

did not as in the past offer 

outright support for Georgia’s position 

on those regions. 

Committee member Sen. Bob 

Menendez (D.-N.J.) raised concerns 

with Mr. Gordon’s past opposition 

Armenian Genocide affirmation 

and tilt in favor of Turkey on 

the Cyprus conflict. 

In his response, Mr. Gordon referred 

to the Genocide as “a terrible 

tragedy” and used other language 

that was also employed by former 

President George W. Bush and his 

officials when discussing the issue. 

He also declined to term Turkish 

military presence in Cyprus an occupation. 

House Intelligence 

Committee holds 

Armenia briefing 

A key congressional panel that 

oversees the U.S. intelligence community 

this week held a rare briefing 

dedicated to Armenia. According 

to a public notice on its website, 

the House Select Intelligence Committee 

met on March 31 to receive a 

closed “Briefing on Armenia,” presumably 

given by administration 

officials. 

“My hope is that [Speaker Pelosi] 

puts the resolution on the floor,” he 

said. “President [Barack] Obama 

said that he is for this resolution 

and campaign promises should 

matter.” 

Together with Reps. Adam 

Schiff (D.-Calif.), George 

Radanovich (R.-Calif.) and 

Frank Pallone, Jr. (D.-N.J.), 

Mr. Kirk is an original co-sponsor 

of House Resolution 252 affirming 

the U.S. record on the 

Armenian Genocide, which is 

currently co-sponsored by 85 additional 

members of the House 

of Representatives. 

On April 2, the English version 

of Hurriyet daily published 

a translated excerpt of an interview 

with Rep. Kirk published 

the same day in the daily Aksam 

in Turkish. 

The excerpt quoted Rep. Kirk 

as saying, “Speaker of the House 

Congressional aides declined to 

discuss the briefing, citing government 

secrecy, but a source familiar 

with the issue told the Armenian 

Reporter that the U.S. and Armenian 

governments were working 

cooperatively on the issue that was 

the briefing’s focus. 

The committee is chaired by 

Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D.-Tex.) 

and includes as a member Rep. 

Adam Schiff (D.-Calif.). Rep. 

Schiff and two other committee 

members visited Armenia during 

a May 2008 trip that included 

stops in Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, 

and Pakistan. 

Turkey’s friends in 

Congress write to 

Obama, Gül, and 

Sargsian 

Congressional supporters of U.S.- 

Turkey ties who have also opposed 

past resolutions affirming the U.S. 

record on the Armenian Genocide 

have written to Presidents Barack 

Obama, Abdullah Gül, and Serge 

Sargsian to “support Armenian- 

Turkish rapprochement.” 

Reps. Robert Wexler (D.-Fla.), 

Ike Skelton (D.-Mo.), Alcee Hastings 

(D.-Fla.) and John Murtha 

(D.-Penn.) were the main signatories 

to the Gül-Sargsian letter. 

Mr. Wexler co-chairs the congressional 

Turkey caucus. In 2007 

he was joined by Reps. Skelton, 

Hastings, Murtha, and other senior 

democratic members in opposing 

passage of the Armenian 

Genocide resolution, which was 

supported by the House Democratic 

leadership. 

The March 30 letter addressed to 

Presidents Gül and Sargsian said 

its authors “care deeply about Armenia 

and Turkey” and supported 

“ongoing efforts . . . to heal open 

wounds, mend broken hearts and 

create a better future for both nations 

and peoples.” 

In an April 1 letter to Mr. Obama, 

Mr. Wexler was joined by other 

Turkey caucus co-chairs and 27 

other members to tout Turkey’s 

importance and call on the president 

to step up U.S.-Turkey cooperation. 

Among other issues in the 

long agenda, they called on the 

Obama “Administration [to] lend 

its unequivocal support to Turkey 

and its rapprochement efforts with 

its neighbor Armenia.” 

The letter makes no mention of 

Mr. Obama’s pledge to recognize 

the Armenian Genocide or the congressional 

resolution on the issue 

introduced last month. f 

Rep. Mark Kirk is waiting for Speaker’s decision on Genocide resolution 

Rep. Mark Kirk 

(R.-Ill.), co-chair 

of the House 

Armenian caucus, 

says he has been 

misquoted by 

Turkish media. 

President Obama standing between Turkey’s Prime Minister Erdogan and 

Russia’s President Medvedev at the G20 summit in London. Photo: White House. 

Rep. Robert 

Wexler with 

Barack Obama 

at a pre-election 

rally. Last year 

Mr. Wexler 

predicted U.S.- 

Turkey ties would 

“blossom” under 

Mr. Obama. AP 

photo 

Philip Gordon. Photo: Brookings.edu 

of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi 

will not dare pass the bill. She will 

not place Obama in a difficult position. 

The bill will not pass, don’t 

worry.” 

When asked about this line, Mr. 

Kirk said that it was “quite an addition 

to what I said.” 

While confirming that he spoke 

with Aksam newspaper correspondent 

Nagehan Alci, Mr. Kirk said 

the quote was inaccurate. 

“When my words were translated 

from English to Turkish 

and then back to English, I did 

not recognize them anymore,” Mr. 

Kirk said. “The interview made it 

sound like I was not a supporter 

of the resolution. Not only I am 

supporter, but I am a lead Republican 

supporter.” 

The Armenian Reporter’s request 

for Ms. Alci to comment made 

shortly before press time has not 

yet been answered. 

f

The Armenian Reporter | April 4, 2009 3 


Yale Club 

ballroom filled 

to capacity, over 

200 guests, for 

the Armenian 

Relief Society 

Centennial 

Banquet. 

Rep. Anna Eshoo speaks at ars centennial banquet 

Rep. Eshoo said 

she would raise 

Armenian Genocide 

issue with Obama 

on March 30. at a 

scheduled meeting 

NEW YORK – The Armenian Relief 

Society, founded in New York 

in 1910, celebrated its 100th anniversary 

at New York’s Yale Club 

on March 28. Keynote speaker Rep. 

Anna Eshoo (D.-Calif.) said “The 

time for passing the Genocide resolution 

has never been more right,” 

according to a report by Armenian 

Weekly editor Khatchig Mouradian. 

“I will be meeting with the president 

on Monday [March 30] evening, 

and I am going to again raise this issue 

[of Armenian Genocide recognition] 

with him,” she noted. 

Congresswoman Anna G. Eshoo, speaker at the ars Centennial Gala Banquet on 

March 28, 2009, receives a plaque of appreciation from the ARS Eastern Region, 

presented by Angele Manoogian from Florida, chairperson of the Centennial. 

Speculations mount about a possible Armenia- 

Turkey deal 

Continued from page 1 

one on the tense history between 

the two nations.” 

The latter issue – of a commission 

– has been one of the more 

controversial matters. In 2005, the 

Turkish government first proposed 

establishing a “commission of 

historians” allegedly to study the 

genocide. Seeing it as a ploy against 

genocide affirmation, President 

Robert Kocharian made a counteroffer 

suggesting a bilateral commission 

to look into all issues. 

President Serge Sargsian has 

taken a similar position. 

Another sticking point has been 

Turkey’s preconditions related to 

the Karabakh conflict, but those 

appear to have been set aside for 

the moment. 

Long-held suspicions 

and mounting 

speculations 

With Turkish officials saying that a 

Congressional resolution about the 

Armenian Genocide would undermine 

progress in the normalization 

of relations between Turkey and 

Armenia, many longtime observers 

wonder whether the speculations 

are just intended to provide 

an excuse for President Obama to 

go back on his pledge to recognize 

the Armenian Genocide. 

Already, when asked about the 

issue, spokespersons for the White 

House have responded repeatedly 

that the administration’s “focus is 

on how, moving forward, the United 

States can help Armenia and 

Turkey work together to come to 

terms with the past.” 

Turkish media has speculated 

for months about an imminent 

breakthrough in relations between 

Armenia and Turkey, and Western 

media too have started speculating 

on the topic. Much of the fodder 

for such speculation has been provided 

by officials involved. 

Both Armenian and Turkish officials 

have said a breakthrough is 

close. 

Foreign Minister Nalbandian said 

last November in Istanbul that Armenia-Turkey 

normalization “could 

be done in a quick way, because I do 

not see any major obstacles.” 

According to Turkey’s Sabah 

newspaper, senior members of the 

Turkish parliament for the ruling 

party, visiting Washington last 

month, told their congressional 

counterparts not to move on the 

Armenian Genocide resolution, as 

an Armenia-Turkey deal was imminent. 

Other officials told the Armenian 

Reporter they believe some kind of 

a deal is likely, although one key 

Armenian official discounted newspaper 

reports. 

Armenian Relief Society members with 50 or more years of service were honored 

with corsages and certificates given by the Eastern Region. Ten out of 12 honorees 

are in the photo with Abp. Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate. 

End-game, kind of 

Ten months ago, when the Armenian 

Reporter asked experts if they 

expected such a breakthrough, 

most were not optimistic. 

It was in the editorial pages of the 

Wall Street Journal on July 9, 2008, 

that President Sargsian first sought 

to convey his determination to normalize 

relations with Turkey. The 

initiative since then seems to have 

been boosted by the aftermath of 

the war in Georgia – which drew 

Russia and Turkey closer together 

– and the election of Barack Obama 

as U.S. president. 

President Abdullah Gül made 

his unprecedented half-day visit to 

Yerevan in September. 

And two months ago President 

Sargsian and Prime Minister Recep 

Tayyip Erdogan met at Davos, 

Switzerland, shortly before Mr. 

Erdogan’s stormy departure from a 

panel on which he appeared with 

the Israeli president. 

More talks have taken place between 

the two countries’ foreign 

ministers and other officials. 

Expectations for a breakthrough 

had been raised before, perhaps 

artificially so. But the talks do appear 

to be reaching a kind of an 

end-game. 

Turkish leaders’ overriding concern 

seems to be to get President 

Obama to continue the previous 

administrations’ policies on the 

Armenian Genocide issue. The first 

crucial test of that will be President 

Obama’s comments on the subject 

in Turkey and in the anticipated 

April 24 commemorative statement. 

From the Turkish perspective, 

success in getting President Obama 

to sidestep the issue should be a 

good enough catalyst for a positive 

change in Turkey’s policy toward 

Armenia. But this is true only 

if, as a senior Turkish official told 

this newspaper, it is in fact their 

intention “to have best relations 

with Armenia,” and “good relations” 

with Armenians in the diaspora. 

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4 The Armenian Reporter | April 4, 2009 


Armenians build a new Armenia in Naples, Florida 

When two of them 

meet, what else 

would you expect 

by Paul Chaderjian 

NAPLES, Fla. – Florida in the 

American lexicon equates to recreation, 

retirement, rest, and relaxation. 

Among the top dozen destinations 

that are known around the 

world is a small city of an estimated 

22,000 residents on the western 

coast of the Sunshine State. This 

city, in Collier County, earned its 

name thanks to its reputation for 

overshadowing the original Bay of 

Naples, Italy. The accolades Naples, 

Florida, has earned include consistently 

being named as one of the 

top five places to live in the U.S. Its 

ten-mile beach on the Gulf of Mexico 

has been named the best beach 

in the U.S. The city is also known as 

the Golf Capital of the World and 

boasts more than 80 championship 

golf courses. 

Naples is where people who value 

serenity, beauty, cleanliness – paradise 

- come to vacation or spend 

their retirement years. Among 

those who have a residence here 

are Bill Gates, Donald Trump, 

Steven Spielberg, and Armenian- 

American philanthropist Gerard 

L. Cafesjian, a former executive of 

West Law Publishing, who created 

the Cafesjian Family Foundation 

and owns and operates the Armenian 

Reporter. 

Like Gerard and Cleo Cafesjian, 

who spent decades working 

hard, raising a family, succeeding 

in business, and realizing their 

American Dream in big metropolitan, 

concrete jungles, many others 

come to Southwest Florida to enjoy 

every moment of a vacation or 

their retirement years. It’s a place 

to enjoy the good life, a wonderfully 

temperate climate, nice people, 

great shopping, and good food. 

More than two hundreds Armenian 

families are known to have 

residences in Naples and interact 

with other Armenians through two 

local organizations. The first, established 

more than a decade ago, 

is the Armenian American Cultural 

Society of South West Florida 

(aacs). The second organization is 

the Armenian Church of Southwest 

Florida, whose parish mission in 

Naples organizes monthly celebrations 

of the Divine Liturgy and 

hosts its visiting mission priest, Fr. 

Nerses Jebejian. 

Mark from Marco 

Island 

This weekend, the first character in 

this story of Southwest Floridians, 

84-year-old Mark Nahabedian, 

will be among American soldiers 

being honored by the French Embassy 

with a Chevalier Award for 

being part of the forces that liberated 

France toward the end of the 

Second World War. Mr. Nahabedian 

served in the American army in 

France from 1944 to 1945. 

In 1970, Mark decided to buy a 

vacation place in the Naples-Marco 

Island area. He and his wife, Helen, 

and their three daughters lived in 

Morton Grove, outside Chicago, at 

the time. Mark operated a flooring 

business and owned a carpet-tile 

supply company. He would eventually 

occupy himself full-time investing 

and managing properties. 

When the family still lived outside 

Chicago, Mark and his family would 

vacation in Miami but found the 

east coast of Florida too crowded. 

Flash forward a few decades, and 

Mark has become a central figure 

in the local community while his 

youngest daughter, Carrie Nahabedian, 

is a world-famous chef 

who has held executive-chef posts 

at the Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton 

hotels. Carrie now runs her 

own restaurant, Naha, in Chicago, 

and has garnered a number of 

prestigious accolades – including 

the 2008 James Beard Foundation 

Award for best chef in the Great 

Lakes region – as well as rave reviews 

from national and international 

publications, among them 

her hometown’s Chicago Tribune. 

While the family had discussed 

looking for a vacation home in 

Florida, Mark surprised his wife 

and daughters one Sunday in 1970 

by buying an apartment site unseen. 

“Normally, I’m the one who goes 

to church, but I stayed home that 

Sunday while they went to church 

and was looking through the travel 

and properties sections of the paper,” 

he says. “I saw an ad for a place 

in Marco Island, and I said, ‘Gee, 

that sounds great.’” 

After seeing photos of the apartment, 

Mark signed on the dotted 

line, and the family took up residence 

in their new vacation home 

in 1971. 

“We spent Christmas and Easter 

here, and then I got my brother 

down here, and I got my sister 

down here, and I got my niece down 

here,” he says. “There are about ten 

Armenian families that came here 

because of me, and then I’ve got 

two other cousins that live here. So, 

next thing you know, they’re coming 

in from all over, most of them 

from New England, and two from 

the Michigan area. 

Enter Maida’s touch 

Maida and her husband, John 

Domenie, moved to Naples from 

New Jersey in 1987, and launched 

the aacs in 1998. 

Maida grew up in Beirut and left for 

Europe in 1963 at the age of 25. At the 

time she was employed by an Armenian 

who manufactured household 

products and asked her to work for 

him in Switzerland. Her father had 

passed away, so Maida, her brother, 

and mother moved to Switzerland 

but didn’t like life in Europe. 

“I said, ‘Let’s go back to Beirut 

and see what we can do about 

going to America,” she remembers. 

“We waited for two years to 

be cleared to come to the United 

States, and we finally did. Then my 

husband hired me when we came 

to Washington, DC, where I had 

two cousins.” 

John Domenie was working for a 

start-up bank called Wells Fargo, and 

he interviewed Maida for a position 

at the company. Maida says they developed 

a very deep friendship and 

then decided to get married. 

“After my husband took early retirement, 

he said, ‘We shouldn’t live 

in the New Jersey-New York area 

anymore,” says Maida. “I’m asthmatic, 

and the cold affects me very 

much. So we got into our car, and 

we were driving along the coast, because 

we wanted to be by the water.” 

Maida and John had not heard 

about Naples until they were visiting 

a cousin in Boca Raton, on the 

east coast of Florida. 

“We saw this little town that said 

Naples on the map,” she remembers. 

“It’s a good drive across the 

state, so we said, ‘Let’s go and see 

it.’ And that was love at first sight.” 

After about ten years in Naples, 

Maida realized that she and John 

were running into other Armenians 

now and again. 

“My husband said, ‘Why don’t you 

look further into this, because there 

must be quite a few Armenians if 

we are seeing and meeting them so 

often,’” says Maida. “Eleven years 

Jerry Alajajian. Photos: Arsen Serobian. 

Mark Nahabedian. 

ago, we came across some other Armenians, 

and I was very impressed 

by their Armenianness. One person 

said, ‘When do you think we’ll have 

a club or a church’ That really triggered 

my interest, and I sat down 

for days and days, went over the 

telephone book, found all the ians, 

and I wrote maybe 150 letters.” 

Maida received 35 prompt responses 

from fellow Neapolitan Armenians 

who said they would be interested in 

an Armenian club. She said the response 

was very encouraging, and 

the organization she and her husband 

started, the aacs, has mushroomed 

to about 200 members. 

“We have an activity every month, 

but the winter months are more 

active, because a good percentage 

of our members have two homes 

– North and here,” says Maida. “So 

we do more activities during the 

season, the winter months.” 

Members of the aacs pay annual 

dues, which are then used to host 

dinners, invite speakers on cultural 

issues and history, and produce a 

monthly newsletter that Maida 

writes and sends by postal mail. 

“We do not have any political or 

religious activities,” she says, “because 

those are two issues with Armenians 

that create controversy.” 

Maida says the best part of being 

involved in the AACS is the enthusiasm 

of members for being involved 

in the organization and getting to 

socialize with other Armenians. 

“You know, Naples is a very generic 

society,” she says. “Armenians 

have no notion that they could sit 

down and have a dinner with another 

Armenian. The idea that they 

[actually] can, I think, creates the 

enthusiasm.” 

In the pages of her newsletter, 

Hye Times, Maida writes about Armenian 

history, literature, and tidbits 

she culls from other sources. 

“I have a lot of things from the Armenian 

Reporter,” she says. “When I 

Maida Domenie. 

Pamela Torosian. 

Fr. Nerses 

Jebejian. 

see something – for example, your 

story about the Mexican Ambassador 

in Washington being an Armenian 

– I write about it.” 

In the current issue of Hye Times, 

Maida wrote about poet Daniel 

Varoujan and reprinted an essay 

about Lent written by 13th-century 

catholicos Levon Yervantsi. 

The newsletter also keeps members 

updated about each other. 

“Of course, we have a lot of 

deaths,” she says, “because, you see, 

our average age is 65-70, and we 

have quite a few, sad to say, deaths. 

But, in compensation, new members 

come in all the time.” 

Maida says the aacs doesn’t have 

ambitions to become bigger or join 

a bigger institution, because Naples 

is a small town with limited means. 

“We don’t have our own place,” 

says Maida, “so we are at the mercy 

of clubs and places like that when 

we meet. We have to organize the 

food, the drinks, the music. We’re 

very limited as far as things that we 

want to do, but when we do something, 

they all love it.” 

The annual picnic 

In addition to the annual celebration 

of Armenian Christmas on 

January 6, the AACS hosts an annual 

picnic, which this year took 

place on March 8 and drew at least 

150 members and non-members. 

“Usually we do it on Marco Island,” 

says Maida. “That’s where Mark 

Nahabedian comes into the equation. 

He’s the picnic man. He does 

it all, and we have another gentleman, 

Jim Derderian. He’s from 

Massachusetts, and he brings the 

kebab, and everybody brings an Armenian 

dish. I think we go home 

two pounds more than we came in.” 

The picnic tradition in Naples- 

Marco Island is credited to the 

late Gus Barber of Barber Foods, 

which began its chicken and beef 

business in the 1950s. 

“Jim Derderian, who is from Bethune, 

Massachusetts, and Gus Barber, 

from Cape Elizabeth, Maine, 

would have a little picnic at the park, 

and there would be about 20 people,” 

remembers Mark Nahabedian. 

“One day they decided to invite 

me, because I knew about half of 

them. So from then on, that went 

on for about ten years. Then, when 

Maida started this organization, a 

couple of times we had parties at 

the beach. Then we got involved 

with Jim and Gus, and that’s how 

it worked out.” 

Gus Barber passed away last 

summer, but Mark says the Naples 

community will always remember 

him as a great guy, and a very benevolent 

guy. 

“I introduced him to a friend from 

Watertown,” says Mark, “and Gus 

donated $100,000 to the Armenian 

Tree Project. Two years ago, we 

happened to be in Armenia, and I 

went into the tree project orchard, 

and I was very impressed.” 

Mission parish 

Ahead of the start of the Lent season, 

the local Armenian community 

celebrated Poon Paregentan, 

the service that takes place the last 

Sunday before the start of Lent. 

Officiating the service was visiting 

parish priest Fr. Nerses Jebejian. 

“Up until this time, we had never 

had a service on the Sunday before 

Lent,” says Pamela Torosian of 

the Naples Parish. “So we’re very 

happy to have had the service this 

year. Afterwards we went to a restaurant 

and actually had an Italian 

dinner and had a party. We had 

about 67 people – which during the 

season is a fair number for us.” 

Pamela says an average of 60 people 

participate in their monthly liturgical 

services, which are held at different 

churches throughout the year. 

“During the season, we have all 

the snowbirds come down from the 

north,” says Pamela, “and we feel 

strongly that it’s important to try 

to provide badarak services for them 

once a month, when they’re so used 

to having it once a week up north.” 

Pamela and her late husband 

moved to Naples 17 years ago. She 

says her husband’s main concern 

with living in Naples was that there 

was no local Armenian church. 

“My husband, along with myself, 

and another couple, Sylvia and 

Bob Raubolt, started the mission 

parish down here in Southwest 

Florida,” she says. “It takes about an 

Continued on page 5



Armenians build a new Armenia in Naples, Florida 

Continued from page 4 

hour and a half to go to the church 

services on the east coast, and about 

two and a half hours to go north of 

here, so we thought it was important 

to provide that service for the 

people of Southwest Florida.” 

Pamela and other members of 

the Parish Council hope that in the 

next few years the local community 

will be able to buy or build its own 

Armenian church. 

“We have a unique situation down 

here with the number of retirees 

that we have,” she says. “A lot of our 

members have been very active in 

their church parishes, so we have a 

lot of experience.” 

After her husband passed away, 

Pamela, who is not Armenian, decided 

she wanted to play an active 

role in the Parish Council, as she had 

done when her husband was alive. 

“It was his passion, and I’d always 

been very active with the Armenian 

church, because it was a very warm 

family that was very welcoming 

when I married my husband up in 

the Greenfield area, up in Wisconsin,” 

says Pamela. “When I came 

down here, I had that same kind of 

reception. So I was very supportive 

with his ethnic and religious 

background. I feel it’s important to 

carry it on, not only because of him, 

but also because I have Armenian 

stepchildren and Armenian grandchildren. 

You have to lead by example, 

you know.” 

The visiting Der Hayr 

Fr. Jebejian is one of several mission 

priests who serve communities 

under the auspices of the Eastern 

Diocese of the Armenian Church. 

“I started coming to Naples once 

a month around 1999-2000,” says 

Fr. Nerses, who resides in Pompano 

Beach, on the east coast of Florida. 

“I divide my time, mostly weekends, 

and I go wherever I have to.” 

This former director of the Mission 

Parish Program of the Diocese 

oversaw 22 mission parishes 

at one time. Under his direction, 

Armenian priests celebrated the 

liturgy across the Eastern U.S. in 

communities that did not have a 

permanent parish priest. Since his 

retirement from that post, he provides 

spiritual council to communities 

including Naples, Baton Rouge, 

Kansas City, and Atlanta. 

“Here in Naples, there’s a large 

community of Armenians,” he says. 

“In the wintertime, there are about 

300 families that come from around 

the country. In the summertime, 

we have 200-225 families.” 

Fr. Nerses’ hope for the community 

is that the new five-member 

Parish Council will secure a permanent 

location for the church and 

hold weekly services. 

“It’s very easy to go to a Catholic 

church, a Greek church, an Episcopal 

church, do a service, and get out,” 

he says. “But in order for something 

to survive, it has to have continuity, 

and for [community members] to 

have continuity they need a place, a 

building. They need a residence. They 

need a house where they can continue 

their tradition, their religious life, 

their faith, and their spiritual nourishment 

and growth, and in order to 

do that, you need a place.” 

The Aleppo-native knows firsthand 

how a permanent structure 

can change the life of an Armenian 

community. He has helped communities 

in Louisiana, Kansas, and 

Georgia acquire locations, raise 

funds, and build churches. 

“I had been going to Baton Rouge 

since 1983, for instance,” he says. “I 

used to go once a month. In 2002, 

I told them, ‘I’ve been coming here 

since 1983, and nothing has been 

happening.’ It’s a very small community. 

All they have in Louisiana 

is something like 40 families. I said 

that there’s no sense in me coming 

here, if you people are not going to 

have something here, a community 

center, a church. And I said, ‘Do 

something else.’” 

Jim Derderian at 

the aacs picnic 

on March 7, 2009. 

Photo: John 

Domenie. 

A week after Fr. Nerses’ talk with 

Louisiana Armenians, he received 

a call from the chairman of the local 

parish, who told him the community 

was ready to take the next 

step. Fr. Nerses returned to Baton 

Rouge and helped the local Armenians 

find a suitable site, a former 

piano store and storage facility, do 

the bidding, and buy the building, 

which soon was consecrated as 

an Armenian church (Community, 

March 21, 2009). 

“In the Louisiana area, we don’t 

have families or individuals who 

have that kind of money,” Fr. Nerses 

says. “The chairman of the Parish 

Council gave a large amount 

of money, and that excited other 

people in the community. It excited 

young people, and they gave some 

money. One gave a thousand. One 

gave three thousand. One gave a 

hundred. Two kids came and said, 

‘We’ll give you ten dollars,’ and we 

built a church over there.” 

Fr. Nerses pushed a similar initiative 

in Kansas City, where the 

community purchased a former 

Catholic church and is expecting a 

visit from Primate Khajag Barsamian 

after the completion of construction 

projects. 

Before being assigned to multiple 

parishes and the Parish Priest 

Program, Fr. Nerses worked for 

the World Council of Churches and 

represented the Armenian Church 

at international conferences all 

around the world. 

“I was ordained a deacon in 1964 

and went to St. Nersess Armenian 

Seminary in Evanston,” says Fr. 

Nerses. “I went to Geneva, Switzerland, 

and I studied at the Ecumenical 

Institute. Then I worked at the 

World Council of Churches, and it 

was quite an interesting experience.” 

At the World Council of Churches, 

Fr. Nerses was assigned to work 

on youth affairs, which led to his 

assignments as a mission priest 

within the Diocese of the Armenian 

Church. Now his personal mission 

is to see that communities like the 

one in Naples find their own corner 

of their small cities to build an Armenian 

church. 

 

connect: 

hobodory@comcast.net 

torosp@comcast.net



MY NAME IS 

ARMEN 

The lingering love notes of 

life 

by Armen 

Bacon 

As the weather begins to change 

and flowers beg to bloom, it’s that 

time of year when I yearn to do a 

bit of spring-cleaning in an effort 

to un-clutter my life and prepare 

for the acquisitions of a new season. 

As an aspiring minimalist, I 

look forward to this time of year 

– a perfect and opportune time to 

sort, toss and discard the unnecessary 

possessions that sometimes 

force me to navigate life carrying 

too much baggage. I like to travel 

light, so this ritualistic downsizing 

of life is a must during this time of 

the year. 

Paper, in our house, has a tendency 

to accumulate and grow exponentially. 

Don’t ask me why or 

how, it just does. There are stacks 

of newspapers, magazines, and 

mail in almost every corner of 

the house. Reading material is my 

security blanket – I thrive on unfinished 

sentences, dangling participles, 

word salads and anything 

that is hand-written, jotted down, 

published or unpublished. But today 

I am determined to rid myself 

of the excess paper. I am systematically 

sifting and sorting through 

mail, magazines, catalogs and correspondence. 

Forgive me for prying, but what 

do you do with them I’m referring 

to the cards and love notes 

that people send you throughout 

the year(s), you know, to acknowledge 

a birthday, anniversary, job 

promotion or maybe the arrival of 

a new little one If you are anything 

like me, you treasure these as 

if they are gold, holding on to them 

forever until one day, they fill an 

entire room. At my house, cardstock 

keepsakes have a tendency 

to stack up and multiply, moving 

from counter top to desk drawer, 

eventually forcing me to find them 

a permanent home in a special, undisclosed 

hiding place somewhere 

in my house. God forbid they 

should be thrown in the trash. The 

thought of it makes me cringe. 

You might be wondering why I 

hang on to them After all, they 

are simply words on paper. The answer 

is simple: over the years, these 

personal mementoes have become 

an appendage to my heart. Each 

serves as a reminder that someone, 

somewhere, is holding a good 

thought for me somewhere out in 

the universe. In this day and age 

of anonymity, the intimate nature 

of these love notes quite simply, 

intoxicates my soul. The union of 

three or four handpicked words, 

Armenian Reporter columnist Armen D. 

Bacon is senior director for communications 

and public relations for the Fresno 

County Office. Ms. Bacon lives in Fresno, 

California, and is a wife, mother, professional 

woman, and writer. Since 2004, 

her thoughts and reflections about life 

have been published in the “Valley Voices” 

section of The Fresno Bee as well as 

the Armenian Reporter. She also writes, 

produces, and hosts a radio series titled 

“Live, Laugh, Love” on Fresno’s K-jewel 

99.3 radio. She can be reached at armendbacon@aol.com. 

i.e., I adore you, Lean on me or I’m 

here for you can nourish me on a day 

that I wake up hungry. The notes 

inscribed on the inside of many of 

the cards also chronicle my life’s 

journey, only they tell the story 

from the vantage point of someone 

else – usually a significant other. In 

rereading their messages, I am able 

to relive a day, a moment or renew 

a friendship that in many cases, 

has shaped the person whose name 

is Armen. 

A former boss of mine used to 

keep his collection of cherished 

notes in the desk drawer at his office 

where he could retrieve them at 

a moment’s notice. He called them 

his justifiable existence. He said that 

they gave him purpose, reminded 

him why he was getting up in the 

morning, putting in 12 hour days 

and sacrificing both his health and 

sanity. If he was having a bad day, 

all he ever had to do was pluck out 

one of these notes, read a few lines, 

and instantly he would feel better. 

My personal collection stems 

back more than three decades. 

There are engagement and wedding 

cards, followed by the baby cards 

– you know, the ones with the ducks 

and teddy bears, cradles and storks 

on the cover. I have two huge stacks 

of these, well, actually they have 

moved into beautiful memory boxes, 

since they also include all of the 

birthday invitations and cards my 

children received at the time of their 

birthdays. I had intended to give 

these to them when they turned 18 

or 21, but for sentimental reasons, I 

still cannot seem to part with them. 

Maybe someday. They remind me 

of the magical age of innocence, 

when life was simple and beautiful. 

Is there anything more divine than 

a child’s birthday party, the sound 

of laughter, frosting smeared across 

a smiling face, tissue paper and ribbon 

dancing across the floor I seriously 

doubt it. 

In more recent years, my collection 

reveals a different side of life. 

It represents fewer special occasions 

and instead, marks minute 

morsels of time, moments between 

friends that to the masses may 

easily go unnoticed. This series of 

notes, written mostly by the women 

I fondly reference as my band of 

angels, celebrates a unique sisterhood 

and friendship bond that has 

been forged in response to life’s trials 

and tribulations. The messages 

contained in the cards celebrate 

courage, resilience and our collective 

determination to live life passionately 

and with no regrets. 

Recently, a dear friend of mine 

who is of Irish descent, sent me a 

lovely card with the following message: 

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, Armen. 

The proud Irish woman in me salutes 

the strong Armenian woman 

in you. Let us raise a glass of 

green beer or fine champagne to 

our grandparents – whose sacrifices 

and hard work shaped much 

of who we are today. Lamb and pilaf 

or corned beef and cabbage – it 

matters not as long as we remember 

and celebrate. Love, Anne. 

I rest my case. This stack of 

notes stays. I will happily discard 

the magazines, newspapers and 

catalogs but these cards, each representing 

a treasured lifeline, will 

find a permanent place in both 

my heart and my home. After all, 

one must always make room for 

love. 

 

Let us know what’s on your mind. 

Write to us at 

letters@reporter.am 

Cast of Levon Shant’s play “Jampoon Vra.”. 

On the road: Hamazkayin N.Y. 

Theatre Group celebrates Levon Shant 

WOODSIDE – The Hamazkayin 

Armenian Educational and 

Cultural Society of New York will 

be celebrating the 140th anniversary 

of the birth of renowned playwright 

Levon Shant by presenting 

the U.S. premiere of a dramatic 

love story, “On the Road” (“Jampoon 

Vra”). This will be the 41st 

annual theatrical presentation by 

the Hamazkayin Theatre Group of 

New York, under the direction of 

Herand Markarian, recipient of 

numerous awards, including “Best 

Playwright of Diaspora” bestowed 

by the Writers’ Union of Armenia. 

Poet, novelist, and playwright Levon 

Shant is regarded by many as 

the greatest Armenian playwright. 

Born Levon Seghpossian on April 

6, 1869, in Constantinople, he was 

orphaned at the age of six. He debuted 

as a writer in 1891, adopting 

Shant (lightning bolt) as his pen 

name. The success of his play “Ancient 

Gods” allowed him to move 

to Europe and escape the fate of his 

colleagues who were killed in the 

Armenian Genocide. For years, he 

was a teacher and educator, as well 

as a public and political figure and 

political activist in Armenia and 

the Armenian communities in the 

diaspora. He served as a member of 

the parliament of the first Republic 

of Armenia, and was imprisoned 

after the Communist takeover of 

Armenia. After being freed, he continued 

to write plays and became 

one of the founders of Hamazkayin, 

and the primary founder of Hamazkayin 

Djemaran Academy in Beirut, 

where he was the school principal 

for 20 years until his death in 1951. 

A couple in love...the girl is devoted 

to the man she loves...the man is 

committed to the struggle of the 

homeland. How can this conflict be 

resolved Shant offers a solution. 

Set in 1904 Bolis (Constantinople), 

this heart-rending story of love, 

devotion, and commitment takes 

place before the Armenian Genocide. 

Yet it presents a very current 

conflict. The presentation features 

Toros Tervizian, Sossi Essajanian, 

Karnig Nercessian, Zaven 

Vartanian, Avo Hajian, Mardig 

Boyadjian, Berjouhi Yessaian, 

Ani Nercessian, Ani Boyadjian, 

and Mr. Markarian. 

The N.Y. Hamazkayin Theatre 

Group has been home to over 400 

members, who during the 41 years 

have given their precious time and 

talent to preserve the Armenian 

cultural arts. Much credit should 

be given to Mr. Markarian for introducing 

new faces and encouraging 

young Armenians to preserve 

their heritage. The Hamazkayin 

Theatre Group holds the record for 

the longest continuously running 

Armenian theater group in the 

Toros Tervizian 

and Sossi 

Essajanian star 

in Levon Shant’s 

play “Jampoon 

Vra.”. 

United States, the only Armenian 

theater group that has performed 

off-Broadway, the largest number 

of world premiere Armenian plays 

in the diaspora, the first theater 

group of the Hamazkayin family to 

have been invited to participate in 

the first Diasporan Theatre Festival 

in Yerevan and Vanadzor, Armenia, 

as well as the first Armenian theater 

group to perform on a cruise 

line. 

The play will take place at 8:05pm 

on Sunday, April 19, 2009, at the 

Armenian Center, located at 69-23 

47th Avenue, Woodside, N.Y. 

connect: 

Marriet Gabrelian at (718) 205-2688 

(evening), Berjouhi Yessaian at (718) 

639-2666, or Sonia Bezdikian at (718) 

961-9550 (daytime).



Norair K. Deirmengian (Norman K. Miller), 94, inventor 

PHILADELPHIA – After a 

short period of illness, Norair 

Karekin Deirmengian, also known 

as Norman K. Miller, went to 

meet his maker on January 19 after 

a brief period of illness. He is 

survived by his wife of 59 years, 

Virginia, their five children, two 

daughters-in-law, one son-in-law 

and ten grandchildren. He was a 

loving and inspirational husband, 

father, grandfather and mentor. 

Always smiling, always offering a 

helping hand, he touched the lives 

of everyone he met.Norair was 

born in 1914 in Kasken Maden, 

near Bolis, while his mother was 

fleeing the Armenian Genocide 

along with her two young sons. 

His father had been killed prior to 

his birth. His mother found refuge 

for the family in Romania, where 

Norair was placed in an orphanage. 

Norair excelled academically and 

was sent to Murat Rafael Armenian 

College Preparatory School in 

Venice, Italy. After graduating in 

1935, he emigrated to the United 

States where he was reunited with 

his family and enrolled at the University 

of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. 

Norman was thankful for the 

freedoms found in his new country. 

Not yet a citizen, in 1941, he 

enlisted in the U.S. Army. He was 

Celebrating Zabel 

Varadian’s life 

NORWOOD – Isabelle Shiranian 

was born on November 14, 

1925, in New York City, to Abraham 

and Vartig Shiranian. She 

excelled academically at Central 

High School and was a member of 

the National Honor Society. She 

was a proud member of the Providence 

Varantian Chapter of the 

Armenian Youth Federation and 

participated in the Sts. Vartanantz 

Church Choir and Ladies Guild 

for many years. 

To support her family after her 

father’s death, Zabel worked for a 

jewelry manufacturer during her 

high-school years. After graduation, 

she became an executive secretary 

at U.S. Life Insurance Co. 

During World War II, the female 

members of the Providence ayf 

wrote to the Armenian soldiers 

who were in the battlefield. Zabel 

pulled out of a hat the name 

of Melkon (“Mal”) Varadian, who 

was stationed in North Africa with 

General Patton’s 7th Army. When 

Melkon returned to the States, 

they met at an AYF meeting, and 

their 61-year journey together began. 

Two years after their meeting, 

Melkon and Zabel were married, 

and shortly afterward, they 

started a family. The couple would 

be blessed with three children, 

Michael (Armenie), Sandra (Megerdich), 

and Malcolm (Kristen); 

grandchildren Nick, Siran, Antranig, 

Armen, Melkon, Sarah, and 

Ani; and great-grandchildren Emily, 

Nicholas, and Carl. All were to join 

the Providence ayf. 

In 1956, Mal and Zabel purchased 

the Public Street Market in South 

Providence, which they operated 

for 40 years until their retirement. 

Many lifelong relationships developed 

with employees. Arthur 

(“Jake”) Butler came on board as a 

young man, devoting many years 

to Zabel and Mal in the operation 

of the store. Jake, his wife Sandy, 

and their family remain cherished 

friends to this day. 

The couple hired and mentored 

countless family members and 

sent to the South Pacific where he 

played instrumental roles in the 

Battle of Layte and the Guadalcanal 

Campaign. During his service, 

he showed his inventive talents 

by developing a method of cushioning 

military tank interiors to 

prevent injuries and was issued 

a commendation for creating a 

method to repair and improvement 

the Reisling gun. 

He returned to Philadelphia to 

start a manufacturing business 

with his two brothers. Originally 

known as Miller Brothers, 

Miller Edge grew to become an 

industry leader in safeguarding 

for motorized doors, gates and 

automated machinery markets. 

Under his leadership, Miller 

Edge was issued over 100 patents 

in the U.S. and abroad. He was 

recognized multiple times for his 

professional achievements. In 

1991, Norman received the Distinguished 

Service Award from 

the Door & Operator Dealers Association 

honoring his personal 

achievements. In 1998, Miller 

Edge received the International 

Door Association Industry Service 

Award. In 2007, he received 

the International Door Association 

Humanitarian Award. 

Norman was always thankful 

for the freedoms and successes 

neighborhood youths. They provided 

the first employment for 

dozens of young men who grew 

to be family friends and successful 

members of the Rhode Island 

Armenian-American community. 

Holding court at the Public Street 

Market, Zabel and Mal offered 

guidance in the business, athletic, 

and personal lives of many. Their 

service and generosity benefited 

individuals and families, and 

made a lasting impression on the 

community. 

Family was an important part 

of Zabel’s life. Having lost her 

father at an early age, she gave 

constant attention to her mother 

and uncle, Sarkis Keri Marderosian, 

both of whom lived near the 

market. She was very proud and 

fond of her many nephews, nieces, 

cousins, and other extended family 

members, speaking of them 

affectionately and often, and was 

a loving sister to Dickran (Marie 

Rose) and Charlie Shiranian, deceased. 

Despite her many illnesses and 

surgeries, Zabel kept people happy 

with her kind demeanor and 

beautiful smile. She took great 

joy in the accomplishments of 

her children, grandchildren, and 

great-grandchildren, relishing 

their celebrations and graduations. 

She also enjoyed the constant 

company of her “grandpuppy,” 

Mollie. 

She will be remembered for 

her wonderful sense of humor. 

Zabel laughed heartily when, at 

one event, she and Mal were accidentally 

left behind in an empty 

school parking lot. The family caravan 

drove off, everyone thinking 

the others had Mal and Zabel with 

them! 

The Varadian family appreciates 

the kind devotion of Zabel’s many 

friends and family in the Providence 

community who were so 

supportive throughout the years. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations 

may be made to Sts. Vartanantz 

Church Endowment Fund and 

ayf Camp Haiastan. 

 

he found in the United States. 

He also kept a special place in his 

heart for those suffering in his 

Armenian homeland. Following 

the devastating Armenian earthquake 

of 1998, Norman organized 

the collection of used copier and 

fax machines. The machines were 

refurbished at the Miller Edge 

warehouse, packed with clothing 

for cushioning and sent to Armenia 

to help businesses rebuild. In 

2004, he donated the funds required 

for the construction of a 

water treatment plant in the Armenian 

Village of Nor Gatashen. 

Prior to his donation, the people 

of this village had no clean running 

water. In 2007, he donated a 

classroom to the Armenian Relief 

Society Daily School at St. Mary’s 

in Toronto, Ontario. 

Norman was a lifetime active 

member of St. Gregory’s Church 

in Philadelphia. He was a member 

of Armenian Bowling League, St. 

Gregory’s Men’s Club, Knights of 

Vartan, Masonic Brothers. He also 

was a supporter of anca, ayf, Armenia 

Fund, and other organizations 

too numerous to note. 

Norair Deirmengian (Miller) 

was laid to rest on January 24, 

2009 at Arlington Cemetery in 

Upper Darby, Pa., following funeral 

services held at St. Gregory The 

On a Watertown billboard, the Torch of Liberty urges the United States to 

officially recognize the Armenian Genocide. 

“Torch of Liberty” billboard 

to urge Genocide recognition 

by Rosario Teixeira 

Norair K. Deirmengian, 1914–2009. 

WATERTOWN – The Armenian 

Genocide commemorative 

billboard is scheduled to go up on 

Watertown’s Arsenal Street April 6. 

In the middle of the billboard, the 

torch of liberty is urging the United 

States to officially recognize the Armenian 

Genocide. 

The commemorative billboard is 

sponsored by Peace of Art, Inc., a 

non-profit organization which uses 

art as an educational tool to bring 

awareness to the universal human 

condition, and promote peaceful 

solutions to conflict. 

Around the same time that the 

Armenian Genocide commemorative 

billboard will be installed, 

President Obama will visit Turkey 

as part of his international tour. It 

has been speculated that he may 

influence the opening of the borders 

between Turkey and Armenia. 

Everyone has been following 

President Obama as he engages in 

carrying the torch of liberty and attempts 

to open dialogue for peace 

and cooperation with all nations. 

The Armenia diaspora has been 

following President Obama as well, 

and waiting for the official recognition 

of the Armenian Genocide by 

the United States. 

“Political compromise is not a solution 

to this problem,” said Daniel 

Varoujan Hejinian, the founder 

of Peace of Art, Inc. He added that 

recognition of the Armenian genocide 

will contribute to discouraging 

future use of genocide as a sociopolitical 

solution. “In addition, it 

will contribute to the political stabilization 

in the region, and it will 

improve and normalize relations 

between Armenia and Turkey.” 

connect: PeaceofArt.org 

Illuminator Armenian Apostolic 

Church. 

In lieu of flowers, please send donations 

to: St. Gregory Armenian 

Apostolic Church, 8701 Ridge Avenue, 

Philadelphia, PA 19128. 

Onstage at the 

Kennedy Center 

Family Theater: 

“The Georgetown 

Boys” 

WASHINGTON – Following the 

Armenian Genocide of 1915, thousands 

of children were orphaned. 

From these, 109 were brought to 

Georgetown, Canada, to be trained 

as farmers. “Canada’s noble experiment” 

has been called the country’s 

first humanitarian act on an international 

scale, yet the young refugees 

were to face culture shock and 

discrimination in their adopted 

home. 

On April 25, the Hamazkayin Armenian 

Educational and Cultural 

Society New Jersey Chapter–Youth 

Theater Group will bring their story 

to life in a production organized 

by the Armenian Genocide Commemorative 

Committee of Greater 

Washington. 

“The Georgetown Boys,” a musical 

by Herand Markarian, will be onstage 

at the John F. Kennedy Center 

for the Performing Arts Family 

Theater, 2700 F St. NW. Washington, 

D.C., at 7:30 p.m. 

connect: 

Elo Tanashian 1-301-740-2751 

or Garbis Muradian 1-703-836-0827 

(10 a.m. to 7 p.m.)



Aram Balian, 14, wins “Ani” Lodge student essay contest 

14-year-old urges 

President Obama 

to recognize the 

Armenian Genocide 

WASHINGTON – With his 

“Letter to President Obama,” 14- 

year-old Aram Balian of Chevy 

Chase, Md., has won the second 

annual Armenian Student Essay 

Contest, the Knights of Vartan 

“Ani” Lodge has announced. The 

winning essay urges the president 

to follow up on his affirmation to 

recognize and to persuade the Republic 

of Turkey to recognize the 

Armenian Genocide. 

Aram wrote of his support for President 

Obama, his personal connection 

to the Armenian Genocide though 

his elder relatives, well-documented 

citations of previous affirmations by 

the U.S. govemment of the Arrnenian 

Genocide, a description and summary 

of recent events, and the relationship 

of the Armenian Genocide to other 

genocides of the 20m century, including 

the Holocaust. 

“I was very impressed with the 

well-thought-out and articulate 

letter that Aram wote, as were the 

judges,” said “Ani” Lodge Commander 

Ed Ketchoyian. “We were 

so impressed with the essay that we 

are now working to get the letter to 

President Obama before April 24th.” 

The essay contest, launched on 

December 31, 2008, was open to 

students under the age of 19. Mr. 

Balian will receive a $500.00 U.S. 

Savings Bond. 

 

Let us know what’s on 

your mind. 

Write to us at 

letters@ 

reporter.am 

Knights of Vartan Essay Contest winner writes to President Obama 

This open letter by 14-year-old Aram 

Balian of Chevy Chase, Md., was the 

winning entry in the second annual 

Armenian Student Essay Contest 

sponsored by the Knights of Vartan 

“Ani” Lodge of Washington, D.C. 

March 2, 2009 

Dear President Obama, 

I enjoyed watching your presidential 

address to the Congress 

when you highlighted the young 

student from South Carolina who 

had written to you about the need 

for repairs at her school. I had never 

thought that a President of the 

United States would respond to letters 

from young students; however, 

when you mentioned that letter, 

and I saw the student sitting next 

to the First Lady, I was inspired to 

write to you. 

I am writing to ask for your support 

in recognizing the systematic 

killings and forced deportations 

of the Armenians living in the Ottoman 

Empire at the turn of the 

twentieth century as genocide. 

My entire family supported your 

election. Your candidacy represented 

strong moral values, a willingness 

to try to make things right 

in our country, and a real hope for 

our future. I am extremely proud 

of our country and its citizens and 

grateful to be lucky enough to be 

an American, under the leadership 

of President Barack Obama. 

Several years ago, my parents 

took my brother and me to Armenia 

to connect to our Armenian 

heritage. The trip was an amazing 

opportunity to pray in churches 

that were built in the 4th century, 

to visit monasteries located in the 

mountains, and to view Mount Ararat, 

the ancient symbol of Armenia 

where Noah’s ark landed, from 

our hotel room in Yerevan. I left 

Armenia as an American happy and 

proud of my Armenian heritage. 

During our trip, we said a prayer 

at the Armenian Genocide memorial 

for the Armenians who were 

massacred by the Ottoman Turks 

from 1915 to 1922. My great-grandmother, 

who died a few years ago, 

used to tell me stories of her childhood 

escaping from her village 

of Dort Yol, Turkey, to avoid the 

Genocide. She lost her mother during 

the marches to the Middle East. 

On the other side of my family, my 

mother’s great-grandmother was 

forced to march through the desert. 

She walked from the city of 

Gesaria (Caesarea) in western Turkey 

to Aleppo, Syria. The trip took 

her three years and along the way 

she saw each of her family members 

die-one by one. She survived 

by eating any lizards and snakes 

she caught on the way. The story 

is much the same for thousands 

of Armenians who were forced to 

march through the desert with no 

food. In addition to the marching, 

many people lost their loved ones 

to outright execution. 

Although the Armenian Genocide 

has been an afterthought to 

some presidents in the past, it 

has been in the forefront of many 

great minds, including Raphael 

Lemkin. Lemkin, who coined the 

term “genocide,” campaigned for 

the ban of mass murder, after seeing 

the Armenian Genocide. The 

1948 United Nations Convention 

on the Prevention and Punishment 

of the Crime of Genocide adopted 

Lemkin’s term and defined 

genocide as 

“any of the following acts committed 

with intent to destroy, in whole 

or in part, a national, ethnical, racial 

or religious group, as such: killing 

members of the group; causing 

serious bodily or mental harm to 

members of the group; deliberately 

inflicting on the group conditions 

of life, calculated to bring about its 

physical destruction in whole or in 

part; imposing measures intended 

to prevent births within the group; 

[and] forcibly transferring children 

of the group to another group.” 

The Armenian Genocide is not an 

imagined event; it is a well documented 

and photographed historical 

event. As you yourself once 

said, “Joe Biden and I believe that 

the Armenian Genocide is not an 

allegation, personal opinion, or a 

point of view, but rather a widely 

documented fact supported by an 

overwhelming body of historical 

evidence.” There are many countries, 

unions, states, individuals, 

and others who have recognized 

the historical truth of the Armenian 

Genocide. Henry Morgenthau, 

the US ambassador to the Ottoman 

Empire from 1913-1916, recognized 

the Genocide and warned the US 

government about the “wholesale 

slaughter” of the Armenians, 

Greeks and Assyrians. Ambassador 

Morgenthau’s Story, a book written 

by Morgenthau, has been used as 

a primary source concerning what 

occurred in the Ottoman Empire 

during World War I. In 1915 alone, 

over forty articles were written by 

the New York Times about the Genocide. 

BBC News has also reported 

on the Armenian Genocide. Pope 

John Paul II issued a statement in 

2000 condemning the Armenian 

Genocide. Prominent countries 

that have recognized the Genocide 

include France, Germany, and Argentina. 

In addition, a coalition of 

countries, the European Union, has 

recognized the Armenian Genocide. 

Finally, many Turkish scholars 

and historians have recognized the 

Genocide, even in the face of the 

punitive Turkish legal codes. These 

figures include Hrant Dink, who 

was later killed by a radical Turkish 

nationalist for his views. 

In the United States, 42 states 

have recognized the Genocide independently 

of the Federal Government. 

During the 2007 visit of the 

Catholicos, the leader of the Armenian 

Apostolic Church, to Washington 

DC, there was a push in congress 

to pass a bill recognizing the 

Armenian Genocide. Unfortunately, 

the bill did not pass. However, there 

is now a renewed drive to pass the 

bill, implying that the majority of 

the US populace considers the massacres 

of Armenians, during and after 

World War I, a genocide. 

Even in the face of this conclusive 

evidence, some countries still 

deny calling the killings of Armenians 

a genocide. They have been 

threatened by Turkey with negative 

financial or military repercussions. 

In short, they have been 

bullied, and they have capitulated. 

The US should not be one of the 

countries in this category. The 

United States of America is the 

moral leader of the world. Americans 

pride themselves on helping 

countries in need and doing the 

right thing. However, how can the 

US justify helping other countries 

establish sound democracies or 

governments, or even make correct 

and morally sound choices in 

deploying our troops, when inexplicably, 

the US has not recognized 

the first documented and photographed 

Genocide at the beginning 

of the 20th century 

Recognizing the Armenian 

Genocide is a strong moral statement 

for the United States, and 

should not be a choice. For what 

other reason than realpolitik has 

the Genocide not been acknowledged 

I have read many news articles 

on the fact that the US needs 

to maintain a strong military presence 

in the Middle East. Turkey 

has become the location of choice, 

because it is considered a “secular” 

Muslim state, or even a “moderate” 

Muslim state. However, given the 

recent series of speeches by Abdullah 

Gul, the President of Turkey, 

who has railed against Israel, does 

Turkey really seem all that “moderate” 

The fact that a huge number 

of Turkish citizens hate Israel and 

by extension America, might make 

Turkey less than “moderate.” The 

Middle East is a “hot spot,” in the 

world; however, the US may want 

to consider that Turkey is not immune 

to the passions and prejudices 

of the past. Our attempt at 

realpolitik, then, may be misguided. 

In fact, would it not be appropriate 

for America – a country founded 

on the ideals of Truth – to step 

away from realpolitik and simply 

recognize the Truth of the Armenian 

Genocide Does the US want 

to give up on Truth-the fact that 

that there was a systematic Genocide 

of one and a half million Armenians-for 

military base locations 

It is always the right thing 

to do to speak the Truth, and in 

the end it will not compromise our 

military presence in Turkey. For 

all their bluster, it would not be in 

Turkey’s interest to force the US to 

close our bases. Both in terms of 

Turkey’s safety and economic gain, 

a US military presence in Turkey is 

advantageous. Thus, we really do 

not need to respond to Turkey’s 

posturing and bullying. To do so 

will open the United States up to 

more bullying. I do appreciate the 

importance of a military presence 

in the Middle East. However, I 

cannot understand or condone a 

military base’s location taking precedence 

over recognizing the true 

reason for the death of one and a 

half million fellow humans. 

I ask you to please recognize the 

Armenian massacres as Genocide, 

not only to end an ongoing injustice 

to the worldwide Armenian 

community, but also to prevent 

further genocides from occurring. 

As you once said “America deserves 

a leader who speaks truthfully 

about the Armenian Genocide 

and responds forcefully to 

all genocides.” My parents tell me 

that other presidents and presidential 

nominees have promised 

to recognize the Genocide when in 

office. My family and I are looking 

forward to seeing the Genocide 

recognized by the United States, 

under the leadership of President 

Obama, this year. 

Once the United States recognizes 

the Armenian Genocide, we 

will have truly fulfilled our role as 

the moral and ethical leaders of 

the world. The philosopher and 

poet George Santayana once said: 

“Those who cannot remember the 

past are condemned to repeat it.” 

Sadly, this has been true when it 

comes to genocide. Rather than 

stopping with the Armenians, 

genocides-ridding a country of 

certain ethnic groups-have occurred 

in China (Nanking), Germany 

(Hitler himself said, “Who, 

after all, speaks to-day of the annihilation 

of the Armenians”), 

Cambodia (Pol Pot), Rwanda, Bosnia, 

and today in Darfur. Simply 

put, the more prolonged the recognition 

of the Armenian Genocide 

becomes, the less chance for future 

acceptance of the historical fact of 

genocide, and the more chance for 

future genocides. 

I respectfully ask that you support 

the recognition of the Armenian 

Genocide. 

Sincerely, 

Aram Balian, age 14 

Chevy Chase, Md.



Visit us at reporter.am 

Professor Simon Payaslian. 

Quick, someone 

interview this man! 

LOS ANGELES – A panel of chairholders 

in Armenian studies and 

directors of Armenian studies 

programs convened at ucla on 

March 28 discussed the state of 

the field. Asked about interest 

in the field among Armenian- 

Americans, panelists noted that 

scarce job opportunities scare 

students away. 

Simon Payaslian, who heads 

a new program at Boston University, 

put the blame squarely on the 

shoulders of Armenian-American 

media. He said Armenian newspapers 

write about Armenian studies 

only if they receive a press release. 

He noted that no Armenian 

paper has interviewed him. 

The Armenian Reporter has 

recently interviewed other professors 

of Armenian studies, including 

R.H. Dekmejian and 

Richard Hovannisian, and it 

is true that enrollment in their 

programs is higher than that in 

the Boston University program. 

The correlation is not entirely 

obvious, however. 

 

—V.L.

10 The Armenian Reporter | April 4, 2009


4X11 Kchak



Armenians of Colorado host American University of Armenia guests 

LOUISVILLE – The Armenians 

of Colorado welcomed Ronald 

Altoon and Edward Avedisian 

to Louisville on March 24 with a 

festive reception and a full table of 

delicious Armenian delicacies prepared 

by the AOC board members. 

The group gathered at the home of 

Betty and John Ohannessian to 

hear Mr. Altoon describe his experiences 

in designing a state-of-theart 

educational building for the 

American University of Armenia. 

(See stories in the Armenian Reporter 

for Nov. 8 and 15, 2008.) 

Dr. Kenell Touryan, an aoc 

member and aua’s vice president 

for research and development, 

welcomed the 35 guests, including 

Bruce Janigian, aua’s vice president 

for development and government 

relations, and Dan Maljanian, 

aua’s director of development. 

aua’s founding chairperson 

of the Board of Trustees and former 

University of California official 

William Frazer is an Aspen, 

Colorado, resident and had hoped 

to attend, but weather prevented 

him from traveling. 

Mr. Altoon, founding design partner 

of Altoon + Porter Architects 

in Los Angeles, presented slides of 

the $16 million Paramaz Avedisian 

Building project and described the 

numerous challenges he faced in 

bringing new building techniques 

and environmentally sensitive solutions 

to the country of Armenia. 

The 100,000-square-foot building, 

which doubles the size of the aua 

campus in Yerevan, added a new 

lecture hall, classrooms, laboratories, 

research centers, faculty offices, 

conference rooms, a café, and 

an art gallery. The project was established 

with a lead gift from the 

family of Khoren and Shooshanig 

Avedisian. 

Mr. Altoon and Mr. Avedisian, of 

Lexington, Massachusetts, were 

in town to make a presentation to 

the Society for College and University 

Planning (scup) conference in 

Boulder on March 25. Quoting William 

Saroyan, Mr. Altoon remarked 

that aoc had indeed created a 

“New Armenia” by joining together 

in the state of Colorado and providing 

Armenians with the opportunity 

to gather and enjoy fellowship. 

He also invited the Armenians of 

Colorado to join aua in its efforts 

to support the future of Armenia 

by ensuring the availability of highquality 

graduate education. Mara 

Gevorgian, an aoc member and 

a graduate of aua’s business school 

who now works for Standard & 

Poors, closed the program by telling 

of the impact her mba has had 

on her career and the fond memories 

she has of her time at aua. 

Armenians of Colorado, Inc. is a 

501(c)3 non-profit cultural organization 

established in June of 1980. 

Its purpose is to create a cohesive 

Armenian community and to further 

the understanding of Armenian 

history, culture, language, 

customs, and heritage. aoc actively 

supports issues and concerns of the 

Armenian-American community in 

Colorado as well as those identified 

within the Armenian diaspora communities 

throughout the world. 

The group facilitates Armenian 

scholars and artists to share their 

work with the Colorado community. 

aoc also works with the Denver 

Starz Encore Film Festival, the 

Denver Symphony Orchestra, and 

Opera Colorado in supporting Armenian 

talent from many parts of 

the world. It is through programs 

such as these that aoc provides 

inspiring events and enhances cultural 

diversity within the Colorado 

community. 

In addition to offering stimulating 

cultural and educational 

programs, aoc is working toward 

establishing an Armenian Cultural 

Center. aoc recently purchased a 

property in the Denver area and 

hopes to raise sufficient funds to 

build the center in the near future. 

 

connect: 

www.armeniansofcolorado.org 

www.aua.am 

At the Louisville, 

Colo., home of 

Betty and John 

Ohannessian, 

Armenians of 

Colorado gather 

to hear architect 

Ronald Altoon 

speak about his 

experiences in 

designing a stateof-the-art 

educational 

building 

for the American 

University of 

Armenia. Edward 

Avedisian, chair 

of the building 

committee, is second 

from right. 

Columbia U to hold conference on 

Armenian Genocide April 9 

NEW YORK – Andrea Kannapell 

of the New York Times will 

moderate a Columbia University 

panel on “The Armenian Genocide 

and its Relevance Today,” sponsored 

by the Armenian Club, on 

April 9. Prof. Taner Akçam, attorney 

Mark Geragos, and Dr. David 

Hamburg are the featured panelists 

at the 6 p.m. event in Davis Hall. 

Turkish-born historian and sociologist 

Taner Akçam holds the chair 

in Armenian Genocide studies at 

Clark University; he is the author 

of A Shameful Act and one of the 

first Turkish academics to openly 

discuss the Armenian Genocide. 

Renowned criminal-defense attorney 

Mark Geragos led successful 

federal class-action lawsuits 

against both New York Life Insurance 

and AXA for unpaid insurance 

benefits from the time of the Armenian 

Genocide. 

David Hamburg, Ph.D., president 

emeritus at Carnegie Corporation 

of New York, was awarded the Presidential 

Medal of Freedom in 1996; 

he is the author of Preventing Genocide: 

Practical Steps toward Early Detection 

and Effective Action. 

The panelists will highlight why it 

is still important to remember and 

actively discuss the first genocide 

of the 20th century; how its denial 

has hindered subsequent attempts 

at genocide prevention; and how 

lessons learned from the Armenian 

Genocide can help to prevent future 

war crimes and crimes against 

humanity. 

A reception will follow the presentations 

and audience discussion. 

 

Classified listings now available 

Please call 818-955-8407 or email us at classifieds@reporter.am 

Calendar of Events 

Northern California 

APRIL 5 - PALM SUNDAY LUN- 

CHEON. Location: Saroyan 

Hall, 825 Brothehood Way, San 

Francisco, CA. 2:00PM Admission: 

$20 adults; $10 stud. For 

more information contact KZV 

8th Grade Class, 650-369-5932; 

hsamurkashian@yahoo.com. 

APRIL 5 - POLITICAL FORUM 

FEAT. CONGRESSWOMAN 

JACKIE SPEIER. Location: Calvary 

Armenian Congregational 

Church, 725 Brotherhood Way, 

San Francisco, CA. 1:30pm- 

3:30pm. Admission: No Charge. 

For more information contact 

Armenian Assembly of America, 

(626) 577-0025; ykeshishian@ 

aaainc.org. 

APRIL 11 - HAVGETAMARD 

EASTER CELEBRATION. Location: 

Saratoga Community 

Center, 19655 Allendale Avenue, 

Saratoga, CA. 7:30pm 

Admission: $30 Adults $15 Kids. 


Homenetmen Ani Chapter, at 

homenetmenani@gmailc.om. 

APRIL 19 - AVETIS BERBERIAN 

CONCERT. Location: Bayside 

Performing Art Center, 2025 Kehoe 

Ave., San Mateo, CA. 5:00 

pm. Admission: TBD. For more 

information contact AGBU 

Silicon Valley and Hamazkayin 

“Nigol Aghpalian” Chapter, 415- 

706-7251; nsarkiss@sbcglobal. 

net. APRIL 25 - CACC AN- 

NUAL BANQUET. Location: 

Calvary Armenian Congregational 

Church, 725 Brotherhood 

Way, San Francisco, CA. 7:00 

PM Admission: $75. For more 

information contact CACC, 415- 

586-2000; cacc@cacc-sf.org. 

MAY 11 - PETER BALAKIAN 

BAY AREA BOOK TOUR. Location: 

Stanford University, Jordan 

Hall, bldg 420, room 041, 

Palo Alto, CA. 7:00 PM Admission: 

free. For more information 

contact Stanford Univ. Comparative 

Lit Dept and Stanford 

ASA, 650-926-4444; anahid1@ 

sonic .net. 

MAY 12 - PETER BALAKI- 

AN BAY AREA BOOK TOUR 

CONTINUED. Location: Lick-. 

Wilmerding High School, 755 

Ocean Avenue, San Francisco, 

CA. 7:00 PM Admission: free 

and open to the. For more information 

contact FACING 

HISTORY AND OURSELVES, 

510- 786-2500 x227; facinghistory.org/allstate. 

MAY 13 - PETER BALAKIAN 

BOOK TOUR CONTINUED. 

Location: Book Passage Bookstore 

in the San Francisco Ferry 

Building, 1 Ferry Building #42, 

San Francisco, CA. 6:00 PM Admission: 

free. For more informa-



Calendar of Events 

tion contact BOOK PASSAGE 

BOOKSOTRE, 415-835- 1020; 

Bookpassage.com. 

MAY 31 - YEREVAN DANCE 

GROUP ANNIVERSARY SHOW. 

Location: Cubberly Community 

Center Theatre, 4000 

Middlefield Road, Palo Alto, 

CA. 6:00pm Admission: TBD. 


Homenetmen Ani Chapter at 

homenetmenani@gmail.com. 

JULY 6 - HYE EM YES SUM- 

MER DAY CAMP. Location: KZV 

Armenian School, 825 Brotherhood 

Way, San Francisco, CA. 

8:30am-1:00pm Admission: 

$200.00 for the week. For more 

information contact Annie Bavoukian, 

415-586-8686; abavoukian@kzv.org. 

Central California 

APRIL 18 - SPRING BINGO. 

Location: California Armenian 

Home, 6720 E. Kings Canyon 

Rd., Fresno, CA. 5:45 pm Admission: 

$15. For more information 

contact Selma Triple X Fraternity 

Charitable Trust, 559-226- 

5796; rex@sti.net. 

APRIL 26 - EMPOWERING FU- 

TURE SHEPHERDS SCHOLAR- 

SHIP BANQUET. Location: First 

Armenian Presbyterian Church, 

430 South First Street, Fresno, 

CA. 1 pm Admission: $15 per 

person. For more information 

contact Armenian Theological 

Students Aid Inc., 559-433-0746; 

KarlVFresno@aol.com. 

MAY 3 - CLASSICAL CON- 

CERT BENEFIT OF ARMENIAN 

CHURCH OF SANTA BAR- 

BARA. Location: All Saints by 

the Sea Church, 83 Eucalyptus 

Lane, Santa Barbara, CA. 3pm 

Admission: $30 adult. For more 

information contact Armenian 

Church, 805-965-3088; operaforlife19@yahoo.com. 

MAY 17 - DISCOVER ARME- 

NIA: SLIDE SHOW AND LUN- 

CHEON. Location: St. Paul Armenian 

Church, 3767 N. First 

Street, Fresno, CA. 1:00 PM Admission: 

Free / $10 Lunch. For 

more information contact St. 

Paul Armenian Church, 888-266- 

7331; mkaranian@mac.com. 

JUNE 7 - CAL POLY SLO M. 

E. MUSIC/DANCE ENS. Location: 

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, 

Spanos Theatre, San Luis Obispo, 

CA. 7 pm, for more information 

contact Cal Poly SLO at 562-941- 

0845; bozigian@earthlink.net. 

Southern California 

APRIL 4-12 - GAREN 

PETROSSIAN WILL PERFORM 

IN WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S 

“OTHELLO”. Location: Actor’s 

Playpen, 1514 N. Gardner Ave., 

Los Angeles, CA. Admission: $15. 

For specific dates and times contact 

The Charlens Company, 323- 

640-3823. 

APRIL 4 - FRIENDS OF AR- 

MENIA - 17TH ANNUAL DIN- 

NER DANCE. Location: Palladio 

Banquet Hall, 1018 E. Colorado 

St., Glendale, CA. 7:30 PM Admission: 

$75 adults/$50 youth. 


Friends Of Armenia, 323-721- 

6204; salixan@yahoo.com. 

APRIL 5 - 2ND ANNUAL ARME- 

NIAN CULTURAL FESTIVAL. 

Location: Woodbury University, 

7500 Glenoaks Blvd, Burbank, 

CA. 11:00 am Admission: FREE. 


ALL Armenian Student Association, 

818-624-2427; woodburyuniversity_asa@yahoo.com. 

APRIL 19 - MIKHAIL SI- 

MONYAN, VIOLIN. Location: 

Raitt Recital Hall: Pepperdine 

University, 24255 Pacific Coast 

Hwy., Malibu, CA. 2:00 PM. Admission: 

$25. For more information 

contact Center For The 

Arts, (212) 994-3540; tdorn@ 

imgartists.com. 

APRIL 26 - COMMEMORA- 

TION OF THE ARMENIAN 

GENOCIDE, AND FILM ENTI- 

TLED “THE RIVER RAN RED”. 

Location: St. Patrick’s Episcopal 

Church, One Church Road, 

Thousand Oaks, CA. 12:15pm 

Admission: Free. For more information 

contact Armenian 

Apostolic Church of Ventura 

County, 818-645-5662; fr.hovel@ 

yahoo.com. 

MAY 1 - 8TH ANNUAL GLEN- 

DALE “ARARAT” TENNIS 

TOURNAMENT. Location: Glorietta 

Park, 1733 Glorietta Ave, 

Glendale, CA. See Application 

for Admission. For more information 

contact Homenetmen 

Glendale “Ararat” Chapter, 323- 

256-0651; athletics@ararat.org. 

MAY 3 - ARMENIAN INTERNA- 

TIONAL MEDICAL FUND GALA 

DINNER. Location: The Glendale 

Hilton, 100 W. Glenoaks Blvd, 

Glendale, CA. 5:30 PM Admission: 

$100.00. For more information 

contact Armenian International 

Medical Fund, 818-257- 

8998; AIM_Fund@yahoo.com. 

MAY 17 - DAVIDIAN-MARI- 

AMIAN 2ND ANNUAL TELE- 

THON. Location: DMEF, 658 W 

Hawthorne St Unit B, Glendale, 

CA. 6:00 pm to Midnight Admission: 

Donation. For more 

information contact Mariette 

Keshishian, 909-373-7876; 

m.keshishian@actiumconsulting.com. 

MAY 18 - ARMENIA AND 

KARABAKH ILLUSTRATED 

TRAVELOGUE AND AUTHOR- 

TALK WITH AUTHOR-PHO- 

TOGRAPHERS MATTHEW 

KARANIAN AND ROBERT 

KURKJIAN. Location: Distant 

Lands Travel Bookstore, 56 S. 

Raymond Ave., Pasadena, CA. 

7:00 pm to 8:15 pm. Free Admission. 

For more information 

contact Distant Lands, 626-449- 

3220; www.distantlands.com 

MAY 23 - AN EVENIG AT WALT 

DISNEY CONCERT HALL. 

Location: PROKOFIEV AND 

SHOSTAKOVICH, 111 SOUTH 

GRAND AVENUE, LOS ANGE- 

LES, Los Angeles, CA. 7:00 P.M. 

Admission: $ 58.00. For more 

information contact Armenian 

Professional Society, 818-685- 

9946; apsla@apsla.org. 

MAY 24 - ARMENIAN INDE- 

PENDENCE DAY FESTIVAL. 

Location: Little Armenia, Hollywood 

Blvd. and Alexandria, 

Hollywood, CA. 11am Admission: 

Free. For more information 

contact Armenian Cultural 

Foundation, 818-243-9264; info@ 

littlearmeniafestival.org. 

MAY 31 - 32ND ANNIVERSARY 

CHURCH BANQUET. Location: 

St. John Garabed Armenian 

Church, 4473 30th Street, San 

Diego, CA. 12:30 pm. For more 

information contact St. John 

Garabed Armenian Church, 619- 

284-7179; S t J o h n G a - 

rabed@sbcglobal.net. 

JUNE 6 - ARMENIAN FOOD 

FAIR & FEST. Location: Holy 

Cross Cathedral Grounds, 900 

W Lincoln Avenue, Montebello, 

CA. Noon - 10pm Admission: 

Free Admission. For more information 

contact Holy Cross 

Cathedral, 323-727-1113; info@ 

armenianfoodfair.com. 

JUNE 7 & 13 - POPULAR AR- 

MENIAN SINGER HAMLET 

GEVORKIAN AND HIS BAND 

– IN CONCERT. Location: Glendale 

High School. His US tour 

starts after this performance. 

For more information call 818- 

242-6928; 818-246-0125; 818-246- 

2070. 

AUGUST 16 - ANNUAL 

CHURCH PICNIC AND GRAPE 

BLESSING. Location: Mission 

Bay Park, Mission Blvd., San 

Diego, CA. 12:00pm Admission: 

Free. For more information contact 

St John Garabed Armenian 

Church, 619-284-7179; StJohnGarabed@sbcglobal.net. 

SEPTEMBER 5 - FIFA - AR- 

MENIAN VS. BOSNIA-HER- 

ZEGOVINA SOCCER GAME 

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OCTOBER 17 - ANNUAL BA- 

ZAAR- ARMENIAN CULTURAL 

FESTIVAL. Location: St John 

Garabed Armenian Church, 

4473 30th Street, San Diego, CA. 

12:00pm Admission: Free. For 

more information contact St. 

John Garabed Armenian Church, 

619-284-7179; StJohnGarabed@ 

sbcglobal.net. 

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Kim Kardashian is proudest of her Armenian genes and her 

Armenian vor, she says in exclusive US-Armenia TV appearance 

BURBANK, Calif. – Celebrity 

and fourth generation Armenian- 

American Kim Kardashian gave 

an exclusive interview to US-Armenia 

TV on April 1, telling her Armenian 

and non-Armenian fans that 

she was proudest of her Armenian 

genes and her Armenian vor. Noting 

that her late father, O.J. Simpson 

attorney Robert Kardashian, 

had dreamed of visiting Armenia, 

she announced that she plans to 

fulfill her father’s dream. 

Casual, gracious, funny, flirtatious, 

and always mesmerizing, the 

drop-dead gorgeous 20-something 

reached out to some 7 million US- 

Armenia TV viewers over-the-air 

on digital channel 18.5 in Southern 

California, via cable and the Globecast 

satellite to the United States 

and North America, to Europe, the 

Middle East and Africa on the global 

Hotbird satellite, and via terrestrial 

antennas all over the Republic 

of Armenia and the Armenian Republic 

of Nagorno-Karabakh. 

Kim spoke to Armenia TV personalities 

Hovo and Rafo, telling 

them that she wanted to learn to 

speak Armenian. For now, she said, 

she can say “inchbes es” (how are 

you) and “vor” (ass). 

Kim began the interview by talking 

about her hit series on the E! 

network, Keeping Up with the Kardashians. 

The reality show is also 

licensed by CS Media, which owns 

US-Armenia TV and with which 

this newspaper is affiliated. 

The Kardashian family, to most 

fans, has an addictive appeal, luring 

people to Kim’s personal website, 

to the weekly airings and repeats of 

the series, and to magazines, print 

and TV reports about this Armenian 

family. Keeping Up with the 

Kardashians began its third season 

with a bang and with a promise to 

show even the most personal conversations 

between family members 

and their love interests. 

In addition to her reality series, 

Kim talked about her new online 

Kim Kardashian. 

enterprise called shoedazzle.com, 

where she and her team of style 

experts can help find the perfect 

shoes for any woman. “And you 

know how much woman love their 

shoes,” said the fashion guru. 

Kim also shared her beauty secrets 

and teased her new exercise 

dvd series called Fit in Your Jeans 

by Friday, now available at the Kardashian’s 

clothing stores in Calabasas 

and via the Internet. 

US-Armenia TV talk show host 

Paul Chaderjian – who sat next 

to Kim on the Armenia TV set in 

Burbank – shared Hovo and Rafo’s 

questions and comments with Kim. 

Kim said one of her dreams is to 

learn how to make Armenian food. 

She said she often goes to a restaurant 

in Glendale to celebrate her 

love for Armenian cuisine and to 

honor her father’s memory. 

Chaderjian, a seven-year Englishlanguage 

newscaster and talk-show 

host on Armenia TV’s satellite 

services, said one of his colleagues 

would gladly teach Kim how to 

make Armenian food. “I would love 

that,” said Kim, “but I’d like to bring 

my brother and sisters.” 

Hovo and Rafo said they would 

gladly be the superstar’s tour 

guides in Armenia, and Kim quickly 

accepted their offer, telling the 

comedy duo that she loved them. 

Hovo, in his quick-witted, comedic 

voice, asked Kim if she would 

marry him, and Kim’s comeback 

was “only if we can have a big, lavish, 

Armenian wedding.” Rafo then 

broke the news that Hovo was already 

married. 

Speaking of her father, Kim said, 

“He always regretted not sending us 

to Armenian school. My mom always 

says, ‘I wish I knew Armenian 

so I could teach you.’” 

This need to learn about her ethnic 

heritage and to be able to communicate 

with her own grandfather, whom 

she said she visits every week, are two 

of the reasons Kim Kardashian may 

soon be landing at Zvartnots Airport, 

Armenian spirit celebrated in N.J. photography exhibit 

with Hovo and Rafo and thousands 

of fans ready to greet her. 

connect: 

kimkardashian.com 

shoedazzle.com 

PARAMUS – Bergen Community 

College will celebrate the Armenian 

people’s triumph over tragedy 

with the New Jersey premiere of 

“The Armenians: Spirit of Survival,” 

a photography exhibit sponsored 

by the College’s Center for the 

Study of Intercultural Understanding, 

the Bergen Community College 

Peace, Justice and Reconciliation 

Center and the Bergen Community 

College Foundation. Gallery Bergen, 

the College’s 2,250-square-foot 

art exhibition space, will house 

the display from Saturday, April 

25, to Friday, May 22. The gallery 

is located on the third floor of the 

College’s high-technology and arts 

building, West Hall, at 400 Paramus 

Road, Paramus. The gallery’s 

hours of operation are Tuesdays, 

Thursdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. 

to 6 p.m.; Wednesdays from 11 a.m. 

to 8 p.m.; and Saturdays from 11 

a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free and 

open to the public. 

The exhibit, provided by Project 

save Armenian Photograph Archives, 

Inc., chronicles the struggle 

of the Armenian people in the late 

19th and early 20th centuries as 

their culture, religion, language and 

very existence were threatened by 

the Ottoman, Russian and Persian 

empires, and then later by the Soviet 

Union. The Armenian people 

were the targets of the 20th-century’s 

first genocide, which led to 

the deaths of as many as 1.5 million 

people in 1915. The Armenians persevered 

- in spite of great loss - and 

found the spirit needed to thrive. 

Ruth Thomasian, executive director 

of Project save, will conduct 

a presentation on Tuesday, April 

28, at 2 p.m. in Gallery Bergen on 

the origins of the Armenian photograph 

archives and on the development 

of the exhibition. Project 

save, founded in 1975, is a Watertown, 

Mass.-based nonprofit whose 

mission is to collect, document and 

preserve the historic and modern 

photographic record of Armenians 

and their heritage. Thomasian 

Photographs 

such as this one, 

by Soursourian 

and courtesy of 

Edna Bogosian, 

depicting an 

unknown 

Armenian family 

c. 1900, will 

be on display 

at Bergen 


College’s 

Armenians: 

Spirit of 

Survival exhibit. 

Soursourianþ. 

maintains the world’s only photographic 

archive chronicling the 

journey of the Armenian people. 

The Gallery Bergen display will 

feature 40 large photographs and 

include text documenting the Armenians’ 

internment, mass execution 

and subsequent diaspora from 

Asia Minor. Project SAVE’s 25,000 

photographs, which date from 

1860, feature families living during 

the Ottoman, Russian and Persian 

empires, the Soviet Socialist Republic 

of Armenia and the Republic of 

Armenia. 

Members of Project save work 

closely with photo donors to obtain 

the images, which have appeared at 

Ellis Island Museum in New York, 

the Smithsonian Institute, Washington, 

D.C., and in many books 

and television programs. 

Bergen County has at least 8,500 

Armenian Americans, most of 

whom reside in the southeastern 

part of the county. 

Bergen Community College is a 

public two-year coeducational college, 

enrolling more than 15,000 

students in Associate in Arts, Associate 

in Science, and Associate in 

Applied Science degree programs 

and certificate programs. More 

than 10,000 students are enrolled 

in non-credit, professional courses 

through the Division of Continuing 

Education, the Institute for 

Learning in Retirement, the Philip 

J. Ciarco Jr. Learning Center, located 

at 355 Main Street, Hackensack, 

and Bergen at the Meadowlands, 

located at 1280 Wall Street West, 

Lyndhurst. 

 

connect: 

bergen.edu 

1-201-447-7200



The Molokans add ethnic color to Armenia 

Exiled from Russia, 

they found tolerance 

in Armenia 

by Tatul Hakobyan 

LERMONTOVO and FIOLETOVO, 

Lori Province, Armenia – Ivan 

Makshanov, a Russian Molokan, 

was born and has always lived in 

the village of Lermontovo. His ancestors, 

exiled from the Saradova 

province of Russia, have also lived 

in this village. “Our homeland was 

Russia. We were exiled from there. 

If they exiled us here, and we have 

lived in Armenia for more than 150 

years, then Armenia is our homeland,” 

he says as he places buckets 

of water on the floor. 

Aside from Lermontovo and Fioletovo, 

the Molokans also live in 

Yerevan and Dilijan and they number 

about 5,000 in Armenia. 

If you’ve ever been to one of the 

closed markets in Yerevan, you will 

have no doubt come across young 

women and girls with pale skin, red 

cheeks, and white head scarves, 

selling pickled cabbage. They are 

the Molokans, Russians who were 

exiled to eastern Armenia from 

the Russian countryside because of 

their faith, in the early 19th century. 

Czar Nikolas I exiled to the 

Caucasus those Russians who did 

not accept the Russian Church. The 

Molokans are pure Russians who 

rejected church icons, the Trinity, 

the Orthodox fasts, military service, 

and the eating of foods they 

consider unclean, among other 

church rituals. 

The village head of Lermontovo, 

Edik Chakhalyan was born and 

raised among Molokans. He is 

amazed at the work ethic of Molokans. 

“If an Armenian gets 1.5 tons 

of cabbage from 1,000 square meters 

of land, then a Molokan is able 

to get 4 tons. They are extraordinarily 

hard-working and know how 

to work the land,” says the village 

head. Lermontovo, which is 13 

kilometers away from the city of 

Vanadzor, has 800 Russian Molokans, 

150 Armenians, and 60 Yezidi 

Kurds. 

The religion of the Molokans 

took shape during the second half 

of the 18th century in the Dambovi 

province of Russia. The name 

“Molokan” is connected to the “spiritual 

milk” in the Bible (moloka in 

Russian means milk). Molokanism 

was the religious expression of a 

social protest against slavery and 

the Russian Orthodox Church. 

I was in Lermontovo and Fioletovo 

at the end of March, when the 

entire region was covered in snow. 

It occurs to you that you are in the 

Russian countryside. People were 

speaking Russian, their homes 

were identical to those found in 

Russian villages – one-story structures 

constructed of wood and 

painted blue. 

Olga Zatorkinan, the librarian 

at the Russian school in Fioletovo, 

requested not to be photographed 

but agreed to speak to me. Molokans 

as a rule do not like to be 

photographed. “We were born and 

raised here. This is our homeland. 

Sometimes, when some of our people 

go to Russia to work, they meet 

Armenians whom they consider 

their compatriots. We are very hospitable, 

just like the Armenians. We 

gather together every Sunday, just 

as God said to dedicate every Sunday 

to him. Every gathering has its 

leader. Our Holy Bible is the Asdvatsashunch 

(the Armenian Bible). 

We don’t believe in the cross, or in 

icons,” said Ms. Zatorkina. 

Ania and Tania. 

The people of Fioletovo were exiled 

here in 1840 from the village of 

Algasovo, in the Dambovi province 

of Russia. At the time, 57 families 

were exiled. Today, almost 170 years 

later, they number 1,500. Fioletovo 

is the first village you come upon 

when driving from Dilijan and 

Vanadzor. There are only eight Armenians 

in this village; two brothers 

with their families. 

The Russian-language teacher 

at the school in Fioletovo, Alla 

Rudiamodkina, said that very 

few Molokans go on to seek postsecondary 

education, because 

just as in their school years, the 

children stay to help their parents. 

Alla explained that drinking alcohol 

is forbidden for Molokans 

and they are not encouraged to 

watch television. In the evenings, 

Molokans like to read, primarily 

the Bible. 

Molokans are primarily occupied 

in cattle breeding and farming. 

During the Soviet years, when 

trains from Armenia would travel 

to the very remote corners of the 

union, the Molokans would sell 

their famous pickled cabbage in the 

markets of different cities. 

Alexei Novikov, the village 

head of Fioletovo, said that they 

live off the land. “The land is not 

fertile. The only way we can receive 

a good harvest is through extremely 

hard work. During Soviet 

times we were primarily planting 

cabbage, making pickles out of it, 

and then selling it throughout the 

country to Moscow, Ukraine, the 

Urals, and many other places. Today 

we make it only for the market 

in Armenia. Armenians come, 

we agree on a price, and then they 

take the pickled cabbage and sell it,” 

said Mr. Novikov. 

The village head went on to say 

that they have never felt discriminated 

against as an ethnic or religious 

minority in Armenia. 

“We consider our homeland to be 

Armenia. Russia is not our homeland, 

where they call us presbyters 

because we were at one time exiled 

A typical Molokan home in the village of Lermontovo. 

Left: Molokan 

children in 

Fioletovo. Right: 

Ivan Makshanov. 

Photos: Tatul 

Hakobyan for 

the Armenian 

Reporter. 

from Russia. [Presbyters in Russian 

terminology means those people 

who follow the Molokan religious 

rituals on Sundays.] 

Molokans live a humble life; 

they are honest and hardworking. 

They do not pursue riches, but they 

most definitely help their neighbors 

and friends. Their houses are 

not large nor lavish, but certainly 

clean and tidy. Their numbers in 

Armenia are only about 5,000, but 

without them, Armenia would 

certainly become even more monoethnic. 

It is a good thing that they 

no longer leave the country and 

that they consider it their homeland. 

f



Coup charges against jailed opposition dropped 

by Karine Kalantarian 

YEREVAN (RFE/RL) – An Armenian 

judge on Wednesday ended 

the controversial collective trial of 

seven opposition figures arrested 

following last year’s post-election 

clashes in Yerevan after prosecutors 

dropped coup charges leveled 

against them. 

The new twist in the so-called 

“Case of the Seven” resulted from 

the newly enacted amendments to 

Articles 225 and 300 of the Armenian 

Criminal Code used against 

the prominent supporters of opposition 

leader Levon Ter-Petrosian. 

The articles deal with provocation 

of street violence and “usurpation 

of state authority by force” respectively. 

One of the amendments 

passed by the Armenian parliament 

on March 18 divided Article 

300 into three sections detailing 

various forms of power usurpation 

and toughening punishment for 

some of them. 

Citing the amendments, the chief 

trial prosecutor, Koryun Piloyan, 

said during a chaotic court session 

on Wednesday that the defendants, 

among them three parliament 

deputies and a former foreign minister, 

will now face no accusations 

stemming from Article 300 but 

must continue to be tried for organizing 

the March 1, 2008 “mass 

disturbances” in Yerevan. Two of 

them, Miasnik Malkhasian and Sasun 

Mikaelian, also remain accused 

of resisting police and illegally possessing 

weapons respectively, said 

Piloyan. The prosecutor’s speech 

was drowned out by furious shouts 

from defendants. 

Sasun Mikaelian’s case will be 

sent to Kotayk regional court, 

while the others will be heard at 

Yerevan’s Central and Nork Marash 

district courts, presided over by 

different judges. Judge Mnatsakan 

Martirosian will be presiding over 

Alexander Arzumanian’s and Suren 

Sirunyan’s case. 

Presently, it is not clear, which 

courts will be examining the remaining 

cases. This means that their 

trials will be prolonged because the 

presiding judges will have to become 

acquainted with their cases. 

The judge in the case, Mnatsakan 

Martirosian, responded by ruling 

that the seven oppositionists 

should stand fresh and separate 

trials for orchestrating the vicious 

clashes between Ter-Petrosian supporters 

and security forces that left 

ten people dead and more than 200 

others injured. Justifying the surprise 

decision, Martirosian cited 

the complexity of the case involving 

about 400 witnesses and “victims” 

as well as the need to speed 

up judicial proceedings. 

With the riot charge punishable 

by between four to ten years in 

prison under the amended Article 

225, Martirosian declined to free 

the defendants pending further 

trial. It is therefore unlikely that 

any of them will be set free before 

this month’s session of the Council 

of Europe Parliamentary Assembly 

(PACE) which is due to discuss 

Yerevan’s compliance with its January 

resolution on Armenia. 

The resolution deplored the continuing 

imprisonment of dozens 

of Armenian opposition members. 

Still, the Strasbourg-based assembly 

backed down on its threats to 

suspend the voting rights of its Armenian 

members, citing the Armenian 

authorities’ pledge to amend 

the Criminal Code. It interpreted 

the pledge as an indication that the 

authorities will finally free all oppositionists 

jailed on “seemingly 

artificial or politically motivated 

charges.” 

Meanwhile, the defense lawyers 

in the trial criticized Martirosian’s 

decision and said they will likely 

appeal against it. “The court made 

a decision that took both the defense 

lawyers and prosecutors by 

surprise,” one of them, Melanya 

Arustamian, told RFE/RL. 

“They have split up the case because 

it was having too much public 

resonance,” said Vartuhi Elbakian. 

According to another attorney, 

Hovik Abrahamian, the judge 

Turkey signals that it might open the border 

Ankara’s blockade 

of Armenia officially 

began 16 years ago 

News analysis by Tatul 

Hakobyan 

YEREVAN – One of the most talked 

about issues in Yerevan today is 

Armenian-Turkish relations. More 

specifically the two components of 

that relationship: (1) Will Turkey 

finally lift the blockade of Armenia 

In other words will it open 

the border (2) Will Barack Obama 

in his message to the Armenian 

people on April 24 use the word 

“genocide” as he had promised 

during his election campaign. Mr. 

Obama, along with Vice President 

Joe Biden and Secretary of State 

Hillary Clinton, have in the past 

supported Armenian Genocide 

resolutions. 

It is expected that the president 

of the United States will be visiting 

Ankara and Istanbul April 

5-7. Mr. Obama’s visit to Turkey 

will be his first European visit. 

(He will also visit Great Britain, 

France, and the Czech Republic.) 

The visit will be his first to 

a Moslem-majority country. Mr. 

Obama has decided to go to Turkey, 

which illustrates the importance 

of the U.S.-Turkey relationship 

and the role Turkey plays for 

the United States in the Black Sea, 

the Middle East, and Europe. 

The overriding opinion of politicians 

and analysts in Armenia 

is that if Turkey doesn’t open the 

border with Armenia – or at least 

one of the check points – before 

April 24, then Mr. Obama will honor 

his pledge and be the first U.S. 

president since 1981 to say the word 

“genocide.” 

Statements have been published 

in the Turkish press which 

say that there is a possibility that 

Turkey will open the border before 

April 24. 

Abdullah Gül and Serge Sargsian in Yerevan. Photo: Photolure. 

An anniversary 

Exactly 16 years earlier, on April 4, 

1993, in solidarity with Baku, the 

Turkish government decided to 

close the border with Armenia and 

announced that as long as Karabakh 

forces had not left the region 

of Kelbajar, the borders would remain 

closed. 

By December 1991 Ankara had 

recognized the independence 

of the three Caucasus countries. 

However, while it established diplomatic 

relations with Georgia and 

Azerbaijan, Ankara refused to establish 

diplomatic relations with 

Armenia, stating that Armenia had 

territorial claims on Turkey. Turkish 

authorities referred to Armenia’s 

declaration of independence 

in 1990 – where there are no direct 

territorial claims, however. 

Until April 1993, the two Armenia-Turkey 

check-points, the 

Kars-Gyumri railroad, and the land 

crossing at Alijan-Markara were 

open, even though there were no 

diplomatic relations between the 

two countries. 

After the events at Kelbajar, Turkey 

closed the border. That does not 

Journalists following the court proceedings. Photo: Photolure. 

necessarily mean, however, that 

the Turkish authorities adopted a 

hostile policy against Armenia in 

the name of or for the sake of Azerbaijan. 

We should not discount that 

Turkey was looking for an excuse to 

close its border with Armenia, and 

it would have been hard pressed 

to find a better opportunity than 

the Karabakh conflict. By placing 

Armenia in a blockade, Turkey satisfied 

the wishes of Azerbaijan, its 

ally, on the one hand, and on the 

other hand, it found new ways to 

place pressure on Armenia, citing 

the unresolved issue of Karabakh. 

The leaders of the newly independent 

Armenia, especially those 

who were negotiating with Turkey, 

insist that until in the spring of 

1993, the two countries were very 

close to establishing diplomatic relations; 

there was even a draft report 

based upon which diplomatic 

relations would be established. 

Two months before the events 

at Kelbajar, on January 31, 1993, 

Prime Minister Süleyman Demirel 

met with Gerard Libaridian, advisor 

to the Armenian president, and 

special negotiator Davit Shahnazarian. 

During that meeting, Mr. 

Demirel promised that Armenia 

would continue to receive Turkish 

wheat. 

Armenia, blockaded by its neighbors, 

was receiving Turkish wheat 

during those very difficult years, a 

reality that was causing Azerbaijan 

discomfort. Mr. Demirel assured 

Mr. Libaridian and Mr. Shahnazarian 

that Armenia would receive the 

promised 100,000 tons of wheat 

and recommended continuing bilateral 

talks for the establishment 

of diplomatic relations until they 

saw if a cease fire could really be put 

into place in Karabakh. 

When Karabakh forces entered 

Kelbajar in the end of March, Turkey’s 

reaction was swift. On April 2, 

Turkey closed the border and two 

days later passed a government 

decision about the blockade of Armenia. 

Instead of 100,000 tons of 

wheat, Armenia received 52,000 

tons. 

Some in Armenia 

believe that if Turkey 

doesn’t open the 

border with Armenia 

before April 24, then 

Mr. Obama will honor 

his pledge and say the 

word “genocide.” 

dealt a serious blow to government 

claims that the deadly unrest in 

Yerevan was the result of an opposition 

conspiracy to seize power 

by violent means. He said the implication 

is that there was never 

a concerted opposition effort to 

trigger the worst street violence in 

Armenia’s history. “The court has 

proved that … the whole thing is a 

fabrication,” claimed Arsenian. 

As a result of the judge’s decision, 

the relatives of the 10 victims 

of the March 1 clashes have been 

excluded from the criminal court 

proceedings. “We don’t know what 

will happen. Who should we apply 

to Where shall we go Will there 

be a new investigation This is not 

clear to us,” Sarkis Kloyan, the father 

of Gor Kloyan, one of the 10 

victims told RFE/RL. “But we have 

our own initiative and we will apply 

to the courts to hold responsible 

four police officers for applying 

special methods of the Chermukha-7.” 

During the events of March 1, 

three people were killed because 

of the Chermukha-7 (tear gas gun), 

they were Tigran Khachatryan, 23; 

Gor Kloyan, 29; Armen Farmanyan, 

35. 

f 

Copyright (c) 2009 RFE/RL, Inc. 

Reprinted with the permission of 

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 

Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 

20036. www.rferl.org 

If Turkey puts an end to its 

blockade of Armenia, this will be 

seen as the success of the Armenian 

authorities. However, what 

is important is what Turkey is demanding 

in return for opening the 

border. If that price is expensive, 

then the opening of the border 

could be meaningless. It appears 

that the authorities are no longer 

focusing on the international recognition 

of the Armenian Genocide. 

Neither President Serge 

Sargsian nor Foreign Minister 

Edward Nalbandian – in contrast 

to their predecessors Robert Kocharian 

and Vartan Oskanian, 

are touching upon or stressing the 

theme of the Armenian Genocide 

in international forums. And Turkey, 

in turn, is no longer stressing 

or placing the Karabakh conflict 

on its agenda of normalizing 

Armenian-Turkish relations as it 

once did. 

Is no longer stressing the recognition 

of the Armenian Genocide a 

satisfactory concession for Turkey 

to put an end to its blockade It 

is difficult to say because the details 

of the Armenian-Turkish negotiations 

are being kept secret. It 

is even difficult to say whether or 

not there is even a proposal that 

the two sides are working on, or 

if Armenia and Turkey are simply 

negotiating for the sake of negotiating. 

There is a sentiment in Yerevan, 

which is not so far-fetched, 

that the final result of the negotiations 

is not what is important for 

Ankara, but only the negotiations 

themselves. In other words, Turkey 

simply wants to overcome Mr. 

Obama’s and April 24th’s danger. 

Turkey today is using threatening 

words and blackmail, saying that 

if the “Genocide” word is uttered, 

then that will strike a heavy blow 

against Armenian-Turkish bilateral 

talks and the registered successes. 

The Armenian side is not responding 

to all of this. It is simply 

remaining silent, perhaps thinking 

that a breakthrough in Armenian- 

Turkish relations is imminent, and 

every indiscreet statement could 

strike a bitter blow to Armenian- 

Turkish bilateral talks. 

Certainly, by opening the borders 

Turkey is not doing us a great favor. 

It is simply putting an end to 16 

years of a continual hostile policy. 

Internationally, placing a neighbor 

in a blockade is considered to be 

aggression, in other words, Turkey, 

for the last 16 years has realized 

a policy of “peaceful” aggression 

against Armenia. 

f



From Armenia, in brief 

Germany’s Minister of 

State in Armenia 

Minister of State at the German 

Federal Foreign Office Gernot Erler 

and the head of the German- 

South Caucasian parliamentary 

group of the German Bundestag 

Steffen Reiche were in Armenia 

for a working visit March 29-30. 

During their visit to the country, 

they met with President Serge 

Sargsian, Prime Minister Tigran 

Sarkisian, Foreign Affairs Minister 

Edward Nalbandian, Speaker 

of the National Assembly Hovik 

Abrahamian and other high ranking 

officials. 

Armenpress reports that President 

Sargsian told the German officials 

that Armenia is grateful for 

the assistance Germany has provided 

since independence, as it is 

the second donor country as well 

as one of the biggest trade partners. 

The president went on to say that 

Armenia is very interested in deepening 

and strengthening ties with 

Germany. 

The sides discussed the domestic 

political situation, the peaceful 

resolution of the Karabakh conflict, 

emerging Armenian-Turkish relations, 

bilateral trade, the EU’s Eastern 

Partnership Initiative, as well 

as other issues of importance. 

PACE Monitoring 

Commission welcomes 

amendments in 

country’s criminal code 

The Monitoring Commission of 

the Parliamentary Assembly of the 

Council of Europe (PACE), during 

its session in Valencia welcomed 

amendments to articles 225 and 

300 to Armenia’s Criminal Code, 

Armenpress reports. 

David Harutyunyan. 

David Harutyunyan, head of 

the Armenian delegation to PACE 

said that taking into consideration 

that the changes in the articles 

are in force but have yet to be 

implemented said, “The further 

implementation of the law will 

Gernot Erler (l.) and Edward Nalbandian. Photos: Photolure. 

continue to be under the limelight 

of the monitoring commission.” 

The law will be implemented by 

the April session of PACE, when the 

monitoring commission will once 

again refer to the issue. 

Berdashen village in 

Karabakh to have new 

water-supply system 

Financed by the Hayastan All-Armenia 

Fund’s Argentinean affiliate 

and the government of Karabakh, 

the village of Berdashen in 

the region of Martuni will have a 

new water-supply system, worth 

210 million AMD (about $555,000 

US). 

Berdashen’s water-supply system 

was built in the 1960s and was 

for a very long time in a state of 

disrepair. The pump station was 

renovated, cancer-causing asbestos 

pipes were replaced with plastic 

ones, and a 3.6-kilometer pipeline 

was built, already supplying Berdashen 

with water. 

The next phase of the initiative, 

the building of the internal waterdistribution 

network, is underway. 

When this leg of the project is completed 

by autumn 2009, all 1,500 

residents of Berdashen will receive 

a regular supply of water, Armepress 

reports. 

Armenian-Swedish 

business forum held in 

Yerevan 

Infrastructure, energy, information 

technologies, environmental 

protection are some of the topics 

discussed at the Armenian-Swedish 

business forum held in Yerevan 

on April 2. Participants also discussed 

programs by the IMF, the 

investment climate in the country, 

relations between Armenia and the 

European Union. 

Armenia’s minister of economy, 

Swiss deputy minister of trade, 

deputy foreign minister of Armenia, 

deputy minister of energy and 

natural resources of Armenia and 

other officials took part in the forum, 

Arminfo reported. 

Byurakan Observatory 

at the center of 

scientific tourism 

Hayk Harutyunyan, director of 

the Byurakan Observatory told representatives 

of big tourism agencies 

operating in Armenia gathered 

in Byurakan that the observatory 

should be at the center of scientific 

tourism to Armenia. 

The director said that the region 

which includes Oshakan, the 

churches of the Ashtarak region, 

the summer residence of the 

Catholicos, the Fortress of Amberd, 

Karahunj (Armenia’s stone henge), 

Metsamor, and Aghdz would be an 

ideal center for tourism. 

UNESCO has declared 2009 as 

the year of International Astrology 

with the goal to present astrology 

to all spheres of society. 

The goal here is to promote and 

encourage tourists interested in 

astrology to visit the Byurakan 

Observatory, which thanks 

to renowned scientist Viktor 

Hambardzumian became one of 

the centers devoted to the study of 

astrology. 

World Autism Day 

marked in Yerevan for 

the first time 

The number of people suffering 

from autism is growing in Armenia 

and official statistics do not reflect 

their real numbers since children 

afflicted with this syndrome are often 

times living completed isolated 

from the public. 

A conference dedicated to shedding 

light on this issue and raising 

awareness was held at the UN Yerevan 

office on April 2. 

Nani Oskanian. 

Nani Oskanian, chair of Children 

Health Care was on hand and said, 

“We are concerned about the future 

of children with this syndrome. We 

need to look for ways of identifying 

children with autism and help integrate 

them in society.” According to 

Arminfo, Ms. Okanian went on to 

say that they are working in three 

directions to deal with autism. First 

it is important to have in place tools 

for early diagnosis and treatment; 

secondly raise awareness and thirdly 

to initiate research in this sphere. 

“I should say with regret, that our 

society is not ready to discuss such 

problems,” she said. 

Deputy Health Minister Tatul 

Hakobyan said that the health 

ministry is paying special attention 

to the rising cases of autism in the 

country. 

Nearly 60,000 

Armenians annually 

leave for Russia as 

seasonal workers 

Armenpress reports that due to the 

global financial crisis, the number 

of Armenians going to Russia as 

seasonal workers will most likely 

decrease. The reason being the reduction 

of available employment in 

Russia. Gagik Yeganian, head of Armenia’s 

Migration Agency said that 

even longterm migrants may possible 

return, primarily from Russia 

for the same reasons. 

With less people traveling to 

Russia to work and more migrants 

returning, the pressure on the 

system in Armenia will deepen. 

According to Mr. Yeganian it will 

not be possible to reintegrate 

these returning workers into the 

economy however their agency is 

taking certain steps to help smooth 

the situation. For example, they 

are considering providing seeds or 

dairy cattle to migrants from the 

villages so that they can at the very 

least, manage to have some form 

of income. 

Children’s book cover. 

A week of celebrating 

children’s books kicks 

off 

Under the auspices of the Armenian 

Writers’ Union, a week celebrating 

children’s and young adult 

novels kicked off in the city of 

Gyumri, Armenia’s second largest 

city. Levon Ananian, head of the 

Writers’ Union told reporters that 

a prize for the year’s best children’s 

book will be awarded. 

Children’s book writers will visit 

schools throughout the country, 

where they will have an opportunity 

to meet with students and present 

their books. 

Mr. Ananian notes that today 

there are many good children’s 

writers who have written high quality 

books. “We should be able to deliver 

the book from the publisher to 

the reader,” he told Armenpress. f 

Byurakan Observatory.


Editorial 

Commentary 

the armenian 

reporter 

Moving Turkish-Armenian relations to a new level 

U.S., Turkish, and Armenian diplomats have been spreading word that an agreement between 

Turkey and Armenia is imminent. The agreement would likely have the following elements: 

• Turkey would agree to open the border with Armenia, which it closed 16 years ago today, 

and to establish diplomatic relations with Armenia. 

• Armenia would agree to an intergovernmental commission to examine all issues that 

constitute the Armenia-Turkey agenda. 

• The United States would refrain from dealing publicly with any of the most contentious 

historical and contemporary issues on the Armenia-Turkey agenda while the commission 

was in play. 

(Alternatively, the sides will formally agree to discuss these matters further. In other words, 

a process rather than an outcome will be announced. Such a process could and likely would be 

dragged out indefinitely and thus, would have the effect of reinforcing the status quo.) 

If Turkey actually opens the border and agrees to establish diplomatic relations, it would 

be taking steps in the right direction. The border closure has been illegal. Both Armenia and 

Turkey’s eastern provinces will see some benefits from open borders. And Turkey will gain 

some credibility as a regional leader. 

Furthermore, if Turkey actually opens the border, it will signal that it no longer allows 

Azerbaijan-Armenia relations to determine the nature of Turkey-Armenia relations. Such a 

change would be a welcome step toward regional stability and integration. 

Armenia’s challenge is to secure normal relations with Turkey while refusing to fudge on 

the truth and ongoing relevance of the Armenian Genocide. 

Turkey’s challenge is that it needs to go beyond its annual pre-April 24 charm offensive 

and actually do something with Armenia. 

The challenge for the United States is to secure results for the new foreign-affairs approach 

put forth by the Obama administration. Since President Obama has made repeated and unequivocal 

promises to recognize the Armenian Genocide, ignoring it is not an option. 

In fulfilling his commitment, Mr. Obama would help move the relationship between Armenia 

and Turkey to a new level. At that level, Turkey’s primary concern would no longer be 

to find a way to avoid settled history. Rather, the shared concern would be to find ways to 

move forward to a brighter future. 

f 

This April, read Balakian and Odian 

In this first week of April, two memoirs on the Armenian Genocide appear for the first time 

in the English language. Both are well worth reading, and they are best read in conjunction 

with one another. 

Armenian Golgotha, by the high-ranking cleric Grigoris Balakian, has been translated by 

Peter Balakian with Aris Sevag, and published by Knopf. Accursed Years by the satirist Yervant 

Odian, has been translated by Ara Stepan Melkonian, and published by the Gomidas 

Institute. 

Accounts by foreign observers in the Ottoman Empire in 1915–17 make up an important 

part of the literature on the Armenian Genocide. The testimony of U.S. officials – like Consul 

Jesse B. Jackson in Aleppo or Consul Oscar Heizer in Trabizon, and of missionaries like 

Henry Riggs, Maria Jacobsen, and Tacy Atkinson in Harput, and Bertha B. Morley in Marsovan 

– give invaluable information. The testimony of Turkish and German observers adds 

an important perspective. 

In an effort to prove that the Armenian Genocide is not a figment of the Armenian imagination, 

some people dismiss Armenian testimony, focusing exclusively on foreign testimony 

that may be seen as more “neutral.” But that is a serious mistake. The testimony of Armenian 

survivors is an irreplaceable source of information and insight into the genocidal experience. 

The publication of these two important memoirs in English is thus an important step. 

Grigoris Balakian’s account, long available in Armenian, gives the classic story 

of the Genocide. He was among the 250-odd intellectuals and community leaders 

famously rounded up on April 24, 1915. He came across decimated “deportation” caravans 

along his own deportation route, which allowed him to form a broader picture. 

He spoke to Armenian deportees, Turkish officials, German engineers, bystanders 

and participants alike. Ultimately he was able to attest to the Der Zor massacre of 

1916, when tens of thousands of those who survived the deportation all the way to the 

desert were killed off. 

Odian’s story shows that there were many variations on the classical story of the Armenian 

Genocide. The subtitle is telling: “My Exile and Return from Der Zor, 1914–1919.” Zor 

was not a place Armenians typically returned from. Odian arrived there in 1917, after the Zor 

massacre had run its course. His survival in a different part of Syria, which was under the 

rule of Cemal Pasha, a member of the empire’s ruling triumvirate, suggests that the Young 

Turk leadership was not unanimous in its approach to Armenians. 

Coming to Zor after the massacre, Odian was able to see Armenian survivors who had converted 

to Islam – and to note that the population did not expect them to actually participate 

in religious rituals, suggesting that there was an effort to hide and protect Armenians. 

This April, as we prepare to mark the 94th anniversary of the Genocide and as we take 

active steps to encourage our elected officials to acknowledge the events as genocide, we 

would do well also to increase our own store of knowledge. These two memoirs by prominent 

Armenians are an excellent place to start. 

f 

The Armenian Church’s expanding role in the military 

by Father Simeon Odabashian 

VAGHARSHAPAT, Armenia – Some time ago 

through Catholic television in the United 

States, I became aware of a high level ministry 

known as the Archdiocese of the Military. 

This archdiocese has no geographical boundaries, 

yet it has a diocesan structure with an 

archbishop based in Washington and priest 

chaplains stationed at every U.S. military installation, 

base, warship, etc. in the world. 

How pleased and proud I was to learn that 

Armenia has a quickly developing Armed 

Forces Chaplaincy program. In 1997 Catholicos 

Karekin I appointed Father Vertanes 

Abrahamian as the first chaplain of the Armenian 

Army. Since that time, the program 

has grown to 30 chaplains, both priests and 

deacons, serving Armenia’s armed forces. At 

the helm of this critical ministry is the since 

elevated Bishop Vertanes Abrahamian, himself 

as veteran of the Karabakh war. This 

year, His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos 

of All Armenians, elevated the chaplaincy 

program as well, and has since been granted 

diocesan status. With Bishop Vertanes as its 

first primate, the new Diocese of the Armenian 

Armed Forces has been born. 

Last week I walked into a meeting of the 

chaplains and observed Bishop Vertanes at 

work strategically ordering the young clergy 

in his charge. My immediate thought was 

that here is a spiritual general at work. In 

some nations chaplains are granted military 

rank. 

Like its American counterpart, the Diocese 

of the Armenian Armed Forces has a 

unique arrangement by which its religious 

jurisdiction encompasses all army bases and 

military institutes in Armenia and Nagorno- 

Karabakh. 

According to a recent agreement between 

the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and the 

Minister of Defense Seyran Ohanian, chaplains 

are to be a permanent presence within 

the life of our armed forces. In addition, 

plans have been approved for the erection of 

a church for the military located close to the 

Ministry, where all official church/military 

events will be held. This church will also meet 

the spiritual needs of over 50,000 residents 

in the Avan section of Yerevan. 

The Ministry of Defense headquarters 

complex, Armenia’s version of the Pentagon, 

is a sprawling, impressive structure, which 

was opened less than a year ago. With the 

approval of the Defense Minister, Bishop 

Vertanes has been given an office within 

the Department of Human Resources. His 

office will eventually be equipped with modern 

telecommunications capabilities, so that 

the Primate can be in frequent contact with 

chaplains, via voice and video conferencing. 

In the words of Colonel Rafael Tatevosian, 

“Bishop Vertanes and the chaplaincy 

program’s work are closely related to the 

work of our department. That is why his office 

is located in our section. In our military, 

it is not enough to be physically fit and informed 

about tactical strategies, it is even 

more important to have a solid ideological, 

cultural, patriotic, and religious background. 

Since we are in Khorenatsi’s words, a ‘Pokr 

Adzoo-Small Nation’ and are easily outnumbered, 

our strength is in our ideological convictions. 

Part and parcel of this is the faith of 

the Apostolic Church, which is taught by the 

chaplains. Our soldiers need to be informed 

about historical events like the Battle of Avarayr, 

for example.” 

While the Armenian Apostolic Church is 

the only religious presence allowed by law 

in military areas, to further strengthen the 

church’s presence, plans are in the works to 

build small chapels on every base and military 

school. Bishop Vertanes envisions “chapels 

built on all of the military bases, where a 

soldier will go to pray, receive a blessing and 

words of encouragement from the chaplain 

prior to his shift of duty. After completing 

his shift he will go again to the chapel to offer 

a prayer of thanks. This will help in relieving 

danger-related stress.” 

While the Armenian border with Turkey 

is well guarded by Russian Federation forces, 

the critical eastern boarder with Azerbaijan 

is defended solely by Armenian troops. One 

of Bishop Vertanes’ serious challenges is to 

find qualified chaplains who can serve in 

these most critical border areas. 

So why is this religious presence so important 

Chaplains offer prayer and encouragement 

to the soldiers. They also provide 

education on the Christian faith and 

Armenian Church sacred traditions. Additionally, 

they offer Christian education 

at seven military schools. Bishop Vertanes 

is proud of the fact that as of this year a 

new uniform curriculum was adopted for 

use by all chaplains, which covers the basic 

teachings and history of the Armenian 

Church, as well as questions of morality 

and spirituality. Next year, the curriculum 

Continued on page 19 m 

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Commentary 

Living in 


The stories we have yet to tell 

by Maria Titizian 

Every Armenian family has a story to tell. I 

know that in my own particular family there 

are many fascinating stories, treasures that 

have been once told or perhaps tucked away 

to be told for a later time, that are now fading 

into the foggy memories of the elders of the 

family. Some stories have forever been wiped 

out, some have died with our grandparents. 

How many times have I heard from a friend 

or acquaintance that they never got around 

to asking their parents or grandparents 

about particular episodes in their lives that 

coincided with sweeping historical events; 

the stories of their lives. 

I have made some weak attempts at writing 

about my paternal grandfather whom 

I never met, based upon a bond we shared 

through letters, now long lost. About my 

maternal grandparents, I have written 

nothing because even while acknowledging 

the significance of their lives in the 

national mosaic of our people’s history, I 

know very little. I know that my maternal 

grandfather was born in Urfa, sent on to 

the deportations with his family and ended 

up in an orphanage in Aleppo. He was told 

and believed that the rest of his family had 

been killed. 

At the age of 14, escaping from the orphanage 

he makes his way to Beirut. Years 

later (the details of which continue to elude 

me) his older sister, who had also somehow 

survived, finds him through ads placed in 

Armenian newspapers of the day. They are 

miraculously reunited only to be separated 

once again in 1946 when his sister repatriates 

to Soviet Armenia. They parted in pain 

and disagreement, and never spoke to one 

another again. 

I met my maternal grandfather’s nephew, 

his sister’s son, in Yerevan in 2001. He was 

an old, broken and bitter man. Exceedingly 

handsome, even at an advanced age, there 

was a constant and enduring rage that emanated 

from him that was at once frightening 

and at once familiar. That generation, 

whether in the diaspora or in the homeland, 

had seen so much pain and suffering. They 

had lived through abject poverty, sometimes 

illiterate, with very little tools to protect 

themselves against the harsh realities of 

life and against the memories that tortured 

them. They were survivors or children of survivors. 

Their suffering did not have a voice, 

rather it became a tangled knot trapped in 

their bodies and often times perished along 

with them. 

My maternal grandmother, from Marash 

also survived the Genocide but spent the 

rest of her life battling the demons locked 

up in her memories. When she arrived in 

Canada following the outbreak of civil war in 

Lebanon, she was only 58 years old but you 

wouldn’t know it from looking at her. She 

wore black clothes, had long white hair tied 

in a tight bun at the nape of her neck and 

was blissfully plump. She died before her 61st 

birthday, and although surrounded by her 

children she died a sad and haunted woman. 

I can’t remember her ever laughing. 

We have the ability, through the printed 

word to relay stories that have significance 

and substance. That give a voice to the suffering 

of that generation. Stories which will in 

their turn explain, impart, and record some 

of our collective history. The content, depth 

and humanity of what we write will affect 

our society and our communities dispersed 

throughout the world. 

What we write serves as living history. 

What we write from Armenia allows our 

compatriots in the United States and other 

parts of the world to get a glimpse, capture 

an image of life in the homeland. It allows 

them to be carried along with the political 

and economic currents that flow through the 

veins of this organism we call the motherland. 

It gives you the reader, insight and empowerment. 

From energy projects in the region 

like the Nabucco pipeline, to Armenian-Turkish 

relations, to the prospects of a peaceful 

settlement of the Karabakh conflict, to the 

The Armenian Church’s expanding role in the military 

domestic political scene in the country, we 

report on the events which shape our lives. 

And we have so much to learn. We have investigated 

and reported on ethnic minorities 

that live in peace and harmony in Armenia. 

Whether they are Assyrians, Yazidis, Greeks, 

or Molokans, they have the ability to educate 

their children in their native tongue and 

practice their traditions unhindered. We allow 

this as a nation and as a state because 

we know what it means to be discriminated 

against. 

We learn from those who repatriated 

to Armenia, whether that was during the 

Great Repatriation of 1946-48 or the modern 

repatriates. We report about the work 

they do in the country, about their dedication 

and commitment, and sometimes simply 

about their everyday lives in an emerging 

democracy, in a country struggling to 

define itself. 

But whether we write about serious issues, 

or the lighter side of life, we do so in order 

to share and impart issues of substance and 

significance, of our shared values. 

What we must do is continue to write the 

stories about us, about our families, our compatriots, 

our people, our nation. We must 

continue to slowly weave the threads of our 

individual experiences to create a living and 

breathing testament to what it means to be 

an Armenian today or a century ago. f 

n Continued from page 18 

will be further refined and modified for use 

in various settings. 

The primate of the military regularly inquires 

regarding the chaplains’ effectiveness. 

He enjoys the utmost respect of the Minister 

of Defense and thanks to this, generals are 

from time to time giving talks at the seminaries 

to familiarize future clergy with the 

spiritual needs of those serving in the military 

and to be enabled to minister to their 

families as well. 

The chaplaincy program is not taking place 

in a vacuum. There is on-going contact with 

chaplaincy organizations in other countries. 

For example, Bishop Vertanes will be attending 

a meeting in the United Kingdom next 

month, and in the near future groups will be 

visiting from Greece and Russia. Though he is 

quick to point out that the Armenian Church 

has her own unique spiritual and cultural traditions 

that must be carefully adhered to. 

Historically, the Armenian Church has 

been the spiritual backbone of the nation’s 

defense. The role of clergy led by St. Ghevont 

Yerets at the battle of Avarayr in 451 is the 

most familiar. In the days of the first Armenian 

Republic, priests eagerly volunteered 

to join the laity in arms. In October 1918, 

Archbishop Khoren Muratbekian (later 

Catholicos Khoren I) proposed a pastoral 

guideline for “priest soldiers.” Priests were 

to serve side by side with the soldiers, wearing 

their clerical attire, but never taking up 

arms. Like the chaplains of today, they were 

called to be a spiritual presence among their 

flock and were “required with the colonel’s 

arrangement to lecture soldiers during free 

time regarding the Bible and national-church 

history, keeping alive the knowledge of their 

responsibility and love toward the nation 

and national sacred treasures.” They were 

also charged with teaching prayer, conducting 

worship and providing opportunities for 

soldiers to attend the Divine Liturgy. 

Duties of today’s chaplains are not so different. 

They have a significant presence on 

the base, engaging the soldiers and officers in 

conversation of a spiritual nature, teaching 

classes, visiting and praying for those in the 

infirmary and solitary confinement. Soldiers 

are personally invited to attend the Divine 

Liturgy in a local church. 

In terms of vision, the primate would like 

to see the Armenian Church be represented 

on the highest level in the military and that 

the clergy chaplains truly make a difference 

in the military by assisting in the moral and 

religious formation of every soldier. To assist 

in this mission, the primate has published a 

small prayer book, which will be distributed 

to every soldier. 

Bishop Vertanes also pointed out that 

cults and other religious movements are ongoing 

challenges, however, the Armenian 

Church is the only religious presence, which 

enjoys official recognition. No other group 

is permitted to proselytize in military facilities 

and Jehovah’s Witnesses refuse to serve 

their country. Members of other faiths are 

certainly free to follow their religious convictions 

and chaplains do not discriminate 

against members of other churches. 

After getting an overall picture of this program 

from Bishop Vertanes, I wanted to see 

with my own eyes our chaplains in action. 

Deep down I wanted to see if their presence 

made a difference or not and what sort of 

reception they received. 

So I visited a military base located next to 

the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, where 

the chaplain is Deacon Sahak Sahakian. 

Regarding Deacon Sahak’s presence, Major 

Karen Beglarian said, “It is of great help 

and there is much need among the soldiers. 

The chaplain offers classes regarding the 

Apostolic Faith. Each successive generation 

needs to be informed regarding our culture 

and faith so they won’t be led astray. It’s very 

bad when our people have no moral compass. 

Thus it’s very good to have Deacon Sahak 

here. On the occasion of what would have 

been Sparapet Vazgen Sargsyan’s 50 th birthday, 

the deacon led a group of our soldiers to 

the Mother See to pray in the cathedral and 

tour the museums. The army is improving 

day by day. Being close to the cathedral keeps 

the religion alive among the soldiers. Psychologically 

this has been of benefit.” 

Deacon Sahak pointed out that soldiers also 

went to the Mother See for the annual observance 

of Military Day on January 28. They 

attended the Divine Liturgy with high-ranking 

clergy, members of the Brotherhood and 

the Minister of Defense. Soldiers are taught 

to pray before meals and at the beginning of 

classes. There are also prayerful observances 

on special holidays. Deacon Sahak was also 

proud of the fact that because of the proximity 

of the Mother See, his soldiers have the 

highest attendance rate at Divine Liturgy. 

It was clear that Deacon Sahak is greatly 

respected on the base. His routine includes 

daily classes on the faith and traditions of 

the Armenian Apostolic Church. Examples 

of topics are the practices of Great Lent and 

Easter, how to fight against sin and profanity 

and the practice of forgiveness. During Holy 

Week he will escort a group of soldiers to the 

Mother See to take part in the Washing of 

Feet Service. 

The soldiers in his class had many questions 

about the faith and the essential difference 

between the Armenian Church and 

other religious movements. There is great 

concern about cults whose followers refuse 

to serve in the army and in the defense of the 

Bishop Vertanes Abrahamian with soldiers from Armenian Armed Forces. 

nation. Some felt that these movements are 

set on infiltrating the nation and may have 

certain connections with foreign powers. 

To the question does having a chaplain 

make a difference, one soldier, Razmik Astryan, 

responded, “His presence changes a 

soldier’s life. Attending church is very positive. 

We are helped to sin less.” 

My interest also led me to the Marshal Armenak 

Ghamparyantz Air Force Institute 

with Deacon Michael Barsaeghyan, who was 

recently appointed as its first chaplain. Similar 

to chaplains serving on bases, his role is 

first and foremost to impart the Christian 

faith to the cadets both through classes as 

well as via personal encounters. His presence 

in the institute has been warmly received by 

not only the commander, but by staff and 

cadets alike. 

In Deacon Michael’s words, “I keep all 

my encounters on a strictly official level. I 

have an excellent relationship with the commander 

and officers and can say that I have 

in a very short time earned their respect. 

I try to do my best. I bring in interesting 

movies and am working with AR TV station 

to prepare programs on the Armenian army 

and Marshal Baghramian. I am also planning 

a group baptism for cadets, who have 

not yet been baptized. My dream is to have 

a chapel on the grounds of the institute, 

where we can celebrate the Divine Liturgy, 

light candles, pray and meditate. Something 

that we have introduced is prayer before 

meals. Soldiers often approach me with 

prayer requests and questions about the 

faith.” He also feels that this work is very 

rewarding and will help him to be a more 

effective priest in the future. 

The assistant to the Commander of the 

institute, Colonel Zaven Hakobjanyan 

shared that “in the past religion was absent 

here, but now we are very happy that Deacon 

Michael is here. We feel his spiritual presence 

and we observe him to be passionate about 

his work. He is truly concerned about the 

fruit of his labors. The Mother See has truly 

blessed us with this program. The cooperation 

between the Mother See and the military 

is very healthy.” 

Without any hesitation, it can be said the 

Armenian Apostolic Church is making great 

strides in meeting the spiritual and pastoral 

needs of those serving in the military forces 

in the Armenian Republic. The following illustrates 

how this presence is truly moving 

the souls of servicemen. 

During my visit to Bishop Vertanes’ office, 

a young soldier entered inquiring about being 

baptized. The primate warmly welcomed 

him, gave him a New Testament and a small 

wood cross and encouraged him to return 

when they could further discuss the meaning 

of baptism and arrange for the sacrament. 

When I asked the primate if this was a common 

occurrence, he responded that the more 

our Church’s presence grows, the more we 

see this phenomenon of people (especially 

the young) reaching out for the saving sacraments 

of God. 

f

20 The Armenian Reporter | April 4, 2009

National, International, Armenia, and Community News and Opinion

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