Global Voices » Armenian

Armenia: Activists Demand Controversial Governor's Dismissal

Liana Aghajanian — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 13:14:39 +0000

Surik Khachatryan, the governor of Armenia's southern Syunik province, has been making headlines in the last month for all the wrong reasons. After allegedly assaulting Armenian businesswoman Silva Hambardzumyan in a Yerevan hotel, Khachatrian avoided prosecution for assault because law enforcement agencies considered that he hit her “only once and did not injure her.”

This week, however, the controversial governor has been filmed in a video insulting and threatening environmentalists, including well-known activist Mariam Sukhudyan, in the village of Kajaran, located 50 miles from the border with Iran. The activists were there protesting a mining project that they say will harm the environment and cause residents to leave, another exodus that Armenia, which is facing an emigration crisis, can't afford.

The mining company on the other hand, says the project will help the country economically, but the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Women has initiated a petition on social change site, Change.org, calling for Khachatryan's dismissal:

The Coalition to Stop Violence Against Women demands that Surik Khachatrian, governor of Armenia ‘s Syunik province, be immediately sacked for assaulting a woman.

The public slapping by the governor of businesswoman Silva Hambardzumian at Armenia Marriott hotel Yerevan in November, did not even receive public condemnation by our government. And recently, during his visit to Kajaran, Surik Khachatryan has threatened eco-activist Mariam Sukhudyan. This would be unacceptable in any civilized society. When a man, especially a government official displays such violent behavior and the government does not at least condemn it or punish it, it is a message to all that violence against women is condoned and an accepted practice in Armenia.

The Coalition condemns all forms of gender based violence. We consider that such acts reinforce a culture of violence and encourages violence towards women which is so rampant among Armenian families. We ask that the governor be sacked for such uncivilized behavior.

At time of writing, the petition had 524 out of 3,000 signatures and was slowly making its way through Armenian social media circles on Facebook, including on the page of a bicycling NGO and that of the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Women where Lara Aharonian, co-founder of the Women's Resource Center in Armenia, encouraged members to sign the petition:

If we stay silent, this is not going to stop, he needs to leave!

In the public group page Save Teghut Forest, championed by Sukhudyan and created to raise awareness about one of the many urgent ecological issues facing Armenia, group member Nora Kayserian did the same:

Please sign the petition to help throw out this fool!

Meanwhile, the two part amateur video posted on YouTube on Monday has been widely circulated on social networks and has garnered almost 30,000 views combined. With the group in heavy coats as winter settles in, Khachatryan can be seen engaged in a heated conversation with Sukhudyan and other eco-activists who traveled to Kajaran to protest against the sale of large portions of land to Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Combine (ZCMC).

When Sukhudyan presses him about standing by the villagers who oppose the mine, Khachatryan tells them to “shut up” and warns them to behave to avoid anything happening to them. “Why have you come here to do my job?” he asks Sukhudyan, who tells him that she does not want his job, but came only to support local residents.

“If you protect the rights of these citizens and force the reversal of the government's decision [to sell the land], which I know you have the power to do, I'll go about my business, but because I see that no one is standing by these villagers, I've come to be by their side,” she says in the video in Armenian.

Khachatrian tells the group in the footage that the homes of villagers homes will not be destroyed, but when another activist steps up to speak, the governor hurls an insult at the young woman, calling her a “dragonfly” and telling her to talk less. And when a Diasporan Armenian activist speaks up, Khachatrian tells him to go to his own country and preach there instead.

“But this is my country,” responds the activist, who has lived in Armenia for more than decade. No wonder then that the footage prompted Yerevan-based artist Kassouny to create a caricature of Khachatrian, complete with a fire-breathing dragonfly and boxing gloves, which he shared on his Facebook fan page.

Rafik Atayan, Kajaran's mayor, resigned last week over the transfer of land to ZCMC while at a press conference held after her assault Hambardzumyan accused Khachatrian of misappropriating more than $200,000 worth of mining equipment from a firm that belonged to her. No stranger to controversy, Khachatryan was also accused of beating up a teenage boy in 2008, but again cleared of charges.

Video Highlights: Identity, Refugees, Conflict and Open Technology

Juliana Rincón Parra — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 03:33:09 +0000

This section aims to showcase interesting and recent posts in Global Voices that show the many ways in which videos are helping people tell stories all around the world. You can follow the activity by regions in our YouTube channel or by clicking on the regional header links.

East Asia

For our Special Coverage page on Languages and the Internet comes an article about the different languages of East Timor. This next short film shows us the importance of receiving education in the mother tongue and the innovative Education Policy for Multilingual Education that East Timor is adopting.

Sub-Saharan Africa

In the post ‘Mali, Niger: Tuareg Voices Barely Heard Over the Sounds of War ‘, a video amplifies the voices of the Tuareg:

In Kidal, a town in north-eastern Mali, an unofficial number of Tuareg people marched to claim the autonomy of the Azawad region on November 1.

In ‘Kenya: Life in Dadaab, the World's Largest Refugee Camp‘ we look through the eyes of different aid organizations the complexities of life in Dadaab, a refugee camp receiving more than 1,400 people every day:

Central Asia and Caucasus

In Armenia and Azerbaijan, video is being used to improve understanding of the complex issues dividing the people of both nations. We linked to this insightful blog post on the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict as seen through YouTube videos. It included this next video, which shows an interesting experiment on both sides of the border. In the video, a taxi with a camera records passengers reactions to the taxi driver's musical selection: he plays Azeri music in Armenia and Armenian music in Azerbaijan. The passenger's comments have been captioned in English.

You can visit our Special Coverage page on Caucasus Conflict Voices to learn more about the region's situation. To read more about the role of video in the conflict, visit ‘Armenia-Azerbaijan Dialogue Through Film‘ and its second part, ‘More Armenia-Azerbaijan Dialogue Through Film‘ will provide extra information.

Latin America

Global Voices Author and Lingua Editor in Spanish Juan Arellano has been interviewing different Latin American experts. In this one he spoke with Santiago Hoerth of the Codigo Sur project about open technology and Open Software:

In another interview, he spoke with attorney and Creative Commons regional representative Carolina Botero and asked her to give her opinion on piracy.

Syria: World Cities Rally Against and For Bashar

Thalia Rahme — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 22:23:19 +0000

This post is part of our special coverage Syria Protests 2011.

As the death toll in Syria increases, the International Community is running out of patience and hardening its tone against Syrian president Bashar Al Assad demanding for change and reforms. Abroad the diaspora has also been involved actively since the beginning of the protests in March 2011. Almost all cities around the world have witnessed rallies and demonstrations, some asking Assad to leave, and others declaring their dying love for him.

From San Francisco (11 June, 2011) and Chicago (July 3), to Washington DC ( 23 July), the US capital, where people chanted: ‘‘Leave Leave Bashar” in front of the White House; almost all big cities in the US witnessed opposition gatherings manifesting their solidarity with the people of Daraa, Homs and Deir el Zor among others.

Here is video uploaded by AhmedIbnAlsham on August 6, where protesters where carrying a poster representing Hafez and Bashar Al Assad and written on it: ”Like father, like son”:

Assad also has his supporters in the US like in California (April 3). Chicago too, held another pro-regime rally on April 3 and June 10 while defenders of the regime met in front of the United Nations Headquarters in New York (May 1) to assert their love to their leader.

Wave of rallies hit Latin America as well. On June 26, Syrians in Santiago, Chile, chanted “El Pueblo Quiere Bashar el Assad” or ”The People Want Bashar Al Assad”, as we can see in this footage by Zaizuni:

We move to Europe and start with London (June 18) where Syrians called Assad an assassin, to Brussels (July 23), the headquarters of the European Parliament, to Milano in Italy (12 and 17 July). There, potesters, it seems, are no longer satisfied with reforms or even the call for the toppling of the regime. They want to bring it to trial.

Here's a video by Hazem Daoudi, taken in Geneva on August 6, Switzerland, facing the UN Headquarters:

France which is home to a large Syrian community has been witnessing continuous demonstrations, like in Strasbourg on 2 and 16 July, and this two-week sit-in, facing Place du Châtelet in Paris. YouTube user Mesudh75, posts this video showing a peaceful protest in front of the Syrian consulate and the Syrian Cultural Center in Paris:

In Germany, people took to the streets in Leipzig (July 7), Berlin (July 23) and Bonn on August 6 and August 8, not to forget Munich where on that same day, where this video from HutaafElhurriyyeh shows Germans showing solidarity with Syrians and singing the Syrian National Anthem:

Close to Munich, in Vienna, Austria, another protest took place, where this footage was taken and posted by AhmadSouri during a demo on August 9, in front of the Syrian Embassy:

Anti-Bashar protests also took place in Ukraine (April 22) Romania (June 30), Russia (July 31) and Greece (August 2), calling for the end of fascism:

In Turkey, protesters gathered in front of the Iranian embassy in Istanbul on August 5, denouncing the Islamic Republic stance towards the protest. They were joined on August 7, by members of the Felicity or Saadet party in front of the Syrian Consulate as we can see in this video by khaled111h:

But Assad can also rely on his supporters in Europe, who consider him as the only guarantee for stability and security in Syria. The streets of Paris, France, witnessed severaldemonstrations on June 11 and July 3 , 4 11 and 12 .

Diaspora in Odessa, Ukraine, flew balloons with the Syrian flag on June 4 for Assad. Others marched on June 6 in Kazan City in Russia for the same reason.

Syrians in Armenia also portrayed their support to their president on March 2011:

Despite the turmoil and unrest in the Arab world, and its own inner revolution, its capitals were keen on showing their solidarity and compassion with the Syrians.

This is Tunis on August 6, in a video by wadoodfreesyrian where people were chanting:” Syria is Free! Bashar get out!”:

In Egypt on August 1, OmawiTV shows angry people following the Hama Massacre and calling for the expulsion of the Syrian Ambassador:

In Lebanon, the situation is a bit delicate due to the complex relation between both countries. Quite often, opponents and loyalists of the Damascus regime clashed and the army had to intervene to separate both parties. The latest rally in solidarity with the Syrian people was held on Monday, August 8 in Martyrs Square in Beirut. This was a gathering which was attended by a lot of intellectuals, journalists and activists among which we note the presence of prominent Lebanese composer and singer Marcel Khalife. You can check Mahmoud Ghazayel's photos of the event, on Facebook.

Participants were chanting “This a shout from Lebanon - Calling for Human Rights”:

Jordanians conducted Taraweeh, the nightly Ramadan prayers, on August 2 in front of the Syrian Embassy as we can see in this video taken directly from the scene of events by Basemaggad. Bassem recorded another video in August 8 too.

Similar rallies took places in the Gulf monarchies cities, like in Jeddah, in Saudi Arabia, on August 8, where we can hear people shouting “Syria is for us and not for the Assad Family”:

Here is another video from Jeddah at night on the same day by hama19822011:

In Kuwait (August 5 and 7) and Bahrain (August 5, 8 and 9, protesters are demanding the expulsion of Syrian Ambassador from both respective countries and the freezing of the bilateral ties with Damascus. Protests were attended by several political figures and members of both parliaments.

This video by daraahoran shows people in Kuwait in front of Syrian Embassy, calling for the overthrow of the Baath party.

Syrians and Bahrainis rallied in Manama on August 9, chanting“Daraa, we're with you, till death !”

We conclude our round up in the Australian continent, where seems the Assad opponents and partisans also voiced their support and vice versa.

In Auckland, New Zealand, approximately 200 people gathered in protest against the regime for killing innocent Syrian civilians on July 30.

Demonstrations were also held in Sydney, Australia, on August 2 against the regime:

In another demonstration in Sydney on April 3, protested to say that ”Bashar is the best president in the whole Middle East and the world there will be no one like him”.

Protests against the Syrian regime, are penciled in for London, Paris and Tunis tomorrow (August 13).

This post is part of our special coverage Syria Protests 2011.

Thumbnail and featured image ‘Protest to support Syrian opposition at State Department - Berlin', by Thorsten Strasas, copyright Demotix (06/08/11).

Armenia: Uproar Over Head of Church's Remarks

Liana Aghajanian — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 22:58:03 +0000

Just days after news reports alleged that Karekin II, current head of the Holy Armenian Apostolic Church and the nation's spiritual leader, said he had nothing to do with the monasteries and churches located in the mountainous regions of the country, angry Armenians have mobilized a social media campaign to oust the Catholicos [title used for head of church in some Eastern Christian traditions] with a Facebook event entitled ‘Karekin II, Leave! Church is Not a Business.'

The controversy began when historian Samvel Karapetyan was quoted as saying he had suggested that the Catholicos allocate funds for repairing the Sanahin Monastery, a 10th century monastery located in Lori province and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. According to Karapetyan, the Catholicos responded by saying he did not have anything to do with the site even though it is the property of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

The dilapidated medieval Sanahin Monastery at the center of the controversy. Image by Flickr user Rita Wilaert (CC BY 2.0).

The Facebook event suggests that a meeting be held by July 31, 2011, with word being spread via social media, so that the group's complaints can be heard by the Catholicos. Similar pages have popped up, including ‘HERACI-Garegin II,' [hy] which translates as ‘Leave Garegin II.' The page is calling for his resignation or removal.

Heriq exav duq mez xaytarak aneq!!! Heraceq!!!

You've caused us enough shame!!! Leave!!!

With 254 ‘likes,' the page ‘Պահանջում ենք Կաթողիկոսի հրաժարականը,' (We demand the resignation of the Catholicos) has the most support, while a personal profile called ‘Գարեգին Հեռացի,' (Garegin, leave) [hy] has also been created.

At time of writing, a Facebook Question asking people if the Catholicos should leave the Armenian Apostolic Church has also attracted the support of well over 2,500 people who selected ‘Yes.'

Calls for his resignation are also making appearances on other social networking and micro-blogging sites such as Twitter.

@HimaKaren: Thousands of Armenians demand the impeachment of the spiritual leader of #Armenia Garegin 2. Impeachment!

The Catholicos was elected in 1999, succeeding his Holiness Karekin I, and earlier this year was the center of more controversy when he sought medical treatment outside his native country, leading some blogs such as Unzipped to speculate as to his distrust of the medical profession in Armenia.

Thumbnail image of Sanahin Monastery, Armenia. Image by Flickr user sjdunphy (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Armenia: Rabiz and Public Diplomacy

Onnik Krikorian — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 07:37:16 +0000

Global Chaos examines the rabiz genre of Armenian music and questions the role it plays in public diplomacy especially in reaching out to the country's large and influential Diaspora.

Armenia: Animal Activists Demand End to Stray Dog Killings

Liana Aghajanian — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 21:51:11 +0000

In the last few days animal activists are making unprecedented use of social media in the South Caucasus by demanding that the inhumane killing of stray dogs end by flooding Yerevan mayor Karen Karapetyan's Facebook page with requests and appeals.

Activists have even created an event entitled “Complaint to the Mayor About Dog Killings,” which more than 800 people are virtually attending, continuously leaving messages on Karapetyan's wall in the hope that their cyberactivism will bring about change.

“On the recommendation of the Mayor, the slaughter of dogs has begun in the city,” the event says. “There hasn't been a slaughter this big before. They have developed new technology to capture dogs.”

Having been in office only since December 2010, Karapetyan's popularity is declining among animal lovers as one commenter notes.

Some comments suggest activists are ready and willing to help the city alleviate the problem in a humane way.

A photo of the killing and collecting of street dogs posted on mayor Karen Karapetyan's wall

The activity on the mayor's page is not just limited to Armenia's residents.

With no shelter system or citywide spay and neuter initiatives, street dogs in Yerevan roam the small city in search of food and shelter, eventually procreating. “Save the Animals,” an independent shelter started by musician and activist Nune Mehrabyan after the killings began in 1999, holds around 200 dogs and operates on donations, which are scant.

We desire to live in a civilized country, where even vulnerable, helpless animals shall not be exposed to murder. We appeal to you to support our organization for the sake of helping our little friends

The government contracts out a company called “Unigraph X” to deal with street dogs, notes their website.

Since 2006 the company has been declared as the winner of competitions announced by the State Procurement Agency and has implemented the sterilization of wandering animals in the administrative territory of Yerevan

However, activists claim the company kills dogs instead, as Traces of Life notes [am]:

Նկատե՞լ եք արդյոք,որ փողոցում շների քանակը չի պակասում,իսկ պետական բյուջեից “Յունիգրաֆ-X” կազմակերպությանը տրամադրվող գումարը կորում է անհետ

[…]

Այնտեղ դրված են հատուկ հոսանքալարեր`շներին վնասազերծելու,կարճ ասած էլեկտրաշոկի ենթարկելու համարլ։Նույն մեթոդներով Յունիգրաֆ կազմակերպությունը որսում է շներին։

Մենք ջունգլիներում ենք երևի ապրում,որ այսքան շուն քնեցվել,սատկացվել ու ստերջացվել է,բայց երկրում դեռ այսքան թափառող շուն կա։Չե՞ք հասկանում այդ գումարները կրկին ու կրկին ուր են գնում։Բավ է թու՛յլ տանք,որ մեզ հիմարացնեն,ես հոգնել եմ դրանից։

Մարդի՛կ,շներն էլ են ապրել ուզում։Պե՞տք է անպայման ձեր և ձեր երեխաների հետ էլ այդպես վարվեն

Have you noticed that the number of street dogs isn't decreasing, yet the money from the state budget that's provided for the organization “Unigraph-X” goes missing.

[…]

Special electrical chords are used in one part of the city, Unigraph uses the same methods to hunt dogs.

Maybe we live in the jungle, that we're killing so many dogs, but there are still so many that remain on the streets. We still don't understand again and again where that money goes. But we let them make us look like fools, and I'm tired of it.

People, dogs want to live. They should act this way with yours and your children too.

The activists are in the process of collecting signatures against the killing of street dogs, but are also facing some opposition on Karapetyan's page with comments that reflect the cultural stigma still attached to street animals in Armenia.

Azerbaijan: Bloggers remember Hrant Dink four years on

Aygun Janmammadova — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 10:48:13 +0000

This post is part of our special coverage Caucasus Conflict Voices.

Wednesday 19 January 2011 marked the fourth anniversary of the murder in Istanbul of Hrant Dink, the renowned Turkish-Armenian journalist, editor of the Turkish-Armenian Agos newspaper, and human rights activist who consistently advocated for reconciliation and friendship between nations, and especially estranged neighbors Armenia and Turkey. This year, however, and quite unexpectedly, the anniversary was also marked by many bloggers from Azerbaijan.

Despite a still unresolved conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh, quite a few Azerbaijani Facebook users updated their status lines while Twitter updates were dedicated to the memory of the slain ethnic Armenian journalist. On Facebook, an entry posted on the Önər Blog [AZ] was shared extensively.

Hrant Dink həm Ermənistan üçün, həm Türkiyə üçün mühüm tarixi əhəmiyyəti olan jurnalist idi. Onun ölümünü bütün dünyada azad jurnalistikanin aldığı ən ağır zərbələrdən hesab edirəm.

[…]

Mən bir bloq yazarı kimi, Hrant Dinkin ölümünü Türkiyə dövlətinin azad sözə qarşı cinayəti hesab edir və şiddətlə qınayıram. Həmçinin “hepimiz Hrant Dinkiz, hepimiz ermeniyiz” də demirəm, “hepimiz özgürüz” deyirəm.

Hrant Dink was a historically important journalist for both Armenia and Turkey. I consider his death to be one of the biggest blows to free press in the world.

[…]

Speaking as a blogger, I find that the murder of Hrant Dink is a crime that the Turkish government has committed against free speech in Turkey, and strongly condemn it.

And I don’t say, “We are all Hrant Dink, we are all Armenians” [the chant used by protesters at Hrant Dink’s funeral]. I say, “We are all free.”

When translated into Armenian, Unzipped re-posted it. The Armenian blog noted that it was this post that caught his eye more than any other and agreed with the sentiments expressed. Meanwhile, another Azerbaijani blog, Viva El Revolucion! Viva El Libertat! [AZ], remarked that politics should not get in the way of remembrance.

Azərbaycanlılardan kim nə deyir desin, amma millətçilik etməyin mənası yoxdur. Hansısa Robertlərə və Serjlərə görə bu insanı sırf erməni olduğuna görə təqsirkar bilib, onu hər addımda alçaltmaq və onu öldürənləri qəhrəman kimi qələmə vermələri həqiqətəndə ifrat millətçilikdən o tərəfə deyil […]. Hrant Dink heç kəsin tərəfin tutmurdu. Onun peşəsi jurnalistika idi […]. Ən sonda isə yaxşı bir erməni, həmdə yaxşı bir solçu idi. […]

Whoever says whatever in Azerbaijan, there is no point in being nationalist. Because of the Roberts and Serjs [former and current presidents in Armenia] accusing this person of being an Armenian, belittling him, and considering his murderers to be heroes is nothing but extreme nationalism […]. Hrant Dink did not take the side of anyone. His profession was journalism […]. In the end, he was a good Armenian, and a good leftist. […]

Four years without Hrant

SIMASIZ QULDURLAR BLOGU… [AZ] also contemplated the issue of nationality, concluding that speaking the truth is all that matters.

Hrant Dink milliyətcə erməni ola bilər. Həqiqətin isə heç bir milliyəti yoxdur. Həqiqətin milliyəti həqiqətdir. Həqiqəti erməni də, əfqan da, türk də dilə gətirə bilər! Buna görə də insanı öldürməzlər. Hrant Dink də həqiqət axtarışında idi… Amma öldürüldü.

Hrant Dink may be Armenian by ethnicity, but the truth has no nationality. The nationality of truth is truth itself. The truth can be brought to life by an Armenian, an Afghan, or a Turk! For this reason, a person must not be killed. Hrant Dink was in search of the truth… But he was murdered.

1+1=3 [AZ] agreed.

BəLi , o erməni idi …
BəLi , o bunu etiraf edir, təkzib etmir, hər zamanda fəxrlə bunu deyərdi….
O juranlist idi …
O insan idi…

Yes, he was an Armenian…
Yes, he admitted it, never denied it, and always said it proudly…
He was a journalist…
He was human…

Other Azerbaijani bloggers writing in English also commented on the anniversary, with Flying Carpets and Broken Pipelines shares not only its thoughts, but also a link to a video. Its writer and director, Ümit Kıvanç, has since given Global Voices the necessary permissions to enable embedding for this post.

[…] He was a man with ideas and dreams. He was a fighter. But what happened to things that Hrant Dink was fighting for so passionately- looking at relations between Armenia and Turkey, the two are more distant than ever and prospects for reconciliation are stuck somewhere between Turkey's and Armenia's weak foreign policy, Nagorno Karabakh and the rest of the world that talks so much […] but does too little to have any effect if any on the process.

From 19 January to 19 January from ümit kıvanç on Vimeo.

Another Azerbaijani, writing in English on Fuck Yeah, The Caucasus!, simply posted lyrics from a traditional folk song with a brief commentary.

Hrant Dink wasn’t Caucasian, he was truly and utterly Anatolian, but he is relevant to the ongoing conflicts in the Caucasus in terms of what he put forward during his life and what came out of his death. […] Hatred is taught everywhere, it makes people blind, and in their blindness people shed their reason and their conscience, their humanity. I want to think that hatred can be unlearned, not as easily but just as well.

Allah rəhmət eləsin. May he rest in peace.

Although there were likely many more posts from Turkish bloggers, what was interesting about this year's remembrance was that it was Azerbaijani blog posts, and specifically in Azerbaijani with the exception of the Armenian translation on the Önər Blog, that were shared more widely than in English, Armenian or Russian.

Meanwhile, in Turkey itself, thousands of people gathered in front of the Agos newspaper demanding justice for Hrant Dink and exclaiming “Hepimiz Hrantiniz, Hepimiz Ermeniyiz” (All of us are Hrants, All of us are Armenians).

This post is part of our special coverage Caucasus Conflict Voices.

Azerbaijan: Remembering Hrant Dink

Onnik Krikorian — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 11:40:54 +0000

The Önər Blog [AZ] remembers Hrant Dink, the slain Turkish-Armenian journalist, editor and human rights activist who was murdered in Istanbul four years ago today. The post is also available in Armenian. 1+1=3 [AZ], another Azerbaijani blog, also posts an entry in memory of a figure who stood for reconciliation and friendship between nations.

Christmas in Armenia and Georgia… and on Twitter

Onnik Krikorian — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 12:31:39 +0000

While Christmas was observed in the West on 25 December, other countries instead celebrated it earlier this week. In Armenia, however, it even became a trending topic on Twitter thanks to American-Armenian socialite Kim Kardashian tweeting the news to her 5,796,422 followers.

It's Armenian Christmas Eve tonight! Merry Christmas!

Thanks to other tweets from Kardashian's siblings, as well as numerous re-tweets, word of Christmas being celebrated in Armenia on 6 January went viral.

so armenian christmas eve is trending coz of these kardashian broads?these chicks have influence.tomorrow armenian xmas will trend

Which, of course, it did.

WOW! AMAZE! RT @RobKardashian - Armenian Christmas Eve is a trending topic! #Respect

Nevertheless, American comedian Dave Chappelle wasn't quite sure if the holiday was real, leading to some angry responses.

Happy Armenian Christmas Eve! Ok…your turn to make up a holiday.

@davechappelle fuck u, this is the day that Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates their Christmas, it's been like this for 1700years,

Of course, it wasn't just the Kardashians that were tweeting. Other users were too, sending out messages and pictures or updating their statuses on Facebook.

January 6th is the day that Christmas is celebrated in Armenia…soooo Շնորհավոր Սուրբ Ծնունդ..”Shnorhavor Surb Tsnund” (Merry Christmas in Armenian) ! =)

Happy Armenian Christmas everyone!

Merry (Armenian) Christmas from Yerevan (Armenia)!

In neighboring Georgia, along with some other countries, Christmas was instead celebrated the following day on 7 January.

People of SERBIA, Russia, Georgia, Ukraine, Macedonia, Montenegro, Greece and people of Jerusalem : HRISTOS SE RODI , MERRY CHRISTMAS !

HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL PEOPLE IN GEORGIA!

My friends from Georgia (the country, not the US state) celebrate Christmas today. Merry Christmas to them! #itsasmallinteterestingworld

Today, Georgia, according to the Julian Calendar is celebrating Christmas. Merry Christmas!!! May the majority of your dreams come true.

In my own case, and even though I was in Armenia, I managed to spend it in a somewhat less than traditional way.

Well, last night was unexpected. Bumping into a Georgian metal band in the Rock Bar Yerevan. Georgian Xmas & music supplied by Slayer…:)

Armenia: Domestic violence claims a life

Onnik Krikorian — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 19:26:01 +0000

The issue of domestic violence in Armenia is well known, albeit rarely spoken about openly. However, a video interview with the family of a young woman who died of injuries sustained after being beaten by her husband and his mother has shocked and angered many.

Ianyan posts an extensive entry.

Zaruhi Petrosyan, a 20-year-old mother of two was beaten to death by her husband and mother-in-law over attempts to extort money from her and her family. In a video shot by News.am reporter Gagik Shamshyan, Petrosyan’s mother and sister, Hasmik Petrosyan, can be seen recounting the excruciating tale of violence Zaruhi experienced in the months and years before her death on Oct.1.

[…]

According to Petrosyan’s family, she received the beatings as threats to follow through with her husband and mother-in-laws demands to ask for money from her relatives. Her mother-in-law beat her while she was pregnant, Hasmik said.

The family appealed to law enforcement two times, even with a written notice stating that if the beatings continued, it would result in criminal action, but they said nothing was done.

Unzipped also comments on the case and especially inaction from the authorities and law enforcement agencies.

I remember when relatively recently the Women's Resource Centre wanted to put posters in Yerevan to highlight the problem of domestic violence and indicate hotline for those affected to call, the Yerevan municipality refused to allow it by claiming there is no such problem in Armenia. Typical mentality. Let's pretend that we do not have such problem, let's not talk about it, otherwise it may affect our image… Instead of facing up the problem and developing effective means to tackle it. In the meantime, cases […] keep happening…

The Armenian Observer also takes the same approach and urges readers to sign an online petition to urge the passage of legislation to tackle the problem of domestic violence in Armenia.

What I find strikingly typical in this story, is that Zaruhi Petrosian, the victim, told the doctors she ‘fell’. It is considered a shame in the Armenian society to voice about shameful things in the family. This also translates to other issues in the society – take corruption, election fraud or hazing in the Army. […]

Writing on the Amnesty USA blog, Global Voices author Simon Maghakyan expresses his anger and also urges readers to sign the petition he was responsible for setting up.

What makes me angrier is Armenian government’s inaction on domestic violence even after international uproar a few years ago. In November 2008, Amnesty International issued a report on domestic abuse in Armenia stating that more than a quarter of women in Armenia have faced physical violence at the hands of husbands or other family members. Many of these women have little choice but to remain in abusive situations as reporting violence is strongly stigmatized in Armenian society.

[…]

Please join me in signing the petition to Armenia’s prime minister demanding that his government guarantee justice in the death of Zaruhi by investigating all possible guilty parties (not just the husband but also his brother and mother); investigating allegations of local law enforcement’s prior knowledge of Zaruhi’s continuous abuse; and expediting the passage of domestic violence legislation.

Meanwhile, on a related note, Le Retour (in 3 Parts) also comments on the case, but adds criticism of government attempts to stage a beauty contest which would arguably perpetuate the existing patriarchal society in place.

[…] we wonder why gender stereotypes prevail in our country and why women continue to be abused at the hands of men. When notions of “man” and “woman” get defined and confirmed by government officials, why are we surprised when violence — physical, emotional, financial — prevails in society?

When are we going to say enough is enough?

The petition can be signed here.

Armenia: Army forced to act after hazing video circulates online

Onnik Krikorian — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 20:20:31 +0000

A video depicting what appears to be evidence of bullying in the military stationed in Nagorno Karabakh, a disputed breakaway territory situated within Azerbaijan predominantly populated by ethnic Armenians, continues to circulate online. The footage on YouTube was later taken down before it was uploaded again as well as to other video sharing sites such as Daily Motion.

Although hazing and non-combat related deaths in the army are nothing new in Armenia, the video came at a particularly sensitive time given a spate of deaths earlier this summer. Unzipped commented on its appearance online, raising concerns and calling for an urgent and immediate investigation.

This video was put on YouTube today and started circulating on Facebook. It titled (AM) Բանակի իրական դեմքը (‘The real face of the army’) and allegedly shows bullying and physical violence in the Armenian army. No description for the video is provided, and it’s not known when and where this video was taken. I can only assume it was taken via mobile phone.

At first, Armenia's Ministry of Defense tried to downplay the video, even suggesting that it had been fabricated. Moreover, there were some, especially among ethnic Armenians living abroad, who instead declared the video to be against the country's national interests. Martuni or Bust, however, not only uploaded copies of the video, but also strongly disagreed.

Do people and organizations in the Diaspora care enough to raise the issue of abuse and mismanagement in the army with the representatives of the regime in Yerevan? Would they demand the sadistic officer shown in the video to be court marshaled for humiliating those young… Armenian soldiers? After all, considering that this is happening on a very wide scale across country, this is as close to jeopardizing national security as you are ever going to get. Wake up, people! Tomorrow it might be too late.

However, on Unzipped, Ara Manoogian, the blogger behind Martuni or Bust, reported that rather than be commended for the move, threats against his life had been made instead. He did, however, also say that the Armenian Ministry of Defense promised to find those responsible for the incident. Nevertheless, as Unzipped implies in a second post, genuine concern was arguably not shown until spread of the video proved impossible to stop.

When we first exposed the video, they said it was ‘fabricated’ without even preliminary investigation. In an initial statement by MoD there were even threats to those who made and disseminate the video with partly successful but inevitably unsuccessful attempts to erase the video from the Internet.

Speaking before the parliament, Minister of Defence Seyran Ohanyan called the video a “disinformation”. “It’s a disinformation about our army, and I do not believe what was captured on that video has really taken place”, he said. Some pseudo-patriotic circles immediately pointed fingers towards the ‘enemy side’.

However… Only hours after the Minister’s statement, sadistic officer was identified and detained, and we received an official confirmation of the authenticity of the video.

As Unzipped updated its readers, an officer has now been arrested and is under investigation.

While current developments may be considered as a victory for online activists who exposed and distributed the video in the first place, this will only become a real victory for all of us, including MoD, if Armenian officials face up the widespread problems of corruption and abuse in the army and initiate radical reforms to ensure that similar displays of sadism as well as “suicides” and non combat deaths are prevented and dealt with. In the world of Internet, cover up is an outdated concept.

Martuni or Bust continues updating its readers on developments at http://aramanoogian.blogspot.com.

Photo: Graffiti in Yerevan, Armenia, by Garik Engibaryan and Edgar Amroyan protesting suicides, non-combat deaths and hazing in the army via Unzipped.

Caucasus: Expedition 206

Onnik Krikorian — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 19:46:05 +0000

Having already visited Georgia, Expedition 206 arrived in Armenia. The initiative, sponsored by Coca-Cola, will see three bloggers visit 206 countries in 365 days. iReport [AM] posts photographs as well as an account of the travelers meeting with 20 local bloggers and says that they will travel to Azerbaijan tomorrow. Kiki's Blog [RU] also posts a brief entry about Expedition 206's 257th day on the road.

Armenia-Azerbaijan: Backseat musical musings… and ethnic conflict

Onnik Krikorian — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 09:01:54 +0000

This post is part of our special coverage Caucasus Conflict Voices.

With the broadcast media heavily controlled in both Armenia and Azerbaijan there are few avenues left for independent journalists to use to disseminate alternative information and reports. This is especially true when it comes to the still unresolved conflict over the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh.

However, as Internet penetration increases in the region, and as costs come down and connection speeds slowly improve, the one obvious medium is online. Indeed, with organizations such as Conciliation Resources and Internews uploading video reports to YouTube and Vimeo, it is no surprise to discover others doing the same.

The latest example of this comes from the Eurasia Partnership Foundation as part of its Unbiased Media Coverage of Armenia-Azerbaijan Relations project with an innovative approach to raising awareness of the negative stereotypes in play on both sides of the 1994 ceasefire line.

Shared 211 times on Facebook and viewed over 2,600 times in just a few days at time of writing, that might not sound a lot for many countries, but it is quite successful in the context of Armenia and Azerbaijan, especially with the prevailing mood one of ignoring such issues.

Пассажир from eurasiaam on Vimeo.

Unfortunately, the video is only available in Armenian and Azerbaijani with Russian subtitles so Global Voices asked bloggers from both countries to comment instead. In the first, ethnic Armenian blogger Ianyan introduces the concept behind the short film.

While most of us don’t expect political and cultural discussion when we pull over a taxi cab to get to where we need to go, a handful of Armenians and Azeris got just that thanks to a innovative social experiment called “The Passenger.”

A documentary created by Armenian journalist Christina Vardanyan and Azeri journalist Framana Nabieva, the film follows two taxi drivers - one in Yerevan and one in Baku who discreetly play music from their neighboring country, much to the general dismay of the passengers on both sides.

[…]

The discussion then shifts to the question of relations with the other side: is peace ever possible? Armenian participants’ responses are not unexpected, however a few are noteworthy. A younger passenger expresses hope in relations by saying that the only way to break the cycle of bigotry and hate begins with parents raising children to see everyone on the other side as equal. At least two passengers say that the negative feelings are mutual. One man says the most important thing is that we’re all human.

The Armenian Unzipped liked the project too, although noted that the responses from unsuspecting passengers in Yerevan and Baku were not unexpected.

I can’t say that opinions expressed from both sides were surprising. They were mainly based on cliches and due to the lack of direct communication between Azeris and Armenians following Karabakh war. That’s the reason why social networks, blogs or offline meetings are so important, although they could be used for inciting hatred too.

The blog also considered that there were too few responses from the Azerbaijani side, something that another Armenian blog, Global Chaos, also noted. Nevertheless, it also appreciated the initiative.

This is brilliant: a great illustration of the fact that attitudes and thoughts are very similar, if not the same, on both sides. […]

[…]

What struck me most was the painfully obvious awareness on both sides that the attitudes and stereotypes are primarily due to socialization, official government propaganda (yes, I won't shy away from using that term here), and the effects of the media. […] Most of the younger “participants” pointed out that they have never interacted with representatives from the other side…

And that's the core of the problem - the lack of knowledge of and about “the other”. Crossing the physical and official state boundaries might be impossible for most people at the moment; and yet, modern information and communication technology can help create the virtual space where stereotypes and prejudices can be overcome, and where dialogue might - just might - be possible.

Reaction on Facebook was also similar, with most comments applauding the film. Even so, some admitted that the general negative view each side holds of the other was disappointing. One of those was Marine Ejuryan, an Armenian student with experience of cross-border peace-building initiatives.

The same sentiment was expressed by the Azerbaijani Flying Carpets and Broken Pipelines which set the responses in the context of situation in both countries.

My first impressions: it made me feel sad, because watching it, whether you want it or not, the reality hits you. While, many young people from both sides are engaged in joint projects, conversations, meetings and initiatives- working together to break the walls of long- lasting mistrust- still, many if not majority on both sides, think of the other as “an enemy”.

The movie also shows, how little the two sides know of each other, something that's been generated as a result of long and thus as a result deeply embedded stereotypes.

In another guest post on my own blog, Reader in Azerbaijan, agrees.

Both societies have become mostly driven by stereotypes, clichés and opinionated attitudes towards those neither have met or communicated with. This is the “accomplishment” of the traditional media which has done nothing but spread misinformation, ignite hatred and instill bias.

[…]

That said, there is also another reality not shown by this video. Another smaller reality behind the scenes. With alternative voices and social media bypassing biased traditional media to overcome stereotypes, a new generation is starting to emerge.

Tolerant and open, and willing to engage in open communication and dialogue, these are people who have been lucky and smart enough to realize that they all share common values and culture.

They are people who do not confine their minds to a dubious history, state borders and ethnicity. Indeed, we are so diverse and this diversity can enrich us. We are so similar and this similarity can connect us. Even though our languages differ.

Nevertheless, the video succeeded in encouraging discussion and debate and almost everyone agreed that it was an experiment which should be expanded upon. Global Voices will continue to monitor developments in the use of new and social media in the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. A special coverage page is available here.

This post is part of our special coverage Caucasus Conflict Voices.

Global Voices would like to thank Mika Artyan, Liana Aghajanian, Yelena Osipova, Arzu Geybullayeva and Aygun Janmammadova for taking the time to post their responses to the Eurasia Partnership Foundation video specially for this entry.

Armenia-Azerbaijan: More dialogue through film

Onnik Krikorian — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 23:40:10 +0000

This post is part of our special coverage Caucasus Conflict Voices.

With national television in Armenia and Azerbaijan controlled directly or indirectly by the authorities or government-linked individuals, there is little opportunity for independent reporting. This is especially true in the case of the simmering conflict over the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh.

The war, fought in the early 1990s, left 25,000 dead and forced a million to flee their homes. Few ethnic Armenians remain in Azerbaijan, and ethnic Azeris also left Armenia, while attempts to negotiate a lasting peace continue to falter. Skirmishes, however, still occur on the front line despite a 1994 ceasefire agreement.

Communication between the two sides is also discouraged and, for most citizens, impossible. Even so, new and social media is slowly starting to fill the information void and circumvent official or self-imposed restrictions in place on objective reporting free from negative stereotyping, propaganda and occasional misinformation.

The independent media organization Internews, for example, is just one example of peace building initiatives migrating online. Although traditional video reporting, the Internet is perhaps the only medium through which such films can be seen and distributed. Such stories are rarely, if ever, reported in the mainstream media.

Part of a project implemented by British NGO Conciliation Resources, and already mentioned on Global Voices, some of the reports are very original and unique indeed. In Download, for example, virtual conflict teaches a previously addicted online gamer in Azerbaijan a lesson on the futility of war.

Download (English Subtitles) from Internews Armenia on Vimeo.

Meanwhile, former residents from Shusha, a once mainly Azerbaijani-inhabited town in Nagorno Karabakh known to Armenians as Shushi, remember their lives before the war. Negotiations to end the conflict contain provisions for the return of IDPs to their former homes in a phased implementation of any settlement.

Shusha Under Canvas (English Subtitles) from Internews Armenia on Vimeo.

Although the conflict was accompanied by numerous cases of ethnic cleansing and the tit-for-tat expulsion of minority communities, there are reportedly as many as 20,000 people of Armenian origin still living in Baku, the Azerbaijani capital and a few hundred ethnic Azeris in Yerevan, the Armenian capital.

Most are women or the children of mixed marriages, but in both cases, they keep a low profile. However, My Niece From The Caucasus profiles an Azerbaijani woman who remained in ethnic Armenian-populated Karabakh. Internews Armenia follows her on a journey to to meet with her family now living in Ukraine.

My Niece From The Caucasus (English Subtitles) from Internews Armenia on Vimeo.

The same theme is examined in At the 8th Kilometer, a joint production between Internews in Armenia and Azerbaijan. The film looks at the lives of women from mixed marriages now separated from their biological families. The report also includes an interview with an ethnic Armenian woman still living in Azerbaijan.

At The 8th Kilometre (English Subtitles) from Internews Armenia on Vimeo.

A more positive story, however, is told in All Films About Love, a touching look at an Armenian man still married to his Azerbaijani wife. Despite being directly affected by the war, the two pensioners remain together and say their love is as strong as ever.

All Films About Love (English Subtitles) from Internews Armenia on Vimeo.

Very definitely, it is the jointly produced films where the project shines. In Spectrum, for example, artists in Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan ponder the conflict as well as the need for communication, understanding, and peace through their work.

And in Kamancha-nameh, two musicians talk of their love for the same instrument which is part of both country's musical tradition. Despite attempts by the media to focus on the differences between the two nations, the report shows how similar they actually can be.

Spectrum (English Subtitles) from Internews Armenia on Vimeo.

Kamancha-nameh (English Subtitles) from Internews Armenia on Vimeo.

But perhaps one of the strongest collaborations, My Enemy - My Friend, details the experience of Armenians and Azerbaijanis held captive or taken hostage by the other side. It also reports on the work of two men on both sides of the front line who work tirelessly to free or exchange them.

My Enemy - My Friend (English Subtitles) from Internews Armenia on Vimeo.

Breaking many stereotypes, one can't help but realize how narrow coverage in the mainstream media of both countries is with regards to the conflict over Nagorno Karabakh as well as the possibility for Armenians and Azerbaijanis to live in peace. Now, however, such reports can be found on the Internet.

This post is part of our special coverage Caucasus Conflict Voices.

Special thanks to Konstantin Geodakian, Technical Director at Internews Armenia, for enabling embedding of the videos on Global Voices.

Ukraine: Anthem in 14 Languages

Veronica Khokhlova — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 13:07:08 +0000

Ukraine's national anthem performed in 14 languages (Ukrainian, Greek, Tatar, Gagauz, Polish, Romanian, Georgian, Yiddish, Romani, Russian, Hungarian, Belarusian, Armenian, Azerbaijani) - at Ukrainiana.