Caught in the Storm - February 1992 by Armenian International Magazine

FEBRUARY I99I

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Arryenians Feel the Heat of the Conflict

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EXECUTIVE EDITOB: Charles Nazarian MAI{AGING EDITORS: Vartan Oskanian; Bafti Shoubookian

COt{SULTttaG EDITOB: Haig Keropian DIRECTOR OF OPERATIOIIS: Michael Nahabet SENIOR EDTTORS: Osheen Keshishian

(L A.),

Harut Sassounian (L.A.)

ASSOCfATE EDTTOR: Minas Kojaian (Nicosia) OOiITBIBUTII{G EDITORS Ke\^crk lmizlan (E}oston)

;

Ara Kalavdiian (Boston)

ART EtitfOR:

Neery Melkonian (Santa Fe) STAFF WRITER: Tony HalPin (1.A.)

COIITBIBUTOBS: Marv Ann Aposhian, Vicken Berberian, lshkhan Jinbashiari, Joseph Kechichian, Gerard

Libaridian, Moorad Mooradian, Arlo Payaslian

overing the Armenian angle of an intemational event was

Wasfthgtdt

under pressure and against the unknown to collect the necessary information about Armenians on both sides of the Gulf conflict for this issue's cover story. lndeed, with the ffemendously difficult access to the US military, and almost no access to the Armenian communities in Iraq and Kuwait, it proved to be a difficult task. Even in the event of locating a source, the security considerations hapmered AIM's efforts to gather information. However, next to our own corespondents in Amman and Jerusalem, several elements far away from the hot spot, yet closely associated and tied to the region, served as invaluable source of information for the story. An AIM inquiry to the American Red Cross revealed that at least eight Iraqi-Armenian soldiers, all with relatives in both Iraq and the United States, are being held prisoners-ofwar by allied forces in Saudi Arabia. The primate of the Armenian church of Iraq, Rishop_Avak Asadourian, was.interviewed by AIM during his recent visit to the United States. Several Armenian families who had lost their homes and businesses to the Iraqi invasion and fled Kuwait to the safety of the United States were also interviewd by AIM. Finally, Captain Hratch Der Stepanian of the U.S. Air Force and C-140 transport plane pilot, visited the AIM offices and conversed with the editon during his stop in Califomia in between missions . By no means the cover story is comprehensive and exhaustive. Yet it was a challenging effort to cover events of intemational magnitude with limited resources. It is ourhope and determination to develop alargernetworkof intemational conespondenll that will give us a faster and more reliable upto-date information from around the world during future events.

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what AIM had set out

to accomplish at i15 inception. This very mission created an atmosphere of uneasinesi in our Glendale offices last month as strff members scrambled

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OOBBESDOiaDEIfiS

Caotain Der Stepanian ol U.S. Air Force 0eft) at AIM office with staff writer Tohy Halpin (miadb) and rnanaging editor Raffi Shoubookian

Kechian

Vienna: Sebouh Baghdoyan Amm.n: Ara Voskian

Wpv:

Haig Lepedjian

YEBEVAN

Brienos Aitoct SamSakissian

BuREiu:

Papken Gadachik (Chie0;

Souren Keghamian, Kourken Khajagian' Dikran Khznulian'

Hratch Ye-rknabedian, Hrair Zorian

PHOTOGRAPHY: Los Angeles: Michael Agyan'

Jacob Demiriian New Yorlc Tony Savino Boston: Lena Sanenti. An Stamatiou Paris: ArminehJohannes, Aline Manoukian Amman: Karektn Kefelian Yer€van: zaven Katchikian, Roupen Mankasanan

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PUBLTC RELIATIONS DIBECTOR: Sona Hamalian

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Newsweek for over 30 yean and

format in your magazine. I will proudly show this magazine to my nieces and nephews manied to odars. Alice Avedikian New York, New York see the same

Thank you for your effort to provide us with such an informative "news package." I sincerely appreciate your work and wellorganized task force behind AIM.

Hratch Kozibioukian

LosAngeles,CaWrnia

Allow me to express my overdue sentiment of adrniration foryourm4gazine, which

will thaw ttre ice benreen those successfirl Armenian individuals who are "out of touch and out of reach," and the

certainly

I think AIM is an exfiemely professional publication with informative and exciting articles sure to catch the interest of a diverse nurnber ofreaders. I must pay a

particular compliment to the front page It shows a lot of the pain and emotional suffering which still lingers after

two years. Representative lohn S. Simonian H ouse of Repre se ntativ e s

ervation... Certainly, it will prove to be an indispensable source of information to English-speaking Armenians and nonArmenians on aspects of life of Armenians worldwide. Rev. Hovh. N. Karjian Willoughby, Australia You have to take pride in your collective inproducing such avaluable source of ffiormation on Armenians throughout the world. effiorts

Armenian's prefened reading list. The issues for which you haVe provided much informed insight are ones that Armenians around the world seek to apprehend. RitaTatevossian Forest Hills,NswYork

Tradewith Turkey Harut Sassounian's arguments (AIM November, 1990) against fading with Turkey would have been more impressive if they had taken into account ttre seriousness of ttre situation in Armenia. His first fear, the risk that Turkey could cut offthe rade on whim, of course rcquires taking into account the vital needs of the traded goods and services. This is not new in intemational affairs. The more serious and subtle issues have

to do wittr the demand that Turkey fint admit to tlrc l9l5 Genocide. Since I myself was one of those who fled from Van,

AIM elevated Ar-

N. Ceyknli, DD.S. Toronto,Canada

It's very refreshing to read the unvarnished truttr in articles rather than just what comes over the wire services. The level of expertise on your staff and by your writers is at the highest level of veteran joumalism.

Edward & Madcleinc Aslanhhigian Tho usand O al<s, C alifor nia

I read with interest Harut Sassounian's article on Armenia's trade with Turkey and I comment as follows: 'Nations have no friends or enemies; they have interest," quoting Winson Churchill. L,ast year a new reality was created that of a frree Armenia next to a disintegrating Russia, therefore without theprotection of a major power. We Armenians have to change our thinking, taking into consideration these new circumstances and the new dangen facing us.

this end every neighbor should be considered as a potential ally, irrespective of our

just ahead of the Turkish Army ttrat had been sent to destroy us, I am certainly sen-

exquisite presentation,

L. P ar se gian

Troy,NewYork

No doubt AIM will soon be on every

FreddyHajjar

menians on an intemational pedestal.

P rof. V azken

Ontario,Canada

Lo s Ange le s, C alifornia

Wittr its world-class literary content and

and the price we have paid for ours is quite

enough.

Our first preoccupation is safeguarding the territory we now have before we get canied away about getting what is not in our hand or settling old scores. Toward

mainsteam community. Harry Mardirossian

P rovifunc e, Rhode I sland

We support your magazine without res-

This is a world of continuing genocides,

sitive to that issue. I am also aware that while the admission of guilt would bring moral comfort to Armenians, it would have

no effect whatever on the geopolitical or world frade situation affecting Turkey. Neither ttre United Nations organization nor any single nation would move to restore land to Armenia or make more than a

cursory gesflre toward paying reparations. The history of the past two centuries should have taught us that lesson.

The well-being and future of Armenia must not be permitted to become yet another victim of the tragedies of the pasL

AlM, February 1991

historical enmity. It takes leadenhip and a lot of stength to suppress our emotions and approach issues

realistically, based on our strategic needs today.

KevorkG.Toroyan N ew C anaan, C onne ctic ut

I agree with Mr. H. Sassounian. Trading wittr Turkey before the recogrition of the Genocide by the Turls could be disas-

ffous for Armenians everywhere. Congressman Moody should be aware

of tlrc historical facts. Even Hitler admitted that an Armenian Genocide took place in 1915. The Turkish govemment should apologyn;we don't want hisory to be repeated. The massacre in Sumgait may have been

avoided if the Turkish govemment had acknowledged its 1915 atrocities. Will tlre new Armenian govemment leave a legacy of fear and destmction for generations !o come? Sona Fesdekjian Willowdale, Ontario

I fl.rlly agree witlt Harut Sassounian's waming that the newly elected Armenian govemment leaders should not engage in frade agreements with Turkey, a waming well expressod in his article "Armenia Shotrld

NotTrade with Turkey Until..." One cannot separate fade frorn politics. They go hand-in-hand. Turkey is least interested in engaging in nade with Armenia. Turkey's aim (under cover of "good" trade relations) is to divert the Armenian Question from the sympathetic world, make

SPoHTS WHO'S WHQ

it forget the legitimate tenitorial claim, forget the recogrition by Turkey of the fumenian Genocide committed by the Ottoman Turks, and forget financial restoration for life and property losses. Under the trade umbrella, Turkey undoubtedly will succeed in getting rid of this Damocles sword hanging for decades over its head. Furttrermore, Turkey will press hard the Karabagh Question in favor of the Azeris. Sargrs S. Safarian Arttada, Colorado

I am a 17-year-old student who is ready to see the prosperity, independence and justice which Armenia deserves. I commend and congratulate Mr. Sassounian for being a true seeker ofjustice as well as a tme Armenian. I am proud to say I share Mr. Sassounian's opinion to hold off on "establishing trade ties with Turkey" until the recognition of the Genocide, the payment of reparations and the retum of occupied territories." Talar Andelian Ontario,Canoda

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Congressman Jim Moody's opposition to the ArmenianGenocide resolution reaches tlre depttrs of hypocrisy as far as his country's claim of upholding the tmth and humanitarian values are concemed. If Mr. Moody is so concemed about firsthand evidence, instead of talking to the rep,ressed leaders of the Armenian Communify in Turkey he would have done better to have visited the ruined Armenian towns and villages of Eastem Turkey-+trc derelict and destroyed churches of the Armenian p,rovinces where not a single

Armenian now lives. Are we to suppose that the inhabitrnts just disappeared into Biernrd & Oanlf|lut

the air.

Considering the evil and harrnfirl intentions Turkey harbon against the Armenians, any relations with Turkey, ftade or otherwise, would be tantamount to suicide.

HratchTchaderjian Inndon, England

Pl€aso s6nd

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The Armenian World The Time of His Life FRESNO

Ill with cancer and aware his time

was

limited, acclaimed novelist and playwright William Saroyan called a reporter five days before his death to give a frral statement: "Everybody has got to die, but I have always believed an exception would be made in my case; now what?" Now,

The commemorative stamps will bear an artist's rendering of a color portrait of Saroyan taken by Fresno photographer Paul Kalinian during a rate 1976 seating which produced a unique series ofphotos (one of tlrcm is reproduced here) thathave appearcd

l0 yean later, an answer to Saroyan's existential query comes from the postal services of the United Srates and

Despite pleas by Armenian community leaders, departing California Govemor George Deukmejian rcfused to grant apardon to Hampig Sassounian (picttued), the Armenian youth sewing a hfe sentence with-

organizations nationwide pleaded Sassounian's case, including an unprccedented letter signed by the archbishops of both the Armenian Docese and Prelacy in

American-Armenian

will be honored

by both countries with

WestemU.S. Although it was within his constitutional

commemorative starnps bearing his likeness. The two respective stamps will be jointly issued in official festivities on May 22 n Saroyan's birtlplace, Fresno, Califomia and in Armenia's capial, Yerevan. The USPS was expected to make the official armouncement on Feb.22. Saroyan will ttrus be the first American citizen so honored, and the fint individual of Armenian descent to appear on a U.S. stamp.

Wren in Rome...

in at least nine books and numerous periodicals around the world. The issuance of the stamps will coincide with other decennary commemorative events in April and May in Fresno, including the premiere of adocumentaryfilm on Saroyan's life and works by Kalinian, the dedication of the Permanent Historical Exhibit at the Fresno Metropolitan Museum, and the Seventh Annual William Saroyan Festival.

II and the president of Armenia's parliament, lrvon Ter-Peftosyan, privately discussed the reconstruction of ttre earttrquake zone, Armenia's political future, as well as the situation in the Karabagh Autonomous authority as Govemorto grant afull pardon

Region.

The l5-minute tete-a-tete was preceded

without having to justify his action,

by a meeting with the ottrer members of the Armenian delegation--lresidential adviser

Deukmejian stood firm. Although his refusal was disappointing to many Armenians, it was not a surprise to those who understood the policies and personality of George Deukmejian. The issue has raised much confioversy and debate. One of many disillusioned

Alexander Arzumanian and parliamentarian Ashot Pleyan. During the visit, the sitrLration in Lithuania and the Soviet Union as a whole were topics of conversation. Pope John Paul also referred to the spirinral rehabilitation in Armenia and sent a fratemal message to His Holiness Cattrolicos Vazgen

I. During its trip in Italy, the Armenian delegation signed a protocol of cooperaVATICAN CITY

In a historic fust-of-its-kind meeting, the

of the Armenian government was received by the spiritual leader of the Rohead

man Cattrolic Church in the Vatican. In

LOS ANGELES

fice, Gov. Deukmejian was bombarded with letters requesting a fi.rll pardon or reduction ofsentence for Sassounian, who has served almost nine years of his sentence. In a campaign headed by attomey Walter Karabian, over 20letten from individuals and

the Soviet Union. In a relatively rare intemational occurrence, the

their January

Sacramento

out parole for the 1982 assassination of the Turkish consul-general in Los Angeles. Throughout his last seven weeks in of-

exactly

author

!!No, from

meeting, Pope John Paul

tion with the province of Venetto, discussed opening direct air routes between Yerevan and Venice with Italian Public Transportation and Civil Aviation Minister Carlo Bemini, and visited the Armenian community in Venice and ttre Mekhitarist Brotherhood on the island ofSan

I:zzaro. I

AlM, February 1991

Armenians, Karabian feels that Deukmejian's decision will "obliterate all the good he has done in the eyes of the Armenian community." Others who understand Deukmejian's position potntta a los Angeles Times amlysis article in which he is described as "a man of temendous personal integrity."

Wrote George Skelton: "B@ause he's penonally honest, he was reluctant to engage in

deal-making."

O covnnsroRY

GAUOHT

ar is wreaking its destruction once more on Armenians in the Middle East. Kuwait's prosperous Armeruan community shattered after ttre August 2 invasion by haq. Now, as ttrebombs of Desert Storm rain down on Saddam Hussein's regime, haqi-Armenians in Baghdad and Basra have to run for shelter. The conflict has sent refugees fleeing to Armenian family and friends in Syria, Jordan and Israel. Ottren have gone to the United States or Europe. Tenified Armenians in Tel Aviv and Haifa donned gas masks and huddled in home-

made shelters as Iraqi Scud missiles exploded on the Israeli cities. L,ocal churches have stored food and frst aid supplies to provide relief in an emergency. Their businesses are in bad shape, particularly those dependent on tourism, and school hours have been shortened. Armenians in Amman, Jordan, also report economic hardships because of the

effects on their county of ttre worldwide embargo of Iraq. Battle, too, threatens to bring Armenians closer together--on opposite sides. They are serving in ttrc U.S.-led coalition and in the haqi forces, facing each other across the "line in the sand."

Some 10,000" 12,000 Armenians had made

their homes in Kuwait, many becoming wealthy in the professions or as businessmen. Up to 70 percent had come from Syria, principally Aleppo, and *rcre were contingents, too, from kbanon and Jerusalem. Now fewer than 500 remain in the country, mainly those who had nowhere else to escape. The once thriving church and school life has withered with the exodus. Sarkis Aslanian, 54, joined a l7+ar con-

voy on a perilous tlree-day joumey from Kuwait through Basra, Baghdad, and Jordan, to Damascus. He left behind a multimillion dollar perfume distribution company built up over the years wittr his brother

Krikor.

never saw in my life anything like the

thousands and thousands ofcars and waves ofpeople on the roads and at the borders," he recalls.

"When I left Kuwait I had only 300 Kuwaiti dinars and $300 U.S. in my pocket." Even now ttre sudden collapse of the country he had known.for 35 years is a shock. "We couldn't believe the tanks and soldiers were Iraqi. "We knew that Iraq had massed on the border; it wasn't a complete surprise, but we thought they would come l0 kilomeAlM, February 1991

ters from the border then stop and start pushing fortheirgrievances to be addressed. "They started at 2 a.m. and by 6 a.m. they were already in front of my house in Kuwait Ciry," Aslanian said. Widespread looting followed wittr so nxny kaqi cars on the sfrerts that Aslanian felt he could be in Basra. He saw his own perfrrme warehouse plundered and the expensive fragrances sold cheaply at markets by looters.

Avedis Khajerian, from Beirut, lived in Kuwait for more than 30 years. He built up a 24-hour photography lab in Salmieh, a well-to-do suburb of Kuwait City, and had a wholesale photographic equipment store,

which was looted the day of ttre invasion. He estimated his loss at $4 million. He remembers people fleeing ttre city from the fint day because "there was nothing to keep there". Worried that something would happen, he moved his family to Califomia after the kan-Iraq war, but still the invasion stunned him. "We expected han would hit us for helping haq but we never imagined it would be Iraq to hit us." Jirayr ffalian, 44, a Palestinian-Armenian, was assistant general manager of the Commercial Bank of Kuwait, the fourthranked financial institution in Kuwait with

an estimated worth

of $5 billion.

He and his family were in Germany on the way homefrom a wedding in the United States when they leamed the news. Overnight the bank became worthless and they were refugees.

The family retumed to relatives in the U.S. but Jirayr went back briefly ro Kuwait in September, frnding a "very forlom city." "I saw some Armenians there; the only thing thatkept them togetherwas the friendship created in such a situation. Every night the Armenians gathered in one fellow's home, they would chit chat-and exchange information about what's happened," Orfalian said.

"The calamity wils so great because it was a very prosperous society in Kuwait and the Armenian society was very warn. Suddenly it was gone ovemight." The ripples ofthat collapse have spread to Armenians across the Middle East and

beyond, with disasfious economic consequences, said Orfalian.

"Every Armenian who was working in Kuwait had someone outside depending

on him, whether

was a brother or his

palâ&#x201A;Źnts," he said.

"They used to feed, I

Missak Ohanian, AIM's representative

in london and a directorof t]re Armenian Cente for Information and Advice there, said Armenians from

Kuwaitare beinggiven but Armenians from haq, who have flooded his office for help, are being told nothing can be done for them. "The Home Office does not seem to be

offers

of help by the Home Office

recognizing the fact that the Armenian community is a quite separate Christian community in haq," Ohanian said. Many of ttre families have little money left and no way of getting to their assets in Baghdad. Said the father of one family: *We speak to ourrelatives in haq using code language and they say 'Do not come back.'We do not know what to do."

The Iraqi-Armenian community lost 108 soldiers during the war with han. Armenians are known to be in the haqi front lines again and already, according to one source,

at least two have been taken prisoner by coalition troops. Billions of do[ars worth of weaponry being used by ttre Iraqi army were sup,plied by an Armenian. The arms deals during ttre l98k made Miami-based Sarkis Sogha-

would say, 30,00G50,000

Armenians

all over

the

world." Botr Ofalian, whose three

children were bom ttrcre, and Aslanian hope to retum to Kuwait when the fighting ends. They know life will be different, but Aslanian sees hope for change after the war.

"I believe that most of the Armenians will retum to Kuwait at least to see if they can resume their former life. "With all the help given Kuwait I am sure trcre will be a push for more democratic change. We have to have some kind of rights which are undeniaAvedis Khaierian lost his 2rt-hour photo lab... bly ours. We have helped in the progress of the country. nalian the largest private "I don't believe we are there only to make arms dealer in the world. money; everybody is playing a part in buildThe shipments included ing up the munuy." more than 100 French In l-ondon, Armenian tourists from haq Howitzer artillery guns, have found themselves in a predicamenl specially-adapted Soviet They are afraid to go back to haq for fear long-range cannons, even of either being conscripted into Saddam $280 million worth of uniHussein's figting force or being caught up forms. But Soghanalian says in a bloody war. Yet, they find no help the weapons were sold to from the British Home Office. aid haq in its war with han,

not to fight Americans.

"That was sold to fight Khomeini and we werc against Khomeini. The U. S. had hostages there and I said, 'I'll go and take my share in it'," he told CBS. "I did it with the knowledge of U.S. authorities, policy-makers...I do not have anything on my conscience. I did not sell the weapons to kill ttre American boys." But Soghanalian,6l, says he wants nothing to do with this war and has igrored ap prroaches ftom haq to break the current embargo. He has been under indictnent in Miami since 1987 for allegedly conspiring to ship 103 combat helicopters to kaq. The Primate of the Armenian Apostolic Church of kaq, Bishop Avak Asadourian, left Baghdad two days before the outbreak of waron a peace-seeking mission with ttrc pariarch of Iraq's Roman Catholics. They have met with Pope John Paul II in Rome, and church leaders in France, Britain and ttrc U.S. in an effort to gather support for halting the war and opening peace talks. Bishop Asadourian told AIM early in the crisis that Armenians survived the Genocide partly because of Arab hospitality, and felt obligated to them. He said they were "part and parcel" of the region and would "bear any burden that the whole of the Arab worl&and in these difficult times, haq-is facing". Armenians in kaq are now facing thu burden in the form of daily bomb ing fiom the Allied forces. One haqi-Armenian closely involved with the community in the U.S. who asked not to be named said a contact in Jordan had given a vivid picnre of life in Baghdad during wartime. '"That fint night everyrhing was lightning and bombing. They don't have water, because supplies have been

.."and photo equipment store In Kuwait ln lraql invasion

lossof 94million

AlM, February 1991

bta!

Many of the 10,00 Iraqi-fumenians in tlre U.S. had ho@ and believed that war could have

been avoided through negotiations, he said.

"Armenians have always been rcspected there although our religion is different. They have been respected by the govem-

ment and the govemment has always helped ttrem to build

The graduate of Nonrich Military Academy, Vermon! trained for six years for the possibility ttrat one day he would lead roops into battle. "In a way they are nervous and in a way it is a challenge. He finally gets to put to

use what he has rained for all these years. I guess ttrey leam o put the fear aspect of it

aside," said Vicki., She, too, has had to master her emotions

churches," said ttrc anonymous kaqi-Armenian. "sometimes you feel pity for the people there. I love haqi people, I tell you frankly. The govemments come and go but the people stay," he added. Like others from the Middle

East, members

of his Iraqi-

Armenian group have been appnoached by ttre Federal Bureau of Investigation, which has

been criticized for its decision to intewiew fuabs in the U.S. in imnpois b lrq'during hb rvar wlth lran, bellses the On this occasion the agents were worst iart ol the confric't lles ahâ&#x201A;Ź8d welcomed. '"They ask if we knew haqi terrordidn't gas or have electricity tlrey don't bombed; ists; ttrey just asked how they could assist for heat and fuel. They are disributing cylus if somettring goes wrong. We were hap,py inders ofbutane fon cooking. about tltem coming; if they were not going "But this is not new for tlreq they have to come we would have called ttpm." lived with it for nine yean in the lran-haq America, too, has Armenians in its milithey suffering, has tasted war. Every family tary forces in the GuH. know iq for them it's normal," he said. Captain AraManjikian andhis wife Vicki Among the 15,000 Armenians in the Iraqi preparing to celebrale their fint Christwere far as he capital there had not yet been, so mas in theirnew postin northem Germany bomb of the a result as knew, any deaths when Ara was called to service in Operaings. Basr4 where 5,000 Armenians lived, tion Desert Shield on Ctristnas Eve. had become a ghost town, evacuated by Ttre 27-year-old captain wi0r rlre IIHC residents who knew it would be a target Infantry Unit left for Arabia as part of when war began. an advance reconnaissance party ahead of Many of the Basra Armenians had gone

l4l

across the

the anival ofhis Bra-

bordero

unkunir

say witrrelatives in Iran, he said. Ottt-

dley

ers had gone to

a liffle over a month

"Wehadknownfor

Baghdad. There is evidence,

ttnt he was going,"

too, from IraCi-Armenians who have spoken to AIM, that

leftonCtristnasEve it wasn't a surprise;

saidVicki. "Whenhe

Armenianmenhave been forced to join

it was kind of a relief because you at leastknew he was fi-

the army against tlreir will because of

nally going, the waiting game was over."

thatttreirfamilieswillbepmist'ed" The conflict sad-

"He was actually

fears

lookingfonvardto

of jokes to say it

dens him as some-

one who was bom in Basra and lived in kaq for 32 yean.

He cracked a couple

Capt Ara llaniikian is glad to be out in the Saudi sun a little bit

would be nice to be out in the strn a little

bit"

AlM, February 1991

Col. Vartan SlpanEi, a veteran ol past wars,

volunbercd

16r chaplaln

duty in Saudi Arabia

during this conflict. At first she was glued to the television set and radio for the latest news.

*Now I do what he does. I just Put ttrc

fear and worry aspect aside and try not to think about it. That's the only way I can cope with it," she said. Colonel Vahan Sipantziknows more than most in *re military what it feels like o be a

Ctristian in aMuslim world. In civilian life he is a middle school teacher and chaplain with the American Baptist denomination. He volunteered as a reserve ofEcer to serye as a chaplain and left for Dhahran with ttre U.S. 422nd Civil

Affairs Company inttre Zth lnfanty Dvision in mid-January. A veteran of both fte Korean and Vietniun wars, Col. Sipantzi, 58, felt his experience as a soldier and chaplain could be

real benefit to young roops facing baule for tlre fint time, his wife Betry said. She added that Col. Sipantzi, whose parents were Armenians from Syri4 volunteered because he believed that President Bush was correct in his assessment of the Gulf crisis. But U.S governrnent lcquests

NTERVIEW

Voice for Peace Ilishop Avak ;lsadourian, Pritttute rl the Antrcttitur ,llxt.stoliL Clttrn.h tl lruq, le/i lluglild with ttltt,r Clrri.sriLur lt,rult'r: on u l)&t(e-.\(,t'kittc tttis.siott, tyro dtn.q lx,.fbre r,trrr ba,qtut.'l'lta.t ntt,t witlr rlrc Pt4v itt Ronre urul rcligious leurler.t iri Srr.i(crluntl, I rance. Greot lJrinrirt. urul the Unitetl Stetes to urge suppon.fitr ort etul kt lrt.stilities. He spoke to AIM in kts ;\ttgtlcs ort f'ebnutry

13.

AIMt What did you tell the leaders you met? Asadourian: Our rlessage rvas that we believe war will not solve pnrhlents. that it would create new prohlents fbr the N,liddle East in general und for the fLrlLue between the West and thc N,liddlc Easr. I belioc that onc of the litctors that has lecl to rhis situation is the cultLrral ban-ier. people rrot understancling horv otlrers think. C)ur-lxrsition as a (lhr"rrch is thal wc r.r,ant pcace frx'thc entirc rcuion, tirl all thc cor crnnlerlts of'thc rcsion. tirr tLll thc p-oplcs. for all thc ltations. For this I don't erclude

anyone;

include crcrlbodt, that is in-

volved.

ln order tbr this to be accortrplishcd

this stage I believe it is irnp-rative that all leam io rnike sacriflces. Ercnbodv rnusl bring about a resolution ol' this crisis ancl stalt rnirking sacriflces.

Compromises?

pret'er to saY sacritlces tx)t col.]tproSacritlce is a ntrxe Christian u,ord.

n.rises.

How were you and your message received? Sonrc church leadels hare this nolion ol'a Just Wru'which I disasrcc r,, ith. I think the tcnn Just Wlu' is rnutuallv rrclusivc. Be that as it ttta1,. thet'c lLrc also other church leaclers thal u,r.lc upset ut this uar and have lbund it to l^- ntorallv unjustiliable. l'heir reasonins is that becluse o1'thc weap()ns ol'rnass destnrction thlrt arc lrvarlable today'. therc is no \\ il.\' r'ou curr .justif'r,

an antichristian teel i ng ?

I bcliere that

it will not. t.rntil this rintc u.e have had very anricahle rclatiorrs t,ith the Muslirns.

rvill shou us lhc

I.jLrst hope

Gril

hears and in His wav He

r.vav.

What was the mood of the Armenian community when you left Baghdad?

Do you fear a mass emigration from the Armenian community in lraq? It depends what kind of situatkrn u,ill be createcl in lraq. It is a rich countrv. it is a

horv

very eiisy collntr),. the people arc nicc-. If' the situation atier this conllict is rcsolverl tends to thc better. I dorr't think peoplc' u,ill ctnigrate. I fir{rc thr:v do not.

What were your feelings when you heard that war had begun?

Of course there was concem but some-

pople

were optimistic. We were think-

ing "cor-rldn't this be resolved through neS,rtirrlion:.'" Btrt thcrc wus no panic.

prs*ution in lraq? I would say ubsolutclv "No." Nol irr thc Middle lrast. I nrust sav that the Arabs as a nalion havc hccn vcrv {rxxl to the Arrneniarts: thcy havc rvclcorlccl the nt with opn anls. Wc owe thc Arah nation a deht ol'

We werc in Rorne: the tirst news was rrther shrrking f or rnc. I thought we should ckr cvcrvthing to get back to our countly Ite ltLtsr' r.i t' sllult'tl this rttissirlrr t() ilvcll u,ar and lt()w wiir had sta(ed. But uc tlccidcd to continue bccause our rnission t-lt:cunte nlrre irnportant-to try to stop the hostilitics or to raise the voice lbr

grrtitLrdc.

the er'rslltron ol hostilrlics.

How optimistic are you that peace

lsthere religious

willarrive?

Wc uill go back via Arnrnan, Jordan. ntavbc in thc flrst w,eek o1-March. I don't know how ',ve iuc going to get to Baghdad.

of them are tbr peace: thc point is hoi,, arc we going to achiere it. That r,,e leave tirr.

Perhaps what rve ire sayins nright be considercd politicalll, naive but r.ve harc to

bombarded.

the politicians.

raise our voices fbr peace. We have lo work lbr peace and r.vhat r,"e are doing I

The nreetings weftl vcra, anticable. r\ll

Will the growing anti-Western teeling in the Middle East be felt also as

believe is verv in.rportant. Whether it frnds I ant a Christian and

ears I don't know. but

AlM, February 1991

sincc the road therc is being constiutly

I have never thought o1'my personal safetv. but 1,es I arn in some sort of anxiety. I l-eel that I rnust be there with my people; that is constantly on my

mind.

that Christian chaplains remove religious insignia and be known as "momle officers" so as not to offend the Saudi hosts upset and concemed him. "That was very hard for him. He wrote a number of strongly-worded letters as to his feelings on that and was told it was a State Departnent decision, not a Defense Deparfinent decision," she said.

"He felt that a man in battle doesn't have a morale officer but a chaPlain." The couple's son, Major Terry Sipantzi' is based in Germany and had been scheduled to go to the Middle East three times. Air Force Captain Hrarch Der Stepanian pilots a C-141 ransport airplane as part of the huge mission to supply the weapons, roops and equipment needed for Opera-

Gonsequences of the War

tion Desert Storm. He knows, too, ttrat he could carry a grimmer cargo if the groundwar breaks out. "We do most of the air evacuations of injured people and can carry 130 beds on the plane. If the ground fighting starts we are going to be flying a lot," he says. Der Stepanian has flown regular shuttles between the U.S., Europe, and Saudi Arabia as a reservist since November. Originally from Egypt, he was on active duty for nine years with ttre U.S. Air Force before retuming to civilian life in Whittier, Cali-

nce again events appear to conspire against Armenians and Armenia at this crucial moment in our history. ei C* ltance, tle war in the Persian Gulf does not seem to impact on us; however, tltsre are A numlgr of direct consequences

frornthisconflicr TtewarwillhavedifferentresultsforttmeeofusintteDasporatlun forthose in Armenia-

For Armenians in the Middle EasL ttrc present instability combined with anti{hristian feelings that are likely to arise in tlre afterrnath of flre war, could lncre{Ne the rate of e*griri* to the Weit. Long-standing Armerdan comnunities in tlrc arcl will thus be weaiened or indeed disappear, with the result that at least tluee generations since 1915 will move furttpr away from Armenian historical tenitories. The most immediate consequence of the war in ttre Gulf is that Armenians may be called upon to shoot at each other. Armenians drafted in the various armies of the coalition will be'engaged in killing Iraqi soldien, some of whom could very well be kaqi,-huq war should have already prepared us for this possibility. We Armenians. must remember also that Armenians in Israel are not irnmune to Irag's missile attacts. Turkey's entry into the war on ttre side of tlre coalition by allowing ttrg forces to use the air base at lngirtit< is a cynical move at besl Turkey is already considered atey friend and ally of *re United StateJ; ttris move is no doubt designed to gain favorrrith NATO and the Eulloeean Economic Community. Much will depend on whethe_r'Turkey will dare to

tt tt

ctaimpartsotnorttrem

;iffi:"ffi#,'il;"':

ffi Bv LoR{::*TTlHt}r' PtrD

will make any Arme-

6nâ&#x201A;ŹcidtoAlt

rh"'"'Jior'r,i. ffi gd

kuq

whepel1l5

nim claims in the Di-

aspor4 particutarty around Apnlz[,fall on even more deaf ears, especially if tlre conflict is still continuing. Fffi*re ermenia the crisis is not that disant, wift bo& Imn and Tirkey on its borders. One poential sourre of conflict berween tlre Diaspm and Armenia &af the war could exac#te is the promotion and resolution of tlre Armenian Qrmtion, which the Diaspora has made &e focus of prrctically all of iA aOiviry. The nw reality in kmenia has dictatd a move towards cooperation and accomodation with enemies, Ths Armenian goverrunent discussions and qeate economic linla with Tukey'*Egl will now no is willing t0 open -economically from its war effort Continued regional instability when hosaoubt dnefit a[ied military prcsence in historical Armenia. Consea strong require might end tilities quently, prffddng anO toUUying against Turkey by tlre Diaspora-and its political parties wiU titety anract ftde sympattry in fu West and may actually wotk against ttre wishes and needs of tlre Armenian govemment. Events in the Middle East have already been used by Soviet President Mikhael Gorbachev to sqeen the crackdown in the Baltic republics. The Caucasus is considered to be a hotbed of independent activity and one might well ask whether action designed to bring the area under tight contnol is planned. The final consequence for Armenia as a result of the Gulf War is ttat govemment budgets of tlre nations involved will have been smerched to the limit, and this is aheady in u frod of Oiff.ult economic realities. Armenia's need for aid because of the eartlquake will only grow as it attempts to crâ&#x201A;Źate a new economy for a new country. *d tt bt "kud" will now be forthcoming from the wealthier nations to hglp Armenia? What "money It becomes apparcnt then fhat there are many potential difficulties for Armenians as a result of the Cuti War. Armenians, particularly in ttre Diaspora have lo act wi*l caution

tnt the entire nation can carry on witr its agenda" Lome Shitinbn ts a wrtbr afr potassclr ot filg'arysftd&saf fia Odli$e rffiltaire Royal

and clffir-sightedrEss, so

no.fu,W

AlM, February 1991

Caotain Hratch tler Stepanian, a resewe pilot ol ihe U.S. Air Force, wbs called back to duty in Operation Desert Storm

fomia two years ago. The political and social consequences of ttre Penian Gulf war, however it ends, are likely to reshape the region profoundly' New alliances could be made, new enmities formed, maybe leading to new flashpoints of tension. Armenians from Kuwait and Iraq will face the challenge of rebuilding ttreir lives from the ruins of war. Just as civil war shattered Armenian life in l,ebanon, upheaval could drain the vitality of these com-

munities. Those in other counffies maY have to come to terms wittt a resurgent Islamic fundamentalism, or with ttre prospect of new conflict in part of the Middle East. For Armenians in the military, the Persian Gulf war may bring glory or death. Some will have permanent scars. All will carry permanent memories, tempered by

the sweet taste of victory--or the biner medicine of defeat.

Two in the Gulf By MOOBAD IIOORADIAil Special to

Alll

From Watertown to SaudiArabia "Mom, keep the dolma warm," wrote Lieutenant Glenn Balian in his first letter home from Saudi Arabia. As a typical Armenian mother, [,ois Balian is keeping the dolma (sruffed zucchini) ready. [n the meanwhile, Nezareth, Glenn's father, is get-

about Saddam Hussein.

tank and its crew from the United States to the Saudi Arabian desert could well have been U.S. Air Force Captain Thomas Ka-

pikian.

am up on my history. I'm still trying to figure out why Kurt Vonnegut used Vartan Mamigonian

He has been flying the huge planes from the United Sates to Germany and Saudi Arabia for some time. Dr. and Mrs. Albert

guy in his novel Bluebeard." One answer to Glenn's dilemma is the same reason that many Americans think that Armenians are Arabic, that Armenians speak Arabic.

Kapikian of Rockville, Maryland, arc proud of their pilot son. and well they should be. It was not too long ago that he played Linle lrague and high schoolbaseballin Mary-

"He always wanted to do something that

Captain Kapikian and his two brothers understand the value of education. Providing assistance to people is a family trait. Dr. Albert Kapikian, a research physician, has been employed at the National Institute

as a bad

showed his pride in being Armenizn," said t ois. "That's why Glenn chose to attend West Poinl"

The piano on which Glenn became a polished musician and on which he loved to play Armenian music is quiet these days. But not the TV, where his father maintains vigilance for news on the Gulf crisis. His letters home indicate that Glenn is maintaining a good sense of humor. One of his routines is to lift weights made of bonles filled with sand. Glenn likes the

land.

of Health since 1957. His current major project is helping to defeat *re Rota virus, which causes infantile intestinal problems. Captain Kapiki;ur graduated from the

University of Maryland

in 1986. He

at-

Army so far. He is currenlty assigned to a field artillery headquarters battery as a forward support ofticer for an infantry company. Lt. Balian commands Multiple krunch Rocket Systems (MLRS). Glenn's job requires outstanding leaderBalian at graduation lrom West Point in'1989

ting finger-sore from wrapping "care pack-

ages" to Saudi Arabia from Little HayastaFWatertown, Massachusetts. In one fashion or another, the cheoreg (Armenian cookie) will get through and will be eaten and the odors with whom Glenn shares his packages wil! love it. Glenn loves Armenian cooking. So did his 1989 West Point classmates when he received those "crazy Armenian pizzas" they devoured in the dorms at the Academy. His buddies liked lahmajune so much that they vanished as rapidly as Glenn was able to distribute them at Michie Stadium football games. Any Americzn-Armenian bom and raised in Watertown leams his Armenian heritage very early. Glenn attended St. James Ar-

ship skills and the patience to make sure that the waiting game in the desert does not have an adverse impact on his men or his equipment. Upon graduation from West Point, Glenn immediately went tothe airbome and Ranger Schools and then, on to the Artillery Officer Basic Coume. His frst troop assignment was with his current unit at Fort Stewart, Georgia. Before deploying to Saudi

Arabia, Glenn went hvice to the National Training Center on the West Coast and received a small taste of what it would be like in the desert. He also spent a lot of time in the field in Georgia. The time that he spent in the field has been ofconsider-

able help in preparing for dufy in Saudi Arabia. In the meantime, his mother is keeping the dolma warm for his retum.

menian Apostolic Church and graduated from Sunday School. He went on to Sts.

G5Pilot

Sahag and Mesrob Armenian schools and put the finishing touches on his spoken

An army tank driver can coix his 70+on steel monster up the back ramp, through

Armenian. "I was young and did not take it (Armenian language school) very seriously," he modestly states, "but I hope to leam more once I get back and don't have to worry

the yawning doors of the plane, and wait until the C5A Starlifter lands in Saudi Arabia. Then the driver can guide the tank out of the front nose-pod that lifu into the sky like a big scoop. The pilot that brought ttre

AlM, February 1991

Kapikian pilots Milatary Alr Command planes in Saudi Arabia

tended the U.S. Air Force Offrcer Candi date School at l.ackland Air Force Base in Florida and went to Vance Air Force Base

in Oklahoma, where he received his pilot training. His first assignment was at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. For three years he piloted aC-27 l*ar Jet. He qualified for larger aircraft and upon a.ssignment to the Materiel Airlift Commard, he took part in the massive airlift of troops and equipment to Saudi fuabia. Switching from a [,ear Jet to a flying warehouse is a tremendous change, but Captain Kapikian is taking it in stide with his part in the largest military airlift in U.S. history.

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Karabagh in ::.q; ,:

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Since its inception three years ago, the Karabagh Movement Iras ployed a lcey role in slnping the political developments inArmenin By VARTAiI OSKANIAN oday tlre

lkrabagh issue-*enrming

tlrc 4,000-square-kilometer territory mostly populated by Armenians to Armeniris one of the most pressing issues facing the govemment and the people of Armenia- It is not only a major element in its domestic politics but a sraining factor in its relations with Moscow, and most importantly, a crucial determinant of

the direction of future developmens with is neighbors, including Turkey. Political analysts differed as o how and why ttre Karabagh Movement started at its earlier stages; tlre interpretarions ranged from the conspiracy involving then party chief Karen Demirjian to manipulate local nationalism to ease the pressure from the Krcrnlin forhis resignation, to Gorbachev's acquiesence to balance offgrowing Islamic fundamentalism in Central Asian republics, to his initiation of the events and denial of the demands to score points with Islamic republics or !o discourage other groups from raising similar issues. But ttre real force behind the Kambagh Movement was accumulated by successive events like a tumbling snowball which turned to an avalanche rolling through the smeets 0f Yerevan. It all started with the petition sigred by 100,000 Karabagh Armenians and sent to tlre Communist Party Central Committee, followed by ttre visit of a l3-member delegation from Karabagh to Moscow, and culminated with the Karabagh soviet's decision to unite the region with Armenia All these occurred in the atmosphere of glasnost, where the events were reported and discussed, and seasoned

by the promising comments from highranking Armenian officials with influence in Moscow, but most notably ttre admittance of Moscow officials of the historical errors committed under Stalin and the need for ttreir correction. All this raised the

viar ol the village ol Tak

ln the souhem Karabagh rcgion ol Hadrcut

people's national feelings and created the momenturn which ultimately drove them to Orc sEeets. Indeed the new policy ofopenness initiated by Mikfiail Gorbachev in April 1985 gave Armenians anew and genuine opportunity to raise an old but suppressed issuetlrc retum of Karabagh to Armenia. Historically, Karabagh has always been

populated and ruled by Armenians. Even

during ttre successive domination of Armenia by Arabs, Seljuks and lanians, Kara-

bagh continued to be govemed by semi-independent Armenianprinces, until tlrc early

lgth Century, when the Russian Empire annexed the region from kan. During tlrc cennrry of Russian nrle, Karabagh was linked administratively to Azerbaijan. Soviet power was established in April 1920 and ttre chair-

man of Azerbaijan's Revolutionary Committee, Narimanov, in a telegmm sent to the Armenian Republic, declared Karabagh a part of Armenia in a gesture of fratemal solidarity. However, the Soviet authorities under Salin decided ttrat Karabagh must become an autonomous region with Azerbuijur. Since then Armenians and Aze6aijanis have lived in an artificial arnosphere of socialistic brotherhood during which the Karabagh issue was forcefirlly kept dor-

AlM, February 1991

mant by the Sovies. Only on a few occasions were intermittent voices raised for justice and tlre retum of land. On May 19, l9&, Armenians of Karabagh sent apetition to then-Prime Minister Nikia Khrushchev requesting the reincor-

poration of the mountainous region into the Armenian SSR. On October 15,1977, noted novelist Sero Khanzadian wrote a letter to Communist Party General Secretary lâ&#x201A;Źonid Bredrnev, asking him to put Kaxabagh under ttre jurisdiction of the fumenian SSR. During the lastthree yean the lGrabagh issue played a key role in shaping the political developments in Armenia. It served as apowerfrrl instnrmentfor mobilizing the masses and giving the impetus for political activism and maturity. It became a singular obsession and made Armenians impotem of doing anyttring else without its retum to

Armenia

The Armenian National Movement (ANIO, the parly now in power, started its political activism as ttre Karabagh Committee, mobilizing the entirepopulation be-

hind it which evenhrally ransformed ino an all-national Armenian movemenl The May 1990 parliamentary elections

in Armenia gave the Armenian National Movement a leading role in tlrc govem-

ment. Thkfy-five percent of the seats were won by ANM candidates, and another 30 percent was won by other groups in coalition with ANM, giving a popular mandate to ANM policies in general, but most importantly, to its policy on Karabagh which was predicated by the commitrnent to vigorously punue the retum of Karabagh to

Armenia. However, the results of the May elections could hardly be considered any ideological or party-loyalty alignment of ttre electorate in Armenia. The political annosphere, characterized by anti-Communist attitudes, the notion of self-determination

Armenian women in the Getashen district exemplify the spirit of defending ancestral land

aroused by the prospects of independence

cial issue on which the leaderchip seems to

and the revival of national espirations sym-

have faltered. Because Armenians are unable and unwilling to tackle the culnral and psychological obstacles that impede revolutionary

bolized by the struggle for the retum of Karabagh to Armenia, have all precondi-

tioned the public's political thinking and behavior.

politics, the strictly

The outcome was more of an expression of the public's spontaneous reaction to the prevailing political annosphere, rather than a well thought and deliberated judgment regarding Armenia's long-term interests and the prerequisites for laying down the fundamentals of building a stare. Indeed, what happened in Armenia was nothing short of a revolution. But unfornr-

political rebellion ends either in failure or in state oppression. The state may manage to sur-

retum of Karabagh to Armenia in the immediate future, but rather if they can devise a long-term plan for the renrm of Karabagh {onsistent with the repubtc's social, political and economic progress-that will enjoy the support of the public and the otherpolitical fac-

tions both in

o E E

Armenia and the Diaspora.

o o

vive with the help L of the whip, but it is

The new leadership inArmenia

a far cry fiom the

has adoptedanew political thinking. In this "new think-

revolutionery goals of bringing about a new order and creating the new Arme-

nately, it was and still is a "revolufion" confined to the strictly political domain. Armenians have rebelled politically, but

ing," Armenia's

their social relations, judgments on public and private matters and attitudes toward

nia.

Now that the ini-

interests are perceived more flexibly and in terms

work errd society in general continue to be derived from the traditional sources of ttre past 70 years. Today, a strictly political revolution in Armenia is impossible. Any

tial euphoriahas subsided, the leaden ac-

have recognized

meaningful political change rests upon moral and cultural ffansformation. This is a cru-

,ARMENIA

Y"r"r"nb\ I I.r.z \

knowledge that the issue they are facing is not whether they can secure the

ofpriorities. They

the multidimensional natureofthe

political forces and War veteran Nikolai Jalavian and his wife Zarik

Nagorno Karabagh

u3-)

RKE a-ri\ u--r

{md{

4@}rv,"

Nakhichevan

IRAN

AlM, February 1991

interests

the

roukian, chairman of the ARF World Bureau, criticized ttre leadership in Armenia, saying ttrat "the same leaders who arrived to power because of tlreir past stnrggle o reuniff Karabagh now s€em to have disavowed their national cause."

ilovsnent senred as a porverful lnstument lor giving the ifipetus lor political acdvity airC rn*urtty ln Annenla region wittrin the context of the recent do' mestic, national and intemational developments. They have recognized that Armenia is not in the center of the universe, nor is it an isolatedisland in themiddle of nowhere. It cannot dictate its will forcefully, nor can it be cushioned against the hannful intentions of the otlren. Karabagh is one of the interests Armenia has, but by no means is the only item on its list of priorities. It was too simplistic and naive to continue thinking of national interest in absolute terms. It

was the pursuit of the relative, overall and long-term interest that was important, not the achievementof immediate gains in iso lated cases. The new leadership has recogdzed the need and has taken steps to put the Karabagh issue in its prroper perspective. However, despite the growing consensus among the public to the ANM's new philosophical approach, there continues to be domestic pressure to glve tlre Karabagh issue a high priority. Although the last thee yean have

amply demonsrated the limits of Armenia's political and economic capabilities, it will still be

march in tlre streets of Yerevan demanding the reunification of Karabagh to Armenia. And in the same spiriq who knows what could happen in the coming years in rcgard to our territorial demands, including the tenitories of Western Armenia. But on ttrc evidence of our r€cent failure on tlrc issue of Karabagh, the Diaspora should be spared

another national

the embarrassment

emergency. Indeed, the Diaspora failed o make any political statement either to Moscow or the world at large. But Armenians in Armenia did. They sent a message to Moscow that the rhetoric of socialistic brothertrood is no substitute for territorial integrity. They made a statement to Turkey that fte historic Ar-

strtrggle-an aspiration for the res-

toration of national statehood on the historic homeland annexed by Turkey and Azerbaijan," said Hrant I(hachatourian, 39, deP uty of tre Sryreme Council, chair-

man of the Constinrtional Rights Union, and one of the leaders of the opposition in padiament "Unfortunately, not all ttrepeople and

tlre deputies undentrnd the importance of this ideal," continued Khachatourian.

as one. And what befier national emergency than the events of the last three years in Armenia where for the first time we had ttre oppornrnity to reclaim patt of our historic lands. Who imagined only five years ago that millions of Armenians will

leadership to make serious concessions on Karabagh for the purpose of domestic stability and

ment is the national liberation

bagh, it-hlled to moHflze ln numliers impesshre enough to makea dent on rvodd pblic oplnion

the nation is, in the event of true national emergency, tre nation will come together

politically damaging forthe new

economic prcsperity. "The main force behind the people's move-

Atttrouoh the DinsDora stood uo ln solldarlU lor Kara

Speaking of the Daspor4 the unifying thrust of the Kambagh issue failed to overpower our social antagonism, party discord and church division. Organizen of solidarity marches for Karabagh got a shattering sense of the nation's unwillingness and in part, ttre inability to produce an ovemight unity. Despite the unprecedented appeal, advertisement and unity rheoric on behalf of all parties and the church, barely 2,000 people showed up during a March I 2, I 989, solidrity march in I-os Angeles--a city which has the largest Armenian concentration in the Daspora. It was said that no matter how divided

Another formidable pressur€ is coming from a leading Daspora parly, tlre Dashnaksoutiun. In an interview given to this maga-

zine (January 1991), thayr Ma-

AlM, February 1991

menian t€rritories will never be forgotten. And ttrey made tlre biggest statement of all to us here in the Daspora tlnt one party and qganizatiur discipline+nd nd tte flamboyant rhetoric of a divided nation in the world of the free-is the prerequisite for efficient ovemight mobilization and effective demonstation of national will and com-

miffnent. A nation painfully divided over politics, religion urd societyjn a word, reality- rreeds more than alast-minute appeal tobepulled together. It needs exensive preparation, education, change ofattitudes, sense ofrealism an4 above all else, a serule of national

priorities.

Participate in the economic grovvth of ARMENIA ... Be a member in the Armenian American

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Director Manager

Ara Aroustamian

Vice President of Armenian Chamber of Commerce & Industry Yerevan, Armenia

Announcing the historic opening of the very first Armenian American Chamber of Commerce (AACC) outside the republic of ARMENIA.

Eduard Hakobian

General Director of Yerevan Cognac Prodution Association Yerevan, Armenia

As a chamber member, the AACC will assist you in obtaining information and advice on how to conduct business in Armenia, in establishing opportunities for trade between Armenia and the United States. The chamber will also act as a liaison between its members and the private and public sectors in Armenia on matters covering promotion of trade between Armenia and the U.S. Your other advantages range from access to trade information affecting business with Armenia, information on professional, trade and services organizations, to feasibility studies, location, and introduction of agents, parlners and representatives.

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Gaucasus Neighbors

city of more than one million inhabitants.

N ew Armenian I-e ade r ship Evaluates its Relations with Georgia BY BONALD GRIGOR SUNY Spâ&#x201A;Źcaa! to AIM

ew nations in the world have coexisted side-by-side as long as Armenia and Georgia have coexas neighboring counffies. For a thousand years, as various native and immigrant tribes coalesced to form two separate and distinct peoples south of the Caucasus Mountains, Armenians and Georgians lived in a isted

gian kings gave the Armenian nobles refuge in their kingdom. Armenians became loyal servants of the Gmrgian crown, and many settled in towns and made up the merchant class of Georgia. In the 19th Century, with the rise of nationalism and greater competition between Georgan nobles and Armenian businessmen, social and ethnic conflicts developed between Armenians and Georgians. Yet in

their historic paths diverged. Armenians created a Ctristianity unique to their own nation, separate from the dominant Orthodox Church of the Byzantine Empire. But the Georgians embraced Orttrodoxy and distanced themselves from the Armenian Church. While Armenia was more exposed to the ravages of the Muslim Arabs

Armenians in Georgia number

437,W

(1989 census) and are a little over 8 percent of the republic's population. This represents a decline from l0 years earlier when Armenians were 448,000 and 9 percent of the population. Armenians have been migating from Georgia in the last few decades, as a full Armenian cultural life became more difficult in the urban centers of Georgia. Armenian cultural monuments

Khojavank in Tbilisi, have either been destroyed or taken over by Georgians. The building of the premier Armenian school in Caucasus, the Nersessian Jemaran, sits high on a hill in Tbilisi, visible from many parts of the city, but on closer inspection it has been hrmed

into a Georgian engineering school and is in poor disrepair.

To his credit the Catholicos of the Georgian Church, Ilia II, rejected suggestions that the building be declared a Georgeneral, the two nationalities continued to coexist, and indeed Tiflis (Tbilisi), the his-

toric capital of Georgia became a major center of Armenian culture and political ac-

tivity. In the years ofindependence (1918 - l92l), the Republic of Armeni4 led by the Dash-

naktsutiun, and the Republic of Georgia led by Social Democrats, fought a brief war. Unable to cooprate with one another against the nrin perils presented by Bolshevik Russia and Ataturk's resurgent Turkey, both republics succumbed to ttre Red

Army in 1921.

from the south and wars between Ottoman Turks in the west and Safavid Persians in

In the years of Soviet rule, bottr the Georgians and the Armenians built vibrant modern societies in their republics-more industrial, more urban, with a better educated population than ever in their histories. New

the east, the Georgians were more isolated and secure in their mountain valleys to the north. When Armenia was ovemrn by the Seljuk Turks in ttre I lth Century, the Geor-

working classes and new intelligentsia emerged. Georgians took over their capital, Tbilisi, and Armenians tumed Yerevan from a sleepy little town into a dynamic

fall of 1990.

and buildings, like the

common social and cultural world. In the centuries before Ctrist, both peoples were among the outlying provinces of the great Persian empire of the Achaemenids and they imbibed the hanian religion and culture of their overlords. The social sfructures ofboth Armenia and Georgia were influenced by Iranian pattems, though in Armenia the noble lords (nakharamrr) were much more independent of ttre kings than the nobles of Georgia (the avnum) were. Both came under a degree of Greek and later Roman cultural influence, and when both were Clrristianized in the early 4ttr Century, Armenia and Georgia became outposts of Christian Europe, first against the pagans to the east and south, and later against an expanding Islam. But, as similar as the two peoples were,

Yet, deep frusfrations with the Soviet system, its bureaucratic inefficiencies, political repression and restrictions on ethnic expression, led to great discontent and eventual opposition to the Communist government. The Karabagh crisis in Armenia and the rise of nationalism in Georgia resulted in dual victories for the Armenian National Movement and the Georgian Roundtable in democratic elections in the summer and

AlM, February 199'l

gian monument. At first many Georgians supported the Armenian claims to Karabagh, but others were very wary aboutchanging boundmies between republics. Georgians feel vulnerable, for large Armenian minorities live in southem Georgia in ttre region of Akhaltsikhe and Akhalkalaki, and other minorities, the Abkluz and Ossetians, also desire greater independence form Georgia. They are very concemed about Azerbaijani villagers living in Georgianearthe borders with Armenia and Azerbaijan. The new nationalist govemment of Georgia, led by Zvad Gamsakhurdia has made it clear that it will protect the tenitorial integrrty of Georgia and that Georgian affairs henceforth will be decided by Georgians. In December 1990, the Georgian Parliament eliminated the autonomous status of the Ossetian Republic. With Georgians growing more nationalistic and less tolerant of non-Georgians in

sociation which claims 35,000 memben. In Akhalkalaki amore political organization, called Javakh, has been qeated. Though

reports are not often verifiable and rumors often replace reliable

news, Armenians have been re-

porting conflict between Geor-

gians and Armenians in Akhaltsikhe and Akhalkalaki. In May lDO, it was said, disputes over a church in Akhaltsikhe led to clashes. Since the blockade of Armenia by Azerbaijan, Armenians have been much more dependent on transport of goods thrcugh Georgia. Wittr Muslims along threequarters of their borden, Arme-

nians understand the need for Georgian friendship, but many in Yerevan remain distnrsfi.rl of the Georgians. On the one hand, some Armenians have aspirations to regain a historical Armenia that

inCoryla the republic, Armenians in Tbilisi are understandably uneasy about their future in a possibly independent Georgia. They have formed an Armenian Cultural Studies as-

Lepotar

would include Armenian-populated regions as Artsakh (Karabagh) and Akhaltsikhe and Akhalkalaki. Such a plank has been promoted by the such

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hand, a sense of realism about ttre need for allies and an appreciation ofttre actual vulnerability of ttre Armenians has ledtogreater caution on the part of Armenia's present Ieadership. At the moment each Transcaucasian republic is focused inward, attempting to rebuild is economy and a national consensus behind ttre political leadenhip. But voices already arr being raised that ttre prospect of greater independence in the future requires

regional cooperation. Though Armenians and Aze6aijanis are unable to solve their tenitorial disputes peacefirlly, at least in the present afnosphere other issues, such as economic development and ecological survival, may unite the three republics along lines of common interest. Few speak of a new Transcaucasian federation, but regional institutions to deal with mutual problems, may prove to be as much a part of an independent future as declarations of sovereignty and defense of existing borders. Ronald Grigor funy Prolessor

the

Abx frbnuglan

ol ttlodem Armentan History at tllc

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AlM, February 1991

The sinration here is quite similan to that

Armenians in Holland

in Germany and other European countries with new Armenian communities. A considerable problem is that the community is

too small and too scattered; in addition, a good number of them are not yet sefiled.

Small C ommunify Sfiuggle s for I dcnfiry

Thus, a great deal ofuncertainty prevails in all aspects of community life. In fact, these two factors seriously impede any long-term planning orlarge-scale coordinatiur of social-

em countries, srrch as Indonesia and Singapore. (Ihe Armeniur colonies in these

ARSEN NfiAARTAN SpeclaltoAlt BT7

THE HAGUE

he reconsecration of the Arme-

nian church in Amsterdam in a

November 1989, some three and halfcenturies after it had been built by the

fien-p,rosperous Armenian community herc,

brought a new important factor to play in ttre life of a very young Armenian community in this European model welfare state. The whole of the community numben some 3,s00.

According to Grikor Momdjian, a modem painter and vice-president of the church council, "The opening of the Armenian church will be a historical event in the lives of Armenians in this counfiy. It will be a focal point to which Armenians of many different backgrounds, and even those who have only a vague consciousness of tlreir identity, will converge. The church, along with Armenian cultural instinrtions, can have a unifying role for the Armenian commu-

nity and even help bring back the young generation of Armenians who are on the brink of assimilation in their surrounding culfure." The church building dated back to 1714, as inscribed (in Armenian) on its fr,ont wall. By then, concentrations of Armenian businessmen and fraden, mainly frrom JuHa Armenia Out also from Smyma) had been

formed in the cities of Amsterdam and Rotterdam. It was here that the frst Armenian printed Bible, known as "Voskan" Bible, came to light in the year 1665. The old community did not sruvive long. As a

result

of the

invasion

of Holland

Napoleon's forces, trade routes were cut by tlrc end of the l8th C-entury. Many of the members of the community were forced to emigrate. Some who did remain were assimilated with the passage of time, leaving almost no trail behind. Since a few decades ago, however, Armenians, primarily form Middle Eastem countries, have begun to move and get settled here. But before these newcomers, there were already some established Armenians who had come here form FarEast-

lands had been formed since ttre beginning of the l9thCentury; mostof theirmembers came form Julfa and Isfahan in han). After World War II, when these countries acquired independence, some of the Armenians there moved o Holland. These too, like their predecessors a few centuries ago, have mostcompletely assimilated in Dutch society. This was the case until the recent arrivals, who seem to have had a positive

cultural activities. "It's already over a year we have come here; affer many montrn of living in an overcrowded camp, finally we have been given a house," said a young Arrnenian couple with two children from Iran who have sought political Asylum and did not wish to be idendfied. "True, it's I reasronable house; we arc attending Durch classes;

tlrc kids go to tlrcir own school, which is very good for them. We are doing our best to get adjusted to our surroundings, but we

influence on them. o Now, many of the $ previoussefilerstend

o ioUearracteatotheir = background culture and show considerable interest in associating with ttreir fellow Armenians. The first group

amongMiddleEasr

ern Armenians to come here were Ar-

menians from TurThese immi-

key.

grants, as

in Ger.

many, came as guest

worters along with

their other fellow countrymen. They now form the majority of Armenians in Father Gdkor Sllahlhn, Holland and are already settled and relatively welloff. They are concentrated primarily in the cities of Amsterdam, Almelo and Amersfoort In recent times, however, refugees have arrived in increasing numbers from Iran, kbanon, Syria and, more recently, from Armenia and Iraq. They have made smaller concenhations in the cities of Dordrecht and The Hague (Den Haag). Unlike ttreir Turkish-Armenian compatriots, most of the new arrivals have sought political asylum. As the Dutch govemment is very reluctant to accept new refugees, they are subjected to lengthy legal processes which may take years, at the end ofwhich an asylum seeker may just as well be denied residence and be

ordered to leave.

AlM, February 1991

dght with tlacon S:tepan Momdllan

don't know what's going

happen to us.

We have already been refused residence once. We have appealed thatdecision and are waiting; if the decision is upheld, we would have to lookforanotherplace, andif we ever find it, start all over again." According o Momdjian, "Another great obstacle in our community is the divemty of traditions and ways of life among Armenians form different parts of the world. '"This, too, hinders closer relations and understanding," Momdjian continues. "The language barrier, for instance, creates adistance between, say, Armenians form Turkey, most of whom cannot speak Armenian, and othen who have had luckier up bringmg as far as their language and cul-

*$* 5 z ,r,

.i\ (tl

ffi" $

ftti - reR \$''

ture is concemed, likeArmenians fromlran or [cbanon. However, this has its positive effects as well which will probably be felt in the long nm. Armenians from many ffierent lands meet, mix and get to know each other, something which is bound to result in the cultural and spiritlal emichment of our community." Prrofessor JJ. Weitenburg, head of the Departnent of Comparative Linguistics at

Lriden who specializes in Armenian linguistics and has published a Dutch-Armenian dictionary (fnst of its kind), expresses similar views: "The community is very young and still lacks the the University of

necessary coherence. This may be explained by its rather small size and the fact that it is mmposed of strata of Armenians widr different sociosonomic-culunal backgounds. I should like to see, for instance, a centerforArmenian studies come to life in Hollan4 but that may not be soon. Perhaps we can have such institutions in the next generation." He, too, finds the repossession of tlrc church an admirable achievement by the Armenian community. The church, named the Holy Spirit Church, belongs to the Armenian Apostolic Church of Etchmiadzin. It has been so since is early establishment Up to one-third of the

purchase price paid to restorc Armenian ownership has been conuibuted by Erchmiadzin. Due o financial reasons, the church does not yet have a priest; however, every two weeks a cleric is sent from Paris to conduct mass and religious ceremonies. The president of the church council, Archbishop

Kude Nacachian, himself sits in Paris. h each of the cities with Armenian con-

cenfiations, an Armenian asso- â&#x201A;Ź ciation orclub has been formed. Some are as old as 15 years; some are quite recent the Ararat

f i

Social-Cultural Foundation in Amsterdam, the Yerevan Social-

Culnral Association in Almelo, the Durch-Armenian Society in Amersfoort, the Armenian Culnral House in Dordrccht and the Abovian Armenian Cultural Association in The Hague. Each has varying degrees of activities - sorne offer only a meeting place

for fellow Armenians, some have greater possibilities for socialcultural work. But most of them provide Armenian Swday classes for the children and some otlpr cultural or sports activity, like a choir, dance group, football teanl etc. In the whole of the Netherlands there is not a single ArmeArtst Grlkor Momdiian ln hls sfrrdio nian school. Inonly one school in Almelo, Armenian language and hisory p,rofessional or artistic standing, such as have been incorporated in the official curProfessor Bemard H. Bichakjian, chaiflrxtll riculum for the Armenian children attendof the French Departrnent at the C-afiolic ing there. Attemps are being made to do University of Nijmegen who holds a Ph.D. the same in other cities. frorn Harvard University and specializes in There are no Armenians in high office Evolutionary Linguistics; Haik Balian, tlre within the govemmenq no del4gates either well-known filmproducer and chairman of to rcFesent Armenian interesB in the SecAmsterdam's Ararat Foundation; Meester ond Chamber (Parliament). Neither are Edgar Albert Zorab, the late vice-president there any well-known Armenians in busiof tlrc court of Appeal of the Netherlands. ness or industries. The most well-to-do Attempts have been made in the past by Armenians here are middle-level businessgroups and associations to publish Armemen engaged mainly in the clottring or the nian periodicals, but due to the very uncercarpet industy. There are, or have been, tain situation and lack of public support

just a few Armenian individuals of high

almost all of them have, after a period,

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AlM, February 1991

stopped publication. The monthlies "Baikar" (from l98l-83),3'Knaar'" (from 198488) and the quarterly Bulletin of A.D.G. (Armenian Democratic Group) ( 1988-89) have been some of the more notable. There are about 200,000 Turks in Hol-

land out of a population

14 million.

There have been no known conflics be-

tween Armenians and Turks here. The govemment is snongly pro-Turkish. The Durch public, however, seems to be sympatlrctic to Armenians and inueasingly interested in Armenian affain and arts. The artistic groups which occasionally pay visits here from Armenia or elsewhere draw a considerable number of Durch audience. Some Durch individuals of high academic or artistic renown are actively involved in Armenian affairs and promotion of Armenian at and culnre: Prrofessor JJ.S. Weitenberg, mentioned above; Tinedke Van Geel, choreographer and specialist in folkloric dances who teaches Armenian dance to Durch pupils and has travelled and studied extensively in Armenia; Robert J. Nieland, the initiator of the Europolis project, an intemational city to be built in Armenia to replace the earttquake-stricken city of Spitak and to be a sister city of The Hague. Despite all the shorrcomings in the community, memben of tlrc mmmunity showed

iw and

to unite

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forces and come forward in support of their endangered land after both tlrc eattquake and the ragic events inTranscaucasia. The calls for help as well as protest marches and demonsrations organized by an adhoc body of all Armenian associations in Holland got an enthusiastic response from the Armenians at large, as well as day{oday coverage by the sympathetic media. The Committee to Assist Victims of the Eartlquake in Armenia has been, apart from collecting and sending clothing, medical

and otherhelp to Armenia, very influential

encouraging Durch frms to look for economic cooperation with Armenia. Already. wittr the help and active particlpation of this Committee, over 160 tons of highquality potato seeds have been sent to Armenia to be grown and repoduced in the affected region of Shirak. If utilized properly, they should, in a few yean'time, be able to make the region virnrally selfsufficient for this staple. Rabo Bank, ttrc agricultural bank of Holland which has sponsored this project, is prepared to open a branch in Yerevan, which, if realized, will be the frst foreign bank to open in Armenia. (Like most such projects with Armenia however, much depends on the passage and clearance ofnecessary leg-

islation and sabilization

of the political

situation there).

ALL YOUR VEL NEEDS, RE IIILES AHEAD

Wilson Ave. Sutte 202

AlM, February 1991

By FLOBEIIGE AVAKIAI{

aD.d.ltoxI

his colleagues, because ofhis indefatigable energy, he has been in the thick of danger many times during his 40-yearprofessional career in more than 22 countries. "Foreign conespondents arc a special breed

n this third day of trc massive and relentless bombardment of haq by the computerized warplanes of tlre

United States and its allies, Harry Koundakjian's blood is fired up. "On tlrc

fessional and you do your

one

han( my emotions are wi0r the thou-

work. Iamatraditional,

of innocent casualties. On tlre other

vagabond field photographer in trc tenches," says

sands

han( my instincts

as a phoographer call forme toput my emotions aside, and be on the scene recording this crisis for the rest of the world to see." These highly charged feelings have been everpresent for Koundakjian, a worldphoto edior at the New York office of the Asso. ciated Prress. Called "Harry the Horse" by

Harry 'Tho Horse" at wod(

of people. Nobody is b,rave. You afiai( but you arc a pro'

are

Koundakjian has covered all the counties of ttre Middle East, andhas been on afirstname basis with many of is leaden, including Jordan's King Hussein, Eg5pt's Sadag Syria's Assad and Libya's Khadafi. His photos - many, front page - have won

the stocky, upfront professional. In fact it is this qpecial "excienreng adven-

ture and creativity" which he needs and craves.

As one of tlrc fintphotdoumalists in kbanon,

Lebanon

AlM, February 1991

1S,

during an brael! shelllng ol West Belrut

him honon, including tlre

AP Managing Editor's plaque, and the World Press Photo Award.

But it was his work as head of a 15-man photographic team in Beirutfor two months during the height of *re 1982 Israeli invasion ttrat has left unforgettable memories, all tlrc more since he not only grew up and still has some

family tlrcre, but he lost some of his closest colleagues during the fierce

assaull He still erase

begging rorfood. The disasbr ldllod

cannot

orrer lmallion

from his mind soul-

searing scenes suchas tlrc

6.9 on tlrc Richter scale ' in Varta Turkey,

barefoot orphan child

an area between Erzerum and AraraJ.

crying from fear, the ing her newbom child blown apart and the hospitalized man witr his amputated leg on the floor.

"Thefightingwas soin-

of my enemy." l,a;ter, he heard ttrat in the devastated areamany Armenians had lived.

tense that I couldn't even

visit my house nor the nearby grave of my father who died after I left

Another emotional rollercoaster for Koundakjian was the 1970 cyclone in East Paki-

ibthercaries

dead child atthe Varto eetthquake in

tographer who was grazdby a bullet that whizzedpasthim in his office, oftencrossed the lines from the AP brueaus in Fast and West Beirug even volunteering to bring desperately needed bread and

flour

Tu@

cally, the same thing is going on in Baghdad today, wittr the deliberate bombing of the water towers in a city of 4.5 million." An equally soul-searing assignment for Koundakjian was the 1!)65 earthquake

to Christian, Moslem and Armenian families on either side of the line.

stan @angladesh today) in which more than a million people drowned. "I saw bodies tom apart by hungry dogs, thousands of dead cattle. People who had tied themselves to the top of trees were being smashed by the second and third onslaught

of monsfrous waves. Their bodies

were etched by the markings of the tee [unks."

"It was extremely dangerous due to shelling, sniping and air auacks. We all wore bulleproof vests and

wonied abut getting hit or not making it to a hospial in time if we were. There was no safe area" he remembers. '"The incessant Israeli shelling and bombing of West

Beirut claimed 20,000 civilian lives.' Just as grim was ttre Israeli cutwater to West Beirut for47 days. "It was easier and cheaper to buy a bottle of Scotch than a bosle of water. The fact that a bomb hit a neighborhood was sec-

offof

ondary. Those who got hit btrt those who drank tre

"Many

died choking on the sand. I saw an older sister find the hand of her three-year old sibling as they dug her out. I broke down. I continued shooting and crying." When a Tutkish joumalistasked why, he answered, "A child is innocent even if she is ttre child

crazed mother after see-

lrbanon in 1979," he relates. The veteran pho-

peopb

die{

filtry waler

or ate the rotfen fmd had to wait for tlrcir tum at conhmination, poisoning and slow death. Tragi-

E}earut's Avenue des Francais,

wtridr vuas oncetlrthe night-dub rcw olttre lebanese capltal

AlM, February 1991

"Only the top religious leader and family members are allowed to witness the signrng of tlrc wedding contract in tlre cubicle of the palrea. I was there recording this event," he relates proudly. His exclusive photographs were disrib' ued worldwide by Associated Pmss. Continuing in the hap,py vein, he recalls visiting Turkey on anotlrcr assignment with BBC Middle East correspondent Peter Flynn who suggested that"since we have time, let's go and see 'Our Araral' I must have had some influence on him," says Koundakjian laughing

happity. 'As we

sat at the foothills eating bread and cheese, Flynn gave me an Armenian coin as a special token of the day. It was one of the

Kinrbrgffbn cfiildrcn vlsltng the Sardarabad memorhl dudng an outing One of the fint phoographers on the scene in the aftermath of the catastrophe,

Koundakjian had his pictures flown out and developed before anyone else. His picnres were featured for six days on ttrc front page of Frarrce Soir, France's major newspaper with a six million circulation. In the intemational edition of l-ondon's DailyTelegraph. his picures were by-lined, something never done with wire agency photographs. 'T got good play because of the advantageous time difference, and because I was the nearest, fastest, and best

" he

says

King Hussein whom he calls a "good family man, good pilot and good driver, a man who understands tlre region deeply and knows that this war being fought in the Gulf today might result in the Westem powem changing the map of the Middle Easr" At the King's suggestion, the veteran pho. ographer was allowed to take pictures of tlre holiest part of tlre King's last wedding ceremony to the American Ln Halaby.

East, has specid feelings about

most peacefi.rl and nostalgic days of my life," Koundakjian commented emotionally. A different kind of happy nostalgia was experienced when William Saroyan visited Beirut n 1972, ta grve the conrmencement address at Haigazian College. Prior to tlrc services, Saroyan joined a small group, including Koundakjian, for trczzz "I had heard Saroyan doesn't drink, but when he smelled the wonderfirl fmd, all that was forgotten. We ate and drank for hours, during which time Saroyan tumed to me and said, 'You're O.K. in my book'." I accompanied Saroyan throughout [,ebanon. When we ar-

with a wink,

followed by a confident smile. Partof any successfrrl pttotographic venture is to be at tlre 'tight place at right tirne wih yorn canera ainrcd and ready to go." This is just what

happened at a 1977 hijacking in Abu Dhabi. Stationed on a rooftop two miles away, Koundakjian was told by the British comnrander of local forces who was lasermonitoring events on the aircraft, tltat "someone has a gun at the captain's head" Through the haze, Harry took dozens of shos with his 300 millimeterextended lens. 'The experience gives you the power to feel it's going to be what you wang" he explains. The picures ran on the cover of

Lurdqr' s Economist, drcirfrle

page in Paris Match, and several German publications.

Koundakjian, who has photo graphed all the royals of the Middle 28

Famborcugh Air Shov in lebanon, as BAF pilots tlo their stunt

AlM, February 1991

Itlt Ararat as vlewed lrcm theTud<ish sideolthe botder-from occupled Westem Amenla rived in Anjar, the Armenians greeted Saroyan like a king." Koundakjian keeps

Middle East photo staff in 1974.

those pictures in a special album. "An incurable illness" is the way the p,rofessional photographer describes his pro-

ancestors include prominent doctors

fession. "Once hit with it, you must do it. There are not many trades in the world which give you the op,portunity to travel, see the beauty of life frrom birttr to death, and show it to the rest of the world." Koundakjian, who says he sleeps with a camera between him and his wife, admits he has ignored his family to go to wff-ravaged areas. "If you don't go, you miss the opporfimity." However, since leaving Beirut because of worries for his family's safety, he has deeply missed the "blood and guts" experience of active photography. He also regrcts the replacement of crea-

tive photography with modem technological tools. "Slowly, technology will replace " he predicts. "I never use automatic cameftN. You have o incorporate your brain and eye well, so friends and foes alike will admire your work." Koundakjian was fint intoduced to ttre camera at the age of six when his mother gave him his first lesson in aking pictures. His professional career began in 1952 when he joined tlre Beirut French language pa-

pr,

L'Orient, and

Arabic equivalent, Prress in 1967,lE was appointed chief of ttre A.P.

Jarida. Joining the fusociated

Bom Haroutioun Koundakjian, his and "badvelis" who hail from Cil-

icia. His family was one of the founden of Armenian Protestantism, and his great uncle built tlre

Kessab church, considered an architectural marvel. His father, a l9l5 fedayeen, had a chunk of leg missing as well as several ribs, as a result of dum-dum bulles. "I'm the black sheep of the family because I'm not a good po ghkagan," be says with another wink. "I like to drink and have a good time."

Koundakjian credits a good part of his success to his wife. In the late 1950s when he was out of ajob and the rent was due, Aida urged him buy a camera and ry freelance jobs.

Forty-eight hours later, he had his first assignment from Time-Life. "And the rent was paid," he adds

with anottrer hearty chuckle. What is his advice to future pho-

tdournalists? "Know your fiade well, leam, practice a lot, and be patient. The picture will come to you."

F'|crglrc Avdclatr is a llew Yot*.

[ecedhedarw jottrro/fuilannl

artacrlffiUll@

AlM, February 1991

Cdrolicoi Vazqen land in

KarC<in ll

conreb orav-

ftont of ttre lhrtyrs llonument in Yerevah

,$;i;.1

i.ji:

lantic Refining Company's regional office

Babikian's Stiategy il;HiT:fiY:;;: Fuels

ARGO's

lffiffi"nlr#trtrjxiffi#

Spirit l:#"nffiHk*sr,*xl cahforniafirm

Gompetitive

unprecedented profits for I trflffiyJ, jj;,,Yfr#:il"I#**!:r " he. had dryn ftp"$ rhe comWithOUt Credit CArdS Or ArAb Oil II panyt,tore7.8 take charge of marketing, and bekind of a pidgin M:dT *!"* ByTOllvHALpllt I :d | came-presidentinlg85. English would be with a few | "W" are the number one marketer of I' ith

sales

of nearly $8 billion refining and

Armenian words.

in 1990 from

marketingoilproducts,ARCO PnodrtsCompanywouldrankasAmerica's 59ttr largest corporation if it stood fr,om its parent Atlantic Richfield

pany.

have heard Armenians speaking and didn t have the foggiest idea what *rey were saying, which is kind of unfornrnate but nonetheless that's the way it is," he

gasotine market in the world. we biggest gasoline We I uiggest * | the most successfrrl refining and marI keting company in ttre business.

"W" werc a very poor family but it was a very disciplined family. My mother was a srict disciplinarian; she was a fantasY".y tic

I I | I

I I "prrt ' said.

6qn-

Its pesident, George Babikian, b"g* as a marketing trainee with the company in ttre mid-1950s, and is recogdzed as the brains behind a 1982 stategy whichpropelled g ARCO to fintplace in thecom- $ petitive U.S. West Coast gaso. E iine E

widely

market.

gasoline on the West Coast, which is the

'Ilut I 'But

| I

I I

lady."

"We make morc money per barrel of crude oil refined than any other comparTy Uy far - like three times more." He is modest about his role in the 1982 decision to scrap ARCO's credit card at service stations - a move considered suici-

Oneof fivechildren, Babi- E kian grew up in Fulton, New ;= York, where his father was a mechanic in his own workshop during the depression years of the 1930s and l%Os. "There weren't any Armenians formiles around. fu much as our parcnts tied to teach us

Armenian and to leam about Armenian ways, they finally gave up.''

Babikian's parcnts cirme to ttrc United States from Turkey after trc Genocide. His fattrer smuggled out of the counEy as a boy and his mother was allowed to leave because her father worked for the Tukish govemmenL

'My

mother's family had arrangementfo-rher o tobemarriedtosomeguyfrom made some

- . ---- -

Chicago that paid hei passage over here. When she got here she didn't like the guy so she said 'I am not going to marry him. We used to kid her about that, asking 'did you give ttre guy his money back'?" Babikian recalls. "I can understrnd some words in Armenian; I could undentand my mother. She

; I I

I |

I | I

After service in the U.S. fumed Forces Syracuse Univenity, courtesy of the G.I. Bill. But a recall to duty during

h" went to

tlre Korean War delayed his graduation

two yffirs.

dal by rival oil companies at the time. But results were swiftly apparcnt.

"We werenumberfourontheWestCoast

I UetrinA Chevron, Shell and Unocal. Wirhin a year we were the number-one marketer.

Six months into

course he got married and left to find work. An

I I I

graduate business

earlier study he had made of the-then

AlM, February 1991

| I y',;t- I

'trat

has never happened before

in the

tristory of the oil business; we gained an gOqo share of the market since we elimi-

nated the credit card. We had a lifile over l0?o of frrc market and we have 197o now. "It was a phenomenally successful sfrategy and I am really surprised ttre competi-

tion let us get away with it.

still can't

believe ttrey did, but they did and we are very gmteful. "You didn't have to be a brain surgeon to come to the conclusion we came to. We had a lot of stweys ttrat said fwo out of tluee people would stay with us if we lowered the price three cents a gallon and that's what tlre credit card cost us. We also had plenty of research that said we would pick up all kinds of volume from people who were price conscious, that didn't want to subsidize credit buyers." Babikian resene the American oil indusuy's pubtc image as a corporate villain, an image revived by steep profit rises during the Persian Gulf crisis. He sees it as one of ttis country's "great assets.

"The oil companies are responsible for providing cheap energy to this country for the last 50 yean, until OPEC took control. Even today gasoline in the United States, on an inflation-adjusted basis and when you deductthe increases in ta(es, is cheaper now than it was 50 years ago. "I'm not saying ttre oil industy is a saint, but it is a very rcsponsible member of the community. We are no cost to the govemmenq as a matter of fact we pay billions of dollars in axes. "lnok at the banking industry that all of us are going to have to bail out to the tune of at least $500 billion because of an inept industry.l-ook attlre farming indusry which requires biltions of dollars of subsidy which really is not needed at all." He is confident, too, about its future. "It's going to be a long time before any meaningfrrl altemate energy will replace oil. The Middle Fast countries will keep the price of oil down at the level that discourages the development of altemate en-

ergy sources. "You would do exactly the same thing if you had 75 or 100 years-worth ofoil under the ground. You would not let some development make that oil worthless," Babikian said.

He sees reformulated, cleaner-buming gasoline as the "best hope o clean up the air in this coun!ry," and predicts an industry-wide swirch to them by tlre end of tlrc year.

Paradoxically peftaps, in a company associated with lower-priced gas, Babikian supports gradual increases in taxation to encourage gasoline conservation and cut America's dependence on oil imports. 32

ARCO gets all of its crude oil in the United States and is not directly affected by tlre Persian Gulf War. This enabled it to freeze prices for a time emly in the crisis last year, until demand at stations threatened to exhaust supply.

"I hope ttrat it [t]re warl does have an impact on the counury in the form of meaningfrrl conservation and cutting ourdependence on foreign oil. "I don't think Iraq has the capability of knocking out Saudi production, and as long as that is the case I don't think there is anything negative that is going to happen to other companies. "If the haqis have the capability of disrup[ng the Saudi production, then that's a different story. A lot of companies would

:; l.::t''

N.::t:,:l'.

:',1:,:, ;.

.. 1,:,-:.:.... a:. :a:.4

):..r).1:

; ti.:.:. :a: :.

not be able to get crude," Babikian explained.

Despite his proximity to a large Armenian community in Los Angeles, Babikian says he is not really aware of tlre culnre. He was brought up in ttre Mettrodist Church and his wife is not an Armenian. "I kind of regret it in some ways but I have to say most of the time I don't think about it." But he is quick to praise the business

skills of Armenians, many of whom ntn ARCO stations in the area "They are generally very successfirl; they

run a tight ship and pay attention to their business. They are hard-working, rliligent people just as Armenians have been over the years. "We have many who use p,rofiS from their station to bring ttreir family members

from the old country, one at a time or however they do it, and they employ tlrcm in sations. They are shrewdbusiness people and I think ttrcy are very smart people' My

parents used to say ttrat ttre Turks don't know how to run anything, the Armenians had to run it for them and that's why they resented them." In many ways, he agrees, his is a story of the American Dream come frue for a child of immigrants. His son is a surgeon and his

daughter an attomey, expecting his ftftlt

gnndchild in April. He has not been back to his Parents,

"Ijust neverhad any need to do it or just didn't want to do it " Babikian

homeland.

lia!]iiiili; 'lllli,:lliill

said.

IIIIIIII--

can still recall my mother on many occasions saying what a great counfiy the United States is; she never could get over this country. Like a lot of immigrants she lovedthis county and she's absolutely righr "Why would you want to go anywhere? This is the best place in tlre world." I

AlM, February 1991

ils D8

n6 D9

Order books from Mlc{rael !Gne,3&01 23rd Ave., Astrs6", NY ll1qi

Address:

r"[y:

State:-

rrrrrr-----J

I I I

Name:

Zip:-

I .

Clinging to Ethnic Heritage in America Study Compares Extent of Assimilation Between Earlier Generation, New Arrivals Et .* ' d!r! --Yerrra" w SpedaltoAlf,

tt::::.*:Y:

l:T^:TT^9:Y,9E".PI11T:*P,TI areas better retahed the Armenian culnrre t Inordertodetermineffierencesbetween ":-':-'*.-^"'::' |I ;-* | generations, ttran did third-generation Armenian-Ameria sophisticated satistical tool

any articles have been wrinen on the dfficulties experienced I I f I by immigrants trying to adjust I oAmerica Readingtresearticles,onemight I tlrink ttrat these immigrants left their char- | acter assets along wittr their ottrer assets ttreir native lands, but few snrdies have vestigated ttre atfiibutes immigrants bring 1 with them to America. Such resources might help them retain

in in-

sense

of community

cans. Further, ttre snrdy predicted that because of ttre first generation's biculnuism, they had nrore of a sense of social well-

| |

I | being, social identity, and seH-identity than I third-generation Armenians . Of 27 enries I

on the questionnaire, 18 questions affirmed that indeed fint-generation Armenians have a sronger sense of ethnic identity, and so-

allows researchers to furd conclusive evidence when 4O or more subjects are used.

I the percenages and statistics porray stikI ing differences. For instance, for one ques| tionsurdied "\Mhatlanguagecanyouspeak "

- a so-

cial,culunalself-identityandwellbeing. There is good news from one

]

the Arme-

such study which evaluates sourcâ&#x201A;Źs of strengths an nian immigrant brings to

Amcr-

507o said they spoke mostly English, some Armenian, but none of

ArmenianAmerican (the more recent

the fint-generation

first generation said ttris. Of tlp

third-generation(thefintimmigrant'sgrandchildren). This third generation

newcomers) to the

by dominant mass culture of America.

may very well be squelched and squeezed into the

equally well, whereas none of the trirdgcrEratiularnweredpmitively.

were tlreory that a significant ffierence in of the ttrird generation-

Moreover,intlrcfollowingques-

tionstherewasalsoaweightydifference benreen first- and third-

ethnic identity, social identity, and self-identity develops be-

gmelatimrcqpumes.Thefirstgtup made choices which emphasized theirArmenian identity, while third-

third-generation sub. a

gmeratiqAnneniansmadechoies

iflrffi,grf,Iffi,Sffi*T;S.-***

Ionnalre wnlcn measureome oegree of Armenian language retention,

the

I I between the same sex, I

extentoffamilyinvolvement,thedegreeof demonstrativeness

fu-

menian and another language

selected to examine the

jectsfilledoutanexrensiveques:

latrrr,lz.gEo said they spoke English and Armenian equally well, whereas none of the third generationgavethisrcsponse. Moststriking of all was that 6l.297o of this group said tlrey spoke English,

Sixty+ightArmenians-l7men and 17 women of the first generation, 17 men and 17 women

Armenian-Americans. All

5OVo of third-generation Armenians and only 3.23Vo of first-generatimAnrrenianssaidEnglisttutly. Interestingly, none of either generation said tlrcy spoke Armenian only; 22587o of the fint generation said ttrey spoke Armenian and some English, whereas none

Srtq".i"*Ig Armenlns "l*: said this. Of ttre third generation,

ica- Yet further, this inquiry, conducted in 1990, comparcs

tween first- and

used percentages because that is a very good way to avoid spocialized statistics but retain some of the quantitative aspects. Both

of social well-being and proposed ttrat acculnuated (adjusted into the American culhre without losing their own and the degree

social participation. The investigation

culture) first-generation Armenian-Ameri-

and polltlcal

a,ents. ;vfcnemnnasizedAmericaniderr tity. uty.

cial well-being, while third-generation Ar-

menians experience a substantial loss of their heritage, find it difficult o talk with other Armenians, and have more difficulty

I |

demonstrativeness than do fint-generation

I I ttreir anger directly. Moreover, I ] expressing third-generationmalesexperiencemoredif- | I ficulty expressing same-sex bonding and | I

AlM, February 1991

The following were the questions explored: "How do you identify younelf?" "With who do you now associate in yor community;" "What is your music preference;" "Do you participate in Armenian occasions, holidays, taditions, etc.;" and "What was the etlrnic origin of ttre friends and peers you had as a child up to age six 33

and ftom six to eighteen?". The responses to questions conceming the ethnic origin of friends and peers of subjects as a child confirmed that the first generation grrew up with "mostly Armeni-

ans" or "almost exclusively Armenians,"

cized more than ttre

fint

generation.

Another interesting finding is that finr generation Armenian-Americans are more able than the third group to have strong male comradery with other males, sffonger family ties, and greater social participation

whereas the third generation grew

up with "mostly non-Armenians"

or "almost exclusively non-Armenians." This poins to tlrc p,roba-

bility that firsrgeneration Armenian-Americans went to segregated schools for Armenians, whereas third-generation Armenian-Americans did not. Indeed, in terms of qualitative and geographical research, the first generation stated to the researcher that ttrcy attended segregated Armenian schools at least until the age of 12. This in tum suggests that perhaps other countries are more tolerant of Armenians' segregated school sys-

Of paramount importance was

who were married, 53Vo sngle,9%o drvorced, and6Vo who were separated. The age ftmge for both was the same: 30-51. Thus, it may be deduced that there is a difference benveen the two generations in regard to marriage, divorce, and family commiunenl The same seems to be rue for both sexes in terms of enjoying raditional roles. In the fint gen-

eration, both sexes enjoyed a clearly defined role. By the third generation, this was significantly less defined. This makes one wonder as to the connection between clearly defined sex roles,

s:rme-sex bonding, and ethnic preservation. Perhaps the more

tems.

the question "How would you

3Vo divorcnd,and3Vo who were separated whereas the third generation only hed3.27o

...these are the ffrst generation now

younelf'(1. Very Armenian 2. Mostly Armenian 3. Bicultural 4. Mostly Anglicized 5. Very Anglicized). When statistics were used, it was discovered that a

rate

significant number more of the first generation rate themselves Armenian more than

do third-generation Armenian-Americans, and that the laffer rate themselves as Angli-

and interaction. For example, in terms of simple standard statistics, demographics point

to the sigrificance of family bonds and commitrnents interpreted through the percentages of the finr and the third-genera-

tion who were either married, single, divorced or separated. The first generation had11%o who were married, 16%o sngle,

that sex roles, emotions, and social customs are clearly defined, the easier it is to retain the culture of the original community. Responses to several questions indicated ttrcre may be a ffierence in social identity and social well-being between first- and third-generation Armenian-Americans. For instance, to the ques-

tion "When I am mad I tell him/her that I am so and diectly," more fint-generation Armenians answered true to this than did third-generation Armenians. Moreover, the truefalse question "I find it difficult to talk

HOW TIIE AR]I,IENIAil IDEHTIf;'Y SHAIIGES WITHIil THREE GETIEftftTI Follawing i* th* ta.br*l*Eott of the results of some of the que$lans in thA'' s ,, " conducted hy'Maty A*nApashian with 68 Annenians of tno gon*rationx'ltil99*

llillrtmza : :

IE-IITIEI : Atl

1991

figuffi

round€d to ttp whote number

ROGER K. DERDERIAN

with Armenians" showed ttrat a significantly greater number of ttrird-generation

tion Armenian-Americans.

Armenians found it difficult to talk with other Armenians. Most importantly, ttris

to be answered conceming the psycho-

phenomenon poses some questions regarding the costs of acculturation and assimila-

tion. If third-generation Armenian-Americans find it difficult to talk with people from their own culttue, it may suggest that they may experience some intemal or social conflict. One of the many questions this research

minority in all counries): Why is it ttrat Armenians in

raises is (since Armenians are a

other countries are able to retain their culture, whereas in Americ4 by the third generation, they do not? One of the many key

factors involved in the difficulty of thirdgeneration Armenians retaining their culture and ethnic identity may be ttre history of Armenians in America. With the excep tion of recent events, such as the earthquake in Armenia, most Americans have heard very litfle about the Armenians. In

FINANCIAL CONSULTANT

There are many other questions ttrat need dynamics of Armenians, and the cross-cultural connections befween Armenians and other culnues. Many of the predictions in

this particular study were confirmed. Armenians of the fint generation seem to

SHEARSON x" L,EHMAN BROTHBRS

have inherent cultural sfrengths that are lost by the third generation. It should be noted that these inherent cultural sfirengths are not often valued by Westem psychology. In fact, often the opposite characteristic is valued. For instance, the first generation has more of a collective/communityoriented response, whereas the third generation has more of an individualistic re-

sponse. Often, Westem psychology presumes individuality as the preferable or

fact, there has been a massive denial by ttre

healthier lifestyle. Unlike ttrc above presumption of Westem psychology, this exploration proposed and proved that the extended family structure, the sfiong sense of cultural and social identification, and the ability to exist in two

American governrnent and media of the Armenian Genocide. Crucial to the current comparison of first- and third-generation Armenian-Americans is the psychological effect such a mass denial of Arme-

cuhres were inherent sociakulurral sturgttn of fint-generation Armenian-Americans. kry Am Aptfcn ida San Fanclcro b*d tnnltet and rpYdict t ttrp conlrb ,rJac ao Arn d*tantlly she r. h , b

nians' hisOry could have on third- genera-

iru in

toral

anhpcrycflr/ogyryrcfar"

'pollog.t,f,cal

issrcc

AlM, February 1991

ONE COMMERCIAL PLAZA 25TH FLOOR

HARTFORD, CT06103

203 2402400 800 842 8450CT 800 243 3154 USA

ahe and Christine are two milried Armenians; Vahe is a fint-

generation Armenian-American from lran, having also lived in the Soviet Union and Australia. Christine is a third-generation Armenian-American. They sip their Armenian coffee which I have served them. As a sort of unspoken custom irmongst some Armenian women, I've given Christine the fint cup directly from the pot, the cup which has the most froth on top of

ArmenianAmerican Or

Americ?lrArmen-an?

"So, are you going to tell us our forforthis interview?" Vahe says laughingly.

"They think they marry a girl who is a virgin, for instance. But I am exactly the opposite. I wouldn't want to marry a girl who is a virgin." "What are some other ways in which you think being married to a thirdgeneration Armenian woman is different? For better or for worse?" "For one thing, for worse is the equal righs thing. It is a little bit hard for me. As liberal as I think I am, I cannot completely agree with equal

righs."

nmes in retum

"What does equal rights mean to you?"

"Yes," I say -'"That's the most exciting part of this interview."

"lt's like you're not distinguished

"l can't believe you're really third-generation Armenian," Vahe me. "Ever since you made such great Persian-Armenian

says to

abgoushd,I've known you were really Amenian." "What do you mean by that?" Christine asks. "Abgoushd isn't even Armenian," I say. "But this is a good beginning. What does it really mean to be Armenian?" "If you're a woman, it means you're a good cook and have lots of elbows," Vahe jokes. "So Vahe, what does it mean - to be an Amenian woman and to have lots of elbows?" "To discourage the husband when he is too sexually demanding... That's why I wanted a third-generation Armenian-American. She's ttre best of both worlds. She's not quite Armenian, but she understands me more than an American would." "Christine, what do you say to that?" "I'm just as Armenian as he is. As anybody is who is Armenian. Part of me is really tired of having to go by his customs, as if his customs and coffees and recipes are what makes somebody Armenian. I don't know Armenian like a lot of third-generation Armenians. I'm more unusual than a lot of third-generation Armenians though. I'm married to an Armenian. One of the reasons why I was attracted to Vahe in the first place was because he was Armenian. And now he's saying it's because I'm not so Armenian that he was afiracted to me."

"I was justkidding." "But still, I know all your friends don't consider me Armenian because I don't speak the language. But I grew up with my grandfather who gave me my sense of being Armenian. I was conscious of this because his beliefs were so different from those of the Americans around me. You had it easier in one sense: you went only to Armenian schools; you grew up among Armenians. I'm Armenian, too, but I'm also American, just like you're also Iranian. I'm just Armenian in a different way than you." "What does it mean to be an Armenian man, Vahe?" "A typical Armenian man would be a hard worker, more protective of his children, more family-oriented." "What are some of the differences you see between firsr and

ttrird-generation Armenian men?" "Firsrgeneration Armenians have strong identity." "What's it like being married to a third-generation ArmenianAmerican?" "Well, in my case it's a little different because I am more liberal than an average Armenian man. I don t think like a typical Armenian man."

"And how does a typical Armenian think?"

by your sex."

"You mean that men and women would want to do exactly the work?" "Yes." "How has it affected your social life? Or has it?"

same

"It hasn't." "What about you Christine?" "l disagree. This is one of the areas that's really hard for me. I love being with Armenians, but sometimes I feel so lonely. We go to a lot of Armenian events. One of ttre big regrets I have about being third-generation Armenian is ttrat I don't speak Armenian. I've tried to leam; being American does make it harder to leamwe're so isolatedgeographically in America. My grandfathertaught me a bit of Armenian, but not much. Then when I was 19 I moved here to Califomia where there are more Armenians. I tried to leam more. but I don't have the time to do it. "So we go to these events. And one of the things I see being different between finr and third-generation Armenians, especially in the men, is that the fint-generation men want to bond with each other all the time at these events. Anyway, we go to these events. They sit in the living room; the women sit in the kitchen. I can't speak Armenian, so Vahe has to sit with me all the time because nobody will want to talk to me in English and because, well

ruthfully

- I'm snubbed to a certain

extent." "No, you're not. It's only because they feel self-conscious that they have these accents or don't speak much English." "But I love all of your accents. But anyway, it's not just that. What about that relative of one of your in-laws who told me I wasn't Armenian because I don't speak Armenian and who told me that'All Americans are dumb?"' "He was just ajackass. But you're right. I guess it's ffue. Things would be easier if you knew the language." "And I worry about our children not knowing the language either. Or what it would be like for all of us if they knew Armenian and I

didn't." "But all in all, I'm happily in love and happily manied to the same woman." (He kisses Christine).

Now. it's time for me to tell them their fortunes. The coffee grinds have dried into the design of their fortunes. I see two men dancing, back to back. A warm campfire is in front of one of them. On the other side of the fire are two women dancing also. It's snowing and snow sizzles and sparkles over the fire. The snow over the fire indicates that nothing can extinguish the spark and warmth of the fire of love berween Vahe and Christine.

AlM, February 1991

PEOPLE Unflagging Support for U.S. Troops

and message banners sup,porting Prresident

Bush and American roops in the Gulf. "Business has gone up almost 70 percent since the war started," said Janoyan, who designs and manufactures most of ttre flag bumper stickers, magnetic flags, antennae flags,

The Duke of L.A.

law

After more than 28 years in public service, former California Governor George Deukmejian on Feb. 4 joined the l?S-ye,arold law finn of Sidley & Austin as a partner in its downtown hs Angeles office. trn

carwin-

dow flags, lawn signs, and even rafter flags. On his desk

is a large photo of him presenting a large Armenian ticolorflag to President l,evon

Ter-Petrosyan. "The Gulf

conflict intemrpted my pet From his Norttr Hollywood banner and sign store, Arpiar Janoyan rcports unparalleled demand for outdoor American flags

project--{esigning the deco. ration of the Armenian Parliament and govemment offices in Yerevan in the red-blueorange scheme," Janoyan

lamented.

From Jets to Eagles After 13 yean of experience coaching in the National Football League and one year as tlre offensive coordinator for the team, 48-year-old Rich Kotite on January 9 became the new head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. "His tawny complexion, generous nosâ&#x201A;Ź, expressive way with his hands ard ftick Brooklyn acoentoften cause peryle to assume his ancestry is Italian; but in fact it is Armenian," wrote the Philadelphia Enquirer. A residentof Staten Island, New York, Kotite has played tight end with the New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers. He began his coaching career with the New Orleans Saints in 1977 andwas wittr

ttre New York Jets from 1983-89.

A for-

mer heavyweight boxing champion at the University of Miami, Kotite once was a spaning partrer for Muhammed Ali at the

Fifth

SteetGym.

addition to working on the firm's California practice, Deukmejian is expected to expand its practice in the Pacific Rim in coordination with its Singapore and Tokyo offices. "WiOr his experience and interest in forcign trade, we think he's going to wind up developing a lot of business for us in Asia and Europe," said an official of Sidley & Austin, which employs more than 700 lawyers. Deukmejian, 62, who retired as govemor Jan. 7, will be doing a lot of ravelling; for the time being, the two.term

govemor will be commuting from Los Angeles to his longtime home in long

Beach.

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Ethnic Political Aspirations in Eastem Europe As the threat of the old decaying order subsides, the rising ethnic tension throughout Eastern Europe poses new challenges to the security of the continent ByJOSEPII A KECHIGHIAII' PhD Specia! to

Alll hen the 34-nation Conference on Security and Co-operation in Eu-

rope (CSCE) convened in Paris last November, hopes for peace and economic proqperity ran high. Ttre GrandSummit marked ttre formal end of fte Cold War as participants from both east and west celebrated the year-long changes which brought down the Berlin Wall and toppled CoIrImunist regimes all over Eastem Europe. Gleeful leaders endonedGermany's unity in the first instance, and put in motion the eventual dismantling of both the Warsaw Pact and

the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, in the second. CSCE would keep the peace, it was posited.

Still, dismantling the old decaying order is one thing, building a durable new one quite another, especially in light of rising ethnic

proposals for action, including the estab lishment of a CSCE Parliament, a Secretariat in Prague, and a majestic Assembly of Europe, the "Conflict Prevention Center" in Vienna promised to be the most useful. The danger that Europhoria would fizzle on the banks of the Danube because few in the West were ready torelinquish cautious, even if resrictive, policies were far too pessimistic to contemplate. Realists asked whether Britain, for ex-

Minister, spoke of a Welfare Wall replacing ttre Berlin Wall, using a colorhrl analogy to describe his sense ofdespair.

An important brake in the perception that nationalism will take on an even uglier edge throughout Europe is the promise of a more prosperous continent. Eastem Europe's eagemess to join Westem Europe, to share

Ethnic composltion Serbs 36.3% Croates 19.7ol"

Bosniaks 8.97o

Slovaks

7,8olo

Minotities Albanians 7.7olo Hungarians

Bulgarians Turks

tensions throughout the continent. Speaking on behalfofthe European Eco-

nomic Community (EEC), Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti declared that Europe's ethnic and nationalistic differences

constituted "a genuine factor for instabil-

ity." Soviet President Mikhail

S. Gorbachev wamed of a "snowball effect" of the "danger of an outbreak of nationalism and sepa-

ratism." Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and President George Bush have also expressed concems over growing Eastem European "aspirations." Other East European leaders spoke about

growing national frictions in theircountries, fying economic performances with growing social crises. Ironically, when representatives of Estonia, [,aNia, and Littruania were seated around the conference table (presuma-

bly invited by their French hosts), Moscow objected. Economic rights and obligations notwithstanding, political realities dominated the gathering. The invited guests were shown to the door. The CSCE forum, nevertheless, was preparing an institutional framework to avert

future conflicts in Europe. Of the myriad

ample, would welcome CSCE mediaton in Belfast or in Gibraltar, which Spanish Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez reminded his colleagues was a sore point for Madrid. Would France be ttrilled with CSCE mediation in its Conican secessionist movement? Similarily, would Turkey be alarmed if and when the Cypms question was placed on the CSCE agenda?

D. J@t Kecrhidfiqr is a cdtanl qr tptfottrgll *ctrity eltailc wiut flE fuad Cotpplatirr\ as well as a wfilet qr

Idealists, on the other hand, sought far larger objectives. Although Westem concems with ethnic disputes in the East were genuine, they argued, attention to economic inequities in their region was far more ur-

,otedgnpp,ricy issues.

gent. NIr. Jozef Anall, ttre Hungarian

AlM, February 1991

kime

in the bounty of prosperity, and to establish a corrrmon "European House," all indicate

that tolerance and democracy may indeed flourish where intolerance and dictatorships prevailed. "Anyone who is the least bit responsible knows that these counffies can-

not afford any kind of militant nationalism," said Andras Kovacs, a Hungarian sociologist and expert on nationality ques-

tions. Dangers loom on the horizon, however, because of the region's bloody history. The redrawing of national borders in the aftermattr of World War I, when the Ouoman and Ausro-Hungarian empires were

a.f.u,.a. neglected to accorrunodate the nationalaspirationsofminorirypopulations. An estimated 30 million - out of I l0 Iion East Europeans were classified

foot-

in the (notthatthetwoaremutuallyexclusive). It hillsoittreCarpathianmountains.lnHarghita was.simplyslated.anacknowledgementof County. Hungarians account for 85 facs. National uniry would eventually come. cent olthe inhabitants. even if surrounding but not at lhe price of ethnic atrophy. sizeable minority population

milper] as ] |minoritiesn1923.Assimilation,bothvol-populationsarepredominantlyR.omanierrr.l by l0

untary and forced, reduced that figure

half in 1990 but still represented over percent of present

totals.

Today, because of this assimilation, tionality is defined less by borders cultural heritage throughout Eastem

na- I

4* Uy

Europe.

often, ethnic stereotyping leads to conflict, with tragic consequences forthousands of innocent bystanders. In fact, few HungariOf att the popular elections held ttroughans hide their confempt of "conformist" out Eastem Eriop" in 1990, Bulgaria's was Romanians who acquiesced to the Ceauc- rhe most revealing, as ethnicit! played a escu regime's peculiar idiosyncracies. key role in the emergence of new parties in

]

Forexample,theconflictinYugoslaviais]searchofgalvanizingforces. notSomuchbetweentheSerbiarrarrdCroation]|tntateAugustl990,disgruntledBu|gari.

republicswithinthefederation,asitisaansbumedtheheadquaflerSoftheCommuliving In the heart of the northem industrial ciry nist Party in Sofia even as the party claimed

perception of discrimination of Serbs

in Croatiaand Albanians living in Serbia. I ofMiskolc,Hungariansgrappledwiththeir Similarily, Czechs and Slovaks are equally own minority community of gypsies. incensed by an estimated 600,000

Hungari- Hungary's gypsy population, estimated o between 300,000 and 800.000 (out of l0 .,.,..."../ was literally ignored ur in the urv past yor fio 1 mittion;,

MinOfitieS

Germansl.6yo

"13::L".';!r7"

g l:

,, 1

E E

i:-

Minorities Hungarians 3.87o Pole6 0.5%

_ a ion rvrr of Forces vr Democratic 4rrrwl4tlu r uusJ (uDF) 4 union ulllult \uyl ,, -

] discriminatedagainstandhadbecomeeter- ] tural federation obtained 16 seats, and the nal victimsofcultural uniqueness. Intoler- rurkish minoriry community, grouped in i

be-

the new Movement for Rights and Free-

for

the future of one of the most energized

] i

doms (MRF), gained 23. The six remaining seats were distributed among smaller factions. These results revealed that rural Bulgari-

societies in the east. Budapest authorities could literally end the spread of this lence if the promised economic liberaliza- ans maintained their conservative pref-ertion were more evenly allocated. Across- I ences. Although the UDF carried sofia

vio-

the-board improvements in the economy wasvital becausecitizenshipalonewasnot sufficient to gel conflicting allegiances in Hungary as elsewhere in the East.

Ethnic composition Czechs 630lo Slovaks 3170

for the occasion, obtained 2l I seats in the 400-seat parliament, well ahead of the Un-

because the Communist regime allegedly of l6oppositionparties(withdifferentagenrryqlrwr\YYrururrrvrvrrr4Svrri never sesresafed national dqs\ federqtcrl nn l)ec 7,1989 ? loRo - which rrrhinh segrcgated its citizens hv by national das) federated on Dec. origins. In ieality, gypsies werl severely obtained 144 seats. The powerful agricul-

ance, neglect and increasing violence tween Hungarians and gypsies bode ill

Germans 99.7o/o Others O.3o/o

a modest electoral victory. The Communists, who renamed themselves Socialists

withS4percentofthevote,oppositionforces

could only muster 34 percent on the na-

tional level. Conservatives in the countryside prefened the "known," even if renamed, quantity to economic and political experimentations. The results further revealed an emerging generation gap as young voters Not only was citizenship almost inele- overwhelmingly supported the UDF. Mr. vant but even a common language was not Roumen Vodenitcharov, president of the sufficienttoblurculturaldifferences. Evalu- ] eutgarian Human Rights organization and atingCzecho-Slovakia'sownrecord,Boriz a leading UDF member, declared: "The Lazar, professor of philosophy and a mem- intelligentsia and the youth are with us, but ber of the newly created Public Against parents in the rural areas have betrayed their Violence organization in Slovakia, stated: children." Disappointed young UDF sym-

in-,ou,t"., sio,,r.iu a.,n.u,ai"rl",- ;tj"x;'i,l3I;:Hnlfi,'il',oiT[l#'[ !*fJL:;,tilJff"'J,TL']-t"[H3i, guageandculoralrights. I identify with a British gentleman." Per- demonstrations. Whentheopportunityprehaps the most honest approach to date was that of President vaclav Havel who, ing recognized his country's basic ills, committed his govemment to respect

hav-

I I I J

In Romania's Transylvania region, antiSlovak Hungarian Hunganan sentiments sentlments run still stlll higher. hlgher. rights. nghts. Rather Katner than stifle, stltle, ignore, lgnore, or atatConsequently. a minor incident Lakes on tempt to assimilate by force, Havel appre-

national dimensions and an act of vandal- ciated the need to celebrate Slovak values rsm, or even an innocent remark is inter- withoutneglectingCzechnorms. That,he preted as a deliberate insult to one's ethnic posited, would enrich Czecho-Slovakia (which he hyphenates to underline unity), n14.. Th919re than 2 million Hungarians who as a nation of two equal peoples. hague's . live in Transylvania (a contested area be- vision abandoned the false dream of identitween Romania and Hungary), represent a fication between farmers and gentlemen

AlM, Februay 199'l

sented itself, they even bumed the Communist Parry building. Finally, the August vote brought the country's Turkish minoriry into the forefront as well. Led by Ahmed Dogan, a 35-year-old philosophei who was let out of jail in December 1989, Bulgaria's 1 million ethnic Turks (approximately l0percentofthetotal population) voted for the MRF en masse. Since ethruc parties are technically not allowed in Bulgaria, there is no allusion to Turkish righis in the party's name. But the MRF's ac-tiue-emben, perhapasmanyas l40,0m,

supported Mr. Dogan's calls to run for and win-mayorships in all Tutkish-inhab-' ited regions of eastem Bulgaria Perceived as p,rovocations rather than exp,ressions of democratic aspirations, such Turkish plans are firttrer widening the guH separating them from the majority. When Dogan declared on June 14 that "tlrc European road for Bulgaria goes through Turkey, the Bosporus and Islam," dazed Bulgarians shuddered. And much like Serbs in Yugoslavia's Kosovo p,rovince, Bulgarians inhabiting the oounfy'strEdfrninantly Tiukishregius went on sfrike to vent their frustrations. In fact, conservative Bulgarians in the countryside were openly calling for nationalist, even

of Turks to their country, where a weak

cede either Armenian or, for that mattâ&#x201A;Źr,

by the crisis in

Azerbaijani ones. Under such circumstances, preserving culnral values will require chameleon-like policies capable of adapting to all kinds of situations. The second lesson, lofty CSCE speeches and policies nonvithstanding, concems reliance on outsiders. Little was in fact done by Westem Europeans on behalf of minority populations in the East during tlrc past 50 years. Against this amply documented

economy

- damaged further

the Persian Gulf - would not be able to absorb them. Elsewhere, similar efforts could be made to reshuffle populations, as it is quite possible ttrat voluntary or forced migrations may once again uproothundreds of thousands of peoples.

LessonslorArmenians Lrst it be assumed that ethnic tensions in Eastern Europe present no dangers for Armenians, I propose to draw two lessons forconsideration. Fint, disgruntled minorities, whether Turks

record, their recent exuberance smacks a touch of hypocrisy. In the end, gypsies, Turks and other minorities who aMicated responsibilities, suffered the most. But by

authoriarian solutions, to clamp down on

Tukish demands. Throughout tlre fall of 1990, minor inter-ethnic confrontations multipliedboth innumbers and severity, all under the warchful eyes of Sofia's quisling governmenL

ln?ectotEftnb Disputes Europe's future security goals, expressed

ftrougtt CSCE recommendations, rest in part on stabiliry in ttre Easr That sability is in!:opardy, however, as long as deep con-

victions of mutual distust, ethnic stereotyp ing, and fear of minorities, are not checked. Moreover, because the introduction of market economies will also generate serious dislocations in what were othenvise guarantee( evenif redundantjobs, the potential for violence is quite real. Combined, these

two factors - economic hardships and ettnic tensions - may well threaten fledgling democracies in Eastem Europe. But even elsewhere in Europe, economic difficulties may also rekindle ugly exp,ressions of exteme nationalism. Nowhere is this clearer ttmninGermany. Reunified Germany's unemployment rate is expected to reach 5 million in 1991, despite an unprecedented constnrction boom interded to upgrade the former Democratic Reptrblic's decaying infrasmrctures. In most

new opportrnities, prefercnce will pnoba-

o educated young Germans seeking to improve their standards of living. Consequently, Germany's estimated 5 million Turks, including the more than 600,000 in the wor"k force, could suffer unbly be given

told consequences. It would be rather easy for extemist political parties in both East and West Germany to rekindle anti-Tutkish sentiments. The pupose of such sentiments would in fact be to "encourage" the retum

ln Kosovo, Yugoslavia, ethnic Albanians are frftErly proEsdng their sublttgation to Serbia

in Germany or Yugoslavia or others else-

accepting the challenges of democracy, tlrcy

where, will draw the ire of frustrated majority populations. Under the guise of nationalism, minorities will be singled out for harsh retibutions, and Armenians cannot be immune from such attacks. Clearly, if anti-ethnic actions take place in Eastem Europe, there are good chances that ftey could also occur within the Soviet Union, where large Armenian minority pockets exist tl[oughout that vast counby. If gypsies may be forced to give way to more immediate concems of Hungarian nationalism,

helped herald some of the changes we sâ&#x201A;Źe today, warts and all. [nespective of the

Armenians say in Kazakhstan may be faced with similar realities. And altlrough ttrc situation in Artsakh (Nagomo.Karabakh) is different from this generalization - there are historical, border and political disputes at stake - it is, nevertheless, a usefirl example to bear in mind. Soviet as well as Russian interests will almost always pre-

AlM, February 199't

need to enter into shifting alliances,

Arme-

nians, similarily, can best achieve ttreir ob' jectives by relying on themselves. Ethnic tensions will, of course, diminish

throughout Fastem Europe as economic prosperity lifls cunent low standards ofliving. Nevertheless, it may be worth remembering ttrat tlre required stable political environment to accomplish those aims is still in its infancy. For minority communities throughout the region, practicing democracy may be tlre safest and most rewarding path to follow.

Attributed quotations in this essoy are tal<en

from

the

NewYorkTimes, the las Angeles

Times, the Economist, and lomatique.

Monde Dip-

rr{ELAW orrrcl{ oF

"For the Enioyment of the Eyes" Armenian Art By Jean-MichelThierry

tors. Thierry makes no accusatory remarks regarding this state of affairs, and he avoids

and Patrick Donabedian Translated by Celestine Dars;

and neglect of these historically significant

Harry NAbrams;$130 Reviewed forAlM

By GIOULA KEOTAHIAN rmenians excelled in the harmonious fision of the science and art of building--architecnre,

writes Jean-Michel Thierry in

Regarding the monastery

massive volume,Arme-

of The Holy Apostles of

thors Thierry and Pat-

be.

have devoted the greater part

wilh

of this book to Arme-

Annenia

nian architecture and related bas-relief. A per-

functory discussion of

91204

manurript illuminations precedes short sections on decorative and usefirl art objects. Armenian Art is a ttrick book, wittr 623 pages and 959 illustations, of which 173 are in sumptuous color. Fint published in France in 1987, ttre English translation was brought out in the United States in 1989. Its color reproductions are impressive, especially photographs of Armenian churches located in what are now areas of eastem Turkey, as well as in Armenia. Many of them were takenin sira by Nicole Thierry, the author's wife. She has successfirlly recorded not only details on the monuments but also ttre luminous atrnosphere, ttre light of the region. The affurity of the architecture to the surrounding terrain is evident.

Additional photographs are from other sources, including archival material.

Most of these beautiful buildings are in

(818) 242-7400 Fax (818) 242-0114

suffered heavy damage

rick Donabedian

that is why perhaps, au-

Glendale California

Mush, Donabedian states,

"It

during the events of 1895 and 1915, and has since been abandoned." The reader is left in the dark as to what trese "even6" might

their architecture, and

1007 S. Central Ave Suite 208

structures during the 20ttr Century. He "Abandoned churches die a slow death, and it is better for them to be used as dwellings, bams and sheep pens. They are roughly prreserved, but their masonry remains protected." Or, a partial explanation: "A Russian citizen may not visit the buildings located in Turkey; convenely, Westem visitors have only access to a very limited number of sites in Soviet Armenia ...."

hins:

his intnduction to the nianArt. Armeniansensitiviry toward ttre balance of form and finction is best perceived in

With Offices in Yerevan and Los Angeles

comment on the causes of the desfuction

the underpopulated districts of eastem Turkey, and are allowed to deteriorate and be vandalized. Travel to these places often has been restricted by the Turkish govemment, even to European and American visi-

AlM, February 1991

AtmeninnArtavasmtrch gound. Nevertlrcless, even in a book as ambitious as this, it is difficult to condense 20 centuries of various art forms. Its main text is divided into four periods - 6th Century B.C. to the 7th Century A.D., 9th to 12th centuries titled "The Age of the Kingdom,"

l2th to l5th centuries "The Age of the Feudal State," and lTth to 18th centuries, "Modem Times." For each period, in tum, Thierry gives a short background ofhistory followed by accounts of the era's architecture, and what, in an unfortunate choice of terminology, he classifies as the MinorArts (ceramics, metal work, mosaics). The information on mural painting is welcome, because there are few publications on this aspect of Armenian art. However, Thierry does not provide any technical data such as types of paint or surface preparation on the walls. Armenians have had a diaspora since at least the l0ttr cenhrry, when they began to emigrate to areas of ttre Byzantine Empire. They transported their artistic endeavors as well. Asia Minor (Cappadocia), Cilicia, Georgia, Crimea Jerusalem, Poland and Italy are some of the places of the Armenian Diaspora that Theirry examines.

Balkans and have 'lhracic origins. Even though he admits to thc grssibility of rare Urartean influencc on Armenian ar1. he cliscounts any conngctlons bctween the Hellenistic ancl grst-Christian Amtenians with tlrt' irrrli!cnour pcopler rtrtd eultures ol'lhe pluirrr ,rl Anuirt. !i\ irrg thc impre.:ion thul

Anlenians sprang tully' tbnned in the 6th Century (afier thei' conquered Uraru).

Hc discusses cross-intluences of Annenian stvles with those of the Iranians. Georgians. Arabs urd Syrians. Thienl' savs that although its origins are still clebated. Arrrlenian ar1 emanated fiom the Greco-Ronriu't. As there are relatively' fewer pre-Christiarr structures and artitacts to be fituncl in

^""..".1 --j.\.".".{fiil:+ai;$r,*dt*f-

Armenia, Armeriun A/7 c(mcentriltcs oll l

Church of the Holy Mother ol God at Elvard (Ayrarat)

the Christian times t-ronr the -5th to the 17th

cenfuries.

'l-hc oven'icu ot tirur ittrlxrtlrittt periods in Annenian arr is tirllow'ecl b1' an extensive scction on the "l\4ain Annenial Sites." preparcd by Donabedian. It is a catalogue ol'concisc. detailed ancl coherent descriptions ol' individual churchcs. monasteries and lirnresscs along with their t'ltrcr plluls. 't-hc "Main Anneniiur Sites" sectiotl altlrlc

*.+ -',S-il

Thiery's approach is "ttl lisl

ancl cotl

within a tcxt pedblce slightll'austerc...," so as to avoicl subjective aesthetic opinions. Yct, he uscs Iidiectivcs such as "provincial," "coarse," and "high aesthetic qualitl"' without clari{lca-

dense essential data

is given to alttbiguous statcments such as. "Scriptoria in Vaspurakan maintained their procluction until the Anrrenian. r'rnigruted. and they ucre llfi.en trrer br the Kurds.

tion. Hc

irreversible factors which besan in the 16th Century."

Fol tre rnost piu1. Thiern u ritcs

cltts Amleniar afiist's delight in form ancl color. lhese were artists who creatccl "filr the en joyment of thc cyes." as evinced in the brxrk's illustrations. (He c'loes nttl iclentit-v tlie source of thc alxrvc qu)te orl the clccorations of Akhtarnar.) sterile passages in which he not conve)'the

"JS', 1\'.1

;.{}râ&#x201A;Ź}

,#.

Olrcn. Thicrry prcre sses clesign inlomation as a long scrics tlf nntes which, along with ur abunclance of technical tenls such as siliceous paste and dihedral shuftle. rnay cliscourage the casLral reacler. Thc numerous technical words are not included in tlrr' rLrhrtrrtrl !lossary ol' just .10 renn: in thc appendix. The t1 plogies of plans. capiuls and Ceramic panel. Church of Bethlehem, New Julfa (lran) sculpted decorations preceding thc glossary are much more useful in elucinrakes Arnit'rr iutt ,'\tt a valulhle rcl'erencc. clating the vmabulary of architecture. Nlaps. a chronologr. tencalogv, artcl a scThe attractive cot-fee-tabler ltxrks o1' lectcd bibliographv ru'c othcr r-rselirl l'ca Arnpniun Arr belie the clusters of tcchnical tures of the kxtk. LlltlirrltlnatelY. the tlurnphrases and semischolarly' tirnnat ttl- its ber of ty'po-un4rhical crtrrs in it is appallcontents. The pictures speak firr themsclves. ing.

Thiery

suppofts the Eurmentric theory

that the Amrenians emigrated trom the 42

Gioula Keotahian is an arts consultant and wdter, based in Los Angeles AlM, February 1991

bom in Kutahia, Offoman Turkey, in 1869.

A Spiritual Journey

He was orphaned while still a child, and sent to study at Etchmiadzin in I 881. There, his musical talents blossomed and atracEd attention as he acquired a deeprooted undentanding of Armenian liturgical singing and began to collect folksongs. In 1899, after expanding his studies in Europe, Komitas found himself in conflict wittr ttre Armenian church when he retumed to Erchmiadzin. They deemed his works and activities too worldly. Komitas was opening many eyes through his "reinvention" of Armenian music and, as usual, the hierar-

CD Recording Finnlly Brings Shnragans of Komitas to Life By ARTO PAYASLIAN ver the last few decades there

chy was not appreciative. This conflict

have been many recordings of various Armenian liturgies. All of them have tried to make tangible and earthly, at least to the ear, the

played a major factor in Komitas' decision

to move to Constantinople in 1910. He continued performing, collecting Armenian, Kurdish and Turkish folk and dance tunes, and also did research in the Armenian Khaz (neumatic) notation system until l9l5 and *te massive tragedies which ensued... This compact disc is a femendous testi-

profundity of the once devout spirit of Armenian Ctristianity. Yet, none of these recordings have even come close to capturing in music this ethereal part of the Armenian people. There are a number of reasons for this failure, but one outstanding shortcoming of these attempts has been the

mony to Komitrs. The recording is crisp and clean. The conductor, Komitas Kesh-

frm grasp of the score's deails and nuanes and the choir, founded in ishian, has a

fact that they have ried to compete on a subconscious level wittr a divine linrgy which already has been created and which is almost perfect as it was written by the genius of Armenian music - Komitas. A resounding deviation from this approach is the recent and historic release of the Divine Linrgy of Komitas Vartabed (previously issued on cassette by MEG Recordings) on compact disc by New Albion Records, known for its courageous output of modem and avant-garde music (the Divine Linrgy can certainly be considered a modem work by non-Armenian and Armenian listeners). This release is historic because it is ttre fint, and wittrout question, the definitive recording of the original work as it was written and intended by Komitas. It also will be the fint time that this music will enjoy a wide disribution in the mainsteam music industy tlnoughout the world, which has for more than 80 years forgotten, ignored and been simply uninformed about this musical innovator. Komitas made many contributions to Armenian music. He wrote in the tradition of the folk idiom but still added very original feahres, most important of which was a polyphonic technique to a music which was basically conceived as monodic. He created a balanced blend of the Armenian modes and intonations, along with Westem polyphony. This is most evidenr in his choral works in which Armenian music as vocal art is best exemplified. Started

1892 and abandoned

1915

1980, responds to his confidence and care.

Komitras Vartabed because of

Komitas' imprisonment and even-

tual mental breakdown due to the Genocide of his people by the Onoman Turks, the Divine Linrgy stands as one of his most complex and multi-faceted creations. It wils com-

Theirvoices are emotional andprecise. The choir first presentel the Divine Liturgy tn a televised broadcast in 1986. Ohannes Salibian, a composer with vast knowledge of the works of Komitas, has done a fine

job in recording this performance (done in Yerevan, 1988). He has interwoven the role of a com-

pleted and edired in Paris in 1933 by his

student, Vardan

poser and a recording engineer to cre-

Sargsian, who used

Komitas'score,

ate a significantly higher plain where

notes, corrections and his own memory of the work to

he is more

come close to what

his teacher had

livery. The CD itself is packaged in an ele-

strived for.

Written in a cappella for male cho-

rus, the Divine Liturgy is in three parts:

ffiertory, Canonization

involved

with 0re acnralpiece of music and its de-

and Eucharist. Per-

formed in ttris latest release by the choir of St. Gayane, conducted by Komitas Keshishian, each of these parts forms its own realm of meaning and inEicacy. At certain instancâ&#x201A;Źs, free and distinct beauty stems from each voice which at once is also hauntingly in sync, emphasizing ttre brilliance of

Komitas' ability to build and exffact

much from a simple source. Komitas (Soghomon Soghomonian) was

AlM, February 1991

gant cover with stunning photographs and informative and well-written liner notes by Taline Voskerirchian. This is a spirinral joumey which one takes for 62 minutes and 35 seconds - a joumey of uplifting energy and grace. No one who seriously cares about Armenian music and music in general should be without this

magnificent recording of ttre Divine Liturgy, which finally comes to life through the choir of St. Gayane inact and in a[ its magnfficence.

lnroduction of massive land reform, and privatization of farming and related

Jump-Start the Union

services. Establishment of adequate unemployment and retaining systems. The adjustnent ofproducts by enterprises according o demand at negotiated

Having Taken the Path to Democracy, Armenia Has to Choose between the No,v TreaQ and Independence

pnces.

A mechanism to adjust incornes based

on nondurable goods indexes to

* Openhadewitlt ttrerestoftreglobal

By ilIARK CHENIAN

ecuruny,wittfully convertible rubles. A liberal pol-

wellbethe most crucial year for the Republic of his yearmay very

Armenia in relation to its futre as a completely independent nation, or a sovereign state within tlre presentday Soviet Union. Recent events in the USSR raise major questions and concems regarding the ability of tlre Union as we have known it to sunrive. Peresnoika, which originally had the intention of reforming socialism by inroducing efftciency and recogtizing human rights, developed its own mornenturn with attempts to inroduce a multiparty system and a firee-market economy. Armenia was not immune to tlrese developments, and in 1990, as soon as tlp nationalist movementhad tlre opportunity, it gotelected to and gained confiol of the republic's parliament. Soon after, the declaration of independence ard sovereignty followed. Now, the republic has to make the most important decision of its young life: to opt for the new Union Treaty or stay out and go its own way. The new Union Treaty relating o the issue of the USSS (Union of Sovereign Soviet States) vs. USSR ( ttre Union of Soviet Socialist Republics), infroduces new principles for goveming the Union. It recognizes that the republics are sovereigt. In retum, the cenEal govemment maintains power in the areas of foreigrr policy, defense, monetary policy, taxation, energy and raw materials, transportation and tele-

communications. The fate of tlre Union hangs on ttre ability of the cennal govemment to penuade the republics to believe that they would be better off ogether than apart, that is, with the new teaty there would be economic reforms and higher standards of living.

[:st

year, several plans for economic re-

form were presented in Moscow. The latest was the Presidential Plan (authored by Abel Aganbegyan), incorporating the essentials of the Shatalin Plan, which was an 44

ilsstue

stabilization and evenhral rise in the standard of living.

iryofacilitateoutside investments into tlrc economy.

As a result, the

plan seeks to achieve tlrc beginningof aneconunic boom, elimination

of excess demand, fall in interest rates

and recovery of invesrnent, T5 perShatalln hans toward capitallsm, Aganbegyan towads comprcmise

attempt to define ttre characteristics of ttp USSS. Fundamentally, the plan recognizes the economic and political climate and offers a process to râ&#x201A;Źconsfiuct the Union. The following are its main points: * The Union would become a voluntary economic union, with ttrc republics exercising their sovereigrty within ttpir borden, linked though an Inter-Republic Economic Committee. * The all-union market will have no intemal barrien or tariffs on trade. t The unified market will operate with a single currency and an independent central bank, with firm confiols on monetary policies.

An all-out effort to use existing resowces to expand the sup,ply of consumer goods, initially at controlled prices.

Recogrrition of property as well

economic activity rights.

A sell-offofvarious

assets

like hous-

ing and small retail outlets to address consumer welfare, start the prccess of privatization and absort the excess cash from tlrc hands of tlre population. * The ownership of major productive assets to be ransferred to trans-râ&#x201A;Źpublican joint-sock companies for tlre benefit of tlre individual republics, with full righs to sell.

AlM, February 1991

cent of industry operating without

subsidies in acompetitive environment and

the establishment of the supersfircture to

allow the further development of market institutions. Obviously, the goals outlined in the plan would take a long time to rcalize and there are major risks associated with it that the Armenian governrnent should take a very close lmk al. A ttrorough quantiative analysis should be conducted to determine ttrc nue impact of the plan on the country. The establishment of the proper institutions, the sEucture and ttre operations need a lot of thought and insight. In addition, tlrc govemment should conduct a thorough suwey and analysis of the present reality in and around the country, both political and eco' nomic.

The Republic of Armenia heavily depends on rade with the otlrcr 14 republics. It is estimated that Armenia's net manufacnuing product (NI!P) is about 14 billion rubles and approximately 65 percentof that amount constinrtes trade witll tlre rest of the Union, wittr a tade balance deficit of nro billion rubles. This lrcavY dependence on ttre face of it should encourage Armenia to join the Union. But all this rade is conducted at diststed

prices, compared to world prices, which

produce large frade distortions. Armenia's leadenhip should revise nade figures based on world prices and determine where the republic stands. On ttre other hand, the sate of the Soviet economy is shaky, to say the least Some may argue that the less the

Armenian economy may want to do with the Soviet economy, the better off it would be, as the latter is heading towards total

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administation; indusnial econo-

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the govemment team). The funds available for Armenia Aid could be utilized to finance these teams. Back in ttre fall of 1988, during a meeting in Geneva organized by the Swiss Arme-

Zaven Khatchaturian

Artine Kokshanian, M.D.

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to explore Armenia-Daspora cooperation,

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this idea of teams was suggested to him and he endorsed it as a high priority. Un-

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fortunately, tlre disaster in December of ttre same year mobilized ttre community for Armenia's immediate needs. We ttrink that the time has come to readdress these ideas.

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Armenia has Aken its fnst step into democmcy by conducting free elections. But that was only the fint step, as important as it was. What Armenia is facing now is fie challenge to function as a democracy. The political and economic crisis in which Ar.rnenia finds itself now could not have been avoided. Even if we assume ideal conditions in which ttre counfiy changed from communism to democracy, the market economy was established, and ample

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outside investrnents and technology poured into the counEry, still there would be something fundamenal missing. The victims of

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b flp

ango/ec bered l{erc/t

ilorpl

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AlM, February 1991

I 45

A Glimpse into the Ruins of Glasnost By ESTHER SCHRADER

I n lrninakan one day I climbed through the rubble of a factory I *ner. fuscoes used to be, and I understood that the earth I **o. ttrat desuoyed them had Ieft ttre real desroyer intact. I had come to that ruined city one year after its destnrction with a painter's son - a young, darkened man named Armen Avadissian. Since the December 1988 earthquake he had been orying to get someone to pay heed to the frescoes painted by his father, Minas Avadissian, before he died in 1975. The frescoes were half decimated on ttre crumbling walls of a Lrninakan factory, and every day there was a tiny fraction less of them, as water and cold seeped onto their ochre+olored scenes of Armenia's past. It was cold when we left Yerevan, and the buildings of Armenia's capital stood firm and buttressed by all their gray Soviet srenglh. But as we passed the city's confines the cold became bright and clear and we were in the mountains, in land that in its wildness had, in a peculiar way, no connection to any govemment in the world or to any organized thing. It was hardly my first visit to the earthquake zone. I had come to Armenia a month earlier as a freelance joumalist, and it was part of my work to make excursions to the shaken mountains almost daily in the weeks surrounding the earttrquake anniversary.

I hadn't come to Armenia for the customary reasons people travel

1915, after a life as one of the great Armenian painters of this century. He was bom in a village and even when he was told to paint frescoes on factories, he clung close to his roots, painting the way of life in Armenian villages, from where mountain people get their stength. And these were unmistakable Avadissian frescoes - amber and gold toned works of contained beauty, heavy with the presence of tragedy and rocks and sun. They were reminiscent of the Armenian miniatures of the l5th and l6th cennries- scenes of women baking bread, weaving carpets, giving birttr to a son. They seemed to hold some unassailable tadition and power even wittt ttre wind blowing through the cold, half-enclosed plafform and tlrc dampness into which they were beginning to fade. We walked outside, silent and pensive, I thinking what I could write about that place and Avadissian ttrinking aloud what he could do to save the works of his father from the wrecker's ball. Then I nrmed and saw a wall of power unlike the one inside, a power of disappointrnent and evil. And on the cold concrete btocks in squared lefiers were written words that it would take more than a wrecking ball to disintegrate: "My Factory, My Home;" and undemeath the slogan were photographs - the impassive faces of dozens of worken who now are almost surely dead.

"Work for Communism! Don't

tlrere. As an American Jew, my people were not there to be dis-

be Late!" and next to it the names of offenden, late a minute or five and their Communist shame out there in the open for all to see. The entire wall was fike t}rat and I found myseH saring incredulously

covered, and it was not my land that conquerors and natural disaster had destroyed. In my frequent

visits to the desfruction, the pattros of the earthquake ruins had ceased even to moYe me. There was a deeper destruction afmt in Soviet lands in those days ofpolitical turmoil, and one writer after anotherhadrecounted the tragedy of ttre earthquake and one Armenian after another had told

at the sullen faces, the reliefs of Lrnin, the exhortations to work, work, work and I wanted to laugh at the ludicrous thought ofthe system that had built that factory and scrâ&#x201A;Źam at the monsfrosity of the military submarines in which the factory played a part. More than anything else, I wanted to cry out in disgust that with all the beauty crushed underneath the stones shaken by the earthquake, with all

me their stories of tragedy until the human part of me shut off from it out of exhaustion. But that day tumed out to be dffierent, because the ruins I saw were not about the ruins of fumenia or of a portion of that tiny

republic's people. What

saw that day was somehow more frightening than that - a glimpse into the evil ttrat did survive the earthquake and the ruins of glasnost, and a people and a place lost in the rubble of the aftermattr, with no idea at all of what would happen to them next. The frescoes werc among the ruins of a secretive factory, a place where workers had spent their lives in relative silence at one task or another, making electric parts for Soviet submarines. There was little left of the place, just rusty shells of steel beamwork and concrete blocks had tumbled down where floors and walls and

ceilings used to be. painted a fresco in such a place, but such were the sate-appointed tasks of the painter who died in

I don't know why Avadissian

the lives buried young, that such a ttring had survived. I have not retumed to that place what the dampness has done to not seen have

since that day. I those frescoes nor whether they have been rescued from their exposed grave. I feel comforted by ttre thought that if I were to retum to the factory today, the frescoes would still be there, lessened and faded by the elements, to be sure, but still discemible as Armenian women baking brcad. But then the comfort fades. For if the frescoes are still standing, then just outside and around the comer, the busts of lrnin and the cold faces of ttre dead are sure to be standing, too.

EsthqSrh,*r is a staffwriter ottlrc $n Jo* tubrcury |bws. She in Yetevan in tlre- firct monfis of lW to cover he Amrlnlan'

was

Azertuiianionflicl

AlM, February 1991

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