Lest They Perish: The Cry From Javakhk


The following is an interview recently conducted with a Javakhktsi Armenian. Although the conditions here have been reported in different ways at different times, we found that there is a paucity of firsthand accounts given by those living in the region itself. We hope that through this interview, we will be able to amplify the voices of our fellow Armenians in a way not possible for them in their present situation.

QUESTION: Let’s begin with a simple but important question.  What is Javakhk and where is it located?

ANSWER: The name Javakhk can be understood in two ways.  Samtskhe-Javakheti is a province within the Republic of Georgia in the South Caucasus – an administrative division.  But Javakhk is also understood as a smaller region in the southeastern corner of the country – an historical entity.

The name Javakhk is a phonetic derivative of Zabakha, a name used since the 9th century BC.  The region was ruled by Armenians, Iranians, Iberians and others over the centuries, always maintaining its Armenian identity.  During the time that the Kingdom of Armenia existed – that is, from 200 BC to 400 AD – Javakhk was part of the province of Gugark.

Moving on to the modern era, we find Javakhk being a battleground between the Persians and Ottomans for several decades until Ottoman hegemony over the area was established in 17th century.  From that point onward, the population was subjected to massacre and forced conversion to Islam, but foreign immigration was so low that an Ottoman census shows the majority of the population remaining Armenian.

Soon afterward, it was annexed by Tsarist Russia and the Armenians of not only Javakhk, but Tbilisi as well, flourished economically and culturally.

Village life in Javakhk

Q: What is the Armenian population in the region?

 A: Over half the population is ethnically Armenian, and the remaining 40% or so are largely Georgian, Turkish and Azerbaijani.  The primary cities (Akhalkalak and Akhaldzkha) and many villages are almost exclusively Armenian; in Akhalkalak, for example, we make up 95% of the population.  Outside of Samtskhe-Javakheti, an additional 200,000 live in the capital, Tbilisi.

Q: How would you summarize the major challenges faced by Armenians in Javakhk?

A: The biggest problem we have is with our youth, but there are political, social, religious and economic issues, too.  The government puts great pressure on us to forget our language, our cultural treasures and to leave our homeland.  Using Armenian is illegal here, for example.

We’re facing a growing age gap.  A large portion of Javakhktsi youth leave for Yerevan to study and end up staying there after securing their diplomas.  Those that don’t leave for Armenia pursue post-secondary education in Tbilsi and settle there, or immigrate to Russia to find work.

Here is another facet to the age problem: it’s normal for men and women here to get married between the ages of 18 and 21.  So by the time they reach a point where they’ve attained the necessary amount of maturity and experience to be able to have a positive and meaningful impact on the region and its problems, they’re already preoccupied with securing a family.  So the pool of young, capable Javakhktsis remains meager.  We need to find ways of keeping them here and ameliorating the situation.

Q: You mentioned that the use of Armenian is illegal.  So you can’t speak your mother tongue when you’re out on the street or in public?

A: No, we can speak it in the street, but legal documents have to be in Georgian – they can’t be in Armenian.  We can’t import Armenian language newspapers into Javakhk; we are made to organize our own press, which requires funding.  Because we’re an ethnic majority, we’re allowed to teach Armenian in our schools, but the number of hours of Armenian-language class has been decreased from 8 hrs per week roughly 6 years ago to only 4 hours this coming term, while the length of Georgian classes has increased.  There was a law passed recently mandating that all schools be renamed to follow a generic numbering system; so a school that was called Haik Nahabed Secondary School may now be known as Georgian Secondary School Number 13.  In this way, they lose their connection with their fundamental Armenian identity.  The use of imported Armenian-language texts is barred; instead, the government has decided we’re to use books translated from Georgian by them.  But the translations are so inaccurate that they sometimes don’t make sense.  So how are our sons and daughters supposed to learn?  Those that teach Armenian are underpaid, too, thereby discouraging people from pursuing that career path.  They’re playing a zero-sum game here; they’re not only making it harder for our Armenian teachers to work, they’re also making it so that there is increased demand for Georgian teachers to take their place.

Q: What types of religious problems are there here?

A: What we see in Javakhk is a clear attempt at erasing the Armenian character of our churches, which have been here for centuries.  They destroy or remove cross stones (khachkars) and the Armenian writing engraved on church walls, then seek to Georgify them by bringing the building under the ownership of the Georgian Orthodox Church.  Clerics will come and announce to the village that this is now a Georgian church, etc.

Our Church currently operates outside the proper legal framework in Georgia.  It does not have any de jure legitimacy here because the government does not accredit it the proper legal recognition it deserves.  These are our major problems.

Are steps being taken to afford our churches proper de jure standing, or is that something that has already been tried and failed?

That’s unfortunately something our religious leaders here would be able to answer in greater detail than I.

Q: If they’re able to completely erase the Armenian character of the churches, what would the consequences be for the Armenians living here?

Sunday mass at the Armenian church of Akhalkalak

A: If this were to happen, we would become witness to the same situation we see in Western Armenia, which has been taken from us.  Javakhktsis consider themselves a people indigenous to this region.  It’s well known that there were waves of immigration in the 1830s and 1840s, but there was a large population living here before then.

Today’s Georgian historians give us a different official account than their Armenian counterparts and these may be interpreted as two subjective readings of history.  But the physical things we see around us have to bear witness to the truth, right?  And what we see is that in the 5th century, Armenian churches were built.  So there was Armenian life here, an Armenian faith.  This is what we see.  And we haven’t even spoken out our fortresses and walled cities yet, which further solidify this “version” of history as the truth.

Q: And despite the fact that the majority of the population is Armenian, you aren’t able to make your way into the political arena to solve these issues?

A: There are a small number of Armenians in local government, but it appears that that’s not sufficient.  They only represent 10% of the governing body and aren’t able to bring about meaningful change through the positions they occupy.  The true power lays higher up, at echelons we don’t have access to.

Q: So, at the federal level.

A: Yes, at the federal level.

Q: Although all these problems exist, it seems that the Georgian government hasn’t made a clear effort at keeping Javakhk underdeveloped the way we see in southeastern Turkey, for example.  The roads are well-paved, there is running water and there are new construction projects all around.  These are things that even Armenians living in Armenia don’t always have.  What explanation is there for this dichotomy?

A: Look, we are living, after all, in the 21st century.  The days of not having running water or electricity are behind us.  But there are several important points to make here.

A ruined Armenian church in a village near Akhalkalak

The primary land routes linking Georgia to Turkey and Armenia run through Javakhk, so keeping the roads in good repair is an important economic asset to Tbilisi.  The country also received $300 million as part of the US’ Millennium Challenge program.  A third of this amount was earmarked for road repair projects between the capital and the borders with Turkey and Armenia.

So, yes, you’re correct in noting that there is a good deal of active construction work in Javakhk, but the companies that are granted these long-term projects are usually either Turkish or Azerbaijani and hire their workforces out of those countries.  These laborers then sponsor their families to join them and end up settling here.  All this happens while Javakhktsis have to emigrate in order to secure an income, thereby weakening our majority in the region.

Q: What has the Diaspora’s role been in Javakhk and in what new ways can the Diaspora help?

A: Unfortunately, we haven’t seen the same level of interest in and support for Javakhk that we’ve been seeing for Artsakh.

Moving forward, the Diaspora can put the Javakhk issue on the agendas of many different organizations and countries around the world.  There are always attempts at silencing this issue when it arises on the international stage and the Diaspora can oppose that.  You can also help us overcome our national, religious and socio-economic hurdles.  And most importantly, our linguistic and cultural issues.

The Armenian youth center of Akhalkalak

We are trying to claim our rights in Javakhk.  According to the Congress of the Council of Europe [in which Georgia holds five seats], as a national minority and as an ethnic majority in Samtskhe-Javakheti, our language must be given official status.  Georgian will remain the official language of the Republic, but Armenian must become a recognised second language.  Especially seeing as how our schools are losing their Armenian character and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to teach Armenian to our children, this is very important.

Q: Considering Javakhk is not part of the Republic of Armenia, do you consider yourself a Diasporan?

A: No.  If you called a Javakhktsi on the street a spyurkahye, they would probably consider it an insult.  The word spyurk doesn’t even fit in Javakhkahye…  Javakhkaspyurkahye?  It’s awkward, it doesn’t make sense.  We don’t accept that label.

Here is a concrete example I can use to demonstrate.  When the Republic of Armenia’s Diaspora Ministry wanted to organize an event here, we refused their invitation.  Look, let them send their Committee of Physical Education and Sports or something different; we would be more than happy to accept their help.  But not the Diaspora Ministry.  We’re not Diasporans.  We’re an ancient people living on historically Armenian soil, regardless of what the Georgian government says.  This is a part of Armenia and we’re Armenians.  We’re not part of the present Republic, but this is still Armenia.  We’re not Diasporans.

Q: Thank you for your time so far.  Do you have any thoughts you would like to share in lieu of closing remarks?

A: Simply that our nation must remain united, because if history has taught us anything, it’s that when Armenians stand united, we have the power to solve problems in ways that are beneficial to us, not others.

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Neoliberalism to the Extreme: Armenia’s Parliament Adopts Regressive Pension and Tax Policies


On June 24, 2010, the Republic of Armenia’s National Assembly decided to privatize its social security system by adopting an extreme version of a private pension model. Along with the pension system, the National Assembly also radically changed its income tax regime. The mandatory private pension system is set to take effect in January 2014, while the new income tax will be implemented in January 2011. Members of parliament representing the ARF and Heritage parties stood alone in opposing both of these regressive and unfair laws.

Risking Retirement in the Market

The new pension law in Armenia is an extreme model, where 100% of an employee’s pension contributions will be allocated to private individual accounts, which will then be invested in stock, bond and money markets. After a transition period of about 25 years, every employee will be part of this radical model. Out of about two hundred countries in the world only a tiny handful—mainly Chile, Kazakhstan and Kosovo—have such a drastic system.

A private pension system has many risks and problems, including financial market volatility, labor market risk, increases in government deficits until current retirees pass away, high costs associated with managing private pension accounts, and so on.   Financial market risks of private pension systems are significant. In private pension accounts, the benefits that a retiree would receive depend on the timing of his/her retirement. If the employee retires after a few bad years in the financial markets, the retirement benefits would replace only a small part of his/her pre-retirement income and he/she could live in poverty.

It is surprising that while the world is still recovering from the recent financial crisis—which emphasized the hazardous nature of capital markets—Armenia’s government adopted a pension system where 100% of employees’ pension contributions will be entrusted to the whims of the financial markets.

Another problem with the government’s proposal is that a pension system based on private accounts requires developed and transparent financial markets and institutions, competent managers, and efficient regulations and regulators. Unfortunately, in the case of Armenia, all of these are lacking. At the same time, there is a significant amount of corruption, which makes the adoption of a private pension system even riskier. During October 2008, even IMF and World Bank experts advised the government to “reformulate” the pension changes it was proposing in order “to reduce risk and improve sustainability.” Nevertheless, the main characteristics of the new government-sponsored private pension law remain similar to its 2008 proposal.

There are some who could stand to gain from these extreme changes. Private pension accounts could be beneficial to those who have adequate education and knowledge in finances and those associated with companies in the banking and financial industries. Such individuals could make good decisions about their private pension accounts and benefit from market fluctuations. However, in Armenia, most people have limited knowledge of financial markets and would have a hard time navigating through the complex waters of pension accounts.

In Armenia, long-term financial markets, i.e. capital markets, are not developed and the banking sector does not lend enough. The finance ministry is expecting the new private pension system to contribute to the development of these markets; however, most economists would agree that the ultimate determinant of a desirable pension system should be the well-being of the retirees and not some ulterior motive, such as the national savings rate or the development of domestic financial markets.

The government could contribute to the development of the financial sector by reducing corruption and reining in the underground economy. This could be done by focusing on the behavior of large businesses and powerful families, prosecuting illegal acts, promoting open and transparent governance, requiring accurate accounting, and fostering an environment where the public increases their bank deposits, businesses borrow more from banks and banks increase their lending.

Instead, the government is hoping to stimulate the markets by privatizing the pension system, which imposes much greater risks on the majority of the retirees, who, in general, are not very knowledgeable about the functioning and inherent risks of the financial markets.

It is true that like many other countries in the world, Armenia also is facing the problem of an aging population, which could increase the cost of maintaining a pension system. Therefore it is important for us as Armenians to discuss and figure out the best pension system which would both deal with future demographic challenges and be fair and sustainable. There are many possible alternatives—such as notional or public, private, mix private and public, etc., pension systems—to the existing model.

Pension reforms affect every citizen of the country and changes are costly; therefore they should be adopted only after a significant amount of national debate and, if possible, a consensus. The whole country should discuss and debate different options of pension systems. Unfortunately, there was only very limited discussion in the Armenian National Assembly and the media. A non-political, professional state agency—such as the National Statistical Service—should initiate simulations and actuarial analysis of different pension options and present the results to the parliament and the public for debate. Only then should Armenia adopt a new pension system.

Putting the Burden on the Poor

The new income tax law is extremely unfair for poor and lower income families, due to two new changes: first, practically speaking, there will be just one income tax rate for everyone and second, there will be no standardized deduction from one’s income before applying the income tax.

The old existing income tax law allowed for the deduction of 30,000 dram for all taxpayers and the amounts above 30,000 dram were subject to two tax rates: for taxable income below 80,000 dram monthly, the tax rate was 10%, while for taxable income above 80,000 the income tax rate was 20%.

The new income tax law that the National Assembly adopted has no deductions and has two very close tax rates: for all income below 120,000 dram the income tax rate is 24.4%, while for income above 120,000 dram the income tax rate is 26%. Clearly there is almost no difference between 24.4% and 26%. The government could claim that technically we have a progressive income tax, but in reality we have just one rate, about 25%.

An income tax system without any deductions is extremely unfair, because if someone earns about 40,000 dram monthly (slightly more than $100) then that person has to pay about 25% income tax, which is 10,000 dram. This person has to cut his/her spending on food and other necessities in order to pay the income tax and will suffer significantly. For this reason, the income taxes of almost every country in the world allow for the deduction of a certain amount, usually equal to the established poverty line or the income earned annually based on the minimum wage.

If we agree that a tax system without any deduction is highly unjust, then why has Armenia’s government supported such an unfair system? I asked this question to an individual who was familiar with the development of this new income tax law and this was the answer that I received.

Currently a very large number of employees claim that their monthly income is less than 30,000 dram; therefore they evade paying income taxes. In order to reduce this kind of income tax evasion, the government decided to eliminate the 30,000 dram standardized deduction.

This explanation is not convincing because the government, instead of penalizing the poor and the middle class, could make a serious effort to collect taxes from businesses, companies and rich, powerful families. If the government aggressively tries to collect taxes from large businesses and wealthy families, then the rich will have an incentive to declare the amount of wages and salaries they are paying to employees, because wages and salaries are considered tax-deductible costs.

In democratic and developed countries it is very difficult for employees to hide their income and evade paying taxes because the government makes a serious effort to collect taxes from businesses, who report the incomes of their employees. Therefore the opponents of the new income tax law could argue that the government, instead of adopting an unfair income tax law and imposing a very large tax burden on lower income families, should take serious steps to collect taxes from businesses and the elite.

The second unfair aspect of the new income tax law is the two tax rates, which are very close to each other—24.4% and 26%. Practically speaking, this is almost a flat tax system.

A flat tax is widely considered unfair because it makes the tax burden on low income families much higher than the burden on upper middle class and rich families. For instance, it is much more difficult for a family with a monthly income of 100,000 dram to pay a 24.4% tax, than for a family with an income of 500,000 dram to pay 26% because, once again, in order for the lower income family to pay a 24.4% tax, they need to cut spending on bare necessities, such as food and medical care.

Most economists agree that in order to generate a fair tax system, the burden of the tax should be distributed equally. This can be done through a genuinely progressive income tax with noticeably different tax rates, instead of a system with just one flat rate.

I do not know if there is a country in the world with an income tax system that has no standardized deduction and at the same time has only one income tax rate. No democratic country operates such a socially unjust and anti-poor tax system as the one that Armenia’s government has recently adopted.

Conclusions

Privatization of the pension system places undue risks on low income employees and exposes them to the risks of being without an adequate amount of income upon retirement. In the case of income taxes, eliminating the standardized deduction and having practically a flat tax system places a heavy burden on lower income earners who are the least able to afford it.

Lower income families in Armenia will be the unfortunate victims of these two significant changes in the financial system made by the National Assembly. Armenia urgently needs political institutions and forces to protect the interests of the poor and low income families. If the government of an industrialized democratic country adopted such an unfair income tax law, there would be major street demonstrations and possible clashes with police. In Armenia, on the other hand, there has hardly been any discussion about these topics.

Hopefully the progressive forces in Armenia would be able to generate public awareness about these two unfair laws and put pressure on the government in order to reverse these harmful decisions.

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Kobe’s Foul Paves Way for AYF Layup

A Blunder in Public Relations Provides Unique Opportunity and Helps AYF Focus Media Spotlight on Genocide Recognition


BY ARIS HOVASAPIAN

“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”
– Seneca, Roman philosopher and statesman, 1st Century AD

Last week, the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) took the opportunity to initiate a campaign to expose a newly signed endorsement deal for Kobe Bryant to promote Turkish Airlines in the global market. The AYF expressed its disappointment with Kobe and has publicly asked him to back out of the deal due to Turkish Airlines’ strong association with the Turkish government (the government holds a 49% ownership stake in the airline). That Kobe practices his craft in a market that is home to the largest Armenian population of the United States should serve as even more evidence that his public relations team failed him spectacularly in allowing the Turkish Airlines deal to materialize.

Due to the organization’s meticulous preparation for just such an event, the AYF was able to gain a great deal of local and national media attention as a result of this effort. There was television coverage on nearly all the Los Angeles TV stations. There was print and web coverage from USA Today, CNN, UPI, Los Angeles Times, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, Huffington Post, LAWeekly, and other news outlets.

Despite Kobe’s popularity both locally and nationally, all media coverage of the “Kobe controversy” has treated the AYF and AYF’s claims with full legitimacy, almost always mentioning genocide recognition efforts. Some media were even sympathetic to the AYF campaign, with LAWeekly’s Dennis Romero going so far as to demand that Kobe fire whomever allowed him to make this deal.

Some reactions of a segment of the general population, including those of some Armenian-Americans, have not been so sympathetic to the campaign. Several reasons and rationalizations have been conjured, on message boards, Facebook, Twitter, and any other public forum, to justify these contrarians’ dissatisfaction with the AYF’s tactics on this issue.

Are these criticisms valid, and has the AYF overreached with targeting a professional athlete in genocide recognition efforts? Or is it fair to ask a public figure to be sensitive to the feelings of a notable portion of his market?

A proper answer to these questions call for a full examination of the validity of the arguments cited in opposition to the AYF’s campaign (in ascending order of veracity):

AYF or Armavia should have paid Kobe more.

Do people honestly believe that the AYF has the cash reserves to outbid an international airline? Wouldn’t Armavia prefer to upgrade their fleet if they had the disposable income?

Where was the outrage when: Allen Iverson signed to play in Turkey, Michael Vick was caught in a dog-fighting ring, Kobe Bryant was accused of sexual assault, etc.

Many have been asking why the AYF is upset over Kobe’s current deal but hasn’t said much about past transgressions of professional athletes or celebrities. This is truly one of the sillier criticisms of the AYF’s campaign. Surely any human being would be upset by a behavior that victimizes another, but an organization sticks to its own issues, and speaks out about situations that affect those issues.

When Allen Iverson signed to play on a Turkish club, the AYF did not publicize this matter because it happened in Turkey and because Iverson was past his prime and had lost most of his appeal and legitimacy in the United States. Iverson also never played in any market with a significant Armenian population.

The AYF does not expect PETA or ASPCA to speak out about genocide recognition efforts in Congress, and the AYF was not expected to speak out about animal welfare in the wake of Michael Vick’s conviction for dog-fighting.

The AYF also had no reason to speak out about Bryant’s previous legal troubles in Colorado because they had no connection whatsoever to the AYF’s agenda.

Celebrities and athletes get into trouble all the time, and it is unreasonable to ask an Armenian-American organization why they were silent about all those instances. The reason that that organization is not silent now is because a situation has arisen that affects the policies of said organization.

Kobe is not Armenian, this issue doesn’t matter to him.

Indeed, Kobe is not Armenian. However, the issue of genocide recognition is a human issue, and not just an Armenian issue. Most have forgotten what they mean when they say that the Armenian Genocide was a “crime against humanity.” Kobe’s background did not prevent him from speaking out against the genocide in Darfur in May 2008.

Simply put, one’s ethnic background has nothing to do with recognition of the Armenian Genocide; one’s ethnic background also does not matter when it comes to doing business with a government that has a long, illustrious, and on-going record of human rights abuses.

Kobe made a business decision, so what if Armenians are upset?

Public figures, including celebrities, must be sensitive to the needs and wants of their market. Kobe’s market is truly global, but as a result of his playing for the Lakers, he is identified with Los Angeles, a polyglot city that includes the largest population of Armenians outside Armenia. There are certainly many Armenian-Americans that purchase tickets to see the Lakers play, and there are even more that watch games from home or purchase Lakers merchandise.

A true business decision must take into account all factors, including those that don’t have dollar signs in front of them. As a result of Kobe’s endorsement deal, Kobe’s name is now associated with a government that is a denier of history and an abuser of human rights.

Kobe was certainly living comfortably prior to this deal, and had he known of the reaction that would follow, he certainly would have chosen to leave the money on the table, especially considering how hard he has worked to rehabilitate his image since the sexual assault allegations in Colorado.

Armenians should clean up their own shop first.

Some critics of the AYF’s handling of the Kobe situation have charged that the time and energy would be better spent in convincing Armenian grocery stores to refrain from stocking Turkish goods. Interestingly, the AYF has promoted just such a campaign for several years, with middling success; it is difficult to convince people to change their behavior without providing a proper incentive, and the AYF’s only incentive in the case of Turkish grocery products is guilt. It is also an amorphous policy that cannot be filtered down to a single item or person, in stark contrast to the Kobe-Turkish Airlines pact.

A policy boycotting Turkish products in Armenian grocery stores could never possibly get as much media attention as the Kobe situation has already gotten. The issue regarding Turkish grocery products is simply not newsworthy in any type of mainstream media. For this reason alone, it is clear that the AYF was right in concentrating efforts onto the Kobe situation. Simply put, that decision garnered more media attention in a few days than anything else the AYF has done in the last several years.

AYF should focus its efforts to reform the government in Armenia.

The AYF’s resources are finite and local. It would be exceedingly difficult for a grassroots youth organization to have any kind of effect on a government halfway around the world. However, it is much easier for this organization to affect policies and decisions locally. There are countless individuals that would like to bring reform to the Armenian government, and surely to other governments around the world, but this is impossible to accomplish from outside. Thus, those that live in the United States, or in Los Angeles, can only take on tasks that are within reach. The Kobe-Turkish Airlines deal is an international issue that can most certainly be affected on a local level due to Kobe’s presence in the Los Angeles region.

Don’t exploit the deaths of my ancestors for a public relations stunt.

This line of thought is truly confusing. The AYF organizes an annual protest at the Turkish Consulate every April 24, and one of the aims of this protest is to gain media attention and expose the issue to those that are not familiar with it. One could easily make the argument that the protest is an exploitation of genocide victims. However, the Armenian community is facing off against a government in this struggle, and we have often put aside our feelings in favor of pragmatism. We have not the luxury to pick and choose the times when we become emotional about the suffering endured by our forebears, for in so doing we would undoubtedly fall behind in our fight to extract justice for their unnecessary deaths.

Having explored all these criticisms, it becomes clear AYF’s decision to target Kobe Bryant was not only right, but also smart. Kobe Bryant is one of the most recognizable faces on Earth, playing the second-most popular sport on the planet, in the media and entertainment capital of the world. He is a proven winner and an individual who has faced adversity and rehabilitated his image in a way that few could have imagined. The media attention that this campaign has gained is clearly a function of Kobe’s popularity. It simply would have been foolish for the AYF to let this go.

Kobe presented a clear opportunity for the AYF to push its agenda forward by mobilizing a base of already prepared grassroots activists. It is a true credit to the AYF that they were able to gain so much steady and positive media attention in so little time. However, it is equally disappointing that some of the harshest critics of this campaign are Armenian-Americans who typically align themselves with the AYF and its sister organizations.

It is easy to sit at a keyboard and anonymously criticize this effort, but one should find it difficult to look past the results: generous and fair media coverage, exposure of Turkey’s human rights abuses, mentions of the Armenian Genocide in the press, and thousands of comments and conversations, both positive and negative. By these measures alone, this has been a success. Even those that criticize this effort are, in a way, supporting it, for by mere mention of it, there is an intrinsic understanding that the AYF has done something creative and meaningful. Is that not what must be demanded of all grassroots organizations?

While Kobe has so far remained silent about this issue, Turkish Airlines has issued a response that is very much in line with the way that Turkish government and their allies in Congress portray this history. “Kobe Bryant is a cultural figure, not a historian, and is in no way related to a sensitive and complex controversy over highly contested history.” This canned response from Turkish Airlines proves without a doubt that the AYF’s campaign has gotten the Turkish government to become sensitive to this issue.

Kobe Bryant did not negotiate his deal with Turkish Airlines; he has an agent that takes care of these matters. His agent’s office typically handles all his contracts and business dealings. This same agent would also be advising Kobe about public relations gaffes (he has experience with this) and about when to cancel an endorsement deal to save face. Those who want to contact Bryant’s agent should call Landmark Sports Agency at (310) 966-4101 and leave messages for Bryant’s agent Rob Pelinka.

“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” The AYF was prepared and Kobe Bryant presented the opportunity.

EDITOR’S NOTE:
Aris Hovasapian has a degree in Political Science from UCLA and currently works in energy and utilities. He is an alumnus of the AYF but is not currently a member of any Armenian organization.

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AYF, GUSD Host Leadership Workshop for High School Leaders

GLENDALE, CA–On December 11, the Glendale Unified School District (GUSD) and the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) teamed up to bring together Armenian students from both public and private high schools in a unique workshop tailored specifically for student leaders.

Held at the the GUSD Development Center, the workshop gave participants not only the opportunity to interact and connect with one another, but also to attain the skills necessary to lead their campus club activities more effectively.

“This workshop is one of the many steps we intend to take to reach out to Armenian students in local high schools and build stronger ties with Armenian clubs,” said David Arakelyan, a member of the AYF Central Executive and a key organizer of the event. “Projects like this help us emphasize the importance of working together with various community organizations for the benefit of our youth and people at large.”

Over 8 high schools throughout Southern California showed up for the early Saturday morning event. Both Armenian Club executives from public high schools and student government members from private Armenian high schools took part in the numerous presentations and exercises aimed at strengthening the skills they would need in guiding their activities.

The program began with students being divided into groups and connecting with their peers from other high schools. They were then given an interactive presentation by Kathy Fundukian Thorossian, Assistant Superintendent at GUSD, which focused on developing clear leadership goals and objectives. Methods for best implementing a vision were also offered, as Thorossian connected these techniques with those of inspirational figures such as Nelson Mandela.

“This was a great opportunity to bring together the Armenian American students from public and private schools in a workshop to strengthen our communication and leadership skills,” said Greg Krikorian, GUSD Board Member and one of the presenters at the event. “It is vital that we equip our youth with the tools and the understanding to strive for not only justice and education, but also fighting denial and assimilation.” Krikorian’s presentation touched on many of these issues as he discussed the importance of achieving goals without straying away from larger social and community responsibilities.

AYF Alumnus and longtime community activist Aram Kaloustian also delivered a presentation, wherein he discussed the characteristics that make a good leader. He was followed by Arek Santikian, AYF Chairman Arek Santikian, who talked about concrete strategies for how to strengthen an organization, offering many of his own personal experiences as a member of the AYF.

“This leadership workshop—and hopefully more such workshops to come in the future—are very important for our community’s youth in so many ways,” stated Kaloustian following the program. “The attendees themselves benefit from the desire to better themselves as individuals,” he explained, pointing out that investing their own time on an early Saturday morning to learn such skills was itself a demonstration of their commitment. “But beyond that, beyond the individual gain, accomplishment, and activism, there is also an important community-wide component. Not only the Armenian Community (which is the common denominator in this case), but also every community that was represented (Glendale, Burbank, Montebello, Pasadena, La Cresenta, Los Angeles, etc.).”

Between presentations, students were also given the opportunity to socialize in an ice breaker, during which they exchanged ideas about their different experiences in the schools they attend and the organizations they engage with. Since the participants of the workshop were broken up into groups, they were able to reach beyond their own campus circles and discover common interests with students of other high schools.

“I really enjoyed being a part of this workshop, not only because I learned about what a great leader possesses, but because I met new friends that had similar interests as me,” said Rose and Alex Pilibos high school student Taron Torossian. “There were many speakers that not only taught me what a good leader is but inspired to be an influential one as well.”

“I think those that attended and are running a club on their campus really learned a lot,” added Ani Nazaryan of Clark Magnet High School. “We should have more events like this in the future. It really motivated me into taking the extra step forward to becoming a better leader.”

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AYF, ANCA-WR Applaud LA Superior Court Decision to Issue Temporary Restraining Order Against City of Santa Monica

LOS ANGELES—The Los Angeles Superior Court granted a temporary restraining order against the City of Santa Monica’s decision to award a taxi franchise that excluded every Armenian-owned taxi company in the city on Wednesday, December 22.

The temporary restraining order is based on a lawsuit against the City of Santa Monica by the Taxi Drivers Association, a newly formed coalition of Armenian owned and operated taxi companies and drivers, which seeks compensation for ethnic based discrimination. The restraining order sets the hearing for a preliminary injunction and delays the start of the franchises in January.

“We are very pleased to announce that our effort on behalf of the Armenian-owned and operated taxi cabs in Santa Monica has led to victory in the first legal hurdle,” said attorney Nora Hovsepian, Community Relations Chair at the Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region. “The ANCA-WR took the lead in laying the groundwork and amassing the evidence to build a case for discrimination against the City of Santa Monica and today’s temporary restraining order is an indication that there are enough legal grounds to challenge the City’s decision to exclude the Armenian owned companies.”

The ANCA-WR and the Armenian Youth Federation led the charge on behalf of the taxi drivers: attending and speaking at the Santa Monica City Council, meeting with individual council members, persistently requesting public records disclosures, conducting a public relations campaign to raise awareness of this issue and through all these efforts – developing the foundation for a lawsuit against the City.

“This is an extremely important breakthrough in the ongoing struggle to secure justice for the taxi drivers of Santa Monica,” said Serouj Aprahamian, Executive Director of the Armenian Youth Federation. “It is incumbent upon us to continue standing in solidarity with those fighting for a fair, more inclusive awarding of taxi franchises in Santa Monica. As Armenian-American youth, we vow to remain vigilant on this, and any other, matter affecting the well-being of our community.”

After months of groundwork – raising awareness of the issues and documenting the discrimination charge compiled by the ANCA-WR – the law office of Geragos and Geragos was retained to take this matter up within the legal system. Tamar Arminak of Geragos’ office successfully convinced the court to grant the temporary restraining order. The next step will be to turn the Temporary Restraining Order into a preliminary injunction thereby preventing the City of Santa Monica from excluding Armenian taxi drivers in 2011.

“This action could save the jobs and livelihood of at least 300 Armenian families who rely on their income from taxi cabs operating exclusively in Santa Monica, and we expect further legal victories to achieve permanent justice for them,” Nora Hovsepian a community activist involved in the issue said.

The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the largest Armenian American grassroots advocacy organization which advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.

The Armenian Youth Federation is the largest and most influential Armenian American youth organization in the United States, working to advance the social, political, educational and cultural awareness of Armenian-American youth.

Background info on the issue can be found here:

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ARF Youth Representatives Convene International Conference

YEREVAN–From December 10-12, executive delegates representing the highest bodies of the ARF’s student, youth, and junior organizations from around the world met for a three-day conference in Yerevan aimed at evaluating their respective activities and developing new strategies for the coming four years.

The pan-Armenian conference was held at the newly opened ARF “Aram Manougian” Youth Center, near the Gomidas thoroughfare in Yerevan. Over 38 representatives from 12 different regions throughout the world participated in the meeting.

Prior to beginning their deliberations, conference participants made a special visit to Yerablur cemetery, where they laid a wreath at the tomb of the “Unknown Soldier” and paid their respect to the memory of all the freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives in the Artsakh liberation struggle.

The conference then began with reports delivered from each representative. Delegates outlined the key activities in their region and noted both shortcomings and achievements. The overall challenges facing Armenian youth in Armenia and the Diaspora were also discussed. Despite differences in communities and host countries, many similarities binding Armenian youth throughout the world were identified and made the focus of discussion and debate.

From there, participants broke up into working groups where they outlined concerns, discussed strategies, coordinated projects, suggested new ideas, and crafted resolutions for a unified plan of action for the coming years.

High on the list of priorities for the conference was strengthening Armenia-Diaspora ties and becoming more engaged in developments in Armenia. Along these lines, heavy emphasis was placed on reinvigorating and expanding various projects Diasporan ARF youth carry out within the homeland. Moving in this direction was encouraged for both the positive impact it has in helping Armenia’s development and spurring cultural identity in the Diaspora.

Special emphasis was also placed on the need for youth to be more vigilant in addressing the current socioeconomic challenges affecting the Armenian nation, with many of the delegates calling for developing more momentum in the fight to establish social justice within Armenia.

At a press conference following the three-day meeting, many of the representatives from both Armenia and the Diaspora spoke about these issues and the outcome of the meeting. “Social, economic, and legal issues of justice are today priority for us within Armenia, in addition to national issues,” said Artour Ghazaryan of the ARF Youth Organization in Armenia. “Today our struggle is against injustice.”

Mikael Khosrovian from the ARF “Nigol Aghbalian” Student Union in Armenia also noted that an important result of the meeting was the stronger ties that were established between the 6 active student organizations of the ARF across the world. Serouj Aprahamian, Executive Director of the AYF-Western US, added that the meeting was very productive and gave the youth of the ARF an important chance to exchange ideas and lay the groundwork for further collaboration.

Throughout the course of the meeting, participants also had the opportunity to participate in a conference on Genocide reparations organized by the ARF, a Yerevan Badanegan community reception, and the ARF’s 120th Anniversary Celebration at Yerevan’s Opera Theatre.

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Kobe Bryant Faces Protests in Toronto Over Turkish Airlines Deal

TORONTO, On.–Kobe Bryant faced demonstrations on Sunday as members of the Canadian-Armenian community took to the streets of Toronto ahead of a Lakers-Raptors game to protest the NBA star’s recent deal with Turkey’s national airline carrier, the Armenian Youth Federation of Toronto reported.

The protest began at 11 a.m. at the York Street entrance of The Air Canada Centre, with participants holding large banners reading the words “Kobe: Do the Right Thing,” as well as several other signs pointing to Turkey’s gross record on human rights.

“Kobe’s recent agreement with Turkish Airlines, 49% of which is owned by the Republic of Turkey, has tremendously upset Armenians and stands in stark contrast to public statements he has made calling for an end to the Genocide in Darfur,” said Rupen Janbazian of the Toronto AYF. “Turkey’s long list of human rights violations, including the ongoing denial of the Armenian Genocide, restrictions of free speech and expression, and its continued support of the genocidal government of Sudan, prove that this deal seriously damages Kobe’s reputation.”

If Bryant follows through on his deal to serve as the “Global Brand Ambassador” for Turkish Airlines, he will always come to be associated with the violence, oppression, occupation and genocide denial of the Turkish government.

The deal with Turkish Airlines has caused an uproar in the Armenian community in North America, especially within Southern California, which boasts the largest population of Armenians outside of Armenia with 600,000 Armenians.

“Toronto’s large Armenian community is likewise upset and we kept the pressure on Bryant during his visit to Canada, asking him to rescind his contract and make a statement separating himself from the actions of the government of Turkey, especially when the Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.252) is being put to vote by the United States Congress,” Janbazian said.

The demonstration comes after a week of growing grass-roots and media pressure on Bryant to reverse his deal and acknowledge the Armenian Genocide. ESPN.com, NBA.com, LATimes.com, Bloomberg.com, and CBS 2 News and ABC 7 News, are among the dozens of news outlets, blogs, television stations and websites reporting on the developing issue.

As the controversy continues to spread throughout, other Armenian communities across the continent are sure to become more vocal in demanding a public statement from Bryant, who told a reporter after a Lakers game against the Philadelphia 76ers that he was unaware of the issue altogether.

As victims of genocide at the hands of the Ottoman Turkish government from 1915-1923, Armenians are angered that Bryant would sign a contract with a country that denies justice to the victims.

“For Armenians in Canada and the United States, Kobe’s contract with Turkish Airlines is like jet fuel on the fire of Turkey’s genocide denial,” said Aram Hamparian, the Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of America in a statement published on the ANCA website Friday.

“We are hopeful that Kobe, in selling his brand, hasn’t also sold his soul by agreeing to remain silent about Turkey’s human rights abuses,” Hamparian said.  “He should reconsider his ill-advised endorsement of Turkish Airlines, and, at the very least, go on record condemning Turkey’s denial of the Armenian Genocide and calling upon our Congress to pass of the Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.252).”

The Kobe controversy also comes as American and anti-genocide activists across the United States continue to mobilize in support of a possible vote on the Armenian Genocide Resolution, H.Res.252, in the final days of the Congressional session, the ANCA reported on its website.

Armenian Americans hope that Kobe would balance what clearly looks to be a profitable business deal with a strong moral statement against Turkey’s violations of human rights, including, of course, its ongoing denial of the Armenian Genocide.

The Armenian Youth Federation urges Bryant “to stay true to his loyal fan base and rescind his contract with Turkish Airlines.” The AYF further asked Bryant “to put out an official statement affirming his commitment to ending human rights abuses and voicing his support for House Resolution 252, calling on the United States Congress to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide.”

Founded in 1933, the Armenian Youth Federation is the largest and most influential Armenian American youth organization in the United States. With chapters throughout the country and affiliates around the world, the AYF actively strives to advance the social, political, educational and cultural awareness of Armenian-American youth.

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For more information on the developing story, visit the Armenian Youth Federation’s blog or follow them on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.

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Kobe Controversy Widens as Armenians Protest Visit in Toronto

TORONTO, On.–Kobe Bryant faced demonstrations on Sunday as members of the Canadian-Armenian community took to the streets of Toronto ahead of a Lakers-Raptors game to protest the NBA star’s recent deal with Turkey’s national airline carrier, the Armenian Youth Federation of Toronto reported.

The protest began at 11 a.m. at the York Street entrance of The Air Canada Centre, with participants holding large banners reading the words “Kobe: Do the Right Thing,” as well as several other signs pointing to Turkey’s gross record on human rights.

“Kobe’s recent agreement with Turkish Airlines, 49% of which is owned by the Republic of Turkey, has tremendously upset Armenians and stands in stark contrast to public statements he has made calling for an end to the Genocide in Darfur,” said Rupen Janbazian of the Toronto AYF. “Turkey’s long list of human rights violations, including the ongoing denial of the Armenian Genocide, restrictions of free speech and expression, and its continued support of the genocidal government of Sudan, prove that this deal seriously damages Kobe’s reputation.”

If Bryant follows through on his deal to serve as the “Global Brand Ambassador” for Turkish Airlines, he will always come to be associated with the violence, oppression, occupation and genocide denial of the Turkish government.

The deal with Turkish Airlines has caused an uproar in the Armenian community in North America, especially within Southern California, which boasts the largest population of Armenians outside of Armenia with 600,000 Armenians.

“Toronto’s large Armenian community is likewise upset and we kept the pressure on Bryant during his visit to Canada, asking him to rescind his contract and make a statement separating himself from the actions of the government of Turkey, especially when the Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.252) is being put to vote by the United States Congress,” Janbazian said.

The demonstration comes after a week of growing grass-roots and media pressure on Bryant to reverse his deal and acknowledge the Armenian Genocide. ESPN.com, NBA.com, LATimes.com, Bloomberg.com, and CBS 2 News and ABC 7 News, are among the dozens of news outlets, blogs, television stations and websites reporting on the developing issue.

As the controversy continues to spread throughout, other Armenian communities across the continent are sure to become more vocal in demanding a public statement from Bryant, who told a reporter after a Lakers game against the Philadelphia 76ers that he was unaware of the issue altogether.

As victims of genocide at the hands of the Ottoman Turkish government from 1915-1923, Armenians are angered that Bryant would sign a contract with a country that denies justice to the victims.

“For Armenians in Canada and the United States, Kobe’s contract with Turkish Airlines is like jet fuel on the fire of Turkey’s genocide denial,” said Aram Hamparian, the Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of America in a statement published on the ANCA website Friday.

“We are hopeful that Kobe, in selling his brand, hasn’t also sold his soul by agreeing to remain silent about Turkey’s human rights abuses,” Hamparian said.  “He should reconsider his ill-advised endorsement of Turkish Airlines, and, at the very least, go on record condemning Turkey’s denial of the Armenian Genocide and calling upon our Congress to pass of the Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.252).”

The Kobe controversy also comes as American and anti-genocide activists across the United States continue to mobilize in support of a possible vote on the Armenian Genocide Resolution, H.Res.252, in the final days of the Congressional session, the ANCA reported on its website.

Armenian Americans hope that Kobe would balance what clearly looks to be a profitable business deal with a strong moral statement against Turkey’s violations of human rights, including, of course, its ongoing denial of the Armenian Genocide.

The Armenian Youth Federation urges Bryant “to stay true to his loyal fan base and rescind his contract with Turkish Airlines.” The AYF further asked Bryant “to put out an official statement affirming his commitment to ending human rights abuses and voicing his support for House Resolution 252, calling on the United States Congress to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide.”

Founded in 1933, the Armenian Youth Federation is the largest and most influential Armenian American youth organization in the United States. With chapters throughout the country and affiliates around the world, the AYF actively strives to advance the social, political, educational and cultural awareness of Armenian-American youth.

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For more information on the developing story,  follow the AYF on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.

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Turkish Deal Will Make Kobe the Face of Oppression and Injustice

BY ALLEN YEKIKAN

If Kobe Bryant follows through on his deal with Turkish Airlines he will be associated with violence, oppression, occupation and genocide, not once, not twice, but all the time.

He will be the face of a country that occupies Northern Cyprus, brutally represses its Kurdish minority, imprisons its citizens, suppresses free speech, violently stifles dissent, and imprisons children.

Because, at the end of the day, Kobe will be promoting travel to Turkey not travel to Turkish Airlines. And Turkey is not as beautiful a place as its contracted public relations agents claim it to be.

One need not even look as far back as the 1915 genocide of Armenians to appreciate the grim fate Kobe faces once he becomes the global ambassador of this highly controversial brand.

On Wednesday, Turkish riot police sprayed students with tear gas to violently break up demonstrations against Turkey’s Prime Minister at the Middle East Technical University campus in Ankara. The growing intensity and frequency of police brutality against demonstrators  are fueling domestic and international charges that the ruling Islamist-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP) is growing authoritarian and seeking to silence opposition.

Kobe will not redefine this brand, it will redefine him.

When truncheon-wielding police hit and kick students gathering to call for university reform, like they did on December 4 in Istanbul, American fingers will point to Kobe not Prime Minister Erdogan.

When thousands of Kurds take to the streets to protest the imprisonment of their elected leaders and the ban on their political parties, Kobe will be where the fingers point. He will be the immediate link to the country, its government, and its repressive system.

Whether he likes it or not, the American public, and his fans in particular, will associate Kobe Bryant’s character with the brutal government of the country he encourages them to visit.

This will forever taint Kobe’s image, relegating him to the history books as the international superstar whose credibility was corrupted by his complicity in the Turkish government’s war on freedom.

This is hardly the outcome he probably sought when exploring opportunities to become a global persona.

To be unique, and on the right side of morality, Kobe should consider dropping this ill-advised endorsement contract with Turkish Airlines and instead look for a more noble cause to represent.

He did after all once spoke out for an end to the Genocide in Darfur; maybe the right brand to represent is that of human rights, democracy and genocide prevention.

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