Teach genocide!
Teach genocide!Teach genocide! Kurdistan and Hayastan - Hand in Hand

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Kurdish musician in Armenia recieves a plaque of honor


Egite Jmo (born 1932 in Armenia) His family had fled Van, northern Kurdistan in 1918.
He began playing flute at the age of 9 and Egite worked for more than 30 years for the Kurdish radio of Yerivan - Denge Erivan. His dream is to provide courses of flute for Kurdish children of Amed (Diyarbekir), in northern Kurdistan.

At the beginning of November 2007, the Kurdish association of Armenia, "Tev Çandê ", has granted in Erivan, the capital of Armenia, a plaque of honor to the famous Kurdish flute player, Egite Jmo.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

How the Armenian Genocide resolution affected south Kurdistan

In October last year, the Turks wanted to prevent the Armenian Genocide recognition by United States. The bill was voted Yes and this angered the Turks.
In this video, we see a Turkish diplomat saying "We can play hardball to".
The recognition bill motivated the Turkish state to invade south Kurdistan, the conflict is still going on in south Kurdistan.


Tuesday, February 12, 2008

The creative Armenian/Kurdish girl from Denmark


Angel, as she calls herself grew up in west Denmark with her danish mom. She have Armenian/Kurdish roots from her dad.

Angel found happiness in music and drum beats but nowadays creates Triphop - Hiphop - Turntablism etc. Angel loves any kind of music still today, her biggest passion is music in every shape and sound and beat.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

US election - for Armenian or Kurdish interests ?

The US election could be confusing when the competition is so intensive between the candidates. In one of the corners, the christian Hillary Clinton has interests for the Kurds and on the other side we have the muslim Barack Obama with his interests for the middle eastern christians.

Hillary Clinton said:

"We also have to look to see how the Kurds are being treated, because the Kurds have behaved very well in this," she said. "They took their opportunity for freedom from (former Iraqi leader) Saddam Hussein's tyrannical rule, and they've been building their society in the north of Iraq.

Finally, we will have to protect our interests. We'll have an embassy there. And if the Iraqi government does get its act together, we may have a continuingtraining mission." she added.


Obama at the same time pledges to recognize Armenian genocide if he is elected president.

"As president, I will recognize the Armenian genocide," Obama said in a statement posted on his Web site last weekend after a meeting with leaders of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). Obama has also pledged to put an end to "Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades" of Armenia as president.

"As a U.S. senator, I have stood with the Armenian American community in calling for Turkey's acknowledgement of the Armenian genocide." he said.
But meanwhile, Barak is also obviously opposing a Kurdish state and drawing parallel between the Kurds and Talibans.



Other candidates about the Armenian genocide:
  • Rudy Giuliani issued genocide proclamations when he was mayor of New York in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
  • Senator John McCain has consistently opposed genocide resolutions
  • Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney are not known as pro-Armenian politicians.

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Kurdish studies department in Armenia


The Armenian Academy of Sciences

In 1969 The Armenian Academy of Sciences founded a Kurdish
Studies Department in 1969 to document and research all aspects
of Kurdish culture but also to study Kurdish-Armenian relations.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Ties between people are tightened by culture

read the full article here and interview with Artsvi Bakhchinyan is a Yerevan, philologist, film researcher, Dr. of Armenian language and literature.


"I have been in Istanbul for two times, but did not feel I was in Turkey. In Diyarbakir I had that feeling that I am in Turkish land, although I met only Kurdish and Zaza people there, says Armenian intellectual Artsvi Bakhchinyan after visiting Turkey."

...

"This was your first visit to Diyarbakir, what was your impression as a foreigner and as an Armenian?

I have been in Istanbul for two times, but did not feel I was in Turkey. In Diyarbakir I had that feeling that I am in Turkish land, although I met only Kurdish and Zaza people there. Their interest and attitude toward the Armenian guest was very warm. For me it was thrilling to see the remnants of the Armenian church. It is a unique architectural monument that can be one of the beautiful sights Diyarbakir. Unfortunately the roof doe snot exist anymore but I have heard it is going to be recovered. The Armenian monuments in Eastern and Southern Turkey have important significance for the world cultural heritage so they need a special treatment from the government.

Which films were shown in Diyarbakir? Can you tell us about the feedbacks?

Only the "Return of the Poet" was screened in Diyarbakir. Before that there was an interactive discussion not only about the cinema but also about Armenian-Kurdish relations generally. I had a project to organize an Armenian-Kurdish film festival in Diyarbakir and not only there. The very first film about the Kurds is made in Armenia in 1926, by the founder of

Armenian cinema Hamo Beknazaryan. By the way, this film, "Zare," is the second feature film production of Soviet Armenia. There are also some other films, both features and documentaries, that have been made about the Kurds in Armenia. I mean particularly Hineer Salem's films, "Vodka Lemon" of which was rather successful in international festival and was screened in Istanbul as well.

You gave some lectures in Istanbul too, on which subjects did you talk? How was the reaction in the conferences and screenings held in Istanbul?

I gave talks about the past and present of the Armenian cinema. Although the Istanbul audience had no problem with English and I also could give my talk in English, I preferred to talk Armenian and my colleague and friend Sevan Ataoğlu translated it into Turkish. I am sure that the neighbour peoples do not need intermediary languages; it is always preferable to speak in our native languages.

As I said already, because the audience of Diyarbekir was consisted of Kurds, their questions were mainly about their own connections with Armenia. Few people came to the meeting at Bilge University, but in Bosporus University the audience was very active and professional. I am especially impressed by the enthusiasm of the director of Mithat Alam Film Centre, Yamac Okur. We both are full of decisiveness to continue our cooperation. He gave me DVD-s of recent Turkish short films, which I would like to suggest including in the program of Golden Apricot 2007. The cultural cooperation is the best way for dialogues between nation, especially between Armenians and Turks, which are, as we always know, are

more than complicated. "

....


Artsvi Bakhchinyan, born 1971, Yerevan, philologist, film researcher, Dr. of Armenian language and literature. Contributed to periodicals of Armenia and abroad with articles on film, culture and various fields of Armenian studies. He is the vice president of Armenian branch of FIPRESCI (International Union of Film Critics and Cinema Journalists). Co-editor of "Armenian Cinema 1924-1999: a complete filmography" catalogue (Yerevan, 2001). Author of books: "Armenians by Origin" (a biographical dictionary of Armenian Diaspora: Yerevan, 1993), "Figures of Armenian Origin" (Yerevan, 2002), "Napoleon Bonaparte and the Armenians" (Yerevan, 2003), "Armenia-Scandinavia: Historical and Cultural Relations" (Yerevan, 2003), "Armenians in World Cinema" (Yerevan, 2004), "Armenia-Sweden" (in English, 2006).

Sunday, January 6, 2008

Kurdistan and Hayastan Celebrating 1 year!

This is from me to you, great people that have been following this blog.



Ezidi Kurd from Russia as they say singing in Armenian

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Kurdistan PM: Merry Christmas, the christians of Kurdistan!


The KRG (Kurdistan Regional Government in Southern Kurdistan , N. Iraq) congratulated the christians of Kurdistan on the birthday of christ: Christmas.

The prime minister Necirvan Barzani (grandson of the Kurdish national hero Mustafa Barzani) also wished a happy new year and was "wishing for gaining more achivments for the Kurdish people in the new year!)

Massoud Barzani, the president of Kurdistan (son to Mustafa Barzani and uncle to ) said on the 8th december:

Pope Benedict XVI met the President of the Kurdistan Region, Masoud Barzani, who was
accompanied by his government's Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani. 2005.


"We welcome any Christian brothers who choose to come and live in Kurdistan, whether temporarily or more permanently. This is their country and we will not prevent any of them from taking refuge.

You are the owners of this land, you are the protectors of its ancient history, therefore no one can prevent you from living here," the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party said, inviting Christians to "send letters to your relatives and your brothers in Baghdad, Basra or any other Iraqi city, or even abroad, to come and reside in Kurdistan, whether definitively or until the security conditions in the country improve.

I can assure you that we will not allow anyone to oppress you, you are free to accept this fraternal co-inhabitance and to help in the building of your country."

There are several Armenian, Assyrian and Chaldean villages in south Kurdistan such as Ainkawa (Hewler), Duhok and in the rest of the Bahdinan region.

Saint Vartan Armenian Apostolic Church in Avzrog, Dahuk Governorate, Iraq.

Yerevan worried about the Turkish invasion of south Kurdistan


In the capital of Armenia, Yerevan, Foreign minister Vartan Oskanian
is worried about the methods that Turkey is using to invade south
Kurdistan (northern Iraq). He thinks that they can use the same
methods against Armenia, Turkey wants to help Azerbaijan to solve
the Karabakh conflict and that is why the Turkish methods is dangerous.
Vartan said during he Armenian-Turkish Relations: Problems and
Prospects extended parliamentary hearings:

"Turkey crossed the border of a sovereign state without UN sanction.
This move can't but arouse concern. Armenia, as Turkey's

neighbor, can't feel safe"
Karabakh could be next, according to Oskanian.

Sunday, December 23, 2007

The Kurdish Armenian congress 1909

The need of a military alliance between the Armenian and Kurdish people was more important a hundred years ago than it is today, the only way theese two people has affected each other in modern history was actualy when the Turkish parliament a couple of weeks ago gave thumb up to invade southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq) after the US congress voted Yes for recognition of the Armenian genocide. The recognition made the Turkish parliament angry and this decreased the ties between USA and Turkey, this made it possible for the Turks to invade southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq) wich is the most stabile and safe region in Iraq wich US opposed.


The Armenian and Kurdish peasantry were more secure and prosperous than they had been in living memory in 1908 in northern Kurdistan (occupied by the Ottoman Empire before the republic of Turkey was created).

Sheik Abdul Qadir created in the spring of 1909 in Shamdinan the Kurdish Armenian congress in purpose to unite the Kurdish and Armenian people and to create a brotherhood between them.

Sheik Abdul said
"We must live like brothers with the Armenians. We must restore those lands wich they claim and wich have not yet been restored. We will work to strengthen understanding and concord among Ottoman compatriots"

A year after this, in the autumn of 1910, Sayyid Nursi himself traveled through Amêd (Diyarbakir in turkish occupied Kurdistan) and urged the Kurds to unite and not see each others diffrences. He also said:
"Kurdistan belonged to the Kurds and Armenians, not the Turks"

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Robinson Crusoe in Kurdish from Armenia (1936)

First edition of Robinzon Cruz in Kurmancî , published in Armenia 1936First edition of the book Robinson Crouse from 1719 in English, considered to be the first novel in English.

The book is from Sara Distribution (Stockholm, Sweden), the owner is named Goran Candan and opened the shop 20 years ago.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

San Diego Statement

Found in "The Kurdish and Armenian genocides: from censorship and denial to recognition?" by Desmond Fernandes.

Today, Turkish special commandos actually collect rewards for the severed heads of Kurdish guerillas and others, casually referring to their victims as Armenians, leaving no doubt as to what is in store for the Kurds and their national aspirations

Statement by Congressman Bob Filner (D of San Diego in 1997 at the United States congress 1th May 1997.