Armenia: System Of A Down remembers all victims of the Genocides, including gays, in a live concert in Yerevan

By making the parallels between the Armenian Genocide and the Holocaust, the animated on-screen introduction to the part 2 of the SOAD’s concert declared [see from 49:25 - captions below in Armenian, in the video - with English voice-over]:

[“Inspired by the example of openly committing mass murder with impunity [the Armenian Genocide], he [Hitler] became an architect of the new Genocide - the Holocaust, Nazi Germany’s evil campaign to rid Europe off Jews, Poles, gypsies, gays, the disabled and all those who did not fit in Hitler’s twisted vision of “pure race”.]

They then went on with more current examples of the “terror that persists”. “We can no longer seat back and watch those dreadful acts committed around the globe. Time to wake up the souls.”

Hear this, Armenian and worldwide fans of the System of the Down. Embrace the diversity. Hear this, Armenian politicians and other world leaders. Your oppressive politics will be eventually rocked apart.

Says Serj Tankian live in Yerevan: “There is still fucking work to do [in Armenia]. It’s a responsibility of the government to bring in the principles of the egalitarian civic society, getting rid of institutional injustice and stopping depopulation that is occurring.”

This was in line with Serj Tankian’s previously expressed support for environmental issues and LGBT human rights in Armenia: Prominent Armenians (including Serj Tankian) issue statement in support of LGBT human rights

As victims of the Genocide, Armenia and Armenians should lead by example, by embracing diversity.

I want to hope that particularly younger generation who got inspired over the last few weeks with Kanye West’s awesomely crazy impromptu gig in Yerevan, Kim Kardashian’s ability to shake off the routine and bring world media’s attention to the country, SOAD’s epic concert, and the presence of so many diverse awesome people both in Armenia and in Diaspora, will challenge the status quo by making Armenia a country of our dreams, where everyone, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability will be welcomed and treated equally, with respect. By setting ourselves free of prejudices, we will provide the best evidence of failure of the perpetrators of the Armenian Genocide.

And as yet another evidence of such failure is the joint commemorations by Turks and Armenians in Istanbul of the centenary of the Genocide, despite Turkish government’s continuous denial and oppressions. Also, this joint statement by Armenian and Turkish LGBT groups marking the anniversary and pledging to fight together for human rights. And this very awesome personal story by gay Armenian Haig Chahinian, published on The Washington Post on the April 24th:

The #ArmenianGenocide gives way to gay pride. The story of my life http://t.co/efEj2IzX0k
— Haig Chahinian (@chahinian) April 24, 2015

"I didn’t have to procreate to carry on my Armenian-American family legacy. As a gay man, I couldn't marry the Armenian woman my father hoped I would. But I can still honor our traditions."

It’s very telling that The Guardian’s great coverage of the Armenian Genocide topic this year included the interactive format for the descendants’ family stories, a format used for the similar accounts of racial profiling in the US and experiences of LGBT communities around the word, as stated by The Guardian’s Maeve Shearlaw, in an interview with Armenian Mediamax agency.

"This isn't a rock’n’roll concert. To our murderers, this is revenge" - said System of a Down's Daron Malakian, during live concert in Yerevan.

Here is for the next 100 years.

Joint statement by Armenian and Turkish LGBT groups re centenary of the Armenian Genocide

Kudos to the signatories of this statement - PINK Armenia and Kaos GL. Great example of solidarity between Armenian and Turkish LGBT groups.

Pink Armenia and Kaos GL made a joint statement to mark the centenary of the Armenian Genocide, commemorating those killed, and underlined that they will fight against homophobia, transphobia, racism and nationalism together. 

*Armenian version 
*Turkish version

One hundred years ago, a huge crime was committed on the land that we have been living together, one unpardonable, irreversible crime, which can by no means be compensated. In order to shatter Armenian people, their culture, social and economical set up into pieces Great Crime/Meds Yeghern caused pains that cannot be located in the language of cold statistics. In the process of massacre, Assyrian and Greek people in Turkey had also been the target of systematic extermination policies. We still witness the effects of the unpardonable Armenian Genocide that had been initiated by Ottoman Empire.

We, as LGBT organizations struggling against homophobia and transphobia in Armenia and Turkey, call both LGBT and overall public societies to confront with what had been lived. We recapitulate our call for confrontation with genocide and protect our lives dimmed by hands of nationalism and state policies. As well as being against homophobia and transphobia, struggling against racist, nationalist and sexist policies in our region, We, as Pink Armenia and Kaos GL, commemorate everyone killed a hundred years ago and express once again that we share the painful memoirs and are in solidarity with the Armenian population scattered all over the world.

Today, struggling against racist and nationalist ideologies of homophobia and transphobia, which have intertwined with racism and nationalism both in civil society and public space all throughout the countries in our region including Turkey and Armenia that resulted in genocide is more important than ever. State-handedly institutionalized racist and nationalist discourses turn borders of our countries into impassable borders in between communities. The way to pass beyond the intercommunal borders is to act with solidarity via creating horizontal networks. Only our struggle will make it possible to get rid of abstract discourses of equality, justice and freedom, and to put our struggle at the center of our lives.

Armenian Genocide is a source of shame for all humanity. This shame and the scares of this massacre left us with big questions to answer. Assassinated by the people of 1915 mentality, the question posed by Hrant Dink, the Chief Editor of Agos Journal, is still waiting unanswered:

“Are we to act just like the responsible persons of the past extreme catastrophe or shall we take our lessons from past errors and write the new pages like civilized human beings?”

We, as Pink Armenia and Kaos GL, will strive to find answers to this question through our struggle. The way to be liberated with the ‘rainbow’ is through giving voice to the truths that have been overshadowed by nationalism.

PINK Armenia & Kaos GL

P.S. The action. Photo, video, media reports: Armenia human rights activists protest and enter CoE conference in Yerevan exposing ruling regime’s hypocrisy

Perfect example of peaceful resistance by human rights activists in Armenia, who acted upon by exposing hypocrisy of ruling regime. Big respects !!

Perhaps, for the first time homophobia, anti-gay violence, along with other instances of intolerance and xenophobia in Armenia were so publicly and prominently confronted gaining wide publicity.

For more background info, read Unzipped: Text-book hypocrisy: Armenia hosts Council of Europe conference on combating racism, xenophobia and intolerance in Europe

Selected examples of photo, video, media and Twitter reports below.

Peaceful Demonstrators at COE conference today on tolerance. Thanks for being here. pic.twitter.com/sk7ExbGwIp
— Amb Heffern (@AmbHeffern) October 21, 2013

Pleased that Arm is hosting @coe Combatting Xenophobia conference. Amb Aves at opening session. Good that demonstrators had their say too.
— UK in Armenia (@UKinArmenia) October 21, 2013

Protesters entered the conference hall where the international conference “Fight against Discrimination, Xenophobia and Intolerance in Europe” was taking place - photos by Photolure

*Picture perfect

Epress: VIDEO: Armenian Activists Interrupt Conference on Combating Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance

 A group of peaceful activists staged a protest in Yerevan today during a “High Level Conference on Combating Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance in Europe” organized by the Council of Europe. The conference takes place in the frramework of theArmenian Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (CoE).

Recall, according to the CoE website: “During the conference the participants will have the opportunity to reflect upon racism and xenophobia in political discourse, the role of human rights institutions in combating racial and ethnic discrimination, as well as topics related to combating hate speech and racial stereotypes on social networks and media.”

At 10:15 am, demonstrators protested outside the Armenia Marriott Hotel, where the conference was being held, pointing to the hypocrisy of Armenia’s authorities organizing such a conference. The activists recalled Armenian authorities’ reactions after the bombing of gay-friendly bar DIY, the threats against women’s rights organizations, and discrimination against members of the LGBT community.

The placards the activists held depicted the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) Coat of Arms, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, RA Deputy Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Khachik Asryan, and National Assembly Vice-President, HHK spokesperson Eduard Sharmazanov.

When RA Minister of Foreign Affairs Edward Nalbandian declared the conference had begun, the activists entered the hall where the conference was being held with the placards in hand.

Hotel security personnel, Ministry of Foreign Affairs staff, and the police attempted to escort them outside, but activists stood with their placards in front of the invited guests and stayed for about half an hour while the conference continued.

ArmeniaNow: Protesters disrupt high-level international conference in Yerevan

A number of protesters broke security and entered the conference hall at Armenia Marriott Hotel in Yerevan today to make their message heard by participants of an international event taking place there. 
The high-level conference attended by Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Edward Nalbandian and Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland is entitled “Combating Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance in Europe”. 

The activists held banners accusing the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) of “xenophobia and racism” and raising issues of women’s and LGBT people’s rights in Armenia.

In particular, they accused senior RPA member Edward Sharmazanov as well as leading representative of the opposition Dashnaktsutyun party Artsvik Minasyan of supporting those who bomb-fired an LGBT-friendly bar in Yerevan in May 2012.

The banners also mentioned another RPA member, Deputy Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Khachik Asryan, who called for burning an oppositionist at the stake over her critical comments earlier this month.

Hetq Online (with great photo-story): Protestors Disrupt International “Hate Crime” Conference in Yerevan

Activists protesting state sponsored discrimination and intolerance towards women and other minorities in Armenia, greeted participants as they entered Yerevan’s Marriott Hotel this morning for a conference entitled “Combating Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance in Europe”  Holding banners accusing the ruling Republican Party in Armenia and its officials as actually fomenting “hate crime”, the activists argued that the government itself should be the focus of the conference.

CivilNet (AM): Բողոքի ակցիա` Եվրոպայում խտրականության դեմ համաժողովի ընթացքում



[PINK Armenia: Appeal to the participants of the Council of Europe conference]

CivilNet (AM): Մի խումբ քաղաքացիների կոչը եվրոպացի պաշտոնյաներին

News.am - report, photos and video (AM) «Ֆաշիստական կուսակցության հետ չի կարելի քննարկել ֆաշիզմի հաղթահարումը». ակտիվիստները ներխուժել են դահլիճ 

Panorama.am - report, photos (AM) Ակտիվիստները եվրոպացիներին բողոքում են հայ «ֆաշիստներից», իսկ Հեֆֆերն էլ նրանց էր նկարում (լուսանկարներ)

Video by A1+ (AM): Իրարանցում խորհրդաժողովի ժամանակ

Council of Europe issues non inclusive anti-discrimination report on Armenia amid rise in intolerance towards minorities

I have to say, despite Council of Europe's European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) report on Armenia dubbed as a 'report against discrimination and intolerance', it almost exclusively touches ethnic/racial discrimination and religious intolerance and only in very vague terms refers to “intolerance” in general, without e.g. specific mention of discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation or other grounds. I do agree with the prominent Armenian human rights defender Mikael Danielyan that the report is pretty mild. I would also add that the report is not inclusive.

Danielyan says that intolerance towards religious and sexual minorities is on rise in Armenia but the authorities do nothing about it.

"Մեր զրույցի ժամանակ իրավապաշտպանը կարծիք հայտնեց, որ Հայաստանում թե՛ կրոնական, թե՛ սեռական փոքրամասնությունների նկատմամբ նկատելի է անհանդուրժողականության աճ, և իշխանությունները որևէ քայլ չեն անում այդ անհանդուրժողականությունը մեղմելու ուղղությամբ:"

The report mentions ridiculous hateful posters campaign by ultra-nationalist right-wing group Mek Azg (‘One Nation’) but only in relation to religious minorities.

For example, there has been an ongoing poster campaign calling on Armenians to engage - in their own buildings and on their own floors - in a struggle against the antinational and corruptive activities of the sects. [The posters in question are signed by an individual in the name of the “One Nation alliance of organisations.]

Here is an example of homophobic posters in Yerevan by the same group. Read my relevant blog post here.

*Links to press release and full report

Today's Zaman: Turkish nationalist discovers his Armenian roots, or dissection of hatred

Thanks to the link posted under the comments section of Study: Homophobia is associated with... homosexual arousal, below are extracts from a relevant piece by Today's Zaman columnist Orhan Kemal Cengiz Was Hitler a self-hating Jew?
***

Once I heard a story about a Turkish nationalist who accidentally found out that his ancestors were actually Armenians. [...]

I believe in most extreme forms of hatred and stigmatizing certain groups there is an element of self-hatred. A person who obsessively fights against homosexuals may be fighting against his actual self, his homosexual dark persona. The one who hates the Roma may be fighting against his “colorful,” marginal threads to protect his dull life, governed by the dictatorship of “shoulds.” I have many times observed in Turkey that most hard-line secularists come from devout Muslim families, and with their Islamophobic attitudes they actually express their shame and discontent with their background.

When I first heard the story of this Turkish nationalist Armenian guy, I thought this was a divine message from God to him. All of a sudden he was given an opportunity to reflect on his entire life, his purpose, his attitude and the way he relates with other people. Did he receive the message? I did not believe that he had no clue about his background; he most probably kept pushing every sign showing that he is not Turkish into the dark corners of his subconscious. Apparently, later on, some undeniable evidence showed up and he entered in a kind of shock. Or maybe with this sudden revelation everything became much clearer. Things started to make sense.

Can he continue on with his life as if nothing has happened? After this kind of painful confrontation, nothing can be the same. He would either abandon his Turkish nationalism or become more and more nationalistic.

This guy did not know his background (at least consciously) and became a Turkish nationalist.[...]

This new revelation about Hitler’s genetic code is filled with food for thought about racism, human destructiveness and self-hatred. It provides us with a fresh perspective when looking at people who somehow hate others. And, of course, I hope it will help those who hate and stigmatize some groups; I wish they could see the real meaning of their hatred.

When nationalism/racism + homophobia: 'Georgia has no other enemies but Armenians and faggots'

Unfortunately, Gay Caucasus blog (RU) is no longer open. It's been closed down by the author for personal reasons. Today I am re-posting here Alexander's post of few months ago (5 October 2009) where he talks about nationalism / racism / chauvinism and homophobia, rightly stating that they frequently accompany each other. He refers to the homophobic article in a Georgian language weekly 'Georgia and world' where the author's main message was that Georgia has no other enemies but Armenians and "faggots". I am re-posting this particular post today (with only few [...]), taking into account similar 'sentiments' by increasingly vocal Armenian neo-conservative, ultra-nationalist, neo-nazi groups. This is their ugly face.
***

Очередная шовиниско-гомофобная истерия в грузинской прессе

by Alexander

Почему не люблю шовинистов? Ответ прост, потому, что шовинисты из-за своего узкого мировоззренческого кругозора являются потенциальными гомофобами и очевидцем таковых, по воле судьбы, становился я не раз. На этот раз хочу затронуть очередную истеричную статью в еженедельном издании на грузинском языке «Грузия и мир». Пару слов об издании – не знаю, кто такие газеты печатает и тем более кто их покупает, но вполне очевидно, что газета истерично ругает власти Грузии и все то, что может называться европейским стремлением государства.

Если не ошибаюсь, выходки, аналогичные той, о которой я хочу рассказать, в этой якобы насыщенной политического смысла газетенке и ранее печатались неоднократно. Что делать, конкуренция – а тема о «педерастах», тем более когда ругаешь их и указываешь им путь только в адское пепелище, хорошо продается (наверно...). На этот раз автор статьи некий Арно Хыдырбегишвили (буквы и соответствующего звука «Ы» в грузинском нет, но фамилию этого г-на я нарочно написал так, чтобы подчеркнуть эго «истинно грузинское» происхождение), который, очевидно, гордится своим «истинным грузинским» именем и фамилией, пытается научить и «донести» до грузин, что у Грузии кроме армян и «пидоров» никаких других врагов на белом свете нет. Позвольте, во первых, по той простой причине, что сам я чистокровный грузин, внести сомнения в «истичнно» грузинском происхождении г-на «Арно» по фамилии Хыдырбегишвили, так как ни его имя и ни фамилия ни с чем грузинским у меня не ассоциируется, кроме окончания его фамилии. Соответственно, Господину Арни (есть что-то бав-арийское в этом имени) следует попрочнее закрыть свой грязный рот и не поливать грязью тех людей, мизинца которых даже он не стоит. Попрошу меня не обвинять в шовинизме и повнимательнее читайте то, о чем я пишу. Шовинисты это мой враги, и тем более некоему безродному якобы «грузину» не позволю говорить от имени грузинского народа. Видали таких и до чего страну довели, весь мир давно уже знает...

Детально обсуждать его маразматическую статью не собираюсь, но факт есть факт, г-н Арно ругаем правительство Грузии, ругаем правительство Армении и всю армянскую нацию, пытается разжечь вражду между грузинами и армянами (а за это существует конкретная уголовная ответственность – к вниманию МВД Грузии), и вместе со всем этим он нападает в той же статье и на людей с отличающейся сексуальной ориентацией, покрывая их, чем попало. [...]

Что касается недалеких выходок в отношении геев в с точки зрения вашего «основательного» исследования по поводу необходимости восстановления сталинских законов об уголовной ответственности в отношении «педерастов», извините, но это «исследование» никак в серьез не могу воспринять. Гомосексуальность в Грузии уже более 10 лет декриминализована и из-за вашего робкого бреда по этому поводу эти законы лишь в ваших же снах могут лишь восстановить. По этому поводу мне нечего беспокоится, но чисто по-человечески советую вам, прекратить писать такие глупости, иначе рано или поздно придется вам за это отвечать и довольно строго!

Со своей стороны призываю МВД Грузии, министра юстиции, главного прокурора, чтобы хотя бы раз приняли меры и устроили публичный судебный процесс хотя бы над этим пресловутым Арно Хыдырбегишвили (думаю все-таки что это псевдоним, но правоохранителям не должно составить труда найти газетенку и ее авторов), и передать этого человека уголовному правосудию в первую очередь за разжигание вражды между (грузинским и армянским) народами. А раз уж в Грузии не существует законодательства против гомофобии и за призывы к насилию в отношении людей на этой почве, то на этот раз думаю вполне будет достаточно осудить Хыдырбегишвили за разжигание вражды между народами и отправить его в кутузку. Глядя на это, другие обнаглевшие и недалекие люди может приложат усилия и осознают, что нельзя разжигать вражду между народами, и недопустима дискриминация других людей на почве сексуальной ориентации. А наших господ членов Парламента Грузии я бы призвал, что кажется настало время, чтобы внести в законодательство соответствующие поправки, которые предусматривали бы наказание за гомофобные выходки, прежде чем конкретные люди начнут совершать конкретные преступления (а кто сказал, что нет таких преступлений...), откликаясь на призывы таких недальновидных людей, как г-н Хыдырбегишвили. [...]

5 October 2009

LA, Glendale hate crime report: decrease but problem remains - Armenians, Jews, gays targeted in 2008

Hate crimes decrease
Race motivated most in county, followed by sexual orientation and religion
By Veronica Rocha
November 20, 2009

Glendale News Press

LOS ANGELES — Religious hate crimes, including a tagging incident at Glendale’s St. Peter Armenian Church, increased last year throughout Los Angeles County, according to a county report released Thursday.

Religion was the basis for third-largest group of hate crimes reported in Los Angeles County in 2008, according to the county’s Commission on Human Relations annual report. Hate crimes based on a person’s race or sexual orientation made up the largest and second-largest groups, respectively.

“Hate doesn’t have to lead to more hate,” said Robin Toma, the commission’s executive director.

Hate crimes throughout the county that were motivated by religion increased from 105 in 2007 to 120 in 2008, according to the report.

In the area that includes Glendale, La Crescenta, La Cañada Flintridge and Burbank, there were 12 hate crimes last year. That was a steep drop from the 31 that occurred in 2007, a 61% decrease, said Marshall Wong, who helped author the commission’s report.

Race-based hate crimes in Glendale dropped from 25 in 2007 to seven last year. Sexual orientation and disability-based hate crimes also decreased, he said.

Hate-related aggravated assaults dropped from 13 in 2007 to zero in 2008, Wong said.

In Glendale, the race most discriminated against were Jews last year, with Armenians not far behind, with four and three hate crimes suffered, respectively.

The greatest percentage of religious hate crimes were vandalism, followed by intimidation. Most religious hate crimes occurred at homes and religious sites.

The only hate crime reported in 2008 in Glendale was tagging that was spray painted onto St. Peter Armenian Church, Sgt. Tim Feeley said.

A 2-foot-by-2-foot crescent and star was spray-painted on a wall outside the church, which police said was meant to intimidate Armenians by invoking the Turkish flag.

The modern Republic of Turkey has refused to recognize the Armenian Genocide in which 1.5 million Armenians were killed between 1915 and 1918 at the hands of the Ottoman Empire.

Overall, hate crimes decreased in Glendale, from eight in 2007 to one in 2008.

“These types of crimes are so personal,” Feeley said.

The city doesn’t have any known hate groups that target residents based on their race, gender sexual orientation or religion, he said.

Glendale, once a bastion for white supremacy groups like the Ku Klux Klan, has changed dramatically as its population has become more diverse, officials said.

“I think Glendale has become a lot more open than in the past,” Feeley said. “We are far more diverse than we used to be. I think initially there was a reluctance to accept the change that Glendale was going through.”

Many residents, he said, have accepted Glendale’s diverse landscape.

“I think people are getting along a little bit better,” he said. “I think it’s really fortunate when you look at Glendale being the third-largest city in L.A. to only have one hate crime is really significant. It’s a testament to the residents that are getting along.”

Hate crimes against Armenians, blacks, whites, Asians, Middle-Easterners and transgender people decreased in 2008, according to the Commission on Human Relations report.

Hate crimes overall declined from 763 in 2007 to 728 in 2008 in Los Angeles County.

But the annual tally was the second largest since 2002, Toma said.

Hate crimes in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s jurisdictions dropped 25%, Sheriff Lee Baca said.

But crimes motivated by hate, especially ones committed by gangs, continue to exist.

“This is always troubling,” Baca said. “We want to have none of this to happen because all people are entitled to exercise who they are under the spirit of the American constitution.”

Aggressive homophobe elected as head of Russian church

According to Russian and Belarusian gay sites, newly elected Russian Patriarch Kirill is known for his extreme homophobic views and socially conservative agenda. He called “tolerance towards gays” a “non-Russian tradition”, and compared “freedom of sex” to “freedom to kill”.

Not that it is surprising to see such people in churches, but Kirill is known for his intensive propaganda of hateful and far right religious messages using all modern IT means, state agencies, TV, and even at schools. He is a staunch advocate of studying “the basics of orthodox culture” as part of school curriculum. He has very strong influence on Russia’s state leaders. Reportedly he is a former KGB agent. Allegedly, during 90s he was involved in cigarette and vodka business as well as export of diamonds from Russia.

He advocates defining human rights on the basis of certain "moral precepts". In 2006, he also said that “the execution of any law inconsistent with Christian precepts, is not compulsory for Christians."

As if Russia did not go far enough down towards nationalism, intolerance and deterioration of human rights, now many fear that it will be promoted with even more intensity.

*photo - via gay.ru

Armenian neo-nazi get united and organised. Does anyone care?

In December 2008, just before New Year holidays, the Association of Armenian Nationalists was established in Armenia by notorious ultra-nationalist groups and individuals. Among them – Armenian Aryan Order, ultra-nationalist group known for its anti-semitism and homophobia. The declared aim of this newly established union is “bringing together similarly-minded people in Diaspora and Armenia, and the creation of a strong Armenian nationalist organisation”.

For details, see Unzipped