Armenia and the information war

[ninetoyadome]

Re: Armenia and the information war

Azerbaijan intends to launch a new anti-Armenian website proarmenia.info
PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenian media quite often pick up the widespread misinformation Azerbaijan is increasingly spreading it. This opinion was expressed by an expert in information security Samvel Martirosyan at a press conference in Yerevan.
Martirosyan, advised the media to be more vigilant in selecting information related to the Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, or the Karabakh conflict. According to him, often Azerbaijani propaganda creates the "Armenian sites" that are beginning to spread disinformation. "For a long time operated site armeniareport.com", - the expert said, adding that Azerbaijan will soon launch a new anti-Armenian Portal proarmenia.info.
It should be noted that the Armenian media often use the practice of mechanical reprint of the Azerbaijani press, thus contributing to their spread. Moreover, quite often, Armenian journalists do not know that sites such as armeniareport.com, are actually Azeri sites whose purpose - to spread anti-Armenian information through the alleged Armenian resources.

/ Pananrmanian.net /

http://voskanapat.info/blog/azerbajdzhan_namerevaetsja_zapustit_novyj_antiarmjanskij_sajt_proarmenia_info/2011-08-25-7133

[Mos]

Re: Armenia and the information war

Important development regarding information war...

Armenian youth worldwide engages into struggle against anti-Armenian propaganda

August 25, 2011 - 16:03 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenian Ministry of Diaspora actively involves Armenian youth in the struggle against anti-Armenian propaganda on the web.
As Ministry representative Atom Mkhitaryan told a news conference in Yerevan on August 25, to strengthen the Armenian lobby, a group of young activists from 11 countries created pages in social networks. “Young people from Diaspora created a network of virtual resources to promote Armenian national interests,” he said.
“The Ministry of Diaspora doesn’t have a precise plan yet, but some meetings have been already scheduled for the beginning of 2012,” Mkhitaryan said.

[ninetoyadome]

Re: Armenia and the information war

Beware of fake! Proarmenia.info and Trend.am - two psevdoarmyanskih site created by Azerbaijanis
The site continues the series of revelations misinformative.info anti-Armenian provocations. This time it is a fake Armenian news sites created by Azerbaijanis. The site already wrote about the unmasking of sites versiya.am, xronika.am, armenianreport.com. This time it came to two sites: Proarmenia.info and trend.am.

Domain Proarmenia.info purchased August 18, 2010 and operates from October 17, 2010. The main emphasis is on gay themes and various negative aspects of the Armenian reality. Filled by copying material from other sites without their own opinion articles. This is done to maximize the "aging of a" site, because the reference to the newly created site is far less authoritative than the site with the "history".

And, despite the fact that information about the user is locked under a protection mail, address, phone no, it was revealed that the site owner is a xxxgurd. This Nail Veliyev, one of the activists and enthusiasts azerpropa, a member of "the 26 Baku Wikipedian" hacker-lover, a member of the Azerbaijani group azdefacers.

More information about the process of exposing Proarmenia.info here. After the grief-Azerbaijani propaganda caught by surprise, they decided enough foolishly and stupidly get out of the situation and posted on the site Proarmenia.info information on behalf of a mythical version of that behind them hunt Azerbaijani hackers and even supposedly one of them took the time to site under control. Apparently, they even thought it was quite a convincing argument, but the most inexperienced reader enough to read the swarming plates and stamped Azerbaijani language of the material to an absurd and ludicrous excuse "we are Armenian site, but we are temporarily captured Azeri" has caused a smile.

The second project is exposed - this site trend.am, which is located on the same server with the Azerbaijan site and site azadliq.info qaplanlar.com, details of which first took place exactly on the "Armenian" resource trend.am. On the "Armenian" website published an article entitled «SOS! Group "Gaplanlar" plans to explosions and terrorist acts on the territory of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. " Unknown "Armenian Portal" in the course of terrorist plans to an unknown "terrorist organization", and both are on the same server. By the way, no less surprising that this organization could legitimately registered in Azerbaijan with the address, phone and passport data "of the Azerbaijani terrorists." Apparently, the presence of terrorist organizations in Azerbaijan - a perfectly natural and commonplace. Site qaplanlar.com, of course, is registered in Azerbaijani.

/ Panorama.am /

[LadyLazarus]

Re: Armenia and the information war

This is disgusting (re: this "innovation" in the sphere of xxxxxx propagation of anti-armenian propaganda). None of us should be (nor I suspect is) surprised by this--it's been happening for years, they've just gotten very good at it with time. Personally, I blame the defeatist stance prevalent in the Armenian national consciousness--the "turn the other cheek" (aka "we stand on higher moral ground and won't stoop to this") nonsense. Because it is just that, nonsense. It's time we as a nation learned to take eye for an eye not only on the battlefield, but in socio-political warfare as well.

And this.... "The Ministry of Diaspora doesn't have a precise plan yet, but some meetings have been already scheduled for the beginning of 2012, Mkhitaryan said. "... Really?? What on earth are they waiting for exactly?! Mobilization of resources is key in the Diaspora--we need to put our money where our mouth is and literally fund more aggressive measures to combat their strategy of misinformation. This is not to take away from the work done by the ANCA (for example) and a handful of other organizations--I just think we need to be more aggressive on a wider scale.

My apologies for the emotional rant All of this just makes me very angry

[bell-the-cat]

Re: Armenia and the information war

This is disgusting (re: this "innovation" in the sphere of xxxxxx propagation of anti-armenian propaganda). None of us should be (nor I suspect is) surprised by this--it's been happening for years, they've just gotten very good at it with time. Personally, I blame the defeatist stance prevalent in the Armenian national consciousness--the "turn the other cheek" (aka "we stand on higher moral ground and won't stoop to this") nonsense. Because it is just that, nonsense. It's time we as a nation learned to take eye for an eye not only on the battlefield, but in socio-political warfare as well.

And this.... "The Ministry of Diaspora doesn't have a precise plan yet, but some meetings have been already scheduled for the beginning of 2012, Mkhitaryan said. "... Really?? What on earth are they waiting for exactly?! Mobilization of resources is key in the Diaspora--we need to put our money where our mouth is and literally fund more aggressive measures to combat their strategy of misinformation. This is not to take away from the work done by the ANCA (for example) and a handful of other organizations--I just think we need to be more aggressive on a wider scale.

Organisations that have their own sets of lies and entrenched agendas don't make very credible opponents of misinformation. A lie is a lie, regardless of what "anti" prefix is stuck in front of it. Is the lie here intended for Armenians? No. So don't label it "anti-Armenian propaganda". First identify who or what is the target of the lie - then think about how to stop the lie impacting on that target.

[LadyLazarus]

Re: Armenia and the information war

Organisations that have their own sets of lies and entrenched agendas don't make very credible opponents of misinformation. A lie is a lie, regardless of what "anti" prefix is stuck in front of it. Is the lie here intended for Armenians? No. So don't label it "anti-Armenian propaganda". First identify who or what is the target of the lie - then think about how to stop the lie impacting on that target.

Point of clarification:

The lie is, in fact, intended (as you imply) for a wider, general audience. Let's consider the purpose of this lie. Is it not to distort information in a way which directly impacts the interests of the Armenian nation as a whole by presenting invalid information about our nation's history? You'll have to agree it is. In that sense, the lie is anti-Armenian, and it is in that sense that I used the term.

I agree, organizations do indeed pursue their own agendas. However, on a grass-roots level, they often serve as hub, an organizing force, a central entity through which public resources can be mobilized, in other words properly organized and channeled for maximum impact (whether these resources be a volunteer workforce, financial donations, or what have you). In a larger political context, the government is also an organization that can be utilized to this end. In an example from one of the preceding quotes, the Ministry of the Diaspora mobilized Armenian youth in the Diaspora to create their own virtual network of information sources to directly combat the misinformation presented by the other side, making the organization a rather indirect, but valid opponent of misinformation (contrary to the statement in your post). As organizing hubs, non-profits, NGOs, and yes, even some govermental programs make excellent central funnels for channeling large-scale public involvement. And that kind of large-scale, ground-level mobilization of the public is what any social justice or grass-roots campaign requires to ensure its success.

I believe I've addressed all of your concerns with my statement Sorry if my initial post wasn't detailed enough.

[ninetoyadome]

Re: Armenia and the information war

Azerbaijani propaganda is engaged in denying announcements by Armenian President
BY TIMES.AM AT 27 AUGUST, 2011, 10:14 PM



There is no information war between Armenia and Azerbaijan in classical meaning. Politician Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan has announced about during the press conference in “Armat” press club.

Politician commented on the announcement by Elnur Aslanov, head of the information providing and political analyzing department of Azerbaijani President’s administration, according whom Azerbaijan wins Armenia in information war. “It was answer to Armenian expert Samvel Martirosyan’s announcement who said that Armenian basis of propaganda and anti-propaganda are strong” he noted.

“Azerbaijani propaganda is engaged in denying announcements by Armenian President. It is natural that Aslanov now tries to show his leaders that his institute makes some achievements. But the reality is that Elnur Aslanov “wins” in the virtual sphere which is created by them and only aims to make fool their won people”.

According to Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan it is very strange a person speaks about information war whose country is so weak. “They have spent many resources on “KILL DIM” cartoons, which are just humorous cartoons and are shot by dilatants. And Adelina’s letter is a theme of national discussion. All TV channels and newspaper react to the young girl’s letter somehow” said Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan and added that he did not see the sphere where Azerbaijanis may be proud of their achievements.

“Many international organizations have condemned various sides of Azerbaijani reality during the last three-four years. The complete absence of democracy, high level of corruption and intolerance are on the first pages of international reports. This is their victory” said Melik-Shahnazaryan and added that Aliyev’s administration has paid really much money for the articles about Azerbaijan in international media.

“But it is impossible to buy love by money” said politician.
Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan has also announced that Armenian side now is able to transfer information to 300.000 Azerbaijanis personally and have influence on their mood. “All those resources are ready and will be used when it is needed” the politician noted.

/Times.am/

http://times.am/2011/08/27/azerbaijani-propaganda-is-engaged-in-denying-announcements-by-armenian-president/

[bell-the-cat]

Re: Armenia and the information war

The lie is, in fact, intended (as you imply) for a wider, general audience. Let's consider the purpose of this lie. Is it not to distort information in a way which directly impacts the interests of the Armenian nation as a whole by presenting invalid information about our nation's history? You'll have to agree it is. In that sense, the lie is anti-Armenian, and it is in that sense that I used the term.

My thought is that if people hear something being called "anti-Armenian", it will mean they will think of whatever is produced to counter it as "pro-Armenian" and, by implication, "anti-Azeri". This allows the response to the lie to be as dismissable or as acceptable as the lie itself - it reduces the truth to the same level as the lie.

[Federate]

Re: Armenia and the information war

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 YEREVAN 000041

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/25/2020
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL PBTS TU AJ AM
SUBJECT: POGROM COMMEMORATIONS TO COUNTER BAKU'S
ANTI-ARMENIAN PR

YEREVAN 00000041 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: AMB Marie L. Yovanovitch, reasons 1.4 (b,d).

-------
SUMMARY
-------

¶1. (C) During the past several weeks, extensive
commemorations of the January 1990 pogroms of Armenians in
Baku have taken place in Yerevan. The GOAM's sponsorship and
support of the commemorations appears to be qualitatively and
quantitatively higher than in recent years. Post learned
that the new, high-level attention is intended as a riposte
to anti-Armenian propaganda spread by Azerbaijan. END
SUMMARY.

---------------------
POGROM COMMEMORATIONS
---------------------

¶2. (SBU) Over the last several weeks, numerous events have
been held in Yerevan to commemorate the January 1990 pogroms
in Baku in which approximately 50 ethnic Armenians were
killed, and which, together with other events, would prompt
over 350,000 Armenians to flee Azerbaijan. Larisa
Alaverdian, a Baku native, Armenia's first Human Rights
Defender, and now an MP for the opposition Heritage party,
said she hoped the events would address what she called
Armenian society's passivity and ignorance about the events
20 years ago. Calling this passivity dangerous, she said the
1990 pogroms were a continuation of earlier ones committed in
Azerbaijan (1905-07, 1918, and 1988-92). Singling out Pan
Turkism ideology as the catalyst for the massacres,
Alaverdian said "it's not accidental that the events that
took place at the end of the 20th century are called the
continuation of the same Turkish genocide realized against
the Armenians, because it is the same ideology, the same
policy, the same aims and the same people who realized it."
Alaverdian accused Azerbaijan of falsifying the facts of the
various massacres in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and
called on the international community to recognize these
massacres as genocide.

¶3. (C) The first event to be held was a January 15 roundtable
put on by Armenia's Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman)
entitled "Ethnic Cleanings (sic) in Azerbaijan: Baku 1990).
(Comment: The Embassy declined the invitation to attend,
given our view that these commemorations are unhelpful to the
Turkey-Armenia normalization and NK settlement processes.
End Comment.) During the week of January 13-19, special
classes on the January 1990 pogroms were conducted in
Armenian secondary schools, with Armenian's Education
Minister leading one of these classes. On January 19,
members of youth NGOs, youth councils, and the youth wings of
various political parties signed a petition addressed to
international organizations, parliaments, and UN member
states' governments declaring their intention to fight for
the international recognition of the "Armenian Genocide" in
1990 in Baku. Prime Minister Tigran Sargsian and other GOAM
officials visited Armenia's Genocide Memorial complex that
same day to pay tribute to the victims of the January 1990
pogroms.

¶4. (SBU) On January 20, Armenia's National Academy of
Sciences held a conference devoted to the 20-year anniversary
of the January 1990 pogroms in which a documentary on the
pogroms was shown. Post learned that the Public Affairs and
Information Center at the Presidency prepared the documentary
(but was not attributed as the film's sponsor), and that the
PM, Speaker of the Parliament, and Yerevan's mayor attended.
Various political forces in the "parliament" of the "Nagorno
Karabakh Republic" also issued a joint statement on the 20th
devoted to the anniversary of the pogroms, appealing to the
UN, the Council of Europe, the OSCE, and the parliaments of
Minsk Group Co-chair countries to carry out an unbiased
investigation of the crimes committed in Baku January 13-19,
¶1990.

--------------------------------------------- -----
COMMEMORATIONS TO COUNTER BAKU'S ANTI-ARMENIAN PR
--------------------------------------------- -----

¶5. (C) A contact at the UNDP personally invited by the Human
Rights Defender to attend his roundtable told us that the
Ombudsman held it to a) counter aggressive Azerbaijani "PR"
on alleged NK war atrocities by ethnic Armenian forces, and
b) highlight to Armenia's domestic audience the official
neglect that ethnic Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan have
suffered since arriving in Armenia. When we contacted the
Ombudsman directly, after his roundtable, he confirmed that
this year's commemorations were the first time that the GOAM
has chosen to mark them at such a high level.

YEREVAN 00000041 002.2 OF 002



¶6. (C) Arman Melikian, the former "foreign minister" of the
"Nagorno Karabakh Republic," told us he welcomed the GOAM's
pro-active commemorations. He said that previously the
authorities did not see a need for them, and thought "making
noise about the pogroms" would hurt the NK conflict
negotiations. Now, Melikian said, "they finally understood
that the policy of silence was wrong and unproductive."
Khachik Kokobelian, an influential figure in the opposition
Armenian National Congress, told us he views the
commemorations as "a signal to Aliyev that "we were silent on
this issue previously, but won't be anymore."

-------
COMMENT
-------

¶7. (C) This year's commemorations have definitely received a
higher level of government support and attention than in
previous years. Many here think the GOAM has been too
passive in informing the international community of what
happened to Armenians in Azerbaijan in the closing days of
the Soviet Union when Nagorno Karabakh ethnic Armenians broke
away from Baku. They believe that the GOAM's passivity has
fostered ignorance of these modern-day Armenian tragedies
abroad and at home, and ceded the moral high ground to
Azerbaijan and its aggressive campaign to highlight
Azerbaijani suffering. The involvement of the Presidency,
PM, and Ombudsman in this year's commemorations, as well as
the government-backed events, suggest that the GOAM will take
a more active role in commemorating the Armenian victims of
recent ethnic violence to ensure that the world better
understands that past.
YOVANOVITCH

http://wikileaks.org/cable/2010/01/10YEREVAN41.html

[Tigranakert]

Re: Armenia and the information war

PanARMENIAN.Net - WikiLeaks has released another lot of U.S. State Department's classifieds documents, including a cable dated February 27, 2008 by former U.S. Chargé d'Affaires in Armenia Joe Pennington, who reported on an informal meeting with advisors to then-Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan – Mikael Minasyan and Levon Martirosyan – that took place on the threshold of the March disorders. Pennington said the meeting focused on the presidential election and the ongoing opposition rallies.

The U.S. official expressed confidence that Serzh Sargsyan gained a greater number of votes that the other candidates but informed of violations that occurred during the elections, specifically during the count. According to Pennington, in the course of the meeting Mikael Minasyan said that Serzh Sargsyan holds daily meeting with police commanders to warn them against any use of violence.

As to the opposition, Minasyan noted that their leader, Levon Ter-Petrossian, is a professional revolutionist, who had a role in the USSR collapse. He said, Ter-Petrossian will resort to provocation sooner or later. As to oligarchs, Minasyan described them as people with outdated mentality and said that Sargsyan hopes to put an end to their impunity. Minasyan said that young, educated and perspective people are gaining weight in the ruling party.