Announcement

Collapse

Forum Rules (Everyone Must Read!!!)

1] What you CAN NOT post.

You agree, through your use of this service, that you will not use this forum to post any material which is:
- abusive
- vulgar
- hateful
- harassing
- personal attacks
- obscene

You also may not:
- post images that are too large (max is 500*500px)
- post any copyrighted material unless the copyright is owned by you or cited properly.
- post in UPPER CASE, which is considered yelling
- post messages which insult the Armenians, Armenian culture, traditions, etc
- post racist or other intentionally insensitive material that insults or attacks another culture (including Turks)

The Ankap thread is excluded from the strict rules because that place is more relaxed and you can vent and engage in light insults and humor. Notice it's not a blank ticket, but just a place to vent. If you go into the Ankap thread, you enter at your own risk of being clowned on.
What you PROBABLY SHOULD NOT post...
Do not post information that you will regret putting out in public. This site comes up on Google, is cached, and all of that, so be aware of that as you post. Do not ask the staff to go through and delete things that you regret making available on the web for all to see because we will not do it. Think before you post!


2] Use descriptive subject lines & research your post. This means use the SEARCH.

This reduces the chances of double-posting and it also makes it easier for people to see what they do/don't want to read. Using the search function will identify existing threads on the topic so we do not have multiple threads on the same topic.

3] Keep the focus.

Each forum has a focus on a certain topic. Questions outside the scope of a certain forum will either be moved to the appropriate forum, closed, or simply be deleted. Please post your topic in the most appropriate forum. Users that keep doing this will be warned, then banned.

4] Behave as you would in a public location.

This forum is no different than a public place. Behave yourself and act like a decent human being (i.e. be respectful). If you're unable to do so, you're not welcome here and will be made to leave.

5] Respect the authority of moderators/admins.

Public discussions of moderator/admin actions are not allowed on the forum. It is also prohibited to protest moderator actions in titles, avatars, and signatures. If you don't like something that a moderator did, PM or email the moderator and try your best to resolve the problem or difference in private.

6] Promotion of sites or products is not permitted.

Advertisements are not allowed in this venue. No blatant advertising or solicitations of or for business is prohibited.
This includes, but not limited to, personal resumes and links to products or
services with which the poster is affiliated, whether or not a fee is charged
for the product or service. Spamming, in which a user posts the same message repeatedly, is also prohibited.

7] We retain the right to remove any posts and/or Members for any reason, without prior notice.


- PLEASE READ -

Members are welcome to read posts and though we encourage your active participation in the forum, it is not required. If you do participate by posting, however, we expect that on the whole you contribute something to the forum. This means that the bulk of your posts should not be in "fun" threads (e.g. Ankap, Keep & Kill, This or That, etc.). Further, while occasionally it is appropriate to simply voice your agreement or approval, not all of your posts should be of this variety: "LOL Member213!" "I agree."
If it is evident that a member is simply posting for the sake of posting, they will be removed.


8] These Rules & Guidelines may be amended at any time. (last update September 17, 2009)

If you believe an individual is repeatedly breaking the rules, please report to admin/moderator.
See more
See less

The Armenian Diaspora looks upon Yerevan prepared to move from the

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • The Armenian Diaspora looks upon Yerevan prepared to move from the

    Dar Al-Hayat, Beirut/London
    May 4 2005

    Translated from Arabic exclusively for Armenian News Network/Groong
    by Katia M. Peltekian

    The Armenian Diaspora looks upon Yerevan prepared to move from the
    dream homeland to the harsh reality

    by Kamal Hanna

    Yerevan - Mount Ararat stands high but far from the Armenian capital
    Yerevan, from where one can see the snowy peaks, but not the lower
    parts of the slopes of the towering mountain. At a 5800-meter
    altitude, the mountain becomes an image that only eyes would enjoy...

    At the Ani Hotel lobby, Kevin Ohanian, born in the Sudan and a citizen
    of Great Britain for 25 years, says he is excited about participating
    in the commemoration of the 90th anniversary of the Armenian
    Genocide. He is in Yerevan with his wife, child and
    relatives. However, he is also disappointed that his homeland lacks
    all the basic necessities of life. Ohanian, who owns a Mexican
    restaurant in London, says that the basic necessities should include
    strict implementation of rules and regulations that would also
    guarantee the rights of the individual. `This is what I cannot see
    here; although cooperation and harmony are present, they do not
    compensate for the negative effects of the disorder.'

    Ohanian adds that he would face many obstacles if he were to start the
    same kind of business he has in London - opening a Mexican
    restaurant. `That is why I have discarded the idea completely,
    although my business in London does fluctuate and sometimes I lose a
    lot of money.'

    Armenia has endured a lot of losses as the diaspora quickly lost its
    enthusiasm which had prevailed when the country gained its
    independence after the fall of the communist rule in 1990.

    After independence, Armenia has also lost a great number of its
    population, which was about 3.8 million; many Armenians thought that
    they could have a better and more secure life abroad.

    Despite the abundance of European-style caf s, restaurants and
    nightclubs in the streets of Yerevan, the majority of its people -
    mostly the teenagers and the elderly - live below the poverty level.

    Poverty turns into a reality in the suburbs of Yerevan and in the
    remote villages which look almost deserted. There is constant danger
    to the lives of the people of these regions - landslides occur due to
    heavy snow or there is a complete damage of roads when the red and
    black rocky hills collapse.

    It is worthy to note that $1000 to $5000 is enough to buy a house in
    these areas which are also susceptible to earthquakes. The earthquake
    in December of 1988 resulted in the death of more than 25,000 people
    and thousands were left homeless because the communist rulers were
    unable to provide the necessary equipment for relief.

    Along the road, one can see houses that look like they would collapse
    at any moment. In front of these house, the residents sell different
    kinds of pickled vegetables, preservatives, dried fruits, and bread
    that the elderly claim is good for the health. They also sell flowers,
    apples and apricots, the fruits the drawings of which adorned the
    royal clothes.

    This kind of lifestyle disappears completely in the capital Yerevan;
    one would observe beautiful girls wearing trendy clothes and
    cosmetics, taking care of their looks despite their financial
    circumstances.

    Diran Adjoyan, who was born in Latakia (Syria) but is an American
    citizen, says that Armenian girls have always been known for their
    elegance, even when they lacked water and electricity due to the
    blockade that Azerbaijan has imposed between 1992 and 1994. For
    Adjoyan, who works in computer programming, it means that the
    Armenians have a strong will to face hardships and always look for a
    better life and for self-determination.

    Adjoyan is amazed at the changes that have occurred in Armenia since
    his last visit in 1999. He says, `I remember staying at a dark hotel
    which was lighted by a few lamps in the hallways. Most of the streets
    were dark and there was no security. It is totally different now.
    During my first visit in 1994, I had to use coal to heat my meals, and
    many had to cut the trees in the parks to keep themselves warm.'

    He describes the current progress as `fantastic' compared to the
    financial abilities of the country. He expects that this progress will
    continue at a faster rate, `maybe similar to that of Lebanon after the
    war.' He asserts that with the current situation, and after much
    thought, he is considering buying a house in Armenia although he says
    he does not have many acquaintances here.

    Adjoyan says this progress is due to the importance of tourism at
    different sites. With a passion, he mentions Lake Sevan, which is 1900
    meters above sea level. He says he enjoys the heat of the sun in
    summer and sinks in its silence far from the sounds of the waves.

    Adjoyan speaks with exhilaration about the natural beauty of Nagorno
    Karabakh, which was the cause of conflict between Armenia and
    Azerbaijan from 1989 to 1994, and until Russia mediated to establish a
    cease fire between the two sides.

    Nagorno Karabakh is considered to be the most beautiful region in the
    west of the Caucasus. Its land is abundant with grape vines and
    apricot trees; however, it also has mines planted in most of its
    areas. And because there is no security forces in some regions, it is
    considered to be dangerous for visitors.

    It is worth to note that all the Azeri maps prior to 1920 show that
    Azerbaijan included many parts of both Georgia and Armenia.
    Therefore, Azerbaijan accuses the Armenians of `robbing' 50% of its
    lands. Yet, what is more important to the Azeris is that they live in
    the regions that are rich in oil and sell its bi-products to Armenia
    although there is no diplomatic relations between the two.

    What is more interesting is that Azerbaijan doubts the Armenians so
    much that it has accused them of being involved in the September 11,
    2001 attacks `because two out of the four planes involved in these
    attacks took off from Boston, where the second largest Armenian
    community lives, the first being California.' This led to
    counter-accusations from Armenia that there were Azeri terrorists on
    the aircrafts. Of course, it was proven later that the hijackers were
    Arabs.

    Both Ohanian and Adjoyan represent two examples of the diaspora who
    does not know how to come down from the dream world of Mount Ararat to
    the harsh realities of Yerevan.
Working...
X