Could it be that Azeri Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov’s current visit to New York has promoted such a despicable piece in the New York Times?
In a page four article in the June 1 edition of New York Times, titled “‘Frozen Conflict’ Between Azerbaijan and Armenia Begins to Boil,” Moscow bureau chief Ellen Barry describes in detail makeshift and government-sanctioned sniper schools teaching Azeri youth the fine art of sniper fire to fight Nagorno-Karabakh.
Could it be that Azeri Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov’s current visit to New York has promoted such a despicable piece in the New York Times?
In what can be described as a breach of simple journalistic standards, Barry provides a detailed account of Azeri “refugees” living in squalor and turning to the sniper schools to prepare for war against Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. Her story is peppered with official and person-on-the-street accounts of how war is the only option to resolving the Karabakh conflict.
It is ironic. After all it was Felicity Barringer of the New York Times who broke the news of the 1988 peaceful demonstrations in Armenia and Karabakh, prompted by Glasnost and Perestroika, that started what is now known as the “Karabakh conflict.” Her newspaper diligently chronicled the savage Azeri pogroms in Sumgait, Kirovabad, Baku and Shahumian and the resulting war that Barry now references in her disheveled piece and attempt at reporting.
Barry quotes a 34-year-old and a 15-year-old student, both of whom express their willingness—and readiness—to go to war and in one instance also talks of the young Azeris’ shame for living in squalor as the impetus for their military outlook.
It was also the New York Times that expressed outrage and condemnation at the Madrassas being operated in Pakistan that trained young Muslims to fight Osama bin-Laden’s Jihad against the West. Barry’s piece seems to endorse the Azeri belief that the only way out of the situation is to establish free sniper schools to teach the young to fight. One wonders how the same publication can have such divergent views on what is essentially the same approach.
The reporter also discusses the matter with Azerbaijan’s presidential adviser, Ali Hasanov, who tells Barry, “There is no guarantee that tomorrow or the day after tomorrow a war between Azerbaijan and Armenia won’t start,” adding, “If necessary we are ready to give our lives for territorial integrity.”
An obvious question for a presidential aide perhaps would have been: why isn’t Baku spending all the riches it has amassed from oil and gas deals to provide better living conditions for these refugees, who Barry describes as “living along a dank, fetid hallway, on one floor of a former office building” with “three rough, foul-smelling holes in the concrete floor served as toilets for 21 families.”
Barry’s attempt to provide clarity of the international context of the conflict also echoes the Azeri cries that they have been left alone to fend for themselves.
“The United States, France and Russia do not do what they promised,” Barry quotes Hasanov. “America now thinks Afghanistan and Iraq are more important—and North Africa, and the missile defense shield in Europe—than such regional conflicts as Nagorno-Karabakh.”
There is no mention of the OSCE chairman’s appeal—which Azerbaijan unequivocally rejected—to both sides to withdraw their snipers from what is known as the “line of conflict.” No mention again of last week’s statement by president Obama, Sarkozy and Medvedev calling on the sides to finalize the so-called “basic principles” and condemned use of force in resolving the conflict. Nor, was there any mention of the Azeri threats to down civilian aircraft. The latter threat was even condemned by the most pro-Azeri U.S. diplomat, Matthew Bryza.
The most incendiary part of Barry’s article is her conclusion where she quotes Shafag Ismailova, a 34-year-old student at the sniper school as saying: “We had a genocide, and no one helps us. Not America, not Russia.” The New York Times, which covered the Armenian Genocide as it was happening, should not allow such callous use of the word and must warn its bureau chiefs and reporters to be more sensitive in such matters.
The timing of the piece is also suspect. During a period when international attention has been focused on Karabakh, including a meeting by Armenia’s foreign minister with Hillary Clinton on the matter, the New York Times has mentioned the conflict in passing only once when reporting on Azerbaijan’s victory in the Eurovision 2011 song competition.
Could it be that Azeri Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov’s current visit to New York has promoted such a despicable piece in the New York Times? Or, has Azerbaijan’s $35,000-a-month contract with Patton, Boggs, LLC. to promote its interests in the U.S. finally breached the most impenetrable walls of the Gray Lady?
Whatever the case, it is pieces such as Barry’s and those editors who approve their publication that might bring this “frozen conflict” to a “boil.”
Ara Khatchatourian is the editor of Asbarez (English).
26 Comments
What do you expect, the whore always goes where the money is. Right now Armenia does not have the same financial clout as the Azeris, who think that they can pay for any service they want with their oil and blood money, and the hungry whores will be jumping for joy. Forgive my language, but this is exactly what I think is happening with the New York Times. Truth is what suffers, when lies are bought and sold like commodities. Shame on the Times for selling out to the Azeri aggressor.
Dear author,
I am neither Azeri not Turkish. And neither I support the sniper killings.
But I read the article you are criticizing here, and I think the author brings up a very real issue: hundreds of thousands of Azeris displaced by the Armenian armed forces and not allowed to return home. Wherever your political sympathies lie, as with Palestinians, and many other mass displaced populations, one need to be a little more sensitive to the destinies of hundreds of thousands of forcefully displaced innocent people, including children. Yet from what you write, you could not care less. All you care is the way the conflict is presented and hope it hides facts that are not to your benefit.
I will tell you what: it is not because Azerbaijan has money or not because the author is a ‘whore’ (though having supporters who use that language only further weakens your cause.) It is because the Armenian side does not really consider allowing hundreds of thousands refugees and IDPs to return to their homes, is that you are losing the world’s empathy, which was with you after the Sumgait.
Being an unbiased observer, my guess is Armenians would rather be alive, than be dead and have all the World’s ‘sympathy’ – whatever that means or is worth. If someone tried to kill you, would you rather be alive, or have all the sympathy of your family and friends, and a wake to die for ? (…pretty funny line, don’t you agree ?)
A few people in the world have gobs and gobs of sympathy for the 2,000,000 Armenians exterminated by Turks from 1800s to 1923.
Unfortunately, all the sympathy in the world will not bring back the 2 million, or their potential progeny, a potential loss of 20 Million Armenians today.
Interestingly, many claim the AG never happened: what do you say, George, as neither an Azeri nor Turkish – did the Armenian Genocide happen ?
Not being either Azeri or Turkish perhaps you could – as a disinterested 3rd party – explain why would Azerbaijan spend US$ 3 Billion (with a B) on Defense (right !) for Y2011 ? Perhaps Mr. Ilham Aliyev could spend $100-$200 of that 3 billion housing his IDPs, instead a buying shiny new offensive weapons to start another war with ?
If you are so concerned about IDPs, could you please explain what happened to all those Armenians that used to be alive and used to live from whence illegal occupiers were asked to leave by Armenian troops, enforcing laws against Unlawful Detainer ?
What would you say happened to the majority Armenian population of Nakhitchevan, a formerly Armenian populated, historic Armenian region – now completely ethnically cleansed of all Armenians: it appears that they were Permanently Displaced into Eternity ?
Are you concerned at all that in March 2011 Arif Mammadov, director of Azerbaijan’s Civil Aviation Administration threatened to shoot-down civilian passenger airplanes slated for regular flights between Yerevan and Stepanakert: a terrorist threat by an official of the Azerbaijan Government.
Or it’s OK to exterminate Armenians ?
Finally about that ‘Armenian’ thing: Well, I lied, just a little: I am American by choice and citizenship, and Armenian by birth – but I am 100% unbiased, like you: Right ?
Does Azerbaijan allow the Armenian refugees return to their homes? There were more Armenians, including children and elderly, than Azeris displaced and dispossessed in this conflict. Are you also sympathetic to them? Do you know that the Azeri government started harassing and persecuting Armenians living in Karabakh before Armenians reacted? If the problem is the refugees, why not include all of them? Why do you have to be selectively sensitive? Are Azeri refugees more important than Armenian refugees?
And I will tell you what: we have not lost the world’s empathy. You do not represent the world and neither does NYT. And don’t tell me please that the Azeri government is not using oil money for dirty propaganda. Were we born yesterday?
There are many high profile VIPs in the USA that are on the Muslim payroll via Turkey, Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia, etc. They are whores, selling out their country and the Christians of the Middle East to Muslim interests. Many work in the media promoting Muslim agitprop and disinformation.
Yes, the Armenian Genocide had happened and it is shame to the world that some people are still questioning it. It should be acknowledged and recognized.
Yes, there were also hundreds of thousands of Armenians who were forcefully displaced from Azerbaijan. And it is just as terrible and they also absolutely have to have a right to return.
And precisely because Armenians suffered so much injustice, I would expect you to have a little more sympathy for kids (described in the article) who are desperate and have no hope to get back home.
And yes, I surely do not represent the world. And I also hope that you three (full of hate people) do not represent Armenians either and there are less militant people along you.
I want to apologize for reffering to anyone as ‘full of hate people’. I got triggered by the tone of the responses, but I surely had no right to imply that I know how you feel. Please accept my apologies
Please tell me where exactly you see hate in our posts? And who said we have no sympathy for kids? I have more sympathy for them than their own government who has all the means to give them a better life but no desire, unfortunately.
Calling a spade a spade is not hate. To the Turks and Azeris the truth is hate. Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh must have defensible borders. Allowing the return of Azeris to around Nagorno-Karabakh will comprimise its ability to defend itself. Does anyone remember the mass murder of Armenians in Baku in the 1990’s?
When I posted my reply, yours was not there yet. Sorry. I am happy to hear that we do not exude hate. We should never be driven by it no matter how hurt we feel.
Dear Gina,
do you really not see any racism, chauvinism, sexism and all other kind of isms in what is written in these comments? “…They are whores, selling out … the Christians …to Muslim interests…” Are we iving in times of crusades? Is ‘whore’ an acceptable term for you to describe a journalist with whom you disagree? I am not defending the journalist, I am questioning the the use of the word ‘whore’ as unspeakably sexist. I am also questioning the standards of Armenian Weekly who states that it will not tolerate insults, but I guess considers ‘whore’ to be an acceptable word.
Or some of the other comments: yes, ethnically cleansing Armenians is terrible. But how does that make ethnically cleansing Azeris good? Since when do the ‘defensible borders’ justify ethnic cleansing of hundreds of thousands of people?
Sorry George, but notwithstanding your belated apology, your initial gut-reaction – [“you three (full of hate people) “ ] – clearly shows your Pro-Azeri, Pro-Turkish, and Anti-Armenian bias.
By “you three” I assume you mean me, Arius, and Gina. Others can judge whether anything I said in my original post was hateful or not.
But I re-read Arius’s and Gina’s posts: I don’t see anything hateful in there. Do you ? please paste the offending sentence: let’s see and discuss it.
You heart aches for the Azeri children: that’s very commendable. But have you considered this: the reason there are so many Azeri children today for you to see and feel sympathy for is that Armenian troops allowed Azeri civilians to leave unmolested. Every village and town that Armenian troops surrounded on three sides, they always, ALWAYS, left an open corridor and gave plenty of time for the civilians to leave unharmed. And among those troops were many fathers whose families were massacred in Sumgait and Baku. Whose wives and daughters were gang-raped, tortured, murdered, mutilated…their…cut-off. Oh yeah…Armenians are militant people.
The reason you don’t see Armenian kids to feel sympathy for is because their potential parents were massacred: out of sight, out of mind.
Read what Azeris did when they re-occupied Maragha village. Read about Operation Koltso (Ring).
Kids living in squalor ? Then please comment on Gina’s statement: [“….than their own government who has all the means to give them a better life but no desire,”].
Please comment on this: If Azerbaijan can spend US$ 3 Billion (with a B) in Y2011 – and similar amounts annually prior years – on offensive weaponry , why can’t it spend US $500 million one time, for example, to build brand new housing for all those little kids that you have a lot of empathy for ?
The truth is you don’t really care about the Azeri kids: if you did, you’d post one sentence – just one – about Aliyev’s deliberate neglect of his own people.
Baku is full of new shiny, useless, grandiose buildings, but there is no money to house Azeri IDPs ?
What you really want to see is Armenians disappear from Caucasus, where we have existed for 4,000-5,000 years.
Armenia has been reduced to 10% of its original size. There are barely 12 million Armenians worldwide. Azeris and Turks today, year 2011, are still trying to strangle and wipe out Republic of Armenia and Artsakh. Azeris still occupy our lands (e.g Nakhitchevan). Turks still occupy our lands. Turks still have not been made to pay for their Genocide of Armenians. What about our children that never had a chance to even become IDPs ? Azeris attempted a 2nd Genocide in 1989 in Artsakh: they failed.
We are done being massacred and exterminated. If that makes me a militant, then I wear the badge with pride.
So George, answer a question for me. Given a people A whos children are being abused by people A, is it the responsibility of people B to take care of the children of people A? Consider that people A in a previous war indiscriminately fired rockets and killed children of people B.
I’m new here, basically just browsing, when this topic caught my attention. After reading the article, and then reading the comments, I’m surprised at the unyielding biasness of many of the commentors. There is indeed some hate in the tones of some of these posts. I tried to be neutral, but after reading these comments, I’m not so sure that I can fully support some of your claims. Certainly not any way for you people to win others over to your side!
Armenian Defense Forces need to demonstrate that they are ready to liberate Nakhichevan and put Baku under siege as soon as Azerbaijan resumes hostilities.
George, stop looking for cheap arguments! no one called the author a whore! it is blatantly clear that the ny times is being called a ‘whore’ for defending azeri interests. the article is clearly and blatantly biased. deal with it!
As the Azeri leaders make their demands of Armenians (blaming the Armenians for causing the Azeri citizens to live in poverty). Yet, sadly, it is interesting that these same Azeri citizens do not realize that it is their own Azeri government leaders have been buying villas and mansions across the world -for themselves – while Azeri citizens are destitute. Today, where is all the Azeri OIL monies from natural resource Azerbaijan, which belongs to ALL Azeris citizens – being spent/used? Too, the leaders mislead their own citizens and blame the Armenians for all their own leaders have been ‘stealing’ from ALL the Azeri citizens! Monies from OIL of Azerbaijan has not benefitted the citizens of Azerbaijan… only their own leaders enjoy the benefits of the OIL of the nation of Azerbaijan. Sadly.
Azeris should question where their own natural asset, the monies from all the OIL are being spent by their leaders… and none reaches all the citizens of Azerbaijan!
New homes, villas, mansions are being bought across the world… while the Azeri
citizens are deprived and badly used by their own leaders… I read even w/o toilets!!
George, where is all the OIL monies being spent by your leaders (on their villas and mansions across the world) while the citizens of Azerbaijan are being mislead and using the Armenians – to be blamed – for their own sad conditions, while the Azeri citizens should examine their own leaders use of their own OIL monies.
Kevin, for starters, learn where the leaders of Azerbaijan are using their OIL monies (villas, mansions across the world, etc.) while their Azeri citizens are deprived and needing these monies from their own natural resource. Too, depriving their own citizens these same leaders direct venom against the Armenians, too, blaming the Armenians for the condition of their own Azeri citizenry…
Kevin, thanks for your interest in the issue of Genocides… ongoing/unending on our planet…. for a while. But do find my response addressed to you – which appears below.
Ms Ellen Berry…and Mr 5%
Ms berry
Who is appointed in the New York Times
To insult Armenians
And tell them you are criminals…
What can we expect more
She…Who doesn’t know any thing
About Armenians’ background…
She should have passed exams
On a subject called ‘Genocides’
Before accepting her childish…gossiping article
in a respected place
She should have studied
About Adari’s and
How criminal they are
Even they fight with old grave stones
As…they just recently vanished 1000′ Khatchkars
And many old churches…monuments…
Confiscating all Armenian wealth
Throwing real Armenians who made them humans
Does she know
How much the Armenian suffered since 1915
To earn dignified bread?
Who was the editor
Who accepted the foolish article
Which any 15 year student can collect
The information on the phone…write and publish
With out arriving there….
Who is she to insult Armenian Artfulness…!
Respected every where
From Bedouin till Alaskan dawns
Let her know…who was He
Who found the oil for Baku
To make them wealthy
Able to buy weapons
And slay honest Armenian race
Does she know who was He?
He was the philanthropist Calouste Gulbenkian
His nickname was Mr 5%….!
That is his real name Ms. Berry…!
Sylva-MD-Poetry
June 3, 2011
Written instantly
__________________________ Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian (Armenian: Գալուստ Սարգիս Կիւլպէնկեան) (23 March 1869–20 July 1955) was an Armenian businessman and philanthropist. He played a major role in making the petroleum reserves of the Middle East available to Western development. By the end of his life he had become one of the world’s wealthiest individuals and his art acquisitions considered one of the greatest private collections.[1][2]
Biography
Calouste Gulbenkian was born in Üsküdar, in Constantinople (now Istanbul), Turkey, the son of an Armenian oil importer/exporter. His father sent him to be educated at King’s College London, where he studied petroleum engineering, and then to examine the Russian oil industry at Baku. While still in his twenties he lived in London arranging deals in the oil business. After becoming a naturalized British citizen in 1902, he was involved in arranging the 1907 merger resulting inRoyal Dutch/Shell and emerged from that effort as a major shareholder. His habit of retaining five per cent of the shares of the oil companies he developed earned him the nickname “Mr. Five Percent”.[3]
I’m a non-Armenian who read the article in the NYT and was very dismayed about the tone used by the Ellen Barry. It was one of the most completely biased hit pieces I’ve ever read. My sympathies to Armenians if they have had to deal with this yellow journalism like this before.
What troubled me most was that the author seems to validate the use of child soldiers, death squads, war, etc. It also neglected to explain why there was a conflict in the first place.
Bottom line, If I were Armenian, I would rather be safe, secure, alive, than have to be massacred to be afforded the world’s “empathy”. Crocodile tears are good for no one.
The expression ‘Media Whore’ is uttered every day on public airwaves: listen to KFI640 AM radio in the Los Angeles area sometime – you’ll hear the expression every day. Public airwaves have very strict rules about the 7-banned words: ‘whore’ is not one of them.
ArmenianWeekly is a fine publication: if allowing the word ‘whore’ in their Comments section is the worst you can find with it, then they are doing just great. Everything that has the word ‘Armenian’ in it causes discomfort in you, doesn’t it ?
‘Ethnically cleansing’: in a society where there is Law and Order, you get the Sheriff or the Marshall to enforce the law, enforce court orders against Unlawful Detainer, and forcibly remove people who have entered your house – who had previously ejected you from your own house at gunpoint.
In a World where counties and people still claim the Armenian Genocide never happened, and there is NO punishment for the Genocide of Armenians, what are Armenians expected to do ? keep dying off so that a few people will have ‘sympathy’ ? No Thank You.
The lands which ‘Azeris’ had illegally occupied were previously ethnically cleansed of their original inhabitant Armenians by ‘Azeri’ Tatar invaders: how is it that particular ‘ethnic cleansing’ is OK with you guys ? I know, because Armenians should be ethnically cleansed: it is their lot in life; it’s normal.
What do you want Armenians to do: just keep being massacred and exterminated ? Why ? Who or what decided that Armenians are sub-human and can be exterminated at will and with no consequence ?
Kevin said: I’m surprised at the unyielding biasness of many of the commentors.
Kevin, why are you not surprised at the unyielding biasness of the article? If you are not familiar with the issue then you should take time to familiarize yourself before judging our comments.
“Campaigners are asking the Azerbaijan government to introduce radical reforms early to avoid a popular uprising sweeping the Arab world.”
[…]
“‘The majority of the enlightened population is outraged by the systematically falsified elections, absence of freedom of thought and assembly, opposition activists being held as political prisoners, beating and harassment of journalists, politically dependent and corrupt courts, and absence of rule of law,’ Dr. Leila Alieva, who heads the Baku-based think tank Center for National and International Studies told IPS.”
[…]
“Despite its oil wealth, the majority live in abject poverty. Official salaries are unrealistically low, says Alieva, and the education sector and health system are almost collapsing under increasing demands for bribes. But not unlike Libya, the oil and gas resources allow the government to buy political and social support.”
So the ruling junta could “introduce radical reforms”: have free elections, allow freedom of speech, and stop stealing. Or they could get the NYT to help distract people.
What do you expect, the whore always goes where the money is. Right now Armenia does not have the same financial clout as the Azeris, who think that they can pay for any service they want with their oil and blood money, and the hungry whores will be jumping for joy. Forgive my language, but this is exactly what I think is happening with the New York Times. Truth is what suffers, when lies are bought and sold like commodities. Shame on the Times for selling out to the Azeri aggressor.
Dear author,
I am neither Azeri not Turkish. And neither I support the sniper killings.
But I read the article you are criticizing here, and I think the author brings up a very real issue: hundreds of thousands of Azeris displaced by the Armenian armed forces and not allowed to return home. Wherever your political sympathies lie, as with Palestinians, and many other mass displaced populations, one need to be a little more sensitive to the destinies of hundreds of thousands of forcefully displaced innocent people, including children. Yet from what you write, you could not care less. All you care is the way the conflict is presented and hope it hides facts that are not to your benefit.
I will tell you what: it is not because Azerbaijan has money or not because the author is a ‘whore’ (though having supporters who use that language only further weakens your cause.) It is because the Armenian side does not really consider allowing hundreds of thousands refugees and IDPs to return to their homes, is that you are losing the world’s empathy, which was with you after the Sumgait.
Dear George:
I am neither Armenian nor Artsakhtsi.
Being an unbiased observer, my guess is Armenians would rather be alive, than be dead and have all the World’s ‘sympathy’ – whatever that means or is worth. If someone tried to kill you, would you rather be alive, or have all the sympathy of your family and friends, and a wake to die for ? (…pretty funny line, don’t you agree ?)
A few people in the world have gobs and gobs of sympathy for the 2,000,000 Armenians exterminated by Turks from 1800s to 1923.
Unfortunately, all the sympathy in the world will not bring back the 2 million, or their potential progeny, a potential loss of 20 Million Armenians today.
Interestingly, many claim the AG never happened: what do you say, George, as neither an Azeri nor Turkish – did the Armenian Genocide happen ?
Not being either Azeri or Turkish perhaps you could – as a disinterested 3rd party – explain why would Azerbaijan spend US$ 3 Billion (with a B) on Defense (right !) for Y2011 ? Perhaps Mr. Ilham Aliyev could spend $100-$200 of that 3 billion housing his IDPs, instead a buying shiny new offensive weapons to start another war with ?
If you are so concerned about IDPs, could you please explain what happened to all those Armenians that used to be alive and used to live from whence illegal occupiers were asked to leave by Armenian troops, enforcing laws against Unlawful Detainer ?
What would you say happened to the majority Armenian population of Nakhitchevan, a formerly Armenian populated, historic Armenian region – now completely ethnically cleansed of all Armenians: it appears that they were Permanently Displaced into Eternity ?
Are you concerned at all that in March 2011 Arif Mammadov, director of Azerbaijan’s Civil Aviation Administration threatened to shoot-down civilian passenger airplanes slated for regular flights between Yerevan and Stepanakert: a terrorist threat by an official of the Azerbaijan Government.
Or it’s OK to exterminate Armenians ?
Finally about that ‘Armenian’ thing: Well, I lied, just a little: I am American by choice and citizenship, and Armenian by birth – but I am 100% unbiased, like you: Right ?
Dear George,
Does Azerbaijan allow the Armenian refugees return to their homes? There were more Armenians, including children and elderly, than Azeris displaced and dispossessed in this conflict. Are you also sympathetic to them? Do you know that the Azeri government started harassing and persecuting Armenians living in Karabakh before Armenians reacted? If the problem is the refugees, why not include all of them? Why do you have to be selectively sensitive? Are Azeri refugees more important than Armenian refugees?
And I will tell you what: we have not lost the world’s empathy. You do not represent the world and neither does NYT. And don’t tell me please that the Azeri government is not using oil money for dirty propaganda. Were we born yesterday?
There are many high profile VIPs in the USA that are on the Muslim payroll via Turkey, Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia, etc. They are whores, selling out their country and the Christians of the Middle East to Muslim interests. Many work in the media promoting Muslim agitprop and disinformation.
Yes, the Armenian Genocide had happened and it is shame to the world that some people are still questioning it. It should be acknowledged and recognized.
Yes, there were also hundreds of thousands of Armenians who were forcefully displaced from Azerbaijan. And it is just as terrible and they also absolutely have to have a right to return.
And precisely because Armenians suffered so much injustice, I would expect you to have a little more sympathy for kids (described in the article) who are desperate and have no hope to get back home.
And yes, I surely do not represent the world. And I also hope that you three (full of hate people) do not represent Armenians either and there are less militant people along you.
I want to apologize for reffering to anyone as ‘full of hate people’. I got triggered by the tone of the responses, but I surely had no right to imply that I know how you feel. Please accept my apologies
Dear George,
Please tell me where exactly you see hate in our posts? And who said we have no sympathy for kids? I have more sympathy for them than their own government who has all the means to give them a better life but no desire, unfortunately.
Calling a spade a spade is not hate. To the Turks and Azeris the truth is hate. Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh must have defensible borders. Allowing the return of Azeris to around Nagorno-Karabakh will comprimise its ability to defend itself. Does anyone remember the mass murder of Armenians in Baku in the 1990’s?
George,
When I posted my reply, yours was not there yet. Sorry. I am happy to hear that we do not exude hate. We should never be driven by it no matter how hurt we feel.
Dear Gina,
do you really not see any racism, chauvinism, sexism and all other kind of isms in what is written in these comments? “…They are whores, selling out … the Christians …to Muslim interests…” Are we iving in times of crusades? Is ‘whore’ an acceptable term for you to describe a journalist with whom you disagree? I am not defending the journalist, I am questioning the the use of the word ‘whore’ as unspeakably sexist. I am also questioning the standards of Armenian Weekly who states that it will not tolerate insults, but I guess considers ‘whore’ to be an acceptable word.
Or some of the other comments: yes, ethnically cleansing Armenians is terrible. But how does that make ethnically cleansing Azeris good? Since when do the ‘defensible borders’ justify ethnic cleansing of hundreds of thousands of people?
Sorry George, but notwithstanding your belated apology, your initial gut-reaction – [“ you three (full of hate people) “ ] – clearly shows your Pro-Azeri, Pro-Turkish, and Anti-Armenian bias.
By “you three” I assume you mean me, Arius, and Gina. Others can judge whether anything I said in my original post was hateful or not.
But I re-read Arius’s and Gina’s posts: I don’t see anything hateful in there. Do you ? please paste the offending sentence: let’s see and discuss it.
You heart aches for the Azeri children: that’s very commendable. But have you considered this: the reason there are so many Azeri children today for you to see and feel sympathy for is that Armenian troops allowed Azeri civilians to leave unmolested. Every village and town that Armenian troops surrounded on three sides, they always, ALWAYS, left an open corridor and gave plenty of time for the civilians to leave unharmed. And among those troops were many fathers whose families were massacred in Sumgait and Baku. Whose wives and daughters were gang-raped, tortured, murdered, mutilated…their…cut-off. Oh yeah…Armenians are militant people.
The reason you don’t see Armenian kids to feel sympathy for is because their potential parents were massacred: out of sight, out of mind.
Read what Azeris did when they re-occupied Maragha village. Read about Operation Koltso (Ring).
Kids living in squalor ? Then please comment on Gina’s statement: [“….than their own government who has all the means to give them a better life but no desire,”].
Please comment on this: If Azerbaijan can spend US$ 3 Billion (with a B) in Y2011 – and similar amounts annually prior years – on offensive weaponry , why can’t it spend US $500 million one time, for example, to build brand new housing for all those little kids that you have a lot of empathy for ?
The truth is you don’t really care about the Azeri kids: if you did, you’d post one sentence – just one – about Aliyev’s deliberate neglect of his own people.
Baku is full of new shiny, useless, grandiose buildings, but there is no money to house Azeri IDPs ?
What you really want to see is Armenians disappear from Caucasus, where we have existed for 4,000-5,000 years.
Armenia has been reduced to 10% of its original size. There are barely 12 million Armenians worldwide. Azeris and Turks today, year 2011, are still trying to strangle and wipe out Republic of Armenia and Artsakh. Azeris still occupy our lands (e.g Nakhitchevan). Turks still occupy our lands. Turks still have not been made to pay for their Genocide of Armenians. What about our children that never had a chance to even become IDPs ? Azeris attempted a 2nd Genocide in 1989 in Artsakh: they failed.
We are done being massacred and exterminated. If that makes me a militant, then I wear the badge with pride.
So George, answer a question for me. Given a people A whos children are being abused by people A, is it the responsibility of people B to take care of the children of people A? Consider that people A in a previous war indiscriminately fired rockets and killed children of people B.
I’m new here, basically just browsing, when this topic caught my attention. After reading the article, and then reading the comments, I’m surprised at the unyielding biasness of many of the commentors. There is indeed some hate in the tones of some of these posts. I tried to be neutral, but after reading these comments, I’m not so sure that I can fully support some of your claims. Certainly not any way for you people to win others over to your side!
Armenian Defense Forces need to demonstrate that they are ready to liberate Nakhichevan and put Baku under siege as soon as Azerbaijan resumes hostilities.
George, stop looking for cheap arguments! no one called the author a whore! it is blatantly clear that the ny times is being called a ‘whore’ for defending azeri interests. the article is clearly and blatantly biased. deal with it!
As the Azeri leaders make their demands of Armenians (blaming the Armenians for causing the Azeri citizens to live in poverty). Yet, sadly, it is interesting that these same Azeri citizens do not realize that it is their own Azeri government leaders have been buying villas and mansions across the world -for themselves – while Azeri citizens are destitute. Today, where is all the Azeri OIL monies from natural resource Azerbaijan, which belongs to ALL Azeris citizens – being spent/used? Too, the leaders mislead their own citizens and blame the Armenians for all their own leaders have been ‘stealing’ from ALL the Azeri citizens! Monies from OIL of Azerbaijan has not benefitted the citizens of Azerbaijan… only their own leaders enjoy the benefits of the OIL of the nation of Azerbaijan. Sadly.
Azeris should question where their own natural asset, the monies from all the OIL are being spent by their leaders… and none reaches all the citizens of Azerbaijan!
New homes, villas, mansions are being bought across the world… while the Azeri
citizens are deprived and badly used by their own leaders… I read even w/o toilets!!
George, where is all the OIL monies being spent by your leaders (on their villas and mansions across the world) while the citizens of Azerbaijan are being mislead and using the Armenians – to be blamed – for their own sad conditions, while the Azeri citizens should examine their own leaders use of their own OIL monies.
Kevin, for starters, learn where the leaders of Azerbaijan are using their OIL monies (villas, mansions across the world, etc.) while their Azeri citizens are deprived and needing these monies from their own natural resource. Too, depriving their own citizens these same leaders direct venom against the Armenians, too, blaming the Armenians for the condition of their own Azeri citizenry…
Kevin, thanks for your interest in the issue of Genocides… ongoing/unending on our planet…. for a while. But do find my response addressed to you – which appears below.
Ms Ellen Berry…and Mr 5%
Ms berry
Who is appointed in the New York Times
To insult Armenians
And tell them you are criminals…
What can we expect more
She…Who doesn’t know any thing
About Armenians’ background…
She should have passed exams
On a subject called ‘Genocides’
Before accepting her childish…gossiping article
in a respected place
She should have studied
About Adari’s and
How criminal they are
Even they fight with old grave stones
As…they just recently vanished 1000′ Khatchkars
And many old churches…monuments…
Confiscating all Armenian wealth
Throwing real Armenians who made them humans
Does she know
How much the Armenian suffered since 1915
To earn dignified bread?
Who was the editor
Who accepted the foolish article
Which any 15 year student can collect
The information on the phone…write and publish
With out arriving there….
Who is she to insult Armenian Artfulness…!
Respected every where
From Bedouin till Alaskan dawns
Let her know…who was He
Who found the oil for Baku
To make them wealthy
Able to buy weapons
And slay honest Armenian race
Does she know who was He?
He was the philanthropist Calouste Gulbenkian
His nickname was Mr 5%….!
That is his real name Ms. Berry…!
Sylva-MD-Poetry
June 3, 2011
Written instantly
__________________________
Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian (Armenian: Գալուստ Սարգիս Կիւլպէնկեան) (23 March 1869–20 July 1955) was an Armenian businessman and philanthropist. He played a major role in making the petroleum reserves of the Middle East available to Western development. By the end of his life he had become one of the world’s wealthiest individuals and his art acquisitions considered one of the greatest private collections.[1][2]
Biography
Calouste Gulbenkian was born in Üsküdar, in Constantinople (now Istanbul), Turkey, the son of an Armenian oil importer/exporter. His father sent him to be educated at King’s College London, where he studied petroleum engineering, and then to examine the Russian oil industry at Baku. While still in his twenties he lived in London arranging deals in the oil business. After becoming a naturalized British citizen in 1902, he was involved in arranging the 1907 merger resulting inRoyal Dutch/Shell and emerged from that effort as a major shareholder. His habit of retaining five per cent of the shares of the oil companies he developed earned him the nickname “Mr. Five Percent”.[3]
I’m a non-Armenian who read the article in the NYT and was very dismayed about the tone used by the Ellen Barry. It was one of the most completely biased hit pieces I’ve ever read. My sympathies to Armenians if they have had to deal with this yellow journalism like this before.
What troubled me most was that the author seems to validate the use of child soldiers, death squads, war, etc. It also neglected to explain why there was a conflict in the first place.
Bottom line, If I were Armenian, I would rather be safe, secure, alive, than have to be massacred to be afforded the world’s “empathy”. Crocodile tears are good for no one.
The expression ‘Media Whore’ is uttered every day on public airwaves: listen to KFI640 AM radio in the Los Angeles area sometime – you’ll hear the expression every day. Public airwaves have very strict rules about the 7-banned words: ‘whore’ is not one of them.
ArmenianWeekly is a fine publication: if allowing the word ‘whore’ in their Comments section is the worst you can find with it, then they are doing just great. Everything that has the word ‘Armenian’ in it causes discomfort in you, doesn’t it ?
‘Ethnically cleansing’: in a society where there is Law and Order, you get the Sheriff or the Marshall to enforce the law, enforce court orders against Unlawful Detainer, and forcibly remove people who have entered your house – who had previously ejected you from your own house at gunpoint.
In a World where counties and people still claim the Armenian Genocide never happened, and there is NO punishment for the Genocide of Armenians, what are Armenians expected to do ? keep dying off so that a few people will have ‘sympathy’ ? No Thank You.
The lands which ‘Azeris’ had illegally occupied were previously ethnically cleansed of their original inhabitant Armenians by ‘Azeri’ Tatar invaders: how is it that particular ‘ethnic cleansing’ is OK with you guys ? I know, because Armenians should be ethnically cleansed: it is their lot in life; it’s normal.
What do you want Armenians to do: just keep being massacred and exterminated ? Why ? Who or what decided that Armenians are sub-human and can be exterminated at will and with no consequence ?
Kevin said: I’m surprised at the unyielding biasness of many of the commentors.
Kevin, why are you not surprised at the unyielding biasness of the article? If you are not familiar with the issue then you should take time to familiarize yourself before judging our comments.
Part of the timing might be explained by looking at the following article Arab Spring at Azerbaijan’s Door: (http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=55201)
“Campaigners are asking the Azerbaijan government to introduce radical reforms early to avoid a popular uprising sweeping the Arab world.”
[…]
“‘The majority of the enlightened population is outraged by the systematically falsified elections, absence of freedom of thought and assembly, opposition activists being held as political prisoners, beating and harassment of journalists, politically dependent and corrupt courts, and absence of rule of law,’ Dr. Leila Alieva, who heads the Baku-based think tank Center for National and International Studies told IPS.”
[…]
“Despite its oil wealth, the majority live in abject poverty. Official salaries are unrealistically low, says Alieva, and the education sector and health system are almost collapsing under increasing demands for bribes. But not unlike Libya, the oil and gas resources allow the government to buy political and social support.”
So the ruling junta could “introduce radical reforms”: have free elections, allow freedom of speech, and stop stealing. Or they could get the NYT to help distract people.