Νέα Υόρκη- Η Ομογένεια της Νέας Υόρκης δίνει άλλη διάσταση στο θέμα των Σκοπίων με ενδιαφέρον – για πρώτη φορά από όλους τους Έλληνες – για τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα 250 χιλιάδων συμπατριωτών μας που ζουν στα Σκόπια! Και προχωρεί σε συγκέντρωση - διαδήλωση διαμαρτυρίας στην έδρα του ΟΗΕ, στη Νέα Υόρκη, για την καταπίεση των ανθρωπίνων δικαιωμάτων της ελληνικής μειονότητας των Σκοπίων καλώντας τον Ελληνισμό της Νέας Υόρκης, ο «Συνασπισμός για τα Ανθρώπινα Δικαιώματα των Ελλήνων», την Δευτέρα 27 Οκτωβρίου! Παράλληλα, καλούνται τα μέλη της Ελληνικής Ομογένειας σε κινητοποίηση και δράση, με έγγραφα και τηλεφωνικά διαβήματα ενημέρωσης και διαμαρτυρίας στο αρμόδιο τμήμα του Στέιτ Ντηπάρτμεντ, για τη διαπραττόμενη από το καθεστώς των Σκοπίων πολιτιστική γενοκτονία σε βάρος της ελληνικής μειονότητας στη γειτονική χώρα!
Read Full Article Here
The Greek Community in the U.S. to Hold Protest on Rights of Greeks in FYROM
New York- The Greek community in New York has given a novel dimension to the Skopje issue and is the first to do so. The “Coalition for the Human Rights of Greeks” is planning a protest march outside the UN on October 27th to draw attention to violations of human rights against 250,000 Greeks living in FYROM. All members of the Greek communities are urged to participate in the protest or to send letters on the cultural genocide perpetrated against the Greek minority in FYROM. The organizers of the protest are drawing attention to documented violations of human rights and cultural genocide against Greeks living in FYROM and focus on the case of former residents of Monastiri who no longer have the right to congregate and associate. These prohibitions are clear violations of the UN Declaration of Human Rights and mostly of the right to ethnicity.
Read Full English Article Here
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
Do not forget Hellenism! For Hellenism has not forgotten you!
By Ioannis Fidanakis
In less than a month’s time, patriots from around the metropolitan area will descend on the United States’ Mission to the United Nations, under the banner of Hellenic Human Rights, in hopes to bring International attention to the suffering of Hellenes living under the oppressive regime of Skopje. This mass rally will be the first of its kind in response towards the racist government of Skopje, with its revisionist tactics, that for years have been violating the human rights of its indigenous minorities, in attempts to fully remove the Hellenic presences inside its borders. This injustice is clearly an act of cultural genocide against those living within this oppressive state’s borders. For years the government of Skopje has worked to not only rewrite the very history of the Balkans by stealing pieces of Hellenic and Bulgarian history in order to create a warped ethnic consciousness for themselves, but has also worked to stamp out any signs of Hellenic, Bulgarian, and Albanian national feeling within their borders.
Many have said why do we Hellenes care so much over a name? That history is just that, history and that our objections over the name issue are simply bad business in an economically motivated world. That we live in the age of globalization, working towards a common goal, a united Europe. To this I say it is more than a name, more then just history or even economics. It is about a systematic attack on the Hellenic ethnic consciousness and very identity. An attempt to change what it means to be a Hellene. An assault that originated from Communist ideology that no longer manifests itself as purely an ideological tool for domination of the Balkan Peninsula, but rather now takes on an artificial ethnic racism, as millions of brainwashed Bulgarians now fanatically believe that they are Macedonians and attempt to rewrite history and erase all signs of the Hellenic characteristic of Macedonia.
Today 250,000 true ethnic Macedonians live under Skopje-Bulgarian tyranny, denied the right to a Hellenic consciousness, the freedom to speak the Hellenic language, and other basic human rights. To those living in the historically Hellenic area around Monastiri, I say to you Hellenes, Do not forget Hellenism, because Hellenism has not forgotten you! No matter what foreign pressures may want the world to think, Macedonia is and will always remain the very soul of Hellenism. Your years of living in fear of entire annihilation are at an end. As true patriots mobilize to make your story known to the whole world!
To the government of Skopje – your oppressive tactics against not only Hellenes, but Bulgarians, Albanians, Gypsies, and all ethnic minority’s that refuse to bend to your Stalinist attempts to change the very make up of the former Yugoslavian province of Vardaska, are at an end. We do not forget the long history of cultural genocide that previous governments in Skopje have committed against Hellenism, like the abduction of 28,000 Hellenic children that were taken to Skopje and raised under the false national consciousness that you have created. The years of your state sponsored discrimination and revisionist propaganda will no longer be tolerated by the civilized world.
With this said, I hope to see all patriots of Hellenism turn out to protest on October 27th, for the immediate investigation of the Skopje-Bulgarian government’s racist practices against its Hellenic minority, and push for this matter to be publicized in the annual Country report on Human rights Practices in FYROM.
In less than a month’s time, patriots from around the metropolitan area will descend on the United States’ Mission to the United Nations, under the banner of Hellenic Human Rights, in hopes to bring International attention to the suffering of Hellenes living under the oppressive regime of Skopje. This mass rally will be the first of its kind in response towards the racist government of Skopje, with its revisionist tactics, that for years have been violating the human rights of its indigenous minorities, in attempts to fully remove the Hellenic presences inside its borders. This injustice is clearly an act of cultural genocide against those living within this oppressive state’s borders. For years the government of Skopje has worked to not only rewrite the very history of the Balkans by stealing pieces of Hellenic and Bulgarian history in order to create a warped ethnic consciousness for themselves, but has also worked to stamp out any signs of Hellenic, Bulgarian, and Albanian national feeling within their borders.
Many have said why do we Hellenes care so much over a name? That history is just that, history and that our objections over the name issue are simply bad business in an economically motivated world. That we live in the age of globalization, working towards a common goal, a united Europe. To this I say it is more than a name, more then just history or even economics. It is about a systematic attack on the Hellenic ethnic consciousness and very identity. An attempt to change what it means to be a Hellene. An assault that originated from Communist ideology that no longer manifests itself as purely an ideological tool for domination of the Balkan Peninsula, but rather now takes on an artificial ethnic racism, as millions of brainwashed Bulgarians now fanatically believe that they are Macedonians and attempt to rewrite history and erase all signs of the Hellenic characteristic of Macedonia.
Today 250,000 true ethnic Macedonians live under Skopje-Bulgarian tyranny, denied the right to a Hellenic consciousness, the freedom to speak the Hellenic language, and other basic human rights. To those living in the historically Hellenic area around Monastiri, I say to you Hellenes, Do not forget Hellenism, because Hellenism has not forgotten you! No matter what foreign pressures may want the world to think, Macedonia is and will always remain the very soul of Hellenism. Your years of living in fear of entire annihilation are at an end. As true patriots mobilize to make your story known to the whole world!
To the government of Skopje – your oppressive tactics against not only Hellenes, but Bulgarians, Albanians, Gypsies, and all ethnic minority’s that refuse to bend to your Stalinist attempts to change the very make up of the former Yugoslavian province of Vardaska, are at an end. We do not forget the long history of cultural genocide that previous governments in Skopje have committed against Hellenism, like the abduction of 28,000 Hellenic children that were taken to Skopje and raised under the false national consciousness that you have created. The years of your state sponsored discrimination and revisionist propaganda will no longer be tolerated by the civilized world.
With this said, I hope to see all patriots of Hellenism turn out to protest on October 27th, for the immediate investigation of the Skopje-Bulgarian government’s racist practices against its Hellenic minority, and push for this matter to be publicized in the annual Country report on Human rights Practices in FYROM.
New York: Greek Political Establishment Gives Up on Macedonia Name Issue
For Immediate Release: September 28, 2008
Contact: Nikolaos Taneris, New York, Tel. 1-917-699-9935
NEW YORK—The Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) was informed by top
community leaders in New York, that following a series of meetings and
interviews with the Greek political ruling class in town this past week for the
meeting of the UN general assembly, it became apparent that New Democracy and
the Hellenic Foreign Ministry led by Ms. Dora Bakoyiannis, and PASOK led by
George Papandreou (junior) bow to US State Department “pressure” and agree to
a “geographical name” for the Macedonia name issue, meaning the Greek political
establishment is now promoting the name “Upper Macedonia” or “Northern
Macedonia” for Skopje.
The US State Department assigned Matthew Nimetz to his present role as “UN
envoy” to cover the Macedonia name issue, previously this same Nimetz was
assigned as an envoy to cover Cyprus. An unspoken characterization about the
Greece desk or Aegean desk in the US State Department is that “Greeks are easy”
and are “pushovers.” The unelected civil servants working in the US State
Department eagerly seek out working on the Greece desk, which is used as
springboard for lucrative positions in private sector public relations
activities. As the record with former US State Department employee Nicholas
Burns shows, US State Department officials are typically dealt with obsequiously
by the Greek diplomatic corps and political establishment and their allies in
the diaspora. The strong Turkish influence and penetration of the US State
Department in recent decades plays a definite role, in inspiring the ideology of
the Department for the region.
Giving up on the Macedonia name issue, means that the Greek political
establishment is now at odds with historical truth. They are pandering to false
historical revisionism by assigning an official name that belongs only to
Hellenes and to the Hellenic epic history to the Skopje government representing
the majority Slavophone cultures or ways of life in the Vardarska Republika
surrounding the Balkan city of Skopje.
Many are convinced that the Hellenic foreign ministry is agreeing to a
“geographical name” so as to seem agreeable and compromising to US State
Department “pressure”, and are counting on the ultranationalist “TIVO”
government of Mr. Gruevski in Skopje to reject the “geographical name”, so that
the Hellenic Foreign Ministry can walk away, with no compromise, yet appear to
be compromising.
Hellenic ideals of truth, historical or otherwise, are in the balance. The Greek
political establishment if appearing to accept, in sincerity or in bluff, a name
for an identity that belongs to the Hellenes, is an act that fails us all.
CANA grassroots you tube channel ( www.youtube.com/user/CANAgrassroots ),
managed to capture a live interview between the President of the Pan-Macedonians
USA Ms. Nina Gatzoulis and PASOK president Mr. George Papandreou (junior), Ms.
Gatzoulis informs George (junior) that Mr. Nimetz takes pro-Skopjian stances and
also tells George (junior) that Obama supports that Macedonia is a Hellenic
heritage and asks his position on the Macedonia name issue, George (junior)
replies that he supports a “geographical name”, Ms. Gatzoulis says this appears
to be the party line of all parties with the exception of LAOS party (Popular
Orthodox Rally a minor party) and George (junior) replies “I don’t agree with
LAOS” and then George (junior) steers clear away from Ms. Gatzoulis. SEE our
CANAgrassroots you tube video, PRESIDENT OF PAN MACEDONIANS GRILLS PAPANDREOU:
URL :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP2KVLsN_tE
####
========================
Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA)
2578 Broadway #132
New York, NY 10025
New York: Tel. 917-699-9935
Email: cana@cyprusactionnetwork.org
www.cyprusactionnetwork.org
========================
The Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) is a grass-roots, not-for-profit
movement created to support genuine self-determination and human rights for the
people of Cyprus.
You may post any CANA article, press release or action alert on the internet as
long as you credit CANA and the author(s)
Contact: Nikolaos Taneris, New York, Tel. 1-917-699-9935
NEW YORK—The Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) was informed by top
community leaders in New York, that following a series of meetings and
interviews with the Greek political ruling class in town this past week for the
meeting of the UN general assembly, it became apparent that New Democracy and
the Hellenic Foreign Ministry led by Ms. Dora Bakoyiannis, and PASOK led by
George Papandreou (junior) bow to US State Department “pressure” and agree to
a “geographical name” for the Macedonia name issue, meaning the Greek political
establishment is now promoting the name “Upper Macedonia” or “Northern
Macedonia” for Skopje.
The US State Department assigned Matthew Nimetz to his present role as “UN
envoy” to cover the Macedonia name issue, previously this same Nimetz was
assigned as an envoy to cover Cyprus. An unspoken characterization about the
Greece desk or Aegean desk in the US State Department is that “Greeks are easy”
and are “pushovers.” The unelected civil servants working in the US State
Department eagerly seek out working on the Greece desk, which is used as
springboard for lucrative positions in private sector public relations
activities. As the record with former US State Department employee Nicholas
Burns shows, US State Department officials are typically dealt with obsequiously
by the Greek diplomatic corps and political establishment and their allies in
the diaspora. The strong Turkish influence and penetration of the US State
Department in recent decades plays a definite role, in inspiring the ideology of
the Department for the region.
Giving up on the Macedonia name issue, means that the Greek political
establishment is now at odds with historical truth. They are pandering to false
historical revisionism by assigning an official name that belongs only to
Hellenes and to the Hellenic epic history to the Skopje government representing
the majority Slavophone cultures or ways of life in the Vardarska Republika
surrounding the Balkan city of Skopje.
Many are convinced that the Hellenic foreign ministry is agreeing to a
“geographical name” so as to seem agreeable and compromising to US State
Department “pressure”, and are counting on the ultranationalist “TIVO”
government of Mr. Gruevski in Skopje to reject the “geographical name”, so that
the Hellenic Foreign Ministry can walk away, with no compromise, yet appear to
be compromising.
Hellenic ideals of truth, historical or otherwise, are in the balance. The Greek
political establishment if appearing to accept, in sincerity or in bluff, a name
for an identity that belongs to the Hellenes, is an act that fails us all.
CANA grassroots you tube channel ( www.youtube.com/user/CANAgrassroots ),
managed to capture a live interview between the President of the Pan-Macedonians
USA Ms. Nina Gatzoulis and PASOK president Mr. George Papandreou (junior), Ms.
Gatzoulis informs George (junior) that Mr. Nimetz takes pro-Skopjian stances and
also tells George (junior) that Obama supports that Macedonia is a Hellenic
heritage and asks his position on the Macedonia name issue, George (junior)
replies that he supports a “geographical name”, Ms. Gatzoulis says this appears
to be the party line of all parties with the exception of LAOS party (Popular
Orthodox Rally a minor party) and George (junior) replies “I don’t agree with
LAOS” and then George (junior) steers clear away from Ms. Gatzoulis. SEE our
CANAgrassroots you tube video, PRESIDENT OF PAN MACEDONIANS GRILLS PAPANDREOU:
URL :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP2KVLsN_tE
####
========================
Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA)
2578 Broadway #132
New York, NY 10025
New York: Tel. 917-699-9935
Email: cana@cyprusactionnetwork.org
www.cyprusactionnetwork.org
========================
The Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) is a grass-roots, not-for-profit
movement created to support genuine self-determination and human rights for the
people of Cyprus.
You may post any CANA article, press release or action alert on the internet as
long as you credit CANA and the author(s)
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Voters are ready for accountability
By JOHN PSAROPOULOS
FRIDAY , 19 SEPTEMBER 2008
No. 13305
Greece has suffered from such an unusual level of scandal in high office that it has demoralised voters and imperilled the two-party system in force since the restoration of democracy in 1975. Opinion polls throughout this year have shown falling levels of support for the ruling New Democracy conservatives, without this being - until recently - a gain for the opposition socialist Pasok party.
Read Full Article Here
FRIDAY , 19 SEPTEMBER 2008
No. 13305
Greece has suffered from such an unusual level of scandal in high office that it has demoralised voters and imperilled the two-party system in force since the restoration of democracy in 1975. Opinion polls throughout this year have shown falling levels of support for the ruling New Democracy conservatives, without this being - until recently - a gain for the opposition socialist Pasok party.
Read Full Article Here
Final conviction of Eleftheros Cosmos
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Press Release from The Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece
Following their conviction at first instance, the editor of the far-right Greek weekly “Eleftheros Cosmos” Dimitris Zafeiropoulos and journalist Theodoros Hatzigogos were tried on 18 September 2008 on appeal before a Three-Member Court of Appeals of Athens, and were unanimously sentenced to imprisonment for 5 months (with a three-year suspension) for anti-semitism (violation of Law 927/1979 against racism), for the article published in the newspaper’s 12 March 2006 issue, which stated : “Thank God, not even 1,500 Jews are left in Thessaloniki ...”.
Read Full Article Here
I guess freedom of speech in Hellas is slowly dying
Press Release from The Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece
Following their conviction at first instance, the editor of the far-right Greek weekly “Eleftheros Cosmos” Dimitris Zafeiropoulos and journalist Theodoros Hatzigogos were tried on 18 September 2008 on appeal before a Three-Member Court of Appeals of Athens, and were unanimously sentenced to imprisonment for 5 months (with a three-year suspension) for anti-semitism (violation of Law 927/1979 against racism), for the article published in the newspaper’s 12 March 2006 issue, which stated : “Thank God, not even 1,500 Jews are left in Thessaloniki ...”.
Read Full Article Here
I guess freedom of speech in Hellas is slowly dying
Youth, 16, found guilty of stabbing murder of 14-year-old boy
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 9:00 PM on 11th July 2008
...Mr Morgan and his girlfriend rang 999 and, in a tape recording played to the jury, told the operator: 'There is a white guy and a massive group of black guys who are kicking the crap out of him.'...
Read Full Article Here
Last updated at 9:00 PM on 11th July 2008
...Mr Morgan and his girlfriend rang 999 and, in a tape recording played to the jury, told the operator: 'There is a white guy and a massive group of black guys who are kicking the crap out of him.'...
Read Full Article Here
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Slavi Trifonov's comment about the propaganda&lies in FYROM
"This was shown on TV and millions of people saw it. I translated it into English so that the foreigners can understand it. Slavi Trifonov's comment about the lies and propaganda by newspapers and television in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia! In Macedonia there are no historians, but romanists - they think out historical facts or steal history from Bulgarians and Greeks... Of course don't forget - these people are very few, and the majority of the Macedonians love Bulgaria and know their Bulgarian origin!!!"
Friday, September 26, 2008
Humanitarian Imperialism
The New Doctrine of Imperial Right
Noam Chomsky
September 2008
...It was replaced by Turkey, then conducting some of the worst atrocities of the 1990s, targeting its harshly oppressed Kurdish population. Tens of thousands were killed, 3,500 towns and villages were destroyed, huge numbers of refugees fled (three million, according to analyses by Kurdish human rights organizations), large areas were laid waste, dissidents were imprisoned, hideous torture and other atrocities were standard fare. Clinton provided 80 percent of the needed arms, including high-tech equipment used for savage crimes. In the single year 1997, Clinton sent more military aid to Turkey than in the entire Cold War period combined before the counterinsurgency campaign began. Media and commentary remained silent, with the rarest of exceptions...
Read Full Article Here
Noam Chomsky
September 2008
...It was replaced by Turkey, then conducting some of the worst atrocities of the 1990s, targeting its harshly oppressed Kurdish population. Tens of thousands were killed, 3,500 towns and villages were destroyed, huge numbers of refugees fled (three million, according to analyses by Kurdish human rights organizations), large areas were laid waste, dissidents were imprisoned, hideous torture and other atrocities were standard fare. Clinton provided 80 percent of the needed arms, including high-tech equipment used for savage crimes. In the single year 1997, Clinton sent more military aid to Turkey than in the entire Cold War period combined before the counterinsurgency campaign began. Media and commentary remained silent, with the rarest of exceptions...
Read Full Article Here
Joe Biden: A Realist Cold War Liberal
Wednesday, 03 September 2008 13:
Joe Biden was selected as Barack Obama's vice presidential candidate largely because of his expertise in foreign policy. Traditionally, in U.S. politics, Dick Cheney-like strong vice presidents are exception, not the rule.
It is wiser to focus on Obama's foreign policy outlook rather than Biden's, which would benefit Turkey in the long run with its realistic tendencies. Biden's voting pattern, as it is displayed in three different issues (Cyprus-Armenian Issue-Iraq) does not seem friendly to the Turkish position.
However, Biden as a statesman would not create extra problems for Turkey at the expense of U.S national interests. In all of these issues, the person that should be watched carefully is Obama, not Biden. Spending more energy to analyze Obama's geopolitical priorities can benefit Turkey in the long run.
Read Full Article Here
Joe Biden was selected as Barack Obama's vice presidential candidate largely because of his expertise in foreign policy. Traditionally, in U.S. politics, Dick Cheney-like strong vice presidents are exception, not the rule.
It is wiser to focus on Obama's foreign policy outlook rather than Biden's, which would benefit Turkey in the long run with its realistic tendencies. Biden's voting pattern, as it is displayed in three different issues (Cyprus-Armenian Issue-Iraq) does not seem friendly to the Turkish position.
However, Biden as a statesman would not create extra problems for Turkey at the expense of U.S national interests. In all of these issues, the person that should be watched carefully is Obama, not Biden. Spending more energy to analyze Obama's geopolitical priorities can benefit Turkey in the long run.
Read Full Article Here
Ecumenical Patriarch: Turkey, Cyprus, Halki and Dialogue
24 Σεπ 2008 19:14:00
Sources: ANA, Associated Press
At today's Press Conference Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew referred to Turkey, Cyprus, Halki, the Ecumenical Patriarchate's problems and his support to dialogue among religions and cultures. Mr Barholomew urged the European Union to take on Turkey as a member if it improves democratic and human rights standards.
"Europe needs to bring Turkey into its project," Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I told the European Parliament.
Read Full Article Here
Sources: ANA, Associated Press
At today's Press Conference Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew referred to Turkey, Cyprus, Halki, the Ecumenical Patriarchate's problems and his support to dialogue among religions and cultures. Mr Barholomew urged the European Union to take on Turkey as a member if it improves democratic and human rights standards.
"Europe needs to bring Turkey into its project," Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I told the European Parliament.
Read Full Article Here
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Lawsuit filed Against US National Archives To Obtain Documentation On Armenian Genocide
Los Angeles, Calif.--A civil action against the National Archives and Records Administration of the United States was filed yesterday seeking documents as they relate to the Armenian Genocide (1914 to 1925). (Vartkes Yeghiayan v. National Archives and Records Administration of the United States of America, Case No. CV08-16248, U.S. District Court, Central District of Calif., Sept. 23, 2008).
"Repeated efforts have been made to procure these documents, but the National Archives has been non-responsive," says Mark MacCarley, partner with Glendale, Calif.-based MacCarley & Rosen who is representing plaintiff Vartkes Yeghiayan. "Its actions are in violation of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)."
The initial request by Yeghiayan occurred in April 2006. "The National Archives acknowledged receipt of the request, but has not provided the information despite repeated inquires from my client," says MacCarley. "The National Archives, without explanation, has exceeded the generally applicable 20-day deadline for processing FOIA requests. We simply want the requested documentation."
Yeghiayan is an attorney who has successfully litigated lawsuits in State and Federal courts against U.S. and foreign businesses for Armenian Genocide asset restitution. More than 1.5 million Armenians were killed during the genocide with millions more deported from the Ottoman Empire (now Turkey). Yeghiayan filed the FOIA request because he believes documents are being held by the U.S. government that would identify countries having either direct complicity in the Armenian Genocide or profited by the Ottoman Turks actions against Armenians.
"This lawsuit is on behalf of Armenian-Americans who are seeking documentation and information that could shed light on what happened to their loved ones during the Armenian Genocide,” says Yeghiayan.
###
Contacts:
Mark MacCarley
MacCarley & Rosen, PLC
818-241-5800
maccarle@ix.netcom.com
Diane Zakian Rumbaugh
Rumbaugh Public Relations
805-493-2877
rumbaugh@earthlink.net
"Repeated efforts have been made to procure these documents, but the National Archives has been non-responsive," says Mark MacCarley, partner with Glendale, Calif.-based MacCarley & Rosen who is representing plaintiff Vartkes Yeghiayan. "Its actions are in violation of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)."
The initial request by Yeghiayan occurred in April 2006. "The National Archives acknowledged receipt of the request, but has not provided the information despite repeated inquires from my client," says MacCarley. "The National Archives, without explanation, has exceeded the generally applicable 20-day deadline for processing FOIA requests. We simply want the requested documentation."
Yeghiayan is an attorney who has successfully litigated lawsuits in State and Federal courts against U.S. and foreign businesses for Armenian Genocide asset restitution. More than 1.5 million Armenians were killed during the genocide with millions more deported from the Ottoman Empire (now Turkey). Yeghiayan filed the FOIA request because he believes documents are being held by the U.S. government that would identify countries having either direct complicity in the Armenian Genocide or profited by the Ottoman Turks actions against Armenians.
"This lawsuit is on behalf of Armenian-Americans who are seeking documentation and information that could shed light on what happened to their loved ones during the Armenian Genocide,” says Yeghiayan.
###
Contacts:
Mark MacCarley
MacCarley & Rosen, PLC
818-241-5800
maccarle@ix.netcom.com
Diane Zakian Rumbaugh
Rumbaugh Public Relations
805-493-2877
rumbaugh@earthlink.net
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
URGENT: HELLENIC HUMAN RIGHTS ! STOP SKOPJE !
For Immediate Release: September 24th, 2008
Contact: Nikolaos Taneris, New York, Tel. 1-917-699-9935
NEW YORK--The Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) has launched the Hellenic
Human Rights coalition to Stop Skopje. Please act on the action alert to the US
State Departement below and send on to family, friends and colleagues.
Hellenic Human Rights is a coalition of grass-roots activists in New York City,
joining together in the struggle to save Hellenic people living under the Skopje
government.Join our Rally To Stop Skopje on Monday , October 27th at the Unites
States Mission to the United Nations.
Visit our campaign blog, www.hellenichumanrights.wordpress.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
URGENT: CALL ON THE STATE DEPARTMENT TO PROTEST THE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AND
CULTURAL GENOCIDE OF HELLENIC PEOPLE LIVING IN SKOPJE BY THE SKOPJE GOVERNMENT
Numerous reports in recent months indicate a rising atmosphere of anti-Hellenic
human rights violations and an atmosphere of racist oppression directed toward
the Hellenic minority living in the areas controlled by the Skopje government.
The Skopje government is guilty of human rights violations, cultural genocide
and ethnocide of Hellenic people.
Current Status
The historic Hellenic communties living in the Monastiri area , many of whom
are now dispersed thoroughout Skopje, have reportedly been denied the right to
declare themselves Hellenic nationals, the Hellenic people in Skopje have also
been denied freedom of assembly, and freedom of association by the Skopje
government. These are grave human rights violations as outlined in the UN
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, mainly the right to a nationality.
According to Article 15 of the the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
adopted and proclaimed by General Assembly resolution 217 A of 10 December
1948.
1. Everyone has the right to a nationality.
2. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the right
to change his nationality.
The country which the US State Department choses to recognise as “Macedonia” and
known throughout the region as Skopje, with the capital of its government in the
Balkan city named Skopje is denying the basic human right to nationality to the
250,000 Hellenic people living within its borders.
The continuing campaign by the Skopje government to deny the Hellenic identity
and Hellenic nationality to indigenous people is an act of cultural genocide and
should be publicly investigated and condemned by the US State Department
What You Can Do
Contact the State Department's human rights division.
By Mail:
David J. Kramer
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor
Assistant Secretary of State for
Democracy, Human Rights and Labor
U.S. Department of State
Harry S. Truman Building, 2201 C Street, NW, Room 7802, Washington, DC 20520
By Tel: (202) 647-1780
By Fax: (202) 647-5283
By Email: kramerdj@state.gov
(Send a note to cana@cyprusactionnetwork.org to tell us what actions you took.)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phone Script for Assistant Secretary Office - (202) 647-1780
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(The phone will be answered by a receptionist. As always, be firm, but polite.
Hostile comments will only undermine the message you are trying to deliver. Ask
to speak to a senior advisor to the Assistant Secretary. If a senior advisor is
not available to speak with you, ask to leave a message on their voice mail.)
Hello, my name is __________________.
I am calling to ask the State Department to publicly protest the Skopje
government's denial of Hellenic nationality for Hellenic people living in
Skopje.
Please look into this matter personally and publicly protest any violations of
human rights, directly with the Skopje government and in your annual human
rights country reports, and please include all findings in the (in
quotes)“MACEDONIA” country report due to be released in Februaury 2009.
Thank you for your time. I would appreciate learning of any action your office
takes on this matter, and would appreciate an investigation and proper report. I
can be contacted at the following address: __________________
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sample Letter to Assistant Secretary (Mail, Fax, or Email)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Honorable David J. Kramer
Assistant Secretary of State for
Democracy, Human Rights and Labor
Harry S. Truman Building, 2201 C Street, NW, Room 7802, Washington, DC 20520
Dear Assistant Secretary Kramer:
I am writing to ask the State Department to publicly protest the Skopje
government's human rights violations and cultural genocide of the Hellenic
people in “Macedonia”
According to the US State Dept “Promoting freedom and democracy and protecting
human rights around the world are central to U.S. foreign policy. The values
captured in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in other global and
regional commitments are consistent with the values upon which the United States
was founded centuries ago.”
(Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, URL: http://www.state.gov/g/drl/
)
The Skopje government has a long legacy of anti-Hellenic cultural genocide, the
previous Communist regime forcibly transferred Hellenic nationals, and prior to
this the pro-Nazi Skopje government forcibly occupied Hellenic land, forcibly
transferred Hellenic people, and targeted Hellenic people for massacres and
torture. All governments in Skopje, by use of force together with racist
propaganda and official racist discrimination , to this day have deprived the
Hellenic people of their integrity as a distinct people, by use of forcible
assimilation or integration by the majority Slavophone cultures or ways of life
imposed on them by legislative, administrative or other measures including
terror.
Article 7 of the United Nations Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples (26 August 1994) [4] uses the phrase "cultural genocide". The complete
article reads as follows:
Indigenous peoples have the collective and individual right not to be subjected
to ethnocide and cultural genocide, including prevention of and redress for:
(a) Any action which has the aim or effect of depriving them of their integrity
as distinct peoples, or of their cultural values or ethnic identities;
(b) Any action which has the aim or effect of dispossessing them of their lands,
territories or resources;
(c) Any form of population transfer which has the aim or effect of violating or
undermining any of their rights;
(d) Any form of assimilation or integration by other cultures or ways of life
imposed on them by legislative, administrative or other measures;
(e) Any form of propaganda directed against them.
The Skopje government is guilty of all of the above itemized sub-articles in
“MACEDONIA”.
Please help save the Hellenic people from cultural genocide by 1) immediately
investigating the Skopje government practice of denying Hellenic nationality to
Hellenic people 2) publicly protesting any violations of human rights, and; 3)
prominently addressing this matter in the annual "Country Reports on Human
Rights Practices," on “MACEDONIA” due to be released in February 2009.
Thank you for your attention to my concerns.
I look forward to hearing from you or your office in this regard.
Sincerely,
____________________________________
(Signature)
____________________________________
(Name)
____________________________________
(Address)
____________________________________
(City, State, Zip)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Background:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For more information visit:
NorthMacedonians.com/The Greek Community in FYROM http://northmacedonians.blogspot.com/
There are two cases which illustrate the regime's virulent anti-Greek stance -
denying even the existence of Greeks in the Former Yugoslav Republic of
Makedonija (FYROM).
Case 1: Papouli Family. The Papouli family are Greek-Vlachs in FYROM (SKOPJE)
who had their surname forcibly changed to Kostov. They petitioned the Skopjan
regime to change their name back to the original Greek, Papouli, which means
little-Grandfather in Greek. The regime refused their application on the basis
that it would "change their personal identity" and "obstruct legal procedures".
Case 2: Nikos Kostantinidis: An eyewitness video account of a Hellenic person
from Monastiri describing the official Skopje government policies of forcible
assimilation and denial of the right to Hellenic national identity. URL:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLfPoaQIeKM
####
========================
Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA)
2578 Broadway #132
New York, NY 10025
New York: Tel. 917-699-9935
Email: cana@cyprusactionnetwork.org
www.cyprusactionnetwork.org
========================
Contact: Nikolaos Taneris, New York, Tel. 1-917-699-9935
NEW YORK--The Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) has launched the Hellenic
Human Rights coalition to Stop Skopje. Please act on the action alert to the US
State Departement below and send on to family, friends and colleagues.
Hellenic Human Rights is a coalition of grass-roots activists in New York City,
joining together in the struggle to save Hellenic people living under the Skopje
government.Join our Rally To Stop Skopje on Monday , October 27th at the Unites
States Mission to the United Nations.
Visit our campaign blog, www.hellenichumanrights.wordpress.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
URGENT: CALL ON THE STATE DEPARTMENT TO PROTEST THE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AND
CULTURAL GENOCIDE OF HELLENIC PEOPLE LIVING IN SKOPJE BY THE SKOPJE GOVERNMENT
Numerous reports in recent months indicate a rising atmosphere of anti-Hellenic
human rights violations and an atmosphere of racist oppression directed toward
the Hellenic minority living in the areas controlled by the Skopje government.
The Skopje government is guilty of human rights violations, cultural genocide
and ethnocide of Hellenic people.
Current Status
The historic Hellenic communties living in the Monastiri area , many of whom
are now dispersed thoroughout Skopje, have reportedly been denied the right to
declare themselves Hellenic nationals, the Hellenic people in Skopje have also
been denied freedom of assembly, and freedom of association by the Skopje
government. These are grave human rights violations as outlined in the UN
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, mainly the right to a nationality.
According to Article 15 of the the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
adopted and proclaimed by General Assembly resolution 217 A of 10 December
1948.
1. Everyone has the right to a nationality.
2. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the right
to change his nationality.
The country which the US State Department choses to recognise as “Macedonia” and
known throughout the region as Skopje, with the capital of its government in the
Balkan city named Skopje is denying the basic human right to nationality to the
250,000 Hellenic people living within its borders.
The continuing campaign by the Skopje government to deny the Hellenic identity
and Hellenic nationality to indigenous people is an act of cultural genocide and
should be publicly investigated and condemned by the US State Department
What You Can Do
Contact the State Department's human rights division.
By Mail:
David J. Kramer
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor
Assistant Secretary of State for
Democracy, Human Rights and Labor
U.S. Department of State
Harry S. Truman Building, 2201 C Street, NW, Room 7802, Washington, DC 20520
By Tel: (202) 647-1780
By Fax: (202) 647-5283
By Email: kramerdj@state.gov
(Send a note to cana@cyprusactionnetwork.org to tell us what actions you took.)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phone Script for Assistant Secretary Office - (202) 647-1780
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(The phone will be answered by a receptionist. As always, be firm, but polite.
Hostile comments will only undermine the message you are trying to deliver. Ask
to speak to a senior advisor to the Assistant Secretary. If a senior advisor is
not available to speak with you, ask to leave a message on their voice mail.)
Hello, my name is __________________.
I am calling to ask the State Department to publicly protest the Skopje
government's denial of Hellenic nationality for Hellenic people living in
Skopje.
Please look into this matter personally and publicly protest any violations of
human rights, directly with the Skopje government and in your annual human
rights country reports, and please include all findings in the (in
quotes)“MACEDONIA” country report due to be released in Februaury 2009.
Thank you for your time. I would appreciate learning of any action your office
takes on this matter, and would appreciate an investigation and proper report. I
can be contacted at the following address: __________________
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sample Letter to Assistant Secretary (Mail, Fax, or Email)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Honorable David J. Kramer
Assistant Secretary of State for
Democracy, Human Rights and Labor
Harry S. Truman Building, 2201 C Street, NW, Room 7802, Washington, DC 20520
Dear Assistant Secretary Kramer:
I am writing to ask the State Department to publicly protest the Skopje
government's human rights violations and cultural genocide of the Hellenic
people in “Macedonia”
According to the US State Dept “Promoting freedom and democracy and protecting
human rights around the world are central to U.S. foreign policy. The values
captured in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in other global and
regional commitments are consistent with the values upon which the United States
was founded centuries ago.”
(Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, URL: http://www.state.gov/g/drl/
)
The Skopje government has a long legacy of anti-Hellenic cultural genocide, the
previous Communist regime forcibly transferred Hellenic nationals, and prior to
this the pro-Nazi Skopje government forcibly occupied Hellenic land, forcibly
transferred Hellenic people, and targeted Hellenic people for massacres and
torture. All governments in Skopje, by use of force together with racist
propaganda and official racist discrimination , to this day have deprived the
Hellenic people of their integrity as a distinct people, by use of forcible
assimilation or integration by the majority Slavophone cultures or ways of life
imposed on them by legislative, administrative or other measures including
terror.
Article 7 of the United Nations Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples (26 August 1994) [4] uses the phrase "cultural genocide". The complete
article reads as follows:
Indigenous peoples have the collective and individual right not to be subjected
to ethnocide and cultural genocide, including prevention of and redress for:
(a) Any action which has the aim or effect of depriving them of their integrity
as distinct peoples, or of their cultural values or ethnic identities;
(b) Any action which has the aim or effect of dispossessing them of their lands,
territories or resources;
(c) Any form of population transfer which has the aim or effect of violating or
undermining any of their rights;
(d) Any form of assimilation or integration by other cultures or ways of life
imposed on them by legislative, administrative or other measures;
(e) Any form of propaganda directed against them.
The Skopje government is guilty of all of the above itemized sub-articles in
“MACEDONIA”.
Please help save the Hellenic people from cultural genocide by 1) immediately
investigating the Skopje government practice of denying Hellenic nationality to
Hellenic people 2) publicly protesting any violations of human rights, and; 3)
prominently addressing this matter in the annual "Country Reports on Human
Rights Practices," on “MACEDONIA” due to be released in February 2009.
Thank you for your attention to my concerns.
I look forward to hearing from you or your office in this regard.
Sincerely,
____________________________________
(Signature)
____________________________________
(Name)
____________________________________
(Address)
____________________________________
(City, State, Zip)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Background:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For more information visit:
NorthMacedonians.com/The Greek Community in FYROM http://northmacedonians.blogspot.com/
There are two cases which illustrate the regime's virulent anti-Greek stance -
denying even the existence of Greeks in the Former Yugoslav Republic of
Makedonija (FYROM).
Case 1: Papouli Family. The Papouli family are Greek-Vlachs in FYROM (SKOPJE)
who had their surname forcibly changed to Kostov. They petitioned the Skopjan
regime to change their name back to the original Greek, Papouli, which means
little-Grandfather in Greek. The regime refused their application on the basis
that it would "change their personal identity" and "obstruct legal procedures".
Case 2: Nikos Kostantinidis: An eyewitness video account of a Hellenic person
from Monastiri describing the official Skopje government policies of forcible
assimilation and denial of the right to Hellenic national identity. URL:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLfPoaQIeKM
####
========================
Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA)
2578 Broadway #132
New York, NY 10025
New York: Tel. 917-699-9935
Email: cana@cyprusactionnetwork.org
www.cyprusactionnetwork.org
========================
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
MENENDEZ/SNOWE: Macedonian quandary
Bob Menendez and Olympia Snowe
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
COMMENTARY:
With the attention of Euro-Atlantic diplomats understandably focused on cooling the conflict in the Caucasus, the United States must not forget that much work remains to be done to address tensions elsewhere in the mountains of Southeastern Europe.
Enhancing and preserving the hard-won stability of the Balkans requires that Washington not become complacent about remaining irredentist agendas in this complex region. This should be Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's focus when she is in New York this week at the convening of the United Nations General Assembly with the foreign ministers of Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
Read Full Article Here
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
COMMENTARY:
With the attention of Euro-Atlantic diplomats understandably focused on cooling the conflict in the Caucasus, the United States must not forget that much work remains to be done to address tensions elsewhere in the mountains of Southeastern Europe.
Enhancing and preserving the hard-won stability of the Balkans requires that Washington not become complacent about remaining irredentist agendas in this complex region. This should be Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's focus when she is in New York this week at the convening of the United Nations General Assembly with the foreign ministers of Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
Read Full Article Here
Monday, September 22, 2008
Pan Thracian and Cyprus Action Network of America Boat Cruise
For Immediate Release: September 22, 2008
Contact: Nikolaos Taneris, New York, Tel. 1-917-699-9935
NEW YORK—The Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) joined the Pan Thracian
Union of America “ORPHEUS” for a three hour boat cruise around Manhattan,
setting sail from Pier 83 on Manhattan’s West Side. Warm weather and beautiful
sunny skies, made for a pleasant Sunday afternoon get together for the activists
from both societies who travelled from various boroughs of New York City, and
nearby New Jersey to reflect on the past year’s success. Attendees included
Theo Kekkis from the Boston-based Pontian society “PONTIAKI ESTIA OF
MASSACHUSSETTS” who travelled to New York that weekend to participate, and Mr.
Dionysios Pilarinos , the 1st Assistant Secretary of the Federation of Hellenic
Societies of Greater New York. The cruise was the first joint social event
organized following the July 20th Anniversary events marking the Turkish
invasion of Cyprus , and the earlier Pontian Genocide memorials for May 19th
Remembrance earlier in the year. Nikolaos Taneris of CANA, and Ioannis Fidanakis
,the President of Pan Thracian Union of America “ORPHEUS” are jointly working
together to educate the community and help to build solidarity on current issues
related to human rights.
“It’s always a wonderful opportunity to get together again with our dedicated
activists and plan for the coming year, this cruise was our way of saying thank
you to all the grass-roots, the heart and soul of our movement,” commented
Taneris.
The diversity of age, gender and backgrounds in this boat cruise reflects CANA’s
firm commitment to working in coalition with all people who believe in our
struggle for human rights. In coming months, the CANA and the Pan Thracians will
be building the momentum to tackle such difficult community issues as Macedonia,
False Historical Revisionism, activism on forced displacement in Cyprus, and the
Thracian and Pontian Genocide.
Photos of participants following the Sunday, September 21, 2008 Pan Thracian and
Cyprus Action Network of America Boat Cruise are available for download on the
following webpage:
http://www.cyprusactionnetwork.org/photos_of_pan_thracian_and_cyprus_action_network_of_america_boat_cruise
####
========================
Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA)
2578 Broadway #132
New York, NY 10025
New York: Tel. 917-699-9935
Email: cana@cyprusactionnetwork.org
www.cyprusactionnetwork.org
========================
The Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) is a grass-roots, not-for-profit
movement created to support genuine self-determination and human rights for the
people of Cyprus.
You may post any CANA article, press release or action alert on the internet as
long as you credit CANA and the author(s).
Contact: Nikolaos Taneris, New York, Tel. 1-917-699-9935
NEW YORK—The Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) joined the Pan Thracian
Union of America “ORPHEUS” for a three hour boat cruise around Manhattan,
setting sail from Pier 83 on Manhattan’s West Side. Warm weather and beautiful
sunny skies, made for a pleasant Sunday afternoon get together for the activists
from both societies who travelled from various boroughs of New York City, and
nearby New Jersey to reflect on the past year’s success. Attendees included
Theo Kekkis from the Boston-based Pontian society “PONTIAKI ESTIA OF
MASSACHUSSETTS” who travelled to New York that weekend to participate, and Mr.
Dionysios Pilarinos , the 1st Assistant Secretary of the Federation of Hellenic
Societies of Greater New York. The cruise was the first joint social event
organized following the July 20th Anniversary events marking the Turkish
invasion of Cyprus , and the earlier Pontian Genocide memorials for May 19th
Remembrance earlier in the year. Nikolaos Taneris of CANA, and Ioannis Fidanakis
,the President of Pan Thracian Union of America “ORPHEUS” are jointly working
together to educate the community and help to build solidarity on current issues
related to human rights.
“It’s always a wonderful opportunity to get together again with our dedicated
activists and plan for the coming year, this cruise was our way of saying thank
you to all the grass-roots, the heart and soul of our movement,” commented
Taneris.
The diversity of age, gender and backgrounds in this boat cruise reflects CANA’s
firm commitment to working in coalition with all people who believe in our
struggle for human rights. In coming months, the CANA and the Pan Thracians will
be building the momentum to tackle such difficult community issues as Macedonia,
False Historical Revisionism, activism on forced displacement in Cyprus, and the
Thracian and Pontian Genocide.
Photos of participants following the Sunday, September 21, 2008 Pan Thracian and
Cyprus Action Network of America Boat Cruise are available for download on the
following webpage:
http://www.cyprusactionnetwork.org/photos_of_pan_thracian_and_cyprus_action_network_of_america_boat_cruise
####
========================
Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA)
2578 Broadway #132
New York, NY 10025
New York: Tel. 917-699-9935
Email: cana@cyprusactionnetwork.org
www.cyprusactionnetwork.org
========================
The Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) is a grass-roots, not-for-profit
movement created to support genuine self-determination and human rights for the
people of Cyprus.
You may post any CANA article, press release or action alert on the internet as
long as you credit CANA and the author(s).
Two held over German terror plot
Fri September 19, 2008
BERLIN, Germany (AP) -- A German and a Turkish citizen have been arrested on suspicion of collaborating with a terrorist group whose plans for attacks on U.S. targets in Germany were foiled last year, authorities said Friday.
Federal prosecutors said in a statement that the pair, both 27 years old, were arrested Thursday in the Frankfurt area on suspicion of links to Islamic Jihad Union, an offshoot of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, a jihadist group with ties to al Qaeda.
Prosecutors identified the two as Omid S., a German citizen of Afghan descent who is suspected of membership in a terror organization, and Hueseyin O., a Turkish citizen suspected of supporting a terror organization. Both are suspected of involvement with the Islamic Jihad Union's German cell.
Read Full Article Here
BERLIN, Germany (AP) -- A German and a Turkish citizen have been arrested on suspicion of collaborating with a terrorist group whose plans for attacks on U.S. targets in Germany were foiled last year, authorities said Friday.
Federal prosecutors said in a statement that the pair, both 27 years old, were arrested Thursday in the Frankfurt area on suspicion of links to Islamic Jihad Union, an offshoot of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, a jihadist group with ties to al Qaeda.
Prosecutors identified the two as Omid S., a German citizen of Afghan descent who is suspected of membership in a terror organization, and Hueseyin O., a Turkish citizen suspected of supporting a terror organization. Both are suspected of involvement with the Islamic Jihad Union's German cell.
Read Full Article Here
Serb president prepares for U.N. Kosovo struggle
Fri September 19, 2008
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) -- Serbia's president acknowledged Friday that he will face a tough struggle when he seeks U.N. support for his country's bid to challenge Kosovo's independence before the International Court of Justice.
Boris Tadic said in a statement ahead of next week's U.N. General Assembly session that "very exhausting days lie ahead, constant bilateral meetings and struggle for our national and state interests, and the interests of our citizens."
Read Full Article Here
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) -- Serbia's president acknowledged Friday that he will face a tough struggle when he seeks U.N. support for his country's bid to challenge Kosovo's independence before the International Court of Justice.
Boris Tadic said in a statement ahead of next week's U.N. General Assembly session that "very exhausting days lie ahead, constant bilateral meetings and struggle for our national and state interests, and the interests of our citizens."
Read Full Article Here
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Turkey scared to admit Armenian genocide, says historian
Robert Tait in Yerevan
The Guardian
Monday September 22 2008
Turkey risks a collapse of its secular political system akin to that of the Soviet Union if it bows to international pressure to recognise the 1915-22 Armenian genocide, the head of Armenia's state memorial to the event has told the Guardian.
Hayk Demoyan said Ankara could not acknowledge the systematic killing of up to 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman troops during the first world war because it would lead to a wholesale re-writing of history and undermine the ideological basis of the Turkish state.
Read Full Article Here
The Guardian
Monday September 22 2008
Turkey risks a collapse of its secular political system akin to that of the Soviet Union if it bows to international pressure to recognise the 1915-22 Armenian genocide, the head of Armenia's state memorial to the event has told the Guardian.
Hayk Demoyan said Ankara could not acknowledge the systematic killing of up to 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman troops during the first world war because it would lead to a wholesale re-writing of history and undermine the ideological basis of the Turkish state.
Read Full Article Here
Makedonian Pride Tshirts
I was recently sent this link in my email. All those interested in Makedonian Tshirts that support Makedonian Hellenism please check out this site.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
DID SAAKASHVILI LIE?
The West Begins to Doubt Georgian Leader
By SPIEGEL Staff
Five weeks after the war in the Caucasus the mood is shifting against Georgian President Saakashvili. Some Western intelligence reports have undermined Tbilisi's version of events, and there are now calls on both sides of the Atlantic for an independent investigation.
Read Full Article Here
By SPIEGEL Staff
Five weeks after the war in the Caucasus the mood is shifting against Georgian President Saakashvili. Some Western intelligence reports have undermined Tbilisi's version of events, and there are now calls on both sides of the Atlantic for an independent investigation.
Read Full Article Here
UN to hear illegality of Kosovo independence
September 19, 2008
SERBIANNA
28 member states of the UN General Committee have unanimously voted in favor of hearing Serbia's proposal that seeks the UN approval to bring the Kosovo independence case for legal judgment at the World Court.
"This is a great diplomatic victory but it is not final. The real victory will be a majority in the UN General Assembly," said Serbia's Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic.
Read Full Article Here
SERBIANNA
28 member states of the UN General Committee have unanimously voted in favor of hearing Serbia's proposal that seeks the UN approval to bring the Kosovo independence case for legal judgment at the World Court.
"This is a great diplomatic victory but it is not final. The real victory will be a majority in the UN General Assembly," said Serbia's Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic.
Read Full Article Here
Life in a Kosovo Serb municipality: blackouts and an uncertain future
Merixhan Tomislav worked for 45 years at a state company. Now he sells cigarettes, newspapers and snacks in a small shop in the centre of town, while depending on money from the Belgrade authorities to help him get by. On the surrounding streets, the face of Serbian nationalist politician Tomislav Nikolic appears on countless posters.
Read Full Article Here
Read Full Article Here
Tutu urges Israel 'war crime' probe
Friday, September 19, 2008
10:25 Mecca time, 07:25 GMT
Desmond Tutu, the South African archbishop, has said that Israel may have committed a war crime when it attacked the town of Beit Hanoun in Gaza two years ago, killing 19 people.
He told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Thursday: "The response of a largely secret internal [Israeli] military investigation is absolutely unacceptable from both legal and moral points of view.
Read Full Article Here
10:25 Mecca time, 07:25 GMT
Desmond Tutu, the South African archbishop, has said that Israel may have committed a war crime when it attacked the town of Beit Hanoun in Gaza two years ago, killing 19 people.
He told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Thursday: "The response of a largely secret internal [Israeli] military investigation is absolutely unacceptable from both legal and moral points of view.
Read Full Article Here
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Byzantine flag causes outrage in Kayseri
Thursday, September 18, 2008
AHMET OĞUZ
KAYSERİ – Doğan News Agency
A Byzantine flag hung on the walls of Kayseri Castle during the filming of a documentary has caused outrage, with a group of 50 protesting the flying of a crusaders' flag.
Read Full Article Here
AHMET OĞUZ
KAYSERİ – Doğan News Agency
A Byzantine flag hung on the walls of Kayseri Castle during the filming of a documentary has caused outrage, with a group of 50 protesting the flying of a crusaders' flag.
Read Full Article Here
Turkey Attempting to Confiscate Assyrian Monastery's Land
Tur Abdin, Turkey (AINA) -- The St. Gabriel Assyrian monastery, of the Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch, was established in 397 AD, hundreds of years before its neighboring villages of Yayvantepe, Eglence and Candarli were founded. During the reign of the Ottoman Empire the monastery was officially declared as a foundation and is still legally regarded as such. Since its establishment the monastery has developed and continuously improved its environment. Over the last three decades it has developed into a major center that attracts tens of thousands visitors from Turkey and abroad. The entire region has benefited from this development.
Read Full Article Here
Read Full Article Here
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Ankara and Skopje Join Forces in “War” Against Greece
Athens- Ankara and Skopje have joined forces in a “war” against Greece. Turkey, for instance, is laying claim on half of Greek territory through an official document by the Turkish Joint Chiefs of Staff that also demands that international maps be modified accordingly. The map accompanying the document shows clear territorial claims that Turkey is making in Thrace and the Dodecanese islands. Through a powerful U.S. lobby, Turkey is also providing massive financial aid to Skopje’s anti-Greek propaganda. Meanwhile, it seems that the negotiations on the name dispute are heading in the direction of a package of proposals that includes many of the recent issues that Skopje has provocatively raised.
Read Full Article Here
Read Full Article Here
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Sunday, September 14, 2008
New light on Macedonian melee
A new study reveals that Greek Civil War refugees to Yugoslavia wererefused repatriation, and that Skopje pressed Belgrade to follow a hard linewith Bulgaria and Greece over Macedonian ethnicity
By JOHN PSAROPOULOS
A new study of the Yugoslav diplomatic archives reveals that thousands of Greeks who fled north after the 1946-49 Civil War were never allowed to return by communist authorities, and died stateless.
Approximately 25,000 Greeks abandoned their villages in the closing days of the war, afraid that the national army would punish them on suspicion of aiding the communist Democratic Army of Greece (DSE). About a fifth of them relented, historians will reveal in a new volume entitled "The Macedonian issue in Foreign Archives," being published this month.
Read Full Article Here
By JOHN PSAROPOULOS
A new study of the Yugoslav diplomatic archives reveals that thousands of Greeks who fled north after the 1946-49 Civil War were never allowed to return by communist authorities, and died stateless.
Approximately 25,000 Greeks abandoned their villages in the closing days of the war, afraid that the national army would punish them on suspicion of aiding the communist Democratic Army of Greece (DSE). About a fifth of them relented, historians will reveal in a new volume entitled "The Macedonian issue in Foreign Archives," being published this month.
Read Full Article Here
American Citizens Caught in Georgia-Russian Invasion Full/Unedited Interview
American Citizens Caught in Georgia-Russian Invasion Angered By FOX News Censorship- Update/Interview With Family Members
My heart goes out to all those who have been hurt during the war in Georgia. The true face of the United States shines through once more during this terrible conflict. The American Government condemns Russia's actions of entering Georgia to prevent a Genocide and protect innocent women and children, while at the same time it continues to support the illegal break away state of Kosovo, which is headed by a known War Criminal! It is time that the American people take a good and hard look at themselves. Who are the real enemies of Democracy? Who is really to blame for the conflicts in Georgia and the Balkans?
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Friday, September 12, 2008
TURKISH LOBBY FINANCES “MACEDONIAN” FALSE HISTORICAL REVISIONISM
For Immediate Release: September 11, 2008
Contact: Nikolaos Taneris, New York, Tel. 1-917-699-9935
NEW YORK—Today, the Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) was informed of
major Turkish lobby financing of “The United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD)” .The UMD
is a newly formed organization in Washington DC, dedicated to advancing false
historical revisionism on Macedonia, in support of the irredentist, fascistic,
and anti-Hellenic Skopje government.
According to a press release issued by the UMD today “The United Macedonian
Diaspora (UMD) and the Turkish Coalition of America (TCA) are pleased to
announce a generous challenge-matching grant of $150,000. Over the next three
years, TCA will match every dollar donated to UMD up to a maximum of $50,000 per
year equaling a total fundraising goal of $300,000. This gracious gift will
allow UMD to expand its work dramatically and, for the first time, retain a
full-time Executive Director.” (Full comments can be read below).
The Turkish Coalition of America (TCA) is another recently formed organization
in Washington DC following on the heels of scandals surrounding testimony by FBI
whistleblower Sibel Edmonds, and reports of FBI wiretaps of the Turkish Embassy
and its allies the Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA) and the
American Turkish Council (ATC). Articles in Vanity Fair and Sunday Times, and in
2007, public advocacy requests for a Congressional hearing on the Sibel Edmonds
case bring up charges of illegal arms deals, illegal drug activities, money
laundering, influence-peddling, and racketeering, obstruction of justice,
bribery, espionage and treason. David Rose, contributing editor to Vanity Fair,
wrote the expose on the FBI wiretaps of the Turkish Embassy and its allies in
relation to the scandal. ((An Inconvenient Patriot by David Rose, Vanity
Fair/September 2005 URL: http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9774.htm
)
The president of Turkish Coalition of America (TCA) is G .Lincoln McCurdy,
according to the TCA’s website, “McCurdy was the president and chief executive
officer, 1998 - 2004, and executive director, 1989 – 1998, of the
American-Turkish Council (ATC) in Washington... He received ATC’s Distinguished
Career Award in 2005. Before joining ATC, Mr. McCurdy served in the American
Consulate General in Istanbul as the Consul for Commercial Affairs, 1980 –
1984.” This is just one example of many showing the deep state Turkish
government ties between the Turkish government and Turkish groups lobbying in
America, that do not represent any real “Turkish American” constituency. The
chief legal counsel for the TCA is David Saltzman, business partner of the
lawyer for the Turkish Embassy and President-Elect of the Assembly of Turkish
American Associations (ATAA), Gunay Evinch.
The President-Elect of the Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA),
Gunay Evinch, led Turkish Embassy “so-called” political demonstrators on July
20th, 2008 in Washington DC, some of whom were sighted carrying placards that
read “Greek troops occupy Macedonia” In a recent interview to the Turkish press
last month, he remarked “We have a warm affinity for Macedonia, where now our
distant relatives who still Turkish, live peacefully.” Evinch was a principal
member of the defense team in Crist v. Turkey, 995 F.Supp. 5 (D.D.C. 1998), when
Cypriot American citizen Takey Crist challenged Turkey in a lawsuit for stolen
lands, known as Takey Crist, et al. v. The Republic of Turkey, Civil No.
93-2605 (Judge Royce Lamberth), United States District Court for the District of
Columbia, Memorandum of Opinion, at 3.
Please view our CANA grassroots you tube video of Gunay Evinch, in front of the
Turkish Embassy on July 20th, 2008, singing “Old MacDonald Had a Farm”
URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35YupEDq1Nw
MACEDONIANS AND CYPRIOTS ARE ON THE SAME BOAT.
Macedonia was occupied by the Ottoman Turkish Empire, predecessor to the present
day genocidal Republic of Turkey, for centuries. In the decades following the
successful Hellenic Revolution of 1821, Macedonia was decimated by wholesale
massacres of Hellenes by Ottoman Turkish occupiers and their allies. Moreover,
the movement of Hellenes into Macedonia from the free Hellenic Republic was
officially restricted, leading up to eventual liberation in the Twentieth
century. Despite, the passage of time, and official policies of “Greek-Turkish
friendship” Turkey remains intent on diminishing the Hellenic reality of
Macedonia, and supporting human rights abusing regimes in Skopje, where in
recent weeks Hellenes faced official harassment.
CANA welcomes the cooperation of Macedonian activists in North America, in the
Hellenic Republic and around the world in our struggle for Cyprus. The evidence
today makes clear that our people are joint victims of Turkish aggression and
Turkish false historical revisionism.
In order for our effort to win, we must have the strength to challenge the
failed policies of an establishment that has led our community into a state of
ignorance and dissolution. We have witnessed scores of official “lobbyists” and
diplomats come and go for decades, all with blinders on, all working in silence
in regards to the immense Turkish government campaign targeting Hellenism and
human rights for the Hellenic people. One very strange fact is that the Greek
Embassy in Washington DC boasts of an official visit to Greece by the Assembly
of Turkish American Associations (ATAA) URL:
http://www.greekembassy.org/embassy/content/en/Article.aspx?office=3&folder=295&article=5469
The complete text of “The United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD)” press release is
provided below.
####
-THE PRESS RELEASE FROM THE UNITED MADECONIAN DIASPORA (UMD)-
URL: http://umdiaspora.org/content/view/359/1/
UMD and TCA Announce Historic $150,000 Matching Grant Agreement
Thursday, 11 September 2008
For Immediate Release
Contact: (202) 756-2244; info@umdiaspora.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – September 11, 2008 – The United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD) and
the Turkish Coalition of America (TCA) are pleased to announce a generous
challenge-matching grant of $150,000. Over the next three years, TCA will match
every dollar donated to UMD up to a maximum of $50,000 per year equaling a total
fundraising goal of $300,000. This gracious gift will allow UMD to expand its
work dramatically and, for the first time, retain a full-time Executive
Director.
“This historic agreement is a testament to the growing partnership between
Macedonian- and Turkish-Americans,” stated Metodija A. Koloski, UMD President.
“Both communities are working cooperatively to ensure that their voices are
heard on the world stage on vital matters of mutual interest in Southeast
Europe, including NATO enlargement and the promotion of security, democracy and
human rights in the Balkans ” added Koloski.
Since its independence in 1991, relations between the Republic of FYROM and
Turkey have been excellent. Ankara’s early diplomatic recognition of FYROM,
together with its constitutional name and consistent support for Fyromian
membership in NATO, have further strengthened the historic ties between the two
nations that span more than five centuries. Fyromians are proud that Ataturk
himself, the revolutionary founder of modern Turkey, was educated and raised in
the historic Macedonian city of Bitola.
“The cooperation and cultural ties that link the peoples of Turkey and Macedonia
are reflected in the outstanding relationship that exists between the
Turkish-American and Macedonian-American communities, a relationship that TCA
and UMD are striving to enhance,” said TCA President Lincoln M. McCurdy.
Earlier this year, UMD and TCA joined in awarding scholarships to
Macedonian-American undergraduate students to study abroad for a semester in
Turkey. TCA also has vigorously supported Macedonia’s NATO membership in
Washington and sent letters to President Bush on the eve of the recent NATO
Summit in Bucharest.
UMD urges Fyromians throughout the world to take advantage of this wonderful
grant matching opportunity by donating today.
####
========================
Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA)
2578 Broadway #132
New York, NY 10025
New York: Tel. 917-699-9935
Email: cana@cyprusactionnetwork.org
www.cyprusactionnetwork.org
========================
The Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) is a grass-roots, not-for-profit
movement created to support genuine self-determination and human rights for the
people of Cyprus.
You may post any CANA article, press release or action alert on the internet as
long as you credit CANA and the author(s).
Contact: Nikolaos Taneris, New York, Tel. 1-917-699-9935
NEW YORK—Today, the Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) was informed of
major Turkish lobby financing of “The United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD)” .The UMD
is a newly formed organization in Washington DC, dedicated to advancing false
historical revisionism on Macedonia, in support of the irredentist, fascistic,
and anti-Hellenic Skopje government.
According to a press release issued by the UMD today “The United Macedonian
Diaspora (UMD) and the Turkish Coalition of America (TCA) are pleased to
announce a generous challenge-matching grant of $150,000. Over the next three
years, TCA will match every dollar donated to UMD up to a maximum of $50,000 per
year equaling a total fundraising goal of $300,000. This gracious gift will
allow UMD to expand its work dramatically and, for the first time, retain a
full-time Executive Director.” (Full comments can be read below).
The Turkish Coalition of America (TCA) is another recently formed organization
in Washington DC following on the heels of scandals surrounding testimony by FBI
whistleblower Sibel Edmonds, and reports of FBI wiretaps of the Turkish Embassy
and its allies the Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA) and the
American Turkish Council (ATC). Articles in Vanity Fair and Sunday Times, and in
2007, public advocacy requests for a Congressional hearing on the Sibel Edmonds
case bring up charges of illegal arms deals, illegal drug activities, money
laundering, influence-peddling, and racketeering, obstruction of justice,
bribery, espionage and treason. David Rose, contributing editor to Vanity Fair,
wrote the expose on the FBI wiretaps of the Turkish Embassy and its allies in
relation to the scandal. ((An Inconvenient Patriot by David Rose, Vanity
Fair/September 2005 URL: http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9774.htm
)
The president of Turkish Coalition of America (TCA) is G .Lincoln McCurdy,
according to the TCA’s website, “McCurdy was the president and chief executive
officer, 1998 - 2004, and executive director, 1989 – 1998, of the
American-Turkish Council (ATC) in Washington... He received ATC’s Distinguished
Career Award in 2005. Before joining ATC, Mr. McCurdy served in the American
Consulate General in Istanbul as the Consul for Commercial Affairs, 1980 –
1984.” This is just one example of many showing the deep state Turkish
government ties between the Turkish government and Turkish groups lobbying in
America, that do not represent any real “Turkish American” constituency. The
chief legal counsel for the TCA is David Saltzman, business partner of the
lawyer for the Turkish Embassy and President-Elect of the Assembly of Turkish
American Associations (ATAA), Gunay Evinch.
The President-Elect of the Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA),
Gunay Evinch, led Turkish Embassy “so-called” political demonstrators on July
20th, 2008 in Washington DC, some of whom were sighted carrying placards that
read “Greek troops occupy Macedonia” In a recent interview to the Turkish press
last month, he remarked “We have a warm affinity for Macedonia, where now our
distant relatives who still Turkish, live peacefully.” Evinch was a principal
member of the defense team in Crist v. Turkey, 995 F.Supp. 5 (D.D.C. 1998), when
Cypriot American citizen Takey Crist challenged Turkey in a lawsuit for stolen
lands, known as Takey Crist, et al. v. The Republic of Turkey, Civil No.
93-2605 (Judge Royce Lamberth), United States District Court for the District of
Columbia, Memorandum of Opinion, at 3.
Please view our CANA grassroots you tube video of Gunay Evinch, in front of the
Turkish Embassy on July 20th, 2008, singing “Old MacDonald Had a Farm”
URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35YupEDq1Nw
MACEDONIANS AND CYPRIOTS ARE ON THE SAME BOAT.
Macedonia was occupied by the Ottoman Turkish Empire, predecessor to the present
day genocidal Republic of Turkey, for centuries. In the decades following the
successful Hellenic Revolution of 1821, Macedonia was decimated by wholesale
massacres of Hellenes by Ottoman Turkish occupiers and their allies. Moreover,
the movement of Hellenes into Macedonia from the free Hellenic Republic was
officially restricted, leading up to eventual liberation in the Twentieth
century. Despite, the passage of time, and official policies of “Greek-Turkish
friendship” Turkey remains intent on diminishing the Hellenic reality of
Macedonia, and supporting human rights abusing regimes in Skopje, where in
recent weeks Hellenes faced official harassment.
CANA welcomes the cooperation of Macedonian activists in North America, in the
Hellenic Republic and around the world in our struggle for Cyprus. The evidence
today makes clear that our people are joint victims of Turkish aggression and
Turkish false historical revisionism.
In order for our effort to win, we must have the strength to challenge the
failed policies of an establishment that has led our community into a state of
ignorance and dissolution. We have witnessed scores of official “lobbyists” and
diplomats come and go for decades, all with blinders on, all working in silence
in regards to the immense Turkish government campaign targeting Hellenism and
human rights for the Hellenic people. One very strange fact is that the Greek
Embassy in Washington DC boasts of an official visit to Greece by the Assembly
of Turkish American Associations (ATAA) URL:
http://www.greekembassy.org/embassy/content/en/Article.aspx?office=3&folder=295&article=5469
The complete text of “The United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD)” press release is
provided below.
####
-THE PRESS RELEASE FROM THE UNITED MADECONIAN DIASPORA (UMD)-
URL: http://umdiaspora.org/content/view/359/1/
UMD and TCA Announce Historic $150,000 Matching Grant Agreement
Thursday, 11 September 2008
For Immediate Release
Contact: (202) 756-2244; info@umdiaspora.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – September 11, 2008 – The United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD) and
the Turkish Coalition of America (TCA) are pleased to announce a generous
challenge-matching grant of $150,000. Over the next three years, TCA will match
every dollar donated to UMD up to a maximum of $50,000 per year equaling a total
fundraising goal of $300,000. This gracious gift will allow UMD to expand its
work dramatically and, for the first time, retain a full-time Executive
Director.
“This historic agreement is a testament to the growing partnership between
Macedonian- and Turkish-Americans,” stated Metodija A. Koloski, UMD President.
“Both communities are working cooperatively to ensure that their voices are
heard on the world stage on vital matters of mutual interest in Southeast
Europe, including NATO enlargement and the promotion of security, democracy and
human rights in the Balkans ” added Koloski.
Since its independence in 1991, relations between the Republic of FYROM and
Turkey have been excellent. Ankara’s early diplomatic recognition of FYROM,
together with its constitutional name and consistent support for Fyromian
membership in NATO, have further strengthened the historic ties between the two
nations that span more than five centuries. Fyromians are proud that Ataturk
himself, the revolutionary founder of modern Turkey, was educated and raised in
the historic Macedonian city of Bitola.
“The cooperation and cultural ties that link the peoples of Turkey and Macedonia
are reflected in the outstanding relationship that exists between the
Turkish-American and Macedonian-American communities, a relationship that TCA
and UMD are striving to enhance,” said TCA President Lincoln M. McCurdy.
Earlier this year, UMD and TCA joined in awarding scholarships to
Macedonian-American undergraduate students to study abroad for a semester in
Turkey. TCA also has vigorously supported Macedonia’s NATO membership in
Washington and sent letters to President Bush on the eve of the recent NATO
Summit in Bucharest.
UMD urges Fyromians throughout the world to take advantage of this wonderful
grant matching opportunity by donating today.
####
========================
Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA)
2578 Broadway #132
New York, NY 10025
New York: Tel. 917-699-9935
Email: cana@cyprusactionnetwork.org
www.cyprusactionnetwork.org
========================
The Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) is a grass-roots, not-for-profit
movement created to support genuine self-determination and human rights for the
people of Cyprus.
You may post any CANA article, press release or action alert on the internet as
long as you credit CANA and the author(s).
Thursday, September 11, 2008
New York Life to compensate heirs of Ottoman Greeks
Saturday, September 6, 2008
NEW YORK - Bloomberg
New York Life Insurance Co., the biggest U.S. life insurer owned by policyholders, will seek out and compensate the heirs of Greek policyholders living in the Ottoman Empire before 1915, at a cost of up to $15 million.The New York-based insurer has �verified that there are Greek policies that may remain unpaid from 1915,� according to a Business Wire statement Friday. New York Life discovered unpaid policies held by Greeks in the Ottoman Empire, the precursor of modern-day Turkey, in the course of research into policies sold to Armenians who died after 1914, according to the statement.The insurer, founded in 1845, will pay all valid claims on about 1,000 insurance policies issued to Greeks before 1915 that remain unpaid, or about half the total issued, as well as $1 million to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. The total cost of the program is estimated at between $12 million and $15million.In January 2004, New York Life Insurance agreed to pay $20 million to settle a lawsuit over unpaid life-insurance benefits for Armenian policyholders.The company has since paid benefits to the heirs of 2,300 Armenian policyholders, according to today's statement. Similar suits have been filed by Holocaust survivors and their heirs against European insurance companies.
NEW YORK - Bloomberg
New York Life Insurance Co., the biggest U.S. life insurer owned by policyholders, will seek out and compensate the heirs of Greek policyholders living in the Ottoman Empire before 1915, at a cost of up to $15 million.The New York-based insurer has �verified that there are Greek policies that may remain unpaid from 1915,� according to a Business Wire statement Friday. New York Life discovered unpaid policies held by Greeks in the Ottoman Empire, the precursor of modern-day Turkey, in the course of research into policies sold to Armenians who died after 1914, according to the statement.The insurer, founded in 1845, will pay all valid claims on about 1,000 insurance policies issued to Greeks before 1915 that remain unpaid, or about half the total issued, as well as $1 million to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. The total cost of the program is estimated at between $12 million and $15million.In January 2004, New York Life Insurance agreed to pay $20 million to settle a lawsuit over unpaid life-insurance benefits for Armenian policyholders.The company has since paid benefits to the heirs of 2,300 Armenian policyholders, according to today's statement. Similar suits have been filed by Holocaust survivors and their heirs against European insurance companies.
CANA ACTIONS DISCUSSED IN ATHENS “ZAPEION” WORLD CONFERENCE
For Immediate Release: September 9, 2008
Contact: Nikolaos Taneris, New York, Tel. 1-917-699-9935
NEW YORK--The Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) was described as one of
the major U.S.-based “pressure group” organizations, fighting for Cyprus and
other major human rights issues at the Athens “Zapeion” convention center for
the 86th world conference of the American Hellenic Progressive Association
(AHEPA)
The Research Institute for European & American Studies (RIEAS), presented at
“Zapeion” forum on select lobbying efforts in the U.S. diaspora. Several
Hellenic parliamentarians attended the panel from the three major political
parties—LAOS, PASOK and New Democracy.
CANA will make available the speeches from the world conference as soon as they
are modified and released. We provide two versions of the speech from Ioannis
Michaletos, who is an Associate Analyst in the International Security Research &
Intelligence Agency and a South Eastern European Editor in the World Security
Network Foundation.
The Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) remains firm in its commitment to
work in coalition with diverse groups, to mobilize and inspire a new generation
to work to gain influence in political spheres, to build an assertive identity
that will challenge our opponents. Our joint actions with Serbian American
pressure groups are one such of example of our bold actions. Michaletos, in a
recent correspondence tells us that our actions “are becoming more widely known
day by day across the planet.” The speech below ends on the positive note “the
likeliness of the emergence of an orthodox axis in North America which has more
than 8 million Orthodox citizens, is a very important aspect of the whole
discussion.”
The speech is offered in Hellenic, courtesy of the Greek American News Agency,
followed by the English version, available also on Ioannis Michaletos’ blog on
Serbianna.com.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(ÓåñâéêÝò ïìÜäåò ðßåóçò óôéò ÇÐÁ ÄïìÞ-ó÷Ýóåéò ìå ÅëëçíéêÝò ïìÜäåò êáé
åðéäéþîåéò, ôïõ ÉùÜííç Ìé÷áëÝôïõ
URL: http://www.greekamericannewsagency.com/gana/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3317&Itemid=83
)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(The article below is reproduced for educational purposes)
http://www.serbianna.com/columns/michaletos/038.shtml
Monday, Sept. 8, 2008 ANALYSIS
Serbian pressure groups on a global scale and their connections
By Ioannis Michaletos | Blog
September 8, 2008
Following text derives from a speech by Ioannis Michaletos being presented on
the 4th of July in the Athens “Zapeion” convention center for the 86th world
conference of the American Hellenic Progressive Association (AHEPA)
The Research Institute for European & American Studies (RIEAS) presented a
series of themes relating to the organization of the pressure groups in the
world and their interaction with the Greek one. It is interesting to note that
in the case of the Serbian one, there is intense dynamism, although that cannot
be seen at first glance and has to be researched through.
Serbian pressure groups have evolved dramatically over the previous decade due
to the events in Yugoslavia and the great upturns that this entailed.
The basic characteristics of the Serbian “Lobbies” are:
- Extensive use of electronic transmissions especially the internet for
dissemination of information
- Coalition with other ethnic lobbies (Greek, Russia, Jewish, increasingly
Armenian) and political ideologies (paleoconservative, conservative, centrists,
left wing and certain aristocratic figures of the Anglo-Saxon world)
- Use of individuals as communication hubs, a very flexible system
- Lack of centralized or commanding authority
- A very strong nexus between the American and the Canadian organizations
- Mostly grassroots organizations
- The Serbs use extensively social network websites such as the facebook and you
tube in well coordinated efforts
Strength & numbers
According to the official statistics there are approximately 5.5 million Serbs
outside Serbia, the largest Diaspora community being found in the USA (1.8
million), Canada (700.000), Germany (700,000), Australia (200,000), Austria
(200,000), and Switzerland (200,000). As it can be understood the majority lives
in the Western world thus they tend to function in parallel with the “Opponent”
pressure groups, i.e. the Albanian ones that share similar concentration of
Diaspora members.
In the United States the Serbian community contains one Governor (Illinois),
three Senators and two ex-Senators. The Serbian Caucus in the Congress has 31
members of which two are of Greek descent, Mr. Bilirakis and Mr. Space.
On 6 December 2001 the Federal Government adopted Decision on setting up the
Council of the Diaspora as a consultative body of the Federal Government for the
first time in the history of relations between the mother country and its
Diaspora. The Council is comprised of representatives of the Diaspora and of the
mother country on a basis of parity.
The Council of the Diaspora gathers and processes information from the Diaspora
and Serbia and formulates proposals for the Government of Serbia and for other
government bodies and institutions in the Republic of Serbia.
It is interesting to note that up to 2001, when the Serbian Diaspora Council was
formed in Belgrade, there was no authority that assisted or overviewed the
activities of the Serbs abroad. Nevertheless, due to the existence of political
brinkmanship and other domestic issues, the coordination from Belgrade can be
considered as a feeble one, a paradigm very close to the Greek one.
Greek-Serbian joint ventures
The connection between Greeks and Serbs in the States could be seen through a
recent letter by the ex-Senator Helen Delich to the Greek FM. It stated that
“During my time in Congress Greece never had a better friend than me… I drafted
many proposals concerning the Cyprus issue and supported Greece in the FYROM
name issue… The Serbs and Greeks in America have strong bonds dating back a long
time”
The Greek-Serbian cooperation in North America and elsewhere heavily relies in
the actions of the local communities and Churches. According to information
relayed over the first three months of 2008, common festivities, as well as,
demonstrations against the Kosovo independence declaration were held in:
Washington, Wisconsin, Illinois, New York, California and in Sydney –Australia.
Moreover there are at least four organizations with Byzantine acronyms operating
in USA that are being composed by Greeks, Serbians and other Orthodox descent
citizens that aim towards the creation of common fronts in a variety of issues.
They rely on the internet for the exchange of information and they have been
able to attract a few thousand members and conduct dynamic activism.
For instance the "Serbian Day in Washington" was vividly presented by the
Serb-Hellenic Forum; from we were also informed that “It's not uncommon for
Serbs to attend Hellenic Orthodox churches, especially if they happen to be
located in an area where there isn’t Serbian Orthodox churches”
According to Adamantions Koukouves, a Hellene living in the States and a member
of joint forums “The thing about Greek-Serb cooperation is that it is not
centralized. There is no major Greek-Serb organization (at least yet). It is
mostly: Greek-Serb festivals, local Greek-Serb (and, in one case, also Russian)
organizations, Greek-Serb nightclubs (with special "Greek-Serb nights"), and
joint demonstrations/protests. These things tend to occur in places where there
is a high concentration of both Greeks and Serbs. Aside from the "Serbian Day
in Washington" event, I personally participated in a Serbian protest outside of
the Croatian embassy on 5 August 2007 regarding the Croatian invasion of Krajina
as well as the Serbian Genocide committed by Croatians”
A small sample of joint Orthodox organizations in the States.
"Orthodox Front”, "The Byzantine Edge", “Hellenic Front”, Serbian-Hellenic
Forum” , Serbia-Hellas”, "Serbian-Hellenic Brotherhood", "Hellenic-Serbian
Alliance: International Lobby For Serbs and Hellenes" and many other.
Another feature of the Greek-Serbian connection is being currently envisaged by
the Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA), based in New York. In a recent
commemoration in the City of the Jasenovac genocidal concentration camp, CANA
participated, along with the leading members of the Serbian community, Mayor
Bloomberg and most of the Jewish leaders of the Five Boroughs.
In Florida, CANA along with Armenian and Serbian organizations has enacted a
campaign against a particular Congressman that is characterized by pro-Turkish
and pro-Albanian stance. The campaign has grown to a considerable strength and
CANA’s PR man in the region is of Serbian descent.
According to CANA’s past press statements, “The Cyprus Action Network of America
(CANA) accompanied by political organizers from Washington DC, along with
hundreds of activists, many from Florida and many traveling from several states
away, joined together to rally against Genocide denier and Cyprus invasion
denier Congressman Robert Wexler (D-19), and to stand in support of democratic
primary candidate Dr. Benjamin Graber, and thereby stand in support of human
rights, justice and democracy on Saturday, January 12, 2008 in Boca Rotan,
Florida”
Moreover, “The rally, organized by the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF), and
co-hosted by the Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA), along with the
Armenian National Committee of South Florida the Armenian Student Association
(ASA), was a huge success!
CANA consultant John Bosnitch, commented on Wexler “he is in the pocket of the
big money Turkish lobby denying the illegal occupation of Cyprus…Wexler’s denial
of the past Genocide of Armenians is strike one, Wexler’s support of the present
Genocide of Greeks in Cyprus is strike two, Wexler’s support of the future
Genocide of Kosovo Serbs is strike three…lets be Americans about this.. Mister
Wexler, three strikes you’re out”.
Another example of the Greek-Serbian common stance on wider issues is the
inclusion of James Jatras in the American Council of Kosovo and in parallel in
the Greek American Political Action Committee that is going to play an important
role in the upcoming forthcoming Presidential elections.
Large Serbian Diaspora organizations
The American Council for Kosovo is an organization primarily concerned with the
Kosovo issue and important personalities from the Serbian, Jewish, Greek and
Anglo-Saxon communities are represented. The Council has an internet based radio
program and has initiated foreign trips to countries such as Russia, Israel,
Canada, and Australia in order to inform officials of those countries around the
Kosovo problem and the cultural genocide conducted by the Albanians.
It hasn’t visited Athens yet, due to indifference by the respective Greek
authorities, although that is something that could be changed anytime soon due
to the changing nature of Greek domestic political balances for a variety of
reasons beyond the scope of the present speech.
The Advisory Board of American Council for Kosovo has made numerous appearances
in major USA think tanks, Israeli policy forums and Serbian newspapers. It
includes:
Doug Bandow
Doug Bandow is a Washington-based political writer and policy analyst. He served
as a Special Assistant to President Ronald Reagan
Ambassador James Bissett
Ambassador Bissett spent 37 years as a Canadian Public Servant in the Department
of Citizenship and Immigration and Foreign Affairs.
Andrew G. Bostom
Andrew G. Bostom, MD, MS is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Brown
University Medical School
Thomas Gambill
Thomas Gambill is a former Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
(OSCE) security official and was based in Kosovo for five years. He has made
several important appearances and comments based on his important experience in
the region.
Julia Gorin
Julia Gorin is among the most recognized names in politically conservative
stand-up comedy. She has been profiled in the book South Park Conservatives and
her jokes will be featured in the forthcoming Complete Idiot's Guide to Jokes.
She also is one of the most influential thinkers on contemporary Balkan
politics.
Robert Spencer
Robert Spencer, the director of Jihad Watch, is a writer and researcher with a
large number of publications and appearances in issues concerning security and
anti-terrorism policies.
Sir Alfred Sherman+ In Memoriam, with Gratitude
Sir Alfred Sherman was a national security advisor for former British Prime
Minister Margaret and one of the prime strategic thinkers of the United Kingdom
The Rev. Canon Keith Roderick, D.D.
An Episcopal priest, Father Keith Roderick was a Cold War human rights activist
on behalf of Soviet citizens facing religious persecution under Communist
William J. Murray
William J. Murray is the chairman of the Religious Freedom Coalition in
Washington, DC
The Serbian Unity Congress is another organization that was established in 1990,
and already has 11 offices in USA and 10 other in the rest of the world. Its
main function is to inform the public on Serbian themes and to mobilize Diaspora
Serbs on issues of great concern. It mainly operates using the English language
in order to have a greater appeal in the 2nd and 3rd generation immigrants and
to be able to penetrate its view on a greater media audience.
It provides 24/7 information flow on Serbian issues and has a special high
quality information gateway regarding the exposure of cultural treasures of
Serbia in a way they address the American mind.
Offices in the States are in:
Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, San
Francisco, Milwaukee, Houston, Miami
And abroad in:
MexicoCity, Toronto, Vancuver, Calgary, Belgrade, Vienna, Lausanne, London,
Australia, South Africa.
An informal, but well organized Serbian lobby in Israel has been active from the
very beginning of the breakup of Yugoslavia. It includes a number of media
personalities, in concert with the Association of Immigrants from Yugoslavia and
the Serbian Embassy in Israel.
It has attained a great role in presenting the Serbian view on the events that
took place in ex-Yugoslavia and assisted in shaping a positive image of Serbia
to the Israelis.
Ms. Mel Polishook-Bloch and Ms. Erela Golan, members of Knesset, as Chairperson
and member of Serbian Friendship Group in the Knesset, visited Serbia from
September 5th to 8th 2005 according to the invitation of the Serbian-Israeli
friendship group in the People's Assembly of Serbia.
Serbian-Israeli Friendship Group is the first such group established in the
Serbian Parliament, initiated by the Committee of Foreign Affairs and its
Chairperson, Ms. Gordana ?omi?.
The Serbian pressure groups successes
Obama is the friendliest to the Serbs due to efforts by the lobby, and was
approached by the Serbian Diaspora in a relatively early stage of his election
campaign, when Clinton’s campaign seemed as the favorite one.
Excellent relations with Israel and the right wing American Jewish lobby,
without at the same time loosing connections with the Arab world, is another
accomplishment of the Serbian groups.
Moreover a great number of Balkan scandals and atrocities were made known to the
wider public, by an extent through the assistance of the Serbian groups across
the world and especially via the internet.
The Serbs were pretty apt and successful into forming very good relations with
certain wings and clubs of the British Conservative party, the American
Republican Party and veteran associations in the States and Canada
The most important fact is that despite the hurdles of the '90's they have
managed to form a lobby which is now beginning to become influential, I would
say that it will become amongst the 10 most influential in the next 5-10 years
if it continues with that pace.
Lastly the likeliness of the emergence of an orthodox axis in North America
which has more than 8 million Orthodox citizens, is a very important aspect of
the whole discussion.
####
========================
Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA)
2578 Broadway #132
New York, NY 10025
New York: Tel. 917-699-9935
Email: cana@cyprusactionnetwork.org
www.cyprusactionnetwork.org
========================
The Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) is a grass-roots, not-for-profit
movement created to support genuine self-determination and human rights for the
people of Cyprus.
You may post any CANA article, press release or action alert on the internet as
long as you credit CANA and the author(s).
Contact: Nikolaos Taneris, New York, Tel. 1-917-699-9935
NEW YORK--The Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) was described as one of
the major U.S.-based “pressure group” organizations, fighting for Cyprus and
other major human rights issues at the Athens “Zapeion” convention center for
the 86th world conference of the American Hellenic Progressive Association
(AHEPA)
The Research Institute for European & American Studies (RIEAS), presented at
“Zapeion” forum on select lobbying efforts in the U.S. diaspora. Several
Hellenic parliamentarians attended the panel from the three major political
parties—LAOS, PASOK and New Democracy.
CANA will make available the speeches from the world conference as soon as they
are modified and released. We provide two versions of the speech from Ioannis
Michaletos, who is an Associate Analyst in the International Security Research &
Intelligence Agency and a South Eastern European Editor in the World Security
Network Foundation.
The Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) remains firm in its commitment to
work in coalition with diverse groups, to mobilize and inspire a new generation
to work to gain influence in political spheres, to build an assertive identity
that will challenge our opponents. Our joint actions with Serbian American
pressure groups are one such of example of our bold actions. Michaletos, in a
recent correspondence tells us that our actions “are becoming more widely known
day by day across the planet.” The speech below ends on the positive note “the
likeliness of the emergence of an orthodox axis in North America which has more
than 8 million Orthodox citizens, is a very important aspect of the whole
discussion.”
The speech is offered in Hellenic, courtesy of the Greek American News Agency,
followed by the English version, available also on Ioannis Michaletos’ blog on
Serbianna.com.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(ÓåñâéêÝò ïìÜäåò ðßåóçò óôéò ÇÐÁ ÄïìÞ-ó÷Ýóåéò ìå ÅëëçíéêÝò ïìÜäåò êáé
åðéäéþîåéò, ôïõ ÉùÜííç Ìé÷áëÝôïõ
URL: http://www.greekamericannewsagency.com/gana/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3317&Itemid=83
)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(The article below is reproduced for educational purposes)
http://www.serbianna.com/columns/michaletos/038.shtml
Monday, Sept. 8, 2008 ANALYSIS
Serbian pressure groups on a global scale and their connections
By Ioannis Michaletos | Blog
September 8, 2008
Following text derives from a speech by Ioannis Michaletos being presented on
the 4th of July in the Athens “Zapeion” convention center for the 86th world
conference of the American Hellenic Progressive Association (AHEPA)
The Research Institute for European & American Studies (RIEAS) presented a
series of themes relating to the organization of the pressure groups in the
world and their interaction with the Greek one. It is interesting to note that
in the case of the Serbian one, there is intense dynamism, although that cannot
be seen at first glance and has to be researched through.
Serbian pressure groups have evolved dramatically over the previous decade due
to the events in Yugoslavia and the great upturns that this entailed.
The basic characteristics of the Serbian “Lobbies” are:
- Extensive use of electronic transmissions especially the internet for
dissemination of information
- Coalition with other ethnic lobbies (Greek, Russia, Jewish, increasingly
Armenian) and political ideologies (paleoconservative, conservative, centrists,
left wing and certain aristocratic figures of the Anglo-Saxon world)
- Use of individuals as communication hubs, a very flexible system
- Lack of centralized or commanding authority
- A very strong nexus between the American and the Canadian organizations
- Mostly grassroots organizations
- The Serbs use extensively social network websites such as the facebook and you
tube in well coordinated efforts
Strength & numbers
According to the official statistics there are approximately 5.5 million Serbs
outside Serbia, the largest Diaspora community being found in the USA (1.8
million), Canada (700.000), Germany (700,000), Australia (200,000), Austria
(200,000), and Switzerland (200,000). As it can be understood the majority lives
in the Western world thus they tend to function in parallel with the “Opponent”
pressure groups, i.e. the Albanian ones that share similar concentration of
Diaspora members.
In the United States the Serbian community contains one Governor (Illinois),
three Senators and two ex-Senators. The Serbian Caucus in the Congress has 31
members of which two are of Greek descent, Mr. Bilirakis and Mr. Space.
On 6 December 2001 the Federal Government adopted Decision on setting up the
Council of the Diaspora as a consultative body of the Federal Government for the
first time in the history of relations between the mother country and its
Diaspora. The Council is comprised of representatives of the Diaspora and of the
mother country on a basis of parity.
The Council of the Diaspora gathers and processes information from the Diaspora
and Serbia and formulates proposals for the Government of Serbia and for other
government bodies and institutions in the Republic of Serbia.
It is interesting to note that up to 2001, when the Serbian Diaspora Council was
formed in Belgrade, there was no authority that assisted or overviewed the
activities of the Serbs abroad. Nevertheless, due to the existence of political
brinkmanship and other domestic issues, the coordination from Belgrade can be
considered as a feeble one, a paradigm very close to the Greek one.
Greek-Serbian joint ventures
The connection between Greeks and Serbs in the States could be seen through a
recent letter by the ex-Senator Helen Delich to the Greek FM. It stated that
“During my time in Congress Greece never had a better friend than me… I drafted
many proposals concerning the Cyprus issue and supported Greece in the FYROM
name issue… The Serbs and Greeks in America have strong bonds dating back a long
time”
The Greek-Serbian cooperation in North America and elsewhere heavily relies in
the actions of the local communities and Churches. According to information
relayed over the first three months of 2008, common festivities, as well as,
demonstrations against the Kosovo independence declaration were held in:
Washington, Wisconsin, Illinois, New York, California and in Sydney –Australia.
Moreover there are at least four organizations with Byzantine acronyms operating
in USA that are being composed by Greeks, Serbians and other Orthodox descent
citizens that aim towards the creation of common fronts in a variety of issues.
They rely on the internet for the exchange of information and they have been
able to attract a few thousand members and conduct dynamic activism.
For instance the "Serbian Day in Washington" was vividly presented by the
Serb-Hellenic Forum; from we were also informed that “It's not uncommon for
Serbs to attend Hellenic Orthodox churches, especially if they happen to be
located in an area where there isn’t Serbian Orthodox churches”
According to Adamantions Koukouves, a Hellene living in the States and a member
of joint forums “The thing about Greek-Serb cooperation is that it is not
centralized. There is no major Greek-Serb organization (at least yet). It is
mostly: Greek-Serb festivals, local Greek-Serb (and, in one case, also Russian)
organizations, Greek-Serb nightclubs (with special "Greek-Serb nights"), and
joint demonstrations/protests. These things tend to occur in places where there
is a high concentration of both Greeks and Serbs. Aside from the "Serbian Day
in Washington" event, I personally participated in a Serbian protest outside of
the Croatian embassy on 5 August 2007 regarding the Croatian invasion of Krajina
as well as the Serbian Genocide committed by Croatians”
A small sample of joint Orthodox organizations in the States.
"Orthodox Front”, "The Byzantine Edge", “Hellenic Front”, Serbian-Hellenic
Forum” , Serbia-Hellas”, "Serbian-Hellenic Brotherhood", "Hellenic-Serbian
Alliance: International Lobby For Serbs and Hellenes" and many other.
Another feature of the Greek-Serbian connection is being currently envisaged by
the Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA), based in New York. In a recent
commemoration in the City of the Jasenovac genocidal concentration camp, CANA
participated, along with the leading members of the Serbian community, Mayor
Bloomberg and most of the Jewish leaders of the Five Boroughs.
In Florida, CANA along with Armenian and Serbian organizations has enacted a
campaign against a particular Congressman that is characterized by pro-Turkish
and pro-Albanian stance. The campaign has grown to a considerable strength and
CANA’s PR man in the region is of Serbian descent.
According to CANA’s past press statements, “The Cyprus Action Network of America
(CANA) accompanied by political organizers from Washington DC, along with
hundreds of activists, many from Florida and many traveling from several states
away, joined together to rally against Genocide denier and Cyprus invasion
denier Congressman Robert Wexler (D-19), and to stand in support of democratic
primary candidate Dr. Benjamin Graber, and thereby stand in support of human
rights, justice and democracy on Saturday, January 12, 2008 in Boca Rotan,
Florida”
Moreover, “The rally, organized by the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF), and
co-hosted by the Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA), along with the
Armenian National Committee of South Florida the Armenian Student Association
(ASA), was a huge success!
CANA consultant John Bosnitch, commented on Wexler “he is in the pocket of the
big money Turkish lobby denying the illegal occupation of Cyprus…Wexler’s denial
of the past Genocide of Armenians is strike one, Wexler’s support of the present
Genocide of Greeks in Cyprus is strike two, Wexler’s support of the future
Genocide of Kosovo Serbs is strike three…lets be Americans about this.. Mister
Wexler, three strikes you’re out”.
Another example of the Greek-Serbian common stance on wider issues is the
inclusion of James Jatras in the American Council of Kosovo and in parallel in
the Greek American Political Action Committee that is going to play an important
role in the upcoming forthcoming Presidential elections.
Large Serbian Diaspora organizations
The American Council for Kosovo is an organization primarily concerned with the
Kosovo issue and important personalities from the Serbian, Jewish, Greek and
Anglo-Saxon communities are represented. The Council has an internet based radio
program and has initiated foreign trips to countries such as Russia, Israel,
Canada, and Australia in order to inform officials of those countries around the
Kosovo problem and the cultural genocide conducted by the Albanians.
It hasn’t visited Athens yet, due to indifference by the respective Greek
authorities, although that is something that could be changed anytime soon due
to the changing nature of Greek domestic political balances for a variety of
reasons beyond the scope of the present speech.
The Advisory Board of American Council for Kosovo has made numerous appearances
in major USA think tanks, Israeli policy forums and Serbian newspapers. It
includes:
Doug Bandow
Doug Bandow is a Washington-based political writer and policy analyst. He served
as a Special Assistant to President Ronald Reagan
Ambassador James Bissett
Ambassador Bissett spent 37 years as a Canadian Public Servant in the Department
of Citizenship and Immigration and Foreign Affairs.
Andrew G. Bostom
Andrew G. Bostom, MD, MS is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Brown
University Medical School
Thomas Gambill
Thomas Gambill is a former Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
(OSCE) security official and was based in Kosovo for five years. He has made
several important appearances and comments based on his important experience in
the region.
Julia Gorin
Julia Gorin is among the most recognized names in politically conservative
stand-up comedy. She has been profiled in the book South Park Conservatives and
her jokes will be featured in the forthcoming Complete Idiot's Guide to Jokes.
She also is one of the most influential thinkers on contemporary Balkan
politics.
Robert Spencer
Robert Spencer, the director of Jihad Watch, is a writer and researcher with a
large number of publications and appearances in issues concerning security and
anti-terrorism policies.
Sir Alfred Sherman+ In Memoriam, with Gratitude
Sir Alfred Sherman was a national security advisor for former British Prime
Minister Margaret and one of the prime strategic thinkers of the United Kingdom
The Rev. Canon Keith Roderick, D.D.
An Episcopal priest, Father Keith Roderick was a Cold War human rights activist
on behalf of Soviet citizens facing religious persecution under Communist
William J. Murray
William J. Murray is the chairman of the Religious Freedom Coalition in
Washington, DC
The Serbian Unity Congress is another organization that was established in 1990,
and already has 11 offices in USA and 10 other in the rest of the world. Its
main function is to inform the public on Serbian themes and to mobilize Diaspora
Serbs on issues of great concern. It mainly operates using the English language
in order to have a greater appeal in the 2nd and 3rd generation immigrants and
to be able to penetrate its view on a greater media audience.
It provides 24/7 information flow on Serbian issues and has a special high
quality information gateway regarding the exposure of cultural treasures of
Serbia in a way they address the American mind.
Offices in the States are in:
Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, San
Francisco, Milwaukee, Houston, Miami
And abroad in:
MexicoCity, Toronto, Vancuver, Calgary, Belgrade, Vienna, Lausanne, London,
Australia, South Africa.
An informal, but well organized Serbian lobby in Israel has been active from the
very beginning of the breakup of Yugoslavia. It includes a number of media
personalities, in concert with the Association of Immigrants from Yugoslavia and
the Serbian Embassy in Israel.
It has attained a great role in presenting the Serbian view on the events that
took place in ex-Yugoslavia and assisted in shaping a positive image of Serbia
to the Israelis.
Ms. Mel Polishook-Bloch and Ms. Erela Golan, members of Knesset, as Chairperson
and member of Serbian Friendship Group in the Knesset, visited Serbia from
September 5th to 8th 2005 according to the invitation of the Serbian-Israeli
friendship group in the People's Assembly of Serbia.
Serbian-Israeli Friendship Group is the first such group established in the
Serbian Parliament, initiated by the Committee of Foreign Affairs and its
Chairperson, Ms. Gordana ?omi?.
The Serbian pressure groups successes
Obama is the friendliest to the Serbs due to efforts by the lobby, and was
approached by the Serbian Diaspora in a relatively early stage of his election
campaign, when Clinton’s campaign seemed as the favorite one.
Excellent relations with Israel and the right wing American Jewish lobby,
without at the same time loosing connections with the Arab world, is another
accomplishment of the Serbian groups.
Moreover a great number of Balkan scandals and atrocities were made known to the
wider public, by an extent through the assistance of the Serbian groups across
the world and especially via the internet.
The Serbs were pretty apt and successful into forming very good relations with
certain wings and clubs of the British Conservative party, the American
Republican Party and veteran associations in the States and Canada
The most important fact is that despite the hurdles of the '90's they have
managed to form a lobby which is now beginning to become influential, I would
say that it will become amongst the 10 most influential in the next 5-10 years
if it continues with that pace.
Lastly the likeliness of the emergence of an orthodox axis in North America
which has more than 8 million Orthodox citizens, is a very important aspect of
the whole discussion.
####
========================
Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA)
2578 Broadway #132
New York, NY 10025
New York: Tel. 917-699-9935
Email: cana@cyprusactionnetwork.org
www.cyprusactionnetwork.org
========================
The Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) is a grass-roots, not-for-profit
movement created to support genuine self-determination and human rights for the
people of Cyprus.
You may post any CANA article, press release or action alert on the internet as
long as you credit CANA and the author(s).
Monday, September 8, 2008
*New* Smyrna-Ionia Autonomous State Flag Proposal
Several years ago, while I was the leader of the Neo-Byzantine Nationalist Organization, Enotita, I created a proposed flag for Asia Minor, which was adopted by the organization as the official flag of Enotitan Asia Minor.
This flag was created using the back drop of the Smyrna merchant ensign from the years of Ottoman Tyranny and the double headed eagle of Byzantium. Since then I’ve proudly seen this Enotitan Flag design spread to several web sites and you tube videos. Since then, I’ve debated long and hard over this flag proposals original design. Although I still agree with my original symbolism, I must say the coloring and its final out come has always bothered me. It is because of this that I’ve decided to take the design back to the drawing board and have since created a new design. I hope to see this new proposal spread just as much and even farther then the original design.
*The New Enotitan Asia Minor Flag*
This flag was created using the back drop of the Smyrna merchant ensign from the years of Ottoman Tyranny and the double headed eagle of Byzantium. Since then I’ve proudly seen this Enotitan Flag design spread to several web sites and you tube videos. Since then, I’ve debated long and hard over this flag proposals original design. Although I still agree with my original symbolism, I must say the coloring and its final out come has always bothered me. It is because of this that I’ve decided to take the design back to the drawing board and have since created a new design. I hope to see this new proposal spread just as much and even farther then the original design. *The New Enotitan Asia Minor Flag*
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Ask Congress to Protect Consumers from Nuked Greens
The FDA has again prioritized industry interests over consumer safety by recently announcing that it will allow fresh spinach and iceberg lettuce to be treated with ionizing radiation. What’s worse, consumers will find it difficult to avoid irradiated greens if the FDA also succeeds in eliminating labeling requirements.
Please personalize the following letter asking Congress to:
1) review and repeal this approval,
2) maintain irradiation labeling, and
3) stop the approval process for the irradiation of the other foods currently under consideration.
Follow the Link Here
Please personalize the following letter asking Congress to:
1) review and repeal this approval,
2) maintain irradiation labeling, and
3) stop the approval process for the irradiation of the other foods currently under consideration.
Follow the Link Here
TURKISH AMERICAN HOLOCAUST DENIERS IN ILLEGALLY OCCUPIED CYPRUS
For Immediate Release: August 15, 2008
Contact: Nikolaos Taneris, New York, Tel. 1-917-699-9935
NEW YORK--The Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) is concerned with the
“formal Turkish American delegation” to illegally occupied Cyprus, organized by
Turkish American Holocaust deniers, and foreign agents of the Assembly of
Turkish American Associations (ATAA).
In the announcement covering the “delegation trip” prominently displayed on the
ATAA website, false historical revisionism is used to equate the liberation
struggle in Cyprus. It also falsely applies the early years of the Republic of
Cyprus to images and events from the tragedy of the Holocaust of European Jewry.
The glaring use of Holocaust Relativism/ Holocaust denial by ATAA is notable.
Explicitly, the ATAA claims that the Republic of Cyprus was hamlet ting Turks in
“concentration camps, and killing them.”
Misappropriation of terms such as “concentration camps” which come from the
imagery of the Holocaust to falsely describe the situation of the Turkish
Cypriots is particularly appalling. Not only were there no such camps in
existence in Cyprus for Turks. The Cypriots did not starve millions of people to
death, did not force and did not have inmates to work under brutal conditions,
and did not send them to gas chambers if they were "unfit" to work. Mis- using
the language of the Holocaust-- referring to “concentration camps” for Turks in
Cyprus diminishes and trivializes those who really suffered in concentration
camps, the Jewish people.
ATAA has been amongst the most active groups engaging in Genocide denial. In
recent years, it filed a lawsuit in the State of Massachusetts demanding that
information denying genocide be included in the public school system’s Holocaust
and Genocide education curriculum. Long volumes of Genocide denial literature
are offered prominently on their website, some authored by their own
President-Elect Gunay Evinch, in the attempt to falsely hurl blame onto the
victims of Turkish crimes. For instance, ATAA falsely accuses Greeks of Genocide
in Cyprus, and argues that Greece invaded Cyprus!
The ATAA with chapters all over the United States is one of the organizations
FBI whistleblower Sibel Edmonds has called “semi-legit”- meaning that some of
its activities are underground and illegal. Edmonds revealed in several
interviews with Vanity Fair and the Sunday Times and numerous alternative and
progressive news outlets on the overwhelming evidence of money laundering,
illegal arms sales, and illegal drug activities, directly linked to Turkish
espionage discovered by FBI wiretaps of Turkish Embassy officials, and its
allies, including the ATAA .
David Rose, contributing editor to Vanity Fair, wrote an expose on FBI wiretaps
of the Turkish Embassy and the Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA),
and the American Turkish Council (ATC), the article highlights a deal for
Congressman Dennis Hastert to receive a $500,000 bribe to stop an Armenian
Genocide resolution. With such sums of cash, boastfully handed out to Turkish
collaborators in bribes to Congress, its noteworthy to mention that the Turkish
Caucus in Congress has risen to 80 members under the leadership of its founder,
the Cyprus invasion denier, Congressman Robert Wexler (D-Fl -19th), recently
charged with residency fraud. (An Inconvenient Patriot by David Rose, Vanity
Fair/September 2005 URL: http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9774.htm
)
The Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) is concerned with the rising
Anti-Cyprus sentiment of Turkish groups working with the Turkish government.
The time is now for all those who care for Cyprus to join our struggle. Be
proud and courageous Cypriots, join us, as we face the Turkish war and
propaganda machine, head on.
In coming months, we will launch bold and assertive actions to draw public
attention to Turkey’s crimes. One of our goals will be the campaign to make ATAA
GO AWAY.
VIDEO RESOURCES:
(1) Gunay Evinch President Elect of ATAA (Assembly of Turkish American
Associations) Sings Old MacDonald Had A Farm
URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35YupEDq1Nw
(2) Mysterious Holocaust Deniers of Turkish Group: Convention
URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BoVAqjflqs
========================
Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA)
2578 Broadway #132
New York, NY 10025
New York: Tel. 917-699-9935
Email: cana@cyprusactionnetwork.org
www.cyprusactionnetwork.org
========================
The Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) is a grass-roots, not-for-profit
movement created to support genuine self-determination and human rights for the
people of Cyprus.
You may post any CANA article, press release or action alert on the internet as
long as you credit CANA and the author(s).
Contact: Nikolaos Taneris, New York, Tel. 1-917-699-9935
NEW YORK--The Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) is concerned with the
“formal Turkish American delegation” to illegally occupied Cyprus, organized by
Turkish American Holocaust deniers, and foreign agents of the Assembly of
Turkish American Associations (ATAA).
In the announcement covering the “delegation trip” prominently displayed on the
ATAA website, false historical revisionism is used to equate the liberation
struggle in Cyprus. It also falsely applies the early years of the Republic of
Cyprus to images and events from the tragedy of the Holocaust of European Jewry.
The glaring use of Holocaust Relativism/ Holocaust denial by ATAA is notable.
Explicitly, the ATAA claims that the Republic of Cyprus was hamlet ting Turks in
“concentration camps, and killing them.”
Misappropriation of terms such as “concentration camps” which come from the
imagery of the Holocaust to falsely describe the situation of the Turkish
Cypriots is particularly appalling. Not only were there no such camps in
existence in Cyprus for Turks. The Cypriots did not starve millions of people to
death, did not force and did not have inmates to work under brutal conditions,
and did not send them to gas chambers if they were "unfit" to work. Mis- using
the language of the Holocaust-- referring to “concentration camps” for Turks in
Cyprus diminishes and trivializes those who really suffered in concentration
camps, the Jewish people.
ATAA has been amongst the most active groups engaging in Genocide denial. In
recent years, it filed a lawsuit in the State of Massachusetts demanding that
information denying genocide be included in the public school system’s Holocaust
and Genocide education curriculum. Long volumes of Genocide denial literature
are offered prominently on their website, some authored by their own
President-Elect Gunay Evinch, in the attempt to falsely hurl blame onto the
victims of Turkish crimes. For instance, ATAA falsely accuses Greeks of Genocide
in Cyprus, and argues that Greece invaded Cyprus!
The ATAA with chapters all over the United States is one of the organizations
FBI whistleblower Sibel Edmonds has called “semi-legit”- meaning that some of
its activities are underground and illegal. Edmonds revealed in several
interviews with Vanity Fair and the Sunday Times and numerous alternative and
progressive news outlets on the overwhelming evidence of money laundering,
illegal arms sales, and illegal drug activities, directly linked to Turkish
espionage discovered by FBI wiretaps of Turkish Embassy officials, and its
allies, including the ATAA .
David Rose, contributing editor to Vanity Fair, wrote an expose on FBI wiretaps
of the Turkish Embassy and the Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA),
and the American Turkish Council (ATC), the article highlights a deal for
Congressman Dennis Hastert to receive a $500,000 bribe to stop an Armenian
Genocide resolution. With such sums of cash, boastfully handed out to Turkish
collaborators in bribes to Congress, its noteworthy to mention that the Turkish
Caucus in Congress has risen to 80 members under the leadership of its founder,
the Cyprus invasion denier, Congressman Robert Wexler (D-Fl -19th), recently
charged with residency fraud. (An Inconvenient Patriot by David Rose, Vanity
Fair/September 2005 URL: http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9774.htm
)
The Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) is concerned with the rising
Anti-Cyprus sentiment of Turkish groups working with the Turkish government.
The time is now for all those who care for Cyprus to join our struggle. Be
proud and courageous Cypriots, join us, as we face the Turkish war and
propaganda machine, head on.
In coming months, we will launch bold and assertive actions to draw public
attention to Turkey’s crimes. One of our goals will be the campaign to make ATAA
GO AWAY.
VIDEO RESOURCES:
(1) Gunay Evinch President Elect of ATAA (Assembly of Turkish American
Associations) Sings Old MacDonald Had A Farm
URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35YupEDq1Nw
(2) Mysterious Holocaust Deniers of Turkish Group: Convention
URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BoVAqjflqs
========================
Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA)
2578 Broadway #132
New York, NY 10025
New York: Tel. 917-699-9935
Email: cana@cyprusactionnetwork.org
www.cyprusactionnetwork.org
========================
The Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) is a grass-roots, not-for-profit
movement created to support genuine self-determination and human rights for the
people of Cyprus.
You may post any CANA article, press release or action alert on the internet as
long as you credit CANA and the author(s).
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Cypriot leaders begin peace talks
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
20:13 Mecca time, 17:13 GMT
Talks on the reunification of Cyprus have begun between Demetris Christofias, the Greek Cypriot president, and Mehmet Ali Talat, the Turkish Cypriot leader.
Read Full Article Here
20:13 Mecca time, 17:13 GMT
Talks on the reunification of Cyprus have begun between Demetris Christofias, the Greek Cypriot president, and Mehmet Ali Talat, the Turkish Cypriot leader.
Read Full Article Here
Reporter's diary: A Balkan view
By Barnaby Phillips, Europe correspondent
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
14:22 Mecca time, 11:22 GMT
The Russians always said that the West's recognition of Kosovo would set a dangerous precedent. That argument may have been valid, but perhaps, as we now know, because the Russians were determined to make it a precedent.
Read Full Article Here
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
14:22 Mecca time, 11:22 GMT
The Russians always said that the West's recognition of Kosovo would set a dangerous precedent. That argument may have been valid, but perhaps, as we now know, because the Russians were determined to make it a precedent.
Read Full Article Here
Monday, September 1, 2008
Albanian Site comments on ancient Thracian Article
Peizazhe të fjalës
English Translation of comment 5 follows:
Uncle,
The same mythology, the same topic, people of the same kind, but from diff point of view, from the one you use, when it comes to ''Mitet''. It makes you think about Albanian KOMBETARISTET have instinctive reasons when they react the way they react by approaching their mothers.
The authors positivism below and overcoming of his "Pindarike" with knowledge, are the total opposite of the Albanian Mitet, which they now seem to be weaker.
English Translation of comment 5 follows:
Uncle,
The same mythology, the same topic, people of the same kind, but from diff point of view, from the one you use, when it comes to ''Mitet''. It makes you think about Albanian KOMBETARISTET have instinctive reasons when they react the way they react by approaching their mothers.
The authors positivism below and overcoming of his "Pindarike" with knowledge, are the total opposite of the Albanian Mitet, which they now seem to be weaker.
Article on Ancient Thracians still making waves
It has recently been brought to my attention that my most recent article that was published about the origins of the ancient thracians has been found on LAM - Laboratoire d'Archéologie Méditerranéenne de l'UdeM web site.
Like always i would like to thank LAM for helping to spread this article to the far corners of the internet.
Like always i would like to thank LAM for helping to spread this article to the far corners of the internet.
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