Stories about Armenia from November, 2008
Armenia: World AIDS Day & the Armenicum Fiasco
Armenia: Higher Education & Sciences prepares its readers for the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day and highlights the situation with HIV infection in the country. The blog also notes that this year marks the 10th anniversary of Armenicum, a locally produced drug which the authorities initially announced could cure...
Armenia: Chess, Karabakh and Turkish Relations
West of Igdir comments on the latest developments in Armenia including a second victory for the country in the International Chess Olympiad, speculation over negotiations to resolve the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno Karabakh and last week's visit to Istanbul by the Foreign Minister.
Armenia: Bloggers Throw Funeral at Georgian Embassy
Carrying a black casket labeled “The Newborn Georgian Democracy,” a group of bloggers in Yerevan have marched toward the Georgian Embassy protesting what they call the destruction and desecration of Armenian cultural monuments in neighboring Georgia. Bloggers tell the story.
Georgia: Armenian Church Scandal
With the ever strengthening power of the Orthodox Church in Georgia causing concern for democracy and human rights activists, bloggers were first to report on attempts to seize a derelict Armenian church in the capital, Tbilisi.
Armenia: Eurovision Contenders
Esctime.com reports on speculation that Armenia's entry for next year's Eurovision Song Contest will either be U.S. rock band System of a Down or local pop singer Aramé. Meanwhile, in a post made at the beginning of the month, Unzipped: Gay Armenia says choosing a singer such as Aramé would...
Nagorno Karabakh: Compromise Necessary For Peace
Blogian provides background information and analysis on the latest developments in efforts to resolve the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh. The blog says that peace would be beneficial for both sides, but notes that compromise will be necessary.
Georgia: Junior Eurovision Success
Unzipped comments on this year's junior Eurovision international music competition and says that Georgia's win was well deserved. The blog notes that Russia gave full points to the country it was recently at war with, but also expresses disappointment with Armenia's entry.
Armenia/Azerbaijan: Journalists Under Attack
Beaten in Armenia and imprisoned in Azerbaijan, journalists in the ex-Soviet South Caucasus know the price of freedom. Some of them are even fighting from prison cells, wrestling state persecution and challenging societal intolerance for dissent. Bloggers tell the story of free speech in the South Caucasus.
Armenia: Investigative Journalist Assaulted
Although the precise circumstance are still unclear, Unzipped comments on news that Edik Baghdasarian, an investigative journalist and editor of an online publication, was attacked today. The blog posts a video of Baghdasarian receiving medical treatment in a local hospital and writes that the attack was most likely connected to...
Caucasus: Public Media Potential
The American University’s School of Communication Center for Social Media posts an entry on the potential to counter a constrained and often politicized or controlled media in the South Caucasus and especially to promote peace-building in the war torn region. Blogs are included as one of five key areas that...
Armenia: Violence against Women
The world’s oldest Christian nation may have many things to be proud about, but when it comes to women’s rights the ex-Soviet Armenia is possibly in denial. With widespread human trafficking as its worst manifestation, violence against women in Armenia is alarming the world. Will a recent Amnesty International report detailing domestic abuse and government inaction bring about change? Bloggers react.
Nagorno Karabakh: Insular View
Security in the Caucasus comments on the recent declaration signed by the Armenian, Azerbaijani and Russian presidents in Moscow regarding the conflict in Nagorno Karabakh. The blog finds it ironic that opposition and nationalist groups have reacted to it in the way they have and wonders what they propose instead.
Nagorno Karabakh: Peacebuilding Goes Online
With stereotypes and alternate and usually contradictory as well as inaccurate perceptions of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh still prevalent in both societies, a new online youth media project has been set up by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Department of State to be implemented by Project Harmony.
Armenia: Zucchero, Planet X Concert Reviews
As part of her continuing updates on life in the Armenian capital, local blogger La Vida – los WatcheRos includes accounts of two concerts by foreign musicians she saw perform in Yerevan this week. Although both started an hour later than scheduled, the blog says that Italian musician Zucchero was...
Nagorno Karabakh: Selective Memory Loss
Artashes98 comments on the response to a question he asked a former military commander who considers the regions seized outside the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh as “liberated territories.” The blog reminds its readers that the territories now occupied by Armenian forces were always meant to be a temporary buffer...
Armenia: Casinos
Han's Space comments on the appearance of casinos in Armenia following the collapse of the former Soviet Union. The blog says that there other easier places to go for anyone wanting to gamble, but adds that they might at least be interesting from an anthropological point of view rather than...
Nagorno Karabakh: No Return of Territory
With the Azerbaijani Constitution prohibiting referendums unless held nationally, Kornelij Glas [RU] argues that the regions surrounding the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh should not be negotiated away by the Armenian side in peace talks. The blog looks at the issue from a military point of view.
Caucasus: Gender Gap Index
Social Science in the Caucasus takes exception to the World Economic Forum's Gender Gap Index and, comparing data on economic participation, explains why.
Armenia: Special Committees
Unzipped comments on reported plans by the opposition Armenian National Congress (ANC) to establish special committeses to develop opinions and policies on issues facing the country. The blog compares the idea to the shadow cabinet system in the U.K. and hopes that such a move will contribute to creating a...
Nagorno Karabakh: Obstacles & Contradictions
Despite initial skepticism from some bloggers, reported momentum towards a possible breakthrough in negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh, my The Caucasian Knot details some of the obstacles and political contradictions with regards to a compromise peace deal.
Jerusalem: Unholy Behavior
Yerevan Journal says that despite reported momentum in the peace process to resolve the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the number one talking point on the streets of the Armenian capital is the recent brawl between Armenian and Greek monks in Jerusalem. The blog sums up reactions which mainly clear Armenians of...
