Latest posts by Onnik Krikorian from December, 2007
Armenia: Robinson Crusoe in Kurdish
Kurdistan and Hayastan — Hand in Hand posts a scan of the front page of the Kurdish translation of Daniel Dafoe's classic book, Robinson Crusoe. The book was translated and published in the Kurmanji dialect of Kurdish in 1936.
Armenia: Media Protest
The Armenian Observer reports on a protest staged to support a regional TV station in Gyumri, Armenia's second largest city. The station is facing continued pressure from the local authorities as next year's presidential election draws closer.
Armenia: Dram Politics
The Armenian Economist is unhappy with the way the media and other bloggers have reported on the appreciation of the Armenian Dram against the US Dollar. In particular, says David, the issue is instead hijacked for political purposes.
Georgia: Election Cartoons
One refreshing addition to the Georgian blogosphere as the January election approaches is Georgia Ink, the blog of cartoonist Vladimir Shioshvili. With elections in the South Caucasus generally tense, Shioshvili injects some humor into proceedings by asking, for example, why was the State of Emergency lifted at 7pm on 7...
Georgia: Media Ownership
As the 5 January presidential election in Georgia approaches, the pro-opposition Resistance Georgia blog raises some important questions about ownership of the media in the former Soviet republic.
Armenia: Protest Highlights Blogging
The Armenian Observer comments on yesterday's protest by four Armenian bloggers against a Days of Azerbaijan event hosted at a local school in Yerevan, the Armenian capital. The blog says the protest “brought massive media attention to the understanding of blogging […] as a form of civil activity in Armenia.”
Armenia: Bloggers Protest Days of Azerbaijan
Oneworld Multimedia reports that a group of Armenian bloggers have protested the Days of Azerbaijan currently being held at a school in Yerevan. However, while the bloggers do not represent every Armenian with a blog, it is interesting to note that certain media outlets neglected to report the incident at...
Armenia: Elephants Marry
After quite a few international controversies surrounding attempts to find a mate for Yerevan Zoo's only elephant, Blogian reports some happy news. Hrantik can finally share his life with an elephant from Moscow and the new relationship was apparently cemented by a “marriage ceremony.”
Russia: Deti Picasso
Georgia & the South Caucasus is impressed by the ethnic Armenian indie band from Russia, Deti Picasso. Fusing both traditional Armenia with alternative contemporary sounds, the blog hopes that the band will one day make it to Europe.
Azerbaijan: Highest Flag
Baku Fragments reports that the “highest and largest flag” has been raised in Baku, the Azerbaijani capital. The flag flies at a height of 61.5 meters.
Armenia: Days of Azerbaijan
Despite the unresolved conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh, Oneworld Multimedia comments on press reports that a school in the Armenian capital is currently staging an event, Days of Azerbaijan in Yerevan. The blog wonders if there will now be a Days of Azerbaijan...
Georgia: Misha is Cool!
The BBC's Matthew Collin writes on This Is Tbilisi Calling about the latest attempt by the Georgian president, Mikheil Saakashvili, to woo voters ahead of January's election. A song, Misha is Cool, has been recorded by a former boy band member, now a regional governor.
Georgia: Military Buildup in Abkhazia
Steady State comments on reports that Russia is building up its military presence in the breakaway region of Abkhazia. Moscow instead says what is happening is nothing more than a regular rotation of peacekeeping troops.
Armenia: The Kurdish Question
In response to a post by Paul Goble on the apparent belief that Armenia's Kurdish minority is obstructing a peace deal with Azerbaijan over the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh, Oneworld Multimedia identifies a number of inaccuracies in the analysis.
Armenia: Pink Armenia
Unzipped: Gay Armenia informs its readers that a new LGBT NGO has been set up in Armenia. Pink (Public Information and Need of Knowledge) Armenia will specifically work in the area of STI/HIV prevention in the Armenian LGBT community.
Armenia: Xenophobic Official
Nazarian is shocked by a recent article published in the local press penned by an official in the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The article reported the situation Armenian women find themselves in when they marry Arabs. However, rather than call for tolerance, Nazarian says the official urged Armenian women...
Georgia: Alternate Route
Via Kaukasus, Transcaucasus offers its readers an alternate way to reach Georgia from Europe without any flying involved.
Armenia: Banditocracy
Nazarian comments on the bombing of a minor opposition newspaper in Yerevan with the 2008 presidential election just two months away. Although the damage was slight, the blogger says that the attack in itself is representative of the continual harassment of the radical opposition press.
Georgia: Populist Politics
TOL Georgia is less than impressed with the populist politics of opposition politician Shalva Natelashvili. The blog says that promises from the candidate for the January 2008 presidential election usually sound crazy and often sound “crazy.”
Azerbaijan: Media Freedom
Leigh's new adventures in Azerbaijan says that the authorities in Baku reacted quickly in releasing an imprisoned Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist after comments from the U.S. Ambassador on media freedom in the country.
Armenia: Media Protest
The Armenian Observer posts details of a protest demonstration staged in support of a regional TV station in Armenia's second largest city of Gyumri. The TV station is currently facing pressure from the authorities in the run up to the 2008 presidential election.
