No dollars in Armenia

It's been speculated for a few years now that Armenia's currency has been artificially manipulated to keep it strong against the dollar (300 drams per dollar vs. the nearly 600 a few years ago). Oftentimes there has been no logical explanation, and even as other currencies would fluctuate against the dollar, the dram just stood firm, or gained strength. The reason for the conspiracy theories, besides the inexplicable rise of the dram, is that many of the most powerful men in Armenia are big importers, and the strong dram has benefitted them a great deal. Meanwhile, those who actually want to help Armenia by creating jobs, manufacturing, exports, etc have been suffering huge losses, and some have closed up shop. In the past couple of days, a massive shortage of dollars has made it clear, that something is fishy behind the exchange rate...

Buying U.S. dollars was all but impossible in Yerevan on Friday in a further sign that the exchange rate of Armenia’s national currency, the dram, is no longer market-based.

Unlike many other currencies, the dram has not depreciated against the dollar since the onset of the global financial crisis late last year. The government and the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) have since been facing allegations by critics that they are using the country’s hard currency reserves to artificially bolster the dram.

The authorities deny any heavy intervention in the currency market. Many Armenians seem unconvinced by these assurances and anxious to convert their dram
savings into dollars. Lines of dollar buyers could be seen outside some Armenian banks and currency exchange shops on Friday. “Dollars are not for sale in any currency shop,” one woman told RFE/RL.

“Everyone wants dollars, but we don’t sell them,” complained one currency trader at a food supermarket in downtown Yerevan. “It’s a panic. I have only $125 in cash right now. I used to have $20,000 at this time of the day.” -RFE/RL

Diaruntarach (Terendez)

A few months ago something compelled my family to decide that this year for the first time ever we were going to celebrate Diaruntarch (one of the daghavars of the Armenian Church) or Terendez as it's referred to in Armenia. I'm willing to bet that the average person would assume this wouldn't be a big deal and we would just gather, light a fire and jump over it. WRONG! In the case of my family we begin with someone coming up with the idea and vocalizing it. Next, everyone mobilizes and tasks are assigned via e-mail. My aunt who is a former teacher of Armenian language and Armenian history was assigned the task of researching foods associated with the holiday. My cousin who is also an educator was given the assignment to research Diaruntarach so that she could further enlighten the rest of the family about the origin, symbolism and traditions of the holiday. Another cousin took on the role of hosting the event and decided her backyard would stage the event (so I'm assuming her husband had to figure out the logistics of how to make fire...ha ha... some things never change men are always in charge of making fire).

On the Sunday before Diaruntarach I had gone to church at St. Garabed in Hollywood. That day the sermon strayed from the usual biblical story and moral message and instead the priest read the Catholicos' message about 2009 being "The Year of the Youth". It was a very interesting message and if anyone is interested in reading it in Armenian or English you can find it on the prelacy website www.westernprelacy.org (under the News tab in 2009 Press Releases at the very top) Right before reading this message the priest announced that on Friday the church would be observing Diaruntarach and the community was invited to come and gather around the fire that would be lit in the parking lot adjacent to the church and "joghovurtagan" songs would be song and then the brave were invited to leap over the fire. Can you guess what happened the very next morning? I sent out an email to every member of my family with an e-mail address to see who wanted to accompany me on Friday night to church for "research purposes". Three of my cousins bit!

So, on Friday, February 13th we arrived at Soorp Garabed church to find a small group gathered in the parking lot around the fire (I'm assuming the group would have been larger had it not been raining on and off) singing songs. It was so nice to see members of our community gathered together singing. I truly believe a people that sings together....stays together HA HA! After we left Hollywood we cruised by the Glendale church (yes, we were Diaruntarach groupies) and though the crowd there was larger and the scouts were involved the festivities hadn't begun yet and we didn't stick around. We had seen enough in Hollywood and learned what we set out to learn.

The next day my family gathered around a similar fire in my cousin's backyard. My cousin the teacher gathered all the children around her and the attention of the adults and she told the story of Diaruntarach. Next my aunt the former teacher explained the significance of Diaruntarach halva (which my eldest aunt had taken on the responsibility of making) Next some songs were song, a few shoorchbars were danced and young and old alike were invited to leap over the fire.

The reason I'm blogging about Diaruntarach is because as a diasporan Armenian I found it interesting that my family all of a sudden decided to note this holiday and it just so happened that for the first time I learned that our churches also have events for the holiday. Was it just all one big coincidence? Being that this was the year of the youth the timing could not have been more perfect, we were able to get the younger members of our family excited about a new event which is tied to our church. Where had Diaruntarch been all these years?

By the way that sporty kid in the picture jumping over the fire is my Godson!

Turkey halts Armenia documentary in schools

Here's an interesting story for three reasons. 1) Turkey is still pulling stupid revisionist moves - including in education. 2) 500 people feel safe enough (but certainly not completely safe) petitioning the government to stop this effort. 3) The government actually listened!

Turkey's Education Ministry has halted the distribution of a controversial documentary about the Armenian issue to all elementary schools after its move incited fierce reactions among academics and intellectuals.

Obama's promise to recognize the Armenian Genocide...

What category will it end up under?

-Kept promise
-Compromised
-Broke promise

-Stalled

-In the works

-No action

Watch on politifact!

Karma strikes Turkey

As Turkey's PM Erdogan's very angry outburst against Israeli PM Peres in Davos made world headlines, few knew some of the interesting background. Two of the moderators, one of whom decided how much time Peres got to speak (2x as long as Erdogan), had Armenian backgrounds. You wouldn't think so at first from their names, David Ignatius and Ian Bremmer, but it is true, and they've both said as much.

So where does the Karma come in? The Turkish PM and Azeri President sat there as two Armenians decided when and how long they could speak for. If it hadn't been for the Armenian Genocide and post genocide policies of Turkey, the Armenian Diaspora would not exist in its present form, and these this would never have happened. Of course, if it hadn't been for the genocide, they also would presumably not have bad relations with Armenians either.