I actually saw this on TV and it pissed me off. The groups they listed for Armenia were mentioned as Islamic groups. They are the furthest thing from that. And they haven't been very active in the past several years. Jared ----- Forwarded message from ANCA <[log in to unmask]> ----- Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2001 16:39:25 -0500 From: ANCA <[log in to unmask]> Reply-To: ANCA <[log in to unmask]> Subject: ANCA Action: Help Ensure Accurate Media Coverage of Armenia To: ANCA News List <[log in to unmask]> *********************************************************** This message was distributed to the "ANCA News" list. If you received this message in error or would like to be removed from the list, send an e-mail with "Please Remove" in the subject heading to [log in to unmask] Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused. Please forward this message only to friends and family, who you know would be interested in this issue. Please note that sending unsolicited e-mail is considered "spam" and is illegal. *********************************************************** Media Action Alert 9/20/2001 HELP PREVENT MEDIA MISREPRESENTATION OF ARMENIA -- Report Inaccurate or Misleading Coverage to the ANCA ================================================================ Situation: ================================================================ During this difficult period of national crisis, it is critically important for the news media to provide accurate information to the public concerning the tragic events surrounding the September 11th terrorist attacks against our nation. It is understandable that media outlets, particularly in the broadcast media, may make errors due to the flood of incoming information and the urgency of sharing it with the public. However, we must be vigilant to not allow inaccurate or misleading reporting to play a role in shaping public opinion or to impair the ability of citizens to make sound judgments concerning our collective response to this national tragedy. With these thoughts in mind, in addition to taking part in blood drives, prayer services, fundraising campaigns, and other relief efforts, we can also do our part to help ensure accurate media coverage, particularly in regard to Armenia and the Caucasus region. One example of inaccurate coverage was broadcast by the CBS Evening News in its September 18th "Eye on America" segment. Commenting on Islamic terrorist groups active in the Middle East, CBS London Bureau-based correspondent Mark Phillips listed: "...Iraq... the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the PFLP GC, The Palestine Liberation Front and the many branches of the Abu Nidal group including the Fatah Revolutionary Council and Black September. And, in Iran, the Mujahadeen. The poisonous alphabet soup of terror spills into Turkey and Armenia. And obviously to Afghanistan and bin Laden's al-Qa'ida group. And that's just radical Islamic terrorism leaving out all the rest." The inclusion of Armenia by CBS in a list of nations in any way linked to "radical Islamic terrorism," is completely without foundation. A video clip of this segment is one of several posted on the CBS News website: http://www.cbsnews.com/now/story/0,1597,311678-412,00.shtml ================================================================ Action: ================================================================ 1) Please report media misrepresentations regarding Armenia to the ANCA. Please include relevant details, including: * Newspaper, magazine, television/radio station, or website * Date and time * Name of reporter * Description of coverage Forward to: ANCA Eastern U.S. 80 Bigelow Avenue Watertown, MA 02472 Tel: (617) 923-1918 Fax: (617) 926-5525 Email: [log in to unmask] ANCA Western United States 104 North Belmont Glendale, CA 91206 Tel: (818) 500-1918 Fax: (818) 246-7353 Email: [log in to unmask] 3) Visit the ANCA website to send a letter to media outlets that have provided inaccurate coverage of Armenia. A sample letter is provided for your reference, although a personalized letter is always more effective. http://www.anca.org 3) Contact the CBS Evening News to point out the inaccuracy of their September 18th "Eye on America" report that Armenia is somehow tied to "radical Islamic terrorism." You may wish to thank CBS for its otherwise excellent coverage and commitment to high journalistic standards. Al Ortiz Executive Producer CBS Evening News with Dan Rather 524 West 57th Street New York, NY 10019-2902 Tel: (212) 975-3691 Fax: (212) 975-1893 Email: [log in to unmask] ================================================================ ANCA Statement on the National Day of Prayer: ================================================================ On this national day of prayer and remembrance, the Armenian National Committee of America and the entire Armenian American community throughout the United States join with all Americans in condemning the September 11th terrorist attack on the United States, in mourning those lost in this tragedy, and in summoning our collective national resolve to stand up against - and hold accountable - the perpetrators of these terrible crimes and their supporters. On behalf of Armenian Americans from throughout the country, we extend our deepest and heartfelt sympathies to the families and friends of the victims in Washington, New York and Pennsylvania, including those from our communities. Armenian American churches, institutions and individuals continue to contribute to the efforts to recover from this national tragedy. We stand with President George W. Bush as he leads the effort to discover those responsible for this atrocity and bring them to justice. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the victims of this attack on the American people. ================================================================ Armenia Supports U.S. Response to Terrorism: ================================================================ * Armenia has pledged its support for United States military action against terrorist camps in Afghanistan and other states in retaliation for last week's attacks. * The President of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan, was among the first to write to President Bush following the attacks to condemn the "evil of terrorism," and to "join the world in condemning this most deplorable and inhuman act of violence." * Armenians have suffered, first hand, from the same brand of pain and destruction inflicted by the perpetrators of the recent terrorist attacks against the United States. In 1992 and 1993 the government of Azerbaijan deployed hundreds of Afghan-trained mujahadeen mercenaries in their illegal and immoral war against the Armenian population of Nagorno Karabagh. ================================================================ Sample Letter to Media Outlets: ================================================================ Dear news editor: I am writing to pass along several points that may be of use to you as you cover the aftermath of the horrific terrorist attacks on September 11th. * Armenia has pledged its support for United States military action against terrorist camps in Afghanistan and other states in retaliation for last week's attacks. (See RFE/RL, 9/19/01, "Armenian Defense Chief Backs U.S. Anti-Terrorist Effort - www.armenialiberty.org) * The President of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan, was among the first to write to President Bush following the attacks to condemn the "evil of terrorism," and to "join the world in condemning this most deplorable and inhuman act of violence." (See www.president.am) * Armenian Americans continue to help our nation recover from this tragedy. For more information on blood drives, prayer services, fundraising, and other relief efforts, please contact the Armenian National Committee Eastern U.S. - Email: [log in to unmask], tel: (617) 923-1918; Western U.S. - Email: [log in to unmask], tel: (818) 500-1918. * The Armenian National Committee of America, on the National Day of Prayer and Remembrance, noted that "the entire Armenian American community throughout the United States joins with all Americans in condemning the September 11th terrorist attack on the United States, in mourning those lost in this tragedy, and in summoning our collective national resolve to stand up against - and hold accountable - the perpetrators of these terrible crimes and their supporters." (see www.anca.org) * Armenians have suffered, first hand, from the same brand of pain and destruction inflicted by the perpetrators of the recent terrorist attacks against the United States. In 1992 and 1993 the government of Azerbaijan deployed hundreds of Afghan-trained mujahadeen mercenaries in their illegal and immoral war against the Armenian population of Nagorno Karabagh. * Yossef Bodansky, the former director of the U.S. Congressional Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare, has documented the link between Azerbaijan and Bin Laden's extensive terror network. He wrote in the October 1999 issue of "Defense & Foreign Affairs' Strategic Policy" that "Among the mujahedin presently handled in Azerbaijan are numerous would-be shahids (suicide terrorists) who had been trained in Osama bin Laden's camps in Afghanistan." * Despite concerns for his travel safety, Pope John Paul II will still visit Armenia on September 25th to help celebrate the 1700th anniversary of Armenia's adoption of Christianity as its state religion. Thank you for your consideration of these points and best wishes to you and your colleagues as you cover this critically important story. Sincerely, ____________________ ********************************************************* The above message was distributed to the "ANCA News" list. If you received this message in error or would like to be removed from the list, send an e-mail with "Please Remove" in the subject heading to [log in to unmask] Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused. Please forward this message only to friends and family, who you know would be interested in this issue. Please note that sending unsolicited e-mail is considered "spam" and is illegal. If you know of other activists who would be interested in receiving press releases and news items on issues of concern to the Armenian American community, please e-mail their name, address and e-mail to [log in to unmask] with the note "Please add" in the subject heading. We will be happy to add them to our list. ********************************************************* ----- End forwarded message -----