1995_03 The Daily Collegian March 1995

              March
&
Hye Sharzhoom
News—,
DALAI LAMA, From p. 4
work in Arab studies at the Ameri¬
can University of Beirut told me
about a German that Ibe knew well
who was stranded hi Tibet (taring
the second World War. toacouple
of years he taught the Dalai Lama
English and became a good friend.
_ idt^kWIwouMusetheGcrman's
H.S^ Did it work?
I DJL: Apparently, because again
*co our surprise, the English speak¬
ing voice on the other end of the
telephone said he would send a car
to the station to get us. The Dalai
Lama's entourage was the only one
allowed a car and sure enough an
American station wagon picked us
•up and drove us through the steep
streets of town to an impressive
residence. In Delhi we were told all
sorts of "wild" stories about the
Dalai Lama and how he was liter¬
ally worshipped as living god by
his followers. We were also toUT'
that he was always surrounded by
enormous, nearly grunting, un¬
friendly bodyguards.
It was late morning and we were
greeted by what appeared to be the
Dalail ansa'sspcatesman. We were
told that the Dalai Lama was at his
prayers and would see us only after
he had finished them.
H.S j Did you wait long?
D.K.: About an hour later, from a
passage probably connected to a
shrine appeared a man of about our
age dressed in his thick and deep
burgundy colored robes. We rec¬
ognized him immediately from the
many photos we had seen and
greeted him with the usual Bud¬
dhist bowing and hands held to¬
gether. His English was under¬
standable. He was very friendly
and seemed pleased to see us. There
was a intelligence and shyness about
him, and great spirituality as the
supreme head ofTibetan Buddhism.
i ?skvd questions about Tibet and
optimism toward building a new
fiature, slowly patiently and wim
love and understanding.
H& And the photo?
D.KL: There were many photos of
course. I talked to him about bis
old German friend that taught him
English and he was pleased to get
news of tern. He asked my age and
it turned out we were both born in
1934 just three days apart; he liked
that He wis very interested in my
camera and took a photo of Andre
and myself and we took in turns
photos of the Dalai Lama with each
ofus.
R&: have yon seen the Dalai lama
since them?
DJCcNo. But three or four years
ago lie was awarded a special prize
for peace by toe French govern-
ment along withiSen Arevshatian,
Director of the Matenadaran, the
Museum-Institute of Armenian
Manuscripts, but alas I was in
Fresno and could not attend the
ceremony. Every time I read about
the Dalai Lama and I ihink of my
interview and his courage.
US- Do you talk about this expe¬
rience to your students?
DJL: No, never.   I have asked
students if they knew about the
Dalai Lama, and most of them re¬
ply that they never heard of him or
the title and are amazed to learn .
that he is considered one of the
greatest spiritual leaders of our
^nme.. One of the problems with
students today is how. tittle infor¬
mation they have about anything
historical orcultural or aboutevents
even in recent history that take place
outside of America. In class if you
express surprise that the majority
in attendance have never heard of
this'person or that event, students
get offended and think the profes¬
sor is trying to put them down, as
they say. Most of them are now
wired or plugged in to the Internet,
but most computer information is
lifeless and it seems not to help
either with intelligence or improv¬
ing general knowledge.
L. to R. Armon!an Artists Hagop Hagopian, Varaz Samuellan,and Rafael Atoyan Join Shahan
Kachaturian, Curator of the National Gallery of Art In Yerevan. Kacrvaturian prasj^ad a* Hlu&tTatod
lecture-Armenian Artlata of the 19th and 20th Centuries" on Wednesday, February 22, 1995 The
lecture wae co-eponeo red by the Armenian Studies Prog ram and St. Paul Armen Ian Church.
Armenia Update
Two Hoars Power Supply
Ms To The Population
YEREVAN ("Respublica Arme¬
nia" daily, 03/11/99 — It has
already been reported that
pipe line to Armenia has
stored. The population was;
ing electric power based on the one
hour per day scrKsdule for a week.
Starting from yesterday, two boors
schedule was restored.
Currency Rates In Yerevan
YEPJEVANOXragir^Hayastani
Haurapeturyun" dailies), 03/11/
95 —
A regular auction of the Yerevan
StockExchange was held on March
10. Press center ofRA Central Bank
reported that' the value of 1 US
dollar grew by 72 lumas, and
reached 403.92 drams. The value
of 1,000 Russian rubles also grew
and made 83.60 drams, which is
46 lumas higher then the rate de¬
fined during previous auction. 23
banks participated in the auction.
Where $298 Aousands and 196mm.
Russian rabies were sold.*
Ssfoaft Tishrhlti Assigned As
IliislCs^scsVwOrrihssanismsi
tar   YBRBVAN CHayastanl
HartrapetutyunV'Azg"&dies),03/
10/95— We have already reported
that State Minister Sepouh
Tashchian was released to accept a
new job, "Hayasian^Hanra-
peturyun" reports that, based on a
decision of the Government,
Sepouh Tashchian was assigned
as the l^ead Councilor ofJtA
Prime Minister, and as pleni¬
potentiary representative of RA
Government in energy and re¬
sources. MAzg" adds, quoting
sources close to the government,
that Tashchian will mainly operate
in the USA. His Yerevan office
will be disbanded. From now on,
all problems related with energy,
nuclear power plant, resources and
seismic protection will be re¬
solved by State Minister Gagik
Crash In The Yerevan Power
YEREVAN C'Lragir" daily -
Past), 03/10/95 — Several
districts of the Annenian capital
have oof. received their limit for
electric power as a result of a crash
hi the Yerevan power network.
According to the Yerevan City
Council, crash has b
within a short period of time, and
operation of the power network
resumed. The same sources report
that one hour per day schedule
persists.
A Visit To The Medzamor
Nuclear Power Plant
YEREVAN CHayastani
Hanrapetotyun'* daily), 03A8/95
— Deputy Chairman of RA Su¬
preme Council Artashes
Toumanian visited Medzamor on
March 8. to get acquainted with the
current stale of reconstruction op-
erations at the power plant Su¬
preme Council press service re¬
ported that he visited first and sec¬
ond power blocks of the plant,
leadership of me plant presented
infonnauon about reconstruction
operations, installation of new
cjil security and other measures
carried out at the plant. Security
was stressed to be of primary im-
portasrn Schedule of reconstruc- ■
tion operations at the power plant
and onto details have also been
WILLING TO TALK
BAKU (Turan)-"Azerbaijan is
ready to negotiate with Armenia to
settle the Karabakh conflict." ac¬
cording to statements attributed to
Azeri foreign minister Hasan
Hasanov while commenting on a
US proposal to conduct direct talks
between Baku and Yerevan.
Hasanov announced that until now
the basic obstacle to such dialogue
was Yerevan s intention to achieve
equal negotiating status for the
'Armenian community ofNagomo
Karabakh.
KarekinnofCUkia Best Candi¬
date says Te r- Pe trosyan
(HAYASTANI
HANRAPETTJTYUN-3/8/95)
Q: Mr. President, the elections for
the BlstCatholicosof All Arme¬
nians are scr»eduled for April 3.
Does the government have a posi¬
tion on this j*—\
? A In accordance with the law
"On Freedom of Conscience'* the
Church is separated from the state,
therefore the latter has no right to
interfere in church affairs, includ
^^..._.         ./■   ■
HASANOV SAYS AZERIS Se*ARMENIA»\*m•'
BUBBLE GUM, from p. 3
acting was so important. Thechtl-
dren gathered around us, eagerly
chatting away like old friends.
When 1 told them 1 brought some-
thing for them from America, they
smiled brighter than tlie morning
sun after sunrise. My face was
flushed from my embarrassment.
Iheldthe^packsofguminmy
hand, feeling guilty. as if the trifles
were not even worth handing out
But when I saw every child beam
his smile up at me. I felt like Santa
Clans. Their eyes, which had never
grown dull from their poor
lifestyles, glowed even brighter than
before.
I remembered what i had said
to my sixth grade teacher at the
Armenian school., "It's only gum.
It's probably not even worth the
troubk of draggmg n to Arttsesata.'*
I handed out a pack of gum.
Tbeysmiled.
•
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