Originally published in Nor Haratch, issue #200 (April 5, 2011)
Translated from the Armenian
Editroship of Nor Haratch: We have received a response from Mr. Petros Terzian, President of “Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund in France and a member of the Fund’s Board of Trustees, as a rebuttal of a series of our articles titled “To Donate Or Not to Donate? Or Ara K. Manoogian’s scandalous series of articles, a white paper on “Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund,” which we present in its entirety.
I read with resentment the article published in Nor Haratch, in which baseless slurs are quoted against the “Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund (HAAF) by a “journalist” named Ara Manoogian.
As a member of the HAAF executive council and president of the “Hayastan” Fund of France, it is my responsibility to make the necessary corrections, so that no reader’s mind would be clouded against an organization, of which I have the honor to have been a member for 18 years. I answer those accusations one by one, in the order presented in Nor Haratch.
1) It is natural and essential that the person heading an important office such as the HAAF executive office be not only patriotic and capable, but also be worthy of the confidence of the president of Armenia and the HAAF Board Trustees. The opposite would be unusual and unacceptable.
2) The myth of the Manushak Petrosyan “castle” is 15 years old. The so-called “castle” is the house of Manushak Petrosyan’s father-in-law, renovated thanks to compensations received by her husband Artashes Petrosyan for astrophysical lectures in various European and American academies. Manushak Petrosyan is worthy of our people’s gratitude during the most difficult years 1992-97, for her tremendous work on behalf of Armenia and Artsakh, as the first executive director of HAAF. And here people, who have not even moved their pinkie for Armenia and Artsakh, try to besmirch her name. I have only one word to say to them: “Shame!”
3) Raffi Hovannisian resigned from HAAF, because he wanted to broaden the scope of its work, the general ties of Armenia-Diaspora. HAAF did not want to come out of the humanitarian scope of HAAF, and it was justified. Raffi Hovannisian resigned and entered political activity. That was his absolute right.
4) HAAF occupies half a floor belonging to the government of Armenia for the simple reason that it does not pay rent. If it paid rent to the government or to a proprietor, it would be said that it is wasting the money of contributors… This reminds me of the stories of the wise fool Khigar. It is not worth to elaborate.
5) But this is one of the proofs for A. Manoogian that HAAF is subject to the government of Armenia. For him, it is difficult to imagine that Armenia, Artsakh and Diaspora can collaborate in some areas without the one being subject to the other. The HAAF is a collective body—the only one in our Armenian reality, in which Armenia, Artsakh and Diaspora, churches, the three historical political parties, humanitarian organizations and some twenty personalities are represented because of their assets and abilities, among whom, Charles Aznavour. Of the 35 members of the Board of Trustees, 25 are from Diaspora and consequently form the majority.
6) To make the HAAF fund accounts a subject of discussions by means of quotations from newspapers and formulating “possible variants” is simply not serious. The accounts are open to all, including A. Manoogian, if only he had expressed a desire to review them (but perhaps that is not beneficial for him…). No single organization, not even the American Millennium organization, admired by A. Manoogian, has as strict oversight and control mechanisms as the HAAF. Meanwhile, we have two auditors, one from Armenia and the other from Diaspora. To wit, Grant Thornton, the internationally renowned foundation, which performs both financial and physical oversight, that is of implementations. Aside from this, there is an external office overseeing each project. There is also supervision by the architects and accountants of the HAAF executive administration. On top of this, any country’s branch of HAAF has the right to request a special examination of a given project. And, finally, it is possible to visit and see all the implemented projects: roads, waterways, schools, hospitals…
7) A. Manoogian does not believe that the HAAF administrative costs form only 7% of its general budget. He says it is “impossible.” It seems that for him it is a matter of imagination and not an accounting issue. In reality, in 2010 it was not 7%, but 6.8%; and in 2011 we are hopeful we will not exceed 6%. This is the result of thrift and not of imagination. Perhaps it would be good if A.M. investigate what percentage Millennium allocates for its administrative costs.
And yet he enumerates one-by-one how many people go from Armenia and Artsakh to California every November to participate in the HAAF Telethon. He imagines their expenses… Organizing a telethon is a meticulous work. It requires serious preparation and the participation of numerous individuals, including from Armenia and Artsakh. It is thanks to this seriousness that it is successful, seemingly causing resentment from some. This also resembles a Khigar myth. Had it failed, it would be said that the necessary means and seriousness had not been applied… Let’s move on.
8) Yes, part of the pledges made during the Telethon and our phonathon are not honored. The situation is the same for similar non-Armenian events. But contrary to that (for A.M., sadly) let me say that the amounts received at last count are either equal to the pledges or exceed them. Why? First, because some send more than the amount they pledged; others, finding themselves unable for direct participation in those days, send their annual contribution faithfully after the event is over. And from year to year the number of contributors to HAAF increases. These facts are verified and verifiable.
9) Manoogian says the proof (aside from the “proof” of the government building floor…) that the HAAF is politicized is that, during the 2009 session of the Board of Trustees, President Serzh Sargsyan referred to Armenia-Turkey relations. Here, again, his information is insufficient. Not only in 2009, but annually, after the adjournment of the sessions’ agenda, countering us, those who have gone from Diaspora, the president of Armenia presents the current condition, answers our questions and records our comments. This is an occasion after the meeting to speak with the president of Armenia and other officials. If this kind of dialogues bother A. Manoogian, that is his issue. There is a solution for that, too…
10) A. Manoogian praises the Millennium program “which is much more concerned with the rights of Armenian citizens than Armenian benevolent organizations.” Really? Millennium is a foundation belonging to the American government, which has clear preconditions to extend assistance to any country. While for us Armenia and Artsakh are not only not any country, but the primary pivots of HAAF activism, with the only precondition and purpose of serving the people.
Would Millennium perhaps build the main road linking Armenia to Artsakh, or the Iran road, without which in 1993-94, due to the Turkish and Azeri blockade, Armenia could have been strangled; or Artsakh could be lost with its entire population. It seems Millennium was also going to build the North-South main route. Neither Millennium, nor other foreign organizations would have realized these vital projects, as well as thousands of other projects, especially in Artsakh, simply because it was they who were politicized and not the HAAF.
11) A.M. says that the HAAF “serves [more] to empower the incumbent authorities than to secure the socio-economic needs of the country.” Really? Construction of 466 km of roads, 240 km of waterways; construction of 105 new schools, renovation of 130 schools, classroom furnishings for more than 30,000 students; 36 hospitals and clinics; 24 sports centers; 71 km of electrical lines; 146 km of gas lines; 410 social apartments; aid to more than 8,000 orphans after the Artsakh war; fuel and seeds provided to farmers; financial aid allocated to students and researchers; development project to the villages of Tavush Marz, etc. If all these HAAF projects do not contribute to the “socio-economic needs,” then what else contributes? Please! What free gossip.
A.Manoogian does not care about all this. Not a single appreciative word. Not one positive comment about the work done. Does he who lists numbers and numeric symbols, ever ask himself how over the course of the past 19 years all these projects have been realized with only 200 million dollars? No; he is not interested in knowing what economical means were undertaken to realize such a large number of projects with such a small amount.
A.M.’s purpose is but one. To cause damage to a great patriotic undertaking; to cast doubt in the minds of contributors. His method in French interpretation is the following, “Lie, lie, at the end something will be left”.
If he were a just and impartial “journalist,” he should have addressed himself toward the source of information, toward the executive body of the HAAF office, asked questions, examined accounts, confirmed his “information” gathered from here and there; or, using his words, put his “variations” side by side with the reality. But his purpose was not to do serious analysis; otherwise, instead of applying to the direct source, he would not have turned to secondary, tertiary means. And if he had applied, he would not have been able to make such accusations.
The undersigned has the honor of serving this magnificent organization which is named “Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund. I am certain that tens of thousands of contributors feel the same honor, who bring their participation through the HAAF to the building and strengthening of Armenian and Artsakh. The A. Manoogians will pass, that which the people build will remain.
Now, two words to the editorship of Nor Haratch
The primary duty of the journalist is to confirm the news and rumors it receives. This is the demand of law. In the instance of error, the newspaper is obliged to publish a correction. The law strictly punishes defamation [diffamation, sic.] and foresees payment for moral or financial damage.
I am surprised why you did not try to confirm A. Manoogian’s so onerous and baseless allegations, before publishing his “shocking,” “revealing,” “onerous authentications.” (These are the words you have used). You who publish the news releases and announcements of the Fund, could you not have attempted to investigate, before publishing A.M.’s allegations in four issues of your newspaper? Instad you apologize that “unfortunately” you cannot reprint his writing in “entirety.” On whose behalf are you apologizing?
If the most important thing for you is only to have people talk about your newspaper by printing emotional articles, is there no difference between talking well and talking badly?
On what basis do you dare to write that “sadly, an important part of what A.Manoogian says is that it undoubtedly corresponds with reality.” Which proof that you have “undoubtedly” justifies such an onerous accusation? If you have it, expose it! If you do not have it, and yours, like A.M.’s, is also an “opinion” stemming from imagination, then have the decency to write that in your “opinion…” The reader will judge from that.
You write that “the serious journalistic work performed by the author of the article should be underscored.” Really? It seems that the basic principles of journalistic work are completely unfamiliar to you, since as demonstration of “seriousness” you write that “quotations of almost every passage have been taken from newspapers” and you emphasize that “naturally these are generally names from the oppositionist press” (?…). Since when do say-so’s gathered from newspapers have the power of proof? Since when?
Why A. Manoogian has referred to newspapers when ALL the account books of the HAAF are open to ALL, is obvious.
His purpose is one: to attack an organization working for assistance to the people of Armenia and Artsakh, which enjoys the confidence of tens of thousands of contributors. He is not alone in this work. There are countries, which pursue the same purpose.
But you, Nor Haratch, editorship of an Armenian newspaper, do you realize to whom and to what you attach your name? Do you ask yourself what can be his pursued purposes?
The HAAF is that structure which, contrary to the widespread corruption, has succeeded in working with complete conscience, thrift and transparency. It is going to continue its activity in the same manner for the benefit of the people of Arsakh and Armenia, which need a structure similar to HAAF. “Let he who denies be blinded,” say the people.
The ultimate judge are the people, the people, and not above-doubt the deserters like A.Manoogian.
Bedros Terzian
