Ara K. Manoogian

Response to Benon Sevan’s Call to Shut Up

Oct 122011

October 12, 2011 Posted by Ara K. Manoogian at 9:30 am 2 Responses »

This is a response to “Excessive Negativism and Constant Attacks Jeopardize Armenia’s Development,” a commentary by Benon Sevan, published in California Courier on October 13, 2011
(Read the original commentary)

Benon Sevan (©Thompson Reuters)

Benon Sevan, former Head of the United Nations Oil-for-Food Program, has provided well intended recommendations for Armenia’s development, with a side effect of prolonging and strengthening the tenure of the incumbent corrupt Armenian government. His good intentions are laid out in an article, “Excessive Negativism and Constant Attacks Jeopardize Armenia’s Development,” published in the California Courier on October 13, 2011:

Regardless of our impatience and desire to witness a truly democratic state of Armenia, we have no alternative to being patient, because it takes time to develop democracy, economic and social development, and civil society, as well as true democratic reforms.

Excessive Negativism and Constant Attacks Jeopardize Armenia’s Development

Oct 122011

October 12, 2011 Posted by Ara K. Manoogian at 9:23 am No Responses »

Reprinted from the California Courier Online, October 13, 2011
A commentary By Benon Sevan, Former Under-Secretary-General, United Nations

It is truly disheartening to read the ongoing negative reports and columns in some news outlets in the Diaspora and Armenia regarding the current political, economic and social conditions in the Republic of Armenia, as well as the constant efforts by certain personalities and political parties to denigrate the Government of Armenia and its record.

Of all the hundreds of negative reports, is not there at least a single positive development to report on? Contrary to the ongoing politically motivated negativism, there are indeed many successes and improvements achieved in Armenia which deserve to be congratulated and encouraged. One gets tired of reading what is being said by all these so-called pundits, rabble-rousers, including self-serving former government officials pursuing their own personal agenda to bring about a regime change not through the ballot box but through encouraging a mob culture. Unfortunately, what we have been witnessing is indeed tragic with the potential of dire consequences to the stability of the young Republic that recently celebrated its 20^th Anniversary. Continue reading »

How to Renovate Already Renovated Retirement Home

Oct 082011

October 8, 2011 Posted by Ara K. Manoogian at 6:59 am No Responses »

(the Armenian version)

“Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund made an announcement in the summer of 2011 about launching a new project, which appeared controversial to me. The target was the Stepanakert Retirement Home, which was scheduled to undergo an extensive renovation thanks to a generous donation of $400 thousand from Armen Shakhazizyan, a Moscow-based industrialist, as reported by the Fund’s blog. With the Artsakh government co-financing the project, the cost of that proposed major facelift is probably over a half a million dollars.

Nursing Home of Stepanakert

One statement in the press release raised question marks over the Fund’s trustworthiness and the expediency of the project: “The two wings of the Stepanakert Retirement Home were last upgraded in 1988.” This is an outright false statement. The retirement home had been extensively remodeled in 1999 by the AGBU.

The official website of the AGBU lists all the projects implemented by the Union in Armenia; among them is the following: “Renovation of the Stepanakert house for elderly people, with 55 permanent residents and 150 aged people under custody.” The retirement home was remodeled with the remaining funds, initially allocated for the renovation of Alex Manoogian Street in Stepanakert. I have firsthand information from Louise Manoogian Simone that about $400 thousand from the street renovation was reallocated for the reconstruction of the retirement home, thanks to the recommendation of the Artsakh Government to the donor. Continue reading »

Bedros Terzian Saw the Elephant

Oct 072011

October 7, 2011 Posted by Ara K. Manoogian at 11:39 pm No Responses »

(The Armenian version)

This is a response to a letter of resentment, titled “Correction: About ‘Hayastan’ All-Armenian Fund,” by Bedros Terzian, President of “Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund in France and a member of its Board of Trustees. “Correction” was published in issue #200 of Nor Haratch, a Paris-based Armenian language newspaper, on April 5, 2011, as a response to the coverage of “To Donate Or Not to Donate?”, a white paper on “Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund in four consecutive issues of Nor Haratch, which published its own response to Mr. Terzian’s letter in the same issue: “Armenian Journalism Targeted: Answer to ‘Correction.’”

Continue reading »

Armenian Journalism Targeted: Response to “Correction”

Oct 062011

October 6, 2011 Posted by Ara K. Manoogian at 5:33 pm No Responses »

Reprinted from Nor Haratch issue #200 (April 5, 2011)
Translated from the Armenian
With his “Correction,” Bedros Terzian, President of “Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund (HAAF) in France, took advantage of his right to response stipulated by the French law on journalism, reacts quite aggressively to Haroutiun Gobelian’s series of four articles published in Nor Haratch, titled “To Donate or Not to Donate?” Ara K. Manoogian’s Scandalous Series of Articles: a White Paper on “Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund. Continue reading »

CORRECTION: About “Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund

Oct 052011

October 5, 2011 Posted by Ara K. Manoogian at 11:24 pm No Responses »

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.

To Debate Or Not to Debate About “Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund?

Aug 022011

August 2, 2011 Posted by Ara K. Manoogian at 10:43 pm 1 Response »

Open Letter To Ara Vardanyan And Sarkis Kotanjian

With the intention of organizing a TV debate about “Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund, based on the critical issues raised in “To Donate Or Not to Donate?”, a white paper on the Fund, I sent a private email to Ara Vardanyan, Executive Director of “Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund, and Sarkis Kotanjian, Executive Director of “Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund U.S. Western Region, on July 15, 2011. Since I have not received any reply from them, I have decided to make the letter public. Continue reading »

“To Donate Or Not to Donate?” A White Paper on All-Armenian Fund

Aug 012011

August 1, 2011 Posted by Ara K. Manoogian at 8:24 pm No Responses »

This is a link to the white paper on “Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund, “To Donate Or Not to Donate?” in its entirety in PDF format.

The criminal case opened in 2010 against an orphanage director was suspended according to a 2009 general pardon

Jun 032011

June 3, 2011 Posted by Ara K. Manoogian at 7:37 pm 1 Response »

Source: Panorama.am (the Armenian version)

The prosecutor’s office of Shirak marz announced in 2010 that a number of organizations’ executives took care of their own interests at the expense of the children. One of these organizations is the Children’s Home orphanage in Gyumri, which according to this news, the director of the Children’s Home SNCO, Ruzanna Avagyan, did not perform her service responsibilities accordingly, and took advantage of her position in contradiction to the organization’s interest. In addition, the prosecutor’s office stated, “In the signed supply contracts, without the inclusion of provisions regarding the revision of prices, from 2007 to 2008, the organization purchased 97 different food items from 2 food supply organizations with a price of 4,093,165 AMD higher than the market price, which resulted in financial damage to the state-funded orphanage.” Continue reading »

Armenian Women In Distress: Human Trafficking

May 032011

May 3, 2011 Posted by Ara K. Manoogian at 6:23 pm No Responses »

httpvp://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=39652D9D98230EA8

This is a lecture dedicated to the issues of Armenian women who have had the misfortune of becoming victims of human trafficking. Above is a playlist of eight videos, covering the event.