I delve this week into a thorny subject that has distressed much of the Armenian world: the uproar generated by the highly critical and harshly worded letter posted on the internet by the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem Nourhan Manougian addressed to His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians.
I was asked by several reputable individuals in leadership positions in Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora to comment on this controversy, hoping to calm down the tense atmosphere. I consented, not because I believe that my column would resolve the immediate problem, but to address the larger issues facing the Armenian nation at this critical juncture in our history.
The Jerusalem patriarch’s lengthy letter contained two specific complaints. First was his understanding that at a meeting last September in Etchmiadzin, there was a discussion about converting the historic and autonomous Patriarchate of Jerusalem into one of the Dioceses of the Mother Church. The Jerusalem Patriarchate is one of the four Hierarchical Sees of the Armenian Apostolic Church, along with the Catholicosate of All Armenians, Catholicosate of the Great of Cilicia, and the Patriarchate of Istanbul. Patriarch Manougian’s letter also complained about Karekin II’s refusal to ordain Father Baret Yeretzian as bishop, at the request of the Synod of the St. James Brotherhood of Jerusalem.
While Catholicos Karekin II and several of his Primates adamantly deny that there ever was discussion on converting the Jerusalem Patriarchate into a Diocese, some attendees of the September meeting have reported otherwise. There was a similar controversy involving the Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul over a decade ago. Back then, Patriarch Mesrob Mutafian also wrote an angry letter to Karekin Vehapar denouncing any attempt to lower the status of the Istanbul Patriarchate to a Diocese of Holy Etchmiadzin.
In response to the Jerusalem Patriarch’s Nov. 24 letter, the Supreme Spiritual Council issued a statement on Dec. 1, followed by individually written letters by a few Primates affiliated with the Catholicosate of All Armenians, denouncing the “unacceptable” tone and “false” content of the patriarch’s letter. They also expressed indignation that Patriarch Manougian posted his letter on the internet rather than sending it privately to His Holiness Karekin II. The patriarch justified his decision by explaining that Karekin II had not responded to his previous letter. Ironically, the Primates castigating the Jerusalem Patriarch for posting his letter on the internet were doing the same thing themselves, further publicizing the patriarch’s letter and fanning the flames of controversy.
The dispute over the Jerusalem Patriarch’s letter should not be viewed as an isolated incident. It is merely one manifestation of many serious, but neglected, tribulations inflicting the Armenian nation. Such high-level public controversies only aggravate our existing problems, including public distrust of leaders in Armenia and the diaspora, dwindling church attendance, declining membership in community organizations, economic crisis causing emigration from Armenia, Armenia-diaspora disagreements, and weakening cultural identity in the diaspora. These internal failings diminish the ability of the nation to confront existential issues, such as the security of the Armenian Republic, the Artsakh (Karabagh) conflict, Armenian demands from Turkey, the survival of the Armenian community in Syria, and the preservation of the Armenian Patriarchates of Jerusalem and Istanbul.
These grave challenges, which could have catastrophic consequences for the survival of Armenia and the Armenian people, cannot be resolved by letter-writing campaigns. What is needed is a globally coordinated effort to find pan-Armenian solutions.
One possible solution is creating a democratically elected diaspora-wide body that can truly represent the 7 million Armenians throughout the world, outside Armenia and Artsakh. These diaspora representatives, in conjunction with the leadership of Armenia and Artsakh, can claim to speak in the name of all Armenians worldwide. Whenever a crisis arises, this trio would have the authority and standing to settle all political, ecclesiastical, and socio-economic discords among Armenians, as well as defend the nation from external threats.
In the absence of such a worldwide elected entity, the existing Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee should be restructured so that after next April it can coordinate all significant issues with leaders of Armenia, Artsakh, and major Armenians organizations, along with some notable personalities.
It is incumbent on all Armenians to come together and resolve their critical issues before internal feuds and external perils threaten the survival of this ancient nation!
Harut Sassounian
Thank you, AW, for this article. There is great concern about what’s NOT in it. Here is a comment about it that sums up the thoughts of many – from the Facebook group Diaspora Armenians Support The People’s Movement:
Dear Mr Harut Sassounian, whilst you very eloquently and diplomatically addressed the problems facing Armenian communities world-wide and the crisis which exists in the Armenian Church today, you didn’t touch upon the main and root cause of the problem, the cancer which has got hold of Armenia today, the corrupt oligarchic undemocratically elected regime in Armenia. In no part of your article you mentioned the shortcomings of the regime in Armenia, their shambolic and traitorous mismanagement of all issues relating to our nation, including relations with Diaspora communities. To defend our nation from external threats, you have to eliminate internal threats first and those internal threats today come from corrupt individuals (this include very high ranking Armenian government and Church officials) who care only for their personal gain. You know this very well yourself, yet for some reason you fail to address that in your article – very strange, especially coming from a patriot who portrays to be an expert in Armenian/Diaspora issues. One of the main problems we have faced in the past 20 years is that people of your status and profile, high ranking Diaspora intellectuals, businessman, community leaders failed to speak out against the criminal regimes and incompetent leaders who misgoverned our country and communities, failed to challenge them and push them to clean their act, failed to support genuine opposition and civic movements, but instead you willfully closed your eyes and continued collaborating with the criminal regime, allowing the cancer to spread to our Diaspora communities. If you really want to bring change, You have to be the catalyst of that change but judging from this article, you are once again sweeping the dirt under the mattress in the old narrow minded fashion, urging us to forget the problems and try to work together. Well, we are sorry to tell you but we do not work with traitors and criminals and as you said this letter writing will certainly not resolve things therefore, if you want to bring a positive change to our nation, there are regular rallies taking place in Yerevan by ordinary folks who are fighting for justice, equal rights, transparency, rule of law, democracy, better Armenia and Diaspora, please join them, they really need your support.
What is really needed is a globally coordinated effort by All Diaspora Armenians to remove the criminal clan and replace it with democratically elected government. Only then we will see a strong and prosperous country and properly functioning Diaspora communities. – Diaspora Armenians Support The People’s Movement (Facebook group)
I assume these are the same people who advocate NOT giving to the Armenian Fund ?
Same people, e.g. Ara Manoogian & Co, who are asking Diaspora Armenians NOT to donate to the Fund (A Gift of Water. A Gift of Life. – Armenia Fund Telethon 2011), so that our Artsakhtsi children can have clean drinking water ?
Take a look at the innocent Armenian children in the links below.
In effect, these people have declared war on our Armenian children.
No clean drinking water – No Life: simple as that.
No clean drinking water for our ARMENIAN children in Artsakh – NO Life.
Here is what Mr. Ara Manoogian was advocating _against_.
Take a look at the pictures of children of Artsakh.
And then ask yourself: what sort of ‘Armenian’ would deny clean drinking water to Armenian children.
http://asbarez.com/124064/bringing-the-elixir-of-life-to-karvachar/
Caption under the picture:
[Karvachar, a town that had no running water is where Armenia Fund built a brand new distribution network that now provides the town with safe drinking water 24 hours a day.]
More picture of our innocent Armenian children of Artsakh.
[Armenia Fund: Achieving True Victory in War]
http://asbarez.com/127352/armenia-fund-achieving-true-victory-in-war/
…and more.
[CHILDREN OF NAGORNO KARABAGH] (by Russell Pollard).
https://russellpollard.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/children-of-nagorno-karabakh-copyright-russell-pollard-v1.pdf
btw: Mr. Davidian, your FB appeal NOT to donate to the 2014 Telethon and the misinformation and disinformation contained therein, was elegantly debunked by a diligent patriot named Nora Injeyan, who provided factual links to completed Fund projects which positively refute your spurious, unsubstantiated allegations.
Oh, one last thing: your FB campaign NOT to donate to Telethon 2014 Vardenis highway fell flat on its face.
Went up a like a lead balloon.
Flew like a pig.
Succeeded like Dewey defeated Truman.
Won like your BarevaLeader massively lost to President of the Republic of Armenia, Honorable war veteran Serj Sargsyan.
……
A record amount was pledged/collected.
Even more gratifying is that Western US, where Mr. Ara Manoogian & Co target their “Do Not Donate” campaign, pledged/collected far more than in 2013. The more youse campaign against, the more people donate.
Nice.
As Armenians we still have a lot to learn about history and diplomacy.
Yerp menk mart bidi sorvink ellank?
just as I am ready to resign myself from Armenian related issues, a sane voice sounds out like a bell ,
the Armenian church needs fixing to serve the needs of the people instead of power hungry dictatorial leaders that are doing harm to the faithful.
the shrinking numbers of church attendance should be alarming and this open feud among its leaders will only accelerate,
Karekin II has no awareness since he has no clue except his ego.
A well thought article about the critical issues and risks that The Homeland and the Diaspora face.
However, as a solution he once again floats the idea of creating an elected diaspora body, some kind of “shadow parliament” which is not
possible to create or implement for the following reasons and complex issues.
1- The Diaspora is not unified; indeed it is fragmented. There is no unified front with a common purpose agenda. All the organizations spread all over the world, whether cultural, political, charitable or social, have their own purposes and agendas. They all serve a worthy purpose or cause, but united they are not.
2- How can we organize elections? Who decides who are the candidates?
What electoral body will set the rules or supervise the elections?
How will to be elected persons be apportioned by country? Where will be the seat of this newly created body? How will it be funded? and many other questions that the space is not adequate to cover them all, the most critical being whether the Governments of Armenia and Artsakh will even recognize this body.
Unless Mr. Sassounian and the advocates of his proposal come up with a concrete and detailed plan on how to establish the “elected body in the Diaspora”, sadly it is merely a smoke and a wishful suggestion that will never materialize.
Few months ago, commenting on another article by Mr. Sassounian proposing the same concept, I had raised the same questions. No answer, no further comment!!!
The frustrating and sad reality is that it is much easier to describe and outline problems than come up with workable and practical solutions that can be implemented and achieved.
Vart Adjemian
Vart,
Thanks for your interest in the Diaspora-wide elected structure. I have given a lot of thought to this idea for a number of years and I have some of the answers to your questions. Sorry, I had not seen your earlier questions. You can go on Youtube and see my detailed presentation of this project to the Armenian Bar Association a couple of years. All of the issues you raise are solvable problems. What is lacking is the will to organize the Diaspora. I would also like to emphasize that it is not up to me to come with all the answers. I am suggesting this concept for the good of the Armenian nation. It should not be one man’s project. It should be every Armenian’s project. That is why I would like all those interested in this project to participate by offering suggestions which would serve to improve my initial concept. I would be happy to contact you personally if you need more info.
Harut,
Thank you for your response. I did go to You Tube and listened to your speech proposing the concept.
Here are my reaction/comments:
1- You made this proposal on 5.29.2012 to the Armenian Bar Association. Has the Bar done anything meaningful in response to your proposal. To me, it appears they listened to your proposal and I am not able to find anywhere if they seriously considered it and did anything about it. May be, they found the proposal impractical to implement, or they are not interested which is a shame.
2- The concept is unique , but by your own admittance it is complex and complicated, in view of the fact and reality that the Diaspora is highly fragmented, not unified and not in total agreement on what needs to be done, what the priorities are, and how and who communicates with the Government of Armenia and Artsakh.
3- I personally find little evidence that the RoA minister of Diaspora has been effective and seriously attempted to establish any meaningful communications with the Diaspora. She has her own agenda.
4- Your proposal suggests to establish a team of researchers, a credible group of people to study the concept and come up with a plan of action to implement the process.
Who are they? who forms the team? With the fragmentation and lack of unity that we have, this task in itself is insurmountable.
5- In addition to the lack of any response/reaction from the Armenian Bar Association, the comments to your proposal are only a handful.
I don’t know if this is lack of interest or apathy. Very sad and discouraging.
Vart Adjemian
If we Armenians collectively want to achieve significant results in the diaspora for our cause, we need to learn to work in unity as one. We all know we lack that ability. It all goes back to many centuries, when Armenia was attacked from the west, the king would ask the princes in the east to help, they would refuse, and when the attack came from the east and the king asked for help from the west, it met with the same fate. The point I’m making is disunity is in our collective consciousness. If we don’t address it honestly and do something actively to re-educate the present and future young generations of the art of cooperation and working in unity by putting our personal and whatever other differences aside to achieve what’s good for us, we will never be able to face and stand up to the enemy we all have in common.
The above artcle bt Harut Sassounian and the posts that follow same are all quite interesting though non-converging,if I may say so and in a way again show different approaches to a MOST IMPORTANT issue that does indeed carry much significance. In as much as it is supposed to engulf all ARMENIDAD/Armenity worldwide. To begin with this contributor has been at it for over 34 yrs,beginning in Europe,where he first formed part of the ¨Groupment Inter professionel Armenien¨,right from the beginning of its conception/ formation,Then again when the 1979 Sept 3/6 World Armenian Congress convened at the Prestigious NIKKO Hotel.Where some 380 delegagtes form 21 countries (inc.Moscow Armenian, and SSRA ) each delegate say from Belgium Germany ,the USA etc.,with 20 authorizations forms from the country represented by him.Where 28 of us were to present “papers” and after a 3Day 6 eight hour sessions 7 of us were elected to the Exec. Board.Then again many many conferences in Switzerland ,France.Our main OBJECTIVE BEING to commence a Central Council firstly in Europe(Paris) for France and then to oxpand to All Europe and God willing a Global Armenian Central Council of the Diaspora definitely not a Parliament,like some refer to it.My version would be¨Diaspora´s Supreme Council¨.Now then to make it as brief as possible, this would begin at low level.
1 .-Each Armenian-dense community ,Say Marseill, Montreal, Beirut,Boston,Toronto Teheran , Moscow ,Melbourne,Los Angeles, London etc.,etc., would first form into Central Bodies each.
My basic alternative to all those so far created is based on HAVING DELEGATGES ENDOWED WITH M E R I T S and to admit members from all currents and political parties the non-politico*dual membership,though political propaganda not allowed with their work. AS TO THEIR work type-profession type groupings.By the by we already have the 5 Professional Colleagues Associations.The Health/Medical, The Engineers & Sci, the BAR, The Sportive and the Jewellers(latter should include all furnishings as well9 Then tn more are needed to form(see below).These good people are already taking centre stage.In the interim now>>(Last century was the proletariats/workers Revolutions,to be followed with the capitalistic polarization /Agricultural,Press^Advertising,The Construction field
Transport/Travel,Industries and mines,Education^ culture*amalgamation of all these, the Banking ^ Finance, the Food and catering, Environmental^forestry, the Communication IT, and within their groups they will begin to mingle,learn from ea other and above all SHAPE THE CIVIL SOCIETIES, we need tremendously!!!!!
Please excuse typographical and other errors in this writ.
Ազգիս քաղաքացիական հասարակութեան Ծառայ,
Կայծակ Փալանճեան
Vart,
Thanks for taking the time to view my Youtube presentation on the Diaspora structure.
Some of the leaders of the Armenian Bar were very interested in my proposal. They promised to form a committee and study its feasibility. Unfortunately, like everything else, nothing happens. Just talk. I followed up a couple of times. More promises were made, but not kept.
I am the first one to acknowledge that what I have proposed is difficult to accomplish. If it were easy, it would have been done long ago. Nevertheless, the problems that are difficult to resolve have the greatest potential benefits once accomplished. Just imagine if we had such a body! We would be living in a different Armenian world than the one we have known and lived in. I don’t give up just because something is difficult to do. Bear in mind that this should not be a one man effort. If enough people are interested in it, and don’t give up by saying it is difficult, I am sure we can accomplish it. Once again, thanks for your interest and honest concerns.
A follow up this here no as to above my post.
The essence of my Theses as you may have noticed is aimed at our Professionals who now exceed the hundred thousand all over the world(inc. RA).These good people are left to drift away.Only for the past 30 yrs steps have been taken to have some PCA´s (Professional colleagues association. formed -above mentioned the other TEN more are meeded to be formed ASAP-That is WHERE OUR REAL HUMAN RESOURCES ARE , also through them the establishment of a NATIONAL INVESTMENT TRUST FOUNDATION. We simply cannot follow a routine pattern that a Govt. does ,such as elections at large (the man from the street, say from 18 age over to the advanced in age persons over 80, ,or else by political bickering (campaigning, spending lavish monies …..let the Govt.s do that WE ARE SO FAR AN UNORGANIZED DIASPORA.At best some 3/4% organized around our political parties and the church going public.latter not really politically motivated or politicized.Again at best we have this that( and newly springing up like mushrooms all over.This trend cannot be haulted it is in our Armenian character.if X comes up with an idea to start and org another pops up.Let it be.However,those who think seriously and mean TO ORGANIZE and become a force to be accounted with must think it over.I realize that ¨suggested¨ theses of mine may not suit some elements in oiur so called societities,but IT IS THE ONLY WAY WHERE WE CAN MUSTER UP CLOUT AND HAVE A huge National Investment F O U N D A T I O N.
We simply must keep pace with the advancing times , not rely -for example on a 170 year old ¨¨Sahmanatrutyun¨¨ drawn up in constantinople by our clergy and Amiras under HARSH OTTOMAN RULE.
Our Dynamic Diaspora with all its capabilities is there to USE!!!!
Shad Parev hasgcoghin
Եւ միթէ այդքան դժւար է ՀԱՄԱԵԶՐՒԻԼԸ,Ի ՄԻ ԳԱԼԸ:Մ Ի Ա Բ Ա Ն Ի Լ……
Ազգիս քաղաքացիական Հասարակութեան ծառայ,
Կայծակ Փալանճեան
“What is needed is a globally coordinated effort to find pan-Armenian solutions.” Yes, that’s exactly what we need. It’s only thru pan-Armenianism that the worldwide Armenian community will be able to solve the problems facing the Armenian people today. And, Mr. Sassounian’s proposal of a democratically elected diaspora-wide body representing all Armenians throughout the diaspora is indeed the ultimate solution to all of this. In this particular process, every single diaspora Armenian out there would be entitled to vote for that one particular representative who represents his or her interests. This kind of political structure would greatly empower the Armenian diaspora, and it would bring it into stronger unity with the other two sides of the Armenian Triangle. All three sides (Hayastan, Artsakh, and the Armenian diaspora) would finally have the opportunity to join together in analyzing the various problems affecting today’s worldwide Armenian community and how to go about solving these problems. Implementing this particular proposal by Mr. Sassounian would certainly be a difficult and complicated task; however, it can certainly be achieved if all of the diaspora Armenians are fully devoted to the empowerment of the Armenian diaspora.
” Pay us Gayzag Palandjian”.
This was the hashtag of a frequent commentator to AW, who was never hesitant to express his opinion. Sadly, we shall not hear from him anymore. He passed away after a brief but deadly illness.
He was a true blooded Armenian. Loved Armenia and visited every year, working on projects trying to make a positive contribution.
I had the privilege of knowing him and his family personally. A great person to know and learn from his vast experiences and be inspired by his energy and enthusiasm.
A true patriot. He will be missed.
Vart Adjemian