Sassounian: There Is a Time to Sue and a Time to Settle

It is unfortunate that the noble and sacred concept of establishing an Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial (AGM&M) in Washington, D.C. had to end up in court. But contrary to popular belief, the issue was not simply a feud between two wealthy individuals—Gerard Cafesjian and Hirair Hovnanian—or a mere disagreement over the size and scope of the project. The actual dispute resulted from an attempt by Armenian Assembly leaders to take control of the multi-million dollar museum buildings donated by the Cafesjian Family Foundation (CFF) and exclude Cafesjian from any decision-making powers as a Board member of the AGM&M charitable organization.

The Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial building in Washington.

After a lengthy litigation, Federal Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ruled on Jan. 26, 2011 that the museum buildings had to be returned to CFF. She upheld the validity of the “reversionary clause” included in the grant agreement signed by the Armenian Assembly of America on Nov. 1, 2003, which stipulated that the properties donated by CFF to the Assembly for the purpose of establishing an Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial would be returned to CFF if the Assembly failed to develop the museum by Dec. 1, 2010. That obligation was subsequently conveyed to the AGM&M organization.

In response to a new filing by the Assembly objecting to the Jan. 26 verdict, Judge Kollar-Kotelly made a final ruling on May 9 ordering the Assembly to transfer ownership of the museum property to CFF no later than May 23, 2011. She rejected the Assembly’s demand for a new trial. She also asked a magistrate judge to recommend to her the exact amount of Cafesjian’s legal fees to be reimbursed by AGM&M.

While CFF must be satisfied with the verdict, the Assembly is probably considering its legal options. However, given the judge’s two recent verdicts in favor of CFF, filing more lawsuits or appeals is neither in the Assembly’s interest nor that of the Armenian American community. The time has come to put a stop to the legal wrangling and start concentrating on the important task of building a genocide museum.

CFF’s chairman, Gerard Cafesjian, made the right decision when he announced that “the court’s concluding verdict frees us all to build this long-awaited museum and memorial about the fact and ongoing consequences of the Armenian Genocide.”

CFF Board member Ross Vartian pledged that CFF would relaunch the museum project “with the participation of ALL interested organizations and individuals.” During a subsequent Voice of America interview, Vartian made it clear that CFF welcomed the participation of the Assembly in such a community-wide effort.

This is a very sensible approach. As the Bible states, “to everything there is a season. … A time to break down and a time to build up…a time for war and a time for peace.” In this instance, one could appropriately add: There is a time to sue and a time to settle!

Over a decade ago, when the idea of an Armenian Genocide museum was first discussed at an Assembly board meeting, and long before any internal disputes had surfaced, the organizers asked for my view on their initiative. I suggested that they invite major Armenian American organizations to participate in a community-wide effort to oversee the fundraising and implementation of this pan-Armenian project. Regrettably, back then, my advice was unanimously rejected.

CFF is moving in the right direction by inviting major Armenian American organizations, including the Assembly, and prominent Armenian and non-Armenian individuals, to come together to realize the laudable yet long-delayed plan to establish an Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial by April 24, 2015—the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. In order to accomplish such a lofty goal in four years, everyone must put aside all other considerations and concentrate on the monumental task at hand. Internal Armenian squabbles only serve to provide Turks with further ammunition to ridicule Armenians and their sacred cause. Rather than wasting more time and money on further lawsuits and appeals, the funds and energies of the Armenian American community should be channeled towards establishing this important edifice that is expected to cost well over $100 million.

An Armenian Genocide museum located in the heart of the nation’s capital, just two blocks away from the White House, will be a lasting memorial to the 1.5 million innocent victims and a tribute to the indomitable spirit of the survivors.

Harut Sassounian

Harut Sassounian

California Courier Editor
Harut Sassounian is the publisher of The California Courier, a weekly newspaper based in Glendale, Calif. He is the president of the Armenia Artsakh Fund, a non-profit organization that has donated to Armenia and Artsakh one billion dollars of humanitarian aid, mostly medicines, since 1989 (including its predecessor, the United Armenian Fund). He has been decorated by the presidents of Armenia and Artsakh and the heads of the Armenian Apostolic and Catholic churches. He is also the recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

8 Comments

  1. Thank you, Harut, for your down to earth suggestions.
    I hope this time the Board would listen to your suggestions for the good of the Armenian
    community and for the Armenian cause.
    Here is again another example that what you say has “Good ou Gorgod” It makes sense!
    May God save Armenia and may the Lord bless you real good.
    James
     

  2.  There is no substitute for the absolute unification of our community when it comes to projects of this scope and magnitude. The current problem illustrates the reason why. It’s just too visible and important for public diasgreements. When we have internal spats locally, we usually fly under the radar. In the nation’s capital and with the genocide theme, there is no way to stay under the radar. Your advice Harout was well founded.
           There is a current example of the power of unity. The Armenian Heritage park in Boston is currently under construction on the Rose Kennedy Greenway, the waterfront downtown green space created as result of the the Big Dig. The park, is a completely self-funded gift of the Armenian community to the people of Massachusetts. It is a memorial to the Armenian Genocide and a tribute to our survival. The fact of the genocide will be visibly displayed at the park. This project is a result of a unified effort by all Armenian churches and organizations… well over 30. There are many challenges in a project of this nature, but the power of our unity is the prevailing factor.
               The Genocide museum is derseving of such an effort. to ensure its success.

  3. Bravo, Harut!
    Although I am not an Armenian-American, this is a huge projact, important for Armenans of every country in the world.
    I appreciate very much your equilibrium in describing the status of question.

  4. Mr. Sassounian ,as  always makes very well worded  comments  and mostly in the affirmative,without forgetting small or large details.  Here,above  he overlooks  the fact  that Mr. Gerard Cafesjian -himself- has already DECLARED, that the court decision , and I quote¨´frees   US ALL  to carry on project… to tha  effect.
    Thence,it is again in the incumbency of the MAIN DONOR to declare such matters.
    As to Stepan´post above ,re the Boston Green Project,if I remember correctly,there were some contradictions as to the amount that it would cost to the community,some five  million dollars  or so..
    Now in this  AGM&M talk is -as to Harut Sassounian- a hundred millionm dollars?
    For a nation/state (tiny Republic  of Armenia)we ,no more a  pueblo(people)as we used to be before re-independence,this is too much t be spent on non-Armenian soil.
    May I suggest  that  part  of this(major part indeed) be spent in Repatriating Armenians to Artsakh….another one? to Javakhk, which latter  is being vacated  by its population(thanks to pressures by lovely Georgians)

  5. What a terrible waste of resources, time and energy. Guess what? Thats right a Genocide museum already exists in Armenia. Why the hell do we need another? If this circus of an attempt to create a museum succeeded, what is next, one in Chicago another in Los Angeles. Take what this has cost both parties, consider the cost of the project and its upkeep and you could probably build a sub division for war refugees who still live in metal containers as Gyumri earthquake victims still do. Think of programs you could implement in Armenia. Museums and monuments we don’t need spread out across the diaspora. We have Armenia, that is our monument, our museum and our future.

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