WHAT IS GOING ON IN CALCUTTA?
Azg/am
28 July 2004
In July 2001 journalist David Zenian signed a very interesting article
in the AGBU Magazine, under the title “The Armenians of India; An
Historical Legacy ” where among the names of the Armenians of Calcutta
mentions J.C. Galstaun saying that he is one of the prominent
Armenians in Calcutta, often called the doyen of the Armenian
community there. He describes that he is a “wealthy merchant left his
legacy by erecting beautiful buildings such as his residence and a
museum and establishing Galstaun Park”.
Another member of the renowned Galstaun Family is Max Galstaun, who is
now the Director of a student home called “The Residency” (established
more than 15 years ago and situated in Kalyani, a suburb of Calcutta),
where 150 needy students are hosted. Max Galstaun, who is Uncle Max to
his children, took over ownership after the death of his father who
founded the Residency.
Other members of the Galstaun family have started large Schools in
Patna, Bihar. Most have emigrated to the United Kingdom, the USA and
Australia.
It is interesting to read about the Armenian legacy in many parts of
the world. If you go to Singapore you will see the Armenian Street
with the Armenian Church (being the oldest Christian worship building
in the tiny State). Isfahan of Iran is famous for its Armenian Quarter
with its many churches.
But there are sometimes disturbing news and scandals related to
Armenian communities. During March and April of the year 2004 we
received a series of e-mail signed by Max Galstaun. Most of them had
some sad information about the Armenians of Calcutta and the fate of
the Armenian College there with stories of violations and abuses (see
letters below).
In mid July 2004 these letters caught the attention of Vartan Ozinian,
who supervises a panel called Grtasser. He sent to the readers of
Azad-Hye.com the following alarming letter, in which he sees a link
between the closing of different Armenian educational institutions
around the world. Here is what he says:
Dear Editor of Azad-Hye, and people dealing with the Armenian Human
resources Development Fundamentals.
Azad-Hye, of Wed. Mar 17, 2004 – 4:20 am, (actually means letter of16
March, due to time differences) published two subsequent messages of
Mr. Max Galstaun in relation with children from Armenia enrolled in
the Calcutta Armenian College (we presume the good old
“Philanthropists College of Armenians” founded 1820 in Calcutta-India)
In its mails Mr. Galstaun, living in Calcutta, was describing an
alarming situation related to the children and the school. He had
written: “We need investigative journalists to contact us, so that we
can deliver documents concerning this racket”. â=80¦ “The Catholicos
has received written complaints andknow what is going on. Then why
silence”?
Grtasser-panel of Pro Educatio has tried to get in touch with
Mr. Galstaun. We have not been successful yet. In substance, before
rushing an international investigative journalist, we need more
information.
Could you please relaunch our request? For we consider that the long
date endemic crisis in the Armenian School sector became an acute
epidemic threatening the All Armenian Commonwealth, in the most
radical way.
We copied this mail for people who are especially dealing now with the
Melkonian Educational Institute (MEI) crisis.
At present we are not suggesting to the volunteer protectors of the
MEI to handle also the problems of the Armenian Philanthropists
College in Calcutta. For we believe in tackling “one thing at a time”
process, concentrating all forces for the defense of the MEI is the
priority, indeed.
Nevertheless we just would like MEI volunteers to know that some
people are systematically working to annihilate the very basis of the
Armenian Human Resources Development in many places, such as Cyprus
and India. Those annihilators think probably that nobody will be aware
of their “razzia” or nobody will react.
Ladies and gentlemen, please wake up and act / react. It is time. It
is not too late. We warn you: pay far more attention to what persons /
personalities / groups are doing, than paying consideration to the
heights of their rank in the institutions or in the society. That’s
how, we think, you couldcontribute to the “health” of your All
Armenian Commonwealth.
The friendless and miserable Calcutta Armenians would love to have
some dear friends like Dr. Chatterji (see below for the story of
Dr. Chatterji with the Armenians). Today, they are abandoned on the
dust heap of history. Their properties have been squandered and
disposed in all manners of shady deals.The School, Armenian College,
which Mr. Guzelian writes is now closed to the Calcutta Armenians and
their children. The Catholicos of Etchmiadzin, who is the
Administrator of the School, turns a blind eye to all the cries of the
children who are being tortured and abused. The girls are told too
shut up or they would be whores in Armenia. These are the despicable
words of the “Manager” Mrs. Sonia John, appointed by the Catholicos
of Etchmiadzin. Girls in the Schoolbathe in the open, without
curtains. The poor Armenian Priest who objected to all this, the
Revd. Gulgulian, could not keep shut anymore and spoke out against the
tyrant Mrs. John on Palm Sunday. Mrs. John did not send the pupils to
Church, instead she sent 12 Policemen and guards to the Church. The
Revd. Gulgulian took extreme offence to the policemen and asked them
to leave. They refusedto listen to him and refused to leave the
Church! During the Sermon the Rev. Priest condemned the tyrant and
exhorted the faithful to drive her out of the Church. Poor man! She
phoned the Catholicos at Etchmiadzin and the Rev. Gulgulian was
ordered back to Armenia. On Easter Sunday, the much chastened man,
seeing the power of the despot with the help of the Catholicos of
Etchmiadzin expressed his sadness for the poor Armenians he would be
leaving behind to the mercy of the tyrant, Mrs. Sonia John. Where are
the friends of the tiny Armenian community of Calcutta?
Revd. Gulgulian is back in Armenia, the Church has no services this
Sunday, as the care of the souls of the Armenians is not the priority
of the Catholicos of Etchmiadzin.
Young Girls Abused in Calcutta, India
13 April 2004
The regime of Mrs. Sonia John has brought in about 25 girls from
Armenia. Got them “adopted” by the Church? The Revd. Priest one day
saw the girls bathing as they did not even have curtains. He was
shocked and asked Mrs. Sonia John why the girls had to bathe in this
naked fashion ? She replied “What are you going to do, buy them
curtains?” This is the depravity the girls must put up with as they
are “orphans” from Armenia.
When the poor things ask for certain things they are told: “Shut up
and stop asking for things. If I did not bring you to Calcutta you
would be PROSTITUTES IN ARMENIA!”
Maybe when you read this, whoever you are, your heart will ache for
these poor girls and you will feel compelled to do something. Like
writing to the Catholicos of Etchmiadzin who has been appointed the
administrator by the Court in Calcutta. Please write to him about your
disgust.
Armenian Human Rights: Same Old Story Here in Calcutta
7 April 2004
There seems to be something in the Armenian character that does not
tolerate dissent. Here in Calcutta the meetings of the Armenian
Community are held by the ruling regime with the help of the corrupt
police and criminals. Votersare intimidated. Opposition is not allowed
into the meeting and is driven away by the criminals. Just about 15
people vote for a Trust property worth more than 500 million
rupees. They are the ones allowed to vote by the criminals.
Fred Babakhanian a young refugee from Iran, who stayed in Calcutta for
more than 20 years, who voiced his opposition to the regime of
criminals, was put away on a false charge of being without a visa. He
has spent over 3 years in jail even though he applied for refugee
status. The regime did not like him, they paid the police to fix this
poor young man. Spare a prayer for him. Just 100 US dollars will get
him out of jail.
Armenian Trusts in Calcutta
3 April 2004
There exist a number of trusts in Calcutta, India, intended to benefit
Armenians in Julfa, Iran (St. Mary’s Church Committee) and even
Rostov-on-Don (Nakhichevan) St. Catherine’s Monastery and many other
beneficiaries. The Apcar family Trust is a very large one being
fraudulently dealt with to benefit scamsters and rogues. The Trustees
are all into scams. The properties ownedby these Trusts can generate
millions of dollars for the beneficiaries, but since none show
interest in the matters the Trustees are into huge frauds with these
properties. If there are persons interested in these trusts, they
could getin touch with me through email and then the benefits could be
realized.
Trafficking in Armenian Children
16 March 2004
Dozens of children have been brought to Calcutta, India to study in
the once famous Armenian College. These children lead a very secretive
life. No local Armenian is allowed to speak to them. People who have
worked in the Armenian children are constantly relaying information
that these children are unhappy. The children are being abused and
treated very cruelly. I have seen with myown eyes the behavior of the
Managers of the School: They get almost violent, if the children are
even approached or if some local Armenian even speaks to them. The
children are beaten black and blue and tortured in various ways. Some
of them are orphans from Armenia and have no other place to return
to. They have to accept the torture. Many want to return to Armenia
and have cried in front of witnesses. If they are caught crying, they
are beaten again. How long must our children suffer? Do we all have
hearts of stone? Do we not care? We local Armenians need support to
get rid of this tyrant.
The Administrator appointed by the Supreme Patriarch is a totally
corrupt person. Notices have been published in the local newspapers
pointing out that she is a fraud. Yet, the Supreme Patriarch in
Yerevan sits blissfully unaware of what is going on in the Armenian
College, Calcutta. Funds donated to the Armenian College have been
used to build a “gorgeous” “beautiful” Armenian Embassy in New Delhi?
Why this route of donating to the School and then to the Embassy? Is
there money laundering going on here? The Administrator of the College
states that “all Armenian women are whores!” The Catholicos has
received written complaints and knows what is going on? THEN WHY THE
SILENCE?