1 - Pashinyan’s Six-Month Roadmap:
What’s Included and What is Left Out?
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com
2- Thousands Protest in Yerevan Demanding Pashinyan’s Resignation
3 - Armenia continues to fight COVID-19 pandemic
4- Opposition Parties Choose Vazgen Manukyan as Prime Minister Candidate
5- AAF Delivers $15 Million of Aid To Armenia, Artsakh
6- Sarkissian Requests Report on Spending of Funds
Raised by Hayastan All-Armenian Fund
7- Commentary: Serj Tankian, Kool-Aid and a Suicidal Revolution
for the Armenian Nation
By Sarig Armenian
For The California Courier
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1 - Pashinyan’s Six-Month Roadmap:
What’s Included and What is Left Out?
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com
Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan presented on his Facebook
page on Nov. 18, 2020 his six-month roadmap of actions he plans to
take after the devastating defeat Armenia suffered against Azerbaijan,
Turkey and imported mercenary terrorists.
These are the steps Pashinyan intends to take, assuming he stays in
power. He has rejected persistent popular demands for his resignation.
These are his 15-point plans:
Pashinyan began by stating that “it is time to talk about the ways,
methods and programs to overcome the current situation.” He admitted
that he is “the main responsible for the current situation” and
“responsible for overcoming the situation and establishing stability
and security in the country.”
The Prime Minister stated that that his first priority is the
“resumption of the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process in the format of the
OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, emphasizing the status of Artsakh and the
priority of the return of the people of Artsakh to their places of
residence.” By negotiating the ending of the Artsakh War with Russia,
Pashinyan had left out the two other members of the Minsk Group of
negotiators, France and the United States.
In his second point, Pashinyan repeated the importance of the return
of the people of Artsakh to their homes. He added that their damaged
houses, apartments and infrastructure should be restored. Thousands of
refugees from Artsakh have already returned to their homes not
occupied by Azerbaijan. The Armenian Government has paid a negligible
amount of compensation to the returnees.
The third point: the “provision of social guarantees for the families
of killed servicemen and citizens.”
The fourth point: “restoration of residential and public structures
and infrastructure damaged during the war in the territory of the
Republic of Armenia.”
The fifth point: “providing social guarantees, prosthetics and
professional training for servicemen with disabilities.”
The sixth point: “soonest return of captured soldiers and civilians.
Provision of social guarantees for their families. Quick clarification
of the fate of the missing and provision of social guarantees for
their families.” This should have been priority number one.
The seventh point: “formation of a system of psychological
rehabilitation of the individuals who took part in the war and society
in general.”
The eighth point: “approval of the Armed Forces Reform Program and
launch of reforms.” I hope this includes the modernization of the
military by providing it with the latest drones and missiles and
establishing an “air shield” or “Iron Dome” over Armenia and Artsakh
to protect them from Israeli and Turkish advanced drones acquired by
Azerbaijan.
The ninth point: “overcoming the coronavirus pandemic and eliminating
its consequences.”
The tenth point: “restoration of the environment for economic activity.”
The eleventh point: “revitalization of programs for solving
demographic problems.” This probably refers to a plan to provide
incentives for the growth of the population, something Armenia
desperately needs, particularly after the sacrifice of thousands of
its young men.
The twelfth point: “amendments to the Electoral Code and adoption of a
new law on [political] parties.”
The thirteenth point: “introduction of the institute of professional
judges as the first step in establishing an anti-corruption court.
Implementation of the law on confiscation of illegal property.” This
step has already been initiated.
The fourteenth point: “holding regular thematic consultations with
representatives of the Armenian political community and civil
society.” This step is desperately needed to unify the nation.
The fifteenth point: “conducting regular thematic consultations with
Armenian organizations and individuals of the Diaspora. Involvement of
Diaspora individuals and structures in the above-mentioned processes.”
Regrettably, the Diaspora has been ignored for far too long except
when it comes to fundraising. Besides consulting with the Diaspora,
there is a need to establish an institutional structure to deal with
the Diaspora in a comprehensive and inclusive manner.
In addition, Pashinyan mentioned that he will make changes in the
structure of his government. Indeed, several Ministers have either
quit or have been removed since this announcement. It is not likely
that their removal is going to satisfy those who have been calling for
Pashinyan’s resignation.
In conclusion, Pashinyan stated that in six months, until June 2021,
he will report to the nation about the implementation of these 15
points and “make a decision on what to do next, taking into account
public opinion and reaction.” This could mean that Pashinyan is trying
to buy himself time to stay in power and calm the public’s grief and
frustration. It remains to be seen whether he lasts that long and what
the results of his plans will be.
I would like to mention now several important points that Pashinyan
left out of his roadmap.
The first immediate priority should be the clarification of the vague
provisions of the “Statement” that Pashinyan signed with Aliyev and
Putin. This should be an opportunity to minimize the losses and
eliminate some of the harshest concessions, such as permitting a road
through Armenia’s South to connect Azerbaijan with Nakhichevan.
The second priority should be to take all necessary steps to protect
the independent status of Artsakh. Otherwise, we risk losing the
remainder of Artsakh.
The third priority is the establishment of an investigative committee
to review everything that went wrong in the war and to identify those
responsible for the grave errors. There have been a lot of accusations
of treason or desertion by Armenia’s political and military leaders.
However, not a single individual has been charged with any wrongdoing.
It is important than this committee or tribunal be composed of
non-partisan and highly respected individuals to avoid any cover-up by
the government. Due to national security secrets, it may not possible
to invite impartial foreign investigators.
The fourth missing point is the elimination of the regrettable
division of Armenians into “blacks” and “whites,” meaning pro-regime
and opposition factions. The prevailing atmosphere of hatred and
acrimony is tearing the Armenian society apart. All sides should
condemn the use of hostile and vulgar language to describe fellow
Armenians who disagree with them.
Finally, a provisional government of technocrats should be established
to oversee some of the outlined points and others to return Armenian
society to normalcy. Plans should also be made to disband the
Parliament and schedule new parliamentary elections in six to 12
months. Before the election, however, a new constitution should be
prepared and a referendum held to adopt its amended provisions which
may include electing the President rather than appointing him by
Parliament.
All of these steps should be undertaken in an atmosphere of peace and
tolerance, regardless of our individual differences, respecting the
rule of law and excluding the commitment of violence.
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2- Thousands Protest in Yerevan Demanding Pashinyan’s Resignation
On Saturday, December 5, Armenia’s opposition forces saw the largest
turnout since street protests started on November 10, with thousands
gathering at Armenia’s Freedom Square on Saturday to demand Prime
Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s resignation for signing the November 9
agreement that ended the Karabakh war, but forced concessions of large
swaths of territory in Artsakh to Azerbaijan.
Following speeches by opposition representatives who now call
themselves the “National Accord Council,” including Vazgen Manukyan,
who on December 3 was named as the council’s candidate for prime
minister of National Accord government, the crowd marched toward the
prime minister’s headquarters at 26 Baghramyan Avenue.
There, Armenian Revolutionary Federation Supreme Council of Armenia
chairman Ishkhan Sagatelyan read the opposition’s ultimatum saying,
“Nikol must go. Period. If he does not go by noon Tuesday, we will
remove him. Together we must resolve this issue this week and put an
end to it once and for all,” Saghatelyan said, warning that the
opposition will will launch a nationwide campaign of “civil
disobedience.”
Pashinyan has ignored the opposition’s calls for his resignation,
which would pave the way for the establishment of a national accord
government that will organize snap parliamentary elections. These
sentiments have also been expressed on two occasions by President
Armen Sarkisian, who said last month that the overwhelming majority of
the political forces, public figures and Diaspora organizational
representatives he had consulted believed fresh parliamentary
elections would begin to resolve the national crisis.
Instead, hours before the scheduled opposition rally, Pashinyan
addressed the nation in a Facebook Live broadcast, accusing the
opposition of trying to seize power illegally.
In his remarks Saturday, Pashinyan stressed that Armenia’s last
parliamentary elections, held in December 2018, when his My Step bloc
won a clear majority, were widely recognized as democratic.
Sarkissian was quick to respond by issuing his own appeal to the
public, in which he said that Armenia is in a “deep post-war crisis,”
and adding that the government could not act within the 2018 public
mindset since “today’s reality is completely different.”
In his first speech as the opposition’s office candidate for prime
minister, Manukyan said, “We could have prevented the war. We could
have won the war. We could have ended the war earlier and with minor
losses.”
He emphasized, however, that his “national accord” administration
would would not walk away from the November 9 agreement, but rather it
would seek to ensure that the agreement’s ambiguous provisions are
interpreted in Armenia’s favor. Manukyan also warned that there are
forces in Armenia that are operating under the “foreign influence.” He
said we must rid Armenia of those elements.
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3 - Armenia continues to fight COVID-19 pandemic
The Armenian government has commissioned 600,000 doses of coronavirus
vaccines from World Health Organization-backed COVAX; medical and
social workers, seniors and people suffering from chronic diseases
will be the first to get vaccine shots free of charge, and according
to Gayane Sahakian, the deputy director of the National Center for
Disease Control and Prevention,
COVAX is a global partnership which aims to finance COVID-19 vaccines
to be distributed fairly to more than 180 countries that have joined
it. The Armenian government’s supply contract with COVAX is worth $6
million. The first vaccine which COVAX will make available to the
participating countries is the one produced by the British company
AstraZeneca. It is expected that the manufacturer will deliver it to
COVAX in February or March.
They will be enough to vaccinate 300,000 people (roughly 10 percent of
Armenia’s population). According to the Ministry of Health, there were
22,351 active coronavirus cases in Armenia as of December 7. Armenia
has recorded 142,344 coronavirus cases and 2,344 deaths; 117,649 have
recovered.
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4- Opposition Parties Choose Vazgen Manukyan as Prime Minister Candidate
The 17 opposition parties in Armenia, which have been staging protests
demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, announced
on Thursday, December 3 that Vazgen Manukyan, Armenia’s first prime
minister, is their candidate to lead a proposed “national accord”
government.
The opposition parties, which have come together as the “Homeland
Salvation Movement,” have formed a council chaired by Manukyan,
announced Armenian Revolutionary Federation Supreme Council of Armenia
Chairman Ishkhan Saghatelyan on Thursday after the council met.
In addition to serving as Armenia’s first prime minister, Manukyan was
also defense minister and for many years served as the chairman of the
Public Council, an office established during Serzh Sargsyan’s
presidency, which advocated for the interests of the public.
While Manukyan will serve as the chair of the newly-formed council,
Saghatelyan was named as it coordinator.
The Homeland Salvation Council also discussed a roadmap, a transition
plan and programs to contain the current crisis, Saghatelyan said.
The Homeland Salvation Council is comprised of representatives of 17
opposition political parties that opposed the November 9 announcement
that ended the war, as well as 15 intellectuals and public figures who
enjoy the public’s trust.
The 74-year-old Manukyan has had a storied career since being one of
the founding members of the Karabakh Committee in 1988. On December 10
of that year, he along with other members of the Karabakh committee
were arrested and spent six months in Moscow’s Matroskaya Tishina
prison.
He was the first chairman of the co-founding board of the Armenian
National Movement party. From 1990 to 1995 he was a deputy of the
Supreme Council of Armenia, and from 1995 to 2007 he was a member of
Armenia’s National Assembly.
Manukyan was Armenia’s first prime minister before independence from
1990 to 1991. Days after the independence he resigned from the
position and along with other activists formed the National Democratic
Union Party.
In September 1992, he was named Armenia’s State Minister, later
assuming the title of defense minister when the ministry was
established. In this capacity he was instrumental in forming Armenia’s
Armed Forces and charting a new course for the Karabakh war, leading
it to victory. In 1996, Manukyan ran for president against Levon Ter
Petrosian. After he emerged as the clear victor in that race, Ter
Petrosian ordered the army into the streets of Yerevan blockading
Manukyan in the parliament complex. He conceded the election and
continued to serve in the National Assembly.
From March 2009 to December 2019 he was the Chairman of the Public
Council of the Republic of Armenia.
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5- AAF Delivers $15 Million of Aid To Armenia, Artsakh
GLENDALE—The Armenia Artsakh Fund (AAF) delivered $15 million of
humanitarian assistance to Armenia and Artsakh during the last five
challenging months. Of this amount, the AAF collected $14.9 million
of medicines and other supplies donated by Americares ($7.1 million);
Direct Relief ($4.3 million) and MAP International ($3.4 million).
Other organizations which contributed valuable goods during this
period were Armenian Missionary Association of America ($330,000);
Project Agape ($65,000); The Howard Karagheusian Comm. Corp. ($57,000)
and Dr. Albert Phillips of CA ($9,500).
The medicines, medical supplies and hygiene products donated during
this period were sent to the AGBU Claudia Nazarian Medical Center for
Syrian Armenian Refugees in Yerevan, Aleppo Compatriotic Charity
Organization, Arabkir United Children’s Foundation, Armenian
Missionary Association of America, Avak Medical Center, Fund for
Armenian Relief, Metsn Nerces Charitable Organization, Muratsan
Children’s Endocrinology Center, National Hematology Center, St.
Grigor Lusavorich Medical Center, and the health ministries of Armenia
and Artsakh.
During the eleven months of 2020 AAF delivered much needed medicines
and medical supplies for treatment of COVID-19 patients as well as
emergency medicines and supplies to treat war injuries. In the past
31 years, including the shipments under its predecessor, the United
Armenian Fund, the AAF has delivered to Armenia and Artsakh a grand
total of $913 million worth of relief supplies on board 158 airlifts
and 2,486 sea containers.
The AAF shipments from June – November included much needed medicines
for treatment of COVID-19 patients, war injuries, mental disorders,
oncology, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal cases.
“The Armenia Artsakh Fund is regularly offered free of charge millions
of dollars of life-saving medicines and medical supplies. All we have
to do is pay for the shipping expenses. We welcome your generous
donations to be able to continue delivering this valuable assistance
to all medical centers in Armenia and Artsakh,” said AAF president
Harut Sassounian.
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6- Sarkissian Requests Report on Spending of Funds
Raised by Hayastan All-Armenian Fund
The total amount raised by the Hayastan All Armenian Fund (HAAF) and
the Los Angeles-based Armenia Fund, Inc., thus far has been $175
million worldwide.
During the difficult days of the war, most of the funds raised by the
Hayastan All-Armenian Fund, 52,703,113,395 AMD (approximately
$104,000,000), were donated to a separate treasury account of the
Government of the Republic of Armenia at the request of the Government
to finance infrastructure, social and health expenditures.
Taking into account the growing public interest in the issue,
President Armen Sarkissian—who serves as HAAF Chairman of the Board of
Trustees—addressed a letter to the director of the foundation Haykak
Arshamyan on November 26 with a request to provide clarifications.
“As Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Hayastan All-Armenian
Fund, I am deeply concerned that due to the transfer of the money
donated to the fund by our compatriots and friends to the government,
there has been some distrust and dissatisfaction with the fund’s
activities. Our compatriots have raised the issue in the press, as
well. This fact has also become a source of speculation, donors have
suspicions that their trust might have been abused. As a result, the
reputation of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund, as well as fundraising
and donations for future programs, may be jeopardized,” the President
said.
Sarkissian stressed that the current situation requires urgent steps
to be taken so that the trust in the government and the foundation is
not completely lost. Therefore, according to the President, the
government should submit a clear, detailed, transparent report on the
expenditures made with the funds transferred by the fund, and this
should be done as publicly as possible.
At the same time, an urgent international audit should be conducted to
provide the public, “especially our Diaspora compatriots, as the main
and loyal donors of the foundation,” with comprehensive information on
the funds raised by the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund and their targeted
management.
In case of a negative conclusion of the international audit or if the
results of the audit are not satisfactory to the trustees or donors,
the amount of AMD 52,703,113,395 transferred to the government should
be restated as a loan, subject to subsequent return to the Hayastan
All-Armenian Fund.
“Aware of the existing difficult situation of the country, I still
consider it unacceptable to add to the various crises the crisis of
confidence around the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund,” the President said.
He added that the return of the funds transferred to the government to
the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund can change the situation and become a
guarantee of restoring trust in the fund.
“The refund to the fund’s budget will allow the Board of Trustees to
decide on spending directions themselves, taking into account the
views and suggestions of the trustees, donors, and, if necessary,
cooperating with the Artsakh leadership and the Government of the
Republic of Armenia,” said President Sarkissian, anticipating the
opinion of the members of the Board of Trustees of the Hayastan
All-Armenian Fund on the issue.
The President believes the fund must be an absolutely apolitical
structure, free from even the slightest doubts.
“Armenia Fund, Inc. Corporate and Executive Boards sincerely
appreciate your recent statement regarding the status of the funds
raised by the global Armenian community to address the humanitarian
crisis that unfolded as a result of the Azeri attack on the civilian
population of Artsakh.At the onset of the war, the Armenian-American
communities designated Armenia Fund as the main organization for the
collection and transfer of the majority of the funds raised in the US.
Starting on October 1, 2020 until the ceasefire on November 10, we
transferred a total of $61 million to Hayastan All-Armenian Fund
(HAAF) along with specific instructions for the use of the funds—to
provide relief to the impacted and displaced civilians,” said Armenia
Fund, Inc., Chairperson Maria Mehranian, in a letter sent to
Sarkissian on December 4.
Mehranian noted that since mid-November, Armenia Fund, Inc. has made
multiple requests to HAAF to present a detailed accounting and
supporting documentation for the expenditure of the funds so that “we
may fulfill our accountability to our donors and the larger community,
as well as to satisfy our obligations vis-à vis various domestic
compliance stipulations. We have been told repeatedly by HAAF that
this accounting is in progress and a detailed report is being prepared
and would be provided in short order. We have not received that report
as of the time of this letter.”
“We share the concerns enumerated in your statement, and are grateful
for your leadership to ensure that HAAF acts expeditiously and with
full transparency in providing the requisite accounting of the funds
which our communities have raised with great effort and utmost
dedication. As you have identified in your statement, the first order
of business is to provide the full and complete report on the
expenditure of funds,” wrote Mehranian.
As the diasporan organization that has raised the highest amount for
the relief effort, and serving one of the largest and most active
constituencies outside of the homeland, Armenia Fund is taking the
brunt of negative commentary, misinformation and speculation due to
the conflicting official and non-official statements circulating in
the media. If not addressed promptly, this will tarnish our reputation
and diminish the public trust which we have worked so hard to build
over our 25-year service. Therefore, we respectfully ask you and the
Board of Trustees of HAAF to establish an expedited deadline for the
completion and publication of the detailed and accurate accounting
report so that we may inform our community of the work accomplished to
help our brothers and sisters in Artsakh and Armenia,” concluded
Mehranian.
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7- Commentary: Serj Tankian, Kool-Aid and a Suicidal Revolution
for the Armenian Nation
By Sarig Armenian
For The California Courier
Serj Tankian is a talented musician, the son of the Armenian-American
community, and a person with good intentions, but he has been drawn
into a misguided web of deception and propaganda.
This is not a personal attack on Serj, but it is a call for him to
“wake-up.” His unequivocal support for Prime Minister Pashinyan, the
My Step political party, and the My Step Foundation indicates an
incomprehensible failure and weakness. Let me tell you why.
In 2018, with a mixture of Hollywood slick videos and
infomercial-worthy appeals, Serj Tankian sold the Armenian nation on
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his now-failed “Velvet Revolution.”
As popular protests swelled, Tankian flew to the rescue of Pashinyan
and joined the rally held in Yerevan’s Republic Square in May 2018,
giving an impassioned speech in support of his candidate. He then went
on to promote the now very forgettable movie about Pashinyan’s
campaign.
Shortly after Pashinyan ascended to the role of prime minister,
Tankian deepened his relationship with the Pashinyans by joining the
My Step Foundation board of directors, a slush fund organization for
the prime minister and his spouse, Anna Hakobyan. In April of this
year, Tankian again doubled down on his support for Pashinyan by
writing a song and dedicating all of its proceeds in support of the My
Step Foundation. While many early Pashinyan supporters have critically
reevaluated their support for the questionable and incompetent
leadership of the My Step party leader, Serj Tankian just can’t seem
to put down his pom-poms.
On November 9, 2020, hours prior to announcement of surrender and
capitulation, Tankian posted a statement calling for national unity in
support of Pashinyan’s leadership, stating “we’re with you Nikol
Pashinyan.” This commited support for a failing leader speaks to
Tankian’s inability to soundly judge a leader’s character and
comprehend the complexities of the geopolitical challenges facing our
collective Armenia nation.
Over the years, Tankian has given numerous interviews to mainstream
media outlets raising awareness about Armenia, Artsakh and the
Armenian Genocide and for that, we are thankful. However, in a recent
interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Tankian was quoted as saying “I
don’t believe in war or ultimately borders,” when discussing Artsakh.
This statement, too, indicates Tankian’s naiveté, and demonstrates how
easily he has become a tool for covert powers seeking to effectively
divide Armenia internally and externally and prop up the semblance of
a democracy at the cost of its national security.
Let’s flashback to November 1978 for a moment. A delusional cult
leader named Jim Jones of the Peoples Temple successfully led 900
people to commit suicide in the jungles of Guyana. According to
forensic reports, the mass suicide was achieved by lacing Kool-Aid
with cyanide and to this day remains one of the largest mass murder
events in history. The reason I highlight this tragedy is that prior
to his and 900 of his followers’ deaths—Jim Jones described the event
on an audio tape as a “revolutionary suicide.”
Looking back at Pashinyan’s rise, his entourage of amateurs and
incompetent assets, his single-minded obedience to covert Western
powers, his utter failure at international diplomacy, and his
ultimately suicidal confrontation with Russia, Azerbaijan, and
Turkey—it is clear that the revolution orchestrated for Pashinyan was
a “revolutionary suicide” for the Armenian nation.
Thousands of dead soldiers—an entire generation of 18, 19 and 20 year
olds—are the victims of Pashinyan’s “revolutionary suicide.”
Tens of thousands of refugees from hundreds of villages across
Artsakh—are the victims of Pashinyan’s “revolutionary suicide.”
The martyrs of the first Artsakh war—Monte Melkonian, Shahen Meghryan,
Tatul Krpeyan and so many more—they too are now victims of Pashinyan’s
“revolutionary suicide.”
One significant difference between Jim Jones in 1978 and Nikol
Pashinyan in 2020 is that Jim Jones actually drank his own Kool-Aid.
Yet today, we still have a faltering, weak and failing Nikol Pashinyan
(bolstered by misguided celebrities of all stripes like Serj Tankian),
serving as the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia.
As we watch Nikol Pashinyan and his My Step coalition shirk their
constitutional responsibilities and drive the Armenian nation to the
brink of statelessness, it is time for Serj Tankian, the political
amateur, to stand down. It is time for Serj Tankian to stop pouring
the suicidal Kool-aid through thinly-veiled calls for silence and
unity during a national crisis. It is time for Serj Tankian—who today
is sitting comfortably in his home in Malibu or New Zealand—to stop
the incessant cheerleading for an incompetent, divisive, and visibly
unstable leader. The people of our greater Armenian nation, of Artsakh
and Armenia, have had enough of this “revolutionary suicide.”
Sarig Armenian is an attorney and life-long political activist
currently based in Los Angeles, California. She has served in both the
legislative and judicial branches of the United States government.
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