H.E. Mr Tassos Papadopoulos Open Letter mailed andPresident of Republic of Cyprus its facsimile transmitted toPresidential Palace 357 22 86 75 94 throughDem. Severis Avenue 33.1.42 24 46 39 – 5th of April 20041400 Nicosia CyprusYour Excellency, We, Citizens of the Americas, European countries and Lebanon bring to your attention a decision made by the Central Board of Directors of the Armenian General Benevolent Union, based in New York City, the United States of America. This decision violates Human Rights in the territory of the sovereign Republic of Cyprus. We have affixed our names, titles and addresses to this letter and urgently request your help to correct this injustice. In fact, · The Central Board of Directors of the Armenian General Benevolent Union, an Armenian philanthropic organisation, based in New York City (hereinafter referred to as AGBU - CBD) is in charge of the management of the Melkonian Educational Institute (hereinafter referred to as MEI). The MEI, a pre-eminent Armenian educational institution, was established in 1926 in Nicosia, Cyprus according to the Will – Testament of Melkonian Benefactor Brothers and has educated Armenian students from all over the world ever since. However, the AGBU-CBD, in a news release issued on March 16th, 2004, announced plans to close the school in June of 2005. · The MEI is a special international educational institution not only for Cypriot Armenians but for all Armenians settled in some 180 countries worldwide. The mission of this institution is to offer education to adolescents and to carry out the transmission of Western Armenian cultural values especially to all Armenians. If this mission has become obsolete, as stated by the AGBU-CBD, that would clearly mean that the AGBU-CBD itself has failed to carry out its responsibility of efficient management and oversight. Moreover, · The MEI’s Benefactors’ Will – transferred from an Armenian institution to the AGBU for international political reasons -- does not confer to the AGBU the ownership of the belongings, mentioned therein. · The Will does stipulate for the AGBU the prerogative of the MEI’s management and the allocation of subsidies drawn from the Melkonian Funds to three other Armenian institutions devoted mainly to education and socio-cultural development of Armenians, mainly in the context of Western Armenian realities and aspirations. · The Melkonian Brothers' Will does not confer to the AGBU the right to denature or to destroy these Armenian structures. Therefore the closure of the MEI is not among the prerogatives of the AGBU-CBD. In addition, dismantling the MEI would infringe on the educational rights of all Armenian communities worldwide and adversely impact the cultural dynamics that it maintains with other cultures around the world. More precisely, the closure of the MEI is a direct violation of the Human Rights of Armenian communities, and if allowed to proceed, this violation will take place in the territory of the sovereign Republic of Cyprus. Your Excellency, we respectfully request that you invalidate any decision directed to the closure of the MEI (Melkonian Educational Institute) and stop the process of selling off its physical facilities (real estate) which are under the jurisdiction of the sovereign Republic of Cyprus. We, and hundreds of Armenians and non-Armenians of different professions and socio-economic conditions from the Americas, Asia, Australia and European countries, have already addressed a letter to the AGBU-CBD asking for an explanation of their decision which is contrary to the Will of the Melkonian Benefactor Brothers and is in violation of Human Rights – please find the copy of that letter, herewith attached. For this matter concerns not only the Melkonian Alumni in Cyprus and abroad or the Cyprus Armenian Community, but it is the concern of all persons worldwide who respect Human Rights. We hope that under your leadership, appropriate authorities in Cyprus will act not to allow in your country any violation of Human Rights that impacts Armenian communities, both in Cyprus and around the World. Your Excellency Mr President of Republic, we look forward to your favourable timely action for the preservation of Human Rights, and Remain truly yours Our names, surnames, titles and addresses are attached herewith. Attachment: copy of a letter to the AGBU-CBD Copy to all mass media and related bodies in Cyprus and abroad.
Dr. Bernard Andréassian – Professor of Surgery ; University of Paris Alumnus ;Croissy s/Seine France.Nathalie Andréassian – Magistrate ; Law School – University of Paris and National School of Magistrates Alumnus ; Crossy s/Seine, France. Dr
Renée Andréassian –
Psychologist ; University of Paris Alumnus ; John
Arrowsmith –
Jounalist – Textproducer BBC World Service ; Thierry Cornavin – Legal adviser and Faculty member at the Law School, University of Paris- Sorbonne Alumnus ; Boulogne, France. Xavier
Coron – Legal
Adviser ; University of Paris Law School ; Alumnus ;
René Doyard – Engineer MSc. ; A.DG at Executive Management of (Bank )BNP PARISBAS ; Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Télécommunication (ENST-Paris . France) and Stanford University (CA.USA) Alumnus ; Paris, France. Minas Der-Sarkissian – Internationa Petroleum Company Accountant (retired) ; MEI and AUB Alumnus ; Maisons Alfort, France. Dr Haikoui Damlamian – Surgean Dentist (retired) ; Tebrotzasserre and University of Paris Alumnus ; Paris, France. Edwards Anthony Fisher – Economist, CTA of Gamma World Network, specialist for international Systems of Education ; Cambridge University Alumnus and member of Pro Educatio ; Herts U.K. Kourken
Gordzounian –
International Tradesman ; Member of AGBU ; Souren
Gordzounian –
International Businessman ; Member of AGBU ; Shahé
Guébénlian –
Journalist, and International Management member of R e u t e r s for many
years (retired) ; MEI and English School of Nicosia Cyprus Alumnus
; Sabine
Haas – Gamma
Institutes Presidential Assistant ; Litterature & Philology M.Sc. –
University of Hamburg Alumnus ; and member of Pro Educatio ; Bedros
Hadjian –
Armenologist, teacher and writer, Director of Armenian High Schools: Karen
Jeppe in Syria and Saint Illuminator in Argentina ; Kevork
Kevorkian -
Electronics & Telecommuntion Engineer (retired ) ; Ecole
Polytechnique de Lausanne (Switzerland) and MEI Alumnus, and member ofPro
Educatio ; Koharig
Kevorkian – Teacher
in British School system, and multilingual Secretery for International
business (retired) ; MEI Alumnus and member of Pro Educatio ;
Anahid Maranci – Teacher ; Massachusetts State University Teachers’ College Alumnus and member of Pro Educatio ; 1488 Beacon street. Brookline MA 02446, U.S.A. Dr
Arutun Maranci –
Engineer, Research Scientist (retired) ; Sahakian Nounian, Getronagan,
Istanbul University, North Eastern University, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT) Alumnus, and member of Pro Educatio ; Dr
Christina Maranci –
Professor of Art History University of Wisconsin ; Vassar College and
Princeton University Alumnus ; Daniel
Maranci –
Attorney-at-Law ; Bates College and Suffolk University Law School
Alumnus ; Peter
Maranci- Computer
Specialist ; Allegheny College Alumnus ; Marie
- Chouchane Maslak –
(Agrégée d’Anglais) High School Teacher of English language and litterature
; University of Paris Alumnus ;
Philippe Mermod –
Electronics & Telecommunication Engineer, Professor of Telecommunication
(retired) ; Ecole Polytechnique de Lausanne Alumnus and member of Pro
Educatio; Dr.
Claude Armen Moutafian
– Faculty member of Universities, specialist of the Armenian International
Relations’ History ; Ecole Normale Supérieure (Nationale School of
Education) and University of Paris Alumnus ; Dr
Nicholas Nicholaidis
– President of Gamma Institut, Public Administration specialist for long
term planning ; Athens and San Diego Universities Alumnus ;
Dalita
Roger-Hacyan –
Agrégée d’Anglais, Professor of English language and litterature at the
University of Paris I. Panthéon Sorbonne ; University of Paris
Alumnus ;
Stephanie Oréngo –
Architect ; National school of Architecture Alumnus ; Nourhan
Ouzounian – Teacher,
Head of Mathematics & Science Departement at the American College in
Beyrouth and in Montreal High School (retired) ; Essayan, Getronagan,
University of Istanbul Alumnus ; Dr.
Vartan Ozinian –
Material Sc. Engineer and Economist, Adviser for International matters ;
Research fellow at Harvard and MIT (Cambrige, MA), R I T (Stockholm),
R&D for an internatonal Co. ; Faculty member of Universities and
civil servants’ International Institutes for Econometrics and H.R.
Development, Context of civilizations & cultures ; Evangelical
School, Getronagan, Istanbul University, Sorbonne, National School for
Oriental languages, IEP – Paris School of Political Sciences Alumnus and
member of Pro Educatio ; Nora
Tchilinguir – Paris
Law School Faculty member ; University of Paris Alumnus, member of
Pro Educatio ; Claude
Villemant –
Electronics Engineer, Telecommunication Technologies’ R&D specialist ; ………….
Copy of a letter herewith attachedRegistered letter express mailed from Paris, March 18th 2004 And transmitted by Fax 1212 319 650 7 /8 – 18.03.2004
Board of Directors of AGBU
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