During a recent visit to Los Angeles, I had the good fortune of meeting many members of the “Melkonian Alumni and Friends.” I was deeply moved by the spirit of tight collaboration between the veteran members and the younger generation of our Organization.

 It was wonderful to see the dedication of purpose in our fight against the destructive attitude of the AGBU towards our beloved Melkonian Educational Institute (MEI), and by inference to our Armenian values. Then, I thought about the cost of wasted resources to both sides, involved in this great effort which even at this late stage is still totally avoidable.

 To avoid it however, we can not settle for anything less than the full realization of our purpose, which is the continuation of MEI in its present location according to the provisions of the Will of the Melkonian Brothers. Is this such an incomprehensible idea that is so difficult to understand? Certainly not!

Nevertheless, the CB of AGBU and every writer sounding the tune of the AGBU, keep repeating the same excuses to justify their preoccupation with the sale of  MEI to the exclusion of sound judgment, reason and circumspection. They seem to have become blinded to the basics of the MEI package, comprising of the land and the initial funds and the administration of the school's operations.

The crux of the entire Will can be distilled down to two major statements as paraphrased below:

1.      If, in the future, AGBU is not capable of running the MEI, they will inform the Catholicos of the fact, who in turn will appoint a committee to run the school as envisaged by Garabed Melkonian.

2.      The funds donated by Garabed Melkonian, 700.000.00 English Sterling in 1925, in addition to the 1 sq. mile property, are to be kept in a bank and only the interest used to run the school. 

The second point is of great importance from the financial perspective. The original funds of 700.000.00 English Pounds sterling, as donated by the benefactors in 1925, had the nature of an endowment capital. An endowment capital remains intact, it is only the proceeds that are utilized for the intended project.

Looking therefore at those two articles of the Will, isn't it quite clear that we should have no MEI crisis, closure, sale, relocation, campaign etc.? The fact that we have the current situation, makes us point our fingers at the AGBU. Until such time as they show us all the accounts of the entire MEI package from the time they took possession, nobody can blame the Armenian world for entertaining suspicions of the worst kind.

By their decision to dismantle the MEI, the AGBU have overstepped their mandate and the boundaries of their agreement in the management of the MEI properties. MEI has been entrusted to the AGBU as a result of a tri-partite agreement between Garabed Melkonian, the Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul and the AGBU, therefore they can never assume entitlement to unilateral decisions affecting its demise.

In the media, writers supporting the AGBU have interpreted our efforts to protect the right of the MEI to exist and continue operating, as “mudslinging” at the AGBU, driven by emotions. It seems ironic that one throwing rocks at the MEI with the intention of turning the 80 years old national establishment into a heap of rubble would dare talk about and be sensitive to “mudslinging.”

Media writers also have repeatedly labelled our stand against AGBU’s illegal decision to close MEI as “emotional.”  I ask these writers to take a look at the facts. We are passionate about protecting the Will of the benefactors who have donated enough funds with instructions, to look after all the expenses of the MEI project in perpetuity. Our stand is based on the defence of the two points of the Will, far from emotions.

The AGBU and their supporters on the other hand, have come up with tiresome slogans and uncorroborated opinions  spun out of their desire (emotions?) to sell the Institute, in order to present their intention to be rational and supposedly non-emotional. Nevertheless, no amount of wishful “justification” or “facts” can fly in the face of the Will. Any argument in favor of the planned closure is rendered immaterial and irrelevant in light of the Will, this is a fact.

It has been said that in our defence of the Melkonian legacy, we should differentiate between the CB of the AGBU and AGBU as an organization. Undoubtedly this view would have been acceptable if the majority of the AGBU Chapters around the world had taken a public stand in their opposition to the CB's pronouncement. We acknowledge with gratitude the stand of the Swiss Chapter and the resignation of certain members elsewhere in protest. But the fact remains that by their silence, the vast majority of the AGBU district organizations have placed themselves behind the decision of the CB.

Although we each are entitled to our own views and opinions, I would appeal to my fellow Melkoniantsis, who for one reason or another, find themselves aligned with the AGBU’s destructive intention towards MEI, to consider the following:

Take a good objective look at your allegiance whether it is based on sound judgment. And please read the Will of the Melkonian brothers.

Remember, it was not the AGBU that gave you free and high quality education, it was the  Melkonian brothers.

Remember, if you believe that the present standard of education at MEI is not what it used to be, the blame does not lie with the MEI. That responsibility rests solely with the AGBU. Besides, the success of current MEI students in GCE exams proves the opposite of the doom and gloom propaganda. There is no weakness in the standard of education of the MEI as you would like us to believe.

Remember, when claim is made that AGBU’s action is “moving with times,” that is one hollow slogan of a view. But that view becomes destructive, when it unilaterally discards the Melkonian brothers’ vision of a “Melkonian-forever,” according to their Will. Let us remember also that they made full financial provision for their vision.

Remember, past tragic closures of our famous historic schools cannot serve as  justification in the least, to close a perfectly operational one. Wilfully closing existing schools is not in the nature of our Armenian consciousness.

Remember, when our educational homeland is threatened by the bulldozers ordered by the AGBU, your reasonable duty of conscience and gratitude is to stand before the destroyer, with the rest of us.

Remember, if the AGBU succeed in executing their planned closure, you will not only have succeeded in supporting the destruction of one of our most important Institutions of the Armenian Diaspora, you may also have supported the dismantling of another great institution, namely, the AGBU itself. Armenians at large are distraught about this entire episode and that surely will have its repercussions.

Perhaps you, along with many other seriously concerned Armenians joining our ranks could help stop both tragedies from occurring.

Mention also has been made in the press, of our laxity in collecting the one million US$ on the 75^th Anniversary celebrations in L.A., proposed by some of the representatives of the AGBU.

In my opinion that request was an ill conceived last minute (or perhaps prearranged?) move to patch up an artificially created chronic problem. As it turned out, the proposed collection did not reach its target. Providentially so, because according to the Will, there must not be any financial crisis.

Nevertheless, significant amounts of money were donated on the assumption that the proceeds of the funds would be used for the continuance of the MEI. Since the AGBU have now suspended their operation of the MEI, these funds should rightfully be returned to their donors.

Today we have a different situation. The threatened existence of MEI has mobilized Melkoniantsis around the globe into unprecedented action and loosening of their purse strings. And they are not alone, as numerous concerned Armenians have also joined the struggle to help Melkonian Educational Institute continue its historic mission, according to the vision of the benefactors. Any person who is moved by this situation and would like to make a donation for our cause, please, contact the following websites for instructions: www.savemelkonian.org,

At this late stage, is there a solution to this storm in a tea cup, which will undoubtedly cause untold damage to the AGBU?

There are two options. The first is a constructive one, the second, is letting events take their course.

1)      The constructive move has to come from the CB of the AGBU. Emotions must be put aside, and the approach must be made through our legal council, informing us that AGBU have rescinded their decision to close MEI and that they are prepared to enter into negotiations with the MEI International Alumni to convey the Melkonian package to them, with the knowledge of the Catholicos in Etchmiadzin, according to the provisions of the Will.          

2)      The second option is the court battle with all of its ramifications and consequences. Even in the unlikely event that AGBU were let to prevail in their course, they would still be at the losing end. The Armenian people would be the final jury.  

“What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world but lose his own soul?”

For those who have eyes to see and ears to hear, this is the double-edged sword of MEI.

Armand Ayaltin

Vancouver, B.C. Canada.