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Dear Melkoniantsiner and friends
It has been a year since we heard the first rumours about the closure of our school. These have been 12 months of anger and agony, lies and deceit, but also 12 months of building on our weaknesses and reassessing our strengths. We have a new structure, based on democratic and transparent principles, something that is not available in any other Armenian organisation. As you may recall, we had our foundation meeting exactly a year ago. At the time, rumours were just that, with no information forthcoming from our Grand Union. Mr Bedros Kalaydjian met AGBU President Berge Setrakian in Paris, but the latter was not willing to listen. As rumours grew, we wrote to President Setrakian in early December 2003, proposing a new locally-based committee with executive powers, that would also include people faithful to him and his Central Board. Our proposal suggested dealing with the financial aspects of the school, and also improving the procedures of administration. Mr. Setrakian only acknowledged receiving our letter in January 2004. We never heard from him again. Central Board member Benon Sevan came to convince us of the merits of the plans to close the school. Various efforts were once again made through Benon, a former Melkoniantsi, to relay to the Central Board the advantages of maintaining and upgrading the school, that far outweighed the disadvantages, primarily the financial overspending and poor management. We never heard from him either. Then, the Alumni elected to send a delegation to New York. However, our request for a common agenda during such a meeting and reassurances that at the time no issue of land sale existed, were rejected by Setrakian’s subordinate, Carol Aslanian, the person that allowed the Melkonian situation reach where it has today when she took away executive rights from the local board and handed all power in the hands of one person, the Principal. Despite this rejection to meet with the Alumni, Mr. Kalaydjian, in all good faith decided to go to New York, accompanied by Mrs Akabie Nassibian-Ekmekdjian, a former principal, and Mr Hratch Manoukian, a veteran AGBU supporter, present administrator of the Melkonian Commercial Centre and a close friend of Setrakian. The three were dealt a humiliating blow by the arrogance of the New York leadership to consider any options. Rumours culminated and denials followed. But on March 16, 2004, the Central Board pushed the dagger into the heart of the Melkonian, condemning our heritage and future generations to oblivion. They announced the final closure of the school, based on weak arguments, and ultimately betrayed the purpose of the AGBU itself. They have violated the Melkonian Trust that has possibly been the main funding source of all AGBU projects for the past eight decades. Anticipating such a decision, we had briefed the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Interior and Parliament. The national assembly called upon AGBU’s paid employee, Gordon Anderson, to reveal all his purported alternative plans, something he has failed to do to this day. He has insulted Cypriot parliamentarians and has spat in the face of the authorities. He is an embarrassment in the face of the Cyprus Government, which he considers as some kind of third world state. The leading MPs also supported our major demonstration on March 24 that succeeded in gaining public support for our cause. Parliament then issued a strong Resolution on March 26, calling on the AGBU to cooperate with the Alumni and the community. Apart from the conviction of the Genocide, no other such resolution has passed through our parliament. Upset by the public outrage, the AGBU recruited Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian to come to Cyprus to persuade the Government to lift the protection order. He also promised us he would mediate with Setrakian. He left empty-handed and we have not heard from him since. Since then we have worked hard to ensure the perpetuity of the Melkonian, primarily through the National Heritage declaration, and by lobbying for an alternative administrative structure. The AGBU has hired two Nicosia lawyers -- Nayiri Merheje Der Arakelian and Christos Triantafyllides -- to represent its interests and try to overturn the protection order. Architect and developer Nazo Davidian is also concerned with the land issue and would like the site stripped of any heritage value, while Hratch Manoukian and AGBU Nicosia Chapter President Karekin Costanian, are presently helping Gordon Anderson to undertake the administrative and financial affairs of the school. On our part, we have hired a Cyprus law firm and our brothers and sisters in California have recruited a second firm. Both are coordinating their campaigns and building up the foundations of a case that will jointly challenge the AGBU’s violation of the Melkonian Trust, the unashamed decision to close the school and the ultimate betrayal: to sell the land. We have been in the process of rebuilding our membership of past decades and many Melkoniantsis and friends have responded to our appeal. California Alumni and Friends raised $25,000 and have pledged a further $100,000 a year for when the Melkonian is saved. Canada’s Alumni have also raised a similar amount and pledged a further $75,000 a year for the same purpose. Fund raising in Lebanon was also successful. Now, we are hosting a fund-raising banquet, where Jack Melkonian will be our Guest of Honour. The luncheon will be held on Sunday, November 7, 2004, at 1pm at the "Christiana" Hall in Alambra. Entrance is CY£ 15.00 per person and £5.00 for children. All the proceeds will go to our campaign. We have great confidence in succeeding with our struggle. And with your contributions, we can help rebuild our dreams and make the Melkonian the leading educational centre of the 21st century it deserves to be.
Yours sincerely
Shavasb
Bohdjalian Masis der Parthogh Nicosia, October 7, 2004 ___________________________________________________________
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