RESPONSES FROM PROMINENT ARMENIAN AMERICANS
Posted on October. 13. 2019
Vicken, Nora Hovsepian’s scandalous presentation of ANCA-WR “Khrimian Hayrig Award” to Western Diocese autocrat Hovnan Derderian.
It is a shame that Khrimian Hayrig’s name is associated with such a man (as Derderian)
Dr. Vagharshak Pilossyan, MD elaborated on the reasons stating that he finds such a decision as premature in the light of persistent media reports on Arch. Derderian’s wrongdoings. Dr. Pilossyan, MD reported that he called the ANCA-WR headquarters and told them he was surprised that the ‘committee’ awarding Arch. Derderian is “unaware of numerous wrongdoings by the proposed recipient.”
Dr. Pilossyan, MD stated: “I received an invitation from the ANCA. I respect them. They do a great job. We are all proud of ANCA’s accomplishments in service of the Armenian Cause. But after reading the invitation, I also read reports in “USA Armenian Life” about the recipient of ANCA-WR Khrimian Hayrig Award whose name (Arch. Hovnan Derderian) is constantly coming up in newspaper reports. In a strange way, this person (Derderian) has kept silent, and does not respond to the accusations levelled against him not just by people but also by the (American) courts. There are even suspicions that he has secretly been involved in dark dealings that carry the element of crime. …
I would have liked for him to talk about his steps (to remedy the situation). I would have liked that the respectable executive committee of ANCA-WR to acquaint themselves with the fact that the proposed honoree (Derderian) has been involved in such lawsuits and deeds which he has concealed; such acts that he has covered up. Allowe him to speak and to explain himself to you. I think, Khrimian Hayrig’s soul will cheer from above: ‘It’s so good that you have not given the award carrying my name to an unworthy man.’ … It is a shame that Khrimian Hayrig’s (Patriarch Khrimian’s) name is associated with such a man. … If he is innocent, my respects to him. If he is guilty, let him go, there are many worthy other men.
Using the name of our beloved Khrimian Hayrig to honor, decorate individuals like Hovnan Derderian is shameful and unacceptable.
DR. Garbis Korajian, a consultant for the World Bank, Canadian Int’l Development Agency (CIDA), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the United Nation Development Agency (UNDP), the Government of China and the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Nagorno-Karabakh; a graduate of Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government in Public Administration specializing in Ethical Leadership, an international consultant and trainer on Good Governance, Ethical Leadership, Anti-corruption education and social accountability, stated: “Few weeks after forming the undemocratic and shameful, ‘Pan-Armenian Council of Western United States’ by ARF’s Viken Hovsepian and Western Diocese’s Arch. Hovnan Derderian and their cronies, Nora Hovsepian’s ANCA-WR announced that Arch. Derderian will be honored with the ‘Khrimian Hayrig Award.’ Unfortunately, using the name of our beloved Khrimian Hayrig to honor and decorate individuals like Hovnan Derderian is shameful and unacceptable. The glorification and decoration of such undeserving recipients, who have very shady past is like awarding the medal of freedom to former Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe, who took one of the most prosperous African countries and turned it into one of the most corrupt and the poorest in the world. If ANCA’s Hovsepian does not watch out her behavior and continue to aggrandize the likes of Derderian, the ANCA’s good name and reputation will plummet among its supporters and sympathizers, such as myself. As a last note, our organizations have to stop such ‘monkey-business’ and honor only deserving Armenians, who have unequivocally served their communities. “
Khrimian Hayrig was one of the most beloved leaders in modern history. Controversy should not be connected to an award in his beloved name.
Stepan Piligian wrote on Facebook: “In all sincerity, I spend a great deal of time following events in the Armenian community…on both coasts. Had someone asked me to guess who would be honored at the ANCA-WR banquet , I would never have said Abp. Derderian. Not because he is the primate of the diocese, but because I have not viewed his work in this regard. This feels more like a politicized award to “expand” the base.
Nice goal, wrong award.
By the way, we offer these”awards” with names like “Khrimian Hairig” and “Mesrob Mashtots” That is setting the bar pretty high. Either be more selective or change the name of the award.
Khrimian was one of the most beloved leaders in modern history. Controversy should not be connected to an award in his beloved name. … With the benefit of the doubt to the ARF, if the they are trying to become a more FULL community group , that is a noble objective. However anyone “honored” should earn it , not receive it because of position power.
I would like to see the award given to one of the humble honest tireless workers for Hai Tahd…. who may be unknown to many but whose resume contains the kind of work level commitment without which there would be no Hai Tahd. Blessed are the humble.
“Nations do not die from invasion; they die from internal rottenness.”
Pres. Abraham Lincoln
BY Appo Jabarian
Words of ageless wisdom by President Abraham Lincoln. Armenians and many peoples have a lot to learn from the Lincolnian source of illumination! Let’s look with discerning eyes at the 1071 AD Seljuk invasion and destruction of Armenia. Armenian leadership/elite class were rotten from within way before the Seljuk invasion. Bedros Kedatarts Catholicos (Pope) of Armenian Church had already committed treason against his own people and church by selling out the keys to the fourty fortresses of Ani, then capital of Armenia to Byzantine emperor.
And now — let’s fast forward to the 21st century:
It is under the watch of Arch. Hovnan Derderian (autocrat within Western Diocese) and VIcken and Nora Hovsepian (autocrats within ARF and ANCA-WR) that the Armenian American community is now suffering from the highest number of Armenian youth — 18,000, that are either imprisoned in America and/or are engaged in drug abuse or criminal activities.
This is unprecedented in the entire history of Armenian Diaspora! To top it all, now VIcken and Nora Hovsepian are planning to present failed Arch. Derderian with ANCA-WR “Khrimian Hayrig” Award.
No wonder, so many distinguished American Armenians are declining Vicken Hovsepian’s invitation to this year’s ANCA-WR gala honoring Derderian (pages 5-8). Also read this week’s (p. 2) article by Prof. Andrew Demirdjian “THE FISH ROTS FROM THE HEAD.”
Arch. Derderian has obstructed the 2017 Diocesan Assembly’s constitutional rights and responsibility to elect a primate by tampering with by-laws to meet his desires
Renowned public speaker, investigative journalist and an expert on the By-Laws of the Armenian Apostolic Church Vosgan Mekhitarian, wrote after the Western Diocesan Assembly of May 2016: “Considering that the re-election took place a year before the primate’s term has expired, which is very unusual in our Church life, this step gives us the opportunity to state that the 2016 Assembly of Representatives has plundered the 2017 Diocesan Assembly’s constitutional rights and responsibility to elect a primate. Has there ever seen anything like this …? What a comedy! This a clear violation of the By-Laws of the Western Diocese!
One wonders, how did attorney Joseph Kanimian, Diocesan Council President in 2016 and Diocesan Council Vice President Commissioner-Judge Adrienne Krikorian (current Diocesan Council President) wittingly or unwittingly allowed themselves to become accomplices in a serious violation of the Western Diocese’s By-Laws? Why did they and continue to act as blind, deaf, and mute? Is it because they did not and do not want to see, hear, or speak?
Mr. Mkhitarian further added that right around the same time as the 2016 Diocesan Assembly, the “Homeland Protection Fund,” which has been under Derderian’s control announced that “to date has donated approximately $500,000 to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.”
“Brief analysis: The money has been transferred and the position of primate has been guaranteed. We should let the reader reach his own conclusion in regards to this latest comedy,” added Mekhitarian.
According to Mr. Mekhitarian’s information, one can conclude that, in order to ensure his re-appointment (rather than re-election) at the 2016 Diocesan Assembly in Las Vegas, Hovnan Derderian has simply sent his ‘gift’ to Karekin II of Etchmiadzin expediently.
It is questionable whether or not Arch. Derderian deserves the Khrimian Hayrig Award.
John Keusseyan, Lt. Col. USAF (Ret.): “I have been reading your articles regarding the Khrimian Hayrig award to Archbishop Derderian. The first question that I would ask is: What is the criteria for this award? I understand it is a very prestigious award since it bears the name of our beloved Khrimian Hayrig. Based on the criteria I check and see if the person receiving this award meets all the criteria. Without knowing the criteria, I make the following assumptions that the person receiving it should have impeccable moral character and have major achievements. From what I have read so far in the press, about Archbishop Derderian, it is questionable whether or not he deserves this award.
The Vicken and Nora Hovsepian-brand of ARF/ANC has sold out and the community knows it
T. Arthur Gregory from the West Side wrote via armenianlife.com: “Thank you, Appo Jabarian, for having the guts to write about all of this. Collectively, we know and yet ‘we’ are silent. We are furious that Eric Bogosian was honored in a prior ANCA-WR Gala Banquet (his OPERATION NEMESIS book was a disgrace), and this year the ‘no-land-reparations-for-the-Armenians’ Taner Akcam will receive the ANC-ER Banquet Award, whether the public likes it or not. The Vicken and Nora Hovsepian-brand of ARF/ANC has sold out and the community knows it.”
All those who do not speak out against corruption are accomplices to that crime. The Armenian parties, Vicken and Nora Hovsepian’s ANCA, ARF
and Sinan Sinanian’s AGBU failed in this vital duty
Greg Barsamian wrote via email: “Mr. Jabarian, I have been following your column for many years. I fully support your work of exposing the thieves, the crooks, and the criminals in the Armenian community. It’s been a long time for our so called ‘leaders’ to plunder the communities in Armenia and Diaspora. With the advancement of the internet and mass media easily available for interested Armenians, there is no excuse for any one of us to hide the wrongs and let the culprits to get away. … All those who know about the corruption and do not speak out are accomplices to that crime. The Armenian parties, Vicken and Nora Hovsepian’s ANCA, ARF and Sinan Sinanian’s AGBU failed in this vital duty. I am happy that you are writing about the criminals openly. Something that I waited for a long time but did not have a first-hand knowledge and details to nail it down. Keep going, USA Armenian Life!”
ARF-Western USA should not be giving Arch. Derderian an award
T. Hartunian wrote via armenianlife.com: “The church needs to be cleaned up for the benefit of both itself and the Armenian people. And the ARF in the Western USA should not be giving Arch. Derderian an award.”
Are ARF and ANC members in agreement with the decisions made by the heads of these organizations?
Peter Krikorian wrote via armenianlife.com: “Are ARF and ANC members in agreement with the decisions made by the heads of these organizations? Do their votes count?”
It looks like the Hovsepians’ ARF and ANC are determined to totally lose their credibility
David Sarkisian wrote: “It looks like the ARF and ANC are determined to totally lose their credibility in full view of the Armenian American community and Hayastan. What exactly is the cause of all this?”