Friday, February 25, 2011

Stefani's Armenia

By KSEE News
February 24, 2011 Updated Feb 24, 2011 at 2:27 PM PST

The Armenian genocide of the early 1900's claimed 1.5 million lives and forced thousands of survivors to flee. Now, more Armenians live outside the country than inside. Some, however, have come back. Stefani Booroojian introduces us to Armenian repatriots-- including one man from Fresno.

KSEE 24’s series “Stefani’s Armenia” was made possible by the National Competitiveness Foundation of Armenia (NCFA) with support from the Government of Armenia and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Open letter to Armenia Fund of France by concerned Armenian-French donors

The Armenian community in France is discussing the White Paper "To Donate Or Not To Donate" on the forum of Nouvelles d’Arménie Magazine.

The debate has so far produced the following open letter to the Armenia Fund of France, which has been posted on a wordpress titled Ecrittératures which the English translation reads as follows:


February 12, 2011



Warning: The text below is not ours. But it suggests a problem that we have repeatedly raised here and there. That is why we have felt it necessary to relay on our blog.
* *
Since 4 February, the website forum of Nouvelles d’Arménie Magazine (NAM) = Armenia News Magazine ( http://www.armenews.com/forums/viewtopic.php?id=11386 ) was  enlivened by a debate on the Armenian Fund "Hayastan", following an article published from the United States in English and Armenian by Ara Manoogian.

The accusations by Ara Manoogian (
www.thetruthmustbetold.com ) and adopted by the online news site Hraparag (see HERE ) are as numerous and diverse as intermediaries involved in each phase of the Armenia Fund projects. Admittedly, the charges do not directly concern the Armenian Fund of France, but these revelations naturally lead a significant number of donors of the French association and, more generally, members of the Armenian community in France, to ask itself questions about the reality of the facts reported.

These accusations are moreover regarded with respect and seriousness, that:
- Ara Manoogian has already made public several scandals of misappropriation and embezzlement, proven in particular with regard to the Kashatagh region of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh.
- That the facts reported for already more than a month have not been denied by the informed authorities of Armenia Fund, including its executive office in Yerevan and by the intermediation of which the Armenian Fund of France functions.

This open letter is the outcome of the proposal by "Dzovig" on the NAM forum NAM, which has "suggested that a text regrouping the essential elements of contestation be written and SIGNED by all those who want to understand : a summary petition addressed to the fund!"

The first point denounced by the above-cited investigation concerns the fact that Manushak Petrossian, former executive director of the Armenian Fund "Hayastan", was personally made rich by amassing wealth accumulated "during her six years as administrator”. The article cites "her lavish residence, as well the bar ‘Pioner’, the shoe store ‘Rio’, and other houses belonging to other members of the administration of the Fund".

The Net-Surfer "Dzovig" sets the scene of debate that starts: "I am ashamed of that Armenia then and mostly I am saddened to think that there exist so many values that could move this country in the right direction, but also to  realize that are lacking ‘the locomotives there" capable of generating the necessary momentum, which is so lacking in this point. "

What do you answer her? Are you also ashamed of that Armenia there? et que prévoyez-vous pour changer la donne ? and do you foresee to change the existing situation?

Just after that point, the fact is denounced that the Armenian Fund "Hayastan" is a political organization which interferes in political debates in a more or less direct manner. A reality admitted since 1999 by Raffi Hovhannisian, when he was the Executive Director of Armenian Fund "Hayastan".

The Armenian Fund "Hayastan" is a governmental organization of the Republics of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, whose representatives and officials are more numerous than independent representatives of the Diaspora in the Board of Governors, the decision-making body of the Armenian Fund. It is also comments that the offices of Armenian Fund "Hayastan" are housed in the building of the Government of Armenia.

It is on this issue that the Net-Surfer "Samtilbian" directly challenges Bedros Terzian, the president of Armenia Fund of France: "Would our highly respected Bedros Terzian be so engulfed in this point? What is his actual influence within this Board of Directors on the boot of all these profiteers, with the blessing of our Catholicos and our country’s Charles [translator’s note: Aznavour]? What the auditor Amyot doing in view of all these misappropriations?”

The Net-Surfer "HB " challenges even more directly: "And what if BT was himself a phagocyte? And not just him anyway?  He adds a little later in the discussion: Frankly, he and many others who are not part of the "Twelve Apostles" and who nevertheless have responsibilities within the Fund, do they overlook all this? Honestly?! (…) If one tenth of the investigation reflects the reality of things, not to state the truth is very serious. » This same "HB" offers this justification by translating the above-cited investigation: "I'm not the correspondent in France of ‘Hraparak’; I do not know Ara Manoukian, nor any other member of this online journal, but I find it necessary to publicize the investigation, so that one day some of them can not also be justified by saying, ‘We did not know.’ "

In fact, all these reactions are a scream in the face of so many abominations and silences. "HB" undertakes to summarize the situation as "it is not possible that officials at any level whatsoever of the Fund in France were not aware of what amounts to a crime, a real robbery, given the dilapidated state of Armenia. There are complicities for which accounts are to be given, but that will not bring the misappropriated and funds."

Only a few Net-Surfers, such as "Samtilbian" openly defend the case Bedros Terzian: "I do not think Bedros Terzian is a profiteer; on the contrary, we lack personalities of integrity and selflessness such as him. Nevertheless, we must give worth to the rigor required by the Fund's management, which is indispensable for its credibility, even if it takes pounding by fist."

In this regard, Raffi Hovhanessian, then executive director of the Yerevan Armenia Fund has even told someone close to him before submitting his resignation: "Do you want us to work with thieves?" The investigation also seeks to present the operational details  to "ensure that construction contracts are concluded with companies whose owners are men of power or people close to them.” There are also details of the means for "the  subsequent privatization of a building constructed by the Armenian Fund ‘Hayastan’. “

The investigation also addresses the audits, their methods, and the officials responsible for inspections and reveals that "the head of the supervisory committee of the pan-Armenian Fund ‘Hayastan’, Gagik Khatchatrian, is the chair of State revenues in the Republic of Armenia (RA) government. It also recalls some basic rules of audit: "Organizations that assure a rotation of audit firms are more reliable. Grant Thornton has been performing the audit of Armenian Fund "Hayastan" since 2005 without interruption. «Les auditeurs peuvent devenir moins vigilants et considérer l'audit comme une répétition des opérations précédentes» ». "The auditors can become less vigilant and consider the audit as a repetition of previous operations".

One question: for how many consecutive years has the Amyot office audited  the Armenian Fund of France?

"HB" undertakes to express aloud the general feeling of the moment: "If cettte investigation has any truth to it, ALL RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS at different levels of the Fund without substance are guilty because of their complicity and their silence, period!” Net-Surfer" JP " so far as to propose to “pursue the Fund's representatives in the Diaspora, those making the quest for "malfeasant association"! . . Pascal Nicolaides undertakes to clarify that "JP does not hold it against the ‘underlings’ on the phone but the ‘organizers’ of the quest."

The intervention of "Samtilbian", though firm, offers an honorable way out for Armenia Fund of France to which it assures the willingness to continue "to maintain its monthly withdrawal, continue sending its check to the telethon, because the country needs our help, but it will require those responsible for the FAF they themselves to assume following-up, otherwise it will refocus its participation toward another organization. » And as specified by "HB", “through the bias of small structures that control everything from A to Z with corresponding reliable groups.” To be read as: “the Armenian Fund of France no longer appears as a reliable organization.

"JP" tries to refocus the debate: "This leaves me doubtful that this kind of story is that collective means end up as a party to private interest for lucrative means.” Is this really what the donors wanted?

 "Lenajan2" then affirms that "the only way to make things happen is if the information is confirmed, the case breaks in the written newspapers, France Armenia, NAM, etc.. And even the French newspapers, that’s too serious. Today, there is a consensus to give a kick in the anthill, to shatter the case, to get it out of this forum.

"Haytoug" perfectly summarizes the current state of mind of the donors, "someone might well say that even if only 10% of what he gives will reach its destination,well, so be it, hewill still give because it is at least that, and given the state of the country and its people, it is not nothing.” "The situation is serious even if in fact, as " samtilbian" testifies  he " remains convinced that the FAF contributes to the development of the country and Artsakh" albeit he is shocked" thugs who grease themselves on the way ". "HB" reminds "that he is not worse as blind as he who does not want to see."

The investigation allows confirmation of accusations cited-above of not following utilization of funds, since the Armenian Fund, with operating expenses as low as it says "automatically falls to the level of charities (which are) a tool for collecting money used by other community charities. (…) In these fees fall the demand and the collection of donations, but monitoring of the projects themselves are excluded.  The insufficient expenditure for operating costs generates inefficient management of allocated gifts, for projects and their implementation.” Can the Armenian Fund of France, can confirm that it himself controls the projects which it finances?

 "HB" allows himself to a rather flowery, but no less revealing,” commentary: "It trickles with incompetence!” Before warning that" if it should continue, it will end badly."
"HB" explains that "what seems shocking now, (...) is that he (Ara Manoogian) includes in THE SAME article a number of facts and outrageous behavior that occurred over nearly 15 years. That is grounds, and unbelievable. While these facts and behavior, already reported and described SEPARATELY here and there by different people, have raised no response worthy of the name because they are necessarily diluted. "

C'est à ce moment de la discussion que « Dzovig » appelle les internautes à s'en remettre à la presse : elle lance un appel à la mobilisation. At this point in the discussion "Dzovig" calls the Net-Surfers to take up the press: she launches a call for the mobilization.

"HB" deals with the basic problem of denouncing the problem thoroughly, by denouncing that, "with time and means, of preference to others, of course, he has captured the tasks incumbent upon the State ONLY, to a State as it should be.” And even threatening in terms scarcely veiled, "customs clearance of all those who in one way or another clear the Fund, are accomplices of the collapse and persistence of serious problems!"

The debate gains in depth with the intervention of "Shant Mamaz", which recalls that "the myth was shattered with the presidential elections of 2008 and the 10 killed during thedemonstrations.” The debate on the Armenian Fund exceeds the Fund alone, but at the same time, because of its importance in the lives of Armenians in France, he crystalizes the collective of all discontent regarding the cooperation of the Diaspora with the corrupted and violent authorities of the Republic of Armenia. Les débats tournent autour du repeuplement avorté du Karabagh. The debates revolve around the aborted repopulation Karabakh. To witness its failure? Pourquoi?

"HB" and "Pascal Nicolaides" confirm the convergence of viewpoints. No one argues otherwise.
"Dzovig" announces that she has sent a message of protest to the office of the Armenian Fund of France (info@fondsarmenien.netIn short, Net-Surfers want to "sound the death-knell.” This is not a good sign for the Armenian Fund of France if refuses to reform in depth the management of projects before it's too late.

"Artour", especially registered on the forum to participate in this discussion, tries to convince them that "the Armenian Fund of France did not steal money. It works "only" with intermediaries who are not the best qualified.” He denounces the inefficiency of the controls of audit firms because they are not as interested in accounting records and the materiality of transactions as in the transparency of procedures in place. Les audits contrôlent les travaux finis! And "as regards the audits of the quality of building construction, they are worthless since they have carried out internally by employees of the Fund in Yerevan, through the" experts "of the Fund in Yerevan ... Audits control the finished work! ». A little later he addresses the managers of the Fund directly, "Have you never made an impact study of your projects about the development of localities involved in your projects? What conclusions did you draw? Were these findings taken into account in the development of new projects? What independent professionals were asked to conduct these studies? Were they never published?"

Entre-temps, « JP » demande à ce que soit « analysé l'impact social des réalisations. Meanwhile, "JP" asks that " the social impact of achievements be analyzed. » Il finit en s'interrogeant si « la finalité est au profit du privé ou du public ? He ends by questioning whether "the purpose is for the private or public benefit?” As for "Dzovig, she never loses the thread of her commitment by reminding that" WE ARE ALL POWERFUL FOR IT  IS WE WHO HAVE THE FUNDS."

"HB" affirms, "it's all the activity for nearly 20 years that should be vetted, peeled and peeled again, the protagonists included without any complacency. (…) I'm repeating myself but it’s necessary: this is incredible and shocking in all, that this article brings together in a single place, acts that occurred SEPARATELY and were commented upon in ISOLATION, and therefore have lost their gravity to be considered anecdotal, such as errors of youth, simple inattention, etc., etc.."

"JP" reminds us that "whatever the approach, objectivity is required, since it concerns first assessment to give a well-constructed representation and not sudden and nothing else. As a second step, if necessary and for more definite results, a more probing assessment could be undertaken.” La démobilisation des internautes n'est pas à l'ordre du jour. "The demobilization of the Net-Surfers is not the agenda. The Armenian Fund of France needs to understand this.”

"Artour" completes the reflection on this theme by asking the "Armenian Fund of France, for which honest and disinterested people work and are invested, that the Fund at last decides to take the necessary measures to end any controversy arising out of doubt about the proper use of donations in Armenia by thousands and thousands of French donors, delegating to the Fund the responsibility to use [said funds] for the best.” And to conclude : "As of today, it seems clear that the Fund has failed in its duty of supervision for the proper use of grants to finance projects in Armenia. This is serious."

It is at that moment that "HB" delivers the last translated paragraph of the investigation,which discusses the billing of projects financed by the Fund, a difference from one to three, for projects prepared by the same class submitted by other performers. There is also addressed the issue of poor quality projects. In passing, the investigation denounces the  non-concurrence between those involved in construction (BTP). Denounced in particular is the resale among companies of awarded contracts. The President of the Republic of Artsakh at the time, Arkady Ghukasian, would himself have personally explained being "unhappy with the poor quality of construction works by pan-Armenian Fund" Hayastan."

“Shant Mamaz” s'insurge que « ce qui est imputable véritablement au Fonds Arménien c'est de nous faire prendre des vessies pour des lanternes. "Shant Mamaz" protests that "what is really attributable to the Armenian Fund is trying to pull the wool over our eyes.” In the course of a long tirade, she refocuses upon the action strategy of Armenia Fund. She is surprised by an organizational weakening, the replacement of strategic projects by joint projects to be returned for oversight by the State. "Samtilbian" publicly questioned "whether (...) really the Diaspora leaders involved are fools?"

"Lenajan2", with common sense, recognizes that "this topic is flying high, intellectually speaking, having said this, from a concret point of view, I do not see the shadow of an early solution. We should shoot it all to hell, (why not), but what do we put in its place?” What to do so that this deaf anger, expressed so loudly today, allows us to move forward without going backward?

The conversation on the day of publication of this letter was to address the organizational costs of raising funds through annual telethons.
En conclusion de cette lettre publique, nous posons tous la question formulée par « Dzovig » : QUE FAISONS-NOUS POUR QUE LES FONDS REUNIS GRACE A LA DIASPORA PROFITENT PLEINEMENT AUX ARMENIENS D'ARMENIE ? In conclusion of this public letter, we all ask the question as "Dzovig": WHAT DO WE DO SO THAT THE FUNDS COLLECTED THANKS BENEFIT TO THE FULLEST THE ARMENIANS OF ARMENIA?? Because "it is urgent to give hope to discouragedfamilies a meaning to their lives by helping them DIRECTLY on the ground." It is clear that the answer can only come from the leaders of Armenia Fund, which is at present the Armenian organization which insures the greatest volume of aid to the Armenians of Armenian and Nagorno-Karabakh. The danger is that the destruction of such an institution would do a lot of damage. Our intention is not that, but rather to arouse an in-depth change for the perfection of action and great effectiveness of projects.

On 12 February, “Dzovig” wrote on the forum that “in response to my letter to Armenian Fund, I received an advertisement for a touristic-cultural-informative tour to Hayastant Arsakh – LOL.” So just when the leaders of the Armenian Fund of France are under obligation to answer publicly to each of the questions posed and to undertake a deep reform of its action. The acccusations are very serious; it depends on the association to deal with them directly if it wants to preserve its reputation. We all hope that the Armenian Fund of France is the one about which we all dream and that Armenia is growing as certainly as our funds are being managed by responsible and serious people.
Thank you to the Armenian Fund of France to respond to each of the points mentioned in this document.

Thank you to the Armenian Fund of France to submit as soon as possible concrete solutions to the donors.

Already, we inform you that we will be careful that this open letter does not go unheeded.

Please accept the assurances of our most patriotic feelings.

On behalf of the Armenian Fund donors from France and the Armenian population always in need.

Tuesday, February 08, 2011

Wikileaks: The victims of sexual industry in Armenia it becomes increasingly more


In published Wikileaks three dispatches “Armenian dossier” American diplomats sound the alarm: the monstrous unemployment rate of Armenia forces many women to be occupied by prostitution. “To the panel already began to leave girls at the age of 11-12 years”, notes the ambassador of the USA in Armenia John Evans. More and more than parents they send into Turkey and United Arab Emirates their minor girls to the earnings. Meanwhile the authorities of the country do not see problem in the trade by people; the Attorney General of Armenia asserts that the prostitutes interrogated by diplomats lied to them, and it cites the ancient Armenian saying, which in the approximate transfer sounds as “[Khrani] us god from the evil, which goes from the prostitutes”. Transfer into the Russian language and primary publication - portal “Russian reporter”.


CONFIDENTIALLY DIVISION 01 OF 03 YEREVAN 001019 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/CARC, DRL, G/TIP E.O. 12958: DATE OF THE REMOVAL OF SECURITY CLASSIFICATION: 07/28/2016 TEG: HSTC, KTIP, KWMN, KCRM, PHUM, PREL, PGOV, AM THE THEME: THE HISTORY OF THE PROSTITUTES: SEX AND TRADE BY PEOPLE IN [VANADZORE] Yerevan 00001019 001.2 OF 003 it is classified: Ambassador John [M]. Evans on the basis 1.4 (b, d)

BRIEF SURVEY

1. (C) on the statements of prostitutes, police and representatives of the non-governmental organizations Of [vanadzora] - the third in the value by the city of Armenia - poverty and desperation are the basic reasons for trade by people in Armenia. We met with them on July 14 during the visit of city, in which the prostitutes are going to work after onset of dark on the circular transport junction, located next to the main church of city. We posed one and the same question to each of them: “That it is possible to make for the curtailment of trade by people in Armenia?” No one could answer, but all agreed that the unemployment forces women to sell itself in Armenia and outside the boundary, where it is possible to earn more than money, but also where to them do not frequently simply pay. They described to us that the girls at the age of 11-12 years already began to leave to the panel. The officer of the police said that sending their daughters into Turkey the parents understand well, as earn their children those money, which then send away home. We visited the urban slums, in which the prostitutes work for bread and fig in order by its own eyes to look to the conditions of their life. We left [Vanadzor] in the persuasion, that in Armenia it is necessary to assume more severe laws and to stiffen punishments. Prostitutes frequently deal in themselves in order to earn to the subsistence, and they will go to Turkey and to the United Arab Emirates because they hope to obtain there more than money. End of the brief SURVEY.

Aida

2. (SBU) we met with Aida in [Vanadzore] in the office [NGO] “hope and aid”, the working on the means organization “World Of vision”. This [NGO] organizes medical care and is carried out the distribution of free [prezervativov] to the large association of the prostitutes Of [vanadzora]. In 1998 someone proposed the work of dishwasher in Dubai with the wage of 500 dollars to Aida per month. Like many other women throughout the world, it accepted proposal in the hope for better future. Entire occurred then resembled the biography Of [opry] Of [uinfri] or the scenarios of the television series: immediately on the arrival in it they selected passport, placed into the hotel with tens of other girls and made it necessary to attend 20 clients during the day. They freed Aida in year in the course of police round-up. It returned to [Vanadzor] with its difficult economic position and it became to earn to the life and to the content of its seven-year-old daughter method - prostitution only accessible for it. After repatriation to it proposed work one of the [dubayskikh] souteneurs, who searched for girls in [Vanadzore] and tempted by their prospects for work in Dubai. According to Aida, by whom now already 36 years, it refused, since she knew that the recruiters always deceive.

3. (SBU) on each client Aida earns about 10 dollars, which on the average is about 300 dollars per month. She drinks in order to more easily transfer that how it is occupied. “These are still social conditions, she says. - We know that this is bad, but they are forced this to make”. Aida said to us that the U.S. Government must give days to recruiters, who convince of girls to go into Turkey or United Arab Emirates so that they would open the enterprises, at which the women will work instead of selling of themselves for the money. Its junior 22-year sister Of [suzi] began to be occupied by prostitution only two months ago after divorce, after remaining one without the means to existence with two children on the hands. During conversation Aida made noise, she laughed and joked, and [Suzi] it appeared [poteryanno] and [podavlenno]. It seemed that Aida was subdued to her fate. She says that as she is many similar.

ANOTHER VARIETY OF ILLICIT TRAFFIC

4. (SBU) we went into [Vanadzor], expecting to hear histories about the illegal smuggling of the people through the boundary and about the girls, by the fraud of those enticed in the network of prostitution. We encountered considerably more prosaic things. According to Aida and [Suzi], only very a few women from [Vanadzora] by fraud they entice into the bordellos of Dubai or Istanbul. Today they will go there, knowing how will be occupied, on the official passports, with the official visas, and in the majority of the cases even they do not give bribes to frontier-guards so that them they would allow to leave from the country. They occupy places in the buses and the aircraft together with the salesmen of clothing, who leave abroad after the new material lot, and by tourists from the middle class. The minor girls, [edushchikh] into Turkey on the buses, has herself written permission to the trip from the parents. In this case the parents in the majority of the cases themselves send their there daughters, wonderful knowing how will be be occupied their young [Anakhity] and [Arminy], and as earned several hundred dollars, which they send monthly to them home. Although prostitute and the colleagues OF [NGO], with whom we met, and say that they are sometimes turned in the bordellos badly with the women, or that they pay to them not fully, they declare, that the majority of women as a whole perfectly well is understood how they will be occupied, and many of them by this time already worked as prostitutes on several years. At present the departure of women from Armenia is abroad in essence specified on the poor economy, but not by the activity of the criminal groups, which steal women and selling them into the servitude. Now this more greatly are occupied enterprising souteneurs, who use the fact that the women are already ready to be occupied by prostitution.

5. (SBU) A of such women is much in [Vanadzore]. [Satik] Of [grigoryan], collaborator [NGO] “hope and aid”, described to us that in [NGO] are registered more than 200 prostitutes. The statement of Aidas, that 70 percent of women in [Vanadzore] are prostitutes it caused smiles among the colleagues “hope and aid”. Although this number is overstated, it shows, to what extent is extended prostitution in [Vanadzore]. Prostitutes attend hospital for the regular inspections and for obtaining [prezervativov]. [Grigoryan] said to us that many prostitutes did not hear and they did not know about the means of contraception before they turned in “the hope and the aid”. It gave to Aida and [Suzi] on the tile of chocolate and the handfull of [prezervativov] before they left home.

SLUMS [VANADZORA]: DISEASES AND THE DESPERATION

6. (SBU) then we visited the habitable settlement in the environments Of [vanadzora], in which live the prostitutes. “Houses”, as the inhabitants of this settlement call their dwellings, are hovels from the rusty laminations, welded together in the construction, distantly similar to the cottage. Electricity and water sometimes here will be given. Houses lease for 2000 dramas per month, which is about five dollars. Houses were built at the end of the 80's as temporary dwelling for the people, which suffered from the earthquake. However, during the day of visit by us settlement its inhabitants were so distant from the passage into another place, as during the first day of its arrangement into the Ger. settlement it looked like neglected stand for the auto-trailers, in this case for its inhabitants the passage into the trailers would seem by a substantial improvement in its housing conditions.

7. (SBU) we entered into the house with an area of 20[kh]6 of feet, divided into two rooms. To the wall, pasted over by cheap newspapers and gypsum-pasteboard, was fastened the small cracked shell, forced by dirty plastic plates. Under the feet was the earth, [zastelennaya] instead of the carpet old clothing. In each room it stood two cots. When us they invited to squat to one of them, the damp pressed down mattress descended almost to the sex itself. Air was the stifling and fetid, filled smell of urine and putrefying products. On one of the cots is apathetic stale three year To [mariam], that suffers from the innate defect of heart. It undertook no attempts to drive off the flies, that creep on its face, but it smiled to us as the answer, when we turned themselves to it in the Armenian language. To [mariam] for its three years it appeared very small both thin and its mother said to us that the child although eats, in no way he grows. Together with To [mariam] lives 11 additional people, including its pregnant sister, who did not completely appear sufficiently adult in order already to be in the position. In the house there it was neither toilet nor kitchen range nor refrigerator, but there was the television set, on which mother together with their friend, who also carries out prostitution, they sat and looked the soap operas. The dishes with the remainders of food, covered by flies, stood on the window-sill after the being varied curtains. To [mariam] it took saucepan from the window-sill and began from it to eat.

8. (C) only man in the house was brother To [mariam], physically strong youth at the age from sixteen to nineteen years, that is occupied by begging on the streets. Thus far we were there, its mother asked [Grigoryan], no whether work for the youth. Before we left, [Grigoryan] reached one additional handful of [prezervativov] of its bag and transmitted to their mother To [mariam] and her friend. Of mothers To [mariam] they were necessary so that it no longer would become pregnant. It already for 40, and in it was in the past year abortion. When we left the house, our local collaborator, who accompanied attache, she said that it in the horror from living conditions To [mariam] and its family.

POLICE: THE ARMENIAN VICTIMS OF SEXUAL INDUSTRY MORE FREQUENTLY WILL GO TO TURKEY THAN TO THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

9. (C) to see small [Mariam] in this house to become even the more heart-rending spectacle in light of the information about how obtained by us young prostitutes they arrive in Turkey. [Rudik] Of [varosyan], the leader of division in the matters of minor in the police Of [vanadzora], described to us that the trade in minor becomes ever more vital problem for [Vanadzora]. He indicates that the majority of women of [Vanadzora], which leave for Turkey for the occupation by prostitution, make this deliberately, but they do not entice by there false promises. More and more than parents they send their there minor girls to the earnings, speaks [Varosyan], and it never encountered the cases, that someone of the young children left abroad without the official permission from the parents. “Some parents are proud of the fact that their children earn money there”, he said to us. It reported that the women and girls, who left into Turkey, usually are not held in the conclusion, and that they pay to them, although not always fully. After deportation the women frequently become recruiters for Turkish [sutenersh]. [Varosyan] said that to fight with the organizations of the deliveries of women for the boundary is heavy, since [sutenershi] usually they act through the mediators, with whom never they are encountered personally. When the police transfers the matter to law court, plant mediators, and [sutenersha], to which all this brought entirely small inconveniences, its occupation continues.

10. (C) although it was obvious that [Varosyan] to the heart closely assumes the position of young prostitutes, the local colleagues OF [NGO] said to us that in practice police herself frequently contributes to the development of prostitution. Arthur [Sakunts] from the Helsinki civil assembly described to us that its organization was assembled to verify charges from the side of local residents in the fact that the police Of [vanadzora] covers prostitutes and threatens with the fact of them, who attempts to throw his kind of occupations. (Note: Aida said to us that the police interfere withs her work, making it necessary to yearly pass medical care). Other colleagues OF [NGO] told about the cases of the patronage of prostitution from the side of the police. [Sakunts] confirmed the story Of [varosyana] about the parents, who force their daughters to become prostitutes. [Sakunts] also noted that the settlement “of houses” is the center of prostitution: this is the place of stay in [Vanadzore] of the large part of the women selling itself, which simultaneously serves as them and place of work. According to Aida, prostitute frequently they work for the packet of rice or for several pieces of bread.

COMMENTARIES

11. (C) many people, which attend Armenia, see only Yerevan - with its beautiful areas, which sparkle By [khammerami] and BMW X5 - and think that the matters in the economy of the country go excellently. The Armenians and foreigners, who well know the country, frequently explain to visitors, that there is two Armenia - Yerevan and entire remaining country. Our trip to [Vanadzor] was for us as the turning of the little wheel of focusing sharpness in the binoculars: after a certain time we could clearly and distinctly examine picture in all its components. It would be simple, being located in the relatively satisfactory capital, to state that the problem relates exclusively to the region of legislative and law-enforcement agencies, and to knock by cam on the tables in the public organs, requiring them to strengthen work on the fight with this form of criminality. But knock by cam on the table will not change the situation, in which many prostitutes deal with their work in order to obtain to themselves although some subsistence, and that they believe in the possibility to earn more in Turkey and United Arab Emirates. Armenian government will not be able to improve situation in the economy with the aid of the stiffening of laws and carrying out of more severe sentences. Although this is also necessary, Armenia must propose to alternative to women, who carry out sale of their body in order to successfully fight with the trade by people.

Evans


CONFIDENTIALLY DIVISION 01 OF 03 YEREVAN 001091 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR G/TIP, DRL AND EUR/CARC E.O.12958: DATE OF THE REMOVAL OF SECURITY CLASSIFICATION: 08/09/2016 TEG: KTIP, KWMN, KCRM, PREL, PGOV, PHUM, HSTC, AM, TU THE THEME: AMBASSADOR IMPELS ATTORNEY GENERAL TO INVESTIGATE STATEMENTS ABOUT THE ILLEGAL TRADE BY PEOPLE THE REFERENCE: A) Yerevan 484 B) Yerevan 836 C) Yerevan 840 Yerevan 00001091 001.2 OF 003 is classified: Ambassador John [M]. Evans on the basis 1.4 (b, d).

BRIEF IS THE SURVEY

1. (C) on August 8 ambassador, deputy of ambassador and attache conducted encounter with the Attorney General of Armenia [Agvanom] [Ovsepyanom], dedicated to statements about the incorrect conducting of consequence and charges in the participation to the trade by people. Occasion for the encounter became the case with three prostitutes, who declared about the fact that they crossed them from Armenia to Turkey through Georgia on the false documents, and then by force retained and did not pay threatening with arrest. [Ovsepyan] stated, that knows about the matter, and it on the move rejected these charges: however, it in the final analysis certified, that the matter will be [rassledovano]. Attorney General initially answered about the victims with contempt, and he said that it requested the service of national security to conduct investigation in the relation [NGO], which helped prostitutes. After prolonged considerations it began to adhere to the more satisfying us position. END OF THE BRIEF SURVEY.

PROSTITUTES DECLARE ABOUT THE CORRUPTION IN THE GENERAL PROCURATOR'S OFFICE

2. (C) on July 28 three assumed victims from [Gyumri] - the second largest Armenian city - were interrogated by the inspectors of the General Procurator's office. After examination the angered women broke in the Yerevan department [NGO] “hope and the aid”, that renders aid to prostitutes and to the victims of trade by people in order to be complained to the behavior of the inspectors Of [armena] Of [gasparyana] and [Aristakesa] Of [eremyana]. (COMMENTARY: [Eremyan] previously was charged with the participation in the trade by people (note A). The General Procurator's office conducted investigation through the fact of data of charges in February. In our opinion, the investigation was surface. END OF THE COMMENTARY).

3. (SBU) we met women in the office “hope and aid”, where thoroughly they had a talk with two of three prostitutes, By the [karinoy] Of [mkrtchan] and [Karinoy] Of [madoyan]. [Mkrtchan] stated that it and [Madoyan] in 2005 were sent Turkey, where it had to work as prostitutes on [sutenershu] Of [marianush] Arutyunyan. [Mkrtchan] said that soon after the arrival into Turkey of women they deported in the batumi in the Black Sea coast of Georgia. According to her, in [sutenershi] there were connection with the organization for the trade by people, which acted on the Georgian- Turkish boundary. Organization illegally transported women on one back into Turkey, pasting their photographs into the Georgian passport, and then sending passport back into Georgia for repeating the process of the adjustment of the following woman. Prostitutes described that after the return to Turkey of [sutenersha] it stated to them that they cannot from it leave, since they arrest them, when frontier-guards see in their Armenian passports dies about the deportation.

4. (SBU) [Madoyan] and [Mkrtchan] said that to them they paid only the part of the fact that they earned. [Mkrtchan], which worked on [sutenershu] four months, she indicated that obtained only about 1 000 of 10 000 dollars, which to it had to pay [sutenersha], and [Madoyan] stated that by it are still must 3 000 dollars in the year of work.

5. (SBU) about the illegal intersection of boundary it was declared the territorial police in Shiraq, where was brought the matter in the relation [sutenershi] according to the article about the illegal trade by people (for which is provided for pain severe punishment, than for the organization of occupation by prostitution). On July 19 the police transmitted the matter into the General Procurator's office, which trained for a new profession the matter in the organization of occupation by prostitution.

6. (SBU) [Mkrtchan] and [Madoyan] stated that allegedly the inspectors of the General Procurator's office Of [gasparyan] and [Eremyan] said to them to turn from the indications, given by them to the police. [Madoyan] also stated that [Eremyan] struck it face during the encounter on July 31. Among their complaints there was the fact that the inspectors ordered them to state that [sutenersha] must by them less money than this be in reality, and that inspectors accused women of the fact that their statement in the police is caused by the desire to blackmail [sutenershu] for allegedly the perfect crime. (NOTE: In Armenia the inspectors through the criminal cases are located in the General Procurator's office, and therefore they relate to the judicial authority. The police works independently and it enters into the sphere of the activity of executive power. END OF THE NOTE)

7. (SBU) THE COMMENTARY: In the histories of those suffered there were some divergences. Questions with respect to mental capability of one of that suffered also arose. Thus, the general circumstances of the matter remain open to question. However, we are convinced that the basic facts of this history are precise. The authorities, which lead investigation, must seriously receive these assertions, but not reject them only because they experience the feeling of hostility to the victims. END OF THE COMMENTARY.

THE ARMENIANS HAVE ONE ANCIENT SAYING

8. (C) ambassador, deputy of ambassador and attache met with the Attorney General in order to emphasize entire seriousness of this matter - both very on themselves and as an example of the fight of the authorities of Armenia with illicit traffic by people. Ambassador in detail discussed a number of the advanced charges, and he emphasized that they are the excellent possibility for the General Procurator's office to demonstrate their adherence to a matter of opposition to illegal trade by people.

9. (C) Attorney General [Agvan] [Ovsepyan] was informed about the reason for conducting encounter. He openly smirked, when ambassador designated the theme of conversation. Before approaching the consideration of this concrete matter, [Ovsepyan] during several minutes transferred the achieved by the government of Armenia successes in the fight with illicit traffic by people. Then he said to us that already it heard about these charges in the week thus far from the service of national security, after adding that it already asked the service of national security to conduct investigation with respect to victims and [NGO], which stated into the public organs and occurred. (NOTE: Ambassador did not specially mention [NGO], but when attorney made this, ambassador confirmed involvement [NGO] into this matter. END OF THE NOTE).

10. (C) [Ovsepyan] said that it personally investigated all statements. According to him, the protocols of the matter clearly show that the prostitutes lied. It named them “irresponsible and [nezakonoposlushnymi]”, after saying into the mockery, that they were " guided by different interests in their daily life”. It repeatedly repeated, that the prostitutes were angered to the fact that the inspectors did not help them to obtain inversely from [sutenershi] [nevyplachennuyu] by it wage, and that their charges were caused by the desire to obtain money. It strongly protected [Eremyana]. (NOTE: This is not surprising taking into account the information, obtained by us from the elder inspector of subdivision on the fight with illicit traffic by people Of [armena] Of [boshnagyana] (if you please, ensure protection), that this inspector uses full support Of [ovsepyana] (reference B). END OF THE NOTE). [Ovsepyan] in the course of its passionate protection Of [eremyana] quoted one Armenian saying, which in the approximate transfer sounds as “[Khrani] us god from the evil, which goes from the prostitutes”.

ATTORNEY GENERAL AGREED TO CONDUCT THE INVESTIGATION

11. (C) ambassador said that it was not agreeable with the saying, and that the general Christian values of our two countries call us “to hate crime, but to love its victims”. It expressed [Ovsepyanu] its preoccupation fact that the Attorney General asked the service of national security to conduct investigation with respect to prostitutes and [NGO], but not with respect to their statement. [Ovsepyan] stated that the error in the transfer here could steal in, and that in reality he said that it asked the service of national security to investigate statements, since the General Procurator's office must not conduct investigation in the relation. (NOTE: There was no error in transfer. END OF THE NOTE). Through several minutes Of [ovsepyan] said that the procuratorship in reality already week studies these statements, and that it will continue its investigation.

12. (C) finally, [Ovsepyan] agreed to conduct internal investigation with respect to the advanced charges. He said that will request [NGO] about the assistance. But it continued to repeat the phrases Of [eremyana] and to charge prostitutes with the lie. It also mentioned that [Eremyan] repeatedly requested to transfer it from the subdivision on the fight with the illegal trade by people, and that he will examine the possibility to satisfy this request.

COMMENTARY: THERE IS A CAUSE FOR UNREST, BUT YET NOT ALL IS LOST

13. (C) the behavior Of [ovsepyana] was intelligible and issued the personal attitude of Attorney General toward the victims of illegal trade by people and the connected with them matters. We think that we succeeded in, as a minimum, ensuring conducting the more serious investigation of this matter. We are intended further to follow this matter, and we experience optimism in connection with the fact that pressure with the support on MFA it will give our results, taking into account the preoccupation of President [Kocharyan] by the rating of Armenia in the sphere of illicit traffic by people (reference C). We will compulsorily draw attention to the fact that the periods of conducting intermediate estimation soon will come.

Evans


IT IS NONSECRET YEREVAN 000494 OFFICIAL SIPDIS STATE FOR DRL, EUR/CARC, INL/AAE JUDITH CAMPBELL DOJ/USDOJ FOR CATHERINE NEWCOMBE E.O. 12958: N/A TEG: PGOV, PREL, KTIP, KCRM, HSTC, AM THE THEME: ARMENIA CONTINUES PERSISTENTLY TO PURSUE IN THE CRIMINAL ORDER FOR THE TRADE BY PEOPLE THE REFERENCE: Yerevan 13

 BRIEF SURVEY

1. (SBU) on July 6 in Yerevan began the loud judicial hearing of the case about the trade by people, in which participate two Russian citizens. Defendants - mother and her daughter - are charged with the cart into Armenia of 24 girls from Russia and their use as [striptizersh]. Besides the trade by their people also they charge with the money laundering. This rigid legal prosecution is greeted by the U.S. Government, which spent years on the instruction in it of the government of Armenia for the introduction in the practical work. END OF THE BRIEF SURVEY.

MOTHER AND DAUGHTER - MERCHANTS BY THE PEOPLE

2. (SBU) as it was indicated in the telegram, Russian citizens Helen and Vera [Kalyakiny] were arrested in Yerevan in July 2008. Helen [Kalyakina] together with its civil husband by Vadim Taranov (it is located in the search in Russia) and daughter by Vera [Kalyakinoy] they collected and sent their victims into Armenia, where were used they as the dancers of strip tease since 2005. They found their victims in the Russian city Volgograd through the agency through job placement, and proposed to them the possibility to earn with the aid of the instruction and the performances of exotic dances and choreography. However, after the adjustment of those suffered into Armenia in them passports selected and with the aid of the violence or the threats of violence forced them to dance in the night clubs, taking away the money under the different devised pretexts earned by them. Some victims were in this position for a period of four years.

3. (SBU) against The [kalyakinykh] were advanced charges according to articles 132 and 132-1 (trade by people) criminal of the code of Armenia, and also according to article 190, which foresees punishment for the legalization of the cash resources, obtained criminally. This is the first case of criminal case for article about the trade by people, in which the authorities used position about the money laundering and froze the active memberships of those accused. The punishment in the form of the deprivation of freedom for the period from 7 to 12 years according to the article about illicit traffic by people, and from 6 to 12 years and seizures of property according to the article about the money laundering threatens to defendants. Is substantial the fact that the accusers try to qualify crime as “another the visible trade by people for the purpose of sexual operation”, but not as “trade by people for the purpose of the use of their work”. (NOTE: Embassy RF expressed no interest in the judicial matter, and, in contrast to the personnel of the embassy of the USA, the diplomatic representatives of Russia on the law court were not present. END OF THE NOTE)

THE AID WAS PROPOSED BY THAT SUFFERED

4. (SBU) when the police revealed the merchants by people in July 2008, she immediately proposed to 13 victims, retained at that time by criminals, protection and aid in the refuge for the victims of the merchants by people, which is located in Yerevan in [NGO] “the committee of the united methodologists on protection” (UMCOR). Seven suffered remained in Armenia, after continuing to work as dancers on the voluntary basis. Not less than five of them were present at the court sessions. One already gave indications, and the written indications of other victims will be introduced by law court as the proofs. (NOTE: For the elongation of entire this criminal case the police, attorneys and judge manifested very deferential attitude to those suffered, their in spite of compromised public position. END OF THE NOTE)

COMMENTARIES

5. (SBU) we continue actively to follow the different criminal cases, excited in connection with the trade by people, examined in the Armenian vessels. The matter Of [kalyakinykh] is one of three judicial trials, which pass at present. We see and we greet the new level of maturity and desire of the law-enforcement and judicial organs of Armenia to strictly pursue the disturbers of law about the interdiction of commerce by people.

[YOVANOVICH]


The above was translated via Babel Fish from http://armtoday.info/default.asp?Lang=_Ru&NewsID=38610&SectionID=0&RegionID=0&Date=02/07/2011&PagePosition=1

Monday, February 07, 2011

Bako Sahakyan raises strict questions

yerkir.am
15:22 - 04.02.2011


In works with defense army and in attitude towards it we must stay away from imitations and forgeries.

`I genuinely believe that especially last year's incidents took place not only because of bad work of defense army's commandment but also because of my and your incomplete responsibilities, as here also imitations take place', said NKR president Bako Sahakyan at the meeting yesterday and added that `Imitations and indifferent attitude towards the army is unacceptable, because as, president said, it does not promote neither the development of the country, nor the supremacy of the army, especially in our country, who's neighbor every day and hour announces that wants to solve the issue with military involvement.

Bako Sahakyan also talked about some negative phenomenon that takes place in the army, especially, bribery and robbery. `And until these phenomena do not disappear we must stop dreaming of success.

With these conditions the army won't have potential to demolish our enemy, and if we avoid that truth, then we continue our fake life, hence desecrating the memory of our friends who died'.