GLENDALE—The news that Hayastan All-Armenia Fund’s director had misappropriated the organization’s fund has raised concerns in the community about the fund’s work and management. To clarify and discuss next steps Asbarez sat down with Armenian Revolutionary Federation Western US Central Committee’s Political Chairman Avedik Izmirlian to discuss the party’s position on the matter, especially since the ARF is part of the fund’s governing board.
Asbarez: What was your reaction to the news about Hayastan Fund’s financial misappropriations?
Avedik Izmirlian: The resignation of decades-long former executive director of the Hayastan All-Armenia Fund, Ara Vardanyan, along with his arrest and admission to using the organization’s credit card to engage in online gambling, sent shock waves throughout Armenia and the Diaspora. The ARF Western US Central Committee severely condemns this unacceptable behavior.
The Hayastan All-Armenia Fund is an important part of the Armenian Nation and must be preserved and strengthened since its mission is far from over.
Asbarez: What should the Hayastan Fund do moving forward?
A.I.: We welcome the appointment by Armenia’s President Armen Sarkissian of Bedros Terzian as the interim director and are confident that he will stop at nothing to put the house back in order. Of course, we offer our support and assistance to this end.
However, in light of recent events, the Fund requires transparency, restructuring and reforms, an imperative to the Fund’s longevity and necessary conditions to our continued participation.
The ARF Western US Central Committee calls for an immediate and transparent investigation of the Hayastan All-Armenia Fund’s day-to-day operations. We also believe that all offices of the Hayastan All-Armenia Fund and it’s regional affiliates should create mechanisms to monitor the day-to-day activities of its main and regional branches, in addition to being audited by independent and highly-experienced companies.
The ARF also believes that if anyone is found guilty of corruption, criminal conduct, or engaging in such acts he or she must be removed from his or her position and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
Only through such efforts can we collectively repair the Fund’s tarnished image and regain the trust of the public.
As if nobody was aware this was going on up until now. Ara Vardanyan was the executive director for decades. Hard to believe he woke up one morning and discovered online gambling. Besides, gambling is a habitual disorder, he would have cut off his right arm just for another round. The fact is that just like the ARF’s political alignment with the Republican Party of Armenia, now the HAAF is trying to play all innocent and naive. It takes corruption to corrupt people. The culture of corruption was and is well documented. No amount of distancing will rehab their image. This issue of thievery and pillaging of public funds will continue to unravel and feed further distrust for generations to come. Well done!.
I am surprised that the Board of Directors has assumed no responsibility whatsoever in this scandalous situation. What were they doing over the years? No oversight? No internal audits? No review and audit of management practices? So to hear they are shocked over the revelations makes me wonder whether they knew what the role or responsibilities of a Board member are. We should demand their resignation en masse because their incompetence cries to the skies!
The Board of Directors should be prosecuted for no oversight, no internal audits, and no review and audit of management practices. Dereliction of duty should be a criminal offense in this case.
Its about time that they & all of us take responsibility to Armenia fund .& all funds that are related to Armenian nation .
Will the corruption and malfeasance never end? When does the dissolutionment stop? How about a class action law suit to get our money back and reinvest the misappropriated funds in our once again burgeoning country! Getze Hayastan!
THE FUND HAS NO OTHER OPTION TO REPAIR IT’S REPUTATION, COMPLETE TRANSPARENCY IS VERY VERY IMPORTANT OTHERWISE A NEW AND FRAUD FREE FUND SHOULD BE CREATED IN ORDER TO HELP ARMENIA. ARMENIANS ARE READY TO DONATE BUT HATE CORRUPTION.
that not a board .I call them sleeping board .and looking at the annual teleton they all dance at the same tune they sing haistan haistan haistan and the haistansti reap you off bunch of looser take a vacation will you