This year, however, the Telethon was drastically impacted by both the current global economic crisis and political residue that has found its way, like many other Armenian issues, from the current policies of President Serzh Sargsyan and his governing coalition, into the dynamics of the fundraiser’s eleventh year in operation. Last year, Armenians abroad were able to raise over 15 million U.S. dollars, and a little over $13 million the year prior. You may be asking where the current political and economic conflicts fit into the overall framework of this fundraiser, especially since this year the Armenia Fund was able to gather an unprecedented $35 million despite external issues. These numbers are impressive, but at the same time deceiving.
Although the Armenia Fund Telethon was able to raise $35 million in donations this year, the underlying question is from where it came. The following are a few statistics on how much each Armenian community was able to independently raise:
“Los Angeles: $1.3 million, Lebanon: $200,000, Montreal: $130,000, Argentina: $100,000, Great Britain: $200,000, Holland: $40,000, Australia: $50,000, New York:$200,000, France: $1.5 million, Germany: $85,000, Switzerland: $33,000, Toronto: $250,000, Greece and Cyprus: $40,000.”
That is approximately $4.9 million. So, where did the other $30 million come from? This is where it gets interesting. In the beginning of November, Armenians in Armenia, Russia, and Lebanon held their own independent fundraisers such as the European Phoneathon (raising 1.2 million Euros – around 1.5 million USD), various charitable concerts, a radio marathon in Lebanon, and the most important of which was the Dinner Gala hosted by President Serzh Sargsyan himself in Yerevan, Armenia.
The dinner gala was the main source of fundraising in which 120 donors from Armenia and Russia pledged to donate $30 million alone. Some of the affiliates involved were Samvel Karapetyan, an Armenian businessman living in Russia who contributed $15 million for the construction of an entirely new hospital in Stepanakert, Karabakh (Artsakh), the Tele-communication company based in Armenia: “Viva Cell, Mikayel Vardanyan, Samvel Aleksanyan, Edward Ernekyan, Gagik Adibekyan, Varujan Grigoryan, Gagik Tzarukyan, Norik Petrosyan, Barsegh Beglaryan, Aram Kocharyan, Khachik Manukyan,” and other prosperous Armenian businessmen and politicians.
ArmeniaNow.Com, in its report on the Telethon, quotes Armenia Fund’s Executive Director Ara Vardanyan: “We have proved again that our nation is powerful when it is united. It is difficult times not only for Armenia and Artsakh, but also for the whole world, given the global economic crisis. However, despite the difficulties and obstacles, the worldwide Armenian Diaspora has extended a helping hand to their compatriots living in villages of Armenia and Artsakh.”
The reality, however, is far from Vardanyan’s statement and claim of “unity.” Taking the global economic crisis into consideration, why was the Diaspora, with the exception of Russia and Armeniaproper, only able to raise a little less than $5 million? Three factors come into play, two of which are the main purposes of this article: the political policies of President Sargsyan and the impact they have had on political forces within the Diaspora, and the current global financial crisis (although the crisis component is questionable). One of the main significant factors is that Armenian President Sargsyan also holds the position of Chairman of Armenia Fund’s Board of Trustees. Why is this relevant? Since President Sargsyan was sworn in, he has taken a significantly different path in regards to his foreign policies than that of his predecessor, former President Robert Kocharian (1998-2008). This is where conflict arises between Sargsyan, his links to Armenia Fund, and a key political organization within the Diaspora, namely the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and its many affiliate organizations.
During the internationally televised program, there was a very minimal on-air presence of ARF representatives, its umbrella organizations, and a lack of any publicized or substantial donations on their behalf. Although there were some representatives present and some donations made, if one paid close attention, one would have noticed that this presence was nowhere near that of prior years. Also, there was no public or outstanding call made in order to mobilize this large ARF-related international community. If this analysis proves correct, what would be the reason?
Armenian Foreign Policy: President Sargsyan not only invited the Turkish President Abdullah Gül to Armenia this year (a first in Armenia’s recent history), which was a diplomatic move to re-establish relations and to reopen the Armenian-Turkish border, but he also opened the Genocide issue for discussion in the form of a bilateral Genocide Commission made up of Armenian and Turkish historians, both of which were strictly opposed and protested by the ARF and its affiliates in Armenia, the United States, and abroad.
As a result, the ARF made a very passive move during the Telethon, abstaining from any large contributions and from encouraging its member bases all over the world to take part in the international fundraiser, an effort to use financial assistance as a chess piece against Sargsyan and the Armenian government. So, the “unity” in which Vardanyan speaks of is either non-existent or only in relation to Armenians living in Russia, Armenia, and those who contributed independently outside of the significantly dominant international ARF-related community.
The money made it to Armenia and as a significantly larger amount than in previous years, so, what’s the problem? Three obvious conclusions come to mind. First, not only was Armenia Fund and the Republic of Armenia able to gather and obtain $35 million without the support of the ARF and its international community, but President Sargsyan was also able to bring forth $30 million in donations from sources of great economic and political influence, both in Russia and in Armenia, which previously had not directly contributed to the Fund. Second, the fact that President Sargsyan was able to gather so much money without the help of a dominant Diasporan element, and was able to publicly position himself as a head member of Armenia Fund, supports Sargisyan’s efforts to establish legitimacy as President of Armenia after the controversial election and demonstrations that took place in February and March of this year. After all, in a country like Armenia and ina region of the world where economics comes first, money and resources matter- and he who controls the financial flow into Armenia also controls the Republic’s politics.
So, by successfully raising a significantly large amount of money without the cooperation of a major Diasporan player, the Republic of Armenia, and thus President Sargsyan, have significantly decreased their financial dependence upon a dominant sector of the Diaspora. Finally, this event outlines the ARF’s role in Armenia’s policies and its attempt to maneuver financial assistance in exchange for Genocide related issues and policies, issues in which the ARF and its affiliates consider crucial to Armenia and the Diaspora but in which the current regime considers counter-productive to the Republic’s international and regional diplomacy. The dynamics of this year’s Armenia Fund Telethon reveal the shifting of influences from the Diaspora in the West to that of the East, all in the wake of this year ’s presidential elections and the policies that have come to fruition as a result. The ARF’s role as a major Diasporan financial contributor to Armenia has served as a sort of “check and balance” against the government in Armenia since independence, especially in regard to policies relating to Genocide Recognition, Armenian-Turkish relations, and the Karabakh conflict. However, now that the Republic of Armenia, and specifically President Sargsyan, were able to gather just as much, and now more, financial support from Armenians in Russia than from ARF-related Armenians in the West, this financial “check and balance” is in jeopardy. Not only is the government in Armenia freer from financial and political influences and restraints from Diasporans in the West, the influential Armenians in Russia and Armenia itself are stepping in to fill this new vacuum. What the West is left with now is its emerging intellectual youth base, which in years to come will definitely be an interesting issue to study as repatriation continues to grow and spread throughout the Diaspora.
Over all, this year’s fundraiser was about more than just raising money; it’s politics as usual. The important thing to take away from this, however, is that regardless of what your political views or loyalties may be, aid to Armenia is necessary and fundamental to the country’s growth and development. Armenians everywhere must function in unison when it comes to providing aid and development opportunities in Armenia, after all, “governments come and go, but the country and people remain.”
Sources:
HETQ Daily: today.hetq.am\
ArmeniaNow: www.armenianow.com/
Himnadram.org: www.himnadram.org
Hurriyet Daily News: http://www.hurriyet.com.tr
Armenia Fund: armeniafund.org
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