A NECESSARY EXPLANATION

Concerning Nareg schools new committee

One of the major reasons that led to my decision to announce my candidature for the post of Armenian Representative in the House of Representatives was my great desire to be in a position to help the Nareg Armenian schools. It is my deep conviction that the Nareg schools deserve our utmost care and attention because they constitute at the present time, our only hope in the quest for the preservation of our ethnic identity, particularly in the wake of the closure of the Melkonian Educational Institute.

To dispel the dissatisfaction of parents of the Nareg schools and resolve the related problems, I embarked on the long and arduous procedure of choosing the right people for the task, regardless of their political affiliation and outlook. I approached and persuaded individuals with experience and interest in the field of education to accept serving on the Armenian Schools Committee and I believe I succeeded in bringing together a balanced and competent team of respected individuals capable of planning and bringing about the necessary changes. Furthermore, departing from the past practice of nominating individuals from the entourage of the Representative, I nominated individuals from all factions of our community.

Consequently, I recommended to the Ministry of Education that the following be appointed members of the Armenian Schools Committee for the next five years:

• Vartan Tashdjian - Chairman
• Haig Der Nishanian
• Sebouh Tavitian
• Raffi Mahdessian
• Yeran Kouyoumdjian
• Avedis Chouldjian
• Asadour Devletian
• Haro Kassapian
• Vart Alteparmakian
• Masis Der Partogh
• Anita (Boyadjian) Kazandjian

Subsequently, the Minister of Education assured me that he would submit my list, in its entirety, to the Council of Ministers for endorsement, and therefore there was no further consultation on the matter.

It seems, however, that certain people, having schemed for months, employing disruptive actions and behind the scenes interventions, had managed at the last moment to remove the names of Asadour Devletian, Anita (Boyadjian) Kazandjian, Avedis Chouldjian, Haro Kassapian and Masis Der Partogh from the list to be submitted to the Ministerial Council and replaced by those of Rita Kasbarian, Hayarpi Demirdjian, Siamanto Oknayian, Arto Arakelian and Nayiri (Der Arakelian) Merheje. An unseemly action that would undoubtedly and unnecessarily put the Government of the Republic in a difficult situation, and prove harmful for the Nareg schools and the prerogatives of the Armenian Representative.

It was impossible not to react to the actions of these people...

After the necessary meetings at the highest level with Government officials and endeavouring not to complicate matters any further but find a remedy for the situation created, I eventually agreed with the appointments of Rita Kasbarian, Arto Arakelian and Nayiri (Der Arakelian) Merheje at the expense of Vart Alteparmakian, Anita (Boyadjian) Kazandjian and Haig Der Nishanian from my original list.

In the wake of these events, the final list of members of the new Armenian Schools Committee is as follows:-

• Vartan Tashdjian - Chairman
• Haro Kassapian
• Sebouh Tavitian
• Masis Der Partogh
• Yeran Kouyoumdjian
• Rita Kasbarian
• Asadour Devletian
• Arto Arakelian
• Raffi Mahdessian
• Avedis Chouldjian
• Nayiri (Der Arakelian) Merheje

Without any further explanation, I invite all members of our community to derive their own conclusions.

Vartkes Mahdessian
Representative of the Armenian Community 16 Dec. 2009