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Giragos Kuyumjian calls for reforms starting from Kuwait

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  • Giragos Kuyumjian calls for reforms starting from Kuwait

    Azad-Hye
    Dubai
    06 May 2006

    Giragos Kuyumjian is one of the prominent members of the Kuwaiti
    Armenian community. He has been active in the last two decades, not
    only in the Armenian community, but also in the Arab press, where he
    has signed dozens of significant articles mostly on Armenian subjects
    (history, politics, literature, etc.).

    During the latest visit of His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia, to
    Kuwait (November 2005), Kuyumjian wished to inform the Catholicos on the
    present situation of the Armenian community in Kuwait and the difficulties
    the members are facing, especially in the administrative domain. He prepared
    a letter in Armenian language and handed it over to His Holiness during the
    above visit.

    Although generally speaking the visit of Catholicos Aram I to Kuwait was
    considered - in terms of contacts with the Kuwaiti officials and the
    presentation of the Armenian subjects to the journalists - a successful one,
    nevertheless this success did not have any impact in resolving inner
    problems of Kuwaiti Armenians, some deeply rooted in the existing structure.

    Kuyumjian notices that the public figures in the Kuwaiti Armenian community
    are forming groups of influence, pursuing their own benefits, thus wasting
    the time of the other members and burdening the meetings with trivial
    issues.
     
    He believes that this and other negative aspects in the community could be
    corrected only with the direct intervention of Catholicos Aram.

    Kuyumjian refers to the malpractice of assigning people with no
    qualification to important positions in the community. He says that
    efficient individuals are being excluded from the public life and the stage
    is occupied with those who have moderate capabilities. As a result,
    community life quality is deteriorating. Same persons are being `elected' to
    the same or similar positions, thus projecting the impression that there are
    no new talents.

    The authoritarian aspects of community rule are shown when the decisions
    taken during official meetings are replaced with other decisions, tailored
    by people of influence.

    Another deadly aspect of the society, Kuyumjian says, is the `hidden or
    sometimes even noticeable tendency of ignoring each other'. The result is
    that hundreds of Armenians are left out and their capabilities are ignored,
    without giving them the chance to bring any benefit to the society.

    Kuyumjian concludes his thoughts be underlining the need for `genuine
    reforms'. He regrets that no development has been achieved in community life
    during the last period. Only few acts of individual bravery have been
    recorded.

    Kuyumjian pleads to the Catholicos `to wipe up and burn once and for all the
    thorns and shrubs that are spreading under the fruitful trees of our
    national orchard starting from Kuwait'.

    He believes that Kuwaiti Armenians can serve as a model for reforms, if only
    the Catholicos acknowledges the existing situation and gives the signal for
    long awaited changes.

    ________________________________________
    Below is Giragos Kuyumjian's translated letter. See original Armenian letter
    at the end of the English translation.

    To His Holiness Aram I
    Catholicos of Cilicia

    Your Holiness,

    The Armenians of Kuwait had been the first organized and active progressive
    community in the Gulf and enjoyed a good reputation for long. Unfortunately,
    this process that lasted for several decades, has not reached to the point
    of genuine maturity, a fact that is highlighted every year with recurring
    setbacks.

    Regrettably, we are all witnesses of the prevailing undesirable conditions.
    A general hopeless view is nestling inside many of us, according to which it
    is not possible to confront the declining trend of events.

    With overwhelming zeal, I would like to mention herein several phenomena,
    against which I cannot remain silent or inactive, leaving matters to sheer
    luck or fate, especially that the issues under perspective need your serious
    and decisive intervention.

    I have been dealing with community affairs for more than two decades now,
    during which I have been closely following the affairs concerning the
    society, maintaining always the hope that the main issues concerning our
    community will be eventually resolved and open new horizons in front of our
    new generations and prosperous community life.

    Sadly, I have noticed that the issues under discussion, are not only
    remaining without solution, but also they are adding new complications to
    the already existing one (examples are abundant). Thus the Armenians of this
    country are facing more difficulties & challenges:

    Please allow me to elaborate:

    1- In order to lead a public life, it is important to be organized in a way
    that each individual undertakes a certain responsibility, under the general
    understanding of pursuing common goals. This organized effort, however,
    becomes an objective in itself and ceases to provide any benefit to the
    community, if the participating individuals start forming distinctive groups
    of people. In that case, others who are outside this group are under the
    risk to be disadvantaged, ignored and rejected.

    Such tendency to form group cliques leads to antagonism, as individuals will
    be easily carried away with intense feelings of blind revenge and changing
    temperaments. They always and intentionally waste the time of the other
    members and the official meetings with trivial matters, harm the efforts of
    achieving harmony amongst the different elements of the society and lead the
    step of the public life: church, school, unions, etc. from one failure to
    another.

    The remedy of this phenomenon that has taken firm roots in our community
    cannot be done without the intervention of Your Holiness, because it has
    come to the level of endangering the future of the community.

    2- Supported individuals in leading positions are used to intervene in all
    fields, without taking into consideration any limit or right to do so.
    Moreover, they continue to deal with the national establishments as if they
    were dealing with their own possessions, by arbitrarily appointing the
    members of different national councils, without evaluating their
    qualifications or what they have achieved in practical life to get the said
    positions. As a result, efficient individuals are excluded from public
    positions and are replaced with individuals who are void of personal
    opinion, ready to say yes and no according to what is required from them,
    thus exhibiting excellent flexibility towards the desires of their sponsors.
    Individuals with moderate capabilities and low ceiling ambitions are pushed
    forwards. Our national structure has become a playing toy in the hands of
    such people, who - it is painful to admit - have the support and blessing of
    some of our political and religious higher circles.  

    The appointing and especially the selection of the Chairmen of the various
    councils is continuing to take place in the most inherited manner. As if
    there are no other personalities with capacity and intelligence in this
    community. The same names are mentioned in the community bodies, inheriting
    the positions from one session to another, just changing their assistants or
    deputies in the course of this rotation. Sometimes certain reshuffling of
    positions may take place, but still this happens within the circle of the
    same group of people. Due to political interference, some loud-speaking
    personalities may occupy the stage, displaying their pompous characters. The
    masses are not able anymore to recognize its leadership. It is not clear who
    decides what: The National Council, the Diocesan Council, the Prelacy, etc.
    The majority of the members of the above bodies also do not recognize their
    duties and rights and they are not certain about the sphere of their
    influence. The implementation of the greater part of the decisions taken
    during these meetings is not guaranteed. On the contrary, entirely different
    decisions are adopted by influence (dictatorial principles and no democracy
    at all).

    3- A hidden or sometimes even obvious tendency of ignoring each other is
    prevailing in the community, something that has started from the days of
    Archbishop Father Oshagan. It is a policy that has served the targets of
    those who have started it, but which had and continues to have harmful
    implications on the society. As a consequence dozens, if not hundreds, of
    powerful, graduate high dignity generous Armenians have stayed away from the
    mainstream community life, because they have not found the necessary
    respect, consideration and sympathy. It is regretful that the persons behind
    this harmful tactic still have under their disposal all the opportunities
    and means to continue their destructive behaviour. Only with Your
    intervention these people would refrain, at least on temporary basis, from
    practicing their bad habits. Hence in order to get steady results it is
    imperative to reconsider the way we are administrating our national affairs.
    This will be possible through genuine reforms. Decades of deteriorated state
    of affairs had taken us to the point where no whatsoever development or
    progress is noticed, not any success is achieved in the level of external
    relationships, not any progress in the domain of public and religious life
    of the community, excluding very few acts of heroism, which have personal
    characters, which, as much as they are effective, they cannot replace the
    expression of the collective will.

    Your Holiness, as a member of the Armenian community of Kuwait, my direct
    concern is the situation of the Armenian community here, in the way that I
    tried to describe with the most sincere and honest words. However the circle
    of my concerns is wider and includes the other Diasporan communities.

    Father, if there are similar situations in our other communities, I would
    like - in the sake of the preservation of the noble feelings of our suffered
    Armenians, in the sake of our Holy Church and the safeguarding of our
    faithful people - To plead you to wipe up and burn once and for all the
    thorns and shrubs that are spreading under the fruitful trees of our
    national orchard, so that our nation and specially our young generation,
    would breathe healthy fresh air, they would progress and develop according
    to the best prevailing political and social needs, far away from any
    artificial obstacles and polluted national atmosphere starting from Kuwait.

    Very respectfully yours,

    Giragos N. Kuyumjian
    Kuwait
    24 November 2005

    http://www.azad-hye.net/news/viewnews.asp?newsId =112ahz92
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