Today, Bernard Nazarian circulated the following letter addressed to Harout Sassounian, Appa Jabarian, David Boyajian and Harut Bronozian.

Dear Harut, Appo, David and Mr Bronozian,

Please watch Hayk Demoyan's interview on March 30 in LA, where he labels Armen Ayvazyan a "state criminal" "leader of predatory gang," etc: http://returntoarmenia.com/ (from minute 25 to minute 30). All credit to Mr Bronozian for distancing himself from Hayk Demoyan’s libelous and infantile public tantrums there and then.

Please watch also the following video materials by Yerkir Media TV (September 2008):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ftbYEc4lE4&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qukOXF--8zg

I think your public reaction in this matter is of critical importance. You know very well who Armen Ayvazyan is – a talented scholar and a committed and principled political activist (a rare combination in Armenian reality). Likewise, you will remember what Hayk Demoyan's position was on "football diplomacy" and the like. His close association with the disastrous "protocols" and enthusiastic support for the Washington/Moscow inspired "Football Diplomacy" is well known. Let me give just a couple of examples which will suffice to revive your memory about his activities:

On September 13, 2008 Demoyan was calling "not to politicise the recognition of Genocide" (http://www.arka.am/rus/politics/2008/09/13/11159.html);

On September 2008 he told the "Economist" that "Kemal Ataturk, father of modern Turkey, rescued hundreds of Armenian women and children from mass slaughter by Ottoman forces during and after the first world war."

(http://www.economist.com/node/12304946?story_id=E1_TNPDQJQG&CFID=161744713&CFTOKEN=30139637)։ No mention was made about the hundreds of thousands of Armenians who were slaughtered by Kemal's forces in Eastern Armenia, Izmir and elsewhere, let alone the abolishment of the Sevres Treaty and other crimes by the Mustafa Kemal and Kemalists.

On April 30, 2009, Demoyan declared: "As Armenian Genocide Museum Director and an expert in this sphere, I see serious danger in using the Genocide word as it gives cause for manipulations."

(http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/politics/news/31015/Usage_of_Genocide_term_gives_cause_for_manipulations)

By acting like that he not only compromised his academic independence and any credibility that he had, but more importantly the independence and credibility of his office, as head of Armenian Genocide Museum Institute (AGMI), which is a strategic institution of our statehood and not an advertising or promotion agency for any incompetent "policy" of the government of the day. Are we going to tolerate the transformation of Armenian academia into Soviet style rubber-stamping "yes-men" - or worse still Ankara and Baku style official historians - for the government?

In any normal and healthy society such an academic would be subjected to unremitting criticism and ridicule. Any self-respecting head of a scientific institute, on the other hand, would resign voluntarily before being subjected to criticism and ridicule and before being pushed. After all, the protocols were not a shining success but an unmitigated disaster – as it’s now clear to all.

Yet in Armenia, the boot is on the other foot: the officials, academics, heads, ministers, who were responsible for this fiasco, continue as if nothing has happened! Demoyan goes even further: he feels he is entitled to start mud-slinging and arrogantly accusing those who were, and continue to be, critical of his irresponsible and reckless views and positions.

Interestingly, his bravado started when he was being feted in the Diaspora circles – actually in your own territory and turf as it were – who unfortunately are hardly ever critical of Armenian officials (such as Demoyan – let's face it he is behaving like an official rather than an independent and responsible academic and head of a strategic state and national institution AGMI) and hardly ever call such officials to account for their misdeeds as they should.

I believe you should address this deficit now. It is not just immoral to leave Armen in the lurch when he is so unfairly under attack. Armen's only "crime" has been his consistent truthfulness and clear-headed criticism and critique of the most glaring ills of our statehood. As you know he is uncompromising and direct when Armenian strategic and national interests are at issue. We all appreciate his qualities, admire him and encourage him to hold his mirror high to reflect all the shortcomings of our national institutions.

Yet when lesser characters and mediocrities throw stones at his truthful mirror, and him personally, attempting character assassination, we have no right to remain silent. To do so encourages the arrogant official and deepens the political, social, academic and moral crises in Armenian society (including in the Diaspora).

I hope you will choose not to remain silent and will not spare your pen, insight and reputation in defence of fairness and right and academic/journalistic integrity, freedom and responsibility in Armenia.

Kind regards,
Bernard Nazarian