Armenia: Environmental NGO Accused of Improper Political Activism
Writing in his weekly USA ARMENIAN LIFE MAGAZINE column (received in an e-mail), managing editor Appo Jabarian shares reactions to a broadcast video, also posted at YouTube.com, in which he criticized opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan and defended Armenia’s government’s actions in the March 1, 2008 post-election clashes.
While saying that he wasn’t surprised to receive e-mails of both support and disagreement from individual activists to his message delivered on behalf of a group of Armenain-American journalists, Jabarian – who is often regarded as nationalist for his views – says an offensive letter from a non-governmental organization (NGO) was quite unexpected. The Diasporan journalist says that a short research finds that the NGO in question is, in theory, working for environmental issues and is funded by an organization based in the United States. In Jabarian’s own words:
[…]
On Monday, April 21, the editorial offices of USA Armenian Life Magazine received a letter titled “Repulse from Armenia!”
It said: “‘Armenia[n] Life’ exactly repeats the statements made by Kocharyan, and other barking ‘puppies’ like Tigran Torosyan or Aghvan Hovsepyan, but even in a more disapprobatory [sic] tones. These types of biased statements are more destabilizing rather than stabilizing, and forcing a thorny wedge between Armenia and Diaspora. Who gave you [Jabarian] the right to make an appeal on behalf of the Diasporan Armenians? Do you think that you are the ‘Messiah’ of the Nation? Your recent columns proved once again that you are paid prostitutes [sic] of Kocharyan-Serzh [Sargsyan] regime, and your publications remain at inferior level intended for ‘hade bye’s like you! — P.S. ‘Turkey Life’ would be more appropriate to your bull s**t ‘offline’ magazine.…” — It was signed “Ecological Academy NGO.”
The website of “Ecological Academy NGO” describes its “mission statement” as follows: “‘Ecological Academy’ visualizes Armenia’s future in sustainable and socio-economic development of the society, in parallel with environmental improvement and harmony. The ‘Ecological Academy’ is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that favors enhancement of environmental quality in the Republic of Armenia, advancement of environmental science and education, by carrying out educational, research, technical-advisory, project-appraisal, public-awareness-raising actions.”
A brief research on the “Ecological Academy NGO” revealed that this particular NGO is financially linked to The Natural Capital Institute, a U.S.-based privately funded organization. The Institute boasts on its website: “Our donors choose to invest in the Fund because of our commitment to safeguarding their privacy.”
The mere conflict of interest and action by the Ecological Academy raises a number of questions.
Is “Ecological Academy NGO” confounding its vision of “Armenia’s future in sustainable and socio-economic development of the society, in parallel with environmental improvement and harmony” with its anti-Armenia political activities?
Are Ecological Academy’s U.S. backers aware that their “Project” in Armenia is in fact conducting political opposition to the Armenian government as opposed to focusing on its “stated mission?”
Isn’t Ecological Academy a non-profit organization that is exempted from income taxes, and as such is governed by the strict laws of Armenia?
Does one of the Armenian laws not explicitly bar NGO’s from any overt or covert political activity?
Speaking of NGO’s in Armenia, there is no question that several NGO’s are honest and genuine humanitarian enterprises. However, according to various reliable sources, there are a number of Armenian NGO’s that are set up by foreign funds for the explicit purpose of covertly meddling in Armenia’s internal political affairs. Is Ecological Academy one of these covert “NGO” operations?
Shall any of us be surprised to discover that certain NGO’s are fronts for espionage and other treacherous activities, undermining the national security of a target nation — in this case Armenia?
There is no question that Armenia’s national security authorities are highly aware of the potential dangers presented by certain so-called NGO’s. However, they may need to further step up their scrutiny of these foreign-funded NGO’s.
Onnik Krikorian on 27 Apr 2008 at 4:38 pm #
I’m not going to say that any of these NGOs are involved in espionage, but many serve partisan political purposes and depending on the international donor, that’s also why they get their grants. On the other hand, others would argue that this is the only way to stimulate the emergence of counterbalances to government power.
Anyway, I’m pretty sick of the lot of them to be honest and won’t have anything to do with them anymore. I also suspect that they will become more active over the coming year and receive more funding. It’s also interesting to note that there is also the issue of sub-grants which can be handed out without any oversight or tender.
Along with OSI, this type of funding from diplomatic issues is also another area worth investigating. The British Embassy is reportedly particularly active in this area and in terms of grants and sub-grants has surprised me by funding a number of people linked to Levon Ter-Petrossian.
Hard to say whether this is a political decision or sinply because the Embassy’s political officer is related or connected to those she disburses grants and sub-grants to.
Onnik Krikorian on 27 Apr 2008 at 4:42 pm #
Incidentally, I wish that there were NGOs which were concerned with non-partisan activities that challenges or calls the government to account, but unfortunately there are precious few.