Arch. Derderian Ally, ARF Oligarch Vicken Hovsepian’s ‘Rogue’ Clan Obstructs Distribution of Armenian Genocide Commemoration AYF Flyers
Posted on April. 16. 2023
BY APPO JABARIAN
On April 10, The Armenian Youth Federation Western United States (AYF-WUS) Central Executive (CE) wrote an open letter to Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America Board to relay in relation to a recent incident that took place at St. Mary’s Armenian Apostolic Church in Glendale, California. According to the AYF statement, on Easter Sunday, April 9, 2023, two members of the AYF Glendale “Roupen” Chapter were only passing out flyers promoting the AYF Rally for Humanity in commemoration of the 108th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Over the course of several decades, flyers announcing Armenian Genocide commemoration events organized by the Armenian Genocide Commemoration Committee (AGCC) have always been placed on parked cars inside St. Mary Armenian Church’s parking lot, other Western Prelacy churches and other locations. The AYF Rally for Humanity is a part of the grouping of events supported by the community’s unified AGCC. Ironically both Western Prelacy and AFY are member-organizations of AGCC. AYF Central Executive elaborated: “The unacceptable incident occurred when our two AYF members, while placing flyers on parked vehicles, were approached by individuals who claimed to be in charge of the church property, and were told to vacate the premises. Incidentally, these same individuals (See complete letter on page E3) are also part of a rogue, illegitimate group claiming to be the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Western United States (ARF-WUS). Despite the AYF members explaining they have explicit permission to distribute the flyer from the Prelacy representative on the AGCC, who in turn informed the Prelate and received approval to distribute the flyers regarding April 24, these individuals claiming they were in charge of the church ordered their security guards to remove all flyers and throw them in the trash while dis- respecting and intimidating our AYF members.” AYF Central Executive added: “Unfortu- nately, this is the latest stunt in a series of coor- dinated incidents in which our AYF membership has been censored, targeted, and prohibited from places of community congregation by this ille- gitimate group – all unwarranted.” AYF Central Executive’s description “The rogue, illegitimate group” may well This ad space is donated by USA Armenian Life Magazine. refer to a segment of ARF controlled by a self-Proclaimed ARF Western U.S. oligarch Vicken Hovsepian. Apparently, Hovsepian’s clan controls the Board of Trustees of St. Mary’s Armenian Apos- tolic Church. One would hope that in light of con- tinued terrorist aggression by Republic of Azerbaijan against the twin republics of Armenia and Artsakh, and on a sol- emn occasion such as the 108th anniver- sary of the 1915-1923 Turkish-executed Armenian Genocide, all internal differ- ences would be set aside. Albeit for one day! Empowering the American Arme- nian community and friends to focus on massive participation in the Genociderelated events should be of utmost prior- ity for all Armenian individuals, groups and organizations. But apparently, Mr. Vicken Hovse- pian and the gang don’t think so. They much prefer to resort to personal vendetta even at the cost sabotaging wider Armenian Genocide commemoration efforts. That’s abhorrible. It must stop. This is not the first time when Hovsepian has gotten into rogue activities. In August 2019, Vicken Hovsepian and Western Diocese autocratic primate Arch. Hovnan Derderian attempted to be misrepresented as the sole representatives or leaders of the Armenian community of Western U.S. during that year’s official visit to Los Angeles by Republic of Armenia Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
On Aug. 16, 2019 Hovsepian and Derderian haphazardly gathered a small group of Armenian organizations in Western U.S. to ‘form’ a big-sounding new umbrella entity — “Pan-Armenian Council of Western U.S.” In response to this writer’s August 23 article in USA Armenian Life titled “Two Self-Declared Autocrats in Los Angeles Attempt to Hijack Armenian Community Leadership Without Popular Elections,” Hovsepian appeared on Horizon TV/As- barez TV and backpaddled on his and Derderian’s original covert ambitions to de- clare themselves as ‘community leaders’ of Armenian Americans of Western U.S. Increasing number of community members strongly feel that the time has come for these culprits to be held accountable and be dethroned at once for the good of the global Armenian nation.