92 replies to this topic

[Armen]

http://www.aramanoogian.blogspot.com/

http://www.hetq.am/eng/

http://groong.usc.ed.../msg105257.html

Desert Nights: An Interview with Ara Manoogian

Armenian News Network / Groong
March 15, 2005

by Onnik Krikorian

Ara Manoogian is an American-Armenian living and working in the
self-declared Republic of Nagorno Karabagh. He is the grandson of
Shahen Natali, a famous Armenian writer and activist, and works
for the foundation established in his grandfather's name.

Through this foundation he has conducted a number of high-profile
investigations into corruption and human rights related issues in
both Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh.

His most recent was conducted in collaboration with Edik
Baghdasarian, Editor-in-Chief of Hetq Online, who investigated the
trafficking of women and children from Armenia to the United Arab
Emirates.


ONNIK KRIKORIAN: You've recently returned from your third and final
trip to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where you were
involved in an investigation into the problem of trafficking from
Armenia. When did this investigation start?

ARA MANOOGIAN: Edik Baghdasarian and I started this investigation at
the beginning of 2004 although we had discussed this problem on many
occasions prior to that. From reading many reports from international
organizations in Armenia, we knew that there was a problem and so, at
the beginning of 2004, we decided to examine the situation on the
ground to determine whether those reports were accurate.

On our first trip to Dubai in February or March 2004, we very quickly
discovered where the Armenian girls were although we spoke with only
one girl at first. When we noticed the sad look on her face, we
considered that she was a possible victim. She reminded me very much
of girls from Nagorno Karabagh and as it turned out, she was a refugee
from Azerbaijan.

She was twenty or twenty-one years old and was divorced from her
childhood sweetheart who left for Russia because of the harsh economic
condition in the country leaving her alone to bring up her daughter.
Because she had been unable to find employment that would pay her a
decent living wage, and as she was a very beautiful girl, she said
there were only a few options available to her.

She could either work in a store in Armenia for 30,000 drams (about
$60) a month and be expected to sleep with her boss or she could go
"elsewhere" to work. In a sense then, she was in Dubai voluntarily and
we discovered that she partially knew what she was getting herself
into. However, she did admit that she wasn't expecting Dubai and
other Arab countries to be so rough and dangerous, especially for
girls.

OK: Do you consider that she was a victim in the sense that as a
single mother unable to support her family in Armenia she had no
choice but to find this type of work abroad?

AM: Yes, that's what she felt. Incidentally, on our third trip we
tried to find her again but her phone had been disconnected.

OK: Were most of the girls at least partially deceived into
working abroad as prostitutes?

AM: I would say that a large number of girls from Armenia are
tricked into coming by being offered an opportunity to find employment
outside Armenia. Speaking to these girls, most seemed very naive and
uneducated. Many came from broken homes.

However, we also visited a hotel in Dubai called the St. George that
accommodated a couple of hundred Armenian girls, most of whom appeared
to have come to Dubai voluntarily. Even there, however, we found a few
girls that had been tricked into coming by friends already working in
Dubai.

Because we knew that we had to get inside this ring to collect
information, we also managed to discover which girls were truly the
victims of trafficking and which were not. As a result, those that had
been tricked wanted to expose those responsible for their situation.

OK: That sounds a little risky. I would imagine that those
responsible for trafficking are not people you want to mess with. All
you needed was one girl to tell her trafficker what you were doing...

AM: We think that there was one girl like that and on my last week
I was followed everywhere so yes, that risk did exist. However, the
girls we trusted were quite reliable for the most part and nothing
serious happened.

OK: How old were the girls?

AM: We heard that there were fourteen year olds in Dubai but the
youngest I personally saw was sixteen. The oldest was about
twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old.

OK: How did these girls manage to enter a country such as the
United Arab Emirates which has very strict rules of entry, especially
for young women and girls traveling alone?

AM: From what we were told and from what we saw in the form of
documents, the girls were first taken to Russia where false passports
are prepared. Usually, the first names of the girls are kept the same,
and sometimes even their surnames, but their date of birth is changed
to make them over thirty. However, because they still appear to be,
and actually are, younger it appears that the authorities in the UAE
are therefore involved. These girls are not even questioned about
their passports when they enter the country.

OK: What you're saying is that nobody bothers to question these
young girls traveling on passports indicating that they are, in some
cases, twice as old as they actually are when entering the UAE?

AM: Actually, the passports they're traveling on are the old red
[Soviet] passports which, I think, are not recognized anywhere else in
the world apart from in the UAE.

OK: Presumably, the same is true when the girls leave Russia?

AM: From what these girls told us, they actually have two passports.
They leave Russia on their Armenian passport but then, when they board
their flight, they hide it in one of their shoes and enter the UAE on
their Russian passport.

OK: When they arrive in Dubai, do they still retain their passports?

AM: No. The trafficker takes all of their documents when they
arrive and gives them a Xerox of their fake passport and visa which is
sufficient for them to travel around and stay in hotels.

OK: What happens then? After working for the traffickers, can they
eventually buy back their passports?

AM: Yes, they can buy back their freedom. The way this works is
that the trafficker decides their "debt" which varies between
$6-12,000. I'm not sure how the debt is determined but anyway, the
girls work and give all their income to the trafficker who sends a
minimum of $100 a month to their families in Armenia who presumably
think that they are working in Russia, Greece, Spain or some other
country. After the "debt" is "settled," their documents are then
returned and the girls are given the option to continue to work in the
UAE under the protection of the trafficker who takes a percentage of
the money they earn.

OK: How many Armenian girls are working as prostitutes in the UAE?

AM: We can't put a concrete figure on this but initial figures
from various organizations estimate that there are approximately five
hundred. However, I personally saw over two hundred girls in only four
or five locations but others are known to be working in other places.
Edik went to other locations that I didn't, for example, and reported
that there were also a large number of girls from Armenia there.
Therefore, based on what we saw and from speaking to the girls
themselves, I'd say that there are as many as two thousand Armenian
girls working in the UAE. I would say that this is a realistic and
believable figure.

OK: Is there enough evidence to take legal action against anyone
involved in the trafficking of women and children from Armenia to the
UAE?

AM: Yes, and we will be pursuing the matter once our film is ready.
We would expect some arrests to be made later and maybe even prior to
the completion of the film. Many of the articles we have already
published are accompanied by pictures of people involved in trafficking
and one woman wanted by Interpol is currently in jail in Armenia.
However, she is only serving a light sentence.

OK: I remember this case from one of your articles. You suggest
that this particular woman returned to Armenia knowing full well she
would be imprisoned for a short period of time in order to clear her
name off Interpol's list.

AM: Yes, and if the law worked, she would be facing additional
charges.

OK: Is this the problem, then? Is the law not functioning
correctly or are sentences for trafficking simply too light?

AM: The law contains provisions to hand down heavy sentences to
traffickers but the legal system is not functioning correctly. I was
present at the trial of five traffickers in Armenia last August and as
far as I am concerned, Judge Ohanian and the prosecutor failed to do
their jobs properly. These individuals should have received sentences
of at least ten years but when Gulnara Shahinian, an expert on
trafficking, presented the judge with details of Armenia's
international obligations to prosecute those guilty of trafficking, he
instead insisted on prosecuting them with old Soviet laws that carried
lighter sentences of only two years.

OK: Why do you think that was?

AM: The evidence we collected on three trips suggests that there
are officials in Armenia and the UAE that are directly involved in
trafficking. There is not a single doubt in my mind that they are
directly involved.

OK: If that's the case, and after talking about possible risks in
Dubai, isn't it potentially dangerous to expose those responsible for
trafficking in Armenia?

AM: We're in the homeland.

OK: That gives you protection?

AM: Yes. In fact, it gives me a great deal of protection because
my family has conducted this kind of work for many, many years and my
grandfather as well as the foundation established in his name is very
well respected by the Minister of Defense and the military. As a
result, I'm not concerned at all and anyway, I'm a true believer in
fate. When someone's time comes, that's their time. I'm not a person
who lives in fear and it is for that reason that I do what I do. It
has to be done.

OK: Now that Hetq Online has examined the problem of trafficking
from Armenia to the UAE, what do you think the Armenian Government's
response should be?

AM: The Armenian Government's response should be to denounce this
as not being culturally cohesive and as being wrong. However, the
Government has known about this problem for a number of years and I'm
still unable to comprehend why it has not yet issued any additional
statement on the matter.

Regardless, the Armenian Government, as well as the Church and the
Diaspora, needs to take a strong position on this problem. What we
have discovered, and what we have published up until now, is
irrefutable. The evidence is there and it's unreasonable for people to
go into denial.

OK: However, do you think that it's considered culturally taboo to
talk about such issues?

AM: Absolutely, and what I've noticed from my own internet blog
where quite a few of the articles have been republished is that few
readers want to publicly comment on the findings of our investigation.
Of course, I've received some private emails which have been very
positive and there have also been some financial commitments from
readers for future investigative work but only on the provision that
these donations are made anonymously. Otherwise, it would appear that
many Armenians in the Diaspora, and even here in Armenia, are in
shock.

OK: It's also interesting to point out that one of those
responsible for funding this investigation is a prominent Diasporan
who also prefers to remain anonymous. It's good that they supported
this project, of course, but very interesting to note that they don't
want their name to be known. Ironically, however, you would have
thought that it is precisely these people that should be acknowledged
and appreciated.

AM: There were also some donations from a number of other
individuals that wanted to remain anonymous. However, a number of
others who said that they understood the importance of this work
declined. Presumably this was because they were afraid of the possible
fallout.

OK: There's also a sizeable Armenian Community in the UAE. Were
they willing and able to assist in your investigation, albeit anonymously?

AM: No. You have to understand that unless you are born in the UAE,
almost everyone is on a residency visa and because the Government is
directly involved with trafficking, the Armenians living and working
there chose not to be involved in any shape, form or fashion even
though I'm sure that many would have liked to have been. Because we
understood that situation we pretty much left the Armenian community
alone.

OK: What about the Diaspora in the United States and Europe. They
don't face any risk so what do you think they should do?

AM: I've received emails from Armenians in the Diaspora who say
that they found this investigation very "interesting." Unfortunately,
the problem of trafficking is not "interesting." It's very sad and
shouldn't be looked upon as just another human interest story. It is
instead an issue that affects all of us regardless of whether these
girls went to the UAE voluntarily or not. The reason why this
phenomenon exists today is economic and therefore, it is resolvable.
However, it will take commitment but until then, Armenia is in a
situation that I would describe as being out of control.

OK: Do you think that the Diaspora should speak out about such issues?

AM: Absolutely. The Diaspora, or at least those who have a sense of
belonging, has a responsibility to do so. Unfortunately, the Armenian
Government does not understand the concept of civil service or the
fact that they are civil servants. This has to change and Armenians in
the Diaspora can assert a certain amount of pressure on the Government
to do so. However, so far they're not.

Instead, there's a certain mentality that's probably very damaging for
this nation. It's the idea of something being "amot (shameful)." I've
heard this over and over again and the notion that it's shameful to
talk about problems such as trafficking. It's much easier to ignore
the problem but, in my opinion, there's nothing shameful in talking
about such problems if the situation can be changed as a result. The
Armenian Diaspora can play a role in that and perhaps I'm evidence of
that.

OK: However, you're just one person out of six million.

AM: Yes, I'm one of six million but my voice has been heard time
and time again and I've achieved results. If properly coordinated, I
believe that other individuals and organizations can also have a
positive impact in determining the future of our nation. In my
opinion, it's time for the Diaspora to wake up. When people remain
silent, they can only contribute to perpetuating such problems.

OK: Of course, some people, especially in the Diaspora, might
instead criticize you for concentrating only on the negative aspects
of life in Armenia. How would you respond to those that accuse you of
dirtying the country's image abroad?

AM: I would say that unless we address the problems that threaten
the future of this nation, there can be no moving forward. However, I'd
also add that I think of myself as an optimist and believe that
Armenia has a promising future if these problems are resolved.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Edik Baghdasarian and Ara Manoogian's investigation into the
trafficking of women and children from Armenia can be read online at
http://www.hetq.am.

Ara Manoogian's blog from Armenia and Nagorno
Karabagh, Martuni or Bust, can be read online at
http://www.aramanoogian.blogspot.com.
--
Onnik Krikorian is a freelance journalist and photojournalist from the
United Kingdom now living and working in the Republic of Armenia.

[kakachik77]

what are you talking about, Armen???? All Armenian girls are virgins and living comfortable nice lives...Amot kez, tgha jan to bring up this mess and mar the reputation of honorable Armenians.

[Armen]

Kakachik jan, I would not call myself a liberal and I am far from being one but what absolutely pisses me off is the fact that those who own the Armenian economy and the government at present sometimes talk about "preserving Armenian family values". They do it not only among their friends during a qef but also to the EU representatives who visit Armenia. And these people from Europe who know the statistics of everything giggle at them. It is very simple for them, if a country of 3 mln has 2000 girls "working" in the Emirates and ministers with personal Hammers, at least they should not talk about family values.

Ara Manoogian's and Edik Baghdasarian's months long study is over now. The guys have done an absolutely amazing, unprecedented job for Armenia. And people should stick this to the government's eye on every opportunity.

Edited by Armen, 15 March 2005 - 06:01 PM.

[kakachik77]

Armen jan, if you've read their report carefully, it actually says that one of these Armenian government officials actually visited the Cyclone club in Dubai and who knows perhaps even used the services offered...

[Armen]

Armen jan, if you've read their report carefully, it actually says that one of these Armenian government officials actually visited the Cyclone club in Dubai and who knows perhaps even used the services offered...

If they do it in Armenia they will do in anywhere...

The problem here is not that people don't know that there are morally degradated people in the goverment. They will always be there. The issue here, in my opinio, is to make this information circulate in public in Armenia all the time and everywhere. So that every high level official feals responsible to comment on it at every interview or public meeting. And make them ashamed by acusing them directly for this situation.

The problem of prostitution and trafficking is solved only one way, sustainable economic development and rational distribution of incomes among the population. You can never get rid of adult prositution in a democracy and free market. But you can get rid of trafficking because it is an indirect "economic indicator" and you should get rid of child prostitution because it is sick.

[Nakharar]

I especially find those who frequent these places, but then are hypocritical enough to condescend these poor girls much more debased. Putting on a mask and playing the devoted husband/father role serves one well in any society I suppose.

[Armen]

Armenian leader, prosecutor discuss fight against human trafficking

Regnum, Moscow
15 Mar 05

Armenian President Robert Kocharyan has held a working meeting with
Armenian Prosecutor-General Agvan Ovsepyan.

The meeting discussed issues concerning measures to fight human
trafficking, the Armenian presidential press service told Regnum news
agency. The Armenian prosecutor-general reported that as a result of a
joint operation carried out by the police and the prosecutor's office,
members of groups involved in recruiting and sending prostitutes
abroad were exposed and brought to book.

The Armenian prosecutor-general also reported that a fall in the
number of premeditated murders was registered this year. He said that
23 such murders were registered in the same period of the last year,
while this year their number is only nine. Ovsepyan also told the
Armenian president about discovered false excise stamps, which
testifies that they are printed abroad and then imported into Armenia.

[Anonymouse]

I have a solution: Kill all politicians.

[kakachik77]

few new articles today on www.hetq.am with few more revealing facts.

[Armen]

http://www.hetq.am/e...0503-dub-7.html

So, in 2004 $9mln US entered Armenia from Emirates. As the article rightly notes Emirates do not import anything from Armenia and a large part of this money is ...

2001 - $ 654,200
2002 - $ 3,933,300
2003 - $ 5,769,500
2004 - $ 8,792,800

We know that many Armenian businesses import different products from the UAE. But this involves sending money to the UAE from Armenia. According to Armenia's Ministry of Trade and Economic Development, in the last 14 years (1991-2004), Armenian businesses invested $4,356,000 into the UAE. This is a small sum compared to the amount of money that is sent the other way. In the last four years alone, $19,149,000 was transferred to Armenia from the UAE.

For a comparison. There are 3 Mersedes Maibach models in Armenia at present owned by well known oligarchs. If I am not wrong, each one costs $US300.000 or more.

These models were ordered from Armenia among the first ones in Europe! And the owners have some 2 million worth of luxury car fleet in their garages.

[Armen]

Light and shadow in Armenian business
[September 1, 2004]

http://www.hetq.am/e...9-business.html

Business and Government: What is the state of economic rights in Armenia?
[August 18-25, 2004]

http://www.hetq.am/e...my/0408-bg.html

-----------------------------------------------------

These two articles above focus on the main problems that bring to trafficing in Armenia.

[Armen]

LAW ENFORCEMENT BODIES OF ARMENIA MANAGED TO STOP TRANSPORTATION OF
100 ARMENIAN WOMEN ABROAD FOR SEXUAL EXPLOITATION IN 2004

YEREVAN, MARCH 17. ARMINFO. To effectively combat prostitution,
procurement and trafficking in persons, the corresponding legislation
must be toughened, Head of Armenian Police, Lt.General Hayk
Haroutiunyan says at parliamentary hearings "Activity of the
law-enforcement structures to prevent organized crime" today.

He says that in 2004 29 cases of procurement and 2 cases of
trafficking to the United Arab Emirates for sexual exploitation were
exposed. One case of trafficking was exposed due to operative measures
taken by the law- enforcement bodies of Armenia and Russia, he
says. As a result. A criminal grouping was detained in Russia, which
consisted of Armenia who tried to transport six Armenian women from
Russia to UAE. On the whole, in 2004 the law- enforcement bodies
managed to stop transportation of 100 Armenian women abroad for sexual
exploitation, with 730 prostitutes being brought administratively
responsible. -m-

[Armen]

They jailed the prostitutes. I don't know to laugh or to cry.

[whitelotus]

I remember reading an article in AIM a couple years ago stating that 90 % of prisoners in Armenian prisons are woman (prostitution). Does anyone know if this percentage is wrong? It seems a bit bogus to me, but you never know.

[Azat]

http://www.hetq.am/e...0503-dub-7.html

So, in 2004 $9mln US entered Armenia from Emirates. As the article rightly notes Emirates do not import anything from Armenia and a large part of this money is ...

2001 - $ 654,200
2002 - $ 3,933,300
2003 - $ 5,769,500
2004 - $ 8,792,800
For a comparison. There are 3 Mersedes Maibach models in Armenia at present owned by well known oligarchs. If I am not wrong, each one costs $US300.000 or more.

These models were ordered from Armenia among the first ones in Europe! And the owners have some 2 million worth of luxury car fleet in their garages.

Armen jan the first on I EVER saw in my live was in Armenia. I was shocked. I crossed the street to walk by it as it was parked in front of the Lego Store and we were walking to the little kids park for my little cousin to play and as we got there by Shant Cafe(I think that is the name) to my biggest surprise there was a different one there. What the hell.

[Armen]

Armen jan the first on I EVER saw in my live was in Armenia.  I was shocked.  I crossed the street to walk by it as it was parked in front of the Lego Store and we were walking to the little kids park for my little cousin to play and as we got there by Shant Cafe(I think that is the name) to my biggest surprise there was a different one there.  What the hell.

Well, I guess two of those guys were having their afternoon coffee together.

Here are the price quotes: 300.000 and higher.
http://autos.yahoo.c...rs/maybach.html

[whitelotus]

Does anyone know if the percentage I posted above is bogus or not?

[Anonymouse]

Of course Armenian government wouldn't care for the traffickin of Armenian women. They are the problem. All governments by making prostitution illegal force it to the underground, and crime.

[kakachik77]

I remember reading an article in AIM a couple years ago stating that 90 % of prisoners in Armenian prisons are woman (prostitution). Does anyone know if this percentage is wrong? It seems a bit bogus to me, but you never know.

NO, 90% of ALL prisoners in Armenian prisoners are NOT women. I think what you read is that 90% of ALL WOMEN prisoners are behind bars for prostitution related crimes, which still sounds a bit fishy.

[ED]

Does anyone know if the percentage I posted above is bogus or not?

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