ATG Statement on Armenia’s Current Events
The Armenian Technology Group (ATG) supports the determination and strong will of the people of Armenia in their effort to bring positive changes to their government through peaceful demonstrations.
While investing almost 30 years of precious time, agricultural expertise and resources, as an American non-profit organization, we sought to develop self-reliance in the agricultural sectors of Armenia and Artsakh. Though the organization has refrained from political involvement, the work of ATG speaks for itself.
Given evident usurpations of political powers — and the Armenian population’s current uprisings against these in the streets of Yerevan – we feel a responsibility towards thousands of hard-working farmers of Armenia and Artsakh, and towards countless philanthropists, committed donors and self-less agricultural and veterinary professionals who continued, in arduous devotion as volunteers, to see to Armenia’s socio-economic interests. As an organization, ATG cannot now stand by without comment.
We shares the goals of the Armenian people to live in freedom with a just, fairly elected government — without improper political impositions, without property confiscations, and without dominance by oligarchies.
In his December 2017 communique, the director of the ATG Foundation in Armenia expressed his frustration:
“For the umpteenth time, the Damocles Sword is hanging over the heads of our people. People frustrated and disappointed are abandoning their homes to take the path of emigration. The country is vacating.”
Grass-roots uprisings in Yerevan these past several days are, clearly, the direct result of Armenia’s poor socio-economic conditions. Tragically, such exist despite almost three decades of independence and despite the continued developmental assistance from throughout the diaspora, which hoped to help overcome seven decades of soviet rule, three decades of border blockades, the defensive costs of ongoing war, and other enmities.
Armenia has limited resources. These cannot be usurped by a corrupt few. Thousands of peaceful people are now coming to transmit one significant message: Systemic changes are necessary and, for a long-suffering people — especially, those ATG sees in the rural areas — are long overdue.
We appreciate and encourage the work of the various parties in Armenia’s National Parliament and the commitment of all governmental representatives to the democratic process. Our hope is that civil dialogue and constructive negotiations will continue. Still, no spokesperson of the people should ever forget the awesome responsibility of heeding the will of the free. In Armenia, sadly, successive governments have failed in this. Leaders have tragically ignored compounding social and economic issues. They have failed to avoid desperation and emigration.
Today, an independent Armenia has a global presence — can even have global aspirations. The world, near and far, however, is watching. Remaining Armenian populations — consenting to be led peacefully by Mr. Nikol Pashinyan in their demonstrations — are renewing a now crucial effort:
Armenians want a successful democracy — successful self-determination. That effort cannot — it must not — fail.
In this, the Armenian Technology Group stands with them.
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