1995_05 The Daily Collegian May 1995

              May 1995
Hye
oom
Monte Melkonian-evolution of a legend
By Are Jabagchourian
Hye Sharzhoom
Monte Melkonian: Nov. 25,
1957-June 12.1993.
Monte Melkonian was a ma¬
jor player m tte Airoenian libera¬
tion movement of the Late 1970's
through 1980*s. After being re¬
leased from prison in France he got
mvolvedmtheNagonw-Karabagh
struggle against Azerbaijan. He
became the chief defensive strate¬
gist and organized the rag-tag fight¬
ers into a well-tuned defensive
group. Monte led victory after vic¬
tory eventually pushing the Azefis
completely out of Karabagh. An
unnamed Armenian was quoted by
a New York Times conespondent
as saying that Monte was "the best
god we ever had."
Children are definitely influ-
enced by many factors when they
are growing up. One factor that
plays a deep role ma child's fife is
the family. To attempt to under¬
stand trie devotion and dunking of
Monte Melkonian, I thought it
would be valuable to pursue my
curiosity of the legend by talking
with Monte's parents. I visited
Monte'sparents.CharlesandZabel
Melkonian, at their Visalia home.
Monte had quite an impres¬
sive childhood. His whole family,
including his two sisters Maile and
Marciaand his brother Markar went
on an overseas trip in 1969
lasted for 15 months. CharJes got
a VW wagon and the whole family
trekked through 41 countries. They
spent five months in Spain, where
the parents pro vided for tutors for
their children. This was when
Monte began his collection of 9
languages. This trip, Zabel stated,
allowed all of the children to be
able to compare different cultures.
This trip Was a definite experience
which broadened the potential mind
of Monte.
The following year, when
Monte was in eighth grade, he re¬
cti ved the American Legion Boy of
the Year Award His parents found
out later that he received this award
not solely for his achievements in
school but for breaking up a fight at
ing up, lie had to fight to defend his
cultural pride. Assimilation took
its tplL Monte was pretty much
assimilaied into the "Americann
culture. But his father said that
"When he went to Cal (Berkeley),
he got away from that [assiinua-
tion]. He became an Armenian all
Monte's majors at Berkeley
were archeology and ancient Asian
history. He graduated summa cum
schcol arid r>aying the price of geK   hmdemtwoand a half years. Dur-
tinghitforit But to understand Ins    ing this time he spearheaded an
courage, his mother explained that
Monte was the second smallest stu¬
dent in his class at Divisidero Jr.
High.
His high school years were also
quite impressive. He taught Span¬
ish at a private school during his
sophomore math period His prin¬
cipal wanted to graduate him a year
early, but his father said that Monte
was too young to graduate that early.
So Ins father sent ban off to Japan
on a foreign exchange program. He
came back a year later fluent in both
reading and writing Japanese.
"All four of the children were
very good students," explained his
mother. Maile, the oldest child,
would come home after school and
sit on the kitchen table and do her
school work. The following year.
Markar would do the same. Monte
also emulated this practice as did
Marcia, who wasn't even in school
which    yet Zabel explained that "the chil-    underdog."
April 24 exhibit at the library. The
Turkish embassy realized this and
called the tibrarian and pressured
him to take it down. Monte became
furious when he heard this and a
dispute occurred. The result was
the resignation of the librarian and
the exhibit stayed. The ironic thing
was because the Turkish govern¬
ment got involved in this, the ex¬
hibit received lots of publicity.
After graduation, be turned
down a fellowship to Oxford and
left for the Middle Fast, He taught
a little in Tehran. While there, he
found out that the teachers were
being paid mere peanuts and the
administration was holding back.
The administration gave Monte
hush-up money. His mother claims
that this was the wrong thing to do.
Monte led the teachers to demand
more and won. His mother claims
that "Monte was always for the
dren were very close.*' Oldest and
youngest child were less than four
years apart
When asked about Monte's
upbringing in an Armenian culture,
his father said "He knew nothing of
the Armenian culture until after high
school." When his father was grow-
He then went on to Beirut and
deferided an Anr^nian enclave with
his brother. He later signed on with
hesitation with the Armenian Se¬
cret Army for the Liberation of
Armenia, a Marxist group who
fought for the FLO. Here he ran
into a sprit where the leader Hagop
Hagopian, separated means from
ends and encouraged suicide mis-
sions which killed many innocent
lives. Monte broke off and formed
another, less violent group in
France. Here he was arrested for
having a couple of explosive de¬
vices and a map in his apartment.
He spent four years in prison where
he wrote prolifically on the Arme¬
nian National question.
After being released from
prison, the dispute over Nagorno-
Karabagh was under way. This
gave Monte an opportunity to help
the Armenian cause. He changed
the military situation there to the
citizens of Nagorno-Karabagh's
advantage. He held high ethical
standards and established discipline
among his troops. He forbade the
shooting of civilians and gave
bullhorn warnings on his «**«^W
Melkonian was finally able to push
the Azeris out of missile range from
Armenia. This with a military
which had no money.
• Then in June of 1993, Monte's
life came to an end. He was killed
while as he entered a village which
had been recently recaptured from
the Azeris.
A large funeral was held, with
estimates 6f over a quarter of a
million people who attended. It
was a tragic end to the dramatic life
of the humanitarian who fought for
the "underdogs.'*
His influence has affected
many. His sister Maile is working
for the Armenian Assembly in
Washington, D.C. His parents have
become increasingly involved in
the Armenian community in
Visalia. His wife, Seta, is a student
at the State University in Yerevan
arid is still involved in the struggle
her husband led. His brother
Markar, who is pursuing a doctor¬
ate in philosophy, has compiled
and edited a collection of Monte's
writings. The Right To Struggle..
As for the children of Karabagh,
they can go to school with the tem¬
porary comfort of not having rock¬
ets being shot at them.
Karekin I Elected as Catholicos of All Armenians
By Bartow Der Mugrdechian
Advisor, Hye Sharzhoom
The National Ecclesiastical
Assembly, meeting in
F^hmiadzin, Armenia, on Tues¬
day, April 4,1995, elected His
Holiness Karekin H as the 131st
C^LhoticosofAUAnnenians. The
C^tixtficos is thespiritual leader of
the estimated 7 million Armenians
world-wide. His Holiness is the
incumbent Catholicos of the Great
House of Cilicia
The election of His Holiness
Karekmlholdsr^onurematanew
era is being ushered in in the Arme¬
nian Church. The Armenian
Church is facing several critical
questions which must be addressed
including: the critical shortage of
clergy in the United States, the end
to the jurisdictional dispute divid¬
ing the Armenian Church in the
United States, the challenge of re-
C*hristianrzing Annemans in Ar-
menia where for seventy years an
was in power, and various other
administrative questions in the
His Holiness Karekin I has
beenarreouemvishortotheUBisri
States and spoke on trie Fresno
—     ■   ■       .a I   ii M>A^a4aua a^afc k
rreeno fswawyrnnn rn^roifj wwn r
State campus in 1980 and 1984.
The National Ecclesiastical
AssemMyis composed of detegates
from all of the Armenian dioceses
world-wide, 399 delegates, both
layman and clergy, began to arrive
in Aimema the weak before the
Hb Holiness Vazken I, who
Molnees Karekin I. From left to right: Zar Der Mugrdechian, Steve
i HoHneee Karekin I, Very Rev. Fr. Se»oon
Sarkissian-lll votes, Archbishop
Karekin Nersissian-123 votes.
Bishop Barkev Maidirossian-61
votes, Archbishop Diran
Guereghian-42 votes. Archbishop
C*igcrisI>uniarian-38 votes, Ar^
bMsopZavearhiiirhisifii 9votes.
Bishop Aris Shiriaa.an-3 votes.
Bishop Oueregh ff apitian-2 votes.
held tte office of Catholicos of AU
AiiiMiiasnftilliiily lam jhshmIJuI
on August 18,1994 after a lengthy
On April 4, the first round of
voting was held in the Cathedral of
The first ballot had
(10 invalid votes).
A three name ballot was pre¬
pared for the second round of vot-
mg.ThecandidateswereOaholicos
Karekin, Abp. Karekin Nersissian,
Bp. Barkev Martirossian.
The results of the second round
of voting were as follows:
Catholicos Karekin Sarkissian-184
votes. Archbishop Karekin
Nersissian-146 votes. Bishop
Barkev Martircesian-61 votes (5
invalid votes).
Fifty per cent plus one of the
delegates were needed for the elec¬
tion. However, Archrjisrwp Karekin
Nersissian, who had only 146 votes,
withdrew his candidacy for a third
round and gave his full support to
Catholicos Karekin. Thus, the need
for a third round of voting was
urinecessary. The presidency of the
Assembly, announced that
Catholicos Karekin is the 131
Catholicos of All Armenians.
The bells ofEtcbmiadzm tolled
the news of the election of
All Aimenians to the
; of the people who were
of the  Monastery of Holy
After being elected the 131
tew CATHOLICOS, Page •