Gagik Aghbalyan, www.hetq.am
Several days ago a video was posted on 'Beyond Brackets' FB webpage opened by unknown people entitled 'Know Truth about NGOs' which says Inga Zarafyan, President of 'EcoLur' Informational NGO and Arthur Grigoryan, President of 'EcoRight' NGO allegedly receive certain funds from several mining companies.
Inga Zarafyan and Arthur Grigoryan filed a report on crime to Chief Department on Combating Organized Crime of RA police demanding to initiate a criminal case based on false reporting.
Inga Zarafyan is sure that the preparation and dissemination of the video is an ordered action, but she doesn't want to make assumptions who has ordered it. In reply to the question whether governmental bodies or private companies may be involved in that, President of 'EcoLur' NGO said, 'I don't think it's an order coming from governmental bodies, because their handwriting is different. As we work in the sector of information, we think we may have confronted certain people's interests. We work very correctly, nevertheless, maybe some people have got offended. Nevertheless, I can't point out anybody and I don't want to make any assumptions. It's apparent this is an order, as video clearly shows it has money spent on it. It's something like advocacy, which means certain people stand behind it.'
According to Inga Zarafyan, the dissemination of libeling information by unknown people is blow not only to 'EcoLur' and 'EcoRight', but also for the whole public sector.
Arthur Grigoryan is also sure it's an order against him and Inga Zarafyan and the principles should be searched fir in the EITI initiative and relevant processes.
The EITI is an international initiative with the involvement of civil society, governmental bodies and mining companies. It's a multi-stakeholder group, where decisions are reached through consensus and without the agreement of the civil society governmental bodies and mining companies are not able to make decisions.
Arthur Grigoryan and Inga Zarafyan are members of this group, as well as companies listed in the video - GeoProMining, Dundee Precious Metals and Zangezour Copper and Molybdenum Combine.
'I think the aim of this video is to libel us and to affect the processes in this group. Me and Inga hinder certain people to promote their intentions and plans,' President of 'EcoRight' NGO said. In reply to the question who are interested in it, Arthur Grigoryan said, 'There are doubts that it's the fingerprint of some mining-company-related NGOs rather than that of governmental bodies.'
December 05, 2016 at 17:52