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New Diaspora Organization Deserves Your Support

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  • New Diaspora Organization Deserves Your Support

    New Diaspora Organization Deserves Your Support

    Team Keghart Editorial,
    2 January 2010


    The announcement of the Protocols and their repercussions in the
    Armenian Diaspora triggered the impetus among Armenians living outside
    the motherland to re-evaluate their role and Armenia's position
    regarding Hay Tad. It is now widely believed that the leadership in
    Armenia has abandoned Hay Tad and the struggle to pursue a just
    resolution of Armenian land claims and the recovery of personal and
    national property. In the ensuing national discourse it has become
    almost irrelevant whether the negative perception is accurate.

    Denigrating remarks towards the leadership of Armenia, and sometimes
    outlandish accusations, fill the more `radical', ultra-nationalist, or
    maximalist websites. More sober individuals - those who disapprove of
    certain portions of the Protocols, such as the sections dealing with
    the infamous sub-commission and `International Treaties', are trying
    to gauge who is capable of accomplishing what. The latter is engaged
    in defining the potential and limitations of the players on both sides
    of the divide-- Armenia and its Diaspora.
    There is renewed interest to revive past efforts to crystallize
    Diaspora as an international political factor, since Armenia-- as a
    sovereign state within definite geographic confines-- is bound by
    certain limitations and obligations. A multitude of NGOs, advocacy
    groups and the three traditional political parties have been engaged,
    for years, in activities to create such an impetus, but their efforts
    have had relative success-- Genocide recognition in more than 20
    countries, but without assertions of claims.

    After decades of tribulations, one would have expected that the
    traditional Diaspora players would have come to a consensus with a
    concrete plan of action that had a common denominator. Unfortunately,
    that has not materialized for a variety of reasons which are beyond
    the scope of this editorial. A self-created vacuum has led some to
    consider a renewed, but not necessarily novel, effort to address the
    crucial issue.

    As in many other instances in our history, intellectuals have taken
    the lead. In 2006 twenty-nine prominent scholars, historians,
    businessmen and political figures, calling themselves `group of
    initiators', made a public appeal for the formation of an organization
    that would represent the descendents of the Genocide. Anoushavan
    Danielyan (former Prime Minister of Nagorno Karabagh, in personal
    capacity), Vahakn Dadrian, Hayk Demoyan, Jean Varoujan Gureghian,
    Silva Kaputikyan, Colonel Hayk Kotanjiyan (in personal capacity) ,
    Karen Mikaelyan, Sos Sargsyan and Pertch Zeytuntsyan were amongst the
    signatories. All are descendents of Genocide survivors.

    Although the case they presented to arrive at certain conclusions are
    sometimes questionable, by and large they depict an irrefutable
    reality. The document states that Armenia `is not authorized by the
    Western Armenian representative agencies to represent their rights and
    is not able to take over the mission of the solution of specific
    problems (bolded by Keghart) considering the destiny and future of
    Western Armenia and the descendants of the Western Armenians.' The
    signing of the Protocols made it abundantly clear that this is the
    case.

    It is immaterial whether things could have been done differently, or
    that they may change in a distant future. Similarly, opposing or
    favoring certain positions will not make a dent to the overall
    picture. At present, it's clear that there are serious limitations to
    what Armenia can and would do. Three successive administrations have
    grappled unsuccessfully with the challenge - a challenge that has become
    a national crisis.

    Heeding the call of 2006, a temporary self-appointed `International
    Organizing Committee' has pursued the matter for the past three years.
    It has attracted young professionals, legal and financial experts to
    lay the ground for a representative organization in the Diaspora in
    the form of an elected National Assembly with its National Council and
    relevant committees. This new entity is proposed to be named Western
    Armenian National Congress (WAN-Congress). The Congress plans to hold
    a conference of representatives sometime before the end of the year.
    To Keghart.com's knowledge, all the traditional parties have been
    informed, and representatives of the organizing committee have
    travelled to various communities to recruit adherents and delegates to
    the conference.

    We are not so naïve as to think traditional organizations will welcome
    this process with open arms, despite of what they may proclaim in
    public. After all, the new kid on the block can be a potential
    competitor. Perhaps we are living in an age of different
    enlightenment: Individuals who sometimes espouse opposing views have
    become participants in the same forums, discussing common concerns,
    and even acting in concert on limited projects. We hope that
    enlightened trend is contagious and may even engulf our political
    parties. Is there a better common denominator - for all parties-- than
    Hay Tad?

    Skeptics will question not only the manner that the proposed Congress
    is shaping up but also the concept of establishing yet another
    organization. For the time being, the skeptics may be the majority
    because what they have seen so far is akin to poverty in the midst of
    abundance. Figuratively speaking, it's the equivalent of social
    diabetes in Armenian reality.

    Notwithstanding failed similar attempts, and considering the dismal
    alternatives, Keghart.com welcomes this initiative but with some
    reservations. These include interpretative and procedural matters that
    we will discuss in an upcoming editorial. Meanwhile, readers are
    invited to think seriously about this initiative and how they can
    contribute by constructive criticism, by participating in the project
    or by simply complimenting our intellectuals and experts who have
    devoted - over the past three years-- their time, energy and money to
    this vital national cause.

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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