Commemoration Committee Fundraising Cocktail

7 comments

1. What do Armenians Want?

   The attached flyer and far too many others proclaim "Demand Justice".  And like others, it is vague.

   I believe it is high time for those engaged in representing our demands from Turkey to define what Armenians want. When will we be precise? Aren't we tired of demagogic exercises and the exploitation of peoples' emotions?

   Secondly, who is demanding? It's not clear. The link provided at the bottom of the flyer leads nowhere unless probably one logs in, which should not be a requisite for the public to access information. Furthermore, the Facebook of the "Centennial Committee" in Canada declares, "Our mission is to plan, organize and carry out the hundredth (100th) annual commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, throughout Canada." It is miles away from "Demanding Justice". Haven't we commemorated enough through the years and mostly engaged in monologues?

   1. Who is Demanding?

      Dikran,

      You open a can of worms, given that you are one of the organizers of the National Congress of Western Armenians.

      The issue is more profound than "who is demanding?" It is who those who demand represent and how is that they have come to represent?

      I agree with Etien Mahchubian. Our legal representative in the world community is the Republic of Armenia. It has a Ministerial level of communication with the Diaspora through which we should make our voices heard to formulate a national policy.

      The centennial commemorations in the Diaspora are effective means of passing  a vague "demand for justice" to younger generation and increase world awareness. 

      1. Legitimacy is very thin ice

         Dear Vahe,

         I am not a citizen of the Republic of Armenia.  You may or may not be, I do not know that.

         I did not elect anyone in the Parliament of Armenia, and certainly not anyone in its government, including the Minister of the Diaspora.

         How can I say that it is that Minister or that even the government of the RoA are my representatives on the matter of reparations as a victim of the Genocide (for I am one, as are you)?
          
         Armenia is a state that pursues its own interests.  Imagine a situation, for example in exchange for the opening of its borders, where Armenia said that it is willing to consider that the Genocide issue is resolved.  It is certainly conceivable. Impossible you say? Remember the ill-fated Protocols? Luckily for us, it was the Turkish Parliament that did not ratify them, whereas the RoA did. How did the Diaspora(s) feel at that time?  I remember large scale demonstrations against it all over the world.

         Dikran and I may be biased, because we are NCWA supporters.  But so far, there is no credible alternative, and the NCWA has openly called for all Armenians to participate in its initiatives, including all the traditional political parties, religious and compatriotic organizations and so on.

         Etien Mahcupian is wrong on this one, and he knows he is.  For the record, the Republic of Armenia has NOT declared that it is our legal representative on this issue.  For the main reason that it cannot be, simply because it is not the successor state to any entity that was within the borders of the Ottoman Empire at the time.  That is at the legal crux of the matter.

         Mishd paregamoren
         Viken Levon Attarian

         1. Viken and David

            Viken and David.

            I comment not to further comment regarding as to who should be the party negotiating with the Turks regarding the just resolution of the Genocide.

            In matters such as this, views tend to support or bolster pre-conceived stands or notions of what is the right way and hence tend not to serve as a platform to formulate a stand.

            I understand where you both come from. The viewpoints you express are popular justifications for having a Western Armenian government, if you will, to be the main party if not the party for negotiating with Turkey regarding to the just resolution of the Genocide.

            I have relinquished my claims as a Western Armenian to the Republic of Armenia. Turkey is not a neighbor of the United States and hence Armeno-Turkish relationship has no bearing on my life. Mine would be a principled stand I can afford, but the average Armenian national in Armenia may afford to be a principled as I am. Consequently, I differ from them and pray that the leadership of the Republic of Armenia would pursue the matter with wisdom, determination and as much endurance as they can muster.

            1. Important Nuance

               Dear Vahe,

               You have outlined what is arguably the most important issue, that you have personally relinquished a claim in favor of another entity. That is a nuance not understood or appreciated by many who discuss these matters.

               I and the readers of Keghart thank you for this key clarification of that point of view.

               However, for the record only, the NCWA is NOT a government of Western Armenians and/or their descendants not living in the RoA. If they declared themselves as such, I would not support them. The NCWA has only one purpose: to pursue the legal reparations for the victims of the Genocide. No more and no less. In an ideal situation, once that goal is reached, it should be dissolved.

               Also for the record, I think that, while you are free to do so, it is not sufficient to relinquish your rights in favor of the RoA, the RoA MUST accept your relinquishing of that claim in its favor. Accepting means pursuing a policy of reparations, and considering itself the entity that has the legal right to do so. As a much used example, Israel is by its founding documents and constitution, the country and homeland of all the Jews and aggressively pursues the defense of their existential survival across the world, by providing safe-haven to them and granting them of automatic citizenship. The RoA has no policy of repatriation, does not declare itself the homeland of all Armenians on the globe and does not have a declared policy of recognition and reparations for the crime of the Genocide as an axis of its foreign policy. Therefore, at best, your generous goodwill, which I have no doubt that it is sincere, is not reciprocated by concrete policy initiatives.

               One could, of course, argue that diplomatically it is also the right thing to do for the RoA; considering that we have a significant imbalance of power against Turkey. History will be the judge of that.

               Paregamoren,
               Viken Levon Attarian

      2. The Armenian Government

         The Armenian government, at present, cannot represent the just claims of the Diaspora/Western Armenians. In fact, the government may in many respects not even fairly represent the people of Armenia.
          

2. The President has spoken

   I believe the President has defined the demands and has provided a plan of action. "Let's work in the garden", each one of us within her/his capacity, may be not in unison, but complementarily.

    

   Pan-Armenian Declaration
   on the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide

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