KeghartAn urgent call for our Diaspora to demand democracy and human rights in Armenia
4 August 2016
While many foreign and outside entities had appealed for a non-extreme response to the extreme actions taken by an armed group at the Yerevan police station, the Diaspora largely remained silent.
By contrast, the rulers in Armenia have engaged in wholesale mass arrests and detention of anyone they suspect as the opposition, including peaceful protestors exercising their constitutional right to assemble, whether to appeal for moderation or express their grievances against government policies and practices.
The Armenian Diaspora at large has not adequately spoken out against these government actions. At this point, it is difficult to fathom the motivations for such silence.
An urgent call for our Diaspora to demand democracy and human rights in Armenia
4 August 2016
While many foreign and outside entities had appealed for a non-extreme response to the extreme actions taken by an armed group at the Yerevan police station, the Diaspora largely remained silent.
By contrast, the rulers in Armenia have engaged in wholesale mass arrests and detention of anyone they suspect as the opposition, including peaceful protestors exercising their constitutional right to assemble, whether to appeal for moderation or express their grievances against government policies and practices.
The Armenian Diaspora at large has not adequately spoken out against these government actions. At this point, it is difficult to fathom the motivations for such silence.
Could it be the belief that we, in the Diaspora, have no business interfering in internal affairs of a foreign country—except when it comes to the Karabagh question and Armenia-Turkey relations? Or is it the notion that it's the Armenian government's job to serve the needs of its people—except when it comes to the sick, the needy, the poor, the military, elderly, public schools and children?
Only the ruling elite seem to have their needs addressed while living lavish lives supported by ill-begotten funds sheltered in the names of family members and off-shore shell companies.
Recently the Catholicos of All Armenians himself thought it appropriate to condemn the violent acts of these "Daredevils", but he has not condemned the injustices perpetrated by the ruling party against the flock– such as systemic election fraud and gross human rights violations, including unleashing the over-aggressive police and infamously brutal thug brigades.
Many community leaders in the Diaspora have acknowledged, behind closed doors, that it's no secret to them that Armenia is severely corrupt, but they could not speak truth to power because it might have compromised the good work they were doing to instill "hope for a better future" among the people—except when that hope was for a clean government that evens the economic playing field, allows for free and fair elections, and insists on an independent judiciary and Rule of Law. Perhaps they considered those minor issues compared with poverty and hunger. Yet we all have witnessed on many occasions that the people were not protesting against poverty and hunger but demanding democracy and human rights.
So while we were patting ourselves on the back for working to instill hope, our silence and hypocrisy were killing that hope, rendering much of our time, money and efforts in Armenia futile and ineffective–posh hotels, fancy restaurants and high tech "showcase" schools notwithstanding.
Most of us thought time was the cure for Armenia's ills and that somehow, magically, the leaders would come to their senses and live up to the promise of the new Armenia. Yet two decades is long enough to prove that corruption only breeds corruption, leading to a failed state and cynical society that has nothing left to lose. As John F. Kennedy wisely admonished, "Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable."
If we are truly honest, it may already be too late to overcome the high stakes and perilous road ahead. Yet, if ever the Diaspora had an opportunity to show its true mettle, the hour has come.
All who recognize this crisis point, should urge our community representatives and organizations, charitable, religious and political, to publicly decry those responsible for the rampant abuses of human rights and dignity and support those that seek electoral reform and an accounting of unlawful police tactics. The former would include the public inspection of voter lists, and a meaningful investigation of violations committed during last December’s constitutional referendum and those who have to date blocked such an effort.
We should no longer consider the alternative an option—that is, trying to preserve a fabricated and false sense of law and order that cripples Armenia’s ability to meet challenges at home and at the border while inciting civil violence.
Taking a clear stand on the side of human rights and justice won't instantly solve the deeply entrenched problems that plague the country. But it's a first step in a new direction, that, if made courageously, wholeheartedly, unequivocally and boldly, will instill hope among the people as never before.
They've been waiting for us to answer their call but, as we've witnessed from recent events, they can't wait forever.
Keghart
Keghart
12 comments
Silence and Hypocrisy
How naive; how utterly naive.
I am willing to bet that you all believe in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy.
The best way–the ONLY way–to cure the problems in the oligarchic kleptocracy called "Armenia" is for the Diaspora to stop sending money and begin to lobby their host governments to stop investments and "loans," and ask international organizations, such as banks, to stop sending money and to stop investments.
Then, and only then, when no money coming in and no money to steal, it is possible that the thieves in government will decide to leave and live in their villas in France, or Spain or wherever.
But, to ask–even to beg–that the self-serving oligarchs change and become honest is like asking the disease-spreading mosquito to stop biting people.
If this current government–like the previous two–gave a damn about the people (and the country, other than as a source of money to steal), no one would be living in a hovel or shipping container almost 28 years after the earthquake.
Avedis Kevorkian
Philadelphia, PA
Good Point
The thieves (the ruling elite) you mentioned also steal large parcels of arable lands from the Armenian villagers whom they have impoverished. Tomatoes rot in the Ararat Valley because those thieves import tomatoes from Turkey. Villagers cannot pay their bank loans. They leave for construction jobs in Russia. The village chief (belonging to the same ruling party) organizes close auctions to sell their land that only select people can attend. Those select people are the representatives of the thieves. They buy the land for a fraction of its value. The thieves become large landowners. So, I am not sure that they will just leave everything and go away. They need to be forced out. The process has already started by the real heroes of our nation, the Daredevils of Sassoun.
The All-Magical Diaspora
For as long as I can recall, the Diasporan collective have been denigrated as FAKE ARMENIANS and told to BUTT OUT of Armenia's affairs and that only our funds were desired, nothing else. To echo the sentiments of commenter Avedis, what the Diaspora can now do is WITHHOLD funds from Armenia's hijackers called the government.
We who have devoted our lives to Hay Tahd and hoped to rehabilitate Diaspora organizations from the inside — and out — have been marginalized, ejected and even ostracized by the so-called leaderships.
Under these conditions, is it fair to define the people who are unwillingly under the thumb of these Diaspora organizations as some all-powerful force that can all of a sudden right grotesque wrongs? As usually detested "interventionists," are we now expected to jump in and with carte blanche magically mold Armenia (and Turkey, for that matter) into what we desire? Do the signatories of the above statement believe that they are smarter than the rest of us and that if we only followed their advice…?
Our Specific Aims
Dear all,
Jirair, leading prisoner of conscience in Armenia, has listed what is needed to be done. We must do this and launch into the future we deserve and owe to our slaughtered forebears and to our children. As an old teacher of mine used to say: The good life is the best revenge. Let's laser focus on these goals and get it done. Join your local Armenian Renaissance group or otherwise organize and connect. The Sasna Tsrer managed to twist the logic of Armenians. They managed to shake us out of the loser mentality. They led us to see how much we all feel the same and want the same. The entire oligarchic apparatus, along with their partners in crime, the leadership of the Diaspora, are pitted against us. But just as the Tsrer are the freest Armenians in Armenia today, so are we. Let us get this done. Let us be the generation that breaks this ceiling of centuries of fear.
1. Ռազմագերիների և քաղբանտարկյալների ազատում
2.Վստահության կառավարության ձևավորում /հակաճգնաժամային և անցումային փուլի ծրագրով օժտված/
3. Սերժ Սարգսյանի հեռացում
4. Արտահերթ խորհրդարանական և նախագահական ընտրություններ:
What do you expect
What do you expect from a police state run by sultan serjik and his RPA party terrorising the people in partnership with ARF another corrupt party who are trying in their futile attempt to spin out of their responsibility in expectation from this criminal regime of rigged seats in the next parliament as without any rigging they have no support within the electorate.
Silent or Silenced Diaspora?
Do the co-signees refer to "the Diaspora" as individuals or as our organizations? This is a critical point because:
1) a large number of individuals have long and peacefully protested to their Diasporic organizations as well as in the individual arena regarding governmental mismanagement in Armenia (in addition to other matters). The problem is that these individuals are silenced, censored, discredited and overpowered by the very Diasporan organizations to whom they protest. Moreover, the Diasporan Armenian press (with noted exceptions – Keghart being one of them) is not a viable place to try to express dissenting views because these outlets represent the very organizations who are silencing the critics, thus the outlets are silencing these dissenters in the press also.
2) if the co-signees are referring to Diasporic organizations, they may as well hold their breath. These Diasporic organizations — in their desires to assist but also to leverage some of power and control — have 'made their deals with the devil' and have become complicit w/ the ruling regime and are in effect just as responsible for the problems and corruption we see in Armenia. Many Diasporans sought to verbally protest Serzh Sargsyan's recent visit to the East Coast of the US with pointed questions during Q&A time at his gatherings. They were treated like pariahs by the tour organizers and thrown out of organized events as if they were carrying grenades. Some even had printed invitations in their hands and you know how hard those were to acquire (only made available to yes-men).
So when the co-signees say "The Diaspora has largely remained silent," to whom do they refer? If it is individuals, please know that they are not silent but SILENCED. If the co-signees refer to organizations, then they must be realistic and seasoned about realpolitik. The powerful (real or imaginary, at home or abroad) will not give up their power willingly. Asking for reforms politely will not change that.
On many levels, I find the "statement" to be a slap in the face to those activists who have been working so hard to turn around misguided Diasporan organizations and their so-called leaders. Such activists include people like David Grigorian of Policy Forum Armenia and Harout Bronozian of Return to Armenia, to name only a few.
Enter Sasna Dzrer, armed struggle and, whether we like it or not, vigilantism on the near horizon. As the people of Armenia have demonstrated in their support for Sasna Dzrer, it is not only state-sponsored violence that should be considered "legitimate."
It’s time to give an analysis
I think it’s time to give an analysis about what happened July 17-July 31 and its repercussions.
1. People love to stress on the fact that the Armenian authorities lie and can’t be trusted. This time around, it was very clear that the so-called opposition, or the “revolutionaries” and Sefilian supporters lie and cheat much more than the authorities. Sefilian gets arrested in June on weapons charges. His supporters make noise that his arrest is illegal. Yet, a month later they prove that the authorities were right: He and his supporters were preparing a terrorist attack with a big gun arsenal. During the police station occupation, the lies that were spread on social media or at the demonstrations, by the Renaissance/Jiro supporters were the dirtiest tactic in memory. The last time this was used was during the Egypt, Libya and Syria Spring “revolutions”. And we know very well how those ended.
2. Why terrorism? Check any dictionary and you will read the definition of terrorism: "the use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims. " Since one of the demands of the Sefilian group was the resignation of President Sargsyan (a political aim), and since 2 policemen were killed on the line of duty and policemen and doctors were taken hostage, things have to be called by their name. This was terrorism.
3. I am actually amazed at the patience and tolerance of the President. In any other country of the world, including the United States, the police force or FBI would have attacked and neutralized a group, any group (even if they are heroic US Army veterans) and killed or arrested all of them, within hours or days.
4. I thought the police acted as professionally as the police would have acted in the most civilized country in the West, in a similar circumstance. I watched all the videos (and not the ones which were convieniently edited by Radio Liberty and the Soros funded news outlets in Armenia). I saw all the provocations on the part of the protesters, their disrespect of law and order, right before the police took action. These protesters were not any better than anarchist protesters at G8 meetings or May 1st protests. I was impressed by the way the Armenian police handled them. Even in a civilized European country in a similar circumstance there would have been many killed. I can not even imagine what would have happened in the States.
5. What was the result of this? President Sargsyan has strengthened his position tremendously, as a leader who is a figure of stability rather than chaos. I’ve always said, too many underestimate him. He is a giant at political chess. For even the worst event he immediately has 5-6 scenarios how to solve them, and all of them are to his advantage (while others are foolishly already celebrating his demise). I also believe he uses the same prowess in external politics.
6. What do I see on the opposition side? An uneducated unruly mob. So called leaders who are either financed by Soros and US Aid, or simply have nothing better to do than be on the podium and participate at the contest of who can shout more or who can swear better at the government. And this convinces me once more that we are lucky to have Serj Sargsyan. The only thing these people are good at is creating trouble and tension. And the part which is ridiculous is when they start talking in the name of the Armenian nation. There were 5000 max at the protests. In a city of 1 million. Merely the 0.5% ! The only shimmer of light in the opposition is Nikol Pashinyan. He is on the right path and I wish him the best in the 2017 elections.
Sefilian and his friends will be in jail for a long time. A clear signal should be sent to everyone, that violence has no place in Armenia, which is already surrounded by enemies. Any Armenian with any sense left with him should reject the views advocated in the above letter. Armenia does not need a revolution, it simply needs evolution. And the new constitution has put us on the right path for this positive evolution.
I believe in the brilliant future of Armenia and in unity. I will write more soon.
Corruption and election rigging
Serge and his buddies are stealing billions from the people.
And they have been rigging the elections.
Thank You, Varuj
Thank you, Varuj, for that new bit of information about the thieves in what used to be called "Armenia" but should now be called "Oligarchia." (Although I am not sure that I should thank you for such news.)
However, it would now appear that the thieves will stay and will get rid of the people–and keep enough to do the work, till the soil, and clean the streets.
Perhaps the Daredevils of Sassoun should all go to Artsakh and help defend those Armenians from the Azeris–and from Oligarchia, of course.
Avedis Kevorkian
Philadelphia, PA
Not standing up for what you believe in, you’ll fall for lies
Dear Keghart, dear Keghart’s readers,
Sergik’s regime is using every single opportunity for its dirty propaganda. Through mass media and forums they spread the same twisted information, which is meant to “calm down” the Diaspora and աչքերուն թոզ փչել. For many of us it’s not that obvious and there is danger of fall for the regime’s lies. I’ll bring some examples here.
Twist #1: “You must live in Armenia for 365 days, year round, 24/7 in order to have moral right to criticize the government”. Although, I am noticing that this is an old trick, which used to work well. Now I am seeing that it has started to crack since people are realizing that being a bystander makes them equally guilty. Nobody wants to hear Sergik’s victorious statement tomorrow, saying “who, today, remembers October 27th, March1st, Vahe Avetyan etc?". Nobody wants an internal hitler, of course, but willingly or unwillingly, being bystanders we are handing out this opportunity to Serjik. When we call upon the Diaspora to look into the facts, the regime twists them by calling it “hearsay “. When we point out criminal methods used during the elections, they twist them by calling them “irregularities”. How many “irregularities” were investigated and found a fair trial in Armenian courts? (not in EU court). I think the answer is obvious for everybody. Serjik’s regime has built this “hearsay” strategy which worked very well to build further conspiracy theories and keep the Diaspora away by the “365 residency” argument.
Twist #2: “Serjik won the elections”. This distorted truth is the consequence of twist #1. On the documents, yes, Serjik has won the elections. It’s obvious after the count of votes and from Serjik’s mentally-ill-non-culpable smile shining from the media. However, do you have any idea what opposition looks like in Armenia? Do you have any idea what expressing his/her political view openly means for 365 days, year round residents? You literally risk to lose your already miserable salary or your means of survival. This is how this crowd of Serjik “fans” is formed. The rest of the “fans” and “cheerleaders” are formed from more or less middle class people who have a small business which can be shut down at any moment by a blink of an eye if they dare to think or express an opinion opposing Serjik’s. The people of Armenia call this method of governance a “manger system”. You are allowed to come close to the “manger” and you will survive if you behave. I am wondering what type of “manger” Serjik has reserved for the Diaspora “elites” wiling to kiss his …
I am not going through all of Serjik’s twists and tricks but I would like to emphasize one important thing. Have you ever realized how insulting and discriminatory the statement “every nation deserves the government it gets” is? It’s like saying you are not worthy enough. This statement was brought into this forum as an “argument” and I call upon Keghart, asking them to look after this hateful statement in the future.
And finally, I would like to thank Berge for patiently cleaning the propaganda dirt in the comment section.
Klepto-oligarchy’s twists cont’d
Since Keghart has decided to compile some of the important comments, please find below the continuation of Klepto-oligarchy’s twists.
Twist#3 the words “terrorists” and “revolutionaries”. These words started to circulate immediately after July17th and got immediately extinguished by the people of Armenia. Serjik’s best hope and biggest dream to use the “T” and “R” words as a shield to organise his bloodthirsty plan vanished. However, he still anchors on the hope that he can trick the West, and especially the Diaspora. By definition, “when [an act is] used to target non-combatants, such as civilians, neutral military personnel, or enemy prisoners of war (Quote from Wikipedia)”, it is considered terror. TSRER ARE REBELS. They very clearly articulated on day one why and how they targeted the police station, which had become a blunt tool for the regime to oppress the citizens of Armenia, as opposed to defending them. Rebels against the regime are protected under international humanitarian law.
Twist#4 playing the “police officers lost their lives during the storm and their family and loved ones are devastated” card. Police officers lost their lives when they were on duty. Their lives celebrated and their deaths were honoured by rebels as well. It’s sad, it’s human life after all. However, it’s very easy to fall into this twist. I am more than confident that Serjik’s regime will not have its continuation and we will have a fair trial for this case. In which case, it will be revealed to you all that the regime plotted the murder of a police officer by sniper, and attempted to set up the rebels for this crime (using amateur photoshop).
Twsit#5 “Civilnet and Azatutyun edit the videos” Videos were live streamed (unlike the regime’s photoshopped content). We have all seen the violence from implemented criminals (some of them bodyguards of the regime’s servants) acting as protestors, and of course tempered protestors, police brutality and unprofessionalism. You might ask, of course, how I can tell the difference between the implemented criminal and protestors who sincerely stood up for the just cause. Partially, it comes from my life experience. On the other hand, for the most part, any protestor who has a thirst for justice does not use “F” word saturated vocabulary. It’s a cultural thing. Westerns and Russians, for whom swearing is a part of their folklore, would not understand why “F” words (which Armenians have many different level of) are not on our tongue on a daily basis or in our literature, movies etc. We have seen on the live stream how the chief police officer was cursing the woman MP. Swearing at every occasion and in every situation is SPECIFIC to criminal regime’s language and culture. Take this as a diagnostic tool.
Twist#6 “Radio Liberty and the Soros-funded news”. This is another trick to discredit the source of information and this one might be the trickiest. There would never be a praised news agency and there would never be an “independent” news agency. The solution for this is having alternative news agencies. This twist is similar to Twist#2. Armenia lacks alternative news agencies. It’s really hard, if not impossible, to build a culture of alternative news agencies under this regime (or similarly, for the opposition, see twist #2) because this would ultimately kill the regime. Those news agencies who somehow survive have been backed up from outside sources and this is unfairly held against them. The majority of the Diaspora (“not-elite” Diaspora, please see twist#2) can help to build an alternative news agency culture in Armenia since they are independent from the “manger system” (please refer twist#2 again), thus helping to move towards our national goal with greater efficiency.
Twist #7 “The opposition is an uneducated, unruly mob”. This is a twist and one of the biggest insult at the same time, similar to what I mentioned earlier, referring to the discriminatory and hateful expression “every nation deserves the government it gets”. Yes, the regime systematically tries by all means to morally suppress our national values. I have the privilege of knowing some of the protestors. I recently had an opportunity to learn about Kyureghian brothers who, unlike the majority of us, could not stand the unruly corruption and luck of the elementary justice system. Did you know the education level of these guys? Did you know that they could easily get the highest paid job in any Western IT company? Did you know that Arthur Sargsyan (the guy who risked his life delivering food to “Sasna Tsrer”, who were blockaded from humanitarian aid) has 3 university degrees? This ignorance is disgusting. And who are we comparing them to? To an evil-"chessmaster" Baku communist party school (Higher Party School) graduate, Serjik?
Twist#8 “Tsrer’s rebellion in July justifies Sefilian’s arrest in June”. I will let this nonsense be explained in details by professional lawyers. I just want to say the following. Jiro and friends always warned the regime, and specifically Serjik, that this is coming (and they never hid that they will be on the forefront of the rebellion). This socio-economic disaster is an escalating process which leads to the rebellion (determinism that is history-backed). Do you want to know the end of the story? Or I will get arrested for plotting Serjik’s assassination if I tell you now that if this socio-economic disaster is not stopped by the evil chess master Serjik, then his destiny will be similar to Gaddafi’s or Ceausescu’s destiny.
Twist#9 “Don’t turn Armenia into Somalia, Beirut or Lebanon etc.” In this forum only Somalia was used. However, I would just like to remind the readers that initially the regime’s grandmaster used Beirut and Lebanon as examples. And when his advisors finally told him that it’s not only unethical and politically incorrect but also stupid, only then they start to reference Somalia. Poor Somalia. This twist is more complicated. The right outcome from this situation DEPENDS ON US. I am confident that if my nation does not fall for the regime’s other tricks, such as “if not Serjik then who?” and anchors on our national true identity, the identity which belongs to so many talented people, then building a strong country will start to become a realty in the evolutionary form that the opponents are rightfully mentioning (however, they lack reasoning for the foundation of the evolutionary process). Just look around and look at your roots, you will notice that we not only deserve a better country and better leaders (all countries and nations deserve that), but that we are capable to get out from under this oppressive system and build our dreamed, decolonized and sovereign country (ապագաղութացում, ինքնիշխանություն).
Unfortunately, the regime’s twists are abundant even on this small platform.
Artur & Berge: Point and Counter-point
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