No, it was not right and isn’t right

Vahe H Apelian

 

The year's villains, according to Keghart.co

Today the keghart.com online journal presented its pick of the year’s villains and heroes, as it continues an annual tradition.

The villains of the year naturally pertain to the Armenian year in the 2024 calendar year. The villains picked are the following, in the order of listing: Turkey, Azerbaijan, Putin, Israel, USA, UN member states, the Orwellian Media, Charles Michele, NIKOL PASHINYAN (my capitalization), Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar, murderer Kamil Zaynalli. I urge readers to read Keghart’s posting (see below) to get acquainted with the reasons cites for picking the villains and as well as the heroes of course. But the picking of the heroes does not pertain this blog.

I found the listing of the PM of Armenia, along with Azerbaijan, Turkey and murderer Kamil Zaynalli as villains of the year, particularly appalling. (see the picture above)

When it comes to Diaspora and Armenia relations, I imagine, each Armenian has a principle to go by. Mine is based on the following premise. 

Ethnic Armenians living beyond the borders of Armenia – ardasahman – such as I, and most of the members and contributors to Keghart.org as well, have willfully forfeited their right of return and hence have delegated the fundamentals of citizenship to the citizens of Armenia who shoulder the responsibility of maintaining, safeguarding and governing the Republic of Armenia. I do not understand on what principle keghart.com, as a Diaspora online journal, feels that it is entitled to render such judgement on the PM when its denizens did not elect, nor cast a vote against the PM of Armenia. But I will admit that this perceived  entitlement in the Diaspora is not Keghart.com’s only . To my horror,  I read once a leader of ANCA in Washington DC, note on social media that “Yerevan is in cahoots with Ankara against the interest of Armenia”!!!! Just a few days ago, a prominent ARF member, also living in Washington DC, called the  Nikol Pashinyan led government a Vichy government, that is to say collaborators with Azeri and Turk occupiers!!! 

 Keghart.org is credited for keeping a Diaspora online journal for upholding Diaspora to the day when the diaspora returns to Armenia. Its primary focus is or should be the Diaspora. It is understood that as Diaspora journal, it has a say on matters that affect the Diaspora be it because of Armenia’s doing.

But, why does Dikran Abrahamian fault the PM of Armenia and calls him a villain? There is no need for me to continue on alluding to Keghart.com editorial board, for a very simple reason. Had Dikran Abrahamian not given his approval, that listing would not have been there. The reason for labelling the PM a villain Dikran Abrahamian sums it in a single statement or one sentence. I quote: “for the numerous anti-national deeds in years past and anti-Artsakh stand.” 

Dikran Abrahamian states the following two issues in that single statement, Nikol Pashinyan’s “anti-national deeds in years past” and NP’s “anti-Artsakh stand”. But he does not cite what were those anti-national issues of the past that have merited the PM the label of a villain.

 Let us be mindful that the PM Nikol Pashinyan's tenure, from May 8, 2018 to this day on December 28, 2024 is the shortest tenure at the apex of the Armenian statehood. It is 6 years, 7 months, 20 days long. Levon Ter Petrosyan’s  tenure from August 4, 1990 to February 3, 1998 was 7 years, six months. Robert Kocharyan served two full presidential terms and thus for 10 years. Serzh Sargsyan also served as president for two terms, totaling 10 years and 7 days as the PM,  from 17 April 2018 – 23 April 2018.

Dikran Abrahamian is mute as to what the PM Nikol Pashinyan could have done during those 6 years, 7 months, and 20 days that would have shaken Dikran to his core in Canada to label Nikol Pashinyan a villain. Was it the Armenian history text book related issues? The overwhelming majority of Armenians in the Diaspora do not study Armenian history, let alone use history textbooks printed in Armenia. The sad fact is that the overwhelming majority of Armenians, who could have been impacted by those history textbook issues, cannot read Armenian, or even understand, especially Armenia's "modern" Armenian, to have followed the debate whether it is “Armenian History” or “History of Armenia”. Let us also be mindful that during those 6 years, 7 months and 20 days, the citizens of Armenia elected Nikol Pashinyan to the office three times. The first time in a snap parliamentary election on May 8, 2018, and twice in general elections, once in December 2018 and the other in June 2021. Yes, calling the PM of Armenia a villain for “anti-national deeds in years past” is arrogant and is a nonsense, coming from a person entrenched in the Diaspora. 

As to Nikol Pashinyan’s anti-Artsakh issue, Dikran Abrahamian conveniently ignores that under Nikol Pashinyan's watch Armenia lost the 44 days long second Artsakh war, but put a fierce resistance to maintain an umbilical cord with Artsakh and continue to have Artsakh Armenians live in a good part of Nagorno -Karabakh Oblast, brokered by Russia. Surely, Dikran Abrahamian is well aware of the unfolding of the Russian brokered tri-lateral agreement.

On September 22, 2023, Nikol Pashinyan urged the Armenians not to leave Artsakh, letting them know that they would not be under direct threat if they stayed put under Azerbaijan’s rule. At the same time he assured them that Armenia is ready to accept them with open arms. I am sure that Dikran Abrahamian knows well of the unfolding of that historical catastrophe as well and knows very well that Armenia received the Artsakh refugees with open arms. If any doubt in that regard, Dikrarn Abrahamian may refresh his memories by reading the postings of Lucy Deukmejian, the editor of Keghart.com

Understandably the two points Dikran Abrahamian cites can be issues of contention. But not for qualifying Nikol Pashinyan a villain to the Armenians.

No, it was not right and it is not right to call the PM of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan a villain along with Ilham Aliev, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the Azeri  butcher Kamil Zaynalli.

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Note: 2024 villains and heroes: https://keghart.org/friends-villains-heroes-of-2024/