Vaհe H Apelian
I was saddened yesterday evening when I read the following farewell message on the online journal Keghart. It read: “Dear Keghart readers and friends. Nobody likes to bear gloomy news; but I must. The Keghart.org periodical will shutter indefinitely because of serious deterioration in my health. I thank all readers, article contributors and donors who supported the publication, which lasted for almost two decades. Respectfully, Dikran Abrahamian MD, 07 July 2026.”.
Keghart online journal came about in 2007. I remember distinctly when I received a list of articles from a medical doctor in Canada who also held a B.A. in political science and public administration, claiming that he had come to a point in his life when he could invest time and resources to create a “Non-partisan Website Devoted to Armenian Affairs, Human Rights and Democracy”. Thus, Keghart online journal came about for an international audience.
I can safely say that I believe that I became among the earliest subscribers of the online journal/periodical. In time, one thing led to another and for some years I became among its regular contributors until I came with my own blog. I spoke and continued speaking with Dikran numerous times. But we never met. Although both of us entertained the notion of meeting in person at an opportune time.
It was in Keghart on line journal that I learned about an Armenian journalist named Nikol Pashinyan. On November 27, 2010, the journal posted an appeal that read: “We, Armenians living in the Diaspora and our non-Armenian friends, are deeply concerned in the imprisonment of Nikol Pashinyan, editor-in-chief of Haykakan Zhamanak (“Armenian Time”) daily in Armenia, and his treatment in jail. While Mr. Pashinyan’s voluntary surrender to law enforcement agencies should have been duly noted by the Armenian authorities, the veteran journalist has experienced coercion behind bars. We attest that these reprehensible acts of the authorities–aimed at silencing Mr. Pashinyan and punishing him for his political views–will have the opposite outcome, making the editor’s voice heard more forcefully in Armenia and in the Diaspora. Deeply concerned with the treatment of the journalist, we are following the “judicial process” with vigilance, hoping that he will be released soon. Meanwhile, we demand that the Armenian authorities put an end to the unlawful acts against him and ensure his security.” The appeal was also listed in French, Armenian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian & German texts. The appeal invited interested readers to have their names included in the list.
I believe Keghart online journal was the only Diaspora journal that posted about the plight of the young journalist. Furthermore, it could be arguably claimed the editorial board of Keghart was prophetic when it noted in the appeal that punishing Nikol Pashinyan “for his political views–will have the opposite outcome, making the editor’s voice heard more forcefully in Armenia and in the Diaspora.” The rest is history on both accounts; for the journalist and for the Diaspora online journal that sadly is being folded away.
The first article I contributed to the journal was titled “Miss Chambers–the Beloved Missionary of Kessab” and was published in the journal on Nov. 4, 2009. Fate would have it that I may end up among its last commentators as well. The day before yesterday, on June 6, 2026, I had two comments on the journal in response to an article titled and to a comment made about the article. I posted these two comments below for putting a closure to another memorable happening in my life that lasted for the past 20 years or so.
Thank you Dikran for coming with Keghart online periodical that lived up to its claim for being non-partisan, devoted to Armenian affairs, human rights and democracy. The periodical lived up to its claim.
Fare thee well Dikran
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I attached for archival purposes my last two comments on Keghart. One pertained to an article titled, “Evaluating International Recognition of the Armenian Genocide” by Dr. Armen Ayvazian. The other pertained to a comment made by David Boyajian to that article. Both comments were posted on Keghart the day before yesterday, on July 6, 2026.
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“Dr. Armen Ayvazyan rightfully points out that since its founding on May 28, 1918, the Republic of Armenia did not make the three Rs of the Genocide -recognition, restituting, reparation – instruments of its foreign policy.
But I disagree with his claim that because of Armenia’s inaction, governments have not recognized the genocide as it should be recognized; and, “nor could they have been, since the Republic of Armenia itself never set such objectives.”
During the Nurenberg trials, Shavarsh Missakian in his Haratch Daily editorial on December 9, 1945, where he introduced the newly minted term Genocide to his readers, wrote: “Our rage mounts tenfold particularly because the day’s victors were present then, where the crime was committed. They were there (in Turkey) for full four years and ruled like landlords, much like they do nowadays in Germany. Then also (aftermath of WWI), hundreds were apprehended, and 70 hand-picked monsters were sent to Malta to be tried and punished commensurate to the crimes they perpetrated. Then?”
We all know no such thing happened.
Shavarsh Missakian wondered, and surely in sarcasm, wrote, “Had they not discovered the word (Genocide)? Or was it that the bloodthirsty monster was too strong to lay a hand on”?
The answer is simply, “the bloodthirsty monster” is “too strong to lay a hand on”; or strategically too important to punish it, no matter what Armenia does.” Vaհe H Apelian, July 6, 2026.
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“Russia maintains a continuous military presence in Armenia, anchored by the 102nd Military Base in the city of Gyumri. This contingent comprises several thousand personnel (estimated to be up to 4,000) and includes mechanized units, fighter jets, and air defense systems.
My concern has been and remains the possibility Russia overtaking the Armenian government institutions and subjugating Armenia. There is more of potential of that happening then what David Boyajian claims.
I quote ARF ideologue Kristapor Mikaelian: “«moving forward, always faithful to its spirit of destruction, Russia, as in the past, as well as today, is a representation of a large-scale arena of general persecution, general destruction and violence. There was not a nation left in Russia that was not oppressed, there was not a people left that was not suffocated, there was no word, opinion, right, law – even proclaimed from the imperial throne – that was not violated. It is a terrible stage of rulers and slaves, predators and tyrants, spies and spiers, poisoned by the choices of mutual grudge and hatred. Russia competes with Turkey in all spheres of state life, equally successful in the negative, as well as in the positive. And the unfortunate Armenian is destined to live, to claim the right to see the light of day, on the borders of those two brutal tyrants, ‘between the devil and the deep blue sea’, as the English say.” Vaհe H Apelian, July 6, 2026.
