“Will it reach the people in need?”

Vahe H. Apelian

Garo and Maral Apelian
(Garo's Facebook profile) 

I title my blogs first.

Titling a blog first helps me sort out my frame of mind. Henceforth putting the body of the text under the title becomes relatively easy and, believe it or not, not as time consuming as the framing the title. 

I first thought titling this blog, “Maral Apelian, caught in the whirlwinds of the times.” She remains in my mind. But I soon realized that title is constraining my thoughts even though young Maral Apelian and her family remain the focus of my thoughts. They are one of the thousands of the families, if not the whole nation, caught in the whirlwinds of the times.

Whirlwinds are strong winds that can quickly change things, such as damage trees, buildings and also sweep people that happen to be on their path, like tornadoes do. That is what happened to young Maral and her family. But I opted to title this blog instead with an actual quote from a question his father Garo posted on my Facebook page in response to my blog about the U.S. humanitarian aid. 

His question was:

 “Will it reach the people in need?”

Garo, his brother Serop and sister Maral, were the young children of Soghomon and Azadouhie Apelian, when their parents left Syria with them to carve a life for their own in the United States, as many Armenians from Lebanon and Syria did. But two decades ago Garo, a young man left the United States wanting to settle in his ancestral village Keurkune, where they had their ancestral lands and Syria was a booming country and Kessab had become a touristic mecca boosting astronomically the prices of the lands Kessabtsi families owned for generations. 

My blood relations with Garo are closer from my mother’s side – nee՛ Zvart Chelebian – than from my father’s side. Garo’s paternal grandmother Marie Chelebian Apelian – is my mother’s paternal aunt. That is to say, Garo’s paternal grandmother is my mother’s father’s - my maternal grandfather Khatcher's - sister, who was married to an Apelian family patriarch Hapel.  In fact, it was they, Hapel and Marie (Chelebian) Apelian, who had made arrangements that my genocide orphaned maternal grandmother Karoun Apelian, the daughter of Hovhannes Apelian, marry Khatcher Chelebian, Marie’s brother. Their wedding had taken place in their make shift camp in Deir Attiyeh, Syria, on their way back to their ancestral village Kessab, having survived the genocide. 

In Syria, my paternal cousin Stepan Apelian and his wife Ani, took Garo under their wings. Garo completed his Syrian military service, worked in Stepan and Ani’s famed Kessab soap factory. Stepan had a 4-storey building erected on Garo’s family’s grounds, with financial assistance from Garo’s mother in the U.S. Garo moved in one of the apartments, married Sevan Manjikian from the village of Kaladouran. Their wedding took place in the Armenian Evangelical Church of Keurkune. Stepan and Ani Apelian became the godparents at their wedding. And it is there in Keurkune that a daughter was born to the young Garo and Sevan (Manjikian) Apelian family whom they named Maral, who from very on, Keurkunetsis vouch, became noted for her unusual bright mind.

Then came upon Kessab March 21, 2014, when Muslim extremists, in the early hours of that dreaded Friday, attacked Kessab from Turkey, marking the third exodus of the Kessabtsis in a century. Much is written about that tragic event to dwell upon it here. As an outcome of the devastation and the decimation Kessab economy had sustained, Stepan and Ani Apelian with their young son Hovag came to the United States, where their son Dr. Tsolag had settled. 

Garo and Sevan Apelian with their young daughter Maral repatriated and settled in Armenia. Sevan officiated her nursing care certifications in Armenia. Driven by their patriotic zeal, and likely by their love of the village life, they moved to Artsakh and were settled in Medz Shen. Young Maral was in Yerevan having undergone her eye sight corrective surgery when the Lachin Corridor was blockaded and she remained separated from her family until the family found a way to be united again in Artsakh. In fact, young Maral who is articulate in English having learned from her father, became a young spokesperson of the blockade. We all know what happened during the ensuing nine months that culminated in the September 20, 2023 capitulation of the Republic of Artsakh. Throughout those nine months, Garo and Sevan were in touch with Stepan and Ani, as best as they could, given the siutation.  On September 26, 2023, Tatul Hakobyan reported that “Metz Shen of Shushi region was also forcefully evacuated and deported. This is the village that was massacred by the Turks in 1918. Throughout history, this was the most important Armenian village connecting Goris to Shushi,” Tatul wrote. From there on the communication with the family stopped, until the family resurfaced again.

Garo, Sevan and Maral Apelian are now in Armenia, refugees over again. Young Maral has been caught in the whirlwinds of the times. Stepan and Ani remain the main contact for the Apelian family to reach out to them.  As stated the title of the blog is a comment Garo made to my blog I posted on my Facebook page, where he  asked: 

 “Will it (the aid) reach the people in need?”

I will single out what Aram Suren Hamparian posted on Facebook, on behalf of ANCA, regarding the U.S. humanitarian aid. Aram posted a clip that addressed Samantha Power in Armenia on her mission, and said: “Sanction Azerbaijan or go back to your country”. A few months ago, in another unfathomable posturing, Aram Suren Hamparian commented on the same social medium from his office that that his supporters pay to maintain, saying:  “Yerevan is in cahoots with Ankara, against the interest of Armenia”. Today, a few hours ago, in a misplaced analogy but with poignantly evident implication, given ANCA’s track record against the government the citizens of Armenia elected in a transparent, orderly, democratic election, he commented the following:

“Captain of Exxon Valdez: Drunk, steering ship into rocks.

Crew member #1: Quick, take the helm. Save our ship.

Crew member #2: But he’s, our captain.”

It’s up to the readers whether they liken themselves to Aram Suren Hamparian’s figurative crew member # 1, or crew member #2. Although both analogies are wrong, because the readers of the comment are mostly in the United States and hence on a USS (United States Ship), or on the ground in the West, not confronting an imminent danger or hunger. While Garo Apelian and his family are on the ground in Armenia and are rightfully concerned for their safety and their hunger.

“Will it (the aid) reach the people in need?”

I am reminded of the Armenian saying, “The satiated does not understand the state of the hungry” (կուշտը` անօթիին վիճակը չի հասկնար). I quoted the Armenians saying not only as a statement of fact, that the satiated person obviously does not experience and relate to hunger pains, the hungry experiences. I also quoted the saying as a figure of speech for politicized patriotic posturing from a far distance.

Note:

1. U.S. Humanitarian Aid

http://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2023/09/us-humanitarian-aid-to-armenia.html

2. Maral Apelian, a teenage voice from Artsakh

http://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2023/04/maral-apelian-let-my-people-go.html

Vae Victis !

I was also a recipient of an email from “We Are Our Mountains” organization affiliation with Ruben Vardanyan. The messenger was from his wife. I also was the recipient of another email from the “Future Armenia” organization. Ruben Vardanyan is one of its founders. The messages are attached. I read that the Azeris have concocted charges against which are preposterous but very concerning. The Azeris are charging him with financing terrorism. Vahe H Apelian

Ruben Vardanyan's wife, Veronika Zonabend, made a statement:

"My husband, Ruben Vardanyan, the philanthropist, businessman, and former Minister of State of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) was arrested and detained by the Azerbaijani authorities at the border this morning as he tried to leave with thousands of Armenians.

Ruben has stood with the Artsakh people during the 10-month blockade and has suffered with them in their struggle for survival.

I ask for your prayers and support for my husband's safe release".

*****

Dear compatriots,

It has been confirmed that the co-founder of the FUTURE ARMENIAN initiative Ruben Vardanyan has been held captive by the Azerbaijani authorities while trying to leave Artsakh. Ruben Vardanyan's wife Veronika Zonabend reported:

“My husband, Ruben Vardanyan, the philanthropist, businessman and former Minister of State of Artsakh, has been arrested and held captive by the Azerbaijani authorities at the border as he attempted to leave this morning, along with thousands of Armenians escaping Azerbaijani occupation. Ruben stood with the Artsakh people during the 10-month blockade and suffered along with them in the struggle for survival. I ask for your prayers and support to ensure my husband’s safe release”.

We urge you to make your voice of justice heard in defense of Ruben Vardanyan.

Best regards, 

The FUTURE ARMENIAN Development Foundation

*****

Ռուբեն Վարդանյանի կինը՝ Վերոնիկա Զոնաբենդը հանդես է եկել հայտարարությամբ՝

“Ամուսինս՝ Ռուբեն Վարդանյանը, բարերար, գործարար և Արցախ (Լեռնային Ղարաբաղի) նախկին պետնախարար այսօր ձերփակալվել է ադրբեջանական իշխանությունների կողմից երբ փորձում էր անցնել սահմանը հազարավոր հայերանակիցների հետ միասին։ 

Ռուբենը Արցախի ժողովրդին հետ անցել է 10-ամսյա շրջափակման միջով, տառապել նրա հետ ու պաքարել դիմակայելու համար։ 

Խնդրում եմ ձեր աղոթքներով ու աջակցությամբ ապահովել ամուսնուս ապահով ազատ արձակումը”։

*****

Հարգելի հայրենակիցներ,

Քիչ առաջ հաստատվեց, որ Արցախից դուրս գալու ժամանակ ադրբեջանական իշխանությունները գերևարել են «ԱՊԱԳԱ ՀԱՅԿԱԿԱՆԸ» նախաձեռնության համահիմնադիր Ռուբեն Վարդանյանին: Այս մասին հայտնել է Ռուբեն Վարդանյանի կինը՝ Վերոնիկա Զոնաբենդը: Նրա հայտարարությունը ներկայացնում ենք ստորև՝

«Այսօր առավոտյան ամուսինս՝ բարերար, գործարար և Արցախի նախկին պետնախարար Ռուբեն Վարդանյանը, ձերբակալվել ու գերեվարվել է Ադրբեջանի իշխանությունների կողմից, երբ փորձել է հեռանալ Արցախից՝ ադրբեջանական բռնազավթումից մազապուրծ եղած հազարավոր հայերի հետ։ Ռուբենը արցախցիների կողքին էր շրջափակման 10 ամիսներին և նրանց հետ միասին էլ զրկանքներ է կրել գոյության համար այդ պայքարում։ Ես խնդրում եմ ձեր աղոթքներն ու աջակցությունը՝ ամուսնուս անվտանգ ազատ արձակումն ապահովելու համար»: 

Կոչ ենք անում լսելի դարձնել արդարության ձեր ձայնը՝ ի պաշտպանություն Ռուբեն Վարդանյանի:

Հարգանքով,

ԱՊԱԳԱ ՀԱՅԿԱԿԱՆԸ զարգացման հիմնադրամ

Vae Victis - woe to the vanquished!

Vae Victis - վայ պարտվածներին:

 

 

 

U.S. Humanitarian Aid to Armenia

 “Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act of 1992 generally prohibits assistance, other than specified support for nonproliferation and disarmament, to the government of Azerbaijan. Subsequent legislation has exempted other types of aid, such as democracy and humanitarian assistance.” (Wikepedia)

I do not know if waiving section 907 entailed assisting Azerbaijan militarily or if so, it would make a difference in the military readiness of Azerbaijan, given that in plain view Azerbaijan has for long being armed by Russia, Turkey, Israel. While we should pursue implementing section 907 and more to assure the safety and security of Armenia, we should not makei it a yardstick to measure the U.S. Government’s relations with Armenia. 

In spite of the fact that section 907 waiver remains in place, I am very appreciative of Samantha Power’s visit to Armenia and for the press conference she had there and the willingness she expressed on behalf of the United States Government to render humanitarian aid to Armenia.

The United States Government has also extended humanitarian aid to Armenia when the newly established Republic of Armenia was in desperate need for humanitarian aid.

I have attached the press conference Samantha Power held in Yerevan on September 25, 2023.

I also  posted my translation of Garo Armenia’s take on the humanitarian aid the United States rendered to Armenia in 1919 when the fledgeling newly established republic confronted famine, including the First Republic’s last prime minister Simon Vratsian’s appreciation of the U.S. humanitarian aid, his commendation and charge to the nation.

SAMANTHA POWER’S CONFERENCE IN YEREVAN ON SEPTEMBER 25, 2023

 

*****

REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA’S ECONOMIC STATUS IN THE BEGINNING OF 1919 and THE U.S. HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE

Prime Minister Hovhannes Kachaznouni and
 the U.S. Food Administration Director and later President Herbert Hoover

The Republic Of Armenia was confronted with a widespread famine during the beginning of 1919. The government’s efforts to secure aid from outside had not resulted in any appreciative quantity of help. The Caucasus was under the occupation of the British forces. It was natural that the government of the Republic of Armenia would have expected that the British would be the first to extend help to ameliorate the dire conditions. The British response was rather passive and largely inadequate. The meager assistance the British provided from their reserves was not enough to make a dent in the prevailing condition.

It was under such circumstances that the government decided to immediately dispatch a delegation to the United States of America headed by the Prime Minister Kachaznouni. But for a long time the British occupying forces hindered the departure of the Armenian delegation. After a long delay, on April 16, the delegation received permission from the British forces to depart. Accompanying the Prime Minister were the Minister of Finance Ardashes Enfeyadjian, economist Haroutiun Pilarian and military officer Souren Melikian.

I quote Simon Vratsian’s testimony

1. “The government’s delegation, the appeals by the government and the support of the Diaspora eventually were heard and aid was quickly dispatched. This time around it was the United States of America, the director of the U.S. Food Administration, Hoover, the one who salvaged Europe after the war, who became the real savior of the people of Armenia. Whatever happens, however we regard America’s role in the Armenian Question, we do not forget nor should we forget the U.S. humanitarian assistance to Armenia and the provisions they provided.   

The first American boat arrived to Batumi on March 21 carrying 125,000 sacks of flour. A week later another shipment of 600,000 sacks of flour arrived. To transport the provision, the American government requested from the Armenian Government 579 train wagons and 14 locomotives at a time when all that the Armenian Government had was 16 locomotives and 520 train wagons. The intervention of the American and the British governments was needed. For four days human traffic over the Armenian rail lines was halted and all facilities were appropriated for the transpiration of the flour only.

With the arrival of the American flour, the famine slowly started receding. The country started to embark on its normal course. The people and the government started to devote themselves towards reconstruction and structuring of the governance.” (Republic of Armenia, 2^ndedition, Lebanon).

This episode of the American humanitarian assistance reveals the precarious state of land locked Armenia. By the current standards of accepted norms for international relations, preventing a government’s delegation seeking humanitarian assistance would be incomprehensible, especially when the delegation’s mission has to do with an ongoing dire humanitarian crisis. Of course the indifference of the British occupying forces towards the prevailing famine in Armenia is totally unacceptable. It is up to the present day historians to shed light on the prevailing real underlying issues.

Garo Armenian 

Note: https://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2019/02/republic-of-armenias-economic-status-in.html

Pashinyan says Armenians should stay in Karabakh

Chronology of events:

August 7, 2023 Davit Ishkhanian elected Artsakh parliament speaker

September 1, 2023, Arayik Harutyunyan resigned.

September 10, 2023, Samvel Shahramanyan elected president. 

September 19, 2023, Ceasefire agreed 

September 20, 2023, Artsakh capitulated

Artsakh Armenians resisted blockade for nine months.

Was the ousting of the populary elected president Arayik Harutyunyan orchestrated for capitulation?

Did the Artsakh officials prepare the population for the imminent capitulation?

Did the Artsakh officials capitulate at the last moment and in haste?

Did the Armenians in Artsakh leave Artsakh in haste and in panic?'

Were they forced out on the threat of genocide, contrary to the PM's claim?

The sudden capitulation and the dismantling of the Artsakh Army will most likely be discussed in the years to come.

 

I copied the attached text from Eurasianet's free weekly newsletter.

Pashinyan says Armenians should stay in Karabakh

The Armenian prime minister said that, while Armenia was prepared to accommodate those leaving Karabakh, they would not be under direct threat if they stayed put, under Azerbaijani rule. 

Fin DePencier Sep 22, 2023 

With the ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh falling apart, and no deal between local leaders and the central government in Azerbaijan, the future of Armenians in the region remains precarious. 

While the vast majority of Armenian society, the Armenian foreign minister, as well as international observers are gravely concerned for their security, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says otherwise. 

"At this moment, our assessment is that there is no direct threat to the civilian population of Nagorno-Karabakh," Pashinyan said in a live address on September 21. 

In a complete contradiction, Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan told a UN Security Council meeting on the same day that "Azerbaijan's intention is to complete the ethnic cleansing of the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh." 

Since March 2021, access to Armenian-administered Nagorno-Karabakh has been tightly controlled by the Russian peacekeepers, making information difficult to verify. But three days after the beginning of Azerbaijan's 2023 offensive, credible reports are starting to emerge of civilian casualties and war crimes. The prime minister's statement triggered widespread outrage and led his critics to repeat their accusations of treason. 

"I believe the PM was talking to the domestic audience and trying to avoid panic in Armenian society, while fighting against Russian state attempts to weaponize the suffering of the Armenians of Artsakh to bring down democratic governance in Armenia. He failed in doing so and even angered many of his own supporters," analyst Eric Hacopian told Eurasianet. 

The timing of the statement, right before the UN Security Council meeting, couldn't have come at a worse time, according to human rights attorney Sheila Paylan. "The statement is puzzling, and also obviously untrue." 

"Perhaps in trying to calm people down, the prime minister thought he needed to make that statement," she told Eurasianet, noting the angry protests on the streets of Yerevan.

As of September 20, the de facto Karabakh authorities were counting 200 people killed and over 400 wounded. The streets of Stepanakert are filled with "displaced people, hungry, scared, and in uncertainty," said Karabakh Human Rights Ombudsman Gegham Stepanyan.

According to Stepanyan, his office has received more than 600 cases of people missing in the region, as of September 22nd. 

"Lack of communication made it almost impossible to find them or find out whether they were killed or not. Residential areas are cut off from each other, people's fates are unknown," former Armenian human rights defender Arman Tatoyan said. There have been reports of a bounty of $500 being placed on the head of a particular Karabakhi Armenian woman on an Azerbaijani Telegram channel. She is to be given to a man named "Murad'' as a birthday present, the alleged Telegram post reads. 

Some Armenians on social media recalled video evidence of atrocities by Azerbaijani troops against female Armenian soldiers during Baku's incursions into Armenian territory in September 2022.

Against this backdrop, many found the prime minister's comment about Armenians not being under threat in Karabakh inexplicably tone-deaf.

He did say in the same remarks, however, that his government was prepared to handle an influx of 40,000 families from Karabakh (which should roughly cover the region's entire population that Armenian sources estimate at 120,000).

So far there has been no sign of Karabakh Armenians leaving through the Lachin corridor, the only route connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia. Azerbaijan has been tightly restricting and at times completely closing the corridor in one form or another for the past nine months, resulting in acute shortages of food and supplies.  

"It's not opening anytime soon," said journalist Shant Khatcherian, who is standing by on the Armenian side of the border alongside other journalists, NGO representatives and Armenians who have relatives in Karabakh. 

Meanwhile in Armenia, today marks the fourth straight day of protests. Roads have been blocked and dozens of people have been arrested. While the anger against Russia, the European Union, and other international institutions has been palpable, many Armenians are looking closer to home for someone to blame. 

Fin DePencier is a journalist based in Yerevan

Fin DePencier is a Canadian freelance journalist and photographer based in Yerevan.

Sign up for Eurasianet's free weekly newsletter. Support Eurasianet: Help keep our journalism open to all, and influenced by none.

 *****

A year ago today: Would it have made any difference?

Հայերէն բնագիրը կցուած է ներքեւը

“Painful solutions await us; the main problem is the dialogue between the government and the opposition. Ter-Petrosyan”, is my translation of  the title of a September 26, 2022 report, CivilNet posted a year ago today, It was about  an interview president Levon Ter Petrosyan had. Attached is my translation of the report. Vahe H. Apelian 

ARMENIA FACES DIFFICULT AND PAINFUL SOLUTIONS; the main problem is the initiation of a constructive dialogue between the government and the opposition. Levon Ter-Petrosyan, the first president of Armenia, announced this in an interview with "First Channel".

"Hard, painful solutions await us. Contracts should be signed with both Azerbaijan and Turkey. It will not be palatable to anyone. But there comes a moment when there is no alternative. If no document is signed, if peace is not concluded with these two neighbors, we can no longer restore the reality of those 70 years (70 years of Soviet Armenia - ed.). We have to build a new state stone by stone again," he said.

According to Ter-Petrosyan, the main task of the day is the establishment of national unity and the beginning of a constructive dialogue between the government and the opposition. "The majority of the opposition believes that if we can get rid of Pashinyan, then we can avoid painful solutions. This is naive. Whoever comes will sign the same, maybe even worse document," he said.

"We have no information about what actually is going on. Only Nikol Pashinyan possesses that information and knows what Russia offers, what Turkey offers, and what advice the USA is giving. All solutions will be bad for us. I see the problem is to choose the least painful from all those bad solutions. And to understand that we need to have that information, the only owner of which is Pashinyan. Pashinyan is also afraid to sign a document, whatever he signs, they will call him a traitor, a Turk. We even extend our hand to Pashinyan, together we choose the least painful option, thereby we take responsibility upon ourselves. I am ready for that," said the first president.

 

 

Հայաստանին սպասվում են ծանր, ցավոտ լուծումներ, գլխավոր խնդիրը իշխանության ու ընդդիմության միջև կառուցողական երկխոսության սկզբնավորումն է։ Այս մասին «Առաջին ալիքին» տված հարցազրույցում հայտարարել է Հայաստանի առաջին նախագահ Լևոն Տեր-Պետրոսյանը։

 

«Մեզ սպասվում են ծանր, ցավոտ լուծումներ։ Պայմանագրեր պետք է ստորագրվեն և Ադրբեջանի, և Թուրքիայի հետ։ Դա ոչ մեկի քիմքին հաճո չի լինելու, բայց կա մի պահ, երբ այլընտրանք չկա։ Եթե չի ստորագրվում որևէ փաստաթուղթ, եթե հաշտություն չի կնքվում այս երկու հարևանների հետ, մենք այլևս այդ 70 տարվա (Խորհրդային Հայաստանի 70 տարիները – խմբ․) իրողությունը չենք կարող վերականգնել։ Մենք նորից պետք է քարը քարի վրա նոր պետություն կառուցենք»,- ասել է նա։

 

Օրվա գլխավոր խնդիրը, ըստ Տեր-Պետրոսյանի՝ ազգային համախմբման կայացումն է և իշխանության ու ընդդիմության միջև կառուցողական երկխոսության սկզբնավորումը․ «Ընդդիմության մեծագույն մասը կարծում է, որ եթե Փաշինյանից կարողանանք ազատվել, ապա մենք կարող ենք խուսափել ցավոտ լուծումներից, սա միամտություն է։ Ով էլ գա, նույնը, գուցե ավելի վատ փաստաթուղթ է ստորագրելու»,- նշել է նա։

 

«Մենք ինֆորմացիա չունենք, թե իրականում ինչ պրոցես է գնում։ Այդ ինֆորմացիային տիրապետում է միայն Նիկոլ Փաշինյանը, որը գիտի, թե Ռուսաստանն ինչ է առաջարկում, Թուրքիան ինչ է առաջարկում, ԱՄՆ ինչ խորհուրդ է տալիս իրենց։ Բոլոր լուծումներն էլ վատ են լինելու մեզ համար։ Ես տեսնում եմ խնդիր այդ բոլոր վատ լուծումներից ընտրել ամենաքիչ ցավալին։ Իսկ դա հասկանալու համար մենք պետք է տիրապետենք այդ ինֆորմացիային, որի միակ տերը Փաշինյանն է։ Փաշինյանն էլ վախում ստորագրել փաստաթուղթ, ինչ էլ ստորագրի, պետք է ասեն դավաճան, թուրք։ Մենք Փաշինյանին նույնիսկ ձեռք ենք մեկնում, մենք միասին ենք ընտրում այն ամենաքիչ ցավալի տարբերակը, դրանով մենք մեզ վրա պատասխանատվություն ենք ստանձնում։ Ես պատրաստ եմ դրան»,- ասել է առաջին նախագահը։

 

 

The snowball that turned into a fireball

Vahe H. Apelian

Courtesy Kantsasar Newsletter

On August 31, 2023, Sarkis Mahserejian, who is a regular contributor to “Hairenik” weekly, “Azrag’’ daily and other literary magazines, wrote a lengthy article analyzing the situation on the ground, in the Republic of Artsakh and Armenia, from his abode in Los Angeles, he rarely leaves. He titled it “The new snow ball should not melt” - ՆՈՐ ՁԻՒՆԱԳՆԴԱԿԸ ՊԷՏՔ ՉԷ ՀԱԼԻ - where he likened the resignation of the Artsakh president Arayik Harutyunyan to a snowball on a new bright day that would be expected to roll down the hill taking with it, along the president of Artsakh who resigned, the prime minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, whom the Sarkis Mahserejian regards the culprit of all that threatens the Republic of Armenia. 

This is what Sarkis wrote in the first paragraph of his long article

“The resignation of Artsakh President Araik Harutyunian, which came to light on the last day of August, after a long wait (about a month before the outbreak of the 44-day war), is one of the most important events on the political scene of Armenia since the war and naturally opened the door wide to commentaries and predictions. The resignation was the answer to many issues, but many others remained unanswered.  In other words, this resignation does not yet mean that everything has changed and the horizon has started to brighten, but it does bring a sign for change.”(see note 1)

After expounding on the changes, the resignation of Arayik Harutyunyan brought, Sarkis summed the expected change in the last paragraph of his long expose՛and wrote:

“We consider the public gatherings as of the beginning of September and the movements that have already started in the Diaspora, as practical signs of the renewed springing of the Armenian forces (http://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2023/09/then-and-now-may-2018-and-september.html). These movements should not be abandoned to the fate of those movements that embodied the defense of the homeland. The homeland betraying hands that were selling Artsakh must be stopped. Arayik Harutyunyan's resignation and confessions are practical steps forward. This rolling snowball should not be allowed to melt despite the warm weather. Our people, the whole people, with all their political possibilities and means, should work the snowball grow and return the defense of the motherland to the path of justice. A. Harutyunyan's resignation should serve as a reminder for the criminals themselves, and to the people who “gave them mandate”, who should be placed on the "throne" of the accused.”

President of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan and the prime minster of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan appeared to be in sync in their political views. The prime minister of Armenia had disassociated the vanquished and militarily incapacitated Armenia from the Republic of Artsakh and was urging the officials of Artsakh in Stepanakert to negotiate with Baku. But the snowball that Sarkis Mahserejian alluded to, unseated president Arayik Harutyunyan and had Samvel Shahramanyan elected as the president of the Republic of Artskakh, against the warning of Azerbaijan. Davit Ishkhanian, a member of the ARF Bureau, was already elected as the president of the National Assembly of Armenia; presided over the National Assembly voting Samvel as the president of Republic of Artsakh.

Sarkis Mahserejian had urged that the rolling snowball should not melt in the hot weather and that we should see it acquire momentum to roll down to Armenia and presumably unseat the prime minister of Armenia as well. But that did not happen. The snowball turned into a fireball and engulfed the Republic of Artsakh and brought it to ashes and left behind a smoldering mass, and is now rolling down the hill and may engulf Armenia.  

I make a note of this not only because Sarkis Mahserejian, my estranged friend, wrote it, but because ARF affiliated newspapers resonated it in their quest to unseat the democratically elected government of Armenia, whom the citizens of Armenia elected to govern them with their consent.  “Haierenik” weekly made a note that it is the week’s principal article. Not only “Aztag” Daily, but the impoverished Aleppo Armenian community’s “Kanstasar” prelacy affiliated newsletter also published it.

When I was growing up in the midst of ARF related youth organizations, we were educated to remain loyal to the government of our host countries. But we stood against the government of Soviet Armenia government because it was undemocratic and communist and did not represent the will of the Armenian people in Haiastan.

What can I say?  I remain perplexed if not aghast and disturbed when I read such articles in the ARF Diaspora press against the democratically elected government of precious Armenia turned into a precarious Armenia. I also feel that the new leadership of ARF betrayed my youthful ARF education, the tastayaragoutium - դաստիարակութիւն։

*****

Note 1: “Արցախի նախագահ Արայիկ Յարութիւնեանի հրաժարականը, որ երկար սպասումէ ետք լոյս աշխարհ եկաւ Օգոստոսի վերջին օրը (44-օրեայ պատերազմի պայթումէն մօտաւորապէս ամիս մը առաջ), հայութեան քաղաքական բեմի կարեւորագոյն իրադարձութիւններէն մէկն է պատերազմէն ասդին եւ բնականաբար դուռը լայն բացաւ մեկնաբանութիւններու եւ նախատեսութիւններու առջեւ, պատասխան տուաւ շարք մը հարցումներու, սակայն անպատասխան կը մնան մեծ ու փոքր բազմաթիւ հարցումներ: Այլ խօսքով, այս հրաժարականը տակաւին չի նշանակեր, թէ ամէն բան փոխուած է ու հորիզոնը սկսած է պայծառանալ, սակայն կը բերէ նշոյլ մը:”

Note 2: “Սեպտեմբերի սկիզբի հանրահաւաքներն ու Սփիւռքի տարածքին արդէն ճամբայ ելած շարժումները կը դիտենք իբրեւ գործնական նախանշաններ՝ հայութեան ուժերու վերստին լարումին: Այս շարջումներ պէտք չէր մատնուին նախընթաց, հայրենապաշտպանութիւն մարմնաւորող շարժումներու ճակատագիրին: Հայրենադաւ եւ Արցախ վաճառող ձեռքերուն գործունէութիւնը պէտք է վերջ գտնէ: Արայիկ Յարութիւնեանի հրաժարականն ու խոստովանութիւնները գործնական այլ նախընթաց են: Գլորուիլ սկսող այս ձիւնագնդակը՝ պէտք չէ թոյլ տալ, որ հալի, հակառակ տաք եղանակին: 

Մեր ժողովուրդը, ամբո՛ղջ ժողովուրդը, իր քաղաքական բոլոր կարելիութիւններով ու միջոցներով, պէտք է աշխատի ուռճացնել ձիւնագնդակը եւ հայրենիքի պաշտպանութիւնը վերադարձնել արդարութեան ուղիին: Ա. Յարութիւնեանի հրաժարականը պէտք է ուղեցոյց ըլլայ բուն յանցապարտներուն, եւ անոնց «մանտաթ տուած» ժողովո՛ւրդը զանոնք նստեցնէ ամբաստանեալի «գահին»:

 

May 2018 and September 2023 Pictorially

  Vahe H. Apelian

The Velvet Revolution that catapulted change of governance on May 8, 2018 brought the change through the Constitutional Order and through the National Assembly and was led by Nikol Pachinyan.

The September 2023 demonstrations aim to topple the  government by subverting the Constitutional Order and the for National Assembly and are led by shadowy forces with competing agendas.