Orphanages Near East Relief ran in Lebanon

 Recently Ara Babian posted about the orphanages the Near East Relief (NER) ran during 1920’s on what is presently Lebanon. The number orphanages run there indicates the decisive role the American Near East Relief played in the recovery of the Armenian nation after the genocide. It also indicates the important role what is presently Lebanon in the life on the Armenian community that continues to this day. The estates of a few of these orphanages would later become the seat of the Catholicosate of Cilicia, the famed Armenian Sanatorium and the Birds' Nest orphanage under the Catholicosate's jurisdiction. The text below is my translation of the posting. I have also posted the original article. Vahe H. Apelian

The cities of Lebanon where there were orphanages during 1920's 

1.  Nahr Ibrahim (NER)- The orphanage was founded in the spring of 1923 to shelter the Armenian orphans of Caesarea (Կեսարիոյ) and Konya (Գոնիայի). Stanley Kerr was the principal. The malaria epidemic wreaked havoc in the orphanage and many orphans died. In 1924, the orphans of Nahr Ibrahim were transferred to the Byblos orphanage. Note: The Byblos (Jbeil) Armenian orphanage Birds’ Nest sit on a sprawling coastal property and lately has become a magnet for devlopers. 

The estate of Byblos Birds' Nest orphanage

Coastal view of the Birds' Nest orphanage in Byblos (Jbeil) Lebanon
During my HS years with two classmates we have camped on the island (1)

 

2.   Ghazir (NER) - In 1919, the Americans established an orphanage here for Lebanese children, who were transferred to Tyre in 1922. After that, the institution was entrusted to the Swiss missionary Jakob Künzler, under whose care 1,500 Armenians, mostly from Urfa, found refuge. The institution turned into an orphanage for girls. There used to be a carpet weaving workshop. In 1925, a school for the blind was opened. The orphanage is known for the carpet it weaved and gifted to the U.S. president Calvin Coolidge in 1925.

3.  Maameltein (NER): - The orphanage was founded in 1922. This institution was dedicated to care of boys and operated for only one year. In the same place, on July 1, 1923, the Lebanese Armenian National Sanatorium was opened, which in 1938 was moved to the village of Azounieh in Mount Lebanon, where it operates to this day.

Armenian Sanatorium in Azounieh, Lebanon

4.   Jounieh (NER).- The orphanage was for girls housing up to 470 girls. Girls transferred from Caesarea and Konya found shelter in the institution. The institution was closed in 1925, some of the girls were taken to Ghazir and to Sidon.

 

 

5.   Zuk Mikael (NER): - The orphanage for girls. It was founded in 1922. It sheltered 350 girlss under the leadership of the Danish missionary Maria Jacobsen. In 1923, as a result of the water crisis, the institution was closed and the children were transferred to the Sidon orphanage.

 

6.   Antelias (NER): The orphanage was founded in 1922, it had around 1250 children. It was run by the Australian branch of Near East Relief. The institution also ran a vocational school. In the late 1920s, this estate became the seat of the Great House of the Catholicos of Cilicia.

The seat of the Catholicosate of Cilicia or Sis, in Antelias, a coastal town in Lebanon

7.   Beirut (NER).- Since 1922, this American charitable organization had a special handicraft school for widows, built on the seashore. Due to the large number of female students, a second similar institution was established in 1923 at St. James (Beirut). These two institutions were closed in 1925.

 

8.   Sidon (NER): - The orphanage was founded in 1918. It was reserved for Lebanese orphans. Later, thousands of Armenian orphans found shelter here. The institution was called "Bird's Nest". The the director was  by Maria Jacobsen, who later became the director of the Byblos orphanage

 

9.   Hammana, Sour, and Damourr (NER).- These institutions had a short life. The orphans of these places were later transferred to other American orphanages operating in Lebanon.

 

 

Արա Պապյան

  · 

Ուզում եմ հիշեցնել, որ միայն ներկայիս Լիբանանի տարածքում 1920-ականերին գործել է ամերիկյան ինը որբանոց։ 

1. Նահր Իպրահիմ (NER)- Հիմնուած է 1923-ի գարնան՝ Կեսարիոյ եւ Գոնիայի հայ որբերը պատսպարելու համար: Տնօրէնն էր Սթենլի Քերրը: Մալարիայի համաճարակը աւերներ կը գործէ այս հաստատութեան մէջ, բազմաթիւ որբեր կը մահանան: 1924-ին Նահր Իպրահիմի որբերը կը փոխադրուին Ճիպէյլի որբանոց:

2. Ղազիր (NER)- 1919-ին ամերիկացիները հոս որբանոց մը հիմնած էին լիբանանցի երախաներու համար, որոնք 1922-ին կը փոխադրուին Սայտա: Անկէ ետք հաստատութիւնը կը վստահուի զուիցերիացի Եաքոպ Քիւնցլերին, որու տնօրինութեամբ հոս ապաստան կը գտնէ մեծամասնութեամբ ուրֆացի 1500 հայ երախայ: Հաստատութիւնը կը վերածուի աղջկանց որբանոցի: Հոս կը գործէր գորգագործութեան արհեստանոց մը: 1925-ին կը բացուի կոյրերու վարժարան մը:

3. Մաամըլթէյն (NER).- Հիմնուած է 1922-ին: Մանչերու յատկացուած այս հաստատութիւնը կը գործէ միայն տարի մը: Նոյն վայրին մէջ 1 յուլիս 1923-ին կը բացուի Լիբանանի հայոց ազգային բուժարանը, որ 1938-ին տեղափոխուած է Լեռնալիբանանի Ազունիէ գիւղը, ուր կը գործէ առ այսօր:

4. Ճիւնի (NER)- Հոս գործած է աղջիկներու որբանոց մը, որ կը հաշուէր 470 սանուհի: Հաստատութեան մէջ ապաստանած էին Կեսարիայէն եւ Գոնիայէն տեղափոխուած աղջիկները: Հաստատութիւնը կը գոցուի 1925-ին, աղջիկներուն մէկ մասը կը տարուի Ղազիր եւ Սայտա:

5. Զուք Միքայէլ (NER)- Աղջկանց որբանոց: Հիմնուած է 1922-ին: Կը պատսպարէր 350 երախայ՝ ղեկավարութեան տակ դանիացի միսիոնարուհի Մարիա Եաքոպսոնի: 1923-ին, ջուրի տագնապի հետեւանքով, հաստատութիւնը կը փակուի եւ երախաները կը տեղափոխուին Սայտայի որբանոց:

6. Անթիլիաս (NER)- Հիմնուած էր 1922-ին, ունէր շուրջ 1250 երախայ: Կը ղեկավարէր NER-ի Աւստրալիոյ մասնաճիւղը: Հետագային հաստատութիւնը կ’ունենայ նաեւ արհեստից վարժարան: 1920-ականներու վերջերուն, այս կալուածը կը դառնայ Մեծի Տանն Կիլիկիոյ Կաթողիկոսութեան նստավայրը:

7. Պէյրութ (NER)- Ամերիկեան բարեգործական այս կազմակերպութիւնը 1922-էն ի վեր ունէր որբուհիներուն յատուկ ձեռագործի վարժարան մը՝ ծովի ափին շինուած: Աշակերտուհիներու մեծ թիւին պատճառով, նոյնատիպ երկրորդ հաստատութիւն մը կը հիմնուի 1923-ին՝ St. James-ի (Պէյրութ) մէջ: Այս երկու հաստատութիւնները կը փակուին 1925-ին:

8. Սայտա (NER)- Հիմնուած է 1918-ին: Յատկացուած էր լիբանանցի որբերու: Հետագային հոս ապաստան կը գտնէ հազարի չափ հայ երախայ: Հաստատութիւնը կը կոչուէր «Թռչնոց բոյն»: Տնօրէնի պաշտօնը վարած է Մարիա Եաքոպսոն, որ հետագային պիտի դառնար Ճիպէյլի որբանոցի տնօրէնուհին:

9. Համմանա, Սուր եւ Տամուր (NER)- Այս հաստատութիւնները կարճատեւ կեանք ունեցած են: Այս վայրերու որբերը հետագային տեղափոխուած են Լիբանանի մէջ գործող ամերիկեան այլ որբանոցներ:

Diaspora's skewed portrayal of Armenia

 Vahe H Apelian

Symbols of Armenia

I was going to title my blog differently but decided to be blunt and title it the way I did.  I will conclude my blog reflecting on the title. So, bear with me if you are interested.

The  2021 Armenia election results were as follows:  The Civil Contract party had 54% of the votes and has 71 seats in the National Assembly, the Armenia Alliance had 21% of the votes and 29 seats,  and “I Have Honor” alliance had 5 % of the votes, and 7 seats. If you tally them, the number adds up to 80% of the votes.

 What happened to the remaining 20% of the votes? They were cast to an astonishing 20 plus some parties who had registered to take part in the election but did not qualify to have a representation in the National Assembly. Simply said, these votes were not cast in favor of the present day government or the present day opposition but were cast in favor of the other parties.

What happened to that remaining 20% of the votes, if the recipients of these votes did not qualify to have representation in the NA? Those20% of the votes that were not cast in favor of the Pashinyan led Civil Contract or for the ex-presidents’ led coalitions, were absorbed by the government and the opposition. That is why the 54% majority is now 67%  (2/3) of the National Assembly and the 26% opposition is now 33% (1/3) of the National Assembly. I leave this issue at that. I have written or should I say blogged about how the National Assembly make up comes about with varying total seats.

Having said this and in order to make a point about political diversity in Armenia, I would like to present Levon Shirinyan (Լեւոն Շիրինյան) and the Christian-Democratic Party (CDP) (Քրիստոնեա-Ժողովրդավարական Կուսակցություն), he leads.

Levon has his Facebook page where he comments frequently. I believe he has his own radio hour or television program, as well. He is not a “nigolagan” – to make a mockery of those who use that term. He also is not against “nigolism”, again to make a mockery of those who use that term. But he is far righted. He is an advocate of a fourth republic. He also is Armenia-Centric. 

His Wikipedia biography in Armenian states the following in Google translation. 

“Levon Ghazari Shirinyan (January 8, 1953), Armenian political scientist, public figure, head of the Department of Political Science and History of Law of the Armenian State Pedagogical University, doctor of political sciences (2007), candidate of philosophical sciences, professor, author and host of "Quo Vadis" or "Where are you going, Armenia" program. One of the promoters of the political concept of the Fourth Republic of Armenia in the field of Armenian political science.”

I have attached below three comments he made recently.

InGoogle  translation:

“ From the homeland.

      This year we are giving ourselves and our consciousness a good boost. We are cleaning the mossy niches there. We are restoring our Armenia-as-CENTER thinking.

       We remember our past losses with horror. But we don't live with memories of the past.

         And we will win.”

**

In translation:

“From the homeland.

   #CDP has started the persistent and unrelenting struggle for the reconstruction of Armenia from today. It will be a year of struggle for intellectual and moral rebirth, without noise and cry. A year without chaos, but with fundamental questions and proposed solutions.

      We call it  a r t a sh e s y a n year. We expect success.”

**

 In translation

“Carefully read the ribbon of the reformed Coat of Arms of the Republic of Armenia

     "Justice is the foundation of the state." Let me warn you, Armenia, whose statehood and society will not be fair, is worth nothing. Look around you. Look at your life. Be aware of recent losses. Learn from your own experience.

    Just Armenia and that's it.”

a

Christian-Democratic Party coat-of-arms

***

Coming to the title of the blog.

There is another important aspect about those 20% votes, I alluded earlier. They also get lost as the news of the political make up of Armenia trickles down to the Diaspora. Hence for the Diaspora it becomes Nikol Pachinyan and his Civil Contract party vs. Robert Kocharian and Serzh Sargsyan led opposition when the reality on the ground in Armenia is more complex than that simplicity. The trickled Armenia political make up becomess the Diaspora's version of black vs. white, it often uses to ridicule the Civil Contract coalition, governing Armenia.

Other important aspects of the Diaspora that play a vital role for the Diaspora’s skewed portrayal of Armenia as a figment of the Diaspora’s imagination of Armenia, are the following: the Diaspora way of life and the Diaspora Armenians’ lack of mastery of the Armenian language .

I will present our own extended family. My wife Marie reads Armenian as she was, like me, schooled in Armenian schools in Beirut and Aleppo. But she has no interest in Armenian politicst. I have not seen her read Armenian newspaper. Maybe she has done it occasionally but below my radar. I do not think she is an exception.

The younger generation of my paternal and maternal cousins, my brother is deceased; and also the younger generation of my extended family do not know how to read Armenian. That is a fact of life in the West, and especially for those who were born and raised in the west or came to the West, (Europe, U.S.A., Canada, South America, etc.) at a very young age. To make ends meet is getting more difficult by the day for the young and upcoming, which does leave time to know the political make up of Armenia. Also, the official language of Armenia is their own brand of Armenian that I too, at times have difficulty in understanding every word at first glance. But that does not present a hinderance for me to follow them but it surely is a hinderance for those who do not know the language.. 

Consequently, Diaspora’s information about politics in Armenia is skewed because it is bound to be skewed at best, if not malinformed at worst. It behooves us in the  Diaspora to be cognizant of that reality to form iron clenched opinions thousands of miles away from the arena.

 

Diaspora's skewed portrayal of Armenia

 Vahe H Apelian

 

I was going to title my blog differently but decided to be blunt and title it the way I did.  I will conclude my blog reflecting on the title. So, bear with me if you are interested.

At the  2021 Armenia election results. The Civil Contract party had 54% of the votes and has 71 seats in the National Assembly, the Armenia Alliance had 21% of the votes and 29 seats,  and “I Have Honor” alliance had 5 % of the votes, and 7 seats. If you tally them, the number adds up to 80% of the votes.

 What happened to the remaining 20% of the votes? They were cast to an astonishing 20 plus some parties who had registered to take part in the election but did not qualify to have a representation in the National Assembly. Simply said, these votes were not cast in favor of the present day government or the present day opposition but were cast in favor of the other parties.

What happened to that remaining 20% of the votes, if the recipients of these votes did not qualify to have representation in the NA? Those20% of the votes that were not cast in favor of the Pashinyan led Civil Contract or for the ex-presidents’ led coalitions, were absorbed by the government and the opposition. That is why the 54% majority is now 67%  (2/3) of the National Assembly and the 26% opposition is now 33% (1/3) of the National Assembly. I leave this issue at that. I have written or should I say blogged about how the National Assembly make up comes about with varying total seats.

Having said this and in order to make a point about political diversity in Armenia, I would like to present Levon Shirinyan (Լեւոն Շիրինյան) and the Christian-Democratic Party (CDP) (Քրիստոնեա-Ժողովրդավարական Կուսակցություն), he leads.

Levon has his Facebook page where he comments frequently. I believe he has his own radio hour or television program, as well. He is not a “nigolagan” – to make a mockery of those who use that term. He also is not against “nigolism”, again to make a mockery of those who use that term. But he is far righted. He is an advocate of a fourth republic. He also is Armenia-Centric. 

His Wikipedia biography in Armenian states the following in Google translation. 

“Levon Ghazari Shirinyan (January 8, 1953), Armenian political scientist, public figure, head of the Department of Political Science and History of Law of the Armenian State Pedagogical University, doctor of political sciences (2007), candidate of philosophical sciences, professor, author and host of "Quo Vadis" or "Where are you going, Armenia" program. One of the promoters of the political concept of the Fourth Republic of Armenia in the field of Armenian political science.”

I have attached below three comments he made recently.

InGoogle  translation:

“ From the homeland.

      This year we are giving ourselves and our consciousness a good boost. We are cleaning the mossy niches there. We are restoring our Armenia-as-CENTER thinking.

       We fondly remember our past losses. But we don't live with memories of the past.

         And we will win.”

**

In translation:

“From the homeland.

   #CDP has started the persistent and unrelenting struggle for the reconstruction of Armenia from today. It will be a year of struggle for intellectual and moral rebirth, without noise and cry. A year without chaos, but with fundamental questions and proposed solutions.

      We call it  a r t a sh e s y a n year. We expect success.”

**

 In translation

“Carefully read the ribbon of the reformed Coat of Arms of the Republic of Armenia

     "Justice is the foundation of the state." Let me warn you, Armenia, whose statehood and society will not be fair, is worth nothing. Look around you. Look at your life. Be aware of recent losses. Learn from your own experience.

    Just Armenia and that's it.”

a

Christian-Democratic Party coat-of-arms

***

Coming to the title of the blog.

There is another important aspect about those 20% votes, I alluded earlier. They also get lost as the news of the political make up of Armenia trickles down to the Diaspora. Hence for the Diaspora it becomes Nikol Pachinyan and his Civil Contract party vs. Robert Kocharian and Serzh Sargsyan led opposition when the reality on the ground in Armenia is more complex than that simplicity. The trickled Armenia political make up becomess the Diaspora's version of black vs. white, it often uses to ridicule the Civil Contract coalition, governing Armenia.

Other important aspects of the Diaspora that play a vital role for the Diaspora’s skewed portrayal of Armenia as a figment of the Diaspora’s imagination of Armenia, are the following: the Diaspora way of life and the Diaspora Armenians’ lack of mastery of the Armenian language .

I will present our own extended family. My wife Marie reads Armenian as she was, like me, schooled in Armenian schools in Beirut and Aleppo. But she has no interest in Armenian politicst. I have not seen her read Armenian newspaper. Maybe she has done it occasionally but below my radar. I do not think she is an exception.

The rest of our extended family, especially the younger generation, do not know how to read Armenian. That is also a fact of life especially in the West, and especially for those who were born and raised in the west or came to the West, (Europe, U.S.A., Canada, South America, etc.) at a very young age. To make ends meet is getting more difficult by the day for the young and upcoming. Also, the official language of Armenia is their own brand of Armenian that I too, at times have difficulty in understanding every word at first glance. But that does not present a hinderance for me to follow them but it surely not known Armenian is a hinderance for those who do not know the language.. 

Consequently, Diaspora’s information about politics in Armenia is skewed and is bound to be skewed at best if not malformed at worst. It behooves us in the  Diaspora to be cognizant of that reality to form iron clenched opinions thousands of miles away from the political arena.

 

 

« Apparently now Ararat’s the problem »

 Vahe H Apelian

 

In this interconnected virtual world, it was a friend in Lebanon, who brought to my attention and asked what do I make from ANCA’s director Aram Suren Hamparian’s posting that stated - « Apparently now Ararat’s the “problem.” »

At first glance I thought Aram Hamparian implied a veiled rebuke of the PM Nikol Pashinyan (NP). He is known for his stand against the NP government. He once posted a remark saying that “Yerevan and Ankara are in cahoots against Armenia.”! I responded to his posting then I deleted it. I did not want to get caught commenting on the Facebook. Here I share my thoughts.

Aram Suren Hamparian is the director of ANCA and hence its voice. His remark is a veiled attempt to stir ANCA proponents against the NP government. 

Bear with me as I  substantiate my take of  Aram Hamparian's posting  -« Apparently now Ararat’s the “problem.” »

In the not-too-distant past, PM Nikol Pashinyan once said that when asked, people respond Ararat as the highest peak when in fact the mount Aragats is the highest peak of Armenia.

Aram Hamparian knows, I would be very much surprised if he does not know the rudimentary of our history from the First Republic and on - that Mount Ararat is in the historic Surmalu region. Its name is said to have derived from the Armenian word Surb Mari (Սուրբ Մարի-Saint Mary). I quote Wikipedia: “Surmalu was briefly governed by the First Republic of Armenia from 1918 to 1920, until it was occupied in 1920 and formally ceded to Turkey”. The Turks named the holy mountain of ours in the Surmula region, Ağrı Dağı. Apparently, the Turks do not have problem hosting Ararat Mirzoyan, Armenia’s FM. 

On September 10, 2008, the PM of Turkey Abdullah Gül arrived in Yerevan and attended a Turkish-Armenian football game with president Serzh Sargsyan. The Armenian spectators were forbidden to wear shirts that depicted Mount Ararat. Surely, Armenians have to do what they need to do. Aram Hamparian knew this as did the Armenian media. But Aram Hamparian did not post such ambiguous ill intended veiled comment, when president Serzh Sargsyan felt that Ararat can be a problem. ARF was with or in the Sargsyan’s government.

I do not understand why ARF in the Diaspora is opposed to the democratically elected government of Armenia and PM Nikol Pashinyan. Supreme Body (Kerakoun Marmin) in Armenia, according to ARF by laws is the body that oversees ARF in Armenia, as Shiragian Central Committee does for ARF on the Eastern U.S., east of the Mississippi River. Kars is the ARF central committee on the West Coast.  

It is interesting to note that the 7 seats in the 2018 National Assembly consisting of 105 seats were held by ARF, 58 Seats by the Republican Party, 31 seats by the Tsarukyan Alliance and 9 seats by the Way-Out Alliance (Yelk). 53 seats constituted the majority. Even though the Republican Party had the clear majority, but Serzh Sargsyan formed his government with ARF. 

On April 23, 2018, Serzh Sargsyan resigned as the PM, after meeting with Nikol Pachinyan at the Marriott Hotel in down town Yerevan, a day earlier. On May 1, 2018, a snap election took place to elect the next PM. ARF sided with Nikol Pachinyan who could only muster 45 votes and hence was not elected as the PM. A week later, on May 8, 2018, another snap election took place by law and this time around Nikol Pachinyan got 59 votes. Again, ARF voted for him. Without the 7 ARF votes NP would not have been elected as PM.  Way Out Alliance, Tsarukyan Alliance, and also some Republicans also voted for NP as the next PM.

Subsequently ARF became part of the NP government but not long after the two had a falling. That was in 2018, way before the 2020 disastrous war Armenia lost under NP's watch.  I do not know why the falling was. Since that day ARF in Armenia pitted itself against the PM and so did Diaspora ARF leadership, and the rank and file followed suit.

From Tuesday May 8, 2018 to Wednesday January 31, 2024,   5 years, 8 months and 28 days have gone by, to  Aram Hamparian's posting that  – «Apparently now Ararat’s the “problem"» 

 

 

 

«Apparently now Ararat’s the problem»

Vahe H Apelian

 

In this interconnected virtual world, it was a friend in Lebanon, who brought to my attention and asked what do I make from ANCA’s director Aram Suren Hamparian’s posting that stated - « Apparently now Ararat’s the “problem.” »

At first glance I thought Aram Hamparian implied a veiled rebuke of the PM Nikol Pashinyan (NP). He is known for his stand against the NP government. He once posted a remark saying that “Yerevan and Ankara are in cahoots against Armenia.”! I responded to his posting then I deleted it. I did not want to get caught commenting on the Facebook. Here I share my thoughts.

Aram Suren Hamparian is the director of ANCA and hence its voice. His remark is a veiled attempt to stir ANCA proponents against the NP government. 

Bear with me as I  substantiate my take of  Aram Hamparian's posting  -« Apparently now Ararat’s the “problem.” »

In the not-too-distant past, PM Nikol Pashinyan once said that when asked, people respond Ararat as the highest peak when in fact the mount Aragats is the highest peak of Armenia.

Aram Hamparian knows, I would be very much surprised if he does not know the rudimentary of our history from the First Republic and on - that Mount Ararat is in the historic Surmalu region. Its name is said to have derived from the Armenian word Surb Mari (Սուրբ Մարի-Saint Mary). I quote Wikipedia: “Surmalu was briefly governed by the First Republic of Armenia from 1918 to 1920, until it was occupied in 1920 and formally ceded to Turkey”. In short, the first republic ceded the Surmalu region because they had to.  The Turks named the holy mountain of ours in the Surmula region, Ağrı Dağı. Apparently, the Turks do not have problem hosting Ararat Mirzoyan, Armenia’s FM. 

On September 10, 2008, the PM of Turkey Abdullah Gül arrived in Yerevan and attended a Turkish-Armenian football game with president Serzh Sargsyan. The Armenian spectators were forbidden to wear shirts that depicted Mount Ararat. Surely, Armenians have to do what they need to do. Aram Hamparian knew this as did the Armenian media. But Aram Hamparian did not post such ambiguous ill intended veiled comment, when president Serzh Sargsyan felt that Ararat can be a problem. ARF was with or in the Sargsyan’s government.

I do not understand why ARF in the Diaspora is opposed to the democratically elected government of Armenia and PM Nikol Pashinyan. Supreme Body (Kerakoun Marmin) in Armenia, according to ARF by laws is the body that oversees ARF in Armenia, as Shiragian Central Committee does for ARF on the Eastern U.S., east of the Mississippi River. Kars is the ARF central committee on the West Coast.  

It is interesting to note that the 7 seats in the 2018 National Assembly consisting of 105 seats were held by ARF, 58 Seats by the Republican Party, 31 seats by the Tsarukyan Alliance and 9 seats by the Way-Out Alliance (Yelk). 53 seats constituted the majority. Even though the Republican Party had the clear majority, but Serzh Sargsyan formed his government with ARF. 

On April 23, 2018, Serzh Sargsyan resigned as the PM, after meeting with Nikol Pachinyan at the Marriott Hotel in down town Yerevan, a day earlier. On May 1, 2018, a snap election took place to elect the next PM. ARF sided with Nikol Pachinyan who could only muster 45 votes and hence was not elected as the PM. A week later, on May 8, 2018, another snap election took place by law and this time around Nikol Pachinyan got 59 votes. Again, ARF voted for him. Without the 7 ARF votes NP would not have been elected as PM.  Way Out Alliance, Tsarukyan Alliance, and also some Republicans also voted for NP as the next PM.

Subsequently ARF became part of the NP government but not long after the two had a falling. That was in 2018, way before the 2020 disastrous war Armenia lost under NP's watch.  I do not know why the falling was. Since that day ARF in Armenia pitted itself against the PM and so did Diaspora ARF and the rank and file followed suit.

From Tuesday May 8, 2018 to Wednesday January 31, 2024,   5 years, 8 months and 28 days have gone by, to  Aram Hamparian's posting that  – «Apparently now Ararat’s the “problem"»