We are raised in the diaspora with this romantic perception that everything Armenian is good. In most cases that’s true. We have a deep faith, a beautiful language and a respected culture. Our “clannish” behavior is a subject of humor, but has also been a major contributor to our continued existence. We look for each other and take great joy in that discovery.
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Stepan, these are my feelings exactly and I thank you for expressing them so eloquently and clearly. I have share your article with my cousins in Istanbul as well as many friends here in the US. I hope your excellent commentary will spur Armenians in the diaspora to take a more active role in establishing a democratic government in Armenia.
You should not cast stones at our Vehapar Hayr Garegin B Amenayn Hayotc Kathoghikosy , The Armenian Church is very correct and within it’s prerogative to address such issues that effect our Motherland and it is not your place to tell our Vehapar Hayr what he should or should not do
Do you really believe that somebody capable in the West or Russia would be nationalistic enough to take the risk to govern Armenia? We are all proud to be Armenian but when we need to make sacrifices then we back down.
I enjoyed your article and it rings true on many levels. Unfortunately Turkey robbed us of that breathing space we needed as a nation to nurture and nourish that leadership element that is so needed. It is my hope that once the dust settles we will be more aggressive and hope that these leaders pop up through the cracks of recovery.
I agree 100%. Armenia must leverage all its human and capital resources in the diaspora in order to overcome the current crisis and thrive in the future! I firmly believe that the diaspora needs to be properly represented in the Armenian Parliament and potentially have a leading position, maybe even the PM could be from diaspora.
Many American Jews have served and are serving in the Israeli Governments.I believe that is a successful formula.
Comparing Armenia to Israel is a joke, I will explain why. When Israel formed in 1948, the Jews brought in Jews from around the world who were best suited and qualified for each role, and that brought them all the success in the world. When Armenia gained independence, the Soviet Beggar Thief of Armenia made sure to get RID of the best Armenians and to also keep the qualified Armenians from the diaspora at bay in order to go on LOOTING the country.
All this talk about “we need to do this and that in the diaspora” is a waste of time. Armenians just don’t get it, we need to do NOTHING in Armenia until first and foremost, the Soviet Beggar Thief is completely EXPUNGED. Nothing more.
Yea, we all get it, the diaspora is important. Except when you put in charge someone like Sinanyan, one of five or so Glendale mayors without any noteworthy accomplishments, you’re setting yourself up for failure.
Which “diaspora” are you talking about anyway? Your run-of-the-mill anti-ARF “authentic Armenian” hayastantsi neighbors who ESCAPED from Armenia during independence, or the traditional diaspora which has been supporting and sustaining Armenia, which the former disdains despite having ESCAPED?
And by the way, even though some of our traditional (non-ARF) diaspora leftist bolshevik types did “infiltrate” Armenia spreading globalist propaganda there, who were those who let them thrive in Armenia to begin with? Those were the two “pro-Russia” CROOKS called Kocharyan and Sargsyan, Pashnyan started NOTHING new in Armenia that didn’t already exist. And the loss of this pre-planned “war” had everything to do with all the Bolshevik Remnants of Soviet Armenia looting the nation and robbing Armenia of the capability to properly wage a war which EVERYONE knew was coming, lying to us all throughout the 30 years about how “Russia is our ally and Armenia has the best army and weapons in the region blah blah blah”. Yeah we saw quite clearly how Russia behaved in this “war” and we saw quite clearly all those “secret weapons”. Who is to blame for that, the “diaspora”?
Funny – because partially true while also incredibly hypocritical because without said diaspora you’d all be literally starving. So maybe try to relax a little bit.
Regarding military strategy, even with competent, non-corrupt leadership, Armenia is in a no-win situation because it is not dealing with honest brokers on the adversarial OR so-called allied sides. If Armenia had compromised on the diplomatic front, Turkey-Az-Russia would have demanded more in this default show of weakness and still given nothing in return. Refer to previous historical compromises Armenia made and recall how the US and Europe betrayed their “little ally,” too.
Regarding Diasporan non-monetary contributions, Russia and its handmaidens in Armenia do everything possible to prevent that from happening. It is impractical to say that the Diaspora has kept Armenia at arms-length when it is the opposite. If there are those who keep their distance it is because they have learned that they will be used and abused.
The global Armenian nation is not to be accused of collective complicity when they are most often forbidden to make decisions that affect the nation. We speak of the oligarchs in Armenia but rarely of the oligarchs in the Diaspora who control and filter news and activities, as they’re often in the pockets of bigger fish.
Let us not allow analysis-paralysis and a knee-jerk desire to remove one man from office only to install another who will inherit the very same obstacles prevent us from seeing that secure borders are our number one priority.
An excellent analysis of the political situation in Armenia. One thing the people are very certain about is that they don’t want the past Talanchiner back in power again who have totally ruined Armenia with their systematic Talan of the country where they have banked their Talan in billions of dollars in offshore accounts under different names, their election rigging, murder, torture, criminal governance and the rest, as every institution in Armenia has been corrupted that includes the oligarch karekin, judiciary and security forces, all these corrupt and criminal officials must be sentenced or else justice will mean nothing in Armenia which is sadly the case now.
Armenia needs a fresh clean and wise leader to try and pull us out of this horrendous mess with the help of professionals from the Diaspora.