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MINISTRY OF DIASPORA: NEW VISIONS
By Shahan Kandaharian
Aztag Daily
June 13 2008
Lebanon
We received official news that the government of Armenia has proposed
the creation of Ministry of Diaspora.
At the time when the cadre of the present government was completed, we
were surprised to notice that the Ministry of Diaspora was missing. We
avoided drawing conclusions instantly or questioning the pre-election
promises.
The news announced the start of the procedure. The Parliament has
to confirm the draft presented by the government, after which, as
it is expected, a new ministry is included in the government and our
country will have a Minister of Diaspora.
At present, the functions of such a ministry are not
simple. Undoubtedly the file sent by the government specifies and
classifies the necessary topics and subtopics. A few days ago the
American "Associated Press" News Agency had posted a report about
the count of the Armenian people. According to the news agency 5.7
million Armenians live outside of Armenia, distributed as follows:
two million Armenians living in Russia, 1.4 million in the United
States and 450 thousand in France.
The classical picture of the Diaspora is changed today. If Diaspora
means the abroad, then the largest Diaspora community obviously
is the Russian-Armenian community. However, in that overall count
it's not possible to dissect and know what proportion constitute
the permanent immigrants, what part of it is the old traditional
community and, finally, what proportion constitute those who migrated
lately looking for a job. The 1.4 million American-Armenian community
also includes a large portion of immigrants from Armenia. Although
not stated officially, figures show that a considerable number of
Armenian immigrants have settled in Eastern Europe at large, as well
as in Spain and Greece.
Moreover, in a pure state-understanding, the Diaspora also includes the
Georgian-Armenians, the Turkish-Armenians of Istambul as well as the
considerable number of Armenians who have moved there (and probably
still moving). We should at least have the chance of questioning:
are the latent Armenians, the Armenian speaking Hamshen Armenians
and the Armenians who have turned Islam, included in the Diaspora
concept. In that case the "Associated Press" News Agency will have
made a very sordid assessment...
Yes, the concept of the Diaspora is changed. There is the necessity
of finding a new guideline for approaching the Diaspora problems,
for arranging the relationship between Armenia and the Diaspora and
for extending cultural-educational functions between them. It's not
by chance that both issues of citizenship and the establishment of
the Diaspora Ministry are proceeding hand in hand with a harmonious
rhythm. The large part of the above mentioned numbers, the members of
the new Diaspora, will be able to restore their Armenian citizenship
by the new citizenship law. The classical Diaspora, in its turn,
will be able to get its Armenian citizenship along with its current
one. It turns out that the classical understanding of the Diaspora
attains a new dimension and space, and we hope that the citizens of
Armenia will be granted a new count.
The cultivation of a policy of this volume must be done with a
representation in line with the suggested inclusiveness. In other
words, the state must come up with a discussion and guidelines
cultivating mechanism, where both the state and the classical and
the new Diasporas are represented. The cultivation of a new policy
for the Diaspora issues is presented with its pan-Armenian essence,
dimension and acute urgency. In this context we will have the chance
to further discuss the necessity of the adoption of strategies by
the Armenian Diaspora on the following issues: the formation of the
Turkish-Azerbeijani Diaspora, politicizing and extending political
propaganda functions as well as controlling and neutralizing the
latest inter-state initiatives.
This guideline is multi-faceted and has many perspectives. Sound and
objective preparation is more than necessary; also, the inclusion of
the Diaspora along with the state of Armenia.
By Shahan Kandaharian
Aztag Daily
June 13 2008
Lebanon
We received official news that the government of Armenia has proposed
the creation of Ministry of Diaspora.
At the time when the cadre of the present government was completed, we
were surprised to notice that the Ministry of Diaspora was missing. We
avoided drawing conclusions instantly or questioning the pre-election
promises.
The news announced the start of the procedure. The Parliament has
to confirm the draft presented by the government, after which, as
it is expected, a new ministry is included in the government and our
country will have a Minister of Diaspora.
At present, the functions of such a ministry are not
simple. Undoubtedly the file sent by the government specifies and
classifies the necessary topics and subtopics. A few days ago the
American "Associated Press" News Agency had posted a report about
the count of the Armenian people. According to the news agency 5.7
million Armenians live outside of Armenia, distributed as follows:
two million Armenians living in Russia, 1.4 million in the United
States and 450 thousand in France.
The classical picture of the Diaspora is changed today. If Diaspora
means the abroad, then the largest Diaspora community obviously
is the Russian-Armenian community. However, in that overall count
it's not possible to dissect and know what proportion constitute
the permanent immigrants, what part of it is the old traditional
community and, finally, what proportion constitute those who migrated
lately looking for a job. The 1.4 million American-Armenian community
also includes a large portion of immigrants from Armenia. Although
not stated officially, figures show that a considerable number of
Armenian immigrants have settled in Eastern Europe at large, as well
as in Spain and Greece.
Moreover, in a pure state-understanding, the Diaspora also includes the
Georgian-Armenians, the Turkish-Armenians of Istambul as well as the
considerable number of Armenians who have moved there (and probably
still moving). We should at least have the chance of questioning:
are the latent Armenians, the Armenian speaking Hamshen Armenians
and the Armenians who have turned Islam, included in the Diaspora
concept. In that case the "Associated Press" News Agency will have
made a very sordid assessment...
Yes, the concept of the Diaspora is changed. There is the necessity
of finding a new guideline for approaching the Diaspora problems,
for arranging the relationship between Armenia and the Diaspora and
for extending cultural-educational functions between them. It's not
by chance that both issues of citizenship and the establishment of
the Diaspora Ministry are proceeding hand in hand with a harmonious
rhythm. The large part of the above mentioned numbers, the members of
the new Diaspora, will be able to restore their Armenian citizenship
by the new citizenship law. The classical Diaspora, in its turn,
will be able to get its Armenian citizenship along with its current
one. It turns out that the classical understanding of the Diaspora
attains a new dimension and space, and we hope that the citizens of
Armenia will be granted a new count.
The cultivation of a policy of this volume must be done with a
representation in line with the suggested inclusiveness. In other
words, the state must come up with a discussion and guidelines
cultivating mechanism, where both the state and the classical and
the new Diasporas are represented. The cultivation of a new policy
for the Diaspora issues is presented with its pan-Armenian essence,
dimension and acute urgency. In this context we will have the chance
to further discuss the necessity of the adoption of strategies by
the Armenian Diaspora on the following issues: the formation of the
Turkish-Azerbeijani Diaspora, politicizing and extending political
propaganda functions as well as controlling and neutralizing the
latest inter-state initiatives.
This guideline is multi-faceted and has many perspectives. Sound and
objective preparation is more than necessary; also, the inclusion of
the Diaspora along with the state of Armenia.