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NATIONAL SUICIDE IN PROGRESS
By Ara K. Manoogian
I asked a provocative question at the Armenian National Committee
(ANC) Grassroots conference, on November 25, 2011, regarding the
catastrophic proportions of emigration from Armenia, calling it "the
white genocide of 2011". I made sure to emphasize the controversy of
the wording, over which members of the Diaspora community appear to
be divided. I wanted to get more opinions.
"White genocide", as defined in Wikipedia, is the term Western
Armenians use to describe assimilation in the West. Until the first
years of Armenia's independence, it has been referred exclusively to
the aftermath of the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923.
However, the mass emigration that followed Armenia's independence was
often associated with 'white genocide' by the public at large. What
Eastern Armenians are going to face in the future outside their
homeland is most probably gradual assimilation. The reality is that
today about half of the Armenian citizens prefer the prospect of
non-violent assimilation over a life doomed to poverty, humiliation,
and injustice in their homeland at the hands of their own government.
Of all panelists, I directed my question first and foremost to Serj
Tankian, who has been outspoken about the Genocide of 1915. Below is
Tankian's answer:
What's going on in Armenia is not a genocide. But it's very
tragic. "Genocide" is a very specific term that we have to take
seriously, otherwise, you know, a lot of people, Genocide scholars
who know of what's going on... It's a very specific thing. But what's
going on in Armenia is sad: with people leaving, the corruption,
the injustice, economic imbalance, which exists in a lot of the
former Soviet republics that have gained their independence. (Ara
K. Manoogian's personal archive)
Even at the metaphorical level, Tankian doesn't appear to see any
genocidal tendencies in the history of Armenian people beyond the
Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923. Tankian then began giving excuses
for the current situation in Armenia: "Armenia is not the only. You
have to view things in a geopolitical perspective, not just from the
eyes of an Armenian, obviously." Then he indicated an achievement:
"The greatest thing about Armenia is there is no fear of speaking the
truth. You know, that's one thing on our side, which doesn't exist in
some other post-Soviet republics." Exactly, 'some' other republics,
but not 'all' the others. So, why not compare Armenia with the other
republics that have done much better since the fall of the USSR?
Another panelist also wanted to answer my question regarding the white
Genocide. Award winning filmmaker, Eric Nazarian, as he justly noted
in advance, practically echoed whatever Tankian had to say about
the mass emigration: "You know, it's a schizophrenic time for all
post-Soviet republics."
To put it simply, their response means that whatever happens in Armenia
is normal. All you have to do is look at it from the geopolitical
perspective.
When Serj Tankian or Eric Nazarian speak of Armenia's geopolitical
region, I wonder if they understand all sides of the geopolitical
perspective themselves. Situated to the north of Armenia, Georgia
was a lot worse off in 2003 than Armenia and any other former Soviet
republic. However, this country was able to consolidate its potential
and get rid of its corrupt regime. Since then, war-torn Georgia has
made such essential democratic reforms that it has stepped into the
European Union with one foot. Armenia has Turkey and Azerbaijan as
enemies; Georgia has the gigantic Russia. Armenia won a war with
Azerbaijan; Georgia lost three wars: to Abkhazia, South Ossetia
and, more recently, to Russia. I wonder if Georgians would achieve
anything had they simply adhered to the convenient excuse of a troubled
geopolitical region.
Such opinions are very convenient for the corrupt Armenian
authorities. Knowing Serj Tankian as an outspoken activist who has
made critical statements -- no matter how mild and general they were--
about the Armenian government back in Armenia, it is sad to observe
that his viewpoint has similarities with that of the traditional
Armenian Diaspora, which tends to forgive the ills of the Armenian
authorities, thus giving them a green light for further abuses.
While Tankian's position could also be viewed not so much as forgiving,
but rather optimistic about the future, there is a whole army of
influential Diaspora Armenians advocating forgiveness. Here is a very
typical statement by Berj Setrakian, President of the AGBU, made at
the birthday party of Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II in New
York, on October 12, 2011:
Comparing to the 15 republics of the former Soviet Union, we are
the only one, which had three presidential elections. None of the
presidents tried to stay beyond his term. We had parliamentary
elections. It's not a perfect system, but it is a better democracy
which works than in any other Soviet republic. And we should be proud
of it. There is no doubt that there is corruption.
Unfortunately, after the fall of the Soviet Union, today corruption
is something spread all over the world. . So let's
be a little compassionate. Let's not always be critical of what we
have. We have a little country; we have our independence.
I am sure, we can do better. I am sure that our governors can do
better. But let's take the positive side, because otherwise we'll
never build a country.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGYZVf4ChJU)
Again the remedy is in looking at Armenia from a geopolitical
perspective. However, in this particular example the speaker is so
incompetent as to compare Armenia to all the post-Soviet republics,
three of which, the Baltic states, are already full members of
the European Union. Furthermore, Setrakian lowers the bar to such
a degree that we should be proud of merely having had presidential
and parliamentary elections. It no longer matters how fraudulent or
deadly they have been.
The slogan for such policy could be 'Don't criticize Armenia, or
else the enemy will benefit.' It is not criticism that the enemy
benefits from, but the consequences of the target of that very
criticism. The enemy benefits from Armenia's bad governance that
depopulates Armenia, rather than the desperate outbursts of criticism
intended for preventing mass emigration.
This policy of forgiveness is a grave punishment for the people of
Armenia, who do not have the comforts of these Diaspora Armenians to
sit and patiently wait for the geopolitical climate to improve and
democratic reforms to evolve.
That is exactly what another well-known Diaspora Armenian preaches
in a recent article. In "Excessive Negativism and Constant Attacks
Jeopardize Armenia's Development," Benon Sevan, former Head of the
United Nations Oil-for-Food Program, writes:
Regardless of our impatience and desire to witness a truly democratic
state of Armenia, we have no alternative to being patient, because
it takes time to develop democracy, economic and social development,
and civil society, as well as true democratic reforms.
(California Courier Online, October 13, 2011. Also, click to read:
"Response to Benon Sevan's Call to Shut Up")
How many more years is this standpoint going to dominate over the
Armenian Diaspora? The average number of schoolchildren in Armenia
per school was 399 in 2000; it dropped by 35% to 256 in 2010,
as reported by CivilNet.com. The Prime Minister rejoices over the
increase in emigration of the Armenian people who might otherwise
stay and protest. Vardan Ayvazyan, former Minister of Ecology, Head
of the Armenian parliament's standing committee on economic issues,
member of the ruling Republican party of Armenia, has characterized
the mass emigration as Armenia's economic benefit.
"A migrant is a type of product," he said on December 16, 2011, as
reported by Regnum, a migrant Armenia exports and gets paid in the
form of remittances.
Denis Donikian is a French-Armenian writer, known for his highly
critical views about both the Armenian government and the Diaspora.
And this is what he wrote about this conformist variety of Diaspora
Armenians:
When Serj Sarkissian instituted himself at the head of the country
under fraudulent conditions which we knew about, when he threw his
opponents in jail, when he continues to incarcerate Diasporans who
have fought for Karabakh, and even denies them Armenian citizenship,
the representatives of this same Diaspora were never so furious
and menacing as they are today, when it is "their" Genocide that is
at stake. As if the dead were more alive for them than the actual
living. By not supporting the democratic opposition which has been
screaming all year-long against the absurdities and deafness of
the Sarkissian regime, by leaving to their fate a countryside that
has been willingly abandoned, by not denouncing firmly the white
genocide of economic emigration, the Diaspora should have expected to
one day receive back the "fair" change for its coin. ("The Armenian
Diaspora and the Cuckolds of Armenia," by Denis Donikian, October 11,
2009. Translated from French by Viken Attarian.
Available at: http://attarian-essays.blogspot.com/, and quoted by
PFA in "Armenia-Diaspora Relations: 20 Years Since Independence")
But things are changing. About two weeks after the ANC Grassroots
Conference I learnt about Charles Aznavour's latest attack against the
corrupt Armenian regime on December 12, 2011. In a press conference
in Moscow, Charles Aznavour was quoted by Lifeshowbiz.ru as saying:
My country is now facing an internal genocide. I consider it
politically unacceptable. Not letting Armenia breathe, the government
is depriving its own country of youth. They leave. And in that respect,
the issue has become not just political, but universal.
It needs urgent solution. ("ШеÑ~@Ñ~Hе Ð"Ñ~O ШаÑ~@Ð"Ñ~L" at
Lifeshowbiz.ru)
This was Aznavour's second resounding blow to the Armenian government
following his scandalous interview to Nouvelles d'Arménie published
about two months ago (in English at Hetq.am). This time he enraged
the authorities with the taboo word of 'genocide.' It is noteworthy
that in his interview to Nouvelles d'Arménie, Aznavour advised not
to concentrate too much on using the word 'genocide' to describe the
massacres perpetrated by the Turkish government, whereas he chose to
use that very term to describe the actions of the Armenian government.
These statements made by Aznavour are especially strong in the context
of the honors the same authorities had been paying him for many years,
including the recently opened museum in one of the best locations
in Yerevan.
For many years, Charles Aznavour had been the target of Denis
Donikian's poisonous attacks, because of his loyalty to the
authorities. What made Aznavour, generally believed to be in bed with
the authorities, speak about problems created by these very men of
power? Charles Aznavour, who had turned a blind eye to the brutal
murder of Poghos Poghosyan, a Georgian citizen of Armenian descent,
by Robert Kocharyan's security agents back in 2001, now speaks against
the authorities.
In any case, I am glad that the honors from the government have
failed to silence Charles Aznavour's conscience. And I hope other
celebrities will reconsider their priorities. But before they do,
a number of Diaspora Armenian intellectuals, such as Ara Toranian,
editor-in-chief of Nouvelles d'Arménie (Paris), Yeran Kouyoumdjian of
Azat Khosk, an electronic publication (Nicosia), according to 1in.am,
have echoed Charles Aznavour's harsh assessments.
At the ANC Grassroots Conference, I also asked Serj Tankian to
comment on accepting the Prime Minister's Memorial Order medal for
his contribution to the recognition of the Armenian Genocide from
Tigran Sargsyan, whose poor performance has its significant share of
responsibility for the present-day massive exodus of Armenians from
their homeland. Tankian said the following:
The medal that I received for Genocide awareness... I thought about
it before receiving it, before getting it. And I had two notions that
came to mind. First, that he represents the Armenian people. He's
not just a Prime Minister, as, you know, tattooed on the table.
Number two: it was a great opportunity to actually get involved and
speak truth about... (Ara K. Manoogian's personal archive)
I strongly believe that this honor, like all those conferred upon
Charles Aznavour, will not prevent Serj Tankian from speaking the
truth about the authorities for all to hear.
What the Armenian government does might not be "white
genocide". However, the mechanism is strikingly similar. The
authorities' unpopular policies eventually lead people to emigrate
from Armenia. Settling outside Armenia, they run the risk of being
subject to whatever the Western Armenians are doomed to, white
Genocide, a gradual assimilation as the final stage of the Genocide
of 1915-1923. It sounds more like national suicide.
For comfort, Serj Tankian advises us to look at the disastrous
developments in Armenia "not just from the eyes of an Armenian." But
as long as I fiercely resist the white Genocide that persists in the
Diaspora, such ability is unattainable for me.
Ara K. Manoogian is a human rights activist representing the
Shahan Natalie Family Foundation in Artsakh and Armenia; a Fellow
of the Washington-based Policy Forum Armenia (PFA); creator of
www.thetruthmustbetold.com and author of the white paper "To Donate Or
Not To Donate", an in depth study on the activities of the "Hayastan"
All-Armenian Fund.
By Ara K. Manoogian
I asked a provocative question at the Armenian National Committee
(ANC) Grassroots conference, on November 25, 2011, regarding the
catastrophic proportions of emigration from Armenia, calling it "the
white genocide of 2011". I made sure to emphasize the controversy of
the wording, over which members of the Diaspora community appear to
be divided. I wanted to get more opinions.
"White genocide", as defined in Wikipedia, is the term Western
Armenians use to describe assimilation in the West. Until the first
years of Armenia's independence, it has been referred exclusively to
the aftermath of the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923.
However, the mass emigration that followed Armenia's independence was
often associated with 'white genocide' by the public at large. What
Eastern Armenians are going to face in the future outside their
homeland is most probably gradual assimilation. The reality is that
today about half of the Armenian citizens prefer the prospect of
non-violent assimilation over a life doomed to poverty, humiliation,
and injustice in their homeland at the hands of their own government.
Of all panelists, I directed my question first and foremost to Serj
Tankian, who has been outspoken about the Genocide of 1915. Below is
Tankian's answer:
What's going on in Armenia is not a genocide. But it's very
tragic. "Genocide" is a very specific term that we have to take
seriously, otherwise, you know, a lot of people, Genocide scholars
who know of what's going on... It's a very specific thing. But what's
going on in Armenia is sad: with people leaving, the corruption,
the injustice, economic imbalance, which exists in a lot of the
former Soviet republics that have gained their independence. (Ara
K. Manoogian's personal archive)
Even at the metaphorical level, Tankian doesn't appear to see any
genocidal tendencies in the history of Armenian people beyond the
Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923. Tankian then began giving excuses
for the current situation in Armenia: "Armenia is not the only. You
have to view things in a geopolitical perspective, not just from the
eyes of an Armenian, obviously." Then he indicated an achievement:
"The greatest thing about Armenia is there is no fear of speaking the
truth. You know, that's one thing on our side, which doesn't exist in
some other post-Soviet republics." Exactly, 'some' other republics,
but not 'all' the others. So, why not compare Armenia with the other
republics that have done much better since the fall of the USSR?
Another panelist also wanted to answer my question regarding the white
Genocide. Award winning filmmaker, Eric Nazarian, as he justly noted
in advance, practically echoed whatever Tankian had to say about
the mass emigration: "You know, it's a schizophrenic time for all
post-Soviet republics."
To put it simply, their response means that whatever happens in Armenia
is normal. All you have to do is look at it from the geopolitical
perspective.
When Serj Tankian or Eric Nazarian speak of Armenia's geopolitical
region, I wonder if they understand all sides of the geopolitical
perspective themselves. Situated to the north of Armenia, Georgia
was a lot worse off in 2003 than Armenia and any other former Soviet
republic. However, this country was able to consolidate its potential
and get rid of its corrupt regime. Since then, war-torn Georgia has
made such essential democratic reforms that it has stepped into the
European Union with one foot. Armenia has Turkey and Azerbaijan as
enemies; Georgia has the gigantic Russia. Armenia won a war with
Azerbaijan; Georgia lost three wars: to Abkhazia, South Ossetia
and, more recently, to Russia. I wonder if Georgians would achieve
anything had they simply adhered to the convenient excuse of a troubled
geopolitical region.
Such opinions are very convenient for the corrupt Armenian
authorities. Knowing Serj Tankian as an outspoken activist who has
made critical statements -- no matter how mild and general they were--
about the Armenian government back in Armenia, it is sad to observe
that his viewpoint has similarities with that of the traditional
Armenian Diaspora, which tends to forgive the ills of the Armenian
authorities, thus giving them a green light for further abuses.
While Tankian's position could also be viewed not so much as forgiving,
but rather optimistic about the future, there is a whole army of
influential Diaspora Armenians advocating forgiveness. Here is a very
typical statement by Berj Setrakian, President of the AGBU, made at
the birthday party of Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II in New
York, on October 12, 2011:
Comparing to the 15 republics of the former Soviet Union, we are
the only one, which had three presidential elections. None of the
presidents tried to stay beyond his term. We had parliamentary
elections. It's not a perfect system, but it is a better democracy
which works than in any other Soviet republic. And we should be proud
of it. There is no doubt that there is corruption.
Unfortunately, after the fall of the Soviet Union, today corruption
is something spread all over the world. . So let's
be a little compassionate. Let's not always be critical of what we
have. We have a little country; we have our independence.
I am sure, we can do better. I am sure that our governors can do
better. But let's take the positive side, because otherwise we'll
never build a country.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGYZVf4ChJU)
Again the remedy is in looking at Armenia from a geopolitical
perspective. However, in this particular example the speaker is so
incompetent as to compare Armenia to all the post-Soviet republics,
three of which, the Baltic states, are already full members of
the European Union. Furthermore, Setrakian lowers the bar to such
a degree that we should be proud of merely having had presidential
and parliamentary elections. It no longer matters how fraudulent or
deadly they have been.
The slogan for such policy could be 'Don't criticize Armenia, or
else the enemy will benefit.' It is not criticism that the enemy
benefits from, but the consequences of the target of that very
criticism. The enemy benefits from Armenia's bad governance that
depopulates Armenia, rather than the desperate outbursts of criticism
intended for preventing mass emigration.
This policy of forgiveness is a grave punishment for the people of
Armenia, who do not have the comforts of these Diaspora Armenians to
sit and patiently wait for the geopolitical climate to improve and
democratic reforms to evolve.
That is exactly what another well-known Diaspora Armenian preaches
in a recent article. In "Excessive Negativism and Constant Attacks
Jeopardize Armenia's Development," Benon Sevan, former Head of the
United Nations Oil-for-Food Program, writes:
Regardless of our impatience and desire to witness a truly democratic
state of Armenia, we have no alternative to being patient, because
it takes time to develop democracy, economic and social development,
and civil society, as well as true democratic reforms.
(California Courier Online, October 13, 2011. Also, click to read:
"Response to Benon Sevan's Call to Shut Up")
How many more years is this standpoint going to dominate over the
Armenian Diaspora? The average number of schoolchildren in Armenia
per school was 399 in 2000; it dropped by 35% to 256 in 2010,
as reported by CivilNet.com. The Prime Minister rejoices over the
increase in emigration of the Armenian people who might otherwise
stay and protest. Vardan Ayvazyan, former Minister of Ecology, Head
of the Armenian parliament's standing committee on economic issues,
member of the ruling Republican party of Armenia, has characterized
the mass emigration as Armenia's economic benefit.
"A migrant is a type of product," he said on December 16, 2011, as
reported by Regnum, a migrant Armenia exports and gets paid in the
form of remittances.
Denis Donikian is a French-Armenian writer, known for his highly
critical views about both the Armenian government and the Diaspora.
And this is what he wrote about this conformist variety of Diaspora
Armenians:
When Serj Sarkissian instituted himself at the head of the country
under fraudulent conditions which we knew about, when he threw his
opponents in jail, when he continues to incarcerate Diasporans who
have fought for Karabakh, and even denies them Armenian citizenship,
the representatives of this same Diaspora were never so furious
and menacing as they are today, when it is "their" Genocide that is
at stake. As if the dead were more alive for them than the actual
living. By not supporting the democratic opposition which has been
screaming all year-long against the absurdities and deafness of
the Sarkissian regime, by leaving to their fate a countryside that
has been willingly abandoned, by not denouncing firmly the white
genocide of economic emigration, the Diaspora should have expected to
one day receive back the "fair" change for its coin. ("The Armenian
Diaspora and the Cuckolds of Armenia," by Denis Donikian, October 11,
2009. Translated from French by Viken Attarian.
Available at: http://attarian-essays.blogspot.com/, and quoted by
PFA in "Armenia-Diaspora Relations: 20 Years Since Independence")
But things are changing. About two weeks after the ANC Grassroots
Conference I learnt about Charles Aznavour's latest attack against the
corrupt Armenian regime on December 12, 2011. In a press conference
in Moscow, Charles Aznavour was quoted by Lifeshowbiz.ru as saying:
My country is now facing an internal genocide. I consider it
politically unacceptable. Not letting Armenia breathe, the government
is depriving its own country of youth. They leave. And in that respect,
the issue has become not just political, but universal.
It needs urgent solution. ("ШеÑ~@Ñ~Hе Ð"Ñ~O ШаÑ~@Ð"Ñ~L" at
Lifeshowbiz.ru)
This was Aznavour's second resounding blow to the Armenian government
following his scandalous interview to Nouvelles d'Arménie published
about two months ago (in English at Hetq.am). This time he enraged
the authorities with the taboo word of 'genocide.' It is noteworthy
that in his interview to Nouvelles d'Arménie, Aznavour advised not
to concentrate too much on using the word 'genocide' to describe the
massacres perpetrated by the Turkish government, whereas he chose to
use that very term to describe the actions of the Armenian government.
These statements made by Aznavour are especially strong in the context
of the honors the same authorities had been paying him for many years,
including the recently opened museum in one of the best locations
in Yerevan.
For many years, Charles Aznavour had been the target of Denis
Donikian's poisonous attacks, because of his loyalty to the
authorities. What made Aznavour, generally believed to be in bed with
the authorities, speak about problems created by these very men of
power? Charles Aznavour, who had turned a blind eye to the brutal
murder of Poghos Poghosyan, a Georgian citizen of Armenian descent,
by Robert Kocharyan's security agents back in 2001, now speaks against
the authorities.
In any case, I am glad that the honors from the government have
failed to silence Charles Aznavour's conscience. And I hope other
celebrities will reconsider their priorities. But before they do,
a number of Diaspora Armenian intellectuals, such as Ara Toranian,
editor-in-chief of Nouvelles d'Arménie (Paris), Yeran Kouyoumdjian of
Azat Khosk, an electronic publication (Nicosia), according to 1in.am,
have echoed Charles Aznavour's harsh assessments.
At the ANC Grassroots Conference, I also asked Serj Tankian to
comment on accepting the Prime Minister's Memorial Order medal for
his contribution to the recognition of the Armenian Genocide from
Tigran Sargsyan, whose poor performance has its significant share of
responsibility for the present-day massive exodus of Armenians from
their homeland. Tankian said the following:
The medal that I received for Genocide awareness... I thought about
it before receiving it, before getting it. And I had two notions that
came to mind. First, that he represents the Armenian people. He's
not just a Prime Minister, as, you know, tattooed on the table.
Number two: it was a great opportunity to actually get involved and
speak truth about... (Ara K. Manoogian's personal archive)
I strongly believe that this honor, like all those conferred upon
Charles Aznavour, will not prevent Serj Tankian from speaking the
truth about the authorities for all to hear.
What the Armenian government does might not be "white
genocide". However, the mechanism is strikingly similar. The
authorities' unpopular policies eventually lead people to emigrate
from Armenia. Settling outside Armenia, they run the risk of being
subject to whatever the Western Armenians are doomed to, white
Genocide, a gradual assimilation as the final stage of the Genocide
of 1915-1923. It sounds more like national suicide.
For comfort, Serj Tankian advises us to look at the disastrous
developments in Armenia "not just from the eyes of an Armenian." But
as long as I fiercely resist the white Genocide that persists in the
Diaspora, such ability is unattainable for me.
Ara K. Manoogian is a human rights activist representing the
Shahan Natalie Family Foundation in Artsakh and Armenia; a Fellow
of the Washington-based Policy Forum Armenia (PFA); creator of
www.thetruthmustbetold.com and author of the white paper "To Donate Or
Not To Donate", an in depth study on the activities of the "Hayastan"
All-Armenian Fund.