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A Synthesis of Ideals: Revisiting the ARF Agenda
by David Oganesyan
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2012/07/04/a-synthesis-of-ideals-revisiting-the-arf-agenda/
July 4, 2012
Last April, my family and I vacationed in Cancun, Mexico. It was a
relaxing experience, both in interaction with the landscape and
people. The beaches were scenic and ideal for surfers and snorkelers
alike. It was this very observation that led to my shock when I saw
natives littering and using the sand as a garbage dump. As I wondered
how the indigenous Mexicans could so carelessly mistreat their land,
my dad explained that, having a low standard of living, `their
problems were not yet up to the level in which environmental hazards
are a concern.'
ARF organizations must realize that the idea of a `free, independent
and unified' nation will never be realized until all Armenians are on
board, and for this reason must be more considerate of domestic issues
in Armenia.
This comment got me thinking about the divide between the perspectives
of the citizens of Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora on how to move
forward with Hai Tahd.
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) is the foremost
organization in the United States fighting for the betterment of the
Armenian republic and nation. Its fight for the recognition of the
Armenian Genocide and reclaiming historic Armenian territories is
admirable, to say the least. However, while there is little doubt that
the ARF holds the support of the Armenian American community, there is
a disconnect with the people of Armenia. It would be nice to think
that all Armenians have an engrained sense of nationalism that will
lead them to prioritize the issues that the ARF was created to tackle.
But this is not the case.
While the ARF has wide support from around the world, it should come
as no surprise that the Dashnaktsutyun captured under six percent of
the popular vote in May's parliamentary elections in Armenia. Diaspora
Armenians, at least in America, simply do not face the same obstacles
that the residents of Armenia face; to them, there is no threat of net
emigration, no danger of war with an enemy that claims Armenian land,
and no concern of a faltering economy. Many if not most Diaspora
Armenians have no experience of life in the Homeland and, while they
may try to put the aforementioned difficulties facing Armenia's
residents into perspective, the full magnitude of such problems cannot
easily be felt or realized.
In other words, the people of Armenia are the people of Mexico on the
beach: Their problems are too basic, too materialistically oriented to
allow concern for larger, less tangible issues like genocide
recognition or territorial reclamation. Because the ARF focuses
primarily on the latter, most people in Armenia will place their
loyalty with the less ambitious but more conservative Republican
Party.
It is essential that the interests of Diasporan Armenians and of
Armenian residents become fused. General alignment will never be
enough: ARF organizations must realize that the idea of a `free,
independent and unified' nation will never be realized until all
Armenians are on board, and for this reason must be more considerate
of domestic issues in Armenia. To garner the necessary support, the
Dashnaktsutyun must shed its image of being a purely ideological party
by incorporating ways to provide for Armenian nationals in its
mission, all while maintaining its core objectives.
David Oganesyan is an incoming freshman at the University of Maryland.
by David Oganesyan
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2012/07/04/a-synthesis-of-ideals-revisiting-the-arf-agenda/
July 4, 2012
Last April, my family and I vacationed in Cancun, Mexico. It was a
relaxing experience, both in interaction with the landscape and
people. The beaches were scenic and ideal for surfers and snorkelers
alike. It was this very observation that led to my shock when I saw
natives littering and using the sand as a garbage dump. As I wondered
how the indigenous Mexicans could so carelessly mistreat their land,
my dad explained that, having a low standard of living, `their
problems were not yet up to the level in which environmental hazards
are a concern.'
ARF organizations must realize that the idea of a `free, independent
and unified' nation will never be realized until all Armenians are on
board, and for this reason must be more considerate of domestic issues
in Armenia.
This comment got me thinking about the divide between the perspectives
of the citizens of Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora on how to move
forward with Hai Tahd.
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) is the foremost
organization in the United States fighting for the betterment of the
Armenian republic and nation. Its fight for the recognition of the
Armenian Genocide and reclaiming historic Armenian territories is
admirable, to say the least. However, while there is little doubt that
the ARF holds the support of the Armenian American community, there is
a disconnect with the people of Armenia. It would be nice to think
that all Armenians have an engrained sense of nationalism that will
lead them to prioritize the issues that the ARF was created to tackle.
But this is not the case.
While the ARF has wide support from around the world, it should come
as no surprise that the Dashnaktsutyun captured under six percent of
the popular vote in May's parliamentary elections in Armenia. Diaspora
Armenians, at least in America, simply do not face the same obstacles
that the residents of Armenia face; to them, there is no threat of net
emigration, no danger of war with an enemy that claims Armenian land,
and no concern of a faltering economy. Many if not most Diaspora
Armenians have no experience of life in the Homeland and, while they
may try to put the aforementioned difficulties facing Armenia's
residents into perspective, the full magnitude of such problems cannot
easily be felt or realized.
In other words, the people of Armenia are the people of Mexico on the
beach: Their problems are too basic, too materialistically oriented to
allow concern for larger, less tangible issues like genocide
recognition or territorial reclamation. Because the ARF focuses
primarily on the latter, most people in Armenia will place their
loyalty with the less ambitious but more conservative Republican
Party.
It is essential that the interests of Diasporan Armenians and of
Armenian residents become fused. General alignment will never be
enough: ARF organizations must realize that the idea of a `free,
independent and unified' nation will never be realized until all
Armenians are on board, and for this reason must be more considerate
of domestic issues in Armenia. To garner the necessary support, the
Dashnaktsutyun must shed its image of being a purely ideological party
by incorporating ways to provide for Armenian nationals in its
mission, all while maintaining its core objectives.
David Oganesyan is an incoming freshman at the University of Maryland.