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FOR AND AGAINST: HUNCHAKIANS FOR OBAMA; DASHNAKS FOR NOBODY IN U.S. ELECTION
By Gayane Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow
Politics | 17.10.12 | 15:25
Prior to the November 6 presidential election in the United States
two major Armenian parties - Dashnaks and Hunchakians - have opposing
positions on whom the U.S. Diaspora should support.
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation's (ARF) Armenian Cause Office
has decided not to support either incumbent president Barack Obama's
or Mitt Romney's candidacy, urging the more than 1.5 million Armenian
community of the United States not to support candidates "who have
not earned the American-Armenians' votes".
The Office is convinced that the executive body of the United States
is acting as dictated by Ankara and Baku when it comes to foreign
policy issues of importance to American-Armenians.
"After coming to the office President Barack Obama did not keep his
vow to recognise the Armenian Genocide and, during the first 90 days
of his tenure, through his administration he had Yerevan accept the
'road map' and the protocols using it as a political shield allowing
him to break his vow."
Moreover, American-Armenians stress that president Obama failed to
keep his promises also in other spheres: "despite the promise to help,
president Obama tried to cut the aid to Armenia" and "had not a single
meeting with the community over the past four years of his presidency,"
says the Armenian Cause statement.
California Courier publisher Harout Sassounian says that this is, in
essence, a boycott to the presidential elections, but the Armenians
will take part in the elections of senators and congressmen to be
held simultaneously.
"If one doesn't honor a promise, we don't honor him. The other
candidate - Romney - has given no promises, neither is he planning
to or has a desire to meet us. If we are not important to him, we
won't give our votes to him. Hence we can't give our votes to either
of them," he said in an interview to 1in.am.
Meanwhile, the social-democratic Hunchakian party urges support
of Obama, who "has recovered the destroyed economy" and "the past
four years have proven that President Obama is a wise leader with
foresight, capable of taking the United States out of the difficulties
it is facing".
As opposed to Dahsnaks, Hunchakians are satisfied with the fact that
although Obama did not use the word "genocide", he was the first among
U.S. presidents to refer to it as "Meds Yeghern" (Great Calamity).
"Moreover, when speaking at the Turkish parliament he called on Turkey
to face its history, making a reference to the Armenian Genocide",
whereas "Mitt Romney completely ignores the Armenian electorate".
Giro Manoyan, Director of the International Secretariat of the ARF
Bureau in Yerevan, says neither of the candidates has responded to
the issues of the Armenian community, not because they regard those
as unimportant; quite the opposite, they are highly important in the
highlight of Turkey's increased role in the Syrian conflict.
"Yes, the Turkey factor has its impact, and it's obvious from the
fact that the American-Armenian community's letters have been left
unanswered so far. However, both candidates view the impact of a
foreign power as more important than their citizens' opinion and
votes," he told ArmeniaNow.
By Gayane Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow
Politics | 17.10.12 | 15:25
Prior to the November 6 presidential election in the United States
two major Armenian parties - Dashnaks and Hunchakians - have opposing
positions on whom the U.S. Diaspora should support.
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation's (ARF) Armenian Cause Office
has decided not to support either incumbent president Barack Obama's
or Mitt Romney's candidacy, urging the more than 1.5 million Armenian
community of the United States not to support candidates "who have
not earned the American-Armenians' votes".
The Office is convinced that the executive body of the United States
is acting as dictated by Ankara and Baku when it comes to foreign
policy issues of importance to American-Armenians.
"After coming to the office President Barack Obama did not keep his
vow to recognise the Armenian Genocide and, during the first 90 days
of his tenure, through his administration he had Yerevan accept the
'road map' and the protocols using it as a political shield allowing
him to break his vow."
Moreover, American-Armenians stress that president Obama failed to
keep his promises also in other spheres: "despite the promise to help,
president Obama tried to cut the aid to Armenia" and "had not a single
meeting with the community over the past four years of his presidency,"
says the Armenian Cause statement.
California Courier publisher Harout Sassounian says that this is, in
essence, a boycott to the presidential elections, but the Armenians
will take part in the elections of senators and congressmen to be
held simultaneously.
"If one doesn't honor a promise, we don't honor him. The other
candidate - Romney - has given no promises, neither is he planning
to or has a desire to meet us. If we are not important to him, we
won't give our votes to him. Hence we can't give our votes to either
of them," he said in an interview to 1in.am.
Meanwhile, the social-democratic Hunchakian party urges support
of Obama, who "has recovered the destroyed economy" and "the past
four years have proven that President Obama is a wise leader with
foresight, capable of taking the United States out of the difficulties
it is facing".
As opposed to Dahsnaks, Hunchakians are satisfied with the fact that
although Obama did not use the word "genocide", he was the first among
U.S. presidents to refer to it as "Meds Yeghern" (Great Calamity).
"Moreover, when speaking at the Turkish parliament he called on Turkey
to face its history, making a reference to the Armenian Genocide",
whereas "Mitt Romney completely ignores the Armenian electorate".
Giro Manoyan, Director of the International Secretariat of the ARF
Bureau in Yerevan, says neither of the candidates has responded to
the issues of the Armenian community, not because they regard those
as unimportant; quite the opposite, they are highly important in the
highlight of Turkey's increased role in the Syrian conflict.
"Yes, the Turkey factor has its impact, and it's obvious from the
fact that the American-Armenian community's letters have been left
unanswered so far. However, both candidates view the impact of a
foreign power as more important than their citizens' opinion and
votes," he told ArmeniaNow.