The topic of Diaspora representation or who should talk in the name of the Diaspora is very important and very interesting and it needs to be seriously studied and the many options thoroughly discussed.
A few ideas in this respect that I would like to throw out as a visitor to this website:
No diaspora can sustain itself without the support of an official state aparatus. Whether we like it or not, the Diaspora needs the backing and support of the Republic of Armenia to continue maintaining any organizational structure. Otherwise, any organizational structure we - expat Armenians - devise will get fragmented sooner or later.
The diaspora cannot be organized under a single umbrella taking care of all its aspects. The diaspora has to be active within the polticial, cultural and social spheres and all these spheres require that each community interacts with the local population and adapts to the local rules, regulations and values. Considering that none of those local values has precedence over the others, which one will be guiding the instance speaking in the name of the diaspora? This takes you back to my first point, where the Republic of Armenia has the right and is expected to set its own set of rules and values.
Up until the independence of Armenia, a few abstract notions represented by a few slogans were enough to create some kind of a momentum in the Armenian diaspora. Things have changed since the 1990-s. The idea of repatriation, for example, which was a serious topic before that date, simply crumbled; how many of us repatriated to Armenia after independence? The notion that young Armenians were ready to fight for the homeland just vanished; how many of us took the trip to Karabagh? The Armenian diaspora is here to stay and it cannot be sustained by abstract notions anymore. In this situation, a re-evaluation of the diaspora, its capabilities, potential and goals should be performed in a rational and scientific manner then start looking for the best means and structure - if needed - to reach those goals. Here is where the Armenian academics have a crucial role to play.
Submitted by H.Kouyoumjian on Fri, 2010-02-05 04:56.
I think in all fairness you should have added a last option asking for suggestions. I think for example, that it should be a new hybrid structure composed of the political parties (to tap their resources), church repressentatives (authority on the ground whether one likes it or not) etc.
I agree with Vartkes. Why should the church get involved?
Antelias Catholicosate has not freed itself from the influence of ARF. Etchmiadzin has become a tool in the hands of the present authorities in Armenia, and some even claim that Diaspora personalities have a say too in how the institution conducts itself. Both are politicized and their moral authority is tarnished. Let them first resolve their differences before they are considered to be involved in new initiatives.
Getting the political parties together is a futile exercise. The Diaspora has seen it all thus far. For as long as they have not apologized to the Armenian public for their murderous acts, such as the fratricide in Lebanon in 1958, they should have no say in shaping our future. They ask Turkey to apologize, but does the leadership of each one of the parties think for a moment to come clean for what they have done?
I neither would support the inclusion of the parties nor the church. The rest, the vast silent majority either lives with the status quo or takes seriously what's ahead and does something about it. That's my choice.
This poll already indicates that the new generation or at least the diaspora believes that we should move on to a better political entity and gradually alienate the old mentality of political parties.
We definitely need a new entity and we need to work towards it now! It should be purely about our Armenian heritage, lands and rights.
Submitted by John Keusseyan, Lt. Col USAF (Ret.) on Tue, 2009-11-03 15:04.
This will be a good start. This body should have the power to speak for all the Armenians in the world. And we should elect people for what they know and not who they know. The TRUTH is on our side and the truth eventually wins. We have to be consistent and persistent. There will be failures on the road ahead, but this should be expected and should not cause any disappointment. REMEMBER! We fail when we quit. I have always said that we need true leaders. At the present we have people in leadership positions but we don't have TRUE LEADERS. Leaders that will unite us and not divide us. BEST OF LUCK! Let me know if I could be of any help.
We have just started a group on facebook,the idea is to connect to 500,000 Armenians to create an independent Armenian Entity which will have a single mission: RECOGNITION, REPARATION, REPATRIATION. Please follow the link and become a member....who knows this may even lead to you getting elected for the Diaspora Congress (Hayasdan National Congress).
Two Topics are not open for discussion:
1- Creation of a powerful congress that will speak for Diaspora Armenians
2- Pursuit of RECOGNITION REPARATION AND REPATRIATION
All other subjects and topics are open for discussions and all are encouraged to express opinion on all matters.
For decades Armenians in the Diaspora have been carried by slogans: Recognition, Reparation, Repatriation or return of lands. These are not enough anymore.
You need concrete objectives and methods how you want to reach your goals. Unfortunately there is none of those as a worked out plan.
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Serious topic that needs serious study
The topic of Diaspora representation or who should talk in the name of the Diaspora is very important and very interesting and it needs to be seriously studied and the many options thoroughly discussed.
A few ideas in this respect that I would like to throw out as a visitor to this website:
No diaspora can sustain itself without the support of an official state aparatus. Whether we like it or not, the Diaspora needs the backing and support of the Republic of Armenia to continue maintaining any organizational structure. Otherwise, any organizational structure we - expat Armenians - devise will get fragmented sooner or later.
The diaspora cannot be organized under a single umbrella taking care of all its aspects. The diaspora has to be active within the polticial, cultural and social spheres and all these spheres require that each community interacts with the local population and adapts to the local rules, regulations and values. Considering that none of those local values has precedence over the others, which one will be guiding the instance speaking in the name of the diaspora? This takes you back to my first point, where the Republic of Armenia has the right and is expected to set its own set of rules and values.
Up until the independence of Armenia, a few abstract notions represented by a few slogans were enough to create some kind of a momentum in the Armenian diaspora. Things have changed since the 1990-s. The idea of repatriation, for example, which was a serious topic before that date, simply crumbled; how many of us repatriated to Armenia after independence? The notion that young Armenians were ready to fight for the homeland just vanished; how many of us took the trip to Karabagh? The Armenian diaspora is here to stay and it cannot be sustained by abstract notions anymore. In this situation, a re-evaluation of the diaspora, its capabilities, potential and goals should be performed in a rational and scientific manner then start looking for the best means and structure - if needed - to reach those goals. Here is where the Armenian academics have a crucial role to play.
Just a few thoughts...
Diaspora representation
I think in all fairness you should have added a last option asking for suggestions. I think for example, that it should be a new hybrid structure composed of the political parties (to tap their resources), church repressentatives (authority on the ground whether one likes it or not) etc.
"Other" is too diluted as suggestions go.
H. Kouyoumjian
The church and the parties should not meddle
I agree with Vartkes. Why should the church get involved?
Getting the political parties together is a futile exercise. The Diaspora has seen it all thus far. For as long as they have not apologized to the Armenian public for their murderous acts, such as the fratricide in Lebanon in 1958, they should have no say in shaping our future. They ask Turkey to apologize, but does the leadership of each one of the parties think for a moment to come clean for what they have done?
I neither would support the inclusion of the parties nor the church. The rest, the vast silent majority either lives with the status quo or takes seriously what's ahead and does something about it. That's my choice.
With all due respect
With all due respect, we should stop including the church in political matters.
This poll already indicates
We definitely need a new entity and we need to work towards it now! It should be purely about our Armenian heritage, lands and rights.
This will be a good start.
How To Start an Independent Entity
We have just started a group on facebook,the idea is to connect to 500,000 Armenians to create an independent Armenian Entity which will have a single mission: RECOGNITION, REPARATION, REPATRIATION. Please follow the link and become a member....who knows this may even lead to you getting elected for the Diaspora Congress (Hayasdan National Congress).
www.hyecongress.org
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=165628243192
Two Topics are not open for discussion:
1- Creation of a powerful congress that will speak for Diaspora Armenians
2- Pursuit of RECOGNITION REPARATION AND REPATRIATION
All other subjects and topics are open for discussions and all are encouraged to express opinion on all matters.
500,000??
Excellent idea Ara!! but why would we need 500,000 members to start something like that?
Slogans are not enough
For decades Armenians in the Diaspora have been carried by slogans: Recognition, Reparation, Repatriation or return of lands. These are not enough anymore.
You need concrete objectives and methods how you want to reach your goals. Unfortunately there is none of those as a worked out plan.
Shavarsh
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