The states, governments, and politics on one side, nations – on the other side
Recently I was stopped by a man in the street who said that the 1915 Armenian genocide was organized by the Masons. There is a rich literature about the relation of young Turks (also, in fact, the Kerensky government in Russia) with the Masons. However, no major source, as far as I know, claims that the genocide was organized by the Young Turks for the very reason that the government was consisted of Masons.
My interlocutor, however, emphasizing the role of Masons, wanted to show that the Europe in fact was responsible for the Genocide. It’s also not particularly fresh idea. It seems to me that this subject was in most comprehensive form, although very briefly, touched upon by Levon Ter-Petrosyan at the conference commemorating the 80th anniversary of Genocide. Here is the paragraph: “The European countries: England, France, Germany and Russia, in 1878-1914, failed to make any practical step towards the implementation of reforms in the Armenian provinces of the Ottoman Empire, moreover, with their unаgreed intervention they created a direct threat to the physical existence of the Armenian people. In other words, stimulating the Ottoman authorities with the Armenian Cause internationally, the superpowers were not troublesome to think even for a second about the basic guarantees of the physical existence of the Armenian people, with which the portion of their morality in the issue of Genocide and their direct responsibility in case of Germany is measured.”
Let’s pay attention to two facts. First, Russia is viewed as a European country, and in this respect there is no distinction of responsibility between them. The distinction is made between the moral of the Entente countries and direct responsibility of Germany. Secondly, it talks about the dangerous “unagreed interventions” for the physical existence of Armenians. This record, I think, is actual in the event of some Armenian communities in the Diaspora and also in the case of Armenia, to some extent.
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And the most important thing is that in 19-20th centuries, in the historical arena, including in the brutal and tragic events, the main actors are not Russians, Germans, Masons, Jews, Zionists or the Turks as a nation, but the states with their own governments.
Inflaming the passions against the nation or the more semi-myth “Masons”, we are significantly diminishing the possibility of ever understanding the same nations with each other. Today, under the influence of Russian official propaganda, negative emotions arose among the lumpen mass of Armenia against Ukrainian nation. Some “little know-it-alls” of Armenia (who “definitely know” that the Armenian Genocide was organized by the Masons) argue that the Ukrainian nation as such does not exist, and that there has never been a Ukrainian state in the history.
Not going deep into the history, it should be noted that the Russian government thus is establishing an “ideological basis” for its actions against Ukraine. But why is this approach beneficial to us? Perhaps, to say that the Azeri is also a “man-made” nation, and Azerbaijan as a state was established only in the 20th century? No matter how true it is, we rank Ukrainians and Azerbaijanis on the same plane as “hostile” nations. Secondly, our dispute with Azerbaijani is not historical and ethnic. The dispute concerns only the politics, about the people living on their own land free and safe.
The states, governments and their policies can be a subject of ruthless criticism or, if necessary, a subject of praising. But, attributing the nations with “God-given” positive or negative features is a direct path to racism.
ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
