The theme of “Aravot” online “Face to Face” talk show is discussed by the Supreme Council MP Albert Baghdasaryan, and the National Assembly MP Shirak Torosyan (RPA).
Aram Abrahamyan – There is a group of active users in “Aravot”, and one of them is Arsen, who has asked a question, “Who are considered to be diaspora, particularly, I am living in France for 17 years, and I have got a citizenship. Am I diaspora or not? Please do not maneuver and answer either yes or no.”
Albert Baghdasaryan – It is very straightforward question, and the answer depends on how I interpret the word “diaspora”. For me, diaspora has a different wording than what is accepted in Armenia.
A. A. – Can you briefly tell the formula?
Read also
A. B. – All the Armenians, who do not live in Armenia and, in addition to their local problems, display activeness in Armenia’s state-making process and empowerment, realizing that their existence as a type of Armenian is due to Armenia’s state-making process and empowerment, they are all diaspora for me. All the rest are foreign nationals, no matter they have “yan” surname or not, they are foreign citizens with Armenian-origin. Accordingly, if someone who is living in France for 17 years, but is willing to actively participate in the establishment of independent statehood of Armenia, in addition to French-Armenian colonial problems, is willing to actively assist Armenia in support of the statehood, I do not mean financially, it goes in the end, then I would consider that he is a representative of the Diaspora.
A. A. – Are our compatriots leaving Armenia in the last 20 years diaspora for you, or not?
Shirak Torosyan – I am sharing the opinion and must add that all those who have an understanding of national identity and believe that they are Armenians, and in the course of their lives and activities, are partially or fully involved in national matters, the people who are trying to be helpful to the motherland. Diaspora consists of 2 parts: classic diaspora that includes Armenians appeared in another country as a result of the tragic events in 1915, and secondly, the Armenians emigrated from Armenia since 1980s and more intensively in 1990s, who supplemented the number of Diaspora, and are accepted to be called a new diaspora.
A. A. – Arsen is also asking, perhaps about the conference, who authorizes the “diaspora” representatives and whom do they represent? I, personally, do not remember that I was asked of an opinion.
Sh. T. – The question is quite in-depth. There are numerous structures in diaspora, political parties, traditional, religious institutions, at least our 3 churches, ethnic, cultural, sporting structures, which have a national orientation. Naturally, representatives of these organizations are invited to the conference, as well as representatives of the community structures. If the young man is a patriot, an activist Armenian, and is willing to somehow help his homeland and participate in this processes, why not, to the conference, then I would recommend just to display activeness in community, any national structure, in that case, he might receive an invitation. Or, he can set up his own organization. Millions of worldwide Armenians are presented by organizations, it is hard to say, except for single personal authorities, the rest is hard to find from anywhere.
A. A. – What does it prove to be? It is the “Armenia-Diaspora” conference, and our compatriots say, these people, who now represent the Diaspora, they actually do not represent the Diaspora. How to solve this issue?
A. B. – I agree with the enquirer, because when you аre in a useless function, like the “Armenia-Diaspora” Conferences, when the arrangement of one thing is not right, then any question is raised. First, what is a conference? Thousands of people come together, deliver a speech and try to solve a problem. First, Diaspora is not a homogenous system. Are Armenians living in Javakhk a Diaspora, or not? Their problems are totally different, the problems of European and American Armenians may be different, whereas Turkish and Russian Armenian – another. What problem these thousand people solved in two days, I have no idea. I imagine another thing that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia or the presidential apparatus are elaborating a respective attitude according to regional problems and needs. We cannot demand the same things from even Putin’s said 2.5 million Armenians living in Russia as we would expect from American-Armenians or French-Armenians because they are democratic countries, the voice has value, and with this voice they can have some impact on politics.
The discussion in full:
Prepared by ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
“Face to Face” talk show series are released by the Open Society Foundations- Armenia. The views and analyzes found in this broadcast express the opinions of the participants, and are not approved by the Open Society Foundations-Armenia, or its Board. This broadcast is made available thanks to comprehensive financial support by the Open Society Foundations-Armenia, under the mass media support program, grant No 18624.
