24 03 2008 - "Levon Ter-Petrossyan Disrespectfully Dismisses The Catholicos of All Armenians from the Gate of his House;

By APPO JABARIAN.- appojabarian@gmail.com
USA ARMENIAN LIFE Magazine
My last week's column, titled "Levon Ter-Petrossyan Disrespectfully Dismisses The Catholicos of All Armenians from the Gate of his House; Ter-Petrossyan: A straw man for foreign forces who seek the weakening and destruction of Armenia," generated an avalanche of diverse responses.

The letter-writers were separated into four groups. The first group consisted of Ter-Petrossyan's supporters. The second group consisted of Serje Sargsyan's supporters. The thrid group was composed of patriots critical of both Ter-Petrossyan's "anti-Armenia activities" and Sargsyan's "state-level corruption." The fourth group consisted of patriots who were critical of the corruption taking place during the current administration but because of the imminent danger posed by Ter-Petrossyan, chose to help Armenia fend-off a far more serious danger that threatens the very existence of Armenia's stability and statehood.

The following is a set of responses:

Vahe Heboyan, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Georgia in Athens, GA, wrote: "To: the Armenian traitor; From: An Armenian citizen. Take me out of your ridiculous mailing list. It is shameful what you are doing. None of your 'ideas' correspond to the reality. You should not have the right to be called an Armenian. How much did you get paid for that? Is the traitor Dashnak party behind this? I am sure they are. They can never do something useful for the nation, just their personal interests. $%^& [sic] you! Wish the end of this will come soon and people like you will be brought to the justice [sic] of the people whom you are trying to fool. "

Armine Halajyan wrote via e-mail: "You should at least know what happened and how the things have developed in here to write such articles. And please remove me from your list...!"

Minas Kojayan wrote via e-mail: "I totally do not agree with your anti-Ter Petrosian rally. According to me you are dancing to S. Sargsyan's and Kocharian's duduk. The same applies to the group of "journalists" who are accusing Mr. Ter Petrosian "in organizing a coup and that in reality he is not interested in restoring democracy in Armenia but only in power" bla, bla, bla. Are you kidding Mr. Jabarian and friends? Do you think we are babies? Soon you are going to hear from other groups who are going to accuse the anti-Ter Petrosian people who are lobbying for the present anti-popular regime in Armenia. I will sign under their petition. As for not willing to talk to His Holiness, it is another topic - a sad and an unpleasant chapter - we do not want to open it now. Please do not send any correspondent to my e-mail anymore."

Bella Haroutunian wrote: "Thank you very much for this great Article. I forwarded to all my friends. Bravo! Two Thumbs Up!!!"

Ishkhan Babajanian wrote: "You are right. In the name of “free election and acquired corruption from the Soviet era, Mr. Ter-Petrossyan or Raffi Hovannisian or anybody else has neither the right nor the excuse to endanger our national interests and the security for their political gain or ego. Armenia's and Artsakh's security and independence have superiority to everything else."

Seta Hakimian wrote: "Take me off your mailing list. I don't feel like reading 'haga-hairenasiragan' (anti-patriotic) material. Thanks,"

Lusine Mueller wrote: "Please remove. As people of integrity, we do not share your philosophy."

Vatche K. Geuvdjelian wrote: "Flexibility is a good diplomatic tool, but to be naive is fatal."

German Avagyan wrote: "Please, don't send me your JUNK. Never Agayn [sic], OK. Come and live in Armenia, and after that you will have a right to write about MY COUNTRY, dear AMERICAN. Levon wasn't my Favorite, But I hate Fascism, doesn't matter dashnakcakan fascism or Serj's."

RuzAnna wrote: "Thank you for the enlightening information! Best regards."

Berge Minasian wrote via e-mail: "Yes, our homeland has been subjected once again to insult and tragedy perpetrated by politicians looking out for their own personal gain. Whether we believe Kocharian and his band to thieves or we believe Ter-Petrossyan and his opportunists, it doesn't much change anything. Either way our homeland has been savagely betrayed by the elected and aspiring leadership. This election was only the tip of the iceberg. Why is it that no one speaks of the billions of dollars stolen by Kocharyan, Sarkissyan, et al. I've not seen one Armenian newspaper editor speak to that issue. I've not seen any interest in reporting the continuing migration out of Armenia of husbands and fathers as well as entire families. No one speaks of the huge loss of buying power due to the devalued dollar. When I first began our mission in Armenia (1996), the dollar brought 630 drams. Today it is 50% less at + - 320 to the dollar. Couple this with the pain of on-going inflation, and one quickly sees how the average Armenian living outside the inner circle of Yerevan suffers. It's enough already. Who is going to be held accountable for the lingering unemployment suffered by the masses outside of center city Yerevan? Large cities such as Vanadzor are rapidly becoming depopulated. Unless our leaders quit stealing and focus instead on creating jobs, there won't be enough left to fight over. Appo, you owe it to us, your faithful readers to take the lead and get the focus back where it belongs."

Anthony B. wrote via e-mail: "I am not sure this is helpful. We need thoughtful writings about what needs to happen to transform the country and show the Armenian Nation as emerging better than before, rather than recount the events of these recent dark days."

Bernard Nazarian wrote: "Nobody is denying the corruption, not even Serge S. or Robert Kocharian. They are on record, well before March1st or 19 Feb for saying so. And of course no one is or should be condoning it or tens if not hundreds of other serious ills of our society. Nor should anyone ignore or underestimate the fact that most if not all these ailments have their roots and origin in LTP's and his clan's few years in power, who, I have no doubt, would have done if no worse then no better than these lot in those respects if they were in power again and if push came to shove, like he/HHSh did in 1996. I think we, all of us, should realize the primary difference between the two camps is their attitude towards Armenia's statehood, and its long term dignified, sovereign and secure existence, none of which can be achieved without a dignified end and solution/agreement with the Turks to our East, which assumes the security and Armenian existence of Artsakh and the other liberated territories – if necessary through the destruction of the Azeri state or pushing it beyond the Kur and certainly out of Nakhijevan. LTP has clearly shown, back in 1997/8 and now that he is against this agenda. In fact the evidence is that he was against serious fighting against Azerbaijan even in 1991-4 period. He wants "compromise"= sell out. There is strong evidence also to suggest that his agenda was to go to any length to create upheaval and unrest, to weaken the Armenian statehood to the point of intervention by the west (see Armen Ayvazyan's article about his demand for "Intern Invest. Of March 1 Events") whose agenda has always been to "solve the NKR conflict" by giving as little or nothing to Armenia/ns. This, for the west/US would have the advantage of weakening Russia in the region or getting rid of them altogether, of projecting Ankara and the west all the way to Baku and the Caspian Basin and isolating and encircling Iran altogether. The two agendas so overlap that it cannot be considered an accident. LTP is a front, especially given his undemocratic credentials from 1996, for a hidden agenda."

As I have noted in one of my previous columns, in my capacity of Managing Editor of both Hye Kiank Armenian Weekly and USA Armenian Life Magazine, I abstained from endorsing any of the nine candidates running for the Armenian presidency. Even though, I remained neutral, in no way was my neutrality an act of indifference. Indifference, however, to outside forces masterminding a conspiracy would be tantamount to passive and helpless witnessing of the deterioration of the Armenian state at the hands of inside proxy forces.

My primary concern was and always is the preservation of stability in Armenia. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that the vast majority of the people in Armenia-Artsakh and the Diaspora are also deeply concerned with Armenia's stability. It is up to us to help Armenia secure its internal peace and harmony, and resume it’s, albeit slow but steady progress that it has began during the last few years.

Let the light of Truth show the way.

APPO JABARIAN