Roupen Karakachian
“Mer Oughin” is the initiative of a group of Dashnaktsakans, who are today outside the ARF ranks, but who nevertheless feel the need to make the Dashnaktsakan voice audible to the public. It is a voice that draws its inspiration from the ARF’s history, Program (Dzrakir), ideology, and moral values; it is a voice that embodies a sense of national dignity; and finally, it is a voice that motivates, empowers, unites and channels the potential of the entire nation towards overcoming the difficult challenges that stand before us.
“Mer Oughin” does not presume to become a political party, nor does it seek to destroy any party. Indeed, there would be no need for “Mer Oughin” today, if the ARF had remained faithful to its mission of transmitting the Dashnaktsakan voice and message. Unfortunately, however, the official party today is subjected to the will of a narrow circle of party bosses who have occupied leadership positions, who have mastered the fine art of reproducing their power, and who by holding the party hostage, have alienated it from its ideology and moral principles. That group, through its policies of the past 20 years (primarily in Armenia), and through the immoral practices it has condoned, has discredited the ARF, undermining its prestige and devaluing its word. When there is such a huge chasm between the recited words on the one hand, and the example set and the deeds carried out on the other, the words become nothing more than slogans and cease to inspire faith.
I have commented previously on the many serious wrongs committed by the ARF during the last two decades. Certainly, there will be further opportunities to comment on these wrongs and to analyze the reasons for them. For the moment, I wish simply to note the following: Today, the official ARF – which incessantly lectures about national values and constantly criticizes Armenia’s authorities for not having any ideological doctrine and for not adhering to any “isms,”– sees crises everywhere and to save the nation from these crises, it has decided to collaborate with the “Prosperous Armenia” and “Hairenik” parties, which are totally devoid of ideology and even more, are without any national or moral values. If their true intent was to rectify the mistakes of the authorities, and assist in the work of nation-building by uniting the people and instilling in them the spirit of struggle, they could have cooperated with many other healthy political forces, such as the “National Democratic Pole,” “Sasna Tsrer,” “Citizens’ Decision,” “Christian Democratic Party of Armenia,” and so forth. But no, they chose those who resemble them most, and together they plot with fake agendas that aim to disorient public opinion, weaken the current authorities, and to precipitate regime change, returning the country to its “Criminal-Oligarchic,” utterly colonialized system.
We still hope that this leadership group, sooner or later, will lose its grip on power and that an opportunity will arise for the party to return to its core mission. Until then, we are compelled to assume the responsibility of transmitting the Dashnaktsakan voice and message to the public.