Raffi K. Hovannisian’s Address

Heritage Party Fourth Congress *

1 August 2006
Yerevan

Dear colleagues, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen:

At our last convention held more than a year ago, I assumed the responsible position of chairman of the national-liberal Heritage Party and, together with the elected board members and party associates, we attempted to address priorities including the expansion of our support base, the enfranchisement of the people throughout the social and political domain, and the articulation of the path which the party—battle-tested and always ready—must follow without deviation. It is time to assess our first fruits and give an account of our achievements and shortfalls. What have we accomplished? What have we contributed to Armenia? And, in general, what key problems still await resolution? What is our collective assessment of the situation in and around our country?

To put it briefly, the objective of this congress is to gather in the results of the season past, methodically confer on the new challenges on our agenda, and determine our future course of action. Against the background of these issues, we should note that the party has convened its fourth assembly, has improved on its organizational skills, has been armed with the experience of hard work, and has been educated with the bitter but enlightening lessons of its daily life. Our party ranks are more insightful, and more devoted than ever. The party’s human potential has grown not artificially, nor by the use of financial and administrative levers, nor on the account of contemptible political benevolence, but rather through inner conviction, conscience, and noble drive. I became reassured of this during my numerous meetings held in the capital Yerevan and the regions, where I saw the Heritage Party membership grow in response to our precepts, the dynamism of the party’s ideology, and the growing faith in its plan of action.

There are sure signs that the Armenian body politic is “awakening” from an ongoing apathy and demanding from the political forces, including the Heritage Party, maximum determination, consistency, and concrete plans that benefit the nation, the people, and the country. The society expects a comfortable and prosperous tomorrow not for a mere clique, but for all. It demands a democratic and lawful country not in mere speech, but in reality. The public is ready to fight for that tomorrow, because in that future personal gains are closely interwoven with the permanence of statehood and the continuity of generations.

We simply are obligated to validate the hope that is placed upon us and to contribute to the fulfillment of the patriotic aspirations of the people who have joined us. Since our achievements to date are truly insufficient, the utmost is justifiably expected of us today. The Armenians no longer want to live like slaves under unconscionable socioeconomic conditions and suffer inside a labyrinth of luxury for the privileged. They want their authorities to be sophisticated, truth-seeking, forward-thinking, in tune with their concerns, and unsoiled—free of petty piffles and retributions.

Fellow citizens,

The benchmarks that will guide us to our victory and thereafter were outlined in our previous congress and anchored in our program. The Heritage Party’s agenda of vision must enter each home and every heart, touch the people, encourage them to action, and inform vigorous public debate. On our path, political obstacles combine to mute our voice to the masses. The national media, and specifically television, have been complicit in this silencing, but this cannot become a cause for stepping back or losing hope. In fact, our fight is for their fearless liberty as well. We must not be dejected. We can still make optimal use of the avenues for general communication and the campaigning potential of our fellow citizens. Our ideas and public message must reach the people and restore their belief in a future built by their own strength, joint resolve, and staunch zeal.

What is our message? It is a shared and dignified tomorrow—which they are trying to purchase by means of electoral bribes. Understandably, it is difficult to convince some citizens, who live under dire social conditions, to turn down such corrupt offers that appeal to immediate rather than future needs. Many of us have been lavished with promises and have become disillusioned when they have not been kept. We need not be disheartened when someone hearing our demand is unmoved and withdraws in humiliation. We can empathize with him. His trust has been shaken. Perhaps, this is why some are hesitant to believe our vision of tomorrow. We have no right to surrender in that crucial debate. The real loser will be he who, having lost his trust, sells his election ballot and imperils the future of his own family and children. Bribes and unlawful election generosity might solve fleeting matters of the day, but at the cost of a just and permanent tomorrow. And more than this, he who folds and sells his and his children’s future, though he might be used by them, will not be counted among the henchmen of the “prosperous” patrimony.

Our past and our present are being robbed, and the recognition of this fact is the prerequisite to the measures we must take against the buccaneers of the past and future. These people, wearing various masks, go door to door glorifying their cause. Their glory will be not merely to own the people’s future, but to buy it cheaply. It is unfortunate that some of our compatriots are drawn by the power of money and become an involuntary third party in the obstruction of justice. I believe there is no need for detailed explanation.

In recent times, the US dollar was devalued artificially. According to well-informed analysts, exactly half of Armenia’s citizens, who rely on the money sent by expatriate relatives, have sustained a minimum thirty-percent loss in income. The free market, which is the only foundation for real and lasting economic development, was itself a casualty. Moreover, the official statement that those who kept their savings in Armenian drams gained by thirty percent is ridiculous. Someone might have asked if those few hundred dollars that our fellow citizen might receive are so much that he would be able to salvage savings in drams and come out with a gain. This is barely enough for survival. Or since the dram has become more valuable, maybe the goods have become less expensive? Of course not! It is clear that the overwhelming majority of Armenian citizens have lost. The winners are but a small group of people, most of whom have thrived on the dram-dollar game in years past. These are the same people who, during election campaigns, doled out pennies to the very same people from whom they’d stolen them, and so bought for five more years the future and collective legacy that belongs to all citizens of Armenia. And this is true today. In the backstage of the “fluctuating” currency rate, there lies an entire body politic “swimming,” or more exactly drowning, in the ocean of poverty, illegality, and injustice.

A Russian saying has it that “he who drowns can be rescued only by his own hands.” We couldn’t have said it better. The Armenians around the world and particularly the residents of Armenia have always crafted their legacy and the future of coming generations through honest labor. No one will serve our well-being to us on a silver platter. History has never spoiled us. Today, more than ever before, it is meaningless to convince the people that we will assist them only after we receive their vote of confidence. First, there is hardly anyone now who believes in such promises. Second, let us remember Ronald Reagan who, advising his citizens to be cautious of dishonest and boasting officials, had asserted: “The most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the government and I’m here to help you.”

The Armenian people neither want nor need an arrogant authority. The sole responsibility of the government is to provide the conditions of a dignified life; the citizens will do the rest and the citizens themselves will help the government. Our most dire and chaotic experiences have unfurled in the domains where today’s rulers have pledged to lend a hand. There are numerous such cases. The ruling administration pretended to contribute to the regulation of the local media, but in consequence people were deprived of unbiased information. The A1+ and Noyan Tapan television companies, which were not compatible with the authorities’ vision, were closed down. The government tried to “help,” or acted as if it was giving a hand to, the residents of the capital Yerevan in the improvement of their dwelling conditions, but left thousands on the streets and outside the city’s perimeters. The ruling powers talked big and said they could construct Yerevan according to the plan drawn by the great architect Alexander Tamanian, but the peril of desertization was actualized and the exterior appearance of the capital was distorted. The government boastfully promised to create jobs, as the people, still unemployed, continue to seek work abroad. The government wanted to normalize the economy and, in the end, many good businessmen and thousands of small and middle-size enterprises went bankrupt; and instead of real entrepreneurs, the puppets of the ruling clique were appointed to oversee the economy.

Let us continue. The acting president came to power pledging to advocate the international recognition of Artsakh; instead, the officially authorized representatives of the Republic of Mountainous Karabagh were left out of the talks, as the perception of the conflict was incompetently allowed to transform into a territorial dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which eventually froze. The well-advertised “disclosures” of late bespeak the president’s failed and destructive tenure. The government occasionally offers its “assistance” in the upgrading of the electoral code—it tailors and readjusts—but, in the end, election frauds increase in size and frequency. Through the referendum, they wanted to “help” us have a better constitution, but instead handed down an ungovernable chaos, widespread electoral fraud, and a variety of criminal acts. In light of these facts, I will issue but one plea: May God keep such “help” at bay, especially the help of a regime that profits not only from “fluctuating” currency rates and the emigration of its people, but also from the martyrs of the battle for Artsakh’s liberation.

Dear compatriots,

We have seen and surmounted numerous hardships together, and shared the bitterness and challenges of many difficult years, together with their sporadic triumphs. The common pain, which we endured at the dawn of newly independent Armenia, has united us and brought us closer. This is the life-giving foundation on which we must build our future and with which we must bring meaning to the legacy that belongs to the builder, laborer, blue-collar worker, teacher, doctor, scholar—in other words, the legacy that belongs to us all! Each and all of us will help plant and nourish Armenian statehood. Bizarre though it may seem, our country, along with its rulers, needs the biggest assistance today. Only after treating their disease can society effectively use the instrument of state to improve the lot of the people, to eliminate discriminatory tax burdens, and to establish justice and other national priorities. Self-respect demands that accomplishment be earned by hard work and personal sweat. The Armenian merely needs free and equal horizons of opportunity. The government must serve this function. The Armenian citizen will do the rest.

We must be patient in explaining to our fellow citizens that frustration leads to self-destruction. Disregard and boycott aimed at the oppressors are proper ethical steps. The eminent interest of state-building, on the other hand, requires a resolute and harmonized stance in favor of national traditions and universal human values—and the revision of the rules of engagement, since the self-serving rules imposed by the authorities jeopardize the foundations of Armenian statehood. We must combat the wholly self-interested ruling hierarchy with collective rationality, acute perception, advance vision, and a high readiness to sacrifice for the cause. I see this as the transformation of state and society. Only those who accept and realize the transformation can provide themselves the new beginning necessary for the innumerable strategic challenges which Armenia faces.

Numerous examples can be offered to demonstrate not merely the consequence of isolation and division, but also the dangerous passiveness of the civil society. Under such conditions, as a rule, the illegitimate ruling clique becomes even more brazen. It deems itself free to infringe upon the people’s rights and oppress its own citizens. It has been said many times, and I do not hesitate to repeat, that the way out of this is the united and unyielding resistance which, regrettably, we have not yet realized. Undoubtedly, there are numerous people, from the opposition and the authorities alike, who are concerned with the current situation. It is just that the supporters are not able to unite. Some are not totally confident of achieving victory. Others hold that talking in civility to brute force is pointless. The third group thinks the sides will “devour” one another and, therefore, it is safer to wait on the sidelines.

There is no doubt that we must first ourselves believe in our victory. Only this will pave the way for civil awareness, the most powerful weapon for public solidarity. One thing is crystal clear: we have no right to remain on the sidelines of a clash that is taking place in our country. We must not allow anyone, let alone the illegitimate administration, to make decisions on behalf of the people and put our sovereignty, independence, and national security up for sale. A huge sense of civic responsibility and duty must push us to demand an account of each and every unlawful action and evident crime, irrespective of its perpetrator. There shall be no favoritism before the law.

I do not have to go very far to establish the evidence of an alternative demeanor and true social development here at home. It was one month ago that we ecstatically celebrated the great triumph that the glorious constellation of chess masters attained at the World Chess Olympics. Our magnificent ladies’ team likewise showed the enormous intellectual talent of the Armenian woman. Glory and appreciation to our masters of chess who, through their success, proved something vital: the Armenians are winners and competitors. Of this heroic deed, the freedom of the human mind is at core. This is the valuable lesson that we, conscientious citizens, learned from the flexible mind and powerful spirit of the outstanding representatives of the great Armenian school of chess. Regrettably, however, people today do not feel the joy that Tigran Petrosian ushered into Armenia by becoming the world chess champion in 1963. Even back then, the people were more expressive, heartfelt, and unfettered. Perhaps this was because at the time they did not have so many everyday problems and the sense of not being protected. It is not very difficult to imagine the victories that can be achieved, in all aspects of life, by the citizen-nation whose rights are respected and protected, where the ruling elite is law-abiding, the environment is sound, the public spirit is high, and the mindset is broad.

In the past year, the Heritage Party was able to move forward with small but solid steps. The people endorsed our concepts by enlisting in our party. Meanwhile, the “authorities” reacted in their own primitive way; they took nasty, illegal measures, but these did not scare us. Fear—their own—seems to become a political tactic for the architects of suppression. In the final hours of the dictatorship, imaginary stories and cowardly, slanderous accusations are being hurled, primarily through miniature intermediaries, toward the party, me, and my compatriots. The targets are those who are determined, uncorrupted and righteous men and women of principle, who demand answers for the illegality, corruption, and all-permissiveness of the privileged. All this, however, is the final cry of the “regime” in the face of public solidarity. This is best explained by the words of Mahatma Gandhi: “First they ignore you, then they scorn you, then they attack you, and then you win.”

At first, they tried to ignore us. Then they attempted to ridicule our demand for a public accounting. Now, they harass us with the objective of silencing our dissent, a voice coming deep down from within the society, which condemns the sores and flaws of the system. The people are the masters of the country and we are entitled to the great legacy inherited to us. The people have the right not to be treated like servants. And the authorities have no right to turn our country, the future of Artsakh which gained independence at the cost of ultimate sacrifice, and the emancipated patrimony into a method of payment for gas lines and disgraceful transactions of power.

The citizen has the right to demand accountability from her authorities, whether they are elected or not. These rulers are duty-bound to respond or provide explanations, and not hide behind pathetic middle-men and lackeys, as was the case in our demand for a presidential accounting. With our public activity, we attempted to provide to the ruling administration an opportunity to establish an organic link with the body politic and to form an institution of civilized deliberations. Unfortunately, however, the recipient of this challenge reconfirmed its constant nonexistence for its country and people.

We did not feel inferior when the young pawns of the ruling administration addressed bogus queries to us. What is more, we openly answered those petty questions with the intention of serving an example. But this, too, was futile. We were convinced yet again that it is hopeless to expect the fulfillment of the sacred mission of national unity from an administration that poses unsubstantiated and slanderous counter-claims, sows seeds of division amongst the public, breaks up political parties, and sets up traps against its own constituents. The only solution is to become a complete citizen. They can hide from our demand for a public accounting or, because of their fear and illegitimacy, forcibly change our address, but we will stay on this land until the end. They will find us in Armenia —and nowhere else!

Friends and colleagues,

Let us recognize that our path is thorny, but realize also that we cannot and will not go down on our knees. We are fulfilling our task together and gradually establishing the party as a means to civil empowerment, consolidating its regional divisions, and carefully assessing issues for the future. We also need to rise above the illicit deeds being committed around us, from all-inclusive acts of terror to petty, inconsequential obstructions carried out by official weaklings against the Heritage Party and its members. On the other hand, they cannot force us to remain unresponsive to the challenges that the country faces on a daily basis—the propaganda war waged by Azerbaijan; the desecration of Armenian Jugha; the prospect of increasing natural gas prices and, consequently, the eradication of our energy capabilities; the unpredictable rise in the cost of consumer goods; the incessant looting of public property; the poverty; and many other vices directly affecting our national sovereignty.

The dosage of barbarism being injected today can be fatal for this small but sacred piece of land called “Homeland.” This cannot be tolerated. That is why the forthcoming regular and special elections are ultimately important. The unlawful reproduction of power cannot be allowed to continue. We all know the solution. It is the collective efforts, if not centralized then coordinated and always together with the people, of sound political forces devoted to Armenia and its future.

It is clear for us all that up until and prior to its congress the Heritage Party, guided by its precepts of democracy, has constantly been in touch with its party base. It has, on numerous occasions, held consultations with political forces and, all through the months past, has led the quest toward sociopolitical consolidation for the resolution of a full range of national questions. Without a doubt, the party carried out these tasks by taking your views into account and the measures you have proposed. You know we are prepared to cooperate with all forces and individuals who are the true bearers, in words and in deeds, of the rule of law, human rights, and the values of democracy in Armenia.

We call upon our country’s businessmen, assuring them that they will be more secure and will earn longer in the lawful country of tomorrow. The time has come to say “no” to the deceitful and perilous “support” of today’s ruling clan. Working in the shadows and evading taxes are no longer a promising mode of operation. The entrepreneur must contribute a part of his income to the systems of civil society, rely on the powerful backing of the latter, and thus lawfully create the welfare of the generations to come.

We extend our message to the foremost intellectuals, scholars, and the middle of society. They should recognize that conformism is a grave vice, and silent disregard of the problems of fellow citizens is improper conduct. The glitter of selective well-being is deceptive, and men of intellect must be the first to sound the alarm.

We call upon and encourage civil and state servants, all members of the workforce. We assure them that the prosperity of the present and coming generations, the fate of the country’s security is indivisible from their noble civic stance and righteous way of life. The civil servants, professionals, educators, pensioners, students and all the rest should clearly understand that through their devoted efforts they will not only protect their own places of work and dignified lives, but will also bequeath a righteous, democratic, and strong Armenia where life, education, labor, and creativity will become the worthy and essential components of everyday demeanor and ethics.

We shall appeal to everyone, in the name of a civic mobilization, with the confidence that many will answer our call and join us, just as in the year past when thousands of intellectuals and ordinary citizens joined our demand for a public accounting. Countless citizens also supported us at the time of the original Citizens’ Assembly, the first societal initiative held prior to the constitutional referendum of 2005. Without question more was—and will be—achievable.

Democracy, liberty, and vital national interests are the foundations for the strength and progress of our country. These features will help us forge Armenia ’s tomorrow, nurture the shared legacy, and fulfill the sacred national oath. With respect to the importance of national thinking, nothing deterred Ronald Reagan, former president of the distant and “liberal” United States of America, from uttering these words: “If we ever forget that we’re one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.” This calls attention to the need for unity and keeping faith.

In conclusion, I would like to quote the late novelist Hrant Matevosian who, in one of his last interviews, gave to coming generations the key for the harmony between “I” and “We”—the individual and the collective, the private and the national. “Even national thinking can be considered an abuse against man, if it dares to make itself divine and more valuable than the well-being of the individual. For the paramount self-realization of the individual ‘I’ throughout eternity, a constant mutual responsibility between the notions of ‘I’ and ‘We’ is in order. ‘We’ are only as powerful as ‘I.’” If truth be told, there is no alternative to national unity anchored in public awareness. We do not intend to give lectures to the citizens of today and tomorrow. We simply declare that our future is in our hands. All that remains is to become its master and not to allow our country to fall into the vortex of new and endless catastrophes. How can we not recall this message from famed poet Vahan Terian:

Powerfully forged is our soul—the child of history,
Many ruins and flames has seen our heart.

Much sorrow and destruction has seen my land,
Each and every song is in tears there, each and every book, in lament.

We are captives—not slaves—an eagle in confinement,
Always grand against evil, always righteous against the bad.

The barbarous come and go time and again without trace,
But our majestic word will continue for ever.

The history of our nation, devoted citizens, is still in the making. And the commandment of imbuing it with determination and spirit is before us, and within us, until we strike summit.

* Unofficial Translation