Mary Matosian
As descendants of Armenian Genocide survivors, many of us in the
diaspora have built our identities and ideologies around the issue of
demanding justice, truth, and reparations for this crime. As the
Centennial approached, Armenians worldwide put forth the important
question of what to do beyond April 24th, 2015. Many people spoke of
continuing the global effort to gain justice for the genocide, while
others emphasized renewed efforts to strengthen Armenia.
As I see it, we can continue to demand justice for the genocide and
build Armenia, thereby helping our fellow men and women in a country
that we call our own. Like all nations, we have a multitude of
challenges. It would be shortsighted for a nation of people to focus on
just one problem area. One does not and should not exclude the other. We
need to come together collectively and decide what course we’re going
to take and where we want to be 100 years from now.
While various local organizations have done a tremendous job in
building new institutions that are serving the local population and
improving education, development, health, and other indicators, most are
not challenging people’s underlying mindset and pushing them to tackle
the fundamental problems that Armenia faces.
As global citizens, we know that few problems are unique to Armenia.
Gender inequality, environmental degradation, lack of preservation of
historic and natural sites, and widespread corruption are challenges
facing the global community. For me personally, striving for social
justice is both my biggest challenge and the beauty of living in
Armenia. It brings me great fulfillment to know that the work I’m doing
is making a difference in the lives of Armenian citizens every day.
I still vividly recall the early days of Armenia’s independence. On
Sept. 21, 1991, the day of independence, I met a U.S. Senator at the
presidential palace; he was as euphoric as I was. He told me that
independence would change Armenia’s course and that we were fortunate to
have such a strong collective identity and committed diaspora that
would work to create change. But back then, no one quite knew the
challenges that we were up against, as the country went through massive
social and economic upheavals, the ripples of which are still evident
today.
Twenty-four years after independence, after decades of subsisting on
humanitarian aid, we are now at another crossroads. Building the
nation-state has never been more important than now. For this,
diasporans need to do more than write a check; we need commitment,
determination, resilience, and sacrifice, keeping in mind that
development is a continuous process.
So, who goes to Armenia? As someone who has lived and worked in the
country on and off for the last 25 years, I can say that the repatriate
community carries as much diversity as similarity. Some, like me, came
with their entire families relatively early on and worked hard to
assimilate when there was little precedent for making the move. Others
arrived later, some independently and some with loved ones.
Organizations like Birthright Armenia and various internship programs
have brought hundreds of youth to Armenia and helped them to integrate
into society and engage with local organizations.
Despite the barriers to living and working in Armenia, including low
wages and systems that are not fully developed to assist newcomers, more
and more young, progressive diasporan Armenians are joining hands with
activists in Armenia and contributing to the process of nation-building
and social change.
I recently came across a profound and moving speech by U.S. President
Obama on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the Selma shootings, in
which he described the work of civil rights activists in America. In
listening to the speech, I thought about the implications for Armenia
and was reminded of the commendable work of diasporans who have worked
to stop voting irregularities and have stood up for the rights of women,
the LGBT community, and those with disabilities. I was also reminded of
the challenges that my colleagues and I have faced—how we’ve been
labeled, marginalized, and even threatened by those who resist the tides
of change.
Looking back now, we can say that significant progress has been made
in America since the advent of the civil rights movement. But at the
time, the outcome wasn’t so clear: Activists were condemned rather than
praised, much like Armenian activists in today’s environment. In the
words of President Obama, “What they did here will reverberate through
the ages—not because the change they won was preordained, not because
their victory was complete, but because they proved that nonviolent
change is possible, that love and hope can conquer hate.”
Now is the time for us to rise up and demand justice. My hope is that
future generations of Armenians can look back at this point in time and
say that a major shift took place. We need to move away from
humanitarian assistance models, and move toward finding solutions to the
deeply ingrained societal norms that challenge progress.
Many older diasporans pessimistically hold onto the belief that
nothing will change in Armenia—that it’s too corrupt and hopeless. But
we are seeing young Armenians planting the seeds for the future. We have
a responsibility to make Armenia a better place. We should not shy away
from demanding accountability from our leaders. Next time you shake the
hand of a government official, also point out the need to change
policies and be serious about fighting corruption. We must become
advocates for social justice and confront the deplorable corruption,
gender inequality, discrimination of special populations, and other
issues that are responsible for massive outmigration and difficult
present-day conditions.
I encourage all to come to Armenia and join forces with others who
want to see a homeland that is more than just a place of beautiful
historic sites and wonderful restaurants. Armenia is also a place where
social justice and progressive thinking are advancing society. So-called
“elitar” projects—those that cater to the best-and-brightest—often are
limited in value, as they do not actually address the root problems of
Armenia. We must build a strong civil society demanding accountability
from the government.
Clearly fighting for justice for the genocide is just one of many
battles we need to undertake. We also need to focus our energies on
present-day struggles, and be the change we want to see in Armenia.
"The Armenian Weekly," September 18, 2015
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