Author: Adrine Hakobian

GLENDALE—The Armenian Youth Federation – Western United States and All Armenian Students Association welcome the signing of AB1320 by California Governor Gavin Newsom on October 3.

The bill, entitled “Divestment from Turkish Bonds Act,” prevents the boards of the California Public Retirement System and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System from making additional or new investments, or renewing existing investments issued or owned by the government of Turkey after federal sanctions are imposed on Turkey. Moreover, CalPERS and CalSTRS must liquidate any of the investments described above within eighteen months of the passage of federal sanctions on Turkey.

Total investments in the Republic of Turkey are upwards of $350 million dollars as of the beginning of the 2019 calendar year.

These victories, from the California legislature to the governor’s desk, could not have been possible if not for the Divest Turkey initiative spearheaded by the Armenian Youth Federation – Western United States in collaboration with the All Armenian Students Association across University of California campuses.

Since the Divest Turkey campaign’s inception in December 2015, all 9 UC schools, including Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz have voted overwhelmingly to divest, without a single “no” vote cast. Finally, the University of California’s Student Association voted in favor of the Divest Turkey campaign, definitively affirming the will of a combined 250,000 students across the University of California, one of the largest university systems in the world.

Since then, members of the AYF-WUS and All-ASA have continued the campaign through various educational initiatives, held meetings with community partners, and supported legislative efforts. As a result, AYF-WUS and All-ASA members appeared in front of the California State Senate Select Committee on California, Armenia and Artsakh Mutual Trade, Art and Cultural Exchange, presenting the campaign. Most recently, DivestTurkey campaign organizers were invited to testify at the UC Regents Investment Subcommittee hearing on May 22, 2018.

The Armenian Youth Federation – Western United States and All-Armenian Student Association are working steadfastly to continue building on this momentum, and call on the UC Regents to listen to students across the University of California system, and make both the sensible financial and moral choice of ceasing investments in the Republic of Turkey.

Robert Grigoryan, chairperson of the All Armenian Students Association stated, “This movement is unprecedented in both student, community, and legislative support. Over the years, the State of California has made its position on the Armenian Genocide and the fight for justice clear. However, signing AB 1320 into law has shown the state’s willingness to go a step further in rethinking its investment strategy in the name of justice and accountability. This should inspire universities and states across the nation to do the same; to use economic means and incentives to hold Turkey accountable for its crimes.”

Arev Hovsepian, AYF-WUS and Divest Turkey Task Force member, added, “Turkey should not have the opportunity to use our tuition dollars and pension fund investments to fund its ongoing denialist campaign. Currently, we are working with the University of California in order to ensure that the will of students, faculty, and representatives is being actualized, in accordance with UC values and fiscally responsible policy decisions. I am proud to be a former member of the Armenian Students Association and a current member of the AYF-WUS, which continues to focus on empowering students and youth to assert their voices on their university campuses across the nation.”

The All-Armenian Student Association works to unite various Armenian-American college student organizations and serve the greater Armenian-American community through cultural, social, educational, and activist programming. As the largest confederation of ASAs in the nation, All-ASA is dedicated to collaboration among its constituent organizations, leadership development of its members, and community service.

Founded in 1933, the Armenian Youth Federation is the largest and the most influential Armenian-American youth organization in the United States, working to advance the social, political, educational and cultural awareness among Armenian-American youth.

BY MADELEINE MEZAGOPIAN

Prior to, and following, the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Armenians of the Diaspora craved to see – if not to live in – the free, united and independent Armenia. However, this yearning was not detached from haunting memories, as descendants of the survivors, of the Armenian Genocide. Suffering, pain and agony are pertinent not only to physical annihilation, but equally related to usurped bodies, homes and lands of their ancestors. Armenians of the Diaspora are in constant search for their homeland; while they reach, with hope and careful happiness, the Republic of Armenia – just a fragment of our Motherland.

Armenians worldwide perceive the Republic of Armenia, especially in the aftermath of the peaceful revolution, with great pride and dignity. The revolution further consolidated democracy and determination to uproot all the ailments that threaten the wellbeing of Armenians, and Armenia’s status and credibility, foremost corruption and societal comportments alien to the ancient and near past Armenian civilization.

Fear and doubt often accompany this optimism, particularly when the normalization of the relationship with identities still occupying Armenian territories surface.

Concerts, fireworks, speeches will soon echo throughout the Republic of Armenia in celebration of its independence from the Soviet Union, which with its collapse, the artificial union of states was dismantled.

Yes, Eastern Armenia was freed on September 21, 1991, but does it represent an occasion to celebrate the independence of Motherland Armenia, even the independence of Eastern Armenia? Has it regained its sovereignty not only over its territories but over its decision making process of pertinent domestic and external issues? Has Eastern Armenia regained its original culture with its language, way of life, its cuisine, its reaching the Lord, inter alia?

Does Eastern Armenia represent the stronghold of all Armenians, the fortified front which will resort to all the available channels, resources and fight for its remaining occupied territories? These occupied territories of Motherland Armenia witness ongoing uprooting, if not destruction, of its historical sites, which stand witness to a great civilization whose protection is the responsibility of not only the Armenians worldwide, but the responsibility of all individuals, organizations and states; the advocates of the survival of cultures and civilizations.

Yes, Eastern Armenia must celebrate its partial independence provided that the celebrations are succeeded by seminars and conferences bringing together relevant scholars: historians, archeologists, sociologists, political and international law scientists and practitioners, Armenians and non-Armenians who all meet in serving truth and justice. Yes, partial independence celebrations to be coincided and succeeded by brain storming processes on how to peacefully regain the remaining occupied Armenian territories in Western part of Motherland Armenia with its Great Ararat, Van and Ani. Yes, peacefully approaching the occupiers irrespective of their history of atrocities and vandalism, irrespective of their culture devoid of peace, devoid of culture of listening, of dialogue and peacemaking.

Yes, to forgive past occupiers and celebrate. However, without forgetting current occupiers and anticipating and working towards celebrating a free, united and independent Armenia when the legitimate rights pertinent to the Motherland Armenia in its entirety are regained and upheld. Thus remaining loyal to the memory of over one and a half million martyrs of the Armenian Genocide and to the millions who were deported throughout history from their homelands, in different parts of Motherland Armenia. These legitimate rights will surely not evade with time nor will their memories of their homelands be replaced with new memories of new homelands.

Yes, let’s regain and celebrate the independence of Motherland Armenia!

Madeleine Mezagopian is an academic researcher, adviser and analyst specializing in conflict resolution/peace, as well as socioeconomic and political development. She lives in Amman, Jordan.