“Hetq” interviews Jirayr Sefilyan, Coordinator of the “Armenian Volunteers’ Union” national-political initiative

-How would you describe the current state of domestic politics in Armenia?

-The political field in our country today is worse off than ever. The question remains if a political field even exists given that the despotic regime in power has done everything to prevent the formation of a political field as classically understood.

I believe that the political landscape in Armenia today is under the total supervision of outside, foreign forces. However, I am convinced that Armenians will find a way to free themselves from this control. Thus, our upcoming primary aim will be to organize a political forces that will not permit itself to be subjected to such foreign supervision and thus unpredictable, to a certain degree, to these forces. I stress the word “foreign” since today’s leaders are serving as mere tools to maintain such oversight. Our leaders aren’t the ones writing the script of what takes place.

-You talked about the formation of a new force. Who will comprise such a force?

-Towards this end, we have devised the “Sardarapat” movement, given that the situation we face has parallels with the historic battle in 1918. This movement will be based on an underlined national moral philosophy. It will differ from the previous movement in the sense that we will not limit ourselves by saying that we will merely restore or establish the constitutional system, period. We are preparing to clearly show our people our conceptions of how Armenia should develop in the future. We are convinces that a certain degree of specificity must be brought into the equation before it will be possible to mobilize the masses. This movement is above and beyond any political party, and I would go far as to say that it is a movement comprised of non-party members. Any party member incorporated into the movement will prioritize his/her political activity in the name of the movement. Presently, we are in the stage of identifying and specifying the principles of the movement. After this is accomplished, we will officially declare the launching of the movement, when necessary. It will then be clear to all who will be leading the movement. Today, we are also engaged in the formation of the “Sardarapat Committee”. We want to incorporate those people who truly love their country and its people and who believe in our nation’s potential strength. With the support of this inner reserve, we must topple the current ruling regime. This, in essence, will constitute our main tactic.

-Does this mean that you will leave the ranks of HAK (Armenian National Congress)?

We have assisted the pan-national movement in the guise of the “Armenian Volunteers’ Union”. We supported the candidacy of Levon Ter-Petrosyan during g the presidential elections and thus became a part of the pan-national movement, for obvious reasons. We have never regarded HAK as a homogeneous structure or as an ultimate vow. We considered the structure as providing the best opportunity to sincerely work towards the toppling of the autocratic regime, Thus, I would like to refer to the last speech of Ter-Petrosyan’s and state that I believe it to be a deviation from the principles of the pan-national movement. In other words, I would urge all those who agree with what was said in that speech to leave the pan-national movement. This would be the correct thing to do. Again, I believe that the “Armenian Volunteers’ Union” has and will stay true to the principles of the pan-national movement. We will never disrupt the unity forged amongst tens of thousands of our countrymen as a result of the pan-national movement. We have always stood shoulder-to-shoulder with those resisting the regime and will do so till the end. No one person or organization enjoys a monopoly when it comes to the pan-national movement and its field of operation. We will never leave that field.

-Recently, the AVU circulated a statement saying that it was necessary to come up with a new manner of expression for the views of the people. Can we assume that your new movement is to be considered as the conveyor to express the opinions of the people?

-Right now, I’d prefer not to go into details regarding the format as to how this will be possible. But, I think we’re not coming up with anything new here. Perhaps we will organize along those lines when our future steps are clarified. Then, it will be evident to all how we will attempt to give voice to and manifest what the people truly feel. When we officially launch “Sardarapat” it will be unprecedented in the sense that it will give people, who otherwise held no ambitions of leading a movement and who had previously served in a support role to this or that individual, the possibility of participating on an equal footing with everyone else and with the same rights. All will be welcomed on the basis of a shared willingness to serve for a common purpose. When we successfully form the “Sardarapat Committee”, by attracting sincere people to serve, I believe it will inspire our people with a new sense of hope for the future. In my opinion, one of the main reasons for the failures of the opposition to date has been the tendency to place the bulk of the blame for the failure on the people. I have never given this tendency much credence for I believe our people are capable of great and good things. Thus, if the opposition selects the correct tactical path, our people will manifest their inherent potential and successfully oppose the ruling regime and resist all its policies.

-Will you be proposing a working collaboration with the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and the Heritage Party within the parameters of the new movement?

-As I’ve already stated, our movement will be a step beyond the realm of the parties and it will never revert to a mere amalgam or alliance of existing parties. This conclusion of ours hasn’t been derived at by mere happenstance. Experience shows that when attempts have been made to reach a certain objective based solely on an alliance of various forces or parties, personal ambitions and territorial squabbling come into play and the work itself suffers as a result. We will not be concerned with who is or isn’t a member of this or that party. Here, the lines of engagement are clear. We are ready to collaborate with all those who wish to get down and dirty in the trenches with us – to resists and to preserve that which we already possess. Of course, we would never cooperate with those who have blood on their hands and who participated in the murder of our people in the streets. Here, I refer to the events of March 1, 2008. These people should never be lulled into a false sense of safety regarding responsibility for their actions, i.e. that the people have forgotten what they did and that their immunity from punishment is everlasting. I remain convinced that the time will eventually come when the people will punish these people in accordance with the crimes they have committed.

-Following Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s latest speech, several ARF officials stated that the first president had implicitly offered President Serzh Sargsyan some type of deal. Do you believe LTP mad such an offer?

-Let me respond to this statement by the ARF regarding judging others with a passage from the New Testament (Matthew 7; 1-5) - “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

-Even though this question has been discussed at length elsewhere and by others, I would still like to hear your opinion. Do you believe the Turkish Parliament will ratify the Armenia-Turkey Protocols?

-In my opinion, the Turkish government will do all in its power to exact territorial concessions from the Armenian side regarding Artsakh before the protocols are ratified and “dreamlike” relations are established between the two countries. I employ the word “dreamlike” since I believe such relations are impossible. Since I am convinced of this, everything revolves around the fate of the “liberated territories”. The Turks will not merely be satisfied with wringing out a signed document from Serzh Sargsyan agreeing to the return of the territories. They will not merely place their hopes on a piece of paper. They believe in action, and not empty or false documents, contrary to those much more gullible. For this reason, until they are absolutely certain that they have obtained the return of those territories, they will establish any relations with Yerevan. Thus, the greatest danger we face is the one hanging over the “liberated territories”. In the near term, our primary objective will be to defuse that threat.