3723) Armenian Secret Army for Liberation of Armenia (ASALA) Calls on Armenians to Take Common Position on Patriarchal Elections in Constantinople . . .

8 Dec
ASALA issued statement: which specifically states that the Turkish authorities' pre-emptive ban on the Patriarchal elections in Constantinople (Istanbul) . .

, that only Turkish citizens can be elected, has created an unprecedented restriction; Even those who are citizens of Turkey who perform their religious service outside the country have been banned. With this new arbitrariness, the number of patriarchal candidates has been reduced from 2 to 12, implying Turkey's slavery and coercion of the agreed patriarch. To the Armenians of Constantinople and to the entire Armenian Church.

According to the organization, one should clearly understand that K.M. The Patriarchal election in Constantinople is not a mere church issue, but a matter of decades-long Armenian-Turkish confrontation, and in this respect the Republic of Armenia as an independent state, the Armenian Diaspora, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, as well as other Pontifical Chairs should adopt posture. As reported by ASALA, the statement reads: "Turkish authorities continue to interfere in the internal affairs of the Armenian Church by pressing the pressure on the small but influential Armenian community of Constantinople.

The pre-emptive ban by the Turkish authorities on the patriarchal elections (that only Turkish nationals can be elected as patriarchs), the new intervention has created an unprecedented restriction, even prohibiting the candidacy of Turkish citizens who perform their religious service outside that country. With this new arbitrariness, the number of patriarchal candidates has been reduced from 2 to 12, implying Turkey's slavery and coercion of the agreed patriarch. To the Armenians of Constantinople and to the entire Armenian Church. Given this reality, today a large part of the Istanbul-Armenian community is going to boycott the May 12 patriarchal mockery of the elections, and another segment of the conservative, Turkish authorities, or those who are afraid of them, are following their path. This is not the first time Turkey has attacked Turkey. Elections of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople. In 1950, Ankara's similar intervention was marred by a brave blow to the throne of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

The late Pontiff stated in a telegram to the Turkish president that such behavior by the Turkish authorities "means interfering with the internal affairs of the Armenian Church, which is unacceptable." He also added his strong threat that "otherwise we would have to declare the Patriarchal election invalid and not confirm the electorate." The patriarchal rebuke gave its result: The Turkish authorities of that time were forced to back down, and thanks to free and fair elections, the most honorable candidate was elected Patriarch, the leader and patriarchal delegate of the South American Diocese, Archbishop Garegin II. Khachaturyan. With these conspiracies against the Armenian Church, Recep Tayyip Erdogan seeks to consolidate the corrupt foundations of his power while seeking to further divide the Church. Make the Armenians of Constantinople and, to the maximum extent, manageable, by reducing the role of the Patriarchate in the future in matters concerning Armenians and Armenia.

It should be clearly understood that K. The Patriarchal election in Constantinople is not a mere church issue, but also an issue that has been at the heart of the Armenian-Turkish confrontation for decades, so in this regard the Republic of Armenia as an independent state, the Armenian Diaspora, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, as well as other Pontifical Chairs need : Silence on this issue or adherence to the Turkish coercion for other diplomatic reasons is tantamount to subjugating the Turkish authorities, authorities that even observe the laws of their state and the obligations to the international community. The Armenian Secret Service for the Liberation of Armenia, as an organization fighting for the restitution of the confiscated homeland and rights of the Armenians, has declared that they are not homeless. The Armenian community of Constantinople, the remnants of the courageous Armenians living in the rest of Turkey and in the occupied western part of Armenia. "

Source: a1plus

https://a1plus.am/hy/article/355159

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Secret army is modern even today


The society doesn’t have complete information about Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia (ASALA).

“We have a notion that the Secret Army is purely terrorist organization, yet it isn’t true, terrorism was only a small part of its activities,” says historian Vladimir Petrosyan.

The scholar also used the sources, which haven’t been published until today, “I used the sources of ASALA, I met with the chief ideologist of the Secret Army Gevorg Achemyan.”

Vladimir Petrosyan decided to write a book about ASALA taking into account the modernity of the organization’s ideology nowadays.

“ASALA thought that the demand of the recognition of the Armenian Genocide is theatrical performance, it is not the key issue, the key issue is to regain the lost homeland.”

Nowadays ASALA doesn’t carry out active work, but it doesn’t mean that the organization has nothing to do.

“Maybe its style of fighting is not modern nowadays taking into account today’s international situation, but the name secret army itself is always modern,” notes ASALA fighter Vazgen Sislyan.

“Secret army, its ideology” book was written during 7-8 years and has been published in 500 copies. The book still won’t be put up for sale. Those, who are interested, can find the book at libraries of Yerevan.

Source: a1plus

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