The Time Is Here for the Unification of the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party: An Appeal

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Steering Committee of Unification of the ADL Leadership

Dear and faithful members of the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (Ramgavar Azadagan Gousagtzoutyoun),

Today, Armenia is facing critical challenges. Armenia and Artsakh, reborn with independence through a rare historical opportunity, are in existential danger. During its centuries-old history, Armenia has lost its statehood many times, subjecting its people to foreign dominion and regaining its independence again and again. It is incumbent upon the current generation to save and perpetuate our statehood, which was regained through the sweat and blood of many generations.

The diaspora, in its turn, is undergoing a crisis of leadership. It is failing to reorganize itself and lend support to Armenia, despite the abundance of intellectual, cultural and material resources at its disposal.

The Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (ADL), which had played a crucial role during its one hundred years of history for our people in trying times, has also fallen into a sad pattern, failing to continue its political and ideological missions in the current state of challenges. In today’s world, with pervasive globalization, every Armenian organization has been faced with the same challenge of keeping up with the changing times in order to be able to function effectively.

Thus the ADL too is faced with the urgent task of putting its house in order.

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The ADL has been the standard bearer of the Armenian cause, while serving as a bridge between the homeland and the diaspora and functioning as a balancing political force throughout the world.

Today, opportunities arise and pass us by while we are no longer in a position to face those challenges, while in the past our leadership and the dedicated membership would have risen to the occasion and proffered thoughtful solutions. The party and its membership powerlessly watch developments, and that powerlessness is a source of embarrassment because we are hopelessly divided and fragmented.

The ADL fell in disarray after forging a glorious history. Today, no entity which claims the ADL identity in the diaspora — where the ADL was born — enjoys legitimacy according to the party’s bylaws. The principle of legitimacy has been left in the past, forging the need for a new era.

We, a group of ADL leaders, acting as a steering committee, feel ourselves responsible before history, our members and our people and determined to achieve unity, resorting, if necessary, even to impossible measures, because we cannot abdicate this responsibility.

The undersigned have had differences and disputes in the past, or even continue to have them today, but we, considering the party’s unity as coming before all such issues, hereby join together in this appeal. As former leaders, we believe we have contributed our share to our beloved party and we don’t entertain necessarily any intentions of running for office in the future.

We believe it is time to transfer the reins of this historic organization to a new generation of leaders and we are here to support the new leadership with all our means to ensure its success. We are convinced that our group represents the voice of the majority of the party membership, based on the urgent appeals arriving from many quarters.

Our initiative does not have ready formulae for reorganization nor candidates for positions. Our appeal is based on the firm belief that the ADL has to unite and that task is the duty of our generation. Therefore, we hereby appeal to all individual members and entities not necessarily to join us, but to create a common forum where all of us can meet without any reservation and achieve the task of reunification.

Our next appeal will announce our future steps.

The time is here for unification.

 

The Steering Committee of Leaders for the Unification of the ADL

Dr. Arshavir Gundjian (Montreal)

Hagop Kassarjian (Beirut)

Sergio Nahabetian (Buenos Aires)

Edmond Azadian (Detroit)

Vartan Nazerian (Los Angeles)

Dr. Krikor Adanalian (Los Angeles)

Dr. Hratch Kouyoumjian (London)

Hagop Avedikian (Yerevan)

December 19, 2021

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