Tashnag & Armenians at The Ouwet Front: A Lebanese Forces Blog

Tashnag & Armenians

Posted by N10452

I suppose it is time to address this contraversial issue that is not a recent one, but dates since the 70s and 80s and even before that. Armenians have migrated to Lebanon long time ago and established themselves as a productive hard-working & patriotic community and integrated the society very well, however they stayed attached to their Armenian identity a bit too much, in a way that this identity was always put as a priority before the Lebanese one.

Of course there is nothing wrong with staying attached to ur culture and preserving it, but it becomes a problem when when it causes a conflict with ur actual belonging and the country you are living in.

The Lebanese Armenians problem is a party called Tashnag, a party very few people know about, so here is a quick overview from the Tashnag site.

Founded in 1890, in Tiflis Georgia, the three founders, Simon Zavarian, Christapor Mikaelian, and Stepan Zorian brought forth a solid and powerful Armenian Political party that is now over 100 years old. When the “Tashnagtsutiun” was founded, the common goals were the well being of Armenia, and mainly as a Revolutionary group to gain justice for Armenia’s line of causes. At this point, the objective is, “Azad, angagh, yev meeyatzyal Hayasdan”, free, independent, and united Armenia….
We are free, and independent as a nation, but the third objective has not yet been met. “Meeyatzyal” Armenia will happen when the Genocide is recognized, and reparations by the government of Turkey are provided, that is, in addition to Armenia’s control of Artsakh (Nagorno-Kharapagh), and Javaghk (southern part of Georgie to the north of Armenia, a strategically placed land that give Armenia a route to sea, a great plus to the economy.)
For these causes, the ARF and it’s different branches of fellow orginizations, the Armenian National Commitee, Homenetmen, and the Armenian Releif Society, work their parts in bettering the lives of Armenians in Armenia and the diaspora.

Tashnag operated since the early 60s like a mafia, or even more like the Baath regime in Armenian regions, providing everyone with their needs in return of them vowing to obey the party and its orders and every election is proving this theory right, as we heard many Armenian voters comment on TV that they went to vote “because the party wants us to”.

Note that by clicking on history of the party on the site, it relieves the following list of terrorist acts against Turkish embassies and personalities.

Therefore claiming that Tashnag represents 90% of the Armenians is like claiming Bashar el Assad represents 99.97 % of the Syrians.

In the early 80s, Sheikh Bashir addressed the Armenians back then in a relatively “harsh” manner asking them to pledge their loyalty to Lebanon first and to prove it through actions, not just empty talks. It should be noted that Tashnag stood with Bashir politically during his rule, however it never fought along side the Lebanese Forces ( The Tashnaq didnt fight however Many brave Armenians were fighting the Syrians alongside the LFers).

Added to that, Tashnag used to kidnapp Kataeb & LF soldiers and exchange them for money with other parties ( and vice versa), and Bash stormed Bourj Hammoud at one time to put an end to some thuggish acts there.

I will try dig the Bash speech out of my archives, but i cant promise you anytime soon.

Finally,
Gabriel el Murr & Amine Gemayel and all other politicians were addressing Tashnag during their speeches and not the Armenian people, they were attacking a certain party who is controlling the Armenian relatively poor regions in a mafia-way and threatening people through several means to make them vote for him, or voting instead of them without asking their permission.

What they are doing is both harmful to the Armenians and Christians, and i hope those elections will be the last where we witness Tashnag operating freely and imposing his will on people. Many Armenians are aware of those facts and most of the educated and wealthy Armenians are outside the Tashnag, however they need to exercise a stronger influence to take over this party and change its manners.

Filed under: Editorials, Lebanon, Political
Posted by N10452 on 08.07.07 @ 9:48 pm |

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35 Comments. Add your own...

1. Rodge | August 7th, 2007 at 10:24 pm

Mna, Tashnag are always with the ones in power, and since Murr was in power lately they have allied with him.
We should clear one thing, that is Tashnzg are not really supporting Aoun, they are supporting Murr’s decision, becausae he still have some power in Metn and in the country, being the biggest ally of Syria.
As soon as things will change, of course they will change, so if the 14th of March are fully in control they will support them.

Why is that? because they are minority, and minorities always stay with the force in power, to protect themselves.

Last, what about the phone cables HA has extended them in the south?? it is an important issue.
2. R | August 7th, 2007 at 11:06 pm

This post is appalling. You bring in so many disparate elements that you do nothing more than try to slander the Tashnags and Armenians in general.

In a democracy you cannot blame people for voting the way they choose. Nor can you blame a political party for using the system. Furthermore it is ludicrous to accuse the Armenians of sectarianism in a system which is fundamentally sectarian.

Ironically the Armenians of Lebanon are integrated as never before with the younger generation feeling very Lebanese, speaking Arabic, etc. Indeed President Lahoud’s mother is Armenian as is his wife.

These kind of comments can only encourage those Armenians remaining in Lebanon to feel that they have no place and to seek to emigrate to Armenia or North America. This wont be good for Lebanon and in particular the Christian community of Lebanon which will be further weakened.
3. Tony | August 7th, 2007 at 11:53 pm

yes many armenians are with LF and me as half armenian and my armenian family all Are and have bin along side the Kateab / Lebanese forces ever since wou bede 2oul heg bakradounian yehkeh bi kel asemeh el arman li2ano mish kel el arman ma3o yehkeh 3an 7ezbo bas li2ano hala2 min wara el 7mar el bakradounian jaras el arman bi libnen wou 3ateneh sit bech3a ktir
4. paul | August 8th, 2007 at 12:15 am

waynak ya krazy?
5. Tony | August 8th, 2007 at 12:17 am

90% 3am tehlam well henshak shou 7abibeh aktariet el arman bi beirut ma henshak wou bi b3abda el arman ma3 henshak bas bel maten 3endon aswat el tashnak fa rou7 le2ilak shi shaghleh ta3mela li2ano bakradounian jarasna byemsheh ma3el syria leh shou jeyina menon eli syria bi hebo terkiya
6. Tony | August 8th, 2007 at 12:20 am

aslan bi burj hamoud fi sa3bara elouleh 2raybina ta7et fi nes men el tashnaq 3am bi fatsho jiyab el ness la min 3am bi sawto wou nsit tashnak 3am byoun2esem aktar hala2 wa2ta balash hezeb el arman el ahrar
7. paul | August 8th, 2007 at 12:39 am

ya chabeb,ana min ne7yit l2arman very 7iedeh la2anne b2emin bi7ouryet khiar lsyese lmounesib.
bass fi chaghle 7a2 ma3o fia tony,inno bakradonian 3am bi7outt kill l2arman bmaou2af syese wa7ad.halla2 min ntachab addeych? heide lmafroud ma tichmoul kill l2arman, la2ann fi chi ismo khatt raj3a.

choufo GMA yi3ne 2ara3lna rasna kill yom bil 70% taba3o bilekhir loul3o 51%.
fi matal bi2oul:”i zaki byit3allam min ghlato,wil azka byit3allam min ghalat gheiro.
8. Tony | August 8th, 2007 at 2:17 am

bakradounian sar ye7keh metel aoun eza mentebeh leh fag2atan sar yehkeh hek ma koun ege contract wou masareh hada min iran
9. Shadow | August 8th, 2007 at 1:14 pm

To All Armenien Tashnak ,

Pierre Gemayel was murderred by an awful crime because of his politics ideas and we tried to take revenge by keeping his seat and by sending message to all these criminals that we are all Pierre Gemayel , If you kill one of us , we will do election and we will keep his seat.

Now most of the Maronites voted for Pierre to take revenge from these criminals and we failed because of armenien Tashnak voters . Now the crimninals are happy And Aoun helped them by taking out the seat from 14 March .

My Question How you feel now if Maronites went and gave flowers to turkish soldiers in south Lebanon or maronites supported Turkey in any election against armeniens. If you dont respect our martyrs and death how you ask us to respect urs?

Your the first people who were christians , you should help christians in Lebanon to be one team , you should work on the christian Values by giving death a respect .

Finally , I give full respect to all armeniens in Lebanon specially those who voted for us but Im speaking now about Tashnak about armeniens who support Tashnak .Is it a wise decision taken by Tashnak ? How tashnak feels if we did same thing to him by voting for turkey ?
10. Tony | August 8th, 2007 at 2:28 pm

no i think shiekh piere was murdered because he was a threat to be a great presedent
11. proud 2 b lf | August 8th, 2007 at 5:30 pm

lol tashnaq r very coward ppl….they used to hate palestinians in nab3a and claimed they r gonna killem all….but when the kate2eb attacked the PLO in nab3a….they just helped in gaurding the buildings in bourj hammoud with world war 1 weapons….lol

my father said that they used to hide everytime an 2ouwwet jeep crossed with .500 on it…..:P
12. MALO | August 8th, 2007 at 5:42 pm

It is funny how the armenians require that all of us maronites or other oriental christians sympathise with their suffering (while we have suffered the same massacres from the same perpetrators), and they refuse for us the right to even question them on them sympathising with our continuous sufferings and struggles which are also supposed to be there’s as Lebanese in “full right”.

I have no embarrassement, no guilt feeling, and no hesitation in mentionning outloud that the majority of the Armenian people in Lebanon are worth nothing, just like their votes, in the Lebanese political scenery.

If the genocide of other Lebanese christians (their direct neighbours in some instances) doesn’t shake them, if the suffering of their fellow Lebanese citizens doesn’t make them move an inch, if the assassination of Pierre Gemayel doesn’t weigh for anything in their political stance, then the hell with them, the hell with their cause and the hell with the 80% bastards that follow the tashnag blindly in every election.

If these people are oppressed then we, as their Lebanese co-patriotes, have the duty to liberate them from their opressors. Not helping them deal with their problems is the exact racist stance, the confessional stance…

Addressing the opression of the Armenians in Lebanon is a national duty on every Lebanese that considers that this people is an integral part of Lebanon. Not addressing this issue, and “not interfering in Armenian affairs” is the exact racist, discreminating and confessional stance that all of us should refuse to adopt. This problem cannot drag any longer as it is growing in time, and one day it will blow up in all of our faces, just like it was close to do last Sunday.
13. Ali 1559 | August 9th, 2007 at 12:44 am

Not all the blame for the difficulties of the METIN election should be put on the TASHNAG and armenians ! They are doing the best they can do with the resources they have . They need more support from the kateeb (since many many armenians died fighting side by side with Kateeb ), not KALEM FADEH or political games from those in power , oops USED to be in power !

Armenians are LEBANESE and any other proposal beside that needs to be thrown in trash where it belongs ! Enough of this political clashes in between the christians coz lebanon MA BA2 YIT7AMAL!

I am extremely disappointed with your politics ! What do you exactly want ? Another war on TASHNAG like the one back in the mid-80’s? Ouwet what do yo want?

Thank you
14. Krazy | August 9th, 2007 at 8:13 am

I’m back. Been busy talking about Armenians in other sites.
I didn’t even bother to read your comments.

Since Mr. N10452 has mentioned about the civil war. We were allied with Kataeb before the civil war and when the civil war started Armenians as a whole and Tashnag party decided not to participate in the civil war. Because of this decision we got attacked by KATAEB and the other sides.
Also we can never forget what has been done in Zalka to the Armenian youths. Since Mr. N10452 knows alot of the civil war, let him talk about it!

Coming to the latest by-election. The lists were checked by the ministry of Interior which is in the hand of March 14, the election were guarded by the ministry of interior which is in the hand of March 14. So if they were not able to check the list in the right way, then let the ministry of interior resign.

You were talking about the mafia-way of tashnag and making the Armenians vote for the person they want. Sorry but you are wrong. Nobody obliges anyone to vote for a person, the decision is kept for the person to follow the party or not to. My parents vote in Bourj Hamoud and they freely went and voted for the person they think is the best for this position. If you consider sending mass sms to Armenians to vote for Dr. Khoury as a obliging us, I also received sms from Ramgavar party asking me to vote for the March 14 candidate.

As long as I know, in the last part of Gabriel murr’s speech he didn’t say “Tashnag is making civil war in in Lebanon” but he said “Armenians…”.
Do you consider Gabriel Murr non-racist?
As for Amine Gemayyel, we responded to him and we said we will not file a lawsuit against him!
A lawsuit will be filed against Gabriel Murr only (till now).

I also want to note that your new Armenian allies only got you 100 votes in the elections (i’m not talking about Hunchag or Ramgavar) so can you guess why all these anti-tashnag talks are being done?

Thank you
15. Krazy | August 9th, 2007 at 8:23 am

Now that I read Tony’s response.
In Beirut most of the Armenians are with Henchag?
Man check the percentage of Armenian voters in Beirut in this last By-Election.

Tashnag was searching in the pockets?
“Lebneniyyoun al Arman al a7rar” were putting Tashnag songs to attract Tashnag voters! (I heard this from an Armenian March 14er).

When politicians attack Armenian as a race and not only Tashnag then it’s our job to protect the whole Armenians and not the Tashnag only.

I have a 2nd cousin whose name is Tony and he’s an LFer. So hope you’re not that person
16. Krazy | August 9th, 2007 at 8:35 am

Mr proud 2 b lf,
If you consider not fighting as being coward then go and ruin your own country and be a “hero”.

Give us the name of coward, it’s OK! But we didn’t want to destroy a country which accepted us and gave us their identity.

btw you have done half the thing we’ve done in the past
17. Shadow | August 9th, 2007 at 9:56 am

Krazy ,

Please reply to my comment and specially to my two questions.
18. Savio Voskian | August 9th, 2007 at 10:58 am

Long live general Aoun and Dr.Samir Geagea.

Best Regards,

Savio, Rotterdam
19. Sokhoushmoush | August 9th, 2007 at 2:14 pm

Krazy ,very good!!!
#14,15&16 were perfect …Housank kitch me ge lren.
20. proud 2 b lf | August 9th, 2007 at 5:30 pm

Mr. Krazy

first of all…if someone hits u the most normal response in war is hitting them back….and the PLO was very annoying in the nab3a reigon…and although u had guns and weapons u didnt particpate even ya3ne bi shakel ramze….w halla2 bte7ko kif kento bte2etlo l 2ouwwet w ma kento betkhallouwon yfouto 3a bourj hammoud….

and what we did in the past…u dont admit it…that is the fact that we were the ones who protected bourj hammoud and the whole reigon from the terrorist attacks…
by the way i am half armenian…so i dont hate armenians…i am just telling u my point of view that the armenians meaning the tashnaq like syria more than lebanon….since syria was stronger at that time…

admit it man…u just gaurded the buildings and now u boast w betshoufo 7alkon 3a 2ases 2ento kento tederbouna w ma betkhallouna nfout 3a bourj hammoud…iev indzi miser 2adang chek 2eser…
21. Sokhoushmoush | August 10th, 2007 at 11:18 am

che adang chenk 2eser sirelis!!
22. proud 2 b lf | August 10th, 2007 at 6:10 pm

lol miyan adang gesek iev ge hebardanak vor yaba ammen degh ge mednayin paits bourj hammoud cheyin gernar mednal…and plz next time without the sirelis…
23. Sokhoushmoush | August 11th, 2007 at 8:15 pm

OK sirelis
24. proud 2 b lf | August 12th, 2007 at 4:48 pm

lol…hayes inch bid 2ellas….2ehbel
25. Sokhoushmoush | August 13th, 2007 at 1:14 am

E toun inch es manga?
Hay esne lre
Hay ches neyal kna bargir

Ok djiger?
26. mike | August 18th, 2007 at 1:10 am

well what ever ppl said about tashnag party so all bull shit bc we are always with gov and we respact daily gov so why u ppl are Jealous if u lebanise ppl all like armenian i think today u ppl shoud have free lebanon and Peaceful place in the earth peace for u all and god bless lebanon and armenian
27. Sokhoushmoush | August 29th, 2007 at 12:46 pm

Miyain ouwet shounere bagas eyin mez tadelou ,amaa!!! Our haserenk??!!!
28. ASALA | September 5th, 2007 at 4:48 am

im so dissepointed of what am i reading u guys talk about TASHNAG party okay,kataeb,ouwet,oulak 3oun,men fe ba3ad same the grand father pierr ejmaile u guys are talking about an organisation that was orgenised in 1890 and today we are 2007 u guys talk about TASHNAG plz 1000 plzes u guys are talking about orgenisation who fought againts attamon empier againts the red army againts whoever thought that armenians are nothing now they rest in peace bc they talked just like u guys u guys want know what is TASHNAG?i want telll u MAH GAM AZADOUTYOOUN
29. ASALA | September 5th, 2007 at 5:09 am

BEFORE FORGETING.OTTAMAN WERE DEFEATED AND RED ARMY WAS REFUSED TASHNAG WAS AND IS AND WILL ALWAYS BE A BROTHER TO EVERY SINGLE CHRISTIAN IN THE WORLD AND SPECIALY TO OUR BROTHERS IN LEBANON IN 1994 TURKES, TALEBANS ,AZERIS ,SHISHAN,GOT DEAFETED FROM tashnag army (fedaies) in ARTSAKH,and to make sure something THATS NOT THE OFFICIAL SITE OF TASHNAG PARTY WHOEVER WANT GO TO TASHNAG WEB ITS TO EASY IF U GUYS TRAVEL ALOT EVERY SINGLE COUNTRY U GUYS VISIT WILL FIND A PLACE LIKE BOURJ HAMOUD AND THEY ARE TASHNAGS 72,000 LOCATIONS AROUND THE WORLD AND IN CALIFORNIA IN EVERY SINGLE CITY CHURCHS,SCHOOLS ,LIBRARIES,BUILDINGS ,CHARETIES,COMPANIES,PROPRTIES,AND SO MANY OTHER THINGS INCLUDING ARMY IN ARTSAKH,AND THE MOST IMPORTEN THING POWER GOD BLESS U ALL GOD BLESS LEBANON&ARMENIA
30. Avakian | November 7th, 2007 at 5:54 pm

for LF members we dont give a shit for u we
31. Armenian | November 24th, 2007 at 2:11 am

Freedom or death

Tashnag party
32. IbrahimIAN | May 22nd, 2008 at 1:08 pm

Let’s just get one thing straight! Let Syria back in and contain this shit situation going on in this small fucking country the size of a Zeitouna, and get it over with. Without Syria, there is no peace in this fucking country! You lebanese can’t even control your own God Damn Country. Let them in and you will see how it will be better off than independantly ran by dumb ass Lebanese Bedouins!
33. Liberty Front | May 24th, 2008 at 4:42 pm

Armenians are our brothers !!!
34. RARE guy | June 25th, 2008 at 12:06 pm

Armenians…first christian nation…god bless you and lebanon…
35. Arshavir Shiragian | July 24th, 2008 at 12:22 am

I came across this site through Google, to my astonishment I read some of you have remembered the Nabaa cease in the late 70’s. Yes the Palestinians had become pain in the ass that time. To my humble knowledge the Armenian fighters and Kataeb militia had to coordinate the cease. Ask your fathers, who was the “play-maker” there, who and why * came demanding the POW’s of the Palestinian armed personnel from the Armenian central head quarter in Bourj Hammoud, how come the POW were captured by the “Tashnag Fighters”, because, did they enter and “cleaned” Nabaa first?? so?? It smells that some of you guys lack the minimum information to discuss a subject. I want to tell you something, I am not talking as a Tashnag, Hntchag, Ramgavar, ASALA or any other Armenian organization. To be an Armenian, you must have the sense and pride of belonging to that national identity, springing from the heart of the Armenian highlands. Bourj Hammoud is the core resurrector of all Armenian values. That is why it has been the target of all of Armenians’ enemies. Freedom fighters and warriors serving the Armenian cause, in the past, the present and the future are born in Bourj Hammoud. Oh, don’t worry, we are in Lebanon, thanks to Lebanon through the history: WE CAN DO NOTHING TO LEBANON, BUT SERVE FOR IT’S PROSPERITY AND DEVELOPMENT, AND NOT CONTRIBUTE IN IT’S BLOODY WARS. FORGIVE US IF WE ALWAYS REFUSE TO TAKE PART IN CIVIL WARS. I AM PROUD TO BE A LEBANESE NATIONAL, THANKS TO THE ARMENIAN BELIEF ABOUT THE SACREDNESS OF ONE’S NATION AND PEOPLE!
…
All you Lebanese-Armenians who are taking part in non-Armenian parties. For Armenia’s sake, do not bring shame to our identity. Work hard and contribute forever, it’s the heritage of our Grand-Fathers. Sorry, but our Grand-Fathers never imagined that one day Armenians will take part in parties which will wash their hands in Armenians’ blood. You are already a shame to our national identity. So, you be the group of TSOULVADZ-HAYER.

Well,
Armenian Revolutionary Federation which is abbreviated by “Tashnag”, which is the abbreviation of Tashnagtsoutyoun (Federation). This organization is not just an ordinary party, please take off your ignorance all those who listen to the News and suddenly become satisfactorily educated to deal with political and social issues. LF’ers you guys need a lot of education. Don’t make yourselves “maskhara” to the public, I bet a lot of people are reading these comments. The most important part, please do not gain our hatred.