Ramgavar Party
Encyclopedia
- This article is about the Armenian party established as Armenakan Party in 1885 and reformed as Armenian Democratic Liberal Party in 1921; For party established in the 1990s, see Democratic Liberal Party of ArmeniaDemocratic Liberal Party of ArmeniaPresently the party is presided by Harutiun Arakelian. In 2008 three smaller parties in Armenia dissolved into the Democratic Liberal Party of Armenia, namely:*National Rebirth*Dashink*Liberal Progressive Parties...
; For party established in 2009, see Armenakan-Democratic Liberal PartyArmenakan-Democratic Liberal PartyThe Armenakan-Democratic Liberal Party held its General Constituent Conference on 19 May 2009. The conference elected a running administration presided by Armen Manvelyan as Secretary General. The conference also decided to invite to a pan-Armenian convening General Assembly scheduled in Autumn 2009...
The Armenian Democratic Liberal Party or the Ramgavar Party, (before 1921 known as the Armenakan party) , also known by its Armenian initials or its English initials ADL (meaning Armenian Democratic Liberal) is an Armenian political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
and the Armenian diaspora
Armenian diaspora
The Armenian diaspora refers to the Armenian communities outside the Republic of Armenia and self proclaimed de facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic...
including the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, the Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
It was established in the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
by Mekertich Portukalian
Mëkërtich Portukalian
Mekertich Portukalian was an Armenian teacher,who founded the Armenakan party in Van, in 1885. He initially taught at Tokat and after a trip to Western Anatolia and the Balkans opened a school in Van in 1878. The school soon fell apart from conflict among members, and closed before the end of the...
as part of national movement in Van in 1885. The Armenakan party was one of the first parties that was established in the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
by Armenian national movement
Armenian national movement
Armenian national movement, also known as the "Armenian revolutionary movement" and Armenian national liberation movement was the Armenian national effort to re-establish an Armenian state in the historic Armenian homelands of eastern Asia Minor and the Transcaucasus...
.
At the Armenian parliamentary elections on 25 May 2003, the party won 2.9 % of popular votes and no seats.
1885-1921: Armenakan Party
The Armenakan party was established in Van by Mekertich PortukalianMëkërtich Portukalian
Mekertich Portukalian was an Armenian teacher,who founded the Armenakan party in Van, in 1885. He initially taught at Tokat and after a trip to Western Anatolia and the Balkans opened a school in Van in 1878. The school soon fell apart from conflict among members, and closed before the end of the...
in 1885 as an underground organization against the ruling system. It was classified as a party based on the fact that it developed a platform, a central body, and an official publication.
The founder of the Armenakan party, Mekertich Portukalian (from Marseilles) kept in touch with the leaders, and published a journal of political and social enlightenment, "Armenia". Portukalian is also cited as the father of the Armenian Patriotic Society of Europe
Armenian Patriotic Society of Europe
The Armenian Patriotic Society of Europe was founded in 1885 by Garabed Hagopian and Mekertich Portukalian. Its goal was to facilitate the Armenian Diaspora in providing aid in their native land, both financially and politically due to their oppressed condition. Its headquarters were in Chesilton...
.
After Mekertich Portukalian, the Armenians of Van continued to develop the political principles behind Armenian nationalism
Armenian nationalism
Armenian nationalism in the modern period has its roots in the romantic nationalism of Mikayel Chamchian and generally defined as the creation of a free, independent and united Armenia formulated as the Armenian Cause . Armenian national awakening developed in the 1880s in the context of the...
, in secrecy. The party's main misconception was that enemies of the Ottoman Empire would intervene and rescue the Armenian people throughout the period 1885–1918.
With the turn of the century, Armenakans had cells outside Van, in other towns in the province, as well as in Trabzon
Trabzon
Trabzon is a city on the Black Sea coast of north-eastern Turkey and the capital of Trabzon Province. Trabzon, located on the historical Silk Road, became a melting pot of religions, languages and culture for centuries and a trade gateway to Iran in the southeast and the Caucasus to the northeast...
and Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
. The military structure was developed in Russian Transcaucasia, in Persia and in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Military activities in the Ottoman Empire included Bashkaleh Resistance
Bashkaleh Resistance
The Bashkale Resistance was the bloody encounter between three revolutionaries of Armenakan and the some Ottoman officials on May 1889. Even though it is named as Bashkale Resistance, the event happened in the Van Province...
in May 1889, Defense of Van
Defense of Van
The 1896 Defense of Van or Van Rebellion was an act of self-defense by the Armenian population in Van against the armed forces of the Ottoman Empire in June 1896.- Background :...
in June, 1896 and the Siege of Van
Siege of Vān
The Siege of Vān occurred in 1547 when Suleiman the Magnificent attacked Persia in his second campaign of the Ottoman-Safavid War ....
from April 19 to May 6, 1915.
1921-Present: Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (ADL)
In 1921 three groupings, namely the Armenakans, reformed factions splitting from the Social Democrat Hunchakian PartySocial Democrat Hunchakian Party
The Social Democrat Hunchakian Party , is the oldest of the Armenian political parties and was the first Socialist party in the Ottoman Empire and in Persia...
and the "Sahmanadir Ramgavars" (Constitutional Democrats) joined forces to form together the Democratic Liberal Party (also known as (Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (ADL)) or Ramgavar Party). The majority of the membership of the Armenakan Party was absorbed into the new party.
Ideology
The Ramgavar party advocates liberalism and capitalism, unlike the other two classical Armenian political parties, the Armenian Revolutionary FederationArmenian Revolutionary Federation
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation is an Armenian political party founded in Tiflis in 1890 by Christapor Mikaelian, Stepan Zorian, and Simon Zavarian...
(Dashnaktsutiun), and Social Democrat Hunchakian Party
Social Democrat Hunchakian Party
The Social Democrat Hunchakian Party , is the oldest of the Armenian political parties and was the first Socialist party in the Ottoman Empire and in Persia...
, which both have leftist ideology.
ADL Media
Armenian Democratic Liberal Party has long-established media in the Armenian diasporaArmenian diaspora
The Armenian diaspora refers to the Armenian communities outside the Republic of Armenia and self proclaimed de facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic...
as well as in the Republic of Armenia.
- ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
: Sardarabad (ADL weekly newspaper in Armenian and Spanish published in Buenos AiresBuenos AiresBuenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Argentina) http://www.sardarabad.com.ar/ - ArmeniaArmeniaArmenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
: Azg [note **] (ADL Daily published in Armenian in YerevanYerevanYerevan is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously-inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country...
, ArmeniaArmeniaArmenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
—recently sold to other independent owners) http://www.azg.am/ - CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
: AbakaAbaka (weekly)Abaka is an Armenian Canadian trilingual newspaper established in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in 1975. It is the official political organ of the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party...
[note **] (ADL trilingual weekly published since 1975 in MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
in Armenian, English and French) - EgyptEgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
: ArevArev (daily)Arev is an Armenian language daily published in Egypt by the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party It was established in 1915 with the first issue published on May 11, 1915....
(ADL Daily in Armenian published in CairoCairoCairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, Egypt) - GreeceGreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
: Nor Ashkharh (ADL weekly in Armenian published in AthensAthensAthens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Greece) - LebanonLebanonLebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
: Zartonk ADL Daily in Armenian published in BeirutBeirutBeirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, Lebanon since 1937 http://www.zartonkdaily.com/ - United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
:- Armenian Mirror-SpectatorArmenian Mirror-SpectatorThe Armenian Mirror-Spectator is a newspaper published by the Baikar Association, in Watertown, Massachusetts.The original raison d'être for the newspaper was to create a vehicle to bridge the growing generation gap between Armenian-Americans since the 1920s...
[note **] (ADL weekly published since 1932 in English in Watertown, MassachusettsWatertown, MassachusettsThe Town of Watertown is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 31,915 at the 2010 census.- History :Archeological evidence suggests that Watertown was inhabited for thousands of years before the arrival of settlers from England...
) http://www.mirrorspectator.com/ - BaikarBaikarBaikar is an Armenian language weekly published by the Baikar Association Inc., in Watertown, Massachusetts, Massachusetts, USA....
(ADL periodical established 1922 and published daily / weekly in various periods in Armenian in Watertown, Massachusetts) - Nor OrNor OrNor Or is an Armenian American bilingual newspaper established in California, United States and presently published in Altadena, California. It is the official political organ of the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party in United States.Nor Or is published weekly in Armenian with additional pages in...
(ADL weekly published in Armenian in Altadena, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
) http://www.noror.org/
- Armenian Mirror-Spectator
[note **]: As a result of the rift in the party, some party organs have started actively supporting the rival Armenakan-Democratic Liberal Party
Armenakan-Democratic Liberal Party
The Armenakan-Democratic Liberal Party held its General Constituent Conference on 19 May 2009. The conference elected a running administration presided by Armen Manvelyan as Secretary General. The conference also decided to invite to a pan-Armenian convening General Assembly scheduled in Autumn 2009...
and the latter's policies, most notably Azg in Armenia, Armenian Mirror-Spectator in the United States and Abaka in Canada.
Expansion towards Republic of Armenia
During the Soviet reign 1921-1990 when the Communist Part was the only legal political party allowed in the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic, all other political parties were banned, including the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party, despite the party's traditional role as, more or less, a supporter of Soviet Armenia achievements in the Armenian diasporaArmenian diaspora
The Armenian diaspora refers to the Armenian communities outside the Republic of Armenia and self proclaimed de facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic...
.
With the establishment of the independent Republic of Armenia in 1990, the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party soon established party affiliates in the new Republic commanding a good number of applicants, adherents and sympathizers. The influx of Diasporan Armenians also encouraged the propagation of the party and its right of center ideology attracted elements in the new republic. Of immense importance was also the establishment of the highly respected and popular Azg daily, an official organ of the Armenian Liberal Democrats. The party also tried to form alliances with various political parties and movements established in the new republic.
Establishment of the Democratic Liberal Party of Armenia
Because of the status of the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party as a Diaspora organization, and although the party had established cadres allied to it in the new republic, there were legal restrictions about being itself established as a legal political entity and participation in Armenian Parliamentary election. For this purpose, Armenia-based sympathizers of the party established in July 1991 a new nominally independent party called Democratic Liberal Party of ArmeniaDemocratic Liberal Party of Armenia
Presently the party is presided by Harutiun Arakelian. In 2008 three smaller parties in Armenia dissolved into the Democratic Liberal Party of Armenia, namely:*National Rebirth*Dashink*Liberal Progressive Parties...
(in Armenian
Armenian language
The Armenian language is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian people. It is the official language of the Republic of Armenia as well as in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The language is also widely spoken by Armenian communities in the Armenian diaspora...
Հայաստանի Ռամկավար Ազատական Կուսակցություն (ՀՌԱԿ)). Close cooperation continued between the two entities, although the political role was reserved predominantly to the new entity. Despite this, the traditional Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (in Armenian
Armenian language
The Armenian language is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian people. It is the official language of the Republic of Armenia as well as in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The language is also widely spoken by Armenian communities in the Armenian diaspora...
Ռամկավար Ազատական Կուսակցություն (ՌԱԿ)) continued its nominal existence.
Rift in party and official position
A major rift developed in the traditional Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (ADL) with a significant number of its members favouring the newly established Armenakan-Democratic Liberal PartyArmenakan-Democratic Liberal Party
The Armenakan-Democratic Liberal Party held its General Constituent Conference on 19 May 2009. The conference elected a running administration presided by Armen Manvelyan as Secretary General. The conference also decided to invite to a pan-Armenian convening General Assembly scheduled in Autumn 2009...
generally considered an off-shoot of the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party , but not officially recognized by the current (diaspora) leadership of the ADL. Armenakan-Democratic Liberal Party also decided to move its main office to Yerevan
Yerevan
Yerevan is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously-inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country...
, Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
, another move not approved by the current leadership of the ADL.
There are also great differences about the ownership and policies of the traditional Armenia and Diaspora media of the ADL, some of which have declared their affiliation with the new Armenakan entity, rather than the line of the current traditional leadership, whereas other paty media stuck to the official party line.
The Central Executive of ADL chaired by Mike Kharabian, and in Armenia the Democratic Liberal Party of Armenia
Democratic Liberal Party of Armenia
Presently the party is presided by Harutiun Arakelian. In 2008 three smaller parties in Armenia dissolved into the Democratic Liberal Party of Armenia, namely:*National Rebirth*Dashink*Liberal Progressive Parties...
(ADLA) chaired by Harutiun Arakelian have both expressed clear opposition and blamed the new entity of trying to divide the party. In 2008 three parties in Armenia, the National Rebirth, Dashink, and Liberal Progressive Parties dissolved into the ADLA. The last assembly of the official Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (ADL) took place in Spring 2009 in Amman
Amman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
, Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
.
Harutiun Arakelian of the Democratic Liberal Party of Armenia (ADLA) has also declared that the party will challenge the adoption of the name of the new party once the latter applies for registration, due to the similarity of the names and ADLA will demand that the new party adopts a different and more distinctive name to alleviate any confusion with the ADL / ADLA.
ADL in Lebanese Politics
The Armenian Democratic Liberal Party with its center-right politics has long been one of the three traditional ethnic Armenian parties in Lebanon alongside the Social Democrat Hunchakian PartySocial Democrat Hunchakian Party
The Social Democrat Hunchakian Party , is the oldest of the Armenian political parties and was the first Socialist party in the Ottoman Empire and in Persia...
(center-left) and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Armenian Revolutionary Federation
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation is an Armenian political party founded in Tiflis in 1890 by Christapor Mikaelian, Stepan Zorian, and Simon Zavarian...
(left-socialist). But with stronger candidates from its rivals, and certainly higher membership and political voting power in the other two, ADL never held representation in the Lebanese Parliament until the end of the 1990s.
ADL Lebanon won its first-ever parliamentary seat in 2000, as an ally to Rafik Hariri
Rafik Hariri
Rafic Baha El Deen Al-Hariri , was a business tycoon and the Prime Minister of Lebanon from 1992 to 1998 and again from 2000 until his resignation, 20 October 2004.He headed five cabinets during his tenure...
's Future Movement, when the latter opted to form alliances with ADL and the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party to the detriment of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, the traditional political power maker of Lebanese-Armenian politics. The MP and party's leader in Lebanon Hagop Kassarjian
Hagop Kassarjian
Hagop Kassarjian is a Lebanese politician of Armenian descent.After graduating with an engineering degree from the American University of Beirut, he joined the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party and in the 1990s, became the head of the party in Lebanon.He was elected to one of the Armenian...
was elected in 2000 as part of Hariri's strong Beirut list dominated by the Future Movement, and re-elected in 2005 elections as part of March 14 Alliance
March 14 Alliance
The March 14 alliance , named after the date of the Cedar Revolution, is a coalition of political parties and independents in Lebanon that call for sovereignty over all Lebanese territories, led by MP Saad Hariri, younger son of Rafik Hariri, the assassinated former prime minister of Lebanon, as...
. The Armenian Revolutionary Federation sided at the time with the opposition March 8 Alliance
March 8 Alliance
The March 8 Alliance is a coalition of various political parties in Lebanon. It has been the ruling coalition since January 25, 2011 when the alliance managed to nominate Najib Mikati as the new prime minister.-History:...
.
The official MP of the ADL party in the Lebanese Parliament after the 2009 elections is Jean Ogassapian as part of the same March 14 Alliance, although he is not a card-holding member of the party.
External links
- Armenian Democratic Liberal Party - Ramgavar Official website (in Armenian and English)
- ADL Media - Ramgavar Mamoul Facebook site