ARF-D Implicates U.S. in Failed Colored Revolution Attempt

RFE/RL reports that the Armenian Revolutionary Federation — Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D) has effectively implicated the United States in funding and backing a failed attempt to come to power by former president Levon Ter-Petrossian. The allegation came at the opening of an ARF-D Congress in Yerevan and echoes similar concerns from some quarters that the radical opposition were more interested in fermenting a colored revolution than contesting an election.

Nevertheless, while accusations against the National Democratic Institute (NDI) might hold some weight given the clandestine and secretive way in which it works in Armenia, it seems more likely that Ter-Petrossian hoped external support would appear, but that he instead miscalculated. Stability seems to be more of interest to the West than regime change enacted by a splintered opposition united only by hate rather than ideology.

“What happened in the country [in the wake of the election] was an attempt at a color revolution,” Markarian said in a speech before hundreds of congress delegates, many of them representing Dashnaktsutyun structures in the worldwide Armenian Diaspora. “Under our noses there was formed an organized mechanism or, as they like to say, a network similar to [the ones created in] other states: Georgia, Serbia, Ukraine. It was formed with foreign orders and funding.”

[…]

Markarian spoke of an unspecified world power that “seeks to subordinate the causes of all peoples to its interests and aims” by means of “various international NGOs and foundations.” Speaking to journalists, he said the New York-based human rights group Freedom House and the U.S. National Democratic Institution are among those organizations. Asked which concrete foreign government is keen to foment a “color revolution” in Armenia, he said, “It’s not hard guess. I think you know it.”

[…]

The Iranian-born politician, who spent more than three years in prison during Ter-Petrosian’s rule, further charged that the former Armenian president is primarily responsible for the March 1 clashes in Yerevan between riot police and his supporters, which left at least ten people dead. “March 1 was beneficial for neither the country, nor for the people or the government,” he said. “It was beneficial only for [Ter-Petrosian,] and unfortunately he got it. Those who still believe him must think about that. Especially the youth.”

[…]

The Dashnaktsutyun leader was particularly scathing about Ter-Petrosian’s harsh anti-government rhetoric that earned the ex-president unexpectedly strong voter support. “He didn’t come to wage a program-based and ideological struggle,” said Markarian. “Rallying the headless opposition masses around him, he created an atmosphere in which ethical norms of struggle gave way to destruction, slander, hatred and demagoguery.”

Markarian went on to defend Dashnaktsutyun’s decision to remain part of a government which it strongly criticized during the election campaign. He cited the need to help the Sarkisian administration cope with external challenges facing Armenia. “As long as that danger is there, our being in the coalition is justified,” he said.