Prime Minister of the First Republic of Armenia Hamo Ohanjanyan on the blind Russophilia among Armenians.
“Today, we (the government of Armenia) should not doubt the existence of an agreement between Soviet Russia and the leader of Turkish nationalists Mustafa Kemal, which was published in the press several months ago.
And we should not doubt that all those events that occurred during the last two months, as well as today, are nothing but the necessary attempts to implement this agreement.
The Armenian people, due to their geographic and ethnographic situation, have always in the depths of their souls possessed one painful worldview which is difficult for them to refuse. This is the very blind Russophilia, which at the same time has become the most painful wound of our public and state life.
Being surrounded by malevolent Muslim and enemy elements, the Armenian people blindly believed that only the Russians could free them from the suffocating atmosphere.
And the evidence of what I have said can be the recent events in Karabakh (in April 1920, when Azerbaijan became Soviet and the Bolshevik 11th Army entered Artsakh without any resistance).
The Armenians of Karabakh, who for two or three years had bravely resisted the attacks of the enemy, hampering the invasion of the Turkish-Azerbaijani horde, have not yet risen up against the Russian-Tatar predatory gangs despite the fact that enemies had entered their homes under the mask of communism.
Our friends who were in Karabakh, who had no connection with the center, went back to Zangezur 10 days ago, and then, under pressure from the Tatar-Russian rabble, surrendered another part of Zangezur.
What should you and all of us do to restore the situation in Karabakh and Zangezur and in order to save Armenia from the Tatar-Bolshevik danger?
Of course, after an exchange of views, you can outline a plan of action in detail, but I consider it my duty to remind once again that the biggest flaw in Armenian life is Russophilia, which must be eradicated by any means because today, Russophilia is our greatest enemy.
To change the psychology of Armenian citizens, to let them know our real enemies, and to free them from the naive faith means to ensure the existence of Armenia and its inviolability to a greater degree.
Go to the people, open to them the real picture of events, and let them see that Russia has fraternized with Armenia’s worst enemy. Let the people see that by attacking our borders, the imperialist and oppressive Russia has the goal of opening a road to Turkey.
Let the people realize that the shattered, intimidated, hungry, and frozen Russia has never thought about saving the Armenian people, and finally, let them realize that they themselves must clear the way for their salvation, and the only guarantee for long-term security and happiness is the independence of a united Armenia.”
Extracts from the book of Hamo Ohanjanyan, from the report on Karabakh and Zangezur, “Յառաջ”, July 24, 1920 (published by Aniarc.am).
