Exiled Dashnak Makes a Statement

The former president of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun NAUM and a member of the leadership, Artak Melikyan, has written on his Facebook page: "Dear friends, it is noticeable that the news about my exile and that of my friends, Vanik Chaloyan and Anushik Hovhannisyan, has received wide dissemination following the decision of the Supreme Body of the ARF. I fully understand that there is a high probability of misinterpretation and in some cases, distortion of this news among various strata of society.

Since the context of the events preceding the aforementioned decision has been presented and commented upon by myself and my friends (to the necessary and permissible extent), I will briefly touch upon my motivations for joining the ARF and remaining a steadfast Dashnak.

First and foremost, it should be noted that even though I am being exiled from the ranks of the ARF, I will not cease to be a DASHNAK, unwaveringly moving along the path of the Dashnak's supreme mission, which is the creation of a united Armenia. This is the sacred dream that brought me to the ARF, and I will cherish it for the rest of my conscious life.

The idea of a united Armenia and a sovereign state are the unwavering pillars of the Dashnak spirit and the Dashnaktsutyun, for which I have dedicated myself. The elite of the ARF and the immediate interpretations provided by them are transient. I have sinned before those interpretations to avoid sinning before the spirit of a Dashnak and the sacred mission of Dashnaks. Let time speak of the future, dear friends."