Social Democrat Hunchakian Party
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| Social Democrat Hunchakian Party Սոցիալ Դեմոկրատ Հնչակեան Կուսակցութիւն |
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| Chairperson | Setrag Ajemian |
| Founders | Avetis Nazarbekian, Mariam Vardanian, Gevorg Gharadjian, Ruben Khan-Azat, Christopher Ohanian, Gabriel Kafian and Manuel Manuelian |
| Founded | 1887 |
| Ideology | Socialism, Social Democratic, United & Independent Armenia |
| International affiliation | None, formerly Second International |
| Website | |
| www.hunchak.org.au | |
The Social Democrat Hunchakian Party (SDHP) (Armenian: Սոցիալ Դեմոկրատ Հնչակյան Կուսակցություն also known by the initials ՍԴՀԿ), is the oldest of the Armenian political parties and was the first Socialist party in the Ottoman Empire and in Persia.[1] It was founded in 1887 by Avetis Nazarbekian, Mariam Vardanian, Gevorg Gharadjian, Ruben Khan-Azat, Christopher Ohanian, Gabriel Kafian and Manuel Manuelian, a group of college students in Geneva, Switzerland, with the goal to gain Armenia's independence from the Ottoman Empire, which is part of Armenian national liberation movement [2].
Also known as Hentchak, Henchak, Social-Democratic Hentchakists, Huntchakians, Hnchakian, Henchags, its name is taken from its newspaper Hunchak, meaning "Clarion" or "Bell" in English, and is taken by party members to represent "a call or awakening, for enlightenment and freedom."
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[edit] History
All seven founders of the party were Russian Armenian Marxist students who had left Russian Armenia to further their education in various universities of Western Europe. They were young, in their twenties, and supported by their affluent bourgeois families. They were influenced by Russian revolutionary ideology. Mariam Vardanian had worked with Russian revolutionaries in Saint Petersburg. For the purpose of furthering revolutionary activity in Turkish Armenia, they formed the Hunchakian Revolutionary Party in August, 1887.
Hunchak party fought many battles against the Ottoman Empire, to free the Armenian people from Turkish rule. One of Armenia's famous national heroes Andranik Ozanian, at first, joined the Hunchak party[3], but disagreement with party policies led Andranik to leave the Hunchak ranks and join the Dashnak party[4] and on to the Armenian Democratic Liberal Ramgavar Party.
[edit] Activities in the Ottoman Empire
- Kum Kapu Affray: (July 27, 1890)
- Sasun Resistance: (1894)
- Defense of Van: (June, 1896)
- Khanasor Expedition: (July 25, 1897)
- Zeitun Resistance: (August 30, 1914 - December 1, 1914 and March 25, 1915)
- Van Resistance: (April 19, 1915 - May 6, 1915)
- Shabin-Karahisar Resistance: (June 2, 1915 - June 30, 1915)
- The Twenty Martyrs (June 15, 1915)
[edit] Democratic Republic of Armenia
The party also played role in establishment of Democratic Republic of Armenia, as party members took part in the Battle of Sardarapat, during the World War I at Caucasus Campaign, which defended the Armenian capital Yerevan from the Army of Islam of the Ottoman Empire.
[edit] Activities in Lebanon
In the 1950s, it clashed, sometimes violently, with the Dashnak Party, due to tensions that escalated when the ARF elected Bishop Zareh as Catholicos of Cilicia, a move that was rejected by the Hunchaks. In the midst of increasing sectarian strife in the late 1960s and early 1970s, however, Lebanon's Armenian community began to close ranks, and in 1972, the Hunchakian Party ran a joint ticket with the Dashnaks. In 2000, the Hunchakian Party joined forces with Rafik Hariri's Dignity party, which swept the city of Beirut. SDHP Central Committee Member Dr Yeghia Jerejian was a member of Lebanese Parliament for many years. Currently the party is represented in the parliament by Sebouh Kalpakian.
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[edit] Modern
In the early 1990s, the party took part in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. The party today forms part of the Armenian opposition and has a representative at the National Assembly of Armenia.
This party is also active in Lebanon, where it competes for the six National Assembly seats reserved for ethnic Armenians. The party subscribes to a socialist ideology and advocates a planned economy for Lebanon. Social Democrat Hunchakian Party has an official newspaper in Lebanon which is the Ararad Daily Newspaper.
[edit] Affiliate organizations
The Hunchakian party has established affiliate organizations such as the AEBU which is an organization that helps with educational, health and social care, the Armenian Dkhrouhi Youth Association and HMM (Homenmen) which is a sporting organization (not to be confused with Homenetmen).
[edit] Party Publications / Organs
Hunchak (also - Hnchak, Hentchak, Bell in Armenian) was the official organ of the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party. It was founded by Avetis Nazarbekian and published in 1887-1915, 1935-1940, in France, Greece, Britain and USA. The main purpose of the paper was the propagand of the Armenian national movement for the liberation, the resistance in Western Armenian regions. Hunchak also supported the ideology of social-democracy and worker's consolidation.
Present-day party publications include:
- Ararad Daily Newspaper published in Beirut, Lebanon
- Tchahagir Weekly published in Cairo, Egypt
- Massis Weekly published in Los Angeles
- Nor Serounti Tsayn (Voice of Nor Serount) published in London, UK
- Zank Armenian Journal, Australia
[edit] Prominent members
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
Associate organizations:
- Armenian Athletic Association Homenmen
- Dekhrouni Student and Youth Association
- Gaidz Youth Organization
- Nor Serount Cultural Association
Media:
[edit] References
- ^ Social Democrat Hunchakian Party
- ^ Lebanon a Country Study By Federal Research Division - Page 185
- ^ Andranikological Review, Yerevan, #1 (3), 2003, p. 7.
- ^ http://homepages.cae.wisc.edu/~dwilson/Armenia/andranik.html
- (in Armenian) "The 89-th commemoration of the 20 Hunchakian martyrs" / Tchahagir Weekly, Cairo, 17 June, 2004, p. 1
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