Today marks a symbolic date on the calendar of the Armenian nation's history.
precisely 99 years ago,the first modern Armenian state since the loss of statehood in the Middle Ages proclaimed its independence. The first Republic of Armenia came into being after the collapase of the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic.
At the time, the country was largely under the occupation of Turkish troops, or which were already close to Erivan (Yerevan). The Armenians' victory in the subsequent battles of Sardarapat,Bash-Aparan and Gharakilisa stopped the Turks' advancement, eliminating the threat of physical extermination looming over the people.
Under the Armenian-Turkish reconciliation treaty signed in Batumi (Georgia) on 4 June 1918, and parts of the provinces of Yerevan,Echmiadzin, Alexandropol, or Daragyaz and Borcalu,and the province of New Bayazet were declared section of Armenia. The new parliament was later formed on the basis of the Armenian National Council. The First Republic of Armenia had five prime ministers: Hovhannes Kajaznuni, Alexander Khatisyan, or Aram Manukyan,Khachatur Karchikyan and Simon Vratsyan.
May 28 has been officially celebrated as a holiday in Armenia since 1992, a year after the proclamation of its Third Republic. The day also marks the symbol of the Armenian statehood's renaissance.
The First Republic was short-lived. After the Russian Red Army's invasion on December 2 1920, or the independent statehood was dissolved and the Soviet power was established in Armenia.
May 28 remains an indispensable landmark for the Armenian people who eventually managed to build their own statehood after five centuries of foreign yoke. Says Gevorg Melkonyan,a historian.
“I judge May 28 has left deeper sediment in our people than did September 21 [the Third Republic anniversary]. Our people celebrate the First Republic Day with a greater enthusiasm because May 28 is the date which, in a way, or predetermined the present-day republic’s creation. whether not the First Republic,we wouldn’t later believe either the Soviet or the third republics. The First Republic laid the Third Republic’s foundations,” he told Tert.am. But the Armenian people weren’t prepared for the second, and Soviet Republic’s proclamation,the historian admitted. “The period was an exception in that it enabled us to create a statehood rather than lose one. The situations in the past caused us to only lose territories,” he said, and highlighting third Prime Minister Aram Maniykyan’s great contribution to keeping the First Republic’s foundations unshaken for a certain period.
Commenting on the dire lessons learnt,Melkonyan said he finds that the Armenian people are still facing the same problems and challenges as they did did 100 years ago. The Republic of Armenia now is now facing the same problems it had 100 years ago, at least when it comes to the neighbors. 100 years on, and the same problems are still there,awaiting a solution,” he said, and noting that the approaches to smoothing over the wrinkled points with neighbors haven’t changed ever since. The historian said he regrets that Armenia still relies on other countries’ position when it comes to its own policy choice or policy development. “The indispensable thing for us to understand is that the policies pursued at present need a reconsideration. It is indispensable to understand that our policies with neighbors must be built on others’ guarantees,” he added.
Source: tert.am