Republic of Armenia’s High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs Zareh Sinanyan during his working visit to Michigan

Last week, the Republic of Armenia’s High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs Zareh Sinanyan publicized an official visit to Michigan that was not announced to the entire community. Instead, we learned of Sinanyan’s Michigan public relations efforts in our state through various social media posts and press releases issued by Sinanyan’s office. Those press releases falsely stated that he met with “community leaders from various Armenian churches, educational and cultural organizations in the Greater Detroit area.” In fact, the press statements from Sinanyan’s official office do not reflect the reality of what really occurred while Sinanyan was in Michigan. 

We are a strong community with many organizations and four Armenian churches. However, during his Michigan visit, Sinanyan only visited one church, where he met with a handful of selected community members. No official announcements from Sinanyan’s office nor any formal invitation to meet was extended to Michigan’s three other Armenian churches and community organizations. 

It is disgraceful that the Government of Armenia, through Sinanyan’s official office, falsified the truth of Sinanyan’s Michigan visit and the pretenses under which it was made. It is clear that the reason Sinanyan’s visit was handled in the above manner was to use Michigan’s Armenian community to present the appearance that the Pashinyan regime’s agenda was advanced here. Sinanyan operated in secrecy in a failed effort to isolate and divide our community, following the usual blueprint of the Pashinyan regime and its divisive strategies and policies. The Armenian Diaspora is an essential pillar of the Armenian nation. We will not allow anyone – including any representative of the Pashinyan regime – to intrude on our community and attempt to divide our unity.

Contrary to the picture presented by the press releases from Sinanyan’s office, Sinanyan failed to advance Nikol Pashinyan’s agenda in Michigan to gain supporters for his traitorous agenda which gives away Artsakh, normalizes relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan at the expense of the security and sovereignty of Armenia and Artsakh and jeopardizes the fight for full justice for the martyrs of the Armenian Genocide. 

Sinanyan does not represent the Armenian Diaspora, and he certainly does not represent the Armenian community of Michigan.

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St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church
St. Vartan Catholic Church
Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Azadamard Gomideh Detroit
AYF Detroit “Kopernik Tandourjian” Junior and Senior Chapters
Armenian Relief Society (ARS) Tzolig, Maro, Shake, Sybille and Zabel Chapters
Hamazkayin Armenian Educational & Cultural Society of Detroit
Homenetmen of Detroit
Armenian National Committee (ANC) of Michigan
Friends of Artsakh