Armenian Revolutionary Federation and Chai Vang: Difference between pages

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'''Chai Soua Vang''' (王才, born [[September 24]], [[1968]]) is a hunter who shot several [[hunting|deer hunters]] in northern [[Wisconsin]] on [[November 21]], [[2004]]. According to court proceedings to date, Vang has acknowledged shooting the hunters, which included women, but has challenged the chain of events that caused a dispute over a deer stand to become violent and how it escalated into multiple deaths. Eventually, six of the hunters died and two were left wounded. Vang, now a [[naturalization|naturalized]] [[United States|U.S.]] citizen, is a [[Hmong]] immigrant from [[Laos]] who lived in [[Saint Paul, Minnesota]] at the time of the shootings. He is currently being held at [[Sawyer County, Wisconsin|Sawyer County]] [[Jail]].

{{Armenian parties in Lebanon}}

==Background==

The '''Armenian Revolutionary Federation''' ('''ARF''') (Armenian: '''Hay Heghapokhakan Dashnaktsutiun''', '''Dashnaktsutiun''', '''Dashnak''', or '''Tashnak''') is an [[Armenian people|Armenian]] [[political party]] founded in [[Georgia (Caucasus)|Georgia]] in [[1890]] by [[Christofor Mikaelian]], [[Rostom Zarian]], and [[Simon Zavarian]]. The party operates among Armenian communities internationally, especially in [[Armenia]] and [[Lebanon]], and in the ethnic Armenian-dominated Republic of [[Nagorno-Karabakh]], which declared its independence from [[Azerbaijan]] in the [[1990s]] and was liberated by [[Military of Armenia|Armenian forces]]. The ARF advocates [[socialism]] and is a member of the [[Socialist International]], although its Lebanese branch has broken ranks by embracing [[capitalism]].

Vang is the father of six children, a family [[shaman]] [http://www.thepowerhour.com/news/hmong_hunter.htm], and a hunting enthusiast. Chai Vang and his brothers came to the [[United States]] from [[Laos]] in [[1980]] and settled in [[California]]. Chai Vang lived in [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento]] and eventually enlisted with the California National Guard.

== Origins ==

Around the year [[2000]], Vang moved to [[Minneapolis, Minnesota]]. A few years later, he and his family moved a few miles to the neighboring city of St. Paul. Both the Minneapolis and St. Paul [[police]] departments answered several calls about domestic violence at the Vang residences during this time.

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| style="background:#ffffff;" align=center | [[Image:ARF.gif|ARF logo]]

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| '''Foundation''': || [[1890]]

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| '''Head''': || [[Levon Mkrtchyan]]

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The Armenian Revolutionary Federation came into being in [[1890]] through the merging of various factions of [[Armenia|Armenian]] nationalists. The original aim was for an independent [[Armenia]], which was not at that time seen as a positive move by all Armenians. The party began to organise itself in [[Turkey]] in the early [[1890s]] and held its first major meeting in [[Georgia (Caucasus)|Georgia]] in [[1892]]. At the meeting two bureaus were founded, responsible for the East and the West respectively. The Eastern Bureau was responsible for planning and implementing attacks against the [[Ottoman Empire]]. The Western Bureau established itself in many [[Europe|European]] cities, including [[London]], [[Brussels]], [[Berlin]], [[Leipzig]], [[Geneva]] and [[Rome]].

On the weekend of the murders, Vang went out deer hunting with two friends and their two sons in northwest [[Wisconsin]], a region where deer hunting is particularly popular, east of [[Birchwood, Wisconsin]] and around the town of [[Meteor, Wisconsin|Meteor]] (the town has a large area with a low population, and would be considered a [[township]] in other U.S. states). In this region, there is a mix of public and private land. It is believed that Vang and his friends began their day on public land, but he later went onto a private 400 [[acre]] (1.6 km&sup2;) tract of land. Residents and local hunters (almost exclusively white) are known to frequently accuse the Hmong of trespassing onto private land and hunting and fishing more than is allowed.

During the [[Armenian Genocide]] of [[1915]], ARF members were among the first to be openly persecuted and massacred by the Ottoman Turks because of their leadership roles in the Armenian communities.

On Sunday, [[November 21]], a hunting party of about 15 people were in a [[cabin]] on this private land. One person, Terry Willers, left the cabin and saw Vang sitting in a deer stand. He used a handheld [[radio]] to ask the people still in the cabin whether or not anyone should be in the stand. Upon receiving a response in the negative on that question, he began to approach Vang and called to him to leave the private land. After asking directions, Vang proceeded to walk away towards a trail through a forested area of the property. He was confronted at that point by five of the hunters from the cabin who had heard Terry Willers radio message. The events after the confrontation are under dispute. [What is fairly certain is that as he was walking away, Vang turned and began shooting. - What does this mean?]

When the first Republic of Armenia was proclaimed in [[1918]], the ARF became the ruling party. Despite their tight grip on power, the ARF was unable to stop the impending [[Communist]] invasion from the north, which climaxed with a Soviet takeover in [[1920]]. The ARF was banned, and many of its members dispersed to other parts of the world. The ARF is considered the foremost organization in the [[Armenian Diaspora]], having established numerous Armenian schools, churches, community centres, scouting and athletic groups, relief societies, youth organizations, camps, and other organizations throughout the world.

Terry Willers radioed the cabin and said that they had been shot. The others came out to provide assistance, some riding on [[all-terrain vehicle]]s. Vang proceeded to shoot more of the hunters. Within a short period, five of the hunters were dead and three more were wounded. Vang then disappeared into the woods. It is believed that he fired about 20 rounds from an [[SKS]] rifle chambered in [[7.62 x 39 mm M43|7.62x39]]. The rifle is fairly inexpensive, ordinarily sold with a 10 round fixed magazine. However, there are kits to retrofit the SKS to take either a larger fixed magazine or detachable box magazines as used on the AK47. 7.62x39 is roughly equivalent in power to the 30-30 Winchester round commonly used for deer hunting.

== Modern history ==

=== Armenia ===

The ARF has always maintained its ideological commitment to "a Free, Independent, and United Armenia." The term United Armenia refers to the borders of Armenia that were recognized by [[President of the United States|U.S. President]] [[Woodrow Wilson]] and outlined in the [[Treaty of Sèvres]].

Vang was apprehended about five hours after the shootings and was placed in custody of the Sawyer County Jail on [[November 24]], [[2004]]. His bail is set for $2.5 million.

When independence was achieved in [[1991]], the ARF soon became the second strongest [[List of political parties in Armenia|political party]], behind the [[Pan-Armenian National Movement]] (PANM), a neo-conservative organization supported by foreign powers. The ARF accused the PANM government of corruption, and, fearing its power, [[List of Presidents of Armenia|President]] [[Levon Ter-Petrossian]] banned the party, along with ''[[Yekir]],'' the country's largest daily newspaper. He also ordered the arrest of the leaders of women's, youth, athletic, and cultural organizations. The ban on the ARF was lifted, however, after Ter-Petrossian fell from power and was replaced by [[Robert Kocharian]].

One of the wounded hunters died the next day, bringing the toll to six dead and two wounded.

Today, the ARF is one of the three parties in the government [[Coalition government|coalition]], along with the [[Republican Party (Armenia)|Republican Party]] and the [[Country of Law]] party. With 11 of the 131 seats in the [[National Assembly of Armenia]], it is the major socialist party in Armenia and the fourth largest party in parliament.

=== Nagorno-Karabakh =Victims==

The victims were part of a group about 15 people who made their annual opening-weekend trip to the 400 acre (1.6 km&sup2;) property co-owned by Robert Crotteau and Terry Willers. Among the victims were a father and son, Robert and Joey Crotteau. A memorial website for the victims was created [http://www.rice-lake-hunters-memorial.com Memorial Page]

{{Politics of Nagorno Karabakh}}

The ARF held 9 of the 33 seats in the [[National Assembly of Nagorno-Karabakh]], an ethnically and historically Armenian enclave in [[Azerbaijan]] that was transferred to Azerbaijan by [[Joseph Stalin]] in the [[1920s]], and liberated by Armenian forces in the [[1990s]]. It was the second largest party in Nagorno-Karabakh. The party was part of an electoral alliance of the [[Armenian Revolutionary Federation]] and the [[Movement 88]], that won at the 19 June 2005 [[elections in Nagorno Karabakh|elections]] only 3 out of 33 seats.

Those who were killed:

=== Lebanon ===

[[Armenian people|Ethnic Armenians]] are allocated 6 seats in [[Lebanon]]'s 128-member [[National Assembly of Lebanon|National Assembly]]. The Lebanese branch of the ARF, which has usually controlled a majority of the Armenian vote and won most of the ethnic Armenian seats in the National Assembly, differs from the international movement by its support for Lebanon's [[capitalism|capitalist]] system. It has generally avoided entanglement in sensitive domestic issues, usually supporting whatever government has happened to be in power.

# Robert Crotteau, 42, owned concrete business in Rice Lake. Married with 3 children. Shot once in the back.

Prior to the [[Lebanese Civil War]] of [[1975]] to [[1990]], the party was closely allied to the [[Kataeb Party (Lebanon)|Phalangist Party]] of [[Pierre Gemayel]], and generally ran joint tickets with the Phalangists, especially in [[Beirut]] constituencies with large Armenian populations. The refusal of the ARF, along with most Armenian groups, to play an active role in the civil war, however, soured relations between the two parties, and the [[Lebanese Forces]] (a militia dominated by Phalangists and commanded by [[Bachir Gemayel]], Pierre Gemayel's son) responded by attacking the Armenian quarters of many Lebanese towns.

# Joey Crotteau, 20, Robert's son and partner. Shot 4 times in the back.

# Allan Laski, 43, manager of a Rice Lake area lumber yard. Married with 3 children. Shot in the back 3 times.

# Mark Roidt, 28, a friend of the Drew family. Shot once in the head.

# Jessica Willers, 27, a nurse from Rice Lake who had moved to Green Bay. She was engaged. Shot in the back twice.

# Denny Drew, 55, a car salesman in Rice Lake. Shot once through the stomach and died in the hospital.

Those who were wounded:

A major change occurred in the parliamentary election of [[2000]]. Negotiations to form a joint ticket between the ARF and the [[Dignity (Lebanon)|Dignity Party]] of [[Rafik Hariri]] broke down over Hariri's insistence that all candidates elected on his list, including ARF candidates, would have to form a unified parliamentary block subsequently - a rarity in [[Politics of Lebanon|Lebanese politics]]. He also refused the ARF proposal to provide the joint candidate for the sole seat allocated to Lebanon's [[Protestant]] community (many of whom are ethnically Armenian), insisting that that seat should go to an ally of his. The ARF decided to go it alone, although other Armenian parties joined Hariri's list. In an unprecedented sweep, Dignity and its allies captured 13 of Beirut's 19 seats, and the ARF was left with only one parliamentary seat, its worst result in many decades.

# Lauren Hesebeck, 48, a manager at car dealership in Rice Lake. Drew was his brother-in-law. Shot once through the shoulder, exiting the back.

# Terry Willers, 47, father of Jessica Willers. Worked in Crotteaus' concrete business. Shot once in the neck.

==Reaction and controversy==

== Goals ==

The shooting incident attracted nationwide attention and sparked much controversy. Because of Vang's background as a [[Hmong]] immigrant from [[Laos]], many Hmongs have felt that they have been greatly discriminated against because of the incident. Many white upper-Midwest residents say the focus of news reports was on the potential discrimination against Hmong instead of on the actual suffering of the victims of the shootings. This included a brief circulation of bumper stickers entitled "Save a Deer, Shoot a Mung" akin to the controversial 1989 campaign of "Save a Walleye. Spear a Indian" at Rice Lake. [[Racism]] also became a major disputed issue, as many claim that either Vang or the white shooting victims was the target of [[hate crime]].

== Investigation ==

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation's goals are:

There have been conflicting reports about what may have led to the shootings. According to oral statements by Vang, one of the local hunters, Terry Willers, took the first shot at him from about 100 feet (30 m) away, and therefore the shootings were in self-defense. No shell casing was never recover from Willer's gun even though during the trial Hesebeck admitted to a single shot. Additional no forensic analysis of Willer's gun was ever perform by the local law enforcement. [[Race]] may have also been a factor, according to Vang, who alleges that during the verbal dispute, some of the local hunters yelled out racial slurs at him such as "[[chink]]" and "[[gook]]".

On the other hand, Vang has a history of family violence. In addition, the criminal complaint states Vang shot four of the victims in the back and Vang himself admits he shot one victim in the back, which does not help the case for self defense. In addition, many of the victims were shot multiple times.

* The creation of a Free, Independent, and United Armenia. The borders of United Armenia shall include all territories designated as Armenia by the [[Treaty of Sèvres]] as well as the regions of [[Artsakh]], [[Javakhk]], and [[Nakhichevan]].

== OriginsTrial ==

* International condemnation of the as yet unpunished Genocide committed by Turkey against the Armenians, return of the occupied lands, and just reparations to the Armenian nation.

The trial of Chai Soua Vang began Saturday, [[September 10]], [[2005]] in Sawyer County Courthouse. 14 jurors (10 women and four men) were selected from [[Dane County, Wisconsin]], and bussed about 280 miles northwest to Sawyer County, where they were sequestered.

He says he shot two of the victims in the back because they were "disrespectful". It was interesting that he was able to tell everybody how he killed these victims clearly during the trial. When asked to comment, Chai Vang said, "They are deserved to die."

* The gathering of worldwide expatriate Armenians on the lands of United Armenia.

=== ArmeniaConviction ===

* Strengthening Armenia's statehood, institutionalization of democracy and the rule of law, securing the people's economic well being, and establishment of social justice.

On [[September 16]], [[2005]] Chai Soua Vang was found guilty of all six charges of first degree murder and two charges of attempted murder by an all white jury of eight women and four men. (Two alternates did not participate in the decision.) It should be noted that this jury pool did include other people of minority descent but was eliminated due to conflicting issues. On [[November 8th]], [[2005]], he was sentenced to six consecutive life terms plus seventy years (40 for two counts of attempted murder plus five additional years for each count of murder in the first degree).

==Military experience==

== External link==

* Six years in the California National Guard, [[1989]]&ndash;[[1995]]

*[http://www.arfd.am/ Official web site]

* Sharpshooter qualification badge (mid-level, above "marksman," but below "expert")

*[http://www.mongabay.com/reference/country_studies/lebanon/95.html Armenian Parties in Lebanon]

* Good Conduct medal, among others

==References==

''This article is a collaborative text between [http://www.hierarchypedia.com Hierarchypedia] and [http://www.wikipedia.org Wikipedia].''

*Ashley H. Grant ([[November 24]], [[2004]]). [http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthsuperior/news/politics/10258341.htm Shooting suspect had Army sharpshooting badge.] ''Duluth News Tribune''/Associated Press. Accessed November 27, 2004.

*Duluth News Tribune/Associated Press. Posted on Sep. 04,2005. "Victims in the Shootings That Killed Six Deer Hunters".

[[Category:Political parties in Armenia]]

[[Category:Political parties in Lebanon]]

[[Category:Political1968 partiesbirths|Vang, in Nagorno KarabakhChai]]

[[Category:PoliticalNaturalized partiescitizens inof the OttomanUnited EmpireStates|Vang, Chai]]

[[Category:PoliticalHmong partiesAmericans|Vang, of minoritiesChai]]

[[Category:SocialistAmerican Internationalmurderers|Vang, Chai]]

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