Armenianow.com
July 9, 2004

Social Insecurity: Identity cards meet devilish resistance from religious
extremists

By Marianna Grigoryan ArmeniaNow reporter

When controversy stirred a year ago over issuing Social Security Cards in
Armenia, officials predicted that by the time the cards came into use, their
value would be understood.

Ten days ago, the first cards appeared. But so did more noise on the part of
those who see the cards as anything from an annoying invasion of privacy to
the apocalyptic “Mark of the Beast”.

“No to Numeration”
The term for implementing the card system has been extended until January 1,
2005, but it appears that for a small but vocal minority, resistance is
endless.

“These cards are against freedom of conscience, faith and human rights,”
says Armen Avetisyan, leader of Armenian Aryan Unanimity and a member of the
Council Against People’s Numeration. “It’s been more than three months that
with threats of being fired, everywhere people are being forced to be
numerated, meaning to get those cards. These cards are a violation of human
rights.”

Avetisyan was among a group that gathered last week near the Institute of
Manuscripts for “fighting against satanic power”, advising others with
placards that read “Don’t Sell Our Souls”, “Your Holiness, Don’t Leave Your
Flock”, “No to People’s Numeration”, “How Many Heads of Servants Does Satan
Have in Armenia?”

The group carried a special coffin in which it placed mockups of Social
Security Cards, calling for the burial of the “evil” idea.

The intention was to carry the coffin to Republic Square. Police, however,
confiscated the coffin.

“As it was planned, on July 1 the coffin had to be brought to Republic
Square and people who were cheated and forced to get cards were to put
them into the coffin,” says Avetisyan. “However, the action failed
since before the protesters started acting police confiscated the
coffin and the portrait of the social security card framed and tied
with a black ribbon. If they don’t return our coffin in the nearest
time we shall sue the police.”

Council Against People’s Numeration member Khachik Stamboltsyan says the
group has more than 100,000 written complaints about the cards and more than
a million followers who are fighting against “satanic cards”.

“We collect those cards from people and are going to return them to the
ministry,” says Stamboltsyan. “Meanwhile, we will do anything to interfere
with the implementation of that system.”

Religious extremists think the cards are Satanic
Ministry of Social Welfare experts dismiss the controversy as a
misunderstanding, assuring that Social Security cards are not obligatory,
but may be necessary for future interaction in government-related record
keeping.

“If a person receives salary or pension, it’s clear that he’ll need a social
card and if he does not depend on such things he can refuse it,” says
Haykuhi Gevorgyan, a public relations officer at the Ministry of Social
Welfare.

Gevorgyan says at present around 1.6 million citizens have registered to get
social security cards and 1 million of them have already received them.

“The process continues, people call, ask questions and get registered to
receive a card,” says Gevorgyan. “Everything goes its natural way.”

However, those who are opposed to the cards assure unanimously that the
system is “a satanic brand”, “soul genocide” and is the best option to
eliminate the nation physically and spiritually.

According to one widespread opinion among dissenters, people are numerated
so that they lose their individuality.

“With the Lord’s help we’ve been fighting against cards for three years and
we will continue fighting until we achieve what we want, since it’s even
terrifying to imagine what information is put in those cards,” says
Stamboltsyan. “That information is kept for 400 years and serves against our
nation and religion. We cannot allow such a thing to happen.”

Stamboltsyan says his group has applied to many souces and also to the
Catholicos to protect Christians from that disaster. However His Holiness
Garegin II says he sees no threat in the cards and has received his on July
3.

“By that step the Catholicos sold Christ for 30 silver coins,” says
Stamboltsyan. “But with God’s power we will eliminate that system; there are
many clerics who follow us.”