UNITED JAVAKHETI DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE CONDEMNS THE HZOR HAYRENIK PARTY

Lragir.am, Armenia
Oct 25 2006

The Statement of United Javakheti Democratic Alliance

In answer to the statements of the deputy leader of the Hzor Hayrenik
Party Shirak Torosyan in the October 24 edition of the Iravunk
Newspaper, United Javakheti Democratic Alliance, realizing its
responsibility for the stability in Javakheti and the protection of
the national and civil rights of the Armenian population, considering
the dangerous situation in the region, condemns the efforts of several
marginal political sets and the criminal groups, which joined them,
to dissolve the alliance and stain its activities.

In Javakheti, which remained within independent Georgia after the
collapse of the Soviet Union, different forces emerged to defend the
political and civil rights of the Armenian population of Javakheti
but were unable to unite and direct the potential of the Armenians
of Javakheti at the urgent and effective settlement of the problems
of this region.

At the same time, certain people living in Armenia and pursuing their
personal goals in the political sphere of Armenia, who joined the
Hzor Hayrenik Party, have succeeded in manipulating the feelings of
the citizens of Armenia from Javakheti in their constant efforts to
enter the National Assembly.

United Javakheti condemns the efforts of these people, who are members
of the Hzor Hayrenik Party, to use Javakheti for their own interests
confined to Armenia. The fact that the deputy leader of the Hzor
Hayrenik Party, a certain "international expert" Shirak Torosyan has
usurped the post of the president of the Javakhk Union of Compatriots
is unacceptable from the point of view of the elementary rules of
political ethic. The alliance commends the wish of Javakhk Union of
Compatriots to assist in settling the problems of the Armenians of
Javakheti. Nevertheless, Javakhk Union of Compatriots cannot remain
a toy in the hands of the leadership of the Hzor Hayrenik Party,
suffering from political and ideological bancruptcy.

United Javakheti considers the efforts of the Hzor Hayrenik Party to
monopolize the right to act on behalf of the Armenians of Javakheti
as groundless and destructive.

United Javakheti Democratic Alliance condemns the politically dangerous
and intolerable efforts of the leadership of the Hzor Hayrenik
to interfere with the home political developments in Javakheti and
control them from Yerevan. The alliance warns that this political
party will be accountable for the possible destabilization of the
situation in the region.

United Javakheti Democratic Alliance condemns the efforts to denigrate
the alliance in the Armenian media. Using the unawareness of the public
in Armenia, primitive and condemnable efforts are made to distort the
reality. Unfortunately, the Hzor Hayrenik Party has again taken up an
underlying role in these processes. The local elections in Javakheti
on October 5 were marred by brazen cases of electoral fraud, and the
assertions of the Hzor Hayrenik Party about the "absolute victory"
of the "pro-Armenian forces" in the elections are a vivid example
of moral decay. (For instance, how can an election be considered as
democratic, if communities with 7000 voters and 100 voters send an
equal number of delegates to the "sakrebulo"?)

Over two years of its activities United Javakheti has displayed
resolve to defend the security and the civil rights of the Armenians
of Javakheti and has earned the trust of the population. "30 percent"
of United Javakheti despite the administrative resource used by
the government of the country and the immoral campaign conducted by
their local proxies, shows the real importance of United Javakheti
for the population.

United Javakheti Democratic Alliance is convinced that the Armenian
government will reconsider the decision on the arrest of Vahagn
Chakhalyan, a leader of the Alliance, provoked by certain marginal
forces and on an absurd charge.