FIRST MEETING OF ‘CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE’ MOVEMENT HELD
By Astghik Bedevian
Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Nov 23 2006
The first meeting of the so-called ‘Civil Disobedience’ movement
was held in Yerevan on Thursday, with its participants calling for
"removing the current regime and holding free and democratic early
elections."
Former residents of Yerevan’s North Avenue and Buzand street and
Karabakh war veterans responded to the call of Armenia’s former
foreign minister Alexander Arzumanian to join the movement.
Representatives of the National-Democratic Union (AZhM) and the
"Homeland and Honor" party also attended the meeting.
Chairman of the "Brotherhood of Liberation Struggle" public
organization Arkady Karapetian called for action. "Our guys have no
problem… We call for a force capable of leading the nation to come
and take the leadership role. If there is no, we’ll put our forces
together to do something," he said.
"We are nothing without you, but you should know that all of our guys
are standing next to you," said Vladimir Arakelian, a field commander
of the Metsn Tigran volunteer group.
Academician Rafael Ghazarian was among those who came to the meeting.
"We are being led to destruction," Ghazarian said in his speech. "The
people see what the leaders are doing. The people see that they
have no right. They can be evicted from their homes and get justice
nowhere. They will see violence, beatings, plunder. People begin to
get spoiled as well… There is no justice."
According to Ghazarian, people are also disappointed with the
opposition, as "they [oppositionists] have failed to overcome the
personal."
"Only forward, only together! We urge you," Ghazarian said.
Ex-foreign minister Alexander Arzumanian, who is one of the initiators
of the movement, called upon those present, "all those who cannot
tolerate this arbitrariness" to join the movement, which will stage its
next rally near the Constitutional Court building on November 27, on
the occasion of the first anniversary of the Constitutional Referendum.