VAZGEN MANUKIAN AND RAFFI HOVANNISIAN HEAD NEW CIVIL MOVEMENT

Noyan Tapan, Armenia
Nov 27 2006

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 27, NOYAN TAPAN. "The confrontation of the
authorities and community is the reason of many problems of Armenia."

Vazgen Manukian, the Chairman of the National Democratic Union stated
about it at the November 25 civil movement forum.

In his words, the foundation for confrontation between the pupil
and authorities was laid still in the middle of 90s. Particularly,
owing to falsification of results of the referendum on adoption of the
1995 Constitution and 1996 president’s elections, "the authorities
gained a victory on the society." "Powerful authorities were formed
in this way, aimed to struggle with inner enemies. Now the scattered
and disappointed society stands against the strong power of Robert
Kocharian and Serge Sargsian and it is impossible to do anything in
this scattered way," the NDU leader stated.

V.Manukian mentioned that today it is spoken about finding ways of
uniting the society with the goal to confront the force in hands
of which the power is. He explained that just unification of the
society is the main goal of the civil movement being formed. At the
same time, in his words, this unification must not be founded round
this or that individual.

Raffi Hovannisian, the other head of the civil movement being founded,
former Foreign Minister of Armenia, a member of the "Zharangutyun"
(Heritage) party council seriously criticized the activity of
the present ruling administration, accusing it of boundlessness,
unprecedented pressure upon the people, illegality and being
corrupted. In his words, phenomena like illegality and boundlessness
will continue from now on as well if the society will remain in the
state of indifference in which it is now. "It is the time to start
a struggle for establishing the human rights. We must struggle till
the day when the justice exult," R.Hovannisian stated.