"COUNTRYMAN" OR "NON-COUNTRYMAN"?
Anahit Danielyan
KarabakhOpen
13-06-2007 11:53:13
"We vote for our fellow countryman, Bako Sahakyan," we were told
in Hadrut.
The presidential candidates have not been registered yet but rumors
about the predetermined election are heard everywhere. Most often in
the regions, where unlike the capital, information reaches in doses
and by "gypsy mail". Many do not know how many candidates are running
in the presidential election.
We visited a few places in the regions of Hadrut and Martuni to
find out the degree of awareness people’s thoughts regarding the
election. In Hadrut, everyone we talked to had heard about Bako
Sahakyan only. Many did not know about the other candidates. "Where
am I to know? Nobody tells us anything," said a young woman. Two young
men in Hadrut said Bako Sahakyan will surely be president. "99 percent,
if not 100 percent."
People standing near suddenly remembered the election of mayor of
Stepanakert when everyone believed Pavel Najaryan would be elected
but the opposition candidate Edward Aghabekyan became mayor.
Nevertheless, they said they will vote for their "countryman".
"Only our fellow countryman interests us," they said.
There were also people in Hadrut who wanted to know about the other
candidates. And the woman who learned from us that five people are
running for presidency, thanked us for information.
Martuni was similar to Hadrut. Certainly, they did not say they would
elect their "countryman" but they know who the president will be.
"They arranged everything long time ago." In the village of Chartar
they remembered the election of mayor of Stepanakert. They remembered
it when an 80-year-old man said: "Who will be listening to us?"
"But they elected Edward Aghabekyan," they said. "It was in
Stepanakert…" said the old man.
Another old man said: "I will tell everyone I will vote for them not
to make them feel bad, but I will vote for the candidate I want."
Both in Hadrut and Martuni people complained of the lack of
information.
They do not tell everything on TV, we do not get newspapers, people
told us.
–Boundary_(ID_RwLYZlihzxMPktuS5kaCAg)–