DAWNS ON FREEDOM SQUARE ARE PEACEFUL
by Anna Chakharyan

Haykakan Zhamanak
Feb 26 2008
Armenia

[Yerevan’s] Freedom Square has been full for the past six days: people
are spending there not only days but also nights. It is already the
sixth day participants in the pan-national movement, led by the first
Armenian president [Levon Ter-Petrosyan], have been welcoming sunrise
on Freedom Square. It is worth mentioning that nothing can make people
leave the square: neither the obstructions created by the authorities
nor the cold weather.

[Passage omitted: reported arrests of opposition supporters;
Ter-Petrosyan criticizes the authorities]

Silent position of international community, praise for Karabakh leader

As for the almost silent position of the international community
regarding our domestic political situation, the first president
noted in this connection: "I don’t want to say anything bad about
foreigners, but as a sound, reasonable personality, I can come to a
conclusion today: the West doesn’t care about our democracy, the West
is not sincere in its intentions to establish democracy in Armenia,
it needs a weak, illegal, oppressive regime in order to always have
control over it, it doesn’t need democratic, intelligent authorities
which will speak to them on equal terms.

"I apologize to both the observers and the organizations they
represent, but I have the right, as a politician, as a political
official, as the first Armenian president, as a sound and rational
personality to make such a conclusion, and those who praise freedom
of speech have to respect my opinion."

Levon Ter-Petrosyan also spoke about the role of the authorities of the
[unrecognized] Nagornyy Karabakh republic [NKR] in the presidential
election. "I want to compliment the newly-elected NKR president Bako
Sahakyan’s position. He took an extremely dignified position, he did
not allow Karabakh people to interfere in our domestic affairs, and
unlike in 2003 and 2004, when during Arkadiy Ghukasyan’s presidency
special troops and criminal elements were brought from Karabakh here,
who were mostly responsible for the 12 April events in 2004. To
the honour of Bako Sahakyan I should say that he has displayed the
position of a distinguished state official."

War veterans’ position

During the Sunday [24 February] rally, the vice-president of the
Yerkrapah Union (Union of Land Defending Volunteers), [MP] Myasnik
Malkhasyan, made a statement about the recently spread news that they
had allegedly quit the pan-national movement.

"The news is circulating that some members have left the Yerkapah
Union. Indeed, there are some members serving in the army, generals
and colonels, who, I am positive, signed the text of the statement
without reading, but who are with us in their hearts and minds. I
know them all: they simply put those generals and colonels in a
difficult situation and obliged them to sign a document which they
haven’t even read.

"I must read a line from there and you will be assured what the matter
is. It says – In the 19 February presidential election some members
of the Yerkrapah Union, violating the union’s regulations and without
an appropriate administrative decision, started the activities that
are not admissible for land defenders, which are unacceptable and
a disgrace for the union’s essence and authority, which hinder
the further consolidation and development of our newly-created
independent state. They are using dishonest political goals, whereas
the administration of the Yerkrapah Union does not take measures to
prevent this.

"So, who is a disgrace: those who are standing next to the people
who want to establish justice and truth in our country or those who
want to oppose people’s will? All the warriors who have a soul and
love their fatherland must be next to their people," Malkhasyan said.

[Passage omitted: Ter-Petrosyan said they will file a suit with
Constitutional Court on the outcome of the election; former Prime
Minister Hrant Bagratyan’s speech at the rally]

Appeal for nation-wide demo

Leader of the [opposition] Republic party Aram Sargsyan told the
demonstrators that during [Prime Minister and President-elect] Serzh
Sargsyan’s rally in Ashtarak the previous day, some of the people who
were brought to the rally using known methods, at the end of the rally
put the white flags of the [ruling] Republican party on the ground
and started chanting "Le-von, Le-von [Ter-Petrosyan]". And today
Serzh Sargsyan again plans to organize a rally on Republic Square,
obviously bringing people to the rally using the same methods. Aram
Sargsyan stated: "Serzh Sargsyan wants to show to the world that he
has supporters too. Consequently, we tomorrow (editorial comment –
today) declare a nation-wide rally".

Aram Sargsyan appealed to everybody to come to Freedom Square today
and everybody bring one more person. "If they want to show something
to the world, we have more things to show." [Passage omitted: other
speakers’ speeches; Ter-Petrosyan recalls people’s movement in 1988;
anticipates victory of the opposition]