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The Armenian Weekly; Volume 74, No. 15; April 19, 2008

News:

1. After the Rain: Armenia Faces Challenges in a New Era
By Christian Garbis

2. Special Issue

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1. After the Rain: Armenia Faces Challenges in a New Era
By Christian Garbis

YEREVAN (A.W.)’The streets are bustling with activity in Armenia’s
capital. Road construction projects are partially paralyzing the city
once again after a two-month break. The economy on the surface appears
to be booming, with the exchange rate holding steady at 305 dram to
the dollar. Yet Armenia finds itself at a socio-political crossroads,
the first of its kind since the nation declared independence from the
Soviet Union. The country is still spiritually reeling from the crisis
of events that crippled the nation for nearly one month.

Throughout March and well into April, the arrests of oppositionists
and even those suspected of having connections to opposition
supporters persisted. Scores of people remain jailed amid sharp
criticism from the Council of Europe and strong concern expressed by
the United States. Aram Sargsyan, former prime minister and brother to
slain Vazgen Sargsyan, who is one of the key players in the opposition
movement, was formally accused by the authorities of conspiring
against the state, although like People’s Party leader Stephan
Demirchian, he has not been arrested. At least 100 people are being
detained as political prisoners. The crackdowns are viewed by Western
nations as being a blow to democracy in Armenia.

International monitoring organizations such as the Council of Europe
have expressed serious concerns about the mass political arrests. On
March 31, the organization called for an independent investigation
regarding the events of March 1 and for all political prisoners to be
released. Human Rights Watch along with the Council of Europe called
for the Armenian government to toss out its ban on public assemblies.

On April 2, about three dozen jailed opposition figures organized a
hunger strike, among them former foreign minister Alexander
Arzumanian. The protest began to fade as the health of some of the
detainees declined drastically. On April 9, opposition leader and
former president Levon Ter-Petrossian called for the hunger strike to
end so that activists could prepare for renewed protest movements in
the future. Meanwhile, Ter-Petrossian curiously remains under house
arrest despite the fact that nearly all of those closest to him
politically, notably Pan-Armenian National Movement party members,
have been jailed.

The country’s new era ushers in a change of leadership. Former
Armenian Prime Minister Serge Sarkisian was sworn into office as
president on April 9. Just one day before his inauguration, he
announced that he would appoint Central Bank of Armenia Chairman
Tigran Sargysan’who bears no relation’as prime minister.

Both Serge Sarkisian and former President Robert Kocharian worked
hand-in-hand in setting policies and procedures behind the scenes
during Kocharian’s service as country leader, and there is concern
that the mechanisms put into place by the two political giants will
only gain momentum under Sarkisian’s reign.

Tigran Sarkisian’s appointment was well received by the coalition
members. He is perceived as a neutral player on the political scene as
he holds no allegiance to any political party. Both Armen Rustamian of
the ARF-Dasknaktsutiun and Arthur Baghdasarian of Orinats Yerkir made
public statements acknowledging that Sarkisian was the best man suited
for forming a new government, citing his long experience as an
official responsible for managing the financial sector.

Although four leading political parties’Orinats Yerkir, ARF-D,
Prosperous Armenia, and the Republicans’agreed to join forces in a
pro-government coalition, they have not yet come to an agreement over
how they will share ministerial posts. Yet each party anticipates
retaining control of the ministry seats they had been appointed during
the Kocharian administration.

Critics of Tigran Sarkisian’s appointment claim that President
Sarkisian did not even consult his own party before making his choice,
thereby snubbing some senior Republican members. The prime minister of
Armenia must form his government within 20 days after having taken
office.

Nevertheless, two key positions were filled by President Sarkisian on
April 9. Eduard Nalbandian, who served as the Armenian Ambassador to
France, was appointed foreign minister, replacing outgoing Vartan
Oskanian. Also, colonel-general Seyran Ohanian, a veteran of the
Nagorno-Karabakh war, was designated as the new minister of defense.

Since the end of the state of emergency, mass public meetings have
been restricted and police presence, although fairly light, is still
evident in places where crowds tend to gather, notably in Liberty
Square, which circles the Opera House in downtown Yerevan. Despite the
restrictions, clumps of people can be seen loitering along the
Northern Boulevard across from the Opera House playing chess or eating
fast food in alternative forms of protest. On Monday, the wives and
relatives of oppositionist political prisoners held a demonstration
demanding their husbands’ release in front of the French embassy,
which is situated on the site of the March 1 clashes. No one was
arrested. The group of spouses signed a declaration in March calling
for the activists to be freed from jail.

Freedom of speech is not only repressed among free-thinking citizens,
but broadcast waves are also being blocked. Last autumn, GALA TV of
Gyumri broadcasted a recorded speech made by Ter-Petrossian during
which he harshly criticized the Armenian government. Since then, the
authorities have been scrambling to find ways to shut down the station
legally. Last month, the station held a telethon to raise
approximately $87,000 that it supposedly owed in fines for unpaid
taxes; the amount was paid in full. Pensioners were even said to have
donated 5,000 dram ($16) from their meager monthly stipends to the
cause. Now GALA TV is being forced to find a new broadcast tower for
its transmitter as Gyumri’s City Hall is suddenly claiming ownership
of the one the station presently uses, purportedly illegally.

An unspoken, persistent resentment is still in the air six weeks after
the events of March 1, which claimed 10 lives to date. Although people
carry on as if they are fully confident in their new leader, they have
no choice but to exhibit that sense of confidence, whether or not it
is sincere. In today’s Armenian society, dissent is not to be
tolerated on any plane of criticism.

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2. Special Issue

Next week, subscribers of the Armenian Weekly and 10,000 new
households will receive the April 26 special issue, in magazine
format. With 88 pages in English and Armenian, the magazine features
research and analysis from leading scholars and commentators, as well
as photographs from genocide sites and memorials worldwide.