SERZH SARKISSIAN IGNORES SIT-DOWN STRIKERS

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09 July, 2008

Today while people continued their sit-down strike at Northern Avenue
and demanded Serzh Sarkissian to resign office, the latter took a
stroll along Liberty Square escorted by high-rank officials.

Serzh Sarkissian walked around the Opera and Ballet House with Yerevan
Mayor Erwand Zakharian, District Head of Kentron community Gagik
Beglarian, Chief of Police Nerses Nazarian and many others. Then the
group got into a car and departed paying no attention to the strikers.

The president’s visit aroused a hustle and bustle in the area. The
strikers began chanting, "Struggle to the end!" "Levon, President!" "Go
away, Serzh,!"

By the way, they had felt something strange before Serzh Sarkissian
appeared at the square. Some policemen had walked up and demanded
collecting the RoA flags and posters of political prisoners.

"We urge the president to resign and release the political prisoners
so that our children and grandchildren can lead a dignified life,"
said a woman-striker.

Another striker, Lola Hovhannissian, demanded to reveal the wrongdoers
of the March 1 tragic events and call them to justice.

"Policemen came and instructed us to take away the posters and flags
but we disobeyed them. What a disgrace!"

Note, some strikers were talking and others reading a newspaper under
a blazing sun.