OPPOSITION TO ENGAGE IN DIALOG IF AUTHORITIES DISPLAY WILL TO REVEAL TRUTH

Noyan Tapan

Se p 26, 2008

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 26, NOYAN TAPAN. The opposition is prepared to
engage in dialog if the authorities display a will to reveal the truth,
member of the Armenian National Movement (ANM) Aram Manukian declared
at the September 26 diccussion at the National Press Club.

In his words, it has been a year that the country’s society has been
split, but the authorities have not revealed the truth which would
allow the rebellious section of the society to believe the authorities.

A. Manukian said that at the February 19, 2008 presidential election,
power was usurped by means of rigging, violence and slaughter. The
March 1 events were the derivative of the February 19 election,
and the existence of political prisoners is the consequence of the
March 2 events. In his opinion, each step of the authorities is aimed
at covering up their previous step, and this practice is continuing
today: the police are terrorizing the relatives and friends of the
political prisoners in Northern Avenue.

According to the speaker, the authorities do not display any will to
eliminate the main cause of the current situation. Until now it has
not been announced what happened in Liberty Square on the morning
of March 1st, who gave that order and at what hour, and whether the
demonstrators were warned in advance or not. A. Manukian said that
the authorities have claimed for 7 months that the demonstrators were
armed but no concrete fact has been made public so far. There are
policemen who are suspected of committing murders but none of them
has been arrested, whereas 75 innocent people have been imprisoned,
29 of whom were convicted based on the evidence of policemen only.