STRANGE PANIC AROUND THE REFERENDUM
Kima Yeghiazaryan

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
03 Dec 08
Armenia

Recently when the government submitted the bill on supplements and
changes in the law "On Referendums" from that moment the advocacy
machine serving the radicals started to alarm in terror that Karabakh
issue is put to referendum.

And when the parliament started to discuss the bill which proposes
to consider the referendums aimed at revealing the public opinion
regarding issues of state importance as a new type of referendum,
not only did the number of the heralds of sad news, but also the dose
of their sinister announcements increased.

But the most ridiculous thing is that after thoroughly familiarizing
themselves with the legislative initiative of the government,
these people introduced their statement as a revelation. As if
no one could comprehend that in the number of the issues of state
importance the settlement of Karabakh issue is considered one of the
priorities. Anyway!

The panic full of comic elements that has been created around the
bill is of course ridiculous, but the hullabaloo that continues for
the recent days is really strange.

After the ceasefire (if not beginning from 1988), the people of
both Karabakh and Armenia and the political forces functioning in
the two republics, always expressed the same opinion, which is:
any decision regarding the settlement of Karabakh issue can ‘t be
taken individually, moreover even the signing of the peace treaty is
not a matter to be decided by one or several people. And especially
as regards the destiny of Karabakh the main role in this issue is
vested in the people who can express their "yes" or "no" by means of
a pan-national referendum.

Moreover during the recent months Sefilyan, together with his "Miatsum"
almost intimidates by announcing that the issue must be settled by
a pan-national referendum. This is what we call exercising power by
the people, which is enshrined in the bill.

It is not something new and it is really strange why the bill, appeared
in the public, created such a panic among some circles. Whereas it is
noteworthy that when several years back the so-called International
Crises Group publicized the anti-Armenian version of the settlement,
putting into focus the idea of holding a referendum in NKR (In what
terms? Only God knows and the member of the Group Ararat Zurabyan),
not only did they keep silence but even warmly welcomed the proposal
made by the foreigners.

And at present when our authorities are trying to regulate the issue
of holding referendums through legislative methods (which was to
happen sooner or later) for unknown reasons these people hue and cry.

We must also underscore that while revolting against the referendum
these people managed to formulate the question, alleg edly to be put
to referendum. And the only issue that came to their minds was ceding
the liberated territories. That is to say this is the most important
issue in terms of revealing the public opinion. It is not even clear
whether or not the referendum will be held or what questions will
be put to referendum, these people are already hinting something to
Azerbaijan and Aliev.

In parallel with forming the questionnaire, not to break the
"tradition", they expressed doubt regarding the possible referendum,
emphasizing that anyway it will be falsified. This is the way the
radicals always do. Five years or minimum 1 year before the voting they
start speaking about the possible falsifications. Very interesting,
these people who have bored us to death by their demands on holding
extraordinary elections, if tomorrow they hold these elections,
these people will express the same doubt.

And in general except Ter-Petrosyan, who stated on October 17 that the
settlement of the issue is a matter of 2-3 months, all the political
forces and political figures from Vazgen Manukyan to Sadoyan, Samvel
Babayan and even Demirchyan don’t share this opinion. They believe
the settlement of the issue will take much longer.

And it is not yet clear regarding what issues will the Armenian party
be pressurized to give agreement during the negotiation process. Even
if it becomes clear, it will not be the end of the wor ld. By means
of a referendum the authorities will reveal the public opinion,
after they put to voting this "unpleasant" issue.

Especially in this case only mad people can think that the authorities
will try to breach the results of the referendum.