ARMENIANS RALLY ABOVE OATH
Olga Allenova
Kommersant
April 10 2008
Russia
Armenia’s president was inaugurated while the opposition protested
Erevan hosted the inauguration of President Serge Sarkisyan on
Wednesday. The new president promised to struggle for Armenia’s
prosperity and for Nagorny Karabakh’s independence. Ex-president
Robert Kocharian and Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II asked him
to do so. At the same time with the inauguration, Erevan’s other part
hosted a mass rally of the opposition, who has not reconciled itself
to the new president, and who promises speedy resignation to him.
The inauguration of Armenia’s President Serge Sarkisyan began at 2
p.m. in the State Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet. At a special
session of the National Assembly, Parliament Speaker Tigran Torosyan
announced President Robert Kocharian’s resignation, and presented the
new president to the deputies. "Serge Sarkisyan, by the long way he
has walked through, inspires faith that in five years, owing to hard
work, we will have an Armenia which will give us all joy and pride,
and will become a source of welfare for each citizen of the country,"
said Torosyan in a flowery style.
The national anthem followed, and Armenia’s flag, its constitution,
and a seventh-century Gospel were brought into the hall. Sarkisyan put
his right hand onto the constitution, and his left one onto the Gospel,
and swore to "unconditionally fulfill the constitution’s demands:
to respect human rights and freedoms of citizens, to guarantee
independence, territorial integrity and security of the republic in
honor of the Republic of Armenia and for the sake of the people of
the Republic of Armenia".
Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II blessed the inaugurated
president, and reminded those present about "Serge Sarkisyan’s
considerable contribution to building Armenia’s statehood" and urged
him to keep up the policy aimed at "the state’s prosperity and the
adherence to national values". At the same time, the catholicos also
hinted at the society’s civil disagreement over the new president,
and urged everyone to reach compromise. "Our nation is undergoing the
election’s consequences, which requires strong efforts for spreading
the tolerance and agreement in the society," said catholicos and
promised the church’s complete support to the new president.
Already as president, Sarkisyan addressed the nation. "I speak not
only to those people who voted for me, but also to those who did not,"
he said. "I’d like to tell them: you can be against me, but I cannot
help being your president." Then, Sarkisyan thanked his associates
and opponents, saying that now he has very much to do, and called on
everyone for cooperation for Armenia’s sake.
Right after the inauguration ceremony, Sarkisyan received the military
parade held on the Freedom Square in Erevan’s center, and officially
greeted the army, which will now be under his command.
Yet, it became clear that not peaceful orders only might come from
the commander. Ex-president Robert Kocharian and Nagorny Karabakh’s
Parliament Speaker Ashot Gulyan have recently made statements on
air of Armenia’s central TV channels, and said that the struggle for
Nagorny Karabakh’s independence is among the primary tasks of Armenia’s
authorities. Catholicos Garegin II summoned the new president to that
task as well.
Meanwhile, a small square surrounded by the embassies of France,
Italy, and Russia hosted a spontaneous rally of Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s
supporters. In the morning, they staged a rally of protest by
the OSCE embassy. They held posters reading "If these are your
standards, then we don’t accept them!" and "We don’t need that sort
of democracy!". They moved on the square of the three embassies,
where on March 1 mass disorders took place. All people present
wore black coats and black armbands in memory of the victims of the
suppressed anti-government rally on March 1. In total, the current
rally gathered between three and five thousand people, who shouted:
"Serge Sarkisyan is not president" and "Sarkisyan and Kocharian are
guilty of the March 1 murders".
"Today is the 40th day," said the rally’s participant Avet Pogosyan.
"According to our religious beliefs, souls of murdered people enter
heaven on this day. We are not doing anything illegal. We just
want to show by our rally that far from the entire Armenian nation
regards Serge Sarkisyan as president, and that we will carry on our
struggle by all legal means." According to protesters, the rally
was not authorized, and it was the society’s spontaneous response to
Sarkisyan’s inauguration.
By 4 p.m. the police and military units pushed the protesters off
the square towards a large park. Upon leaving, black-armbanded young
people agreed to gather in the evening at the Republic Square, which
was to held the inauguration celebrations at that time.
"After the national emergency was lifted, Armenia’s authorities
did their best to deprive the opposition of any opportunity to
stage rallies and gather people," the opposition members said. "The
parliament has even adopted special laws which prohibit rallies."
Meanwhile, Armenian Parliament’s press service said: "Actually, the
National Assembly has not passed any laws which would ban rallies. It
has just made amendments to the law on mass gatherings. Before,
similar events could be carried out after just informing the
municipal authorities. Now it is necessary to obtain permission from
the authorities. The measure is aimed to prevent new disorders that
might prove disastrous."
Besides this amendment, the parliament passed another one which
concerns providing guard to Armenia’s ex-presidents. The amended law
says that an ex-president’s guard is not responsible for his life
in case if he leaves his residence so as to participate in political
events. This way the authorities are trying to neutralize the chief
opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan, who has not been leaving his
residence since March 1.
All these measures blocked the activities of Ter-Petrosyan’s camp.
Moreover, around his 135 closest associates are still kept in pre-trial
prison. For the second week running, 25 arrested opposition members
are on hunger strike. Those who remain non-detained apply for holding
rallies to the city authorities every day. "From March 21 on, we have
been daily asking the city hall for permission to hold a rally. And
every day we receive denials. Today, for instance, we received a
refusal already for April 12," said Levon Zurabyan, an activist of
Ter-Petrosyan’s camp.
"There might be just an impression that the Armenian society has
reached relative agreement," said Alexander Iskandaryan, famous
Armenian political expert and head of the Caucasus Mass Media
Institute. "Nearly 40 percent of the country’s voters voted against the
authorities, that is against Serge Sarkisyan. These are the supporters
of Levon Ter-Petrosyan and Arthur Bagdasaryan, who spoke from the
same position of criticizing the authorities. Today, those 40 percent
are a considerable basis for discontent. Moreover, the society’s
polarization has even strengthened after the March 1 events. The
authorities understand it, and that is why they are trying to prevent
rallies and other expressions of collective discontent. However, it
cannot last long. It is pointless to be solving political issues with
police methods. Rallies are not allowed, but people gather anyway,
and say it is not a rally, but a joint eating of shaurma. That too
is a means of political struggle," said the expert.
The opposition camp itself says that "the struggle against illegal
authorities is just beginning".
"Sarkisyan won’t be able to democratically rule this country,"
believes Levon Zurabyan. "His power will be supported by bayonets.
Yet, it won’t last long. Armenia has already seen the birth of a
nationwide movement. It can be compared to Poland’s "Solidarity"
which actually overthrew the Soviet regime."
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
