LEVON TER-PETROSIAN MAKES AN APPEAL TO PRISONERS ON HUNGER STRIKE
Noyan Tapan
April 11, 2008
YEREVAN, APRIL 11, NOYAN TAPAN. The first Armenian president Levon
Ter-Petrosian on April 10 made an appeal to the prisoners, who were
arrested under the criminal case in connection with the March 1 events
and are currently on a hunger strike. He said that remaining faithful
to the ideas of freedom and democarcy, the Armenian people has not
reconciled and will never reconcile itself to the fact of forcible
violation of its will. "It is no accident that the swearing-in
ceremony of the newly-converted usurper took place on the one hand,
under the bayonets of numerous battalions of police and army, on the
other hand, it was accompanied by mass events of national anger and
protest". According to L. Ter-Petrosian, amidst these events, the
hunger strike of many political figures and azatamartiks (freedom
fighters) both in custody and at liberty is of special importance.
At the same time he appealed to them to end the hunger strike. "Being
aware of the importance of this extreme means of political struggle and
deeply appreciating the feat of those on hunger strike, I, however,
appeal to them to end the hunger strike from this moment. Your
health, inflexible will-power and resolution are necessary for futher
contribution to the national struggle. April 9 is the beginning
rather than the end of this sacred struggle, the political ways of
which will soon be accessible to our society. I have no doubt that the
continuance of the national movement will also make the international
community to change its attitude to our state," is said in the appeal
of Levon Ter-Petrosian.