A1+
`SCHIZOPHRENIC GOVERNMENT’
[06:48 pm] 05 September, 2008
We would like you to comment on the recent steps of Serzh Sarkissian
and the ARF Dashnaktsutiun with regard to Abdullah Gul’s visit: Serzh
Sarkissian invites Gul to Yerevan while the ARF Dashnaktsutyun plans a
protest action on the day of Gul’s arrival.
`We have a marasmoid and schizophrenic government,’ coordinator of the
Armenian National Congress Levon Zurabian said in reply to
A1+. Zurabian says schizophrenia is a condition when a person splits,
and two personalities emerge in one person. It is not normal when one
part of the government does one thing, and the other part-another. It
is possible to be in the same government and think differently but it
is not normal to act differently. `It means the government has lost
self-control and cannot work out a programme of joint actions.’
It is strange when the government declares enhanced mode of security,
instructs the City Hall not to authorize any public event, meanwhile
another coalition force violates the special security mode using
government resources – buses, petrol, etc. When the reporters noted
that the ARF Dashnaktsutyun states to have agreed with the government
on its action, Levon Zurabian said: `Most likely we deal with agreed
schizophrenia’.
Today Levon Zurabian presented the list of the political prisoners who
have health problems but haven’t got medical aid so far. This is a
rough breach of the Human Rights Convention, he says. The government
does not allow providing medical aid to people who have health
problems, and continues to keep them in pitiful conditions. The
government tortures the political prisoners.
The list involves 13 political prisoners: Karen Tarkhanian, Jora
Sapeyan, Samvel Karapetian, Miasnik Malkhassian, Hakob Hakobian, Suren
Sirunian, Ashot Zakarian, Sasun Mikayelian, Christopher Elazitan,
Gevorg Manukian Aghasi Mkrtichian, Mkrtich Sapeyan, and Arman
Babajanian. The latter has been taken to hospital for treatment.
The Armenian National Congress also made a statement, noting that the
presence of political prisoners and the fact that they do not get
medical aid evidences to cynical attitude of the government towards
the society, international community, in particular, towards the PACE
resolutions.
The government has rejected all the opportunities for a dialogue aimed
at overcoming the political crisis. The government also failed to
eliminate the `main obstacle’- political prisoners, and to overcome
the crisis through political negotiations.