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Armenians Rally Above Oath
// 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.”
Olga Allenova
All the Article in Russian as of Apr. 10, 2008
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