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Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Feb. 26 2008
Sarkisian Appeals To Armenians As Protests Grow
By Emil Danielyan, Astghik Bedevian and Ruzanna Stepanian
Tens of thousands of people thronged the streets of Yerevan for the
seventh consecutive day Tuesday, ignoring Prime Minister Serzh
Sarkisian's calls to come to terms with his victory in Armenia's
disputed presidential election.
Sarkisian argued that the February 19 vote has been recognized as
mostly democratic by the international community as he addressed a
separate rally held in the city's main Republic Square in response to
daily street protests staged by his main challenger, Levon
Ter-Petrosian.
But that did not prevent Ter-Petrosian from holding his biggest rally
so far in the nearby Liberty Square. Groups of people bused to
Republic Square could be seen joining the opposition crowd even
before the simultaneous start of both gatherings. Some of them handed
Sarkisian's white campaign flags to opposition leaders. Ter-Petrosian
mockingly thanked Sarkisian for swelling the ranks of his supporters
protesting against the official vote results.
`I am grateful for your vote of confidence,' Sarkisian told roughly
10,000 people who gathered in the sprawling square opposite the main
government building in Yerevan. `I swear that I will do everything to
live up to your trust ... I assure you that you will not regret voting
for Serzh Sarkisian.'
Sarkisian expressed readiness to cut power-sharing deals with his
`constructive' opponents. `Let us cooperate, including by forming a
coalition cabinet,' he said. `One of my aims is to use all
constructive forces for the sake of Armenia's development.'
The offer hardly applied to the Ter-Petrosian camp which Sarkisian
accused of defying `the opinion of the majority' and dividing the
nation. But he did try to reach out to tens of thousands of
opposition supporters rallying several hundred meters away, referring
to them as `our brothers and sisters.'
`I am convinced that they were driven to Freedom Square by a desire
to have a better Armenia,' said Sarkisian. `But alas, they are not
allowed to notice how they have unwittingly become tools of a few
individuals' political ambitions and penchant for revenge.'
`I know just how outraged you have been in the last few days,' he
continued, appealing to the opposition protesters. `I know just how
numerous are people ready to take to the streets to take care of
their votes. I know that very well. But please, restrain your
emotions.'
The appeal clearly fell on deaf ears as the massive opposition crowd
marched to an empty Republic Square two hours later, waving clenched
feasts and chanting `Levon! Levon!' and `Serzhik, go away!' outside
the prime minister's office guarded by hundreds of riot police.
Addressing the crowd before the march, Ter-Petrosian again demanded a
re-run of `the most disgraceful election in Armenia's history' and
the release of his allies arrested in recent days. He also called on
Sarkisian and outgoing President Robert Kocharian to resign.
`Robert and Serzh, come to your senses,' Ter-Petrosian said after
demonstratively dancing to traditional Armenian music on the podium.
`Understand what is going on in this country ... Announce your
resignation from here and leave this country.'
The most ardent of the ex-president's supporters, meanwhile, were
preparing to spend another night in a tent camp that was built in the
square on February 20. At the urging of Ter-Petrosian, more than a
dozen of them ended a hunger strike which they began last week in
protest against the alleged rigging of the presidential ballot. One
of them, a resident of the northern town of Vanadzor, went as far as
to sew up his mouth.
Both the rallies and night vigils have not been sanctioned by the
Armenian authorities. Kocharian went on state on Tuesday to warn that
law-enforcement bodies could use force to clear the square.
Sarkisian likewise said in his speech that he will not allow
Ter-Petrosian supporters to `paralyze life in the capital.' `I defend
and will defend [citizens'] right to protest, but the right to
protest does not mean that the other constitutional rights of our
citizens can be breached,' he said, promising to take `the most
resolute steps' to restore `law and order' in Yerevan.
The Armenian authorities have already arrested in recent days several
top allies of Ter-Petrosian, including former Deputy
Prosecutor-General Gagik Jahangirian, on charges that are still not
clear. Two other Ter-Petrosian loyalists leading a small opposition
party, Garnik Markarian and Samvel Harutiunian, were detained on
Tuesday morning but set free several hours later without any
explanation.
In a related development, Armenia's National Security Service (NSS)
said it arrested Sunday a 36-year-old man who planned to storm and
seize Armenian state television and radio together with several other
Ter-Petrosian supporters. The NSS also claimed to have detained
several other supporters of the ex-president and confiscated large
quanities of weapons illegally owned by them. None of those men was
identified by the security agency, however.
Feb. 26 2008
Sarkisian Appeals To Armenians As Protests Grow
By Emil Danielyan, Astghik Bedevian and Ruzanna Stepanian
Tens of thousands of people thronged the streets of Yerevan for the
seventh consecutive day Tuesday, ignoring Prime Minister Serzh
Sarkisian's calls to come to terms with his victory in Armenia's
disputed presidential election.
Sarkisian argued that the February 19 vote has been recognized as
mostly democratic by the international community as he addressed a
separate rally held in the city's main Republic Square in response to
daily street protests staged by his main challenger, Levon
Ter-Petrosian.
But that did not prevent Ter-Petrosian from holding his biggest rally
so far in the nearby Liberty Square. Groups of people bused to
Republic Square could be seen joining the opposition crowd even
before the simultaneous start of both gatherings. Some of them handed
Sarkisian's white campaign flags to opposition leaders. Ter-Petrosian
mockingly thanked Sarkisian for swelling the ranks of his supporters
protesting against the official vote results.
`I am grateful for your vote of confidence,' Sarkisian told roughly
10,000 people who gathered in the sprawling square opposite the main
government building in Yerevan. `I swear that I will do everything to
live up to your trust ... I assure you that you will not regret voting
for Serzh Sarkisian.'
Sarkisian expressed readiness to cut power-sharing deals with his
`constructive' opponents. `Let us cooperate, including by forming a
coalition cabinet,' he said. `One of my aims is to use all
constructive forces for the sake of Armenia's development.'
The offer hardly applied to the Ter-Petrosian camp which Sarkisian
accused of defying `the opinion of the majority' and dividing the
nation. But he did try to reach out to tens of thousands of
opposition supporters rallying several hundred meters away, referring
to them as `our brothers and sisters.'
`I am convinced that they were driven to Freedom Square by a desire
to have a better Armenia,' said Sarkisian. `But alas, they are not
allowed to notice how they have unwittingly become tools of a few
individuals' political ambitions and penchant for revenge.'
`I know just how outraged you have been in the last few days,' he
continued, appealing to the opposition protesters. `I know just how
numerous are people ready to take to the streets to take care of
their votes. I know that very well. But please, restrain your
emotions.'
The appeal clearly fell on deaf ears as the massive opposition crowd
marched to an empty Republic Square two hours later, waving clenched
feasts and chanting `Levon! Levon!' and `Serzhik, go away!' outside
the prime minister's office guarded by hundreds of riot police.
Addressing the crowd before the march, Ter-Petrosian again demanded a
re-run of `the most disgraceful election in Armenia's history' and
the release of his allies arrested in recent days. He also called on
Sarkisian and outgoing President Robert Kocharian to resign.
`Robert and Serzh, come to your senses,' Ter-Petrosian said after
demonstratively dancing to traditional Armenian music on the podium.
`Understand what is going on in this country ... Announce your
resignation from here and leave this country.'
The most ardent of the ex-president's supporters, meanwhile, were
preparing to spend another night in a tent camp that was built in the
square on February 20. At the urging of Ter-Petrosian, more than a
dozen of them ended a hunger strike which they began last week in
protest against the alleged rigging of the presidential ballot. One
of them, a resident of the northern town of Vanadzor, went as far as
to sew up his mouth.
Both the rallies and night vigils have not been sanctioned by the
Armenian authorities. Kocharian went on state on Tuesday to warn that
law-enforcement bodies could use force to clear the square.
Sarkisian likewise said in his speech that he will not allow
Ter-Petrosian supporters to `paralyze life in the capital.' `I defend
and will defend [citizens'] right to protest, but the right to
protest does not mean that the other constitutional rights of our
citizens can be breached,' he said, promising to take `the most
resolute steps' to restore `law and order' in Yerevan.
The Armenian authorities have already arrested in recent days several
top allies of Ter-Petrosian, including former Deputy
Prosecutor-General Gagik Jahangirian, on charges that are still not
clear. Two other Ter-Petrosian loyalists leading a small opposition
party, Garnik Markarian and Samvel Harutiunian, were detained on
Tuesday morning but set free several hours later without any
explanation.
In a related development, Armenia's National Security Service (NSS)
said it arrested Sunday a 36-year-old man who planned to storm and
seize Armenian state television and radio together with several other
Ter-Petrosian supporters. The NSS also claimed to have detained
several other supporters of the ex-president and confiscated large
quanities of weapons illegally owned by them. None of those men was
identified by the security agency, however.