Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Armenian Revolutionary Federation March Ended in Song and Dance

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Armenian Revolutionary Federation March Ended in Song and Dance

    Tert.am

    12:45 ¢ 10.10.09

    Armenian Revolutionary Federation March Ended in Song and Dance

    Yesterday evening, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
    (Dashnaktsutyun, ARF-D) march began from Republic Square as
    planned. Prior to reaching their final destination (Tsitsernakabert,
    the Genocide Memorial), the protestors made a stop at the Republic of
    Armenia President's office where MP Karen Karapetyan submitted a
    letter addressed to President Serzh Sargsyan, as well as the petition
    against the Armenian-Turkish Protocols with about 50,000 signatures.

    Speaking briefly with journalists, Karapetyan said that the opinion of
    political forces is extremely important for them; the opposition
    forces' opinion even more so.

    `In our future activities, we will take into account the public's role
    and make use of it as well; it will be helpful, I think,' noted
    Karapetyan. As the crowd began to move toward Tsitsernakabert, a group
    of individuals near the presidential office, including Zaruhi
    Postanjyan, began shouting for the president's resignation. Hearing
    this, the police interfered, though up until that point, they had
    remained on the sidelines.

    At Tsitsernakabert, other than members of the ARF-D, head of Heritage
    Party parliamentary faction Armen Martirosyan and New Times Party
    leader Aram Karapetyan also gave speeches. The latter said if the
    Protocols are signed, they will demand not only Serzh Sargsyan's, but
    also the government's present leaders' resignation. This last
    statement elicited enthusiasm from the crowd.

    Martirosyan appealed to his Armenian National Congress (ANC)
    colleagues to join them next time. A few ARF-D members in the front of
    the crowd shouted that they were against ANC joining them. Martirosyan
    said, irrespective of peoples' political views, they will be able to
    reach their aim only with a united front. Raffi Hovannisian was also
    present at the rally. Comparatively speaking, it wasn't a large rally,
    and many protestors said they thought it was an ANC rally and that's
    why they j
    rty Supreme Body representative Armen Rustamyan, blaming the
    leadership, said that after the pre-signing of the Protocols, it was
    announced that they had signed it under no obligation, which was even
    worse, but, according to Rustamyan, if the leadership was to be frank
    and say they had been forced to sign, then the people would stand by
    them.

    Then he blamed the leadership for lying to the people. Rustamyan also
    said this is a path leading to downfall, and in order to prevent that
    downfall, a large pan-national front must be formed. Rustamyan also
    stated that the rally's site was not randomly chosen, since each
    person is responsible for what he says here. Rustamyan ended his
    speech with the following sentence: `Our fight is inevitable.'

    Throughout the rally, protestors were periodically shouting `No!' and
    sometimes `Nalbandyan resign!' At the end of the rally, ARF-D
    representatives appealed to place wreaths at the Tsitsernakabert
    Memorial dedicated to victims of the Armenian Genocide, but before the
    ARF-D leadership could place the wreaths, a singer appeared and began
    singing, after which the young Dashnaks started to sing and dance.

    ARF-D representatives stated this is not their last rally and the next
    one will take place on October 16 near Moscow Cinema.

    Tert.am
Working...
X