Tweet
TENSE SITUATION CONTINUES: ACTIVISTS CONTINUE SIT-IN IN PARK, WHILE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS ATTEMPT TO RESUME WORK
epress.am
02.16.2012
The numbers of those protesting kiosks construction in the Mashtots
Ave. park (between Aram and Buzand streets) in Yerevan today blossomed
to around 50, after information spread among news media and social
networks alerted the public to an altercation between activists
and police who asked that the plastic sheet they put up for shelter
be removed.
Also arriving on scene to support the activists were Heritage Party
MP Zaruhi Postanjyan and commander of the Shushi battalion during
the Nagorno-Karabakh War and one of the founders of the Sardarapat
movement Jirair Sefilian. Representatives of the Human Rights
Defender's Officer were also on scene.
As reported by the Epress.am correspondent on site, contractors
attempted to resume work on building the kiosks when activists stopped
them, saying what they're doing is illegal. To this the contractors
answered that they have the necessary papers to resume construction.
Currently, the activists are waiting for workers to show them these
documents.
Recall, at a meeting with Yerevan mayor Taron Margaryan yesterday,
activists were assured that construction wouldn't resume until this
matter was discussed by a specially created ad-hoc committee.
A statement issued by local civic group "We are the owners of this
city" states that city hall, in allowing this construction in the park,
has made an arbitrary decision in favor of a handful of property
owners to the detriment of the Yerevan public, and city employees
cannot explain why kiosks dismantled from one public area were moved
to another public area - and green space at that.
"If Yerevan City Hall doesn't wish to abide by the law then
the citizens standing guard for days in Mashtots park have the
understanding of this law and see no other option than continuing
their sit-in of an indeterminate period until the final liberation
of the park," reads the statement.
epress.am
02.16.2012
The numbers of those protesting kiosks construction in the Mashtots
Ave. park (between Aram and Buzand streets) in Yerevan today blossomed
to around 50, after information spread among news media and social
networks alerted the public to an altercation between activists
and police who asked that the plastic sheet they put up for shelter
be removed.
Also arriving on scene to support the activists were Heritage Party
MP Zaruhi Postanjyan and commander of the Shushi battalion during
the Nagorno-Karabakh War and one of the founders of the Sardarapat
movement Jirair Sefilian. Representatives of the Human Rights
Defender's Officer were also on scene.
As reported by the Epress.am correspondent on site, contractors
attempted to resume work on building the kiosks when activists stopped
them, saying what they're doing is illegal. To this the contractors
answered that they have the necessary papers to resume construction.
Currently, the activists are waiting for workers to show them these
documents.
Recall, at a meeting with Yerevan mayor Taron Margaryan yesterday,
activists were assured that construction wouldn't resume until this
matter was discussed by a specially created ad-hoc committee.
A statement issued by local civic group "We are the owners of this
city" states that city hall, in allowing this construction in the park,
has made an arbitrary decision in favor of a handful of property
owners to the detriment of the Yerevan public, and city employees
cannot explain why kiosks dismantled from one public area were moved
to another public area - and green space at that.
"If Yerevan City Hall doesn't wish to abide by the law then
the citizens standing guard for days in Mashtots park have the
understanding of this law and see no other option than continuing
their sit-in of an indeterminate period until the final liberation
of the park," reads the statement.