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ARMENIANS SHOW INDIFFERENCE TO 2013 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
by Christian Garbis
February 1, 2013 in Opinion
The insouciant vibe in Armenia just a week after the official start of
the presidential campaign is a stark contrast to the energy
surrounding the 2008 election. The excitement displayed then by
frequent rallies and gatherings of the Armenian National Congress
pushed other parties, both pro-government and oppositional, to compete
for the lion's share of public attention.
Hovhannisian campaigning
None of that exists today. With Levon Ter-Petrossian's retreat to his
den, the Congress is on the verge of disintegrating and the
president's own rallies are staged. Two major parties in opposition
have refused to field candidates. The hype isn't there.
Several reasons for this exist. Firstly, Armenians do not believe they
live in a democracy. They acknowledge the totalitarian tendencies of
the ruling regime but do nothing to bring about reform. They accept
the new requirement of receiving ID cards from the police department
so they can receive salaries. They withstand having their children
escorted by their teachers to the president's campaign events while
holding Republican Party flags in the middle of the school day. They
comply when their department heads at state agencies demand they
submit a list of 50-100 names of people who pledge they will vote for
the president, or else be fired. They don't dare to complain about
absurdly low wages for fear of losing their jobs, and the opposition
parties have no leverage to have the standards of living increased for
most citizens. The ruling regime feels no pressure from within the
country and externally, namely from the Armenian Diaspora, to revise
its domestic policies. There is no system of checks and balances, nor
is there a perceived need for them since it's not discussed
publically. Armenians lament the absence of justice, but they put
forth no concrete demands for their government to reform the judicial
system and make it resilient to external influence. The president
promises the fairest election ever, but no one believes him. Some even
think that the outcome has been prearranged in an agreement between
Washington and Moscow.
Many citizens, especially those living in rural areas, look forward to
election day as a way to make a quick $10 or $20 by selling their
vote. They don't care how the election turns out because they see the
repressive system perpetuating. They feel no sense of empowerment,
they don't believe in the strength of their voice. The commonly spoken
line keeps repeating: "What can you do? There it is."
In the meantime, those who can will continue to leave. Decent-paying
work opportunities are hard to come by, and the government does little
to create new jobs. As the Weekly previously reported, a 2008 study by
the International Labor Organization showed that 70 percent of
families with one or more members working abroad received remittances
from them, which are then used to pay for food and utilities (both of
which have substantially increased since the report was released).
People are struggling more than ever to get by.
Raffi Hovhannisian, one of the most respected Armenian politicians,
who ironically is among the least taken seriously, is the president's
main contender. Known for his brutal honesty and strong will, he is
perceived by some as the beaming icon of what should personify the
ideal president. He is universally viewed among Armenian citizenry as
"a nice guy who means well."
But Hovhannisian is in it alone. None of the other parties have hinted
at lending their support to his candidacy, which is unsurprising given
his reputation for being unable to cooperate with virtually anyone.
Indeed, it is hard to imagine how he would ever form a government. His
Heritage Party's embarrassing divorce from the Free Democrats after
Hovhannisian made public his desire for their leader, Khachatur
Kokobelian, to yield his parliamentary seat to young blood resulted in
the loss of a broader support base.
If by divine providence Hovhannisian were to win, he would still have
the omnipotent oligarchic system to contend with, and the "families"
would likely be unwilling to serve him (unless he's been secretly
reaching out). He will have to campaign tremendously hard in the next
few weeks to prove he is a serious alternative who can actually beat
President Serge Sarkisian, something that will take a considerable
amount of convincing. But his slogan, "It's Possible," is certainly
optimistic.
Paruyr Hayrikian, the legendary dissident from the Soviet era,
announced his candidacy on Jan. 7. He was quoted by RFE/RL as saying
that there "will be no constitutional regime change in Armenia through
these elections because unfortunately power...illegally and legally
belongs to Serge Sarkisian and his associates subordinate to him."
[Note: Hayrikian was shot on Jan. 31 and is currently recovering]
In his Jan. 19 interview with RFE/RL, in response to whether he
believed he had a rival, Sarkisian's first words were, "I am inclined
to believe that it is not the government's problem to nurture a
competitor." No, only the incumbent's.
Sarkisian doesn't seem to understand how election campaigns really
work. In the interview with RFE/RL, the president commented, "People
become presidents with their teams, due to their track record, and not
by criticizing the government." This baffling statement implies he
either simply doesn't read international political news or he's
mocking anyone bothering to peruse his remarks. Then a recent video
shows the president's gruff indifference to the plight of struggling
citizens at an Army Day commemorative event as a desperate woman
approaches him in tears for an answer she can't find.
The apathy surrounding these elections is shared by citizens and
political forces alike. Neither the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation-Dashnaktsutiun (ARF-D), Prosperous Armenia Party, or
Armenian National Congress agreed to field candidates of their own,
nor did they consider rallying around a single challenger, as a
demonstration of no confidence in the fairness of the elections. The
consensus was nothing more than a noble act of defeatism, a blatant
affront to the democratic process. Lyudmila Sargsian of the Congress
on Jan. 9 said that "Serge Sarkisian's reelection is already
predetermined. I think that it would be unserious of the [Armenian
National Congress] to enter the fray." In turn, head of the ARF-D
parliamentary group Armen Rustamyan's said, "I will definitely not
vote for anybody... In all likelihood, I will write 'against all' on the
ballot."
Eligible voters can be divided into three categories: those who will
vote for the authorities to protect their jobs and way of life; those
who succumb to vote buying or are intimidated to vote a certain way;
and those who vote of their own free will, ignoring pressure to vote
for a particular candidate. Yet, nearly everyone I have ever spoken to
has told me that the status quo will remain because nothing can ever
be done to change the system of governance (although some tend to be
cautiously optimistic). People live in fear-fear of losing their jobs
and capital, and being oppressed.
It is not the Sarkisian Administration, or any other for that matter,
that has been manipulating mindsets. Indifference and fatalism control
the populace, and thereby obscure their belief in democracy. And
they're apprehensive of change.
As a fruit vendor working out of a small trailer in a courtyard near
Sakharov Square told me the other day, "They say we're living well
now, although I don't think I totally agree... But it could be a lot
worse."
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2013/02/01/armenians-show-indifference-to-2013-presidential-elections/
by Christian Garbis
February 1, 2013 in Opinion
The insouciant vibe in Armenia just a week after the official start of
the presidential campaign is a stark contrast to the energy
surrounding the 2008 election. The excitement displayed then by
frequent rallies and gatherings of the Armenian National Congress
pushed other parties, both pro-government and oppositional, to compete
for the lion's share of public attention.
Hovhannisian campaigning
None of that exists today. With Levon Ter-Petrossian's retreat to his
den, the Congress is on the verge of disintegrating and the
president's own rallies are staged. Two major parties in opposition
have refused to field candidates. The hype isn't there.
Several reasons for this exist. Firstly, Armenians do not believe they
live in a democracy. They acknowledge the totalitarian tendencies of
the ruling regime but do nothing to bring about reform. They accept
the new requirement of receiving ID cards from the police department
so they can receive salaries. They withstand having their children
escorted by their teachers to the president's campaign events while
holding Republican Party flags in the middle of the school day. They
comply when their department heads at state agencies demand they
submit a list of 50-100 names of people who pledge they will vote for
the president, or else be fired. They don't dare to complain about
absurdly low wages for fear of losing their jobs, and the opposition
parties have no leverage to have the standards of living increased for
most citizens. The ruling regime feels no pressure from within the
country and externally, namely from the Armenian Diaspora, to revise
its domestic policies. There is no system of checks and balances, nor
is there a perceived need for them since it's not discussed
publically. Armenians lament the absence of justice, but they put
forth no concrete demands for their government to reform the judicial
system and make it resilient to external influence. The president
promises the fairest election ever, but no one believes him. Some even
think that the outcome has been prearranged in an agreement between
Washington and Moscow.
Many citizens, especially those living in rural areas, look forward to
election day as a way to make a quick $10 or $20 by selling their
vote. They don't care how the election turns out because they see the
repressive system perpetuating. They feel no sense of empowerment,
they don't believe in the strength of their voice. The commonly spoken
line keeps repeating: "What can you do? There it is."
In the meantime, those who can will continue to leave. Decent-paying
work opportunities are hard to come by, and the government does little
to create new jobs. As the Weekly previously reported, a 2008 study by
the International Labor Organization showed that 70 percent of
families with one or more members working abroad received remittances
from them, which are then used to pay for food and utilities (both of
which have substantially increased since the report was released).
People are struggling more than ever to get by.
Raffi Hovhannisian, one of the most respected Armenian politicians,
who ironically is among the least taken seriously, is the president's
main contender. Known for his brutal honesty and strong will, he is
perceived by some as the beaming icon of what should personify the
ideal president. He is universally viewed among Armenian citizenry as
"a nice guy who means well."
But Hovhannisian is in it alone. None of the other parties have hinted
at lending their support to his candidacy, which is unsurprising given
his reputation for being unable to cooperate with virtually anyone.
Indeed, it is hard to imagine how he would ever form a government. His
Heritage Party's embarrassing divorce from the Free Democrats after
Hovhannisian made public his desire for their leader, Khachatur
Kokobelian, to yield his parliamentary seat to young blood resulted in
the loss of a broader support base.
If by divine providence Hovhannisian were to win, he would still have
the omnipotent oligarchic system to contend with, and the "families"
would likely be unwilling to serve him (unless he's been secretly
reaching out). He will have to campaign tremendously hard in the next
few weeks to prove he is a serious alternative who can actually beat
President Serge Sarkisian, something that will take a considerable
amount of convincing. But his slogan, "It's Possible," is certainly
optimistic.
Paruyr Hayrikian, the legendary dissident from the Soviet era,
announced his candidacy on Jan. 7. He was quoted by RFE/RL as saying
that there "will be no constitutional regime change in Armenia through
these elections because unfortunately power...illegally and legally
belongs to Serge Sarkisian and his associates subordinate to him."
[Note: Hayrikian was shot on Jan. 31 and is currently recovering]
In his Jan. 19 interview with RFE/RL, in response to whether he
believed he had a rival, Sarkisian's first words were, "I am inclined
to believe that it is not the government's problem to nurture a
competitor." No, only the incumbent's.
Sarkisian doesn't seem to understand how election campaigns really
work. In the interview with RFE/RL, the president commented, "People
become presidents with their teams, due to their track record, and not
by criticizing the government." This baffling statement implies he
either simply doesn't read international political news or he's
mocking anyone bothering to peruse his remarks. Then a recent video
shows the president's gruff indifference to the plight of struggling
citizens at an Army Day commemorative event as a desperate woman
approaches him in tears for an answer she can't find.
The apathy surrounding these elections is shared by citizens and
political forces alike. Neither the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation-Dashnaktsutiun (ARF-D), Prosperous Armenia Party, or
Armenian National Congress agreed to field candidates of their own,
nor did they consider rallying around a single challenger, as a
demonstration of no confidence in the fairness of the elections. The
consensus was nothing more than a noble act of defeatism, a blatant
affront to the democratic process. Lyudmila Sargsian of the Congress
on Jan. 9 said that "Serge Sarkisian's reelection is already
predetermined. I think that it would be unserious of the [Armenian
National Congress] to enter the fray." In turn, head of the ARF-D
parliamentary group Armen Rustamyan's said, "I will definitely not
vote for anybody... In all likelihood, I will write 'against all' on the
ballot."
Eligible voters can be divided into three categories: those who will
vote for the authorities to protect their jobs and way of life; those
who succumb to vote buying or are intimidated to vote a certain way;
and those who vote of their own free will, ignoring pressure to vote
for a particular candidate. Yet, nearly everyone I have ever spoken to
has told me that the status quo will remain because nothing can ever
be done to change the system of governance (although some tend to be
cautiously optimistic). People live in fear-fear of losing their jobs
and capital, and being oppressed.
It is not the Sarkisian Administration, or any other for that matter,
that has been manipulating mindsets. Indifference and fatalism control
the populace, and thereby obscure their belief in democracy. And
they're apprehensive of change.
As a fruit vendor working out of a small trailer in a courtyard near
Sakharov Square told me the other day, "They say we're living well
now, although I don't think I totally agree... But it could be a lot
worse."
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2013/02/01/armenians-show-indifference-to-2013-presidential-elections/