GOVERNMENT IS ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE
Siranuysh Papyan
13:32 22/02/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/index.php/eng/0/interview/view/29035
Interview with ethnographer Hranush Kharatyan
Ms. Kharatyan, will the post-electoral developments lead to change?
I watched the first part of Serzh Sargsyan-Raffi Hovannisian meeting
when Serzh Sargsyan asks whether they will talk in the presence of
journalists or not, and Raffi Hovannisian says no, while public
confidence was given to him loudly, so if he prefers a private
discussion on a private issue, it cannot be a public wave.
On the other hand, I am not sure that the rallies will gather the
momentum necessary to change the state of affairs. Raffi's rhetoric is
interesting but it may not last long. The Heritage Party is popular
with the public but, in fact, the Heritage is a party with a civil
format. Very well but this format does not have an experience of
public and group uprising. Besides, there is no ability to capture the
attention of such an audience because this form of struggle means a
lasting process. Maybe Raffi Hovannisian has objectively assessed his
resource and they are able to keep it up until they achieve results.
Raffi has stated to wait for Serzh Sargsyan on the square. Judging
by Raffi Hovannisian's words, they are waiting until he will come
and hand power to the people. No other option has been suggested
yet. It is possible that Raffi Hovannisian is aware of the following
steps but prefers not to publish them. On the other hand, if Serzh
Sargsyan did not come to the square and did not announce what Raffi
Hovannisian expects from him, will he apply to legal institutions or
will he follow the institutional path? The recount of votes is done
without informing Raffi Hovannisian, hence the tendency to bypass
Raffi Hovannisian and act alone is there. Yesterday I listened to the
chief of police state that reports of electoral fraud are mainly false.
Obviously, their methodology will not change.
They say Raffi Hovannisian has no plan.
It is not known what the next step will be. Obviously, Raffi
Hovannisian has yielded to the people's uprising rather than Raffi
Hovannisian's uprising set people on their feet. The Heritage Party
trusts Raffi's honesty and morality and assures that Raffi will say
and do things which we will see but only he knows what he is doing
to say and do.
Raffi Hovannisian's campaign was different from other campaigns and
it was successful. My analysis shows that his behavior throughout
the campaign, especially in the last week influenced his votes. Yet
there is something else which I cannot state clearly. If this
non-standard Armenian campaign proved successful, Raffi's general
steps, non-absolute and open statements may also provide successful.
Nevertheless, this familiar situation and familiar background
information do not allow me to see prospects and have expectations. I
come in touch with people, talk to them and I know that people have
highly specific expectations, and the solutions suggested so far are
blurred and uncertain.
Ms. Kharatyan, don't you think that the demand for a second round or
a new election would be more substantial?
In order to demand a second round Raffi Hovannisian must point to
such expressions and number of electoral fraud which make the past
election unacceptable. I think there is a possibility.
The criminal oligarchy definitely will not give up easily. There are
worries that March 1 will repeat.
By their participation in the election our society showed that it
is capable of overcoming its fears while we were talking about these
fears and worries.
This teaches everyone a good lesson that individuals and the society
have a sense of dignity. March 1 is a sad memory, painful present but
it was unable to hinder the inner compulsion and the right of people
to express their will. This time people expressed a strong will.
I can think of several options of what will follow independent from
further process of the uprising. First, if this government does not
change, it will have to use more violence to bend people.
Second, this process itself showed the government that it is
absolutely unacceptable, and all it can rely on is the administrative
resource. The government may conclude that it should not continue
this way, which is hard to believe. Since this is the last round of
the government, it may be used for private purposes.
Siranuysh Papyan
13:32 22/02/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/index.php/eng/0/interview/view/29035
Interview with ethnographer Hranush Kharatyan
Ms. Kharatyan, will the post-electoral developments lead to change?
I watched the first part of Serzh Sargsyan-Raffi Hovannisian meeting
when Serzh Sargsyan asks whether they will talk in the presence of
journalists or not, and Raffi Hovannisian says no, while public
confidence was given to him loudly, so if he prefers a private
discussion on a private issue, it cannot be a public wave.
On the other hand, I am not sure that the rallies will gather the
momentum necessary to change the state of affairs. Raffi's rhetoric is
interesting but it may not last long. The Heritage Party is popular
with the public but, in fact, the Heritage is a party with a civil
format. Very well but this format does not have an experience of
public and group uprising. Besides, there is no ability to capture the
attention of such an audience because this form of struggle means a
lasting process. Maybe Raffi Hovannisian has objectively assessed his
resource and they are able to keep it up until they achieve results.
Raffi has stated to wait for Serzh Sargsyan on the square. Judging
by Raffi Hovannisian's words, they are waiting until he will come
and hand power to the people. No other option has been suggested
yet. It is possible that Raffi Hovannisian is aware of the following
steps but prefers not to publish them. On the other hand, if Serzh
Sargsyan did not come to the square and did not announce what Raffi
Hovannisian expects from him, will he apply to legal institutions or
will he follow the institutional path? The recount of votes is done
without informing Raffi Hovannisian, hence the tendency to bypass
Raffi Hovannisian and act alone is there. Yesterday I listened to the
chief of police state that reports of electoral fraud are mainly false.
Obviously, their methodology will not change.
They say Raffi Hovannisian has no plan.
It is not known what the next step will be. Obviously, Raffi
Hovannisian has yielded to the people's uprising rather than Raffi
Hovannisian's uprising set people on their feet. The Heritage Party
trusts Raffi's honesty and morality and assures that Raffi will say
and do things which we will see but only he knows what he is doing
to say and do.
Raffi Hovannisian's campaign was different from other campaigns and
it was successful. My analysis shows that his behavior throughout
the campaign, especially in the last week influenced his votes. Yet
there is something else which I cannot state clearly. If this
non-standard Armenian campaign proved successful, Raffi's general
steps, non-absolute and open statements may also provide successful.
Nevertheless, this familiar situation and familiar background
information do not allow me to see prospects and have expectations. I
come in touch with people, talk to them and I know that people have
highly specific expectations, and the solutions suggested so far are
blurred and uncertain.
Ms. Kharatyan, don't you think that the demand for a second round or
a new election would be more substantial?
In order to demand a second round Raffi Hovannisian must point to
such expressions and number of electoral fraud which make the past
election unacceptable. I think there is a possibility.
The criminal oligarchy definitely will not give up easily. There are
worries that March 1 will repeat.
By their participation in the election our society showed that it
is capable of overcoming its fears while we were talking about these
fears and worries.
This teaches everyone a good lesson that individuals and the society
have a sense of dignity. March 1 is a sad memory, painful present but
it was unable to hinder the inner compulsion and the right of people
to express their will. This time people expressed a strong will.
I can think of several options of what will follow independent from
further process of the uprising. First, if this government does not
change, it will have to use more violence to bend people.
Second, this process itself showed the government that it is
absolutely unacceptable, and all it can rely on is the administrative
resource. The government may conclude that it should not continue
this way, which is hard to believe. Since this is the last round of
the government, it may be used for private purposes.