Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Freedom Square Is Calling

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

  • Freedom Square Is Calling

    FREEDOM SQUARE IS CALLING
    by Houry Mayissian

    http://www.armenianweekly.com/2013/02/21/freedom-square-is-calling/
    February 21, 2013

    Growing up in Lebanon, I remember football (soccer) tournaments were
    events of magnified importance. Teams were divided along confessional
    and political lines and, naturally, so were the fans.

    Rally at Freedom Square in Yerevan on Feb. 20, 2013. (Photo by Khatchig
    Mouradian, The Armenian Weekly) I recall the stories my father and
    older brother would tell when they returned from a game. Depending
    on whether Homenetmen had won or lost, they would talk about the
    chants and slogans, describe how this or that player scored a goal,
    how luck was simply not on our side that day, or how the referees
    were completely unreasonable and unfair in their rulings.

    Teams went to great lengths to ensure victory. Bribing referees and
    fixing matches were regular occurrences for several local teams that
    could afford it-a phenomenon we refused to participate in. For the
    community, though, it did not matter. Whether we were strong enough
    to take on the opponent or not, whether we could expect a game to be
    fixed or not, our fans showed up in the numbers with their flags and
    chants to support their team. It was not just about sports. The games
    were about the community's thirst for acknowledgement, for winning. It
    was one way to channel the political aspirations and frustrations of
    a community formed on the ashes of Genocide and deprived of a homeland.

    And so rain, hail, or shine they showed up.

    So did our compatriots in Armenia on the day of the country's sixth
    presidential election. They showed up to express their aspirations for
    a better future; they showed up for a chance to win against all odds.

    With three major opposition forces not participating, the
    non-competitiveness of the election seemed to dominate public
    discourse, or at least media discourse, in the pre-electoral phase.

    The results were going to be fixed-and they were; People were going
    to be bribed, pressured, intimidated-and many were; Not many people
    were going to show up, because it was all a sham-but many did; it was
    meaningless to participate-but the aftermath has shown it certainly
    wasn't. In retrospect, those who held these views-myself included,
    but, more importantly, several prominent opposition forces-were right
    about many things; but I am thankful we were wrong about what counts
    most-the will of the people.

    Election day is over but the struggle for fair and just elections is
    not. We may never know the exact proportion of votes Raffi Hovannisian
    and Serge Sarkisian received, but our people are still showing up,
    this time at Freedom Square, to defend their democratic right to vote,
    to defend their choice. I don't know where the future will lead us,
    and if, when, or how the gatherings at Freedom Square will come to
    an end this time around. How the coming days pan out will depend
    on many things, including the decisions and actions of Hovannisian,
    the authorities, and other political forces in Armenia.

    In these uncertain times, however, one thing is certain. This
    struggle is not about Hovannisian gaining power. It is not about
    the Heritage Party or the Republican Party; the ARF, the Armenian
    National Congress or Prosperous Armenia. This sentiment was
    reiterated by Hovannisian himself during one of his speeches at
    Freedom Square. This struggle is about freedom, self-determination,
    nation-building, and democratization. It is the struggle for a better
    future-a strong Armenia where the will of the people is respected,
    not oppressed. For this reason, it must be a united struggle.

    Yet again, Armenia is at a crossroads. All political forces in Armenia
    have a choice to make. Those who see themselves defending the freedom
    of the people and democratic principles must play their role in this
    struggle. This is particularly true for the main opposition parties.

    Members of the Armenian National Congress-which remains embroiled in
    an internal struggle-have attended the gatherings at Freedom Square.

    Prosperous Armenia remains silent. The ARF has announced it stands by
    the people. More concrete actions are needed, however. Having sat out
    the elections out of lack of faith in the process, these parties now
    have an opportunity to re-evaluate their policies and to take part
    in carving out a different future for our country. Otherwise they
    may risk marginalizing themselves.

    The people of Armenia have spoken. They have spoken against five
    more years of corruption, emigration, social inequality, economic
    deprivation, human rights violations and irresponsible foreign
    policies. We can't afford five more years of suppressing the will of
    the people. Enough. Freedom Square is calling.

Working...
X