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DECISION 2013: STUDENTS URGE BOYCOTT IN WAKE OF ELECTION
http://armenianow.com/vote_2013/43885/raffi_hovannisian_serzh_sargsyan_armenia_president ial_election_yerevan_state_university
VOTE 2013 | 25.02.13 | 16:42
Photolure
By SIRANUYSH GEVORGYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
Several hundred students of Armenia's state universities and institutes
have declared an indefinite boycott of classes as an act of protest
against what they say was fraud in the February 18 presidential.
The students on strike are those who have given their votes and their
support to official runner up of the presidential election Raffi
Hovannisian. The oppositional candidate has been holding massive acts
of protest since February 19, claiming that he is the actual winner.
Students demand to "annul the election results and hold new elections".
Chanting "Boycott to classes", "We are the masters of our country",
"Free, independent student" and with posters "You are taking the dead
to vote, to do what?", students rallied for 20 minutes in front of
the Yerevan State University; some delivered speeches.
"We all know very well who has won in these elections. The factual
truth is that the people have won in this race. I urge all of you
to stand by our people; I'm calling upon you to join us," Tigran
Ghazaryan, student at Yerevan State University of Economics, said
over a loudspeaker.
The stairway in front of the central building at Yerevan State
University (YSU) had several staff members of the university
administration watching the protest, as well as a great number of
police officers in the crowd, among and around the students.
"Either return to your offices and fulfill your duties, or - and
of course this option is more preferable - join our event," said
Daniel Ionnisyan representing the youth wing of Heritage party under
Hovannisian's leadership. He stressed that they are not holding a
demonstration, but simply making an appeal to boycott the classes;
and that's up to each student to decide.
While the university management complained to the police that the
protest held in front of YSU interfered with classes, the boycotting
students pointed out that they had chosen to hold the event during
a break in classes so as to not interfere.
Gevorg Melkonyan, heading the Young University Students' Union
and assistant to the YSU rector, criticized the students for their
actions. Earlier criticism was expressed also by the education and
science ministry, stating that "the Constitution of Armenia forbids
political activities and advocacy at educational institutions".
The YSU professor said they are against "the university being involved
in political processes", at the same time ruled out any pressure upon
the students on strike by the university management.
It is noteworthy that reelected president Serzh Sargsyan is the
chairman of the YSU board.
Meanwhile, Hovannisian has long been urging Sargsyan to not involve
institutes of higher education in political parties - or rather one
party, since heads of student councils in Armenia are mostly members
of the ruling Republican party, who are mocked by the opposition as
"neo-republicans".
Melkonyan made an appeal to the students to express political positions
at "the respective places" and "refrain from politicizing higher
educational institutions". He says the Republicans "don't allow
political processes" at universities.
"I am the president of the Young University Students' Union, I have
more than 1,200 members, but we do not let any political process enter
the higher educational institutions; although, frankly speaking,
to say that it is completely ruled out would be demagogy. It is
impossible to absolutely exclude such possibilities, but at least to
a greater degree we have to stay out of political processes," he says.
After the protest the students marched from YSU to other universities,
urging other students to join them. The gates of Yerevan State
Economics University (YSUE) and Yerevan State Medical universities
had been shut down to not let them in. Despite that, a group of male
students at YSUE jumped out of the ground-floor auditorium window
to join the strike. They marched to their final destination - the
Central Election Commission, where the second count of ballots was
being summed up at that moment.
http://armenianow.com/vote_2013/43885/raffi_hovannisian_serzh_sargsyan_armenia_president ial_election_yerevan_state_university
VOTE 2013 | 25.02.13 | 16:42
Photolure
By SIRANUYSH GEVORGYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
Several hundred students of Armenia's state universities and institutes
have declared an indefinite boycott of classes as an act of protest
against what they say was fraud in the February 18 presidential.
The students on strike are those who have given their votes and their
support to official runner up of the presidential election Raffi
Hovannisian. The oppositional candidate has been holding massive acts
of protest since February 19, claiming that he is the actual winner.
Students demand to "annul the election results and hold new elections".
Chanting "Boycott to classes", "We are the masters of our country",
"Free, independent student" and with posters "You are taking the dead
to vote, to do what?", students rallied for 20 minutes in front of
the Yerevan State University; some delivered speeches.
"We all know very well who has won in these elections. The factual
truth is that the people have won in this race. I urge all of you
to stand by our people; I'm calling upon you to join us," Tigran
Ghazaryan, student at Yerevan State University of Economics, said
over a loudspeaker.
The stairway in front of the central building at Yerevan State
University (YSU) had several staff members of the university
administration watching the protest, as well as a great number of
police officers in the crowd, among and around the students.
"Either return to your offices and fulfill your duties, or - and
of course this option is more preferable - join our event," said
Daniel Ionnisyan representing the youth wing of Heritage party under
Hovannisian's leadership. He stressed that they are not holding a
demonstration, but simply making an appeal to boycott the classes;
and that's up to each student to decide.
While the university management complained to the police that the
protest held in front of YSU interfered with classes, the boycotting
students pointed out that they had chosen to hold the event during
a break in classes so as to not interfere.
Gevorg Melkonyan, heading the Young University Students' Union
and assistant to the YSU rector, criticized the students for their
actions. Earlier criticism was expressed also by the education and
science ministry, stating that "the Constitution of Armenia forbids
political activities and advocacy at educational institutions".
The YSU professor said they are against "the university being involved
in political processes", at the same time ruled out any pressure upon
the students on strike by the university management.
It is noteworthy that reelected president Serzh Sargsyan is the
chairman of the YSU board.
Meanwhile, Hovannisian has long been urging Sargsyan to not involve
institutes of higher education in political parties - or rather one
party, since heads of student councils in Armenia are mostly members
of the ruling Republican party, who are mocked by the opposition as
"neo-republicans".
Melkonyan made an appeal to the students to express political positions
at "the respective places" and "refrain from politicizing higher
educational institutions". He says the Republicans "don't allow
political processes" at universities.
"I am the president of the Young University Students' Union, I have
more than 1,200 members, but we do not let any political process enter
the higher educational institutions; although, frankly speaking,
to say that it is completely ruled out would be demagogy. It is
impossible to absolutely exclude such possibilities, but at least to
a greater degree we have to stay out of political processes," he says.
After the protest the students marched from YSU to other universities,
urging other students to join them. The gates of Yerevan State
Economics University (YSUE) and Yerevan State Medical universities
had been shut down to not let them in. Despite that, a group of male
students at YSUE jumped out of the ground-floor auditorium window
to join the strike. They marched to their final destination - the
Central Election Commission, where the second count of ballots was
being summed up at that moment.