Freedom Square March 2, 2003 - Raffi Hovannisian: `I invite Serzh
Sargsyan to show up and give an accounting to the people'
Hrant Gadarigian
http://hetq.am/eng/news/24050/freedom-square-march-2-2003-%E2%80%93-raffi-hovannisian-%E2%80%9Ci-invite-serzh-sargsyan-to-show-up-and-give-an-accounting-to-the-people%E2%80%9D.html
19:05, March 2, 2013
Jirayr Sefilyan, Andreas Ghoukasyan and Nikol Pashinyan Address
Thousands Calling for Serzh Sargsyan to Resign
Freedom Square in Yerevan was overflowing with people at today's rally
in support of Raffi Hovannisian and his ongoing struggle to reject the
official vote results of the February 18 presidential election.
Speakers included Jirayr Sefilyan and Nikol Pashinyan, Andreas
Ghoukasyan and Zarouhie Postanjyan.
Raffi Hovannisian invited Serzh Sargsyan to Freedom Square on March 5
and to face the people who had voted him out of office.
Hovannisian called on Serzh Sargsyan, Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
and Yerevan Mayor Taron Karapetyan to submit their resignations
publicly for the lies and fraud they have perpetrated during their
terms of office.
He called on them to display their morality and Christian spirit to
give an accounting to the people for the error of their ways.
Hovannisian said he would consult with his lawyers and decide whether
or not to petition the Central Electoral Commission to declare the
February 18 election null and void.
He asked the crowd when the next rally should be held, March 5 or
March 8. The people answered March 8; the day when they demand to see
Serzh Sargsyan at Freedom Square and account for his misdeeds in front
of the people.
Jirayr Sefilyan told the crowd that a real opportunity had arisen to
`build the Armenia of our dreams.' He warned the crowd that the past
mistakes of the opposition must not be repeated.
Sefilyan, an Artsakh military commander, said that the regime's ploy
to use `national security' as a pretext to halt the current unfolding
struggle will no longer be swallowed.
`We cannot wait another five years,' declared Sefilyan. `In 2008, the
regime succeeded in dividing the people. This time we are united as
one, Armenia, Artsakh and the diaspora.'
Sefilyan said that no of the leaders of the past who betrayed the will
of the people would be allowed on the platform at Freedom Square.
Andreas Ghoukasyan, the presidential candidate who went on hunger
strike, gave a fiery speech lambasting the current regime. He called
for unity of purpose as well.
`Today, 10 million Armenians around the world are watching what
happens in Freedom Square to see if the people are ready to take the
struggle for freedom and justice till the end,' said Ghoukasyan.
He then asked the crowd, `Are you ready?' To which the crowd
thunderously responded, `Yes'
Ghoukasyan said that the people must demand the resignation of all
ruling Republican Party officials from regional and municipal posts.
He also called for the people to organize and proposed the formation
of citizens' council to represent the people's will parallel to
existing government structures.
As Nikol Pashinyan, the firebrand political activist, approached the
microphone he was welcomed with chants of `Nikol, Nikol'
He noted that on March 1, 2008, the Kocharian/Sargsyan clique occupied
Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, with tanks and the army.
Pashinyan said that today, the people have launched a struggle to
build a new Armenia on behalf of those who died five years ago.
He said that the people have united in a sacred cause and that the
regime's attempt to pit one region against the other is doomed to
failure.
`Our struggle is for the unity of all Armenians, that the rule of law
covers each and every citizen of the country. The hour of unity,
brotherhood and victory is upon us,' declared Pashinyan.
Pashinyan said the goal of the people and the pan-national struggle
embodied by Raffi Hovannisian, the elected president of the people, is
a simple one -irreversible victory.
`Victory of nothing,' exclaimed Pashinyan.
He proposed that on April 9, inauguration day, the people fill
Republic Square and conduct a popular inauguration of Raffi
Hovannisian as the next president of Armenia.
Pashinyan said that faced with such an outpouring of the people's
will, Serzh Sargsyan will be forced to admit defeat and that he isn't
the choice of the people.
Sargsyan to show up and give an accounting to the people'
Hrant Gadarigian
http://hetq.am/eng/news/24050/freedom-square-march-2-2003-%E2%80%93-raffi-hovannisian-%E2%80%9Ci-invite-serzh-sargsyan-to-show-up-and-give-an-accounting-to-the-people%E2%80%9D.html
19:05, March 2, 2013
Jirayr Sefilyan, Andreas Ghoukasyan and Nikol Pashinyan Address
Thousands Calling for Serzh Sargsyan to Resign
Freedom Square in Yerevan was overflowing with people at today's rally
in support of Raffi Hovannisian and his ongoing struggle to reject the
official vote results of the February 18 presidential election.
Speakers included Jirayr Sefilyan and Nikol Pashinyan, Andreas
Ghoukasyan and Zarouhie Postanjyan.
Raffi Hovannisian invited Serzh Sargsyan to Freedom Square on March 5
and to face the people who had voted him out of office.
Hovannisian called on Serzh Sargsyan, Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
and Yerevan Mayor Taron Karapetyan to submit their resignations
publicly for the lies and fraud they have perpetrated during their
terms of office.
He called on them to display their morality and Christian spirit to
give an accounting to the people for the error of their ways.
Hovannisian said he would consult with his lawyers and decide whether
or not to petition the Central Electoral Commission to declare the
February 18 election null and void.
He asked the crowd when the next rally should be held, March 5 or
March 8. The people answered March 8; the day when they demand to see
Serzh Sargsyan at Freedom Square and account for his misdeeds in front
of the people.
Jirayr Sefilyan told the crowd that a real opportunity had arisen to
`build the Armenia of our dreams.' He warned the crowd that the past
mistakes of the opposition must not be repeated.
Sefilyan, an Artsakh military commander, said that the regime's ploy
to use `national security' as a pretext to halt the current unfolding
struggle will no longer be swallowed.
`We cannot wait another five years,' declared Sefilyan. `In 2008, the
regime succeeded in dividing the people. This time we are united as
one, Armenia, Artsakh and the diaspora.'
Sefilyan said that no of the leaders of the past who betrayed the will
of the people would be allowed on the platform at Freedom Square.
Andreas Ghoukasyan, the presidential candidate who went on hunger
strike, gave a fiery speech lambasting the current regime. He called
for unity of purpose as well.
`Today, 10 million Armenians around the world are watching what
happens in Freedom Square to see if the people are ready to take the
struggle for freedom and justice till the end,' said Ghoukasyan.
He then asked the crowd, `Are you ready?' To which the crowd
thunderously responded, `Yes'
Ghoukasyan said that the people must demand the resignation of all
ruling Republican Party officials from regional and municipal posts.
He also called for the people to organize and proposed the formation
of citizens' council to represent the people's will parallel to
existing government structures.
As Nikol Pashinyan, the firebrand political activist, approached the
microphone he was welcomed with chants of `Nikol, Nikol'
He noted that on March 1, 2008, the Kocharian/Sargsyan clique occupied
Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, with tanks and the army.
Pashinyan said that today, the people have launched a struggle to
build a new Armenia on behalf of those who died five years ago.
He said that the people have united in a sacred cause and that the
regime's attempt to pit one region against the other is doomed to
failure.
`Our struggle is for the unity of all Armenians, that the rule of law
covers each and every citizen of the country. The hour of unity,
brotherhood and victory is upon us,' declared Pashinyan.
Pashinyan said the goal of the people and the pan-national struggle
embodied by Raffi Hovannisian, the elected president of the people, is
a simple one -irreversible victory.
`Victory of nothing,' exclaimed Pashinyan.
He proposed that on April 9, inauguration day, the people fill
Republic Square and conduct a popular inauguration of Raffi
Hovannisian as the next president of Armenia.
Pashinyan said that faced with such an outpouring of the people's
will, Serzh Sargsyan will be forced to admit defeat and that he isn't
the choice of the people.