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Raffi Hovhannisian will never put his voters under risk, says rock musician
TERT.AM
13:02 - 17.03.13
Armenian rock musician and singer Vahan Artsruni doesn't think former
opposition candidate Raffi Hovhannisian will ever put his electorate
under the threat of bullet.
Speaking to Tert.am, the musician said the Heritage party's leader,
who is now on a hunger-strike in Yerevan's Liberty Square, will prefer
to suffer himself rather than put his supporting crowd under risk.
`He is trying not to deviate from the right path. All the political
manifestations are strictly within the Constitution. After such a
pre-election period that required an over-tension of physical
potentials, he declared a hunger-strike. So it s necessary to realize
what it means and what Raffi Hovhannisian is going through for the
sake of the ideas and beliefs he is serving for,' he said.
Hovhannisian, who received 37% of votes in the February 18 election,
was the second-placed candidate after President Serzh Sargsyan,
according to official voting results. But he claims the election was
marred by fraud to secure Sargsyan's second term. The politician
declared a hunger-strike last Sunday, calling on the re-elected
president to step down.
Commenting on the authorities' steps in the present circumstances,
Artsruni said he hasn't seen any differences in the ruling circles'
political solutions in the past 20 years.
`This is not something new. It is impossible, so Raffi Hovhannisian's
campaign is as logical as is the form of government in terms of its
attitude to not only Raffi [Hovhannisian] but also the Armenian
nation,' he addd.
As for the intellectual circles' activeness in the current popular
movement, the musician warned against any attempts to separate
intellectuals from public at large.
`Intellectuals are an integral part of the people, so that distinction
is an artificial Soviet-time invention that remains adopted to date. I
do not admit of any stratification. Intellectuals will remain
inseparable from the people, as they have always been. You cannot cite
a historical episode that saw intellectuals separated from people,' he
said.
The musician compared Hovhannisian's Revolution of Salute with the
1988 national awakening period which also began in Liberty Square.
`If we speak of the demand for justice and changes in the quality of
life, it is definitely possible to draw parallels in this respect.
What we are now talking of is whether we will change the quality of
life. When the authorities possess the tool capable of raising the
army against people, the resources that the same people or the public
can demonstrate are naturally restricted. But that the people have
realized - by and large - that it is necessary to change the quality
of life is obvious,' he noted
Though convinced that the current developments will yield a tangible
result, Artsruni says it isn't something to be achieved within just a
couple of days.`We have witnessed those manifestations several times
in the recent years. I believe in them and I am proud,' he added.
The tent will be placed in the evening
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqWb94KLR0c
Comment after the Constitutional Court's published decision
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU1eosutzlI
Raffi Hovannisian held a press conference
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80kJ8mo0DQc
TERT.AM
13:02 - 17.03.13
Armenian rock musician and singer Vahan Artsruni doesn't think former
opposition candidate Raffi Hovhannisian will ever put his electorate
under the threat of bullet.
Speaking to Tert.am, the musician said the Heritage party's leader,
who is now on a hunger-strike in Yerevan's Liberty Square, will prefer
to suffer himself rather than put his supporting crowd under risk.
`He is trying not to deviate from the right path. All the political
manifestations are strictly within the Constitution. After such a
pre-election period that required an over-tension of physical
potentials, he declared a hunger-strike. So it s necessary to realize
what it means and what Raffi Hovhannisian is going through for the
sake of the ideas and beliefs he is serving for,' he said.
Hovhannisian, who received 37% of votes in the February 18 election,
was the second-placed candidate after President Serzh Sargsyan,
according to official voting results. But he claims the election was
marred by fraud to secure Sargsyan's second term. The politician
declared a hunger-strike last Sunday, calling on the re-elected
president to step down.
Commenting on the authorities' steps in the present circumstances,
Artsruni said he hasn't seen any differences in the ruling circles'
political solutions in the past 20 years.
`This is not something new. It is impossible, so Raffi Hovhannisian's
campaign is as logical as is the form of government in terms of its
attitude to not only Raffi [Hovhannisian] but also the Armenian
nation,' he addd.
As for the intellectual circles' activeness in the current popular
movement, the musician warned against any attempts to separate
intellectuals from public at large.
`Intellectuals are an integral part of the people, so that distinction
is an artificial Soviet-time invention that remains adopted to date. I
do not admit of any stratification. Intellectuals will remain
inseparable from the people, as they have always been. You cannot cite
a historical episode that saw intellectuals separated from people,' he
said.
The musician compared Hovhannisian's Revolution of Salute with the
1988 national awakening period which also began in Liberty Square.
`If we speak of the demand for justice and changes in the quality of
life, it is definitely possible to draw parallels in this respect.
What we are now talking of is whether we will change the quality of
life. When the authorities possess the tool capable of raising the
army against people, the resources that the same people or the public
can demonstrate are naturally restricted. But that the people have
realized - by and large - that it is necessary to change the quality
of life is obvious,' he noted
Though convinced that the current developments will yield a tangible
result, Artsruni says it isn't something to be achieved within just a
couple of days.`We have witnessed those manifestations several times
in the recent years. I believe in them and I am proud,' he added.
The tent will be placed in the evening
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqWb94KLR0c
Comment after the Constitutional Court's published decision
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU1eosutzlI
Raffi Hovannisian held a press conference
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80kJ8mo0DQc