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Fatal Issue of March 2
Haikazn Ghahriyan, Editor-in-Chief
Comments - Saturday, 01 March 2014, 13:53
Today is the sixth anniversary of shooting of peaceful demonstrators
at the center of Yerevan. On 1 March 2008 10 people were killed, over
one hundred people were injured or imprisoned. The state of emergency
lasted for 20 days. Investigation was carried out, several commissions
and a fact-finding group were set up but March 1 was not disclosed.
The government says March 1 will not be disclosed unless Armenia is
strong and independent, without explaining this statement. The
opposition is reproached for using March 1 to keep the show going and
to show off. For their part, opponents say that March 1 will not be
disclosed unless the present government is changed. Although, on the
other hand, the same opposition first entered into a "dialogue" first
with Serzh Sargsyan, then with Robert Kocharyan whom it had denounced
as those responsible for March 1. This is the counterargument of the
government.
On these days a lot of comparisons with Maidan are made. The Armenian
political class, both governmental and non-governmental, agrees that
there are no terms for comparison, and Armenia cannot repeat Maidan.
And the ANC leader says Maidan is an anti-Russian movement which
cannot happen in Armenia.
A lot of people note rightly that Armenians had their Maidan in 1988,
gaining independence in the result of the national liberation movement
and winning the war.
There is an opinion that in February the same mechanism was applied in
Kiev as against the demonstrators in Yerevan on 1 March 2008. Several
tens of people were shot in Kiev but the government saw that people
would not leave the streets and resisted and ran away. The leaders of
Maidan did not leave the streets. They had to shoot everyone or run
away.
In Yerevan ten people were shot, the leaders of the movement left, a
state of emergency was imposed, and the movement ended, transforming
to a political party-political science-rally process.
One can share this opinion, one can bring a lot of counterarguments
but the situation will not change. The ultimate issue of "March 2",
all nude and cruel, rises during every movement and answers all the
questions.
"March 2" is the most complicated issue that very few peoples have
been able to resolve. The issue is to what extent the movements
achieve their goal and make change irreversible. Currently Ukraine is
on this way, and it is hard to tell what the heroic people of Ukraine
will get in the result of their fight. Everything depends on them.
The "March 2" of the movement of 1988 in Armenia had an irreversible
result - the victory in Karabakh - but it did not become the
embodiment of aspirations and dreams in domestic life. Very soon the
government was usurped by the "notorious" forces which destroyed the
constitutional mechanisms of forming government and opportunities for
freedom in every sphere of life. In different years attempts were made
to raise a waive during presidential elections but first the
oppositions were not able to raise the waive, second, they were unable
to offer the replacement of the existing system.
The movement of 2007-2008 also failed (or there was no such a goal) to
address the issue of "March 2". Instead the notorious developments
followed.
The usurpation scheme of government was maintained in Armenia, and the
"opposition" is part of this. Everyone is interested in maintaining
this system, evidence to which is statements that Maidan is impossible
in Yerevan. More exactly, they are trading with the government through
Maidan. One can remember the "threat" of different forces that they
will take people to the streets if necessary.
After September 3 this situation became more vivid. The political
class received a chance to "refer" to Russia to justify the existence
of the system.
How about the public? How do they imagine "March 2"? It is noticed
that the Armenian political class has lost its previous opportunities
to manipulate the society. The charm of the situation is the
impossibility of thinking of new methods. Everything is clear and
comprehensible to everyone.
This is an important circumstance but the issue of March" 2 is not
sufficient to complete the change of system.
- See more at: http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/comments/view/32010#sthash.AANkJ9p8.dpuf
Haikazn Ghahriyan, Editor-in-Chief
Comments - Saturday, 01 March 2014, 13:53
Today is the sixth anniversary of shooting of peaceful demonstrators
at the center of Yerevan. On 1 March 2008 10 people were killed, over
one hundred people were injured or imprisoned. The state of emergency
lasted for 20 days. Investigation was carried out, several commissions
and a fact-finding group were set up but March 1 was not disclosed.
The government says March 1 will not be disclosed unless Armenia is
strong and independent, without explaining this statement. The
opposition is reproached for using March 1 to keep the show going and
to show off. For their part, opponents say that March 1 will not be
disclosed unless the present government is changed. Although, on the
other hand, the same opposition first entered into a "dialogue" first
with Serzh Sargsyan, then with Robert Kocharyan whom it had denounced
as those responsible for March 1. This is the counterargument of the
government.
On these days a lot of comparisons with Maidan are made. The Armenian
political class, both governmental and non-governmental, agrees that
there are no terms for comparison, and Armenia cannot repeat Maidan.
And the ANC leader says Maidan is an anti-Russian movement which
cannot happen in Armenia.
A lot of people note rightly that Armenians had their Maidan in 1988,
gaining independence in the result of the national liberation movement
and winning the war.
There is an opinion that in February the same mechanism was applied in
Kiev as against the demonstrators in Yerevan on 1 March 2008. Several
tens of people were shot in Kiev but the government saw that people
would not leave the streets and resisted and ran away. The leaders of
Maidan did not leave the streets. They had to shoot everyone or run
away.
In Yerevan ten people were shot, the leaders of the movement left, a
state of emergency was imposed, and the movement ended, transforming
to a political party-political science-rally process.
One can share this opinion, one can bring a lot of counterarguments
but the situation will not change. The ultimate issue of "March 2",
all nude and cruel, rises during every movement and answers all the
questions.
"March 2" is the most complicated issue that very few peoples have
been able to resolve. The issue is to what extent the movements
achieve their goal and make change irreversible. Currently Ukraine is
on this way, and it is hard to tell what the heroic people of Ukraine
will get in the result of their fight. Everything depends on them.
The "March 2" of the movement of 1988 in Armenia had an irreversible
result - the victory in Karabakh - but it did not become the
embodiment of aspirations and dreams in domestic life. Very soon the
government was usurped by the "notorious" forces which destroyed the
constitutional mechanisms of forming government and opportunities for
freedom in every sphere of life. In different years attempts were made
to raise a waive during presidential elections but first the
oppositions were not able to raise the waive, second, they were unable
to offer the replacement of the existing system.
The movement of 2007-2008 also failed (or there was no such a goal) to
address the issue of "March 2". Instead the notorious developments
followed.
The usurpation scheme of government was maintained in Armenia, and the
"opposition" is part of this. Everyone is interested in maintaining
this system, evidence to which is statements that Maidan is impossible
in Yerevan. More exactly, they are trading with the government through
Maidan. One can remember the "threat" of different forces that they
will take people to the streets if necessary.
After September 3 this situation became more vivid. The political
class received a chance to "refer" to Russia to justify the existence
of the system.
How about the public? How do they imagine "March 2"? It is noticed
that the Armenian political class has lost its previous opportunities
to manipulate the society. The charm of the situation is the
impossibility of thinking of new methods. Everything is clear and
comprehensible to everyone.
This is an important circumstance but the issue of March" 2 is not
sufficient to complete the change of system.
- See more at: http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/comments/view/32010#sthash.AANkJ9p8.dpuf