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Rule of Chieftains
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/engsrc/country27106.html
Published: 17:08:05 - 16/08/2012
The local electoral campaign has started. The press reports shooting
incidents, intimidation and other `usual' occurrences typical of
electoral campaigns. After the parliamentary election the ruling
criminal and oligarchic groups are striving to strengthen their
foothold in their estates to establish absolute control there.
Although the main players are again the RPA and the PAP, clashes occur
not only between the parties but also inside the parties. In Masis,
for instance, the mayoral candidates were involved in a shooting
incident.
The leader of these disturbances is Ararat region as usual where the
lord is half-RPA, half-PAP Hovik Abrahamyan. This region is Hovik's
possession; his relatives hold more or less `profitable' and
significant posts and businesses.
Hovik Abrahamyan wants to arrange the early mayoral election in
Artashat to ensure his son's election. Later his son will be the
governor of Ararat marz. Hovik Abrahamyan wants to have his relatives
in the villages and the candidates who are not his relatives undergo
duress.
PAP leader Gagik Tsarukyan does not fall behind his in-law. However,
unlike Hovik Abrahamyan (their kinship allows him to go beyond Kotayk
region where almost everything belongs to him and `occupy' Ararat marz
as well), his `entourage' is broader and `nationwide'. It is the PAP.
It is not ruled out that the PAP will win majority in the local
elections. At least, some major communities are already in PAP's
pocket.
A similar situation is in Armavir region with its feudal rule and
tribalism. This region is reigned by the Grigoryan family. This family
holds almost all the positions and opportunities. This family has
`prosperes' so much that it has split to some parts, and in Armavir
the `electoral' process is marked by conflicts among different parts
of this family. General Manvel's son is the mayor of Echmiadzin, his
brother wants to be the mayor of Metsamor. He used to be the head of
the electric network of Metsamor, and while he was director,
mismanagement of 1 million dollars was revealed. Manvel's brother is a
member of parliament.
These three marzes - Ararat, Kotayk and Armavir - are classic examples
of tribalism. The other marzes are no better but cannot keep up with
them. Perhaps only Shirak where Vardan Ghukasyan's tribe has been
ruling for years but recently he has been `dethroned'.
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/engsrc/country27106.html
Published: 17:08:05 - 16/08/2012
The local electoral campaign has started. The press reports shooting
incidents, intimidation and other `usual' occurrences typical of
electoral campaigns. After the parliamentary election the ruling
criminal and oligarchic groups are striving to strengthen their
foothold in their estates to establish absolute control there.
Although the main players are again the RPA and the PAP, clashes occur
not only between the parties but also inside the parties. In Masis,
for instance, the mayoral candidates were involved in a shooting
incident.
The leader of these disturbances is Ararat region as usual where the
lord is half-RPA, half-PAP Hovik Abrahamyan. This region is Hovik's
possession; his relatives hold more or less `profitable' and
significant posts and businesses.
Hovik Abrahamyan wants to arrange the early mayoral election in
Artashat to ensure his son's election. Later his son will be the
governor of Ararat marz. Hovik Abrahamyan wants to have his relatives
in the villages and the candidates who are not his relatives undergo
duress.
PAP leader Gagik Tsarukyan does not fall behind his in-law. However,
unlike Hovik Abrahamyan (their kinship allows him to go beyond Kotayk
region where almost everything belongs to him and `occupy' Ararat marz
as well), his `entourage' is broader and `nationwide'. It is the PAP.
It is not ruled out that the PAP will win majority in the local
elections. At least, some major communities are already in PAP's
pocket.
A similar situation is in Armavir region with its feudal rule and
tribalism. This region is reigned by the Grigoryan family. This family
holds almost all the positions and opportunities. This family has
`prosperes' so much that it has split to some parts, and in Armavir
the `electoral' process is marked by conflicts among different parts
of this family. General Manvel's son is the mayor of Echmiadzin, his
brother wants to be the mayor of Metsamor. He used to be the head of
the electric network of Metsamor, and while he was director,
mismanagement of 1 million dollars was revealed. Manvel's brother is a
member of parliament.
These three marzes - Ararat, Kotayk and Armavir - are classic examples
of tribalism. The other marzes are no better but cannot keep up with
them. Perhaps only Shirak where Vardan Ghukasyan's tribe has been
ruling for years but recently he has been `dethroned'.