Tweet
VANAND VILLAGERS - "WE HATE OURSELVES FOR BEING SO HONEST"
Grisha Balasanyan
hetq
16:12, April 4, 2012
Residents of the village of Vanand, Armavir Marz, boasted that they
weren't planning to take any election bribes even though they surely
would be offered.
They told me that their votes couldn't be bought at any price since
their future and that of their children was at stake.
Village resident Hmayak Harutyunyan told me that he's never accepted
an election bribe in his life but that the government has put people
in a situation where they could really use the extra money.
Harutyunyan confessed that he's even considering pocketing a bribe
this time around.
When I visited Vanand, many people shied away from the camera, saying
that it could create problems for them later on.
All the people I talked to stated that they didn't believe the
government's promises to hold free and fair elections in May.
Harutyunyan, first man in the video, refers to the Hovhannes Tumanyan
fable where in order to slay the dragon, one must first cut off its
tail. The analogy is clear.
He goes on to say that while he's never "sold his conscience" by
taking a bribe, he now hates himself for being so honest because he
now has no alternative.
Senior citizen Grisha Smbatyan, a smoker, claimed that even though
he didn't have enough money for a pack of cigarettes, he'd refuse a
$2,000 bribe.
From: Baghdasarian
Grisha Balasanyan
hetq
16:12, April 4, 2012
Residents of the village of Vanand, Armavir Marz, boasted that they
weren't planning to take any election bribes even though they surely
would be offered.
They told me that their votes couldn't be bought at any price since
their future and that of their children was at stake.
Village resident Hmayak Harutyunyan told me that he's never accepted
an election bribe in his life but that the government has put people
in a situation where they could really use the extra money.
Harutyunyan confessed that he's even considering pocketing a bribe
this time around.
When I visited Vanand, many people shied away from the camera, saying
that it could create problems for them later on.
All the people I talked to stated that they didn't believe the
government's promises to hold free and fair elections in May.
Harutyunyan, first man in the video, refers to the Hovhannes Tumanyan
fable where in order to slay the dragon, one must first cut off its
tail. The analogy is clear.
He goes on to say that while he's never "sold his conscience" by
taking a bribe, he now hates himself for being so honest because he
now has no alternative.
Senior citizen Grisha Smbatyan, a smoker, claimed that even though
he didn't have enough money for a pack of cigarettes, he'd refuse a
$2,000 bribe.
From: Baghdasarian