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Struggling On: Civic activists determined to continue fighting for r

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  • Struggling On: Civic activists determined to continue fighting for r

    Struggling On: Civic activists determined to continue fighting for
    rights in Armenia

    SOCIETY | 31.07.14 | 14:27


    NAZIK ARMENAKYAN
    ArmeniaNow

    Civil activists celebrating their victory in Mashtots Park after
    saving the public area in downtown Yerevan from controversial
    redevelopment. For about three months the activists had struggled
    against the construction of trade pavilions and kiosks, which were
    then dismantled under their pressure. May, 2012

    By SARA KHOJOYAN
    ArmeniaNow reporter


    Armenia's civil society will continue to demand solutions to problems
    of vital concerns, but discussions about how to organize this
    continued struggle in the most effective way will also be added to its
    agenda, activists say.

    During the past few years, Armenia's active, demanding citizens have
    managed to register a number of victories. In particular, they did not
    allow an increase in bus fares in capital Yerevan or that citizens be
    compelled to join the new pension system. But in some cases struggle
    is still on, such as in efforts to conserve a historical Yerevan
    building that belonged to Afrikyan brothers early last century.

    Participant of numerous civil initiatives, member of the Civil
    Contract group Lena Nazaryan says struggle is needed always - be it in
    saving a building, a park or a tree from destruction or in solving
    social issues like pensions, electricity prices, transportation, etc.

    "In short, there are lots of urgent issues, now I can even name them,
    but focusing on specific cases will not allow us to see the global
    issues that have a systemic nature. The historical building in Yerevan
    is being demolished because for many years it has not been renovated,
    controversial mining projects are started communities because for
    years no other investments have been made there," she says.

    In Nazaryan's opinion, however, the civil society is now facing a more
    conceptual problem.

    "What should the civil society do? Raise questions and start
    negotiations with representatives of the government or establish that
    the government is unjust from the beginning, which would mean that
    cooperation with it won't result in anything and that one needs to put
    an end to injustices and establish justice. One cannot avoid this
    question," she adds.

    The biggest success recorded by civil society this year was the fact
    that a movement managed to get a case against the new controversial
    pension reform to the Constitutional Court and see some of the
    provisions of the law ruled unconstitutional. But participants of the
    movement do not consider it to be a complete success, since only a few
    months later the government made changes in the law and turned
    mandatory contributions into mandatory social payments. For now, only
    public sector employees will have to make the payments, while the norm
    will become mandatory for all in three years' time.

    Gevorg Hayrapetyan, a member of Dem.am, the group that has campaigned
    against the mandatory elements of the reform, tells ArmeniaNow that
    some concessions had been made, but they were only formally adjusted
    to their demands, while essentially the mandatory norm has not been
    removed for certain groups of citizens.

    "We will surely continue our struggle, but it will be clear in autumn
    how we do it. It will also depend on public sentiments and the level
    of determination of the government to make money," he said.

    According to the activist, the struggle will be continued if some of
    the public sector employees decide to stand up for their rights,
    "manage to overcome the atmosphere of fear and indifference among
    them."

    Hayrapetyan emphasized that while as a group Dem.am, which was formed
    for campaigning against the controversial reform, has become more
    passive, the civil activism of its members has remained as strong as
    before and in issues of priority for the public these people are as
    active as they were in opposing the pension law.

    Despite certain achievements in certain areas, overall Armenia's civil
    society still finds it difficult to achieve consolidation in its
    general struggle against the authorities and become fully fledged
    because of being 'disoriented'. This opinion has repeatedly been
    voiced in his public speeches by director of the Armenian Center for
    National and International Studies Manvel Sargsyan.

    The political analyst suggests that in order to achieve success civil
    society should come out not only against the authorities, but also
    against all political forces and parties.


    http://armenianow.com/society/56474/armenia_civil_activists_campaigns

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