The Armenian Elections; Perspective from Yerevan (Summer 08)

Ani Vardanyan was born and raised in Yerevan, Armenia. She received her bachelor’s in economics from Yerevan State University in 2005. Last year Ani obtained Masters in Business Administration from the American University of Armenia. She is currently working as an investment adviser at Capital Asset Management in Yerevan.
Ani Vardanyan
ani.vardanyan@gmail.com

The Presidential Elections 2008 in Armenia were extraordinary as we witnessed such developments and processes that were both astonishing and frightening. The intense situation began far before Election Day, still in the period of elections’ campaign the society has already separated into to "armies".

All layers of society have been included in political issues. Even closest relatives argued and became enemies in those days. Hot debates about politics could be heard anywhere. The main reason of this separation was the fact that many people protested and demanded better life conditions and thought that the change of the authorities would lead to such change.
Although there were eight to nine candidates for the president, society has been divided into two major wings. One voting for Levon Ter-Petrosyan, the first president of Armenia, and the other voting for Serge Sargsyan, the current prime minister.

After Election Day, votes were split among main candidates as follows; almost 53% -Serge Sargsyan and 25%-Levon Ter-Petrosyan, the remaining among other candidates. Nobody can say for sure whether the elections have been falsified, and if so, how it could affect the results of the Elections. But the opposition leaded by Levon Ter-Petrosyan announced that the election results have been rigged and that Levon Ter- Petrosyan has got 63% of votes.

Since the Election Day, February 19, the opposition gathered and began demonstrations in Opera Square. After a few days people began to protest day and night. Many people didn’t even go home and spent their nights in Opera Square. They laid down tents and were provided with necessary food. A very dense atmosphere prevailed in Yerevan at those days as people were afraid of going out late in the evening.

This continued until March 1, when at night the Police broke up the demonstration with force. There were many injured people and even deaths, but it was not announced officially. This became the culmination day of the whole election process, as many horrible developments took place.

After being dispersed from the Opera people gathered in front of Embassy of France on their own and continued demonstration. More and more people were gathering at the aside square during a few hours shouting "Sergio heracir, Levon naxagah".

But Levon Ter-Petrosyan was not present at the meeting as he was taken home from the Opera Square and was not able to come to the demonstration.

Only a few representatives from opposition were present, but the crowd demanded Levon Ter-Petrosyan to come and meet with them. Later in the evening people made barricades for self-defense and were going to spend the night in that Square.

But the Army gathered at the opposite side of the street and at about 9 p.m. in the evening the Army attacked the protestors. Since then the battle began and as I live in the neighborhood where the actions were taking place I heard and witnessed many terrifying things that I have never seen in my life.

It seemed that we were in the middle of war as the neighborhood buildings began thundering from bombing. The Army was shooting in the air with artificial bombs and tear gas designed specially for such occasions.

After about 20 minutes of the scary battle the attack was terminated and the protestors, equipped with wooden and iron sticks, burnt a bus which served as a barricade and made the Army retreat. On the way back the Army tried to put up barb wire, but failed.

At the same time the majority of the protestors were having peaceful meeting in the Square beside the barricades and the part on the front attacked and occupied parts of Mashtots and Lusavorich streets. During some hours the protestors having turned into a hungry and exhausted crowd, with many provocateurs among them, began to burn cars and public transportation.

They remained in the streets and robbed shops on Mashtots street and pronounced awful curses. They were carrying packets of food and beverages.

After these kinds of developments the President of RA Robert Kocharian declared a state of emergency in the country and the crowd gradually began to disperse.

The next day the whole country was in horror after a terrifying night. It was a bloody date in the history of Armenia. There was a total of eight victims, one policeman and seven protestors, but the reality was more than the official number given...

(P.S The other day one of my colleges at work was trying to persuade me that he had got his new shoes from the "Roberto" shoe shop that had been robbed the other day).