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| The Protest that led to the resignation of Serzh Sargsyan |
This year’s commemoration began this past Sunday with a joint mass of all the Armenian churches in Chicago. It was good to see us all together for Badarak (mass) and then a commemorative program. The program was really well done. It was organized and emceed by Maral Abrahamian of the Armenian National Committee. There were words from community leaders notably Daron Bedian of the Armenian Youth Federation, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, and the newly appointed Honorary Consul of the Republic of Armenia in Chicago, Oscar Tatosian. Mostly, they talked about dedicating and rededicating ourselves to fighting for recognition and justice.
Of course, what they all said was correct and is what we should be doing. Yet, I could not help but wonder if part of our focus should be on preserving and strengthening our communities in the US and the rest of the Diaspora. Also, I was curious why no one mentioned anything about the political turmoil and protests in Armenia regarding the power play by the previous President Serzh Sargsyan.
In his last term as President, the Sargsyan administration effected a change from a presidential system of government to a parliamentary one thus making the prime minister the chief executive of the state instead of the president. As it smelled a lot like what Putin and Erdogan had done to maintain leadership in Russia and Turkey respectively, Armenians were concerned that it was a power play by Sargsyan. Sargsyan assured everyone that this was not his intent. Then, after the new president, Armen Sarkissian, was sworn in, Sargsyan was named Prime Minister by Parliament on Tuesday, April 17. The whole country gasped and groaned and then took to the streets in protest. The throng grew on the streets with each successive day and centered around the leadership of Nigol Pashinyan a politician opposed to Sargsyan and his party.
Serzh Sargsyan, at first took a tough stance, figuring that the opposition and protests would fade away or be quelled as they were in his both his presidential elections. That did not happen this time. Every day the numbers protesting grew. The people, especially the youth, were fed up. The people of Armenia were fed up and doing something about it. As pictured above, the throng grew to proportions where Sargsyan had to resign. From today’s New York Times:
The pressure on Mr. Sargsyan, 63, to resign ratcheted up markedly on Monday after soldiers from one company of the country’s prestigious peacekeeping force, which had served abroad in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kosovo, joined the march in Yerevan in their uniforms.
“I was wrong,” Mr. Sargsyan said in a brief resignation statement carried by the official news agency. “The street movement is against my tenure. I am fulfilling your demand.”It will be interesting to see where this goes and if, indeed, Armenia will become more democratic and get on the path of becoming the exemplary country in terms of commerce, education, and healthcare we know that it can be. The selection of the next prime minister will be a telling step.
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| Gathering at Dzidzernagapert - Foxnews.com |
We have to never forget the past and fight for recognition, but we have to build for future. Building for the future may even be more important as it is more in our control.
Getzeh Hayastan!
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My friend from childhood, Karen Kevorkian, put this video together in 2015. The opening music is "Anoush Karoon." I am playing the oud with Tom Zakarian on Keyboard. It is from the album "Children of Armenia"- produced by Ara Topouzian who also played on every other track.
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My friend from childhood, Karen Kevorkian, put this video together in 2015. The opening music is "Anoush Karoon." I am playing the oud with Tom Zakarian on Keyboard. It is from the album "Children of Armenia"- produced by Ara Topouzian who also played on every other track.
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