Comments on: Developments in Armenia: Opposition Protests Continue

By: Global Voices Online » Armenia: Eight Dead, State of Emergency Declared

Global Voices Online » Armenia: Eight Dead, State of Emergency Declared — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 20:45:29 +0000

[...] clashes were sparked by the dispersal of the ten-day unsanctioned occupation of Yerevan's central Liberty Square by supporters of the former president turned radical opposition leader protesting the outcome of [...]

By: Khachatur

Khachatur — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 20:36:05 +0000

I’ve just got some details about how it had started. Someone from the last remaining protesters in opera square threw a grenade on to the chief police officer critically wounding him. This happened when police came first time, unarmed, to talk with protesters. Also the same guys critically bitten up someone from the heritage party who tried to stop them.
I think there is a lot of misinformation and provocation going on in the crowd. Someone is playing dirty games.
This should stop and all provocateurs who transformed peaceful protest to riots should be put in jail or undergo psychic treatment. They probably lost their mind under extreme stress and hatred.
Irony is that same thing happened during previous election.

By: gjm

gjm — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 01:27:07 +0000

By: gjm

gjm — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 01:21:19 +0000

See Here

By: Onnik Krikorian

Onnik Krikorian — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 19:46:03 +0000

Armenia Now says that two people have died so far — one policeman and one protester. However, there is no other reports of this so far. Nevertheless, my gut feeling is that there will be a body count tomorrow morning.

Personally speaking, I think that Levon Ter-Petrossian should instruct his supporters to return home and Kocharian should order the police (and now army as a state of emergency has since been called) to stand down.

However, both sides need to agree to this. For the sake of the country I hope they do.

By: Armen

Armen — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 19:22:20 +0000

Developments in Armenia are part of a New World order in creation. Oil prices are sky high and dollar is going to further weaken with US recession already in process. US now needs destabilization all over the world to bring the oil prices down.

Kosovo independence was a blow to Europe’s unity. The situation in Armenia is a blow to Russia before tomorrow’s elections. This is how we should view the situation. Everything else is just political technologies…

By: HaikN

HaikN — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 19:20:52 +0000

Rober and Serj are criminals against humanty and Armenian people.
they falsified the elections, they beaten up the peaceful protestors and now they are ready to kill them. There was already a report that a corps was found in leo street.

Instead they could stop all this and leave.

Armenia from today is among the failed states.

By: ara

ara — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 19:20:11 +0000

guys please get that fool “haik” off this forum, he continuously goes overboard with his insulting and foul comments! typical of the effendi Levon peasant mentality while trying to separate Armenians from one another.

By: armen

armen — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 18:21:31 +0000

Reuters: Riot police fired in the air to disperse an opposition rally on Saturday in the Armenian capital of Yerevan, scene of 10 days of street protests over a presidential election which the opposition says was rigged.
Hundreds of policemen in full riot gear cut off the area where several embassies are located.

By: AH

AH — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 18:13:07 +0000

LTP must be having some weird psychosis-flashback to 12 years ago. Check out the words of freedom and liberty from the horse’s mouth.

This is why this movement is doomed. It is bringing out the worst in our people, both those in government and those playing follow-the-leader.

By: armen

armen — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 17:37:06 +0000

AP: If Levon Ter Petrossian is accused of committing a crime, he should be properly charged and prosecuted in a court of law like anyone else. In a democracy you cannot arbitrarily detain political opponents, said Terry Davis, secretary-general of the Council of Europe, the continent’s main human rights body.

By: Paul

Paul — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 17:30:31 +0000

Hat is off to Robert and Serzh?! Yes they were patient during the protests…… but did they have any choice? They knew what’d happen when they did clamp down, and we see it now. Meanwhile did they demonstrate WISDOM and PATRIOTISM when they were busy fixing the elections??? Feelings about Levon and his own self-interest in this aside- don’t forget Robert and Serzh are corrupt and have been getting rich off of Armenia for 10 years now!!!!! I don’t care if you think Levon is the biggest traitor Armenia is ever seen and is using thousands of people to regain power- no one says you have to like him but do not make heroes out of Robert and Serzh because you don’t like their opponent. If anything this is a tragedy without a hero.

By: armen

armen — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 17:29:52 +0000

AFP reports: Protesters and riot police clashed Saturday in Yerevan with demonstrators throwing Molotov cocktails and stones and police firing tear gas and automatic weapons into the air.

By: AH

AH — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 17:20:56 +0000

Levon, I saw your citation, and simply pointed out (in case my Public Serve Math Lesson wasn’t clear) that you can’t add zeros wherever you feel like it in mathematics.

By: Gary

Gary — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 17:11:13 +0000

My hat is off to Robert and Serzh. They have demonstrated wisdom, patriotism, and plenty of patience over the last two weeks. In the first seven days of protests, an opening was given to those in opposition who were genuinely interested in contributing to the advancement of the nation and who were rightfully discontent with certain things. LTP was never in that camp. I can only speculate as to whose bidding he might be doing. His previous track record and his arrogant, destructive and irresponsible conduct during the campaign and post election should’ve made it abundantly clear to any sensible Armenian that he his neither interested nor capable of advancing the goals of the nation and being a leader of a country with such complex geopolotical challenges as Armenia. Unfortunately, thousands of people were blindsighted and duped into following him. It is now time for the government to act, in order to prevent further destruction and deterioration of anything and everything that has been achieved by Armenia thus far. I hope and pray that, in the heat of emotion, people on all sides of the political spectrum will put the interests of the nation ahead of personal wishes and ambitions.

By: Onnik Krikorian

Onnik Krikorian — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 17:09:43 +0000

Levon,

Just stating facts. Not more than 10,000 and others said 5-7,000. I think ArmeniaNow is obviously getting a little bit too carried away with itself, but anyway. Interestingly, John Hughes turned up at one point with a translator so he should know better.

Archuk,

I didn’t get that feeling today. In fact, Nikol Pashinian seemed to be the one in charge, and even did a tour of the barricades to check them for holes (photos on my blog later today). On the other hand, as I left some Yerkrapah looking guys arrived, but I don’t know if they were responsible for anything or not. Actually, they looked to be the same guys I saw who convened a meeting with Levon in the Astral cafe in the early hours of Tuesday morning when I was at Liberty Square.

BTW: I just received two phone calls 30 minutes ago warning “If you’re still there, get out now. Wave after wave of riot police is heading your way. It’s mayhem,” is pretty much what both said. I think tonight is going to be very nasty indeed with both sides meaning business. I fear that casualties are going to be high and there might even be fatalities.

By: Archuk Arshakuni

Archuk Arshakuni — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 16:28:47 +0000

The crowds are organized, have been preparing for today’s events. There are field-commanders in charge of smaller groups, coordinated by these in charge. Their movements are controlled, that’s why they are so hard to brake.

By: Levon (NYC)

Levon (NYC) — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 16:28:21 +0000

Onnik jan,

Save your sarcasm for another day. I cited my source for those numbers (read above for the response I gave to AH, and ArmeniaNow just repeated those claims in a later report).

By: armen

armen — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 16:15:45 +0000

Armenia is ready to declare a state of emergency if an ongoing post-election political crisis deepens, Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian warned Saturday.

By: The President of Armenia

The President of Armenia — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 15:49:10 +0000

Haik and hayk =crazy