Armenian president elect Serzh Sargsyan has started taking questions from internet users on his blog. The questions will be taken all day today and tomorrow. Serzh Sargsyan has promised to answer all questions. This is a unique chance and a welcome attempt, to address some pressing issues under conditions of information blockade and internet censorship, forged by the running president Robert Kocharyan. The post, under which users can put their questions, reads:
Dear Internet users, I’m happy to welcome you in my personal blog. Please note, that questions with insult and rhetoric speech will not be accepted. All questions will get responces within few days. The most interesting questions will be included in the broadcast version of the interview.
Still, one has to wonder, whether internet users will not shy away from asking really tough questions under the current state of emergency situation and the possibility to trace down the IP address and other informtion about the users asking the question, even if the questions are asked anonymously?
At any rate, I would strongly urge and encourage everyone reading and commenting on this blog to go and ask their qeustions. This is a rare opportunity, and one, we cannot afford to miss!
Just asked my question at Serzh Sargsyan’s blog of the following content:
Mr. Newly Elected President,
The developments of March 1 demonstrated, that Armenian law enforcement bodies are not duly prepared for handling tasks related to dispersing protesters in rather simple situations. Moreover, we witnessed several gross mistakes and outright stupidity commited by the law enforcement bodies, for example: we saw how a “Vilis” ran over people, thus causing rage among the protesters and exacerbating the situation. We also saw, how, as a result of criminal inactivity and slaw actions of the law enforcement bodies, the protesters were able to build barricades. The water cannon machines were used highly ineffectively. The roads leading to Grigor Lusavorich avenue weren’t blocked by police forces, as a result of which trolleybuses, minibuses and other means of transport continued to run into the mass of protesters and were used as construction materials for barricades. To sum up, we can state, that the cammanders of the law enforcement bodies are not competent and had no control over the situation.
My question is the following: what steps are you going to undertake, to investigate the activities of the law enforcement bodies on March 1st, in order to reveal those who are guilty and punish them. Will you push for high level law enforcement officials to step down or no. If now, how will you justify it?
Պարոն Նորընտիր Նախագահ,
Մարտի 1-ի դեպքերը ցույց տվեցին, որ մեր իրավապահ մարմինները բավարար կերպով պատրաստված չեն բավականին պարզունակ իրավիճակներում ցուցարարներին խաղաղ կերպով ցրելու հետ կապված աշխատանքներ կատարելու համար: Ավելին, մենք տեսանք, որ իրավապահների կողմից թույլ տրվեցին մի շարք կոպիտ սխալներ եւ ակնհայտ հիմարություններ, ինչպես օրինակ «Վիլիս» մեքենայով ցուցարարներին վրաերթի ենթարկելը (ինչը կատաղության հասցրեց ամբոխին), կամ իրավապահների հանցավոր դանդաղկոտության եւ անգործության մատնվելու հետեւանքով ցուցարարների բարիկադավորվելը: Ծայրահեղ ոչ էֆֆեկտիվ կերպով օգտագործվեցին ջրցան մեքենաները: Գրիգոր Լուսավորից տանող ճանապարհները ժամանակին չշրջափակվեցին, որի հետեւանքով տրոլեյբուսները, միկորավտոբուսներ եւ տրանսպորտային այլ միջոցներ հայտնվեցին ցուցարարների ձեռքում եւ վեր ածվեցին բարիկադների: Վերը ասվածից ելնելով, կարելի է փաստել, որ իրավապահ մարմինների ղեկավարությունը կոմպետենտ չէ, եւ բացարձակ չի տիրապետում իրավիճակին:
Հարցս հետեւյալն է. ինչպիսի քայլեր եք մտադիր ձեռնարկել` իրավապահ մարմինների մարտի 1-ի գործողությունների հետաքննման, իրավապահների շրջանում մեղավորների հայտնաբերման եւ պատժելու ուղղությամբ: Նախատեսում եք արդյոք այս ոլորտի բարձրաստիճան պաշտոնյաների հրաժարականներ, եւ եթե ոչ, ինչով եք դա արդարացնում:
I can’t wait to see the questions and the answers.
Are they going to log the IP addresses and then arrest the ones asking ‘wrong’ questions?
Hrag, this is an attempt for the regime to attempt to BS their way into legitimacy. They think that through such PR actions they can reinvent themselves. They have been very unsuccessful in censoring the internet so now they want to ‘join them if you can’t beat them’.
I am still debating whether I should pose a few strong questions or not. The plus is that he would get to hear what ideas are out there. The down side is that by acknowledging him I would legitimize his regime.
I am still trying to make up my mind and would like to hear other opinions.
BTW, these would be my questions:
Պարոն Սարգսյան,
հարց ա. ինչու ձեր կառավարությունը հրաման տվեց սպանել սեփական քաղաքացիների՞ն,
հարց բ. Հայաստանը դարձել է ՍՍՀՄ-ի նման երկիր (իր մասսայական ձերբակալություններով, ազատ խոսքի ճնշմամբ, քաղաքական հակառակորդների հոգեբանական կամ ֆիզիկական ոչնչացմամբ, եւ այլն): Դուք չե՞ք կարծում որ ձեր կառավարությունը բավականին վնաս արդեն տվել է երկրին եւ դուք պետք է հեռանաք երկրի վիճակը ավելի չծանրացնելու եւ կործանումից փրկելու համար:
հարց գ. ձեր կառավարությունը դիսկրեդիտ է արել բանակը, ոստիկանությունը եւ դատախազությունը: Ոստիկանությունը եւ դատախազությունը առանց այն էլ լավ համբավ չունեին, հիմա բանակն էլ ավելացավ նրանց: Ինչ եք կարծում որ հաջորդ, լեգիտիմ նախագահը կարող է անել այս կառույցներին լավ համբավ տալու համար:
Nazarian – a friend, journalist from Armenia just told me, that the government have indeed truned this whole thing into a great PR action.
The thing is that PR can turn against them.
Remember when Ciausescu came out of the protesters in Budapest and then had to flee after he realized that he had failed and people didn’t want him any more?
Decided not to post.
But if anyone wants to reuse my questions, go ahead and use them.
Nazarian – As you are so close to LTP, have you thought of asking him the equally relevant:
Why did you rev up your followers to push for a “damned-the-torpedoes” stand knowing that force would be used? Exhorting them to arm themselves and fight?
And (ironically) why were you NOT WITH YOUR PEOPLE at the hour of reckoning?
Again, I will not get into the blame game, as I think it is clear to all level-headed people that there is enough to go around on all sides.
Given all that past, I think it is a welcome step that the authorities make to improve their image, especially given all the hatred in our midst.
nazarian,
Ask your questions if you are sincere. Are you afraid that he may give you a logical and throughout answer, which will be counter to your convictions? Have you ever meet him? Have you ever talk to him about anything? All your convictions about him are based on your indirect perception of him. May be, just may by if you ask him something directly and get an answer, you may change your views on him. You know, “closing ears with hands and repeating some convictions” will not make one right. Right and wrong can only be determined in a constructive argument, which is a form of dialog.
I wonder what he can say about why he gave the order to kill the citizens that will change my mind about him.
Nazarian,
I live in a country that exports “democracy” aka USA.
During LA riots in 1992 by Black Americans 53 people were killed. Here is a quote from wikipedia “Gunfire killed 35, including eight people shot by law enforcement and two by National Guardsmen. Six died in arson fires. Attackers used sticks or boards to kill two others. Stabbings killed two. Six died in car accidents; two in hit-and-runs. One was strangled.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1992_Los_Angeles_riots
Unfortunately, sometimes to stop riots authorities must use force.
Mike, you don’t see the basic difference between LA riots and the events in Yerevan, do you?
The demonstrators in Yerevan were peaceful before the deployment of law enforcement. Only then it became violent. And the police attacked the demonstrators while they were asleep. This is no LA riots, this is barbarism …
Open your eyes, this is not about LTP or Serge, this is about basic human rights.
hmz,
You are becoming ridiculous. After 9 days of ILLEGAL demonstrations by drunk and drugged protesters, you still call them peaceful?Some protesters who were clearly armed. Screw yourself, you liar! As far as I’m concerned police was TOO NICE to the protesters. If that was in America you would get 20 years in jail just for plotting against the state.
Anyway Levon is finished and he knows it. Today , even his biggest ally at the EU Terry Davis, congratulated Serge Sargsyan on his election as President of Armenia. The noose is tightening. LTP is a mouse caught in the claws of the cat. The cat is just enjoying itself until putting an end to him
As always, qunem esh berand hayrenaserik, eli tuftir…
Hi Rebel,
Uremn April 7-i Serge-i kef-in hraviroom em qez. Levon-e pareloo a, Taderakan Hraparakoom sovorac parere. Isk Nikol-e dsernashxtanerov yerqeloo a ir hit-e “Payqar payqar minchev verch”. Lav kef a lineloo. Bjjayin-ee hamar-d asa zrucenk u qez hravirem.
Enqan tupoi es, vor ches jokum ov incha asum, qo puchur sahmanapak glxikumd sax kam Lioviki koxmn en kam Serjiki. Qunem Liovikid el, Serjikid el, qez el, aj anhaskacox gyot. Aj serjiki tula, April-i 7-ov vochinch chi prtsnelu. Sotovii momentov el, aj stukach berand qunem, qo nmannerin banakum, taracioren tstscnum einq.
hmz,
The video of Nikol Pashinyan asking people to arm for “self-defense” shows that the demonstrators were preparing to fight law enforcements. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_C0X_qXEIs
Also take time to read about LA riots, it is too started seemingly peacefully but turned into violent confrontation on 6th day.
I guess it’s about time for LTP to start a blog of his own and answer questions like Serzh is doing!