“I am sure students will succeed, if they organize themselves. The best way of self-organization is to establish committees to counterbalance the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) student councils,” Gurgen Yeghiazaryan, a member of the Armenian National Congress (ANC), said during a conversation with www.aravot.am, talking about the student strike that is under way these days. We inquired of the ANC member whether he justified students’ step to go on a strike. Mr. Yeghiazaryan replied: “It is a part of our brightest students. Look at those bright faces, what beautiful youths we have and how concerned they are about the future of our nation. Unfortunately, they are not organized; manifold vicious actions are taken against them. They even try to distinguish between residents of Akhalkalak and residents of Yerevan, which can cause very negative consequences. And they do all that to keep their offices.” We inquired what grounds he had to think so. G. Yeghiazaryan replied: “One can just mention the behavior of the Yerevan State University (YSU) rector’s assistant. Immediately after that, students from Akhalkalak came and started to curse girls. This is a disgusting deed, and one should put an end to this viciousness. Certainly, they will continue. I have heard that students of the university demanded that this specimen be dismissed. However, the issue will not be solved by that. I think that students should take the path of self-organization today. They should establish committees in every university, the consolidation of which will lead to establishing the all-Armenian student executive committee, to counterbalance the RPA student councils. I suggest that this body act to counterbalance the student councils that just represent the interests of the RPA, not students. Students should establish that organization to defend their interests. In that case, they and their ideas, as well as our fatherland, will be secure.” We inquired whether he connected the student strike with R. Hovhannisyan’s movement. The ANC member responded: “I don’t think that he can direct even ten people. In the end, we will have elections in the country, so that this tyranny doesn’t seize the power every time. Those youths protest against that with their own forces; if they are organized, they will have new parliamentary and presidential elections held. Therefore, I call on the youth to organize themselves and to establish their committees to counterbalance venal student councils.” In conclusion, the ANC member stated: “Students should become an independent political unit and don’t cooperate with any force. It will open the way to their appearing in the National Assembly. I am sure that if there was a snap election, they would appear in the National Assembly, certainly, taking into account the age qualification.”
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
