Sasun Mikayelyan Doesn’t Make Comments About Ter-Petrossian Either
In response to a question of Aravot how he would comment on the fact that Levon Ter-Petrossian was not there that day, Sasun Mikayelyan who had been imprisoned for the events of March 1, 2008, said: “How can I comment? He couldn’t come, but he is here, members of this movement are with each other, with him.” Let us note that Levon Ter-Petrossian, the leader of the Armenian National Congress (ANC), didn’t attend yesterday’s Mass for those who died on March 1, 2008, and the ceremony of commemorating the victims near the Myasnikyan Statue. Those gathered near the Myasnikyan Statue stood for more than an hour, some of them looking in the direction where he should come from. He didn’t come. No official commentary was made in this regard, but rumor had it that Ter-Petrossian had avoided meeting with Raffi Hovhannisyan. Raffi Hovhannisyan also attended the Mass, then he came to the Myasnikyan Statue. Ter Petrossian stated in the part of his speech at the latest Pan-Armenian National Movement (PANM) congress, where he analyzed the internal political situation, that he acknowledged Raffi Hovhannisyan’s victory in the recent presidential election, but neither the ANC nor Ter-Petrossian rush to officially join the movement in Freedom Square led by him. Many people, including, perhaps, Raffi Hovhannisyan, expected that Ter-Petrossian and Raffi Hovhannisyan would say hello to
each other today, thus affirming Ter-Petrossian’s and the ANC’s joining the post-election developments. However, not coming Ter-Petrossian actually avoided not only saying hello to Raffi, but also “de facto” acknowledging his victory by that. In response to an observation of Aravot that neither Ter-Petrossian nor the other members of the ANC had commented on his article criticizing the ANC and Ter-Petrossian, which was published in The Armenian Times, but it was obvious that there was a “wall of misunderstanding” between him and Ter-Petrossian and the ANC, Mikayelyan said: “I also try not to comment on their attitude.” Sasun Mikayelyan said that he treated the movement started by Raffi Hovhannisyan positively. In response to a question whether he deemed his joining it at a certain point in time possible, he said: “If the people have risen up…, I always say that I am with the people.” Sasun Mikayelyan hasn’t attended any rally in Freedom Square so far because of health problems; he has undergone surgery lately, he still doesn’t feel well and is convalescing. “I have always said I am where people are, for all time. My struggle will not end, unless the rule of law is established in this country, unless the Armenian considers himself a citizen of Armenia.” We inquired whether our interlocutor cherished hope that the movement led by Raffi Hovhannisyan would achieve success, he said: “I am cherishing hope that the people will win one day; it doesn’t matter for me who will be the leader. The important thing is to get out of this situation.” Hakob Hakobyan, a former MP who had been imprisoned for the events of March 1, 2008, also came to commemorate the victims near the Myasnikyan Statue. Unfortunately, few people attended the ceremony. In response to that observation of Aravot, human rights advocate Vardan Harutyunyan said: “The reason is not taking the planned actions. The rally and the march that had been announced in advance didn’t take place. I myself didn’t know at what time I should come here. The time changed many times. I am sure it is the reason.” In response to a question whether he didn’t think that one of the reasons was that people had lost faith and trust in the ANC, the human rights advocate said: “I think that the events of March 1 are beyond the ANC, the Heritage Party, even our reality; it is such a gross, disgusting crime that people don’t attribute this day to any political things. I have passed by this place 4-5 times today, at different hours, and I always saw large or small groups of people here. If those people had come jointly, the group might have been larger. The events of March 1 have been beyond politics immediately after March 1.”
N. GRIGORYAN
