Indeed, there is no freedom of speech in Armenia, people are afraid to express their opinions. Yesterday, I was convinced of it. Very few people dare to say that marching with sticks and detonating explosives, no matter what goals they pursue and how it is called (a revolution or a counterrevolution), is bad and should be condemned.” The person who was calling ‘to explode’ was mentally ill, a provocateur, or an extreme adventurer. People are afraid of saying this simple truth because they are afraid that the blame will fall on them in “serving for the government”. Political forces also do not want to condemn it for fear of losing their “opposition dividends.” At best, they will say, well, what can we do, the current regime made the people to get into an extreme condition, therefore, such manifestations become possible. This logic can be used to justify Nairi Hunanyan’s “manifestations.”
Suppose, it is possible to carry out a revolution with “Molotov-cocktail” or a rifle, to solve the problem of changing the power. Isn’t it clear that the newcomers followed by the revolution would be more corrupt, greedy for more and more cynical than the current ones. Revolutionaries coming to power will have the illusion that they have a mandate of arbitrariness and violence that are not supervised by anyone. Thus, we will have hundreds of ‘liskas’ on the head of the power in all levels and the marzes.” And, it is very possible that ‘one beautiful day’ those having tanks and armored personnel carriers (APC) will drive away those who have rifles and detonating explosives from their chairs. And so on.
Armenian, of course, needs a revolution, which I understand as a rapid modernization of political, religious and economic life, a qualitative leap. This revolution is carried out, certainly, by citizens and the society. When this qualitative leap is carried out, the current government will become “non-actual”, “not topical”, and will leave peacefully, without any ‘explosives’.
And, modernization should be made with contemporary forms of social struggle, and not with primitive and desperate methods, which were used in the 19th century by Volodya Ulyanov’s elder brother. Such manifestations are viewed by the state as crimes, while for normal citizens, I repeat, reprehensible and dangerous way. And, we should not be afraid to say it. “It also greatly depends on you, it depends on the media, it depends on the society, it depends on our intellectuals. How long can we tolerate the revolution, calls for violence, and violence facts?” (Levon Ter-Petrosyan, 26.09.1997).
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ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
