When last autumn Shant Harutyunyan starting a sit-in strike in Liberty Square announced about his revolution, very few treated Shant’s revolution serious. More precisely, only those who joined Shant treated his revolution serious. And when Shant, and his scanty supporters initiated extremely romantic, but at the same time equally specific actions, and when the police apprehended Shant and his friends, many started moving their brains trying to comprehend the nature of the “revolution”.
The ordinary people first understood Shant and his friends, viewing Shant and his friends as heroes. Later, the former political prisoners and some politicians expressed quite serious about Shant and his friends. In other words, Shant’s unprecedented and extremely political action was not only absurd and senseless, moreover, it became a cause and reason to think seriously, to the point, it not only forced the society and opposition political figures to think, but the authorities and pro-authorities, and probably it was the reason that the authorities gave up with the idea of introducing Shant as insane. Each saw its protest and revolt in Shant’s protests and riot, and though Shant was not touching political topics during his sit-in and revolution, the ordinary people were the ones who could the best understand and highly assess him, people who first saw social protest in Shant’s riots, and they did it right because Shant Harutyunyan, no matter he was giving political direction to his words, it was obvious that personally his and the people’s dire and desperate social condition has impelled Shant to revolutionary mood and actions, plus the issue of Armenia’s accession to the Customs Union, to which noble dissident and noble independent Shant was unable to remain indifferent. Despite the sympathy to Shant, the ordinary people were not present in the rally organized in the Freedom Square on the occasion of Shant’s birth anniversary, more precisely, scanty representatives of ordinary people were present, those who are usually present at all meetings. Mainly Shant’s narrow circle supporters and friends, relatives and political prisoners of Soviet times were present at the anniversary.
As well as one of the National United Party founders, Stepan Zatikyan’s son, Vrej Zatikyan was present, whom very few people knew and learned about him during the events related to Shant. Another noble and independent political figure, who leaving the soft life in the United States, decided to return homeland, and, apparently, be involved in politics. We already know from his interview that he is not only proud of his father, moreover, he also worships his uncle, Paruyr Hayrikyan. But, let’s go back to Shant. Shant Harutyunyan, political prisoner Shahen Harutyunyan’s son, is long ago been the descendent of political dynasty. Moreover, many learned about Shahen Harutyunyan thanks to Shant, and again thanks to Shant, many of us learned that Shant’s grandfather was a “political”, and thanks to Shant and due to Shant, Shant’s son, Shahen, appeared in the political turmoil, too. In other words, the traditions of Harutyunyan’s dynasty are continued. But, let’s go back to us. Many of us are in sympathy with Shant, because many of us are seeing themselves in Shant, more precisely, they see their own revolt and indignation in Shant’s revolt and indignation. Nevertheless, the very Shant Harutyunyan did this unique and unprecedented revolution rather than another from many, because others from many are not only bashful, moreover, they do not have enough experience in political combat, as well as do not generating from dissident and political dynasty. In short, Shant Harutyunyan carried out revolution not only on behalf of him, but also the others and instead of others. In other words, in literary language, Shant Harutyunyan is quite a collective character. And all those, on whose behalf and instead Shant blazed up, revolted, stunned and was stunned, are obliged to think about him and his friends.
Voskan YEREVANTSY
