February 20 is accepted to mark as the beginning of the Karabakh movement, 28 years ago, this very day, the theme of Artsakh’s reunification to Armenia was firstly voiced in the Republic Square. This day and the movements are usually remembered with nostalgic ups and downs, how well everything was beginning … The observation, indeed, is true, the comparison of those days’ brightness and today’s “tepidity” make the difference really striking. But I would like to talk about something else.
Since 1992, the opposition is inviting people to the Freedom Square with the agenda of regime change. The logic is clear, if they were successful in 1988, then why they should not be successful now. Yes, the Movement begun on February 20 was successful but completely in a different historical situation. With relatively well-fed and educated people. With the Communists who had no experience in holding elections (and therefore, forgeries). With the consensus of non-formal and non-official notions about patriotism. And most importantly, with the agenda of saving a part of Armenia – the Artsakh, and its people from atrocities of Azeris. If Igor Muradyan and Vache Sarukhanyan, later, the “Karabakh” Committee had chanted “Down with the Communists, long live we” motto in the Freedom Square, this Movement would not be successful. Let us look at their speeches that have recently popped up on the Internet, the main idea is that we all – the PANM members and the Communists, intellectuals and rural people, civilians and police officers – should work for one goal. And everyone, including the Communist Central Committee and the Supreme Council of the Communist Party, had to adopt proper decisions.
… One more difference, we were going to Freedom Square to learn true news about Karabakh and “around it”. At that time, it was possible to conceal information, which was done by the communist censorship. Most of us learned just on February 20, 1988 that one week before it, many-crowded rallies were organized in Stepanakert with the demand of uniting Artsakh to Armenia. After 1990, the problem of going to the Square and learning the news basically disappeared, there was no longer a state censorship. And today, anywhere in the world, you can learn about every sneezing 2-3 seconds after this event. So, there is no need to drag people to the Freedom Square to satisfy your own political ambitions. When the moment comes, people will come to solve their problems.
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
