We posted a video on August 27th of people from the 7 united communities of Akhuryan: Basen, Hovit, Karnut, Jrarat, Arevik, Aygabats, and Kamo. They closed roads leading to Georgia and demanding that authorities cancel plans to unite the communities. It’s an unfortunate issue that brings a lot of arguments for and against unification. It’s a fact, however, that the unification took place without any serious public discussions, without speaking to members of the communities, and without taking their opinions into consideration. Perhaps that’s why people are upset.
I am unable to say whether or not the citizens’ demands are worthwhile, but they are continuing to demand that closing the streets is not an act against the authorities, but instead against the state. But the question in this case is not whether the citizens’ complaints are correct or not, but instead the question is regarding the internet’s response. Commenters insult the protestors, and their main “pathos” for the complaints is how anyone could possibly dare to be angry with and complain in our wonderful reality.
But that’s a normal situation in any country that is non-totalitarian and has a “wonderful reality.” Sometimes, the streets of Paris become filled with hundreds of thousands of protestors, who come out demanding socioeconomic changes (the main organizers of protests there are trade unions, which are very weak in our society). There are often protests in the United States for example, including on racial territory. You can count on two hands the number of countries where protests are perhaps forbidden. For example, if a protest is organized in North Korea, it can only be for thanking the “genius leader.” We don’t want that, do we?
There have been many large and small protests in Armenia over the past 27 years, including against the unification of communities. Authorities only stopped protests if their power was being threatened (the only exception being the recent revolution). The logic for the remaining cases was, “Let them gather wherever they want and say whatever they want. We’re still not going to listen to them.” Now, I hope, the situation has truly changed, and the people “higher up” won’t treat the people’s demands with indifference.
The fanatic supporters of the current authorities need to understand that protests will always happen in Armenian. God forbid they don’t.
Aram Abrahamyan
