POLITICAL TENSIONS SOW DISCORD IN ARMENIA
Haig Simonian, Financial Times
Gathered for an evening of talk and music to celebrate their city`s anniversary, the mood is palpably upbeat among the crowds in Republic Square, the traditional meeting place in Armenia`s capital.
Clever lighting brings out the best in the four stately curved buildings that define the huge space, as popular for gatherings in communist times as it is today. In front, a large stage stands by the neo-classical national museum for the rock band and assorted dignitaries involved.
But once the music stops on the dot of 11pm, the square in Yerevan empties in minutes. As the stragglers leave, no less than 12 police cars descend on the increasingly deserted space, warning lights ablaze.
Their presence is a reminder of the political tensions that lurk below the surface, even eight months after contested presidential elections. Within days of the February vote, unrest erupted as Levon Ter-Petrosian, the country`s first post communist president, accused the victor Serge Sarkisian, a former defence minister, of ballot-rigging.
Mr Ter-Petrosian was seeking a return to power after being ousted in 1998 by Robert Kocharian, Mr Sarkisian`s mentor. His claims and subsequent big public demonstrations culminated in a police crackdown that left 10 dead and 75 opposition supporters in prison.
On this particular evening in Republic Square, there are no incidents. But, opposition leaders say political repression is still widespread in the country.
Armen Harutiunian, Armenia`s ombudsman and the man entrusted with protecting human rights, says the government has resorted to “the methods of 1937” to consolidate power and curb opposition, referring to Stalin`s purges.
Mr Harutiunian, a lawyer who headed Armenia`s public administration academy before his appointment in 2006, is equally dismissive of parliament, which he says is overwhelmed by parties loyal to the government.
“The government only wants an opposition for decoration to please the west. There`s no real opposition,” he argues.
Mr Harutiunian swats away the official investigation set up to examine the post election violence as “a farce”. And he claims the government has applied direct and indirect pressure to limit his own efforts to uncover political abuse.
Opposition leaders reinforce such claims. Levon Zouhrabian, a top official of Mr Ter-Petrosian`s Armenian National Congress party, accuses the government of taking unprecedented action to restrict freedom of speech. “There are people who have spoken out and regretted it, but we are not afraid”, he says. Such comments are echoed by MPs from the Jarangoutioun (Heritage) party, the only opposition group still represented in parliament.
Although appointed by Mr Kocharian, the ombudsman and the former president have fallen out since. Mr Harutiunian claims at least half the population is now against the government and says the authorities are in a state of “cold war” with the people. Gatherings of more than 15 are prohibited - explaining the police cars` conspicuous presence in Republic Square.
Hovik Abrahamyan, a former minister and close adviser of presidents Kocharian and Sarkisian, rejects such claims. Catapulted to become chairman of parliament shortly after being elected in August, he acknowledges, “no one should be put in prison for their political ideas”.
But, referring to the demonstrators as “enemies of the people”, he adds: “anyone who commits a crime must be imprisoned”.
As elsewhere in the Caucasus, the truth is more complex. Until recently, political dissent in Armenia had been attenuated by strong economic growth. Although the benefits were initially concentrated on a rich elite, they had started to trickle down to the wider population, still suffering from post-communist adjustment and a debilitating war with neighbour Azernajian.
While electoral abuse occurred, and corruption remains rampant, the government has tried to curb the most flagrant abuses of power, combat poverty through a special programme and even investigate the violent incidents after this year`s presidential elections.
But continuing corruption, still steep unemployment that is forcing many to seek jobs abroad, and a slowing economy are a tinder box. Such inauspicious circumstances have prompted some analysts to predict it may not be long before the weakening economy and rising food and energy prices again bring people out onto the streets.
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