Ter-Petrossyan's U.S. Supporters
Stifle Free Speech Through Violence

By APPO JABARIAN
Executive Publisher/Managing Editor
USA ARMENIAN LIFE Magazine

On Saturday, March 22, at around 10:30 p.m., during a live broadcast of a round table discussion in Glendale, California, two supporters of Levon Ter-Petrossyan, a failed presidential candidate, attacked the studios of ARTN TV, then they intruded upon the participants of the TV show that was underway, aiming to interrupt their discussion, said a spokesman of the TV station.

This invasion of the TV station caused a wave of complaints by Armenian TV viewers. The spokesman added that "the nature of that incident and the style in which it was carried out is totally compatible with the so-called 'democracy project' that is adopted by 'H.H.Sh.,' also known as the 'Armenian National Movement’ political party (the main backers of Ter-Petrossyan's candidacy)."

The spokesman continued: "By way of direct threats of ‘liquidation’ of TV show participants; threatening their lives; and cursing, the invaders demanded that the show be stopped. This awfully unpleasant attack -- nothing short of an attempt to stifle free speech -- boldly reflects these forces' 'vision' for and attitude toward freedom, democracy and human rights. But in the United States of America, similar acts of sabotage cannot prevail. This incident's investigation has been assigned to law enforcement officials."

On Monday, March 24, during an interview with USA Armenian Life Magazine and Hye Kiank Armenian Weekly, Mr. Robert Oglakhchyan, President and Chief Executive Officer of ARTN-TV Company, told this writer "the management of the studio strongly condemns this very disturbing act that intended to obstruct the work of free media." He said that on Saturday night upon learning of this incident, the City of Glendale Police Dept. rapidly responded and rushed to the scene and began interrogating the victims. A thorough investigation is being conducted. On Tuesday, March 25, it became apparent that the violators of law and order will be held accountable.

This incident reconfirms the fact that in order to undermine free speech, Ter-Petrossyan's supporters are capable of resorting to violence, even in the United States! ( Read more... )

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Provokes,
Incites The Crowds In Armenia By Giving Misinformation

James K. Glassman
Chairman of the BBC

Jeffrey Gedmin,
Director RFERL

Dear Sirs,

I have on numerous occasions complained to you regarding the bias reporting of your Armenian desk which has done everything in order to provoke and incite the crowds by giving misinformation.

Its now obvious that you have an agenda which is to have a regime change in Armenia, this can only done by the methods you have activated through your Armenian desk.

You should all be ashamed of your service to your so called Liberty, in other words change regimes to suit your designs in the area which you have done in Iraq and in other countries.

I will never again listen to your station, its so obvious what you stand for.

Yours sincerely
Mihran Keheyian
London

Ter-Petrossyan's Glendale Surrogates Reject Dialog

By APPO JABARIAN
Executive Publisher/Managing Editor
USA ARMENIAN LIFE Magazine

Over 200 community members attended and actively participated in a free
Intellectual Forum on the post-February 19 presidential election events in
Armenia. This unique, first-of-its-kind event intended to create a forum
of open discussions between the various groups regarding the importance of
stability and security of the independent Armenian state. The event took
place at the Glendale Central Library, and was organized by a group of
Armenian intellectuals in Los Angeles.

Several days before the event, invitations were mailed and e-mailed to all
concerned groups. The result: the number of the supporters in attendance of
the failed presidential candidate Levon Ter-Petrossyan - nearly 8% - was
dwarfed by the non-partisan supporters of stability and security of the
Armenian state - with over 90% of the participants. ( Read more... )

Thanks for your letter, *******.

Hopefully, I'll write soon in detail on some of your questions. But I have
been criticising this government and predicting such an outcome for
all recent years. And, by the way, where was LTP all this time and why
didn't he raise his voice against any injustice during long 10 years?!

You may find attached just one of my pieces, where all the major causes of
the current crisis are clearly identified and deplored. I've been warning
about the imminent breakup of the seeming stability again and again in my
books, articles and interviews published in Armenian, Russian and English
for the last decade. Moreover, they've been read by some of the
highest representatives of the current establishment. I had a couple
of chances to even personally discuss with some of them the criticality of
the situation. They did not agree that the situation is as bad as I depict
it and were disturbed and irritated. All of my efforts to bring them
back to reality have just resulted not only in my further isolation from the
centers of decision-making, but also their attempts to silence and
marginalize me. Though they've not succeeded in the latter, I'm extremely
frustrated that all my work was almost in vain. On February 19 Armenia
has entered into a completely new and unfavorable phase: the day "X" I was
talking in my "Strategic Gaps" has already arrived.

However, LTP and his team did not come "to right the wrong", but just to
exacerbate the things to the edge. I'm a first-hand eyewitness of the
events. The major clashes happened just 100 meters from my home and I've
been hearing and watching everything from the beginning to the end. That
day L. Ter-Petrosyan and his team brought Armenia to the very brink of
DISASTER. No one can prove to me that it was the police who instigated the
clashes. It was not just a coup attempt, it was a cold-blooded attempt by
LTP & Co. to instigate a civil war!! LTP and his team are an immediate and
overwhelming national security threat!! Please look on the bigger picture,
look on the world powers waging Cold War IN ARMENIA, look on the map
again and follow the news about the Azerbaijan's movements and all the
preparations to start a war. What if Aliyev starts it now? What would we
have -- a divided Armenia, a divided Diaspora! Who has pushed the things so
far? Of, course, the government has to be blamed for all the corruption
and its woeful methods and low level of governance. But LTP has clearly and
cold-bloodedly targeted the national unity of the Armenians! He clearly and
cold-bloodedly played on the hayastantzi-gharabaghtzi artificial divide! He
and his team clearly and cold-bloodedly instigated the mob to fire and throw
grenades on the Armenian soldiers.

My street was under occupation of "the revolutionaries" for about 7 hours.
They were shouting at us: "come down, join us -- this is an uprising!" (My
daughter was frightened a lot. She still does not sleep well.) They were
calling the Armenian soldiers to join them and fire on the other Armenian
soldiers. Now who can tell me about the facts better?! Do you understand
what was at stake?! And what if just one batallion, or even a
platoon joined this uprising?? We would have ended up in a real bloody
civil war with the hundreds killed and mutilated and perhaps Artsakh and
Syunik overrun by the enemy! What was LTP's sick brain thinking at that
time?? I do not need neither to watch the Armenian TV for official version,
nor to read and listen about the ridiculous false versions now being
circulated in the web by the LTP supporters.

Please remember that Armenia is your only Homeland, irrespective of the
government. Please do not alienate neither yourselves, nor the
diasporans from the homeland. Do not alienate yourselves from the other
Armenians. After reading my article, my dear friend from Canada has labeled
me "a traitor of the nation"! Doesn't this remind you good old 1937? Just
one result of the LTP's comeback into the big politics with his neobolshevist
ideas "who is not with us, is against us"! But we are a small endangered
nation with an endangered HOMELAND!

The situation is extremely difficult and there is no easy way out of it.
The solution that is most often being offered -- the resignation of Serj
Sargsyan and the new elections is not a solution. We simply cannot afford
months and years of additional turmoil.

More on all of this later...

I also attach my own original Armenian version of the latest article on
"International investigation" offered by LTP. AZG made a translation of its
own from the Russian version, which was published earlier.

Regards,
Armen

As hard as it may be for Levon Ter-Petrossyan's (LTP) supporters to admit this fact, not everybody supports LTP and his unacceptable policies for Armenia. In fact, by his own participation in the presidential election LTP pushed away many of the voters who are discontent with the incompetent rule of the current administration and were ready to vote for a uniting opposition candidate. However, a large swath of rational voters who are not suffering from amnesia could not bear to vote for LTP and his adopted policies. In return, LTP resorted to divisive politics (a term in vogue in US) and a smear campaign against those who reject him. He exploited and deepened the already alarming (and unjustified) dislike of the people of Karabakhi origin by the Yerevan residents, as if there is a difference between Armenians in Karabakh, Yerevan, Gyumri or the Diaspora. Yerevan is the capital of all Armenians of the world. As a result, diasporan Armenians in Los Angeles call local Armenian TV stations during talk shows and use expressions like "Gharabaghtsi Turqer". Those people need to be thrown across the contact line in Artsakh, to the Azeri side, so they can appreciate the full meaning of the word Turk. This is unacceptable! Yet LTP went on to insult the majority of the voters and the Armenian nation, those who do not agree with him and do not stand by him, by calling them "azgi takanq". Sadly so, no one from LTP's supporters spoke out against it. Does it mean that the likes of ***** ********* [one of the persons involved in the correspondence, V.K.] agree with that comment?

Vazgen Sargsyan did not agree with LTP policies, is he considered "azgi takanq"?

How about Monte Melkonyan, who personally participated in the liberation of Qelbajar, a region which LTP worked hard (fortunately unsuccessfully) to return to the enemy? On the wall of his room in Martuni Monte had a map of all the territories surrounding former Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO), which, as he had concluded, needed to be liberated in order to achieve a lasting geostrategic balance in Artsakh. LTP was strongly opposing any further liberation and currently intends to return them unconditionally. Does this disagreement between Monte and LTP over Qelbajar and other liberated territories make commander Avo "azgi takanq"? No and no. Just because someone disagrees with your viewpoint, he does not automatically become "a propagandistic tool".

I, for one, cannot support a man who declares the unconditional return of liberated Armenian lands, nor can I support a presidential candidate who does not have a vision for NKR's independence (LTP declared that NKR cannot achieve independence like Kosovo did). This alone is enough for me to oppose him, but i don't think this makes me a nation's scum. On the other hand, cop killers in all countries are considered scums of society and should be treated accordingly. Protesting peacefully in the Opera square is one thing, shooting at the policemen and beating them to death is another. The latter requires prosecution by the full force of the law as it is an assault against the state, our state, the state of all Armenians.

A lot has been said against LTP policies. Equally as much has been said to criticize the unacceptable and corrupt practices of the current administration. Now the time has come to restrain ourselves and rein in our emotions, because this domestic bickering is threatening to weaken Armenia in its struggle against external enemies and destroy our statehood. It's time to sober up.

pigh

ARMENIA GETS more U.S. aid per capita than any other country but Israel. It earned this distinction not only through the fervent interest of so many Armenian Americans but also by portraying itself -- and for a time living up to the image of being -- a true democracy in the post-Soviet world. Sadly, reality has moved far from that image, as incumbent president Levon Ter-Petrossian has claimed reelection after a vote marred by fraud and has arrested or sent into exile or underground much of his political opposition. Almost as sadly, the U.S. government has reserved its strongest condemnation thus far for the opposition, even as Armenia slides toward authoritarian rule.

Armenia embarked on its post-Soviet independence with great and legitimate hopes five years ago. Unlike so many other republics in the region where former Communist bosses simply repainted themselves as democrats, it chose as its leader a scholar and former dissident in Mr. Ter-Petrossian. But more than a year ago, the president started down the slope toward rule by Diktat, banning a major opposition party and gagging much of the press. Parliamentary elections last year were widely condemned for violations of fairness.

In the just-completed presidential election, Mr. Ter-Petrossian enjoyed 1,050 minutes of coverage on state television, compared with 65 minutes for his leading opponent -- a former prime minister and onetime ally named Vazgen Manoukian. According to international observers, the vote itself was marred by "significant and serious breaches in the law." The observers' preliminary report suggested that such breaches were not enough to sway the election, but now that Mr. Ter-Petrossian has claimed just shy of 52 percent of the vote -- he needed 50 percent to avoid a runoff -- the legitimacy of his victory is in strong doubt.

Opposition rallies in the capital of Yerevan were huge and largely peaceful, but fighting broke out on one occasion when the election commission refused to order a recount. Now the incumbent has sent troops and tanks into the capital, imposing a virtual state of emergency. Opposition deputies have been beaten and kicked out of parliament. Troops have stormed into opposition party headquarters and shut them down.

In the face of this, the State Department has mustered nothing more than to say it is following events "with great interest" while finding "regrettable and unfortunate" the opposition violence. What is truly regrettable is not just this mealy-mouthed American response but the sight of a small nation with a sad but courageous history watching its chance at self-rule being stolen

Armenian Debacle

The Washington Post
Date: Oct 1, 1996

Start Page: A.18
Section: EDITORIAL

Sona ****** wrote:
> You wrote so SURLY "No pregnant women were beaten,
> no kids injured..." check the world news sometimes.
> Keep yourself updated. Nad why are you SO SURE ?
> http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0302/armenia.html

The link you posted says NOTHING about pregnant women being beaten, as well as kids. If it wasn't the source of information you intended to refer, then please post the correct link.

Thank you.

Best regards,
Karen Vrtanesyan

Hrayr ****** wrote:

> I have spoken with at least 15 different family members
> in Armenia the last two days. They ALL say that there
> have been far more deaths than what is "officially"
> being reported. Cause you know, the government will
> happily report they killed 40 people? On one hand you
> say that Levon, Serge, and Robert are the same, and yet
> you believe what the official government controlled
> media tells you?

There is no mass media at this point in Yerevan. While pro-Levon web sites, being hosted on the American soil, continue to spread disinformation, some idiot in the government ordered to shut down all the local news sources. Thus my information is based on:

A. an investigation conducted by Dr. Dilanyan, a friend of mine who personally phoned 41 medical workers from Yerevan hospitals and collected data from them: http://dilanyan.livejournal.com/174846.html

He is ready to confirm what he wrote under the oath.

B. information from another my friend Anna *******, who has also phoned number of her colleagues in different medical institutions in Yerevan.

C. The fact that I live in the center of Yerevan and have witnessed some of the events from the window of my apartment. Like shot being fired INTO the sky, not into the crowd. I am ready to repeat this under an oath.

D. My interviews with people living in the middle of the area affected by the riot, who eye-witnessed the events from the windows of their apartments.

On the other side, as I have already mentioned in my blog, the further are people from the center of the city, the higher is the imaginable body count: http://ahousekeeper.livejournal.com/181447.html

Please understand, that the people you talk to, if they are not eye witnesses, may be as well victims of the same disinformation campaign of spreading rumors and gossips, that is now being conducted in the Diaspora.

I am not asking you to believe the information I provide. What I ask you all is to involve critical thinking when getting and passing information to others around you.

> Stop being naive and stop defending killers who attacked people peacefully sleeping without any provocation.

Let me see how long are you going to stay peacefully asleep if you decide to establish a tent camp in Times Square. 1 day? 2 days? 9 days?

No, I am sure you will be arrested in less than 10 minutes, no matter how important your cause is. So who's naive here?

Best regards,
Karen Vrtanesyan