YEREVAN (A.W.)—The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Supreme Council of Armenia issued a statement today (Feb. 20) arguing that “the will of the people expressed on Feb. 18 must not be trampled upon.” The ARF noted that “the best possible election was promised, the worst was delivered.” We ought to realize the seriousness of the situation and look for solutions accordingly, stated the party in its first official post-election statement, the translation of which The Armenian Weekly presents below, in full.
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The citizens of Armenia demonstrated on Feb. 18 that their patience has limits, that they deserve a much better life and leadership, and that it’s impossible to kill the people’s aspirations for justice and freedom.
The people’s outrage came in response to the political, social, economic and moral environment in the country. It came in response to the authorities and the rank and file of their representative, who were behaving as if they enjoy the trust and support of the absolute majority. It became evident that that the majority of the people does not accept the current regime.
On top of their limitless administrative and financial resources, the authorities employed a coordinated effort to rig the vote counting process. The best possible election was promised, the worst was delivered. The results reasserted our conviction that the election was fixed, and the assessment of international observers was too predictable.
The post-election environment and the developments ahead impose an immense responsibility and difficult decisions upon the authorities, the leading presidential candidate, the opposition forces, and the active segment of the public. The will of the people expressed on Feb. 18 must not be trampled upon. The ARF stands together with the people, and subscribes to the view of finding solutions together. We ought to realize the seriousness of the situation and look for a way out accordingly. This is a difficult yet inevitable task that needs to be undertaken collectively. We have a duty to be worthy of our people[‘s trust]. Only in this way, only with a clearly defined political agenda can we move the country from the current standstill and deterioration to the steady path of development, and guarantee a secure and dignified future for the citizens of Armenia.
ARF Supreme Council of Armenia
Feb. 20, 2013
ARF with all its chapters must back Raffi 100%,its the peoples choice.
We had enough of fraudulent elections,3 presidents to date all crooks,the last one very slippery,a liar,corrupt,and a friend of his crooked Oligarchs.
The reason why the West and the Russians back corrupt Serzh is because they can each push their agenda on Armenia through corrupt Serzh.
That’s why the West and the Russians, and—above them and more broadly—the behind-the-scene globalist manipulative evil forces, will always attempt to arrange things so that slippery crooks, liars, and corrupt thugs, not public-spirited, accountable, and concerned people are elected presidents. These sinister forces have their agendas, and popular candidates or presidents who enjoy broad-based public trust and support and are thus more accountable to people’s needs and less conformable to foreign agendas, are anathema for these globalists.
ARF – we must not allow the demise of our Great Motherland – Raffi Hovannisian is the light that will unite and fortify Armenia. In the spirit of our ancestors, we must stand united with the incorruptible soul that has been sent to us by God! Don’t pass up this chance to take the right stand!
Mere words of indignation won’t cut it! The ARF should get off its high-horse and put the “Revolutionary” in the ARF into practice! None of the opposition forces could rally around a unified election ballot before the actual vote. The least they could do now is to rally their forces and defend the voice of the people and to stop the current regime from stealing yet another election.
The people’s will was shown again and again and President Sarkissian was democratically elected. Congratulations to the Armenian nation!
“Again and again”? Like in March of 2008?
Do you consider stuffing the ballot box “democratic”?
{“The best possible election was promised, the worst was delivered. The results reasserted our conviction that the election was fixed, and the assessment of international observers was too predictable.”}
Keep believing that ARF-RoA. I am sure that is why you did not field any candidates. It cannot be that in every election in RoA the best that ARF has gotten is, what, 5%-6% ?
And yes the will of the people must be respected: 60% of RoA electorate voted.
58% voted for Pres Sargsyan. 37% voted for Raffi Hovannisian. 21% margin.
In US, if you win by something close to 10%, it is called a ‘landslide’ win.
What other will of the people are you talking about ?
The 860,000 citizens of Armenia who voted for Pres Sargsyan are not people ?
Posters here debate not the official figures, but the ways they were acquired for Serj to declare victory.
Hundreds of thousands who poured into the streets on March 1, 2008 protesting vote-rigging and Serj’s election were not people? Those peacefully protesting unarmed civilians who were killed by the government forces were not people? Those whose votes were stolen to have Serj re-elected are not people? Those who, disgusted and disgruntled, vote with their feet and emigrate, are not people?
posters here, including yourself, have absolutely no credible evidence that anything was stolen. it is all conjecture and innuendo.
every independent objective observer, with no skin in the game, has stated that 2013 Presidential election was the most fair, most democratic, most transparent election in RoA to date.
The fact that independent polling organizations’ exit polls tracked within a few percentage points the actual results for Pres Sargsyan is another hard metric that leaves no room for sour-grapes.
(Exit polls for Sargsyan: 58% vs 59% actual; Hovannisian: 32% vs 37% actual)
Regarding 2008: 8 civilians were killed, 1 police officer, 1 soldier.
Who started the violence ?
Who is it that would benefit from a Civil war in Armenia ?
When I see a multitude of people, as in 2008, protesting the theft of their votes in the election, I tend to believe my eyes not the official figures. This is neither onjecture nor innuendo. When I hear from friends, neighbors, and families of a multitude of people who voted for one candidate as a protest vote for another, I tend to believe my ears not the official figures.
Regarding 2008: The one who gave orders to shoot at the unuarmed people started the violence. Otherwise, staging peaceful demonstrations and peaceful sit-ins are the citizens’ constitutional right. No one would benefit from a Civil war in Armenia, but who is it that benefits from selling such fear on the people in order to keep his position in power?
Avery, not sure where you get your facts or who you are (no last name), but you are failing to report that even those impotent organizations stated that there were great irregularities. Second – I bet you also know that the POLL you are referring to is a phony one and GALLUP, whose name was misappropriated has denied it and is considering suing Serj’s son-in-law who supposedly conducted it and released it’s phantom results to the international press. SHAME = AMOT
Ակներեւ է ,կայ ժողովրդական ԻՐԱԿԱՆ ընդդիմութիւն.«.«փաստ, խաղաղ ցոյցը որ երէկ իրականացւեց Հանրապէտութեան Հրապարակ,ուր Ռաֆֆի Հովհաննէսեանի հետեւորդներ-միայն մէկ մասը-կրկին այնտեղ էին իրենց դժգոհութիւնը ցուցաբերելու:
Եւ Ահա, Նախագահ Սարգսեան հրաւիրեց Ռաֆֆի Հուհաննէսեանին ներկայանալ իր Նստատեղին այս առաւոտ: Ուրեմն ,յուսանք որ Սէրժ Սարգսեան-ընդունի պահի լրջութիւնը եւ ոչ միայն խոսքով,այլ ԳՈՐԾԵԼԱԿԵՐՊԻ Իրական փոփոխմամբ ՁԵՌՆԱՐԿԻ թէ Սահմանադրական եւ թէ շատ թերի հարցերի ԿԱՐԳԱՒՈՐՄԱՆ:
Ցանկալի նաեւ որ առաջին հերթին սկսի իր ՆՈՐ ԴԱՀԼԻՃԻ(Cabinet)ի ընտրելուն…ներառնելով կազմի մէջ մի շարք անձեր Ընդիմութիւնից եւ մեր Իրական,ԱՐԺԱՆԻ(Ձիրքերով օժտւած) անձերի նշանակմամբ:
Ցանկալի նաեւ որ Ձեռնամուխ լինի անմիջապէս ԱԶԳԱՅԻՆ ԺՈՂՈՎԸ լծարքի ենթարկի-յայտարարելով Նոր Ընտրութիւններ Մարտ Ամսում:
Այլապէս-ցաւում եմ բացադրեըլու կրկին ՀՆԱՐԱՒՈՐ ՉԷ ԺՈՂՈՎՈՒՐԴԻ ցանկութեանց ԴԷՄ գնալ ….դայ ,ԱՆԻՄԱՍՏ Է եւ ՓԼՈՒԶՄԱՆ ԵՆԹԱԿԱՅ:
Հակիրճ- ՅԱՅՏԱՐԱՐԵԼ Փ Ո Խ Ա Ն Ց Մ ԱՆ (Transitional) Ժամանակաշրջան:
Does anyone in their right mind actually believe that 800,000 RA citizens cast a ballot for Serzh Sargsyan based on their conscience and in good faith? Those who do should come to Armenia and spend a few weeks here to get a real sense of the depth and breadth of the popular animosity towards the man and the party he represents. Bribes, arm twisting, intimidation….the list is endless. People in Armenia know it, some overseas either are ignorant of the facts or feign ignorance.
If anyone thinks that corrupt serzh got so many votes needs to have his or her brains tested.
Under Serzh there wont be anyone left in Armenia in 5 years or so, as people are voting with their feet towards the rampant corruption,fraudulent deals,injustices all over,chronic poverty,treaherous protocols,and the rest.
If this is what you want than keep him there and good luck Armenia.
How much has Serzh’s net worth exploded in the last 5 YEARS as a direct result of his position as “president”? How much did Kocharian walk away with? And that’s good for Armenia and its average citizen how?
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Since it seems the voting again was rigged, just as in 2008, the people must continue to demonstrate and send in petitions signed by all the people that know the election was rigged. Pres. Sargisian has failed to bring in new jobs whereby over one million have left the homeland for jobs to support their families. Raffi Hovanessian would have been the ideal candidate for the presidency since he understands the corruption within the government. The Turks & Azeri’s are happy to see the turmoil within our country. The time has come when Armenian’s in Armenia & the diasporan Armenian’s must work together.
Knar Mouhibian: {“Avery, not sure where you get your facts or who you are (no last name)….”}
I get my facts from publicly available sources. I crosscheck them as much as possible.
The same sources that several countries and heads of states have used to congratulate Pres. Sargsyan on his massive win.
None of those countries or heads of state have any preference one way or another. Some would even want to see uncertainty and chaos in RoA.
So even those see nothing that would remotely affect President Sargsyan’s 21% margin crushing victory.
Where do _you_ get your facts ?
From the local rumor mills that after drinking Hovanissian Kool-Aid are absolutely, positively convinced that 37 is a greater number than 58 ?
Mr. Hovanissian ran a good campaign: he went out into the public, he worked hard, campaigned American-style, pounded the payment, met the voters, pressed hands, kissed babies – and won 37% of the vote. A very impressive result considering he had no vast party machine to back him up.
But he only got 37%. In addition to his hard work, he was also lucky: if Dodi Gago and LTP had run, Mr. Hovanissian would get nowhere near 37%.
Heritage got only 6% during the Parliamentary election of 2012. So he got the protest vote that would otherwise have gone to Dodi Gago or LTP.
And those organizations did report irregularities. But the same unaffiliated organizations also reported that Pres Sargsyan won: those random, minor irregularities could not possibly have affected the 21% margin of victory.
And those are the facts, from multiple sources. OK ?
And No, I bet you I do know it is not phony. The name dispute with Gallup is just that: a name dispute. No one – other than Hovanissian partisans such as yourself – is claiming their poll results are invalid or that their polling methods are in question.
Don’t like Gallup ? OK: were VTsIOM, TNS Opinion / EuFoA / IPSC, etc polls also conducted by Pres. Sargsyan’s son in law ?
Did the Parliamentary delegation from UK get bought by Pres. Sargsyan’s son in law too ?
Everybody else is wrong and Hovanissian’s camp is right ?
Regarding who I am: I am an Armenian-American born in Yerevan.
Currently a US Citizen residing in California. Satisfied ?
If I put a phony last name after ‘Avery’ how would you know ?
How do I know the name ‘Knar Mouhibian’ is not phony ?
Did you present a passport or other picture ID when posting @AW ?
Get real. Anybody can make up any name they want.
And don’t waste your time trying to shame me: my skin is so scarred and desensitized, it is completely immune.
You want to hurt my feelings, hit me with facts: I will gladly change my mind if faced with preponderance of evidence.
I have eaten crow before, many times: not pleasant, but I lived.
Ամոթը ձեզ, հարգելի Տիկին.