ARF Supreme Council Representative Aghvan Vardanyan Calls Incident ‘Unacceptable’
YEREVAN (A.W.)—On Jan. 31, police and unidentified men blocked and assaulted around 40 cars traveling from Armenia to the Nagorno Karabagh Republic (NKR) on the Goris-Stepanakert Highway near Berdzor, preventing them from crossing into Karabagh. The vehicles carried members of the group called Founding Parliament (previously known as Pre-Parliament), an opposition group whose aim is regime change in Armenia.
The Founding Parliament said in a statement that around a dozen participants of the car rally, under the banner of “100th Anniversary without this Regime,” suffered injuries in an ambush by NKR police—some in uniform, others in civilian clothing, and some masked. Police wielded bayonets at the cars and rally participants, in an incident that was caught on film by the protesters. Car windows were smashed, and the tricolor flags were snatched off the vehicles.
Police say they intended to “prevent mass disturbances,” after news of the planned rally gave rise to concern among a large segment of the population in Karabagh. NGOs based in Karabagh also reportedly joined calls against the planned initiative. The police acknowledge their units were stationed at various points on the Goris-Stepanakert Highway.
The Founding Parliament claims its members were unarmed, and that many were accompanied by their families. Among the rally participants was Karabagh War veteran Jirayr Sefilian. A journalist with Noyan Tapan, Anushavan Shahnazaryan, was reportedly hospitalized in Goris.
“False information was spread to those in Berdzor that we were armed. In addition to this, they were trying to convince people that the car rally, led by Jirayr Sefilyan, was a plot to try to persuade soldiers to no longer serve in Artsakh, to abandon Artsakh and leave it unprotected,” read a statement released by the group. Once their plans to hold the car rally in NKR were made public, the group received a number of threats warning that the rally would be blocked, noted the statement.
According to the police report, officers tried to dissuade the caravan from continuing into Karabagh, saying it would cause “social tension,” but the rally participants “resorted to illegal actions” and “provocations.” The report went on to say that officers were forced to use “corresponding” measures to stop the rally. “Unfortunately, some people were injured, but their lives are not in danger,” read the report.
Vardanyan: Berdzor attack ‘unacceptable’
Speaking with reporters, ARF Supreme Council Representative Aghvan Vardanyan said the incident in Berdzor was unacceptable, and that it must be condemned.
Yet, Vardanyan also stressed that “the approaches, modus operandi, and goals of Pre-Parliament, especially its slogan ‘100th Anniversary without the Regime,’ are unacceptable to us. You can’t tie [the Centennial] with our domestic problems, because the Centennial of the Genocide is an entirely different issue, where national unity is needed.” It is incomprehensible, he added, that the Founding Parliament would ignore numerous calls from Karabagh to postpone the rally, given the tense environment there.
“No good came out of the use of force. This is unacceptable for us. It is also dangerous,” Vardanyan said. “Certain forces within Armenia and abroad will try to use this intolerable incident to polarize the country, or to drive a wedge between Armenia and Karabagh.”
I agree with the wise words of Aghvan Vardanyan. Armenians are making Azeris look very smart. It’s a sad situation because this is the time for unity but its being turned into a time of internal hate and division. We are only making Turks and Western powers happy.
Violence is not justified in politics whether you agree with a group or not. This is disgusting. Not only that, the violence only brings attention and makes this an issue. It usually backfires.
To put this mildly;it is very sad.They (police) acting like hooligans.
Should be investigated and the authors of this violence should be PUNISHED and kicked out of Armenia and NK.Giving us a very bad reputation.If they are not put to jail ! NOT one more red cent to NK.
Shame 1000 shame! UNITY!!!
The use of violence against ones political opponents is nothing new in Armenia or Artsakh. This is just the latest manifestation proving that Armenians lack the will for, and comprehension of, civilized political discourse. The larger concern is that the people of Artsakh themselves are subjected to intimidation and physical terror if they dare dissent. Yes, the country is on a war footing but this can be no excuse for brutally quashing political discourse on the government’s policies. On the contrary, this is exactly the time when a healthy exchange of ideas and opinions are needed. Artsakh’s future seems to be in the hands of thugs and zealots, and the ordinary populace be damned.
“100th Anniversary without this regime” was surely an unfortunate remark. But as this government is absolutely doing nothing against corruption and consists mainly of oligarchs itself, it´s really time to change it. The big fault was already committed by President Ter Petrossian, whose idea it was to let rich people invest in the countries development. By this Mafialike structures developed, which are difficult to stop again. But it´s wrong to start an attack on _Armenias government in Artsakh. Artsakh needs the support of all Armenia and even the diaspora !
Do people in Artsakh have the right to get together and assemble? Just wondering.
Are people allowed to express opinions in Artsakh? Again, i am just asking.
Is it normal practice for police in Artsakh to beat up civilians waiving Armenian flags?
Is it normal for Artsakh police to destroy property? I am just inquiring about the normal rule of police behavior? Should unarmed people expect to be brutally beaten up by Artsakh police?
I suggest my fellow patriots to view the video clip on youtube for an accurate picture. Frankly, I think it is a disgrace that some 50 people including wives and children have to be terrorized and beaten up by police under orders form the duo presidents Srkisian/Sahakian.
I also don’t care for the “Founding Parliament” party or any of its members. Since the only weapons they had was Armenian Flags, did they have to be savagely beaten (with their wives) and children terrorized by Artsakh police and their authorities (Sahakian)?
don’t let the Azeris’ or their counterparts take advantage of “us” Armenians. Fight back as nesessary to uphold and maintain your freedoms and accomplishments. GOD bless all of our people and lands. Movses Movsesian, U.S.A.
Արցախցի ազատամարտիկները դեմ են պրովակատոր Ժիրայր Սեֆիլյանի արկածախնդրությանը։
Ազատ Արցախ Աշխարհում նման պրովակացիաները չեն անցնի։
Կեցցե՛ն Արցախյան Ծռերը
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_gw67wPJyY
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Հունվարի 31-ին նախատեսված էր Հայաստանի հիմնադիր խորհրդարանի ավտոերթը դեպի Արցախ, որի ընթացքում նախատեսվում էր նաև քարոզչական աշխատանք: Դեպի արցախ ավտոերթը անընդունելի և անթույլատրելի են համարել արցախյան ազատամարտի վետերանները, իրենց միավորող կառույցի կողմից տարածելով հայտարարություն` հավաստիացնելով, որ չեն թուլատրելու դրա իրականացումը, քանի որ ժողովրդի անունից խոսող, սակայն նույն ժողովրդի իրական ցանկություններին և մտահոգություններին անտեղյակ մի խումբ անձանց այդօրինակ վարվելակերպը ոչ միայն անիմաստ, այլև ազգային միասնությանն ու նրա անվտանգությանը սպառնացող հանցավոր ծրագիր է: Հայտարարությամբ են հանդես եկել նաև Արցախի երիտասարդական կառույցներները` ընդգծելով, որ օրենքով թույլատրելի բոլոր հնարավոր միջոցները օգտագործելով՝ տարաբնույթ միջոցառումների միջոցով կանխելու են հասարակությանը ապակայունացնող ցանկացած ուժի մուտքը Արցախ: Երեկ էլ հայտարաություն է տարածել ՀՅԴ Արցախի ԿԿ:
31 января Учредительным парламентом Армении был запланирован автопробег в Арцах с разворачиванием пропагандистской деятельности. Ветераны освободительной войны сочли данный автопробег в Арцах неприемлемым и недопустимым и от имени Союза воинов-освободителей Арцаха приняли соответствующее заявление, в котором особо отметили, что не допустят проведения автопробега,так как подобная манера поведения группы людей, выступающей от имени народа, но в тоже время не осведомленной о реальных желаниях и нуждах его, не только бессмысленная, но и угрожающая национальной безопасности преступная программа. С заявлением выступили также молодежные структуры Арцаха, подчеркнув, что всеми дозволенными законом способами будут препятствовать въезду в Арцах любой разъединяющей общество силы. Вчера соответствующее заявление распространил также ЦК АРФД Арцаха.
GREAT STRATEGY :
FIRST TURN THE POPULATION AGAIST THE RUSSIAN FORCES STATIONED IN GORIS; BECAUSE OF ONE SLEEPER CELL CLONE INCIDENT.
AND NAW ALIANATE KARABAGH FROM ARMENIA.
THE FORCES AT WORK ARE SO TRANSPARENT..
== THIS groups are paid by foreign government(not friendly to Armenia at all) to promote color revolutions like the one in Ukraine which will make Armenia disappear from the map. Armenia has very wise leadership at this time and doesn’t need to be destabilized like other countries in the Middle east.
How is this wise? Beating the crap out them of them brings them more attention and actually falls into the this color revolution goal, if that’s what the goal is. Makes Armenia and Artsakh look undemocratic.
The point here is the savage uncivilized behavior. You can prevent anything in a civilized behavior. This is a double edge sword and Artsakh does not need to get close to either side of the blades presented. Police can cordon off the road and ask politely with extreme restraints for the convoy to return (which incidentally they weer willing to do). There is a beating every week in Armenia. There is a killing on a bi-weekly basis in Armenia. How does that advance the cause? Keep it up and Armenia will be lumped with Belarus & Azerbaijan.
The world is facing a possible world war three because of Western aggression. This is therefore not the time and the south Caucasus is not the place for a revolution in Armenia. Armenia needs sociopolitical evolution, not a Western sponsored revolution.
Beating the crap out of them is not the answer either. Besides, it only reinforces their message.
They were warned not to go to NKR. NKR is a war zone where social order and unity is very important. Free Parliament gets away with stuff in Armenia but not in NKR!!!
The polarization and internal disunity and disharmony is beautifully engineered by foreign funded NGOs and political organizations. We’ve already seen he destructive role it has played in Libya, Syria, Ukraine……. The last thing Armenia and Artsakh needs right now is a similar revolution when the enemy is waiting for that excuse. This group is extremely destructive and has sinister motives by entering Artsakh to spread their poison like they have in Armenia already. The Artsakh authorities did the right thing beating the crap out of them and hopefully they learned their lesson. You can brainwash the materialistic, politically ignorant crowds in Yerevan but never mess with the heroic population of Artsakh where there is social and political unity and strength that makes most nations jealous.
They can take their Soros sponsored and US embassy sponsored caravan somewhere else. Artsakh is at war on one front already, no need to complicate their jobs any further unless you are their enemy. Bravo to the Artsakh police, and hopefully the Yerevan police learn a lesson or two.
Amen brother.
Artsakh police in bad need of police behavior, training, crowd control, and traffic rules – without resorting to beating and destruction of property. It is one thing to be ignorant, it is worse to be ignorant and not know it.
amote.