For the past few days, university students in Yerevan have been staging demonstrations protesting a new draft law, approved by a parliamentary committee, that would eliminate deferment from Armenia’s mandatory military service for students attending university, essentially calling for all males to enlist in the military at the age of 18.
The student protesters argue that without the deferments currently in place, it would become harder to go to college and “become scientists or scholars.”
On Thursday, several organizers of the student protests met with Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan, who was accompanied by Armenia’s defense and education ministers, Vigen Sargsyan and Levon Mkrtrchyan, respectively, who had already met with student leaders a day before.
Much to the dismay of the students, Karapetyan was steadfast in defending the measure, which the government argues impacts only a small percentage—15 percent—of students who receive scholarships to study at state universities. Students who pay for higher education already are drafted at 18.
The prime minister also told the students to offer amendments that may be considered when the measure is debated by the parliament in full.
“The opposite side did not share our view. Therefore, we will continue our struggle,” one of the protest leaders told more than a 100 fellow students rallying outside the prime minister’s office in Yerevan, reported RFE/RL’s Armenian service. Another leader urged the students to continue the boycott that began on Tuesday.
Mkrtchyan, the education minister, gave the students a similar explanation when he met with them on Wednesday.
“When it comes to serving the homeland, no citizen of the Republic of Armenia will have privileges,” Mkrtchyan told several organizers, according to RFE/RL. He argued that more than 85 percent of male students attending state-run universities are already drafted for military service at 18.
“There is quite strong political support behind [the bill]… I don’t think that this bill is subject to withdrawal,” added Mkrtchyan.
Should there be a larger discussion about the elephant in the room: What has given impetus to this bill?
Will the children of government officials also enlist at 18, or will they use their parents’ positions to avoid military service? And, is emigration of young people from Armenia impacting service in Armenia’s armed forces?
A version of this article originally appeared in our sister publication, Asbarez News, on Nov. 9. Ara Khachatourian is its English editor.
Ara Khachatourian
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7 Comments To "Students Continue Protests as Government Defends Military Draft Law"
#1 Comment By Richard On November 10, 2017 @ 4:48 pm
One million Armenians have left the country since independence because of no job opportunities ,no justice in the courts ,very poor monthly salaries and a dictatorial and authoritarian government ,and people are still leaving, out of those one million people who have left we could have had today at list an extra 15 000 soldiers. Now there is a crisis in the army , Azerbaidjan is getting stronger , we have corruption in the Armenian army and we have less men to fight ,so they have to find other ways to bring in more soldiers and they are starting to take excellent students out of the schools to draft them into the army while the children and grand children of the oligarchs are bribing the army not to have them drafted . The root of the problem is the incompetent Armenian government.
#2 Comment By minas On November 11, 2017 @ 9:28 pm
I hate Serjik and his oligarchic club aka Republican party more than anyone else, but those who are really interested in science will be given the opportunity to avoid conscription in case they agree to serve for 3 years, instead of 2. And they will be deployed in army units where they can actually utilize their education. So if you have a degree in computer science, you can work in the cybersecurity unit instead of the frontline. The idea is to eliminate a loophole that allows many young men to dodge draft by infinitely dragging their education.
There is absolutely no doubt that there is corruption in Armenia and it is a problem that needs to be addressed. But it is simply unacceptable to criticize every move and decision even ones that are necessary for the security of the country. Conscription or mandatory national service exists in many countries including European ones. In some countries such as Iran, you are obliged to serve in the army and on top of that work in your country for as many years as you received free education in governmental universities.
And lets not get all worked up about Azerbaijan getting stronger. winning a few army positions in a surprise attack is certainly not a sign of getting stronger! The leadership in Azerbaijan is far more corrupt and incompetent and according to Russian official statistics, there are more Azerbaijani citizens living in Russia then Armenian citizens. So emigration is not only Armenia’s problem.
Again, I am not trying to justify the ruling elite in Armenia but I am not sure these young men are really concerned about corruption or their own careers.
#3 Comment By Artyom On November 10, 2017 @ 7:06 pm
Why is all this fuss about for the national defense? Why are they trying to evade conscription? Armenia needs soldiers.
#4 Comment By Norserunt On November 11, 2017 @ 5:16 pm
“Corruption” exists everywhere, especially in Azerbaijan, especially in the United States. Western inspired slogans like “there is corruption in Armenia” is simply an excuse self-hating Armenians use to abandon their homeland and avoid any form of responsibility towards their state.
#5 Comment By Norserunt On November 11, 2017 @ 5:24 pm
That said, this law is meant to eliminate corruption in that it no long gives the sons of the upper class in the country an easy way out of avoiding military service. With this law every 18 year old in the country has to serve regardless of class. If Armenians are not willing to serve in their country’s armed forces, regardless of “corruption” in the country, than Armenians don’t deserve statehood. This kind of constant whining and infighting is why Armenians (and Greeks) lost all of Asia Minor to Turkic peoples during the past one thousand years.
#6 Comment By Azat On November 20, 2017 @ 4:39 pm
I’m curious to know how many of the comment writers who are aghast at those guys who refuse to serve, have served themselves at the frontline?
#7 Comment By Norserunt On November 24, 2017 @ 5:21 pm
Azat,
You are trying to create moral ambiguity to advance your Globalist/Western agenda. It’s typical of your kind. Simply put: An 18 year old able bodied man (and women) who is a native of Armenia and lives in the country has a kind of obligation towards the country that Diasporans do not have. Knowing myself, if I was a young man and living in the country I would not think twice about serving in its armed forces. Even if for some lame reason I didn’t want to serve (e.g. because I was taking in too much Globalist/Western financed anti-Armenian propaganda) I would expect the state to somehow force me.
Our nation-state should not be held captive to the whims of a bunch of ignorant/emotional young people encouraged from abroad by Globalist/Western interests, which include Diasporan Armenians. At the end of the day, we are talking about a tiny, landlocked nation surrounded by much larger and much wealthier enemies. In fact, we are talking about a nation that is in war. All Armenians have to play a role in helping keep Armenia’s borders secure. Those of us who are young and natives of Armenia have the obligation to serve in the military.
PS: Every time Armenian officials talk about the strategic importance of Russia’s military presence in Armenia, Qaj Nazars like you love to say we don’t need Russians to protect us because by “uniting” we can protect ourselves. But now, when our officials talk about mandatory military service for all 18 year olds, the same somehow have a problem with that as well… You people are truly amazing…