‘THE ARMY IN REALITY’. ARMENIAN DEPUTY DEFENSE MINISTER CONTINUES TO MAKE PROMISES
epress.am
09.08.2011 17:20
Participants of a march today titled “Army Dressed in Black” organized
by a civic initiative called the “Army in Reality,” holding photos
of soldiers killed in non-combat, first walked around the ring of
Yerevan’s Republic Square toward the RA General Prosecutor’s Office,
then walked up Abovyan St. to Northern Ave down to Liberty Square
and up Baghramyan St.
Reaching the National Assembly building, they turned their back to
the building then marched up to the presidential residence.
As reported by the Epress.am reporter on the scene, marchers initially
stood on the sidewalk across the street from the president’s residence,
but when they saw that police officers were trying to move several
relatives of the deceased soldiers who were just outside the gates
to the opposite side of the street (where they were standing), they
crossed the street and stood right outside the gates, and began to
chant, “Serzhik, go away!” and “Serzhik, murderer!” referring to
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.
Police continued to ask and in some cases shove protestors to stand on
the opposite side of the street, but to no avail. A little while later,
when several marchers were beginning to stand back, Armenian deputy
defense minister Vladimir (“Vova”) Gasparyan arrived and attempted
to speak with the parents of deceased soldiers. Some of the parents,
seeing him, didn’t want to talk and left, while a few stayed and
spoke with him.
Anahit Lazarian, mother of Arayik Avetisyan killed in 2001, told
Gasparyan: “You welcomed us in your office; you said the defense
minister has given you an order; I’m the deputy defense minister and
I will do everything to uncover the case. And what did you do for
approximately 10 months?”
“Never in my life have I thrown my words to the ground. And let god be
my witness. As for this specific case, it is a process which, believe
me, I am coordinating – I am not the investigator. Know something
for sure, let the son of one who devours blood devour blood and let
the son of one who hides it devour blood [too]. That grief that you
have, if it doesn’t go through us [meaning, me] let our [meaning, my]
son devour that [blood too]. It can’t be like that. I understand your
sorrow. Say whatever you want, say you’re procrastinating, but don’t
say you tricked me,” he said.
Anahit Lazarian said, nevertheless, she feels deceived.
Gasparyan insisted there is no crime that goes uncovered.
Asked by a journalist whether Gasparyan, as an official who is
responsible, is not preparing to submit his resignation, the deputy
minister answered in the negative, while adding that the number of
murders in the army has dropped.
On this issue, head of Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor Office
Artur Sakunts told Epress.am, “The issue is that there is also abuse,
which doesn’t ring many alarm bells or is uncovered very rarely. That
is, our whole problem is that the abuse doesn’t stop. In the 22 deaths
this year, when they present statistics, [they say] there was a drop
of 40%, it sounds absurd, what does it mean, 40% – why should it be
common at all?”
Note as well that Gasparyan offered to drive the parents of deceased
soldiers to his office to talk. A few parents agreed to this offer,
while others said they didn’t want to go because they know it won’t
make a difference.
Note that one of the organizers of today’s protest, Hope NGO
representative Lala Aslikyan, told journalists that members of the
group “We Won’t be Silent” told TV companies outside the government
building that they were the organizers of the protest, after which
they disappeared. According to Aslikyan, the group had no connection
with the organization of the protest and march.