By Astghik Bedevian
The first meeting of the so-called ‘Civil Disobedience’ movement was held in Yerevan on Thursday, with its participants calling for “removing the current regime and holding free and democratic early elections.” Former residents of Yerevan’s North Avenue and Buzand street and Karabakh war veterans responded to the call of Armenia’s former foreign minister Alexander Arzumanian to join the movement. Representatives of the National-Democratic Union (AZhM) and the “Homeland and Honor” party also attended the meeting.
Chairman of the “Brotherhood of Liberation Struggle” public organization Arkady Karapetian called for action. “Our guys have no problem… We call for a force capable of leading the nation to come and take the leadership role. If there is no, we’ll put our forces together to do something,” he said.
“We are nothing without you, but you should know that all of our guys are standing next to you,” said Vladimir Arakelian, a field commander of the Metsn Tigran volunteer group.
Academician Rafael Ghazarian was among those who came to the meeting.
“We are being led to destruction,” Ghazarian said in his speech. “The people see what the leaders are doing. The people see that they have no right. They can be evicted from their homes and get justice nowhere. They will see violence, beatings, plunder. People begin to get spoiled as well… There is no justice.”
According to Ghazarian, people are also disappointed with the opposition, as “they [oppositionists] have failed to overcome the personal.”
“Only forward, only together! We urge you,” Ghazarian said.
Ex-foreign minister Alexander Arzumanian, who is one of the initiators of the movement, called upon those present, “all those who cannot tolerate this arbitrariness” to join the movement, which will stage its next rally near the Constitutional Court building on November 27, on the occasion of the first anniversary of the Constitutional Referendum.