….and you want to run the country?
ArmeniaLiberty reports on the apparently violent infighting in one of Armenia’s oldest conservative opposition parties : “The Union for Constitutional Rights” . It seems that Hrant Khachatrian, the party’s former leader, who was ousted during a recent congress by Hayk Babukhanian, attempted to enter the party headquarters. The result was a violent clash, and Khatchatrian admitted “slapping” Babukhanian in the face.
It was only after a “special police” unit was called to the scene, that the brawl was calmed.
I am interested - we are often used to the mass media “opposition bashing” usually because of their own loyalty to the administration, but really, are we given anything more to think when such events are taking place? I understand that this party , despite it’s age , is not a very large or influential one - but nevertheless it is part of the opposition alliance, which was created in an attempt to dismiss claims that the opposition is disorganised and incapable of running the country.
If these guys can’t even act in a civil manner towards their own colleagues, how on earth are they going to discuss issues of war and peace with Aliyev and Gul, Genocide Recognition around the world , control the various criminal elements in the country..amongst Armenia’s other obstacles.
It is also worthy of note that this “special police” unit seems to be increasingly influential in solving problems which many might feel the police should be solving. Is there really need for a special police unit to be called to a minor fight? Or was this some sort of deeper PR stunt aimed at taking advantage of the situation for bad press. Maybe I am over analysing this. Special police is a very ominous term, because it gives the impression that being “special” it is therefore secret, and accountable to no one, bar the administration. It also begs the question, if the police units cant handle a minor fight, then we have a serious problem.
I recall an incident when I was sat in a Cafe in Yerevan - a drunken Armenian was racially abusing an Indian student. The Armenian then started violently kicking and punching him. Passersby attempted to help, but the guy was crazy. Instead of calling the police, within minutes, the “Red Beret” police ( who hang around the Opera, quite often ) arrived, in a troop. They floored the Armenian guy ( an impressive display of physical force, some kind of martial art move, it seemed!) and threw him into a black van. Like something out of a movie ? Yes. Impressive? Perhaps yes. Reassuring ? Yes. But in a “civilised” situation - a normal police brigade would be called, escort the man away, arrest him formally then take him to the station for questioning. Is it so odd to expect such behaviour in Armenia?
Sorry if this is a long write up, I hope we have some interesting views here!
Harmick, you are not from the US, are you? Here the drunk guy probably would have been shot dead, especially if he was not light skinned. Even the white drunk guys sometimes get killed by the police.
Comment by nazarian — 2/9/2007 @ 6:38 pm
Let’s leave the police at peace for now, shall we? The police in this country are a mere reflection of the Government and the political situation in the country. In a setting, where you have a legitimate govermnent and a LEGITIMATE OPPOSITION!!! you don’t need special police forces to enforce laws, rules and government decisions (including the ones dealing with racial hatred).
Let us not forget, that the police is only a law enforcement mechanism, nothing more. And you only need special police, when the ordinary law enforcement is not working - which is usually a consequence of having non-legitimate political structures: position or opposition.
The scandals around SIM keep wrining this fake-ring in me… they’ve never been proper opposition, and they will never be the voice of the people. They are there to only discredit the idea of being “opposition” which they have done quite successfully, as we can see from Harmic’s post
Harmic, I know that wasn’t your intention, but you have just become the tool of the RA Authorities
Comment by Observer — 2/10/2007 @ 5:03 am
And I effectively multiplied the effect by reposting your ideas at the Armenian Blog Review
Comment by Observer — 2/10/2007 @ 5:06 am
I agree with Harmick and Observer when it comes to the Red Berets. I recently saw them bundle a guy into the back of their van and beat the crap out of him (they didn’t slide the side door shut) by the Opera one night in the summer or autumn.
Anyway, there needs to be respect for the rule of law and also a police force that has the respect — and NOT FEAR — of the population. In Georgia they’ve managed to do that with the Patrol Police so it’s not just a matter of mentality.
It’s also whether there’s the political will.
Anyway, glad you posted about the infighting in the Constitutional Rights Union as I managed to quote it in a review of some of the latest developments in the 2007 parliamentary election at the new CRD/TI Election Monitor blog.
Pity trackbacks no longer seem to be available on Blogrel.
Comment by Onnik Krikorian — 2/11/2007 @ 11:37 am