Armenia

After students called off their sit-in on Yerevan’s Republic Square, Tuesdays’s meeting between Indian students and Yerevan State Medical University’s Rector was meant to be open to the media. However, although only journalists from Hetq Online, Haykakan Zhamanak and Aravot were present, we were eventually requested to leave the hall and later used as reason for YSMU to call off the meeting in our absence.

Nessuna has translated an account of that meeting published yesterday by the Aravot newspaper.

MEDIA IMPEDES

The Rector of Yerevan State Medical University, Gohar Kyalyan, refuses to meet with 400 Indian students of the university until the media leaves the hall

The Rector’s precondition was incomprehensible for the Indians gathered in the university hall, and especially for a foreign correspondent from Hetq Online. Before that, the Vice Rector responsible for PR, Ervand Sahakyan, and the Dean of English speaking students, Anna Sargsyan, answered questions from Indian students regarding the circumstances of their friend’s death. Afterwards, Mr. Sahakyan stated that the Rector G. Kyalyan will come down shortly to make an important announcement. However, the Rector did not arrive.

A little later, the Vice-Rector said that the Rector will come if the media leaves the hall and we agreed to do so in order to avoid additional tension, but it turned out that was not enough for her. Mr. Sahakyan said that he will give us the keys to his office if we go into the neighboring building, which is to say only if we leave this one. Then it was suggested to enter the student council room which was located on the same floor. We entered the room, but shortly afterwards, Indian students left the main hall one after another. One of the students said it was a pity that we left, while another added that the Rector told them that newspapers lie.

This referred to newspapers that had earlier published an interview with the Rector where she expressed her opinion about the Indian nation. In order not to create tension between nations, our newspaper did not present the Rector’s comments, but we are ready to stand behind our colleagues who quoted the Rector, and for which they were accused and and blamed of lying by some officials at the University. The officials did not believe, or were pretending not to believe, that their Rector is capable of such a comment until they were provided with the recorded evidence.

After publication on Saturday, Indian students continued their protest on Republican square. Later that day some of them had a meeting with the administration of the university and came to certain agreements. However, during yesterday’s meeting some students were protesting that they were not satisfied with the fact that only a few students met with the Rector. That is why yesterday’s meeting with a larger group was planned, but it did not take place because Vice-Rectors and other officials blame the media.

Eventually a few Indian students were taken to meet with the Rector, and after the negotiations that lasted until late evening, they came out to announce that they do not have any problem with her. Vice Rector Sahakyan insists that they were discussing some questions regarding student council elections, but was the entire story because of those questions? Overall, during those days, Mr. Sahakyan was playing the role of reconciler, “a dove of peace”, and was constantly apologizing on behalf of everybody, if there is anybody’s guilt at all.

Considering the issue accusaing the Dean, Anna Sargsyan, of responsibility in Prashan Anchala’s death, who threw himself from the sixth floor, it must be said that she was in quite a disturbed psychological condition yesterday. Telling of how she arrived at the place [of the accident], and how there were only two students near the body, as well as how she graduated from Medical University with excellent grades, she said she knew that the body should not be moved.

The only thing to do was to call an ambulance, and that she had been told the ambulance was on its way.

Two of the students present admitted that Mrs. Sargsyan could not do anything in that situation although one of the students complained that the Dean took a “marshutak” (a mini bus) to the hostel rather than a taxi. Mrs. Sargsyan announced that she cannot afford to take taxis and that she does not even have a cell phone. The accusations were about that level and therefore unfounded.

“Our legal bodies now investigate the reasons as to why the ambulance was late, and why it lacked proper equipment. If the young person died, we are all to blame, because it is against the nature for 21 year old to take such a step,” said Vice-rector Sahakyan. He informed the students that from now on an ambulance will be attached to the hostel, and that the university has agreed to pay the costs.

Ever since yesterday morning we have tried to clarify certain points with the Indian Embassy in Armenia, but the “receptionist,” Astghik, told us that the embassy does not have anything to say on that matter and they also steer clear of contacts with the media.

Hasmik Budaghyan

The original article in Armenian can be read here. Incidently, Hasmik Hovhannisyan and I met with some Indian students today to continue her investigation into last week’s events. Hopefully, all will be a lot clearer when her article is complete.

Hetq Online is currently trying to investigate the circumstances of the death of Prashant Anchalia, an Indian student from studying in Yerevan, Republic of Armenia. In particular, Hetq Online would like to contact people who knew Anchalia in Siliguri and any students who witnessed the events following his fall.

Hetq Online would also like to contact members of Anchalia’s family in India. Please email papermoonmic@yahoo.com if you have any information to share or can provide any other assistance. All correspondence will be treated in the strictest confidentiality.

After the appalling manner in which the highest levels of authority at Yerevan State Medical University (YSMU) treated its Indian as well as other foreign students after last week’s protests, I’m glad to see what might be one of the best examples of using blogs effectively in Armenia. Now that talks between Indian students and YSMU have broken down, Nanyaar? has set up a blog for students to write about the University.

Fantastic stuff, especially when you consider how the institution is run, and it probably comes as no surprise to discover that the aftermath of the recent protests takes center stage.

We were not sure of what’s happening, whether the decisions that are being taken, are they one voice or not. We saw us united on the first day, second day but from 3rd day we started dividing. It was the point we got weakened. How can we let all the efforts go in vain? I believe if now we cannot do anything, we can never because it was the first and the only time we all were together Death is the ultimate thing as well as the worse thing that can happen to anyone and his family. How can we forget that the person was alive for 45 min. How can we forget that he could be saved but was not? How can we take orders from the person due to whose mistake we lost our friend, and who is none other but our dean , a doctor. How can we forget that when we went to rector to listen clarifications we listened nothing but abusive words. How can we forget all this?

Here’s hoping that this new blog will shed some light on the deeply flawed inner workings of the University and provide a medium through which students can voice their concerns. A perfect example of how blogs could be used to promote democracy in Armenia which can be found http://ysmu.wordpress.com.

Want to Write?

Just chip in what you think about what is happening around you here in college. Join us to be a contibuter in this blog, or send in your emails to nanyaar@gmail.com

Hopefully other students, including local Armenians, will be able to use this blog to push for badly needed reform in what strikes me as a deeply draconian, undemocratic, authoritarian and corrupt educational facility. And really, I am still shocked by the arrogance and hostility of the Rector, Dean and Pro Rector of YSMU in its dealings with those students who are partly responsible for their employment in the first place.

Given that the Student Councils in Yerevan’s State Universities are controlled by the Republican Party of the Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markarian and all independent voices have been silenced, this is a great move. Well done Nanyaar?.

State Medical University, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006

Nayaar? has posted an update on yesterday’s meeting held at Yerevan’s State Medical University (YSMU). The meeting was agreed upon by six representatives of Indian students in Armenia and YSMU’s Rector.

The attendance in the meeting turned out to be approximately 350 students. The students spoke among themselves first clarifying all what had been discussed with the rector earlier that day and on April 23rd.The dean arrived later, along with the pro-rector only to blame us of playing with her honesty. She spoke of what she did at that moment, telling us that she was stunned and could do nothing because the boy’s state was already out of reach. All I still want to ask her is why at that moement, didnot even stoop down for a second to check his pulse and ensure us standing around that he was alive.

It was meant to be attended by representatives of the mass media in Armenia, but only myself and two journalists from Haykakan Zhamanak and Aravot newspapers were there. However, I had to fight to be allowed in after YSMU showed no interest in recognizing my Hetq press pass. I rang Edik Baghdasarian and spoke loudly so I could be overheard about lodging a complaint with the Yerevan Press Club for refusing to allow me into what was agreed to be a press conference. This worked and I was finally allowed in.

Even when I was in, however, the same people on security detail again tried to find a problem with my press pass and reason to remove me from the premises, so this time I told them to ring the Ministry of Justice. That seemed to work, and all seemed to be going smoothly although it quickly became evident why YSMU didn’t want journalists in attendance in reality. The ambulance had been late contrary to other reports that have been circulating in the pro-government press, and I have it all recorded.

There are many more details about the meeting with journalists and the media that should be told, but that can be for a later article by Hetq Online’s Hasmik Hovhannisyan who will now be investigating the circumstances of Prashant Anchalia’s death and the events that followed it. For now, however, it has to be noted that YSMU’s Dean, Anna Sarkisyan, either looked shell-shocked and embattled because of the past week or the fact that she now has to account for herself in front of a bunch of students.

To be honest, it was hard to tell whether she was upset, angry or simply acting. She certainly behaved irrationally had to have the microphone taken away from her by the Pro Rector, a man synomous with provocation and confrontation, to avoid angering the students.

Nevertheless, all appeared to be going so smoothly until suddenly, the Pro Rector Yervandt Sahakyan turned and behaved in a way that was both totally unpredictable and unwarranted. After saying that the Rector was too busy to come now — despite agreeing upon the time and place for the meeting with students on Saturday as past of a last minute deal to get them off the streets — Sahakyan then asked journalists to leave from a meeting that the Rector had promised to allow the media to attend. Nanyaar? has more.

The students, when asked for the rector to come. They first replied by saying that she was in a very important meeting, next the pro-rector telling us that she would be there any moment. It was like they were making excuses for her delay. Finally the pro-rector tells us that the meeting will not take place if the Media person’s remain inside. For which the students reply that they want them to be there. What was their fear if nothing was there to hide? The media persons, including Onnik were asked to move out.

Students requested that we stay, and not least because that had what had been agreed upon. However, Sahakyan became confrontational and declared the meeting was over. Myself and the two other journalists left only to be surrounded by a group of men outside the meeting hall. Intimidating was the only word that could used to describe them, although Sahakyan now started to play the concerned and amiable official with the two female journalists. We can talk with him later, we’ll be allowed in later and why not sit in a room and drink coffee while we wait.

The journalists from the two other papers sttod their ground but were later moved into a private room. At one stage a large bulky many was physically pushing them into it, but not before I asked Sahakyan’s translator and right-hand man (pictured in the bottom photograph speaking) if YSMU was now breaking its agreement to allow representatives of the press to attend. He told me he was too busy and I said I’d take that as refusal to answer a very simple question. He responded that he reserved his right to take the fifth amendment of the constitution.

It’s a pity he doesn’t know which country he’s in and the fact that taking the fifth is usually reserved for court cases in the United States. Anyway, it quickly became obvious that the Rector of YSMU, Gohar Khalyan, had lied to both the students and the media. Incidently, Khalyan is the wife of the main owner of the H2 TV station — ironically absent from proceedings — and President Kocharian’s Head of Staff, Armen Gevorgyan (AKA Armenchik), is also one of H2 majority shareholders and it because of these links that Khalyan is believed to have been recently elected.

The Armenian Deck of 52 has more on Armenchik and it is the husband of the Rector’s business relationship with him that means that his wife can get away with pretty much anything she pleases.

According to “Iravunk,” the newly appointed chief of President Robert Kocharian’s staff, Armen Gevorgian, is one of those “gray cardinals.” The paper says Gevorgian already had “enormous shadowy influence” on Kocharian before the appointment. “Not only is he the main gate-keeper for information reaching the president, but also the individual who decides when one or another politician or official will get to talk to Robert Kocharian. He is also notorious for his extremely strict censorship of TV air. In addition, Armen Gevorgian controls numerous businesses and economic levers. Construction of luxury housing in central Yerevan, which has been accompanied by forced evictions of the local population, is mainly associated with his name.”

Anyway, once the charade was over and the Indian students walked out, YSMU rudely told us to get lost even though they had requested that we sit down in a private room, relax and drink coffee. One of the main people in what was effectively a thuggish security detail wore the pin of Prime Minister Andranik Markarian’s Republican Party. No surprise there as Yerevan’s State Universities are controlled by the main party member of the current coalition government. Incidently, Nessuna was present in the last dying stages of the meeting when journalists were evicted.

What happened after they made the media leave is the following. After about 15 minutes, the guy was who translating, come back saying the rector won’t come down because the media is standing behind the door, which does not count as leaving. Bullshit, the media was not standing behind the door, the media was pushed in a separate room and was hold there. And by the way, the rector did promise a press conference with media present. She broke her promise, yesterday, TWICE.

Anyway, YSMU effectively lied to the students and those media representatives that could be bothered to attend, but it has to be said that it was at least a fascinating insight into the workings of the main State Univerisites in Armenia. Simply put, they are draconian, undemocratic and intimidating structures, and I’d even go so far as to say this is reason enough for all international and Diasporan organizations to cut off any financial support immediately. This University reeks of Soviet era repression.

State Medical University, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006

Nanyaar? has posted excerpts from an Indian news report now that the body of Prashant Anchalia, the Indian student who died last week in Yerevan, has arrived back home. It’s a relatively short piece so I’m including it in full.

Body arrives from Armenia

Statesman News Service

SILIGURI, April 23: Shell-shocked family members received the body of Prashant Anchalia, who died on Thursday after apparently falling from the sixth floor of the Yerevan State Medical University’s hostel in Armenia, at Bagdogra airport around 1.30 pm today.

A pall of gloom descended on the town as Prashant’s body reached his residence at Church Road here from Bagdogra airport. A large number of people had gathered outside the residence of the Anchalias to bid adieu to Prashant, whom they used to know as a brilliant student, who he died in mysterious circumstances in Armenia.

Incidently, Hetq Online journalist Hasmik Hovhannisyan tells me that she’s heard reports that Anchalia’s relatives have already protested outside the Armenian Embassy in India.

Puja Goel, who too hails from Siliguri and studies at YSMU in Armenia, and Abhishek, Prashant’s friend, accompanied the body as it reached Siliguri from Armenia, via New Delhi.

The duo was so shocked with the death of their friend that they could not even speak to the media. Later in the evening, they narrated the entire incident, and the lackadaisical attitude of the YSMU authorities, to the victim’s family members. The grief-stricken family members of Prashant, after hearing the duo, alleged that Prashant was murdered.

“We demand a high-level inquiry into the circumstances that led to Prashant’s death,” Mr Pankaj Anchalia, the victim’s elder brother, said. Puja and Abhishek, eyewitnesses of the incident, alleged that they wanted to give their friend first aid but policemen and the medical department dean of YSMU, Ms Anna Sargsayn, didn’t allow them, saying that they must wait for an ambulance.

The ambulance arrived in 50 minutes without any doctor, the necessary medicine and oxygen. The Indian students approached the YSMU’s newly appointed rector, Mr Gohar Kjalyan, but the latter insulted them, instead of offering help.

Mr Pankaj Anchalia said what they heard from Puja and Abhishek was unfortunate. “Either the CBI or the Interpol should probe the incident,” he demanded. Mr Anchalia also lashed out at the Prime Minister’s Office for not responding to their fax message.

“The Government of India should have helped us bring the body from Armenia. But they did not. Had the Lok Sabha Speaker, Mr Somnath Chatterjee, not intervened, the body would not have reached Siliguri today,” he said. “Mr Somnath Chatterjee had contacted the Indian amabassador in Armenia, Mrs Reena Pandey, and instructed her to extend all possible help to us. He also sent his condolences to us,” Mr Anchalia added.

Indian Student, Tsitsernakaberd (Genocide Memorial), Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006

Tsitsernakaberd (Genocide Memorial), Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006

Indian Students, Tsitsernakaberd (Genocide Memorial), Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006

Tsitsernakaberd (Genocide Memorial), Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006

Indian Students, Tsitsernakaberd (Genocide Memorial), Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006

Republic Square, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006

By LoonyMoony

Just a quick note on the Indians protest still going on. On Saturday the students walked to Republic square to hold a peaceful demonstration there. The Police and Red Berets were again there and looked pretty much tired. They were really surprised by the persistence of the Indians and other international students in attendance.

The Indian students said that they will stay here until evening, and if necessary would be back tomorrow, the day after that and every day until the rector resigns although they seemed less confident than two days ago, as well as slightly confused and disorganized. Now, on the question of what they will do then if it doesn’t work,” their response is that they don’t know. “We’ll see,” is the most frequent reply.

However, many students prefered to stay in their rooms instead of coming out to protest. Perhaps they had lost hope.

Media

Around two hundred people gathered on the Republic Square in the center of Yerevan and yet no representatives of the mass media were interested in what was going on there. Some expressed the opinion they were absent because didn’t know about the event. However, they were very well informed. They just didn’t care.

Well, in fact some journalists were there. There’s probably no need to mention Onnik as he came to the demonstration even earlier than most of the Indians, but there was a a journalist from Armenian National TV’s Haylur who was just passing by with a cameraman and stopped for five minutes.

A freelance photographer was there for some time as well, along with a Turkish journalist from “Zaman.” He had already interviewed the Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian and found himself on the Square by chance.

Zaman journalist, Republic Square, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006

Of course, he did not miss the opportunity to get another story for his newspaper. Ridiculous. The article will probably come out on Monday, April 24. Meanwhile, some of the Indians believe that as soon as the body will reach India (at 3 am on Sunday) all the main Indian media outlets will report on it and that hopefully it will reach their government who will push the Indian Embassy in Armenia to care more about Indian student issues.

Republic Square, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006

The students are disappointed with their embassy as much as with the University Administration. In fact, an Indian newspaper writes that the parents of Prashant Anchali, the dead guy, have written to the Indian President and Prime Minister asking them to intervene.

Indian students’ thoughts on the University administration

I kept asking the students what they meant when they said that the dean did not allow them to touch Prashant to provide the emergency aid to him while he was alive. “Why did you obey her?” I asked. “She said that you are not supposed to touch a person in this condition. If you touch him and something happens you will be responsible for his death,” they replied.

Republic Square, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006

Well, the students were shocked, horrified, confused, and perhaps this is the reason why they did not try to at least stop the bleeding. However, the students are of the opinion that she is not that good doctor and she didn’t know what to do herself. Perhaps she was scared of doing something wrong. By the way, her nickname among students is “Paracetamol,” because it is her favourite medicine for every illness.

As for the rector I got the impression that she is pretty well known and infamous among the Armenians. “She is too young to be a rector. Her husband is mafia and that’s why she got her position” is what locals told the Indians and they agreed.

Supporters

I was glad to see many Armenians supporting the Indians today. People would stop and read what was written on the posters the Indians were holding. “Our friend’s soul is crying and demands justice,” “We are against the University administration and not the Armenian nation…”

Republic Square, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006

Although the majority of Armenians weren’t optimistic that they could achieve their objectives, they at least advised the students to carry on. Perhaps they will manage to change people’s mentality here.

There was also an Armenian woman who gathered local kids around her and told them the story of what happened emotionally and full of anger, although she pretty much exaggerated.

And when an Iranian woman passed the demonstration with an Iranian man and an American Armenian it started raining heavily. However, the Indian students did not move even then and the woman came back with a box. The students found several umbrellas in it.

Republic Square, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006

Some passerbys who asked why the students were protesting became really furious and suggested that the students go and hang or burn the rector. It was up to them to choose. There were even supporters among the Police. More precisely, I found two.

What the students achieved

The pro rector came to the demonstrators in the evening and told them to choose six people to send them to the Medical University to talk to the rector. They returned in three hours. This time Gohar Kyalyan, the rector had apologized 10 times (I remembered my kindergarten), and gave them a letter signed by her own hand.

Republic Square, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006

It was addressed to the dead guy’s family, but was a common piece of paper saying how everybody loved him, what a great specialist he would have become, how sorry the institute was for his death, and that they will do their best to investigate the case fully. There was also an offer to gather in the Uni on Tuesday at 4:00 pm to to hold some kind of press conference.

Republic Square, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006

After reading the letter and discussing this, the Indian students dispersed at around 9 pm, but only after saying how grateful they were to all those Armenians and others who had come to support them. Well fellows, we are still here to support you. Hope it will help.

Republic Square, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006

Abovian Street, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006

By Nessuna

It is 4:00 at night, but I cannot sleep. It has been a long day too; I was participating at the demonstration organized by foreign students of the medical university of Armenia. Onnik, Zarchka, Hasmik and maybe a couple of more people were the only other Armenians who were there. However there was a large crowd of about 200-250 foreign students sitting in the middle of Republican square for seven solid hours.

Of course the police was there too. They actually sounded a bit too sympathetic convincing us to go home because it was cold.

State Medical University, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006

It was raining heavily, but it seemed as though nothing could stop those young people to get their message to public – they wanted people guilty of medical negligence to be punished and for the rector of the university Gohar Khalyan resigned. At the end of the day at around 10:00 p.m. we had a letter from the rector expressing her condolences and her promise to give a press-conference on Tuesday, April 25.

If you ask me, that was not enough, and I really think the rector has got to go. The students did not look very happy too, but let’s see what is going to happen on Tuesday.

When I showed up at the back-yard of the Medical University today at 12:00, the crowd was just forming. The students agreed to gather there to decide on the further plan of action. The day when a student at the Medical University Prashant Anchalia died they wanted an explanation from the rector, Gohar Khalyan, as to why medical treatment was not provided to their friend.

That’s when she literally showed them a finger and called Indian girls prostitutes.

Later, when she was asked to apologize for her behavior, she said she did not do anything wrong, but if they want her to apologize she will do so. Sounds more like a big favor than an apology, really.

Apparently, her husband, Samvel Mayrapetyan, a big oligarch, is the owner of h2 TV channel, so she thinks she can get away with everything. When the students threatened they would boycott classes and eventually go back to India (hey, if nothing else, it means loosing 800 of your foreign students who pay tuition fees to the university), according to some, she made a comment “I am scared of no foreign dogs.”

At some point, when we were sitting on the benches and talking, the vice-rector of the Medical University walked towards the crowd of Indians students which was growing larger. By the way, he was the only official to approach the crowd during the whole day. “Just come inside the hall, you don’t need to gather here,” he said. “There was supposed to be a concert there, but I cancelled it for you. We can talk, you know.”

He sounded scared, I would say. Students showed no inclination of going inside.

“We organized everything so quickly and neatly (meaning sending the body to India), and you didn’t even thank us for that. Why do you have to see bad things only?” he continued.

“Maybe because there are more bad things that good ones,” I suggested. “Are you an Armenian?” he sounded surprised. “Yes, I am. And I am very ashamed of how my fellow citizens behaved,” I replied.

“Are you a student?”

“No.”

“Can I talk to you one on one later?”

“Sure,” I answered, “but that does not mean I cannot talk now.”

“What do you want exactly,” he asked the group of students.

“For the rector to resign,” I could not help saying.

“You keep quiet,” he snapped at me. “Do not talk now. You are not even a student of the Medical University.”

“Are you going to tell me when to talk and when to keep silent?! I am a citizen of Armenia, and I have a right to talk.”

He certainly could not object to that, so instead tried to convince the crowd to keep things quiet and go inside. The students were not impressed by his speech anyway, so he left, only to come back later with something more impressive. “It is clear to me now that it is not really the Indians’ fault. It is Armenians who provoke them. People are using you, don’t be a tool in other people’s hands,” he went on addressing the crowd.

To the question as why the few Armenians that were there need to provoke Indians to boycott the administration of the university, however, he did not answer.

Syrian Student, State Medical University, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006

State Medical University, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006

He ignored all my other questions as well, and showed no further interest in talking to me one-on-one anymore. I can understand the vice-rector being scared, as surely as I can understand students being furious, but what I can’t comprehend is the logic of some Armenian guys who Hasmik and I talked to after the demonstration. Apparently, they were wondering what was going on and Hasmik was telling them the story.

“You don’t love Armenia?” they asked her.

“If you punish your children when they do something wrong, it’s not because you don’t love them, is it?”

I was jealous of Hasmik managing to keep the tone of her voice down.
The guys went on talking without making much sense. At some point Hasmik looked at me and shrugged her shoulders, and I have to be honest and say that I heard this before. Demonstrations like this spoil the image of our country and achieve little. But, hey, this is the only way to achieve things, and maybe the image of the country does need to be spoiled a bit. Then again I don’t believe anything spoils the image of the country more than falsified elections.

If tomorrow an Armenian guy falls from the sixth floor of a building, I strongly doubt that his friends would be happy with ambulance being there 45 minutes later with no oxygen. Why is it so hard to understand then, that it is your civic duty to be in the streets next to Indian students, protesting? Why is that we Armenians are so good at talking, but when it comes to action nobody does anything?

Abovian Street, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006

State Medical University, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006

Yesterday at 12 noon, Indian students gathered at Yerevan State Medical University to consider their plan of action after the death of a fellow coursemate and alleged racism from YSMU’s rector. What started as a trickle soon turned into a few hundred although by their own admission some Indian students did not attend. Afew foreign students were also in attendance, but not many. Insignificant in the larger group of Indian students, in fact.

The Vice-Rector (pictured below), however, did materialize and tried to forbid me from taking photographs. He also accused me of provoking the Indian Students, and asked me what country I was from. Probably he thought I was from the Middle East or something because he threatened to make a complaint to my Embassy. He soon shut up after I told him I was from England, but what was most evident was how a lack of media attention made guys such as him feel powerful and arrogant.

Interestingly, the Indian students said that they would support me in my work, especially as Hasmik and I were the only journalists properly covering this story. It was obvious that those in positions of authority rely on a weak media and civil society to get away with their own misconduct.

And really, apart from a few pieces of coverage of last week’s protest outside Parliament, the media has failed to do its job in Armenia. Hetq’s Hasmik Hovannisian and I were the only journalists to cover yesterday’s event with the exception of a film crew from state-controlled H1 and a photographer from Photolure. However, they stayed for only about 30 minutes when the Indian students organized a sit-in in Yerevan’s main Republic Square. By chance, a photojournalist from Turkey’s Zaman newspaper was also there.

Otherwise, no other media covered the event — a mass sit-in in the heart of the Armenian capital that lasted until 9-9.30pm. Still, a few bloggers were there. In addition to Indian blogger Nanyaar?, Zarchka from Life Around Me was there, as was Nessuna and a new blogger on my site, Loony Moony. They’ll post some accounts later, so perhaps in the case of this Indian protest, bloggers performed the role of citizen journalists while the rest of the media failed to perform its role.

Incidently, no other bloggers from Armenia appeared to be there although Garo (AKA Christian Garbis) from Notes from Hairenik did come down for a bit. Unfortunately, I missed the march of students to where the Indian student’s body was, but Nanyaar? captured that here. Great pictures, and again testimony to the fact that the so-called Armenian media is impotent and apathetic. Blogging in Armenia comes of age.

State Medical University, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006

State Medical University, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006

Nanyaar? has posted an open letter from Indian students in Armenia detailing the events that led up to last week’s protest outside of Parliament and yesterday’s sit-in at Yerevan’s Republic Square.

This is to hereby inform that a tragic incidence of an Indian national’s death has taken place on April 20, 2006 at 1:00 pm in Yerevan Armenia .Which to eyewitnesses appears to be due to medical negligence. There were 4 eyewitnesses of Indian nationality and six witnesses of Armenian nationality and three witnesses of Syrian nationality. According to all Indian and Syrian national witnesses, the demised was alive and communicating, requesting help for at least 45 minutes and breathing his last. All the witnesses affirm that the ambulatory service arrived too late to help him in any form whatsoever. Following this unfortunate incident all Indian students demanded clarification for the Rector (equivalent to Vice Chancellor) but were given no satisfactory explanation.

Nayaar? also posts a list of demands from Indian students to the Armenian authorities. To be honest, I don’t think anyone can take exception to them, and if they are granted it can only be good for democracy in Armenia. It’s also nice to see that the students are also calling to account the representatives of their own government.

1. All explanations and clarifications should be given in written form

2. Satisfactory action to be taken against the responsible people

3. Apology by rector in written form for her misconduct

4. Explanations by embassy in written form for their misconduct

5. Provision for a medical store, dispensary with a qualified doctor & well equipped ambulatory service for 24hrs

If only Armenian youth, and citizens in general, could learn from this.