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.

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 27th, 2006 at 12:03 pm and is filed under India, Education, Caucasus, Media, Armenia. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.