{"id":71975,"date":"2011-03-02T13:45:49","date_gmt":"2011-03-02T09:45:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.epress.am\/?p=71975"},"modified":"2011-03-02T15:06:44","modified_gmt":"2011-03-02T11:06:44","slug":"im-expecting-they-wont-shoot-portraits-of-opposition-rally-participants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/epress.am\/en\/2011\/03\/02\/im-expecting-they-wont-shoot-portraits-of-opposition-rally-participants.html","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;I&#8217;m Expecting They Won&#8217;t Shoot&#8217;: Portraits of Opposition Rally Participants"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Prior to the start of the Armenian National Congress (HAK) rally yesterday, Epress.am had a chance to talk to opposition supporters present at the rally. Upon our request, they recalled Mar. 1, 2008, and shared with us their expectations.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.epress.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/Spartak-11.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-71956\" title=\"Spartak-1\" src=\"http:\/\/www.epress.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/Spartak-11.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"350\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/epress.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/Spartak-11.jpg 350w, https:\/\/epress.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/Spartak-11-300x257.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Spartak<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I was present at the demonstrations, near the Myasnikyan statue. How the military attacked, how the soldiers came, brought [military] equipment, crushed the people. While present day, they&#8217;ve turned the Opera building into a Gestapo cellar, into bunkers. At today&#8217;s rally, I want everything to end, for us to move toward the good. Regime change \u2014 I don&#8217;t want anything else. And I don&#8217;t want the next rally to start. Let everything end with this rally. Even if I&#8217;m the first to go, let them come out of the bunkers, shoot me first. There&#8217;s aren&#8217;t as many residents in Armenia as there is military. They bring them from Georgia. They bring them from Azerbaijan, or Ukraine, we don&#8217;t know.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.epress.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/Hamlet.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-71937\" title=\"Hamlet\" src=\"http:\/\/www.epress.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/Hamlet.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/epress.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/Hamlet.jpg 300w, https:\/\/epress.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/Hamlet-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Hamlet Davtyan<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>On Mar. 1, 2008, I was lying [in bed] with a heart attack.<\/p>\n<p><strong>With what expectations have you come here today?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>That they won&#8217;t shoot. I&#8217;m not expecting anything good. I came for the people. I don&#8217;t even know what to say, I just don&#8217;t know.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.epress.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/Abraham.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-71938\" title=\"Abraham\" src=\"http:\/\/www.epress.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/Abraham.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/epress.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/Abraham.jpg 300w, https:\/\/epress.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/Abraham-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Abraham Muradyan<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>At that time, the military was crushing us. But today I&#8217;ve come with a good expectation, for example, whatever the leaders say.<\/p>\n<p><strong>You mean the first president of the Republic of Armenia?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Yes, our president. However he leads, that&#8217;s what we&#8217;ll do.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.epress.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/Hrant.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-71981\" title=\"Hrant\" src=\"http:\/\/www.epress.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/Hrant.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"350\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/epress.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/Hrant.jpg 350w, https:\/\/epress.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/Hrant-300x257.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Hrant<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I was sitting at home on Mar. 1, 2008, dear. But today&#8230; we&#8217;ve come: forward, Armenia!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Meaning?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Sister, all right already&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Do you have expectations from the rally?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Eh! But it stays in me.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Do you know which [political] force&#8217;s rally you&#8217;ve come to?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The unified force.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.epress.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/Garik.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-71939\" title=\"Garik\" src=\"http:\/\/www.epress.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/Garik.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/epress.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/Garik.jpg 300w, https:\/\/epress.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/Garik-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Garik<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I remember that day. I was going to the Russian embassy; I&#8217;m a citizen of Russia. I was going to organize my papers, for me to go again. But on Mar. 1 I saw what had happened on the streets: burned cars, soldiers with automatic rifles. They didn&#8217;t even allow me to pass. We have expectations, that it has to be good already. The people&#8217;s cup of patience is full; something has to be done. We&#8217;re pinning our hopes on [HAK leader] Levon Ter-Petrossian and his team. Let&#8217;s see, something will happen, probably.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.epress.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/Vayachyan.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-71940\" title=\"Vayachyan\" src=\"http:\/\/www.epress.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/Vayachyan.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/epress.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/Vayachyan.jpg 300w, https:\/\/epress.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/Vayachyan-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Lusine Vayachyan<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>On Mar. 1, they frightened me, they didn&#8217;t allow me to go anywhere, and [so] I was sitting at home.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Who frightened you?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Well, my mother, father, friends, everyone frightened me and they were right to frighten me. I&#8217;m afraid now too; I&#8217;m terribly afraid. But that fear gives me adrenalin, which is necessary to fight.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What expectations do you have from today&#8217;s rally?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I don&#8217;t know. I&#8217;m waiting for it to be the beginning of the end for that which is bad and the beginning of the beginning for that which is good.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.epress.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/GrigorMariam.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-71941\" title=\"Grigor&amp;Mariam\" src=\"http:\/\/www.epress.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/GrigorMariam.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"350\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/epress.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/GrigorMariam.jpg 350w, https:\/\/epress.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/GrigorMariam-300x257.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong><em><span style=\"font-weight: normal;\">Mariam&#8217;s and Grigor&#8217;s personal photo<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Grigor<br \/>\n<\/strong>I was by Myasnikyan statue on Mar. 1, 2008. I was there in the daytime, around 3\u20134 pm, and then I went home. Simply respecting the victims, their families, I came to participate. I don&#8217;t participate in any rallies except for those organized by Levon Ter-Petrossian. I can&#8217;t say anything else.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Mariam Yezakyan<br \/>\n<\/strong>I&#8217;m an active Armenian National Congress participant, and as our dear Nikol [Pashinyan] says, our work is just, we are going to win. It&#8217;s all the same, the unlawful, unelected, bloody president has dug his grave with his own hands and today&#8217;s rally shows that they&#8217;re afraid of us. Today they&#8217;re in such a panic like they&#8217;ve never been before. As our leader, Ter-Petrossian, says, fight, fight, till the end.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.epress.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/Arshavir.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-71942\" title=\"Arshavir\" src=\"http:\/\/www.epress.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/Arshavir.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/epress.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/Arshavir.jpg 300w, https:\/\/epress.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/Arshavir-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Arshavir Bozoyan<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Arsho of Sasun&#8217;s military unit [referring to himself], when I say that much, both Serzhik [Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan] and Robik [former president Robert Kocharian] know [me].<\/p>\n<p>At the dawn of 2008, the last dancer with Grandpa [a term of endearment for Ter-Petrossian] was me. At the time, we were dancing, until the country&#8217;s jackals didn&#8217;t take part in our peaceful demonstrations. Until 4:30 am we were happily dancing.<\/p>\n<p>Three years the country has been without a president. We&#8217;re living on God&#8217;s hope. Generally, us Armenians are a Christian, devout people; now we&#8217;re living on God&#8217;s hope.<\/p>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Prior to the start of the Armenian National Congress (HAK) rally yesterday, Epress.am had a chance to talk to opposition supporters present at&#8230;<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":71798,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tstyn_error":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[10341,10340,11546,22843,15835,12179,18495],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/epress.am\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71975"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/epress.am\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/epress.am\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epress.am\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epress.am\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=71975"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/epress.am\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71975\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epress.am\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/71798"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/epress.am\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=71975"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epress.am\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=71975"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epress.am\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=71975"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}