The Sultans of Swindling

Khatchig Mouradian

 



“To dispossess the people unyieldingly, the government has created monopolies (tobacco, salt, railroads, mines), that aim at snatching from the worker’s pocket a part of his earnings and handing it to European or local capitalists.” (*)

Contrary to what many readers suspect, this diagnosis was not written with the Armenian government in mind.

Far from it!

Reflections on Movement Building: Fostering the Culture of Resistance and Solidarity

Babken Der-Grigorian

 

Movement building is messy. There are too many factors beyond its control, too many opportunities for missteps, too many unknowns. There is no instruction manual. Often, there is barely a clear idea of what the final outcome should even look like. For this reason, a movement’s long-term success depends in large part on its ability at self-reflection or praxis – the merger of theory and practice. What we are witnessing in Yerevan today is unprecedented. It’s not perfect but that’s ok. Something worked, and it worked well. In under a week, the bus fare hike was reversed (at least temporarily). But, this isn’t the birth of a movement. More important than a birth, this is the maturing of a movement. This is a movement that is growing more experienced and more confident with every step it takes. Behind the backdrop of stopping the 50% bus fare increase, new forms of organizing and movement building are taking shape – and with it an emerging new culture of resistance and solidarity, the building blocks of systemic social change. In light of the recent victory, self-reflection seems appropriate and prudent.

Armenia: Backhanded Victory for Environmental Activists

Liana Aghajanian

After almost three months of continuous protests and sit-ins staged by activists in a battle to save Mashtots Park,  batthe Armenian President, Serzh Sargsyan, ordered the removal of structures already constructed on the basis that they weren't aesthetically appealing, a reason that wasn't on the agenda of those fighting against illegal construction in one of Yerevan's last remaining green spaces.

In addition to their demands to preserve the park for health and environmental reasons, protesters objected to the 'boutique' kiosks because no public hearings were held on the matter and no environmental impact assessment was conducted on the area, both of which are required by law. Voice of the Nightingale voiced its concerns [AM] with the government's disregard for rule of law.

«Պարզուեց, որ նախագահն օրէնքի մասին պատրաստ է մոռանալ, երբ խնդրի օբիեկտն է դառնում… էսթետիկան: Նախագահը տեղում յայտարարեց, որ շինարարութեան առումով ամէն ինչ ճիշդ է, քաղաքապետն ամէն ինչ լաւ է արել, բայց կրպակներն աչք չեն շոյում, ու լաւ չի լինի, եթէ երկու-երեք տարի աչք մազոլեն»: ("It was made clear that the President has forgotten about the law when the issue has to do with the aesthetics of objects. The president announced that the construction of the kiosks were perfectly legal, the mayor had done everything correctly, but the kiosks weren't so pleasing to look out and it wouldn't be a good idea to have them as eye sores for the next few years.")