Armenia Online: Mourning the Dead
Since Armenia’s government has not declared State of Mourning for the nine people who died as a result of March 1, 2008 post-election unrest in Yerevan, a group of Internet activists suggest declaring March 7, 8 and 9 a STATE of MOURNING in the Internet.
Blogian joins them and won’t comment on Armenia’s politics for the next few days during this solemn time and invites its readers to reflect on democracy and mutual respect.
Onnik Krikorian on 08 Mar 2008 at 11:34 am #
I kind of have to wonder since when governments declare days of mourning for protesters (albeit including 1 or 2 reportedly hit by tracer bullets on their balconies and 1 policemen) who tried to overthrow them.
I certainly can’t remember any such days when protesters and policemen are honored in similar incidents in other countries. Of course, this is Armenia where mourning is the defining aspect of cultural tradition. We seem to be mourning constantly.
Anyway, the deaths were tragic and disgraceful — just as was Ter-Petrossian’s rhetoric which whipped up enough hatred and polarization in society to make such clashes inevitable — but we all knew this was going to happen since September 2007 last year.
Perhaps we should of started a period of mourning then — but for the death of democratization thanks to Serge Sargsyan and Levon Ter-Petrossian. Anyway, I am undecided about joining this day of mourning. Indeed, I don’t need to in order to regret the deaths.
Instead, I am concerned that it will be hijacked for political purposes if it hasn’t been already. Incidentally, it was said that the funerals of some of the victims would be turned into opposition protests, but it appears that the families instead decided to grieve their lost ones instead.
I’m glad about that, at least.