Shant’s Dilemma
Since the Guy Fawkes parade in Yerevan the society has divided in two parts – people who believe Shant Harutyunyan’s and his supporters’ initiative was a result of a situation where they had no choice, and others who believe that Shant’s move was adventurous and was not an adequate solution in that situation. Generally the expression “non-adequate” is pronounced often since the Guy Fawkes parade in Yerevan. This is a simple and symbolic thing as by using this statement people mean Shant’s psychological condition.
No one has the right to brand Shant that way because the only one that can issue such conclusion is doctors, who normally issue such conclusions as a part of state order. In fact Shant’s activities were a result of non-adequate policy on the part of the state and system. The regime that was formed as a result of March 1 has succeeded in leaving the street format of policy making out of politics. However, it happened not due to tackling and solving problems raised in streets but a policy of making those people become more “civilized” in their struggle. Since that time no issues or systematic problems have been solved as elections continue being strongly controlled at all levels, the economy is coordinated by several oligarchs, poverty is growing, etc.
Instead of fighting for freedoms and rights in streets now the format of making democracy has been taken to the newly reconstructed building of the parliament, where the more the opposition criticizes the government, the more stronger the government becomes. What this means is that during the past years the balance in making policy and its content has changed, which has resulted in a vacuum, which from time to time will be filled by explosions, some of them being even stronger than the one in the vicinity of Mashtots Park. It is a long time that Armenia lives under a non-adequate regime, thus in such condition the activities and initiative of people like Shant are an attempt to restore justice. Such attempts have not been condemned successfully so far.
