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Eyewitness to History
How Armenia's Opposition Tactics Led to Bloodshed in Yerevan Streets

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Page 2 of 20

Sunday, February 17, 2008

After only a couple of hours of sleep following my early morning arrival, I was out and about, exploring and reacquainting myself with the streets of Yerevan. There were crowds everywhere, some out for a Sunday stroll, others attending the last-minute campaign rallies organized for the last official campaign day before Tuesday's elections.

From Sakharov Square, walking south on Nalbandian to the Hanrapetutyan Hraparak (Republic Square), it became obvious that an organized effort was bringing buses and mashrutkas full of people, some from quite far away, to a particular rally to be held at Azatutyan Hraparak (Freedom Square, at the Opera). Those holding the reins of power had ensured that only their candidate, Serzh Sargsyan, had access to downtown Yerevan. The number of buses and cars parked at the Hraparak, the closure of Abovyan Street (much to the chagrin of the motorists stuck in the resulting propka), all affirmed this effort. And thus it was that I first saw Hyusisayin Poghota, the just completed northern avenue up (more or less northward) from Abovyan to the Opera, framing this structure, synonymous with Soviet Armenian architecture, with palazzo-style architecture transplanted from Italy (or perhaps, Las Vegas!). I resolved to walk on that street later, in the absence of the singularly minded flag-carrying folk, some paid for their effort, streaming toward the Opera.