Indian Student Dead — Indians Protest
Indian Students Protesting outside Parliament, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006
Just run back from a massive protest by Indian students outside of Parliament after returning from Berd. No sooner had I logged on to ICQ than Garo (AKA Christian Garbis) from Notes from Hairenik messaged me to let me know. Apparently, an Indian student fell from a dormitory window and the pathetic Armenian emergency services took 45 minutes to arrive.
A few Indian students have been taken in for questioning by police and have not been heard from for the past six hours. Later, the new Rector of Yerevan’s Medical University literally gave them “the finger” when they complained. Indian students are now demanding justice and the removal of the Rector from her position.
If this incident had happened to an Armenian in Samtskhe-Javakheti, nationalists would be screaming for war with Georgia. Because it happened to an Indian student, nobody cares. Or at least, they don’t for now, because one thing that is evident is simply that Indian students have guts and act like youth the world over.
Armenian youth — including those students that should be alongside their Indian counterparts in solidarity — don’t. One concerning bit of news, although as of yet unconfirmed, is that fellow blogger Nanyaar? might be among those Indians with police. Certainly, nobody has heard from him for sevaral hours and his mobile phone is switched off.
Have come back home to recharge my camera battery and clear space off the compact flash cards. Will post some images before returning to the demonstration in an hour.
This is bloody horrible but I am not a bit surprised. My mom battles asthma and sometimes needs emergency attention, and the ambulance takes an eternity to get there, although I have to admit in Gyumri are faster than the mentioned 45 minutes. I am in full solidarity with the Indian students!
Comment by Artyom — April 20, 2006 @ 7:38 pm
This incident is a poof that racism in Armenia is very much alive. I am very disgusted by the rector’s actions. It’s a shame really. It is definitely a slap in the face. By the way, did any Armenian students participate in the protest (I noticed a girl holding a banner in Armenian, but she could be an Indian student that knows Armenian)?
My condolences to the student’s family and friends
Comment by Manya — April 21, 2006 @ 11:00 am
Manya, all Indian students have to learn Armenian as part of their studies. Certainly, there was no show of solidarity by Armenian students or youth activists although I’m told a couple of Armenians showed up later for a little while. On the other hand, some Armenians did express their shock at the news although many more did curse the Indian students or laugh as they walked by.
Comment by Onnik — April 21, 2006 @ 11:30 am
Something is Rotten in the Educational System of Armenia (and not only)!!!
…to be honest, my first reaction to the article was …(SILENCE)…I did not think I would leave a comment at all for ‘I couldn’t find any words’…but then I realised this is exactly what all the other students did, PASSIVITY and complete indifference is the name of their club, for which I have no intention to acquire membership…
…even after reading such horrible things, I believe in Armenia and Armenians. The fact that I left Armenia (currently I study abroad) is only because I want to do something for this country…it’s not Armenia’s fault that such people live there and I know that one day things will change…this article, and the Indian student’s death of course, is another proof that something must be done and it is the Armenian youth that needs to take action!…but let us be honest, to take an action Armenian youth must know what and how to do and the best way to ‘civilize’ young Armenians is I believe through education (this is where I am going to apply my forces in future)…it’s a shame to realize that at the age of 23 I had no idea of what racism and nationalism is and what forms it can take, until recently I became part of the educational system abroad (France and UK)…I spent 6 years in the Yerevan State University and, though I love this institute, there are so much things that go wrong there…students must be taught the ways to deal with the other, that may be your next door neighbour, class mate, or someone of different race, ethnicity, nationality…….though I find it extremely disappointing that there were not much Armenians participating in the demonstration, i can understand why…before blaming them, I think they never really had the opportunity to be taught the right way…suffice it to take one of the slogans a child inevitable comes across nowadays is MERN URISH E…as a result we grow self-sufficient, knowing that whatever can be labelled as OURS is good and whatever is OTHER - bad…so they cannot understand that the Other is no less valuable and important, that just the fact that they are different does not make them better or worse in the same way as the fact that someone is our friend and relative doesn’t mean they cannot be wrong…our cultural values do not allow us to question the deeds of our family members and this is reflected on the overall mentality of the whole Armenian society…in this case, I believe the situation would be quite different if every single student of the medical university felt solidarity and went on strike against the rector by both refusing to pay the fees and attending the classes…that would be something…but by saying so, of course, I don’t mean that this will take place.. no such thing is possible…no one cares as long as there is a place (it happens to be also a university) where they can show off….what are they going to do without it. And of course, many of the students that we would expect to claim the rector’s resignation, cannot do it simply out of the feeling of gratitude towards someone who has granted them the title of a student and ensures that it will be maintained throughout the academic years until they graduate (and all this, of course, has nothing to do with their academic merits)…
there is one thing , however, that I would like to mention about the article…there are several references to the police as being indifferent…I am not quite sure that they were supposed to take part in demonstration or open the doors for the demonstrators to enter the President’s place? This would change nothing, except the unemployment list of Armenians…the point is that they really need to be indifferent, in the true sense of the word…they are there to do their job, which is sometimes to act as a fence, without any emotion…they are not supposed to take parts…this means they are not supposed to be ironic and mock the demonstrators (which I believe was the case)…
well…this much, I have nothing more to add but to thank Onnik Krikorian for this article.
Comment by Inesa (Armenian Student Abroad) — April 22, 2006 @ 3:07 am
HI,
I am trying to collect material about indian youth protests around the world.
Your article is impressive. Please help me get more information.
-Bharti
Comment by Bharti Dhingra — May 20, 2006 @ 8:41 am
As an Armenian who lived all her life outside Armenia and who met racism almost every day in her life, I have one thing to say SHAME. Shame on all those who accept to see a fellow citizen hurt and do nothing. Shame on all those who support racism. What is becoming of Armenia? too sad!
Now I am realy sorry and ashamed to be called an Armenian.
Comment by Annie Ghazarian — July 24, 2006 @ 7:43 pm