Waiting for Lenin
Lernamerdz, Armavir Region, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Eurasianet 2006
Today marked the 89th Anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution and an assignment from Eurasianet saw me visit the Armenian village of Lernamerdz with Marianna Grigoryan, a journalist from Armenia Now. After writing for IWPR on the village, affectionately known as “Little Cuba,” Marianna has now written something on today’s albeit small event for Eurasianet.
“Long Live Communism!,” “Long Live Socialism!,” “Long Live the Great October Revolution!” In the Armenian village of Lernamerdz, about 40 kilometers from Yerevan, communism and its triumphant proclamations are not a dim recollection. They are a way of life.
In Soviet times, there were reportedly only seven communists in Lernamerdz, a hamlet of over 500 residents. But the situation changed after Armenia gained independence in 1991, and began to dismantle monuments to communist leaders, villagers say.
Amidst the economic hardships and political uncertainties of independence, Lernamerdz Communist Party Secretary Samvel Mirzoyan says, the village began to see socialism as their sole support.
“They say the country has become independent, but from what?” commented villager Azat Barseghyan. “Once we were dependent on Russia, and lived well… [T]oday we depend on the whole world and are struggling to survive.”
[…]
The central government’s enthusiasm for the festivities runs thin, however. Villagers told EurasiaNet that the government had changed the principal of the Lernamerdz school and forbidden children to come to school in red scarves, or to take part in the November 7 celebration. But some still attended.
“The spirit of communism is in this village,” commented Sofik Manukyan, second secretary of the Echmiadzin city branch of the Armenian Communist Party.
Even so, that “spirit” has so far done little to improve living conditions for village inhabitants. Unemployment still looms large. Some 150 people have left Lernamerdz in the past few years, said villager Barseghyan. Twenty-three houses have had their doors locked for years, he added.
Nonetheless, optimism for a better life persists. It is all just a matter of time, villagers say. “When communism returns to Armenia, people will lead a happy life,” concluded 41-year-old Rostam Avdalyan. “Everyone will be happy then and the sun will shine brightly.”
Lernamerdz, Armavir Region, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Eurasianet 2006
Marianna also co-penned an item for Armenia Now on today’s anniversary, but centering on events in Yerevan. Siranoush Gevorgyan presumably covered that event while Marianna interviewed the First Secretary of the Communist Party, Ruben Tovmasyan, in Lernamerdz.
“We had free education and health care systems then; people were provided with jobs,” says one of the participants of today’s event, putting flowers on the monuments to Myansikyan and Shahumyan. “Socialist ideology and communism were granting people with true freedom.”
The first secretary of the RA Communist party (ACP) Ruben Tovmasyan congratulated people of Armenia wishing them good luck and achievements “only on condition of a re-established socialist ideology”.
“We are now eyewitnesses of how former Soviet Armenia is being robbed and torn apart. Now when the idea of the Great October doesn’t exist, the authorities think their mission is in robbing people and ousting them from their country,” Tovmasyan said.
Incidently, Armenia Now’s Karen Mirzoyan also took some photos in Lernamerdz for IWPR back in May. Marianna’s article, co-written with Gayane Mkrtchian, on Lernamerdz from June is also available on IWPR. The new Eurasianet article, accompanied by my photos, is here.
Lernamerdz, Armavir Region, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Eurasianet 2006
hey, it’s my birthday today! Don’t make fun
Comment by artyom — November 7, 2006 @ 10:47 pm
Vay, Happy Birthday!
Lucky your folks didn’t name you Vladimir
Comment by Onnik — November 7, 2006 @ 10:51 pm
Didn’t have any idea about this village. Interesting and not usual for eyes, at least mine. Viva Lernamerdz ?!?! ?!?
Comment by Zarchka — November 7, 2006 @ 11:38 pm
Years ago I read some article about this village and its love for Lenin and communism in general. A bit strange, as I never met an Armenian with good feelings about Lenin.
A bit by coincidence, last summer we found - still standing - a statue left in Giumry on deserted industry grounds.
Comment by Marc Tailly — November 8, 2006 @ 12:13 am
Marc, you’re generally right perhaps with the exception of people over the age of 45-50 although many young Armenians say they appreciate the social benefits of the Soviet era, but would prefer those back only if new freedoms of today were also still there.
Incidently, it’s interesting to note that the guys in Lernamerdz were said to be the least supportive of Communism in the Soviet era. This love for Lenin really is new. The bust, for example, was erected post-independence, for example.
Anyway, re. the old statue of Lenin in Gyumri, yeah, I’ve seen that as well. In fact, I photographed it a year ago and posted it on this blog at:
http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2005/11/29/gyumri-scenes-1/
Comment by Onnik — November 8, 2006 @ 12:28 am
Just noticed you posted some pics of the Lenin statue in Gyumri on your own blog:
http://belgiumarmenia.blogspot.com/2006/11/lenin-89-years-after.html
Comment by Onnik — November 8, 2006 @ 12:37 am
they must have other names for their kids than Vladimir (which is by the way a beautiful russian name though now reminding us maybe only the soviet era) like Lendrush (leninyan drosh), Lenstal (lenin-stalin). i suggest other names Lenquch (Lenini qucha) maybe a modernized Lenman or Lendamn….(sorry to be out of topic:))
Comment by tsovinar — November 8, 2006 @ 12:49 am
Nice photos….
Comment by Garo — November 8, 2006 @ 1:56 am
if you think this is fun check this one out.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4374826.stm
Comment by artyom — November 8, 2006 @ 7:58 am
Wow. Thanks for the link, Artyom.
Comment by Onnik — November 8, 2006 @ 8:38 am
I’ve already said this on the “30% armenians mal-nourished article”. Independence has failed people’s expectations. The “free-market” development model had failed the armenian people. The only people who have benefited from the collapse of the soviet union are elites, which stole armenia’s industries, and ultra-nationalists.
I hadn’t heard about this villige. and it clearly shows people’s disastisfaction and rememberance of a better standard of living.
Comment by Karo — November 8, 2006 @ 11:28 am
Indeed Onik, most people do indeed consider the sovjet era as having been a period of “better life - although little freedom”. And I think this was especially true for the years 1970-1989.
But I meant the figure of Lenin himself who seems even less popular than his companion Stalin in the hearts of some armenians I know well.
Marc
Comment by Marc Tailly — November 8, 2006 @ 3:20 pm
Where are the people between, say twelve and 65 years old in the picture? Where there any in the village left?
Comment by Myrthe — November 8, 2006 @ 4:06 pm
Hi Myrthe, good point and a situation that I think we’ve all gotten used to in villages and towns outside Yerevan.
Comment by Onnik — November 8, 2006 @ 4:23 pm