Notes from the Armenian Blogosphere
Traffic Police, Yerevan © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2003
French-Armenian blogger Thomas at Follow The Way has posted more on the recent death of a young Armenian killed by a reckless driver in Yerevan. Along with most other bloggers, many of us have posted news of the online petition established to protest road safety in Armenia, but more needs to be done. The petition’s target number of signatures is 5,000, but there are so far only 979 at time of writing this post.
So, if you haven’t already joined in this campaign to make Yerevan’s roads safer and to fight against lawlessness and corruption in Armenia, then now would be a good time to sign the petition if you feel so inclined to, of course. Personally, I believe it’s a fundamental matter of concern that nobody can possibly not be part of, but that’s my opinion, I guess. Anyway, here’s more of the background to the petition as posted on Thomas’ blog.
As many of you know, my cousin, Araz Melikian, was killed by a taxi driver in Yerevan this past summer. Her precious life was cut way too short… 3 weeks shy of her 18th birthday. For those of you who have been to Armenia, I’m sure you’ve experienced the reckless driving conditions. I also experienced the frustration and anger in the streets of Yerevan when we went for the funeral proceedings. After several court hearings, the killer has now basically walked away free. Therefore, in an effort to enforce new laws/regulations & improve driving conditions in Armenia the below petition was created by my father, Soorik Melikian, & Alma Eskandary. Forwarded is also the letter that will be sent to three of our ministers in Armenia. I’m certain that all of us believe in the same cause – improvement in our country. We have to start somewhere… hopefully via this petition our joined voices will be heard & results will take effect.
Furthermore, my uncle, Derik Melikian is the chief editor of “Alik” newspaper in Iran. He’s using this media outlet to voice several articles. Additionally, we’re hoping to produce a documentary that features several families who share the pain of losing loved ones due to unsafe driving conditions in Armenia. Hopefully, this documentary will be televised in Armenia.
Interestingly, the matter of corruption and the lack of rule of law in Armenia is also brought up on Thomas’ blog via Araz’s Uncle. Given that the traffic police are as corrupt as hell, and the vast majority of drivers break the law because many received their licences through bribes, and traffic violations can also be settled with more payments, I totally agree that it’s all part of a vicious circle. It’s also highlights why corruption and lack of regard for the rule of law must be battled.
I am writing to you out of desperation & disgust for the rule of law in our motherland (fatherland) ARMENIA…
As you know, my niece (araz melikian) was killed in an accident. Now, after some 3 months of court proceedings, the killer, a taxi driver, is basically free. Court in yerevan ruled for the killer to be only on probation for 2 years; no driving & no out-of-the-country-trips for 2 years.
That’s all.
We all know there will be no enforcement of even the above. Who is going to watch him what he is doing? Above is just for your information, to be aware of the degree of lawlessness (corruption?) in our Armenia.My brother (and his wife) are devastated and they can do nothing!
As it is, our Armenia has a long way to go for democracy and “justice for all.”
Garo (AKA Christian Garbis) at Notes from Hairenik highlights this petition, but also attacks jaywalking. Now, while I agree to some extent with this argument, I don’t see it as anywhere near as large a problem as Garo does. For example, even zebra crossings are dangerous here. Crossings are usually placed on the corners of crossroads and while the light shows green for pedestrians to cross, another light paradoxically also shows green for one lane of traffic to cross into the road you’re crossing.
There is no concept of pedestrians having right of way, and so, cars don’t stop. Still, there’s no doubt that jaywalking is a problem, but again, only because the whole damn system here in every walk of life is rotten and corrupt to the core.
[…] jaywalkers are ever-present. And it doesn’t matter where in the city you are—they are everywhere. It is acceptable to jaywalk unfortunately—very rarely do you see people actually waiting for the traffic light to change before crossing at an intersection since people are so impatient about everything. Usually the thing to do is to start walking into the street towards the middle when not as many cars are coming and stand on the solid lane-indicating line until traffic slows down in the opposite direction. Sometimes you see an actual designated place where people are apparently supposed to stand safely in the middle of the street as cars speed by nearly grazing someone’s toes. Actually I am amazed how peoples toes are not run over by the way people approach so close to cars whizzing by them. To make things worse, some pedestrian traffic lights do not work properly so people who want to cross the street without risking being run over are confused as to when to walk. Also obstructed sidewalks due to construction projects hamper pedestrian access.
In fact, I usually look for clear stretches of road to cross over instead because to be quite honest, zebra crossings are largely pointless here. Perhaps that’s why they don’t exist in Tbilisi and pedestrians cross the road using underpasses. Of course, the Georgians are fortunate enough to have a proper traffic police, which at least proves that change can be achieved if there is political will, but anyway.
Thousands of young Georgian citizens were called to participate in examinations set to determine physically and intellectually most fit to join the force. Thousands of new policemen were enrolled in new Police Patrol, based only on their professionalism and honesty. Their monthly salaries were increased tenfold reaching 700 Georgian Lari, pretty much enough for a medium size Georgian family to live decently from month to month. Well dressed and well armed, Georgian police soon became main force in the government’s fight against corruption and gained respect within Georgian society. The level of trust towards Georgian Police currently reaches 75%, which is highest not only in the former Soviet Union, but also in entire Eastern Europe.
Interestingly, one comment on the petition highlights the absurdity behind all of this. “I was appalled to be stopped by a policeman in Armenia who wanted to know why I was wearing my seat belt,” says Jon Higgins, for example. Ultimately, the problem lies with the rule of law, or rather the lack of it in Armenia. Change that situation and everything else will fall into place.
Meanwhile, Araz’s memory needs to be remembered and used to prevent anymore needless deaths. If you feel that you’d like to be part of this process, please sign the petition at http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/araz.
Incidently, it’s worth pointing out that the traffic police at the top of this post were not involved in Araz’s death. However, they did wave myself and a team of social workers from Médecins Sans Frontières-France down to solicit a bribe in Yerevan one summer. We refused to pay, of course, with MSF identifying themselves as such and I identifying myself as a journalist. They burst into a nervous laughter as we stood our ground and I snapped a photograph. The policeman on the left asked me if I lived in Armenia to which I said yes, and as I walked away the one on the right muttered “Then we’ll eat your life at a later date.”
Of course, they’re just obeying orders as the money solicited from bribes gets passed up a chain that goes straight to the top, but really, some police force.
Comment by Onnik — January 2, 2007 @ 5:06 pm
The reason that they laughted is that they are First Lieutenants. 1000 drams doesnt satisfy their ranks and surely they would order their subordinates to stop your car whenever they spot it.
Comment by Haik — January 2, 2007 @ 6:52 pm
So, it’s interesting. Why two lieutenants were doing the waving down and not their subordinates. Moreover, they were together doing it and not with other less senior officiers. Trying to think back now to work out if there was something extraordinary going on at the time — i.e. more money is collected when more money is needed for things such as electoral bribes and so on. However, it was after the elections so that can’t be it, unless they were trying to get back all the money they spent on vote bribes, of course.
Like how Armenians swear that prices usually go up, or loaves of bread get smaller, immediately after elections. Or maybe it was just a rare event. Still, at least I got away with snapping their picture. The police usually do everything they can do stop their photographs being taken even at rallies. It’s hard to explain to them that there’s no law which says it’s forbidden, but old Soviet habits die hard, I guess.
Comment by Onnik — January 3, 2007 @ 12:34 am
Incidently, regarding the matter of jay walking, the driver does appear to have been found guilty of reckless driving even if the verdict doesn’t seem to amount to much. Therefore, I want to stress again that while jaywalking is a problem in Armenia, the matter of reckless driving is one of more concern, and one of the major issues facing the city. It is chaos. It is anarchy.
I can even remember noting how drivers in Georgia actually overtake safely using their indicators as well as how ordered the traffic was in Tbilisi in comparison to Yerevan. That said, I would say that once or twice in the past year I have been encouraged by a few drivers who not only decry the lack of law on the roads, but who also stop for pedestrians when they attempt to cross roads.
However, I can count those people on one hand. Still, it’s encouraging, but as with everything here, there is no critical mass. Indeed, the problems here are major, and the vast majority are part of them all. For example, I would say that while pedestrians are at risk, stick them behind the wheel of the car and they’d probably be no different.
Or it’s like the buses. They’re overcrowded and an accident waiting to happen, but people still voluntarily get on to stand squashed like sardines in a potential death trap. Indeed, many passengers now complain about the law regulating where buses can stop because they’re used to waving them down wherever they want. They complain when a bus is too full to let them on, although like me, a few now refuse to enter a bus that’s dangerously over capacity.
Anyway, this is a first, and something that can be built upon, but I wonder how long it will last. Incidently, on this, there were some posts on the new regulations and attempts to enforce them on the following blogs:
http://armenianodar.blogspot.com/2006/12/there-shall-be-law-and-order-for.html
http://lifearoundme.wordpress.com/2006/12/01/trained-for-the-rule/
http://www.blogrel.com/2006/12/04/so-thats-what-the-busstops-were-for/
Thankfully there are significantly less cars and buses on the roads in the winter, so let’s see how the situation is in the spring.
Comment by Onnik — January 3, 2007 @ 12:46 am
As to how long it will last: I noticed that in the last few days marshruka drivers are taking passengers again who don’ t stand at the busstops. Also, right before New Year the marshrutka-driver told the passengers that he would stop away from the busstops as well when there was no police around. At least some of the drivers are not as strick anymore. Don’t know if this is because it is so quiet on the roads and there are less passengers because of New Year, though.
Comment by Myrthe — January 4, 2007 @ 10:27 am