Armenia Buries Prime Minister
Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2007
Armenia today said farewell to the longest serving prime minister in its short history as an independent, post-Soviet state. Andranik Markarian died on March 25 from a heart attack less than two months before parliamentary elections considered to be the most important test for democracy yet faced by Armenia.
Today, thousands of Armenians turned out to bid farewell to Markarian whose coffin was brought to the Yerevan Opera to lie in state for just under three hours before being taken to the Komitas Pantheon in a State Funeral which involved Government members, representatives of the international community, and of course, the Armenian President.
I was there covering the event for EurasiaNet which has just published my photo story on Armenia burying its Prime Minister.
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The political ramifications of Markarian’s death are so far unknown, but any speculation on how it will affect the ruling Republican Party, of which he was chairman, was lost on the hundreds of Armenian citizens who converged on his home to pay their respects at a March 27 wake intended for relatives, friends and political associates. Hundreds waited for as long as two hours to get their chance to enter his modest apartment, situated in a typical Soviet era block on the outskirts of the capital, Yerevan.
That affinity for the ordinary may be how many people, including his political opponents, many of whom attended the wake, will remember Markarian. He had served as Armenia’s prime minister since 2000. Although many Armenian officials are renowned for their lavish lifestyles, the late prime minister was generally considered a more modest man, known for treating political rivals and citizens alike as his equals.
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Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / EurasiaNet 2007
Not surprisingly, almost every other media outlet in the country also covered the event. Although it’s difficult to guestimate the number of people that came to pay tribute to the late Prime Minister, thousands turned out. As usual, RFE/RL’s English-language Armenia Liberty site has the most comprehensive report on the day.
Markarian’s body was carried through the city center to the Pantheon after a prayer service led by Catholicos Garegin II, head of the Armenian Apostolic Church. In an eulogy read out at the burial site, parliament speaker Tigran Torosian, who is also a senior member of the HHK, paid tribute to his longtime associate.
“For our state and our people, the loss of is immense and sorrow infinitely deep,” Torosian said. “But today … we can also see that there is a lot we can draw comfort from.” “Andranik Markarian will be remembered as a remarkable statesman who distinguished himself with a unique style and pronounced personality,” he added.
Opposition politicians attending the ceremony also heaped praise on the deceased premier, saying that he tolerated dissent and always sought dialogue with his political opponents. “In my view, the most important trait of Andranik Markarian was his kindness,” said Artur Baghdasarian, the former parliament speaker whose Orinats Yerkir Party was part of the HHK-led governing coalition until last year.
Another well-known opposition parliamentarian, Arshak Sadoyan, described Markarian as a “bridge between the government and the opposition.”
The funeral service was also attended by foreign dignitaries representing over a dozen states and international organizations. “Armenia has lost its great son, and I have lost a friend,” one of them, Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Noghaideli, told reporters.
Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2007
Although I didn’t see any sign of the major international news agencies covering the event, although there will undoubtedly be coverage through their local stringers, it was interesting to note that Georgia’s Rustavi 2 TV station had a film crew in attendance. Armenia Now also posts its own photo story on the funeral to accompany a report by John Hughes.
Beginning at noon, thousands entered the Opera House through light rain and seasonably cool temperature, passing dozens of bright floral wreaths flanking the doors of the massive house, where the PM’s body lay for a two-hour public viewing.
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President Robert Kocharyan remembered his appointee as “modest, tolerant and decent” whose seven years of service “have been the best years of our state”. The president and First Lady Bella Kocharyan arrived at the hall around 2 p.m., where they were joined by Minister of Defense Serzh Sargsyan and Speaker of the Parliament Tigran Torosyan.
Armenia’s supreme spiritual leader, Catholicos Garegin II, said Margaryan “left us and future generations the vivid example of love for his motherland, love for his nation”.
Incidentally, when someone in the public spotlight dies, it’s usually customary to expect dozens of others to come out with praise and statements of sympathy that sometimes sounds simply like lip-service. However, even those in opposition to the Government spoke highly of Markarian as a person as recently as a week before his death.
They may not of liked the Government he led, but they did appreciate and respect his humility and humanity. This is perhaps the main feeling that I’m picking up, and I do consider it to be quite sincere and genuine.
Once again, Oneworld Multimedia extends its condolences to the Markarian family. Interestingly, now that he’s gone, perhaps we’ll all begin to realize more about Markarian the man rather than the politician, especially when compared to other officials and figures on both sides of the political divide. Anyway, the EurasiaNet photo story is here.
Andranik Markarian, 1951 — 2007.
Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / EurasiaNet — Oneworld Multimedia 2007
YOUR COMMENTARY AND PHOTOS ACCOMPANYING IT, SAYS IT ALL. “THE MAN” ANDRANIK ABOVE ALL IS WHAT COUNTED MOST , PERHAPS ONE MORE VIRTUE AS WELL , THAT OF HIS ENTIRE DEVOTION TO THE MOTHERLAND AND ITS PEOPLE.
MAY HIS IDEALISM LINGER ON FOREVER. HIS PEOPLE WILL NOT FORGET HIM.
I KNOW THERE ARE TOO MANY OF HIS FOLLOWERS LUCKILY TO LET THOSE IMPORTANT VIRTUES FADE AWAY. OTHER CURRENTS AND POLITICAL PARTIES MAY HAVE IDEOLOGIES SIMILAR TO THOSE O THE WESTERN HEMISPHERIC COUNTRIES BUT HIS WAS ONE BASED ON THE LOVE OF THE NATION/STATE THAT HE HELPED ESTABLISH AFTER THE DEMISE OF THE SOVIET UNION. HE SPENT TW OF HIS PRECIOUS LIFE IN PRISON FOR HIS BELIEF IN A FREE INDEPENDENT ARMENIAN REPUBLIC. GLORY TO HIS NAME AND MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE AND HIS FAMILY BE SOLACED BY THE LOVE OF THE PEOPLE FOR HIM.
HAMAHAIGAGANI SIRO, BY GAYTZAG PALANDJIAN
P. S. DO PLEASE ENTER MY www.ARMENIDAD-WORLDWIDE.org
Comment by gaytzag palandjian — March 29, 2007 @ 12:26 am
Onnik,
Could you honestly explain the sad fate of the phrase “and considered to be corrupt” in your article? Thank you.
Comment by Artashes — March 29, 2007 @ 6:20 am
Very interesting approach from the Armenian Opposition point of view concerning the passing away of PM Andranik Markarian, read Hrayr Avetissian’s editorial in “Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” - “The Human Factor” or “Let’s Remain Human - Mart Mnanq”:
www.chi.am/news/070327/07032701.htm
Comment by Hye Azad — March 29, 2007 @ 11:11 am
I would just like to say to gaytzag palandjian, please avoid using caps lock, specially on the website, when you publish big text all capitalized, cause it has worse readability.
Comment by mk — March 29, 2007 @ 11:36 am
Comment by Onnik — March 29, 2007 @ 7:27 pm
The EurasiaNet photo story is also available in Russian here.
Comment by Onnik — March 29, 2007 @ 11:44 pm
IWPR also has a story on Markarian’s death:
Full text is here.
Comment by Onnik — March 30, 2007 @ 4:28 pm