While blogs undoubtedly came of age during the recent post-election state of emergency when the traditional media was effectively muzzled for 20 days, that is not to say that politics is the main focus of every blog. Indeed, it might even be argued that such blogs do little more than duplicate the same kind of polarized views voiced by a myriad of politically partisan newspapers.

Instead, now that post-election tensions are dying down in Armenia, there is a huge potential for blogs to cover more specific issues which are either ignored or left undiscussed by the media and society in general. One of those subjects is education, an area which is particularly tainted by corruption in the post-Soviet space.

According to Transitions Online’s education blog, Chalkboard, Armenia is no exception when it comes to the slow pace of reform.

While authorities tout Bologna reforms as creating a modern, competitive education system in Armenia, many feel that the transition is only exacerbating existing problems. In spite of the Ministry of Education’s lofty plans, Armenian schools continue to grapple with a critical shortage of resources and qualified teachers, especially in rural areas, due to persistent low public spending on education – only 3.2 percent of GDP according to the most recent figures from the World Bank.

The full post is available on Global Voices Online.

An early morning online chat with local youth activist Vahagn Vardumanyan, aka Seetizen, reminded me of the birth of a new youth initiative, HENQ. According to Vardumanyan, the initiative is non-political and seeks to remain apart from the polarized politics that seems to define most activity in this area since the parliamentary election last year.

According to the official communique announcing the formation of the group, HENQ takes a refreshing approach to the concept of youth empowerment and involvement in the process of nation-building and democratization.

HENQ organized its first public presentation on Saturday, May 31st, at Common Ground. Following the spirit of HENQ, the coordinating group decided to bend the classical rules of making a presentation and turn the event into an interactive mutual exchange of perspectives.

The event was started off by a discussion on a key question: “After all, what is the State”? We’ve noticed that there is a general view in society that the State is basically the state authorities – the President, the Parliament, the Government, and so on. Some think of it as a regime, some as a machine, or apparatus for governing. Surprisingly enough, these views weren’t widely held in the group that had gathered, which opted for the perspective which is being campaigned by HENQ, that is:

We are the State.

The full post is available on The Caucasian Knot.

Sirusho, Serge Sargsyan Pre-Election Campaign Rally, Komitas, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2008

It might be considered a little cheesy by most music lovers in Europe and beyond, but countries such as Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia take participation in the annual Eurovision song contest very seriously indeed. Not only does the competition represent the South Caucasus moving closer to Europe, but given that this year has proven to be a political turbulent one for all three countries it might also provide people here with a welcome break from rigged votes and post-election unrest.

Well, maybe that’s hoping a little too much. Spectacular Self-Indulgence, for example, already reports that the venue for yesterday’s national final in Armenia had to be changed because of the state of emergency currently in place following clashes between the opposition and security services last weekend.

[…] The government has imposed a 20 day “State of Emergency” after eight people died in street battles between riot police and citizens who were protesting the result of a presidential election. […]

[…]

There will be a backlash, however. Mark my words. It’s one thing to engage in unlawful surveillance of your political enemies. It’s quite a different matter to f*** with a pop music contest.

The full post is available on Global Voices Online.

Komitas, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2008

Today saw Serge Sargsyan pre-election campaign come to my doorstep — literally. Outside my apartment building, a stage erected the night before was having the final touches put to stacks of loud speakers as a huge banner depicting the prime minister and presidential election favorite was strung across above from one lamp post to another.

Security was also tighter than normal although it’s hard to tell whether that’s because of the shots fired first at the building housing the General Prosecutor’s Office and at two Sargsyan election campaign offices or not. Despite the extra concerns, however, security was still lighter than that surrounding the former president, Levon Ter-Petrossian. As usual, a mob of people tried to approach Sargsyan as he arrived and also as he left. Pretty much they could too.

Some controversy has been raised by Sargsyan’s campaign, and actually that of Kocharian in 2003 as well as the Republican party a few months later, and also during last year’s parliamentary election. In all three previous parliamentary and presidential elections, Armenia’s top pop stars have been paraded out to perform for the candidate or party of power. Sargsyan’s Republican party have certainly proven adept at controlling youth.

Today was no exception. From Shiker and Hayko to Susan Margaryan and her daughter, Eurovision Song Contest contestant Sirusho, it was a lineup to make any Armenian pop fan happy.

The full post is available on the Armenia Election Monitor 2008.

RFE/RL reports that a group of civil society organizations staged yesterday a protest in support of the embattled Gyumri-based regional TV station, GALA TV. The station has been under pressure from the authorities since allocating extensive airtime to the speeched and activities of former president Levon Ter Petrosian. Interestingly, as is the case with another Ter Petrosian supporter, the authorities are using the tax inspection services to exert pressure on political opponents.

Hundreds of people rallied in Armenia’s second largest city of Gyumri on Wednesday in support of a local television station that has been facing uncertain future ever since providing airtime to former President Levon Ter-Petrosian.

The demonstration was organized by local and Yerevan-based civic groups amid ongoing judicial proceedings that could result in GALA TV being taken off the air. The station was raided by tax inspectors in late October. Its parent company, Chap, was subsequently charged with evading more than 25 million drams ($82,000) in taxes.

The State Tax Service (STS) also alleged that the small broadcaster has been illegally using the local television tower to air its programs to Gyumri and surrounding areas. Earlier this month, the Gyumri municipality asked Armenia’s Economic Court to force GALA to remove its transmitter from the facility. The court already ruled on November 26 to freeze Chap’s bank accounts and other assets worth the alleged tax shortfall.

GALA’s owner and staff reject the criminal case as baseless and link it to their decision to air, as a paid advertisement, Ter-Petrosian’s September 21 that contained harsh criticism of Armenia’s leadership. Organizers of the demonstration echoed the claim in their speeches.

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HIV/AIDS Awareness Class, School No. 43, Erebuni, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / UNICEF 2005

To mark World AIDS Day, Unzipped: Gay Armenia posts a comprehensive post of statistics and commentary on the situation in Armenia. Although the figures look quite low on first glance, the real number of HIV-positive people is believed to be 10 times higher.

From 1988 to 1 December 2007, 528 HIV cases had been registered in the Republic of Armenia among its citizens. 66 new cases of HIV infection were registered in 2006; and 99 - in 2007. Males constitute a majority in the total number of HIV cases - 396 cases (75.0%), females make up 132 cases (25.0%). 528 reported cases include 11 cases of HIV infection among children (2.1%).

AIDS diagnosis was made to 206 patients with HIV, of whom 40 are women and 6 are children. From the beginning of the epidemic, 119 death cases have been registered among HIV/AIDS patients (the cases include 19 women and 3 children).

[…]

The overwhelming majority of the HIV-positive individuals (72.3%) belong to the age group of 20-39.

[…]

The main modes of HIV transmission are through injecting drug use (47.9%) and heterosexual practices (45.1%). Besides, there are also registered cases of mother-to-child HIV transmission as well as through blood transfusions and homosexual practices

Incidentally, two articles on HIV/AIDS that I wrote for UNICEF are here and here.

Yesterday a friend told me that I had too much politics on my blog even though not only is it election time in Armenia, but it’s also part of my work. Nevertheless, perhaps it’s time for a break if only for one post, and as music plays an important part in my life, what better a subject to cover and not least since in the past few months, the monotony of the type of music being produced in Armenia has really gotten to me.

With one or two exceptions, even the rock scene is mundane, predictable and lacking in any spirit. Music for the masses is just as bad, although many would argue that the same is true in the even more commercially-driven Western market. Still, what we do have in Europe and the U.S. is a more diverse selection and five decades of pop and rock music — some of which stands the test of time.

Of late, for example, I’ve rediscovered the Sex Pistols, England’s most notorious punk rock band of the 1970s. Arguably manufactured by music impresario Malcom McLaren, whatever people might think of the Sex Pistols, I remember that they turned the country upside down. Aged seven when they were formed, even now I can remember the shock and outrage that accompanied the very mention of their name in the British media.

Sex Pistols are an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. The band originally comprised vocalist Johnny Rotten, guitarist Steve Jones, drummer Paul Cook and bassist Glen Matlock (later replaced by Sid Vicious). Although their initial career lasted only three years and produced only four singles and one studio album, the Sex Pistols have been described by the BBC as “the definitive English punk rock band.” The Pistols are widely credited with initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and creating the first generation gap within rock and roll.

The Sex Pistols emerged as a response to what was perceived to be the “increasingly safe and bloated” progressive rock and manufactured pop music of the mid-1970s. The band created various controversies during their brief career which captivated Britain, but often eclipsed their music. Their shows and tours repeatedly faced difficulties from authorities, and public appearances often ended in disaster and riot. Their 1977 single, “God Save the Queen”, was widely regarded as an attack on the British monarchy and British nationalism.

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As mentioned in the comments section of my own post on Sksela’s Rock for Freedom event, Anush at Transitions Online’s The Armenian Patchwork has posted some of my photographs from the event there.

This time photographs from Onnik Krikorian of the latest rock event, organized by Sksela movement. The event was generally enjoyed as rock gatherings always are, but raised some controversial opinions because of its security. Several photos here, and more can be viewed in Onnik’s post.

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Sksela Rock for Freedom, Moscow Cinema Summer House, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2007

Well, I was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt despite their known HHSh links and support for the radical opposition, but it has to be said that tonight’s Sksela Rock for Freedom was anything but. First off, the security was tight with a dozen “rent-a-thug” security guards hired by the supposedly pro-freedom, pro-democracy movement called in to separate the audience from the bands that played. Intimidating is not the word.

According to the organizers, the hired muscle, a few of which were dressed in military fatigues, was to prevent any trouble, but as larger rock concerts have been staged in Yerevan without such security, some serious questions have to be raised. In a sense, now that many diplomatic missions in Yerevan want to fund Armenia’s revolutionary-wannabes, it seems as though Sksela are getting too big for their own boots. Arrogant and egotistical, I’d say.

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Via The Armenian Observer, Tirami Su and Bekaisa, and as mentioned here, the Sksela youth movement will be staging its Rock for Freedom concert on 7 October at 7pm in the Moscow Cinema’s Summer Hall. Bands playing include Empyray, Roxygen, Oaksenham and Impeachment-activist and former Lav Eli guitarist Mher Manukian.

As mentioned in the article I wrote on Sksela in April for EurasiaNet, the concert has been postponed until now because the Yerevan municipality refused to grant permission for it to be held.

Citing previously scheduled outdoor events, Yerevan’s city hall has refused permission for the group to hold an April 14 open-air rock concert, funded, like the February march, by the British Embassy.

Like other observers, Sksel a organizer Kharatian is concerned that such decisions are directly related to the election and attempts by the authorities to prevent alternative groups from holding meetings or staging rallies.

If so, Kharatian argues, the decision is misplaced. “I wouldn’t say that we’re directly concerned with the election as we’ve existed informally as a group since 2003, ” he commented, “but there’s no doubt that the country is about to face a major challenge which is why we’ve become so active now.”

The group has applied for an alternative date, but has yet to receive a response, he added. A fresh refusal would demonstrate whether or not blocking Sksel a events is “official policy,” he continued.

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With less than five or six months to go before next year’s presidential election, Serzh Sarkisian and Levon Ter Petrosian are not the only ones attempting to attract a following for the vote. As mentioned in a previous post, so too is the Sksela (It’s Started) youth movement, a loose grouping of young people hoping to establish themselves as the Armenian equivalent of other similar groups in the post-Soviet space.

Sksela first came to prominence in the run-up to the 12 May parliamentary election. In April, EurasiaNet published my article on the movement. Since then, however, interest in Sksela has waned and observers were never convinced they could mobilize significant numbers of youth in Yerevan, let alone Armenia, anyway.

Youth in newspaper hats stand on street corners and read aloud from Armenian dailies. Masked young people march by parliament yelling “Don’t Eat Too Much!” at deputies. It’s election season in Armenia, and with the parliamentary vote just over a month away, one unconventional youth group is waging weekly war on widespread political apathy.

[…]

The group claims that its purpose is not overtly political, and, at first glance, for many passers-by, the February march through town that also aimed to “wake up society from its winter slumber” appeared to be just a celebration of the traditional Lenten holiday of Barekendan. But hidden among the color and noise which define every Sksela event, a political message is becoming more evident as the May 12 vote approaches.

[…]

Some observers are already trying to make comparisons between Sksel a and Georgia’s Kmara (Enough) or Ukraine’s Pora! (It’s Time!), youth groups that played key roles in those countries’ respective 2003 and 2004 revolutions.

The full post is available on the 2008 Presidential Election Monitor Blog.