Ohanyan-Raffi-Oskanian bloc: March 1 post-election unrest should receive political assessment
Today, Armenians are commemorating the victims of the March 2008 post-election unrest in Armenia that left ten people dead. Ohanyan-Raffi-Oskanian electoral alliance has issued a statement on the deadly crackdown on opposition protesters that followed a disputed presidential election. “Nine years have passed after the deadly events of March 1, 2008 that left ten killed and numerous injured in Yerevan streets. The alliance expresses condolences to the families and friends of the victims. We believe that the March 1 events were resulted by deeply-rooted vicious practices formed and shaped in the independent country over the years, particularly the flawed electoral system. The March 1 events should receive a political assessment. The state is obliged to give adequate compensation to the families of the victims. March 1 was a tragedy, we should learn lessons and draw conclusions and proclaim it as a national memorial day. The recurrence of the tragedy can be prevented only through establishment of competitive and free political and economic relations, as well as democratization of the electoral institute. Ten people were killed and more than 100 others were injured on March 1-2, 2008 when security forces suppressed protests by supporters of opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan who disputed the outcome of a presidential election which announced Serzh Sargsyan as president of the country.
