ARF Statement Underlines Rampant Election Fraud, Renewed Drive for Regime Change

YEREVAN (A.W.)—The ARF Supreme Council of Armenia on May 8 issued a statement regarding the recent parliamentary elections in Armenia, saying they “did not reflect the will of the people, nor did [they] register a fair representation of the political forces in the country.”

An ARF campaign billboard (Photo by Nanore Barsoumian)

“It became clear that the widespread election fraud was planned and implemented outside the voting center, on May 6 and before,” the statement read. “The representatives of the ruling coalition secured a large numbers of votes through the mobilization of the full resources of the state and administration, as well as through the distribution of unprecedented amounts of election bribe.”

“Doubtless, bribes played a critical role in shaping the outcome of the elections,” the party noted. “Subjected to dire economic circumstances” and “alienated from the state,” the “absolute majority” of Armenian citizens did not perform their election duties freely, according to the ARF. “Through bribes and intimidation, the ruling elites reproduced themselves.”

“These results also mean that the political forces, including the ARF, have not been capable yet to root in the public at large the political awareness to elect their leaders with dignity and freedom.”

The ARF concluded its statement by noting that it considers the election results as the beginning of a new phase, and stressed the continuation of the struggle until regime change is accomplished.

18 Comments

  1. Yes, the low level of support among Armenians (people living in Armenia) for the ARF could be the result of a huge conspiracy to suppress the overwhelming will of the Armenian people or it could be because the agenda of the ARF doesn’t play well with the people of Armenia.

  2. Many of are all conflicted with this situation. We must continue to push for the democratic evolution in Armenia. It is our hope and expectation for Armenia. How to accomplish this is an agonizing process filled with debate, conflict and frustration…. a process that makes most Armenians uncomfortable.
    While criticizing the current status, we must be careful, in our desire to induce change, to not extinguish hope.
    It is a difficult journey but the destination fulfills our dreams. Keep the faith
    dear Armenian people as we strive for that Armenia.

    • Why does Armenia need “democratic evolution”? I don’t get it. “Democracy” is a unique system that works well for the American Empire and it’s dependents. If you believe that there is true democracy in America and it’s “you the people” and not the Big Oil and the Military-Industrial Complex who rule the country you should stop smoking that stuff.

      Armenia is at war, blockaded by a NATO country. Armenia cannot afford this Western “democracy” based on neocolonialism, militarism, international robbery and bullying.

    • Voskanapat:

      Yes, you are right Armenians are different from Americans or Brits. We do need to be led around on a leash. We aren’t worthy of voice in our governance. We need someone who knows what we need even if we don’t. Someone who will spare us the tough work of birthing a democratic country, with free markets, and the rule of law.

      Or, maybe what we don’t need is socialism and dictatorship.

      Winston Churchill said it well ” It is said that democracy is the worst form of government except for all the others that have been tried”

    • Harb,

      When you say “we” I assume you live in Armenia or Artsakh, perhaps volunteering to defend the borders with an AK-74 in your hands. And when you talk about socialism, communism, etc. you make it sound like you experienced political systems other then the neo-colonialism that benefits the United States and its dependents.
      If this is not true and you are just another privileged dude enjoying your frappuccinos while posting these comments, then we are speaking different languages.

      As I understand, ARF itself is a socialist party. Winston Churchill was a bloody imperialist who caused millions of deaths by leading his Empire that robbed half of the world and created wars and misery for many more.

      I think we are talking about different things here. Democracy does not guarantee safety of Armenian population. Democracy is a myth that imperialists want us to believe in while they are robbing the world and creating wars to get more profits. Democracy didn’t save France from being occupied by Nazis, democracy wouldn’t save Armenia from being attacked by NATO Turkey. Imperialists are fine when dictatorships or absolute monarchies like Saudi Arabia benefit them and they wouldn’t hesitate to attack a truly democratic state like Iran when it stands in their way to get more oil in exchange for empty paper they called dollars.

  3. Stepan, very well said. Let’s keep hope alive. Without it, everything will slowly slip through our fingers. We must inspire each other.

  4. the ARF has been a hypocrite when it comes to politics in Armenia. when they were in the governing coalition everything was perfect, when they lost their influence suddenly things became problematic. no one in that party raised a voice when people were being attacked in March 2008 yet over 10 years before that, they were up in arms against Ter-Petrossian. the ARF has multiple personality disorder and is unsure what direction to take, they have an ideology which could keep them on a certain path, but the sad reality is that the ideology is just for lip service.

  5. @Stepan

    You raised a couple of interesting points. All the so-called “”opozitsia” has been able to accomplish in the homeland is the demoralization of the people. Their rhetoric has been more destructive than the actions of Armenia’s oligarchs. Armenia’s political opposition is a corrosive factor in the young republic. Armenians as a people are not yet ready for democracy. Armenia needs a sociopolitical evolution, not a Western funded revolution.

    @Harb

    The ARF does not resonate with the people in Armenia simply because Armenians, more so than Diasporans, recognize that the ARF is infiltrated by Western intelligence agencies. As a matter of fact, Armenia’s interior ministry in tandem with Russia’s secret services monitor ARF activities just for that reason. Moreover, like the rest of the “opozitsia” types, besides complaining and criticizing, the ARF offers no realistic solutions to Armenia’s core problems.

  6. ARF has more influence on diaspora Armenians than Armenia…it is time for ARF leadership to be replaced in Armenia, with smarter and younger politicians!!

  7. I firmly believe that the Armenian-Turkish protocols and Nagorno Karabakh issues will be the price for international recognition of parliamentary election outcomes by the west.

    The poor results of ARF Dashnaktutyun and Heritage parties’ was engineered in order to make life easy for corrupt Serzh and his band of crooks.

  8. This is disappointing, frustrating and disheartening.
    It is painfully obvious that ARF’s election campaign was not effective , the message was unclear , did not get through or did not resonate with the electorate.
    The ARF cannot blame the election results totally on ” election bribe”. With bribes you probably ” buy” a certain number of votes, but it is inconceivable that you are able to bribe the majority of the voters.
    In most democracies, when elections are lost by a party, the party leadership changes. The ARF leadership should change; this is the second elections when the results were pathetic. The current leadership is out of touch, is not visionary, and is incapable to garner the support of Armenians in Armenia. Change is needed.
    Change is a must.
    Vart Adjemian

  9. The billboard for dashnaktsutyun looks very lonely in this picture. Does this reflect that the people have abandoned the hope that dashnaks can make the change? I hope, not. We need fresh air in or homeland. Dashnakrsutyun has to be able to create jobs, provide with social and psychological support, fight for social justice, with real deeds besides speeches and talks which should come after we have done work. We need more involvement of diaspora into the economic life of thmotherland and Dashnaktsutyun should make sure that the investors are protected. That is when people will see who is truely hayrenaser and come to vote for dashnaktsutyun. A lot of work needs to be done at universities and schools. And only then we can assure that we have both Hanrapetakans’, Heritage’s, Dashnaktsakans’, etc reps equally represented showing that we do have democracy. So far, he is right who has the might of money…

  10. The ARF has to start at the grass roots level and connect with the communities they want to represent. The party has to build bottom up, what they are trying to do is build it top down. The model they should follow is the way Hamas gained the trust of the Palistinians, bottom up !

  11. Armenia needs new young politicians with 4 years of political science and
    Young armenian students should start getting into international law.there should be a push for student to go to Europe or America and study political science , or Armenia must have an excellent university to teach political science with excellent professors I am sory to say but the ARF ideology is
    outdated and the idea of a sea to sea united Armenia is totally illogical in this time and era.It would be just as if Italy would want to rebuild the Roman Empire.
    Lets do with what we have with present day Armenia an Karabagh.
    Armenia must work first to have a strong economy getting rid of the mafia tipe
    businessmen who are monopolyzing the economy and paralyzing it ,get rid
    of most of the corruption and keep strenghtening the army. And try to bring back
    armenians who left by giving them job opportunities and less corruptions.
    In my opinion the entire ARF bureau must be changed.

  12. I think MJ said everything. ARF made a big mistake by not doing anything, not even expressing any remorse during March 8 events. Those people were our brothers and sisters, not Levon’s kids. Instead they accept to be in a coalition with these criminals and went to the parliament without questioning about the killings. At that time I lost my respect to this party. Nobility is more acceptable in human relations than resentment and revenge, especially when it comes to our own people. Karma works all the time.Now ARF can prepare itself to have a president like someone who has enormous money and need only more power. Who can go and talk to the presidents and other high level people with red t-shirt and white costume.

  13. Todos tenemos razon-spanish-we all have some reason(meaning) in what we offer,suggest.However, politics are very complicated globally not in RA only.
    New blood is needed,no doubt,but also Old sage people(with experience) sitting in the backroom in dark,some call it the deep state…
    For those old ones have had practice and some experience garnered up their sleeves,which the young do not.
    Red T shirt ,white costume is clearly indicating the head of prosperous party.
    These ,more than being ideological political parties ,like christian democrats, Scoial Democrats,Socialists,. communsist etc., are made up NEW supposedly so. No dice, these will not succeed as against the older such.
    Fact is the whoile world is wary -a bit-of these.They keep repeating the same old agendas according to their manifestos…
    May they go on and succeed.But i do not personally believe these will work either.What is rampant and on the scene is the FREE MARKET economy GOVERNED state.That which is based on the power of Finances/money.
    In order to be able to offset that or counter balance it AT THE VERY LEAST.Is my modest but fool proof THEORY THAT OF:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
    A New Concept of Electoral System & Governance…based on a Meritorial base.People being elected
    1.BY THEIR OWN CO PROFESSIONALS for one of 3 merits(shall name later)
    2-Have in mind that Last Century was the century of Workers Revolution,labour ,i.e. vis a vis the capitalists(which has somehow subsided) and is not really COMPTATIBLE WITH THE PRESENT ONE.
    3.My version that is.We are in an era of MILLIONS ANMD MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHO more than workers/farmers are PROFESSIONALS.
    These people deserve to be ELECTED BY THEIR OWN TO PARLIAMENTS CONGRESSES AND SENATES T O O!!!!!
    They are nbot yesteryears telegraphists but Communications IT experts scientists et., etc., etc.,
    I am posting on:- http://www.armeniannews.info…………………..(USERS ARTICLES)
    That is an Engine so to say to be placed on the vehicle TO MAKE IT GO!!!

  14. I think the results are showing an advance orchestrated and designed plan which has nothing todo with the votes and the number of the voters. They announced the result according to that plan, and the numbers are completely phony. Agos weekly put the right title, ” Organized Jobs”. Yes, one more time our criminals showed their organized crimes by fooling the whole nation. Shame on them!

  15. To Harutik: The ARF stood by the government when Western forces were trying to destabilize Armenia in 2008. Why would it do that if it has been infiltrated by Western agents? In case you forgot, read the following article (which is on a CIA-funded website):

    http://www.armenialiberty.org/content/article/1595237.html

    Just because the ARF is not a Russian puppet (like the RPA is) does not automatically mean that it’s a Western/Zionist puppet.

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