A Letter from Syunik
On the surface the region of Syunik in Armenia appears to be calm. There were no demonstrations or marches there. Today, people are worried over the news blackout. Some are turning to satellite T.V. or old radio transmitters to tune into Radio Liberty broadcasts. Only a few have Internet access.
On the night of March 4th the windows of the public store in Kapan were smashed. Some connected the event to the situation in Yerevan. The store windows were soon replaced and the incident went without notice. (The owners of the store and its director belong to Serzh Sargsyan’s Republican Party.)
In Kapan, the former Regional Governor of Syunik, Roma Navasardyan, and Rafik Asryan, who worked in Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s election headquarters, are being sought by law enforcement. Earlier, Asryan’s apartment had been searched. Hrayr, a cousin of Asryan and another in-law, have been arrested.
Kamo Safrazyan, a Ter-Petrosyan election campaigner, has been arrested in Sisian. The Sisian apartment of Meruzhan Galstyan, a representative of the “Vogu Portzutyan”, organization was searched.
On March 1st, police units from Syunik were transferred to Yerevan. People on the scene state that some police officers, especially in Sisian, were very reluctant about being dispatched to Yerevan and resisted the order. Even after these officers were forced to carry arms they were reported to have said that they’d never make a move against the people.
