Armenian students unhappy with new legislation

The initiative of Armenian Defense Minister Vigen Sargsyan to tighten the rules of the military conscription caused discontent in the Armenian society, especially among students, who are now frightened by the deprivation of their rights to higher education.

Armenian students held a protest action in front of the Armenian parliament building on October 25 against the amendments adopted by the Armenian Parliament.

The protestors claimed that the legislation would limit their educational opportunities as well as affect their future lives. The students shouted slogans such as ‘Deferment for the sake of science should exist’.

The new legislation abolishes temporary exemptions from military service that have long been enjoyed by many students of state-run universities.

The students demanded to meet with the defense minister or with any representative of the permanent parliamentary commission on defense, national security and internal affairs.

“According to our approximate estimates, 140 students enter postgraduate studies every year, and but now they will lose the opportunity to engage in science,” said one of the protesters, adding that those who go to serve in the army, do not want to continue their studies after coming back.

Another participant of the protest action said that they do not want their brothers to serve in the military service for three years, as the time that they could spend on science will be spent in vain in this case.

Under the new legislation, a respite from the army for studies will be provided only if the Armenian citizen signs a contract with the Defense Ministry. In this case, after completing his studies, the students undertakes to serve in the Armenian army for not two, but three years.

Thus, the ruling regime has took another step towards the militarization of the Armenian society.

Currently, Armenia is the third most militarized country in the world, and it seems that the country’s government seeks to advance to the first place in this ranking. If Armenia wants to strengthen its armed forces, then it should work on the quality of its military personnel, but not on the quantity, as the terrible hazing and lack of discipline are reigning in the country’s armed forces.

Suicide, not combat, is the leading cause of death of Armenian soldiers deployed to the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh. The main reason for such desperate acts are the dreadful hazing and lack of discipline in the Armenian troops.

Few days ago, Armenian soldier Rafael Hakobyan, serving in the Armenia-occupied territories of Azerbaijan, committed a suicide cutting his wrists with a razor blade, Armenian media reported. Another soldier, Soso Davitian, who serves in a military unit in Azerbaijan’s occupied Khojavend region, caused injuries to himself. Both servicemen were placed in military hospitals, and their heath conditions are assessed as moderate.

Another Armenian soldier Aram Gevorgyan attempted to shoot himself due to the constant duty on the fighting position. As it turned out, Gevorgyan was appointed for a permanent duty on the position due to a shortage of military personnel.

All these incidents causes discontent among the Armenian population, especially among the servicemen’ parents, who regularly protest against Armenia’s authorities.

Another such protest action was held in front of the Armenian Government’s building in Yerevan on October 26.

Soldiers’ mothers put forward a demand of meeting with Armenian Defense Minister Vigen Sargsyan. They noted that the command of the Armenian Armed Forces is engaged in only high-flown speeches and it does nothing to investigate the numerous murders committed in the Armenian army.

“[Armenian President] Serzh Sargsyan nurtured Vigen Sargsyan like a plant. He passed his school. That’s why they value each other so well,” said one of the protesting women.

The protesters also stressed that the Armenian government undertakes all changes in the defense sphere with the only aim of additional collection of money from the country’s population.

This year, the Armenian authorities adopted the law obliging each working Armenian citizen to contribute 1,000 drams (about $2) per month so that those who have suffered while serving in the Armenian army can receive a small compensation for the crippled health and life. This law also caused strong criticism among Armenians, who note that the government is robbing its poor population while military officers get rich.