Armenian students resume hunger strike against new law on military service
The confrontation between students and the country's authorities was among the most memorable events in Armenia in the past month. Now it seems that the standoff is not over yet as it has got a second wind.
“After demonstration of a constructive position and ineffectiveness of discussions with state bodies, the “For Science Development” initiative has no choice but to consider discussions with the authorities complete and continue the struggle from the point where it was stopped,” David Petrosyan, member of the student initiative “For Science Development,” wrote on his Facebook page on December 18.
The thing is that under the law, adopted last month in Armenia, a male student desiring to continue his education and delay serving in the army, must sign a contract with the Defense Ministry in order to get a draft deferment. In this case, the person will have to serve three instead of usual two years in the military after completing his studies at the location chosen by the ministry. Moreover, during his study period the student will have to undergo military training.
Armenian students held a weeklong boycott of classes and a hunger strike at the Yerevan State University in November, but then stopped them after the country authorities agreed to listen to the students’ demands. However, it seems that the two opposing sides could not find a common language.
“Our struggle stopped during the hunger strike. Now we are launching a hunger strike again and we will stop it only if our demands are met,” Petrosyan noted.
The initiative members demand the right to defer military service to remain in the form in which it was earlier, before applying changes to the law “On military service and the status of serviceman.” They recognize that the current institution of military service deferment needs revision and conversion, but this should be done not through abolition of the right to defer military service, but through the necessary reforms in education and science as well as anti-corruption fight.
“The Defense Ministry does not recognize the negative impact of the law on science and the importance of the deferment right for the development of science. We did not notice tangible results in our work with MPs and Defense Ministry officials,” Petrosyan stated. “These negotiations are conducted not to find solutions, but only to be conducted. In such circumstances, it makes no sense to continue negotiations.”
It should be noted that by adopting the controversial law, the ruling regime in Armenia has taken another step towards the militarization of its 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.
How the standoff between Armenian students and government ends up remains to be seen.