Dear Diaspora,

Take Action! Become an Election Observer in May

The 2007 Parliamentary Election scheduled for 12 May is considered critical to the process of democratization in Armenia.

Some even consider that the election is the most important parliamentary vote in Armenia’s recent 15-year history as an independent nation. However, international observers have continually reported that elections in Armenia fail to meet international standards.

When asked to prioritize possible solutions to improve the situation in the country, the Center for Regional Development/Transparency International Armenia’s 2006 Corruption Perceptions Survey identified that most respondents pointed to the necessity of ensuring free and fair elections.
As more and more ethnic Armenians living in the Diaspora connect with the modern-day Republic, what can a citizen of another country do to help make the coming election in May free and fair for the citizens of this country?

Take Action! Become an ELECTION OBSERVER this Spring!

It’s Your Choice, the largest domestic election observation organization in the Republic of Armenia, and the Center for Regional Development / Transparency International Armenia invite Armenians from abroad to take part in this critical and historical event. Communities in the Diaspora are particularly encouraged to send representatives to monitor the conduct of the vote.


Details:
• Training and official certification will be provided by IYC.
• Observers will receive preparation packets on how the process works ahead of Election Day, and checklists to follow at the polling stations they can monitor on 12 May.
• Small stipend for food on Election Day provided by IYC.

Requirements:
• Observers must be able to read and speak Armenian or Russian.
• Observers must be non-partisan.
• Register at least 25 days in advance by email at iyc@arminco.com.
• Arrive in Armenia by 2 May 2007.

For Armenians from the Diaspora living outside of Armenia, we regret that It’s Your Choice and CRD/TI Armenia are unable to contribute to the cost of visas, flights or accommodation. However, information on locating affordable accommodation in Armenia is available on request. Contact IYC for more details at iyc@arminco.com.

The date is set; and so it begins

As if it hasn't already been said enough times, this election season is extremely critical: it needs to come off clean and fair, most notably so that people have a semblance of restored faith in the system to give them a reason to vote in the VERY crucial presidential elections next year in '08.

Most observers say that if this country has one, maximum two, more fraudulent elections then that's it. It will be nearly impossible to alter the course Armenia is on (a corrupt system of feudalism, servitude to Russia, and no freedom or defense of citizens' rights) after that.

This article presents just some of the story. But there's so much more...


Decision 2007 Comes May 12: Will it be fair?
ArmeniaNow
By Gayane Abrahamyan

A decree signed this week by President Robert Kocharyan places the Parliamentary elections on May 12.

Now that the date has been settled, the over-riding question remains whether these elections – unlike any in independent Armenia – can be fairly executed.

Garegin Azaryan, chairman of the Central Electoral Commission believes the new electoral code gives an opportunity to hold free, fair and transparent elections.

[...]

Last week the representatives of the oppositional forces met the US Deputy Vice State Secretary, American co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk group Matthew Bryza and shared their opinions on the upcoming election in Armenia.

“Bryza said the adoption of the new code seems to be a step forward; I disagree with the assessment. Elections are falsified independent of the code,” says Manukyan.

Artak Zeynalyan of the Political Council of Hanrapetutyun (Republic) Party has also shared his party’s concerns about the falsifications with Bryza.

“We brought proper arguments supporting the idea that the changes in the electoral code will just facilitate the frauds in the coming election and will make them less discernible,” says Zeynalyan.

[...]
Politicians and ordinary citizens lack hopes for having free elections alike.

The recent survey held jointly by the Armenian Sociological Association and the Gallup Institute among 1,200 residents of Armenia has shown 69 percent of the respondents are confident the elections will be neither free nor fair, while 61 percents believe the authorities in Armenia undertake no sufficient measures to prevent the falsifications in elections.

2006 Corruption Perceptions Survey

Last Wednesday I attended a presentation, held by Transparency International and UNDP, of the highly anticipated results of TI's Corruption Peceptions Survey (the last survey was taken in 2002).


Side-note: check out the majority of women heading up international organizations in my photo.

From left to right: Director of Transparency International, Head of UNDP in Armenia, Secretary General of Counsel of Europe in Armenia, Head of OSCE, and Head of International Organizations and Human Rights divison of the Foreign Ministry of Armenia.
Welcome to the feminist theory of International Relations...


The survey revealed some concerning statistics, particularly alarming and revealing to me as we approach parliamentary elections- approximately 90 days away.

Consider the following two statements from the Executive Summary:

"Most of the 2006 respondents were alarmed by a negative impact of corruption on the legitimacy of the Armenian authorities and the moral of the society, which did not come across in 2002..."

"While prioritizing the solutions to improve the current situation, most respondents pointed to a necessity of ensuring free and fair elections"

SO, if everyone realizes that the existing corrupt system is bad, and that free and fair elections is a way to improve the situation, then why does it seem like such an uphill battle to convince people to get out and vote this Spring. To sign up to become election observers. To protest when their rights to dissent are put into jeopardy. RIGHT NOW is the perfect opportunity for citizens of Armenia to do something.

However.
Disconcerting is the following:

"In 2006, the majority of interviewees still believe that the President of the country could play a determining role in reducing corruption in Armenia, whereas more than half of them [58.8%] assume that people themselves cannot do anything...The public opinion regarding the possibility to fight corruption in Armenia has not changed since 2002. Nearly a third of respondents said again that corruption cannot be eliminated."

And perhaps finally, we should reflect on the fact tht 96% of the public says they get their information from television.

And 0% of TV in Armenia is independent since A1+ was shut down by the government five years ago this April.

The up-hill battle continues.