New Armenia: Revolution in the minds as PM Nikol Pashinyan stands up for trans weightlifting champion and against censorship

This was perhaps the most revolutionary speech that Armenia PM Nikol Pashinyan made so far. He stood up for human rights despite conservative hate groups’ backlash against (partial) state financing of the film re Armenian trans weightlifting champion, and offered his unwavering support to Mel. Inspirational and unprecedented for Armenia.
 
*video: 13 November 2019, PM Pashinyan answering MPs questions

[Of course, there were some problematic wording and passages in his speech, but the key here is to consider the context and view it as a whole.]

There is a huge resistance to the Revolution and its ideals from old regime linked circles. Left without usual source of illegal earnings but still able to utilise their illegal wealth and connections in state institutions and media, they try to sabotage and discredit Armenia’s new leadership.

Since the Velvet Revolution, old regime forces manipulated public agenda by exploiting LGBT rights and putting them against ‘national values’. After months of hesitation and trying to avoid directly addressing any LGBT-related issues, (I hope) government understood that without firmly and unequivocally supporting human rights for all, they simply leave more space for old corrupt circles and their proxies to keep manipulating it more and more, shrinking the space for reforms.

This speech followed another important one against censorship. Finally, Armenia has a PM who publicly confronts calls for censorship/limiting freedom of expression in art, culture etc. I love how he brought up an example of Charents. He could have gone further by quoting Charents homoerotic poetry, but hey, may be next time…


*video: 4 November 2019, PM Pashinyan live on his Facebook page

Few days before, a similar statement was issued by the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Arayik Harutyunyan. This is what I expect from state reps in New Armenia: firm no to censorship without any conditional language. I hope these words will be evidenced in practice.

«Նախարարն ընդգծեց՝ Հայաստանում այլևս չի լինելու սատանիզմի հիմքով, այլ մտացածին հիմքերով համերգներ չեղարկելը: Արվեստը լինելու է ազատ, որովհետև անկախ պետության կարևորագույն գրավականներից մեկն ազատ արվեստն է: Ոլորտի գերատեսչության ղեկավարի խոսքով՝ որոշ մարդիկ, ովքեր փորձում են քաղաքական դիվիդենտներ հավաքել, հետադիմության առաջամարտիկներ են: «Այո՛, մարդիկ կարող են որոշակի սկզբունքներից ելնելով՝ ասել, որ այս արժեքն իմը չէ: Մենք պետք է հարգանքով մոտենանք մեր այդ քաղաքացիներին, այդ խմբերին: Բայց արվեստում ցենզուրա սահմանելն անթույլատրելի է», - շեշտեց նա:

Consider this also within the context of proposed radical reforms in education which are key in changing people’s mentality. Here we are: real issues vs manipulations by old regime and connected with them ARF Dashnaktsutyun party.

As frequently (if not always) in modern Armenia history, Dashnaks are on the wrong side of it. They manipulated this occasion and started actions against the reformist minister but ultimately against the government and PM. They supported hatred, discrimination, homophobia and transphobia under the disguise of fight against educational reforms and for ‘national values’.

Bizarre things happening in Armenia: government (!) advocates against censorship in arts/culture, while some cultural reps argue for censorship; government wants to give universities greater independence re choosing courses, while some students & uni reps prefer having compulsory subjects…

Also related: Ultra-nationalists Outraged by Outdoor Contemporary Dance Performance in Yerevan

*Trailer of documentary film re Armenian trans weightlifting champion Mel: “Mel and Meline"/"Մել" ֆիլմի թրեյլերը

And not to forget the shameful open letter by number of sport federations and sport personalities  against trans weightlifting champion Mel. It is utterly shameful and simply disgusting on so many levels. It illustrates how much hatred, homophobia and transphobia embedded in Armenia sport. To see so many united against ONE? Despicable. I never saw such unity by them for any good cause.

To remind, all those sport federations were (still are) affiliated with old regime reps and oligarchs, including BHK (‘Prosperous Armenia’) party head Gagik Tsarukyan (nicknamed ‘Dodi Gago’). They turned them into corrupt business enterprises to exert influence and keep sport under their control.

Ironically, newly appointed national ambassador for UNICEF Armenia - Olympic champion wrestler Artur Aleksanyan, is among the signatories. And until now, UNICEF Armenia office failed to act on this, instead promoting him further. Also, at least 3 of the signatories were charged over doping scandal. As they say: “գողն առաջինն է բղավում` բռնեք գողին” [the thief screams first - catch the thief]

*This is how I see New Armenia - full of colours. Picture - via Grigor Yeritsyan’s FB page, WCIT (World Congress on Information Technology) 2019 concert on Republic sq., Yerevan, 6 October 2019

The Velvet Revolution was an incredible event of historic significance for Armenia when people succeeded to change corrupt illegitimate regime. But in order for the Velvet Revolution to succeed, it needs to get transformed into a revolution in the minds.

Recent events culminated by Nikol Pashinyan’s speech effectively launched that very phase of the Revolution. Difficult road ahead but hopeful if successful - for all Armenia citizens, whether champion or not.