A former political prisoner – Arshak Banouchyan, Deputy Director of the Matenadaran Manuscript Institute and Museum
At the time of the interview, Arshak Banouchyan was still under accusation and investigation, without the possibility of leaving the country, and his economic activity at the Matenadaran Institute was closely monitored. Since his release, Arshak had been called in by the police twice a week to give statements, and his relatives and colleagues had been asked questions regarding him and his activity. The authorities finally dropped the investigation and his prosecution file was closed on October 22nd 2008, for the lack of evidence. After the March 1st events, he was imprisoned for four months.
How was in prison?
I fought mentally, psychologically, living with the feeling that I had been forgotten by the authorities, because I hadn't been interrogated and judged since my arrest. I got into contact with the policemen and the judges only two times, when I was arrested and when I was released. On the other hand, I'm reliving the same feelings now, during the daily protests on the North Boulevard.
I had two more cell mates and we all took part in the daily protest movement around our cell table. I spent my time reading, writing and waiting patiently for all this to end.
What were the charges against you?
I was charged of organizing and participating in the destabilization of public order, because I had talked to the protesters and asked the people and the intellectuals to take part in the protest. The second accusation was for electoral bribe in favor of Levon Ter-Petrosian. After my release, another accusation came up, that of economic fraud, as a deputy director of the Matenadaran Institute.
What were your political activities before the elections and what are the current ones?
I'm a member of the Armenian National Congress and I support the Movement's youth wing on administrative and logistic issues, organizing seminars, communication sessions, meetings with various politicians and journalists. Right now, the Movement isn't very strong, because many of the Opposition leaders are imprisoned and our actions are now based only on the daily political march on the North Boulevard and meetings. Our purpose is to strengthen the Movement. But now I am free to choose the time and place I will make concrete things happen.
You are not a member of any political party. Why did you decide to take part in these political ctions?
I always was a very active citizen. I did everything I could for the society, I was some kind of social worker. I got involved in this political movement because of its importance, it somehow absorbed me. I've never been a politician until now, I worked as a proxy during the elections and my work was very efficient for the Opposition. The government didn't forgive me for this. I'm a politician because the government made me a politician by arresting me.
You are a voice. You are a politician, although you don't want that, you are the voice of your ideas. Will you become a member of a political party?
Now? Most certainly not. And I don't think I ever will. The fact that I'm not a member of any political party doesn't mean I don't have political ideas. And the fact that I'm not affiliated to a political party gives me the chance to better communicate with people and with other politicians. I became a member of the Armenian National Congress, which is a political movement, not a party, a week after I was released. But I'm not a politician in the traditional way, because I don't ask for any kind of political power. I'm just helping the Movement supporters in gaining their goals and carrying out their projects. I just want to be an example.
I can say that the Armenian citizens changed after the March 1st and the September events (when the election process started), a change you usually see in 30 or 40 years. In this point of view, the Opposition did a good work. Our society's motto is no longer based on the economic issue, the people don't ask for water and electricity anymore. The society is now requesting constitutional order, freedom, independence, democracy. And all these violent measures taken nowadays by the police against the population will be soon forgotten, without any thoughts of revenge. This can't be applied to the whole world, but most part of our society has changed.
Why do you think the society has changed its way of thinking?
Because of the March 1st events, which revived the feeling of vengeance and justice and because of the National Movement, who suffered along the citizens during the events. And because Levon Ter-Petrosian's staying in the square until the end, until he was arrested and taken by force, changed the people's perception and raised their believe in the Opposition leaders. And we're not talking about the behavior of a political candidate during the elections, but of a normal citizen's.
When did the people start to request their constitutional rights?
There's a big difference between the actual political process and the past one, from the beginning of the 90s, when political leaders solved the short-term problems, without removing the cause. Of all the political leaders, Levon Ter-Petrosian left the biggest mark upon the society through his actions and his speech, which was a dialogue between him and the citizens. The people don't agree with some of his ideas, but they still see him as a political leader and they continue to follow him. One of the Opposition's advantages is its sincerity, the fact that its political leaders don't sell illusions to the people, but they present them the reality. This is not a fight for popularity, but one for showing people the reality we live in. The only "lie" we could tell to the people is to remain quiet.
How do you see the future?
When the time comes, everything will be all right. And this will be possible when people stop being against someone else and they start to believe in something. The idea of having a goal prepares them to enter the doors of heaven. Not many of my colleagues share this idea and somehow they are right, because the political situation may become rough and ask for radicalism from the people. We have to be prepared for this, because the time of change is not that clear, we may change everything in one day or in one year. We just have to wait for the right time and the right oportunity. I'm not a prophet, of course, to know what will happen, but I definitely know it will happen. This concept comes from Mahatma Gandhi's ideology. We have to convince the people, we have to enlarge our Movement and be patient. And we have to work for this every day. Waiting means working, and the more we work, the closer we get to that day. Each and one of us has to take part in political activities, because, that way, they can understand how the government works, how some views contradict themselves, how walls that divide the society are built, and they can decide for themselves what's right and what idea to follow.
On the other hand, by taking part in political activities, society would help create new leaders. Even though we lost the elections, new leaders were created during the election process, the National Movement created a new class of politicians that are now fighting for social rights. Even if this means starting a revolution. A revolution is not the best option, even a political regime changes traditionally through a revolution. Every revolution implies many victims and it always brings destruction instead of creating things. And the main goal of the National Movement isn't to change the government, but some of the authorities. The goal is to build a civil society.
Changing the government won't bring an entirely positive change. There would be an entire process of creating and implementing a new democratic political scene, based on the respect for constitutional rights and on the change in the way of thinking of the society and the whole governing system. If there is a chance of changing the government after the next elections, it has to be a peaceful one, and if we won't succeed, it will mean it's not the proper time for this change to be made and that we will have to work on the collective mentality, in order for them to understand and actually want such a change. We are not against confrontation, but we are against violence. This is my motto. And this fight has to be legal, because otherwise it would be a criminal action and we would be the same as this criminal government. And a criminal government will lose the fight.
