Open Letter to U.S. President Barack Obama
U.S. President Barack Obama
Dear Mr. President,
I would like to express my concern about your congratulatory message to Serzh Sargsyan, the acting President of the Republic of Armenia, on his re-election. Your message came 12 days after the Presidential Election, which was marred with considerable election fraud. What I would like to ask you is: what changed between February 18 and March 2, to convince you that the official election results are reliable?
Your note of congratulation came amid numerous reports on election fraud, including ballot stuffing, voter bribing, voting on behalf of émigrés and deceased individuals, and multiple voting. The public outcry over these falsified official election results has escalated, with massive rallies held throughout Armenia and in other Armenian communities all around the world. Receipt of your congratulatory note also coincided with the day that OSCE/ODIHR revised its initial, generally positive assessment of the election, acknowledging the sensibility of public distrust in the official election results, and indicating facts that amount to election tampering. (For more details on the February 18, 2013 election fraud, please visit http://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/99931, http://raffi4president.am/en/violations and http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/2013%20Election%20Statement-3.pdf)
I have always had respect for your adherence to democratic values and rule of law. However, I believe that your congratulatory message to Serzh Sargsyan on March 2, 2013, was a disappointing departure from your core principles.
Congratulations from such significant world powers as the United States simply legitimize election fraud and are being used by Serzh Sargsyan and the ruling elite to cement the travesty of their re-election as acceptable.
On March 4, 2013, U.S.-born Raffi Hovannisian, the presidential runner-up according to the official election results, filed a petition with the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia, seeking to annul the official results of the February 18 presidential election and certify Raffi Hovannisian as President-elect.
He declared a hunger strike on March 10, 2013, until either the Constitutional Court admits that the official election results were skewed in favor of Serzh Sargsyan or the latter admits to election fraud and steps down. Raffi Hovannisian has also declared he would concede to a runoff to confirm the validity of the outcome.
Lack of response or refusal to withdraw your congratulations will result in my declaration of a hunger strike. I would humbly ask that you respect the vote and the will of the Armenian people and the independence of the Armenian Constitutional Court by retracting your untimely congratulations until the Armenian citizens themselves resolve the current political crisis.
Most respectfully yours,
Ara K. Manoogian
Wow Ara, that was powerful. It was also quite true that a US president, especially, should congratulate the winner of a democratic rule-of-law election and NOT an election full of clear evidence of fraud. DUH! The Truth Must Be Told!!
The Truth Must Be Told!!
Mr.Obama, in God we trust & God want to see Raffi Hovhannisyan as a president of Armenia...
Yes, cool and exact.... though I believe that for the US president, the democracy is the petrol and gain of some people.... I would be happy to be wrong.
Indeed, the Armenian citizens are now struggling to protect their rights in their own country. After all the frauds and bribery and unlawful actions the President of the most Democratic country (at least that is what we believe in) congratulates the President who was not selected by the people of Armenia.
It is time to put aside the political gains and benefits and take into account what the people want. The civil society in Armenia is mature enough to demand new elections!
Ara K. Manoogian's dedicated struggle for Justice & Rehabilitation of Constitutional Order in our Fatherland Armenia and its liberation from the criminal-oligarchic mafia, fills my heart with immense pride, respect & gratitude. No wonder that Ara, who raises his voice against the criminals who organized the "October 27" 1999 Armenian Parliament & March 1 2008 Massacres, forged ALL presidential & parliamentary elections in Armenia since the coup d'etat of February 1998, happens to be the proud grandson of the commander of "Operation Nemesis" Shahan Natali (Hagop Der-Hagopian), commander of Soghomon Tehlirian, Arshavir Shiragian, Aram Yerganian, Missag Torlakian. It is quite symbolic that Ara is the grandson of the Great National Hero, who along with Antranig Pasha, Garegin Nzhdeh, Krikor Merjanov and few others, saved the honor of the Armenian Nation, who inspired the generation of revolutionary youth to rise & struggle arms-in-hands fro the liberation of Western Armenia, in the 70-ies & 80-ies of the past century... Ara proved that not all Western Armenians are degenerated, pathetic and egoistic, not all are ready to be sold-out to the despotic regime in return of a business deal in Armenia, a piece of medal or pathetic bribe. Ara proved that everything is not yet lost.