Emergency Rule in Armenia

Another day, another tinpot post-soviet state, another presidential
election, another state of emergency. This time it's Armenia.

Yawn.

On
the viola list we had a debate about the rights of workers in different
countries (typical viola-related topic, no?) - the connection is that
workers in China making those fine cheap instruments have less freedom
- and I had commented that freedom does not put bread on the table. An
American wrote back:

The theory is that free elections give the electorate the opportunity

to choose leaders who share and understand the problems that exist,

including bread and heating among many others, and who seem qualified

to solve those problems. The theory breaks down, of course, when

those elected are unqualified, incapable, or too corrupt to even

recognize the real problems. We've had plenty of experience of that

here in the U.S.!

Glad he added the last sentence .....

Anyway,
Armenia has had a presidential election, the president's favourite won,
the opposition candidate, a former president says he's under house
arrest, people have been demonstrating and rioting, tear gas has been
used, the police has fired something in the air, some people have been
injured.

The BBC says that 'international observers judged the ...poll ....to be generally democratic.

Of course.