Crowds march to Myasnikyan Square to lay flowers in memory of March 1, 2008 victims The HAK rally kicked off today at 5 pm in the vicinity of the Matenadaran in downtown Yerevan First to address the crowd, numbering in the tens of thousands, was Aram Manukyan, member of the HHZh Board (Pan-Armenian Movement). He called for one minute of silence in remembrance of those who were killed on March 1, 2008. Mr. Manukyan said that two years ago the Armenian authorities stole power from the people just like a sly fox steals a chicken from the coop. He said that the regime was responsible for the death of at least ten people because on that day, two years ago, the number of those dying from heart attacks and accidents surprisingly shot up. Mr. Manukyan asserted that the truth will be made known sooner rather than later. Then, Alla Khachatryan, the mother of one of those killed on March 1, 2008, addressed the crowd. She had said that two years ago "our sons walked out to defend their rights in a free Armenia", but that the authorities turned that first day of spring into a "black day" that destroyed our families and took away our children. "They fired on the unarmed crowd at point blank range, in order to have an excuse to declare a state of emergency and hold on to power," said Mrs. Khachatryan. A statement from maestro Ohan Dourian, in support of the people’s protest, was also read. HAK then told the crowd that the authorities had once again closed off traffic to Yerevan from surrounding communities to prevent people from attending the rally. Aram Manukyan told the crowd that HAK was launching a competition for the construction of a monument to commemorate the victims of March 1, 2008. Next to address the rally was Vardan Khachatryan, former Yerevan mayor and member of the HAK economic committee. He said that the authorities were pursuing one goal – to enslave the people and that they were fixed on the notion of punishing the people who didn’t vote for them and who are struggling for their rights as citizens. Former Prime Minister Hrant Bagratyan, before addressing the hike in gas prices scheduled to take place on April 1, commented on the inaction of the RoA foreign diplomatic staff in countering Azerbaijani propaganda regarding events in Khojaly. Mr. Bagratyan chided Armenian ambassadors as individuals "Not capable of anything but sitting around a ‘khash’ table." He also criticized the regime and urged them to spend a few dollars in producing films to show the reality of Khojaly rather than sending hundreds of police to the HAK rally. Before Levon Ter-Petrosyan took the speaker’s podium, Aram Sargsyan, brother of former Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsyan killed in the assault of the parliament in October 1999, addressed the crowd of thousands. Mr. Sargsyan said that the only result of the foreign policy, namely negotiations with Turkey, conducted by the current regime was that it has allowed Serzh Sargsyan to hold on to power for the past two years. He argued that the entire process has allowed Turkish President Abdullah Gul to break free from the worst pages of his people’s history and that it’s allowed Serzh Sargsyan to do the same regarding his pitiful present actions. Mr. Sargsyan stated that "he has lit his candle in the fight against the darkness" and that he was ready to join with anyone sincere in that struggle. He said that the regime, on the other hand, rather than relying on the people of Armenia, is placing its hopes on the international community.