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BRITISH PHOTOGRAPHER: ARMENIAN SOLDIERS ARE BEING FORCIBLY HELD TO RANSOM IN AZERBAIJAN
Panorama, Armenia
Oct 14 2011
"Over the last 17 years more than 150,000 people of
the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic have slowly re-built
the infrastructure of their major cities, and returned
to some semblance of normality in their daily lives,"
says the UK freelance photographer Russell Pollard in his
blog publication "The Missing Soldiers of Nagorno-Karabakh war" at
http://russellpollard.wordpress.com/2011/10/13/the-missing-soldiers-of-the-nagorno-karabakh-war/
.
The Grigoryan family of Stepanakert, says Pollard, just like many
fellow citizens, suffered the constant bombing and sniping from the
Azeri troops. All around them was being destroyed: buildings, lives;
neighbours were receiving sad news from the military of the loss of
their relatives; bodies of killed men were being re-patriated home
and funerals were taking place.
In 1994 the son of the Grigoryan family - Felix, a 23-year-old young
man, was an accomplished musician with great prospects. His parents
were looking forward to their old age, knowing that their son would be
there to look after them. Felix was part of a 7 man unit carrying out
an operation near Fizuli when, one day, he disappeared without trace.
"The investigation was not able to confirm whether he had been
killed, or captured; there was no evidence, only the fact that he
never returned home," notes the British photographer.
Whilst their neighbours have re-built their lives, the life
of Grigoryan family remains, forever empty, but hopeful. They are
grasping at any opportunity that would return their son back home. "On
one occasion they received a mysterious call from a man who announced
that he would visit them shortly, and that he would be known to them -
cruelly the whole episode turned out to be a mistake", writes Russell
Pollard. Family's dreams are regularly punctuated by scenarios where
their son, but only the monochrome picture of their handsome son,
is always present for his proud parents to remember his, and their,
sacrifice. Only there isn't a place to visit, or to lay flowers.
The photographer Pollard says, the story of the Grigoryan family in
Artsakh is only one of over 700 similar stories, and it is quite
likely that a proportion of these men will be dead, however more
sinister possibilities are a reality. "Evidence exists ( I have seen
the original of one letter) that people are being held in Azerbaijan,
against their will, and that ransoms are being requested for their
release," writes the author, noting that there are also views that the
Armenians, captured in Azerbaijan, have had to integrate within Azeri
life in order to save themselves, and, now feel too ashamed to return.
And the lack of correct identity papers makes it impossible to obtain
a passport, or finance, thus neutralising the key ingredients for a
return to Armenia.
The trafficking and exchanging of soldiers during and after the war,
was a reality. The good work of Albert Voskanyan who the British
photographer met in Stepanakert secured the release of 500 men and
150 bodies. "Whilst the Grigoryan's continue to wait, hope and pray
for their son's return, another 700 families are suffering the same
torment and the "needle" of quality information in the "haystack"
of confusion gets more difficult to find as each year passes," writes
Russell Pollard at the end.
The ceasefire declared in the Nagorno-Karabagh war in 1994 provided
a much needed respite to the bloodshed that lasted in the region for
6 years. The politicians have continued to talk since then to bring
this conflict to a final resolution, however, a final peace agreement
is not substantially closer, says Pollard.
Panorama, Armenia
Oct 14 2011
"Over the last 17 years more than 150,000 people of
the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic have slowly re-built
the infrastructure of their major cities, and returned
to some semblance of normality in their daily lives,"
says the UK freelance photographer Russell Pollard in his
blog publication "The Missing Soldiers of Nagorno-Karabakh war" at
http://russellpollard.wordpress.com/2011/10/13/the-missing-soldiers-of-the-nagorno-karabakh-war/
.
The Grigoryan family of Stepanakert, says Pollard, just like many
fellow citizens, suffered the constant bombing and sniping from the
Azeri troops. All around them was being destroyed: buildings, lives;
neighbours were receiving sad news from the military of the loss of
their relatives; bodies of killed men were being re-patriated home
and funerals were taking place.
In 1994 the son of the Grigoryan family - Felix, a 23-year-old young
man, was an accomplished musician with great prospects. His parents
were looking forward to their old age, knowing that their son would be
there to look after them. Felix was part of a 7 man unit carrying out
an operation near Fizuli when, one day, he disappeared without trace.
"The investigation was not able to confirm whether he had been
killed, or captured; there was no evidence, only the fact that he
never returned home," notes the British photographer.
Whilst their neighbours have re-built their lives, the life
of Grigoryan family remains, forever empty, but hopeful. They are
grasping at any opportunity that would return their son back home. "On
one occasion they received a mysterious call from a man who announced
that he would visit them shortly, and that he would be known to them -
cruelly the whole episode turned out to be a mistake", writes Russell
Pollard. Family's dreams are regularly punctuated by scenarios where
their son, but only the monochrome picture of their handsome son,
is always present for his proud parents to remember his, and their,
sacrifice. Only there isn't a place to visit, or to lay flowers.
The photographer Pollard says, the story of the Grigoryan family in
Artsakh is only one of over 700 similar stories, and it is quite
likely that a proportion of these men will be dead, however more
sinister possibilities are a reality. "Evidence exists ( I have seen
the original of one letter) that people are being held in Azerbaijan,
against their will, and that ransoms are being requested for their
release," writes the author, noting that there are also views that the
Armenians, captured in Azerbaijan, have had to integrate within Azeri
life in order to save themselves, and, now feel too ashamed to return.
And the lack of correct identity papers makes it impossible to obtain
a passport, or finance, thus neutralising the key ingredients for a
return to Armenia.
The trafficking and exchanging of soldiers during and after the war,
was a reality. The good work of Albert Voskanyan who the British
photographer met in Stepanakert secured the release of 500 men and
150 bodies. "Whilst the Grigoryan's continue to wait, hope and pray
for their son's return, another 700 families are suffering the same
torment and the "needle" of quality information in the "haystack"
of confusion gets more difficult to find as each year passes," writes
Russell Pollard at the end.
The ceasefire declared in the Nagorno-Karabagh war in 1994 provided
a much needed respite to the bloodshed that lasted in the region for
6 years. The politicians have continued to talk since then to bring
this conflict to a final resolution, however, a final peace agreement
is not substantially closer, says Pollard.