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THREE SOLDIERS DEAD IN FIVE DAYS: PEACETIME ARMY CASUALTIES AGAIN ELICIT STRONG PUBLIC REACTION
By Gohar Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow
14.10.11 | 15:14
The third non-combat death in the past five days was registered in
the Armenian Army on Thursday. The incident took place yesterday,
October 13, at an Ijevan military unit, where, according to official
information, private Aram Melkonyan died as a result of a gunshot
wound in his abdomen when he was cleaning his own automatic weapon.
A day before this incident, on October 12, 19-year-old Yurik Nersisyan
died at a military unit. According to officially released information,
the soldier shot himself with his own weapon. And earlier, on October
9, another 19-year-old, Vladimir Asatryan, according to official
information, committed suicide at a military unit stationed in
Nagorno-Karabakh's Martakert district.
These deaths in the ranks in peacetime as well as the issue of hazing
have once again stirred public debate causing widespread discontent
in society.
It is the fourth year that parents of soldiers who died in non-combat
conditions in the army regularly gather in front of the government
building. During the recent few months they have been joined by civil
activists and human rights defenders who believe that "it is possible
to fight against the problems in the army only by uniting." Yesterday,
October 13, another such picket was held and its participants had
posters in their hands, saying, "Homeland, defend your defenders,"
"Non-declared war against an Armenian soldier," etc.
Today, another picket was organized in front of the residency of
the President of Armenia. The 'Army in Reality' civil group made a
statement regarding the picket, saying:
"Three more soldiers have been self-KILLED in the Armenian Army
during the last five days, and this list expands by the hour. Urgent
measures must be taken to prevent it. The supreme commander-in-chief
must provide guarantees that ALL our sons who are enlisted will return
home alive and healthy."
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
By Gohar Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow
14.10.11 | 15:14
The third non-combat death in the past five days was registered in
the Armenian Army on Thursday. The incident took place yesterday,
October 13, at an Ijevan military unit, where, according to official
information, private Aram Melkonyan died as a result of a gunshot
wound in his abdomen when he was cleaning his own automatic weapon.
A day before this incident, on October 12, 19-year-old Yurik Nersisyan
died at a military unit. According to officially released information,
the soldier shot himself with his own weapon. And earlier, on October
9, another 19-year-old, Vladimir Asatryan, according to official
information, committed suicide at a military unit stationed in
Nagorno-Karabakh's Martakert district.
These deaths in the ranks in peacetime as well as the issue of hazing
have once again stirred public debate causing widespread discontent
in society.
It is the fourth year that parents of soldiers who died in non-combat
conditions in the army regularly gather in front of the government
building. During the recent few months they have been joined by civil
activists and human rights defenders who believe that "it is possible
to fight against the problems in the army only by uniting." Yesterday,
October 13, another such picket was held and its participants had
posters in their hands, saying, "Homeland, defend your defenders,"
"Non-declared war against an Armenian soldier," etc.
Today, another picket was organized in front of the residency of
the President of Armenia. The 'Army in Reality' civil group made a
statement regarding the picket, saying:
"Three more soldiers have been self-KILLED in the Armenian Army
during the last five days, and this list expands by the hour. Urgent
measures must be taken to prevent it. The supreme commander-in-chief
must provide guarantees that ALL our sons who are enlisted will return
home alive and healthy."
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress