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WITH OUR SOLDIERS
Haytoug Magazine
Feb 20 2013
By: David Arakelyan
The history of our people is a tale of survival and victory against
great odds and powerful enemies. From Vartanank to Sardarabad, the
Armenian people have shown that our determination to live on the land
of our ancestors cannot be shaken even by the mightiest of the foes.
Over the course of the centuries, we have had to prove that
determination to those who aimed to destroy our culture and our
country. Most recently, an existential struggle was waged for the
liberation of Artsakh, which was able to defend itself through the
tremendous sacrifice of its people and the uncompromising stand
of Armenians worldwide against the genocidal policy of the Azeri
government.
This year, we are marking the 20th anniversary of the Liberation of
Shushi, perhaps the most important victory of the war, which ultimately
enabled the independence of Artsakh and ensured the survival of its
people. Shushi was the new Vartanank, the new Sardarabad for the
generation of our parents and it stands as one of the most glorious
pages of the Artsakh Liberation struggle. Every year in May, the
celebratory parades in Yerevan and Stepanakert mark this important
victory and send a clear message to our enemies that our military -
the only guarantee of our existence - is capable of defending our
country and our people.
What remains in the backdrop of the military fanfare and the loud
speeches of government officials are the stories of those who fought
and bled for the liberation of Artsakh. With all the pride that the
Armenian political establishment takes in the victory in this war,
these same politicians have failed to take proper care of those
who risked their lives and sacrificed their health to give us a free
Artsakh. Obviously, this is not the only area where the efforts of our
government have not been sufficient to address the existing problems.
But from the many stories of neglect and betrayal by the state, the
story of our freedom fighters is the most embarrassing and painful one.
This state of affairs is especially dangerous given the ongoing
ceasefire violations by Azerbaijan and the constant threat of renewed
hostilities. The recent events on the border prove that we must have
a strong military with high morale in order to ensure the security
of Armenia and Artsakh. That, in turn, requires having a society
where those who protect our country have the respect they deserve
and receive the treatments they need for wartime wounds and injuries.
Without that, our ability to respond to another possible aggression
from Azerbaijan significantly weakens, exposing our country to new
threats and new dangers. And we know all too well that a failure to
properly defend our borders will have detrimental consequences for
our people and our statehood.
Under these circumstances, the Armenian youth has an important role to
play in filling the void left by the government. We are the generation
that enjoys an independent Armenia and a free Artsakh, which would not
have been possible without the sacrifice of our freedom fighters. It
is our turn to rise to the occasion and honor these heroes, tell their
stories, learn from their deeds and help them in their time of need.
We should not forget that these guys were not much older than we
are (and many were even younger) when they left their homes and
took up arms to protect our country. They have had to live with the
consequences of that decision ever since, having been deprived of many
things that the rest of us take for granted. Showing appreciation and
support is the least we can do for those who have sacrificed so much
for us.
That is the main reason why the Armenian Youth Federation has
proclaimed 2012 as the Year of the Armenian Freedom Fighter. During
the course of the year, we have organized a number of events to
educate the public about the problems faced by the azadamardiks and
to raise funds to assist them in solving their health issues. What
we have accomplished so far, though significant, is not sufficient
to make the impact we want to make on the lives of freedom fighters
in Armenia and Artsakh. This is an issue that should concern not just
the AYF, but all Armenians, in the homeland and in the Diaspora alike,
and I encourage everyone who is reading these words to join the effort
and become a part of the solution to those problems.
The fact that those problems exist and they are deep and serious
became very obvious to me when I visited Armenia earlier this year.
This short trip - the first one I took since leaving Armenia 20 years
ago - left a lasting impact on me and reinforced the urgency and
the importance of this campaign. The people I met - the individuals
who helped our nation in the time of need - are now in need of help
themselves, some confined to a wheelchair, others unable to see
due to severe eye injuries and many others incapable of finding work
because of various health impairments. As most of Armenia's population,
these men (and women) live in homes built during the Soviet era which
have not seen any repairs since the country became independent. Many
have no jobs and the ongoing economic problems are compounded by the
physical pain from injuries and the unbearable red tape that makes
getting medical help through government programs nearly impossible.
I vividly remember the trip to Hrazdan (in the Kotayk province)
to visit Armen Begyan, a young man in his late 30's who was just
19 years old when he joined the newly formed Armenian Armed Forces
and went to the front lines. Having fought in Karvajar and Mardakert,
Armen was wounded and spent a long time in snow and cold prior to being
rescued by his fellow soldiers. As a result, he lost mobility in both
of his legs and is now confined to a wheelchair. I found him and the
remaining three members of his family in the living room of his small
apartment. The family cannot afford to heat the entire home, so they
eat, sleep and live in that one room. Armen needs expensive treatments
and post-surgery rehabilitation, but obviously cannot afford any of
that: his monthly pension is barely enough to cover the cost of food.
Even in his situation, the proud soldier is not asking for charity. I
was surprised to hear that he actually wants to get a special car,
which he can use to work and take care of both his family and
his medical needs. It is a shame that he has not been given this
opportunity by his own country, but we have taken on his cause and want
to help this azadamardik become an independent member of the society,
something which is very challenging in Armenia for people with mobility
issues and something that Armen wants more than anything else.
In the city of Charentsavan, I met Hamlet Vartanian. He is known
by everyone in the small town because of the deformation of the eye
(a scary picture) that was caused by the war-time wounds. In 1993,
he was actually treated for leg injury and got a blood infection as a
result of the unscrupulous 'care,' which caused a damage in his nerve
and resulted in the shift of the pupil of his eye. The condition is not
only uncomfortable since Hamlet lives in constant pain and under the
close scrutiny of the local kids, but also dangerous for his overall
health. He has waited for 15 years to start living a normal life, to
have a family and build a better future for him and his mother. That
will not be possible unless we all show our support to this azadmardik.
I had a particularly inspiring encounter with a man named Mikayel
Apresian, who was a commander of the 'Artsakh' military unit during
the war. When I walked into his small one-bedroom apartment in the
suburb of Yerevan, a gray-haired man in his 70's (or so it seemed;
in fact, he was only 57) slowly approached me, breathing heavily and
with great difficulty. Mikayel had a distinguished military career, and
in both his actions and his speech, one could see the once charismatic
commander who led his men towards many victories. I spent a long time
talking to him about the war, his comrades, and his life since he
retired. Mikayel did not want to talk about his condition, which, as
I found out, was already hopeless: he had been diagnosed with cancer.
With a weak voice interrupted with severe coughs, he told me some of
the most memorable stories I heard during my trip. Towards the end of
our conversation, his friend asked for help in paying for MIkayel's
chemotherapy. Unfortunately, the cancer had spread too far and wide
by then, and it was too late to stop its destructive work. Mikayel
Apresian passed away shortly after my return to the US.
Mikayel's death is a testament to the urgency of the situation. Our
freedom fighters have endured enough in the battlefield and they
deserve a better treatment from all of us. Most of them, unwilling to
discuss their medical needs, were more concerned (or as it seemed to
me, disappointed) by the simple lack of attention from the authorities
and the public at large. They neither complain about their conditions
nor demand too much from people around them. More often than not,
we use this modesty as an excuse to ignore their needs until one
day it is too late to do anything. As an Armenian, I am ashamed that
we have to deal with these problems a generation after the war, but
I also know that if we do not do something about this issue today,
tomorrow might be too late.
The last thing I wanted to share about my trip is the deep feeling
of respect and admiration that I developed towards these individuals
during the course of my visit. At the end of our interviews, I asked
each of them whether they would choose to do the same thing if they
had a chance to go back in time. The answer that I invariably received
was a unanimous and an unwavering 'Yes.' Despite the years of neglect,
pain, suffering, and deprivation these people are still the soldiers
that our nation can count on in the time of need. They are not just
a part of the story of our glorious past; they can and will be the
writers of the story of our future.
It is up to all of us, me and you, to help them write that story. We
owe it to them and to ourselves to give these people the chance
to have normal lives as a way of expressing our deep gratitude for
their service to our nation and the gift that they have given to our
generation - the gift of a free and independent Artsakh. That gift
must be cherished and preserved so that we can add new victories
to the liberation of Artsakh and make our shared dream of a free,
independent and united Armenia a reality in our lifetime.
http://www.haytoug.org/3862/with-our-soldiers-2
Haytoug Magazine
Feb 20 2013
By: David Arakelyan
The history of our people is a tale of survival and victory against
great odds and powerful enemies. From Vartanank to Sardarabad, the
Armenian people have shown that our determination to live on the land
of our ancestors cannot be shaken even by the mightiest of the foes.
Over the course of the centuries, we have had to prove that
determination to those who aimed to destroy our culture and our
country. Most recently, an existential struggle was waged for the
liberation of Artsakh, which was able to defend itself through the
tremendous sacrifice of its people and the uncompromising stand
of Armenians worldwide against the genocidal policy of the Azeri
government.
This year, we are marking the 20th anniversary of the Liberation of
Shushi, perhaps the most important victory of the war, which ultimately
enabled the independence of Artsakh and ensured the survival of its
people. Shushi was the new Vartanank, the new Sardarabad for the
generation of our parents and it stands as one of the most glorious
pages of the Artsakh Liberation struggle. Every year in May, the
celebratory parades in Yerevan and Stepanakert mark this important
victory and send a clear message to our enemies that our military -
the only guarantee of our existence - is capable of defending our
country and our people.
What remains in the backdrop of the military fanfare and the loud
speeches of government officials are the stories of those who fought
and bled for the liberation of Artsakh. With all the pride that the
Armenian political establishment takes in the victory in this war,
these same politicians have failed to take proper care of those
who risked their lives and sacrificed their health to give us a free
Artsakh. Obviously, this is not the only area where the efforts of our
government have not been sufficient to address the existing problems.
But from the many stories of neglect and betrayal by the state, the
story of our freedom fighters is the most embarrassing and painful one.
This state of affairs is especially dangerous given the ongoing
ceasefire violations by Azerbaijan and the constant threat of renewed
hostilities. The recent events on the border prove that we must have
a strong military with high morale in order to ensure the security
of Armenia and Artsakh. That, in turn, requires having a society
where those who protect our country have the respect they deserve
and receive the treatments they need for wartime wounds and injuries.
Without that, our ability to respond to another possible aggression
from Azerbaijan significantly weakens, exposing our country to new
threats and new dangers. And we know all too well that a failure to
properly defend our borders will have detrimental consequences for
our people and our statehood.
Under these circumstances, the Armenian youth has an important role to
play in filling the void left by the government. We are the generation
that enjoys an independent Armenia and a free Artsakh, which would not
have been possible without the sacrifice of our freedom fighters. It
is our turn to rise to the occasion and honor these heroes, tell their
stories, learn from their deeds and help them in their time of need.
We should not forget that these guys were not much older than we
are (and many were even younger) when they left their homes and
took up arms to protect our country. They have had to live with the
consequences of that decision ever since, having been deprived of many
things that the rest of us take for granted. Showing appreciation and
support is the least we can do for those who have sacrificed so much
for us.
That is the main reason why the Armenian Youth Federation has
proclaimed 2012 as the Year of the Armenian Freedom Fighter. During
the course of the year, we have organized a number of events to
educate the public about the problems faced by the azadamardiks and
to raise funds to assist them in solving their health issues. What
we have accomplished so far, though significant, is not sufficient
to make the impact we want to make on the lives of freedom fighters
in Armenia and Artsakh. This is an issue that should concern not just
the AYF, but all Armenians, in the homeland and in the Diaspora alike,
and I encourage everyone who is reading these words to join the effort
and become a part of the solution to those problems.
The fact that those problems exist and they are deep and serious
became very obvious to me when I visited Armenia earlier this year.
This short trip - the first one I took since leaving Armenia 20 years
ago - left a lasting impact on me and reinforced the urgency and
the importance of this campaign. The people I met - the individuals
who helped our nation in the time of need - are now in need of help
themselves, some confined to a wheelchair, others unable to see
due to severe eye injuries and many others incapable of finding work
because of various health impairments. As most of Armenia's population,
these men (and women) live in homes built during the Soviet era which
have not seen any repairs since the country became independent. Many
have no jobs and the ongoing economic problems are compounded by the
physical pain from injuries and the unbearable red tape that makes
getting medical help through government programs nearly impossible.
I vividly remember the trip to Hrazdan (in the Kotayk province)
to visit Armen Begyan, a young man in his late 30's who was just
19 years old when he joined the newly formed Armenian Armed Forces
and went to the front lines. Having fought in Karvajar and Mardakert,
Armen was wounded and spent a long time in snow and cold prior to being
rescued by his fellow soldiers. As a result, he lost mobility in both
of his legs and is now confined to a wheelchair. I found him and the
remaining three members of his family in the living room of his small
apartment. The family cannot afford to heat the entire home, so they
eat, sleep and live in that one room. Armen needs expensive treatments
and post-surgery rehabilitation, but obviously cannot afford any of
that: his monthly pension is barely enough to cover the cost of food.
Even in his situation, the proud soldier is not asking for charity. I
was surprised to hear that he actually wants to get a special car,
which he can use to work and take care of both his family and
his medical needs. It is a shame that he has not been given this
opportunity by his own country, but we have taken on his cause and want
to help this azadamardik become an independent member of the society,
something which is very challenging in Armenia for people with mobility
issues and something that Armen wants more than anything else.
In the city of Charentsavan, I met Hamlet Vartanian. He is known
by everyone in the small town because of the deformation of the eye
(a scary picture) that was caused by the war-time wounds. In 1993,
he was actually treated for leg injury and got a blood infection as a
result of the unscrupulous 'care,' which caused a damage in his nerve
and resulted in the shift of the pupil of his eye. The condition is not
only uncomfortable since Hamlet lives in constant pain and under the
close scrutiny of the local kids, but also dangerous for his overall
health. He has waited for 15 years to start living a normal life, to
have a family and build a better future for him and his mother. That
will not be possible unless we all show our support to this azadmardik.
I had a particularly inspiring encounter with a man named Mikayel
Apresian, who was a commander of the 'Artsakh' military unit during
the war. When I walked into his small one-bedroom apartment in the
suburb of Yerevan, a gray-haired man in his 70's (or so it seemed;
in fact, he was only 57) slowly approached me, breathing heavily and
with great difficulty. Mikayel had a distinguished military career, and
in both his actions and his speech, one could see the once charismatic
commander who led his men towards many victories. I spent a long time
talking to him about the war, his comrades, and his life since he
retired. Mikayel did not want to talk about his condition, which, as
I found out, was already hopeless: he had been diagnosed with cancer.
With a weak voice interrupted with severe coughs, he told me some of
the most memorable stories I heard during my trip. Towards the end of
our conversation, his friend asked for help in paying for MIkayel's
chemotherapy. Unfortunately, the cancer had spread too far and wide
by then, and it was too late to stop its destructive work. Mikayel
Apresian passed away shortly after my return to the US.
Mikayel's death is a testament to the urgency of the situation. Our
freedom fighters have endured enough in the battlefield and they
deserve a better treatment from all of us. Most of them, unwilling to
discuss their medical needs, were more concerned (or as it seemed to
me, disappointed) by the simple lack of attention from the authorities
and the public at large. They neither complain about their conditions
nor demand too much from people around them. More often than not,
we use this modesty as an excuse to ignore their needs until one
day it is too late to do anything. As an Armenian, I am ashamed that
we have to deal with these problems a generation after the war, but
I also know that if we do not do something about this issue today,
tomorrow might be too late.
The last thing I wanted to share about my trip is the deep feeling
of respect and admiration that I developed towards these individuals
during the course of my visit. At the end of our interviews, I asked
each of them whether they would choose to do the same thing if they
had a chance to go back in time. The answer that I invariably received
was a unanimous and an unwavering 'Yes.' Despite the years of neglect,
pain, suffering, and deprivation these people are still the soldiers
that our nation can count on in the time of need. They are not just
a part of the story of our glorious past; they can and will be the
writers of the story of our future.
It is up to all of us, me and you, to help them write that story. We
owe it to them and to ourselves to give these people the chance
to have normal lives as a way of expressing our deep gratitude for
their service to our nation and the gift that they have given to our
generation - the gift of a free and independent Artsakh. That gift
must be cherished and preserved so that we can add new victories
to the liberation of Artsakh and make our shared dream of a free,
independent and united Armenia a reality in our lifetime.
http://www.haytoug.org/3862/with-our-soldiers-2