Monday, September 29, 2008

Wandering Piglets Who Paint...







As has been much discussed of recent, it has now been reported that the jaw bits seen on the video of March 1 are not human, but belonged to a piglet, and the blood is actually paint. A1plus reported that this determination was not based on forensic analysis the jaw, but rather, upon analysis of the video itself.
That's some mighty impressive forensic work there. Mighty impressive. How do they know its not a baby goat, or deer? I didn't think the pictures were that good, but apparently they are.
These are pictures of various different animals. The master forensic scientists in Yerevan should have absolutely no trouble identifying these, I would think.

Here's the video from YouTube that shows the jaw:
look especially between 4:30 and 5:00 minutes

Friday, September 26, 2008

Who's Healing Whom?

I was appalled, but not surprised, to read that Condoleezza Rice, in her recent meeting with SS, considers that "healing reforms" are taking place in the current political situation in Armenia. SS seems on the verge of trading so much that Armenia and Armenians have struggled for, in exchange for being left alone vis a vis the legitimacy of his presidency and the continuing oppressions and violence on behalf of the government.

So, here we have SS:
-he has done what seems to be a 180 in what he believes: in what he is willing to sell, to whom, and what is acceptable in return; once a defender of NK, refusing to negotiate at all, now he is the jubilant auctioneer; once pro-ARF and anti-Turk, now he is taking steps toward working with Turkey and Azerbaijan (so far without(?) the support of the ARF)...
-in fact, staying in power, for whatever reason - be it political ambition, be it financial gain, or whatever else - has become the main priority...
-he has used violence against those whom he is supposed to be defending
[upon reading this before posting, this description, with some variation, is not so inaccurate of a number of the members of the coalition government]

In the 1960's there was a man in the US who had a similar story. Before I go on, I will state up front that I am not saying this is identical or even a great parallel (and I can think of many differences offhand), but it came to mind, so I thought I'd put it out there...
- a man who was the first judge who referred to a specific African American lawyer in the court room with the respectful prefix "Mister," but later was one of the most segregationist Governor's known in the US. He may as well have created the Jim Crow laws himself. And he is quoted as saying he did so because he knew he could win with the support of the KKK, whereas he lost the first time without their support...
- a man who ran for office so many times, gubernatorial and presidential, that when the law prohibited him from running again, he had his wife run for him...
- a man known for giving the order for Bloody Sunday, where approximately 600 peaceful marchers were attacked with tear gas and clubs by state and local police.


That man is George Wallace. The fact that he became a born again Christian and recanted his hatred and racism, apologized openly, and appointed many African Americans during his final term as governor, at least in my eyes, is nice, but diddly-squat in the face of his actions, and the damage he did to the Civil Rights movement, and all Human Rights.

Not so different:
Left: Bloody Sunday, March 7, 1965
Right: First Day of Spring, Armenia, March 1, 2008


Tuesday, September 23, 2008

A letter to Torosyan from SAAG

(See English Below)

Մեծարգո պարոն Թորոսյան,

Քանի որ բոլոր արժանավայել որոշումները պետք է գնահատվեն ըստ արժանվույն, մեր ազգային պարտքն ենք համարում Ձեզ շնորհավորել Հայաստանի Հանրապետական Կուսակցությունից դուրս գալու Ձեր որոշման կապակցությամբ: Թեև քաջ գիտակցում ենք, որ Ձեր գործընկերների կողմից Ազգային Ժողովի նախագահի պաշտոնից չհեռացվելու դեպքում նման նախաձեռնություն երբեք չէիք ցուցաբերի, սակայն Ձեր զավակների ու թոռների աչքում թերևս պահպանած արժանապատվության փշրանքները գեթ փրկելու համար Հանրապետական Կուսակցությունից դուրս գալու Ձեր խիզախ քայլն արժանի է ծափահարության: Այո, պարոն Թորոսյան, "արժանապատվությունն" իհարկե այն բառն է, որ, գործածվելով Ձեր անվան հետ միևնույն նախադասության մեջ, փռթկոց է հարուցում, սակայն Ձեր մտերիմներն ու սիրելիներն արժանի են այլ կերպ մտածել կարողանալու համար առնվազն մի պատրվակ ունենալու:

Մի խնդրանք միայն, պարոն Թորոսյան. Երբ Հովիկ Աբրահամյանն իբրև Ազգային Ժողովի հաջորդ նախագահ ամբիոն բարձրանա, խնդրում ենք հիշեք ինչպես էիք ամեն ամբիոն ելնելիս Դո'ւք դավաճանում Ձեր ժողովրդին ու Ձեր նախնիներին և գիտակցաբար նենգափոխում փաստերը, ապակողմնորոշում ժողովրդին և Ձեր ձայնը տալիս այն օրենսդրությանը, որն ուղղված էր ողջ իշխանությունը կենտրոնացնելու մի քանի հոգու ձեռքում, որոնք այսօր կառավարում են ոչ թե հանուն ժողովրդի, այլ իրենց իսկ շահի:

Պարոն Թորոսյան, կրկին ողջունում ենք Հանրապետական Կուսակցությունից դուրս գալու Ձեր որոշումը, սակայն նաև նշում ենք, որ Դուք այլևս պաշտոնապես մաշված ու դեն նետված գործիք եք ինքնավերարտադրվող այն մեքենայի կողմից, որն այսօր Հայաստանը վերածել է բռնապետության: Մի գործիք, որ, ընդունում ենք՝ մենք նույնպես ուրախ ենք, որ դեն է շպրտված:

Անկեղծորեն՝

ՍԱԱԳ / SAAG (Save Armenia Action Group)

________

Dear Mr. Torosyan,

As all worthy decisions should receive due credit, we consider it our national duty to congratulate you on your decision to resign from the Republican Party of Armenia. Though we are mindful of the fact that such a measure would surely not have been taken had you not been ousted as President of the National Assembly by your colleagues, your courageous action to at least save whatever vestige of decency you may have in the eyes of your children and grandchildren by resigning from the Republican Party deserves applause. Yes, Mr. Torosyan, "decency" is definitely a word we, too, chuckle at when used in the same sentence with your name, but those near and dear to you at least deserve an excuse to believe otherwise.

We ask of one thing, Mr. Torosyan. When Hovik Abrahamian takes to the podium as the next President of the National Assembly, please remember how you betrayed your people and your ancestors every time you took to the podium and knowingly fabricated facts, misled your people, and cast your vote for legislation aimed at consolidating power in the hands of the few who today govern not for our peoples' sake, but their own.

Again, Mr. Torosyan, we welcome your decision to resign from the Republican Party, but we also note that you are now officially a worn out tool tossed aside by the self-perpetuating machine that has today turned Armenia into an authoritarian state. A tool, admittedly, we, too, are glad to see discarded.

Sincerely,

Save Armenia Action Group (SAAG)

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Old Chairs, New Chairs, and Anarchy


In the midst of the news regarding Torosyan's resignation, there have been a few articles written here and there about the Chair of the Court of Cassation.
Hovhannes Manukyan, the former chair, resigned less than a week ago, and its not really clear why. Of course, there have been rumors that his resignation is related to the events of March 1, but the there is very little information. I found one interview on Panaroma, but it doesn't answer the question. Lragir has published a short article hypothesizing that this is one more action by SS in a series of actions which aim to further control different sections of government and law enforcement agencies.
His replacement is Arman Mkrtumyan, on whom there is also scant information. He was involved in the A1plus and other media proceedings of 2003, and seems to have a penchant for getting upset and throwing people out of court.
In his speech introducing the new Chair of the Court, SS made the following comment:
“We must show intolerance towards corruption, irresponsibility, and the disability to criticize your own activity. The atmosphere of anarchism must be annihilated.”


I feel exactly the same way, SS. For once, we agree.

Monday, September 15, 2008

Next Rally is September 26...

(UPDATED BELOW)

There isn't much news yet about the protest yesterday, but here's what I've heard...
There were military personnel at every corner, as well as riot police and military patrol cars (and a few armored military vehicles located at that large intersecton just above Opera where Prospect and Bagramyan meet). One private estimate on the number at the rally was 20-25 thousand. RFE/RL also confirms the strong police presence, as well as the presence of water cannons.

On another note, apparently the issue of Armenia will be brought up at the Fall meeting of PACE, reports RFE/RL. Its not in the most recent draft agenda for the meeting, but the document was approved on Sept 10, and Hammarberg's briefing was on the 11th. We will see. Not that I have much faith remaining in these organizations.

If you do have a little faith left, and want to email the members of the Monitoring Committee of PACE - here is the link to the members of the Committee, most of the names have an email in the link.

Video from e-channel news


Video of LTP's speech 15.9.08
Video of Aram Sargsyan's Speech 15.9.08

Saturday, September 13, 2008

What's really going on???


A1plus reports that Gul stated to Sabah Turkish Newspaper that Armenia has agreed to give up the liberated/occupied territories. I wondered if this was really true: it seems to be. Not only that, but the impression one gets from the news is that Turkey is acting as a mediator-like figure in this issue. And, SS was the one who seems to have brought this up:
Gul said Sarkisian had brought up the Garabagh issue during the talks first, which he did not expect.
"Quite frankly, I was not expecting such a comprehensive and detailed discussion on the Garabagh conflict."

And of course, the US is involved:
"America strongly supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan," US Vice President Dick Cheney said during a meeting with President Ilham Aliyev last Wednesday...
Cheney thanked Azerbaijan for its "brave contributions" in the fight against global terrorism...
Vice-President Cheney and President Aliyev have a long-standing relationship dating back to the times Cheney worked for the multinational company, Halliburton, while Aliyev acted as vice-president of Azerbaijan's state oil company, SOCAR.

And the icing on the cake... Hammarberg is reporting progress in Armenia.

And I found this as well... CumHuriyet reported that...
Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said Turkey's proposal to set up joint research commission on the incidents of 1915 was still on the table. "We are ready to face our history. We have nothing to be ashamed of in our history," Babacan said while commenting on relations between Turkey and Armenia.


Some more articles: Kommersant: Cheney's trip to Baku “failed”, Slowing down of Genocide recognition will be result of Armenian-Turkish talks

Friday, September 12, 2008

News on Ashot Manukyan...

I recently learned that Mr. Manukyan's defense attorney made a motion to disqualify the two prosecutors working on the case, in this most recent chapter of the ongoing trial just several days ago. That motion has been denied by the judge. Mr. Manukyan's case is now pending in the higher felony court that deals with the more serious felonies. The case has been adjourned to Sept. 17 - to hear from the police officer and witnesses.

There have been, and continue to be, appeals to Brian Ardouny and Aram Hamparian (of the two largest American-Armenian organizations) to lend a voice. And yet they continue to do nothing. Their influence should be used to demand the protection and advancement of the lives of Armenians today. Instead, there is silence while people like Ashot Manukyan (who incredibly continue to fight despite no realistic reason to hope) are left to rot in prison.

Why is this? Maybe they care, maybe they don't. If they do, they sure have an odd way of showing it. Look through their websites: ANC, Armenian Assembly of America, do not have the current issues in Armenia, even topics related to the political prisoners, in any significant proportion (if at all) on their pages. Even Asbarez and Hairenik newspapers scantily cover, with very careful wording, the issues in Armenia.

Like I said, if these organizations really do have the well being of Armenia, and the people of Armenia as a priority, this is truly a novel way of showing it.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Small tensions can add up...


There's been a flurry recently of what is happening with the push to get Tigran Torosyan out, and Muk in, and whether or not it really matters at all.

It seems once again there are statements being made about the removal and/or replacement of government members, with a mechanism that seems out of the ordinary. In the past it has been related more so the ARF and their "decisions" to replace, circumventing how those changes are supposed to be made, legally and constitutionally speaking. But this time, it seem Tigran Torosyan's own party is trying to get him out, which is curious to start with.

But, they're not using the first-line method, which is to have a vote in parliament against him. And, since they control the parliament, you would think that voting him out, if so ordained by the party, shouldn't be difficult. But they seem to be trying to get him out, at least for now, by pressuring him. Why is that? Maybe, if they went about it the usual way, by vote, they wouldn't get the votes they need...? Wouldn't that be embarassing....

Maybe this is another small schism in the mortar....
Even large tsunamis start as small tensions that build and explode between tectonic plates which appear stable...

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

The Protest has been moved - SEPTEMBER 15

ՀԱՆՐԱՀԱՎԱՔԸ` ՍԵՊՏԵՄԲԵՐԻ 12-Ի ՓՈԽԱՐԵՆ ԱՄՍԻ 15-ԻՆ
The Protest has been moved to September 15

It seems the authorities may have actually approved a rally... we will know soon enough if they not only approve it, but also stop interfering as well...

Statement regarding wire-tapping by HCAV...

The Helsinki Citizens Assembly of Vanadzor has authored a letter regarding the recent revelations of illegal wire-tapping by the authorities prior to and around the time of the presidential elections in February. The statement is below, or click here. Feel free to send this to De Puig (llmdepuig@senado.es), to the spokesperson for Davis (matjaz.gruden@coe.int) or other members of PACE (members of the appropriate committee at PACE can be found here):


On September 4, 2008, G. Hakobyan, the director of the National Security states in his interview to “Armenpres” that “Candidate for the president Levon Ter-Petrosyan and his supporters made appeals for civil disobedience during the meetings in the whole pre-election campaign period regardless of the final results of elections.”

With such clarifications the National Security director justifies the decision to tap the phone calls of Aexander Arzumanyan, the head of pre-election office of Levon Ter-Petrosyan.

1. For the first time in Armenia, the National Security director publicly informs that he is pursuing political opponents

2. The National Security director considers that civil obedience is an action liable to criminal punishment, which is not an action liable to criminal punishment by the legislation of the Republic of Armenia. Moreover, it is recognized as a civic right by the third paragraph of the preamble of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

In fact, the National Security director surpassed his official rights and used them against citizens, which is an action liable to criminal punishment according to RA legislation (Articles 316, 317 of the Criminal Code).

With this statement

1. I am applying to RA Prosecutor General A. Hovsepyan to open a criminal case against the National Security director G. Hakobyan

2. I am applying to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Terry Davis and the President of the Parliamentary Assembly Luis Maria De Puig to discuss the issue of obvious political pursuits towards political opponents by the National Security director, a head of one of the key structures of authorities, as the Republic of Armenia is a member state of CoE that took commitments.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

More hungers strikes, protests and arrests on Northern Boulevard

09 September 2008
Հարձակում Հյուսիսային պողոտայի վրա
(HIMA) (timeline of events)

ՀԱՐՁԱԿՈՒՄ ՀՅՈՒՍԻՍԱՅԻՆ ՊՈՂՈՏԱՅՈՒՄ (Payqar) (some specifics and interpretation)

Both of the above announcements refer to events which occurred at night, September 9th, on Northern Boulevard. It seems 6 people had started an open-ended hungerstrike on September 9th on Northern Boulevard, demanding the release of the political prisoners.

At around 10pm, a special division of the Police attacked these protesters, and forcibly arrested at least 5 women and 2 men, among whom were a Belgian citizen and his wife. Vladimir Karapetyan, foreign policy spokesman for the Armenian National Congress, was among those taken. At that time, Northern Boulevard remained surrounded, and people were starting to gather around the statue of Arno Babajanyan.

At 11:40 pm, the special forces were still forcibly removing people from the Northern Boulevard area. After that, people started to gather near the District Hall of Kentron.

At 11:55 pm, all of those arrested were release, either from nearby the entrance to the Police station, or from another cross-road.

More about the game...

I came across some pictures from the Armenia-Turkey Game, as well as a very short clip.

From what I understand, the Turkish fans were separated from the Armenian fans in a different section, that was locked - for security it seems.

I hear there were about 300-400 ARFers with the banners during the game. I am also told that the Armenian police officers would come over and take down the banners, but were extremely polite when they did so, and maybe even had small smiles on their faces.

Unfortunately, I only have heard/seen very few reports, with few specifics.
<---Military presence
on the way to the game


ARF crowd








Police

Police


Monday, September 8, 2008

He never was silent...


Lragir has posted an article reporting the appeal to Garegin II regarding the injustices against the political prisoners.
URGED CATHOLICOS TO BREAK SILENCE

I don't think he was ever silent. He said in his actions what he had to say. Not only did he go to the inauguration of SS, but he blessed it (see the transcript). And this was on the 40th day after the March 1 events, the commemoration of the 10 victims. To this day, I have not heard of any significant blessing or mourning he has expressed about the violence and murders of March 1.
[picture is from president.am]

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Is Torosyan leaving?

REPUBLICAN PARTY DECIDED THAT TIGRAN TOROSYAN’S FURTHER TENURE AS SPEAKER IS NOT EXPEDIENT

Don’t get me wrong. I love animals. Even mice. But I’m not sure I want one as the speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia. Especially not this one.

There was a lot of shuffling done by SS/RK back in the beginning of their regime. Is it starting up again? Is this a prelude, maybe a distractor, to more firings and hirings to come, or maybe reinstatements of certain people…?

Tigran Torosyan played an important supportive role in the aftermath of the elections. And now they're trading him in for the newer model? Maybe there are some important changes coming down the line...

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Red Berets vs Children of the Authorities....


Published in Aravot, Sept. 2, 2008 (and broadcast on Radio Liberty) (photo in Aravot):

Around 10:30pm last Saturday a group of 10-15 young men sitting at the open air Atlantic café in the opera square area in a drunken state, began arguing and cussing in a loud voice. A few of the red berets on duty around the opera square area approached a few of them in an attempt to bring them to order. But one of the young men hit one of the red berets with a bottle and another red beret was hit in the face (in photo above.) The police got involved and the young men into custody. According to the information Aravot received, one of the young men was the son of a high-ranking official. The two red berets that were beaten were taken to the hospital to receive emergency aid.


Haykakan Zhamanak (sept. 2, 2008 and quoted by Radio Liberty) adds that the young men were mostly the sons of judges. The young men didn’t appreciate the fact that the police objected to their behavior. The young men were released very soon. Haykakan Zhamanak further comments that it was the same red berets who, a few days ago had so ‘courageously’ attacked the posters of the political prisoners and torn them up.

Monday, September 1, 2008

Important Voices from Armenia- Listen Closely

Հայտարարություն

Գիտելիքի օրվա՝ սեպտեմբերի 1-ի կապակցությամբ Հայ Ազգային Կոնգրեսը շնորհավորում է Հայաստանի բոլոր ուսանողներին։

Նոր ուսումնական տարին սկսվում է վերջին մեկ տարվա համաժողովրդական ժողովրդավարական պայքարի շնորհիվ մեր երկրում որակապես նոր՝ քաղաքացիական հասարակության ձեւավորման պայմաններում, ինչին իր մեծ նպաստն է բերել ուսանողությունը։ Բարձրագույն կրթական հաստատություններում ազատամտության ցանկացած դրսևորում արմատախիլ անելու, վախի ու անտարբերության մթնոլորտ ձևավորելու, «գրպանային» ուսանողական կազմակերպությունների ստեղծմամբ ուսանողական շարժումը կասեցնելու կամ վերահսկելու բոլոր ջանքերը, որ վարչախմբի պատվերը կատարելով գործադրեցին բուհերի ռեկտորները, անցան ապարդյուն։ Համաժողովրդական շարժումն իր հիմնական նվաճումներից մեկն է համարում այդ պայքարում ուսանող երիտասարդության քաղաքացիական հսկայական ներուժի բացահայտումը, նրա ակտիվ մասնակցությունը հասարակության ժողովրդավարացման և քաղաքացիական հասարակության ինստիտուտների կայացմանը։

Այսօր Հայաստանում բարձրագույն կրթական հաստատությունների հասարակական վարկը և հեղինակությունը վերականգնման խիստ կարիքն ունեն։ Ուսանողությունը նշանակալի դերակատարություն կարող է ունենալ բուհերում տիրող իրավիճակի (կրթության որակի անկում, կոռուպցիա, ուսանողների իրավունքների անտեսում, բուհի իրական ինքնավարության բացակայություն եւ այլն) առողջացման, ակադեմիական ազատությունների վերականգնման, բուհերում ընթացող դեկորատիվ բնույթի մակերեսային վերաձևումները իրական բարեփոխումների վերածելու գործում։ Գիտելիքի հասարակություն ձևավորելու խնդիրը պահանջում է երկրի մարդկային և ինտելեկտուալ ներուժի որակական աճ՝ դրանով իսկ առաջ մղելով կրթության ոլորտը հասարակական զարգացման առաջնային գիծ։ Դա իր հերթին հնարավոր է միմիայն սահմանադրական կարգի վերակնգնման, օրինական իշխանության, օրենքի գերակայության պայմաններում, համընդհանուր մի խնդիր, որ լուծումն այսօր մեծապես կախված է նաեւ առաջիկայում ուսանողների ակտիվ քաղաքացիական դիրքորոշումից, ինչին մենք չենք կասկածում։

ՀԱՅ ԱԶԳԱՅԻՆ ԿՈՆԳՐԵՍԻ ԿԵՆՏՐՈՆԱԿԱՆ ԳՐԱՍԵՆՅԱԿ

01.09.08

Clarification...

I recently received an email referring to the peaceful protesters on Northern Boulevard as "mercenaries:"

I was disgusted to see bunch of mercenaries gathering night time in Nortern Ave
(taken verbatim from the email)

Maybe there's a misunderstanding. These are mercenaries...


These, below, are not...


Botanists? Horticulturalists? Maybe...

#66 -The Other Side of the World - Pashinyan

ՆԻԿՈԼ ՓԱՇԻՆՅԱՆ. ԵՐԿՐԻ ՀԱԿԱՌԱԿ ԿՈՂՄԸ
66. սարերից իջան...

Մինչ Նովոսիբիրսկ հասնելը Պավելը ինձնից խոսք վերցրեց, որ ես երկու-երեք օր նվիրելու եմ իրեն, այսինքն, որ այդ օրերը Նովոսիբիրսկում իրար հետ ենք անցկացնելու:

The Other side of the world - N. Pashinyan

66. They came down the Mountains…

Before we reached Novosibirsk Pavel made me promise that I would give him two or three days of my time, meaning that we would spend those days in Novosibirsk together. At first I didn’t make a promise but he reminded me that he had promised to make my dream come true and said that he had to be a man of his word. To tell you the truth, despite the enormous abyss between our worldviews we had gotten to know each other, were comfortable with each other, criticized each other, even screamed at each other.

And the fact that we were honest with each other and didn’t need to be formal made the relationship interesting. I was wondering how the ideals of freedom could be so alien in a country many of whose classical figures had been the most avid defenders of those ideas. Pavel criticized the classical Russian figures and blamed them for all the misfortunes of the Russian empire. They exposed the dirt on all the elite of the Russian empire and Pavel thought that they were the ones who organized the mob, as he put it, and shot Tsar Nikolai. I asked him why tsar Nikolai II had mercilessly shot the citizens on a peaceful march. His answer surprised even me:

“Those demonstrators were German spies, Jewish-Masonic scum,” answered Pavel. For a moment I thought I was listening to Hyelour.”

Those who didn’t submit to the tsar were spies. This is the ideology of the contemporary ruling Russian elite. But this ideology has internal problems and dilemmas. The same elite have not made the right decision as far as Lenin was concerned. Now, did he save or destroy the empire. If he destroyed it why do the Russians remember the Soviet Union with such nostalgia? If he saved it, how can one explain his assassination? They also worship Stalin, but equally secretly. When Solzhenitsyn died, they wanted to show that they were really mourning. But it didn’t really work. And if Solzhenitsyn had not been so well-known and extolled in the West, they would have buried him secretly, without much fuss. They didn’t like Solzhenitsyn because he preached against Stalin with hatred; the same Stalin who humiliated the Jewish-Masons in Russia, who humiliated Europe, humiliated America. As far as the millions of massacred citizens is concerned, well, the citizen is there to be slaughtered because the citizen is the property of the tsar. Why is the citizen essential, anyway? The important things is whether Russia can bring others to their knees or not?”

“Let’s go to any village and ask any ‘moujig,’ if he would agree to live on all fours if, in the end, America and all others will kneel before Russia,” explained Pavel.

“But why not leave the ‘moujik’ alone and not make his dignified life conditional on bringing America on its knees,” I was asked.

“But that can’t be, because America wants to destroy Russia,” explained Pavel and added, “The likes of you destroyed Yugoslavia.”

When we reached Novosibirsk, we spent the night at a hotel. That day, we drank. The next morning after breakfast we left for a Russian ‘glubinga,’ a village not far from the shore of the Op River, on a pathfinder jeep.

The well-paved road ended soon, and we found ourselves on a road which wasn’t clear if it had always been that way.

But I had detached myself from reality. I didn’t notice my companion, I didn’t notice the road; I was enchanted by the open fields—enchanted. You looked ahead, and you saw boundless space. You looked right, it was boundless space; you looked left, it was boundless space; you looked back, and it was boundless. If someone were to disappear by the magician’s rod and then reappear in this place unexpectedly, with a cellphone in his hand, he couldn’t explain to his family, to those who are looking for him, where he is at that moment. He couldn’t describe anything. He couldn’t say that there was such and such mountain, such and such valley. There was nothing; there was only the horizon here. Here, you looked and understood what space meant. Anyone who found himself here unexpectedly would, I think, understand that he was in Russia. But this was little consolation. It was the same as explaining to yourself, to those looking for you, that you were on the earth. I mean, it would be like saying ‘don’t look for me on Jupiter; I’m here, on Earth.’

But c’mon, the wheat fields can’t be boundless. I asked Pavel to stop. I got off the car and looked at the wheat fields. My mind was saying this couldn’t be boundless. I realized that this had to have an end. But I felt that this field, this wheat field, could be as large as Armenia. But you can’t get lost in Armenia; there are houses in Armenia where the people living in them are lost.

But this is just a wheat field. This is not an ocean; it’s land. But wherever you looked, you saw the horizon. There is no horizon in Armenia. There are no open fields in Armenia. You can’t cast your glance as far as possible in Armenia. In Armenia, you think you’re seeing a lot because wherever you look, you see something. In Armenia, there’s only one direction where you can see infinity—at the sky above. But that unlimited space doesn’t seem real to you because you can’t move toward that unlimited space; you can’t find out where that unlimited space ends up. The feeling of unlimited space becomes real when you know approximately where it ends.

I remembered Agdam. My children were running around among the ruined houses; my wife and I stood on a hill and looked to the East. This was a strange feeling. We were standing on land where the Armenian soldier reigns and the land is flat, really flat and from there you can see boundless space. We looked to the East, and it seemed to me that my glance met the Pamir Mountains. And I am ashamed that I had not taken part in that war.

My wife and I were thinking the same thing but didn’t dare say it out loud. Finally, being more daring, she said:

“How can these lands be returned to Azerbaijan?”

In our newspaper we criticize the hard-liners, but on Saturday and Sunday we, too, say, not a single inch to the enemy. What is this, hypocrisy? Actually it’s a battle between mind and heart.

The heart wishes, wishes to own the flat lands; it wishes to see the Pamir mountains crumble before its gaze. But the brain says you can’t endanger the whole for a part and one should at least proclaim, and loudly, that we don’t need those fields, that we’re ready to return those lands for the sake of peace.

We were returning; the fields were over; Armenia was beginning.

At seven o’clock every morning the red bus would leave the market at Ichevan toward Khazakh. On Sundays my father and I would go to Khazakh to fish in the reservoir. That’s where Soviet Armenia ended and Soviet Azerbaijan began. I still don’t understand how you can bend nature to boundaries drawn by men. How can there be a different nature on one side of the boundary, and another one on the other side. Boundaries are set by men; but nature doesn’t recognize any boundaries. Then you begin to understand from the conversations of the villagers that it’s not that nature has been bent to the boundaries, but it is us who have bent before nature: ‘whoever has extended his feet, we’ve pushed its mountains,’ say the elderly villagers. And they do with without qualms, easily, as if that’s how it should have been. In fact, this Armenia is not a fatherland but a place to hide, to be sheltered. That’s why here people live with secrecy, they are sheltered, and speak differently in their homes.

And what about Agdam? How did Agdam happen? The answer to this question seems very simple and clear. In Armenia people came out of their houses. For a moment, for a few years people stopped hiding; and then they had the space where their gaze met infinity.

On the morning of March 1 I was running away from Freedom Square. Freedom Square seemed like Agdam to me. The flatlands ended on Bagramyan Street, giving way to the ascent toward the mountain. And then someone tried to scare us, and we started running toward the mountain. This is not an Armenian-Turkish issue—not at all. This is about rights; it is about illegitimacy, about ceding to brute impudence, about standing firm, about the ability to sand firm, about sacrifice and the willingness to sacrifice.

On March 1 we came back and we stood firm. We stood as long as it was necessary to show that we can stand firm. On March 1 the Armenian people didn’t run away; on March 1, the Armenian people had something to prove. They proved it and then went home. They could have proven more, but facing them was a stranger, though not the enemy; a brother, though foreign. On March 1, it wasn’t the person before you who was the stranger, but the thought that was propelling him to kill you.

The enemy of March 1 was invisible. That enemy was within us, and we overcame that enemy.

****

I now read about it and am surprised. I read that we were controlled by America; I read that we were controlled by Europe; I read that we were controlled by the Jewish-Masonic powers, by Soros. I read it and I smash the glass in my hand against the wall:

“S***** your America, s******* your Europe, in general and by country; s*** Russia; s*** your Jewish-Masons, and Soros, too. Who is the lucky one who can to control us?”