At the heart of deceit in Syunik

A long-expected, but highly undesired, reality has come to fruition. A “peace deal” has been signed that degrades the great nation of Armenia to its weakest and most vulnerable position in its very long history. For thousands of years, the world marveled quietly at our glory and resilience. Since 1994, everything has shown to be a shameful and slow dismantling of our own legacy, culture, history and morality. Now, I found myself observing the trucks on the road with Iranian, Armenian and even Turkish plates. Yes, those Turkish trucks continue to proudly drive through our roads with signs boasting about their Turkish products on board. Walking the streets of Goris, the most noticeable characteristic is that the people are incredibly peaceful and humble. Soldiers walked the streets in full uniform, but everyone had a kindness within them that left a lasting impression. Birds were chirping on the quiet morning streets, but the news was unavoidable. The corridor was to be gifted. We approached Tatev as the details started unfolding. We had just visited Noravank Monastery, where we spoke to the priest and they did an ukht (covenant) for our health. In Tatev, it was difficult to process thinking that the world speaks of the rights of Christians when we stand in one of the most coveted Christian sites for persecution. The media narrative continues to falsify the entire situation. We saw hanging photos of Ruben Vardanyan greeting world leaders at the opening, and his foundation's name posted everywhere, taking pride in his contribution to this cherished landscape of Armenia. But I knew well that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had no interest in uttering his name at the summit. I have already been asked what I will do now with the reality that Armenia has volunteered its sovereignty for some conveniences. Shall I leave and let them carve the land up like a Thanksgiving Turkey? Or do I stay and watch Turkish products further flood our markets while our textbooks continue to deteriorate our historical presence throughout the region? As it stands, it has become clear that my presence will have no impact on the state of affairs in this country—if not for the reason that I am not a political actor who has access to the ears of the elite. Every word I publish falls under attack from bot farms designed to smear opposing voices. It seems these smear campaigns have begun to include most of us at this point, even those who took the long road to opposing the leadership’s direction. The power of these smear campaigns cannot be questioned. Many people fall for it. I did not initially move to Armenia seeking an easier lifestyle. I admit, it is getting increasingly difficult to relate to fellow residents who no longer identify with a version of Armenia that charmed me enough to move here in the first place. A defeated generation, it seems many just want to move on with their lives as if they too live in the diaspora. We still have a meaningful community of people who live and breathe the values that made us the proud nation standing on solid ground, especially in Artsakh in the ‘90s. We still have a new generation that sees through the geopolitical games to understand that sitting back and accepting defeat is not an option. And we still have an upcoming election with many still fighting daily against this deterioration of society, no matter the obstacles. Maybe I need to see for myself that, after all this horror, the people make their choice one way or another. I also struggle to turn away while hostages remain in captivity in Baku, who sacrificed their lives for what we believe in. I have lived a great life in the U.S., and in the end, it never satisfied my need for culture, community and values. So, I will live through the dark days, hold close to me the ones who matter most and keep my children by my side, raising them with everything I have to pass on. Side by side with brothers and sisters, we continue to stand firm that Artsakh has the right to self-determination, as we have done since the ‘90s. We continue to remember the factual events of the Armenian Genocide, still denied by the Turks, while honoring our fallen soldiers who defended our rights with their greatest sacrifice. It may not matter to Trump, Putin, Erdogan or Aliyev, but one thing I know is that we certainly know the truth more than the leaders around the world, and truth always has a way of finding the light. While we watch everything collapsing around us, it is best to zoom out and gain a greater perspective. In dark times, men are born who lead us out of the dark. I see them waking up and growing in strength and numbers. Step back just a little bit and you can see how we reflect on these days as the greatest mistakes that allowed us to realize our voices, truth and strength. All photos courtesy of the author

At the heart of deceit in Syunik

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Arsineh Valladian

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This story is FREE for you...

Arsineh Valladian

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