Author: Jane Topchian

Free chair

MAY 25, 2018

May:
On the 20th, a serviceman of the Artsakh Defense Army was killed under unknown circumstances.
1999 Grigoryan of Norayr Hamlet was born. Death came at about the hour
on the 11th, and its official announcement was made only 12 hours later, at
at 22:54. And again, for the umpteenth time, with the same wording. “It’s not clear yet
received a fatal gunshot wound under the circumstances…”.

It is very interesting that the crime is not revealed 12 hours after the murder, and the official version is presented with such a delay. After all, a soldier in a military unit is not a lonely wanderer in a barren desert. He is always surrounded by people. In the military units of Artsakh, such murders occur at least once a month. We have repeatedly raised the issues of committing suicide in the army, seeing bloody reprisals with the use of firearms, settling accounts, non-statutory relations and “dedovshchina”. Former Minister of Defense of Armenia Vigen Sargsyan did not do what was required of him. Instead, he introduced a loud voice the “nation-army” combination, which is supposed to put all the responsibility on the people, calling on them to protect the soldiers and be patriotic. In fact, patriotism is in the blood of the Armenian people, which was proven in the first Artsakh war, when the whole nation (even without the army) defended its land from the conquerors, as well as in the April 2016 four-day war, when again all Armenians of Armenia and Diaspora voluntarily stood in the defense of the homeland. And with the 1,000 drams collected from the people every month by Vigen Sargsyan, it was possible long ago to provide the soldiers with underwear (it is inconvenient to even talk about this), first with necessary accessories and uniform. Why hadn’t this been done? In the end, Vigen Sargsyan had enough budgetary means for this, he had power and a considerable period of leadership – about one and a half years. How did the new government led by Nikol Pashinyan manage to solve the mentioned problems in just one day? Vigen Sargsyan’s activities or, more precisely, his inactivity, cannot be called anything other than sneaky. After all, one of the most pressing questions of the life of our army was solved literally in one day. How was it possible to free the parents of servicemen from additional financial burden by urging them not to buy? military uniform, army shoes, underwear, toothpaste, etc. Isn’t there always money for those needs in the army? Only it is not known where that money flowed. Why were the soldiers fed with absolutely poor quality food, the consequences of which could appear years after demobilization?

Our
the army is sick and needs to be treated. This issue is long overdue. It is necessary
hold public hearings on issues of army building, outlining in the army
clear ways to eliminate non-statutory relations and corruption. If:
if our shadow economy is reduced by at least 50 percent, we will be able to significantly
increase the salaries of junior, middle and senior army officers at the same time
increasing their responsibility for staff morale.
The same applies to the police and security services.

Much has been said about the need to take an example from the Israel Defense Forces. Israel is a small country like Armenia in terms of territory, and it is surrounded by unfriendly countries. There was never a “dedovshchina” in the army there. In case of even the slightest sign of non-statutory relations, the officers of the given military unit are punished, and the military unit may be disbanded. In the early 90s of the last century, when Israel had a large influx of immigrants from the USSR, an attempt was made to bring “Dedovshchina” into the army. After the incident was revealed, all the culprits were sent to prison. Just like that. They are well aware there, but not in the armed forces statutory relations lead to the immediate collapse of the army.

Now
The “velvet” revolution in Armenia managed to form a new government.
led by Nikol Pashinyan. He was able to attract young
promising professionals who are not constrained by any corruption schemes and
with obligations. There is confidence that the army will be in order in the shortest possible time
will be brought. But one cannot be silent about a serious problem. In RA, judicial and
with the separation of executive power, democratic, non-corrupt management
the system is in no way consistent with the system of administration of Artsakh, where it has remained
legacy of the past. If we want real changes, we can’t
ignore Artsakh, otherwise it will turn out like “Swan, wolf fish and crab”
in a famous parable. And first of all, it is necessary to change the Minister of Defense of Artsakh.
as the direct commander of the Defense Army. However, it is perhaps possible
not without radical changes in the government system of the unrecognized country.

P.S.
When the article was already ready, on April 23 another message was spread
about an unfortunate event. From the military units of the south-western direction of the RA Armed Forces
Private Martin Khachatryan was killed in one on April 22. Circumstances of death
are not mentioned.

Karapet Kalenchyan

https://acnis.am/hy/ambion/19-2018