Category: 2022

Renaissance Square, Stepanakert, September 14 (Photo: Siranuysh Sargsyan)

STEPANAKERT, Artsakh — Union. Struggle. Victory. These have been the calls in Renaissance Square in Stepanakert, where spontaneous rallies have been taking place for several days following Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s comments in the National Assembly. Thousands took to the streets in Yerevan and Stepanakert after the Prime Minister made contradictory statements on his readiness to sign another agreement with Azerbaijan that could brand him a “traitor.”

His comments followed the deadliest week of fighting in the region since the 2020 Artsakh War, as Azerbaijan’s Armed Forces unleashed a large-scale attack on the Armenian cities of Goris, Vardenis and Jermuk, using drones and heavy artillery. The death toll on the Armenian side stands at 135. 

On September 14, thousands of citizens demanded to abstain from signing a document that would annex Artsakh to Azerbaijan. In the following days, professors, students and even schoolchildren from various institutions and educational programs, as well as ordinary citizens joined the protest. Artsakh’s National Assembly president Artur Tovmasyan, parliamentarians and government representatives also participated.

Artsakh’s National Assembly president Artur Tovmasyan (Photo: Siranuysh Sargsyan)

Meanwhile, Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan traveled to Yerevan, where he participated in a Security Council meeting. He asserted that no document related to the status of Artsakh was discussed. The head of the parliament informed the demonstration participants that “Artsakh was, is and will be Armenian.” He stated that no one, including Prime Minister Pashinyan, is authorized to settle the question of determining Artsakh’s status without considering the people of Artsakh. 

National Assembly member and Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) secretary Vahram Balayan also joined the demonstrations. According to Balayan, the Artsakh Armenians have achieved their goals through joint efforts. He said that issues of national importance can be achieved through unity and that these ongoing demonstrations exemplify those desires. The problem, he said, is that Azerbaijan seeks not only to occupy Artsakh, but in this case attack and occupy territories from the internationally recognized Republic of Armenia. Balayan believes that Artsakh Armenians cannot remain indifferent to the events taking place in Armenia and that they must protest and appeal to the international community. “This is not just a matter of territories. We are a nation that has experienced genocide, and today the threat of extermination hangs over our heads again like the ‘sword of Damocles.’ We are trying to fight against it with all possible and impossible means. These demonstrations are for our rights and freedoms,” he stressed.

Before the large-scale attack on Armenia by Azerbaijan, political activist Tigran Petrosyan and his supporters had already been protesting in the main square of Stepanakert for 20 days. They had been demanding reforms in Artsakh. Now, Petrosyan says these are dire times and that we should put aside internal issues and take steps to save the motherland. “We must appeal to the international community,” he urged. “Our struggle today is for self-determination; just as other nations have that right, so do the people of Artsakh. We also prove with this multi-thousand gathering that we are not 30-thousand, as Aliyev says, but 100-thousand and more.”

Renaissance Square, Stepanakert, September 14 (Photo: Siranuysh Sargsyan)

Melania Babayan is a professor of Armenian history at Artsakh State University and works as an adviser to the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports. She says that the threat to the motherland forces us not to remain indifferent and that any citizen concerned about the fate of the motherland should be participating. Babayan says now is the time for us to plan for our future and save our motherland. “Seeing the concern in the eyes of my students, I came with them and joined the rally,” she shared. “This is a self-defense move. The Armenian people have endured arduous times. After the Armenian Genocide, we built a state, and I believe that now we must stand up and save the homeland.”

Renaissance Square, Stepanakert, September 15 (Photo: Siranuysh Sargsyan)

Haykush is a mother of three from Shushi. Her youngest daughter was born on November 9, 2020, the last day of the 44-day war. Haykush says her daughter was born on the day when they decided to hand over her house to the enemy. “I’m here because I don’t want to lose this small part of the motherland saved by the blood of our sons. My decision to participate is also aimed at the international community, which is openly revealing indifference, pretending to be deaf and dumb, as if they don’t want to notice Azerbaijan’s aggression,” she said.

Haykush (Photo: Siranuysh Sargsyan)

Ania is a 78-year-old woman from Hadrut. Her husband was killed during the first war. Her grandson was serving on the frontlines of these latest attacks. “We left everything. I watered my garden and left, confident that I would return. Now the Azerbaijanis have demolished my son’s house and built a road right over the house. I came here with the hope of peace, with the hope of going back to our house.”

Ania (Photo: Siranuysh Sargsyan)

Artsiv Lalayan is an artist from Hadrut, who left his brush during the 2nd Artsakh War and defended the motherland on the front line. Now, he is protesting in Renaissance Square because not only a small part of Artsakh, but Armenia itself, is at risk. “This rally is for our self-determination, and if Nikol Pashinyan is going to question our right to self-determination, then this is also a fight against him,” said Lalayan. “Today the borders of Artsakh are threatened, and I cannot trust Azerbaijan. I cannot think that it is possible to live with them. I will believe only if they leave all our occupied lands and if I can go back to my home. I trust only 10 million Armenians.”

Artsiv Lalayan and Mher Arakelyan (Photo: Siranuysh Sargsyan)

Lalayan’s friend Mher Arakelyan is a repatriate. He used to live in Kovsakan, but after it was occupied during the 2020 war, he moved to Askeran and the village of Hovtashen. He was brought to Renaissance Square by the inspiration prevailing here, the idea of unity and the will of the people of Artsakh to live in their homeland. “There is an Artsakh citizen; there is an Artsakh. There is no Artsakh citizen; there will be no Artsakh. Today, there are no Armenians living in Nakhichevan. That’s why we lost. The decisive factor is not even victory or defeat. We have to create it by all means with economic privileges, social justice and legitimate power, but the main thing is to instill will in the people,” explained Arakelyan. In order to do all that, Arakelyan continued, “every Armenian should start with himself and stay in his homeland, regardless of who is in power, even if we have to live with the enemy. You will also have a homeland.”

A prayer service at the Holy Mother of God Cathedral in Stepanakert (Photo: Siranuysh Sargsyan)

In the evening, Stepanakert’s Holy Mother of God Cathedral was filled with the faithful. The people of Artsakh shared in a united prayer for the martyred and for the defenders of the motherland. Reverend Matevos Dravyants joined the rally with his congregation after the service. He mentioned that they hold mass twice a week, worship service and united prayer because there is an ever-increasing need for it. “God’s power works in unity, Satan’s in division,” said the reverend. “The church is among the people. The people are in the church. We are united, and I am with my people.” he added.

Renaissance Square, Stepanakert, September 14 (Photo: Siranuysh Sargsyan)

Grampie in front of his home

My Grampie used to do this thing. Every time we’d leave his house, he would follow us outside. He’d watch as we’d load ourselves into the car along with whatever goodies Grammie was sending home with us. We’d pull out of his driveway, and he’d just stand there waving goodbye. It didn’t matter the weather or if it was terribly late at night. He’d stand out there waving. We’d drive away, and I’d watch out the window as his figure would shrink so small until we were far enough that he was no longer in view. All the while he’d be standing there waving. When I was little, I’d imagine he stayed outside until the moment we stepped into our own home. I’d imagine he knew exactly when we made it, and only then would he go back inside. Only then would he stop saying goodbye. 

But that didn’t last forever. I got older, and so did my Grampie. Little by little, he stopped doing his thing. The cold got to his joints, so he wouldn’t stay out as long. He’d disappear back into his house before I could turn to look out the window. Then his shoulder started to bother him, and he couldn’t lift his arm up to wave even from the big bay window at the front of his house. Then he’d fall asleep by the time we were leaving. We’d tiptoe down into his den. The TV was blaring, but he’d be sound asleep on the couch. We’d kiss his cheek and slip out the front door without him stirring. Without him waving at all. Eventually, the house became too much for him to care for. He moved in with us, and I thought he’d no longer ever need to say goodbye. 

Grampie’s big bay window

But that’s not true. I lost my Grampie on Thursday, September 15, 2022. 

Perhaps all this time, he’s been preparing us for this. He’s shown us that the inevitable can be prolonged. That while our time here seems to have come to an end, we continue seeing each other in our goodbyes. 

I see him in the green shed that sits in our backyard. He built it for us when I was little and let me climb up onto its slanted roof with him. He taught me what a carpenter’s pencil was up there. I don’t know why that memory persists. 

I see him in my mother’s kitchen. He remodeled the entire room. Broke down walls, built up cabinets, left love in every plank. 

Grampie’s office

I see him in a yellow rain slicker. His infamous one still hangs in his closet. Bright and lively. Impossible to miss. 

I see him in the keyring hanging near my door. He pieced together the gadget for me. A tiny flashlight fastened onto an even tinier compass. He loved them both, and I like to think he loved me too. 

I see him in my nephew. Energetic and curious. Always on the move. 

I see him in his moccasin slippers. Tan and comfortable and perfect. 

I see him in the pantry of our basement. Cases and cases of Pepsi Cola. His favorite. They must serve it in heaven, right? 

I see him in a hammer, a screwdriver, a wrench. There’s nothing he couldn’t fix. 

I see him in the gold class ring that sits in my jewelry box. It’s been sliced open from the time he broke his finger while playing wall ball. His finger swelled so much he had to have the ring cut off. An ugly ring, a good story, no? 

I see him in a dollop of whipped cream. He loved the stuff, but it had to be homemade, not from the can. 

I see him in a lime tub of O’Keefe’s cream. When you spend your whole life using your hands, it’s the only stuff that works. 

I see him in a Kia Soul. It’s silly, but he always loved those funny looking cars.

I see him in a crackling fire. He would build the best ones in his fireplace. We’d roast marshmallows and chestnuts every Christmas Eve. I can remember the smell. 

I see him in my friends. It felt like he was everyone’s Grampie. Like everyone loved him and like he had enough love to give it all back.

A flower from Grampie’s garden

I see him in a hydrangea bush. He always kept the most beautiful garden full of color and life. 

I see him in my sweet cousins. I like to imagine he and his brother reunited someplace anew. Retelling stories and teasing just like they always would. 

Grampie with his late brother Marty Sarkisian. The pair hold their great-grandsons Lucas, Alessio and Alexan (left to right)

I see him in a Swiss Army knife. Shiny and compact, he’d pull it out of his pocket and flip open the blade. Open boxes of Frosted Flakes and packages in the mail.

I see him in a pair of blue eyes. His always sparkled with wonder and sincerity and just the right amount of mischief. 

I see him in the American flag that hangs in my classroom. He loved his country.

I see him in little white Keds sneakers. He wore them ‘til the very end. 

I see him when I close my eyes standing there waving goodbye. And that’s where he’ll stay until he knows I’ve made it home alright. That’s just Grampie’s thing.