“Caucasus Barometer” NGO conducted a survey in Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan to determine especially which states the inhabitants of these countries consider an enemy. The results were predictable. 90 % of Azeri considers us, Armenians, an enemy; we divide our hatred between Azeri (66%) and Turks (28%). There are 1% of people in Armenia, who consider Russia an enemy. 44 % of Georgians consider the latter an enemy.
How would I respond to this question, if I were a respondent of the survey? Just as the small portion (probably, less than one percent) of my fellow-citizens did it – to no one. 17 percent of Georgians share the same position. Here, I see one of the reasons why our neighbors are ahead of us in some of the issues. Non-consideration of an enemy to any state testifies about the thinking of the 21st century. Seeking for enemies inside and outside of the country is the result of thinking of the 19-20th century.
Azerbaijan, indeed, is our military opponent at the moment. Every other, day, the leadership of this country is intimidating us with war, its soldiers are standing at our border and in case of any harassment, they will be destroyed. However, considering our neighboring state (states) enemy means living with national liberation rather than public perceptions.
It’s a greater stupidity to seek for enemies inside the state. There is such a sad expression, “a fifth column”, which was recently used by Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to him, the west intimidates Russia with deterioration of internal situation hopefully relying on traitors and the fifth column (the agents under the influence of the same West). It is a traditional way of thinking, which is known to us since the Soviet times, it also existed in the 20th century in the United States, in the form of McCarthyism. However, the world seems to give up with “hunting witches” inside the country and related mental models.
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The phrase of the “fifth column” coming from the milieu of Spanish General Francisco Franco is sometimes heard in Armenia, too. The scheme is the same: there are enemies and their agents in our country who are fighting against the nation. Such a label can be attached to any opponent. The same logic works in Armenia among the advocates sitting in government and “non-governmental” trenches.
“Your religion is just enough to hate your near, but not enough for you to love them.” (Jonathan Swift)
ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
