Filmmaker and social activist Tigran Khzmalyan’s interview to the Azerbaijani haqqin.az website caused a number of critical responses. As I understand, the reason for dissatisfaction is not what Tigran has said, but the fact that he has shared his thoughts with the opponent country’s website that is engaged in anti-Armenian propaganda. Maybe I am also a “traitor,” but I do not see a big problem in it (although I would not allow myself to give interview with haqqin because I doubt the good faith of this outlet). I see a much bigger problem in “collective condemnation”. In my opinion, it smells “Soviet” regardless of who is the target of the attack – a pro-government or an opposition figure. Thinking is an individual process, I do not believe in collective thinking.
If the filmmaker had expressed the same thoughts, let’s say, to “Aravot” newspaper (which he did and will do), no problem would arise, wouldn’t it? The interview of “Aravot” are translated into Russian and English and put on our website, there is also nothing extraordinary in it. And this interview can be read by Azerbaijanis and “have fun”. In the modern information society, it is impossible to hide or “block” anything. If the problem is “making Azerbaijanis have fun”, then we should talk about our defects only in the kitchens.
It’s another matter that I do not also see any particular sense in the endless, over 20-year lasting repetition of “opposition mantras”. It is time for our opponents to analyze our problems a little more deeply and reach the so-called “inner layers”. As to where the opposition resolutions are repeated: in the Armenian, Azerbaijani or the French press, in today’s technologic environment, I repeat, is not essential. I do not disagree with Tigran that the “October 27” terrorism was a turning point borderline, earlier, there were also ordered and unrevealed murders, rigged elections and “disproportionate” violence of security forces.
I do not also agree that Armenia lives an authoritarian regime, a “tyranny,” although it is clear that it is nor a democracy. Suppose, an Azerbaijani film director (living in that country) giving an interview to an Armenian website and saying that the Azerbaijani government is a thief and a plunderer, and there are several dozens of public figures and journalists in jail, while the revenues generated from the oil industry enriches not the ordinary people but the pro-government oligarchs. You do not doubt that it is true, do you? The campaign against such film director in Azerbaijan would not be limited to a couple of “condemnation” articles or blog posts. It is very likely that the person saying such things would be arrested as an Armenian spy. That is where the tyranny differs from non-tyranny.
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Aram ABRAHAMYAN
One quick comment on your piece: I think the best word for describing Armenia’s form of government is Kleptocracy.