Former Minister of Defense about the service of the children of the rich in the army and the suicides in the army
A fuss was kicked up in the social networks about why we never hear of a son of an oligarch, a rich and famous man killed in the army. The reason, according to the users, is that they never serve in the front line, if not they do not serve at all. In this regard, in an interview with “Aravot”, the Defense Minister Vagharshak Harutyunyan (1999-2000) in response to our question of whether such questions were raised during your term in office, and whether there was a similar problem, replied, “I find it hard to answer, I have always followed it. In 1991, still in the Soviet Union when there was a conscript in Armenia, later I asked for the list to know whose children will be serving in the army. The list was with me. I was insisting on it and was following it. Now, I cannot say but I can say one thing that the Nagorno-Karabakh President’s son in serving in the army in the frontier. Today, I see that there is such a problem.”
A growth of suicide cases has been observed in the armed forces of Armenia and the NKR Defense Army, six cases were registered and in 2014, according to the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor Office study, three cases were observed. To our question of whether this is not alarming, Vagharshak Harutyunyan replied, “I have always estimated that the suicide is worse than killing because suicide does not happen all at once, the soldier should get to that point. And if you have made him get to that point have not followed, it means that the officer of this military unit was not careful, has not followed, and does not control the situation. I estimate it very negative. If he is a normal and experienced officer, if he looks into the eyes of the soldier he will understand what is happening with the soldiers. I estimate it very negative but at the same time, I must say that everything is in comparison.
There are cases when it is necessary to punish. I should tell you that today’s minister is very strict in this regard. You know how many criminal cases was initiated and how many officer are in the jail for such cases. Even the officers are now complaining that they are oppressed. Now, if the officer does something to the soldier, he is going to bear all the responsibility. It is necessary to closely follow that if there is a sinner, he should be punished. We must realize that in such an army when there is a line of contact, which is 1000 kilometers, people are sitting in the trenches with guns day and night. And do you know what a weapon is? The enemy is facing you and there are positions – some 100 meters away – and in that case, what our army does, starting from the leadership up to the sergeant, I estimate their job very positive. I think we have no right to blame them. Whatever happens is inevitable.” Vagharshak Harutyunyan told what horrific incidents happen in the Azerbaijani army, “These incidents are not many in our army. There are cases when there is a fault of the officers but people are working in this direction. To criticize today, I do not see the purpose of it.” Incidentally, Mr. Harutyunyan once has worked with former Deputy Minister Vahan Shirkhanyan who is now in prison accused of having connections with the criminal group identified by the NSS. Hence, we asked how he estimates this incident against his colleague, whether he did not try to see him and is not interested in him. Vagharshak Harutyunyan replied, “I have not seen him, it is not allowed. I do not want to say anything about this incident. No information.”
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Hripsime JEBEJYAN,
“Aravot” daily
