One of the reasons of the difficulties we face is that we try to apply the approaches of the past era, the values of the past centuries to the conditions of the reality of the current Armenian state. Here is the classical example. I often read that the people having attacked the police station of Armenia are Soghomon Tehlirian of the present day. Can we infer from this that the police officers who were killed by the group members are Talaat Pasha? I would be cautious of bringing such parallel. Firstly, with the reason that it is insulting particularly for the family of Artsakh War participant, Colonel Artur Vanoyan. But if we do not mention all other differences, then the most primary and principal question is the following, in my opinion: In the times of Soghomon Tehlirian, no Armenian independent state was in place with its army, police and other state attributes. And if it were, I exclude that such wonderful person would have taken a weapon against the police of the Republic of Armenia as corrupt, rude and unprofessional our police officers were. I exclude that Nzhdeh or Monte would have done such thing, their examples are brought similarly. The revenge, fidayi activities, national liberation fight with their entire romanticism end at the moment when a state is in place, regardless of good or bad, in this case, it is not important. Having tied the bandoliers, with beards, often times self-acting fidayis are real heroes – glory, and honor to them. But they are from the previous era. Today’s hero is the 20-year-old youth – shaved, with similar uniforms, with the weapons provided to them by the government and implementing the orders of the superior. In short, they are the soldiers of the regular army. The rest is our history which we should respect, study, perhaps be encouraged by historical examples, but never forget that they are the examples of “pre-state” era. Those “fidayi activities” were not uprooted in the mid-90s: the opposite, a politicized armed brigade of the guys who fought in Artsakh War was created, the members of which were permitted to neglect the laws of the state. But as long as the state exists, it is never late to correct the mistake. We are people loving our fatherland and nation, our “soil and water”, and it is very good, but we do not like the state, it is a somewhat unperceivable and an abstract thing to us. To fulfill that important transition is a heavy step requiring huge efforts. But a necessary step.
ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
