The Gabrielyan family has been staying in their bomb shelter since last Sunday. They are a family of five, which includes the mother, Elmira; the son, Ararat; the daughter-in-law, Alvard; and their three children: 5-year-old Elmira, 3-year-old Mikayel, and 2-year-old Taguhi.
Despite orders to go to Yerevan, the family refuses to go.
“I’m not going to Yerevan, and that’s it,” Ms. Elmira said. She added that Armenia is not a foreign country to her, but she still will not leave her land, Artsakh. “Only if I can take care of these children.”
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Ms. Elmira, who is 72 years old, participated in the Artsakh War in 1992 as a nurse. She lost her husband, son, and father-in-law during the war.
The children get scared during military operations. They run towards their grandmother. “They say, ‘Grandma, Grandma, they’re coming to take us!’’ I tell them to not be scared because I won’t let anyone take them. If they’re going to take anyone, let them take me. I’m neither scared of automatic guns nor machine guns. My son operated a machine gun and he died, but I’m not scared. I’m not going to leave Artsakh. If Artsakh can only bring me a piece of bread to eat, and a cup of water to drink, that’s all I need.”
However, the family has financial problems. The children do not have the appropriate hygienic products. They went to the bomb shelter only wearing the clothes they had on. They also do not have enough food despite the fact that they received help.
The neighbors have also provided this family with as much help as they could. They gave the children products and toys that they needed.
Ami Chichakyan
Photos by Narek Avagyan
