We were supposed to meet Valera in Stepanakert on January 28th, Armenian Army Day. But that did not happen. That morning, Valera went to Yerevan to go to his fallen friend’s funeral. His friend died around two months ago, and, as fate would have it, his funeral was on Armenian Army Day, January 28th…
Valera (whose picture will not be published) is 24 years old. He participated in the war beginning on September 27th. He fought in Martuni, Jabrayil, Fizuli, and Hadrut. He also participated in the Four Day War in 2016. During the battles of the 44-day war, he had been surrounded three times. They were able to free themselves miraculously.
He got in touch with his relatives for the last time on October 20th. After not hearing from her son for some time, Susanna Hayrapetyan happened to see her son in a video posted by Azeris online. The days in which her son was held captive were the most difficult for Susanna. She does not wish to remember them.
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Valera spent 55 days in captivity. He returned to the homeland on December 14th with the other 44 soldiers in the first group.
His mother said that her 14-year-old daughter, Syuzanna, felt broken by the fact that her brother was taken prisoner. But when her brother returned, her life changed, and her life became colorful again. “She hugged her brother and cried from happiness,” Susanna said.
Her eyes began to sparkle when she spoke about her son. She said that Valera is not broken spiritually. His mother felt that when her son called her from Baku and spoke to her. She also came back to life when her son returned.
Regarding my question on living with Azerbaijanis, which Armenian officials spoke about immediately after the 44-day war, made Susanna more alert. “I cannot imagine living with them, nor do I want to. How will my child accept one of them? Perhaps it would be possible over time? I don’t know. I can’t imagine it,” Susanna said.
Susanna is from the Taghavart village of Martuni. She was a student at Artsakh State University in Stepanakert during the war in 1992. She was living in Stepanakert. Then, she got married, and she still lives in Stepanakert. She is the chair of the Department of Physical Training and Preliminary Military Training at Artsakh State University, and she has her Ph.D. in education. The 44-day war was the third war she lived through. As a result of this war, a portion of her native village was handed over to Azerbaijan. Susanna’s childhood home is at the border. No one lives there now. Some of her relatives whose homes were transferred to Azerbaijan are now renting in Stepanakert. She said God only knows what will happen in the future. They had plans and goals that turned to dust as a result of the November 9th agreement. The uncertainty and indecisiveness are “killing” people.
Nelly Grigoryan
