Vachagan Khosrovyan has a flower shop in Sisian, Syunik province, where we met him. He says that on November 16, border shots were heard in the city and nearby villages. “What should we do? They are shots. There was no panic in Sisian, but there was tension because the noises could be heard. We know where it is, it is our border.”
Mr. Vachagan thinks that the demarcation and delimitation processes can be completed soon, and the people of the two countries can live in peace. “But they do not do it and we do not understand what they want and whose games they are playing. They have not declared war on Armenia and will not attack us, but they do not do it. Why, what do they want to do, intimidate us? We do not know Azerbaijan’s plans and goals.” In response to the question of if they ready to live side by side with the Azerbaijanis, Mr. Vachagan said no.
“It could have happened before this war! Thirty years had passed since the previous war, they had made peace, revenge had almost been forgotten. Now they have replenished and we can not live together, it is impossible.”
In case the corridor is opened, he thinks that the necessary security should be provided for the local residents. “We have lived for 60 years, we have created what we have here, where should we leave it? Give it to the Turks and go? We will not leave. Whom should I give the shop to? My house is the work of my whole life. There are many people like me. And whoever has nothing will not leave either. Only security must be guaranteed so that people can be sure that they can stay here safely to work and create. And if such unexpected attacks continue, it is definitely possible that Armenians will be evicted here. Everyone wants to live.”
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Mr. Vachagan says that it is very difficult to have a flower shop spiritually. “This is not Yerevan. Everyone here knows each other. We know she entered the store, she is the mother of a fallen soldier. We have given out random discounts where we could have made 100 AMD, but we didn’t. It’s ok, we do not complain. Now the wounds have healed again, more than 70 victims. Our whole day passes sadly, sad people enter the flower shop. Mourners enter and go to the graves. What should we do? How do we say goodbye to those people? It happens that they enter and cry. We share their grief. What should you do, say, ‘do not cry?’ She is the mother of the fallen soldier, she is the sister, she remembers something, she says something, her eyes fill with tears. And these days are so sad. We rejoice when a person suddenly brings a birthday present. We know everyone here. I have attended more than 70 funerals, and I have not known who half of them are. Well, he is a boy from our city, how can you not go? That is our field as well.” At the end he adds: “Screw the business, let there be peace, that’s it! We want peace, we do not want Turkish land, we do not want anything. Let them create peace and live, let us have a little less, I agree. Just let there be only peace.”
Ami CHICHAKYAN
