The main goal of Pashinyan and his propagandists is to convince people that they cannot feel real pain, real shame, or real humiliation after November 9, 2020. That those who publicly express such feelings either long for the return of the “former” authorities or want Armenia to become a Russian outpost. This is why, when Nikolyans fail to prove the “hypocrisy” or “mercenary” nature of such individuals, they become frustrated and inevitably shift the conversation to Kocharyan, Putin, and other figures who—at least for me—are equally unappealing. What they refuse to acknowledge is that there are honest, conscientious people in Armenia who are not affiliated with any political camp, have no material interests, and yet reject the disastrous policies of their leader or idol.
Avetik Ishkhanyan was one of those honest individuals. Like all reasonable people, he struggled to find his place after 2020, unable to focus on any work. He was deeply wounded—both physically and mentally—not only by the loss of Artsakh, but also by the fact that the primary culprit of this disaster, equal to genocide, continues to sit on the throne of power. Perhaps even more painfully, he saw Pashinyan still being worshipped—either sincerely or hypocritically—not just by the “sheeple”, but also by people with intelligence and education. However, as we know, intelligence and education alone are not enough to be considered an “intellectual.”
“Civil society” was another profound disappointment for Ishkhanyan. Many of the NGOs that had once stood alongside him in fighting against Armenia’s many injustices became Pashinyan’s “echos” after 2018—all under the guise of “pro-Westernism,” “liberation from the Russian yoke,” or “restoring sovereignty.” Ishkhanyan could not tolerate such falseness. Before 2020, he spoke about it with humor; after that, he was in no mood for jokes.
After 2020… The lives of reasonable people have been split into two halves. The real issue, however, is that, in my opinion, reasonable people do not constitute the majority in Armenia.
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Aram ABRAHAMYAN
