The attached is my second abridge translation of Lucy Deukmejian’s articles. She had posted this latest article in Keghartcom on October 30, 2023. Some see a cup half empty and some see the cup half full and have a vision of filling it to the rim drop by drop. Lucy Deukmenjian, a repatriate from Lebanon, is the latter. She writes with an unblemished Western Armenian. The original is attached.
After the 44-day Artsakh war, the disaster that befell upon Artsakh, entered a new phase in December 2022. The enemy blockaded the Berdzor corridor, keeping Artsakh under complete siege. This painful period of the Armenian history culminated in the depolulation of Artskah in September 2023. More than 100,000 people of Artsakh faced the challenge of being homeless. But, the Republic of Armenia from the first day, welcomed the forcibly displaced Artsakh citizens with open arms by providing them with shelter and with the basic necessities to survive.
However imperfect or lacking were the methods and steps of the administration of Armenia, one cannot fail to appreciate the fact that the state immediately welcomed our compatriots from Artsakh with an open heart and spared no effort to shelter them by allocating housing and financial assistance, and by creating work opportunities, providing medical services and placing the children in the schools of Armenia. Along with the government, numerous local and diaspora organizations do everything possible for the well-being of the forcibly displaced Artsakh citizens, who we fully hope will only temporarily be away from their lands and homes.
Not whistanding the efforts, there are those who criticize the multifaceted assistance provided to the people of Artsakh and consider the assistance insufficient and disproportionate to the loss they suffered. It's the easiest thing to complain and criticize. In reality, the Armenians as a whole suffered. We all lost a part of our homeland. But now is the time to accomodate our displaced brothers and sisters in Armenia, to alleviate their pains, and to heal their wounds as soon as possible by extending a helping hand. There is no room for bargaining. Everyone will give within the limits of their ability. This also applies to the Republic of Armenia, which, as we well know, is not a country of unlimited resources. The latter spares nothing in this regard and will continue to do so.
We do not need the appreciation of foreign governments, altough, according to their own testimonies, the Republic of Armenia was able to accept a large number of "refugees" in a very short time, while economically far more advanced and prosperous countries find it difficult to accept several thousand at a time. These governments miss a very important fact. The people of Artsakh are our compatriots. If other countries accept refugees of other nationals for humanitarian reasons, for us such a consideration is secondary because we are accepting our relatives, and we will do everything to improve their shattered lives to some extent.
It should not be difficult to see this, even an unaided eye. It is not only material benefits that are being provided to our brothers and sisters from Artsakh who were forcibly displaced. There is also a moral dimension. At every opportune occasion, it is announced at the highest state level that they are in their own home and should not think about leaving Armenia. The nexus of all this is the firm "invitation" for Artskah Armenians to stay here, in Armenia, to live in Armenia and to be productive in Armenia.
Thus, not only the Republic of Armenia will end up supporting the people of Artsakh, but the people of Artsakh will also end up supporting the Republic of Armenia. When the people of Artsakh were displaced, their destination should definitely be Mother Armenia. This circumstance of the people of Artsakh is understandable and is by default and the course is natural and is the logical course. The incomprehensible, the unnatural and the illogical is construe the opposite. Calling this a strategy is a "stupid proposition". To put it mildly, it is absurd and impudent. This open "invitation" is directed to ALL Armenians, and is not be limited by time or circumstances.
I was also one of those who believed in that offer. In 2016 the RA Ministry of Diaspora started a pan-Armenian movement with the slogan "What are you doing for Karabakh?" At the time, when the minister of the Diaspora (note refrencing to Minister Hranoush Hagopian), after her the speech, gave me the opportunity to voice, I suggested that one day if another pan-Armenian movement adopts the slogan, "What are you doing for Armenia", along with various assistance we render to Armenia, our primary collective answer should be: "We will repatriate to Armenia".
The third year of my repatriation has already passed. Soon I will complete my three years of emplyment in Armenia. There are eight other persons who do a similar work in our workplace. I do not do a titanic job, but I know that by what I have done with the work I have provided, I am serving the Republic of Armenia and to the people, to some extent. I feel proud that I am investing my experience and knowledge in the efforts to create a brighter, a more progressive and a robust Armenia.
Apart from that, I am now a part of the soil of Armenia, I am a sprout of the field that is Armenia. I am a leaf of the flower that is Armenia, and I am one single unit of the population of the Republic of Armenia. And every single individual, by the very fact of living on his native land, changes something positively, because it is quantity that ensures quality. And each of us, believe me, can add a drop to fill the cup that is Armenia.
This is me, and it's up to you. Let's at least help the Republic of Armenia in this way. Living here and creating here is the greatest help we can offer her.
And if we can't help, at least let us not harm her by attaching labels of mistrust and misgiving, by putting forward theses of distrust and disbelief towards Armenia.
ԲՆԱԳԻՐԸ ՝ «Եթէ չես օգներ Հայաստանին, գոնէ մի՛ վնասեր» (Լիւսի Տէօքմէճեան, Երեւան, 30 Հոկտեմբեր 2023): https://keghart.org/deukmejian-if-you-cant-help-homeland/
No comments:
Post a Comment