TIME OF ALAZAN MAYIS

Mayis Avetisyan (Alazan Mayis) since the early days of the Movement for the Liberation actively participated in the defense of the NKR Berdadzor village, was in the villages Eraskhavan, Khachik, Voskepar, helped to organize the defense. In May of 1992 he became part of the self-defense unit of Armenian Martouni. With his own hands he fashioned station missile “Alazan”, with which participated in military defense operations of Vardenis, Krasnoselsk districts. In 1993 he participated in the battles for the complete liberation of Karvachar. For his organizational skills and competence he was appointed commander of the mortar battery.

When in the positions of Krasnolesk Martouni people were searching their comrade, a local boy asked: “Are you looking for Alazan Mayis?”, teferring to his station “Alazan”. From that day on he was known by this name – Alazan Mayis.

Now Mayis has his own workshop, he is a watchmaker. He says that he repairs the clocks of relatives of fighters for the liberation for free, and in general, from clients takes a symbolic sum. When he is invited to a meeting with the students, he takes books and clocks….

– When the movement began, I did not go to meetings, – says Mayis. – I knew it was not so easy to resolve such a problem, that occupied land is released only by weapon. When I served in the Soviet army, I was able to operate all kinds of weapons – from self-protective pistols to “Alazan”, “Fagot”, “Igla” and “Strela”.

Colonel General Gurgen Dalibaltayan, checking the condition of mortar business, was pleased to say: “If Mayis is here, we have nothing to do here.”

At this point, a client who came to the shop quipped: “You are telling with inspiration. What have you got for that? Others amassed a fortune and your family huddles in a small room.”

Not offended, Mayis said.

– I defended the border for rich men of my country, too…

P.S. Mayis died recently. His wife wrote a letter to get an apartment (because 10 members of the family huddle in a room of 28sqm!) and hopes that her request will be satisfied, referring to her husband’s merits before Fatherland.

Aspram Tsarukyan