CHILDREN ARE GOOD, NEIGHBORS ARE GOOD, AND THE LAND IS OURS…

“Cities are provided with life by village, as a living force to the people gives the farmer. Who wants to strengthen the nation, has to come to work in the village, because to water and grow the tree, you must first satisfy its roots… ”
Muratsan

I am in the village Alvank (Red Temple) in Syunick region, which was called Aldara when Azerbaijanis lived there. Here there are beautiful medieval Armenian khachkars – cross-stones, churches, mills, etc.

Soldier of the Artsakh war, now – retired Lieutenant Colonel Sargis Qaryan introduced me to the Tovmasyan family – refugees from Baku. Their sons – Ararat and Masis are militarymen, serving in one of the military units of Artsakh, and their daughter Ani is a one-year student at the Military Institute after Vazgen Sargsyan. Since childhood, the children heard about the atrocities committed by Azerbaijanis in Sumgayit, Baku, Gandzak, the heroism of our soldiers during the Artsakh war and made this decision independently. The family decided – after Ani’s graduation, they will move to live in Artsakh.

Then we go to the house of Vrezh Sevumyan. He and his wife, Vera, are refugees from Baku, too.

– History has taught us a lot, – says Vrezh. – We must both with weapon, and knowledge defeat the enemy. I think that our grandparents did not have to allow us to communicate with Azerbaijanis, our road was to lead us to Armenia.

The couple talked about their children. Julia graduated from the philological faculty, has three children, and Davit chose a specialty of a doctor. On the photo President Serzh Sargsyan presents Davit an award for achievements in the field of information technology.

– And here we are and we live like this, – says Vrezh. – We are happy people, children are good, neighbors are good, and the land is ours…

GNEL SHAHNAZARYAN
Photo by the author