By Bogdan Atanesyan
We must not undermine our victory, simply because time has shown that victories do not come easy. The events of April 2016 serve as a marker that separates the history of the newly independent Republic of Armenia into two parts — before April and after April.
There has been no shortage of analysis, verdicts, notions, published texts, rumors, well-founded and baseless accusations alike — we’ve heard it all, lived through it, tried to understand and assess everything. Notwithstanding our efforts, there are unanswered questions that linger. That’s right, there are unknowns that will likely never be uncovered, because history is never complete, because there is always some element of subjectivity. That is as much a part of the human condition as any of the emotions we feel.
On April 3, 2016, Azerbaijan had already accepted that their operation had failed. They realized that the Armenian soldier was not going to retreat under any circumstance. Even when the massive scale of the offensive became apparent, Armenian servicemen stood firm at the posts they had sworn to defend. The Azerbaijanis also sensed that the military leadership in Armenia and Artsakh were well-prepared for a large-scale counterattack. Most of Azerbaijan’s casualties were from shrapnel injuries, which also indicates that the artillerymen of the Armenian Armed Forces were highly effective and organized.
The leadership in Azerbaijan had spent a lot of time and resources planning the operation. They had mobilized all military forces, outlined all possible outcomes, and put in place contingencies, but they made some costly miscalculations. For example, they predicted that no more than 12 percent of the personnel involved in the military operations would be seriously injured, whereas the actual number was 45 percent. By April 4, Russia was busy mediating a ceasefire on behalf of Azerbaijan. It was clear at that point that if they failed to stop the advance of Armenian forces, the number of casualties of the Azerbaijani side would increase ten-fold.
Even though Azerbaijan started the April War, failed to achieve its objective, and was the party that pleaded for a ceasefire, there has been a concerted effort for four years now to undermine the work of the Armenian Armed Forces. The fact that an enemy state or organizations with geopolitical interests in the region would undertake such an endeavor is expected. However, it is shocking and disappointing to see this process gaining traction within our own country. Naturally, we have to ask why this is taking place.
There are several possible answers. For example, this could be a dishonest attempt to show that a political party has failed in a critical way and that it must be replaced by a more competent team. Another explanation is that there exist financial sources that incentivize the degradation of morale in Armenia. These organizations weaken society and make it harder to struggle for our rights. We must also not overlook the role of enemy propaganda, which can be spread, either intentionally by bad actors or unknowingly by well-intentioned citizens who fail to check the source of the information. Yet another possibility is that public figures with large, devoted audiences and wild imaginations can sometimes concoct narratives and present them as truths. These are just a few among many possible explanations.
I assure you that during the April War, Armenian soldiers and officers alike exemplified both wisdom and courage, morale never faltered, and everything was done to avenge the blood of our fallen heroes. The same level of solidarity could be felt in the rear, as society rapidly self-organized and made a significant contribution to the victory. So the question stands — why snatch this victory from our boys, why try to convince everyone that the Armenian soldier and citizen was defeated, what can be accomplished with this defeatist approach? Is the political, financial, and personal appetite of a select few worth more than the blood and sweat of our soldiers?
In Azerbaijan, immense financial and human resources are expended to excise the defeatist mentality from the population and to replace it with patriotism. To that end, Azerbaijan started a war and was once again defeated, but that did not stop them from manipulating the facts to present the events as a victory. Meanwhile, there are those among us that exert the same energy to do the opposite in Armenia — that is, they are hell-bent on curtailing feelings of patriotism and triumph in our society. After all, this small piece of land is our collective homeland. It belongs to us, our children, our friends and relatives. We all live here together. Is it that hard to understand that we risk losing it all if we are defeated on the psychological front. Diminishing our victory is equivalent to arguing that Armenia was not the first state to adopt Christianity as its religion seventeen centuries ago. What would be the purpose of such an assertion?
To my compatriots who choose reason in place of making hasty judgments, I ask that you not presume failure when facts point to clear victory. To those who choose to believe manipulations and conspiracies, the homeland is worth more than your petty games. We must show mutual respect along with thoughtful criticism and must never diminish each other’s work. Especially during this pandemic, as countless lives are lost, as we seek a return to normalcy, it seems we have an opportunity to reevaluate the reality around us, our actions, ourselves, and to appreciate the good that exists.
This article was first published in Armenian on aysor.am
By Bogdan Atanesyan
Source: aysor.am