We Continue our Struggle with the Status of a War Prisoner: Varuzhan Avetisyan
Varuzhan Avetisyan, member of Founding Parliament and “Sasna Tsrer” armed group, prior to putting down the weapons and surrendering to the authorities, introduced the reasons of this decision to 1in.am
“Throughout these days the regime adopted a strategy of disabling our fighters through snipers. Through shooting mainly on the feet daily 2, and sometimes 3 people. Today another friend received injury in the area of the breast. We have essentially reduced in number, 20 of us are left, yesterday evening they initiated an attempt to attack, broke the walls, attacked with armored vehicles, then, out of some observations, they stopped the attack. We attempted to have a dialogue with them, however, today about 40 snipers were intensively firing shots around the whole territory, throwing bombs, UAVs were firing shots, firstly from sonic bombs, then it turned out, that they are using shooters as well and invaded into the territory with armored vehicles,” Varuzhan Avetisyan said.
According to him, in that situation they had 2 choices: first—fight with the Police and other officers, and record bilateral losses, shedding blood of Armenians, of the Armenian citizen, blood of those, who have little relation with the decisions made by this regime, but they are in service. Second decision was to avoid bloodshed, and remaining consistent on their viewpoints, continue the fight by the status of a war prisoner, as in that status they can’t speak of a political prisoner, if they surrender, they’re becoming war prisoners,
“It was a very hard decision for us and we decided to choose not shedding blood and choose the status of a war prisoner with the following observations: we consider our mission regarding instigation of national rebellion fulfilled. Now, that there is national rebellion, it’s growing, and we considered improper to record dozens of victims and make our citizens face hard condition. Our life is nothing for us, from the very day we entered here we consider ourselves martyrs, but people were standing before us, who were fulfilling their duties, although they didn’t realize that they’re implementing wrong duties. We decided that we don’t want people’s blood.
For that very reason we suspend resistance, we change the variant of fight, in the status of a war prisoner, and we call the people not to hesitate any single moment in our overall victory. National rebellion should continue, we shouldn’t migrate, but stay and fight this sanguinary regime, this anti-Armenian, anti-human regime. Our nation should be liberated, this is a national-liberation fight. We don’t have the right to leave our ages-old fatherland, turn into a Russian state or be put in miserable condition. We have a lightsome future and our people should fight for that. We feel the spirit of our people, the victory is close and we call on to accept our decision as a positive step and continue the struggle following our calls and messages from prison.”
V.Avetisyan stated that the womb of Armenian nation didn’t dry, again new people will be born and will continue, they simply gave the spark and are satisfied with it, although they’d like the process be quicker, unfortunately it wasn’t so,
“People moved forward a bit slowly and we had this settlement, however, this shouldn’t oppress our people. We realize, we’ll continue our struggle. Revolutionaries appear in prisons, then leave due to the victory of their people. It’s also a way of struggle. We love you, Armenian people, dear citizens, nothing can separate us, we don’t want bloodshed. I, Arayik Khandoyan, others, understood we can’t raise a weapon on an Armenian. We see our people’s victory. Let this sacrifice become a nourishing root for the struggle, which will lead to the final result.”
Today, from 20:00 the process of putting down the weapons and surrender to the authorities has been launched. Throughout all this period negotiations between the armed group, Jirair Sefilian and the authorities, despite provocations and other preventing circumstances, have been held and succeeded due to Vitaly Balasanyan, General, Artsakh hero, NKR NA MP, who was the last today to leave the territory of the police precinct.
By the way, the National Security Service (NSS) appeared with a statement, in which members of the armed group have been qualified as ‘terrorists.’
By Gayane Khachatryan
