How Armenians are free

28/09/2005 Armen KOCHARYAN

A picture, hanging on wall, is the most independent thing in the world.
An unknown optimist artist of 21 century.

Yesterday marked the Independence Day of the Republic of Armenia.
Armenia has been independent for 14 years already. This day is a
holiday for us. Anyhow, it is considered as a holiday in Armeian
calendars. But when I was changing the TV channels with the remote
controller, (if I say “herakaravarman vahanak” which in Armenian means
remote controller, politicians might spend too much time trying to find
the meaning of that word), I couldn’t understand how Armenians
celebrate that holiday. On the other hand, if we take into account how
many Armenians have left our country after the declaration of
independence, how many grandfathers and grandmothers anguish, that a
whole generation grew up without getting a good education, and that in
several years the representatives of this generation are going to rule
this country, if we compare Yerevan, which is being reconstructed today
(by the way, according to the construction quality it is clear, that
the workers involved in construction are not qualified enough), with
the “pink” Yerevan of our childhood, if we compare today’s corruption
with the “rotten” comunists, we will understand why foreigners like
rotten, but ecologically clean food, if….. and so on.

But if we take into account, that Armenians didn’t conquer any lands
for twenty centuries, if we don’t forget, that we had legal democratic
elections for a couple of times, if the three-coulour flag is raised in
favour of the Armenian sportsman and our anthem is played, if the
children of the 21-st century celebrate Christmas but not the jubilee
of Lenin, if I can write this article today (even if it cannot be
broadcasted on any Armenian channel), despite everything else, our
Independence Day is a holiday. But I am sure, that only a few people
congratulated each other yesterday. For a lot of people this was just a
good reason not to go to work, and they took advantage of that. I
understand them. Because it is just naivety to speak about independence
or to believe it, when throughout these years “the people in the TV
set” (both governmental and the opposition) speak about pro-russian or
pro-american policies (and some smart guys about France), when you can
independently sing on TV as much as you want, but never speak
independently, when each intelligent financier does everything he wants
with Armenian dram. This reminds us of a joke: Armenia is the most
independent country in the world, because nothing depends on it. But if
we take into account, that, for instance, the US depends on the Jewish
capital, and “Chelsey” depends on the capital of Abramovich, Georgia is
financed by the fund of Soros, and some Armenian anonymous political
parties are funded by the “pockets” of oligarchs, and that sailors and
pilots, not depending on their nationality, were released from jail
thanks toe due to Ara Abrahamyan, this means, that Einstein was right:
everything is relative. Only the modern uncontrollability is fixed. So,
despite everything, September 21 is the Independence Day for the
Republic of Armenia. And if it is not considered as a holiday nowadays,
I am sure, that the future generation will celebrate it like Americans
celebrate July 4th, Russians- June 12, and the French- July 14.

By A.K.,
Who called “yes” for independence on September 21, 1991.