During the final years of the Soviet Union and the fiery movement in
Karabagh, there was practically no place to get away from it all.
Everyone was talking about politics, starting from the people that knew
everything and ending with those who had no idea. The people who had no
idea were the ones who talked more. They went as a guest to someone’s
house-talked about politics, invited people and talked about politics,
at the workplace, in public transportation. You just wanted to get up
and leave, but the one thing that kept you was speech. No matter how
strange it may seem, but the word of mouth calmed you down and paved a
path for finding the truth.
During that time, many were claiming that “independence” will bring
poverty. By contradicting what they were saying, at that time I could
not imagine that the day after independence manna would fall from the
sky and my people, as Khorenatsi tells about the reign of Tigran the
Great, would live on so little.
There was no such illusion in my mind. Independence was my dream. I
placed living independently higher than anything else because I have
always thought and do until now that freedom is the guarantee for not
only the person’s individuality, but also his people’s, that it is
through freedom that we lose the ability of putting the weight on other
people’s shoulders. Basically, independence was turning into
responsibility, responsibility which had certain measures and
opportunities.
To me, our independence is blessed. For me one of the most beautiful
holidays is September 21. Unfortunately, during the past 13 years I
have not always had the chance to celebrate it like it should be
celebrated. This year, as I was making a business appointment for
Tuesday, I completely forgot that Tuesday was September 21 and when I
did remember it was already too late. I was passing through the Dalma
fields with one of my friends. My friend was prosecuting a case
regarding rentals and invited me to come check it out so that later I
can make a film about it. He was explaining to me how he had met with
some intellectuals, asked them to defend the 1800 families who live in
these fields and cultivate the land, how he had spoke out and got
rejected. He had received the same response from everyone: “There is no
point in doing that. The struggle is not worth it. The issue is
solved”. My friend was not blaming the intellectuals. Their loss was
the proof of the country’s situation as a whole. How can any person,
whether he or she is an intellectual or a typical worker, believe in
the positive outcome of the struggle if he sees the cynicism and the
self-satisfaction in everyone?
A couple of days ago, when there was a big rumor spreading about the
“occupation” of the forests in Tsakhkadzor, like many I also got angry
and thought that this was the end. But as I visited the Dalma fields on
Independence Day and met with the poor people, I understood that
Tsakhkadzor is simply a misdemeanor compared to the Dalma fields. The
rich and famous people who have found the forests with no trees and
nobody there, have decided to establish their businesses there and save
a lot of money and time. Crimes and delinquent acts are all against the
state, in other words, against us and nobody of a large number of
people. Whoever goes and claims that “this is my tree”, the owners will
just tell that person to go to the state. But the state has already
confirmed the other owner.
Here in the Dalma fields, the situation is totally different. The state
and the oligarchs directly infringe upon certain groups of people for
renting a certain property and calling it their own. For years, the
people living in Dalma (about 1800 families) have always cultivated,
dug, planted trees and vineyards so that they could be able to survive
during the years of social/economic problems. They are not “occupants”
and the law has always been on their side. They are simply weak against
caprice and terrorism. The individual cultivates his own land, then all
of a sudden some Jeep driving compatriots come and demand that they
vacate the area. Those compatriots are pretty wealthy and they have
everything. They simply can not settle with not having these fields so
close to the city. They must settle down here no matter if the law
forbids that, or that it is unjust or that is simply a dishonorable
deed. They have to own those fields and they are certain that some
architect will find an old Soviet document from the shelves, some judge
will find a loop-hole in the law, and that some official will give the
wrong information, etc. They are certain that the leaders of the
country, who protect the Constitution, feel the need of a European
Union scene and that they are fighting against poverty simply by
keeping it away from sight.
As I chatted with some of the residents of the Dalma fields, I was
thinking to myself that this was as far as it can go, that there can be
no other form of injustice and caprice. I feared that these people will
lose because during the past years no case has won through justice.
The 1800 families residing in Dalma have fought against poverty on
their own. They have not waited for the end of the seminars for poverty
hosted in the elegant hotel complexes, or during the splendid parties.
When will the country stop playing games?
These people have realized that independence is a resource and the
effect is poverty. They have understood that poverty could not be the
result of independence. They have not waited in line at the embassy and
escaped from the country by selling everything. The families have
realized that poverty is an effect and they have made a decision to
eliminate poverty by shaping the future of our independent country.
One of the people there said the following while showing me an abundant
field: “I have grown these fields for thirteen years so that now
someone can just come and take it all away from me?.” Thirteen years.
Is it a coincidence, an ironic destiny or simply information for
discussion?
Independence could be celebrated in another environment, in another
mood, but the right way was when I felt a threat made to that
independence. For this, I thank my friends and the residents of Dalma
fields.