In recent days, the killings that took place in the Armenian army have been the subject of heated discussion.
In the space of just 40 days, we lost 13 brave soldiers who were undoubtedly called to defend our borders, yet fell under circumstances that remain, to this day, incomprehensible.
The incidents certainly became the focus of attention of Armenia’s leader and government, and it is clear that various commissions and bodies seeking to clarify all the circumstances of the events have been set to work.
Regardless of the fact that no final conclusion regarding the sad events or definitive disclosure of criminal cases has yet taken place, posts made in an unacceptable style began to appear in the Armenian media field, but particularly on internet pages, whose authors, going far beyond expressing regret over the situation, turned the matter into an object of speculation, while also apportioning a share of criticism to Armenia’s current authorities. Those same people, presenting certain unfounded theses, also directed the barbs of criticism toward the “Velvet Revolution,” suggesting that the atmosphere prevailing in the army is the result and/or consequence of that revolution.
This, of course, apart from being an unsubstantiated approach, contains within it the proposition of an old “Armenian” ailment that takes shape only by recalling the bad, only by presenting the sad, and only by seeing the empty part of the glass of water.
And beyond all this, regardless of the facts that the current authorities have carried out important and landmark achievements for our army, from the replenishment of military needs to the consolidation of the human factor and the fulfilment of the real needs of today’s soldiers, it must be noted somewhere that the army is a permanently living structure.
The army, as yesterday, has problems today as well, and the reality is that today’s fundamental issues, which are loaded onto the shoulders of our army, come not from the distant past.
From that past when pressure reigned everywhere, and from that past on whose poisonous waves spread the image of the “all-powerful officer” who imposed around him fear, terror, and even a great burden of stories ending in the most brutal fashion.
And today, when the spirit of freedom hovers everywhere, when everyone can criticise anything and everything they wish, people turn today’s reality into a double-edged sword for a moment, and with their failed attempts, they aim to target today’s army and therefore also the authorities.
The problem, of course, is not that the army has issues, but rather our generations’ attitude, the vulnerable phenomenon of knowing everything, and, in all respects, the vulnerable state of permissiveness of many of our young people who have passed through the crucibles of the “hayahati psychology” and refuse to submit to elders.
Certainly, clear steps must be taken so that the army becomes stronger, more stable, and more purposeful; that is the work of the authorities, who will surely provide everything necessary, but the essential issue is that of the press services and people of the pen, journalists and opinion-formers in society being restrained, prudent, and constructive.
The army’s problems are being solved and will certainly be solved, but in parallel, it is vitally necessary that we keep our brave Armenian army away from internal speculation, narrow-minded perceptions, and also political games.
Keeping our army away from ill-intentioned games — today that is the overarching task.
“Ramgavar Mamoul”
