Q. What did you wish to accomplish during this first visit since the war?

Frankly, I was determined to see for myself the fallout of the war from multiple angles. By all accounts, it is a complicated and bitter new reality for the people of Armenia and Artsakh, if not the entire Armenian world. It’s one thing to keep up with the news and talk to informed sources from afar and quite another to assess and process the state of affairs on my own. 

Along with Vasken Yacoubian, the president of AGBU Armenia, our foremost interest was gauging the mood of the people. After all, they are the ones who AGBU serves in various capacities, whether through education, culture, humanitarian relief, or socio-economic development. We sought to engage with as many people as we could, both in Armenia and Artsakh. We wanted to hear from the displaced families in southern Armenia and those forced to flee their homes and resettle in what is left of autonomous Artsakh after the ceasefire agreement. We also wanted to meet the local clergy and see the damage and ongoing threats to the churches and ancient holy sites in Artsakh perpetrated by Azeri forces. Only then could we make clear-headed strategic decisions about how AGBU proceeds from here. How does the tragic outcome of this war impact our current efforts and suggest new priorities going forward? These were the questions on our minds.

Q. What was on your itinerary?

It was fortuitous that my visit coincided with an already planned mission arranged by His Holiness Karekin II scheduled from June 3 to 6. It was an ambitious and potentially treacherous itinerary that would give us access to Syunik, Artsakh and Armenian territories now occupied by Azerbaijan and monitored by Russian peacekeepers. Over the four days, we managed to visit the village of Shurnukh near the borders in Syunik to meet with displaced families, evicted from their homes by Azeris who now occupy half the village. We also visited with the people of Goris and paid tribute to the fallen heroes at the newly established cemetery for the martyrs of this region. Once in Artsakh, we made it a point to visit the ancient Amaras and Gandzasar monasteries. Of course we spent time with the people of Artsakh and as a new reality, we interacted with Russian soldiers and even visited the Russian military base. All the while, we were constantly made aware of the presence of Azeri forces wherever we went.

Q. How would you describe the overall situation?

I would say tense in terms of the new geopolitical order in the region and the upcoming parliamentary elections in Armenia. It is also still quite intense when you consider the heavy cloud of uncertainty that lingers over the entire country and the overwhelming shock and grief among Armenians from all walks of life. 

It’s fragile given the numerous unknowns and factors at play. Obviously, there is much disarray in leadership compounded by the politically divisive rhetoric and strife coming from the political parties before the snap parliamentary elections on June 20. Then you have territorial aggressions on Armenia’s sovereign lands, the POWs still held in Azerbaijan, and the general public inconsolable over the loss of 5,000 lives. 

You visit the cemeteries. You see all these Armenian flags, waving in the wind, like an ocean. Then you look at the graves with the birthdates on display. Born in 1998, 1999, 2001. It hits you in a gut-wrenching way that the country has been robbed of such potential. For a small country, 5,000 dead and 12,000 injured are big losses. The first Artsakh War resulted in a larger number of fatalities, but at least their sacrifice led to victory and the survivors were proud of their achievement.