Ruben Vardanyan Suspended Hunger Strike
The full audio version is available here
Today is March 12th, twenty-three days into my hunger strike. I am in good shape. Don’t worry, everything is fine. I understand what I am doing, why, and I am very grateful to everyone for their support and… concerns.
I want to address everyone and ask all of you — no matter how you feel about me — to listen to my message. I hope it will be short and clear. I am deliberately not mentioning any names — I do not want to attract attention to individuals.
I had several goals when I did this, when I declared my hunger strike: to show that there is no trial, but a farce; to show that it is not me who is being judged, but all Armenians and the state itself; and to show the price that had to be paid by all those who, in their hearts, would have been happy to stay and live here (in Artsakh), and not leave.
I want to remind you again of the Russian fairy tale about the choice between the loss of the horse — the Homeland, losing honor — the sword, and losing life, which stands at a crossroads. The hero is obliged to make a choice, because if he stays where he is, it will be certain death. And this choice is very difficult, but nevertheless it must be made by everyone, including those who once lived in Artsakh, when all that happened now, and before that, over the last thirty years, and before that, for millennia, happened.
Today’s court session is a vivid example of what would have happened if the people of Artsakh had stayed home, and what price you would have had to pay for it. Yesterday, during the trial, two Armenians from Artsakh, living in Stepanakert, testified against me, claiming various very incorrect things. And yet, they had never seen me in their lives, and they were in a very terrible state themselves, but nevertheless they appeared in court, and I felt very sorry for them.
Man pays for everything, and the example of the Armenian who was previously arrested in a Red Cross vehicle and sentenced to fifteen years, and the example of these two people, is an important visual warning to all of you that you would not have been allowed to live peacefully in your homes as it was. And anyone at any moment could have been in the place of yesterday’s two witnesses or accused of all the terrible crimes, and it would have had nothing to do with whether you were guilty or not, whether you committed these crimes or not.
I would like to say separately that I find it important that today, the former president is testifying here, while the legitimate president of Artsakh is in Armenia, and this, believe me, greatly changes the situation and the weight of the words being spoken here by the former president.
I am shocked by the depth of hatred that the current leadership of Armenia has for the Artsakh people, and I am glad that I prevented them from implementing their plan, which they pushed in every possible way and helped some Artsakh leaders, both current and former, to implement the scenario written by the other side, and wanted it to be realized so that they could have the right to say: “You see, your sons died because of them. And you accuse us of something else, but they sold out and will easily live a happy life now, while you will spend your life here bearing the grief of losing your loved ones”.
I want to address all the moral cripples who wanted this and took corresponding steps both in Armenia and in Artsakh, and those who now speak out about why they didn’t fight to the end but left, so that… they lost. And you failed to destroy the dignity and honor of ordinary Armenians. And not only Artsakh Armenians, but all Armenians.
For your information: during the period when the last military operation took place, the officially recognized number of casualties on the other side was four times higher than their losses during the same period in the 44-Day War. Eternal memory to all those who died for their Homeland.
I decided on the twenty-third day to suspend my hunger strike for many reasons, and I ask all those who have joined me to do so as well.
I believe that the last court session helped to show you all very vividly and clearly what would have happened to you if you had stayed here, and what price you would have had to pay to live in your home, on your land. The second thing is to show that it is not a trial, but a farce, and another refusal of my legal rights to consider my petitions and my demands shows that there will be no trial here, that this show continues regardless of what is legal and illegal.
The statement made by the official representative of the authorities a few days ago showed everyone the obvious goal that it is not fifteen people plus one who are on trial, but the trial of the leadership of Armenia and Armenia as a whole as a state, of any Armenian — no matter where he is from, even if he is not from Armenia.
One last important thing. Whoever scares you with another military war is misleading you again. There are many other ways to lose the right to own your state in today’s world. It is not necessary to conquer it militarily again. The war is ongoing, but now it is possible to conquer without a single shot, using technology, finances, economic dependence, infrastructure, information control, and political warfare. If you continue to live in illusions… If you continue to live in illusions that everything will eventually end and you will be able to earn a living in peace and be happy… Hear me: this is self-deception.
After losing Artsakh, we will also lose Armenia in the coming years, if we do not radically change our attitude towards the concepts of elite, power, state, and who should lead us. Hear me and think about it before it is too late! And remember: always, as in the Armenian fairy tale, Kach Nazars (Nazar the Brave and those alike) were chosen as kings by the people, and it is our decision, not his. I am convinced that there are healthy forces in our nation and that we will overcome this difficult crisis, as we have done many times in our very long history, and we will not just live, but live with dignity in our Motherland. Remember that only the living can swim against the current.
I embrace all of you! Together with all of you, your one of your ordinary Armenians, Ruben
