MAY 28 – THE HOLIDAY OF VICTORIES, INDEPENDENCE AND THE REPUBLIC
By Meri Aleksanian
Yerkir.am
June 01, 2007
Visit to Sardarapat
150 members of the ARF’s youth and student unions as well as Nikol
Aghbalian Student Union visited the Sardarapat Memorial on May 28
to commemorate the heroes that sacrificed their lives in the heroic
battles in May 1918.
Member of the ARF’s Supreme Body Haykazuni Alvrtsian delivered
a lecture for the young people. He presented the historical and
geo-political context of those times when the Armenian nation was
facing the challenge of survival.
The Armenians fought a battle of survival and won it due to their
dedication and unity. The result of this battle was our independent
state. Alvrtsian believes the liberation war in Artsakh was a
continuation of this victory. If the Armenian nation is always as
united and courageous we will have new victories and achievements. He
called on the young people to pursue their goal of building a Free,
Independent and United Homeland.
Visit to Yerablur
The commemoration event continued in Yerablur. The young people
lay a wreath at the memorial of the Unknown Soldier and listened to
the participants of the liberation war in Artsakh. Deputy commander
of the Shushi special troop Harmik Hovsepian says nothing happens
by chance. There are deaths that are very usual, they do not cost
anything. But there are deaths due to which we have a homeland,
we have a victory, we have independence.
The present generation must build its future victories on these
accomplishments. One of the participants of the liberation battle
of Shushi Igor Sargsian congratulated everyone on the occasion of
the May victories. "The spirit that we gained from 1918 gave us new
victories. It gave us a liberated Artsakh.
You will be the ones to continue new victories," Sargsian stated. The
participants of the liberation war in Artsakh told the young people
about the heroic actions of their fellow soldiers, their lives and
military careers.
Freedom fighters receive awards
The event was continued at Moscow Cinema. Representatives and members
of the ARF’s Bureau and the Supreme Body, members of the ARF from
Armenia and the Diaspora, general Arkadi Ter-Tadevossian (Comandos),
participants of the liberation war in Artsakh, their friends and
relatives attended the event in Moscow Cinema. The national anthem of
the Republic of Armenia, "Our Homeland", was played in the beginning of
the celebration. It was also the national anthem of the First Republic.
The First Republic of Armenia was created at a crucial time for the
Armenian nation since the nation was facing the challenge of survival.
"May 28 should be the day of Independence and should be recognized
as such by the Armenian state as it is recognized by the Armenian
nation," member of the ARF’s Bureau Vahan Hovhannissian said. "The
short independence of two and a half years in 1918 created the Armenian
statehood. Had it not been for the May 28, 1918 we wouldn’t have been
able to join the USSR as a full member.
We lost our independence in 1920 but we did not lose our statehood. In
the 80 years that followed we built our newly independent state due
to those who went to Sardarapat, Gharakilisa, Bash-Aparan despite
the fact that they knew there was no hope. They built an army, they
built a state. What was their goal?
Was it merely survival? No, it was a dignified life. This is what
we should expect from the First Republic and the present Republic of
Armenia and Artsakh that are the successors of the First Republic,"
Hovhannissian stated.
A nation that had survived a Genocide and the World War managed to
create a state in a few years. Hovhannissian says these disasters
probably contributed to the faster maturation of the Armenian nation’s
national consciousness.
"A nation that was erased from the map, a nation that was not the
majority in any segments of its historical territory, managed to
build a state. Aram Manukian, Drastamat Kanayan, general Silikian,
general Nazarbekian, numerous heroes – they were the ones who achieved
this victory. How could they achieve this victory had the nation not
realized that a nation left alone will always be oppressed and its
interests will never be considered? It took us only three years to
turn into a nation, to defeat our enemy and build a state."
Invaluable is the contribution of the soldiers, the fidayees and
military commanders who sacrificed their lives to give us the freedom
we had dreamt of. " Here you can see people who did their job without
having any expectations, all they wanted was victory.
Once Comrade Hrant said, "You fought the war but you never expected
any awards." We hope that one day all those guys who fought for
victory will be appreciated. This victory was achieved also thanks
to those who are not with us today. I want us to commemorate those
guys. I want us to realize that their job is not finished yet because
we have a lot to do everywhere – in politics, on the battlefield if
there is a need to fight for the homeland again," ARF member General
Lieutenant Artur Aghabekian stated.
"I congratulate you all on the occasion of the Independence Day. I
want to congratulate all those who will be receiving medals today,"
ex-chief of the headquarters of ARF’s Special Troops of Shushi Artashes
Mkhitarian said.
"I am very grateful for this opportunity to meet my army friends
again. I will address you the way I always like to address you,
my dear dashnaks, hello!
Many of you fought for the homeland but never received any awards. They
say better late than never," General Arkadi Ter-Tadevossian, the
Komandos, stated.
Then the official award ceremony started. 151 freedom fighters received
medals for courage, for military service, for liberation of Shushi
by the decree of the RA President. Some of the medals were awarded
post mortem.
The ceremony was followed by a concert and screening of a documentary
film telling about the ARF in the period starting with the First
Republic in 1918 up to the liberation war in Artsakh.