THE FIRST MEETING IN STEPANAKERT WAS LIKE COLLAPSING WALL IN BERLIN
Grigory Afanasyan, teacher at Artsakh State University

KarabakhOpen
14-02-2008 12:44:50

For the people who desired freedom and dignified life, it took
little time.

In February 1988 the people of Karabakh announced to the world about
their determination to protect their indivisible right for freedom and
independence. At that time when the interrelations between nations
and people were prevalently black and white, the Karabakh movement
revived the self-consciousness of all the nations.

People knew that it is impossible to continue to live that way,
the instinct of self-protection pushed to crucial actions and
initiatives. The first meeting in Stepanakert was like the collapsing
wall in Berlin, and echoed the collapse of the great and powerful
country, which had seemed impossible to shatter.

For already 20 years our slogan of freedom – to be the invincible
citadel of the Armenian people – has imparted us with confidence in
our rightness, and no violence can stop our resolved movement towards
development and progress. Most former countries which started with
democracy are gliding into nationalism and chauvinism.

History teaches that all isms are war and destruction, terror and
violence.

In the long run, the most democratic states in the South Caucasus
are the three independent republics of Nagorno-Karabakh, Abkhazia,
and South Ossetia. And there is nothing surprising about it because
we do not threaten anyone, we are for humane relationships. On the
other hand, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia cannot do without us. The
power of these countries is their relation to the "unrecognized"
states. Building bridges of friendship is harder than destroying.

Over the past 20 years a new generation rose, and the burden of hatred
should not be given to them. Every system which is based on some
idea eventually ends up in collapse and degradation, emitting immense
energy which causes destruction. The opposite process of creation and
reconstruction requires much more effort. Therefore, the recognition of
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, the Republic of Abkhazia, the Republic of
South Ossetia will be a step towards mutual recognition of nations,
a stage of conciliation. The alternative to the peace process is
villages and cities set to fire, killed and wounded people, missing
people and innocent victims.

War is barbarism, and each action meets counteraction which usually
is not better.

Besides 20 years from the beginning of the Karabakh Movement, 20
centuries have elapsed since the birth of Christ, and in the era of
shuttles and atom it is time to think how to start creation.