CONTRARY TO DEATH

Azat Artsakh Daily
08 Dec 08
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]

December, 7th, 1988. This day has for ever entered into the history
of the Armenian people as mournful, tragical date. 20 years ago, in
northern areas of Armenia there was the terrible earthquake which has
wiped about the city of Spitak appeared in epicentre of tremors. It
also has not spared Leninakan, Kirovakan, Stepanavan, hundreds of
villages. In total for some seconds 25 thousand persons have become
victims of blind elements of a steel, thousand have been wounded,
over a half-million remained without a roof over the head. That day
the hands of the city clock of Leninakan from elements blow have
stood on a mark 11 hour 41 minutes However it seemed to the Armenian
people, that hours have stopped, but not the hands of the clock. The
life has stopped itself, and in Armenia the ghost of black death was
wandering freely. Perhaps, such monstrous shock the Armenian people
have tested only at the Genocide of 1915. It’s impossible to express
the pain by words. Armenia became epicentre of terrible human tragedy,
truly a universal trouble. But it became also epicentre of mercy,
compassion, partnership. The sympathy wave to the Armenian people
has swept worldwide.

Those days newspaper pages, television screens of the world have been
filled by messages on accident details.The evil news have responded
pain in hearts of20millions people. This pain became the general
for all, and not only Armenians. Blow of elements has left nobody
indifferent. In many countries the public and governmental centres
which were systemizing gathering of financial and other means for
rendering assistance to the victim,there were big turns at blood
transfusion points – people voluntary handed over blood for wounded
men. Artsakh also has stretched a hand of help to Armenia which during
this period was in heavy situation, testing powerful pressure of the
Soviet-azeri state machinery for suppression of national movement. In
Nagorno-Karabakh means collection has been also organised, groups of
rescuers have been urgently sent to the zone of disaster. Practically
all the Soviet Union helped the suffered population of Armenia.

"Practically"- because even in that heavy, disastrous for the Armenian
people time Azerbaijan has not stopped the hostile actions. The
Karabakh movement was in a heat, and the Azerbaijan party tried to use
even the elements for achievement of the political ends, suppression of
will of our people.All possible difficulties were done to the trains
with humanitarian cargoes – artificial detained on ways, not giving
in time to deliver so necessary means to the republic suffered from
the disaster. Many still remember, how cars with the cement, going
through Azerbaijan, were filled in with water, and they arrived to
Armenia already in the form of unnecessary20boulders. Remember, how our
neighbours even frankly celebrated this tragedy and sent congratulatory
messages to the Armenians.It was very cinic blasphemous. But the
cynicism was also in that, that according to the best traditions of
communistic preaching, page of the Soviet newspapers were dazzled
with messages that "the people of Azerbaijan have apprehended a
pain of the Armenian people as its own" that it "is ready to render
assistance in these difficult days for overcoming of destructive
consequences of elements". Similar pharisaic messages, including, at
the highest level – the Communist Party Central Committee, Presidium
of the Supreme body and Ministerial Council AzSSR. Fortunately, the
Armenian people have not depressed, have not lost courage. During that
fatal time the terrible trouble has consolidated them, has forced to
involve all potential for opposition of tragedy and liquidation of
consequences of the accident.

Owing to the unity, strong will, courage and firmness of all the
Armenians, owing to disinterested aid of the people of the USSR and
many countries of the world the trouble has receded. Our people,
as well as at different stages of the hard history, have found in
itself forces to stand, transfer, apparently, to restore the destroyed
and to rise from ashes. "Disaster zone" concept has fallen into the
past’s arms .Time for the Armenian people has not stopped. The life
which has=2 0 appeared more strongly than death has triumphed. But an
inescapable pain of huge, irreplaceable human losses has remained. As
the memory of victims of that terrible tragedy has remained and
lives. On December, 7th all Armenian people will give a tribute
of memory of our compatriots for which the day of 1988 became the
last. Let’s remember victims – for the sake of the live …