SHUSHI-A FACTOR OF THE ARMENIAN CONSOLIDATION

Azat Artsakh Daily
November 12, 2009
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]

It has become a tradition, that the annually conducted telethons on the
collection of humanitarian means under the aegis of the All-Armenian
Fund "Hayastan" bear purposeful nature and are directed toward the
restoration and the development of one of the administrative regions
of the NKR. Socio-economic programs have been already developed
and are being realized for the regions of Martakert, Martuni and
Gadrout. This year telethon will be devoted mainly to the restoration
of Shushi. Possibly, this should be done much earlier, since Shushi
being once the capital of Artsakh, economic, cultural, scientific
and educational center of the region, which played an important role
in the life of the Armenian people, a city of grandeur of spirit
and military glory of the Artsakh people, continued to lie in the
silent ruins but at the same time in very eloquent witnesses of its
tragic history. Let us recall: for the first time Shushi tested the
horror of Armenian pogroms in 1905, a relapse of the Turkish-Tatar
(later the Azeri) aggression was repeated in March 1920, when the
Armenian population was subjected to massacres and deportations,
and the last Armenian inhabitants were banished from the city in
1988. The Azerbaijan-Karabakh war caused heavy wounds to Shushi and
they were failed completely to cure after the liberation of the city in
May 1992. Of course, there were objective reasons for that, however,
we are in a debt of gratitude to the city, which has been waiting for
its revival 17 years. I must say, this task is not only and not so much
socio-economic or cultural, but first of all it is political. However,
under the conditions of the unsolved state of the Karabakh conflict,
when the process of settlement continues almost all more or less its
significant programs of the development of Nagorno Karabakh have a
strategic character. Nevertheless, the program of the restoration
of Shushi stands separately, since it is not secret that Azerbaijan
continues to speculate on a question of ethnic belonging of Shushi
and does not put out of its head the crazy idea of the rejection of
the city, constantly raising this issue in the negotiation process
on Nagorno-Karabakh. Certainly, it is obvious, that the authorities
of the NKR really cannot accept such claims on the ancient capital of
Artsakh, but it is also clear that only by solving such an important
strategic problem, which is the restoration of Shushi, we shall
finally take the indefatigable appetite of Azerbaijan. Therefore, as
the saying goes, better late than never. Start to "Telethon 2009"
was given in Moscow, where a charity event was held. It is here that
the NKR President has identified priorities for the development of
Shushi – restoration and construction of housing, health facilities,
education and culture, road infrastructure and water supply system. The
problems, which imperatively are required solution, have accumulated
more than enough in last years. Giving strategic significance to the
program of the restoration of city, one of the important stimuli of
the progressive development of Shushi, the NKR authorities consider a
transfer of a number of public bodies and agencies here. Of course,
the solution of such complex large-scale problems, Nagorno Karabakh
is beyond its power. At least, in the immediate future. It requires
the consolidation of efforts of all Armenians – Armenia, Artsakh
and the Diaspora, which has proven its effectiveness in dealing with
other national problems. The problem of the restoration of Shushi,
without doubt, is one of them. And therefore, for the sake of this
purpose, state and public structures of entire Armenian people,
private individuals must combine efforts and contribute their mite
in this truly patriotic endeavor. Regardless of its size. In the
modern history of Artsakh Shushi played a peculiar role of a unifying
force by the fact of its release from the long-standing captivity,
a factor of uniting all parts of the Armenian people. It seems that
the city has not lost its "collective" power today. Now, when in
connection with the signing of the Armenian-Turkish Protocols in the
whole Armenian society arose specific differences, I would like to
hope that exactly Shushi will carry out the mission of consolidation
of nations. We must also hope that the existing contradictions will
not reflect on the totals of the "Telethon 2009", since Shushi as a
symbol of firm will and heroism of the people of Artsakh, a symbol
of our national unity must not and cannot become state of affairs,
in any, especially in the intra-Armenian political fight. It must be
above for all the contradictions, what kind of nature they have not
born. OUR TOWN patiently has been waiting for its revival for a long
time. It is not necessary to deprive its hopes.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress