“State doesn’t respect its freedom fighters” (video)
The instruction of liberation of Shushi was carried out with honor. According to the words of Samvel Papazyan, Commander of “Armenian National Army” special battalion, they sustained multiple casualties after severe fights, which lasted for several hours. 27 out of 56 killed servicemen were from their battalion, they had 2 missing people. “Many Azeri servicemen attacked us. We were either to be killed or win. At the end I was wounded and was able to see liberated Shushi only after being treated one year later,” Samvel Papazyan told the journalists. Gagik Danielyan, Executive Director of “Support to people with disabilities” NGO, added that they understood that they had no right to die, “As our commander used to say ‘We don’t have a command to die’”. Freedom fighter Gayane Baghdasaryan complained that people remember them only during these days or when there is a need for freedom fighters. The state doesn’t pay appropriate attention to them. “Freedom fighters cannot praise the state. The state doesn’t respect its freedom fighters. Formerly, when people saw us in the streets, they came and kissed our hands, but now they say that we were stupid to go to war,” noted Gayane Baghdasaryan. Irrespective of the current situation, freedom fighters with disabilities are ready to head to battlefield in case of necessity, as they did it during April War.
