Ugly truth: Armenian soldier speaks about Sargsyan, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Mubariz Ibrahimov...

Grant, tell us how did your service in Karabakh go?

We served there for 4 months, and all that time, I didnt see anything positive at all. We were beaten by officers every day, other soldiers always made us clean up, and such. They wouldnt even give us normal food, we were always hungry. Not only that, we couldnt even take a shower properly. The water would be given for 5 mins only, and we couldnt even wash ourselves properly. I was constantly telling superiors that my kidneys hurt, yet no one paid attention. After all that, me along with my other fellow soldiers Vartevan and Rafik, were taken to the military hospital, and there we were told that nothing is wrong with kidneys, we just dont want to serve.

How did you decide to leave, and cross the border?

I decided to leave my post, and head towards the Azerbaijani border. Both Rafik and Vartevan agreed to go along. We all saw these hard times I've just been telling you about. Everyday there are people dying there, for nothing. These territories do not belong to us, why should we die there? We talked it over, and decided to go for it.

How are you being treated here?

We are being treated very well, in fact. In Armenia everyone believe that living in Azerbaijan is beyond bad, but I can assure that its not all that awful. People here treat us fine. If we get sick, the doctors take care of us. Why did we decide to run? Because we couldnt take it anymore out there. No one wants to be there. Once in the hospital, I asked one girl for a pill, and she said there was nothing she could do for me.

Is the situation bad only in occupied territories, or in Armenian army as a whole?

Everywhere. I had friends who served in other units, and they were telling me the same things.  They used to tell me, that its better run, than serve in Karabakh.

How do people live in occupied territories?

Those who can, run away from Karabakh. They know, that as soon the war starts they will be the first under fire. They're scared for their lives. Some run, others even try to shoot themselves. In those 4 months that I've served, i've heard enough of such stories.

Would you want to get back to Armenia?

If everything in Armenia was good, no one would be roaming the streets and protesting.  If I return, its the same as if i was digging my own grave. Serzn Sargsyan is a murderer.  I'd get killed immediately. If i stay here, I might be able to get into another country from here, and I'll be fine then.

You probably know, that Armenia does not want to return the body of Mubariz Ibrahimov to Azerbaijan...

Sargsyan should imagine his own son being in Ibrahimov's shoes. Would he want to be treated like that? The man was a soldier, just like me. What they're doing is wrong. The body should be returned back. Sargsyan should think about what he is doing. There is no honor in that.


/1news.az/