Armenian fugitives unwilling to go home
Two Armenian soldiers who were detained on the
Azerbaijani side of the contact line between the two countries`
troops on Sunday are unwilling to return home.
Ohan Harutunyan and Gevorg Tomosyan, both aged 18, explained the reasons of their reluctance to the Baku-based ANS TV channel on Tuesday. According to the Armenian fugitives, they had served for only two weeks at a regiment in Azerbaijan`s occupied Tonashen residential area of the Aghdara district. However, this short period of time sufficed for their decision to cross over to the Azerbaijani side. Thus, the newly-drafted servicemen could not persevere the unbearable conditions in their country`s military. Arutunyan and Tovmosyan admitted to poor relationship among fellow servicemen and noted that the food served to the soldiers was of low quality.
Moreover, a letter written by Arutunyan and Tovmosyan to their parents while they were still in military service was found on the servicemen. Saying they were not doing well, the military men requested removing them from that military unit as soon as possible. Having been unable to send the letter and witnessing that the tough situation persisted, the servicemen finally decided to cross over to Azerbaijan.
Arutunyan said the two did not want to serve in Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh, an Azerbaijani region under Armenian occupation, and informed the Yerevan drafting unit of that. However, the conscripts were prompted to give money for their request to be met.
"My father is a second-degree handicapped and my mother is a housewife," Arutunyan said, explaining his family`s financial status. "Since we couldn`t provide the money, we were deceived and subsequently taken to Garabagh. So, we decided to escape from the military unit, come to Azerbaijan, and further to be transferred from here to a third country."
The other soldier also expressed a wish to leave for a neutral country.
"I had heard that some have already drifted here from Armenia," Tovmosyan said. "After some time, they were transferred to a third country with Azerbaijan`s assistance and got a job there. My wish is to do the same and become a citizen of that country after having lived there for six months. Then I would work, help my parents and bring them there afterwards."
Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a cease-fire in 1994, but Armenia continues to occupy part of Azerbaijani territory in defiance of international law. The OSCE-brokered peace talks have not yet resulted in a solution of the conflict.
Ohan Harutunyan and Gevorg Tomosyan, both aged 18, explained the reasons of their reluctance to the Baku-based ANS TV channel on Tuesday. According to the Armenian fugitives, they had served for only two weeks at a regiment in Azerbaijan`s occupied Tonashen residential area of the Aghdara district. However, this short period of time sufficed for their decision to cross over to the Azerbaijani side. Thus, the newly-drafted servicemen could not persevere the unbearable conditions in their country`s military. Arutunyan and Tovmosyan admitted to poor relationship among fellow servicemen and noted that the food served to the soldiers was of low quality.
Moreover, a letter written by Arutunyan and Tovmosyan to their parents while they were still in military service was found on the servicemen. Saying they were not doing well, the military men requested removing them from that military unit as soon as possible. Having been unable to send the letter and witnessing that the tough situation persisted, the servicemen finally decided to cross over to Azerbaijan.
Arutunyan said the two did not want to serve in Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh, an Azerbaijani region under Armenian occupation, and informed the Yerevan drafting unit of that. However, the conscripts were prompted to give money for their request to be met.
"My father is a second-degree handicapped and my mother is a housewife," Arutunyan said, explaining his family`s financial status. "Since we couldn`t provide the money, we were deceived and subsequently taken to Garabagh. So, we decided to escape from the military unit, come to Azerbaijan, and further to be transferred from here to a third country."
The other soldier also expressed a wish to leave for a neutral country.
"I had heard that some have already drifted here from Armenia," Tovmosyan said. "After some time, they were transferred to a third country with Azerbaijan`s assistance and got a job there. My wish is to do the same and become a citizen of that country after having lived there for six months. Then I would work, help my parents and bring them there afterwards."
Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a cease-fire in 1994, but Armenia continues to occupy part of Azerbaijani territory in defiance of international law. The OSCE-brokered peace talks have not yet resulted in a solution of the conflict.
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