{"id":24337,"date":"2023-12-18T16:54:44","date_gmt":"2023-12-18T12:54:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/abcmedia.am\/news\/24337\/"},"modified":"2023-12-26T20:33:51","modified_gmt":"2023-12-26T16:33:51","slug":"chem-havatum-or-amerikaci-joneh-fransiaci-zhakeh-kam-rus-ivaneh-mez-kpashtpanen%e2%80%a4-arsen-safaryan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/abcmedia.am\/en\/news\/24337\/","title":{"rendered":"Arsen Safaryan: I do not believe that American Johns, French Jacques, or Russian Ivans will come to protect us"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What is the Armenian music industry like today, what
\nchallenges are facing Armenia today, what have we lost as a nation in recent
\nyears, and what are the reasons for this? Although we talked about painful
\nissues with singer, songwriter Arsen Safaryan, we talked in a way that is par
\nfor the course with him: with a smile. According to the singer, the problems
\ncan be resolved; we just have to rely on ourselves and not expect any help from
\nwithout.<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p><\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p><\/p>\n

– What was the Armenian music industry like when you were
\njust starting out on your career and what is it like now?<\/strong><\/p>\n

– I remember those times quite well. There is this phrase
\n‘feels like it was yesterday’. That is the case with me. I remember everything
\ndistinctly. The time 1996-1997 was a very interesting time for me. Although
\ntechnically, opportunities were limited back then, we used to sing our own
\nsongs and there was a belief that things would gradually get better, that we
\nwould give more concerts, etc. In fact, there was a period when everything was
\njust like that. That was perhaps the height of my career. I say so as the songs
\nand video clips created until 2010 went one better than the other. We were not
\nbothered about composing a song, so that we would be invited to sing in wedding
\nceremonies. What really mattered to us, was to create something beautiful,
\nsomething that would convey a meaning. We did not strive to film women in
\nswimsuits in the clips. The bar was set high. I do not deem it right when they
\nsay they create what people want to see.The singer should think about what he
\nperforms. You get what you give. And I think so today as well. I can see
\nchanges for the better as well. Not that I think bad of everything. Today, the
\nyouth wants to hear live performances; and that is great.

<\/p><\/p>\n

– When you last went to Artsakh, you were with Artur
\nGrigoryan. Do you think Grigorich had any hope that everything would be fine?<\/strong><\/p>\n

– He was in agony… We were both in agony. We had never
\nbeen to Artsakh in that mood. When we entered Artsakh, he did not even turn
\naround; he did not look at Shushi’s new town sign… We were silent; we kept
\nsilent for quite a long time, as there was nothing to say. Then I caught myself
\nthinking that defeat was even in the air; that was the mood. Everything had
\nbecome somewhat gloomy.<\/p>\n

I felt that Grigorich was in a very bad mood, but he
\nsuddenly collapsed… It was after he sang for the soldiers… At that time, we
\nthought that the worst thing that could happen had already happened; Artsakh
\nwas still there… Perhaps we hoped that we would not lose entire Artsakh after
\nall.

<\/p><\/p>\n

– Isn’t it strange that the loss of Artsakh is hardly being
\ntalked about now?<\/strong><\/p>\n

– It took me quite long to arrive at the understanding that
\nit is us, who is to blame for our losses. We have a tendency to create myths,
\nwhile we should have worked. We shouldn’t have been egocentric, advancing only
\nour personal interests. Wrong people often held the most important posts. That
\nwas the reason why we did not develop and did not arm ourselves. We could have
\nbuilt a Chinese wall around Artsakh.<\/p>\n

They say that everyone should be in their place. But looking
\naround, I want to tell them that they are not in their places either. Many
\npeople are not in the right place. I sometimes think they are ashamed to talk
\nabout it. Well, don’t talk then, what can I say?

<\/p><\/p>\n

– Are they ashamed that they could not be helpful in any
\nway?<\/strong><\/p>\n

– They are fine, they don’t need to talk about it anymore.
\nLooking at them, the impression is that nothing has happened. Indifference
\ngradually deepens. That national liberation spirit may come again in the course
\nof time, but now… Yes, they listen to the songs, they get excited, but their
\nlifestyle does not show that they believe in it.

<\/p><\/p>\n

– In the fall of 2020, you were in Artsakh with your
\nbrother, and you saw with your own eyes what was going on there. Stories were
\nmany and different after the war. What myths were created at that time, and
\nwhich ones were particularly noticeable to you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

– We saw the truth… I hear opinions that Armenian men are
\nnot fighters, that they are deserters, etc. This expression, it destroys us.
\nSome deserters can be found during any war. But we cannot extend it to everyone
\nand then add that this was the reason why we lost the war. That was not the
\ncase. We had and still have many brave men.

<\/p><\/p>\n

– Years ago, I met singer, fighter Mkrtich Mkrtchyan. During
\nour conversation, he said he had been happy during the war (meaning the first
\nArtsakh War). He said there is nothing better than fighting for the
\nmotherland… What did you feel on the battlefield?<\/strong><\/p>\n

– That was a bunch of feelings; you were ready for anything
\nfor your friend, you could hold his hand at any moment…<\/p>\n

Mkrtich was a great fighter, I cannot compare with him, but
\nwe also had this wonderful feeling of trust in our commander. You trust an
\nexperienced fighter standing next to you, encouraging you, a friend to whom you
\nyourself can give something with your song. The most important thing was that
\nthere was this something for the sake of which one was fighting; but we have
\nwhat we have. I suffer from something else as well: We did not draw the right
\nconclusions from what happened and did not take the right steps to achieve
\nresults.

<\/p><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

– Do you have hope that everything will be fine after all?<\/strong><\/p>\n

– I don’t want to be naive, saying that everything will be
\nfine in a few years. Yes, the realization that we should only rely on ourselves
\ncame after the war. I do not believe that American Johns, French Jacques, or
\nRussian Ivans will come to protect us. We have to get to building our army.
\nThen, if the geopolitical situation is somewhat favorable, and Azerbaijan
\nappears in turmoil (smiles), something may change then. However, I will sound
\nnaive to say that we will go and get our homeland back in a year. We have
\nalready seen the value of those medals, and myths have been dispelled. Do you
\nremember they were up to handing out awards? “I’m doing well to make myself
\nawards”. This should not be the case anymore; we should truly start building
\nour army. The fact that we have to start showing teeth is beyond doubt. We know
\nthat where we answered them back on the battlefield, they did not advance.
\nOtherwise, if they advance kilometer by kilometer like this, they will reach
\nhere…

<\/p><\/p>\n

<\/p><\/p>\n\n

Interview by Lena Gevorgyan<\/strong>

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