Within the framework of “Women in the Legislative” series Iravaban.net spoke with Ms Irina Gasparyan, a member of the “Armenia” Faction of the National Assembly of the 9th convocation,
– You have been involved in the Assyrian movement since 1994, you are quite active in protecting the rights of national minorities. Are your roots related to the Assyrians in any way?
– I am Assyrian, both my father and mother are Assyrian. My mother was an Assyrian from Ukraine, my father from the village of Dimitrov, but when they got married, they moved to Yerevan. I was born here.
– What do you think, are the rights of national minorities currently protected, and what steps that should be taken, are not being taken?
– When Armenia became independent, there were rumors that this is the territory of Armenians, other nations should not live here. According to the custom, Assyrians if they are chased leave immediately, calling out to each other, and I know that when the massacres in Baku happened, the Assyrians left.
It is not the case that if Armenians see an Assyrian they would have killed him, but there is a discriminatory approach. There is currently a conflict issue in the village of Dimitrov. A person who is a local authority decided that he could take the Assyrian church, turn it into an Armenian one, to use as some object. They did not expect that the Assyrians would raise a noise, because I have heard several times them saying who the Assyrians to make a noise are.
– The Assyrians are a nation that does not have a state, is Armenia facing such a danger today?
– Yes, unfortunately. At that time, I heard an expression from the Armenians that we do not want to share the luck of the Assyrians. However, now the existence of Armenia is in danger. Some people say that it is independent, it is sovereign, but I do not think so, because it it is obvious that whatever instruction comes from the neighboring country is coming true. I do not understand how it is possible to be Armenian, but cede the territories of Armenia. I being an Assyrian I would not give up the territory of Armenia.
– You talked about the handing over of territories, the loss of sovereignty, under these conditions, why does the opposition not actively participate in the events taking place in Tavush?
– I wouldn’t say that the opposition did not participate. Several deputies are there, especially Garnik Danielyan, who is originally from there. They are working very actively, but the pain is that the number of votes of the opposition, which is a tool to prevent some steps, is not sufficient, I think that it is the fault of the people. I generally do not agree that the opposition is not taking steps. Maybe it is not visible. Everything is done is not done for PR, but it is actually done to solve some issues.
Details in the video.
Mariam Antonyan
