“Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” (Psalm 34:14)
I can say that these words are the meaning of my life. How beautiful it is to see Armenia again; at midnight on June 5, I quickly got off the plane with my bags. It felt as though everyone was close to me, everyone was an acquaintance. How I had missed speaking Armenian with everyone, I passed through the visa section laughing, and I even tightly hugged the taxi driver who was waiting for me at the door and whom I knew from before.
Ah Armenia! I had missed your scent, I inhaled it deeply...
To me, "homesickness" works for both countries. Whichever one I go to, I miss the other. I was here to work, report on the elections to be held on Sunday, June 7, and to listen to people from different places and with different thoughts.
I didn't have much of a chance to sleep; I went out into the streets in the morning. I started wandering around Yerevan Square. The same question was always on my tongue, I asked everyone: "Are you going to vote?" Except for one person, everyone answered "Yes". More truly, that person replied, "If I can find time."
As I walked in Freedom Square, I noticed the silence. "Today is one day before the election bans start, what is missing here?" I thought. Aha! There are no election flags! Aha, where are the election vehicles accompanied by different music? Aha, what about the posters? I am so used to that turmoil in Turkey that such normalcy feels strange to me. Given that the people are calm, the city is calm, there isn't even the sound of a horn; wasn't it expectable that the election to be quiet too? Unlike Istanbul, life flows slowly here.
Those who didn't turn Agos down
I walked the roads. "Is there a ban? Did the election bans start today?" I asked. "No, we are always like this," they said. True, I was here during the 2000 Armenia elections as well. That was silent and calm too; I was only able to realize there was an election on that very day.
I conducted interviews with Sarkis Khandanyan, Maria Garabetyan, and Hasmik Hagopyan from the 'Civil Contract' party, chaired by Pashinyan. Since I had interviewed these three before, they did not turn me down—or rather, they did not turn 'Agos' down—and spared their time to give us an interview again. This was an honor for me. Two days before the election, I thought it would be very difficult to get interviews from members of parliament. Smiles were breaking out on my face, while on the other hand, I was trying to get opinions from opposition parties or from different voices. I tried repeatedly, I put in intermediaries, but it didn't work, I couldn't succeed.
While waiting for the hour of Pashinyan's rally, at 16.00, I asked people, "How will the attendance at this rally be?" because there was no one around. It didn't look like a rally area at all. On top of that, time was ticking away, and no one was coming. 17.30, still no one...
When the clock struck 18.00, people with banners, Pashinyan hats, and flags began to pour out of the streets and houses. Where so many people came from all at once, I couldn't make sense of it. I was running here and there, trying to take photos. While having a pleasant conversation with a group that had come from Georgia to support Pashinyan, I lost my spot. My place, which had been in the front rows, was falling further and further back. I asked the guards for the area reserved for the press; there was none. Frankly, I was a bit surprised. I learned later that 32,500 people attended. It was a big number for Armenia. It was so small for me that I asked everyone how many people were at the other rallies. Very few, they said 10 thousand even for the closest rival.
Yerevan rain
The next day, while everyone was silent before the election, I wandered around the parks. I was a guest at a dinner attended by Jirair Libaridian, the chief advisor to the first president Levon Ter-Petrosyan and received his commentary ahead of the Armenian elections.
I had three hours in between to meet with orientalist Armen Petrosyan, an expert from the Orbeli Center. I sat in a garden with a pool in the city center and began watching the fountains. The rain started, I didn't leave my seat, I ordered tea for myself, warmed myself up, and decided to enjoy the rain. I had forgotten the Yerevan rains; the rain blew and thundered, and I was soaked.
No matter, it was still beautiful...
Election day
Early in the morning, I am in the city of Byureghavan. This is a small city; I shot a video for Agos readers in front of the school, which is one of the voting centers. I was excited, my hands were shaking, curious people around had their eyes fixed on me, saying, "Look, she is speaking Turkish," "Aha, a Turk has come." I speak Armenian, saying, "I came from Agos, I will report." They smile and say, "Armenian, Armenian, relax."
All doors are open to me. I talk comfortably, exchange greetings, and leave.
My second stop is Yerevan Chekhov Street, where Pashinyan will cast his vote. Pashinyan is making a statement to the press, and I am trying to listen and understand. This is where I realize how short I am. I got stuck and remained squeezed between huge men. My photos did not come out well at all. In fact, a woman raised her voice about the restrictions imposed on the press, and I couldn't even see her. Ah, if only I were 10 cm taller...
Pashinyan left, everyone is leaving. I also start chatting and laughing with a few of my colleagues from the Turkey press. While still talking with them there, I took a look around me; they are pointing at us, saying, "Look at the Turks, look at the Turks." The next day, an article: "Turks in the streets of Armenia."
I am on the road to Etchmiadzin, rushing to the mass. The Feast of Etchmiadzin is one of the most important days here. I will take communion, my shooting will wait a bit. I welcomed Catholicos Karekin II at the door, received his blessing, and lit my candle for the people of Armenia to pass the elections in a peaceful environment.
During the mass, prayers are made for political prisoners and detained clergymen. I join in. I pray, "My Lord, release whoever is prison unjustly."
At the door, I waited for the Catholicos to place his hand on my head, and I immediately got to work on the video for Agos readers. While I had spoken just a few words, a similar voice in the courtyard again: "A Turk has come", "What business does a Turk have here".
I say, "I am Armenian." They say, "Have you left your sacred mother tongue and are speaking that language? What kind of a person are you, if you were a bit Armenian you would have respect for your language."
Peace in spite of everything
I got down a bit, but I arrived at a school in the Shengavit district of Yerevan. I went inside with my friend and asked for permission to shoot. The last half hour. While people were voting, I took photos with the permission of the ballot box chairs and went outside.
The words my friend heard at the door were disturbing. The poor girl, I gave my phone to her, she was filming me. Someone approached her and showed a hidden threat, saying, "She will leave, but you will stay here. Are you sure you want to film her?" While we were shooting, someone else was filming us with a smile. We asked why; "Mind your own business, I film whatever I want," he says. We left, but I was almost going to cry.
I shot a short video in front of the 'Civil Contract' election center; we were chatting and laughing with a few members of the press from France and with Turkish journalists. The next day, a post on social media: "Turkish female reporter gives a statement to Azerbaijani journalists." Ah, it was me!
And the elections ended.
It is as if I made them win the elections or made them lose. People, bloggers shared me on social media calling me a 'Pashinyan-lover', a 'Zombie woman', and whatnot.
Dear ones, souls, let it be as you say. As long as there is peace, as long as there is happiness, I am ready to be whatever you want.
"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy!
Blessed are the peacemakers!
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me!" (Matthew 5)
This is how it is in my faith.
I say, "I am not afraid! I am not deterred! Peace in spite of everything, brotherhood in spite of everything." Whatever your race, language, or religion may be; I love and respect you all.
Long live those who sing songs of brotherhood...
