A Touching Moment from the Meeting on Amulsar – Shirak Buniatyan

Shirak Buniatyan, an activist fighting against the operation of the Amulsar mine, shared a poignant moment from a recent meeting on his Facebook page.

“I want to share a moment from yesterday’s meeting that will remain in my thoughts for a long time. During the meeting with senior police officials and the governor, our Armen expressed the idea that we should not be discussing the issue of winterization, but rather find ways together so that people can finally return home with peace of mind and stop deteriorating their health in those wagon shelters.”

He was followed by our teammate Arthur, who expressed heartfelt words filled with both sadness and determination. He said, “Well, you will go to your homes and celebrate New Year’s with your families, feeling victorious and happy about the revolution. Meanwhile, we will welcome the second New Year at the AMULSAR posts. And although the mine is not operational, we feel defeated because our voice is still unheard, and we are forced to remain outside indefinitely.”

It seemed that those senior police officials sitting in front of us, having listened to numerous protests and even dispersed them by force when necessary, would coldly hear these words. Believe me, I say this honestly; their hearts were filled with sadness, and there was sorrow in their eyes. A stone-cold silence followed in the hall after those words.

At that moment more than ever, I felt that no matter how much human souls are veiled by offices and laws, they remain delicate and sensitive. If you are honest and sincere in your words, even a stone heart can soften from their power. Nevertheless, regardless of all the emotional moments, we continue to staunchly assert that AMULSAR IS OUR HOMELAND AND MUST REMAIN PEACEFUL!