Nourishing Mother and a Mother of Three Young Children Begin Hunger Strike in Support of Artsakh Children

Margarita is a nourishing mother. She has left her one-year-old child at home and is staging a one-day hunger strike in front of the UN office in Yerevan, in support of the 30,000 children in Artsakh.

“Today I came here with my other child to attach the placards. My daughter was surprised to see the bread laid out here; it is hard to explain to a child that just a few hundred kilometers away, children like her are starving,” she told Aysor.am.

Margarita is from Yerevan, while Hermina is from Artsakh. Hermina has left her three young children at home. The two women met in front of the UN office, brought together by the idea of supporting malnourished children in Artsakh, and both modestly emphasize that they are taking a small, insignificant step, perhaps also a cry of despair.

Hermina, who is also a poet, expressed hope that her fellow writers, intellectuals, and artists would join the action, so that there would be someone staging a hunger strike in front of the UN every day. “If instead of two people, there are four hundred here, perhaps they will be compelled to take action in the office. I have participated in all actions against the government over these years, and now I am in front of the UN office because the UN has the appropriate tools for such situations; they can deliver food and medicine to Artsakh,” she added.

Hermina also noted, “I have constantly had the thought in my head that in 1988, the Artsakh movement was ignited by intellectuals. Is it not possible for intellectuals today to become the vanguard of the movement for the salvation of Artsakh? Unfortunately, all we can see today is the indifference of intellectuals. We are in a situation where each of us must be prepared for a decisive step; it was clear to me at least that I could not just sit at home.”

It is noteworthy that yesterday, political scientist Anush Sedrakyan and poet Hasmik Simonyan staged a one-day hunger strike near the UN office under the title “Women for Artsakh.” The initiators expressed hope that at least two women would join the initiative each day for one day.