Meri Davtyan: The situation around Artsakh must change as soon as possible

Meri Davtyan, a member of the “Menq Kanq” civil initiative, told Alpha News that during the blockade, they tried in every possible way to convey the reality they were living in to the international media.

“During the blockade, when contacting the international media, we tried to present our real situation through some channels. There were moments of despair because, when the process was dragging on and everyday issues became more and more challenging, it was a bit difficult to make people in such a condition say something publicly. I understood that speaking up was very important. In the first months, I was very actively presenting the situation, hoping that the world or Armenia would take the necessary measures to open the road,” Davtyan said.

She noted that the nine-month blockade caused difficulties both financially and psychologically.

“The 9-month blockade and isolation have taken people out of their normal state, both psychologically and financially. On top of that, there was a one-day incident that took place on September 19, 2023. It misled people and made them desperate. They began to think that no matter what they said, nothing would change. I must admit, there was not much interest. Yes, there was connection through several mass media, but it was sad to realize or feel that it was not done on a pan-Armenian level, not to mention at the state level,” Meri Davtyan noted with sadness.

She noted that it takes time for the people of Artsakh to recover.

“It takes time for an Artsakh resident to find himself again. We already have certain steps and initiatives. There is already an organization for cultural protection as well as an organization dealing with issues of human rights protection. The more such organizations there are, the more they will demonstrate our main goal and desire to change the way things are,” Meri Davtyan concluded.