#caucasia

Faces of political demonstration
Portraits made at one of the Armenian electional meetings of opposition.

Political corruption in Armenia is a widespread and growing problem in Armenian society. Armenia is facing problems by being bullied into decisions by the Russian federation. Armenia is often described as the country in exile as its borders are one of the most closed in the world. Turkey and Azerbaijan lead an aggressive genocidal policy towards Armenia backed by our northern neighboring country Georgia as their ally. Armenia has also faced in the past hundred years Genocide, Invasion by Soviet, Multiple massacres by the Azeri and Soviet regime. Economic, cultural and political abuse by Soviet, Collapse of the Soviet Union, earthquake, war with neighboring Azerbaijan, a decreasing population and an inability to maintain a democratic society. This only the past hundred years, beforehand Armenia and Armenians were heavily abused, neglected, raped, mistreated and persecuted by Ottomans, Seljuk’s, Turks, Kurds, Arabs and have had from less to none freedom both in a political and cultural, spiritual and individual sense in the one thousand years

 Photographs taken by the very talented Suren Manvelyan

I was recently inspired to write a song for the people of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabagh). These people have lived on those lands for thousands of years. They have struggle but also great beauty written on their forheads. The whimsical appropriation of land by an empire (Stalin) placed them under Azerbaijan. They have since gained their independence and have lived a prosperous existence for the last 20 or so years. I do not believe in wars and ultimately borders but i deeply believe in self determination and life without oppression. Therefor it is time for the world to recognize them as the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabagh). - Serj Tankian

Translated Lyrics (English)

We’ve always lived on these lands,
Reaped and Harvested these fields,
Generations sprung from your rivers,
Children born from your mountains,

The public mask of tradition,
The struggle for liberation or death,
The enemy’s gaze at your terrain,
Our smiles at your bosom,
At your bottomless will.

We’re going to sing with our fists
With the tricolor flag of justice,
Humanitarian love of peace
With the holy blessing of a child’s face,
We are going to prevail with culture
We are going to prevail with culture
We are going to prevail by being Armenian.