Army and Society: is there a Mutual Dialogue?

All the problems existing in the society sooner or later reflected in the Army if problematic neighbor can be not related, the army is such an opportunity. Today Civilitas Foundation organized army and society “theme during the discussion expressed a similar opinion of Defense Department of Defense Policy, Deputy Head of Legal Department, Alexander Avetisyan

Avetisyan says that the armies of the world’s developed states that there are problems and as an example pointed out last year in the United States in the case when recruits swearing-in ceremony killed 20 people.

Helsinki Civil Assembly president, lawyer Arthur Sakunts, however, points out that there is a paradoxical situation. In 1989, when the army as such there was, people were going home voluntarily to protect our days, when there is a regular army and people avoided being called to army.

The main reason for this, according to Sakunts, is that since 1995 the Armenian army and since the police are not subject to reform. “As in all areas, these areas also changes imitation nature and now the problems set by the army.”

Sakunts think MOD is trying to conceal the crimes taking place in the army, they identify and punish the real culprits instead.

Avetisyan, however, Sarkisian Sakunts, notes that the Army is continually changes. “Not with state benefits, the Army’s vital structure such a bad case.”

Sakunts notes that the Armenian army today closed system, and the environment in any such action seems doubtful.

He says that protection, no audit was not performed and is not known how the armed forces spent the funds provided. Sakunts worrying thing about the army considers that there are good soldiers who are regretfully concerned the army, but their decision-making voice is another disturbing phenomenon is considered that military commanders engaged in the business. “Defense really does not worry that the generals have business.”

He notes that the official should be clarified that the information concerning the army must be closed, which is not: “This year the Army recorded 34 cases of murder only 11 primary sources were the Ministry of Defense, the other 23 cases responded to death after becoming well-known fact. The question is, how many murder cases there are, are not disclosed. Sakunts notes that the army carried out large-scale violence more events. “Even in the cases identified for further investigation is gravity, whereas the public should be aware that the investigation process.”

Defense public Gegham Harutyunyan, Chairman of the Board said that in recent years in the army registration number of murders declined, reaching 30-40 cases annually. “Of course even one soldier’s death is regrettable and we are working, that there are no such cases, but a large army structure, where tens of thousands of people every day to communicate with the weapons.”

Avetik Ishkhanian, however, notes that the Army’s official data on the victims often do not trust he, as an example, points out many years ago a case occurred when the Helsinki Committee has sent a Defense Ministry and military prosecutor’s office to find out in 2005 on the army to registered victims number: “We had 4 different from each other official of the MFA’s website notes that in 2005 the army had killed 12, the defense minister said one of his interviews was the number 42, Defense Ministry’s official response was in accordance with 28 deaths, while the military prosecutor’s office data: 89.

Ishkhanyan says that Army children lost parents’ main desire is that the real perpetrators punished. “At first, trust in the investigative agencies, several months later, however, are often disappointed years after the time are convinced that their son’s death the real perpetrators have not been punished.”

Referring to the army “dedovshchina” concept, Avetisyan says that the Armenian in army there are no such phenomena. “We try to exclude such cases.”

This year, the army retired journalist Garegin Khumaryane also confirms that the army is not regulatory, “dedovshchina” phenomenon is “Dedovshchina” is an institution in which the soldier draft service is the negative manifestation of this phenomenon is receiving the command of the unit due to poor performance, “says the Khumaryane, “Unfortunately our army” dedovshchina “There a poor child, and two years will remain so poor.”