Seta Kabranian-Melkonian

It is May 1992. Defense minister Vazgen Sargsyan telephones me at my dormitories to keep his promise to Monte of sending me to Artsakh. He says that Baroness Caroline Cox of England is visiting with a few guests, and I will go with them. Monte will meet me there.

The helicopter lands at the Stepanakert airport. Black cars arrive to pick up the guests. There is no trace of Monte. A freedom fighter, Chugun Gamo, recognizing me calls my name. We go to the Stepanakert military headquarters. He introduces me to some military commanders. 

"This is Avo’s wife, Seta,” he says using Monte’s nom de guerre. 

 No one know where Monte is. He hasn’t arrived at the headquarters. Someone mentions that Monte has been informed about my arrival. Whereever he is, he should be here soon to take me to Martuni. Gamo takes me to a house on the way to the airport and tells me to rest until Monte arrives. A silent woman puts a few plates of food in front of me. The smell of cucumbers, tomatoes and the lack of traffic remind me of my birthplace, Anjar.

Late in the afternoon, a red Niva parks in front of the house. Instead of Monte, two young men come out.

"Monte sent us to take you to Martuni," they say in Western Armenian.

I’m surprised to find out that the boys are from Lebanon. We drive through narrow roads. They show me recently captured city of Shushi, our pride. In certain areas the nature reminds me of the road from Beirut to Anjar. I’m impatient to see Monte and finally Martuni.

As soon as the car is parked Monte rushes out of his office. The military headquarter was a technical school located in the center of the city. There are men everywhere. In front of the offices, which I assume were classrooms, in the open corridor Monte gives instructions holding my hand. There is also talk about some deaths and funerals.

During my visit we go to an adjacent building where the Spendiaryan detachment is staying.  One of their leaders, Ashod, is given the task of investigating the deaths. Monte is angry.

"This issue must be clarified. People should know that they cannot leave a wounded soldier on the battlefield. End of story!" he says.

The conversation is about a battle near the village of Gulaplu, two weeks earlier. After fierce fights with a superior Azerbaijani army, the Armenians succeeded to push the enemy positions back causing them huge casualties. Furthermore, they capture a tank, hit an artillery and a helicopter. However, in unclear circumstances, five Armenian soldiers are left behind on the battlefield. After the Armenian requests for exchange of POWs the Azeri negotiator responds that they do not have any POWs or bodies to exchange. On the thirteenth day he informs the Armenian side that the bodies are laying on the battlefield between the two trenches. In return for a few Azeri POWs, Armenians could pick up the bodies. One of the victims was Armen of Ashan, who was "a very good guy," Monte says.

"There was a body trace on the ground near Armen. So, he was alive,” says Monte. “There was some water collected nearby, seems he crawled to get to it," he continues.

Armen’s pistol, along with the Azeri pilot's pistol, was found with another man. The two pistols remained in Monte's captain’s bed for a long time. After his death, I handed them over to the Ministry of Defense.

Monte has decided to interrogate the soldier who fought near the victims. He reviews the list of the fighters to be interrogated with Ashot. The veins are visible on Monte's throat.

"No matter who it is, one never, ever leaves a fellow soldier behind," he shouts.

Before we head back, the fighters serve us freshly picked strawberries and mulberries. Monte thanks them with a smile. Knowing how much he likes fruits I assume he wants to leave it for the soldiers. We walk back to the military headquarters. It is late and we are hungry. In the open space in front of the canteen, Monte suddenly stops, holds my hand, and says in a low voice,

"Seta, let's wait here for a minute."

I look around. Outside the canteen, a woman in dark outfit, throws out water from a large bowl.

"You see that woman?" Monte says. "Her son was killed in Gulablu. Let’s wait until she leaves. I really cannot look her in the face. "

We silently follow the woman's movements.