Guillotine for Armenian geography teacher Azerbaijanophobia in all its glory

Since mid-April, Armenia has been living in a hopeless rally rage. Some people share it, others don't accept it, and others just watch from the windows. It is almost impossible to remain indifferent in a country torn apart by political, economic and social crises. Apparently, this is why a "new inner enemy" has appeared in Armenia, which will displace from the pedestal of pan-Armenian hatred even "Nikola the defeatist".

No, it is not the Dashnaks and representatives of the so-called "Karabakh clan" who have been raising revanchist slogans for the whole year and a half since the 44-day war ended. They are not those financed by Soros, and they are not a pro-Russian party. This is just an ordinary schoolteacher from the Armenian countryside who woke up one recent morning with the "public enemy" label.    

Almost immediately after the signing of the trilateral ceasefire statement, the Azerbaijani side not only rolled up its sleeves to restore the cities and villages of Karabakh destroyed during the occupation, but also extended a hand of peace to its defeated opponent. All this time, Azerbaijan - actually the winner - patiently promoted the initiative to establish a lasting peace between the two countries and in the whole South Caucasus, as well as large-scale transport projects to turn the region into an area of economic stability. In general, Baku has repeatedly expressed the hope that it will establish good relations with Armenia.

But if official Yerevan, albeit with slowness, constant deviations from the agreements and numerous reservations, is still trying to get on a peaceful path, the Armenian society is still dominated by nationalistic, Azerbaijani-hating sentiments. The terrible diseases "Artsakhomania" and "Miatsum Myocardium" which struck the Armenian social organism 34 years ago and are accompanied by traditionally Armenian illnesses under the general name "Turkophobia" continue to eat away at the Armenian society like oncology. And if a single healthy individual appears among the sick, the ravenous mass of cancerous cells immediately pounces in order if not to devour the whole, then to replenish the ranks of other Artsakh zombies.

This is exactly what happened in the ancient West Azerbaijani town of Ordakli, now located in the territory of the modern Republic of Armenia and called Sevan. Here, in the city school #4, at the initiative of school administration and personally geography teacher Lilit Hayrapetyan pupils of 8 classes have presented research works on different countries, showing their features, national customs, cuisine, introducing famous personalities and typical discoveries of these countries. Azerbaijan and Turkiye were also represented in the class. As for our country, they mainly showed national music, and a few sights, well as the famous baklava, tea, cotton, and tobacco.

It would seem that such a step by a schoolteacher now, in the post-conflict period, when the process of border delimitation has already begun, can only be welcomed. And rightly so, no matter how much Azerbaijan and Armenia have fought in the past, sooner or later we are destined to reconcile. We are not asking to be anyone's friend, but we do not want to be enemies either. Even the hundred-year war between France and England ended in peace. Azerbaijanis and Armenians are neighbours, and we are destined to be neighbours by our geographic location. But how can this be explained to those who see in the actions of the school teacher almost national betrayal?

"The school in Sevan presented Azerbaijan, which literally dreams of stealing another song from Armenians and Iranians, another dish to take away in order to fill their non-existent history with them.  They even made up a story for a non-existent Azerbaijani state and told it without any shame," BlogNews.am editor-in-chief Aram Gevorkyan is outraged.

His Facebook followers echo him. "Instead of reading Nzhdeh, what they do... I somehow don't control my vocabulary," wrote Ara Sahakyan. "They're not even crazy Armenians. They're just Turks," outraged Lilit Melkonyan. "The teacher is crazy in love with Azerbaijan. It's only a pity that she uses children for her vile propaganda," Aram Gevorkyan wrote in conclusion.

It's regrettable, of course. After all, by returning Karabakh, Azerbaijan has practically put an end to the long-lasting conflict which has claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people from both sides. It seemed that the era of reconciliation was about to begin. At least Azerbaijan is doing everything possible for this. And in response... Blind hatred is directed not only at Azerbaijanis but also at Armenians, who are aware that further confrontation is futile.

I want to believe that 8th-grade students from school #4 in Sevan benefited from this lesson, and they understood that Azerbaijanis are not such monsters as they have been perceived so far in Armenia. They are just neighbours, just like everyone else, with their own interesting history and culture. Neighbors, with whom, even if not to be friends, but to coexist peacefully in this little piece of land called the South Caucasus is possible and necessary.

We do hope that those Armenian students (even if some of them crossed out our flag) will learn a lesson about other nations and nationalities and realize that it's better to live peacefully with neighbours than to spill each other's blood. Especially today, on International Children's Day.