The grave of Gevorg Yeghshatyan, who dreamed of his own house, has no “roof”. One and a half years after the 44-day war, the state is reluctant to place a tombstone of bilaterally orphan Gevorg on his grave.
Gevorg, who left for the army under the “I Am” program in 2018, hoped to return from service and build his own house. The service with this program last three years, one of which is paid.
“He had seen a lot in life, he was dream was that everything would be fine later,” says Karine Mnatsakanyan, a former employee of the Vanadzor orphanage, and added:
“Gevorg decided to go to the army for three years under the “I am” program. There was no progress in his line for an apartment given to the children in the orphanage, and he used to say that he will come back from the army and buy a house and start a business. After school, he learned cookary at a vocational school.”
Gevorg’s goals were interrupted on October 9, 2020. He was killed by a drone strike. Gevorg had served in Askeran, but was in Jrakan during the war.
“He was in the army for less than two years when he was killed. He died on October 9. When the war started, he was in position. Before going up to the position, he said he was going to take a vacation, but he got up there and did not come down. I did not talk to him during the war. He survived a few minutes after receiving injuries: his legs were badly injured. The servicemen wanted to cover him with a cloth, but he did not let them, he said it hurts, do not touch it. A few minutes later the passed away. Friends who came to the funeral told us about all this,” said Gevorg’s former educator.
He was buried in Vanadzor Pantheon a few days after his death. Friends and employees of the orphanage, which was dissolved by the decision of the government in 2020, visit the grave. During a recent visit, staff at the orphanage reported that Gevorg’s grave has no tombstone.
“No thombstone, no photo is placed. I do not know why. On October 9, when we visited his grave for the one-year anniversary of his death, we saw it and it pained us. There was something like a little stone with his name written on it; that’s all. We were told that when the weather improves they would build it, but almost two years have passed already,” says Karine Mnatsakanyan.
Gevorg has lived in the Vanadzor orphanage since he was 13 years old. First his father passed away, then the mother. After the death of his parents, his aunt took care of him, but when she also died, Gevorg and his sister and brother were taken to the orphanage in Vanadzor. The sister and the brother were one year old when they were moved abroad for adoption.
Due to the lack of relatives, Gevorg Yeghshatyan’s family is not a beneficiary of the soldier’s fund. But the Vanadzor municipality informs that the tombstone of Gevorg is not installed due to unfavorable weather conditions. The organization assures that a tender has been announced for the installation of tombstones on all the victims’ graves, and the company that is supposed to install the tombstones is waiting for the change of weather.
Narek Kirakosyan