At the Center of the Southern Caucasus: . . . and on the brink of survival
armenianow.com
23 July 2004

By Aris Ghazinyan
ArmeniaNow correspondent

In the far northeast of Armenia, the village of Barekamavan is subject
to control by the Army of Azerbaijan.

Located in a deep hollow the conflict line practically runs through
the village and frequent shootouts are seen as an ordinary consequence
of life in Barekamavan.

Surrounded

Barekamavan is in the very center of the Southern Caucasus. Georgian
industrial center Rustavi with plants and industrial blocks is clearly
seen from its hills. The m ain Caucasian Ridge is also clearly seen in
the north and behind that ridge there is the “Big World”.

Residents of Barekamavan, however, are too far away from that world.

Every house and yard of Barekamavan is located within snipers’ field
of view. The last incident when gunfire led to death was June 5, 2002
when a sniper’s bullet killed 49-year-old resident Martin Mikaelyan.

Barekamavan is the final stop on an 18-kilometer road that links it
with Voskevan, and Koti. The road itself splits off from the main
Ijevan-Noemberian-Tbilisi road in the area of border village
Baghanis. Koti, about eight kilometers away is the closest Armenian
populated area. Azeri villages Birinji, Iginji and Uchinji are much
closer.

The strategic Azeri villages have been consolidated into one area
called Shikhlu. Among its inhabitants are Shias and third-generation
Sunnis whose ancestors clashed with Amenians in 1918-20.

“Despite our village is located far away from Yerevan, during Soviet
times it held an advantageous position,” says village head Hovhannes
Karakeshishyan. The village is just 18 kilometers from the Red Bridge
junction, which joins Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia. Tbilisi is only
65 kilometers away.

“Today as a result of the blockade of communications Barekamavan is in
a very vulnerable position,” Karakeshishyan says. “Besides, a restless
border doesn’t contribute to the development of the village. Today
Barekamavan is on the brink of survival.”

Farm vehicles have become sniper targets in border villages At
present, 455 people live in the village, 80 percent of which are
pensioners.

“Young people have almost nothing to do in the village,” says the
village head. “There are no factories and no farmland, as most of it
contains landmines . . . Livestock farming is not developing as well
because a bead is kept on pastures and cattle often trip
landmines. Young people have really nothing to maintain their families
with in Barekamavan. That’s why this village is getting older before
the eyes.”

Only four births were registered in 2003 in Barekamavan. Last year the
village school had 37 pupils, in a building that has been shot up many
times and shows the effect.

Gurgen and Amalia Azatyans are pupils of lower forms of Barekamavan
school.

During lessons they also study nature of their homeland, which they
know by heart. They perfectly know the places of spring fountains
where children go everyday for water, hauled out by a stubborn
donkey. They know the range of mined territories, where it is not
recommended for them to go.

“Children know geography of their homeland by heart,” says head of
Barekamavan, “the case with the history of their own life is much
harder.

How and where are they going to live? There are no possibilities to
talk about bright prospects of development of the village.”

During Soviet times, a branch of the “Shushan” factory ran in
Barekamavan and 120 locals worked there. Today the factory is gone and
so are most of the workers.

Karakeshishyan, an engineer, was one of the factory workers.

Tobacco is among crops in the region

“Those days people lived in plenty, plus, cattle growing was
developing. Our stock farmer was Azeri from the neighboring
village. Despite Azeries never lived here, however, we were in normal
relations with them. For instance in 1987 administration of the
village applied to government of Azerbaijan with the request to
install gas pipeline to Barekamavan. During Soviet times such a
request was quite normal. A year after that the Karabakh conflict
began and all ties were broken.”

These days, Barekamavan exists on money transfers, made to remaining
family members by those who have found work outside. The money is
spent in Koti, as there is no commerce in Barekamavan.

“It is obvious that government of Armenia must develop special
economic policy for border villages,” Karakeshishyan says. “There is
no other way for survival. There are few populated areas like
Barekamavan in Armenia.

However, their importance and strategic value is great.”

This day Karakeshishyan packs his donkey with a couple of old cans and
again goes to the spring for water, looking over his shoulder for
snipers, with little to look ahead to . . .

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress