EACH HAS THEIR JUSTICE REGARDING HOUSING ISSUE
Naira Hayrumyan

KarabakhOpen
09-04-2008 10:31:52

The issue of housing is especially grave for post-Soviet
societies. They judge about the welfare of the society and
effectiveness of the government by the way the issue is solved.

Besides the post-war syndrome, over the past 20 years Karabakh went
through formation. Most houses, especially in those regions which were
occupied by the foe were destroyed, the form of property changed, as
well as the mechanism of turning a citizen into a state "tenant". A new
category of people emerged who needed apartments, and who are provided
with apartments primarily. Besides, a new type of cheaters appeared
who made use of the lack of coordination of the government agencies
and received an apartment from the state, sold it, stood in line and
received another apartment. Those who are not used to expecting others’
help remained to live in basements, a family of ten in two rooms.

During the war when Karabakh lacked housing, especially for refugees,
the government used a method which might not be humane but many think
was just at that time. The apartments of the citizens who were outside
Karabakh for 6 months were denationalized. Another tough military
method was used, and the elderly people whose children had migrated
and who lived in apartments with more than one room were evicted and
were provided with one-room apartments.

Their apartments were given to officers, families of killed soldiers
and those who were able to "seize" the certificate from the City Hall,
sometimes with a gun in their hands.

Later the tough methods gave rise to innumerable trials in which
the judges had difficulty deciding whether the government had the
right to evict sole pensioners and people who had left the country
for some time. After the war innumerable efforts were made to
coordinate the housing issue. The issue was especially complicated
in Stepanakert. Every new mayor felt it was their duty to review the
list of people in line for apartments, declare a transparent process
and provide apartments without any definite order.

By the year 2008, the 14th since the cease-fire, the housing chaos
in Stepanakert persists. Although 90 percent of apartments have been
privatized, there is a rather active process of exchange, purchase
and sale of apartments, however, about 1000 families are still in
line for apartments. About 150 are families of killed soldiers. In
the meantime, the government apartments are often provided to families
which can hardly be considered as socially insecure.

The situation in the regions is not better. 10 years ago the government
decided that the only method of solving the housing problem of
"insecure" families is to build houses for them. A model three-room
house project was worked out, without a basement, right on the
"ground", often without conveniences and additional buildings. The
government assessed the house at 10 thousand dollars a few years
ago, although it cost hardly 5000 dollars, and a family having a
lot of children was supposed to live there. The government refused
the requests of the families to buy them an old house in the village
instead which would be both cheaper and more convenient. As a result,
most houses are abandoned, and those who moved to live there, had to
repair the house or live in a humid house without any conveniences.

Benevolent organizations also built houses immediately after the
war. Their goal was to build the walls and cover the roofs. However,
our compatriots, used to humanitarian aid, and sometimes unable to
afford to buy food, were unable to improve their houses and continue
to live in houses without floors and ceilings.

Recently the president has set up a commission for coordination
of housing projects. During its first meeting the chair of the
commission, Prime Minister Ara Harutiunyan made a tough evaluation of
what had been done before. He noted the bad quality of houses, lack
of entitlement and breaches in providing apartments. The commission
will make an inventory of the housing, study the demand and primary
construction. They will hardly take away the apartments from people who
got them illegally, but at least in future the government apartments
will be provided to families which need them. As the prime minister
put it – the principle is social justice.

And where is justice? Each has their justice regarding the housing
issue.