200 HAMSHEN-ARMENIAN FAMILIES ARE TO MOVE FROM KYRGYZSTAN TO NAGORNO-KARABAKH REPUBLIC
by Julia MAZYKINA
24 News Agency
May 13 2011
Kyrgyzstan
200 Hamshen-Armenian families living in Kyrgyzstan are opting to
resettle in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, as reported Krasnodar
(Russia) newspaper “Erkramas”.
Reportedly, the leader of the Hamshen-Armenian community Ruslan
Karabadjakov informed about it. According to him, he had travelled to
Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, in particular to look into logistics for
the relocation of 200 families, willing to settle in Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic.
Hamshen Armenians are sub-ethnic group of Armenians, who historically
lived in the Black Sea coast of Turkey, mainly in the area from
Trebizond to Batumi. In 1944 Hamshenis, like the Greeks, Kurds,
Turk-Meskhetians, Crimean Tatars and representatives of some of the
North Caucasus nations, were deported to Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan
with the “unreliable element” stigma.
“For 250 years fate has forced us to move from place to place-Adzharia,
Central Asia. One cannot escape the fate. Finally, we’ve decided to
seek refuge on our own land.” said Ruslan Karabadjakov. It is expected
that the Hamshen Armenians will establish residency in the Mardakert
region of Artsakh. The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic authorities will
provide land for them.