RESETTLEMENT IN ARTSAKH
Nvard Ohanian
Azat Artsakh Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
29 Aug 05
Avetyats Yerkir NGO was officially registered in Karabakh in
2000. Before that the organization had been working out various
programmes of resettlement, looked for ways of cooperation with
sponsors, then started implementing the programme of resettlement
of the village of Norashen in the region of Hadrut. Since its
establishment Avetyats Yerkir has been carrying out programmes in the
region of Nor Shahumian and the southern part of Hadrut region. We
talked to the chairman of the NGO Vahram Gevorgian about the programmes
carried out by Avetyats Yerkir in the current year. Nvard Ohanjanian:
“Vahram, would you outline the work done and to be done this
year.” Vahram Gevorgian: “The resettlement of the village of Knaravan
in the region of Nor Shahumian is going on. A medical station and the
municipality are being built, a school is planned to be built. Six
houses have been reconstructed, five families have already moved to
their houses. Three houses are being built. We carry out excavations
in the church of Handaberd. The archaeological studies have ended
recently due to a group of archaeologists from Armenia. We intend
to reconstruct the chapel. In Knaravan we have loaned cattle to new
settlers and have aided those who are interested in beekeeping. We
have also built a nursery school in the border village Talish in
Martakert region, which will be operated this September. It should be
noted that almost every year the sponsors visit Talish, meet with the
children under school age, organize games, talk to them, etc. A larger
programme is the resettlement of the village of Ijevanatun in Hadrut.
The historical inn was build built there by Armenian masters with
the support of the Persian shah. This year five houses and a school
will be built there. By the way, the government will also organize
certain work in this village. We have discovered khachkars in the
village of Haykavan. The medical station and the municipality built
last year were repaired this year. Cattle loan was provided to four
families. A school was built in the village of Tsamdzor. The cultural
centre in Shushi is being built. We have started the excavations in the
castle near the wall of Shushi (which is an older construction than
the wall of the fortress). We have started archaeological studies of
Tigranakert at the foot of Mount Shahbulagh, near Nor Maragha. Our aim
is to find the exact location of the ancient town.” N.O.: “Who are your
sponsors? Does Avetyats Yerkir have permanent supporters?” V.G.: “We
are supported by both individuals and organizations. The programmes of
Knaravan and the cultural centre in Shushi were brought into being by
the Karapetian family. The chairman of the cultural society Narekatsi,
American citizen Narek Harutyunian intends to establish a branch of
the society in Shushi, and the father of Narek, Karapet, supports the
programmes of resettlement in Knaravan. The sponsor of resettlement
of Talish is Armenia-Diaspora Connection. The society Yerkir remains
the organization which sustains relationships between us and other
similar organizations and sponsors. Charles Ghazerian remains the
permanent supporter of our organizations.” N.O.: “Have there been
cases when your cooperation with the sponsors did not produce expected
results? What are the causes of failure of certain programmes?” V.G.:
“The only organization with which our cooperation was stopped is the
French branch of the Armenian General Benevolent Union. We began
the resettlement of Norashen in cooperation with them. We also
proposed the programme of resettlement of the village of Akn but they
refused, probably preferring cooperation with similar organizations
of Armenia. It should be noted that it took us three years of effort
to find supporters for the programme of Ijevanatun. We present 8-10
programmes to sponsors annually, and they support the programmes
which they approve. Last year our programmes were too many, and we
decided to include Ijevanatun in the programmes of this year. ” N.O.:
“Do you cooperate with governmental organizations in working out and
implementing programmes of resettlement?” V.G.: “We do not have joint
programmes but all our programmes are to be agreed on by different
governmental organizations, the ministries of town planning, culture,
the department of resettlement. There were cases when we shared the
work with governmental organizations. In Knaravan we loaned cattle to
people, the government will also do. In Ijevanatun electrification
will be totally carried out by the government. In brief, both of us
work without troubling each other.”