I Cannot Live 100 Meters Away From a Turk: A Resident of Berdzor

The assistance provided by the government has not reached the residents of the Kashatagh region, as they are not included in any social programs. This was stated by a resident of Berdzor during a protest action while speaking to journalists on December 6.

“Maybe the program is poorly designed. Those who have not lived in Kashatagh for several years have managed to benefit from this program, while the people who were in Artsakh for 44 days during the war cannot access these benefits,” she said.

The Berdzor resident noted that the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs stated that the issue is being discussed, and answers will be provided in the coming days.

She recounted that they began living in the Kashatagh region in 1994: “We lost something in Armenia, went there, and lived for 25 years in terrible conditions. We built a home and a school in Turkey. Here we lost everything, and there we lost everything as well; we came here, not knowing where to live or how to survive. People left with just their livestock, and they were not even warned in advance to take their animals. In the south, people took out loans, planted crops, and left without even being able to grab their clothes.”

She mentioned that she left Berdzor about 10 days before the end of the war. She expressed gratitude to the citizens living in Armenia who are currently hosting Artsakh residents in their homes.

When asked if they have the desire to return to Berdzor, she replied, “There would be a desire to return if Berdzor were preserved with its homes. People who lived there stepped outside for 15-20 minutes and found their homes looted upon returning. They can now show a photo of my house; everything was taken, right down to the knives and forks. When people went back to get their belongings, they found the houses completely empty. If we were meant to keep that area for Armenians, why was everything done to make it uninhabitable for Armenians? I cannot, I am not ready to live 100 meters away from a Turk.”