We Are Human Too, Enough Already: Kut Residents Accuse State Bodies of Inaction

In the border village of Kut in the Gegharkunik Province, farmer Gevorg Khachatryan has been devastated by recent events. This spring, a portion of his livestock, as well as his entire hayfield, was taken by Azerbaijanis, and on September 1st, his hayfield was completely burned down.

A camera crew from Sputnik Armenia documented the scene on the day of the incident, noting that a firefighting unit from the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Armenia arrived 1.5 hours after the fire broke out. Later, the Ministry’s press service reported that 16 firefighters were working in Kut as of noon. Due to the difficult relief conditions, firefighters carried water to the fire site in backpacks and then set up a watch.

"Myself and one of my employees extinguished the fire until noon. After that, one firefighting vehicle arrived with a four-person crew, one of whom was the driver. The guys were struggling to put out the flames, but three people were not enough. The entire hay-covered area burned down; we could only save the harvested grass. When I read in the media about the 16 firefighters, I was in shock. I did not see 16 firefighters there," said the farmer.

The farmer has yet to assess the extent of his damages. He stated that about 15 hectares of land was completely burned, and it is uncertain whether the two hectares of saved grass will be eaten by his livestock, as they typically do not consume grass that smells of smoke.

"This grass was supposed to be harvested to feed the remaining livestock during winter, but now I am forced to sell it for a pittance, just to pay off at least some of the loans I took for the farm," Khachatryan noted.

The farmer recounted how Azerbaijanis had stolen 34 heads of cattle, including 11 cows and 23 bulls. Now, only 25 calves and 22 cows remain on the farm. Following the tragic fire, the young farmer will be unable to buy feed for his animals or pay his three employees who support two families with their work.

"Enough already, we are human too! Our livestock was stolen, and there was no response from the state. The hayfield burned down, and nothing was done. The loans are piling up. Is there a state or not? Were we left alone with the Turks? Can't someone stand by our side, or are we the only ones paying taxes? I want to sell whatever is left, throw it into the water, leave this country, and escape," Khachatryan expressed his frustration.

It should be noted that hay-covered areas in Kut have been burning since August 30. According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the fire is spreading in two directions: southeast and northeast. Firefighters and rescuers have been working diligently for several days to extinguish the fire, but Azerbaijanis continue to create new hotspots.

The Ombudsman of Armenia, Arman Tatoyan, has repeatedly raised concerns about the fires in Kut, Sotk, Norabak, and Aziz village. According to the latest reports from the Human Rights Defender of Armenia, 150 hectares of pastureland and 60 hectares of hayfield have burned in Kut due to recent Azerbaijani provocations.