«We Won't Leave Our Village, How Will They Support Us in Yerevan?» Says Ishkhanasar Community Head

Spring agricultural activities have commenced in the Ishkhanasar community of the Syunik region. Marat Petrosyan, the head of the community for 24 years, told News.am that the work is proceeding normally and that the enemy has not disturbed them with gunfire so far.

“The arable lands are located far from the positions; only the meadows are under their targeting, and it is dangerous in that area. Last year, when people went to gather hay, they were fired upon. Our tractor and baler were left there, and to be honest, we haven't tried to retrieve them because we do not know if they will shoot or not, and they haven’t moved them either, so it remains in the no-man's land. The agricultural machinery belongs to the farmers; we have written a request for compensation, which has not yet been granted, but it will be,” he stated.

According to the village head, after the September aggression, they are able to use only 1,000 out of 1,700 hectares of commonly used land. “These are the common lands, including both arable lands and meadows,” he noted.

Petrosyan stated that the population of the village has not decreased after the Azerbaijani aggression; on the contrary, it has increased, as residents from Artsakh have settled in the village. “We will not leave our village, where will we go? Will they support us in Yerevan? Do we want to live five people in one meter? A Syunik resident does not want to lose their land. We need to unite as a nation today; only then will we not be broken. I participated in the war of the 90s, and I can say that we won because the Azerbaijanis were divided; now it is the opposite—we are divided, which is why we lost,” he emphasized.