The forcibly displaced family from Artsakh left the village after Nikol Pashinyan announced the handover of the territories adjacent to Voskepar to Azerbaijan. Gagik from Artsakh, who moved to Voskepar after being forcibly displaced with his family, told Forrights.am about this.
“It’s been five days since we left. There are me, my father, my mother, my wife, my mother-in-law and her sister in the family: there are six of us in total,” said 38-year-old Gagik.
He mentioned to us that the reason for leaving Voskepar is Nikol Pashinyan’s statement. To remind, Nikol Pashinyan went to Voskepar and Kirants villages of Tavush region about 10 days ago and stated that the territories adjacent to these villages should be handed over to Azerbaijan so that war does not occur. It should be emphasized that sections of the only highway leading from Ijevan to other villages, pastures, and forests are located in mentioned areas. This road also secures the connection between Armenia and Georgia. If the territories are given, the gas pipeline will also fall under Azerbaijani control.
“We heard Nikol Pashinyan’s statement; it caused fear. Not just fear,” says Gagik and notes that after the 2020 war, they no longer remember how many times they were forcibly displaced.
The family is from Avetaranots village of Artsakh, which is located in Askeran region. The village came under Azerbaijani control after the 44-day war. “The first time we were displaced from there. Then we came to Khnatsakh village. From there we came to Voskepar. From here we came to Artashat. We were displaced three times,” says Gagik, who is now looking for a job in order to take care of his family’s daily needs.
He doesn’t want to talk much about forced deportations: he says that, before reaching Armenia, his family went through difficulties like others did.
Narek Kirakosyan