It is not so easy to reach the Ltsen village of the Syunik region. The roads are not in good condition, and the locals say that the situation has worsened during the construction of an alternative road. The village does not have a shop, it does not have a post office, and the locals go shopping nearby or in Sisian, which is 24 km away. The administrative head of the community Derenik Hovhannisyan says that the situation has not always been like this.
According to the 1968 census, there were 504 inhabitants living in 85 houses, and today only 22 houses are lit. There are 7 students in the village school. “It is a border village, completely cut off. It was almost destroyed. We want to make the village stand up with the rest of the villagers. Fortunately, they have started the construction of this road, it will help us well. There is less irrigation water, less drinking water, no sewerage. The village is in an almost deplorable condition. At least we want to make the village stand up, because it has very beautiful nature and clean air, and you can live here humanely.”
Derenik Hovhannisyan said that he received many job offers, but decided to stay in Ltsen and improve the village. His two sons live here as well. “Night and day we must do everything to save the village. And this alternative route is the star of our salvation.” He said that Ltsen does not have equipment at the moment. “During the privatization, everything was privatized and sold, that’s why neither cattle breeding nor agriculture develops, nothing. There is no equipment, we ask other places to come and do it, they say finish will not come until they finish. They come when ours is already spoiled.”
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The alternative route of the village should be ready in a year. “The road will continue from here to Tatev. It will leave Tatev to join the road to Kapan. The Goris-Kapan interstate road is closed by Azeris. The cargo coming from Iran cannot cross the bends of Tatev’s Devil’s Bridge. They built it here just to pass through here and join the main road. It must be done in a short time so that any car can pass freely. They have already started a few months ago, and they have to finish the ground work by the end of February so that it can be done, and after it gets warmer, they will start asphalting.” Derenik Hovhannisyan thinks that the new road can change the situation in the village for the better.
He says that almost all the residents of the village have cars and keep in touch with other communities. “There is not much shopping. They bought food and paid later. It did not benefit the shop owners. The store closed three years ago. We shop in the neighboring village or Sisian. For example, if I need something today, I buy a lot. Or, if my neighbor knows that I am going to Sisian, they give me money and say, ‘Bring me this thing.’ That’s how we live until now!”
Ami CHICHAKYAN
