Those forcibly displaced from the Hadrut, Karvachar, and Kashatagh regions of Artsakh as a result of the 2020 war initiated by Azerbaijan were in front of the RA government on July 28 to raise a number of issues. “We have questions for this government, the government of Artsakh, and the people. The people are asleep, asleep or not awake… we appeal to the RA government again and repeat the demands. First of all, we demand the Armenian status of Artsakh. It is not necessary for us refugees. It is necessary for all Armenians, from Artsakh to Los Angeles. If there is no Armenian status of Artsakh, then the “sword of Damocles” will hang over the identity of Armenians,” Levon Hayryan, president of For the Sake of Hadrut, said in a press conference. He emphasized that without the security of Artsakh, the identity of Armenians will be under threat. The other requirement is the adjustment of the refugee status, which is somewhat related to the adjustment of the status of Artsakh.
“We have found ourselves in this situation as a result of violation of the sovereignty of Artsakh. The government of Armenia must respond to this, it is used to creating separation between Armenia and Artsakh. Although there is a strange thing, because when it comes to ceding the lands of Artsakh or emptying Berdzor and Aghavno, RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan solves the issues. And when the refugees of Artsakh apply for housing or other social issues, they say: contact Arayik Harutyunyan. What kind of interesting separation is this?” asked Levon Hayryan. He called on the RA and Artsakh authorities to stop playing games with the people and throwing problems at each other. “The government should be one and work in the direction of preserving Armenianness and sovereignty.
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We lost Hadrut, Kashatagh. Imagine if these were the parts of Armenia, which our neighbors Turkey and Azerbaijan are cutting off, “mutilating.” By the way, those two say that they are one nation-one state, and we push away our diaspora. The goal of our neighbors is Yerevan, and they do not hide it. I appeal to the refugees: why don’t you gather and raise your questions, are only these few dozen of us coming here? If we get tired, who will speak up?” According to Levon Hayryan, the RA and Artsakh authorities reserve all the rights of Armenians to a third party.
“Everyone knows who the third party is. It will not happen like this, the people must gather. The authorities make statements about peace. In their opinion, it is nirvana. The people think the same way. We will sit at home and watch TV, but Vahan Kerobyan on Armenia TV is recording double-digit economic growth. Does anyone feel that double digit number on their skin?” Another requirement is the establishment of a collective community for Artsakh refugees in the territory of RA, so that there will be a vision of returning to Hadrut in the future.
According to Hayryan, if such communities are not built, the alternative for refugees will not be to return to Artsakh, but to go to other countries. “If they don’t build such communities, the people will leave, like the Armenians of Baku once left. The reason for this is that Artsakh does not have Armenian status. Will we eventually return to Artsakh or not? What will be our future?”
Luiza Sukiasyan
