Strangers in Their Homeland
Berd, Tavoush Region, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006
Finally some of the many pics taken during a two day return trip to Berd with Edik Baghdasarian, Editor-in-Chief of Hetq Online. Loads to sort out, but for now two Diasporans who were among those repatriated to Soviet Armenia in 1947. Life is not good for many in Berd, but the situation for these guys is particularly bad.
Few people know the Tutunjyan family in Berd. Nobody visits them, except for Hanna, a German nun. Anahit Tutunjyan eats in the soup kitchen that Hanna runs, and brings warm food home for Harutyun. The brother and sister depend on the soup kitchen, since their monthly income is comprised of a 5,000-dram pension and a 7,000-dram stipend.
Harutyun and Anahit Tutunjyan were born in the Iraqi city of Mosul. They immigrated to Armenia in 1947. Harutyun described in detail how the family made the decision to come to Armenia and how they ended up in the town of Berd in the Tavush Marz.
The full article can be read online in English and Armenian.
Berd, Tavoush Region, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006
Do they have some relatives to get some help (Pictures look so poor)? Is it going to be a new donations compain for “poors”? What is the goal for exposing this to the web?
Comment by Sam — April 29, 2006 @ 4:06 am
How about struggling against corruption and tax evasion by state officials, oligarchs and government-connected businessmen and the urgent need for investment in the main residential districts of Yerevan as well as the regions of Armenia, especially border regions surrounding depressed but strategic towns such as Chambarak and Berd.
Comment by Onnik — April 29, 2006 @ 9:59 am
Does the Armenian Government publish its budget? I’ve never read anything on who gets what! I look into Parliaments web site but it only releases news in generalizations. Is the public entitled to see the budget?
Comment by Darwin Jamgochian — April 30, 2006 @ 6:23 am
I am sure it does, I am just not sure it does so online. Anyway, I will check .
Comment by Nessuna — May 1, 2006 @ 11:41 am
There is a link to budget law of RA (in Armenian) on the NA website at
http://www.parliament.am/legislation.php?sel=show&ID=2424&lang=arm
while EDRC has simplified state budgets for 2006 (whatever that means) both in Armenian and English at http://www.edrc.am/public.html?ID=21
Comment by Nessuna — May 2, 2006 @ 11:25 am
Very informative blog.
Comment by Artorios — June 7, 2007 @ 2:45 am