Ditsmayri, Kashatagh Region, Armenian-controlled Republic of Azerbaijan © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2000

Because I was confined to Lachin on the instructions of the local KGB and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh who would not give me written authorization to be anywhere other than Stepanakert, I’ve had to dig into my archive of photos from new settlements in the Kashatagh region. Interestingly, like Ditsmayri close to Zangelan, most of those villages are now deserted.

Actually, many of those inhabiting these villages faced significant problems when I visited 2000-2003, but since 2004 the rate of migration has apparently escalated. Not only has the provision of free electricity up to 200 kw/month been stopped, but while official figures put the population of Kashatagh at 9,800, local officials privately put the number at 5-6,000.

I was also told that Ditsmayri is now empty. Interestingly, Armenia Now published an article in 2004 on the first signs that areas outside of Lachin were being forgotten by the local authorities. Moreover, the article suggests that this reality started to occur before the present Governor of the region was appointed to his position.

There is no epidemic in Kovkasan city or its suburbs but all residents say they are going to leave. The most frequently heard reason is “we were deceived” and if they keep their word it will soon be hard to find any residents here.

Conquered by Armenian military forces in 1993, Kovsakan is the former Azerbaijani city of Zangelan , bordering the southern regions of Armenia next to the Arax River . A year later it became the southern center of Nagorno Karabakh’s Kashatagh region and a government resettlement program started.

“When people used to leave before, it went unnoticed because others were coming to settle. Now nobody comes here, people only leave,” says Khachik Adamyan, the Mayor of Kovsakan.

[…]

Migrants were initially attracted to the area by promises of privileges and development prospects. Today, those privileges have decreased and the area declines rather than develops. In six years, only one hospital (with money provided by benefactors) and one school have been built.

[…]

“If they don’t want to populate the territories why don’t they tell us so that we could leave,” says Mamikon Yavrumnyan, a 30-year-old teacher at Kovsakan school who arrived four years ago from Yerevan. He has married and become a father here.

Anyway, Ditsmayri is close to Zangelan so worth posting some photos taken 6 years ago when it was populated. Armenia Now also recently ran a story on problems emerging in Ditsmayri, but I’ve so far been unable to find it. If anyone knows the link, please post it in the comments section of this post.

Ditsmayri, Kashatagh Region, Armenian-controlled Republic of Azerbaijan © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2000