Melikashen, Tsitsernavank & Moshatagh, Kashatagh Region
Melikashen, Kashatagh Region, Armenian-controlled Republic of Azerbaijan © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2001
Before I get round to writing up the material from last week’s visit to Lachin, some more pics from 2001 of villages that I was forbidden to return to this year. Would have been interesting to see how life was in these villages now, but perhaps that’s precisely why I wasn’t allowed to go there. For sure, Herik is now dead.
In Melikashen, a little village not far from Lachin, one family invites us in for coffee. Amid the dirt and dilapidation of their new home, “repossessed” from its former owners, the new arrivals explain that the Armenian diaspora must invest in these new communities while Irkoyan is more interested in validating Armenian claims to this land by taking me to see an old Armenian castle. An Azeri house has been built into its side.
Behind the remains of an Armenian stone cross now broken in two, pigs are being herded into an outhouse while an old woman skins the head of a slaughtered sheep on the balcony above. Her husband invites us in, insisting, as duty demands, that we have some tan, a drink similar to yogurt, before we leave. A passing car throws up a cloud of dust, momentarily obscuring the view.
The next stop on a road that takes us past the remains of Azeri villages, towns, cemeteries, and the occasional Armenian monastery perched high overhead is Moshatagh. The village head, another new arrival from Jermuk, once a popular tourist destination in Armenia, sits with his family of eight on the veranda of their new home. His four-wheel drive is needed to make the journey to Herik, high in the surrounding hills, but even then, the twisting, narrow road will be difficult.
The full article, Life in No Man’s Land, published by Transitions Online way back when is here. I’ll be writing some new articles based on my return to Lachin in the coming week.
Melikashen, Kashatagh Region, Armenian-controlled Republic of Azerbaijan © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2001
Moshatagh, Kashatagh Region, Armenian-controlled Republic of Azerbaijan © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2001
Tsitsernavank, Kashatagh Region, Armenian-controlled Republic of Azerbaijan © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2001
Melikashen, Kashatagh Region, Armenian-controlled Republic of Azerbaijan © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2001
Onnik, your photo’s are always a pleasure to view. I have read your interview with Gagik Kosakian (deputy governor of kashatagh Region). Onnik, we met in Yerevan a few years ago. I have been involved with the ARS “Soseh” Mangabardez(s) in NK since its origin in 1997. The Gagik interview made reference to Karegah and your comment to revisit the Kashatagh area in a few weeks. The ARS has recently opened a new mangabardez in Karegah. It may be worthwhile to show a positive outlook on what is happening there. The Mayor Marina has been extremely productive in her activities. You have also shown photo in Moshatagh. I was instrumental in starting a mangabardez there 2 years ago but had to stop because the director of education of Moshatagh stole funds from our project. He is presently in jail. I hope to go back to Moshatagh to revisit the possible opening of a mongabardez. Pubicity from you would help our cause. NK has presently eleven Soseh Mangabardezs. I wish I had 10% of your talent in photography. I have made presently 15 trips to NK and have seen many beautiful places but my photographs stink. I will be there again this Setember. Sincerely, Armen Topouzian
Comment by Armen Topouzian — September 1, 2006 @ 7:59 pm
Armen, thanks for the comments. Actually, the Deputy Governor gave me permission to visit villages that afternoon or the next day, but I was detained by police without his knowledge after I called into an adjacent administrative building.
As for Karegah, I had visited the village some years earlier so have taken some pics there. I’ll try to post some later. I also met with Marine this visit as well and there’s an albeit brief interview with her coming soon. As for ARS Kindergartens I photographed at the one in Karintak and Stepanakert some years back as well.
Anyway, the plan is to try to stage some kind of photographic exhibition on the sidelines of the Armenia-Diaspora Conference next month. The idea was to get civil society involved to discuss the issues involved. Perhaps this is something you might have some ideas on. For sure, the Head of Resettlement in the Kashatagh Region says he’d like to attend and speak at such an exhibition.
Drop me a line if you think such an exhibition would be a good idea. In particular, I think it’s worth pointing out that this years A-D Conference is on regional development in BOTH Armenia and Karabakh.
Comment by Onnik — September 1, 2006 @ 8:43 pm