NewsSpecial ReportsHeadlines
“We’re dead, and there’s no one to bury us”: Armenians displaced from Artsakh share their stories
This article is the first in a series about the fall of Artsakh, its humanitarian consequences and relief efforts, based on Lillian Avedian’s on-the-ground reporting from Armenia in October 2023.
On Mike’s first day of preschool, Azerbaijani soldiers attacked his village in Artsakh.
Mike was born just after the end of the 44-day war in Artsakh in the fall of 2020. His parents d
Or, subscribe now for unlimited access
By submitting your email address you agree for Hairenik Association, Inc. to send you communication by email.
Already a subscriber?Log in here
This story is FREE for you...
Create a free account to access this and four more articles, and get more sent to you with our e-newsletter.By submitting your email address you agree for Hairenik Association, Inc. to send you communication by email.
Artsakh was doomed when Pashinyan announced that it was a part of Azerbaijan and declared that the Armenian Army would not for it.
If Armenians refuse to die for Arsakh, why the heck should anybody else?
Pasinyan is a traitor and yet he is still in power – why?
Now Armenia is full of WEstern entranced Armenians who believe that they can make Geography disappear.
More fools them!
One look at a map is enough to show anyone that Armenia must, for its own sake, have Russia has its ally.
As for the future, Armenia must become a National Security state where every man receives military training and every woman is encouraged to have 4 babies so that Armenia’s population doubles in a generation. Numbers matter and Armenia’s population is ridiculously small.
Or Armenia can carry on its current path and try to pretend that Geography does not exist.
Pretty much agreed. Why not have dual citizenship? Why not have diaspora youth do mandatory 2-4 years in the Armenian Army? Many would stay after service and become Armenian Citizens. Imagine the resources and motivation of all diaspora when your kids are on the front lines?
Unfortunately the first 2 Karabakh “Presidents” were thieves and used Armenia as their personal bank and wealth account. They watched as 1/3 of the population left the country as it was so ridiculously bad and so would not even entertain such ideas. I blame them for creating the environment that ushered the current PM. However the current PM is even worse. He is highly incompetent, useless and vindictive plus stupid to boot. He is a proven loser and a danger to all Armenians.
Wow this is incredibly detailed and sad
Sad stories…but good and important to know the realities.
Excellent reporting that paints a vivid picture of the great need for humanitarian aid.
Thank you for this beautifully written and devastating report. I would love to hear more about the relief efforts that are underway and how we can support them.
Armenia is a cursed country. If you notice, there NEVER is any good news from that country.
A hard time for all those uprooted, the focus must be food and shelter for them and more permanent residency arrangements made. The next focus must be to strengthen defences to defend what’s left of Armenia.
The article was too long for a quick read, and probably did not contain any political aspects of the situation.
But I take up this occasion to say that all efforts should be concentrated and made to assure the safe repatriation of the displaced people of Artsakh under international vigilance and protection.
All the international efforts should be made in that sense, even before the solicitation of Armenia’s protection in view of Azeri threats.
The repatriation is an international right, and Azerbaijan in principle had accepted it albeit being very hypocritical about it and perhaps outright lying.
However such a move is easier to be imposed and carried out by the international community. It may not be without sacrifices and moral torture of the population, but it’s a statement of our rights over the territories and the lands, even though under azeri rule.
otherwise it would give a sign of our weakness and us abandoning quickly our lands.
That fact would encourage even more Azerbaijan to hone its appetite over Armenia proper.
And if anyone believes that the west or any western country would come to Armenia’s help he’s just a fool.
What would we do if Armenia is attacked? Leave every thing and run away?.
or decide to fight at any cost.
If we don’t fight for our rights, no one will.
Every inch of land is an immense wealth. Every inch of Artsakh was worth millions that we gave up (look at the economic downfalls on Armenia).
We have to reclaim the rights to it. And the only way to do it is Being there; Being on our lands.- Even under occupation. Let Gaza be an example.
Brothers and sisters!
What’s with all the complaints and the sadness? In the big picture, we won! We got what we wanted in 2018. Ok, we lost Qarabag but at least we are a democracy. Isn’t that more important?
Come on dear people dont, tell me you didn’t know who you were supporting back in 2018. We all knew who Nikol was back then. Remember his essays about Qarabag and Russia going back to the early 2000s? Remember his heroic role in trying to bring democracy to Armenia in 2008, hand in hand with our great statesman Levon Ter Petrosyan? We all knew who our democratic prime minister Nikol was. We all knew what our dear leader wanted. We voted for him not once but twice. Remember? So, why are you all complaining now? The honest man did what he said he will do. We empowered him to do what he said he will do. We democratically elected our great and glorious leader Nikol Pashinyan not once but TWICE for two purposes – free Armenia from the 30 year old problem called Qarabag and free Armenia from those oppressive and undemocratic Russians.
Forget that little troubled region called Qarabag. It was just a headache. Qarabag stopped Armenians from being happy with their neighbors.
Wake up, people. The real problem Armenia has is Russia. We need to make friends with Turks and unite with the civilized West and defeat aggressor Russia. That’s the formula for Armenia’s success. Anyone watching BBC and CNN to see what’s going on in the world? Russia wants to takeover the whole world and stop all people from being westernized and happy. Russia must be stopped – now. Putler (i.e. Putin+Hitler=Putler) must be stopped – now! Armenia must be liberated from Russia – now! This is the most important thing in the universe for Armenians! Don’t believe me? Ask Azgayin Bever. They work for Western, Israeli and Turkish interests, they therefore know very well what I am telling you. The real Armenia is Russia. Armenia will prosper only when we kick out every last Russian from Armenia. It’s that simple.
We got this. Let’s do it!
Our freedom loving and democratically elected leader Nikol Pashinyan started the process to free Armenia from Russian rule in 2018 with all our help, but the poor man is not done yet. So please stop the silly complaining and protests and just let our duly elected, freedom loving and enlightened Pashinyan finish his sacred work of freeing Armenia of its Qarabag problem and start valiantly fighting the Russian Bear, side by side with our freedom and democracy loving brothers and sisters in Slava Ukraine!
This is simply not the time to complain and protest. Besides, we won. Remember? We got what we wanted in 2018. We got what we wanted in 2020. We got what we wanted in 2021. Now, just relax and let our wonderful prime minister finish his work. There will be plenty of time afterwards to lament and protest Armenia’s and Qarabag’s disappearance from the world map.
Your writing is not even extremely twisted humor or satire.
It’s extreme cynical, to the pint of being out of place, which makes me doubt of you being really even slightly Armenian and wonder if you’re not azeri, turk, or an enemy agent.
If you are an Armenian, you should have a minimum of respect and know to better formulate your opinions to be taken seriously and not thrashed like you’re trying to thrash the readers.