People in Artsakh, which has been under siege for 243 days, do not lose hope. Astghik Babayan from Artsakh is the interlocutor of Iravaban.net.
20-year-old Astghik, with a leg which was broken several months ago, walks about 20 kilometers almost every day to get to work. She says that she is sorry, but she cannot stop working. She is a program coordinator in one of the non-governmental organizations.
They are 4 children in the family, all 4 are girls. Astghik is the eldest. The yonger sisters are now in Yerevan, one is studying at the State Medical University after Mkhitar Heratsi, and the other graduated from the 9th grade of the school this year. The sisters have not met for about a year. The youngest is in Artsakh with Astghik. She does everything so that her 11-year-old sister does not have to stand in queues for bread as little as possible. She does not want her to have bad memories.
She promised her sister studying in the 9th grade that they would definitely come to Yerevan for the Last Call ceremony, but it did not happen.
Astghik also participates in the volunteer work of distributing bread every morning. She takes bread to adults who do not have the opportunity to buy bread on their own. They hug and kiss the volunteers. Among the adults, there are many whose relatives live in the regions, far from them and have no opportunity to come to the capital.
“They are happy that there is someone who opens their door.”
Astghik’s grandparents are also far from her, they live in Martakert, and she has not met them for quite a long time.
The situation in Stepanakert is serious and is getting worse. Humanitarian aid does not enter Artsakh any more, even medical aid cannot be delivered to Armenia in time through the “Red Cross”. In addition to the Artsakh-Armenia connection, communication with the capital and regions is also disrupted. Both intra-city and intra-community transport has stopped working since 25 July due to lack of fuel.
“There is nothing to do with the districts at all.”
Many young people are involved in volunteer work, as they say, “they do not lose heart”. However, there are problems for which only the spirit is not enough. They are able to self-organize, especially young people, but living in such conditions is difficult for both adults, pregnant women, people with disabilities and children.
“Everything is very bad, and if it continues like this, it will get worse.”
Astghik answered our questions while walking along the streets of Stepanakert on her way home. She notes that the city is becoming more and more like a ghost town, one of the once crowded and lively streets, Freedom Fighters Street is quiet today.
She says that people often learn about the difficult situation in Artsakh and offer to help with money, but money has no value now. There is no food, goods that you can buy with money. In addition, since 12 December, 2022 Artsakh has been under siege, and since 15 June of the current year, humanitarian cargo transportation has also been completely stopped, and a cash problem has arisen in Artsakh.
Astghik’s mother is a confectioner, but lately she can no longer work. In the past, they coukd hardly buy eggs and sugar, recently it has become impossible. Astghik also worked at the Ministry of Justice of Artsakh, but the staff stopped working. “No more fuel to run the engine.”
Astghik is worried, classes should start at the university soon, but those living in the regions will not have the opportunity to come to the capital. In educational institutions, they are already thinking about how to organize classes in winter, in the absence of heating.
“They are thinking of making it 6-day in order to make up for the possible absences in December.”
The situation with electricity and mobile internet is also complicated. Previously, the mobile Internet did not work only in marzes during power outages, and in the last few days it has not worked in Stepanakert either.
“6 hours a day, when there is no light, the connection with the world is also interrupted.”
Under the conditions of the blockade, Astghik switched to an “online” lifestyle. Since July, she is one of the students of the Anti-Corruption School for Young Leaders. She says that if there was an opportunity, she would definitely come to Yerevan to attend the classes in person.
“I would definitely come for the Anti-Corruption School, the situation just didn’t allow me.”
Our interlocutor notes that even under these conditions, they do not even want to think about the “integration” proposed by Azerbaijan. The people of Artsakh read and study the Azerbaijani telegram channels, where they plan the whole day in what ways and under what conditions they will destroy the Armenians, how they will kill them. “They even make vile publications about the killing of children, and after that the leadership of their country talks about integration. It is not possible. It won’t happen.”
“The enemy understands only the language of force.”
Yevgenya Hambardzumyan
