Marina Saghatelyan, who was forcibly displaced from the occupied Republic of Artsakh told in the framework of “Artsakh: Armenian Genocide 2023. Stories of Survivors” series of Iravaban.net that during the war unleashed by Azerbaijan on 27 September, 2020, she stayed in Artsakh until 7 November.
“On 7 November, my son said: “Mom, come out, there is no one in Artsakh, I said: I need Artsakh. I did not think about saving my life at that time. I left on 7 November and returned on 9 November,” she said.
According to her, after the war, they lived in fear and danger every day.
“There hasn’t been a single day that a person hasn’t been killed, there hasn’t been a single day that some family hasn’t been harmed,” Mrs. Marina says.
She remembers that she went to the bank on 19 September, when she came out, explosions started.
“I came home, my daughter-in-law said, “Mom, my children are at school, and my son went by car after the children. He brought the children home. We spent that day either the basement, or in the house. The next day, I went to work in a bakery to receive two loaves of bread to bring to my house. On 27 September, the day my husband died, we left the house. At the checkpoint, the Turks gave us cookies and water, we threw them away on the way, we didn’t take them, but when we came to Armenia, they gave us everything here, they gave us water, they gave us bread, they gave the children sweets. They even gave 20 liters of gasoline. They welcomed us heartily and sent off,” she said.
Mrs. Marina states that whatever has happened was genocide and emphasizes that she cannot share bread with the Turks.
“I do not want to live with Turks, I’d rather live under a tree than live with Turks.” I will remain hungry, but I will not go back,” our interlocutor said.
Marina Saghatelyan is now in the sports school of Abovyan city. She notes that the Abovyan municipality, as well as the administration of the sports school helped a lot.
“They gave us a place, they welcomed us warmly, my children have a roof over their heads and my children do not sleep in the yard or in the streets. From the very day we have come, people bring us offerings, I distribute it,” Mrs. Marina says and smiles through her tears.
Our interlocutor says that she imagines her and her family’s future in Armenia.
Details in the video.
“Artsakh: Armenian Genocide 2023. Stories of Survivors” documentary project of Iravaban.net is aimed at collecting the memories and testimonies of citizens forcibly displaced from Artsakh occupied by Azerbaijan, about the genocide of the Armenians of Artsakh committed by Azerbaijan, atrocities, the days of war, the path of deportation, etc.
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