Kolya Hayrapetyan, displaced from Artsakh, forcibly displaced from the occupied Republic of Artsakh, told in the framework of “Artsakh: Armenian Genocide 2023. Stories of Survivors” documentary project of Iravaban.net, that he was displaced from Haterk village of Martakert region.
Our interlocutor reminds us that Haterk is one of the largest and oldest villages in Artsakh.
On 19 September, during the attack of Azerbaijan, Kolya Hayrapetyan was at work, he says that it was hail. The residents were moved to the shelter, the village lost 7 lives. He remembers everyone’s names, one of them was Kolya’s cousin.
“No one in the village was aware that they should be displaced. They were told that they should be evacuated in 15-20 minutes. There was panic; people were unable to collect their things. This was how the village was displaced: in a very unexpected manner. They were told that they should leave as soon as possible; otherwise the enemy will enter the village with tanks. The population of the village went to the airport of Stepanakert, where the Russian peacekeeping troops were stationed. There was nothing there. People stayed outside, in the fields, on the grass, under the trees, in the cars… after staying there for 3 days, hungry and thirsty… they were told a road to Yerevan is being opened,” he recalls.
According to Kolya Hayrapetyan, the government of Artsakh has not done anything for the people; it has not even helped to organize their departure from Artsakh. People covered the road in 2-2.5 days. Our interlocutor notes that there was no one to “give them a glass of water” on the way. “The world of Artsakh had never seen such bitter days. We were a dispossessed people.”
The man left a 5-story house and animals in Artsakh. “We left our lives in Artsakh. I do not consider that we are living now. Every day we are in our homeland with our thoughts. We survive and breathe here.”
“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.
Iravaban.net seeks help from citizens who will voluntarily agree to translate materials into different languages: Russian, English, French, Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Georgian, Chinese…
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Details in the video.
Hasmik Sargsyan
