Greta Aghabekyan, who was 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 she was born in Azerbaijan, her father was from Artsakh, and she had decided to move and live in Artsakh.
“I decided to come and continue my education in my father’s homeland. I came to Stepanakert in 1976. I got married and stayed in Stepanakert. We lived in a one-room apartment. After liberating Shushi, we moved there,” she said.
Our interlocutor was displaced from Shushi as a result of the 44-day war unleashed by the Azerbaijani side in 2020. She mentions that even then she left Shushi in clothes that she had on. “Because I love my homeland very much, I went back to Artsakh.”
On 19 September, she was out of the house when Azerbaijan unleashed another aggression.
“An explosion was heard and the dogs whined. I thought that they were killing stray dogs. When they hit us for the second time, we began to run away. We entered the basement of a building. I stayed there for 2 hours, when the shooting stopped a little, I went back to where I live. It was a terrible situation that night, we said that it would be good if we stay alive. They began hitting the top of our building, 3 people died. Two women, a man. We stayed in the basement until we were evacuated. After that, we had to get fuel to come to Armenia, and then, the gasoline warehouse exploded, causing many casualties. We could not get gasoline during four days,” Mrs. Greta said.
Speaking about the reintegration proposed by the Azerbaijani side, our interlocutor noted that she cannot live with Azerbaijanis.
“If the Turk is not there, all the people of Artsakh will go back, but only if the Turk is not there,” she insisted.
Ms. Greta also told about the conditions they lived when Azerbaijan illegally closed the only road connecting Artsakh to Armenia and kept Artsakh under blockade for about 9 months.
“Especially the last four months were terrible because there was nothing to eat. They gave 200 grams of bread, I do not know what was mixed in it, after we ate it we got diarrhea, I don’t know what else! As if we went to another world and then came back.
Our interlocutor thanks the people of Armenia, but also raises issues.
“How long will the hotel keep us?” 2 months, 3 months, he should be paid to keep us in that hotel. They are offering a house in Hrazdan, the rent is 120 thousand drams, it was 30 thousand drams in the past. Suppose I will pay the rent, but what are we going to eat when there is no work? I am 65 years old, who will hire me?” she added.
Greta Aghabekyan says that they are deceived by the international institutions and have no expectations from them.
“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
