Nune Khachatryan, 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 as a result of the war unleashed by Azerbaijan on 27 September, 2020, they had to leave Artsakh, but it was temporary. They returned to Artsakh at the first opportunity.
When asked whether there was no fear of returning to Artsakh again, she said that the presence of Russian peacekeepers was their hope.
“All of us were convinced that there will be no war until 2025, we will not be displaced. That’s why this was much unexpected for us. We were choked,” our interlocutor said.
She also presented the difficulties of the 9-month blockade.
“It was terrible in those days, it was very difficult. The children had no candy, no sweets, nothing, no fruit, nothing. Nothing, there was nothing. It was terrible, very terrible. We hoped that the road would be opened again, we would return to the same life again, we would live in the same way, but today, at this very moment, we wish for those days of blockade. Yes, it would be better if there was a blockade, the children would not have sweets, there would be no fruit, there would be nothing, but we would be in our land, in our house, we would have our property,” Mrs. Nune said.
She remembers that they were at school when the enemy started the aggression.
“Well, it was familiar to us. We thought that they would calm down again, the voices would stop and we would go back to our business. But we saw that it was not. We went home, and waited, we saw that it continues, those sounds again, the shots again. They attacked the village, bombarded it with airplanes. We stayed in the basement all day. On the morning of 20 September, we heard that all were was leaving. The village head gave us some diesel fuel and we left in the “Ford”. I have two grandchildren, I hugged them and left. It was terrible,” our interlocutor recalls.
According to her, there were so many cars that they stayed one night in Shushi.
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“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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Details in the video.
Armenian Lawyers’ Association is the author of the idea “Artsakh: Armenian Genocide 2023. Stories of Survivors” documentary project of Iravaban.net and is the owner of copyright of the materials created within the framework of the project. In case of using the materials produced within the framework of the project, it is necessary to obtain the written permission of the Armenian Lawyers’ Association.
Hasmik Sargsyan
