Artsakhi Citizens Return to Normal Life after April War – Amnesty Press


Armenpress-Amnesty Press, the publication of Amnesty International, published an article on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

Amnesty Press correspondent Izabella Rosengren visited Artsakh, where she met the locals as well as officials.

“The road is full of holes and on one side there is a threemeter high wall. This is to protect us, the people in the car, from getting shot or even worse, getting bombed as we continue. Azerbaijan is on the other side of the wall”, Rosengren says.

The correspondent mentions that although there has been a ceasefire since 1994, gunfire occur every now and then. Last time, in April 2016 Azerbaijan bombed the densely populated Martakert region. “The fighting has been defined as the worst since the ceasefire in 1994”, she wrote.

“I was shocked. I cannot explain in words what I felt. Can you imagine how it feels to leave your home, your grandparents’ country? After the attack, I began to cry and stumble. It’s not decent for a man to behave like that, but I was very sad”, Talish Mayor Vilem Petrosyan told the Amnesty Press correspondent. It was this very village which was attacked by Azerbaijani bombers and snipers during the night of April 2, 2016.

The article mentions that authorities are currently undertaking measures to restore the infrastructures of the village.

Amnesty Press notes that although the local population suffered huge trauma after the April attacks, they are trying to return to their normal lives now.

“The hero of the war, Monte Melkonyan said that if we lose Artsakh we will reach the last page of our history book. I say the same thing about Talish” comments Levon Apresyan, the government’s representative in the village who supervises the works.

“Former residents of the village come here every day to see what has happened to their houses and fields. I understand that there is a psychological barrier, but I think time heals all sores, and almost everyone will move back”, says Levon Apresyan.

Tigran Abrahamyan, the presidential advisor of Artsakh, told the correspondent that no one wants war and losses.

 “Armenophobia in Azerbaijan has a negative impact on the peace process, and there are no negotiations at the moment. Because they do not want to agree to increase the number of observers at the border, they have clearly shown that they want the war to continue. In recent months, they have been very active and increased the number of weapons and soldiers just to heat up the atmosphere”, Abrahamyan said.