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  • Web site contrasts poverty and riches of Karabakh and Armenia

    Golos Armenii web site, Yerevan, in Russian
    27 Jul 04

    Web site contrasts poverty and riches of Karabakh and Armenia


    An article on the Voice of Armenia web site in Russian contrasts the
    poverty of the town of Shushi in Nagornyy Karabakh with the riches of
    a "town of the future" in the region of Mount Ararat which will
    provide a golf course, schools, a shopping centre and other
    facilities for foreign businessmen. The cost of rebuilding Shushi is
    estimated to be the same as that of the new development project, but
    Shushi will only receive this money if it "returns to the bosom" of
    Azerbaijan, the web site concludes. The following is the text of the
    article by Aris Kazinyan "This side of Ararat" posted on the Golos
    Armenii web site on 27 July: subheadings inserted editorially:

    The Armenian Idea

    Today's Armenian Idea is hidden behind Ararat. It lies beyond the
    dormant volcano, where there is no surface river or any kind of
    arboreal foliage, and which in the Armenian national conscience is
    still associated with a more living embodiment of its history. The
    mountain itself is probably unaware of any of this and continues on
    its daily rhythm. Often on its summit can be seen the spewing of
    sulphur - fumaroles - proving that rumours of the final repose of its
    once fiery crater have been somewhat exaggerated. Ararat is three and
    a half million years old. In any event, that was when it assumed its
    modern "biblical" image. Although, this is not quite true. The
    mountain has stood in proud isolation for a very long time in
    historical terms, but Little Ararat was "born" only 150,000 years
    ago. The ancient inhabitants of the Armenian plateau became the first
    witnesses of the emergence of this "infant" into the world. They then
    called Ara God although the volcano itself will not grow any bigger
    because of this.

    Whatever the truth of the matter, the Armenian Idea today is, indeed,
    hidden where the sun goes down each evening. It is well known that it
    does not care to change its trajectory very much, and for three and a
    half million years it has been rolling down the western slopes of the
    Great Ararat. There, behind the mountain, the Light of Armenian
    civilization spends the night. There is much less of an Idea along
    this side of the volcano. Here lies the kingdom of the Material
    World.

    The town of Shushi [in Nagornyy Karabakh] lies 370km east of Ararat,
    and the volcano cannot be seen from here. Nevertheless, it is
    precisely here every morning that the Sun of Armenia's future rises,
    which may be judged from the level of development in this great town.
    Shushi is undoubtedly the main symbol of the Armenian Idea today, and
    therefore it is being populated and developed according to the very
    same principles and at the same rate in which could develop, for
    example, Van or Mush. In this connection, one has to say that it is
    the most poverty-stricken town in Armenia.

    Poverty of Shushi

    Shushi's budget, which amounts to 80,000 US dollars, reflects the
    cost of the Armenian Idea. This is essentially the price of a
    two-room apartment in the centre of Yerevan. Over the course of 12
    years the nation has been quite unable to build a green town of the
    Armenian dream and therefore show the viability of its idea. Shushi
    today is begging for charity in the eyes of the whole world
    community, which, incidentally, promises it a dignified life and so
    many privileges on condition that it "returns" to the bosom of
    Azerbaijan. The Armenian nation, alas, is unable to collect the
    25-30m dollars which are so urgently needed to build a modern town
    with a population of 10-12,000 people. And here, of course, it is not
    a matter of money, but of an Idea which, indeed, has been left out
    there, behind the mountain.

    Riches of Vaagni

    >From the southern foothills of the most beautiful plateau of
    Aragatzoti amazing views open up. Here, on an area of only 160 ha,
    they are building the town of the future - Vaagni - 500 homes for
    rich Armenians with a shopping centre, out-patients clinic, an
    international school, a large sports centre and the customary
    panorama of the extinct volcano. A mini-golf course is already up and
    running. In the near future a large 9-hole course will be opened at
    the South Caucasus Golf Club. So far 20 homes have already opened
    their doors to their new owners. They are mainly businessmen from
    Canada, France, Russia, Switzerland, Britain, as well as Armenia. The
    new life-style of this type of town is a 24-hour guard and a ban on
    all still and video photography. Incidentally, the overall cost of
    the Ovnanyan Ltd project is 25m dollars, exactly what Shushi needs.

    Meanwhile, Ararat continues to live at its measured pace. New plays
    and films are being made about it. They are still looking for some
    kind of ship which in any event has long since been incapable of
    withstanding the verbal flood of false patriotism. Today they need to
    build a new Noah's Ark, and at precisely the distance we mentioned -
    370km east of Ararat.
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