Tweet
THE GATEWAY: A VISIT TO THE BORDER VILLAGE OF CHINARI
By Gohar Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow
13.03.12
Residents of Chinari village, located in the most heated spot on the
volatile border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, where shooting is
heard constantly, say proudly that Armenia starts with their village,
and that they are the northeastern gateway of the Homeland.
Zina AperyanEven 18 years after Armenia and Azerbaijan signed
ceasefire, shooting in Chinari, Tavush province (some 250 kilometers
from Yerevan), is a routine occurrence here along 28 kilometers of
the border between warring countries.
"The war has not stopped in Chinari yet. What happens here is obscene.
Had they [Azeris] fired from base to base that would have been another
issue, but they fire directly at the village, at a peaceful population,
at cars and cattle," says head of Chinari village Samvel Saghoyan.
Chinari, which is surrounded by mountains, is stuck in the
Armenian-Azeri border like a triangular peninsula. It borders with
Azerbaijan's Tovuz and Getabek regions. The frontline positions of
the Azeri side are clearly visible even with naked eye.
"They [Azeris] are on the mountains and the village is under the
mountains. They directly have power over the village and they are
so close that whenever they wish they cause damage. Even without a
sniper they can cause damage easily," says Saghoyan, adding that the
last house of the village is located some 650 meters from the Azeri
side's frontline positions.
According to Saghoyan, since 2008 the situation in Chinari has
become more explosive, when Azerbaijan advanced one of its frontline
positions, making it closer to the village, and since May 2008 till
today snipers have been working in Azeris' frontline positions.
"On June 18, 2008, Azeri snipers killed two Armenians within one day.
I was a shepherd then and I saw from above that they shot and I
walked down to help. They [Azeris] fired at me, too, however, I was
very lucky that only my leg was wounded," says 56-year-old resident
of Chinari village Samvel Mirzoyan, father of five children.
Saghoyan says that after this incident the residents of the village
have stopped raising cattle.
"In 2008, we had 700 cattle and 800 sheep, whereas the village now
has only 60 cows and 25 sheep. People sold all of them out of fear,"
Saghoyan says.
As of this January the population of Chinari village makes 1,384
(in 1994 the village had 1,860 residents). Some of them work at
the village school which has 140 students, others - at the village
kindergarten with 30 children, as well as at the village municipality;
the total number of employed people in Chinari is only 60.
Villagers mainly deal with winegrowing in Chinari, and the vineyards
cover 60 hectares. And even though since 2009 the border lands of the
village have been freed from land tax, according to Chinari residents,
more than 70 percent of the village's 1,000-hectare land area is
located on the border, which is mined and is under the enemy's control;
therefore it is more than 16 years that these land areas are not used.
"Our village is a heaven, its geographical position, its climate are
just wonderful. Whatever we plant, grows, we have figs, persimmon,
cornel, even olives and kiwi. The only thing we do not have is peace,
in order to enjoy all this," says 68-year-old Zina Aperyan, showing the
traces of gunfire (on March 7) on their window frame. "They [Azeris]
keep on disturbing our peace all the time," Aperyan says.
And even though Chinari lives under daily shooting, life keeps on
developing here. Villagers who migrated to Russia, sent money to pay
for street lights and for a community center.
"Armenia starts with Chinari, and we, united with our border guards,
stand on our land steadily," people say proudly in the village center,
just in front of an Azeri frontline position.
By Gohar Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow
13.03.12
Residents of Chinari village, located in the most heated spot on the
volatile border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, where shooting is
heard constantly, say proudly that Armenia starts with their village,
and that they are the northeastern gateway of the Homeland.
Zina AperyanEven 18 years after Armenia and Azerbaijan signed
ceasefire, shooting in Chinari, Tavush province (some 250 kilometers
from Yerevan), is a routine occurrence here along 28 kilometers of
the border between warring countries.
"The war has not stopped in Chinari yet. What happens here is obscene.
Had they [Azeris] fired from base to base that would have been another
issue, but they fire directly at the village, at a peaceful population,
at cars and cattle," says head of Chinari village Samvel Saghoyan.
Chinari, which is surrounded by mountains, is stuck in the
Armenian-Azeri border like a triangular peninsula. It borders with
Azerbaijan's Tovuz and Getabek regions. The frontline positions of
the Azeri side are clearly visible even with naked eye.
"They [Azeris] are on the mountains and the village is under the
mountains. They directly have power over the village and they are
so close that whenever they wish they cause damage. Even without a
sniper they can cause damage easily," says Saghoyan, adding that the
last house of the village is located some 650 meters from the Azeri
side's frontline positions.
According to Saghoyan, since 2008 the situation in Chinari has
become more explosive, when Azerbaijan advanced one of its frontline
positions, making it closer to the village, and since May 2008 till
today snipers have been working in Azeris' frontline positions.
"On June 18, 2008, Azeri snipers killed two Armenians within one day.
I was a shepherd then and I saw from above that they shot and I
walked down to help. They [Azeris] fired at me, too, however, I was
very lucky that only my leg was wounded," says 56-year-old resident
of Chinari village Samvel Mirzoyan, father of five children.
Saghoyan says that after this incident the residents of the village
have stopped raising cattle.
"In 2008, we had 700 cattle and 800 sheep, whereas the village now
has only 60 cows and 25 sheep. People sold all of them out of fear,"
Saghoyan says.
As of this January the population of Chinari village makes 1,384
(in 1994 the village had 1,860 residents). Some of them work at
the village school which has 140 students, others - at the village
kindergarten with 30 children, as well as at the village municipality;
the total number of employed people in Chinari is only 60.
Villagers mainly deal with winegrowing in Chinari, and the vineyards
cover 60 hectares. And even though since 2009 the border lands of the
village have been freed from land tax, according to Chinari residents,
more than 70 percent of the village's 1,000-hectare land area is
located on the border, which is mined and is under the enemy's control;
therefore it is more than 16 years that these land areas are not used.
"Our village is a heaven, its geographical position, its climate are
just wonderful. Whatever we plant, grows, we have figs, persimmon,
cornel, even olives and kiwi. The only thing we do not have is peace,
in order to enjoy all this," says 68-year-old Zina Aperyan, showing the
traces of gunfire (on March 7) on their window frame. "They [Azeris]
keep on disturbing our peace all the time," Aperyan says.
And even though Chinari lives under daily shooting, life keeps on
developing here. Villagers who migrated to Russia, sent money to pay
for street lights and for a community center.
"Armenia starts with Chinari, and we, united with our border guards,
stand on our land steadily," people say proudly in the village center,
just in front of an Azeri frontline position.