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Mr. Putin, Please Visit Gyumri Again!
Armenian Observer Weekly
December 18, 2013
By Prof. Osheen Keshishian
LOS ANGELES, CA
Russian President Vladimir Putin'srecent visit to Gyumri was
very productive not necessarily politicallyspeaking, rather socially,
economically and otherwise. Because of the RussianPresident's visit,
about $1.3 million was spent to rebuild and renovate Gyumristreets,
the ones from where Mr. Putin's motorcade would pass. And, of
coursethe ones in very close viewing range, basically to impress the
RussianPresident.
A large amount of asphalt was poured tocover the streets, and
according to official reports, 127 light posts wereerected on the
streets and two of them at the airport.
Wow! What a nice gesture. And, I am notsure if Putin was
impressed or even noticed the paved new streets. Directly
orindirectly, the Gyumri population now has a few good streets and
they are lit.
In Gyumri, there is a large Russianmilitary base which guards
the border with Turkey and Armenia, as well asRussia. Close to 50,000
Russian soldiers are stationed there, according toreliable sources.
If Putin had not visited that city,these renovations, most
probably, were not going to be implemented. The endresult is that the
population of Gyumri will benefit from these reconstructions,thanks to
Putin's visit. I hope that the Russian President will visit Gyumri
again in a few months (!),so that the rest of the streets will be
repaired and paved. However, he should tell his hosts that hewould
like to visit the `domiks' (the metal shacks, large containers, used
as `homes'), and may be they will be replaced also...
According to official statistics, the Shirakregion,( which
includes Gyumri, Spitak and some villages), has the highestpoverty
rate in Armenia - 46%. The figure for the entire country is
35%. Statisticsalso indicate that half of Gyumri's population is poor,
very poor. Two in three are poor. And ... the living conditions have
not improved enough since thedevastating earthquake of December 7,
1988, which claimed the lives of more than35,000 people and destroyed
close to 60 villages. That was 25 years ago. It is truethat many
countries came to help Armenia. But it was not enough. The
governmentpromised several times that Gyumri will be rebuilt.
Some 25,000 houses were built. However, 4,000families still
live in shabby, temporary shacks. And if each family has twochildren,
then there are at least 16,000 people living under unhealthy,
inhumane, and unbelievable conditions, and many will diebecause of the
very cold sub-zero temperatures.
During a recent visit it wasobvious - private beautiful
mansions andhotels were built across from dilapidated `homes'. Some
city officials ownedrestaurants, even parks and large luxury
hotels.. What a shame! The population is constantly decreasing andthe
future looks very dim.
Recently, government officials placedwreaths on monuments
dedicated to the victims of the 1988 earthquake and paidtheir respects
to the dead. Just a show! How about the ones who are somehow
stillalive in the city and villages? Don't they need help, and help
from the government?
Instead the government should seriouslyconcentrate on
rebuilding this once beautiful cultural center so that peoplewill not
emigrate, so that people will want to live there and enjoy life asmuch
as possible.
25 years have passed...
Armenian Observer Weekly
December 18, 2013
By Prof. Osheen Keshishian
LOS ANGELES, CA
Russian President Vladimir Putin'srecent visit to Gyumri was
very productive not necessarily politicallyspeaking, rather socially,
economically and otherwise. Because of the RussianPresident's visit,
about $1.3 million was spent to rebuild and renovate Gyumristreets,
the ones from where Mr. Putin's motorcade would pass. And, of
coursethe ones in very close viewing range, basically to impress the
RussianPresident.
A large amount of asphalt was poured tocover the streets, and
according to official reports, 127 light posts wereerected on the
streets and two of them at the airport.
Wow! What a nice gesture. And, I am notsure if Putin was
impressed or even noticed the paved new streets. Directly
orindirectly, the Gyumri population now has a few good streets and
they are lit.
In Gyumri, there is a large Russianmilitary base which guards
the border with Turkey and Armenia, as well asRussia. Close to 50,000
Russian soldiers are stationed there, according toreliable sources.
If Putin had not visited that city,these renovations, most
probably, were not going to be implemented. The endresult is that the
population of Gyumri will benefit from these reconstructions,thanks to
Putin's visit. I hope that the Russian President will visit Gyumri
again in a few months (!),so that the rest of the streets will be
repaired and paved. However, he should tell his hosts that hewould
like to visit the `domiks' (the metal shacks, large containers, used
as `homes'), and may be they will be replaced also...
According to official statistics, the Shirakregion,( which
includes Gyumri, Spitak and some villages), has the highestpoverty
rate in Armenia - 46%. The figure for the entire country is
35%. Statisticsalso indicate that half of Gyumri's population is poor,
very poor. Two in three are poor. And ... the living conditions have
not improved enough since thedevastating earthquake of December 7,
1988, which claimed the lives of more than35,000 people and destroyed
close to 60 villages. That was 25 years ago. It is truethat many
countries came to help Armenia. But it was not enough. The
governmentpromised several times that Gyumri will be rebuilt.
Some 25,000 houses were built. However, 4,000families still
live in shabby, temporary shacks. And if each family has twochildren,
then there are at least 16,000 people living under unhealthy,
inhumane, and unbelievable conditions, and many will diebecause of the
very cold sub-zero temperatures.
During a recent visit it wasobvious - private beautiful
mansions andhotels were built across from dilapidated `homes'. Some
city officials ownedrestaurants, even parks and large luxury
hotels.. What a shame! The population is constantly decreasing andthe
future looks very dim.
Recently, government officials placedwreaths on monuments
dedicated to the victims of the 1988 earthquake and paidtheir respects
to the dead. Just a show! How about the ones who are somehow
stillalive in the city and villages? Don't they need help, and help
from the government?
Instead the government should seriouslyconcentrate on
rebuilding this once beautiful cultural center so that peoplewill not
emigrate, so that people will want to live there and enjoy life asmuch
as possible.
25 years have passed...