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THE HOUSING CONUNDRUM: SYRIAN ARMENIANS IN ARMENIA
By Sarkis Balkhian // January 14, 2014 in Featured, Headline, Special Reports
Special for the Armenian Weekly
"My father passed away a few years before the beginning of the
conflict. My mother works as a cook for 12 hours a day, while my
14-year-old brother attends school," says Daron, 16, a Syrian-Armenian
waiter in Yerevan. "I can't go to school because I have to support
my family."
'New Aleppo' district plan
The 34 months of the Syrian crisis has resulted in 120,000 deaths, 7
million internally displaced persons (IDP), and 2.3 million refugees.1
Although the situation of the refugees across the Middle East, or
even in certain European states like Bulgaria,2 is drastically worse
than the circumstance of the Syrian Armenians in Armenia, nonetheless
those who have resettled in Armenia are also facing numerous economic,
social, and legal challenges.
According to the Republic of Armenia's Ministry of Diaspora, more
than 16,000 Syrian Armenians have entered the country since the
beginning of the crisis in March 2011, and more systematically with
the beginning of the armed conflict in Aleppo in July 2012.
Nearly 11,000 continue to reside in Armenia (including in the Nagorno
Karabagh Republic). The vast majority of the 5,000 who left Armenia
have returned back to their homes in Syria,3 while a small number of
people have become refugees in Europe and other parts of the world.4
Due to financial constraints, more than 70 percent of the population
has not been able to purchase apartments. This housing situation has
been the primary obstacle to the integration of Syrian-Armenians
in Armenia. Whereas for the past 17 months, numerous local and
international organizations have provided stipends for rent or
housing in shelter homes, an inclusionary housing solution has yet
to be developed.
Housing programs and projects
In the early stages of the Syrian-Armenian migration to Armenia, the
Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) provided monthly stipends
of $100-150 to support individuals and families with their rental
fees for a period of 3 months.5
The Armenian Caritas (Armenian Catholic Church) in Yerevan has
sheltered more than 45 of the most needy at its center, and
has provided them with food and other forms of assistance.6 Most
recently, on Nov. 27, 2013, the head of its Department for Migration
and Integration announced that the organization would be allocating a
significant portion of the 270,000 euros received from the Austrian
government, via the Austrian Red Cross, toward the leasing expenses
of 100 families for the next 6 months.7
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation's (ARF) "Help Your Brother"
program has provided more than $32,000 to the "Kashatagh" foundation,
to aid the construction and renovation of homes in the Kashatagh region
of Karabagh, where more than 35 Syrian Armenians currently reside.8
The Tufenkian Foundation, the Assistance to Self-Determined Artsakh
Charitable Foundation, and other organizations are also supporting
resettlement efforts in Karabagh.9
In Yerevan, "Help Your Brother" is planning the construction
of apartment buildings in the Davtashen district. Two-hundred
Syrian-Armenian families will be able to purchase apartments there
at minimal cost by submitting applications at the "Help Your Brother"
headquarters in Yerevan.10
Through the relentless efforts of the Minister of Diaspora, Hranush
Hakobyan, and the order of President Serge Sarkisian, the government
approved the construction of the "New Aleppo" district in Ashtarak
city. On July 23, 2013, the Ashtarak City Council allocated more than
11 acres of land to the Center for Coordination of Syrian-Armenian
Issues NGO for the "New Aleppo" housing project.11
As of December 2013, more than 300 Syrian-Armenian families had
submitted registration forms to the Center for Coordination of
Syrian-Armenian Issues, and have expressed a willingness to pay up
to 50 percent of the construction cost for the apartments.12
On Dec. 9, 2013, the final plan for the "New Aleppo" district was
presented by Vahe and Gohar Tutunjians, the co-presidents of the
Pan-Armenian Association of Architects and Engineers. According
to the initial estimates, the project will cost around $30 million
and will feature 22-30 apartment buildings, swimming pools, garages,
playgrounds and other amenities. Most importantly, it will house more
than 500 Syrian-Armenian families.13
Analysis and conclusion
"We came to Armenia with only a few thousand dollars, which has long
run out," explained Daron. "My mother makes $300 per month. I make
around $400-500 while working up to 70 hours every week. The most
we can save up each month is around $150 because we have to pay $200
for rent." Daron is neither the norm, nor the exception.
Having worked with the Center for Coordination of Syrian-Armenian
Issues for almost a year, and due to my current involvement with
the Aleppo Compatriotic Charitable Organization, I estimate that at
least 15-20 percent of the Syrian Armenians in Armenia do not have
sufficient funds to purchase apartments.
According to the most recent data, more than 250 individuals are
awaiting access to free-of-charge shelter homes in Armenia, while 200
are currently being housed in shelters that do not comply with the
"Adequate Standards of Living" set fort by Article 25 of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and Article 11 of the International
Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).
I have been an advocate (albeit, with some reservations) for the
construction of an Aleppo neighborhood in Armenia since the beginning
of the process. However, in its current form, the "New Aleppo"
district does not represent the spirit or vision of its mastermind.
In May 2011, Ani Balkhian, a founding member of the Center for
Coordination of Syrian-Armenian Issues and the current president
of the Aleppo Compatriotic Charitable Organization, introduced the
initial plan for "New Aleppo" during the All-Armenia Fund meeting in
Yerevan. She made a verbal proposal then to President Sarkisian. In
August 2011, via the Armenian Consulate in Aleppo, she sent a formal
written request to the president requesting government-designated
land for the construction of an Aleppo Neighborhood.
The initial plan for the project was to induce a Syrian-Armenian
mass-migration to Armenia by allocating apartments at construction
cost. However, for reasons yet unknown, the plan never materialized.
After the establishment of the Center for Coordination of
Syrian-Armenian Issues, Balkhian reintroduced the idea and, in October
2012, through the Ministry of Diaspora, a second written proposal
was sent to the president.
More than two years after the initial proposal, the final plan for
"New Aleppo" has been developed and will, as hitherto mentioned,
feature 22-30 apartment buildings. On Dec. 7, 2013, the Center
for Coordination of Syrian-Armenian Issues, on its Facebook page,
announced that "individuals seeking apartments in the 'New Aleppo'
district need to submit their applications at the organization's
headquarter...transfer $5,000 to the organization's bank account and
sign a preliminary agreement document."14
There are certain social and financial flaws with the current state
of the "New Aleppo" district. In fact, my initial concerns over this
project have been validated on both fronts.
Contrary to the Armenian Diaspora in Russia, Europe, the United
States, and even Lebanon, Armenians have lived a marginalized life in
Syria. Due to religious and cultural reservations, as well as valid
fears of assimilation, Armenians had isolated themselves from the world
around them. The churches, sports clubs, cultural institutions, and
schools were used as a fortress to defend Armenian-Christian identity
in Syria. In Aleppo, especially, most Syria-Armenian children who
attended Armenian schools were not even accustomed to speaking Arabic
until the ages of 12-15.
Today, most Syrian Armenians in Armenia have continued the same
secluding and ghettoizing strategies of self-isolation. This is not due
to their fears of the local Armenian population, but because they are
subconsciously programmed to operate this way. Even the amenities to be
included within the "New Aleppo" project--swimming pools, playgrounds,
etc.--will further contribute to the isolation of Syrian-Armenians
from the local society, and slow down their integration process.
On the financial front, in August 2011, most Syrian Armenians were
able to purchase apartments in the "New Aleppo" district by procuring
funds through the sale of real estate or other assets in Syria. Now,
however, at least 15-20 percent do not have access to $5,000 to use
as a down payment, nor are they capable of contributing 30-50 percent
of the construction cost.
I, for one, do not understand the logic behind investing funds for
amenities--that were non-existent in the neighborhoods of "Old Aleppo"
(Meedan, Sulamaniye, Villat, Azizie)--while so many remain excluded
from this initiative.
It is my belief that any housing project that seeks to provide
durable shelter solutions for Syrian Armenians should be founded on
the principle of inclusion rather than exclusion. It should first and
foremost address the needs of the most vulnerable Syrian Armenians,
rather than solidifying the bourgeois status of the middle class.
Although I welcome any housing initiative that ensures the
complete resettlement of Syrian Armenians and contributes to their
full integration in Armenia, the current plan of "New Aleppo,"
unfortunately, does not address the needs of the most vulnerable of
the population. It is simply unacceptable.
Finally, as a Syrian Armenian myself, I would like to express my
gratitude to the president, the Ministry of Diaspora, the Armenian
government, and local and international organizations, businesses,
and foundations for their support in both Armenia and Syria. The
criticisms presented in this piece are not intended to discourage any
organization or to undermine any program or project. Rather, they aim
to represent the voice of the voiceless and the face of the faceless,
like Daron, and encourage organizations to operate based on the visions
of the late Nelson Mandela: "Let there be justice for all. Let there
be peace for all. Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all."
Notes
[1] See
http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/regional.php?_ga=1.126698767.342266411.1386426334.
[2] See
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/23/world/europe/bulgaria-unready-is-poor-host-to-syrians.html?_r=1&.
[3] See http://www.panarmenian.net/arm/news/133582/.
[4] See http://gadebate.un.org/68/armenia.
[5] See
http://www.agbu.am/en/239-archive-2013/news-13/1330-agbu-supports-syrian-armenians-2013.
[6] See
http://armenpress.am/eng/news/741585/armenian-caritas-to-assist-syrian-armenians-in-housing-lease.html.
[7] See
http://www.caritasarm.am/en/media-center/news/81-the-opened-door.
[8] See http://www.aravot.am/2013/05/03/239014/.
[9] See
http://armenianow.com/society/features/44597/syrian_armenians_kashatagh_resettlement_in_karabak h.
[10] See http://www.arfd.am/syriahay/?p=1099.
[11] See http://www.mindiaspora.am/en/News?id=2617.
[12] See
http://www.panorama.am/am/comments/2013/12/11/lina-halajyan/#.UqgrjCjjzmo.facebook.
[13] See
http://armenpress.am/arm/news/743108/tchartarapet-vahe-tutunjyany-nerkayacrel-e-nor-halep.html.
[14] The full text of the announcement on Facebook: "Ô±Õ·Õ¿Õ¡O~@Õ¡Õ¯
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http://www.armenianweekly.com/2014/01/14/the-housing-conundrum-syrian-armenians-in-armenia/
By Sarkis Balkhian // January 14, 2014 in Featured, Headline, Special Reports
Special for the Armenian Weekly
"My father passed away a few years before the beginning of the
conflict. My mother works as a cook for 12 hours a day, while my
14-year-old brother attends school," says Daron, 16, a Syrian-Armenian
waiter in Yerevan. "I can't go to school because I have to support
my family."
'New Aleppo' district plan
The 34 months of the Syrian crisis has resulted in 120,000 deaths, 7
million internally displaced persons (IDP), and 2.3 million refugees.1
Although the situation of the refugees across the Middle East, or
even in certain European states like Bulgaria,2 is drastically worse
than the circumstance of the Syrian Armenians in Armenia, nonetheless
those who have resettled in Armenia are also facing numerous economic,
social, and legal challenges.
According to the Republic of Armenia's Ministry of Diaspora, more
than 16,000 Syrian Armenians have entered the country since the
beginning of the crisis in March 2011, and more systematically with
the beginning of the armed conflict in Aleppo in July 2012.
Nearly 11,000 continue to reside in Armenia (including in the Nagorno
Karabagh Republic). The vast majority of the 5,000 who left Armenia
have returned back to their homes in Syria,3 while a small number of
people have become refugees in Europe and other parts of the world.4
Due to financial constraints, more than 70 percent of the population
has not been able to purchase apartments. This housing situation has
been the primary obstacle to the integration of Syrian-Armenians
in Armenia. Whereas for the past 17 months, numerous local and
international organizations have provided stipends for rent or
housing in shelter homes, an inclusionary housing solution has yet
to be developed.
Housing programs and projects
In the early stages of the Syrian-Armenian migration to Armenia, the
Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) provided monthly stipends
of $100-150 to support individuals and families with their rental
fees for a period of 3 months.5
The Armenian Caritas (Armenian Catholic Church) in Yerevan has
sheltered more than 45 of the most needy at its center, and
has provided them with food and other forms of assistance.6 Most
recently, on Nov. 27, 2013, the head of its Department for Migration
and Integration announced that the organization would be allocating a
significant portion of the 270,000 euros received from the Austrian
government, via the Austrian Red Cross, toward the leasing expenses
of 100 families for the next 6 months.7
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation's (ARF) "Help Your Brother"
program has provided more than $32,000 to the "Kashatagh" foundation,
to aid the construction and renovation of homes in the Kashatagh region
of Karabagh, where more than 35 Syrian Armenians currently reside.8
The Tufenkian Foundation, the Assistance to Self-Determined Artsakh
Charitable Foundation, and other organizations are also supporting
resettlement efforts in Karabagh.9
In Yerevan, "Help Your Brother" is planning the construction
of apartment buildings in the Davtashen district. Two-hundred
Syrian-Armenian families will be able to purchase apartments there
at minimal cost by submitting applications at the "Help Your Brother"
headquarters in Yerevan.10
Through the relentless efforts of the Minister of Diaspora, Hranush
Hakobyan, and the order of President Serge Sarkisian, the government
approved the construction of the "New Aleppo" district in Ashtarak
city. On July 23, 2013, the Ashtarak City Council allocated more than
11 acres of land to the Center for Coordination of Syrian-Armenian
Issues NGO for the "New Aleppo" housing project.11
As of December 2013, more than 300 Syrian-Armenian families had
submitted registration forms to the Center for Coordination of
Syrian-Armenian Issues, and have expressed a willingness to pay up
to 50 percent of the construction cost for the apartments.12
On Dec. 9, 2013, the final plan for the "New Aleppo" district was
presented by Vahe and Gohar Tutunjians, the co-presidents of the
Pan-Armenian Association of Architects and Engineers. According
to the initial estimates, the project will cost around $30 million
and will feature 22-30 apartment buildings, swimming pools, garages,
playgrounds and other amenities. Most importantly, it will house more
than 500 Syrian-Armenian families.13
Analysis and conclusion
"We came to Armenia with only a few thousand dollars, which has long
run out," explained Daron. "My mother makes $300 per month. I make
around $400-500 while working up to 70 hours every week. The most
we can save up each month is around $150 because we have to pay $200
for rent." Daron is neither the norm, nor the exception.
Having worked with the Center for Coordination of Syrian-Armenian
Issues for almost a year, and due to my current involvement with
the Aleppo Compatriotic Charitable Organization, I estimate that at
least 15-20 percent of the Syrian Armenians in Armenia do not have
sufficient funds to purchase apartments.
According to the most recent data, more than 250 individuals are
awaiting access to free-of-charge shelter homes in Armenia, while 200
are currently being housed in shelters that do not comply with the
"Adequate Standards of Living" set fort by Article 25 of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and Article 11 of the International
Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).
I have been an advocate (albeit, with some reservations) for the
construction of an Aleppo neighborhood in Armenia since the beginning
of the process. However, in its current form, the "New Aleppo"
district does not represent the spirit or vision of its mastermind.
In May 2011, Ani Balkhian, a founding member of the Center for
Coordination of Syrian-Armenian Issues and the current president
of the Aleppo Compatriotic Charitable Organization, introduced the
initial plan for "New Aleppo" during the All-Armenia Fund meeting in
Yerevan. She made a verbal proposal then to President Sarkisian. In
August 2011, via the Armenian Consulate in Aleppo, she sent a formal
written request to the president requesting government-designated
land for the construction of an Aleppo Neighborhood.
The initial plan for the project was to induce a Syrian-Armenian
mass-migration to Armenia by allocating apartments at construction
cost. However, for reasons yet unknown, the plan never materialized.
After the establishment of the Center for Coordination of
Syrian-Armenian Issues, Balkhian reintroduced the idea and, in October
2012, through the Ministry of Diaspora, a second written proposal
was sent to the president.
More than two years after the initial proposal, the final plan for
"New Aleppo" has been developed and will, as hitherto mentioned,
feature 22-30 apartment buildings. On Dec. 7, 2013, the Center
for Coordination of Syrian-Armenian Issues, on its Facebook page,
announced that "individuals seeking apartments in the 'New Aleppo'
district need to submit their applications at the organization's
headquarter...transfer $5,000 to the organization's bank account and
sign a preliminary agreement document."14
There are certain social and financial flaws with the current state
of the "New Aleppo" district. In fact, my initial concerns over this
project have been validated on both fronts.
Contrary to the Armenian Diaspora in Russia, Europe, the United
States, and even Lebanon, Armenians have lived a marginalized life in
Syria. Due to religious and cultural reservations, as well as valid
fears of assimilation, Armenians had isolated themselves from the world
around them. The churches, sports clubs, cultural institutions, and
schools were used as a fortress to defend Armenian-Christian identity
in Syria. In Aleppo, especially, most Syria-Armenian children who
attended Armenian schools were not even accustomed to speaking Arabic
until the ages of 12-15.
Today, most Syrian Armenians in Armenia have continued the same
secluding and ghettoizing strategies of self-isolation. This is not due
to their fears of the local Armenian population, but because they are
subconsciously programmed to operate this way. Even the amenities to be
included within the "New Aleppo" project--swimming pools, playgrounds,
etc.--will further contribute to the isolation of Syrian-Armenians
from the local society, and slow down their integration process.
On the financial front, in August 2011, most Syrian Armenians were
able to purchase apartments in the "New Aleppo" district by procuring
funds through the sale of real estate or other assets in Syria. Now,
however, at least 15-20 percent do not have access to $5,000 to use
as a down payment, nor are they capable of contributing 30-50 percent
of the construction cost.
I, for one, do not understand the logic behind investing funds for
amenities--that were non-existent in the neighborhoods of "Old Aleppo"
(Meedan, Sulamaniye, Villat, Azizie)--while so many remain excluded
from this initiative.
It is my belief that any housing project that seeks to provide
durable shelter solutions for Syrian Armenians should be founded on
the principle of inclusion rather than exclusion. It should first and
foremost address the needs of the most vulnerable Syrian Armenians,
rather than solidifying the bourgeois status of the middle class.
Although I welcome any housing initiative that ensures the
complete resettlement of Syrian Armenians and contributes to their
full integration in Armenia, the current plan of "New Aleppo,"
unfortunately, does not address the needs of the most vulnerable of
the population. It is simply unacceptable.
Finally, as a Syrian Armenian myself, I would like to express my
gratitude to the president, the Ministry of Diaspora, the Armenian
government, and local and international organizations, businesses,
and foundations for their support in both Armenia and Syria. The
criticisms presented in this piece are not intended to discourage any
organization or to undermine any program or project. Rather, they aim
to represent the voice of the voiceless and the face of the faceless,
like Daron, and encourage organizations to operate based on the visions
of the late Nelson Mandela: "Let there be justice for all. Let there
be peace for all. Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all."
Notes
[1] See
http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/regional.php?_ga=1.126698767.342266411.1386426334.
[2] See
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/23/world/europe/bulgaria-unready-is-poor-host-to-syrians.html?_r=1&.
[3] See http://www.panarmenian.net/arm/news/133582/.
[4] See http://gadebate.un.org/68/armenia.
[5] See
http://www.agbu.am/en/239-archive-2013/news-13/1330-agbu-supports-syrian-armenians-2013.
[6] See
http://armenpress.am/eng/news/741585/armenian-caritas-to-assist-syrian-armenians-in-housing-lease.html.
[7] See
http://www.caritasarm.am/en/media-center/news/81-the-opened-door.
[8] See http://www.aravot.am/2013/05/03/239014/.
[9] See
http://armenianow.com/society/features/44597/syrian_armenians_kashatagh_resettlement_in_karabak h.
[10] See http://www.arfd.am/syriahay/?p=1099.
[11] See http://www.mindiaspora.am/en/News?id=2617.
[12] See
http://www.panorama.am/am/comments/2013/12/11/lina-halajyan/#.UqgrjCjjzmo.facebook.
[13] See
http://armenpress.am/arm/news/743108/tchartarapet-vahe-tutunjyany-nerkayacrel-e-nor-halep.html.
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