Galust Nanyan, www.yerkir.am
Environmental deterioration has already caused migrations or emigrations on the whole planet and the poorest countries are mostly targeted. Estimations have shown only from 1979 to 2008 1,6 million people affected by droughts, this figure is double for people affected by storms African countries being the most vulnerable. After the devastating quake of Spitak Armenia had 530,000 environmental migrants, afterwards mass emigration started in the 90’s called socio-economic.
According to some analysts, Armenia will have another big group of migrants after independence because of current environmental issues. The new group of migrants will emerge in those settlements where mine development will be launched, forests will be fell down, soil – degraded, water – polluted who will derelict their houses and will leave either for cities or abroad. In recent 5-10 years the statistics shows most Armenian peasants have got disappointed from land cultivation and turned into internal migrants transferring from village to city. Under the official statistics, about 190,000-200,000 ha plough lands out of 494,000 ha are not cultivated at present and, as a result, rural emigration has added to big figures.
Under official data, at present around 300 mines are developed and most of them are nonferrous mines, nevertheless, we will certainly face compulsory migration after emptying the soil and inheriting contaminated land areas.
Nowadays environmental migrants are considered those people who live in landslip zones. Under official data, the number of landslips in Armenia with an area of 2 ha is 2504 inhabited by 233 communities.
June 02, 2011 at 11:38