EcoLur
It is already the 16th day that Alexander Qananyan, a intellectual and public figure from Qarvachar, continues his hunger strike against the construction of hydropower plants in Artsakh. Mher Poghosyan, a resident of Stepanakert who joined Qananyan, continues his hunger strike for 9 days already.
The demands of the hunger strikers are the same: to stop construction of all HPPs in the upper basin of the Trtu River (Tartar), renounce any intention to build a new SHPP in Qarvachar region.
The government of Artsakh has issued a statement on the situation. “Currently, activities are underway to set up a professional committee within a short period of time. The Government of Artsakh guarantees that the construction of small hydropower plants built during the activities of the professional, independent committee will not resume." For his part, Alexander Qananyan expressed hope on his Facebook page that although negotiations are difficult, there is hope that the situation will become clear today or tomorrow.
However, Qananyan emphasized: “Regardless of the outcome of the negotiations, all requirements are in full force and will not change. No new SHPPs will be built in Qarvachar, and those under construction will be dismantled.”
The Armenian Environmental Front Civil Initiative views the Artsakh government's statement as a "manipulative trick", stating that unless an agreement is reached by February 5 to terminate the hunger strike, the AEF will announce mobilization.
February 04, 2020 at 15:29