The head of the administration of Kajaran Village Rafik Atayan has learnt from the web that on April 28 the government declared the village eminent domain and displace the residents.
Neither the government, nor Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Combine which acquired the rights to the lands had informed him about it.
The people of Kajaran were shocked by the decision of the government. They don’t know where to go. Even if they get apartments in Yerevan, the pensioners will hardly be able to live on a pension of 30 thousand drams, says Mr. Atayan.
Kajaran village is situated at 2040 m above sea level, 4-5 km from the border of Nakhidjevan. 131 families, 240 residents live in the village. They work the land, breed cattle and keep bees.
The head of the village administration says the greater part of the population of the village is pensioners, former employees of the combine. There are 40 children under 18. Because there is no school or kindergarten in the village, the children have to go to school in Kajaran town.
After they had learnt about the decision of the government, 600 Kajaran residents sent a letter to the president, the prime minister and the speaker but did not receive a satisfactory response.
The head of the village administration says angrily that the government announces to create 100 jobs but deprive 1000 people of their houses and opportunities to work and live there. “They have enough resources to enjoy for the next 400-500 years, why are they seizing our houses? They make promises but we don’t believe they’ll do anything. We will fight to the end. A signature raising action starts in the village today. This is a real genocide of their own people,” says Rafik Atayan.
Azatamart Committee and the Fund for Regional Development of Kapan have held discussions on this issue. Many opinions were voiced and the most important question was why the number one taxpayer of the republic Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Combine fails to put out its projects for public discussion, as required by the law.
When Business Eminent Domain Prevails Over Strategic Settlements and Holy Things
Vahe Sarukhanyan, the Hetq
Qajaran Village is located on the left bank of Voghji River flowing down from Zangezour Mountains. On the right bank copper and molybdenum mine is developed, while the Government decision stipulates to expand it at the expense of community territories. Qajaran residents are shocked.
Villagers are convinced that mining on the slopes adjacent to their houses and cemetery will be simply cheaper, that’s why the village is targeted. According to the Government decision, 181,7 ha of land areas owned by Qajaran community will change their status starting from August 1 to that of industrial and will be given to the combine. Qajaran Community Head R. Atayan tells though the combine management has always promised to support the village, so far no results.
The combine management assures nobody is going to touch the cemetery and houses, but villagers are sure if explosions start, stone and land masses dropping from the slopes will destroy both the cemetery, and the houses and the village church belonging to the Middle Ages. Many villagers tell that the combine tries to exercise oral pressures on Qajaran residents employed at the combine and persuade them not to complain.
Vahan Atayan has 25-year work experience at the combine as an electrician - metalworker. He says it used to be much better at the combine than it is now. He gets a salary of 130,000 AMD for working 8 hours five days per week.
Syunik Municipality is aware of the problem with Qajaran, but regional leaders are as uncertain as villagers. Deputy Regional Head Vachik Grigoryan said, “We can’t afford such things and can’t allow our border villages to get empty. We shouldn’t allow this and have to find the average, the people shouldn’t lose anything and we are working in this direction’. We couldn’t get any comments from the management of “Zangezour Copper and Molybdenum Combine” CJSC.
June 29, 2011 at 11:32