Golos Armenii web site, Yerevan, in Russian
27 Jul 04
Web site contrasts poverty and riches of Karabakh and Armenia
An article on the Voice of Armenia web site in Russian contrasts the
poverty of the town of Shushi in Nagornyy Karabakh with the riches of
a “town of the future” in the region of Mount Ararat which will
provide a golf course, schools, a shopping centre and other
facilities for foreign businessmen. The cost of rebuilding Shushi is
estimated to be the same as that of the new development project, but
Shushi will only receive this money if it “returns to the bosom” of
Azerbaijan, the web site concludes. The following is the text of the
article by Aris Kazinyan “This side of Ararat” posted on the Golos
Armenii web site on 27 July: subheadings inserted editorially:
The Armenian Idea
Today’s Armenian Idea is hidden behind Ararat. It lies beyond the
dormant volcano, where there is no surface river or any kind of
arboreal foliage, and which in the Armenian national conscience is
still associated with a more living embodiment of its history. The
mountain itself is probably unaware of any of this and continues on
its daily rhythm. Often on its summit can be seen the spewing of
sulphur – fumaroles – proving that rumours of the final repose of its
once fiery crater have been somewhat exaggerated. Ararat is three and
a half million years old. In any event, that was when it assumed its
modern “biblical” image. Although, this is not quite true. The
mountain has stood in proud isolation for a very long time in
historical terms, but Little Ararat was “born” only 150,000 years
ago. The ancient inhabitants of the Armenian plateau became the first
witnesses of the emergence of this “infant” into the world. They then
called Ara God although the volcano itself will not grow any bigger
because of this.
Whatever the truth of the matter, the Armenian Idea today is, indeed,
hidden where the sun goes down each evening. It is well known that it
does not care to change its trajectory very much, and for three and a
half million years it has been rolling down the western slopes of the
Great Ararat. There, behind the mountain, the Light of Armenian
civilization spends the night. There is much less of an Idea along
this side of the volcano. Here lies the kingdom of the Material
World.
The town of Shushi [in Nagornyy Karabakh] lies 370km east of Ararat,
and the volcano cannot be seen from here. Nevertheless, it is
precisely here every morning that the Sun of Armenia’s future rises,
which may be judged from the level of development in this great town.
Shushi is undoubtedly the main symbol of the Armenian Idea today, and
therefore it is being populated and developed according to the very
same principles and at the same rate in which could develop, for
example, Van or Mush. In this connection, one has to say that it is
the most poverty-stricken town in Armenia.
Poverty of Shushi
Shushi’s budget, which amounts to 80,000 US dollars, reflects the
cost of the Armenian Idea. This is essentially the price of a
two-room apartment in the centre of Yerevan. Over the course of 12
years the nation has been quite unable to build a green town of the
Armenian dream and therefore show the viability of its idea. Shushi
today is begging for charity in the eyes of the whole world
community, which, incidentally, promises it a dignified life and so
many privileges on condition that it “returns” to the bosom of
Azerbaijan. The Armenian nation, alas, is unable to collect the
25-30m dollars which are so urgently needed to build a modern town
with a population of 10-12,000 people. And here, of course, it is not
a matter of money, but of an Idea which, indeed, has been left out
there, behind the mountain.
Riches of Vaagni
>From the southern foothills of the most beautiful plateau of
Aragatzoti amazing views open up. Here, on an area of only 160 ha,
they are building the town of the future – Vaagni – 500 homes for
rich Armenians with a shopping centre, out-patients clinic, an
international school, a large sports centre and the customary
panorama of the extinct volcano. A mini-golf course is already up and
running. In the near future a large 9-hole course will be opened at
the South Caucasus Golf Club. So far 20 homes have already opened
their doors to their new owners. They are mainly businessmen from
Canada, France, Russia, Switzerland, Britain, as well as Armenia. The
new life-style of this type of town is a 24-hour guard and a ban on
all still and video photography. Incidentally, the overall cost of
the Ovnanyan Ltd project is 25m dollars, exactly what Shushi needs.
Meanwhile, Ararat continues to live at its measured pace. New plays
and films are being made about it. They are still looking for some
kind of ship which in any event has long since been incapable of
withstanding the verbal flood of false patriotism. Today they need to
build a new Noah’s Ark, and at precisely the distance we mentioned –
370km east of Ararat.