THE ARMENIAN POOREST MARZ ACCORDING TO THE UNO DATA

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[03:27 pm] 18 April, 2006

Ghegharkunik was considered the most vulnerable region according to
the UNO survey data. Both the rural and urban refugees live in awful
social conditions. The list of the poorest is topped by 8 refugee
communities of the marz.

Our compatriots who deported from Azerbaijan settled in 5 urban and
37 rural communities of Ghegharkunik.

Though they have lived in Armenia for 15 years they still have
adaptation problems. Mrs. Svetlana living in Azerbaijan in the
past now lives in a new community and gets adjusted with the rural
housing conditions with great difficulty. There are many people like
her who are cut from the outer world as they haven’t got TV sets and
newspapers are not available for them. The marz dwellers are mainly
involved in agricultural work. Their number one problem is connected
with flats. So far only 21 refugee families received flats.

About 20 000 Armenian refugees found a shelter in the marz in the
years following the migration and they mainly settled in Vardenis
and Tsambarak.

In those territories the roads are in a terrible state and there
are no means of transportation and communication. The refugees
deem themselves ignored and neglected. The regional department of
Human Rights Protection Centre after Sakharov is concerned with
their matter. The latter implements the program “The refugees in 15
years’ time” with the assistance of the World Bank Yerevan Office
and Open Society Institute Fund in order to raise the level of public
awareness on refugee needs and issues. The organization has held free
legal consultation and material support for the refugees living in
the region.

This time the regional department of Human Rights Protection Centre
after Sakharov organized a photo – exhibition discussion titled
“The refugees in 15 years’ time.” The chief of the program Ruben
Khachikyan while quoting the strategy program combating poverty,
the UNO survey of the vulnerable local and refugee dwellers stated
that the refugee index was worse than that of the local inhabitants.

“Kjavar” TV channel of Gavar