Haterk needs a bridge
NAIRA HAYRUMYAN
27-03-2007 15:50:13 – KarabakhOpen
The village of Haterk is known for its history and people who are
always ready to defend themselves.
Haterk is situated at 1000 km above sea and 45 km to the west of the
town of Martakert, on the bank of the Tartar River. Mount Mrav is
behind the village. Those who visit Haterk are lucky. There are
villages in Karabakh which have a magnificent scenery. The village of
Haterk looks to the province of Khachen. Therefore, people in this
village have a free thinking and let nobody control their wishes and
thoughts.
It is two hours from Stepanakert to Haterk by car. Not because the
village is high on the mountain side, and it seems that the car cannot
overcome the rocks. But because it is necessary to cross the river
which becomes wild in spring. The way along the bridge is long. The
short way crosses the river in a shallow place, which is impossible
for small cars.
The people of Haterk propose building a bridge in the place of this
crossing. They have invited specialists, sponsors. No one has attended
to this yet. The people of Haterk say the road would become shorter
by 20 km if a bridge were built. And it would be easier to take their
products to the market. Otherwise, the famous cornelian cherry vodka
remains in the cellars. In 1990 a squad of volunteers was set up in
Haterk with a population of 3200. On August 16, 1991 the soldiers of
the squad and the women of the village took hostages 43 servicemen of
the force of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs and demanded to
release the young men from Haterk and Chapar who were imprisoned by
the force of the MIA and transferred to the Azerbaijani force. On
August 18 the members of the Krunk Committee arrived in the village
and mediated the exchange of hostages.
>From June 1992 Haterk and the adjacent villages were shelled from the
emplacements at the villages of Agdaban, Charektar and Nareshtar,
Kelbajar region. On June 5 the foe occupied the village, the houses
were set to fire, about two hundred peaceful people underwent
violence. The artilleries of the Defense Force and the volunteers
managed to stop the advance of the foe in other directions and to
evacuate the population.
On July 20 the squad of Haterk launched an offensive against the foe
concentrated in the village, then retreated and were positioned in the
direction of the villages of Vaghuhas and Cheldran. On February 20,
1993 the Defense Force liberated the village. 44 freedom fighters were
killed.
Now the population of the village is 1600. The school and the nursery
school have been repaired. This year there are three first grades at
school.
Haterk is not one of those villages which could not get round after
occupation and displacement. People here live the way they fight,
creating conditions for their life and leisure. And nobody can do them
harm, especially with Mount Mrav in their back.