Residents of Karabakh village demand deploying peacemakers there

The village of Mkhitarashen is surrounded by Azerbaijani militaries on three sides, and needs protection of peacemakers, who are not there yet, said Mkhitar Arustamyan, the head of the community. As a result of the war, the village lost its agricultural lands; and now people live only on social benefits, villagers have complained.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that by March 6, the number of residents who had returned to Karabakh had exceeded 52,000. The refugees accommodated in the building of the Stepanakert boarding home for the elderly named the absence of employment and money among their problems.

"The villagers have lost the chance to engage in their traditional agricultural works and keep their livestock on pastures," said Mkhitar Arustamyan, the head of the Mkhitarashen village located in the Askeran District of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Armine Ogandjanyan, a mother of five children, said that after the war, her family returned to the village. The house was not badly damaged, but the issue of the village security is the main one, she believes, since people "live in fear for their children." Due to the fact that all the lands came under Azerbaijan's control, people lost their incomes, the woman said.

According to Goar Ovsepyan, her family returned to the village after the war, before that they lived in Armenia with relatives. She said that when gunfire is heard at night, everyone is scared, especially children.

Vyacheslav Arustamyan, a refugee, said that Azerbaijani posts are located some 500-700 meters from the village; and in the evenings, they shoot from there in the air. There was a case when livestock got to Azerbaijanis; and it was not possible to get it back, Mr Arustamyan has noted.

Arthur Ovsepyan said that during the hostilities several shells hit his house; one structure was completely destroyed and cannot be restored.