Residents of Astghadzor to close mountain pass
Several hundreds of men had gathered today at the section between Baghramian, Demirchyan and Proshyan Streets today looking across the presidential residence.
They were the residents of Astghadzor community of Gegharkunik province and were complaining that their grasslands located near their village were going to be transferred to Geghahovit community.
"We have 4,500 heads of cattle. We only own 0.09 hectares of land, but we can't raise cattle with that. We are a family of 27. How can we live?" they complained.
"People live by raising one or two cattle. If they take that and throw the villagers out, that will be like genocide. We are 15 people. I sold a calf and take care of my family. There are no workplaces or factories. What is the villager left to do without that? We should get up and leave," said Melik Avetisyan.
Myasnik Gasparyan said individuals have set their eyes on the land for the state fund, saying they can establish farms and let poor villagers suffer as they do.
Meruzhan Gevorgyan had another suggestion. "They keep saying they want to eliminate poverty. Let them gather the villagers, kill them and there will be no more poverty. There will only be oligarchs, the wealthy and owners of hotels. Our head of the province said that the National Assembly has decided that if the land is 30 kilometers near the neighboring village, they will give it. It's like saying Zangezur is close to Turkey and we should give it to the Turks."
Residents of Astghadzor are willing to fight and will not step down. They say they will take extreme measures, if the problem is not solved.
"We will close the interstate highway, the Selim mountain pass and then the lower Vardenis-Martuni highway," said Norik Petrosyan.
An incident took place between protesters and police officers controlling the area. The police suggested that the protesters move away from the pedestrians' section. The villagers started moving when one of the police officers started pushing them. They got into a little dispute, made up and continued the action. Police officers were doing everything possible to convince "A1+" that they hadn't pushed the protesters and were simply freeing the spot for traffic.
The protest is in action. The participants are waiting for the representatives of the presidential residence who will raise their issue under leadership of the community head.
According to protesters, there are 1,600 families in Astghadzor and if necessary, all the villagers will come to Yerevan.
