What can be done for Artsakh refugees?

I traveled to Armenia for the Artsakh refugees from November 25 to December 7, 2023, where I produced this day-by-day report. The aim was to meet the refugees and the Armenia that hosts them, while assessing the urgent needs to which humanitarian organizations could respond in conjunction with those already present, as there is so much to be done. Proportional to the Armenian population of less than three million, the 100,000 Armenian refugees from Artsakh would represent 2.7 million refugees arriving in France in less than 10 days. This gives an idea of the scale of their reception and integration.

Tuesday, November 28, 2023. Leaving Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, in the early hours of the morning, we set off at high speed along a snow-covered road towards the Tavouch region in the north-east of the country, along the border with Azerbaijan. There are ten of us in two vehicles, along with the French ambassador, the Association des Maires Ruraux de France and the Fonds Arménien de France.

In Ilijan, we visit the Tavouch regional agricultural college, which since 2022 bears the name of Patrick Devedjian, who supported this project with the Conseil Départemental des Hauts de Seine. The complete renovation of the building is well underway, as are the provision of teaching materials for the laboratories and training for the staff, who teach in Armenian as well as French. The young students come from rural families in the Tavouch region, and the idea is to involve their parents in developing family farming and livestock breeding. In Armenia, agriculture accounts for 40% of the population, but only 15-20% of GDP. This represents a serious challenge in terms of food sovereignty and productivity. In the corridors of the college, we discover photos of Armenian soldiers killed in action, former students very young.

Still in Ilijan, we are greeted at the entrance to a large elementary school by a young girl in traditional dress, who invites us in for the traditional sharing of bread and salt with the President of the Association des Maires de France, Michel Fournier, and the members of our delegation. Together with their teachers, the children and teenagers have prepared poems and songs in Armenian and French. On the walls, posters depict Charles Aznavour and the Eiffel Tower, as well as major French cities. These young students sing the Armenian anthem in unison, followed by La Marseillaise, and we are moved to hear them recite the words of a Jacques Brel song, concluding with a performance in support of the peace so precious to Armenia. Ambassador Olivier Decottignies warmly thanks and encourages them. Many schools welcome young refugees from Artsakh.

After a long mountain trail, we have lunch in an Alpine hut, where a couple have been looking after their livestock since spring. A lunch of Armenian dishes and good cheer awaits us. On the way back, we attend a town hall presentation of a project supported by the AMRF and its president for the Côte d’Or, Bruno Bethenod Courtage, which brings together small local farmers whose milk will be collected to make cheese. Its director has undergone training at Montbéliard in Haute-Saône.

It’s dark by the time we reach the village of Lusadzor and one of Armenia’s most modern farms. A project initiated by the Fonds Arménien de France and supported by the Conseil départemental des Hauts-de-Seine since 2009. Michel Pazoumian, vice-president, and David Alexandrian, engineer and project manager, present this model farm with its 220 animals, including around 135 cows and sheep, whose milk is transformed into cheese sold in the country’s supermarkets. Three of these cheeses won bronze medals at this year’s Mondial du Fromage in Tours. The farm continues to develop and expand, and in 2024 will benefit from a wastewater treatment system supported by the SIAPP (Service public de l’assainissement francilien) using the planted filter technique.

Wednesday November 29, direction Syunik. After a quick stopover in Yerevan, Michel and David set off for the Syunik region, Armenia’s southernmost, to Goris and Kapan.

We passed through here in February 2021 with Bernard Kouchner and Patrice Franceschi, at the invitation of the Aurora Foundation, on our way to Nagorno-Karabakh or Artsakh via the Lachine corridor, then controlled by the Russian army following the attack by Azerbaijan and the 44-day war (September-November 2020) lost by the Armenians.

Thursday November 30. Leaving Goris for Kapan, the road is long and winding, crossing high snow-capped mountains and precipices. In the opposite direction, we pass trucks carrying goods from Iran. In Kapan, we meet with the Deputy Governor, Karen, who is in charge of international relations, and Nvard, the engineer in charge of projects. The aim is to take stock of an agricultural project, the rehabilitation of a large irrigation canal and the rehabilitation of houses for refugees from Artsakh.

There are between 400 and 500 families of Armenian refugees from Artsakh in Syunik, totalling between 2,500 and 3,000 people. The authorities have already identified 45 houses to be rehabilitated at an average cost of 10 million Dram, the Armenian currency, or around 20,000 euros each. The state will buy the houses, have them rehabilitated and allocate them to families who will become owners after 5 years.

When we talk about reconstruction and development, Karen and Nvard remind us that we’re still in the emergency phase just two months after the rapid mass arrival of 100,000 refugees from Artsakh. In fact, it’s the eternal question of the famous humanitarian-development nexus that also applies here. At the same time, we need to think about the urgent issues of housing, employment and schooling, and anticipate the next phases, which will require us to take into account the needs of the host communities.

Karen and Nvard, both in their forties, tell us that in Syunik, out of 101 health centers, 70 need to be rehabilitated. A pilot project for a modular bungalow is underway, but is not unanimously supported by health professionals. Projects for a mobile clinic are underway with the Santé Arménie association and EliseCare. But, at a time when refugees are being accommodated in many Syunik villages, who is going to rehabilitate the dilapidated health centers welcoming a larger population?

The same applies to access to drinking water. While Veolia is in charge of water in Armenia at the request of the state, 451 villages operate with autonomous local authorities that do not always have the means to extend existing networks, let alone deal with leaks and the management of installations. And what can we say about sanitation, which seems to be a blind spot in these municipalities? According to our contacts at the Kapan prefecture, 60% of Syunik villages have a water problem, with a wide variety of cases.

We set off again for the town of Meghri, on the border with Iran, marked by a double fence and surveillance cameras. The once prosperous railway station that linked Armenia to Baku and Moscow has been abandoned since independence in 1991, and the track has been cut.

This peaceful corner of Armenia, with its magnificent sunset behind high mountains, is nevertheless at the heart of serious geopolitical tensions with Azerbaijan and Turkey, who dream of setting up a deterritorialized corridor between the two countries via Azeri Nakhichevan. This is the famous “Zanguezour corridor”, less than 70 km long, which is so feared to be the target of military aggression. Iran has warned that this is a red line, and that it is prepared to go to war to prevent it, and to keep open to the north its border with Armenia, through which hundreds of Iranian truckloads of goods pass every day.

Heading up towards Meghri town center, we notice a Russian FSB checkpoint and discover a garrison with many soldiers who are there as part of a defence agreement inherited from the Soviet era. Armenia, a small country of 29,800 km2 with a population of less than 3 million, is caught between its powerful authoritarian neighbors, who dream of empire, and the young Armenian democracy, which wishes to draw closer to the countries of the European Union.

At the town hall, these geopolitical tensions take an unexpected form, with serious economic consequences. This region, with its favorable microclimate, is rich in fruit, 98% of which is exported to Russia. Lilit, a fruit grower in Megrith, takes us on a tour of his orchards and drying facilities. But prices for figs, pomegranates and persimmons have recently collapsed following Russia’s decision to halt all imports to punish Armenia and its policy of rapprochement with the West, which it so dislikes. Nearly 6,000 tonnes of fresh and dried fruit have been blocked. With the mayor, we’re making calculations to estimate prices and costs, and whether these fruits can be sold in France.

On the way back, we cross the Meghri pass at an altitude of 2535 metres, surrounded by snow-capped peaks. Beyond Kapan, after passing an Armenian army roadblock, we take a deserted road along the border with Azerbaijan to the village of Shurnuk. The houses on the immediate right of the road are now in Azerbaijan, while those on the left are in Armenia, where trenches have been dug just in case! The mayor talks with Michel and David about the greenhouses where vegetables are grown and the water supply and reservoir built with the Fonds Arménien de France. Solidarity is indeed hope for these isolated villagers.

Saturday December 2nd. “The Centre culturel francophone de Goris was founded in 2006 thanks to the joint efforts of the towns of Vienne in France, Goris and the SPFA association,” as Carmen, its director, explains to me. When the wave of refugees from Artsakh arrived suddenly on September 19, the town of Goris, local associations, the Centre Francophone and many local residents and volunteers mobilized to feed them, house them in hotels and host families, and above all to welcome these refugees who had been driven from their ancestral homeland and had had to leave everything behind. “They needed everything.

Carmen introduces me to Kariné, 59, a refugee with three children and nine grandchildren. “We left our country with nothing. This is the second time we’ve been forcibly displaced. The future lies in peace. But the future doesn’t depend on us. In order to survive, Kariné sells Jingalov Hats, a popular herbal pancake. Her son Albert, 34, has three daughters, Kaliné 4, Iana 3, Ariana one and a son, Boris, born on November 10. Albert was wounded during the fighting and is still feeling the after-effects. His dream: “I’d like peace to prevail in our country. I’d like to have a house and a job, and be able to rely on myself.

Refugee children and teenagers now attend schools and colleges. Those who were learning French in Artsakh can take free courses at the Centre francophone, which is also a place where people can get together to talk and help each other. A sewing workshop has been set up here, and refugee women are making beautiful pouches decorated with fruit, which they are now trying to market. As Carmen says, “You have to fight to move forward. Fight and build until the end, because there are so many dreams to realize.

At the end of the day, at the Hotel Goris, we meet up with the team from the Rhône and Isère Chamber of Agriculture, including Valérie, who has long experience of international development, Marie-Pierre, who specializes in local circuits, François, a specialist in sheep breeds, and Evelyne, an agricultural education coordinator. They are carrying out an assessment mission as part of the agreement between the Syunik Region and the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes Region, aimed at improving the region’s food sovereignty and the integration of refugees.

Sunday December 3rd. After buying Kariné 10 Jingalov Hats pancakes and saying goodbye, we set off for Yerevan, where we can admire Mount Ararat in the distance, the symbol of Armenia, located in Turkey. Over the weekend, I write the December editorial for Défis Humanitaires.

Monday December 4th. Meeting at the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) with Thierry, head of delegation. The ICRC has been present in the region since 1992, in Armenia, Artsakh and Azerbaijan. The ICRC provides support to the Armenian Red Cross, in particular for the 1st level of mental health, the effects of which it has observed following the forced exile of refugees. At the same time, it is working to set up protocols with the Ministry of Health and the WHO, particularly in the field of emergency first aid.

The ICRC’s work also extends to other areas, such as revitalizing agriculture and rehabilitating water supply systems. Like all heads of delegation, Thierry has long experience in the field and knows what he’s talking about, while reminding us that refugees are the responsibility of the UNHCR. On a daily basis, he receives requests from refugees to find, for example, livestock, dogs, cats, official papers and medical records that were left behind when the population fled during the bombardments.

Since then, the ICRC has evacuated 300 bodies of those killed on September 19 and 20. Today, there are less than 100 inhabitants left in this region of Artsakh, which once had 120,000! Thierry talks about the mourning of the refugees, the cemeteries in Artsakh and the question of the eventual return, the status of the refugees, as he says “it’s going to be complicated” and painful!

Tuesday December 5th. Having seen the need for access to drinking water and sanitation in the villages of Syunik, thanks to the French Embassy, I meet Marianna, director of Véolia. Véolia has been present in Armenia since 2006. For ten years, at the request of the authorities, under a leasing contract, Véolia was and still is in charge of the water supply to the capital Yerevan. The state then extended the Veolia contract to the whole country, with the exception of 451 villages which are under municipal management. I explain what I’ve seen and heard about the needs of some of these villages to Marianna and Arman, her general secretary, indicating that I’m thinking of talking about it on my return to Paris in order to mobilize, if possible, players capable of meeting the needs of some of these villages. Although this is not their own responsibility, Mariana confirms the usefulness and interest of such a project, as well as creating a modernization dynamic that better meets the needs of users and refugees.

Saturday December 6th. The French ambassador, Olivier Decottignies, organized a meeting with four of his staff to discuss several aspects of cooperation: education, the French-speaking world, humanitarian aid, development and the economy. Dominique Waysse, deputy to the Cooperation and Cultural Action Counsellor, emphasized the importance for Armenia of promoting its heritage, the demand for Francophonie and the great need for contemporary French literature for libraries.

For the AFD, Lise points to the coordination platform set up by the government and the working groups on irrigation and agriculture. There are also numerous priorities in the areas of housing and employment for refugees, both now and in the medium term. AFD has various partnership tools for projects in Armenia.

On the emergency side, Marie recalls the figures: around 25,000 families for 100,000 refugees, including 15,000 in Syunik. In 2023, the Crisis and Support Center (CDCS) of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs mobilized almost 30 million euros for its humanitarian aid. Humanitarian NGOs such as ACTED, Caritas-Secours Catholique, ACF, MDM, People In Need, Santé Arménie and others have been active since the end of 2020. Twinning and partnerships between local authorities are also of great interest.

On the economic front, Boris draws our attention to the imbalance between the capital and the countryside, which calls for support for medium-sized towns and rural areas, while highlighting the quality of partnerships in the healthcare sector, in particular the Hospices de Lyon, which brings together 13 excellent public hospitals that provide training for Armenian students.

The ambassador stressed the need to strengthen the infrastructure for receiving refugees, to support the communities that receive them, to think of traumatized children, and to support the reintegration of farmers and stockbreeders, whose families number 60,000. To a question put to him a few days ago, he replied “My roadmap is to support Armenia”. I can testify to the Embassy’s readiness to support Armenia.

Dr. Laurence Terzan, advisor to the Minister of Health on cooperation with the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs and Expertise France, has extensive international experience. She insists on the need for good coordination of healthcare initiatives. There’s a lot to be done, particularly for primary health care centers, medical and paramedical training, and new initiatives are welcome as long as they are coordinated to gain coherence and synergy.

Sunday December 7th. I’m returning to Paris today, taking with me many memories of the people I’ve met, of the difficult life of uprooted refugees despite Armenia’s welcome, of the uncertainties and threats, as well as of the multitude of positive solidarity actions that bring relief and hope.

And so it was that I met Habetnak and Hélène at the beginning of my stay at the Centre Francophone d’Erevan, created in 1991 by the SPFA. There are 7 French-speaking centers in Armenia, including the 8th in Stepanakert, the capital of Artsakh, which has now been closed and is partly revived at the Centre Francophone d’Erevan, where I had the chance to meet some 15 students aged 13 to 17 who had been driven out of Artsakh. They introduced themselves in turn, one of them sang, another handed me a letter recounting her family’s exile, their questions and their hopes, one wiped her tears and we took a souvenir photo while waiting for the books of contemporary French literature they’d like to read and which are missing from their library.

Serge, Emma, Nelly, Nathaly, Arut, Areik, a family from Artsakh rehoused in Yerevan invited me to lunch one Sunday. We shared Jingalov Hats, a kind of pancake filled with delicious herbs, and a cake baked by Emma. Listening to them, I understood the daily difficulties, the disillusions of the present, the uncertainties of the future, but also their attachment to their native land and their energy to take up the challenge of exile and a new life.

I also better understood the remark I heard during one of our conversations: “Now is when the difficulties begin”.

In Armenia, for the refugees from Artsakh, there is no shortage of needs in terms of health, drinking water and sanitation, education and the French-speaking world, and our solidarity is undoubtedly the best possible response.

 

Alain Boinet

Alain Boinet is president of the online magazine Défis Humanitaires http://www.defishumanitaires.com and founder of the humanitarian association Solidarités Humanitaires, of which he was managing director for 35 years. He is also a member of the Groupe de Concertation Humanitaire at the Centre de Crise et de Soutien of the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, and of the Board of Directors of Solidarités International, the Partenariat Français pour l’Eau (PFE), the Véolia Foundation and the Think Tank (re)sources.