Amidst recent discussions and statements regarding the potential return of territories adjacent to their village to the Azerbaijani side, the residents of Voskepar in the Tavush region find themselves compelled to voice their apprehensions and objections. Having endured years of hardship, conflict, and sacrifices to secure their way of life, they feel a profound duty to protect the interests and safety of their community. In this letter, they outline their concerns and rationale for opposing any such territorial concessions, emphasizing the critical importance of preserving their homeland and the rights of its inhabitants.
The following letter to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of the Republic of Armenia, accepted by the decision of the general assembly of the Voskepar community, was signed by nearly all members of the community. It was hand-delivered to Prime Minister Pashinyan during a meeting with the community’s residents.
The Armenian version of the letter can be found on Voskepar.com.
Full Letter:
We, the residents of the village of Voskepar in the Tavush region, express our deep concern over the recent statements made by various representatives of the Armenian government, particularly regarding statements about the return of territories adjacent to our settlement to the Azerbaijani side.
Firstly, let’s address how this situation has unfolded in our region. The borders left to us as inheritance by the former Soviet state were intentionally convoluted and distorted, resulting in our roads, connecting other regions of Armenia, falling under Azerbaijani control. Post the USSR collapse, violence against our citizens on these roads ensued, leading to abductions of Armenian citizens.
During those years, several people were abducted from our and neighboring regions, with over forty Armenian citizens disappearing without a trace. In 1991, all the houses in Voskepar’s “Jami Dzor” neighborhood were looted, destroyed, and blown up by the enemy, subjecting the village to constant shelling and artillery bombardment…
Only after all of this, we engaged in a struggle not for the seizure of territories but for the defense and assertion of our right to life, free movement. It was only at great cost, with sacrifices and shattered lives, that we achieved this in 1992.
Today, when public statements about the return of these territories are being made under the pseudo-thesis of “territorial integrity” of states, it is completely unacceptable for us.
Where then is the right to a free life and movement given to us by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? Even today, when we are at a certain distance from enemy positions, we are periodically subjected to enemy attacks, and our country cannot ensure the safety of our children, what will happen when these territories are returned, and the Turkish element finds itself 20-30 meters from our homes, 100 meters from the school, when we are isolated from the outside world again, surrounded by hostile elements?
On the other hand, if we are talking about “territorial integrity,” does the opposing side intend to return the territories under its control on the sovereign territory of Armenia specifically on our territory: about 900 hectares of the village of Berkaber on the left bank of the Joghaz reservoir, the border territories controlled by them in the 2-3 kilometer stretch of Koti, not to mention Artsvashen and other territories? We are sure that the enemy doesn’t even consider this.
It is not us who should explain to the Armenian government the strategic importance even of the smallest border concession in this territory, undermining state security. Still, we are forced to emphasize that as a result of the territorial concession in this border area, not only the bordering regions of Berkaber, Sarigyugh, Tsakhkavan, Kirants, Voskepar, Baghanis, Voskevan, Koti, Barekamavan will suffer but also Armenia will lose the interstate highway Ijevan – Noyemberyan, the mentioned regions will become deserted. A free road through the mountains to Alaverdi, Vanadzor will be opened for the enemy…
It would be naive to think that the next step of the enemy will not demand the surrender of the so-called “enclaves,” and it’s terrifying even to think about what will happen to our country after that. In the daily speeches of the president of our unfriendly neighboring country, we hear higher demands towards our country – about Zangezur, Sevan, and even Yerevan. This is their behavior: being here, their desire to take away what’s not theirs will never cease. They respect only the right of might and make peace only with the strong. No international rights, no structures can restrain them.
Voskepar and the Armenian regions adjacent to it have a millennia-old history. Our villages have existed here for at least four centuries and have managed to survive the centuries-old struggle in the 21st century and must be preserved. The Turkish element appeared here only 200 years ago and has always sought to take away our right to live here, but it failed. It failed in the 90s, and it will fail today too. Our millennia-old cultural structures, fortresses, and churches testify to this.
In conclusion, we want to express hope that you will listen to our word and try to find other solutions in this region that will not come at the expense of conceding already existing strong defense lines, violating the rights of the population of our regions to life and free movement.
We, the signatories, express our disagreement with the implementation of territorial demands made by Azerbaijan and territorial concessions on this border stretch. We are ready to defend our right to life and free movement at any cost, to stand by our army, in its ranks for the sake of defending our Homeland and regions.
