The Armenian Report’s correspondents, Ani Khachatryan and Ani Gevorgyan, recently visited the village of Kirants in Armenia’s Tavush province. Here, they spoke with local residents about the challenges and uncertainties they face. The village, located close to the border with Azerbaijan, has seen rising further land concessions and major security concerns.
During their visit, Ani Khachatryan and Ani Gevorgyan observed significant changes since their last trip two months ago. They saw an Azerbaijani flag on the road and a wall under construction. These developments have raised questions about the security environment in Kirants.
The reporters spoke with a villager about the presence of ruling Civil Contract party members in the area. “Civil Contract members came here, but they didn’t meet the villagers,” the villager explained. “They just took pictures to show that they had been here and then left. We didn’t even know they were here, and even if we did, we don’t need to see them or have a conversation with them.”
The villager expressed deep concerns about the security situation. “There is no guarantee of safety. Azerbaijanis even came a few days ago and argued with our border guards over a meter of land. They claimed the new bridge is being built on their territory. The wall is just a wall; it doesn’t provide security. Barbed wire and a wall cannot be considered as anything that provides security. It is not security.”
Reflecting on the future, the villager said, “We are in a very terrible situation. I cannot say what the future holds for this village.”
When asked about government claims that compensation issues have been resolved, the villager had a strong response. “Those who accepted compensation in exchange for our homeland will have their judgment day. This village exists today thanks to my three brothers. We were four brothers; only I am left. They are getting compensation for the blood shed today. I have lost brothers for this land.”
An elderly woman, sharing her grief, added, “The blood of my three sons and others who died for this village has been valued with money by those accepting compensation. I am not convinced that the Turks are capable of living peacefully among us. A Turk stays as Turk.”
The villager concluded, “It is not possible to achieve peace in this way. How can there be peace when the so-called Aliyev still has demands?”
The reporters also spoke with another local resident who showed them the new border delimitation and explained its impact. “The lower part shows the Armenian flag, and a few meters away is the flag of the Turks (Azerbaijan). The barbed wire passes right under the balcony of an Armenian house. Armenian people’s houses have already been destroyed on the other side. People had sown crops for themselves and now they can’t harvest them. Today, the Turks are seen reaping the wheat we sowed.”
The resident continued, “Azerbaijanis had promised that we could harvest whatever we had left, but that was a lie. A few days ago, we saw from that side that the Turks were harvesting the wheat we sowed. Recently, they came to the newly constructed bridge and were filming from between the fence. Armenian construction workers are not allowed to work during the night hours because it is not safe. If it’s not safe now, will it be safe later?”
He also shared an incident involving media restrictions. “A few days ago, an Armenian media outlet came to get an interview and Armenia’s National Security Service (NSS) stopped them. I intervened and asked the NSS why they were stopping the journalists from documenting the everyday life of a villager living here. The NSS told me that this is considered the border zone. So then I asked if the center of the village is considered a border zone too. He said, yes. I said, so in fact, we are not safe here either.”
The villager voiced his frustration with the political situation. “When the Civil Contract members come here, they should build a house near the bridge and become neighbors with the Turks. Let them be proud there, but let no one come to our village and be proud of our village. I don’t see anything safe here; worse danger awaits us. This is completely illegal. Our lands were given to the Turks. We know where their lands begin. If a 100-year-old Turk came to a 4th-century Armenian village, let the ruling Civil Contract members not sit in the city and be proud of what they did.”
The residents of Kirants live under constant stress and uncertainty. Their voices highlight the harsh realities of life on the border, where political decisions and security concerns impact their daily lives. Despite promises and compensations, the people of Kirants face a challenging future, with safety and peace remaining elusive.
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