In Nor Artagers people do not have time to live (video)
170 ha territory isn’t irrigated in Nor Artagers community of Armavir marz. The village has had water shortage since the years of independence. The promise by the authorities that irrigation network will be constructed is up in the air. “We were told that water supplies will be ensured, but the promise hasn’t been fulfilled,” says one of the villagers. In Nor Artagers backgammon is the only activity the elderly are engaged in. They play in order to forget daily problems. And this year residents of Nor Artagers have much to forget. Still in spring they understood that in summer they will not have harvest due to frostbite, “Temperature was 12-13 degrees below zero during flowering, now people don’t have anything, neither apricot nor other fruits. There is only 30-40 % plum, villagers didn’t get cherry harvest. How can people pay their loans?” says the elderly man playing backgammon. The men of Nor Artagers have left for seasonal work abroad because of short of harvest. They cannot but go abroad, as they must earn money for keeping their families and paying the loans. The financial condition of those, who stay in the village, is hopeless. One of the villagers says, “We can hardly make ends meet. We take loans, cultivate the soil, pay the loans, and in winter take loans again. 90 percent do like that.” The streets of Nor Artagers, which officially have 1500 residents, are almost empty and hot weather is not the reason for that. Occasionally seen cars are loaded with agricultural tools; villagers hurry to fields. The men playing backgammon joke that the villagers under the burden of problems do not have time to live. Nor Artagers is a multinational village- Armenians, Yazidis, Assyrians live side by side. They live in solidarity. But one problem is typical to everybody; the young cannot see future here. “Flow to Russia, abroad is high; the young people are few, as there is no interest.” Former building of cultural center built 70 years ago was turned into latrine. The elderly woman recalls, “Until 60s’ life was active; cinema, theatre, but now the young have no place for entertainment,” says the woman. Residents of Nor Artagers cannot remember when for the last time the high ranking officials visited them, but they are waiting for them. They have much to tell them.
