AMASIA, Shirak Province, Armenia – 63-year-old Yuri Hakobian was born and has lived all his life in Amasia. Under the administrative divisions of the Soviet years, Amasia was a region with about thirty villages, which were mostly populated by Azerbaijanis. Mr. Hakobian says that after the establishment of new provinces in independent Armenia, the former administrative centers suffered immensely.
“There is no youth, there are no jobs. In the past Amasia was one of the foremost regions. There were several factories; all of them were shut down or destroyed. Now there is nothing here; it is only possible to keep livestock,” says Mr. Hakobian, whose two children have left Amasia. His son has moved to Yerevan and his daughter to Germany.
Mr. Hakobian remembers the Soviet times with longing, when the authorities paid attention to the region of Amasia and as it was a border area and cold, mountainous region, its residents received special privileges. He also says that during the Soviet days Armenians and Azerbaijanis lived peacefully.
“Until the 1930s few Armenians lived in the Amasia region. After that the number of Armenians increased, even though until 1988 (when the Armenian-Azerbaijani clashes began in Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakhm and Armenia) about 80 percent of the population was Azerbaijani. After they fled, Armenians from Azerbaijan established themselves here, but they left a few years later,” Mr. Hakobian explains.
Usually tourists and diaspora Armenians visiting Armenia do not go to Amasia. Just like them, the majority of Armenia’s population has a very little information about the region, which is currently in Shirak province, situated in the northernmost part of the Armenian-Turkish border. Amasia also shares a border with Georgia at the Armenian-populated Javakhk section, but the road from Armenia to Georgia does not pass through Amasia, which is another reason why Amasia has been neglected.
In reality, the region of Amasia is one of Armenia’s most beautiful corners during all four seasons. The winter is very severe: 6–7 months and you think you are in Siberia. The coldest place in Armenia is Amasia; decades ago the lowest temperature: -46 degrees was registered in Paghakn village, which is situated on the banks of Lake Arpi. In late spring and summer, especially on the banks of the Arpi, the alpine nature is luxuriant; so many colors and flowers do not exist in any other place in Armenia.
Arpi Lake is the largest lake after Sevan. Just like the lake, its surrounding territories, which are known by their Turkish name, Aghbaba, have remained in Armenia through a miracle. In June 1918 when the Treaty of Batumi was being signed, the Turks agreed to concede the region to the first Republic of Armenia as a sign of “friendship.”
Today there’s an effort being made to transform the territory around Arpi Lake into a nature reserve. This promises to become an amazing place for ecotourism.
Aghas Amirian, head of the village of Amasia, stressed with conviction that that compared to the rest of Armenia’s ten provinces, Shirak is in the worst condition and the community of Amasia is the worst in Shirak.
In reality, when you visit Amasia for the first time, it does not leave the impression of a village. There are more apartment buildings than private houses and the village hall has four-stories and is much larger than the city halls in many of Armenia’s cities. During the Soviet years, Amasia was the regional center: a town resembling a city and the executive body of the region was located in the large structure.
“In the past, when the region of Amasia was an administrative territorial unit, two people worked in each of the rooms of the four-story building. Amasia is a small, but very nice village. After the earthquake several schools, kindergartens, and apartments were damaged,” says Mr. Amirian.
In its heydey Amasia had 15 apartment buildings and about 4,500 residents, 30 percent of whom were Azerbaijanis.
“Before the 1988 earthquake there were exchanges. Azerbaijanis from the Azerbaijani-populated villages in Amasia region and from the regional center of Amasia exchanged their houses with the houses of Armenians in Baku. After seeing the severe climate conditions, the majority of the refugees left. Today only those refugees who are sick, old, and cannot leave continue to live here,” explains Mr. Amirian.
Amasia’s population, according to data from the recent census is 1,687; in other words, during the past 20 years two-third of Amasia’s population has emigrated.
“During the past 10 years the number of students has decreased by 300. There are only 180 pupils, down from 480 pupils, in the school. This year there are only 10 first graders. People leave here and mainly go to Russia. A portion of the men who leave for Russia forgets about their families here,” says Mr. Amirian.
The residents of Amasia are very pessimistic about their future. They say small factories must be created, the roads must be renovated, and attention must be paid to Amasia and the region. Otherwise emigration to Russia and Armenia’s other towns will continue.
