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Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Sept 1 2014
Armenian disaster zone exists for 26 years
1 September 2014 - 1:48pm
By Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively for Vestnik Kavkaza
The problem of the northern and north-western districts destroyed in
the earthquake of 1988 is one of the problems, along with
socio-economic issues, unemployment, poverty, migration and etc., that
does not lose topicality. In the last 26 years, Spitak has almost been
fully rebuilt, new quarters appeared in Gyumri and Vanadzor but the
high-scale program for restoration of villages and cities has not been
concluded. The "disaster zone" term remains.
According to different evaluations, about 8,000 families, 4,000-4,500
of which are families from Armenia's second largest city Gyumri, are
in need of shelter. Levon Barsegyan, the head of the Asparez
Journalist Club in Gyumri, a member of the Gyumri Council of Elders,
explained that the government did not recognize about half of them as
homeless. 18,000 apartments have been built so far to replace the
22,000 destroyed by the earthquake. Some observers say that settling
the Gyumri problem will need about $100 million. Considering the
budget expenditures on service cars for high-ranking officials, $100
million seems like a real and justified price.
Construction of elite buildings at the Yerevan center has been the
construction priority of the last 10 years. This recalls the story
when the government purchased bio toilets worth $300,000 in 2012!
The ruling Republican Party of Armenia gave generous promises during
campaigning but the government pays little attention to resolving the
problems of the disaster zone. Moreover, in 2004, President Robert
Kocharyan said that the zone had been restored and the problem no
longer existed.
"The government always uses the construction of the Mush-2 quarter in
Gyumri as a point in the pre-electoral program. They promise to build
[it] every time, and, after the elections, they completely forget
about it," says Levon Barsegyan.
An example of such attitude towards the disaster zone is the failure
to keep the promise of building multi-storey houses in the Mush-2
quarter in Gyumri this year. Despite assurances of the administration
that 420 homeless families will get housing, the only things done are
construction pits dug out for the buildings. Prime Minister Ovik
Abramyan was given a negative emotional reception at the Mush-2
quarter in Gyumri: some people met him with whistles and shouts of
protest. The prime minister tried to calm the population down by
promising to solve the construction problem in the quarter.
3,700 residential trailers remain in Gyumri. Moreover, the Gyumri
districts where they are stationed have turned into separate
communities dominated by poverty. Some experts say that social
polarization between these settlements and other city quarters is
exacerbating: the settlements are isolated, they have more negative
aspects: "The city has dozens of houses in disrepair, fully
disconnected from communal conveniences and sanitary conditions, old
dormitories of the fabric where hundreds of people have found refuge.
The people feel psychological pressure every day. 4,500 families live
in poverty," says Vagan Tumasyan, the head of the Shirak Kentroy
public organization.
Decision N432 of the government caused bewilderment among residents
and public organizations. According to the document, citizens in need
of shelter will no longer be listed, starting on December 1, 2008.
Experts believe that citizens who went abroad right after the
earthquake and who are now returning or planning to return will be
left without homes.
It should also be taken into account that all flaws in restoration of
the disaster zone have their setbacks in the social sector. According
to the National Statistical Service's data of 2013, the poverty level
in 2012 was 32.4%. The highest level was registered in the Shirak
Region, Gyumri being its capital. The highest migration and
unemployment rate are in the areas hit by the disaster, the Shirak and
the Lori regions.
http://vestnikkavkaza.net/analysis/society/59480.html
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Sept 1 2014
Armenian disaster zone exists for 26 years
1 September 2014 - 1:48pm
By Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively for Vestnik Kavkaza
The problem of the northern and north-western districts destroyed in
the earthquake of 1988 is one of the problems, along with
socio-economic issues, unemployment, poverty, migration and etc., that
does not lose topicality. In the last 26 years, Spitak has almost been
fully rebuilt, new quarters appeared in Gyumri and Vanadzor but the
high-scale program for restoration of villages and cities has not been
concluded. The "disaster zone" term remains.
According to different evaluations, about 8,000 families, 4,000-4,500
of which are families from Armenia's second largest city Gyumri, are
in need of shelter. Levon Barsegyan, the head of the Asparez
Journalist Club in Gyumri, a member of the Gyumri Council of Elders,
explained that the government did not recognize about half of them as
homeless. 18,000 apartments have been built so far to replace the
22,000 destroyed by the earthquake. Some observers say that settling
the Gyumri problem will need about $100 million. Considering the
budget expenditures on service cars for high-ranking officials, $100
million seems like a real and justified price.
Construction of elite buildings at the Yerevan center has been the
construction priority of the last 10 years. This recalls the story
when the government purchased bio toilets worth $300,000 in 2012!
The ruling Republican Party of Armenia gave generous promises during
campaigning but the government pays little attention to resolving the
problems of the disaster zone. Moreover, in 2004, President Robert
Kocharyan said that the zone had been restored and the problem no
longer existed.
"The government always uses the construction of the Mush-2 quarter in
Gyumri as a point in the pre-electoral program. They promise to build
[it] every time, and, after the elections, they completely forget
about it," says Levon Barsegyan.
An example of such attitude towards the disaster zone is the failure
to keep the promise of building multi-storey houses in the Mush-2
quarter in Gyumri this year. Despite assurances of the administration
that 420 homeless families will get housing, the only things done are
construction pits dug out for the buildings. Prime Minister Ovik
Abramyan was given a negative emotional reception at the Mush-2
quarter in Gyumri: some people met him with whistles and shouts of
protest. The prime minister tried to calm the population down by
promising to solve the construction problem in the quarter.
3,700 residential trailers remain in Gyumri. Moreover, the Gyumri
districts where they are stationed have turned into separate
communities dominated by poverty. Some experts say that social
polarization between these settlements and other city quarters is
exacerbating: the settlements are isolated, they have more negative
aspects: "The city has dozens of houses in disrepair, fully
disconnected from communal conveniences and sanitary conditions, old
dormitories of the fabric where hundreds of people have found refuge.
The people feel psychological pressure every day. 4,500 families live
in poverty," says Vagan Tumasyan, the head of the Shirak Kentroy
public organization.
Decision N432 of the government caused bewilderment among residents
and public organizations. According to the document, citizens in need
of shelter will no longer be listed, starting on December 1, 2008.
Experts believe that citizens who went abroad right after the
earthquake and who are now returning or planning to return will be
left without homes.
It should also be taken into account that all flaws in restoration of
the disaster zone have their setbacks in the social sector. According
to the National Statistical Service's data of 2013, the poverty level
in 2012 was 32.4%. The highest level was registered in the Shirak
Region, Gyumri being its capital. The highest migration and
unemployment rate are in the areas hit by the disaster, the Shirak and
the Lori regions.
http://vestnikkavkaza.net/analysis/society/59480.html
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress