Since the end of September, approximately 100,000 refugees have arrived in Armenia and have received support from the UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM). Here are some of their stories:
Ophelia Aghajanyan: We are pensioners. My husband, who used to be a soldier, is disabled. My son is also disabled. My sister’s child was brought here in a closed coffin. We have buried many of our relatives. I have left behind my deceased loved ones and have brought a handful of soil with me. What are we going to do? I don’t know. Who cares about pensioners?
Andranik Harutyunyan: The day our village was attacked, our entire community took refuge in a cave. When it was time to leave the village, we left without taking anything from Berdadzor. Some people were able to evacuate their families by car, but others could not. If anyone can provide housing for someone in our community, we will take care of the rest. We are all hardworking families and will do whatever it takes to provide for our loved ones.
Svetlana Lazaryan: Before returning to Karabakh, the woman I was living with asked me, “Where are you going? You have no residence, no possessions.” I replied, “I don’t know where, but I am needed there.” I left behind my parents’ graves and my brother’s grave. We understand our own pain and must support each other without relying solely on external assistance. Why does no one want to hear and understand our pain?
Edgar Yedigaryan: I am engaged, and my fiancée is currently displaced in the Hadrut region. We had planned to get married, but unfortunately, this tragedy occurred. However, we will not let it break us or lead us into despair. We will overcome this and rise again. If there are no job opportunities in state institutions, we will engage in agriculture and farming to provide for our family. We are hardworking people and can create something meaningful.
Marianna Grigoryan: My mother and grandmother fled in the 1990s, and we have never had a house. I am unfamiliar with the concept of owning a home, and I don’t even want to know what it is. I have witnessed people building homes, only to be forced to destroy them after years of hard work. When the war broke out on the 19th, people flocked to Stepanakert. Amidst bombardment and gunfire, we sought refuge in basements. We organized and quickly collected blankets and shoes for those in need. We were doing the same aid distributions while under attack.