Sunday 22nd March

We left for the High Karabakh, a day earlier than the date authorised on our visas, in order to meet Jacques Matossian from SPFA (Protestant Solidarity France-Armenia) as he was leaving this region the next day. This detail of the visas did not bother the customs officer when we went through the passport check. We entered this ‘non existing’ country on a beautiful cloudless day. The High Karabakh, or officially ‘Republic of Nagorno Karabakh’, is one of the self-proclaimed countries in the Caucasus. It is not recognised as such by any other countries in the world, not even Armenia.

          Flag of Karabakh

Around us, spring had already come unlike in Armenia. The trees were budding and some of them were even blossoming. We drove around magnificent landscapes in the middle of luxuriant nature. In a combination of Turkish and Persian, Karabakh means ‘black garden’. It evokes both the fertility of the ground and the wooded blanket that stands out against the bare mountains of the surrounding regions.

          Landscape of Karabakh

This small ‘country’ (about 145,000 inhabitants and 4,400 square kilometres) is a territory populated with Armenians and was incorporated into the Soviet Republic of Azerbaijan during the Soviet period. With the fall of the USSR in 1991, the High Karabakh declared its independence from Azerbaijan. A three-year war followed, during which Armenia and Azerbaijan confronted each other in a violent way. Though smaller and less well equipped, the Armenian forces won in 1994 and a ceasefire was signed between the countries. It confirmed the de facto independence of the High Karabakh.

         The High Karabakh nowadays (source: Wikipedia)

It is estimated that there were 30,000 dead from the war on each side (the total Armenian population is about three millions). The number of refugees is even more appalling: 400,000 Armenians and 800,000 Azeris left their houses in order not to be behind the enemy lines. When we visited the village of Khnabad, we could see in the distance the ghost town of Agdam. It used to be a prosperous Azeri city of 100,000 inhabitants. The advance of the Armenian forces caused the exodus of the inhabitants. Without a final resolution to the conflict, the town has been abandoned since 1994 and has fallen in ruins.

          The ghost town of Agdam

The ancient history of the High Karabakh merges with that of Armenia. During our tours, the monasteries and numerous ‘khatchkars’ (stone crosses) reminded us of Armenia. It was the same currency and the same language. It was like we were still in Armenia. 

          Khatchkars in the monastery of Gandzassar

At the exit of Stepanakert, the capital town (45,000 people), the statue ‘Tatik and Papik’ (‘Grandmother and Grandfather’) is a symbol of the invincibility of the Karabakhtis and its motto is: “We are our mountains”. 

          Tatik and Papik, “We are our mountains”

We found in Karabakh the same warm welcome we had in Armenia, and the same tradition of generosity. The main difficulty for the Karabakh is its isolation as the only open border is the one shared with Armenia. Despite its status as a self-proclaimed republic and the suspended conflict with Azerbaijan, the atmosphere is serene and relaxed. We did not feel any tension anywhere. When we left the High Karabakh (this time our visas expired by one day), the same customs officer recognised us and gave us a big smile. He seemed surprised when we asked him if it was a problem that our visas were expired.

François
(Translation: Yolene Dabreteau)