Armenia's 'village of friendship' under periodic Azeri shelling: OC Media

PanARMENIAN.Net - OC Media has prepared an article about the village of Barekamavan in Armenia's Tavush province which regularly comes under fire by Azerbaijani troops.

Barekamavan means 'the village of friendship' in Armenian.

But there is no longer any friendship between Armenians and Azerbaijanis in Barekamavan, and the village itself is on the brink of disappearing, the main reason being the periodic shelling from Azerbaijan and the bleak economic situation, it adds.

"Barekamavan is pinned to the side of the mountains; on the other side, lies the Azerbaijani village of Kamarli. The nearest Armenian villages of Koti and Dovegh are about 10 kilometres from Barekamavan. Surrounded by hills and forests to the west, to the east lies a mountain dotted with landmines, military posts, and barbed wire fences. From there, the village lies directly in sight of the Azerbaijani soldiers," the article says.

"In the village centre, a few dilapidated buildings house the village administration, post office, and school. On the surrounding hills half-destroyed houses without roofs can be seen - a reminder of the 1992-1994 war. Embedded in some buildings are the traces - either complete or partial - of shells. Some are no more than gaping holes. Residents know practically by heart which damage was caused in 'that war' and which in 'this one'."

Also, the feature weighs in on some other problems facing Barekamavan, including the lack of irrigation and drinking water. The population is constantly dwindling, with the residents forced to travel to Yerevan or Moscow for seasonal jobs.