Kirants: A new concrete border wall now splits the Armenian village of Kirants in two, altering the lives of its residents and raising questions about the long-term stability of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
According to Deutsche Welle, the gray wall, made of three-meter-tall concrete slabs and stretching around 100 meters (approximately 330 feet), has divided the village of Kirants for a year. Home to about 70 houses and 350 inhabitants, Kirants lies on the border with Azerbaijan and was frequently caught in the crossfire during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, despite being almost 500 kilometers from the contested region.
The political landscape in Armenia has been fraught with tension, particularly following the demarcation of the border. In spring 2024, protests erupted calling for the resignation of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan over what was perceived as a "unilateral handover of territories" to Azerbaijan. Despite the unrest, the border demarcation process continued.
Residents of Kirants are grappling with the changes brought by the wall. Some homeowners have received compensation from the Armenian government after their properties ended up on Azerbaijani territory. However, the village's economic condition has worsened as many farmers have lost access to their land, resulting in a significant reduction in livestock numbers.
The psychological impact of the wall is palpable among villagers, who are disheartened by its presence along with barbed wire and Azerbaijani flags in the backdrop. "We have lost our homeland," a villager told DW, emphasizing the emotional toll beyond the loss of property.
Vladimir Babinyan, the local school director, expressed the difficulty of adjusting to life within the walled environment. Despite this, he remains optimistic, acknowledging the wall's role in maintaining peace. Villagers have noted a cessation of hostilities since the wall's construction, contrasting sharply with the frequent attacks in the 1990s.
While the Armenian government reports decreased tensions with Azerbaijan, only a small portion of the border has been officially demarcated. A recent meeting in Washington between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, mediated by US President Donald Trump, aimed to expedite this process.
Despite the current calm, uncertainty lingers in Kirants. "Yes, everything is calm here now," a villager remarked to DW, "but can we be sure that it will stay that way in future?"