By Gayaneh Sargsyan

Six families were left homeless last December when a fire ripped through their wood cottages in Gougark, a community in Armenia’s northern Lori Province.

The fact that three of the families have received 100,000 AMD ($204) each in compensation from the government and the remaining three just 50,000 AMD each, has prompted the families to demand answers from the government.

Yesterday, they traveled to the Lori Provincial Government to ask Governor Artour Nalbandyan why the discrepancy.

One of those left homeless, whose family received 50,000 AMD, asked Nalbandyan what was the basis for such discrimination.

Governor Nalbandyan replied that he wasn’t even aware that the families had even received any compensation.

“Thais is the first I’m hearing about any assistance,” a surprised Nalbandyan replied.

The families told Nalbandyan they had filled out applications requesting government aid at the Gougark village municipality and had later received the assistance.

“These are questions better asked of the community mayor rather than the provincial governor,” noted Nalbandyan.

One of the Gougark residents again quoted the Gougark mayor who had told them that he knew nothing about the matter and that he had forwarded all pertinent information to the provincial governor.

Upon hearing this, Nalbandyan let off some steam.

“People, I don’t care what the community mayor says. You wrote your petitions with him and now he’s telling you some fairytales about getting answers from me. Are you going to believe that? How should the provincial government know how many people lived in one of those cottages? We get such data from the village mayor. Did I know that at the time of the fire only three families were actually living in those homes?”

An irate Nalbandyan went on to say that there are 113 communities in Lori Province and why should the provincial government know the total population of those communities.

“So, what’s the role of the village mayor if he isn’t going to provide us with such information?” bellowed Nalbandyan.

When the families asked what assistance they could expect in the future, Nalbandyan replied that nothing was clear until the source of fire was officially ascertained.

Nalbandyan did make an indirect reference to an incident that happened years ago when some cottages in the same area went up in flames and the government allocated funds for the families to buy apartments.

“Let them find out exactly what happened. How are we to blame for being left homeless?” complained Ofelya Yeganyan.

“You’re culpable to the extent that those cottages burned down. The impression is that somebody came by and set fire to those huts and that you people aren’t to blame. No one came and set fire to those wood huts. Isn’t that right? You should thank your lucky stars that no one was injured,” Nalbandyan said.

Nalbandyan told the families that he had forwarded their data to the government and advised them to be patient. He promised to raise the issue when he meets with the prime minister on March 11.

Ofelya Yeganyan said the families were in limbo and that they couldn’t stay with relatives forever.

Another homeless Gougark resident, Gohar Ayvazyan, told Hetq that her family is suffocating under various debts and expenses.

“We’re paying 60,000 drams just for rent and utilities. The money given us has gone to pay it all. My grandson is going to the army in two months. He has no home or residency. How will I see him off?”

(The six families did receive 160,000 AMD each from the Gougark municipality to pay for temporary rental housing and 100,000 AMD each from Archbishop Sebouh Chouldjian, Primate of the Gougark Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church)