Yesterday, on 22 January 2006, journalists from Hetq Online and Yerkir Media TV, as well as the head of the "Gandzasar" Theological Center and "Vem" radio station, Father Mesrop Aramyan, took six people to a shelter for the homeless. Three rooms in the new shelter, situated in the Fourth Village on the outskirts of Yerevan, had been refurbished by an anonymous Diasporan donor after the Government allocated the building for this purpose.

Thanks to this donor, it became possible to finally move the homeless. However, four refused to be taken to the Center as they didn't believe the assurances given that they would be able to come and go as they wished. Even so, it was somewhat ironic that not one representative or worker from the Ministry of Labor and Social Security took part in this process. Unfortunately, if the Ministry continues with the same approach, this project will fail.

People who appear on the streets have many problems. They need not only a warm corner, food, and access to medical as well as psychiatric care, but, first of all, they need a more humane approach taken towards them. They very quickly get depressed or offended and don't trust others. They are used to their 'freedom' and are not ready for the sacrifices that this new shelter will demand.

Some of the homeless are able to leave their existence on the streets. Others, however, have forever "put across" on their lives and they no longer have anything left to lose. A few have relatives which should be found in order to attempt reintegration into their families. Moreover, during Hetq Online's investigation into the homeless from 2004-5, we found six former freedom fighters living on the street.

This is the war syndrome that no one speaks about in Armenia.

All the homeless need psychological care. In other words, this is a complex problem that the Ministry of Labor and Social Security has not even considered how to address. In fact, it hasn't even the faintest idea of how to deal with the problem of homelessness in Yerevan or Armenia. Therefore, it is now only right that the government admits this fact and applies to those international bodies with the relevant experience in this field for assistance.

Hetq Online