There are 400 households in the village of Gosh in Armenia’s northeastern Tavush province; 1,200 residents in all. Housing appears to be a pressing problem facing the village, but the extent of the problem differs, according to whom you speak to. There’s a neighborhood in the village that residents call “Verin Tagh”. It lies in a sinkhole zone.

Village Mayor Hovsep Veranyan says that 68 houses are located in the zone. Last year, an Armenian NGO visited the area and declared that the homes were unstable and unfit as residences. Mayor Veranyan says that the findings of the NGO were never certified by the Armenian government.

Houses crumble but government skirts the problem

“If the houses had been certified as unfit, the families would at least have received some government assistance,” says the mayor. Mayor Veranyan claims that at least ten of the houses are totally ruined and that residents have been forced to move in with relatives. “We haven’t lived in our house for the past four years because the place has fallen apart. Where can I go at my age? I’ve been living in the house of my uncle’s son ever since but it’s ever so cramped. My son, a college grad, has a fiance but the coupe can’t get married because of the housing problem. They’d left for Russia. We have remained here in this predicament. For the past four years no one from the government has ever visited to ask where I’m living or how am I managing,” complains Artzrun Hovsepyan, Director of the Goshavank historic-architectural museum. He and his wife have been living at a friend’s house but the friend has returned from Russia to Yerevan. Artzrun doesn’t know where they will live if the uncle’s son decided to return to the family house in Gosh for the summer vacation. The sinkhole has not only damaged the house of Artzrun Hovsepyan but also nearby structures as well, including a barn. “Armen Ghularyan, the Tavush Regional Administrator came to take a look around,” says Mayor Veranyan. “He said if we can’t be of help what good will come from seeing the problem. The matter was presented to the government for review. Last year, after I sent in my petition, the houses were added to the list of partially built structures. But, once again, the wagon didn’t move.”

Sinkholes have threatened village for decades

Mayor Veranyan said that the sinkhole problem surfaced back in the 1990’s and that local residents were issued fake apartment papers in 1994 and 1995 for apartments that hadn’t been built in the neighborhood of “Nerkin Gosh”. Construction of houses in that district had started back in 1987, during the Soviet period. Now, some of their foundations have been built and the walls of other houses are standing. “Nowadays, we see on T.V. that homes are being built in various areas of the republic. Isn’t Gosh a part of the same republic? We’ve been neglected for the past twenty years. Nothing has been done here,” asserts Mayor Veranyan.

Japanese project a temporary solution at best

In 2005, a project to remedy the sinkhole problem was undertaken with Japanese financial assistance. Regarding the results of the project, Mayor Veranyan says that the project seemed to have solved the problem, at least for the first year or so. A drainage system was installed and it stopped the sinkholes from expanding, but not in all areas. Artzrun Hovsepyan says the Japanese project was essentially a failure. The drainage pipes were damaged because the water collects at a depth of eight meters, where the soil is the consistency of dough. “We also live in a disaster zone but no one wants to help,” he says. 30 year-old Andranik Davtyan lives in the sinkhole zone along with his wife, two young children and 80 year-old grandma. The sinkhole has ruined their family’s homestead. The shattered fragments lie strewn about, next to their current residence. Every night, Armen goes to bed terrified. There’s a great stretch of earth that threatens the house. Andranik has shoveled away tons of earth from behind the house, but the “creeping monster” still approaches. “Ten years ago I returned from my stint in the army. They called me back to instruct classes fifteen times over the years. That’s the only time they think about us. They forget about the sinkholes,” he complains. Many houses in the area have been leveled to the ground by the natural disaster. A roof of one of the homes came loose and the road leading up to another home was blocked and ripped apart by sinkholes. Mayor Veranyan points to a huge space filled with dirt and says that four houses once stood there. He has notified inhabitants of unsound houses six times in writing, telling them that it is no longer safe to remain and that they must evacuate. Andranik Davtyan says that he has also received a similar warning from the Tavush Regional Administration.

Tomb of Mkhitar Gosh also falls victim to sinkholes The tomb of Mkhitar Gosh also lies within the sinkhole zone. The chapel at the site has been partially damaged. In the fall of last year Gagik Harutyunyan, President of the RoA Constitutional Court, visited the area with a large entourage. In order to renovate the tomb it was decided to marshal the resources of Armenians in the diaspora and Armenian lawyers. There is a stone plaque erected next to the tomb which reads, “Here rests the Great Mkhitar Gosh (1130-1213 AD), a wise jurist, skilled fabulist and teaching master. Remember this indefatigable devotee of Armenian letters.” It would appear that our government has forgotten all about Mkhitar Gosh and the inhabitants of the town that bears his name.