by Gunay Arda

Igdir reminds us of venomous periods of Sumgayit (3rd largest city in Azerbaijan). Sky is coal black, residents got worn out, and once green and fertile lands are not being harvested…

Armenian terror continues in Igdir. The Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant is located 500 m far from Igdir. Although the maximum radiation dose level is 6, it stands at 13 in Igdir in accordance with the specialists` estimations. Araz River provides the Metsamor NPP with cooling water. The NPP which is explosive and built on old technology releases toxic chemicals into air without any filter systems. The rest of ground water is dumped into drinking water and watering system of Igdir. In this manner, the presence and future of Igdir is being poisoned. Children drink contaminated water and eat fruit and vegetable that were watered with contaminated water. Farmers raise animals on pasture which was contaminated with ground water.

Local people are aware of the degree of hazard. They call this atomic plant `Chernobyl` not `Metsamor`. The residents of Alijan, Dashburun and Gajar villages said that they only got one disease there - Cancer`. You cannot find any houses where people do not suffer from radiation. Turkey does produce the medications which treat diseases related to radiation exposure. In this regard, people hardly find and buy the medications from foreign countries. However, the only hope of these people for earning money is farming. In this regard, they cannot afford buying medications from foreign countries.



It is miraculous to get pregnant and give birth in Igdir. Inside a woman`s body, sperm either lives for up to 3-4 months or is born disabled. Each resident suffers from anemia. Babies suffer from leukemia and women from breast cancer. The most common type of cancer is lung cancer.

The only guilt of these people is being on the border of Armenia which is a terrorist country and does not follow international rules.

Igdir is last Safavid territory joined to the Ottoman Empire. The lands which were determined against world leading Ottoman sultans have encountered with plague. This plague is invisible, untouchable and it is not in people`s power to fight against it.



Now Kurds suffering from PKK (Kurdistan Workers` Party) are being moved to Igdir from Sirnak province. Now the ethnic construction is being changed in Igdir where Azerbaijani language, traditions regulations and waving flag of Azerbaijan in every corner of Igdir were preserved for years. On the other hand ill, disabled and cropless people were oppressed by the newly-settled Kurds. The Municipal Executive of Igdir is originally Kurd where the majority of population consists of Azerbaijanis.

Animal massacre of `Metsamor` NPP

Animals are born with two heads, two chins and three legs in Igdir. Furthermore, the lives of animals are short because of various anomalies. In Igdir, children see such kind of animals in their daily lives not in fantastic films.

`Green Igdir` disappeared…

The plantation and field-cropping of Igdir are in degradation. People cultivate lands painfully are unproductive and washed with radioactive ground water. The residents feed their children with small amount of fruit and vegetables.

The calamity waiting for Nakhcivan

The distance between Nakhcivan and Igdir is 212km. According to the international rules, nuclear materials may be transported only via rail transportation. As usual Armenia does not follow the international guidelines. Nuclear materials of the `Metsamor` NPP are transported by air. In its turn, it means if one of those planes blasts, Nakhcivan, Armenia, Igdir, Kars, Van, Ardahan, Antep, etc. will be wiped off the face of the earth.



Furthermore, the number of cancer patients increases in Nakhcivan, to a lesser extent in Igdir.

Almost all villages of Igdir are affected by the Metsamor NPP. The side effects of radiation are striking in everywhere. It is hard to encounter any healthy-looking resident in Qajar, Dashburun, Malakli, Alijan, Qazanchi villages. The majority of them suffer from poor dental health and early ageing.

ANNOUNCEMENT:

In the next part you will read:
- Interview with Igdir city official of Turkey`s Ministry of Environment
- Interview with the main pharmacy provider of Igdir and ASİM DER (International Association to Fight Unfounded ArmenianAllegations) regarding the side effects of Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant, the diseases residents suffer from and the ways of forcing Armenia to shut down Metsamor.

Gunay Arda is editor-in-chief of Femida.az
AzVision.az

More about: