Unrecognized | Nagorno-Karabakh | Project (2012)

Imagine you are in a country that does not exist.

Since 1917, Armenians have been fighting against Azerbaijanis about a sparsely populated area which is not much larger than Rhode Island: Nagorno-Karabakh.
After the days of unrest and civil war, the Republic became independent. However, under the international law it belongs to Azerbaijan and it’s not recognized by any state.
Since the war with Azerbaijan in the early 1990s, the land is vegetating. In most areas of Karabakh capital Stepanakert the cityscape is characterized by Soviet buildings.
They are covered with bullet holes. Stone wounds who never heal.

There are no big resources such as gold, diamonds or oil. There is nothing worth fighting for, at least for outsiders. The country is predominantly populated by Armenians,
and they strongly identify themseles with the region. However, de facto the land is located on the territory of Azerbaijan.

And Azerbaijan will come back.
The inhabitants know it as well. The sting of defeat against the peasant army still hurts Azerbaijan and the country claims Karabakh as its territory.
„There will be another war“, says one of Karabakh residents. „In four weeks as many people will die as during four years of the last war.“
The fear of a new conflict restrains the development. Why should something be built up if it is condemned to destruction in a few years?

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