Ethnic Azeri, Novruz celebrations, Marneuli, Georgia  © Onnik Krikorian 2011

Since first writing about Novruz in Azerbaijan in 2009 and then again last year, it's been a hope of mine to experience it first hand. However, despite being a British citizen, my Armenian surname makes it incredibly unlikely that I'll be able to visit anytime soon. So, as part of my continuing personal project on the possibility for ethnic Armenian and Azeri coexistence and reconciliation, the opportunity to photograph the Novruz celebrations in Marneuli was not one to be missed. 

About 45 minutes from the Georgian border with Armenia is Marneuli, a regional center mainly inhabited by ethnic Azeris with ethnic Armenians among those making up the remainder of the population. Located in the part of Georgia where most of the country's 280,000 ethnic Azeris live, traffic to and from Yerevan travels through Marneuli on a daily basis. And, despite the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh, there are also some villages such as Tsopi which are co-inhabited by ethnic Armenians and Azeris.

On 21 March 2011, Marneuli celebrated Novruz, the Zoroastrian New Year. Also celebrated in Turkey, Iran, and elsewhere, Novruz is an important date in the Azerbaijani calendar and in Georgia is now recognized as a national holiday.

At the same time, it also meant the chance to revisit Tsopi. Co-inhabited by a majority ethnic Azeri population with an ethnic Armenian minority, the village is a little known example of the possibility for coexistence between the two ethnic groups in the South Caucasus. Next month this work will continue and I'll also get to visit a similar village where ethnic Armenians are in the majority and ethnic Azeris are the minority. In the meantime, photographs from Novruz in Marneuli are here and from Tsopi here.

And as always I'm also always looking for more freelance and commissioned work in Armenia, Georgia and the Caucasus in general so contact me through my web site or at onewmphoto[at]gmail.com. I also fix for media outlets such as the BBC, Al Jazeera English, The Wall Street Journal and, most recently, National Geographic.

Ethnic Azeri, Tea House, Tekali, Georgia  © Onnik Krikorian 2011

The full post accompanied by more photos can be read online here and I'll be writing a proper article on the hopes for a peace building center in Tekali for publication on an international online site next week. I'm also hoping to revisit Tekali in the near future, as well as villages co-inhabited by ethnic Armenians and Azeris close by. On a related note, the Russian translation of Caucasus Conflict Voices can be viewed on the project site or below.

And as always, I'm always looking for more freelance and commissioned work in Armenia, Georgia and the Caucasus in general so contact me through my web site or at onewmphoto[at]gmail.com. I also fix for media outlets such as the BBC, Al Jazeera English, The Wall Street Journal and, most recently, National Geographic.

Following my recent article on the Calumet Ethnic Lounge Bar in Yerevan, Ararat Magazine published another on ethnic Armenian and Azeri coexistence towards the end of December. Sourcing entries posted by alternative voices on both sides for my own personal project, the article seeks to present a different view on relations between the people of both countries still locked into conflict over the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh.

TBILISI, Georgia – An Azeri teahouse, and naturally Azerbaijani can be heard spoken inside. A dozen men, identical in appearance, sit at tables, chain smoking and drinking cups of çay (tea). “Salam,” we say, before approaching the waitress. The owners of another Azeri teahouse, ironically run by ethnic Armenians just around the corner, directed us here, saying that the waitress too is Armenian.  She is, even though the teahouse is owned by an ethnic Azeri. Anyway, we take our seats at a table with the intention of once again exploring the reality of peaceful coexistence in at least one part of the South Caucasus.

[...]

[...] Free from the nationalist rhetoric of Armenian and Azerbaijani political forces, and isolated from the negative stereotypes and propaganda usually disseminated on an almost daily basis in the local press, ethnic Armenians and Azeris coexist quite well, and do so without regrets and by no means reluctantly. As in Moscow or elsewhere outside of the conflict zone, they naturally congregate together, recognizing a similarity in terms of culture, cuisine, and mentality. Back in the teahouse, examples sit before us at nearly every table.

The article can be read online here and was made up from some of the posts available on the project site and in the free e-book below. A Russian version will soon be complete and made available online hopefully later this month.

Incidentally, the next article for Ararat Magazine on landmines and unexploded ordnance in Nagorno Karabakh will be coming soon. Meanwhile, on the subject of using new and social media to contribute to peace building initiatives and amplifying alternative voices, I've also started posting analytical pieces on the Peace and Collaborative Development Network.

And as always, I'm always looking for more freelance and commissioned work in Armenia, Georgia and the Caucasus in general so contact me through my web site or at onewmphoto[at]gmail.com. I also fix for media outlets such as the BBC, Al Jazeera English, The Wall Street Journal and, most recently, National Geographic.

One topic I've covered frequently since 2001 has been the danger of landmines and unexploded ordnance in Nagorno Karabakh. This was first for The Armenian Weekly, but also later for Transitions Online and The Institute for War & Peace Reporting. These articles and blog posts have been heavily referenced by the International Campaign to Ban Landmines and my most recent visit to cover the work of the British HALO Trust demining charity was last year on commission for The National.

Now, while older photographs in black and white are available on my main site, I've also uploaded color to Demotix for publication. Of course, the images are also available directly from myself too.

Even though the ceasefire between Armenia & Azerbaijan has been in place since the 1994 ceasefire, landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) remain a serious problem in the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh. Over 25,000 were killed and more than a million forced to flee their homes during the war that raged in the early 1990s and a lasting peace agreement remains elusive.

Nonetheless, the British HALO Trust charity continues to clear the war-ravaged land of landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) as residents of the disputed territory seek to rebuild their lives and farm the land. In the event of a peace deal, the charity's work is also important given that it also clears regions surrounding Karabakh in Azerbaijan which IDPs would return to.

However, it's 2010 budget of $1.9 million will be cut in 2011, raising concerns about its future work. A staff of 210 will also be cut by 65. To date the HALO Trust has cleared 10,266 mines and 54,129 pieces of UXO. Nagorno Karabakh and surrounding territories. 09/06/2009 (With photographs from 2006)

As usual, I'm always looking for more freelance and commissioned work in Armenia, Georgia and the Caucasus in general so contact me through my web site or at onewmphoto[at]gmail.com. I also fix for media outlets such as the BBC, Al Jazeera English, The Wall Street Journal and, most recently, National Geographic.

Meanwhile, see the latest archive images here.

Calumet, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian 2010

From time to time it's always nice to cover something a little more positive than poverty, transition, human rights and conflict. So, as one of my escapes in Yerevan is the newly opened Calumet Ethnic Lounge Bar, why not write about it? I did and Ararat Magazine has now published the piece.

Just another early evening in Yerevan, and the streets are still full of people. Despite the temperature slowly dropping, their destination for a night out before the cold weather finally sets in might be predictable, but for those few seeking an alternative to the glitzy cafés that have all but decimated the parks and other green areas downtown, there are now a few other options. In particular, there is Calumet, an ethnic lounge and bar close to the corner of Pushkin and Parpetsi streets, which opened in July.

Calumet is co-owned and run by three ethnic Armenians from the Diaspora, and its clientele is as diverse as the bar’s interior and far more eclectic than the modest sign erected at the top of a set of street-level stairs leading down to an unassuming metal door otherwise suggests. Inside, beanbags cover nearly half of the floor space, cushioning the area around half a dozen low-level round wooden tables situated next to a stage area located in the far right-hand corner of the modestly sized, but somewhat cozy, bar.

In the other half, Farsi is spoken by Iranian students from the Conservatory sitting at one corner of the bar opposite a few higher tables, and Armenian can be heard from another. English, the lingua franca of most expat workers, tourists and travelers in town, adds to the multilingual banter, and the music is varied too.  Armenian reggae might be the preferred choice for those eager to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the capital on one night, while the frantic beats of ethno-dance music might be played on another.

[...]

The article can be read online here, while more photographs are below. Meanwhile, I'm always looking for more freelance and commissioned work in Armenia, Georgia and the Caucasus in general so contact me through my web site or at onewmphoto[at]gmail.com.

Calumet, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian 2010

Rolling Stone magazine have used one of my photographs to accompany a small piece on the round up and harassment of Emos, a stereotyped melancholic sub-culture associated especially with teenagers, in Yerevan, the Armenian capital. Even though their number might be large, the authorities are reportedly taken the craze seriously. Indeed, many are saying, perhaps too seriously...

Authorities in the Armenian capital of Yerevan are reportedly putting pressure on young fans of the punk subculture emo, claiming that the music undermines social stability and that its emotionally wrenching content is causing teenagers to become suicidal.

[...]

"I do not like emos, in fact. I absolutely don't like them. I do not understand or accept them," Armenian Chief of Police Alik Sargsian said in an interview with a local newspaper earlier this month, as quoted by EurasiaNet. He also called them "dangerous" and said that they could "distort our gene pool."

Another young emo said, "No one is forcing us; the thing is that our members are emotional and there have been cases when they attempted suicide. However, it's not like it is a mass phenomenon."

The article can be read online here, while more photographs from the Fête de la Musique event where the photograph was taken are available here. Meanwhile, I'm always looking for more freelance and commissioned work in Armenia, Georgia and the Caucasus in general so contact me through my web site or at onewmphoto[at]gmail.com.

It's going to be a slow process given how much material I shot before, during and after the 19 February 2008 presidential election in Armenia, but some more photos have been uploaded to Demotix. The photographs can be viewed here and there will be lots more to come so keep an eye on this blog where I'll post regular updates and links to that material.

The 19 February 2008 presidential election in Armenia was of particular significance given that the then incumbent president, Robert Kocharian, could not run for a third term. Instead, power was due to be passed on to his then prime minister, Serge Sargsyan.

One of the main criticisms international observers highlight in post-election reports on Armenia is the abuse of administrative resources during the campaign period by the ruling party. This also included religious events such as the annual St. Vardanants Day march.

Sargsyan eventually won the election with 52.82 percent of the vote with his nearest rival, former President Levon Ter-Petrossian, managing only 21.50 percent. Amid reports of ballot box stuffing, voter bribes and intimidation, the opposition were to eventually protest the outcome.

On 1 March 2008 their street protests ended in violent clashes with security forces which left 10 dead. A 20-day State of Emergency was declared in Yerevan, the Armenian capital. Yerevan, Armenia. 31/01/2008

As usual, I'm always looking for more freelance and commissioned work in Armenia, Georgia and the Caucasus in general so contact me through my web site or at onewmphoto[at]gmail.com. I also fix for media outlets such as the BBC, Al Jazeera English, The Wall Street Journal and, most recently, National Geographic.

Meanwhile, see the latest archive images here.

In addition to journalism, photojournalism and blogging, I also work as a fixer in Armenia. Usually it's for the BBC, Al Jazeera English, The Wall Street Journal or The National, but in October I also fixed for Atlantic Productions who were making a documentary for National Geographic TV. I also shot the production stills on DSLR while the film crew were in Armenia and at the same time tweeted some behind the scenes pics from mobile.

When Christ was crucified 2,000 years ago a Roman guard thrust a spear in his side to see if he was still alive. In that moment a central tenet of Christian faith was realised: Jesus was dead, he was thus able to be resurrected. In that moment the spear that pierced him became a powerful holy relic. What happened to the Spear thereafter is a heady mix of myth, half truth and fact. To confuse matters further, today there are three Spears claiming to be the Holy Spear. Legend of the Holy Spear follows two investigators attempting to discover if any of them could have been present at the crucifixion. Scrutinizing each spear and closely analysing the stories and legends behind them, the film reveals astonishing clues as to their provenance.

As you might have guessed, one of the spears is in Holy Etchmiadzin and the documentary traces the adoption of Christianity in Armenia as well. Some of the production stills I shot for Atlantic are now available below and also on the National Geographic web site. Check local listings for the exact time in your area to watch Legend of the Holy Spear on National Geographic TV on 12 December 2010.

Incidentally, and suffice to say,  I'm always looking for more freelance and commissioned work in Armenia, Georgia and the Caucasus in general so contact me through my web site or at onewmphoto[at]gmail.com.

Photos in Garni, Geghard and Etchmiadzin. © Onnik Krikorian for Atlantic Productions / National Geographic 2010

Following a bitterly disputed presidential election on 19 February 2008, an opposition sit-in was staged in Yerevan's Liberty Square until it was dispersed on 1 March. Opposition supporters gathered and blockaded themselves in at another location before violent clashes left 10 people dead.

With the main opposition candidate under effective house arrest, newspaper editor Nikol Pashinian led the demonstration after a sound system was set up.Following the clashes later the same evening, a 20-day State of Emergency was declared in Yerevan.

Pashinian went on the run before giving himself up in July 2009. He is currently in prison. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) issued a statement concerned about Pashinian's situation on 2 December 2010.

Images of Nikol Pashinian from 1 March 2008 now available via my Demotix page. I'm also always looking for more freelance and commissioned work in Armenia, Georgia and the Caucasus in general.

Continuing to create an archive of images on Demotix from over 12 years living in Armenia, now comes the turn of the October 2007 opposition rally during which former president Levon Ter-Petrossian announced he would run for the February 2008 presidential election. 

After a nearly ten year absence from public life, former president Levon Ter-Petrossian announced he would run again in the February 2008 presidential election. Speaking to a crowd of around 15,000 people in Yerevan's Liberty Square, Ter-Petrossian accused the Armenian government of endemic corruption and for lack of progress in negotiations with Azerbaijan to end the long-running dispute over the breakaway territory of Nagorno Karabakh.

There's plenty more to come, including from the post-election demonstrations and unrest and I'll post links when they are. Until then, a gallery of images from the rally is now available on Demotix. Until they are, some of those images can be viewed on my main blog.

Images are also available direct from myself, but it's probably quicker and easier for publications via my Demotix page. I'm also always looking for more freelance and commissioned work in Armenia, Georgia and the Caucasus in general.

During the 2008 war between Georgia and Russia over South Ossetia, Russian troops occupied the central Georgian town of Gori. From August 9-12 2008 the town was heavily bombarded from the air until Russian troops moved in and encircled Gori with roadblocks, preventing access from Georgia proper.

Thousands were forced to flee their homes from Gori and surrounding villages. Most ended up seeking refuge in schools, kindergartens and abandoned buildings in Tbilisi, the capital. International organizations acted to resolve their most pressing needs.

Russian and militia forces withdrew from Gori on 22 August 2008. Tbilisi, Georgia. 17/08/2008.

More photos are available on Demotix along with those of Russian military roadblocks around Gori and scenes from inside the town when the Russian army occupied it. Images are also available direct from myself. I'm also always looking for more freelance and commissioned work in Armenia, Georgia and the Caucasus in general.

Today marks the 22nd anniversary of the Armenian earthquake. It's a topic I've been covering since 1998 when I made my first visit to the country's second largest city. The last time was last year when not only did I put mobile reporting to the test to examine its potential for individual activists, journalists and civil society, but also to write an update on the situation in the city more than two decades later for Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso.

December 7, 1988, 11.41 am – An earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale hits northern Armenia, killing 25,000 and leaving many more homeless. Mikhail Gorbachev, then General Secretary of the Communist Party of the U.S.S.R. cuts short an official visit to the United States to travel to the small South Caucasus Soviet republic as news of the catastrophe makes headlines the world over. Poverty skyrockets as a nation mourned its dead. 

Hundreds of millions of dollars flooded into the country for relief and reconstruction efforts, but two other events of as much significance soon frustrated efforts to rebuild the disaster zone. In 1991, Armenia declared independence from the former Soviet Union, and in 1993, in support of Azerbaijan during a de facto war with Armenia over the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh, Turkey closed the land border with its eastern neighbor. 

Meanwhile, as corruption skyrocketed, the conflict as well as two closed borders and an economic blockade by Azerbaijan and Turkey only added to Armenia's woes. Yet, despite strong economic growth in the mid-2000s, albeit from a low base, and promises from then President Robert Kocharyan to completely rebuild Gyumri, Armenia's second largest city and the main urban center to be hit by the earthquake, the outlook appears as bleak as ever. 

A resident approaches a priest for assistance as Russian troops look on, Gori, Georgia. © Onnik Krikorian 2008

During the 2008 war between Georgia and Russia over South Ossetia, Russian troops occupied the central Georgian town of Gori. From August 9-12 2008 the town was heavily bombarded from the air until Russian troops moved in and encircled Gori with roadblocks, preventing access from Georgia proper.

This also applied to journalists entering from the Georgian-controlled side while eye witness accounts alleged that looting was occurring in the town. Instead, those journalists wanting to gain access toian-occupied Gori had to take the more perilous back route over bad roads under the control of pro-Russian militia.

Russian and militia forces withdrew on 22 August 2008. Gori, Kaspi, Georgia. 18/08/2008.

More images are available on Demotix or direct from myself. I'm also always looking for more freelance and commissioned work in Armenia, Georgia and the Caucasus in general.

During the 2008 war between Georgia and Russia over South Ossetia, Russian troops occupied the central Georgian town of Gori. From August 9-12 2008 the town was heavily bombarded from the air until Russian troops moved in and encircled Gori with roadblocks, preventing access from Georgia proper. Russian and militia forces withdrew on 22 August 2008. Igoeti, Gori, Georgia. 16-18/08/2008.

More images are available on Demotix or direct from myself. I'm also always looking for more freelance and commissioned work in Armenia, Georgia and the Caucasus in general.