|
|
Article: A people divided: the break-up of the former Soviet Union has given Armenia's largest minority, the Yezidis, new freedoms. But this has proven to be a mixed blessing, as geopolitical and historical concerns have riven the small community.(Armenia's Yezidis)
- Article from:
- Geographical
- Article date:
- January 1, 2008
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2008 Circle Publishing Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Nestled at the foot of Mount Aragats, Armenia's highest peak, the villages of Riya Taza and Alagyaz hardly merit more than a passing glance from motorists heading north towards the border with Georgia. Elderly women dressed in colourful garb nonetheless line the road, while children play nearby among rusting abandoned vehicles and farmers herd their cattle in the surrounding pastures. Few stop at the makeshift shacks selling basic groceries and provisions on the roadside. In fact, nobody pays much attention at all.
But for academics from as far away as the UK, France, Germany and Japan, these small, impoverished villages are a ...