Campaign Logo © Landmine Free South Caucasus
Late last month civil society in Azerbaijan and Georgia marked a day of solidarity for the victims of landmines and the communities that are affected by them. I attended the event held by LINKS Europe and its local partners in Tbilisi while another event was held simultaneously by my good friend Ahmad Alili, Director of the Caucasus Policy Analysis Centre (CPAC), in Baku. I was told a similar event was also held in Yerevan.
Personally speaking, this is particularly an issue of importance for me given my own work covering the problem of landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) in Armenia, Karabakh, and the then Armenian-controlled seven regions surrounding the breakaway region from about 2000-2011. Therefore, in support of the Landmine Free South Caucasus campaign, I include the official statement from LINKS Europe below.
The South Caucasus remains one of the areas most infected with contamination by landmines and other unexploded remnants of war in the world. Apart from the thou- sands of casualties caused directly or indirectly by landmines and other unexploded ordnance over the last three and a half decades, including several hundred in the last year, this contamination negatively impacts whole communities across the region, affecting their economic well-being, and exposing them to the constant threat of risk and danger.
In 2019 and in 2021, the regional campaign Landmine Free South Caucasus was suc- cessfully implemented across the region. Government officials, demining organisa- tions and civil society, together with representatives of the international community, actively discussed the threat that landmines pose, and action that could be taken to eradicate them. The campaign took the message for a landmine free South Caucasus to schools and communities across the region.
We are pleased to announce the launch of the 2022 Regional Campaign Landmine Free South Caucasus which this year will be launched on 30 November with a “Day of Solidarity with the victims of landmines and other unexploded remnants of war, and their communities, in the South Caucasus”.
As in the past, the campaign will be delivered in five languages: Armenian, Azerbaijani, Georgian, Russian and English. Starting on 30 November, the campaign will run until 30 June 2023, with activities focusing on the heavy human and economic cost of unexploded remnants of war, and to increase awareness of the need for their swift eradication. By reaching out in solidarity to communities affected by landmines we want to assure them that they are not alone. We also recall that hundreds of de- miners across the region risk their lives on a daily basis as they work tirelessly to rid the region from this scourge. We hail their efforts and say thank you for their precious work. As land is rehabilitated and returned to its proper use, care should be taken to make sure that it is the communities affected that should benefit first from its eco- nomic exploitation.
Finally, we appreciate the support of the international community in the quest for eradicating all landmines and other unexploded remnants of war from the South Caucasus. However the magnitude of the challenge facing the demining community is such that a much bigger level of support is required so that the capacity of local demining efforts is increased to a level where it can respond adequately to the tasks at hand. This support should be forthcoming quickly and at levels that would make a real difference.
We appeal to the people of the South Caucasus and to the international community:
Join us in expressing our solidarity with individuals and communities that are victims of landmines and other explosive remnants of war!
Join us in saying thank you to deminers!
Join us in calling for a landmine free South Caucasus by the end of this decade, or soon after.
The campaign Landmine Free South Caucasus is a regional effort with the participation of organisations in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, working together with international part- ners. The campaign is co-ordinated by LINKS Europe and supported by the European Union. For more information please contact Patrick Norén: patrick@links-europe.eu.
Controlled detonation of landmines and UXO by the HALO Trust, Askeran, Nagorno Karabakh
© Onnik James Krikorian 2010
Incidentally, in the LINKS Europe newsletter that accompanies the campaign, it is also reported that in October alone, the National Agency for Mine Action of the Republic of Azerbaijan (ANAMA) defused or destroyed over 4,000 landmines and UXO. Though some of the minefields in the seven regions now returned to Azerbaijani control were cleared in the 2000s, there are many more that remain or have been laid since.
Those mines have already taken a heavy toll in the post-2020 war environment.
It should also be remembered that Armenia has its own problems with landmines on the border too, and LINKS Europe also says that in November the Centre for Humanitarian Demining and Expertise (CHDE) held a training for UN employees in Armenia on explosive munitions and the danger that they pose. Earlier in October, CHDE also held awareness workshops for children and teachers in villages in the Gegharkunik region of the country.
Meanwhile, in Karabakh, the HALO Trust demining charity continues its work there. I’ve accompanied HALO Trust many times as they worked on demining land and collecting UXO from about 2000 to 2011 and some of my articles on the situation in Armenia and Karabakh 2000-2011 can be read online here, here, here, and here. There’s also a gallery of images taken during some of those visits here.
