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International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action
Observed in Azerbaijan
United
Nations Department of Public Information office in Azerbaijan once again acted
as an initiator for a joint event to commemorate another UN observance on 4
April 2007 International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action.
UNDPI Representative Ms. Envera Selimovic geared up for a
two-day trip to the mine-affected Fizuli region in the south-west of
Azerbaijan from 3 4 April The Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action
(ANAMA) also hosted colleagues from UNDP and UNICEF, leading assistance
partners of ANAMA.
In the UNDPI Media
Advisory released to local media before the trip, Ms. Selimovic appealed
to journalists to take part in raising awareness about landmines,
explosive remnants of war (ERW), and their eradication for International
Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action. "We encourage
everyone to use any occasion to help renew the public and media interest
in mine action," she noted.
The conflict
between Armenian forces and Azerbaijan, from 1988 through 1994, resulted
in the occupation of 20 per cent of Azerbaijani territory and the
displacement of 15 per cent of the population of Azerbaijan or about 1
million people. The conflict caused massive destruction of social
infrastructure and productive resources in occupied and surrounding
territories. Fizuli still partly occupied is at the heart of the
Azerbaijani de-mining area. The mine threat is very acute in this region
while a mine casualty had been reported from there in Boyuk-Behmenli
village just a few days before the trip.
Ms. Selimovic
visited ANAMA facilities in the Horadiz Camp together with Mr. Musa
Jalalov, MRE Department Manager of ANAMA; Mr. Fargan Abbaszadeh,
Communication Manager of the UN Development Program (UNDP) and Mr.
Radoslaw Rzehak, Child Protection Manager of the UN Children’s Fund
(UNICEF) to learn about the operational activities on the site.
There
was also a chance to meet with de-miners, and see mechanical de-mining and
mine detection dog operations.
Mr. Musa Jalalov
briefed the delegation on the successful and courageous work of the ANAMA
de-miners in making the affected areas safer for everyone. He underlined
the need to remain vigilant regarding mine risk and supportive of mine
action efforts. In March 2007 more than 27,000 mines and ERWs were found
and destroyed by ANAMA, he said. He also noted that ANAMA has identified
163 million square metres of land contaminated with mines and ERW. More
than 46 million square metres of affected land has been cleared and made
accessible."
Highlighting UNDP’s
role as an initiator of the Azerbaijan Mine Action Programme, Mr. Fargan
Abbaszadeh noted that "UNDP works closely with authorities to create a
national mine action capacity. From the first days of the Programme, UNDP
has provided on-going support to ANAMA and helped mobilize international
donor assistance including that from the European Commission, the UK,
Italy, Sweden, Japan, Canada and Norway."
After this very
informative tour on the field activities the delegation visited secondary
schools No.2 in the Horadiz resettlement to participate in mine risk
education classes, supported by the Government of Azerbaijan and UNICEF.
Mr.
Radoslaw Rzehak noted that UNICEF has already been working in the field of
humanitarian mine action for 12 years, and has supported activities in 35
countries, taking the lead in the development of Mine Risk Education
(MRE). "In Azerbaijan, our MRE program has been implemented and
coordinated in close cooperation with ANAMA since 2000. In two years
UNICEF and ANAMA have been able to create a national capacity that has
acted as a strong basis for performing future MRE activities even today,"
he added.
During the class
ANAMA Representative Mr. Musa Jalalov had a lively discussion with school
children. "While comparing figures with the last year, this year we have
no children and women mine casualties at all. This proves that our
educational programme is effective" he said after the MRE class in his
interview with the LiderTV correspondent.
In terms of media
coverage it seems the UNDPI Media Advisory worked excellently as a
reminder for journalists to highlight the issue of mine threat which is so
grave in Azerbaijan. Regional correspondents of four main nation-wide TV
broadcasting stations, as well as a journalist form the leading news
agency accompanied the delegation during the visit. Furthermore the UNDPI
Representative invited one prominent local journalist from a central
newspaper to join this trip and to prepare an in-depth report from the
field.
Several local TV
stations and news agencies also broadcasted the Secretary-General’s
message to mark the occasion. In addition, while they were in the field,
UNDPI arranged interviews with all of the participants with UN Radio,
conducted by Ms. Natalya Terekhova from the Russian Service. In her words
she describes what sounds like excellent feedback on continuous
cooperation between the UNDPI Azerbaijan and UN Radio: "I can't remember
when we've had a chance to cover a field visit in the region and I'm very
thankful for your help".
Today.az News Agency
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