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THE WORLD WANTS TO PROHIBIT CLUSTER BOMBS WHICH ARE WELL-KNOWN IN KARABAKH
Naira Hayrumyan
KarabakhOpen
20-05-2008 13:03:14
A conference is held in Dublin on prohibiting cluster bombs. Over
100 countries are for prohibition. Russia is not.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union Azerbaijan inherited an
immense amount of ammunition, including cluster bombs RBK 500 (500 kg)
which can be stuffed with different ammunition. In Karabakh everyone
knows pellet bombs ShOAB 0.5 (0.5 kg), as well as AO 2.5 and PTAB
1M. Azerbaijan used those weapons during the war.
Presently only one international organization has an office in
Stepanakert.
It is The HALO Trust, registered in the UK.
Artem Harutiunyan was in the first mine clearance team of The HALO
Trust in Karabakh in 2000. In 2002 he was seconded to Mozambique where
he worked till 2006. Now he is technical adviser for Landmine Action
in West Sahara.
"From 2000 to February 20, 2008 7812 cluster ammunition (3847 pellet
bombs and 3965 others) were found and disposed," Artem Harutiunyan
said in an interview with Karabakh-Open.com.
He said there are conventions on anti-personnel mines but Azerbaijan,
Armenia and Karabakh have not joined them. "It will hardly happen
unless relations are established between these countries," the
expert said.
"The recent case of use of mines was reported in 2006, the Azerbaijani
army laid mines around their positions near Aghdam (according to
the report of the Azerbaijan national landmine agency)," Artem
Harutiunyan said.
Since 1995 225 mine and ammunition explosions occurred, 298 people
were injured, including 78 children. 66 died. Most incidents occurred
in 2004, 27 and 10 people died. This year one incident was reported,
which took the life of a 15-year-old boy. By the number of incidents
per person Karabakh exceeds Afghanistan 3 times.
According to the HALO Trust, mines in Karabakh were laid during the
military conflict, during which cluster bombs, artillery and other
ammunition was used widely.
The signing of the convention is determined by the fact that mostly
civilians suffer from cluster bombs, and not only at war.
The international humanitarian organizations think it is time to sign
a binding agreement because peaceful people suffer from cluster bombs.
However, some countries which produce or use cluster bombs, such as the
United States, China, Russia, India, Pakistan and Israel, are against
such an agreement, BBCRussian.com reports. These countries claim
that cluster bombs are necessary for solving military problems. Their
representatives are not going to take part in the conference. Cluster
bombs are used by the armies of many countries, and are often used
in military conflicts. For instance, in summer 2006 Israel used them
in the south of Lebanon.
At present chemical and biological weapons are prohibited.
Naira Hayrumyan
KarabakhOpen
20-05-2008 13:03:14
A conference is held in Dublin on prohibiting cluster bombs. Over
100 countries are for prohibition. Russia is not.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union Azerbaijan inherited an
immense amount of ammunition, including cluster bombs RBK 500 (500 kg)
which can be stuffed with different ammunition. In Karabakh everyone
knows pellet bombs ShOAB 0.5 (0.5 kg), as well as AO 2.5 and PTAB
1M. Azerbaijan used those weapons during the war.
Presently only one international organization has an office in
Stepanakert.
It is The HALO Trust, registered in the UK.
Artem Harutiunyan was in the first mine clearance team of The HALO
Trust in Karabakh in 2000. In 2002 he was seconded to Mozambique where
he worked till 2006. Now he is technical adviser for Landmine Action
in West Sahara.
"From 2000 to February 20, 2008 7812 cluster ammunition (3847 pellet
bombs and 3965 others) were found and disposed," Artem Harutiunyan
said in an interview with Karabakh-Open.com.
He said there are conventions on anti-personnel mines but Azerbaijan,
Armenia and Karabakh have not joined them. "It will hardly happen
unless relations are established between these countries," the
expert said.
"The recent case of use of mines was reported in 2006, the Azerbaijani
army laid mines around their positions near Aghdam (according to
the report of the Azerbaijan national landmine agency)," Artem
Harutiunyan said.
Since 1995 225 mine and ammunition explosions occurred, 298 people
were injured, including 78 children. 66 died. Most incidents occurred
in 2004, 27 and 10 people died. This year one incident was reported,
which took the life of a 15-year-old boy. By the number of incidents
per person Karabakh exceeds Afghanistan 3 times.
According to the HALO Trust, mines in Karabakh were laid during the
military conflict, during which cluster bombs, artillery and other
ammunition was used widely.
The signing of the convention is determined by the fact that mostly
civilians suffer from cluster bombs, and not only at war.
The international humanitarian organizations think it is time to sign
a binding agreement because peaceful people suffer from cluster bombs.
However, some countries which produce or use cluster bombs, such as the
United States, China, Russia, India, Pakistan and Israel, are against
such an agreement, BBCRussian.com reports. These countries claim
that cluster bombs are necessary for solving military problems. Their
representatives are not going to take part in the conference. Cluster
bombs are used by the armies of many countries, and are often used
in military conflicts. For instance, in summer 2006 Israel used them
in the south of Lebanon.
At present chemical and biological weapons are prohibited.