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NKR: The Reason Is The Strategic Change

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  • NKR: The Reason Is The Strategic Change

    THE REASON IS THE STRATEGIC CHANGE
    Ruzan Ishkhanian

    Azat Artsakh Daily
    01 Nov 2010
    Republic Of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]

    THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT STOPS FUNDING THE MINE CLAERING ACTIVITIES
    IN KARABAKH

    "The tendency of reducing the financial support have been fixed
    for the last three years, which is caused by the cease of two major
    European donors' funding", said the Karabakh program manager of The
    HALO Trust British NGO Rolly Clark in his interview to Azat Artsakh
    newspaper. According to R. Clark, one of the donors was the Dutch
    Government, which ceased its funding of the mine clearing activity in
    2009, due to the change of the state's humanitarian mission strategy
    - the humanitarian assistance of the Dutch Government in the South
    Caucasus region has considerably reduced. Currently, this country
    directs its funds to other regions, particularly, Central Africa.

    Answering our question if new war-points have appeared in Central
    Africa, the Karabakh program manager said that the strategic
    changes could be caused by different reasons. The second donor is the
    British Government, which ceased its funding last month. According to
    R.Clark, in this case, the matter is also the change in the British
    Government's mine clearing strategy. In 2011, the funding will reduce
    by $500.000. It means that about 90 people will lose their job.

    Currently, the Stepanakert Office of The HALO Trust comprises 221
    employees, and about half of them can become unemployed for the lack
    of the needed funds. Answering our question if the noted restrictions
    could have their negative impact on the mine clearing activities, R.

    Clark gave the following answer: "No negative impact will take
    place on the mine clearing activities, and we'll maintain them on
    the proper level. General reduction of the mine clearing activities
    is expected, and the less the number of sappers, the later the works
    will be finished and the later the Karabakh territory will be cleared.

    Speaking of the meetings with NKR NA Chairman Ashot Ghulian and
    Prime Minister Ara Harutyunian, R. Clark expressed hope that the
    NKR authorities would search corresponding ways for finding new
    donors, so as this humanitarian program could be fully continued. In
    particular, he noted his meeting with Prime Minister Harutyunian, at
    which the possibility of resolving the issue via the support of the
    Diaspora was noted. "We are grateful to the Karabakh authorities and
    NKR Representative to the USA for their pledge to find some financial
    sources". According to the program manager, certain role is also played
    in this issue by the state's unrecognized status, as some donor avoid
    realizing permanent humanitarian mission in similar regions.

    But, there are states, for which the unrecognized status isn't
    important. For instance, the USAID Agency under the USA Government
    renders considerable assistance to The HALO Trust. Speaking of the
    conducted works and those to be conducted, our interlocutor informed
    that about 4000 hectares of land had been cleared from unexploded
    mines and other ammunition for the last 10 years. Since 1995,
    254 cases of mine explosion were fixed in the Karabakh territory,
    causing 328 casualties. In 1995, 33 cases were fixed, in 2000 - 14
    cases, in 2005 - 11 cases, and in 2010 - 2 cases. This year, we also
    had deceased and injured people. 1000 hectares of land are still to
    be mine-cleared; otherwise, they represent great danger, especially
    for those living in distanced settlements of the country. Among
    the dangerous zones R. Clark noted the Hadrut, Martakert, Martuni,
    and Kashatagh regions. The territories, which are not mine-cleared,
    comprise the rural environs where people conduct agricultural works.

    Land cultivation is prohibited on these 1000 hectares of land,
    due to the mine danger. R. Clark considers it a great problem,
    as the rural inhabitants mainly deal with land cultivation, which
    is their only source of livelihood. "The Karabakh sappers are very
    diligent, and they have gained great experience and skills for their
    multi-year activity. But, we have still certain problems on ensuring
    the population's security, problems needing outer support for their
    solution", concluded the Karabakh program manager of the British NGO.

    In addition to the above mentioned, it should be noted that on June 4,
    2010, NKR President Bako Sahakian received a parliamentary delegation
    from Great Britain headed by Vice-Chairwoman of the British Parliament
    House of Lords, Baroness Caroline Cox. During the meeting, Baroness Cox
    expressed her concern about the Azerbaijani anti-Armenian propaganda
    aimed at influencing the Government of Great Britain for ceasing
    its financial support of The HALO Trust organization's activities in
    2011. Though the parties expressed hope in Stepanakert for the possible
    opposition to the tendency of humanitarian activities' politicization
    at corresponding European structures, today's realities, however,
    testify that the Azerbaijani expansive propaganda is still underway.




    From: A. Papazian
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