Azat Artsakh – Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR)
May 5, 2004

ONLY HUMANISM WILL SAVE THE WORLD

So far the minefields are a serious problem for post-war Artsakh,
endangering the life and health of the peaceful population and
hindering postwar rehabilitation, restoration and development of
agriculture. The British humanitarian organization The HALO Trust has
been working in Karabakh for three years already. This organization
specializing in mine clearance in the post-conflict areas of the
world, works in 24 countries. The activity of this organization
requiring significant financial means is funded by the USAID, the
Royal government of the Netherlands, the foundation “Gafesjian”,
“Cooperative Bank” and other organizations. In the beginning The HALO
Trust cooperated with the field engineer battalion of the Karabakh
Defence Army then it started implementing the program separately.
According to the director of the program Ed Row, so far 3 million
523967 square meters of area has been cleared of mines, about 3377
projectiles, 26396 ordnance were rendered to pose no threat. Within
the organization strict control and order is maintained. To our
question why the managers of the program are rotated often, the head
of the office said the manager of the program is rotated once in two
years against the background of the promotion of quality. Due to the
hard work of the organization the mines of Drmbon and Chldran operate
at full. The HALO Trust also carries out popular teaching programs at
schools and among the village population. The organization has
distributed hundreds of signs warning against minefields. The manager
of the program complained of people who deliberately spoil the signs,
as a result of which accidents are sometimes reported. According to Ed
Row, the program of mine clearance of the entire territory of NKR will
take 5-7 years. The HALO Trust also solves a problem of unemployment,
providing jobs to 205 young and middle-aged men.

LIRA MIRZOYAN.