SYUNIK AND TAVUSH PROVINCES HAVE THOUSANDS OF LAND MINES

Armenpress

YEREVAN, JULY 12, ARMENPRESS: According to various estimations,
there are still from 50,000 to 80,000 mines planted in Armenia. The
majority are in Syunik and Tavush provinces.

The UNICEF Armenia Office is carrying out a program in these provinces
aimed to raise the awareness of their population and especially of
children about the danger of mines. Emil Sahakian, head of UNICEF
Armenia Office press service, said special training courses are also
being organized for school teachers so that they could share their
knowledge with children.

Mobile exhibitions and puppet shows are organized for the most remote
and risky communities. Emil Sahakian says in many cases children
cannot tell a mine from something else and when they find one they
think it is a toy.

This program is backed by a budget of $40,000 from the British
Development Program. It is accomplishing this year but a larger one
is supposed to be launched next year.