Azernews.Az

Representatives of Azerbaijan's civil society organisations have made an appeal to the international organisation regarding the call to use the potential of humanitarian demining in the peace building process, Azernews reports.

The appeal reads:

We, the representatives of civil society of Azerbaijan, appeal to UN Secretary General Mr. Antonio Guterres, to the President of the UN General Assembly Mr.Csaba Kőrösi, to the President of the UN Human Rights Council Mr. Václav Bálek, to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mr. Volker Türk, to the Director of the UN Mine Safety Service Mrs. Ilen Kokhni, to the leaders of the European Union, Council of Europe institutions and the member countries of these institutions, and the leadership of the United Kingdom, urging each of them to give strong support to quickly eliminate the threat of landmines created by Armenia in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Today, more than 60 countries of the world are facing the threat of landmines. Azerbaijan occupies one of the first places among the countries most contaminated by landmines and unexploded military ammunition. According to preliminary information, during the occupation of Armenia, more than 1 million landmines were planted on the lands of Azerbaijan.

We feel the real danger caused by landmines and unexploded military ammunition in our daily activities. In 2020, after 44 days of war, 303 people were victims of landmines in the liberated territories. Of which 55 were killed, others were injured in various degrees. Among the injured, nine people are children and young people, and two people are women. Since 1991, the total number of victims of mines buried by Armenia is approaching 3400 people.

The government of Azerbaijan uses all its resources to carry out demining operations in the territories freed from occupation. About 1 million IDPs are looking forward to their safe return to their native lands. Those areas must be cleared of mines quickly for their return, and for this, there is a great need for international donors to mine clearance work and strong support for mine victims.

Despite the use of modern techniques in demining work, the massive contamination of areas with mines, the diversity of the geography of planted landmines, and the fact that Armenia has not provided accurate maps until now create immense difficulties in identifying and clearing mines.

Based on our research, we can note that approximately 71 percent of landmine incidents occurred outside the areas that used to be the Contact Line. This is another proof that they are directed against peaceful people. Landmine incidents were also recorded in destroyed settlements, cemeteries, springs, road crossings, forest massifs and village paths.

The refusal of Armenian side to provide the real landmine maps, and the way of deceiving the world community in this regard, and creating an imitation of providing mine maps, does not serve to eliminate the humanitarian disaster. This is also a neglect of the establishment of peace and harmony, sustainable development between the two countries in the future.

The fact that Armenia continues to plant landmines in Azerbaijan's territories even after the 44-day war, and the discovery of mines produced in 2021 in various areas in the past is the next series of crimes against humanity.

Demining is also one of the key conditions for achieving the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. It is for this reason that Azerbaijan formulated the Sustainable Development Goal for self-cleaning and set it as a national goal. In order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals on a global scale, to establish an international partnership in the fight against mines and unexploded ordnance, mobilize resources, and pay special attention to mine-affected countries, Azerbaijan has proposed a new and special 18th Sustainable Development Goal on humanitarian demining. We believe that this can direct the attention of the world community to the global mine threat.

We, as civil society organizations, urge you to closely support the elimination of the landmine problem in Azerbaijan, put pressure on Armenia, and demonstrate a fair position in the elimination of the mine threat.

We believe in the great potential of humanitarian demining in the peace building process.

We count on your valuable partnership and goodwill in combating the mine threat, and we count on your support in eliminating the threats posed by mines and unexploded ordnance.

Signatures:

1. Hafiz Safikhanov, Chairman of Azerbaijan Campaign Against Landmines Public Union

2. Azerbaijan Mine Victims Association Ray Gasimov (Ray Karimoglu)

3. Chairman of the Union of Disabled Organizations, Davud Rahimli

4. Chairman of the "Eurasia" Platform for Migration Initiatives Public Union Azer Allahverenov

5. Zaur İbrahimli, Chairman of "Prioritet" Social Economic Research Center Public Union

6. Chairman of the International Eurasia Press Fund Umud Mirzayev

7. Chairman of "Chirag" Humanitarian and Development Public Union Nadir Jafarov

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