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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
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