Armenia
Casualties and Victim Assistance
Casualty Overview
|
All known casualties by end 2013 |
At least 600 mine/ERW casualties (123 killed; 326 injured; 151 unknown) |
|
Casualties in 2013 |
6 (2012: 0) |
|
2013 Casualties by outcome |
3 killed; 3 injured (2012: 0) |
|
2013 Casualties by device type |
6 antipersonnel mine |
Six new mine casualties were identified in the Republic of Armenia in 2013 in two separate incidents. Two children were killed in Shirak province.[1] The other four casualties were soldiers deployed on a mission on the northeastern border of Armenia.[2] In 2012, no new mine/explosive remnants of war (ERW) casualties had been identified in Armenia, however in 2011 six mine casualties were recorded.[3]
At least 600 mine/ERW casualties (123 killed; 326 injured; 151 of unknown status) have been reported in Armenia since 1990.[4] The Armenia Landmine Impact Survey from 2005 identified 394 casualties (110 killed; 284 injured).[5] The subsequent Non-Technical Mine Action Survey conducted by the Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (SFD) between November 2012 and May 2013 with the view to complete the 2005 survey identified a total of 271 non-recent victims while noting that it was impossible to log all victims during the survey.[6]
Victim Assistance
The Monitor has identified at least 326 mine/ERW survivors in Armenia. Other reports have recorded over 580 “mine victims” which could include family members of people who have been killed by mines/ERW.[7]
In 2013, the ICRC continued to support the Armenian Red Cross Society (ARCS) in a program of data collection on the needs of mine/ERW survivors. By the end of 2013, ARCS volunteers had collected data on 336 mine/ERW survivors and their families. This database is managed by the ARCS in close cooperation and collaboration with the Armenian Center for Humanitarian Demining and Expertise.[8]
Armenia has no victim assistance coordination or specific victim assistance strategy. Mine/ERW survivors receive the same services as other persons with disabilities.
The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs is responsible for protecting the rights of persons with disabilities, but it reportedly failed to do that effectively.[9]
In 2013, the International Organization for Migration in Armenia continued a socioeconomic reintegration project for survivors supported by ITF Enhancing Human Security that began in 2009. Project activities included micro-credit, skills training, and enhancing government ownership of victim assistance.[10]
In 2013, ICRC teams continued livelihood-support activities for the most vulnerable people in the Tavush province, one of the most mine/ERW-affected regions of Armenia, on the basis of a needs assessment the ICRC conducted in 2011.[11]
The law prohibits discrimination against persons with any disability; however, discrimination remained a problem. The law and a special government decree mandated accessibility to buildings for persons with disabilities, but very few buildings were accessible. Persons with disabilities experienced problems in virtually all spheres of life, including healthcare, social and psychological rehabilitation, education, transportation, communication, access to employment, and social protection. Social acceptance was even more difficult for women with disabilities. According to official data, more than 90% of persons with disabilities who were able to work were unemployed.[12]
Armenia ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) on 22 September 2010.
[1] Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD), “Republic of Armenia Non-Technical Mine Action Survey, November 2012 – May 2013,” June 2013, p. 9.
[2] “Ceasefire 20: Landmine danger for military, civilians persists despite international sweeping effort,” ArmeniaNow, 17 May 2014.
[3] “Two Young Armenian Boys Injured from Land Mine,” Press.am, 25 January 2011, accessed on 2 April 2012; and United States (US) Department of State, “2011 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Armenia,” Washington, DC, 24 May 2012.
[4] Email from Gayane Armaghanova, Vice Chair, Armenian National Committee of the ICBL (ANC-ICBL), 22 April 2007; and US Department of State, “Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Armenia 2009–2011.” There has been no consistent casualty data collection in Armenia. Prior to 2007, information on military casualties was not available and therefore it is not possible to compare trends over time.
[5] UNDP, “Landmine Impact Survey, Republic of Armenia, 2005,” Yerevan, p. 17.
[6] FSD, “Republic of Armenia Non-Technical Mine Action Survey, November 2012 – May 2013,” June 2013, p. 10.
[7] ANC-ICBL identified 548 survivors through 2007 and 34 injured casualties between 2008 and 2010. Email from Gayane Armaghanova, ANC-ICBL, 22 April 2007. In 2012, ITF Enhancing Human Security reported that there were over 580 mine victims in Armenia. Enhancing Human Security, “Annual Report 2011,” Ljubljana, 2012, p. 68. ITF Enhancing Human Security was formerly known as the International Trust Fund for Demining and Victims Assistance (Slovenia).
[8] Email from Herbi Elmazi, Regional Weapon Contamination Advisor, Regional Delegation for the Russian Federation, ICRC, 25 July 2014.
[9] US Department of State, “2013 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Armenia,” Washington, DC, 27 February 2014, p. 36.
[10] ITF Enhancing Human Security, “Annual Report 2013,” Ljubljana, 2014, pp. 57–59; “Annual Report 2012,” Ljubljana, 2013, pp. 91–92; and ITF Enhancing Human Security, “Annual Report 2011,” Ljubljana, 2012, p. 68.
[11] ICRC, “Annual Report 2013,” Geneva, May 2014, p. 364; and ICRC, “Annual Report 2012,” Geneva, May 2013, p. 317.
[12] US Department of State, “2013 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Armenia,” Washington, DC, 27 February 2014, p. 36.