Contamination and Impact

Mines

Nagorno-Karabakh is affected by mines as a result of the 1988–1994 conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. In January 2010, as a result of re-survey, HALO Trust increased the total estimate of mined area from 7km² to 9.9km², of which 1.6km² contained only antipersonnel mines and the remaining 8.3km² contained only antivehicle mines.[1] As of 31 December 2010, the size of the contaminated area had been reduced to 5.92km² after HALO conducted surveys of almost all the areas containing antivehicle mines to delineate contamination in polygons. The remaining 5% of these areas was to be completed when the weather permitted. Polygon surveys of mined areas containing antipersonnel mines were ongoing as of March 2011.[2]

Cluster munition remnants

HALO has reported that Nagorno-Karabakh has a significant problem of cluster munition remnants, particularly in the Askeran and Martakert regions. Large quantities of air-dropped cluster munitions were used in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict over a six-year period. Cluster munition sites run through villages and contaminate gardens and prime agricultural land. HALO has already cleared the majority of cluster munition tasks around Stepanakert and Shushi.[3]

HALO initially conducted emergency surface clearance of cluster munition remnants. In 2008, HALO concluded there was also a significant sub-surface threat and they began to re-survey cluster munition strike sites. Sub-surface clearance has consistently resulted in clearing more area than originally estimated to be contaminated, and new surveys of previously unknown cluster munition strikes have added to the total suspected hazardous area (SHA).[4]

The result of the re-survey was an increase of SHA from 85km² to 94km² between 2008 and 2009.[5] As of March 2011, the estimated remaining area in need of battle area clearance (BAC) was 69.5 km² impacting 131 communities.[6]

Other explosive remnants of war

There is also a problem with other explosive remnants of war (ERW), mainly unexploded ordnance (UXO), resulting from the 1988–1994 conflict. Askeran and Martakert regions are said to be more contaminated by ERW than other regions. In Askeran, HALO has identified 73 SHAs covering 25.5km² and in Martakert, 66 SHAs covering 36.4km².[7]

ERW account for about half of the incidents involving explosive devices, with most incidents occurring at places not previously covered by survey.[8] In December 2010, for example, a 13-year-old boy was wounded after bringing home an unexploded submunition he had found near the village of Hin Taghlar in Hadrut district.[9] The device reportedly exploded when the boy hit it with an axe. Although the teenager had received risk education (RE) at school, he failed to recognize the object as a cluster munition.[10]

As of March 2011, HALO had specifically planned to conduct one explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) task for the year in addition to BAC operations (all other EOD is conducted on a call-out basis).[11] The SHA is in a schoolyard where HALO has already responded to EOD call-outs on several occasions but based on the number of call-outs HALO has decided to conduct full-scale clearance.[12]

Mine Action Program

HALO has been the backbone of the mine action program in Nagorno-Karabakh for more than 10 years. A Mine Action Coordination Committee is primarily responsible for liaising between the de facto government and HALO, but meets only when needed. In 2000, HALO established the Nagorno-Karabakh Mine Action Center that consolidates all mine action-related information. The Mine Action Center responds to requests from the de facto government’s ministries, all other NGOs, and local communities.[13]

Although Nagorno-Karabakh is heavily impacted by cluster munition remnants and HALO has made steady progress each year, the organization reported that donor funding would decrease in 2011. In February 2011, HALO released 46 personnel, all but one of whom were deminers, as a result of the United Kingdom’s decision to discontinue mine action funding to Nagorno-Karabakh after a review of its foreign aid program.[14] 

Land Release

Since 2006, HALO has consistently cleared 5km² to 6km² of mined areas annually.

Five-year summary of land release[15]

 

Survey in 2010

In 2010, re-survey of areas contaminated by antivehicle mines reduced the total area from 7.23km² to 3.25km². A further reduction is expected once the re-survey is completed but HALO does not expect significant reductions in land contaminated by antipersonnel mines. HALO did not survey land contaminated by antipersonnel mines in 2010.[16]

Mine clearance in 2010

In 2010, HALO cleared 5.31km² of mined areas, destroying 186 antipersonnel mines and 30 antivehicle mines in the process.[17] Fewer mines were found in 2010 than in previous years as many densely mined areas containing antipersonnel mines have already been cleared.[18] The main focus on clearance in 2010 was mined areas containing only antivehicle mines, which typically result in fewer mines being found.[19]Additional mines were cleared and destroyed during BAC or EOD operations, as set out in the table below.

Mine clearance in 2010[20]

N/A = not applicable

In Lachin, in southwest Nagorno-Karabakh, in Qashatagh Province near the Goris region in Armenia, HALO maintains a smaller clearance capacity during the cold and snowy winter months as clearance is often impossible.[21] For nine months in 2010, mine clearance capacity consisted of 185 deminers, while from January to April, when snow and inclement weather in Lachin limits demining, 167 deminers were employed.[22] As noted above, in February 2011 HALO released 46 personnel because of a reduction in funding. 

Mine clearance capacity in 2010[23]

 

Clearance of battle areas, including cluster munition contaminated areas, in 2010

Unexploded submunitions contaminate villages, gardens, and prime agricultural land. They sometimes, but not always, prevent people from cultivating land. HALO prioritizes clearance in communities where agricultural land is not used because it is often contaminated by cluster munition remnants.[24]

Battle area clearance in 2010[25]

AXO = abandoned explosive ordnance

Roving clearance/explosive ordnance disposal in 2010

HALO has one dedicated EOD team, although its mine clearance and BAC teams can also conduct EOD call-outs close to their clearance sites.

Roving clearance/explosive ordnance disposal in 2010[26]

 

Quality management

Quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) are integrated into HALO’s clearance operations. The section commanders and field officers spend most of their day conducting QA. The section commander checks each deminer’s lane after every 5m² of clearance. At the end of each working day the field officer checks all lanes. Additionally, regular site visits by supervisors, the program operations officer, and the program manager focus on QA and QC, including the checking of lanes.[27]

Safety of demining personnel

There were no accidents during demining operations in 2010.[28]

Other Risk Reduction Measures

Community liaison is an integral part of the daily work of HALO’s survey and clearance teams.[29] HALO personnel meet with the residents and local authorities in each community prior to all stages of clearance.  After completion of clearance in an area, landowners and the local authorities are present for the handover of the cleared land. In addition HALO has a mobile Mine Risk Education Team that visits impacted communities on a daily basis.[30]

HALO has a full-time RE team that focuses on schools. During the school holidays, RE targets adults.[31]