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Nagorno-Karabakh
Casualties and Victim Assistance
Casualties
Casualties in 2009
|
Casualties in 2009 |
5 (2008: 14) |
|
Casualties by outcome |
2 killed; 3 injured (2008: 2 killed; 12 injured) |
|
Casualties by device type |
5 antivehicle mine casualties |
HALO Trust reported five antivehicle mine casualties in three incidents in Nagorno-Karabakh in 2009. No new casualties of antipersonnel landmines, cluster munition remnants, or other explosive remnants of war (ERW) were reported, marking 2009 as the first year with no new antipersonnel mine casualties in Nagorno-Karabakh since the creation of casualty records in 1995. All casualties in 2009 were adult males; four were civilians and one military. For the first time since 1995, no children were among the casualties.[1] The 2009 data represented a significant decrease from the 14 mine/ERW casualties recorded in 10 incidents in Nagorno-Karabakh in 2008.[2]
HALO has collected information on 327 mine/ERW casualties (of which 74 people were killed) in 251 incidents in Nagorno-Karabakh between 1995 and the end of 2009. Over a quarter of the total recorded casualties (86) were children, mostly boys. Of the total casualties, 37 were military and another eight were deminers. After 2002, antivehicle mines caused the majority of annual mine/ERW incidents. Cluster munition remnants caused at least 14 casualties between 1995 and 2008.[3]
Victim Assistance
At least 253 people have been injured by mines and ERW, including cluster munition remnants, in Nagorno-Karabakh in addition to an unknown number of war veterans injured by mines during the conflict.[4]
Victim assistance coordination
There is no specific victim assistance coordination body, plan, or focal point. The Ministry of Social Welfare is responsible for coordinating prosthetic, psychosocial, and employment services for persons with disabilities including mine/ERW survivors.[5] It was not reported that survivors were included in planning or implementation of services.
Service accessibility and effectiveness
No significant changes were reported in the accessibility and effectiveness of victim assistance services in 2009.
Although medical services should have been provided free of charge or at reduced cost to persons with disabilities, problems were reported. A mine survivor’s family had difficulties being reimbursed for the survivor’s medical costs through the Ministry of Health compensation scheme.[6]
The Prosthetic and Orthopedic Center (POC) operated by the Ministry of Social Welfare replaced just 13% (19 prostheses) of the 153 prostheses that were produced in 2005. The number of devices provided by POC has been declining since 2000.[7] The Republican Rehabilitation Center operated by the Ministry of Health continued to provide rehabilitation services in 2009.[8]
While the Stepanakert Psycho-Narcological Dispensary continued providing psychological support to both veterans and civilians affected by war trauma, its capacity was inadequate to address the needs of the population.[9] In 2009, the disabled veterans’ organization, Vita, provided psychological and social support and recognized that significant challenges remained for the social inclusion of its members.[10]
Few economic inclusion activities were reported other than donations of accessible vehicles. In 2009, 39 vehicles specially adapted for use in economic activities were provided to persons disabled in war as compared with just eight in 2008.[11]
In 2009, the disability status of an increased number of persons was reviewed, often resulting in a reduction in their benefits.[12]
[1] Casualty data for 2009 provided by email from Andrew Moore, Caucasus and Balkans Desk Officer, HALO, 25 February 2010. HALO revised and corrected 2009 casualty data which had previously included seven casualties as of June 2009.
[2] HALO, “Mines and UXO Accidents in Nagorno Karabakh corrected as at 1 July 2009,” provided by email from Matthew Hovell, Caucasus and Balkans Desk Officer, HALO, 8 July 2009.
[3] Emails from Andrew Moore, HALO, 25 February 2010; Matthew Hovell, HALO, 8 July 2009; and Valon Kumnova, Program Manager, HALO, 6 April 2007.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Government of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, “Ministry of Social Welfare: Regulations,” www.karabakh.net.
[6] Knar Babayan, “Deadly Blast: Young Tzovinar Miraculously Survives; Her Brother Didn’t,” Hetq Online, 12 April 2010, hetq.am.
[7] Interview with Levon Babayan, Director, POC, Stepanakert, 25 March 2010; and interview with Levon Babayan, POC, Stepanakert, 23 March 2007.
[8] Interview with Vardan Tadevosyan, Director, Republican Rehabilitation Center, 27 March 2010.
[9] Anahit Danielyan and Seda Muradyan, “Mental Scars of Karabakh War Veterans,” CRS, Issue 536, 18 March 2010, Institute for War and Peace Reporting-Caucasus, www.iwpr.net.
[10] Alvard Grigoryan, “Nagorno-Karabakh: wheelchair invalids take part in Shushi-Stepanakert Marathon race,” Kavkaz Uzel, 8 May 2010, www.eng.kavkaz-uzel.ru; and “Shoushi-Stepanakert marathon of disabled freedom fighters,” President of the Artsakh Republic, www.president.nkr.am.
[11] Laura Grigoryan, “The first stage of the program is finished,” AMTown, 7 October 2009, www.armtown.com. Eight cars were provided through state budgetary funds and 31 from charitable programs. See Naira Hayrumyan, “Overcoming Aid Syndrome: Karabakhis do not want charity and wait for concrete programs,” ArmeniaNow, 13 June 2008, www.armenianow.com; and Landmine Monitor Report 2009, p. 1,185.
[12] Alvard Grigoryan, “Nagorno-Karabakh: invalids undergo medical examination,” Kavkaz Uzel, 17 February 2010, www.eng.kavkaz-uzel.ru.
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