DUSHANBE, April 4, Asia-Plus — Tajikistan joins in observing April 4 as International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action to help draw attention to the global landmine problem.
According to the Tajik Mine Action Cell (TMAC), more than 1,200 hectares of land have been cleared of land mine so far, and another 20 million square meters of land are to be cleared of landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXOs).
As it had been reported earlier, the OSCE Center in Dushanbe and TMAC today are carrying out demonstration mine-clearing work at the mine detection dog training center in Rudaki district, some 20 kilometers south of Dushanbe. The event is held on occasion of International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action.
Representatives from organizations and bodies dealing with mine action issues are attending the event.
Tajikistan signed the Convention on the Prohibition on the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Antipersonnel Mines and on their Destruction (the Ottawa Convention) in 2000. All signatory states undertook to ensure the destruction of all anti-personnel land mines they possess, as soon as possible but no later than 10 years after signing the convention. In the case of Tajikistan, this means that the country should be mine-free by 2010.
April 4 was designated as a day of remembrance by UN Resolution A/c.4/60/L.7/rev.1 on November 8, 2005. Marking 4 April – the day declared by the United Nations Assembly as the international day dedicated to problems landmines pose all over the world – is an opportunity for local authorities and international organizations to analyze past achievements in the area of mine action, and to reiterate their commitment and willingness to solve the issue of presence of landmines and the danger they represent in the country as soon as possible.
