DUSHANBE, March 18, 2009, Asia-Plus — Tajikistan seeks extension of the period for fulfillment of its obligations on the Convention on the Prohibition on the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Antipersonnel Mines and on their Destruction (the Ottawa Convention) for another ten years, director of Tajik Mine Action Cell (TMAC) Jonmahmad Rajabov said in an interview with Asia-Plus. TMAC is the governmental structure responsible for all mine action related issues in the country
Tajikistan signed the 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.
“We will not be able to complete demining operations this year and international experts have confirmed that,” said the TMAC director, “Therefore, we have sent a request to the Commission under the Government of Tajikistan for Implementation of International law for extension of the period for another ten years and they have approved that. In late March, we intend to apply to the Ottawa Convention Secretariat and I think we will receive reply to our request before the end of this year.”
According to him, the main reasons for failure to fulfill the obligations by the set time are shortage of finance and lack of modern demining equipment. “Despite the fact that many countries and international organizations decided to contribute this year to demining operations in Tajikistan the funds are not sufficient,” said Rajabov, “The Government of Germany has committed to provide 1.2 million euros, the OSCE – 500,000 dollars, Belgium – 18,000 euros, the Government of Canada – 400,000 dollars, etc.”
The mine-strewn areas in Tajikistan are a legacy of the country’s disastrous civil war in the 1990s. Most land mines in Tajikistan were laid during the five-year civil war, which ended in 1997. In many areas the mines still pose a deadly threat as well as a major impediment to effective land use. Additional mines were laid along the Tajik-Uzbek border by the authorities in Tashkent in the late 1990s. The action was reportedly taken to stave off incursions by the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU). More than 600 civilians in Tajikistan have become victims of mine explosions since the 1990-s.
According to TMAC, demining teams have cleared more than 1.5 million square meters of land and destroyed more than 11,000 antipersonnel mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) so far and they have to clear another 17 million square meters.
