On April 27, 2023, a press conference was held at the office of the International Eurasia Press Fund regarding the mine incident that occurred in Sugovushan yesterday. A statement addressed to international organizations, UN agencies, civil society organizations and the international community was made by IEPF regarding the landmine incident at the event held with the participation of NGO and media representatives.

 

Ednews informs that Umud Mirzayev, the president of the International Eurasia Press Fund, who opened the event with his opening speech, pointed out that injured Fund's employee as a result of the explosion of an anti-personnel mine, once again shows how serious this problem is.

 

He said that the checkpoint in Lachin was established in order to prevent further pollution of our land contaminated by mines.

 

"Until now, 3 employees of the International Eurasia Press Fund have been martyred. The fact that our activities are carried out in territories liberated from occupation means that we are not insured against such incidents. Such incidents can happen at any moment. No one is insured against this."

 

The president of the Fund stated that Armenia does not inform Azerbaijan about the exact maps of the mines buried in the liberated territories during the past years:

 

"Also today, they continue provocations and pollutes the liberated territories with mines again. As a result, the lives of civilians and soldiers are seriously endangered."

 

Rauf Zeini, President of the National Non-Governmental Organizations Forum (NGOF), also spoke at the event. According to him, if Armenia wants to sign a peace agreement, it is not understandable that it commits terrorist crimes:

 

"If you want to sign a peace agreement, what is the need to turn so many innocent people into victims of landmines?! We call to Armenia to put an end to terrorism and contribute to the establishment of peace, stability, and mutual cooperation in the region," he said.

 

Later, IEPF and NGO agencies signed a statement at the event. The statement mentions that on April 26, 2023, a landmine explosion occurred in the territory of the liberated Sugovushan village of Tartar region. As a result of the incident, Babashov Khazar Tariyel, the driver of the Community Mine Action Team of the International Eurasia Press Fund, received serious injuries. Khazar Babashov, whose right leg was amputated below the ankle, worked at IEPF  since 2013:

 

"For more than 20 years, IEPF, which has joined the Program for Combating Mine Threats, has implemented numerous projects in this direction, launched campaigns, made numerous statements and closely participated in the organization of various local and international events, conferences, and seminars, contributing to the solution of this human problem with its humanitarian activities. Active since 2002, BAMF's Community Mine Action team was demining more than 10,000 hectares of land from mines and explosives and handed it over to the end user.

 

Unfortunately, Azerbaijan ranks first among the countries of the world in terms of the level of contamination with mines and explosive remnants of war. During the 30-year occupation, the territories of Azerbaijan were mined and seriously polluted. Today, Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) is carrying out intensive demining operations in our territories which were liberated from occupation. However, in order to get rid of this invisible enemy as soon as possible, it is necessary to further develop the material, technical and personnel base. It should also be noted that Armenia has not give accurate mine maps, which is in gross violation of the Geneva Convention adopted in 1949 and the protocols added in 1977. Mines are seriously threatening the lives of civilians by being buried by the Armenian military units in areas designated for military purposes, including civil infrastructure, light lines, intersections, entrances to courtyards, cemeteries, river banks, village and settlement paths. Armenian mine terrorism kills innocent Azerbaijani citizens almost every week and threatens the peace between the two countries.

 

It should be especially emphasized that since the cessation of hostilities in accordance with the agreement of November 10, 2020, until today, as a result of the explosion of mines planted by the Armenian armed forces, a total of 295 victims, including military personnel and civilians, 51 people were killed, and 244 people received various degrees of physical injuries. In the last week, 3 landmine explosion occurred, resulting in 5 people becoming landmine victims.

 

The main purpose of this statement is to bring the description of the current pollution and situation in Azerbaijan to the attention of international organizations, governments and the public involved in the Mine Action and working in this field, and to call on the international community to take necessary measures to support peace, stability and sustainable development in the region. The International Eurasia Press Fund calls on the people of the world not to be indifferent to the global mine problem of Azerbaijan and to show themselves support in its solution.

 

Other NGO representatives speaking at the event also said that they are against such terrorist incidents.

 

Oghuz, Ulviyya Shahin