Trip to Fuzuli; meeting with the Azerbaijan Mine Victims Association

The trip to Fuzuli was embarked on because of the need for the chairman of International Eurasia Press Fund (IEPF), Mr. Umud Mirzoyev to make personal assessments of the achieved successes with the Azerbaijan Mine victims Association (AMVA) members particularly in the Fuzuli region. Prior to the Fuzuli visit, Mr. Umud was at Agstafa with a team of press men to join the AMVA in commemorating the international Mine Awareness day -4th of April; During the ceremony at Agstafa that had the local authorities, civil society representatives, government officials and various other NGOs in attendance, prominence was accorded to the AMVA activities and certificate was presented to outstanding members particularly members who were part of the initiative group in the project implementation.

In the Fuzuli meting, the AMVA members took turns to elaborate their stories. They shared their faced problems as well as highlighting new challenges. Unlike in the past, prior to the establishment of the AMVA, members are now having an opportunity to make their cases heard. Most of the cases were on the extent of achievements with the legal matters of the working group on the project “establishing of the Azerbaijan Mine victims association in Fuzuli and directing its activities”.

The mine victims are also having a new lease of life. During the project implementation, through the spirited efforts of the working staff, the mine victims were taught various business skills, mine victims also acquired knowledge on mine risk education. The outcome of the project implementation is that most mine victim families are present proud owners of small business in specific directions as crop farming, animal breeding, etc.

The Association members expressed believe in the sustainability of the achievements. Several mine victims who were awarded certificates assured to continue the successful achievement of the working staff members of the project.

A particular case was brought up at the meeting with the mine victims; it was on one, Mammadov Namiq, an English language teacher in Karimbeyli village, one of the Fuzuli districts. He, Mammadov Namiq together with his mother was a recent victim of mine accident. Narrating his story, he said the incident occurred on the 28th of February, 2008 in the family compound. They had intended to set up a fire to a bundle of firewood that was heaped in the yard. Unknown to them and as a usual case of most landmines accident, the unidentified mine buried in the earth exploded on them. Namiq sustained fatal injuries to his both hands while his mother had the most injuries to her entire body.

His story further points to the risky life these inhabitants have chosen to live. Not like they have any option. However, the government of Azerbaijan through the works of Azerbaijan National Agency on Mine Action (ANAMA) and its partners are putting in much effort to ensure that these territories are liberated from all landmines. To the credit of the ANAMA and partners, it should be added that the incidence of Mammadov Namiq and his mother, Abbasova Xadija is not a regular occurrence but nevertheless it will be good if no such incidence is recorded.

The Azerbaijan Mine Victims Association was established in the year 2006 by the IEPF in the project “Establishing and functioning of the Azerbaijan Mine victims Association (AMVA) in Tartar District of Azerbaijan” with the financial support of the US Department of State Bureau of Political and Military Affairs, office of Weapon Removal and Abatement (PM/WRA). The purpose for the establishment of the AMVA was to give the mine victims a platform from wherein they can organize themselves in order to overcome their challenges.

After the occupation of the Azerbaijan territories by the Armenia’s military forces, the mine victims were greatly disadvantaged; most of them lived as internally displaced persons of Azerbaijan, some lost the family bread winner, others lost their source of livelihood as well as houses. All most all have suffered both social and emotional pains. This was why an initiative such as the AMVA that has helped brings mine victims together in order to discus, share and learn Experiences is a rightful program.

Although most landmines explosions were recorded short whiles immediately after the end of the war and majority of such instances happened because of ignorance on the part of the habitants who despite aware of the danger but were left with no alternative but to return to their home lands. However, some instances were as a result of no distant occurrences. The government of Azerbaijan has made it a priority to free these territories of all buried landmines and UXO and ANAMA, the governmental agencies and its partners are effectively fulfilling this objective.