On Wednesday 9 November, over 1,100 will
be destroyed at the central demolition site outside of Kabul. This will
be the first time in the central region that such a significant number
of mines, mostly anti-personnel landmines, will be destroyed. Another 400
mines will be kept for training purposes.
HALO Trust,one of the Afghanistan New
Beginnings Programme's (ANBP's) implementing partners, will be carrying
out the demolition. In July 2005, ANBP signed an agreement with the Islamic
Republic of Afghanistan to include the destruction of anti-personnel landmines
in its ammunition survey and consolidation efforts.
Weapons and ammunition are too often stored in populated areas, which can lead to terrible tragedies as continually witnessed in Afghanistan. When knowing of locations or caches of weapons and ammunition, communities should contact the nearest Afghan or international security forces so weapons can be checked and safely disposed of.
The destruction of anti-personnel landmines will not only alleviate the danger posed by such ordnance, but also assist the Government of Afghanistan in meeting its stockpile destruction obligations as a State Party to the Ottawa Convention, also known as the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction.
The ceremony will be attended by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Mohammad Haider Reza, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Defense General Azimi, the Deputy-head of the Canadian Embassy, Elizabeth Baldwin-Jones as well as senior representatives of ANBP.
The Canadian government has been a strong supporter of the ammunition survey efforts throughout Afghanistan.
Journalists who want to attend the event should present themselves at Halo Trust headquarters on Jalalabad road at 10 am on Wednesday. The Halo Trust HQ is located on the left side of Jalalabad road when driving towards Jalalabad, about 300 meters after the UNOCA compound. Journalists will then proceed in convoy to the site. The destruction will take place at 11 am.
Media Contact
Ahmad Jan Nawzadi -- ANBP Public Information
Officer, 070 22 74 17
Email: anawzadi@anbpafg.org / ahmad_jan40@hotmail.com
Ariane Quentier - ANBP Communications
Advisor, 070 166 911
Email: aquentier@anbpafg.org / arianequentier@compuserve.com