Tajikistan

Cluster Munition Ban Policy

Last updated: 26 June 2018

Summary: Non-signatory Tajikistan supports the convention but has taken no steps to join it. It abstained from voting on another key United Nations (UN) resolution on the convention in December 2017 and has not participated as an observer in a meeting of the convention since 2014.

Tajikistan claims to be in de facto compliance with the convention as it states it has never used, produced, transferred, or stockpiled cluster munitions. It is contaminated by the remnants of cluster munitions used during its civil war in the 1990s.

Policy

The Republic of Tajikistan has not acceded to the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

Tajikistan has been considering its accession to the convention since 2008 but has taken no steps to accede besides stakeholder consultations.[1] Previously, until 2014,Tajikistan informed States Parties that it was considering joining the convention.[2]

Tajikistan participated in the Oslo Process that created the Convention on Cluster Munitions and endorsed both the Oslo Declaration (committing to the conclusion of an international instrument banning cluster munitions that cause unacceptable harm to civilians) and the Wellington Declaration (committing to negotiate a convention banning cluster munitions based on the Wellington draft text). However, Tajikistan did not participate in the formal negotiations of the convention in Dublin in May 2008, even as an observer, and did not attend the convention’s Signing Conference in Oslo in December 2008.[3]

Tajikistan has participated as an observer in the convention’s Meetings of States Parties, but not since 2014.

Tajikistan is a State Party to the Mine Ban Treaty. It is also party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons.

Production, transfer, use, and stockpiling

Tajikistan has stated repeatedly that it does not use, produce, transfer, or stockpile cluster munitions.[4] In 2011, the Ministry of Defense said that Tajik forces had never used cluster munitions and revealed that a recent inventory of weapons depots and other storage facilities confirmed it had no stockpiled cluster munitions.[5]

Cluster munitions were used in Tajikistan in the 1990s following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, but the forces responsible for that use have never been conclusively identified.[6] A representative of Tajikistan’s Ministry of Interior said that Uzbek forces used cluster munitions in Rasht Valley and Ramit Valley in the 1990s and said Tajik forces had no capacity to use cluster munitions.[7]



[1] Statement of Tajikistan, International Conference on the Convention on Cluster Munitions, Santiago, 8 June 2010; statement of Tajikistan, Convention on Cluster Munitions Second Meeting of States Parties, Beirut, 14 September 2011; and statement of Tajikistan, Convention on Cluster Munitions Third Meeting of States Parties, Oslo, 11 September 2012. In May 2011, a Cluster Munition Delegation (CMC) delegation visited Tajikistan and met with a range of government officialsfromthe Office of the President, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, and the Ministry of Interior. ICBL-CMC, Report on Advocacy Mission to Tajikistan: 23–27 May 2011.

[2] Statement of Tajikistan,by Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, Tajikistan National Mine Action Center, Convention on Cluster Munitions Fifth Meeting of States Parties, San Jose, 3 September 2014. The representative said that Tajikistan was considering submitting a voluntary transparency report for the convention, but none had been received by the UN as of June 2017.

[3] For details on Tajikistan’s cluster munition policy and practice through early 2009, see Human Rights Watch and Landmine Action, Banning Cluster Munitions: Government Policy and Practice (Ottawa: Mines Action Canada, May 2009), pp. 244–245.

[4] Statement of Tajikistan, Convention on Cluster Munitions Fifth Meeting of States Parties, San Jose, 3 September 2014; statement of Tajikistan, Convention on Cluster Munitions Third Meeting of States Parties, Oslo, 11 September 2012; statement of Tajikistan, Convention on Cluster Munitions Intersessional Meetings, Geneva, 18 April 2012; statement of Tajikistan, Convention on Cluster Munitions Second Meeting of States Parties, Beirut, 13 September 2011; statement of Tajikistan, International Conference on the Convention on Cluster Munitions, Santiago, 8 June 2010. Notes by Action on Armed Violence/Human Rights Watch; and Letter No. 10-3 (5027) from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand, 22 April 2008.

[5] CMC meeting with Maj. Gen. Abdukakhor Sattorov, Ministry of Defense, Dushanbe, 25 May 2011.

[6] Unexploded ShOAB-0.5 and AO-2.5RT submunitions have been found in the town of Gharm in the Rasht valley.Tajikistan Mine Action Center, “Cluster munitions in Gharm,” undated, but reporting on an April 2007 assessment.

[7] CMC meeting with Col. Mahmad Shoev Khurshed Izatullovich, Commander of Special Militia AMON (SWAT) Antiterrorist Unit, Ministry of Interior, Dushanbe, 26 May 2011.


Mine Ban Policy

Last updated: 02 November 2011

Commitment to the Mine Ban Treaty

Mine Ban Treaty status

State Party

National implementation measures 

Existing law deemed sufficient but efforts underway to modify

Transparency reporting

7 March 2011

Policy

The Republic of Tajikistan acceded to the Mine Ban Treaty on 12 October 1999, becoming a State Party on 1 April 2000. In late 2007, the Tajikistan Mine Action Center (TMAC) submitted three draft amendments to the national parliament aimed at harmonizing national laws with the requirements of the Mine Ban Treaty.[1] Tajikistan has not reported any progress since that time.  In the past, the government said that new legislation to implement the treaty domestically was unnecessary, as it relied on its criminal code to punish violations of the treaty.[2]  

Tajikistan submitted its ninth Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 report, dated 7 March 2011, covering calendar year 2010.

Tajikistan attended the Tenth Meeting of States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty in Geneva in November–December 2010, as well as the intersessional Standing Committee meetings in June 2011 where it gave an update on its mince clearance efforts.

Tajikistan has continued to promote the Mine Ban Treaty in its region, calling for a “Central Asia region free of mines,” and a “Mine Action Regional Coordination body in Central Asia.”[3] It also hosted the Dushanbe Workshop on Progress and Challenges in Achieving a Mine-Free Central Asia on 7 and 8 July 2009, the third in a series of regional conferences.[4]

Tajikistan is party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) and its Amended Protocol II on landmines. Tajikistan is also party to CCW Protocol V on explosive remnants of war. It has never submitted annual national reports as required by the protocols.

Production, transfer, use, stockpile destruction, and seizures

Tajikistan has reported that it never produced or exported antipersonnel mines.[5] The most recent use of mines in Tajik territory occurred in 2000 and 2001, when Russian and Uzbek forces placed mines at various border locations inside Tajikistan.[6]

Between 5 May 2002 and 31 March 2004, Tajikistan destroyed its stockpile of 3,084 antipersonnel mines it inherited from the Soviet Union.[7] It retains no mines for training or development purposes, as it consumed the last of these in 2007.[8]

In 2009, Tajik authorities seized a total of 16 PMN-2 blast mines during “anti-criminal operations” and subsequently destroyed the mines.[9] In 2008, Tajikistan reported two instances where mines were “confiscated or detected…as a result of counter-terrorism activity.”[10]

Tajikistan reported in 2008 that a total of 49,152 PFM-1S remotely-delivered blast mines[11] and 100 “blocks” of POM remotely-delivered fragmentation mines[12] were transferred by Tajik border protection forces to Russian forces in Tajikistan sometime in 2006 for destruction after being discovered following the completion of its stockpile destruction program.[13] These stocks were destroyed in October 2006 by the order of the Russian Federation Federal Border Service.[14] 

Tajikistan is the only State Party to declare antipersonnel mines stockpiled on its territory by a state not party to the treaty. It reported that approximately 18,200 antipersonnel mines of various types are stockpiled with Russian Ministry of Defense units deployed in Tajikistan.[15] These stockpiles are not under the jurisdiction or control of Tajikistan.[16] In each of its Article 7 reports since 2003, Tajikistan has reported that intergovernmental talks are “currently underway” to clarify and complete data collection regarding these Russian mines.[17]

 



[1] Interview with Jonmahmad Rajabov, Director, TMAC, Dushanbe, 5 February 2008. The amendments are to the following laws: “On State Armaments Order,” “On Circulation of Explosive Materials for Civil Purposes,” and “On Arms.” The amendments resulted from a project started in 2006, in cooperation with the Tajik NGO Harmony of the World. The ICRC provided funding for the project, but did not review the recommendations. Email from Eve La Haye, Legal Adviser, Arms Unit, ICRC, 29 July 2008.

[2] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form A, 14 March 2005. The 1996 Law on Weapons expressly regulates all issues related to the registration, shipment, transport, acquisition, transfer, and storage of armaments and munitions on the territory of Tajikistan. Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form A, 3 February 2003.

[3] Statement by Bakhtiyor Khudoyorov, Minister of Justice, Second Review Conference, Mine Ban Treaty, Cartagena, 3 December 2009.

[4] Five states from the region participated along with eight donor states and several international and national NGOs. The workshop also included a parallel program for victim assistance experts from Tajikistan and Afghanistan.

[5] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Forms E and H, 3 February 2003.

[6] Ibid, Form C.

[7] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form G, 14 March 2005. The text in Forms A, D, and F cite a total of 3,029 mines destroyed, but the detailed listing in Form G adds up to 3,084. This includes: 1,591 POMZ-2; 633 PMN; 436 OZM-72; and 424 MON-100 mines.

[8] Tajikistan initially retained 255 antipersonnel mines, and had indicated it would use these until 2010 when their shelf life expired.  Tajikistan consumed 30 mines in 2005, 120 mines in 2006 and 105 mines in 2007. The mines were used for refresher training of survey and demining personnel. For more details, see Landmine Monitor Report 2008, pp. 662–663.

[9] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form B2, 30 April 2010.

[10] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form B2, 3 February 2008.

[11] TMAC has confirmed that this is the number of individual mines. It likely represents 768 canisters each containing 64 individual mines.

[12] According to the form “each block [of POM mines] has several clusters [canisters] and each cluster has several mines. We have not determined the number of clusters that each block includes. This means, that each block has several mines.” Typically, a KPOM-2 canister has four mines, but it is unclear how many canisters are in a block.

[13] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form B, 3 February 2008. Tajikistan used the optional form B2.

[14] Order #21/6/8-5609, dated 1 September 2006. Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form B2, 3 February 2008.

[15] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form B, 3 February 2003.

[16] Interview with Jonmahmad Rajabov, then-Deputy Head of the Board of Constitutional Guarantees of Citizens Rights, Executive Board of the President, in Geneva, 5 February 2003. In another interview in Geneva on 13 May 2003, he stated that Tajik forces are under a separate command-and-control structure and would refuse orders by Russian forces to lay mines.

[17] See Form B of each Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report.


Mine Action

Last updated: 11 November 2018

Treaty status

Mine Ban Treaty

State Party
Article 5 deadline: 1 April 2020
Not on track to meet deadline

Convention on Cluster Munitions

Non-signatory

Mine action management

National mine action management actors

Commission for the Implementation of International Humanitarian Law (CIIHL) acts as Tajikistan’s national mine action authority
Tajikistan Mine Action Center (TNMAC)
Ministry of Defense

United Nations agencies

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)’s Support to Tajikistan Mine Action Program (STMAP) project

Mine action plans

National Strategy on Humanitarian Mine Action for 2017–2020, approved February 2017
“Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Tajikistan Co-operation Plan for Humanitarian Demining 2018–2023” draft
“Antipersonnel Mine Ban Convention Article 5 Completion Plan 2016–2020” draft

Mine action legislation

Law on Humanitarian Mine Action (number 1338) ratified by parliament on 23 July 2016

Mine action standards

Tajikistan’s National Mine Action Standards (TNMAS), approved April 2017

Operators in 2017

National:
Ministry of Defense Humanitarian Demining Unit (HDU)
Union of Sappers of Tajikistan (UST)


International:
Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD)
Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA)

Extent of contamination as of end 2017

Landmines

7.46km2 CHA and 1.35km2 SHA
Extent of contamination: medium

Cluster munition remnants

0.14km2
An additional 0.87km2 of battle area may contain cluster munition remnants
Extent of contamination: light

Other ERW contamination

Contaminated by other ERW

Land release in 2017

Landmines

0.62km2 cleared, 0.16km2 reduced, and 0.48km2 cancelled. (NB. Clearance includes suspended areas not yet completed as of the end of 2017)
6,647 antipersonnel mines and 22 items of UXO destroyed

Cluster munition remnants

0.25km2 cleared, 0.02km2 reduced, and 0.11km2 cancelled
164 submunitions destroyed

Other ERW

Not reported

Progress

Landmines

Clearance operations on the Afghanistan border resumed in 2017, following more than two years of suspension due to security problems
Normalization of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan relations has led to discussions on potential survey and clearance of the border
Tajikistan has taken steps to address the “inaccessibility” of some mined areas through new casevac arrangements

Cluster munition remnants

Clearance of the one CHA is scheduled for 2018
Resurvey of seven battle areas is required to determine whether they are contaminated by cluster munition remnants

Notes: CHA = confirmed hazardous area; SHA = suspected hazardous area; ERW = explosive remnants of war; UXO = unexploded ordnance.

Mine Contamination

At the end of 2017, the Republic of Tajikistan had just under 7.46km2 of mine contamination across 153 CHAs, and almost 1.35km2 of SHA across 59 unsurveyed minefields, as set out in the table below.[1] The 59 SHAs equate to 45 remaining tasks to be surveyed, as some tasks contain multiple minefields, potentially laid at different times during different conflicts and because minefields are counted separately if they are more than 500 meters apart.[2] The mined areas are located in 13 districts in three provinces of Tajikistan.

The overall baseline contamination at the end of 2017 is a small reduction compared to the end of the previous year (7.76km2 of confirmed contamination and 1.97km2 of suspected mined area).[3] The differences in the figures, though, cannot be satisfactorily explained or reconciled by area released by clearance and survey during 2017.

Antipersonnel mine contamination by province (at end 2017)[4]

Province

District

CHA

SHA

No.

Area (m2)

No.

Area (m2)*

Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region

Darvoz

7

1,103,600

2

20,000

Vanj

5

908,119

0

0

Shugnan

3

56,000

0

0

Ishkoshi

0

0

1

5,000

Subtotals

 

15

2,067,719

3

25,000

Khatlon

Farkhor

6

96,800

1

8,000

Hamadoni

3

80,772

6

177,000

Panj

24

1,600,585

13

204,000

Jayhun

8

135,636

11

307,000

Shamsiddin Shohin

93

3,317,134

18

439,000

Kabodiyon

1

N/K

0

0

Shahri

1

30,000

0

0

Khovaling

1

80,000

5

135,000

Subtotal

 

137

5,340,927

54

1,270,000

Central Region

Sangvor

1

50,000

2

50,000

Subtotal

 

1

50,000

2

50,000

Total

 

153

7,458,646

59

1,345,000

Note: N/K = not known.
* The size of the mined areas is estimated from desk analysis but is pending survey.

While most minefield records are of good quality, some do not reflect the reality on the ground, and as such the records have to be verified and validated by non-technical survey and data analysis.[5]

Mine contamination in Tajikistan is the consequence of different conflicts. Tajikistan’s border with Afghanistan was mined by Russian forces in 1992–1998; the border with Uzbekistan was mined by Uzbek forces in 2000–2001; and the Central Region of Tajikistan was contaminated as a result of the 1992–1997 civil war.[6]

Mine contamination remains in the provinces of Khatlon and the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) along the Afghan border (reported to contain 60,357 antipersonnel mines), as well as in the Central Region.[7] Shamsiddin Shohin district (formerly known as Shuroobod district) in Khatlon province is the most heavily mined district. Mines were laid in and around military positions on hilltops overlooking the Panj river valley, mostly delivered remotely by helicopter or laid by troops who were moved in and out by helicopter as there are no established roads or tracks to access the minefields for survey or clearance.[8]

As of December 2017, there remain 45 unsurveyed minefields (from an original total of 107), all located in the provinces of Khatlon and the GBAO along the border with Afghanistan.[9] TNMAC plans to complete survey of the remaining unsurveyed minefields by the end of 2020.[10] While none of the unsurveyed areas are considered completely inaccessible for the survey (or for subsequent clearance),[11] serious challenges have been reported during non-technical survey in accessing the mined areas in mountainous terrain and with one mined area blocking access to a number of others.[12]

While Tajikistan and Uzbekistan settled most of their 1,283km-long border dispute following the collapse of the Soviet Union, there are still areas of the border that have not yet been delineated and where the exact location of the landmine contamination is not known. Most of the mined areas are thought to be in disputed sections of the Tajik-Uzbek border, which have not been accessible, and for which evaluation and analysis of information is not yet complete.[13] The mine contamination is believed to be on Uzbek territory,[14] but there is a possibility that some mines may have been displaced downhill into Tajikistan due to landslides or flooding.[15] The first ever state visit of the president of Uzbekistan to Tajikistan took place in March 2018, and several agreements were signed between the two countries, including one on demarcation of the separate regions of the Tajik-Uzbek border. Tajikistan expected decisions to be taken in 2018 regarding clarification and identification of SHAs on the Uzbek border, and any demining operations will require agreement and cooperation between both nations.[16]

Information about mined areas on the Tajik-Uzbek border is limited and based on non-technical survey conducted in 2011–2015 by the Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD) and a needs assessment survey by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in 2013–2015. However, the FSD non-technical survey did not cover the whole of the Tajik-Uzbek border, only Sughd province. The FSD survey was not comprehensive and was mainly based on incident forms, as the boundary line was not accessible to survey teams. Records lack detail on the exact location where mine incidents occurred and civilians living in the area simply reported the location of mine contamination and landmine incidents as occurring in the border area.[17] According to Tajikistan, communities living in dangerous areas near the Tajik-Uzbek border are mainly engaged in livestock, agriculture, fodder, and collection of firewood, and despite the risk, the local population is forced to operate in these areas.[18]

Mountains cover more than 90% of Tajikistan’s territory, and so productive land that can be used is extremely important to local communities. Mine contamination in Tajikistan is said to constrain development, limit access to grazing and agricultural land, and affect farming, wood and herb gathering, and grazing activities related to rural life, especially in the Central Region.[19] Most of the contamination is, though, located along the borders, with a lesser direct impact on local communities and development, as these are restricted military security zones. However, District Authorities and local communities do still use these areas for development projects, including collecting firewood and stones, piping for irrigation and drinking water, and fishing and livestock. National authorities have used cleared land for agriculture, fisheries, road construction, disaster mitigation activities, water piping, electricity line posts, gold extraction and mining, and maintenance of dams.[20] Furthermore, contamination in these regions affects cross-border trade and security and has a negative political impact on peacebuilding initiatives with neighboring countries.[21]

Cluster Munition Contamination

A suspected area of cluster munition contamination was discovered in 2018 in Darvos district in the Central Region of Tajikistan. The area, of an estimated size of 138,500m2, was confirmed as cluster munition-contaminated during subsequent non-technical survey in June, and has been scheduled for clearance in 2018 before the summer window for access to the Central Region closes.[22] TNMAChas also reported that, as of the end of 2017, seven of Tajikistan’s eight recorded battle areas may contain cluster munition remnants, totaling an area of 877,040m2.[23] The battle areas in question are mainly recorded as hazardous areas due to past accidents involving unexploded ordnance (UXO) or reports from local communities, but for which the resulting survey did not specify the precise type of contamination. Re-survey of most of these areas is required to determine whether or not further evidence of explosive remnants of war (ERW) exists, including cluster munition remnants.[24]

Tajikistan had previously reported that while submunitions may still be encountered in the future during other survey and clearance operations, no known cluster munition contamination existed in Tajikistan other than the small area of contamination discovered during non-technical survey in August 2016.[25] This area was cleared in 2017, along with a separate area of cluster munition contamination discovered and cleared in 2017.[26]

Tajikistan also referenced cluster munition contamination in its clearance statement at the Sixteenth Meeting of States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty in 2017, stating, “The level of mine contamination in Tajikistan remains relatively high, mainly on Tajik-Afghan Border, where the landmines and explosive remnants of war including cluster munition remnants are still affecting the lives of the people of Tajikistan.”[27]

Cluster munitions were used during Tajikistan’s civil war in the 1990s, though it is not known who dropped them. In total, since the start of the mine action program in 2003 until the end of 2015, it is reported that approximately 750 submunitions were identified and destroyed in Tajikistan.[28]

Program Management

The Commission for the Implementation of International Humanitarian Law (CIIHL) acts as Tajikistan’s national mine action authority, responsible for mainstreaming mine action in the government’s socio-economic development policies.[29] The TNMAC has acted as the secretariat for the CIIHL, to which it reports.[30]

While transition to national ownership is considered to have been successful, the UNDP’s Support to Tajikistan Mine Action Programme (STMAP) project has continued to support the building of sustainable national structures and TNMAC’s technical capacity.[31] However, lack of funding might result in the project folding in 2018.[32]

The Ministry of Defense plays a significant role in Tajikistan’s mine action sector. With its adoption in July 2013 of the Strategic Plan on Humanitarian Demining (2013–2016), the Ministry has sought to focus on three main objectives: to further support demining; to enhance national capacities; and to create the conditions for an effective national mine action program.[33] The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Programme Office in Dushanbe (OCSE POiD) supported the Ministry of Defense to develop an updated plan, entitled “Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Tajikistan Co-operation Plan for Humanitarian Demining 2018–2023.” The draft plan was developed in August and September 2017 through a joint working group, and as of early October was with the Ministry of Defense for review.[34]

An agreement on cooperation between the governments of Tajikistan and Afghanistan was signed in 2014, and TNMAC has coordinated with the UN Mine Action Center for Afghanistan (UNMACCA) and Afghanistan’s Directorate of Mine Action Coordination (DMAC) on land release approaches, National Mine Action Standards (NMAS), exchange visits, cross-border projects, victim assistance, and risk education.[35] Since 2017, this also includes collaboration regarding quality management (QM).[36]

Strategic planning

A new National Strategy on Humanitarian Mine Action for 2017–2020 was approved by government decree No. 91 on 25 February 2017.[37] The previous national mine action strategic plan 2010–2015 expired at the end of 2015.[38]

According to GICHD, which has supported strategic planning, the national strategy is, however, very general, and while it includes a “plan,” which lists the various overarching activities to implement the strategy, it lacks detail on prioritization of clearance tasks, timelines, or capacities for survey and clearance operations.[39]

In addition, operators were not consulted on the final version of the national strategy, but only in the draft “Antipersonnel Mine Ban Convention Article 5 Completion Plan 2016–2020,” which focuses on mine contamination, and for which operators advised that the national strategy’s planning concept needed more work.[40] This recommendation, however, is not reflected in the planning details of the national strategy as approved by the government.

TNMAC is still in the process of finalizing the draft Article 5 completion plan for 2016–2020, which contains more detail on implementing the strategy, and which will be reviewed each year.[41] Based on the October 2016 draft, the completion plan focuses on the most heavily mined regions, which are along the Afghan border. From June to September, during favorable weather in the high-altitude areas, efforts will focus on the Central Region.[42] In conjunction with the government of Tajikistan and the Tajik Border Forces, TNMAC will prioritize land release activities using a district-by-district approach based on the following criteria:

  • mined areas with economic and infrastructure impact;
  • the number of unsurveyed minefield records in each district (those with a larger number of minefields records will be considered a priority for the deployment of non-technical survey teams); and
  • the number of mined areas in each district (a smaller number of minefields will be considered a priority to deploy clearance teams to release the whole district).[43]

In conjunction with the government of Tajikistan and the Tajik Border Forces, TNMAC prioritizes land release activities using a district-by-district approach based on the following criteria: mined areas with economic and infrastructure impact; the number of unsurveyed minefield records in each district (those with a larger number of minefields records will be considered a priority for the deployment of non-technical survey teams); and the number of mined areas in each district (a smaller number of minefields will be considered a priority to deploy clearance teams to release the whole district).[44] Issues of accessibility due to mountainous terrain and adverse weather conditions during winter limit access to some designated priority tasks, as do security restrictions.[45]

The Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) is working with TNMAC and UNDP to develop a prioritization system and tool for Tajikistan, which will identify distinct criteria and indicators for the separate regions.[46] A pilot of the Priority Setting Tool for Mine Action (PriSMA) was conducted from July to September 2017.[47] As of May 2018, a second version of PriSMA had been developed and piloted and was in the process of being integrated with TNMAC’s existing priority-setting workflow, including specific requests received from the government and field survey recommendations.[48]

Legislation and standards

Tajikistan’s Law on Humanitarian Demining (number 1338) was ratified by Tajikistan’s parliament on 23 July 2016.[49]

Tajikistan’s National Mine Action Standards (TNMAS) have been revised, and were approved by decree No. 162 on 1 April 2017. The new standards have been translated into Russian and English.[50]

In 2017, TNMAC further developed its new approach to survey, known as “non-technical survey with technical intervention.” In addition to standard non-technical survey, survey teams are also using technical assets to confirm and locate actual evidence of mines and UXO. This is intended to enhance the efficiency of operations by confirming areas as mined and by more accurately determining the location of minefields.[51]

Quality management

In 2017, TNMAC officers began conducting quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) on demining operations on the Afghan side of the border, having been accredited by DMAC Afghanistan and according to Afghanistan National Mine Action Standards. This is based on a memorandum of understanding between Tajikistan and Afghanistan, within the framework of a cross-border cooperation project, with financial support from the United States (US); this cooperation has continued into 2018.[52]

Operators

In 2017, operational capacity included two manual clearance FSD teams; five multi-purpose manual Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) teams; five military multi-purpose manual teams (four from the Ministry of Defense Humanitarian Demining Company (HDC) and one from the Committee of Emergency and Civil Defense); and two Union of Sappers of Tajikistan (UST) non-technical survey teams.[53]

Clearance capacity in 2018 was less than the previous year, due to funding constraints.[54]

Following the signature of a memorandum of understanding with the OSCE POiD in 2009, the Ministry of Defense established the HDC.[55] Since TNMAC’s nationalization, the HDC has acted as a contractor for TNMAC, and OSCE POiD funds the HDC through TNMAC.[56] In 2017, three of the five Ministry of Defense teams were supported by OSCE POiD unified budget (from participating states) and two by the US Department of State via the OSCE POiD.[57]

The Ministry of Defense provides five teams to the HDC as part of its commitment to assist TNMAC to meet Tajikistan’s Article 5 obligations. Military deminers are reportedly less expensive than deminers of international NGOs, and have the additional advantage of having security access to survey and clear mined areas in the vicinity of military bases and other areas that may be inaccessible to other implementing partners due to security restrictions. The Ministry of Defense also has one demining machine, which is a tiller. Implementing partners can request use of the demining machine from the Ministry of Defense, but the machine must be operated by Ministry of Defense personnel.[58]

The OSCE POiD’s strategy in Tajikistan is twofold: to support the development of national demining capacity; and to foster regional cooperation in border management and security.[59] The OSCE POiD supported the HDC via the UST, which it contracted to provide project management and administrative support to the Ministry of Defense’s HDC in 2010–2013.[60] In addition, the OSCE POiD provided explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) courses to clearance operators and implementing partners in Tajikistan and participants from elsewhere in the region in 2017, at a regional explosive hazard training center.[61]

Until 2015, limitations in Tajikistan’s legislation had prevented UST, a national not-for-profit organization, gaining accreditation for demining activities.[62] In 2015, UST obtained permission to conduct survey and received a grant from UNDP for technical and non-technical survey in the south of the country.[63] UST is accredited to conduct non-technical survey, risk education, and victim assistance. In 2017, UST received additional accreditation to conduct non-technical survey with technical survey intervention, but it is not accredited to conduct stand-alone technical survey or clearance.[64] In 2016, two UST teams (four surveyors per team) conducted non-technical survey in the Shamsiddin Shohin district of the Khatlon region, and as of May 2018 survey operations were ongoing.[65] While some staff positions at UST are permanent, such as the operations manager, deminers are recruited annually for the operations period from Spring until October, based on UST’s annual survey plan.[66]

Neither mine detection dogs (MDDs) nor machines were used operationally in 2017.[67] The MDD program ended in early 2015 due to the very limited number of tasks suitable for dogs. Consequently, 18 MDDs were handed over to the Ministry of Interior and to the Border Forces.[68] Similarly, economic use of mechanical assets reached its limit, and as of November 2016, all areas suitable for machine deployment had reportedly been completed,[69] and the remaining mined area is only suitable for manual demining operations.[70] However, this refers to accessible remaining mined area in districts in which security permission has been granted for clearance operations. Many of the western districts of the Tajik-Afghan border, which are currently not accessible because of security restrictions, contain mined areas on flat terrain, which is suitable for mechanical demining.[71] Furthermore, NPA believes there may be some potential for use of machinery in some of the current demining operations, which could potentially save significant time, especially in areas that are subject to full excavation because of high scrap metal contamination in the soil.[72]

Land Release (mines)

Total mined area released by clearance in 2017 was nearly 0.62km2. In addition, nearly 0.16km2 was released by technical survey and over 0.48km2was cancelled by non-technical survey.

This is an increase in clearance output on the 0.5km2 of mined area cleared in 2016, with a five-fold increase in the number of antipersonnel mines destroyed, but a decrease on the 0.95km2 reduced by technical survey the previous year.[73]

Depending on weather conditions, land release operations in the Khatlon region of the border usually start in February/March; the GBAO part of the border only becomes accessible from May until October; and the Central Region from June until September.[74]

Survey in 2017(mines)

In 2017, a total of 156,615m2 was reduced through technical survey and a further 483,419m2 was cancelled by non-technical survey in Lakhsh and Rasht districts in the Central Region, Darvoz, and Vanj districts in GBAO region, and Shamsiddin Shohin district in Khatlon province.[75]

As of early October 2017, UST was conducting non-technical survey with technical survey intervention, in line with the new land release methodology in Tajikistan.[76] This methodology helps improve the efficiency of survey operations, as minefield records are sometimes incomplete or inconsistent due to incorrect coordinates and grid numbering or lack of landmarks/reference points, and there is often a lack of local people to ask about evidence of mines, accidents etc., as people have moved away because of the contamination. This can result in inflated polygons. In addition, mines are sometimes displaced due to landslides, rock falls, and flooding.[77] Of the 19 minefields UST surveyed in 2017, four were with the use of technical interventions and the remainder were solely using non-technical survey as they were surveyed before the new methodology was approved. The use of technical interventions by UST is expected to improve operational efficiency, but it will also slow down the rate of survey by UST of the remaining unsurveyed minefields.[78]

While in many instances the contaminated area is cancelled or reduced through survey by UST, there are also instances when survey reveals the size of the mined area as being larger than indicated on the minefield records. This can be due to a number of factors, such as windy conditions at the time when helicopter-dropped mines were deployed which leads to greater dispersal of the mines; the height of the helicopter above the ground at the time of deployment (in time of hostilities, the distance of the helicopter from the ground is significantly increased, resulting in wider dispersal of the mines); and mountainous terrain.[79]

Clearance in 2017(mines)

In 2017, FSD, NPA, and the Ministry of Defense/HDC cleared nearly 0.62km2 across 23 mined areas (some of which were suspended and not yet completed as at the end of 2017), destroying 6,647 antipersonnel mines and 22 items of UXO (see table below).[80] This is a slight increase on the 0.5km2 cleared in 2016, but a substantial increase on the 1,248 antipersonnel mines destroyed in 2016,[81] due to the density of mines along the Afghan border.

Mine clearance by operator in 2017*[82]

Operator

Province

District

Areas cleared

Area cleared (m²)

AP mines destroyed

UXO destroyed

FSD

GBAO

Darvoz

2

27,297

352

2

Khatlon

Sh. Shohin

3

67,374

1,529

18

Khatlon

Panj

1

5,700

0

0

DRD

Rasht

1

12,296

0

7

NPA

GBAO

Darvoz

2

31,765

30

25

Khatlon

Sh. Shohin

3

122,940

**2,652

33

DRD

Lyakhsh

2

18,704

5

0

Ministry of Defense

GBAO

Vanj

3

194,958

535

88

Khatlon

Sh. Shohin

5

118,139

1,540

32

Khatlon

Panj

1

18,885

4

16

Total

   

23

618,058

6,647

221

Note: AP = antipersonnel.
* Clearance includes suspended area not yet completed as of end 2017.
** Excludes 298 antipersonnel mines found in 2017, but not destroyed until 2018.

Antipersonnel mines were found in nearly all clearance tasks in 2017, with the exception of a minefield in Rasht district, DRD province, a minefield in Panj district, Khatlon province tasked to FSD for clearance, and a minefield tasked to NPA in Lyakhsh district in the Central Region. NPA, however, found strong evidence on its task of the past presence of mines, such as pieces of rubber plates, pieces of plastic fragments, and holes created as a result of the detonation of PMN mines.[83]

NPA also reported some challenges posed by the very high density of metal scrap in tasks in Sarichashma municipality, in Shamsiddin Shohin district, which on many occasions made work with the metal detectors impossible and full excavation had to be conducted.[84]

Due to a security incident on the Afghan border in the beginning of December 2017 (unrelated to mine action), NPA had to leave its area of operations in Shamsiddin Shohin district one week earlier than planned.[85] As a result, an additional 298 mines found in 2017 were not destroyed until 2018.[86]

In 2015 and 2016, due to increased security in northern parts of Afghanistan (along the Tajik border), the Border Forces denied permission for clearance operations in the Khatlon border region—an area that contains nearly three-quarters of all mine contamination in Tajikistan.[87] In 2016, the Border Forces only permitted non-technical survey operations in Shamsiddin Shohin district to survey some of the previously unrecorded minefields.[88] In January 2017, greater access for clearance and survey operations was granted along the Tajik-Afghan border, including Shamsiddin Shohin district.[89]

As of April 2018, clearance was being tasked to the eastern part of the Tajik-Afghan border and in Shamsiddin Shohin district, which is the most contaminated district along the border, containing 93 CHAs totaling an estimated 3.3km2 (approximately 44% of all confirmed mine contamination).[90]

Furthermore, in November 2017, the Border Guards granted permission for demining operations in the Jaykhun, Panj, Farkhor, and Hamadoni districts of Khatlon. However, due to the unstable situation on the border and in the interest of the safety of humanitarian deminers, no land release was carried out in these areas.[91] TNMAC is negotiating with Border Forces to provide a security convoy for demining teams in these western districts of the Tajik-Afghan border in the plain areas, which comprise around one quarter of the total contamination.[92] TNMAC is also continuing negotiations with government authorities regarding access for survey and clearance to the remaining districts of the Tajik-Afghan border that are closed at present.[93]

Deminer safety

In 2017, there was one demining accident, during mine clearance operations in Shamsiddin Shohin district in September. A female NPA deminer accidentally penetrated a PFM-1 antipersonnel mine during excavation and came into contact with toxic liquid elements from inside the mine. The deminer received medical assistance and made a full recovery.[94]

Land Release (cluster munition remnants)

In 2017, 19,568m2 of cluster munition-contaminated area was released through technical survey and a further 248,581m2 through clearance, during which a total of 164 submunitions were destroyed. An additional 109,566mwas cancelled by non-technical survey.[95]

In 2017, NPA reduced 19,568mthrough technical survey and cleared 208,147mof cluster munition contamination in the Darvos district in the Central Region, during which 36 АО-2.5 submunitions and five other items of UXO were destroyed.[96] NPA’s clearance occurred between 3 June and 5 August 2017, undertaken by a multi-task team of eight deminers.[97] The task had previously been confirmed as cluster munition-contaminated in August 2016, during NPA non-technical survey, when an AO-2.5RT submunition was found, along with other evidence of contamination, including pieces of cluster bomb containers, pieces of further AO-2.5RT submunitions, and several recognizable blast locations.[98] The onset of winter, and adverse weather conditions at high altitude, had prevented NPA from conducting clearance of this area in 2016.[99]

The FSD confirmed 150,000m2 as cluster munition-contaminated during survey in Rasht Valley, in the districts of Republican Subordination region of Tajikistan, of which 40,434m2 was cleared with the destruction of 128 SHOAB-0.5 submunitions, while the remaining 109,566m2 of the polygon was cancelled.[100]

Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 Compliance

Under Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty (and in accordance with the 10-year extension granted by States Parties in 2009), Tajikistan is required to destroy all antipersonnel mines in mined areas under its jurisdiction or control as soon as possible, but not later than 1 April 2020. It is not on track to meet its deadline.

A reduction in demining capacity; insecurity along its border with Afghanistan and lack of permission to conduct demining in some of the western districts; the inaccessibility and/or operational difficulty of some mined areas; and the very poor quality of some minefield records, mostly from the civil war in the Central Region, means that Tajikistan will not meet its 2020 Article 5 deadline and is not even likely to complete clearance by 2025.[101]

In total during the last five years, Tajikistan has cleared just over 4kmof mined area (see table below). Progress was hampered in 2015 and 2016 due to restricted access for clearance in the Afghanistan border region because of heightened insecurity. This resulted in delay of clearance operations and a focus on the mountainous Central Region, where adverse weather means the demining window is much shorter, and where additional challenges result from the need to access remote locations and to ensure medical evacuation.[102] In a positive development, clearance was permitted in parts of the Tajik-Afghan border in 2017 and continued in 2018, including Shamsiddin Shohin district, which is one of the most mined districts in Tajikistan.[103]

Mine clearance in 2013–2017[104]

Year

Area cleared (km2)

2017

0.62

2016

0.50

2015

0.25

2014

0.65

2013

1.99

Total

4.01

 

In its Article 7 transparency report for 2016, Tajikistan estimated that it would clear 1.52km2 across 22 mined areas in 2017.[105] Actual mine clearance output in 2017, of nearly 0.62km2, fell well short of this target.

In its most recent Article 7 report (for 2017), Tajikistan estimated release of 30 minefields (26 in Khatlon district, three in GBAO, and one in the Central Region) in 2018, totaling over 1.9km2. This would be followed by release of 30 minefields (20 in Khatlon district, nine in GBAO, and one in the Central Region) in 2019, totaling over 2km2.[106] Taking into account the mountainous terrain, inaccessibility, and climatic conditions of the mined areas, along with the current demining capacity, Tajikistan reassessed that it would actually clear only 1.5km2 across 20 minefields in 2018, in addition to conducting non-technical and technical survey on the unsurveyed minefield records.[107] However, based on recent annual clearance output, even this reduced estimate of 1.5km2 of annual clearance is very high and well over double the 2017 clearance output.

TNMAC estimates that it will complete survey of the 45 unsurveyed minefield records by the end of 2020.[108] Many of these unsurveyed minefields are extremely hard to access, with UST’s survey teams sometimes having to walk for more than three hours each way in mountainous terrain, to access the survey area, leaving only a few hours each day for survey activities.[109] Once survey of the unsurveyed minefields has been completed, Tajikistan will, though, have a more accurate understanding of its baseline mine contamination, which will in turn help TNMAC to develop a more accurate Article 5 completion plan.

Tajikistan has been developing an Article 5 workplan for 2016–2020.[110] In June 2017, at the Mine Ban Treaty Intersessional Meetings, Tajikistan reported that it needs “advisory support and exchange experience on addressing inaccessible areas and non-executable tasks, as well as on all other challenges faced.”[111] However, with the introduction of an arrangement for medical evacuation by helicopter, in collaboration with the armed forces, there were no longer any mined areas deemed to be “inaccessible” as of May 2018. As part of the casevac arrangement, a military helicopter and pilot are on standby in Dushanbe, and are notified of the coordinates of helicopter landing pads in areas where survey and clearance operations are being undertaken in areas not accessible by road.[112] There are, however, mined areas on two islands in the Panj river on the Tajik-Afghan border, one of which is 538,500m2 and the other is 30,000m2, which at present are non-executable. The islands were created by a change in the flow of the river, and it is possible that the river may again change its path and re-connect the islands with the Tajik river bank in the future.[113]

Progress towards completion of cluster munition clearance

Tajikistan had reported previously that, while submunitions might still be encountered in the future during demining operations, once the small amount of previously undiscovered cluster munition contamination had been released in 2017, no known cluster munition contamination would exist in Tajikistan.[114] In April 2018, however, TNMAC reported that as of the end of 2017, seven of Tajikistan’s eight battle areas may contain cluster munition remnants, totaling almost 0.9km2.[115] Survey is required to determine whether or not these areas do indeed contain cluster munition remnants and/or other ERW and TNMAC’s plans to release them.

 

The Monitor acknowledges the contributions of the Mine Action Review (www.mineactionreview.org), which has conducted the primary mine action research in 2018 and shared all its country-level landmine reports (from“Clearing the Mines 2018”) and country-level cluster munition reports (from “Clearing Cluster Munition Remnants 2018”) with the Monitor. The Monitor is responsible for the findings presented online and in its print publications.



[1] Email from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, Director, TNMAC, 27 April 2018; and Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2016), Form D.

[2] Statement of Tajikistan, Mine Ban Treaty 16thMeeting of States Parties, Vienna, 20 December 2017; and interview with Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, and Murtazo Gurezov, Quality Assurance (QA) Officer, TNMAC, Dushanbe, 25 May 2018.

[3] Email from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 22 May 2017; and Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2016).

[4] Email from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 27 April 2018; and Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2016), Form D and Annex II.

[5] Statement of Tajikistan, Mine Ban Treaty Intersessional Meetings, Geneva, 8 June 2017.

[6] Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 deadline Extension Request, 31 March 2009, p. 1; and TNMAC, “Scope of the Problem,” undated.

[7] TNMAC, “Draft Article 5 Completion Plan 2016–2020,” 4 October 2016.

[8] Ibid; interview with Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, and Murtazo Gurezov, TNMAC, Dushanbe, 25 May 2018; and statement of Tajikistan, Mine Ban Treaty 16thMeeting of States Parties, Vienna, 20 December 2017.

[9] Statement of Tajikistan, Mine Ban Treaty 16thMeeting of States Parties, Vienna, 20 December 2017; and, TNMAC, “Draft Article 5 Completion Plan 2016–2020,” 4 October 2016.

[10] Interview with Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, Dushanbe, 29 May 2018.

[11] Email from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 27 April 2018; and interview, Dushanbe, 25 May 2018.

[12] TNMAC, “Draft Article 5 Completion Plan 2016–2020,” 4 October 2016; and statement of Tajikistan, Mine Ban Treaty Intersessional Meetings, Geneva, 8 June 2017.

[13] Email from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 27 April 2018.

[14] Statement of Tajikistan, Mine Ban Treaty 16thMeeting of States Parties, Vienna, 20 December 2017.

[15] “National Strategy of the Republic of Tajikistan on Humanitarian Mine Action for 2017–2020,” 25 February 2017.

[16] Email from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 27 April 2018.

[17] Ibid.

[18] “National Strategy of the Republic of Tajikistan on Humanitarian Mine Action for 2017–2020,” 25 February 2017.

[19] Email from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 22 May 2017.

[20] Ibid.; and statement of Tajikistan, Mine Ban Treaty 16thMeeting of States Parties, Vienna, 20 December 2017.

[21] Email from Aubrey Sutherland-Pillai, Country Director, Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA), 10 August 2016.

[22] Email from Melissa Andersson, Country Director, NPA, 4 July 2018.

[23] Email from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 27 April 2018; and interview with Daler Eshonjonov, Quality Assurance Officer, TNMAC, and Erkin Huseinov, UNDP, in Dushanbe, 29 May 2018.

[24] Email from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 27 April 2018; and interview with Daler Eshonjonov, TNMAC, and Erkin Huseinov, UNDP, in Dushanbe, 29 May 2018.

[25] Interview with Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, in Geneva, 10 February 2017; and email from Sasa Jelicic, NPA, 17 February 2017.

[26] Email from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 27 April 2018.

[27] Statement of Tajikistan, Mine Ban Treaty 16th Meeting of States Parties, Vienna, 20 December 2017.

[28] Statement of Tajikistan, Mine Ban Treaty 14th Meeting of States Parties, Geneva, 1 December 2015.

[29] Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 deadline Extension Request, 31 March 2009, p. 4.

[30] Roberts, “Evaluation of UNDP Support to the Tajikistan Mine Action Programme,” p. 12.

[31] TNMAC, “Draft Article 5 Completion Plan 2016–2020,” 4 October 2016.

[32] Emails from Erkin Huseinov, UNDP, 3 July 2018; and from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 5 July 2018.

[33] Ministry of Defense, “Strategic Plan on Humanitarian Demining 2013–2016,” Dushanbe, 17 July 2013; and response to Landmine Monitor questionnaire by Luka Buhin, Mine Action Office, OSCE Office in Tajikistan, 8 April 2014.

[34] Email from Luka Buhin, OSCE Office in Tajikistan, 9 October 2017.

[35] Emails from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 19 August 2016, and 22 May 2017.

[36] Email from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 27 April 2018; and statement of Tajikistan, Mine Ban Treaty 16thMeeting of States Parties, Vienna, 20 December 2017.

[37] “National Strategy of the Republic of Tajikistan on humanitarian mine action for 2017–2020,” 25 February 2017; email from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 22 May 2017; and statement of Tajikistan, Mine Ban Treaty 16thMeeting of States Parties, Vienna, 20 December 2017.

[38] Interview with Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, and Ahad Mahmoudov, Programme Manager, UNDP, in Geneva, 23 June 2015.

[39] Email from Asa Massleberg, GICHD, 5 October 2017.

[40] Emails from Aubrey Sutherland, NPA, 2 September 2016, and 22 June 2017.

[41] Interview with Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, and Abdulmain Karimov, Project Manager, UNDP, in Geneva, 10 February 2017; and Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, and Erkin Huseinov, UNDP, Dushanbe, 30 May 2018.

[42] TNMAC, “Draft Article 5 Completion Plan 2016–2020,” 4 October 2016.

[43] Ibid.

[44] Ibid.

[45] Email from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 22 May 2017; and statement of Tajikistan, Mine Ban Treaty 16thMeeting of States Parties, Vienna, 20 December 2017.

[46] Emails from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 22 May 2017; and from Aubrey Sutherland, NPA, 14 March 2017; and statement of Tajikistan, Mine Ban Treaty Intersessional Meetings, Geneva, 8 June 2017.

[47] Email from Wendi Pedersen, Focal point for Tajikistan, GICHD, 5 October 2017.

[48] Emails from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 27 April 2018; and from Melissa Andersson, NPA, 5 April 2018.

[49] Emails from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 19 August 2016, and 22 May 2017; and statement of Tajikistan, Mine Ban Treaty 16th Meeting of States Parties, Vienna, 20 December 2017.

[50] Email from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 22 May 2017; Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2016), Form A; and statement of Tajikistan, Mine Ban Treaty 16th Meeting of States Parties, Vienna, 20 December 2017.

[51] Emails from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 19 August 2016, 22 May 2017, and 27 April 2018; GICHD, Presentation on “NTS Field Studies: General Findings,” Geneva, 15 February 2018; and Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Forms A and D.

[52] Email from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 27 April 2018; and statement of Tajikistan, Mine Ban Treaty 16thMeeting of States Parties, Vienna, 20 December 2017.

[53] Emails from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 27 April 2018; from Chris Rennick, FSD, 13 March 2018; and from Melissa Andersson, NPA, 5 April 2018.

[54] Statement of Tajikistan, Mine Ban Treaty 16th Meeting of States Parties, Vienna, 20 December 2017; and emails from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 27 April 2018; and from Melissa Andersson, NPA, 5 April 2018.

[56] Email from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 12 May 2015.

[57] Interview with Johan Dahl, Head of Mine Action, OSCE, Dushanbe, 29 May 2018.

[58] Interview with Kurbonmamad Kurbonmamadov, Ministry of Defense, Dushanbe, 29 May 2018.

[59] Response to Landmine Monitor questionnaire by Luka Buhin, OSCE Office in Tajikistan, 8 April 2014.

[60] Email from and telephone interview with Luka Buhin, OSCE Office in Tajikistan, 18 March 2014; and response to Landmine Monitor questionnaire, 8 April 2014.

[61] Email from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 27 April 2018; and interview with Johan Dahl, OSCE, Dushanbe, 29 May 2018.

[62] FSD, “Annual Report 2015,” undated.

[63] Ibid.

[64] Emails from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 22 May 2017; and from Aubrey Sutherland, NPA, 18 October 2017.

[65] Emails from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 22 May 2017, and 27 April 2018; and interview, Dushanbe, 29 May 2018.

[66] Interview with Saynuridin Kalandarov, UST, Dushanbe, 29 May 2018.

[67] Statement of Tajikistan, Mine Ban Treaty 16thMeeting of States Parties, Vienna, 20 December 2017.

[68] Email from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 17 February 2015; statement of Tajikistan, Committee on Article 5 Implementation, Geneva, 25 June 2015; and TNMAC, “Draft Article 5 Completion Plan 2016–2020,” 4 October 2016.

[69] Statement of Tajikistan, Mine Ban Treaty 15th Meeting of States Parties, Santiago, 30 November 2016; and statement of Tajikistan, Mine Ban Treaty 16thMeeting of States Parties, Vienna, 20 December 2017.

[70] Statement of Tajikistan, Mine Ban Treaty 16th Meeting of States Parties, Vienna, 20 December 2017.

[71] Interview with Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, and Murtazo Gurezov, TNMAC, Dushanbe, 25 May 2018.

[72] Interview with Melissa Andersson, NPA, and Sasa Jelicic, NPA, Dushanbe, 30 May 2018.

[73] Email from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 22 May 2017.

[74] TNMAC, “Draft Article 5 Completion Plan 2016–2020,” 4 October 2016.

[75] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form D and Annex II.

[76] Email from Luka Buhin, OSCE Office in Tajikistan, 9 October 2017.

[77] “Non-technical survey/technical intervention,” presentation by Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 21st International Meeting of National Mine Action Programme Directors and United Nations Advisers, Geneva, 13–16 February 2018; and interview with Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, Dushanbe, 25 May 2018.

[78] Interview with Saynuridin Kalandarov, UST, Dushanbe, 29 May 2018.

[79] Email from Saynuridin Kalandarov, UST, 30 August 2018.

[80] Emails from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 27 April 2018; from Melissa Andersson, NPA, 5 April 2018; and from Chris Rennick, FSD, 13 March 2018; and Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form A.

[81] Email from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 22 May 2017.

[82] Ibid., 27 April 2018; from Melissa Andersson, NPA, 5 April 2018, and from Chris Rennick, FSD, 13 March 2018; and Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form A. There was a discrepancy in the number of UXO reported destroyed by TNMAC for NPA (33 items of UXO), and by NPA directly (533 items of UXO).

[83] Emails from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 27 April 2018; from Chris Rennick, FSD, 13 March 2018; and from Melissa Andersson, NPA, 5 April 2018.

[84] Email from Melissa Andersson, NPA, 5 April 2018.

[85] Ibid.

[86] Ibid.

[87] Emails from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 19 August 2016, and 22 May 2017.

[88] Ibid.

[89] Ibid., 22 May 2017; and from Melissa Andersson, NPA, 5 April 2018; and statement of Tajikistan, Mine Ban Treaty Intersessional Meetings, Geneva, 8 June 2017.

[90] Email from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 27 April 2018.

[91] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form D.

[92] Email from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 27 April 2018.

[93] Ibid.

[94] Ibid.; and from Melissa Andersson, NPA, 5 April 2018.

[95] Emails from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 27 April 2018; from Melissa Andersson, NPA, 5 April 2018; and from Chris Rennick, Operations Manager, FSD, 13 March 2018; and interview with Daler Eshonjonov, TNMAC, and Erkin Huseinov, UNDP, in Dushanbe, 29 May 2018.

[96] Emails from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 27 April 2018; and from Melissa Andersson, NPA, 5 April 2018; and interview with Daler Eshonjonov, TNMAC, and Erkin Huseinov, UNDP, in Dushanbe, 29 May 2018. There was a small discrepancy between the clearance data provided by TNMAC, which did not disaggregate technical survey from clearance, and NPA data that did.

[97] Email from Melissa Andersson, NPA, 5 April 2018.

[98] Email from Sasa Jelicic, NPA, 17 February 2017.

[99] Ibid.

[100] Email from Chris Rennick, FSD, 13 March 2018; and interview with Daler Eshonjonov, TNMAC, and Erkin Huseinov, UNDP, in Dushanbe, 29 May 2018.

[101] Email from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 27 April 2018; and interview, Dushanbe, 30 May 2018.

[102] Emails from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 19 August 2016; and from Aubrey Sutherland-Pillai, NPA, 10 August 2016; and statement of Tajikistan, Mine Ban Treaty 14th Meeting of States Parties, Geneva, 1 December 2015.

[103] Emails from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 27 April 2018; and from Melissa Andersson, NPA, 5 April 2018.

[104] See Mine Action Review and Landmine Monitor reports on clearance in Tajikistan covering 2013–2016.

[105] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2016).

[106] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form D and Annex II.

[107] Email from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 27 April 2018; and Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form D.

[108] Interview with Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, Dushanbe, 29 May 2018.

[109] Interviews with Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, Dushanbe, 29 May 2018; and with Saynuridin Kalandarov, UST, Dushanbe, 29 May 2018.

[110] Email from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 22 May 2017.

[111] Statement of Tajikistan, Mine Ban Treaty Intersessional Meetings, Geneva, 8 June 2017.

[112] Interviews with Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, Dushanbe, 29 May 2018; and with Kurbonmamad Kurbonmamadov, Ministry of Defense, Dushanbe, 29 May 2018.

[113] Interview with Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, and Murtazo Gurezov, TNMAC, Dushanbe, 25 May 2018.

[114] Interview with Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, in Geneva, 10 February 2017; and email from Sasa Jelicic, NPA, 17 February 2017.

[115] Email from Muhabbat Ibrohimzoda, TNMAC, 27 April 2018.


Support for Mine Action

Last updated: 19 November 2018

In 2017, international mine action contributions to the Republic of Tajikistan totaled some US$1.7 million, 23% less than in 2016.[1]

Tajikistan has not reported any national financial contributions to its mine action program since 2012, when it provided US$700,000.

International government contributions: 2017[2]

Donor

Sector

Amount

(national currency)

Amount (US$)

United States

Various

$1,000,000

1,000,000

Norway

Clearance

NOK5,995,000

725,093

Total

   

1,725,093

N/A = not applicable.

Since 2013, international support toward mine action activities in Tajikistan has totaled some $15 million, and dropped by more than 65%.

Summary of contributions: 2013–2017[3]

Year

International contribution ($)

2017

1,725,093

2016

2,195,692

2015

2,713,952

2014

3,598,942

2013

5,012,287

Total

15,245,966

 



[1] Emails from Ingrid Schoyen, Senior Adviser, Section for Humanitarian Affairs, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 25 September 2018; and from Katherine Baker, Foreign Affairs Officer, Weapons Removal and Abatement, US Department of State, 8 and 24 October 2018.

[2] Average exchange rate for 2017: NOK8.2679=US$1. US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Annual),” 11 January 2018.

[3] See previous Monitor reports.


Last updated: 27 October 2017

Casualties Overview

All known casualties by end 2016

864 mine/explosive remnants of war (ERW) casualties (375 killed; 489 injured) since 1992

Casualties in 2016

6 (2015: 7)

2016 casualties by outcome

1 killed; 5 injured (2015: 2 killed; 5 injured)

2016 casualties by device type

6 mine/ERW

 

Tajikistan reported six mine/ERW casualties in 2016; two of the casualties were children.[1] This was a similar annual total of casualties to the seven mine/ERW recorded for 2015.

Tajikistan recorded 864 mine/ERW casualties (375 killed; 489 injured) for the period since 1992 to the end of 2016. Of the total known casualties, more than 30% were children.[2] The total number of mine/ERW casualties is not known, because needs assessment survey was not carried out country-wide. However, the number of mine/ERW casualties recorded in Tajikistan Mine Action Center (TMAC) data since 2003 was known to be accurate, whereas historical data for 1992–2002 required further survey for verification.[3]

Cluster munition casualties

At least 164 casualties from unexploded submunitions were reported in Tajikistan, through 2007. Most incidents occurred in the Rasht valley area. The exact timeline of incidents is not known.[4] No casualties from cluster munition remnants have been reported in Tajikistan since 2007.



[1] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2016), Form J.

[2] Statement of Tajikistan, Mine Ban Treaty Third Review Conference, Santiago, November 2016.

[3] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Reykhan Muminova, TMAC, 11 April 2014.

[4] Handicap International (HI), Circle of Impact: The Fatal Footprint of Cluster Munitions on People and Communities (Brussels: HI, May 2007), p. 90; and email from Reykhan Muminova, TMAC, 30 October 2012.


Victim Assistance

Last updated: 21 October 2018

Victim assistance action points

  • Improve the quality of physical rehabilitation services through funding, training, restructuring, and decentralization.
  • Expand legislation and coordination for the rights of persons with disabilities.

Victim assistance planning and coordination

Government focal points

Tajikistan National Mine Action Center(TNMAC)

Other focal points

Disability Support Unit (DSU)

Coordination activities

The Tajik National Center for Mine Action, with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), organized coordination meetings of the technical working group (TWG) on assistance to persons with disabilities, including those affected by mines/explosive remnants of war (ERW). Four regional victim assistance meetings were held in the relevant regions in 2017.[1] From the beginning of 2018 four TWG meetings on victim assistance and disability support were conducted for staff of departments of social protection of population, representatives of Red Crescent Society of Tajikistan in Dushanbe and regional centers. Tajikistan provided equal and effective participation of landmine survivors, persons with disabilities, and their organizations at the meeting[2]

Plans/strategies

The National Mine Action Strategy 2016–2020, includes a victim assistance component developed through consultative process agreed with all relevant ministries, TNMAC, and landmine survivors.[3]
The new National Development Strategy (2016–2030) and its action plan reflect disability rights

Disability sector integration

The National Program on Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities 2017–2020 has been described as “comprehensive, covering both physical rehabilitation services and social inclusion and protection”[4]

Survivor inclusion and participation

Survivors’ organizations and networks and disabled people’s organizations (DPOs) were included in national and local government coordinating groups

Reporting

Tajikistan provided updated information on victim assistance in reporting at the Mine Ban Treaty Sixteenth Meeting of States Parties in Vienna in December 2017, and in Form J of its Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report for 2017[5]

 

International commitments and obligations

Tajikistan is responsible for a significant number of survivors of landmines, cluster munitions, and ERW. TNMAC registered: 492 injured persons among 868 casualties for the period 1992 to 2017, some 30% of mine casualties overall were children

Mine Ban Treaty

Yes

Convention on Cluster Munitions

No

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)

Signed on 22 March 2018

 

Laws and policies

The multi-sectoral National Program on Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities (2017–2020), is in line with the CRPD.[6] The program, the first such document on disability issues for the Republic of Tajikistan, addresses the rights of persons with disabilities in the sphere of health, rehabilitation, education, livelihood, social protection, culture, access, and justice.

The December 2010 Law on Social Protection of Persons with Disabilities, which includes standards similar to those of the CRPD,[7] guarantees the physical accessibility of infrastructure for social life and to public transportation. Any planning, construction, or reconstruction that does not follow the law is prohibited and penalties can be applied.[8] From 2014 through 2017, 126 architects were trained in accessible design, including several with the support of the UNDP.[9]

Through policy dialogue including forums, discussion on Tajikistan joining the CRPD was promoted with the active participation of DPOs, including regional landmine survivors’ networks. These discussions resulted in a package of documents on Tajikistan’s accession to the CRPD being circulated among relevant ministries and agencies before being sent for government consideration at the end of 2017.[10]

The UNDP, in cooperation with TNMAC, continued introducing physical accessibility solutions in Tajikistan, based on international and Tajik accessibility standards and raising awareness on disability and accessibility. The fifth physical accessibility construction project of the National Research institute for Persons with Disabilities was completed in 2017.[11]

TNMAC has as its mandate the victim assistance pillar and is the governmental body with legal responsibilities for the coordination and implementation of victim assistance activities. A Law on Humanitarian Mine Action (#1338) was signed by the president of Tajikistan on 23 July 2016. This law specifically refers to victim assistance in Article 12.[12]

Major Developments in 2017–2018

Needs assessment

TNMAC continued gathering detailed information on mine/ERW casualties and service provision.[13] In 2016, the ICRC MoveAbility Foundation reported that the conditions at the national rehabilitation center were not yet adequate for conducting beneficiary-satisfaction surveys.[14] No improvement was noted in subsequent reporting.[15]

Medical care and rehabilitation

Mine/ERW survivors received emergency medical care in Ministry of Health and Social Protection-run medical institutions. Despite the improvement in the quality of diagnosis and treatment of mine victims as compared with previous years, a shortage of experienced specialists, modern medical and diagnostic equipment, and training remained a challenge. Further training for health personnel on delivering disability inclusive services was needed.[16]

Ten surgeons, anesthetists, and trauma doctors from hospitals located in areas potentially prone to emergencies or contaminated by mines/ERW attended an ICRC regional seminar on the management of weapon wounds in Kazakhstan.[17]

A 2015 situational analysis conducted by an intersectoral working group of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Population (MHSPP), in collaboration with different disability and development related stakeholders, with technical support from the World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office, provides extensive detail on gaps, needs, and opportunities for intervention in field rehabilitation for persons with disabilities in Tajikistan. The evaluation component focuses on rehabilitation policy and governance, service provisions, and its impact on persons with disabilities in Tajikistan, and remained a unique source of information on the needs of the sector.[18]

The MHSPP provides free physical rehabilitation services at the main center in Dushanbe (the State Enterprise Prosthetic-Orthopedic Plant), the only fully-functional rehabilitation center capable of providing prosthetics services in the entire country. The satellite center of Khujand only made repairs on existing devices. Remoteness and poor road conditions mean that some regions, including Sugd and Gorno-Badakhshan, are isolated for several months during the winter.[19]

The ICRC MoveAbility Foundation provided assistance to the main rehabilitation center through training and technical advice, staff support, and material donations.[20] The international NGO Polus Center provided on-the-job capacity-building training for prosthetics and orthotics technicians in the main rehabilitation center in early 2018. Wheelchairs were purchased in 2017 and distributed to landmine survivors according to their specific needs in 2018.[21]

Socio-economic and psychosocial inclusion

Two local micro-credit funds “Rushdi Sugd” and “Fayzi Surkhob” continued to provide microcredits to mine/ERW survivors and family members in accordance with a UNDP grant agreement. By the end of 2017, 265 landmine survivors and their family members had received microcreditfunds, including 117 in 2017.[22]

In February–March 2018, professional certification training for 21 doctors from mine-affected districts was organized in cooperation with the MHSPP, UNDP, and TNMAC. The training was for psychological first aid and psycho-social support.[23]

TNMAC resumed organization of its traditional two-week-long rehabilitation summer camp for mine/ERW survivors and other persons with disabilities. The camp includes rehabilitation services, art-therapy, individual and group psychological sessions, and adaptive sport.[24]

The two-week summer rehabilitation workshop for 75 mine/ERW survivors was organized with cooperation the Polus Center in 2017. This rehabilitation program for landmine/ERW survivors was organized in a new format with additional training sessions on assistive devices and stress management.[25]

Victim assistance providers and activities

Name of organization

Type of activity

Government

TNMAC

Coordination, economic-inclusion projects; advocacy; and psychosocial support, including summer rehabilitation camps; awareness-raising; resource mobilization

National Research Institute for Rehabilitation of Disabled People

Rehabilitation assistance for persons with disabilities, including mine/ERW survivors

State Enterprise Prosthetic-Orthopedic Plant

The national rehabilitation center: Physical rehabilitation services; free transportation, accommodation, and meals and repairs at satellite workshops in Khorugh, Khujand, and Kulob

National University

Psychological support and social inclusion

National

National Union of Disabled Persons (NUDP)

Economic reintegration; social inclusion; advocacy

Tajikistan Campaign to Ban Landmines & Cluster Munitions

Advocacy; economic inclusion; awareness-raising and peer support

Tajikistan Red Crescent Society

Economic reintegration projects and first-aid training

Takdir

Survivor run: awareness-raising on rights of persons with disabilities; provision of support to mine survivors; based in Dushanbe

Union of survivors of Mines and other Explosives

Legal, psychological support; awareness-raising through mass media, including campaign on mines problem; administrative support to survivors to apply for disability pensions; based in Sugd region with regional coverage

International

ICRC MoveAbility Foundation

Support to the national rehabilitation center

Polus Center

Support to the national rehabilitation center and TNMAC summer rehabilitation camp

 

 



[1] Interview with Reykhan Muminova, TMAC, in Vienna, 18 December 2017.

[2] Statement of Tajikistan, Mine Ban Treaty Intersessional Meetings, Geneva, 7–8 June 2018.

[3] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Reykhan Muminova, TMAC, 24 August 2016; and interview, in Vienna, 18 December 2017.

[4] ICRC MoveAbility Foundation, “Annual report 2016,” Geneva, 2017, p. 4.

[5] Mine Ban Treaty Sixteenth Meeting of States Parties, Vienna, 19 December 2017; and Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2016), Form J.

[6] Resolution number 455, adopted 28 October 2016.

[7] Tajikistan, “Law on Social Protection of Persons with Disabilities,” undated (in Tajik); and telephone interview with EsanboyVohidov, Head, UNDP, 25 March 2011.

[9] Interview with Reykhan Muminova, TMAC, in Vienna, 18 December 2018.

[10] Statement of Tajikistan, Mine Ban Treaty 16thMeeting of States Parties, Vienna, 19 December 2017

[11] Ibid.

[12] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Reykhan Muminova, TMAC, 24 August 2016.

[13] Interview with Reykhan Muminova, TMAC, in Vienna, 18 December 2018.

[14] ICRC MoveAbility Foundation, “Annual Report 2017,” Geneva, 2017, pp. 30–31.

[15] ICRC MoveAbility Foundation, “Annual Report 2018,” Geneva, 2018, p. 18.

[16] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form J; Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2016), Form J; and interview with Reykhan Muminova, TMAC, in Vienna, 18 December 2018.

[18] WHO Regional Office for Europe, “State of rehabilitation in Tajikistan–Situational Analysis,” undated.

[19] ICRC Special Fund for the Disabled (SFD), “Annual Report 2014,” Geneva, May 2015, pp. 23–24.

[20] ICRC MoveAbility Foundation, “Annual Report 2017,” Geneva, 2018, p. 18.

[21] Statement of Tajikistan, Mine Ban Treaty Intersessional Meetings, Geneva, 7–8 June 2018.

[22] Statement 16MSP; and Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form J.

[23] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form J.

[24] Interview with Reykhan Muminova, TMAC, in Vienna, 18 December 2018.

[25] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form J.