Details added (first version posted on 18:18)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 24
Trend:
During the 14th meeting of the 48th session of the UN Human Rights Council, program director of the UN-accredited Law and Development Institute with headquarters in Geneva, Joel Fuchs, spoke about Armenia’s military and environmental crimes against Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani State Committee on Work with Diaspora told Trend on Sept. 24.
The UN Human Rights Council also urged Armenia to provide Azerbaijan with all maps of minefields (on Azerbaijan's lands, previously occupied by Armenia).
While speaking as part of an interactive dialogue with the special rapporteur in connection with the issue on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes, Fuchs said the Industry Research and Development Group (IRDG) is greatly concerned about the impact of hazardous wastes, especially land mines, as it has a big impact on the environment, food production. As a result, big agricultural land plots are unused and livelihood is destroyed.
“The NGO represented by Fuchs calls on the Human Rights Council and the international community to take additional measures to protect people and the environment in the South Caucasus, to support peace and peacemaking efforts,” the message said.
"The IRDG calls for increasing cooperation in the region and asks the Armenian government to provide the Azerbaijani government with information about the remaining mines,” Fuchs added. “It is unfair to cause more casualties and injuries when the mines can be easily defused."
“The absence of maps of minefields may have a number of negative socio-economic and environmental consequences, as the operational and logistical costs for detecting mines would be very high for the country and donor organizations,” the message said.
“This may increase the pressure on the agenda in the field of development, as well as damage the right to life and destroy the ecological profile of the region,” the message said.