Photo By Sgt. Tracy R. Myers | Tajikistan army Lt. Ghufron Khajibaev, engineering platoon commander, runs a wire...... read more read more
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DUSHANBE, Tajikistan — An explosion quickly turned what should have been one of the happiest days of her life into one of the most devastating.
“A bride stepped on a land mine on her wedding day,” said Firuza Ghulomaseinova, a native of Tajikistan. “A happy celebration became a very somber one.”
Tajikistan is riddled with land mines, stemming from a conflicted past. Unfortunately, this leaves unexpecting victims in danger today.
According to the Tajikistan Mine Action Center, 367 people here were killed by land mines and 841 were injured since 1992.
U.S. Army Central Command Explosive Ordnance Disposal team completed the first humanitarian International Mine Action Standard EOD level-one course among partnered nations of central Asia in Tajikistan June 6.
The course was attended by 20 students from four countries. This is the first phase of a three-level train-the-trainer program in accordance with the humanitarian International Mine Action Standard procedures.
The mine contamination along the boarders and central region of Tajikistan is a result of Russian forces placing them on the Tajik-Afghan border between 1992 and 1998 in an attempt to protect the border from armed groups entering Tajikistan. Land mines and explosive remnants of war were also placed throughout the central region of Tajikistan during the 1992-1997 civil conflict. Then, in 1999, Uzbekistan forces used mines along the Tajik-Uzbek border to protect from armed groups and bandits.
“It’s very dangerous for farmers and villagers of outlying communities,” said Ghulomaseinova. “They are just going about their business never knowing when they may step on one.”
In an effort to transform this region into a more safe and secure place for the citizen, USARCENT is working side-by-side with the Tajikistan Ministry of Defense to increase the capacity of their armed forces.
“The EOD level-one and two programs will provide sustainable regional capacity,” said Lt. Col. Benjamin Lipari, USARCENT EOD chief. “In September we will conduct an EOD level-one program for Tajik and Afghan students, and in October we hope to retain and advance the program to the EOD level-two standards.”
Although a date has not been set, USARCENT is planning to train key aspects of EOD level-three in the future, while advising and assisting to operationalize the Tajikistan Ministry of Defense’s effort to build a long-term Explosive Hazards Training Center, said Lipari. He believes Tajikistan will continue to rise as a regional leader in humanitarian mine action.
The Office for Military Cooperation of the U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe is pushing for cooperation across boarders to create regional security and mine disposal safety standards to benefit countries in the region.
U.S. Army Central EOD team took charge of that mission through planning and executing this exercise.
“This course should provide stability and security for the region while maintaining cooperation among the participating countries,” said Mihail Semionov, Organization of Security Co-operation in Europe mine action officer.
The outcome of this train-the-trainer course gives faith to one native.
“It gives me hope that our military is on the right track to ultimately clear the land mines threatening the citizens of Tajikistan,” said Ghulomaseinova. “With this knowledge they will be able to better understand the mechanics and materials they are dealing with.”
Though the process will take time, the impact will be significant to the farmers and villagers at risk of stepping on land mines in Tajikistan.
| Date Taken: | 06.16.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 06.16.2014 15:12 |
| Story ID: | 133253 |
| Location: | DUSHANBE, TJ |
| Hometown: | DUSHANBE, TJ |
| Web Views: | 155 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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