Chechen MPs ask for Kremlin's help in de-mining

The problem of clearing the territory of the Chechen Republic of explosives calls for a special federal programme. According to experts, the republic needs end-to-end de-mining of about 24,000 hectares.

"The mine problem in our republic remains same topical as several years ago. According to experts, our republic needs end-to-end de-mining of the territory of over 24,000 hectares. Of them, 16,500 hectares are agrarian lands, and 7300 hectares - forest fund territory. During the two military campaigns, over 3000 persons suffered from mines in our republic, half of them - women and children," says the spokesman of the Ministry for Emergencies (MfE) of Chechnya.

"During the last five years (after 2005), employees of the respective services of the MfE have neutralized 5143 various explosive devices and 21 air bombs. 247 hectares have been cleared. If de-mining will go on at that rate, we'll need decades. Nobody knows how many more persons can be lost and become invalids as a result of explosions of bombs and mines, or triggering of unexploded ammunition," he said.

According to the source, the problem of de-mining is complicated by the circumstance that MfE and military experts have no maps of mine fields; therefore they have to work practically at random, basically using the data obtained from the population.

"Probably, the address of the parliament of our republic to Russian leaders will help to solve the problem. Today, it is obvious that without adoption of the target federal programme with the respective funding and mobilization of all necessary forces and means the problem cannot be solved," he believes.