SURVEY ON LANDMINES TAKEN.

On December 4, the Landmine Monitor Report issued a summary of a survey conducted by the Chechen NGO “Refugees against Landmines.” Chechen refugees living in northern Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and a small number living in Ingushetia and Chechnya were interviewed for the project. “Chechen [separatist] military and civilians claim that 80 percent of the territory [of the republic] is either mine-contaminated or can be presumed to have such a threat.” “Overall, 92 percent of those interviewed for this report were aware of agricultural and forested areas that are mined. Some 56 percent knew of various buildings (that is, apartment buildings, schools, hospitals) that are mined. Thirty-eight percent were aware of mined roads, bridges, railroads. When asked if mine areas were marked, 80 percent answered that they were not marked.”