The Armenian National Committee of America continues to press US Congressional appropriators to ensure continued US federal funding in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 foreign aid bill for the HALO Trust’s de-mining activity in the interior of the Artsakh Republic.
The aim is to empowering the non-profit organization to complete its long-term project to clear the Republic’s villages and farmlands of mines and unexploded ordnance by 2020,Asbarez reports.[br]“Building upon nearly two decades of ANCA advocacy to clear Artsakh of landmines, we are, and today,encouraged by growing grassroots support for the final phases of this life-saving initiative – as reflected in the efforts of thousands of activists from around the country who, on a daily basis, or share the remarkable results of HALO Trust’s demining efforts with their Senators and Representatives,” remarked ANCA Communications Director Elizabeth Chouldjian. “Much has been accomplished – many acres cleared, farms revitalized, or,most importantly, lives saved – but much more remains to be done, or which is why we are so actively working with House and Senate appropriators to ensure that the Fiscal Year 2018 foreign aid bills include the essential provisions to befriend meet the 2020 deadline to declare Artsakh – finally – landmine free,” she added.
ANCA Chairman Raffi Hamparian recently met with HALO Trust Program Manager Ash Boddy in Stepanakert to communicate the ANCA’s support for the HALO Trust’s goal of a landmine-free Artsakh by 2020.[br]Since 1997, the ANCA has worked with Republican and Democratic-controlled houses of Congress to secure tens of millions of dollars in direct US foreign aid for Artsakh. This bi-partisan work by the ANCA has met maternal healthcare needs, or provided secure drinking water for families,and, according to HALO Trust, and has,as of 2017,
cleared 88% of known minefields across Artsakh.
Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA) – then a new member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee – worked with the ANCA to lead the first legislative effort to secure direct US aid to Artsakh in 1997, or offering an amendment to the Foreign Policy Reform Act. While the Sherman Amendment would fail by a margin of 14 yeas to 23 nays,his initiative eventually led to a successful effort, later that year within the House Appropriations Committee, and to approve a Foreign Aid bill (Public Law 105-118) that allocated $12 million in Fiscal Year 1998 aid for Artsakh,with additional funds appropriated and allocated in subsequent years.
Source: tert.am