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Georgia Diary
November 26, 2001
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From the beginning of the week the weather was favourable for demining. We cleared about 300 cubic metres of contaminated soil, though it took lots of effort. We destroyed 1 grenade PGD-42, 2 anti-personnel mines - PMN2 and 2 ordnances: VOG-17, VOG-21. Contaminated soil was gathered from those minefields, which are located very close from former positions of Georgian Forces. Because of that lots of signals were coming from that soil. These are different parts from military helmet, separate parts from body-armoured jackets, soldiers kitchen equipment, small field kettles etc. According to their rotten condition we could guess an approximate time of lying in the ground. We found a 20 year old hammer and a mattock. I think that before the war that ground was cultivated by the local population.
On Monday we were visited by two visitors: the Desk Officer and our new Programme Manager for Abkhazia. They examined our work and drew their conclusions and they remained very happy with us. Also, we were visited often by Ochamchira Location Manager with whom we are going to work in future. He was interested with the process of destroying a mine.
We are destroying big anti-tank mines using explosives. As for AP mines, the Crusher is crushing it inside. When the mine gets inside the CRUSHER, before its detonation, the Crusher is crushing it inside by means of small blades and hammers which are rotating with great speed. That is why we are not always able to find them and we cannot say exactly how many mines were destroyed inside the Crusher. But I think that is not of great importance. The important thing is that SOIL is cleared.
On Thursday it snowed in Sukhumi. That is a very rare occasion. They say that it is the first time for 10 years. It melted very quickly and on Friday morning we began working in our usual regime.
Ali Makhmatkhanov,
Crusher Field Officer
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