Norwegian People s Aid Mine Action Programme in Sudan

Transcription

1 NPA MINE ACTION 3 RD QUARTERLY REPORT 2009 JULY TO 30 SEPTEMBER Report Date: 0 October 2009 General The 3 rd quarter of 2009 has been a good period for the programme. The late arrival of the rain has kept productivity on a good level, even if our MineWolf had an incident in August while working on high contaminated ground in Lainya Project, and got damaged. The machine is now under repair, and is expected to be operational within October. But with the agreement with UNMAO to run the UN MineWolf during the UN stand down (July September), we have managed to keep the productivity up in the Lainya Project. The Annual Programme Meeting was conducted in the second week of July in Yei. During the meeting the work with Programme Plan for 200 was initiated. This plan has continued to be worked on throughout the period, and the plan will be presented to UNMAO and SSDA/C in the second week of October. Page

2 We are very happy that we could assist SSDA/C Yei Sub office with office facilities in connection to our camp. We hope this will enable the office to achieve their goals and objectives becoming the main coordinating body for the mine action activities in the Equatorian states. The Uganda Project is now about to be implemented. The long term objective for this project is to assist the Uganda National Mine Action Steering Committee in meeting its obligations under Article 5 of the Mine Ban (deadline August 202).The project will be very similar to the project we did in Rwanda in 2008, but smaller and with less administrative challenges. The minefield we will work on is close to the Sudan border in Kitgum. In addition to releasing the contaminated land, we also hope to further develop regional cooperation between the mine action authorities in neighboring countries. Personnel, Capacity Building and Training On the 30 September the programme consisted of the following staff: Nationals: 263 Internationals: 9 Total: 72 (26% females) Mawa Joseph with family outside his soon finished house in Yei. Training conducted in Juba. Mawa Joseph, who had an accident in May, has returned to Sudan after initial treatment in Gulu hospital. On 7 September Mawa started his training at the Physical Rehabilitation Reference Center ICRC/GOSS in Juba Page 2

3 where an artificial leg will be prepared for him, and he will get professional training. He is expected to be back in his new position in the programme within October. In addition to the physical training, our administrator has prepared an education package so that Mawa Joseph is trained in computer skills while in Juba. In the end of July Peter Andreas Wold Eide finished his contract as the Operations Technical Advisor, and moved back to Norway and his studies. In the beginning of September Terje Eldøen took over as the Operations Technical Advisor. On behalf of the programme I would like to thank Peter for his hard work while in Sudan, and welcome Terje. Hanjürg Lüssi from the Swiss Army arrived in the programme on 7 August. We are very grateful for the assistance the Swiss Army is giving us with EOD expertise. With the increased focus on stockpiles and EOD spot task, this is strongly needed and will help our existing capacity. On 7 th September a new Store Administrator Grace Susan, started to work for NPA MA. Previously she has worked with MAG. Susan was requited to the programme based on the restructure we have done in the Log department. And we look forward to have her on the team th July a Finance Worhshop was conducted in Yei for all finance staff in the different NPA programmes in Sudan. From our programme the finance officer and finance assistant participated, assisted by Daniel. 7- September the Annual Programme Manager meeting was held in NPA Head Office in Oslo. The programme was represented with the Programme Manager and the Deputy Programme Manager. The following training has been conducted for national staff: An EOD demolition course was conducted for all BAC and manual team leaders in July, so all team leaders are now accredited to do demolition on findings in their tasks. 7 9 Sep the first female MineWolf operator started her operator training, initially attending the UN MineWolf Operator course conducted in NPA camp in Yei, and then followed up with practical training with the MineWolf team in Lainya. Initial Agresso training of the new Logistic Administrator. Training was conducted by the Programme Officer. The medical department has continued the rotation system to Kuluva Hospital in Uganda, which will give the medics good experience. In this period 4 medics have been doing on the job training. The capacity building of the ICT assistant is going according to plan. During this period Khemis has been trained on; ICT Inventory Management Data Security Measures Intra net administration General computer based systems mainenance Page 3

4 The following training has been conducted for SSDA/C staff: Between 7 Sep Ramba Joseph Ramba Simon from SSDA/C participated in the UN ops officer mechanical training course, conducted in NPA camp in Yei. Field attachment for 4 SSDA/C employees (ongoing). Gender and Cross Cutting Issues Gender: According to the UN Resolution 325 (2000) the Security Council emphasize the need for all parties to ensure that mine clearance and mine awareness programmes take into account the special needs of women and girls. Female team conducting casevac training on MineWolf The Swiss Campaign to Ban Landmines made the Gender and Landmines report in 2008, based on a global research done in Sudan was one of the countries that are included in this report. The main findings for Sudan are that it is a clear difference between the male and female roles, but that these roles also differ greatly between the different parts of the country. It is the men who are more likely to get caught in mine accidents while working with agriculture, guarding cattle, fishing or hunting. But that it is the woman that is most burdened, either as a victim or as a caretaker. NPA is at the moment the programme in Sudan with the highest percentage of female deminers and team leaders. With the implementation of the female Task Impact Assessment team, and focusing on the female needs, the programme has managed to involve women more in the process of prioritizing which areas to clear. So far we have not see any major changes in the priorities, since we very much focus on releasing land for resettlement and agriculture which in Sudan is a gender balanced activity, since women often are the head of the household. During the reporting period NPA MA Sudan has trained the first female MineWolf operator Nancy. To our knowledge Nancy is the first female mechanical demining machine operator, and she will be a good role model. Nancy and Joe McCartan during the operator training. Page 4

5 Security SOUTHERN SUDAN SMT SECURITY MAP 25 AUGUST 2009 Road Area A 2 # LEVEL 4 LOCATIONS SINCE Rikwangba 05/06/08 LEVEL 3 TOWN (TRANSITIONAL) SINCE 2 Wanding 26/03/ Sakure 22/09/08 4 Wuror and Duk Counties 22/08/08 5 Nabanga 05/06/08 6 Alabek Payam, North of Tonj 23/06/09 LEVEL 4 ROADS/RIVERS SINCE 7 Fagar-Karpeto-Moli 09/04/09 8 Nabanga-Rikwangba 05/06/08 9 Ezo-Bagidi-Yangiri /08/09 LEVEL 3 ROADS/RIVERS SINCE 6 Poktap 0 0 Road Bor-Pibor 07/04/09 Road Pibor-Likuangole-Akobo 23/03/09 2 Sobat River, all roads in Baliet and Ulang counties 3/0/09 3 Road Nzara-Tambura 7/2/08 4 Raods Rasolo-Maridi, Rasolo-Farasika- Maridi 5 Yambio-Sakure, Yambio- Gangura/Nabiapai/Mbata Sindan 6/2/08 9/09/08 6 Mabior-Ayod 06/06/08 7 Road Ibba-Nabanga 06/06/09 8 Road Juba-Torit 5/08/ The security situation has not changed since the last reporting period. The inter tribal fighting is still taking place in Jonglei, Upper Nile and Lakes. The government still reports this as cattle rustling, but reports from UN and media are stating that the conflicts also have a political aspect. The LRA activity in the Equatorian states is still ongoing, much focused around the border regions to DRC. The lack of payment to certain government positions is still ongoing, and local strikes / markings has happened in different places in Sudan mainly in connection to bigger centers or towns. In Juba we have seen an increased numbers of robberies, lootings, car hijacking and rape. The programme has not been affected of the security situation, since operations has been focused in Central Equatoria. The expected increase in rain in the southern region of South Sudan and Northern Uganda as a result of El Nino has lead to roads being damaged in Morobo County. This has affected our operations, since we rely on the road as a medevac access road. The road is not permanent closed, but we have to stop operations when the road is inaccessible. Page 5

6 Operations Deployment Operations are conducted according to the Programme Plan for The following projects were worked on in this reporting period: Morobo project - ongoing Kenyi project - completed Loka project - completed Juba Kaya River project - started Yei project - ongoing Bele / Bungo project - ongoing Lainya project - ongoing Jonglei Stockpile project - started Page 6

7 The UN MineWolf detonating a AT mine while clearing around the NPA MineWolf. Ground processed by the UN MineWolf in Lainya Project. The NPA MineWolf initially worked at Kenyi Project, and when all areas had been processed it moved to Lainya Project, where it was used for technical survey to fine the reported AT mine row. During this work it hit an AT mine, and got major damage, but due to technically skilled mechanics from MineWolf, the machine will be operational within October. The UN MineWolf initially finished the task in Mafao, and then deployed to Lainya Project, where it was suppose to work together with the NPA MineWolf. Due to the damage, it has been the only machine on this project. The cooperation with the UN field staff and NPA staff is going very good and we hope this cooperation can continue also in the future. The Mini MineWolf has worked on several tasks, processing low risk areas on the tasks in Morobo Project, Loka Project and verifying absence of mines in the BAC task in Kegulu where the accident happened. Since mid September the machine was moved to Bele / Bungo Project where it at the moment is working on an AP minefield. The Mini processing the area in Kegulu The Bagger has during the whole process worked at Bele / Bungo Project, processing low risk areas and AP minefields. The manual teams have been mainly doing visual follow up and verification after one of the machines, which are reflected on the manual clearance productivity this period. Two teams have worked in Morobo Project on manual tasks doing technical survey. Page 7

8 The EOD team at the CDS preparing demolition Stockpile in Lainya before clearance The BAC teams have continued focusing on ammunition stores and assisting the EOD teams with stockpile destruction. BAC 2 has also done visual follow up and verification after the Mini MineWolf when it processed the ground where the accident happened. When this task was completed they returned back to the ammunition store task further in to the forest. BAC initially assisted the EOD team with the stockpile task in Lainya. When this task was finished it moved to Kurki, and opened the Juba Kaya River Project. The EOD teams have continued focusing on ammunition stores and stockpile destruction and clearance of EOD Spot tasks in. The Supervisor also attended the recce on Akobo and Pochalla stockpiles. The Route Survey team is continuing on the Yei Ring Road. The inner circle (5 miles radius from center) is completed and the outer circle is now being surveyed (0 miles radius from center). The other survey teams are working in confirming DA s and resurveying areas to prepare next year projects. The Task Impact Assessment team is about to finish the phase 2 assessments for this year, and has in the last part of the reporting period focused on post demining assessments, to be able to present a Post Clearance Assessment for On the 28 th August the handover at Kenyi Community was done. On the handover representatives from the community attended, together with Brigadier Taban and the new Field Coordinator for SSDA/C Yei sub office Joseph Ramba Simon. Up to date the Kenyi Project is the most successful project, if evaluated based on post demining activity. Ramba (SSDA/C) and Batali (NPA MA) during handover ceremony in Kenyi Between -4 th August a recce was conducted in Uganda, by the Deputy Programme Manager Bruce Elliott and the Senior Technical Advisor Philip Fouche. This to prepare the Uganda Project which NPA MA Sudan will conduct in the first 6 months in 200.

9 Stockpile in Pochalla UXO s and small arms AP and AT mines in Pochalla On the 28 September a recce was conducted to the stockpiles in Akobo and Pochalla. This was based on a request from GOSS for NPA to take lead in clearing these stockpiles. In addition to NPA, representatives from SSDA/C and UNMAO took part in the recce. Based on this recce we will prepare a project. Productivity in 3 rd Quarter Manual teams have cleared 6,883 m2, verified,79 m2 and visually searched 299,523 m2. MineWolf machines have processed 488,724 m2 BAC team have surface cleared 0 m2 and sub surface cleared 0,625 m2. EOD teams have completed 26 spot tasks. Land Released in 3 rd Quarter During the reporting period we have competed 3 tasks, and the following have been achieved: Area released by clearance: 49,086 m 2 Area released by tech survey: 55,260 m 2 Area released by non tech survey: 2,865 m 2 Total Land Released: 577,2 m 2 The tasks completed are: Bungu SS 79 Bungu SS 76 Gbendele SS 740 Keny SS 703 Keny SS 70 Keny SS 700 Keny SS 704 Kagelu SS 652 Kilikili SS 546 Logo SS 759 Mapao SS 443 Naiba SS 62 Naiba SS 626 Findings in 3 rd Quarter Anti- Tank Mines: 402 Anti- Personnel Mines: 52 UXO s: 29 AXO s: 6,380 Sub-munitions 0 SAA: 40,03 Page 9

10 Stakeholders and Visitors st July Paul Collinson from MineWolf Systems visited our programme, and the establishment of a MineWolf Workshop located in Yei was decided. 2 nd July Joe McCarton and Mark Connelly from UNMAO visited our programme, and the agreement with NPA MA Sudan running the UN MineWolf was arranged. Western Equatoria between the communities in Mundri East / Mundri West and NPA Sudan. During the meeting it was decided that NPA will return back to work in Mundri as soon as teams are available and the wet season has ended. 3 th July a reconciliation meeting was held in Lui, 30 th of August Carola Baller from Dutch MFA visited our programme, and the teams working on the Juba Yei road. On behalf of the programme I would like to thank Carola for the good cooperation during her period in Sudan, and with her good luck in the future work. st Sep Akiko Morita from the Japanese Embassy of Sudan visited the NPA office in Juba. During the visit it was agreed on place and date for the Handover ceremony of the Mini MineWolf. Akiko also got a programme brief both from the NPA Development programme and NPA MA Sudan. 2 nd Sep the 2009/0 demining season was officially started with a meeting in UNMAO. During this meeting UNMAO presented their operations plan and focus areas in the coming demining season. In this plan NPA MA Sudan plays a key role, with responsibility of clearance operations on the Juba Kaya road and Juba Kajo Keji road. 7 2 September NPA MA Sudan facilitated the UN Ops Officer training course, focusing on mechanical demining. Page 0

11 28 29 September Peter Villano and Emma L Smith from USDOS visited our programme accompanied by Christina Green from UNMAO. During the visit they visited our projects along the Juba Kajo Keji Road, Bele / Bungo and Lainya. The visitors mingle with the local community in Kurki, while visiting the BAC team Meetings with Stein Erik Horjen (Consul at the Norwegian Consulate in South Sudan) and Matthias Kiesler (Head of Juba office German Federal Foreign Office) have been held, and they have been given a programme brief and been invited to the visit the operations. Administration During this reporting period we have had a financial audit on the following projects from 2009: UN VTF Juba Kajo Keji Resurvey Project Japanese Embassy Mini MineWolf All financial audits have been conducted by KPMG. An additional internal control was conducted in July with assistance from the Logsistic Manager, as a follow up on the internal control conducted in May. The expected improvement was not achieved, and the programme logistic department was changed, and a new Logistic Administrator has been recruited. The programme has prepared to sell the following fixed assets: Type Donor Year procured Reason for sale Toyota Land Cruiser NMFA 2004 Replaced Toyota Land Cruiser NMFA 2005 Replaced Toyota Land Cruiser NMFA 2005 Replaced Toyota Land Cruiser NMFA 2005 Replaced Toyota Land Cruiser NMFA 2005 Replaced Toyota Pick Up NMFA 2005 Replaced Yamaha Motorbike NMFA 2005 Not operational Yamaha Motorbike NMFA 2005 Not operational Iveco Magirus Truck GFFO 2006 Not operational Iveco Magirus Truck USDOS 2005 Not operational Iveco Magirus Truck USDOS 2005 Not operational Iveco Magirus Truck USDOS 2005 Not operational Page

12 The Toyota vehicles have been replaced in the ongoing grant period for our different donors, and the new vehicles are now operational. The motorbikes are no longer operational, and they do not need to be replaced in the new operational structure. The trucks have been replaced either by Isuzu trucks or by trucks given to us by UN. The vehicles will be sold at an auction arranged according to the NPA Logistic Handbook. Income from the auction will possible to trace back to a project. CONCLUSIONS The programme is on track with the Programme Plan 2009, even if the temporarily breakdown of the NPA MineWolf has had an impact on the productivity we planned for. But with the assistance of the UN MineWolf, and focus on good site management we are working against achieving the objectives we aimed for in the start of the year. Incidents like this are something we have to calculate with, and when it happens it has once again proven to be crucial to have the support package agreement with MineWolf so we have the expertise within the programme that immediately take action and have the skills and knowledge to fix the machine in country. The programme is on track with the Capacity Building Plan By updating the MoU with SSDA/C we hope to become more involved in the capacity building of the authorities assisting UNDP. South Sudan is going into a challenging period. It is expected that the security situation will increase in Sudan. The food shortage that has started to affect Kenya and Uganda will have an impact on Sudan from next year. Sudan is still very much relying on import of food from these regions. All this is happening at the same time as we are closing in on the Election followed up by the Referendum. The programme will take all this in consideration when we now are preparing the Programme Plan for 200, and by doing so we are quite confident that we will continue to develop also in the coming period and coming year. thanks its donors for the 2009 funding period: Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs German Federal Foreign Office Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Swiss Confederation Japan s Official Development Assistance US Department of State Page 2

13 Partners: South Sudan Mine Action Authority United Nations Mine Action Office, Sudan World Food Programme MineWolf Systems AG Page 3