MAG CWMD Global Update February 2011

Transcription

1 MAG CWMD Global Update February 2011 Burundi: Foundry project - a team of supervised former combatants smelting pieces of weapon magazines in a locally made oven Sudan: conventional weapons found by MAG in an unsecured stockpile MAG and CWMD MAG uses the term Conventional Weapons Management and Disposal (CWMD) to refer to its work in support of weapons and ammunition disposal and security. This includes dealing with Small Arms and Light Weapons, as well as items such as aircraft bombs, large calibre artillery, mortar ammunition and rockets. The term also reflects the different roles that MAG takes on within this sector, from direct clearance activities and Physical Security and Stockpile Management, to capacity building and training. CWMD is a coordinated and integrated approach which supports states to develop sustainable solutions to armed violence, and is an essential contribution to local, national and regional security and aspects of Armed Violence Reduction (AVR). MAG is currently undertaking CWMD projects in Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Iraq, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan and Swaziland. Burundi MAG Burundi started in 2007 with a programme to support the Government of Burundi in reducing the threat of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) and unsecured stockpiles. MAG is currently offering technical support to the Weapons Destruction Workshop and is supporting the Burundian Government in implementing the Nairobi Protocol - Articles 6, 7, 8 and 9. In February, a survey of SALW owned by the Forces de Défense Nationale (FDN the Burundian army), funded by the Swiss Government, continued in 25 depots in the 1 st, 3 rd and 4 th Military Regions. Although MAG s funding has now come to an end, the SALW Survey Team which was trained by MAG will continue to assess the remaining depots in Bujumbura independently of MAG s practical support or funding. It is planned that a final report, summarising the findings and proposing solutions to improve the management of the SALW stocks owned by the army, will be submitted to the FDN in April.

2 With funds from the Swiss Government, a team from the Ecole Nationale Supérieur des Arts et Métiers (ENSAM) from Lille, France, visited Burundi from February for the experimentation phase of the foundry project. Started in 2009, this project aimed to develop technology adapted to local resources and using neither electricity nor charcoal to recycle the metal pieces remaining after the weapons have been destroyed by cutting. At the same time, the project was intended to create employment for former combatants. At the end of February, two ovens were installed and tested and a team of ex-combatants successfully transformed weapon magazines into hoes and art pieces. It is important to note that it will be possible to smelt almost any type of metal with these ovens, therefore scrap metal such as old vehicles or kitchen tools will also be recycled. The technology needs further improvements and the team further training before larger-scale production is launched. Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) MAG DRC launched a nationwide CWMD programme in September 2006 and in May 2007 received written authorisation from the Ministry of Defence to destroy surplus military stocks in all Military Regions. Also in May 2007, a destruction centre was established by MAG at the Central Logistics Base in Kinshasa. In September 2008 MAG received written authorisation from the Ministry of the Interior (extended in April 2009) to commence CWMD activities with the Congolese National Police. MAG DRC is currently operating one mobile CWMD team, a mobile stockpile assessment team, and the destruction team based at the Logistics Central Base under funding from the US Department of State Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement. Under funding from the Dutch Government MAG is also creating official national Physical Storage and Stockpile Management (PSSM) standards, providing training in these standards and undertaking the evaluation and refurbishment of ammunition stockpiles. Under MAG s Dutch-funded Physical Storage and Stockpile Management (PSSM) project, an assessment team deployed to Mbandaka and completed their assessment of the ammunition depot, including an inventory of ammunition, an impact and risk assessment, and the drafting of architectural plans. The assessment will be presented to the General and the Governor of Mbandaka in March. Training of FARDC ammunition technician trainers began in the month of February at the Central Logistics Base. A company has been selected to begin rehabilitation of the armoury at the Central Logistics base at the beginning of March. Under the US Department of State funded project, the mobile destruction and assessment teams were deployed to Goma during February. A total of 7.1 tons of ammunition was destroyed during the month of February. At the Arms Destruction Workshop an additional 800 arms were destroyed Iraq MAG Iraq started implementing the CWMD programme in August 2007 with the support of PMWRA. To date, MAG Iraq CWD teams have successfully responded to more than 10,020 emergency tasks to safely remove and destroy 293,810 CW items. Since it began MAG Iraq's CWMD programme has directly benefited more than 1 million individuals. MAG s Small arms and Light Weapons Risk Education (SALW RE) programme began with RE sessions in schools in July Working with local partners, MAG s SALW RE warns children of the threats of playing with SALW, with the aim of reducing the risk to children in homes with unguarded SALW. In February, four CWD response teams continued operations, deploying to reported stockpiles of CW. Teams deployed 117 times from the programme s three operation bases to 77 different villages, completing 235 emergency conventional weapons destruction tasks in Sulimaniyah, Dohuk, Mosul, Diyala and Kirkuk Governorates. This month, 4,765 CW were safely destroyed. Items destroyed included anti-personnel landmines, anti-tank landmines, fuses, mortars, items of 70mm PG, projectiles and small arms ammunition in addition to several other types of unexploded ordnance. Teams destroyed 43 stockpiles.

3 In Chamchamal, a CWD team deployed to Chimany Azady village of Kirkuk governorate to safely remove and destroy 4 stockpiles of 2,033 items of CW. The team in Sulimaniyah deployed to Qorato area of Diyala governorate to safely remove and destroy 5 stockpiles of 254 items of CW. Items were posing significant threat to the local communities in the area. The dedicated MAG Community Liaison (CL) teams funded by WRA conducted 14 liaison visits to 7 different villages in Kirkuk and Sulimaniyah, liaising with local authorities, farmers, shepherds, teachers, village leaders and other villagers. MAG CL teams delivered 5 SALW RE session to 171 students and villagers in Dohuk and Sulimaniyah governorates. Rwanda MAG started CWMD activities in Rwanda in November 2008 and will close country operations in early During this period MAG has provided technical assistance and training to the Rwanda Defense Forces (RDF) in basic stockpile management and the destruction of surplus SALW and munitions. Since 2008 MAG has established a central weapons destruction workshop at Kanombe near Kigali and trained two RDF teams in weapons recognition and weapons cutting. A central demolition site for the destruction of munitions was also identified at Gabiro in northeast Rwanda. Operations re-started in September 2010 with a grant from the Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement, US State Department. MAG completed the drafting of the EOD 3 and Stockpile Management courses along with the development of two weapons and munitions management databases during February Despite this good progress and final preparations for the training and destruction it was not possible to gain the national permissions necessary to commence activities within a timeframe that would enable the project objectives to be successfully achieved. After lengthy discussion with the donor it was reluctantly decided to conclude MAG s involvement in Rwanda and close country operations on the 7 th of March Somalia MAG commenced its CWMD activities in the Puntland region of Somalia in May 2008 with funding from the US Department of State WRA. MAG trained an EOD team consisting of 7 Puntland Police officers and further provided technical assistance and equipment for the team performing CWMD activities throughout Puntland. All training and field operations are carried out in close coordination with the national governing authority the Puntland Mine Action Centre (PMAC). With further funding from OWRA, activities in Puntland re-started in September The UK Government s Conflict Prevention Pool (CPP) is providing funding for additional Community Liaison Teams and survey activities from August During the month of February, the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team assessed and destroyed three stockpiles amounting to a total of 442 items (0.279 tons). These demolitions included the destruction of a stockpile of 380 anti-personnel (AP) mines handed over to MAG s Technical Field Managers (TFMs) in Bosaso by senior police commanders. Ali Jama Hassan, Chief of Cabinet, Office of the President commented: The Government of Puntland thanks MAG and PMAC agencies for mine action activities, such as identification, disposal and public awareness of deadly mines... The Government appreciates the successful mine action activities which protect citizens including children and help contribute to the overall security situation of Puntland. It was a fitting tribute to their hard work and success over recent months that the entire national EOD team successfully completed their IMAS level 2 qualifications and received their awards at a presentation ceremony following the AP mine demolition. Both the demolition and certification ceremony were attended by a number of high profile government representatives and journalists.

4 On top of this success, the EOD team also continued to conduct large amounts of Battle Area Clearance (BAC), clearing a total of 52,500 m 2 in February and performed vital educational work, delivering a total of 15 Mine Risk Education (MRE) sessions this month. In Puntland, three Community Liaison (CL) teams continued to deploy all over the region delivering MRE to at-risk populations. Not only did the teams provide an invaluable educational resource to many people, but they also generated large numbers of Dangerous Area (DA) reports enabling the EOD team to follow up and clear items from contaminated areas. Further to the mainstream projects conducted through the Garowe office, MAG Somalia also began a short-term project in Somaliland, refurbishing the main police armoury in Hargeisa and conducting a survey of 15 other police armouries across the country. It is hoped that this may pave the way for future work in Somaliland focusing on weapons security. Sudan There are two specialist EOD teams, funded by WRA in southern Sudan. One team (MAT1) concentrates on operations in Central and Western Equatoria, while the second team (MAT2) concentrates on operations in Jonglei and Eastern Equatoria. Additionally MAG has eight Multi-Task Teams (MTTs) and thirteen Community Liaison (CL) Teams operating in Kassala, Blue Nile, Greater Equatoria and Jonglei. The integrated MTTs conduct minefield survey and clearance, as well as carrying out CW disposal as necessary. MAG Sudan conducts integrated operations and the CL teams are the main generators of Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) Dangerous Area (DA) Reports which are cleared by the MAG technical teams. In southern Sudan MAT2 (funded by PM/WRA) remained deployed in Boma in Jonglei State and completed work on two large stockpiles, logistically disposing of 106,079 items in total with a net explosive quantity of 4.3 tonnes. Included in this were; 3 MANPADS, 418 AT mines, 358 AP mines, 95,381 SAA, and 9,919 other UXO. Approximately 3,950 people benefitted from these activities. Also in southern Sudan, MAT1 (funded by PM/WRA) spent the month in Kediba and Mundri Counties of Western Equatoria State completing 77 spot tasks, directly benefitting approximately 1,316 people. In total the team logistically removed 7 AP mines, 2 AT mines, 48 sub munitions, and 556 other items of UXO. CL teams in southern Sudan deployed across Greater Equatoria and Jonglei collected 117 new DA reports, which will be passed on to the MAG EOD teams for swift clearance. In North Sudan, MTT2 deployed to Hamesh Korieb in Kassala in mid-february to conduct survey and clearance on Suspected Hazardous Areas (SHAs) and DAs blocking access to communities for development partners GOAL and Samaritans Purse. Hamesh Korieb has never received a Landmine Impact Survey (LIS) visit, and so the severe level of contamination is only now becoming apparent. Following successful training and accreditation, MTT1 joined MTT2 in Hamesh Korieb. Together, the teams have completed five spot tasks, logistically disposing of 11 UXO in four demolitions including three aircraft bombs during an emergency spot task by a school. The teams submitted completion reports on all five DAs. MTT3 has been undergoing training and accreditation in Damazin, Blue Nile State. It is expected that the team will be ready for deployment by the end of March. CL Team 10 deployed to Hamesh Korieb, CL 13 to neighbouring Telkuk, and CL 12 remained in rural Kassala. Together, they have collected 35 DA reports which have been passed on to MTTs 1 & 2 for clearance.

5 A summary of the outputs from the month of February follows: Summary Table Number removed and destroyed ERW removed/destroyed MANPADS 3 AP mines 365 AT mines 420 SAA 95,381 Sub-munitions 48 Other UXO 10,486 Total ERW removed/destroyed 106,703 Number of demolitions 6 Spot tasks completed 82 Newly reported DAs 152 Direct beneficiaries 6,550 Swaziland In Swaziland, MAG is undertaking a short project with the Swaziland Police (RSPS) and Army (USDF) to help them to reduce their stocks of identified unserviceable and unusable SALW and to improve storage conditions for their remaining stocks of weapons. Activities in country started in January 2011 and are due to finish in March. In February, destruction of small arms continued with 1,625 arms belonging to the army being safely destroyed. All personnel involved were trained by MAG and the destruction was overseen by MAG s international Technical Field Manager Team-Leader. The fabrication of 50 gun racks for the project was continued in Burundi and the racks were shipped to Swaziland (arriving in the following month). MAG would like to express its gratitude to the following current donors to our CWMD projects around the globe: Act for Peace AECID - Spanish Government Belgian Government CHF CIDA DFAIT (Canadian Dept of Foreign Affairs and International trade) DFID Dutch Government ECHO GOAL Stichting Vluchteling Swiss Government UK Government, Africa Conflict Prevention Pool UN United States Department of State, Political Military Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement United States Department of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration