Funding needed in order to clear landmines by 2010

Afghanistan could be free of landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO’S) by 2010 if aid donor support is sustained and clearance operations continue at their current rate, according to a report released by the United Nations Mine Action Programme for Afghanistan (UNMACA). “We have been working closely with the government and devised a 10-year strategy plan,” programme manager for UNMACA, Richard Daniel Kelly, told IRIN from the Afghan capital, Kabul on Monday. Within the first five years of the plan it is hoped that high impact areas, those which are heavily populated and where economic activity is hindered by the threat of landmines and UXO’s, would be cleared. In the following five years, low impact areas would be cleared. Afghanistan is one of the most heavily mined countries in the world. It is estimated that landmines and UXO’s killed or injured 300 people per month last year. Based on UNMACA estimates, more than 200,000 people have been killed or maimed in the last two decades. According to the report, an estimated 17,000 deaths or injuries could be averted over the 10 years through an accelerated demining programme, which would be dependant on aid. "Our requirement from 2002 through to 2003 was US $78 million dollars. Today we have received US $51 million and about US $25 million of this is pledges, which we are unable to spend, there is a shortage of US $27 million to take us to March 2004," Kelly said. He added that many deminers go without pay for between four and five months, as they wait for the pledges to be converted into contributions. Afghanistan has the largest mine action programme in the world, which is also the most cost effective. "We are clearing land at approximately US $0.64 cents per square metre, whilst other programmes in the world are between US $2 and $8 per square metre," Kelly maintained. Mines and UXO’s are impacting on the re-development of Pakistan with many refugees unable to return to their homes due to the contamination of the land. "We know that approximately 850 square kilometers of land is contaminated, which means remaining IDP’s (internally displaced people) cannot go back to their land and reconstruction and development cannot take place," he maintained. Demining activities had previously been interrupted by security issues during February, March, April and May. UNMACA’s directors and national staff spoke with the elders to stress the importance of the mine clearance programme. Kelly commented that there has only been one security incident since then, adding that they were working closely with the government who were providing security, which was conducive to UNMACA’s activities. UNMACA began clearing landmines and UXO’s in 1989. During this time, 754 square kilometers of land has been declared safe. In 2002 alone, it was estimated that 111 square kilometers of land was demined. The programme has overseen services that educated 2.4 million people on how to identify and avoid mines and UXO’s. "We feel Afghanistan has moved forward in leaps and bounds over the last year and a half to two years. Afghanistan has joined the Ottawa convention with the Mine Ban Treaty, which was effective as of March 2003. Afghanistan is working hard to ensure they abide by their commitments," Kelly stressed.