Dealing with the threat of landmines

Malawi has formulated a plan to clear abandoned landmines and other unexploded ordnance (UXO) from areas along its border with Mozambique. Colonel Reuben Ngwenya of the National Mine Action office in the Malawi Defence Force told IRIN on Monday that the authorities had finalised a plan to conduct "a detailed survey, and map areas that are dangerous [infested with mines]. We are also looking at conducting civic education and clearing those areas of mines and UXOs". The plan has been put to government and "may be transmitted to [international] partners who can help us, because there are some cost implications", Ngwenya added. A report by a United Nations inter-agency mine action assessment mission, released earlier this year, noted that while committed to solving the landmine problem, "the authorities do not have the capacity" to do so. Three sources of landmines and UXOs were identified: "Firstly, the 1,000 km border area between Malawi and Mozambique, especially in former refugee populated areas, is suspected of being contaminated as a result of a spill-over from the conflict in Mozambique that ended in the early 1990s," said the report. "In addition, under the previous one-party system in Malawi, a para-military organisation known as the Malawi Young Pioneers had 33 training camps located throughout the country. The Malawian army forcibly dismantled this organisation in late 1993; the 33 training camps are therefore suspected of being contaminated. Finally, because of the regular flooding, it is feared that the landmines/UXO might have been displaced, hence creating additional [areas] of contamination," the report noted. Malawi does not have a landmine and UXO information management system, and "it therefore has no clear understanding or knowledge of the extent of the problem or the real number of victims", according to the report. Ngwenya confirmed the statistics that some 1,000 people had been injured and 41 others killed in landmine or UXO incidents over the past 10 years, but added that these figures might be higher due to under-reporting. "We believe there could be even more [victims], because in the rural areas they normally don't report each and every incident to higher authorities," he explained. UN Mine Action Service consultant Richard Cassidy visited Malawi from 19 to 26 August to assist in drawing up a plan to deal with the threat of landmines and UXOs. The UN Development Programme in Malawi said Cassidy "assisted the government with the development of a national action plan" that will be presented at the Nairobi Summit on a Mine-Free World, beginning on 29 November. The summit will bring together governments, international organisations and civil society to take stock of progress made in ridding the world of landmines and also develop plans for the future. "We are very determined to make sure this issue is resolved. Now, with the establishment of a national committee for landmines [at inter-ministerial level] and an office coordinating these efforts, we believe in the next few months we should be able to see some progress," said Ngwenya.