64 said killed by mines in buffer zone since January 2001

According to figures recently compiled by the UN's Mine Action Coordination Centre (UNMACC), 163 people have been injured and 64 killed by landmines in the Temporary Security Zone (TSZ) between Ethiopia and Eritrea, which has served as a buffer between the two countries since the end of their border war two years ago.

The most recent figures cover the period January 2001-November 2002. They are not a definitive total of all injuries and deaths in the TSZ, but represent the most comprehensive figure available.

The TSZ, which was established after the cessation of hostilities in 2000, stretches 25 km within Eritrean territory.

Officials at UNMACC say the monitoring of mining accidents in the buffer zone has suffered significantly since three international non-governmental agencies involved in mine related activities were told to leave Eritrea at the end of August. Two international demining bodies remain in the country — Halo Trust, a British NGO, and Ronco, a private contractor with the US State Department.

"It’s become much more difficult to know what’s going on, because we’re not sure if we’re getting accurate information anymore," says Phil Lewis, UNMACC’s Programme Coordinator.

An estimated 660 sq km within the TSZ are believed to be contaminated with landmines and other unexploded objects, although officials at UNMACC say that estimate could potentially be cut in half if a thorough technical survey was carried out.

UNMACC says international and domestic demining agencies, including the Eritrean Demining Authority, have cleared over 30 sq km of mines and other explosives since January 2001, while more than 4,000 mines and 55,000 other unexploded objects have been destroyed since the cessation of hostilities.

According to Lewis, no official figures are currently available on the number of mine related injuries and deaths outside the TSZ in either country.