Hand over of stockpiles in Somaliland

Author/Origin: Danish Demining Group

(Monday 25 November 2002 Cophenhagen, Denmark) At a ceremony 14th November, stockpiles were handed over to the Danish Demining group for destruction.

In the autumn of 2001 a large number of antipersonnel mines from military stores in Somaliland were handed over to the Danish Demining Group (DDG) for destruction. At the time it was clear that there were still a considerable amount of mines left, which had not been handed over.

Throughout 2002 DDG has urged the local authorities to hand over the remaining stockpiles for destuction and after a meeting with the vice president in August, the government of Somaliland decided to do so.

Stockpiles handed over. Photo: DDG

At a ceremony 14th November a large number of antipersonnel mines from military stores in Somaliland were handed over for destruction to the DDG in the presence of representatives from the EU, UN and the administration of Somaliland.

In total more than 2300 antipersonnel mines of the type P4, M14 and PMN-2 as well as 72 bounding fragmentation mines (PT-MI / M16), 16 antitank mines (TM46 / 56) and two French mines were handed over.

Preparing to destroy UXOs. Photo: Per Toftager

During the first couple of weeks in November another 300 pieces of unexploded ordnance, including antitank missiles of the type MILAN and various types of grenades have been handed over to the DDG for destruction too.

The demolition means that the stockpiles will no longer be a threat to the large residential area in the capital Hargeysa.

Moreover the hand over shows that the government of Somaliland intends to comply with the treaty to ban landmines and it shows their peaceful intentions towards the neighbouring countries as well as their own people.