| <NAGORNO-KARABAKH | PALESTINE> |
Key developments since May 2001: From 1998 to mid-2002, over 9.7 million square meters of land were cleared under the UN Mine Action Program. In 2001, the non-governmental Mines Advisory Group and Norwegian People’s Aid cleared more than 1 million square meters of land. MAP completed a Landmine Impact Survey in April 2002. Between December 2000 and June 2002, MAP provided mine risk education to over 143,175 beneficiaries. Iraqi government delays and refusals to grant visas for essential mine action personnel have hindered the program.
The region of northern Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan) has been autonomous from Baghdad since the 1991 Gulf War. Northern Iraq is under the nominative political leadership of the unified Kurdish Regional Government (KRG), but the two major Kurdish political parties, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), administer two separate zones. There is no formal diplomatic recognition of the KRG, the KDP, or PUK, but leaders of both the KDP and PUK have committed to ensuring that the principles and obligations of the Mine Ban Treaty are realized.[1]
Landmine Monitor has received no allegations of use of antipersonnel mines in northern Iraq in 2001 or 2002 by the KDP, PUK or the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Northern Iraq’s mine and unexploded ordnance (UXO) problem dates back to the end of World War Two, but mines were not heavily used until the 1960s and 1970s when the central government attempted to subdue Kurdish groups operating in rural areas. During the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War, the north was mined again. There is also credible evidence that landmines were used in northern Iraq in more recent years during periods of factional fighting.
The Data Coordination Unit (DCU) of the Mines Advisory Group (MAG) has a database that holds records of more than 3,782 minefields in the most heavily contaminated areas.[2] According to the DCU, there are 2,241 minefields and 760 mined villages in the three northern governorates which comprise northern Iraq: Dohuk, Erbil and Suleymaniyah.[3] The greatest concentration of mines is along the Iran-Iraq border, specifically in the districts of Penjwin, Sharbazher and Qaladiza.[4]
The UN Mine Action Program completed a Landmine Impact Survey in April 2002. The survey confirmed that all 25 districts within the three northern Governorates are mine-affected, and that a total of 3,444 distinct areas suspected of mine and/or UXO contamination affect over 148,000 families (more than one in five) living in 1096 mine-affected communities. Due to constraints on access to a five kilometer zone along the Iranian border, an area generally believed to be heavily contaminated, 74 mine-affected communities within this zone were not visited in the course of the survey. Nonetheless, it is expected that the data provided by the Landmine Impact Survey will allow the mine action community to develop more effective plans targeting areas posing the greatest, most immediate threat to affected communities.[5]
The results of the Landmine Impact Survey (to be released in the second semester of 2002) indicate the following:
Northern Iraq Mine Action Program (MAP) Since 1997, the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) has managed the northern Iraq Mine Action Program (MAP), under the jurisdiction of the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq (UNOHCI). Since 1999 national mine action offices have been set up and staffed in Suleimaniya and in Erbil governorates within the Ministry of Relations and Cooperation (MORAC) and the Ministry for Humanitarian Aid and Co-operation (MOHAC).[7] These offices are mandated to monitor mine action in the region on behalf of the KRG, liaise with the NGO and UN implementing partners to provide co-ordination assistance and facilitate where required. The offices are currently funded by UNOPS.
The MAP spent over US$28 million in 2001, and its budget for 2002 is approximately US$36 million.[8] It is entirely funded by the 13 percent and 2.2 percent accounts of the Oil for Food Program under UN Security Council Resolution 986.[9]
The MAP supports UN agency projects for housing and resettlement, transportation, electrical infrastructure and drought eradication initiatives in the three northern governorates.[10] As of November 2001, clearance operations were taking place in 64 minefields in the three governorates, of which eighteen were demined and five returned to the community in Erbil for grazing, farming, and infrastructure.[11] From November 2001 to April 2002, clearance operations were completed in 24 minefields in the three governorates, and those were handed over to the local communities. A total number of 68 cleared minefields had been handed over to local populations as at 30 April 2002.[12]
According to the MAP, it has initiated a prioritization process that “ranks communities by incidence of landmines and UXO, the number of marked inaccessible areas, and the number of recent victims, to help in the planning of future mine clearance activities and ensure the efficient use of resources.”[13]
From 1998 to mid-2002, over 9.7 million square meters of land were cleared under the MAP. During that period, clearance teams working under the MAP destroyed over 9,600 antipersonnel and antivehicle mines and over 45,400 UXO.[14]
In 2002, the MAP project plans to expand to include the development of at least twelve new manual demining teams; twenty-six dual-purpose technical survey/area reduction teams; twenty-four impact survey teams; sixteen integrated manual/mine detection dog teams; two dog training schools; two manual deminer schools; six explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) teams; nine locally designed and manufactured mechanical ground preparation machines; nine imported remote-controlled mini-flails; and six locally-produced multi-purpose excavation machines.[15]
The MAP also plans to form at least three local non-governmental demining organizations, each initially integrating no less than four manual demining teams. The need for the establishment and strengthening of local mine clearance capacity is viewed by the UN as crucial as the MAP faces insecure funding with a possible phase-out of the Oil for Food Program, or modification of UN sanctions against Iraq.[16]
It has also been reported that, in 2001 and 2002, the South African commercial firm Mechem continues working in northern Iraq under the MAP, supporting the development of a local Mine Detection Dog capacity, training Kurds as dog handlers, and removing mines around power lines.[17]
In September and October 2001, seven visas were granted for the continuation of MAP’s core program, but delays and refusals to grant visas for essential personnel continue to hinder the program. As of 31 October 2001, UNOPS had withdrawn its request for 75 visas due to these difficulties and had to cancel a number of agreements with key contractors to which these visas were tied.[18] According to the MAP, UNOPS has developed alternative approaches to address bottlenecks thus created (e.g. for the development of local demining NGO capacity), and discussions with the Iraqi government are “ongoing.”
Mines Advisory Group (MAG)[19] MAG has conducted mine clearance operations in northern Iraq since 1992. Equipment provision, recruitment and training, and some technical surveys were carried out from mid-1992 with limited clearance by expatriate technical advisers during that year. Since then, MAG has built a considerable and highly professional local capacity. MAG local staff now have an average of eight years of mine action experience. MAG’s operations are based on community requirements across the region, and clearance priorities are decided based on strict criteria.
As of July 2002, MAG employed 694 national staff in demining, EOD, mechanical, survey, marking, mine awareness, and management and support roles. MAG has its main offices in Suleimaniya, Erbil and Dohuk, with three operational bases across the region. During 2001 and 2002, MAG increased its focus on management skills training for its local staff.
Since 2000, MAG has been developing a ‘Rotorvator’ mechanical aid, using locally available plant machinery, to augment manual demining and increase productivity. As MAG found it increasingly difficult to transport heavy equipment from outside into the area, it chose to try local production. The machine was developed using existing agricultural equipment and add-ons, developed and built by local Kurdish firms. With consulting assistance from the British charity DTW (Development Technology Workshop), which also builds the ‘Tempest’ vegetation cutter in Cambodia, MAG added an additional power pack to improve the Rotorvator, which is due to begin operations in mid-2002.
In northern Iraq, MAG is currently fielding Mine Action Teams consisting of 22 multi-skilled people that can be divided into three sub-teams as required by the task. As required, MAG also fields small teams to respond to other mine and UXO tasks: these may be call-outs for emergencies and accidents, small high-impact jobs, checking sightings of mines or UXO, destroying mines and UXO found by local people.
After several years of drought severely depleted traditional water sources, safe access to new water sources needed to be created during 2001: MAG’s emergency teams were able to provide this demining. Heavy snowfall snows in the winter of 2001/2002 and rainfall have improved the situation in 2002.
MAG operates in co-ordination with the local mine action offices, but is not able to operate under the MAP umbrella. It has supported the development of the offices and plans continued co-operation and support to further strengthen this local capacity.[20] MAG’s clearance statistics are therefore provided separately to give a more complete picture of the operations underway in the northern Iraq region. In 2001, MAG cleared 11 minefields; 515,616 square meters of land was declared safe, including 137,686 square meters reduced. In 2001, MAG’s teams cleared and destroyed 2,548 mines and 921 UXO. In addition, MAG conducted 174 combined operations response tasks, which cleared 21,933 square meters, destroyed 959 landmines and 9,670 items of unexploded ordnance.
In the first half of 2002, MAG completed the clearance of two minefields. A further 140,458 square meters of land was cleared including 33,200 square meters reduced.[21] MAG is working on 22 minefields during the year. To June 2002, 699 mines and 194 UXO had been destroyed. MAG’s combined operations response tasks had accounted for another 137 mines and 1,664 UXO.
The minefield demarcation throughout most of northern Iraq that MAG carried out in 1996 is still in existence. Where required, this demarcation is now being complemented and improved. In 2001, 23 further minefields were demarcated, a total of 1,237,315 square meters.
From 1993 to 30 June 2002, MAG had cleared 179 minefields. 4.596,409 square meters of land were cleared and handed back to the community. A further 1,178,859 square meters were reduced and declared safe. A total of 90,321 landmines were cleared and destroyed, and 345,557 items of UXO. Some 3,105 tons of uncounted ordnance has also been destroyed. Between1993 and 1996, MAG did not record large areas cleared of surface-lying and stocked UXO (Battle Area Clearance): the actual totals of area cleared would be therefore, significantly higher. Over the same time period, MAG has demarcated 107,806,503 square meters of mined areas.
MAG’s program is annually funded by SIDA (Sweden), the Netherlands through Stichting Vluchteling, and the United Kingdom. The UK agreed a significantly reduced grant for one year from April 2002; this was the only exception to its policy of providing mine action funds to UN agencies. A number of other donors also contribute funding including Trocaire (Ireland) and Swedish Peace and Arbitration Society (SPAS).
Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA).[22] Norwegian People's Aid started its mine action program in Iraqi Kurdistan in 1995 in response to a request from local authorities. Since then NPA has worked in the sub-district of Mawat in Sharbazher district in the Governate of Suleymaniyah. This area of operation was formally provided to NPA by the local Kurdish authorities in 1998. NPA coordinates its work with Mines Advisory Group. The NPA program consists of three operational demining teams conducting manual clearance of mines and UXO. Its goal is to make more land accessible for local peasants and shepherds and to reduce human suffering.[23] The NPA program was fully nationalized in April 2001 and is now run by local personnel only.[24] In 2001, 100,391 square meters of land was manually cleared and an additional 406,472 square meters cleared through battle area clearance.[25] NPA clears both agricultural areas and rural areas according to priorities set by the regional and local authorities. The budget for the program in 2001 was approximately NOK 2.5 million (US$277,777), funded entirely by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[26] This represents a decrease in funding from 2000, which was NOK 4,776,757 (US$514,000).[27] In 2001, the government of Norway reduced its support to NGO work in northern Iraq and increased its development assistance to the government of Iraq-controlled areas, which in turn forced NPA to reduce its demining capacity by fifty percent.[28]
Between December 2000 and June 2002, the MAP provided mine awareness instruction to over 143,175 beneficiaries. A new local NGO, the Kurdish Organisation for Mine Awareness (KOMA-Suleymaniyah) was established in May 2001 to work on such activities in the Suleymaniyah governorate.[29] MAP has funded the mine awareness activities of KOMA-Suleymaniyah and another local NGO, the Kurdistan Organisation for Mine Awareness in Erbil/Dahuk; KOMA Erbil/Dahuk was established in October 2000.[30]
From 1993 to 30 June 2002, MAG mine awareness teams visited 6,436 villages and 2,205 schools and other institutes to conduct mine awareness education, in addition to 2,035 follow up visits to primary schools and training institutes, there were visits to a further 578 villages and 443 schools and other institutes in 2000.[31] In 1998, MAG started to work with the Ministries of Education and Endowments and Religious Affairs to prepare a teaching curriculum on mine awareness education and to provide teachers with the necessary skills, knowledge, and materials to deliver the curriculum.
Between 1997 to 30 June 2002, MAG trained 2,306 teachers and 916 school supervisors.[32] MAG was the first agency to apply “Child-to-Child” techniques to mine action, including MRE. This work continues within the schools program. In early 2000, MAG conducted and evaluation of its mine awareness program towards children, together with the Department of Education. The results indicated that 30% of children surveyed still had difficulty recognizing signs that an unmarked area might be mined, and not all could recognize the danger of playing with UXO and fuses. In 2001, MAG focused on addressing these problems and conducted a re-evaluation in mid-2001, which found the difficulties had been significantly reduced.
MAG also uses the village mosque and the mullah as a respected method of delivering mine awareness messages. Between 1998 and June 2002 mine awareness teams visited 1180 mosques and 114 religious schools and institutes trained 298 village-based mullahs and instructors from the region’s Imamat and Khatabat institutes (religious training institutions) and Kurdistan Mullahs’ Union.[33] This is in addition to another 1641 mullahs trained during mosque visits. It prepared and printed a mine awareness curriculum document and guide, which includes messages from the Holy Koran and is now taught in religious schools across the region.[34] During the period, MAG continued to focus support on teacher training; and refresher visits to the religious schools, mosques and to villages carried out by MAG’s religious representative team. A June 2001 evaluation of the religious program showed up a continuing need for on-going monitoring and further inputs into the program, which MAG will address through increased focus through 2002.
There is a continued organized flow of returnees from Iran, and MAG provides Farsi-language mine awareness training at the Dyana reception centre, and refresher training in repatriation areas and schools where the returnees have been re-located. In the summer, Arab nomads and shepherds from the southern region move their flocks into the cooler, more mountainous north and MAG conducts targeted Arabic-language mine awareness to such populations at risk: identification of risk areas, how to behave if finding oneself in a mined area.
According to a report of the UN Secretary-General, from 1 September to 31 October 2001, there were 154 new landmine and UXO incidents involving civilians throughout the three governorates.[35] However, a UNOPS official has told Landmine Monitor that in 2001, reported UXO and mine explosions caused an estimated average of 30 casualties per month.[36] He said that in the first quarter of 2002, reported casualties averaged 27 per month. These numbers represented a reduction from 48 per month in 2000 and 56 per month in 1999. Adult men comprise more than 75% of all recorded landmine/UXO casualties.[37]
MAG provided Landmine Monitor with mine/UXO casualty statistics, which do not include data from Emergency and from surgical hospitals in Suleimaniya, New Kirkuk and Erbil.[38] In 2001, MAG recorded 165 mine/UXO-related casualties: 101 casualties in Suleimaniya (68 injuries and 33 deaths), 24 casualties in New Kirkuk (11 injuries and 13 deaths), 28 casualties in Erbil (17 injuries and 11 deaths), and 12 casualties in Dohuk (all injuries).
From January to April 2002, MAG recorded 87 mine/UXO-related casualties: 42 casualties in Suleimaniya (33 injuries and 9 deaths), 13 casualties in New Kirkuk (8 injuries and 5 deaths), 21 casualties in Erbil (15injuries and 6 deaths), and 11 casualties in Dohuk (10 injuries and one death).
The UNOPS Victim Assistance Program is integrated into the MAP and provides a network of services to mine survivors, including four orthopedic limb centers (Dohuk, Diana, Halabja, and Suleymaniyah), six orthopedic outreach centers, three rehabilitation centers, two emergency surgical hospitals, and 16 first-aid posts; all of these receive funding under the MAP.[39] UNOPS considers the prosthetic and surgical centers as sufficient to meet the needs of survivors. The UN Secretary-General reported that in September/October 2001, the construction of a rehabilitation and vocational training center began in Dohuk, construction of another center in Diana was completed, and outreach posts were opened in Zakho, Choman and Penjwin.[40]
In 2001, a total of 1,239 prostheses were provided,[41] of which approximately 650 were for landmine amputees.[42] From 1 January to 30 April 2002, 387 prostheses were provided, of which approximately 235 were for landmine amputees.[43] The UNOPS Victim Assistance Program assists 5,000 to 6,000 patients each year at an annual cost of around US$3.5 million and approximately 850 national staff are employed in all funded programs.[44]
The Italian NGO Emergency runs the Surgical Hospital for Civilian War Victims and provides services at the 18 first-aid posts throughout northern Iraq, in addition to surgical treatment at sites in Erbil and Suleymaniyah.[45] In 2001, 2,154 patients received surgical treatment, including 119 landmine casualties. The facility at Suleymaniyah also provides rehabilitation services, including the fitting of 454 prostheses.[46] Emergency is co-implementing rehabilitation and vocational training services with the Dohuk and Diana prosthetic limb centers. Over 60% of employees working in the centers are disabled.[47]
Handicap International Belgium (HIB) runs two orthopedic centers in Suleymaniyah and Halabja. In 2001, the centers produced and distributed 673 pairs of crutches and 425 prostheses, and repaired 1,255 orthopedic devices.[48] The centers also distributed 51 wheelchairs received from the Ministry of Health.[49] In addition, 1,341 physiotherapy sessions were held at the Suleymaniyah center and 2,200 at the Halabja center.[50] HIB continues to operate a mobile team composed of a technician and a physiotherapist, which is able to reach isolated villages to ensure adequate follow-up.[51]
The Norwegian Red Cross supports the ICRC prosthetic/orthotic centers in the cities of Erbil and Mosul and in 2001, 1,061 patients received physical rehabilitation, including 596 landmine survivors.[52] The centers distributed 1,067 prostheses, 343 crutches and six wheelchairs.[53] The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Norwegian Red Cross financially support the centers.[54]
The Ministry of Public Health in Suleymaniyah, the Rozh Society for Disabled People, the Helena Center, and the Handicapped Union (local NGOs) are also engaged in rehabilitation of the disabled in the region.
The Norwegian NGO, Trauma Care Foundation, runs a program training health care workers in emergency first aid and assists in the transporting of mine casualties to the nearest medical facility.[55] No details of activities in 2001 were provided to Landmine Monitor. In 2001, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs provided US$194,444 in funding for the program.
| <NAGORNO-KARABAKH | PALESTINE> |
[1] Letter to UN Secretary-General from Masoud Barzani, President of the KDP, dated 3 October 1999 and letter to UN Secretary-General from Jalal Talabani, PUK General Secretary, dated 26 January 2000.
[2] MAG’s DCU figures do not include minefields and villages already cleared by other agencies or by villagers themselves. MAG’s figures may slightly differ from other agencies as MAG sometimes sub-divides minefields for ease of operational management. Email to Landmine Monitor (HRW) from Tim Carstairs, Director for Policy, Mines Advisory Group, 17 July 2002.
[3] Email from Tim Carstairs, Mines Advisory Group, 17 July 2002.
[4] Norwegian People's Aid, “Mine Action Proposal 2000,” p. 7.
[5] Email to Landmine Monitor (HRW) from Charles Downs, Division Chief, Mine Action Unit, UNOPS, 26 July 2001.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Email from Tim Carstairs, Mines Advisory Group, 17 July 2002.
[8] Email from Charles Downs, Mine Action Unit, UNOPS, 26 July 2001.
[9] UN Portfolio of Mine-related Projects, February 2002, pp. 142-143.
[10] Report of the UN Secretary-General pursuant to paragraph 5 of resolution 1360 (2001) (S/2001/1089), 19 November 2001, p. 18.
[11] Ibid.
[12] UNOPS, Post Clearance Impact Assessment Report #3 (UNOPS/FP&E/096/02), May 2002, p. 2.
[13] Report of the UN Secretary-General (S/2001/1089), 19 November 2001, p. 18.
[14] UNOPS MAP data, July 2002.
[15] UN Portfolio of Mine-related Projects, February 2002, p. 143.
[16] Ibid., p. 142.
[17] Lumka Oliphant, “Sniffing Out Landmines in Kurdistan,” Saturday Star, Johannesburg, 27 January 2001.
[18] Report of the UN Secretary-General (S/2001/1089), 19 November 2001, pp. 18-19.
[19] The information in this section on MAG was provided in an email from Tim Carstairs, Mines Advisory Group, 17 July 2002.
[20] Email Tim Carstairs, Mines Advisory Group, 17 July 2002.
[21] Reduction of minefields means, for MAG, that a portion of the area thought to be mined is re-surveyed; and exploratory breaches are employed to help verify that areas are indeed mine-free. If the land is safe, it will be ‘reduced’ without formal clearance taking place. The entire process is clearly documented and fully agreed with the local community and authorities. To date MAG has clearly separated the recording of area cleared and area reduced.
[22] Norwegian People's Aid, “Humanitarian Mine Action 2002 Portfolio,” accessed on 9 July 2002, http://www.npaid.org/mines/port_iraq.htm; Response to Landmine Monitor mine action questionnaire by Ketil Volden, Advisor for Middle East, Norwegian People's Aid, Oslo, received 9 July 2002.
[23] Response to LM mine action questionnaire by Ketil Volden, Advisor for Middle East, Norwegian People's Aid, 9 July 2002.
[24] Norwegian People's Aid, “Humanitarian Mine Action 2002 Portfolio,” accessed on 9 July 2002.
[25] Response to mine action questionnaire by Norwegian People's Aid, 9 July 2002; email from Janecke Wille, NPA, 23 July 2002.
[26] Response to mine action questionnaire by Norwegian People's Aid, 9 July 2002.
[27] Email to Landmine Monitor (HRW) from Janecke Wille, Norwegian People’s Aid, 27 July 2001.
[28] Norwegian People's Aid, “Humanitarian Mine Action 2002 Portfolio,” accessed on 9 July 2002.
[29] Report of the UN Secretary-General (S/2001/1089), 19 November 2001, p. 19.
[30] Email from Charles Downs, Mine Action Unit, UNOPS, 20 July 2001.
[31] Northern Iraq Data Coordination Unit of Mines Advisory Group, “Activities Summary 1 January 1993 to 30 June 2001.” Attachment to Email from Tim Carstairs, Mines Advisory Group, 17 July 2002.
[32] The 2,258 school and institute teachers trained includes 919 teacher trainings and 1,339 follow-up teacher trainings. Northern Iraq Data Coordination Unit of Mines Advisory Group, “Activities Summary 1 January 1993 to 30 June 2001.” Attachment to Email from Tim Carstairs, Mines Advisory Group, 17 July 2002.
[33] The 311 village-based mullahs and instructors trained includes five Imamat and Khatabat trainings, 267 commune trainings and 39 religious representative workshops. Northern Iraq Data Coordination Unit of Mines Advisory Group, “Activities Summary 1 January 1993 to 30 June 2001.” Attachment to Email from Tim Carstairs, Mines Advisory Group, 17 July 2002.
[34] Mines Advisory Group, “The Mines Problem in Northern Iraq,” May 2001, p. 6.
[35] Report of the UN Secretary-General (S/2001/1089), 19 November 2001, p. 19.
[36] Email to Landmine Monitor from Ibrahim Baba-Ali, Victim Assistance Manager, UNOPS – Erbil, Northern Iraq, 30 May 2002.
[37] Ibid..
[38] Email from Tim Carstairs, Mines Advisory Group, 17 July 2002.
[39] UN Portfolio of Mine-related Projects, February 2002, p. 143.
[40] Report of the UN Secretary-General (S/2001/1089), 19 November 2001, p. 19.
[41] Further information on the two of the centers providing this total number of prostheses is included below in the reports on activities of the NGOs Emergency (Suleimaniya) and Handicap International Belgium (Halabja).
[42] Email from Ibrahim Baba-Ali, UNOPS, Northern Iraq, 30 May 2002.
[43] Ibid.
[44] Ibid.
[45] Ibid.
[46] Giorgio Raineri, Coordinator of Missions, Emergency, response to Landmine Monitor Survivor Assistance Questionnaire, 24 April 2002.
[47] Email to Landmine Monitor from Ibrahim Baba-Ali, Victim Assistance Manager, UNOPS – Erbil, Northern Iraq, 30 May 2002.
[48] Handicap International Belgium Activity Report 2001.
[49] Ibid.
[50] Ibid.
[51] Ibid.
[52] Ole Trapness, Coordinator External Resources, Norwegian Red Cross, response to Landmine Monitor Survivor Assistance Questionnaire, 6 May 2002.
[53] Ibid.
[54] Ibid.
[55] See http://www.traumacare.no.
