OMAR International

(Tuesday 16 July 2002 Washington, DC, USA)

Introduction

OMAR was established in 1990 with the purpose of helping make Afghanistan safe from the threat of mines and other unexploded ordnance through threat avoidance education. In 1990 OMAR concentrated its efforts in Afghan refugees camps in Pakistan to gain maximum exposure to those who will be at greatest risk during the repatriation to their homeland, subsequently in 1991 OMAR shifted its mine awareness operation inside Afghanistan to alert the people on the danger of mines and UXO. Mine awareness classes have been conducted in local meeting places, such as schools, mosques, crossing points at the borders, encashment centers and bazaars. Exhibitions and mine awareness demonstrations were held in different cities and districts.

In August 1992, OMAR expanded its field of operation to mine clearance became known as Organization for Mine clearance and Afghan Rehabilitation (OMAR). It has offices in western Afghanistan (Herat), Qandahar, Mazar-e Sharif and Nangarhar provinces of the country, the main office being in Kabul-Afghanistan and a liaison office in Peshawar of Pakistan. The total employees of OMAR reach to 750 persons (male and female). OMAR has 10 manual mine clearance teams, 3 mechanical mine clearance teams, 2 EOD teams and 6 mobile male mine awareness teams (UN funded), 6 female mine awareness teams (funded by the Federal Republic of Germany), 5 male teams funded by Novib, 360 persons community volunteers within the community, 36 mine awareness facilitators funded by Unicef, 32 mobilizers funded by UNHCR working in Pakistan to train the Afghan refugees returning to their homes.

Areas of activities:

• Central region
  
• Eastern region
  
• Western region
  
• Southern region and
  
• Northern region

A. Mine clearance

OMAR aim of mine clearance operations is to create an environment in which people can live more safely and in which economic and social development can occur free from the constraints imposed by landmine contamination.

OMAR has completed a great deal of priority areas for mine clearance. In 1992 OMAR established mince clearance operation inside Afghanistan in Kabul, Qandahar, Farah, Badghis, Faryab and Herat provinces (mostly in western provinces). As a result 26,297,707 Sqm different types of minefields and 13,453,895 Sqm of battle area have been cleared of mines that formerly were minefields. Subsequently in 1998 OMAR established 3 mechanical mine clearance teams out of which the Government of Germany funds 2 and one is funded by NOVIB. During their operations period a total of 3,018,260 sqm of residential area & canal/irrigation systems cleared of mines/UXO and provided the opportunity for around hundred thousands inhabitants of the mentioned areas for the repatriation and rebuilding their economy. OMAR will make itself avail of this opportunity to profoundly express the greatest gratitude of the community to the donors who assist the deprived people in such critical conditions.

B. Mine Awareness

R mine awareness provides individuals with knowledge leading to an understanding of the problems and seeks to impart the skills and confidence that result in consistently safe behavior in contaminated environments. OMAR mine awareness program focused on educating people through its well-qualified male and female trainers (female teams funded by the Government of Germany in central province of Kabul) who live and work in an environment contaminated by mines and explosive devices.

• Make mine awareness education available to Afghan people, refugees awaiting repatriation and any person visiting or working in Afghanistan especially members of the International Aid Organizations.

• To establish and maintain a system of community-based committees that can provide a broad based, sustainable education on mines.

• The development and maintenance of a system for reporting the location of areas contaminated by mines and other explosives.

C. Litracy and Education

The aim of OMAR education program is to provide deprived Afghan communities with proper literacy and education to enable them to take active part in reconstruction/rehabilitation of their war-torn country and finally improve their socio-economic conditions.

Based on these factors OMAR runs one high schools in Nanagarhar, two primary schools in Kabul and a training center where all the participants are the Afghan refugee girls, receiving English, computer, and typing proper training. All the facilities provided by the staff contribution of OMAR.

Health Program

The Aim of OMAR Health Program is to provide Afghan people with the knowledge of health and hygiene and provide them with free medical treatment.

Since Afghans live below the poverty line, they cannot afford paying medical treatment fee. Due to current famine and breakout of a number of fatal diseases that can easily grasp people, OMAR run one polyclinic in Afghan capital city Kabul that is easily accessible by the communities, and four health clinics in major cities of Kabul, Herat, Qandahar and Nangarhar provinces. OMAR run a clinic that is funded by Japan Volunteer Center (JVC) provides free medication as well as food for malnourished children in eastern province of Nangarhar.

OMAR‘s 12 year's accomplishments

• Cleared 26,297,800 Sqm of minefields and 13,453,904 Sqm of battlefield areas.
  
• Mine awareness: education to over 7,652,486 million persons (l838,469 male, 1,230,019 female, 3,683,163 children and 3,996 NGOs staff)
  
• Destroyed devices 136,350.
  
• Checked up and treated more than 500,000 people including men, women and children in Kabul, Herat, Qandahar and Nangarhar provinces.
  
• A total of 320 are attending vocational training, education and litracy program in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

For further information contact:

H.# 206, Street 10 Zall, Wazir Akbarkhan Maina
P.O.Box 5885
Kabul
Afghanistan

Tel: +93-2100833/ 20760/ 23520
Fax: +873-763224161
Email: SPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERliwa.com"> omarintlSPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERliwal.com