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Sudan

Monthly report of the UN Emergency Mine Action Programme in Sudan: Mar 2003


General
Significant clearance activity continues in the Nuba Mountains and over 15 families have now returned to their pre-war home locations as a direct result of the mine clearance operation in the Miri Hills; water facilities have been rehabilitated through UNICEF and a WFP Food for Work programme has led to the village of Farek al Kroup being reconstructed and resettled.

The UNICEF managed MRE component of the Programme is about to embark on a comprehensive MRE Needs assessment in Nuba Mountains; a focal point for Victim Assistance activities has recently been recruited and the UNMAS Victim Assistance Officer will temporarily join the Programme during April to assist with the establishment of this function.

Cross Line Activity

A member of the GoS and the SPLA Mine Action Committee were both invited to the UNMAS 6th Annual Meeting of Mine Action Programme Managers and National Directors. This was the first time that Sudan had representation at this meeting and through their joint representation was able to contribute significantly to the meeting forum.

SPLM/South Sudan

The Technical Advisor (TA) based in Rumbek assisted the representative of the Foundation for Swiss Demining (FSD) in an assessment of the roads and railways in Southern Sudan as part of the planned support to WFP. The aim of the assessment was to produce a proposal that would outline the prioritization and technical needs for high impact route clearance following some stabilization as a result of the peace process. Two vehicle based field trips along the roads that will need to be cleared, as well as full briefings, occurred and FSD are now writing a detailed proposal for WFP to consider.

The South Sudan Mine Action Co-ordination Office in Rumbek has now been fully equipped and communications and reporting lines properly established. This establishment has included the installation of IMSMA software that now gives the ability to produce threat maps and provide a full overview of the known threat.

The TA Rumbek undertook an assessment of the Loki-Kapoeta road in conjunction with OLS Security and provided advice to the Chief of Security on Threat Assessment and subsequent Risk Management of the road to allow low threat portions to be trafficked.

Nuba Mountains

Formal Quality Assurance (QA) visits to both RONCO and DCA sites are ongoing and one of the DCA Explosive Detection Dog (EDD) Teams has now been formally accredited and licensed in the EDD Evaluation/Accreditation Area. The remaining Teams will continue to operate with their existing, temporary, accreditation until they in turn undergo this process during the following month. It is also planned to formally licence/accredit all RONCO EDD teams during this same period.

The EDD Evaluation/Accreditation Area is currently being extended to provide more facility to allow for comprehensive refresher training to be maintained throughout the clearance season.

Operational Capacity

Sudan Landmine Information Response Initiative (SLIRI)/ Landmine Action-UK (LMA)

No information currently available.

Dan Church Aid (DCA)

DCA are currently on reduced manning due to leave and restructuring of key personnel. They are expected to be operational again in early April. The joint training of deminers was successfully completed and a formal Graduation Ceremony will take place on 6 April.

RONCO EDD Teams

RONCO continue to conduct operations in the Miri Hills. Operations are progressing well and it is planned to clear/open a significant number of routes in this area to facilitate and encourage return to normalcy. A Food for Work programme has been established with WFP where local villagers actively contribute to the clearance and marking process under supervision of RONCO technical personnel.

An additional US Department of State funded RONCO team have now arrived and will be initially collocated in the Miri Hills to support clearance activities there.

Mine/UXO Clearance Statistics

The clearance results for the period under report are as follows:

Organisation
Location
Statistics
Benefit
Remarks
SLIRRI/LMA
Currently no clearance activity.
DCA El Hamra - Um Sirdiba Road
1893 m2
DCA have completed their initial route clearance tasking and are currently regrouping following successful completion of joint training course. Expected operational date is 7 April.
RONCO Farek al Krup area of Miri Hills
42,860 m2
Clearance so far has enabled a hand pump and water well to be established in this area and facilitated the return of over 15 families to their pre-war home area.
Total March
44,753 m2
Total 2003
74,461 m2
Total 2002
50,000 m2
Total
124,461 m2

Mine Risk Education (MRE)

The MRE Project Plan of Action (PPA) has been developed in collaboration with all relevant partners. The PPA is now signed between UNICEF and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, the government counterpart for mine action.

The main objectives for the MRE project for the year 2003 in the government controlled areas are:

a. To ensure that community needs are identified and to provide MRE to mine/UXO affected population by using educational participatory approach and communication tools.

b. To develop national capacity to deliver MRE integrated to other mine action and humanitarian, rehabilitation and development activities.

c. To establish MRE coordination mechanism and to ensure that national MRE standards and accreditation process is established by end September.

Dan Church Aid (DCA) in partnership with OSIL and JASMAR has been selected to conduct the MRE needs assessment in Nuba Mountains. The assessment is planned to commence on April and be finished by end June 2003.

The posts for the National MRE counterpart and the Victim Assistance counterpart have been advertised and the selection is completed. Both counterparts will begin work on 1 April 2003.

The MRE coordinator attended three meetings in Geneva (the UNICEF meeting for mine action staff, the MRE Working Group meeting and the UNMAS 6th Annual International Meeting of Mine Action Programme Managers and Advisors).