Ethiopia’s landmine/unexploded ordnance problem is largely due to past wars and conflicts. The Ethiopian Mine Action Office was created in an attempt to alleviate the situation. This article discusses the country’s history and the efforts made to make it safe

Derebe, Zewdu

English

JMU Scholarly Commons (James Madison Univ.)

Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction Volume 10 Issue 1 The Journal of Mine Action Article 19 August 2006 Ethiopian Mine Action Office: Tackling Landmine Problems in Ethiopia Zewdu Derebe Ethiopian Mine Action Office Follow this and additional works at: https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cisr-journal  Part of the Defense and Security Studies Commons, Emergency and Disaster Management Commons, Other Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons, and the Peace and Conflict Studies Commons Recommended Citation Derebe, Zewdu (2006) "Ethiopian Mine Action Office: Tackling Landmine Problems in Ethiopia," Journal of Mine Action : Vol. 10 : Iss. 1 , Article 19. Available at: https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cisr-journal/vol10/iss1/19 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Center for International Stabilization and Recovery at JMU Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction by an authorized editor of JMU Scholarly Commons. For more information, please contact dc_admin@jmu.edu. 30	| focus |	journal	of	mine	action	|	2006	|	august	|	10.1 10.1	|	august	|	2006	|	journal	of	mine	action	| focus | 	31		E thiopia	 has	 suffered	 from	 a	 land-mine/unexploded	 ordnance	 problem	for	 more	 than	 seven	 decades	 due	 to	the	 following	 succession	 of	 conflicts,	 wars	and	disputes:•	 The	Italian	invasion	in	193•		 The	 Ethiopia	 and	 Somalia	 conflict,	1977–197•	 The	dispute	with	Sudan	in	190•	 The	Ethiopian	Civil	War,	197–1991•	 The	 recent	 conflict	 with	 Eritrea,	199–2000Though	the	Ethiopian	Landmine	Impact	Survey	results	need	further	verification,	the	preliminary	findings	of	 the	survey	 indicate	that	 2,3	 square	 kilometres	 (93	 square	miles)	of	land	contain	mines.	Over	1.9	mil-lion	 people	 in	 Ethiopia	 live	 in	 landmine-impacted	 communities,	 and	 the	 survey	identified	 1,92	 communities	 as	 impacted	by	 landmines	 and	 UXO.	 Three	 regions	 in	particular	 are	 contaminated:	 Tigray,	 Afar	and	Somali.To	 address	 this	 problem,	 EMAO	 was	established	 by	 the	 Ethiopian	 government	through	 the	 Council	 of	 Ministers	Regulation	No.	70/2001,	under	the	Office	of	 the	 Prime	 Minister.	 EMAO	 acts	 as	 the	government’s	 focal	 point	 for	 management	of	 mine-action	 operations	 and	 related	activities.	 It	 is	 responsible	 for	 planning,	prioritization,	 accreditation,	 monitoring,	resource	 mobilization,	 acquisition	 of	 the	mine-information	database	and	other	mine-action	 activities	 that	 support	 the	 nation’s	development	 program.	 EMAO	 is	 working	to	 apply	 the	 International	 Mine	 Action	Standards	to	the	Ethiopian	context.	It	seeks	to	reduce	the	threat	to	the	returning	popula-tions	in	the	target	areas	by	removing	and/or	marking	 mines	 to	 international	 humani-tarian	 standards	 and	 by	 raising	 the	 capac-ity	as	well	as	the	productivity	of	demining.	EMAO	 gives	 first	 priority	 for	 clearance	 of	areas	in	close	proximity	to	dwellings,	second	to	land	used	for	agriculture	and	third	to	any	Ethiopian	Mine	Action	Office:	by Zewdu Derebe [ Ethiopian Mine Action Office ]Ethiopia’s landmine/unexploded ordnance problem is largely due to past wars and conflicts. The Ethiopian Mine Action Office was created in an attempt to alleviate the situation. This article discusses the country’s history and the efforts made to make it safe.land	used	for	grazing.	As	a	result	of	EMAO’s	humanitarian-demining	 operations,	 which	began	in	May	2002,	more	than	20.2	mil-lion	square	metres	(about		square	miles)	of	land	 infested	 with	 mines	 has	 already	 been	cleared.	About	1,291	anti-personnel	mines,	209	 anti-tank	 mines	 and	 20,10	 pieces	 of	UXO	have	been	found	and	destroyed,	with	an	immense	number	of	fragments	collected	and	eliminated.In	 the	 coming	 years,	 EMAO	 plans	to	 increase	 its	 output	 considerably.	 This,	of	 course,	 can	 be	 accomplished	 through	proper	 utilization	 of	 its	 experience	 and	by	 employing	 additional	 demining	 assets	including	machines.In	 light	of	 these	 facts,	 and	 if	 the	ELIS	data	is	more	or	less	considered	to	fall	around	2,3	square	kilometres	(93	square	miles),	then	the	impacted	communities	and	mine-infested	lands	would	take	a	number	of	years	to	tackle.	Therefore,	the	EMAO	would	like	to	employ	further	accident-prevention	meth-ods	including	using	demining	flail	machines	and	taking	various	technical	measures,	and	it	is	seeking	additional	funding	to	do	so.	The	Ottawa	Convention,1	which	Ethiopia	 rati-fied	in	the	fall	of	200,	obliges	the	country	to	 remove	 and	 destroy	 its	 emplaced	 anti-personnel	mines	within	10	years.At	 present,	 the	 six	 manual	 demining	companies,	 the	 mechanical	 demining	 ma-chines	and	the	dog	teams	are	deployed	on	the	 boundaries	 of	 the	 three	 affected	 re-gions	of	Ethiopia.	These	prioritized	areas	are	all	 found	 in	 the	country’s	 three	heav-ily	 mine-affected	 regions.	 Each	 company	is	comprised	of	three	1-member	platoons	(one	Technical	 Survey	 and	 two	 clearance	platoons).	 Additionally,	 each	 company	is	 assigned	 a	 Quality-assurance	 Officer.2	Mine-risk	 education	 and	 community-liaison	activity	around	the	demining	area	are	 also	 core	 activities	 run	 by	 EMAO’s	skilled	 professionals.	 The	 EMAO	 MRE	program	was	established	in	March	2002	and	Zewdu Derebe heads the Director’s Assistance Office for the Ethiopian Mine Action Office and has worked with EMAO for four years. He has attended the UNDP Senior Manager’s Course presented by the Mine Action Information Center, as well as many other mine-action related workshops in different countries. He holds a Bachelor of Science from Addis Ababa University.Zewdu Derebe Head, Director Assistance OfficeEthiopian Mine Action OfficePO Box 25955 Addis Ababa / EthiopiaTel: +251 11 467 1853Fax: +251 11 467 2494E-mail: emao@ethionet.et             zderebe@gmail.comTackling	Landmine	Problems	in	Ethiopiais	provided	by	many	village-level	task	forces.	Community-liaison	 Officers	 are	 found	 in	Gulomekeda,	 Ahferom,	 Tahtay	 Adiabo,	Merebleke,	 Kafta	 Humera	 (Tigray)	 and	Elidaar	(Afar).2EMAO	plans	to	acquire	more	mechanical-demining	 machines	 and	 expand	 the	 mine-detection	dog	program	to	be	deployed	in	the	next	 mine-clearance	 activities,	 which	 will	be	 integrated	 with	 its	 existing	 integrated	mine-clearance	forces.See Endnotes, page 110in	the	country.	The	Commissioner	General	of	Sudan’s	Humanitarian	Aid	Commission	also	 presented	 highlights	 of	 the	 govern-ment’s	 vision	 and	 plans	 for	 addressing		the	landmine-	 and	 ERW-contamination		prob-lems	 in	 the	 country	 and	 priority	 areas	for	assistance.The	 presentations	 were	 followed	 by	 an	hour	 of	 open	 discussion	 and	 comments	among	various	ministries,	national	and	 in-ternational	 organizations,	 U.N.	 agencies	and	individuals.	The	main	discussion	points	included	the	following:	•	 All	 the	 parties	 appreciated	 and	welcomed	 the	 establishment	 of	 the	NMAA	 and	 stressed	 that	 address-ing	 the	 landmine/ERW	 problem	 in	Sudan	must	be	taken	as	a	“one	coun-try	 approach,”	with	unified	national	planning,	 coordination	 and	 imple-mentation	across	Sudan.•	 Sudanese	ownership	and	leadership	are	 vital	 to	 addressing	 Sudan’s	l andmine /ERW-contaminat ion	problem	in	the	long	term	through	the	development	 of	 a	 pool	 of	 qualified,	trained	and	experienced	national	staff.•	 The	 building	 of	 local	 and	 national	capacities	 should	 be	 given	 priority	in	 the	 projects	 implemented	 by	 the	United	 Nations	 and	 internation-	al	organizations.•	 The	 NMAA	 will	 review,	 revise,	validate	 and	 consolidate	 all	 previ-ous	 memoranda	 of	 understanding/agreements,	 policy	 frameworks	 and	strategic	frameworks	related	to	mine	action	in	Sudan.•	 The	 NMAA	 will	 hold	 broad-based,	comprehensive	consultations	and	dis-cussions	with	all	concerned	national	bodies,	 the	United	Nations,	 the	do-nor	community,	and	national	and	in-ternational	civil-society	organizations	in	order	 to	develop	a	comprehensive	strategy	 based	 on	 practical	 work	plans.	The	NMAA	will	re-convene	as	soon	 as	 these	 consultations	 and	 dis-cussions	have	taken	place.Closing	 session.	 The	 launching	 cer-emony	 came	 to	 end	 with	 the	 statement	 of	Lt.	General	Salva	Kiir	Mayardit,	First	Vice	President	 of	 the	 Republic	 of	 Sudan	 and	President	of	the	GOSS.	Mayardit	 thanked	 the	 United	 Nations,	the	 donor	 community	 and	 all	 other	 orga-nizations	and	institutions	that	have	assisted	and	supported	the	Sudanese	authorities	and	people	 in	 addressing	 the	 landmine/ERW-contamination	 problem	 in	 Sudan.	 He	 wel-comed	 the	 establishment	 of	 the	NMAA	as	a	 milestone	 in	 addressing	 the	 landmine/ERW	problem	in	the	country	and	requested	all	 concerned	 national	 bodies,	 the	 United	Nations,	 the	donor	community	and	all	na-tional	 and	 international	 operators	 to	 work	closely	 with	 the	 NMAA	 in	 addressing	 the	landmine-	 and	 ERW-contamination	 prob-lem	in	Sudan.	Mayardit	stated	that	in	addi-tion	to	the	efforts	of	the	GONU,	the	GOSS	will	take	all	necessary	measures	in	support	of	the	NMAA	to	establish	an	effective	national-coordination	mechanism	by	providing	a	na-tional	platform	to	all	mine-action	actors	and	stakeholders	in	the	country.	Mayardit	further	stated	that	the	Republic	of	Sudan	and	its	people	will	ultimately	have	to	address	 the	 landmine/ERW-contamination	problem	in	the	long	term.	Therefore,	he	made	a	strong	appeal	to	all	the	U.N.	agencies,	the	donor	community	and	all	other	national	and	international	bodies	to	work	closely	with	the	concerned	 national	 authorities	 within	 the	framework	of	the	NMAA.	This	support	will	contribute	to	building	national	management	and	operational	capacities,	thereby	enhanc-ing	 national	 ownership	 and	 leadership.	 In	addition,	he	appealed	to	the	donor	commu-nity	 to	allocate	special	 funds	to	build	 local	and	national	mine-action	capacities.ConclusionWith	 the	highest	 level	of	political	 com-mitment,	establishment	of	 the	NMAA	and	heavy	 involvement	 of	 the	 United	 Nations	and	 the	 international	 donor	 community,	the	 prospects	 of	 mine-action	 developments	in	Sudan	 seem	very	positive.	Of	 the	1,000	suspected	mined	areas	identified	so	far,	270	have	already	been	cleared	by	the	implement-ing	 partners	 of	 the	 United	 Nations	 and	national	 and	 international	 organizations.	A	number	of	key	 supply	and	access	 routes/roads	in	the	central	and	southern	parts	of	the	country	have	already	been	verified	to	be	safe	or	cleared.	With	these	positive	developments	taking	place,	the	problem	of	landmine/ERW	contamination	 in	Sudan	may	be	contained	very	soon	and	Sudan	will	able	to	meet	its	ob-ligations	under	 the	Mine	Ban	Convention.	The	NMAA	will	 further	assist	Sudan	with	continued	mine-action	progress.	See Endnotes, page 109Qadeem Khan Tariq is an Afghan national and holds a master’s degree in general management with more than 10 years of comprehensive experience in humanitarian mine action. He has held key managerial positions in the execution of various mine-action capacity-building projects in Afghanistan, Yemen, Jordan and Iraq. Tariq is currently working as the UNDP–Sudan Senior Technical Advisor for Mine-Action Capacity Development, based in Khartoum, Sudan.Qadeem Khan Tariq Senior Technical Advisor Mine Action Capacity DevelopmentUnited Nations Development     Programme PO Box 913House No.7, Block 5Gama’a AvenueKhartoum / SudanTel: +249 83 77 3121Fax: +249 83 78 37 64Mobile: +249 91 21 65 234E-mail: qadeem.tariq@undp.org1Derebe: Ethiopian Mine Action Office: Tackling Landmine Problems in EthiopiaPublished by JMU Scholarly Commons, 2006

Ethiopian Mine Action Office: Tackling Landmine Problems in Ethiopia

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Ethiopian Mine Action Office: Tackling Landmine Problems in Ethiopia

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