RESUMO DA SESSÃO DE FEVEREIRO 4 DE 1999
CONSELHO PERMANENTE DA
ORGANIZAÇÃO DOS ESTADOS AMERICANOS
COMISSÃO DE
SEGURANÇA HEMISFÉRICA |
OEA/Ser.G
CP/CSH/SA.62/99
9 julho 1999
Original: inglês |
Resumo da sessão realizada 4 de fevereiro de 1999
- Apoio ao Programa de Remoção de Minas na América Central [AG/RES. 1568 (XXVIII-O/98)]
- Relatório da Unidade para a Promoção da Democracia e da Junta Interamericana de
Defesa sobre o Programa de Remoção de Minas na América Central
O Coordenador Executivo Interino da Unidade para a Promoção da
Democracia (UPD), da Secretaria-Geral da OEA, Doutor Reuben Perina, dirigiu-se à
Comissão sobre o Programa de Remoção de Minas na América Central (PADCA)./
Este Programa é executado conjuntamente pela UPD e pela Junta Interamericana de Defesa
(JID), cujo Presidente, o General-de-Divisão John Thompson, também dirigiu-se à
Comissão, abordando o progresso alcançado no Programa nos últimos meses, o impacto do
furacão Mitch sobre o trabalho de remoção de minas na América Central, bem como
projeções e preocupações./ Estiveram também presentes oficiais da
JID que participaram diretamente no Programa: o General-de-Brigada, Carlos Morales, do
Equador; o Coronel Luis Sanchez, da Venezuela e o Coronel Charles Case, dos Estados
Unidos.
O Coordenador do PADCA, William McDonough, discorreu na Comissão a
respeito dos aspectos de coordenação do Programa, inclusive financiamento internacional
e angariação de fundos, infra-estrutura e necessidades de equipamento./
- O Hemisfério Ocidental como Zona Livre de Minas Terrestres Antipessoal [AG/RES. 1569
(XXVIII-O/98)]
- Apresentação pela Delegação dos Estados Unidos a respeito da Conferência de
Doadores sobre Remoção de Minas Terrestres
O Embaixador Donald K. Steinberg, da Delegação dos Estados Unidos
dirigiu-se à Comissão a respeito da Conferência de Doadores sobre Remoção de Minas
Terrestres, realizada em maio de 1998.
O Embaixador Steinberg falou sobre os resultados da reunião e sobre a
ação dos Estados Unidos em apoio à remoção de minas e distribuiu cópias da
apresentação feita por ele no Seminário Regional para a Promoção da Convenção sobre
a Proibição do Uso, Armazenamento, Produção e Transferência de Minas Terrestres
Antipessoal e sobre Sua Destruição (Convenção de Ottawa), realizado no México, em
janeiro de 1999/.
- Apresentações pelas Delegações do México e do Canadá sobre a Convenção de Ottawa
e o Seminário Regional para a Promoção dessa Convenção
O Representante Permanente do México, Embaixador Claude Heller, uso da
palavra na Comissão para falar do Seminário Regional para a Promoção da Convenção de
Ottawa, coordenado pelos Governos do México e Canadá, e realizado em janeiro de 1999, no
México./
A Representante do Canadá, Doutora Renata Wielgozs, abordou, na
Comissão, os efeitos da Convenção de Ottawa, que entraria em vigor em 1º de março de
1999./ Em sua apresentação, a Doutora Wielgozs observou que, até a
data, 16 Estados membros da OEA haviam ratificado a Convenção./
Diversas delegações informaram a Comissão que seu governos estavam
considerando a possibilidade de ratificar a Convenção antes da reunião a realizar-se em
maio, em Maputo, bem como sobre a situação dos trabalhos de remoção de minas em seus
respectivos países.
ANEXO I
Palabras del Dr. Rubén M. Perina
Oficial a cargo de la Unidad para la Promoción de la Democracia (UPD)
Sr. Presidente, muchas gracias por la oportunidad que nos brinda de
informar a su Comisión sobre el PADCA, Programa de Apoyo a Desminado en Centroamérica.
Esta Comisión ha jugado un rol decisivo, con sus orientaciones y apoyo, en el desarrollo,
fortalecimiento, y logros del PADCA.
Como es conocido, el PADCA comenzó sus actividades en 1991 en
Nicaragua pero por falta de recursos se tuvo que suspender en 1993. Fue recién en mayo de
1995 que el Programa fue asumido por la Unidad para la Promoción de la Democracia, bajo
la coordinación de quien les habla hasta hace un mes.
Creo, señor Presidente, que vale la pena en esta oportunidad hacer una
breve reseña de la naturaleza y de los logros del Programa.
En primer lugar, el Programa se caracteriza por ser esencialmente humanitario,
porque de lo que se trata es de eliminar las minas antipersonal del suelo centroamericano,
que son una amenaza a la seguridad, la tranquilidad y la vida de miles de civiles en los
países afectados, así como un impedimento al desarrollo socio-económico de los mismos.
En segundo lugar, es un Programa regional, porque se trabaja
coordinadamente en beneficio y apoyo de los 4 países afectados de la región. Todo se
hace con una concepción regional.
En tercer lugar, el Programa es multilateral, porque incluye
esfuerzos de varios protagonistas: países donantes, países contribuyentes, países
afectados, instituciones como la UPD y la JID, esta Comisión y diferentes sectores
nacionales.
a) Países contribuyentes son aquellos que han
provisto, sin cargo al Programa, supervisores, asesores y equipos especializados. Países
en esta categoría son: Argentina, Brasil, Colombia, El Salvador, Estados Unidos,
Guatemala y Venezuela.
b) Países donantes son aquellos que han provisto los fondos,
aproximadamente $10,000,000 hasta hoy, para las operaciones de apoyo al desminado, y son:
Alemania, Gran Bretaña, Canadá, Dinamarca,España, Estados Unidos, Francia, Japón,
Noruega y Suecia.
c) Países afectados son: Costa Rica,
Guatemala, Honduras y Nicaragua, que también proveen equipos, logística, conocimiento
del terreno, y los propios zapadores que realizan la tarea más difícil y peligrosa.
d) La JID, por su parte, coordina la supervisión, la asesoría y la
verificación técnica de los equipos, el entrenamiento y la metodología de las
operaciones.
e) La UPD, a su vez, efectúa la coordinación general del
programa, busca los fondos y los administra de acuerdo a las normas de la OEA, y asegura
la integridad del programa, o sea que todos sus componentes se encuentren en lugar y
funcionando debidamente.
Esto me lleva a la cuarta y última característica del programa:
El PADCA es un programa integral. Es integral porque contempla e
incluye todos los componentes que se consideran indispensables para llevar a cabo
actividades de Deminado. Entre ellos:
- Asesoramiento, supervisión y verificación técnica.
- Evacuación aérea y atención médica de emergencia.
- Seguros, estipendios y comida para zapadores, su equipamiento y entrenamiento.
- Campaña de Prevención e Información Pública.
- Rehabilitación de víctimas.
- Equipos de perros detectores.
El Mayor General Thompson, Presidente de la JID y el Sr. William
McDonough, nuevo Coordinador del PADCA, se referirán más adelante a los desafíos y
necesidades futuras, particularmente después del paso del Huracán Mitch, para completar
esta tarea humanitaria lo antes posible.
Finalmente, señor Presidente, quisiera destacar con satisfacción
algunos logros de PADCA:
En primer lugar, hoy día el PADCA cuenta con Proyectos Nacionales de
Desminado en los cuatro países afectados. Estos proyectos luego de dificultades
iniciales, están en la actualidad bien instalados, organizados y coordinados, y
funcionado con unos 450 zapadores bien equipados, entrenados, operando debidamente. El
Programa también cuenta con un centro de coordinación operativa y técnica en Danlí,
Honduras, bajo la dirección de un Supervisor internacional designado por la JID.
En segundo lugar, el PADCA cuenta con el reconocimiento y la confianza
de la comunidad internacional, o sea de los países contribuyentes y donantes, que han
provisto los recursos necesarios para emprender esta tarea humanitaria.
En tercer lugar, con el PADCA se ha creado una muy fluida y productiva
relación de cooperación con el JID.
En cuarto lugar, El Programa (y esta es una consecuencia inesperada) ha
contribuido también al acercamiento y la cooperación entre los ejércitos de las
Américas, así como a un acercamiento entre civiles y militares en los países afectados,
como se evidencia con las Comisiones Nacionales de Desminado en Guatemala y Nicaragua.
Y por último, se debe destacar que, hoy día, gracias al tratamiento y
prioridad que se le ha dado al tema, gracias al interés y apoyo demostrado por esta
Comisión el Consejo Permanente, la Asamblea General, y el propio Secretario General, el
tema de Desminado y de Acción contra las Minas, está ineludiblemente instalado en las
agendas nacionales de los países afectados y en la agenda interamericana.
Todo esto, Sr. Presidente, creo que son logros considerables, que hacen
del PADCA un modelo exitoso de cooperación internacional en beneficio de los Estados
Miembros.
Quiero agradecerle, nuevamente por la oportunidad que nos ha brindado
de informarles sobre los avances del Programa. Muchas Gracias.
Documento circulado por la UPD
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IN CENTRAL AMERICA
Unit for the Promotion of Democracy
Organization of American States
December, 1998
- Introduction
Mine-clearing in Central America has become a
humanitarian task of utmost importance for the region, where thousands of antipersonnel
landmines and other explosive devices were indiscriminately sown during the last decade.
These devices, most of which were industrially manufactured (although some were homemade)
are a deadly trap for the rural population. They cause the loss of human life, cattle, and
domestic animals and are a constant threat to the civilian population. They hamper the use
of vast and fertile croplands, restrict agricultural development in general, and delay the
growth of job opportunities.
Likewise, landmines hinder the proper use
and/or expansion of national infrastructure, such as bridges, roads, electrical
transmission towers, and hydroelectric plants. For these reasons, the removal of
antipersonnel mines is a humanitarian cause as well as a matter of priority and extreme
urgency in the search for peace, public security, socioeconomic development, and the
consolidation of democracy in the region.
Given the urgency and the importance of the
removal of mines for the people of Central America and, at the request of the affected
Central American countries--Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala, and Nicaragua---in 1991 the
Organization of American States (OAS) began to lend its support to the mine-clearing
efforts made by those countries. Since 1995, under the general coordination and
supervision of the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy (UPD), the OAS has developed and
made available to those countries the Mine-Clearing Program in Central America (PADCA),
with the technical support of the Inter American Defense Board (IADB).
The program is a multinational effort, with
participation by donor and contributing countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Canada,
Colombia, Denmark, El Salvador, France, Germany, Great Britain, Guatemala, Japan, the
Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Spain, Sweden, the United States, and Venezuela.
The Unit for the Promotion of Democracy
coordinates fundraising within the international community and is responsible for
management and accounting of the funds collected. This coordination, both at headquarters
and in the affected states, seeks to ensure that all essential components of each national
demining project are operating smoothly (evacuation and medical emergency system,
equipment, transportation, food, stipends, insurance coverage for both supervisors and
sappers, etc.). The UPD also coordinates the public, preventive information campaign to
warn the population of the dangers of antipersonnel mines and to provide information on
measures to be taken to reduce the risk of accidents.
It should be underscored that the main
objective of the UPD, through PADCA, is to support the governments of member states in
their efforts to develop national institutional and technical capacity to undertake
demining activities.
The Inter-American Defense Board (IADB) is
responsible, for its part, for organizing the international team of technical advisers,
supervisors, and experts in mine-clearing that carry out the on-site training, provision
of technical advice, and supervision of the demining operations. The IADB also
participates in the design, implementation, and logistic coordination of the national
demining plan in each country, which is executed in specific modules lasting six months.
Further the IADB certifies that the mine-clearing operations were carried out with
appropriate, reliable means and materials for detection and destruction, reliable search
and verification methods, and appropriate safety procedures and standards.
The team of international experts that the
IADB has put together is located in Danlí, El Paraíso, Honduras, the point from which
consultants and supervisors are dispatched to each of the national demining projects. This
international team is made up of national officers of Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, El
Salvador, Guatemala, Venezuela, and the United States--all of them OAS member states--who
also provide protective gear and equipment for detecting and destroying mines, at no
additional cost to PADCA.
The affected countries make a considerable
contribution to each project by providing their sappers to carry out the dangerous and
difficult work of demining itself. The respective governments and relevant national
institutions also provide material and financial resources according to their capacity, as
well as their experience and their knowledge of the region.
Since 1991, the Organization of
American States has, through General Assembly resolutions, given its support to
consideration of the question of antipersonnel landmines, as reflected in "Support
for Mine-Clearing in Central America," and the political initiative, "The
Western Hemisphere as an Antipersonnel-Land-Mine-Free Zone."
These resolutions acknowledge the
commitment by the OAS to promote and make an effective contribution to regional security,
complementing and reinforcing efforts to strengthen and maintain international peace and
security. By the same token, they acknowledge the support extended by the international
community, the General Secretariat, and the Inter-American Defense Board to the
mine-clearing program in Central America, and call upon member states and permanent
observers, as well as donor countries, to continue supporting the Central American
countries both in their efforts to clear their respective territories of antipersonnel
land mines and in their programs on preventive education for the civilian population on
the danger of mines, the physical and psychological rehabilitation of victims, and the
socioeconomic reclamation of demined areas. According to these resolutions, the OAS has
set the year 2000 as a target date for completion of demining in Central America.
On the other hand, in keeping with the aforementioned efforts by the
Organization of American States to transform the Western Hemisphere into an antipersonnel
landmine-free-zone and in recognition of the contribution made in this regard by the
Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production, and Transfer of
Antipersonnel Land Mines and on Their Destruction, the heads of state and government,
gathered for the Second Summit of the Americas, in Santiago, Chile, encouraged action and
supported international humanitarian demining efforts, with the goal of ensuring that
priority attention would be given to devices that threaten the civilian population and
that land would be restored for productive purposes. The latter would take place through
effective international and regional cooperation, as requested by the affected states, to
survey, mark, map, and destroy antipersonnel mines, effective mine awareness campaigns and
assistance to victims, and development and deployment of mine detection and clearance
technologies, as appropriate.
- Coordination and Management Methodology: Operating Modules
The six-month-long operating modules used for demining activities are
an important tool for planning, coordinating, and managing the resources needed for these
operations. They receive approval by national officials with regard to the resources
needed for project execution and, on that basis, petitions for funds go out to the
international community and help to ensure clear and transparent resource management and
accounting. These modules also serve to associate the demining operations with geographic
objectives and to evaluate the successes and advances of each six-month period. The cost
of each module varies by country, depending on the unit's size, the area involved, and the
ability of the country to contribute to the operations.
Each module is supported by a continuation agreement between the
beneficiary government and the UPD/OAS, that includes an operating budget outlining the
projected nature and quantity of international funding needed to carry out the module.
Each module's budget includes necessary resources for personnel; equipment; food;
stipends; insurance; emergencies, prevention, rehabilitation and public prevention
campaigns; logistics; management; coordination; and supervision. A detailed description of
these items follows:
International supervisors and instructors. The salary, per diem,
and travel expenses of the international demining team of the OAS/IADB international team
are provided by the sponsoring governments, which provide the experts. Payment of these
costs by the corresponding countries represents a considerable financial contribution to
PADCA. However, when the officers are obliged to participate in supervisory or advisory
missions, locally or regionally, PADCA covers their per diem and travel costs. PADCA also
covers complementary medical and accident insurance for members of the international team
and local administrative staff.
Equipment and explosives. Equipment includes the tools and
materials to detect and locate mines and the safety gear and protective clothing worn by
the technicians. Explosives include dynamite and all necessary accessories, such as
detonating cords and blasting caps.
Meals. The demining units receive food rations over and above
those provided by their respective military installations or public security forces. These
supplementary rations are very important to the technicians given the arduous nature of
their work and the concomitant stress: six to eight hours a day of work in tropical heat
and 40 pounds of gear, in addition to the anxiety of being in a minefield.
Stipends. The sappers receive an additional daily salary bonus
because of the high-risk task that they perform. Every 15 days, these funds are paid into
individual bank accounts assigned to members of the demining team by a local
representative working in the coordination area of the OAS Program. This procedure is
meant to assure the international community that this payment is not being made to anyone
except those actually engaged in demining activities.
Insurance. Both medical and accident insurance are important
components of the Program. PADCA's coordination staff periodically reviews proposals and
agreements for medical insurance and treatment for sappers and for international
supervisors to verify that coverage is adequate. The Program also makes certain that the
existent international financing is sufficient to adequately cover insurance policies and
that these are in effect during while the duration of every operating module.
Emergencies/Prevention/Rehabilitation and Public Information
Campaign. Spending for this item varies from country to country. However, in every
case, the Mine-Clearing Program has an information campaign to make people aware or remind
them of the dangers of minefields and mined areas and to provide them with necessary
preventive information should they find a mine. In some cases, the Program has provided
fuel, lubricants, and spare parts to ensure that ambulances and medical evacuation
helicopters can operate in the event of a demining accident. Orthopedic surgery sets have
also been provided to reinforce existing medical capabilities.
Logistic Components. To supplement the capabilities of national
demining units working in protracted field operations, PADCA provides the resources
necessary to ensure mobility, communications, electrical power, and appropriate camping
facilities. The mobile communication system, which is operated by the international
supervisory team, is an essential safety feature. Not only does it support the operational
capability of the demining unit, it is also an important component of the medical
evacuation system in the event of an accident.
Management and local supervision. In order to bring together all
components, including training, funding, procurement of equipment and various materials,
insurance, and all other items associated with the demining operations, PADCA, in
conjunction with the OAS national offices, has established a local coordinating mechanism
for the Program. It includes personnel, technical equipment, and the operating expenses of
a coordinating office (maintenance, services, telephone, fax, vehicles, and the salaries
of administrative personnel and drivers).
Management and international supervision. In order to ensure
coordination of the efforts made at headquarters with all components at the national,
regional, and international levels, UPD and IADB representatives make regular program
coordination, review, and accounting visits to the demining sites. These visits provide an
opportunity to solve problems and plan subsequent modules.
III. Program Update and Description by Country
Nicaragua. In September 1991, the Government of Nicaragua asked
the OAS to help eliminate 116,000 landmines sown on Nicaraguan soil during the 10 years of
national conflict. These mines, predominantly antipersonnel mines that had been
commercially produced, had been laid along the northern border with Honduras and along the
southern border with Costa Rica. A considerable number of mines had also been laid to
protect electrical power plants, transmission towers, highway bridges, and strategic
materiel storage areas.
In response to the Nicaraguan request, the OAS and the IADB designed a
joint, internationally financed demining program for Nicaragua in 1992. The program was
launched in 1993, and training, provision of equipment, and supervision for the demining
operations took place between March and December 1993. Efforts to support this pilot
supervisory program were forced to come to an end in late 1993 when international funding
ran out. Nicaraguan authorities pursued the efforts by themselves, with occasional support
from technical assistance visits and with equipment replacement. The OAS/IADB Program
resumed in 1996 with new international funding in an effort to restore support for the
national demining program executed by the Nicaraguan Army.
Currently, the national program has 15 platoons, with approximately 300
people working on four fronts across the country. Two of these fronts receive direct
financial and technical support from PADCA, whereas the other two get their financing
directly from the international community.
The OAS/IADB project also includes a pilot project for physical
and rehabilitation assistance for mine victims and an intensive public information and
prevention campaign to inform the population of the dangers of mines and explosive devices
in those areas. This has been done by means of presentations by program supervisors and
the distribution of teaching aids on the subject.
Nicaraguan government authorities have reported that more than 43,000
mines have been destroyed since the beginning of the program, with about 73,000 mines
still to be destroyed. The bulk of these mines (about 50,000) are located in remote areas
along the border with Honduras.
Joint Honduran-Nicaraguan Module. At the request of the
governments of Nicaragua and Honduras, the OAS/IADB international supervisor team will
coordinate a series of operating demining modules to be executed along the border area by
the military forces of both countries, in a simultaneous and coordinated effort to enhance
efficiency in the use of the resources and to reduce the costs and time associated with
these efforts. To this end, a technical team composed of OAS/IADB members and national
representatives is examining the border area and reviewing each country's national plans
to ascertain what more is needed in each country to reach the goal of making Central
America a landmine-free zone as soon as possible.
Honduras. It should be noted that Honduras has no registries of
minefields. The mined areas generally lie along the border area with Nicaragua and include
trails, storage areas, and security posts used during the past armed conflict in the
region. The OAS/IADB program in Honduras began in 1994 with training and equipment supply
phases. Demining operations began in September 1995 and have continued uninterruptedly,
with a team of sappers (120 soldiers) and 13 international supervisors.
During the six operating modules in Honduras, more than 3,000 landmines
have been destroyed in the region and 526 hectares of agricultural land have been
rehabilitated for productive use, directly benefiting more than 350 landowners and 2,500
families. Likewise, a significant number of dangerous explosive devices have been removed
from the area involved.
Once the demining modules are completed, these lands are handed over to
the civilian authorities in solemn ceremonies, thus boosting public confidence in the
possibility of returning to agricultural activities. If demining continues at the same
pace in Honduras, it is expected that the national program could conclude in 1999, with
Module VIII or IX.
Costa Rica. Costa Rica is the smallest of the national projects
coordinated by the OAS. Estimates indicate that there are about 2,000 mines in the region.
A total of 37 Costa Rican sappers conduct the demining operations under the supervision of
two members of the OAS/IADB international team. Even though it is well known that
antipersonnel mines in Costa Rica are concentrated in four general areas along the
Nicaraguan border, there are no detailed, specific registries of their location. As a
result, they are difficult to find and destroy and the process has become much slower and
more painstaking and dangerous.
The project's activities have concentrated lately on the expert
assessment, localization, and marking of the new suspicious zones, as well as on public
awareness and prevention. The detection, probing, and destruction of mines have been
temporarily suspended for lack of air evacuation capabilities. This drawback is in the
process of being solved thanks to international cooperation and the government's efforts.
This national project is now in Module IV. A total of 57 mines have
been destroyed. While the number of mines destroyed may seem small, what it is important
is that the inhabitants of these regions have regained their confidence to go back to work
the land. The planned date for concluding demining in the country is late 2000.
Guatemala. In this country, PADCA, joining the efforts made by
friendly countries and international organizations to help the Guatemalan Government meet
the commitments arising from the Agreement on Firm and Lasting Peace, which ended more
than 36 years of armed conflict in that country, initiated, in December 1997, the project
for implementation of the National Plan for Demining and the Destruction of Explosive
Devices.
This national project is the responsibility of the Demining
Coordinating Commission of the Congress of Guatemala. Participating actively in the
Commission are the Volunteer Firemen's Corps and the Corps of Engineers of the Guatemalan
Army, both of which are responsible for implementing activities under the National Plan
for Demining and Destruction of Explosive Devices.
The overall objective of this national project is to provide for
execution and administration of the National Plan so as to remove from Guatemalan
territory landmines and explosive devices that are strewn over much of the country as a
result of the armed conflict. The specific objective is to assist in the establishment,
training, equipping, and maintenance of a national technical organization and capacity
charged with destroying the antipersonnel mines and explosive devices.
Explosive devices (grenades, mortars, bombs, etc.) represent a
significant problem in Guatemala, particularly in the north and west of the country--areas
that were the scene of a series of armed conflicts. Various estimates have been given of
the number of devices that exist in these areas. The national project currently estimates
that the number of devices in the process of being destroyed ranges from 5,000 to 8,000.
There are no known registries for these affected areas, which are not technically
considered to be minefields, in the traditional sense of the word. Guatemalan authorities
have provided a list of 125 sites that are most likely considered to have concentrations
of explosive devices, which will serve as a reference for search and destroy operations.
These devices will be detected in the aforementioned areas with the help of expert
assessment, based on the information provided by the locals and former combatants, as a
result of the public awareness and information campaigns. Operations will begin in
mid-November near the village of Ixcán, in the Department of Quiché.
IV. Expansion of the Program as a result of Hurricane Mitch
All countries of Central America were severely affected by
Hurricane Mitch. In addition to the general devastation it produced in the region, it
caused a significant disruption of humanitarian landmine removal operations under way in
Central America.
In this regard, the Organization of American States, with cooperation
from the governments of the affected countries, is studying a way to expand the program
for removal of antipersonnel landmines and explosive devices in the region, which is
coordinated by the OAS and funded by various donor countries and contributors.
OAS Secretary General Dr. César Gaviria, has made several recent
visits to Central America to assess the overall damage to the region and in particular to
observe Mitch's impact on the demining efforts the OAS had sponsored since 1993.
Despite the storm damage in Costa Rica and Guatemala, there has been no
substantial change in the landmine and explosive device situation in those countries. In
Costa Rica, it is hoped that demining operations along the border with Nicaragua will
resume shortly with the reestablishment of a helicopter-based medical evacuation
capability. The absence of this evacuation capability in recent months had hampered
operations in the country. The problem is in the process of being solved through the
efforts of PADCA/OAS, the donor community, and the Costa Rican Government. Funding to
support this national effort will be available in 1999.
In Guatemala, operations to destroy mines and unexploded ordnance began
on November 2, 1998. This national program has sufficient international funding for its
operations during the rest of 1998 and through 1999.
The hurricane's effects have been most dramatic in Nicaragua and
Honduras, where there is a sense of urgency that demining efforts should be expanded to
reduce the public safety hazard of the shifting of landmines from their original
positions, which could result in further casualties and stand in the way, inter alia, of
the rehabilitation of damaged and destroyed infrastructure, hampering the restoration of
public services. Additionally, the hurricane destroyed a substantial portion of Honduras'
demining equipment.
In Nicaragua, the forces of nature moved the mines along mountain
slopes and riverbeds and added large quantities of mud and debris to an already
challenging detection and destruction scenario.
It is estimated that there are some 576 target areas in the country yet
to be demined. They include border areas, high-tension electrical towers, facilities,
bridges, and other structures. As a result of Hurricane Mitch, and because of the new
sense of urgency it has brought in its wake, authorities consider these 70 target areas as
their top demining priorities, in an effort to rehabilitate roads and repair or replace
damaged and destroyed bridges. It is calculated that 73,000 mines must still be destroyed.
It is therefore estimated that the goal of demining Central America by
the year 2000 will be deeply affected.
The OAS Mine-Clearing Program in Central America (PADCA) is working
with the governments of Honduras and Nicaragua to develop the outline for a revised
program to expand operations in 1999 and 2000. While the details of an expanded demining
infrastructure have not been finalized, the general thrust of the expansion is to double
the capacity coordinated by the OAS in the two countries.
In Honduras, this would mean training, equipping, and supervising four
additional platoons (about 120 national sappers). The increased capacity would permit
Honduran sappers to simultaneously clear mines along the two remaining stretches of its
border with Nicaragua (San Andrés de Bocay and Choluteca).
In Nicaragua the number of demining platoons supervised by the OAS/IADB
would double from 8 to 16. This expanded demining capacity would add over 200 Nicaraguan
Army sappers to the internationally supervised effort.
The expanded demining operations in Nicaragua and Honduras would
require the donor countries to increase their contributions by approximately US $9 million
($9,000,000) over the next two years. This would be in addition to funds already provided
by donors to support the PADCA infrastructure, consisting of more than 400 Central
American sappers.
Furthermore, 25 to 30 more international supervisors would be needed,
over and above those already provided by OAS cooperating member states, which so far have
provided military officers who are experts in demining for year-long assignments as
supervisors, at no additional cost to the program.
V. Final Comments
It is important to recall that the OAS/IADB Mine-Clearing
Program in Central American is essentially a humanitarian program in support of the
national efforts of the affected states to strengthen their national capabilities to
enable their own institutions to carry out demining activities. In this connection, all
affected countries have made significant progress in establishing their capacities and in
destroying mines.
The broad participation of the regional and international communities
in lending their support to PADCA and the affected countries bears witness to the
Hemisphere-wide humanitarian commitment to support demining in Central America so that the
Central American region may be free of mines as soon as possible. The OAS General
Assembly, at its most recent regular session, held in Caracas, Venezuela, in 1998, sought
to reinforce these activities with programs in the affected countries aimed at the
rehabilitation of mine victims and the socioeconomic reclamation of demined areas. To that
end, relevant studies and international negotiations are under way to obtain necessary
financing.
Lastly, the OAS/IADB wishes once again to draw attention to and to
acknowledge the invaluable support of the donor and cooperating countries, the Inter
American Defense Board, and the beneficiary nations themselves for their contributions,
which have been key factors in the Program's success.
APPENDIX II
Briefing by Major General John Thompson
President, Inter-American Defense Board
INTRODUCTION
The Demining Assistance Program in Central America has become, in the
words of Secretary General Gaviria, a model for other mine clearance programs in the
world. However, as we move into the Programs fifth year of continuous operation
since it was reinitiated in Honduras in 1995, we face several important challenges in the
near future. Some of these challenges have been created by nature itself, while others are
a logical result of a growing desire to expand a successful Program. Our readiness to
respond to these challenges is a key theme that I want to emphasize during this
presentation.
AGENDA
Today I will cover three broad topics related to the Demining
Assistance Program:
- First, the advances and progress that have been made in the Program in the past few
months,
- Second, the impact of Hurricane Mitch on demining efforts throughout Central America,
and
- Finally, some projections and concerns as we move forward with the Program through this
year and the years to come.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
In only the past few months, several important steps have been taken.
In September, the leadership of the Mission for Mine Clearance Assistance in Central
America (MARMINCA) was transferred from Col. Angel Omar Vivas of the Venezuelan army to
Lt. Col. Guillermo Leal of the Colombian army. At the same time, eighteen new supervisors
arrived in the Mission and received initial training and preparation for assuming their
duties. I am very pleased that our demining effort now includes representatives of the
countries of Guatemala and, most recently, Argentina who have joined Brazil,
Colombia, El Salvador, the United States and Venezuela in providing officers and
noncommissioned officers in support of our efforts.
In June of 1998 at the request of the Government of Guatemala we began
training Guatemalan personnel and our demining operations there started in December.
Thanks to the financial backing provided by the United States, we added
an important new dimension to the program late in 1998 with the deployment and training of
twelve mine detection dogs to the republics of Costa Rica, Honduras and Nicaragua. The
incorporation into the demining effort of these dogs and their host country handlers has
been both needed and opportune, as they completed their final training in time to be
employed in emergency demining operations in response to Hurricane Mitch. The preliminary
results of operations using these unique assets have been extremely positive. We believe
that the use of dogs will not only improve the pace of demining operations by identifying
mined areas more quickly and precisely, but they will also provide a valuable resource in
rechecking areas after they have been cleared by sapper units.
RESULTS
By the end of 1998, the OAS/IADB demining program had destroyed nearly
7,000 anti-personnel landmines. The difficulty of this task is best reflected by the fact
that for every mine destroyed, about seventeen metallic objects, mostly battlefield
remnants and trash, were also found. The painstaking process of identifying mines and
distinguishing them from other bits of metal is one of the key demining tasks which we
hope to expedite through the use of canine mine detection techniques.
IMPACT OF MITCH
We are all aware of the devastating impact which Hurricane Mitch has
had on the nations of Central America. The Secretary General has focused special attention
on the recovery needs of the Central American republics, making personal visits to several
of the affected countries soon after the passing of the storm. One of his principal areas
of concern has been the rehabilitation of the Demining Assistance Program as quickly as
possible. Several follow-up visits were made by both the Unit for Promotion of Democracy
and the IADB staff, and I also visited Nicaragua and Honduras in early January to make an
assessment of the situation with respect to demining operations.
Because of the immediate effects of the storm, operations in each of
the countries where we are working were halted for nearly a month, while the governments
dealt with immediate storm recovery needs. However, the demining programs in Costa Rica
and Guatemala suffered no serious long-term effects because of mitch.
MAP
In the cases of Honduras and Nicaragua, however, demining activities
have been more severely affected. Much of this can be explained by the fact that the track
of the storm corresponded very closely to the areas with the greatest concentration of
mines, principally along the border between Honduras and Nicaragua.
EFFECTS
A considerable amount of demining equipment was lost in Honduras due to
flooding of the Rio Coco. Nonetheless, with the replacement of most essential items,
Honduran troops have also returned to mine clearance work.
Although there were no major equipment losses in Nicaragua, the effects
of Mitch were substantially greater with respect to the mine situation. Indications are
that some mines may have been displaced by flooding, increasing the risk of accidents
around previously unmined or cleared areas. The diversion of troops, helicopters and other
equipment to disaster relief efforts also temporarily paralyzed demining operations. In
short, the delays to mine clearing operations and the transformation of the landscape
caused by Mitch will result in an increase in the time required to complete the demining
program in Nicaragua unless more resources are put into the effort there.
ACTIONS IN NICARAGUA
Cconsidering that Nicaragua is the country where the mine problem has
been most significantly exacerbated by Mitch, it has been the primary focus of our efforts
to reestablish and reevaluate the demining program.
NICARAGUAN REQUEST
The Nicaraguan Government has asked for our help with three main
problems. To eliminate the new hazard of mines from previously mine-free areas and permit
relief and reconstruction efforts to go forward, Nicaragua sought to implement an
emergency demining plan around numerous bridges and fords along key transportation routes.
The Government also requested a reassessment of the entire demining program to determine
both resource requirements and new time frames for completion of the Program. The
Government also asked the OAS and the IADB to provide planning assistance for the
reformulation of both the national demining plan and the OAS/IADB plan for demining
assistance.
OAS/IADB RESPONSE
In response to their requests, several steps have been taken to date.
First, an emergency demining plan was implemented to clear numerous
bridges and fords of mines, particularly in the northern portion of the country, where
relief and reconstruction efforts have been focused. IADB supervisors worked with
Nicaraguan troops through the Christmas holidays to ensure that these operations went
forward.
Second, a geographic hydrological study has been undertaken to
determine the general effects of erosion on the mine situation.
Third, the OAS has approached several key donor countries for
additional financial support for an expanded demining effort.
Finally, the OAS, with technical advice from the IADB, has begun the
process of modifying its assistance plan for Nicaragua, in conjunction with the effort by
Nicaragua to modify their national demining plan.
CHALLENGES
The reassessment of the demining assistance program in Nicaragua and
development a new OAS/IADB assistance plan, is a significant task for us, one that will
require both careful study on our part and in all likelihood increased resourcing.
However, we face other equally important challenges. If we are to
satisfy the Nicaraguan request for expansion of the OAS/IADB program and full
international supervision of all demining operations in Nicaragua, we will need as many as
twenty to twenty-five more supervisors than are currently assigned to MARMINCA.
Expansion and continuation of the program in Nicaragua will also
require significantly greater financial and material resources.
CONCLUSIONS
Let me conclude by summarizing some key points.
First, the IADB continues to work with our counterparts in the OAS to
achieve the objective of eliminating the threat of landmines from Central America. We are
constantly to make refinements to the Program and to introduce the newest techniques and
technologies. From a technical point of view, we believe that these innovations will
enhance the already excellent reputation enjoyed by the Program.
Second, it is clear that Hurricane Mitch has had a significant impact
on the demining program. As Dr. Gaviria has pointed out, the OAS/IADB program is a
successful model of civil-military collaboration and hemispheric cooperation to solve an
important humanitarian problem. However, the tragedy of Hurricane Mitch has had an even
more negative impact on the existing tragedy caused by anti-personnel landmines in the
region. Nicaragua, because it is the nation with the most serious existing landmine
problem, is the country whose demining program was most seriously affected by Mitch.
In light of these effects and following a careful reassessment, we will
continue planning an expansion of the demining program, particularly in Nicaragua. We will
also review how we can improve the Program in Costa Rica, Guatemala and Honduras, adding
new operational and technological concepts where appropriate.
APPENDIX III
Remarks by William A. McDonough
Coordinator, PADCA
I would like to thank Ambassador Portales and the members of the
Hemispheric Security Committee for the opportunity to provide update information on
matters relating to land mines in Central America in accordance with General Assembly
Resolution 1568. As General Thompson indicated in his presentation, we have now entered
our fifth year of continuous operations in the Assistance Program which was designed to
help the affected participating countries rid themselves of the effects of this great
humanitarian tragedy of 20th Century. I plan to add a few brief comments from a
program coordination perspective with emphasis on the proposed expansion of the regional
effort and what it will mean for donors, contributors, and participating countries, as
well as the OAS and IADB.
The Inter-American Defense Board presentation provides a good, clear
picture from a technical perspective on where we are today (especially in the aftermath of
Hurricane Mitch). We have also distributed an updated version of the Programs
informative paper. This document describes in further detail the origins, structure and
general operating methodology of Assistance Program. We prepared the update in advance of
our participation in the Regional Seminar which Canada and Mexico hosted jointly in Mexico
City last month. I understand that the Commission will receive a separate report on the
matter, but I would like to compliment Canada and Mexico for conducting an important,
timely and well organized Seminar. It was a pleasure to participate and was gratifying to
hear the OAS/IADB Demining Program recognized as both a model program and a successful
Program.
As a continuation of our efforts to assist the Central American
countries with the landmine issue, a joint OAS/IADB delegation will be in Nicaragua next
week to further refine the details of the international support which will be needed to
reformulate its demining program. This is our third trip in as many months. A similar
delegation will visit Honduras in the weeks that follow.
I think it is important to point out that the Program is a rather
complex organization. Throughout its existence, the Assistance Program for Demining in
Central America has functioned very much like a convoy of vehicle, determined to achieve a
common goal of a landmine free Central America. Each element in this complex organization
(donor, contributor, participant, OAS and IADB) has a certain liberty of movement within
the Program, but unless all of the efforts are coordinated, our progress is limited,
sporadic and costly. In that regard, as the individual countries work with us to
reformulate their plans, we will develop and present the required international financing
support plans. Similarly, and with regard to the need for more international supervisors,
the Program may require as many as 25 additional representatives from OAS member Nations.
Their arrival and incorporation into the Program must be timely and consistent with the
formation of new demining units in Nicaragua and Honduras. In an effort to recruit more
supervisors, a series of letters have already been forwarded through several channels to
Member Nations.
International financing is an important issue. The point made by
General Thompson regarding the need for vigorous fund raising is essential. The OAS/IADB
Program as it is functioning today requires approximately US 4.2 million per year in
operating funds. That figure includes about US$1 million per year in Guatemala, US$1
million in Honduras, US$2 million in Nicaragua and US$200,000 in Costa Rica. Preliminary
estimates for the expanded Program indicate a need for approximately US$8 million per year
for 1999 and 2000 (twice the current international support level). Beyond the year 2000,
we would expect that, with the completion of the national projects in Honduras, Guatemala
and Costa Rica, the annual cost of the Program would return to something on the order of
US$4 million per year for the additional time needed to complete demining in Nicaragua. We
are currently in dialogue with several of our key donors, and the initial reactions have
been very positive.
Although as a final note, and a cautionary one, I should point out that
while our cost estimates are grounded in the four years of demining program experience
they may be deceptive in one regard. What we have not included, but which appear to be
increasingly problematic is the need for additional equipment infrastructure which will
likely be beyond the capacity of some participating countries to provide. These major
items include additional or replacement helicopters for medical evacuation requirements,
additional demining dog resources and the purchase of some improved heavy duty, mechanical
mine clearance devices as they become available and it is appropriate to incorporate them
into the regional demining efforts.
Ill stop here, subject to any questions the Committee members
might have. Once again, I would like to thank the members of the Committee on Hemispheric
Security for their attention, interest and continued support in advancing the demining
program as an important regional humanitarian effort.
APPENDIX IV
Ambassador Donald K. Steinberg
Presentation to the Mexico City Conference on Landmine Action:
"Reaffirming our Commitment"
January 12, 1999
Thank you, Mr. Ambassador. I am grateful for the opportunity to address
this improtant conference on the topic, "International Cooperation in Landmine
Actin." I want to begin by saluting the organizers of the conferences --the
Governments of Mexico and Canada-- for their initiative in bringing together so many
officials from OAS governments, iinternational agencies, and non-governmental
organizations who have played such a fundamental role in changing the global political
landscape on this issue. On behalf of my government, I wish to recognize all of your
courabeous efforts to achieve the entry into force of the Ottawa Convention and reiterae
my Governments strongest support for the goal of a world which is mine-safe within
the next decade a goal which the United States is facilitating within its Demining
2010 initiative.
Landmines have been an everyday part of my life for the better part of
this decade. I remember traveling with National Security Advisor Anthony Lake to Ethiopia,
Rwanda, Burundi, Mozambique, and Angola five of the worlds most heavily-mined
countries in 1994 when I was serving as President Clintons Special Assistant
for Africa. In Angola, a country in which a dozen separate armies have laid millions of
mines, we visited Kuito, a city that had been destroyed by three decades of civil war.
In a small clinic, we saw a young woman who was giving birth and having
part of her leg amputated at the same time. The doctor later told us that this woman was
pregnant and had been starving. She went into a grove of mangos to get some fruit, and
detonated a landmine that had been planted purposely in the field. The loss of blood had
stimulated premature labor, and the doctor told us that it was unlikely that either the
mother or the child would survive.
No one who sees such a sight can be immune to the terror of these
weapons. Later, when I was named U.S. Ambassador to Angola, I have witnessed for more than
three years the daily tragedy of landmines, including more than 80, 000 amputees, hundreds
of thousands of displaced persons driven from their homes and fertile fields, and
literally millions suffering economic, environmental and psychological degradation. It was
for this reason that I was so honored to be named by President Clinton to my current role,
giving me the opportunity to build on the outstanding work of my predecessor, Ambassador
Rick Inderfurth.
As we discuss international cooperation in mine action, we have much to
learn from the success of the movement which came together to being us to where we are
today a coalition of likeminded Governments, NGOs and international agencies. As
Canadian Foreign Minister Axworthy stated yesterday, the challenge ahead which he
defined as eliminating the threat of landmines to civilians in the Western Hemisphere as
soon as possible and to civilians around the world within the next decade may be
even more daunting than the remarkable challenges overcome in bringing the Ottawa Treaty
into force.
My Government has dedicated more than $250 million to humanitarian mine
action over the past five years, and we will be expanding our efforts to well over $100
million in 1999. I will describe the elements of this assistance later, but I want to
stress at the outset that no government, no international agency, and no NGO on its own
has the capacity to make more than a small dent on the problem. We must work together.
Coming from conferences held over the past year, including the
Washington Conference in May 1998, are a variety of cooperative efforts to which my
Government is committed. These include:
- Joint mine awareness programs;
- Comprehensive level-one surveys in mine-affected countries;
- Creating and maintaining a database of landmines, demining programs, and survivor
assistance efforts around the world, especially through the Geneva International Center
and James Madison University;
- Supporting the U. N. Mine Action Service, the UNDP country projects, and the
Norwegian-inspired Mine Action Support Group;
- Promoting Mine Action Centers in mine-affected countries, which empower local
governments and peoples to address their own problems;
- Working with our European Commission colleagues and others to identify a global network
of test and evaluation facilities to assess promising demining technology and develop
international technology demonstration projects;
- Working with out NATO and Partnership for Peace friends to encourage joint mine action
projects indeed, Deputy Special Representative Priscilla Clapp is now in Brussels
to encourage these joint efforts;
- Supporting survivor assistance efforts, including both the supply of prosthetics and
orthotics as well as addressing the psycho-social and other impediments to rehabilitation
and reintegration;
- Encouraging unilateral steps by non-signatories of the Ottawa Convention that help
achieve the goals of that treaty; and
- Reviewing types of assistance we can provide to help destroy existing stockpile of mine
in countries requesting this help, thereby eliminating the threat of these mines before
they ever enter the ground.
On this last point, I salute the commitment of the Nicaraguan
Government, announced last week to destroy its existing stocks.
As we work to achieve these objectives, barriers between nations and
among governments, international agencies and NGOs must fade away. In Angola, I was proud
that the U.S. Embassy was able to fund the demining efforts of the Norwegian Peoples
Aid, the British HALO Trust, and the German MGM; mines awareness programs of UNICEF, ICRC,
Christina Childrens Fund, CARE and the Angolan Government; and survivors
assistance programs of the German Medicos, the French Handicap International and VVAF. The
child whose quality of life is restored by a prosthetic device never asks the nationality
of his or her doctor.
Developing new ways around the world to engage the private sector in
mine action is a critical part of our effort. We have been working with a number of
private partners to pool our creative talents and resources to develop imaginative
approaches. I would like to highlight a few of these noteworthy projects as a means of
inspiring other Governments to consider similar efforts.
First, my Government is supporting the United Nations Association and
HDI in their "Adopt a Minefield" program, which is working with the United
Nations to fund demining efforts in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Cambodia, Croatia, and
Mozambique. Already, 100 separate community based organizations in the United States have
begun to raise $25,000 or more each to support U. N. and host country efforts to destroy
mine fields in these countries.
Second, late last year, DC Comics, the U.S. Defense Department, and
UNICEF came together to produce a mine awareness comic book in Spanish, in which Superman
and Wonder Woman help teach the children of Central America to identify and avoid contact
with these weapons. This is a follow-up to successful comic book produced for the children
of Bosnia. The next project in line is a Português-language version for Mozambique and
Angola.
Third, the Marshall Legacy Institute has initiated a "Canine
Corps" project in collaboration with the Humane Society of the United States, UNDP,
DC Comics and the State Department. The Humane Societys engagement is due, in part,
to the fact that whereas landmines harm about 26,000 human beings each year, they also
kill as many as ten times that number of animals. This project is designed to expand use
of dogs in mine detection efforts in mine-affected countries.
Fourth, our Department of Education is supporting groundbreaking
research by the Physicians Against Landmines in research aimed at developing low-cost
prosthetics with appropriate technology, especially for children.
Fifth, we are supporting, along with Ted Turners United Nations
Foundation and the Canadian Government, the rapid production by the VVAF of standardized,
high quality level-one surveys in 10 mine-affected countries. This program will provide
the framework for planning new strategies, minimizing the impact of landmines, and giving
us criteria for measuring the success of mines action projects. This program will also
help those countries that have ratified the Ottawa treaty to meet their reporting
obligations under Article 7 of the Treaty.
Another exciting initiative is a series of consultation we have
launched with major U.S. corporations to encourage them to use portions of their social
responsibility funds to address the problems of mines, such as the outstanding
rehabilitation efforts of groups like the Landmine Survivors Network.
We are also encouraging these corporations -- as well as government
entities, NGOs and other employers -- to institute programs to recruit, train, and mentor
survivors of landmine accidents, especially for efforts addressed specifically at mine
actions.
These projects are some of the ways in which the United States, working
with foreign governments, international agencies, and NGOs, is working to create a synergy
among our mutual efforts. In sum the United States Government intends to provide this year
more than $100 million for mine actioins, including:
$35 million for mine awareness, mine mapping, and demining assistance
to 25 countries under the State Department program;
$34 million for the training of foreign deminers and for mine awareness
projects under the Defense Department program;
$18 million for research and development in demining technology;
$10 million in assistance to landmine survivors under the USAID Patrick
J. Leahy War Victims Fund; and
Substantial additional funding from Department of State and USAID for
projects associated with the repatriation of refugees and displaced persons.
I would be remiss if I did not pay tribute here to the leadership of
Senator Patrick Leahy and his legislative assistant , Tim Rieser, who have done so much to
raise public awareness in the United States and generate this level of financial support.
In the Western Hemisphere, U.S. efforts have concentrated on Central
America, where we have provided about $8 million in assistance over the past years,
working through the OAS Mission for Mine Clearance in Central America and the
Inter-American Defense Board, and the World Rehabilitation Fund in El Salvador.
Today, I am pleased to outline my Governments intention to fund
additional projects in the Western Hemisphere in fiscal year 1999, pending consultations
with the U.S. Congress. In Central America, we intend to provide another $4 million to
assist the effort to make this a "mine-safe" region as soon as possible,
especially in the wake of the devastation created by Hurricane Mitch. This assistance
comes on the top of the $300 million provided by my Government in emergency relief over
the past three months. Working with MARMINCA and the IADB, we will provide additional
training, technical assistance, logistical support, medical and communications assistance,
and mine awareness programs in Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras and Costa Rica.
In Peru and Ecuador, my Government intends -- as a guarantor nation of
the peace accords -- to allocate substantial resources to begin demarcation and demining
work along the border. Pending the results of an assessment team that will travel to the
region within the next few weeks, we are prepared to provide both short-term assistance
associated with the star-up of this operation and long-term training assistance.
Throughout this hemisphere from Central America tot he
Peru-Ecuador border -- men and women of good will and great courage are putting behind
them years and even decades of civil strife. The United States will stand
shoulder-to-shoulder with these brave people as they stand up for peace and
national reconciliation. We urge all our fellow OAS partners here today to make a similar
commitment of direct assistance for those mine action efforts.
I want to conclude with a few words about our anti-personnel landmine
(APL) policy. You are all familiar with the compelling reasons identified by my Government
for not signing the Ottawa Convention. I hope you are equally familiar with the efforts we
are taking to eliminate antipersonnel landmines and find alternatives.
Since 1996, the United States has destroyed 3.3 million
onon-self-destructing APL -- all of our long-lived APL except those needed for defense in
Korea and training.
We have pledged to end the use of all APL outside Korea by 2003.
We are aggressively pursuing the objective of having APL alternatives
ready for Korea by 2006.
We are also aggressively pursuing alternatives to our mixed anti-tank
systems, which are covered by the Ottawa Convention.
We are expanding our research not only to seek alternatives, but to
redefine military strategies to eliminate the need for APLs.
We are committed to transparency on landmine issues, and are proud to
be among the only countries meeting their reporting obligations under the OAS resolutions
and other international organs.
Let me assure you that the United States will remain in the forefront
of the struggle to eliminate the threat to civilians from anti-personnel landmines. When
it comes to reaffirming our commitment to an anti-personnel landmine safe world, as we
used to say in Angola: "Estamos Juntos." Muito obrigado, gracias and thank you.
APPENDIX V
Presentación por el Representante Permanente de México ante la OEA
Embajador Claude Heller
MÉXICO-CANADÁ
SEMINARIO REGIONAL SOBRE MINAS TERRESTRES ANTIPERSONAL
"ASUMIENDO NUESTRO COMPROMISO"
CONCLUSIONES DE LOS RELATORES
Partiendo del compromiso contenido en la Convención de Ottawa de
1997 sobre la Prohibición del Uso, Almacenamiento, Producción y Transferencia de Minas
Antipersonal y sobre su Destrucción, México y Canadá, con el apoyo de la Organización
de los Estados Americanos (OEA) y de la Organización Panamericana de la Salud (OPS),
convocaron un Seminario Regional sobre Minas Antipersonal en la Ciudad de México el 11 y
12 de enero de 1999.
La inauguración a cargo de los Cancilleres de México y Canadá,
Embajadora Rosario Green y Señor Lloyd Axworthy, con la participación del Secretario
General de la OEA, Dr. César Gaviria, del Director General de la OPS, Dr. George Alleyne,
y de la Embajadora de la Campaña Internacional para la Prohibición de Minas Terrestres
(ICBL), Sra. Jody Williams, estableció el marco de referencia de dinámicas y
frustíferas discusiones. El Seminario reunió a representantes de gobiernos y de
organizaciones no gubernamentales del Hemisferio, así como de organismos e instituciones
internacionales y los principales países donantes.
Este Seminario constituyó la primera reunión de este tipo desde la
firma de la Convencnión de Ottawa, brindando a los países del hemisferio la oportunidad
de reafirmar su compromiso con la completa y eficaz puesta en práctica de la Convención,
de cara a su próxima entrada en vigor (1 de marzo de 1999) y con vistas a la primera
Reunión de los Estados Partes que se celebrará en Maputo, Mozambique del 3 al 7 de mayo
de 1999.
México, Canadá y la OPS firmaron un Memorándum de Entendimiento
sobre un Programa Conjunto para la Rehabilitación de Víctimas de Minas en
Centroamérica. La ejecución del Programa comienza de inmediato.
Los participantes en el Seminario reconocieron en forma unánime los
logros alcanzados en materia de desminado en Centroamérica, así como el carácter
pionero de éstos, y pusieron énfasis en la contribución significativa de la OEA y de un
grupo de países donantes para este propósito. Reconocieron la necesidad de intensificar
estos esfuerzos, en vista de los retrocesos que se han producido como resultado del
Huracán Mitch.
Los participantes acogieron también con beneplácito el anuncio que
hicieron Ecuador y Perú sobre el inicio de actividades de levantamiento de minas a lo
largo de su frontera, como resultado de su reciente acuerdo de paz. Asimismo, tomaron nota
de su solicitud de asistencia por parte de la región, y en general, de respaldo a sus
esfuerzos bilaterales.
De los dos días de intensos intercambios de opiniones en el Seminario
permiten destacar, inter alia, las siguientes conclusiones:
- Se insta a los Estados de la región que aún no lo han hecho a firmar la Convención
como contribución esencial al objetivo de hacer del hemisferio una zona libre de minas
antipersonal.
- La pronta ratificación de la Convención es indispensable para alcanzar el reto de la
puesta en práctica de sus disposiciones.
- Se exhorta a los Estados que aún no lo han hecho a ratificar la Convención antes de la
reunión de Maputo.
- Nuestra meta es la de conseguir la universalidad de la Convención.
- Se insta a los Estados signatarios a no realizar actos que puedan ir en contra del fin y
del espíritu de la Convención.
- La Convención es aplicable en toda circunstancia y no sólo al término de un conflicto
armado.
- Se hace un llamado a todos los Estados a actuar con transparencia, mediante el recurso a
mecanismos tales como:
- - La presentación de informes anuales al Registro de la OEA;
- - El cumplimiento de lo dispuesto en el Artículo 7 de la Convención de Ottawa,
incluyendo a los no
signatarios en forma voluntaria;
- - La adopción de medidas unilaterales, tales como moratorias de producción y
transferencias;
- - Apoyar o contribuir a las actividades de monitoreo de la ICBL (los investigadores
están actualmente trabajando en informes sobre: Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica,
Colombia, Cuba, Argentina, Brasil, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador y Guatemala.
- Se reconoció que la destrucción de existencias de minas constituye una acción para
prevenir el uso de minas.
- Se insta a todos los Estados a destruir sus existencias de minas.
- Se recomienda la adopción de estrategias nacionales para resolver los problemas
existentes, en consulta con todos los sectores de la sociedad.
- Se reconoció que es imperativo contar con un enfoque integral para la asistencia de las
víctimas de minas antipersonal.
- La falta de recursos no debe ser considerada como un impedimento para cumplir con las
obligaciones de la Convención. Los Estados deben solicitar o proporcionar, según el
caso, la asistencia necesaria, al amparo del artículo 6 de la Convención.
- La colaboración entre gobiernos, organizaciones no gubernamentales y organismos
internacionales es un medio esencial para alcanzar los objetivos de la Convención, y, en
particular, para generar la cooperación internacional que se requiere para el pleno
cumplimiento de las obligaciones asumidas.
- Las siguientes medidas concretas fueron reconocidas como medios claros para contribuir
al avance de la agenda en materia de minas en el hemisferio:
- Nicaragua
: anuncio de su intención de destruir todas sus minas almacenadas en marzo
de 1999.
Perú y Ecuador: Desminado de su frontera, en congruencia con el Acuerdo de Paz de
1998.
Antigua y Barbuda:Compromiso de ratificar la Convención antes de la reunión de
Maputo.
Estados Unidos: Compromiso de eliminar todas las minas emplazadas por Estados Unidos
alrededor de la Base de Gunatánamo en Cuba al término de 1999 y anunció un incremento
de sus contribuciones para el desminado.
Estados Unidos y Canadá: Proporcionarán asistencia a Ecuador y Perú para el
desminado.
Se estimó que debe fortalecerse el papel de la OEA, en colaboración con las Naciones
Unidas, con vistas a una mejor utilización de los recursos con que cuenta la comunidad
internacional.
- Se reconoció el papel global del Centro para la Acción en Materia de Minas de las
Naciones Unidas como punto de referencia para canalizar los esfuerzos de los donantes.
El seminario reiteró el compromiso del hemisferio de mantener la
voluntad política necesaria para instrumentar la agenda en materia de minas.
EMBAJADOR CLAUDE HELLER
EMBAJADORA JILL SINCLAIR
RELATOR POR PARTE DE MÉXICO
RELATORA POR PARTE DE
CANADÁ
APPENDIX VI
PRESENTATION BY RENATA E. WIELGOSZ
COUNSELLOR, ALTERNATE REPRESENTATIVE OF CANADA
ON THE OTTAWA CONVENTION AND ITS PROMOTION AT
THE LANDMINES SEMINAR HELD IN
MEXICO CITY ON JANUARY 11-12, 1999
Canada shares Mexicos satisfaction with the good turnout
and the high quality of participation both from throughout the Hemisphere and from donor
countries bringing together representatives from government, key international
organizations and civil society at the Landmines Seminar which we co-hosted in
Mexico City on January 11th and 12th.
The level of participation certainly showed that our region continues
to attract and maintain sustained interest in the Ottawa process one year after the
signing of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and
Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction.
It is important that we keep up the momentum and the commitment that we
have demonstrated, as these are the means whereby we will be able to meet the provisions
of the Convention for effective mine action.
Signing the Convention was only the first step and perhaps the easiest.
In record time, we reached the 40 ratifications required to trigger the Entry into Force
process. Less than one month from now on March 1, 1999 the Convention will
enter into force and become international law with over 130 signatories of which to date
over 60 have completed ratification.
As seen clearly in the discussions at the Landmines Seminar in Mexico
City, now we must focus on the more difficult steps, namely implementation and
universalization of the Convention. In this regard, it is Canadas hope that as many
countries as possible will ratify the Convention before the First Meeting of States
Parties in Maputo, Mozambique scheduled for the first week of May 1999.
At the Landmines Seminar in Mexico City, Minister Axworthy challenged
us to arrive in Maputo with our ratification process and reaffirming our commitment to a
global ban on ant-personnel mines.
As a region, we are halfway there. I am pleased to confirm that 16 OAS
member states have now ratified the Ottawa Convention with Barbados and El Salvador
depositing their instruments of ratification sine the Landmines Seminar in Mexico City. I
would like to think that the Landmines Seminar had something to do with these latest
ratifications.
On a personal note, taking to heart the strong message that emerged
from the Landmines Seminar that countries that have ratified the Convention should adopt a
country that has not yet ratified or not signed and proceed to "flog" it
I promptly assailed Ambassador Granillo of El Salvador with results more rapid that I had
ever hoped for when embarking on my friendly attack. Based on that experience, I urge each
of you whose country has ratified the Convention to respond to the Landmine Seminars
call by adopting as your personal cause a member state that has not yet ratified or not
yet signed.
After all, we are halfway there in our region but by the same
token we still have halfway to go. With ratification procedures underway in many other
member states, we expect to see the numbers increase over the coming months. Nevertheless,
we are concerned over the delays in ratification in a region that has shown so much
interest in this issue.
Concern over delays led to another message that emerged clearly at the
Landmines Seminar and which I would like to reiterate here today. Namely, should countries
require assistance with their ratification process help is available.
- The UN has prepared documents explaining how countries can deposit their instruments of
ratification.
- The ICRC has produced a ratification kit in several languages, including Spanish.
- Canada also has information on how countries ratify and we are ready to help countries
in the Hemisphere who require and request assistance.
Meanwhile, regardless of whether countries have already been able to
sign or to ratify the Convention, there are many steps which all can take to promote the
mine action agenda. As reflected in the Summary of Conclusions from the Landmines Seminar
which Mexico and Canada are tabling as a Permanent Council document, these steps include:
- The destruction by countries of their landmine stockpiles is imperative. The Convention
views the destruction of stockpiles as preventative mine action because a mine
destroyed is a mine that will never again kill or maim a human being or an animal. For the
reason, the destruction of stockpiles emerged as a matter of urgency and the highest
priority in the discussions at the Landmines Seminar in Mexico. Assistance with stockpile
destruction is available. For example, in our region Canada is working with Nicaragua on
anti-personnel mine stockpile destruction by providing technical expertise.
- Another step that all countries can take is to provide support for humanitarian
operations, mine clearance and victim assistance. Any efforts in this regard, even within
the most limited resources, are helpful. Again, countries requiring assistance should not
hesitate to bring forward their requests for help and they should not delay ratification
of the Ottawa Convention because of concerns that on their own they will be unable to meet
its deadline for demining. Help is available.
- In addition, all member states, including non-signatories of the Ottawa Convention, can
contribute to the OAS Landmines Register, to the Landmine Monitor and under Article 7 of
the Convention.
It is our hope that these concrete steps, which are in keeping with the
spirit of the Ottawa Convention, will move us closer toward our shared goal of the Western
Hemisphere becoming a Landmine-Free Zone. For this reason, my delegation would propose
that the Committee on Hemispheric Security give consideration to such steps in a follow-up
resolution for this years General Assembly.
With the goal of a Western Hemisphere Landmine-Free Zone in mind, we
need to redouble the efforts of the OAS in Central America where Hurricane Mitch has
complicated and slowed down our demining objectives. We also need to be ready to support
future involvement in South America as we have seen with the peace agreement
between Peru and Ecuador and the highly welcomed joint statement by these two countries at
the Landmines Seminar.
Finally, as concerns the tripartite agreement, which was signed at the
Landmines Seminar by the Pan American Health Organization, Mexico and Canada I am
pleased to report that the work-planning mission in Central America is currently ongoing
and that it is making good progress. We hope that this tripartite cooperation will serve
as a useful model both in our own region and for consideration by other regions.
Before closing, I would like to mention that my delegation is
circulating copies of two documents here today. The first is entitled "One Year
Later: The Ottawa Convention is Making a Difference". It was prepared for the
one-year celebrations in December of the signing of the Convention and was also
distributed at the Landmines Seminar in Mexico City. You will notice that this document is
already becoming somewhat dated this is a good thing as it reflects that we are
making progress. The other document describes Canadas contribution to mine action
and outlines some of Canadas newest mine action initiatives. This document is not
all encompassing and does not make many references to our support of efforts in this
hemisphere. However, I offer it to you for the examples it contains of the kinds of
cooperation that are possible and that are being pursued outside our region.
Document circulated by the Delegation of Canada
ONE YEAR LATER:
THE OTTAWA CONVENTION IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE
On December 3, 1997, 122 states joined Canada in signing the Convention
on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel
Mines and on Their Destruction. That the Ottawa Convention was negotiated in
less than one year and will enter into force faster than any disarmament Convention
negotiated in history is a testament to the determination of the citizens of the world to
address the humanitarian crisis caused by landmines. The Ottawa Convention is a major
achievement, but it is just the beginning. In the words of Lloyd Axworthy, Minister of
Foreign Affairs the "real test of success for the Ottawa Convention will be the
degree to which it makes a difference in the lives of those who must live with the threat
of landmines everyday". One year after the signature of the Ottawa Convention the
following report tries to answer the question: Are we making a difference?
UNIVERSALIZING THE BAN CONVENTION
The Ottawa Convention has now been signed by 133 countries and ratified
by 52. Two thirds of the worlds nations have made the decision to ban this weapon.
With each new signature and ratification, another country assumes the
responsibility of destroying mines on its own territory as well as supporting mine
clearance and victim assistance in mine affected states.
The Ottawa Convention is establishing a new international norm against
the use of anti-personnel mines. Even states which have yet to sign the convention such as
Russia, China and the United States have taken positive steps to bring an end to the
global landmine crisis. The political will to assist in mine clearance is also growing
rapidly.
One of the most important features of what has become known as the
Ottawa Process was a high degree of cooperation between governments and civil society
organizations supportive of the ban. This unique coalition remains strong. Over the past
year governments and civil society organizations have hosted a range of regional
conferences in Russia, Jordan, Thailand, Hungary and Yugoslavia to press for the early
ratification and universalization of the Ottawa Convention. Each of these conferences has
yielded concrete results more ratifications, more signatories, stronger public
awareness of the landmine issue, and more pressure on the holdouts to join the ban.
DESTROYING STOCKPILED MINES
Over 11 million stockpiled mines have been destroyed by 15 countries
since the beginning of the Ottawa Process in 1996. These mines will never take a life or
limb.
Article IV: Destroy all stockpiled mines within 4 years.
Mines are vastly cheaper to destroy when they are still on the shelf
than once they have been laid in the ground. The global mine clearance effort will be
wasted if these stockpiles find their way into the ground. That is why stockpile
destruction is as an important part of mine action.
Though the Convention does not enter into force until March 1, 1999, a
number of signatory states have either destroyed their mines, as Canada did last year, or
are in the process of destroying stockpiles such as South Africa, United Kingdom, France,
Hungary, and Belgium. More signatories are planning stockpile destruction such as Namibia,
Zimbabwe, Romania, Thailand, and Cambodia. Even non-signatory states like Russia, Ukraine,
and the United States have begun to destroy their mines.
CLEARING MINED LAND
10 donor countries have initiated 98 new mine action programs in 25
countries in the past 12 months.
Article V: Destroy all mines in mined areas within 10 years.
Donors such as Canada, Norway, the European Union, the United States
and Japan have mobilized significant new resources to establish programs in Bosnia,
Cambodia, Mozambique, Afghanistan, Angola, Croatia, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Ecuador,
Honduras, Laos, Jordan, and Yemen.
Not only has the number of mine action programs increased, but they are
also being undertaken more systematically and with better record-keeping. The
effectiveness of mine clearance is greatly reduced if it is not done according to
priorities and standards, with accurate records, and accompanied by effective mine
awareness campaigns. In addition, more resources than ever are supporting technological
innovation to improve the speed, efficiency and safety of mine clearance operations.
We should not judge the success of mine clearance by the sheer number
of mines destroyed. The important and relevant statistic is that the highest possible
proportion of priority areas the places where people live and work are
cleared.
Survey work is the best way to ensure that mine clearance resources are
dedicated to the neediest places where the impact will be highest. In the last year, a
consortium of non-governmental organizations known as the Survey Contact Group teamed up
with the UN system to establish standard procedures as well as a strategic approach to
survey the most mine affected states as quickly as possible.
REDUCING NEW MINE CASUALTIES AND ASSISTING VICTIMS
The number of new mine victims is decreasing in many mine affected
states.
Article VI: Assist the care, rehabilitation, and social and economic
reintegration of mine victims and support mine awareness programs.
The number of new mine victims is decreasing in many states. In Bosnia,
monthly incidents in 1998 dropped from 90 to 18, in Cambodia incidents have dropped from
230 per month in 1996 to 100 per month in 1998, in Nicaragua in 1998 there were only 2
deaths. Mozambique and the Middle East have also shown great progress. This progress has
been realized through the onerous and time-consuming process of mine clearance, but also
through more cost effective and targeted programs of mine awareness and minefield marking.
Some challenges remain. We cannot single out mine victims for support
in countries where people are likely to be disabled from polio or other diseases and where
public health structures are often strained to provide the most basic treatments. Even
more important, increased emphasis needs to be placed on the reintegration of survivors
into social and economic life: the number of prosthetics created in a program is an
insufficient indicator of success. The international community is establishing goals and
standards for victims assistance, through the Berne Manifesto, which should improve
the delivery of programming in this area.
REDUCING THE TRADE IN MINES
There are fewer than 10 mine-producing countries that do not support a
comprehensive moratorium or de facto ban on the export of anti-personnel mines.
Almost all traditional exporters of mines have ceased these activities
the once-flourishing trade in mines has all but vanished.
Article I: States Parties will never under any circumstances develop,
produce, transfer or use mines.
Since the Second World War, more than 50 countries have been producers
of anti-personnel mines. Today, less than half that many countries continue to produce
mines and most of these states have agreed not to export the mines they produce. Even
countries that have not signed the Ottawa Convention such as Russia, China and the
United States have instituted moratoria on the export of all or certain types of
mines. This is the best evidence that a norm has been established which is challenging all
states to curtail their involvement with mines.
INCREASING RESOURCES FOR MINE ACTION
When the UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Assistance in Mine Clearance was
established in 1994 only a handful of countries were donors. Today 37 countries have made
contributions.
Article VI: States Parties in a position to do so shall provide
assistance for mine clearance and related activities.
More donors are engaged in mine action than ever before. They are
collaborating in joint ventures and through multilateral institutions, and coordination
has become a priority. Canada and Norway have together developed joint-venture projects in
Jordan, Bosnia and Nicaragua. The UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Assistance in Mine Clearance
supported $126M worth of mine action projects in 1998 alone. Other major donors are
contributing to mine action bilaterally, such as the European Union and the USA. In
addition, the Princess Diana Fund, the Turner Fund, the Slovenian Trust Fund, and others
offer an opportunity to increase contributions through matching funds. Even countries that
are not traditional donors to mine action, such as Vietnam and China, are supporting mine
action through in-kind contributions of personnel, equipment, and facilities. Meanwhile,
we continue to work to encourage the international financial institutions, as well as some
regional organizations, to support mine action with increased resources, thus creating a
solid network of donors worldwide.
The United Nations system has transformed its approach to mine action.
Before the Convention was signed, mine action was the purview of a range of different UN
agencies and even different departments within the Secretariat. Today the UN Mine Action
Service performs a coordination role within the UN system, which increases transparency
and information sharing with donors, mine affected communities, and NGOs.
The UN was not the only organization to recognize the importance of
coordination: donors have coalesced around Mine Action Support Group in New York, NGOs
have created organizations such as Landmine Monitor, to monitor compliance with the
Convention through a widely-published annual report, and the Survey Contact Group to bring
clarity and consistency to the management of level 1 surveys. Mine action centres are
working in the field to coordinate civilian, commercial and military deminers, and
national governments are working with the range of actors internationally and locally to
implement national mine action strategies in as efficient a way as possible.
CHALLENGES
If the story of mine action in the first year of the Convention is
positive, we must temper our satisfaction with an acceptance that we still face many
difficult challenges. Most notably, new mines are reportedly being laid in Angola and in
Kosovo. Some challenges to which donors should focus their energy in the coming year
include improving the speed with which funds are transferred to the field. Implementing
agencies cannot deliver adequate programs when their funding is delayed the bureaucratic
processes of donors. If we are truly serious about wanting to address the humanitarian
emergency caused by mines we must give sufficient resources, preferably with multi-year
commitments, to our implementing partners within reasonable time frames. We can also
improve coordination between implementing agencies, donors, and governments. A variety of
mechanisms for dialogue may exist, but making good use of these facilities will be a great
challenge. Finally, the collection of adequate statistical information, particularly
concerning victims, remains a major challenge for all parties engaged in mine action. The
better we understand the problem, the better we can direct our resources to where they are
most needed.
CANADAS CONTRIBUTION TO MINE ACTION
The Prime Ministers announcement of a $100 million fund to
support the implementation of the Ottawa Convention last December was the latest, and
certainly most generous, initiative in a history of Canadian involvement in mine action
which dates back to 1983.
Canada, through CIDA, has supported mine clearance since 1993 when over
$2 million was disbursed through multilateral channels to Afghanistan, Angola, Cambodia,
Laos, and El Salvador. Contributions of this magnitude continued annually with a peak in
1996 when $5.6 million was disbursed, over $1 million of which was dedicated to Bosnia.
The Department of National Defence has a similar tradition of mine
action which dates as far back as 1983 when engineers cleared mines around a bridge in
Cyprus. In 1989-90 Canadian Forces (CF) provided mine awareness training for Afghanistan
refugees, and in 1992 engineers cleared unexploded ordnance to create a demilitarized zone
between Iraq and Kuwait. The Canadian Forces were helping clear mines in Rwanda in 1994
and have been conducting mine awareness training for CF troops and refugees as part of
many peace support operations, including Croatia, Bosnia, and Somalia. Canadian military
engineers have also been instrumental in setting up Mine Action Centres in Cambodia and
Bosnia. That commitment continues today with contingents of seven Canadian technical
advisors in the Cambodia Mine Action Centre, and five technical advisors with the Bosnia
and Herzegovina Mine Action Centre.
The majority of the projects so far established under the $100 million
have been undertaken or developed in partnership of some kind. Canada is cooperating with
Norway, Jordan and Israel on a mine clearance program in the Jordan Valley. In Mozambique,
Canada is working with the Canadian Auto Workers, a partnership, which, through matching
funds, has doubled our contribution there to mine clearance. In Guatemala, Canada is
partnering with Israel on rehabilitation. In Bosnia, we have partnered with Norway to
finance insurance for military deminers: a project neither country could have undertaken
alone and which has effectively doubled the number of deminers working in the field. In
Central America, Canada, together with Mexico, is working with the Pan American Health
Organization to develop community based rehabilitation programs. These partnerships at the
donor level are complemented by partnerships at the implementation level where the
majority of our projects are implemented by either the UN or non-governmental
organizations, or both. Another project, the Canadian Landmine Action Fund, is designed to
stimulate awareness, raise funds, and give the public the opportunity to support worthy
mine action projects. What follows are highlights of project commitments under the
Canadian Landmine Fund.
CANADAS NEWEST MINE ACTION INITIATIVES
Croatia
A contribution of $100K to Croatias Mine Action Centre which will support mine
clearance and marking of mine fields as well as the deployment of mine detection dogs.
Chad
A contribution of $100K to Mine Action Centre for survey equipment and funding for a
technical expert to run and operate the database system with a view to starting a level 1
survey.
Jordan
Canada, Norway and Israel are working together in support of Jordanian demining efforts in
the Jordan Valley. Canada is contributing $300K to this effort.
Kosovo
A contribution of $950K to the UN Mine Action Service in support of a preliminary
assessment mission in Kosovo, in response to reports from UNHCR and UNICEF that mines are
interfering with returns of internally displaced people and with the delivery of
humanitarian assistance. The mission will concentrate on gathering information but also
capable of mine clearance and mine awareness.
Mozambique
A contribution of $100K to support UNDPs accelerated demining program involving
training in survey, personnel, and database management. Canada is also engaged in a joint
program with Canadian Auto Workers for mine clearance, victim assistance and advocacy,
working with local and international NGOs. Canada is contributing $225K to this $1.25M
project in matching funds with CAW.
Ukraine
Signature in October this year of a protocol agreement between Canada and Ukraine to work
together on stockpile destruction.
Yemen
A contribution of $950K to the UN Mine Action Service to support the conduct of a level 1
survey to set national priorities for mine action. Canada is also working with Med-Eng and
ADRA/Canada to buy $100K of protective gear for Yemens deminers.
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