HindustanTimes.com

Thursday, September 4, 2003

UN aims to clear Afghanistan of land mines in 10 years

Associated Press
Kabul, September 4

Afghanistan could be free of land mines in 10 years if clearance operations
continue at the current rate and $700 million in funding is received,
according to the United Nations.

"Afghanistan could be free from the threat of land mines and UXO by 2012 if
clearance operations continue at current levels and if donor support is
maintained," spokesman for the UN mission in Kabul, Manoel de Almeida e
Silva said.

The UN Mine Action Coordination Centre said in an annual report published on
Thursday that 850 square kilometres of land was still dotted with
anti-personnel and anti-tank land mines as well as unexploded ordnance (UXO)
at the end of 2002.

Between 150 and 300 people per month were believed killed or injured by land
mines or UXO last year, the report said. But a further 17,000 deaths and
injuries could be averted in the next 10 years if clearance goes ahead as
planned, it said.

Head of the mine coordination centre Dan Kelly said that it had developed a
10-year strategy with the government that would require $400 million to
clear the "high impact areas" where mines present the biggest threat within
five years, and less-affected areas in the following five years at a cost of
$300 million.

However, lack of funds prevented paying Afghan deminers in past four to five
months. Kelly said $78 million was required from January 2003 to March 2004,
but so far international donors had contributed or pledged only $51 million.
About half of the $51 million had yet to be paid and so could not be used to
pay the deminers, he said.

Afghanistan is one of the world's most heavily mined countries. More than 3
million explosive devices have been cleared from the land in the past 13
years. Some 7,200 people, mostly Afghans, are employed in the clearance
operation.

Kelly said that land mines were still hindering the return of refugees and
internally displaced people to their land as well as reconstruction and
development.

© Hindustan Times Ltd. 2003.
Reproduction in any form is prohibited without prior permission