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MAG's Conventional Weapons Management & Disposal programmes

15 Dec 2008 11:00:00 GMT
Source: MAG (Mines Advisory Group)
Website: Website: http://www.maginternational.org/cwmd

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Controlled demolition of torpedoes by a MAG CWMD team in Muanda, Bas-Congo

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MAG and CWMD - MAG uses the term Conventional Weapons Management and Disposal (CWMD) to more accurately reflect the range of munitions it encounters in support of stockpile management, as in many of its projects items outside of the SALW definition are dealt with, such as aircraft bombs, large calibre artillery, mortar ammunition and rockets.

MAG is currently undertaking CWMD projects in Burundi, Cambodia, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Republic of Congo (RoC), Iraq, Somalia and Sudan. Also MAG is providing CWMD technical support to the Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA) in the Great Lakes and Horn of Africa region.

Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC):

MAG DRC launched a nationwide CWMD programme in September 2006 and received written authorisation from the Ministry of Defence in May 2007 to destroy surplus military stocks in all Military Regions. Also in May 2007, a destruction centre was established by MAG at the Central Logistics Base in Kinshasa.

The CWMD teams funded by the US Department of State conducted major operations in October 2008. The first team was deployed in Muanda, 2nd Military Region (Bas-Congo) to destroy surplus ammunition from various army and navy bases in the region. The team destroyed a total of 17.5 tons of ammunition, including five 12-metre long torpedoes, and 72 marine grenades including some in an extremely degraded state.

These items were posing a severe threat of unplanned explosion which could have had major consequences in terms of human lives, infrastructure damage - a port and petroleum company are located nearby - and contamination of the sea (see article 'DR Congo explosion threat reduced as naval weapons destroyed' on MAG website for more details). The team also destroyed 6" artillery shells dating back from the world wars, located on the island of Boulenbemba which is classified as a natural reserve.

The second CWMD team worked in Kamina, 6th Military Region (Katanga), where they destroyed 24 tons of a large stock of ammunition, including large Spanish penetrator bombs which they had to dismantle first. Weapons destruction at the Central Logistics Base in Kinshasa also continued, with a total of 1,150 weapons being destroyed during the course of the month.

The CWMD team funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs continued its deployment in Kasai Oriental, 5th Military Region. The team worked in Lodja, Lubao, Kabinda and Tshala and destroyed over 30,000 items of ammunition, weighing a total of 11 tons.

In addition, MAG's Technical Operations Manager conducted an assessment mission in the 8th and 10th Military regions (Sud-Kivu and Nord-Kivu), where he met with the regional military authorities as well as with a series of local authorities, UN authorities, and partners from civil society.

Burundi:

MAG is working to reduce the conventional weapons (CW) threat in Burundi through weapons and ammunition destruction and through ensuring safe storage of weapons and ammunition currently stored at the Military Logistics Base in Bujumbura, in cooperation with the Burundian Army (FDN). MAG has also established a mobile SALW destruction team in partnership with the Burundian Police (PNB).

In October 2008, MAG conducted the following CWMD activities in cooperation with the Burundian Army and the Burundian Police:

Burundian Army (FDN) - The MANPADS destruction has been completed and the weapons destruction continued at the central destruction workshop. The rehabilitation of the logistics base has been completed and MAG has recently secured funding to further extend the north perimeter fence to secure other outlying ammunition stores.

Burundian Police (PNB) - The mobile SALW team has continued to collect weapons and ammunition seized by the police. MAG is currently surveying police weapons stores throughout Burundi. Two TFMs have been deployed to support implementation of the Nairobi Protocol Articles 6, 7 and 8. The three main survey objectives are:

- assessment of the quantity and quality of weapons and ammunition held by the police

- assessment of armouries / weapons facilities

- assessment of the level of knowledge in term of weapons management among the police forces

This survey project is a precursor to a second phase which will include improving security and management of conventional weapons at police weapons stores.

Cambodia:

Through the deployment of a SALW team in Kampong Cham province, MAG continues to address the threat posed by SALW in rural Cambodia.

In October 2008 the SALW team conducted 36 tasks across 12 villages in Kampong Cham province. A total of 260 items were destroyed, which included 248 SALW items (amongst these were 142 x 60mm mortars, 50 x 82mm mortars and 41 x 40mm rifle grenades). The tasks undertaken by the team benefited 378 people from 74 families in total. Beneficiaries of MRE delivered by the team numbered 192 adults and 182 children.

Iraq:

Iraq has been subjected to protracted and intense conflict for over 25 years and is one of the countries most affected by explosive conventional weapons (CW). The conflict in 2003 led to further, extensive CW contamination and resulted in large numbers of unsecured and abandoned stockpiles and caches.

During the month of October, MAG's eight SALW teams deployed 163 times from the programme's four operation bases and completed 289 emergency small arms and light weapons destruction tasks in Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Dahuk, Mosul and Kirkuk governorates. During this month 10,779 SALW items were safely destroyed in 111 different villages. Items included different types of projectiles, mortars, bullets, RPGs and fuses.

The teams destroyed 105 SALW stockpiles. One of the piles destroyed was a stockpile of 2,000 anti aircraft items in Beraw village in Erbil governorate. These items were located in a valley near the village and were reported to MAG by the village leader who contacted one of MAG's hotlines.

Teams in Dahuk governorate were able to safely remove and destroy 2,133 items of shells, mortars, anti aircraft ammunition and fuses in a scrap yard in Derabun village. The teams cleared 80,000m2 of land using visual techniques in order to complete this task.

The SALW awareness programme, delivered by the dedicated CL teams, continued during October. The program aims to warn children and other vulnerable groups about the dangers of SALW. A children's activity book, as well as posters and leaflets, were specially designed to support the programme.

The CL teams conducted 25 awareness sessions, distributing 1,038 posters, stickers and leaflets in support of their activities.

RECSA (Great Lakes region and Horn of Africa):

The Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA) is an institutional framework to coordinate efforts by member states to prevent, combat and eradicate stockpiling and illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons in the Great Lakes Region and Horn of Africa.

RECSA member states include: Burundi, DRC, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. MAG is providing technical support to RECSA. Main goal is to share best practice and lessons learned from existing MAG US Department of State-funded SALW projects in Africa with other interested RECSA member states, thereby accelerating the implementation of SALW destruction activities in the region. MAG and RECSA signed a Memorandum of Understanding in July 2008.

During October 2008 MAG's Technical Support Manager continued his cooperation with RECSA and its member states. New assessment missions were being planned to Ethiopia and Tanzania for the next few months. Preparations continued for the start up of MAG's new CWMD project in Rwanda in November 2008, funded by the Conflict Prevention Pool (CPP), UK Government. Security concerns prevented the planned deployment to provide technical training and support to AMISOM in Mogadishu. RECSA member states are to undertake training in November on the marking machines previously purchased by the US Department of State, prior to marking being undertaken in each RECSA member state.

Republic of Congo (RoC):

In September 2008, following confirmation of funding from CPP and US Department of State, MAG resumed its formal partnership with the Ministry of Defence in the Republic of Congo. MAG is providing technical support to the Forces Armées Congolaises (FAC) to safely manage and dispose of conventional weapons. Activities are planned to take place nationwide, with the capital city of Brazzaville being the number one priority.

From the middle of October MAG has resumed CWMD activities in RoC, supporting the Forces Armées Congolaises (FAC) in the destruction of weapons and ammunition from storage depots in urban areas. After a week of training on security and standard operational procedures, a total of 1,133 items (weighing 7391.4 kg in total) from the FAC's central Brazzaville depot were destroyed by the operations team, using controlled demolition techniques. Items destroyed included: 13 x OFAB 500 aircraft bombs, 7 x 122mm rocket warheads, 1,113 x artillery shells.

Somalia:

MAG commenced CWMD activities in the Puntland State of Somalia in May 2008. MAG has trained an EOD team consisting of 8 Puntland Police staff and MAG now supervises the team performing conventional weapons management & disposal activities throughout Puntland.

Following the resumption of operations after the Ramadan break early October, the MAG / Puntland Police EOD team responded to 5 UXO call outs in Garowe during October and has safely removed 6 dangerous items from public areas and homes. Besides 65 items of UXO (88 kg in total) were destroyed at the Garowe Central Demolition Site.

MAG's Technical Field Manager and the Operations Manager of the Puntland Mine Action Centre (PMAC) carried out an assessment of two suspected battle area sites in Garowe. Following the assessment, the tasking orders for these sites were cancelled as no dangerous items were found.

The EOD team received training in use of the large-loop detector, in how to carry out EOD assessments, and in how to conduct electric demolitions. Due to insecurity, operations were limited to Garowe town this month. Operations were suspended for 2 days due to insecurity. MAG international staff temporarily relocated to Nairobi on 30/10/08 due to increased security threats, and will manage operations remotely until redeployment to Garowe is possible.

Sudan:

MAG's SALW team has been operational in South Sudan since 2005. It currently operates out of MAG's base in Yei, Central Equatoria, but performs clearance activities in neighbouring Western Equatoria also, funded by MAG America and United States Department of State. The team tends to go out for 2-3 weeks at a time fly camping in different areas before returning to base to rest and refuel. South Sudan offers challenging terrain and difficult conditions to work in, particularly during the rainy season when many areas become impassable.

In October 2008 the SALW team completed 26 spot tasks in and around Yei and Juba County in Central Equatoria.

MAG would like to express its gratitude to the following current donors to our CWMD projects around the globe: US Department of State, Political Military Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement; Conflict Prevention Pool (UK Government); Royal Government of the Netherlands; Isle of Man Government / Manx Landmine Action; Adopt-a-Minefield; Maurice Rufford Laing Foundation.

[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

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[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

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