Reuters AlertNet Lite - MAG's Conventional Weapons Management and Disposal programme

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MAG's Conventional Weapons Management and Disposal programme - update

06 May 2009 08:44:00 GMT
Source: MAG (Mines Advisory Group)
Website: Website: http://www.maginternational.org/cwmd

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Republic of Congo - 140mm (HE) rockets, AT mines and propellant at FAC storage depot prior to destruction by MAG.
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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 small arms and light weapons (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), Iraq, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, 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.

BURUNDI

MAG Burundi started in 2007 with a programme to support the government of Burundi in reducing the threat of small arms and light weapons and unsecured stockpiles. MAG is currently offering technical support to the Weapons Destruction Workshop and supporting the Burundian Government in implementing the Nairobi Protocol, Articles 6, 7 and 8.

The mixed MAG-Police Nationale Burundaise (PNB) mobile team, funded by the Dutch Government, focused in March 2009 on collecting and destroying ammunition and items of explosives and pyrotechnics. 3,825 hand-grenades were destroyed during the month, a further contribution to reducing the number of grenade attacks which harm the Burundians on a daily basis. Moreover, the destruction of 127 kg of explosives and 1,254 detonators (which were in a dangerous state) has prevented potential unplanned explosions in armouries. Operations at the Weapons Destruction Workshop, funded by the UK Conflict Prevention Pool, continued with the destruction of 379 obsolete weapons from the Forces de DÃ©fense Nationale (FDN) stocks and 3,160 magazines collected in police stations. Finally, the improvements to the physical security of the FDN Logistics Base, funded by the United States Department of State, were completed and the works officially handed over to the FDN. Outputs can be summarised as follows:

- Destruction of 379 weapons and 3,160 magazines at the Weapons Destruction Workshop - Collection of 24 weapons, 3,108 magazines, 1,239 ammunition and 3,203 items of explosives and pyrotechnics by the PNB mobile team - Destruction of 4,530 ammunition and 4,050 items of explosives and pyrotechnics by the PNB mobile team - Basic training in IT given to the PNB liaison officers and team leaders

CAMBODIA

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

During March the SALW team conducted 58 tasks across 31 villages in Kampong Cham province. A total of 476 items were destroyed, which included 404 SALW items (included amongst these were 112 60mm HE mortars, 58 82mm HE mortars, 83 40mm rifle grenades, 20 PG-2 rocket propelled grenades, 32 M33 hand grenades and 22 type 73 hand grenades). The tasks undertaken by the team benefited 692 people from 109 families in total. Beneficiaries of MRE delivered by the team numbered 293 adults and 391 children.

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 weapons destruction centre was established by MAG at the Central Logistics Base in Kinshasa. In September 2008 MAG received written authorisation from the Ministry of the Interior to extend the SALW programme to also cover the Congolese National Police.

With the completion of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs' CWMD grant at the end of February 2009, one of the three MAG DRC CWMD teams was discontinued at the beginning of March. The CWMD grant given by the United States Department of state, Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement, supporting the two remaining mobile CWMD teams, also finished at the end of March.

During March one of these two CWMD teams deployed to Mbakana in Kinshasa Province, and destroyed 746,717 items of ammunition weighing in total 5,342 kg. Meanwhile, the second team deployed from Mbuji Mayi to Kamina in Kasai Oriental Province where it destroyed 1,884 items weighing 26,637kg. This team was accompanied by a photographer, tasked with producing visibility materials for use by the programme. Destruction activities in the Central Logistics Base also continued this month, resulting in the destruction of 685 weapons.

One mobile CWMD team completed technical refresher training and medevac exercises this month.

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 of CW. MAG Iraq has eight SALW teams that deploy from the programme's 4 operational bases to conduct small arms and light weapons destruction tasks in Erbil, Sulaimaniyah, Dahuk, Mosul and Kirkuk governorates. Besides MAG is running a SALW awareness program, delivered by dedicated CL teams which aims at warning children and other vulnerable groups about the dangers of SALW. A children's activity book, as well as posters and leaflets have been specially designed to support the activities.

During March, the 8 SALW teams continued operations deploying to reported stockpiles of SALW. Teams deployed 133 times from the programme's 4 operation bases and completed 739 emergency small arms and light weapons destruction tasks in Erbil, Sulaimaniyah, Dahuk, Mosul, Diyala and Kirkuk governorates. 10,659 SALW were safely destroyed in 115 different villages. Items included different types of projectiles, mortars, bullets, RPGs and fuses. The teams destroyed 219 stockpiles. The teams completed 7 tasks, destroying 184 hazardous items that were posing a significant threat to the population of Arozar village in Sulaimaniyah. The teams in Chamchamal deployed in Diyala governorate and safely removed and destroy 32 items of SALW during two tasks in the Khanaqin area. The SALW awareness program, delivered by the dedicated CL teams, also continued during March. The teams conducted 7 awareness sessions and distributed 105 booklets and stickers.

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 and its member states through the deployment of a Technical Support Manager (TSM). Main goal is to share best practice and lessons learned from existing MAG CWMD projects in Africa with 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 March 2009 MAG's Technical Support Manager working in support of RECSA visited the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Congo, meeting with the National Focal Points of each of the respective countries to discuss technical support.

REPUBLIC OF CONGO

MAG resumed its formal partnership with the Ministry of Defence in the Republic of Congo in September 2008, following confirmation of funding from the UK Government Conflict Prevention Pool (CPP) and the US Department of State. MAG is providing technical support to the Forces ArmÃ©es Congolaises (FAC) to safely manage and dispose of conventional weapons. Activities have also started in the port city Pointe Noire through meetings with regional military structure, a rapid assessment and EOD1 training of 7 Forces ArmÃ©es Congolaises (FAC) personnel, consisting of theoretical & practical modules, first aid and Medevac/Casevac procedures.

In March 2009, MAG continued CWMD activities, supporting the FAC in the destruction of weapons and ammunition from storage depots in urban areas. MAG has proceeded with the controlled demolition (explosion and burning) of 2,992 items, weighing 13,155 kg from the FAC's Dam depot in Pointe Noire. Items destroyed included: - 965 x 12.7mm rounds of ammunitions 29kg - 4 x 140mm HE M14 rockets 158kg - 25 x rockets(PG7/PG2) 49.4kg - 202 x 100mm artillery shells 5,517kg - 76 x 130mm artillery shells ,532.7kg - 1280 x artillery fuses (MG N) 453.1kg VZ57) - 130 x AT mine fuses (M 58.5kg - 300 x TM57 AT Mine 2,850kg - 10 x Grenades (HandGRF def) 7.5kg - Various propellant material 1,500kg

Other outputs: Completion of EOD1 training for 7 FAC personnel and presentation of certificates.

RWANDA

MAG started its CWMD activities in Rwanda in November 2008 with funding received from the UK Government Conflict Prevention Pool (CPP). MAG is providing technical assistance and training to the Rwanda Defense Forces (RDF) in basic stockpile management and the destruction of surplus SALW and munitions. MAG established a central weapons destruction workshop at Kanombe near Kigali and trained two RDF teams in weapons recognition and weapons cutting. A central demolition for the destruction of munitions has been identified at Gabiro in north-east Rwanda.

Significant progress was achieved by MAG Rwanda in March 2009. The Weapons Cutting Workshop at Kanombe Camp, Kigali, continued to produce good results. 4,608 small arms were destroyed, including 1943 assault rifles, 1034 bolt action rifles, 782 self loading rifles, 381 machine guns, 332 machine gun barrels, 100 shot guns, 14 grenade launchers, 12 hunting rifles and 10 rocket launchers. Many of the weapons destroyed are in remarkably good condition, including South African R4s and SS77s, German G3s, Swiss SIG 542s, Israeli Gallils, Belgian FALs, Minimis and MAGs, and a range of Kalashnikovs and derived assault rifles. The weapons cutting team members are progressing well towards their Level One Weapons Cutting Qualification.

One six man team from the RDF was trained to IMAS EOD Level 1 standard during March. 1,150 kg of munitions were destroyed over the course of this training. It is planned to train this team further to IMAS EOD Level 2 during the next few months and to select team leaders to attend an EOD Level 3 course after that. MAG is supporting the Rwandan Defence Forces in its aim to have a stand-alone EOD team deployed on peace keeping operations in Darfur by the end of 2009.

MAG continues to advise the RDF on best practice in the field of munitions storage and transportation. It is hoped that an agreed set of SOPs can be introduced shortly.

SOMALIA

MAG commenced its CWMD activities in the Puntland region of Somalia in May 2008 with funding from the US Department of State WRA. MAG has trained an EOD team consisting of 8 Puntland Police staff and MAG now supervises the team performing CWMD activities throughout Puntland.

In March 2009 the MAG / Puntland Police EOD team travelled to Galkayo, a large city in Southern Puntland. This area had been off-limits because of security concerns since operations started in May 2008. The team cleared out a stockpile of munitions from the main Police station in Galkayo - 454 items of UXO/AO in total and 100 kg of propellant were removed for destruction at the Garowe Central Demolition Site. The munitions destroyed included 370 x new hand grenades and an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). The team also responded to 4 UXO call-outs in the town of Garowe where the MAG operation is based, and collected 6 items of UXO that were subsequently destroyed in controlled demolitions. A 'suspected hazardous area' of 5,000m2 in Garowe was declared free from UXO contamination following BAC (Battle Area Clearance) by the team. A party of senior officials from the new Puntland administration inspected the work of the EOD team in Garowe and MAG held meetings with the Puntland Vice-President and the new Commander of the Puntland Darawish forces (the Puntland Army).

On-the-job and classroom EOD training continued for the Puntland Police EOD team as they work towards the next formal assessment of their abilities, scheduled to take place in June 2009.

SUDAN

MAG's SALW team (funded by the US Department of State WRA) 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 and Eastern Equatoria also. 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. Sudan provides challenging terrain and difficult conditions to work in, particularly during the rainy season when many areas become impassable.

In March 2009 the SALW team worked in Yei and Morobo County and completed 10 spot tasks, 6 of which were MAG identified and 4 of which were UNMAO identified. The team destroyed 7 sub-munitions and 6 other UXO items, benefiting a total of 1,190 people. Finally the team also completed 2,460sqm of Battle Area Clearance (BAC).

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

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

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