Reuters AlertNet Lite - MAG Conventional Weapons Management and Disposal

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MAG Conventional Weapons Management and Disposal - July report

03 Sep 2009 09:13:00 GMT
Source: MAG (Mines Advisory Group)
Website: Website: http://www.maginternational.org/burundi

Background

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MAG is currently undertaking CWMD projects in Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Iraq, Republic of Congo (RoC), Rwanda, Somalia and Sudan.

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 (SALW) 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 Dutch-funded MAG-PNB mobile team has now moved on to Phase 2, to collect and destroy surplus and obsolete SALW from the Police Nationale Burundaise (PNB). In mid-July, the team conducted a special mission for the CDCPA (National Commission for Civilian Disarmament and SALW) to transport and destroy SALW that had recently been collected from the population. Ammunition was destroyed on 24 July at the Mudubugu destruction site with the presence of the Burundian media. In July, the Physical Security team, funded by the Swiss Government, improved security in 8 armouries in the Provinces of Bururi, and Makamba, Police Region South.

A summary of outputs this month is as follows:

- Collection of 78 weapons, 347 magazines, 743 items of ammunition, 10,178 SAA and items of explosives and pyrotechnics by the PNB mobile team;

- Destruction of 423 items of ammunition and 185 SAA by the PNB mobile team;

- Destruction of 307 items of ammunition and 35,000 SAA originating from the DDR of the FNL, by the FDN.

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, MAG established a weapons destruction workshop at the Central Logistics Base in Kinshasa. In September 2008 MAG received authorisation from the Ministry of the Interior to extend the SALW programme to also cover the Congolese National Police. MAG DRC is currently operating two mobile CWMD teams and the destruction team based at the Logistics Central Base.

A high-profile event took place this month in Lubumbashi (Katanga Province - 6th Military Region) to mark the start of operations there to destroy 9,600 weapons, which MAG DRC has recently received permission to destroy in situ (normally weapons are transported to the Central Logistics Base in Kinshasa for destruction, but the FARDC - Congolese Army - often lacks the logistic means for this). The event was attended by a large number of high ranking Congolese officials, including the governor of the province, the mayor of the city, and representatives of the ministry of the interior, as well as equally high-ranking military authorities.

CWMD Team 1 finished its fourth Mbakana (Bas Congo Province - 2nd Military Region) deployment where it completed the destruction of ammunition stocks from Mbanza Gungu that it had started last month. After destroying a final 45,180 items of ammunition weighing 16,192kg in Mbakana the team then deployed to Lubumbashi to attend to the stock of arms detailed above. By the end of the month 7,125 of these arms had been destroyed. Meanwhile, after a period of leave, CWMD Team 2 redeployed to Bukavu (South Kivu - 10th Military Region) where it is preparing to recommence destruction operations next month. At the Logistics Central Base weapons destruction activities continued as normal with 417 weapons being destroyed this month.

In total MAG DRC has to date destroyed 2,061,425 items of ammunition weighing 466 tons, as well as 94,071 weapons.

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 SALW. 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.

During July, 6 CWD response teams continued operations deploying to reported stockpiles of CW. Teams deployed 90 times from the programme's 4 operation bases to 81 different villages completing 231 emergency conventional weapons destruction tasks in Erbil, Sulaimaniyah, Dahuk, Mosul, Diyala and Kirkuk governorates. During this month 5,152 CW were safely destroyed. Items included different types of projectiles, mortars, bullets, RPGs and fuses. During July teams destroyed more than 84 stockpiles.

Teams completed 3 tasks destroying 3 stockpiles of 347 hazardous items in Derabun collective town in Dahuk. These items were posing a significant threat to the local population. Teams in Sulimaniyah deployed in Diyala governorate to safely remove 5 stockpiles of CW, destroying 184 items of CW in Khanaqin sub district.

The CW awareness program, delivered by the dedicated CL teams, continued during July. The programme aims to warn children and other vulnerable groups about the dangers of CW. A children's activity book, as well as posters and leaflets, were specially designed to support the project. Teams conducted 17 awareness sessions, distributing 1,432 booklets and stickers in support of their activities.

RECSA (Great Lakes region and Horn of Africa):

The project with RECSA has now come to an end and MAG is actively seeking funding from interested donors to be able to continue with the support not only to RECSA member states but to Africa in general.

Republic of Congo (RoC):

As of September 2008, with the confirmation of funding from CPP and WRA, the Mines Advisory Group has 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 in Brazzaville continue.

Due to presidential elections, MAG has reduced its Conventional Weapons Management and Disposal (CWMD) activities in the Republic of Congo, supporting the Forces Armées Congolaises (FAC) in the destruction of weapons and ammunition from storage depots in urban areas. MAG has proceeded with the controlled demolition of 55 items, weighing 1827.440 kg from the FAC's various military units in Brazzaville.

Items destroyed include:

- 23 x rockets (107, 122mm) = 1291.800 kg - 23 x artillery shells (100 mm) = 535.140 kg - 1 x hand grenade (type 67) = 0.500 kg - 8 x bulk hand grenade fuse

Rwanda:

MAG started its CWMD activities in Rwanda in November 2008. 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. Up to June 2009 14,916 weapons had been cut, and 8558 kg of munitions had been destroyed.

MAG Rwanda conducted a Stockpile Management Training Course in the first week of July 2009. The course instructed 27 candidates from the Rwandan Defence Force in key munitions management skills, including munitions recognition, basic storage procedures, the United Nations Hazard Classification System, stockpile accounting, accident analysis and risk analysis. The course was a part of the ongoing implementation of the new RDF Explosive Storage SOP, written by MAG for the RDF. MAG also attended the RECSA Brokering Conference in Kigali during this period.

July 2009 saw the end of the Conflict Prevention Pool grant. Operations were stood down from 14 July onwards. Operations will re-start in August 2009 with a grant from the Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement, US State Department.

Somalia:

Puntland:

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 7 Puntland Police staff and MAG now supervises the team performing conventional weapons management & disposal (CWMD) activities throughout Puntland. Activities are carried out through close coordination with the Puntland Mine Action Centre (PMAC). Activities are due to restart in Puntland in September 2009.

Mogadishu:

UNOPS in Somalia (UNSOMA) is funding the creation of an African Union EOD capacity to support its troops in Somalia. The capacity will initially be based in Mogadishu Airport from where it will deploy to deal with the considerable UXO contamination in and around the city. MAG began work in Mogadishu in June 2009, providing two Technical Field Managers to set up, train and provide ongoing technical advice to this capacity.

The MAG team has identified a suitable location for the Operations Base and a temporary training establishment, cleared the area and constructed secure storage. A classroom capable of seating twenty students has been constructed with an outdoor training area identified. The first training course is planned for shortly after the imminent troop rotation.

Sudan:

MAG's SALW team (funded by the US Department of State) 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, 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 July the team worked in Yei, Mundri and Kediba counties, completing 22 spot tasks and carrying out one demolition in Mundri county. 13,332 items of Small Arms Ammunition and 62 items of UXO were destroyed, benefitting 29,025 people.

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; Royal Government of the Netherlands; Conflict Prevention Pool (UK Government); Rufford Maurice Laing Foundation; Swiss Government; UNOPS (UN Office for Project Services).

To download CWMD publications please go to:

http://www.maginternational.org/MAG/en/reports/reports/publications/

[ 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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