01 November 2001
Fact Sheet: The U.S. Humanitarian Demining Program
(A commitment to make the world mine-safe) (0000)
(The following fact sheet on the U.S. humanitarian demining program
was issued by the State Department's Bureau of Political-Military
Affairs November 1.)
FACT SHEET
Bureau of Political-Military Affairs
Office of Humanitarian Demining Programs
Washington, DC
November 1, 2001
The U.S. Humanitarian Demining Program:
A Commitment to Make the World Mine-Safe
The U.S. government's Humanitarian Demining Program seeks to relieve
human suffering while promoting U.S. interests. The program's
objectives are to reduce civilian casualties, create conditions for
the return of refugees and displaced persons to their homes, reinforce
an affected country's stability, and encourage international
cooperation and participation. Since Fiscal Year (FY) 1993, the United
States has committed over $500 million to global mine action
initiatives, including research and development.
Obtaining U.S. Demining Assistance
A mine-affected country generally requests U.S. assistance via the
U.S. Embassy. If the Embassy endorses the request, it is then
forwarded to a U.S. Government Policy Coordinating Committee (PCC)
Subgroup on humanitarian mine action, chaired by the National Security
Council with the Department of State (DOS) and the Department of
Defense (DoD) as vice-chairs. The PCC is in charge of approving and
coordinating U.S. humanitarian demining programs.
Upon receiving a U.S. Embassy-endorsed request for demining
assistance, the PCC Subgroup determines whether to conduct a Policy
Assessment Visit to the affected country to evaluate the nature of the
mine problem, the requesting nation's commitment to solving the
problem, and the suitability of U.S. assistance. Based on this
assessment, the PCC may approve the establishment of a formal program
for the country.
A typical U.S. program involves assisting in the establishment of a
mine action center (MAC), a mine awareness program, and a demining
training program. As a country develops its mine clearance
capabilities, the PCC Subgroup will periodically evaluate the
development of the program. When the program reaches self-sustainment,
the United States passes off its active role to the host nation.
U.S. Funding and Participation
U.S. funding support for humanitarian mine action comes from DOS, DoD,
and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Mine clearance operations, surveys, mine awareness efforts, survivor
assistance, training, and equipment are supported through programs
within these entities.
DOS funding is provided under the Nonproliferation, Antiterrorism,
Demining and Related (NADR) programs appropriation. These funds
support both commercial and nongovernmental organization initiatives
to a host country's program and its progress towards sustainment,
including the provision of equipment, technical assistance, training,
and other services. NADR funds are also used to support programs
conducted by international organizations such as the United Nations
and the Organization of American States. Through NADR funds, DOS is
also able to transfer money to the Defense Security Cooperation
Agency, directly to a U.S. Embassy, or to an operational element of
DoD to support the acquisition of services and equipment. FY01 NADR
funds totaled $40 million.
DoD funds humanitarian demining activities from its Overseas
Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid (OHDACA) account. FY01 OHDACA
funds totaled $25.5 million. OHDACA funding is provided principally to
support training and equipment. DoD funds training conducted by the
U.S. Special Forces personnel assigned to various commanders-in-chief.
DoD also supports mine awareness education initiatives and, through
separate funding (approximately $12 million in FY01), research and
development of promising mine detection and removal technologies.
Another principal source of funding for humanitarian mine action is
USAID. Through the Patrick J. Leahy War Victims Fund, the agency
contributes to improving the mobility, health, and social integration
of the disabled, including landmine survivors.
Accomplishments
Since 1993, the United States has established humanitarian demining
programs in 38 countries, in addition to the Province of Kosovo and
Northwest Somalia. The Program will expand to several additional
countries in 2002. The United States, other donors, and mine-affected
countries can take pride in the following success stories, each of
which is commended for the reach of mine awareness programs, the
number of landmines found and destroyed, the amount of land cleared,
or the number of survivors provided with assistance.
Afghanistan
The Mine Action Program for Afghanistan is one of the most effective
demining programs worldwide. Mine awareness briefings have reached
over seven million people; the landmine casualty rate has been reduced
by 50 percent; Afghan deminers have cleared 244 square kilometers of
high priority, mine-infested land and destroyed 210,000 landmines and
985,000 pieces of unexploded ordnance (UXO); and 1.5 million refugees
have been able to return to their homes.
Cambodia
The humanitarian demining program in Cambodia is now in the
sustainment phase, with a fully trained staff of 2,400 Cambodians, in
addition to 35 foreign technical advisors and six U.N. staff members.
Deminers from the Cambodia Mine Action Center have cleared 145,588,996
square kilometers of land, destroyed 131,176 landmines and 603,774
pieces of UXO, and reduced landmines casualties by almost 70 percent.
Jordan
Since 1997, a national mine awareness program, demining operations,
and the use of more effective protective equipment have lowered
civilian and military casualties significantly. At present, Jordan is
conducting a Level Two Survey of minefields along the Syrian border.
As of February 2000, Jordan's Royal Corps of Engineers had cleared
83,823 landmines from about 200 minefields, restoring more than 1,200
hectares of land to safe use.
Laos
U.S. Special Operations Force soldiers have trained more than 1,000
Lao, creating an indigenous training capability. UXO Lao personnel
have destroyed more than 292,000 pieces of UXO, cleared 1,880 hectares
of land, and conducted 5,848 mine UXO awareness visits in over 2,500
villages. More than 300 Lao medical staff members have received
training in emergency rehabilitation or laboratory services.
Mozambique
Since 1992, mine clearance operations have removed more than 15,000
landmines, 13,000 UXO, and opened more than 4,500 kilometers of roads,
facilitating post-war resettlement of agricultural land and
reconnecting nearly one million people to their local economies.
Operations have also played a vital role in Mozambique's overall
development strategy. For example, the Massingir Dam project will
supply electricity and irrigation to approximately 9,000 hectares of
land and the Sena rail line project will open large areas of the
Zambezi River Valley to development.
Namibia
Namibia possesses a modern demining capability and a dedicated unit of
over 1,000 deminers. These deminers have cleared more than one million
square meters of land, restoring it to productive use, and destroyed
more than 5,000 mines and 1,300 UXO. Namibia is progressing towards
mine-safe status with the clearance of ten known minefields and 410
electric power pylons.
Nicaragua
To date, approximately 26,240 landmines have been found and destroyed
by Nicaraguan deminers, declaring 24 Nicaraguan municipalities and 168
kilometers of international borders mine-safe. In total, approximately
1,856,540.5 square kilometers of land has been cleared.
Rwanda
The Rwandan program is now at the sustainment phase. More than 200
U.S.-trained deminers and Explosive Ordnance Disposal personnel have
cleared over seven million square meters of land, including 6,000
kilometers of bush roads, destroying almost 24,000 mine and UXO.
Landmines and UXO fatalities have dropped from 108 in 1994 to three in
2000. Some 400,000 refugees and 200,000 internally displaced persons
have returned to their villages.
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
