Angola: mine/UXO awareness - towards safer communities

  Red Cross volunteers in Cubal (Benguela) learn how to conduct community interviews, in order to understand how the population is affected by mines and UXO 

Estimates of how many mines and UXO are scattered around the country vary. However, of the total number of casualties over the last five years, more than 10% were killed or injured due to devices other than mines. People between 19-35 years represented almost 50% of all casualties reported.

In February 2002 a ceasefire agreement was signed. In July the same year Angola ratified the Ottawa Treaty, which bans all use of anti-personnel mines. Nevertheless, the problem of mines and other explosive remnants of war will not disappear any time soon.

Large numbers of internally displaced people, in addition to tens of thousands of refugees in neighboring Zambia, Namibia and the Democratic Republic of Congo are in the process of returning. Despite the ongoing demining efforts, many will have to settle in areas which have still not been cleared. While struggling to rebuild their country, people will have to learn to live with a risk where one wrong move can cause death or life-lasting injuries.

Significant parts of the country are still inaccessible for humanitarian organization s because many roads remain mined, hampering the efforts to reach the communities and provide assistance in areas with need.

The ICRC has been providing orthopedic assistance for mine victims and other amputees in Angola for more than 20 years. It currently supports three Ministry of Health rehabilitation centres in Luanda, Huambo and Kuito. In 2002, more than 2,000 amputees received prostheses in these centres. Approximately 80% were mine victims.

In 2002, the ICRC started supporting the Angola Red Cross'(CVA) efforts to implement a long-term awareness program which aims to prevent casualties and other suffering caused by mines/UXO - initially focusing on the provinces of Bié and Benguela.

  Mines and UXO from more than 25 years of armed conflict are scattered around in Angola's 18 provinces    

A joint ICRC/CVA assessment was conducted in affected communities in the beginning of 2003. A series of interviews with the local population showed that despite a certain knowledge about how to reduce the mine/UXO risk, a lot of work remains to be done. These devices do not only have direct consequences in terms of loss of lives or limbs. The assessment also showed that mines/UXO have a number of indirect consequences for the Angolan civilian population as they prevent farming, wood collection, and access to water and other areas which are important for essential domestic activities. In addition, such explosive remnants of war endanger the general freedom of movement, implying a further socioeconomic impact in terms of trade, and access to institutions like health facilities and schools.

Following the assessment, two workshops have been organized for CVA volunteers. A total of 40 volunteers from five municipalities in Bié (Andulo, Kamacupa, Katabola, Kuito, Kunhinga) and three in Benguela (Caimbambo, Cubal, Ganda) participated, and have started to implement activities in their local communities.

During the visits to the affected communities, the Red Cross volunteers organize awareness-raising activities to teach people about the dangers of mines/UXO. In addition, the volunteers receive information from the local population about dangerous devices which are lying around but which have not yet been cleared. This information is passed on to the relevant authorities and demining organizations, which are encouraged to take the necessary measures to render the areas safe.

In order to ensure that also the refugees receive the basic knowledge about the mine/UXO risk in Angola, representatives from ICRC Namibia and the Zambian Mine Action Centre participated in the CVA workshops. ICRC Namibia has subsequently started awareness-raising activities for Angolan refugees in Osire camp.