Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Volume 6 Issue 2 The Journal of Mine Action Article 5

August 2002

HALO Trust in Angola

David Hartley Center for International Stabilization and Recovery at JMU (CISR)

Follow this and additional works at: https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cisr-journal

Part of the Defense and Security Studies Commons, Emergency and Disaster Management Commons, Other Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons, and the Peace and Conflict Studies Commons

Recommended Citation Hartley, David (2002) "HALO Trust in Angola," Journal of Mine Action : Vol. 6 : Iss. 2 , Article 5. Available at: https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cisr-journal/vol6/iss2/5

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Center for International Stabilization and Recovery at JMU Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction by an authorized editor of JMU Scholarly Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. FOCUS Hartley: HALO;I Trust in Angola . Landmlnes in Africa

ment is controlled and used by 26 separate throughout the nation. Although Angola The conflict ultimately interrupted demining teams. has signed and ratified the Mine Ban HALO's demining operations. More im­ HALO Trust in Angola HALO has been presenred with a Treaty, little has been done to stop the portantly, however, the political turmoil unique and daunting challenge in Angola. use oflandmines. When Angola's electoral displaced hundreds of thousands of Nor only does the South African nation process collapsed in 1992, a period of Angolan citizens. These bystanders were HALO Trust, a British charity, is gaining acclaim for both the scope and quality have one of the most alarming landmine indiscriminate mine laying commenced. driven from their homes and forced ro of their demining operations. In Angola, HALO has successfully adapted to THE problems in the world (some sources es­ Ango.la's civil war is the longest in seek solace around Angola's central pro­ an unstable political climate to help clear mines and allow for the return of timate as many as 15 million landmines), Africa. After winning independence from vincial capitals. For HALO, this has created hundreds of thousands of displaced refugees. In light of Angola's newfound HALO bur the Angolan socio-political situation Portugal in 1975, Angola was torn be­ an urgent and unique demining scenario. peace, the Trust plans to expand their operations and finish the job. TRUST is also notOriously unstable. To dare, at tween the U.S. backed National Union least 76 different types of AP landmines for the Total Independence of Angola A Downturn in Security have been found in Angola, manufac­ (UNITA) rebels and the communist-sup­ In Angola, HALO seeks simply to by David Hartley, MAIC United States has great faith in HALO tured in 22 different countries. ported People's Movemenr for the Lib­ "clear land so people can build homes," Trust and is subsequently the NGO's Moreover, through their srricr prac­ eration of Angola (MPLA). The collapse "remove mines which inhibit the work Introduction leading financial contributor. On June tices and innovation, HALO has gained Civil War of rhe UN's Angolan peace arrempr in of aid agencies," and provide internally I9'h, Lincoln P. Bloomfield Jr., the Spe­ a reputation as one of the safest demining I992 opened the gates for ten more years displaced persons (lOPs) with "safe ac­ With the landmine community in­ cial Representative of the President and operations in the world. For instance, Two decades of civil war have deci­ ofbirrer conflict. Since 1992, conflict has cess ro agricultural land."4 The organiza­ creasingly saddled with political and bu­ Secretary of State for Mine Action, re­ they have "pioneered a systematic and mated Angola's population and lefr an continued between the Angolan govern­ tion has been clearing land in Angola reaucratic comroversy, HALO Trust is leased an official commendation of very safe methodology with its dog teams untold number of landmines and UXO menral forces (FAA) and the UNITA. since 1994, bur had a definitive shift in distinguished from other demining HALO's efforrs. Worldwide, the Trust has whereby ground is searched in a series of operational procedure in 1998. groups by the simpli city of their mission. destroyed more than one million overlapping lanes to minimize the possi­ With the increasing FAA/UNITA This British-based non-governmenral landmines and items ofUXO, as well as bility of individual mines or UXO being turmoil and a subsequent "downturn in organization (NGO), the largest private helped facilitate the operations of other missed." 2 This lane system, as well as security," HALO's operations were re­ non-profi t demining organization in the humanitarian organizations. other unique safety procedures, has given stricted to less than 30 km around world, shuns any involvement in religious Wirh its growing profile, H ALO HALO Trust an injury rate of 11 6 inju­ Huambo and Kuito in the Bie province.; crusades or political campaigns and con­ Trust is encountering opportunities to ries per 100,000 workers, a relatively This meant that the land that HALO had ferences. Instead, declares Africa desk of­ pursue more substantial and diverse fund­ small figure given the inherently danger­ previously surveyed was abandoned. Al­ ficer Tim Porter, HALO seeks only "to ing. The Ruyichi Sakomato-led Japanese ous nature of landmine/UXO removal. 3 though they have no evidence of remining get mines out of the ground ... with as Benefit music project, "Zero Landmine," HALO Trust gives all of their em­ in Angola, HALO chose not to demine little fuss as possible." 1 This no-nonsense has sold a surprisingly high number of ployees, including accountants and desk areas in danger of changing hands be­ demining stance has earned HALO an copies, providing HALO Trust significant officers, the chance to work in the field . tween government forces. Also, due to rhe increasingly high international profile, financial support for the last two years. Given the growing rift between those increased deployment of anti-vehicle highligh ted by the late Princess Diana's The musical rribme to landmine aware­ with legitimate demining experience and (AV) mines, HALO has been almost com­ visits to Angola and the recent Japanese ness features a va riety of international art­ those who make administrative and pro­ pletely dependent on aircraft for logistics. Celebrity Benefit CD, "Zero Landmine." ists, including Cyndi L1uper and Brian Eno. cedural decisions, this policy is refreshing. Furthermore, HALO was faced with Founded in 1988, HALO divides its Ideally, all of the landmine community's a massive migration ofiDPs into govern­ international operations into three basic Research & Development decision makers should have field expe­ ment-controlled rerrirory. Due ro mili­ regional groups: Africa, Asia and the rience and a subsequent appreciation for tary conflict in the outer municipalities, Caucasus. Headed in Scotland by direc­ Hailed as a leader in research and the arduous process of mine clearance. as many as 80,000 TDPs flocked to Kuiro, tor Guy Willoughby and a number of development, HALO Trust has broken and up ro half a million to Huambo. desk officers, HALO is hierarchically run new ground in their use of selective ar­ HALO in Angola Working with other humanitarian orga­ by program managers in each country of mor, tractor mounted hedge and verge nizations to provide for the influx of refu­ operation. Free from political distrac­ cutters, adapted and armored medium HALO's Africa program operates in gees, HALO roiled through most of tions, HALO can focus on developing wheeled loaders, and demining dogs. Angola, Mozambique, Eritrea and 1999, 2000 and 2001 to clear land new technology and expanding their pro­ HALO's Mine Detection Dog (MOD) Somaliland. Like irs operations in Asia around the provincial capitals. The grams, which al ready boast 4,850 mine program has seen significant action and the Caucasus, HALO's Africa pro­ Angolan IDPs were pouring into the area, clearance personnel in nine countries. throughout Africa and has been aided by gram employs a small administrative staff "trying to compete wirh each other for rhe installation of six weather stations. and emphasizes the developmenr of lo­ strips of land on which to grow crops."6 Funding The purchase of the weather stations wi ll cal management. Of H ALO's 386 em­ Shantytowns with open sewage and virtu­ help HALO predict the optimal condi­ ployees in Angola, 385 are locals and on.ly ally no basic amenities sprung up, forcing HALO's Angola program received tions for dog mine detection. the program manager is an expatriate. In refugees to scavenge for food wherever it $800,000 from the United States in the T he Trust developed the use of vi­ Angola, HALO also owns and operates could be found. These makeshift com­ 2001 fiscal year, along with funding from sors without helmets, for improved 23 Land Rovers, two Case 721 armored munities often appeared in close proxim- the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Neth­ demining comfort, as well as one-handed loaders, two Wer'Wolf mine protected erlands, Switzerland and the European detectors and one-man drills. HALO has also area-reduction vehicles, a Fiat Allis FLS B Union. The majority of this budget pays experimented with a variety of methods for tracked dozer and a New Holland 110/ • This Angolan la ndmine victim lost his legs the salaries of HALO's employees. T he charging rechargeable batteries in the field. 90 armored vegetation cutter. This equip- to an AP mine. c/o ICRC

Published by JMU Scholarly Commons, 2002 • 12 • • 13 • 1 Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction, Vol. 6, Iss. 2 [2002], Art. 5

ity ro landmine/UXO-contaminared areas. landmine statistics are exaggerations. Conclusion Nevertheless, the Trust responded to With some figures as high as 15 million, 1998's dowmurn in security with resolve HALO believes there are one million In the past decades, a variety of An Interview with and determination. HALO's efforts in landmines in Angola at rhe most. HALO Angolan peace attempts have proven Angola have cemented their reputation Trust mine clearance consultant David fleering and temporary. T herefore, the as one of rhe best mine clearance organi­ Frederick credits a "lack of research and nation's citizens are skeptical that the zations in the world. As of April 2002, thorough investigation" for this misinfor­ cease-fire signed on April 4'" wi ll endure. Hendrik Ehlers of MgM HALO had removed and destroyed 9,537 mation. T he problem, although severe, HALO Trust, however, feels confident mines and 53,024 items of UXO. is finite and tangible. that rhe most recem peace attempt is dif­ • Hendrik Ehlers Hendrik Ehlers discusses the challenges facing demining in Africa, research I ,548,474 square meters ofland has been Furthermore, both Frederick and ferent. While no one can predict Angola's and development, and mechanical clearance used by his company. His cleared manually, while I ,480,228 square Africa desk officer Tim Porter challenge future, the ci rcumstances surrounding the candid replies offer insight into the world of demining and managing a meters have been cleared mechanically. UN reports of widespread remining in FAA/UNITA cease-fire suggest that the multifaceted organization. In addition, HALO h as cleared Angola. The most urgent factor is not conflict will nor resume. Savimbi, UN ITA's 2,632,810 square meters of battle area.7 thousands of new, recen rl y deployed fearsome leader for years, is dead and his mines, but instead the movement ofiDPs army devastated. These two factors alone by Margaret Buse, Editor ing to ask some distant body if we may Peace in Angola through previously mined sites. W hile should prevent conflict fo r the time being. buy a new truck or start a new opera­ HALO Trust's Angola program is some ami-rank mines have been laid on For all of the humanitarian organi­ M argaret Buse (MB): Can you de­ tion. Without that, our Angola opera­ run from Huambo, one of the central roads, there is simply "no evidence of zations o p erating in Angola, the scribe how MgM came to be formed tions would have stopped long ago, just 8 provinces on the nation's high plateau remining that is taking place." newfound peace is both a welcome bless­ in Germany in 1996? because there was no funding ... To take have no formal milira~y background or simi­ (planalto). Their p resence is centered ing and a daunting challenge. HALO ir one step further, Hans Georg and me lar education. Well, I was conscripted for mainly in this region, although in light The Future of Demining in Trust plans o n playing an important role Hendrik Ehlers {HE): My friend and both later became chairmen, which lets a year as a radar operator on the Hawk sys­ of recem developments, the NGO plans Angola in Angola's rebuilding. HALO's efforrs will partner since childhood, Hans Georg us take the entire legal responsibility, too. tem. We learned everything in the field to branch our. On April 4'" of this year, allow other NGOs to operate effectively Kruessen, and I were on Christmas leave by doing it, which as a side effect gener­ UNITA and the FAA signed a cease-fire HALO Trust approach es the and accommodate the hundreds of thou­ back home, when we learned that our MB: What do you feel are the most ated a number of self-built clearance and following the February 22"d assassination Angolan land mine crisis with confidence sands of lOPs moving to Angola's outer co ntracts with GPC seconding AOP in unique aspects of MgM that set it apart management devices that actually work. of infamous UNITA leader Jonas and vigor. W ith many prospects for new municipalities. As leaders in research and Mozambique as instructOrs and supervi­ from other demining organizations? A very important thing is that we work Savimbi. Reportedly, UNITA's forces are fu nding, the organization plans on fin­ development, safety, efficiency and fund­ sors of the survey plus explosive ordnance in a team of multi-talents with maximum starving, demoralized and in no position ishing the job quickly and efficiently. As ing, H ALO is both confident and ca­ disposal (EOD) section were not re­ HE: The above structure is absolutely decentralized decision-making. We are a to launch any type of military offensive. well as a new grant from the U.S. State pable. l f other humanitarian organiza­ newed. We had no chance but to do what unique and so is the fact that both of us group offriends and 99 percent of our staff Therefore, most analysts are cautiously Department, H ALO anticipates that tions follow H ALO Trust's lead, Angola's many people had told us to do before: optimistic that the peace will last, at least their high public profile in Japan will desperate needs will soon be met. • make our own non-governmental orga­ • The German mine for the foreseeable future. encourage the Japanese government to nization (NGO). With the help of our sweeping This welcomed upturn in security subsidize rhe demining effort. With new References old school pal Christoph Brocks rhis was organization MgM People has meant that the hundreds of thousands and more plentiful financial support, done within a few days and MgM was Against Mines l. lnrerview wirh Tim Porrer, head of HALO's Af­ of lOPs a re or are planning on HALO plans to "get on the ground, sur­ legally founded on January 16, 1996. developed a new rica desk, 6117/02 rehabirating their villages in rhe outer vey, choose the highest priority sires, and device for the 2. Campbell Scientific, Ediror: Sruarr Cresswell clearing of land municipalities. The shan tytowns sur­ expand our clearance cover across the 3. 10-year Experience of Injuries Sustained During MB: How has your experience, and mines. It is now provinces."9 The death of Savimbi and Clearance of Ami-Personnel Mines. by Richard the experience of the founders of rounding Huambo and Kuito wi ll soon being deployed in Brown, Eddie Chaloner, Sreven Mannion, Tim be abandoned, and lOPs will attempt to the subsequent collapse of the UNITA M gM, shaped the way MgM has the post war Chearle. The Lancer, Vol358, December 15,2001. reclaim their old land or establish new army should finally give HALO rhe op­ been structured? scenarios in pp. 204-249 Southern Africa holdings. Again, HALO is being forced portunity to operate rh roughour Angola. 4. Interview wirh David Frederick, August 25, 200 I with great to adapt to Angola's tempestuous politi­ Hundreds of sires in rhe central prov­ 5. lmervicw with Tim Porter 6/17/02 HE: We wa nted to avoid the situation success. c/o MgM cal climate. T he mine sites identified inces have already been identified and 6. lnrcrview with Tim Porter 6117/02 that a HQ and/or board members in 7. HALO Trust during the 90s need to be resurveyed and prioritized, according to humanitarian Germany could negatively influence our 8. Interview wirh David Frederick, August 25, 2001 concern. By the end of 2003, HALO fieldwork. Therefore, the entire board, cleared. As TOPs move back in to previ­ 9. Interview with Tim Porter 6117/02 ously mined areas, HALO is resuming, plans on doubling their national staff to but three members, retired five minmes with renewed urgency, the work they re­ more than 800, as well as importing fu r­ Contact Information after the foundation case of beer was lucranrly abandoned in 1998. ther CASE armored loaders, vegetation emptied. Hans Georg and I remained as cutters and demining equipment. Such a David Hartley majority over rhe si lent third, Christoph. Avoiding Misinformation substantial augmentation to HALO's al­ MAIC Kri then shaped the IT structure of MgM Although HALO will not understate ready impressive arsenal will allow them E-mail: [email protected] and we ran off into the bush. That gave rhe urgency of Angola's landmine/UXO to spread their operations into Angola's us the unique structure to be in the field siruation, the organization is quick to outer municipalities. and to be on top of the organization. We point out that widely publicized call that the reversed pyramid. This en­ ables us to be very flexible and to react based on field realities rather than hav- https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cisr-journal/vol6/iss2/5 • 14 • 2 • 15 •