THE UNITED STATES COMMITMENT TO HUMANITARIAN DEMINING FOURTH EDITION • SEPTEMBER 2002 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE • BUREAU OF POLITICAL-MILITARY AFFAIRS TO WALK THE EARTH IN SAFETY: THE UNITED STATES COMMITMENT TO HUMANITARIAN DEMINING Prepared by the United States Department of State Bureau of Political-Military Affairs Fourth Edition • September 2002 Table of Contents Introduction................................................................................................................3 Country Index............................................................................................................4 Glossary ....................................................................................................................5 Overview of U.S. Humanitarian Demining Program ............................................6 U.S. Demining Program Funding History (FY 1993-2002) (Chart) ..............7 Humanitarian Mine Action ......................................................................................9 U.S. Humanitarian Demining Programs Africa......................................................................................................................11 Asia ........................................................................................................................25 Europe....................................................................................................................32 Latin America ........................................................................................................42 The Middle East ....................................................................................................48 Appendices A: Quick Reaction Demining Force ....................................................................54 B: Mine-Detection Dogs ......................................................................................55 C: Humanitarian Demining Technology Research and Development ............56 D: Slovenian International Trust Fund for D: Demining and Victims Assistance..................................................................58 TO WALK THE EARTH IN SAFETY Introduction The United States first became involved in humanitarian demining in 1988 when the U.S. Agency for International Development sent a team to assess the landmine situation in Afghanistan. Five years later, U.S. demining-related programs were underway in Afghanistan and in seven other countries. By the end of 2002, the United States will have pro- their homes. Tens of thousands of acres of land for- vided more than $600,000,000 to 43 countries, as merly fallow because of the presence of landmines well as to northwest Somalia, for various humanitar- are now burgeoning with agricultural produce nec- ian demining efforts, such as deminer training, mine essary to sustain life. Roads to marketplaces are now awareness and mine clearance, orthopedic assis- open; access to potable water is once more avail- tance to, and socioeconomic reintegration programs able; previously empty schools again are the centers for, landmine accident survivors and their families. of learning for the nations’ young. More than $100,000,000 of this total was spent in Fiscal Year 2002, one of the largest commitments of Most importantly, the number of reported landmine any nation involved in financing humanitarian de- casualties continues to drop, while landmine sur- mining activities. vivors are once more assuming their rightful roles as contributing members of their societies. The goals of the U.S. Humanitarian Demining Program are simple and direct: to reduce the loss of The success stories in this publication attest to the life and limb of innocents; to create conditions for the United States Government’s belief that when we safe return of refugees and internally displaced per- assist other countries in meeting needs such as clear- sons; and to afford opportunity for economic and ing landmines, we are serving America’s long-term social reconstruction. Our principal means of achiev- interests and staying true to America’s permanent ing these objectives is to assist all mine-afflicted values. The U.S. Humanitarian Demining Program, countries in establishing a sustainable, indigenous as are our other assistance efforts, is more than for- demining capacity with the appropriate resources eign aid; these programs also aid America. Our and skills needed to sustain that degree of progress assistance helps define America’s role in the world, that allows a country to declare itself mine-safe. often contributes to the economic well being of our own citizens and those of other countries, and This, the fourth edition of To Walk the Earth in Safety: advances our interest in peace, stability, and free- The United States Commitment to Humanitarian dom abroad. Demining, tells the U.S. story, but not the whole story. Foreign governments, the United Nations, other international and non-governmental organiza- tions, and mine-affected countries also play a critical role in supporting humanitarian demining programs. Lincoln P. Bloomfield, Jr. The impact of these collective contributions has Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs already been felt in many of these countries. In the and Special Representative to the President near future several countries will be able to declare and Secretary of State for Mine Action themselves mine-safe, while many other countries are even now capable of sustaining their own mine- action activities. Hundreds of thousands of refugees and internally displaced persons have returned to TO WALK THE EARTH IN SAFETY 3 Country Index Country Page Country Page Afghanistan ....................................26 Lebanon ..........................................51 Albania............................................33 Macedonia ......................................40 Angola ............................................12 Mauritania ......................................18 Argentina ........................................43 Moldova ..........................................40 Armenia ..........................................34 Mozambique ..................................19 Azerbaijan ......................................35 Namibia ..........................................20 Bosnia-Herzegovina ......................36 Nicaragua ......................................46 Cambodia........................................27 Oman ..............................................52 Chad ................................................13 Peru ................................................47 Costa Rica ......................................43 Rwanda ..........................................21 Croatia ............................................37 Senegal............................................22 Djibouti ............................................14 Somalia (northwest Somalia)........22 Ecuador ..........................................47 Sri Lanka ........................................29 Egypt................................................49 Sudan ..............................................23 Eritrea ..............................................15 Swaziland ......................................23 Estonia ............................................38 Thailand ..........................................30 Ethiopia ..........................................16 Vietnam ..........................................31 Georgia ..........................................39 Yemen..............................................53 Guatemala ......................................44 Yugoslavia ......................................41 Guinea-Bissau ................................17 Zambia............................................24 Honduras ........................................45 Zimbabwe ......................................24 Jordan ............................................50 Laos ................................................28 TO WALK THE EARTH IN SAFETY Glossary ADP Accelerated Demining Program (Mozambique) MPS Ministry of Public Safety (Costa Rica) AHDC Armenian Humanitarian Demining Center NADR Nonproliferation, Antiterrorism, Demining AMAE Albanian Mine Action Executive and Related ANAMA Azerbaijan Agency for National NAM Moldovan National Army Mine Action NDF Namibian Defense Force BHMAC Bosnia-Herzegovina Mine Action Center NDO National Demining Office CMAC Cambodian Mine Action Center NGO Non-Governmental Organization CROMAC Croatian Mine Action Center NPA Norwegian Peoples Aid DoD (U.S.) Department of Defense NVESD Night Vision and Electronic Sensors DOS (U.S.) Department of State Directorate, U.S. Army Communications – Electronics Command EOD Explosive Ordnance Disposal OAS Organization of American States FAA Forças Armadas de Angola (Angolan Armed Forces) OHDACA (DoD) Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid FRUD Front for the Restoration of Unity and PAHO Pan American Health Organization Democracy (Djibouti) FSA Freedom Support Act PCC U.S. National Security Council’s Policy Coordinating Committee (Subgroup on FY Fiscal Year Mine Action) GOA Government of Armenia PFLOG Popular Front for the Liberation of GoD Government of Djibouti Oman and the Gulf GOG Government of Georgia PM/HDP (DOS) Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, Office of Humanitarian Demining GoS Government of Sudan Programs GRZ Government of the Republic of Zambia PRM (DOS) Bureau of Population, Refugees and HALO TRUST Hazardous Area Life-Support Migration Organization Trust QRDF Quick Reaction Demining Force HI Handicap