DanChurchAid
Humanitarian Mine Action
Humanitarian Mine Action in Sudan
Mine problem and context
Since independence in 1956, Sudan has experienced civil war in four out of the last five decades, only interrupted by a decade of precarious peace between 1972 and 1983. In the beginning of 2005, a comprehensive peace agreement was finally concluded.
The Nuba Mountains have been the scene of heavy fighting during the long and brutal civil war and considerable problems with landmines and unexploded ordnance have resulted in a breakdown of agricultural production, particularly in areas close to the conflict zone.
For a long time large areas were only reachable by air making the delivery of humanitarian aid extremely expensive and inaccessible.
During the conflict systematic looting and burning of villages, arbitrary killings, mass detention, torture, as well as intentionally creating the conditions for famine, and preventing access of humanitarian aid to the area have resulted in extreme vulnerability, desperate needs and a general lack of trust.
To read more about the landmine problem in Sudan as well as the country's response to the contamination, please view country pages on Landmine Monitor, Sudan .
DCA response
In the Nuba Mountains, DCA has taken an innovative cross conflict approach involving the NGOs JASMAR and OSIL from the government and the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement sides respectively. This is aimed to contribute to the peace and confidence-building effort between the different sides of the conflict.
Every aspect of the programme is carried out together and joint capacity building has led to increased trust and reliance on each other. The programme encompasses several activities including Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD), Mine Risk Education (MRE), unexploded ordnance (UXO) clearance on an emergency basis and mine clearance.
In the beginning of 2003, one team of international de-miners worked with MDD teams to open the first road for WFP food aid in 19 years, dramatically reducing the costs of relief delivery and enabling relief workers the access to deliver the aid that was not possible before. Today, DCA HMA programme includes 2 EOD teams, 3 MRE teams and a multi task team. The latter is capable of disposing mines and UXOs.
Donors
Partners
- Sudanese Association for Combating landmines (JASMAR)
- Operation Save Innocent Lives (OSIL).
Contact us
For more information on the DCA programme in Sudan, please contact Thomas Skov-Hansen at tsh@dca.dk
New Mine Risk Education projects in South Sudan
By the end of 2005, DCA will also start the implementation of two new Mine Risk Education programmes in Bor and Southern Blue Nile respectively. Both projects will be developed through comprehensive MRE assessment missions scheduled to take place in November 2005, with both projects planned to start in the beginning of 2006.
Mine Risk Education in Southern Blue Nile
DCA will be implementing its activities to supports its partner CEAS in their relief and rehabilitation work. The initial assessment in SBN was executed in June 2005, on the basisi of which the funding for the start-up of activities were approved by Danida.
Mine Risk Education in Bor county
Activities will be part of the larger Near region project that DCA is implementing with its partner organisation LWF in Kakuma for Sudanese refugees in Kenya as well as in Bor county.
Partners
- CEAS
- LWF .
