Japanese Ambassador hands over a state of the art demining machine to UNOCHA

Islamabad (Office of the United Nations Coordinator for Afghanistan) 7 July 2000 -- The Government of Japan officially donated a new demining machine to UNOCHA's Mine Action Programme for Afghanistan at a special demonstration and ceremony this morning. Sadaaki Numata, Japan's ambassador to Pakistan, handed the machine's key to UN Deputy Coordinator for Afghanistan Antonio Donini. Both Mr. Numata and Mr. Donini spoke to a group of about 100 guests, including the press, Pakistani officials, members of the Japanese embassy and UNOCHA staff.
Ambassador Numata said that the armed conflict in Afghanistan has been of deep concern to Japan. Through UN agencies and other international organisations, Japan has donated more than US$400 million worth of humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people during the two decades of war. That includes US$15 million to mine action, Mr. Numata said.

He called mines the devil's weapon and said the global community needs to take responsibility and prevent the damages caused by mines. The new machine goes beyond the realm of financial aid and opens new technological horizons. A similar machine in use has stepped up the demining operation in Cambodia. Four Afghan experts have been trained to use the machine in Japan. "I feel that these experts will prove to be very valuable assets for the future of mine clearing operations in Afghanistan," the ambassador said.

Mr. Donini took the podium next and thanked the ambassador and the Government of Japan for their contribution. About 715 square kilometres of land remains contaminated by mines and unexploded ordnance in Afghanistan. He said the machine would speed up the demining process by 300 to 500% in difficult terrain conditions. The advantage of the machine is its rotary cutter, which will clear trip wires, overgrowth and mines in hard to access areas.

After the speeches, one of the Afghan trained experts demonstrated what the machine is capable of in the field. In a simulated minefield, the driver extended the arm of the machine and dug into the ground, spraying dust, as a "small mine" went off. The machine's insulation protects the driver from injury. Then the machine cut two small trees as another "explosion" occurred. The machine destroyed both mines successfully and quickly.

Afghan Technical Consultants (ATC), a partner NGO of mine action, will be operating the machine, which will be undergoing trials in Afghanistan.