Mine action in Afghanistan reduces operations by 50%

Islamabad (Office of the United Nations Co-ordinator for Afghanistan), 1 September 2000 -- The Mine Action Programme for Afghanistan today began cutting down its operations by 50% due to a major shortfall in funding. With a workforce of over 4,800, the Mine Action Programme is reducing costs by a variety of measures. Operational teams will be sent on two months of unpaid leave over the next four months, while other salaries will be reduced or frozen. Headquarters and field office staff will also be sent on unpaid leave, reducing their salaries by 40%. In addition, all operations will be put on hold during the entire month of Ramadan at the end of the year.
This cutback means that mine survey, clearance and mine awareness activities will be substantially reduced during the last third of the year, on top of previous reductions earlier this year when the funding shortfall started to become apparent. "Any reduction in mine action automatically has severe repercussions for communities," said Polly Brennan, Mine Awareness Advisor to the Mine Action Programme. "Civilian mine and unexploded ordnance casualties already estimated as at least 300 per month can be expected to increase," she added. In the longer term, the inability to use land because of mine contamination will have a negative impact on reconstruction and rehabilitation, the return of refugees, agricultural output, and the broader economy.

Brennan attributes the decreased availability of funds for mine action to donor fatigue with Afghanistan, where civil war remains ongoing. "The international community does not always understand that despite the conflict we have been able to conduct successful mine action operations for the past decade," said Brennan. In addition, she pointed out that global funding for mine action peaked in 1997-98, at the time of the Ottawa Treaty against land mines, and has been gradually declining since then.

Because of cost cutting measures introduced throughout the year, only US$ 3.5 million is required to conduct full mine operations for the remainder of this year.

The Mine Action Programme for Afghanistan is the oldest and the largest mine action programme in the world. The programme has cleared over 1.2 million explosives from former battlefields, agricultural land, roads, and residential areas. Last year, mine awareness training reached over one million Afghans.