US donates $6.1 million to Mine Action in Afghanistan

Islamabad (Office of the United Nations Co-ordinator for Afghanistan), 20 April 2001 -- Today at the Pakistan Red Crescent Society in Islamabad, United States Ambassador to Pakistan, William B. Milam, presented the Mine Action Programme for Afghanistan (MAPA) with 83 vehicles for use in Afghanistan and a cash contribution of $2.8 million.
"The United States will never forget the long suffering of the Afghan people and will continue to provide a great deal of assistance," Ambassador Milam said. He noted that MAPA is one of the most efficient and best de-mining programmes in the world.

Welcoming the US contribution, Antonio Donini, Director of UNOCHA, said that MAPA began in 1990 as the world's first indigenous de-mining operation. Starting with just over 400 Afghan de-miners, the programme now employs about 4,700 Afghans in mine action activities throughout Afghanistan.

With this number of trained staff, Donini added, one day Afghanistan would be able to run its own national de-mining programme.

"Laying mines and dropping bombs takes a few minutes," Donini said. "Eliminating these destructive weapons takes years." After eleven years, MAPA has been able to clear 550 million square meters of land and to destroy 1.6 million explosives.

The cash and the vehicles donated by the US Government--pick-up trucks and ambulances--will be used for all aspects of mine survey, clearance and mine awareness, while the ambulances will be used to evacuate de-miners injured in the line of duty.

Since 1991, nineteen countries, as well as the EC and UNA, have contributed over 183 million dollars to MAPA.

Last year, due to funding shortfalls, MAPA had to temporarily cut back operations in the fall.

Mine related accidents among civilians have now decreased dramatically among both civilians and de-mining staff. However, an estimated 150 to 300 civilians are injured or killed by explosives each month. The UN contribution, Donini said, will help Mine Action proceed as planned this year, which will help reduce injuries and deaths among Afghan civilians.

"With continued support from all quarters--donors, the media, authorities, the Afghan people themselves--we hope that one day mine injuries and deaths in Afghanistan will be as rare as they are in Mauritius," Donini concluded.

For further information, please contact: Stephanie Bunker, Office of the UN Co-ordinator for Afghanistan, 92 320 4261325; 92 51 2211451 x 415.