To Walk the Earth in Safety: The United States Commitment to Humanitarian Demining Prepared by the Office of Humanitarian Demining Programs, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC, July 2000

ASIA Afghanistan The Landmine Problem Afghanistan has been besieged by occupation, foreign interference, and civil wars since early 1978 and, as a result, is one of the most heavily mined countries in the world. The UN estimates that there are 5-7 million landmines in the country. The most heavily mined areas are the provinces bordering Iran and Pakistan, and some claim that 162 of 356 districts are mine-affected. However, based on actual clearance experience in these heavily mined areas, some NGOs claim that official estimates are high and should be lowered. Security belts of landmines exist around major cities and at airports, government installations, and power stations. Grazing lands, irrigation canals, schools, paths, villages, and cities are also infested. Landmines cause an estimated 10-12 injuries per day. United States Assistance The United States has supported demining operations in Afghanistan since FY89 and has contributed more than $25 million since FY93 to this Emergency Demining Initiative country. The United States, in cooperation with other international donors, supports demining activities through the UN's Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance to Afghanistan (UNOCHA). In 1989, a USAID project, conducted by RONCO, developed the original dog and dog-handling program now used in mine clearance operations. When the dog program was turned over to the UN in 1994, 36,000 landmines had already been destroyed. At that time, it represented 25 percent of all mines destroyed worldwide. The Mine Detection Dog Center assumed responsibility for the entire dog program and now trains and breeds all mine-detecting dogs used in Afghanistan. The United States continues to provide financial support in demining operations for mine awareness, mine clearance, surveys, minefield marking, and training. The United States committed $1.5 million in FY99 funds to the HALO Trust to conduct demining operations in Wardak Province. Additional funding, provided through UNOCHA, enabled local Afghan NGOs to clear 200,000 m2 of vital residential, agricultural, and grazing lands in the heart of Badghis and Faryab Provinces in western Afghanistan, allowing the repatriation of refugees. The United States allocated $3 million in FY00 funds to continue funding the highly successful mine-detection dog program, manual and mechanical clearance operations, and mine survey teams. These funds will also be used to purchase additional and replacement demining equipment for this thriving program. The UN's Mine Action Program for Afghanistan (MAPA) is one of the most effective demining programs in the world. This internationally supported demining operation cleared more than 134 km2 of land and 125 km2 of battlefields infested with UXO, representing more than 850,000 landmines and UXO destroyed. As a result, the casualty rate has declined, and several million refugees have returned to their homeland. Through further support to the MAPA via UNOCHA, and direct grants to both local and international NGOs, the United States hopes to return Afghanistan's mined lands to economically and socially productive use. Cambodia The Landmine Problem After more than two decades of war, it is estimated that Cambodia is littered with 4 to 6 million landmines, infesting an estimated 3,000 km2 of land. Of Cambodia's 23 mine-affected provinces, the majority of the landmines/UXO are found in seven of the western, northwestern, and northern provinces, and two central/southern provinces contain large areas of suspected minefields. Battlefield UXO is found countrywide, and aerial-delivered ordnance is found mainly in eastern and central provinces. Although great strides have been made in reducing the number of landmine victims, there is still a minimum of 50 casualties a month. United States Assistance The United States has supported demining operations since FY93, and with FY00 contributions, funding will exceed $22 million. U.S. Government support to the Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC), in conjunction with the Rural Planning Committees and the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF), has been a success. In response to requests from the ambassadors of donor nations, CMAC recently made changes in its senior management personnel. The changes promise even greater success in Cambodia's humanitarian demining program in the future. Funding has provided needed equipment and training to augment financial assistance from the UN Development Program Trust Fund and other international donors. The U.S. military has provided more than $2 million in assistance; training of 1,200 personnel in basic demining, leadership, medical skills, and mine awareness. U.S. funding through the UN also provided training for 537 RCAF engineers. This resulted in the demining of 800,000 m2 of land on and along a major highway in 1997, enabling necessary road and bridge construction that opened a strategic access to the chief city in that province for the first time in 20 years. Deminers cleared 51 km2 of mined and UXO-infested land by January 1998. An additional 13 km2 were cleared, and 13,245 landmines and 47,000 pieces of UXO were destroyed, by the end of 1998. The program is now in the sustainment phase, having developed a fully trained staff of more than 2,700 Cambodians, 25 foreign technical advisors, and six UN staff members. Based on figures provided by the Handicap International/UNICEF Cambodia Mine Incident Database Project, there is a recognized decrease in reported casualties. According to the Cambodian Red Cross, the preliminary casualty total for all mine/UXO incidents for 1999 is 1,005, 40 percent less than in 1998. During the first half of 1999, the monthly average was 115 casualties; for the second half of the year the average dropped to 53 casualties per month. In FY00, the United States allocated more than $2.5 million to support Cambodian demining operations, including more than $1.4 million to support mine clearance operations by HALO Trust and the Mines Advisory Group (MAG). Additional funds will support the efforts of the Cambodian Red Cross Mine Incident Database. The information in this database has proved invaluable to CMAC, NGOs, and donors in making informed prioritization and planning decisions. USAID funding will support the Disability Action Council and the VVAF to assist landmine victims by expanding rehabilitation and job training programs, and by strengthening the institutions that Cambodian society needs to sustain such programs. With U.S. and international support, CMAC's demining operations have reduced the casualty rate from landmines by 90 percent; nonetheless, one of every 45 Cambodians is an amputee. USAID has invested more than $6.8 million in the Cambodia Prosthetics and Rehabilitation Program since 1992. The Program has produced and fitted 635 multi-axle feet and 1,300 thermoplastic prostheses, and treated 8,000 patients. The United States has a strong commitment to the landmine problem facing the people of Cambodia, and will continue to support CMAC's demining efforts and provide assistance to thousands of its landmine victims. Laos The Landmine Problem Intense ground combat occurred in Laos between 1964 and 1973. Approximately two million tons of ordnance were dropped on Laos, of which up to 30 percent never exploded. As a result, almost half the country is infested with UXO today. The most contaminated areas are located in the heavily bombed northern provinces of Houaphan and Xieng Khouang, and along the eastern border. UXO continues to kill more than 25 years after the conflict. United States Assistance The United States has played an active leadership role in UXO Lao programs since FY96 and is the single largest donor to the program. Total U.S. contributions to UXO Lao are expected to surpass $15.8 million by the end of this fiscal year. In 1996 and 1997, contributions helped establish an NDO and fund training in UXO clearance, community mine awareness, and medical care. It also supported the Nam Suang UXO Training Center, staffed by a U.S. military training team and Lao instructors. The Center offers courses in community awareness, clearance techniques,medical training,and leadership development. More than 500 students have graduated from these courses. Recent U.S. assistance funded additional training and was the major source for the purchase of mine clearance equipment. U.S. funds also sustained mine/UXO awareness in eight provinces, mine/UXO clearance in seven others, and established rapid response teams in the remaining five provinces. By the end of 1999, the U.S. military had trained more than 815 indigenous personnel and created a self-sustaining training capacity. U.S.-trained deminers have destroyed more than 100,000 pieces of UXO and 43 landmines. FY99 funds also provided advanced EOD training, communications equipment, and demining support vehicles. Since 1991, USAID's Leahy WVF has contributed $3.8 million to support rehabilitation programs and community awareness programs, and to develop emergency response capabilities. In addition, between 1991 and 1995, the WVF provided $1.6 million through World Vision Relief and Development for prosthetics and orthotics and for improvement of Laotian rehabilitation centers. In 1995, the WVF awarded a $2.1 million, five-year grant to a consortium to upgrade medical, surgical, and emergency services, facilities and human resources, and, in collaboration with UNICEF, UXO awareness training in Xieng Khouang Province. Thus far, more than 300 medical staff personnel have received training in emergency rehabilitation or laboratory services, and one provincial and five district hospitals have received medical equipment and supplies. FY00 funding of almost $1.9 million will provide additional vehicles and equipment to UXO Lao to expand operations to 34 of the 38 most heavily UXO-infested districts. In addition, FY00 funds will provide follow-on training support to the national training center and enable the completion of the advanced EOD training course. The United States will continue to work with UXO Lao to build an indigenous capacity and to provide sustainment funding. Thailand The Landmine Problem Past internal insurgencies and spillover from armed conflicts in neighboring countries are responsible for Thailand's current landmine problem. An estimated 100,000 landmines are located along Thailand's borders with Cambodia, Burma, and Malaysia. In these border regions, more than 900 km2 are mine-infested. United States Assistance U.S. humanitarian demining assistance to Thailand began in FY99 with the provision of $1.7 million. These funds helped establish a demining school to teach mine awareness classes in Lop Buri, and facilities for basic demining training at Ratchaburi, while also providing essential demining equipment. The United States allocated just over $3 million in FY00 for Thailand, bringing total contributions to nearly $5 million. In addition to furnishing additional demining equipment and training, these funds will begin a Level II Survey of the most heavily mine-affected areas and establish a mine-detection dog program in Thailand. Since August 1999, U.S. SOF have trained more than 100 Thai deminers to international standards. In January 2000, the Thailand Mine Action Center (TMAC) was officially dedicated and, by summer 2000, mine clearance operations are expected to begin in Sa Kaew province. The purpose of this pilot project is to develop an integrated approach to demining that will serve as a model for a balanced national program. When fully mature, the program will include fully integrated mine awareness activities, surveys, an EOD rapid-response capability, mine-detecting dogs, and a manual and mechanical clearance capacity. The United States remains committed to assist Thailand in eliminating landmines from its borders with neighboring countries. Table of Contents Interagency Working Group on Humanitarian Demining Bureau of Political Military Affairs Home Page Department of State Home Page