Uganda

Last Updated: 05 October 2011

Mine Action

Contamination and Impact

Mine and explosive remnants of war (ERW) contamination in Uganda is the result of armed conflict and civil strife, especially over the past two decades with the Lord’s Resistance Army, a non-state armed group (NSAG).[1]

Mines

As of July 2011, Uganda needed to release 15 suspected hazardous areas (SHAs) covering 886,530m2 by 1 August 2012, its extended Article 5 clearance deadline, far more land than it has cleared in the past five years of operations.

Uganda reported in July 2009 that it had six suspected mined areas: five SHAs at Lomwaka in Agoro sub-county and one SHA at Ngomoromo in Lokung sub-county in Kitgum, along the northern border with Sudan.[2] In December 2010, Uganda reported that five additional SHAs covering an estimated 104,400m2 had been identified: four in Agoro sub-county (Ajagikech, Aruru, Lote, and Micha) and one at Ngomoromo in Lukung sub-county.[3] In July 2011, however, the director of the Uganda Mine Action Centre (UMAC) reported there were 20 suspected mined areas across Uganda covering more than 1.1km2 (see Table below), many times the estimated area of contamination reported in 2010. Contamination included a mined area of an estimated 300,000m2 at Bibia, a town in Amuru district on the Sudan border.[4] In 2010, three SHAs were cleared and two other canceled.

Minefields and SHAs in Uganda as of 14 July 2011[5]

 

 

 

Agoro mined areas

 

Sub county

SHA name

Size of mined area (m2)

Mined area cleared (m2)

No. of AP mines destroyed

Status

Lamwo

Lote

9,900

9,900

28

Cleared

Lamwo

Ajalikech

80,000

66,343

97

Clearance ongoing

Lamwo

Mica

150,000

14,300

12

Clearance ongoing

Lamwo

Gunya Doyo (Big)

18,000

0

0

Non-technical survey (NTS) completed

Lamwo

Gunya Doyo (Small)

600

0

0

NTS completed

Lamwo

Locuru Hill

60,000

0

0

NTS completed

Lamwo

Pokon Hill

18,000

0

0

NTS completed

Lamwo

Palamon Hill

18,000

0

0

NTS completed

Total

 

354,500

90,543

137

 

 

 

 

Ngomoromo mined areas

 

 

Lelabul

Ngomoromo

71,082

71,082

224

Cleared

Lelabul

Ngomoromo

70,000

70,000

 

Cleared

Lelabul

Lelabul

24,000

4,022

56

Clearance ongoing

Lelapwot

Yoke

24,000

553

0

Technical survey (TS) completed

Lelapwot

Yoke

24,000

636

2

TS completed

Lelapwot

Omwa

14,400

3,516

19

TS completed

Patabek Kal

West Ngomoromo to Waligo

192,000

0

0

TS completed

Lokung

Latikiriu

2,400

0

0

NTS completed

Lelapwot

Latikiriu B

18,000

0

0

NTS completed

Lelapwot

Latikiriu A

18,500

0

0

Discredited

Lelapwot

Ngomoromo

14,000

0

0

Discredited

Sub-Total

 

472,382

149,809

301

 

 

 

 

Bibia mined area

 

 

Bibia

Bibia

300,000

0

0

NTS completed

Sub-Total

 

300,000

0

0

 

Total

 

1,126,882

240,352

438

 

On 1 April 2011, two antivehicle mines were found in Bonere village in Ludara Sub County in the West Nile region, causing some panic among the population according to news report. The district police commissioner said a man found the mines while hunting and claimed that they probably came from the West Nile Bank Front, a defunct NSAG. UMAC explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) teams were called to destroy the mines.[6]

Cluster munition remnants

All known cluster munition remnants are reported to have been cleared in Uganda.[7]

Other explosive remnants of war

In December 2009, Uganda was said to be “littered” with ERW.[8]A 2007 survey had identified 428 SHAs containing ERW, although as of May 2011 Uganda reported that all of these areas had been released.[9] The remaining ERW problem in Uganda is said to exist in areas where internal conflicts were fought over the past 20 years, including the West Nile region in the north of the country and the Rwenzori subregion (Kasese and Bundibugyo districts) in western Uganda near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).[10]

EOD teams are deployed on a call-out basis after receiving reports of ERW. From July 2011, UMAC was planning to retain only two of its four EOD teams (and funding had been secured for only one; see, below, EOD in 2010 section). UMAC expects to find and clear ERW for several years even after it has completed clearance of all known mined areas.[11]

In July 2011, the media reported that the Ikobero Church of Uganda primary school in Kasese region had been using an item of unexploded ordnance (UXO) as a school bell. According to Wilson Bwambale, coordinator of the Anti-Mine Network Rwenzori (AMNET-R), the bomb was discovered during a mine/ERW risk education (RE) session at the school. This was the second bomb found in a school since the beginning of the year. Previously teachers at Muhindi primary school had found students playing with an unexploded bomb. AMNET-R claimed that Bugoye, Ihandiro, Kisinga, Kyalhumba, Kyondo, Munkunyu, Nyakiyumbu, and Rukoki sub-counties all required surveys to identify other ERW.[12]

Mine Action Program

Key institutions and operators

Body

Situation on 1 January 2011

National Mine Action Authority

NMASC

Mine action center

UMAC

International demining operators

Danish Demining Group (DDG), serving as technical advisor to UMAC

National demining operators

Ugandan army and police seconded to UMAC

International RE operators

International Service Volunteers Association (Associazione Volontari per il Servizio Internazionale, AVSI), World Vision International, DDG, Canadian Physicians for Aid and Relief, Handicap International (HI)

National RE operators

AMNET-R

Uganda’s national mine action authority is its National Mine Action Steering Committee (NMASC), which is located at the Office of the Prime Minister in Kampala.[13]Mine action is integrated in the government of Uganda’s Peace, Recovery, and Development Plan, one of the aims of which is to facilitate the return and resettlement of internally displaced persons.[14]

The Office of the Prime Minister, through UMAC, is responsible for the management and coordination of mine action in the country, with the exception of victim assistance, which falls under the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development and the Ministry of Health. UMAC, which was established in Kampala in 2006, is responsible for quality management of demining operations, RE, and accreditation of mine action operators. A regional mine action center was established in Gulu in 2008.[15]

UNDP provided minimal support to UMAC in 2010, which according to UMAC prevented it from fully implementing its operational plan, deploying teams to western Uganda, and making significant progress in clearance.[16] UNDP was said to be ending its support to mine action on 1 July 2011 as Australia, Denmark, and Norway have provided direct funding to DDG for technical and logistics support and EOD teams.[17] It is said that UNDP’s disengagement from mine action in Uganda will not affect field operations but will require a restructuring of UMAC’s operations.[18]

In April 2011, the Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD) committed to clearing seven mined areas covering 296,400m2 at Ngomoromo, beginning in July 2011 with an M-4 vegetation-cutting machine.[19] As of 12 July 2011, however, FSD had been unable to secure funding to bring the machine to Uganda.[20]

Land Release

In 2010, UMAC released 168,696m2 through clearance and canceled 32,000m2 (two SHAs) through non-technical survey.[21]

Survey in 2010

After clearance of the initial two SHAs covering 141,082m2 at Ngomoromo in March 2010,[22] UMAC has received new reports of nine SHAs at Ngomoromo, two of which have been discredited. An additional five SHAs have been identified at the Agoro mined area.[23] A follow-on UMAC survey team with technical assistance from DDG mapped out a 10km stretch of mined area extending to the west of Ngomoromo. UMAC confirmed a minefield with PMD6 antipersonnel mines and by the end of 2010 had destroyed three mines from it. However, due to the heavy vegetation in the large area it was determined that mechanical clearance would be required.[24]

At the end of May 2011, a non-technical survey team funded by Norway began surveying suspected battle areas between Agoro and Ngomoromo, which borders South Sudan. Once survey is completed, the team will move west towards the DRC to complete surveys of ERW contamination in West Nile near the DRC and Sudan borders in October 2011. It is planned to complete all surveys by the end of 2011.[25]

Mine clearance in 2010

In 2010, UMAC cleared two mined areas covering 168,696m2, destroying 343 antipersonnel mines.[26] As of the end of 2010, mine clearance capacity consisted of six teams comprising a total of 60 deminers.[27]

In March 2010, Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) completed clearance of a 4km-long mined area at Ngomoromo using a MineWolf vegetation cutter borrowed from its program in Sudan. The area has not officially been handed over to the local community although the cleared land is being used for farming.[28] The MineWolf cleared 141,082m2, destroying 224 antipersonnel mines in the process.[29]

In 2010 at the Lote SHA at Agoro UMAC cleared 9,900m2, destroying 28 Type 72 antipersonnel mines in the process. The cleared area was handed over to the community on 20 November 2010. Also in 2010, UMAC cleared 17,714m2 of the 80,000m2 at the Ajalikech minefield at Agora; during clearance, 22 Type 72 antipersonnel mines were destroyed.[30]

Mine clearance in 2010[31]

Name of SHA and sub-county

Area cleared (m2)

No. of antipersonnel mines destroyed

Status of clearance

Lote (Lamwo)

9,900

28

Complete

Ajalikech (Agoro)

17,714

91

Ongoing

Ngomoromo (Lelabul)

141,082

224

Complete

Totals

168,696

343

 

There has been a significant increase in demining productivity following the addition of 39 deminers in November 2010. In the month of May 2010, 21 deminers cleared just 1,101m2; one year later, in May 2011, 60 deminers cleared 15,200m2 during the month.[32] UMAC and DDG attribute the increased productivity to an improvement in the command and control structure in the UMAC, leading to better command and control in the field; upgraded equipment; more and better onsite technical supervision; and better weather compared to 2010 when heavy rains in the Agoro mountains reduced the number of working days.[33]

Compliance with Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty

Under Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty, and in accordance with the three-year extension to its deadline granted by the Second Review Conference in 2009,[34] Uganda is required to destroy all antipersonnel mines in mined areas under its jurisdiction or control as soon as possible, but not later than 1 August 2012.

In July 2009, Uganda declared that it had underestimated the complexity of clearing its operations and the time required to clear them; subsequently, it would not meet its 1 August 2009 Article 5 deadline. It applied for a three-year extension,[35] which was approved at the Second Review Conference. An essential element in Uganda’s three-year plan was the use of a MineWolf vegetation-cutting machine belonging to NPA in Sudan.

In March 2010, UMAC reported to the Monitor that NPA had brought a MineWolf into Uganda and that it had helped to clear the Ngomoromo area by the middle of that month, several months ahead of schedule, indicating that Uganda might be in a position to complete its Article 5 obligations before 2012.[36] In December 2010, however, Uganda announced it had identified five small SHAs covered in heavy vegetation that required a MineWolf. Although Uganda is still on schedule to clear all known mined areas by August 2012, it must secure the use of a MineWolf to do so.[37]

Then in July 2011 UMAC provided an update of the original and remaining problem, which contrary to previous reports more than doubled the number of SHAs and increased the contaminated area by more than 700,000m2. It also included a completely new mined area of an estimated 300,000m2 at Bibia, a town in Amuru district on the Sudan border. Of the total of 20 SHAs identified in Agoro, Ngomoromo and Bibia three had been cleared and quality controlled as of July 2011, and two discredited leaving 15 SHAs and 886,530m2 to release by August 2012.[38] The failure to obtain the use of mechanical assets by the end of 2011 to clear six of the 15 remaining SHAs is a critical factor in whether the August 2012 deadline is met.[39]

As of 14 July 2011, Uganda had not submitted an updated Article 7 report that included a complete list of mined areas.

Explosive ordnance disposal in 2010

In 2010, emergency response EOD continued with four teams in the five northern districts of Amuru, Gulu, Kitgum, Lamwo, and Pader. During the year, the teams cleared nine antipersonnel mines, two antivehicle mines, and 1,707 items of UXO as well as a large quantity of small arms ammunition from 515 villages.[40]

As noted above, the clearance of contaminated areas identified in the 2007 Mines Awareness Trust survey has been completed. In 2010, the lowest number of EOD tasks was conducted since 2007. Reports of newly discovered UXO average less than five per week, an amount two EOD teams can handle, according to DDG, although as of July 2011 there was sufficient funding for only one team.[41] Since February 2010, HI has reported 92 EOD tasks to UMAC.[42]

In February 2011, five people died and seven others were injured in a UXO accident in Obongi, Moyo District, which is outside the current area of operations for the EOD teams.[43]

Explosive ordnance disposal in 2009–2010

Year

No. of teams

No. of villages covered

Explosive devices found

 

 

 

AP mines

AT mines

UXO

Air-dropped bombs

2010

4

515

9

2

1,707

6

2009

4

772

31

9

1,802

7

Quality management

National Mine Action Standards were passed and approved in December 2008.[44] A five-person quality assurance (QA) team conducts internal quality control (QC) as well as QA.[45] DDG conducts external QA/QC. In 2010, QA/QC was carried out on the 141,082m2 cleared at Ngomoromo. The area was found to have been cleared correctly.[46]

Safety of demining personnel

There were no accidents during demining or EOD operations in 2010.[47]

Other Risk Reduction Measures

In coordination with UMAC, DDG, and HI, in partnership with the local NGO, AMNET-R, have conducted RE in the two known mine-affected regions of Uganda.[48] In June 2010, DDG closed its RE program due to a lack of funding.[49]

In 2010, 10 radio talk shows aimed at educating the local population on the dangers of mines and ERW were conducted in the Acholi sub-region. In addition, HI and AMNET-R held at least five “community mobilization” meetings in Kasese, Gulu, Kitgum and Pader between October and December 2010.[50]

 



[1] Article 5 deadline Extension Request, 17 August 2009, p. 3.

[2] Email from Vicent Woboya, Director, UMAC, 7 July 2009; and see Statement of Uganda, Standing Committee on Mine Clearance, Mine Risk Education and Mine Action Technologies, Geneva, 27 May 2009.

[3] Uganda Radio Network, “Deminers demand more funds,” ugandaradionetwork.com.

[4] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Vicent Woboya, UMAC, 1 April 2010.

[5] Email from Vicent Woboya, UMAC, 14 July 2011.

[6] Ramu Afema, “Explosives litter West Nile region,” The Razor, 1 April 2011, www.razor.ug.

[7] Email from Vicent Woboya, UMAC, 8 April 2010.

[8] Statement of Uganda, Second Review Conference, Cartagena, 1 December 2009.

[9] Email from Samuel Paunila, Program Manager, DDG, Uganda, 9 June 2011.

[10] Ibid.; and response to Monitor questionnaire by Vicent Woboya, UMAC, 10 June 2011.

[11] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Vicent Woboya, UMAC, 10 June 2011.

[12] Thembo Kahungu Misairi, “Kasese school uses bomb as a bell,” 3 July 2011, www.monitor.co.ug.

[13] Article 5 deadline Extension Request, 17 August 2009, pp. 12–13.

[14] Government of Uganda, “Report Presented by the Office of the Prime Minister, Republic of Uganda to the Second Review Conference of the AP Mine Ban Convention,” May 2009, p. 1.

[15] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Vicent Woboya, UMAC, 29 March 2009.

[16] UMAC, “October-December 2010 Progress Report.”

[17] Email from Samuel Paunila, DDG, Uganda, 9 June 2011.

[18] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Vicent Woboya, UMAC, 10 June 2011; and DDG Monthly Reports for December 2010 and April 2011, provided to the Monitor by email from Samuel Paunila, DDG, 7 June 2011.

[19] DDG, “April 2011 Monthly Report.”

[20] Email from Valeria Fabbroni, Head of Operations, FSD, 12 July 2011.

[21] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Vicent Woboya, UMAC, 10 June 2011.

[22] Statement of Uganda, Standing Committee on Mine Clearance, Mine Risk Education and Mine Action Technologies, Geneva, 22 June 2010.

[23] Email from Vicent Woboya, UMAC, 14 July 2011.

[24] DDG December 2010 Monthly Report.

[25] DDG May 2011 Monthly Report; and email from Samuel Paunila, DDG, 9 June 2011.

[26] Email from Vicent Woboya, UMAC, 14  July 2011

[27]UMAC, “October-December 2010 Progress Report.”

[28] Email from Vicent Woboya, UMAC, 14  July 2011.

[29] DDG December 2010 Monthly Report.

[30] DDG December 2010 Monthly Report.

[31] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Vicent Woboya, UMAC, 10 June 2011.

[32] UMAC, “IMSMA May 2011 report.”

[33] Email from Vicent Woboya, UMAC, 14 July 2011.

[34] Email from Vicent Woboya, UMAC, 9 July 2009; and letter to Jurg Streuli, President of the Ninth Meeting of States Parties, from Pius Bigirimana, Permanent Secretary, Office of the Prime Minister, 2 July 2009.

[35] Ibid.

[36] Interview with Vicent Woboya, UMAC, in Geneva, 15 March 2010; and ICBL, “Critique of Uganda’s Article 5 deadline Extension Request,” available at www.icbl.org.

[37] Interview with Vicent Woboya, UMAC, in Geneva, 20 June 2011.

[38] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Vicent Woboya, UMAC, 10 June 2011.

[39] UMAC, “October-December 2010 Progress Report.”

[40] Ibid.

[41] DDG December 2010 Monthly Report.

[42] Email from Vicent Woboya, UMAC, 14 July 2011.

[43] DDG February 2011 Monthly Report.

[44] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Elina Dibirova, Risk Education/Victim Assistance Specialist, DDG, 27 February 2009.

[45] Email from Vicent Woboya, UMAC, 8 April 2010.

[46] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Vicent Woboya, UMAC, 10 June 2011.

[47] Interview with Vicent Woboya, UMAC, in Geneva, 20 June 2011.

[48] “UMAC IMSMA Report May 2011,” provided to the Monitor.

[49] DDG December 2010 Monthly Report.

[50] Ibid.