Contamination and Impact

Mines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) are primarily the result of more than 20 years of armed struggle between the Government of Sudan and non-state armed groups in the south, mainly the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army. The struggle ended with the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) on 9 January 2005.[1] Recent armed violence in South Sudan has added to existing contamination.

Mines

10 of the 17 states in Sudan contain possible contamination from landmines. They are Blue Nile, Central Darfur, Eastern Darfur, Gadaref, Kassala, Northern Darfur, Red Sea, Southern Darfur, South Kordofan, and Western Darfur. Almost two-thirds of the suspected hazardous areas (SHAs) are located in South Kordofan and Kassala states. As of end May 2012, there were 136 dangerous areas across the 10 affected states, of which 46 were in Darfur, 62 were confirmed minefields, and 92 were SHAs. Only Blue Nile, Kassala, and South Kordofan states have confirmed minefields.

Contamination in Sudan as of May 2012[2]

In May 2012, the National Mine Action Centre (NMAC) reported that the unstable situations in Blue Nile and South Kordofan states were affecting demining operations. Sudan had planned to announce Blue Nile state would be “free of landmine impact by 2012,” but NMAC is unlikely to do so because of the instability in the state.[3]

In 2011, fighting broke out in South Kordofan and the Abyei region amid disputes over oil exports and payments, border demarcation, and citizenship rights.[4] In response to tensions and the displacement of more than 100,000 people in the Abyei region, the UN Security Council authorized a UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) “to monitor and verify the redeployment of any Sudan Armed Forces, Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLM) or its successor from the Abyei area” just prior to South Sudan formally declaring its independence from Sudan in July 2011. UNISFA is also mandated to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid and provide security to the oil industry’s infrastructure in coordination with the local police. The resolution did not include a mandate for peacekeepers to conduct mine clearance operations.[5] In August 2011, four Ethiopian peacekeepers were killed and seven others injured by a landmine in Mabok, southeast of Abyei town. The town where the accident occurred had been occupied by troops from Sudan.[6]

Cluster munition remnants

Cluster munition remnants have been found in residential areas, farmland, pasture, rivers and streams, on hillsides, in desert areas, in and around former military barracks, on roads and in minefields. As of June 2011, Sudan had nine remaining areas thought to be contaminated with unexploded submunitions.[7] The National Mine Action Center in Khartoum did not respond to a Cluster Munition Monitor request for an update on the cluster-munition-contaminated areas including whether these nine areas had been cleared.

No. of cluster-munition-contaminated areas in Sudan as of June 2011[8]

In May 2012, a cluster bomb was reportedly discovered in the village of Angolo in the Nuba Mountains in South Kordofan.[9] The Government of Sudan has denied using cluster munitions in South Kordofan.[10]

Other explosive remnants of war

In Darfur, ERW pose a serious threat to civilians, the African Union/UN Hybrid operation in Darfur (UNAMID) Peacekeepers, and the delivery of humanitarian aid. ERW encountered in Darfur include air delivered bombs, rockets, artillery and rifle projectiles, mortars, and grenades. Over 200 accidents have resulted in death or severe injury to civilians.[11] In 2011, the UNAMID Ordnance Disposal Office and Exploration Logistics conducted battle area clearance over 1km² in Western Darfur state.[12]

Mine Action Program

Key institutions and operators

In 2005, UN Security Council Resolution 1590 and the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) set out the legal framework to establish the UN Mine Action Office (UNMAO) to coordinate, facilitate, accredit, and conduct quality assurance (QA) of all mine action activities in Sudan, including support to the development of the National Mine Action Center (NMAC) through June 2011.[13] Resolution 1590 stated capacity development was to be the key focus of UNMAO.[14]

On 9 January 2011, 99% of those polled in South Sudan voted for independence.[15] As a result of a referendum foreseen by the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, South Sudan formally declared its independence on 9 July 2011 and became the world’s 196^th State. At the same time the mandate for the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) ended, which also resulted in the closing of UNMAO in June 2011. A new peacekeeping mission was established in South Sudan.

Since its transition to national ownership NMAC has been coordinating all mine clearance activities, including accreditation and certification of mine clearance agencies. NMAC also coordinates risk education (RE).[16] NMAC roles and responsibilities are regulated by the Sudan Mine Action Law and the Sudan National Mine Action Policy Framework.[17]

At the request of the Government of Sudan, UNMAS has continued providing assistance to mine action in Sudan through technical support to the National Mine Action Center.[18] UNMAS Technical Advisors assist in RE, victim assistance, survey and clearance operations, data and information management, and resource mobilization.[19]

In Darfur, under the umbrella of the UNAMID, the Ordnance Disposal Office (ODO) works in direct support of UNAMID priorities. There are sub-offices in North, South, and West Darfur states.[20] UNAMID has contracted the commercial company, Exploration Logistics, to deploy three explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) teams in Darfur for a range of mine action activities.[21] The extent of activities is dependent on the availability of security forces and the permission from the Government of Sudan, and the UN Special Representative for Political Affairs. ODO comprises 11 international staff and 38 national staff and there are 27 international staff and 46 national staff working for its implementing partner Mine Tech International (MTI), which provides multi-tasking clearance teams. In 2012, ODO signed a Letter of Cooperation with the NMAC to establish regional mine action centers in El Fasher, El Geneina, and Nyala.[22]

Land Release

In 2011, Sudan cleared some 1.5km² of mined areas and 20.6km² of battle areas and canceled 0.15km² of SHA through non-technical surveys.[23]

In 2012, NMAC planned to release 115 SHAs at a cost of US$9 million. Over a 12-month period, Mines Advisory Group (MAG), DanChurchAid (DCA), and National Demining Units (NDUs) planned to survey and where necessary clear hazardous areas in Blue Nile State, the Eastern States, and South Kordofan. In South Kordofan, five multi-tasking mine clearance teams will conduct a survey to identify new hazardous areas and reduce the area of known mined areas. In Blue Nile State, three rapid response teams and one demining team will survey and clear 45 SHAs. In the Eastern States, one mine clearance team will be tasked to clear 10 contaminated areas.[24]

Five-year summary of land release[25]

Mine clearance in 2011[26]

Sudan cleared more than 1.49km² of mined areas in 2011, with the destruction of 2,412 antipersonnel mines and 870 antivehicle mines. Clearance has not been disaggregated between the different operators.

In July 2011, when the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) ended, peacekeeping-assessed funding for mine action was no longer available. As a result, DCA, MAG, and the National Demining Units were the only remaining clearance operators. The peacekeeping-assessed funds for mine action were used to contract commercial companies. The funds supported 80% of Sudan’s mine clearance capacity.[27] In January–July 2012, all mine clearance in Sudan, totaling 139,654m², occurred in Kassala and Red Sea states.[28]

Mine clearance in 2011

Compliance with Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty

In accordance with Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty, Sudan is required to destroy all antipersonnel mines in mined areas under its jurisdiction or control as soon as possible, but not later than 1 April 2014.

At the Intersessional Standing Committee meetings in Geneva in June 2011, Sudan stated it was in a good position to be mine impact free by April 2014 to clear the remaining 295 hazardous areas by the deadline if funding, approximately $68 million, was available.[29] At the meetings in May 2012, Sudan said it needed funding to support 30 clearance teams to meet its Article 5 deadline. If the funding was not available “soon,” Sudan would have to request an extension of its Article 5 deadline.[30]

Clearance of cluster-munition-contaminated areas in 2011

UNMAO does not distinguish between clearance of different types of ERW in its reporting so is unable to confirm how much land was cleared of cluster munition remnants in 2011, nor how many submunitions were destroyed.

Battle area clearance in 2011[31]

In 2011, Sudan conducted 20.59km² of battle area clearance (BAC), most of it by RONCO in January through June. The Cambodian Demining Team attached to UNMIS until June also conducted BAC. Since 2002, 84% of all BAC has been conducted in the three states of Blue Nile, Kassala, and Red Sea. In the first five months of 2012, BAC was conducted only in Kassala with 482,192m² of clearance.

Quality management

NMAC is responsible for prioritizing, tasking, and post-clearance QA. Each of the sub-offices has one QA officer who oversees the quality management of clearance and risk education teams.[32]

Risk Education

Sudan has an extensive risk education (RE) program throughout the country. Activities are implemented by JASMAR Human Security Organization, Friends of Peace and Development Organization (FPDO), the Organization for Care of War Disabled and Protection from Landmine (ABRAR), Strengthening Protection and Community Empowerment in South Kordofan (SIBRO), Association for Aid and Relief (Japan), and Mines Advisory Group (MAG). NMAC reported 221,205 individuals received RE in 2011, of whom almost 60% were children.[33]

In coordination with the NMAA and the Ministry of Education, UNICEF supports the training of teachers in RE and the provision of materials for students in the Nuba Mountains and Western and Southern Darfur.[34] FPDO, with support from Japan, conducted an RE program in Gadaref state in April 2010–January 2011. In September 2011, it began an RE project in Red Sea state.[35] In 2012, in collaboration with AAR, FPDO launched an appeal to conduct RE for internally displaced persons and collect information on hazardous areas in South Kordofan.[36] JASMAR Human Security Organization conducts RE in Blue Nile state and Western and Southern Darfur with support from The Development Initiative, UNICEF, and Practical Action, a UK-based NGO.[37]