Contamination and Impact

Mines

The Republic of Zambia was suspected to be contaminated with mines as a result of non-state armed groups from neighboring countries having used Zambia as a haven in the 1970s and 1980s.[1]A nationwide survey completed by Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) in September 2009 found no mined areas containing antipersonnel mines; as a result, Zambia declared at the Second Review Conference it was in full compliance with Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty (see Compliance with Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty section below).[2]

Cluster munition remnants

The NPA survey found two areas containing cluster munition remnants in Zambia’s North-Western and Western provinces.[3] In June 2010, the Zambian army, with the assistance of NPA, completed clearance of both areas, covering a total of 484,000m², destroying 22 CB-470 Alpha submunitions in the process.[4]

Other explosive remnants of war

Other areas are confirmed or suspected to contain explosive remnants of war (ERW), including both abandoned explosive ordnance (AXO) and unexploded ordnance. The NPA survey confirmed three hazardous areas in Lyamunene village, Shangombo district, with a population of 120 people; the area is on bush land and said to have been marked.

A further 15 suspected hazardous areas (SHAs) believed to contain ERW were identified in Luapula, Lusaka, Southern, and Western provinces, impacting 15 communities in seven districts. These SHAs have not been marked because community members were unable to indicate the perimeters of the suspected contamination.[5]An additional SHA believed to contain AXO in Sioma Ngwezi National Park, the home to more than 3,000 elephants and several endangered species and where the Patriotic Front once had a base, was not accessible to the survey due to the absence of roads in the park, thick vegetation, heavy rainfall, and general restrictions on people entering the park. After the rainy season the survey team entered the area with Zambian wildlife rangers and completed the survey.[6]  

The areas have been recorded in the national database at the Zambia Mine Action Centre (ZMAC).[7] Subsequent survey of 12 of the 15 SHAs canceled nine of them (see Survey in 2010 section below) and the other six were cleared by 31 May 2010.[8]

In 2010, ZMAC received one report of ERW (60mm mortar bomb) discovered by women collecting firewood in Luangwa district and one new report of a suspected mine. The mine turned out to be a tin can. As of 30 April 2011 there were four new reports of three hand grenades, one suspected rocket, and an unknown number of munitions fired from canons. All the reports were investigated and any items found were destroyed. ZMAC expects a residual ERW problem to continue into the foreseeable future.[9]

Mine Action Program

Key institutions and operators

Mine action in Zambia is managed by the National Committee on Anti-Personnel Landmines (NCAL), with ZMAC playing an important coordination role.[10]The director of ZMAC represents Zambia at international fora and mobilizes resources at both the national and international level.

Zambia maintains a residual demining/explosive ordnance disposal capacity through the army and the Police Service.[11]

Land Release

The nationwide survey in 2009 did not identify any areas containing antipersonnel mines. As a result, previously suspected regions were canceled through non-technical survey. The survey found that the Zambian army had already cleared all known mined areas and some ERW.[12]

Survey in 2010

As a result of the NPA survey conducted between August 2008 and June 2009 across seven (Central, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka, North-Western, Southern, and Western) of Zambia’s nine provinces, 4.65km² of SHAs impacting farming, grazing, and housing was canceled. In addition, NPA verified 37km of road and destroyed a total of 1,449 ERW.[13] The survey identified 15 SHAs, of which incidents were reported in eight. Of the 15 SHAs, nine were canceled and the remaining six SHAs were cleared by 31 May 2010 of 22 unexploded submunitions and 1,427 other ERW. No mined areas were found.[14]

In addition, after June 2010, a previously inaccessible SHA in Sioma Ngwezi National Park was surveyed with assistance from the Zambia Wildlife Authority and the surrounding communities. Non-technical survey found no evidence of contamination and the SHA was canceled.[15] 

Clearance in 2010

In 2010, the Zambian army cleared 376,000m² of area containing cluster munition remnants, destroying four unexploded submunitions in the process.[16]

In 2010, ZMAC destroyed one 60mm mortar bomb found in Luangwa district and, by 30 April 2011, destroyed three hand grenades, one suspected rocket, and an unknown number of other artillery-fired munitions.[17]

Compliance with Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty

At the Second Review Conference in Cartagena in December 2009, Zambia announced it was fully compliant with Article 5, more than 20 months ahead of its deadline of 1 August 2011. Also in Cartagena, Zambia said that even though it was not mine-affected, ERW contamination was still a major concern and, as a result, RE activities would continue.[18]

Compliance with Article 4 of the Convention on Cluster Munitions

Under Article 4 of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, Zambia was required to complete clearance of all areas affected by cluster munition remnants under its jurisdiction or control by 1 August 2020. As noted above, Zambia conducted a baseline survey to identify the affected areas. In June 2010 the Zambian army, with assistance from NPA, completed clearance of both contaminated areas.[19]

 Other Risk Reduction Measures

ZMAC has continued to conduct RE in communities near international borders considered to be most at risk of injury due to the presence of ERW. In 2010, this included the districts of Sesheke, Kalomo, Katete, Petauke, and Luangwa.[20]

ZMAC coordinates RE training for refugees from Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in Meheba (Solwezi), Kala (Kawambwa), Mwange (Mporokoso), and Mayukwayukwa (Kaoma) refugee camps through a tripartite agreement between the government of the Republic of Zambia, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in the DRC and UNHCR in Angola. RE is provided by “volunteer communicators.” At the end of 2010, there were 20 volunteers in the four refugee camps.[21]