UNMAS contribution to the 1999 Landmine Monitor
Report
Years of conflict have left millions of scattered and unrecorded landmines in
more than fifty countries. Civilians, children as well as adults, are more and
more often targets of these sly weapons in times of war and have become by the
thousands victims of their deadly legacy in times of peace. Vast areas of land
and resources have been removed from productive use. There is growing awareness
within the international community that what has come to be known as the
“global landmine crisis” has far-reaching consequences and requires
a multi-faceted and integrated response.
A broad spectrum of activities make up mine action, including marking and
clearance, but also risk-reduction education, victim assistance, and advocacy in
support of a global ban. The United Nations has been playing a significant role
in this regard, establishing and supporting programmes in Africa, Asia and
Europe; focusing the respective strengths of its departments, agencies,
programmes and funds; and collaborating closely with Governments,
non-governmental organizations and concerned citizens to promote an open
dialogue with those affected and those prepared to provide assistance.
In October 1997, in recognition of the multi-disciplinary nature of mine
action, and of the requirement for enhanced coordination, the United Nations
Mine Action Service (UNMAS) was established to serve as UN focal point for
landmine-related issues and activities. Under its leadership, a comprehensive
and transparent policy was developed, encapsulating the key principles upon
which UN mine action is based, and clarifying roles and responsibilities within
the UN system.[1]
UNMAS is dedicated to the reduction of the suffering caused by landmines and
their impact on people and communities. As UN focal point, and in consultation
with other partners, UNMAS establishes priorities for assessment missions,
facilitates a coherent and constructive dialogue with the donor and
international communities on the mine issue, and coordinates the mobilization of
resources. It is also responsible for the development, maintenance and
promotion of technical and safety standards; for the collection, analysis and
dissemination of mine-related information, including information on technology;
for advocacy efforts in support of a global ban on antipersonnel landmines; and
for the management of the Voluntary Trust Fund for Assistance in Mine
Action.
Assessment and monitoring of the landmine threat
One of UNMAS’ main responsibilities is to assess and monitor the global
landmine threat with a view to identifying needs and developing appropriate
responses. In 1998, five inter-agency and multi-sectoral assessment missions
were conducted to this end in Azerbaijan, Burundi, Ethiopia, Somalia and Yemen.
Ten more missions are planned for 1999, of which two have already taken place,
in Jordan and Lebanon. The aim of these missions is to define the scope and
nature of the landmine/UXO problem in the affected countries, to identify
constraints and opportunities relating to the development of mine-action
initiatives, and to make recommendations for a comprehensive response, including
institutional arrangements for the coordination and implementation of
mine-action activities. The implementation of general Level I Surveys is often
a natural follow-up to the assessment missions. They are designed not only to
identify the general location of mined or suspected mined areas, but also to
measure the humanitarian and socio-economic impact of landmine contamination.
Such surveys focus on collecting information for clearance activities as well as
mine awareness and victim assistance programmes in support of a complete
national response. The determination of priorities as a result of this process
will allow activities and resources to be concentrated on the areas of greatest
need. A Level I Survey has been initiated in Yemen in 1998. Additional Level I
Surveys are being considered for 1999, in consultation with the Survey Action
Centre and with funding provided by donor countries and the United Nations
Foundation.
Programme initiation and programme support
Since the initiation of the Afghan mine-action programme in 1988, the United
Nations has considerably developed its field activities. In keeping with the UN
mine action policy, responsibility for supporting long-term integrated
mine-action programmes rests with UNDP. Thus, programmes in Angola, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Cambodia, Laos, and Mozambique, for example, are supported by UNDP,
even though most of them were initiated by the Department of Peacekeeping
Operations (DPKO) and/or the former Department of Humanitarian Affairs (DHA).
As for the Afghan and Iraq programmes, they fall under the responsibility of the
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) and the Iraq
“oil-for-food” Programme respectively. For all these programmes,
UNMAS remains involved in an advisory and monitoring capacity.
In Croatia, UNMAS continues to be directly responsible for the mine-action
programme, the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) acting as implementing
partner. However, it is planning to transfer this responsibility to UNDP by the
end of 1999, in conformity with the principles agreed upon in the UN mine action
policy. In the meantime, humanitarian emergencies are likely to require the
establishment of new projects in countries such as Sudan, where UNMAS will be
responsible for developing the initial plans.
UNMAS is also supporting mine action in the context of peacekeeping
operations. In Western Sahara, about 100 demining specialists were originally
deployed between May and November 1998 to verify and clear MINURSO deployment
sites, and prepare the repatriation of refugees. As the political process
stalled, the mine-action force was reduced to an information cell which
continues to collect and disseminate mine-related information and to coordinate
EOD and mine clearance operations conducted by Moroccan and Polisario forces.
Should the political process resume as originally planned, new clearance teams
will need to be deployed. In Lebanon and Kuwait (UNIFIL and UNIKOM) also, EOD
and clearance teams remain available in support of the peacekeepers.
Information management
Given the scope of the landmine problem, the wide spectrum of factors to take
into consideration, and the number of actors involved, the development of an
appropriate information management system is a priority for UNMAS. Such an
information management system will greatly support proper monitoring, planning,
and programme implementation. It will serve the needs not only of the United
Nations but of other partners as well. An agreement has been concluded between
UNMAS and the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining to this
effect. The first phase of the project, the development of a field module, has
just been completed. This field module will be made available upon request to
existing or new programmes.
Quality management and technology
UNMAS remains committed to develop, maintain and promote technical and safety
standards for mine action. International Standards for Humanitarian Mine
Clearance Operations have already been produced in 1998. They will be reviewed
and updated during the course of 1999. Guidelines for mine awareness have also
been drafted by UNICEF, with inputs from UNMAS and other partners from
Governments and civil society. They are in the process of being finalised and
circulated. As for the public health aspect of victim assistance, the World
Health Organisation (WHO) has taken the lead within the UN system to discuss
with other actors such as ICRC the requirement for additional standards and/or
guidelines.
Building on standards and guidelines, training is an essential component of
quality management. In a 1997 study the United Nations observed that
“middle and senior level management skills are one of the biggest
challenges facing training programmes and are central to the task of developing
an indigenous mine-action capacity.” An assessment of the training needs
of national and local mine-action managers was accordingly conducted by UNDP, in
collaboration with UNMAS, in January 1999. The implementation of its
recommendations will require the cooperation of all programmes in the field and
of all UN agencies at headquarters.
With regard to technology, there is growing acceptance that a more universal
application of existing equipment could enable mine action to be conducted more
effectively, cheaply and quickly, and with less risk. UNMAS has been called
upon to take an important role in this regard, through the collection and
dissemination of appropriate information, and the development of standards where
required and practical. UNMAS has drafted International Guidelines for the
Procurement of Mine-action Equipment accordingly. These guidelines are being
discussed with all partners concerned. UNMAS intends to work closely with the
Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining in this regard.
Advocacy and consciousness-raising
Advocacy and consciousness-raising activities are integral parts of the
international effort to rid the world of landmines. In the past two years, UNMAS
has taken a lead role in developing materials which stigmatize the use of
landmines and support a global ban on these weapons. More than 250,000
consciousness-raising materials including posters, bookmarks, books, videos and
stickers with anti-landmine messages as well as the United Nations Landmines
Magazine have reached up to 50,000 institutions, decision makers and concerned
individuals worldwide.
Minefield simulators and other exhibitions have also been extremely effective
in raising awareness, especially in countries which have little or no experience
with landmine contamination. The first minefield simulator exhibition was
created for a conference in Tokyo in 1997. It has since traveled to the Imperial
War Museum in London, is currently in Glasgow, Scotland, and will be traveling
to Athens, Geneva and Vienna.
UNMAS has initiated this year the creation of an improved simulator as well
as the development of a mine-action CD-ROM to be used as both an instrument of
advocacy and a teaching tool. It will also be providing grants to selected
mine-action programmes to develop public service announcements for national
broadcast.
Resource mobilisation
The vast majority of UN mine-action activities is funded from voluntary donor
contributions. Resource mobilisation is therefore instrumental to the success
of UN mine-action endeavours. As UN focal point, UNMAS coordinates resource
mobilisation and manages the Voluntary Trust Fund for Assistance in Mine Action.
Each year it prepares a consolidated “Portfolio of Mine-related
Projects” for this purpose, including brief descriptions and budget
requirements for all UN mine-action programmes and projects, be they implemented
by UNDP, UNICEF, or any other UN agency or programme. UNMAS also liaises on an
ongoing basis with the donor community to discuss priorities and funding
gaps.
The Voluntary Trust Fund for Assistance in Mine Action (VTF) was established
in 1994 to support the overall coordination of UN mine action, to finance the
initiation of new mine-action projects and activities, and to bridge funding
gaps in ongoing programmes. Contributions received in the VTF amounted to
$300,000 in 1994, $16.3 million in 1995, $11.6 million in 1996, $8.1 million in
1997, $11.1 million in 1998, and $1 million for the first three months of 1999.
They were used in particular to initiate programmes in Angola, Mozambique,
Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia.
While lives have already been saved, and valuable assets returned to a
productive use, the success of mine-action endeavours depends very much on the
political commitment of the parties involved, on the overall security situation,
and on the effective cooperation of all parties willing to provide assistance.
In its capacity as UN focal point for mine action, UNMAS stands ready to
facilitate and support all international efforts in this regard.
UNITED NATIONS RESOURCES
- 1998 Report of the Secretary-General on Assistance in Mine Clearance,
A/53/496, dated 14 October 1998
- 1998 Resolution of the General Assembly on Assistance in Mine Action,
A/RES/53/26, dated 31 December 1998
[1]"Mine Action and Effective
Coordination: the United Nations Policy,” A/53/496, Annex II, dated 14
October 1998. This policy was welcomed by the UN General Assembly in resolution
A/53/26 adopted on 17 November 1998.
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