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Table of Contents
Country Reports
AFGHANISTAN, Landmine Monitor Report 2005

Afghanistan

Key developments since May 2004: A national mine action law was drafted. In September 2004, the government established a committee to deal with destruction of antipersonnel mine stockpiles and other ERW issues. A nationwide inventory of antipersonnel mine stockpiles was started and a destruction plan approved. From March 2003 to 30 April 2005, a total of 28,893 stockpiled mines were destroyed in cooperation with demining NGOs. In April 2005, Afghanistan retained 1,076 mines for training mine detection dogs. In December 2004, Afghanistan became co-rapporteur of the Standing Committee on Victim Assistance and Socio-Economic Reintegration. Media reports indicated possible new use of mines by opposition forces. Use of improvised explosive devices by opposition forces appeared to increase in 2004 and 2005. The Landmine Impact Survey conducted November 2003-November 2004 reduced the area of estimated contamination from 1,350 square kilometers to 715 square kilometers. In 2004, over 33 square kilometers of mined areas and nearly 70 square kilometers of battle areas were cleared, destroying over 5,000 antipersonnel mines, 500 antivehicle mines and one million other explosives. Some 65 square kilometers of mined areas and former battlefields were also surveyed. An estimated US$91.8 million was dedicated to mine action in 2004, a large increase from 2003. UNMACA reported funding of $97.2 million in its fiscal year 2004-2005. In 2005, for the first time, Afghanistan made a significant donation to mine action ($1.6 million). Mine risk education was received by over two million Afghans in 2004-2005. Only 27 percent of mine-impacted communities reported some form of MRE in the previous two years. Significant decreases in new casualties from landmines, UXO and cluster munitions were recorded in 2004 compared with 2003. Casualties included at least one deminer killed and 13 injured. Afghanistan was identified at the First Review Conference to the Mine Ban Treaty as one of 24 States Parties with the greatest need and responsibility to provide survivor assistance.

Mine Ban Policy

On 11 September 2002, the Transitional Islamic Republic of Afghanistan acceded to the Mine Ban Treaty and it entered into force on 1 March 2003. Afghanistan has stated that the new constitution adopted in January 2004 requires the country to respect all international treaties it has signed.[1 ] The Ministry of Defense instructed all military forces to respect the comprehensive ban on antipersonnel landmines and the prohibition on use in any situation by militaries or individuals.[2 ]

The Mine Action Task Force completed a final draft of a new national mine action law in November 2004.[3 ] It does not appear the law constitutes comprehensive implementation legislation, including penal sanctions for violations. Afghanistan reports that the law “lays out the roles and responsibilities of the national mine action institutions, including a new National Mine Action Agency.”[4 ] The Ministry of Justice was expected to forward the bill to the Council of Ministries in June 2005 for approval.[5 ]

Afghanistan submitted its third Article 7 report on 30 April 2005, covering the period 1 May 2004-30 April 2005.[6 ] The third report included, for the first time, the voluntary Form J giving details about victim assistance issues.

Afghanistan attended the First Review Conference of the Mine Ban Treaty held in Nairobi in November-December 2004 with a delegation that included its Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Minister of Justice. A statement by President Hamid Karzai was delivered to the conference, saying, “Antipersonnel mines are weapons of war that cannot be justified....The real importance of this gathering is to acknowledge the fact that the international community has studied the global mine problem, and we know that it is one we can solve, if we commit ourselves to the task....The challenge that lies before is simple: No More Mines - No More Victims....Our Convention deadline for clearing all mined areas is 2013. With the support of donors, the United Nations, and the rest of the international community, we can meet this challenge.”[7 ] At the First Review Conference, Afghanistan became co-rapporteur of the intersessional Standing Committee on Victim Assistance and Socio-Economic Reintegration.

Afghanistan participated in the intersessional meetings held in Geneva in June 2005, and made statements to three of the standing committees. Afghanistan has not yet made known its views on matters of interpretation and implementation related to Articles 1, 2 and 3, and in particular issues related to joint military operations with non-States Parties, foreign stockpiling and transit of antipersonnel mines, antivehicle mines with sensitive fuzes or antihandling devices, and the permissible number of mines retained for training.

During the 8th International Meeting of Mine Action Programme Directors and UN Advisors in September 2005, the Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister said that “Afghanistan has also included mine action considerations in our broader strategic planning. For instance just recently on 11 September 2005 our Government approved a decision to list our Ottawa Convention deadlines for clearing all emplaced antipersonnel mines (by 2013) and destroying antipersonnel mine stockpiles (by 2007) as indicators for Afghanistan’s achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. We believe that none of the MDGs can be achieved without a human security approach and we further believe that mines represent a continuing threat to human security in Afghanistan; this is why the mines problem is featured in a special security chapter in Afghanistan’s first MDG progress report.”[8]

On 3 November 2004, Afghanistan attended the inaugural meeting in New York of the Forum of Mine-Affected Countries (FOMAC), a group of high-level representatives from mine-affected countries.  FOMAC was formed to encourage cooperation between mine-affected countries.[9]

In 2004, the Afghan Campaign to Ban Landmines continued to raise public awareness of the mine ban issue, by holding regional meetings on treaty implementation and helping to sponsor the Afghan mine action and awareness month. On 21 November 2004, campaign representatives, the government, demining and victim assistance groups convened in Kabul for a briefing on the major findings of Landmine Monitor Report 2004.

Production and Transfer

Afghanistan has never been a landmine producing country.[10 ] In the past, large numbers of mines from numerous sources were sent to Afghanistan during the many years of fighting. Most recently, Landmine Monitor reported that in 2002, demining organizations discovered Iranian mines produced in 1999 and 2000, and apparently supplied to the Northern Alliance.[11 ] In 2003, Pakistani authorities seized antipersonnel mines and other weapons that they claimed were being smuggled by non-state actors from Afghanistan into Pakistan.[12 ]

Use

Landmine Monitor is not aware of any allegations of use of antipersonnel mines by Afghan government forces since Afghanistan decided to join the Mine Ban Treaty. There has been only one specific report of the use of antipersonnel mines in this reporting period. In November 2004, it was reported that farmers had planted mines in their fields to stop the efforts of Dyncorp, a private company that had been hired by the US government to undertake poppy eradication.[13 ]

Local and international media have continued to report incidents that may involve new use of mines by Taliban or other opposition forces. It is difficult to determine if an incident is the result of new use or results from mines laid during the previous conflicts. At least 10 mine incidents resulting in casualties were reported in 2004, which may include new use of mines; seven incidents appeared to involve antivehicle mines, two antipersonnel mines and one unknown. More such incidents have been reported in 2005.[14 ]

Improvised Explosive Devices

Instances involving use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), especially in the form of remote-controlled roadside bombs, by Taliban and other opposition forces against government soldiers, coalition forces, deminers and other civilians, appeared to increase in 2004 and 2005.[15 ] On 11 June 2005, after Afghan police arrested two individuals reportedly possessing a detonation device and explosives as well as Taliban-related documents, a US spokesperson noted that in the 40-day period since 1 May 2005, there had been “more than 60 incidents involving the detonation or discovery of IEDs, making their construction and detonation one of the most dangerous aspects of life in Afghanistan.”[16]

Demining operations in southern Afghanistan were suspended in June 2005 after a roadside bomb killed two deminers and injured five others.[17 ]

Stockpiling and Destruction

The precise size, location and composition of antipersonnel mine stockpiles in Afghanistan remains to be established. In June 2004, the Ministry of Defense estimated that there were 250 major ammunition storage points in Afghanistan containing at least 130,000 stockpiled antipersonnel mines.[18 ]

In December 2004, the Ministry of Defense started a nationwide survey of explosive remnants of war (ERW), including stockpiled antipersonnel mines. By the end of April 2005, the survey had identified 2,438 stockpiled antipersonnel mines—of 13 different types made in at least five countries—in six provinces (Kabul, Balkh, Parwan, Herat, Kapisa and Nangarhar). Further survey work was to be undertaken in those six and the other 28 provinces.[19 ]

Afghanistan’s treaty-mandated deadline for completing destruction of its stockpiled antipersonnel mines is 1 March 2007. In June 2005, Afghanistan’s representative told the Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction that a nationwide project to identify and secure stocks was underway, and that Afghanistan was confident it would meet its destruction deadline. He noted that antipersonnel mines are often stored with other much more unstable and dangerous devices needing destruction, and that Afghanistan needs financial and in-kind support to deal with its bigger problem of explosive remnants of war.[20]

Afghanistan’s April 2005 Article 7 report provides detailed information on 28,907 stockpiled mines destroyed after entry into force in various parts of the country by mine action NGOs between 1 March 2003 and 30 April 2005.[21 ] Some of the mines listed appear to be antivehicle mines (217 TM 57 and 224 M19), some are booby-traps/fuzes (two MS-3), while others are unknown to Landmine Monitor (40 LO-6 and 6 RPM-2). It is also noteworthy that 144 PFM-1/S mines are listed, as these have presented serious destruction challenges in other countries.

Following the Draft Strategic Plan for the National Destruction of Anti-personnel Mines, issued in March 2004, the government established an Ammunition Steering Committee chaired by the Ministry of Defense in September 2004. The committee, which includes representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Internal Affairs, National Security Department, UN and donor countries, was established to address the issue of ERW. Antipersonnel mine destruction will be part of the broader ERW destruction plan.[22 ]

From December 2003 to February 2004, the Ministry of Defense, with United Nations Mine Action Center for Afghanistan (UNMACA) and International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), carried out a stockpile destruction pilot project. A total of 1,362 antipersonnel mines were recovered from eight storage points around Kabul and destroyed on 12 February 2004.[23 ]

Mines Retained for Training and Development

Afghanistan reports that it “has yet to develop a formal policy on the number of APMs to be retained for development and training purposes. The Government on a case-by-case basis approves the number and type of APMs retained by UNMACA....”[24 ]

As of April 2005, Afghanistan retained a total of 1,076 mines to be used for the accreditation and training of mine detection dogs; all have had their detonators removed.[25 ]

Landmine and ERW Problem

Afghanistan is one of the world’s most mine-affected countries. It is also contaminated with huge quantities of explosive remnants of war (ERW), both abandoned explosive ordnance (AXO) and unexploded ordnance (UXO). The Landmine Impact Survey (LIS), which completed fieldwork in November 2004, identified 2,368 mine- and ERW-impacted communities in 259 of the 329 districts of Afghanistan. The LIS also identified 4,514 suspected hazard areas totaling 715 square kilometers of contamination, although for security reasons it was not possible to survey every area of the country.[26]

The first landmines were laid in Afghanistan more than 25 years ago. Since then tens of thousands of civilians have been killed or disabled by mines or UXO. Most of the mines were laid during the Soviet occupation of the country (1979-1989), but significant contamination was also caused by the civil war of 1992-1996 and during the Taliban regime (1996-2001). The US-led coalition's intervention in late 2001 added considerable quantities of UXO to the problem and was followed by further landmine use by non-coalition forces.

Despite a large mine action program, the mine and ERW problem continues to pose a considerable challenge to the country’s socioeconomic well-being, impacting on issues such as food security, refugee return and national reconstruction. In 2003, there were over 1,000 casualties from mines and ERW; in 2004, nearly 900 new mine/UXP casualties were recorded, of which about 37 percent were caused by landmines. (See Landmine and ERW Casualties section.)

Mine Action Program

There is no national mine action authority in Afghanistan. A draft national mine action law of November 2004 was reported to lay out “the roles and responsibilities of the national mine action institutions, including a new National Mine Action Agency.”[27 ] The draft was submitted to the Department of Law at the Ministry of Justice, to be forwarded to the Council of Ministries (the Government Cabinet) for approval and signature by the President.[28 ] As of September 2005, the new law had not been forwarded to the Council of Ministries for approval.

The government’s Department for Disaster Preparedness has a Department for Mine Clearance, which has been in charge of policy-making, coordination and liaison with the UN and the Mine Action Programme in Afghanistan (MAPA). From the creation of MAPA in 1989 until June 2002, it was administered by the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance in Afghanistan. Since then, MAPA has been the responsibility of the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS), with technical support from UNOPS (UN Office of Project Services).[29]

MAPA is implemented by 16 partner agencies, mostly Afghan NGOs. At the intersesssional meetings in Geneva in June 2005, Afghanistan's representative noted that MAPA was an “8,700-person effort.”[30 ] MAPA's activities include: survey of contamination (general and technical surveys); clearance of mined areas and battle areas; mine risk education and training; monitoring and evaluation of mine action practitioners.[31 ]

MAPA supports the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) process in Afghanistan through the Mine Action for Peace (MAP) project, which is designed to train ex-combatants in community-based demining, mine risk education and permanent marking of dangerous areas.[32 ] Since 2003 the DDR program has collected almost all heavy weapons, disarming 58,000 ex-combatants in the process. In the second phase, starting in May 2005, the collection of small arms was also included.[33 ] The DDR program was initiated by the Ministry of Defense and the government, with the support of the UN and financial assistance from donor countries.

To employ former militia members and reintegrate them into society, several hundred of them have been trained in mine clearance and mine risk education.[34 ] They were paid by MAP and supervised by UNMACA until 31 April 2005. From May 2005, the project shifted to the UN Assistance Mission for Afghanistan (UNAMA), and they were paid by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) under the Afghan New Beginning Project.[35]

The Mine Action Consultative Group (MACG), which is chaired by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, brings together ministries concerned with mine action, donors, UN agencies and mine action implementing partners. MACG has two standing sub-entities:

  • The Mine Action Task Force (MATF), which is in charge of planning for the full nationalization of mine action coordination, met regularly in 2004; it drafted the new mine action law. MATF is made up of representatives from relevant ministries, mine action implementing partners, donors and the UN. The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have provided legal advisory services to MATF.
  • The Stockpile Destruction Working Group, set up in April 2004 to advise the Ministry of Defense on issues related to the destruction of antipersonnel mine stockpiles. The working group was replaced by the Ammunition Steering Group in September 2004.[36 ]

At the June 2004 intersessional Standing Committee meetings, Afghanistan announced that the draft plan for transition to national management of mine action, initiated in February 2004, would be submitted to MACG. As of September 2005, this had not happened.

Program activities are coordinated by the UN Mine Action Center for Afghanistan. UNMACA's coordination activities include updating strategic and operational mine action plans and policies, developing the national operational workplan, providing technical assistance to help Afghanistan meet its treaty obligations, coordinating the monitoring of mine risk education, maintaining the mine action database, resource mobilization, support to and coordination of implementing partners, oversight of national mine action standards, and assistance in developing a comprehensive antipersonnel mine stockpile destruction strategy.[37 ]

UNMACA has seven Area Mine Action Centers, which are tasked to coordinate, oversee and monitor demining activities at regional and provincial levels. Regional coordination meetings are held once a week. National coordination meetings are held every one or two months. Afghanistan uses a decentralized data entry system, which operates in the seven area centers. The centers report to UNMACA, which is responsible for quality control, updating of information and sending these updates to the area centers, so that each has data for all Afghanistan. The advantage of this decentralized system, according to MAPA, is that the centers have to check the data on the activities of demining NGOs working in their areas for accuracy and completeness, to eliminate discrepancies between the UNMACA database and demining agencies.[38]

The International Mine Action Standards (IMAS) have been translated into both national languages (Dari and Pashtu), and national standards have been drafted. They were being translated in June 2005, prior to government approval.

There is an accreditation process for demining organizations. The main demining operators in Afghanistan are: Afghan Technical Consultants, Demining Agency for Afghanistan, Community Based Mine Clearance Program (implemented by the Agency for Rehabilitation and Energy Conservation in Afghanistan, AREA), Danish Demining Group, HALO Trust, Mine Detection and Dog Center, Organization for Mine Clearance and Afghan Rehabilitation, and Mine Clearance and Planning Agency.

The Monitoring, Evaluation and Training Agency (META) is primarily responsible for quality assurance of clearance activities. It has been an integral part of MAPA since 1989. META responsibilities include: mine action technical and management training courses; monitoring and evaluation of demining operations; investigating mine-related accidents; conducting trials; producing technical and reference materials. It also provides and monitors mine risk education for MAPA demining partners. META was previously named the Monitoring, Evaluation and Training Project (METP). In 2004, it received $1.5 million and employed 241 staff (188 were operational staff).[39]

The strategic plan adopted in 2003 remained in force as of mid-2005, but was under revision in view of the Landmine Impact Survey. The 2003 strategic plan sought to clear the estimated remaining 850 square kilometers of mined areas and 500 square kilometers of battlefield areas over a ten-year period.[40 ] The targets for 2004 were:

  • Humanitarian mine clearance: 21,439,600 square meters;
  • Battle area clearance (BAC): 16,600,000 square meters;
  • Mine clearance in support of reconstruction: 9,227,600 square meters;
  • Minefield survey: 22,500,000 square meters;
  • BAC survey: 34,020,000 square meters;
  • Permanent marking: 23,040,000 square meters;
  • Minefield survey for reconstruction: 11,340,000 square meters.

These targets were exceeded. In 2004 and to January 2005, MAPA surveyed almost 31 square kilometers of mined areas and over 39 square kilometers of former battlefields. In 2004, demining agencies cleared 30.6 square kilometers of mined areas and 69.2 square kilometers of battle areas. In the process, 11,459 antipersonnel mines, 621 antivehicle mines and 1,584,465 UXO (including cluster bomblets) were destroyed.[41 ]

The National Operational Work Plan for 2005-2006 (1 April 2005-31 March 2006, corresponding to Afghan Shamsi Year 1384) focuses on clearance in support of infrastructure projects, reconstruction and other measures to aid the return of refugees and internally displaced persons. The MAPA plan for 2005-2006 aims to clear 13.8 square kilometers of mine-impacted communities, 16.1 square kilometers of contaminated land for reconstruction projects, and 42.5 square kilometers of ERW-impacted communities.[42 ]

Planned clearance activities were prioritized on the basis of the Landmine Impact Survey (LIS). Priority one included LIS high impact communities, suspected hazardous areas with mine/ERW casualties in the 24 months prior to LIS community interviews, and where repatriation is planned. Priority two included LIS medium impact communities, suspected hazardous areas with mine/ERW casualties more than two years previously, and with rehabilitation and development projects and planned repatriation. Priority three included all low impact communities, other rehabilitation/development, repatriation and requests where clearance would contribute to economic development and physical well-being. Priority four included all clearance requests not covered in the above priorities.[43 ]

Evaluation of Mine Action

Two major evaluations of mine action in Afghanistan have been performed in recent years, the first by the Mine Clearance Planning Agency (MCPA), and the second by UNDP and the World Bank.[44 ] Both found significant economic benefits from mine action in the country, although they differed as to the type of land that generates the greatest benefit from clearance.

The MCPA study found that 70 percent of total benefits came from clearance of grazing land, with a further 25 percent from clearance of roads. The UNDP/World Bank study found that 65 percent of benefits came from clearance of agricultural land and 19 percent from clearance for irrigation, with only negligible benefits from clearance of grazing land. It estimated that clearing 34.2 square kilometers of agricultural land in Afghanistan in 1999 reduced the direct annual death toll by 340, generated annual benefits of $740,000 per year, and renewed access to land and structures valued at $38 million. The cost of clearance was estimated as $26 million. The average rate of return on mine action projects was virtually double the World Bank’s global average for other sectors.[45 ] MAPA claims to have implemented some of the recommendations of both studies.[46 ]

In 2004, the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining conducted a multi-country study of capacity development in mine action, which included Afghanistan; as of mid-2005, the results had not been published.

Survey and Assessment

Surveying of mine- and ERW-affected areas and their impact is an integral part of the Mine Action Programme in Afghanistan. Since mine action started in Afghanistan, two mine action organizations, MCPA and HALO, have been primarily responsible for conducting surveys. HALO has carried out surveys only for its own use, whereas MCPA conducts surveys for all the other demining partners of MAPA. MCPA has undertaken surveys since 1990, including general, technical, battle area and socioeconomic impact surveys. Since HALO started to work in Afghanistan in 1988, it has conducted general and technical surveys in its mandated areas in the center and north of Afghanistan. In addition, Danish Demining Group informed Landmine Monitor that it has conducted general and technical survey since September 2004.[47]

In total, during 2004, MCPA and HALO conducted surveys on nearly 28 square kilometers of mined area (including 13 square kilometers for reconstruction activities) and more than 39 square kilometers of battlefield area.[48 ]

General and Technical Survey in 2004 and January 2005 (square meters)[49]


Battlefield areas
Mined areas
Mined areas designated for reconstruction
Total (mined areas and mined reconstruction areas)
2004
39,126,776
14,804,821
13,066,985
27,871,806
January 2005
185,896
1,106,721
1,828,843
2,935,564
Total
39,312,672
15,911,542
14,895,828
30,807,370

In 2004, MCPA surveyed, mapped and marked 3,488,578 square meters of agricultural land, 1,743,381 square meters of road, 165,024 square meters of irrigation canal, 4,531,411 square meters of grazing land and 1,472,831 square meters of housing areas.[50 ]

Some three square kilometers of permanent marking was planned for 2004 by the MAP project.[51 ] From 1 April 2004 to 31 March 2005, a smaller area (42,765 square kilometers) was marked, as resources were shifted to clearance.[52]

In 2004 and the first quarter of 2005, HALO surveyed 25,634,638 square meters of former battle areas and 1,350,822 square meters of minefields. It cleared ERW from 51,229,166 square meters of former battlefield areas and 2,063,171 square meters of landmines. In 2004 and through March 2005, as part of both clearance and survey activities, HALO destroyed 3,790 antipersonnel mines, 325 antivehicle mines and 491,818 ERW.[53 ]

In November 2004, 12 months of fieldwork for the Landmine Impact Survey was completed, and in May 2005 the first results were distributed to mine action program stakeholders for comment.[54 ] The report was finalized in September for certification by UNMAS.[55 ] The LIS covered almost 98 percent of the 329 districts of Afghanistan.[56 ] The Survey Action Center (SAC) was the executing agency and MCPA was the implementing agency. Financial assistance was provided by the European Commission, Germany and Canada; the “final cost estimate” was $2,977,849.[57 ]

The LIS identified 2,368 mine- and ERW-impacted communities in 259 of the 329 districts of Afghanistan. It identified 4,514 suspected hazard areas in the affected communities, contaminating 715 square kilometers of territory. This estimate is substantially lower than the previous estimates on which mine action planning has been based; it is said to be the first time a LIS has lowered the estimate for affected areas in a country.[58 ] The new, lower estimate of mine/ERW contamination in Afghanistan has been achieved because the LIS incorporated existing technical survey and clearance data from the UNMACA database into its survey, and systematically checked all previous data. The previous estimate, using general surveys conducted in 1993, was 1,300 square kilometers of mine/ERW contamination. This estimate had not been updated regularly and UNMACA had little confidence in it.[59 ]

Of the 4,514 suspected hazard areas identified, 844 are associated with mine/ERW casualties. From the total of 2,368 impacted communities, 281 (12 percent) were assessed as high impact, 480 (20 percent) as medium impact, and 1,607 (68 percent) as low impact. Some 4.2 million people (15 percent of the population) are living in impacted communities, with 1.6 million of them in high- or medium-impacted communities. The 2,368 impacted communities represent seven percent of Afghanistan’s 33,134 communities.[60]

The LIS identified 2,245 mine/ERW casualties in the 24 months prior to survey interviews. These casualties are in 664 of 2,368 impacted communities. No less than 45 percent of all recent casualties are in Kabul, Parwan and Takhar provinces, with 20 percent in Kabul province alone. At least 60 percent of all recent casualties are males aged up to 29 years (with 19 percent up to age 15, and 41 percent from 15-29 years of age). According to SAC, this is an extraordinarily high number of victims for a young age group, compared to other countries where a LIS has been conducted.[61 ] It may be that the many decades of conflict in Afghanistan, resulting in tens of thousands of orphans and widows, led to many children becoming breadwinners for the family, collecting water, fuel, firewood, food and scraps. Thus, children in Afghanistan may be more exposed to mine/ERW risks than in other countries. Children are also often responsible for with tending animals, which leads them to enter dangerous areas, knowingly or unknowingly.

In 2005-2006, MAPA plans to continue with survey activities, including LIS of districts not visited or surveyed due to inaccessibility or insecurity, and ongoing assessment to validate and update the data gathered during the LIS. MAPA also plans: to conduct a technical survey and marking of 15.7 square kilometers of suspected mined areas, 13.4 square kilometers of minefield for reconstruction activities, and 31 square kilometers of battlefield area; to mark 6.9 million square meters, using stones and concrete as permanent marking.[62]

There are plans to conduct post-clearance land use surveys in Afghanistan. After validation and updating of data gathered during the LIS, a post-demining impact assessment will be carried out at least six months after demining operations are completed. This will check if the demining has achieved its purpose, and re-examine the socioeconomic impact of mine action in Afghanistan. Fieldwork was due to start in the second half of 2005, organized and implemented by MAPA.

Landmine and ERW Clearance

Under Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty, Afghanistan must destroy all antipersonnel mines in mined areas under its jurisdiction or control as soon as possible, but not later than 1 March 2013.

In 2004, MAPA cleared 102,053,236 square meters (33,332,821 square meters of mined areas and 68,720,415 square meters of former battlefields); 5,244 antipersonnel mines, 528 antivehicle mines and 1,017,566 ERW were destroyed during demining activities.[63 ] This is a significant increase on the 89,551,188 square meters cleared in 2003 (30,048,843 square meters of mined areas and 59,502,345 square meters of battlefield area).[64 ]

Mined and Battle Area Clearance by Organization in 2004 (square meters)[65]

Organization
Mined areas
Battle areas
Antipersonnel mines
Antivehicle mines
ERW
AREA
353,062
0
9
2
76
ATC
4,111,515
8,227,657
509
27
96,338
DAFA
2,038,036
11,507,722
206
12
406,868
DDG
119,308
803,378
876
48
24,900
HALO
2,195,311
47,109,581
2,054
203
279,046
MDC
9,924,072
0
36
213
3,470
OMAR
13,528,650
1,072,077
1,553
22
206,864
MCPA
1,062,867
0
1
1
4
Total
33,332,821
68,720,415
5,244
528
1,017,566

In the first months of 2005, demining organizations cleared a further 3,071,241 square meters of mined land and 9,193,231 square meters of battlefield area, destroying 1,148 antipersonnel mines, 348 antivehicle mines and 130,063 ERW.[66]

Agency for Rehabilitation and Energy Conservation in Afghanistan: The Afghan NGO AREA continued its community-based mine clearance program, which aims to provide local inhabitants with the capacity to clear their own land. It employed 388 personnel, of whom 320 were operational. The program received more than $1.25 million in funding. From February 2004 to March 2005, AREA managed and supervised a DDR project in Paghman district of Kabul province, funded by UNDP. An external evaluation in 2004, conducted at the request of donors, revealed financial discrepancies. Clearance activities were adversely affected (353,062 square meters cleared in 2004, compared with over one million square meters in 2003), but continued under ATC supervision. Three demining teams were suspended from 1 April 2004 to 31 January 2005 due to a lack of funds; they resumed their activities on 1 February 2005.[67 ]

Afghan Technical Consultants: ATC is one of the largest Afghan humanitarian and reconstruction mine clearance organizations. It implements mine clearance projects in all regions of Afghanistan. In 2004, ATC cleared a similar amount of mined land as in 2003 (when 4,149,000 square meters were cleared) and cleared more battle area than in 2003 (6,424,000 square meters). With an annual budget of just over $10 million, ATC activities include manual and mechanical mine clearance, explosive ordnance disposal (EOD), battle area clearance and mine risk education (as an integral part of ATC clearance activities). In 2004, ATC employed more personnel (1,929, of whom 1,450 were operational/field staff) than in 2003.[68 ]

ATC sustained the most casualties in mine clearance operations in 2004, with six demining staff injured and one killed. Over time, ATC deminers have experienced the most mine accidents of all demining NGOs in Afghanistan; from 1989 to 2004, 31 ATC deminers have been killed and around 290 injured in demining accidents.[69]

Demining Agency for Afghanistan: DAFA started its activities in June 1990, and plans to continue demining until the end of 2012. It carries out mine/UXO clearance and MRE. The agency operates mainly in western and southern regions (Kandahar, Helmand, Zabul, Urozgan and Nimroz provinces). In 2004, DAFA cleared considerably more mined and battle area than 2003 (when 412,000 square meters and 8,614,000 square meters, respectively, were cleared). The budget was $5.4 million in 2004, and 1,346 personnel (849 operational) were employed in 2004.[70 ] Three DAFA demining staff were injured in two mine accidents in 2004, and five were injured in the first quarter of 2005.

Danish Demining Group: DDG cleared less mined area in 2004, compared with 2003 (when 540,000 square meters were cleared), and carried out battle area clearance in 2004 (none in 2003). The reduction was due mainly to a shift from clearance of rural areas in 2003 to clearance of urban areas in 2004, according to DDG.[71 ] Since DDG started technical survey in September 2004, 1,100 square meters of mined area have been cleared.[72 ] DDG integrates clearance with MRE, training community liaison volunteers who provide MRE to local people and liaise between the local community and DDG clearance teams. In 2004, DDG employed 310 people (280 operational staff) and received funding of $3 million. It established a demining program in Afghanistan in 1998 and started cooperation with the MAPA in 2001. DDG also provides training on types of ordnance that were unknown in Afghanistan before the conflict against Al Qaeda and the Taliban regime.[73 ] One DDG deminer was injured in a mine accident in 2004.

HALO: HALO reports that it cleared 2,529,724 square meters of mined area, 51,351,002 square meters of battle area, 4,257 antipersonnel mines, 197 antivehicle mines and 1,144,366 ERW in 2004, in contrast to the data reported by UNMACA.[74 ]

Mine Detection and Dog Center: MDC was responsible for clearance of substantially more mined land in 2004 than in 2003 (when 2,910,000 square meters were cleared). It has 33 mine dog groups and 47 mine dog sets. In 2004, MDC had a budget of $8.9 million. Its target for 2005 is to clear 18 square kilometers of mine/UXO contaminated land; in the first quarter, MDC cleared 3.8 square kilometers of mined area. In 2005, MDC employed 1,570 staff (1,411 operational). MDC has a head office in Kabul, five site offices in Kabul, Kandahar, Herat, Jalalabad and Mazar, and a project office in Ghazni province.[75 ]

Organization for Mine Clearance and Afghan Rehabilitation: The Afghan NGO OMAR cleared much more mined land in 2004 than in 2003 (when 459,000 square meters were cleared), and a similar amount of battle area. It employed 1,035 staff (940 operational) in 2004. Operational staff comprised 13 mine clearance teams, six mine dog units and two EOD teams. OMAR has four regional sub-offices and its headquarters in Kabul. The budget for 2004 was $5.4 million.[76 ] In 2004, one deminer from OMAR was injured in a mine accident.

Mine Clearance Planning Agency: MCPA is primarily engaged in landmine surveys, but also undertakes clearance as part of minefield boundary marking and reduction of suspected mined areas. In 2004, it cleared a similar amount of mined area as in 2003.

The UNMACA database reports that from the inception of mine action in Afghanistan in 1989 to January 2005, about 328 square kilometers of mined land and over 623 square kilometers of ERW contaminated land were cleared. In the same period, more than 300,000 antipersonnel mines, 22,000 antivehicle mines and nearly seven million ERW were destroyed.

In 2004 and through January 2005, there were 18 accidents (15 involving mines, three involving UXO) while demining personnel were engaged in clearance activities conducted by ATC, DAFA, DDG and HALO; 23 demining staff were injured and two were killed.[77 ] Between 1990 and 2004 almost all demining NGOs experienced mine/UXO accidents. Investigations by META in previous years found that 75 percent of accidents occurred during prodding.[78 ]All deminers are insured in Afghanistan. The level of coverage depends on the degree of injury or disability sustained; loss of life coverage is $15,000.[79]

Mine Risk Education

Afghanistan reported on mine risk education (MRE) activities in its Article 7 report submitted on 30 April 2005. In 2004, activities included community-based education, mass media public information materials and emergency response, combined with activities targeting returnees, internally displaced persons and aid workers.[80 ]

Afghanistan reported that MRE was provided by teachers to schoolchildren through a program supported by the Ministry of Education, UNICEF, Save the Children US (SC US), and META. This program began in late 2002, when SC US and META participated in training-of-trainers with the Ministry of Education. Since early 2003, these trainers have trained 73,000 teachers, promoting participatory and child-focused approaches. During 2004, MRE was conducted by primary school teachers throughout the country under the supervision of the Ministry of Education. Some 6,800 community-based, non-formal teachers were trained and provided with MRE materials for use with their students.[81 ] All schoolchildren aged six to 12 years are said to be targeted for MRE, through the use of participatory child-focused methodologies. Frequency of sessions varies between schools; it depends on the mine/ERW risk in the area and issues such as frequency of local casualties. The school program was due to be evaluated in 2005.[82]

Mine action organizations involved in MRE in 2004 included the Afghan Red Crescent Society (with assistance from the ICRC), ATC, the BBC Afghan Education Project, DAFA, DDG, Handicap International, HALO, META, OMAR, UNICEF and UNMACA. There is no accreditation process for MRE organizations, many of which have been working for years prior to the new Afghan government. However, MAPA partners are required to work according to mutually agreed standards and in consultation with UNMACA/UNICEF staff. IMAS for MRE have been translated into the two national languages, and are being used by the implementing NGOs.[83]

The MAPA MRE strategy was developed in anticipation of Landmine Impact Survey data that would better target resources on impacted communities. Kuchi nomads, internally displaced persons, returning refugees and children are considered the most vulnerable groups, and are targeted by MRE organizations. The MAPA MRE strategy also reflected a desire to provide stronger community linkages to the mine action program and thereby to facilitate an ongoing information exchange with communities, encouraging the reporting of suspicious items, suspect areas and mine/UXO casualties.[84 ]

UNMACA and UNICEF, with government focal points (notably the Ministry of Education), coordinate MRE implementing organizations. A key objective is, “To reduce injuries and casualties related to mines and UXO in Afghanistan by raising awareness about mines/UXO amongst all sectors of Afghan society with a special emphasis on women, children and youth and to promote safe behavior for affected communities.” MAPA reports that in 2003 it began to focus more on community-based activities, assessing risk behaviors and ways to change them.[85 ] This approach aims to integrate MRE into community structures such as local government bodies, and education, health and religious institutions.[86]

In 2004, over two million people (approximately 12 percent of the population) attended MRE sessions across the country; some 40 percent were female.

Civilians attending MRE sessions, by Implementing Organization in 2004[87]

Organization
Civilians
Foreigners/ Other NGOs
Total
Men
Women
Children
ARCS/ICRC
40,149
78,382
146,483
28
265,042
AREA/CBMAP
7,258
7,190
32,127
0
46,575
DDG
1,016
600
2,332
0
3,948
ATC
542
0
1,448
0
1,990
DAFA
2,965
226
5,685
0
8,876
HALO
47,581
52,873
0
58
100,512
HI Belgium
151,134
35,363
346,138
917
533,552
OMAR
308,322
145,290
680,361
333
1,134,306
Total
558,967
319,924
1,214,574
1,336
2,094,801

During LIS community interviews, from November 2003 to November 2004, the teams recorded whether the community had received MRE recently. Only 638 (27 percent) of the 2,368 impacted communities in 32 provinces of Afghanistan reported some form of MRE within the previous 24 months; 31 percent of impacted communities with recent casualties reported some form of MRE. Six provinces with recent casualties reported no MRE activities: Khost, Nuristan, Paktia, Jawzjan, Kunar and Nimroz.[88 ]

Of those impacted communities that had received some MRE, the LIS found that the most commonly used methodology was community meetings (55 percent), followed by posters and signs (49 percent).

UNICEF joined MAPA in 2002, taking responsibility for the coordination and management of MRE. It provides two staff, based within UNMACA, to support MRE and victim assistance activities. UNICEF also supports the standardization and enhancement of MRE teaching and training methodologies, and has an extensive materials development program. UNICEF provides mass media MRE materials, and coordinates radio programming through the BBC and local broadcast networks. It supports the integration of MRE with other mine action activities, community networks and health sector programs. The organization also reports that it oversees and supports the training of MAPA partners in MRE methods, and monitoring and evaluation activities to ensure high standards.[89 ]

Of the organizations undertaking MRE, four—Handicap International, OMAR, Afghan Red Crescent Society and ICRC—focus on community-based methods in an attempt to promote sustainability. They seek to identify and train interested community liaison volunteers who provide MRE to their communities and also collect data on mine/UXO incidents. MRE teams go house-to-house and provide education through community meetings.

AREA includes an MRE program as part of its community-based mine clearance program. AREA operates in Herat, Badghis, Farah and Ghor provinces in the western region of the country, in Nangarhar and Kunar provinces in the eastern region, and in Paghman districts of Kabul province. Nangarhar Kunar and Herat are border provinces, with a high rate of casualties from mines and ERW, and a substantial returning refugee population. AREA uses community lectures, child-focused sessions, question and answer sessions, posters, models of mines and audio-visual presentations.[90 ]

Handicap International (HI) operates a large community-based MRE program in six southern and western provinces. The program is managed from Herat. HI uses 55, usually community-based, staff to undertake direct MRE and to establish and train mine committees, whose members will function as village-based volunteers to reiterate MRE messages. The village committees also collect information on abandoned or unexploded ordnance, new or previously unidentified minefields, and mine injury data. EOD reports are forwarded for spot clearance tasking by clearance agencies. The community-based mine clearance program operates with an HI EOD clearance capacity, but operations in Zabul, Ghazni and Kandahar were extremely limited during 2004 due to security reasons.

From April 2004 to March 2005, 125,292 people (101,982 villagers, 9,483 nomads and 13,827 internally displaced persons) were trained by 55 local mine risk educators in 6,377 training sessions.[91 ] From June to December 2004 a further 340 volunteer mine committees were established among Kuchi, internally displaced and settled communities. A total of 2,854 mine committees have been trained, which have provided MRE to over three million people. In June-December 2004, 18 unknown mined area reports were collected and passed to area mine action centers, 52 mine/UXO casualties were reported, and 305 people with disabilities were referred to HI rehabilitation centers in Kandahar, to the Comprehensive Disabled Afghans Program in Ghazni, and to the ICRC in Herat province. In 2005, the project aimed to complete the creation of volunteer mine committees, develop new materials, and start an evaluation of the project.[92 ] Since January 2005, direct training by MRE educators has ceased, and there is a new focus on creation, training and support to volunteer mine committees in the high-priority mine/UXO impacted communities.[93]

ICRC has assisted the Afghan Red Crescent Society MRE teams with financial and technical support and training since 1995, and continued this program in 2004. Through its 52 MRE staff in 17 provinces, the society conducted 5,268 sessions in 3,251 locations and provided MRE to 183,774 civilians (10 percent men, 33 percent women and 57 percent children) in 2004.[94 ]

ICRC also hired and trained its own MRE teams to cover northern and eastern regions, combining MRE and data gathering activities. This data is complemented by information from 490 healthcare facilities. This information, accounting for 90 percent of all data available on new injuries, is shared with MAPA and mine action NGOs.[95 ] In 2004, 14 staff were deployed in the provinces of Kabul, Parwan and Balkh, and in Jalalabad, where they delivered 1,607 MRE sessions in 1,158 locations to a total of 26,149 civilians (20 percent men, 17 percent women, 63 percent children).

To promote sustainable mine action at the village level, ICRC identified volunteers from NGOs and villages to conduct MRE. In 2004, 98 volunteers worked in their localities in 10 provinces. They conducted 2,420 sessions in 526 places for 55,091 individuals (16,320 men, 13,107 women and 25,664 children). ICRC provided the MRE materials. During 2004, 45,000 leaflets were distributed by ICRC MRE staff, 250,000 by Red Crescent teams, and 35,000 by volunteers.[96]

OMAR started MRE in 1990 in Afghan refugee camps in Pakistan; in 2004 it operated throughout Afghanistan. OMAR employs 21 MRE teams composed of both men and women. In 2004, OMAR provided MRE to 1,134,306 civilians, including 333 foreigners, mainly from NGOs; 13 percent were adult females and 60 percent were children. The budget for 2004 was $450,000. OMAR provides MRE through community presentations, leaflets, posters and signboards.[97]

Since 1994, the BBC Afghan Education Project has been broadcasting MRE dramas three times a week in Dari/Persian and three times a week in Pashtu languages, as part of the New Home, New Life soap opera. The BBC magazine New Home, New Life includes MRE messages, and there is another magazine dedicated to promoting awareness of the danger of mines. A monthly cartoon journal has been published that includes MRE stories. A BBC radio program Village Voice includes mine risk issues. Children’s programs such as Our World, Our Future included MRE issues.[98 ]

The Italian NGO Intersos has assisted META's coordination and implementation of MRE activities since March 2003. It has helped to monitor and evaluate MRE in Afghanistan, in particular community-based MRE.[99 ] MRE is also provided by clearance and survey organizations, including ATC, MCPA and HALO.[100 ]

Evaluation of Mine Risk Education

An evaluation report released in July 2002 stated that “MRE agencies are omitting to measure the impact of their work among their target groups in a systematic and regular manner. There is therefore little indication whether their projects are having the desired impact or not and no relevant information to inform adaptations or new project design.” The evaluation called on META to “develop expertise and capacity to conduct impact assessments.” But there “will still be a need for external evaluators for MRE in Afghanistan.”[101 ] As a result, in 2004 MRE implementing partners were trained by MAPA in the use of monitoring and evaluation tools. One training team and four quality assurance teams were deployed by UNMACA in 2004 to evaluate MRE.[102 ]

At the end of 2004, a Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) survey was conducted by META, interviewing 600 participants in five of the eight regions of Afghanistan, to determine the effectiveness and impact of MRE within communities living near minefields or known dangerous areas. Survey data was entered into IMSMA; it was expected that analysis of results would be completed in October. In 2005, a KAP survey was planned for all eight regions of Afghanistan.[103]

Funding and Assistance

Reports by donors indicate that 16 countries and the European Commission (EC) provided US$91,759,797 for mine action in Afghanistan in 2004. This represents a substantial increase from the $75.2 million reported by UNMACA for 2003.[104 ] Funding reported by donors in 2004 included:[105]

  • Austria: €615,730 ($765,845), consisting of €605,686 ($753,352) for demining, and €10,044 ($12,493) for technical support to OMAR;[106]
  • Belgium: $200,000 ($248,760) to UNMAS;[107]
  • Canada: C$10,171,159 ($7,813,750), consisting of C$10 million ($7,682,261) to UNDP for MACA, C$124,350 ($95,529) to UNICEF for victim assistance, and C$46,809 ($35,960) to NAMSA;[108]
  • Denmark: DKK19,879,414 ($3,319,321), consisting of DKK14,879,414 ($2,484,457) to DDG for mine action and DKK5 million ($834,864) to UNMAS;[109]
  • EC: €15 million ($18,657,000) for including mine/UXO clearance and MACA support;[110]
  • Finland: €1 million ($1,243,800) to UNMAS for mine clearance;[111]
  • France €44,310 ($55,113), consisting of €4,310 ($5,361) to HI for national disability survey, and €40,000 ($49,752) to HI for victim assistance;[112]
  • Germany: €2,898,084 ($3,604,637), consisting of €1,781,342 ($2,215,633) to MDC, €600,029 ($746,316) to OMAR for demining and medical teams, €121,713 ($151,387) to HI for a demining advisor to MDC, €125,000 ($155,475) to SAC to complete the LIS, and €270,000 ($335,826) for clearance and technical survey teams;[113]
  • Ireland: €250,000 ($310,950) to HI for MRE;[114]
  • Italy: €84,000 ($104,479) to UNDP for metal detectors;[115]
  • Japan: ¥1,612,900,000 ($14,913,546), consisting of ¥626,900,00 ($5,796,579) to UNOPS for mine clearance, ¥388,200,000 ($3,589,459) to MACA for mine clearance, and ¥597,800,000 ($5,527,508) to UNDP;[116]
  • Netherlands: €1,345,038 ($1,672,958), consisting of €499,500 ($621,278) to UNMAS for mine clearance, and €845,538 ($1,051,680) to HALO for clearance;[117]
  • Norway: NOK7,230,000 ($1,072,716) consisting of NOK6,300,000 ($934,732) to HALO for mine clearance, and NOK930,000 ($137,984) Trauma Care Foundation for victim assistance;[118]
  • Slovakia: SK21,346,628 ($736,091) in-kind (demining by Slovak Armed Forces component of NATO ISAF);[119]
  • Spain: €282,200 ($351,000) for demining for ISAF;[120]
  • Sweden: SEK4,050,000 ($551,170) to DDG for quality assurance;[121]
  • Switzerland: CHF235,575 ($174,500), consisting of CHF49,950 ($37,000) to the Rehabilitation Center Kandahar, CHF185,625 ($137,500) in-kind to UNOPS;[122 ]
  • UK: £651,020 ($1,193,320) to HALO for demining;[123]
  • US: $34,870,841, consisting of $20,866,967 from USAID to UNDP for demining, $12,603,874 from the Department of State and $1 million for victim assistance through the Leahy War Victims Fund.[124 ]

UNDP also reported mine action funding for 2004: US$100,000 from the UK.[125 ]

In 2004, UNMACA reported funding of $97.2 million in its fiscal year April–March,[126 ]in contrast to the UNMACA funding of $75.2 million for January–December 2003 previously reported by Landmine Monitor. UNMACA reports that 60.5 percent ($77,102,312) of total mine action expenditure in 2004-2005 was on mine/UXO clearance, 18 percent ($17,825,615) on survey activities, 8 percent ($7,624,614) on training and capacity-building, 6.5 percent ($6,051,319) on coordination, 5 percent ($4,334,922) on MAPA, and 2 percent ($2,117,109) on mine risk education.[127 ]

Donor information collected by Landmine Monitor, indicated that from 1991 to the end of March 2005, more than $435 million has been invested in mine action in Afghanistan.

The 2003 strategic plan for mine action in Afghanistan indicated that $500 million was required to clear, over a 10-year period, what was estimated at the time to be 850 square kilometers of mined areas and 500 square kilometers of battlefield areas.[128 ] The Landmine Impact Survey resulted in the lower estimate of 715 square kilometers of mine/ERW contaminated land.[129 ] The revised cost of clearing this reduced area has not been reported.

At the Standing Committee meetings in June 2005, Afghan’s representative noted that, for the first time, Afghanistan made a significant cash contribution to the mine action program, some $1.6 million in support of road reconstruction.[130 ]

Landmine and ERW Casualties

In 2004, UNMACA recorded 878 new casualties from landmines, UXO and cluster munitions, of which 106 people were killed and 772 injured; at least 22 were female.[131 ] In comparison, ICRC recorded 895 mine/UXO casualties (128 killed and 767 injured) for the same period, including 449 children and 39 women; 837 were civilians.[132 ] This represents a 12 percent decrease from the 1,018 mine/UXO casualties (216 killed and 802 injured) recorded by UNMACA in 2003.[133 ]

The collection of comprehensive landmine casualty data in Afghanistan remains problematic, due in part to communication constraints and the time needed to centralize information. Key actors in mine action estimate that there are 100 new mine/UXO casualties each month, which is a significant reduction from earlier years.[134 ] However, many mine casualties are believed to die before reaching medical assistance and are therefore not recorded.

The Landmine Impact Survey data on mine/UXO casualties between 2001 and 2004 indicates that 922 (41 percent) of the 2,245 casualties recorded died from their injuries.[135 ] In comparison, ICRC and UNMACA data of recorded casualties in 2004 indicates that only 14 percent and 12 percent respectively are killed in mine/UXO incidents.

ICRC is the principal source of mine casualty data, providing the UNMACA with about 95 percent of its information on new casualties. ICRC carries out community-based data gathering in all mine-affected areas, except the Kandahar region where Handicap International does this (HI recorded 30 new mine/UXO casualties in Kandahar region in 2004).[136 ] Mine casualty data is provided by 490 health facilities supported by several agencies and organizations.[137 ]

Analysis of ICRC casualty data reveals that, in 2004, activities at the time of the incident included tampering (23 percent), tending animals (20 percent), traveling by vehicle (four percent), playing or recreation (13 percent), collecting wood, fuel or scrap metal (eight percent), farming (eight percent), traveling on foot (three percent), military activity (four percent), incidental passing (six percent), demining (two percent), other activities or unknown (nine percent).

In 2004, children under 18 years of age accounted for 449 new casualties (50 percent). Of the total 895 new casualties, 39 (four percent) were women and 837 (94 percent) were civilians. Antipersonnel mines were responsible for 292 new casualties (33 percent), antivehicle mines 36 (four percent), UXO 379 (42 percent), cluster munitions 26 (three percent), fuzes 58 (six percent), booby-traps 16 (two percent), and the cause of 88 casualties (ten percent) was “other” or unknown. New mine/UXO casualties were reported in all 34 provinces in Afghanistan. The highest number of casualties was recorded in the provinces of Kabul (14 percent), Herat (11 percent), Parwan (ten percent), Kandahar (ten percent), and Nangarhar (ten percent). About 12 percent of casualties reported having received MRE before the incident occurred, and about 86 percent were unaware that they were in a contaminated area. Of those injured in 2004, about 53 percent required an amputation and seven percent suffered eye injuries.[138]

According to ICRC data, one deminer was killed and another 13 injured during mine clearance activities in 2004.[139 ] Another report said two deminers were killed and another 21 were injured in 2004.[140 ] On 6 January 2005, five deminers were injured in an accident involving an antivehicle mine.[141 ] On 18 July 2005, two Zimbabweans were killed and one was seriously injured during a mine clearance operation.[142 ] The ICRC reported 25 demining casualties between January and June 2005.

At least 10 soldiers and peacekeepers were killed and another 22 injured in mine incidents in 2004, during mine clearance operations, on patrol or otherwise. Reported incidents include one US soldier killed and nine others injured when their vehicle hit an antivehicle mine in Ghazni province in February; in a separate incident, another US soldier was injured after his vehicle hit a mine near Kunar.[143 ] In March, three US soldiers were injured when their vehicle hit a mine near Ghazni; in a separate incident, two US soldiers were injured by a landmine at Bagram airfield.[144 ] In May, three US soldiers were killed when their vehicle hit a mine in Kandahar.[145 ] In June, four US soldiers were killed when their vehicle hit a mine in Zabul province; in a separate incident, two French peacekeepers were injured after one of the soldiers stepped on a mine north of Kabul.[146 ] In July, a US soldier lost part of his foot in a mine explosion while on patrol in Bagram.[147 ] In August, a US soldier suffered burns and lacerations when his Humvee hit a mine.[148 ] On 16 October, two US soldiers were killed and three others injured when their vehicle struck a mine in Uruzgan province.[149 ]

In 2004, ICRC recorded six Afghan military personnel killed and 28 injured in mine/UXO incidents.[150]

Mine casualties continues in 2005. The ICRC recorded 491 new mine/UXO casualties to the end of June 2005, including 83 people killed and 408 injured.

From January to July 2005, at least eight soldiers were killed and eight soldiers were injured, in landmine incidents. On 16 March, one US soldier was killed and four others were injured when their vehicle struck a mine in the western province of Herat; five Afghan civilians died when their truck hit a mine in the same area just hours later. On 26 March, four US soldiers were killed, when their vehicle struck a landmine in Logar province, 40 kilometers south of Kabul.[151 ] On 5 April, a US soldier, who had only been in Afghanistan for two weeks, lost part of his foot when he stepped on a landmine; in a separate April incident, another US soldier was injured when a landmine exploded while he was burning garbage.[152 ] On 26 April, one Romanian soldier was killed and two others injured in a mine explosion in Kandahar.[153 ] On 20 July 2005, two government soldiers were killed when their truck struck a landmine.[154 ]

From January to the end of March 2005, ICRC recorded two Afghan military personnel killed and 23 injured in mine/UXO incidents.[155]

It is not possible at this time to determine the exact number of landmine casualties or mine survivors in Afghanistan. It is estimated that there are as many as 100,000 mine/UXO survivors.[156 ] As of March 2005, the Ministry of Martyrs and Disabled had collected data on 86,354 persons with disabilities in 33 provinces; however, the information available on the cause of disability was limited. In February 2004, it was reported that 18 percent of persons with disabilities that had been recorded by the Ministry were mine survivors.[157 ]

As of June 2005, the ICRC database contained information on 9,931 mine/UXO casualties (1,673 killed and 8,258 injured) between 1998 and 2005: 491 in 2005; 895 in 2004; 958 in 2003; 1,577 in 2002; 1,740 in 2001; 1,583 in 2000; 1,532 in 1999; 1,155 in 1998. The database also contains information on more than 3,441 casualties recorded between 1980 and 1997. Data collection is an ongoing process and statistics are continually updated as new casualties, and those from previous periods, are identified.

At the end of May 2005, the UNMACA database contained information on 15,333 mine/UXO casualties since 1988, including 2,688 people killed and 12,645 injured; 990 were female.[158 ] The information provides an indication of the trends in reported mine casualties but does not provide a precise representation of the true number of casualties over time.

The recently completed Landmine Impact Survey recorded a total of 2,245 recent casualties (922 killed and 1,323 injured); 143 (six percent) were female. Of the total recent casualties: 416 (19 percent) were aged under 15 years; 924 (41 percent) were aged between 15 and 29; 1,336 (60 percent) were engaged in tending animals, farming, collecting food, water and fuel, or household duties at the time of the incident; only 63 (three percent) reported tampering with the device at the time of the incident.[159]

Survivor Assistance

At the First Review Conference in Nairobi in November-December 2004, Afghanistan was identified as one of 24 States Parties with significant numbers of mine survivors and “the greatest responsibility to act, but also the greatest needs and expectations for assistance” in providing adequate assistance for the care, rehabilitation and reintegration of survivors.[160 ] Four mine survivors from Afghanistan took part in the conference. Also at the First Review Conference, Afghanistan became co-rapporteur of the Standing Committee on Victim Assistance and Socio-Economic Reintegration.

Afghanistan submitted the voluntary Form J with its Article 7 report to report on victim assistance issues.[161 ] The draft mine action strategy includes the goals of embedding victim assistance “in national entities that are responsible for social welfare, health, education and employment,” and coordinating it with “the other mine action pillars and with the broader disability assistance function.”[162 ]

In 2004, the Landmine Impact Survey found that only 10 percent of mine-impacted communities had healthcare facilities of any kind.[163 ] The government acknowledges that healthcare services and rehabilitation are limited, and that even where services are available many mine survivors and other persons with disabilities cannot access them.[164 ] Healthcare in Afghanistan has been severely affected by decades of conflict. Health infrastructure is damaged and poorly maintained, lacks trained staff, resources and supplies, and is unable to meet the basic health needs of the population in general, and the needs of persons with disabilities in particular; 65 percent of Afghans reportedly do not have access to health facilities. As a result, many mine casualties may die before reaching a medical facility, due to the lack of emergency medical care or an adequate evacuation/transport system to a suitably equipped health facility.[165 ]

The rehabilitation and reintegration needs of mine survivors and other persons with disabilities are also not being met. For every one person with a disability receiving assistance, 100 more reportedly do not receive assistance.[166 ] Disability services exist in only 20 of the 34 provinces in Afghanistan: physiotherapy services (19 provinces); orthopedic workshops (10 provinces); economic reintegration activities (13 provinces); community-based rehabilitation (12 provinces).[167 ]

The Landmine Impact Survey found that of 1,323 mine survivors: 852 received some form of emergency medical care (64 percent); 184 received rehabilitation (14 percent); only 29 had received vocational training (two percent) since the incident; 43 survivors reported receiving no care (three percent). The care received by 197 survivors was unknown (15 percent).[168 ]

National and international NGOs and agencies continue to play an important role in the delivery of assistance to landmine survivors and other persons with disabilities in Afghanistan, in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health, Ministry of Martyrs and Disabled, Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.

Emergency and Continuing Medical Care

Healthcare services are provided through the Afghan hospital network and international NGOs and agencies.[169 ] Hospitals in the Afghan healthcare network assisting mine casualties/ survivors include the Indira Ghandhi Child Health Institute, the Paraplegic Hospital and the Armed Forces Academy of Medical Sciences. The 600-bed Armed Forces Academy, the only public hospital for emergency trauma cases in Kabul, accepts all emergency cases, including military personnel and civilians. It lacks equipment and has only limited supplies to treat emergency cases. On average, 10 new mine casualties are admitted each month.[170 ]

The Indira Ghandhi Child Health Institute in Kabul, one of the main hospitals for children, treated seven mine casualties (four boys and three girls) in its orthopedic/surgery ward during 2004.[171 ] The hospital has experienced doctors but lacks resources; children admitted are often too poorly nourished to respond well to treatment.[172 ] ICRC supports physical rehabilitation at the hospital.[173]

The Paraplegic Hospital in Kabul assisted 689 in-patients in 2004, including mine survivors. It also assesses the degree of disability of patients who are then referred to the Ministry of Martyrs and Disabled for assistance and employment support; 7,062 people with disabilities, including 4,200 mine survivors, were assessed in 2004.[174]

In addition, the International Security Assistance Force hospital in Kabul accepts up to about 10 of the most seriously injured mine casualties each month. Facilities are of a very high standard and well-equipped to handle trauma cases.[175 ]

ICRC supports hospitals, clinics and first aid posts in Afghanistan, providing medicines, medical and surgical supplies, training, and repair and renovation of facilities. In 2004, the ICRC supported nine hospitals in Kabul, Jalalabad, Kandahar, Mazar-i-Sharif, Shiberghan, Samangan, Taloqan and Ghazni. Support is also provided to the ambulance services in Kabul. ICRC-supported hospitals surgically treated 2,951 war-injured, including 327 mine casualties in 2004.[176 ]

Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) announced the closure of its programs in Afghanistan on 28 July 2004, because of security concerns after the killing of five of its international staff in June. It handed over its programs to the Ministry of Public Health and other organizations. MSF was providing essential medical aid to hundreds of thousands of Afghans, including mine casualties, in 13 provinces throughout Afghanistan, with a team of 80 expatriate staff and over 1,400 Afghan staff.[177]

In 2004, the Italian NGO Emergency assisted more than 222,874 people, performing 4,873 surgical operations (including 290 for landmine casualties), and providing more than 40,000 physiotherapy treatments. Emergency operates: a general hospital providing emergency surgery, internal medicine and pediatrics in Anabah-Panshir Valley; a surgical hospital in Kabul which is becoming the main trauma center for all the country, as it has the only intensive care unit for civilians in Afghanistan; 23 first aid/public health centers providing emergency medical care, surgery, physical rehabilitation, psychological support, social reintegration programs and transportation to the hospitals. A new surgical center opened in Lashkargah in Helmand region in September 2004.[178 ]

The Mobile Medical Emergency Center (MMC) trains doctors and nurses at rural clinics in emergency procedures to treat landmine and other trauma injuries based on simple, low-tech and inexpensive methods. The doctors and nurses then train village first-aid helpers who provide the emergency response needed to increase the chances of survival for mine casualties. The program operates in the provinces of Baghdis, Ghor, Herat, Kunar, Laghman, Nangarhar and Nuristan, and in Jalalabad, in cooperation with the Ministry of Public Health. MMC is supported by the Norwegian Trauma Care Foundation.[179 ]

International Medical Corps is also involved in providing assistance to mine survivors in Afghanistan.[180]

Rehabilitation and Socioeconomic Reintegration

Until August 2004, the UNOPS/Comprehensive Disabled Afghans Program (CDAP) served as the national coordinating body for rehabilitation services provided by NGOs, and operated a community-based rehabilitation program for persons with disabilities in Afghanistan, in cooperation with relevant ministries. Following a 2003 external evaluation, the UNDP took over responsibility for CDAP in September 2004 and developed a new project, the National Program for Action on Disability (NPAD), in consultation and with inputs from key line ministries and other disability stakeholders. Direct service provision ceased, and efforts focused on working directly with government on coordination, capacity-building, policy and program development, and with representatives of disabled people’s organizations.

In 2004 before the re-structuring, CDAP provided services in education, economic activities and rehabilitation to 1,500 persons with disabilities. CDAP: facilitated development of a new national priority program and awareness raising on disability; gave technical support for the expansion of sign language training for teachers of the deaf and implementation of a national physiotherapy upgrading program. It also facilitated the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the electoral process. Due to the restructuring, expenditure in 2004 was $1.9 million out of a planned $3.8 million; the excess will be used by the new NPAD program in 2005. Donors in 2004 were Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Sweden, UNDP and USAID.[181]

ICRC is the principal service provider to mine survivors in Afghanistan, with orthopedic centers in Kabul, Mazar, Herat, Jalalabad, Gulbahar and Faizabad. The centers fit upper and lower limb prostheses and orthoses, and provide free medical care, physical rehabilitation, psychosocial support, vocational training, micro-credit for small business, and public awareness services related to government rules and programs. All services are free of charge. ICRC’s orthopedic centers employ six expatriates and 450 Afghans, including 50 women; about 85 percent have a disability.

In 2004, ICRC assisted more than 13,000 people with rehabilitation services. The centers fitted or provided 4,365 prostheses (3,132 for mine survivors), 8,364 orthoses (23 for mine survivors), 9,177 crutches, 873 wheelchairs and 131,337 physical therapy treatments. The ICRC orthopedic component factory in Kabul provided 802 prosthetic knees and 1,065 prosthetic alignment systems to Swedish Committee for Afghanistan centers in Ghazni and Taloqan, the Guardians center in Kandahar, and the International Assistance Mission center in Maimana. The ICRC operates a home-based program for paraplegics, providing medical, economic and psychosocial support; 874 paraplegics were assisted in 2004. During 2004, 21 prosthetic/orthotic students were enrolled in the ICRC-supported, nine-month upgrade training program for prosthetics and orthotics in Kabul, Mazar, Herat and Jalalabad. The ICRC also supports specialized training for physiotherapists.[182 ]

ICRC’s Social Reintegration program assisted 1,535 people with a disability in 2004 with: vocational training (303 people); special education (604); job placement (63); setting up or improving small businesses (565). Vocational training is available for 15-30 year olds.[183 ]

The Swedish Committee for Afghanistan implements the Rehabilitation of Afghans with Disabilities (RAD) Program in more than 1,400 villages in 32 districts in 10 provinces (in the regions of Ghazni, Taloqan and Mazar-i-Sharif). RAD’s main focus areas are medical rehabilitation and community-based activities. Activities included: three orthopedic workshops; 44 physiotherapy clinics; special education, employment support and micro-credit, including training in carpet making, tailoring and how to set up a small business; community mobilization; awareness and advocacy. RAD employs about 360 people, as well as community volunteers and self-help groups of disabled people.

The RAD program assists all persons with disabilities, including mine survivors. In 2004, the orthopedic workshops provided 407 prostheses, 1,458 orthoses, 114 wheelchairs and 3,373 other assistive devices, and repaired 2,337 aids. The physiotherapy clinics and home-based services assisted 8,258 people with disabilities and recruited 18 trainees for a six-month introductory physiotherapy course. As well, 774 disabled children received special education in their homes or at community-based rehabilitation centers; 586 disabled children were integrated into ordinary schools; 484 people benefited from a revolving loan fund; 385 participated in a trainee program; 40 participated in group vocational training; 120 benefited from direct job placements. RAD is funded by Swedish donors, including SIDA and Forum Syd, and the UNDP and European Commission.[184]

Sandy Gall’s Afghanistan Appeal operates orthopedic and physiotherapy services, disability awareness and health education in Kabul and Jalalabad, and physiotherapy centers in Kunar and Laghman provinces. Services are free of charge for persons with disabilities. In 2004, the orthopedic workshops produced 443 prostheses for mine survivors, and 1,365 orthoses, 316 wheelchairs, 1,600 crutches and 1,548 other walking aids. The first group of 20 students graduated from Appeal’s two-year physiotherapy course in Jalalabad in February 2004. Training seminars were also organized for physiotherapists and orthopedic technicians. In 2004, the program was supported by private donors in the UK and by UNDP.[185 ]

The Kabul Orthopedic Organization (KOO), formerly the Kabul Orthopedic Center, provides physical rehabilitation and orthopedic devices for mine survivors and other persons with disabilities. In 2004, it assisted 4,862 people with disabilities; 60 percent of beneficiaries were women and 10 percent were children. Of the total assisted, 3,430 received physiotherapy, 502 received prosthetic assistance and 930 received orthotic assistance. The organization also produced 2,347 orthopedic devices, and distributed 67 wheelchairs, 90 crutches and more than 1,000 other assistive devices. Funding is provided by USAID through Management Sciences for Health.[186 ]

Handicap International provides physical rehabilitation and prostheses through its orthopedic center in Kandahar, and collects information on persons with disabilities in the Helmand, Zabul, Farah, Ghazni and Herat provinces, through a network of community volunteers. HI cooperates closely with the Afghan NGO Guardians in Kandahar. In 2004, the Kandahar center assisted 4,500 people (1,200 landmine survivors), produced 170 prostheses, and distributed 2,770 crutches, 159 wheelchairs and 128 other assistive devices. Through the HI Community-based Mine Action Program (CBMAP) program, between June and December 2004, 305 people with disabilities were referred to the rehabilitation centers of HI in Kandahar, CDAP in Ghazni and ICRC in Herat. HI is funded by IrishAID, Association for Aid and Relief Japan (AAR) and the Voluntary Trust Fund.[187 ]

HI’s program to support mine survivors and other persons with disabilities in Herat and Badghis includes upgrading physiotherapy centers, through training, materials and technical support to physiotherapy services. HI is cooperating closely with CDAP and the Ministry of Martyrs and Disabled. Between 15 February and 31 December 2004, HI’s Community Center for Disabled assisted a total of 260 people: 23 people in vocational training or trainee programs; 65 in computer training courses; 80 in English language training; 12 in literacy training; 40 in other skills training activities; 40 referred to other organizations for assistance.[188 ]

The International Assistance Mission operates physical and ophthalmic rehabilitation and psychosocial support programs. In 2004, working with the Visually Impaired Services for Disabled People, the mission assisted 12 people with vocational training, 25 with education activities, and eight with a music program. Between July and December 2004, the orthopedic workshop and physiotherapy services in Faryab province assisted 862 people with physiotherapy services, and provided 36 prostheses and 240 orthotic devices.[189 ]

The Technical Orthopedic Center (TOC) provides orthotic and prosthetic assistance with support from the Ministry of Public Health. In 2004, it assisted 328 people, including 218 landmine survivors; six survivors were women. TOC employs 55 personnel.[190 ]

Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan (PARSA) provides physiotherapy services through its two clinics in Kabul. It also distributes wheelchairs and walking aids, and refers amputees to the ICRC or Kabul Orthopedic Organization. Between 15 November and 31 December 2004, PARSA assisted 580 people with physiotherapy services.[191]

Association for Aid and Relief Japan (AAR) provides physiotherapy services through its clinics in Kalafgan and Khawjaghar districts of Takhar province, in cooperation with the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan. In 2004, AAR assisted 1,060 people in the clinics, including two mine survivors. In addition to clinical services, AAR conducts outreach services on a regular basis in order to expand services to remote areas. The program is supported by the Government of Japan, Mitsui-Sumitomo Bank and Rotary.[192 ]

The Physical Therapy Institute (PTI) provides training of physiotherapists for all other organizations. It is the only training center in the country and works in coordination with the ICRC, Sandy Gall’s Afghanistan Appeal, HI, Swedish Committee for Afghanistan and other organizations in the field of survivor assistance. The institute is supported by the Ministry of Public Health. In addition to theoretical and practical training, the PTI provides treatment sessions; 1,283 treatment sessions were given in 2004.[193]

The NGO Help Handicapped International works in cooperation with the Ministry of Public Health to fit Jaipur Foot prostheses for Afghan amputee mine survivors in Kabul. The program consists of annual camps to fit prostheses. In 2004, a camp was held in September-October. In 2005, the Jaipur Team, as it is known, brought another 700 prostheses for Afghan amputees, who were fitted from 13 April to 12 May at the Technical Orthopedic Center in Kabul. The Jaipur Team plans to extend the program to other mine-affected provinces.[194]

Afghan Amputee Bicyclists for Rehabilitation and Recreation (AABRAR) focuses on the physical rehabilitation and socioeconomic integration of persons with disabilities through physiotherapy, recreational rehabilitation, vocational training and psychosocial support at its centers in Jalalabad and Kabul. Its main activities include: a bicycle training program for disabled men and boys, the Disabled Cycle Messenger Service; six-month vocational training programs in carpet weaving, embroidery, ball making and tailoring, for disabled women and girls. In 2004, it assisted 5,587 people (about 80 percent are mine/UXO survivors), distributed 375 wheelchairs, and employed 62 people, including 13 with a disability. Donors in 2004 included CDAP, Trocaire Ireland, Caritas, DED Germany and German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ).[195 ] Funding for some activities has been only to June 2005.[196]

Serving Emergency Relief and Vocational Enterprises/Enabling and Mobilizing Afghans with Disabilities provides psychosocial support and vocational training for the sight and hearing impaired and physically disabled in Kabul, Parwan, Kapisa, Laghman, Nangarhar and Konar provinces.[197]

Humanitarian Community Development of Afghanistan (HCDA) provides physiotherapy, vocational training and employment support, capacity-building, awareness and advocacy for persons with disabilities in Kabul province. With the support of CDAP, HCDA assisted a total of 876 people from 15 February to 31 December 2004: 292 with physiotherapy services; 185 with vocational training or traineeships; 41 with other education activities; 358 with other community or home-based support.[198]

In April 2004, LIFE Afghanistan completed the distribution of 5,000 wheelchairs, donated by “The Wheelchair Foundation,” to disabled people in Afghanistan through the cooperation of the Ministry of Martyrs and Disabled in each province.[199 ]

In early 2004, the Afghan Disabled Union was founded by a mine survivor to develop advocacy and awareness activities and research for people with disabilities throughout Afghanistan. The union has a Rights, Disability Awareness and Self Advocacy project for landmine survivors and other persons with disabilities in the city of Kandahar. The project has trained 24 persons with disabilities, including 12 women. Completed projects include a survey on the problems of barrier-free access for people with disabilities in the city of Kabul. Future plans include: continuing the rights and advocacy training for mine survivors and other persons with disabilities in other regions of Afghanistan; pressuring the government through collective advocacy to adopt appropriate legislation for persons with disabilities; encouraging mine survivors and other persons with disabilities to take part in the September parliamentary election. Activities are limited by a lack of funding. The union has more than 180 members.[200]

Disability Policy and Practice

The Ministry of Martyrs and Disabled is the focal point for all issues relating to persons with disabilities, including mine survivor assistance. Objectives include: collection of data on persons with disabilities, including mine survivors from all provinces of Afghanistan, to facilitate access to monthly pensions; advocating for the rights of persons with disabilities; development of legislation to protect the rights of persons with disabilities; facilitating access to vocational training courses. As of April 2005, eight vocational training schools had been established.[201]

In 2004, the National Vulnerability Program was established to “promote security, employment, capacities and opportunities to the most vulnerable citizens.” Persons with disabilities are identified as one of the target groups to benefit from the program.[202]

In September 2004, a new three-year National Program for Action on Disability was implemented by UNDP, in cooperation with relevant ministries, UN agencies, NGOs and organizations of disabled persons who are implementing partners in the program. The main objective is “to raise awareness, capacity and to develop governmental structures for policy development, implementation and coordination of disability focused efforts in Afghanistan” through the “delivery of a twin tracked approach to disability, both by specific disability focused initiatives and through inclusion in mainstream government and civil society strategies.” [203]

The 2003 Comprehensive National Disability Policy is reportedly not well understood and has not been formally adopted or implemented. However, the National Program for Action on Disability has identified the need for a national strategy on disability to be accepted and included in the national development framework. The National Disability Commission, created in 2002, has not met since 2003.[204 ]

In 2004, Handicap International started a national disability survey on the prevalence, living conditions and needs in terms of rehabilitation, employment, education and livelihoods of persons with disabilities in Afghanistan. The survey aimed to interview 5,250 households from 175 randomly selected districts, covering an estimated 40,000 people. Preliminary findings indicate that: 3.8 percent of the population has at least one form of disability; the disability rate appears higher for men (4.2 percent), than women (3.3 percent); 69 percent of people with disabilities have a physical disability; nearly 30 percent of disabled people are under 15 years of age. The survey is due for completion by December 2005.[205 ]

In December 2004, the first national celebration for the International Day of Disabled Persons took place, with events in Kabul, Jalalabad, Mazar, Taloqan, Ghazni, Kandahar and Herat. This coincided with a national radio and television campaign to raise awareness on the rights and benefits of including disabled people in all aspects of life.[206 ]

The government has the aim of mainstreaming disability through the integration of persons with disabilities into schools, vocational training and employment, and to fight discrimination through media campaigns and national legislation.[207 ] Disability rights are guaranteed by the 2004 Afghanistan Constitution.[208 ] Legislation approved in 1999 grants free medical care, a monthly pension and employment opportunities.[209 ] Social security benefit of 300 Afghanis a month (about $6) is paid to about 300,000 recipients, including mine survivors and other people disabled by the war and the families of those killed in the war.[210 ] The benefit is reported to be insufficient to maintain a basic standard of living, and the bureaucratic application procedure prevents many disabled people from receiving the benefit.[211]


[1 ]Article 7 Report, Form A, 30 April 2004, citing Constitution of Afghanistan, Ch. I, Article 7.

[2 ]Statement by Dr. M. Haider Reza, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction, Geneva, 24 June 2004.

[3 ]Article 7 Report, Form A, 30 April 2005. The Task Force was established in February 2004 as a special subcommittee of the Mine Action Consultative Group.

[4 ]Article 7 Report, Form A, 30 April 2005.

[5 ]Interview with Abdul Haq, Head of the Department for Mine Clearance, Department for Disaster Preparedness (DDP), Kabul, 16 April 2005.

[6 ]Previous Article 7 reports were submitted on 30 April 2004 and 1 September 2003.

[7 ]“President Karzai Remarks,” Nairobi Summit on a Mine-Free World (First Review Conference), Nairobi, 3 December 2004.

[8] Presentation by Dr. Haider Mohammed Reza, Deputy Foreign Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) 8th International Meeting of National Mine Action Directors and UN Advisors, Geneva, 19-21 September 2005.

[9] United Nations, “Countries stand united in the battle against landmines,” 4 November 2004, www.un.int/
angola/press_release_landmines.

[10 ]Article 7 Report, Form E, 30 April 2005.

[11 ]Information provided to Landmine Monitor and ICBL by HALO Trust and Danish Demining Group, July 2002.

[12 ]See Landmine Monitor Report 2004, p. 69.

[13 ]“After the Taliban,” Economist (Kabul and Lashkar Gah), 18 November 2004, www.economist.com.

[14 ]See details in later section Landmine/ERW Casualties. For use in 2003 and previous years, see Landmine Monitor Report 2004, pp. 69-70.

[15 ]Response to Landmine Monitor Questionnaire by Mohammad Shohab Hakimi, Chair, Afghan Campaign to Ban Landmines and Director of the Mine Detection and Dog Center (MDC), 16 April 2005.

[16] The US Combined Joint Task Force 76 spokesperson also said “terrorists” often pay impoverished Afghans to detonate these devices as “these criminals know they cannot stand up to Afghan and coalition forces, so they are forced to resort to these tactics.” “U.S. Soldiers Wounded; Troops Save Infant's Life,” American Forces Press Service, Washington DC, 14 June 2005, www.dod.mil/news.

[17 ]“UN Suspends Afghan Mine Clearing,” Agence France-Presse (Kabul), 3 June 2005.

[18 ]Statement by Dr. M. Haider Reza, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction, Geneva, 24 June 2004.

[19 ]Article 7 Report, Forms A and B, 30 April 2005. Countries of origin included: the Soviet Union (90 MON-50 mines, 3 MON-200, 1 MON-100, 174 OZM4); Pakistan (117 P2, 1 P4); Italy (1 TS-50); China (29 Type-72); Iran (803 YM-1); 301 LU-6 of unknown origin. The survey was carried out under the aegis of the Ammunition Steering Committee, in cooperation with UNMACA, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force and other partners.

[20] Statement by Afghanistan, Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction, Geneva, 15 June 2005. Notes taken by HRW. The statement noted that some 1.8 million devices had been found in eight provinces, and that the majority had already been destroyed.

[21 ]Article 7 Report, Form G, 30 April 2005. NGOs destroying mines included Afghan Technical Consultants, Demining Agency For Afghanistan, HALO Trust, Handicap International, Organization for Mine Clearance and Afghan Rehabilitation, and RONCO. Mines destroyed include: 38 Type 69 (China); 158 Type-72 (China); 318 PP-MI-SR (Czechoslovakia); 224 M19  (Iran) [AT mine?]; 13 No.4 (Iran); 242 YM1 (Iran); 5 YM-2 (Iran); 61 TS-50 (Italy); 79 Valmara (Italy); 8 P2 (Pakistan); 200 P2MK2 (Pakistan); 1,028 P4 MK2 (Pakistan); 1 M2 (USA/Iran); 20 M16A2 (USA/other); 1,619 MON50 (USSR); 3  MON100 (USSR); 103 MON200 (USSR); 2 MS-3 (USSR) [booby-trap]; 784 OZM-3 (USSR); 811 OZM-4 (USSR); 792 OZM72 (USSR); 144 PFM 1/S (USSR); 1,291 PMD6 (USSR); 7,324 PMN (USSR); 522 PMN2 (USSR); 12,737 POMZ2 (USSR); 217 TM57 (USSR) [AT mine?]; 40 LO-6 (unknown); 6 RPM-2 (unknown); 117 Various AP (unknown).

[22 ]Article 7 Report, Form A, 30 April 2005. The Ammunition Steering Committee replaces the Stockpile Destruction Working Group, established 11 April 2004.

[23 ]“Anti Personnel Mines Stockpile Destruction Pilot Project Completion Report,” submitted to the Mine Action Consultative Group on 28 February 2004. In addition, 2,490 POMZ-2M metal body casings were recovered and melted and recast into manhole covers and iron grills for wood-burning stoves.

[24 ]Article 7 Report, Form D, 30 April 2005.

[25 ]Article 7 Report, Form D, 30 April 2005. Mines retained include: 2 Type 69 (China); 4 Type 72 (China); 110 M-19 (Iran); 40 No. 4 (Iran); 129 YM1 (Iran); 1 YM3 (Iran); 3 YM11 (Iran); 7 TC 2.4 (Italy); 72 TC-6 (Italy); 22 P2 MK1 and 2 (Pakistan); 4 P2 MK3 (Pakistan); 24 P3 MK1 (Pakistan); 5 P3 MK3 (Pakistan); 16 MK 7 (UK); 28 MON 50 (USSR); 2 MON 200 (USSR); 1 MS3 (USSR); 20 OZM 3 (USSR); 10 OZM 4 (USSR); 23 OZM 72 (USSR); 264 PMN (USSR); 6 PMN 2 (USSR); 30 POMZ-2M (USSR); 42 TM-46 (USSR); 70 TM-57 (USSR); 140 TM-62 (USSR); 1 MORSAD 3 (unknown origin). Many of the mines listed appear to be antivehicle mines (M-19, TC-2, TC-6, MK-7, TM-46, TM-57, TM-62).

[26] Survey Action Center (SAC), “Landmine Impact Survey Report Afghanistan,” 25 May 2005.

[27 ]Article 7 Report, Form A, 30 April 2005.

[28 ]Statement by Afghanistan, Standing Committee on Mine Clearance, Mine Risk Education and Mine Action Technologies, Geneva, 22 June 2004; Article 7 Report, Form A, 30 April 2005. Interview with Abdul Haq, DDP, Kabul, 16 April 2005.

[29] Information provided by Patrick Fruchet, External Relations Officer, UNMACA, Kabul, 17 April 2005.

[30 ]Statement by Afghanistan, Standing Committee on Mine Clearance, Mine Risk Education and Mine Action Technologies, Geneva, 13 June 2005.

[31 ]Information provided by Patrick Fruchet, UNMACA, 17 April 2005.

[32 ]Article 7 Report, Form A, 30 April 2005.

[33 ]Afghanistan National Television roundtable, with participation of Masoom Stanekzai, Presidential Advisor on Military Affairs, 26 June 2005.

[34 ]During 2004, 101 former combatants were trained in Kuduz, 124 in Paghman district of Kabul Province, 113 in Parwan, 190 in Balkh and 240 in Kandahar province. The training and employing process of former combatants continued in 2005. Mine Action for Peace report, December 2004.

[35] Landmine Monitor interview with Engineer Yakub, Coordinator, Mine Action for Peace (MAP) project, Kabul, 28 April 2005.

[36 ]Article 7 Report, Form A, 30 April 2005.

[37 ]MAPA, Fact Sheet, April 2005; Afghanistan sections, UN Mine Action Portfolio 2004 and UN Mine Action Portfolio 2005.

[38] Interview with Patrick Fruchet, UNMACA, Kabul, 18 April 2005.

[39] Interview with Engineer Mohammad Yusuf, Deputy Director, META, Kabul, 5 April 2005.

[40 ]MAPA Strategic Plan for 2003. See Landmine Monitor Report 2004, p. 75.

[41 ]Response to Landmine Monitor Questionnaire by Patrick Fruchet, UNMACA, Kabul, 17 April 2005. These figures differ somewhat from those in the tables below. The explanation given to the Landmine Monitor researcher by UNMACA is that NGOs may issue their data before they receive confirmation from UN Area Mine Action Centers.

[42 ]MAPA, “National Operational Work Plan 2005-06.”

[43 ]MAPA, “National Operational Work Plan 2005-06.”

[44 ]MCPA, “Socio-Economic Impact Study,” Kabul, 1999; UNDP/World Bank, “Study of the Socio-economic Impact of Mine Action in Afghanistan,” Kabul, revised draft report, June 2001.

[45 ]UNDP/World Bank, “Study of the Socio-economic Impact of Mine Action in Afghanistan,” Kabul, revised draft report, June 2001.

[46 ]Email from Patrick Fruchet, UNMACA, 27 September 2005.

[47] Email from Roger Fasth, Operation Manager, Danish Demining Group, 29 September 2005.

[48 ]UNMACA/IMSMA information received from Patrick Fruchet, UNMACA, April 2005.

[49] Information provided by Management Information System section, UNMACA, 29 March 2005.

[50 ]Response to Landmine Monitor Questionnaire by Amir Mohammad, Operations Coordinator, MCPA, 24 April 2005.

[51 ]Interview with Abdul Ghaffar, Management Information System manager, UNMACA, Kabul, 18 July 2005.

[52] Email from Patrick Fruchet, UNMACA, 26 September 2005;

[53 ]Information provided by Management Information System section, UNMACA, 31 May 2005.

[54 ]SAC, “Landmine Impact Survey Report Afghanistan,” 25 May 2005.

[55 ]Information provided by Mike Kendellen, Director for Survey, SAC, Geneva, 19 September 2005.

[56 ]SAC, “Landmine Impact Survey Report Afghanistan,” 25 May 2005.

[57 ]SAC, “Landmine Impact Survey Report Afghanistan,” 25 May 2005.

[58 ]Information provided by Mike Kendellen, SAC, in Geneva, 19 September 2005.

[59 ]SAC, “Landmine Impact Survey Report Afghanistan,” 25 May 2005.

[60] SAC, “Landmine Impact Survey Report Afghanistan,” 25 May 2005.

[61 ]SAC, “Landmine Impact Survey Report Afghanistan,” 25 May 2005.

[62] MAPA, “National Operational Work Plan 2005-06.”

[63 ]Email from Patrick Fruchet, UNMACA, 26 September 2005; response to Landmine Monitor Questionnaire by Patrick Fruchet, UNMACA, 17 April 2005.

[64 ]See Landmine Monitor Report 2004, pp. 75-76.

[65] Email from Patrick Fruchet, UNMACA, 26 September 2005; response to Landmine Monitor Questionnaire by Patrick Fruchet, UNMACA, 17 April 2005. Organizations: Agency for Rehabilitation and Energy Conservation in Afghanistan (AREA), Afghan Technical Consultants (ATC), Demining Agency For Afghanistan (DAFA), Danish Demining Group (DDG), HALO Trust, Mine Detection and Dog Center (MDC), HALO, Mine Detection and Dog Centre, Organization for Mine Clearance and Afghan Rehabilitation (OMAR), Mine Clearance and Planning Agency (MCPA) and the Community Based Mine Clearance Program (CBMCP) implemented AREA.

[66] Response to Landmine Monitor Questionnaire by Patrick Fruchet, UNMACA, 17 April 2005. Some organizations reported on clearance in January 2005; others reported for January-March 2005.

[67 ]Email from Abdul Shakoor Yusufi, CBMAP/AREA Manager, May 2005. For details of all demining organizations and activities 1999-2003, see Landmine Monitor Report 2004, pp. 77-80.

[68 ]Response to Landmine Monitor Mine Action Questionnaire by Shoaib Khaksar, Operations Officer, and Farid Elmi, Deputy Director, ATC, 20 April 2005 and January 2004; Article 7 Report, Form G, 30 April 2005.

[69] Response to Landmine Monitor Mine Action Questionnaire by Shoaib Khaksar and Farid Elmi, ATC, 20 April 2005; see also Landmine Monitor Report 2004, p. 77.

[70 ]Response to Landmine Monitor Mine Action Questionnaire by DAFA, 13 April 2005.

[71 ]Email from Roger Fasth, Operation Manager, DDG, 29 September 2005.

[72 ]Email from Roger Fasth, DDG, 29 September 2005.

[73 ]Response to Landmine Monitor Mine Action Questionnaire by A. Hakim Noorzai, Senior Operations Manager, DDG, 24 April 2005; email from Roger Fasth, Operation Manager, DDG, 29 September 2005.

[74 ]Email from Andrew Lyons, Senior Operations Officer-Afghanistan, HALO, 11 October 2005. HALO activities are reported in the earlier section, Survey and Assessment.

[75 ]Response to Landmine Monitor Mine Action Questionnaire by Shah Wali Ayubi, Operations Coordinator, MDC, 24 April 2005. Mine dog groups are used for clearance purposes, whereas mine dog sets are used for survey activities.

[76 ]Response to Landmine Monitor Mine Action Questionnaire by Zekria Payab, Deputy Operations, OMAR, 23 April 2005.

[77 ]Responses to Landmine Monitor Mine Action Questionnaire completed by the relevant organizations, April 2005.

[78 ]Interview with Mohammad Sediq Rashid, Operations Officer, and Ahmad Zaie, Assistant Operations Manager, UNMACA, Kabul, 20 July 2005.

[79] Interview with Noorul Haq, Deputy Director, MCPA, Kabul, 20 June 2005.

[80 ]Article 7 Report, Form I, 30 April 2005.

[81 ]Article 7 Report, Form I, 30 April 2005.

[82] Information provided by Susan Helseth, MRE Coordinator, UNMACA, 25 May 2005.

[83] Landmine Monitor interview with Sameem Hashemi, MRE Programme Manager, META, Kabul, 27 June 2005. The translations were finalized at a meeting convened by META at the end of June 2005.

[84 ]Email from Abdul Shakoor Yusufi, Manager, CBMAP/AREA, 27 April 2005.

[85 ]MAPA, “MAPA 2003 Annual Report,” Draft report, June 2004.

[86] MAPA “Mine Action Program for Afghanistan Strategic Plan 2003–2012,” www.reliefweb.int.

[87] Data from UNMACA database, supplemented by data direct from demining NGOs; ICRC, “Afghanistan Mine Action Program, Annual Report (January–December 2004),” 7 February 2005.

[88 ]SAC, “Landmine Impact Survey Report Afghanistan,” 25 May 2005.

[89 ]Landmine Monitor interview with Najibullah Nassery, UNICEF MRE consultant, Kabul, 27 June 2005; interview with Sameem Hashemi, META, Kabul, 27 June 2005.

[90 ]Email from Abdul Shakoor Yusufi, CBMAP/AREA, May 2005.

[91 ]Email from Aldo Alderson, EOD Technical Advisor, HI, 7 April 2005; HI, “Community-based Mine Action Program (CBMAP) Annual report 1st April 2004-31st March 2005,” p. 3.

[92 ]Email from Aldo Alderson, HI, 7 April 2005; HI, “Community-based Mine Action Program (CBMAP) Annual report 1st April 2004-31st March 2005,” p. 3.

[93] HI “Community-based Mine Action Program (CBMAP) Annual report 1st April 2004 -1st March 2005” p. 3.

[94 ]ICRC, “ICRC Afghanistan Mine Action Program, Annual Report (January-December 2004),” 7 February 2005.

[95 ]ICRC, “ICRC Special Report/ Mine Action 2004,” Geneva, 2005, p. 24.

[96] ICRC, “ICRC Afghanistan Mine Action Program, Annual Report (January-December 2004),” 7 February 2005.

[97] Response to Landmine Monitor MRE Questionnaire by Zekria Payab, Deputy Operations, OMAR, 20 April 2005; Chris Horwood, “MRE Paper, UNICEF Capacity Strengthening: Strengthening Monitoring and Evaluation capacities in MRE in Afghanistan, Initial Mission,” Kabul, June 2002, p. 2.

[98 ]Interview with Naqibullah Bayan, Editor, Media for Reconstruction, BBC Afghan Education Project, Kabul, 26 April 2005.

[99 ]Email from Pia Cantini, Intersos, Rome, 16 July 2005.

[100 ]ATC, “An Introduction to Afghan Technical Consultants: The Premier Humanitarian Mine/UXO clearance NGO in Afghanistan,” Kabul, March 2004, p. 16; information provided by Engineer Zabiullah, MCPA, 18 January 2004; HALO, “HALO Portfolio of Humanitarian Mine Clearance & Small Arms Light Weapons Destruction Projects 2004,” Dumfries, November 2003, p. 9.

[101 ]Chris Horwood, “UNICEF Capacity Strengthening: Strengthening Monitoring and Evaluation capacities in MRE in Afghanistan. Initial Mission,” Kabul, June 2002.

[102 ]Article 7 Report, Form I, 30 April 2005.

[103] Interview with Smeem Hashemi, MRE Manager, META, Kabul, 27 June 2005.

[104 ]See Landmine Monitor Report 2004, pp. 83-85

[105] Average exchange rates for 2004: US$1= C$1.3017, US$1 = DKK5.989, €1 = US$1.2438, US$1 = NOK6.7399, US$1 = SK29, US$1 = SEK7.438, £1 = US$1.83, ¥108.15 = US$1 used throughout this report. US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Annual),” 3 January 2005.

[106] Article 7 Report, Form J, 27 April 2005; email from Norbert Hack, Minister, Department of Disarmament, Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 1 August 2005.

[107] Article 7 Report, Form J, 2 May 2005.

[108] Mine Action Investments database; emails from Elvan Isikozlu, Mine Action Team, Foreign Affairs Canada, June-August 2005.

[109] Mine Action Investments database; email from Hanne Elmelund Gam, Department of Humanitarian & NGO Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 18 July 2005.

[110] EC, “Contribution to the Landmine Monitor 2005,” by email from Nicola Marcel, RELEX Unit 3a Security Policy, EC, 19 July 2005.

[111] Mine Action Investments database; email from Teemu Sepponen, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 13 July 2005.

[112] Emails from Amb. Gerard Chesnel, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 30 June 2005, and from Anne Villeneuve, HI, July-August 2005.

[113] Article 7 Report, Form J, 15 April 2005; email from Dirk Roland Haupt, Federal Foreign Office, Division 241, 25 July 2005.

[114] Article 7 Report, Form J, 14 June 2005; email from Department of Foreign Affairs, 4 August 2005 via Tony D’Costa, Pax Christi Ireland.

[115] Mine Action Investments database; email from Manfredo Capozza, Humanitarian Demining Adviser, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, June-July 2005.

[116] Email from Kitagawa Yasu, Japanese International Campaign to Ban Landmines (JCBL), 10 August 2005, with translation of Ministry of Foreign Affairs information sent to JCBL on 11 May 2005.

[117] Email from Freek Keppels, Arms Control and Arms Export Policy Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 4 August 2005.

[118] Article 7 Report, Form J, 28 April 2005; emails from May-Elin Stener, Section for Humanitarian Affairs, Department for Global Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, April-May 2005.

[119] Email from Henrik Markus, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 17 August 2005.

[120] “Spanish Contribution to Mine Action (2004),” document sent by Luis Gómez Noguiera, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to Landmine Monitor (MAC), 27 September 2005.

[121] Letter from Alf Eliasson, SIDA,23 March 2005.

[122 ]Mine Action Investments database; email from Janine Voigt, Diplomatic Collaborator, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 1 July 2005. Rate of exchange for 2004 according to fixed rate specified by donor: US$1 = CHF1.35.

[123] Email from Andrew Willson, Conflict and Humanitarian Affairs Department, Department for International Development, 1 July 2005; email from Debbie Clements, Directorate of Joint Commitments, Ministry of Defence, 10 August 2005;

[124 ]Email from H. Murphey McCloy, Senior Demining Advisor, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, US Department of State, 30 September 2005. The Department of State funding was allocated as follows: $4,376,527 to RONCO, DAFA and MCPA; $1,522,283 to MDC for clearance; $2,643,710 to DAFA for clearance; $2,157,480 to MCPA for survey; $1,085,000 to HALO for clearance; $617,467 to UNICEF for MRE; $201,407 to Cranfield University for training.

[125 ]UNDP, “Funding Update by Donors,” http://www.undp.org, accessed 22 August 2005. This amount is included in Landmine Monitor estimate of total funding. UNDP also reported receiving almost $21 million from the US; this is assumed to be the funds which USAID donated to UNDP for demining.

[126 ]Response to Landmine Monitor Questionnaire by Patrick Fruchet, UNMACA, 17 April 2005. UNMACA previously reported funding on a January-December basis. See Landmine Monitor Report 2004, pp. 83-85. The Afghan Calendar Year and Fiscal Year run 21 March–20 March, the UNMACA financial reporting period is April to March.

[127 ]Information provided by Patrick Fruchet, UNMACA, Kabul, 18 April 2005; email from Patrick Fruchet, 19 September 2005. UNMACA reported funding in US$.

[128 ]MAPA Strategic Plan for 2003; see Landmine Monitor Report 2004, p. 83.

[129 ]SAC, “Landmine Impact Survey Report Afghanistan,” 25 May 2005.

[130 ]Statement by Afghanistan, Standing Committee on Mine Clearance, Mine Risk Education and Mine Action Technologies, Geneva, 13 June 2005.

[131 ]Email to Landmine Monitor (HI) from Chikako Kodama, External Relations, UNMACA, 18 August 2005.

[132 ]Unless otherwise noted, all 2004 and 2005 casualty data is from ICRC Mine Action Program (MAP), “Semi-Annual Report (January-June 2005),” 21 July 2005, and Annex to ICRC Afghanistan Mine Action program (MAP), “Semi-Annual Report (January-June 2005),” provided in email to Landmine Monitor (HI) from Zamanuddin Noori, ICRC, Kabul, 22 August 2005. ICRC data differs from UNMACA data, but this is likely due to timing differences in updating data.

[133 ]Email to Landmine Monitor (HI) from Chikako Kodama, External Relations, UNMACA, 18 August 2005. Landmine Monitor Report 2004 reported 846 new mine/UXO casualties in 2003; however, the UNMACA and ICRC databases are being continually updated as information of recent casualties and information on casualties from prior periods becomes available.

[134 ]For more information, see Landmine Monitor Report 2004, p. 86.

[135 ]Survey Action Center (SAC), “Landmine Impact Survey Report Afghanistan,” 25 May 2005.

[136 ]Response to Landmine Monitor Questionnaire, Aldo Alderson, EOD Technical Advisor, HI, 7 April 2005.

[137 ]ICRC Afghanistan MAP, “Annual Report (January-December 2004),” 5 February 2005; for organizations involved in data-gathering, see Landmine Monitor Report 2004, pp. 86-87.

[138] ICRC Afghanistan MAP, “Annual Report (January-December 2004),” 5 February 2005; see also ICRC Special Report, “Mine Action 2004,” Geneva, June 2005, p. 23.

[139 ]Data on mine casualties provided to Landmine Monitor (HI) in email from Olivier Moeckli, ICRC Communication delegate, 12 May 2005. The ICRC reports 14 deminers injured in 2004; however, ATC reports that one of their deminers died after a mine accident. For more details, see also Mine Action section of this report.

[140 ]Abdul Baseer Saeed, “Government to Take Over Mine Clearance,” Institute for War and Peace Reporting, ARR No. 161, 10 February 2005, www.iwpr.net/index.

[141 ]Data on mine casualties provided to Landmine Monitor (HI) in email from Olivier Moeckli, ICRC Communication delegate, 12 May 2005.

[142 ]“Zimbabweans killed in landmine explosion,” Reuters (Harare), 18 July 2005.

[143 ]“US soldier injured in east Afghanistan,” Xinhua, 18 February 2004; Radio Liberty Praha, Kabul, 13 February 2004; “GI Killed By Mine In Afghanistan,” Associated Press, 14 February 2004.

[144 ]Stephen Graham, “Three U.S. troops wounded in Afghanistan,” Associated Press (Afghanistan), 8 March 2004; “US troops kill three, arrest 13 Taliban after firefight in Afghanistan,” Agence France-Presse (Afghanistan), 15 March 2004.

[145 ]“Three soldiers killed in Afghanistan when vehicle hits land mine,” in The Military: Casualty Report, www.diversityinbusiness.com.

[146 ]Caryle Murphy, “Navy SEAL Dies in Afghanistan; Virginia Beach-Based Veteran Among 4 Killed in Blast,” Washington Post, 1 June 2004; “Two French peacekeepers injured by landmine in Afghanistan,” Agence France-Presse (Afghanistan), 29 June 2004.

[147 ]“Montana soldier loses part of foot in Afghanistan,” Associated Press, 11 July 2004.

[148 ]“W.Va native injured in Afghanistan,” Associated Press, 17 August 2004.

[149 ]“Two US soldiers killed in Afghanistan,” Agence France-Presse (Kabul), 16 October 2004.

[150] Landmine Monitor analysis of data on mine casualties provided to Landmine Monitor (HI) in email from Olivier Moeckli, ICRC Communication delegate, 12 May 2005.

[151 ]“US soldier, five Afghans die in Afghan landmine blasts,” Agence France-Presse (Kabul), 16 March 2005; Daily Outlook Afghanistan (English newspaper, Kabul), Vol. No. 17, 27 March 2005.

[152 ]“Soldier loses left foot after mine explosion in Afghanistan,” Associated Press (Anchorage), 15 April 2005; “National Guard soldier injured in Afghanistan,” Associated Press (Winchester), 18 April 2005.

[153 ]“Romanian patrols halted,” Agence France-Presse (Romania), 26 April 2005.

[154 ]“Six killed in Afghanistan blasts,” Daily Times (Pakistan), 21 July 2005, www.dailytimes.com.pk.

[155] Landmine Monitor analysis of data on mine casualties provided to Landmine Monitor (HI) in email from Olivier Moeckli, ICRC Communication delegate, 12 May 2005.

[156 ]Article 7 Report, Form J, 30 April 2005.

[157 ]Interview with Noor Ahmad Nazary, President of Planning, Ministry of Martyrs and Disabled, Kabul, 10 April 2005; information provided by Noor Ahmad Nazari, 16 February 2004.

[158 ]Email to Landmine Monitor (HI) from Chikako Kodama, External Relations, UNMACA, 18 August 2005.

[159] Final Draft, “Landmine Impact Survey Report: Afghanistan,” Survey Action Center, Washington, provided by Mike Kendellen, Director for Survey, SAC, 27 July 2005. The term “recent” relates to an incident within the two years preceding the survey (November 2003-November 2004). An LIS only captures casualties recorded in the two years before the visit of a survey team to a particular mine-affected community.

[160 ]United Nations, “Final Report, First Review Conference of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction,” Nairobi, 29 November-3 December 2004, APLC/CONF/2004/5, 9 February 2005, p. 33.

[161 ]Article 7 Report, Form J, 30 April 2005.

[162 ]Government of Afghanistan, “Mine Action in Afghanistan: The Way Ahead,” Working Draft, April 2005, p. 6.

[163 ]Final Draft, “Landmine Impact Survey Report: Afghanistan,” Survey Action Center, Washington, provided by Mike Kendellen, SAC, 27 July 2005; see also Landmine Monitor Report 2004, p. 89.

[164 ]Article 7 Report, Form J, 30 April 2005.

[165 ]ICRC Special Report, “Annual Report 2003,” August 2004, pp. 29-30.

[166 ]Statement by Rahul Chandran, Director, CDAP, to Asia-Pacific Landmine Monitor Researchers’ Meeting, Kabul, 27 March 2004.

[167 ]“Geographical coverage of the Disability services in Afghanistan,” provided by Sarah Dyer, Program Manager, UNDP/National Program for Action on Disability, Kabul, 5 May 2005.

[168 ]Final Draft, “Landmine Impact Survey Report: Afghanistan,” Survey Action Center, Washington, provided by Mike Kendellen, Director for Survey, Survey Action Center, 27 July 2005. The term “some form of emergency medical care” does not imply that there was an equipped health facility in close proximity to the mine incident.

[169 ]For full details of organizations and activities see Landmine Monitor Report 2004, pp. 89-96. The current report is limited to changes since the previous report.

[170 ]Interview with Dr. Atiq Shamin, Head Doctor, Armed Forces Academy of Medical Sciences, and observations of Landmine Monitor Victim Assistance Research Coordinator, Kabul, 25 March 2004.

[171 ]Response to Landmine Monitor Questionnaire by Ms. Saleha, Head of Statistics Department, Indira Gandhi Child Health Institute, April 2005.

[172 ]Interview with Dr. Zobaida, Deputy Director, Indira Ghandhi Child Health Institute, by Landmine Monitor Victim Assistance Research Coordinator, Kabul, 23 March 2004.

[173] ICRC Physical Rehabilitation Program, “Annual Report 2004,” July 2005, p. 23.

[174] Interview with Dr. Mahmood Shah Darwish, Director, Paraplegic Hospital, Kabul, and response to Landmine Monitor Questionnaire by Head of Nursing Section, 18 April 2005.

[175 ]Interview with Dr. Abdul Baseer, Executive Director, Afghan Amputee Bicyclists for Rehabilitation and Recreation, Kabul, 30 March 2004.

[176 ]ICRC, “Annual Report 2004,” p. 146.

[177] “MSF pulls out of Afghanistan,” MSF, Kabul, 28 July 2004.

[178 ]Response to Landmine Monitor Questionnaire by Alessandro Greblo, Desk Officer Afghanistan, Emergency, Milan, 11 August 2005; interview with Dr. Mauro Dalla Torro, Surgeon, Emergency, Kabul, 23 March 2004.

[179 ]Presentation by Dr. Assaddullah Reha, Director, Mobile Emergency Medical Center, Standing Committee on Victim Assistance and Socio-Economic Reintegration, Geneva, 16 June 2005.

[180] See Landmine Monitor Report 2004, pp. 89-96.

[181] CDAP, “Annual Report 2004,” AFG/00/0018; for more details, see Disability Policy and Practice section of this report. See also Landmine Monitor Report 2004, p. 92.

[182 ]Response to Landmine Monitor Questionnaire by Alberto Cairo, Head of Orthopedic Program, ICRC, 29 April 2005; ICRC Physical Rehabilitation Program, “Annual Report 2004,” July 2005, pp. 23-24, 44; ICRC, “Annual Report 2004,” Geneva, June 2005, p. 146; information sheet, “The ICRC Orthopedic Project in Afghanistan,” provided to Landmine Monitor Victim Assistance Research Coordinator, Kabul, 10 May 2005.

[183 ]ICRC, “Annual Report 2004,” June 2005, p. 22; information sheet, “The ICRC Orthopedic Project in Afghanistan,” provided to Landmine Monitor Victim Assistance Research Coordinator, Kabul, 10 May 2005; see also Standing Tall Australia and Mines Action Canada, “101 Great Ideas for the Socio-Economic Reintegration of Mine Survivors,” June 2005, p. 11.

[184] Interview with Anne Hertzberg, RAD Program Senior Technical Advisor, Swedish Committee for Afghanistan, by Landmine Monitor Victim Assistance Research Coordinator, Kabul, 8 May 2005; “Description of RAD - Rehabilitation of Afghans with Disabilities Program,” sent in email to Landmine Monitor (HI) by Anne Hertzberg, SCA, 22 May 2005.

[185 ]Response to Landmine Monitor Questionnaire by Fiona Gall, Project Consultant, SGAA, 20 May 2005; “SGAA Activities in 2004,” www.sandygallsafghanistanappeal.org.

[186 ]Response to Landmine Monitor Questionnaire by Makai Siawash, Director of Organization, KOO, 9 April 2005.

[187 ]Response to Landmine Monitor Questionnaire by Aldo Alderson, EOD Technical Advisor, HI, 7 April 2005; HI, “Community-based Mine Action Program (CBMAP) Annual report 1st April 2004-31st March 2005,” p. 3.

[188 ]CDAP, “Annual Report 2004,” AFG/00/0018, Appendix 2; see also Landmine Monitor Report 2004, p. 94.

[189 ]CDAP, “Annual Report 2004,” AFG/00/0018, Appendix 3 and 4; see also Landmine Monitor Report 2004, p. 94.

[190 ]Interview with Dr. Noorulhaq Rokai, Head of Technical Orthopedic Center, Kabul, 12 April 2005.

[191] CDAP, “Annual Report 2004,” AFG/00/0018, Appendix 6; “PARSA in Kabul,” PARSA, Newsletter, Number 26, Spring 2004, p. 5.

[192 ]Response to Landmine Monitor Questionnaire by Masato Tabe, Program Manager, AAR, 31 May 2005.

[193] Interview with Aziz Ahmad Adel, Director, PTI, Kabul, 11 April 2005.

[194] Interview with Mr. Khorana, Team Leader/Project Coordinator, and Nathu Singh, Technical Supervisor, Jaipur Team, Kabul, April 2005; response to Landmine Monitor Questionnaire by Mahendra Gafurchand Mehta, Trustee, Help Handicapped International, Mumbai, 20 August 2004.

[195 ]Response to Landmine Monitor Questionnaire by Munirudeen, Administrator, AABRAR, 16 April 2005; see also Landmine Monitor Report 2004, p. 95; “101 Great Ideas for the Socio-Economic Reintegration of Mine Survivors,” June 2005, pp. 6-9.

[196] Interview with Dr. Abdul Baseer, Director, AABRAR, by Landmine Monitor Victim Assistance Research Coordinator, Kabul, 8 May 2005.

[197] For more information see Landmine Monitor Report 2004, p. 95.

[198] CDAP, “Annual Report 2004,” AFG/00/0018, Appendix 1.

[199 ]Email to Landmine Monitor (HI) from Vicki Robb, International Programs Director, Life for Relief and Development, USA, 3 August 2005.

[200] Emails to Landmine Monitor (HI) from Omara Khan, Director, Afghan Disabled Union, 8 July 2004, 12 May and 30 May 2005.

[201] Response to Landmine Monitor Questionnaire by Department of Planning, Ministry of Martyr and Disabled, 10 April 2005; information provided by Noor Ahmad Nazari, Head of Planning Department, Ministry of Martyrs and Disabled, 16 February 2004.

[202] CDAP, “Annual Report 2004,” AFG/00/0018, pp. 7-8; UNDP, “National Program for Action on Disability - NPAD,” March 2005, p. 7.

[203] UNDP, “National Program for Action on Disability - NPAD,” March 2005, p. 1; interview with Sarah Dyer, Program Manager, UNDP/NPAD, Kabul, 5 May 2005.

[204 ]UNDP, “National Program for Action on Disability – NPAD,” March 2005, pp. 7, 26; for more details, see Landmine Monitor Report 2004, pp. 96-97.

[205 ]“National Disability Survey in Afghanistan: Preliminary Trends,” April 2005, provided in email to Landmine Monitor (HI) by Jean-François Trani, HI, 26 July 2005.

[206 ]CDAP, “Annual Report 2004,” AFG/00/0018, pp. 17-18.

[207 ]Presentation by Dr. M Haider Reza, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, to Standing Committee on Victim Assistance and Socio-economic Reintegration, Geneva, 23 June 2004.

[208 ]Constitution of Afghanistan, Year 1382 (2004), Article Fifty-Three, Ch. 2, Art. 31.

[209 ]See Landmine Monitor Report 2004, p. 96.

[210 ]UNDP, “National Program for Action on Disability – NPAD,” March 2005, p. 6.

[211] Interviews with Jean-François Trani, HI, and Dr. Abdul Baseer, AABRAR, Kabul, 30 March 2004.