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73-515: Except for the narrow piedmont coastal plains, the terrain of Quảng Trị province is dominated by hills and the Annamite Mountains . The highlands, characterized by steep slopes, sharp crests, and narrow valleys, are covered mainly by a dense broadleaf evergreen forest. Most of the peaks are from 4,000 feet (1,200 m) to 7,000 feet (2,100 m) feet high, but some rise above 8,000 feet (2,400 m). The narrow coastal plains flanking

146-497: A 106mm high explosive anti-tank round that exploded on a school football field (three died and six were injured), MAG held meetings with the elders of the town, made appeals for information, gave Mine Risk Education (MRE) on the local radio and collected other items reported by the community. It is anticipated that further small arms and light weapons (SALW) and UXO clearance of the country is required to remove these threats, to prevent further accidents and to ensure safe access and use of

219-464: A center for American bases, particularly after October 1966, when the 3rd Marine Division moved to bases just south of the demilitarized zone. In 1966, North Vietnamese forces (PAVN) also began occupying the northern region and pushing deeper into the province. The provincial capital, Quảng Trị City, was overrun and occupied briefly by Communist troops in April 1967, and was a principal battleground during

292-641: A central aspect of their success. Team members are trained in Community Liaison (CL), information/data gathering, survey and assessment, mapping, logistics, minefield marking, landmine clearance and ordnance disposal ( EOD ). MAG has successfully implemented national socio-economic Landmine Impact Surveys (LIS) which have consequently been published and widely distributed to mine action operators and other relevant stakeholders. MAG conducted its first emergency survey in Afghanistan in 1989 and conducted

365-454: A half million landmines and items of UXO , freeing several million square metres of land for use by the local population. MAG's Iraq programme has recently also launched a dedicated project to safely remove and destroy small arms and light weapons, acting to support peace keeping initiatives which aim for long-term stability in Iraq. Currently, MAG Iraq has more than 750 national staff working in

438-629: A highly effective Quality Assurance tool for verification of manual/mechanical clearance sites. Rather than develop its own potentially expensive MDD capacity MAG works with local and international partners, such as CMAC in Cambodia and NPA in Lebanon who have existing dog capacities, to provide the required services. MAG has developed the concept of MRE as a form of public health education. MRE offers people knowledge and alternatives for living and working safely in mine/UXO contaminated areas. MRE comprises

511-418: A humanitarian approach to landmine action. They focus on the impact of their work on local communities. This approach recognises that although the number of landmines in an area may be small, the effect on a community can be crippling. Targets are therefore determined locally, in response to liaison with affected communities, and local authorities. MAG field operations are managed and implemented by nationals of

584-505: A local organisation working on MRE in the province of Equateur and hoping to extend to the Kasais. Additionally, MAG maintains a regular dialogue with relevant government and military authority and has entered into a partnership agreement through an MOU with a national NGO Humanitas Ubangi to develop its organisational and technical capacity to undertake Humanitarian Mine Action activities. MAG has been conducting Humanitarian Mine Action in

657-436: A number of components that can be adapted to the needs of the target audience. Considerations include: the degree of impact of mines and UXO; economic pressures on affected communities; age; gender; culture; previous exposure to MRE messages; and the resources available to disseminate messages, such as local media, radio, television broadcasts and national networks such as schools, ministries and other institutions. MAG pioneered

730-489: A technical survey into suspected contaminated areas along the 'Blue Line'. During the conflict between Hezbollah and Israeli forces from mid-July to mid-August 2006, there was a dramatic change in the mine/unexploded ordnance (UXO) situation. The fighting and artillery bombardments were heaviest in southern Lebanon, and as a result, an estimated 915,000 internally displaced persons ( IDPs ) fled this area and scattered throughout communities further north. Over 200,000 refugees left

803-466: A unit of the local police force is receiving Explosive Ordnance Disposal training – covering munitions recognition, the safe handling of explosive ordnance, conducting safe demolitions, first aid and communications. Once the training is complete, MAG will support and advise the team as they carry out operations around Puntland. Following an accident in July 2008, concerning some children who were playing with

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876-515: A whole were occupied by Cham peoples ( Champa ), speaking a Malayo-Polynesian language, and culturally distinct from the Vietnamese to the north along the Red River . The Qin dynasty of China conquered parts of present-day Central Vietnam at the end of the 3rd century BCE, and administered the indigenous peoples of the area through a commandery, Rinan , for several centuries. A rebellion by

949-502: A wide range of temperatures and rainfall, with hot and dry south-west winds during the Southwest Monsoon (May to September), and much cooler wet weather during the rainy season (November to mid-March). Annual average temperature is 24 °C (75 °F), but temperatures can drop as low as 7 °C (45 °F) during the rainy season. In the immediate prehistorical period, the lowlands of Quảng Trị and central Vietnam as

1022-495: Is Roots of Peace working with MAG on a demine-replant model, clearing areas and working with local farmers to plant high-value crops. Quảng Trị is subdivided into 10 district-level sub-divisions: They are further subdivided into 11 commune-level towns (or townlets), 117 communes, and 13 wards. Currently, there are many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in Quảng Trị. One of the biggest problems which they are focusing on

1095-640: Is also now providing technical assistance to UXO Lao in a third province: Khammouane. Recent sector reform has enabled international NGOs and Government of Lao (GoL) provincial authorities to ask MAG to assist with clearance linked to specific development projects in XiangKhouang and Khammouane, especially in areas where UXO Lao is unable to respond. In addition, MAG has piloted the use of UXO detection dogs and Village Assisted Clearance (VAC) to improve productivity and impact. In 2007 MAG Lao located and destroyed 6,460 items of UXO, 3,257,638 square metres of land

1168-592: Is directly linked with poverty alleviation. MAG began its HMA activities in Southern Lebanon in 2000 and now employs 80 national staff members on new and existing projects. Following the 2006 ceasefire, this figure rose to around 360 nationally recruited employees. In 2003, MAG Lebanon completed a national Landmine Impact Survey (LIS), which was carried out in conjunction with the National Demining Office (NDO). Another team also conducted

1241-624: Is riddled with mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) from decades of internal conflict. Funded by the Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement, U.S. Department of State, MAG began its current operations in Somalia in May 2008 with a project to clear conventional weapons and stockpiles in conflict-affected areas in the Puntland region. Work is centred in the administrative capital of the region, Garowe, where

1314-517: Is the Vietnamese pronunciation and terminology of Chinese : 安南 ( pinyin : Ān Nán ), meaning "the tranquil south" referring to Vietnam. The French adopted the word and used "Annamese" or "Annamite" to refer to the Vietnamese. The Annamite mountains form an important tropical seasonal forest global ecoregion , the Annamite Range Moist Forests Ecoregion, which consists of two terrestrial ecoregions ,

1387-525: Is the explosive remnants of war (ERW). Below is the list of NGOs who are very active in helping Quảng Trị province deal with this problem: The National Route 1 runs north–south of this province. Vietnam–Laos road also runs west–east of this province and has a junction with national road 1A. Hanoi–Saigon Railway goes through Quảng Trị. Quảng Trị Airport will be built 7 km north of Đông Hà . The province's name derives from Sino-Vietnamese 廣 治 . Annamite Mountains The Annamite Range or

1460-926: Is to support national efforts to reduce the impact of landmines and other items of unexploded ordnance (UXO) on communities. MAG’s mine action programme in the country was established during late 2016 – early 2017, with full operations ongoing since 15 May 2017. The permanent programme builds on a six-month emergency intervention following extensive flooding in 2014, which raised concerns about the movement of landmines. MAG’s current capacity consists of seven Mine Action Teams, two Mine Detection Dog teams and one Community Liaison Team. MAG has been operational in Cambodia since 1992 and now employs approximately 475 staff members, working across six provinces: Battambang, Krong Pailin, Banteay Meanchey, Preah Vihear, Kampong Thom and Kampong Cham. Around 34 per cent are female and 9 per cent are amputees who are provided with metal-free prostheses by

1533-520: The Annamese Mountains ( French : Chaîne annamitique ; Lao : ພູ ຫລວງ Phou Luang ; Vietnamese : Dãy (núi) Trường Sơn ) is a major mountain range of eastern Indochina , extending approximately 1,100 km (680 mi) through Laos , Vietnam , and a small area in northeast Cambodia . The highest points of the range are the 2,819 m (9,249 ft)-high Phou Bia , the 2,720 m (8,920 ft)-high Phu Xai Lai Leng and

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1606-582: The International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL). By 1992, MAG had raised sufficient funds to begin its first landmine clearance program in Iraq. Clearance programmes extended to Cambodia the same year, followed by Laos and Angola in 1994. MAG also introduced mine risk education (MRE) alongside their clearance programs to help minimise the risk to the local populations. MRE operations were extended to Rwanda and to refugee camps in Zaire and

1679-590: The South China Sea . Most of the crests are on the Laotian side. The eastern slope of the range rises steeply from the plain, drained by numerous short rivers. The western slope is more gentle, forming significant plateaus before descending to the banks of the Mekong. The range itself has three main plateaus, from north to south: Phouane Plateau, Nakai Plateau and Bolaven Plateau . Laos lies mostly within

1752-880: The Southern Annamites montane rain forests and the Northern Annamites rain forests . The range is home to rare creatures such as the recently discovered Annamite rabbit and the antelope-like saola , the Douc langur , the large gaur , the Chinese pangolin , and formerly the Indochinese tiger . Most of the highlands like the Annamite Range and the Central Highlands were populated by ethnic minorities who were not Vietnamese during

1825-553: The 1968 Tet Offensive when it was again overrun by North Vietnamese troops and held for a short period before being recaptured by South Vietnamese government and U.S. forces. The Battle of Khe Sanh (1968) was a part of the North's steady efforts to occupy the whole of the province. After Khe Sanh was evacuated in July 1968, the North Vietnamese continued their efforts to take the entire province. The most notable achievement of

1898-506: The 1997 Nobel Peace Prize . MAG was formed in 1989 by Rae McGrath in response to landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) left by the Soviet–Afghan War . The organisation initially served as an advisory group, publishing reports about the problems in Afghanistan and Cambodia based on their assessments between 1989 and 1991. Subsequent reports included Iraq , Somaliland and Angola . In 1992, MAG, along with other NGOs, formed

1971-647: The 2,598 m (8,524 ft)-high Ngọc Linh (Ngoc Pan). The latter is located at the northwestern edge of the Triassic Kontum Massif in central Vietnam. Important mountain passes are the Nape Pass and the Mụ Giạ Pass . The Annamite Range runs parallel to the Vietnamese coast, in a gentle curve which divides the basin of the Mekong River from Vietnam's narrow coastal plain along

2044-401: The 2017 documentary feature film Blood Road , winning a Shorty Award for social good with partnering with MAG and their demining efforts. Almost 15 percent of field staff are members of Community Liaison teams, devoted to ensuring that communities are consulted and involved throughout the whole UXO clearance process. The information gained through Community Liaison ensures that UXO clearance

2117-677: The Cambodian Mine Action Authority (CMAA). In 2003, MAG achieved a 50 per cent increase in output by introducing improved working methods and more mechanical scrub-cutting assets. In 2004 the introduction of small EOD teams in some areas reduced ordnance-related casualties by 50%. After working on landmine, unexploded ordnance and abandoned ordnance clearance, and a project to restore access to safe water from 2004 to 2007, MAG restarted work in Chad in May 2008 clearing explosive hazards in central, eastern and southern parts of

2190-1092: The Central Logistics Base in Kinshasa. Destruction activities were completed in the First Military Region (Bandundu) in March 2008, and will be completed in the Secondary Military Region (Bas-Congo) over the coming months. Work will also soon begin in Kasai Occidental. In addition to this, MAG has been asked to intervene urgently in the 8th Military Region (Nord Kivu) to destroy unsafely stored ammunition in order to prevent another accident such as Camp Ngashi. In DRC, since May 2007, MAG has destroyed 70,000 weapons and over 150 tons of surplus ammunition previously held in Congolese Military stores. Since

2263-507: The Cham in the 2nd century CE overthrew Chinese control and reestablished local government. Beginning in the 14th and 15th centuries, the Chams were defeated in the area by Vietnamese armies, and ethnic Vietnamese gradually displaced or absorbed/assimilated those Chams who had not fled. Over time a distinct Vietnamese dialectical and cultural subgroup developed in the area. The region was seized by

Quảng Trị province - Misplaced Pages Continue

2336-625: The French by 1874. In 1887 it became part of French Indochina , i.e. the Annam protectorate . Upon the division of Vietnam in 1954 into North and South according to Geneva accords , Quảng Trị became the northernmost province of the State of Vietnam and the Republic of Vietnam , successor of the former. The Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone lay in the province. Beginning 1964, the province gradually became

2409-591: The Great Lakes region. However, the presence of Small Arms and Light Weapons remains high and constitutes an ongoing threat to the stability and development of the country as a whole. At present, MAG has four mobile destruction teams operating in the Third, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Military Regions (Equateur, Kasai Oriental, Katanga and Maniema provinces) and has trained a team of FARDC (Congolese Joint Forces) technicians to operate MAG's Regional Construction Centre at

2482-733: The Haut Commission National de Déminage (HCND), the National Chad Demining Office, and work with them when carrying out activities. MAG has established a good cooperation with HCND over the years and has provided substantial training to HCND Demining / EOD staff in order to enable HCND to mount and implement its own clearance activities. MAG has been operational in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) since July 2004, working to reduce

2555-911: The International Committee of the Red Cross. There are currently 21 MATs (Mine Action Teams), 5 EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) Teams, 8 CL (Community Liaison) Teams, 1 Technical Survey Team; 4 Research and Development Teams (evaluating new technologies), 6 Mapping Teams, 9 Mechanical Support Teams, 3 scrub-cutting teams and 3 Mine Detection Dog Teams (sub-contracted from the Cambodian Mine Action Centre). MAG's operations in Cambodia are conducted in association with The Cambodian Mine Action Authority, provincial mine planning units and other operators. At present, MAG works in partnership with many international bodies including CARE, World Vision, Church World Service (CWS) and

2628-802: The Kurdish Ministries of Education and Health to develop a sustainable and independent Mine Risk Education (MRE) delivery capacity in Northern Iraq. MAG's Laotian programme began in 1994 with the establishment of the first internationally supported UXO (Unexploded Ordnance) clearance operation in the country. MAG currently works in XiangKhouang and Khammouane provinces, operating 11 UXO clearance teams (including two all-female teams) and 9 Community Liaison teams. The programme has 211 national staff, of which 35% are female. MAG continued to pursue an integrated UXO action approach, which

2701-488: The Lutheran World Federation (LWF). These partnerships ensure high levels of coordination in developing cleared land in the best way possible for local communities. MAG Cambodia has developed the locality demining approach; a more efficient and effective way of demining, recruiting deminers from the very communities that are mined. Working alongside development agencies, women and men are recruited from

2774-581: The Mekong basin, west of the divide, although most of Houaphan Province and a portion of Xiangkhoang Province (where the famous Plain of Jars is located) lie east of the divide. Most of Vietnam lies east of the divide, although Vietnam's Tây Nguyên (Central Highlands) region lies west of the divide, in the Mekong basin. The mountain range is also referred to variously as the Annamese Range , Annamese Mountains , Annamese Cordillera , Annamite Mountains and Annamite Cordillera . The name "Annam"

2847-786: The NDO (National Demining Office) and other organizations operating in the region remains a priority. MAG has positive working relationships with key organisations such as the United Nations Mine Action Coordination Centre South Lebanon (MACC SL) and The Lebanese Red Cross. MAG is delivering Risk Education messages to internally displaced people, returnees and resident populations in northern Mali. MAG began work in Kayah state, Myanmar in 2014, giving lifesaving Mine Risk Education (MRE) to communities dependent for their livelihoods on land that

2920-558: The North Vietnamese offensive in 1972 was capturing Quảng Trị ( First Battle of Quảng Trị ), although they lost much of the territory gained during the South Vietnamese counter-offensive from June through September 1972 ( Second Battle of Quảng Trị ). In 1975, communist North Vietnamese army took over the South. Vietnam was unified in 1976. Formerly, in 2000, Clear Path International (CPI) removed unexploded ordnance (UXO) left by

2993-548: The Tempest flail, Bozena 4 flail, Armtrac 100 flail, Minecat 230 flail and Digger D-2 flail. These assets can be used for a variety of tasks, including clearance of land, area reduction, and quality assurance tasks in support of manual clearance operations. The hazard posed by explosive ordnance is often highly significant in post-conflict situations. A large percentage of ordnance fails to detonate as designed and poses an immediate threat to people trying to rebuild their lives in

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3066-529: The United States in Quảng Trị province, which was at the time the largest unexploded ordnance removal effort by an NGO in Vietnam's history. Since 1999, Mines Advisory Group (MAG International) has maintained operations in Quảng Trị and neighbouring Quảng Bình province , providing the only civilian staffed demining and UXO clearance operations in Vietnam. Slowly rebuilding in the areas cleared of mines

3139-533: The affected countries, with MAG expatriate staff taking a monitoring and training role. MAG provides work for many members of affected communities, with families of landmine victims taking an active role. MAG is based in Manchester , United Kingdom, and has a sister organisation, MAG America in Washington, D.C. , United States. As part of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines , MAG was co-laureate of

3212-429: The aftermath of conflict. MAG’s EOD response in countries such as Laos includes categorisation; safe handling/moving of ordnance; and destruction of items such as grenades, mortars, shells, cluster bomb sub-munitions, small arms and light weapons and large air dropped bombs. MAG's flexible and multi-skilled approach to HMA means that it is well equipped to operate successfully in countries such as Laos and Vietnam where

3285-460: The beginning of the 20th century. The demographics were drastically transformed with the colonization of 6 million settlers from 1976 to the 1990s, which led to ethnic Vietnamese Kinh outnumbering the native ethnic groups in the highlands. Mines Advisory Group The Mines Advisory Group ( MAG ) is a non-governmental organization that assists people affected by landmines , unexploded ordnance , and small arms and light weapons . MAG takes

3358-535: The cache destruction activities, and provides advice for the safe storage and control of remaining items. MAG first became involved in the destruction of SALW by providing technical support to demobilisation programmes in Angola and Cambodia during the 1990s. More recently, the scale of the problem has become more apparent in the course of MAG's mine and UXO clearance activities in countries such as Iraq, Sudan and DRC and items have been removed or destroyed which are outside

3431-490: The coming years. During 2007, MAG teams provided Mine Risk Education for more than 263,000 people and cleared more than 243,000 square metres of land, destroying over 83,000 dangerous items in the process. In September 2006, a large scale Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) project was implemented, responsible for the safe destruction of surplus munitions and weapons nationwide, and a direct contribution to peace building in DRC and

3504-465: The country entirely. Roads and communities in southern Lebanon were littered with UXO thus making movement throughout South Lebanon both difficult and dangerous. Immediately prior to the conflict situation MAG deployed 4 MATs and 1 Mechanical team who went operational in June 2006. The flexibility of this MAT team meant that immediately after the cessation of violence MAG had a team on the ground responding to

3577-459: The country's provinces, as being impacted by landmines. MAG’s Angola programme has approximately 180 Angolan staff, six international (non-Angolan) staff, five Mine Action Teams, one Rapid Response Team, one Road Ops Team, three Community Liaison Teams, two Mechanical Operations Units, consisting of five machines, and one Impact Assessment Team. MAG’s overarching objective in Bosnia and Herzegovina

3650-468: The country. This contamination mainly originates from fighting in recent years between the Chad National Army and various rebel groups. Two mobile destruction teams are conducting technical surveys, identifying clearance requirements and carrying out clearance and demarcation activities. In 2009 MAG also started clearance operations in the north of the country. MAG has a close partnership with

3723-544: The end of the 2006 conflict, MAG has cleared more than 9.8 million square metres of land, destroyed almost 21 000 remnants of conflict, cleared 294 dangerous areas, and assisted 450,000 people at risk from death or injury from remnants of conflict. The scope of activities carried out by MAG Lebanon's programme includes rapid survey and demarcation of landmine and UXO contaminated areas, clearance of priority routes and land, and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) tasks. Alongside this, integration of MAG Lebanon's activities with those of

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3796-495: The establishment of a MAG clearance programme later that year. Mechanical capacities have formed an important element of MAG’s HMA toolbox for several years. Machines have been used successfully to support manual clearance operations in a number of countries, including Angola , Cambodia , Kosovo , Iraq , Lebanon , Sri Lanka and Vietnam . MAG uses a variety of flails, heavy plant and adapted agricultural and quarrying equipment in its programmes. Current mechanical assets include

3869-403: The explosive contamination is mainly UXO as opposed to landmines . MAG has used MDDs in support of its manual and mechanical clearance operations in a number of its programmes, including, northern Iraq, Cambodia and Lebanon. MAG technical staff have extensive experience of managing dog teams and/or integrating MDDs with manual and mechanical clearance operations. In particular, MDDs have proven

3942-699: The first ever surveys in Cambodia and northern Iraq . Between 1992 and 1997, MAG Iraq conducted one of the largest minefield demarcation programmes in the world, while in Kosovo, MAG was tasked by the UN Mine Action Coordination Centre (MACC) in October 1999 to conduct a Level 2 survey along the border area with Albania. In 1993, MAG conducted an emergency impact assessment of the landmine problem in Moxico province, Angola , which led to

4015-465: The former Zambia . In 1996, Lou McGrath became executive director and MAG established its international headquarters in Manchester , United Kingdom. MAG’s delivery of Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA) is centred on the use of multi-skilled, highly mobile and flexible teams called MATs. These were developed by MAG in the mid-nineties in response to the varied needs of mine affected communities. Drawing on multi-skilled staff, MATs are able to quickly adapt to

4088-410: The heavily mine-affected north of the country since 1992, and since the most recent conflict efforts have concentrated on delivering vital services in northern and central areas of the country. This work significantly reduces the threat to both resident and transient populations, and has supported wider rehabilitation and socio-economic development initiatives. Up to date, MAG has cleared more than one and

4161-657: The highlands on the east have rocky headlands and consist of belts of sand dunes and, in areas where the soil is suitable, paddy field. From the crests that mark the drainage divide in the highlands, streams flow either east towards the South China Sea or west into Laos or Cambodia. Those flowing eastward follow short courses through deep narrow valleys over rocky bottoms until they reach the coastal plains, where they slow down and disperse. The westward-flowing streams follow longer traces, sometimes through deep canyons which are subject to seasonal flooding. The weather features

4234-635: The land. MAG carries out activities in Somalia in close coordination with the PMAC. MAG has also established a good relationship with UNDP Somalia who provide support to MAG’s current operation in Puntland. MAG is also working in cooperation with Geneva Call. MAG began emergency MRE, survey and demarcation activities in the Vanni region of northern Sri Lanka in February 2002. The aim of the MAG teams were to address

4307-479: The limited scope of the Mine Ban Treaty but which qualify for SALW status and contribute to humanitarian impacts and the proliferation of conflict. As part of its mission to build local HMA capacities, MAG employs local technical and administrative staff wherever possible. In many of the countries it operates, including Angola, Cambodia and Iraq, MAG employs ex-combatants. A facet of this work contributes to

4380-426: The many challenges presented not only by mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO), but also to changing environments, including weather, geographical and topographical conditions and the wider security and political climate. Drawing on many years of operational experience, MATs have proven highly successful in countries such as Iraq and Cambodia in delivering a comprehensive and flexible HMA response, with multi-skilling

4453-641: The most immediate threats. Since the immediate post-conflict phase, MAG has steadily worked on 'battle area clearance' (BAC), which concentrates on removing cluster submunitions and UXO. From the end of 2006 conflict, MAG Lebanon's capacity grew to 22 Mine Action Teams (MATs), 5 Mechanical Teams, 2 Mine Dog Detection teams, 3 Community Liaison Teams (responsible for gathering information from the community on remnants of conflict), 1 Technical Survey Team, 1 Reconnaissance Team (responsible for surveying battle areas), and 1 Quality Control/ Quality Assurance Team (responsible for training and monitoring operations quality). Since

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4526-448: The most vulnerable households and trained in the fundamental skills of demining. Once trained, these teams then work under the supervision of more experienced staff. This approach enables poor families to gain meaningful employment and has resulted in productivity rise whilst still maintaining MAG's excellent safety record. MAG Cambodia has a well-developed Quality Management system, with the programme being accredited and quality assured by

4599-533: The opening of a liaison office in Kinshasa in January 2005, MAG has become increasingly active in establishing partnerships with the international NGO community, as well as working with the local UN Mine Action Coordination Centre. MAG also cooperates with local NGOs in the field who are able to provide invaluable information regarding local mine/UXO problems. A partnership for organisational and technical capacity building has been signed until 2012 with Humanitas Ubangi,

4672-645: The organisation’s current area of operations, Moxico Province, greatly affected by fighting. The region was the birthplace and once the relative stronghold of rebel leader Jonas Savimbi and his National Union for the Total Independence of Angola ( UNITA ). Though the 27-year civil war ended in April 2002, the legacy of the conflict continues to affect the population. Angola is generally considered to have about two landmines for every single person, with 2.4 million people affected daily. The Landmine Impact Survey there identified 1,968 communities, in all 18 of

4745-724: The outstanding problems of landmine and UXO contamination apparent following the ceasefire (Memorandum of Understanding) between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Through deploying Mine Risk Education (MRE), survey and demarcation assets in Northern Sri Lanka, MAG teams sought to protect those most affected by the conflict which had plagued the region since 1983. Later in 2002, clearance assets, including manual, mechanical and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) were introduced to

4818-514: The presence of large numbers of SALW in unsafe conditions in many post-conflict countries; and this constitutes a constant risk not only to life and limb for the local population but also to the current peaceful transition process in the country. MAG removes and destroys unsecured and abandoned SALW caches and by doing so removes the threat posed by unsecured SALW. MAG conducts nationwide surveys of arms deposits and warehouses, puts in place specialist equipment and training of national staff to carry out

4891-507: The programme. This capacity consists of 18 Mine Action Teams, which provide a highly responsive and mobile multi-skilled clearance capacity, trained to International Mine Action Standards (IMAS); 10 Community Liaison teams; 2 midi-flail machines and operating teams; and 4 MDD teams. And despite security constraints, MAG remains operational in the North and parts of the centre and continues to implement operations. The programme works with local and regional partners in unstable parts of Iraq to reduce

4964-634: The threat posed by landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO)-clearing dangerous areas and using Mine Risk Education (MRE) to create safe access to water sources, agricultural land, medical facilities and education centres as well as destroying stockpiles of small arms and light weapons and ammunition. In the south eastern province of Katanga province and the north western province of Equateur, MAG has trained national staff in Community Liaison and clearance activities, creating seven teams (3 CL and 4 explosive ordnance disposal-trained). These teams work in contaminated areas where large numbers of returnees are expected over

5037-562: The threat posed by remnants of conflict to vulnerable high-risk communities. MAG works with the National Mine Action Authority (NMAA) located in Baghdad, the Iraqi Kurdistan Mine Action Authority (IKMAA) and the General Directorate of Mine Action (GDMA) in the North. MAG also coordinates with UN agencies, local and regional government authorities and other organisations involved in humanitarian, rehabilitation and reconstruction initiatives throughout Iraq. As part of its commitment to national capacity building, MAG has been working in partnership with

5110-521: The use of CL to ensure continual linkage with affected communities throughout the process of programme design, implementation and measurement of impact. This inclusive and community focused approach enables a relevant response whilst at the same time fostering high levels of community involvement. MAG’s CL Advisors also interact with relevant agencies, local authorities, HMA coordination bodies and other key stakeholders. CL consists of three main elements: A protracted series of armed conflicts have resulted in

5183-422: The vital demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) of ex-combatants into post-conflict society. Stable employment with MAG allows ex-combatants and their families to adapt, economically and socially, to a productive, civilian life. MAG has worked in approximately 68 countries since 1989, moving into current and former conflict zones to clear the remnants of those conflicts. MAG has worked in Angola since 1994, with

5256-450: Was cleared for agriculture, drainage canals, electricity pylons, water wells, school gardens, roads (to provide access to markets) and for a project to promote tourism at the historic Plain of Jars. From January to June 2008, MAG Lao destroyed 3,537 items of UXO. The work of MAG teams in Laos is the focus of the 2007 documentary movie Bomb Harvest . Additionally, MAG teams were featured in

5329-481: Was subsequently developed and adopted nationally in 1996 with the creation of the Lao government’s national UXO organisation, UXO Lao. MAG has the distinction of having handed over to UXO Lao, two effective and efficient operations in the provinces of Xieng Khouang and Saravan . Since 2000, MAG has continued to support the activities of UXO Lao, providing operational and technical advice to these provincial operations and MAG

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