BURUNDI: Humanitarian Mine Clearance photo report

The joint MAG-Civilian Defence mobile team

The team is composed of one supervisor, eight deminers, four drivers, a medic and MAG’s Technical Field Manager, Didier Perardel, who oversees the operations. The team received one month of training in technical survey and demining techniques. Also included in the photo is MAG Burundi's Country Director Julie Claveau.

Control post

During clearance operations, the team constructs a control post which is located at least 100 metres from the clearance site. The post directs activities in the field, welcomes visitors, and serves as a quiet, shady refuge for the team during their daily breaks.

Security briefing

Every morning, the team receives a security briefing which details the task for the day and reviews safety standards. Here, Didier is discussing demining techniques in areas of dense vegetation.

Medical post

When the control post is further away from clearance operations, the team establishes a forward medical post. The medic must be no further than five minutes from the team, and a fully-stocked ambulance stands by in the event of an emergency. The team conducts a practice evacuation in each clearance site.

Demarcation

Prior to mine clearance operations the team meets with Government authorities and the local population to determine the area of potential contamination. During this process, the team might receive information that a particular area saw intense fighting during the war, for example, or was home to a rebel encampment for several months. Such information increases the probability that an unexploded grenade or mortar is found in the site. As soon as the team receives this information, the suspected area is demarcated by the team, using ribbons and signs, and clearance operations begin.

Manual clearance

In Burundi, mine clearance is done manually, meaning deminers physically clear and verify the contaminated zone themselves. Though monotonous and time-consuming, this technique is effective and thorough. The demining team makes their way into the zone from different angles via narrow corridors, clearing small pieces of territory as they go. In this photo, any area outside the red markers is unverified and potentially hazardous.

Removing vegetation

Vegetation must be removed before a metal detector can properly scan the area. In cases where suspected land has been abandoned for several years, this task is particularly challenging.

Detecting metal

The deminer scans the zone for metal, an ingredient found in most ERWs. The mine detector is highly sensitive and picks up even the smallest of scraps. As a result, the search often bears no fruit, as the deminer uncovers not a grenade but an old battery or rusted barbed wire. Regardless, not knowing what lies beneath the surface, the deminer must carefully and methodically dig up each object.

Landmine discovery

When a remnant of conflict is found it is either destroyed on site, or transported to MAG’s demolition centre, depending on its condition. In this photo the deminer has come across a deadly anti-personnel mine, which is several years old.

Clearance completed

Once the area is cleared and quality control is conducted by the national mine action authority (Direction de l’Action Humanitaire contre les Mines – DAHMI), the local community is notified. The land is now safe and ready to be reclaimed. From now on the land can be used for farming and grazing animals, important activities for many in Burundi.

It is also a great place to play!

• Report and photos by Eli Groener, Grants and Communications Intern, MAG Burundi