MAG helps long-term conflict recovery
Story by Chris Loughran
MAG's focus has always been long-term in the impact that our work has on people affected by the remnants of conflict, enabling communities to rebuild and develop their social and economic potential. One such example involves MAG's response to the problem of flooding in and around Chamchamal in northern Iraq.
Chamchamal is one of the largest towns in Sulimaniyah Governorate. It lies on the Green Line,
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| A representative of the Mayor of Chamchamal thanks MAG for its assistance at a handover ceremony in the village of Muoffar |
Rains during winter and sprint cause annual flash flooding in one of the town's poorest suburbs. Earlier this year, a twenty minute storm created a torrent that rushed through much of the town. Families had built barriers in their doorways, but the force of the water washed most of them away. The flood waters destroyed walls and damaged more than 200 houses. In many cases, the water washed away food, possessions and fuel reserves.
The town's administration commissioned engineers to design a project in the nearby village of Muoffar to divert the flood water away from the city and towards agricultural land, where it could be used for much-needed irrigation. The engineers were unable to start work on the project because of contamination from submerged items of UXO. The Mayor of Chamchamal, Mr Nowzod, spoke to MAG's Community Liaison teams and asked for assistance to clear the land so that work on the project could begin.
MAG recognised this as a priority task and worked to ensure that the project could go ahead before next year's floods. Manual and mechanical teams worked to clear the area between March and October 2006. Teams funded by the Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement, U.S. Department of State played a crucial role in clearance operations. They used Large Loop deep search equipment, combined with data-loggin units to safely locate, remove and destroy 101 items of UXO.
The scale of contamination in northern Iraq means that the explosive remnants of conflict will continue to present a barrier to development projects in the region, but this shows how MAG's operations support long-term conflict recovery. By continuing to work with local and regional authorities and agencies, MAG will help thousands more communities on the road to recovery.