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MAG's Community Liaison (left) and Police EOD (right) teams. |
MAG has been working alongside the Puntland Police and the Puntland Mine Action Centre (PMAC) since 2008, training and deploying with the Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team.
This partnership has led to the successful clearance of more than 70 tons of explosive remnants of conflict and reduced the threat posed to a residual risk in all major town centres in Puntland.
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Click below to read about the positive impact MAG's Mine Risk Education is having on the lives of ordinary people. |
However, remaining items in more rural areas continue to pose a threat to the population. Through our work, talking to families in both urban and rural settings, it has become apparent that many people in Somalia keep private stockpiles of small arms and other munitions within the homes.
This presents a further threat to community safety, which cannot be addressed through traditional clearance methodologies. Therefore, to enhance ongoing EOD operations, MAG has developed a unique community education programme designed to help mitigate the risk posed by residual remnants of conflict and other items kept within the home.
In mid-2010, MAG began a Mine Risk Education (MRE) and data-gathering programme in Puntland State of Somalia. The data gathering compliments UN efforts to bolster the Information Management System for Mine Action, so PMAC and the UN can better chart and prioritise explosive remnants of conflict and their unfortunate casualties.
Under the project, MAG's Community Liaison teams carry out two key tasks. Firstly, they conduct MRE with separate groups of men, women and children, focussing on two key messages:
• How to identify UXO and mines in and around the community
• How to stay safe in communities where explosve remnants of conflict are present
Secondly, they set up 'Community Antennas', comprising a motivated and respected senior male and female member of the community, who are trained to assist in spreading safety messages. They also act as focal points in the community, so if a resident sees a suspicious item he or she can report it to the Antenna who in turn will contact PMAC.
The current project is the first structured nationwide programme of its kind to be carried out in Puntland. MAG will provide MRE to 92 communities across the state. To facilitate this ambitious task, three Community Liaison teams have been trained and they deploy to the field for at least two weeks per month.
MAG thanks the following current donors to its Somalia operations: Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement, U.S. Department of State; African Conflict Prevention Pool.
1 February 2011
See also:
- Why does MAG work in Somalia?
- Latest news and case studies from MAG Somalia
- More on Mine Risk Education
- More on Community Liaison
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