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Mohammad showing the injuries he received nine years ago. |
“What should I do if I see children playing with a hand grenade?” asked Mohammed.
His was the first voice heard at a MAG question and answer session in Galkayo, south-central Somalia.
Initially, the Community Liaison team thought the question was hypothetical. But it turned out that one week earlier Mohammed had seen six children playing ‘catch’ with a grenade, which he confiscated and hid.
He returned to move the grenade later the same night, just in case any of the youngsters had seen where he'd hidden it.
Having lost his leg trying to remove unexploded ordnance from a house in his community nine years ago, Mohammed didn’t want others to suffer in the same way.
What he didn’t know was that placing the grenade underneath a pile of rocks that was used for burning rubbish led to the risk of a fatal explosion if another fire was made.
Galkayo |
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When the Community Liaison staff heard Mohammed’s story they immediately reported it to MAG Somalia’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal team, which travelled to the village to remove and destroy the grenade.
Risk Education was then given to more than 300 people in the area, including 185 children and 95 women.
These safety messages are specifically designed to ensure communities – particularly the most vulnerable members – can recognise remnants of conflict, and understand the effects a blast injury could have on their lives, as well as those of their families.
Somalia has been embroiled in conflict for decades and unfortunately civilians often bear the brunt of the explosive legacy of war.
Due to widespread insecurity, there has been very little humanitarian mine action in south-central Somalia. It is widely believed that there are stockpiles of varying size and content held within people’s homes and in urban areas.
The amount of unexploded ordnance contamination is largely undefined, though widely believed to be extensive, particularly in the south-central region where the most recent fighting has occurred.
Protection, peace and security
MAG Somalia’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal team was established in early 2011 to undertake clearance work across south-central Somalia, with MAG becoming the first international non-governmental organisation with an operations base in South Galcaio and the Galmudug State.
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Women and children receive Risk Education. |
This work has been possible due to funding received from the UK Government’s Africa Conflict Prevention Pool to assist peace-building efforts in the country.
The latest stage in MAG’s support of protection, peace and security in Somalia follows three years of successful work in the three main population centres of Puntland – Bosasso, Garowe and North Galcaio – not only in terms of clearance, but also gaining the trust and acceptance of people on the ground.
We have worked in Puntland with the national authorities since 2008, deploying a Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal team, which has destroyed over 75 tons of landmines and Explosve Remnants of War (ERW).
And in 2010 we established three Community Liaison teams, to deliver vital training to vulnerable communities on the recognition and avoidance of ERW.
This is the first comprehensive Risk Education delivery project in Puntland, and provides essential safety messages to urban and rural communities, as well as residents of internally displaced people camps.
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The area where rubbish was burned and the location of the grenade. [Photos: MAG Somalia] |
With increased population movements due to drought and famine, people are increasingly at risk as they travel into unknown areas.
MAG’s roving Community Liaison teams also gather information about potentially dangerous areas, which are then reported to the Police EOD team for clearance.
A network of trained Community Focal Points has now also been developed, comprising local people who continue Community Liaison activities after the MAG teams depart. [See also: Investing in local staff]
Our thanks to the donors to MAG's Somalia programme: AusAID; UK Government’s Africa Conflict Prevention Pool; US Department of State's Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement.
14 October 2011
Reporting by:
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• Hussein Ali Dini, MAG Somalia Community Liaison Officer |
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• Mohammed Sabdow Hassan, MAG Somalia Community Liaison Team Leader |
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• Emily Morrison, MAG Somalia Community Liaison Manager |
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See also:
- Why does MAG work in Somalia?
- More news and case studies from MAG Somalia
- Mine action in Somalia [Landmine Monitor website]
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