The latest phase of MAG's work at the barrier minefield surrounding the southern town of Kapoeta has seen a further 85,523 square metres of land handed over to local authorities.
Sudan is suffering the effects of the longest civil war in the world, a conflict that raged on and off for 40 years and caused vast numbers of people to flee their homes. An estimated four million people are internally displaced within the country, while 350,000 are refugees in neighbouring countries.
Central to this human catastrophe is the legacy of combat: landmines, unexploded ordnance (UXO), and caches of weapons and munitions. These explosive remnants of war continue to kill and maim, deny access to land and basic resources, and restrict relief and peace monitoring efforts.
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The minefield's location had complicated access to smaller Toposa villages in the surrounding area, in addition to creating a constant hazard for vulnerable groups, in particular children and women. Pictured here are residents of Lomongole Village, to the north of the minefield. |
The town of Kapoeta in Eastern Equatoria experienced high levels of conflict during the civil war. The strategic importance of the town resulted in a minefield believed to have been laid around its northern, eastern and southern borders during the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) occupation to defend against the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA).
This barrier minefield covered an area of approximately 250,000 square metres and has been a priority for MAG since in 2006, its location – just one kilometre from the town centre – complicating access to smaller villages in the surrounding area and creating a constant hazard for vulnerable groups, in particular children and women.
The work consists of five phases, the latest of which (Part 4) saw MAG hand a further 85,523 sq/m of land over to local authorities in July. This followed the handover of 51,000 square metres in April.
Situated on the northern edge of the community, the land is prime real estate for residential expansion as well as agricultural land. With the delayed onset of the annual rainy season, the increased availability of agricultural land enhances the potential yield for local residents.
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MAG's Eastern Equatoria Community Liaison Manager (CLM) in discussions with another positively impacted Toposa community. |
The clearance will also benefit the substantial numbers of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) returning to the area following the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM). Such groups are particularly exposed to the angers posed by explosive of remnants of war, as they often return to dangerous areas unaware of the threat or the ways in which they can mitigate that risk.
With the support of the local authorities and our national partner Operation Save Innocent Lives (OSIL), and the South Sudan Mine Action Authority (SSMAA), the handover provided an opportunity for beneficiaries to benefit from the removal of a hazard both physically and psychologically.
Links:
» Returning the land: part 3 of the barrier minefield clearance
» Operation Save Innocent Lives (OSIL) website
MAG’s work in Sudan is currently funded and supported by: DFID (UK Department for International Development); EuropeAid; Royal Government of the Netherlands; MAG America; Survey Action Centre; United Nations.
8 July 08
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