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SUDAN: Partnership and dedication

Demining is a painstaking, dangerous job, with considerable mental and physical demands. So why did Akech Athieu do it without pay when the organisation that employed him ran out of money?

Akech Athieu (right) with an Explosive Ordnance Disposal technician from OSIL.
[Photos: MAG Sudan]

Akech Athieu was just starting out on his career as a deminer with Sudanese non-governmental organisation Operations Save Innocent Lives (OSIL) in the late 1990s when MAG began its work in South Sudan by providing training to OSIL's technical staff.

He quickly stood out among his colleagues for his ability to absorb new information and readily apply this knowledge into practice, and in 2000 became leader of an OSIL demining team.

A year later, after completing an ‘Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) level two’ training course – conducted by MAG in Yei – Akech became the most technically qualified staff member within OSIL; team leaders of other OSIL demining teams were now reporting to him.

However, between 2002 and 2003 donor funding for the organisation dried up and, unable to pay salaries, OSIL was sure that it would have to close down.

Akech conducting manual excavation of an anti-tank mine.

Akech had other ideas and, along with several colleagues, he continued to work without pay. Asked what motivated him to continue his demining activities without any monetary incentive, he says:

“How could we have stopped? Although a peace agreement had been made, South Sudan remained extremely contaminated [by landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO)]. We had the skill and knowledge to do something about it.”

Akech’s commitment was admirable, but it was clear that OSIL’s work could not be sustained indefinitely purely on the dedication of their staff.

Having formalised the partnership with OSIL with a Memorandum of Understanding in 2004, MAG carried out a survey to assess the impact of mines/UXO within Kapoeta, with Akech acting as a liaison between MAG  personnel and local authorities and communities.

MAG began operations in the country the following year, first with the hiring and training of Community Liaison teams – who, as the eyes and ears of MAG, go out and liaise with communities to find out what and where the problem is – and then technical mine/UXO clearance teams.

Akech in his office.

The OSIL demining teams, no longer able to be sustained, were transferred to MAG, which had trained them originally. Akech would continue his work as a technical team leader, but this time with MAG.

His hard-work ethic, practical experience, knowledge and cultural awareness meant Akech was put forward to take EOD level 3 training in Nairobi in 2007, after which he was promoted to the position of Senior Technical Assistant. He is now able to run a demining and/or an Explosive Ordinance Disposal team without supervision, as well as conduct controlled demolitions of items totalling up to 240kg.

Akech will be undertaking formal United Nations Mine Action Office accreditation in May this year. Upon successful completion, he will acquire internationally recognised qualifications for his technical clearance capabilities.

With MAG’s assistance, OSIL acquired renewed funds to deploy two Mine Risk Education (MRE) teams early in 2008. MAG transferred their most experienced MRE staff to OSIL and has been working to rebuild OSIL’s management capacity over the last year. OSIL is now at a point to begin expanding its operations to include technical clearance teams.

With his growth in technical knowledge and management over the years with MAG, Akech is the ideal candidate to lead OSIL’s re-expansion into clearance activities. This achievement will be both an accomplishment for MAG, in its efforts to build local capacity to tackle the post-conflict recovery of South Sudan, and for Aketch, who began as a deminer and will become the first national technical field manager for MAG/OSIL in South Sudan.

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27 April 09



MAG’s work in Sudan is supported by: Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, U.S. Department of State; Canadian International Development Agency; DFID (UK Department for International Development);  Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (DFAIT); Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, U.S. Department of State; Royal Government of the Netherlands; United Nations.