On 20 January, in Kanyosha Rural on the outskirts of Bujumbura, a joint MAG-Civilian Protection-Police team (MAG-CPP) safely destroyed an extremely dangerous ‘POMZ A2’ anti-personnel mine.
Discovered by the local population at a former military position when they decided to use the land for cultivation, the mine was ready to explode. It therefore had to be destroyed in situ by the MAG Technical Field Manager. An unexploded mortar was also discovered on the site and this too was safely cleared.
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The deadly ‘POMZ A2’ landmine. Top: A MAG Burundi technician assesses the mine. |
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A member of the MAG-CPP team marks the area with warning signs. [Photos: MAG Burundi] |
Unfortunately, this explosive discovery is far from an exception in Burundi and the joint MAG-CPP team regularly intervenes in such situations.
A number of mines and UXO/AXO (unexploded / abandoned ordnance) have been found in the last year, especially in the north-west of the country in the area surrounding the Kibira Forest and along the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Since independence in 1962, the Kibira Forest had been a stronghold for different armed movements until May 2009 when the last active rebel group disarmed and joined the peace process.
Due to the immense pressure on land in Burundi the population rapidly returned to the area for agriculture, and discovered mines and other explosive remnants of war. More than 60 areas have currently been identified as “suspected hazardous areas”.
The most significant event was the discovery by a farmer in April 2009 of a cache of 41 anti-personnel mines in his newly cultivated field in Mabayi, Cibitoke province. An initial reconnaissance mission on this former rebel position leaves MAG to believe the surroundings are further contaminated.
The Civilian Protection – the body in charge of dealing with Burundi’s mine and UXO problem – considers it urgent to survey the Kibira Forest area in order to inform a clearance strategy and eliminate this threat to the population in an area that has been profoundly affected by almost two decades of fighting and rebel presence. However, they do not have the human, material or financial resources to do so. They have therefore requested MAG’s support in building their Explosive Ordnance Disposal capacity and implementing with them the survey and clearance of the Kibira area.
MAG and the Burundian civilian protection are currently looking for funding to survey the Kibira area in the north-west of Burundi.
10 March 2010
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