Crisis Prevention and Recovery-Success Story for publication by Media Yemen Succeeds in its Fight Against the Hidden Killer [Archives:2002/26/Reportage]

BY ABDULBASIT ISHAK
UNDP-YEMEN
The problem of mines, and unexploded ordnance of all types in the Republic of Yemen, resulting from several conflicts during the past 30 years, is a well-documented reality. The daily impact on the most affected rural communities continues to be significant in terms of the – human suffering and financial cost to the country. Landmines in particular, pose a long-term threat to the critical process of restoration of agriculture and domestic animal grazing on which much of the rural population depends for its livelihood.
UNDP, in close collaboration with the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) and eleven donors (United States of America, Germany, United Kingdom, Japan, Norway, Canada, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Italy, and Saudi Arabia) with a total contribution of more than $12 million, is leading the effort to build the capacity of the Government of Yemen Mine Action Program to deal with the problem of land mines, which were planted during four civil tragic conflicts between 1962 and 1994. In doing so, UNDP is adopting a holistic approach that consists of mine clearance mine awareness, victim assistance, community development, and training, information management.
Success has been tangible. UNDPs support in Yemen began in 1999 with its sponsorship of a breakthrough Land Mine Impact Surveyan internationally agreed upon methodology developed by the Washington based Survey Action Centerto understand the impact of mines on individual communities. The survey, which was completed in 2000, revealed that Yemen has 592 communities that suffer from the negative effects of land mine and unexploded ordinance (UXOs) contamination, seriously threatening the livelihoods of the inhabitants. While there is an absence of accurate minefield records and historical data, recent studies indicate more than 5,000 victims of mines or Unexploded Ordinance (UXO), with more than 200 occurring in the past 12 months.
The survey has transformed policy planning in Yemen and led to the development of a National Five-Year Strategic Mine Action Plan (2001-2005) which emphasizes Mine Action in the most mine-affected communities. This entails clearing strategic routes in the 14 high impact communities where land mine related accidents occur with the greatest frequency and access to critical resources and livelihoods is blocked. With UNDPs assistance and donors fund, the Yemen Mine Action Program has doubled in size and operational capability. Almost three million square meters of land have been cleared of mines and one million surveyed and released for productive use, communities have been empowered to better deal with land mine threats, and survivors are receiving vocational training and rehabilitation and well organized and quality health care. In addition, fifty physical therapists have been trained and a team of Yemeni deminers has grown from 100 to 800 in the past two years.
In 2002, the program added a National Explosive Detection Dog Training Center, four Explosive Detection Dog Teams, and a seventh Clearance Unit. Since the inception of the program UNDP has put emphasis on training of national staff aiming to develop national capacities so that the program can become nationally managed and executed, thus ensuring its sustainability.
In April 2002, the Government of Yemen through the Yemen Mine Action Program destroyed its remaining anti-personnel landmine stockpile in compliance with the Ottawa Treaty, which Yemen ratified in 1999. As a result, Yemen became the first state in the region to become part of the Ottawa Convention and comply with its conditions.
Work by the Government of Yemen with UNDP support is now underway to formulate a project document for the 2nd phase of the program (2003-2005). During this phase, the project will continue to expand humanitarian mine action activities covering all the remaining of the 14 highly impacted areas, enhance Mine Action Quality Assurance, and capacity building in the areas of Information Management System of Mine Action (IMSMA), logistics, Planning, Management and Equipment Maintenance. The total yearly budget required is approximately $6.6 million.
In this regard, and to facilitate multi-year commitments, a successful donors meeting was held on Monday 10 June 2002, chaired by H.E. the Prime Minister, Mr. Abdul Kader Bajamal, and attended by all concerned donor community including UNDP. During this meeting, presentations were made by the Mine Action program technical experts and staff highlighting the excellent results achieved so far in the implementation of the program, calling what has been achieved so far as a success story. The Prime Minister has called upon the donor community to continue providing support to this successful humanitarian and development program. The UNDP Resident Representative in Yemen, Mr. James W. Rawley, also thanked the Yemeni Government for its leading role in mine action, and the donors for their generous support and called upon them to renew their membership in the Mine Action Donors Club.

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