UXO sightings

A few weeks ago there was a presentation on landmines at the Viking Club by someone working with a Norwegian NGO called NPA (Norwegian People’s Aid). The talk was about a new approach to surveying land to clear mines and other explosive remnants (UXOs = unexploded ordnance) in five Angolan provinces within seven years (by 2013). Using traditional methods, it will take an estimated 50 years before Angola is mine-free. This programme is part of a ‘land release’ initiative so that the Angolan people can start using land for settlement, farming, etc.

(The Viking Club is an English-speaking social group that meets every Thursday. Once a month there is a presentation of some sort about Angola.)

Humanitarian de-mining is different from commercial de-mining – resources are limited for NGOs. NPA's ‘method’ is to start with a big area and narrow it down as much as possible before going in to de-mine (which I thought was kinda obvious but whatever). First they carry out a ‘non-technical survey’ to exclude areas that are least likely to be mined by talking to local people, police, army, etc. and using intel from other countries and observing how the land is being used if at all. Then for the remaining areas, they rank them according to risk, based on certain criteria. After classifying these areas, different methods are used to detect, detonate and/or disable the UXOs depending on the situation.

Some interesting points:

The best and most accurate method (but also the most expensive) is doing it manually with trained people.

Other methods used in Angola:
- Moving metal detectors with 20 cm penetration into the ground (which is the usual depth these bad boys are buried)
- Tanks with metal or rubber wheels that go over the mines with metal detectors and detonate/disable (by crushing) at the same time
- ‘The Aardvark’, which is a flaying machine with chains at the rear that dig up the soil, unearth and detonate/crush the mines
- African rats, trained sniff out the mines. Cheaper and easier to handle/feed/train than dogs but there aren’t that many rats Angola!

Other interesting points raised:
- Israel has bombarded Palestine with hundreds of thousands of cluster bombs over civilian areas but refuses to co-operate with de-mining organizations. Israel knows exactly where they are but refuses to hand over their detailed maps. This is according to another guy who spoke briefly at the presentation.
- On average only 3% of prospective hazardous areas actually contains mines.
- In Europe (or was it Norway?), UXOs from past wars are still being found every day!

One thing we are very well aware of is that land mines move, especially after the rains. A couple of years ago, a group of people were going to the beach north of Luanda after it had rained. The 4WD went off-road to avoid pot-holes and ran over a mine. Everybody in the car died, including a child, we understand. Very sad.

The picture above was taken in January 2007 during a road trip to Sumbe, south of Luanda. These signs were only a few feet from the roadside.