Sudan to destroy anti-personnel landmines in Juba
March 26, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — The National Mine Action Centre said it will destroy next Monday in Juba some 4,997 antipersonnel landmines, as part of Sudan’s commitment toward the Ottawa Treaty, or the Mine Ban Treaty, which was rattified by Sudan in 2003.
Director of the National Mine Action Center, Col. Al-Awad Al-Bashir, said Sudan has destroyed the first 4,488 of its stockpiled antipersonnel Mines on 30 April 2007 in El-Silait area, Khartoum North.
Al-Awad said Sudan’s move comes as part of its commitment to Ottawa Treaty which stipulates the destruction of stockpiled antipersonnel mines by the member states after 4 years of implementation of the Treaty.
He pointed out that Sudan has fulfilled its commitment to the agreement before the date stipulated by the treaty, the official SUNA reported.
He further said that the destruction of mines will be celebrated in Juba in presence of a number of federal and state ministers, including the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, as well as the UN’s agencies working in domains of Mines.
(ST)