Sudan demolishes over 6000 landmines in Juba
March 31, 2008 (KHARTOUM) – UN peacekeepers today destroyed 6,186 landmines in an area 35 kilometres northwest of Juba, marking Sudan’s compliance with the 1997 Ottawa Convention
on Antipersonnel Landmine Stockpile Destruction.
UN engineers and demining experts from the Bangladeshi Demining Company, part of the Bangladeshi contingent of the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), used some 13 tonnes of TNT and plastic explosives to destroy the mines.
The demolition was attended by Sudanese officials from the federal government, the government of southern Sudan, diplomatic corps as well as the representatives of UN agences and NGOs
From the federal government, the demolition of landmines was attended by State Minister at the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs Ahmed Haroun and State Minister at the Ministry of Transport Dr. Mabrouk Mubarak Saleem.
Government of Southern Sudan Internal Security and Police Minister Paul Mayom acclaimed the demolition as the first of its kind in the history of Southern Sudan. “This is a clear symbol signaling that there is no more resort to war between the SPLM and the NCP”, he said.
SPLA soldiers from the Joint Integrated Demining Unit — one of many joint units that now bring together soldiers the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the SPLA — transported the landmine stockpiles from several locations throughout Southern Sudan to the area near Luri, about 35 kilometres northwest of the regional capital of Juba.
SPLA Captain Acien Manguek, standing beside one of the six pits filled with landmines an hour before the demolition, spoke of new friendships formed between the former enemies.
“We have become friends with them (soldiers from the SAF) because we are doing one job, fighting one enemy: mines,” he said. “We were lacking equipment to do this and are very grateful that the Bangladesh [contingent of UN peacekeepers] is helping — we appreciate them very much,” he added.
(ST)