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Mine Action Office Macedonia Situation Report
as at 15:00 Novemver 19st, 2001
Agenda:
 Update
on Mine Awareness
UNMAO
update
AOB
1. Update on Mine Awareness
ICRC announced that they entered the third phase of
the Mine Awareness Programme. So far, there were 50 presentations for
resident population covering conflict-affected areas of Tetovo and Kumanovo.
In addition, ICRC have strengthened activities related to IDPs in terms
of organising approximately 25 mine awareness presentations in Macedonian
and Albanian language.
Furthermore, they have organised presentations in the primary school of
Ratae, while the one in Zilce was postponed due to the current security
situation. A mine awareness presentation covering the school staff was
also held in the village of Jegunovce.
Finally, ICRC provides training for Mine Awareness Instructors deployed
in villages affected by the conflict. Villages, which are not directly
affected, receive mine information materials.
The news that organisations distribute seeds and fertilisers to the farmers
was found quite disturbing considering the fact that the fields have not
been cleared yet. In that context, it was suggested that it would be good
to put up mine awareness posters in the locations where the items are
distributed.
UNMAO update
Currently all the clearance work is being carried out
by the ITF funded clearance programme, which consists of six ten man clearance
teams operating in the areas of Tetovo and Kumanovo. However the work
of the four teams that were in the Tetovo area has been suspended owing
to the current instability of the area, these teams have been re-deployed
to the Radusa end of the railway, Slupcane and Opae in the Kumanovo area.
The programme, which commenced on 17th of October to date, has only cleared
three of the 102 villages and the current programme is due to end at the
onset of winter this year. To date there is no proposal for a follow on
programme for the New Year. The ITF train and equip programme planned
for 30 members of the Macedonian Civil Protection are scheduled to start
on the 15th of March and last for 45 days. This means that between late
January and the 1st of May 2002 there will be no clearance teams other
than the national police and army EOD teams available to support the international
communities aid programmes.
Due to the gap between the beginning of the year and the 1st of May when
the Civil Protection teams come on line, it is the intention of the MAO
with the aid of the HC, to press the Government to agree to allow international
clearance teams to operate within Macedonia. Once an agreement is reached
several International NGOs will be approached with requests for assistance.
It is important that possible sources of funding for such a programme
be identified and confirmed as soon as possible to allow for an early
start in the New Year.
An answer on the proposal from the MAO for the provision of an extra UXO
clearance capability to work in close support to the shelter programme
which was put to the Deputy Prime Minister Mr Filipovski on Thursday 25th
October has still not been received.
UNMAO believes that the current plan of deployment and support to the
UN and local mine action response within FYROM requires major enhancements
to ensure the safety of returnees, adequate support to the community and
assist with the safe continuation of the shelter programme.
The next Mine Action co-ordination meeting will be held
in the UNMAO premises, on the 3rd of December 2001.
For any further information in relation to the UNMAS response, please
contact Mr. Sandy Powell, Head of MAO, on +389 2 467866 (ph), 070 252157
(mob) or by email at skmineaction@unicef.org.mk
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