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Conventional Weapons Management and Disposal - global update

26 Oct 2009 15:09:00 GMT
Source: MAG (Mines Advisory Group)
Website: Website: http://www.maginternational.org

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Weapons about to be destroyed, Weapons Destruction Workshop, Burundi.
MAG / Martina Bacigalupo

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The illicit proliferation of conventional weapons prolongs conflicts, causes instability, undermines development, and is now well established as the leading threat to human security globally.

Such items include Small Arms and Light Weapons, aircraft bombs, large calibre artillery, mortar ammunition and rockets.

As the scale of the conventional weapons problem has become apparent across the world, MAG has been increasingly involved in addressing the threat posed by these items, through its Conventional Weapons Management and Disposal (CWMD) activities - from direct clearance activities and training to Physical Security and Stockpile Management.

MAG is currently undertaking CWMD projects in Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Iraq, Rwanda, Somalia and Sudan.

BURUNDI:

MAG Burundi started in 2007 with a programme to support the government of Burundi in reducing the threat of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) and unsecured stockpiles. MAG is currently offering technical support to the Weapons Destruction Workshop and supporting the Burundian Government in implementing the Nairobi Protocol, Articles 6, 7 and 8. The Dutch-funded MAG-Police Nationale Burundaise (PNB) mobile team continued to collect surplus and obsolete PNB-owned Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW), with 67 weapons, 160 magazines, 631 ammunition and 45,184 SAA collected this month.

The team also conducted the first destruction of grenades in a good state, a strong signal that the PNB is wishing to get rid of these arms which are inappropriate for a police force. The complete destruction of grenades ensures that they will never feed in the civilian market and be used to commit crimes as is happening daily in Burundi.

The mobile team also intervened in Bubanza Province in support of the National Commission on Civilian Disarmament and SALW (CDCPA) to collect 61 weapons, 171 magazines, 621 ammunition and 6,058 SAA that had been received from the population and later destroyed them. Some were in an extremely dangerous state and posed an immediate threat to the policemen but also the surrounding population.

The team also participated to the official ceremony for the International Day of Peace on 25 September in Bubanza by conducting the symbolic destruction of two hand-grenades.

The Physical Security team, funded by the Swiss Government, improved security in 11 PNB armouries. Work remains to be done in only one armoury of the province of Rutana for the Region South to be completed.

Finally, 41 weapons were destroyed at the Weapons Destruction Workshop. A summary of outputs is as follows:

- Destruction of 41 weapons at the Weapons Destruction Workshop;

- Collection of 67 weapons, 160 magazines, 631 ammunition and 45,184 SAA from the PNB stocks by the MAG-PNB mobile team;

- Collection of 61 weapons, 171 magazines, 621 ammunition and 6,058 SAA handed-over by the population to the CDCPA by the MAG-PNB mobile team;

- Destruction of 1,189 ammunition and 30,000 SAA by the MAG-PNB mobile team;

- Improvement to the physical security of 11 PNB by the MAG physical security team.

D.R. CONGO:

MAG DRC launched a nationwide CWMD programme in September 2006 and in May 2007 received written authorisation from the Ministry of Defence to destroy surplus military stocks in all Military Regions.

Also in May 2007, a destruction centre was established by MAG at the Central Logistics Base in Kinshasa. In September 2008 MAG received written authorisation from the Ministry of the Interior (extended in April 2009) to commence CWMD activities with the Congolese National Police.

MAG DRC is currently operating two mobile CWMD teams and the destruction team based at the Logistics Central Base under funding from the US Department of State Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement.

MAG DRC is also currently refurbishing the Ordnance Department of the Logistics School at the FARDC Central Logistics Base, under financing from the UK Ministry of Defence, in anticipation of putting in place technical stockpile management training courses there at a later date.

At the end of September MAG DRC's CWMD Technical Operations Manager left the programme and his replacement will arrive in October. The first CWMD Team returned from leave near the end of the month and worked on the maintenance of equipment and planning for future deployments.

The second CWMD Team continued its deployment in Bukavu (8th Military Region) where it destroyed 2,105 arms and 103,417 items of ammunition weighing 7,007 kg.

At the Logistics Central Base weapons destruction activities continued as normal, with 217 weapons being destroyed this month. Refurbishment works on the Ordnance School buildings also continued as per schedule. In total MAG DRC has to date destroyed 2,174,450 items of ammunition weighing 479,659 tons, as well as 99,979 weapons.

IRAQ:

Iraq has been subjected to protracted and intense conflict for over 25 years and is one of the countries most affected by explosive conventional weapons (CW).

The conflict in 2003 led to further, extensive CW contamination and resulted in large numbers of unsecured and abandoned stockpiles and caches of SALW. MAG Iraq has eight SALW teams that deploy from the programme's 4 operational bases to conduct Small Arms and Light Weapons destruction tasks in Erbil, Sulaimaniyah, Dahuk, Mosuland Kirkuk governorates.

During September, 6 CWMD response teams continued operations deploying to reported stockpiles of CW. Teams deployed 100 times from the programme's 3 operation bases to 93 different villages, completing 283 emergency conventional weapons destruction tasks in Erbil, Sulaimaniyah, Dahuk, Mosul, Diyala and Kirkuk governorates. During this month 7,209 CW were safely destroyed.

Items included different types of projectiles, mortars, bullets, RPGs and fuses. During August teams destroyed more than 111 stockpiles.

Teams completed 15 tasks destroying 2 stockpiles of 215 hazardous items in Senala village in Erbil. Items were posing a significant threat to the local population. Teams in Sulimaniyah deployed in Diyala governorate to safely remove 4 stockpiles of CW destroying 265 items of CW. The CW awareness program, delivered by the dedicated CL teams, continued during September.

The program aims to warn children and other vulnerable groups about the dangers of CW. A children's activity book, as well as posters and leaflets, were specially designed to support the project. Teams conducted 10 awareness sessions to 94 individuals, distributing 200 booklets in support of their activities.

RECSA (Great Lakes region and Horn of Africa):

The project with RECSA has now come to an end and MAG is actively seeking funding from interested donors to be able to continue with the technical support not only to RECSA member states but to Africa in general.

REPUBLIC OF CONGO:

As of September 2008, with the confirmation of funding from CPP and WRA, the Mines Advisory Group has resumed its formal partnership with the Ministry of Defence in the Republic of Congo. MAG is providing technical support to the Forces Armees Congolaises (FAC) to safely manage and dispose of conventional weapons.

Throughout September, MAG has continued CWMD activities in the Republic of Congo. MAG has supported the Forces Armees Congolaises (FAC) in the destruction of weapons and ammunition from storage depots in urban areas. Demolitions took place in the town of Owando where MAG undertook an assessment of stocks to be destroyed. The team also carried out theoretical and practical EOD training. In September, MAG destroyed 101810 SAA, and altogether 103543 items, weighing 2873.740kg.

Items destroyed included:

- 4 x 100mm shell explosive

- 1 x TM 46 ant tank mine

- 1 x 57 mm shell APHE

- 2 x VOG 25P grenade rifle

- 1 x unknown hand grenade

- 1 x Model 59 hand grenade

- 36 x KB4 Arty primer

- 1680 x 7,62 x 54rmm SAA

- 3 x MJ1 fuse

- 4 x KTM-2 fuse

- 4945 x 7,62x 54mm SAA

- 20460 x 7,62x 39mm SAA

- 47780 x 7,62 x25 mm SAA

- 5825 x 12,7mm SAA

- 2800 x 14,5mm SAA

RWANDA:

MAG started its CWMD activities in Rwanda in November 2008. MAG is providing technical assistance and training to the Rwanda Defense Forces (RDF) in basic stockpile management and the destruction of surplus SALW and munitions.

MAG established a central weapons destruction workshop at Kanombe near Kigali and trained two RDF teams in weapons recognition and weapons cutting. A central demolition for the destruction of munitions has been identified at Gabiro in north-east Rwanda.

Operations restarted in August 2009 with a grant from the Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement, US State Department.

During September 2009, 4,018 weapons were destroyed including 3,805 assault rifles, 170 sub machine guns, 14 bolt action rifles, 1 self-loading rifle, 15 machine guns, and 13 shotguns. A total of 2,314kg of SAA (97,483 rounds) were burnt and 12,721kg of ordnance (6,779 items) destroyed.

SOMALIA:

MAG commenced its CWMD activities in the Puntland region of Somalia in May 2008 with funding from the US Department of State WRA. MAG trained an EOD team consisting of 7 Puntland Police officers and further provided technical assistance and equipment for the team performing CWMD activities throughout Puntland.

All training and field operations are carried out in close coordination with the national governing authority the Puntland Mine Action Centre (PMAC). With further funding from OWRA, activities in Puntland re-started in September 2009.

Upon entering Puntland on Thursday 10th September the team quickly began refresher training with the EOD team. One training demolition was carried out at the Garowe Central Demolition Site on 23rd September totalling just over 20kg (net explosive weight). At the request of the Puntland Government the team travelled to Bosasso on a 5 day deployment and carried out surface BAC totalling 64,000 square metres.

On this site 852 items were removed and 4 demolitions were made. In late September the Programme Manager had the privilege of meeting His Excellency the President of Puntland as well as other Government Ministers interested in MAG's work in the country.

SUDAN:

MAG's SALW team (funded by the US Department of State) has been operational in South Sudan since 2005. It currently operates out of MAG's base in Yei, Central Equatoria, but performs clearance activities in neighbouring Western and Eastern Equatoria also. The team tends to go out for 2-3 weeks at a time, camping in different areas before returning to base to rest and refuel.

Sudan provides challenging terrain and difficult conditions to work in, particularly during the rainy season when many areas become impassable.

In September, the team worked in Juba, Lainya and Ganji completing 48 spot tasks and 2 demolitions. A total of 677 SAA, 2 AT mines, 3 AP mines, 1 submunition and 150 other UXO were removed and destroyed.

[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

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