June 22, 2007
Indian Arms Embargo Hits Landmine Defusing in Nepal
Kathmandu
An arms embargo India announced after King Gyanendra seized power
two years ago remains in place, hindering humanitarian work, though
Nepal has now embraced democracy.
It was in 2005, after the army-backed coup, Nepal's biggest arms
donor India froze lethal assistance and diplomatic ties to pressure
the king into restoring democracy.
When an uprising ousted the royal regime in April 2006, New Delhi
extended a warmer hand of friendship to the new multiparty
government. But the arms embargo remains in place and it is now
affecting humanitarian tasks.
After the Maoists signed a peace pact last year and joined the
government, there is an urgent need of equipment to defuse
improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and landmines.
During the insurgency, the Nepal Army planted 12,500 mines around
army bases in the remote districts to protect them from Maoist
attacks.
On their part, the guerrillas stored thousands of IEDs in "safe
houses" in villages.
India began arming the Nepal government to combat the Maoist
insurgency. Besides its indigenous Insas family of firearms, New
Delhi also gave Nepal equipment to defuse IEDs, the main weapon used
by the guerrillas, and explosive accessories.
When the 10-year "People's War" formally ended, the Maoists tried to
collect their scattered IEDs and locked them up under UN
supervision.
However, a large number of IEDs and mines still remain hidden in
over 50 of Nepal's 75 districts, creating a severe risk.
"More people have been killed and injured (by IEDs) in 2006, the
year the peace pact was signed, than in 2005 when the conflict was
still on," says Hugues Laurenge, a consultant with Unicef that along
with international and local organisations and other UN agencies has
formed the Mine Action Group (MAG).
MAG has been active in Nepal since 2004 to create awareness about
recognising the presence and dangers of explosive devices and how to
minimise loss of limbs and lives.
According to MAG, while 142 civilians were injured or killed when
they unknowingly activated IEDs or landmines in 2005, the figure
rose to 169 in 2006. This year, 67 casualties were reported till
May.
"With peace, there is more movement," says Laurenge. "There is more
freedom of movement and people can now go to remote areas, near
security installations.
"People exposed to explosive devices over the years are eager to get
rid of them, sometimes, they have been known to throw bombs in the
river or maybe garbage or even fire.
"Almost 54 percent of the casualties are children. This makes Nepal,
along with Laos, the foremost countries with a high rate of child
casualties."
When the peace pact was signed, it was agreed that all explosives
would be destroyed in 60 days.
The army formed a Mine Action Coordination Centre that verified the
mine sites, put additional markers to alert people and strengthened
the fencing round them.
However, Brigadier General Lok Bahadur Thapa Magar, director of
engineers at Nepal Army, says the work to destroy explosives is slow
going.
The army is handicapped by lack of funds, training and equipment.
Currently, it has about 12 mine disposal teams. Though the plan is
to have 25 teams, there is not enough protective equipment to go
around. It recently received some assistance from the UK but still
more support is needed.
Also, the highest international safety standards have to be
followed.
"Military operations are quicker since they are time bound," Magar
says. "But this is humanitarian work and needs to be cent percent
safe."
On Thursday, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala held a cabinet
meeting that decided to form a committee under the newly constituted
peace and reconstruction ministry to address the issue of land
mines.
It is expected to look at means of funding and urge donors to help.
"De-mining is a pre-requisite for holding the (November) election,"
says Magar. "An election means free movement of people. So we need
to clear areas of mines or at least tell people they are unsafe."
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