PRESS RELEASES
Fact Sheet
U.S. Support for Humanitarian Demining In Lebanon
13 December 2004
The United States seeks to relieve human suffering caused by landmines
and unexploded ordnance (UXO) while promoting U.S. foreign policy
interests.
U.S. objectives are to reduce casualties, clear land of mines and
UXO and restore it to productive use, make safe the return of internally
displaced persons, promote the rehabilitation and social integration
of landmine survivors, and enhance the country's stability.
The U.S. seeks to accomplish these objectives by helping to establish
and support sustainable indigenous mine action capabilities in mine
and unexploded ordnance affected nations where appropriate.
The United States has provided nearly $800 million to 46 countries
since 1993 to global humanitarian mine action initiatives, including
research and development and survivor assistance.
The U.S. program in Lebanon has contributed nearly $8 million to
the GOL to assist in Humanitarian Mine Action since the late 1990s.
Lebanon had an estimated 400,000 mines and UXOs still emplaced
as of 2004. As of 2003 there were 2784 landmine victims in Lebanon
including 1084 deaths and 1700 survivors.
U.S. Department of State Humanitarian Mine Action Program
U.S. Department of State Non-Proliferation, Anti-Terrorism, Demining
and Related Activities (NADR) funds have been used to provide trainers
and equipment. In coordination with the National Demining Office,
the USG has funded a Mine Detecting Dog (MDD) program of 18 trained
dog teams, the ARMTRAC 100 flail program and provided a substantial
number of vehicles. This important Department of State program has
provided four continuous years of on hand technical expertise in
demining and training for National Demining Officer personnel in
middle level management skills.
The U.S. is the largest Humanitarian Mine Action contributor in
Lebanon after the United Arab Emirates. The U.S. Humanitarian Mine
Action is unique in its emphasis of enhancing the indigenous capability
of the Lebanese.
U.S. Department of Defense's Humanitarian Mine Action Program
This DOD program initially assisted in establishing the Lebanese
National Demining (NDO) Office in 1998 -99. The program recommenced
in FY 2003.
A U.S. Army Mine Risk Education team from Fort Bragg, North Carolina
in cooperation with the National Demining Office trained six groups
of 40 to 55 teachers in three-day Mine Risk Education sessions throughout
September. The goal of the project was to "train the trainer"
so that these 260 teachers, representing more than 240 different
schools, could educate their pupils about the hazards of mines and
unexploded ordnance. The training sessions were designed to train
teachers in several areas of Lebanon and help them design their
curricula to best teach children about the dangers of mines. The
training was conducted in Aley, Baaklin, Batroun, Jounieh, Jubail,
and Hazmieh.
Additional training earlier this year by U.S. Army Special Forces
provided the LAF Engineer Regiment with fifty new fully equipped
and trained manual deminers. These deminers were fully outfitted
w/Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), mine detection equipment,
and communications equipment worth approximately $200,000. Moreover,
members of the U.S. Navy's Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Mobile
Unit 8 (Sicily) conducted Unexploded Ordnance Disposal training
in the form of two five week courses from April to June 2004: This
training was primarily conducted at the LAF base at Hammana and
resulted in 60 trained Unexploded Ordnance specialists.
Mine Victims Assistance / Mine Risk Education
In addition to the $8 million that DOS and DOD have contributed
to Humanitarian Mine Action, USAID has contributed $5.4 million
for Mine Risk Education and Mine Victims Assistance. The U.S. continues
to support victim assistance efforts through USAID by supporting
various income generating activities - beekeeping and wax processing,
natural eggs production, herb cultivation and processing - aimed
at improving the social and economic situation of landmines victims
and their families in the area of Jezzine - home to the largest
number of landmines deaths and injuries (238 deaths; 101 survivors).
The U.S. welcomes the opportunity to work with the Government of
Lebanon and especially with the Lebanese Armed Forces to make Lebanon
mine free.
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