GOOD NEWS FROM YEMEN: PROGRESS IN DEMINING

UNCLAS SANAA 001537

SIPDIS

FOR NEA/ARP AMACDONALD AND PM/WRA DHADRICK

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PARM PREL KHDP YM
SUBJECT: GOOD NEWS FROM YEMEN: PROGRESS IN DEMINING


1. (SBU) SUMMARY. On August 9, PolOff observed the
destruction of 2985 landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO)
in a ceremony organized by the Yemeni Executive Mine Action
Committee (YEMAC),which is responsible for implementing one
of the world's most successful mine action programs. Since
1999, YEMAC has cleared more than 679 square kilometers of
contaminated land in Yemen, significantly reducing casualty
rates and making land available for herding, farming,
irrigation, and other vital economic activity. This
impressive accomplishment has been made possible by more than
$14 million in USG support over the past decade. Continued
USG support for YEMAC will not only help the ROYG achieve its
goal of being mine-impact free by 2014, but will build
goodwill among Yemeni officials and citizens, advancing U.S.
humanitarian and counter-terrorism interests. END SUMMARY.

BACKGROUND
--------------


2. (U) Yemen is contaminated with landmines and unexploded
ordnance (UXO) as a result of four different conflicts: the
1962-1975 war in the north between republicans and royalists,
the 1963-1967 war of independence in the south, the 1970-1983
war against left-wing guerrillas along the border between the
former North and South Yemen, and the 1994 civil war. A
survey conducted in 2000 determined that there were a total
of 592 mine-impacted communities in Yemen, contaminating
approximately 922 square kilometers in 18 of 21 governorates.
Most landmines were laid during the latter two conflicts
along the former North-South border and in the southern
governorates, with Hadramaut governorate the most
contaminated. (Note: Since fighting broke out in 2004
between Houthi rebels and government forces in the northern
governorate of Sa'ada, there have been credible reports of
the use of landmines by the Houthis, though no survey has
been conducted to assess the nature or extent of the problem.
End Note.)


3. (U) The ROYG allocates about $3.5 million annually for
mine action, which is carried out by the Yemeni Executive
Mine Action Committee (YEMAC) under the leadership of Colonel
Mansour Al-Azi. YEMAC is staffed by soldiers seconded from
the Engineering Forces of the Ministry of Defense (MOD).
They receive an incentive of 450 riyals (roughly $2.50) per
day for this dangerous work. In the past decade, 16 deminers
have suffered casualties.


4. (U) Human suffering and economic loss due to landmines and
UXO are significant. In the past decade, there have been
over 5000 registered landmine/UXO casualties in Yemen, with
2560 victims killed and 2344 injured. Landmines and UXO
hinder economic activity by blocking access to lands for
grazing and agriculture, water sources for drinking and
irrigation, and roads for travel to markets. They also
impede infrastructure and social development projects. For a
poor country where only 2.6 percent of land is arable,
ensuring that once-mined areas are safe and accessible to the
local population is essential for economic growth and social
welfare.

IMPRESSIVE RESULTS
--------------


5. (U) YEMAC,s mine action program is one of the ROYG's few
success stories. By the end of 2008, the total estimated
suspected hazardous area had dropped to 215 square kilometers
(down from 922). By mid-2009, YEMAC had removed a total of
274,455 landmines/UXO from across the country. Clearance had
been completed in all 14 communities highly affected by
landmines/UXO, except for three minefields that are
permanently marked as dangerous because they cannot be
cleared with existing technology. Additionally, clearance
had been completed in 75 of the 86 medium-impacted
communities, with mine action currently occurring in six
others. The governorates of Aden, Hajja, Dhamar, Sana'a, and
Hudaydah were declared mine-impact free in 2007. The
national landmine/UXO casualty rate has dropped to one per
month. YEMAC was rated in the top three of 16 mine action
programs evaluated by the UN. By making land available for
grazing, beekeeping, and agriculture, and by providing
villagers with safe access to water sources and markets, the
UN concluded that, in Yemen, the economic benefits of mine
action actually exceed the costs of demining. This progress
in mine action is even more impressive given the scope of
Yemen's landmine/UXO problem and the difficulty posed by its
harsh deserts and rugged mountain terrain.

EXPLOSIVE EVENT
--------------


6. (U) On August 9, PolOff observed the destruction of 2985
landmines and UXO (which had been collected over the previous
eight months) in a ceremony organized by YEMAC in a desert
area in Lahj governorate, about a half-hour northeast of
Aden. The items destroyed included 985 shells, 15
anti-personnel mines, 3 anti-tank mines, 444 missiles, 93 RPG
rounds, and 1344 fuses and detonators. Chairman of the
National Demining Committee Ahmed Qassim al-Ajam, Governor of
Lahj Muhsen Ali Al-Naqib, and other notables attended the
event. (Note: No other foreign diplomats were present. End
Note.) YEMAC demolition experts destroyed mines and UXO in
eight successive detonations over a period of approximately
10 minutes. Following the destruction, Naqib thanked the USG
and other donors for their support.

A DECADE OF USG SUPPORT
--------------


7. (U) The USG has provided nearly $14 million towards mine
action in Yemen since FY 1997. (Note: The Department of
State has provided $8.98 million in NADR funding for
technical survey, clearance, and mine risk education, while
the Department of Defense contributed $4.69 million for
training and equipment. End Note.) This aid has helped
YEMAC establish and equip demining companies, carry out
landmine/UXO risk education, and provide medical assistance
to victims. The current focus of U.S. aid is to replenish
equipment that wears out quickly in Yemen's harsh climate and
terrain.

COMMENT
--------------


8. (SBU) The ROYG's mine action program is one of the few
good news stories emerging from Yemen, and USG support has
been vital to its success. YEMAC's staff is highly trained
and professional, they take evident pride in their work, and
they are grateful for sustained USG support since YEMAC's
inception in 1998. (Note: During the 2000 attack on the USS
Cole, U.S.-trained Yemeni demining troops were the first on
the scene, and worked tirelessly to aid U.S. sailors. End
Note.) Continued USG support for mine action in Yemen will
not only help the ROYG achieve its goal of being mine-impact
free by 2014, but will also build goodwill among Yemeni
officials and citizens, advancing U.S. humanitarian and
counter-terrorism interests in a high-priority country. END
COMMENT.
SECHE