Africa-Press – Angola. The coordinator of the National Mine Action Agency in Cunene (ANAM), Mário Satipamba, considered the situation of mines in the province to be worrying, requiring a serious investment in raising awareness among communities to avoid accidents.
In statements, this Friday, regarding the International Day of Alert to Landmines and Assistance to Demining, marked on April 4th, the person responsible therefore defended the revitalization of awareness campaigns about the dangers of mines in rural and suburban areas.
He informed that in Cunene, 33 areas are cataloged to be demined in all municipalities, where the greatest risk is in the commune of Môngua, as well as 180 people are controlled as victims of mines.
“We have many mines, devices and abuses scattered around, abandoned by various armies that passed through the province during different periods of armed conflict,” he emphasized.
This time, he said that the central body plans to deliver demonstrative material in the coming days to revitalize the mine risk awareness program, an action that will involve the traditional authorities.
Mário Satipamba said that the province has been without this type of poster for another five years, considered essential for strengthening awareness-raising actions about the dangers of mines and other explosive devices, which have killed many people, especially in rural areas.
He said that the work is currently carried out by demining operators who, on a specific basis, carry out community education activities and prevent the population from possible mine accidents.
He made it known that during 2023, four thousand and 680 people were sensitized on the prevention of explosive devices, of these two thousand and 943 children and one thousand 737 adults, aiming to reduce accidents with mines.
He appealed to the population to permanently collaborate in the reporting in case they find any strange object, as some, due to lack of knowledge, when they come across explosive devices, try to hit them to remove the mercury that does not exist.
Facing the difficulties in financial terms, transport and logistical issues, he said that ANAM continues to play its role in supervising the activities of bodies linked to the demining process.
Mine victims in Cunene
It should be noted that on March 27th of this year, a 21-year-old young man died, in the commune of Chiedi, municipality of Namacunde, as a result of the deflagration of an explosive device of the 60 mm mortar type.
In the commune of Môngua, in February 2022, three people from the same family who worked in a mine died and two were injured, victims of an anti-tank mine.
In 2020, another five people died from the explosion of an anti-tank mine, while traveling on a road on the way home, on a three-wheeled motorcycle.
During the year just ended, 47 anti-tank mines, one anti-personnel mine, 122 explosive devices, 229 ammunition and eight thousand 701 various metals were collected in Cunene, allowing the cleaning of four million, 592 thousand square meters.
In the province there are 32 suspected mine zones, in the municipalities of Cuanhama (11), Cahama (10), Cuvelai (six), Ombadja (four) and Curoca (one), which correspond to a total area of one million, 719 thousand and 355 square meters.
Currently the province has three demining operators, specifically the Angolan Armed Forces Brigade, Border Guard Police and the National Demining Center (CND).
International Landmine Awareness Day is celebrated annually on April 4th.
The date was created through resolution 60/97 of the United Nations General Assembly, on December 8, 2005.
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