2004 press releases

U.S. Support for Humanitarian Demining In Lebanon

Fact Sheet

Metropolitan Hotel - Beirut
December 16, 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.