ANGOLA
The mine clearance project Kunene (1)
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Most of the MgM mine sappers are of the Kuanyama tribe - and therefore at home in the province of Kunene. |
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Kunene is the middle of three of the southern provinces of Angola that border Namibia. This region suffered especially during the war fought between SWAPO, today’s government in conjunction with a few Angolan liberation movements and the Russian supported Cubans against the American supported South Africans.
The biggest mine belt in the country is there, along with the greatest amount of rotting ammunition in all of Angola.
BEST CONDITIONS
At the request of a long-time and great friend of MgM, the Governor Pedro Mutinde, MgM came to Kunene's provincial capital of Ondjiva in 1999. For MgM this was a kind of return home because 80% of our Angolan staff are from the local tribe of Kuanyama.
We received a large compound close to the airport and with American financing have established a camp with an elaborate workshop. Because the WFP - the World Food Program of the United Nations - has been transporting our materials and vehicles free of charge in their Hercules airplanes we have been able to operate from Ondjiva efficiently not only in Kunene Province but also in the rest of the country.
Again at the request of the Governor we have enlarged the workshop slightly so that we can train technicians there in the future.
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It is of great help that we can transport our elaborate - and heavy - vehicles of the organization people Against Mines in the transport planes of the World Food Programm. |
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In this chapter you will find additional information on the following topics: | •
Refugees in their own land | •
Angola report 2001 (PDF) |
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