NCDR Newsletter April 2011
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Transcript of NCDR Newsletter April 2011
8/6/2019 NCDR Newsletter April 2011
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April 2011 Issue
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NCDR launches second National Mine Action Plan
In 2010, the National Committee for Demining and
Rehabilitation launched its second five‐year National Mine
Action Plan. The National Plan maps out how NCDR will expand on the progress made in the last five years, as well as plans for how to continue offering risk education, victim
assistance and management training programs once Jordan
has met its Mine Ban Convention obligation of clearing all
landmines by May 2012. The NMAP 2010‐2015 outlines five
strategic objectives for NCDR:
1. Clear all known mines from Jordan territory by May 2012
2. Remove all ERWs from Jordanian soil by December 2012
3. Integrate support and provision of services to all survivors of landmines and other explosive remnants of war within national structures
4. Deliver coordinated and culturally relevant risk education training on mines and ERWs to all communities living in danger
5. Deliver
training
on
ERW
program
management,
survey
techniques, and field operations to the International community.
Of NCDR’s recent achievements, NCDR National Director Mohammad Breikat said, “The real reward from our work is that by taking responsibility to report and discuss mine
action issues with everyday Jordanians we have made a real impact of the lives of the people we are talking with.
In order to plan, report and achieve our goals, we at the
NCDR needed to build our capacities and take greater ownership of our responsibilities in order to lead. We took
on this responsibility and I think created a strong national institution that I hope all Jordanians can be proud of.”
Mine Awareness Day
This year, NCDR observed the United Nations' International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action on
Monday, 18 April. The event featured remarks by HRH
Prince Mired Raad Al Hussein, NCDR Chairman and Special Envoy on Universalization to the Mine Ban Convention, as well as a statement by H.E. Luc Stevens, Resident Representative of UNDP‐Jordan. Two landmine survivors shared how, despite their disabilities, they have overcome challenges to become productive members of society. Students of the Daher Al Sirou Comprehensive School for
Girls,
who
are
from
a
mine‐
affected
area,
gave
a
Mine
Risk
Education theatre performance.
New Staff
NCDR welcomes new and returning staff members This year, NCDR welcomed, and welcomed back, additions to its staff. Mohammad Abu Dalou has returned to NCDR to
serve as Deputy Director; Afaf Taya has come on board as new Finance Manager; and Basem Kasasbeh has taken over as Manager of the Jordan Valley Project from Marwan
AlZoubi. We wish Marwan good luck in his new career.
On Tuesday, December 21, 2011, Omar Bani‐Salem, a
Jordanian deminer with Norwegian People's Aid was
killed in a demining accident. Retired from the Royal
Engineering Corps, Omar was a father of eight. He
was killed when an anti‐tank landmine exploded at a
clearance site on Jordan’s northern border. NCDR
extends our greatest sympathies to Omar’s family for
their loss.
Inside this Issue
International
Relations
Training Courses
Mine Clearance
Explosive Remnants of War
Survivor and Victim Assistance
Mine Risk Education
Upcoming Activities
Remembering
Omar Bani‐Salem
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NCDR was sorry to say goodbye to Olaf Juergensen, who
served as UNDP Chief Technical Advisor for six years.
Training Courses
ERWTC
30 managers from ERW organizations in 21 countries attended
last year’s training course The second annual Explosive Remnants of War International Senior Managers Training Course (ERWTC) was held in October 2010. Thirty managers of ERW
organizations from 21 countries attended.
The goal of ERWTC is to help directors of ERW action
agencies and their teams maximize their efficiency in
combating
the
effects
of
ERWs
around
the
world.
The
course brings together national leaders and experts from
around the world with the aim of building a network of ERW resources. Coursework includes both management and technical themes, from strategic planning and finance
administration to proposal writing, the links between ERWs and development, risk management and new methods in
ERW action.
The course also incorporates participatory methods, including group work, case study exercises, presentations and a final assessment. Field visits to ERW sites in Jordan
are also included.
It is organized by NCDR and taught by instructors from
NCDR and partner organizations including James Madison
University, the Center for International Stabilization and
Recovery, the United Nations Development Program, the
International Committee of the Red Cross and the Geneva
International Center for Humanitarian Demining.
This year’s training course, funded again by the US State
Department’s Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement, will be held from 18 September to 13 October. More details and application information are available on NCDR’s website.
New regional operational training courses to be offered this summer This July NCDR will hold an intensive two‐week training
program for operational staff in mine/ERW action
organizations in the Middle East North Africa region. This course, funded by the United States’ PM/WRA, will be
delivered in the Arabic language by NCDR’s operational staff, and will focus on quality management, though the
courses themselves will be designed with an eye to suiting needs and demands of participants. The course will consist largely of fieldwork and is limited to a maximum of twelve
participants. The course will be held from 3 July to 14 July. More details and application information is available on the
website.
International Relations
10 th Meeting of the States Parties in Geneva
The Jordanian delegation, headed by HRH Prince Mired, participated in the 10MSP in Geneva from 29 November to
3 December 2010. Jordan reported to the States Parties on
implementing its Article 5 mine clearance obligations, reiterating Jordan’s commitment to meeting its extended
Article 5 deadline by May 2012.
Jordan also addressed the Meeting on its efforts to
contribute to international cooperation and assistance by offering training programs to help other ERW‐affected
countries build national capacity to deal with their mines and ERW problems. As a State Party that has indicated that it is responsible for significant numbers of landmine survivors, Jordan participated in the Parallel Program for Victim Assistance Experts and provided an update to States Parties on its VA efforts.
Special Envoy on Universalization of the APMBC In April, His Royal Highness Prince Mired, in his capacity as Special Envoy on Universalization to the Mine Ban
Convention, made visits to Albania and Korea to promote
further acceptance of the Convention. During 2010 Prince
Mired also visited Lao PDR, Mongolia, USA and Bahrain.
In September, HRH Prince Mired and Mr. Breikat attended
the 1st Meeting of States Parties to the Cluster Munitions
Convention. As Jordan has yet to sign the CMC the
Jordanian delegation attended as observers.
NCDR delivered its annual talk at the Jordan Royal National Defence College on 28 March on Jordan’s Mine Ban Law
and implementation of the Mine Ban Convention. Addressing an audience of 85, comprising high‐ranking Jordanian officers, senior‐level government staff and
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regional participants, the seminar is part of NCDR’s ongoing Mine Ban Law Outreach Program.
14th National Directors and Technical Advisors Meeting
NCDR Director Mohammad Breikat participated in the
UNMAS 14th National Directors and Technical Advisors meeting in Geneva in March. NCDR also co‐presented a side
event during the week with the Center for International Stabilization and Recovery (CISR) entitled: “ERW/Mine Action Senior Managers’ Courses: Origins, Current Plans and Future Possibilities”. The information session briefly reviewed the history of ERW/Mine Action senior managers’ courses, explained its current content and structure, and
explored options for future training. Audience members provided feedback on the past courses and made
suggestions for future senior management training.
“Contracting in Mine Action” Workshop in Geneva
22 representatives from NGOs and mine action organizations
worldwide attended the April 4‐8 workshop in Geneva NCDR Deputy Director Mohammad Abu Dalou and Head of Planning Deemah Naser attended a weeklong workshop
titled “Contracting in Mine Action” in Geneva. Held at the
Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD), the workshop was attended by representatives from NGOs and mine action organizations around the
world. The workshop covered topics of management, liabilities and insurance in mine action contracting as well as legal and financial advice.
Mine Clearance
North Border Project progresses into final stages At the beginning of the North Border Mine Clearance
Project (NBMCP) in April of 2008 – implemented by the
Norwegian People’s Aid Mine Clearance Program ‐ the 93
minefields identified on Jordan’s northern border were
divided into three sectors: North East, North West and East. As of today, the Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) has completed manual clearance of the North East and North
West sectors, clearing 593,446 m2 of potential agricultural
land. While verification tasks are still underway in these
areas, the completion of manual clearance means that only 8 of the original 51 mine clearance tasks are left in the
Eastern sector. In total, 56,922 Anti‐Personnel mines and
28,618
Anti‐
Tank
mines
have
been
cleared,
and
the
tasks
of
verification and surveillance of these sectors have been
taken on by the NCDR’s Quality Management Team.
Currently, 13 manual clearance teams are at work in the
remaining minefields, with a total of 189 staff members in
the field. Progress was slowed due to terrain—the presence
of metal‐containing stones meant that few mine detectors could work effectively, and they had to be replaced. German Minelab detectors and software adjustments, however, allowed work to continue. Additionally, a new
mini‐MineWolf that will boost verification capacities has arrived on site, and the Mine Detection Dog Team, which
was
previously
working
with
NCDR’s
project
in
the
Jordan
Valley, has returned to the NBMCP. NPA‐Jordan hopes to
complete manual clearance of the final sector by the end of this year. Following manual clearance, the sector will undergo verification processes, led by NCDR’s Quality Management Team that will last for at least a year.
The North Border Mine Clearance Project’s past and
current donors include Australia, Canada, European Union, Germany, Japan, Norway, and the United States of America.
Quality Management Team Update Over
the
last
six
months,
NCDR’s
Quality
Management
Team (QMT) has held several meetings with NPA‐Jordan to
discuss the North Border Project and the obstacles that are
slowing progress, the recent increase in mine accidents, Standards of Procedure (SOPs) and the Mine Detection Dog
Teams as well as the new mini‐MineWolf.
The results were a new work plan for the NBMCP, a newly assigned NPA Quality Management officer, and
amendments to the SOPs.
The head of the Operations Department at NCDR
conducted many visits to the west side of the project to
assure
that
work
was
done
in
accordance
with
SOPs,
to
discuss and give essential instructions, and to solve any problems or obstacles during work in cooperation with
NPA’s operation team. In total, QMT members conducted
200 field visits to coordinate with the NPA operation team.
Between July 2010 and January 2011, the QMT investigated
10 mine incidents. Meetings were conducted between Ops / NCDR & NPA to find out the reasons of these incidents, and the QMT gave presentations to deminers on the causes of accidents, and procedures that can reduce them.
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Searching for ERW in the field
In
Jerash,
which
hosts
the
second
largest
tourist
attraction
in Jordan, the survey found that out of 55 communities, 24
are impacted by ERWs. 42% of the impacted areas are
inhabited and close to residential areas, meaning that 23%
of the population of Jerash is at risk from ERWs. Because of this wide impact, only 21% of income in affected
communities comes from agriculture—despite the fertile
nature of the land in Jerash. In this way, ERWs inhibit the
economic development of the Kingdom. Furthermore, since
the 1970’s 73 ERW accidents resulting in 93 victims have
occurred. Children comprised 60% of the victims. Of the
total victims 21% were killed, cementing the survey’s data
identifying Jerash as one of the Jordanian provinces most impacted by ERWs.
In Zarqa, the Kingdom’s third largest province, 11 out of 55
communities are impacted by ERWs. Of these communities, 64% are rural, and agriculture is highly impacted by ERWs. Farmers, scrap dealers and shepherds are all at high risk for ERWs—scrap collectors and dealers especially are in
danger, as they have direct contact with UXOs in their work. During the visit to Zarqa province, metal factories were visited and the risks of ERWs addressed. Zarqa is home to four major metal factories.
ERWs in Zarqa are a result of previous internal conflicts and
proximity to military training fields. In total, 17 accidents have occurred in the province, resulting in 36 injuries or deaths. 9 of the accidents took place in 2009, an increase
attributed to importation of scrap metal from neighboring countries that are at war.
British Petroleum project In October of 2009, British Petroleum (BP) agreed to invest $237 million in exploring natural gas reserves in Risha, in
the northeast of the Kingdom. The project aims to triple gas production in Risha, which would make Jordan energy self ‐sufficient.
Unfortunately, operations came to a halt when UXOs, ranging from artillery shells to cluster bombs, were found in
the area. NCDR launched a project to mitigate risks and
allow operations to resume. The project involves non‐
technical
surface
surveys,
clearance
of
battle
areas
and
sampling and verification in some key locations.
Survivor and Victim Assistance
Completion of the Need Assessment Survey raises the number of identified ERW/mine survivors to 910 In April 2010, NCDR completed its victim surveillance
project, during which all survivors were visited at their homes. As a result, the total number of survivors increased
to a total of 910. 790 remain in need of some form of assistance. The completed Need Assessment Survey will
help plan for future assistance to survivors of landmines and ERWs.
In 2009, a Steering Committee on Survivor and Victim
Assistance was formed under the umbrella of the Higher Council for the Affairs of Persons with Disabilities, with the
aim of mainstreaming the issues related to landmine
survivors within the broader national disability strategy. The Committee membership is composed of NCDR, Al Hussein Society for the Habilitation/Rehabilitation of the
Physically Challenged, the Ministry of Health, Lifeline for Consultancy and Rehabilitation, the Royal Medical Services, the Hashemite Commission for Disabled Soldiers and the
Ministry
of
Social
Development.
Support to survivor and victim assistance is essential to
NCDR’s new National Mine Action Plan and Jordan’s strategic goals for a comprehensive and sustainable VA
programme to address the most pressing SVA needs.
NCDR’s first victim’s assistance project was launched in
September 2010 through funding by the U.S. Department of State, and will be implemented by the Polus Center for Social & Economic Development in collaboration with the
NCDR. The main goal is to improve Jordan’s national capacity for victims’ assistance, by improving Orthotics and
Prosthetics
(O&P)
and
Wheelchair
Services
for
landmine
victims, improving employability for landmine victims through education and business development and further develop the national capacity for landmine victim
assistance.
Mine Risk Education
Risk Education programs concentrate work in ERW Assessment identified “high risk” communities The NATO‐funded Risk Education Project was begun in May
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2010, targeting the Northern Governorates of Irbid, Ajloun
and Jerash, and carried out in 25 communities identified by the ERW Assessment Survey. New staff has been recruited
and new material is being produced. The first phase of this
project
will
continue
until
October
of
2011.
Meanwhile, all three phases of the U.S. PM/WRA‐funded
project to educate Jordanians on the risks of ERWs and
landmines have been completed. Between April 2007 and
September 2009 the project reached 214,000 individuals in
60 communities with 1,101 MRE activities. Phase III, which
was implemented from September 2009 to January 2011, targeted communities in Zarqa and Jerash, in addition to
communities in the Jordan Valley and Mafraq, where
100,000 individuals benefited from the ERW/Mine RE
activities. The most challenging phase of the program, Phase III was the farthest reaching, targeting people living
in
areas
identified
by
the
ERW
Assessment
Survey
as
“high
risk” for ERW and landmines.
Phase IV, which is expected to begin by the end of 2011
with further US funding, is needed to follow‐up and expand
on the work of the three earlier phases, in order to
complete the work of RE in the northern and middle
regions of Jordan. These areas are the most impacted by mines and ERW's.
Donors and Partners
National Committee for Demining and Rehabilitation
P.O. Box 143126 Amman, 11844 Jordan
Tel. +962 (6) 5859615
Fax: +962 (6) 5859614
Website: www.ncdr.org.jo
Upcoming Activities May
‐Ongoing TOT (training of trainers) workshop for
operational staff, Amman
‐23 May: Mine Action Donor Working Group Meeting at
the King Hussein Club, Amman
‐18 May – 15 June: Head of Planning attending James
Madison University’s ERW/Senior Mangers Course, USA
June
‐20 – 24 June: APBMC Meetings of the Standing
Committees, Geneva
‐Tuesday 21 June, 13:00 to 15:00: Discussion on “The
Jordan Valley Landmine Verification Programme” GICHD,
Geneva
July
‐July 3 – 14: Regional Operational Training Course on
Quality Management, Amman
‐18 – 28 July: MRE dept. quality management TOT
workshop for field staff, Amman
September
‐18 September – 13 October: NCDR’s ERW International
Senior Managers Training Course, Amman