Christians clearing mines in Libya

DanChurchAid, a member of the ACT Alliance, has been approved by the United Nations to undertake a six month operation in the eastern rebel-held part of the country.

The ACT Alliance began its assessment of the area last week and is deploying up to four teams as part of the $1 million operation.

The teams have established a coordination centre as a base for assessing the location of unexploded grenades, missiles and bullets and just how many there are.

ACT Alliance’s mine clearance specialist Sam Christensen fears that children will injure themselves playing in abandoned tanks and has already heard reports of two children being hurt by unexploded ammunition.

He is pleased that clearance teams had been given the go ahead to enter Libya.

“The sooner we start working, the more human lives we can save,” he said.

“We can prevent curious children and unsuspecting adults from encountering life-threatening unexploded ammunition.”

There are also fears, however, that curious adults will put themselves in harm’s way by going to destroyed depots or tanks to gather ammunition to take to their homes. He said such “ammunition tourism” had been seen in the wake of conflicts in Iraq and Kosovo.

He said: “People have no idea what a hand grenade is used for, for instance, and some get the idea of placing it on a shelf like some kind of a souvenir.”

There is also a need to clear remnants to stop them from falling into the hands of terrorists who may use them to carry out attacks on Europe.

Christensen added: “These weapons must not get into the hands of the wrong people. If they are not secured or destroyed and they reach Europe, they would pose a threat against the West.”