A key part of MAG's work is to help minimise the risks for people living, working and travelling through
areas contaminated with landmines and unexploded ordnance, until clearance teams can remove the
threat.
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Delivering Mine Risk Education to a shepherd in Qala Yahodi. |
The village of Qala Yahodi, close to the border with Iran in Diyala governorate, lives with the threat of death or injury on a daily basis.
Agricultural land remains unused due to the danger: in late 2006, a shepherd was killed in a landmine accident while grazing in the area.
To minimise the risks, in partnership with a local non-governmental organisation a MAG Iraq Community Liaison team has delivered Mine Risk Education (MRE) to villagers in Qala Yahodi.
Targeting different audiences, such as students, shepherds and women, a variety of sessions included how to recognise commonly found remnants of conflict and how to report a dangerous item.
"We didn't know what these things were, but now that we received the MRE we have a better knowledge about these items, and we know what to do when we see something suspicious" said Mr. Nariman, a local shepherd.
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A group of women attend an MRE session. [Photos: MAG Iraq] |
Iraq has been subjected to protracted and intense conflict for over 25 years, and is one of the countries most affected by explosive conventional weapons.
The conflict in 2003 led to further, extensive contamination, resulting in large numbers of unsecured and abandoned stockpiles, and caches of small arms and light weapons.
Raising awareness of the dangers amongst children and other vulnerable groups is essential.
24 September 2009
See also:
Why does MAG work in Iraq?
More about Mine Risk Education
More about Community Liaison
The Community Liaison team in this article was funded by Stichting Vluchteling, Netherlands Refugee Foundation, www.vluchteling.org.
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