US embassy cable - 01HARARE1176

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Identifier:	01HARARE1176
Wikileaks:	View 01HARARE1176 at Wikileaks.org
Origin:	Embassy Harare
Created:	2001-03-30 10:35:00
Classification:	UNCLASSIFIED
Tags:	PHUM PGOV KDEM PINS ZI
Redacted:	This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.

UNCLAS HARARE 001176 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR PM/HDP 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
LONDON FOR GURNEY 
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL. N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, PGOV, KDEM, PINS, ZI 
SUBJECT: DATA ON ANTI-PERSONNEL LANDMINES: ZIMBABWE 
 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  01176  301031Z 
REF:  STATE 7023 
 
OVERVIEW 
-------- 
 
1.  AT INDEPENDENCE IN 1980, THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE INHERITED A 
LANDMINE PROBLEM ALONG SOME OF ITS BORDERS, WHERE RHODESIAN 
SECURITY SERVICES HAD LAID MINES TO HINDER OPERATIONS BY REBEL 
GROUPS BASED IN MOZAMBIQUE AND ZAMBIA.  ALTHOUGH MINE CLEARANCE 
BEGAN IN 1982 IN AFFECTED AREAS, THE GOVERNMENT DID NOT BEGIN TO 
MAKE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS UNTIL 1998, WHEN THE NATIONAL DEMINING 
OFFICE (NDO) WAS FORMED TO COORDINATE NATIONAL DEMINING EFFORTS. 
THE UNITED STATES PROVIDED SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL, TECHNICAL, AND 
MATERIAL ASSISTANCE TO THE NDO AND TO A NATIONAL MINE CLEARANCE 
SQUADRON ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE ZIMBABWE DEFENSE FORCES. 
 
SCOPE OF PROBLEM 
---------------- 
 
2.  ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL DEMINING OFFICE, AN ESTIMATED 2.5 
MILLION MINES WERE IN THE GROUND AT INDEPENDENCE.  700,000 MINES 
HAVE NOW BEEN REMOVED, LEAVING 1.8 MILLION STILL TO BE CLEARED. 
 
3.  AT INDEPENDENCE, 656 SQUARE KILOMETERS WERE AFFECTED BY MINES 
AT INDEPENDENCE.  OF THOSE, 237 SQUARE KILOMETERS HAVE NOW BEEN 
CLEARED. 
 
4.  THERE ARE VERY FEW PEOPLE KILLED OR INJURED BY LANDMINES IN 
ZIMBABWE.  IN 2000, HOWEVER, TWO PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND TWO INJURED 
IN TWO SEPARATE INCIDENTS INVOLVING LAND MINES.  IN THE FIRST CASE, 
THREE CHILDREN WERE PLAYING IN THE EASTERN HIGHLANDS NEAR A MINE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  01176  301031Z 
FIELD WHICH WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING CLEARED.  ONE OF THE 
CHILDREN FOUND AND PICKED UP A MINE; IT DETONATED, KILLING TWO OF 
THEM AND SERIOUSLY INJURING THE OTHER.  IN THE SECOND INCIDENT, A 
MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL MINE CLEARANCE SQUADRON LOST ONE OF HIS LEGS 
BELOW THE KNEE AFTER HE SLIPPED OFF A ROCK AND LANDED ON A MINE. 
 
IRVING 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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