US embassy cable - 05GUATEMALA1754

UNCLAS GUATEMALA 001754 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR PM/WRA, WHA/CEN, AND WHA/PPC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KHDP, MOPS, MARR, PREL, GT 
SUBJECT: GUATEMALA NEAR COMPLETION OF DEMINING 
 
REF: STATE 105813 
 
1.  Summary:  Per reftel request for planning inputs for the 
Department's FY06 PM/WRA Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA) 
Strategic Plan, post is not submitting such inputs as the 
Guatemalan Government's HMA plan forecasts a completion of 
all demining activity in Guatemala by October 2005.  The 
following paragraphs describe the results and current state 
of Guatemala's HMA efforts.  End Summary. 
 
2.  According to the Guatemalan National Coordinator for 
Demining, guerrilla encampments near the Tajumulco Volcano in 
San Marcos Department represented the only significant 
presence of landmines in Guatemala.  Following clearance of 
this area, demining efforts have centered on discovery and 
deactivation of unexploded ordnance (UXO).  The resident OAS 
office which assists GOG demining efforts is currently headed 
by a Honduran civilian director and includes one Venezuelan 
and two Honduran military officers. 
 
3.  From January 1998 to May 2005, the GOG destroyed a total 
of 4,093 artefacts (mines and UXO) and executed mine 
awareness campaigns that reached 388,365 individuals and 
1,530 communities.  The Guatemalan plan targeted 14 of the 22 
departments (provinces) in Guatemala; as of September 2004, 
the GOG had completed operations in eight of the 14 
departments.  The GOG "clears" a department by deploying mine 
awareness/public information teams to solicit information 
about UXO locations.  Engineer teams then follow up by 
destroying any discovered UXO. 
 
4.  2005 operations began in the Peten Department and have 
expanded to the final five departments clustered in the 
center of Guatemala (Solola, Suchitepequez, Chimaltenango, 
Escuintla, and Sacatepequez).  The GOG deployed five 
awareness and three engineer teams to the Peten in February 
2005; these teams will complete their work by October 2005. 
Four awareness and one engineer team deployed to the 
remaining five departments in April 2005; these teams are 
also scheduled to conclude operations in October 2005. 
Following completion of operations, the GOG plans to conduct 
a public ceremony to declare Guatemala free of mines and UXO. 
WHARTON