US Stops Funding Demining Project

The standoff between the ruling Zanu PF government and the United States of
America (USA) has affected crucial demining operations aimed at clearing
parts of the country of dangerous land mines planted during the liberation
war, a senior official in the Ministry of Defence has confirmed.

Brigadier-General Trust Mugoba who is the director general, Operations and
Planning in the ministry, revealed that the United States government had
withdrawn funding for a demining project in the area stretching from
Victoria Falls and Binga.

He was contributing to a debate on Demilitarisation, Demobilisation, Control
of the Trafficking and Proliferation of Small Arms and Peace Building at a
conference convened by the Centre for Peace Initiatives in Africa (CPIA) in
Mutare.

"Unfortunately the military has not been spared by the politics between the
US government and Zimbabwe. The US government stopped funding this
(demining) project, in 2000," said Mugoba.

He said the US, which started funding the operation during the 90s resulting
in several kilometres of mine-infested fields lying between Binga and the
resort town of Victoria Falls being cleared, had made a total contribution
of US$5 million until its pull out.

It also trained 120 engineers from the Ministry of Defence and provided
funding for spares, equipment for machinery for use in the demining process.

However he was optimistic that the remaining 65 kilometres would be
completed by June as the operation was still progressing.

The Standard also understands that the European Union (EU) which contributed
about $120 million towards demining operations in eastern Zimbabwe has also
withheld funding following its fallout with Harare.

The EU imposed travel and economic sanctions on Harare soon after the 2002
watershed presidential elections which international observers said were
rigged in favour of President Robert Mugabe.

However, Harare disputes the claim saying the EU and Washington want to
protect their interests in the southern African country.

Following the imposition of sanctions by the EU most donors and
international development partners have stopped funding a number of projects
in Harare concentrating only on humanitarian aid.

An estimated 200 kilometres remain infested with dangerous mines
countrywide.