MAG Burundi report - January 2011
Fri, 11 Mar 2011 12:30 GMT
The Force de Défense Nationale SALW Survey Team assessing weapons in an armoury. [Photo: MAG Burundi]
Reporting Period: 1–31 January 2011
Summary:
• Assessment of 19 Force de Défense Nationale (FDN) Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) depots by the FDN SALW Survey Team;
• Preparation of a demining/Explosive Ordnance Disposal 1 & 2 training package by the MAG Technical Field Manager.
In January, the survey of Army SALW, funded by the Swiss Department of Foreign Affairs, continued in 19 depots of the 2nd and 3rd Military Regions. The survey is expected to be completed at the beginning of March and will allow the FDN to identify the main issues regarding the management and storage of their SALW stocks, as well as identify solutions.
The initial conclusions show that:
- There are many weapons and ammunition which are degraded or obsolete and some ammunition represent a high risk of accidental explosion;
- The infrastructure for the storage of weapons and ammunition is poor; most stocks need security improvements and armouries need to be built;
- The armourers lack training to safely store and manage weapons and ammunition.
MAG Burundi and the FDN are looking for funding to implement solutions to the weaknesses identified, such as:
- The destruction of degraded or obsolete weapons and ammunition;
- The rehabilitation or construction of armouries and ammunition depots;
- The training of armourers.
In the meantime, the MAG Technical Field Manager was preparing a training package in view of the demining project, funded by the Swiss Department of Foreign Affairs, which is expected to start soon. The goal of the project is to train the Civilian Defence staff in demining and clear the areas which were confirmed as contaminated by mines or Explosive Remnants of War during the recent survey.
For more on MAG's operations in Burundi please see www.maginternational.org/burundi.
MAG thanks the following current donors to the Burundi programme:
Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Swiss Department of Foreign Affairs
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