United Nations Mine Action Service of the Department of Peacekeeping: Clearing Benghazi of the terrorists' deadly mines and explosive remnants

On behalf of the Civil Community of Benghazi and Derna cities in the eastern part of Libya, we demand that the Inter-Agency Coordination Group for Mine Action and the fourteen United Nations partners involved in mine service action to take immediate action to assist in clearing the liberated areas from mines and remnants left by the terrorist group.

Anti-personnel mines kill and maim tens of defenseless innocent civilians, mostly minors, everyday in Benghazi and Derna. Additionally, they:

• frighten returning refugees,

• stop farmers from harvesting,

• obstruct movement,

• hinder economic and social development, and

• delay reconstruction after war.

These terrorists planted their mines at the entrances, kitchens and bedrooms of refugees’ houses. We are in emergency situation where there is no time to train staff. We demand the United Nation Department of Peacekeeping and the United Nation Mine Action Coordination Centre to start an urgent humanitarian intervention through International NGOs and commercial companies. Mine detection dog program to locate and define the boundaries of minefields is needed.

We promise that all local NGOs will collaborate and coordinate to give all possible assistance. Further, we would like to emphasize that the liberated areas are mostly free of the terrorists’ risks except of what they have left of mines and remnants.

With the United Nation collaboration, we believe that Benghazi-Derna model could be as successful as Kosovo model since the mines are in contained area. Also, we, the civil community, will push hard for Libya to sign and ratify Ottawa Treaty as soon as we have a stable united government.

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