Introduction

Cause and scope of the landmine problem

The mine and unexploded ordnance (UXO) problem in Jordan derives from the 1948 partition of Palestine, the 1967–1969 Arab-Israeli conflict, and the confrontation with Syria in 1975. The minefields are limited to three major areas, the Northern Highlands, Jordan Valley and Wadi Araba in the south. Basic maps were kept for all minefields. There are also UXO in a small number of areas centered in the Ajloun and Irbid governorates.

According to military estimates, some 305,000 antipersonnel and anti-vehicle mines were laid on Jordanian territory (73,000 Israeli and 232,000 Jordanian mines). Jordan’s mine action plan of June 2005 claimed that 35 million square meters of land across 314 minefields remained contaminated with 203,094 mines, of which 156,371 were antipersonnel mines.

Mines in Jordan directly affect over 500,000 people, representing eight percent of the population, the majority of who are said to be women and children. Mine contamination blocks access to valuable agricultural land, delays irrigation and hydroelectric projects, restricts housing construction, and isolates historic and cultural heritage sites. Access to natural resources is important in Jordan, as it suffers acute water scarcity and population growth is substantial.

Programme Overview

NPA was initially tasked with clearing the 126 Israeli minefields laid between the Red Sea and the Dead Sea in the Wadi Araba and Aqaba regions. NPA’s project on the border to Israel started in August 2006 and was finalized in May 2008. By this time we will be have released approximately 14 million square meters of previously suspected hazardous areas and removing 50,000 landmines in the process.

In July 2007, NPA was tasked with clearing all landmines on Jordan’s border with Syria. Building on the national capacity founded under the Wadi Araba project, the Northern border project will cover 93 confirmed minefields covering 10.5 square kilometers and will take around 3 years to complete.

Jordan Northern Border Project

Following the success of the Wadi Araba Project, NCDR tasked NPA with clearing on its northern borders of Syria, which constitute the last stretch of minefields on its territories.Technical Assesment of the Northern Border Project (NBP) was completed in 2007. The Technical Survey began on Novembers 5th 2007 (an ongoing process which combines tech survey with site preparation for the follow up clearance activities and ensure that demining operations are concentrated in areas known to be mined).

Authority to commence demining operations has been received by Jordanians national authority (NCDR) from December 10th 2007 subject to agreement of the work plan submitted by NPA. Operations on the ground strated on April 1st 2008.

Objectives:

• To assist in ridding Jordan of landmines and to meet its revised Mine Ban Treaty obligations.
• To release hazardous areas on the northern border of Jordan by 2011 for, agriculture, construction of major projects, including the Wihda Dam and free trade zone between Jordan and Syria.
• Remove the risk imposed by landmines for a population of approximately 50,000 civilians.

Expected impacts:

• Risk for a population of approximately 50,000 civilians removed. The majority of the population exposed to the threat of landmines in Jordan is female agricultural workers and young boys who act as herders. The threat to this specific demographic cohort will be reduced through the project.
• 7 million m2 of highly fertile land that is presently in the buffer zone between the minefields and the local farms will be returned for agricultural use and livestock herding.
• Wihda Dam completed on time and without risk to the construction workers.
• Construction of $1 billion free trade zone between Jordan and Syria allowed to proceed unimpeded by the threat of landmines.
• Clearing the last major mined area will help ensure that Jordan meets its 2009 Ottawa Treaty obligation which will send a strong signal to its neighbors and the international community that through determined leadership and strong partnerships the mine problem can be conquered.
• Replacing the minefield with a more effective security system will reduce the terrorist threat to the country.
• Clearing the territory of landmines will also contribute to the Government’s national poverty reduction strategy and meeting its stated Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
• Short-term employment opportunities and income generating activities for the small border towns will be a significant spin-off of the project.
• Procurement of equipment and services will be locally sourced where appropriate.

Norwegian People's Aid

Organisational Chart

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Wadi Araba Mine Clearance Project

The Wadi Araba Mine Clearance Project is a pioneer step as it is the first international demining entity to work in Jordan. The project has cleared all the Israeli minefields in Wadi Araba that run between the Dead Sea and the Red Sea at the Port of Aqaba. The clearance of the Wadi Araba/Aqaba region will have “a major bearing on the future development and quality of life potential of all the people of Jordan”.

Objectives:

• To assist in ridding Jordan of landmines and to meet its Mine Ban Treaty obligations.
• To release hazardous areas in Wadi Araba/ Aqaba by mid 2008 for housing, agriculture, manufacturing and service industries.

Impacts:

• Provide access to potential agricultural areas (a very scarce resource in Jordan)
• Release land for economical development in Jordan, such as tourism
• in the Aqaba area, hydro electricity, pipe line between Red-Dead Sea, etc
• People and enterprises in Jordan will be able to utilize the riverbed along the border to Israel, an area regarded as important for development of agriculture, manufacturing, and service industries in Jordan for the future.

Landmine Retrofit Survey

Objectives

• Assess the human impact on the local communities as well as technically assess and record operational data on each.
• Gather and verify mine related data and populate the NCDR’s IMSMA database
• to help mainstream mine action objectives with the Millennium Development Goals and National
• Poverty Reduction Strategies.
• Build the capacities of national staff to manage existing mine-related data.
• Identify and record the number of people killed and injured by mines and UXOs.

Activities

• Desk Survey: Gather all mine related geographical data to help develop standardized provincial and district maps.
• Task Impact Assessment: Identify affected communities; gather impact data, taking into account the perspectives of community leaders, youth, and women.
• Technical Assessment: Gather detailed technical minefield data by assessing minefields, draft clearance recommendations and develop sketches.
• Clearance plan: Develop a comprehensive clearance plan, which includes potential demining methods and key operational hurdles to watch for.
• Victim data was also gathered during the LRS; victims were interviewed to identify the location of the accident, behavior and activities at the time of accident and medical services provided.

Key LRS Findings

• Out of 48 identified communities, 34 were found to be suffering because of mines.
Mines continue to block around 11m² thus hindering development projects.
• The increase in average family income because of the removal of mines was estimated to be 25%, and water wells.
• At the macro- economic level the impact of mine clearance is calculated to be $100 millions.

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