United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) Clears Anti-personnel Mines in Remote Canal, though Community Challenges Remain – African Business

The air is filled of expectation as the powerful barges manned the Bangladeshi Marine Force Unit (UNMISS), make their way across the White Nile.

Lush, thick vegetation characteristic of the Sudd—one of the world’s largest wetlands—flank both sides of the river, providing sanctuary to birds and the odd crocodile. 

A team of peacekeepers are journeying to remote Canal in Pigi county, an area that can only be reached via water routes from Malakal in Upper Nile state. The sky is covered in dark clouds, and the drizzle that continues soon turns to a torrential downpour. 

On one of the boats is Sara Beysolow Nyanti, the Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative for South Sudan. This is a very special trip for Ms. Beysolow, who is also the Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for this young country.

Why? Because she is going to meet communities who, just a few months ago, were living on an active minefield.

“When the plight of the people who relocated to this live minefield was first brought to my attention, the immediate question in my head at the time was why would anybody choose to do that?” asks Fran O’ Grady, Chief of Mine Action, South Sudan. “The answer is—nobody would but communities felt they had no choice.”

South Sudan has experienced some of its worst flooding and heavy rainfall in nearly a century. The contours of the Nile and its surrounding swamps have changed dramatically, and this has led to a desperate search for dry land by communities.

Some 1,500 people, in a bid to survive, moved into an area littered with 25 anti-personnel mines, a grim legacy of previous conflicts.

UNMAS mobilized all resources and capabilities immediately after hearing about the tragic incident, fighting huge odds to make it safe for all.

It wasn’t an easy task.

The first obstacle they faced was the hard ground. It couldn’t be demined manually and they had to source a special machine. The second – racing against time to complete their lifesaving work before torrential downpours made the location impossible to reach!

“We had a miniscule window of opportunity because the rains were only a few weeks away,” recalls Mr. O’ Grady. “The nearest machine was a long boat ride away. We had to acquire that machine; fix it; find a barge to carry it up the river to Canal before it started pouring; and put together a team to do the actual clearance,” he reveals.

“It was a gamble but I’m really happy to say it worked out and we managed to clear the entire area of anti-personnel mines,” he adds.

Mr O’Grady’s words are borne out by the warm welcome that DSRSG Nyanti received when she reached Canal. Singing and dancing were the order of day.

“There’s so much life here,” states the UNMISS Deputy Head. “We’re responsible for 75 per cent of demining activities in South Sudan and this is a stellar example. These grounds were home to only 1,500 people before UNMAS cleared them. Today, there are more than 10,000 people who live here. We hear children playing and laughing. Every step people take is safe, and so is the ground on which they live. This is a major achievement in terms ensuring access to humanitarian services as well as development programming.

Ms. Beysolow admits that there are still many things to do. She walks around in gumboots, raincoats, and umbrellas, completely unaware of the mud beneath her feet. She focuses on the community leaders, women and children, while also taking part in some of the joy that her arrival has brought.

She listens attentively and takes their stories seriously, even when it rains.

Inclement weather has become a way of life here and community members flock to narrate their issues—snakes run them out of their homes; they need clean water and medical care, plus their children lack proper schools.

It is the plight and suffering of the women that really hits the Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator.

“No matter what title or position I hold, I am first and foremost an African woman. It is difficult for my to listen and understand the issues faced by women in this area. The fact that a woman in 2022 must either leave her home and find somewhere else to live when she is seven months pregnant or reconcile herself to a 50-50 chance of dying because she won’t have access to a hospital to deliver her baby safely—that’s painful. It is painful to hear snakes and people are fighting for the same space; that people are pushed out of their homes at night when snakes enter because of floods,” states Ms. Nyanti passionately.

Despite these persistent challenges, the people of Canal hold deep gratitude in their hearts for the efforts made by UNMAS.

Sarah, a women’s representative (and DSRSG Nyanti’s namesake) says that the demining activities have hugely improved quality of life for the communities in Canal.

“Before UNMAS helped us we were always afraid of what was under the ground. We feared that our children would pick up something that was dangerous and be hurt or killed. Now we can live with no fear. We can dig the ground and build our own homes. tukuls (mud huts) that provide us shelter from the rain and our children can play freely,” she discloses with a smile.

Importantly, Canal communities live peacefully despite daily hardships. Both internally displaced persons and host communities stand together in the fight against climate shocks. They are united in their need to have clean water, education, and food.

UNMAS and its dedicated miners gave hope a new lease of existence in Canal. People in Canal could rebuild their lives and recover with the support of international friends.

“The people of Canal have themselves chosen to clear their pathway to peace,” says DSRSG Nyanti.

“This is really an important step. When there is peace, when the ground they live on is safe, and when they have worked hard to reconcile their differences, we, as the UN family, can rally to garner more support for them.”

Distributed by APO Group, United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).