Kisangani, 4 August 2009 - The UN Mine Action Coordination Centre (UNMACC) yesterday officially handed over the demined zones in Kisangani airport to the local authorities, consisting of seven and a half kilometres of land around the runway. Verification and mine clearance was completed by the South African demining company Mechem, under the coordination of UNMACC.
The official ceremony took place in Kisangani international airport in the presence of the provincial vice-governor Joseph Bangakia Angaze, and representatives from MONUC, UNMACC, Mechem and the national air transport authority (RVA).
Three main events marked the ceremony: a presentation of the works completed; the signing of official handover documents; and a demonstration of mine and unexploded ordnance detection through the use of machines and trained dogs.
According to Harry Van Rensburg, head of MECHEM in the DRC, Kisangani airport was a very strategic location that was fought over during the wars of 1997 and 2000, which is why the RVA asked MONUC to demine the area.
Mr. Van Rensburg explained that a munitions store close to the airport had exploded in 2002 and remnants had scattered everywhere, in particular on the airport perimeter, the demining of which proved a long and delicate task.
“We started on 17 January and finished on 22 August 2009. These are completely 847.5 working hours over seven months to demine a total area of 576,778 square metres, consisting of two strips 75 metres wide on both sides of the runway and two strips 60 metres long at both ends of the runway.
For provincial vice governor Joseph Bangakia Angaze, this demining work is more that satisfactory because the airport is now secured.
He thanked the de-miners and MONUC, saying that “we now have a space completely secured on the outskirts of the runway and this security is priceless. We knew for a long time that this space was contaminated with unexploded ordnance since the last wars that ravaged Kisangani and surrounding areas.”
Kisangani airport chief Georges Tabora appreciated the completed work, as his officers can now work in total security around the runway.
According to the regional UNMACC officer Langis Langlois, work remains to be done at a water distribution station in the zone southwest of the runway.
“MECHEM will continue their good work in this zone, and in demining the surrounding areas around the airport,” he said.
Other organizations have carried out emergency demining work in Kisangani since 2001. On the same day, the NGO Handicap International, a partner of UNMACC, started a mine clearance operation on the road to the airport.