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MapAction Maps MapAction News Deployment:Sri Lanka Post-Conflict Recovery, June 2009 Deployment:Pakistan IDP Emergency, June 2009

Mapping the hidden enemy

mag_angola_demolition_110x110MapAction is assisting the NGO Mines Advisory Group (www.maginternational.org) to use advanced GIS methods in its work. MapAction volunteers have travelled to Angola and Northern Iraq to train MAG personnel in the use of GIS to enhance the efficiency and safety of demining work in the most mine-affected areas of the world. (Picture ©MAG 2008)

MAG requested MapAction's help to upgrade its GIS capacity across all of its national mine action programmes. Jonny Douch and Liesbeth Renders of MapAction undertook the first mini-project in June 2008 in eastern Angola. This was followed by a project in Northern Iraq in October by Jonny and another MapAction volunteer Vickie Shelley; MapAction Director David Spackman also visited the programme.

The work in both projects involved analysis of field methods and recommendation of procedures to make the fullest use of GIS and GPS. In Angola, in-situ training of several MAG personnel in Angola was achieved while gaining an understanding of the geospatial needs of mine action programmes at field level.

Liesbeth Renders commented during the Angola mission: "We're here to work with MAG staff in improving their map making. This will help them map the areas they're currently working in and will make it easier to establish which areas should be priorities in the future, by allowing the combination of data from technical mine surveys with data from the affected community. This should make it possible to reduce the areas currently identified as mined so de-mining will be accurately targeted in the future."

Following the 27-year civil war in Angola, landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) remain as the 'hidden enemy', causing a continuous stream of civilian casualties. It is widely acknowledged that there are probably two landmines for every person in Angola. 

In Northern Iraq, landmines and UXO from several conflicts including the Iran/Iraq war and the Coalition invasion have left many communities affected. There, some minefields are located on steep slopes which further complicates the painstaking work of clearance.