Under the patronage of H.R.H. Prince Ra’ad Bin Zaid, the Chief Chamberlain and leading advocate for people with special needs, the United Nations in Jordan in cooperation with the National Committee for Demining and Rehabilitation joined the world in marking the first International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action.
Hundreds of red and white balloons were released over the Baptism Site, where the event took place. The site was once a “killer field” while now after being cleared of landmines, the area receives thousands of visitors from around the world.
The red balloons symbolized the 1,400 landmines that were cleared from the Baptismal site while the white balloons were in remembrance of the 533 victims who were killed or injured by these hidden killers.
The event included statements by H.R.H. Prince Mired bin Ra’ad, NCDR Board Chairman, Ms. Christine McNab, UN Resident Coordinator and two of the survivors, and was attended by UN Representatives, government officials, diplomats, NGOs who work closely in the fight against landmines and the rehabilitation of the survivors.
“It is a day in which we must celebrate our achievements in mine action and also take stock of were we are and reflect upon what still needs to be done,” said Prince Mired. He added “We still have many thousands of mines to clear, survivors to support and mine awareness campaigns to be conducted”.
Ms. Mona Hider, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Deputy Resident Representative who delivered the UN statement on behalf of the UN Resident Coordinator also commended landmine – clearing efforts in the country. Hider said “Jordan’s efforts in this field will eventually contribute to putting the country on track in achieving most of the millennium Development Goals but especially to the 1st Goal of reducing poverty to half by the year 2015 and the 7th Goal of ensuring environmental sustainability.
The United Nations through the UNDP in Jordan has long been a core partner in the country’s fight against landmines. With funds from the governments of Canada, Denmark, Germany, Britain, Switzerland and the European Union UNDP together with the NCDR had carried out several projects in the country which included the formulation of the national Mine Action Strategy, building NCDR’s capacity.
UNDP recently launched a project that will help Jordan reclaim some of the richest agricultural land in North Shunah District at the Jordan Valley. “Approximately 1.5 million m2 of some of the country’s most fertile land, in one of the country’s most impoverished districts, will be cleared by the years 2007” Ms. Hider said, “the impact will have both meaningful humanitarian and economic consequences for the people forced to live in the district for decades without access to this land.
Jordan’s event also included an exhibition related to the country’s activities in the field. It included exhibits of the National Committee for Demining and Rehabilitation, the Royal Engineering Corps, the Hashemite Society for Disabled Soldiers, Jordan Red Crescent, the Landmine Survivors Network and the Royal Medical Services.
April 4 of every year has been declared by the General Assembly as the "International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action”. The declaration stemmed during the 2005 World Summit from recommendations by member states, who wanted to create an opportunity to sustain public awareness about the problem of landmines and explosive remnants of war and the efforts to eliminate them.