GOVERNMENT has appealed to the international community to chip in with about $100 million required to speed up the demining of the country’s borders after the exercise was allocated a paltry $500 000 by Treasury this year.
VENERANDA LANGA SENIOR PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER
Secretary in the Ministry of Defence Martin Rushwaya told Parliament yesterday that the paltry allocation from Treasury had stalled the programme.
“We were only allocated $500 000 in the 2014 national Budget for demining and we appeal to the international community to support us to complete the demining exercise,” Rushwaya said.
Director of the Zimbabwe Mine Action Centre Colonel Mkhululi Ncube warned members of the public against tampering with landmines after being misled into believing that the explosives contained red mercury.
Ncube said since independence in 1980, anti-personnel mines had killed about 1 650 people, injured 2 000 and left about 8 500 people traumatised.
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He said in 2012 alone, 18 people were killed while 12 people were injured. The explosives have also reportedly killed over 120 000 domestic animals especially in Mt Darwin where about three million anti-personnel mines planted by the Rhodesian Front during the armed struggle are believed to be lying undetected.
“Most of these incidents in 2012 were attributed to speculation that mines contained red mercury and people tried to tamper with them, but it is not correct — it is a myth because there is no mercury in these lethal devices,” Ncube said.
“Recently, we had to carry out mine risk education in Rushinga because people like teachers were keeping money with the intent to buy landmines so that they can extract mercury, but there is no mercury in there except dangerous explosive substances.”
The areas heavily infested were Victoria Falls to Mlilizi, with 220 kilometres where 10% of landmines were cleared by the United States government and 29 959 anti-personnel mines were cleared by the local army units.
Mukumbura River is also said to be heavily infested with landmines and an international company — Hallow Trust — was helping with the clearance.
Other areas infested include Sheba Forest to Beacon Hill Mine Field (50km), Burma Valley (3km), Rusitu to Muzite Minefield (75km) and Sango Border Post to Crooks corner (50km).