MAG Burundi - November report
15 Dec 2009 15:55:00 GMT
Reuters and AlertNet are not responsible for the content of this article or for any external internet sites. The views expressed are the author's alone.
The MAG-PNB mobile team registers weapons handed-over to the CDCPA during the civilian disarmament campaign, Bujumbura Mairie.
MAG Burundi
Reporting Period: 1-30 November 2009
SUMMARY:
- Collection of 18 weapons, 23 magazines, 356 ammunition and 9,310 Small Arms Ammunitions (SAA) from Police Nationale du Burundi (PNB) stocks by the MAG-PNB mobile team;
- Collection of 559 weapons, 1,470 magazines, 1,055 ammunition and 40,602 SAA handed-over by the population to the National Commission for Civilian Disarmament and SALW (CDCPA) by the MAG-PNB mobile team;
- Destruction of 1,342 ammunition by the MAG-PNB mobile team;
- Improvement to the physical security of 15 PNB armouries by the MAG physical security team;
- Refresher training on weapons transport and first aid for the MAG-PNB mobile team.
In December, MAG was pleased to receive a contract from UNDP to collect and destroy Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) handed-over by the population to the CDCPA during the civilian disarmament campaign.
The MAG-PNB mobile team collected in just one week 559 weapons, 1,470 magazines, 1,055 ammunition (including 1,034 hand-grenades) and 40,602 Small Arms Ammunitions (SAA) from police stations in Bujumbura Mairie.
Implementation of the comprehensive Physical Security and Stockpile Management (PSSM) project withthe PNB continued in Region North with funding from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The MAG-PNB mobile team collected surplus and obsolete PNB-owned SALW: 18 weapons, 23 magazines, 356 ammunition and 9,310 SAA.
During the same period, the Physical Security team improved security in 15 PNB armouries.
Work is almost complete in Police Region North, it is expected the teams will move to Region East in January 2010.
Finally, thanks to funding from the Swiss Government, MAG hosted the visit of a Professor and a student from the French Engineering College Ecole Nationale Superieure des Arts et Metiers (ENSAM) to conduct a feasibility study for recycling in Burundi the scrap metal originating from weapons destruction by smelting it to produce agricultural tools and other objects.
This project could eventually employ former combatants to support their reintegration in civilian life.
MAG would like to express its gratitude to the following current donors to the Burundi programme: Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Swiss Government; UNDP.
For more information on this or any of MAG's programmes across the world please visit www.maginternational.org