Cuemba – At least nine anti-tank mines and a hand grenade that were detected in an agricultural field in the municipality of Cuemba, Bié province, were initially prevented from being removed by the supposed owner of the space.
The operation by specialists from the demining NGO Hallo Trust was only accomplished thanks to the prompt intervention of the municipal administrator, Baptista Canõlossi Jambela Albino, who alerted space owner about the danger of the mines.
The explosive devices were in a field that has been cultivated for several years, on the side of the road that connects the municipal seat of Cuemba to the commune of Munhango.
The reasons for the citizen in question preventing the removal were not given, but a source from Hallo Trust said that many people, even though they know of the existence of these objects, do not inform the authorities.
He said that some people try to remove possible mercury inside the devices, which has caused many accidents, sometimes resulting in death.
The supervisor of the Hallo Trust demining team in Cuemba, Mário João, admitted that this was a minefield during the country's armed conflict.
Hallo Trust's team of sappers is carrying out demining work in this area, in order to guarantee the safe movement of people and goods, as well as to allow the asphalting work to be carried out in the road.
Recently, the organization's field officer in Bié, Seb Haddock, said they intended to clear 20 fields still mined with various explosive devices this year.
He added that soon the demining work will be reinforced with a mechanical team, so that by January 2025 the section between the town of Lusselei and the municipal seat of Cuemba will be cleared.
The Halo Trust has been working in Bié for almost 30 years. During this time it has cleared 551 fields currently being used for agriculture and housing.
Over the course of 2023, around 17 fields were cleared of mines and other explosive devices, which correspond to an area 1.7 million square meters.
During this period, 130 different mines were deactivated and destroyed.
AS/PLB/TED/AMP
