Lebanon - Diffusing Conflicts - South Lebanon
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Episode
8 - MDG 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development
Project implemented by UNIFIL (www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/missions/unifil)
South Lebanon, Lebanon,
November 2010
Project financed by the Italian Ministry for external Affairs (www.esteri.it/MAE/EN)
Every year, landmines kill 15,000 to 20,000 people, most of them children, women and the elderly, and severely maim countless more. Although as many as 110 million land mines are scattered in around 70 countries, they still continue to be used as weapons of war. More recent landmines are most often made of plastic and are smaller and less detectable. These mines are fatal for children who often get attracted by their size, design and colour and pick them up thinking they are toys.
Landmines can be deactivated only by removing them one by one. Although producing a landmine costs 3 to 75 USD, removing a mine can cost from 300 –1000 USD. Mine disposal experts believe that despite the highly professional training they receive, for every 5000 mines cleared, a worker will be killed and two will be injured by accidental explosions.
One of the areas strewn with mines is around the Blue Line that marks the border between Israel and Lebanon. As part of their contribution to restoring international peace and security, the Italian forces of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, or the UNIFIL, are responsible for clearing the mines. UNIFIL was established as part of the UN Security Council Resolution taken in March 1978 to ratify the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon and to help the Lebanese Government regain sovereignty in the area. In Lebanon, UNIFIL also assists displaced persons and provides humanitarian assistance to civilians in the underdeveloped region of Southern Lebanon.
We went to the Blue Line in Southern Lebanon to meet some mine disposal experts who risk their lives every day so that others can live in peace. We saw how these experts diffused landmines.
Military cooperation among countries, under the UN umbrella, can also help maintain peace along contested borders. What once was a land strewn with mines, is now being cultivated, bringing economic benefit to the local population.
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Additional Notes
During 2002–2008, mine clearance in southern Lebanon was coordinated by the United Nations Mine Action Coordination Centre of Southern Lebanon (UNMACC-SL) as a partnership between the United Nations and the Lebanese Armed Forces. With the transition of coordination authority to the Lebanon Mine Action Centre (LMAC) since January 2009, UNMACC-SL experts now work as integral part of UNIFIL’s de-mining efforts. A dedicated Military Community Outreach Unit focuses on communicating UNIFIL’s aims, objectives and activities to the local population while gaining feedback from communities in relation to UNIFIL’s operations in support of resolution 1701 (2006). Besides regular meetings with local authorities and community representatives, some focus areas of UNIFIL’s outreach activities include:
· Establishing forums in which questions or issues of concern to the local community can be brought to the attention of the Mission. For example, in 2007 UNIFIL Civil Affairs unit organised a series of town hall meetings between local community leaders and the UNIFIL Force Commander;
· Explaining UN Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) and making information on UNIFIL’s activities available to local population;
· Developing understanding between UNIFIL and youth in south Lebanon. For ex. school visits are regularly organised for ‘A Day with UNIFIL’ at the Mission headquarters in Naqoura or in other UNIFIL establishments.
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The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, or UNIFIL, was created by the United Nations, with the adoption of Security Council Resolution 425 and 426 on 19 March 1978, to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon which Israel had invaded five days prior, restore international peace and security, and help the Government of Lebanon restore its effective authority in the area. UNIFIL is tasked with achieving the following objectives of restore international peace and security and assist the Government of Lebanon in ensuring the return of its effective authority in the area. One of the conflict prevention areas in which the Italian UNIFIL works is de-mining. It undertakes de-mining in Southern Lebanon (south of the Litani River) and primarily along the United Nations-drawn Blue Line, which is the border between Israel and Lebanon.
The TVP team visited one of the zones being cleared of mines by the Italian forces of UNIFIL.
UNIFIL de-mining teams undertake mine clearance activities that are necessary to facilitate UNIFIL’s deployment and operations, including clearing the way to facilitate visible marking of the Blue Line. During 2002–2008, mine clearance in southern Lebanon was coordinated by the United Nations Mine Action Coordination Centre of Southern Lebanon (UNMACC-SL) as a partnership between the United Nations and the Lebanese Armed Forces. With the transition of coordination authority to the Lebanon Mine Action Centre (LMAC) since January 2009, UNMACC-SL experts now work as integral part of UNIFIL’s de-mining efforts. De-mining activities critically contribute to reduce poverty, raise standards of living and improve lives,” “Land cleared of mines and unexploded ordnance is now being cultivated, bringing social and economic benefits to the local population.”
The force's
activities have centered around monitoring military activity between Hezbollah
and the Israeli Defense Forces with the aim of reducing tensions and allaying
tension along the border. UNIFIL has also played an important role in clearing
landmines, assisting displaced persons and providing humanitarian assistance
to civilians in the underdeveloped region of Southern Lebanon.
Community outreach is a key priority for the Mission with activities being carried-out by of a number of units to ensure regular flow of information to and from the communities. A dedicated Military Community Outreach Unit focuses on communicating details of UNIFIL’s aims, objectives and activities to the local population while gaining feedback from communities in relation to UNIFIL’s operations in support of resolution 1701 (2006).Besides regular meetings with local authorities and community representatives, some focus areas of UNIFIL’s outreach activities include:
Additional Information
Israel has criticized
the force for, amongst other things, maintaining a dialogue with Hezbollah,
which it views as a terrorist organization, for treating Israeli and Hezbollah
violations of security council resolution 1701 equally, while Israel views its
violations of Lebanese airspace as less severe than Hezbollah violations
including crossings of the blue line and rocket launchings, namely because
Hezbollah is an internationally recognised terrorist organisation whose
violent actions constitute terror attacks that threaten the lives of Israeli
civilians. UNIFIL was accused of complicity in the fatal abduction of IDF
soldiers in October 2000, and Israel further blamed it for obstructing its
investigation by denying the existence of and then once the existence was
leaked, refusing to supply videos of the attack for several months
Hezbollah supporters have accused UNIFIL of siding with Israel, especially
since the passage of Resolution 1701 which they view as one-sided. On 16
October 2006 Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah declared that the UN force had
“come to protect Israel, not Lebanon”.
According to UNIFIL press releases, there have been dozens of such incidents
of UN posts coming under fire during the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict.
UNIFIL attaches great
importance to relations with the local population among whom the peacekeepers
operate. There are several facets to this relationship: these include
informing the people of south Lebanon about UNIFIL’s mandate and activities;
providing or facilitating limited assistance to the extent possible;
respecting and sharing in local culture, customs and concerns; participating
in community events and ensuring minimum disturbance to normal daily life from
UNIFIL’s operations in the area. To this end, interactions with the
communities are regularly conducted at every level.
Civil Affairs (civilian) and Civil Military Coordination (military) are the
main interface between UNIFIL and the communities in which it operates.
Personnel from these units play a key role in liaising with local authorities
and communities on behalf of the Mission as well as undertaking a range of
activities to support the population in the UNIFIL areas of responsibility.
Mandating resolutions
by the United Nations: