Contaminated by: antipersonnel mines (light contamination)

Article 5 Deadline: 1 March 2021
(Not on track to meet deadline)

There is no accurate assessment of the extent of mine contamination. The Republic of Senegal has provided inconsistent reports of remaining contamination as of the end of 2016. In 2016, 29,350m² was cleared and 20 antipersonnel mines were destroyed.

Recommendations for action

• Senegal should complete non-technical survey as soon as possible and, where security allows, establish a more complete and accurate estimate of its mine threat. It should record suspected hazardous areas (SHAs) on the basis of demonstrable evidence and with specific size estimates.
• Senegal should prioritize clearance and technical survey in areas readily accessible that clearly evidence the existence of mines.
• The Senegalese National Mine Action Center (Centre National d’Action Antimines, CNAMS) should take immediate action to improve transparency and to facilitate dialogue between all actors concerned by land release operations, as well as to restore confidence among donors and international operators in its mine action program.
• CNAMS should engage the Senegalese Armed Forces to participate in mine action activities and provide information on the location of mined areas and other resources to support clearance.
• Senegal should report regularly and transparently on its clearance efforts and results, including in the annual Article 7 transparency reports.

Contamination

Senegal has still to establish an accurate assessment of the extent of its mine contamination. In 2016–2017, it continued to report inconsistent figures for the amount of confirmed and suspected contaminated areas remaining, as it had in previous years.

According to the CNAMS, as of 31 December 2016, a total of 81 areas of antipersonnel mine contamination remained to be addressed, of which 61 were confirmed hazardous areas (CHAs) with a total size of 305,486m² and 20 were SHAs with an unknown size.[1] In addition, as in 2015, Senegal reported that 144 areas still remained to be surveyed, including 127 areas in Bignona department, four in Oussouye, and 13 in Ziguinchor.[2]

In April 2017, however, CNAMS also reported that 52 CHAs, of which 41 were CHAs covering a total of 529,027m² and 11 CHAs with an unknown size, remained to be addressed.[3]

Previously, at the end of 2015, CNAMS had reported 83 areas of confirmed and suspected contamination with a size of nearly 1.6km². Of this, a total of 56 were CHAs with a total size of 465,127m² had been identified, and 27 were SHAs whose extent had not been defined.[4] However, in its 2017 Article 7 report, Senegal gave a different account, stating that that at the end of 2015, a total of 47 CHAs with a total size of 233,840m² remained to be addressed, along with 20 SHAs with an unknown size.[5]

Four departments (Bignona, Goudomp, Oussouye, and Ziguinchor) out of the total of 45 in Senegal still contain confirmed or suspected mined areas. The affected departments are located in the Casamance region of Senegal, between Gambia to the north and Guinea-Bissau to the south.

Antipersonnel mine contamination by province (as at end 2016)[6]

Note: N/K = not known.

In 2016, Handicap International (HI) conducted non-technical survey for the first time in 80 localities near the northwestern portion of the Senegal-Gambia border in the Casamance region, which had formerly been inaccessible for mine action operations due to security concerns. Five new SHAs were established as a result of the survey. A further 11 localities in Bignona in the northwest were tasked for non-technical survey in April 2016. The survey confirmed seven areas as mined, one in the district of Niaguis in Ziguinchor region, a second in the district of Nyassia in the department Ziguinchor, and a further five in the district of Niagha, in the department of Goudomp, in Sedhiou region.[7]

According to HI, given the historical evidence of frequent clashes and rebel bases in the area, the identification of SHAs in northwest Casamance suggests a high probability that other areas of contamination will be found as survey progresses further east, nearer to the northern border.[8] The extent of contamination is better known in the south of Casamance, where previous survey in the region has identified several SHAs, between the Guinea-Bissau border and the Casamance River to the north and Atlantic Ocean to the west.[9]

Mine contamination in Senegal is the result of more than 30 years of fighting between the armed forces and a non-state armed group, the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (Mouvement des Forces Démocratiques de Casamance, MFDC). Sporadic fighting with some factions of the MFDC has continued despite a ceasefire in place since 2004.

In 2016, mine and explosive remnants of war (ERW) contamination continued to pose a threat to local residents in the Casamance region, seriously hindered socio-economic development, prevented the return of displaced populations, and limited access to agricultural land and livelihood activities.[10]

Program Management

The National Commission for the Implementation of the Ottawa Convention serves as the national mine action authority for Senegal. Demining operations in Casamance are coordinated by the Senegalese National Mine Action Center (Centre National d’Action Antimines, CNAMS). Regional mine action coordination committees have been established in Kolda, Sédhiou, and Ziguinchor departments.

Strategic planning

Senegal submitted an updated workplan in accordance with its Article 5 extension request in May 2017 for the remainder of its extension period, until 1 March 2021. The plan contains a list of all known or suspected contaminated areas and establishes annual targets for the amount of contamination to be addressed. However, there are inconsistencies in its reporting on the total contamination remaining and the size of projected annual milestones for land release. Additionally, Senegal’s extension request is until March 2021, but the plan does not contain details of work to be carried out after 2018.

According to the updated workplan, Senegal would address 17 CHAs with a total size of approximately 169,771m² in 2017; and 24 CHAs with a size of 343,856m² and 11 CHAs with an unknown size, along with non-technical survey of the remaining 144 areas, in 2018; and any areas confirmed as CHA by survey activities in 2019–2020.[11] This would appear to indicate that at least 513,626m² of CHA will be addressed; however, according to Senegal’s most recent Article 7 transparency report, only about 305,000m² of CHA remained as of the end of 2016. Senegal has alternatively reported that a total of 41 CHAs with a combined size of 529,023m² would be addressed in 2017–2018, along with 11 SHAs of unknown sizes; and that the 144 unsurveyed areas will be subjected to non-technical survey in 2019. It has estimated the remaining contaminated area to cover a total of 1.3km².[12]

The workplan does not include a detailed budget to accompany planned activities, nor does it include a resource mobilization plan to account for how external funding will be secured.

Standards

There were no significant developments regarding Senegal’s national mine action standards in 2016. According to HI, the standards have not been updated since 2013.[13]

Operators

In 2016, HI deployed a total of 15 deminers and 14 support personnel, two mine detection dogs (MDDs), and a mechanical excavator, which was introduced for the first time in 2016. HI stopped using the MDDs in December 2016 “due to lack of performance.”[14] HI remained the only international mine action operator in Senegal in 2016 and as of September 2017 was preparing to end its demining operations in the country due to lack of funding.[15]

Land Release

The total mined area reported released by HI in Senegal in 2016 was 147,650m²: just under 118,300m² through survey and 29,350m² by clearance, with the destruction of 20 antipersonnel mines. In comparison, HI released 911,000m² by survey in 2015, including just over 908,000m² through non-technical survey and a further 3,000m² by technical survey, but no antipersonnel mine clearance occurred.

CNAMS has reported that 21 CHAs with a size of just over 101,370m² were released by either clearance or technical survey between 2015 and 31 March 2017, with the destruction of 22 mines.[16]

Survey

HI initiated a new 14-month project in July 2015 for non-technical survey of 80 localities and technical survey covering some 53,000m².[17]

In 2016, HI reported confirming two mined areas with a combined size of 29,350m², including one area in Niaguis, Ziguinchor department with a size of 14,000m² (22,162m² were subsequently cleared) and one area in Goudomp, Sédhiou department with a size of 15,350m². It also canceled seven SHAs with a total size of 62,235m² in Goudomp through non-technical survey. A total of 56,061m² was reduced by technical survey.[18] CNAMS did not, however, report that any non-technical survey was carried out in 2016.[19]

Previously, nearly 911,000m² of SHA was released by survey activities in 2015. HI, which began surveying in December 2015, reported that as of 31 December 2015, it had already canceled 19 SHAs with a size of 908,000m² and reduced a further 3,043m² by technical survey.[20]

Clearance

In 2016, HI cleared the two areas confirmed in Niaguis and Goudomp with a combined size of 29,350m², destroying 19 antipersonnel mines in Niaguis, and one antipersonnel mine and two antivehicle mines in Goudomp. HI attributed the increased clearance output in 2016, along with the significant increase in land released by technical survey, to its ability to carry out additional technical survey tasks with six-months of funding provided by a government of Senegal grant, and the use of a mechanical excavator to support manual demining.[21]

In its updated 2016–2021 workplan, CNAMS reported that nine areas with a size of 58,414m² were cleared in 2016, and one antipersonnel mine destroyed.[22] However, it reported differing totals that 58,594m² was cleared in 2016, with the destruction of 19 antipersonnel mines, while also reporting separately that a total of 56,061m² was cleared with the destruction of 18 antipersonnel mines and one antivehicle mine.[23]

No antipersonnel mines were cleared in Senegal in 2015. CNAMS has given conflicting accounts that two areas with a size of 29,156m² were cleared in 2015, while also stating that a total of 3,043m² was cleared during the year; however, no antipersonnel mines were reportedly found according to either report.[24]

Inconsistency in clearance task orders since 2013

Senegal has been criticized for issuing task orders assigning clearance assets to areas not known to be affected by mines. It has also been accused of failing to clear considerable mine contamination in unmarked minefields around former and active Senegalese military bases, despite being readily accessible and under the control of the Senegalese Armed Forces.

In November 2013, Mechem was tasked to clear sections of National Road 6 (Route nationale 6, RN6) and a dozen laterite quarries used in a project to renovate the RN6, in areas not known to be affected by mines.[25] However, Senegal cited its politico-security situation to justify deployment of its clearance assets in areas where the safety of its demining teams could be guaranteed.[26] According to HI, when task orders were given in November 2013, only one polygon crossed by the RN6 in Sindone Lagoua (20km from Ziguinchor) was recorded as an SHA in the IMSMA database, and the quarries had never been recorded as suspected or confirmed mined areas.[27]

Additionally, reports indicated that considerable mine contamination may lie in unmarked minefields around former and active Senegalese military bases.[28] But since the resumption of clearance operations and even though most of the military bases can be readily accessed—as they are under the control of the Senegalese Armed Forces—they have not been cleared nor even considered as a priority for demining operations. Some areas are confirmed as contaminated: these include the village of Djirack, in which operations were planned to start in 2016, though this did not occur, reportedly for logistic and security reasons.[29] Others remain as either SHAs or as credible, if unrecorded and unconfirmed, reports of contamination by local populations, such as in Badème, Basséré, Kouring, and Santhiaba Mandjack.[30]

However, in August 2017, CNAMS reported that it has already demined around all the military bases, with the help of the army where that was necessary.[31] HI has reported, that its teams cleared 22,162m² in Boutoute-Djibanar in connection with a former army base between 24 April 2015 and 23 December 2016, destroying “around” 19 antipersonnel mines. Some clearance around military installations was also carried out by HI in 2007–2012 in Darsalam and Gonoum, during which 177 antipersonnel mines were destroyed in cooperation with the Senegalese Armed Forces, and by Mechem in 2013 in Mpack, during which 136 antipersonnel mines were destroyed (representing all the mines found that year).[32]

In August 2016, CNAMS reported that in its criteria for prioritizing tasks, emphasis was put on the level of security, the economic importance of the area, the desire of populations to return to areas, and the social cohesion of communities.[33] It reported that “indeed, there is a significant amount of land demined in relation to the number of mines discovered,” while claiming that “it must be remembered that the main interest is to remove suspicion and to make accessible to local populations land which had formerly been abandoned.”[34]

In 2017, HI reported that task criteria were developed according to the results of the non-technical survey carried out by HI in 2014, and updated information from further survey in 2016 and priorities reported by the local communities.[35] It reported, however, that more than 50% of areas cleared in 2016 had no evidence of antipersonnel mine contamination.[36]

Article 5 Compliance

Under Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty (and in accordance with the five-year extension granted by States Parties in 2015), Senegal is required to destroy all antipersonnel mines in mined areas under its jurisdiction or control as soon as possible, but not later than 1 March 2021.[37]

Senegal’s previous Article 5 clearance deadline was set to expire on 1 March 2016 under its first extension request, approved in 2008. In June 2015, Senegal submitted a request to extend its Article 5 clearance deadline until March 2021. In granting the second extension request in December 2015, States Parties noted that Senegal “did not have clear knowledge of the size and location of areas that will warrant mine clearance” as well as its commitment “to undertake technical survey activities and to develop a cancellation procedure which may result in implementation proceeding much faster and in a more cost-effective manner.”[38] Previously, Senegal reported release of about 730,725m² and destruction of 383 mines in 2008–2013. Most of these results were achieved between February 2012 and May 2013 with 548,137m² cleared, representing three-quarters of the total and 259 mines destroyed.[39]

In its latest extension request, Senegal noted as circumstances impeding compliance with its international legal obligations: circumstances impeding compliance with its international legal obligations include general insecurity; MFDC reticence to agree to demining operations; the eight-month suspension of operations in 2013; ongoing concerns over deminer safety; and a decrease in technical and financial resources in recent years.[40] Senegal has also stated that security conditions and lack of funding could affect its ability to complete clearance in a timely manner.[41]

While Senegal recorded a significant increase in clearance productivity in 2012–2013, the way CNAMS has allocated tasks after the 2013 kidnapping has been criticized for directing resources and clearance assets to areas without credible risk of mine contamination, while requests from operators to conduct survey prior to deploying clearance assets were denied.[42]

Senegal’s 2015 extension request foresees expenditure of some US$11.5 million to support its mine action program, of which US$6.4 million would be allocated to technical survey and clearance. Senegal has pledged to contribute to about 30% of the total to cover the running costs of its program (approx. $3.3 million).[43] Senegal’s updated workplan for 2016–2021 does not, though, include a detailed budget for activities scheduled under its annual targets. It notes that Senegal’s own annual contribution in 2015–2016 was nearly $1.8 million and that external funding of $781,478 was provided by the United States (US) to HI.[44]

In its Article 7 report for 2016, Senegal reported that FCFA 500 million (some $850,000) would be assigned for mine action from the national budget annually.[45] According to CNAMS, its operating costs are included in the national budget, but reported that resources allocated for 2015 were not able to be mobilized until late 2016, due to complex procurement procedures. No national budget allocation for mine action operations had been recorded for 2017, it said.[46]

There may be political obstacles to the implementation of a five-year workplan for 2016–2020. Senegal has regularly indicated that all demining operations would be conducted within the framework of the ongoing peace talks and would first be approved by MFDC in meetings with Senegalese officials.[47] At the same time, CNAMS has stated that talks with the MFDC are made by authorities in Dakar exclusively, and not by the mine action center.[48] There is no explanation in the action plan presented in Senegal’s second extension request of how peace negotiations conducted in Dakar by the Reflection Group on Peace in Casamance (Groupe de Réflexion sur la Paix en Casamance, GRPC) will include the issue of mine clearance.

In August 2017, CNAMS reiterated that the implementation of the revised workplan and the feasibility of the 2021 mine clearance deadline are based on the assumption that the GRPC obtains the MFDC’s agreement on the inclusion of demining activities in the peace process, in order to allow for the rapid deployment of demining teams.[49] In the workplan, CNAMS stated that it was unable to provide detailed updates on the development of the peace process as it is not a member of the GRPC negotiation group. However, it reported that events in the Gambia had improved the security situation in the north of Casamance, particularly in the department of Bignona, allowing significant numbers of displaced persons to return. It expected that the continued evolution of the peace process would ensure better security conditions and improve access for mine clearance in planned locations.[50]

Previously, in 2015, NPA criticized CNAMS for obstructing dialogue between operators and the armed forces in particular, which could provide the specific locations of mined areas. Other stakeholders echoed that CNAMS was preventing dialogue between parties, including the spokesperson of the MFDC, who stated that there was a complete lack of communication with members of CNAMS.[51]

In August 2017, CNAMS had reiterated its three priorities for meeting Senegal’s 2021 Article 5 deadline: agreement of all parties to the conflict on the principle of clearance of mined areas; access to conduct non-technical survey in the 144 communities not yet surveyed; and mobilization of resources to enable increased demining productivity.[52]

The Monitor acknowledges the contributions of the Mine Action Review (www.mineactionreview.org), which has conducted the mine action research in 2017, including on survey and clearance, and shared all its resulting landmine and cluster munition reports with the Monitor. The Monitor is responsible for the findings presented online and in its print publications.