A few people can make an impact | Mine clearing in Mozambique

February marks 31 years since the New Zealand Defence Force first deployed army mine clearance experts to Mozambique.

The United Nations Security Council established the United Nations Operations in Mozambique (ONUMOZ) in 1994 to oversee and facilitate the implementation of the peace settlement between the RENAMO group (which had begun an insurgency) and the Mozambique Government. 

One of the main tasks for ONUMOZ was to establish a programme to remove thousands of landmines. Mines that had killed or wounded an estimated 15,000 people.

When the New Zealanders arrived, the demining course programme and training packages for former RENAMO and Government soldiers were being prepared.

Unfortunately, the programme took some time to get going, and after 6 months, only a small number of mine clearers were trained. Concerned about the lack of progress, the United Nations turned to New Zealand to revitalise the programme.

In August 1994, Lieutenant Colonel Steven Ransley was in command of the programme, and his team included a staff officer and seven mine clearance training instructors.

New Zealand’s significant role and the high regard that they held by ONUMOZ was in part due to New Zealand Army Engineers’ work in previous mine-clearing programmes in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Cambodia, and Angola.

Progress was made, and all but two of the Kiwis departed in January 1995 when the ONUMOZ mandate ended.

New Zealand continued to contribute military engineers to the United Nations Development Accelerated De-Mining Programme (UNADP). A Chief Technical Adviser and a Training Technical Adviser.

In 2003, Lieutenant Colonel Paul Curry deployed to the UNADP as a Chief Technical Advisor, accompanied by Warrant Officer Class 1 Mark Wing and then Warrant Officer Class 2 Mike Tait.

Photo: WO1 Mark Wing (on the left) and LTCOL Paul Curry standing in the crater caused by the last of Mozambique’s anti-personnel mines being destroyed by controlled detonation.

By this time, Mozambique was less than 10 years out of civil war.

“Although the country was politically stable with no internal conflict, personal security was always front of mind.”

But Paul saw some signs positive signs. 

“Their infrastructure was run down, and poverty was widespread. However, the nation was well on the road to recovery.” said Paul. 

Paul was deployed to Mozambique for 12 months, and he appreciated the efforts of those who had been there before him.

”It was too short of a time to see radical or noticeable changes, but the UNADP had developed over previous years to an efficient demining organisation, and I could see the influence of my predecessors in the solid organisation and processes that we inherited”.

In 11 years, 36 NZDF personnel were deployed to Mozambique.

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Photo: Russian OZM 3 anti-personnel mine. Found by the deminers and awaiting destruction.