SUMMARY OF THIS MONTH'S ACTIVITIES AND OUTPUTS

Clearance and verification of 341,925 square metres of land using a toolbox approach, including visual clearance, electronic detectors, mine detection dogs and mechanical processing. This tally includes Battle Area Clearance of areas in South Lebanon affected primarily by cluster submunitions, as well as Mine Clearance in the village of Qantara in South Lebanon.

Removal and destruction of 451 hazardous remnants of conflict [1] - 445 sub-munitions, five items of unexploded ordnance, and one anti-tank mine.

BATTLE AREA CLEARANCE AND EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL

The continued focus of clearance for this month has moved towards clearance of agricultural and pastoral areas for the recovery of livelihoods. MAG worked in the following areas and achieved the following outputs from 1 August to 31 August 2008:

Area 6: 16 BAC teams and one mechanical team continue to operate. They worked in 14 villages: Yohmor, Arnoun, Zawtar East, Aadchit, Jibchit, Kafar Tibnit, Al Nabatieh al Tahta, Sejoud, Arab Salem, Kafar Sir, Zawtar East, Jibchit, Habbouche, and Zrarieh. These teams have used visual and electronic methods of clearance, clearing an area of 331,225 square metres. 450 remnants of conflict were found and destroyed.

All teams are contributing to the social and economic recovery and development of South Lebanon through the safe, efficient, and effective clearance of remnants of conflict.

MINE CLEARANCE

The mine clearance team and Mine Dog Detection teams worked in the village of Qantara in South Lebanon during the month of August. 10,400 square metres were cleared or verified this month, while an additional 300 square metres was processed by the mechanical team. One anti-tank mine was found.

COMMUNITY LIAISON (CL)

All Contact Officers have continued to undertake community liaison activities at the pre-clearance, clearance, and post-clearance stages.

There were 198 activities during the month, including 21 data collection activities [2], 34 liaison activities (including four site handovers), and 117 other activities that support clearance work by providing control point locations and storage areas, securing land owner's approval for using their house/fields for clearance activities, liaison with local authorities, and emphasising public safety messages to communities undergoing clearance.

To download the full report in pdf format, please go to www.maginternational.org/reports.

For more information on MAG's work in Lebanon, please visit www.maginternational.org/lebanon.