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Major Saadat Nabi Khan Sherwani Ammunition Technical Officer Tel: 00923002293684 saadato@hotmail.com

                            ! AN UNPERCEIVED THREAT; LIBERIA

       Fourteen years of civil war has littered green Liberia  with UXOS’ (unexploded ordnance) found not only in populated but remote areas as well. There are countless examples of civilians tampering with Uxo that is many years old - often with fatal results. Believing it to be harmless they handle the device and it explodes killing or severely injuring them. For this reason it is universally recommended that uxo should not be touched or handled by unqualified persons. Instead, the location should be reported to the local police so that professionals can render it safe or destroy if felt appropriate.  

UXO is defined as explosive ordnance (bombs, bullets, shells, Grenades, land mines (anti personal and anti vehicle) that did not explode when they were employed and still pose a risk of detonation, potentially many decades after they were used or discarded. Regardless of the source, UXO may bear little resemblance to when it was new. UXO may have been in the soil, or underwater, for many years, and will be considerably weathered or corroded. Original paint and other markings may be faded or completely worn away. Some parts may be missing, some being blown off during partial explosion, others as a result of corrosion and weathering. In addition, UXO is unlikely to be lying neatly on the surface of the ground, but will most likely be partially or almost completely buried. The parts exposed may not allow easy identification of the object. To the untrained eye they are sometimes mistaken for rusty old pipes, fire extinguishers, oxygen bottles/cylinders, etc. The dangers arising can come from the fusing system with its sensitive contents that is electrolyte ampoule, electronic detonator and explosive contents that is high explosive, cyclotrimethylene trinitramine (RDX). However, a piece of ordnance with its body fractured and exposed to changes of status such as being underground or wet, and then becoming dry, can change its stability. Sensitive crystals, like piezoelectric crystals used in Rocket propelled grenades (RPG) used to generate electric surge strong enough to arm the nose fuse of the rocket; can deform, creating a potential catastrophic event if not handled correctly and by adequately qualified professionals. Typically, there are two types of UXO: inert which has never armed but is stable and hazardous which is armed and unstable. Both types are a concern for civilian casualties and friendly forces Uxos’ found in Liberia are of various types namely, Rocket propelled grenades, mortar bombs, hand grenades, flares, and small arms ammunition.

Media:Are Uxos’ dangerous?Media:Example.ogg They are not, if they are left un-disturbed! However the mere fact that the construction industry walks, drives, and excavates the ground meaning that they are disturbed. Many bombs used during wartime failed to detonate and remain undetected to this day. It therefore follows that some part of the explosive train which consist of the initiators like primers, fuzzes used to detonate the main charge in the ammunition or the main charge itself confined into a metal, has failed to function correctly. If site works disturb munitions by direct impact due to piling work, mechanical digging, drilling, manual labor, the status quo of the munitions can change and with sufficient force applied to sensitive components like the fuse, proximity, electric or variable, the item is likely to detonate specially in case of grenades, the result being potentially catastrophic to working personnel, experts trying to demolish the UXO, and the equipment. Between November 2004 and May 2006, there were at least 14 UXO casualties. In 2004, eight people (including one woman and one child) were injured in three UXO incidents in the first five months of the year; this includes one child killed and two seriously injured in April 2006. There is no data collection mechanism for UXO casualties in Liberia as medical statistics and reporting mechanisms are almost non-existent. Generally, no distinction is made between casualties of war and mine/UXO casualties and an accident.

Disposal of UXO is not merely neutralizing a dud, it is one of the most complex and life risking work requiring focal consistency, mental endurance and enough knowledge to undertake disposal operation. It constitutes a danger to not only the handler but also of those around. The handling of an UXO could lead to an untoward accident even if it is approached by the expert because of its deteriorated condition and defunct safety mechanism. A highly trained expert, experienced enough to recognize, defuse and neutralize the threat is required to dispose an UXO. For instance, an uxo was reported in the hub of Voinjama the capital town of the Lofa County. On reaching the site it was revealed that the uxo identified as the RPG-7 was stuck into a three feet wide tree trunk in a compound of an occupied house. It was not destroyed because the approval of the superior Headquarter was not received. The uxo still remains a potent threat to the occupants of that area especially of the house and in case of the tree falling or due to fire hazards, causalities are immanent. There are quite a few such cases requiring immediate attention of the UN. The removal of such unexploded ordnance is also very costly. A huge number of UXOS’ have been destroyed in the past; still they are out there endangering precious lives.

After having gone through the activities of all the related agencies working in Liberia, including military and practical handling of hundreds of UXOS’, the following is recommended: • Joint UXO survey in Liberia may be conducted to ascertain the volume of munitions lying on the surface and underneath. • Community level education on identification and its dangers is arranged at all levels. • Primary UXO identification program may be undertaken in order to evaluate prime sites and nature of UXO found. • Necessary equipment including means of satellite communication must be provided to all those involved in the destroying and identification of UXO including staff especially to the staff of non-governmental organizations in order to avoid fatalities of demolition experts and civilians. At present NGOS’ working these facilities/equipment has not been provided especially in case of staff of the various NGOS’. • UN sub-organizations must be incorporated in the process of making Liberia UXO-free. Organizations like UNDP can play a vital role in conducting the UXO survey and raising an EOD team. • Ammunition experts in all segments of UNMIL along with civil organizations must make a coordinated effort in carrying out demolition rather than relying on a few elements of UNMIL for neutralizing these threats. • A threat related to these UXO is the contamination of river sediments and swamps which is imminent because of these UXO laying there on ground for years. • There is no procedure for air lifting causalities; in case civilians, including children, are wounded. It is pertinent to mention here that UXO casualties will have a better chance of survival if they swiftly transported to the nearest hospital. • On withdrawal of UN troops there is no capability with the Liberian government to deal with UXO. EOD team for Liberia is hence a matter of public necessity in order to safeguard lives.

Since arrival of UN, an effort has been made to address the problems of UXO but has not been identified as the focal aspects. UNMIL due to its resource capability and strength to overcome unperceived threats, is to make a coordinated effort with it’s sub division like UNDP and non governmental organizations like Land mine action (LMA) and otherwise. In absence of these coordinated efforts circumstance like of those prevailing where every one does work but without a hint of what they are doing. Though the war is over, children are still under the constant threat of UXO.