MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

US funds for de-mining operations in Chile

United States committed in July 1.85 million US dollars to the antipersonnel mine clearance and elimination program of the Organization of American States, OAS targeting on three countries Chile, Nicaragua and Honduras.

According to the US embassy in Santiago the US State Department Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement earmarked 1.45 million US dollars for the Atlantic region of Nicaragua through the OAS Mine Action Program basically for training and contracting 150 experts to help with sweeping operations.

The OAS program apparently has been effective in identifying and destroying 90% of the approximately 144.000 antipersonnel mines planted in Nicaragua dating back to the eighties.

Nicaragua which already has destroyed a stockpile of 133.000 mines in 2002 is expected to finish mine clearance operations sometime in 2007.

Another 112.000 US dollars will be granted to Chile through OAS contributing to the country's Nacional De-mining Plan which is operating mainly in the north next to the Bolivian and Peruvian borders and in the south in Magallanes Region.

US funds will also help with the physical and psychological rehabilitation of antipersonnel mines' victims plus training villagers to cope with possibly unidentified fields holding explosives.

Since 1997, OAS has supported rehabilitation of an estimated 900 antipersonnel mines' victims.

OAS launched its antipersonnel mines programs in 1991 and has since received funds and commitments from 20 different countries totalling 54 million US dollars.