CMAC - Cambodia

Five-Year Strategic

IV. VISION

CMAC is committed to dramatically reducing the hazards faced by the Cambodian population from mines/UXO accidents and rapidly eliminating the adverse socio-economic consequences of mines and UXOs areas to productive use by clearing and marking affected communities in descending order based on the needs of communities, prioritised by CMAA and PRDC of 2000 communities of high priority areas by 2007.

1. Key Principals to achieve the vision

In harmony with the UN Mine Action strategy, the principles outlined below reflect the agreed core values and policies upon which the CMAC mine action is based:

1.1 Nature of mine action

Mine action is, above all, about the interaction of people and communities with a mine-infested environment. The purpose of mine action is to recreate a safe environment conducive to normal life and development. Accordingly, mine action refers to all those activities geared towards addressing the problems faced by populations as a result of landmine or unexploded ordnance contamination. In the context of CMAC, it encompasses three complementary core components: (a) mine awareness and risk reduction education; (b) mine/UXO clearance, including survey, mapping, and marking; and (c) destruction of stockpiled anti-personnel landmines as required by the CMAA and the Royal Government.

1.2 Humanitarian imperative

Landmines are first and foremost a humanitarian concern and must be addressed from this perspective. They are also an impediment to rehabilitation and sustainable (socio-economic) development. In dealing with the landmine problem, CMAC will respect the fundamental humanitarian principles of neutrality, impartiality and humanity so that priority is given to those who are most vulnerable. Humanitarian mine-action activities focused on reducing immediate threats to the well-being of affected communities.

1.3 Internal Core Values

Following an internal and transparent review process involving CMAC employees and external partners, the Cambodian Mine Action Centre agreed on the following core values when undertaking its activities: safety, costeffectiveness, honesty and integrity, appropriate technology and expertise.

1.4 Principle of cooperation and partnership

To ensure the most efficient response to the landmine threat, the Cambodian Mine Action Centre cooperates closely with all its partners involved in mine action, including NGOs, governmental and international organisations, under the overall umbrella of the Cambodian Mine Action Authority.

2. Framework

The activities outlined in the present strategy document will be implemented within the context of a larger framework of policy, national strategy and Provincial Rural Development Committee (or LUPU) process, which are described below.

2.1 CMAS and IMAS Standards

This strategy is designed to be consistent with the Cambodian Mine Action Standards, which has been designed under the general guidance of the International Mine Action Standards.

2.2 CMAA Strategy

This strategy also builds upon the national strategy defined by the Cambodian Mine Action Authority (CMAA), with which it is designed to be consistent. The strategy sets out concrete objectives for the period 2003-2007 for the Cambodian Mine Action Centre, working under the coordination of the CMAA and the Royal Government of Cambodia. CMAC strategy is also consistent with the overall strategy of the United Nations for the years 2001-2005.

2.3 Provincial Rural Development Committee (PRC) Process

This strategy is also designed to support the PRC process to ensure the participation of the local authorities (at village, district an provincial level) in planning mine action activities in order to ensure the best socio-economic output.

3. CMAC Current Resources and Core Activities to Support the Vision

3.1 CMAC Governing Council:

The role of the Governing Council is to oversee the activities of CMAC and to give directions to ensure conformity with government mandate. It is also responsible for the approval of CMAC budgets, work plans, programmes, accounts and reports. As the tasking, external quality assurance, advocacy and other national-level responsibilities will now fall with CMAA, the Governing Council oversight is focused on CMAC budget, structure and internal policies approval that will have to conform to any national policies and standards set by the CMAA.

3.2 CMAC Executive Unit:

CMAC Executive Unit is the core body, which is responsible for demining activities. This body consists of a Director General, Deputy Director General and three departments: Department of Planning and Operations, Department of Support and Human Resources and Department of Finance. The focus to date for CMAC has been on safety, effectiveness and efficiency. CMAC still needs to develop sound management capacity for its field operations to further enhance the issue of productivity. To support a sound management, improvement have been made in the following areas:

Financial Management: A fully functional financial management system in operation, with CMAC management at all levels clearly aware of their duties for proper financial management and control, and able to prepare and interrogate financial reports and data relating to their areas of responsibility.
Human Resources Management: CMAC planning, recruitment, management, administration and development of human resources have fully been functioning throughout the organisation, and with a sound policy and procedure systems working efficiently.
CMAC Fixed Assets: CMAC has appropriated equipment for supporting its operations and an appropriate equipment management system, including maintenance, replacement, upgrading and disposal, in operation. These activities have been managing through computerized systems (SunSystem).

3.3 CMAC Core activities and Existing Resources:

Mine Awareness: CMAC has been strengthening its mine awareness activities after laying off all mine awareness staff in October 2000 due to financial crisis. CMAC has also introduced the Community-Based Mine Risk Reduction as a base for Mine Risk Reduction Education Program in Cambodia.
Mines/UXO Survey and information: In current situation CMAC has 19 Mine Marking Teams, 12 Community Mine Marking Teams. CMAC has been preparing for the technical survey, and a workshop has already been conducted to develop the Technical Survey Standard Operations Procedures (SOP). From there, CMAC will conduct a trial before the end of 2002. Selection of minefields for and flexibility of deployment of Mine Detection Dogs teams, together with field deployment techniques, have been addressed and fully utilized as an effective demining toolbox, selecting the right tool for the right task. An integrated approach is desirable, giving flexibility to move dog teams into suitable parts of the task or to where CMAC may be able to select more suitable tasks, leaving those difficult components to the platoons. In general, the dogs need to be put to work for longer periods in the right tasks so as to improve productivity.

Mines/UXO Clearance: In this current situation CMAC has 48 platoons and 18 Unexploded Ordnance Teams deployed in 8 provinces. Around 70% of its resources are deployed in the northwestern provinces and cities: Battambang, Pailin, Banteay Meanchey and Oddor Meanchey Provinces. The mechanical Brush Cutters are very suitable to geographical and conditions of minefields in Cambodia. It has significantly contributed to speeding up demining activities by double or triple if compared with normal manual clearance rate. The Mine Detection Dog Teams have found it very difficult to carry out their operations without the support of Brush Cutters.

CMAC will have 12 units of brush cutters before the end of March 2003. The Mine Detection Dogs could also be used for quality control.

Training Centre: The training facility is well developed and provides a very good service for Demining and EOD Training and also Middle Management Training. CMAC has been utilizing the Training Centre as a field monitoring mechanism to ensure that the cycle of training is developed and that the external validation process is introduced. Instructor development is an ongoing process and the current staffs appear to have all the necessary skills. Adequate training aids need to be further developed and maintained.