Angola

Tackling the hidden weapons.

These weapons are indiscriminate killers during and after conflict. They don't obey peace accords or ceasefire agreements.

Imagine if, somewhere outside your front door, there is a powerful explosive weapon waiting patiently for you, or a member of your family, to disturb it.

Cambodia

Cambodia

Angola

International Day for Mine Awareness, 4th April

More than 80 countries are still affected by mines and other explosive remnants of armed conflict, and every day 10 people are killed or injured by mines

Photojournalist Sean Sutton has worked for Mines Advisory Group (MAG), a not-for-profit humanitarian organisation, since 1997, after almost a decade covering conflicts as a freelance photographer.

South Sudan 2013

Saving lives in South Sudan. Kimodonge village, near the town of Torit in Eastern Equatoria state. The village was used as a military position during the Second Sudanese Civil War, in the mid-1980s by the Sudan People's Liberation Army and then from 1992 by their opposition, the Sudanese Armed Forces.

Demining in South Sudan. Kimodonge village, near the town of Torit in Eastern Equatoria state. The village was used as a military position during the Second Sudanese Civil War, in the mid-1980s by the Sudan People's Liberation Army and then from 1992 by their opposition, the Sudanese Armed Forces. Defensive minefields were laid around the village. Here, MAG deminer Santino Khamis is clearing a former bridgehead of landmines.

Removing landmines in South Sudan. A Bozena Mine Clearing Flail System. The remote-controlled machine flails the land twice, and when landmines are discovered the area is then cleared manually. Machines like this are very effective for determining where mine rows exist and can quickly reduce the size of the suspected hazardous area.

The most important class these children will attend. A MAG Community Liaison Team works with pupils at Lelere village school in South Sudan, helping to increase their awareness of the dangers posed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.

The most important class these chidlren will attend. A MAG Community Liaison Team works with pupils at Lelere village school in South Sudan, helping to increase their awareness of the dangers posed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.

An unexploded rocket propelled grenade (RPG) that has been placed on the side of the road by a villager. The nearby MAG technical team came shortly afterwards to remove it.

Sebastien, from Isalora village, South Sudan, points out the fins of a large aircraft bomb that he found when digging for sand to be used for construction.

Why MAG is needed in South Sudan. A stockpile of mortars, rockets and projectiles in the village of Jangabura, which was abandoned after LRA attacks killed many people in 2001.

Removing the threat. A MAG technical team prepares a demolition of anti-tank mines, mortars, rockets and projectiles that were in the village of Jangabura, which was abandoned after LRA attacks killed many people in 2001.

Removing explosive weapons in South Sudan. The 'Explosive Ordnance Disposal / Small Arms and Light Weapons Team' is mobbed by flies and bees. Everyone is stung many times, making work in the hot sun extremely difficult.

Why MAG is needed in South Sudan. Eight recoilless rounds have been placed against a tree by the community in the village of Bandatta, north of Tambora. Here, a MAG Community Liaison team marks the items, prior to their removal.

Maria on her way to fetch water in Kormush in Central Equatoria. A minefield covers about half of this village; one person died after a mine accident and much of the land cannot be used by the community because it is unsafe.

Removing the trheat of landmines. A MAG deminer uncovers a Type-72 landmine in Kormush in Central Equatoria, South Sudan. A minefield covers about half of this village; one person died after a mine accident and much of the land cannot be used by the community because it is unsafe.

Removing the threat of landmines. A Type-72 anti-personnel landmine is destroyed by MAG in the village of Kormush in Central Equatoria. A minefield covers about half of this village; one person died after a mine accident and much of the land cannot be used by the community because it is unsafe.

Landmine accident survivors. A rehabilitation centre for landmine accident survivors in Juba, South Sudan.

Landmien accident survivor.Ten-year-old Stephen at a rehabilitation centre for landmine accident survivors in Juba, South Sudan. Stephen was injured when the vehicle he was in drove over an anti-tank mine in Bentiu, Unity State, in October 2011. The explosion killed his grandmother and eight other people.

Landmine accident survivors. Alfred, at a rehabilitation centre for landmine accident survivors in Juba, South Sudan. Alfred stepped on a mine in 1990. Explosive weapons left over from conflict don't discriminate between soldiers and civilians, nor between adults and children.

Removing the threat. A MAG technical team prepares a demolition of anti-tank mines, mortars, rockets and projectiles that were in the village of Jangabura, which was abandoned after LRA attacks killed many people in 2001.

A MAG Community Liaison Team works with pupils at Lelere village school in South Sudan, helping to increase their awareness of the dangers posed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.

What Sebastien found when digging for sand. "When we found this, we were very scared," Sebastien told us, after pointing out a large aircraft bomb that he found in Isalora village, South Sudan, when digging for sand to be used for construction. "The children wanted to dig it out and move it. We had to scold them and keep them away. I will be happy when this danger is removed."

Saving children's lives in South Sudan. MAG Community Liaison teams working with the community in a village in Western Equatoria, to help them to lessen the risks presented by landmines and other unexploded remnants of war. This area is very remote and has suffered from attacks by the LRA (Lord's Resistance Army) in the past.

Removing the threat. A MAG technical team prepares a demolition of anti-tank mines, mortars, rockets and projectiles that were in the village of Jangabura, which was abandoned after LRA attacks killed many people in 2001.

Life-savers. This MAG 'Explosive Ordnance Disposal / Small Arms and Light Weapons Team' removed a stockpile of mortars, rockets and projectiles in the village of Jangabura, which was abandoned after LRA attacks killed many people in 2001.

Landmine accident survivor. A rehabilitation centre for landmine accident survivors in Juba, South Sudan.

Angola

Thirteen-year-old Antonio stood on a landmine outside his house. His father, looking to defend himself, planted the mine.

Pedro Domingus stood on a mine when he was four years old.

Domingus's son uncovered this mine when playing in the ground outside their house. Domingus reported the mine to a nearby MAG team who took it away to be safely destroyed. Domingus said: "It's an act of God that has saved us from this mine."

A deminer clears land close to the remains of a UNITA soldier killed by a bounding fragmentation mine. Remains of a family - mother, father and child - were also nearby. Bones of people and animals often signify the presence of landmines.

A man began clearing an area near the centre of town to build a house for his family. He dug up two mines and was lucky not to have set one off. A MAG rapid reaction team immediately cleared through to the mines and removed them. The area is still dangerous, so it was marked off for teams to come back to ones existing priorities have been dealt with.

The desperate need for land - as soon as it is cleared, people cultivate it.

A deminer carefully opens an MAI75 anti-personnel mine, revealing the detonator. This mine has been placed on top of an anti-tank mine. This 'reinforcement' of anti-personnel mines was common practice in Angola.

Muxito carefully uncovers a PPM2 anti-personnel mine. Hundreds have been found here all around these houses.

The mine is handed to Simao, team leader. "I have worked with MAG since 1996 and the thrill of seeing people use the land we have cleared is the same now as it was then."

The mine is taken away to be safely destroyed.

As a photojournalist, Sutton photographed government soldiers laying anti-tank mines in Angola in 2001. They were preparing for a road ambush, linking the mines with detonating cord. The system was command operated - soldiers hiding in the bush would trigger the ambush when an enemy convoy approached.

Tragically, Luau is surrounded by minefields. There are even minefields in the town itself. There is not enough safe land available. People have no choice but to risk themselves and their families.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Returning home. Villagers head back home after working in an area next to the minefield. [Lindu, Bas-Congo, October 2012. Photo: Sean Sutton / MAG]

Lindu minefield. A post marks the spot where a landmine was found, disarmed and destroyed. A commercial company had worked here previously, and in the area that they cleared and declared ‘safe’ MAG has found 12 mines. [Lindu, Bas-Congo, October 2012. Photo: Sean Sutton / MAG]

Disarming an anti-tank landmine. After a metal signal is detected, the area is investigated carefully using a prodder. The signal turned out to be a ‘PRB M3’ anti-tank mine. After uncovering the mine, dirt is carefully brushed off so that it can be safely disarmed.Even though this mine was laid in 1974, due to its plastic construction it is in pristine condition. [Lindu, Bas-Congo, October 2012. Photo: Sean Sutton / MAG]

Stockpile destruction. These mortar bombs are part of a stockpile of unstable munitions found close to Goma’s main port on Lake Kivu. Here, they are carried to a demolition site for safe destruction. Out in the open and located next to a number of containers full of ammunition, the stockpile is at high risk of explosion from fire or lightening.[Goma, North Kivu, October 2012. Photo: Sean Sutton / MAG]

250lb aircraft bomb. Returnees found this unexploded 250lb aircraft bomb in Dongo when they were clearing vegetation to build a house. [Dongo, Equateur, October 2012. Photo: Sean Sutton / MAG]

250lb aircraft bomb.The bomb was destroyed in a controlled demolition by MAG.[Dongo, Equateur, October 2012. Photo: Sean Sutton / MAG]

Mortar bomb. On their return, Josephine’s brother began to build a house for the family, but found this mortar bomb. He reported the bomb to the MAG Community Liaison team that visited the community a week later. Here, a Technical Field Manger removes the mortar. [Bolomo, Equateur, October 2012. Photo: Sean Sutton / MAG]

Risk Education in DRC. A Risk Education session in Bolomo village. Two MAG/Red Cross Community Liaison teams are working in the area. [Equateur, October 2012. Photo: Sean Sutton / MAG]

Risk Education in DRC .Through Risk Education MAG educates communities about the dangers posed by remnants of conflict, delivering tailored safety messages to those most under threat. [Equateur, October 2012. Photo: Sean Sutton / MAG]

Cambodia

Documenting MAG's work to help the hundreds of thousands affected by the remnants of conflict, 1996-2011.

More than 90 families are now living on land made safe by MAG in the village of Preah Put. 3,470 landmines and 86 items of unexploded ordnance were found and destroyed here [2006]

"I lost my leg after a mine accident in 1997. Now, I live in a minefield and don't have any land to farm as it is all mined. I collect bamboo and rattan in the forest, but it is hard to survive. I moved here from Bang Ampil camp. I am determined to make sure my land is not taken by others so I live here despite the risks." - Chhang Kam. [Chisang, 1998]

Thirteen bodies are laid out in the temple before the funeral ceremony of those killed in an anti-tank landmine accident. The victims included a seven-month-old baby girl and a four-year-old boy who had been with their parents picking chillies in the field. [Chang village, Battambang, 2010]

Hout Mok in hospital the day after his accident. He was preparing his land to build a house when he stood on a mine.[Battambang, 1997]

Father and son.[Battambang, 1996]

Kew Saicho lost his leg in a landmine accident when fishing from a riverbank. Afterwards, he continued to fish the same water to feed his wife and four children.[Battambang, 1996]

The MAG team is using HSTAMIDS detectors at Wat Banan. These dual sensor detectors combine metal-detection with a Ground Penetrating Radar system and have been used by MAG in Cambodia for the last four years.[Battambang, 2011]

MAG Cambodia, 2007. Sokhon takes her leg off during a rest break. Amputee deminers prosthesis have been specially developed by ICRC as they have to be built without any metal parts because the deminers use metal detectors to find the mines. Over 25% of MAG's deminers are amputees.Photo: MAG/Sean Sutton

MAG Cambodia, 2007. 25-year-old Kheun Sokhon is employed as a deminer ridding the land of the hidden legacy that nearly took her life in 2002 when she stood on a landmine.Photo: MAG/Sean Sutton

MAG Cambodia, 2007. Sokhon carefully checks the ground for landmines using a metal detector and a prodder. After it has been cleared, this land will be used by the community to safely access the river. Photo: MAG/Sean Sutton

MAG uses Mine Detection Dogs as part of its 'toolbox' approach to landmine clearance. Dogs are particularly effective for clearing low-risk areas and for quality assurance.[Battambang, 2006]

end

cast International Day for Mine Awareness, 4th April

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