United Nations Operation in Mozambique (UNOMOZ): the Dutch contribution
On 16 December 1992, the Security Council decided to support the peace accord by setting up the United Nations Operation in Mozambique (UNOMOZ). The coordination of the humanitarian aspects of the operation was delegated to the United Nations Office for Humanitarian Assistance Coordination (UNOHAC).
Mines
UNOHAC aimed to encourage reconciliation between the various population groups and to support the return of refugees and displaced persons to their homes. A major obstacle in this respect came in the form of the 2 million landmines which lay scattered throughout the country. In the long term, however, Mozambique itself had to take responsibility for the mine clearance. The UN decided to set up a Mozambican organisation to tackle this problem and established a demining training school to train indigenous mine clearance personnel.
Dutch mine clearance instructors
The Dutch government was asked by the Secretary-General on 24 June 1993 to supply personnel for mine clearance in Mozambique. In response, the Netherlands provided a group of 11 engineers as mine clearance instructors for a period of 18 months. The setting up of a Mine Clearance and Training Centre (MCTC) proved to be a sore point in Mozambique, however.
Mine clearance training school
It was not until 2 November 1993 that Frelimo and Renamo approved the establishment of an MCTC. 2 Dutch quartermasters had already gone to Mozambique on 11 August 1993. After Bangladesh and New Zealand had also supplied personnel at the end of November, the Dutch government approved the mid-December departure of the other 9 Dutchmen.
570 Mozambican mine clearers
A site near the town of Beira was designated as the base for the mine training school (UNOMOZ moved the school inland to the remote village of Tete at the beginning of August). Because of the serious shortcomings in UNOMOZ’s logistic support, the 1st course was not able to start until 3 April 1994. The aim was to train at least 450 Mozambicans in 8 months; eventually, 570 Mozambicans underwent training in mine clearance.