Demine And Replant Husan

Newsletter December 2011

The Knesset agrees on historical demining law

Isral and the West Bank have antipersonnel landmines spread out within its territories. Todays estimates range between 1.200.000 and 1.500.000 landmines that endanger the population. Children are the most in danger in front of this unfair situation. Thanks to the unanimous vote at the Knesset in March 2011, it is today possible to eradicate these landmines and to include private efforts from the civil society. A few months into this law which brings about humanitarian demining, the operational framework is already in place. The Isral Demining Authority has now been created to review projects and supervise their execution.
p

The demining project of Husan village is on track

The Law on Humanitarian Demining passed in March 2011 by the Knesset has created significant momentum in Israel through awareness-raising and the mobilization of civil society. The Husan Demining project in Bethlehem offers a unique opportunity to showcase a concrete project in humanitarian demining. Thanks to private and corporate donors in Switzerland and the United States, more than half of the funding for demining Husan village has been raised. The outstanding amount is US$30,000 and a number of activities are in the planning phase for 2012.

Husan village, a benchmark for humanitarian demining

Although Husan village is a modest project, it offers a model that could be duplicated on a larger scale. What are the key elements that make the project work? There is no political or confessional connotation to the initiative. The project is a coordinated and concentrated initiative to bring together the local population and the authorities in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories with the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) and Roots of Peace, a non-governmental organization.With your help and contribution, Husan village is on the path to becoming the first humanitarian demining project within the framework of the law voted in March 2011. As of 2009, there were over 470,000 victims of land mines and unexploded war ordnances in 73 countries and territories. Let's work together to rid the world of mines one village at at time.

Over half the project is funded, let's mobilize to complete it now!

Thanks to the generosity of many donors, US$70,000 has now been raised or pledged. To free the children of Husan village from the threat of anti-personnel landmines, there is a need to collect an additional US$30,000. These additional funds will contribute to make the contaminated land viable for replanting and creating a safe place for children to play and the community to come together. Spread the word. Do not hesitate to establish connections and bring to our attention individuals and organisations who would like to be associated with the project. Your support is essential to help us reach the objective of $100.000. The funds raised will be fully allocated to the technical demining efforts with no administrative costs involved in the funds raising initiative. This is thanks to the Foundation Almatrust based in Zurich which has generously offered its organisation to collect donations in Switzerland. The support committee led by Cynthia and Ivan Schouker, as well as Nathalie Dallet-Fvre can be reached at: demine.replant@gmail.com The Husan villagers are relying on us to clean up this deadly ordnance.

Newsletter December 2011

Dolor Sit Amet

Abdallah Hamamra lives in Husan with The Swiss Committee For Husan his children. He pleas for our generosity. A group of global citizens residing
I would like to tell to all those in Switzerland who would like to help us, that we are a peaceful village. Our children and shepherds are under constant threat of this minefield and we want to be able to remove these landmines, this danger to our families .
Abdallah Hamamra is also one of the owners of the land which is polluted by landmines and which threatens its local residents, and particularly village children who cross everyday the field through a narrow path to go to school. The minefield has had several victims over the last years : 4 persons died, 10 were injured or mutilated.

in Switzerland brings together individuals and corporations who want to mobilise resources to remove landmines, replant and rehabilitate the Husan village. The Support Committee was moved and inspired by Daniel Yuval, the 11-year old boy who became ambassador for demining in his country and in the international community.

Hope for Husan

For Husan inhabitants, the demining project is raising hope at last. The rehabilitation of this 1.5 ha of land will help the local villagers to further its farming and small business activities at a time when unemployment is high. The planting of fruit trees, accommodations, and children playgrounds are today being planned.

In February 2010, Daniel discovers snow on the Golan Heights and walks on a landmine. When he woke up in hospital and discuovered that he was amputed of one leg, what concerned him most is that there should never be another landmine victim. Volunteers in Switzerland and in other countries decided to respond to his call et to start with a concrete and symbolic project, the demining of Husan village.

Key Project Supporters

The demining and replanting of Husan village is to be implemented in concert with the local population, isralian and palestinian authorities as well as the United Nations. The project is coordinated by ROOTS OF PEACE, an independent US-based NGO specialised in humanitarian demining, and which has played a critical rle in the Mine Free Isral campaign. Created in 1997, Roots of Peace is involved in Afghanistan, Irak, Angola, Cambodia, Vietnam and Croatia. For more information : www.rootsofpeace.org The Husan demining operation leverages experts and technical knowledge of 2 UNMAS (The United Nations Mine Action Service).
2