Angola

Overview: Angola-Archive

1. Background Angola - War and landmines in Angola
2. Demining achievement of MgM in Angola
3. Completed MgM-Demining projects in Angola
   • Operation Ambriz
   • Operation Cunene
   • Operation Bengo

Refugees in their own land

Large areas in Angola are out of bounds to the population because of the danger from hundreds of thousands of land mines and pieces of stray ammunition. One million Angolans, almost 5% of the population, live as so-called "Internally Displaced People (IDPs)".

Even after the fighting has left their home area, they must live in refugee camps and slums in their own country because they dare not return home. That is why they are dependent on international aid and it is one of the main political reasons that the peace process in Angola has been so difficult to conclude.

Clear goals, big tasks

Our main task in the past few years - with a small budget and a few highly motivated staff - has been to help rural Angolans to return to their homes and fields. To date, more than 60,000 people have been able to return home as a direct consequence of our work. Do not imagine that they want to be dependent on aid. When the routes are safe, they cannot get out of the demoralizing camps quickly enough and do not wait for transport to be organized.

But thousands of women, children, and men from the province of Moxico are waiting for MgM (working in close conjunction with other organizations) to demine and rebuild roads, bridges and the general infrastructure they need to build their future.