8 November 2013 - South Sudan’s first batch of police trained to rid the county of unexploded munitions graduated at Rajaf Police Training Academy near Juba today.

Of 24 police officers who initially attended the eight-week course, 20 were awarded certificates and badges by South Sudan Deputy Minister of Interior Augustino Jaddal and Deputy Inspector General of Police Gen. Andrew Kol.

“They have earned their badges,” said UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) Chief Lance Malin, describing the course, conducted by Irish military trainers in collaboration with UNMAS and UN Police, as one that “was not designed to be an easy.”

The training in Conventional Munitions Disposal (CMD included various assessments to ensure participants had acquired the necessary knowledge. Participants learned how to safely dispose of unexploded ordinances (UXOs), supervise tasks, produce reports and maintain health and safety in the field.

Mr. Malin handed a special award to Chol Mayomdit, the top student in the group, which was drawn from the Greater Bahr El-Ghazal region’s four states.

“Our main target is safety, safety, safety,” emphasized Mr. Mayomdit, adding that participants would need government support for the group to effectively put its knowledge into practice.

“The Conventional Munitions Disposal Unit will clear unexploded ordinances from South Sudan and innocent people will no longer have to die,” he said.

He lauded the role played by the group’s four Irish military trainers, who were also given UN Service Award badges by Irish Ambassador Aidan O’Hara.

“After decades of war, South Sudan is entering a new and welcome period of stability,” said Mr. O’Hara. “I hope that in due course a total of 78 teams will be trained across the country.”

Gen. Kol said the event marked an important day in South Sudan’s history. Noting that the country had mines laid throughout its territory, he said this was one of the new nation’s greatest challenges.

“Explosives have different effects, including physical harm and emotional trauma and they are an obstacle to economic activity,” said Deputy Minister Jaddal. “Agriculture is one of the bigger (development) pillars in our country and we need to clean our land to embark on it.”

Previously, it was thought that only military officers could be trained in the CMD field, he said. It was important that the police, who he called “friends of the citizens”, were leading the way.

UN Police Commissioner Fred Yiga said the graduation was symbolic of what could be achieved through well coordinated efforts by different partners to build the capacity of South Sudan’s institutions.