Ousama Algosaibi, Project Masam’s Managing Director, has announced the project’s contract extension for a sixth consecutive year, and thanked the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its support and desire to continue Project Masam’s humanitarian landmine clearance efforts in Yemen.
To enhance the security measures in the region and ensure Yemen can rebuild and find stability, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia launched the Project for Landmine Clearance Masam in December 2017, in agreement with the Yemeni government.
Reacting to the extension announcement, Algosaibi said: “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is always faithful to its pledges and is keen to raise the voice of humanity in several regions of the world. Its noble efforts in Yemen, represented by its support of Project Masam to demine this mines-afflicted country, are considered a bright chapter in its humanitarian records.
“It is an honourable experience in which we are proud to engage, with determination and perseverance, while adhering to its ideal.”
Algosaibi continued, “The project is being implemented by Saudi cadres and international experts and Yemeni teams who have been trained to remove landmines of all shapes and types, which have been and are indiscriminately planted by the militias in the Yemeni territory.
“It is worth mentioning that Masam project aims to clear the Yemeni lands from the dangers of mines, by focusing on the high-impact areas where life was disrupted due to the spread of these deadly devices. The project also carries out training activities and develops Yemeni capabilities in the field of mine clearance, to create a future shield that protects Yemen from the dangers of mines.”
This came after King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) announced the extension of the contract for the implementation Project Masam for another year.
The center said in a statement that it “extended the contract for the implementation of the “Masam” project to clear Yemeni lands of mines planted by the Houthi militia for a period of one year, at an amount of 33 million and 292 thousand US dollars.”
Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, KSrelief Supervisor General, expressed his thanks to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its support of humanitarian work in Yemen, saying: “It is nothing new for the Kingdom to show dedication with regards to supporting humanitarian work, not to mention its sense of responsibility towards responding to the call of humanity in several parts of the world such as Yemen, just to name a few.
“Add to all this, the kingdom’s support for Project Masam to continue its struggle against mines in Yemen through the renewal of this contract; a matter which is considered a conclusive evidence that the Kingdom is determined to return to Yemen its security and to help Yemeni civilians have a safe life from the threat of the deadly devices which destroy both offspring and tillage.”
The Yemeni Ministry of Human Rights, meanwhile, stated that the Houthis have planted more than one million landmines in the Yemeni governorates since the beginning of the coup – at a rate that is the highest since the World War II – causing great human and material losses.
According to the reports of human rights observers, these mines represent a serious threat to the lives of civilians on the long term, due to their density, their being planted in a random manner, and their being camouflaged in innovative ways.
All such things make expediting the demining operations and intensifying these humanitarian efforts a vital necessity for Yemen, which is still today in need of intensive and continuous efforts to remove these explosive devices in order to reach the desired stage; “Yemen without Mines.”
Algosaibi indicated that the project has so far been able to clear 400,000 different landmines and unexploded ordnance over the past years. He added that this project seeks to remove the largest number of explosives in a record time and works day and night to clear the largest areas of the Yemeni territory so that Yemenis can regain their security and safety, and that innocent people can be liberated from the horror and tragedies of mines that paralyse life and restrict dreams.
Algosaibi said, “Masam is a project of life, a project of human sacrifice for a life safe from mines in Yemen; it is a firm belief that the sound of life is stronger and more lasting than the storm of mines in Yemen.”
