Limpopo Railway
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Nobody will enter this train station by choice. Like many other traffic hubs in the infrastructure, it was massively mined for defence and may have been booby-trapped when it was abandoned.
Background
Mozambique is known to be one of the most mined countries in the world. It has estimated that during the bloody civil war, somewhere near three million mines were planted. Those mines were made in Portugal, South Africa, Rhodesia, various Eastern Block countries, China and the USA.
All the warring parties planted mines to defend their various military fronts and to inspire terror in land held by their enemy. All the fighting parties were concerned to protect as well to destroy critical parts of the country’s infrastructure.
Mine problem
That's why shortly after the war, almost all roads, intersections, railways, bridges, waterways, hills (lookout points), etc. were classed as being highly likely to be mined. With the passage of time, the meantime the level of danger can be estimated more accurately. Most roads and a lot of railway tracks are now functional and back in daily use. But just because trains are now rolling once again through the country does not mean that Mozambique's mine problem has been solved.
Entire regions are still cut off from the network because of the mine threat. And those regions are therefore cut off from the economic re-birth experienced elsewhere. Still urgently needed are successful mine clearance programs that can provide the secure foundation required for the entire country to move forward.
MgM operation Limpopo
Need for Private Funding
There is an immediate need for Private Funding to drive forward an initiative MgM needs to push forward in Malanje Province. MgM has the equipment, resources and expertise to make this project a success, the demining huge piles of mine infested earth that present a definite threat to local communities, we just require money to start this emergency project.
Info - The global mine problem
An overview and current numbers on the land mine issue
Interview - Haller Da Silva
An interview with MgM Angola national manager Haller Da Silva talking about his job for People against landmines: Interview with Haller