Dear Editor,

Thank you very much for the article you published about LUPUs in your issue of

December 6-19 and which underlines the efforts implemented by the mine action sector

to reform and ensure transparency and efficiency in the allocation of cleared lands

to vulnerable groups.

I simply wanted to complete this information with a few precisions.

For the mine action sector, the LUPU is a planning tool which guarantees the active

involvement of intended beneficiaries and local authorities into the process: it

is transparent, participative, decentralized and community based. As such, the system

is perfectly in line with the Royal Government policy of decentralization and devolution.

The system also guarantees that mine clearance operations actively support local

and provincial development plans, ensuring that those operations effectively contribute

to achieve poverty alleviation and socio-economic development.

As M. Monkol explained, the Cambodian Mine Action Authority (CMAA) indeed plans to

work soon on a sub-decree which will harmonize, protect and reinforce this decentralized

planning system (whatever the name which will be given) and administratively link

it to the national level as recommended by HE Im Chhun Lim, Minister of Land Management,

at the end of year 2000. The elaboration of this sub-decree should be subject to

a large consultation exercise with relevant authorities, donors, operators and development

agencies.

Being well aware of the cost of clearance operations, the Royal Government, the CMAA

and the mine action sector in general know that efficient planning and tasking are

essential to guarantee the maximum impact of the funds invested in mine action activities.

Finally, your readers may be interested to know that two of the existing LUPUs have

been created and developed with the financial assistance of the European Commission.

- Pascal Simon, Technical Assistant to CMAA, European Commission