Sale of Milk Helps Rid Angola of Landmines; Operations Clear the Path for Agricultural Development.

NEW YORK -- A unique public-private partnership involving the New York City-based Humpty Dumpty Institute (HDI) is helping to create a success story in the African nation of Angola.

Until 2002, Angola had been suffering through a 25-year civil war, during which as many as 10 million anti-personnel and anti-vehicle landmines were laid in that country, effectively hobbling economic development, commerce and the delivery of humanitarian relief. The agriculturally rich Planalto region in southern Angola is one of the most heavily mined regions in a country with one of the most alarming landmine problems in the world - an area the size of Texas is littered with mines.

Since the cessation of hostilities, several hundred thousand internally displaced persons are returning to the Planalto region, and as a direct result landmine-related casualties have increased at a dramatic pace. Local farmers cannot safely transport their produce to and from local markets, as most of the roads are heavily mined. To make matters worse, much of the area immediately surrounding the roads is mined as well with anti-personnel devices. Farmers who brave these terrible conditions are literally risking their lives in attempting to provide for their families.

Thanks to a special partnership between HDI, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and HALO Trust, 1,000 miles of roads connecting farms to market centers are currently undergoing the demining process.

HDI's revolutionary program of using the proceeds from the sale of 500 metric tons of surplus dried milk made available by the USDA allows the UK-based HALO Trust to conduct effective demining operations in the Planalto region. With over $620,000 allocated for landmine clearance, HDI's program is the first-ever application of U.S. food aid toward humanitarian demining in the 50 years of the successful Food Aid program.

"We believe that effective mine clearance is critical to insuring the long-term economic stability of Angola," said HDI's Chair, Constance Milstein. "The Angolan people have suffered through 25 years of civil war, and now they continue to suffer from the indiscriminate destruction wrought by these deadly devices. We at Humpty Dumpty Institute are working to replace fear with hope, and we will not be satisfied until farmers can safely transport their produce, children can safely walk to school, and families can start living normal lives."

Ralph Cwerman, HDI President, said, "It's difficult for us here in America to imagine how devastating the impact of landmines can be on a local population. Experts estimate that the Planalto region alone could contain hundreds of thousands of individual mines. Angolans are risking their lives on a daily basis, while mothers and fathers live in fear of their children straying only a few feet from a safe zone into a danger zone. This is the reality in Angola and this is why HDI is proud to play a role in helping rid this country of landmines."

This initial phase of demining arterial roads in the Planalto region is expected to be completed by the end of 2005. For more information, please visit www.humptydumpty.net.