Chris Clark (deminer)
Encyclopedia
Christopher "Chris" Clark is a renowned mine action
expert. He has been awarded the Military Cross
for conspicuous bravery under fire and the MBE
for his role in the evacuation of foreign nationals from South Lebanon during the 2006 war. He has twice been awarded a UN Commendation for efficiency in improving UN co-ordination and effectiveness. In 2008 Clark and the Lebanese and international staff of the mine action programme in south Lebanon received the Nansen Refugee Award
from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
in recognition of their commitment to the refugee cause.
, England
on 17 June 1964. He has 17 years distinguished service in the British Army
and was the operations manager in Kosovo
(UNMIK), United Nations
Programme Manager for Sudan
and Programme Manager for the mine action programme in Lebanon. Clark is currently employed by the United Nations Mine Action Service
at their Geneva
office.
as well as the Programme Manager for the Mine Action Coordination Center. He was directly responsible for the management and co-ordination of both the landmine clearance operation
, following the Israel
i withdrawal in May 2000, and the un-exploded
cluster bomb
clearance operation, following the 2006 Lebanon War.
In his five years in Lebanon Clark led the UNMACC-SL in clearing over 144,580 sub-munitions and helped facilitate the safe return of almost one million internally displaced person
s (IDPs) and refugees.
After receiving the Nansen Award, Clark announced that he would donate the prize money to a community project near Tyre in Southern Lebanon.
Mine action
Mine action is a domain within humanitarian aid and development studies concerned with activities which aim to reduce the social, economic and environmental impact of landmines and the explosive remnants of war...
expert. He has been awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
for conspicuous bravery under fire and the MBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
for his role in the evacuation of foreign nationals from South Lebanon during the 2006 war. He has twice been awarded a UN Commendation for efficiency in improving UN co-ordination and effectiveness. In 2008 Clark and the Lebanese and international staff of the mine action programme in south Lebanon received the Nansen Refugee Award
Nansen Refugee Award
The Nansen Refugee Award formerly known as the Nansen Medal is given annually by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to individuals or groups in recognition of outstanding service to the cause of refugees. It is one of the most prestigious awards in the United Nations system...
from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees , also known as The UN Refugee Agency is a United Nations agency mandated to protect and support refugees at the request of a government or the UN itself and assists in their voluntary repatriation, local integration or resettlement to...
in recognition of their commitment to the refugee cause.
Background
Chris Clark was born in EssexEssex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
on 17 June 1964. He has 17 years distinguished service in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and was the operations manager in Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
(UNMIK), United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Programme Manager for Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
and Programme Manager for the mine action programme in Lebanon. Clark is currently employed by the United Nations Mine Action Service
United Nations Mine Action Service
United Nations Mine Action Service is located in the It is responsible for ensuring an effective, proactive and coordinated United Nations response to landmines and explosive remnants of war through collaboration with 13 other UN departments, agencies, funds and programmes...
at their Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
office.
Lebanon
In 2003, Clark was appointed both as the United Nations Programme Manager for the mine action programme in South LebanonLebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
as well as the Programme Manager for the Mine Action Coordination Center. He was directly responsible for the management and co-ordination of both the landmine clearance operation
Demining
Demining or mine clearance is the process of removing either land mines, or naval mines, from an area, while minesweeping describes the act of detecting of mines. There are two distinct types of mine detection and removal: military and humanitarian.Minesweepers use many tools in order to accomplish...
, following the Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i withdrawal in May 2000, and the un-exploded
Unexploded ordnance
Unexploded ordnance are explosive weapons that did not explode when they were employed and still pose a risk of detonation, potentially many decades after they were used or discarded.While "UXO" is widely and informally used, munitions and explosives of...
cluster bomb
Cluster bomb
A cluster munition is a form of air-dropped or ground-launched explosive weapon that releases or ejects smaller sub-munitions. Commonly, this is a cluster bomb that ejects explosive bomblets that are designed to kill enemy personnel and destroy vehicles...
clearance operation, following the 2006 Lebanon War.
In his five years in Lebanon Clark led the UNMACC-SL in clearing over 144,580 sub-munitions and helped facilitate the safe return of almost one million internally displaced person
Internally displaced person
An internally displaced person is someone who is forced to flee his or her home but who remains within his or her country's borders. They are often referred to as refugees, although they do not fall within the current legal definition of a refugee. At the end of 2006 it was estimated there were...
s (IDPs) and refugees.
After receiving the Nansen Award, Clark announced that he would donate the prize money to a community project near Tyre in Southern Lebanon.
External links
- Operation Emirates Solidarity: An International Model and Mine Clearance Success Story, Chris Clark, UN Programme Manager, UNMACC South Lebanon, Journal of mine action
- Cluster Bombs: The case of Lebanon, Medical Association for Prevention of War