THE Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) officers are currently undergoing an Unexploded Ordinance (UXO) training with an UXO team from Japan.
This training is made possible through the Japan and Solomon Islands Cooperation on Unexploded Ordinance disposal.
The UXO training, convened at the RSIPF EOD facility at Hells Point on the eastern outskirts of Honiara, commenced yesterday and will conclude on Wednesday 31 January.
Speaking at the official opening of the program yesterday, one of the Japan’s UXO delegates Ryiji Katayama said the purpose of the UXO training is to help enhance the capability of the EOD Unit of RSIPF by educating them about disposal procedures for UXOs conducted in Japan and the ammunition used by the imperial Japanese Military in Solomon Islands during World War II.
“The purpose of this UXO training is to help enhance the capability of the explosive ordinance disposal unit of the Solomon Island Police Force by educating them about the procedures for the unexploded ordinances conducted in Japan and the ammunition used by the imperial Japanese Military in Solomon Islands.”
Mr Katayama said the training will include the functions of imperial Japanese military munitions, the military history of Solomon Islands, UXO processing procedures, UXO disposal procedures and procedures for awareness activities.
As the training started yesterday, the RSIPF EOD team went through functions of the former Japanese military ammunitions. This subject will continue today.
Tomorrow, the training will go into the military history of Solomon Islands and UXO disposal procedures and practical exercises as well as procedures for awareness activities.
The Director of Indo-Pacific Regional Policy Division of Ministry of Defence’s Bureau of Defence Policy, ASHIZUKA Osamu told Solomon Star that the training is just the beginning of Japan’s help in enhancing the knowledge of the RSIPF EOD team about the disposal procedures of unexploded ammunitions in Solomon Islands.
“Unfortunately, there are no official assessments on the ground from our UXO team. But for the start, this training is to help and enhance the RSIPF-EOD team about the disposal procedures of removing the unexploded Japanese ammunition in the Solomon Islands.”
“In our capacity to support the RSIPF-EOD team, this is our first type of such support to facilitate trainings for the RSIPF EOD team on important matters in regards to Japanese unexploded ammunitions. But we will continue to give support to the RSIPF,” Mr Osamu added.
By FLOYD TERRY JNR
Solomon Star, Honiara