On August 22, members of the Group of Inter-American Humanitarian Demining Monitors in Colombia (GMI-CO), a mission of the Inter-American Defense Board (IADB) in support of the Comprehensive Action Program against Antipersonnel Mines of the Organization of American States ( AICMA-OAS), received, in Bogotá, a decoration from the General Command of the Military Forces of Colombia: the Military Demining Medal “Professional Soldier Wilson de Jesús Martínez Jaraba”, created in order to recognize the work carried out in the demining activity , in favor of a territory free of improvised explosive devices, antipersonnel mines and unexploded ordnance.
Three Brazilian officers were decorated: Major Uémerson Ferreira da Silva, Major Bruno Braga da Silva Sousa, both from the Army, and Lieutenant Captain (Marine) Vinícius Silva de Araujo. Colombian Army Colonel Carlos Enrique Beltrán Benítez, Demining Inspector of the Military Forces, awarded the medals. For Major Bruno Braga, “receiving this decoration is a great honor and a great responsibility, as well as an incentive to stay motivated in this humanitarian work that helps thousands of people in Colombia.”
The ceremony also had acts by Brazilian Monitors. At the end of his term, Lieutenant Captain (Marine) Vinícius Araújo received medals from the OAS and JID. Lieutenant Captain (Marine) Lucas Marques Ferreira Oliveira also received the certificate of the Inter-American Monitor Course, to begin his work. Mrs. Tammy Hall, General Coordinator of AICMA-OAS, and Captain (Brazilian Marine) Leonel Mariano da Silva Júnior, Head of the GMI-CO, represented the OAS and JID.
Since 2006, the GMI-CO has supported the efforts of the OAS and the Colombian authorities to reduce the effects of explosive devices and antipersonnel mines, which have penalized the population of this country for six decades. Currently, the Group is made up of officers from the Brazilian Navy, the Brazilian Army and the Mexican Army.
