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Landmine Clearance And Socioeconomic Development: A Study In Colombia, Oliver Ford, Amazia Zargarian, Eric Keefer
Landmine Clearance And Socioeconomic Development: A Study In Colombia, Oliver Ford, Amazia Zargarian, Eric Keefer
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
The HALO Trust (HALO) arrived in Colombia in 2009 and, once accredited, began operations in 2013. HALO is currently the largest civilian humanitarian demining organization in the country, operating in twenty-five municipalities across eight departments.¹ The United States has supported HALO from the outset in Colombia and remains the single biggest donor for demining in the country. In 2019, through U.S. Department of State support, HALO began an innovative study to investigate the causal link between landmine clearance and socioeconomic development in Colombia. The study focused on two municipalities in the south of Antioquia Department—Nariño and La Unión—both of which …
Impact Caused By The Covid-19 Pandemic On Humanitarian Demining In Colombia, Salomé Valencia Aguirre, Angela De Santis Ph.D., Sebastián Tovar Jaramillo
Impact Caused By The Covid-19 Pandemic On Humanitarian Demining In Colombia, Salomé Valencia Aguirre, Angela De Santis Ph.D., Sebastián Tovar Jaramillo
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
cisrExchange · 25.1-Valencia-Aguirre
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the mine action sector globally. In this article, the authors look at how the pandemic has affected Colombia, specifically concentrating on how the pandemic has affected humanitarian demining (HD)-related activities. To do so, the Swiss Foundation for Demining (FSD) compared key HD indicators from 2019 to 2020 in order to evaluate the performance of HD operations in Colombia, and carried out an assessment among HD organizations (HDOs) operating in-country through the Quick Impact Survey on COVID-19 Impact on Humanitarian Operations. Moreover, the authors provide an example of community service activities and …
Key Performance Indicators (Kpis) For Land Release And Stockpile Destruction Operations—Notes On A New Technical Note For Mine Action, Roly Evans, David Hewitson
Key Performance Indicators (Kpis) For Land Release And Stockpile Destruction Operations—Notes On A New Technical Note For Mine Action, Roly Evans, David Hewitson
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
In March 2021 the International Mine Action Standards Review Board (IMAS RB) adopted by consensus a new Technical Note for Mine Action (TNMA): Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for Land Release and Stockpile Destruction Operations.¹ The TNMA detailed new Common Counting Rules for land release outputs, identified elements of Context Capture at points of data entry and underlined the need for operational staff to prioritize the collection of relevant good quality data. The purpose of this article is to set out why the TNMA was developed and explain certain aspects of its content, particularly those where prolonged debate was necessary in …
Mental Health: Taking A Proactive Approach To Support Staff In Mine Action, Laura Biscaglia, Abigail Jones, Robert White
Mental Health: Taking A Proactive Approach To Support Staff In Mine Action, Laura Biscaglia, Abigail Jones, Robert White
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
As public awareness on mental health in the workplace has increased in recent years, the humanitarian sector—along with the CHS Alliance, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the Antares Foundation, and others—has been stressing the need for aid organizations to ensure that their duty of care responsibilities encompass the health, safety, security, and well-being of staff.¹
This article aims to contribute to existing conversations on how actors in the mine action (MA) sector can work together to promote mental health in the workplace as well as prevent and mitigate adverse mental health outcomes. The article is also a call …
Data-Driven Decision-Making In Southeast Asia, Mikael Bold, David Avenell
Data-Driven Decision-Making In Southeast Asia, Mikael Bold, David Avenell
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Automated management information systems to enhance decision-making abilities are becoming more important today. Funding and resources are scarce, but technological developments are making it possible to conduct sophisticated analyses that will enhance planning and prioritization: doing more with less. Centered around optimization and efficiency, the geographic information system (GIS) tools provided by Esri1 have been crucial in providing MAG (Mines Advisory Group)with decision-making software.
Explosive Ordnance Risk Education In Ukraine During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Anonymous N/A
Explosive Ordnance Risk Education In Ukraine During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Anonymous N/A
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
All modern conflicts bring dangers of explosive remnants of war (ERW), including unexploded ordnance (UXO), abandoned explosive ordnance (AXO), improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and/or landmines, and the conflict in eastern Ukraine is no exception. While the conflict is still ongoing, it is currently in a state of relative stalemate, limited to shelling, sniper fire, and small skirmishes along the 280-mile line of contact.¹ However, civilians are still directly at risk as a result of military actions but also indirectly as a result of ERW and landmines, which are scattered across the region due to the frequent shifting of the line …
An Innovative Approach To The Mental Health Needs Of Humanitarian Mine Action Personnel, Ken Falke, Bret A. Moore Psy.D., Abpp, Richard Tedeschi, Ph.D.
An Innovative Approach To The Mental Health Needs Of Humanitarian Mine Action Personnel, Ken Falke, Bret A. Moore Psy.D., Abpp, Richard Tedeschi, Ph.D.
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
In the fields of humanitarian demining and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD), physical traumas related to blast and fragmentation injuries receive a great deal of research attention. In contrast, focus on the psychological health and wellness of humanitarian mine action personnel (HMAP) is lacking. Although research on the incidence of mental health disorders among HMAP is extremely limited, compared with the general population, this group likely suffers more from psychiatric conditions such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety. HMAP work in a high state of hypervigilance because at any given moment in a demining operation, there is risk of …
Moving The Story Forward Utilizing Deminer Narratives To Increase Women’S Empowerment In Mine Action And Beyond, Brenna Matlock
Moving The Story Forward Utilizing Deminer Narratives To Increase Women’S Empowerment In Mine Action And Beyond, Brenna Matlock
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
The humanitarian mine action (HMA) sector, as a part of the wider security and peacebuilding field, has made significant gains related to gender equity in field operations. In recent years, women deminers have received increased donor and media attention. As a result, there now exists a wide breadth of texts, literature, documentaries, etc., about women who work to remove landmines and other explosives from the ground. The availability of this new information and recent increased public and media attention generates the following questions: Are the narratives accurate, and do women deminers agree with them? How do women deminers view the …
Measuring Explosive Munitions Use With Open-Source Data: A New Tool For Enhancing Humanitarian Mine Action, Jonathan Robinson, Christoph Baade
Measuring Explosive Munitions Use With Open-Source Data: A New Tool For Enhancing Humanitarian Mine Action, Jonathan Robinson, Christoph Baade
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Since 2011, there has been widespread use of explosive weapons—including conventional weapons, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and landmines—by all sides in the Syrian conflict.1 As is known from other contexts, a proportion of these either fail to detonate, becoming unexploded ordnance (UXO), or are abandoned by combatants to become abandoned explosive ordnance (AXO).2 Long after conflicts have ended, these explosive remnants of war (ERW) endure as multi-generational threats to a community’s population and future development.3
Remote Sensing And Artificial Intelligence In The Mine Action Sector, Martin Jebens, Rob White
Remote Sensing And Artificial Intelligence In The Mine Action Sector, Martin Jebens, Rob White
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Remote sensing and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are included in discussions of how technology and innovation can improve humanitarian action and international peacekeeping. These technologies have the potential to improve the capacity to assess needs and to monitor changes on the ground and can be useful for both the mine action (MA) and broader humanitarian sectors. Even though remote sensing and AI are not the silver bullet in MA and come with several challenges (e.g., operational and data protection), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) believe that the integration …
How To Implement Drones And Machine Learning To Reduce Time, Costs, And Dangers Associated With Landmine Detection, Jasper Baur, Gabriel Steinberg, Alex Nikulin Ph.D., Kenneth Chiu Ph.D., Timothy De Smet Ph.D.
How To Implement Drones And Machine Learning To Reduce Time, Costs, And Dangers Associated With Landmine Detection, Jasper Baur, Gabriel Steinberg, Alex Nikulin Ph.D., Kenneth Chiu Ph.D., Timothy De Smet Ph.D.
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Two rapidly emerging technologies revolutionizing scientific problem solving are unpiloted aerial systems (UAS), commonly referred to as drones, and deep learning algorithms.1 Our study combines these two technologies to provide a powerful auxiliary tool for scatterable landmine detection. These munitions are traditionally challenging for clearance operations due to their wide area of impact upon deployment, small size, and random minefield orientation. Our past work focused on developing a reliable UAS capable of detecting and identifying individual elements of PFM-1 minefields to rapidly assess wide areas for landmine contamination, minefield orientation, and possible minefield overlap. In our most recent proof-of-concept …
Applying "All Reasonable Effort" In The Falkland Islands Mine Clearance Programme: Encouraging Efficient, Confident, And Timely Evidence-Based Land Release Decision Making, David Hewitson, Guy Marot
Applying "All Reasonable Effort" In The Falkland Islands Mine Clearance Programme: Encouraging Efficient, Confident, And Timely Evidence-Based Land Release Decision Making, David Hewitson, Guy Marot
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
The Falkland Islands Mine Clearance Programme (FI MCP) ran from 2009 to 2020, through five operational phases, some lasting only a few months, some extending across several years. A core objective was to release land as efficiently as possible, only applying technical assets to those specific areas of land that justified such attention. This article describes the approach that was adopted to determine whether all reasonable effort (ARE) had been applied to each task in such a way that current (and future) stakeholders would have confidence in that decision so as to manage the fear of mines being missed.
Developing National Landmine Clearance Capacity In Ukraine, Tobias Hewitt, Ronan Shenhav
Developing National Landmine Clearance Capacity In Ukraine, Tobias Hewitt, Ronan Shenhav
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
The mine action sector in Ukraine has seen significant growth and progression since the outbreak of hostilities along the eastern border in 2014. Continued development of government capacity is required to respond to the scale of landmine and explosive remnants of war (ERW) contamination. The HALO Trust (HALO) has supported the Ukrainian authorities to address mine contamination since 2015, through survey and large-scale mine clearance, as well as by assisting state entities such as the State Emergency Services (SES) to strengthen humanitarian mine clearance practices and procedures. HALO’s ongoing capacity-development efforts aim to enhance existing resources in order to establish …
First Steps To Limiting Conflict Pollution In Central Vietnam, Allan R. Vosburgh
First Steps To Limiting Conflict Pollution In Central Vietnam, Allan R. Vosburgh
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Awareness and concern are growing worldwide regarding pollution resulting from conflicts. In Vietnam, decades of wars have left a legacy of contaminated land and increasingly polluted water. Golden West Humanitarian Foundation (Golden West) believes future success in eliminating explosive remnants of war (ERW) will depend on highly-skilled, dedicated Vietnamese technicians who can apply training, tools, and techniques that mitigate ERW without unnecessarily adding new contaminants to the environment. Open detonations always contribute steel fragments and particles of explosive residue in the ground along with smoke and detonation products in the air. Golden West is helping to develop facilities, technology, and …
The Elusive “Just Enough”: Re-Inventing Explosive Hazard Clearance Management In Iraq, Mark Wilkinson Ph.D.
The Elusive “Just Enough”: Re-Inventing Explosive Hazard Clearance Management In Iraq, Mark Wilkinson Ph.D.
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
The Government of Iraq viewed rehabilitation of infrastructure contaminated with explosives during the conflict with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) as a prereqisite to socioeconomic recovery and political stability, which, in turn, established a need for the mine action community to deploy qualified, certified clearance teams as quickly as possible. While these teams could deploy quickly, their reliance on international staff and their associated costs attributable to security and other factors introduced a high overhead business model that became an accepted standard during a first clearance phase from 2015 to 2019, despite the understanding that this …
To Walk The Earth In Safety 20th Edition (Cy2020), Us Dos Pm/Wra
To Walk The Earth In Safety 20th Edition (Cy2020), Us Dos Pm/Wra
Global CWD Repository
2020 was a year of exceptional challenges for the Department of State due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, the United States remains the world’s largest international donor to CWD, providing more than $4 billion to support humanitarian mine action (HMA), physical security and stockpile management (PSSM), and associated activities in over 100 countries since 1993.
Despite the pandemic, the United States was able to provide significant cooperation on a range of programs around the world. Here are a few highlights from 2020:
• The Department provided PSSM assessments in Lebanon following the Port of Beirut explosion on August 4. This …
The Sustainable Development Outcomes Of Mine Action In Jordan, Gichd, Angela Hoyos Iborra, Olaf Juergensen
The Sustainable Development Outcomes Of Mine Action In Jordan, Gichd, Angela Hoyos Iborra, Olaf Juergensen
Global CWD Repository
This first-of-its-kind study proves that the 2030 Agenda, which is comprehensive by design and covers the full spectrum of the humanitarian, development, and peace nexus, can help the sector in this regard. It relies on a globally agreed framework that enables practitioners and the international community to assess whether a mine action intervention leads to progress on this triple nexus.
The present study identifies the critical role played by mine action in Jordan to address the immediate humanitarian risks originated by the presence of explosive ordnance contamination, while establishing some of the foundations for sustainable development.
The findings of this …
Ied Threat Consistency And Predictability In Fallujah: A 'Simple' Model For Clearance, Mark Wilkinson Ph.D.
Ied Threat Consistency And Predictability In Fallujah: A 'Simple' Model For Clearance, Mark Wilkinson Ph.D.
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
When in control of the area of Iraq north of Baghdad, including the city of Fallujah, ISIS prepared to defend its position from inevitable government counterattack through the widespread use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) laid as defensive obstacles in patterns similar to conventional minefields.1 The subsequent destruction of bridges over the Tigris River further strengthened the ability of ISIS to defend the city and prevent the civilians trapped within from escaping.
Practical Notes On The Application Of Thermite Systems In Mine Action, Robert Syfret, Chris Cooper
Practical Notes On The Application Of Thermite Systems In Mine Action, Robert Syfret, Chris Cooper
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
There are numerous documents available online relating to the use of thermite systems for explosive ordnance disposal (EOD). However, most of the documents are either scientifically focused or address specific technical questions. This article provides broader practical information for mine action operators at the field and program levels. Although previously employed on a relatively small scale over the last five years, use of thermite as opposed to explosives for the destruction of landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) has increased. This has been driven by greater engagement across the sector in countries with unstable security situations, and places with …
The Challenges Of Humanitarian Mine Clearance In Ukraine, Toby Robinson, Rosanna O'Keeffe
The Challenges Of Humanitarian Mine Clearance In Ukraine, Toby Robinson, Rosanna O'Keeffe
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
The HALO Trust has been working in Ukraine since 2015, a year after the hostilities in the east of the country began. Both the ongoing conflict in the Donbas and tensions on the border with Russia have left large areas of land contaminated with landmines and other explosive remnants of war (ERW). In places where the frontline has moved on and the fighting has stopped, mines and other ERW remain, preventing the lives of civilians from returning to normal.
Contamination In Eastern Ukraine: Observations By Osce, Edward Crowther
Contamination In Eastern Ukraine: Observations By Osce, Edward Crowther
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Since fighting began in 2014, significant areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine have been contaminated by landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO). This article will briefly cover the origin of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) and its mandate, before turning to the types of contamination observed by the SMM in eastern Ukraine. On 21 March 2014, the 57 participating States of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) made a consensus decision to deploy the SMM, and the SMM’s mandate has been extended each year since. The SMM establishes facts and reports …
Collaborative Demining Training In Cambodia, Jorge Rivero, Tom Gersbeck
Collaborative Demining Training In Cambodia, Jorge Rivero, Tom Gersbeck
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Since 2016, the Center for Fire and Explosives, Forensic Investigations, Training and Research at Oklahoma State University (OSU) has teamed up with Golden West Humanitarian Foundation to offer an extraordinary training opportunity to military and civilian bomb experts, as well as OSU medical personnel and students. During the second half of January 2018, a group of civilian law enforcement bomb technicians, military explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) technicians, medical personnel, a lawyer, and educators visited Cambodia to participate in the OSU Explosives Ordnance seminar conducted by Golden West.
Minefield Clearance And Casualties - Holland 1945 - Military Operations Research Unit Report No.7, Roly Evans
Minefield Clearance And Casualties - Holland 1945 - Military Operations Research Unit Report No.7, Roly Evans
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
In June and July 1945, two Royal Canadian Engineer officers, on their own initiative, carried out a review of the ongoing minefield clearance in Holland. The local military authorities deemed the review to be of significant value and therefore directed the Military Operational Research Unit to take up the study and “carry out a complete survey and analysis of all aspects of minefield clearance and casualties.” The study, entitled Military Operational Research Unit Report No.7 – Minefield Clearance and Casualties, Holland 1945 was initially intended to gather lessons about minefield clearance casualties in relation to combat. It became a significant …
To Walk The Earth In Safety 18th Edition (Cy 2018), Us Dos Pm/Wra
To Walk The Earth In Safety 18th Edition (Cy 2018), Us Dos Pm/Wra
Global CWD Repository
This 18th Edition of To Walk the Earth In Safety summarizes the United States’ Conventional Weapons Destruction (CWD) programs in 2018. CWD assistance provides the United States with a powerful and flexible tool to help partner countries manage their stockpiles of munitions, destroy excess small arms and light weapons (SA/LW) and clear explosive hazards such as landmines, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and unexploded ordnance (UXO). Our assistance also helps countries destroy illicitly-held or poorly-secured man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS) and mitigate their threat to civilian aviation and public safety.
In today’s dynamic world, threats to U.S. national security abound. The …
To Walk The Earth In Safety 17th Edition (Cy2017), Us Dos Pm/Wra
To Walk The Earth In Safety 17th Edition (Cy2017), Us Dos Pm/Wra
Global CWD Repository
This 17th Edition of To Walk the Earth In Safety summarizes the United States’ CWD programs in 2017. CWD assistance provides the United States with a powerful and flexible tool to help partner countries manage their stockpiles of munitions, destroy excess small arms and light weapons (SA/LW) and clear explosive hazards such as landmines, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and UXO. Our assistance also helps countries destroy or enhance security of their man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS) and their threat to civilian aviation, in addition to other weapons and munitions.
The United States is committed to reducing these threats worldwide and …
Drones Supporting Mine Clearance In Northern Sri Lanka, Oliver Gerard-Pearse
Drones Supporting Mine Clearance In Northern Sri Lanka, Oliver Gerard-Pearse
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
The humanitarian mine action (HMA) community’s nascent adoption of commercial drone technology has no doubt made a positive impact within the sector. However, drones go underutilized in HMA and many opportunities as well as potential pitfalls remain. Nurturing and developing this technology to assist in an increasingly diverse and evolving industry will benefit the community greatly. However, drones have only recently drawn the public eye with considerable strides forward in developing technology that is now available and financially accessible to the general public. Popular commercial brands are appealing more to the budding photographers and video bloggers that are able to …
Shattered Lives And Bodies: Recovery Of Survivors Of Improvised Explosive Devices And Explosive Remnants Of War In Northeast Syria, Médecins Sans Frontières
Shattered Lives And Bodies: Recovery Of Survivors Of Improvised Explosive Devices And Explosive Remnants Of War In Northeast Syria, Médecins Sans Frontières
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
In northeast Syria, fighting, airstrikes, and artillery shelling have led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of civilians from the cities of Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa, as well as rural areas along the eastern bank of the Euphrates River. Now that active fighting has moved toward the Syrian- Iraqi border, the population is beginning to return home. However, explosive remnants of war (ERW), improvised explosive devices (IED), and booby traps (remaining from conflict or planted purposefully in homes) continue to put the returning population at immense risk and further obstruct vital humanitarian access.
Sepon Supports Uxo Clearance In Laos, Saman Aneka, Micheal Valent
Sepon Supports Uxo Clearance In Laos, Saman Aneka, Micheal Valent
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Sepon mine, owned by the largest international mining company in Laos, MMG Lane Xang Minerals Limited Sepon (LXML), is situated in a remote area of Vilabouly District, Savannakhet Province—one of the most bombed districts in Lao PDR. Over 21,000 people have been killed or injured as a result of unexploded ordnance (UXO) accidents in the post-war period (1974–2018), of which 25 percent were in Savannakhet Province. This legacy brings unique challenges to mining operations, development projects, and agricultural production.
The Hybrid Thermal Lance: A Promising New Technique For The Destruction Of Landmines And Uxo By Deflagration, Donald Pratt, Nick Torbet
The Hybrid Thermal Lance: A Promising New Technique For The Destruction Of Landmines And Uxo By Deflagration, Donald Pratt, Nick Torbet
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Explosive ordnance can be destroyed by a variety of methods. Destruction in-situ using an explosive charge is generally the preferred means; it is reliable, technically straightforward, and often the safest option. Other techniques include thermite-based tools or low-explosive powered disruptors. However, in a number of current humanitarian mine action (HMA) operating environments, clearance organizations are faced with restrictions on explosive use and/or importation of other energetic materials such as thermite. This may be due to the legitimate security concerns of mine-affected states, or legislative frameworks that do not account for non-military use of explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) tools. This takes …
Clearing Safe Spaces For Drought Affected Communities In Somaliland, Edward Lajoie, Megan Dwyer
Clearing Safe Spaces For Drought Affected Communities In Somaliland, Edward Lajoie, Megan Dwyer
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Governments and nongovernmental organizations (NGO) working in the Horn of Africa consistently identify conflict and climate change as two primary drivers of insecurity in the region. The HALO Trust’s landmine and explosive remnants of war (ERW) clearance in the Republic of Somaliland over the last 19 years has been at the intersection of these two issues.