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Explosive Remnants Of War In North Africa, Ayman Sorour
Explosive Remnants Of War In North Africa, Ayman Sorour
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
This article looks at explosive remnants of war in North Africa (Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia) from different perspectives, including the scope and history of the ERW, its impact and its relationship to security.
Israel, Country Profile
Israel, Country Profile
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Again at the heart of Mideast conflict, Israel has received international attention not just because of persistent landmine and unexploded ordnance contamination in the region, but also because of military operations in southern Lebanon. Recent attention has underscored the need to address the threat posed by landmines and other explosive remnants of war; perhaps one important way to address this would be the signing of international agreements prohibiting the use of indiscriminate weapons.
Increasing The Impact Of Mine-Action Surveys, Charles Downs
Increasing The Impact Of Mine-Action Surveys, Charles Downs
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
While mine-action surveys are an important tool in mine clearance, there are several challenges that must be overcome for survey results to be fully effective. Some of these changes include alterations in priority setting, information management and impact scoring. This article presents some potential obstacles to completing and evaluating mine-action surveys and proposes possible solutions to these challenges to increase their effectiveness and impact.
Explosive Remnants Of War In The Republic Of Croatia, Drazen Simunovic
Explosive Remnants Of War In The Republic Of Croatia, Drazen Simunovic
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Explosive remnants of war represent a constant threat to normal life and activities of the population living in mine-affected areas in the Republic of Croatia. The author considers the extent and impact of unexploded ordnance and other ERW contaminating the country as a consequence of military operations between 1991 and 1995.
Protection Of Soft Vehicles Against Erw, Thomas Hvidtfeldt
Protection Of Soft Vehicles Against Erw, Thomas Hvidtfeldt
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
The author discusses the challenges of protecting aid workers riding in traditional unarmoured vehicles from the dangers of explosive remnants of war. He offers some practical, after-market solutions that provide a high level of protection for much less than the cost of traditional armoured vehicles.
Explosive Remnants Of War And Their Consequences, Jonmahmad Rajabov
Explosive Remnants Of War And Their Consequences, Jonmahmad Rajabov
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
This article examines the post-conflict situation of Tajikistan, which has not only anti-personnel mines but various kinds of explosive remnants of war. Recently Tajikistan signed Protocol V of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, which includes a commitment to clear the nation’s ERW. The author highlights some of the different sources of ERW in Tajikistan as well as the progress being made by authorities to clear and destroy ERW.
Mine-Risk Education And The Amateur Scrap-Metal Hunter, Allan R. Vosburgh
Mine-Risk Education And The Amateur Scrap-Metal Hunter, Allan R. Vosburgh
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
In many countries where landmines and unexploded ordnance threaten populations, people ignore warnings about these hazardous explosives to collect explosive remnants of war for the valuable scrap metal they contain. The author discusses a program proposed by the Golden West Humanitarian Foundation to manage this dangerous practice.
Cluster Munitions And Erw In Lebanon, Daniele Ressler, Elizabeth Wise
Cluster Munitions And Erw In Lebanon, Daniele Ressler, Elizabeth Wise
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
The recent 34-day conflict between the Lebanese armed faction Hezbollah and Israel from July 12 to August 14, 2006, saw extensive use of surface-launched munitions and air-dropped munitions (to a lesser degree), resulting in wartime casualties for military and civilian actors in both Lebanon and Israel. Since the ceasefire agreement, international post-conflict attention has become focused on Lebanon due to the large number of explosive remnants of war left behind after the conflict. In particular, cluster munitions are proving problematic for post-conflict reconstruction activities in Lebanon due to their apparent high failure rate and the potential threat they pose to …
Afghanistan, Country Profile
Afghanistan, Country Profile
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Afghanistan's landmine contamination began with the Soviet occupation from 1979 to 1989. Pro-Soviet Afghan-government forces continued contributing to this landmine, unexploded ordnance and other explosive remnants of war contamination during the next three years. Factional fighting from 1992 to 1995, resistance to the Taliban from 1996 to 2001 and the 2001 US-led invasion added to the problem. Not only does this contamination injure or kill more than 100 Afghans a month, it also impacts the reconstruction and development of the country into an economically and politically stable nation.
Vietnam, Country Profile
Vietnam, Country Profile
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Long after the Vietnam War's end, remnants of the conflict remain in playgrounds, schools, farms and roads. Over 30 years have passed, but abandoned ammunition and unexploded ordnance—known as explosive remnants of war—have taken the lives of thousands of civilians. Once a week, a person in central Vietnam is killed or injured by an encounter with UXO. Vietnam is one of the most ERW-contaminated countries in the world, with abandoned explosives such as old bombs, artillery shells, grenades and other munitions left over from past wars. The country has an estimated 350,000 to 800,000 tons (317,515 to 725,748 metric tons) …
Unsung Hero: Elnur Gasimov, Cisr Journal
Unsung Hero: Elnur Gasimov, Cisr Journal
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
As a young man in a war-torn area of Azerbaijan, Elnur Gasimov experienced the shock of being severely injured by a piece of unexploded ordnance. Today, Gasimov’s personal experience has inspired him to work as the Team Leader of the Training and Quality Assurance Team at the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action to ensure what happened to him will not happen to other citizens of his country. Gasimov’s resilience and dedication to his work make him a hero in the demining community.
The Killer Toy, Bounpheng Sisawath
The Killer Toy, Bounpheng Sisawath
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
In June 2004, in the village of Nongsoung of the Paksong district in Champassak province, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, 30-year-old Pheng and four of her five children went out to plant vegetables. At noontime, while she was cooking lunch for the children, three of them began playing with something she could not see. Shortly thereafter, villagers two kilometres (one mile) away heard the sound of an explosion coming from the direction of Pheng’s garden.
Humanitarian Landmine Action In China And The Role Of The Ngo, Zhai Dequan
Humanitarian Landmine Action In China And The Role Of The Ngo, Zhai Dequan
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Though China is not a State Party to the Ottawa Convention, the country has long been involved in humanitarian efforts to alleviate the landmine problem. Nationally, China has launched mine clearance campaigns, and has become a State Party to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. Two organizations have also been established to alleviate the landmine problem. Internationally, China has sponsored several mine-clearance workshops, and has promoted international partnerships to work toward mine clearance.
Effects Of Landmines On Sri Lanka, K.T. Manjula Udayanga Hemapala
Effects Of Landmines On Sri Lanka, K.T. Manjula Udayanga Hemapala
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
In Sri Lanka, statistics show people between the ages of 20 and 45 are the most likely to be injured by landmines. When they are disabled, they become a burden to the country’s economy, requiring assistance instead of contributing to the country’s growth. This article discusses how landmines affect Sri Lanka and the efforts being undertaken to lessen their impact.
The Aftermath Of War, Cisr Journal
The Aftermath Of War, Cisr Journal
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
The recent conflict between Hezbollah and Israel resulted in many civilian victims and though the fighting has ended, the problems are nowhere near over for the civilians of Lebanon whose country is littered with cluster bomblets. This article explains the effects of the conflict on Lebanese civilians and describes how organizations are trying to eradicate the cluster-submunitions problem and provide aid to affected civilians.
Closing The Circle, Eddie Banks, Rob Shahmir
Closing The Circle, Eddie Banks, Rob Shahmir
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
The authors present a critique of the International Mine Action Standards currently in use. After highlighting gaps in IMAS related to assessment and survey, an improved aspect of mine-action planning methodology is presented, which includes a prioritization component using a socioeconomic approach. The result is LIRA: landmine impact combined with a new measurement of risk assessment. This updated model can contribute to improved safety, quality and productivity of landmine action through more effective strategic planning tools.
The Journal Of Erw And Mine Action Issue 10.2 (2006), Cisr Journal
The Journal Of Erw And Mine Action Issue 10.2 (2006), Cisr Journal
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Editorial | Feature: Quality Assurance for Mined and Survey Areas | Focus: ERW: A Dangerous Legacy | Profiles | Making it Personal | Notes from the Field | Book Reviews | Research and Development | News Briefs
Explosive Remnants Of War And The Reality Of Azerbaijan, Nazim Ismaylov, Emil M. Hasanov
Explosive Remnants Of War And The Reality Of Azerbaijan, Nazim Ismaylov, Emil M. Hasanov
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
This article explains the danger of explosive remnants of war when located within communities and the precautions that need to be taken in order to get rid of this problem. It also describes how the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action is trying to address the problem of abandoned ammunition storage in one of the most highly contaminated areas among existing abandoned ammunition storages in the world.
Chechnya, Country Profile
Chechnya, Country Profile
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
For the past 10 years, a violent conflict between the Russian military and Chechen rebels has resulted in accusations of kidnapping, rape, looting and other atrocities from both sides. Instances of violence constantly plague the Chechen population, including accidents involving unexploded ordnance and landmines.
Cambodia, Country Profile
Cambodia, Country Profile
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Cambodia is one of the countries most heavily contaminated with mines and unexploded ordnance, a result of nearly three decades of conflict. The nation was occupied by the Japanese during World War II, and through the 1960s and 1970s Cambodia was involved in the Indochina Wars, seeing significant bombing. In 1975, the Khmer Rouge occupied Phnom Penh, taking over every town and city; they were not entirely removed from Cambodia until 1999. Vietnam's invasion of Cambodia in 1978 displaced the Khmer Rouge; the Vietnamese occupied Cambodia for 10 years, which invoked almost 13 years of civil war. Pol Pot, leader …
Iraq, Country Profile
Iraq, Country Profile
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Decades of internal conflict, a history overtaken with war and a delicate new government put Iraq in the midst of an explosive-remnants-of-war situation that is worsening as the security situation continues to deteriorate. The country's unstable nature poses a challenge for organizations that wish to provide much needed humanitarian assistance. Conflicts between ethnic and political parties, the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s, the 1991 Persian Gulf War and the more recent U.S.-led invasion in 2003 left the country's 169,234 square miles (438,314 square meters) riddled with landmines, unexploded ordnance and abandoned explosive ordnance.
Industrial Ammunition Stockpile Recovery: Saving Energy And Resources And Protecting The Environment, Erik Lauritzen, Mogens Straarup, Inés García Sánchez
Industrial Ammunition Stockpile Recovery: Saving Energy And Resources And Protecting The Environment, Erik Lauritzen, Mogens Straarup, Inés García Sánchez
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
This article presents the opportunities for the disposal of ammunition in an economically and environmentally feasible way, focusing on post-conflict disposal of larger stocks of ammunition with a special view to the ongoing Ammunition Stockpile Destruction Programme in Afghanistan managed by the Afghanistan New Beginning Programme. The contents of the article are based on the experiences gathered under the umbrella of the research and development programmes Western European Armament Group European Cooperation for the Long-Term in Defence and European Union L’Instrument Financier pour L’Environnement (EU LIFE), together with a study carried out for NATO’s Maintenance and Supply Agency, followed by …
Guinea Bissau, Country Profile
Guinea Bissau, Country Profile
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Past wars continue to haunt Guinea Bissau as remnants from previous conflicts are a constant reminder of what the country has undergone. Though the Liberation War lasted 11 years and finally ended in 1974, neighboring Senegal's internal conflict and Guinea Bissau's own civil war near the Casamance region would leave behind uglier scars.
The Human Face Of Eod, Howard M. Thompson
The Human Face Of Eod, Howard M. Thompson
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Being a specialist insurance broker to explosive-ordnance-disposal organisations around the world has provided Howard Thompson with the opportunity to be on the sidelines of the humanitarian-demining community. But during a 10-day visit to Cambodia, he was able to experience first-hand the significance of humanitarian demining and clearance. He writes about this experience here.
Imsma® Version 4: A Collaborative Approach, Daniele Ressler
Imsma® Version 4: A Collaborative Approach, Daniele Ressler
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
From July 24 to 27, 2006, the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining hosted a workshop in Murten, Switzerland, to introduce and discuss the release of the Information Management System for Mine Action version 4. Participants included management, operations and technology professionals involved in mine-action information management. During this workshop, results from IMSMA v4 pilot field tests were presented, v4 changes and innovations were explained, and a demonstration of IMSMA v4 with new handheld and Geographic Information System components was offered. IMSMA v4 reflects a collaborative effort to improve the accuracy and ease of mine-action information management in the field.
Geneva Diary: Report From The Gichd, Ian Mansfield
Geneva Diary: Report From The Gichd, Ian Mansfield
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
The Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining provides operational assistance to mine-action programmes and operators, creates and disseminates knowledge, works to improve quality management and standards, and provides support to instruments of international law.
Information Management System For Mine Action In Sudan, Mohammad Kabir
Information Management System For Mine Action In Sudan, Mohammad Kabir
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
The Information Management System for Mine Action is a globally used and internationally accepted database and software system that allows mine-action programmes to efficiently correlate and evaluate information. In addition, IMSMA provides powerful tools to rapidly disseminate information on hazardous areas and other important aspects of mine action by providing digital as well as printed maps and statistics.
Explosive Harvesting Program, Roger Hess
Explosive Harvesting Program, Roger Hess
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
The Explosive Harvesting Program is a research and development program funded by the U.S. Department of Defense Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate Humanitarian Demining Research and Development Program. The concept was designed by Golden West Humanitarian Foundation and is being jointly developed with the Cambodian Mine Action Centre.
Visor Scratch Repair And Prevention, Andrew Heafitz, Benjamin Linder, Marta Luczynska, Mark Scott
Visor Scratch Repair And Prevention, Andrew Heafitz, Benjamin Linder, Marta Luczynska, Mark Scott
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Severe eye injuries occur in 30 percent of demining accidents. Visors are known to be effective personal protective equipment when worn properly, but deminers often lift or remove their visors because scratches, glare or fog make them hard to see through, or because they are hot, heavy and uncomfortable to wear. Addressing each of these specific design problems could increase visor use and prevent a significant number of debilitating injuries. This paper presents methods for preventing and eliminating scratches on demining visors.
The Mine Action Express… Or The Wreck Of The ‘09, Dennis Barlow
The Mine Action Express… Or The Wreck Of The ‘09, Dennis Barlow
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
The author discusses current challenges relating to an effective global mine action strategy; he considers approaches and policies that could enhance or impede demining efforts worldwide. There are many emerging concepts to consider in order to improve mine action, such as mainstreaming, risk management and national ownership. The author discusses potential future plans of action the community must undertake regarding these issues in order to deal effectively with landmines and explosive remnants of war.