Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Discipline
- Publication
- Publication Type
Articles 1 - 30 of 59
Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network
Mine-Action Program In Southern Sudan, Margaret M. Mathiang
Mine-Action Program In Southern Sudan, Margaret M. Mathiang
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Following more than two decades of civil war between Northern and Southern Sudan, much of Southern Sudan has been left contaminated with landmines and explosive remnants of war. As a result, the Southern Sudan Demining Authority, along with the United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Mine Action Office and other organizations, have been diligently working toward clearing 80 percent of the mines in Southern Sudan by 2011.
Organization Profile: Regional Centre On Small Arms And Light Weapons, Cisr Journal
Organization Profile: Regional Centre On Small Arms And Light Weapons, Cisr Journal
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
The following article examines the Regional Centre on Small Arms and Light Weapons, which was created in March 2000. Since its inception, RECSA has provided its member states with support in the creation of National Focal Points on small-arms control and management. With its help, seven of RECSA’s member states have developed National Action Plans with goals including SA/LW marking, weapons disposal, and SA/LW education/awareness. Two additional countries are expected to have Action Plans in place in 2011.
The Effect Of Reinforcement Rate Variations On Hits And False Alarms In Remote Explosive Scent Tracing With Dogs, Rebecca Sargisson, Ian Mclean
The Effect Of Reinforcement Rate Variations On Hits And False Alarms In Remote Explosive Scent Tracing With Dogs, Rebecca Sargisson, Ian Mclean
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Detection animals offer untapped potential in terms of locating landmines and explosive ordnance in the field and in the laboratory. In this study, the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining investigated the effect of low, medium, and high levels of reward on the performance of six dogs searching filters for explosive odor.
The Journal Of Erw And Mine Action Issue 14.3 (2010), Cisr Journal
The Journal Of Erw And Mine Action Issue 14.3 (2010), Cisr Journal
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Focus: Looking Beyond Mine Action | Feature: Development and Funding | Special Report: Update on National Programs | Notes from the Field | Research & Development
Destruction Of Cluster Munitions In Moldova, Colin King
Destruction Of Cluster Munitions In Moldova, Colin King
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
For some countries affected by cluster munitions, the obligations to demilitarize that accompany ratification of the Convention on Cluster Munitions may appear daunting. In 2009, however, Norwegian People’s Aid undertook a pilot project in Moldova to find a cheaper, more efficient alternative-disposal method. They discovered that not only can destruction of cluster munitions be done more effectively, but also that by using locally administered programs, international organizations can promote capacity building and increased employment while also bolstering national pride and commitment to the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
The United Nations Portfolio Of Mine Action Projects, Cisr Journal
The United Nations Portfolio Of Mine Action Projects, Cisr Journal
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
In Xieng Khouang, Lao PDR, an all-female demining team assesses and clears unexploded ordnance-contaminated land. In Bogotá, Colombia, a team of practitioners nationalizes a plan to train local health personnel about the psychosocial needs of explosive-remnants-of-war victims. In Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina, primary schoolchildren attend educational puppet shows about small-arms-and-light-weapons risks. At the heart of each initiative is a collaborative resource-mobilization system called the Portfolio of Mine Action Projects, and in 2010 it gives life to 277 projects in 27 countries.
Falkland Islands Demining Pilot Project: Completion Of Phase 1, Robin Swanson
Falkland Islands Demining Pilot Project: Completion Of Phase 1, Robin Swanson
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
The United Kingdom has started to remove anti-personnel mines from the Falkland/Malvinas Islands in order to meet its obligations under Article 5 of the Ottawa Convention. A pilot phase was completed in June 2010 to clear four suspected hazardous areas—a critical first step to inform future projects following the conclusion of the Joint U.K.-Argentine Feasibility Study.
In Remembrance: Stephen “Darby” Allan, Cisr Journal
In Remembrance: Stephen “Darby” Allan, Cisr Journal
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Stephen “Darby” Allan, a Technical Field Manager with Mines Advisory Group, died on 15 October 2010, following an explosion in which he was critically injured. The explosion took place around noon as Darby was doing mine-clearance work at a site near Kapoeta, in southern Sudan. He died a few hours later. Darby is survived by his wife Karen and his children, Sarah and David.
The Advanced Intelligence Decision Support System For The Assessment Of Mine-Suspected Areas, Milan Bajic
The Advanced Intelligence Decision Support System For The Assessment Of Mine-Suspected Areas, Milan Bajic
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Several research and development projects have been created to utilize airborne and spaceborne remote sensing for mine action, but the Advanced Intelligence Decision Support System is the first mine-action technology to successfully combine remote sensing with advanced intelligence methodology. The result is a rigorously operationally validated system that improves hazardous risk assessment for greater efficiency in land cancellation and release. This article discusses the components of the AI DSS system and its achievements in mine action.
Hero Profile: Aki Ra, Cisr Journal
Hero Profile: Aki Ra, Cisr Journal
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
The Khmer Rouge made Aki Ra a soldier when he was still a child. Now, close to 30 years later, he can be found working tirelessly to remove landmines and unexploded ordnance in Siem Reap, Cambodia—some planted by his own hands. As a result of his work, the Cambodia Landmine Relief Museum Facility houses thousands of detonated landmines and UXO, and provides a home for orphaned landmine victims. Aki Ra has received international recognition for his humanitarian efforts, including his recent selection as a Top 10 candidate for the CNN Hero of the Year award.
The Mine Action Programme Of Afghanistan, Mohammed Haider Reza
The Mine Action Programme Of Afghanistan, Mohammed Haider Reza
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
The Mine Action Programme of Afghanistan, coordinated by the Mine Action Coordination Centre of Afghanistan, faces a unique set of challenges in combating the national mine/explosive-remnants-of-war contamination problem. The ongoing war and changing political climate force the country’s mine-action plan to adapt to meet new demands as they emerge. The following summary of MAPA’s activities highlights these challenges and their implications for the continued humanitarian effort in Afghanistan.
Demining Albania 2000–2009: Successes And Lessons Learned, Gregor Sancanin
Demining Albania 2000–2009: Successes And Lessons Learned, Gregor Sancanin
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Following the 1999 Kosovo conflict, Albania sought the most efficient method for demining its land. Mine-action efforts were effectively jump-started with the creation of the Albanian Mine Action Executive, as well as the ratification of the Ottawa Convention. Support from mine-clearance partners and international donors has significantly enhanced the demining effort. This article reviews lessons learned in the process of demining Albania that can be used in future mine-clearance operations.
The Humpty Dumpty Institute: Sri Lanka, Savrithi Rodrigo
The Humpty Dumpty Institute: Sri Lanka, Savrithi Rodrigo
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
With the remnants of more than 25 years of war embedded in the country, Sri Lanka was in desperate need of clearance in 2006. A partnership among The Humpty Dumpty Institute, The HALO Trust and Land O’Lakes International Development has bettered the lives of the Sri Lankan people by clearing the land of explosive remnants of war and providing innovative techniques for milk production, while also allowing many to return to their homes after years of displacement.
Redefining Success: Whose Reality Counts?, Asa Massleberg
Redefining Success: Whose Reality Counts?, Asa Massleberg
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
This article redefines how the mine-action community should measure accountability and effectiveness, suggesting that more thoughtful effort should be taken to measure success. It discusses recent developments in evaluating mine-action activities, examines the increased role of local communities as stakeholders and details the use of Mines Advisory Group’s impact-assessment tool in Sudan.
Physical Security And Stockpile Management, Dave Diaz
Physical Security And Stockpile Management, Dave Diaz
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Physical security and stockpile management is quickly becoming one of the most pressing threat-reduction issues the United States and other countries must address. Aging stockpiles of conventional weapons and increasingly unstable munitions from the Cold War or earlier pose a serious threat in many countries that no longer have a national-security need for them.
The Roots Of Peace Model: Demine-Replant-Rebuild, Gary Kuhn
The Roots Of Peace Model: Demine-Replant-Rebuild, Gary Kuhn
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Roots of Peace is an organization dedicated to the demining and redevelopment of mine-affected regions. It believes that it is not enough for organizations to just clear land of explosive remnants of war but that the land must be made livable and productive again. ROP suggests that the Demine-Replant-Rebuild model may be a good model for other organizations as well.
Mag: Paving A Mine-Free Path To Prosperity In Angola, Kate Wiggans
Mag: Paving A Mine-Free Path To Prosperity In Angola, Kate Wiggans
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
In Angola’s eastern Moxico province, MAG (Mines Advisory Group), through its humanitarian mine-action program, is making substantial inroads into improving the residents’ socioeconomic situation. The almost immediate improvement to people’s lives is so visible that from one week to the next, MAG’s teams working on the outskirts of Luau, the regional urban center, can actually see families building homes on the land they have only recently cleared.
The Itf’S Role In Demining Serbia, Macedonia And Montenegro, Gregor Sancanin
The Itf’S Role In Demining Serbia, Macedonia And Montenegro, Gregor Sancanin
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
The International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance has been offering its services to Southeast Europe’s most war-affected countries since 1998. In states affected by the break-up of Yugoslavia, such as Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro, this involvement has been critical to fulfilling the Ottawa Convention’s goals.
Peer-To-Peer Support Vital To Survivors, Ken Rutherford
Peer-To-Peer Support Vital To Survivors, Ken Rutherford
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Landmine victims suffer not only from physical trauma, but also from intense emotional, psychological and social difficulties. As a landmine survivor and person with a disability myself, I know the challenges of recovery firsthand. On a personal level, I feel I can better communicate challenges with other landmine survivors and people with disabilities rather than my doctors, family and friends; peer-to-peer support helped me face the difficulties I encountered following the loss of my legs.
Community Empowerment And Leadership In Cambodia, Ruth Bottomley, Chan Sambath
Community Empowerment And Leadership In Cambodia, Ruth Bottomley, Chan Sambath
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
In an effort to strengthen the ability of Cambodian villagers living with landmines and explosive remnants of war to manage the mine/ERW threat, the Cambodian Mine Action Centre implemented the Community-Based Mine Risk Reduction project. The CBMRR project, with support from CMAC, helps local populations participate in mine-action projects and access victim-assistance services and community-development activities to alleviate mine risk.
Mine-Action Success Story: Nepal, Stephen Robinson
Mine-Action Success Story: Nepal, Stephen Robinson
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
After a decade of conflict in Nepal, the signing of the 2006 Comprehensive Peace Agreement initiated mine clearance. By December 2009, all explosives in the Maoist cantonment sites had been eliminated. This article examines the extent of Nepal’s mine-action successes, while offering a number of lessons for mine-afflicted states to consider in their programs.
Consolidating Peace Through Pssm Projects In Burundi, Julie Claveau
Consolidating Peace Through Pssm Projects In Burundi, Julie Claveau
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Small arms and light weapons have been a problem in Burundi due to the Burundi Civil War. This article focuses on the programs that (MAG) Mines Advisory Group and the Burundian police have instituted to reduce stockpiles and improve physical security and stockpile management in the country.
Tripwires: An Invisible Component?, Colin King
Tripwires: An Invisible Component?, Colin King
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Most landmines are pressure-actuated, but a number of other initiation mechanisms are used. This article explains why tripwires are particularly significant, and examines their implications for clearance operations.
Fellows Gain Experience At U.S. Department Of State, Cisr Journal
Fellows Gain Experience At U.S. Department Of State, Cisr Journal
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
The Frasure-Kruzel-Drew Memorial Fellowship of Humanitarian Demining has been awarded to promising students and recent graduates of James Madison University for more than 10 years. This fellowship with the Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement in the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs (PM/WRA) has provided Fellows with a stepping stone to careers in mine action and continues to leave a lasting impact on its participants.
Trial Of Ground-Penetrating Radar, Neutron And Magnetometry Methods In Arid Soil In Egypt, John Crawford
Trial Of Ground-Penetrating Radar, Neutron And Magnetometry Methods In Arid Soil In Egypt, John Crawford
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Metal detection and digging are somewhat unsatisfactory approaches to locating landmines. This report presents and examines alternative detection solutions, such as ground-penetrating radar as well as neutron and magnetometry methods. A case study of these techniques in a laboratory setting and in Egyptian soil reveals their effectiveness.
Endnotes, Cisr Journal
A Mine-Free Central America: How Can We Improve On Success?, Carl Case
A Mine-Free Central America: How Can We Improve On Success?, Carl Case
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Since 1991, the Organization of American States has worked to eliminate the threat of anti-personnel landmines in the Americas. In 2010, the OAS Mine Action Program marked a major milestone toward that goal as Nicaragua completed its national demining plan to establish a once war-torn Central America as a mine-safe region. Notwithstanding the success of these efforts, it is important to understand what could have been done better to achieve mine-clearance goals more efficiently and effectively and how these lessons might be applied to other programs.
Prioritization And Partnership In Lao Pdr, Sean Sutton
Prioritization And Partnership In Lao Pdr, Sean Sutton
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Explosive remnants of war continue to be a problem in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, affecting children and schools in many communities. With funding provided by the Humpty Dumpty Institute, Mines Advisory Group and International Relief and Development have collaborated to combat the problem of unexploded ordnance and improve affected communities. This article focuses on UXO clearance and its impact in Khammouane province.
The Halo Trust Activities In Kuando Kubango, Angola, Rory Forbes, Marie Demulier, Andrew Genung
The Halo Trust Activities In Kuando Kubango, Angola, Rory Forbes, Marie Demulier, Andrew Genung
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
The HALO Trust employs over 900 national staff with eight expatriate managers in Angola. In 2008 HALO was responsible for 47 percent of the mined area cleared and 87 percent of the mines cleared in Angola. Its recent focus has been Kuando Kubango province—one of the most heavily mined areas of Angola and also one of the least economically developed provinces. This article begins with a case study to demonstrate the local mine problem, elaborates upon the full scope of HALO’s activities, analyzes HALO’s statistical achievements toward mine reduction, and concludes with HALO’s recent successes and future prospects.
Non-State Actors And Mine Action: Complications And Solutions, Cisr Journal
Non-State Actors And Mine Action: Complications And Solutions, Cisr Journal
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
The role of non-state actors in mine action is an important and complicated issue to consider. While the United Nations does not recognize NSAs as official representatives of countries or governments, NSAs can still play an active part in reducing landmine and weapons proliferation around the globe. This article discusses the complications surrounding NSAs and the efforts being taken to include them in mine-action discussions.