Digital Commons Network^™

Landmines And Land Rights In Conflict Affected Contexts, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

Land rights in conflict and post-conflict contexts are an increasing area of concern within the humanitarian and development communities. Conflict can often result in dramatic changes to a country's land tenure regime and administration. Even when conflicts end, land rights may be threatened, especially for women, Internally Displaced People (IDPs), returning refugees, migrants and farm labourers. Secure land rights are, therefore, a critical issue for humanitarian response, sustainable peace-building and longer-term economic recovery, particularly in countries where a significant proportion of the population relies on agriculture as their main source of livelihood. The situation can be even more complex in …

National Mine Action Strategy - Cambodia, The Royal Government Of Cambodia

Global CWD Repository

Cambodia’s landmine problem is the result of a protracted sequence of internal and regional conflicts that affected the country from the mid 1960s until the end of 1998. The nature of landmine and ERW contamination in Cambodia is highly complex. The northwestern regions bordering Thailand are heavily affected, while other parts of the country (mainly the East) are considered moderate to low impact, affected mainly by ERW. Mines and ERW have caused an unacceptable number of casualties, both military and civilian and have hindered national development. Mine clearance started along the Cambodia-Vietnam border by the company of women soldiers of …

National Mine Action Strategy Cambodia (2010-2019), Gichd

Global CWD Repository

The National Mine Action Strategy (NMAS) 2010-2019 responds to the challenges the RGC needs to address in order to promote development and provide security to Cambodian citizens. It builds on previous mine action strategies, as well as on the knowledge and experience that Cambodia has acquired over the last 18 years of intensive demining efforts. It also supports Cambodia’s request for a ten-year extension of its clearance deadline under Article 5 of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Treaty to which Cambodia became a state party in early 2000. This strategy was developed under the leadership of the Cambodian Mine Action and …

The Bridge From Hold To Build, Yori Escalante

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In Afghanistan, the United States and United Nations are developing a new approach to community-based demining by funding local nongovernmental organizations. The use of these Afghan NGOs has not only allowed clearance to begin more quickly and continue more effectively, but has also helped the local population along the path to recovery and supported overall counterinsurgency efforts.

Integrating Erw Programs: The Case For Consolidating Cwd Activities, Mark Adams

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

For years, the mine-action community has been revising its definition of explosive remnants of war. Viewing unexploded ordnance, landmines, ammunition stockpiles, and small arms/light weapons as individual threats, the mine-action community has created distinct budgets, programs and policies to address each of them. What were beginning to realize, however, is that a more integrated approach allows for greater progress in reducing the ERW threat.

Mine Action In North Sudan, Khalid Ibrahim Hamed

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

North Sudan’s National Mine Action Centre is making great strides toward clearing all known mined areas in Sudan’s northern regions by April 2014. In the following article, the author, a Quality Assurance Officer for NMAC, explores NMAC’s work, future plans, and how it has linked mine action to development and recovery in North Sudan.

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.

Profile: “Remnants Of A War,” Directed By Jawad Metni, Documentary Review

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

During the 2006 Israeli-Hezbollah War, Israeli forces dropped more than four million cluster munitions on Southern Lebanon. By conservative estimates, these bombs fail to detonate 30 percent of the time. This rate, when coupled with a 2009 stall in the funding process, has left more than 12 million square meters (2,965 acres) of land threatening the safety and lives of local residents. Responding to this danger, Director Jawad Metni uses his film,“Remnants of a War,” to document the trained, local deminers of Southern Lebanon as they diligently work to remove the remaining munitions more than three years after the …

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.

Itep Evaluation Of Metal Detectors And Dual-Sensor Detectors, Kazunori Takahashi, Dieter Gulle

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Since its development in the early 1970s, scientists from an array of disciplines have found reason to utilize ground-penetrating radar to create radar images of the subsurface. The following article examines how GPR use in combination with standard metal detectors could aid workers in the field of demining.

Mine Action Development Funding In Bosnia And Herzegovina, Michael Carrier, John Powell

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Mine action seeks to eliminate the lingering effects of contamination from landmines and explosive remnants of war, but the need for development in these communities often trumps clearance and mine-risk education activities. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, where clearance activities are expected to continue until 2019, the Swiss Development Cooperation and Handicap International are exploring new ways for mine action to integrate development efforts into more traditional mine-action efforts.

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.

Review Of Sida's Support To Mine Action 2001-2009 - Final Report, Sida

Global CWD Repository

This report presents the findings, conclusions and recommendations of an external review of Sida's support to mine action activities between 2001 and 2009 undertaken by COWI A/S and Channel Research. The review provides an overview of Sida's engagement in mine action during the decade, as well as assessments of the relevance of relevant Sida policies and strategies, and the results achieved through support to global organisations and country level programmes. The review included country field visits to Sida supported mine action programmes in Iraq and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The methodology applied was based on the evaluation frameworks of …

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.

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.

To Walk The Earth In Safety 9th Edition (Fy2009), Us Dos Pm/Wra

Global CWD Repository

In 2009, the Department of State continued to lead the international donor community in providing assistance for the clearance of landmines and other explosive remnants of war, as well as the destruction of at-risk and unsecured weapons and munitions, by providing $130 million in aid to 32 countries. Although significant progress has been made over the last decade, including several countries which have been declared mine impact-free, there still remains much to do to make the world a safer place for everyone.

This ninth edition of our annual report, To Walk The Earth In Safety, describes the programs and achievements …

Irish Aid - Mines Advisory Group (Mag) Iraqi Kurdistan Evaluation, Vera Bohle, Gabrielle Chaizy

Global CWD Repository

On 1 May 2006 Irish Aid started funding Mines Advisory Group (MAG) to implement the project ‘Integrated Humanitarian Mine Action Programme, Iraq' in Erbil, Dahuk and Mosul. The funding agreement runs to September 2010 and Irish Aid and MAG have discussed the continuation of the project. The two parties decided to commission an evaluation to inform the extension decision. The evaluation is intended to (i) inform decisions regarding the possible continuation of the project and (ii) contribute to enhanced project performance. The evaluation was conducted by a team fielded by the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) in the …

Sida Ddg Evaluation, Kennet Korayi, Tim Lardner, Anna Wood

Global CWD Repository

On 1 March 2008 Danish Demining Group (DDG) entered into a two-year agreement with the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) to implement the project "Survey, Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) and Mine Risk Education in Southern Sudan". The project aims to support the repatriation process for refugees and IDPs in South Sudan by providing a safe environment for the returnees and communities, and facilitating the work of humanitarian organisations. As the project is scheduled to end in 2010, Sida and DDG decided to commission an evaluation to inform the decision concerning a possible extension. The evaluation was conducted by a team …

Post-Conflict Impact Assessment In Cambodia, Ruth Bottomley, Phuong Ponha

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

This article presents a pilot study that tested the Post-conflict Impact Assessment methodology conducted by MAG Cambodia (Mines Advisory Group Cambodia) in the first quarter of 2009. Funded by the United Kingdom Department for International Development, the pilot was implemented to gauge the suitability and effectiveness of the PCIA methodology to collect impact-assessment data related to MAG’s humanitarian mine-action activities. This article describes the methodology, outlines the process of the pilot study and concludes by discussing the findings that emerged from the pilot, which are currently helping to inform the development of a MAG impact-assessment tool.

Space Assets For Demining Assistance, Thomas Bouvet

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

This article discusses an innovative study the European Space Agency is funding to examine the feasibility of applying space assets to the field of mine action to improve the land-release process. It also announces the opportunity to get involved in implementing the study.

Non-Technical Survey: A Model For Evidence-Based Assessment, Aron Larsson, Love Ekenberg, Asa Wessel, Håvard Bach

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In an ongoing effort to improve the Non-technical Survey, the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining teamed with Stockholm University to create an enhanced version of the Cambodia Mine Action Centre’s Evidence Assessment Model. The aim of the project was to make the existing model more user-friendly and modify the current standards for assessment of mine-affected land. CMAC is testing a revised model to ensure that it meets the needs of their Non-technical Survey teams.

The Saloglu Project, Perviz Gidayev

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

After the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Azerbaijan and the subsequent destruction of an Azeri ammunition warehouse, a large portion of the southern region was contaminated by unexploded ordnance. Following an incorrect initial estimate and the obstacle of lack of funds, the Saloglu Project, a partnership among NATO, its Maintenance and Supply Agency, and the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action, was undertaken to clear the UXO. There is still work to be done, but much has already been accomplished.

The Performance Of Militaries In Humanitarian Demining, Ted Paterson

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Studies indicate that humanitarian demining under civilian oversight is safer and more cost-efficient than humanitarian demining under military oversight. This article provides examples supporting such evidence, cites possible exceptions, and explores reasons for performance inadequacies in military demining units.

Introducing Comprehensive Community Needs Assessment, Tim Lardner, Nick Bateman, Landon Shroder

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

This article describes the Comprehensive Community Needs Assessment and how it seeks to contextualize ERW-related risks at community, mine-action-operator, national-authority and donor levels in order to prioritize community aid so funds are used effectively and communities receive the assistance they need.

Humanitarian Demining Requirements Workshop, Sean Burke

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The 2010 Humanitarian Demining Requirements Workshop will gather mine-action participants from governmental and nongovernmental agencies and various international organizations to share information and ideas pertaining to new technology development, and to discuss the latest results from global demining activities. Selected participants from approximately 12 countries will attend this year’s gathering 21–23 June 2010. Each demining organization is expected to share a presentation detailing its specific activities with the workshop participants.

Signature Recognition: Reading The Signs Of Explosive Ordnance, Colin King

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Signature recognition can be a valuable tool for identifying types of ordnance emplaced, clearing ordnance and enhancing mine-risk education. Additionally, it aids medical professionals in determining the cause of injury and can identify illegal ordnance use. While signature recognition is already a major component of explosive-ordnance-disposal training, it can also provide substantial benefits for local communities affected by landmines.

Falkland-Malvinas Islands Update, Cory Kuklick

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Since conflict between the United Kingdom and Argentina ceased in 1982, the Falkland-Malvinas Islands have remained riddled with landmines. Under its obligation to the Ottawa Convention, the U.K. is removing the landmines from this territory. Despite concerns about clearance there, a successful pilot program has been conducted.

Linking Mine Action And Economic Development, Charles Downs

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

There is often a separation between mine-action programs and economic development, which is unfortunate because mine action is an important part of economic progress. This article focuses on potential strategies for the integration of support to economic development into mine-action programs.

Future Developments Trends In Mechanical-Demining Technology, Heinz Rath, Dieter Schroder, Raymond Twiesselmann

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The authors argue that there is a need to turn toward cheaper and more effective mechanical demining. The future of demining technology is very important for countries with landmine-clearance needs.

Mag's Questionnaire To Assess The Impact Of Clearance In Lao Pdr, Jo Durham, Xaya Xayavong, Boulphan Inthaxay

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In an effort to assess the impact of clearing unexploded ordnance, MAG (Mines Advisory Group) developed a questionnaire to analyze local perspectives on clearance operations and to ensure positive livelihood development.