Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Sri Lanka: A Photographic Essay, Sean Sutton

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Since 1997, the author has worked for MAG (Mines Advisory Group), documenting the impact of landmines and explosive remnants of war on countries such as Iraq, Laos, Lebanon, Sri Lanka and Sudan. Through a multimedia approach, Sutton creates photo exhibits and films to educate the public on landmines, unexploded ordnance, and small arms and light weapons.

Community Reporting Increases Safety In Quang Tri Province, Ngo Xuan Hien, Dinh Ngoc Vu

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Established in 2001, Project RENEW—Restoring the Environment and Neutralizing the Effects of the War—develops and tests new ways of providing effective responses to the humanitarian challenge caused by explosive remnants of war. In accordance with international standards, the project embraces major pillars of mine action including surveys and assessments for the development of a mine action database, clearance, risk education, victim assistance and community development.

Mine Detection Rats: Effects Of Repeated Extinction On Detection Accuracy, Amanda Mahoney, Amy Durgin, Alan Poling, Bart Weetjens, Christophe Cox, Tess Tewelde, Tekimiti Gilbert

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

This article describes the performance of Giant African Pouched Rats where reinforcement (reward) or extinction (no reward) conditions affected landmine identification. Accuracy deteriorated quickly in the absence of reinforcement, suggesting that reinforcement is essential.

The Need For Collaboration Between Ordnance Manufacturers And Uxo Clean-Up Personnel, Jack Imber

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The ability to locate unexploded ordnance remotely and accurately increases the safety and efficiency of clearance efforts. To achieve maximum effectiveness, UXO manufacturers and removal groups should coordinate resources and information to create new and practical technologies to assist in efforts to identify failure rates and prevent civilian casualties. The Lost Puppy Proposal is one example of a life-saving technology that could result from such collaboration.

Darfur: Baseline Kapb Survey, Beatrice Winkler, Shaza Ragab

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

This article summarizes the first baseline Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices and Beliefs Survey conducted in Darfur since 2003. The purpose of the survey was to gain a better understanding of the knowledge, attitudes, practices and beliefs of the at-risk population in Darfur regarding explosive remnants of war, and to evaluate aspects of transfer of knowledge, use of mass media and surveillance mechanisms.

The Lethality Ratio Of Anti-Vehicle Mines, Armen Harutyunyan

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

TheConvention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and on Their Destruction (Anti-personnel Mine Ban Convention or APMBC) brought AP mines to the forefront of many people’s minds. Anti-vehicle mines, however, remain the most lethal mines today, and they are not banned under international conventions.

Representing the Center for International Stabilization and Recovery, Ed Lajoie, assistant project manager and research specialist, and Lois Carter Crawford, editor-in-chief of The Journal of ERW and Mine Action, attended a workshop from 19 to 21 June 2012 sponsored by the Department of Defense’s Demining Research and Development Program. This workshop hosted mine action representatives from around the world to discuss technologies currently used and the need for other technologies in mine detection and removal, their functionality, detection and removal strategies, as well as to demonstrate the use of several of these technologies