Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Humanitarian Mine Action In Afghanistan: A History, Ian Mansfield

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

After a decade of Soviet occupation in Afghanistan and the resulting internal conflict, the removal of explosive remnants of war (ERW) became a complicated issue. Systematic clearance of ERW was difficult to establish due to the volatile security situation and an inability to regulate clearance work. However, due to collaboration between the United Nations and Afghan nongovernmental organizations, mine clearance operations were successfully established in Afghanistan in the 1990s.

Effectiveness Of Gis In Mine Action, Hansie Heymans, Arie Claassens

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

According to a survey conducted by Geometric Solutions, Ltd., the usage of a geographic information system (GIS) stands to benefit the mine action community within the context of strategic planning and operational decision-making. Furthermore, web-based GIS can provide mobile spatial data for operations and lead to an overall improvement of mine action operations.

Landmines In Croatia Pose Threat To Incoming Refugees, News Brief

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

After Hungary formally closed its border with Serbia on 15 September 2015, refugees fleeing conflict in the Middle East, Central Asia and Northern Africa have turned next to Croatia as a gateway to reach countries such as Sweden and Germany. The influx of refugees traversing the areas near the Croatia-Serbia border has raised concerns that refugees will encounter residual landmine contamination in Croatia as they make their way to Slovenia and Hungary. The contamination dates back to the four-year conflict which followed the disintegration of the former Yugoslavia from 1991 to 1995. The Croatian Mine Action Centre (CROMAC) estimates that …

Uxo Lao Detection Trial Test Report, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

During the period November 27, 2014 to December 20, 2014, UXO Lao undertook a detection trial in Sepon. The primary objective was to assess the suitability and cost effectiveness of advanced detection systems of small ordnance. Specifically, the trial was focused on detection of a half BLU-26 at 25cm depth below the natural surface (the national standard of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) as set by the National Regulatory Authority (NRA)). The Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) along with Minerals and Metals Group, Lane Xang Minerals Limited (MMG LXML) and in cooperation with UXO Lao conducted …

Vietnam 40 Years After The War, Sean Sutton

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Sean Sutton, photographer and international communications manager for MAG (Mines Advisory Group), provides a photographic essay of MAG's clearance work in Quang Binh and Quang Tri provinces, Vietnam.

The Journal Of Erw And Mine Action Issue 19.2 (2015), Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Focus on Colombia | Risk Education | Notes from the Field | Research and Development

Observations On Cluster Strike Patterns In Laos, Roly Evans

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Cluster strike footprints are being surveyed and subsequently cleared in Laos. Little information is available regarding the nature of cluster munition strike patterns. If more evidence from different types of strike footprints is collected, analyzed and distributed, operators will be better prepared for future survey and clearance tasks

The Journal Of Erw And Mine Action Issue 19.1 (2015), Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Focus on Vietnam

Feature: Cultural and Environmental Issues in Demining

Notes from the Field

Research and Development

Post-Clearance Inspection: How Much Is Enough?, Russell Gasser

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Post-clearance inspection serves to check contamination of land on a per square meter basis. Although inspection does little in the way of explaining the quality of the work done in demining operations, it can be important in providing an incentive for deminers to produce higher quality work.

The Democratic Republic Of The Congo’S National Landmines Contamination Survey, Pascal Simon, Kevin Thoma

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The absence of accurate data on the scope and location of landmine contamination negatively affected more than a decade of mine action activities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This article discusses the 2013 National Landmines Contamination Survey and its results.

Management Of Residual Explosive Remnants Of War (More) Issue Briefs, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

This guide is one of several addressing different aspects of Management of Residual Explosive Remnants of War (MORE) and linking with wider information resources held by the GICHD. It should be read in conjunction with other guides in the series. Related publications are indicated in the text and a range of tools, which may help users when addressing their own situations, are identified whenever they are relevant.

This guide was released during the June 2015 International Symposium "Long-term ERW management in Southeast Asia" in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Falkland Islands Malvinas Exploitation Report 2015, Fenix- Insight Ltd.

Global CWD Repository

A series of three reports were published by the Demining Programme Office in the Falkland Islands (Malvinas). This report explains that the need for exploitation was recognised early during the planning for mine clearance operations in the Falkland Islands (Malvinas). Little was known about the state of the mines some 30 years after the conflict, and it was considered important to understand the effects of ageing, along with the implications for issues such as appearance/recognition, functionality and detectability. Exploitation was previously carried out during clearance Phases 1 and 3.

This report outlines the work conducted during Phase 4a, where a …

Unisdr Scientific And Technical Advisory Group Case Studies 2015 | The Use Of Geographic Information Systems For Environmental Impact Assessments In Mine Action, Gianluca Maspoli, Angela Desantis

Global CWD Repository

The 'do no harm' approach to mine action requires that mine action organisations consider the possible negative impacts of mine clearance operations. They must ensure they do not lead to longer-term vulnerability or threaten livelihoods and food security and, by mitigating environmental damage, they should contribute to disaster risk reduction. The combined use of remotely sensed data and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) can be a sound solution to assess pre-contamination conditions, monitor both the environmental impact and the effects of mitigation activities, analyse consequences of natural disasters on contamination, and, finally, support an evidence-based decision making process.

Protecting The Environment: Mine Clearance In Skallingen, Denmark, Martin Jebens

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Denmark has long been affected by landmines. Environmental factors such as landscape, wildlife and endangered species make mine clearance difficult. However, through environmental legislation and mine clearance, Denmark has reestablished areas in Skallingen for use.

Impact Of Flooding On Mine Action In Bosnia And Herzegovina, Croatia, And Serbia, Milan Bajic, Tamara Ivelja, Emina Hadzic, Haris Balta, Goran Skelac, Zoran Grujic

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Devastating floods swept through Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia in May 2014. The destructiveness of the floods, landslides and sediment torrents on minefields resulted in significant environmental and security issues. These three countries’ mine action centers launched a joint project cofunded by the Republic of Croatia’s Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs to develop effective and efficient methods and technologies that might improve the situation. Their research seeks to provide reliable assessments of the flood damage to minefields and generate accurate implications for potential hazardous areas.

Peacetrees' Eod Program In Vietnam, Claire Yunker

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

PeaceTrees Vietnam has explosive ordnance disposal programs in Dakrong and Huong Hoa, the two westernmost districts of Quang Tri province bordering Laos. Huong Hoa was the scene of the Battle of Keh Sanh in 1968. These mountainous districts lack sufficient infrastructure and are afflicted by extreme poverty. The districts include a large number of ethnic minorities who have no written language, do not speak Vietnamese and suffer injuries from unexploded ordnance at a higher rate than the ethnic Vietnamese in the region. The war severely impacted the two districts, and about 80 percent of the territory is considered contaminated.

The Quang Tri Integrated Survey And Clearance Project, Jonathon Guthrie, Portia Stratton

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Surveys estimate that as much as 83 percent of land in Quang Tri province in Central Vietnam is contaminated by explosive remnants of war. Recent advances in information management and operational methodology have significantly reduced this figure. This article looks at a coordinated response currently being implemented in Quang Tri province in collaboration between MAG (Mines Advisory Group) and Norwegian People's Aid, and the key factors involved in successfully facilitating this process

Quality Management In Vietnam: Building A National Iso 9001 System, Russell Gasser

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Vietnam’s pilot quality management (QM) project in Ha Tinh province has proven successful in its implementation of the international QM standard ISO 9001. The next step for GICHD and partners will be to support Vietnam in establishing ISO 9001 QM on a national scale.

Clearance At Cultural Heritage Sites, Lindsay Aldrich, Suzanne Fiederlein, Jessica Rosati

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The most mine- and unexploded ordnance (UXO)-contaminated countries in the world have long histories of conflict, as well as histories rich with extensive archeological and cultural records. It is not uncommon for known historical sites to be littered with mines and UXO, especially in regions with hundreds and even thousands of years of rich cultural heritage, such as Central and Southeast Asia and the Caucuses. This presents an added challenge to project teams tasked with clearing and safeguarding the land while also preserving the integrity of cultural heritage sites.

Do No Harm In Mine Action: Why The Environment Matters, Ursin Hoffman, Pascal Rapillard

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Explosive remnants of war negatively impact the environment and some clearance methods used by mine action organizations can potentially lead to environmental degradation. Mine action organizations need to consider the negative impact potential of their operations and adopt mitigation measures to ensure they do no harm.

Female Demining Teams In Tajikistan, Julieta Nikolova

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In addition to contributing to the safe release of landmine-contaminated land in Tajikistan, Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) has pushed norms and traditions by incorporating an all-female demining team into its operations. Less than a year ago, imagining an all-female demining team operating in a country with strictly-defined gender roles was difficult.

Forces Generated By The Free Fall Of Demichain, Christian Baras, Bernard Gautier, Robert Goepfert, Jean-Pierre Hancy, Rene Joeckle

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The free fall of an array of heavy chains (360 kg/sq m) generates extensive pressure in the depth of the ground. These pressures have been measured and compared to the threshold pressures that trigger anti-personnel landmines. When dropped from moderate heights (1 m), chains can generate enough pressure to set off active landmines buried 20 cm, provided that the area of their pressure plates is larger than a few square centimeters.

Technology Demonstration Report For Underwater Survey Equipment, Gichd, Orca Maritime

Global CWD Repository

The underwater equipment technology demonstration report, sponsored by GICHD, provides an evaluation of select commercial technology available for the technical survey of sites contaminated with underwater explosive ordnance.

The report, along with the GICHD online equipment catalogue, will assist nations, donors and operators with the selection of the most appropriate equipment for their specific tasks.

National Capacities And Residual Contamination | Mali, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

This case study forms part of a broader GICHD study on national capacities and residual contamination and is based on both desk-top research and findings from a GICHD mission to Mali in March 2014. The purpose of the report is to document Mali’s experience of developing national clearance capacities to address residual contamination and to identify and present good practices and lessons learnt.

Global Mapping And Analysis Of Anti-Vehicle Mine Incidents In 2015, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

This report presents and analyses AVM incident data from 2015.

Data in this report stem from field reports from states, mainly national mine action authorities/centres, as well as mine action and other humanitarian organisations, and from media reviews in Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Urdu and Ukrainian.

Demining Programme Office In The Falkland Islands - Technical Support 2015, Fenix -. Insight Ldt.

Global CWD Repository

The need for exploitation was recognised early during the planning for mine clearance operations in the Falkland Islands. Little was known about the state of the mines some 30 years after the conflict, and it was considered important to understand the effects of ageing, along with the implications for issues such as appearance/recognition, functionality and detectability.

Exploitation was previously carried out during clearance Phases 1 and 3. This report outlines the work conducted during Phase 4a, where samples of the following mines were examined: P4B, SB-33 and SB-81.

Presented to the FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) in March 2015.

National Capacities And Residual Contamination | Nepal, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

This case study forms part of a broader GICHD study on national capacities and residual contamination and is based on both desk-top research and findings from a GICHD mission to Nepal between April and May 2014. The purpose of the report is to document Nepal’s experience of developing national clearance capacities to address residual contamination and to identify and present good practices and lessons learnt.

Landmine Monitor 2015, Icbl-Cmc

Global CWD Repository

Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor provides research and monitoring for the ICBL and the CMC and is formally a program of the ICBL-CMC. It is the de facto monitoring regime for the Mine Ban Treaty and the Convention on Cluster Munitions. It monitors and reports on States Parties’ implementation of, and compliance with, the Mine Ban Treaty and the Convention on Cluster Munitions, and more generally, it assesses the international community’s response to the humanitarian problems caused by landmines, cluster munitions, and other explosive remnants of war (ERW). The Monitor represents the first time that NGOs have come together in …

To Walk The Earth In Safety 14th Edition (Fy2014), Us Dos Pm/Wra

Global CWD Repository

For more than two decades, the United States has been at the forefront of international efforts to reduce the worldwide threat to civilians from landmines, unexploded ordnance (UXO), and other conventional weapons of war. Just 15 years ago, landmines and other explosive remnants of war killed or injured nearly 10,000 men, women, and children every year—more than 25 every day. Thanks to the concerted efforts of the United States, partner nations, international nongovernmental organizations, and host nations, that figure has now dropped by more than 60%.

The 14th edition of To Walk the Earth in Safety documents the United States’ …

Landmines, Explosive Remnants Of War And Ied Safety Handbook, Unmas

Global CWD Repository

This handbook is not an instruction manual for working with landmines and explosive hazards. It is not a guide for working with landmine, ERW and IED affected communities. Rather, its aim is to raise awareness and provide basic safety information concerning the threat of landmines, ERW and IEDs to organizations and individuals working in affected areas, and to help them:

• Establish appropriate safety procedures;

• Avoid contact with mines, ERW and IEDs and

• Take appropriate action in emergency situations.