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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

The Information Management & Mine Action Programs, Eric Sawyer Oct 2011

The Information Management & Mine Action Programs, Eric Sawyer

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Information Management & Mine Action Programs use information management and technology to increase humanitarian mine-action safety and efficiency. The work conducted in Iraq, which supports mine-clearance and victim-assistance activities, is an example of iMMAP facilitating improved information sharing in HMA. In addition, these improved information-management activities allow iMMAP to provide ongoing victim-assistance services to persons with disabilities in Iraq and to other patient populations.


Mine Action And Security Challenges, Abdul Qudos Oct 2011

Mine Action And Security Challenges, Abdul Qudos

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Mostly from the 1979 Soviet invasion and an internal conflict from 1992 to 2001, Afghanistan is affected by a wide array of landmines and explosive remnants of war and remains highly contaminated (approximately 650 square kilometers [250 square miles] are currently contaminated). Recently, insurgents have added to the contamination and this hinders the ability of the Mine Action Programme of Afghanistan to clear the land. MAPA is committed to developing innovative approaches to mine action, including implementing Community Based Demining, to facilitate demining and to relieve mine-affected communities.


Pathways To Resilience Workshop Promotes Leadership And Peer Support, Anne Stewart, Lennie Echterling, Cameron Macauley, Nicole Neitzey, Hasan Hamdan Oct 2011

Pathways To Resilience Workshop Promotes Leadership And Peer Support, Anne Stewart, Lennie Echterling, Cameron Macauley, Nicole Neitzey, Hasan Hamdan

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Pathways to Resilience (P2R) created a unique leadership program to help landmine survivors promote resilience and create secure collegial relationships. This article provides background regarding the curriculum and training activities and recounts how P2R helped survivors experience posttraumatic growth after tragedy.


The Eu And The U.S. Provide Grant To Lao Pdr, News Brief Oct 2011

The Eu And The U.S. Provide Grant To Lao Pdr, News Brief

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

MAG (Mines Advisory Group) has recently been tasked with a new project to collaborate with the UXO sector in Lao PDR to clear UXO from Boualapha, Mahaxay and Xatbuathong of Khammouane province.


Survey And Clearance Of Unexploded Submunitions Versus Landmines And Other Erw, Åsa Gilbert, Michael Creighton Oct 2011

Survey And Clearance Of Unexploded Submunitions Versus Landmines And Other Erw, Åsa Gilbert, Michael Creighton

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The authors argue that survey and clearance methods in areas contaminated solely by unexploded submunitions (from cluster munitions) should be different than those in areas contaminated by mines and other explosive remnants of war to achieve the most efficient outcome. This article seeks to explain how and why procedures are different, and proposes a land-release methodology for dealing with unexploded submunitions.


The Impact Of Erw On Children, Cisr Journal Oct 2011

The Impact Of Erw On Children, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

This article provides a brief description of the threat cluster munitions, landmines and other explosive remnants of war pose to children worldwide. The discussion of children’s physical susceptibility and the psychological and socioeconomic effects that accompany wounds and disabilities provides a broad picture of the impact ERW have on children. The article also explores rehabilitative support, as several sources provide a variety of recovery strategies that focus on community support for the future well-being of child survivors.


Syria Plants Landmines On Lebanese Border, News Brief Oct 2011

Syria Plants Landmines On Lebanese Border, News Brief

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

According to BBC and CBS news reports, Syrian troops planted landmines along its border with Lebanon, further perpetuating the uprising that began in March 2011 against President Bashar Assad and his regime.


Conflict Resolution In The Twenty-First Century: Principles, Methods, And Approaches, Book Review Oct 2011

Conflict Resolution In The Twenty-First Century: Principles, Methods, And Approaches, Book Review

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In Conflict Resolution in the Twenty-first Century: Principles, Methods, and Approaches, Bercovitch and Jackson create an accessible and well-organized analysis of the best approaches to resolving conflicts in the world today.


The United States Aids Danish Humanitarian Mine Action In Lebanon, News Brief Oct 2011

The United States Aids Danish Humanitarian Mine Action In Lebanon, News Brief

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Cluster munitions, landmines and other unexploded ordnance have long polluted Lebanon.


In Remembrance: John Noftsinger, Cisr Journal Oct 2011

In Remembrance: John Noftsinger, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Dr. John B. Noftsinger, Jr., Vice Provost for Research and Public Service at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va., U.S., died suddenly of an apparent heart attack at the age of 48 on 10 November 2011. Many mine-action managers knew him through his supervision and support of the Center for International Stabilization and Recovery.


Issue 15.3 Endnotes, Cisr Journal Oct 2011

Issue 15.3 Endnotes, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Issue 15.3 Endnotes


Crescent And Dove: Peace And Conflict Resolution In Islam, Book Review Oct 2011

Crescent And Dove: Peace And Conflict Resolution In Islam, Book Review

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Crescent and Dove: Peace and Conflict Resolution in Islam is a collection of essays synthesized by Qamar-ul Huda to create a compelling read for peacemakers, mine-action experts and anyone interested in conflict studies. The authors elaborate on Islamic approaches to nonviolence while bridging the gaps between economic thought, political science, religious texts and spirituality.


Peacebuilding And Rule Of Law In Africa: Just Peace?, Book Review Oct 2011

Peacebuilding And Rule Of Law In Africa: Just Peace?, Book Review

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In Peacebuilding and Rule of Law in Africa: Just Peace?, terms such as peacebuilding and rule of law, which initially seem broad and sometimes ambiguous, are broken down by a variety of scholars from different fields to cite specific examples of trial and error in both processes within the African context.


The Mine Action Technology Workshop, Nicole Neitzey Jul 2011

The Mine Action Technology Workshop, Nicole Neitzey

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Sponsored by the United Nations Mine Action Service and the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining, the Mine Action Technology Workshop is a biannual event held in Geneva, Switzerland in early September. The 2010 event featured theoretical and practical discussions, as well as a newly added opportunity to see technology in action. This article highlights the events and outcomes of the workshop.


Paved With Good Intentions: The Realities Of “Safe” Versus “Free”, Roger West Jul 2011

Paved With Good Intentions: The Realities Of “Safe” Versus “Free”, Roger West

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Government-initiated landmine and unexploded ordnance clearance policies often dictate unrealistic standards and goals that differ from the practical reality of landmine/UXO removal. The end use of the land, as well as the variables of munitions deterioration due to aging and environment, and the level of expected risk should be considered in landmine/UXO policy-making.


Laos: Legacy Of A Secret, Book Review Jul 2011

Laos: Legacy Of A Secret, Book Review

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

During the Indochina War from 1964 to 1973, the United States dropped more than 270 million cluster munitions on Lao PDR.


Making A Case For Strategic Analysis In Erw/Mine-Action Training, Paula S. Daly, Suzanne Fiederlein Jul 2011

Making A Case For Strategic Analysis In Erw/Mine-Action Training, Paula S. Daly, Suzanne Fiederlein

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

As an essential element of training for managerial decision-making, case studies provide managers with applicable scenarios that benefit the professional, day-to-day lives of people working in the explosive-remnants-of-war/mine-action community. While class sessions provide pertinent instruction on how to react to potential scenarios, the opportunity to use that knowledge in well-constructed examples proves highly useful for personnel. This article reports the steps taken to implement appropriate case studies for CISR’s Senior Managers’ Course in ERW and Mine Actionand the results.


Suspected Cluster-Munition Use By Pro-Gaddafi Forces, News Brief Jul 2011

Suspected Cluster-Munition Use By Pro-Gaddafi Forces, News Brief

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In April 2011, The New York Times reported that pro-Gaddafi forces used cluster munitions on the civilian population in the city of Misrata.


Lessons Learned: Sri Lankan Mine-Action Staff Visit Cambodia And Lao Pdr, Sebastian Kasack Jul 2011

Lessons Learned: Sri Lankan Mine-Action Staff Visit Cambodia And Lao Pdr, Sebastian Kasack

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The need for a comprehensive mine-action program is not always recognized as countries pursue demining efforts. This article describes Sri Lankan mine-action groups’ efforts to create a more comprehensive and cohesive mine-action program through regional visits to Cambodia and Lao PDR. It offers insight and advice to groups interested in pursuing the same avenue.


Modifying Imsma Training: The Mine Action Information Management Qualification Scheme, Aurora Martinez, Daniel Eriksson Jul 2011

Modifying Imsma Training: The Mine Action Information Management Qualification Scheme, Aurora Martinez, Daniel Eriksson

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Mine Action Information Management Qualification Scheme (MIQ) is a new training tool for the Information Management System for Mine Action. It was created in response to the Next Generation version of IMSMA, the newest version of the system. The Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining eliminated the rigid and unnecessary parts of the training-system in order to make MIQ more user-friendly. The MIQ scheme is currently being incorporated into several countries’ information-management programs, but it could still use input as it is being refined and implemented.


Victim-Assistance History In International Humanitarian Law: From Somalia To Geneva To Laos, Ken Rutherford Jul 2011

Victim-Assistance History In International Humanitarian Law: From Somalia To Geneva To Laos, Ken Rutherford

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In the following article, Ken Rutherford, Director of JMU’s Center for International Stabilization and Recovery and a landmine survivor, examines how victim assistance has changed and argues that while victim assistance is a more integral element of mine action today than ever before, there is yet room to move forward.


Sri Lanka Works Toward A Mine-Free Nation, Vidya Abhayagunawardena Jul 2011

Sri Lanka Works Toward A Mine-Free Nation, Vidya Abhayagunawardena

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

This article discusses Sri Lanka’s steps to demine its land, educate its citizens on landmine and unexploded-ordnance dangers, and offer survivor-assistance services. Sri Lanka’s national mine-action program is building on previous mine-action work done by the government and humanitarian organizations by presenting a workshop on demining issues, developing a mine-action center and improving partnerships with concerned organizations.


Remote Explosive Scent Tracing Of Explosive Remnants Of War: A Perspective From The 2010 Morogoro Workshop, Brent (Max) Jones, Rune Fjellanger, Christophe Cox, Alan Poling Jul 2011

Remote Explosive Scent Tracing Of Explosive Remnants Of War: A Perspective From The 2010 Morogoro Workshop, Brent (Max) Jones, Rune Fjellanger, Christophe Cox, Alan Poling

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In March 2010, a workshop was held in Morogoro, Tanzania, to consider the past, present and future status of the Remote Explosive Scent Tracing system for explosive- remnants-of-war detection. This article summarizes the workshop’s discussions and explains lessons learned from the REST research project in Morogoro.


In Remembrance: Omar Bani-Salem, Cisr Journal Jul 2011

In Remembrance: Omar Bani-Salem, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Omar Bani-Salem, a Jordanian deminer, was killed on 21 December 2010 by the uncontrolled detonation of an M-19 anti-tank mine. Bani-Salem was clearing a minefield on the border between Jordan and Syria as part of the Norwegian People’s Aid Northern Border Demining Project when the explosion occurred.


In Remembrance: Mehdi Mohammad Haraz, Cisr Journal Jul 2011

In Remembrance: Mehdi Mohammad Haraz, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

On 26 October 2010, fragments of a cluster bomb killed Mehdi Mohammad Haraz, a Lebanese national working for Peace Generation Organization for Demining, while attempting to clear a cluster bomb-infested tobacco field in Yater, Southern Lebanon.


Humanitarian Disarmament, Pascal Rapillard Jul 2011

Humanitarian Disarmament, Pascal Rapillard

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

This article examines the evolution of international humanitarian law, specifically as it relates to the conventions banning or restricting conventional weapons. The Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction and the Convention on Cluster Munitions are discussed here, as they form a distinctive type of disarmament—humanitarian disarmament.


Assisting Cluster Munition Victims: A New International Standard, Markus Reiterer Jul 2011

Assisting Cluster Munition Victims: A New International Standard, Markus Reiterer

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Convention on Cluster Munitions adopted a number of innovative approaches to victim assistance which are, nonetheless, firmly rooted in long-standing experience in this field. By addressing human suffering in a disarmament treaty and linking its provisions to human rights and humanitarian law, the CCM truly constitutes a milestone in the efforts of the international community toward humanitarian disarmament. The CCM contains an entire package of provisions that aim to assist cluster munition victims and establish clear responsibilities for doing so. Now the crucial phase of implementing the legal text begins.


New Prosthetics Offer Hope In Sudan, Mohammad Ismail Jul 2011

New Prosthetics Offer Hope In Sudan, Mohammad Ismail

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Unfortunately for amputees in developing countries, poverty and disability go hand-in-hand. Limb loss can make it extremely difficult for victims to provide for themselves and their families. From this reality came the inspiration for Sudanpro, an inexpensive and durable prosthetic developed by the author, an orthotist and prosthetist working with Project Hope Sudan.


Peer Support And Recovery From Limb Loss In Post-Conflict Settings, Cameron Macauley, Marcia Townsend, Melissa Freeman, Brent Maxwell Jul 2011

Peer Support And Recovery From Limb Loss In Post-Conflict Settings, Cameron Macauley, Marcia Townsend, Melissa Freeman, Brent Maxwell

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In this article, the authors describe an unprecedented study on peer support services for landmine survivors and victims of explosive remnants of war based on the strategic approach implemented by Survivor Corps, in which survivors were trained to provide psychosocial assistance to other survivors. The study’s methodology is thoroughly explained and analyzed by the authors.


We Can Only Be “Mine-Safe” When We Are “Mine-Free”, Tamar Gabelnick Jul 2011

We Can Only Be “Mine-Safe” When We Are “Mine-Free”, Tamar Gabelnick

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Despite the fact that the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction makes no mention of the term “mine-safe,” it is still a frequent term used by mine-contaminated states. However, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines maintains that in order for states to be safe from the dangers posed by mines, all mined areas must be cleared—not only those areas which are deemed to pose an immediate threat.