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Small Caliber De-Armers: An Answer To Explosive Acquisition Problems, Harold S. Pearson

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In many mine-affected countries, sourcing, transporting and reliably initiating explosives is one of the major obstacles for mine action operators. Consequently, finding a reliable method of destroying anti-personnel (AP) landmines and other explosive remnants of war (ERW) contamination that does not require the use of high explosives is of great interest to many in the industry.

An Overview Of Mozambique’S Mine-Free District Process, Antonio Belchior Vaz Martíns, Hans Risser

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In the 1990s, Mozambique ranked among countries such as Afghanistan, Angola, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, and Iraq as one of the most mine-contaminated countries in the world. At the time, experts estimated that clearing all landmines in Mozambique would take 50 to 100 years. Landmines were widely used by all sides during the conflicts that ravaged Mozambique from the mid-1960s until 1992. These nuisance minefields usually consisted of small numbers of mines in seemingly random or undefined areas mostly around paths, wells and rural infrastructure. Large-pattern minefields tended to be the exception rather than the norm in Mozambique. Given the …

Transition And National Capacity After Article 5 Compliance, Hans Risser, Christian Ruge

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In June 2014, State Parties to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC) met in Maputo, Mozambique, for the 3rd Review Conference of the APMBC, fifteen years after its entry into force. As the review conference approached, State Parties faced a growing call from civil society and some State Parties to commit to complete all obligations in the treaty as rapidly as possible. The majority of State Parties have already completed their APBMC obligations to destroy stockpiles of anti-personnel (AP) mines. However, surveying and clearing all known mined areas in a state’s territory in accordance with obligations under Article 5 of …

Gichd’S Eastern Europe, Caucasus And Central Asia Outreach Programme, Faiz Paktian

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Within the Eastern Europe, Caucasus, and Central Asia (EECCA) region, fifteen countries affected by landmines and/or explosive remnants of war (ERW) use Russian as a communication language: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Mongolia, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Mines and ERW pose a serious hazard to the lives and livelihoods of the people in the EECCA. Residual contamination impacts many of the countries. In Belarus for instance, 20,879 items of unexploded ordnance (UXO) were found and destroyed in 2014. Significant amounts of UXO were also recovered from Estonia, Moldova and Russia. More recent conflicts led …

Tiramisu Final Technology Demonstration At Sedee-Dovo, Yann Yvinec, Vinciane Lacroix, Yvan Baudoin

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

On 24 September 2015, and in the presence of Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid of Belgium, the Royal Military Academy of Belgium (RMA) organized a demonstration for mine action tools in Meerdael, Belgium. At the Belgian EOD battalion premises of SEDEE-DOVO, RMA presented technology developed under the TIRAMISU project, which was co-funded by the European Union and coordinated by RMA. Designed by twenty-six different organizations, the tools covered multiple elements of mine action, including survey, operation and validation, information management, mine risk education (MRE), close-in-detection, and personnel protective equipment (PPE). Organizers held inside and outside demonstrations as well as discussions …

Endnotes Issue 20.1, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction 20.1 Endnotes

Afghan National Mine Action Strategic Plan 2016-2020, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

This is the first mine action strategic plan to be developed in consultation with all relevant mine action implementing partners, including the United Nations, government line ministries, international donors and other stakeholders. It sets out clearer path for mainstreaming development into mine action, an aspiration reflected in the Plan's following five goals: facilitating development; engaging with other sectors; taking action to reduce the impact of mines and ERW; taking action to mitigate the consequences of mine and ERW accidents; mainstreaming gender and diversity.

An Independent Review Of The Mine Action Sector In Cambodia, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

Cambodia is one of the oldest and most established mine action programmes in the world. Because of its extensive landmine and Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) contamination and the early response that was provided 25 years ago with the assistance of the international community, the country's mine action sector has developed a robust and qualified capacity of national professionals and has benefited from the assistance of an extensive number of international organizations as well as the massive support from international development partners.

As a State Party to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC), Cambodia has demonstrated a strong commitment in …

Holly Martins And The Impartial Spectator: The Economics Of The Third Man, Alexander W. Pickens

MAD-RUSH Undergraduate Research Conference

The film The Third Man is often critiqued for its portrayal of post-war Vienna and the abusive nature of totalitarian regimes in a nearly-anarchic state. However, this film does something that few other films do: it tackles the primary dilemmas facing economists using a visual medium and featuring some of the debates that have been plaguing economic thinkers for years (what is a just allocation of resources, competition in free markets, what happens when corrupt governments control resource allocation). Ultimately, the film is a unique analysis tension between the costs and benefits of the philosophies of Keynes and F. A. …

Throwing (Sh)Aid: Optimizing Aid Conditionality For The Developing World, Timothy F. O'Shea

MAD-RUSH Undergraduate Research Conference

Aid conditionality has emerged as a dominant tool by donor countries in nation building efforts in the developing world. Unfortunately, this strategy has encountered obstacles in achieving substantive change. The purpose of this paper is to investigate possible modifications and augmentations to aid conditionality regimes that could more easily induce political development in recipient countries. To provide a background against which to plan changes, the paper documents important determinants of political change, including public opinion, donor self-interest, and unconscious biases. The paper also evaluates possible malleable policy factors, including adoption speed, proportionality, outcome-based provision, and donor co-ordination. While much of …

Deconstructing The Wall: The Analysis And Implications Of The 2004 International Court Of Justice Advisory Opinion On The Use Of Border Walls, Noah T. Black

MAD-RUSH Undergraduate Research Conference

This research project looks at the various jurisprudences surrounding the 2004 ICJ Advisory Opinion on the Israeli Barrier and analyzes the arguments both in support and in opposition to the Court’s decision. It then looks at the conditions for the illegality of the Israeli Barrier that were established by the Court, analyzes them, and synthesizes a list of characteristics that can be applied to other barriers in order to determine their legality. This checklist, if you will, is then applied to other border walls in order to make a tentative conclusion about their legality and if a suit could be …

The Contact Hypothesis And The Diffusion Of Public Opinion Toward Undocumented Latino Immigrants In The United States, Sawyer Hackett

James Madison Undergraduate Research Journal (JMURJ)

Negative and positive attitudes between population in-groups and out-groups are matured through a variety of experiences, chief among them being the extent of interaction between the two groups. The contact hypothesis observes the extent of interaction between in-groups and out-groups—distinguished by a particular demographic descriptor—and asserts that the extent of the two groups’ interaction is positively correlated with favorable attitudes directed toward the out-group. This research analyzes the potential effect that the undocumented Latino immigrant population has on the sentiments of the established native population. In addition to attitudes toward the undocumented Latino population, the importance that U.S. residents place …

Making Scholarly Profiles Work, Carolyn Schubert, Laura Drake Davis

Libraries

A presentation on scholarly profiles given at the 2016 January Symposium at James Madison University.

Teaching Climate Change Concepts And The Nature Of Science: A Library Activity To Identify Sources Of Climate Change Misconceptions, Charity Flener Lovitt, Kristen S. Shuyler

Libraries

A library activity was developed in which students found information about climate science misconceptions from popular and scientific literatures. As part of the activity, students developed a rubric to evaluate the credibility and type of literature sources they found. The activity prepared students to produce an annotated bibliography of articles, which they then used to create a training document about a climate science misconception for staff at a local science center. Evaluation of annotated bibliographies showed that students were able to distinguish between popular and scholarly literature but struggled to identify primary and secondary sources within the scholarly literature. In …

Itf Enhancing Human Security Annual Report 2016, Itf-Enhancy Human Security

Global CWD Repository

ITF Enhancing Human Security (ITF) had an exceptionally busy and demanding 2016. Primarily, we will remember the past year for passing a remarkable milestone in our institutional history and reaching 400 million USD in implemented donations. Even though our initial mandate was geographically limited to Bosnia and Herzegovina, we have employed these funds over the past 19 years for the benefit of over 30 countries, territories and regions. In 2016 alone, we helped individuals, communities and institutions in 18 countries, territories and regions.

We are proud that in the past year our Strategy adopted in 2015 began to take hold. …

Apopo Annual Report 2016, Apopo

Global CWD Repository

APOPO is a global non-profit organization registered in Belgium that researches, develops and implements detection rat technology for humanitarian purposes. Detection rats, nicknamed HeroRATs, save lives by detecting landmines and tuberculosis. APOPO is headquartered in Tanzania and clears landmines in Mozambique, Angola and Cambodia, and soon in Zimbabwe. APOPO also detects tuberculosis in Tanzania and Mozambique and soon in Ethiopia. APOPO’s research and development center is based in Tanzania.

Unmas Brochure 2016, Unmas

Global CWD Repository

UNMAS (United Nations Mine Action Service) was established by the UN General Assembly in 1997and is the coordinator for mine action in the United Nations system. Mine action comprises five pillars: clearance, risk education, victim assistance, advocacy and stockpile destruction.

Ammunition Safety Management | Preventing Loss Of Life And Property And Diversion From Stockpiles, Samuel Paunila, Andrew Hoole

Global CWD Repository

The international community has been actively engaged in mine action for over 20 years. Clearance has been remarkably successful both in reclaiming land and making life safer for some of the most disadvantaged people in the world. As the number of casualties due to landmines has fallen, we have seen the number of deaths and injuries caused by explosions in ammunition storage areas rise and an increasing diversion of ammunition away from state stockpiles and into the hands of non-state actors.

Poorly managed stockpiles of ammunition present two distinct threats to the wider community: the risk of an explosion within …

Linking Mine Action And Ssr, Geneva Centre For The Democratic Control Of Armed Forces

Global CWD Repository

SSR Papers is a flagship DCAF publication series intended to contribute innovative thinking on important themes and approaches relating to security sector reform (SSR) in the broader context of security sector governance. Intended for researchers, policymakers and practitioners involved in this field, the papers provide original and provocative analysis on topics that are directly linked to the challenges of a governance-driven SSR agenda.

Solidarity In Action: Norwegian People's Aid Annual Report 2016, Npa

Global CWD Repository

Norwegian People’s Aid is a membership organisation that

was founded in 1939.

We are the labour movement’s humanitarian organisation for solidarity. The foundation of our organisation rests on the labour movement’s fundamental values: Unity, solidarity and human dignity.

The value basis for Norwegian People’s Aid is rooted in equal rights for all, irrespective of gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, disability and social status.

Norwegian People’s Aid shall be a credible, fearless organisation; an organisation which adopts independent standpoints on the basis of knowledge and experience from practical work, and which challenges power and injustice.

‘Solidarity in action’ is our vision …

Racial Tension On Display: Engaging With Black Lives Matter And Negotiating Public Push-Back, Michael Mungin, Yasmeen Shorish

Libraries

This poster details the production of a book display on Black Lives Matter and the resulting vandalism that occurred. The Libraries used this event as an educational opportunity, while recognizing the harm that it could bring to communities that identify with the Black Lives Matter movement. The poster also addresses areas of improvement for the Libraries and the importance of outreach activities for our communities.

Improving Information Literacy Through Wikipedia Editing In The Chemistry Classroom: Lessons Learned, Ye Li, Charity Flener Lovitt, Anne J. Mcneil, Kristen S. Shuyler

Libraries

Assignments in which students edit Wikipedia may help students learn about the complexities of information creation and production, while engaging them in researching and writing about topics related to class content. This chapter presents two case studies that illustrate how Wikipedia-based activities can be designed to achieve both chemistry and information literacy learning outcomes. In both examples, faculty partnered with a librarian to implement the Wikipedia editing assignments. Through these experiences, those involved learned about Wikipedia and its community, and identified promising practices for project requirements based on formal and informal assessment and observations. Reflections are offered on the value …

Hey, Can We Read That Book? It Sounds Interesting!, Jessica Lantz

Libraries

No abstract provided.

Building Professional Development Opportunities In Data Services For Academic Librarians, Suzanna Conrad, Yasmeen Shorish, Amanda L. Whitmire, Patricia Hswe

Libraries

Research data management represents a significant professional development area for academic librarians –significant for its growing importance to the profession, since researchers are increasingly expected to comply with research data management requirements, and for the extent of competence needed by librarians to support researchers in research data management practices and plans. This article recounts how the Association of College and Research Libraries is fostering professional development opportunities in research data management. The authors describe two key endeavors: (1) the development and deployment of a needs assessment survey, which allowed insight into the types of librarians expressing the most need; and …

Ammunition Safety Management | Preventing Loss Of Life And Property And Diversion From Stockpiles, Samuel Paunila, Andrew Hoole

Global CWD Repository

The international community has been actively engaged in mine action for over 20 years. Clearance has been remarkably successful both in reclaiming land and making life safer for some of the most disadvantaged people in the world. As the number of casualties due to landmines has fallen, we have seen the number of deaths and injuries caused by explosions in ammunition storage areas rise and an increasing diversion of ammunition away from state stockpiles and into the hands of non-state actors.

Poorly managed stockpiles of ammunition present two distinct threats to the wider community: the risk of an explosion within …

Global Mapping And Analysis Of Anti-Vehicle Mine Incidents In 2016, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

This report presents and analyses AVM incident data from 2016. It follows up on and compares findings with earlier reports published by the GICHD and SIPRI examining AVM incidents in 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, Po

Unmas 2015 Annual Report, Unmas

Global CWD Repository

The centrality of mine action in humanitarian responses was widely and unanimously recognized by United Nations Member States and throughout the mine action sector in 2015. In his biennial report to the United Nations General Assembly on Assistance in Mine Action, the Secretary-General highlighted that mine action is “at the core of postconflict humanitarian response” and emphasised that “contamination of mines and explosive remnants of war remains a major security issue affecting civilian populations, United Nations operations and the sustainment of global peace and security”. The Global Humanitarian Overview for 2016, launched by the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator in …

The United Nations Policy On Victim Assistance In Mine Action, Unmas

Global CWD Repository

This Policy on Victim Assistance in Mine Action replaces the 2003 “Mine Action and effective coordination: the United Nations policy - Sectoral policy: The scope of action of mine action centres and organizations in victim assistance”. It reflects the significant changes in the legal and policy framework for victim assistance which have occurred since 2003, and prevails to language relevant to victim assistance contained in “Mine Action and Effective Coordination: The United Nations Inter-Agency Policy”, which was approved by the InterAgency Coordination Group on Mine Action (IACG-MA)1 at the Principals’ level on 6 June 2005.

Mine Action And Peace Mediation, Gichd, Swiss Peace

Global CWD Repository

The humanitarian consequences of mines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) are extensive and long lasting. This fact suggests the relevance of having them addressed in negotiations among conflict parties and included in ceasefire and peace agreements. Nevertheless, the link between mine action (also called humanitarian demining) and peace mediation is underexplored in practice and theory as is illustrated by the limited guidance and literature on the matter. This issue brief aims to explore to what extent the two communities of practice could overcome the tendency of working in isolation and benefit from one another. It also shows that mine …

Qasef: Escaping The Bombing, Hi

Global CWD Repository

This study confirms that the use of explosive weapons in populated areas in Syria is at times nearly continuous, with indiscriminate bombing that lasts for days. The attacks are sometimes seemingly random, until there is complete destruction of an area. All Syrians interviewed said they fled because of the various effects of the conflict, and most of them stressed that the main reason for leaving their homes was the use of explosive weapons in their villages, towns, and cities. In our interviews, explosive weapons were mentioned as the overriding factor forcing Syrians out as they fled from their homes.

Analysis …