Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Vegetation Clearance Equipment: Huge Potential In Productivity Improvement, Nathan Kunz

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Upon development of its D-1 vegetation clearance vehicle, DIGGER DTR (Demining Technologies) has successfully responded to many of the demands of the demining community. The second generation, the D-2, will feature several new upgrades and is expected to appear on the market by 2005.

Can Honey Bees Assist In Area Reduction And Landmine Detection?, Jerry Bromenshenk, Colin Henderson, Robert Seccomb, Steven Rice, Robert Etter, Susan Bender, Phillip Rodacy, Joseph Shaw, Nathan Seldomridge, Lee Spangler, James Wilson

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Honey bees have recently received considerable attention from the popular press as an innovative method to detect a variety of explosives, landmines and UXO. Many of these reports are inaccurate and may encourage individuals and demining groups to “sell” a service that they poorly understand or lack the experience to properly apply. As the developers of this technology, we offer the following summary about the current status of this alternative for landmine detection, including its strengths and limitations.

Pigs: A Demining Tool Of The Future?, Jennette Townsend

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

“Pigs are one more means of fighting against the garbage of the war,” says Giva Zin, an animal trainer from Israel whose research on the landmine detection capabilities of pigs is receiving widespread recognition from the mine action community. This article highlights his research on the use of pigs for mine detection.

Mechanical Application In Demining: Modernising Clearance Methods, Alexander Griffiths, Leonard Kaminsky

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Even as mechanical mine clearance systems are increasingly employed throughout the world, the full potential of these machines remains to be seen. Further study of the issue has prompted the Geneva International Center for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) to release the “Study of Mechanical Application in Mine Action,” due in December 2003.

Testing And Use Of Demining Machines In The Republic Of Croatia, Ivan Steker

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In the course of achieving the quality employment of machines and their development, CROMAC is conducting the activities of testing, verification and accreditation of demining machines.

Priority Setting For Mine Action, Lutful Kabir, Emil M. Hasanov

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Due to a lack of resources to enable all mine-affected communities to be cleared, countries must prioritize mine action activities. The following article addresses prioritization and suggests a new model to help improve the process.

Geneva Diary: Report From The Gichd, Ian Mansfield

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) provides operational assistance to mine action programmes and operators, conducts research and provides support to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC). This article highlights some of the GICHD’s recent activities.

It’S A Bird, It’S A Plane—It’S The Mineseeker Airborne Mine Detector!, Cisr Jmu

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Partnering with QinetiQ and The Lightship Group, the Mineseeker Foundation is developing a system to revolutionize mine detection. By deploying the first operational airborne landmine survey system, the foundation aims to provide the mine action community with a quicker and more efficient survey tool. Additionally, the Mineseeker has the potential to be useful in a number of other areas necessary for development in mine-affected countries.

Bits And Bytes From Bogota, Dennis Barlow

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In mid-November, the U.S. State Department and the Organization of American States (OAS) co-sponsored a regional meeting hosted by the government of Colombia dealing with mine action in Latin America. The goal of the meeting was to identify items of consensus and concern, which would help define a clearer way ahead for obtaining and managing casualty data and for carrying out more effective victim assistance programs. Over 130 participants from 12 nations took part in spirited discussions and focused work groups that attempted to frame key data collection and victim assistance issues. The ideas that surfaced there and the suggested …

Imsma V3.0: Experiences From The ”Imsma Diaspora”, Mohammed Qasim, John Walker

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Information Management System for Mine Action (IMSMA) V3.0 was released June 2003, and early experience with the system has been positive. Salient features are summarized, including geographic information system (GIS) capabilities based on ArcView GIS. Recommendations include operations-oriented training focusing on reporting information from IMSMA. The following article describes the new version and discusses local customization. The authors also describe upgrading to IMSMA V3.0 based on experience as IMSMA administrators and trainers within their organizations.

Bozena 4 Mine Clearing Flail System, Marián Zimmermann

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The new BOZENA 4 Mine Clearing Flail System is one-of-a-kind in many aspects, from the tracking of AP and AT mines to the lightweight and small design that enables BOZENA 4 to be easily transportable.

Ddasaccident418, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

A bulldozer and crew contracted by the GA and managed by the AGA was working in Malvil on the day of the incident. [Victim No.1], Bulldozer driver, [Victim No.2], Driver’s Assistant and [Victim No.3], AGA appointed foreman were tasked with levelling the SLA bunds and clearing excess vegetation around the village. Immediately prior to the incident the bulldozer was on the dirt road running through the village and attempting to turn around. As the bulldozer moved off the road in its attempt to turn, an explosion occurred under the right hand track, tipping the bulldozer over and throwing the three …

Ddasaccident441, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

Narrative: During the removal of rubble, sand and rubbish in a holding area inside a building (area has been cleared with metal detector and excavation drills in April 2003 by [the same demining group]), the deminer was walking backwards and reaching the rear wall to fill his shovel again, as an uncontrolled detonation occurred. The detonation caused the traumatic amputation of his left foot.

Evaluation Report On Echo Funded Humanitarian Mine Action Pilot Projects In North-West Of Cambodia, Marcel Durocher, Agim Hoti, Mok Tonh, Keo Vut

Global CWD Repository

The European Commission Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) has been actively involved in mine action programs in Cambodia since 1996. ECHO recognized that there was a clear and urgent need to develop new approaches to address the needs of the most at risk communities. In mid 2002 it decided to fund three pilot initiatives with the objective of reducing mine/UXO risks and casualties in North Western Cambodia while taking into account the needs of local communities. This is an area, which recently witnessed a large influx of families from other parts of Cambodia. Many of these newcomers opted to take the …

Development And Test Of The Humanitarian Demining Sifting Excavator, Christopher Wanner

Global CWD Repository

The Humanitarian Demining Sifting Excavator has been developed to address the problem of finding and clearing deeply buried, mixed minefields. The motivation for the development came from a 2002 site assessment by the team of an existing mine problem in Honduras. Areas were identified containing both antipersonnel and antitank landmines buried up to 0.5 meters in mineralized soils. Conventional mine clearing techniques employed in the areas of interest had uncovered widespread evidence of these deeply buried mines, however, these techniques were unreliable for consistently finding mines buried at these depths. The Sifting Excavator was proposed and chosen as the best …

Ddasaccident543, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

A BM-12 smoke shell was reported near the Safe UXO Store of [Demining group] teams working in Logar province. The acting TL briefed the SL to take the UXO away and demolish it. Mr. Paya-I-Din was climbing a hill while taking the UXO to the demolition pit, slipped and the accident happened. It is worth-mentioning that the UXO he was carrying did not explode and apparently a BD RPG7 fuse caused the injuries.

Ddasaccident421, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The accident happened 21 September 2003. The truck was carrying deminers to work along the cleared section of the road. At 09:00 in the morning, the truck crossed into the uncleared area by a short distance and its left side front wheel detonated a TM-57 AT mine.

Ddasaccident386, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

On the 16th of September 2003 at 12:04 hours the Armoured Grader, assisting in route clearance operations on the road from Chiede to Malungo wa Shikongo, set off an anti-tank mine.

5th Meeting Of The States Parties To The Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (2003), Apmbc

Global CWD Repository

The Final Report of the Fifth Meeting of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction,

Bangkok, 15-19 September 2003

A Risk Strategy For Mine Action, Julian Williams

Global CWD Repository

A generic risk management methodology has been derived, and aspects of it were used to develop risk management strategies for Cambodia and Bosnia. These countries presented different problems and so required very different approaches. In Cambodia, the available resources are wholly inadequate to remove the risk from landmines in the medium-term. Moreover, the mine treatment options that might be practicable, even if they were available, are limited, because of the poor infrastructure and type of terrain where they would be applied. Nevertheless, there is some scope for using risk assessment to identify where the practicable mine treatment options (mainly manual …

Vapour Sensing Using Dogs In Bosnia: A Test Of Detection Capacity, Rune Fjellanger, Ian Mclean, Havard Bach

Global CWD Repository

We report results of a pilot study designed to investigate the possibility that REST (Remote Explosive Scent Tracing) technology could be used to find mines in Bosnia. The find rate for mines on 88 filers was 68%. Detection success was linked to humidity and temperature at the time of sampling, and to location within Bosnia. Detection success was not linked to when the filter passed across the mine during the sampling period, or how long the filter was held over the mine. Two mines were found at similar rates (PMA3, TMA4). Success was lower for a third type (TMM1) but …

Landmine Victim Assistance In South-East Europe: Final Study Report, Sheree Bailey

Global CWD Repository

In December 2002, Handicap International Belgium, in co-operation with the International Campaign to Ban Landmines' (ICBL) Landmine Monitor research network, began a research project on behalf of the Reay Group, which was funded through the ITF by Canada and the US State Department. The study should provide the ITF, donors, and service providers, with a clearer picture of the state of victim assistance in South East Europe. It is a starting point that should encourage relevant actors, including government authorities, donors, and local and international program implementers, to share information, to make informed decisions on where to direct resources, or …

Ddasaccident517, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The primary cause of this accident is listed as a “Field control inadequacy” because it seems that the Victim was disarming a mine designated “no-touch” by the demining group, and may have been doing so without wearing appropriate PPE. The secondary cause is listed as a “Management control inadequacy” because the management of the demining group declined to make the accident details available. Although this is sometimes done to protect the Victims, in this case the Victim’s name was among the limited detail made available. It is possible that the managers have chosen to avoid transparency because they are afraid …

Ddasaccident516, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The primary cause of this accident is listed as a “Field control inadequacy” because the accident occurred in the “post-clearance” phase so the mine had either been missed during clearance, or was outside (but close to) the cleared area, so implying inadequate survey. The fact that four deminers were injured implies that the Field controllers believed they were in a safe area, or that safety distances were being ignored. The spread of injuries indicates that protective visors were not being used.

Ddasaccident398, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

As he excavated closer to the position of the signal he stopped and swept again with the detector. After again, pinpointing the signal he continued the excavation drill where upon a short time later there was a detonation at 0707 hrs.

Mine Awareness In Iraq, Cisr Jmu

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Following the U.S.-led war in Iraq, several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are saving lives by doing what they can to raise awareness about the country’s serious landmine/UXO problem.

The Humpty Dumpty Institute Forges Innovative Public-Private Partnerships For Landmine Clearance In The Caucasus, Daniela Kempf, William Rouhana

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Humpty Dumpty Institute (HDI) is a New York-based, non-profit organization dedicated to establishing effective and innovative public-private partnerships to ameliorate the global landmine crisis. The Institute has ongoing partnerships with a variety of public and private organizations. Together, these partnerships have raised over $1.5 million (U.S.) for landmine detection and clearance operations in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Mozambique, Lebanon, Sri Lanka and Eritrea. To date, HDI’s programs have focused on clearance and subsequent economic re-development in partnership with the U.S. State Department (DOS), the International Trust Fund (ITF), the Children of Armenia Fund (COAF), the Marshall Legacy Institute (MLI), the New …

Putting Sea Mammals To Work: Dolphins Help Coalition Forces In Iraq, Nicole Kreger

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In the first moth after arriving in Iraq, the dolphin teams achieved a number of successes, including unofficial clearance of 913 nautical miles of water, investigation of 237 objects, and recovery and/or destruction of over 100 mines.

Oil-For-Food Programme In Iraq, Ian Steele

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Oil-for-Food Programme was established in April 1995 as a temporary measure to ease the unintended consequences of UN sanctions on Iraq’s civilian population. The first Iraqi oil sold under the programme to pay for humanitarian supplies was exported in December 1996, and the first shipments of food arrived in March 1997. The Oil-for-Food Programme now covers 24 sectors of need. It has prevented the further degradation of public services and infrastructure and has made a significant difference in the humanitarian situation nationwide.

Geneva Diary: Report From The Gichd, Ian Mansfield

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) provides operational assistance to mine action programmes and operators, conducts research, and provides support to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (MBC).