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2004

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Articles 481 - 510 of 13902

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

El Salvador, Country Profile Nov 2004

El Salvador, Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Although El Salvador gained its independence from Spain in 1838, oppressive regimes controlled the nation from that time through the 20th century. In the late 1970s, leftist groups, most notably the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN), violently lashed against the ruling government. Fraudulent elections dashed the prospects of a full democracy, and by 1980, the country became mired in a full-scale civil war. El Salvador became the focus of special international attention during this period due to the FMLN's surprising success, which the government was able to suppress. In 1992, after 12 years of fighting, the United Nations was …

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Nicaragua, Country Profile Nov 2004

Nicaragua, Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Nicaragua’s landscape is as volatile as its past. Located in Central America south of Honduras and north of Costa Rica, its land is troubled by earthquakes, 40 volcanoes, landslides and tropical hurricanes. Nicaragua received its political independence from Spain in 1821 and became an independent republic in 1838. From 1896, it was ruled under a dynasty/dictatorship established by President Anastasio Somoza García until a bloody revolution occurred in 1979 led by the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN). Over a decade of internal conflict caused Nicaragua to be heavily mined before most of the fighting ended in 1990. Since 1990, the …

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Spartan Daily, November 15, 2004, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications Nov 2004

Spartan Daily, November 15, 2004, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily (School of Journalism and Mass Communications)

Volume 123, Issue 54

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U.S. Humanitarian Demining Research And Development Program Provides "Reach-In" Technology, Chris Wanner Nov 2004

U.S. Humanitarian Demining Research And Development Program Provides "Reach-In" Technology, Chris Wanner

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

When mine clearance operations closed down on June 12, 2004, for the last time in Honduras, U.S. Army Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD) prototype equipment on trial was there to help complete the work started nearly one decade ago. Progress in reaching this milestone had stalled in 2002. Lack of a solution to a troublesome combination of environmental and threat factors remained beyond the capability of normal clearance procedures at one of the last remaining mine-suspected areas left in Honduras. Conventional clearance methods had revealed evidence of a mixture of anti-personnel and anti-tank mines buried under a meter …

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Mine Risk Education In Kawthoolei Liberated Area: An Experiment In Creating A Program Of Mre In A Non-State-Controlled Area Of Burma, Yeshua Moser-Puangsuwan Nov 2004

Mine Risk Education In Kawthoolei Liberated Area: An Experiment In Creating A Program Of Mre In A Non-State-Controlled Area Of Burma, Yeshua Moser-Puangsuwan

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Engaging a non-state armed group in any aspect of mine action is based on the same concerns of humanitarian action that are the basis of engaging any state authority, but more time may be needed to educate non-state groups in humanitarian norms to which they are unable to accede, and by which they may not feel bound. Most non-state actors (NSAs) will engage in armed conflict. If the conflict is over, they have either dissolved or become a part of the official governing structure. If they are mine users, mine action will be similar to that undertaken in states that …

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The Gichd Regional Support Centre: An Approach To Regional Information Management, Simon Berger, Alan Arnold Nov 2004

The Gichd Regional Support Centre: An Approach To Regional Information Management, Simon Berger, Alan Arnold

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Ask most people in mine action what is meant by regional information management and they will talk to you about the consolidation of country-specific mine action information at centralized regional locations. They may talk about the need for data aggregation, the reluctance of programmes to provide data and the generally slow pace of the work. In almost all cases, they will mention data analysis and comparisons between the work completed in different programmes as key elements in regional systems. Most of the examples given will focus on efforts that fell short of expectations and failed to deliver on the promise …

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Beyond Mine Removal, Juan Carlos Ruan Nov 2004

Beyond Mine Removal, Juan Carlos Ruan

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

For over a decade, the Organization of American States (OAS) has been coordinating landmine removal operations throughout the Americas. The program has been the responsibility of the Mine Action Program of the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy of the OAS, which provides overall coordination and management. The OAS has been successful with the technical assistance of the Inter-American Defense Board (IADB), the hard work of the national armies and the generosity of international donors. While the national armies of mine-affected countries carry out the actual demining in the field, the IADB provides a team of international supervisors and military …

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The Landmine Victim Assistance Component Implemented By The Oas In Nicaragua, Carlos Orozco Nov 2004

The Landmine Victim Assistance Component Implemented By The Oas In Nicaragua, Carlos Orozco

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In 1990, Nicaragua registered approximately 135,000 mines buried within its national territory and another 133,435 mines in military stockpiles as a result of the internal conflict witnessed in Nicaragua during the 1980s. Although I will not touch on the details related to the operations, it is important to note that Nicaragua is the most heavily mined country in Central America and on the whole continent. As of June 2004, approximately 27,400 anti-personnel mines remain buried within Nicaraguan territory.

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An Interview With Mine Awareness Expert Mr. Porfirio Gomez, Juan Carlos Ruan Nov 2004

An Interview With Mine Awareness Expert Mr. Porfirio Gomez, Juan Carlos Ruan

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

One of the key components of the Mine Action Program of the Organization of American States (OAS) is mine risk education (MRE). It is the belief of the program that the most important measure one can take to ensure that affected communities practice safe behavior is to educate them on the risks associated with landmines and UXO. The objective of this component is to not solely attain the reduction of the risk of injury or death by promoting safe behavior, but also provide solutions to high-risk behavior that is observed in some affected communities. This is done through a number …

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An Interview With Dr. Jim Gollogly Of Rosecharities, Cambodia, Cisr Jmu Nov 2004

An Interview With Dr. Jim Gollogly Of Rosecharities, Cambodia, Cisr Jmu

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The tale of how the English-born orthopedic surgeon landed in Cambodia begins in Fairbanks, Alaska. "One summer evening I was sitting with my buddies, drinking beer. They were all talking about going on sabbatical for the winter. I thought, 'Why couldn't I take a sabbatical?'"

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Dear Mr. President...: Landmines All Over The World Are Tearing Lives Apart, Saiann Films Nov 2004

Dear Mr. President...: Landmines All Over The World Are Tearing Lives Apart, Saiann Films

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

"The mine is a stealthy killer. Long after conflict is ended, its innocent victims die or are wounded singly, in countries of which we hear little. Their lonely fate is never reported."
-Diana, Princess of Wales, 1997

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A Civilian-Military Relationship: Vvaf Support To Hdtc, Joseph M. Donahue, Rodney Robideau Nov 2004

A Civilian-Military Relationship: Vvaf Support To Hdtc, Joseph M. Donahue, Rodney Robideau

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Humanitarian Demining Training Center (HDTC) at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation's (VVAF's) Information Management and Mine Action Programs (iMMAP) are pleased to announce the establishment of a non-governmental organization (NGO) chair on the HDTC faculty. This effort is the culmination of several years of planning that began in 1999 with faculty-training exchanges between the two organizations. These initial training exchanges were begun with the intent of establishing shared mechanisms between the military and humanitarian mine action (HMA) communities so that interoperability could be improved and lessons learned by either community might benefit the …

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Red Rocks And Green Grapes, Jed Harris Nov 2004

Red Rocks And Green Grapes, Jed Harris

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

As I stopped along the roadside north of Kabul, three young boys emerged from an overgrown vineyard and proudly offered me a handful of fresh grapes. Soon more children emerged. The sight brought back childhood memories of summer days spent roaming through the vast vineyards that joined our ranch in California. However, my smile quickly vanished with alarm. The unmistakable signs of a minefield, rocks painted red, surrounded the field from where these children surfaced. Why would they trespass through the jeopardy of a minefield I wondered? The oldest boy quickly responded, ma goashna, "we are hungry." The basic …

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Non-State Actors In Nepal, Cisr Jmu Nov 2004

Non-State Actors In Nepal, Cisr Jmu

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Since the end of the monarchy in 1951, Nepal has faced governmental problems. A multi-party democracy was established in 1990, but since then Nepal has had 14 governments. A Maoist insurgency began in 1996 and has claimed thousands of civilian, government and rebel lives. In 2001, nine members of the royal family were killed in a shooting spree by Prince Diprendra, son of the late King Birendra, who then turned the gun on himself. The Maoist insurgency has tried to fill the void left by the monarchy and an ongoing struggle ties together the government and rebel groups, also known …

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Nsas In Africa: The Call To Action, Cisr Jmu Nov 2004

Nsas In Africa: The Call To Action, Cisr Jmu

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) cites Africa as the continent with the largest number of conflicts. In such countries as the Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Zimbabwe and Angola, the 2003 Landmine Monitor reports widespread landmine use by non-state actors (NSAs), each seeking a myriad of political aims from recognition by the international community to government overthrow to political agitation through terrorism. The majority of NSAs involved in conflicts with internationally recognized governments on the African continent have rarely disclosed their political agendas nor have they outlined how their political agendas differ from those of the …

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Colombia, Country Profile Nov 2004

Colombia, Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Referred to as La Violencia, political unrest in Colombia's countryside lasted from 1948 until 1962. Efforts to overthrow the Colombian government escalated again in the 1990s with a rebel uprising. To forward their advances, four different guerilla groups used landmines, staged coups and attempted political assassinations. Guerilla attacks led mostly by the Revolutionary Forces of Colombia (FARC), National Liberation Army (ELN) and United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC), combined with drug cultivation, social inequities and widespread violence, contributed to Colombia's 40-year political crisis. Upon his election in 2002, President Alvaro Uribe promised to begin taking action to end the …

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Ecuador, Country Profile Nov 2004

Ecuador, Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Before the Spaniards arrived in the 16th century, the "Republic of the Equator" was part of the Inca empire. The country remained under Spanish control until Antonio José de Sucre liberated the region in 1822, at which time it became part of Greater Colombia. When this union collapsed in 1830, three countries were formed: Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador. During the period of 1904–1942, several conflicts with neighboring countries caused Ecuador to lose some of its territory. Since then, several uprisings and clashes with Peru have contributed to Ecuador's volatile history.

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Honduras, Country Profile Nov 2004

Honduras, Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Nestled among Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua, Honduras is a tropical paradise of rainforests, clear waters and fresh fruit. The small country has Mayan roots that date at least as far as 1000 B.C. to the Copan city-state, which was abandoned around A.D. 900. The area remained quiet until Columbus arrived in 1502. The Spanish settled in Honduras in 1525 and maintained control until Dutch pirates took possession in 1643. The Spanish resettled in 1787, and in 1821, Honduras resisted control from Spain. After a conflict between conservatives and liberals, Honduras broke from Mexico and became its own state in …

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Data Fusion For Mine Action Decision Support: An Example From Lebanon, Aldo Benini, Charles Conley Nov 2004

Data Fusion For Mine Action Decision Support: An Example From Lebanon, Aldo Benini, Charles Conley

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Within humanitarian mine action, progress in integrating information is manifest chiefly by the way the traditional array of survey activities have been reformed. Following the 1997 Ottawa Treaty to ban anti-personnel mines, several mine action non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) launched the Global Landmine Survey, a multi-country survey project. This initiative has helped to institutionalize the collection of social and economic data, along with contaminated-area data, to enhance the overall management of mine action programs worldwide, and in that sense has achieved a paradigm change over the erstwhile purely technical approach to mine clearance.

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Optimising The Use Of Rest For Mine Detection, Ian Mclean, Rebecca Sargisson Nov 2004

Optimising The Use Of Rest For Mine Detection, Ian Mclean, Rebecca Sargisson

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Remote Explosive Scent Tracing (REST) is a detection technology involving the transfer of odours to an animal detector using filters. Like Remote Scent Tracing (RST), the technology could potentially be used to detect anything that has an odour. REST technology was used originally by Mechem in Mozambique and Angola in the early 1990s. Despite the potential it demonstrated at that time, it received little attention or investment through the late 1990s until a revival of interest occurred in recent years. Currently, it is being used operationally for mine detection in Afghanistan and is likely to be implemented for road clearance …

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Public-Private Partnerships Paving The Way For Success In Sri Lanka, Margaret S. Busé Nov 2004

Public-Private Partnerships Paving The Way For Success In Sri Lanka, Margaret S. Busé

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

"Most young people, including those in their 20s in Sri Lanka, have never seen a day without war because of the fighting that has lasted for the past two decades in Sri Lanka. For them to see new construction underway, schools reopening, and for locals to be able to move out of refugee camps back onto their land—these all come as welcome sights."-Mary Eisenhower, President, People to People International

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Geneva Diary: Report From The Gichd, Ian Mansfield Nov 2004

Geneva Diary: Report From The Gichd, Ian Mansfield

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) recently released a major publication titled A Study of Mechanical Application in Demining. The last 15 years have seen the evolution of machines used in demining. At the beginning of the 1990s, the few machines on the market tended to be large and heavy. Today, there is a much greater array of machines of varying size and armour protection to suit the different physical environments and threat levels found in mine-affected regions of the world (seeGICHD Mechanical Demining Equipment Catalogue 2004).

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Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Country Profile Nov 2004

Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The English landed on the Falkland Islands in 1690, but the first settlement on this land off the coast of southern Argentina was not established until 1764 by the French. The next year, Britain established its own settlement and claimed the islands in the name of King George III. In 1766, the Falklands were turned over to Spain, beginning a centuries-long territorial dispute, first between Britain and Spain, then between Britain and Argentina. The United Kingdom established a naval garrison on the islands in 1833, thus asserting its claim to them. In April 1982, Argentina invaded the islands, starting a …

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Peru, Country Profile Nov 2004

Peru, Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Peru is located at the center of the Andean states, bordered by Colombia and Ecuador in the north, Brazil and Bolivia in the east, and Chile in the south. The people of Peru declared their independence from Spain in 1821. Revolutionary fighting continued, however, until 1824, when all remaining Spanish forces in Peru were defeated. Peru's primary landmine problems are a result of guerilla military activity in the 1980s that afflicted its internal regions, particularly near electrical towers and power-generation stations that were mined for protection against guerilla sabotage. Border conflicts with Ecuador in the north during the mid-1990s also …

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Non-State Actors In Sri Lanka, Cisr Jmu Nov 2004

Non-State Actors In Sri Lanka, Cisr Jmu

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

What happens when an irresistible force hits an immovable object? Something gives. Or does it? In the war-torn country of Sri Lanka, there remains a constant clash between the country's government and non-state actor (NSA) groups that terrorize the region and its people. The chief NSA that opposes the government is the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), an insurgency group whose goal is to form an independent state for the 3.2 million Tamil people that make up the minority ethnic community.

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Community-Based Rehabilitation Program Design And Implementation In Central America, Michael Lundquist Nov 2004

Community-Based Rehabilitation Program Design And Implementation In Central America, Michael Lundquist

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Since 1997, the Polus Center for Social & Economic Development, Inc., has been supporting orthotic and prosthetic (O&P) services in Central America. In 1999, Polus expanded its effort and, in collaboration with local citizens of Leon, Nicaragua, opened Walking Unidos, an outreach O&P workshop. Since the success of Walking Unidos, the Polus Center has helped develop two other O&P programs: Vida Nueva in Choluteca, Honduras, and the other in Managua, Nicaragua, a venture made possible with the support of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). In addition, the Polus Center developed several other disability-related programs, including the Disability …

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Operation Emirates Solidarity: An International Model And Mine Clearance Success Story, Chris Clark Nov 2004

Operation Emirates Solidarity: An International Model And Mine Clearance Success Story, Chris Clark

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Landmines and unexploded munitions remaining from the 22-year Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon, as well as previous periods of conflict in the area, severely hindered the much-needed restoration of peace and security in the area. Reconstruction, socio-economic development and general community life were severely affected by the massive landmine contamination left following the Israeli withdrawal in 2000.

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Argentina, Country Profile Nov 2004

Argentina, Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

After gaining independence from Spain in 1816, Argentineans battled amongst themselves in political conflicts between conservatives and liberals. Naturally, due to the intensity of a structured environment aggravated by war, conflicts also arose as the military society merged with the civilians. These opposing entities battled through a long period of authoritarian rule that later ended in a military junta, which usurped the Peronists' authority in 1976. Democracy was not implemented as a governing standard until 1983.

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Turkey Moves Forward To Demine Upper Mesopotamia, Ali Koknar Nov 2004

Turkey Moves Forward To Demine Upper Mesopotamia, Ali Koknar

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Turkish-Syrian border was first drawn in 1921, altered in 1938, and finally demarcated once again in 1956. Between 1991 and 1993, portions of the border were further demarcated, bringing the border deeper into Turkish territory. Most of the land in near the Turkish-Syrian border falls under the legal category of "Forbidden Military Zone in the First and Second Degrees" (i.e., public land administered by the Turkish military). Some of it is formerly privately-owned farmland nationalized during the 1956 demarcation.

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Engaging Non-State Actors In The Fight Against Landmines: A Key To Negotiating Peace In Colombia, Elisabeth Reusse-Decrey Nov 2004

Engaging Non-State Actors In The Fight Against Landmines: A Key To Negotiating Peace In Colombia, Elisabeth Reusse-Decrey

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Today, one of the populations in the world that suffers the most from landmine use by armed non-state actors (NSAs) is the population of Colombia. Since 2003, Geneva Call, a humanitarian, independent and neutral international organisation dedicated to engaging NSAs in a total ban against anti-personnel landmines, has established a line of communication with Colombian armed groups. With the support of the national government and the collaboration of the Colombian Campaign Against Landmines—a partner organisation—representatives of Geneva Call have met with members of the government, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) operating in Colombia, other local and indigenous organisations, as well as members …

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