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Full-Text Articles in Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration

The Journal Of Erw And Mine Action Issue 13.1 (2009), Cisr Journal Jul 2009

The Journal Of Erw And Mine Action Issue 13.1 (2009), Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Focus: Central and South America | Feature: Mine-risk Education | Special Report: Small Arms/Light Weapons and MANPADS | Notes from the Field | Research and Development


International Support To Mine Action In Colombia: Mitigating Impact And Protecting Rights, Charles Downs Jul 2009

International Support To Mine Action In Colombia: Mitigating Impact And Protecting Rights, Charles Downs

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Ending the decades-long violence in Colombia is the only way to eliminate all landmines from the country. Until that time, there is a need to mitigate their impact, minimize the number of new victims and assure better assistance to survivors.


Comprehensive Medical Assistance For Landmine Survivors In Nicaragua, Cecilia Bustamante Jul 2009

Comprehensive Medical Assistance For Landmine Survivors In Nicaragua, Cecilia Bustamante

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The victim-assistance component of the Acción Integral contra las Minas Antipersonal program was established in Nicaragua in 1997, and similar programs were set up across Central America. In Nicaragua, the AICMA victim-assistance element aims to help landmine victims obtain physical and psychological care, and provides them access to medical specialists they could not otherwise see. With many victims unable to pay for their medical treatment, the AICMA is coordinating funding and removing the financial burden of travel and lodging for treatment.


U.S. Department Of State Humanitarian Mine-Action Support In Colombia, Edmund Trimakas Jul 2009

U.S. Department Of State Humanitarian Mine-Action Support In Colombia, Edmund Trimakas

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Years of conflict between the Colombian government and the militant groupFuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia has left the country littered with landmines and millions of internally displaced persons. The Colombian government is trying to address this situation. The Bureau of Political-Military Affairs’ Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement in the U.S. Department of State is working with Colombian organizations and nongovernmenal organizations to clean up contaminated areas and resettle Colombia’s IDPs.


Latin Victims Are Invisible To The International Media, Vinicius Souza, Maria Eugênia Sá Jul 2009

Latin Victims Are Invisible To The International Media, Vinicius Souza, Maria Eugênia Sá

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Colombia continues to be the country with the highest number of new anti-personnel landmine victims in the world, with 10 other countries on the American continents having problems with mines as well. This situation, however, seems not to exist for the international news media. Even specialized publications seldom show a picture or publish an article about Central or South America; consequently, most people still believe that the landmine problem is confined exclusively to Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.


Mine-Risk Education In Mine Action: How Is It Effective?, Sharif Baaser, Hugues Laurenge, Eric Filippino Jul 2009

Mine-Risk Education In Mine Action: How Is It Effective?, Sharif Baaser, Hugues Laurenge, Eric Filippino

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

While mine-risk education has faced questions about its effectiveness, it has been an important part of mine action for the past 20 years. As mine action continues to evolve, so does MRE and the ways in which it operates and works with at-risk communities. Continued success in many different countries has shown the effectiveness of MRE and the necessity of the discipline.


The Challenges Of Ied Awareness And Mre In Afghanistan, Mathias Hagstrøm Jul 2009

The Challenges Of Ied Awareness And Mre In Afghanistan, Mathias Hagstrøm

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Improvised explosive devices have become a significant threat to the people of Afghanistan and have surpassed the threat posed by other types of explosive remnants of war. In order to combat these dangers, the United Nations Mine Action Centre for Afghanistan has worked closely with other groups to develop an IED-awareness booklet that supports current mine-risk-education efforts.


The Role Of Education On Awareness Of Ammunition-Dismantling Risks, Brunilda Zenelaga Jul 2009

The Role Of Education On Awareness Of Ammunition-Dismantling Risks, Brunilda Zenelaga

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The blasts from an ammunition dismantling factory in Gërdec, Albania, an accident caused by untrained employees at the facility, resulted in deaths and injuries and damaged homes for factory workers and nearby villagers in March 2008. This article suggests that training employers and workers to follow necessary safety procedures, as well as raising village awareness of the dangers of these ammunitions facilities, will help prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future.


Beyond Weapons Collection: Promoting Safe And Responsible Sa/Lw Management, Nicolas Florquin, Karina Lynge, Klaus Ljørring Pedersen Jul 2009

Beyond Weapons Collection: Promoting Safe And Responsible Sa/Lw Management, Nicolas Florquin, Karina Lynge, Klaus Ljørring Pedersen

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

While the traditional focuses of many small-arms/light-weapons programs have been weapons collection and curbing proliferation, some humanitarian organizations—like Geneva Call and Danish Demining Group—advocate a model based on the promotion of safe and responsible weapons management. As illustrated by the experience of DDG with communities in Somaliland and by Geneva Call’s efforts with armed non-state actors, a participatory approach to weapons regulation and management offers promising alternatives to traditional weapons-control initiatives.


Chile, Country Profile Jul 2009

Chile, Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Chilean involvement in landmine distribution began in the 1970s during the Augusto Pinochet dictatorship. Due to strained political relations, Pinochet ordered hundreds of thousands of landmines to be emplaced along the Argentine, Bolivian and Peruvian borders as a defensive measure. Many of these landmines were located in rugged terrain with unpredictable weather, making landmine removal a difficult and expensive task. Landmine use and distribution halted when the Chilean Foreign Ministry stated “its firm and decided commitment, … in 1985, not to produce, export, import, or lay new landmines.” Since this declaration, Chile has made many strides to remove the remaining …


Peru, Country Profile Jul 2009

Peru, Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Situated between Chile and Ecuador, next to the South Pacific Ocean, Peru faced a decade of military rule in the 1970s and internal conflict in the 1980s when democracy was reestablished. These periods of conflict, as well as a border dispute with Ecuador in the 1990s, have resulted in landmine problems. The Ottawa Convention went into force for Peru in 1999, meaning its deadline for total mine clearance should be reached in 2009. Peru requested, and was granted, a deadline extension through 2017, citing a lack of funding.


Venezuela, Country Profile Jul 2009

Venezuela, Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Since October 1999, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has been a State Party to the Anti-personnel Mine Ban Convention, which it signed 3 December 1997, and ratified 14 April 1999. Upon ratification of the convention, the document became a national law of Venezuela. At the U.N. Conference on Disarmament in 2004, Venezuela announced that it had fulfilled its duties to the Convention in 2003, destroying 47,189 AP mines and keeping 5,000 landmines for military training. The country also announced that it had enacted the Disarmament Act in 2003, which sought to eliminate the illegal possession of small arms/light weapons from …


Mapping Development Organizations: Success Depends On Mine Action, Charles Downs Jul 2009

Mapping Development Organizations: Success Depends On Mine Action, Charles Downs

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Development initiatives around the world stand to gain from stronger collaboration with the mine-action community; however, this relationship is all too often underappreciated in areas where conflict has mandated resuscitating infrastructure, revitalizing the economy and resettling displaced persons. The Survey Action Center’s ongoing project on development organizations’ use (and occasionally misuse) of mine-action information intends to help mend the partnership between mine-action and non-mine-action actors.


First Workshop On Regional Approaches To Stockpile Reduction In Southeast Europe, Daniele Ressler, Dave Diaz, Laurie Freeman Jul 2009

First Workshop On Regional Approaches To Stockpile Reduction In Southeast Europe, Daniele Ressler, Dave Diaz, Laurie Freeman

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Faced with the significant security and humanitarian impacts of stockpiled weapons and munitions, countries and organizations in Southeast Europe met in May to discuss strategies for stockpile reduction. The workshop, held in Croatia, focused on regional approaches to this problem, emphasizing information-sharing and coordination across borders.


Uzbekistan Ammunition Depot Explosion Cleanup: U.S. Dod Support, Cisr Journal Jul 2009

Uzbekistan Ammunition Depot Explosion Cleanup: U.S. Dod Support, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

A recent ammunition explosion in Kagan, Uzbekistan, prompted an appeal for international aid. As a result, Lieutenant Colonel Gary Bolos led a team of Explosive Ordnance Disposal Non-Commissioned Officers from the United States Department of Defense into Uzbekistan to deliver equipment and train the Uzbek Army on proper detection and removal of the ammunition with a limited budget and restricted schedule.


Prostheses For Pachyderm Landmine Survivors, Cisr Journal Jul 2009

Prostheses For Pachyderm Landmine Survivors, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Many times the only landmine survivors considered candidates for prostheses are humans; however, there are also pachyderm victims in need of assistance. Along the Thai-Burmese border, a heavily mined area, elephants that are used for logging, as well as wild elephants, often fall victim to landmines. Lacking other options and unable to care for the animals in this condition, their caretakers frequently opt to end the animals’ lives.


Geneva Diary: Report From The Gichd, Ian Mansfield Jul 2009

Geneva Diary: Report From The Gichd, Ian Mansfield

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining has been busy over the last several months. The GICHD recently organized an African Francophone Conference on demining in Benin and provided technical input for the recent Convention on Cluster Munitions. In addition, GICHD published technical guides related to road clearance, safe ammunition storage and cluster munitions.


Proper Usage Of Torch Systems For In-Situ Landmine Neutralization By Burning For Humanitarian Demining, Divyakant Patel Jul 2009

Proper Usage Of Torch Systems For In-Situ Landmine Neutralization By Burning For Humanitarian Demining, Divyakant Patel

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Researchers at the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command who work with the Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center as part of the Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate, are advancing demining beyond traditional approaches with the use of torch systems for mine neutralization. This article describes trial results for three such torches.


Performance Of Flail Hammers, Frédéric Guerne Jul 2009

Performance Of Flail Hammers, Frédéric Guerne

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The following article discusses the strengths and weaknesses of flail hammer use in the demining field. The author leans on his field experience with the Digger Foundation to analyze types and usage of these tools. In doing so, he aims to give advice on the best methods for using flails to achieve the best results.


Sa/Lw And The Arms Trade Treaty, Cisr Journal Jul 2009

Sa/Lw And The Arms Trade Treaty, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Despite the efforts of governments, nongovernmental organizations, and disarmament and human rights activists worldwide, the global arms trade continues to exacerbate the situation caused by conventional weapons and, in particular, small arms/light weapons. Proliferation of SA/LW not only fuels conflict, but also disrupts development in war-ravaged regions. The following article provides an overview of SA/LW-control issues and remediation efforts. It also considers the progress of the international movement in support of an arms-trade treaty.


‘Mine-Free’ Countries Of Central/South America: Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador And Suriname, Country Profile Jul 2009

‘Mine-Free’ Countries Of Central/South America: Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador And Suriname, Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Landmines and unexploded ordnance have had an enormous effect on countries in the Western Hemisphere, specifically in Central and South America. Various wars and internal conflicts in these regions have promulgated the use of indiscriminate weapons. Many of these countries, which have since resolved the conflicts, are still in the process of clearing and eradicating landmines and other explosive remnants of war in their territories and, thus, are minimizing the threat they pose to citizens.


Argentina, Country Profile Jul 2009

Argentina, Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

At the heart of the Argentine landmine/ unexploded ordnance issue is a territorial dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom. Argentina acknowledges that contamination exists in the U.K.-occupied Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), 480 kilometers (300 miles) off the South American country’s coast. However, the government challenges British claims to the islands, and has asserted its sovereign rights over not only the Falklands, but also South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands and surrounding areas. The Falkland-Malvinas Islands were mined by both Argentine and British forces during the 1982 conflict between the two nations. Because both nations claim sovereignty over the contaminated …


Oas—Aicma And Mine-Risk Education In Nicaragua, José Ramón Zepeda Jul 2009

Oas—Aicma And Mine-Risk Education In Nicaragua, José Ramón Zepeda

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

From 1979 to 1990, a violent internal conflict ravaged Nicaragua, leaving the country contaminated with landmines and unexploded ordnance. To help minimize the number of victims within the country, the Organization of American States’ mine-action program, Acción Integral contra las Minas Antipersonal, has been working with mine-risk education campaigns to help educate and inform communities about landmines and UXO.


Just War Theory And Explosive Remnants Of War, Eric Patterson Jul 2009

Just War Theory And Explosive Remnants Of War, Eric Patterson

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

For centuries, philosophers and political theorists have pondered the ethical considerations of waging war. Just War theory, expounded upon by contemporary thinkers, addresses three ethical components of war-making: the conditions for going to war, acceptable violence during combat, and the eventual resolution and remediation of conflict. These issues and their overlap with humanitarian demining and small arms/light weapons control are examined below.


Clearing The Falkland-Malvinas Islands, Robert Keeley Jul 2009

Clearing The Falkland-Malvinas Islands, Robert Keeley

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Under pressure from nations around the world and in compliance with Article 5 of the Ottawa Convention, the United Kingdom has committed to demining the Falkland-Malvinas Islands despite the potential cost of demining in arelatively mine-safe area.


Comprehensive Action Against Anti-Personnel Mines: A Regional Initiative To Address Landmine Issues, Carl Case Jul 2009

Comprehensive Action Against Anti-Personnel Mines: A Regional Initiative To Address Landmine Issues, Carl Case

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

For more than 18 years, the Organization of American States has had a leading role in the struggle to deal with humanitarian-demining issues in South and Central America. Since the inception of the Acción Integral contra las Minas Antipersonal programs, the OAS has been involved in many aspects of mine action, bringing new hope to the region.


Icrc Weapons-Contamination Activities In Colombia, Andy Wheatley Jul 2009

Icrc Weapons-Contamination Activities In Colombia, Andy Wheatley

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The International Committee of the Red Cross has been working alongside the Colombian Red Cross to ease Colombia’s weapons-contamination problem, made more difficult by ongoing conflict. By combining preventive measures, victim assistance, rehabilitation programs and economic aid, the ICRC has strengthened Colombian organizations, while educating the public and assisting those negatively affected by explosive remnants of war. The efforts of the ICRC have significantly helped Colombia where many other international organizations had found it difficult to assist because of the current political situation.


Vinh And Trinh’S Adventure, Book Review Jul 2009

Vinh And Trinh’S Adventure, Book Review

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Vinh and Trinh’s Adventure


Unsung Hero: Carson Harte, Cisr Journal Jul 2009

Unsung Hero: Carson Harte, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

For more than 15 years, Carson Harte’s work with The Cambodia Trust has been at the core of physical-rehabilitation efforts throughout Southeast Asia, a region whose legacy of conflict has made the need for trained professionals like prosthetists and orthotists invaluable. The Cambodia Trust—a nongovernmental organization based in the United Kingdom–addresses that need, and as its Executive Director, Harte has overseen the organization’s expanding operations in Indonesi and Sri Lanka, the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste.


Sa/Lw And The Osce Response, Jernej Cimperšek Jul 2009

Sa/Lw And The Osce Response, Jernej Cimperšek

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The illegal dissemination of small arms/light weapons has recently come to the forefront of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s agenda. Through security forums and the provision of literature and physical assistance to affected countries, the OSCE is working to rid Europe of SA/LW that may potentially spread to more militant nations. Working with other international organizations such as the United Nations, the OSCE aims to encourage implementation of its Document on Small Arms and Light Weapons, drafted to address the spread of SA/LW and related issues, and to completely rid the area of dangerous arms.