Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons^™

Landmine Impact Survey In The Republic Of Yemen, Qadeem K. Tariq

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Republic of Yemen is located in the Middle East, bordering Saudi Arabia to the north, Oman to the northeast, the Gulf of Aden to the south and the Red Sea to the west with an area of 550,000 square kilometers and a population of approximately 15 million. The country is divided into 19 administrative units, called governorates.

Landmines in Yemen were laid as a result of several separate conflicts over a period of about 30 years, starting during the 1962—1975 conflicts between the Republicans and Royalists in the north. In addition, landmines were laid during the 1963—1967 war of …

Israeli Landmine Policy And Related Regional Activity, Ahron Etengoff, Gerald Steinberg

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Although the dangers posed by landmines are particularly acute in the Middle East, responses to the Ottawa Convention are limited. Jordan, Sudan, Tunisia and Qatar are State Parties, and Algeria has signed but not ratified the Ottawa Convention. The lack of signatories in the region reflects the continuing conflict and instability as well as the role that mines play in territorial defense.

In Israel, there is significant support for both the concept and effort to abolish landmines, but security considerations and continued warfare outweigh arguments in favor of accession to the Convention. Israel is active in international cooperative programs to …

The Effects Of Landmines On Women In The Middle East, Mary Ruberry

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The countries of the Middle East are beset with troubles caused by nature as well as man-made strife. The region is prey to earthquakes, droughts and flooding, and years of conflict have left the region riddled with landmines and UXO. As a result, national economies have suffered, leaving social and medical infrastructure battered and scarred. Regional turmoil has caused the flight of millions of refugees and displaced persons who survive in sparse camps, many for decades.

Npa: Improving Lives In The Middle East And Throughout The World, Cisr Jmu

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

An organization based on human equality, NPA "…endeavors to improve the conditions under which individuals live, and to contribute to a more humane society for all." Accordingly, landmine issues are a fundamental element of their mission. Since 1992, when they entered Cambodia, NPA has been heavily involved in mine clearance throughout the world, becoming one of the world’s largest humanitarian mine clearance organizations and concentrating most of their labors on educating local populations about the dangers of landmines. More recently, they began to focus their efforts in the Middle East and Northern Africa, where they began an extensive program in …

New International Standards Debut October 1, 2001, Suzanne Fiederlein

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

On October 1, 2001 the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) officially released twenty-two documents that comprise the initial set of new International Mine Action Standards (IMAS). The standards replace the International Standards for Humanitarian Mine Clearance Operations. The new standards represent the culmination of two years of work to revise and expand the old standards based on changes in practices, procedures and norms that emerged from the continuing operations of mine action programs around the globe.

Global Focus On Landmines In Afghanistan, Joe Lokey

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Even though it has one of the longest running mine clearance programs, Afghanistan is still believed to be one of the most severely mine-affected countries in the world. The Mine Action Program in Afghanistan (MAPA), a United Nations-supported entity, is one of the largest and most successful national programs in the world and one almost exclusively run by the Afghans themselves with fewer than a dozen or so of the 5,000-person workforce being non-nationals.

Efficient Level 2 Surveys Using Mechanical Detonators: Returning More Land, Creating More Wealth, Saving More Lives, Daniel Wolf, Steven Barmazel

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The biggest problem facing demining enterprises is this: productivity of individual deminers is so low that total labor costs per unit of land cleared remain exorbitant—despite minuscule wages in mine-affected countries. Clearing agricultural land in developing countries typically costs many times the land’s expected mine-free annual revenues. Most remediation is uneconomic for public and private parties alike, and funding is never enough.

Combating Subterranean Terror, Her Majesty Queen Noor

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Over the past 25 years, driving past Jordan Valley mine fields fenced off by barbed wire, visiting with landmine victims, or tallying the grim statistics, I have grieved for the children and adults in the Middle East routinely maimed or killed by these weapons of mass destruction in slow motion. Our region has been called the landmine heartland of the world, with an estimated 50 million mines scarring the earth from Morocco to Afghanistan. Beyond the physical and psychological torture of those who have been injured, or lost loved ones, is the further punishment of land made desolate, lost to …

The Journal Of Mine Action Issue 5.3 (2001), Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Issue 5.3: Landmines in The Middle East Focus

The United States Central Command’S Role In The Middle East, Margaret S. Busé

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The U.S. CENTCOM humanitarian mine action program provides a successful interaction between US military trainers, the host country, the indigenous community and the non-governmental organizations while ridding the host country of landmines. Their train-the-trainer approach insures that there is an indigenous demining operation in place before U.S. forces exit the country.

Red Cross/Red Crescent Mine Action Involvement In The Middle East, Laurence Desvignes

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Middle East is an area significantly impacted by landmines, and there is a great need for the spread of mine awareness in mine-affected countries. The Red Cross and Red Crescent are hard at work in the region, attempting to raise mine awareness among the citizens of these nations.

Interview With Martin Barber, Chief Of United Nations Mine Action Service, Margaret S. Busé

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The United Nations Mine Action Service has a successful program operating in Afghanistan that employs 4,000 local Afghans in mine action. Currently, they are mobilizing their efforts to respond to the current refugee situation and the new mine action situation.

Response To Bob Keeley’S Letter To The Journal Of Mine Action, Daniel Wolf, Steven Barmazel

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

We appreciate Bob being "picky" in examining our article on applying a public-health approach to demining. The lives at stake in demining are worth the extra care. As it happens, we generally agree with his views.

First, let’s do get our terminology straight. Thanks, Bob, for the lesson in British diction. We had hoped that placing the modifier mechanical before detonator would make our intentions clear. That it did not, we apologize to our readers. More substantive issues await us.

As Bob rightly points out, our ideas are not new. The public-health/cost-benefit approach predates the birth of everyone reading these …

An Interview With The Nicaraguan Minister Of Defense, Dr. José Adán Guerra Pastora, Margaret S. Busé

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Minister of Defense stressed that demining operations in his country are purely a humanitarian mission. The ultimate goals are to make the land safe for the communities and its children.

The Journal Of Mine Action Issue 5.2 (2001), Cisr Jmu

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Landmines in Central and South America

Aicma: Helping Central America, Organization Of American States

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Since its creation in 1998, Comprehensive Action against Anti-personnel Mines (AICMA) has been devoted to numerous landmine issues. Recently, however, AICMA has focused its attention on the vast problems found throughout Central America, allying itself with other organizations such as the Assistance Program for Demining in Central America (PADCA), a group largely devoted to humanitarian issues. Working together, AICMA and its partners have accomplished a great deal throughout the continent.

On The Cutting Edge Of Landmine Technology, Cisr Jmu

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The tools and technology of the demining world are constantly developing and improving. This article briefly describes several new instruments and techniques currently being developed that will hopefully aid in future demining activity.

The Southern African Development Community’S Technical Advisors Course, Salomon Schreuder, Kevin Bolton

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

With funding and support from South African and international groups, the SADC teams up with IMEESA to improve deminers’ management and technology skills.

Geneva Diary: Report From The Gichd, Paddy Blagden

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The GICHD works with numerous organizations to assist demining efforts in Central and South America. Through programs such as IMSMA and the Afghan Dog Program, GICHD has contributed significantly to mine action in Latin America and continues to do so.

The Necessity Of Implementing A Public-Health Approach To Humanitarian Demining, Daniel Wolf, Steven Barmazel

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Clearing mines is expensive, and demining programs usually consume funding before reaching the task of mine removal. The authors suggest ways to make demining more practical, effective and economical using a "public-health" approach.

United States Southern Command, Southcom, Cisr Jmu

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

SOUTHCOM has humanitarian demining programs in several Central American countries. With help from the OAS, SOUTHCOM is able to make progress in helping this area become mine free.

The Inter-American Defense Board, An Interview With Colonel Rowcliffe, Margaret S. Busé

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Colonel Rowcliffe discusses the efforts of the IADB, MARMINCA, OAS and PADCA in coordinating demining efforts in Central America.

Mine Detection Dogs In Central America: An Optimum Technology?, Jaime Perales

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Using mine detection dogs offers many benefits as well as challenges. In the often rough terrain of Central America, dogs can detect mines where machinery is useless, yet climate and disease pose threats to the dogs’ effectiveness and sometimes even their survival.

Unicef In Latin America, Cisr Jmu

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Recognizing that children are the segment of the population most vulnerable to mine-affected areas, UNICEF has focused its efforts in Central America to disseminating mine awareness information, assisting mine victims and preventing future mine incidents in Columbia, Panama, Nicaragua and Guatemala.

Colombia: 35 Years And Still Struggling, Cisr Jmu

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The civil wars in Colombia have caused the deaths and disappearances of many innocent victims. Guerillas, insurgent groups and paramilitaries are all fighting to find peace, yet peace seems far away.

Landmines In Chile: Who Is At Risk?, Cisr Jmu

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Captain Patricio Undurraga of the Chilean Ministry of Defense discusses the mine problem in his country and describes present and future demining efforts of the Chilean army and navy.

Landmines:A Deadly Reminder Of Chile’S Military Past, Louise Egan

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Although the fighting is long over, a number of anti-personnel landmines still remain in Chile, posing a threat to civilians even today. With casualties increasing, the people are calling on the government to take action.

U.S. Humanitarian Demining In Latin America, Stacy L. Smith

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The United States coordinates aid across Latin America through mine awareness and clearance operations. Channeled mainly through the OAS, U.S. funds support comprehensive mine action programs as needed in Central America.

Colombia, Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Colombia

Ecuador, Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Ecuador