Defense and Security Studies Commons^™

U.N. Department Of Humanitarian Affairs, Cisr Jmu

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

U.N. Department of Humanitarian Affairs

Vietnam Veterans Of America Foundation, Cisr Jmu

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Founded in 1980 by a contingent of war-aware Vietnam veterans, Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation (VVAF) endorses a globally conscious environment to assist civilians trapped in the crossfire of war. Staffed by people intent on lessening the pain inflicted on the civilian populations of war-torn countries, members of VVAF possess the knowledge and caring capacity to dedicate the time and resources necessary to rebuild the lives of war victims.

Child-To-Child Trust: A Child-Oriented Approach To Landmine Education, Virginia Saulnier

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Placing children’s issues at the forefront of its agenda, the Child-to-Child Trust promotes the physical and mental well-being of children throughout the world. Operating under the umbrella of the University of London’s Institute of Education and Institute of Child Health, the trust has assumed this position since its inception in 1979, the international year of the Child, and has been active in over 80 nations. The trust’s objectives include “protecting and preserving the health of communities worldwide by encouraging and enabling children and young people to play an active and responsible role in the health and development of themselves, other …

It's Been A Hard Day's Night, Jake Macdonald

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Before heading out for a day's work, the deminers and EOD men gather every morning to drink coffee at a downtown Pristina bar called The Kukri. By 8 a.m. a festive crowd has gathered, and you could easily be in some college town cappuccino bar, except that half the people in the room are wearing U.N. shoulder patches and automatic pistols. On this particular autumn morning, the Texas Rangers are having coffee with the Fijians, the Bobbies are raking tea with some carabinieri, and the Zambians are talking shop with the OPP. It's sunny again, and everyone seems to be …

Making Strides: Students Tackle The Landmine Awareness Problem, Virginia Saulnier

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Extending beyond the normal boundaries of education, a growing number of educators are widening their students’ knowledge base to include the landmine crisis plaguing multiple countries, thereby raising the global consciousness of this humanitarian problem. Commendably, students around the world are assuming an active role in the crisis, aware of the potential damage waiting to strike at the heart of their generation, as landmines and UXO annually claim numerous children as victims. Teachers, employing accepted pedagogical techniques, are educating their students about the devastation inflicted by mines and UXO by introducing them to landmine oriented magazines and literature. Teacher Mark …

Alternatives To Anti-Personnel Landmines, Keith Feigenbaum

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The complexity of the issue of alternatives to AP landmines is great from both a humanitarian and a technical standpoint. Stances on this issue seem to range from the substantive and supported (by research and field experience) and the reactionary (i.e., unbending humanitarianism). When the differing stances are considered, the one conclusion that can be drawn is the need for the discovery of a middle ground. That is, given current levels of technology, what can be done to end the suffering of the innocent while protecting the combatant?

Nato-Stabilization Force, Cisr Jmu

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The NATO-led Stabilization Force (SFOR) was established in 1996 following the successful implementation of the General Framework Agreement for Peace (established in Paris in December 1995) by NATO’s Implementation Force (IFOR).

The Utilization Of Level One Survey Data For Mine Awareness, Justin Brady

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

With its conclusion in July 2000 and certification a month later, the level one landmine survey in Yemen has provided the Yemeni authorities with a wealth of reliable information from which to plan and prioritize activities. For many people this means planning for mine clearance, but the utility of the level one data goes far beyond clearance. It also provides a foundation for all aspects of mine action, including mine awareness. Yemen is the first country to successfully complete the new level one format in cooperation with the U.N. Mine Action Service (UNMAS), U.N. Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and …

Global Information Networks In Education: Landmine Awareness Education Website, Cisr Jmu

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Global Information Networks in Education: Landmine Awareness Education Website

Organizations Operating In Kosovo, Cisr Jmu

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Organizations Operating in Kosovo

Developing And Expanding Mine Awareness Programs, Roger Hess

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

An assessment of mine awareness programs.

Youth Supervisors Trained In Mine Awareness In Jordan, Jason Sims

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Landmine Survivors Network (LSN) made an agreement with the Jordan Ministry of Social Development to facilitate mine awareness throughout the year 2000. For a week in August, youth center supervisors from throughout Jordan attended Mine Risk Education Training in Aqaba, Jordan. The LSN facilitated the workshop with cooperation from Rädda Barnen and the Royal Jordanian Army Corps of Engineers. All 60 of the youth center supervisors in Jordan were invited to attend the mine awareness training. A total of 44 Jordanian Youth Center Supervisors attended the workshop, 13 females and 31 males. Personnel from Rädda Barnen of Yemen conducted …

Adopt-A-Minefield, Cisr Jmu

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Through a variety of mine awareness techniques and programs, Adopt-A-Minefield promotes a landmine free environment by involving individuals, community associations and businesses in the process. Essentially, Adopt-A-Minefield functions as a liaison between the affected communities and sponsors. To accomplish this vital task, Adopt-A-Minefield acknowledges no political debates or boundaries. Rather, it allows individuals to contribute their resources to the overall goal, establishing common ground between the contributors and the mine-affected populations upon which to build lasting relationships. The program also adheres to its tenet that through cooperation the world can rid itself of this less-publicized but intensely severe problem.

The Journal Of Mine Action Issue 4.3 (2000), Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Mine Awareness | Notes from the Field | Organization Profiles

Hurricane Mitch Jet Stream, Juan Carlos Ruan

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In October-November 1998, Hurricane Mitch wreaked havoc upon the Caribbean and parts of Central America. The damage the storm produced was unprecedented in the affected areas. In Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Costa Rica, UNICEF compiled these estimates on the human toll: 8,421 killed, 7,671 missing, 10,190 wounded, 1,537,687 evacuated and left homeless and 1,654,000 more affected in some direct way. Furthermore, Hurricane Mitch caused $6 billion worth of damage to the infrastructure of these countries.

Ddasaccident437, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

In this case “while mine clearing procedure, in one canal by the state road D-7 was a vegetation burn and in other canal deminers from [Name excised] demining company were working. [The Victim] was hit in the back and legs while checking the fire.”

Ddasaccident329, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

As he was going down the row to mark the end of the row, he stood on two PMA-1 mines on top of each other. At the time of the accident, the [Demining group] reconnaissance team was conducting a Level 2 Survey without proper communication, medical support and without wearing PPE. This activity was being carried out despite an earlier decision to suspend clearance operations because of poor weather conditions.

Ddasaccident327, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The [Demining group] base informed [demining group Programme Manager] that Morina #2 clearance have started. Uncontrolled explosion occurs in Morina 2 minefield, 1 deminer injured.

Ddasaccident309, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

On the day of the accident the site-log recorded that work started at 06:30 and a change-over took place every 30 minutes thereafter. The accident occurred during a change-over period. While standing up from a kneeling position at 10:45, Victim No.1 lost his balance and fell forwards detonation a Type-72 antipersonnel blast mine [probably with his hand]. Victim No.1’s partner and Section Leader were standing too close to him at the time.

Ddasaccident365, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

“On his normal site duties of transporting water from a water pump that was close to the minefield, [the Victim] went into the minefield behind a Baobab tree to help himself to the bush toilet. Whilst defecating behind the tree he detonated an AP mine when he pricked on the ground with his machete.”

2nd Meeting Of The States Parties To The Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (2000), Apmbc

Global CWD Repository

Geneva, 11-15 September 2000

SECOND 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

Ddasaccident341, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

[The Victim] was the first one to work in the critical working lane, while supported by deminer No 2. At 08.30 explosion was heard and all the works stopped within all three teams.

Ddasaccident273, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

Work began at the site at 08:00. At 09:50 a deminer reported having found a PMA-3 while prodding [no mention of detectors was made]. The victim ordered the deminers out of the field and went to "neutralise" the mine. He removed the UPMAH initiator from the mine and noticed that is was "slightly damaged". He carried the mine body in his right hand and the initiator in his left hand as he walked out of the mined area. At 10.05 the detonator in the initiator exploded in his hand.

Ddasaccident342, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

Deminer in the working lane was searching the area using his prodder. When he finalised his search and finished the working lane, he started to collect the mine tape from the left side of the lane, walking the ”cleared” working lane. That is where he activated with his left foot PMA-3 mine by stepping on it. PMA-3 mine was buried.

Ddasaccident343, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

Their movements were such that one walked the middle of the tunnel in front of the other who lightened the way, while one was moving closer to the left side wall into the direction of movement – leaving out. At about 22.5 metre from the entrance [a fisherman] activated a mine (most probably a PROM-1) whose explosive blast threw him badly so that his head was found 2 metres from the crater from where the mine detonated, with his legs in the direction of the exit.

Ddasaccident301, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

At 10:50 on 11 Aug 2000, [the victim – name withheld by group manager] detonated a mine whilst conducting clearance in the Cordon Sanitaire Minefield at UTM 0380797 8194039 in Mukumbura Communal lands.

Ddasaccident272, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The accident occurred at the start of the working day when the victim began working in the same lane as he had been working in on the previous day. Work started at 08:00 and he was "squatting on his knees" and prodding at 08:20 when he detonated a PMA-3 mine.

Ddasaccident300, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The deminer identified the reading within the confirmed row of mines. The deminer acted on this reading using excavation procedures. The mines destroyed and marked within the first row were R2M2. The predominate mine in this area of the Cordon is R2M2. The deminer stated he was excavating a reading when the mine detonated. There was physical evidence of excavation and water being used.

Ddasaccident014, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The group operated using a one-man drill and a two-man team with the resting deminers in a designated rest-area. Working time varied between 30 minutes and an hour depending on "the weather conditions". The last MACC QA visit had been seven days before. [There was no mention of metal-detectors in the report, so it is presumed that a "sapping drill was being used.]

Ddasaccident363, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

It was around 15:30 that [Victim No.8], one of the drivers of the two vehicles travelling together and who had escaped alive from the scene, informed the office that their vehicles were looted, the staff were killed, and the vehicles and some staff were burnt.