Defense and Security Studies Commons^™

Ddasaccident642, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

While the deminer was clearing the lane from stones using the light rake he removed the stones not behind him but he conducted a violation of drill and he threw the stones to the left side of the safe lane and one of the stone hit the unknown mine 12 meters forward to the Syrian side at IOE to the contaminated area resulting mine blast.

Report On The Feasibility Of Anama Establishing An International Centre For Mine Action In Goygol, Azerbaijan, Bruce Powell

Global CWD Repository

The following report documents the findings and recommendations of a feasibility study commissioned by UNDP under the mantle of its ongoing support to mine action in Azerbaijan. As recommended in a 2008 UNDP outcome evaluation, the study was tasked with examining the “existing capacities of ANAMA, as well as techniques and facilities to recommend on the possibility of converting ANAMA to an International Center for Mine Action (IMC)”1.

The report provides an overview of ANAMA‟s current operational capacity, training capability, and likely market niches that an IMC based in Azerbaijan could fill. It also describes the principal field of existing …

Handheld Standoff Mine Detection System (Hstamids) Operational Field Evaluations (Ofe's) In Cambodia, Sean Burke, Roger Cresci

Global CWD Repository

The Handheld Standoff Mine Detection System is a dual sensor mine detector. It was developed for the US Army and combines Metal Detector and ground penetrating radar. This system has produced vast improvements in mine clearance rates.

Evaluation Of Ec Funded Mine Action Programmes In Latin America, 2002-2007 - Regional Report, Russell Gasser

Global CWD Repository

The EC Anti-Personnel Landmine Regulation of 2001 mandated evaluations of EC Mine Action strategy every three years. The first report was a Global Evaluation published in 2005, this report forms one part of the 2008 evaluation by regions and covers Latin America, 2002-2007.

Total EC funding for mine action in Latin America in the period 2002-2007 was about 8 million euros, roughly 2% of the EC total worldwide budget for mine action. Sixty-eight percent of the eight million euros was from the dedicated thematic Anti-Personnel Landmine budget line and 31% was from the geographic budget for Colombia. There were also …

Ddasaccident705, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The deminer was looking for a missing mine (M14) in the cluster and the metal detector indicated a very weak signal, the deminer started to investigated that signal then the mine initiated that the deminer wasn’t following the proper procedure to approach the mine

Ddasaccident681, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

On 21 July 2009 while deminer [the Victim] was working in his clearance lane, investigating a detected signal with his hand trowel, he hit a mine on its top and caused it to go off. The weather was hot and the ground surface was hard and dry, so it seems that the deminer had used his excavation tool by force and carelessly and directly on pinpointed spot so touched the top of mine and caused the accident. As the deminer was dressed with PPE (vest, helmet and visor according to [Demining group] SOPs), so his face, neck and chest remained …

Ddasaccident675, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

Narrative: While the deminer was trying to investigate a signal using the heavy RAKE and after he pinpointed it , and finished with the light RAKE the deminer hit the non visible AP mine (M14) by the heavy RAKE on the pressure plate which initiated the mine 2.2 metres away from the deminer.

Ddasaccident671, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The burner prepared one MK5 stuck mine inside the stuck mine burning pit; he burned the mine in the right procedure and lift the burning area to a safe distance. The mine took a long waiting time to be burned that caused the deminer to go back to the burning area to check the reason, on his way back to the burning area the MK5 stuck mine blasted and small fragments hit the burner in his chin and face and caused the some injuries.

Nicaragua, Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Nicaragua is located in Central America, midway between Mexico and Colombia, bordered by Honduras to the north, Costa Rica to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. It was granted independence from Spain in 1821 and ultimately became an independent republic seven years later. In 1979, a civil war broke out that lasted 11 years, littering the country with landmines and unexploded ordnance that remain to this day. When Hurricane Mitch struck Nicaragua in October 1998, it exacerbated the landmine problem by moving remnants from the internal conflict, making clearance extremely challenging. …

Ecuador, Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

At the Ninth Meeting of States Parties in November 2008, Ecuador was one of 15 countries to request an extension on the Ottawa Convention deadline for completing landmine clearance. These 15 States Parties were the first group to do so since the adoption of the Convention in 1997. Delegates agreed unanimously to grant Ecuador’s request, extending the original 2009 deadline a full eight years to 1 September 2017. In its request, Ecuador reported fulfilling its Article 52 obligations in 53 of 128 suspect areas—totaling 118,707 square meters (29 acres) of cleared area. Approximately 498,633 square meters (123 acres) in the …

Masg Update, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The following article highlights the recent activities of the Mine Action Support Group, including updates on the United Nations Mine Action Service, the United Nations Development Programme and UNICEF. It is excerpted from the United Nations' newsletter covering the period from November 2008–February 2009.

Predicting Soil Influence On The Performance Of Metal Detectors: Magnetic Properties Of Tropical Soils, Jan Igel, Holger Preetz, Sven Altfelder

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Mine detection and clearance are costly and time-consuming procedures necessary to benefit the communities these weapons affect. A complication surrounding mine detection is the influence of the soil on landmine detection, but little research has been done on the subject. This article discusses how soil can affect mine detectors and research plans to improve mine-detection efficiency.

Sustainability In World Education’S Uxo Education And Awareness Program In Lao Pdr, Barbara Lewis, Sarah Bruinooge

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

World Education’s work in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, one of the most heavily bombed countries in the world, offers an example of effective implementation of unexploded-ordnance-risk awareness at all levels. This article explores World Education’s work with the government of Lao PDR in achieving higher levels of UXO-risk awareness.

International Trust Fund, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance is an organization that raises donations for mine action in Southeastern Europe and administers the donations to areas in need. The goal of the organization is to “eliminate the effect of mine contamination ... by 2010.” In 2008, the ITF managed US$33,999,200 in donations from 31 organizations (such as nongovernmental organizations, civic organizations, philanthropies and private companies) and 13 donor countries. It was the largest amount of donations the ITF had received in any single year.

2008, A Year Of Advances And Accomplishments, Johanna Garcia Garcia, Erika Estrada Chau

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Since 1990, the Organization of American States’ national demining assistance programs have been working to educate citizens about landmines and eliminate existing minefields in Nicaragua. The OAS Acción Integral contra las Minas Antipersonal program has successfully worked to coordinate with the Ministry of Education, local representatives, community leaders and volunteers to promote awareness about landmines, protect people from further injuries and provide rehabilitation for survivors.

In 1982, the Argentine junta government, faced with recession and declining public support, invaded the Falkland/Malvinas Islands, whose ownership had long been disputed with the United Kingdom. To the surprise of the Argentine generals, the United Kingdom counter-invaded the territory it claimed as the Falkland Islands. By the end of the three-month conflict, the Falkland/Malvinas Islands were again under British control. Ownership of the islands has long been disputed, but since 1833, excluding a brief period during the Falklands War, Britain has been in control. Despite numerous U.N. resolutions directing the United Kingdom and Argentina to seek a peaceful resolution …

Colombia, Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Colombia, a country overwhelmed by four decades of war, has the highest concentration of contamination from landmines and other explosive remnants of war in the Americas. The conflict, which was and continues to be waged between the Colombian government and various nonstate actors, reached its peak during the early 1990s.The use of improvised explosive devices, anti-personnel landmines and other forms of explosive ordnance has rapidly increased in Colombia since then, due to heavy usage by NSAs such as the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia. In the past, the Colombian government laid landmines around 34 military bases to protect key infrastructure, …

Endnotes Issue 13.1, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Endnotes Issue 13.1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 …