Defense and Security Studies Commons^™

Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices Related To Landmines And Unexploded Ordnance, Hi

Global CWD Repository

In Somalia, there is an identified need to undertake a mine risk education program. Although the quantitative number of landmines and UXO has been reliably established since the Landmine Impact Survey conducted in 2003, it is clear that communities living in particular areas of Somalia have a high perception of living in a mined area. An initial first step in designing an appropriate mine risk education program in Somaliland has been established by Handicap International and UNICEF collaboratively through a survey conducted in 2002, which undertook this Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices in three regions of the North West Zone. The …

Japan Supports The Extension Of Regional Initiative For Sustainable Economy (Rise) Programme, Undp

Global CWD Repository

In continuation of its generous support to the Regional Initiative for Sustainable Economy Programme, known as RISE, the Government of Japan has agreed to extend the duration of the programme until June 2007. This USD 12.7-million programme is fully funded by the Government of Japan under the Peace Building Grant Aid scheme, and has been in operation in Balkh, Nangarhar and Kandahar provinces. The actual implementation of the RISE activities started in March 2006 initially for the period of one year, and was recently extended until June 2007. The Japanese contribution will enable the Afghan government and international stakeholders to …

Integrated Mine Action: Lessons And Recommendations From Austcare's Program In Cambodia, Sally Campbell Thorpe

Global CWD Repository

This report identifies lessons learned and best practices from Austcare’s Integrated Mine Action (IMA) Program in Cambodia. It provides key recommendations for Austcare to consider implementing, while also highlighting broader perspectives that may be of interest to other agencies involved in IMA or seeking to develop a similar approach. To date, few organisations have documented their field-based experiences in IMA. This report explores Austcare’s experience in Cambodia to explain and advocate the benefits of IMA, as well to identify some of the challenges involved. It is hoped that the results will encourage a broader discussion and exchange on the subject. …

Budget, State And People Budget Process, Civil Society And Transparency In Angola, Jan Isaksen, Inge Amundsen, Arne Wiig, Cesaltina Abreu

Global CWD Repository

The Norwegian Embassy in Luanda, through Norad, has contracted the Chr. Michelsen Institute to conduct this study on obstacles and opportunities for increased transparency and popular consultation in the prioritisation of state expenditure and handling of revenue. The overall objectives of the study are (a) to contribute to increased insight into the present state of budgetary transparency and openness to the public in Angola, and (b) to indicate ways in which such transparency and openness may be increased. The conclusions and recommendations in the report stand for the authors of the report and are not necessarily shared or supported by …

Cambodia Country Case Study: Integration Of Mine Action Into The Country Development Framework, Cida's Mine Action Unit (Mau)

Global CWD Repository

Internal CIDA country case study which outlines benefits and rationale for integrating mine action into official development programming in mine affected regions. Aimed at CIDA country desk officers.

Cambodia was chosen for a country case study based on criteria it met for the Government of Canada's International Policy Strategy as a bilateral country of priority and the criteria created by the CIDA Mine Action Unit: Cambodia ratified the Ottawa Convention in 1999; its mine and UXO contamination are a large obstacle in Cambodia's development of poverty reduction; and the bilateral desk has the potential to integrate mine action into their …

Terrorism, Millenarianism, And Death: A Study Of Hezbollah And Aum Shinrikyo, Steven Nicholls

Theses : Honours

The relationship ·between death and the millennium is not an area of scholarship that has received adequate attention. Millenarian groups desire the creation of a paradise in the temporal world. The world is seen as corrupt and evil without hope of reform. This viewpoint leads millenarians to conclude that the temporal world must be completely destroyed and created a new, eliminating the corrupt and providing a utopia where the faithful can exist in peace. Hezbollah and Aum Shinrikyo are two terrorist groups which share this worldview, and believe that they can hasten the millennium by eliminating their enemies. This thesis …

Ddasaccident570, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

When climbing up the hill, the EOD Team Member [Victim No.2] stepped on or against a sub-munition M77. It detonated and injured him. EOD Team Leader [Victim No.1] followed his Team Member at a distance of approximately 8 – 9 meters and was injured by the shrapnel of the detonated sub-munition.

Ddasaccident474, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The deminer was clearing a lane of the minefield (69270024) when he initiated a mine with his Heavy rake and the solidified layer of soil [crust] slid onto the mine. He did this by raking in the site and trying to remove the solidified layer. The mine was approximately 5cm deep and set into hard baked soil.

Convention On The Rights Of Persons With Disabilities, Unmas

Global CWD Repository

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol (A/RES/61/106) was adopted on 13 December 2006 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, and was opened for signature on 30 March 2007 and entered into force on 3 May 2008. It is the first comprehensive human rights treaty of the 21st century and is the first human rights convention to be open for signature by regional integration organizations.

The Convention has particular significance for mine action as it details the rights of survivors of mines and ERW. While the Convention does not identify new rights, …

Ddasaccident554, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

According to [the Victim] deminer that he was searching (removing the soft soil) which backhoe has prepared with a small shovel and he pulled out the bush where barbed wire existed, while he pulled the bushes suddenly an accident occurred.

Ddasaccident444, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

On 29 Oct 06 an accident involving a staff member of KEC (The Indian contractor currently engaged to refurbish the power-line) detonated a PMN2 AP whilst he was excavating at internal base of Tower No 60. Towers 60 and 62 are located in what was addressed as MF Code 01-0103-11-041 during the 1996 clearance. The [name removed] survey data of the time corroborates the information supplied by Mr [name removed] that some towers were considered clear and others were considered to be mined.

Ddasaccident503, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

As a result of the explosion the deminer received minor injuries to his left hand and crush injuries to his left arm plus a single wound (1 to 1.5cm) to his left thigh where a foreign body penetrated the muscle. The [National demining agency] doctor indicated this object to be a small stone. These injuries indicate that his left hand was close to the point of detonation and he was facing sideways to allow the foreign object to pass under his protective vest. This is not consistent with proper use of the prodder but could be said to be consistent …

Ddasaccident502, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

Task no.007 started by [National demining agency] Sur.T-10 on 24-Sep-06 and it is ongoing (92%) but unfortunately on 12-11-2006 at 11:00am demining accident happened on [Victim No.1] Surveyor of [National demining agency] Sur. Team no. 10, while he was busy on excavation in the boundary lane. Generally Land type of the contaminated area is Grazing in accordance with the LIS information the mentioned community is accounted as high impact, including three suspected hazard areas (SHAs). This is a self Propelled (weedy) land for a kind of Vegetable using for medicine that is exported from Afghanistan to India ... which is …

Ddasaccident486, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

On 11.11.06 in the [International demining NGO] task No (1384) located in Bedak village of Gul Dam district of Kabul province suddenly a mine exploded in the lane of [the Victim] deminer who have the insurance No.3001 at 0730 hrs in the morning. At the same time the report of the accident was reported to the supervisor of the site and the Field doctor. Then the medics and the near by party started to help the injured person. After the completion of the First Aid at 0850 hrs in the morning they moved the injured person to the Emergency hospital …

Ddasaccident450, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The deminer was working in squatting position by portable shovel and was fully dressed with PPE while the accident happened. During 10 minutes the three steps of medical first aid was applied on the victim by the team nurse in the site then he was shifted at 10:15 hrs to the Bagram Airbase Hospital. Transfer of the victim from site to the hospital took 10 minutes and at 10:25 the victim was admitted to the hospital. For the time being the patient is under treatment in Miwand Governmental Hospital. The victim has just one trauma in his right hand. His …

The Rise Of Erw As A Threat To Civilians, Mohamed Taghioullah Ould Nema

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In this article, the author looks at the rise of landmines and ERW as military tactics from the First World War to current conflicts. The safety risk their presence poses and various measures to protect civilians are also discussed.

Increasing The Impact Of Mine-Action Surveys, Charles Downs

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

While mine-action surveys are an important tool in mine clearance, there are several challenges that must be overcome for survey results to be fully effective. Some of these changes include alterations in priority setting, information management and impact scoring. This article presents some potential obstacles to completing and evaluating mine-action surveys and proposes possible solutions to these challenges to increase their effectiveness and impact.

Explosive Remnants Of War In North Africa, Ayman Sorour

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

This article looks at explosive remnants of war in North Africa (Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia) from different perspectives, including the scope and history of the ERW, its impact and its relationship to security.

Chechnya, Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

For the past 10 years, a violent conflict between the Russian military and Chechen rebels has resulted in accusations of kidnapping, rape, looting and other atrocities from both sides. Instances of violence constantly plague the Chechen population, including accidents involving unexploded ordnance and landmines.

Humanitarian Landmine Action In China And The Role Of The Ngo, Zhai Dequan

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Though China is not a State Party to the Ottawa Convention, the country has long been involved in humanitarian efforts to alleviate the landmine problem. Nationally, China has launched mine clearance campaigns, and has become a State Party to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. Two organizations have also been established to alleviate the landmine problem. Internationally, China has sponsored several mine-clearance workshops, and has promoted international partnerships to work toward mine clearance.

Explosive Remnants Of War And The Reality Of Azerbaijan, Nazim Ismaylov, Emil M. Hasanov

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

This article explains the danger of explosive remnants of war when located within communities and the precautions that need to be taken in order to get rid of this problem. It also describes how the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action is trying to address the problem of abandoned ammunition storage in one of the most highly contaminated areas among existing abandoned ammunition storages in the world.

2006 Unmao Planning Process In Sudan, Hansie Heymans

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

A national strategic framework for mine-action efforts in Sudan drives the development of several planning documents that involved several national and international organisations to ensure the successful implementation of a successful framework. The author discusses the development process for the various national mine-action planning documents.

Mine-Risk Education And The Amateur Scrap-Metal Hunter, Allan R. Vosburgh

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In many countries where landmines and unexploded ordnance threaten populations, people ignore warnings about these hazardous explosives to collect explosive remnants of war for the valuable scrap metal they contain. The author discusses a program proposed by the Golden West Humanitarian Foundation to manage this dangerous practice.

The Mine Action Express… Or The Wreck Of The ‘09, Dennis Barlow

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The author discusses current challenges relating to an effective global mine action strategy; he considers approaches and policies that could enhance or impede demining efforts worldwide. There are many emerging concepts to consider in order to improve mine action, such as mainstreaming, risk management and national ownership. The author discusses potential future plans of action the community must undertake regarding these issues in order to deal effectively with landmines and explosive remnants of war.

Cambodia, Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Cambodia is one of the countries most heavily contaminated with mines and unexploded ordnance, a result of nearly three decades of conflict. The nation was occupied by the Japanese during World War II, and through the 1960s and 1970s Cambodia was involved in the Indochina Wars, seeing significant bombing. In 1975, the Khmer Rouge occupied Phnom Penh, taking over every town and city; they were not entirely removed from Cambodia until 1999. Vietnam's invasion of Cambodia in 1978 displaced the Khmer Rouge; the Vietnamese occupied Cambodia for 10 years, which invoked almost 13 years of civil war. Pol Pot, leader …

Finally, Safe Demining, Vinicius Souza, Maria Eugênia Sá

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Following a series of mistakes that caused hundreds of accidents—many fatal—a new battalion of the National Police of Peru now ensures demining quality for 1,711 power transmission towers.

The Killer Toy, Bounpheng Sisawath

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In June 2004, in the village of Nongsoung of the Paksong district in Champassak province, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, 30-year-old Pheng and four of her five children went out to plant vegetables. At noontime, while she was cooking lunch for the children, three of them began playing with something she could not see. Shortly thereafter, villagers two kilometres (one mile) away heard the sound of an explosion coming from the direction of Pheng’s garden.

Imsma® Version 4: A Collaborative Approach, Daniele Ressler

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

From July 24 to 27, 2006, the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining hosted a workshop in Murten, Switzerland, to introduce and discuss the release of the Information Management System for Mine Action version 4. Participants included management, operations and technology professionals involved in mine-action information management. During this workshop, results from IMSMA v4 pilot field tests were presented, v4 changes and innovations were explained, and a demonstration of IMSMA v4 with new handheld and Geographic Information System components was offered. IMSMA v4 reflects a collaborative effort to improve the accuracy and ease of mine-action information management in the field.

Geneva Diary: Report From The Gichd, Ian Mansfield

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining provides operational assistance to mine-action programmes and operators, creates and disseminates knowledge, works to improve quality management and standards, and provides support to instruments of international law.

Information Management System For Mine Action In Sudan, Mohammad Kabir

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Information Management System for Mine Action is a globally used and internationally accepted database and software system that allows mine-action programmes to efficiently correlate and evaluate information. In addition, IMSMA provides powerful tools to rapidly disseminate information on hazardous areas and other important aspects of mine action by providing digital as well as printed maps and statistics.