Emergency and Disaster Management Commons^™

Lsuhsc Facilities Daily Update: December 2006, Lsuhsc Property And Facilities Management

LSUHSC Facilities Daily Updates: 2006

LSUHSC Dailly Facilities Updates from December 2006.

These updates describe damage and a timeline of repairs at the LSU Health Sciences Center - New Orleans campus due to Hurricane Katrina which made landfall August 29, 2005.

Lsuhsc Facilities Biweekly Update: December 2006, Lsuhsc Property And Facilities Management

LSUHSC Facilities Biweekly Updates: 2006

LSUHSC Facilities Biweekly Updates from December 8 and 22, 2006.

These updates describe damage and a timeline of repairs at the LSU Health Sciences Center - New Orleans campus due to Hurricane Katrina which made landfall August 29, 2005.

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.

Throwing Out Mines: The Effects Of A Flail, Ian Mclean, Rebecca Sargisson, Johannes Dirscherl, Håvard Bach

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The authors discuss a study conducted on flail machines to prove the effectiveness of this technology in destroying anti-personnel mines.

Minewolf Flail And Tiller Machines: Testing The Differences Between Two Demining Technologies, Heinz Rath, Dieter Schröder

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

MineWolf is the first demining concept, manufactured in Germany by Arthur Willibald Maschinenbau GmbH (AHWI), that overcomes the limitations of flail and tiller machines by combining the advantages of both systems. Extensive tests with live anti-tank and fragmentation mines were carried out at the German Army proving ground to determine whether the MineWolf meets the operational requirements for humanitarian demining. The aim was to discover the effects of detonations on the operator, MineWolf, clearing tools and cabin, and to work out instructions for reparability.

Guinea Bissau, Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Past wars continue to haunt Guinea Bissau as remnants from previous conflicts are a constant reminder of what the country has undergone. Though the Liberation War lasted 11 years and finally ended in 1974, neighboring Senegal's internal conflict and Guinea Bissau's own civil war near the Casamance region would leave behind uglier scars.

The Aftermath Of War, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The recent conflict between Hezbollah and Israel resulted in many civilian victims and though the fighting has ended, the problems are nowhere near over for the civilians of Lebanon whose country is littered with cluster bomblets. This article explains the effects of the conflict on Lebanese civilians and describes how organizations are trying to eradicate the cluster-submunitions problem and provide aid to affected civilians.

The Journal Of Erw And Mine Action Issue 10.2 (2006), Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Editorial | Feature: Quality Assurance for Mined and Survey Areas | Focus: ERW: A Dangerous Legacy | Profiles | Making it Personal | Notes from the Field | Book Reviews | Research and Development | News Briefs

Lebanon, Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Lebanon has suffered from decades of conflict and periods of foreign occupation, leaving the country riddled with landmines and other explosive remnants of war. In July 2006, the country found itself at the center of international attention with the start of a 34-day conflict between Israel and the militant Shiite group Hezbollah, which operates out of the southern part of Lebanon. Of particular concern has been the reported use of cluster munitions by the Israel Defense Forces—who launched strikes on positions in southern Lebanon suspected to be occupied by Hezbollah militants—and the lasting post-conflict effects of unexploded submunitions.

Vietnam, Country Profile

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Long after the Vietnam War's end, remnants of the conflict remain in playgrounds, schools, farms and roads. Over 30 years have passed, but abandoned ammunition and unexploded ordnance—known as explosive remnants of war—have taken the lives of thousands of civilians. Once a week, a person in central Vietnam is killed or injured by an encounter with UXO. Vietnam is one of the most ERW-contaminated countries in the world, with abandoned explosives such as old bombs, artillery shells, grenades and other munitions left over from past wars. The country has an estimated 350,000 to 800,000 tons (317,515 to 725,748 metric tons) …

Contributing To Progress In Sri Lanka, Liz Wegman

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

This article highlights the activities of People to People International in Sri Lanka. As part of its commitment to Sri Lanka, PTPI not only assisted in the clearance of high-priority minefields, but also provided aid following the 2004 tsunami. Today, PTPI remains dedicated to helping the of Sri Lankan people.

Book Review: Commentaries On Arms Control Treaties, Vol. 1, The Convention On The Prohibition Of The Use, Stockpiling, Production, And Transfer Of Anti-Personnel Mines And On Their Destruction, J. Peter Pham

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Demining programs have evolved considerably since the first program for humanitarian demining, the Mine Action Programme for Afghanistan, began in 1988. Likewise, the legal bases for dealing with the problem of landmines have developed substantially from the minimalist 1980 Protocol II to the Convention on the Prohibition or Restriction on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May be Deemed to be Excessively Injurious or to have Indiscriminate Effects, which entered into force in 1983, to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production, and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction (also known as the …

Itep Test And Evaluation Of Humanitarian Demining Equipment, 2006, Franciska Borry

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The ITEP Work Plan 2006 compiles all test and evaluation activities that will be carried out during 2006 by the ITEP member countries, either as single-country activities or as ITEP collaborative efforts. The following summary provides an update on collaborative test activities initiated during 2005 and continuing in 2006, including also some of the new test and evaluation efforts envisaged.

Protection Of Soft Vehicles Against Erw, Thomas Hvidtfeldt

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The author discusses the challenges of protecting aid workers riding in traditional unarmoured vehicles from the dangers of explosive remnants of war. He offers some practical, after-market solutions that provide a high level of protection for much less than the cost of traditional armoured vehicles.

Explosive Remnants Of War And Their Consequences, Jonmahmad Rajabov

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

This article examines the post-conflict situation of Tajikistan, which has not only anti-personnel mines but various kinds of explosive remnants of war. Recently Tajikistan signed Protocol V of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, which includes a commitment to clear the nation’s ERW. The author highlights some of the different sources of ERW in Tajikistan as well as the progress being made by authorities to clear and destroy ERW.

Explosive Remnants Of War In The Republic Of Croatia, Drazen Simunovic

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Explosive remnants of war represent a constant threat to normal life and activities of the population living in mine-affected areas in the Republic of Croatia. The author considers the extent and impact of unexploded ordnance and other ERW contaminating the country as a consequence of military operations between 1991 and 1995.